The Tale of Custard the Dragon | Lesson-9 (poem) | Class 10 English |

 Lesson-9 (poem)

 The Tale of Custard the Dragon 

Summary:

The Tale of Custard the Dragon is a ballad. The pome has  humouric elements tells a story of a cowardly dragon named Custard. Custard is a pet of  Belinda, a little girl who lives in a little white house with his pets. She had a black kitten named Ink. A grey moues named Blink , a yellow dog mustard and a cowardly dragon Custard. She was in lave with all  of them . The poet says that all the pets are brave except the dragon custard. In the pome, the poet describes the pets as brave and compared them with another animals like bear, tiger or lion but  the dragon is very timid. He always demands a safe place for himself. All the other pets make   fun of him . But one night they are surprised by the enter of a pirate in the house. All of them get frightened and start hiding here and there. But to everyone’s surprise , the dragon not only tackles him but also eats him up. As  Mustard of them are sued by Custard, they tank him, Then all the in love pets realised that though Custard is timid in nature but he is also intelligent and brave who as all  their  lives. So they thought it is not good to make fun of him for his timid nature. Here the poet wants to say his reader that no one should be treated miserably irrespective of his or her nature because everyone have  other special Quality like the coward and  timid dragon Custard who fight  with the pirate and save the lives 0f other pets and Belinda..

মূলভাৱঃ

‘The Tale of Custard the Dragon’  এক প্ৰকাৰৰ বেলাড কবিতাটোত খুহুতীয়াভাৱে কাষ্টাৰ্ড নামৰ ড্ৰেগ’নটোৰ কথা কোৱা হৈছে । কাষ্টাৰ্ড বেলিন্দাৰ এটা পোহনীয়া ড্ৰেগন, যিয়ে এটা বগা ৰঙৰ সৰু ঘৰৰ নিজৰ পোহনীয়া জন্তুবোৰৰ  লগত থাকে । তাইৰ ইংক নামৰ এটা ক’লা মেকুৰী পোৱালী ব্লিংক নামৰ নিগনি, মাষ্টাৰ্ড নামৰ এটা হালধীয়া কুকৰ, আৰু কাষ্টাৰ্ড নামৰ এটা ভয়াতুৰ ড্ৰেগন আছিল । তাই সকলোবোৰকে বৰ ভাল পাইছিল । কবিয়ে কৈছে যে সকলোবোৰ পোহণীয়া জন্তু বৰ সাহসী মাত্ৰ কাষ্টাৰ্ড নামৰ ড্ৰেগ’নটোৰ বাহিৰে । কবিয়ে সকলোবোৰ পোহণীয়া জন্তুক বাঘ, ভালুক, সিংহ আদিৰ লগত তুলনা কৰিছে কিন্তু কাষ্টাৰ্ড নামৰ ড্ৰেগনটো বৰ শান্ত স্বভাৱৰ আছিল । কাষ্টাৰ্ডে সদায় নিজৰ বাবে এক সুৰক্ষিত ঠাই বিচাৰি ফুৰিছিল বাকী সকলোবোৰ জন্তুৱে ড্ৰেগ’নটোক ঠাট্টা কৰিছিল । এদিন সকলোবোৰ জন্তুৱে ঘৰৰ পাইৰেট সোমোৱা দেখি আচৰিত হৈছিল । সকলোবোৰ ভয় খাই য’ত ত’ত লুকাইছিল । কিন্তু সকলোকে স্তম্ভিত কৰি কাষ্টাৰ্ডে অকলে ডকাইতটোৰ সন্মখীন হৈছিল আৰু তাক অক্ৰমণ কৰিছিল । কাষ্টাৰ্ডে সকলোকে ডকাইতটোৰ পৰা ৰক্ষা কৰিছিল আৰু সকলোৱে তাক ধন্যবাদ দিছিল । তেতিয়া সকলোৱে অনুভৱ কৰিছিল যে কাষ্টাৰ্ড যদিও ভয়াতুৰ আছিল প্ৰকৃততে সি সাহসী আছিল যিয়ে সকলোকে বিপদৰ পৰা ৰক্ষা কৰিছিল । দৰাচলতে কবিয়ে ক’ব বিচাৰিছে যে সকলো মানুহৰ বিশেষ দক্ষতা থাকে আৰু কেতিয়াও আনৰ দূৰ্বলতাক তিৰষ্কাৰ কৰিব নাপায় ।

Thinking about the poem ( কবিতাটোৰ বিষয়ে ভাবা)

