. . 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 seen!
· · · · · ·
. . John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887) was an American lawyer who turned to literature, as lecturer, newspaper editor and poet, contributing to Harper's Magazine and the Atlantic Monthly.