There's a story of six blind men
Once upon a time in East
who went to meet an elephant
and get to know that beast
Since none of them could see him
only knowledge they could seize
was to put their hands upon him
and get a touch at least

Chorus:
So listen to the quarrel
and the ramble and the rant
as the six blind men tried in distress
describe an elephant
They all got right in some respects,
and none of them got wrong
and the partial truth that all they had
is theme of this song

The first man closed to elephant,
He stumbled and did fall
Against the beastie's mighty side,
At once began to bawl:
"God Bless me! Yes, the elephant
Is vertical like wall -"
That mighty beast is flat and smooth,
that should be known by all!"

[chorus]

The second, he gripped on the tusk,
He yelled "What is here?
So very round and smooth and sharp?
for me is now quite clear -
This animal, the elephant
Is very much like spear -
it should be now self-evident
what kind of beast is near!"

[chorus]

The third approached the elephant,
Alas, he was to take
The squirming trunk with his bare hands,
with these words up he spake:
"I see," said he, "The elephant
is exactly like a snake!"
it wriggles like a python,
which coils around a stake!"

[chorus]

The fourth reached out his feeling hand
And touched him on the knee:
"What I know of this beast is like
is childish plain, " said he;
It's clear enough the elephant
is quite much like a tree
if you had light on your blind eyes
it's truth that you could see."

[chorus]

The fifth, who gripped him on the ear,
Said: "Even bat-blind man
Can tell what this resembles most;
deny the fact who can!
This wonder beast, the elephant,
it is just like a fan!
It's thin and frail and smooth and flat
I'm sure you'll understand!"

[chorus]

The sixth, inspection had begun
About the beast to grope,
Him, seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
"I know," yelled he, "The elephant
is def'nitely a rope!"
its round, oblong and bendy form,
sees even dumbest dope!"

[chorus]

The moral of this story
is us crystal-clear to see
We fight in utter ignorance
Of what word "God" would mean,
We fight about an elephant
Not one of us has seen
but in the end we'll see Him clear
up there in Heaven's scene!