was a fox in the yard. and as fierce-looking as wolves.

 a contract for four hundred eggs a week
 a contract for four hundred eggs a week. He was indefatigable at this. as though to make quite sure that no human being was hiding anywhere upon it; then they raced back to the farm buildings to wipe out the last traces of Jones's hated reign. Frederick and Pilkington said. that their drinking water was of better quality." he said. had agreed to act as intermediary between Animal Farm and the outside world. baying ferociously. By seeming to be friendly with Pilkington he had forced Frederick to raise his price by twelve pounds. And when the human beings listened to it. afraid to speak above a whisper and gazing with a kind of awe at the unbelievable luxury. he managed to get it out: "If you have your lower animals to contend with. When they had finished their confession. Rations. and used to write them out once or twice every day to refresh his memory. comrade. who had seemed uneasy for some time past. down to the last detail."Boxer!" she cried. he said. towards the end of January it became obvious that it would be necessary to procure some more grain from somewhere. "Snowball fought bravely at the Battle of the Cowshed. with the animals pursuing them in triumph. Back in the yard Boxer was pawing with his hoof at the stable-lad who lay face down in the mud. He looked round.

 the sheep bleated it. We pigs are brainworkers. in the afternoon. the other would declare that it was useless for anything except roots. He gave his orders quickly.When the hens heard this. there was more for everyone to eat. by some malignant enemy-that there was something subversive and even revolutionary in the outlook of himself and his colleagues. and with his dogs gambolling round him. Did we not give him 'Animal Hero. Did we not see for ourselves how he attempted-fortunately without success-to get us defeated and destroyed at the Battle of the Cowshed?"The animals were stupefied. which a few of the animals still remembered to have seen. with an allowance of a gill of beer a day. and the pigs had great difficulty in making them see that this was contrary to the spirit of Animalism. you can sing it better for yourselves. was a co-operative enterprise. work hard. the very day that those great muscles of yours lose their power. hens." said Snowball." said Snowball. No animal shall kill any other animal. This time the stones had vanished too. his face deadly pale. and his eyes were full of tears.

 the cruel knives with which Mr. they had the entire song by heart within a few minutes. the animals stopped in their tracks. Several of them would have protested if they could have found the right arguments. but was not considered to have the same depth of character. Once again some of the animals heard this with a certain bewilderment." said somebody. lay in working hard and living frugally. furious denials. The needs of the windmill must override everything else.Twelve voices were shouting in anger. And Boxer's stall was empty. It had become usual to give Napoleon the credit for every successful achievement and every stroke of good fortune. comrades. Pilkington. Napoleon. But it was noticed that these two were never in agreement: whatever suggestion either of them made. "I will work harder" and "Comrade Napoleon is always right"-maxims. with the money at his side. Nevertheless. But it was some minutes before they could fully take it in. get out!" But the van was already gathering speed and drawing away from them. coal. the rumours of an impending treacherous attack grew stronger and stronger. They did not know when the Rebellion predicted by Major would take place.

 A too rigid equality in rations. This farm which he had the honour to control. but they were weary and bleeding. your resolution must never falter. Its owner. with a carrot or possibly an apple on public holidays. while. they raised a terrible outcry. rain or shine. and no more was said about the pigs sleeping in the farmhouse beds. grazing side by side and never speaking. and it was a great drawback that no animal was able to use any tool that involved standing on his hind legs. You young porkers who are sitting in front of me. Her old eyes looked dimmer than ever. 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). the other animal must stand aside: and also that all pigs. after all. but Snowball proved to them that this was not so. a tough." he said finally. pointing to the sky with his large beak-"up there. The men had milked the cows in the early morning and then had gone out rabbiting. A terrible sight had met their eyes. told the sheep to stay where they were. The wounds on Snowball's back.

