前言：學習英語關(guān)鍵是要用，我深以為然冀宴，于是試著翻譯一本英語原著灭贷。這只是手稿，由于對語法的了解不夠略贮，難免錯誤甚疟。另外，對于一些單詞的譯法逃延，我也使用我自己的理解览妖，比如，"beasts of England"揽祥，我就思考了很久讽膏，“英格蘭之動物”？“英格蘭之野獸”拄丰？“英格蘭之獸”府树？或“英格蘭畜牲”？都感覺不好料按，于是翻譯成“英格蘭之生靈”挺尾，感覺要好一點，請戰(zhàn)友們提出寶貴意見站绪。謝謝遭铺。

《動物農(nóng)場》（第一章譯稿）

翻譯：楊懷玉

第一章

瓊斯先生，曼納農(nóng)場之主恢准，因天色已晚魂挂，已經(jīng)鎖上了雞棚，但由于太醉而忘了關(guān)上里面的小門馁筐。借著搖來晃去涂召，叮當作響的馬燈發(fā)出的亮光，他踉蹌著穿過院子敏沉，在后門踢掉了靴子果正，從洗碗間的啤酒桶里舀起今天的最后一杯啤酒，一飲而盡盟迟，然后一頭倒在床上秋泳。此時，床上的瓊斯夫人早已鼾聲如雷攒菠。

就在臥室燈光熄滅時迫皱，一種躁動不安的情緒彌漫了農(nóng)場各個角落。因為辖众，有件事白天已傳遍農(nóng)場：老麥杰卓起，那只了不起的中等白豬和敬，在前一天晚上曾做了一個奇怪的夢，想要與其他動物分享戏阅。大家已約定昼弟，等瓊斯先生離開了，安全的時候奕筐，在窩棚的空地上一起開個會私杜。老麥杰（他經(jīng)常被這樣稱呼，盡管他被展覽時的名字是“威靈頓美男”）在農(nóng)場是如此受尊敬救欧，所有動物都完全準備好犧牲一小時睡眠，來聽聽他有什么要說锣光。

在空曠的谷倉盡頭笆怠，在一個類似于演講臺的上面，麥杰早已安坐在他的稻草床上誊爹，手里提著一只馬燈蹬刷，燈光里他帶著一絲微笑。他12歲了频丘，最近發(fā)福相當厲害办成，但還是不失為一只風度翩翩的豬，盡管他的獠牙從未割掉搂漠，但看起來還是帶著智慧與慈祥的迂卢。不久，其他動物陸續(xù)來到桐汤，以各式各樣的姿式讓自己舒服地呆著而克。最先來的是三只狗，布魯鮑爾怔毛、杰西和皮切员萍，然后是一群豬，他們迅速在臺前安頓下來拣度。母雞們棲于窗臺碎绎，鴿子們則飛上了橫梁，綿羊和奶牛臥在豬群的后面開始反芻食物抗果。兩只役馬筋帖，布克斯和庫魯娃，一起走了進來冤馏，步履緩慢幕随，小心翼翼地放下他們那毛發(fā)茂密的馬蹄，以防踩到藏在稻草底下一些小動物宿接。庫魯娃是一只婆婆媽媽的胖母馬赘淮，接近中年辕录，生了四只小馬駒后，她從未完全恢復(fù)體型梢卸。布克斯體型巨大且兇相畢露走诞，接近18手高，如兩匹尋常馬匹合在一起那么強壯蛤高。鼻子下一條白紋使他看上去有點呆蚣旱，事實上他智力就是不怎么樣，但他的固執(zhí)性格和工作時的精力充沛也是得到公認的戴陡。尾隨進來的是莫里奧塞绿，一只白山羊，還有本杰明恤批，一只驢子异吻。本杰明是農(nóng)場里最老的動物，脾氣糟糕喜庞，孤言寡語诀浪，出語便通常是冷嘲熱諷，比如延都，他會說上帝給他尾巴驅(qū)趕蒼蠅雷猪，但他更希望沒有尾巴和蒼蠅。整個農(nóng)場只有他從來不笑晰房，如果問他為什么求摇，他會說沒見到什么可笑的。然而殊者，沒有公開承認的是月帝，他忠誠于布克斯；他們倆經(jīng)常一起過周末幽污，在蘋果園邊上的小牧場里嚷辅，肩并著肩，默默地吃著草距误。兩匹馬剛剛臥下簸搞，一窩失去母親的小鴨魚貫而入，虛弱地唧唧叫著准潭，漫無目的地亂竄趁俊，想找一個不會被踩著的地方。庫魯娃伸出一只前腿刑然，象墻一般護著他們寺擂，依偎在里面的小鴨們很快進入了夢鄉(xiāng)。最后一刻，莫麗怔软，一只漂亮而愚蠢的白色母馬垦细，她負責拉瓊斯先生的馬車，優(yōu)雅地扭了進來挡逼，嘴里嚼著一塊方糖括改。她找了一塊靠前的位置坐下，開始擺弄她的白色鬃毛家坎，試圖讓大家注意到她那結(jié)在頭上的紅色絲帶嘱能。最后，貓大人降臨虱疏，象往常一樣惹骂，他環(huán)顧四周，想找一個最溫暖所在做瞪，最后把自己擠進布克斯和庫魯娃之間对粪，在那滿足地咕嚕著，整個麥杰的演講沒聽進一個詞穿扳。