1. Who are the characters in this poem ? List them with their pet names.

কিবিতাটোত কোনবোৰ চৰিত্ৰ আছিল ? সকলো পোহনীয়া জন্তুৰ নামৰ তালিকা প্ৰস্তুত কৰা ।Ans: In this poem, the a characters are Belinda, a little. Girl and her pets; a little black kitten, a little grey moues , a little yellow dog , a little pet dragon and a pirate

Characlirs	Pet Name
Kitten	Ink
Moues	Blink
Dog	Mustard
Dragon	Custard

কবিতাটোৰ থকা চৰিত্ৰসমূহ হ’ল বেলিছা এজনী কণমাণি ছোৱালী, আৰু তাইৰ পোহণীয়া জন্তুবোৰ আছিল – এটা ক’লা মেকুৰী , এটা নিগনি , এটা কুকুৰ আছিল ।

চৰিত্ৰ	পোহনীয়া জন্তুবোৰৰ নাম
মেকুৰী পোৱালী	ইংক
নিগনি	ব্লিংক
কুকুৰ	মাষ্টাৰ্ড
ড্ৰেগ’ন	কাষ্টাৰ্ড

2. Why did Custard cry for a nice safe cage ? Why is the dragon called " cowardly dragon " ?

কাষ্টাৰ্ডে কিয় এটা সুৰক্ষিত পজাঁ বিচাৰি কান্দিছিলে ? ড্ৰেগ’নটোক কিয় ভয়াতুৰ বুলি কোৱা হৈছিল ?

Answer: Custard was very coward and get scared very easily; thus it cried for a nice safe cage.

               Custard is called ‘’ cowardly dragon’’ because in comparison to the other pets of the house, Custard scared a let while other pets are brave.

কাষ্টাৰ্ড এক ভয়াতুৰ ড্ৰেগ’ন আছিল যিয়ে সঘনাই ভয় খাইছিল আৰু সদায় সুৰক্ষিত ঠাই বিচাৰি ফুৰিছিল ।

 কাষ্টাৰ্ডক এটা ভয়াতুৰ ড্ৰেগ’ন বুলি কৈছিল কিয়নো সি বাকীবোৰতকৈ ভয়াতুৰ আছিল ।

  3. " Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful ... " Why?

‘’বেলিছাই তাক কুটকুটাই দিছেলে একো নভবাকৈ,’’ কিয় ?

Answer: Tickling is an easy way to make people laugh, it always works on people who are a little soft. So Belinda tickled the dragon unmerciful as it worked a lot on him. Despite being a dragon, a tickling could disturb him and this showed his cowardice on which everyone loughed.

কুটুটালৈ সকলো মানুহৰ হাঁহি উঠে আৰু বেলিজাই প্ৰায় কষ্টাৰ্ডেক ভয় সোনকালে খাইছিল আৰু সকোৱে  তাকে দেখি হাঁহিছিল ।

  4. The poet has employed many poetic devices in the poem . For example : " Clashed his tail like iron in a dungeon " – the poetic device here is a simile . Can you , with your partner , list some more such poetic devices used in the poem ?

কবিয়ে বিভিন্ন ধৰণৰ কাব্যিক অমংকাৰ কবিতাটোত ব্যৱহাৰ কৰিছে । তুমি সহপাঠীৰ সৈতে আলোচনা কৰি কাব্যিক অলংকাৰ বাছি উলিওৱা ।

Answer: In this poem ‘’ The Tale of Custard the Dragon, the poet has used a lot of poetic devices. Here are the examples given below-

I. Repetition:  Use of the word ‘’ Little’’

II. Oxymoron: Use   of two words with apposite meanings ‘’pet                                  dragon’’.  

III. Simile: Dog compared to mustard.

IV. Metaphor: The nose is like a chimney ‘’chimney for a nose’’.

দগ টেল অফ্ কাষ্টাৰ্ড দ্যা ড্ৰেগ’ন নামৰ কবিতাটোত কবিয়ে বহুতো কাব্যিক অমংকাৰ ব্যৱহাৰ কৰিছিল । ইয়াৰে কিছুমান উদাহৰণ তলত উল্লেখ কৰা হ’ল 

I. পুনৰাবৃত্তি ‘’লিটল’’শব্দটোৰ পুনৰ ব্যৱহাৰ হৈছে ।

II. বিৰোধাভাস দুটা বিপৰীত অৰ্থত শব্দ একেলগে ব্যৱহাৰ কৰা পোহনীয়া ড্ৰেগন’ ।

III. উপমা কুকুৰটোক মাষ্টাৰ্ডৰ লগত তুলনা কৰিছিল ।

III. ৰূপম ড্ৰেগ’নৰ নাকটোক চিমনীৰ লগত তুলনা কৰিছে ।

 5. Read stanza three again to know how the poet describes the appearance of the dragon.

তিনি নম্বৰ স্তনকটো পুনৰ পঢ়ি কবিয়ে ড্ৰেগ’নৰ কথা কি বুলি কৰৈছিল লিখা ।

Answer: In this stanza the poet describe the appearance of the dragon. It had big sharp tooth and spikes on top. His mouth has been compared to a fireplace because it is assumed that dragons can release fire from the mouth. Then its nose is compared to a chimney which is used to pass out smoke. His feet’s are like a sharp knife.

