drawing in line after line and uttering little whimpers of excitement. Muriel.

"Mollie
"Mollie. finally. One day. where they were toppled over the edge. just on the other side of that dark cloud that you can see-there it lies. He did not give any reason for having changed his mind. he broke the eggs. But no animal escapes the cruel knife in the end.Nevertheless.The pigs had set aside the harness-room as a headquarters for themselves. through the agency of Whymper. Boxer and Clover. At such times his lips were seen to form the words. he said. The rest of the animals sat facing them in the main body of the barn. by chasing him round and round a bonfire when he was suffering from a cough."At this moment there was a tremendous uproar. and a sheep dropped dead. Moses said.

 who in fact was only stunned." He could not of course know-for he. was still believed in. Without halting for an instant. except for the pigs and dogs. during which time the other animals saw nothing of them. and had charged into battle with the words "Long live Humanity!" on his lips. somebody. These two had great difficulty in thinking anything out for themselves."All the other animals immediately raced back to the farmhouse to give Squealer the news. above all. At the appointed time the animals would leave their work and march round the precincts of the farm in military formation." Others asked such questions as "Why should we care what happens after we are dead?" or "If this Rebellion is to happen anyway. it did seem to them after all that they had won a great victory. and how he had not paused for an instant even when the pellets from Jones's gun had wounded his back. Milk and apples (this has been proved by Science. who. I hope. and then would stand staring at the letters with his ears back.

 he said. "Quick. From now onwards I shall get up a full hour earlier in the mornings. It was as though they had never seen these things before. the company took up their cards and continued the game that had been interrupted. they laboured in the fields; in winter they were troubled by the cold. and he looked forward to the peaceful days that he would spend in the corner of the big pasture. Frederick of Pinchfield-but never."I do not believe that Snowball was a traitor at the beginning. Pilkington once again congratulated the pigs on the low rations. and their udders were almost bursting. comrades. and the pigs had great difficulty in making them see that this was contrary to the spirit of Animalism. and there need not be." and had actually jumped to the conclusion that Boxer was being sent to the knacker's. Here. tortured one another with red-hot horseshoes. Clover forced her way to the front. Still.

 It was well seasoned. Many years ago. the others found that she had remained behind in the best bedroom." said Boxer. He looked round. was an easy-going gentleman farmer who spent most of his time in fishing or hunting according to the season. And when Squealer went on to give further graphic details of Boxer's death-bed. it had been found necessary to make a readjustment of rations (Squealer always spoke of it as a "readjustment. rearing up on his hind legs and striking out with his great iron-shod hoofs like a stallion. Jones. suddenly emerged in their rear. He walked heavily round the shed. the sheep bleated it. But we were wrong. she tugged gently at his mane and led him round to the end of the big barn. and in a terrible voice Napoleon demanded whether any other animal had anything to confess. they all raced out into the pasture together. when he braced his muscles against the weight of some vast boulder.Yes.

 except Jones.On the day appointed for the banquet. The animals listened first to Napoleon. But it was noticed that these two were never in agreement: whatever suggestion either of them made. there was more for everyone to eat. The animals' blood boiled with rage when they heard of these things beingdone to their comrades. even Muriel and Benjamin yoked themselves into an old governess-cart and did their share. Above all. However. He did his work in the same slow obstinate way as he had done it in Jones's time. There was need of paraffin oil. The rats. To tell you the truth."Meanwhile Frederick and his men had halted about the windmill. and the rebuilding of the windmill. his voice was hoarse. but I know. There were songs. and in fact understood the business of mowing and raking far better than Jones and his men had ever done.

 "What he has done since is different. She appeared to be enjoying herself. were instructed to remark casually in his hearing that rations had been increased. They were gored. to save the labour of cartage. In addition. Boxer's twelfth birthday was due in the late summer of the following year. The animals saw no reason to disbelieve him. frightened them almost out of their wits. and the animals toiled harder than ever. They had all the more reason for doing so because the news of their defeat had spread across the countryside and made the animals on the neighbouring farms more restive than ever."When Boxer heard this he fetched the small straw hat which he wore in summer to keep the flies out of his ears. The pigs' ears were bleeding. carrying tiny wisps of hay in their beaks. when the terror caused by the executions had died down. The only good human being is a dead one. Going back.Their most faithful disciples were the two cart-horses. Napoleon acted swiftly and ruthlessly.

 as it turned out. merely attempted to lose the Battle of the Cowshed by means of a stratagem. and he read out to her what was written on the wall. I will sing you that song now. even in defence of their own interests.Suddenly. old-fashioned farm. A cow. and that made all the difference. Second Class"). and had in reality been a pensioner of Pilkington for years past. He would perch on a stump.At one end of the big barn. body and soul. three of them flung themselves upon Boxer. it was laid down as a rule that when a pig and any other animal met on the path. The needs of the windmill must override everything else. and then all together. then.

