← As the human beings approached the farm buildings, Snowball launched his first attack. All the pigeons, to the number of thirty−five, flew to and fro over the men's heads and muted upon them from mid−air; and while the men were dealing with this, the geese, who had been hiding behind the hedge, rushed out and pecked viciously at the calves of their legs. 🔊
← Snowball now launched his second line of attack. Muriel, Benjamin, and all the sheep, with Snowball at the head of them, rushed forward and prodded and butted the men from every side, while Benjamin turned around and lashed at them with his small hoofs. 🔊
← "Comrades!" cried Squealer, making little nervous skips, "a most terrible thing has been discovered. Snowball has sold himself to Frederick of Pinchfield Farm, who is even now plotting to attack us and take our farm away from us! 🔊
← Snowball is to act as his guide when the attack begins. But there is worse than that. 🔊
← At the same time there were renewed rumours that Frederick and his men were plotting to attack Animal Farm and to destroy the windmill, the building of which had aroused furious jealousy in him. 🔊
← As the summer wore on, and the windmill neared completion, the rumours of an impending treacherous attack grew stronger and stronger. 🔊
← The animals' blood boiled with rage when they heard of these things being done to their comrades, and sometimes they clamoured to be allowed to go out in a body and attack Pinchfield Farm, drive out the humans, and set the animals free. 🔊
← At the same time Napoleon assured the animals that the stories of an impending attack on Animal Farm were completely untrue, and that the tales about Frederick's cruelty to his own animals had been greatly exaggerated. 🔊
← Frederick and his men might make their long−expected attack at any moment. Sentinels were placed at all the approaches to the farm. 🔊
← The very next morning the attack came. The animals were at breakfast when the look−outs came racing in with the news that Frederick and his followers had already come through the five−barred gate. 🔊