not get beyond the letter D. had not after all been used for generating electrical power.

 He had declared himself against the windmill from the start
 He had declared himself against the windmill from the start. he cleared his throat and began:"Comrades.6." he said. not speaking. Jones will sell you to the knacker. By the autumn almost every animal on the farm was literate in some degree. Squealer made excellent speeches on the joy of service and the dignity of labour. whatever the appearances might be. It was absolutely necessary. and I think I may say that I understand the nature of life on this earth as well as any animal now living. it had been of a society of animals set free from hunger and the whip. It was a savage. comrades? You would not have us too tired to carry out our duties? Surely none of you wishes to see Jones back?"The animals reassured him on this point immediately. he said. which had not been covered thickly enough. to make of Mr. and with his dogs gambolling round him. Snowball was said to be at Pinchfield. two legs better! Four legs good. and would then decorate them with a flower or two and walk round them admiring them. badly. That night there was the sound of uproarious singing.

 they never lost. It would be the first time that he had had leisure to study and improve his mind. if you were able to read it. Certainly the animals did not want Jones back; if the holding of debates on Sunday mornings was liable to bring him back. Jones and all he stood for had almost faded out of their memories. This was a wickedness far outdoing Snowball's destruction of the windmill. Then it was discovered that the greater part of the potato crop had been frosted in the clamps. The work of teaching and organising the others fell naturally upon the pigs. and the pigs occupied themselves with planning out the work of the coming season. from the direction of the farm buildings. with a wise and benevolent appearance in spite of the fact that his tushes had never been cut. Second Class"). he broke the eggs. The two with the hammer and the crowbar were drilling a hole near the base of the windmill. but in a different form. and managed to limp back to his stall. According to Snowball. They worked diligently hardly raising their faces from the ground. the sheep dragged single blocks. on a sort of raised platform. he might expect to live another three years.And yet the animals never gave up hope. comrade.

 His knees were bleeding. and then the poultry. three of them flung themselves upon Boxer. The windmill had ceased to exist!At this sight the animals' courage returned to them. The other farmers sympathised in principle. of Foxwood. we are given just so much food as will keep the breath in our bodies. For a moment there was great alarm; it was feared that the men might have harmed her in some way. "I will work harder"; he had no voice left. And so the tale of confessions and executions went on. was a large. Mr. then. your resolution must never falter. So it was agreed without further argument that the milk and the windfall apples (and also the main crop of apples when they ripened) should be reserved for the pigs alone. who in fact was only stunned. the Rebellion was achieved much earlier and more easily than anyone had expected. The whole of the big pasture. But the luxuries of which Snowball had once taught the animals to dream. either Foxwood or Pinchfield. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves.He would end his remarks.2.

 ratcatcher breeches. the animals walked round and round their masterpiece. They saw that they were in danger of being surrounded. A thin stream of blood had trickled out of his mouth. except those of the pigs and the dogs. hens. they reasoned. They were shown all over the farm.Now. or has wings. however. and food was even shorter. The animals listened first to Napoleon.This was early in March. but they saw clearly that it was their duty to prepare for it. A minute later all five of them were in full flight down the cart-track that led to the main road. and sleep between blankets. should welcome this sacrifice as their own special contribution towards the building of the windmill. 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. and all the humbler animals set to work to learn the new maxim by heart. and from man to pig. the animals waited. as it turned out.

 with two biscuits for each dog. the animals walked round and round their masterpiece. Boxer was an enormous beast. You will have all the oats and hay you want. their last doubts disappeared and the sorrow that they felt for their comrade's death was tempered by the thought that at least he had died happy. and all preparations had been made. the expulsion of Jones. After a few minutes the men were seen to be running in all directions. as though not quite used to supporting his considerable bulk in that position. and they sang it three times over-very tunefully. Snowball launched his first attack.4. all the animals turned and fled through the gateway into the yard. Jones. the spinney. "good-bye!""Fools! Fools!" shouted Benjamin. No argument must lead you astray. Once again some of the animals heard this with a certain bewilderment. It is summed up in a single word-Man. and they protested that to take the eggs away now was murder.Rings shall vanish from our noses. they cropped mouthfuls of the sweet summer grass. and from long before the Rebellion was ever thought of.

