The Annual Animal Games

A LOT of Ramana Munch was needed now. A L.O.T!

The Annual Animal Games were to be held today, and there would be a lot of animals which meant a lot of prizes. That also meant a lot of hungry participants for which Tirucub borrowed one of the Magic Idli Machines from the Animal Hospital.

Aunt Hippolyta was one of the organizers and had insisted that instead of bales of hay, the highly popular Ramana Munches be given as prizes this year. Perhaps she had at the back of her mind the fact that only Mum Lioness could make Ramana Munches, so it would push the entire burden on Mum Lioness. But nevertheless it was a great idea, because it brought participants from near and far, unlike ever before.

Jumping Competition

There were many different events such as jumping, running, climbing trees, chess, writing poems, and finding lost treasures.

The front-runners in the cross-country run

To Aunt Hippolyta's dismay her darling Rumple and Crumple had not won in any event. And to make matters worse the three lion cubs had won the running events in their age groups. Other than Spotty who was shocked to find that there was no race for those under six months. He would have to compete along with Om cub and he knew Om cub would be far ahead of him. He tried very hard to convince Aunt Hippolyta that he should be allowed to run on Uncle Stripes' back, but for some reason no one agreed to that idea.

A lot of splashing in the swimming race

Aunt Hippolyta had told everyone before the Annual Day that her strong, brilliant boys would win most if not all events. Now she was trying hard to think of some event her darlings could win easily at.
She suggested an iddli eating contest, but everyone knew that food was scarce in India and didn't want to start a famine. All her other ideas involved breaking something, or throwing something large which Uncle Krishnamurthy vetoed as being too dangerous or harmful for Arunachala.

Finally, Mum Lioness suggested a prize for the three heaviest animals. Aunt Hippolyta was thrilled since she knew her beloved would have to do nothing to win. And so Uncle Krishnamurthy was sent off to bring the heaviest and strongest scales from Tiruvannamalai. In the meanwhile all the participants lined up.

First in line, of course, were Rumple and Crumple pumping their chests, smelling victory, knowing that two large Ramana Munches would be theirs in a short while.

The line lengthened although everyone knew they weighed nowhere close to Rumple and Crumple. The weighing scales arrived and Rumple and Crumples weight was registered. After that all the others began to stand on the scales.

Rumple tips the scales!

The buffaloes, huge ones, were not even a quarter of their weight. Giraffes, lions and tigers and leopards, snakes, turtles, skunks, mongooses, all tried their luck. Some cows came too, but in most cases the scales would not even move. A huge rhino and his son came up. Everyone got excited. He got on. The scales shook, waved madly between 0 and 200, but then settled at 100! That was still far less than Rumple and Crumples weight.
The hippos were shouting wildly, "We are winning ! We win ! We win!"

Just then there was a little noise from the behind. Everyone turned. An elephant smeared with vibhuti on his forehead and trunk and limbs slowly moved towards them. Aunt Hippolyta shouted, "The contest is over!" But no one paid heed to here.


The elephant was clad in saffron and looked very saintly.
Everyone folded their hands. The elephant folded his limbs and said, "Glory to Lord Arunachala!"
Uncle Krishnamurthy returned his greeting and said, "Kind sir, please step this way and share some food with us!" He pointed across the weighing scales.

The elephant said, "I am from the top of the Arunachala Hill. I heard some voices shouting 'We win! We Win!' and thought I would come to see who has won, and what has he won! Has someone realized the Self here?"

The elephant tried to climb on the scale. But could not. Aunt Hippolyta shouted "Disqualified!"

The elephant stepped back. Just then another elephant slightly larger than the first appeared from behind. He too was vibhuti smeared.


He nudged the first elephant who managed to get on the scales. The needle went madly left and right and finally stopped at 300!

There was an uproar. Aunt Hippolyta went pale and the elephant fanned her with his ears.

What is your name, my respected Sir, asked Uncle Krishnamurthy.
I have no name, son. I am a sadhu. I have nothing -- just my Lord Arunachala.

Meanwhile the second elephant tried to get on the scales but could not. At that moment, a larger one appeared from behind and helped him. The scales creaked and the needle finally settled at 400!

Then the third elephant tried to get on. The first two had to push him, and again the scales almost cracked. After much heaving and pushing he finally got one foot on. The weight of one foot was 600!

Aunt Hippolyta burst into tears, as did Rumple and Crumple. Mum Lioness tried to console her but to no effect. It was becoming late so no new game could be devised.

The elephants asked what the problem was. With Aunt Hippo wailing in the background, Uncle Krish explained the problem to them.

The biggest elephant said: We are sadhus from the top of the hill. We only came down to find the source of the voices. There is nothing for us but melting into Sri Bhagavan. That is all we want. We appreciate your Ramana Munches, and bless them, but we would appreciate if you awarded them to those little hippopotami.

Saying this, the elephants folded their limbs and said: Glory to Sri Ramana! Glory to Lord Arunachala! They then turned, gingerly walked across the scales, and left.

Rumple and Crumple were delirious with joy. Where are the cubs, they shouted, wait till they hear we won a prize. Mum Lioness said she had sent them to return the Magic Iddli Machine and they should be back very shortly.