Скотный двор

           TheMeetingalwaysendedwiththesingingof‘BeastsofEngland’,andtheafternoonwasgivenuptorecreation. 

           Thepigshadsetasidetheharness-roomasaheadquartersforthemselves. Here,intheevenings,theystudiedblacksmithing,carpentering,andothernecessaryartsfrombookswhichtheyhadbroughtoutofthefarmhouse. SnowballalsobusiedhimselfwithorganisingtheotheranimalsintowhathecalledAnimalCommittees. Hewasindefatigableatthis. HeformedtheEggProductionCommitteeforthehens,theCleanTailsLeagueforthecows,theWildComrades’Re-educationCommittee(theobjectofthiswastotametheratsandrabbits),theWhiterWoolMovementforthesheep,andvariousothers,besidesinstitutingclassesinreadingandwriting. Onthewhole,theseprojectswereafailure. Theattempttotamethewildcreatures,forinstance,brokedownalmostimmediately. Theycontinuedtobehaveverymuchasbefore,andwhentreatedwithgenerosity,simplytookadvantageofit. ThecatjoinedtheRe-educationCommitteeandwasveryactiveinitforsomedays. Shewasseenonedaysittingonaroofandtalkingtosomesparrowswhowerejustoutofherreach. Shewastellingthemthatallanimalswerenowcomradesandthatanysparrowwhochosecouldcomeandperchonherpaw;butthesparrowskepttheirdistance. 

           Thereadingandwritingclasses,however,wereagreatsuccess. Bytheautumnalmosteveryanimalonthefarmwasliterateinsomedegree. 

           Asforthepigs,theycouldalreadyreadandwriteperfectly. Thedogslearnedtoreadfairlywell,butwerenotinterestedinreadinganythingexcepttheSevenCommandments. Muriel,thegoat,couldreadsomewhatbetterthanthedogs,andsometimesusedtoreadtotheothersintheeveningsfromscrapsofnewspaperwhichshefoundontherubbishheap. Benjamincouldreadaswellasanypig,butneverexercisedhisfaculty.