'As [Neelkanth the peacock] stepped forward and backward, left and right, he would pause at some invisible point where rhythms meet ... I cannot say how Neelkanth came to know that I liked his dancing very much, but one day, as soon as I approached the aviary, he suddenly descended from his swing and, spreading out the circular rainbow umbrella of his feathers, he stood in a dance pose.' 'Animals recognize humans' unpretentious affection but not high and low social status. I absorbed this truth from Sona [the doe] by osmosis. What had Sona to do with the grave and solemn Guru-ji [Mahadevi] of the girl-students? ... If Sona felt it necessary to jump over my head to express her affection, she would do so. It was impossible for her to be impressed by my status or circumstances.' Book jacket.