Narrator: In the land of India, there was is a fable told of six blind men who were taken to an elephant and asked to describe what the animal looked like.
Blind man 1: How can we know? We have never seen an elephant. Why? Because we are blind.
Blind man 2: Perhaps, my friends, if we feel the elephant, we will be able to tell.
Blind men: Oooh! Yes. Good idea. Good idea. Very!
Narrator: The first approached the elephant, and happening to fall against its broad side, exclaimed in surprise:
Blind man 1: Oh, my goodness, gracious me! From what I can tell, the elephant is like a what? It is like a wall, broad and sturdy, just like a wall.
Narrator: The second came forward, and reaching out, grabbed hold of one of the sharp white tusks.
Blind man 2: What is this, so very round and smooth and sharp? To me it is very clear—the elephant is like a spear.
Narrator: The third exclaimed, catching on to the swinging trunk:
Blind man 3: Oooh, oooh, oooh! This is what I’m telling you. The elephant is like a snake, long and squirming all about. Oh, my goodness gracious, oooh.
Narrator: The fourth and shortest reached out. Wrapping his arms around one of the legs, exclaimed:
Blind man 4: It’s so firm and round and tall. There is no doubt at all, the elephant is like a tree.
Narrator: The fifth felt the ear and laughed aloud.
Blind man 5: Even the blindest man cannot deny that the elephant is like a fan.
Blind man 6: Oh, no, no, no! You are all incorrect.
Narrator: The last announced, as he tugged the elephant’s tail.
Blind man 6: I presume the elephant is like a rope.
Blind man 2: How can a rope be like a spear? You are wrong! My finger is cut to prove it.
Blind man 3: No, no, no, no, no! I understand how you might have imagined it was a rope. But no, my friend, no, definitely no, it is more like a snake than a rope. This is what I’m telling you.
Blind man 1: What is this thing you are telling me?
Blind man 3: This is what I’m telling you.
Blind man 1: More like a snake than a rope?
Blind man 3: More like a snake than a rope.
Blind man 1: I’m telling you, it’s broad and wide and sturdy. It’s a wall, I’m telling you.
Blind man 3: Let me tell you … it’s more like a snake.
Blind man 1: This is what I’m telling you.
Blind man 3: This is what I’m telling you.
Blind man 1: It’s a wall. This is what I tell you.
Blind man 6: Oh, no, no, no, no!
Narrator: And so, a great argument began as each strove to prove that they were correct.
Blind man 3: No, no, no, no, no, no!
Narrator: At last, the elephant driver silenced them all.
Elephant driver: My friends, my friends, please! You are all wrong, and you are all right. The elephant is like all of these things put together: a wall, a spear, a tree, a snake, a fan, and a rope. But he is not completely like all of these things by themselves.
Blind men: Ooohhh!
Elephant driver: All of these parts put together make up a complete elephant.
Blind men: Ooohhh.
Elephant driver: And now, my worthy friends, to complete this trial I will take you all for a ride on top of my elephant.
Blind men: Good idea. So much fun to ride an elephant.
Narrator: So the moral of the story is, don’t always claim you’re right and the other person is wrong just because something looks a certain way to you. You may not have gotten the whole picture. Maybe he sees another side. So, it is important to remember to always be tolerant of the opinions of others.
Author unknown, based on an Indian fable. Illustrated by Zeb. Designed by Roy Evans. Read by Ruth and Simon SF, and Simon Peterson.)Published by My Wonder Studio. Copyright © 2010 NMG Records. Used by permission.