English Original
Once upon a time, a king ordered his officials: "Bring me an elephant and have several blind men feel it with their hands. Then ask each to describe its shape."
The officials brought the elephant. Several blind men surrounded it, touching it with their hands. The king asked them, "What do you think the elephant resembles?"
All the blind men strove to be the first to answer.
- One felt the elephant's tusk and said, "It resembles a long, long carrot."
- One felt its ear and said, "It resembles a dustpan."
- One felt its head and said, "It resembles a large stone."
- One felt its foot and said, "It resembles a stone mortar."
- One felt its back and said, "It resembles a bed."
- One felt its belly and said, "It resembles a water vat."
"Ha! Ha! You are all wrong," declared the last blind man, pulling the elephant's tail. "Let me tell you, the elephant resembles a long, thin rope."
Upon hearing this, the king and his officials all burst into laughter.
中文翻译
从前，有一位国王命令他的大臣们：“给我牵一头大象来，让几个盲人用手去摸，然后每个人描述大象的模样。”
大臣们牵来了大象。几个盲人围上去用手触摸。国王问他们：“你们觉得大象像什么？”
盲人们都争先恐后地回答。
- 一个摸着大象的象牙说：“它像一根长长的萝卜。”
- 一个摸着大象的耳朵说：“它像一只簸箕。”
- 一个摸着头说：“它像一块大石头。”
- 一个摸着脚说：“它像一只石臼。”
- 一个摸着背脊说：“它像一张床。”
- 一个摸着肚子说：“它像一只大水缸。”
“哈哈！你们说的都不对！”最后一个盲人拉着大象的尾巴说：“告诉你们，大象就像一根又长又细的绳子。”
听到这里，国王和大臣们都哈哈大笑起来。