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Quiz about The Blind Men and the Elephant

The Blind Men and the Elephant Quiz

"It was six men of Hindustan, to learning much inclined, who went to see the Elephant (though all of them were blind), that each by observation might satisfy his mind." How much do you know about John Godfrey Saxe's poem?

A multiple-choice quiz by FatherSteve. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
FatherSteve

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
336,891

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
8 / 10

Plays
266

Awards
Top 10% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 152 (7/10), Guest 152 (8/10), Guest 152 (6/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Who was John Godfrey Saxe, the author of "The Blind Men and the Elephant"? Hint

The English author (1812-1888) of "The Owl and the Pussycat"

An English journalist (1865-1936) born in Bombay

An American lawyer, businessman and poet (1816-1887)

The American author (1849-1916) of "Little Orphant Annie"

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Question 2 of 10

2. Was the story told by this poem original to its author? Hint

No, it is an ancient Egyptian story from the 6th Century BC

Yes, it came from his imagination

No, it is an ancient story which originated in India

No, it is found in "The Analects of Confucius" (5th-3rd Century BC)

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Question 3 of 10

3. The first man to touch the elephant felt its side. To what did he compare the elephant? Hint

A house

A bull

A mattress

A wall

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Question 4 of 10

4. The second man to touch the elephant felt its tusk. To what did he compare the elephant? Hint

A banister

A spear

A branch

A piano key

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Question 5 of 10

5. The third man to touch the elephant felt its trunk. To what did he compare the elephant? Hint

A fire hose

A snake

An umbrella stand

A sleeve

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Question 6 of 10

6. The fourth man to touch the elephant felt its leg. To what did he compare the elephant? Hint

A telephone pole

A tree

A pillar

A mast

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Question 7 of 10

7. The fifth man to touch the elephant felt its ear. To what did he compare the elephant? Hint

A fan

A curtain

A ship's sail

A banana leaf

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Question 8 of 10

8. The sixth man to touch the elephant felt its tail. To what did he compare the elephant? Hint

A vine

A whip

A sash

A rope

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Question 9 of 10

9. The "Moral" of this poem refers it to "theologic wars." In which religion has this story been used as a parable? Hint

Jainism

Sufi Islam

Buddhism

All of these

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Question 10 of 10

10. What is meant by the setting of this poem in "Hindustan"? Hint

A region of Ancient Persia

Northern India

Mesopotamia

Modern-day Pakistan

Most Recent Scores

Dec 18 2024 : Guest 152: 7/10
Dec 12 2024 : Guest 152: 8/10
Dec 12 2024 : Guest 152: 6/10
Dec 12 2024 : Guest 152: 6/10
Oct 30 2024 : Guest 152: 0/10
Oct 23 2024 : Guest 49: 4/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Who was John Godfrey Saxe, the author of "The Blind Men and the Elephant"?

Answer: An American lawyer, businessman and poet (1816-1887)

Saxe began his writing career as a satirist but concluded his writing with serious poems, influenced by the many personal tragedies in his life.

2. Was the story told by this poem original to its author?

Answer: No, it is an ancient story which originated in India

The 13th Century Sufi Muslim poet Rumi tells a version of this story in which all of the people have their sight but are "shown" the elephant in a darkened room. He concludes "If each had a candle and they went in together the differences would disappear."

3. The first man to touch the elephant felt its side. To what did he compare the elephant?

Answer: A wall

"The First approach'd the Elephant, and happening to fall against his broad and sturdy side, at once began to bawl: 'God bless me! but the Elephant is very like a wall!'"

4. The second man to touch the elephant felt its tusk. To what did he compare the elephant?

Answer: A spear

"The Second, feeling of the tusk, cried, 'Ho! what have we here, so very round and smooth and sharp? To me 'tis mighty clear this wonder of an Elephant is very like a spear!'"

5. The third man to touch the elephant felt its trunk. To what did he compare the elephant?

Answer: A snake

"The Third approached the animal, and happening to take the squirming trunk within his hands, thus boldly up and spake: 'I see,' quoth he, 'the Elephant is very like a snake!'"

6. The fourth man to touch the elephant felt its leg. To what did he compare the elephant?

Answer: A tree

"The Fourth reached out his eager hand, and felt about the knee. 'What most this wondrous beast is like is mighty plain,' quoth he, ''Tis clear enough the Elephant is very like a tree!'"

7. The fifth man to touch the elephant felt its ear. To what did he compare the elephant?

Answer: A fan

"The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, said: 'E'en the blindest man can tell what this resembles most; deny the fact who can, this marvel of an Elephant is very like a fan!'"

8. The sixth man to touch the elephant felt its tail. To what did he compare the elephant?

Answer: A rope

"The Sixth no sooner had begun about the beast to grope, then, seizing on the swinging tail that fell within his scope, 'I see,' quoth he, 'the Elephant is very like a rope!'"

9. The "Moral" of this poem refers it to "theologic wars." In which religion has this story been used as a parable?

Answer: All of these

In Hindu lore, the story has been used to argue against dogmatism: that each person apprehends a part of the truth but ought not assume that others are therefor wrong in their apprehensions.

10. What is meant by the setting of this poem in "Hindustan"?

Answer: Northern India

The term "Hindustan" is historically vague. It may refer only to a small part of Northern India, to all of Northern India, or (less often) to all of India.

Source: Author FatherSteve

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