Emily caressed her soft wool, stroked her horns and poked her long ears. The changes had been incredible, and she felt so different. She was beginning to heat up under her wool, and her new eyes seemed to take in the world in a similar but different kind of way.
"It's all great so far," Emily said to the shopkeeper. "But I won't get used to working with the goats if I only look like them."
"True, dear," the woman agreed. "Fortunately the necklace I picked out is also able to modify you on a mental level. It's not quite as easy or as precise to change the workings of one's mind as it is one's body...but that's for the best since the mind is a delicate thing. You have to concentrate deeper for a moment. Open your mind to the concept of changing itself. Remind it that the changes will only be temporary. It will all reset back to normal once the necklace comes off. Minds tend to be more open to suggestion if they're presented with that fact."
Emily did as instructed, reassuring herself that she wanted to begin thinking more like a goat so she could better interact with them. She knew it would be an experience unlike anything she could presently imagine, and one she hoped would give her a better understanding of life even after her duties on the farm were over.
As if a key turned in a lock somewhere inside her, Emily began to feel at ease. "I think it worked," she said. "Now what?"
"Just think about goat behavior," the woman said in a quiet voice. She moved around Emily in a circle, slowly. "They're independent creatures, but they're friendly with others. They're gentle, docile."
Emily focused on the woman's words. She began to feel her attitude loosening even more than it already was.
The woman continued. "They don't lack intelligence, but their minds are of course not as complex as humans."
Emily's mind was changing almost imperceptibly as if the woman's words were a hypnotic suggestion. She could tell that her brain suddenly shut off some of its higher thought functions because that's what the woman had just talked about, but Emily couldn't exactly figure out what had been lost to her. Nothing seemed wrong, though, so she chose not to worry about it. She knew that she still had the choice to reverse any changes if something went wrong, but more and more she wanted to let the changes take their course. She was entering a state of mind she had never before experienced, and she was hungry for more.
"As far as work goes, you'll have a few advantages. Goats are sure-footed, and can handle themselves in lots of different kinds of weather. You'll certainly be a hardy one."
Emily felt her sense of self-confidence rise.
"That's about all I can think of. Got to know all these different animal facts, of course, in case people like you show up wanting to turn into a goat. So, child, got any thoughts? Emily dear?"
"Hmm?" Emily said, snapping out of deep thought.
"How are you doing?"
"Good. Different. I was thinking about the herd. Seems like that's all my mind wants to think about now."
"That'll happen," the woman said. "You're conditioning yourself to take up the task of working with them. Your mind is coming to think about that as your primary purpose."
"Makes sense," Emily said. "But I don't want to impress too hard on them. I've got other stuff to do on the farm as well."
"If that's the case, do you want to back off a little? Get your mind a little less focused on goats?"