Скотный двор

           ThreedayslaterMolliedisappeared. Forsomeweeksnothingwasknownofherwhereabouts,thenthepigeonsreportedthattheyhadseenherontheothersideofWillingdon. Shewasbetweentheshaftsofasmartdogcartpaintedredandblack,whichwasstandingoutsideapublic-house. Afatred-facedmanincheckbreechesandgaiters,wholookedlikeapublican,wasstrokinghernoseandfeedingherwithsugar. Hercoatwasnewlyclippedandsheworeascarletribbonroundherforelock. Sheappearedtobeenjoyingherself,sothepigeonssaid. NoneoftheanimalsevermentionedMollieagain. 

           InJanuarytherecamebitterlyhardweather. Theearthwaslikeiron,andnothingcouldbedoneinthefields. Manymeetingswereheldinthebigbarn,andthepigsoccupiedthemselveswithplanningouttheworkofthecomingseason. Ithadcometobeacceptedthatthepigs,whoweremanifestlyclevererthantheotheranimals,shoulddecideallquestionsoffarmpolicy,thoughtheirdecisionshadtoberatifiedbyamajorityvote. ThisarrangementwouldhaveworkedwellenoughifithadnotbeenforthedisputesbetweenSnowballandNapoleon. Thesetwodisagreedateverypointwheredisagreementwaspossible. Ifoneofthemsuggestedsowingabiggeracreagewithbarley,theotherwascertaintodemandabiggeracreageofoats,andifoneofthemsaidthatsuchandsuchafieldwasjustrightforcabbages,theotherwoulddeclarethatitwasuselessforanythingexceptroots. Eachhadhisownfollowing,andthereweresomeviolentdebates. AttheMeetingsSnowballoftenwonoverthemajoritybyhisbrilliantspeeches,butNapoleonwasbetteratcanvassingsupportforhimselfinbetweentimes. Hewasespeciallysuccessfulwiththesheep. Oflatethesheephadtakentobleating"Fourlegsgood,twolegsbad"bothinandoutofseason,andtheyofteninterruptedtheMeetingwiththis. Itwasnoticedthattheywereespeciallyliabletobreakinto"Fourlegsgood,twolegsbad"atcrucialmomentsinSnowball’sspeeches.