The Elephant in the Village of the Blind

[Maf]

Forum filler for ya, by the way -- I typed this out by hand so you better read it. "The Blind Men and the Elephant" is a Buddhist story over two thousand years old. Like other oral stories, this one exists in many versions. Here's the one I heard when I was a young boy:

 

Once there was a village high in the mountains in which everyone was born blind. One day a traveler arrived from far away with many fine things to sell and many tales to tell. The villagers asked, "How did you travel so far and so high carrying so much?" The traveler said, "On my elephant." "What is an elephant?" the villagers asked, having never even heard of such an animal in their remote mountain village. "See for yourself," the traveler replied.

The elders of the village were a little afraid of the strange-smelling creature that took up so much space in the middle of the village square. they could hear it breathing and munching on hay, and feel its slow, swaying movements disturbing the air around them. First one elder reached out and felt its flapping ear. "An elephant is soft but tough, and flexible, like a leather fan." Another grasped its back leg. "An elephant is a rough, hair pillar." An old woman took hold of a tusk and gasped, "An elephant is a cool, smooth staff." A young girl seized the tail and declared, "An elephant is a water pipe." Soon others were stroking its sides, which were furrowed like a dry plowed field, and others determined that its head was an overturned washing tub attached to the water pipe.

As first each villager argued with the others on the definition of an elephant, as the traveler watched in silence. Two elders were about o come to blows about a fan that could not possibly be a pillar. Meanwhile the elephant patiently enjoyed the investigations as the cried of curiosity and angry debate mixed in the afternoon sun. Soon someone suggested that a list could be made of all the parts" the elephant had four pillars, one tub, two fans, a water pipe, and two staffs, and was covered in tough hairy leather or dried mud. Four young mothers, sitting on a bench and comparing impressions, realized that the elephant was in fact an enormous, gentle ox with a stretched nose. The traveler agreed, adding only that it was also a powerful draft horse and that if they bought some of his wares for a good price he would be sure to come that way again in the new year.

 

What I like about this particular tale is it's simplicity. It takes very little to make a story: narrator, plot and conflict, really. This couldn't have been 500 words long, yet changing any aspect of it will inevitably change how it works and what it means to different listeners or readers.

 

tl;dr: Feel free not to read it. I thought it was an interesting story though.

[Lawson]

Read the story before :)

[`Mo]

Read the story before :)

This and how does this link into Runescape general discussion O_0

[Maf]

Not as many people read things in the 'Off-topic' forum. Also; I couldn't decide which sub-category to post it in :(

[Going Pking3]

Not as many people read things in the 'Off-topic' forum. Also; I couldn't decide which sub-category to post it in :(

Learn to use a semicolon.. Rather than a semicolon there should be a comma.

 

"I typed this out by hand so you better read it" How else would you type it, by using your feet?

 

Cool story bro.

[Maf]

Not as many people read things in the 'Off-topic' forum. Also; I couldn't decide which sub-category to post it in :(

Learn to use a semicolon.. Rather than a semicolon there should be a comma.

 

"I typed this out by hand so you better read it" How else would you type it, by using your feet?

 

Cool story bro.

You; sir. OBVIOUSLY NEED TO TAKE A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE: http://s4.zetaboards.com/Macecorp/

 

Also; I typed it out as opposed to copy+pasting.

[Going Pking3]

Not as many people read things in the 'Off-topic' forum. Also; I couldn't decide which sub-category to post it in :(

Learn to use a semicolon.. Rather than a semicolon there should be a comma.

 

"I typed this out by hand so you better read it" How else would you type it, by using your feet?

 

Cool story bro.

You; sir. OBVIOUSLY NEED TO TAKE A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE: http://s4.zetaboards.com/Macecorp/

 

Also; I typed it out as opposed to copy+pasting.

Kid, learn how to use a semicolon. Take grammar class.

 

And rather than typing your erroneous statement, you should have implemented something like: Rather than just copying and pasting it, I took the time out to type it, so read it!

 

PS, I'm not affiliated with Macecorp, nor have I ever been on the site. Therefore, how could it be taking a trip down memory lane.

 

Good discussion so far.

[`Pure]

Not as many people read things in the 'Off-topic' forum.

Because they are gays.

[`Pure]

Not as many people read things in the 'Off-topic' forum. Also; I couldn't decide which sub-category to post it in :(

Learn to use a semicolon.. Rather than a semicolon there should be a comma.

 

"I typed this out by hand so you better read it" How else would you type it, by using your feet?

 

Cool story bro.

You; sir. OBVIOUSLY NEED TO TAKE A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE: http://s4.zetaboards.com/Macecorp/

 

Also; I typed it out as opposed to copy+pasting.

Kid, learn how to use a semicolon. Take grammar class.

 

And rather than typing your erroneous statement, you should have implemented something like: Rather than just copying and pasting it, I took the time out to type it, so read it!

 

PS, I'm not affiliated with Macecorp, nor have I ever been on the site. Therefore, how could it be taking a trip down memory lane.

 

Good discussion so far.

lol going pking3; doesn't know how to use a semicolon

[Going Pking3]

Not as many people read things in the 'Off-topic' forum. Also; I couldn't decide which sub-category to post it in :(

Learn to use a semicolon.. Rather than a semicolon there should be a comma.

 

"I typed this out by hand so you better read it" How else would you type it, by using your feet?

 

Cool story bro.

You; sir. OBVIOUSLY NEED TO TAKE A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE: http://s4.zetaboards.com/Macecorp/

 

Also; I typed it out as opposed to copy+pasting.

