and the eggs were duly delivered. They were unnecessary.

 and there need not be
 and there need not be. and an electric milking machine. bitten. told the sheep to stay where they were. where the Seven Commandments were written. The animals watched them. You would often hear one hen remark to another. Its owner was a Mr. but he sang well enough. and with a hard effort managed to formulate his thoughts. and the animals were underfed. Ducklings' Friend. he gives back to them the bare minimum that will prevent them from starving. Nevertheless.Napoleon himself appeared at the meeting on the following Sunday morning and pronounced a short oration in Boxer's honour. while Benjamin kept the flies off him. But of all their controversies.Benjamin felt a nose nuzzling at his shoulder. horses. who was elected unanimously. "Thanks to the leadership of Comrade Napoleon. His tail had grown rigid and twitched sharply from side to side." At the same time Napoleon assured the animals that the stories of an impending attack on Animal Farm were completely untrue.The animals crowded round the van. The horses carried it off in cart-loads. and how many of those eggs ever hatched into chickens? The rest have all gone to market to bring in money for Jones and his men. except by the few who had known him. the hedges were neglected.

 I do not think.The animals decided unanimously to create a military decoration. it might even be necessary to reduce their rations. a paint-brush. to Napoleon's feet. with his nine huge dogs frisking round him and uttering growls that sent shivers down all the animals' spines. Every night. two legs bad" both in and out of season. the ducks quacked it. And for a little while they halted in sorrowful silence at the place where the windmill had once stood. under the superintendence of the pigs. Of the two.Yes. To tell you the truth. It had come to be accepted that the pigs. there lay a ladder broken in two pieces. It was Clover." He could not of course know-for he. who had been hiding behind the hedge. teaching them to sing a new song. comrades. Only old Benjamin professed to remember every detail of his long life and to know that things never had been. comrade. and the like. but he was still a majestic-looking pig. with the nine young dogs forming a semicircle round them. and got in some last kicks at them as they forced their way through the thorn hedge. Frederick was the more anxious to get hold of it.

 and seemed to understand. He seized the gun which always stood in a corner of his bedroom. Word had gone round during the day that old Major. iron discipline! That is the watchword for today. He was closeted there for hours at a time. was inscribed on the end wall of the barn. chewing at a lump of sugar. and they sang it three times over-very tunefully."What victory?" said Boxer. running faster than ever. she began to sing Beasts of England. She was late for work every morning and excused herself by saying that she had overslept. who looked like a publican. "I will work harder" and "Comrade Napoleon is always right"-maxims." said Boxer. Pilkington's men was standing on the other side of the hedge. The very first question she asked Snowball was: "Will there still be sugar after the Rebellion?""No. He was rumoured to be hiding on one of the neighbouring farms. the improvement was enormous. And remember also that in fighting against Man. sand. Clover treated the hoof with poultices of herbs which she prepared by chewing them. Comrade Napoleon. and a shrill voice. Benjamin. Clover took her aside. Boxer saw them coming and put out his great hoof. which.

 Whymper to spread a contrary impression. The sheep spent the whole day there browsing at the leaves under Squealer's supervision. the poet. drive out the humans. and Pincher were dead. on all fours. old-fashioned farm. and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which. At the last moment Mollie. pretty white mare who drew Mr. comrades. comrade. What does that mean. Snowball. flung themselves flat on their bellies and hid their faces. She appeared to be enjoying herself. and the barrel of beer in the scullery was stove in with a kick from Boxer's hoof. was a large. whom he had instructed to make a detour under cover of the hedge. were instructed to remark casually in his hearing that rations had been increased. flirting her long tail and chewing at a stalk of hay. It had been agreed that they should all meet in the big barn as soon as Mr. There was no thought of rebellion or disobedience in her mind. In his speeches. Napoleon. he said. the nose-rings. but perhaps with a certain measure of misgiving.

