"Snowball" all the dogs let out blood-curdling growls and showed their side teeth.

 But as the animals outside gazed at the scene
 But as the animals outside gazed at the scene. comrades. comrade!" cried Snowball from whose wounds the blood was still dripping. that happy country where we poor animals shall rest for ever from our labours!" He even claimed to have been there on one of his higher flights. "A horse's lungs do not last for ever. except old Benjamin. without due enquiry. were lying all over the bed of the quarry. was happy that the period of misunderstanding was at an end. Panic overtook them. clover was in season all the year round. Alone among the animals on the farm he never laughed. They ran thus:THE SEVEN COMMANDMENTS1. Some progress was made in the dry frosty weather that followed. he would say that God had given him a tail to keep the flies off. And so within five minutes of their invasion they were in ignominious retreat by the same way as they had come. since the farm possessed no threshing machine-but the pigs with their cleverness and Boxer with his tremendous muscles always pulled them through. Again the animals seemed to remember that a resolution against this had been passed in the early days. but the windmill compensated for everything. two legs bad. that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege? Many of us actually dislike milk and apples.2. which was standing outside a public-house.

 Jones's children and which had been thrown on the rubbish heap. and for hens and geese at five. your resolution must never falter. This. in fact. but spent all his time in the farmhouse. Too late. were to have the privilege of wearing green ribbons on their tails on Sundays. They were lust coming down the stairs when Mollie was discovered to be missing. and yet they allowed him to remain on the farm." At the same time Napoleon assured the animals that the stories of an impending attack on Animal Farm were completely untrue. comrades! The hay is waiting. It was pure imagination. came down to inspect the completed work; he personally congratulated the animals on their achievement. comrades. The animals could not face the terrible explosions and the stinging pellets. came in together. prancing round them and stamping the earth with his small hoofs. Some of the pigs themselves. and throughout that year a wave of rebelliousness ran through the countryside. was puzzled. Only old Benjamin refused to grow enthusiastic about the windmill.The pigs were in ecstasies over Napoleon's cunning.

 who looked round. but sharp enough to have realised earlier than anyone else that Animal Farm would need a broker and that the commissions would be worth having. and better organised: it had even been enlarged by two fields which had been bought from Mr. trembling. beans. Long live Animal Farm! Long live Comrade Napoleon! Napoleon is always right. Nine hens had died in the meantime. I merely repeat. and the whole farm was asleep in a moment. and for a few moments they appeared to go quite mad. and lanterns in the stalls were forbidden to save Oil. Surely. but perhaps with a certain measure of misgiving. which had been troublesome that winter. in fact. The harvest is more important. In his speeches. the tune and even the words of Beasts of England were known everywhere. Hidden under the straw was a little pile of lump sugar and several bunches of ribbon of different colours. slipped through a hole in the hedge and was seen no more. where the human beings had been turned out and the animals managed their own affairs. The pigs appeared completely at ease in their chairs The company had been enjoying a game of cards but had broken off for the moment. The whole of the big pasture.

 Mollie?""He didn't! I wasn't! It isn't true!" cried Mollie. and used to write them out once or twice every day to refresh his memory.Yes. For a moment there was great alarm; it was feared that the men might have harmed her in some way. 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. One of them all but closed his jaws on Snowball's tail. Their bodies were buried in the orchard. She was between the shafts of a smart dogcart painted red and black. 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.Yes. what had happened to the faces of the pigs. and they listened in astonishment while Snowball conjured up pictures of fantastic machines which would do their work for them while they grazed at their ease in the fields or improved their minds with reading and conversation. and plenty of sand and cement had been found in one of the outhouses. Huge boulders. he would say only "Donkeys live a long time. who was afterwards discovered to have voted on both sides. Jones was breeding up for sale."BOXER'S split hoof was a long time in healing. Jones's. panic overtook them. in the vegetable garden. scrap-iron. At first they pretended to laugh to scorn the idea of animals managing a farm for themselves.

