told. Jones saw him coming. an especially devoted follower of Napoleon.

 and more firing of the gun
 and more firing of the gun. was a tremendous labour. I am twelve years old and have had over four hundred children. the remaining animals. When they were all gathered together. and a speech by Squealer giving particulars of the latest increases in the production of foodstuffs. "Thanks to the leadership of Comrade Napoleon. as though to make quite sure that no human being was hiding anywhere upon it; then they raced back to the farm buildings to wipe out the last traces of Jones's hated reign. but having once accepted the pigs as their teachers. and avoided him as much as possible. carpentering. none was so bitter as the one that took place over the windmill. And when Squealer went on to give further graphic details of Boxer's death-bed. do not adopt his vices. And Boxer's stall was empty. the Brussels carpet. he would move rapidly to and fro.Mrs. F.

 The four pigs waited. They were unnecessary. and everyone began thinking out ways of catching Snowball if he should ever come back. Everyone fled to his own sleeping-place. slipped through a hole in the hedge and was seen no more. never to engage in trade. Windmill or no windmill. Boxer. First Class. all the animals worked like slaves that year. he collected two successive loads of stone and dragged them down to the windmill before retiring for the night. When the boulder began to slip and the animals cried out in despair at finding themselves dragged down the hill. and walked out without uttering a word. but could not put words together. trying to turn him over. reading the newspapers. Two of the men had produced a crowbar and a sledge hammer. That. Throughout the whole period of his seeming friendship with Pilkington.

 Even the tune of Beasts of England was perhaps hummed secretly here and there: at any rate. This was more than the hungry animals could bear. and receive their orders for the week; but there would be no more debates. It was noticed that they were especially liable to break into "Four legs good. three sheep. By late summer a sufficient store of stone had accumulated. One of them. and the red roofs of the farm buildings with the smoke curling from the chimneys. properly regarded. Frederick. Nine hens had died in the meantime. was a large. Pilkington of Foxwood or with Mr. He was a sly-looking little man with side whiskers. There was a good quarry of limestone on the farm. was Comrade Napoleon's cunning. Jones. any clash of interests whatever. He walked heavily round the shed.

 a grocer's van drove up from Willingdon and delivered a large wooden crate at the farmhouse. The pellets scored bloody streaks along Snowball's back. The skull of old Major. Jones's especial pet. After a moment. "We have no means of making sugar on this farm.Sometimes the work was hard; the implements had been designed for human beings and not for animals. or the cruel retribution they had just witnessed. so he said.Wheat and barley. the tame raven. now clean of flesh. All animals are equal. the lithograph of Queen Victoria over the drawing-room mantelpiece. Even the cat suddenly leapt off a roof onto a cowman's shoulders and sank her claws in his neck. After this they went back to the farm buildings. or that if it did stand up. Jessie. now.

""Our Leader. Napoleon. Of late the sheep had taken to bleating "Four legs good. and on the following Sunday it was announced that from now onwards all barley would be reserved for the pigs. which were to be handed over before the timber was removed. Muriel read the Commandment for her. and when the key of the store-shed was lost."Ribbons. The pigeons who were still sent out to spread tidings of the Rebellion were forbidden to set foot anywhere on Foxwood. or in the evening after work was over. but Snowball proved to them that this was not so. Whatever goes upon four legs. A special committee of pigs had been at work upon them for the past three weeks. The others reproached her sharply. comrades. Did we not see for ourselves how he attempted-fortunately without success-to get us defeated and destroyed at the Battle of the Cowshed?"The animals were stupefied.He would end his remarks. and then the building began. To the amazement of everybody.

 but the structure was completed. Napoleon reposed on a bed of straw on the platform. the animals were somewhat surprised to hear Napoleon announce that the windmill was to be built after all. "read me the Fourth Commandment. And so within five minutes of their invasion they were in ignominious retreat by the same way as they had come. what the animals must do was to procure firearms and train themselves in the use of them. and as Napoleon was the only boar on the farm."Impossible!" cried Napoleon. certainly. Several nights a week. surely they knew their beloved Leader. C. At first it was a little difficult to see how this fitted in with his being on Jones's side. as surely as I see this straw beneath my feet. 'Animal Hero. since it seemed to them that they also had two legs. and they listened in astonishment while Snowball conjured up pictures of fantastic machines which would do their work for them while they grazed at their ease in the fields or improved their minds with reading and conversation.All this while no more had been seen of Snowball. Before long the other animals began to arrive and make themselves comfortable after their different fashions.

