After much thought Snowball declared that the Seven Commandments could in effect be reduced to a single maxim【n. 格言；准则；座右铭】，namely：“four legs good， two legs bad.”This， he said， contained the essential principle of Animalism. Whoever had thoroughly grasped it would be safe from human influences. The birds at first objected，since it seemed to them that they also had two legs， but Snowball proved to them that this was not so.
“A bird’s wing，comrades，”he said，“is an organ of propulsion【n. 推进；推进力】 and not of manipulation【n. 操纵；操作；处理；篡改】. It should therefore be regarded as a leg. The distinguishing mark of man is the hand，the instrument with which he does all his mischief【n. 恶作剧；伤害；顽皮；不和】.”
The birds did not understand Snowball’s long words，but they accepted his explanation，and all the humbler animals set to work to learn the new maxim by heart. Four legs good， two legs bad was inscribed on the end wall of the barn，above the Seven Commandments and in bigger letters. When they had once got it by heart，the sheep developed a great liking for this maxim，and often as they lay in the field they would all start bleating“Four legs good， two legs bad！ Four legs good， two legs bad！”and keep it up for hours on end，never growing tired of it.
Napoleon took no interest in Snowball's committees. He said the education of the young was more important than anything that could be done for those who were already grown up.
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