THE HARVEST HARVEST
How they toiled and sweated to get the hay in! But their efforts were rewarded, for the harvest was an even bigger success than they had hoped. Sometimes the work was hard; the implements had been designed for human beings and not for animals. And it was a great drawback that no animal was able to use any tool that involved standing on his hind legs.
When harvesting the pasture, they work hard! But their sweat did not flow in vain, because this harvest was even greater than they had hoped. These tasks are often difficult: farm tools are designed for people, not animals. Not a single animal can fiddle with instruments that require standing on two hind legs to use, which is a big flaw.
But the pigs were so clever that they could think of a way round every difficulty. As for the horses, they knew every inch of the field, and in fact understood the business of mowing and raking far better than Jones and his men had ever done. The pigs did not actually work, but directed and supervised the others. With their superior knowledge it was natural that they should assume the leadership.
But pigs are really smart, and they can come up with ways to get rid of every difficulty. As for the horses, they knew the fields very well, and in fact they were much more proficient than Jones and his men in cutting grass and cultivating land. Pigs don't actually work, they just guide and supervise other animals. With extraordinary knowledge, they naturally undertook leadership work.
Boxer and Clover would harness themselves to the cutter or the horse-rake (no bits or reins were needed in these days, of course) and tramp steadily round and round the field with a pig walking behind and calling out "Gee up, comrade!" or "Whoa back, comrade!" as the case might be.
Bauxer and Clover would rather put on a lawn mower or a horse-rake themselves (of course, there will be no chewing or reins at all), take a steady step, and march firmly in a circle, with the pig following behind them, depending on the situation, or shouting "Whoops, whoops, comrades!" Or it's "Oh, oh, comrade!" ”
And every animal down to the humblest worked at turning the hay and gathering it. Even the ducks and hens toiled to and fro all day in the sun, carrying tiny wisps of hay in their beaks. In the end they finished the harvest in two days' less time than it had usually taken Jones and his men.
When carrying and piling up grass, each animal does its best to obey the command. Even ducks and chickens spend their days in the big sun, laboriously going back and forth with a handful of grass in their mouths. In the end, they finished the harvest, a full two days ahead of the work jones gang had done in the past!
Moreover, it was the biggest harvest that the farm had ever seen. There was no wastage whatever; the hens and ducks with their sharp eyes had gathered up the very last stalk. And not an animal on the farm had stolen so much as a mouthful.
What's even more remarkable is that it was an unprecedented harvest on the estate. Not a single bit was left; the chickens and ducks, with their keen eyes, did not spare even the very small blades of grass. Not a single animal stole even a bite of the grass.
All through that summer the work of the farm went like clockwork. The animals were happy as they had never conceived it possible to be. Every mouthful of food was an acute positive pleasure, now that it was truly their own food, produced by themselves and for themselves, not doled out to them by a grudging master.
Throughout the summer, the work on the estate runs like a clock. Animals are also happy and happy, and all this is something they did not even dare to think about before. Now, since all food comes from their own labor, their own production, not from the alms of their miserly masters, they eat all their own food, and every bite is an incomparable enjoyment.
With the worthless parasitical human beings gone, there was more for everyone to eat. There was more leisure too, inexperienced though the animals were. They met with many difficulties. For instance, later in the year, when they harvested the corn, they had to tread it out in the ancient style and blow away the chaff with their breath, since the farm possessed no threshing machine.
With the departure of the parasitic person, each animal has more food. Although they didn't have much experience yet, they had more leisure. They've had a lot of trouble. For example, at the end of the year, after the harvest of corn, because there were no threshing machines and threshing machines in the manor, they had the old way of stepping on the corn kernels and blowing off the shells by mouth.
But the pigs with their cleverness and Boxer with his tremendous muscles always pulled them through. Boxer was the admiration of everybody. He had been a hard worker even in Jones's time, but now he seemed more like three horses than one.
But the pig's cleverness and Bauxer's might always helped them through. The animals marveled at Bauxer. Even during Jones's time, Bauxer had always been a hard-working and persistent laborer, and today, he is a top three.
