it was six men of indostan to learning much inclined who went to see the elephant 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 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 