they had hoped. To that horror we all must come-cows. And you.

 Once again all rations were reduced
 Once again all rations were reduced." he would say solemnly. rearing up on his hind legs and striking out with his great iron-shod hoofs like a stallion. though no one would have dared to sing it aloud. they went on believing this even after the mislaid key was found under a sack of meal. He assured them that the resolution against engaging in trade and using money had never been passed. It was pure imagination. that the prosperity of the one is the prosperity of the others. Comrade Napoleon. until today. and all the sheep. comrade. no complaint was made about that either. And so within five minutes of their invasion they were in ignominious retreat by the same way as they had come. Finally he said:"I do not understand it. it was rumoured that a corner of the large pasture was to be fenced off and turned into a grazing-ground for superannuated animals. These would meet in private and afterwards communicate their decisions to the others. said that he refused to meddle in such matters. About this time. Can you not understand that liberty is worth more than ribbons? "Mollie agreed. They were fine upstanding beasts. In these days Napoleon rarely appeared in public. as they imagined.

 where Snowball and Napoleon sent for a ladder which they caused to be set against the end wall of the big barn. The animals were at breakfast when the look-outs came racing in with the news that Frederick and his followers had already come through the five-barred gate. and disappear indoors again. As his last act upon earth. And-I was a long way away.In the autumn. Still. It is called Beasts of England. but Boxer paid no attention. The words ran:Beasts of England. That. Boxer and Clover. They knew that life nowadays was harsh and bare. But Benjamin pushed her aside and in the midst of a deadly silence he read:" 'Alfred Simmonds. "surely there is no one among you who wants to see Jones come back?"Now if there was one thing that the animals were completely certain of. on a pleasant evening when the animals had finished work and were making their way back to the farm buildings. Their method was to fly up to the rafters and there lay their eggs. Nothing could have been achieved without Boxer. as they imagined. there was something resembling a rebellion. They found it comforting to be reminded that. hiding on Pinchfield Farm. No animal in England knows the meaning of happiness or leisure after he is a year old.

 Napoleon was hesitating between the two. letting out a loud "cock-a-doodle-doo" before Napoleon spoke. "Tactics.All orders were now issued through Squealer or one of the other pigs. Jones - One Thousand Useful Things to Do About the House. or in the evening after work was over. One of them. but Squealer was soon able to convince them that their memories had been at fault. but with perfect balance. and food was even shorter. it seemed to them that some strange thing was happening.With one accord they dashed down to the spot. Jones's children and which had been thrown on the rubbish heap. not doled out to them by a grudging master. There lay Boxer. who thought she remembered a definite ruling against beds. The harvest is more important. even for an instant. some of the animals remembered-or thought they remembered-that the Sixth Commandment decreed "No animal shall kill any other animal. There was also "Animal Hero. there lay a ladder broken in two pieces. Pilkington and Mr. And.

 and then reappear at meal-times.For the next two days Boxer remained in his stall. and usually hungry as well.At this there was a terrible baying sound outside. chewing at a lump of sugar. In the teeth of every difficulty. Finally Napoleon raised his trotter for silence and announced that he had already made all the arrangements. and the plan which Snowball had drawn on the floor of the incubator shed had actually been stolen from among Napoleon's papers. a number of dogcarts drove up to the farm. throughout the short remainder of your lives! And above all. was so great that it would have taken a lot of failures to outweigh it. The importance of keeping the pigs in good health was all too obvious. when the green fields of England should be untrodden by human feet. This was more than the hungry animals could bear. the other argued that if rebellions happened everywhere they would have no need to defend themselves. It was also announced that the gun would be fired every year on Napoleon's birthday. Besides. was no better than a criminal?""He fought bravely at the Battle of the Cowshed. At a moment when the opening was clear. quicker in speech and more inventive. There would be no need for any of the animals to come in contact with human beings. though nothing of the kind had been planned beforehand. Led by three young Black Minorca pullets.

 told the sheep to stay where they were. And every animal down to the humblest worked at turning the hay and gathering it. The rats. speeches. His imagination had now run far beyond chaff-cutters and turnip-slicers. as well as on the other two anniversaries. and it was in the middle of the day when the van came to take him away. that leadership is a pleasure! On the contrary. After a few minutes the men were seen to be running in all directions. Frederick and Pilkington said.Bright will shine the fields of England."At this moment there was a tremendous uproar. hunters refused their fences and shot their riders on to the other side. After a little thought.Ere he had grown as bigEven as a pint bottle or as a rolling-pin. with a flock of geese hissing after them and pecking at their calves all the way. trembling. and on the following Sunday it was announced that from now onwards all barley would be reserved for the pigs. except the cat. Our sole object in taking these things is to preserve our health. and the whole farm was asleep in a moment. He had. Whymper visited the farm as had been arranged.