There were days when the entire work of the farm seemed to rest on his mighty shoulders. From morning to night he was pushing and pulling, always at the spot where the work was hardest. He had made an arrangement with one of the cockerels to call him in the mornings half an hour earlier than anyone else, and would put in some volunteer labour at whatever seemed to be most needed, before the regular day's work began.
That pair of strong shoulders often seemed to take on all the work of the manor. From morning to night, he kept pulling and pushing, always appearing in the hardest parts of the work. He had already made an appointment with a little rooster, and every morning, the little rooster woke him up half an hour earlier, and he did some volunteer work before he officially went to work, and these jobs seemed to be the most urgently needed.
His answer to every problem, every setback, was "I will work harder!" --which he had adopted as his personal motto. But everyone worked according to his capacity. The hens and ducks, for instance, saved five bushels of corn at the harvest by gathering up the stray grains. Nobody stole, nobody grumbled over his rations.
No matter what difficulties and setbacks he encountered, Bauxer's answer was always: "I want to work harder," a phrase he kept quoting. However, every animal can only do what it can. Chickens and ducks, for example, rely on them to pick up scattered grains at harvest, saving five bushels of corn. No one stole food, and no one complained about their rations.
The quarrelling and biting and jealousy which had been normal features of life in the old days had almost disappeared. Nobody shirked--or almost nobody.
The quarrels, bites, and jealousies that used to be commonplace have all but been swept away. There are no or almost no animals deserting to escape.
Mollie, it was true, was not good at getting up in the mornings, and had a way of leaving work early on the ground that there was a stone in her hoof. And the behaviour of the cat was somewhat peculiar. It was soon noticed that when there was work to be done the cat could never be found.
However, there is such a thing: Molly is not used to getting up in the morning, and she has a bad problem, often using a stone in her hoof, so she abandons her work in the field and slips away early. Cats behave somewhat differently. Whenever there is work to be done, everyone finds that there is no cat to be found.
She would vanish for hours on end, and then reappear at meal-times, or in the evening after work was over, as though nothing had happened. But she always made such excellent excuses, and purred so affectionately, that it was impossible not to believe in her good intentions.
She would disappear for hours on end, until she reappeared at dinner, or after work. But she always had a brilliant reason, she muttered, so sincerely that no one could doubt that she was well-intentioned.
Old Benjamin, the donkey, seemed quite unchanged since the Rebellion. He did his work in the same slow obstinate way as he had done it in Jones's time, never shirking and never volunteering for extra work either. About the Rebellion and its results he would express no opinion.
Old Benjamin, the donkey, didn't seem to have changed much after the uprising. He worked slowly and methodically, as he did in Jones's time, never deserting, and never supporting extra work. He never took a stand on the uprising and the results of the uprising.
When asked whether he was not happier now that Jones was gone, he would say only "Donkeys live a long time. None of you has ever seen a dead donkey." And the others had to be content with this cryptic answer.
Whoever asked him if he was happy for Jones's departure said only, "Donkeys live long, and none of you have ever seen a dead donkey." Faced with his mysterious answer, the other animals had no choice but to stop there.
On Sundays there was no work. Breakfast was an hour later than usual, and after breakfast there was a ceremony which was observed every week without fail. First came the hoisting of the flag. Snowball had found in the harness-room an old green tablecloth of Mrs. Jones's and had painted on it a hoof and a horn in white.
Sunday did not live. Breakfast was an hour later than usual, and after breakfast, there was a weekly ceremony, no exception. First the flag was raised. The flag was an old green tablecloth of Mrs. Jones that Snowboy had previously found in the farm tool room, on which a hoof and horn were painted in white paint.
This was run up the flagstaff in the farmhouse garden every Sunday morning. The flag was green, Snowball explained, to represent the green fields of England, while the hoof and horn signified the future Republic of the Animals which would arise when the human race had been finally overthrown.
It rises every Sunday morning on a flagpole in the garden of the main courtyard. Snowbo explained that the flag is green, symbolizing the green land of England, while the hooves and horns symbolize the future animal republic that will be born when humanity is finally eradicated.