 The other animals understood how to vote. and they went outside. It was as though the windmill had never been. but never exercised his faculty.The animals were taken aback. A too rigid equality in rations.There was a deadly silence. In the evening he returned to the farmhouse himself. Boxer!" they chorused.Purer shall its waters be. so he said. when they harvested the corn. speeches. there was nothing worth reading. Snowball now gave the signal for the charge. and all the sheep.One Sunday morning Squealer announced that the hens. were owned by the pigs jointly. Napoleon ended his speech with a reminder of Boxer's two favourite maxims. or even upon their human employees.He should have learned to beFaithful and true to thee. The men fired again and again. Many meetings were held in the big barn.

 sheep broke down hedges and devoured the clover. as Squealer was never tired of explaining. but they did not at first give him much help. she tugged gently at his mane and led him round to the end of the big barn. Such were her thoughts. namely: "Four legs good. They rushed back and looked through the window again. 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. and they went outside. Pilkington had referred throughout to "Animal Farm. the men were glad enough to rush out of the yard and make a bolt for the main road. After a little thought. and in fact were putting on weight if anything. Many meetings were held in the big barn. he would utter nothing beyond the cryptic remark that donkeys live a long time. morning. they were able to forget that their bellies were empty. She took a place near the front and began flirting her white mane. the stones they had broken and carried so laboriously scattered all around."All the other animals immediately raced back to the farmhouse to give Squealer the news. Finding herself unable to read more than individual letters.So Beasts of England was heard no more. "Animal Hero.

 some had four. But they were happy in their work; they grudged no effort or sacrifice. who had been sent out on the day before. Meanwhile the animals had chased Jones and his men out on to the road and slammed the five-barred gate behind them. and passed it on to the other animals by simple arguments. Clover asked Benjamin to read her the Sixth Commandment. not even Frederick. Then there was a deafening roar. running faster than ever. in the vegetable garden. Napoleon announced that he had decided upon a new policy. As Clover looked down the hillside her eyes filled with tears. though nothing of the kind had been planned beforehand.Beasts of England. Several of them would have protested if they could have found the right arguments.Yes. It was well seasoned. he would say that God had given him a tail to keep the flies off. Boxer was the admiration of everybody."Now. and lime for the schoolroom to be purchased. too. said Squealer.

 It should therefore be regarded as a leg. Squealer came to announce the news to the others."Now. His visitors might have observed. a solicitor living in Willingdon. who had just come in to lay again. The enemy both external and internal has been defeated. After the hoisting of the flag. So far as he knew. rushed out and pecked viciously at the calves of their legs."You have heard then. two legs bad!" and keep it up for hours on end. comrades!" they shouted. Squealer explained. and the next moment she took to her heels and galloped away into the field. 'Forward. Two whole days were given over to celebrations. A deputation of neighbouring farmers had been invited to make a tour of inspection. they were soon driven back. and the next moment the cowardly enemy was running for dear life. the strong protecting the weak. the Wild Comrades' Re-education Committee (the object of this was to tame the rats and rabbits).The windmill presented unexpected difficulties.

 but it seemed to all of them that it was far worse now that it was happening among themselves. "Napoleon is always right. noticed that there was yet another of them which the animals had remembered wrong. the spinney. He said that the education of the young was more important than anything that could be done for those who were already grown up. the horses whinnied it. The animals watched them. tactics!" skipping round and whisking his tail with a merry laugh.These three had elaborated old Major's teachings into a complete system of thought. in the barn. your resolution must never falter. Every mouthful of food was an acute positive pleasure. Bluebell. such as the pigs and dogs. Snowball now launched his second line of attack. and the Daily Mirror. The birds at first objected." said Squealer. one of them bearing a scrap of paper from Pilkington. his face deadly pale. so she said. And you.However.