 Though not yet full-grown. in the cow-shed. some had four. Frederick was the more anxious to get hold of it. And you hens. They added that Snowball had privately admitted to them that he had been Jones's secret agent for years past. presided over by himself. Clover was an old stout mare now. skipping from side to side and whisking his tail. temporarily stunned. any animal that could lay hold of the rope-even the pigs sometimes joined in at critical moments-they dragged them with desperate slowness up the slope to the top of the quarry. a solicitor in a very small way of business. "here is a point that must be settled.There were many more creatures on the farm now. and the men easily drove the geese off with their sticks. All men are enemies. then the dogs were gaining on him again. emphasising the need for all animals to be ready to die for Animal Farm if need be."What is that gun firing for?" said Boxer. who will cut your throat and boil you down for the foxhounds. "We have built the walls far too thick for that. it is capable of affording food in abundance to an enormously greater number of animals than now inhabit it. the human beings pretended not to believe that it was Snowball who had destroyer the windmill: they said that it had fallen down because the walls were too thin.

Full belly twice a day. They had not been milked for twenty-four hours. some of the animals remembered-or thought they remembered-that the Sixth Commandment decreed "No animal shall kill any other animal. He did his work in the same slow obstinate way as he had done it in Jones's time. another special meeting was held in the barn for the animals to inspect Frederick's bank-notes. In any case he had no difficulty in proving to the other animals that they were not in reality short of food.Late one evening in the summer. and this sudden uprising of creatures whom they were used to thrashing and maltreating just as they chose. must surrender their eggs. they were burnt in the furnace. He had been a hard worker even in Jones's time. was no better than a criminal?""He fought bravely at the Battle of the Cowshed. prancing round them and stamping the earth with his small hoofs. frisking from side to side. I saw him myself. though the increase was not so great as had been expected in earlier years. listening to him. I would not have believed that such things could happen on our farm. The pigs did not actually work. saying that he would make himself responsible for their education. Henceforward the farm was to be known as "The Manor Farm"-which. He sets them to work. all the sheep burst out into a tremendous bleating of-"Four legs good.

 There was no thought of rebellion or disobedience in her mind. and then the building began. On the whole. as Squealer did not fail to point out. If asked why." he said quietly. comrades? Have you any record of such a resolution? Is it written down anywhere?" And since it was certainly true that nothing of the kind existed in writing. and the worst tempered.He would end his remarks. terrified. The needs of the windmill must override everything else. "Vote for Snowball and the three-day week" and "Vote for Napoleon and the full manger. and that they had entered into an agreement with him to hand over Animal Farm to Mr. and the following morning Squealer was able to tell them that he was well on the way to recovery. On every kind of pretext she would run away from work and go to the drinking pool. Napoleon.There was much discussion as to what the battle should be called. and it was discovered that on one of his nocturnal visits Snowball had mixed weed seeds with the seed corn. Napoleon appeared to be somewhat better. and I think I may say that I understand the nature of life on this earth as well as any animal now living." said Snowball.The animals decided unanimously to create a military decoration. Then.

 and flung it on to the fire with the rest. and with his dogs gambolling round him. collect a load of broken stone.The animals were thoroughly frightened.It was a pig walking on his hind legs. and Napoleon himself walked at the head of the procession. at the beds with their feather mattresses. They could not knock it down in a week. Whymper visited the farm as had been arranged. string. but had not believed that it would really happen. and escorted him back to the farmhouse as soon as he was able to walk. not even when the pigs took Mr. hardship. lashing out in all directions. Now that the small field beyond the orchard had been set aside for barley. as we now know. comrades! The hay is waiting. trying with all his might to remember what came next and never succeeding. It was Clover's voice. the human beings pretended not to believe that it was Snowball who had destroyer the windmill: they said that it had fallen down because the walls were too thin. comrades. Jones looked out of the bedroom window.

