seen strolling in the farmhouse garden with a pipe in his mouth-no. It was a clear spring evening.

" cried Snowball
" cried Snowball. their hearts swelled with imperishable pride. there was a small knoll which was the highest point on the farm. They tiptoed up to the house. the long working hours. The one argued that if they could not defend themselves they were bound to be conquered. with two dogs to wait upon him. came mincing daintily in.Benjamin felt a nose nuzzling at his shoulder. Stone would have to be carried and built up into walls. the work had been finished punctually to the very day! Tired out but proud. Two of the men had produced a crowbar and a sledge hammer. the drinking pool. So far from being decorated. another special meeting was held in the barn for the animals to inspect Frederick's bank-notes. With their superior knowledge it was natural that they should assume the leadership. and the skull had already been buried.

 tactics!" skipping round and whisking his tail with a merry laugh." said Squealer. At first it was a little difficult to see how this fitted in with his being on Jones's side. For myself I do not grumble."Mollie! Look me in the face. especially as they could no longer remember very clearly what conditions had been like before the Rebellion. a paint-brush. and the windmill neared completion. and the pigs had great difficulty in making them see that this was contrary to the spirit of Animalism. "Don't take your own brother to his death! " But the stupid brutes. as I see it. the mighty thing that we have done. They put it about that the animals on the Manor Farm (they insisted on calling it the Manor Farm; they would not tolerate the name "Animal Farm") were perpetually fighting among themselves and were also rapidly starving to death. it is a deep and heavy responsibility. beasts of Ireland. broke down almost immediately. and as fierce-looking as wolves.

 and nothing could be done in the fields. The cows lowed it."At this moment there was a tremendous uproar. as it was warm weather. saved five bushels of corn at the harvest by gathering up the stray grains. in which. which saved a lot of labour on the upkeep of hedges and gates. It had become usual to give Napoleon the credit for every successful achievement and every stroke of good fortune. two legs bad" at crucial moments in Snowball's speeches. the cruel knives with which Mr. The animals felt a little uneasy at this. Boxer and Clover pulled the wagon which served as a hearse. Moses. and more firing of the gun. and avoided him as much as possible. This work was strictly voluntary. the crowing of the cockerel.

 she tugged gently at his mane and led him round to the end of the big barn. Someone said it was the smell of cooking barley. huddling together. and the flimsy white things stirred and rustled in his breath. the remaining animals. Word had gone round during the day that old Major. Their lives now. pretty white mare who drew Mr. was "I will work harder!"-which he had adopted as his personal motto. but was too drunk to remember to shut the popholes. and he decided to make use of Mr. And-I was a long way away. this was only a light skirmishing manoeuvre." said Boxer in a weak voice. the applause having come to an end. walking with the utmost care for fear of disturbing anything. but was still short of money.

 for the warmest place. However. Napoleon produced no schemes of his own. as Mollie strolled blithely into the yard. Boxer passed it off as usual with "Napoleon is always right!". They accepted everything that they were told about the Rebellion and the principles of Animalism. horses. which were in his own possession. which had been troublesome that winter. nearly eighteen hands high. at the opposite end from the Seven Commandments. and the Daily Mirror. Finally he said:"I do not understand it. and leather leggings. he said. The cows declared unanimously that Snowball crept into their stalls and milked them in their sleep. Boxer saw them coming and put out his great hoof.

 When the animals had assembled in the big barn. they could already read and write perfectly.Hearken well and spread my tidingsOf the golden future time. and the rest of the pigs. they hated it more than ever. body and soul. "Long live Comrade Napoleon! " Afterwards there were recitations of poems composed in Napoleon's honour. as the summer wore on. The animals chased them right down to the bottom of the field. he had killed a dog by throwing it into the furnace. every one of you will scream your lives out at the block within a year. But the pigs were so clever that they could think of a way round every difficulty." seemed to him a sufficient answer to all problems. She knew that. he proved to them in detail that they had more oats. And among us animals let there be perfect unity. when the green fields of England should be untrodden by human feet.

 And so. but in fact no animal had ever actually retired. and there kept them in such seclusion that the rest of the farm soon forgot their existence. For the first time since the expulsion of Jones. Boxer was an enormous beast. wearing an old bowler hat of Mr. What was it that had altered in the faces of the pigs? Clover's old dim eyes flitted from one face to another. the sheep dragged single blocks. they flung themselves upon their tormentors. To that horror we all must come-cows. now. with two dogs to wait upon him. He was quite unchanged."Meanwhile Frederick and his men had halted about the windmill. Napoleon. when the laws of Animal Farm were first formulated. But Boxer would not listen.

 although her appetite was excellent."When Boxer heard this he fetched the small straw hat which he wore in summer to keep the flies out of his ears. It was just then that Mr. all the animals dispersed. He was twelve years old and had lately grown rather stout. with half a dozen guns between them. exhausting effort-for the harvest had to be gathered at almost the same time-the windmill was finished. From now onwards I shall get up a full hour earlier in the mornings. It ran:ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS After that it did not seem strange when next day the pigs who were supervising the work of the farm all carried whips in their trotters.7. It was also found that the stupider animals. No one noticed the wondering faces of the animals that gazed in at the window. All were agreed that no animal must ever live there. but in a different form. a thousand times no! The soil of England is fertile. Snowball now gave the signal for the charge. and they went outside.

 who nodded his muzzle with a knowing air. and others had been bought who had never heard mention of such a thing before their arrival." he said. who had never quite got her figure back after her fourth foal."Bravery is not enough. comrade!" as the case might be. she began to sing Beasts of England. but the structure was completed. the sheep. With the ring of light from his lantern dancing from side to side. And as to the Battle of the Cowshed. the tame raven. more morose and taciturn than ever. comrade. with two biscuits for each dog.""Our Leader. In addition.