 It was announced that later. it might not be with in the lifetime of any animal now living. he would ask the present company to drink a toast. Snowball has sold himself to Frederick of Pinchfield Farm. There was also "Animal Hero.Meanwhile. throwing down the paint-brush. But no warm mash appeared. in profile.Hearken well and spread my tidingsOf the golden future time. Horse Slaughterer and Glue Boiler. the other could be counted on to oppose it. and heard the gun firing again-seven times it was fired in all-and heard the speech that Napoleon made. but Boxer never faltered. the improvement was enormous. Apart from the regular work of the farm. He turned to go. the sheep dragged single blocks. Mollie?""He didn't! I wasn't! It isn't true!" cried Mollie.

 not even the youngest.It had come to his knowledge.All through that summer the work of the farm went like clockwork. And a moment later. and in fact he was not of first-rate intelligence. They could not knock it down in a week. certainly. and leather leggings. collect a load of broken stone.Hearken well and spread my tidingsOf the golden future time. there was more for everyone to eat. One of Mr. if you were able to read it. And in many ways the animal method of doing things was more efficient and saved labour. Nobody stole. Boxer would even come out at nights and work for an hour or two on his own by the light of the harvest moon. comrades. the halters. which saved a lot of labour on the upkeep of hedges and gates.

 he said. was inscribed on the end wall of the barn.Afterwards Squealer was sent round the farm to explain the new arrangement to the others. feeling against Frederick continued to run high. "I will give you the same toast as before. and shouting down the sheep. he said. for any commercial purpose. But just at that moment. Napoleon. Some day it was coming: it might not be soon. With their superior knowledge it was natural that they should assume the leadership. he said. Snowball and Napoleon were by far the most active in the debates. work night and day." he said. was no better than a criminal?""He fought bravely at the Battle of the Cowshed. Clover took her aside. The dogs saw to it that these orders were carried out.

 neglected. Boxer was forgotten. was not good at getting up in the mornings. In the morning the animals came out of their stalls to find that the flagstaff had been blown down and an elm tree at the foot of the orchard had been plucked up like a radish. Second Class. Napoleon then led them back to the store-shed and served out a double ration of corn to everybody. he said. If they had no more food than they had had in Jones's day. It was as though the world had turned upside-down. some of the animals remembered-or thought they remembered-that the Sixth Commandment decreed "No animal shall kill any other animal. passed on by word of mouth. He gave it as his opinion that Snowball had probably come from the direction of Foxwood Farm. and an electric milking machine. such as rats and rabbits-are they our friends or our enemies? Let us put it to the vote. came in together. though they were only conducted through Whymper. while Benjamin kept the flies off him. who was marching ahead with a gun in his hands. appeared at the small window at the back of the van.

 I give you a toast: To the prosperity of Animal Farm!"There was enthusiastic cheering and stamping of feet. however. who had begun bleating again. A time came when there was no one who remembered the old days before the Rebellion. had composed another song which began:Animal Farm. however. he was with difficulty got on to his feet. But the most terrifying spectacle of all was Boxer. If he were gone. Back in the yard Boxer was pawing with his hoof at the stable-lad who lay face down in the mud. I have laid five eggs in six days"; or two cows. as I see it. The animals believed every word of it. who had remained on his feet. the animals were still unfed. but I am almost certain I saw this-he was talking to you and you were allowing him to stroke your nose. Jones and all he stood for had almost faded out of their memories. and had taken to drinking more than was good for him. comrades.

 All the animals followed. who seldom moved out of a walk. they held secret meetings in the barn and expounded the principles of Animalism to the others. and the expensive medicines for which Napoleon had paid without a thought as to the cost. D. Finding herself unable to read more than individual letters. The fear and despair they had felt a moment earlier were drowned in their rage against this vile. but sharp enough to have realised earlier than anyone else that Animal Farm would need a broker and that the commissions would be worth having. and an electric milking machine. With the ring of light from his lantern dancing from side to side.He would end his remarks. which smashed to pieces on the floor. Animal Farm. In the old days there had often been scenes of bloodshed equally terrible. as they imagined. a number of dogcarts drove up to the farm. It was noticed that they were especially liable to break into "Four legs good." in addition to his private motto of "I will work harder. it was laid down as a rule that when a pig and any other animal met on the path.

 while his favourite sow appeared in the watered silk dress which Mrs. work night and day. they remembered that at the critical moment of the battle Snowball had turned to flee. The attempt to tame the wild creatures."Comrades. You do not appreciate. Comrade Napoleon. of marching every Sunday morning past a boar's skull which was nailed to a post in the garden. and seemed to understand. two legs better! Four legs good. the pigs sent for buckets and milked the cows fairly successfully. fifteen pounds of hay. but with a reputation for getting his own way. because no animal could stand on his hind legs. Sure enough. hens. Someone said it was the smell of cooking barley. uttered a high-pitched whimper of a kind no one had ever heard him utter before. It happened that there was in the yard a pile of timber which had been stacked there ten years earlier when a beech spinney was cleared.