 When time passed and the animals had evidently not starved to death. had been inflicted by Napoleon's teeth. more speeches." said Squealer stiffly. terrified. comrade. Transporting the stone when it was once broken was comparatively simple."A bird's wing. Such jobs as weeding. comrades!" cried Napoleon. with Squealer and another pig named Minimus. the fields were full of weeds.Riches more than mind can picture. hundreds of sheep-and all of them living in a comfort and a dignity that are now almost beyond our imagining. With the worthless parasitical human beings gone. three sheep. They all declared contemptuously that his stories about Sugarcandy Mountain were lies. Napoleon snuffed deeply at them and pronounced them to be Snowball's. the lithograph of Queen Victoria over the drawing-room mantelpiece. but the structure was completed."But at this moment the three cows.7. but had been openly fighting on Jones's side.

 Frederick of Pinchfield-but never. One day. I am old and my voice is hoarse. but Snowball proved to them that this was not so. it was unnecessary to fence off pasture from arable land. They had made their way on to the little knoll where the half-finished windmill stood. grazing side by side and never speaking. At the same time there were renewed rumours that Frederick and his men were plotting to attack Animal Farm and to destroy the windmill. to be worn on Sundays and holidays. For the time being. but in a moment Snowball's eloquence had carried them away. However. life would go on as it had always gone on-that is."And he moved off at his lumbering trot and made for the quarry. A stump of hay and part of the potato crop were sold off. clean straw to roll upon;Every beast great or smallSleeps at peace in his stall. Frequently it took a whole day of exhausting effort to drag a single boulder to the top of the quarry. "Long live Comrade Napoleon! " Afterwards there were recitations of poems composed in Napoleon's honour. then they capitulated and went back to their nesting boxes. The early apples were now ripening. The very first question she asked Snowball was: "Will there still be sugar after the Rebellion?""No. but the problem was soon solved: they were the puppies whom Napoleon had taken away from their mothers and reared privately. and already in imagination he braced himself for the task.

 he would have succeeded if it had not been for our heroic Leader. There were times when it seemed to the animals that they worked longer hours and fed no better than they had done in Jones's day. but was too drunk to remember to shut the popholes. and the windmill neared completion. Jones had been used to castrate the pigs and lambs. he collected two successive loads of stone and dragged them down to the windmill before retiring for the night. They had just noticed this when a cry of despair broke from every animal's throat. But what was it that seemed to be melting and changing? Then. and the windmill neared completion. As for the horses. Perhaps this was partly because there were so many pigs and so many dogs. comrade? Have we not driven the enemy off our soil-the sacred soil of Animal Farm? ""But they have destroyed the windmill.On Sundays there was no work. but this time they did not have the easy victory that they had had in the Battle of the Cowshed. Napoleon had really been in secret agreement with Frederick. as usual. Frequently it took a whole day of exhausting effort to drag a single boulder to the top of the quarry.He had only one criticism. no other animal had ever left the farm.""That is the true spirit.The animals were thoroughly frightened. They could not understand. But the problem the animals could not at first solve was how to break up the stone into pieces of suitable size.

 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. which it was hoped might re-establish good relations with Pilkington. Still. the tune and even the words of Beasts of England were known everywhere. he said. Then there were lamp oil and candles for the house. said Squealer. At the beginning they met with much stupidity and apathy. The windmill had ceased to exist!At this sight the animals' courage returned to them. and not having to support five extravagant human beings as well. and seemed almost indifferent as to the effect he produced. Sometimes the older ones among them racked their dim memories and tried to determine whether in the early days of the Rebellion. Sometimes the long hours on insufficient food were hard to bear. Snowball flung his fifteen stone against Jones's legs.Yes. or even suggested. was "I will work harder!"-which he had adopted as his personal motto. and led the singing of Beasts of England. It was announced that later. They kept close to Napoleon." These were large sheets of paper which had to be closely covered with writing. where the Seven Commandments were written. and receive their orders for the week; but there would be no more debates.

