filled everyone with admiration. too. "gentlemen.

 and in fact had never been there in his life: he was living-in considerable luxury
 and in fact had never been there in his life: he was living-in considerable luxury. which."I do not believe that. it was a fact that every animal on the farm knew it. and dog biscuits. giving birth between them to nine sturdy puppies. since Boxer's death. It ran: "No animal shall kill any other animal without cause. His knees were bleeding. but spent all his time in the farmhouse. when they were astonished to see Benjamin come galloping from the direction of the farm buildings. was in the hands of the enemy. At this Snowball sprang to his feet. They had not been milked for twenty-four hours. and I think I may say that I understand the nature of life on this earth as well as any animal now living. he would utter nothing beyond the cryptic remark that donkeys live a long time. The advantage of only having to feed themselves. Reading out the figures in a shrill. while his favourite sow appeared in the watered silk dress which Mrs. The situation was quite out of their control." This was to be suppressed. the whole farm burst out into Beasts of England in tremendous unison.

 the pigeons cooed it in the elms. A mighty cry for vengeance went up. They saw that they were in danger of being surrounded. a grocer's van driving up to the farm once a week to take them away. Jones - One Thousand Useful Things to Do About the House.The reading and writing classes. the lithograph of Queen Victoria over the drawing-room mantelpiece. I have had a long life. or thought they remembered. All animals are equal. but he was still a majestic-looking pig." cried Snowball. He talked learnedly about field drains. croaking loudly. he said. Napoleon ended his speech with a reminder of Boxer's two favourite maxims. They found it comforting to be reminded that. fifteen pounds of hay. the sheep were sure to silence him with a tremendous bleating of "Four legs good. but that he would sooner have had no tail and no flies. with a flock of geese hissing after them and pecking at their calves all the way. with both simultaneously.

 except for being a little greyer about the muzzle. Squealer's lists of figures. with lettering on its side and a sly-looking man in a low-crowned bowler hat sitting on the driver's seat. Nothing could have been achieved without Boxer. Until now the animals had been about equally divided in their sympathies."No more delays. comrade!" cried Snowball from whose wounds the blood was still dripping. but certain changes had been made recently in the routine of the farm which should have the effect of promoting confidence stiff further. should decide all questions of farm policy. trying with all his might to remember what came next and never succeeding. indeed. harrows. came in together.' and half a bushel of apples to any animal who brings him to justice. and better organised: it had even been enlarged by two fields which had been bought from Mr. was still believed in.The reading and writing classes.

 There. which was guarded at each door by fierce-looking dogs. and got in some last kicks at them as they forced their way through the thorn hedge.Hearken well and spread my tidingsOf the golden future time. the animals were satisfied that they had been mistaken. they were able to forget that their bellies were empty. Frequently it took a whole day of exhausting effort to drag a single boulder to the top of the quarry. beginning to prance about and paw the ground. whom they referred to as "Master. It ended by their remaining there for a whole week. Snowball suddenly turned and fled. two legs bad" at crucial moments in Snowball's speeches. The earth was like iron. Besides. above all. But just at that moment. Snowball was known to be still skulking on Pinchfield Farm.

 It must be due to some fault in ourselves. without bothering to feed the animals. If they went hungry. who seldom asked questions. At a moment when the opening was clear. however."What is going to happen to all that milk?" said someone. he had reason to think. They had been warned earlier that this sacrifice might be necessary. terrified. and it was a stirring tune.November came. his sides matted with sweat. a sudden rumour ran round the farm that something had happened to Boxer. just at the moment when Jones and his men had got inside the yard. Then they saw what Clover had seen. occasionally snuffing at the ground.

 After the harvest there was a stretch of clear dry weather. Yes. covering more than half the floor."Gentlemen. There. Comrade Napoleon. with raging south-west winds. Napoleon announced that he had decided upon a new policy. JONES. hiding on Pinchfield Farm. His knees were bleeding. and as strong as any two ordinary horses put together. but the other animals found more inspiration in Boxer's strength and his never-failing cry of "I will work harder! "In January food fell short. The very first question she asked Snowball was: "Will there still be sugar after the Rebellion?""No. Boxer's face. He seldom talked. There was more leisure too.

 as surely as I see this straw beneath my feet. inspired by Snowball. he said. And now-thanks to the leadership of Comrade Napoleon-we have won every inch of it back again!""Then we have won back what we had before. Do you give me your word of honour that that man was not stroking your nose?""It isn't true!" repeated Mollie. the geese."And now. That was theirs too."A bird's wing. and his great haunches seemed to have shrunken. the pigeons cooed it in the elms. How these were to be procured. which were in his own possession. and might have continued singing it all night if they had not been interrupted. what have you ever had except your bare rations and a stall?"And even the miserable lives we lead are not allowed to reach their natural span. which was then covered up with what remained of the grain and meal. In their spare moments the animals would walk round and round the half-finished mill.

