Animal Farm | Page 3

you down for the foxhounds. As for the dogs, when they grow old and toothless,
Jones ties a brick round their necks and drowns them in the nearest pond.

"Is it not crystal clear, then, comrades, that all the evils of this life of ours spring from the tyranny of human
beings? Only get rid of Man, and the produce of our labour would be our own. A1most overnight we could
become rich and free. What then must we do? Why, work night and day, body and soul, for the overthrow of
the human race! That is my message to you, comrades: Rebellion! I do not know when that Rebellion will
come, it might be in a week or in a hundred years, but I know, as surely as I see this straw beneath my feet,
that sooner or later justice will be done. Fix your eyes on that, comrades, throughout the short remainder of
your lives! And above all, pass on this message of mine to those who come after you, so that future
generations shall carry on the struggle until it is victorious.

"And remember, comrades, your resolution must never falter. No argument must lead you astray. Never listen
when they tell you that Man and the animals have a common interest, that the prosperity of the one is the
prosperity of the others. It is all lies. Man serves the interests of no creature except himself. And among us
animals let there be perfect unity, perfect comradeship in the struggle. All men are enemies. All animals are
comrades."

At this moment there was a tremendous uproar. While Major was speaking four large rats had crept out of
their holes and were sitting on their hindquarters, listening to him. The dogs had suddenly caught sight of
them, and it was only by a swift dash for their holes that the rats saved their lives. Major raised his trotter for
silence.

"Comrades," he said, "here is a point that must be settled. The wild creatures, such as rats and rabbits-are
they our friends or our enemies? Let us put it to the vote. I propose this question to the meeting: Are rats
comrades?"

The vote was taken at once, and it was agreed by an overwhelming majority that rats were comrades. There
were only four dissentients, the three dogs and the cat, who was afterwards discovered to have voted on both
sides. Major continued:

"I have little more to say. I merely repeat, remember always your duty of enmity towards Man and all his
ways. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
And remember also that in fighting against Man, we must not come to resemble him. Even when you have
conquered him, do not adopt his vices. No animal must ever live in a house, or sleep in a bed, or wear clothes,
or drink alcohol, or smoke tobacco, or touch money, or engage in trade. All the habits of Man are evil. And,
above all, no animal must ever tyrannise over his own kind. Weak or strong, clever or simple, we are all
brothers. No animal must ever kill any other animal. All animals are equal.

"And now, comrades, I will tell you about my dream of last night. I cannot describe that dream to you. It was
a dream of the earth as it will be when Man has vanished. But it reminded me of something that I had long
forgotten. Many years ago, when I was a little pig, my mother and the other sows used to sing an old song of
which they knew only the tune and the first three words. I had known that tune in my infancy, but it had long
since passed out of my mind. Last night, however, it came back to me in my dream. And what is more, the
words of the song also came back-words, I am certain, which were sung by the animals of long ago and have

Animal Farm


Animal Farm

been lost to memory for generations. I will sing you that song now, comrades. I am old and my voice is
hoarse, but when I have taught you the tune, you can sing it better for yourselves. It is called Beasts of
England."

Old Major cleared his throat and began to sing. As he had said, his voice was hoarse, but he sang well
enough, and it was a stirring tune, something between Clementine and La Cucaracha. The words ran:

Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland,

Beasts of every land and clime,
Hearken to my joyful tidings
Of the golden future time.
Soon or late the day is coming,
Tyrant Man shall be o'erthrown,
And the fruitful fields of England
Shall