A Call for Volunteers

That morning Tirucub pulled out a sheet of paper and wrote "Volunteers" on top. This is to put the names of people who will help in building the hopsibal, he explained to Spotty. "But how will we get people to help out?", he asked Spotty with a look of helplessness. "We need skilled labour".
He had quite underestimated Spotty's skills at spreading information.
Within half an hour his page was full of names. First on top were of course Rumple and Crumple (the hippos) who had found the perfect excuse to skip math classes.

Spotty had told everyone that all those who volunteered to help would get free tasty treats made by Mum Lioness herself. There would be chocolate milk for all, except that until the Magic Dispenser was ready, it would be prepared and served by paw.
He told them that if anyone got tired they would get Ramana Munch which was even tastier than Krishna Crunch. It was a special Omcub recipe that Om had recited two days after he was born!

Spotty also assured everyone that there would be play breaks every half hour, and mango lassi breaks every fifteen minutes.

When Mum Lioness saw all the animals running out of the cave towards the site, she took a long breath and sat down. She believed her prayers had been answered and she could now relax. Since the day the cubs had been cub-napped she had not had one moment of peace.
Mum had no idea that Spotty had promised an endless party to all the animals to be catered by Mum herself.

She woke Stripes up and told him to go to the site and keep an eye on the cubs. Then she went to the Virupaksha Cave for a darshan of Bhagavan. Familiar faces largely. She sat down quietly and shut her eyes for a moment. Then she opened them and looked at Bhagavan for a long time. She then heard a cough near her and turned. In the corner, staring at Bhagavan was Flora, the little goat. Her eyes were unblinking.
Several time Mum Lioness looked at Flora. Flora's entire concentration was on Bhagavan.
Another child has come home, thought Mum with relief and joy.
She felt happy both for Flora, and happy herself too, sitting and gazing at Bhagavan.

So lucky to be born now when we can breath the same air Bhagavan breathes, eat the same food, hear His voice, talk with Him, sit in front of Him ...

For that time she forgot everything, the displaced animals, the hopsibal, the dear little hippo calves, so endearing and yet just too big for her to handle, their Mama who didn't care what they broke or dirtied, and Stripes who cared about nothing at all!

There was just Bhagavan there, and that was all that she could take in.
After a while everyone prostrated and got up. Mum got up and made her way back to the cave.
The cubs handed her a sheet of paper. "What are all these huge figures?", Mum asked.

That over there pointed out Tirucub, is how many gallons of chocolate milk we need starting tomorrow, and that's the number of Ramana Munches and that's the number of iddlies, that last squiggle is for triple sundaes. These expenses go under "Hopsibal Construction".

So much, asked Mum almost fainting at the sight of such huge numbers.
Oh, all these numbers have still to be cubed, added Om cub.
And multiplied by Bhagavan's birthday, added Aruna cub.
By tomorrow morning, said Spotty, hoping the enormity of the task had sunk in.

Mum heard loud noises behind her. Rumple and Crumple were bouncing on her new couch!