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=0A=
Chapter I
Mr.=20
Jones, of the Manor Farm, had locked the =
hen-houses for the night, but
was =
too drunk=20
to remember to shut the pop-holes. With =
the ring=20
of light
from his lantern dancing =
from side=20
to side, he lurched across the yard, =
kicked=20
off his boots at the back door, drew =
himself a=20
last glass of beer
from the barrel =
in the=20
scullery, and made his way up to bed, =
where=20
Mrs. Jones was already snoring. =
As=20
soon as the light in the bedroom went =
out there=20
was a stirring and a
fluttering all =
through=20
the farm buildings. Word had gone round =
during=20
the
day that old Major, the prize =
Middle=20
White boar, had had a strange dream =
on the=20
previous night and wished to communicate =
it to=20
the other animals.
It had been =
agreed that=20
they should all meet in the big barn as =
soon as=20
Mr. Jones was safely out of the way. =
Old=20
Major (so he was always called, =
though the=20
name under which he had been exhibited =
was=20
Willingdon Beauty)
was so highly =
regarded on=20
the farm that everyone was quite ready =
to lose=20
an hour's sleep in order to hear =
what he had=20
to say.
At one end of the big =
barn, on a=20
sort of raised platform, Major was =
already=20
ensconced on his bed of straw, under a =
lantern=20
which hung from a
beam. He was =
twelve years=20
old and had lately grown rather stout, =
but he=20
was still a majestic-looking pig, =
with a=20
wise and benevolent appearance in =
spite of=20
the fact that his tushes had never been =
cut.=20
Before long the
other animals began =
to=20
arrive and make themselves comfortable =
after=20
their
different fashions. First came =
the=20
three dogs, Bluebell, Jessie, and =
Pincher,=20
and then the pigs, who settled down in =
the straw=20
immediately in
front of the =
platform. The=20
hens perched themselves on the =
window-sills,=20
the pigeons fluttered up to the =
rafters, the=20
sheep and cows lay down
behind the =
pigs and=20
began to chew the cud. The two =
cart-horses,=20
Boxer and
Clover, came in together, =
walking=20
very slowly and setting down their vast=20
hairy hoofs with great care lest =
there=20
should be some small animal =
concealed in the=20
straw. Clover was a stout motherly mare=20
approaching
middle life, who had =
never quite=20
got her figure back after her fourth =
foal.=20
Boxer was an enormous beast, nearly =
eighteen=20
hands high, and as strong as
any two =
ordinary horses put together. A white =
stripe=20
down his nose gave
him a somewhat =
stupid=20
appearance, and in fact he was not of =
first-rate=20
intelligence, but he was universally =
respected for his steadiness of =
character=20
and tremendous powers of work. After the =
horses=20
came Muriel,
the white goat, and =
Benjamin,=20
the donkey. Benjamin was the oldest =
animal=20
on the farm, and the worst tempered. =
He=20
seldom talked, and when he did, it =
was=20
usually to make some cynical remark--for =
instance, he would say that
God had =
given=20
him a tail to keep the flies off, but =
that he=20
would sooner
have had no tail and no =
flies.=20
Alone among the animals on the farm he =
never=20
laughed. If asked why, he would say that =
he saw=20
nothing to laugh at.
Nevertheless, =
without=20
openly admitting it, he was devoted to =
Boxer;=20
the
two of them usually spent their =
Sundays=20
together in the small paddock
beyond =
the=20
orchard, grazing side by side and never=20
speaking.
The two horses had =
just lain=20
down when a brood of ducklings, which =
had=20
lost their mother, filed into the =
barn,=20
cheeping feebly and wandering from =
side to=20
side to find some place where they would =
not be=20
trodden on. Clover
made a sort of =
wall round=20
them with her great foreleg, and the =
ducklings=20
nestled down inside it and promptly =
fell=20
asleep. At the last moment
Mollie, =
the=20
foolish, pretty white mare who drew Mr. =
Jones's=20
trap, came
mincing daintily in, =
chewing at a=20
lump of sugar. She took a place near the =
front and began flirting her white =
mane,=20
hoping to draw attention to the
red =
ribbons=20
it was plaited with. Last of all came =
the cat,=20
who looked
round, as usual, for the =
warmest=20
place, and finally squeezed herself in=20
between Boxer and Clover; there she =
purred=20
contentedly throughout Major's =
speech=20
without listening to a word of what he =
was=20
saying.