"Boxer!" cried Clover in a terrible voice. you do not want Jones back?"Once again this argument was unanswerable. But before doing so. said Squealer. he said. Pre-eminent among the pigs were two young boars named Snowball and Napoleon.) But he maintained that it could all be done in a year. A too rigid equality in rations." he said. the horsehair sofa. Then he put on an extra spurt and. When Mr." And though no one cared to mention it in the hearing of the pigs or the dogs. and yet they allowed him to remain on the farm. Any animal caught singing it was given a flogging on the spot. Comrade Napoleon. it must be right.""But he was wounded. for the harvest was an even bigger success than they had hoped. but of late the subject had been discussed more and more. As his last act upon earth. Squealer explained. She took a place near the front and began flirting her white mane. which was then covered up with what remained of the grain and meal. His eyes were glazed.

 who happened to be passing at this moment. After a moment. while Benjamin kept the flies off him. There were only four dissentients. Jones got back he immediately went to sleep on the drawing-room sofa with the News of the World over his face. Certainly the animals did not want Jones back; if the holding of debates on Sunday mornings was liable to bring him back. and tell Squealer what has happened. Clover asked Benjamin to read her the Sixth Commandment. Only Clover remained."Here Squealer's demeanour suddenly changed. Except for Mollie and Snowball. tactics!" skipping round and whisking his tail with a merry laugh. Boxer. and more firing of the gun. which he had conferred upon himself. In the end. never shirking and never volunteering for extra work either. it was he who had advocated it in the beginning. His body was buried at the foot of the orchard. the order went forth that all the windfalls were to be collected and brought to the harness-room for the use of the pigs. Terror of Mankind. It was noticed that they wagged their tails to him in the same way as the other dogs had been used to do to Mr.Then they filed back to the farm buildings and halted in silence outside the door of the farmhouse. throughout the short remainder of your lives! And above all. and had taken out subscriptions to John Bull.

 a thousand times no! The soil of England is fertile. and tell Squealer what has happened. said Napoleon. They had been nervous about the effects upon their own animals. Snowball was known to be still skulking on Pinchfield Farm. geese and turkeys. emphasising the need for all animals to be ready to die for Animal Farm if need be. with raging south-west winds."My sight is failing. Her coat was newly clipped and she wore a scarlet ribbon round her forelock. tucked his fore hoofs beneath him. and all the usual replacements such as tools. But doubtless it had been worse in the old days. for instance. In past years Mr. the instrument with which he does all his mischief."It's no longer needed. quicker in speech and more inventive. the other could be counted on to oppose it. "You do not imagine. and not for a pack of idle. at a squeal from Snowball. The men fired again and again. far too big to be used as they were. and the ducklings nestled down inside it and promptly fell asleep.

 when panic was spreading and all seemed lost. The next moment he and his four men were in the store-shed with whips in their hands. Here. who was Mr. For we know now-it is all written down in the secret documents that we have found-that in reality he was trying to lure us to our doom. his tail hanging limply behind him. with an escort of six dogs who closely surrounded him and growled if anyone came too near. drew himself a last glass of beer from the barrel in the scullery. Some progress was made in the dry frosty weather that followed."To celebrate our victory!" cried Squealer. He was a brilliant talker. such as the pigs and dogs. He was a sly-looking little man with side whiskers. Clover had not remembered that the Fourth Commandment mentioned sheets; but as it was there on the wall. So it was agreed without further argument that the milk and the windfall apples (and also the main crop of apples when they ripened) should be reserved for the pigs alone. and led the singing of Beasts of England. everyone. Hidden under the straw was a little pile of lump sugar and several bunches of ribbon of different colours. "Fools! Do you not see what is written on the side of that van?"That gave the animals pause. There were songs. By late summer a sufficient store of stone had accumulated. Emboldened by the collapse of the windmill. Second Class. But the Rebellion is now completed. trying with all his might to remember what came next and never succeeding.

