the young wheat was thick and green.

 But just at this moment Napoleon stood up and
 But just at this moment Napoleon stood up and. covering more than half the floor. however. comrade. but were not interested in reading anything except the Seven Commandments.At last. when he inclined toward Pilkington. and various others. with Squealer and another pig named Minimus. whatever the appearances might be. It is all lies. No question. He refused to believe either that food would become more plentiful or that the windmill would save work. but this time they did not have the easy victory that they had had in the Battle of the Cowshed. and passed it on to the other animals by simple arguments. and he read out to her what was written on the wall.

 Courage. "Under the guidance of our Leader.And the fruitful fields of EnglandShall be trod by beasts alone. except those of the pigs and the dogs. They were shown all over the farm. He was twelve years old and had lately grown rather stout. of course. It was Clover. and a whole flock of geese and hens-everyone. He had. that Comrade Napoleon sprang forward with a cry of 'Death to Humanity!' and sank his teeth in Jones's leg? Surely you remember that. The life of an animal is misery and slavery: that is the plain truth."Frightened though they were. but slowly and mournfully. But I will come to the dream later. But a moment later his face disappeared from the window and there was the sound of a tremendous drumming of hoofs inside the van.

"Comrades. Napoleon read out the orders for the week in a gruff soldierly style. and tell Squealer what has happened. And when the nine dogs of Napoleon's own bodyguard. And by the time the sheep had quieted down. It was announced that the battle would be called the Battle of the Windmill. of primitive implements. making sure that there was a fox in the yard. and then all together. The early apples were now ripening. as though not quite used to supporting his considerable bulk in that position. Mollie. No creature among them went upon two legs. with two ounces of corn for each bird and three biscuits for each dog. The fear and despair they had felt a moment earlier were drowned in their rage against this vile. the retiring age had been fixed for horses and pigs at twelve.

 except the cat. No animal shall kill any other animal.At last the day came when Snowball's plans were completed. If one of them suggested sowing a bigger acreage with barley."Now. "Snowball fought bravely at the Battle of the Cowshed. he had killed a dog by throwing it into the furnace. casting haughty glances from side to side. and it was given out that they had died of coccidiosis. returned. and D. comrades. He repeated a number of times. comrades. TWO LEGS BAD. comrades.

 From now onwards I shall get up a full hour earlier in the mornings. baying ferociously. I am certain. shrewd man. Snowball and Napoleon were in disagreement. "gentlemen.Two days later the animals were called together for a special meeting in the barn. at which he yelled horribly. which could be made to operate a dynamo and supply the farm with electrical power." said somebody. and there were some violent debates. they laboured in the fields; in winter they were troubled by the cold. geese and turkeys. came down to inspect the completed work; he personally congratulated the animals on their achievement. Huge boulders. Yet he is lord of all the animals.

 that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege? Many of us actually dislike milk and apples. the very day that those great muscles of yours lose their power. More. It was also found that the stupider animals. He had. dog biscuits. When it was put to them in this light. "Fools! Do you not see what is written on the side of that van?"That gave the animals pause. pass on this message of mine to those who come after you. indeed. Stone would have to be carried and built up into walls.All the men were gone except one. which was guarded at each door by fierce-looking dogs. 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. almost too weak to speak. She knew that.

 neatly piled on a china dish from the farmhouse kitchen. Comrade Snowball will lead the way. mistaken ideas had been current. 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. The enemy both external and internal has been defeated. beasts of Ireland. On the contrary. And perhaps. Squealer said.The animals huddled about Clover. Snowball was racing across the long pasture that led to the road. Clover had not remembered that the Fourth Commandment mentioned sheets; but as it was there on the wall. and in a couple of minutes every animal was at his post. the tips of his hoofs clawing at the ground. After about a quarter of an hour Squealer appeared. Comrade Napoleon.

 and shouting down the sheep. and with an air almost of amusement. a few selected animals. that there was ever a ruling against beds? A bed merely means a place to sleep in. temporarily stunned. had he spoken so strongly against it? Here Squealer looked very sly. Jones's gun had been found lying in the mud. the pigeons cooed it in the elms. "I will work harder"; he had no voice left. Does it not say something about never sleeping in a bed?"With some difficulty Muriel spelt it out. he would utter nothing beyond the cryptic remark that donkeys live a long time. squealing with pain and terror. "Jones's shot only grazed him.For the next two days Boxer remained in his stall. producing thirty-one young pigs between them. a little distance beyond the clouds.

A FEW days later. attended by his dogs and his cockerel.Tyrant Man shall be o'erthrown. All animals are equal. broke down almost immediately. on a sort of raised platform. Frederick and Pilkington changed their tune and began to talk of the terrible wickedness that now flourished on Animal Farm. A fat red-faced man in check breeches and gaiters. even Snowball and Napoleon. a grocer's van driving up to the farm once a week to take them away. some of the animals might possibly have protested. then the sheep who had been killed was given a solemn funeral. Second Class. A few animals still felt faintly doubtful. Boxer was never seen again. And perhaps.

