Passage Topic: How The Camel Got His Hump!
Recommended for students of Class 3 – 6
** An Assesment is provided with the passage. After reading the passage thoroughly give the assesment test and check your understanding on the topic. Good Luck!!
Once upon a time there was a stubborn Camel, who lived alone in the desert, eating sticks and twigs and prickly cactus. Many other animals were working for Man, and one day they tried to get the Camel to follow them. But all he ever said was “Humph.”
“Stubborn Camel,” said the Dog with a stick in his mouth, “Come and fetch like the rest of us.” “Humph,” said the Camel. And another day went by.
“Stubborn Camel,” said the Horse with a saddle on his back, “Come and trot like the rest of us.” “Humph,” said the Camel. And another day went by.
“Stubborn Camel,” said the Ox with a yoke on his neck, “Come and plough like the rest of us.” But all the Camel had to say to that was… “Humph!”
And another day went by. The next day, the Man gathered his Horse, Dog and Ox together and said, “I’m sorry, but the Humph-thing in the desert clearly will not come work for me. I have given up, and you’ll have to work double time to make up for it.”
The animals were very angry. They decided to travel down to the oasis to find the magical spirit who was in charge of All Deserts. They called him the Jinn, or genie. The three animals asked for his help—the Jinn would never tolerate laziness in his deserts, especially from the Humph-thing.
The Jinn found the Camel sleeping in some shade. “Stubborn Camel,” said the Jinn, “What is this I hear of your laziness? You must go work for Man with the other animals.”
“Humph,” said the Camel.
“I would not say that again if I were you,” warned the Jinn, “You have given them three days of extra work.”
“Humph!” said the Camel. And no sooner had he said it, than a great humph sprang out of his back like a big balloon. “What is this?” cried the Camel, “Now I certainly cannot work with a great humph on my back!”
The Jinn chuckled, “You’ve brought that humph upon yourself by not working. Think of it as a gift. You missed three days of work, so now you will be able to work for three days without eating, because you can live on your humph.”
So the stubborn Camel humphed himself in to town to work for Man at last. To this day he has never learned how to behave himself. And that was how the Camel got his hump.