Скотный двор

           Aboutthistime,too,itwaslaiddownasarulethatwhenapigandanyotheranimalmetonthepath,theotheranimalmuststandaside: andalsothatallpigs,ofwhateverdegree,weretohavetheprivilegeofwearinggreenribbonsontheirtailsonSundays. 

           Thefarmhadhadafairlysuccessfulyear,butwasstillshortofmoney. Therewerethebricks,sand,andlimefortheschoolroomtobepurchased,anditwouldalsobenecessarytobeginsavingupagainforthemachineryforthewindmill. Thentherewerelampoilandcandlesforthehouse,sugarforNapoleon’sowntable(heforbadethistotheotherpigs,onthegroundthatitmadethemfat),andalltheusualreplacementssuchastools,nails,string,coal,wire,scrap-iron,anddogbiscuits. Astumpofhayandpartofthepotatocropweresoldoff,andthecontractforeggswasincreasedtosixhundredaweek,sothatthatyearthehensbarelyhatchedenoughchickstokeeptheirnumbersatthesamelevel. Rations,reducedinDecember,werereducedagaininFebruary,andlanternsinthestallswereforbiddentosaveoil. Butthepigsseemedcomfortableenough,andinfactwereputtingonweightifanything. OneafternooninlateFebruaryawarm,rich,appetisingscent,suchastheanimalshadneversmeltbefore,wafteditselfacrosstheyardfromthelittlebrew-house,whichhadbeendisusedinJones’stime,andwhichstoodbeyondthekitchen. Someonesaiditwasthesmellofcookingbarley. Theanimalssniffedtheairhungrilyandwonderedwhetherawarmmashwasbeingpreparedfortheirsupper. Butnowarmmashappeared,andonthefollowingSundayitwasannouncedthatfromnowonwardsallbarleywouldbereservedforthepigs. Thefieldbeyondtheorchardhadalreadybeensownwithbarley. Andthenewssoonleakedoutthateverypigwasnowreceivingarationofapintofbeerdaily,withhalfagallonforNapoleonhimself,whichwasalwaysservedtohimintheCrownDerbysouptureen.