IX

1Boxer's split hoof was a long time in healing. 2They had started the rebuilding of the windmill the day after the victory celebrations were ended. 3Boxer refused to take even a day off work, and made it a point of honour not to let it be seen that he was in pain. 4In the evenings he would admit privately to Clover that the hoof troubled him a great deal. 5Clover treated the hoof with poultices of herbs which she prepared by chewing them, and both she and Benjamin urged Boxer to work less hard. 6"A horse's lungs do not last for ever," she said to him. 7But Boxer would not listen. 8He had, he said, only one real ambition left–to see the windmill well under way before he reached the age for retirement.

9At the beginning, when the laws of Animal Farm were first formulated, the retiring age had been fixed for horses and pigs at twelve, for cows at fourteen, for dogs at nine, for sheep at seven, and for hens and geese at five. 10Liberal old-age pensions had been agreed upon. 11As yet no animal had actually retired on pension, but of late the subject had been discussed more and more. 12Now that the small field beyond the orchard had been set aside for barley, it was rumoured that a corner of the large pasture was to be fenced off and turned into a grazing-ground for superannuated animals. 13For a horse, it was said, the pension would be five pounds of corn a day and, in winter, fifteen pounds of hay, with a carrot or possibly an apple on public holidays. 14Boxer's twelfth birthday was due in the late summer of the following year.

15Meanwhile life was hard. 16The winter was as cold as the last one had been, and food was even shorter. 17Once again all rations were reduced, except those of the pigs and the dogs. 18A too rigid equality in rations, Squealer explained, would have been contrary to the principles of Animalism. 19In any case he had no difficulty in proving to the other animals that they were not in reality short of food, whatever the appearances might be. 20For the time being, certainly, it had been found necessary to make a readjustment of rations (Squealer always spoke of it as a "readjustment," never as a "reduction"), but in comparison with the days of Jones, the improvement was enormous. 21Reading out the figures in a shrill, rapid voice, he proved to them in detail that they had more oats, more hay, more turnips than they had had in Jones's day, that they worked shorter hours, that their drinking water was of better quality, that they lived longer, that a larger proportion of their young ones survived infancy, and that they had more straw in their stalls and suffered less from fleas. 22The animals believed every word of it. 23Truth to tell, Jones and all he stood for had almost faded out of their memories. 24They knew that life nowadays was harsh and bare, that they were often hungry and often cold, and that they were usually working when they were not asleep. 25But doubtless it had been worse in the old days. 26They were glad to believe so. 27Besides, in those days they had been slaves and now they were free, and that made all the difference, as Squealer did not fail to point out.

28There were many more mouths to feed now. 29In the autumn the four sows had all littered about simultaneously, producing thirty-one young pigs between them. 30The young pigs were piebald, and as Napoleon was the only boar on the farm, it was possible to guess at their parentage. 31It was announced that later, when bricks and timber had been purchased, a schoolroom would be built in the farmhouse garden. 32For the time being, the young pigs were given their instruction by Napoleon himself in the farmhouse kitchen. 33They took their exercise in the garden, and were discouraged from playing with the other young animals. 34About this time, too, it was laid down as a rule that when a pig and any other animal met on the path, the other animal must stand aside: and also that all pigs, of whatever degree, were to have the privilege of wearing green ribbons on their tails on Sundays.

35The farm had had a fairly successful year, but was still short of money. 36There were the bricks, sand, and lime for the schoolroom to be purchased, and it would also be necessary to begin saving up again for the machinery for the windmill. 37Then there were lamp oil and candles for the house, sugar for Napoleon's own table (he forbade this to the other pigs, on the ground that it made them fat), and all the usual replacements such as tools, nails, string, coal, wire, scrap-iron, and dog biscuits. 38A stump of hay and part of the potato crop were sold off, and the contract for eggs was increased to six hundred a week, so that that year the hens barely hatched enough chicks to keep their numbers at the same level. 39Rations, reduced in December, were reduced again in February, and lanterns in the stalls were forbidden to save Oil. 40But the pigs seemed comfortable enough, and in fact were putting on weight if anything. 41One afternoon in late February a warm, rich, appetising scent, such as the animals had never smelt before, wafted itself across the yard from the little brew-house, which had been disused in Jones's time, and which stood beyond the kitchen. 42Someone said it was the smell of cooking barley. 43The animals sniffed the air hungrily and wondered whether a warm mash was being prepared for their supper. 44But no warm mash appeared, and on the following Sunday it was announced that from now onwards all barley would be reserved for the pigs. 45The field beyond the orchard had already been sown with barley. 46And the news soon leaked out that every pig was now receiving a ration of a pint of beer daily, with half a gallon for Napoleon himself, which was always served to him in the Crown Derby soup tureen.