After the hoisting of the flag all the animals trooped into the big barn for a general assembly which was known as the Meeting. Here the work of the coming week was planned out and resolutions were put forward and debated.
After raising the flag, all the animals lined up into the big barn for a plenary session called the "Grand Conference." Here, work on the coming week will be planned, and resolutions will be proposed and discussed.
It was always the pigs who put forward the resolutions. The other animals understood how to vote, but could never think of any resolutions of their own. Snowball and Napoleon were by far the most active in the debates. But it was noticed that these two were never in agreement.
It's always the pigs who are asking questions. Other animals know how to vote, but have never been able to raise any issues on their own. Snowbow and Napoleon were the most active centers of discussion, respectively. But it was clear that the two of them had never gotten along.
Whatever suggestion either of them made, the other could be counted on to oppose it. Even when it was resolved--a thing no one could object to in itself--to set aside the small paddock behind the orchard as a home of rest for animals who were past work.
Whatever one suggests, the other will do the opposite. The same is true even for issues that have already been adopted, such as leaving small pastures behind orchards for old and frail animals, which no one actually opposes.
There was a stormy debate over the correct retiring age for each class of animal. The Meeting always ended with the singing of 'Beasts of England', and the afternoon was given up to recreation. The pigs had set aside the harness-room as a headquarters for themselves.
To determine the retirement age for all kinds of animals, they also have to argue fiercely. The great meetings always end with the singing of the "Beast of England" and the afternoon is reserved for entertainment. The pigs had made the farm tool room their own headquarters.
Here, in the evenings, they studied blacksmithing, carpentering, and other necessary arts from books which they had brought out of the farmhouse. Snowball also busied himself with organising the other animals into what he called Animal Committees. He was indefatigable at this.
In the evening, they were here, learning about blacksmithing, carpentry, and other necessary skills from the books they had brought in the estate. Snowbo himself was busy organizing other animals to join what he called the "Animal Council." In this matter. He was really tireless.
He formed the Egg Production Committee for the hens, the Clean Tails League for the cows, the Wild Comrades' Re-education Committee (the object of this was to tame the rats and rabbits), the Whiter Wool Movement for the sheep, and various others. Besides instituting classes in reading and writing. On the whole, these projects were a failure.
He set up an "egg-laying committee" for hens, a "clean-tail society" for cattle, a "wild gay re-education committee" (this committee aims to domesticate rats and rabbits), a "whiter fur campaign" for sheep, and so on. In addition, a literacy class has been formed. But overall. These activities failed.
The attempt to tame the wild creatures, for instance, broke down almost immediately. They continued to behave very much as before, and when treated with generosity, simply took advantage of it. The cat joined the Re-education Committee and was very active in it for some days. She was seen one day sitting on a roof and talking to some sparrows who were just out of her reach.
For example, efforts to domesticate wild animals were almost immediately aborted. These wild animals are still the same, and if they are magnanimous to them, they will openly take advantage of the loophole. The cat participated in the "Re-Education Committee" and was very active for a few days. Animals saw her once talking to some sparrows on top of a shack that she couldn't reach.
She was telling them that all animals were now comrades and that any sparrow who chose could come and perch on her paw. But the sparrows kept their distance. The reading and writing classes, however, were a great success.
She told the sparrow that the animals were now comrades, and that any sparrow, if they so wished, could come to her paws and rest on them. But the sparrows stayed away from her. However, the reading class was quite successful.
By the autumn almost every animal on the farm was literate in some degree. As for the pigs, they could already read and write perfectly. The dogs learned to read fairly well, but were not interested in reading anything except the Seven Commandments. Muriel, the goat, could read somewhat better than the dogs, and sometimes used to read to the others in the evenings from scraps of newspaper which she found on the rubbish heap.
By the fall, almost all the animals on the estate were literate to varying degrees. For pigs, they are already able to read and write very skillfully. Dogs also practice their reading skills quite well, but unfortunately they are only interested in reading the Seven Commandments. Muriel, the goat, read better than a dog, and she often reads newspaper clippings from the garbage heap to other animals at night.
