Скотный двор

           Alltheanimalscaperedwithjoywhentheysawthewhipsgoingupinflames. Snowballalsothrewontothefiretheribbonswithwhichthehorses’manesandtailshadusuallybeendecoratedonmarketdays. 

           "Ribbons,"hesaid,"shouldbeconsideredasclothes,whicharethemarkofahumanbeing. Allanimalsshouldgonaked." 

           WhenBoxerheardthishefetchedthesmallstrawhatwhichheworeinsummertokeepthefliesoutofhisears,andflungitontothefirewiththerest. 

           InaverylittlewhiletheanimalshaddestroyedeverythingthatremindedthemofMr.Jones. Napoleonthenledthembacktothestore-shedandservedoutadoublerationofcorntoeverybody,withtwobiscuitsforeachdog. Thentheysang‘BeastsofEngland’fromendtoendseventimesrunning,andafterthattheysettleddownforthenightandsleptastheyhadneversleptbefore. 

           Buttheywokeatdawnasusual,andsuddenlyrememberingthegloriousthingthathadhappened,theyallracedoutintothepasturetogether. Alittlewaydownthepasturetherewasaknollthatcommandedaviewofmostofthefarm. Theanimalsrushedtothetopofitandgazedroundthemintheclearmorninglight. Yes,itwastheirs—everythingthattheycouldseewastheirs! Intheecstasyofthatthoughttheygambolledroundandround,theyhurledthemselvesintotheairingreatleapsofexcitement. Theyrolledinthedew,theycroppedmouthfulsofthesweetsummergrass,theykickedupclodsoftheblackearthandsnuffeditsrichscent. Thentheymadeatourofinspectionofthewholefarmandsurveyedwithspeechlessadmirationtheploughland,thehayfield,theorchard,thepool,thespinney. Itwasasthoughtheyhadneverseenthesethingsbefore,andevennowtheycouldhardlybelievethatitwasalltheirown.