The Best Of The Best

**The Best Of The Best** is the fourth episode of the first season of Veggie Animals.

## Plot

Petunia is hard at work, getting everything organized in her home, until she comes down to one last trinket, a silver cup with a flower in it. Larry comes by, before he notices the flower in the cup, asking Petunia where she got it, though Petunia tells him that it's nothing important, just one of her favorite trinkets. Archibald also comes in before he too sees the trinket, wondering where Petunia got it, with Petunia telling him that it's nothing. Mr. Lunt shows up as well as he too sees the trinket, with Larry asking him if it's something. Petunia protests that it isn't really something, while Archibald tells her not to be so modest, before Jimmy and Jerry show up, agreeing with what Archibald said, before Pa Grape also shows up, recognizing Petunia's trinket as a running trophy. Despite Petunia's insistence that it's not a running trophy, Archibald argues back that "If Pa says that it's a running trophy, it most certainly looks like a running trophy", which frustrates Petunia.

Petunia tries to tell the others that it's not a running trophy, but they don't listen because they're too excited while admiring the flower in the cup. Jimmy asks Petunia why she didn't tell them that she was so fast, before Larry answers that Petunia is as fast as he is, and that if they raced each other, they would be at a tie, which everyone else is impressed to hear. Archibald then admits that a race is a good idea, while Jimmy makes the suggestion of the trinket being the prize, which Mr. Lunt agrees with. Petunia asks the others to be reasonable, but Archibald tells her that they'll be reasonable as soon as they get ready for the race. Pa then reminds everyone to train hard for the race, for the race will begin the next day. Archibald, Larry, Mr. Lunt, Jimmy, and Jerry rush home to train for the race, while Petunia is both upset and bewildered about what happened.

Petunia approaches Archibald, who is doing toe touches, but when she tries to tell him the truth, Archibald tells her that he needs to rest a bit from doing the toe touches. When Petunia insists that she's not as fast as Larry as, Jimmy and Jerry think that Petunia is trying to trick them into thinking that she's slow, at the same time that they are lifting weights, though Jerry's weight comes loose as he falls over, while the weight hits Jimmy on the head. Petunia then states that she's not very strong either, before coming upon Scooter, who is also training for the race, by way of balancing on a tree stump on one foot. Petunia is also unsuccessful in convincing Scooter that she's not very fast, since Scooter takes it as trying to butter him up. Mr. Lunt is also training, doing push-ups, as Petunia tries to tell him the truth, but Mr. Lunt is unconvinced, at the same time that Larry, who is doing some laps, tells Petunia that as long as he keeps training, they'll be even.

Later that night, it seems that Petunia has finally told everyone that she is not as fast as they say she is, when she is actually practicing what to say, deciding that this is what she will tell the others on the day of the race. The next day is the day of the race, with Pa acting as the commentator for the race, but before he can start the race, the other racers are curious about where Petunia is. Petunia shows up, but just as she is about to tell everyone the truth, Pa starts the race, as the racers run off, beginning the race, forcing Petunia to try to catch up with them. The racers have to go through the first obstacle, which is a bunch of logs, before they pass by the tree that Aristotle is perched up in, which surprises him as he wonders where everyone is off to in a hurry. Petunia catches up to Aristotle, explaining to him about what happened, before Aristotle surmises that everyone has let their pride prevent them from listening to the truth, all while reminding Petunia that she can prove to them with her humility. Petunia resumes racing, while Aristotle decides to monitor the race.

The next obstacle is a large hill, which some of the others are able to climb, though Mr. Lunt is able to take the shortcut by digging a tunnel directly through the hill and coming out the other side. Petunia is last in coming down the hill, stating that if she doesn't finish first, then the others will realize that they're not as fast as they think she is. The next obstacle is a large gorge over a river, with a log stretched across the gorge, which the group is able to cross over, with a bit of difficulty. The race now continues to a large tree with a hole, where the group can smell the delicious aroma of food, thanks to some sack lunches that have been placed in the tree for if the racers got hungry during the race. After the racers finish eating, they resume racing, with Petunia last once again, while Aristotle still monitors the race, but becomes shocked when he sees that the group have taken a wrong turn, heading directly towards the swamp, as he warns Petunia about the peril that the others are possibly going to land in.

Aristotle arrives at the swamp,but it is too late, for Larry, Archibald, Scooter, Mr. Lunt, Jimmy, and Jerry are now trapped in the muddy waters of the swamp, unable to get out. The others ask Aristotle to help them out, but Aristotle reminds them that whoever he helps first would have an unfair advantage in the race. Petunia is able to come up with an idea on how to help the others at the same time, using a vine tied to a small log which she throws to the others, tying the log around them, before she is able to pull the others out of the swamp and into a pile. Despite being freed from the swamp, the others resume racing, before Petunia chases after them again, after being reminded by Aristotle to be humble, even if she doesn't win. The group come upon more obstacles in the race, ranging from a large area laden with rocks and a small stream. The racers start to approach the homestretch of the race, which Pa is able to witness, just as Larry, Archibald, Scooter, Mr. Lunt, Jimmy, and Jerry end up tripping and crashing on the finish line at the same time, which causes Petunia to stop in her tracks in shock when she sees what happened.

The males argue amongst themselves about who won the race, until they realize that Petunia hasn't crossed the finish line yet. Petunia then runs off the race track in shame, which the others are confused about, wondering why Petunia would run off without finishing the race. Petunia is upset that she wasn't able to finish the race, before the rest of the group approach her, wanting to know why she didn't finish the race like they did. Because of this, Petunia is finally able to admit to the others that she's not as fast as Larry is, which everyone is shocked to hear, before Petunia further admits that the flower in the cup is actually just one of her special trinkets and not a running trophy, as well as the fact that she never won a race in her life. Pa comforts Petunia by reminding her that it's not whether you win or lose, while Aristotle also explains that we are humble to admit when we're not what others expect them to be, all while mildly admonishing the others for letting their pride get the better of them. The others apologize to Petunia for not listening to her, admitting that even if she didn't win the race, she was humble enough to help them out when they were stuck in the swamp. Pa then appoints the trinket to Petunia for being humble during the race, which everyone else cheers about, while Aristotle quotes, "But he gives more grace. Therefore it says 'God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble'". Petunia thanks the others for letting her have the flower in the cup again, with Larry reminding her that she earned it, before everyone starts laughing about having gotten everything sorted out again.

## Fun Facts

* The verse quoted is "James 4:6".
* The episode's plot is similar to that of "The New Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh" episode "Prize Piglet".