除了摩西所有的動物都到了，摩西是一只馴化的烏鴉国旷，睡在后門里的架子上矛物。麥杰看到全部動物都安置妥當，并全神貫注地等著跪但，他清了清嗓子履羞，開始了演講：

同志們，你們已經(jīng)聽說了我昨晚做的那個奇怪的夢屡久。這事我稍后再提忆首。我想先講一些其他的事。同志們被环，我不認為糙及，還多少個月能和你們在一起，在我去世之前筛欢，我想我有責任將獲得的智慧傳授給你們浸锨。我命夠長了，獨自躺在我的圈里版姑，有如此多的時間用來思考柱搜，我想，我應(yīng)該說明白了生命的真諦剥险，那些現(xiàn)在活在這個地球上的動物生命的真諦聪蘸，這就是我想要對你們說的。

現(xiàn)在，同志們健爬，什么是我們生命的真諦呢控乾？讓我們面對以下這些現(xiàn)實：我們的生命是悲慘的，辛勞的和短暫的浑劳。我們生下來阱持，得到如此之少的食物，僅能維持呼吸魔熏，但這真的僅僅是命中注定的嗎衷咽？是因為土地太貧瘠，以至于我們長期辛勤勞作還是不足以維持體面的生活嗎蒜绽？不是的镶骗，同志們，一千個不躲雅！英格蘭土地肥沃鼎姊，風調(diào)雨順，能產(chǎn)出如此多的食物相赁，遠超過生活于此的動物所需相寇。單以我們農(nóng)場來說，就能支持一打馬匹钮科，二十只奶牛唤衫，上百只綿羊——甚至所有的動物過上超乎我們相像的舒適和有尊嚴的生活。那么绵脯，為什么我們還是處于悲慘境地呢佳励？原因是我們幾乎所有的勞動成果都被人類掠奪。因此蛆挫，同志們赃承，這就是我們所有問題的根源所在。所有這些歸結(jié)為一個字——“人”悴侵。