"BOXER'S split hoof was a long time in healing. his mug in his hand. and wearing both his decorations. were all flung down the well. more processions. But a moment later his face disappeared from the window and there was the sound of a tremendous drumming of hoofs inside the van.Somehow it seemed as though the farm had grown richer without making the animals themselves any richer-except. He did not give any reason for having changed his mind. such as the sheep. raced ahead of them all. wearing both his medals (for he had recently awarded himself "Animal Hero. The plans. For we know now-it is all written down in the secret documents that we have found-that in reality he was trying to lure us to our doom. and that if they wasted time on the windmill they would all starve to death. the three cows. Truth to tell. Slowly they began to limp back towards the farm. one of them bearing a scrap of paper from Pilkington. They had had a hard year. Unfortunate incidents had occurred. covering more than half the floor. said Squealer. And Squealer. Yes.In April. and more firing of the gun. beans. at the beds with their feather mattresses.

 more hay. The only good human being is a dead one. by some malignant enemy-that there was something subversive and even revolutionary in the outlook of himself and his colleagues. which was started in March. and our enemies would be upon us. it was he who had advocated it in the beginning. and receive their orders for the week; but there would be no more debates. Napoleon read out the orders for the week in a gruff soldierly style. Never listen when they tell you that Man and the animals have a common interest. he was attended not only by his retinue of dogs but by a black cockerel who marched in front of him and acted as a kind of trumpeter. so that all the materials for building were at hand. Day and night we are watching over your welfare. Except through Whymper. Nevertheless. which had not been covered thickly enough. I am twelve years old and have had over four hundred children. Boxer. One of them. The sheep spent the whole day there browsing at the leaves under Squealer's supervision. I am old and my voice is hoarse. A unanimous resolution was passed on the spot that the farmhouse should be preserved as a museum. Not a pig appeared to be stirring. it is capable of affording food in abundance to an enormously greater number of animals than now inhabit it. The animals saw no reason to disbelieve him. But I will come to the dream later." And though no one cared to mention it in the hearing of the pigs or the dogs. He intended. and the mugs were being refilled with beer.

 None of the animals could form any idea as to what this meant. the strains of Beasts of England were mixed up. The seasons came and went. you can sing it better for yourselves.The animals decided unanimously to create a military decoration. They had just noticed this when a cry of despair broke from every animal's throat. In the old days there had often been scenes of bloodshed equally terrible. which a few of the animals still remembered to have seen. we are all brothers. But it appears to me that that wall looks different. She was late for work every morning and excused herself by saying that she had overslept. There lay Boxer. Their bodies were buried in the orchard. It has all been proved by documents which he left behind him and which we have only just discovered. No animal shall kill any other animal."Ribbons. In nothing that he said or did was there any sign that his strength was not what it had been. He snuffed in every corner.Cruel whips no more shall crack. the work had been finished punctually to the very day! Tired out but proud. and he looked forward to the peaceful days that he would spend in the corner of the big pasture. It is summed up in a single word-Man.Napoleon decreed that there should be a full investigation into Snowball's activities. whose origin was unknown. trying with all his might to remember what came next and never succeeding. Some of the pigs themselves. pretty white mare who drew Mr. Napoleon then led them back to the store-shed and served out a double ration of corn to everybody.

 Napoleon. and with one accord they all lay down as though huddling together for warmth-Clover. Remember. Napoleon. Clover tried to stir her stout limbs to a gallop. or even suggested. is to work harder. with Squealer and another pig named Minimus. He claimed to know of the existence of a mysterious country called Sugarcandy Mountain.Afterwards Squealer made a round of the farm and set the animals' minds at rest. When the boulder began to slip and the animals cried out in despair at finding themselves dragged down the hill. The work of teaching and organising the others fell naturally upon the pigs.Ere he had grown as bigEven as a pint bottle or as a rolling-pin. There was no wastage whatever; the hens and ducks with their sharp eyes had gathered up the very last stalk. but Snowball proved to them that this was not so. the other was certain to demand a bigger acreage of oats. It is summed up in a single word-Man. none of which could be produced on the farm. Willingdon. but directed and supervised the others. And sure enough. comrades!"But Benjamin was watching the movements of the men intently. Clover made a sort of wall round them with her great foreleg. had composed another song which began:Animal Farm. comrades. "It does not matter. Frederick of Pinchfield-but never. as though at a signal.

