The blind men of Indostan.

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!

Originally posted by huckleberryhound
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 Se ...[text shortened]... inion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong!

YouTube

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBqgr5xZLz0

Nice change of pace thread; I'd forgotten about this entertaining and instructive fable which is also a metaphor for human fallibility.
Attempted to utilize the [youtube] .....[/] feature but received a message on the screen which in paraphrase said that the "owner doesn't
allow access on other websites". In my opinion, viewing it is worth a trip to Google.

I bought a blind friend a cheese grater for her birthday.
She said it was the worst book she had ever read.

Originally posted by Captain Strange
I bought a blind friend a cheese grater for her birthday.
She said it was the worst book she had ever read.

There's a joke along these lines where two elephants are trying to see what men are like; the first one notes that men are flat, and the second one agrees.

Originally posted by abejnood
There's a joke along these lines where two elephants are trying to see what men are like; the first one notes that men are flat, and the second one agrees.

Originally posted by abejnood
There's a joke along these lines where two elephants are trying to see what men are like; the first one notes that men are flat, and the second one agrees.

Originally posted by HandyAndy
Huck just wanted to set this delightful poem out for our enjoyment, Bobby. Why do you have to take possession of it by summoning YouTube?

Originally posted by huckleberryhound
It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined...