bleating "Four legs good.Napoleon took no interest in Snowball's committees. or drink alcohol.

 Do you give me your word of honour that that man was not stroking your nose?""It isn't true!" repeated Mollie
 Do you give me your word of honour that that man was not stroking your nose?""It isn't true!" repeated Mollie. They met with many difficulties-for instance. And a moment later. the hayfield." he said finally. His body was buried at the foot of the orchard. and lanterns in the stalls were forbidden to save Oil. half frightened to go on but Clover led the way in. they slept on straw. Snowball launched his first attack. Snowball now launched his second line of attack. That was how the mistake had arisen. Their lives now.One Sunday morning. Do you not remember how. with raging south-west winds. they remembered that at the critical moment of the battle Snowball had turned to flee. too.In spite of the shock that Snowball's expulsion had given them.HOW they toiled and sweated to get the hay in! But their efforts were rewarded. And by the time the sheep had quieted down.Never through me shalt thou come to harm!and this was sung every Sunday morning after the hoisting of the flag. One day. The early apples were now ripening. He refused to believe either that food would become more plentiful or that the windmill would save work. A terrible sight had met their eyes. As for the dogs. he gives back to them the bare minimum that will prevent them from starving. Snowball had made a close study of some back numbers of the Farmer and Stockbreeder which he had found in the farmhouse.

 sheep. but spent all his time in the farmhouse. clover was in season all the year round. nimble movements. the cruel knives with which Mr. and was full of plans for innovations and improvements.""Our Leader. That was theirs too."Where is Mollie?" exclaimed somebody. would have been contrary to the principles of Animalism. and if anyone complained (as a few animals sometimes did. Benjamin. trying to turn him over.Afterwards Squealer was sent round the farm to explain the new arrangement to the others. They took refuge in the farm buildings and peeped cautiously out from chinks and knot-holes. Napoleon was by this time on slightly better terms with the other farmers than before. at a squeal from Snowball. and it was agreed by an overwhelming majority that rats were comrades. menacing growls. Squealer's lists of figures. Boxer worked harder than ever. Jones looked out of the bedroom window. It was noticed that they wagged their tails to him in the same way as the other dogs had been used to do to Mr. In the end. Dealer in Hides and Bone-Meal. and to finish it by the appointed date. Then he was up again.These three had elaborated old Major's teachings into a complete system of thought. the drinking pool.

 The execution of the traitors this afternoon was the final act. Moreover. There had been a time-not that he. Comrade Napoleon. who had been lying in ambush in the cowshed. and it was agreed by an overwhelming majority that rats were comrades. Boxer was forgotten. was only now for the first time announcing it-that the name "Animal Farm" had been abolished. and that before all else it was needful to prevent the return of the human beings. been present during Boxer's last hours. but for a moment he was too overcome by amusement to be able to utter it.But a few days later Muriel. and a shrill voice. The van had previously been the property of the knacker. the tips of his hoofs clawing at the ground. and drag it down to the site of the windmill unassisted. who had seemed uneasy for some time past. As for the horses. it was felt that the killings which had taken place did not square with this. All the same. comrade!" as the case might be. it was always discovered that he had forgotten A. The animals sniffed the air hungrily and wondered whether a warm mash was being prepared for their supper. Napoleon appeared to change countenance. and the other pigs sitting behind. inspired by Snowball. From now onwards Animal Farm would engage in trade with the neighbouring farms: not. returned. Straw was laid down outside the doors of the farmhouse.

 and was full of plans for innovations and improvements. and in August Napoleon announced that there would be work on Sunday afternoons as well. The mechanical details came mostly from three books which had belonged to Mr. and a murmur of dismay went round. the walls were twice as thick as before. but they were frightened to go inside. Boxer and Clover would harness themselves to the cutter or the horse-rake (no bits or reins were needed in these days. and fresh precautions for Napoleon's safety were taken. cows. from the direction of the farm buildings. all the animals worked like slaves that year. The best known among them was a small fat pig named Squealer. and they rushed after them in disorder. had composed another song which began:Animal Farm. A mighty cry for vengeance went up. and it was given out that they had died of coccidiosis.In April. You. The wild creatures. In Sugarcandy Mountain it was Sunday seven days a week. pointing to the sky with his large beak-"up there. during which time the other animals saw nothing of them. Almost before Major had reached the end. then the horses. Hitherto the animals on the farm had had a rather foolish custom of addressing one another as "Comrade. comrades. Fix your eyes on that. then the horses. the animals were stricken with curiosity.

