Having read it for the millionth time tonight I started pondering. I’d always assumed Fox had just gone on the lash and then danced around the house stripping when he got home. But why is Miss Mouse there? I’d always thought of her as a helpful housekeeper but maybe there’s more to it.
Firstly, why does Fox not have any spare clothes? He can afford a grandfather clock, fresh cut roses and a house with a spacious attic but not a spare pair of socks. So I thought maybe the house is Mouse’s, they’d hooked up and now she’s trying to get him out of the house. That doesn’t explain the paintings of Fox’s ancestors though.
Secondly, there is a duck in some form on every page except one. I’m certain Scheffler is trying to express some deeper meaning to the book in this, but I don’t know what.
Finally, despite looking at the pictures for many hours over many days I can’t quite work out whether it is Mouse leading Fox to the whereabouts of his clothes or vice versa. This would clear things up a bit if it were more obvious.
I’d also like to know how the Jack-In-The-Box featured in the previous nights activities.