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Animal Farm Chapter 9
Boxer's hoof, split in the battle against the humans, takes a long time to heal, but he refuses to take any time off work as he wants to see the windmill well under way before he retires the next summer.
Rations are reduced yet again, except for pigs and dogs. Squealer comforts the animals:
"Reading out the figures in a shrill, rapid voice, he proved to them in detail that they had more oats, more hay, more turnips than they had had in Jones's day, that they worked shorter hours, that their drinking water was of better quality, that they lived longer, that a larger proportion of their young ones survived infancy, and that they had more straw in their stalls and suffered less from fleas." Chapter 9, pg. 93
Topic Tracking: Principles of Animalism 17
Topic Tracking: Propaganda 20
The animals are happy to believe him; "[b]esides, in those days they had been slaves and now they were free, and that made all the difference, as Squealer did not fail to point out." Chapter 9, pg. 94
There are many more mouths to feed as the four sows all litter at once, giving birth to thirty-one piglets. The farm has had a fairly successful year, but still has to sell off some hay, potatoes and increase the egg contract to pay for things for the pigs like candles, sugar, materials to build a schoolroom for the piglets - and the regular supplies like nails and string.
Rations are reduced yet again, but the pigs are comfortable and seem to be gaining weight. They start brewing beer for themselves.
There are more songs, speeches and processions than before, and Napoleon orders the animals to hold 'Spontaneous Demonstrations' once a week.
In April, Animal Farm is declared a Republic and they hold an election, with only one candidate, Napoleon, who is elected unanimously. The same day, it is announced that new documents have been discovered revealing that at the Battle of the Cowshed Snowball was openly fighting on the human side as the leader of their forces.
In the middle of the summer Moses the raven suddenly reappears and starts preaching to the animals about Sugarcandy Mountain again.
Boxer is looking less healthy than he used to, but still keeps working hard, looking forward to his retirement. One day he falls down while dragging a load of stone and can't get up, and the animals run to see what is wrong - he tells Clover it is his lung. Squealer says that Napoleon is very concerned and is making arrangements to send Boxer to the vet in Willingdon - for two days Clover and Benjamin carefully look after Boxer. Then a van comes to take him away and he is already loaded in when Benjamin runs to warn the animals - on the side of the van is written 'Horse Slaughterer'. Boxer is being taken to the knacker's to be boiled down for glue and dog meat. They all run after the van, Clover shouting to Boxer, who then tries to kick his way out, but it is too late and the van drives off with him in it.
Three days later Squealer comes to announce that Boxer has died in the hospital in Willingdon after receiving the very best of care. He explains that there was a mistake - the vet had just bought the van from the knacker and had not yet painted out the old name. Squealer gives details of Boxer's death-bed and the expensive medicines Napoleon paid for, and says that his last words were 'Long live Comrade Napoleon! Napoleon is always right!' The pigs hold a memorial banquet in Boxer's honor, and on the day appointed for it a crate of whisky is delivered at the farmhouse and they all get drunk again.