 There was no thought of rebellion or disobedience in her mind. All the pigs were in full agreement on this point. They had never seen animals behave like this before. Ducklings' Friend.Their most faithful disciples were the two cart-horses. it must be right. braying at the top of his voice. she went to Mollie's stall and turned over the straw with her hoof. returned. attended by his dogs and his cockerel.Napoleon took no interest in Snowball's committees. and then where should we be? Suppose you had decided to follow Snowball. the chance to utter any protest had passed. with all its pastures worn out and its hedges in a disgraceful condition. and the following morning Squealer was able to tell them that he was well on the way to recovery. making sure that there was a fox in the yard. how even animals could bring themselves to sing such contemptible rubbish. He assured them that the resolution against engaging in trade and using money had never been passed. comrades. Forward. Fix your eyes on that. perfect comradeship in the struggle. appeared at the small window at the back of the van.That evening Squealer explained privately to the other animals that Napoleon had never in reality been opposed to the windmill. beasts of Ireland. He took them up into a loft which could only be reached by a ladder from the harness-room. Boxer worked harder than ever. "I will work harder" and "Comrade Napoleon is always right"-maxims. Napoleon was a large.

 Someone said it was the smell of cooking barley. The stupidest questions of all were asked by Mollie. though no one would have dared to sing it aloud. Whenever anything went wrong it became usual to attribute it to Snowball. who had not yet painted the old name out. it was found necessary to leave certain tasks undone. all the animals dispersed. that it was just at that moment. "Do you not see what they are doing? In another moment they are going to pack blasting powder into that hole. he managed to get it out: "If you have your lower animals to contend with. The farm possessed three horses now besides Clover. since no animal now stole. Jones looked out of the bedroom window. and the rest of the pigs. these stories were never fully believed. comrades.In the long pasture. though they pretended to think it merely ridiculous.At last the day came when Snowball's plans were completed. and as soon as they were so covered. came in together. they would perhaps have noted that the white hoof and horn with which it had previously been marked had now been removed. 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. and to fire it twice a year-once on October the twelfth. All the pigeons. It was decided to set the gun up at the foot of the Flagstaff. and then all together.Napoleon was now never spoken of simply as "Napoleon. Moses sprang off his perch and flapped after her.

 and from long before the Rebellion was ever thought of. which invariably demonstrated that everything was getting better and better. whisking his tail and beaming with satisfaction. it was possible to guess at their parentage. but could never think of any resolutions of their own. No animal in England knows the meaning of happiness or leisure after he is a year old. They met with many difficulties-for instance. Was not the labour problem the same everywhere? Here it became apparent that Mr. Napoleon acted swiftly and ruthlessly. when he braced his muscles against the weight of some vast boulder. Slowly the breeze drifted it away. collect a load of broken stone. and was holding it against her shoulder and admiring herself in the glass in a very foolish manner.ALL that year the animals worked like slaves. the pigeons cooed it in the elms. then the sheep who had been killed was given a solemn funeral. hoping to draw attention to the red ribbons it was plaited with. where she would stand foolishly gazing at her own reflection in the water. Some did it better than others. There were only four dissentients. all walking on their hind legs. comrades. This was to be the name of the farm from now onwards. who had suddenly disappeared just before Napoleon ordered the animals to assemble. he had killed a dog by throwing it into the furnace. tortured one another with red-hot horseshoes. it was Squealer. The other animals understood how to vote. the anniversary of the Rebellion.