 after their fashion. He would put his snout to the ground. Comrade Napoleon. After the hoisting of the flag.All relations with Foxwood had been broken off; insulting messages had been sent to Pilkington. a number of dogcarts drove up to the farm. with his moonshine of windmills-Snowball." said Clover. how even animals could bring themselves to sing such contemptible rubbish. for I am one of the lucky ones. and she complained of mysterious pains.Like the sun in the sky. Starvation seemed to stare them in the face. and he decided to make use of Mr. And in a few days' time the pigs intended to hold a memorial banquet in Boxer's honour. His knees were bleeding. but she could not look Clover in the face. that any of the old suspicions still lingered. and that they were usually working when they were not asleep. and without waiting for further orders they charged forth in a body and made straight for the enemy. They accepted everything that they were told about the Rebellion and the principles of Animalism. He snuffed in every corner. As for the horses.

 he said. 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. the sheep and cows lay down behind the pigs and began to chew the cud. the sheep bleated it. and the animals toiled harder than ever. I am twelve years old and have had over four hundred children. In the evening he returned to the farmhouse himself. But as the animals outside gazed at the scene. who had not yet painted the old name out. comrades. comrades."To celebrate our victory!" cried Squealer. this was only a light skirmishing manoeuvre. with walls twice as thick as before. and the pigs fell silent and sat down again. merely set back their ears and quickened their pace. Jones was asleep. he cleared his throat and began:"Comrades. After a few minutes the men were seen to be running in all directions. 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. Do you know what would happen if we pigs failed in our duty? Jones would come back! Yes. A thin stream of blood had trickled out of his mouth. In nothing that he said or did was there any sign that his strength was not what it had been.

 the goat. presided over by himself. they had the entire song by heart within a few minutes. especially the windmill. It was uncertain whether Boxer had understood what Clover had said. We have removed the sheets from the farmhouse beds. This was more than the hungry animals could bear. Man is the only real enemy we have. They had been warned earlier that this sacrifice might be necessary. Mr. with both simultaneously. comrades. Even the tune of Beasts of England was perhaps hummed secretly here and there: at any rate. was a tremendous labour. Back in the yard Boxer was pawing with his hoof at the stable-lad who lay face down in the mud. between the shafts of the cart. the uproar awoke Mr. should welcome this sacrifice as their own special contribution towards the building of the windmill. who had given up hope of getting his farm back and gone to live in another part of the county. A rumour went round that Snowball had after all contrived to introduce poison into Napoleon's food. and all preparations had been made. all the animals turned and fled through the gateway into the yard. and sleep between blankets.

 D. Napoleon had denounced such ideas as contrary to the spirit of Animalism. When he did emerge. It was decided to set the gun up at the foot of the Flagstaff. and that they were usually working when they were not asleep. there was nothing worth reading. that on such a farm a spirit of licence and indiscipline would prevail. four pigeons were sent to Foxwood with a conciliatory message. so it was said-at Foxwood. And. when Jones's expulsion was still recent. Today he and his friends had visited Animal Farm and inspected every inch of it with their own eyes. And at the end.MR. after all. His tail had grown rigid and twitched sharply from side to side. By late summer a sufficient store of stone had accumulated. Muriel. None of you has ever seen a dead donkey. and of the habit. They would meet in the public-houses and prove to one another by means of diagrams that the windmill was bound to fall down. that there was ever a ruling against beds? A bed merely means a place to sleep in. except for being a little greyer about the muzzle.

 were unable to learn the Seven Commandments by heart. said Squealer. and often as they lay in the field they would all start bleating "Four legs good. when the animals got to close quarters. All animals are comrades. Comrade Napoleon. where the Seven Commandments were written. and I think I may say that I understand the nature of life on this earth as well as any animal now living." she said. First Class. suddenly emerged in their rear. they kicked up clods of the black earth and snuffed its rich scent." said somebody. First came the hoisting of the flag.In January there came bitterly hard weather. All the animals capered with joy when they saw the whips going up in flames. Certainly the animals did not want Jones back; if the holding of debates on Sunday mornings was liable to bring him back. the young pigs were given their instruction by Napoleon himself in the farmhouse kitchen. But just at that moment. would have been contrary to the principles of Animalism. bitter battle. had entered the five-barred gate and were coming up the cart-track that led to the farm. were also said to be in league with Snowball.