47But if there were hardships to be borne, they were partly offset by the fact that life nowadays had a greater dignity than it had had before. 48There were more songs, more speeches, more processions. 49Napoleon had commanded that once a week there should be held something called a Spontaneous Demonstration, the object of which was to celebrate the struggles and triumphs of Animal Farm. 50At the appointed time the animals would leave their work and march round the precincts of the farm in military formation, with the pigs leading, then the horses, then the cows, then the sheep, and then the poultry. 51The dogs flanked the procession and at the head of all marched Napoleon's black cockerel. 52Boxer and Clover always carried between them a green banner marked with the hoof and the horn and the caption, "Long live Comrade Napoleon! " 53Afterwards there were recitations of poems composed in Napoleon's honour, and a speech by Squealer giving particulars of the latest increases in the production of foodstuffs, and on occasion a shot was fired from the gun. 54The sheep were the greatest devotees of the Spontaneous Demonstration, and if anyone complained (as a few animals sometimes did, when no pigs or dogs were near) that they wasted time and meant a lot of standing about in the cold, the sheep were sure to silence him with a tremendous bleating of "Four legs good, two legs bad!" 55But by and large the animals enjoyed these celebrations. 56They found it comforting to be reminded that, after all, they were truly their own masters and that the work they did was for their own benefit. 57So that, what with the songs, the processions, Squealer's lists of figures, the thunder of the gun, the crowing of the cockerel, and the fluttering of the flag, they were able to forget that their bellies were empty, at least part of the time.

58In April, Animal Farm was proclaimed a Republic, and it became necessary to elect a President. 59There was only one candidate, Napoleon, who was elected unanimously. 60On the same day it was given out that fresh documents had been discovered which revealed further details about Snowball's complicity with Jones. 61It now appeared that Snowball had not, as the animals had previously imagined, merely attempted to lose the Battle of the Cowshed by means of a stratagem, but had been openly fighting on Jones's side. 62In fact, it was he who had actually been the leader of the human forces, and had charged into battle with the words "Long live Humanity!" 63on his lips. 64The wounds on Snowball's back, which a few of the animals still remembered to have seen, had been inflicted by Napoleon's teeth.

65In the middle of the summer Moses the raven suddenly reappeared on the farm, after an absence of several years. 66He was quite unchanged, still did no work, and talked in the same strain as ever about Sugarcandy Mountain. 67He would perch on a stump, flap his black wings, and talk by the hour to anyone who would listen. 68"Up there, comrades," he would say solemnly, pointing to the sky with his large beak–"up there, just on the other side of that dark cloud that you can see–there it lies, Sugarcandy Mountain, that happy country where we poor animals shall rest for ever from our labours!" 69He even claimed to have been there on one of his higher flights, and to have seen the everlasting fields of clover and the linseed cake and lump sugar growing on the hedges. 70Many of the animals believed him. 71Their lives now, they reasoned, were hungry and laborious; was it not right and just that a better world should exist somewhere else? 72A thing that was difficult to determine was the attitude of the pigs towards Moses. 73They all declared contemptuously that his stories about Sugarcandy Mountain were lies, and yet they allowed him to remain on the farm, not working, with an allowance of a gill of beer a day.

74After his hoof had healed up, Boxer worked harder than ever. 75Indeed, all the animals worked like slaves that year. 76Apart from the regular work of the farm, and the rebuilding of the windmill, there was the schoolhouse for the young pigs, which was started in March. 77Sometimes the long hours on insufficient food were hard to bear, but Boxer never faltered. 78In nothing that he said or did was there any sign that his strength was not what it had been. 79It was only his appearance that was a little altered; his hide was less shiny than it had used to be, and his great haunches seemed to have shrunken. 80The others said, "Boxer will pick up when the spring grass comes on"; but the spring came and Boxer grew no fatter. 81Sometimes on the slope leading to the top of the quarry, when he braced his muscles against the weight of some vast boulder, it seemed that nothing kept him on his feet except the will to continue. 82At such times his lips were seen to form the words, "I will work harder"; he had no voice left. 83Once again Clover and Benjamin warned him to take care of his health, but Boxer paid no attention. 84His twelfth birthday was approaching. 85He did not care what happened so long as a good store of stone was accumulated before he went on pension.

