Cast: 3 actors. No one has ever understood the mysterious friendship of River Rat and Cat. From the day fastidious River Rat hauled a drowning sodden Cat from a sinking basket (thinking Cat was some unique collectible), all of the river creatures have been dismayed by the camaraderie of this unlikely duo. Cat proved to be imaginative, grand, fussy and thoroughly needy, while Rat is material, practical and thoroughly self-reliant. Lately, Rat has become frazzled by Cat's demands and has undertaken a program to make Cat more self-sufficient. However, Cat is determined to remain a pampered feline. Unbeknownst to River Rat and Cat, their downstream neighbor, Dale Beaver, has cast an eye on the one remaining tree, a tree currently owned by River Rat and inhabited by Cat. Beaver needs this tree if the Dale Beaver Dam is to remain the tallest on the river. Beaver must break up this friendship so that Rat will evict Cat. It's a Keystone Kops kind of komedy for kids and their kin. Unit set. Approximate running time: 60 minutes.

Also available: 50-minute touring manuscript.