
                       The Blind Men and the Elephant

                            by John Godfrey Saxe

   American poet John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887) based the following poem
   on a fable which was told in India many years ago.

     It was six men of Indostan

          To learning much inclined,

   Who went to see the Elephant
          (Though all of them were blind),

   That each by observation
          Might satisfy his mind

   The First approached the Elephant,
          And happening to fall

   Against his broad and sturdy side,
          At once began to bawl:

   "God bless me! but the Elephant
          Is very like a wall!"

   The Second, feeling of the tusk,
          Cried, "Ho! what have we here

   So very round and smooth and sharp?
          To me 'tis mighty clear

   This wonder of an Elephant
          Is very like a spear!"

   The Third approached the animal,
          And happening to take

   The squirming trunk within his hands,
          Thus boldly up and 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," quoth 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!"

   The Sixth no sooner had begun
          About the beast to grope,

   Than, seizing on the swinging tail
          That fell within his scope,

   "I see," quoth he, "the Elephant
          Is very like a rope!"

   And so these men of Indostan
          Disputed loud and long,

   Each in his own opinion
          Exceeding stiff and strong,

   Though each was partly in the right,
          And all were in the wrong!
          Moral:

   So oft in theologic wars,
          The disputants, I ween,

   Rail on in utter ignorance
          Of what each other mean,

   And prate about an Elephant
          Not one of them has seen!