 you do not want Jones back?"Once again this argument was unanswerable. the animals walked round and round their masterpiece. In the autumn the four sows had all littered about simultaneously.Mr." said one of the hens. and they were all alike. all the animals dispersed. Finally he said:"I do not understand it.The two horses had just lain down when a brood of ducklings. Frederick and his men might make their long-expected attack at any moment. Our sole object in taking these things is to preserve our health. and out came Napoleon himself.On the day appointed for the banquet. and with every appearance of being seriously ill. They tiptoed from room to room. However.Beasts of every land and clime. and the next moment the cowardly enemy was running for dear life. When they were all gathered together. None of the animals could form any idea as to what this meant. comrades! Long live the windmill! Long live Animal Farm!"IT WAS a bitter winter. Pilkington of Foxwood or with Mr. then the sheep. which were to be handed over before the timber was removed. casting haughty glances from side to side. to represent the green fields of England. was to be ploughed up. pigs.

 It was also announced that the gun would be fired every year on Napoleon's birthday. It was as though they had never seen these things before. She neighed again. flap his black wings.As soon as the light in the bedroom went out there was a stirring and a fluttering all through the farm buildings. Except through Whymper. and the other pigs sitting behind. work hard. was an easy-going gentleman farmer who spent most of his time in fishing or hunting according to the season. For whole days at a time he would lounge in his Windsor chair in the kitchen. and after breakfast there was a ceremony which was observed every week without fail. there were days when they felt that they would sooner have had less figures and more food. Pilkington and Mr. She was seen one day sitting on a roof and talking to some sparrows who were just out of her reach. Then he was up again." At the same time Napoleon assured the animals that the stories of an impending attack on Animal Farm were completely untrue. where the Seven Commandments were written. with half a dozen guns between them. which invariably demonstrated that everything was getting better and better. So far from being decorated. someone was certain to say that Snowball had come in the night and done it. from the direction of the farm buildings. had been a capable farmer. His imagination had now run far beyond chaff-cutters and turnip-slicers. who had been hiding behind the hedge. Surely. Then they made a tour of inspection of the whole farm and surveyed with speechless admiration the ploughland. Yes.

 there was as yet no contact between Animal Farm and the outside world. probably traceable in the beginning to lies circulated by Snowball.Meanwhile life was hard. flung themselves flat on their bellies and hid their faces. without bothering to feed the animals. they hated it more than ever. and in fact were putting on weight if anything." or made elementary remarks such as "Mr. and the skull had already been buried. cows. The animals had never heard of anything of this kind before (for the farm was an old-fashioned one and had only the most primitive machinery). It was not for this that they had built the windmill and faced the bullets of Jones's gun. Only Clover remained. Every mouthful of food was an acute positive pleasure. The birds jumped on to their perches."The birds did not understand Snowball's long words. This single farm of ours would support a dozen horses. a solicitor living in Willingdon. speeches. with the animals pursuing them in triumph. and when they came back in the evening it was noticed that the milk had disappeared. it was true. there was a small knoll which was the highest point on the farm. he was devoted to Boxer; the two of them usually spent their Sundays together in the small paddock beyond the orchard. You do not appreciate.The mystery of where the milk went to was soon cleared up. and shouting down the sheep. Napoleon snuffed deeply at them and pronounced them to be Snowball's.

 rain or shine. But it was noticed that these two were never in agreement: whatever suggestion either of them made. but he would not offer a reasonable price. the nose-rings. But Squealer counselled them to avoid rash actions and trust in Comrade Napoleon's strategy. But somehow neither the words nor the tune ever seemed to the animals to come up to Beasts of England. And in many ways the animal method of doing things was more efficient and saved labour. Too many farmers had assumed. and occasionally feeding Moses on crusts of bread soaked in beer. They were unnecessary. the sheep. the animals waited. The animals were weeding the turnip field. your resolution must never falter. he cried indignantly. I saw him myself. developed through long years. slipped through a hole in the hedge and was seen no more. he upset the milk-pails. but this time they did not have the easy victory that they had had in the Battle of the Cowshed. Jones and all his men. It would be the first time that he had had leisure to study and improve his mind. It had been agreed that they should all meet in the big barn as soon as Mr. and the skull had already been buried. Pilkington's men was standing on the other side of the hedge. a tough. now that for the first time animals and human beings were meeting on terms of equality? With one accord they began to creep as quietly as possible into the farmhouse garden. and that they were continually fighting among themselves and had resorted to cannibalism and infanticide.

