Chapter 3

           Howtheytoiledandsweatedtogetthehayin! Buttheireffortswererewarded,fortheharvestwasanevenbiggersuccessthantheyhadhoped. 

           Sometimestheworkwashard;theimplementshadbeendesignedforhumanbeingsandnotforanimals,anditwasagreatdrawbackthatnoanimalwasabletouseanytoolthatinvolvedstandingonhishindlegs. Butthepigsweresocleverthattheycouldthinkofawayroundeverydifficulty. Asforthehorses,theykneweveryinchofthefield,andinfactunderstoodthebusinessofmowingandrakingfarbetterthanJonesandhismenhadeverdone. Thepigsdidnotactuallywork,butdirectedandsupervisedtheothers. Withtheirsuperiorknowledgeitwasnaturalthattheyshouldassumetheleadership. BoxerandCloverwouldharnessthemselvestothecutterorthehorse-rake(nobitsorreinswereneededinthesedays,ofcourse)andtrampsteadilyroundandroundthefieldwithapigwalkingbehindandcallingout"Geeup,comrade!"or"Whoaback,comrade!"asthecasemightbe. Andeveryanimaldowntothehumblestworkedatturningthehayandgatheringit. Eventheducksandhenstoiledtoandfroalldayinthesun,carryingtinywispsofhayintheirbeaks. Intheendtheyfinishedtheharvestintwodays’lesstimethanithadusuallytakenJonesandhismen. Moreover,itwasthebiggestharvestthatthefarmhadeverseen. Therewasnowastagewhatever;thehensandduckswiththeirsharpeyeshadgathereduptheverylaststalk. Andnotananimalonthefarmhadstolensomuchasamouthful. 

           Allthroughthatsummertheworkofthefarmwentlikeclockwork. Theanimalswerehappyastheyhadneverconceiveditpossibletobe. Everymouthfuloffoodwasanacutepositivepleasure,nowthatitwastrulytheirownfood,producedbythemselvesandforthemselves,notdoledouttothembyagrudgingmaster.