Chapter 4

           BythelatesummerthenewsofwhathadhappenedonAnimalFarmhadspreadacrosshalfthecounty. EverydaySnowballandNapoleonsentoutflightsofpigeonswhoseinstructionsweretominglewiththeanimalsonneighbouringfarms,tellthemthestoryoftheRebellion,andteachthemthetuneof‘BeastsofEngland’. 

           MostofthistimeMr.JoneshadspentsittinginthetaproomoftheRedLionatWillingdon,complainingtoanyonewhowouldlistenofthemonstrousinjusticehehadsufferedinbeingturnedoutofhispropertybyapackofgood-for-nothinganimals. Theotherfarmerssympathisedinprinciple,buttheydidnotatfirstgivehimmuchhelp. Atheart,eachofthemwassecretlywonderingwhetherhecouldnotsomehowturnJones’smisfortunetohisownadvantage. ItwasluckythattheownersofthetwofarmswhichadjoinedAnimalFarmwereonpermanentlybadterms. Oneofthem,whichwasnamedFoxwood,wasalarge,neglected,old-fashionedfarm,muchovergrownbywoodland,withallitspastureswornoutanditshedgesinadisgracefulcondition. Itsowner,Mr.Pilkington,wasaneasy-goinggentlemanfarmerwhospentmostofhistimeinfishingorhuntingaccordingtotheseason. Theotherfarm,whichwascalledPinchfield,wassmallerandbetterkept. ItsownerwasaMr.Frederick,atough,shrewdman,perpetuallyinvolvedinlawsuitsandwithanamefordrivinghardbargains. Thesetwodislikedeachothersomuchthatitwasdifficultforthemtocometoanyagreement,evenindefenceoftheirowninterests. 

           Nevertheless,theywereboththoroughlyfrightenedbytherebelliononAnimalFarm,andveryanxioustopreventtheirownanimalsfromlearningtoomuchaboutit. Atfirsttheypretendedtolaughtoscorntheideaofanimalsmanagingafarmforthemselves. Thewholethingwouldbeoverinafortnight,theysaid.