Tonight's meeting that Major called in the barn ended up being so life changing! He spoke with such majesty and brilliance! But even more amazing- the idea he suggests!
I was one of the first to enter the barn, just after the dogs. We sat down and watched Major intently. There he stood- on a raised platform with a beam of lantern light that made his contour stand out. Major is by far the most majestic of all us animals on Manor Farm.
The next hour was like a blur of the best kind. Major began weaving a picture of the farm as it is today, and told all of us about realizations he's been having lately. He spoke with the authority of an animal that has experienced much, and seen more. His voice reverberated off of the walls like a booming trumpet. Then, Major spoke of his dream. A wonderful world void of humans where animals can roam free- this was more then just a dream he said.
I looked around the room, first at the other pigs. Squealer and Napoleon sat hushed, eyes gleaming while they looked at Major. Minimus, I could tell, was already thinking of songs to sing about this night. Next I looked at the horses: Boxer stood still, all attention focused towards the stage. His coat gleamed in the light, and his muscles flexed as if in agreement with all Major had to say. Next to him, Clover. She was breathing fast, entertaining thoughts of running wild without a master to whip her. Mollie had been the last animal to arrive in the barn. I personally think she is rather naive and foolish, and I could tell that as Major spoke, she held little interest. She seemed more interested in making sure her ribbons were all on straight.
I'm not sure how long Major spoke for- but I do remember the visions that my mind went in and out of. I see now how Jones (for I will no longer call him "Master") has crippled our minds and held our potential at bay. "Rebellion!" spoke Major,
"I do not know when that Rebellion will come, it might be in a week or in a hundred years, but I know, as surely as I see this straw beneath my feet, that sooner or later justice will be done. Fix your eyes on that, comrades, throughout the short remainder of your lives! And above all, pass on this message of mine to those who come after you, so that future generations shall carry on the struggle until it is victorious."
I knew Major was right. These humans, these evil beings that stalked the Earth, needed to be cast off! We needed to end the tyranny which the humans had placed us under for so long!
Major went on to tell us about his dream. A song, he said, had come back to him. A song? These had never held much interest for me. Minimus was a poet and composer himself, but none of his works had ever added up to much in my mind.
But Major seemed to think this song held much importance.
Here's the first two verses:
By the third verse, I found myself joining in humming the tune. By the end of the song, nearly everyone had found the melody and rhythm. We all began the song, and after a couple attempts, were finally able to arrange the words.
- Beasts of England, Beasts of Ireland,
Beasts of every land and clime,
Hearken to my joyful tidings
Of the Golden future time.
- Soon or late the day is coming,
Tyrant Man shall be o'er thrown,
And the fruitful fields of England
Shall be trod by beasts alone.
We all sang in the fashion we knew, and O was it glorious! The sheep's bleats accompanied all of us pigs' squeals, which went in perfect harmony with the neigh's that the horses had to offer. Something was awoken in each of us: a desire to be free. We had always had that desire buried deep, but this new realization that it might actually be possible spurred the greatest kind of passion in our souls.
Then, all of a sudden BANG! A large noise and wood splinters erupted all around us. Jones had unleashed his terrible Killer Stick on us! We all scattered to our appropriate sleeping quarters, and everybody was silent all in a moment.
But we all knew what had just happened, and I for one am inspired to Rebel against the tyranny of Jones.
Snowball
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