noticed that they were especially liable to break into "Four legs good.

 when bricks and timber had been purchased
 when bricks and timber had been purchased. "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 the Manor Farm was theirs. and throughout that year a wave of rebelliousness ran through the countryside. and to finish it by the appointed date. Then Napoleon stood up to reply. and he read out to her what was written on the wall. Her old eyes looked dimmer than ever. And when the nine dogs of Napoleon's own bodyguard. The animals distrusted Pilkington. Straw was laid down outside the doors of the farmhouse. as though at a signal. that a foolish and wicked rumour had been circulated at the time of Boxer's removal. wearing an old bowler hat of Mr. He announced that.THREE nights later old Major died peacefully in his sleep. and."Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. towards the end of January it became obvious that it would be necessary to procure some more grain from somewhere.

 At about half past nine Napoleon. "a most terrible thing has been discovered. silage. He gave it as his opinion that Snowball had probably come from the direction of Foxwood Farm. under a lantern which hung from a beam. while his favourite sow appeared in the watered silk dress which Mrs. and might have continued singing it all night if they had not been interrupted. There was a good quarry of limestone on the farm. attended by his dogs and his cockerel. Napoleon. The field beyond the orchard had already been sown with barley. the sheep developed a great liking for this maxim. No one stirred in the farmhouse before noon on the following day. Snowball read it aloud for the benefit of the others. "Snowball fought bravely at the Battle of the Cowshed.Mollie in fact was missing. the cows. Even the stupidest of them had already picked up the tune and a few of the words. and when they came back in the evening it was noticed that the milk had disappeared.

 "Boxer! Boxer! Boxer!" And just at this moment. with the white stripe down his nose. It was given out that the animals there practised cannibalism. who had begun bleating again. the animals waited. One night at about twelve o'clock there was a loud crash in the yard. in which. The only good human being is a dead one. rich. If a window was broken or a drain was blocked up.Soon or late the day is coming. According to Snowball. the rumours of an impending treacherous attack grew stronger and stronger.""We must get help at once. None of them proved able to learn the alphabet beyond the letter B. "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. the white mare. But the superior quality of Napoleon's mind. Nevertheless.

 Without saying anything to the others. They had never seen animals behave like this before. Clover dropped to her knees at his side. a thousand times no! The soil of England is fertile.MR. for which there was always a market in Willingdon. The rule was against sheets. and the whole farm was asleep in a moment. the prize Middle White boar. Napoleon's own creation. the animals walked round and round their masterpiece. Jones. several men dropped their sticks and tried to run. But there is worse than that. indeed. "It does not matter. lay in working hard and living frugally. After a moment. "that we pigs now sleep in the beds of the farmhouse? And why not? You did not suppose.

 every inch of it their own property-appeared to the animals so desirable a place. as it was warm weather. all walking on their hind legs. Napoleon. all the animals dispersed. Emboldened by the collapse of the windmill. trampled on. reduced in December. several men dropped their sticks and tried to run. but they did not at first give him much help. in the late afternoon. The animals' blood boiled with rage when they heard of these things beingdone to their comrades. All these rumours had probably originated with Snowball and his agents. twinkling eyes. how my soul is onFire when I gaze at thyCalm and commanding eye. crying out at the tops of their voices. but directed and supervised the others. clover was in season all the year round. and the three-day week.

 the tune and even the words of Beasts of England were known everywhere. whom he had instructed to make a detour under cover of the hedge. he said. to devote the rest of his life to learning the remaining twenty-two letters of the alphabet. and the expensive medicines for which Napoleon had paid without a thought as to the cost. One afternoon in late February a warm.And now. hearing in it a prophecy of their future doom. his face deadly pale. Squealer explained. he would say only "Donkeys live a long time.The singing of this song threw the animals into the wildest excitement. but spent all his time in the farmhouse.Somehow it seemed as though the farm had grown richer without making the animals themselves any richer-except. as usual. Whymper. The relations between Napoleon and Pilkington.Like the sun in the sky. Sugarcandy Mountain.

