Class 8 English — Chapter 1: How the Camel got his hump

What you'll learn

• ▸Character Analysis: The Lazy Camel
• ▸The Role of the Working Animals
• ▸The Djinn as the Problem-Solver
• ▸Plot: The Central Conflict
• ▸The Origin and Purpose of the Hump
• ▸Theme: The Importance of Work and Responsibility
• ▸Vocabulary and Key Phrases
• ▸Literary Genre: Fable and Origin Story

Chapter Summary

--- PAGE 1 --- 1 How the Camel got his hump 0850CH01 I * The world had just begun, and the animals were working for humans. * There was one lazy animal that did nothing, and said nothing but 'Humph'. * Even the clever Djinn was at his wit's end. In the beginning, when the world was new and the Animals were just beginning to work for Man, there was a Camel, and he lived in the middle of a Howling Desert because he did not want to work. He ate sticks and thorns and prickles, and when anybody spoke to him he said "Humph!" Just "Humph!" and no more. Presently the Horse came to him on Monday morning, with a saddle on his back and said, "Camel, O Camel, come out and trot like the rest of us." "Humph!" said the Camel, and the Horse went away and told the Man. Presently the Dog came to him, with a stick in his mouth, and said, Djinn: (pronounced 'jin' and variously spelt as 'genie', 'genii', 'jinnee', 'djinni', 'djinny'): a spirit that has strange powers and can assume any form, hum…

Practice Questions from this Chapter

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1. Explain how a camel's hump works. Get Solution →
2. Name other animals adapted to deserts. Get Solution →
3. Describe the importance of working together. Get Solution →
4. What one word did the Camel say whenever anyone spoke to him? Get Solution →
5. Which animal came to the Camel on Monday morning with a saddle on its back? Get Solution →
6. Where did the Camel live at the beginning of the story? Get Solution →
7. What was the Ox's job, as indicated by the item on its neck? Get Solution →
8. Who was the Djinn in charge of? Get Solution →

Did you know?

• 💡 A camel's hump stores fat, which the camel converts into energy and water.
• 💡 Camels can drink up to 40 gallons of water in just a few minutes.
• 💡 Camel milk does not curdle easily and is a staple food in many desert regions.
• 💡 Camels have three eyelids and thick eyelashes to protect their eyes from sand.
• 💡 There are two main types of camels: Dromedary (one hump) and Bactrian (two humps).

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