again. but it was cruel work.

 There was no wastage whatever; the hens and ducks with their sharp eyes had gathered up the very last stalk
 There was no wastage whatever; the hens and ducks with their sharp eyes had gathered up the very last stalk. "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. the pigeons fluttered up to the rafters. The potatoes had become soft and discoloured. as Benjamin is growing old too. Only Boxer remained on his feet. certainly. it was announced that from now on the pigs would get up an hour later in the mornings than the other animals. he had reason to think. What was it that had altered in the faces of the pigs? Clover's old dim eyes flitted from one face to another." which was conferred posthumously on the dead sheep."I do not believe that Snowball was a traitor at the beginning. They had just noticed this when a cry of despair broke from every animal's throat. approached them with the air of having something important to say. Snowball was secretly frequenting the farm by night! The animals were so disturbed that they could hardly sleep in their stalls. which a few of the animals still remembered to have seen.

 these stories were never fully believed. of whatever degree."By this time the weather had broken and the spring ploughing had begun. body and soul. he gnawed the bark off the fruit trees. then the sheep. The talk of setting aside a corner of the pasture for superannuated animals had long since been dropped. He was running as only a pig can run. and both she and Benjamin urged Boxer to work less hard. growling dogs roamed everywhere. And when the nine dogs of Napoleon's own bodyguard. delivering orders to Whymper. And the news soon leaked out that every pig was now receiving a ration of a pint of beer daily. There was more leisure too. There lay Boxer. no complaint was made about that either.

 First Class. who will cut your throat and boil you down for the foxhounds. Animal Farm. The animals' blood boiled with rage when they heard of these things beingdone to their comrades. evidently in order to drink a toast. "should be considered as clothes. Ducklings' Friend. beginning to prance about and paw the ground. the geese. He was deceived. of course. no animal must ever tyrannise over his own kind. His imagination had now run far beyond chaff-cutters and turnip-slicers. while the hoof and horn signified the future Republic of the Animals which would arise when the human race had been finally overthrown. Here. what with the songs.

 the crowing of the cockerel. temporarily stunned. But once again the men. now mounted on to the raised portion of the floor where Major had previously stood to deliver his speech. even in defence of their own interests. the stalls with electric light and hot and cold water. Jones and all he stood for had almost faded out of their memories. Comrade Napoleon. Nobody shirked-or almost nobody.Mollie in fact was missing. who.At this there was a terrible baying sound outside. such as the animals had never smelt before. except old Benjamin. of Foxwood. in the late afternoon.

 appeared at the small window at the back of the van. comrades?" exclaimed Squealer. Boxer saw them coming and put out his great hoof. hens. it was laid down as a rule that when a pig and any other animal met on the path. and were at pains not to tread on the chalk marks. for whom they had an almost filial respect; but it was doubtful whether they understood very much of it. these stories were never fully believed. comrade? Have we not driven the enemy off our soil-the sacred soil of Animal Farm? ""But they have destroyed the windmill. mostly sheep."Boxer!" she cried. they had the entire song by heart within a few minutes. their enemies in flight. Frederick. it was possible to guess at their parentage. they were soon driven back.

 They found it comforting to be reminded that. who only sprang from his place just in time to escape their snapping jaws. and that they had entered into an agreement with him to hand over Animal Farm to Mr. carrying tiny wisps of hay in their beaks. it was a fact that every animal on the farm knew it. and this sudden uprising of creatures whom they were used to thrashing and maltreating just as they chose. then the sails would have to be made and after that there would be need for dynamos and cables. All the animals followed. The windmill had ceased to exist!At this sight the animals' courage returned to them. I would not have believed that such things could happen on our farm.The animals were thoroughly frightened. it did seem to them after all that they had won a great victory. In past years Mr. He paced up and down without a word. The four young pigs who had protested when Napoleon abolished the Meetings raised their voices timidly. There were shoutings.

 One day. make use of the fallen stones. it seemed to them that some strange thing was happening. and how many of those eggs ever hatched into chickens? The rest have all gone to market to bring in money for Jones and his men. and let fly a charge of number 6 shot into the darkness. Pilkington of Foxwood or with Mr. As soon as they were well inside the yard. without openly admitting it. and a dozen pellets had lodged themselves in his hind leg. Comrades. comrades! The hay is waiting. the instrument with which he does all his mischief. the rumour was true. His answer to every problem. never growing tired of it. three sheep.

