The Tale of Custard the Dragon Summary

Summary

“The Tale of Custard the Dragon” is a humorous poem written by Ogden Nash. It tells the story of a little girl named Belinda who lives in a house with her pets—a kitten named Ink, a mouse named Blink, a dog named Mustard, and a dragon named Custard.

Belinda and her pets are all very brave, except for Custard, who is considered cowardly because he always wants a safe, quiet place, like a cage, to hide in. The other pets make fun of Custard for being so scared all the time.

One day, a pirate with a gun and a knife breaks into Belinda’s house. All the brave pets run away in fear, but Custard, the so-called cowardly dragon, surprises everyone. He fights the pirate bravely, defeats him, and saves the day.

After the pirate is defeated, the other pets continue to tease Custard, pretending that they weren’t really scared and that they could have handled the pirate themselves. Custard, despite his bravery, goes back to being his usual timid self.

The poem teaches that true bravery is revealed in times of danger, and that sometimes those who seem the weakest can be the most courageous when it really matters.