The Emperor's New Clothes

The Emperors New Clothes
The Emperor is enormously vain and likes nothing better than to show off
his clothes. Two weavers comes to his court saying that they makes clothes
that are like no others anyone who is simple in the head, or unfit for his
job, will not be able to see them.All the courtiers say that the clothes are
quite magnificent, and the Emperor plans to wear his new suit for the
procession through the centre of the city.The moral of this story rings so
very true! What we are doing is totally absurd, but we cant stop because
everybody else seems to believe that its the right thing to do. Yet they can
probably see its just as ridiculous as we can.The little boy who literally sees
through the Emperors New Clothes only appears for a moment, and yet he
is one of the greatest heroes of all fairy tales for he speaks the truth that
nobody else daresa to speak.
Many years ago, there was an emperor, who was so excessively fond of new
clothes, that he spent all his money on the finest suits.He did not trouble
himself in the least about his soldiers; nor did he care to go to the theatre or
out hunting, except when there was a chance to show off his new
clothes.He had a different suit for each hour of the day. Just as you might
say of any other king or emperor, He is sitting in his council, people used
to say of him, He is sitting in his wardrobe.
Time passed merrily in the large town which was his capital; strangers
arrived every day at the court. One day, two rogues, calling themselves
weavers, came to the court. They said that they knew how to weave clothes
of the most beautiful colours and elaborate patterns. The clothes made from
their cloths were like no others, for they were invisible to everyone who was
either unfit for their job, or extremely simple in the head.
These must, indeed, be splendid clothes! Thought the emperor. Had I
such a suit, I might at once find out what men in my empire are unfit for
their jobs, and also be able to tell the wise from the foolish! This stuff must
be woven for me immediately.
He ordered large sums of money to be given to both the weavers so that
they might begin their work. So the two false weavers set up two looms,
and pretended to work very busily, though in reality they did nothing at all.
They asked for the most delicate silk and the purest gold thread; put both
into their own knapsacks, and then continued their pretend work at the
empty looms until late at night.
I should like to know how the weavers are getting on with my cloth, said
the emperor to himself, after some little time had gone by. He was,
however, rather embarrassed, when he remembered that a simpleton, or
someone unfit for his office, would be unable to see the results of their
work. To be sure, he himself would not have any trouble seeing the clothes,
but yet, thought it would be better to send somebody else to report on the
weavers and their work.
All the people throughout the city had heard of the wonderful cloth; and all
were anxious to earn how wise, or how ignorant, their neighbours might
prove to be.
I will send my faithful old minister to the weavers, said the emperor at
last, after some thought he will be best able to see how the cloth looks; for
he is a man of sense, and no one can be more suitable for his office than he
is.
So the faithful old minister went into the hall, where the knaves were
working with all their might, at their empty looms. What can be the
meaning of this? Thought the old man, opening his eyes very wide. I
cannot see the least bit of thread on the looms. However, he did not speak
his thoughts aloud.
The tricksters asked him very politely to be so good as to come nearer their
looms; and then asked him whether the design pleased him, and whether
the colours were not very beautiful at the same time pointing to the
empty frames. The poor old minister looked and looked, he could not see
anything on the looms, for a very good reason: There was nothing there.
What! Thought he again. Is it possible that I am a simpleton? I have
never thought so myself; and no one must know it now if I am so. Can it be,
that I am unfit for my office? No, that must not be said either. I will never
confess that I could not see the stuff.
Well, Sir Minister! said one of the knaves, still pretending to work. You do
not say whether the stuff pleases you.
Oh, it is excellent! Replied the old minister, looking at the loom through
his spectacles. This pattern, and the colours, yes, I will tell the emperor
without delay. How very beautiful I think them.
We shall be much obliged to you, said the impostors, and then they
named the different colours and described the pattern of the pretend stuff.
The old minister listened attentively to their words, in order that he might
repeat them to the emperor; and then the knaves asked for more silk and
gold, saying that it was necessary to complete what they had begun.
However, they put all that was given them into their knapsacks and
continued to work with as much pretend effort as before at their empty
looms.
The emperor now sent another officer of his court to see how the men were
getting on, and to find out whether the cloth would soon be ready. It was
just the same with this gentleman as with the minister; he looked at the
looms on all sides, but could see nothing at all but the empty frames.
Does not the stuff appear as beautiful to you, as it did to my lord the
minister? Asked the impostors of the emperors second ambassador; at the
same time making the same gestures as before, and talking of the design
and colours which were not there.

