Year: 1860




By HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN.


Many years ago there lived an Emperor who
cared so very much about having new clothes
that be spent all his money merely for the sake
of being very smartly dressed. He did not
care much about his troops; he did not care
either about going TO the play or driving out,
unless IL we're that he might show his new
clothes. He had Q new suit for every hour in
the day; and as one usually says of King or
Emperor, he had privy council, so Of him 1t
was said his Msjest sat in council with his
tsilors.


In the large town where he resided people
led merry life. Day after day fresh visitors
arrived at court; one day, too, q couple of
swindlers, who called themselves frst-rate
wsas ers, made their appearance. They pre-
tended that they were able to weave the rich
est stuifs, in which not only the colors and pat
terms were extremely beautiful, but that the
clothes made Of such stufs possessed the Won
dsrfui property of remaining invisible to him
Who was unfit for the office he held, or who was
extremely silly.


4. What capital clothes they must be :"
though the Emperor. If had bat such q
suit / could directly nd out what people in my
empire were not equal to their Office and be-
sides, should be able to distinguish the clever
from the stupid. BY Jsye, must have some
of this stuff made directly for me-" And 50 he
ordered large sums Of money to be given to the
two swindlers that they might set to work i'm
mediatey.


The men erected two looms, and did as if
they worked very diligently; but in reality
they had got nothing on the loom. They boldly
demanded the finest silk and gold thread, put
ID all in their own pockets, and worked away
at the empty loom till quito late at night.


II should like to know how the two weayers
are getting on with my stuff, said the Empe-
ror one day to himself; but was rather embar-
rassed when he remem bersd that silly fellow,
or one untitled for his office, would not be able
to see the stuff. 'Tis true, he thought as far as
regarded himself, there was no risk whatever;
but yet he preferred sending some one else to
bring him intelligence Of the two weavers, and
hOI they were getting on, before he went him
self. Everybody in the whole town had heard
OF the wonderful property that this stuff was
said to possess, and all were curious to know
how clever or foolish their neighbors might be
found TO be.


- will send my worthy old minister said
the Emperor at last, after much consideration:
"he will be able to say how the s,sff looks bet
ter than anybody; for he is a man Of under
standing, and no one can be found more fitted
for this than he.


SO the worthy old minister went to the room
where the two swindlers were working away
with all their might and main. "LOrd help
me :" thought the old man, opening his eyes
as wide as possible; "why can't see the least
thing whatever on the loom :" But be took
care not to give voice to his thoughts.


The swindlers begged him most politely to
have the goodness to approach nearer to the
looms and then, pointing to the empty frame,
asked him if the colors were not Of great
beauty. And the poor old minister looked and
looked, and could see nothing whatever; for,
indeed, there was nothing at all there. "Bless
me,' thought he to himself, ''am I, then,
really simplston Well, never thought 50
and nobody dare know it. I, not e: for my
ofi:e. No, nothing on earth shall make me
ay that have not seen the stuff


Well, SIR, said one Of the swindlers, still
working busily, ''you don't say if the stuff
pIeases you or not"


oh beautiful, beautiful the work is ad-
mirsble ~ said the old minister, looking at
the beam through his spectacles. ''This pat
tern and these colors we'll, we'll; shall not
fail TO tell the Emperor that both are most
beautiful" !"


"WelI, we shall be delighted if you do 50, -
said the swindlers; and named the different
coIors and patterns which were in the silk. The
old minister listened attentiyely to what they
said, in order that he might be able to repeat
all to the Emperor.


The swindlers then asked for more money,
and silk and gold thread, which they said they
wanted TO finish the piece they had begun
But they put, as before, all that was given to
them into their own pocket, and still cOntin ued
TO work with apparent diligence at the empty
loom.


Some time after the Emperor sent another
officer to see how the work was getting on, and
if the piece Of brecade would soon be finished
But he Jared like the other he stared at the
loom from every side; but as there was moth
ing there, of course he could only see the
empty frame.


Does the stuff not please you as much as ii
did the minister ?" asked the men. making
the s4me gestures as before, and talking Of
splendid colOrs and OF patterns which did not
exist


Stupid / certainly am not," thought the
new commissioner; ''then it must be that am
not fitted for my lucrative ofiee-that were a
good joke however, no one dare even suspect
such thing" And so he began praising the
staff that lie could not see, and told the swim
dlers how pleased he was to behold such beau
tifll colOrs and such charming patterns. SIN
deed your Majesty said be TO the Emperor
on his return, "the stuff which the weayers are
making is extraordinary fine"


The magnificent brocade the Emperor was
having made at his own expense was tho talk
Of the whole town.


The Emperor wished to see the costly stuff
while it was on the loom; so accompanied by
chosen train of courtiers-among whom were
the two trusty men who had SO admired the
work-of he went to the two cunning cheats.
As soon as they heard Of the Emperor's ap.
proach, they began working with all diligence
although as Yet there was not single thread
on the loom.


rs it not magnificent" said the two officers
OF the crown. "Wili your msjesty only look
What charming pattern. what beautiful col
) ors," said they, pointing to the empty furnace;
for they thought the others really could see
the stuff


Whats the meaning Of this2" said the En-
peror to himself, II see nothing, This is q
terrible matter. Am simpleton; or am I
not ft to be Emperor! Why, that were the
worst that could happen to me - "Oh, charm
ing; the stuff is really ehsrming," said he
then; II approve il highly" And be smiled
graciOusly, and examined the empty looms
minutely; for he would not for all in the world
say that he could not see what his two officers
had so much praised. The whole suite strained
their eyes TO discover something on the looms,
but they could see as little a. the others. Al
the same time, in order to please their master,
the Emperor, they all cried, sob, how beauti-
full" and eounseled his Majesty to have new
robes made out Of this magnificent stuff for the
grand procession which was about to take
place "Excsllent. charming" was echoed
from mouth TO mouth, and all were extremely
pleased The Emperor was as satisfied as his
cOurtiers, and conferred on each Of the cheats