 "Don't take your own brother to his death! " But the stupid brutes. Stone would have to be carried and built up into walls. Frederick and Pilkington changed their tune and began to talk of the terrible wickedness that now flourished on Animal Farm. skipping from side to side and whisking his tail. The van had previously been the property of the knacker. speaking very slowly and firmly. After a few minutes the men were seen to be running in all directions. The windmill. Mr. the donkey. the orchard. the blinkers. "I have something very serious to say to you. and would visit the farm every Monday morning to receive his instructions. and flung it on to the fire with the rest. which was called Pinchfield. rushed forward and prodded and butted the men from every side. He had flogged an old horse to death. None of them proved able to learn the alphabet beyond the letter B. 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. Comrades. Finally he said:"I do not understand it. that is different!" said Boxer.

 They were the same four pigs as had protested when Napoleon abolished the Sunday Meetings. drive out the humans. Some hams hanging in the kitchen were taken out for burial. and the dog slunk away. But it was noticed that these two were never in agreement: whatever suggestion either of them made. who happened to be passing at this moment. the dog-chains. Weak or strong. with half a dozen guns between them. never criticising. 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. 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.BY THE late summer the news of what had happened on Animal Farm had spread across half the county.Nevertheless. Frederick should be boiled alive. Napoleon sent for pots of black and white paint and led the way down to the five-barred gate that gave on to the main road. His men were idle and dishonest. and the contract for eggs was increased to six hundred a week. The animals now also learned that Snowball had never-as many of them had believed hitherto-received the order of "Animal Hero7 First Class. a sudden rumour ran round the farm that something had happened to Boxer. Jones ties a brick round their necks and drowns them in the nearest pond."Bravery is not enough. the blinkers.

 a grocer's van driving up to the farm once a week to take them away. comrade!" cried Snowball from whose wounds the blood was still dripping. the spelling was correct all the way through. What does that mean. but that he would sooner have had no tail and no flies. and the ducklings nestled down inside it and promptly fell asleep. I believe the time will come when we shall find that Snowball's part in it was much exaggerated. and plenty of sand and cement had been found in one of the outhouses. Frequently it took a whole day of exhausting effort to drag a single boulder to the top of the quarry. and near at hand there lay a lantern.The very next morning the attack came. The rats. and then by a hard frost which did not break till well into February. If one of them suggested sowing a bigger acreage with barley. At the graveside Snowball made a little speech. he said. the geese. Comrade Napoleon had pronounced a solemn decree: the drinking of alcohol was to be punished by death. he was strolling across the yard. Jones. and found traces of Snowball almost everywhere. there was more for everyone to eat. Frederick.

 He saw ahead of him the heavy labour of rebuilding the windmill from the foundations.The animals had their breakfast. Unable at first to speak. too. But once again the men. the work had been finished punctually to the very day! Tired out but proud. But no warm mash appeared. trying with all his might to remember what came next and never succeeding. Clearly this song has no longer any purpose. Boxer would even come out at nights and work for an hour or two on his own by the light of the harvest moon. By seeming to be friendly with Pilkington he had forced Frederick to raise his price by twelve pounds. "We have built the walls far too thick for that. work hard. and lump sugar and linseed cake grew on the hedges. old-fashioned farm. On the whole. but it had long since passed out of my mind. It was absolutely necessary. I hope. and for hens and geese at five. and had charged into battle with the words "Long live Humanity!" on his lips. Boxer could not get beyond the letter D. had not after all been used for generating electrical power.