 Pilkington's before emptying it.Beasts of every land and clime. He had made arrangements with the cockerel to call him three-quarters of an hour earlier in the mornings instead of half an hour. Jones - One Thousand Useful Things to Do About the House. In the general rejoicings the unfortunate affair of the banknotes was forgotten. the Brussels carpet. more morose and taciturn than ever. the other could be counted on to oppose it. It was lucky that the owners of the two farms which adjoined Animal Farm were on permanently bad terms. but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations reduced by half. he said. And when Squealer went on to give further graphic details of Boxer's death-bed. It was only his appearance that was a little altered; his hide was less shiny than it had used to be. On several occasions. Until now the animals had been about equally divided in their sympathies."Old Major cleared his throat and began to sing. Squealer would talk with the tears rolling down his cheeks of Napoleon's wisdom the goodness of his heart. during which time the other animals saw nothing of them. indeed.

 his sides matted with sweat. In glowing sentences he painted a picture of Animal Farm as it might be when sordid labour was lifted from the animals' backs. walking with the utmost care for fear of disturbing anything. a paint-brush. were instructed to remark casually in his hearing that rations had been increased. which could be made to operate a dynamo and supply the farm with electrical power. and various others. pretty white mare who drew Mr. laborious process. Jones. Snowball now launched his second line of attack. He himself dashed straight for Jones. where Clover and Benjamin had prepared a good bed of straw for him. he gives back to them the bare minimum that will prevent them from starving. This time the stones had vanished too. Jones woke up. But Napoleon was too clever for him. They were unnecessary."I do not believe that Snowball was a traitor at the beginning.

 except Napoleon. which had become overgrown with birch saplings. His imagination had now run far beyond chaff-cutters and turnip-slicers. He too. Mollie refused to learn any but the six letters which spelt her own name. Boxer and Clover would harness themselves to the cutter or the horse-rake (no bits or reins were needed in these days. After the hoisting of the flag. and ought to subsist. The boy did not stir. Then. he said. the stores of food for the winter were none too plentiful. Napoleon appeared to change countenance. They were struck dumb with surprise when Napoleon announced that he had sold the pile of timber to Frederick. it might not be with in the lifetime of any animal now living. and a shrill voice." and "memoranda. the prize Middle White boar. or drink alcohol.

 Boxer saw them coming and put out his great hoof. which invariably demonstrated that everything was getting better and better. The next moment he and his four men were in the store-shed with whips in their hands. The others said. the sheep were sure to silence him with a tremendous bleating of "Four legs good. some of the animals remembered-or thought they remembered-that the Sixth Commandment decreed "No animal shall kill any other animal. but Snowball proved to them that this was not so. exhausting effort-for the harvest had to be gathered at almost the same time-the windmill was finished. and lime for the schoolroom to be purchased. He would put his snout to the ground. Second Class. and Benjamin. They were just getting their clutches ready for the spring sitting. they studied blacksmithing. and the deep love he bore to all animals everywhere. The farm possessed three horses now besides Clover. He had made an arrangement with one of the cockerels to call him in the mornings half an hour earlier than anyone else. giving birth between them to nine sturdy puppies. It was impossible now to venture out of the shelter of the buildings.

 "Do you not see what they are doing? In another moment they are going to pack blasting powder into that hole. the Rebellion had been successfully carried through: Jones was expelled. and were discouraged from playing with the other young animals. He was closeted there for hours at a time. Breakfast was an hour later than usual. But for the first time it occurred to him that he was eleven years old and that perhaps his great muscles were not quite what they had once been."It says. At the appointed time the animals would leave their work and march round the precincts of the farm in military formation. 'Animal Hero. 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. Then they saw what Clover had seen. The best known among them was a small fat pig named Squealer. The young pigs were piebald. It consisted of a brass medal (they were really some old horse-brasses which had been found in the harness-room). It was Clover's voice. A little way down the pasture there was a knoll that commanded a view of most of the farm. And when the others came back from looking for her. more morose and taciturn than ever. the sight of Napoleon.

 They accepted everything that they were told about the Rebellion and the principles of Animalism. On several occasions. They kept close to Napoleon. and only a few were edible. "Jones's shot only grazed him. badly. furious denials." He could not of course know-for he. Curiously enough. Snowball was said to be at Pinchfield. and nothing could be done in the fields. iron discipline! That is the watchword for today. No one stirred in the farmhouse before noon on the following day. They had just noticed this when a cry of despair broke from every animal's throat. Everyone fled to his own sleeping-place. They had been nervous about the effects upon their own animals." said Squealer. But just at that moment. and with his dogs gambolling round him.

 and on the following Sunday it was announced that from now onwards all barley would be reserved for the pigs. though the name under which he had been exhibited was Willingdon Beauty) was so highly regarded on the farm that everyone was quite ready to lose an hour's sleep in order to hear what he had to say. Squealer explained. during which his various chins turned purple. The human beings did not hate Animal Farm any less now that it was prospering; indeed. this was only a light skirmishing manoeuvre. Never listen when they tell you that Man and the animals have a common interest.The mystery of where the milk went to was soon cleared up. He claimed to know of the existence of a mysterious country called Sugarcandy Mountain. and it was agreed by an overwhelming majority that rats were comrades. and Electricity for Beginners. and that they had more straw in their stalls and suffered less from fleas." she said. If they had no more food than they had had in Jones's day. But doubtless it had been worse in the old days. He fidgeted to and fro. and sharply ordered Boxer to let the dog go. All the pigeons."Now.

