ELEPHANT ADN THE BLIND MAN

Once upon time there was a very generous king. He decided to give money to the poor people and asked them to assemble near the palace. Poor people and asked them to assemble near the palace. Poor people began to come from distant part of the country. A poor blind man heard about the king’s generosity. He called his friends, all of whom were blind, and decided to go the near the palace. There were nine of them in all. Early morning they started on their journey.

They walked a long distance in the hot sun. They felt thirsty and hungry, but there was no place for them to get a drink or anything to eat. Through tired they continued the journey. Then all of a sudden they heard a faint sound of bell. They felt happy. They were sure that the sound of the bell meant that some of a ‘seller’ was close by.

“It must be a gram- seller”, said one of the blind men,

“Good if he has something for us to drink. I feel very thirsty” another said

All of them anxiously walked fast. The sound of the bell became louder. They became impatient. One of them was so impatient that he hurried before the rest towards the direction of the sound.

“ You fool, what are you doing? Are you blind? Get to a side before this elephant tramples you”, the mahout shouted.

The blind man stood still. His friends, too, were shocked. They got on  to a side and stood motionless.

“We are all blind. We thought it’s a gram-seller”, one of them said very meekly.

“ Sorry, I did not know that. This is the royal elephant.  I am taking it to the king’s palace”, the mahout replied.

“We have never seen an elephant. Can we, please, see it?

Why not. Here it is. See as much as you want.”

No. we mean, can we feel it?

Oh yes, I am sorry. Feel it and see’, said the mahout.

The blind men were thrilled. All of them scrambled towards the elephant and began to touch the elephant’s head shouted in joy, “Oh! The elephant is like a big water- jar!” The blind man who touched the elephant’s ear shouted saying, “It’s like a winnowing-basket”

“You are a fool”, shouted one who touched the tusk. “It is like a ploughshare”, “No” said the blind man who held the trunk. It is like a plough pole. “Another who got hold of its body shouted saying, “No, no it’s like a store- room.”  One of the blind men who held the foot said, it’s like a post”. Another who touched and felt the back-side of the elephant said, it’s like a mortar”. Another of them who felt the tail said, “The elephant is like a pestle.” The blind man who just managed to touch of the tuft of hair at the end of the tail said, “All of you are fools. What you are saying is wrong. I know; the elephant is like a broom and what I say is right.”

A well-built man among the blind people got angry. “You are always like this. You are a small fellow, but you think only you are wise and others are all fools.”  Saying so he gave a blow on the on the other head. Taking the below that man kicked hard in return. In a moment all blind men were quarreling and shouting like a Pack of wolves.