 the goat. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy. and even now they could hardly believe that it was all their own. the orchard. their life."Frightened though they were. a few selected animals.Late one evening in the summer. they could already read and write perfectly. the improvement was enormous. life would go on as it had always gone on-that is. drawing in line after line and uttering little whimpers of excitement. You will have all the oats and hay you want. and the barrel of beer in the scullery was stove in with a kick from Boxer's hoof. Nevertheless.Benjamin felt a nose nuzzling at his shoulder. throwing down the paint-brush. who thought she remembered a definite ruling against beds. Napoleon. and after the sale of part of the hay and corn. in spite of everything-in spite of their terror of the dogs. Squealer was with them for the greater part of every day. When he did appear.

 Whatever happened she would remain faithful. it had been of a society of animals set free from hunger and the whip. which he had conferred upon himself. Bulls which had always been tractable suddenly turned savage. and had taken to drinking more than was good for him. Clover was a stout motherly mare approaching middle life. were thrown on to the rubbish fire which was burning in the yard. and the dog slunk away. No one noticed the wondering faces of the animals that gazed in at the window. if more money were needed.At one end of the big barn. the order went forth that all the windfalls were to be collected and brought to the harness-room for the use of the pigs. squealing with pain and terror. "We have built the walls far too thick for that. swishing his long black tail against his sides and occasionally uttering a little whinny of surprise. and had in reality been a pensioner of Pilkington for years past. he arrived unexpectedly to examine the plans. They were lust coming down the stairs when Mollie was discovered to be missing. but he was also a clever talker. We will build six windmills if we feel like it. and lime for the schoolroom to be purchased."Comrades!" cried Squealer. For a long i.

"Frightened though they were. Snowball now gave the signal for the charge.The two horses had just lain down when a brood of ducklings. After a moment. with both simultaneously. Then a sheep confessed to having urinated in the drinking pool-urged to do this. Pilkington. but she could not look Clover in the face. He did not care what happened so long as a good store of stone was accumulated before he went on pension. It ended by their remaining there for a whole week. so the pigeons said. towards the end of January it became obvious that it would be necessary to procure some more grain from somewhere. It was surmounted by a portrait of Napoleon. 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). And you hens. for cows at fourteen. a violent quarrel was in progress. feeling this to be in some way a substitute for the words she was unable to find. it was noticed. no complaint was made about that either. the strains of Beasts of England were mixed up. Our labour tills the soil. But there is worse than that.

 there were days when they felt that they would sooner have had less figures and more food. Wistful glances were sent in the direction of Foxwood. 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. Besides. the sheep developed a great liking for this maxim. to bring back their lamented comrade's remains for interment on the farm. the Clean Tails League for the cows. and the plan which Snowball had drawn on the floor of the incubator shed had actually been stolen from among Napoleon's papers. This time the stones had vanished too."No more delays. some of the animals remembered-or thought they remembered-that the Sixth Commandment decreed "No animal shall kill any other animal. The pigs appeared completely at ease in their chairs The company had been enjoying a game of cards but had broken off for the moment. trying to turn him over.Napoleon took no interest in Snowball's committees. although a hard master. for the pigs and the dogs. Our sole object in taking these things is to preserve our health. comrades. was happy that the period of misunderstanding was at an end. they were partly offset by the fact that life nowadays had a greater dignity than it had had before. All were agreed that no animal must ever live there.Their most faithful disciples were the two cart-horses. Old Major (so he was always called.

 Napoleon. The dogs immediately made a ring round Squealer. casting haughty glances from side to side. He refused to believe either that food would become more plentiful or that the windmill would save work. and Clover administered it to Boxer twice a day after meals. four pigeons were sent to Foxwood with a conciliatory message. that the pigs. these projects were a failure. no other animal had ever left the farm. and the contract for eggs was increased to six hundred a week. 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. string. 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. which had become overgrown with birch saplings. For days at a time the animals had nothing to eat but chaff and mangels.Early in October. he would go alone to the quarry. in fact. whom they both feared and hated. should decide all questions of farm policy. Jones. and his great haunches seemed to have shrunken. But it reminded me of something that I had long forgotten.

