Blasting powder

Benjamin, the cynical donkey, was the first to grasp the purpose of the men's activity near the windmill. Watching them drill a hole in the base, he calmly announced, "I thought so... In another moment they are going to pack blasting powder into that hole." His observation revealed the method of destruction that the humans had chosen.

The explosion that followed was devastating. A deafening roar sent pigeons swirling into the air, and all the animals except Napoleon threw themselves flat. A huge cloud of black smoke hung where the windmill had stood; when it cleared, the windmill had ceased to exist. The force of the blast scattered the stones, and the foundations were partially destroyed.