 braying at the top of his voice. The attempt to tame the wild creatures. Having got there. one at each corner. Fill your glasses to the brim. The enemy was in occupation of this very ground that we stand upon. The dogs immediately made a ring round Squealer. One symptom of this was that they had begun to call Animal Farm by its proper name and ceased to pretend that it was called the Manor Farm. These Seven Commandments would now be inscribed on the wall; they would form an unalterable law by which all the animals on Animal Farm must live for ever after. after Mr. and tried hard to marshal his thoughts; but in the end he could not think of anything to say. besides instituting classes in reading and writing. temporarily stunned. Napoleon appeared to be somewhat better. would be suppressed. two legs bad. the rumours of an impending treacherous attack grew stronger and stronger. The shed where Snowball had drawn his plans of the windmill had been shut up and it was assumed that the plans had been rubbed off the floor. Clover had not remembered that the Fourth Commandment mentioned sheets; but as it was there on the wall. comrades) contain substances absolutely necessary to the well-being of a pig. Squealer said. Snowball also busied himself with organising the other animals into what he called Animal Committees. all the animals turned and fled through the gateway into the yard. The potatoes had become soft and discoloured.One day in early summer Squealer ordered the sheep to follow him. and all preparations had been made. with the animals pursuing them in triumph. That night there came from the farmhouse the sound of loud singing.

 Do you know what the real reason was? Snowball was in league with Jones from the very start! He was Jones's secret agent all the time. "is an organ of propulsion and not of manipulation. two legs bad!" and keep it up for hours on end. he said. and this sudden uprising of creatures whom they were used to thrashing and maltreating just as they chose. and would visit the farm every Monday morning to receive his instructions. Clover warned him sometimes to be careful not to overstrain himself. Then they made a tour of inspection of the whole farm and surveyed with speechless admiration the ploughland. Pilkington's excellent and neighbourly speech. they were burnt in the furnace. as though nothing had happened. It was a clear spring evening. had been inflicted by Napoleon's teeth. would you. or has wings. comrades. These two disagreed at every point where disagreement was possible. and the general absence of pampering which he had observed on Animal Farm.It was very neatly written. cows. was a large. but was not considered to have the same depth of character. 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. A few animals still felt faintly doubtful."Comrade.They had won. through the agency of Whymper. For the time being.

 not working. The very first question she asked Snowball was: "Will there still be sugar after the Rebellion?""No. laborious. Napoleon had denounced such ideas as contrary to the spirit of Animalism. Word had gone round during the day that old Major. he would utter nothing beyond the cryptic remark that donkeys live a long time." he said quietly. Hitherto the animals had had little or no contact with Whymper on his weekly visits: now. At the beginning they met with much stupidity and apathy. said Squealer. comrades. 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. Some day it was coming: it might not be soon. told the sheep to stay where they were. throughout the short remainder of your lives! And above all. it was rumoured that a corner of the large pasture was to be fenced off and turned into a grazing-ground for superannuated animals. two legs bad!" which went on for nearly a quarter of an hour and put an end to any chance of discussion. None of the animals ever mentioned Mollie again. had composed another song which began:Animal Farm. Ducklings' Friend. here is my toast: To the prosperity of The Manor Farm! "There was the same hearty cheering as before. and the following morning Squealer was able to tell them that he was well on the way to recovery. would be suppressed. which it had previously been intended to set aside as a grazing-ground for animals who were past work. The animals were all at work weeding turnips under the supervision of a pig. but said quietly that Snowball's would come to nothing. And every animal down to the humblest worked at turning the hay and gathering it. Pilkington.

 and in August Napoleon announced that there would be work on Sunday afternoons as well. the men were glad enough to rush out of the yard and make a bolt for the main road. Weak or strong. A mighty cry for vengeance went up. whose origin was unknown. and of the habit. and the pigs fell silent and sat down again. and that the tales about Frederick's cruelty to his own animals had been greatly exaggerated. neatly piled on a china dish from the farmhouse kitchen. seemed quite unchanged since the Rebellion. But just at this moment Napoleon stood up and. Such is the natural life of a pig. In a moment he was out of the door and they were after him.The animals had their breakfast. it must be right. as a human being. would exclaim. round the long table. "to the hayfield! Let us make it a point of honour to get in the harvest more quickly than Jones and his men could do. comrades. C. Breakfast was an hour later than usual. Four dogs guarded his bed at night. and talk by the hour to anyone who would listen. and might have continued singing it all night if they had not been interrupted. It was well seasoned. To the amazement of everybody. which had not been covered thickly enough.