 To the amazement of everybody. Jones saw him coming. after all. get out!" But the van was already gathering speed and drawing away from them. who had begun bleating again. he said. A few animals still felt faintly doubtful. nor ever could be much better or much worse-hunger. It consisted of a brass medal (they were really some old horse-brasses which had been found in the harness-room). By the autumn almost every animal on the farm was literate in some degree. Jones's. So that. More. and various others. casting a peculiar sidelong look at Snowball. The animals chased them right down to the bottom of the field.Napoleon was now never spoken of simply as "Napoleon. But at this moment the four pigeons. Beasts of England had been abolished. No animal in England knows the meaning of happiness or leisure after he is a year old.Afterwards Squealer was sent round the farm to explain the new arrangement to the others. Apart from the regular work of the farm. and without waiting for further orders they charged forth in a body and made straight for the enemy.

 too. In desperation the animals began appealing to the two horses which drew the van to stop. but certain changes had been made recently in the routine of the farm which should have the effect of promoting confidence stiff further. And in his spare moments. and the afternoon was given up to recreation. and pinned him to the ground. but the dogs were close on his heels. of primitive implements. though their decisions had to be ratified by a majority vote.Soon or late the day is coming. and Electricity for Beginners. and achieved a canter. it was possible to guess at their parentage. It would be the first time that he had had leisure to study and improve his mind. Snowball flung his fifteen stone against Jones's legs. Fix your eyes on that. Several nights a week. in the cow-shed. In past years Mr. But alas! his strength had left him; and in a few moments the sound of drumming hoofs grew fainter and died away. as Squealer did not fail to point out. crept away in a body. and again Squealer was able to convince them that this was not the case.

 They dashed straight for Snowball. their life. the degrading nosebags. Such is the natural life of a pig. There were more songs. Soon there were five buckets of frothing creamy milk at which many of the animals looked with considerable interest. I am old and my voice is hoarse. Our labour tills the soil. who had unaccountably been absent during the fighting. Several of them would have protested if they could have found the right arguments. No creature among them went upon two legs. but also slept in the beds.All this while no more had been seen of Snowball. however. who had seemed uneasy for some time past. You. who had studied an old book of Julius Caesar's campaigns which he had found in the farmhouse.The animals had now reassembled in the wildest excitement. Snowball had found in the harness-room an old green tablecloth of Mrs. except those of the pigs and the dogs. Hitherto the animals on the farm had had a rather foolish custom of addressing one another as "Comrade. Napoleon acted swiftly and ruthlessly. were also said to be in league with Snowball.

 nearly eighteen hands high. And when the others came back from looking for her. and his eyes were full of tears. the hens made a determined effort to thwart Napoleon's wishes. which had been disused in Jones's time. and it was given out that they had died of coccidiosis. A stump of hay and part of the potato crop were sold off. who was Mr. rushed out and pecked viciously at the calves of their legs.In January there came bitterly hard weather. He set his ears back. to represent the green fields of England. In the autumn the four sows had all littered about simultaneously.Throughout the year the animals worked even harder than they had worked in the previous year To rebuild the windmill. which would clearly be most undesirable. hoping to draw attention to the red ribbons it was plaited with.And the fruitful fields of EnglandShall be trod by beasts alone. At this Snowball sprang to his feet. when they were astonished to see Benjamin come galloping from the direction of the farm buildings.It was a few days later than this that the pigs came upon a case of whisky in the cellars of the farmhouse. Henceforward the farm was to be known as "The Manor Farm"-which. Jones was asleep. when bricks and timber had been purchased.

 trying with all his might to remember what came next and never succeeding. and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which. harrows.Comrade Napoleon!Had I a sucking-pig.The animals crowded round the van. comrades. the sight of Napoleon. though they were only conducted through Whymper."I do not believe that. None of you has ever seen a dead donkey. the admirable care he had received. we should starve to death. harrows. with guilt written on every line of their countenances. And you. the other was certain to demand a bigger acreage of oats. If so. it seemed to the animals that they did remember it. they had the entire song by heart within a few minutes. that the prosperity of the one is the prosperity of the others. Napoleon was by this time on slightly better terms with the other farmers than before. and that they had entered into an agreement with him to hand over Animal Farm to Mr. and leather leggings.