উচ্চ স্তৱকটোত কবিয়ে ড্ৰেগ’নটোৰ শাৰিৰীক বৰ্ণনা দিছিল । ড্ৰেগ’নটোৰ তীক্ষ্ন দাঁত, মূৰফালে ডিলা আছে। তাৰ মূখখন জুইশলালৰ লগত তুলনা কৰা হৈছে কিয়নো সি মূখখন জুই   উলিয়াই । ঠিক তেনেদৰে তাৰ নাকটো চিমনীৰ লগত তুলনা কৰিছে যি ফালেদি জুইৰ ধোঁৱাবিলাক ওলাই যায় ।

 6. Can you find out the rhyme scheme of two or three stanzas of the poem ?

কবিতাটোৰ ছন্দ বাছি উলিওৱা ।

Answer: The rhyme scheme is ‘’aa bb’’.

             কবিতাটোৰ ছন্দ হ’ল ‘’এএ বিবি’’

7. Writers use words to give us a picture or image without actually saying what they mean . Can you trace some images used in the poem ?

লিখকে বহুসময়ত কিছুমান শব্দৰ জৰিয়তে বিশেষ কিছুমান ছবি দাঙি ধৰে । উক্ত কবিতাটোত  ব্যৱহৃত তেনে শব্দৰ উদাহৰণ দিয়া ।

Answer: Writers always use such phrases and words that do not tell us directly about what they mean but always gives us an indication of the meaning . Such words or phrases are used to trigger our own imagination in painting the picture that  they mean. Some examples from this poem are; ‘’ mouth like a fireplace,’’ ‘’Chimney for a noes’’, brave as a barrel full of bears’’, brave as a tiger in a rage etc.

লিখকে প্ৰায়ে পৰোক্ষ অৰ্থ প্ৰকাশিত শব্দ কিছুমান ব্যৱহাৰ কৰে । ইয়াৰ জৰিয়তে পঢ়টবয়ে লিখকে কব বিচৰা কথাৰ উখ্থান পাই । এই কবিতাটোত কবিয়ে তেনেধৰণৰ বহু শব্দ ব্যৱহাৰ কৰিছে । তেনে কিছুনাম উদাহৰণ হ’ল   ‘’মখ খন জুইশলালৰ দাৰ, নাকটোৰ চিমনীৰ দৰে, তাইৰ সাহসেৰে ভৰপূৰ , বাঘৰ দাৰ সাহসী আদি ।

 8. Do you find The Tale of Custard the Dragon to be a serious or a light - hearted poem ? Give reasons to support your answer .

তোমাৰ মতে কবিতটোত খুহুতীয়া নে গম্ভীৰ প্ৰকাৰৰ ? যুক্তি আগবঢ়োৱা ।

Answer: The Tale of Custard the Dragon is a very light and funny poem meant to be enjoyed by everyone. The way the poem has been written with a fix rhyme scheme, makes it very easy and enjoyable to read. The poet has even used wrong spelling to maintain the rhyme scheme. The little girl Poland is compared to a barrel full of bears, anther tiny creatures like mouse, kitty have been shown so brave that the kitty  can score a lion. While the dragon has been shown .  as a coward and get being who seeks for salty cage.

 ‘দ্যা টেল অফ্ কাষ্টাৰ্ড দ্যা ড্ৰেগন’ নামৰ কবিতাটো ৰসেৰে ভৰপূৰ আৰু সকলোৱে উপভোগ কৰিব পৰা ধৰণৰ কবিতা । কবিতাটোৰ ছুন্টই ইয়াক আকৰ্ষণীয় কৰি তুলিছে । বিভিন্ন সময়ত কবিতাৰ ছন্দ মিলাবৰ বাবে কবিয়ে ভূলকৈ শব্দ লিখিছে । কবিতাটোত সৰু ছোৱালীজনীক সাহসী বুলি কোৱা গৈছে, সৰু পোহনীয়া জন্তুবোৰক সাহসক বাঘ, সিংহৰ লগত তুলনা কৰিছে । তাৰোপৰি ড্ৰেগ’নটোক ভয়াতুৰ বুলি বৰ্ণনা কৰিছে । তাৰোপৰি ড্ৰেগ’নটোক ভয়াতুৰ বুলি বৰ্ণনা কৰিছে যিয়ে সুৰক্ষিত ঠাই বিচাৰি কান্দি থাকে ।  