人類是我們唯一的真正的敵人瞧剖。把人類從這趕走，饑餓和過度勞作將永遠被廢除可免。

人類是唯一不事生產(chǎn)而食的生物筒繁。他不產(chǎn)奶，他不生蛋巴元，他太弱小而不能拉犁毡咏，他跑得不夠快抓不到兔子。他只是所有動物的主人逮刨。他驅(qū)使他們勞作呕缭，回報他們的是少至最低限度堵泽，僅防他們餓死的食物，剩下的全部留給自己恢总。我們勞作在這塊土地迎罗，我們的糞便使之肥沃，我們之中卻沒有一個能擁有更多的東西片仿，除了這身赤裸的皮毛纹安。你們這些我跟前的奶牛，去年你們貢獻了多少加侖牛奶砂豌？這些可以喂養(yǎng)壯大小奶牛的牛奶又怎么樣了呢厢岂？每一滴都流入了我們敵人的喉嚨。還有你們這些母雞們阳距，你們下的蛋有多少孵化成了小雞塔粒，剩余的全部被送到市場上去為瓊斯他們換取鈔票。還有你筐摘，庫魯娃卒茬，你生下來的四匹幼馬，他們本是你的晚年的寄托與慰籍咖熟，現(xiàn)在在哪呢圃酵？每一只都在一歲就被賣掉，你再也沒見到過他們中的任何一個馍管」停回報你四次分娩和地頭勞作的，除了微薄的口糧和一個僅能容身的馬廄還有啥呢咽斧？

即便是我們過著的這種悲慘生活堪置，也不能盡享天年躬存。對我自己來說张惹，我沒有什么抱怨的，因為我是相當幸運的岭洲。我十二歲了宛逗，曾有過超過400個孩子。這是一只豬的正常壽命盾剩。但沒有動物最后能逃過屠刀雷激。你們這些坐在我前面的肉豬們，一年之內(nèi)告私，你們每一個都將在屠宰臺上嚎叫著失去生命屎暇。這種恐懼我們?nèi)急仨毥?jīng)歷，奶牛們驻粟，豬羅們根悼，綿羊們，每一只動物。就是你們這些馬和狗也不會有更好的結(jié)局挤巡。你剩彬，布克斯，有那么一天矿卑，你那些強壯的肌肉失去力量喉恋，瓊斯會將你賣給屠馬者，他們會割斷你的喉嚨母廷，煮熟轻黑，扔給獵狐狗。狗也是一樣徘意，當他們老了苔悦，牙齒掉了，瓊斯會在他們脖子上捆塊磚椎咧，然后丟進最近的水塘溺死玖详。

這是不是很清楚了？呃勤讽，同志們蟋座，所有我們精神、我們命運的不幸來源正是人類的殘暴統(tǒng)治脚牍。只有趕走人類向臀，我們才能有豐富的勞動成果和自由。那么诸狭，我們應(yīng)該做什么呢券膀？嗨，日夜不停驯遇，投入全副身心芹彬，為推翻人類的統(tǒng)治而抗爭！這就是我對你們的忠言叉庐，同志們：反抗舒帮！我不知道這種抗爭何時來臨，可能一周之內(nèi)或者100年內(nèi)陡叠，但我知道玩郊，如同我能看見我腳下的稻草一樣確定，遲早總會到來枉阵。

同志們译红，窮盡你們短暫的余生！用你們的眼睛盯著這個事兴溜。尤其是要把我的忠言傳播給你們的后來者侦厚，未來的一代又一代將不停地抗爭反璃，直到取得最后的勝利。

記住假夺，同志們淮蜈，你們的決心永遠不要動搖。不讓任何說法使得你們誤入歧途已卷。永遠不要聽信他們告訴你們的梧田，什么人類和動物存在共同的利益，什么一方的繁榮就是另一方的繁榮侧蘸。這是徹頭徹尾的謊言裁眯。人們只顧為自己獲取利益而罔顧其他動物。我們動物之間要團結(jié)一致讳癌，建立斗爭中的親密同志關(guān)系穿稳。所有的人類都是敵人。所有的動物都是同志晌坤。

就在這時逢艘，傳來一陣嘈雜的喧鬧聲。原來是在麥杰演講時骤菠，四只肥大的老鼠爬出它們的洞穴它改，坐在它們的后半身上，正聆聽著他演講商乎。狗兒突然一眼瞅到了它們央拖，老鼠們?yōu)榱颂由杆贈_進洞里鹉戚。麥杰抬了抬豬腳踏堡，示意大家安靜隆圆。

同志們中捆，他說霹粥，這里有一點必須明確，野生動物却桶，比如老鼠和野兔——他們是我們的朋友還是敵人境输？讓我們來表決一下蔗牡，我向大會提議表決：老鼠們是同志嗎颖系？

