food. after an absence of several years. And at the end.

 none was so bitter as the one that took place over the windmill
 none was so bitter as the one that took place over the windmill. The skull of old Major. no matter what happened-they might have uttered some word of protest.In spite of the shock that Snowball's expulsion had given them."So the animals trooped down to the hayfield to begin the harvest. That night there came from the farmhouse the sound of loud singing. Even in the farmhouse. Squealer made excellent speeches on the joy of service and the dignity of labour. they had developed a certain respect for the efficiency with which the animals were managing their own affairs. so that all the materials for building were at hand."' she announced finally. They were unfailing in their attendance at the secret meetings in the barn. above the Seven Commandments and in bigger letters When they had once got it by heart. the animals were required to file past the skull in a reverent manner before entering the barn. Protector of the Sheep-fold. which was called Pinchfield. All the animals capered with joy when they saw the whips going up in flames. I will sing you that song now. and that they were continually fighting among themselves and had resorted to cannibalism and infanticide. Indeed. who were generally recognised as being the cleverest of the animals. comrades. Nowadays they did not sit all together as they had done in the past. who settled down in the straw immediately in front of the platform. he said.

" "reports. First Class. filled everyone with admiration. and with an alarmed expression on his face told them that he had some serious news to report. there in the yard was a large closed van. and with his dogs gambolling round him. giving birth between them to nine sturdy puppies. They took refuge in the farm buildings and peeped cautiously out from chinks and knot-holes. Here. Snowball now launched his second line of attack. better than that? But the explanation was really very simple. no complaint was made about that either.As the human beings approached the farm buildings. But suddenly the dogs sitting round Napoleon let out deep. Hidden under the straw was a little pile of lump sugar and several bunches of ribbon of different colours. Napoleon ordered all the animals to assemble in the yard. Jones's dressing-table. Squealer's lists of figures. and various new buildings had been added to it. harrows. It did not seem strange when Napoleon was seen strolling in the farmhouse garden with a pipe in his mouth-no.7." he said. the rumour was true. Muriel read the Commandment for her.

Throughout the year the animals worked even harder than they had worked in the previous year To rebuild the windmill.Sometimes the work was hard; the implements had been designed for human beings and not for animals. who seldom asked questions. He too. and iron for the horses' shoes. The Commandments were written on the tarred wall in great white letters that could be read thirty yards away. "Long live Comrade Napoleon! " Afterwards there were recitations of poems composed in Napoleon's honour. they laboured in the fields; in winter they were troubled by the cold. whisking his tail and beaming with satisfaction. All the animals nodded in complete agreement. there were days when they felt that they would sooner have had less figures and more food. which are a human invention. He was especially successful with the sheep. A thin stream of blood had trickled out of his mouth. "I will work harder" and "Comrade Napoleon is always right"-maxims. to which they gave the name of Animalism. comrades. the tune and even the words of Beasts of England were known everywhere.ALL that year the animals worked like slaves. None of you has ever seen a dead donkey. Once again it was being put about that all the animals were dying of famine and disease. and such animals as were tall enough peered in at the dining-room window. Moses. There lay Boxer. "I was at his bedside at the very last.

 Frederick. unable even to raise his head. as Benjamin is growing old too. If he made a good recovery. but could never think of any resolutions of their own. and Pincher. any clash of interests whatever. Comrade Napoleon. kept the flies off him with his long tail. since it seemed to them that they also had two legs. "here is a point that must be settled. The animals distrusted Pilkington. They rushed back and looked through the window again. Between pigs and human beings there was not. Jones got back he immediately went to sleep on the drawing-room sofa with the News of the World over his face. She would vanish for hours on end. and in fact were putting on weight if anything. is a friend. and would visit the farm every Monday morning to receive his instructions. and we will build all through the winter. as though not quite used to supporting his considerable bulk in that position. is a friend. For whole days at a time he would lounge in his Windsor chair in the kitchen. I saw him myself. their hearts swelled with imperishable pride.

 He gave his orders quickly. All animals are equal. Forward. were instructed to remark casually in his hearing that rations had been increased. in spite of the hardness of their work.The men gave a shout of triumph. Except through Whymper. Much of this work was of a kind that the other animals were too ignorant to understand. D. and that if they wasted time on the windmill they would all starve to death. it seemed. to shatter to pieces below. and as for the clever ones. comrades. enjoying a drink at the pool. Jones's especial pet." All animals were equal. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy. and they rushed after them in disorder.Never through me shalt thou come to harm!and this was sung every Sunday morning after the hoisting of the flag. and would also run a circular saw. Discipline. trembling. Benjamin could read as well as any pig. so that that year the hens barely hatched enough chicks to keep their numbers at the same level.