Kid, learn how to use a semicolon. Take grammar class.

 

And rather than typing your erroneous statement, you should have implemented something like: Rather than just copying and pasting it, I took the time out to type it, so read it!

 

PS, I'm not affiliated with Macecorp, nor have I ever been on the site. Therefore, how could it be taking a trip down memory lane.

 

Good discussion so far.

lol going pking3; doesn't know how to use a semicolon

Yes;I;Do.

[`Pure]

Not as many people read things in the 'Off-topic' forum. Also; I couldn't decide which sub-category to post it in :(

Learn to use a semicolon.. Rather than a semicolon there should be a comma.

 

"I typed this out by hand so you better read it" How else would you type it, by using your feet?

 

Cool story bro.

You; sir. OBVIOUSLY NEED TO TAKE A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE: http://s4.zetaboards.com/Macecorp/

 

Also; I typed it out as opposed to copy+pasting.

Kid, learn how to use a semicolon. Take grammar class.

 

And rather than typing your erroneous statement, you should have implemented something like: Rather than just copying and pasting it, I took the time out to type it, so read it!

 

PS, I'm not affiliated with Macecorp, nor have I ever been on the site. Therefore, how could it be taking a trip down memory lane.

 

Good discussion so far.

lol going pking3; doesn't know how to use a semicolon

Yes;I;Do.

HE FIGURED IT OUT HOLY CRAP

[Going Pking3]

Not as many people read things in the 'Off-topic' forum. Also; I couldn't decide which sub-category to post it in :(

Learn to use a semicolon.. Rather than a semicolon there should be a comma.

 

"I typed this out by hand so you better read it" How else would you type it, by using your feet?

 

Cool story bro.

You; sir. OBVIOUSLY NEED TO TAKE A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE: http://s4.zetaboards.com/Macecorp/

 

Also; I typed it out as opposed to copy+pasting.

Kid, learn how to use a semicolon. Take grammar class.

 

And rather than typing your erroneous statement, you should have implemented something like: Rather than just copying and pasting it, I took the time out to type it, so read it!

 

PS, I'm not affiliated with Macecorp, nor have I ever been on the site. Therefore, how could it be taking a trip down memory lane.

 

Good discussion so far.

lol going pking3; doesn't know how to use a semicolon

Yes;I;Do.

HE FIGURED IT OUT HOLY CRAP

All; I; needed; to; do; was; drop; out; of; school; and; add; a; semicolon; after; every; word;

 

Genius; Right;?

[Maf]

Cheers;

 

How about that story;?

[Hitttaa]

Not as many people read things in the 'Off-topic' forum. Also; I couldn't decide which sub-category to post it in :(

Learn to use a semicolon.. Rather than a semicolon there should be a comma.

 

"I typed this out by hand so you better read it" How else would you type it, by using your feet?

 

Cool story bro.

You; sir. OBVIOUSLY NEED TO TAKE A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE: http://s4.zetaboards.com/Macecorp/

 

Also; I typed it out as opposed to copy+pasting.

Kid, learn how to use a semicolon. Take grammar class.

 

And rather than typing your erroneous statement, you should have implemented something like: Rather than just copying and pasting it, I took the time out to type it, so read it!

 

PS, I'm not affiliated with Macecorp, nor have I ever been on the site. Therefore, how could it be taking a trip down memory lane.

 

Good discussion so far.

you lol care too much

[`Pure]

Not as many people read things in the 'Off-topic' forum. Also; I couldn't decide which sub-category to post it in :(

Learn to use a semicolon.. Rather than a semicolon there should be a comma.

 

"I typed this out by hand so you better read it" How else would you type it, by using your feet?

 

Cool story bro.

You; sir. OBVIOUSLY NEED TO TAKE A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE: http://s4.zetaboards.com/Macecorp/

 

Also; I typed it out as opposed to copy+pasting.

Kid, learn how to use a semicolon. Take grammar class.

 

And rather than typing your erroneous statement, you should have implemented something like: Rather than just copying and pasting it, I took the time out to type it, so read it!

 

PS, I'm not affiliated with Macecorp, nor have I ever been on the site. Therefore, how could it be taking a trip down memory lane.

 

Good discussion so far.

lol going pking3; doesn't know how to use a semicolon

Yes;I;Do.

HE FIGURED IT OUT HOLY CRAP

All; I; needed; to; do; was; drop; out; of; school; and; add; a; semicolon; after; every; word;

 

Genius; Right;?

You lost it now... :( overdid it

[Veta]

The responses to this thread is the reason people don't view these

[Hitttaa]

The responses to this thread is the reason people don't view these

Mister srs got mad at grammar...who cares its a runescape forum

[`Pure]

The responses to this thread is the reason people don't view these

I read it. It's their own fault if people don't want to.

[Mich-ae-l]

So i herd you posted this on Negative forums 5 months ago? :dotfire:

[Josh--]

tl;dr: Feel free not to read it. I thought it was an interesting story though.

[Josh--]

The responses to this thread is the reason people don't view these

Mister srs got mad at grammar...who cares its a runescape forum

 

This thread has nothing to do with runescape :thumbsup:

[Hitttaa]

The responses to this thread is the reason people don't view these

Mister srs got mad at grammar...who cares its a runescape forum

 

This thread has nothing to do with runescape :thumbsup:

no way...

[M4G1CA]

The point of a semicolon is that you can do whatever the **** you want with it