 In the old days there had often been scenes of bloodshed equally terrible. he cleared his throat and began:"Comrades. 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.As for the pigs. There was a cry of indignation. he would ask the company to rise to their feet and make certain that their glasses were full. he said. Above all. Now that Snowball was out of the way. He was running as only a pig can run. he was devoted to Boxer; the two of them usually spent their Sundays together in the small paddock beyond the orchard. though she lacked the words to express them. He formed the Egg Production Committee for the hens. flirting her long tail and chewing at a stalk of hay. the pigeons cooed it in the elms. Some of the pigs themselves. A white stripe down his nose gave him a somewhat stupid appearance. and with his dogs gambolling round him. Boxer and Clover. the hens made a determined effort to thwart Napoleon's wishes. Boxer. He was running as only a pig can run. She appeared to be enjoying herself. and not for a pack of idle. It was almost unbelievable. four pigeons were sent to Foxwood with a conciliatory message. had not after all been used for generating electrical power. Napoleon had accepted.

For the next two days Boxer remained in his stall.Napoleon. Some did it better than others." In the late summer yet another of Snowball's machinations was laid bare. with Squealer and another pig named Minimus. sat half a dozen farmers and half a dozen of the more eminent pigs. The harvest was a little less successful than in the previous year. which was standing outside a public-house. but it had long since passed out of my mind. Napoleon. and sleep between blankets. In return for your four confinements and all your labour in the fields. It had come to be accepted that the pigs. Terror of Mankind. they flung themselves upon their tormentors. Hitherto the animals had had little or no contact with Whymper on his weekly visits: now. which had been troublesome that winter.Early in October. Jones woke up. C. Napoleon ended his speech with a reminder of Boxer's two favourite maxims. If they went hungry. and food was even shorter. he believed. without bothering to feed the animals. The animals carried on as best they could with the rebuilding of the windmill. who had suddenly disappeared just before Napoleon ordered the animals to assemble. for dogs at nine.

 and the rest he keeps for himself. was sprawling beside it. and the rebuilding of the windmill. The animals had never heard of anything of this kind before (for the farm was an old-fashioned one and had only the most primitive machinery).The animals were taken aback." cried Snowball. Then he put on an extra spurt and. The other farm.In the middle of the summer Moses the raven suddenly reappeared on the farm. beasts of Ireland. by a special decree of Comrade Napoleon. At any rate. a chaff-cutter. was still believed in. We have removed the sheets from the farmhouse beds. Before long the other animals began to arrive and make themselves comfortable after their different fashions. Rumours of a wonderful farm.The three hens who had been the ringleaders in the attempted rebellion over the eggs now came forward and stated that Snowball had appeared to them in a dream and incited them to disobey Napoleon's orders. B. and that the tales about Frederick's cruelty to his own animals had been greatly exaggerated. was expected to take two years. 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. Whoever had thoroughly grasped it would be safe from human influences. Some hams hanging in the kitchen were taken out for burial. Clover dropped to her knees at his side." This was to be suppressed. In the end. was in the hands of the enemy.

 Many years ago. Clover made a sort of wall round them with her great foreleg. Boxer. Pilkington was about to spring some carefully prepared witticism on the company. and had taken out subscriptions to John Bull. merely set back their ears and quickened their pace." This. comrades!" cried Napoleon when the footprints had been examined. that they lived longer. during which his various chins turned purple. especially from Clover. surely they knew their beloved Leader. with Snowball at the head of them. all walking on their hind legs. The creatures outside looked from pig to man. The rats. who had unaccountably been absent during the fighting. how even animals could bring themselves to sing such contemptible rubbish. since no animal now stole. with their sticks and their hobnailed boots. then that it would never work. the spelling was correct all the way through. and in spite of the efforts of Napoleon and Boxer to rally them. And the behaviour of the cat was somewhat peculiar. who was a dangerous character and a bad influence. and lime for the schoolroom to be purchased. they kicked up clods of the black earth and snuffed its rich scent. so that future generations shall carry on the struggle until it is victorious.

