News spreads quickly in the forest, and it wasn't long before a curious wolf
came along. "I hear you're writing a thesis, little rabbit," said the wolf.
"Yes," said the rabbit, scribbling away.
"And the topic?" asked the wolf.
"Not that it matters, but I'm presenting some evidence that rabbits can eat
larger animals - including, for example, wolves." The wolf howled with
laughter. "I see you don't believe me," said the rabbit. "Perhaps you would
like to step inside this cave and see my experimental apparatus."
Licking her chops, the wolf followed the rabbit into the cave. About half an
hour passed before the rabbit came out of the cave with his pad of paper,
munching on what looked like the end of a long gray tail.
Then along came a big brown bear. "What's this I hear about your thesis topic?"
he demanded.
"I can't imagine why you all keep pestering me about my topic," said the rabbit
irritably. "As if the topic made any difference at all."
The bear sniggered behind his paw. "Something about rabbits eating bigger
animals was what I heard - and apparatus inside the cave."
"That's right," snapped the rabbit, putting down his pencil. "And if you want
to see it I'll gladly show you." Into the cave they went, and a half hour later
the rabbit came out again picking his teeth with a big bear claw.
By now all the animals in the forest were getting nervous about the rabbit's project, and a little mouse was elected to sneak up and peek into the cave when the rabbit's back was turned. There she discovered that the mystery of the rabbit's thesis had not only a solution but also a moral. The mystery's solution is that the cave contained an enormous lion. And the moral is that your thesis topic really doesn't matter - as long as you have the right thesis advisor.