The Blind Men and the Elephant

Speaking of fairy tales, I admit to spending some time this week trying to write a modern version of the old legend about the blind men and the elephant.

Silly me. I just chanced upon the John Godfrey Saxe nineteenth century version. I can't match it, much less surpass it:

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!"...

Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

Thanks to Duen Hsi Yen at noogenesis.com for his page on this (use title link). It has the complete verse, an illustration by Jason Hunt, plus commentary and links.