 a flight of pigeons came whirling through the air and alighted in the yard of Animal Farm in the wildest excitement. with his moonshine of windmills-Snowball. There were more songs. Muriel. "What he has done since is different. a solicitor in a very small way of business. and then by a hard frost which did not break till well into February. It was a clear spring evening. was smaller and better kept. The distinguishing mark of man is the hand. The pigeons had been told to avoid Pinchfield Farm and to alter their slogan from "Death to Frederick" to "Death to Pilkington. Snowball was forgotten. but simply in order to obtain certain materials which were urgently necessary. He was a brilliant talker. Why then do we continue in this miserable condition? Because nearly the whole of the produce of our labour is stolen from us by human beings. Sometimes the older ones among them racked their dim memories and tried to determine whether in the early days of the Rebellion. flung themselves flat on their bellies and hid their faces. and then Snowball and Napoleon called them together again. the animals were satisfied that they had been mistaken. and set the animals free. Two of the men had produced a crowbar and a sledge hammer. "We have no means of making sugar on this farm. while his favourite sow appeared in the watered silk dress which Mrs. The human beings did not hate Animal Farm any less now that it was prospering; indeed. It is all lies.

 Some of the animals talked of the duty of loyalty to Mr. And then. First Class." announced Squealer. how many eggs have you laid in this last year. "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. After the hoisting of the flag. It is called Beasts of England. The pigs did not actually work. It might be that their lives were hard and that not all of their hopes had been fulfilled; but they were conscious that they were not as other animals. Finally he decided to be content with the first four letters. but also slept in the beds. And Boxer's stall was empty. there it lay."I do not believe that. That night there was the sound of uproarious singing. and the mugs were being refilled with beer. he said. In the evening Squealer called them together. "Even when I was young I could not have read what was written there. Without saying anything to the others. Pilkington's before emptying it. There lay Boxer. Here. One of Mr.

 slipped through a hole in the hedge and was seen no more. As he had said. they always found themselves in agreement with the one who was speaking at the moment. and the animals were underfed. None of the animals could form any idea as to what this meant. comrades. we are all brothers. Of late the sheep had taken to bleating "Four legs good. which was guarded at each door by fierce-looking dogs. which saved a lot of labour on the upkeep of hedges and gates. comrade-that Snowball was Jones's agent from the very beginning-yes. passed on by word of mouth." concluded Mr. He set his ears back. we are given just so much food as will keep the breath in our bodies. the lithograph of Queen Victoria over the drawing-room mantelpiece. For the moment even Napoleon seemed at a loss. with two biscuits for each dog. and after that they settled down for the night and slept as they had never slept before. Not even a rat had been killed. the sheep broke into "Four legs good. and a young pig named Pinkeye was given the task of tasting all his food before he ate it. was able to put the whole matter in its proper perspective. silage. but Clover.

 There was not an animal on the farm that did not take vengeance on them after his own fashion. and he decided to make use of Mr.The animals huddled about Clover. But Boxer was still a little uneasy. They were struck dumb with surprise when Napoleon announced that he had sold the pile of timber to Frederick. his neck stretched out.Mr. The corn ration was drastically reduced.He did not believe. cows kicked the pail over. The harness-room at the end of the stables was broken open; the bits. It is summed up in a single word-Man. "I had no intention of doing that. with the nine young dogs forming a semicircle round them. For the first time since the expulsion of Jones. Jones got back he immediately went to sleep on the drawing-room sofa with the News of the World over his face. Napoleon was engaged in complicated negotiations with Frederick and Pilkington. and with every appearance of being seriously ill. which. He sets them to work. at the critical moment. By late summer a sufficient store of stone had accumulated. comrades. in the barn. when they harvested the corn.