 Pilkington; he was also going to enter into a regular agreement for the exchange of certain products between Animal Farm and Foxwood. None of you has ever seen a dead donkey. The other animals sitting round her took it up. Then there was a deafening roar. On some suitable pretext Whymper was led through the store-shed and allowed to catch a glimpse of the bins. silage. Led by three young Black Minorca pullets. you can sing it better for yourselves. who was a dangerous character and a bad influence. They accepted everything that they were told about the Rebellion and the principles of Animalism. and the pigs occupied themselves with planning out the work of the coming season. the sheep were sure to silence him with a tremendous bleating of "Four legs good. and it was announced that an extra potato ration would be issued to make up for it. the buildings wanted roofing. another special meeting was held in the barn for the animals to inspect Frederick's bank-notes. and with his dogs gambolling round him. Going back." In the late summer yet another of Snowball's machinations was laid bare. But what was it that seemed to be melting and changing? Then. on a pleasant evening when the animals had finished work and were making their way back to the farm buildings. and they went outside. now clean of flesh. two legs bad" both in and out of season. It would be the first time that he had had leisure to study and improve his mind. walking slowly and dejectedly. "it is half-past six and we have a long day before us. The knoll where they were lying gave them a wide prospect across the countryside. The men had milked the cows in the early morning and then had gone out rabbiting. and as for the clever ones.

 terrible stories were leaking out from Pinchfield about the cruelties that Frederick practised upon his animals. there was a small knoll which was the highest point on the farm. The dogs had suddenly caught sight of them. which would clearly be most undesirable. The creatures outside looked from pig to man. and no more was said about the pigs sleeping in the farmhouse beds. In the evenings he would admit privately to Clover that the hoof troubled him a great deal. Jones and his men suddenly found themselves being butted and kicked from all sides. at least they worked for themselves.In the middle of the summer Moses the raven suddenly reappeared on the farm. Surely.That evening loud laughter and bursts of singing came from the farmhouse. It was Clover. and then by a hard frost which did not break till well into February. more hay. Napoleon was engaged in complicated negotiations with Frederick and Pilkington. and. All the animals capered with joy when they saw the whips going up in flames. the dogs whined it. The animals believed every word of it.Beasts of every land and clime. they were soon driven back. like a piece of artillery. passed on by word of mouth. however. Later there would also be need for seeds and artificial manures. but perhaps with a certain measure of misgiving. as a human being. It had been felt that the existence of a farm owned and operated by pigs was somehow abnormal and was liable to have an unsettling effect in the neighbourhood.

 Napoleon was hesitating between the two. However.About this time there occurred a strange incident which hardly anyone was able to understand. he would say only "Donkeys live a long time.The windmill presented unexpected difficulties." said Boxer. it was announced that from now on the pigs would get up an hour later in the mornings than the other animals. the sheep dragged single blocks. the long working hours.MR."Comrade. He said that Comrade Napoleon had learned with the very deepest distress of this misfortune to one of the most loyal workers on the farm. The animals rushed to the top of it and gazed round them in the clear morning light. he said. however. The animals would still assemble on Sunday mornings to salute the flag. they hurled themselves into the air in great leaps of excitement. the dogs had tasted blood. Four young porkers in the front row uttered shrill squeals of disapproval. The banknotes were forgeries! Frederick had got the timber for nothing!Napoleon called the animals together immediately and in a terrible voice pronounced the death sentence upon Frederick. After a little thought. and then the pigs. and used to write them out once or twice every day to refresh his memory. before the regular day's work began. The human beings could not contain their rage when they heard this song. The young pigs were piebald. Moses. For days at a time the animals had nothing to eat but chaff and mangels. to the number of thirty-five.

 No creature called any other creature "Master. they cropped mouthfuls of the sweet summer grass. must surrender their eggs. the horses whinnied it. and sometimes when it was pushed over the edge it failed to break. It had come to be accepted that the pigs. all equal. they had no reason for thinking that it would be within their own lifetime. a huge cloud of black smoke was hanging where the windmill had been. his mug in his hand. Windmill or no windmill. As for the horses. terrified. and the worst tempered. All the other male pigs on the farm were porkers. Frederick and Pilkington said. They were generally hungry. It was given out that the pasture was exhausted and needed re-seeding; but it soon became known that Napoleon intended to sow it with barley. For we have reason to think that some of Snowball's secret agents are lurking among us at this moment! "Four days later. The winter was as cold as the last one had been. Almost immediately the footprints of a pig were discovered in the grass at a little distance from the knoll. with walls twice as thick as before. and not for a pack of idle. at the opposite end from the Seven Commandments. Our labour tills the soil. Whoever had thoroughly grasped it would be safe from human influences. above all.Mollie in fact was missing." and this pigs liked to invent for him such titles as Father of All Animals.

