Chapter 1

           Mr.Jones,oftheManorFarm,hadlockedthehen-housesforthenight,butwastoodrunktoremembertoshutthepop-holes. Withtheringoflightfromhislanterndancingfromsidetoside,helurchedacrosstheyard,kickedoffhisbootsatthebackdoor,drewhimselfalastglassofbeerfromthebarrelinthescullery,andmadehiswayuptobed,whereMrs.Joneswasalreadysnoring. 

           Assoonasthelightinthebedroomwentouttherewasastirringandaflutteringallthroughthefarmbuildings. WordhadgoneroundduringthedaythatoldMajor,theprizeMiddleWhiteboar,hadhadastrangedreamonthepreviousnightandwishedtocommunicateittotheotheranimals. IthadbeenagreedthattheyshouldallmeetinthebigbarnassoonasMr.Joneswassafelyoutoftheway. OldMajor(sohewasalwayscalled,thoughthenameunderwhichhehadbeenexhibitedwasWillingdonBeauty)wassohighlyregardedonthefarmthateveryonewasquitereadytoloseanhour’ssleepinordertohearwhathehadtosay. 

           Atoneendofthebigbarn,onasortofraisedplatform,Majorwasalreadyensconcedonhisbedofstraw,underalanternwhichhungfromabeam. Hewastwelveyearsoldandhadlatelygrownratherstout,buthewasstillamajestic-lookingpig,withawiseandbenevolentappearanceinspiteofthefactthathistusheshadneverbeencut. Beforelongtheotheranimalsbegantoarriveandmakethemselvescomfortableaftertheirdifferentfashions. Firstcamethethreedogs,Bluebell,Jessie,andPincher,andthenthepigs,whosettleddowninthestrawimmediatelyinfrontoftheplatform. Thehensperchedthemselvesonthewindow-sills,thepigeonsfluttereduptotherafters,thesheepandcowslaydownbehindthepigsandbegantochewthecud.