86Late one evening in the summer, a sudden rumour ran round the farm that something had happened to Boxer. 87He had gone out alone to drag a load of stone down to the windmill. 88And sure enough, the rumour was true. 89A few minutes later two pigeons came racing in with the news: "Boxer has fallen! 90He is lying on his side and can't get up!"

91About half the animals on the farm rushed out to the knoll where the windmill stood. 92There lay Boxer, between the shafts of the cart, his neck stretched out, unable even to raise his head. 93His eyes were glazed, his sides matted with sweat. 94A thin stream of blood had trickled out of his mouth. 95Clover dropped to her knees at his side.

96"Boxer!" 97she cried, "how are you?"

98"It is my lung," said Boxer in a weak voice. 99"It does not matter. 100I think you will be able to finish the windmill without me. 101There is a pretty good store of stone accumulated. 102I had only another month to go in any case. 103To tell you the truth, I had been looking forward to my retirement. 104And perhaps, as Benjamin is growing old too, they will let him retire at the same time and be a companion to me."

105"We must get help at once," said Clover. 106"Run, somebody, and tell Squealer what has happened."

107All the other animals immediately raced back to the farmhouse to give Squealer the news. 108Only Clover remained, and Benjamin, who lay down at Boxer's side, and, without speaking, kept the flies off him with his long tail. 109After about a quarter of an hour Squealer appeared, full of sympathy and concern. 110He said that Comrade Napoleon had learned with the very deepest distress of this misfortune to one of the most loyal workers on the farm, and was already making arrangements to send Boxer to be treated in the hospital at Willingdon. 111The animals felt a little uneasy at this. 112Except for Mollie and Snowball, no other animal had ever left the farm, and they did not like to think of their sick comrade in the hands of human beings. 113However, Squealer easily convinced them that the veterinary surgeon in Willingdon could treat Boxer's case more satisfactorily than could be done on the farm. 114And about half an hour later, when Boxer had somewhat recovered, he was with difficulty got on to his feet, and managed to limp back to his stall, where Clover and Benjamin had prepared a good bed of straw for him.

115For the next two days Boxer remained in his stall. 116The pigs had sent out a large bottle of pink medicine which they had found in the medicine chest in the bathroom, and Clover administered it to Boxer twice a day after meals. 117In the evenings she lay in his stall and talked to him, while Benjamin kept the flies off him. 118Boxer professed not to be sorry for what had happened. 119If he made a good recovery, he might expect to live another three years, and he looked forward to the peaceful days that he would spend in the corner of the big pasture. 120It would be the first time that he had had leisure to study and improve his mind. 121He intended, he said, to devote the rest of his life to learning the remaining twenty-two letters of the alphabet.

122However, Benjamin and Clover could only be with Boxer after working hours, and it was in the middle of the day when the van came to take him away. 123The animals were all at work weeding turnips under the supervision of a pig, when they were astonished to see Benjamin come galloping from the direction of the farm buildings, braying at the top of his voice. 124It was the first time that they had ever seen Benjamin excited–indeed, it was the first time that anyone had ever seen him gallop. 125"Quick, quick!" 126he shouted. 127"Come at once! 128They're taking Boxer away!" 129Without waiting for orders from the pig, the animals broke off work and raced back to the farm buildings. 130Sure enough, there in the yard was a large closed van, drawn by two horses, with lettering on its side and a sly-looking man in a low-crowned bowler hat sitting on the driver's seat. 131And Boxer's stall was empty.

132The animals crowded round the van. 133"Good-bye, Boxer!" 134they chorused, "good-bye!"

135"Fools! Fools!" shouted Benjamin, prancing round them and stamping the earth with his small hoofs. 136"Fools! 137Do you not see what is written on the side of that van?"

138That gave the animals pause, and there was a hush. 139Muriel began to spell out the words. 140But Benjamin pushed her aside and in the midst of a deadly silence he read:

141"'Alfred Simmonds, Horse Slaughterer and Glue Boiler, Willingdon. 142Dealer in Hides and Bone-Meal. 143Kennels Supplied.' 144Do you not understand what that means? 145They are taking Boxer to the knacker's!"