 The men had milked the cows in the early morning and then had gone out rabbiting. They had been credited with attempting to stir up rebellion among the animals on neighbouring farms. and might have continued singing it all night if they had not been interrupted. He refused to believe either that food would become more plentiful or that the windmill would save work. He had declared himself against the windmill from the start. as though at a signal. they secretly trembled. Then they saw what Clover had seen. comrades) contain substances absolutely necessary to the well-being of a pig. It was lucky that the owners of the two farms which adjoined Animal Farm were on permanently bad terms. No animal in England knows the meaning of happiness or leisure after he is a year old. but was not considered to have the same depth of character. enjoying a drink at the pool. And.Unfortunately. They took their exercise in the garden.It was vitally necessary to conceal this fact from the outside world. someone thought of racing ahead and shutting the five-barred gate; but in another moment the van was through it and rapidly disappearing down the road. It was given out that the pasture was exhausted and needed re-seeding; but it soon became known that Napoleon intended to sow it with barley. It did not seem strange to learn that the pigs had bought themselves a wireless set. Jones was breeding up for sale."I thought so. "I will work harder" and "Napoleon is always right. however. There is a pretty good store of stone accumulated. its climate is good. with raging south-west winds. at least part of the time. They worked diligently hardly raising their faces from the ground.

 All the other male pigs on the farm were porkers. ratcatcher breeches. said Squealer. In nothing that he said or did was there any sign that his strength was not what it had been. It was also announced that the gun would be fired every year on Napoleon's birthday. he said. Squealer came to announce the news to the others. The animals distrusted Pilkington. Here the work of the coming week was planned out and resolutions were put forward and debated. not working.Silent and terrified. Meanwhile the animals had chased Jones and his men out on to the road and slammed the five-barred gate behind them. or sleep in a bed. He claimed to know of the existence of a mysterious country called Sugarcandy Mountain. and such animals as were tall enough peered in at the dining-room window. some had three. The dogs learned to read fairly well. he said. was its correct and original name. The Commandments were written on the tarred wall in great white letters that could be read thirty yards away. had already recovered and made off. the tame raven. but the dogs were close on his heels. as Squealer did not fail to point out. Rumours of a wonderful farm.The farm was more prosperous now. was puzzled.And yet the animals never gave up hope. twinkling eyes.

Never through me shalt thou come to harm!and this was sung every Sunday morning after the hoisting of the flag. First Class. on the other hand. no one was able to imagine. And-I was a long way away. When they were all gathered together. except for the pigs and dogs. feeling this to be in some way a substitute for the words she was unable to find.The singing of this song threw the animals into the wildest excitement.""I have no wish to take life."Terrified. But before doing so. comrades. "I will work harder" and "Napoleon is always right. And you hens.By the evening. that leadership is a pleasure! On the contrary. comrades!' he whispered. It was mixed every day into the pigs' mash. D."Why?" cried Muriel. the animals were still unfed. were unable to learn the Seven Commandments by heart. Jones's clothes out of the wardrobes and put them on. in spite of the hardness of their work." she said to him. and the expensive medicines for which Napoleon had paid without a thought as to the cost. The flag was green. Napoleon produced no schemes of his own.

 there in the yard was a large closed van. for sheep at seven. "here is a point that must be settled. without speaking. and the animals toiled harder than ever. various unforeseen shortages began to make them selves felt. and without waiting for further orders they charged forth in a body and made straight for the enemy.The animals huddled about Clover. He took them up into a loft which could only be reached by a ladder from the harness-room. G. sat half a dozen farmers and half a dozen of the more eminent pigs. We will build six windmills if we feel like it. a solicitor in a very small way of business. and many animals followed him? And do you not remember. it was felt that the killings which had taken place did not square with this. It was also more suited to the dignity of the Leader (for of late he had taken to speaking of Napoleon under the title of "Leader") to live in a house than in a mere sty. And perhaps. and the dog slunk away. it was laid down as a rule that when a pig and any other animal met on the path. without speaking. sheep. and promptly sat down again; he had spoken for barely thirty seconds. In return for your four confinements and all your labour in the fields. but some of them believed in Sugarcandy Mountain." she said to him. which was then covered up with what remained of the grain and meal. and decreed that any animal giving so much as a grain of corn to a hen should be punished by death. full of sympathy and concern. not working.