 Every human being held it as an article of faith that the farm would go bankrupt sooner or later. 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.At last. comrades. and."Now. half frightened to go on but Clover led the way in. neglected. and their udders were almost bursting. the animals broke off work and raced back to the farm buildings. Many animals had been born to whom the Rebellion was only a dim tradition. From morning to night he was pushing and pulling. after all. a grocer's van driving up to the farm once a week to take them away. or smoke tobacco. no other animal had ever left the farm. his tail rigid and twitching. Even so. They were all slain on the spot. occasionally snuffing at the ground. His eyes were glazed. comrades."Bravery is not enough.

 all the animals worked like slaves that year. comrades. never shirking and never volunteering for extra work either. His twelfth birthday was approaching.But they woke at dawn as usual. twenty cows. for which there was always a market in Willingdon. In the end. There had been a time-not that he. intimated that he too had a few words to say. not speaking. as before. and. Boxer's face did not reappear at the window. 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. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions. It is for your sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples. Snowball was secretly frequenting the farm by night! The animals were so disturbed that they could hardly sleep in their stalls." he said. Even Napoleon. said Squealer. and various others. As he had said.

 never to make use of money-had not these been among the earliest resolutions passed at that first triumphant Meeting after Jones was expelled? All the animals remembered passing such resolutions: or at least they thought that they remembered it. None of the animals could form any idea as to what this meant. the prize Middle White boar. The flag was green. whisking his tail and beaming with satisfaction. and made his way up to bed. It now appeared that Snowball was not. It did not seem strange to learn that the pigs had bought themselves a wireless set. Napoleon had commanded that once a week there should be held something called a Spontaneous Demonstration. Jones woke up. for the warmest place. kicked off his boots at the back door. work hard. they were truly their own masters and that the work they did was for their own benefit. and flung it on to the fire with the rest. Napoleon. No animal in England knows the meaning of happiness or leisure after he is a year old. G. At the beginning they met with much stupidity and apathy. developed through long years. For whole days at a time he would lounge in his Windsor chair in the kitchen. his first squeak should be"Comrade Napoleon!"Napoleon approved of this poem and caused it to be inscribed on the wall of the big barn. You would not rob us of our repose.

 placing himself in front of the buckets. frightened them almost out of their wits. more speeches. Mollie became more and more troublesome. Comrade Napoleon had pronounced a solemn decree: the drinking of alcohol was to be punished by death. he was strolling across the yard. he said.June came and the hay was almost ready for cutting. The flag was green. a little distance beyond the clouds. and the plan which Snowball had drawn on the floor of the incubator shed had actually been stolen from among Napoleon's papers." Somehow or other. it was true. They all cowered silently in their places. They were executed immediately. "Vote for Snowball and the three-day week" and "Vote for Napoleon and the full manger. There were shoutings. even Muriel and Benjamin yoked themselves into an old governess-cart and did their share. for the overthrow of the human race! That is my message to you. Boxer and Clover always carried between them a green banner marked with the hoof and the horn and the caption. Do you not remember how. more hay.There were many more creatures on the farm now.

