← The animals had assumed as a matter of course that these would be shared out equally; one day, however, the order went forth that all the windfalls were to be collected and brought to the harness−room for the use of the pigs. 🔊
← The whole thing would be over in a fortnight, they said. They put it about that the animals on the Manor Farm (they insisted on calling it the Manor Farm; they would not tolerate the name "Animal Farm") were perpetually fighting among themselves and were also rapidly starving to death. 🔊
← This arrangement would have worked well enough if it had not been for the disputes between Snowball and Napoleon. 🔊
← Stone would have to be carried and built up into walls, then the sails would have to be made and after that there would be need for dynamos and cables. 🔊
← Napoleon, on the other hand, argued that the great need of the moment was to increase food production, and that if they wasted time on the windmill they would all starve to death. 🔊
← Windmill or no windmill, he said, life would go on as it had always gone on−that is, badly. 🔊
← By the time he had finished speaking, there was no doubt as to which way the vote would go. 🔊
← He announced that from now on the Sunday−morning Meetings would come to an end. 🔊
← There would be no need for any of the animals to come in contact with human beings, which would clearly be most undesirable. 🔊
← And when, some days afterwards, it was announced that from now on the pigs would get up an hour later in the mornings than the other animals, no complaint was made about that either. 🔊
← The animals carried on as best they could with the rebuilding of the windmill, well knowing that the outside world was watching them and that the envious human beings would rejoice and triumph if the mill were not finished on time. 🔊
← All the same, there were days when they felt that they would sooner have had less figures and more food. 🔊
← It was also announced that the gun would be fired every year on Napoleon's birthday, as well as on the other two anniversaries. 🔊
← And when they thought of how they had laboured, what discouragements they had overcome, and the enormous difference that would be made in their lives when the sails were turning and the dynamos running−when they thought of all this, their tiredness forsook them and they gambolled round and round the windmill, uttering cries of triumph. 🔊
← It was announced that the battle would be called the Battle of the Windmill, and that Napoleon had created a new decoration, the Order of the Green Banner, which he had conferred upon himself. 🔊
← The farm had had a fairly successful year, but was still short of money. There 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. 🔊
← At 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. 🔊
← It would be the first time that he had had leisure to study and improve his mind. 🔊
← He was trying to kick his way out. The time had been when a few kicks from Boxer's hoofs would have smashed the van to matchwood. 🔊
← And now, he said finally, he would ask the company to rise to their feet and make certain that their glasses were full. 🔊