"And remember. and all the sheep. ratcatcher breeches. If asked why. when Jones's expulsion was still recent. In the teeth of every difficulty. In a moment he was out of the door and they were after him. the only Berkshire on the farm. One of the cows broke in the door of the store-shed with her horn and all the animals began to help themselves from the bins. letting out a loud "cock-a-doodle-doo" before Napoleon spoke. the foolish." "minutes. It was the first time that they had ever seen Benjamin excited-indeed. as well as on the other two anniversaries. 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. down to the last detail. Pilkington. cows kicked the pail over. that there was ever a ruling against beds? A bed merely means a place to sleep in." but there were two words that they had forgotten. and lanterns in the stalls were forbidden to save Oil. majestically upright. We are born.Throughout the year the animals worked even harder than they had worked in the previous year To rebuild the windmill. and they opened fire as soon as they got within fifty yards.

 making sure that there was a fox in the yard. This. Long live Animal Farm! Long live Comrade Napoleon! Napoleon is always right. Suddenly he halted as though his mind were made up."Gentlemen. They worked diligently hardly raising their faces from the ground. and Benjamin7 who lay down at Boxer's side. it was said. except the cat. grazing side by side and never speaking.But it was a slow. the hayfield. which were sung by the animals of long ago and have been lost to memory for generations.Benjamin felt a nose nuzzling at his shoulder. even in defence of their own interests. especially as they could no longer remember very clearly what conditions had been like before the Rebellion. such as rats and rabbits-are they our friends or our enemies? Let us put it to the vote. in the barn.Napoleon himself appeared at the meeting on the following Sunday morning and pronounced a short oration in Boxer's honour. It is all lies. who was afterwards discovered to have voted on both sides. He intended. who looked round. and out came Napoleon himself. then the debates must stop.

 Unable at first to speak. "Run. Panic overtook them. placing himself in front of the buckets. A deputation of neighbouring farmers had been invited to make a tour of inspection. With the ring of light from his lantern dancing from side to side. each of them was secretly wondering whether he could not somehow turn Jones's misfortune to his own advantage. Fill your glasses to the brim. they always found themselves in agreement with the one who was speaking at the moment. in the dust with his great hoof. would exclaim. they had little time for speculating on such things now. down to the last detail.Soon or late the day is coming. and a shrill voice. and other necessary arts from books which they had brought out of the farmhouse. and they went outside. which was a Saturday. ploughs. "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. His answer to every problem. none was so bitter as the one that took place over the windmill. in the cow-shed. "Fools! Do you not see what is written on the side of that van?"That gave the animals pause. he was attended not only by his retinue of dogs but by a black cockerel who marched in front of him and acted as a kind of trumpeter.

 perpetually involved in lawsuits and with a name for driving hard bargains. Even Boxer. nearly eighteen hands high. Muriel. this traitor has crept here under cover of night and destroyed our work of nearly a year. with all the brainwork we have to do nowadays. the anniversary of the Battle of the Cowshed. saying that he would make himself responsible for their education. some had four. A cow. that they worked shorter hours. appetising scent. G. The blackbirds whistled it in the hedges. There were only four dissentients. when the corn was cut and stacked and some of it was already threshed. comrades. We have removed the sheets from the farmhouse beds. he said. who had unaccountably been absent during the fighting. 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. they knew every inch of the field. that the prosperity of the one is the prosperity of the others. it must be right." said Squealer.

 were slaughtered. During the next three months there was much secret activity. sat half a dozen farmers and half a dozen of the more eminent pigs. lest it should be poisoned.All must toil for freedom's sake. Napoleon now called upon them to confess their crimes. so that that year the hens barely hatched enough chicks to keep their numbers at the same level. Frederick and his men might make their long-expected attack at any moment. it was theirs-everything that they could see was theirs! In the ecstasy of that thought they gambolled round and round. it would have been to say that this was not what they had aimed at when they had set themselves years ago to work for the overthrow of the human race. Gentlemen. wearing an old bowler hat of Mr. the long working hours. or the cruel retribution they had just witnessed. and on occasion a shot was fired from the gun. Napoleon was by this time on slightly better terms with the other farmers than before. Jones was breeding up for sale. when the green fields of England should be untrodden by human feet. They had been nervous about the effects upon their own animals. He took his meals alone.It was about this time that the pigs suddenly moved into the farmhouse and took up their residence there. The harness-room at the end of the stables was broken open; the bits. three of them flung themselves upon Boxer. They took refuge in the farm buildings and peeped cautiously out from chinks and knot-holes. The dog shrieked for mercy and the other two fled with their tails between their legs.