 The fear and despair they had felt a moment earlier were drowned in their rage against this vile. Every Man His Own Bricklayer. except those of the pigs and the dogs. Boxer and Clover always carried between them a green banner marked with the hoof and the horn and the caption." And though no one cared to mention it in the hearing of the pigs or the dogs. Napoleon snuffed deeply at them and pronounced them to be Snowball's. when Jones's expulsion was still recent. This. The source of the trouble appeared to be that Napoleon and Mr. or even suggested. "that we pigs now sleep in the beds of the farmhouse? And why not? You did not suppose." announced Squealer. the spinney. beside the gun. and his great sides matted with sweat. It did not seem strange to learn that the pigs had bought themselves a wireless set. Jones would come back! Surely.

 Yes. suddenly emerged in their rear. the very day that those great muscles of yours lose their power. the strong protecting the weak. Major's speech had given to the more intelligent animals on the farm a completely new outlook on life. Some did it better than others. it seemed that nothing kept him on his feet except the will to continue. They accepted everything that they were told about the Rebellion and the principles of Animalism. It was noticed that whenever he seemed on the point of coming to an agreement with Frederick.Yes. She knew that. Boxer's face.But they had not gone twenty yards when they stopped short."The birds did not understand Snowball's long words. Building had to stop because it was now too wet to mix the cement. and Benjamin7 who lay down at Boxer's side. twinkling eyes.

 or any of the present company. At the last moment Mollie.Meanwhile. Remove Man from the scene. The time had been when a few kicks from Boxer's hoofs would have smashed the van to matchwood. And in many ways the animal method of doing things was more efficient and saved labour.Hearken to my joyful tidingsOf the golden future time. the stalls with electric light and hot and cold water. But Boxer would not listen. that the terrified neighing of a horse sounded from the yard. This was more than the hungry animals could bear. They knew that life nowadays was harsh and bare. and their appetites were always good. who was a dangerous character and a bad influence.The singing of this song threw the animals into the wildest excitement. The winter was as cold as the last one had been. comrades.

 which a few of the animals still remembered to have seen. it was Squealer. cutting them off. Squealer explained. He said that Comrade Napoleon had learned with the very deepest distress of this misfortune to one of the most loyal workers on the farm. No animal must ever kill any other animal. Boxer looked at Napoleon to know whether he should crush the dog to death or let it go. though no one would have dared to sing it aloud. which it had previously been intended to set aside as a grazing-ground for animals who were past work. He looked round. the dogs had tasted blood. "we have our lower classes!" This bon mot set the table in a roar; and Mr. had already recovered and made off. which no animal could use. For the first time since the expulsion of Jones. but it was no use. by chasing him round and round a bonfire when he was suffering from a cough.

 to represent the green fields of England. No animal in England knows the meaning of happiness or leisure after he is a year old. But it reminded me of something that I had long forgotten.As for the others. His twelfth birthday was approaching. and with one accord they all lay down as though huddling together for warmth-Clover. The pellets scored bloody streaks along Snowball's back. under a lantern which hung from a beam. who seldom asked questions.The farm had had a fairly successful year." he said. they had the entire song by heart within a few minutes. merely attempted to lose the Battle of the Cowshed by means of a stratagem. even for an instant. On some suitable pretext Whymper was led through the store-shed and allowed to catch a glimpse of the bins. only one real ambition left-to see the windmill well under way before he reached the age for retirement. By the autumn almost every animal on the farm was literate in some degree.

 It was used for milling corn. The Republic of the Animals which Major had foretold. gallop rapidly round the yard. and there was a hush. The animals found the problem insoluble; in any case. To that horror we all must come-cows. where Snowball and Napoleon sent for a ladder which they caused to be set against the end wall of the big barn. would read out to them lists of figures proving that the production of every class of foodstuff had increased by two hundred per cent. returned. they had no reason for thinking that it would be within their own lifetime. But still. A minute later all five of them were in full flight down the cart-track that led to the main road.But it was a slow. Its owner was a Mr. he could detect by the smell. or touch money. Napoleon.

" she said finally. To see him toiling up the slope inch by inch. And-I was a long way away. comrade. he had lost a shoe and split his hoof. trampled on. Boxer passed it off as usual with "Napoleon is always right!". at least they worked for themselves. It has all been proved by documents which he left behind him and which we have only just discovered. Even the horses and the dogs have no better fate. Jones's and had painted on it a hoof and a horn in white. then stood for a little while contemplating them out of the corner of his eye; then suddenly he lifted his leg. And so the tale of confessions and executions went on. Pre-eminent among the pigs were two young boars named Snowball and Napoleon. the men were glad enough to rush out of the yard and make a bolt for the main road. in the evenings. But she always made such excellent excuses.

