THE TWO FOOLISH CATS, retold by Yoshiko Uchida; illustrated by Margot Zemach (Margaret K. McElderry: $12.95; 32 pp; ages 4-8).

There are many roles parents assume in the line of duty, such as chauffeur, maid, tutor and Tooth Fairy. And if there is more than one child in your family, the job of referee probably has you seeing stripes by bedtime. Sibling warfare is as common as colds, as old as Cain and Abel. Heaven help the mother who hands out fresh oatmeal cookies in uneven shapes and who then pours juice into four cups: one pink, one with Smurfs, one green and one slightly curved from a mishap in the dishwasher. Combat guaranteed.

Well, if you want to try some gentle brainwashing on your squabblers read them “The Two Foolish Cats.” A superb lecture is disguised by the antics of Little Suki and Big Daizo, naughty, growling, selfish cats who fight over two rice cakes found at the edge of a river. “The big one is mine!” shouts Suki. “Oh no you don’t!” yells Daizo. Then “they clawed and scratched, they hissed and yowled, and they chased each other around and around. . . .” If this sounds like your living room, read on.

Finally, a badger intervenes and suggests they seek advice from the old monkey living on a mountain. “He is clever and wise and he will settle your quarrel. He will see that you get equal shares.” Well, the monkey does just that, and from then on, those cats live in harmony.

Yoshiko Uchida’s version of a Japanese folktale is pure fun to read aloud, and with its delightful dialogue, kids could have a blast turning this into a skit (“ I want to be the monkey!”). Caldecott medalist Margot Zemach’s splendid watercolors capture the humor and trickery of the tale. Elegant black strokes amid simple drawings lend the pleasant aura of an Oriental silkscreen.