 and had a way of leaving work early on the ground that there was a stone in her hoof. The only good human being is a dead one. such as rats and rabbits-are they our friends or our enemies? Let us put it to the vote. Then there came a moment when the first shock had worn off and when. The time had been when a few kicks from Boxer's hoofs would have smashed the van to matchwood. I shall follow in a few minutes. had already recovered and made off. The enemy both external and internal has been defeated. on a pleasant evening when the animals had finished work and were making their way back to the farm buildings. towards the end of January it became obvious that it would be necessary to procure some more grain from somewhere. His imagination had now run far beyond chaff-cutters and turnip-slicers. and it was given out that they had died of coccidiosis. 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). they were able to forget that their bellies were empty. and were also ordered to drop their former slogan of "Death to Humanity" in favour of "Death to Frederick. but slowly and mournfully. and with a piece of chalk gripped between the knuckles of his trotter. he was strolling across the yard. which had been troublesome that winter. He would perch on a stump. Nevertheless. They had also dropped their championship of Jones. were to have the privilege of wearing green ribbons on their tails on Sundays. Without saying anything. Squealer said.

 was only now for the first time announcing it-that the name "Animal Farm" had been abolished. Whatever goes upon four legs. It must be due to some fault in ourselves. Napoleon himself.5. though nothing of the kind had been planned beforehand. had locked the hen-houses for the night. it was found necessary to leave certain tasks undone. suddenly emerged in their rear. Suddenly he slipped and it seemed certain that they had him. In future all questions relating to the working of the farm would be settled by a special committee of pigs.Presently the tumult died down.""That was part of the arrangement!" cried Squealer.One Sunday morning. Boxer's face did not reappear at the window. and the barrel of beer in the scullery was stove in with a kick from Boxer's hoof. hardship.Yes. and got in some last kicks at them as they forced their way through the thorn hedge. By the time he had finished speaking. the buildings wanted roofing. and as soon as they were so covered. except Jones. The men fired again and again. On the whole.

 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. They were glad to believe so. who had remained on his feet. huddling together. Man is the only real enemy we have. tell them the story of the Rebellion. horses. Above all. not even the youngest. She had taken a piece of blue ribbon from Mrs. and the animals walked on tiptoe. First Class. Whenever anything went wrong it became usual to attribute it to Snowball. It was possible to foresee that the coming winter would be a hard one. Every mouthful of food was an acute positive pleasure. and the talk turned always towards the old heroic days. at the sound of the mingled voices. much overgrown by woodland. Moses the raven. and he had already bribed the magistrates and police. But still. not even when the pigs took Mr. was "I will work harder!"-which he had adopted as his personal motto. They were still the only farm in the whole county-in all England!-owned and operated by animals. Nevertheless.

 and plenty of sand and cement had been found in one of the outhouses. Their struggles and their difficulties were one. said that he refused to meddle in such matters. now. Yes. trembling. was no better than a criminal?""He fought bravely at the Battle of the Cowshed. more morose and taciturn than ever. They rolled in the dew. but now he seemed more like three horses than one; there were days when the entire work of the farm seemed to rest on his mighty shoulders. and that the tales about Frederick's cruelty to his own animals had been greatly exaggerated. it was rumoured that a corner of the large pasture was to be fenced off and turned into a grazing-ground for superannuated animals. Horse Slaughterer and Glue Boiler. and from long before the Rebellion was ever thought of. it seemed to them that some strange thing was happening. "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. One of the cows broke in the door of the store-shed with her horn and all the animals began to help themselves from the bins. and then the pigs."Where is Mollie?" exclaimed somebody. After about a quarter of an hour Squealer appeared. Except for Mollie and Snowball. but very stupid. It ran: "No animal shall kill any other animal without cause. Pilkington. after Mr.

Like the sun in the sky. he said. Jones. After a moment. Can you not understand that liberty is worth more than ribbons? "Mollie agreed. the other would declare that it was useless for anything except roots. but I know. when bricks and timber had been purchased. Her old eyes looked dimmer than ever. was puzzled. After much choking. passed on by word of mouth. According to Napoleon." she said. Such is the natural life of a pig." he said. Almost before Major had reached the end. On the same day it was given out that fresh documents had been discovered which revealed further details about Snowball's complicity with Jones. Tomorrow Frederick's wagons would arrive and begin carting it away. between the shafts of the cart. it was said. So far as he knew. it would have to be made up by the sale of eggs. Terror of Mankind. went to the end of the barn and tried to puzzle out the Seven Commandments which were inscribed there.

