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Once, on a quiet farm in the English countryside, there lived many animals under the ownership of a man named Mr. Jones. He was lazy and often drank too much, neglecting to feed the animals properly. One night, an old and wise pig named Old Major gathered all the animals in the big barn. He spoke passionately about his dream—a world where animals were free and no humans ruled over them. He told them that humans were the only real enemy, and that someday, all animals must rise and take control of the farm for themselves.
Inspired by his dream, the animals listened with glowing eyes. Old Major taught them a song called “Beasts of England,” which spoke of a future where animals would live in peace and equality. Soon after, the old pig passed away in his sleep, but his message stayed alive in the hearts of the animals. The pigs, being the smartest creatures on the farm, began to plan a revolution. Two pigs—Snowball and Napoleon—emerged as leaders. They prepared the others to overthrow Mr. Jones and take control.
One day, when Mr. Jones forgot to feed them again, the hungry animals finally had enough. They broke into the store-shed to get food, and when Jones and his men tried to stop them, the animals chased them out of the farm completely. The animals were overjoyed. They renamed the place “Animal Farm,” erasing every trace of human control. Snowball and Napoleon led them in creating a set of rules called the Seven Commandments. These laws said that all animals were equal and that no animal should ever act like a human.
At first, life on the farm was full of hope. Everyone worked hard together. The pigs, being clever, supervised and organized, while the other animals labored from dawn to dusk. Boxer, the strong and loyal horse, became the hero of the farm, always saying, “I will work harder.” The harvest was the best they ever had. Every animal felt proud because they were free, and everything they produced was their own. They sang “Beasts of England” every night, dreaming of a bright future.
But soon, things began to change. The pigs started to keep certain privileges for themselves. They took milk and apples for their own meals, saying it was necessary for their health so they could think and manage the farm better. Though some animals felt uneasy, they trusted the pigs, especially Squealer, who was good at explaining everything in a convincing way. He always said, “You don’t want Jones to come back, do you?” and the animals would quietly agree.
Snowball worked hard to improve the farm. He came up with the idea of building a windmill that would provide electricity, making life easier for everyone. But Napoleon disagreed, saying it was a waste of time. The animals were divided between the two leaders. Then, one day, during a meeting, Napoleon called in nine fierce dogs he had secretly trained. They chased Snowball away from the farm forever. After that, Napoleon declared himself the sole leader of Animal Farm.
Napoleon announced that the windmill would indeed be built, claiming it had been his idea all along. The animals worked harder than ever, even through hunger and cold. Boxer, despite his exhaustion, kept pushing himself, saying, “Napoleon is always right.” The pigs began to live in the farmhouse, sleep in beds, and even drink alcohol. Whenever the animals questioned this, Squealer would alter the commandments to make it seem that nothing was wrong. Slowly, the rules began to change without the animals realizing it.
The windmill took months to build, but one night, a terrible storm destroyed it. Napoleon blamed Snowball, calling him a traitor who was secretly working with humans. The animals believed him because they were too tired to question. Soon, Napoleon became more and more like a human tyrant. He held parades, demanded loyalty, and had the dogs scare anyone who disagreed. The animals worked harder than ever while the pigs and dogs enjoyed comfort and power.
The neighboring human farmers began to notice Animal Farm. Some were afraid of the rebellion spreading, while others wanted to make deals. Napoleon began trading with humans, something that had once been forbidden. He sold the animals’ products for money and whiskey. When some animals remembered the commandment against doing business with humans, Squealer told them they must have misunderstood it. Slowly, the animals began to forget the original dreams of Old Major.
Later, the windmill was rebuilt even stronger, and again, it was destroyed—this time by humans during an attack. Many animals were injured or killed, but the pigs celebrated it as a great victory. Napoleon continued to tighten his control, spreading lies about Snowball and holding public executions of animals who were accused of betrayal. The farm’s atmosphere grew dark and fearful. Even the song “Beasts of England” was banned because Napoleon said the rebellion was complete, though in truth, the animals were working harder and starving more than ever.
As years passed, the farm changed. The pigs learned to walk on two legs, wear clothes, and carry whips. They changed the commandments again until only one remained: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” The other animals could no longer remember the early days clearly. The faces of the pigs started to resemble humans. They drank, gambled, and invited neighboring farmers to dinner. The animals, watching from outside, couldn’t tell who was pig and who was man.
Boxer, the faithful horse, kept working even as he grew old and weak. One day, while pulling heavy stones for the windmill, he collapsed. The animals rushed to help, but Napoleon said he would send Boxer to a hospital. However, when the van came to take him away, Benjamin the donkey read the writing on the side—it was from a glue factory. The animals cried out in horror, but it was too late. Boxer was gone, sold for money to buy whiskey for the pigs. Squealer later told them that Boxer had died peacefully at the hospital, and they believed him, though their hearts were heavy.
Over time, the farm became richer, but only for the pigs and dogs. The other animals still lived in hunger and cold, just as before the rebellion. Yet they continued to believe they were free because they no longer worked for humans. Napoleon grew fatter and more powerful. He was now called “Our Leader, Comrade Napoleon,” and his portraits were painted on walls. The pigs held banquets and toasted their success with the humans they once called enemies.
One evening, the pigs invited human farmers for a grand feast. They played cards, laughed, and drank together. The other animals, peeking through the window, were shocked. The pigs were sitting at the table, talking and behaving just like men. The humans praised Napoleon for running the farm efficiently, and Napoleon praised them for treating their workers the same way. The pigs and humans raised their glasses in a toast, saying they had the same goals—profit and control. When the animals outside looked in, they could no longer tell which face was pig and which was man.
The farm that had once stood for freedom and equality was now no different from the world they had tried to escape. The hopeful dream of Old Major had disappeared, replaced by greed, power, and fear. The windmill stood tall, but it no longer symbolized progress or happiness—it was just another reminder of how things had gone wrong. The animals, too tired to resist, accepted their fate, whispering quietly that someday, perhaps, true equality would return. But deep down, they knew that the rebellion had ended long ago, and that their world had come full circle.
And so, the farm remained under the rule of those who were supposed to free it, while the animals, old and young, worked on in silence. The words once written proudly on the barn wall were now meaningless, blurred by time and lies. The dream of a fair and happy world for animals had turned into the same cruel life they once knew—only now, the masters had changed, but the suffering stayed the same.