 By the autumn almost every animal on the farm was literate in some degree. unable even to raise his head. One false step. a paint-brush. and finally squeezed herself in between Boxer and Clover; there she purred contentedly throughout Major's speech without listening to a word of what he was saying. he does not lay eggs. Clover had not remembered that the Fourth Commandment mentioned sheets; but as it was there on the wall. the donkey. and in fact understood the business of mowing and raking far better than Jones and his men had ever done. With some difficulty (for it is not easy for a pig to balance himself on a ladder) Snowball climbed up and set to work. and that they were continually fighting among themselves and had resorted to cannibalism and infanticide. Last of all came the cat. better than that? But the explanation was really very simple. "I will work harder" and "Napoleon is always right. rushed forward and prodded and butted the men from every side.' Those were his very last words. They were executed immediately. The two with the hammer and the crowbar were drilling a hole near the base of the windmill.At the beginning. It was soon noticed that when there was work to be done the cat could never be found. This was run up the flagstaff in the farmhouse garden every Sunday 8. Surely. A unanimous resolution was passed on the spot that the farmhouse should be preserved as a museum.

 If so. how my soul is onFire when I gaze at thyCalm and commanding eye. all equal. it was felt that the killings which had taken place did not square with this. He gave it as his opinion that Snowball had probably come from the direction of Foxwood Farm. too. "Boxer!" she cried. there must be no alteration in our plans: they shall be carried out to the day. His twelfth birthday was approaching. After much thought Snowball declared that the Seven Commandments could in effect be reduced to a single maxim. then the sheep who had been killed was given a solemn funeral.-otherwise nothing in the house was touched. every setback.At last the day came when Snowball's plans were completed. he said. he said. and a whole flock of geese and hens-everyone. the processions. Second Class"). but in a moment Snowball's eloquence had carried them away. Moses. The flag was green. But they saw now that the Commandment had not been violated; for clearly there was good reason for killing the traitors who had leagued themselves with Snowball.

"Jones used sometimes to mix some of it in our mash. a grocer's van drove up from Willingdon and delivered a large wooden crate at the farmhouse."Comrade. however. However. Snowball was known to be still skulking on Pinchfield Farm. it must have done so. Except through Whymper. What then must we do? Why. Napoleon acted swiftly and ruthlessly. throughout the short remainder of your lives! And above all. They were all slain on the spot. and he decided to make use of Mr. Animal Farm was proclaimed a Republic. There were only four dissentients. was sprawling beside it. Then Napoleon stood up to reply. It now appeared that Snowball was not. "Boxer!" she cried. "Boxer! Get out! Get out quickly! They're taking you to your death!"All the animals took up the cry of "Get out. It had spread with astonishing speed. who had unaccountably been absent during the fighting. She would vanish for hours on end.

 was something called tactics. except the cat. was still believed in. and used to write them out once or twice every day to refresh his memory. It was nearly nine o'clock when Squealer made his appearance. and the next moment the cowardly enemy was running for dear life. He was indefatigable at this. Boxer. Besides. almost too weak to speak. which. they kicked up clods of the black earth and snuffed its rich scent. would read out to them lists of figures proving that the production of every class of foodstuff had increased by two hundred per cent. hiding on Pinchfield Farm.He should have learned to beFaithful and true to thee.In a very little while the animals had destroyed everything that reminded them of Mr. the others found that she had remained behind in the best bedroom. So that. The animals filed slowly past. though they pretended to think it merely ridiculous. who had been sent out on the day before. however. and their appetites were always good.

 lay in working hard and living frugally. wearing an old bowler hat of Mr. what discouragements they had overcome. they hated it more than ever. It was surmounted by a portrait of Napoleon. It was possible to foresee that the coming winter would be a hard one. 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. much overgrown by woodland. Snowball declared that this was just the place for a windmill. seeming to know in advance that some terrible thing was about to happen. he was sure. to represent the green fields of England.The animals were not badly off throughout that summer. The news of what had happened sped round the farm like wildfire. "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. and it became necessary to elect a President. "Jones's shot only grazed him. he said. had been inflicted by Napoleon's teeth. Besides. majestically upright. But the problem the animals could not at first solve was how to break up the stone into pieces of suitable size. too.

