Books at Bedtime By Calming Anxiety - HOW THE CAMEL GOT HIS HUMP by Rudyard Kipling

How the Camel Got His Hump by Rudyard Kipling — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep, Insomnia & Deep Relaxation | Books at Bedtime



A gentle bedtime story to help you fall asleep — read slowly and softly by Martin, for anyone lying awake in need of something kind to drift off to.



Tonight's reading is How the Camel Got His Hump, one of Rudyard Kipling's best-loved Just So Stories, first published in 1902 and long out of copyright.



It's a warm, funny little tale from the beginning of the world, when the animals were only just starting to work alongside people. A camel lives out in the middle of the desert doing absolutely nothing, answering everything that is said to him with a single word — until the Djinn in charge of all deserts comes rolling by in his cloud of dust and settles the matter once and for all.



Kipling wrote these stories to be read aloud to a sleepy child, and it shows. The gentle repetition, the returning refrain, the slow tally of the days — it's a rhythm that lets a busy mind stop gripping and start to drift. Perfect for insomnia, for night-time anxiety, or for anyone who simply wants a familiar voice in the dark.



There is nothing to follow here and nothing to do. No breathing exercise, no affirmations, no tips. Just a story that takes you somewhere a long way from your own day. If you're asleep before the Djinn ever arrives, the story has done exactly what it came to do.



This is Books at Bedtime, part of Coffee Break for the Soul from the Calming Anxiety podcast — a growing library of classic sleep stories, relaxing audiobooks and public-domain readings for insomnia, night-time anxiety and deep relaxation.



Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett.



Every Books at Bedtime story is also inside Anchored, our iOS app — offline-ready, with a built-in nightlight for the small hours, so there is always something waiting for you at three in the morning.



Sleep well, my friend, and in your dreams, be kind.





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Music: All music by Chris Collins



Ready for More Calm?Thank you for listening to the Calming Anxiety Podcast, featuring guided meditation, mindfulness, and sleep hypnosis sessions with Martin Hewlett. Our mission is to provide you with proven tools for anxiety relief, stress reduction, and a path toward deep relaxation. Use this episode anytime you need to calm your mind and feel more at ease.