The Blind Men & The Elephant<br /><br />It was 6 men of Indostan<br />to learning much inclined.<br />Who went to see the elephant<br />(Though all of them were blind),<br />That each by observation<br />might satisfy his mind.<br /><br />The First approached the elephant,<br />and, happening to fall<br />against his broad & sturdy side<br />at once began to bawl,<br />"God bless me! but the elephant<br />is nothing but a wall!"<br /><br />The Second, feeling of the tusk, <br />cried: "Ho! What have we here<br />so very round & smooth & sharp?<br />To me 'tis mighty clear.<br />This wonder of an elephant<br />is very like a spear!"<br /><br />The Third approached the animal<br />and, happening to take<br />the squirming trunk within his hands,<br />thus boldly up & spake:<br />"I see," quother he, "the elephant<br />is very like a snake!"<br /><br />The Fourth reached out his eager hand,<br />and felt about the knee:<br />"What most this wondrous beast is like<br />is mighty plain," quoth he<br />"'Tis clear enough the elephant<br />is very like a tree."<br /><br />The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,<br />said: "E'en the blindest man<br />can tell what this resembles most;<br />deny the fact who can, <br />this marvel of an elephant <br />is very like a fan!"<br /><br />The Sixth no sooner had begun<br />about the beast to grope,<br />than, seizing on the swinging tail<br />that fell withing his scope, <br />"I see," quoth he, "the elephant<br />is very like a rope!'<br /><br />And so these men of Indostan<br />disputed loud & long.<br />Each in his own opinion<br />exceeding stiff & strong.<br />Though each was partly in the right,<br />and all were in the wong!<br /><br />So, oft in theologic (scientific ?) wars<br />the disputants, I ween,<br />rail on in utter ignorance<br />of what each other mean,<br />and prate about an elephant <br />not one of them has seen!<br /><br />John Godfrey Saxe<br /> <br /> <small>[ 11. February 2005, 01:03 PM: Message edited by: Cyber Canary ]</small>