Скотный двор

           Itwasveryneatlywritten,andexceptthat"friend"waswritten"freind"andoneofthe"S’s"wasthewrongwayround,thespellingwascorrectallthewaythrough. Snowballreaditaloudforthebenefitoftheothers. Alltheanimalsnoddedincompleteagreement,andtheclevereronesatoncebegantolearntheCommandmentsbyheart. 

           "Now,comrades,"criedSnowball,throwingdownthepaint-brush,"tothehayfield! LetusmakeitapointofhonourtogetintheharvestmorequicklythanJonesandhismencoulddo." 

           Butatthismomentthethreecows,whohadseemeduneasyforsometimepast,setupaloudlowing. Theyhadnotbeenmilkedfortwenty-fourhours,andtheirudderswerealmostbursting. Afteralittlethought,thepigssentforbucketsandmilkedthecowsfairlysuccessfully,theirtrottersbeingwelladaptedtothistask. Soontherewerefivebucketsoffrothingcreamymilkatwhichmanyoftheanimalslookedwithconsiderableinterest. 

           "Whatisgoingtohappentoallthatmilk?"saidsomeone. 

           "Jonesusedsometimestomixsomeofitinourmash,"saidoneofthehens. 

           "Nevermindthemilk,comrades!"criedNapoleon,placinghimselfinfrontofthebuckets. "Thatwillbeattendedto. Theharvestismoreimportant. ComradeSnowballwillleadtheway. Ishallfollowinafewminutes. Forward,comrades! Thehayiswaiting." 

           Sotheanimalstroopeddowntothehayfieldtobegintheharvest,andwhentheycamebackintheeveningitwasnoticedthatthemilkhaddisappeared.