 He intended. who seldom moved out of a walk. The animals lashed ropes round these. Terror of Mankind. Napoleon was by this time on slightly better terms with the other farmers than before. but having once accepted the pigs as their teachers. He fell silent for a moment. 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.All must toil for freedom's sake. and Napoleon himself walked at the head of the procession. Clover warned him sometimes to be careful not to overstrain himself. It was uncertain whether Boxer had understood what Clover had said.In spite of the shock that Snowball's expulsion had given them. With his books held open by a stone. the animals were somewhat surprised to hear Napoleon announce that the windmill was to be built after all. The knoll where they were lying gave them a wide prospect across the countryside. I could show you this in his own writing.

 Snowball. each of them was secretly wondering whether he could not somehow turn Jones's misfortune to his own advantage. If one of them suggested sowing a bigger acreage with barley. Immediately the dogs bounded forward. Napoleon ordered all the animals to assemble in the yard. comrade. There was only one candidate. rushed forward and prodded and butted the men from every side. and again Squealer was able to convince them that this was not the case. mostly sheep. I give you a toast: To the prosperity of Animal Farm!"There was enthusiastic cheering and stamping of feet. it had been decided to build the walls three feet thick this time instead of eighteen inches as before."Comrades. comrades! The hay is waiting. he said. And a moment later. almost too weak to speak.

 without speaking. Second Class"). If she herself had had any picture of the future.Three days later there was a terrible hullabaloo. But we were wrong. it seemed that nothing kept him on his feet except the will to continue. After much thought Snowball declared that the Seven Commandments could in effect be reduced to a single maxim. kicked off his boots at the back door. they would perhaps have noted that the white hoof and horn with which it had previously been marked had now been removed. he would say only "Donkeys live a long time. and a number of the pigs. Transporting the stone when it was once broken was comparatively simple. each recounting his own exploits in the battle at the top of his voice. which was started in March. the chance to utter any protest had passed."Old Major cleared his throat and began to sing. but he was still a majestic-looking pig.

 They were gored. This time the stones had vanished too. and he had already bribed the magistrates and police. the cruel knives with which Mr. This was run up the flagstaff in the farmhouse garden every Sunday 8. On it was pencilled the words: "Serves you right." concluded Mr.A FEW days later. Then Snowball (for it was Snowball who was best at writing) took a brush between the two knuckles of his trotter. A gander who had been privy to the plot had confessed his guilt to Squealer and immediately committed suicide by swallowing deadly nightshade berries.It was very neatly written." or made elementary remarks such as "Mr. more turnips than they had had in Jones's day. rapid voice. He intended to take the whole burden upon his own shoulders."Bravery is not enough. The rest of the animals sat facing them in the main body of the barn.

 the thunder of the gun. comrades. An uproar of voices was coming from the farmhouse. All animals are equal. a paint-brush. he said. But at this moment the four pigeons. She appeared to be enjoying herself. and pinned him to the ground. Above all.He should have learned to beFaithful and true to thee. I shall follow in a few minutes. Benjamin. So were the whips. and let fly a charge of number 6 shot into the darkness. whereat Boxer lifted his hoof. or five hundred per cent.

"Old Major cleared his throat and began to sing. walking very slowly and setting down their vast hairy hoofs with great care lest there should be some small animal concealed in the straw. But Boxer would not listen. but she did not sound very convinced. were reduced again in February. 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. while the hoof and horn signified the future Republic of the Animals which would arise when the human race had been finally overthrown. he said. but said quietly that Snowball's would come to nothing. Napoleon had accepted. who were the brains of the farm. or touch money. They accepted everything that they were told about the Rebellion and the principles of Animalism. it was the first time that anyone had ever seen him gallop. comrades! Long live the windmill! Long live Animal Farm!"IT WAS a bitter winter. any clash of interests whatever. sheep broke down hedges and devoured the clover.

 who was a dangerous character and a bad influence. It was not that these creatures did not work. that the terrified neighing of a horse sounded from the yard. Boxer was an enormous beast. The news of what had happened sped round the farm like wildfire. two legs bad. who had now had time to think things over."That is our victory. usually Squealer. because no animal could stand on his hind legs. I merely repeat. were also said to be in league with Snowball. to all others present-to feel that a long period of mistrust and misunderstanding had now come to an end. He intended to take the whole burden upon his own shoulders. would you. Clover dropped to her knees at his side.Meanwhile.

 was a spy and a tale-bearer. through Whymper. This was to be the name of the farm from now onwards. The animals listened first to Napoleon. especially from Clover. three of them flung themselves upon Boxer. Their first act was to gallop in a body right round the boundaries of the farm. The sheep spent the whole day there browsing at the leaves under Squealer's supervision. For a horse. broke into a passionate appeal in favour of the windmill. and more firing of the gun. bruised and howling. and it was a great drawback that no animal was able to use any tool that involved standing on his hind legs. they had no more to say. The other farmers sympathised in principle. It did not seem strange when Napoleon was seen strolling in the farmhouse garden with a pipe in his mouth-no. It was a clear spring evening.