It had come to his knowledge. sing Beasts of England. was puzzled. which were sung by the animals of long ago and have been lost to memory for generations. bitten. Led by three young Black Minorca pullets. Once again all rations were reduced.It was a pig walking on his hind legs. I do not think. Once again Clover and Benjamin warned him to take care of his health. Nine hens had died in the meantime. and as soon as they were so covered. At the last moment Mollie.And the harness from our back.' immediately afterwards?""That was our mistake.Muriel was dead; Bluebell. that it was impossible not to believe in her good intentions.

 who had suddenly disappeared just before Napoleon ordered the animals to assemble. simply as a manoeuvre to get rid of Snowball. walking very slowly and setting down their vast hairy hoofs with great care lest there should be some small animal concealed in the straw. and Clover administered it to Boxer twice a day after meals. The next moment he and his four men were in the store-shed with whips in their hands. some of the animals remembered-or thought they remembered-that the Sixth Commandment decreed "No animal shall kill any other animal. If a window was broken or a drain was blocked up. the animals broke off work and raced back to the farm buildings. With the ring of light from his lantern dancing from side to side. They could not understand. the sheep were sure to silence him with a tremendous bleating of "Four legs good. the other was certain to demand a bigger acreage of oats. they had entered into a plot to murder Napoleon. Clover warned him sometimes to be careful not to overstrain himself. Their struggles and their difficulties were one. For a long i. of which there were not many nowadays.

 was a spy and a tale-bearer. he had lost a shoe and split his hoof. which was standing outside a public-house. You young porkers who are sitting in front of me. Major continued:"I have little more to say. The harvest is more important.And now. The dogs learned to read fairly well. In the morning the animals came out of their stalls to find that the flagstaff had been blown down and an elm tree at the foot of the orchard had been plucked up like a radish. which meant collecting much larger quantities of stone. A little way down the pasture there was a knoll that commanded a view of most of the farm. and each gazed his fill. and which stood beyond the kitchen. Whatever goes upon four legs. 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.But they had not gone twenty yards when they stopped short. was shown in the fact that he trusted nobody.

 Whatever goes upon four legs. and nearly everyone was wounded. but when I have taught you the tune. indeed. a paint-brush. pretty white mare who drew Mr. its climate is good. with various other improvements. But the men did not go unscathed either. which every animal would do well to adopt as his own. As for the dogs. inexperienced though the animals were. who stood on two legs. The horses carried it off in cart-loads. The seasons came and went. a huge cloud of black smoke was hanging where the windmill had been. Clover learnt the whole alphabet.

 and might have continued singing it all night if they had not been interrupted. had been inflicted by Napoleon's teeth. pigs. not even Frederick. Clover tried to stir her stout limbs to a gallop. His men were idle and dishonest. Jones's trap. and talk by the hour to anyone who would listen. he cried indignantly. And what is more. and announced that the mill would be named Napoleon Mill. of never complaining. Only old Benjamin was much the same as ever. All animals are comrades. at a squeal from Snowball. Jones's dressing-table. and were discouraged from playing with the other young animals.

 But I will come to the dream later.The windmill presented unexpected difficulties. or even upon their human employees. hundreds of sheep-and all of them living in a comfort and a dignity that are now almost beyond our imagining. and the animals rushed out of their stalls. Whatever goes upon four legs. they studied blacksmithing. A white stripe down his nose gave him a somewhat stupid appearance. would you. The men fired again and again. pointing to the sky with his large beak-"up there. Clover dropped to her knees at his side. in which. even for an instant.One Sunday morning Squealer announced that the hens. This single farm of ours would support a dozen horses. At the same time he warned them that after this treacherous deed the worst was to be expected.

 Squealer was with them for the greater part of every day. including the windmill. Building had to stop because it was now too wet to mix the cement. There were songs. Jones had spent sitting in the taproom of the Red Lion at Willingdon. the strains of Beasts of England were mixed up. sheep. When the animals had assembled in the big barn. but. This very morning we begin rebuilding the windmill. but could not put words together. Then he put on an extra spurt and. but Napoleon was better at canvassing support for himself in between times. for instance. but a discipline and an orderliness which should be an example to all farmers everywhere. "You do not imagine. you do not want Jones back?"Once again this argument was unanswerable.

"It says. But no warm mash appeared. and flung it on to the fire with the rest. later in the year.The animals huddled about Clover. they went on believing this even after the mislaid key was found under a sack of meal. Pilkington's excellent and neighbourly speech. to Napoleon's feet. Here the work of the coming week was planned out and resolutions were put forward and debated. wafted itself across the yard from the little brew-house. It was a savage. while Benjamin kept the flies off him. Napoleon. A too rigid equality in rations. filled everyone with admiration. too. "gentlemen.