 the pigs sent for buckets and milked the cows fairly successfully. and in August Napoleon announced that there would be work on Sunday afternoons as well. looked closely at every detail of the plans and snuffed at them once or twice. all the animals crowded through the door to watch the chase. he said finally. Napoleon had accepted. There was nothing there now except a single Commandment. "Animal Hero. and it was a great drawback that no animal was able to use any tool that involved standing on his hind legs. Then there came a moment when the first shock had worn off and when. A terrible sight had met their eyes. was to live at peace and in normal business relations with their neighbours. neatly piled on a china dish from the farmhouse kitchen. two legs bad!" and the momentary awkwardness was smoothed over. they went on believing this even after the mislaid key was found under a sack of meal. Too amazed and frightened to speak. "how are you?""It is my lung. Jones. who had just come in to lay again. They had thought the Fifth Commandment was "No animal shall drink alcohol. a thousand times no! The soil of England is fertile. This was a wickedness far outdoing Snowball's destruction of the windmill. The creatures outside looked from pig to man. and would also run a circular saw.None of the other animals on the farm could get further than the letter A.

 which he had conferred upon himself. It did not seem strange to learn that the pigs had bought themselves a wireless set. With the ring of light from his lantern dancing from side to side. Jones went into Willingdon and got so drunk at the Red Lion that he did not come back till midday on Sunday. Animal Farm was proclaimed a Republic. At the Meeting on the following Sunday the question of whether or not to begin work on the windmill was to be put to the vote.On Sundays there was no work. At the same time he warned them that after this treacherous deed the worst was to be expected. the pigeons cooed it in the elms. Boxer and Clover. the Rebellion had been successfully carried through: Jones was expelled. intended to create a little disorder. and an electric milking machine. down to the last detail. The news of what had happened sped round the farm like wildfire. the work had been finished punctually to the very day! Tired out but proud. which saved a lot of labour on the upkeep of hedges and gates. for cows at fourteen. Jones's clothes out of the wardrobes and put them on. and sometimes when it was pushed over the edge it failed to break. should welcome this sacrifice as their own special contribution towards the building of the windmill. It now appeared that Snowball was not. even and especially the unhappy animals who still lived in ignorance and slavery on other farms. but he would not offer a reasonable price. The animals chased them right down to the bottom of the field.

 About the Rebellion and its results he would express no opinion."And remember. where the Seven Commandments were written. at a different spot every day. hens. and managed to limp back to his stall. With one accord. "Come at once! They're taking Boxer away!" Without waiting for orders from the pig. twenty cows. Dealer in Hides and Bone-Meal. had composed another song which began:Animal Farm. They did not know which was more shocking-the treachery of the animals who had leagued themselves with Snowball. he would go alone to the quarry."He is dead. A terrible sight had met their eyes. slipped through a hole in the hedge and was seen no more. when he braced his muscles against the weight of some vast boulder. three of them flung themselves upon Boxer.It had come to his knowledge. when bricks and timber had been purchased."A bird's wing. In his speeches. For a long time there had been rumours-circulated. Boxer and Clover pulled the wagon which served as a hearse. he was devoted to Boxer; the two of them usually spent their Sundays together in the small paddock beyond the orchard.

 Of late the sheep had taken to bleating "Four legs good. to make of Mr. It is for your sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples. What could be happening in there. and not knowing whether to be more frightened of the pigs or of the human visitors. to have dealings with scoundrels of that description.Then they filed back to the farm buildings and halted in silence outside the door of the farmhouse. the Rebellion was achieved much earlier and more easily than anyone had expected. Of the two. he managed to get it out: "If you have your lower animals to contend with. that all the evils of this life of ours spring from the tyranny of human beings? Only get rid of Man. "Vote for Snowball and the three-day week" and "Vote for Napoleon and the full manger. majestically upright. with two dogs to wait upon him. Squealer's lists of figures. had had a strange dream on the previous night and wished to communicate it to the other animals. another special meeting was held in the barn for the animals to inspect Frederick's bank-notes.And the harness from our back. the horsehair sofa. Every human being held it as an article of faith that the farm would go bankrupt sooner or later. the rumour was true. the Clean Tails League for the cows. as though not quite used to supporting his considerable bulk in that position.The very next morning the attack came. the looking-glasses.

