The Emperors New Suit
by
Hans Christian Andersen (1837)
MANY, many years ago lived an emperor, who thought so much of new clothes
that he spent all his money in order to obtain them; his only ambition was
to be always well dressed. He did not care for his soldiers, and the theatre
did not amuse him; the only thing, in fact, he thought anything of was to
drive out and show a new suit of clothes. He had a coat for every hour of
the day; and as one would say of a king He is in his cabinet,
so one could say of him, The emperor is in his dressing-room.
The great city where he resided was very gay; every day many strangers from
all parts of the globe arrived. One day two swindlers came to this city; they
made people believe that they were weavers, and declared they could manufacture
the finest cloth to be imagined. Their colours and patterns, they said, were
not only exceptionally beautiful, but the clothes made of their material possessed
the wonderful quality of being invisible to any man who was unfit for his
office or unpardonably stupid.
That must be wonderful cloth, thought the emperor. If I
were to be dressed in a suit made of this cloth I should be able to find out
which men in my empire were unfit for their places, and I could distinguish
the clever from the stupid. I must have this cloth woven for me without delay.
And he gave a large sum of money to the swindlers, in advance, that they should
set to work without any loss of time. They set up two looms, and pretended
to be very hard at work, but they did nothing whatever on the looms. They
asked for the finest silk and the most precious gold-cloth; all they got they
did away with, and worked at the empty looms till late at night.
I should very much like to know how they are getting on with the cloth,
thought the emperor. But he felt rather uneasy when he remembered that he
who was not fit for his office could not see it. Personally, he was of opinion
that he had nothing to fear, yet he thought it advisable to send somebody
else first to see how matters stood. Everybody in the town knew what a remarkable
quality the stuff possessed, and all were anxious to see how bad or stupid
their neighbours were.
I shall send my honest old minister to the weavers, thought the
emperor. He can judge best how the stuff looks, for he is intelligent,
and nobody understands his office better than he.
The good old minister went into the room where the swindlers sat before the
empty looms. Heaven preserve us! he thought, and opened his eyes
wide, I cannot see anything at all, but he did not say so. Both
swindlers requested him to come near, and asked him if he did not admire the
exquisite pattern and the beautiful colours, pointing to the empty looms.
The poor old minister tried his very best, but he could see nothing, for there
was nothing to be seen. Oh dear, he thought, can I be so
stupid? I should never have thought so, and nobody must know it! Is it possible
that I am not fit for my office? No, no, I cannot say that I was unable to
see the cloth.
Now, have you got nothing to say? said one of the swindlers, while
he pretended to be busily weaving.
Oh, it is very pretty, exceedingly beautiful, replied the old
minister looking through his glasses. What a beautiful pattern, what
brilliant colours! I shall tell the emperor that I like the cloth very much.
We are pleased to hear that, said the two weavers, and described
to him the colours and explained the curious pattern. The old minister listened
attentively, that he might relate to the emperor what they said; and so he
did.
Now the swindlers asked for more money, silk and gold-cloth, which they required
for weaving. They kept everything for themselves, and not a thread came near
the loom, but they continued, as hitherto, to work at the empty looms.
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 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 burned more than sixteen candles. People
should see that they were busy to finish the emperors 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
emperors new suit is ready now.
The emperor and all his barons then came to the hall; the swindlers held their
arms up as if they held something in their hands and said: These are
the trousers! This is the coat! and Here is the cloak!
and so on. They are all as light as a cobweb, and one must feel as if
one had nothing at all upon the body; but that is just the beauty of them.
Indeed! said all the courtiers; but they could not see anything,
for there was nothing to be seen.
Does it please your Majesty now to graciously undress, said the
swindlers, that we may assist your Majesty in putting on the new suit
before the large looking-glass?
The emperor undressed, and the swindlers pretended to put the new suit upon
him, one piece after another; and the emperor looked at himself in the glass
from every side.
How well they look! How well they fit! said all. What a
beautiful pattern! What fine colours! That is a magnificent suit of clothes!
The master of the ceremonies announced that the bearers of the canopy, which
was to be carried in the procession, were ready.
I am ready, said the emperor. Does not my suit fit me marvellously?
Then he turned once more to the looking-glass, that people should think he
admired his garments.
The chamberlains, who were to carry the train, stretched their hands to the
ground as if they lifted up a train, and pretended to hold something in their
hands; they did not like people to know that they could not see anything.
The emperor marched in the procession under the beautiful canopy, and all
who saw him in the street and out of the windows exclaimed: Indeed,
the emperors new suit is incomparable! What a long train he has! How
well it fits him! Nobody wished to let others know he saw nothing, for
then he would have been unfit for his office or too stupid. Never emperors
clothes were more admired.
But he has nothing on at all, said a little child at last. Good
heavens! listen to the voice of an innocent child, said the father,
and one whispered to the other what the child had said. But he has nothing
on at all, cried at last the whole people. That made a deep impression
upon the emperor, for it seemed to him that they were right; but he thought
to himself, Now I must bear up to the end. And the chamberlains
walked with still greater dignity, as if they carried the train which did
not exist.