It was six men of Indostan
To
much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were
),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind.
The First approached the Elephant,
And happening to fall
Against his broad and
side,
At once began to bawl:
"God bless me! but the Elephant
Is very like a wall!"
The Second, feeling of the
,
Cried: "Ho! what have we here
So very round and
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
within his hands,
Thus boldly up he spake:
"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant
Is very like a snake!"
The Fourth reached out his eager hand,
And felt about the knee.
"What most this
beast is like
Is mighty
," quoth he;
"'Tis clear enough the Elephant
Is very like a tree!"
The Fifth, who chanced to touch the
,
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
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
,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding
and strong,
Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong!
So, oft in
wars
The disputants, I ween,
Rail on in utter
Of what each other mean,
And prate about an
Not one of them has seen!