 been present during Boxer's last hours. For a moment there was great alarm; it was feared that the men might have harmed her in some way. body and soul. the nose-rings. Henceforward the farm was to be known as "The Manor Farm"-which. Then they sang Beasts of England from end to end seven times running. but they did not at first give him much help.' and half a bushel of apples to any animal who brings him to justice. Never to have any dealings with human beings. Having got there. Snowball was a more vivacious pig than Napoleon. casting a peculiar sidelong look at Snowball. It is for your sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples. but the problem was soon solved: they were the puppies whom Napoleon had taken away from their mothers and reared privately. and for a few moments they appeared to go quite mad. and as fierce-looking as wolves. especially from Clover. Their lives now. Pilkington of Foxwood or with Mr.

 walking very slowly and setting down their vast hairy hoofs with great care lest there should be some small animal concealed in the straw. Fix your eyes on that. The animals believed every word of it. the dynamos would be installed. The whole management and organisation of this farm depend on us. was in the hands of the enemy. or smoke tobacco. would read out to them lists of figures proving that the production of every class of foodstuff had increased by two hundred per cent. Terror of Mankind. for instance. An impromptu celebration of the victory was held immediately. they had begun singing it for themselves. He saw ahead of him the heavy labour of rebuilding the windmill from the foundations. and iron for the horses' shoes. enjoying a drink at the pool.Afterwards Squealer was sent round the farm to explain the new arrangement to the others. the animals were required to file past the skull in a reverent manner before entering the barn. and the produce of our labour would be our own. Actually the Commandment read: "No animal shall drink alcohol to excess.

 Without any further prompting they confessed that they had been secretly in touch with Snowball ever since his expulsion. he would say only "Donkeys live a long time. which. we are all brothers. By the autumn almost every animal on the farm was literate in some degree. comrades) contain substances absolutely necessary to the well-being of a pig. and were discouraged from playing with the other young animals. For whole days at a time he would lounge in his Windsor chair in the kitchen. and sometimes they clamoured to be allowed to go out in a body and attack Pinchfield Farm. so much labour would be saved that the animals would only need to work three days a week. Napoleon's own creation. to devote the rest of his life to learning the remaining twenty-two letters of the alphabet. In addition. Clover took her aside. The whole of the big pasture. the animals watched the long line of pigs march slowly round the yard. he had been censured for showing cowardice in the battle. but still it was coming. old-fashioned farm.

 your resolution must never falter. and yet there is not one of us that owns more than his bare skin. and it was a great drawback that no animal was able to use any tool that involved standing on his hind legs. Was not the labour problem the same everywhere? Here it became apparent that Mr. they said. came skipping towards them. in which. it might not be with in the lifetime of any animal now living. They were going to knock the windmill down. had entered the five-barred gate and were coming up the cart-track that led to the farm. The hens. a sign in him of intense mental activity. the animals stopped in their tracks. If he were gone. Their method was to fly up to the rafters and there lay their eggs. It was soon noticed that when there was work to be done the cat could never be found. he came creeping in under cover of darkness and performed all kinds of mischief. comrade!" cried Snowball from whose wounds the blood was still dripping. producing thirty-one young pigs between them.

 Moses sprang off his perch and flapped after her.Soon or late the day is coming. but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations reduced by half. Of late the sheep had taken to bleating "Four legs good.Every Monday Mr. Frederick shouted to his men to get out while the going was good. who. Their relations with the human race were now not quite the same as they had been before. We have removed the sheets from the farmhouse beds. clean straw to roll upon;Every beast great or smallSleeps at peace in his stall. when I was a little pig. which had lost their mother. and would then decorate them with a flower or two and walk round them admiring them.-otherwise nothing in the house was touched. But just at this moment Napoleon stood up and. I forgot that I was wearing iron shoes. The enemy was in occupation of this very ground that we stand upon. the ploughed fields where the young wheat was thick and green. the men were glad enough to rush out of the yard and make a bolt for the main road.

 it had been of a society of animals set free from hunger and the whip. in those days they had been slaves and now they were free. Boxer passed it off as usual with "Napoleon is always right!". In desperation the animals began appealing to the two horses which drew the van to stop. was stroking her nose and feeding her with sugar. This arrangement would have worked well enough if it had not been for the disputes between Snowball and Napoleon. D. like a piece of artillery.The two horses had just lain down when a brood of ducklings." which went on for several minutes and put an end to the discussion. or engage in trade. but every one of them made his way right round the yard successfully. The potatoes had become soft and discoloured. he said. and seemed to understand. In a moment. geese and turkeys. It was absolutely necessary. Without halting for an instant.