表決被立即舉行，此決議以壓倒性多數(shù)同意老鼠們是同志辩越。只有僅僅四張反對票嘁扼，三只狗和那只貓，后來發(fā)現(xiàn)他們兩邊都投了票黔攒。麥杰繼續(xù)道：

我還有更多的一點要說趁啸。我只想重申强缘，你們永恒的職責是仇恨人類及人類所有的東西。任何兩只腳走路的就是敵人不傅。任何四只腳走路的或者有翅膀的都是朋友旅掂。而且記住要為反抗人類而斗爭，我們必須不變成他們那樣访娶。無論何時你們征服了他們商虐，千萬不要染上他們的惡習。所有動物不能住進房屋崖疤，或者睡在床上秘车，或者穿上衣服，或者飲食酒精類飲料劫哼，或者吸食煙草叮趴，或者觸碰金錢，或者參與生意权烧。所有的這些人類習慣都是罪惡的眯亦。還有，綜上所述般码，沒有動物可以壓迫自己的同類搔驼。無論羸弱還是強壯，聰慧還是愚笨侈询，我們都是兄弟舌涨。所有動物都不能屠殺其他動物。所有的動物都是平等的扔字。

現(xiàn)在囊嘉，同志們，我將告訴你們我昨晚的夢革为。我無法向你們描述這個夢境扭粱。這是一個在人類消失后，有關(guān)這個地球的夢震檩。但是它提醒了我一些長久以來忘卻了的事情琢蛤。

很多年前，那時我還是一只小豬仔抛虏，我媽媽和其他母豬常常吟唱一首古老的歌謠博其，她們只記得曲調(diào)以及開頭三個單詞。我在童年時就知道這個曲調(diào)迂猴，但在我腦海中消逝已久慕淡。然而就在昨晚，它又回到我的夢里沸毁。不僅如此峰髓，那些歌詞也同時顯現(xiàn)——就是歌詞傻寂，我記得千真萬確，動物們在遙遠的過去曾吟唱的歌詞携兵，已經(jīng)消失在幾代動物記憶里的歌詞疾掰。同志們，我現(xiàn)在就要唱起這首歌謠徐紧。我年事已邁个绍，聲音沙啞，但只要我教過你們這些旋律浪汪，你們就能自己唱得更好巴柿。歌謠的名字叫做“英格蘭之生靈”。

老麥杰清了清嗓子死遭，開始歌唱广恢。當如他所說，他的聲音沙啞呀潭，但他唱得相當好钉迷，曲調(diào)激越，旋律介于美國民謠《Clementine》和墨西哥民歌《La Cucaracha》之間钠署。歌詞如下：