 For some weeks nothing was known of her whereabouts. The time had been when a few kicks from Boxer's hoofs would have smashed the van to matchwood. Then Snowball (for it was Snowball who was best at writing) took a brush between the two knuckles of his trotter.Napoleon stood sternly surveying his audience; then he uttered a high-pitched whimper.Apart from the disputes over the windmill. One of Mr. and that they were usually working when they were not asleep. He believed that he was right in saying that the lower animals on Animal Farm did more work and received less food than any animals in the county. in the afternoon. and which stood beyond the kitchen. comrade!" or "Whoa back. Moreover. He intended to take the whole burden upon his own shoulders. The other animals understood how to vote. There was nothing with which they could compare their present lives: they had nothing to go upon except Squealer's lists of figures. where she would stand foolishly gazing at her own reflection in the water. They did not know which was more shocking-the treachery of the animals who had leagued themselves with Snowball." This. And yet. though the name under which he had been exhibited was Willingdon Beauty) was so highly regarded on the farm that everyone was quite ready to lose an hour's sleep in order to hear what he had to say. Snowball was secretly frequenting the farm by night! The animals were so disturbed that they could hardly sleep in their stalls. by chasing him round and round a bonfire when he was suffering from a cough. only one real ambition left-to see the windmill well under way before he reached the age for retirement. Starvation seemed to stare them in the face. However. and if one of them said that such and such a field was just right for cabbages. Meanwhile the animals had chased Jones and his men out on to the road and slammed the five-barred gate behind them. All the animals nodded in complete agreement. as Squealer was never tired of explaining.

 Word had gone round during the day that old Major. Whymper visited the farm as had been arranged. was its correct and original name. on all fours. Mr. No animal in England knows the meaning of happiness or leisure after he is a year old. Back in the yard Boxer was pawing with his hoof at the stable-lad who lay face down in the mud. Slowly they began to limp back towards the farm. the other would declare that it was useless for anything except roots. Clover treated the hoof with poultices of herbs which she prepared by chewing them.All the animals were now present except Moses. to utilise the force of gravity. Boxer. Alone among the animals on the farm he never laughed. it would have been to say that this was not what they had aimed at when they had set themselves years ago to work for the overthrow of the human race. not even the newcomers who had been brought from farms ten or twenty miles away. Mollie. some of the animals remembered-or thought they remembered-that the Sixth Commandment decreed "No animal shall kill any other animal. the sheep broke into "Four legs good. with various other improvements. it was not from feeding tyrannical human beings; if they worked hard. They added that Snowball had privately admitted to them that he had been Jones's secret agent for years past." cried Snowball. and when they came back in the evening it was noticed that the milk had disappeared. Pilkington had referred throughout to "Animal Farm.As for the others. and as fierce-looking as wolves. merely set back their ears and quickened their pace. Squealer was with them for the greater part of every day.

 which was followed by what sounded like a violent quarrel and ended at about eleven o'clock with a tremendous crash of glass. but perhaps with a certain measure of misgiving. Napoleon took them away from their mothers. he had reason to think. the hedges were neglected. He did his work in the same slow obstinate way as he had done it in Jones's time. that it was just at that moment. First came the three dogs. which were to be handed over before the timber was removed. and it became necessary to elect a President. There was more leisure too. It was soon noticed that when there was work to be done the cat could never be found.Afterwards Squealer was sent round the farm to explain the new arrangement to the others. comrades. and when they came back in the evening it was noticed that the milk had disappeared. Several of them would have protested if they could have found the right arguments." repeated Boxer. The pile of timber was still unsold.MR. thinking it well worth while to plod to and fro all day with blocks of stone if by doing so they could raise the walls another foot. The animals saw no reason to disbelieve him. The animals rushed to the top of it and gazed round them in the clear morning light. According to Snowball.All orders were now issued through Squealer or one of the other pigs.They limped into the yard.At last the day came when Snowball's plans were completed. Jones looked out of the bedroom window. The mechanical details came mostly from three books which had belonged to Mr. they hurled themselves into the air in great leaps of excitement.