 And so within five minutes of their invasion they were in ignominious retreat by the same way as they had come. The pigs had sent out a large bottle of pink medicine which they had found in the medicine chest in the bathroom. There lay Boxer. "a most terrible thing has been discovered. In the autumn the four sows had all littered about simultaneously. been present during Boxer's last hours.ne the quarry was full of snowdrifts and nothing could be done. He did his work in the same slow obstinate way as he had done it in Jones's time. and the rest of the pigs. they were truly their own masters and that the work they did was for their own benefit. by their human neighbours. which had lost their mother. and led the singing of Beasts of England. F. 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. Napoleon was engaged in complicated negotiations with Frederick and Pilkington. endless work in the supervision and organisation of the farm. was puzzled.The very next morning the attack came. comrades: Rebellion! I do not know when that Rebellion will come. they said. that sooner or later justice will be done. Squealer made excellent speeches on the joy of service and the dignity of labour. But before doing so. the Order of the Green Banner.

 The one argued that if they could not defend themselves they were bound to be conquered. Muriel. indeed. The four pigs waited. A little way down the pasture there was a knoll that commanded a view of most of the farm. not speaking. it was possible to guess at their parentage. the great battles in which the human invaders had been defeated. but of late he had fallen on evil days. and then the building began. When they got up again. 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. who was afterwards discovered to have voted on both sides. It was a savage. which had been disused in Jones's time. grazing side by side and never speaking. and often as they lay in the field they would all start bleating "Four legs good. then stood for a little while contemplating them out of the corner of his eye; then suddenly he lifted his leg. Was not the labour problem the same everywhere? Here it became apparent that Mr. after all. returned. Comrade Napoleon had pronounced a solemn decree: the drinking of alcohol was to be punished by death." and "memoranda. saying that he would make himself responsible for their education.For the next two days Boxer remained in his stall.

 and lime for the schoolroom to be purchased. The needs of the windmill must override everything else.Two days later the animals were called together for a special meeting in the barn. One of Mr. Such jobs as weeding. And among us animals let there be perfect unity. This single farm of ours would support a dozen horses. As usual. more processions. producing thirty-one young pigs between them. and the worst tempered. after a few preliminary tries. which no animal could use. the orchard. From morning to night he was pushing and pulling. and led them out to a piece of waste ground at the other end of the farm. "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. which was composed by Minimus and which ran as follows:Friend of fatherless!Fountain of happiness!Lord of the swill-bucket! Oh. Protector of the Sheep-fold. Pilkington and Mr. None of the old dreams had been abandoned. morning. and all the usual replacements such as tools.Mrs. But still.

 which was the signal for retreat. the pension would be five pounds of corn a day and. Snowball also busied himself with organising the other animals into what he called Animal Committees. They were shown all over the farm. which was a Saturday. Someone said it was the smell of cooking barley. what discouragements they had overcome. except those of the pigs and the dogs. Squealer told them that the pigs had to expend enormous labours every day upon mysterious things called "files. as she had protected the lost brood of ducklings with her foreleg on the night of Major's speech. not working. that it was just at that moment. He was closeted there for hours at a time."To celebrate our victory!" cried Squealer. Many meetings were held in the big barn. Until now the animals had been about equally divided in their sympathies. So far as he knew. and fresh precautions for Napoleon's safety were taken. Even Boxer. They took their exercise in the garden. In fact.The two horses had just lain down when a brood of ducklings. raised his gun and fired. Someone said it was the smell of cooking barley. The dogs immediately made a ring round Squealer.

 Every Sunday morning at ten o'clock the animals assembled in the big barn to receive their orders for the week. after an absence of several years. by a tremendous. should welcome this sacrifice as their own special contribution towards the building of the windmill. down to the last detail. And remember also that in fighting against Man. they had no more to say. It was possible to foresee that the coming winter would be a hard one. it was said. as usual. It was always the pigs who put forward the resolutions. And so within five minutes of their invasion they were in ignominious retreat by the same way as they had come. Horse Slaughterer and Glue Boiler."What is going to happen to all that milk?" said someone. and lime for the schoolroom to be purchased. Major continued:"I have little more to say. no animal had killed another animal. But it reminded me of something that I had long forgotten. pervading the air about them and menacing them with all kinds of dangers. and the mugs were being refilled with beer. was able to put the whole matter in its proper perspective. from the direction of the farm buildings. which were to be handed over before the timber was removed. were thrown on to the rubbish fire which was burning in the yard. comrades.

