The Emperor's New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen

Many years ago there was an Emperor, who was so excessively fond

Of new clothes that he spent all his money in dress. He did not

Trouble himself in the least about his soldiers, nor did he care

To go either to the theatre or the chase, except for the

Opportunities then afforded him for displaying his new clothes. He

Had a different suit for each hour of the day, and as of any other

King or emperor one is accustomed to say, "He is sitting in council

" It was always said of him, "The Emperor 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 made their appearance. They gave out that they

Knew how to weave stuffs of the most beautiful colours and elaborate

Patterns, the clothes manufactured from which should have the

Wonderful property of remaining invisible to

Every one who was unfit for the office he held

Or who was extraordinarily simple in character

"These must indeed be simple clothes," thought the Emperor; "

Had I such a suit, I might at once find out what men in my realms

Are unfit for their office, and also be able to distinguish

The wise from the foolish. The stuff must be woven for me

Immediately," and he caused large sums of money to be given to both

The weavers, in order that they might begin their work directly

So the two pretended weavers set up two looms, and affected

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 pretended 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 elapsed

He was, however, rather embarrassed when he remembered that a

Simpleton, or one unfit for his office, would be unable to see the

Manufacture. To be sure, he thought he had nothing to risk in his own

Person, but yet he would prefer sending somebody else to bring him

Intelligence about the weavers and their work, before he troubled

Himself in the affair. All the people throughout the

City had heard of the wonderful property the cloth

Was to possess, and all were anxious to learn 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 deliberation; "he will be best

Able to see how the cloth looks, for he is a man of sense

And no one could 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 discover the least bit of thread

On the looms!" However, he did not express his thoughts aloud

The impostors requested him very courteously 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 discover anything on

The looms, for a very good reason, viz. 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 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 pretended 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 apparent diligence 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 ascertain whether the

Cloth would soon be ready. It was just the same with this

Gentleman as with the minister; he surveyed 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 Emperor's 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, profitable office. That is

Very odd! However, no one shall know anything about it;"

And accordingly 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

His sovereign 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, and now the Emperor

Himself wished to see the costly manufacture.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 were aware of the

Emperor's approach, went on working more diligently than ever

Although they did still not pass a single thread through the looms

'Is not the work absolutely magnificent?' said the two officers of

The crown already mentioned. 'If your Majesty will only be pleased

To look at it! What a splendid design! What glorious colours!' And

At the same time they pointed to the empty frames, for they imagined

That every one 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

Approbation.' And 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 approaching procession. 'Magnificent! Charming!

Excellent!' resounded on all sides, and every one was uncommonly gay

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 every

One might see how anxious they were to finish the Emperor's 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 Emperor's new clothes are ready!'

And now the Emperor, with all the grandees of his court, came to the

Weavers; and the rogues raised their arms, as if in the act of

Holding something up, saying, 'Here are your Majesty's trousers!

Here is the scarf! Here is the mantle! The whole suit is as light as

A cobweb; one might fancy one has nothing at all on when 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 before looking in the glass

'How splendid his Majesty looks in his new clothes

And how well they fit!' every one cried out. 'What a

Design! What colours! These are indeed royal robes!'

'The canopy which is to be borne 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 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 Majesty's train felt

About on the ground, as if they were lifting up the ends of the

Mantle, and pretended to be carrying something; for they would by no

Means betray anything like simplicity or unfitness for their office

So now the Emperor walked under his high canopy in the midst of the

Procession, through the streets of his capital, and all the people

Standing by, and those at the windows, cried out, 'Oh, how beautiful

Are the Emperor's new clothes! What a magnificent train there is

To the mantle, 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 office. Certainly

None of the Emperor's 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 vexed, 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 a train, although in reality there was no train to hold