How the Camel Got His Hump — Rudyard Kipling
About the Author
RUDYARD KIPLING (1865-1936) was a famous English writer. He wrote THE JUNGLE BOOK and many wonderful JUST SO STORIES — imaginative tales that explain HOW animals got their special features.
'Kipling's Just So Stories are FANTASTICAL. They don't try to be scientifically accurate — they are IMAGINARY explanations that are FUN to read!'
The Story
The Beginning — The Lazy Camel
In the BEGINNING of the world, when animals were still new, there was a CAMEL. He lived in the MIDDLE of the Howling Desert because he did NOT want to work.
'When the Camel said "HUMPH!" he meant "I don't care." And he said it ALL the time.'
The Camel ate STICKS and THORNS and TAMARISKS. He was LAZY. When any other animal spoke to him, he just said: 'Humph!'
The Three Animals Complain
On Monday, the HORSE came to the Camel. He had a SADDLE on his back and a BIT in his mouth.
'Camel, O Camel,' said the Horse. 'Come out and TROT like the rest of us.'
'Humph!' said the Camel. And the Horse went away and told the MAN.
On Tuesday, the DOG came to the Camel. He had a STICK in his mouth.
'Camel, O Camel,' said the Dog. 'Come and FETCH and CARRY like the rest of us.'
'Humph!' said the Camel. And the Dog went away and told the MAN.
On Wednesday, the OX came to the Camel. He had a YOKE on his neck.
'Camel, O Camel,' said the Ox. 'Come and PLOW like the rest of us.'
'Humph!' said the Camel. And the Ox went away and told the MAN.
The Man Complains to the Djinn
At the end of the day, the MAN called the THREE animals together and said, 'Three is a CROWD for me. There is not enough WORK for all of us. The Camel will not work. I am going to THROW HIM OUT into the desert!'
But the HORSE, the DOG, and the OX had a better idea. They went to the DJINN OF ALL DESERTS (a powerful spirit) and told him about the LAZY Camel.
'Djinn,' said the Horse, 'the Camel will not work. He just says "HUMPH!"'
'Djinn,' said the Dog, 'the Camel will not work. He just says "HUMPH!"'
'Djinn,' said the Ox, 'the Camel will not work. He just says "HUMPH!"'
The Djinn Visits the Camel
The Djinn flew across the desert in a CLOUD of DUST. He found the Camel looking at his own reflection in a pool of water.
'My long-faced friend,' said the Djinn. 'I hear you will not work. Why is that?'
'Humph!' said the Camel.
The Djinn sat down with his chin in his hand and thought. He was a VERY powerful spirit, and he did not like being answered with 'Humph!'
The Punishment
'Say "Humph!" once more,' said the Djinn, 'and something will HAPPEN.'
'Humph!' said the Camel AGAIN.
As he said it, his BACK began to PUFF UP into a GREAT BIG HUMP!
'Do you see that?' said the Djinn. 'That is your very own HUMP — your PUNISHMENT for being lazy. You have missed THREE DAYS of work. Now you can live on your HUMP for THREE DAYS without eating!'
The Lesson
'You must WORK,' said the Djinn. 'That is why I gave you your HUMP.'
And from that DAY onward, the Camel had a HUMP. He had to work to make up for the three days he had missed. But the Camel STILL hasn't learned to behave perfectly — he still has his HUMP, and he still says 'Humph!' now and then!
New Words
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Djinn | A powerful spirit or genie in Middle Eastern folklore |
| Humph | A sound made to show you don't care or are annoyed |
| Trot | To run at a steady, medium speed |
| Yoke | A wooden frame that connects two animals for plowing |
| Fetch | To go and get something and bring it back |
| Tamarisk | A type of desert shrub |
Think and Discuss
- Why did the CAMEL refuse to work?
- What did the Horse, Dog, and Ox do about the Camel's laziness?
- Was the Djinn FAIR in giving the Camel a hump? Why or why not?
- What is the LESSON of this story?
Key Theme — Responsibility
'This story teaches us that EVERYONE must do their SHARE of work. Being lazy doesn't help anyone — and there are CONSEQUENCES for not doing your part.'
| Character | Lesson |
|---|---|
| Camel | Laziness leads to CONSEQUENCES |
| Horse, Dog, Ox | It is okay to ASK for help with a problem |
| Djinn | Authority figures can enforce FAIR rules |
Fun Activity
Write your OWN 'Just So Story' — explain how an animal got a special feature! Some ideas:
- 'How the Elephant Got His Trunk'
- 'How the Giraffe Got His Long Neck'
- 'How the Turtle Got His Shell'
Common Mistakes with Stories
- 'Kipling's stories are FANTASY, not science. A camel's hump actually stores FAT (for energy), not as a punishment for being lazy!'
- 'When writing dialogue, each NEW speaker starts on a NEW line. Don't put two speakers' words in the same paragraph.'
Self-Test
Q1: Who are the three animals that came to the Camel asking him to work?
Q2: What did the Camel say every time an animal asked him to work?
Q3: Who is the DJINN?
Q4: What happened when the Camel said 'Humph!' to the Djinn?
Q5: How many days can a camel live on its hump according to the story?
Q6: What is the MORAL of the story?
Answers:
A1: The Horse, the Dog, and the Ox. A2: He said 'Humph!' (meaning he didn't care and wouldn't work). A3: The Djinn of All Deserts — a powerful spirit who could punish the Camel. A4: A great big HUMP grew on his back as a punishment. A5: Three days (to make up for the three days of work he missed). A6: Laziness has consequences. Everyone must do their share of work. Being lazy only hurts yourself in the end.