All the animals were now =
present=20
except Moses, the tame raven, who slept =
on a=20
perch behind the back door. When Major =
saw that=20
they had all made
themselves =
comfortable and=20
were waiting attentively, he cleared his =
throat=20
and began:
"Comrades, you =
have heard=20
already about the strange dream that I =
had last=20
night. But I will come to the dream =
later. I=20
have something else to say
first. I =
do not=20
think, comrades, that I shall be with =
you for=20
many months
longer, and before I =
die, I feel=20
it my duty to pass on to you such wisdom =
as=20
I have acquired. I have had a long life, =
I have=20
had much time for
thought as I lay =
alone in=20
my stall, and I think I may say that I=20
understand the nature of life on =
this earth=20
as well as any animal now
living. It =
is=20
about this that I wish to speak to you.=20
"Now, comrades, what is the =
nature of=20
this life of ours? Let us face it: =
our lives=20
are miserable, laborious, and short. We =
are=20
born, we are given
just so much food =
as will=20
keep the breath in our bodies, and those =
of us=20
who are capable of it are forced to =
work to=20
the last atom of our strength;
and =
the very=20
instant that our usefulness has come to =
an end=20
we are
slaughtered with hideous =
cruelty. No=20
animal in England knows the meaning =
of=20
happiness or leisure after he is a year =
old. No=20
animal in England is
free. The life =
of an=20
animal is misery and slavery: that is =
the plain=20
truth.
"But is this simply part =
of the=20
order of nature? Is it because this land =
of=20
ours is so poor that it cannot afford a =
decent=20
life to those who dwell
upon it? No, =
comrades, a thousand times no! The soil =
of=20
England is
fertile, its climate is =
good, it=20
is capable of affording food in =
abundance
to=20
an enormously greater number of animals =
than now=20
inhabit it. This
single farm of ours =
would=20
support a dozen horses, twenty cows, =
hundreds of=20
sheep--and all of them living in a =
comfort=20
and a dignity that are now
almost =
beyond our=20
imagining. Why then do we continue in =
this=20
miserable
condition? Because nearly =
the=20
whole of the produce of our labour is =
stolen=20
from us by human beings. There, =
comrades, is=20
the answer to all our
problems. It =
is summed=20
up in a single word--Man. Man is the =
only real=20
enemy we have. Remove Man from the =
scene,=20
and the root cause of hunger and =
overwork is=20
abolished for ever.
"Man is the =
only=20
creature that consumes without =
producing. He=20
does not
give milk, he does not lay =
eggs, he=20
is too weak to pull the plough, he =
cannot=20
run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he =
is lord=20
of all the
animals. He sets them to =
work, he=20
gives back to them the bare minimum that =
will prevent them from starving, and =
the=20
rest he keeps for himself. Our =
labour tills=20
the soil, our dung fertilises it, and =
yet there=20
is not one of
us that owns more than =
his=20
bare skin. You cows that I see before =
me, how=20
many thousands of gallons of milk =
have you=20
given during this last year?
And =
what has=20
happened to that milk which should have =
been=20
breeding up
sturdy calves? Every =
drop of it=20
has gone down the throats of our =
enemies.=20
And you hens, how many eggs have you =
laid in=20
this last year, and how many
of =
those eggs=20
ever hatched into chickens? The rest =
have all=20
gone to market
to bring in money for =
Jones=20
and his men. And you, Clover, where are =
those=20
four foals you bore, who should have =
been=20
the support and pleasure of your
old =
age?=20
Each was sold at a year old--you will =
never see=20
one of them
again. In return for =
your four=20
confinements and all your labour in the=20
fields, what have you ever had =
except your=20
bare rations and a stall?
