The Blind Men And the Elephant

Some friends of mine decided to visit me one day and brought with them a variety of presents. One of them, having traveled to Dubai in the previous month handed me a small box with a similarly small rock attached to a string. Upon my inquires  as to what it was, all that the fella could say is 'Guess...' And so we began,each of us giving a rather stupid use as well as the reason behind said use. It reminded me of an old poem by John Godfrey Saxe about 6 Blind,Hindu wise men, who when faced with an elephant, and each touching at different parts of the beast, all assumed differently as to what it was.......

 

It was six men of Hindustan,

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:

“Bless me, it seems the elephant

Is very like a wall.”

The second feeling of his 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,

Then boldly up and spoke:

“I see, “ quoth he, “the elephant

Is very like a snake.”

The fourth stretched out his eager hand,

And felt about the knee,

“What most this mighty 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, “even 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 began

About the beast to grope,

Than seizing on the swinging tail

That fell within his scope,

“I see,” cried he, “the elephant

Is very like a rope.”

And so these men of Hindustan

Disputed loud and long,

Each to his own opinion

Exceeding stiff and strong,

Thought each was partially in the right

And all were in the wrong.

 By John Godfrey Saxe