Page 15 - English Class 05

Soon, afterwards, the emperor sent another honest courtier to the weavers to see

how they were getting on and if the cloth was nearly finished. Like the old minister, he
looked and looked, but could see nothing as there was nothing to be seen.

“Is it not a beautiful piece of cloth?” asked the two swindlers, showing and

explaining the magnificent pattern which, however, did not exist.

“I am not stupid,” said the man. “It is, therefore, my good appointment for which I
am not fit. It is very strange, but I must not let any one know it;” and he praised the
cloth which he did not see and expressed his joy at the beautiful colours and the fine

pattern. “It is very excellent,” he said to the emperor. Everybody in the whole town
talked about the precious cloth. At last, the emperor wished to see it himself, while it

was still on the loom. With a number of courtiers, including the two who had already
been there, he went to the two clever swindlers who now worked as hard as they
could, but without using any thread.

“Is it not magnificent?” said the two old statesmen who had been there before.

“Your Majesty must admire the colours and the pattern.” And then, they pointed to
the empty looms, for they imagined the others could see the cloth.

“What is this?” thought the emperor, “I do not see anything at all. That is terrible!

Am I stupid? Am I unfit to be the emperor? That would indeed be the most dreadful
thing that could happen to me.”

“Really,” he said, turning to the weavers, “Your cloth has our most gracious
approval;” and nodding contentedly he looked at the empty loom, for he did not like

to say that he saw nothing. All his attendants who were with him, looked and looked,
and although they could not see anything more than the others, they said, like the

emperor, “It is very beautiful.” And all advised him to wear the new magnificent
clothes at a great procession which was soon to take place. “It is magnificent,
beautiful, excellent,” one heard them say ; everybody seemed to be delighted and the

emperor appointed the two swindlers “Imperial Court Weavers.”

The whole night previous to the day on which the procession was to take place,
the swindlers pretended to work and burnt more than sixteen candles. People should
see that they were busy to finish the emperor’s new suit. They pretended to take the

cloth from the loom and worked about in the air with big scissors and sewed with
needles without thread and said at last: “The emperor’s new suit is ready now.”

gracious : pleasantly

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