146A cry of horror burst from all the animals. 147At this moment the man on the box whipped up his horses and the van moved out of the yard at a smart trot. 148All the animals followed, crying out at the tops of their voices. 149Clover forced her way to the front. 150The van began to gather speed. 151Clover tried to stir her stout limbs to a gallop, and achieved a canter. 152"Boxer!" 153she cried. 154"Boxer! Boxer! Boxer!" 155And just at this moment, as though he had heard the uproar outside, Boxer's face, with the white stripe down his nose, appeared at the small window at the back of the van.

156"Boxer!" cried Clover in a terrible voice. 157"Boxer! Get out! 158Get out quickly! 159They're taking you to your death!"

160All the animals took up the cry of "Get out, Boxer, get out!" 161But the van was already gathering speed and drawing away from them. 162It was uncertain whether Boxer had understood what Clover had said. 163But a moment later his face disappeared from the window and there was the sound of a tremendous drumming of hoofs inside the van. 164He was trying to kick his way out. 165The time had been when a few kicks from Boxer's hoofs would have smashed the van to matchwood. 166But alas! 167his strength had left him; and in a few moments the sound of drumming hoofs grew fainter and died away. 168In desperation the animals began appealing to the two horses which drew the van to stop. 169"Comrades, comrades!" 170they shouted. 171"Don't take your own brother to his death! " 172But the stupid brutes, too ignorant to realise what was happening, merely set back their ears and quickened their pace. 173Boxer's face did not reappear at the window. 174Too late, someone thought of racing ahead and shutting the five-barred gate; but in another moment the van was through it and rapidly disappearing down the road. 175Boxer was never seen again.

176Three days later it was announced that he had died in the hospital at Willingdon, in spite of receiving every attention a horse could have. 177Squealer came to announce the news to the others. 178He had, he said, been present during Boxer's last hours.

179"It was the most affecting sight I have ever seen!" said Squealer, lifting his trotter and wiping away a tear. 180"I was at his bedside at the very last. 181And at the end, almost too weak to speak, he whispered in my ear that his sole sorrow was to have passed on before the windmill was finished. 182'Forward, comrades!' 183he whispered. 184' 185Forward in the name of the Rebellion. 186Long live Animal Farm! 187Long live Comrade Napoleon! 188Napoleon is always right.' 189Those were his very last words, comrades."

190Here Squealer's demeanour suddenly changed. 191He fell silent for a moment, and his little eyes darted suspicious glances from side to side before he proceeded.

192It had come to his knowledge, he said, that a foolish and wicked rumour had been circulated at the time of Boxer's removal. 193Some of the animals had noticed that the van which took Boxer away was marked "Horse Slaughterer," and had actually jumped to the conclusion that Boxer was being sent to the knacker's. 194It was almost unbelievable, said Squealer, that any animal could be so stupid. 195Surely, he cried indignantly, whisking his tail and skipping from side to side, surely they knew their beloved Leader, Comrade Napoleon, better than that? 196But the explanation was really very simple. 197The van had previously been the property of the knacker, and had been bought by the veterinary surgeon, who had not yet painted the old name out. 198That was how the mistake had arisen.

199The animals were enormously relieved to hear this. 200And when Squealer went on to give further graphic details of Boxer's death-bed, the admirable care he had received, and the expensive medicines for which Napoleon had paid without a thought as to the cost, their last doubts disappeared and the sorrow that they felt for their comrade's death was tempered by the thought that at least he had died happy.

201Napoleon himself appeared at the meeting on the following Sunday morning and pronounced a short oration in Boxer's honour. 202It had not been possible, he said, to bring back their lamented comrade's remains for interment on the farm, but he had ordered a large wreath to be made from the laurels in the farmhouse garden and sent down to be placed on Boxer's grave. 203And in a few days' time the pigs intended to hold a memorial banquet in Boxer's honour. 204Napoleon ended his speech with a reminder of Boxer's two favourite maxims, "I will work harder" and "Comrade Napoleon is always right"–maxims, he said, which every animal would do well to adopt as his own.

205On the day appointed for the banquet, a grocer's van drove up from Willingdon and delivered a large wooden crate at the farmhouse. 206That night there was the sound of uproarious singing, which was followed by what sounded like a violent quarrel and ended at about eleven o'clock with a tremendous crash of glass. 207No one stirred in the farmhouse before noon on the following day, and the word went round that from somewhere or other the pigs had acquired the money to buy themselves another case of whisky.