Old Benjamin

Old Benjamin was one of the few animals who remembered life before the Rebellion. Benjamin was also one of the many animals who fought in their first battle, The Battle of Cowshed. Benjamin bravely lashed out with his tiny hooves. He was not always the happiest animal on the farm, nor was he the friendliest. Benjamin’s only friend was Boxer, the cart horse.

Benjamin had once asked Boxer, “Have you ever seen a dead donkey?” He had always claimed that donkeys lived a long time. Benjamin was the only animal on the farm that was unchanged by the revolution of Manor Farm. He refused to take side with either Napoleon or Snowball. He did neither become excited about the Windmill project.

He could read just as well as any of the pigs, but did not read much. Benjamin said there was nothing worth reading. When Clover asked him to read to her the sixth commandment, he said he did not want to be in the middle of such matters. Benjamin and Clover were Boxers’ closest friends.

They warned him not to work so hard on the windmill, but he ignored their warnings. Clover told him that a horse’s lungs did not last forever. He went by his new motto “Napoleon is always right.” When he finally collapsed from overworking himself, Benjamin and Clover stayed by him after work hours. When the ‘Hospital’ truck came to get Boxer, Benjamin noticed it said ‘Horse Slaughter and Glue Boiler.’ Benjamin was the first to tell everyone about Boxer, and that he was going to die.

In the end, Benjamin, Clover, and very few animals remembered what life was like before the Rebellion. Benjamin and Clover were getting old. Many others had died of old age, or were executed by Napoleon’s dogs. Old Benjamin, outlived most of the animals. As he said before, donkeys live a long time.

Catrina Bolwerk & Kayla Griffin  7th Period