CBSE Class 8 It So Happened: How The Camel Got His Hump NCERT Solutions

Reviewed by NCERT Help Editorial Team · Updated on 29 Jul 2026

NCERT Solutions PDF Class 8 PDF

CBSE Class 8 It So Happened chapter 1, 'How The Camel Got His Hump,' presents a delightful tale explaining the camel's distinctive hump. The story introduces us to a lazy camel who, unlike his hardworking desert companions – the horse, the dog, and the ox – preferred to do nothing. His refusal to contribute led to an encounter with a powerful Djinn. As a punishment for his idleness and unwillingness to work, the Djinn bestowed upon the camel a large, magical hump. This hump, the story reveals, serves as a storehouse for the camel's food, allowing him to survive long periods without eating. The NCERT Solutions for this chapter break down the narrative, exploring the characters' actions and motivations. They highlight the story's central moral: the importance of diligence and the negative repercussions of laziness, encouraging students to understand the value of contributing their fair share.

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Board	CBSE
Class	Class 8
Subject	It So Happened
Session	2026
Language	English
Type	NCERT Solutions
Chapter	1. How The Camel Got His Hump

Chapter summary

Chapter 1, 'How The Camel Got His Hump,' of the CBSE Class 8 'It So Happened' textbook focuses on a fable explaining the camel's hump. The NCERT Solutions cover comprehension questions about the characters' tasks, the camel's laziness, and the Djinn's intervention. They also address discussion-based exercises on the story's factual possibility, its moral, and the nature of work ethics, encouraging critical thinking and personal reflection.

Learning outcomes

Understand the story behind the camel's hump.
Identify the characters and their roles in the narrative.
Analyze the camel's lazy behavior and its consequences.
Explain the purpose of the camel's hump as depicted in the story.
Discuss the moral lessons related to work and responsibility.
Engage in critical thinking about the story's factual basis and themes.

Topics covered

Paper topics

The Camel's Laziness
The Djinn's Role
Origin of the Camel's Hump
Consequences of Idleness
Work Ethic and Responsibility
Character Analysis (Camel, Djinn, Dog, Ox, Horse)
Story Interpretation
Fables and Morals

Important topics

The Camel's Laziness and Refusal to Work
The Djinn's Intervention and the Creation of the Hump
The Hump as a Food Reserve
The Moral of Doing One's Share of Work
Character Motivations and Actions

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Questions and Solutions

Comprehension Check - Q1

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

Solution: Based on the story and common understanding of animal roles, it is implied that the dog was assigned tasks related to fetching and carrying, such as bringing sticks. The ox was likely tasked with heavy-duty work like ploughing fields, as suggested by its role in helping the man manage his farm.

Comprehension Check - Q2

Why did the camel live in the middle of the desert?

Solution: The camel chose to live in the middle of the desert because it was extremely lazy and did not want to work. It preferred to eat thorny bushes and would simply respond with 'Humph!' whenever anyone spoke to it, indicating its disinterest in any form of labor.

Comprehension Check - Q3

What made the dog, the horse and the ox very angry?

Solution: The dog, the horse, and the ox became very angry when their human master informed them that the camel was not working. To compensate for the camel's idleness, the master declared that the three of them would have to work double-time. This unfair burden, caused by the camel's laziness, angered them.

Comprehension Check - Q4

How did the Djinn know the horse was complaining against the camel?

Solution: The Djinn, being the magical entity in charge of all deserts, had a comprehensive awareness of everything happening within his domain. This included knowing about the complaints made by the horse and other animals regarding the camel's persistent refusal to work.

Comprehension Check - Q5

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

Solution: The camel's action of admiring its reflection in the pool suggests that it was quite vain and proud of its appearance, particularly its back. It enjoyed looking at itself, which highlights its self-centered nature and lack of concern for its responsibilities.

Comprehension Check - Q6

The camel said, "Humph" repeatedly. How did it affect him?

Solution: When the camel repeatedly said 'Humph!' despite the Djinn's warnings and advice, the magical consequence was that his back began to swell and puff up, eventually forming a large hump.

Comprehension Check - Q7

What, according to the Djinn, was the use of the "humph"?

