Animal Farm Side Story
One evening Willington Beauty, old Major to the animals, was reflecting on his life when a familiar tune popped into his head. As he reflected, more and more of the lyrics came back to him to his surprise, because when he was growing up he only knew the first line of the tune, "Beasts of England beasts of Ireland, beasts of every land and clime, hearken to my joyful tidings of the golden future time".
His mother and other sows would hum this song to him to try and soothe him to bed when he was little. As he was thinking of this he slowly began to doze off, but his thoughts were still embedded in his brain, thoughts of this tune, his life, his experiences, and his surroundings. Old Major began to dream of land, not similar to his own at all, where all animals were treated well and with respect. He dreamed that he was in this land, and was there for a good reason. In this land there were no farmers, or cruel whips, or nasty chains, the animals ruled and governed for themselves. The day had come where tyrant man had been overthrown and the fruitful fields of England were trod by beasts alone. Animals were all around minding their own business and working away at their own speed and to their own capacity.
Old Major was becoming very curious so he walked over to a boar similar in looks to him, to ask him of his own whereabouts.
"Excuse me, but I was just wondering if you could tell me where I am", he inquired politely.
"In England my comrade, at the Beast Farm", the boar answered.
"The Beast Farm what a unique name does it come from your farmer's surname or …." Old Major questioned.
"No actually it symbolizes our farm, because there are only animals here. We run this farm together, without humans", the boar proudly stated.
As old Major looked around all he could see for acres were animals, doing the same work that humans usually did, and without any trouble. Even though the animals were completing each task thrust upon them, the farm did not look conventional. There were no rings, or harnesses, or spurs, and definitely no whips. This puzzled him because he thought, how do they keep order without fear? "Where are all the nose rings, and harnesses, and spurs, and whips? How do you keep order?" old Major exclaimed. By now a group of animals had stopped their work to form a circle around the new comer and to see what he had to say.
"With our words, ideas, and common thoughts" the group chimed in unison.
Old Major soon introduced himself to the crowd, and apologized for his confusion. As he looked around the farm more and more questions popped into his head. The farm was the most marvelous thing that he had ever seen.
The animals then began a guided tour of the farm. They explained what they grew, how they harvested, and how everyday tasks were accomplished.
"So over here is where all the farming is done", they explained, "we grow wheat, barley, oats, hay, clover, beans, and mangel-wurzels". "With everyone working together we can get a lot accomplished in very little time," the group continued. In this land the sun seemed to shine brighter, the water seemed to flow purer, and the air sweeter with every breath. The differentiating factor was freedom; freedom made his senses tingle, set his body at ease. Freedom was exactly what he needed. As old Major was walking around the farm he noticed a saying written on the side of a work shed. The saying he figured was used to keep the animals going, through all their hard work, "For that day we all must labour though we die before it break, cows and horses, geese and turkeys all must toil for freedoms sake". All of a sudden the land disappeared and old Major was back to his own farm. Still dreaming, he saw the difference between his farm and 'Beast Farm' how the animals looked, the environment, and the general optimism.
All the animals at Manor Farm were working terribly hard, were being threatened by awful equipment, and were looking miserable. A familiar humming sound filled his ears. While looking at the state of despair at his farm, his mother and fellow sows emerged from the barn singing a very recognizable tune: Beasts of England, but now when the song played in his head he realized that he knew the whole song. A warm sensation came over old Major, at this he awoke slowly. A group of animals started to form around old Major to say 'good morning' to him. Once he was fully awake he muttered "You would never imagine the dream that I just had."
Hayley L.
[Reflect- Old Major realizes the lyrics to Beasts of England by the end of this short story because the lyrics appear throughout the
story.]