"And =
even the=20
miserable lives we lead are not allowed =
to reach=20
their
natural span. For myself I do =
not=20
grumble, for I am one of the lucky ones. =
I=20
am twelve years old and have had over =
four=20
hundred children. Such is the =
natural life=20
of a pig. But no animal escapes the =
cruel knife=20
in the end.
You young porkers who =
are=20
sitting in front of me, every one of you =
will=20
scream your lives out at the block =
within a=20
year. To that horror we all
must =
come--cows,=20
pigs, hens, sheep, everyone. Even the =
horses and=20
the dogs
have no better fate. You, =
Boxer,=20
the very day that those great muscles of =
yours lose their power, Jones will =
sell you=20
to the knacker, who will cut
your =
throat and=20
boil you down for the foxhounds. As for =
the=20
dogs, when
they grow old and =
toothless,=20
Jones ties a brick round their necks and =
drowns them in the nearest pond. =
"Is=20
it not crystal clear, then, comrades, =
that all=20
the evils of this life
of ours =
spring from=20
the tyranny of human beings? Only get =
rid of=20
Man, and
the produce of our labour =
would be=20
our own. Almost overnight we could =
become=20
rich and free. What then must we do? =
Why, work=20
night and day, body
and soul, for =
the=20
overthrow of the human race! That is my =
message=20
to you,
comrades: Rebellion! I do =
not know=20
when that Rebellion will come, it might =
be=20
in a week or in a hundred years, but I =
know, as=20
surely as I see this
straw beneath =
my feet,=20
that sooner or later justice will be =
done. Fix=20
your
eyes on that, comrades, =
throughout the=20
short remainder of your lives! And =
above=20
all, pass on this message of mine to =
those who=20
come after you, so
that future =
generations=20
shall carry on the struggle until it is=20
victorious.
"And remember, =
comrades,=20
your resolution must never falter. No =
argument=20
must lead you astray. Never listen =
when they=20
tell you that Man and the
animals =
have a=20
common interest, that the prosperity of =
the one=20
is the
prosperity of the others. It =
is all=20
lies. Man serves the interests of no=20
creature except himself. And among =
us=20
animals let there be perfect unity, =
perfect=20
comradeship in the struggle. All men are =
enemies. All animals are
comrades."=20
At this moment there was a =
tremendous=20
uproar. While Major was speaking =
four large=20
rats had crept out of their holes and =
were=20
sitting on their
hindquarters, =
listening to=20
him. The dogs had suddenly caught sight =
of=20
them, and it was only by a swift =
dash for=20
their holes that the rats saved =
their lives.=20
Major raised his trotter for silence.=20
"Comrades," he said, "here is a =
point=20
that must be settled. The wild =
creatures,=20
such as rats and rabbits--are they our =
friends=20
or our enemies?
Let us put it to the =
vote. I=20
propose this question to the meeting: =
Are=20
rats comrades?"
The vote was =
taken=20
at once, and it was agreed by an =
overwhelming=20
majority
that rats were comrades. =
There were=20
only four dissentients, the three dogs =
and=20
the cat, who was afterwards discovered =
to have=20
voted on both sides.
Major =
continued:=20
"I have little more to say. I =
merely=20
repeat, remember always your duty of =
enmity=20
towards Man and all his ways. Whatever =
goes upon=20
two legs is an
enemy. Whatever goes =
upon=20
four legs, or has wings, is a friend. =
And=20
remember also that in fighting =
against Man,=20
we must not come to resemble
him. =
Even when=20
you have conquered him, do not adopt his =
vices.=20
No animal
must ever live in a house, =
or=20
sleep in a bed, or wear clothes, or =
drink=20
alcohol, or smoke tobacco, or touch =
money,=20
or engage in trade. All the
habits =
of Man=20
are evil. And, above all, no animal must =
ever=20
tyrannise over
his own kind. Weak or =
strong,=20
clever or simple, we are all brothers. =
No=20
animal must ever kill any other =
animal. All=20
animals are equal.