I certainly am not stupid! Thought the messenger. It must be, that I am
not fit for my good, well-paid job! That is very odd; however, no one shall
know anything about it. Therefore he praised the stuff he could not see,
and declared that he was delighted with both colours and patterns. Indeed,
please your Imperial Majesty, said he to the emperor when he returned,
the cloth which the weavers are preparing is extraordinarily magnificent.
The whole city was talking of the splendid cloth which the emperor had
ordered to be woven at his own expense.
Now the emperor for himself wished to see the costly manufacture, while it
was still in the loom. Accompanied by a select number of officers of the
court, among whom were the two honest men who had already admired the
cloth, he went to the crafty impostors, who, as soon as they knew the
emperor was on his way, went on working more hard than ever; although
they still did not pass a single thread through the looms.
Is not the work absolutely magnificent? Said the two officers of the crown,
who already who had been before. If Your Majesty will only be pleased to
look at it! What a splendid design! What glorious colours! At the same time
they pointed to the empty frames; for they imagined that everyone else
could see this exquisite piece of workmanship.
How is this? Said the emperor to himself. I can see nothing! This is
indeed a terrible affair! Am I a simpleton, or am I unfit to be an emperor?
That would be the worst thing that could happen Oh! The cloth is
charming, said he, aloud. It has my complete approval. He smiled most
graciously, and looked closely at the empty looms; for on no account would
he say that he could not see what two of the officers of his court had
praised so much.
All his retinue now strained their eyes, hoping to discover something on the
looms, but they could see no more than the others; nevertheless, they all
exclaimed, Oh, how beautiful! And advised his majesty to have some new
clothes made from this splendid material, for the public procession which
was due to take place soon.
Magnificent! Charming! Excellent! Everyone said on all sides; and
everyone was uncommonly cheerful. The emperor shared in the general
satisfaction; and presented the impostors with the riband of an order of
knighthood, to be worn in their button-holes, and the title of Gentlemen
Weavers.
The rogues sat up the whole of the night before the day on which the
procession was to take place, and had sixteen lights burning so that
everyone might see how anxious they were to finish the emperors new suit.
They pretended to roll the cloth off the looms; cut the air with their scissors,
and sewed with needles without any thread in them. See! Cried they, at
last. The emperors new clothes are ready!

Now the emperor, with all the grandees of his court, came to the weavers;
and the rogues raised their arms, as if holding something up, saying, Here
are Your Majestys trousers! Here is the scarf! Here is the cloak! The whole
suit is as light as a cobweb; one might fancy one has nothing at all on, when
one is dressed in it. That, however, is the great virtue of this delicate cloth.
Yes indeed! Said all the courtiers, although not one of them could see
anything of this exquisite manufacture.
If Your Imperial Majesty will be graciously pleased to take off your clothes,
we will fit on the new suit, in front of the looking glass.
The emperor was accordingly undressed, and the rogues pretended to array
him in his new suit; the emperor turning round, from side to side, looking in
the glass.
How splendid His Majesty looks in his new clothes, and how well they fit!
Everyone cried out. What a design! What colours! These are indeed royal
robes!
The canopy which is to be carried over Your Majesty, in the procession, is
waiting, announced the chief master of the ceremonies.
I am quite ready, answered the emperor. Do my new clothes fit well?
Asked he, turning himself round again before the looking glass, in order that
he might appear to be examining his handsome suit.
The lords of the bedchamber, who were to carry His Majestys train felt
about on the ground, as if they were lifting up the ends of the robes, and
pretended to be carrying something; for they would by no means let anyone
see that they were simple or unfit for their jobs.
So now the emperor walked under his high canopy in the midst of the
procession, through the streets of his capital. All the people standing by,
and those at the windows, cried out, Oh! How beautiful are our emperors
clothes! What a magnificent train there is to the robes and how gracefully
the scarf hangs! In short, no one would allow that he could not see these
much admired clothes because, in doing so, he would have declared
himself either a simpleton or unfit for his job. Certainly, none of the
emperors various suits had ever made so great an impression as these
invisible ones.
But the emperor has nothing at all on! Said a little child.
Listen to the voice of innocence! Exclaimed his father; and what the child
had said was whispered from one to another.
But he has nothing at all on! At last cried out all the people. The emperor
was suddenly embarrassed, for he knew that the people were right; but he
thought the procession must go on now! And the lords of the bedchamber
took greater pains than ever, to appear holding up the robes although, in
reality, there were no robes at all.
And thats the story of the Emperors New Clothes by Hans Christian
Andersen.
Bertie says that in real life, people are often more silly in a crowd than they
are on their own. If you think that everybody else believes something, then
it must be true and you have to be very brave to be like the little boy in
the story and stand up and say what can see with your own eyes.

The Emperor's New Clothes

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The Emperors New Clothes

and colours which were not there.

last. The emperors new clothes are ready!

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