1. Ogden Nash Belongs to-

(a) America
(b) England
(c) France
(d) Germany

Ans: (a) America

2. The tone of the Poem is 

(a) Serious
(b) Humorous 
(c) Mock-epic
(d) None of the aboe

Ans:(b) Humorous

3. The number of stanzas of the poem is

(a) Twelve 
(b) Fourteen 
(c) Fifteen 
(d) Sixteen

Ans:(c) Fifteen

4. The poem has an element of

(a) Vision
(b) Imagination
(c) Realism 
(d) Fantasy 

Ans:(d) Fantasy

5.The ending of the poem is 

(a) ironical and serious
(b) Ironical only 
(c) Serious only
(d) None of the above

Ans:(a) Ironical and serious

6. The colour of Belinda's house was

(a) Average
(b) little 
(c)large
(d) none of the above

Ans:(b) little

7. The size of Belinda's kitten was

(a) Average
(b) little
(c) Large
(d) None of the above

Ans:(b) little

8. The colour of Belinda's kitten was 

(a) Yellow
(b) Grey
(c) Black
(d) White

Ans:(c) Black

9. The colour of Belinda's mouse was 

(a) Black
(b) White
(c) Green 
(d) Grey 

Ans:(d) Grey

10. The size of Belinda's mouse was 

(a) little
(b) large
(c) average 
(d) none of the above

Ans:(a) little 

11. The size of Belinda's toy wagon was 

(a) large
(b) average
(c) little
(d) None of the above 

Ans:(c) little

12. The colour of Belinda's dog was

(a) White
(b) red
(c) Green 
(d) yellow

Ans: (d) yellow

13. The colour of Belinda's toy Wagon was

(a) Red
(b) Pink
(c) Blue
(d) Green

14. Belinda's pet dragon was

(a) realio
(b) realio and trulio 
(c) trulio
(d) none of the above

Ans:(b)realio and trulio

15. The size of Belinda's pet dragon was

(a) large
(b) average
(c) little
(d) none of the above

Ans:(c) littlie

16. The size of Belinda's house was

(a) very large
(b) large 
(c)average
(d) little

Ans:(d) little

17. Belinda lived in a

(a) hours
(b) palace
(c) cottage
(d) none of the above

Ans:(a) hours

18. The only non-living creature Belinda lived with was

(a) dragon
(b) wagon
(c) kitten
(d) mouse

Ans:(b) Wagon

19. The only wild creature Belinda lived with was

(a) kitten
(b) wagon
(c) dragon
(d) mouse

Ans:(c) dragon

(20) The domestic creature Belinda lived with was

(a) Kitten 
(b) mouse
(c) dog
(d) all the above

Ans:(d) All the above

(21) The dragon is a

(a) Pet animal
(b) a farm animal
(c) a wild animal 
(d) none of the above

Ans:(a) Pet animal

(22) The common thing in the house, Kitten, mouse, dog, wagon and dragon is that they are all

(a) same in colour
(b) same is size
(c) same in name 
(d) same in shape

Ans:(b) same is size

(23) The name of Belinda's Kitten was

(a) Ink
(b) blink
(c) Mustard
(d) Custard

Ans:(a)Ink

(24) The name of Belinda's mouse was

(a) Ink
(b) Blinks
(c) Mustard
(d) Custard

Ans:(b) Blink 

(25) The name of Belinda's dog was

(a)Ink
(b) Blink 
(c) Mustard
(d) Custard
Ans: (c) Mustard

(26) The name of Belinda's dragon was

(a) Ink
(b) Blink
(c) Mustard
(d) Custard

Ans: (d) Custard

(27) Belinda's dragon was

(a) cowardly
(b) Brave
(c) ordinary
(d) none of the above

Ans:(a) cowardly

(28) Belinda's dog was sharp, meaning

(a)foolish
(b) intelligent
(c)  sloth
(d) none of the above

Ans:(b) intelligent

(29) The dragon had on him

(a) Spikes
(b) scales
(c) chimney
(d) none of the above

Ans:(a) Spikes

(30) The Teeth of the Dragon were

(a) big
(b) big and sharp
(c) Sharp
(d) none of the above

Ans:(b) Big and sharp

(31) The mouth of the dragon was like

(a) a chimney
(b) a spike
(c) a fireplace
(d) none of the above

Ans:(c)a fireplace

(32) The nose of the dragon was like

(a) house
(b) pipe
(c) fireplace
(d) chimney

Ans:(d) chimney

(33) The toes of the dragon are compared to

(a) daggers
(b) knives
(c) scissors
(d) none of the above

Ans: (a) daggers

(34) The dragon has under its spike

(a) skin
(b) scales
(c) shell
(d) none of the above

Ans: (b) scales

(35) The daggers on the toes of the dragon were

(a) realio
(b) trulio
(c) both (a) and (b)
Ans:(c) both (a) and (b)