" he would say solemnly. The van had previously been the property of the knacker."Jones used sometimes to mix some of it in our mash. JONES. afraid to speak above a whisper and gazing with a kind of awe at the unbelievable luxury. to devote the rest of his life to learning the remaining twenty-two letters of the alphabet. Jones was already snoring. I could show you this in his own writing. The machinery had still to be installed. Snowball was racing across the long pasture that led to the road. and receive their orders for the week; but there would be no more debates. then the sails would have to be made and after that there would be need for dynamos and cables. the applause having come to an end.In the autumn. do not adopt his vices. A gander who had been privy to the plot had confessed his guilt to Squealer and immediately committed suicide by swallowing deadly nightshade berries. was a tremendous labour. and was already making arrangements to send Boxer to be treated in the hospital at Willingdon."Here Squealer's demeanour suddenly changed.

 was shown in the fact that he trusted nobody. with an escort of six dogs who closely surrounded him and growled if anyone came too near. a paint-brush. He would trace out A. after an absence of several years. comrade. I propose this question to the meeting: Are rats comrades?"The vote was taken at once. and that if they wasted time on the windmill they would all starve to death. it was noticed. Yes. Not a pig appeared to be stirring. Sugarcandy Mountain. comrades. and his great haunches seemed to have shrunken. I have laid five eggs in six days"; or two cows. This very morning we begin rebuilding the windmill. Throughout the whole period of his seeming friendship with Pilkington. which appeared even more beautiful in their eyes than when it had been built the first time.All relations with Foxwood had been broken off; insulting messages had been sent to Pilkington.

The animals had now reassembled in the wildest excitement. The animals slain in the battle were given a solemn funeral. Snowball suddenly turned and fled. Hidden under the straw was a little pile of lump sugar and several bunches of ribbon of different colours. That night there was the sound of uproarious singing. comrades. rain or shine. The hens. Starvation seemed to stare them in the face. Some of the pigs themselves. the other would declare that it was useless for anything except roots. with the pigs leading. and before I die. saying that he would make himself responsible for their education. and that if they wasted time on the windmill they would all starve to death. The animals had assumed as a matter of course that these would be shared out equally; one day. that on such a farm a spirit of licence and indiscipline would prevail.Three days later there was a terrible hullabaloo. you do not need sugar.

 for instance. His twelfth birthday was approaching.But if there were hardships to be borne.At last. Snowball also busied himself with organising the other animals into what he called Animal Committees. They were executed immediately. flap his black wings. but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations reduced by half. when fierce. but the other animals found more inspiration in Boxer's strength and his never-failing cry of "I will work harder! "In January food fell short. I give you a toast: To the prosperity of Animal Farm!"There was enthusiastic cheering and stamping of feet. frightened them almost out of their wits. Snowball explained. Every mouthful of food was an acute positive pleasure. was in charge of the defensive operations. The pellets under the skin of Boxer's leg smarted painfully. Jones and all he stood for had almost faded out of their memories. tucked his fore hoofs beneath him. but it was noticed he cast a very ugly look at Boxer with his little twinkling eyes.

 Snowball read it aloud for the benefit of the others. Still. "I will work harder" and "Comrade Napoleon is always right"-maxims. G.In January there came bitterly hard weather. whatever the appearances might be. I had known that tune in my infancy. he said. The Commandments were written on the tarred wall in great white letters that could be read thirty yards away. It was only his appearance that was a little altered; his hide was less shiny than it had used to be. At first it was a little difficult to see how this fitted in with his being on Jones's side. you do not need sugar. no one was able to imagine. it was to find that the stable-lad. pass on this message of mine to those who come after you. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions. evidently in order to drink a toast. it was he who had advocated it in the beginning. They could only be traced for a few yards.

 They were fine upstanding beasts. On the contrary."He is dead. and after that they settled down for the night and slept as they had never slept before. they had no reason for thinking that it would be within their own lifetime. and when he did.Meanwhile. "Run. and the windmill neared completion. but now he seemed more like three horses than one; there were days when the entire work of the farm seemed to rest on his mighty shoulders.But a few days later Muriel. comrades? You would not have us too tired to carry out our duties? Surely none of you wishes to see Jones back?"The animals reassured him on this point immediately. quicker in speech and more inventive. Frederick were anxious to buy it. "how are you?""It is my lung." he said. too. drawing in line after line and uttering little whimpers of excitement. Muriel.