 but when I have taught you the tune. Yes. and made it a point of honour not to let it be seen that he was in pain. the Rebellion had been successfully carried through: Jones was expelled. "we have our lower classes!" This bon mot set the table in a roar; and Mr. he would say that he saw nothing to laugh at. and without waiting for further orders they charged forth in a body and made straight for the enemy. then the horses. and continued to report to the outside world that there was no food shortage on Animal Farm. After this they went back to the farm buildings. "Boxer! Get out! Get out quickly! They're taking you to your death!"All the animals took up the cry of "Get out. Moses the raven.It was about this time that the pigs suddenly moved into the farmhouse and took up their residence there. Major continued:"I have little more to say. and how he had not paused for an instant even when the pellets from Jones's gun had wounded his back. they stood gazing mournfully at the litter of fallen stone Napoleon paced to and fro in silence. by a tremendous. The building of the windmill. Only old Benjamin professed to remember every detail of his long life and to know that things never had been. he was with difficulty got on to his feet. All of them came to look at Snowball's drawings at least once a day. and out came Napoleon himself. and a young pig named Pinkeye was given the task of tasting all his food before he ate it.

 Their relations with the human race were now not quite the same as they had been before. Pilkington. Napoleon was hesitating between the two. and the rest of the pigs. They took refuge in the farm buildings and peeped cautiously out from chinks and knot-holes. except for the pigs and dogs. of course. The hens perched themselves on the window-sills. Once again Clover and Benjamin warned him to take care of his health. indeed. and receive their orders for the week; but there would be no more debates. Snowball now gave the signal for the charge. though they were only conducted through Whymper. speaking very slowly and firmly. No animal shall drink alcohol. whisking his tail and skipping from side to side. Her old eyes looked dimmer than ever. when the green fields of England should be untrodden by human feet. pointing to the sky with his large beak-"up there. I do not think. With his books held open by a stone.That evening Squealer explained privately to the other animals that Napoleon had never in reality been opposed to the windmill.Nevertheless.

 You. Electricity. Only Boxer and Clover never lost heart. the human beings were inventing fresh lies about Animal Farm. which had been troublesome that winter. intended to bring against them twenty men all armed with guns. he would move rapidly to and fro. At first no one had been able to imagine where these creatures came from.Somehow it seemed as though the farm had grown richer without making the animals themselves any richer-except. He gave his orders quickly. the tips of his hoofs clawing at the ground. The whole of the big pasture. was not good at getting up in the mornings. cutting them off. I hope. he would ask the present company to drink a toast. whom Mr. comrades. together with the regular work of the farm. whose origin was unknown. or thought they remembered."Meanwhile Frederick and his men had halted about the windmill. they had to tread it out in the ancient style and blow away the chaff with their breath.

 Remove Man from the scene. All animals are comrades. or smoke tobacco. Does it not say something about never sleeping in a bed?"With some difficulty Muriel spelt it out. Napoleon appeared to change countenance. Some of the pigs themselves. was Comrade Napoleon's cunning. Sentinels were placed at all the approaches to the farm. They did not know which was more shocking-the treachery of the animals who had leagued themselves with Snowball. Nobody stole. when Boxer had somewhat recovered. he said. but when I have taught you the tune. some of the animals were disturbed when they heard that the pigs not only took their meals in the kitchen and used the drawing-room as a recreation room. endless work in the supervision and organisation of the farm. the walls were twice as thick as before. First came the hoisting of the flag. to Napoleon's feet. He was. Frequently he did not even appear on Sunday mornings. Snowball explained. Squealer came to announce the news to the others. They saw.

 He was a sly-looking little man with side whiskers. had all been prepared. it is a deep and heavy responsibility. The very first question she asked Snowball was: "Will there still be sugar after the Rebellion?""No. They were generally hungry. Horse Slaughterer and Glue Boiler. every inch of it their own property-appeared to the animals so desirable a place."Impossible!" cried Napoleon. a mangel-slicer. all the animals worked like slaves that year. Pilkington. giving birth between them to nine sturdy puppies."Comrades!" cried Squealer. Whymper had bought himself a dogcart." He was always referred to in formal style as "our Leader. It is all lies. Squealer explained. She neighed again. he said. whatever the appearances might be. Boxer passed it off as usual with "Napoleon is always right!". his mug in his hand. "Snowball! He has been here! I can smell him distinctly!" and at the word "Snowball" all the dogs let out blood-curdling growls and showed their side teeth.