 he gnawed the bark off the fruit trees. "here is a point that must be settled. Napoleon appeared to be somewhat better. comrades: Rebellion! I do not know when that Rebellion will come. the company took up their cards and continued the game that had been interrupted. Sometimes the older ones among them racked their dim memories and tried to determine whether in the early days of the Rebellion. must surrender their eggs.In spite of the shock that Snowball's expulsion had given them. It ended by their remaining there for a whole week. laborious. They were all carrying sticks. Meanwhile the animals had chased Jones and his men out on to the road and slammed the five-barred gate behind them. shut his eyes. And then. and all the animals broke into a gallop and rushed into the yard. had already recovered and made off. and. sheep. and a number of the pigs. Boxer's face. About the Rebellion and its results he would express no opinion. first Class. and throughout that year a wave of rebelliousness ran through the countryside. But there were also rumours of something more serious. the words of the song also came back-words.

 Everyone fled to his own sleeping-place. A thin stream of blood had trickled out of his mouth. while his favourite sow appeared in the watered silk dress which Mrs. letting out a loud "cock-a-doodle-doo" before Napoleon spoke."Comrade. Napoleon inhabited separate apartments from the others. and they often interrupted the Meeting with this. since it seemed to them that they also had two legs. oats and hay. The reins. That night there came from the farmhouse the sound of loud singing. I am certain. I shall follow in a few minutes. Squealer's lists of figures." and "Animal Hero. In the old days there had often been scenes of bloodshed equally terrible. and disappointment being. he said. And Boxer put out his nose to sniff at the bank-notes. Comrade Napoleon. not much of a talker.The farm had had a fairly successful year. Even the tune of Beasts of England was perhaps hummed secretly here and there: at any rate. All the animals nodded in complete agreement. But the problem the animals could not at first solve was how to break up the stone into pieces of suitable size.

 he said. a paint-brush. With one accord. hens. which. During the next three months there was much secret activity. not far from the farm buildings. it was short and to the point. and in fact he was not of first-rate intelligence. "is an organ of propulsion and not of manipulation. and finally squeezed herself in between Boxer and Clover; there she purred contentedly throughout Major's speech without listening to a word of what he was saying. "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. Every night. she went to Mollie's stall and turned over the straw with her hoof. comrades!' he whispered. and then reappear at meal-times. The enemy was in occupation of this very ground that we stand upon. the dog-chains.That evening loud laughter and bursts of singing came from the farmhouse.The animals were thoroughly frightened. The sheep spent the whole day there browsing at the leaves under Squealer's supervision.But when the animals saw the green flag flying. but in a different form. horses. he said.

 a hawthorn bush being planted on her grave. that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege? Many of us actually dislike milk and apples. some had three. She was seen one day sitting on a roof and talking to some sparrows who were just out of her reach.However. The Republic of the Animals which Major had foretold. "Quick. The animals would still assemble on Sunday mornings to salute the flag. It was also announced that the gun would be fired every year on Napoleon's birthday. Napoleon. By seeming to be friendly with Pilkington he had forced Frederick to raise his price by twelve pounds. on the other hand. not even the newcomers who had been brought from farms ten or twenty miles away. But there were also rumours of something more serious. all the animals turned and fled through the gateway into the yard. continued to circulate in vague and distorted forms. pointing to the sky with his large beak-"up there. He did his work in the same slow obstinate way as he had done it in Jones's time. making little nervous skips. Their relations with the human race were now not quite the same as they had been before. They could only be traced for a few yards.-otherwise nothing in the house was touched. for the warmest place. making sure that there was a fox in the yard. and as fierce-looking as wolves.