MICE TWICE

An extended bit of animal one-upmanship--commonplace as a situation and slightly creaky in the plotting. Cat would like to eat Mouse, so to lure her out he invites her to supper. ""May I bring a friend?"" she asks; and Cat, envisioning ""mice twice,"" agrees. But Mouse arrives with Dog, obviously queering Cat's plans. That could--and should--be the end of it. But no: Dog invites Cat to dinner the next night; Cat arrives accompanied by Wolf; Dog greets them accompanied by Crocodile; and Cat, outpointed again, decamps--but not before inviting Dog back. Dog turns up this time with old pal Mouse; Cat awaits them with Lion; and just as the two predators are about to pounce, Dog and Mouse's buddy Wasp routs them. . . and Dog runs after, to get his paws on Cat. Regardless, we're told, Cat won't trouble Mouse again. It's a lame, one-note story, told without much spirit, and illustrated (because of its inherent limitations) without much of Low's customary slyness or wit.