THE EMPEROR'S CLOTHES.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 May 1937, Page 14 (Supplement)

THE EMPEROR'S CLOTHES.

There was once an Emperor who spent a great deal of money on magnificent clothes and he had a different suit for every hour of the day. The cleverest weavers spun the most beautiful silks and velvets. for him, and one day two men arrived at the Palace saying that they were able to weave material which would be invisible to stupid people and to those unfitted for the positions *they held. This pleased the Emperor, and he commanded them to weave some fabric for a suit of clothes to wear in a procession soon to take place. Now these men were imposters. They set up looms, but they put nothing on them. Indeed, they kept tlie magnificent silk and gold thread which the Emperor gave them to weave and worked away at the empty looms day and night. The Emperor heard the buzz and noise, but, being half afraid to .look at the magic cloth, he sent his Prime Minister to see how it was getting on. "If he sees nothing I shall know that. he's stupid or unfitted for his job," thought the Emperor. "I shall send all my Ministers in turn and then I shall know whether or not they are any good." When the Prime Minister looked at

the loom and saw nothing, he was greatly upset, and thought he was unfitted for his position. But he .dared not let anybody guess such a dreadful thing, so he praised the beautiful material that was not there, went back to the Emperor, and said it was magnificent. Then the Emperor tent the other Ministers, and, although none of them saw any thing, they all returned, saying the; fabric was perfect. At last the Emperor went, and he had a terrible shock when he saw nothing on the looni. "Is it not beautiful?" murmured the 1 weavers. "Magnificent," replied the Emperor. Then the weavers made a great show of cutting and tewing and pihning and trying the clothes on the Emperor, and the fame of 'the new suit .spread far "and wide. On the day of the procession, the streets were packed, everybody spoke of the Emperor's clothes, and . many felt anxious in case they could. not see . them. Meanwhile the two weavers dressed the Emperor in nothing! He txirned and twisted before the mirror, his Ministers and servants admired his clothes, ahd at last it was time to go into the street. The crqwn was, of co.urse, visible to everybody. / , ^ As soon as the people saw the Emperor a great cheer went up and everybody; pretehded to admire his clothes, calling out to one another about them. But when at last the cheering died down, a little child said clearly: "The Ernperor has nothing on." > At first the people felt uneomfortable, wondering whether they were stupid and imfitted for their jobs, but soon they began to whisper one to the other: "He has nothing on." ' The Emperor heard, but he held his head high,. and the pages' continued tb hdld u^ his invisible train. ; . "Now that I have begun l must go on to the end," thought the wretched man, ahd he walked grimly back to the Palace.