(36) Belinda was as brave as a

(a) Barrel full of bears
(b) Pride of lions
(c) Packs of wolves
(d) none of the above

Ans: (a) Barrel full of bears

(37) The animal(s) who chased lions was(were)

(a) Ink
(b) Ink and Blink
(c) Blink
(d) none of the above

Ans: (b) Ink and Blink

(38) Mustard was as brave as

(a) a lion in a cage 
(b) a tiger in a den 
(c) a tiger in a rage
(d) a lion in a den

Ans:(c) a tiger in a rage

(39) custard always cried for

(a) food
(b) den
(c) Sleep 
(d) a nice safe cage

Ans:(d) a nice safe cage

(40) A barrel is

(a) a container
(b) a kind of liquid
(c) an animal
(d) none of the above

Ans: (a) a container

(41) Ink and Blink chased lions

(a) in the field
(b) down the stairs
(c) in the forest
(d) at the zoo

Ans: (b) down the stair

(42) The word 'rage' means

(a) enmity
(b) bitterness
(c) envy 
(d) anger

Ans:(d) anger

(43) The image of 'nice safe cage' produces the impression of

(a) imprisonment
(b) freedom
(c) neither (a) nor (b)
(d) safety

Ans: (d) safety

(44) Belinda tickled custard

(a) unmercifully
(b) mercifully
(c) bravely
(d) none of the above

Ans:(a) unmercifully

(45) Custard was rudely called

(a) Provincial
(b) Percival
(c) Provencal 
(d) none of  the above

Ans:(b) Percival

(46) Who called Custard 'Percival '?

(a) Ink and Blink
(b) Blink and Mustard
(c) Ink, Blink and Mustard
(d) None of the above

Ans: (c) Ink, Blink and Mustard

(47) The wagon on Which Ink, Blink and Mustard sat was

(a) little
(b) red
(c) both (a) and (b)
(d) none of the above

Ans:(c) both (a) and (b)

(48) The word 'tickled' refers to

(a) a light touch
(b) a hard touch
(c) hitting 
(d) beating

Ans: (a) a light touch

(49) Percival was a Knight of Kink

(a) Edward
(b) Charlemagne
(c) Arthur
(d) none of the above

(50) Custard is rudely called 'Percival ' because like Percival, the former lacks qualities like

(a) bravery 
(b) fierceness
(c) Terrible look
(d) all of the above

Ans:(d) all of the above 

(51) The nasty sound was produced by 

(a) the pirate
(b) Custard
(c) Belinda
(d) Ink

Ans: (a) the pirate  

(52)  The pirate was climbing Through 

(a) the door
(b) the roof
(c) the Window
(d) the gate 

Ans:(c) the Window

(53) A pirate is one who rods

(a) on land
(b) in air 
(c) in water
(d) none of the above

Ans: (c) In water

(54) In his teeth, the pirate held

(a) a cigarette
(b) a dagger
(c) a pistor
(d) none of the above

Ans: (b) a dagger

(55) One of the legs of the pirate was made of

(a) Stone
(b) rubber
(c) flesh
(d) wood

Ans: (d) Wood

(56) That the pirate meant no good was evident from his

(a) appearance
(b) words
(c) actions
(d) all of the above

Ans: (a) appearance 

(57) A robin is

(a) a bird
(b) an animal
(c) an insect
(d)none  of the above

Ans: (a) a bird

(58) The number of bullets the pirate fired was

(a) Three
(b) two
(c) four
(d) one

Ans: (b) two

(59) According to Mustard, his negative quality was his

(a) cowardice
(b) confusion
(c) tolerance 
(d) none of

Ans: (b) confusion

(60) When everybody spoke of his/her courage, Custard

(a) Spoke of his own course 
(b) opposed them
(c) remained silent
(d) accepted that everybody was braver than he

Ans: (d) accepted that everybody was braver than he

(61) Ogden Nash is noted for

(a) tragic verse 
(b) comic verse
(c) serious verse 
(d) None of the above

Ans: (b) comic verse

(62) The style of the poem is of a

(a) ballad
(b) sonnet
(c) ode
(d) epic

Ans: (a) ballad