The Blind Men and the Elephant Fairy Tale

Long ago, in a small town in India, there lived six blind friends. They had been blind since birth, but their hearing was very sharp, and their hands could recognise anything by touch. Every day they sat in the shade of a tree by the market, listening to the merchants' talk and arguing about everything under the sun.

One day the whole market was talking about only one thing: "An elephant has been brought to the palace! It is so huge, so strong!" The blind men turned to each other. "What is an elephant?" asked one. "We have never touched one." "Let's go and find out for ourselves," said another.

Holding on to each other's shoulders, they went to the square where the elephant stood. Its keeper said kindly, "Come closer, don't be afraid. This elephant is very gentle."

The first blind man stepped forward and ran his hand along the elephant's broad, firm side. "Oh! An elephant is a wall. A big, smooth, warm wall," he said.

The second blind man touched a tusk. It was long, smooth and pointed. "No, you are wrong. An elephant is like a spear. Sharp, smooth and cold," he said.

The third took hold of the trunk. The trunk bent and twisted and curled around his arm. "You are both wrong! An elephant is a huge snake! It wriggles and moves!" he cried in alarm.

The fourth bent down and hugged one of the elephant's legs. "What are you talking about? An elephant is like a tree trunk. Thick, round and solid," he said.

The fifth raised his hand and touched an ear. The ear flapped, and a breeze blew. "An elephant is a giant fan. It keeps you cool in the heat," he laughed.

The sixth grabbed the tail. "You are all mistaken! An elephant is a rope! A long, thin rope!" he shouted.

And the friends began to argue. "A wall!" "A spear!" "A snake!" "A tree!" "A fan!" "A rope!" Their voices grew louder and louder. They got angry with one another and nearly came to blows. Each insisted on what he had felt and would not listen to the others.

Just then a wise old man was crossing the square. He stopped, listened to the friends and smiled. "My friends, you are all right. And you are all wrong."

"How can that be?" asked the blind men in surprise. The old man explained, "Each of you touched only one part of the elephant. Its side really is like a wall, its tusk like a spear, its trunk like a snake, its leg like a tree, its ear like a fan and its tail like a rope. But the elephant is all of these together. If you had listened to each other, you would have known the whole elephant."

The blind men were silent for a long time. Then they apologised to one another, and each described in detail what he had touched. And now, all together, they understood what an elephant was like.

Ever since, this tale has often been told in India. It teaches us that each person sees only a part of the world. To understand the truth, we must listen to others and think things through together.