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)