Slon

Slon

Podiglo se šest drugova

u Indiju, u daleku,

želja im je videt slona, -

ne vid'li ga u svom veku.

Rekao im jedan starac:

"Priznajem vam prohtev lepi,

al' vi, ljudi, videt slona

ne možete, jer ste slepi."

Jer odista, slepi behu

sva šestor'ca - valja znati,

al' odgovor njihov beše:

"Mi ćemo ga opipati."

E, pa dobro kad je tako.

I odoše šest drugova

i stigoše u Indiju

do slonova.

Primače se jedan bratac

jednom slonu, i to s boka.

Opipa ga, onda reče:

"Vala, stvar je to široka.

Ne treba mi očnji vid:

slon izgleda kao zid!"

Drugi bratac, taj je opet

spreda stao,

pa je slonu zub dugački

opipao.

I on reče: "E, sad mi je

stvar poznata,

slon izgleda kao direk

mojih vrata!"

I treći je spreda doš'o

svome cilju,

on je slonu opipao

samo rilju.

Čim opipa, odmah reče:

"Znam sad i ja,

slon izgleda kao neka

grdna zmija!"

A četvrti, on je opet

drukče stao.

Pa je slonu samo nogu

opipao.

I on reče: "Hvala Bogu,

znam već sada.

Slon izgleda, slon izgleda

kao klada!"

Dođe peti pa ti ruku

gore diže,

opip'o je slonu uvo, -

ništa više.

Pa sad mu je sud izreći

bilo lako:

"Slon izgleda ko lepeza,

isto tako!"

A šesti se primakao

odostraga,

njemu opet rep tog zvera

pade šaka.

Čudeći se pip'o ga je

ponajduže,

onda reče: "Slon izgleda

kao uže!"

Posle su se prepirali

dugo zdravo,

koji od njih šest slepaca

ima pravo.

Ta svaki je im'o pravo

nešto malko,

al' celinu nije pozn'o

baš nijedan,

baš nikako.

The Elephant

The six friends are just departing

To India, distant country,

Wishing to see an elephant-

Stories they heard may not be true.

Old man told the six companions,

'I admit your aim is grand

But you can't see an elephant

Simply because you are blind.'

This company was blind, really,

All six of them, very much,

But their answer has been, simply

'Our hands have got sense of touch'

Well, all right, when that's how things stand,

The long yearned for voyage starts,

Bringing them all to India,

To elephants.

One of the pals did approach then,

The elephant's giant side,

Feeling, touching he said, assured

'Well, the thing is very wide.'

I don't need the eyes at all,

Elephant looks like a wall.

Second brother, well that one stood

Squarely ahead

He could feel there the elephant's

Tusk with the hand,

And he said then:' Well, the thing is

Now familiar,

The elephant looks like the post

Of my home's door.

Third one came from the front, as well,

To his purpose,

Only thing that he could touch was

The brute's long nose

As soon as he touched the long trunk

He said offhand

The elephant looks just like a

Giant serpent.

And the fourth one, well, this guy stood

Unlike the rest,

The only thing he felt was the

Leg of the beast.

And he said, too: 'The Lord be praised;

I know it yet,

Elephant looks, elephant looks

Like a billet.

As the fifth came, raising his hand

Quite high above

He could touch the enormous ear,

No less, no more;

It was very easy for him,

Forming judgement

'Elephant looks like a big fan;

And just like that.'

And the sixth one, sneaking himself

From the behind

Got hold of the animals tail

With his both hands;

Wondering and touching it all,

He couldn't cope;

Perplexed, he said: 'Must be just like

A big, thick rope'

Afterwards they argumented

Until the light

Which one of them six blind people

Really was right,

Each one of them was right, really,

For a bit small,

But the whole grasped no companion;

Not one of them;

And not at all.

(Translated by Slobodan Cekic, za Meju <3)