They explained that by their studies of the past three months the pigs had succeeded in reducing the principles of Animalism to Seven Commandments. These Seven Commandments would now be inscribed on the wal ; they woul d form an unalterable law by which al the animals on Animal Farm must live for ever after. With some difficulty (for it is not easy for a pig to balance himself on a ladder) Snowbal climbed up and set to work, with Squealer a few rungs below him holding the paint-pot. The Commandments were written on the tarred wal in great white letters that could be read thirty yards away. They ran thus: THE SEVEN COMMANDMENTS

1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy. 2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend. 3. No animal shal wear clothes. 4. No animal shal sleep in a bed. 5. No animal shal drink alcohol. 6. No animal shal kil any other animal. 7. Al animals are equal.

It was very neatly written, and except that "friend" was written "freind" and one of the "S's" was the wrong way round, the spel ing was correct al the way through. Snowbal read it aloud for the benefit of the others. Al the animals nodded in complete agreement, and the cleverer ones at once began to learn the Commandments by heart.

"Now, comrades," cried Snowbal , throwing down the paint-brush, "to the hayfield! Let us make it a point of honour to get in the harvest more quickly than Jones and his men could do." But at this moment the three cows, who had seemed uneasy for some time past, set up a loud lowing. They had not been milked for twenty-four hours, and their udders were almost bursting. After a little thought, the pigs sent for buckets and milked the cows fairly successful y, their trotters being wel adapted to this task. Soon there were five buckets of frothing creamy milk at which many of the animals looked with considerable interest. Page 7

Orwell, George : Animal Farm

"What is going to happen to al that milk?" said someone.

"Jones used sometimes to mix some of it in our mash," said one of the hens.

"Never mind the milk, comrades!" cried Napoleon, placing himself in front of the buckets.

"That wil be attended to. The harvest is more important.