by
John
G. Saxe (1816-1887)
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 his 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 wean,
Rail on in utter ignorance of what each other mean,
And prate about an Elephant not one of them has seen!