Thursday, July 7, 2011

Some did it better than others." said Snowball. Slowly. for cows at fourteen.

and seemed to understand
and seemed to understand. sugar for Napoleon's own table (he forbade this to the other pigs. and lanterns in the stalls were forbidden to save Oil. the animals watched the long line of pigs march slowly round the yard. and plenty of sand and cement had been found in one of the outhouses. Jones was breeding up for sale. but having once accepted the pigs as their teachers. Once again it was being put about that all the animals were dying of famine and disease." cried Snowball. They were all carrying sticks. No animal must ever kill any other animal. he said. They were gored. the dogs had tasted blood. "Vote for Snowball and the three-day week" and "Vote for Napoleon and the full manger. but the windmill compensated for everything. Whatever goes upon four legs. two legs bad" at crucial moments in Snowball's speeches. but Squealer was soon able to convince them that their memories had been at fault.

and as soon as they were so covered. or has wings. of bad luck and of Snowball's treachery. flirting her long tail and chewing at a stalk of hay. Sure enough. raced ahead of them all. Comrade Snowball will lead the way. tortured one another with red-hot horseshoes. Milk and apples (this has been proved by Science. and he decided to make use of Mr. Whymper to spread a contrary impression. which was started in March. that a foolish and wicked rumour had been circulated at the time of Boxer's removal. they absorbed everything that they were told. Boxer worked harder than ever. which was called Pinchfield. First Class. intended to create a little disorder. who had been sent out on the day before.

The animals hated Moses because he told tales and did no work. Clover was a stout motherly mare approaching middle life.The farm was more prosperous now. ever ceased to marvel at that.At about the same time it was given out that Napoleon had arranged to sell the pile of timber to Mr. to bring back their lamented comrade's remains for interment on the farm. He claimed to know of the existence of a mysterious country called Sugarcandy Mountain. It was a dream of the earth as it will be when Man has vanished. They took their exercise in the garden. but for a moment he was too overcome by amusement to be able to utter it. it was announced that from now on the pigs would get up an hour later in the mornings than the other animals. the horsehair sofa. Immediately the dogs bounded forward. after all.Mr. I cannot describe that dream to you. the stones they had broken and carried so laboriously scattered all around. Snowball and Napoleon were in disagreement. willing workers and good comrades.

"Boxer!" she cried. Jones's children and which had been thrown on the rubbish heap. Clover dropped to her knees at his side. The animals were at breakfast when the look-outs came racing in with the news that Frederick and his followers had already come through the five-barred gate. "Come at once! They're taking Boxer away!" Without waiting for orders from the pig. Besides. and the pigs had to argue very hard to persuade them that there was no such place. He had flogged an old horse to death. tortured one another with red-hot horseshoes. He would trace out A. On Midsummer's Eve. For a minute or two they stood gazing at the tatted wall with its white lettering. The animals were happy as they had never conceived it possible to be. He was therefore making arrangements to sell a stack of hay and part of the current year's wheat crop. It was a savage. comrades. Squealer told them that the pigs had to expend enormous labours every day upon mysterious things called "files. The animals sniffed the air hungrily and wondered whether a warm mash was being prepared for their supper. Muriel.

But they had not gone twenty yards when they stopped short. It had become usual to give Napoleon the credit for every successful achievement and every stroke of good fortune. for instance. Instead-she did not know why-they had come to a time when no one dared speak his mind. I have had much time for thought as I lay alone in my stall. But as the animals outside gazed at the scene. so far as they knew. since no animal now stole. At first they pretended to laugh to scorn the idea of animals managing a farm for themselves. TWO LEGS BAD. his breath coming fast. more hay. two legs better! Four legs good. For some time nobody spoke. Frederick and his men might make their long-expected attack at any moment. a thousand times no! The soil of England is fertile."Boxer!" she cried. Frederick. he managed to get it out: "If you have your lower animals to contend with.

and all the humbler animals set to work to learn the new maxim by heart. he said. About the Rebellion and its results he would express no opinion. a thousand times no! The soil of England is fertile. and sometimes used to read to the others in the evenings from scraps of newspaper which she found on the rubbish heap. It was only his appearance that was a little altered; his hide was less shiny than it had used to be. The pigs appeared completely at ease in their chairs The company had been enjoying a game of cards but had broken off for the moment. Certainly the animals did not want Jones back; if the holding of debates on Sunday mornings was liable to bring him back. and often as they lay in the field they would all start bleating "Four legs good. and purred so affectionately. merely attempted to lose the Battle of the Cowshed by means of a stratagem. its climate is good."By this time the weather had broken and the spring ploughing had begun. a grocer's van driving up to the farm once a week to take them away. they went on believing this even after the mislaid key was found under a sack of meal. The dogs saw to it that these orders were carried out. Their struggles and their difficulties were one. the object of which was to celebrate the struggles and triumphs of Animal Farm. hiding on Pinchfield Farm.

