Slap Happy Lion

In a hospital ward, a wheelchair-bound lion sits in distress as a clerk wheels him to the side. A mouse comments that the lion looks 'mouse-shocked' and hints that the audience will learn what happened before. The scene frames the tale as a flashback that follows the lion's collapse.

The lion roars as king of the beasts, and the other animals cower in his shadow. He asserts dominance, driving the jungle into a hush as every creature flees at his voice. Even a gorilla screams and scampers off, showing how the fear extends to the strongest rivals.

A bold mouse dares to say Boo, catching the lion off guard and rattling his confidence. The lion climbs a tree and roars to reclaim his stature, but the tiny intruder proves unexpectedly stubborn. In a misstep, the mouse wanders toward the lion's open mouth.

The lion catches the mouse and tries to swallow him, but in the middle of the struggle he loses a tooth. The mouse hides in the gum between the remaining teeth, unseen and patient. The moment foreshadows that the predator and prey roles will invert in surprising ways.

The lion spots the missing tooth too late and cannot quite swallow the nimble mouse. He pulls the mouse back with his tongue, trying to finish him off, but the mouse remains elusive. The chase continues inside the mouth as the mouse plans his next move.

Inside the lion's stomach, the mouse finds two bones and uses them to plink the lion's ribs like a xylophone. The lion writhes in pain and confusion as the tiny musician toys with his insides. The comic torture escalates from within, masking a deeper reversal of power.

The lion, thinking to end the mouse for good, lights a bomb with a match and swallows it. The mouse spots the danger and screams, dashing out of the lion's mouth just before the blast. The explosion rocks the beast, but he survives, though the near-miss leaves him rattled.

Even after the blast, the mouse keeps up the pressure by grabbing and biting the lion's tail. The enraged predator thrashes and swipes, trying to shake his persistent tormentor. The chase spills into the jungle as the lion reels from new indignities.

The mouse sneaks into the lion's head and pulls out firecrackers, which explode noisily. The dragon of a roar turns into a panicked squeal as the explosions rattle the lion from within. The nervous wreckage spreads as the lion gasps for calm and tries to regain control.

Desperate to cool off his nerves, the lion rushes to a nearby lake. The mouse continues to torment him, even pricking him with a safety pin in the rear as the beast splashes and staggers. The scene mixes slapstick with fear as the predator pursues his restless foe.

The mouse targets the lion's feet, blasts his ears with a horn-like toot, bites his nose, and boots him from shelter. The lion becomes a nervous wreck, dashing through the jungle in a panic. Each prank leaves him more on edge and more determined to end the chase.

Back in the present, the mouse asks how anyone could fear a mouse after all that. A second mouse appears, says 'Boo,' and, despite also being a mouse, cries out 'A mouse!' and screams, running off as the lion did. The scene loops back to the hospital ward, closing the tale on a goofy twist.