Animal Farm | Page 3

us that owns
more than his bare skin. You cows that I see before me, how many thousands of gallons of milk have you
given during this last year? And what has happened to that milk which should have been breeding up sturdy
calves? Every drop of it has gone down the throats of our enemies. And you hens, how many eggs have you
laid in this last year, and how many of those eggs ever hatched into chickens? The rest have all gone to
market to bring in money for Jones and his men. And you, Clover, where are those four foals you bore, who
should have been the support and pleasure of your old age? Each was sold at a year old-you will never see
one of them again. In return for your four confinements and all your labour in the fields, what have you ever
had except your bare rations and a stall? Animal Farm
Animal Farm 2

"And even the miserable lives we lead are not allowed to reach their natural span. For myself I do not
grumble, for I am one of the lucky ones. I am twelve years old and have had over four hundred children. Such
is the natural life of a pig. But no animal escapes the cruel knife in the end. You young porkers who are
sitting in front of me, every one of you will scream your lives out at the block within a year. To that horror
we all must come-cows, pigs, hens, sheep, everyone. Even the horses and the dogs have no better fate. You,
Boxer, the very day that those great muscles of yours lose their power, Jones will sell you to the knacker, who
will cut your throat and boil 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