Скотный двор

           EarlyinOctober,whenthecornwascutandstackedandsomeofitwasalreadythreshed,aflightofpigeonscamewhirlingthroughtheairandalightedintheyardofAnimalFarminthewildestexcitement. Jonesandallhismen,withhalfadozenothersfromFoxwoodandPinchfield,hadenteredthefive-barredgateandwerecomingupthecart-trackthatledtothefarm. Theywereallcarryingsticks,exceptJones,whowasmarchingaheadwithaguninhishands. Obviouslytheyweregoingtoattempttherecaptureofthefarm. 

           Thishadlongbeenexpected,andallpreparationshadbeenmade. Snowball,whohadstudiedanoldbookofJuliusCaesar’scampaignswhichhehadfoundinthefarmhouse,wasinchargeofthedefensiveoperations. Hegavehisordersquickly,andinacoupleofminuteseveryanimalwasathispost. 

           Asthehumanbeingsapproachedthefarmbuildings,Snowballlaunchedhisfirstattack. Allthepigeons,tothenumberofthirty-five,flewtoandfrooverthemen’sheadsandmuteduponthemfrommid-air;andwhilethemenweredealingwiththis,thegeese,whohadbeenhidingbehindthehedge,rushedoutandpeckedviciouslyatthecalvesoftheirlegs. However,thiswasonlyalightskirmishingmanoeuvre,intendedtocreatealittledisorder,andthemeneasilydrovethegeeseoffwiththeirsticks. Snowballnowlaunchedhissecondlineofattack. Muriel,Benjamin,andallthesheep,withSnowballattheheadofthem,rushedforwardandproddedandbuttedthemenfromeveryside,whileBenjaminturnedaroundandlashedatthemwithhissmallhoofs. Butonceagainthemen,withtheirsticksandtheirhobnailedboots,weretoostrongforthem;andsuddenly,atasquealfromSnowball,whichwasthesignalforretreat,alltheanimalsturnedandfledthroughthegatewayintotheyard.