Chapter 33 Chapter 31 Animals and Men Meet Equally for the First Time

One day in early summer, Squealer took the sheep from the farm and told them to follow him to a wasteland full of birch saplings at the other end of the farm.The sheep stayed there all day, under Squealer's supervision, nibbling on the leaves.When evening came, Squealer went back to the farm house alone, and, as it was warm now, he told the sheep to stay in the field for the night.In this way, the sheep remained there for a week.No other animal had seen them during this time.Squealer was with the sheep most of the day.He said he was teaching them a new song that needed to be free from other animals.

Not long after the sheep's return, one quiet evening, the animals had finished their work and were heading back toward the farm quarters, when they heard the frightened neighing of a horse in the yard.The animals stopped in fright.What they heard was the neighing of clover.Then she uttered another cry of terror.The animals hurried back and broke into the yard.Then they all saw what Clover saw. A pig is standing and walking on two hind legs. Yes, it was a pig, and that was Squealer.He walked awkwardly, as if he was not used to supporting his heavy body in such a posture.But he had learned to maintain perfect balance; he was walking from one end of the yard to the other.After a while a long procession of pigs came out from the door of the farm house, all walking on their hind legs.Some pigs walked better than others; one or two pigs walked erratically, as if they were using a cane.But each pig successfully walked around the yard.Finally, amidst the barking of the dogs and the squealing of the black rooster, Napoleon also emerged from the house.His body stood upright, his haughty eyes glanced left and right, while several big dogs flocked around him.

Napoleon held a whip between one of his fore hooves. The yard was enveloped in deathly silence.Shocked and frightened, the animals huddled together, staring blankly at the group of pigs standing on their hind legs and slowly circling in the yard.The world seemed to be turned upside down.When the animals gradually woke up from the initial shock, although they still had a fear of the vicious dogs, although they had developed the habit of submissively over the years, no matter what happened, they never complained or commented, nonetheless, They may still protest.But just as they were about to speak, suddenly, as if at a signal from someone, all the sheep bleated in unison:

"Four legs are better, two legs are better! Four legs are better, two legs are better! Four legs are better, two legs are better!" The deafening bleating went on without a break for five minutes.Finally, when the sheep had quieted down, the time had passed, and the animals could no longer protest, for the two-legged pigs had by now returned to the farm dwellings. Benjamin felt someone's nose touch his shoulder.He looked back and saw that it was alfalfa.Clover's eyes were darker than ever.She didn't speak, but gently tugged Benjamin's mane, and led him to the wall at one end of the big barn where the Seven Commandments were written.They stood for a minute or two in front of the white asphalt wall.

"My eyesight is getting worse and worse," said Clover at last. "When I was young, I couldn't recognize what was written on the wall. But now why do I feel that the writing on it is different from before? The Seven Commandments still The past seven, Benjamin?" This time Benjamin broke the precept without waiting for Clover to say more, and took the initiative to read the words written on the wall.There is only one precept written on the wall, and there is nothing else.This one is: All animals are equal, But some animals are more equal than others. That being the case, it is not surprising that the next day the pigs who oversee the animal's labor are holding a whip between their front hooves.Later on, the animals were not surprised to hear that the pigs had bought themselves a radio, were about to install a telephone, and had subscriptions to the John Bull, News Roundup, and Daily Mirror.No matter what happens, it's not worth the fuss.Napoleon walked in the garden with his pipe in his mouth, and even the pigs did not surprise the other animals by taking Mr. Jones's clothes out of the closet and putting them on themselves.Napoleon himself appeared in public in a black coat, strange hunting trousers, and leather leggings.His favorite sow wore the shimmering silk gown Mrs. Jones wore on Sundays.

A week later, one afternoon, some hansoms came into the farm.A delegation of several neighboring farmers was invited to visit the farm.The guests were shown around.They were full of praise for what they saw, especially the windmill.When the delegation visited, the animals were weeding the radish fields.They worked very hard, leaning over the ground and hardly lifting their heads.They themselves don't know whether they are afraid of the pigs who supervise the labor or the visitors. That night there was a burst of laughter and singing from the farmer's house.This mixed sound suddenly aroused the curiosity of the animals.They wanted to figure out what the hell was going on in there.You know, this is the first time that animals and people have come together as equals, and this has never happened before.Everyone unanimously walked towards the garden of the house as silently as possible.