Benjamin could read as well as any pig, but never exercised his faculty. So far as he knew, he said, there was nothing worth reading. Clover learnt the whole alphabet, but could not put words together. Boxer could not get beyond the letter D. He would trace out A, B, C, D, in the dust with his great hoof, and then would stand staring at the letters with his ears back, sometimes shaking his forelock, trying with all his might to remember what came next and never succeeding.
Benjamin read no less than any pig, but never used his skills. He said that to his knowledge, so far, there is nothing worth reading. Claver learned all the letters, but he couldn't spell them out. Bauxer could only learn the letter D. He would use his huge hooves to copy A, B, C, D on the dust, and then, standing there, with his ears cocked, staring intently, and shaking his forehead hair from time to time, trying his best to think of the next letter, but he could not always remember.
On several occasions, indeed, he did learn E, F, G, H, but by the time he knew them, it was always discovered that he had forgotten A, B, C, and D. Finally he decided to be content with the first four letters, and used to write them out once or twice every day to refresh his memory.
Several times, really, he did learn E, F, G, H, but when he learned them, he always found that he had forgotten A, B, C, D. In the end, he decided to settle for the first four letters and insisted on writing them once or twice a day to strengthen his memory.
Mollie refused to learn any but the six letters which spelt her own name. She would form these very neatly out of pieces of twig, and would then decorate them with a flower or two and walk round them admiring them. None of the other animals on the farm could get further than the letter A.
Molly would never learn anything other than the six letters Mollie, who spelled out her own name. She would spell out her name very deftly with a few delicate branches, decorate it with one or two flowers, and walk around them a few times to marvel. The other animals in the manor learned only one letter, A.
It was also found that the stupider animals, such as the sheep, hens, and ducks, were unable to learn the Seven Commandments by heart. After much thought Snowball declared that the Seven Commandments could in effect be reduced to a single maxim, namely: "Four legs good, two legs bad." This, he said, contained the essential principle of Animalism.
In addition, those who are more obtuse, such as sheep, chickens, ducks, etc., have not yet learned to memorize the "Seven Commandments". So, after much deliberation, Snowboll declared that the "Seven Commandments" could actually be reduced to a criterion, that is, "four legs are good, two legs are bad." The guideline, he said, contains the basic principles of animalism.
Whoever had thoroughly grasped it would be safe from human influences. The birds at first objected, since it seemed to them that they also had two legs, but Snowball proved to them that this was not so. "A bird's wing, comrades," he said, "is an organ of propulsion and not of manipulation. It should therefore be regarded as a leg.
Whoever has fully mastered this principle is exempt from the danger of human influence. At first, the birds objected, as they seemed to have only two legs, until Snowbo proved to them that this was not the case. "Comrades," he said, "the wings of a bird are an organ that propels the march, not for manipulation and control. So it's the same thing as the legs.
The distinguishing mark of man is the HAND, the instrument with which he does all his mischief." The birds did not understand Snowball's long words, but they accepted his explanation.
The different characteristics of people are the hands, which are their organs that do many evils. The birds did not understand this tirade, but they accepted Snowbaw's explanation.
And all the humbler animals set to work to learn the new maxim by heart. FOUR LEGS GOOD, TWO LEGS BAD, was inscribed1 on the end wall of the barn, above the Seven Commandments and in bigger letters.
At the same time, all such slower animals began to memorize this new criterion in their hearts. "Four legs good, two legs bad" is also inscribed on the wall at the end of the large barn, above the "Seven Commandments", and the font is larger than the "Seven Commandments".
When they had once got it by heart, the sheep developed a great liking for this maxim, and often as they lay in the field they would all start bleating "Four legs good, two legs bad! Four legs good, two legs bad! "and keep it up for hours on end, never growing tired of it.
Once the sheep have memorized this rule in their hearts, they become more and more excited. When they were lying on the ground, they often cried out, "Four legs are good, two legs are bad!" Four legs are good, two legs are bad! "It's a few hours at a time, and I never get bored.
