Dragon is renowned for their questionable instruction sheets. Build enough of their kits and you learn to test fit repeatedly, and try "opposite" side parts to confirm before gluing.
As far as the poor fit goes, I have not built their Ferdinand so I can not comment there. Did you buy this kit at a local store, an online shop, or secondhand from somewhere else. There are folks out there who sell secondhand, either in person or online who have shrink wrapped kits that are missing parts or substituted, and sold them off as new/mint condition.
F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!
U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!
N is for NO SURVIVORS...
- Plankton
LSM