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the blind men and the Elephant a fable from India by phoebe franklin and illustrated

by Coco Masuda.

In a faraway village lived six blind men, one day an elephant arrived in town,

everyone within miles ran to catch a glimpse of the great creature; the blind men didn’t

know what an elephant was, but they wanted to join in on the excitement.

The first blind man approached the elephant. “I will find out what an elephant is,

” he told his companions; he felt the elephant’s side; it felt broad and flat and smooth,

just like a wall “Aha,” he said, “an elephant is a wall.”

“a wah,” marveled the others, pleased that how now they understood an elephant.

“That can’t be true,” said the second blind man “Why would a wall come to town?

let me try” he approached the elephant and grabbed hold of his tusk; it was long

and thin and hard to the touch, just like a stick, “I am sorry to disagree,” he said,

“but it is clear to me an elephant is not a wall it is a stick.”

“Naturally,” said the others; they were pleased that they now truly knew what 

an elephant was.

“But I say an elephant is a wall,” insisted the first man, “and I know it to be a stick,” 

declared the second.

The third blind man stepped up “How can an elephant be a wall and a stick?” he asked;

he approached the elephant and felt its trunk; it squirmed and twisted just like a snake

“Are you ready to hear what an elephant really is?” he asked, “it is a snake.”

“A snake?” marveled to rest; they were pleased that they now truly knew what 

an elephant was.

“But I say it is a wall,” insisted the first man, “I knew it to be a stick,” declared 

the second.

The blind man who had not yet touched the elephant marveled at the idea that

an elephant was actually a snake, “I don’t mean to upset anyone,” said the fourth blind

man, “but an elephant is clearly something more important than any of those things,”

he approached the elephant and felt its leg; it was rough and wrinkly; he put his arms

around it, and it was thick and round, just like a tree trunk “Aha,” he announced,

“it is obvious to me that an elephant is actually a tree,”

“a tree?” one of the two remaining blind men, “perhaps!” but they were less sure 

than ever before,

“I say it is a wall,” insisted the first man,

“I know it to be a stick,” declared the second

“I am certain it is a snake,” exclaimed the third

“I am convinced it is a tree,” argued the fourth

“let us stop this bickering.” the fifth blind man said “Permit me to find out once

and for all that an elephant really is” he approached the elephant and felt its ear,

it had folded and flapped in the wind just like a fan,

“the mystery is solved,” he announced ” An elephant is really a fan,”

“a fan!!?” said the remaining blind man, “I wonder!!”

“I say there’s a wall,” insisted the first man,

“I know it to be a stick,” declared the second,

“I am certain it is a snake,” explains the third

“I am convinced it is a tree,” argued the fourth

“it is without question a fan,” pronounced the fifth.

“stop!” shouted out the sixth blind man ” Let me end this confusion for now 
and always.”

He approached the elephant and felt its tail. It was long and thin, and it swayed back

and forth, just like a rope,

“all right,” said the sixth blind man, “we have our answer; an elephant is, without a doubt

a rope,” there was no one left to agree.

“I believe it is a wall,” insisted the first,

“I knew it to be a stick,” declared a second,

“I am certain it is a snake,” exclaimed the third,

“I am convinced it is a tree,” argued the fourth,

“it is without question a fan,” pronounced the fifth,

“I am sure it is a rope,” added the sixth

“friends,” said the first blind man, “how can one thing seem so different?!

If you want to truly know something, you must try to understand all of its parts.”

“on that, we all can agree,” replied the others;

with that in mind, the men investigated the whole animal they finally gained a true

understanding of an elephant.

The End