Napoleon took no interest in Snowball's committees. He said that the education of the young was more important than anything that could be done for those who were already grown up. It happened that Jessie and Bluebell had both whelped soon after the hay harvest, giving birth between them to nine sturdy puppies.
Napoleon had no interest in what Snoebow's committee was. Education for the younger generation, he said, is more important to the younger generation than for animals that have grown up. By coincidence, shortly after harvesting the pastures, Both Jesse and Brubyl cubed and gave birth to nine strong puppies.
As soon as they were weaned, Napoleon took them away from their mothers, saying that he would make himself responsible for their education. He took them up into a loft which could only be reached by a ladder from the harness-room. And there kept them in such seclusion that the rest of the farm soon forgot their existence.
As soon as the puppies were weaned, Napoleon said he was willing to take responsibility for their education and take them away from his mother. He took them to an attic that could only be ascended by a ladder from the implement room. They were in such a state of isolation that the other animals in the manor quickly forgot about them.
The mystery of where the milk went to was soon cleared up. It was mixed every day into the pigs' mash. The early apples were now ripening, and the grass of the orchard was littered with windfalls. The animals had assumed as a matter of course that these would be shared out equally.
The mysterious whereabouts of the milk were soon clarified. It turned out that it was mixed into pig feed every day. At this time, the apples of the early stubble were ripening, and the lawn of the orchard was covered with fruits that had been blown down by the wind. The animals took it for granted to distribute these fruits equally.
One day, however, the order went forth that all the windfalls were to be collected and brought to the harness-room for the use of the pigs. At this some of the other animals murmured, but it was no use. All the pigs were in full agreement on this point, even Snowball and Napoleon.
One day, however, an instruction was issued to collect all the apples that had been blown down by the wind and bring them to the farm tool room for the pigs to eat. Some of the other animals grumbled about this, but to no avail. All the pigs agreed, even Snopou and Napoleon.
Squealer was sent to make the necessary explanations to the others. "Comrades!" he cried. "You do not imagine, I hope, that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege? Many of us actually dislike milk and apples. I dislike them myself. Our sole object in taking these things is to preserve our health.
Squilla was instructed to give some necessary explanation to the other animals. "Comrades," he shouted. "You don't see us pigs doing this out of selfishness and privilege, do you?" I hope you don't. Many of us pigs simply don't like milk and apples. I don't like it myself. The sole purpose of our consumption of these things is to protect our health.
Milk and apples (this has been proved by Science, comrades) contain substances absolutely necessary to the well-being of a pig. We pigs are brainworkers. The whole management and organisation of this farm depend on us. Day and night we are watching over your welfare.
Milk and apples (this has been scientifically proven, comrades) contain nutrients that are absolutely essential for the health of pigs. We pigs are mental workers. The entire management and organization of the estate depends on us. We work day and night to ensure the happiness of everyone.
It is for YOUR sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples. Do you know what would happen if we pigs failed in our duty? Jones would come back! Yes, Jones would come back! Surely, comrades," cried Squealer almost pleadingly, skipping from side to side and whisking his tail, "surely there is no one among you who wants to see Jones come back?"
Therefore, it is for you that we drink milk and eat apples. You know, what happens if our pigs fail in their duties? Jones will make a comeback! Yes, Jones will make a comeback! Really, comrades! Squilla bounced from side to side, flicking her tail, and shouted almost pleadingly, "Really, no one wants to see Jones make a comeback, do you?" ”
Now if there was one thing that the animals were completely certain of, it was that they did not want Jones back. When it was put to them in this light, they had no more to say.
At this point, if there was one thing the animals could be absolutely sure of, it was their reluctance to let Jones come back. When Squilla's insights illustrate this, they have nothing more to say.
The importance of keeping the pigs in good health was all too obvious. 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).
The importance of keeping pigs in good health could not be clearer. So, without further argument, there was unanimous agreement that milk and the wind-blown apples (and the main harvest of the apples when ripe should be distributed separately to the pigs).