The Blind Men and the Elephant
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: 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 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 seen!
Commentary
Just one of those masterpieces which everyone has heard and no one really thinks of submitting! Anyway, all the versions I’ve heard before did not include the last “Moral” passage. ‘Extended Edition’ !!!!
The moral is so apt in modern times, with religious disputes setting the planet on fire. Having been the ‘justifiable’ (I’m Hindu by birth, and don’t really care about religion) target of righteous right-winged evangelists in the US who argue about how they know exactly what God wanted to make of the world, I could not agree more with the poet.
This is supposed to be based on a fable from India. I would be curious to know more about the exact origins though.
My favorite line: the one for the fifth guy, who starts with “Even the blindest man…” So poignant in the context of religious disputes!
Martin adds
Raj is right - I can’t believe we’ve not run this one yet. A true classic, and one beloved of generations of schoolteachers (and schoolkids - it’s a very accessible poem for younger kids, rhythmic, visual, funny and memorable). I’d be hard pressed to call this a great poem (it’s too simplistic, IMO, and the rhymes and rhythms too singsong), but it has, I think, achieved a deserved immortality.
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From the Wondering Minstrels mailing list, 1999–2008.
Rebecca · 20 February 2003
Thanks for adding the moral. I’ve never seen this part before. Could you now send out Abou Ben Adhem? I forget the poet’s name. It would be a suitable follow up.
Knaub1977 · 8 August 2003
This poem was just mentioned in a discussion by Ray Chambers at the Joint Statistical Meetings in San Francisco (August 2003) with regard to understanding of a statistical technique (calibration).
This poem has obvious relevance to world peace, but sticking with the statistical relevance, I hope to convince people at my office that it is better to rely on good statistical methodology than on one or two “expert opinions.” Subject matter expertise is often important, but statistics should be the focus of a “statistical agency” that is doing surveys, and, incredibly, at my office, it isn’t.
Abbie Benkeser · 4 November 2005
Some fifty plus years ago I first read this poem to my children. I was found in a series of books that the publishers of the Encyclopedia Britannica published for children. I think the series were called Childcraft. They were a pure delight. The last stanza of the Elephant and the blind men poem, the moral of the story was included at that time. The poem is simply incomplete without it!
Abbie