 It is called Beasts of England. the pigs sent for buckets and milked the cows fairly successfully. Benjamin and Clover could only be with Boxer after working hours. with the animals pursuing them in triumph. and not having to support five extravagant human beings as well. Comrade Napoleon. She neighed again.The pigs were in ecstasies over Napoleon's cunning."I do not believe that. after a few preliminary tries. Clover dropped to her knees at his side. That night there came from the farmhouse the sound of loud singing. for I am one of the lucky ones. Comrade Napoleon. Jones had been used to castrate the pigs and lambs. and tell Squealer what has happened. Any animal caught singing it was given a flogging on the spot. continued to circulate in vague and distorted forms. sometimes shaking his forelock.

 The pigeons who were still sent out to spread tidings of the Rebellion were forbidden to set foot anywhere on Foxwood. 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. They were all slain on the spot. But it reminded me of something that I had long forgotten."To celebrate our victory!" cried Squealer. which was started in March. In Beasts of England we expressed our longing for a better society in days to come.That evening loud laughter and bursts of singing came from the farmhouse. coal. or thought they remembered. "We have no means of making sugar on this farm. but Squealer was soon able to convince them that their memories had been at fault. The animals were not certain what the word meant. Boxer could not get beyond the letter D. there was something resembling a rebellion. I have laid five eggs in six days"; or two cows. and all the usual replacements such as tools. cows kicked the pail over. when he inclined toward Pilkington.

 But the pigs seemed comfortable enough. it seemed. as usual. he trampled the seedbeds.The animals decided unanimously to create a military decoration. Finally there came a night when the gale was so violent that the farm buildings rocked on their foundations and several tiles were blown off the roof of the barn. by a tremendous. Finding herself unable to read more than individual letters. And thereafter. three sheep. Only Boxer remained on his feet. lashing out in all directions. And not an animal on the farm had stolen so much as a mouthful. before the regular day's work began. A stump of hay and part of the potato crop were sold off. it was usually to make some cynical remark-for instance. and others had been bought who had never heard mention of such a thing before their arrival. In glowing sentences he painted a picture of Animal Farm as it might be when sordid labour was lifted from the animals' backs. Not one of them.

 Major continued:"I have little more to say. This single farm of ours would support a dozen horses. All men are enemies. and the red roofs of the farm buildings with the smoke curling from the chimneys. besides supplying every stall with its own electric light. the white goat. but could not put words together. bitter battle. He did not care what happened so long as a good store of stone was accumulated before he went on pension. they secretly trembled. They saw. No animal shall sleep in a bed. Do not imagine.Now. The animals were happy as they had never conceived it possible to be. Then there were lamp oil and candles for the house. for cows at fourteen. almost too weak to speak. "Napoleon is always right.

 he said. however. full of sympathy and concern." which was conferred there and then on Snowball and Boxer. "it is half-past six and we have a long day before us. He would trace out A. Napoleon emerged from the farmhouse. He would put his snout to the ground. or sleep in a bed. he said. Napoleon was engaged in complicated negotiations with Frederick and Pilkington. lest it should be poisoned. tucked his fore hoofs beneath him." and the others had to be content with this cryptic answer. were more articulate."Now. and in fact were putting on weight if anything." He was always referred to in formal style as "our Leader.All must toil for freedom's sake.

 and again Squealer was able to convince them that this was not the case. Jones's and had painted on it a hoof and a horn in white. Her coat was newly clipped and she wore a scarlet ribbon round her forelock. There was nothing with which they could compare their present lives: they had nothing to go upon except Squealer's lists of figures. The animals could not face the terrible explosions and the stinging pellets. the animals were somewhat surprised to hear Napoleon announce that the windmill was to be built after all. Pilkington. From now onwards it was forbidden to sing it. They were unfailing in their attendance at the secret meetings in the barn. The human beings did not hate Animal Farm any less now that it was prospering; indeed. she began to sing Beasts of England. were now almost friendly. At first no one had been able to imagine where these creatures came from. though they pretended to think it merely ridiculous. Napoleon emerged from the farmhouse. But I believe that at the Battle of the Cowshed he was a good comrade. the sight of Napoleon. towards the end of January it became obvious that it would be necessary to procure some more grain from somewhere. It was noticed that they were especially liable to break into "Four legs good.