Rajiv’s dad, Mr Karan, had just been appointed forest officer of the new wildlife park. They shifted to a big bungalow in the heart of the forest. "I will invite all my friends to a party in our new house!" Rajiv exclaimed.
"Wow!" added his mum, "Why not an animal dress party? It will fit the occasion well!"
But on Sunday, the day of the party, Mr Karan was whisked off on some urgent work at the park. "I’ll try and be back as soon as I can," he promised.
Rajiv wrapped himself up in a loin cloth, tied a red ribbon on his forehead and completed his wild makeup with a touch of black shoe polish on his face and bare chest.
He climbed up the mango tree and rehearsed a Tarzan call at the top of his voice:
"Yah…oo..oo..oo."
"Guess what!" his mum burst into laughter, "Your Uncle Senu and Aunt Jayanthy rang up to say that they are volunteering to be judges at the party… they will come dressed up as animals, too." Rajiv showed his appreciation by yahoo-ing some more.
As the first rays of the evening sun entered the kitchen, Rajiv’s mum began to prepare chicken samosas for the guests. She fried a handful and rushed to the drawing room to take a peek at her favourite television programme. When she went back, she was shocked to see the back of a lean tiger stealing out of the kitchen door!
"Ah, it was my mistake to tell you about the chicken samosas in the menu, Mr Karan! Nice costume, by the way!" she screamed as she reached for a broom.
But the tiger majestically strode away into the forest even as Rajiv’s mum gave chase.
"Dad is back from offi ce in a tiger’s outfit," she howled to Rajiv, "That greedy samosaeater. He’s polished off half the plate! Just wait till I get him!"
Hardly had a minute passed when a goat trooped in and began chewing up the leaves of mum’s favorite indoor plant. "What a nuisance*!" she cried, whacking the goat with her broom. The goat ran around the sofa, looking for an escape route, but mum wouldn’t give up. "Wait aunty, it’s only me!" cried the goat finally, as Rajiv’s classmate, Suresh, stepped out of his costume. Rajiv’s mum apologised hurriedly and stuffed his hands with pastry to make up for the hard whacks she’d gifted him!