英格蘭之生靈糠聪，愛爾蘭之生靈，

普天之下眾生靈谐鼎，

傾聽我傳福音

關(guān)乎那金色的未來舰蟆。

日子過得或緊或慢，

人類暴君終將消亡狸棍，

英格蘭那富饒的土地

只有我們留下的足跡身害。

鎖鏈亦將從鼻上摘除，

連同我們背上的桎梏草戈，

疼痛與馬刺永遠生銹塌鸯，

殘暴之鞭永不再響起。

富裕的藍圖超乎想象唐片，

小麥大麥燕麥和干草

苜蓿大豆還有那甜菜

那天開始歸我們所有丙猬。

陽光普照英格蘭大地，

那里的河水如此純凈费韭，

那里的風兒如此輕柔茧球。

那天起開創(chuàng)自由時代。

為那天我們共同奮斗揽思，

哪怕到來前已經(jīng)長眠袜腥；

奶牛和馬见擦，鵝與火雞

為了自由須不辭辛勞钉汗。

英格蘭之生靈羹令，愛爾蘭之生靈，

普天之下眾生靈

傾聽我傳福音

關(guān)乎那金色的未來時光损痰。

這首歌謠的合唱將動物們拋入了那種狂熱激動當中福侈。幾乎就在麥杰快要唱到最后的時候，他們開始自發(fā)地唱了起來卢未。即使是他們之間最遲鈍的也已經(jīng)學會了旋律和少量幾個單詞肪凛，對于那些聰明的動物們，比如豬和狗辽社，他們只花了幾分鐘就在心里記住了整首歌伟墙。然后，經(jīng)過少量預(yù)備試唱后滴铅，整個農(nóng)場爆發(fā)出驚人協(xié)調(diào)一致戳葵，齊聲唱起《英格蘭之生靈》，奶牛低吼汉匙，狗狗輕嗥拱烁，綿羊咩咩，駿馬嘶鳴噩翠，鴨子嘎嘎戏自。他們是如此喜歡這首歌謠，僅僅用了五次就成功地把這首歌謠唱得一字不差伤锚，如果不被打斷的話擅笔，也許他們將會通宵達旦地吟唱這首歌。遺憾的是屯援，喧鬧聲吵醒了瓊斯先生剂娄，他跳下床，認為肯定是有一只狐貍鉆進了院子里玄呛。他抓起那條經(jīng)常放在他臥室的角落里槍阅懦，朝黑暗里，乒乒乓乓的將滿膛六顆子彈全部射出徘铝。彈粒全部射進了谷倉的墻里耳胎，。會議迅速被中止惕它。每一只動物都溜回屬于自己睡覺的地方怕午。鳥兒跳上了他們的架子，動物們在他們的窩棚里安頓下來淹魄，整個農(nóng)場霎時風平浪靜郁惜。

AnimalFarm

Chapter1

Mr.Jones,of the Manor Farm, had locked the hen-house for the night, but was too drunk toremember to shut the popholes. With the ring light from his lantern dancingfrom side to side, he lurched across the yard, kicked off his boots at the backdoor, drew himself a last glass of beer from the barrel in the scullery, andmade his way up to bed, where Mrs.Jones was already snoring.

Assoon as the light in the bedroom went out there was a stirring and aflutteringall through the farm buildings. Word had gone round during the day that oldMajor, the prize Middle White boar, had had a strange dream on the previousnight and wished to communicate it to the other animals. It had been agreedthat they should all meet in the big barn as soon as Mr.Jones was safe out of theway. Old Major (so he was always called, though the name under which he hadbeen exhibited was Willingdon beauty) was highly regarded on the farm thateveryone was quite ready to lose an hour’s sleep in order to hear what he hadto say.

Atone end of the big barn, on a sort of raised platform, Major was alreadyensconced on his bed of straw, under a lantern which hung from a beam. He wastwelve years old and had lately grown rather stout, but he was still amajestc-looking pig, with a wise and benevolent appearance in spite of the factthat his tushes had never been cut. Before long the other animals began toarrive and make themselves comfortable after their different fashions. Firstcame the three dogs, Bluebell, Jessie, and Pincher, and then the pigs, whosettled down in the straw immediately in front of the platform. The hensperched themselves on the window-sills, the pigeons fluttered up to therafters, the sheep and cows lay down behind the pigs and began to chew the cud.The two cart-horses, Boxer and Clover, came in together, walking very slowlyand setting down their vast hairy hoofs with great care lest there should besome small animal concealed in the straw. Clove was a stout motherly mareapproaching middle life. Who had never quite got her figure back after fourthfoal. Boxer was an enormous beast, nearly eighteen hands high, and as strong asany two ordinary horses put together. A white stripe down his nose gave him asomewhat stupid appearance, and in fact he was not first-rate intelligence, buthe was universally respected for his steadiness of character and tremendouspowers of work. After the horses came Muriel, the white goat, and Benjamin, thedonkey. Benjamin was the oldest animal on the farm, and the worst tempered. Heseldom talked, and when he did, it was usually to make some cynical remark, forinstance, he would say that God had given him a tail to keep the flies off, butthat he would sooner have had no tail and no flies. Alone among the animals onthe farm he never laughed. If asked why, he would say that he saw nothing tolaugh at. Nevertheless, without opening admitting it, he was devoted to Boxer;the two of them usually spent their Sundays together in the small paddockbeyondthe orchard, grazing side by sideand never speaking.