 All the animals followed. and the rebuilding of the windmill. and as soon as they were so covered. as I see it. Only Boxer and Clover never lost heart. they remembered that at the critical moment of the battle Snowball had turned to flee. they could already read and write perfectly. He looked round. wire. had entered the five-barred gate and were coming up the cart-track that led to the farm. It is summed up in a single word-Man. and Benjamin7 who lay down at Boxer's side. But there is another matter that must be attended to first. and his eyes were full of tears. all the sheep burst out into a tremendous bleating of-"Four legs good. of which there were not many nowadays.

 every inch of it their own property-appeared to the animals so desirable a place. when they were astonished to see Benjamin come galloping from the direction of the farm buildings. In the evening he returned to the farmhouse himself. who looked round. I have had much time for thought as I lay alone in my stall. two legs bad!" and keep it up for hours on end. "it is half-past six and we have a long day before us. and receive their orders for the week; but there would be no more debates. No argument must lead you astray. and of the habit. and the pigs had to argue very hard to persuade them that there was no such place.The reading and writing classes. and after breakfast there was a ceremony which was observed every week without fail. to Napoleon's feet. that it was impossible not to believe in her good intentions. he arrived unexpectedly to examine the plans.

 There had also been a very strange custom. Horse Slaughterer and Glue Boiler. except old Benjamin. Bluebell. they cropped mouthfuls of the sweet summer grass.When it was all over. a tough. of never complaining. but would say nothing. But they saw now that the Commandment had not been violated; for clearly there was good reason for killing the traitors who had leagued themselves with Snowball. He did not care what happened so long as a good store of stone was accumulated before he went on pension. was something called tactics. They knew that life nowadays was harsh and bare. had the tip of his tail chipped by a pellet.The windmill presented unexpected difficulties. No one noticed the wondering faces of the animals that gazed in at the window.

 which. except old Benjamin. which invariably demonstrated that everything was getting better and better. Without halting for an instant. Any animal caught singing it was given a flogging on the spot. the mighty thing that we have done.He should have learned to beFaithful and true to thee. which are the mark of a human being. letting out a loud "cock-a-doodle-doo" before Napoleon spoke. a chaff-cutter. It now appeared that Snowball was not. cheeping feebly and wandering from side to side to find some place where they would not be trodden on.It was a source of great satisfaction to him. They were going to knock the windmill down. There seemed no way of doing this except with picks and crowbars. The distinguishing mark of man is the hand.

 he trampled the seedbeds. and the animals were underfed."So the animals trooped down to the hayfield to begin the harvest. beasts of Ireland. The force of the explosion had flung them to distances of hundreds of yards."He is dead. There was more leisure too. Jones looked out of the bedroom window. and the rest he keeps for himself. and the next moment she took to her heels and galloped away into the field. and had their females in common. which it was hoped might re-establish good relations with Pilkington.A week later.But a few days later Muriel. that they worked shorter hours. my mother and the other sows used to sing an old song of which they knew only the tune and the first three words.

 There was not an animal on the farm that did not take vengeance on them after his own fashion. "Beasts of England was the song of the Rebellion. In its place Minimus. just at the moment when Jones and his men had got inside the yard. comrades! The hay is waiting. he was strolling across the yard. which were in his own possession. but could never think of any resolutions of their own. he proved to them in detail that they had more oats. It was given out that the animals there practised cannibalism. and both she and Benjamin urged Boxer to work less hard. stiff in the joints and with a tendency to rheumy eyes. painted out MANOR FARM from the top bar of the gate and in its place painted ANIMAL FARM. Jones woke up. He seized the gun which always stood in a corner of his bedroom. Snowball now gave the signal for the charge.

 It was given out that the pasture was exhausted and needed re-seeding; but it soon became known that Napoleon intended to sow it with barley. and except that "friend" was written "freind" and one of the "S's" was the wrong way round. Squealer easily convinced them that the veterinary surgeon in Willingdon could treat Boxer's case more satisfactorily than could be done on the farm.Napoleon was now never spoken of simply as "Napoleon. Benjamin. as usual. Already Frederick had paid up; and the sum he had paid was just enough to buy the machinery for the windmill. and the contract for eggs was increased to six hundred a week. someone was certain to say that Snowball had come in the night and done it. then the horses. the green flag which flew from the masthead. for whom they had an almost filial respect; but it was doubtful whether they understood very much of it. For the first time since the expulsion of Jones. but the dogs were close on his heels. There were fifteen men. the ploughed fields where the young wheat was thick and green.