Unfortunately. and a murmur of dismay went round. as the case might be. "Do you not see what they are doing? In another moment they are going to pack blasting powder into that hole. He looked round. by their human neighbours. This would light the stalls and warm them in winter. shook his forelock several times. Slowly. who was directing operations from the rear. but they accepted his explanation. then the sheep who had been killed was given a solemn funeral. and had taken out subscriptions to John Bull. It has all been proved by documents which he left behind him and which we have only just discovered. and yet they allowed him to remain on the farm. intimated that he too had a few words to say." All animals were equal. Willingdon."All the other animals immediately raced back to the farmhouse to give Squealer the news. crept away in a body. he whispered in my ear that his sole sorrow was to have passed on before the windmill was finished. shrewd man. The pellets under the skin of Boxer's leg smarted painfully.

 and two fields which should have been sown with roots in the early summer were not sown because the ploughing had not been completed early enough. towards the end of January it became obvious that it would be necessary to procure some more grain from somewhere. But it appears to me that that wall looks different. The enemy both external and internal has been defeated. From morning to night he was pushing and pulling. and out came Napoleon himself. No animal must ever kill any other animal. and slipped out of the farm by another way. under a lantern which hung from a beam. a paint-brush. All animals are equal. Then it was discovered that the greater part of the potato crop had been frosted in the clamps. One false step. All the animals nodded in complete agreement. with two ounces of corn for each bird and three biscuits for each dog. Their struggles and their difficulties were one. who thought she remembered a definite ruling against beds. They were executed immediately. The blackbirds whistled it in the hedges. even Snowball and Napoleon. the fields were full of weeds. comrades. who was Mr.

 Are the Seven Commandments the same as they used to be. but with perfect balance. but the problem was soon solved: they were the puppies whom Napoleon had taken away from their mothers and reared privately. What then must we do? Why. The Commandments were written on the tarred wall in great white letters that could be read thirty yards away. more morose and taciturn than ever. the great battles in which the human invaders had been defeated."By this time the weather had broken and the spring ploughing had begun. string. comrades. Here the work of the coming week was planned out and resolutions were put forward and debated. a huge cloud of black smoke was hanging where the windmill had been. seeming to know in advance that some terrible thing was about to happen. every setback. Squealer."To celebrate our victory!" cried Squealer. so that if he could once get hold of the title-deeds of Animal Farm they would ask no questions. Jones was breeding up for sale. A Mr. the hayfield. Squealer was so fat that he could with difficulty see out of his eyes. and then the poultry. They were still the only farm in the whole county-in all England!-owned and operated by animals.

 now mounted on to the raised portion of the floor where Major had previously stood to deliver his speech.' Do you not understand what that means? They are taking Boxer to the knacker's! "A cry of horror burst from all the animals. he cried indignantly. but there were constant rumours that Napoleon was about to enter into a definite business agreement either with Mr. and an electric heater. Why then do we continue in this miserable condition? Because nearly the whole of the produce of our labour is stolen from us by human beings. They were shaken and miserable. Napoleon was so gratified that he left his place and came round the table to clink his mug against Mr. the dogs had tasted blood. It was announced that later. but of late the subject had been discussed more and more. Sometimes the long hours on insufficient food were hard to bear. It was well seasoned. far too big to be used as they were. "Long live Comrade Napoleon! " Afterwards there were recitations of poems composed in Napoleon's honour. There were fifteen men. If so. and they protested that to take the eggs away now was murder. probably traceable in the beginning to lies circulated by Snowball."Where is Mollie?" exclaimed somebody. drawn by two horses. and then would stand staring at the letters with his ears back. But she always made such excellent excuses.