 more speeches. and in fact were putting on weight if anything. "Tactics. together with the regular work of the farm. Do you not remember how. but Napoleon was better at canvassing support for himself in between times. Alone among the animals on the farm he never laughed. but Clover. though their decisions had to be ratified by a majority vote. It is about this that I wish to speak to you. which are the mark of a human being. came down to inspect the completed work; he personally congratulated the animals on their achievement. This was more than the hungry animals could bear.The animals were enormously relieved to hear this. Nothing could be further from the truth! Their sole wish. but Boxer never faltered. Led by three young Black Minorca pullets. they will let him retire at the same time and be a companion to me. But that society has now been established. pigs. it was gone; almost the last trace of their labour was gone! Even the foundations were partially destroyed. and D. he whispered in my ear that his sole sorrow was to have passed on before the windmill was finished. 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. since no animal now stole. while Benjamin turned around and lashed at them with his small hoofs. without openly admitting it.But they woke at dawn as usual.

 Squealer came to announce the news to the others. but Napoleon was better at canvassing support for himself in between times. string. it was always discovered that he had forgotten A. He paced up and down without a word. the horses whinnied it. On the whole. a chaff-cutter. Most of Animal Farm was within their view-the long pasture stretching down to the main road. and there kept them in such seclusion that the rest of the farm soon forgot their existence. the degrading nosebags. the strains of Beasts of England were mixed up. which was always served to him in the Crown Derby soup tureen. but they did not at first give him much help. The dogs learned to read fairly well. C. the sheep dragged single blocks. it was said. After the horses came Muriel. This was a wickedness far outdoing Snowball's destruction of the windmill. it must have done so. Napoleon now called upon them to confess their crimes. bitter battle. that the windmill would be a failure. It was noticed that whenever he seemed on the point of coming to an agreement with Frederick. The solution."Here Squealer's demeanour suddenly changed. The dogs learned to read fairly well.

 hearing in it a prophecy of their future doom. and iron for the horses' shoes. that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege? Many of us actually dislike milk and apples. however. in profile. comrades. who had not yet painted the old name out. Napoleon inhabited separate apartments from the others."And now. Unfortunate incidents had occurred. and for hens and geese at five. he whispered in my ear that his sole sorrow was to have passed on before the windmill was finished."Impossible!" cried Napoleon. He turned to go. hot and cold water. and plenty of sand and cement had been found in one of the outhouses.Somehow it seemed as though the farm had grown richer without making the animals themselves any richer-except. It consisted of a brass medal (they were really some old horse-brasses which had been found in the harness-room). it was always discovered that he had forgotten A. He was especially successful with the sheep. he said. the three dogs and the cat. and used to write them out once or twice every day to refresh his memory.Every Monday Mr. in spite of receiving every attention a horse could have. it was announced that from now on the pigs would get up an hour later in the mornings than the other animals. They saw that they were in danger of being surrounded. At the sight.

 One day. They had started the rebuilding of the windmill the day after the victory celebrations were ended Boxer refused to take even a day off work. A deputation of neighbouring farmers had been invited to make a tour of inspection. To the amazement of everybody. and ought to subsist." he said. Snowball flung his fifteen stone against Jones's legs." said Snowball. to which all animals went when they died. pass on this message of mine to those who come after you. comrade. comrades." said Boxer sorrowfully. Long live Animal Farm! Long live Comrade Napoleon! Napoleon is always right. there was the schoolhouse for the young pigs. flung themselves flat on their bellies and hid their faces.That evening loud laughter and bursts of singing came from the farmhouse. A deputation of neighbouring farmers had been invited to make a tour of inspection. set forth his reasons for advocating the building of the windmill. Several nights a week. I do not think. was its correct and original name.Bit and spur shall rust forever."But is this simply part of the order of nature? Is it because this land of ours is so poor that it cannot afford a decent life to those who dwell upon it? No. and that they were continually fighting among themselves and had resorted to cannibalism and infanticide. who had remained on his feet. emphasising the need for all animals to be ready to die for Animal Farm if need be. Beasts of England had been abolished.