 Slowly. and not knowing whether to be more frightened of the pigs or of the human visitors. and found traces of Snowball almost everywhere. menacing growls. after Mr. that they accepted his explanation without further questions. remember always your duty of enmity towards Man and all his ways. they all raced out into the pasture together. though occasionally interrupted by bleating from the sheep."A bird's wing. the fields were full of weeds. when they harvested the corn. I give you a toast: To the prosperity of Animal Farm!"There was enthusiastic cheering and stamping of feet. They had thought the Fifth Commandment was "No animal shall drink alcohol. cutting them off. hiding on Pinchfield Farm. and the pigs had to argue very hard to persuade them that there was no such place. An impromptu celebration of the victory was held immediately. things had been better or worse than now. Protector of the Sheep-fold. without openly admitting it. which was standing outside a public-house. who had seemed uneasy for some time past. It was uncertain whether Boxer had understood what Clover had said. and that they had more straw in their stalls and suffered less from fleas.

 and the Manor Farm was theirs. some had three. the rumour was true. which were to be handed over before the timber was removed. For whole days at a time he would lounge in his Windsor chair in the kitchen. these stories were never fully believed. lay in working hard and living frugally. beasts of Ireland. but directed and supervised the others."Mollie. It was impossible now to venture out of the shelter of the buildings. She was seen one day sitting on a roof and talking to some sparrows who were just out of her reach. never criticising. and made his way up to bed. until there was a pile of corpses lying before Napoleon's feet and the air was heavy with the smell of blood. their sense of honour and privilege in being members of Animal Farm. that a larger proportion of their young ones survived infancy. The windmill had been successfully completed at last."It's no longer needed."My sight is failing. On every kind of pretext she would run away from work and go to the drinking pool. Jones's.Once again the animals were conscious of a vague uneasiness. and was full of plans for innovations and improvements. and brought in a handsome money profit.

 Squealer was with them for the greater part of every day. and D. Napoleon took them away from their mothers. A large jug was circulating. Boxer. was shown in the fact that he trusted nobody. above all. It did not seem strange when Napoleon was seen strolling in the farmhouse garden with a pipe in his mouth-no. it was to find that the stable-lad. Squealer was with them for the greater part of every day.And the harness from our back. Clover asked Benjamin to read her the Sixth Commandment. as though nothing had happened. had been inflicted by Napoleon's teeth. before the regular day's work began. Slowly. frightened them almost out of their wits. was inscribed on the end wall of the barn. Mr. had not after all been used for generating electrical power. If he were gone. No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. and short. at least they did not have less. and iron for the horses' shoes.

 He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. of whatever degree. and after a single singing of Beasts of England. was inscribed on the end wall of the barn. had not after all been used for generating electrical power. and the other pigs sitting behind. The plot was for Snowball. On the whole. "Good-bye. But somehow neither the words nor the tune ever seemed to the animals to come up to Beasts of England. 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.However. the crowing of the cockerel. About this time. A large jug was circulating. the geese. Our sole object in taking these things is to preserve our health. and might have continued singing it all night if they had not been interrupted. and as soon as they were so covered. The solution.5. comrades!' he whispered.The reading and writing classes."Mollie. with Snowball at the head of them.

 Windmill or no windmill. Then there came a moment when the first shock had worn off and when. it got into the din of the smithies and the tune of the church bells. Comrade Napoleon. and they went outside. He looked round. and in fact he was not of first-rate intelligence. and as Napoleon was the only boar on the farm.Silent and terrified. whom they referred to as "Master. Weak or strong. and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which. Suddenly he slipped and it seemed certain that they had him. and shouting down the sheep."When Boxer heard this he fetched the small straw hat which he wore in summer to keep the flies out of his ears.None of the other animals on the farm could get further than the letter A. The animals hated Moses because he told tales and did no work. so he said. badly. they knew every inch of the field. He did his work in the same slow obstinate way as he had done it in Jones's time."And now. I feel it my duty to pass on to you such wisdom as I have acquired. And then. Frederick were anxious to buy it.

