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The Blind Men and the Elephant |
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It was six men of Indostan^ The Sixth no sooner had begun To learning much inclined, About the beast to grope, Who went to see the Elephant Then, seizing on the swinging tail (Though all of them were blind), That fell within his scope, That each by observation "I see," quoth he, "the Elephant Might satisfy his mind. Is very like a rope." The First approached the Elephant, And so these men of Indostan And happening to fall Disputed loud and long, Against his broad and sturdy side, Each in his own opinion At once began to bawl: "God bless me! Exceeding stiff and strong, But the Elephant Though each was partly in the right, Is very like a wall!" And all were in the wrong! The Second, feeling of the tusk, -- John Godfrey Saxe John Godfrey Saxe Cried, "Ho! What have we here, So very round and smooth and sharp? To me 'tis mighty clear ^ Indostan: Hindustan, This wonder of an Elephant a region of India Is very like a spear!" The Third approached the animal And happening to take The squirming trunk within his hands, Thus loudly up an spake: "I see," quoth he, "the Elephant Is very like a snake." The Fourth reached out an eager hand, And felt about the knee. "What most this wondrous beast is like Is mighty plain," qouth he; "'Tis clear enough the Elephant Is very like a tree!" The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, Said: "E'en the blindest man Can tell what this resembles most; Deny the fact who can, This marvel of an Elephant Is very like a fan." |
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