But it was equally clear to her that this was her fate, that she had called its name and it had come to her, and she could do nothing now but own it.

It is a much more straightforward thing to be a dog, and a dog's love, once given, is not reconsidered.

I like that: a little pressure on the understood boundaries of yourself. Sounded like something out of a self-awareness class, probably with yoga. See what kind of a pretzel you can tie yourself into and press on the understood... I was raving, if only to myself.

the touch of evil poisons by the idea of it. Reject the idea, and you've rejected the evil

It wasn't so long ago when all the so-called scientists said that humans were intelligent and that animals weren't, humans were the solitary unchallenged masters of the globe and probably the universe and the only question was whether we were handling our mastery well. (No. Next question.)

She, too, spoke only when the queen or king addressed her first, but she looked searchingly at every supplicant, and her clear face said that she had opinions about everything she heard, and that it was her proud duty to think out those opinions, and make them responsible and coherent.

It's hard to look too grand when you're led by someone who looks like a pudding with legs.