% elephant.mm -- The old fable of the blind men and the elephant
% last edit: 04-APR-1993

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\centerline{{\twelvebf The blind men and the elephant}}
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\centerline{{\it An old fable}\footnote*{taken from Frohnmeyer, p.182}}
\ornline{\Sine}

$cila janmaandhanmar (piRavikkuruTanmaar) yad.rcchayaa oru svalattu vannukuTi tan"n"aL{}kku
oru aanaye kaaNiccu koTukkeeNamenn oru aanappaappaanooTu taatpayyattooTe aapee
kSiccatinnu avan: parishoodhiccu pooykkoL{}vinennu paRan~n~u. aanayuTe kaal
tappinookkiya kuruTanum atinRe tunbikkai taTavinookkiya veroru kuruTanum
atinRe cethi tapooTinookkiya maRRooruttanum atinRe vaal toTTunookkiya
maRReeyavanum at nallatennu paRan~n~u.  ivvaNNam aanaye parishoodhanakazhicca sheeSam
avar pookamvazhiyil anyoonyom aanayuTe mahiMayekkooNTu paRavaan tuTan"n"i. kaal
tappi nookkiyavan aan uralpoolee ennum inbikkai taTavinookkiyavan atu ulakkapoolee
ennum vaal tooTTunookkiyavan atu cuul (maaccil) poolee ennum cevi
talooTi yavan atu muRampoolee ennum paRan~n~u. in"n"inee anyoonyam vipariitamaayi
colli tiiraatta shaNThayiTTu naTannu.\par$

\ornline{\Sine}

Some men, all blind from their birth, (happening) to be together at one place, requested
earnestly of an elephant-driver to show them an elephant. He said: examine it, and be off.
It is a fine thing, said one blind man, feeling the elephant's leg; (so said) another blind
man stroking his trunk, (so said) another passing his hand over the ear, (so said) another 
thouching his tail. Having thus examined the elephant, as they went away, they began to
speak to one another of the greatness of the elephant. He that had felt the leg said the
elephant was like a mortar for poundig rice. He that felt the trunk, that it was like
a pestle or rice-beater; he that had touched the tail, that it was like a broom, and he that
had stroked the ear, that it was like a winnowing fan. Thus they went on quarrelling
without end, each declaring the contrary to the other.

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