STORY OF THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES[4]

[4] Andersen.

Many years ago there lived an Emperor who was so fond of new
clothes that he spent all his money on them in order to be
beautifully dressed. He did not care about his soldiers, he did
not care about the theatre; he only liked to go out walking to
show off his new clothes. He had a coat for every hour of the
day; and just as they say of a king, 'He is in the
council-chamber,' they always said here, 'The Emperor is in the
wardrobe.'

In the great city in which he lived there was always something
going on; every day many strangers came there. One day two
impostors arrived who gave themselves out as weavers, and said
that they knew how to manufacture the most beautiful cloth
imaginable. Not only were the texture and pattern uncommonly
beautiful, but the clothes which were made of the stuff possessed
this wonderful property that they were invisible to anyone who
was not fit for his office, or who was unpardonably stupid.

'Those must indeed be splendid clothes,' thought the Emperor.
'If I had them on I could find out which men in my kingdom are
unfit for the offices they hold; I could distinguish the wise
from the stupid! Yes, this cloth must be woven for me at once.'
And he gave both the impostors much money, so that they might
begin their work.