maxim

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After much thought Snowball declared that the Seven Commandments could in effect be reduced to a single maxim, namely: "Four legs good, two legs bad." 🔊

The birds did not understand Snowball's long words, but they accepted his explanation, and all the humbler animals set to work to learn the new maxim by heart. 🔊

When they had once got it by heart, the sheep developed a great liking for this maxim, and often as they lay in the field they would all start bleating "Four legs good, two legs bad! 🔊

And from then on he adopted the maxim, "Napoleon is always right," in addition to his private motto of "I will work harder." 🔊

Napoleon 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. 🔊

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