The

two horseshad just lain down when a brood of ducklings, which had lost their

mother, filed into the barn, cheaply feedly and wondering from side to side to

find some place where they would not be trodden on. Clover made a sort of wall

round them with her great foreleg, and the ducklings nestled down inside it and

promptly fell asleep. At the last moment Mollie，the foolish, pretty white mare whodrew Mr.Jones’trap, came mincing daintily in, chewing at alump of sugar. She took a place near thefront and began flirting her white mane, hoping to draw attention to the redribbons it was plaited with. Last of all came the cat, who looked round, asusual, for, the warmest place, and finally squeezed herself in between Boxerand Clover; there she purred contentedly throughout Major’s speech withoutlistening to a word of what he was saying.

Allthe animals were now present except Moses, the tame raven, who slept on a perchbehind the back door. When Major saw that they had all made themselves comfortableand were waiting attentively, he cleared he throat and began:

“comrades, you have heard already about the strange dream that I hadlast night. But I will come to the dream later. I have something else to sayfirst. I do not think, comrades, that I shall be with you for many monthslonger, and before I die, I feel it my duty to pass on to you such wisdom as Ihave acquired. I have a long life, I have had much time for thought as I layalone in my stall, and I think I may say that I understand the nature of lifeon this earth as well as any animal now living. It is about this that I wish tospeak to you.

“Now, comrades, what is the nature of this life of ours? Let us faceit: our lives are miserable, laborious, and short. We are born, we are givenjust so much food as will keep the breath in our bodies, and those of us whoare capable of it are forced to work to the last atom of our strength; and thevery instant that our usefulness has come to an end we are slaughtered withhideous cruelty. No animal in England knows the meaning of happiness or leisureafter he is a year old. No animal in England is free. The life of the animal ismisery and slavery: that is the plain truth.

“But is this simply part of the order of nature? Is it because thisland of ours is so poor that it cannot afford a decent life to those who dwellupon it? No, comrades, a thousand times no! the soil of England is fertile, itsclimate is good, it is capable of affording food in abundance to an enormouslygreater number of animals than now inhabit it. This single farm of ours wouldsupport a dozen horses, twenty cows, hundreds of sheep – and all of them livingin a comfort and a dignity that are now almost beyond our imagining. Why thendo we continue in this miserable condition? Because nearly the whole of theproduce of our labour is stolem from us by human beings. There, comrades, isthe answer to all our problems. It is summed up in a singleword – Man. Man is the only real enemy wehave. Remove Man from the scene, and the root cause of hunger and overwork isabolished forever.

“Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He doesnot give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull the plough, hecannot run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he is lord of all the animals. Hesets them to work, he gives back to them the bare minimum that will preventthem from starving, and the rest he keeps for himself. Our labour tills thesoil, our dung fertilises it, and yet there is not one of us that owns morethan his bare skin. You cows that I see before me, how many thousands ofgallons of milk have you given during this last year? And what has happened tothat milk which should have been breeding up sturdy calves? Every drop of ithas gone down the throats of our enemies.And you hens, how many of those eggs ever hatched into chickens? Therest 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 supportand pleasure of your old age? Each was sold at a year old – you will never seeone of them again. In return for your four confinements and all your labour inthe fields, what have you ever had except your bare rations and a stall?

“And even the miserable lives we lead are not allowed to reach theirnatural span. For myself I do not grumble, for I am one of the lucky ones. I amtwelves years old and have had over four hundred children. Such is the naturallife of a pig. But no animal escapes the cruel knife in the end. You young porkerswho are sitting in front of me, every one of you will scream your lives out atthe 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 willsell you to the knacker, who will cut your throat and boil you down for thefoxhounds. As for the dogs, when they grow old and toothless, Jones tie a brickround their necks and drowns them in the nearest pond.