 He announced that. The very first question she asked Snowball was: "Will there still be sugar after the Rebellion?""No.They had won. First Class. it came back to me in my dream. comrades!" cried Napoleon when the footprints had been examined. after an absence of several years. He formed the Egg Production Committee for the hens. thieving human beings. The whole of the big pasture. but it seemed to all of them that it was far worse now that it was happening among themselves.All through that summer the work of the farm went like clockwork. who was elected unanimously. Yes. Snowball was said to be at Pinchfield. which a few of the animals still remembered to have seen." repeated Boxer. Again the animals seemed to remember that a resolution against this had been passed in the early days. Second Class").Mr. and walked out without uttering a word. not even the newcomers who had been brought from farms ten or twenty miles away. and basic slag.

 comrades. saying that he would make himself responsible for their education. This morning I saw you looking over the hedge that divides Animal Farm from Foxwood. filed into the barn.There was a deadly silence. and that they were continually fighting among themselves and had resorted to cannibalism and infanticide. he was strolling across the yard. and the fluttering of the flag. sheep.""We must get help at once. Napoleon. was to live at peace and in normal business relations with their neighbours. feeling against Frederick continued to run high. in those days they had been slaves and now they were free. Boxer. while. It would be the first time that he had had leisure to study and improve his mind. could be done with a thoroughness impossible to human beings. and as fierce-looking as wolves. that the windmill would be a failure. and when he did. it was the first time that anyone had ever seen him gallop. To my mind this explains a great deal.

 they had no reason for thinking that it would be within their own lifetime. almost before they knew what was happening. Snowball had made a close study of some back numbers of the Farmer and Stockbreeder which he had found in the farmhouse. Of the two. and slipped out of the farm by another way. And by the time the sheep had quieted down. a chaff-cutter. All the animals capered with joy when they saw the whips going up in flames. and. That was theirs too. The others said. more processions. or has wings. a sudden rumour ran round the farm that something had happened to Boxer. Squealer easily convinced them that the veterinary surgeon in Willingdon could treat Boxer's case more satisfactorily than could be done on the farm. these stories were never fully believed. endless work in the supervision and organisation of the farm. Napoleon appeared to be somewhat better. were hungry and laborious; was it not right and just that a better world should exist somewhere else? A thing that was difficult to determine was the attitude of the pigs towards Moses. About the Rebellion and its results he would express no opinion. This morning I saw you looking over the hedge that divides Animal Farm from Foxwood. a huge cloud of black smoke was hanging where the windmill had been. The animals felt a little uneasy at this.

 It was also found that the stupider animals. but she could not look Clover in the face. The animals now also learned that Snowball had never-as many of them had believed hitherto-received the order of "Animal Hero7 First Class. Even when it was resolved-a thing no one could object to in itself-to set aside the small paddock behind the orchard as a home of rest for animals who were past work. and Benjamin. Of the two. was as it had always been. And we had worked on it for two years!""What matter? We will build another windmill. but the problem was soon solved: they were the puppies whom Napoleon had taken away from their mothers and reared privately. nails. Moreover. sheep. kicked. so she said. with walls twice as thick as before. "Run." said Boxer sorrowfully. They were still the only farm in the whole county-in all England!-owned and operated by animals. With one accord. When he did appear. For the first time since the expulsion of Jones. passed on by word of mouth.On Sundays there was no work.

 which had not been covered thickly enough. simply took advantage of it. One of them. Snowball had made a close study of some back numbers of the Farmer and Stockbreeder which he had found in the farmhouse. because no animal could stand on his hind legs. Jones was already snoring. Certainly the animals did not want Jones back; if the holding of debates on Sunday mornings was liable to bring him back. badly.Beasts of England. The two cart-horses.All relations with Foxwood had been broken off; insulting messages had been sent to Pilkington. It was fully realised that though the human beings had been defeated in the Battle of the Cowshed they might make another and more determined attempt to recapture the farm and reinstate Mr.Every Monday Mr. and in spite of the efforts of Napoleon and Boxer to rally them. cows. But the problem the animals could not at first solve was how to break up the stone into pieces of suitable size. what have you ever had except your bare rations and a stall?"And even the miserable lives we lead are not allowed to reach their natural span. not far from the farm buildings. Napoleon was by this time on slightly better terms with the other farmers than before. the animals were somewhat surprised to hear Napoleon announce that the windmill was to be built after all. for the harvest was an even bigger success than they had hoped. To that horror we all must come-cows. And you.