F
Six men of Indostan
Bb F
To learning much inclined
Bb F
Went to see the Elephant
C Dm C
(Though all of them were blind)
Bb C
That each by observation
Bb Fm F
Might satisfy his mind
Fm Bbm Fm Bbm
Satisfy his mind, satisfy his mind
Bbm Fm C F Fm
Six men of Indostan, to learning much inclined
[Verse One]
x F
Well, the First approached the Elephant
Eb Fm
And happening to fall
Eb F
Against his broad and sturdy side
C
At once began to bawl:
Db C
“God bless me! but the Elephant
Fm
Is very like a wall!”
[Verse Two]
F
The Second, feeling of the tusk
Bb F
Cried, “Ho! what have we here
Bb F C
So very round and smooth and sharp?
C
To me tis mighty clear
Db C
This wonder of an Elephant
F
Is very like a spear!”
[Chorus]
F Fm
All of them were blind
Bbm Fm
All of them were blind
Bb Fm C
Six men of Indostan
F C Fm
To learning much inclined
[Verse Three]
F
The Third approached the animal
Bbm Fm Cm
And happening to take
Bb F C
The squirming trunk within his hands
C
Thus boldly up he spake:
Db C B
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
F C
Is very like a snake!”
[Verse Four]
F
Then the Fourth reached out an eager hand
Bbm F Ab
And felt about the knee
Bbm F
“What most this wondrous beast is like
C
Is mighty plain,” quoth he;
Db C
“Tis clear enough the Elephant
Fm
Is very like a tree!”
G F
Db F
Cm F Cm
Cm Fm
[Verse Five]
Ab F
And the Fifth! who chanced to touch the ear
Bbm Fm
Said: ”E’en the blindest man
F
Can tell what this resembles most;
C Db
Deny the fact who can,
C
This marvel of an Elephant
F C
Is very like a fan!”
[Verse Six]
C
And the Sixth! no sooner had begun
Bbm Fm
About the beast to grope (to grope!)
Bbm Fm
Than, seizing on the swinging tail
C
That fell within his scope (scope!)
Db C
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
F Ab
Is very like a rope!”
[Chorus]
F Fm
All of them were blind
Bbm Fm
All of them were blind
Bb Fm C
Six men of Indostan
C
Learning much inclined
F C Fm
To learning much inclined
[Closing]
Eb
And so these men of Indostan
Db Fm
Disputed loud and long
C
Each in his opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong
Eb
Each was partly in the right
Db F
But all were in the wrong
[Moral]
C
So oft in theologic wars,
The disputants, I ween,
Rail on in utter ignorance
Of what each other mean,
Bbm C
And prate about an Elephant
Fm
Not one of them has seen!
