Obligatory HHGTTG quote:

In fact there was only one species on the planet more intelligent than dolphins, and they spent a lot of their time in behavioural research laboratories running around inside wheels and conducting frighteningly elegant and subtle experiments on man. The fact that once again man completely misinterpreted this relationship was entirely according to these creatures’ plans.

Further hitchhikers joke

So the childhood favourite ‘Mrs Frisby and the Rats of Nimh’ was onto something.