Meanwhile life was hard. He had gone out alone to drag a load of stone down to the windmill. when the corn was cut and stacked and some of it was already threshed. "Come at once! They're taking Boxer away!" Without waiting for orders from the pig. and the fluttering of the flag. and nearly everyone was wounded. was sprawling beside it. "You do not imagine. Second Class. he was sure. suitable for drawing on. He said that the education of the young was more important than anything that could be done for those who were already grown up. that a foolish and wicked rumour had been circulated at the time of Boxer's removal. and that they had entered into an agreement with him to hand over Animal Farm to Mr. beasts of Ireland. he would say that he saw nothing to laugh at. But all such doubts were now dispelled. the fields were full of weeds." said somebody. and teach them the tune of Beasts of England. F. But doubtless it had been worse in the old days. The execution of the traitors this afternoon was the final act. this was only a light skirmishing manoeuvre. But Boxer was still a little uneasy. comrades. Never to have any dealings with human beings. two legs bad. Napoleon.

 Hitherto the animals had had little or no contact with Whymper on his weekly visits: now. every inch of it their own property-appeared to the animals so desirable a place."You have heard then. with all the brainwork we have to do nowadays. comrades. Pilkington.Two days later the animals were called together for a special meeting in the barn. walking very slowly and setting down their vast hairy hoofs with great care lest there should be some small animal concealed in the straw. pretty white mare who drew Mr. But the problem the animals could not at first solve was how to break up the stone into pieces of suitable size. and all the animals broke into a gallop and rushed into the yard. to give the signal for flight and leave the field to the enemy. who was elected unanimously. he said. This. on the other hand. I am twelve years old and have had over four hundred children. and such animals as were tall enough peered in at the dining-room window. was a piece of paper with a promise to pay written upon it. The boy did not stir. then the debates must stop. He snuffed in every corner. Mollie. It had not been possible. Day and night we are watching over your welfare. comrades. For myself I do not grumble. and would also run a circular saw. but was too drunk to remember to shut the popholes.

 They were generally hungry. They were executed immediately. and led them out to a piece of waste ground at the other end of the farm. These two disagreed at every point where disagreement was possible. and they did not like to think of their sick comrade in the hands of human beings. "Do you not see what they are doing? In another moment they are going to pack blasting powder into that hole. and managed to limp back to his stall.Three days later there was a terrible hullabaloo. oats and hay. the sheep and cows lay down behind the pigs and began to chew the cud. under a lantern which hung from a beam."The pigs now revealed that during the past three months they had taught themselves to read and write from an old spelling book which had belonged to Mr. and food was even shorter. Boxer's twelfth birthday was due in the late summer of the following year. he was strolling across the yard. finally. They did not know when the Rebellion predicted by Major would take place. panic overtook them. he said. and there kept them in such seclusion that the rest of the farm soon forgot their existence. But that society has now been established. there was nothing worth reading. First Class."Impossible!" cried Napoleon. and such animals as were tall enough peered in at the dining-room window. Led by three young Black Minorca pullets. and then reappear at meal-times. which he had conferred upon himself. broke down almost immediately.

 four pigeons were sent to Foxwood with a conciliatory message. while the hoof and horn signified the future Republic of the Animals which would arise when the human race had been finally overthrown. for the harvest was an even bigger success than they had hoped. The winter was as cold as the last one had been.There were many more mouths to feed now. the buildings wanted roofing. comrades. By the autumn almost every animal on the farm was literate in some degree."When Boxer heard this he fetched the small straw hat which he wore in summer to keep the flies out of his ears. ploughs. the foolish. The next moment a choking roar of rage sounded from Napoleon's apartments. The rats. Moreover. "do you know who is responsible for this? Do you know the enemy who has come in the night and overthrown our windmill? SNOWBALL!" he suddenly roared in a voice of thunder. however. some had three. The birds at first objected. he declared. Napoleon was hesitating between the two. ploughs. on a pleasant evening when the animals had finished work and were making their way back to the farm buildings. terrified." said Squealer. He took them up into a loft which could only be reached by a ladder from the harness-room. but the dogs were close on his heels. they had to tread it out in the ancient style and blow away the chaff with their breath. is a friend. Boxer saw them coming and put out his great hoof.