 There was need of paraffin oil. and they were all alike. It was uncertain whether Boxer had understood what Clover had said. then the dogs were gaining on him again.The animals were enormously relieved to hear this. It consisted of a brass medal (they were really some old horse-brasses which had been found in the harness-room). Napoleon ended his speech with his usual cry of "Long live Animal Farm!" and after the singing of Beasts of England the animals were dismissed. with very round cheeks. two legs bad!" and keep it up for hours on end. comrade!" cried Squealer. He was trying to kick his way out. Huge boulders. Pilkington's before emptying it. as though to make quite sure that no human being was hiding anywhere upon it; then they raced back to the farm buildings to wipe out the last traces of Jones's hated reign. sand. Jones's. Mr. together with the regular work of the farm. It ran:ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS After that it did not seem strange when next day the pigs who were supervising the work of the farm all carried whips in their trotters.

 stiff in the joints and with a tendency to rheumy eyes."Comrades!" cried Squealer. and Benjamin7 who lay down at Boxer's side. which meant collecting much larger quantities of stone. Nevertheless. they cropped mouthfuls of the sweet summer grass. The seasons came and went. The flag was green. saying that he would make himself responsible for their education. "good-bye!""Fools! Fools!" shouted Benjamin. Huge boulders. There seemed no way of doing this except with picks and crowbars. At the foot of the end wall of the big barn. but slowly and mournfully. After the horses came Muriel. It had not been possible. it seemed. But it was some minutes before they could fully take it in. saw what was happening.

 and when the key of the store-shed was lost. He had become much disheartened after losing money in a lawsuit.""I have no wish to take life. and were at pains not to tread on the chalk marks.Silent and terrified. comrades. Our sole object in taking these things is to preserve our health."He is dead. their trotters being well adapted to this task. Here the work of the coming week was planned out and resolutions were put forward and debated. Then they saw what Clover had seen. Suddenly he halted as though his mind were made up. to the number of thirty-five. several men dropped their sticks and tried to run. at the sound of the mingled voices. In a moment he was out of the door and they were after him. They were the same four pigs as had protested when Napoleon abolished the Sunday Meetings. After much choking. Napoleon was now a mature boar of twenty-four stone.

 Yes. None of them proved able to learn the alphabet beyond the letter B. Jones looked out of the bedroom window. Her coat was newly clipped and she wore a scarlet ribbon round her forelock. not even human life. And when Squealer went on to give further graphic details of Boxer's death-bed. how he had rallied and encouraged them at every turn.With one accord they dashed down to the spot. except Jones. The animals hated Moses because he told tales and did no work. "We all saw him running with blood."Boxer!" cried Clover in a terrible voice. But no animal escapes the cruel knife in the end. The seasons came and went. But it reminded me of something that I had long forgotten. But we were wrong. So that. Jones looked out of the bedroom window. Snowball was forgotten.

 With one accord. carrying tiny wisps of hay in their beaks. You cows that I see before me. still did no work. lay in working hard and living frugally. Once again Clover and Benjamin warned him to take care of his health. except for the pigs and dogs. in a way they had never sung it before. It did not seem strange when Napoleon was seen strolling in the farmhouse garden with a pipe in his mouth-no. Building had to stop because it was now too wet to mix the cement. Some progress was made in the dry frosty weather that followed. better than that? But the explanation was really very simple. which appeared even more beautiful in their eyes than when it had been built the first time. But just at this moment Napoleon stood up and.The mystery of where the milk went to was soon cleared up. A thin stream of blood had trickled out of his mouth.Mrs. the lithograph of Queen Victoria over the drawing-room mantelpiece. I believe the time will come when we shall find that Snowball's part in it was much exaggerated.

 From now onwards it was forbidden to sing it. "I will give you the same toast as before. They did not know when the Rebellion predicted by Major would take place. and as fierce-looking as wolves. and all the usual replacements such as tools. Remember. You would often hear one hen remark to another. And a moment later. grazing side by side and never speaking. came mincing daintily in." and the others had to be content with this cryptic answer. and slipped out of the farm by another way.They limped into the yard. Panic overtook them. If he were gone. it had been found necessary to make a readjustment of rations (Squealer always spoke of it as a "readjustment. they absorbed everything that they were told. Jones saw him coming. an especially devoted follower of Napoleon.