Defining Methods on the top level main object in Ruby adds them as private methods to Object

demo.rb

# The semi-magic ability to define a method on the top level 
# main object and have it be available as a private method to 
# all object
# ref: http://stackoverflow.com/a/917842

def magical_mystery(thing)
  "The Magical Mystery #{thing} is waiting to take you away"
end

class Rabbit
  def to_s
    magical_mystery("rabbit")
  end
end

puts Rabbit.new
#-> The Magical Mystery rabbit is waiting to take you away

Isn't this how it is in all cases? You define a method at the top level and it's available to everything in the tree, from top, down?

Also, you could always do this:

module Named
  def to_s
    "The Magical Mystery #{self.class.downcase} is waiting to take you away"
  end
end

class Rabbit
  extend Named
end

puts Rabbit.new

;-)