Characters: Three storytellers, Camel, Man, Ox, Horse, Dog, Djinn.
Storyteller 1: In the beginning when the world was new.
Storyteller 2: All the animals were working hard to make the world a better place.
Storyteller 3: Except for the camel who was very lazy. The camel lived in the middle of the Howling desert.
Camel: Look at all those animals running around working. I’m going to sit here relax and much on some sticks, stones and tamarisks. Humph.
Storyteller 1: On Monday, the horse came trotting by.
Horse: Neigh, neigh, Camel, come and trot like the rest of us.
Camel: Humph.
Horse: Is that all you must say? Humph
Camel: (nods his head) Humph, just humph.
(Horse trots off and meets the man.)
Horse: That camel is SO lazy.
Storyteller 2: After a while dog came by. He had a stick in his mouth.
Dog: woof, wolf, Camel, come and fetch and carry like the rest of us.
Camel: Humph.
Dog: Is that all you have to say? Humph
Camel: (nods his head) Humph, just humph.
(Dog bounds off and meets the man.)
Dog: That camel is SO lazy.
Storyteller 2: Soon an ox passed by. He had a yoke on his neck.
Ox: woof, wolf, Camel, come and plough and carry like the rest of us.
Camel: Humph.
Ox: Is that all you have to say? Humph
Camel: (nods his head) Humph, just humph.
(Ox slowly moves off and meets the man.)
Ox: That camel is SO lazy.
Storyteller 3: At the end of the day. The man called the horse, the dog and the ox together and said…
Man: I’m very sorry for you (with the world so new-and-all); but that Humph-thing in the Desert doesn’t seem to be able to do any work, so I am going to leave him alone, but I’m afraid you must work twice as hard to make up for it.
Horse: Well that’s not very fair, is it?
Man: Life isn’t fair sometimes.
Dog: We worked hard all day.
Ox: I’m very angry with that humph thing in the dessert.
Camel: Ha, ha. Why would I work? When I can sit here and be scrumptiously idle.
Storyteller 1: Presently along came the djinn of all dessert. (He comes rolling in.)
Horse: Djinn of All Deserts, sit right for anyone to be idle, with the world so new-and-all?’
Djinn: Of course not. Why do you ask?
Horse: There is a thing in the middle of your Howling Desert with a long neck and long legs, and he hasn’t done a stroke of work since Monday morning. He won’t trot.’
Dog: He says “Humph! ‘and he won’t fetch and carry.
Djinn: Does he say anything else?
Ox: Only “Humph!”; and he won’t plough,
Djinn: I’ll humph him if you will kindly wait a minute.
Djinn: What’s all this I hear about you being bone idle?
Camel: Humph, Just humph.
Djinn: All the animals have had to work twice as hard since you won’t pull your weight.
Camel: Humph, just humph.
Djinn: I really wouldn’t say Humph again if I were you,
Camel: Humph, just humph.
Storyteller 3: The Djinn used some magic and suddenly a hump grew on the camel’s back. And the Camel said ‘Humph!’ again; but no sooner had he said it than he saw his back, that he was so proud of, puffing up and puffing up into a great big lolloping humph.
Camel: Djinn, what have you done?
Djinn: Now you can work for three days because that hump on your back will keep your food and drink in it for three days.
Storyteller 1: And the Camel humphed himself, humph and all, and went away to join the other three.
Storyteller 2: And from that day to this the Camel always wears a humph (we call it ‘hump’ now, not to hurt his feelings);
Storyteller 3: But he has never yet caught up with the three days that he missed at the beginning of the world, and he has never yet learned how to behave.
THE Camel’s hump is an ugly lump
Which well you may see at the Zoo;
But uglier yet is the hump we get
From having too little to do.
Kiddies and grown-ups too-of-oo,
If we haven’t enough to do-oo-oo,
We get the hump—
Cameelious hump—
The hump that is black and blue!
We climb out of bed with a frouzly head
And a snarly-yarly voice.
We shiver and scowl and we grunt and we growl
At our bath and our boots and our toys;
And there ought to be a corner for me
(And I know there is one for you)
When we get the hump—
Cameelious hump—
The hump that is black and blue!
The cure for this ill is not to sit still,
Or frowst with a book by the fire;
But to take a large hoe and a shovel also,
And dig till you gently perspire;
And then you will find that the sun and the wind,
And the Djinn of the Garden too,
Have lifted the hump—
The horrible hump—
The hump that is black and blue!
I get it as well as you-oo-oo—
If I haven’t enough to do-oo-oo—
We all get hump—
Cameelious hump—
Kiddies and grown-ups too!
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