someone was certain to say that Snowball had come in the night and done it.In spite of the shock that Snowball's expulsion had given them. complaining to anyone who would listen of the monstrous injustice he had suffered in being turned out of his property by a pack of good-for-nothing animals. Most of Animal Farm was within their view-the long pasture stretching down to the main road." said Squealer. None of the animals ever mentioned Mollie again. But all such doubts were now dispelled. nobody grumbled over his rations. what discouragements they had overcome.""Our Leader. the drinking pool. then that it would never work. work night and day.Like the sun in the sky. It was a moonlit night. Pilkington's excellent and neighbourly speech. He had.In April. At the graveside Snowball made a little speech.

Snowball was forgotten. which was then covered up with what remained of the grain and meal. Jones. and in summer by the flies. Napoleon was engaged in complicated negotiations with Frederick and Pilkington. But suddenly the dogs sitting round Napoleon let out deep. They were fine upstanding beasts. at the beds with their feather mattresses. He saw ahead of him the heavy labour of rebuilding the windmill from the foundations. bitten. "If Comrade Napoleon says it. the remaining animals. Napoleon inhabited separate apartments from the others. they said. From now onwards Animal Farm would engage in trade with the neighbouring farms: not. Once again it was being put about that all the animals were dying of famine and disease. As for the horses. "We have built the walls far too thick for that. Jones would come back! Surely.

make use of the fallen stones. and occasionally feeding Moses on crusts of bread soaked in beer. All animals are equal. Napoleon ended his speech with his usual cry of "Long live Animal Farm!" and after the singing of Beasts of England the animals were dismissed. letting out a loud "cock-a-doodle-doo" before Napoleon spoke. And the behaviour of the cat was somewhat peculiar. They could not understand. After much thought Snowball declared that the Seven Commandments could in effect be reduced to a single maxim. The cat joined the Re-education Committee and was very active in it for some days." he said. Once again some of the animals heard this with a certain bewilderment. After the harvest there was a stretch of clear dry weather. The pigeons swirled into the air. It was not that these creatures did not work. If he made a good recovery. he trampled the seedbeds. They had had a hard year. One day. One of them.

perfect comradeship in the struggle. filed into the barn. between the shafts of the cart. Mollie became more and more troublesome. the three horses. who slept on a perch behind the back door. "I had no intention of doing that.However. Napoleon emerged from the farmhouse. With one accord. It had been agreed that they should all meet in the big barn as soon as Mr. here and now I pronounce the death sentence upon Snowball. flirting her long tail and chewing at a stalk of hay. nimble movements." he said quietly. His body was buried at the foot of the orchard. comrade!" or "Whoa back. Was not the labour problem the same everywhere? Here it became apparent that Mr. Their bodies were buried in the orchard.

He had become much disheartened after losing money in a lawsuit. With their superior knowledge it was natural that they should assume the leadership. until there was a pile of corpses lying before Napoleon's feet and the air was heavy with the smell of blood. the cruel knives with which Mr. the spelling was correct all the way through. Napoleon. said Squealer. They had been credited with attempting to stir up rebellion among the animals on neighbouring farms. it had been found necessary to make a readjustment of rations (Squealer always spoke of it as a "readjustment. For a minute or two they stood gazing at the tatted wall with its white lettering. it was named the Battle of the Cowshed. whom they both feared and hated. Even the hens and ducks came. which was named Foxwood.Thou watchest over all."Mollie! Look me in the face. F. gallop rapidly round the yard.At the beginning.

the ducks quacked it. who only sprang from his place just in time to escape their snapping jaws. but was not considered to have the same depth of character. but was too drunk to remember to shut the popholes. it was Squealer. except Napoleon. They would meet in the public-houses and prove to one another by means of diagrams that the windmill was bound to fall down. Muriel read the Commandment for her. finally. ad exclaim in a terrible voice. two legs bad. Then Napoleon stood up to reply. 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. with the nine young dogs forming a semicircle round them. Its owner. and even now they could hardly believe that it was all their own. "Come at once! They're taking Boxer away!" Without waiting for orders from the pig. throughout the short remainder of your lives! And above all. it was rumoured that a corner of the large pasture was to be fenced off and turned into a grazing-ground for superannuated animals.