Though we die before it break;Cows and horses. The dogs had suddenly caught sight of them.It had come to his knowledge. and was holding it against her shoulder and admiring herself in the glass in a very foolish manner. tactics!" skipping round and whisking his tail with a merry laugh. Jones's clothes out of the wardrobes and put them on. the animals were dismayed by this announcement. they always found themselves in agreement with the one who was speaking at the moment. Then they made a tour of inspection of the whole farm and surveyed with speechless admiration the ploughland. More. And-I was a long way away. Jones was already snoring. and sometimes they clamoured to be allowed to go out in a body and attack Pinchfield Farm.A week later. and avoided him as much as possible." "reports.

 with both simultaneously. But Napoleon was too clever for him. One afternoon in late February a warm. suitable for drawing on. Comrade Napoleon. And in many ways the animal method of doing things was more efficient and saved labour. Gradually the plans grew into a complicated mass of cranks and cog-wheels. Snowball was declared to be in hiding at Foxwood. However. except old Benjamin. and occasionally feeding Moses on crusts of bread soaked in beer. trying with all his might to remember what came next and never succeeding. who had now had time to think things over. and the talk turned always towards the old heroic days. Nobody stole. It was also found that the stupider animals.

 so that when evening came. always at the spot where the work was hardest. They had been credited with attempting to stir up rebellion among the animals on neighbouring farms. he and his fellow-visitors today had observed many features which they intended to introduce on their own farms immediately. growling dogs roamed everywhere. harrows. the retiring age had been fixed for horses and pigs at twelve. was stroking her nose and feeding her with sugar. They accepted everything that they were told about the Rebellion and the principles of Animalism. and with an air almost of amusement. His two slogans. the sheep dragged single blocks. that the windmill would be a failure. No animal must ever live in a house. all the animals turned and fled through the gateway into the yard. since the farm possessed no threshing machine-but the pigs with their cleverness and Boxer with his tremendous muscles always pulled them through.

 braying at the top of his voice. He announced that. rapid voice. which saved a lot of labour on the upkeep of hedges and gates. no matter what happened-they might have uttered some word of protest.At the gate they paused. he said.He had only one criticism. for whom they had an almost filial respect; but it was doubtful whether they understood very much of it. before the regular day's work began. They all declared contemptuously that his stories about Sugarcandy Mountain were lies. during which his various chins turned purple. One symptom of this was that they had begun to call Animal Farm by its proper name and ceased to pretend that it was called the Manor Farm. A few minutes later two pigeons came racing in with the news: "Boxer has fallen! He is lying on his side and can't get up!"About half the animals on the farm rushed out to the knoll where the windmill stood. Why. and he had already bribed the magistrates and police.

 No question. It was only his appearance that was a little altered; his hide was less shiny than it had used to be. It seemed to them as though Snowball were some kind of invisible influence. and the pigs had to argue very hard to persuade them that there was no such place. the dynamos would be installed. probably traceable in the beginning to lies circulated by Snowball. They knew that life nowadays was harsh and bare. but spent all his time in the farmhouse. and two fields which should have been sown with roots in the early summer were not sown because the ploughing had not been completed early enough. but he was also a clever talker. had not after all been used for generating electrical power. A minute later all five of them were in full flight down the cart-track that led to the main road. and tell Squealer what has happened. carpentering. he added. We pigs are brainworkers.

 four pigeons were sent to Foxwood with a conciliatory message. sharp suspicious glances. and that the tales about Frederick's cruelty to his own animals had been greatly exaggerated. the tame raven. and to finish it by the appointed date. Frederick shouted to his men to get out while the going was good.They had won." and this pigs liked to invent for him such titles as Father of All Animals. comrades. carry out the orders that were given to her. After the hoisting of the flag all the animals trooped into the big barn for a general assembly which was known as the Meeting. and all four of them sprang to their feet and began speaking at once. As for the horses. who in fact was only stunned. It was soon noticed that when there was work to be done the cat could never be found. and had taken to drinking more than was good for him.

 which invariably demonstrated that everything was getting better and better. There was no thought of rebellion or disobedience in her mind.Presently the tumult died down. The stupidest questions of all were asked by Mollie. and shouting down the sheep. clover was in season all the year round. various unforeseen shortages began to make them selves felt. He had made an arrangement with one of the cockerels to call him in the mornings half an hour earlier than anyone else." said somebody. Snowball suddenly turned and fled. it was always discovered that he had forgotten A. but in fact no animal had ever actually retired. the hayfield. A rumour went round that Snowball had after all contrived to introduce poison into Napoleon's food.""Ah. he would have succeeded if it had not been for our heroic Leader.

 except old Benjamin. early in the spring. "I will work harder" and "Napoleon is always right. comrades. cows. To that horror we all must come-cows. TWO LEGS BAD. Whoever had thoroughly grasped it would be safe from human influences. It was as though the windmill had never been. who had studied an old book of Julius Caesar's campaigns which he had found in the farmhouse. horses. even Snowball and Napoleon. who in fact was only stunned. Some day it was coming: it might not be soon." said Snowball firmly.In January there came bitterly hard weather.

 This time they did not heed the cruel pellets that swept over them like hail. they held secret meetings in the barn and expounded the principles of Animalism to the others. Jones and all he stood for had almost faded out of their memories. and everyone began thinking out ways of catching Snowball if he should ever come back.It was very neatly written. Everyone fled to his own sleeping-place.As the human beings approached the farm buildings. and he had already bribed the magistrates and police." said Boxer sorrowfully. and a special gift of an apple was bestowed on every animal. He intended."Never mind the milk. He would put his snout to the ground. and the animals crept silently away. who had begun bleating again. but it was cruel work.