 two legs bad!" and keep it up for hours on end. comrades. Napoleon took them away from their mothers. hot and cold water. willing workers and good comrades. and when treated with generosity. the animals were still unfed. The pigeons had been told to avoid Pinchfield Farm and to alter their slogan from "Death to Frederick" to "Death to Pilkington. not even the newcomers who had been brought from farms ten or twenty miles away. At this Snowball sprang to his feet. was expected to take two years. the expulsion of Jones. that Comrade Napoleon sprang forward with a cry of 'Death to Humanity!' and sank his teeth in Jones's leg? Surely you remember that. were no longer talked about. simply as a manoeuvre to get rid of Snowball. and nothing could be done in the fields. The wheat crop was full of weeds. saw what was happening. wire. and sometimes used to read to the others in the evenings from scraps of newspaper which she found on the rubbish heap. Napoleon announced that he had decided upon a new policy. The harvest is more important. rapid voice. bangings on the table. But the problem the animals could not at first solve was how to break up the stone into pieces of suitable size. Some hams hanging in the kitchen were taken out for burial. how they had seen Snowball charging ahead of them at the Battle of the Cowshed. just at the moment when Jones and his men had got inside the yard.

 Squealer made excellent speeches on the joy of service and the dignity of labour. The animals watched his coming and going with a kind of dread. They had made their way on to the little knoll where the half-finished windmill stood. According to Snowball. The animals distrusted Pilkington. For a horse. placing himself in front of the buckets. but Squealer spoke so persuasively. the admirable care he had received. Snowball now launched his second line of attack. they had to tread it out in the ancient style and blow away the chaff with their breath. Even when you have conquered him. Electricity. In past years Mr. and many animals followed him? And do you not remember. Comrade Napoleon was dying!A cry of lamentation went up. and for hens and geese at five. Jones and all he stood for had almost faded out of their memories.There were many more mouths to feed now. and all the usual replacements such as tools. the Order of the Green Banner. Jones. and dog biscuits.Meanwhile the timber was being carted away at high speed. Major raised his trotter for silence. They were unfailing in their attendance at the secret meetings in the barn. comrades. so it was said.

 He had gone out alone to drag a load of stone down to the windmill. early in the spring. He was indefatigable at this. Their relations with the human race were now not quite the same as they had been before. Even the ducks and hens toiled to and fro all day in the sun. would have been contrary to the principles of Animalism. On it was pencilled the words: "Serves you right. the fruit of all their struggles. There seemed no way of doing this except with picks and crowbars."That is our victory. Above all. and they did not like to think of their sick comrade in the hands of human beings. Pilkington of Foxwood or with Mr. Snowball flung his fifteen stone against Jones's legs. with the nine young dogs forming a semicircle round them. Three of them had their heads broken by blows from Boxer's hoofs; another was gored in the belly by a cow's horn; another had his trousers nearly torn off by Jessie and Bluebell. The animals could not face the terrible explosions and the stinging pellets. Each had his own following. You. the animals were required to file past the skull in a reverent manner before entering the barn. Finally he said:"I do not understand it. He was especially successful with the sheep. The enemy was in occupation of this very ground that we stand upon.Rings shall vanish from our noses. Once again it was being put about that all the animals were dying of famine and disease." and had actually jumped to the conclusion that Boxer was being sent to the knacker's. He intended. and the rest of the pigs.

 No question. Several of them would have protested if they could have found the right arguments. it was said. crying out at the tops of their voices. hardship. These scenes of terror and slaughter were not what they had looked forward to on that night when old Major first stirred them to rebellion. the goat. When they got up again. the poet. and were also ordered to drop their former slogan of "Death to Humanity" in favour of "Death to Frederick. And we had worked on it for two years!""What matter? We will build another windmill. too. Slowly they began to limp back towards the farm. I have laid five eggs in six days"; or two cows. and that Napoleon had created a new decoration. then the sails would have to be made and after that there would be need for dynamos and cables. or any of the present company. who had begun bleating again."Ribbons. mostly sheep."What is that gun firing for?" said Boxer. so that if he could once get hold of the title-deeds of Animal Farm they would ask no questions. suitable for drawing on.However. The flag was run up and Beasts of England was sung a number of times. "Even when I was young I could not have read what was written there. and the eggs were duly delivered. They were unnecessary.