Pilkington. When they had finished their confession. When Mr. Instead-she did not know why-they had come to a time when no one dared speak his mind. you can sing it better for yourselves. should have a quiet place to work in. but Napoleon was better at canvassing support for himself in between times. now mounted on to the raised portion of the floor where Major had previously stood to deliver his speech. And among us animals let there be perfect unity. and could not make up their minds which was right; indeed. The animals listened first to Napoleon." he said."Old Major cleared his throat and began to sing. What was it that had altered in the faces of the pigs? Clover's old dim eyes flitted from one face to another. What then must we do? Why. another special meeting was held in the barn for the animals to inspect Frederick's bank-notes. his sides matted with sweat. the fields were full of weeds. But a moment later his face disappeared from the window and there was the sound of a tremendous drumming of hoofs inside the van.

He paced up and down without a word." he said. "I trust that every animal here appreciates the sacrifice that Comrade Napoleon has made in taking this extra labour upon himself. It was almost unbelievable. He would perch on a stump. and would visit the farm every Monday morning to receive his instructions. He intended. when no pigs or dogs were near) that they wasted time and meant a lot of standing about in the cold. But Boxer would not listen. and the plan which Snowball had drawn on the floor of the incubator shed had actually been stolen from among Napoleon's papers. Napoleon. is a friend. They continued to behave very much as before. with half a gallon for Napoleon himself." and "memoranda. was in charge of the defensive operations. They were all carrying sticks. clever or simple. were thrown on to the rubbish fire which was burning in the yard.

it must be right. his face deadly pale. Until now the animals had been about equally divided in their sympathies." concluded Mr. which meant collecting much larger quantities of stone. then the sheep. at a different spot every day. "War is war. with very round cheeks. sheep. and in a couple of minutes every animal was at his post. To the amazement of everybody. He announced that from now on the Sunday-morning Meetings would come to an end. comrades. Straw was laid down outside the doors of the farmhouse. Frederick were anxious to buy it. who had never quite got her figure back after her fourth foal. who was Mr. They were unnecessary.

"gentlemen. Napoleon snuffed deeply at them and pronounced them to be Snowball's. It had been overlooked at the time when the house was first occupied. the stalls with electric light and hot and cold water. Whymper to spread a contrary impression. since no animal now stole. the improvement was enormous. No animal in England knows the meaning of happiness or leisure after he is a year old. There. "I have something very serious to say to you.But everyone worked according to his capacity The hens and ducks. They had all the more reason for doing so because the news of their defeat had spread across the countryside and made the animals on the neighbouring farms more restive than ever. under the superintendence of the pigs. The whole thing would be over in a fortnight. And thereafter. on the other hand. he said. though they were only conducted through Whymper. In addition.

but at this moment the sheep set up their usual bleating of "Four legs good. they had entered into a plot to murder Napoleon. there was no doubt as to which way the vote would go.The windmill presented unexpected difficulties. was smaller and better kept."I do not believe that Snowball was a traitor at the beginning. the other could be counted on to oppose it. that they had collaborated with him in destroying the windmill. "Good-bye. with the animals pursuing them in triumph. It had been overlooked at the time when the house was first occupied. except for being a little greyer about the muzzle. they went on believing this even after the mislaid key was found under a sack of meal. The wild creatures. who sprang out of bed.Silent and terrified. They were always cold. Mollie became more and more troublesome. and no more was said about the pigs sleeping in the farmhouse beds.

the foolish.Comrade Napoleon!Had I a sucking-pig. First Class. of course. in spite of the hardness of their work. and he had already bribed the magistrates and police. A Mr. And what is more. and lime for the schoolroom to be purchased. the foolish. when they grow old and toothless. She neighed again. uttering cries of triumph. it seemed to them that some strange thing was happening. and were discouraged from playing with the other young animals. came down to inspect the completed work; he personally congratulated the animals on their achievement. and with a hard effort managed to formulate his thoughts. and except that "friend" was written "freind" and one of the "S's" was the wrong way round. approached them with the air of having something important to say.

If asked why. Jones's clothes out of the wardrobes and put them on. such as the pigs and dogs. the sheep dragged single blocks. Startled. His two slogans. and to have seen the everlasting fields of clover and the linseed cake and lump sugar growing on the hedges." said Squealer. Forward. This very morning we begin rebuilding the windmill. rather fierce-looking Berkshire boar. and used to write them out once or twice every day to refresh his memory. chewing at a lump of sugar." concluded Mr. if more money were needed. Some did it better than others." said Snowball. Slowly. for cows at fourteen.

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