Solution: According to the Djinn, the 'humph' was a special reserve for the camel. Since the camel had missed three days of work, the hump would serve as stored food, enabling him to work for those three days without needing to eat anything.

Comprehension Check - Q8

"...he has never yet learnt to behave". In the light of this, what is the writer's opinion about the camel?

Solution: The writer's opinion, as suggested by the statement, is that the camel remains an inherently lazy animal that has not learned to be responsible or diligent. Even after receiving the hump and being instructed to help the other animals, the camel's fundamental nature of idleness persists, as indicated by his continued inability to complete the work he missed.

Exercise - Q1

Discuss the following topic in groups. Can this story be factually true?

Solution: This story is a fable, meaning it is not meant to be factually true in a literal sense. It uses personification and magical elements, like a talking Djinn, to convey a moral lesson. While camels do have humps, the magical origin described here is fictional, designed to teach about the consequences of laziness and the importance of sharing work.

Exercise - Q2

Discuss the following topics in groups. What, according to you, is the story about? Consider the following:

How the world began.

Why everyone should do his/her share of work seriously.

How the camel got his hump.

How animals are important to humans.

Solution: While the story does explain how the camel got its hump (option c), its deeper meaning relates to the importance of doing one's share of work seriously (option b). The narrative uses the camel's laziness and the resulting hump as a cautionary tale about shirking responsibilities and the impact it has on others. It highlights that everyone has a role to play, and neglecting it leads to negative consequences.

Exercise - Q3

Discuss the following topic in groups. 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.

Solution: This question prompts personal reflection on one's own activity levels over the weekend. It encourages students to consider whether they were productive or spent their time idly, drawing a parallel to the camel's behavior. Checking one's back is a playful reminder of the story's central element – the hump – and its connection to idleness. The discussion aims to make students think about their own work habits in relation to the story's moral.

Exercise - Q4

Discuss the following topic in groups. 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?

Solution: This question explores different approaches to work and procrastination. The first category represents proactive individuals who tackle tasks immediately ('do today what they can do tomorrow'), while the second represents those who delay tasks ('do tomorrow what they can do today'), similar to the camel's laziness. Students are encouraged to reflect on their own work habits and identify which category they fall into, considering the implications of each approach.

Common mistakes

Confusing the Djinn with a benevolent spirit instead of a magical being who punishes laziness.
Not understanding the hump as a consequence of the camel's refusal to work.
Interpreting the story literally without considering its allegorical nature.
Failing to connect the camel's behavior to the broader theme of work ethic.

Revision tips

Read the story carefully to grasp the sequence of events.
Focus on the characters' motivations, especially the camel's laziness and the Djinn's actions.
Understand the symbolic meaning of the hump.
Consider the discussion questions to form your own opinions on the story's message.
Review the solutions to clarify any doubts about the plot or characters.

Practice MCQs

Q1. What was the camel's initial response when asked to work?

Q2. Who was in charge of all deserts and knew everything happening in them?

Q3. What did the Djinn do to the camel as a consequence of his laziness?

Q4. What was the primary purpose of the camel's hump, according to the Djinn?

Q5. Which animals were initially angry with the camel?

Frequently asked questions

What is the main story of 'How The Camel Got His Hump'?

The story explains how the camel got its hump because it was too lazy to work and refused to do tasks assigned to it by the Djinn, who then gave it a hump as a consequence.

Who are the main characters in this chapter?

The main characters are the lazy Camel, the magical Djinn, and the other animals who had to work harder due to the camel's idleness: the Dog, the Ox, and the Horse.

What does the camel's hump represent in the story?

The hump represents a reserve of food that the camel can use to survive and work for three days without eating, a direct result of its past laziness.

What is the moral lesson of the story?

The story teaches the importance of doing your share of work responsibly and the negative consequences of laziness and shirking duties.

Are the discussion questions in the exercise meant to be answered factually?

No, the discussion questions encourage personal opinions, critical thinking, and reflection on themes like work ethic and the story's plausibility, rather than factual recall.

How do these NCERT Solutions help students?

These solutions provide clear explanations of the story's plot, character motivations, and moral, helping students understand the chapter thoroughly for their exams.

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