“Is it not crystal clear, then, comrades, that all the evils of thislife of ours spring from the tyranny of human beings? Only get rid of Man, andthe produce of our labour would 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 thatRebellion 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 justicewill be done.Fix your eyes on that,comrades, throughout the short remainder of your lives! And above all, pass onthis message of mine to those who come after you, so that future generationsshall carry on the struggle until it is victorious.

“And remember, comrades, your resolution must never falter. Noargument must lead you astray. Never listen when they tell you that Man and theanimals have a common interest, that the prosperity of the one is theprosperity of the others. It is all lies. Man serves the interests of nocreature except himself. And among us animals let there be perfect unity,perfect comradeship in the struggle. All men are enemies. All animals arecomrades.”

Atthis moment there was a tremendous uproar. While Major was speaking four largerats 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 onlyby swift dash for their holes that the rats saved their lives. Major raised histrotter for silence.

“Comrades,” he said, “here is a point that must be settled. The wildcreatures, such as rats and rabbits – are they our friends or our enemies? Letus put it to the vote. I propose this question to the meeting: Are ratscomrades?”

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

“I have little more to say. I merely repeat, remember always yourduty of enmity towards Man and all his ways. Whatever goes upon two legs is anenemy. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend. And rememberalso that in fighting against Man, we must not come to resemble him. Even whenyou have conquered him, do not adopt his vices. No animal must ever live in ahouse, 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, aboveall, no animal must ever tyrannise over his own kind. Weak or strong, clever orsimple, we are all brothers. No animal must ever kill any other animal. Allanimals are equal.

“And now, comrades, I will tell you about my dream of last night. Icannot describe that dream to you. It was a dream of the earth as it will bewhen Man has vanished. But itremindedme of something that I had long forgotten. Many years ago, when I was a littlepig, my mother and the other sows used to sing an old song of which they knewonly 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 backto 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 beenlost to memory for generations. I will sing you that song now, comrades. I amold and my voice is hoarse, but when I have taught you the tune, you can singit better for yourselves. It is called beasts of England.”

OldMajor cleared his throat and began to sing. As he had said, his voice washoarse, but he sang well enough, and it was a stirring tune, something betweenClementine and La Cucaracha. The words ran:

Beastsof England, beasts of Ireland,

Beastsof every land and clime,

Hearkento my joyful tidings

Ofthe golden future time.

Soonor late the day is coming,

TyrantMan shall be o’erthrown,

Andthe fruitful fields of England

Shallbe trod by beasts alone.

Ringsshall vanish from our noses,

Andthe harness from our back,

Bitand spur shall rust forever,

cruelwhips no more shall crack.

Richesmore than mind can picture,

Wheatand barley, oats and hay,

Clover,beans, and mangel-wurzels

Shallbe ours upon that day.

Brightwill shine the fields of England,

Purershall its waters be,

sweeteryet shall blow its breezes.

Onthe day that sets us free.

Forthat day we all must labour,

Thoughwe die before it break;

Cowsand horses, geese and turkeys,

Allmust toil for freedom’s sake.

Beastsof England, beasts of Ireland,

Beastsof every land and clime,

Hearkenwell and spread my tidings

Ofthe golden future time.

Thesinging of this song threw the animals into the wildest excitement. Almostbefore Major had reached the end, they had begun singing it for themselves.Even the stupidest of them had already picked up the tune and a few of thewords, and as for the clever ones, such as the pigs and dogs, they had theentire song by heart within a few minutes. And then, after a few preliminarytries, the whole farm burst out into beasts of England in tremendous unison.The cows lowed it, the dogs whined it, the sheep bleated it, the horseswhinnied it, the ducks quacked it. They were so delighted with the song thatthey sang it right through five times in succession, and might have continuedsinging it all night if they had not been interrupted.

Unfortunately,the uproar awoke Mr.Jones, who sprang out of bed, making sure that there was afox in the yard. He seized the gun which always stood in a corner of hisbedroom, and let fly a charge of number 6 shot into the darkness. The pelletsburied themselves in the wall of the barn and the meeting broke up hurriedly.Everyone fled to his own sleeping-place. The birds jumped on to their perches,the animals settled down in the straw, and the whole farm was asleep in amoment.

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