And then, after a few preliminary tries, the whole farm burst out into 'Beasts of England' in tremendous unison.
The cows lowed it, the dogs whined it, the sheep bleated it, the horses whinnied it, the ducks quacked it.
They were so delighted with the song that they sang it right through five times in succession, and might have continued singing it all night if they had not been interrupted.
Unfortunately, the uproar awoke Mr. Jones, who sprang out of bed, making sure that there was a fox in the yard.
He seized the gun which always stood in a corner of his bedroom, and let fly a charge of number 6 shot into the darkness.
The pellets buried themselves in the wall of the barn and the meeting broke up hurriedly.
Everyone fled to his own sleeping-place.
The birds jumped on to their perches, the animals settled down in the straw, and the whole farm was asleep in a moment.
Chapter 2
Three nights later old Major died peacefully in his sleep. His body was buried at the foot of the orchard.