Year: 1871

| MANY years ago Inere nVcu an emperor,


who cared so very much about having new


clothes that he 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 1t were that he


might show his new clothes. He had a


new suit for every hour in the day; and, as


one usually says of King or Emperor, he


held private council, SO of him it was


said, his Majesty sat in council with his


tailOrs


In the large town where he resided


people led a merry life. Day after day


fresh visitors arrived at court; one day,


too, a couple of swindiers, who called
themselves first rate wesvers, made their
appearance. They pretended that they


were able to weave the richest stuffs, in


which not only the coloTs. and patterns
were extremely beautiful, but that the
clothes made of such stuffs possessed the
wonderful property of remaining invisible
to him who was unfit for the Office he held,
or who was extremely silly.


"What capital clothes they must bel"
thought the Emperor. "If had but a
suit, could directly find out what people
In my empire were not equal to their office I;
and, besides, should be able to todistinguish
| L
must have some of this stuff made directly
for mel" And so he ordered large sums
of money to be given to the swindlers,
that they might set to work Immediately.


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


Il should like to know how the two
weavers are getting along with my stuff"
said the Emperor, one day, to himself;
but he was rather embarrassed when he
remembered that silly fellow, or one un-
fitted 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 how they were
| getting on before he went himself Every
body 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 neigh
bors might be found to be-


81 will send my worthy old minister"
said the Emperor at last, after much con-
sideration; "he will be able to say how
the stuff looks better than anybody; for
he is man of understanding, and no one
can be found more fitted than he"
| So the worthy old minister went to the
room where the two swindlers were work
ing away with all their might and main
Lord help meT thought the old man,
opening his eyes as wide as possible;
why can't see the least thing whatever
on the loomp But he 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 mep
thought he to himself, "am l, then, really
simpleton? Well, never thought so.
and nobody dare know it. / not fit for
my officel No, nothing on earth shall
make me say that l have not seen the
stuffI'


"Well, sir" said one of the swindlers,
still working busily, "you don't say if the
stuff pleases you or moi"


"Oh, beautiful, beautiful the work is
admirable" said the old minister, looking
at the beam through his spectacles. This
pattern and these colors-well, well;
shall not fail to tell the Emperor that both
are most beautiful"


"Well, we shall be delighted if you do
so," said the swindlers; aud named the
different colors and patterns which were
in the stuff. The old minister listened at
tentively to what they said, in order that
he might be able to repeat all to the En- |
peror.


The swindlers them 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 continued 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 broadcloth |
would soon be finished. But he Jared like |
the other. He stared at the loom from |
every side; but as there was nothing |
there, of course he could only see the |
empty frame.


"Does the stuff not please you as much |
as it did the minister? asked the men,
making the same gestures as before, and
talking of splendid colors and of patterns
which did not exist.





the new commissioner; then it must be
that am not fitted for the lucrative office.
That were a good jokeI However, no
one dare even suspect such thing" And
so he began praising the stuff he could
not see, and told the two swindlers how
pleased he was to behold such beautiful
colors and such charming patterns. "In-
deed, your Majesty, said he to the EN-
peror, on his return, the stuff which the
weavers are making is extraordinarily
fine"


The magnificent brocade that the En-
peror was having woven at his own ex-
pense was the talk of the whole town.


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


ais it not magnifcent?" ?" said the two
officers of the crown VIII your Majesty
only look? What a charming patternl
what beautiful colorsi" said tiey, point
ing to the empty frames, for they thought
the others could really see the stuff.


What's the meaning of this ?" said the
Emperor to himself, I" l see nothingl This
is terrible matteri Am l a simpleton,
or am not fit to be Emperor? Why, that
is the worst that could happen to me.
Oh, charming; the stuff is really charm
ing" said he then; +" approve it highly"
And he smiled graciously, and examined
the empty looms infinitely; for he would
not for all 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 as the others.
At the same time, in order to please their
master the Emperor, they all cried, Oh,
how beautiful % and counseled his Majesty
to have new robes made of this magnifi-
cent stuff, for the grand procession which
was about to take place. Excellent
charmingr was echoed from mouth to
mouth, and all were extremely pleased.
The Emperor was as satisfied as his cour-
tiers, and conferred on each of the cheats
an order, which they were to wear in
their button-hole, and gave them the title
of knights of the most honorable Order
of the Loom