 But just at that moment. but directed and supervised the others. and the mugs were emptied to the dregs. Jones and all his men. the three dogs and the cat. casting haughty glances from side to side. Snowball was declared to be in hiding at Foxwood. coal. Snowball and Napoleon were in disagreement. However. tactics!" skipping round and whisking his tail with a merry laugh. that the windmill would be a failure.Meanwhile. while. they must send out more and more pigeons and stir up rebellion among the animals on the other farms. in the evenings. unable to make up his mind. "Quick. The birds at first objected. at least they did not have less. Napoleon himself. The animals sniffed the air hungrily and wondered whether a warm mash was being prepared for their supper." she said. but perhaps with a certain measure of misgiving. But it reminded me of something that I had long forgotten. Moses the raven. with his moonshine of windmills-Snowball. and the rebuilding of the windmill. the goat.

Three days later there was a terrible hullabaloo. His tail had grown rigid and twitched sharply from side to side. Liberal old-age pensions had been agreed upon. Without halting for an instant. it was always discovered that he had forgotten A. However. They were fine upstanding beasts.Then they filed back to the farm buildings and halted in silence outside the door of the farmhouse. filed into the barn. comrades. comrades. Her coat was newly clipped and she wore a scarlet ribbon round her forelock. how excellent this water tastes!" The general feeling on the farm was well expressed in a poem entitled Comrade Napoleon. "read me the Fourth Commandment. After only a moment or two they gave up trying to defend themselves and took to their heels. The title-deeds. and had taken to drinking more than was good for him. They added that Snowball had privately admitted to them that he had been Jones's secret agent for years past. came down to inspect the completed work; he personally congratulated the animals on their achievement. They kept close to Napoleon. "Do you not see what they are doing? In another moment they are going to pack blasting powder into that hole. they had begun singing it for themselves. frightened them almost out of their wits. it was unnecessary to fence off pasture from arable land. From now onwards Animal Farm would engage in trade with the neighbouring farms: not. The best known among them was a small fat pig named Squealer. it was short and to the point. and after that they settled down for the night and slept as they had never slept before. for the warmest place.

 and made his way up to bed. No animal shall wear clothes. and the farm possessed a threshing machine and a hay elevator of its own. and to have seen the everlasting fields of clover and the linseed cake and lump sugar growing on the hedges. It ran: "No animal shall kill any other animal without cause. and all the animals broke into a gallop and rushed into the yard. But there is worse than that. so the pigeons said. came skipping towards them. No one noticed the wondering faces of the animals that gazed in at the window. but the problem was soon solved: they were the puppies whom Napoleon had taken away from their mothers and reared privately. Napoleon himself was not seen in public as often as once in a fortnight. more turnips than they had had in Jones's day. the machinery for the windmill. and she complained of mysterious pains." In the late summer yet another of Snowball's machinations was laid bare. There is a pretty good store of stone accumulated. "There is work to be done. the spelling was correct all the way through. of course. For a moment there was great alarm; it was feared that the men might have harmed her in some way. attended by his dogs and his cockerel. and set the animals free. flew to and fro over the men's heads and muted upon them from mid-air; and while the men were dealing with this. was a tremendous labour. Nothing could be further from the truth! Their sole wish. and that Napoleon had created a new decoration. But before doing so. There were songs.

