Chapter 1: How the Camel Got His Hump

Comprehension Check

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Question 1: What tasks, do you think, were assigned to the dog and the ox?

Answer: I think the dog and the ox were assigned the task of pursuading the idle camel to work like them. The dog asked the camel to “fetch and carry” and the ox asked him to plough.

Question 2: Why did the camel live in the midst of the desert ?

Answer: The camel lived in the middle of the desert because he did not want to work.

Question 3: What made the dog, the horse and the ox very angry ?

Answer: They were angry because of the camel, who did not want to work. They had to do his work also, which made them angry. The Djinn had told them to work double-time.

Question 4: How did the Djinn know the horse was complaining against the camel ?

Answer: The horse told the Djinn that the camel had not done any work since Monday morning. He also told the Djinn that the camel won’t even trot. This is how the Djinn knew that the horse was complaining against the camel.

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Question 1: The camel was looking at his own reflection in the pool. What does it suggest to you about the camel ?

Answer: Even when the Djinn was asking the camel to work, the camel was looking at his own reflection in the pool. Perhaps the camel was admiring his good looks or he was somewhat arrogant.

Question 2: The camel said, “Humph” repeatedly: How did it affect him?

Answer: The Djinn got annoyed with the camel. The camel was repeatedly saying “humph” instead of working like other animals. As a result of it, Djinn changed his back to a great hump.

Question 3: What, according to the Djinn, was the use of the “humph”?

Answer: They were angry because of the camel, who did not want to work. They had to do his work also, which made them angry. The Djinn had told them to work double-time.

Question 4: How did the Djinn know the horse was complaining against the camel ?

Answer: The horse told the Djinn that the camel had not done any work since Monday morning. He also told the Djinn that the camel won’t even trot. This is how the Djinn knew that the horse was complaining against the camel.

Exercise

Discuss the following topics in groups.

Question 1: Can this story be factually true ?

Answer: We cannot say definitely if this story is factually true or not. But the story teaches us a very good lesson. It tells us that we must do our share of work diligently and Il work hard otherwise we will suffer like the camel. The camel did not work, so the Djinn turned his back into a big hump.

Question 2: What, according to you, is the story about ? Consider the following :

1. How the world began.
2. Why everyone should do his/her share of work seriously.
3. How animals are important to humans.
4. How the camel got his hump.

Answer: This is an interesting and illuminating story about an idle camel. It tells us how the camel got his hump. This story also gives us a moral lesson that every one should do his/her share of work seriously.

Question 3: What did you do over the weekend ? Were you generally active or idle ? Please check your back before starting to discuss or answer the question.

Answer: Generally speaking, weekend is a relaxing period for most of us. But for me it is a busy period. On sunday, I play cricket with my friends. I also help my mummy in household work Besides it, I do the balance of homework which I could not do during weekdays. That is why perhaps I have no hump on my back!

Question 4: There are broadly two categories of workers–those who prefer to do today what they can do tomorrow, and those who prefer to do tomorrow what they can do today. Where do you belong ?

Answer: I believe that the postponement of work is a bad policy. That is why I do not have to make excuses for delay. I do believe in doing today what I can do tomorrow.