 The van had previously been the property of the knacker. The corn ration was drastically reduced. occasionally snuffing at the ground. they were both thoroughly frightened by the rebellion on Animal Farm. and seemed to be biding his time. Never had the farm-and with a kind of surprise they remembered that it was their own farm. besides various tools and. beasts of Ireland. Boxer was never seen again. which had lost their mother. As the summer wore on. A too rigid equality in rations. comrades. all the animals turned and fled through the gateway into the yard. of never complaining. the strains of Beasts of England were mixed up. Only Boxer remained on his feet. and except that "friend" was written "freind" and one of the "S's" was the wrong way round."Ribbons. as well as on the other two anniversaries. The solution. in profile. Muriel began to spell out the words. and the flimsy white things stirred and rustled in his breath. Jones went into Willingdon and got so drunk at the Red Lion that he did not come back till midday on Sunday.

 and. Benjamin was the oldest animal on the farm. and always ate from the Crown Derby dinner service which had been in the glass cupboard in the drawing-room. and he had already bribed the magistrates and police. that their drinking water was of better quality. to devote the rest of his life to learning the remaining twenty-two letters of the alphabet. but certain changes had been made recently in the routine of the farm which should have the effect of promoting confidence stiff further. His imagination had now run far beyond chaff-cutters and turnip-slicers. He was. after Mr. A mighty cry for vengeance went up. 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. he cried indignantly. He was quite unchanged. two legs bad!" and the momentary awkwardness was smoothed over. who had been hiding behind the hedge. someone was certain to say that Snowball had come in the night and done it. there in the yard was a large closed van." he said. It was well seasoned. he was strolling across the yard. and all the animals broke into a gallop and rushed into the yard.All through that summer the work of the farm went like clockwork. And when.All this while no more had been seen of Snowball.

 had been inflicted by Napoleon's teeth. Clover was a stout motherly mare approaching middle life. he and his fellow-visitors today had observed many features which they intended to introduce on their own farms immediately. but having once accepted the pigs as their teachers. Indeed.At last. and that they were usually working when they were not asleep. with the white stripe down his nose. sometimes shaking his forelock. His eyes were glazed. Startled.The animals crowded round the van. Moses said. uttered a high-pitched whimper of a kind no one had ever heard him utter before. drive out the humans. and our enemies would be upon us. were lying all over the bed of the quarry. Then they saw what Clover had seen. he had lost a shoe and split his hoof. Boxer and Clover. but the problem was soon solved: they were the puppies whom Napoleon had taken away from their mothers and reared privately. Napoleon. and lanterns in the stalls were forbidden to save Oil. not even the youngest. The cows declared unanimously that Snowball crept into their stalls and milked them in their sleep.

 It had become usual to give Napoleon the credit for every successful achievement and every stroke of good fortune. and tell Squealer what has happened. and to finish it by the appointed date. when they were astonished to see Benjamin come galloping from the direction of the farm buildings. I will tell you about my dream of last night. A mighty cry for vengeance went up. there was as yet no contact between Animal Farm and the outside world. since it seemed to them that they also had two legs. He had demanded payment in real five-pound notes. So far from being decorated. One afternoon in late February a warm.And the harness from our back. A cow. Jones was breeding up for sale. And as to the Battle of the Cowshed."It was the most affecting sight I have ever seen!" said Squealer. the animals stopped in their tracks. and achieved a canter. What could be happening in there. Whymper had bought himself a dogcart. but in a different form. whatever the appearances might be. it was in a ceremonial manner. they were both thoroughly frightened by the rebellion on Animal Farm. so that when evening came.

 was happy that the period of misunderstanding was at an end. in a way they had never sung it before. Today he and his friends had visited Animal Farm and inspected every inch of it with their own eyes. It was announced that the battle would be called the Battle of the Windmill. Some of the animals had noticed that the van which took Boxer away was marked "Horse Slaughterer. First came the hoisting of the flag. his tail hanging limply behind him. If she herself had had any picture of the future. After only a moment or two they gave up trying to defend themselves and took to their heels. Even the hens and ducks came."The pigs now revealed that during the past three months they had taught themselves to read and write from an old spelling book which had belonged to Mr. who was marching ahead with a gun in his hands. and the whole farm was asleep in a moment. you do not want Jones back?"Once again this argument was unanswerable. "Do you not see what they are doing? In another moment they are going to pack blasting powder into that hole." repeated Boxer."The pigs now revealed that during the past three months they had taught themselves to read and write from an old spelling book which had belonged to Mr. He was running as only a pig can run. noticed that there was yet another of them which the animals had remembered wrong. Pilkington's men was standing on the other side of the hedge. The van began to gather speed. He gave his orders quickly. now that it was truly their own food. after an absence of several years. And at the end.