“I know I'm not stupid,”the man thought,“so it must be that I'm unworthy of my good office.That's strange.I mustn't let anyone find it out,though.”So he praised the material he did not see.He declared he was delighted with the beautiful colors and the exquisite pattern.To the Emperor he said,“It held me spellbound.”
All the town was talking of this splendid cloth,and the Emperor wanted to see it for himself while it was still in the looms.Attended by a band of chosen men,among whom were his two old trusted officials-the ones who had been to the weavers-he set out to see the two swindlers.He found them weaving with might and main,but without a thread in their looms.
“Magnificent,”said the two officials already duped.“Just look,Your Majesty,what colors!What a design!”They pointed to the empty looms,each supposing that the others could see the stuff.
“What's this?”thought the Emperor.“I can't see anything.This is terrible!Am I a fool?Am I unfit to be the Emperor?What a thing to happen to me of all people!—Oh!It's very pretty,”he said.“It has my highest approval.”And he nodded approbation at the empty loom.Nothing could make him say that he couldn't see anything.
His whole retinue stared and stared.One saw no more than another,but they all joined the Emperor in exclaiming,“Oh!It's very pretty,”and they advised him to wear clothes made of this wonderful cloth especially for the great procession he was soon to lead.“Magnificent!Excellent!Unsurpassed!”were bandied from mouth to mouth,and everyone did his best to seem well pleased.The Emperor gave each of the swindlers a cross to wear in his buttonhole,and the title of “Sir Weaver.”
Before the procession the swindlers sat up all night and burned more than six candles,to show how busy they were finishing the Emperor's new clothes.They pretended to take the cloth off the loom.They made cuts in the air with huge scissors.And at last they said,“Now the Emperor's new clothes are ready for him.”
Then the Emperor himself came with his noblest noblemen,and the swindlers each raised an arm as if they were holding something.They said,“These are the trousers,here's the coat,and this is the mantle,”naming each garment.“All of them are as light as a spider web.One would almost think he had nothing on,but that's what makes them so fine.”
“Exactly,”all the noblemen agreed,though they could see nothing,for there was nothing to see.
“If Your Imperial Majesty will condescend to take your clothes off,”said the swindlers,“we will help you on with your new ones here in front of the long mirror.”
The Emperor undressed,and the swindlers pretended to put his new clothes on him,one garment after another.They took him around the waist and seemed to be fastening something—that was his train-as the Emperor turned round and round before the looking glass.
“How well Your Majesty's new clothes look.Aren't they becoming!”He heard on all sides,“That pattern,so perfect!Those colors,so suitable!It is a magnificent outfit.”
Then the minister of public processions announced:“Your Majesty's canopy is waiting outside.”
“Well,I'm supposed to be ready,”the Emperor said,and turned again for one last look in the mirror.“It is a remarkable fit,isn't it?”He seemed to regard his costume with the greatest interest.
The noblemen who were to carry his train stooped low and reached for the floor as if they were picking up his mantle.Then they pretended to lift and hold it high.They didn't dare admit they had nothing to hold.
So off went the Emperor in procession under his splendid canopy.Everyone in the streets and the windows said,“Oh,how fine are the Emperor's new clothes!Don't they fit him to perfection?And see his long train!”Nobody would confess that he couldn't see anything,for that would prove him either unfit for his position,or a fool.No costume the Emperor had worn before was ever such a complete success.
“But he hasn't got anything on,”a little child said.
“Did you ever hear such innocent prattle?”said its father.And one person whispered to another what the child had said,“He hasn't anything on.A child says he hasn't anything on.”
“But he hasn't got anything on!”the whole town cried out at last.
The Emperor shivered,for he suspected they were right.But he thought,“This procession has got to go on.”So he walked more proudly than ever,as his noblemen held high the train that wasn't there at all.
