Year: 1871

Many years ago there lived 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 it were that he might
show his new clothes He had new suit
for every hour in the day; and. as one usu
ally says of King or Emperor, he held a
privy council, SO of him it was said, His
Majesty sat in council with his tailors.


In the large town where he resided, peo
pie led merry life. Day after day fresh
visitors arrived at court one day, too a
couple of swindlers, who called themselves
frst rate weavers, made their appearance
They pretended that they were able to weave
the richest stuifs, in which not only the col
ors and patterns were extremely beautiful,
but that the clothes made of such stuffs
possessed the wonderful property of re-
manning visible to him who was unfit for the
office he held, or who was extremely silly.


What capital clothes they must be !"
thought the Emperor IF | had but such
a suit, could dire :tly find out what people
IN my empire We're not equal to their office !;
and beside, | should be able to distinguish
the clever from the stupid. By jove, must
have some of this stuff made directly for
mel" And so he ordered large sums of
M pney to be given to the two swindlers, that
they might be set to work Immediately,


Y 4 u
they worked very diligently; but in reality
they had got nothing on the loom. They
boldly demanded the finest silk and gold
thread, put it all in their own pockets, and
worked away at the empty loom until quite
late at night.


II should like to know how the weavers
are getting on with my stuff said the EN-
peror, one day, to himself; but he was rath-
er embarrassed when he remembered that i
silly fellow, or one untitled for his office,
would not be able to see the stuff. IT'S
true he thought, as regarded himself, there
was no risk whatever; but yet he preferred
sending some one else TO bring him intelli-
gence of the two weavers, and how they
were getting on, before he went himself.
Everybody in the whole town had heard of
the wonderful property, and all were curious
to know how clever or foolish their neigh
borS might be found to be-


Il will send my worthy old minister"
said the Emperor, at last, after much con
s!deration he will be able to say how the
stuff looks better than anybody for he is a
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 swinders were working
away with all their might and main. Lord
help mel thought the old man, opening
his eyes as wide as possible why | cant
see the least thing whatever on the loom."
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; sor, indeed. there was nothing at
all there, Bless me !" thought he to him.
self, ''am |, then, really simpleton? Well.
l never thought so, and nobody dare know
1t. | not fit for my office No, nothing on
earth shall make me say that l have not
seen the stuff -


Well, sir, said one of the swindlers,
still working busily, you don say if the
stuff pleascs you or not -


"Oh, beautiful the work is admirable p
said the minister, hooking at the beam
through lis spectacles This pattern and
these colors-well, well; l shall not fail to
tell the Emperor that both are most beau
tiful."


Well, we shall be delighted if you do
so, said the swindIers, and named the diff
lerent coiors and patterns which We're in the
stun. The 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 mon
ey' and silk, and gold thread, which they
wanted TO finish the piece they had begun.
but they put, as before, all that was given