Back to: Animal Farm by George Orwell
Harsh winters followed in January. The animals worked tirelessly to reconstruct the mill. The walls of the mills were built thicker this time. So, more stones were needed.
All the animals were exhausted except Boxer and Clover (the horses). Some excellent speeches from Squealer followed after the working hours.
Food production was greatly reduced (due to harsh weather) as a result of which the animal ration was greatly reduced. Inedible potatoes were given as compensation for the reduced food ration. It appeared as the animals were being forced to breathe the air of starvation.
Rumors of cannibalism and infanticide in the Animal Farm again flared up in the outside world. Mr. Whymper was selected by Napoleon as the sole contact with the outside world. He was deceived and shown fake barrels of food.
Purchasing food from the outside world was the need of the hour. Now, hens were ordered to surrender their eggs (Napoleon made a deal with Mr. Whymper of four hundred eggs per week). There was a rebellion against this inhumane order lead by hens. The protests soon died, nine hens also died and the exports of eggs started.
Snowball was rumored to be hiding in the adjacent farm. Every little problem with Animal Farm was blamed on Snowball. Napoleon sniffed everything and said, “Snowball! He has been here! I can smell him distinctly!”.
Snowball (the pig who was chased by the dogs) was blamed to be conspiring against Animal Farm. All the animals could not believe this but Squealer (the talkative pig) motivated them anyhow.
Snowball was now believed to be an agent of Mr. Jones. Boxer was a little reluctant to accept the fact but agreed to it later on. Squealer was unhappy about this and warned them.
The next day, Napoleon came with his nine dogs. He made a sound and the dogs attacked the small pigs (who rebelled when Napoleon canceled the Sunday meetings).
Some dogs attacked Boxer, who kicked them. The four pigs confessed their crime of being the agents of Snowball. They were all killed. A round of confessions followed and many animals (hens, a goose, sheep) were killed.
Boxer (the horse) thought about the ongoing situation and decided to wake up one hour earlier now. Clover (the mare) and some other animals started to sing “Beasts of England”.
Squealer appeared and told them that “Beasts of England” has been abolished. A new song had been composed by the pig Minimus. It was to be sung every day now instead of “Beasts of England”.
