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The Blind Men and the Elephant

                                          by John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887)


     American poet John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887) based this poem, on a fable that was told in
India many years ago. It is a good warning about how our sensory perceptions can lead to some
serious misinterpretations; especially when the investigations of the component parts of a
whole, and their relations in making up the whole, are inadequate and lack co-ordination.




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 actually seen!
The Blind Men And The Elephant

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The Blind Men And The Elephant

  • 1. The Blind Men and the Elephant by John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887) American poet John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887) based this poem, on a fable that was told in India many years ago. It is a good warning about how our sensory perceptions can lead to some serious misinterpretations; especially when the investigations of the component parts of a whole, and their relations in making up the whole, are inadequate and lack co-ordination. 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!"
  • 2. 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!"
  • 3. 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 actually seen!