How the Camel Got Its Hump

In the beginning of years, when the world was new and animals were just beginning to work for Man, there lived a Camel in the middle of a Howling Desert. He was exceedingly lazy and refused to do any work. When the Horse, the Dog, and the Ox came to him on separate days asking for his help, he merely replied, 'Humph!' The three animals complained to the Djinn in charge of All Deserts about the Camel's idleness. The Djinn found the Camel looking at his reflection in a pool of water and told him he must work for the others. The Camel, arrogant as ever, simply said, 'Humph!' In an instant, the Djinn blew a great spell. The Camel's back began to puff and swell into a giant, wobbly lump. The Djinn explained that this 'humph'—now a hump—was a physical manifestation of his laziness. Because he had missed three days of work, the hump would allow him to live and work for three days without eating, carrying his food on his back. To this day, the Camel wears his hump as a reminder of the work he failed to do.