xesite/blog/blind-men-and-an-elephant-2018-11-29.markdown

---
title: "Blind Men and an Elephant"
date: 2018-11-29
series: conlangs
---

# Blind Men and an Elephant

or

# le'i ka na viska kakne ku e le xanto

[Adapted from here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_men_and_an_elephant). Done in Lojban to help learn the language. I am avoiding the urge to make too many lujvo (compound words) because the rafsi (compound word components) don't always immediately relate to the words in question in obvious ways.

| [KOhA4](http://lojban.org/publications/cll/cll_v1.1_xhtml-section-chunks/section-koha-broda-series.html) | lojban | english |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ko'a | le'i na viska kakne | the blind people |
| ko'e | le xanto | the elephant |
| ko'i | le cizra danlu | the strange animal |

A group of blind men heard that a strange animal, called an elephant, had been brought to the town, but none of them were aware of its shape and form.

> ni'o le'i na viska kakne goi ko'a e le xanto goi ko'e  
> .i ko'a cu ti'erna lo nu cizra danlu goi ko'i noi ko'e cu se bevri fi lo tcadu  
> .i ku'i no ko'a cu sanji lo tarmi be ko'i

Out of curiosity, they said: "We must inspect and know it by touch, of which we are capable". 

> .i .a'u ko'a dai cusku lu .ei ma'a pencu lanli le danlu sei ma'a kakne li'u

So, they sought it out, and when they found it they groped about it. 

> ni'o ro ko'a cu sisku ko'i  
> .i ro ko'a cu sisku penmi ko'i  
> .i ro ko'a ca pencu lo drata stuzi ko'i  

In the case of the first person, whose hand landed on the trunk, said "This being is like a thick snake". 

> .i pa ko'a cu pencu lo ko'i betfu  
> .i pa ko'a cu cusku lu ti cu rotsu since li'u

For another one whose hand reached its ear, it seemed like a kind of fan. 

> .i re ko'a cu pencu lo ko'i kerlo  
> .i re ko'a cu cusku lu ti cu falnu li'u

As for another person, whose hand was upon its leg, said, the elephant is a pillar like a tree-trunk. 

> .i ci ko'a cu pencu lo ko'i tuple  
> .i ci ko'a cu cusku lu ti cu tricu stani li'u

The blind man who placed his hand upon its side said, "elephant is a wall". 

> .i vo ko'a cu pencu lo ko'i mlana  
> .i vo ko'a cu cusku lu ti cu butmu li'u

Another who felt its tail, described it as a rope. 

> .i mu ko'a cu pencu lo ko'i rebla  
> .i mu ko'a cu cusku lu ti cu skori li'u

The last felt its tusk, stating the elephant is that which is hard, smooth and like a spear.

> .i xa ko'a cu pencu lo ko'i denci  
> .i xa ko'a cu cusku lu ti cu jdari e xulta li'u

All of the men spoke fact about the elephant, but none of them spoke the truth.

> .i ro ko'a cu fatci tavla fi ko'e  
> .i jeku'i no ko'a cu jetnu tavla fi ko'e