Скотный двор

           Somedayitwascoming: itmightnotbesoon,itmightnotbewithinthelifetimeofanyanimalnowliving,butstillitwascoming. Eventhetuneof‘BeastsofEngland’wasperhapshummedsecretlyhereandthere:atanyrate,itwasafactthateveryanimalonthefarmknewit,thoughnoonewouldhavedaredtosingitaloud. Itmightbethattheirliveswerehardandthatnotalloftheirhopeshadbeenfulfilled;buttheywereconsciousthattheywerenotasotheranimals. Iftheywenthungry,itwasnotfromfeedingtyrannicalhumanbeings;iftheyworkedhard,atleasttheyworkedforthemselves. Nocreatureamongthemwentupontwolegs.Nocreaturecalledanyothercreature"Master." Allanimalswereequal. 

           OnedayinearlysummerSquealerorderedthesheeptofollowhim,andledthemouttoapieceofwastegroundattheotherendofthefarm,whichhadbecomeovergrownwithbirchsaplings. ThesheepspentthewholedaytherebrowsingattheleavesunderSquealer’ssupervision. Intheeveninghereturnedtothefarmhousehimself,but,asitwaswarmweather,toldthesheeptostaywheretheywere. Itendedbytheirremainingthereforawholeweek,duringwhichtimetheotheranimalssawnothingofthem. Squealerwaswiththemforthegreaterpartofeveryday. Hewas,hesaid,teachingthemtosinganewsong,forwhichprivacywasneeded. 

           Itwasjustafterthesheephadreturned,onapleasanteveningwhentheanimalshadfinishedworkandweremakingtheirwaybacktothefarmbuildings,thattheterrifiedneighingofahorsesoundedfromtheyard. Startled,theanimalsstoppedintheirtracks. ItwasClover’svoice. Sheneighedagain,andalltheanimalsbrokeintoagallopandrushedintotheyard. ThentheysawwhatCloverhadseen. 

           Itwasapigwalkingonhishindlegs.