" The Camel's Hump " is a humorous poem written by Ridyard Kipling. It is focused on the clumsy nature of being lazy. Specially the writer has aimed the children and to give this moral message to encourage them to be active. The aftermath of being lazy is strictly described through the poem using a humorous tone. This metaphoric poem with an irregular rhyming pattern and internal rhymes also can be seen in the 1st person narrative form of the poem.
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
First stanza describes the hump as an ugly body part ,a lump. Camels with their hump could be seen at the zoo. The camel received his hump due to his laziness , according to the folk stories. Poet describes if we become lazy, we would get a hump more uglier than camels.
Kiddies and grown ups too-oo-oo
if we haven' enough to do-oo-oo
We get the hump
Cameelious hump
The hump that is black and blue.
Elders as well as children can get this ugly hump. The reason to have an ugly lump is lethargy or not having enough work to do "cameelious hump" refers to the camel's hump it is used to make the stanza interesting for children. Poet describes the appearance of the hump as black and blue. So, how uglier can it be to have a hump with 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;
Third stanza describes the aspects that leads to have a hump. If children or elders are lazy to get up the morning reluctant to bath play nd to do other work, they will surely be given a hump uglier than a camel.
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.
Poet emphasizes that he himself can also be given a hump as well as others.
The cure for this ill is not to sit still,
Or froust with a book by the fire
But to take a large hoe and a shovel also,
And dig till you gently perspire.
The solution for the illness is described through the 5th stanza. It is not sit still or read a book by the fireside. Everyone has to a kind of a physical work ,an exercise or any other useful work with a hoe and a shovel till sweat appears.
And then you will find the sin and the wind
And Djinn of the garden too,
Have lifted the hump-
The horrible hump-
The hump that is black and blue.
Poet describes children as well as elders would get the blessing of environment sun , wind and Djinn ( A mythical spirit in folk stories) and they will lift horrible hump on their backs.
I get it as well as you-oo-oo
If I haven't enough to do-oo-oo
We all get the hump
Cameelious hump
Kiddies and grown ups too!
In the 7th stanza again poet implies about having a hump by being clumsy and lazy.