Chapter 1 — How the Camel Got His Hump

Chapter 1 of NCERT Class 8 English (It So Happened), "How the Camel Got His Hump", is a humorous moral tale by Rudyard Kipling (abridged). Set at the very beginning of the world, when animals had just started working for Man, it follows a lazy Camel who lives in the Howling Desert and refuses every request to work, replying only with "Humph!". The Dog, Horse, and Ox complain to the Djinn of All Deserts, who confronts the Camel. When the Camel says "Humph!" one time too many, his back puffs up into a great hump — a punishment for three days of idleness. The Djinn explains that the hump will now let the Camel work three days without eating, making up for the days he missed. The Camel joins the other animals, but the story ends noting he has never caught up with those lost three days and has never learned to behave.

In the beginning of the world, all animals worked for Man — except a lazy Camel who lived alone in the Howling Desert and replied to every request with only "Humph!". The Horse asked him to trot, the Dog to fetch and carry, and the Ox to plough; each time the Camel refused and the animals complained to Man, who made them work double-time. Furious, the three held a panchayat and complained to the Djinn of All Deserts. The Djinn confronted the Camel, who again said "Humph!" — and his back immediately puffed up into a large hump. The Djinn told him the hump would let him live without eating for three days, compensating for the work he had missed. The camel joined the others but, the narrator notes, has never truly caught up or learned to behave. The tale teaches that idleness has consequences and everyone must do their share of work.

1. 01The story is set at the very beginning of the world, when animals were just starting to work for Man.
2. 02The Camel lived alone in the Howling Desert because he did not want to work; he ate sticks, thorns, and prickles and only ever said "Humph!".
3. 03The Horse (with a saddle), the Dog (with a stick), and the Ox (with a yoke) each visited the Camel on Monday morning asking him to trot, fetch-and-carry, and plough respectively — all refused.
4. 04Man told the three animals he was sorry but would leave the Camel alone, making them work double-time to compensate, which made them very angry.
5. 05The three animals held a panchayat on the edge of the Desert and complained to the Djinn of All Deserts, who was in charge of all deserts.
6. 06When the Camel said "Humph!" to the Djinn's warning, his back puffed up into a great hump — described as his "very own humph" brought upon himself by not working since Monday (three days of idleness by Thursday).
7. 07The Djinn explained the hump's purpose: the Camel can now live on it and work three days without eating, making up for the three days he missed; but the story concludes he has never caught up and has never yet learned to behave.