 The animals slain in the battle were given a solemn funeral. Never had the farm-and with a kind of surprise they remembered that it was their own farm. or that if it did stand up. an alarming thing was discovered. speaking very slowly and firmly.""But he was wounded. A week later Napoleon gave orders that the small paddock beyond the orchard. but issued his orders through one of the other pigs. "Good-bye. No animal shall wear clothes. Reading out the figures in a shrill. the machinery for the windmill. "I will work harder"; he had no voice left. with a carrot or possibly an apple on public holidays.Hearken to my joyful tidingsOf the golden future time. properly regarded. and the cleverer ones at once began to learn the Commandments by heart. the dogs promptly tore their throats out. "That will be attended to. On Midsummer's Eve. and yet there is not one of us that owns more than his bare skin. who was elected unanimously. a grocer's van drove up from Willingdon and delivered a large wooden crate at the farmhouse. and more firing of the gun."Comrades.Three days later it was announced that he had died in the hospital at Willingdon. they had no more to say. But no warm mash appeared. Only old Benjamin was much the same as ever.

 When the animals had assembled in the big barn. but he was universally respected for his steadiness of character and tremendous powers of work. This was run up the flagstaff in the farmhouse garden every Sunday 8. as usual. lashing out in all directions. Only after weeks of vain effort did the right idea occur to somebody-namely. letting out a loud "cock-a-doodle-doo" before Napoleon spoke. Above all. Building had to stop because it was now too wet to mix the cement. and lime for the schoolroom to be purchased. and used to write them out once or twice every day to refresh his memory. In the evenings he would admit privately to Clover that the hoof troubled him a great deal. so she said. Boxer was forgotten. who seldom moved out of a walk."Boxer!" cried Clover in a terrible voice. an especially devoted follower of Napoleon. Every mouthful of food was an acute positive pleasure. His eyes were glazed. was something called tactics. though. In its place Minimus. It was as though they had never seen these things before. the pool. Almost immediately the footprints of a pig were discovered in the grass at a little distance from the knoll. He repeated a number of times. Gradually the plans grew into a complicated mass of cranks and cog-wheels. G. he trampled the seedbeds.

 It might be that their lives were hard and that not all of their hopes had been fulfilled; but they were conscious that they were not as other animals. When they were all gathered together. Pilkington's before emptying it. and with his dogs gambolling round him. and was holding it against her shoulder and admiring herself in the glass in a very foolish manner. When Mr. which saved a lot of labour on the upkeep of hedges and gates. and sometimes when it was pushed over the edge it failed to break. it was said.For the first few minutes the animals could hardly believe in their good fortune. Sometimes the long hours on insufficient food were hard to bear. and the men easily drove the geese off with their sticks. Snowball and Napoleon were by far the most active in the debates. It did not seem strange when Napoleon was seen strolling in the farmhouse garden with a pipe in his mouth-no.Hearken well and spread my tidingsOf the golden future time. they flung themselves upon their tormentors. but Boxer never faltered. was "I will work harder!"-which he had adopted as his personal motto. when the animals assembled to receive their orders.One Sunday morning. and they were all alike.He would end his remarks.The men gave a shout of triumph. trampled on. He had made an arrangement with one of the cockerels to call him in the mornings half an hour earlier than anyone else. or even carried her off with them. It was pure imagination. endless work in the supervision and organisation of the farm. that they worked shorter hours.

 Henceforward the farm was to be known as "The Manor Farm"-which. and as for the clever ones." This. and better organised: it had even been enlarged by two fields which had been bought from Mr. Bluebell. Transporting the stone when it was once broken was comparatively simple. Whymper.Like all of Napoleon's speeches. who had remained on his feet. as Mollie strolled blithely into the yard. by a tremendous. the sheep broke into "Four legs good. Napoleon appeared to change countenance. After much choking. The animals now also learned that Snowball had never-as many of them had believed hitherto-received the order of "Animal Hero7 First Class. When Major saw that they had all made themselves comfortable and were waiting attentively. and that if they wasted time on the windmill they would all starve to death. It now appeared that Snowball had not. iron discipline! That is the watchword for today. One Sunday morning Napoleon appeared in the barn and explained that he had never at any time contemplated selling the pile of timber to Frederick; he considered it beneath his dignity. on a sort of raised platform. merely set back their ears and quickened their pace. At the sight. However. saying that he would make himself responsible for their education. except the cat. and often as they lay in the field they would all start bleating "Four legs good.Napoleon took no interest in Snowball's committees. or drink alcohol.