"And now, =
comrades, I=20
will tell you about my dream of last =
night. I=20
cannot
describe that dream to you. =
It was a=20
dream of the earth as it will be when =
Man=20
has vanished. But it reminded me of =
something=20
that I had long
forgotten. Many =
years ago,=20
when I was a little pig, my mother and =
the=20
other sows used to sing an old song =
of which=20
they knew only the tune and
the =
first three=20
words. I had known that tune in my =
infancy, but=20
it had
long since passed out of my =
mind.=20
Last night, however, it came back to me =
in=20
my dream. And what is more, the words of =
the=20
song also came back-words,
I am =
certain,=20
which were sung by the animals of long =
ago and=20
have been
lost to memory for =
generations. I=20
will sing you that song now, comrades. =
I am=20
old and my voice is hoarse, but when I =
have=20
taught you the tune, you
can sing it =
better=20
for yourselves. It is called 'Beasts of=20
England'."
Old Major cleared his =
throat=20
and began to sing. As he had said, his =
voice=20
was hoarse, but he sang well enough, =
and it=20
was a stirring tune, something =
between=20
'Clementine' and 'La Cucaracha'. The =
words ran:=20
Beasts of England, beasts of =
Ireland,=20
Beasts of every land and clime, =
Hearken=20
to my joyful tidings
Of the golden =
future=20
time.
Soon or late the day is =
coming,=20
Tyrant Man shall be o'erthrown, =
And the=20
fruitful fields of England
Shall be =
trod by=20
beasts alone.
Rings shall vanish =
from=20
our noses,
And the harness from our =
back,=20
Bit and spur shall rust forever, =
Cruel=20
whips no more shall crack. =
Riches more=20
than mind can picture,
Wheat and =
barley,=20
oats and hay,
Clover, beans, and=20
mangel-wurzels
Shall be ours upon =
that day.=20
Bright will shine the fields of =
England,=20
Purer shall its waters be, =
Sweeter yet=20
shall blow its breezes
On the day =
that sets=20
us free.
For that day we all =
must=20
labour,
Though we die before it =
break;=20
Cows and horses, geese and turkeys, =
All=20
must toil for freedom's sake. =
Beasts of=20
England, beasts of Ireland,
Beasts =
of every=20
land and clime,
Hearken well and =
spread my=20
tidings
Of the golden future time.=20
The singing of this song =
threw the=20
animals into the wildest excitement. =
Almost=20
before Major had reached the end, they =
had begun=20
singing it for
themselves. Even the=20
stupidest of them had already picked up =
the tune=20
and
a few of the words, and as for =
the=20
clever ones, such as the pigs and dogs, =
they=20
had the entire song by heart within a =
few=20
minutes. And then, after a
few =
preliminary=20
tries, the whole farm burst out into =
'Beasts of=20
England' in
tremendous unison. The =
cows=20
lowed it, the dogs whined it, the sheep=20
bleated it, the horses whinnied it, =
the=20
ducks quacked it. They were so =
delighted=20
with the song that they sang it right =
through=20
five times in
succession, and might =
have=20
continued singing it all night if they =
had not=20
been interrupted. =
Unfortunately, the=20
uproar awoke Mr. Jones, who sprang out =
of bed,=20
making
sure that there was a fox in =
the=20
yard. He seized the gun which always =
stood=20
in a corner of his bedroom, and let fly =
a charge=20
of number 6 shot
into the darkness. =
The=20
pellets buried themselves in the wall of =
the=20
barn
and the meeting broke up =
hurriedly.=20
Everyone fled to his own =
sleeping-place. The=20
birds jumped on to their perches, the =
animals=20
settled
down in the straw, and the =
whole=20
farm was asleep in a moment.
Forward >=
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=0A=
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