The Emperor’s New Clothes Long ago and far away there lived an emperor. The emperor was the most powerful man in the world. He was also the richest. He loved expensive and beautiful things: palaces, gold, and jewels. But most of all he loved clothes: hats, gloves, and coats – all sewn from the finest velvets and silks – marine blues, scarlet reds, deep forest greens – and all adorned with sparkling diamonds, sapphires, and rubies. The emperor liked nothing more than parading through the city and impressing his people. One day the emperor was visited by two men. The two men told him they were weavers and they could weave the most magnificent clothes in the land. What was even more incredible was that these were magical clothes, visible only to the best and cleverest of people, and invisible to anyone who was foolish or dumb. The emperor thought about how magnificent it would be to learn which of his people were clever and who was stupid, and ordered the weavers to make him some new clothes. The weavers demanded the emperor provide them with the finest silk and the purest thread, then set up two looms in the highest room of the highest tower of the palace. But the weavers did not begin to weave. Instead they put the expensive silks in their bags, put up their feet, and enjoyed the fine food and wine that the emperor provided them with. After a week, the emperor sent his ministers to see the weavers’ work. ‘Look at the fine weave, the beautiful patterns, and the rich colours,’ the weavers said, pointing to the empty loom. The ministers couldn't see anything. But they were too scared to say anything. They didn’t want the emperor to think they were stupid. So the ministers looked at each other and said, ‘It’s wonderful,’ and went back to tell the emperor. Over the next month, the emperor sent many more ministers to see the weavers at work. The response was always the same. ‘Magnificent!’ ‘Delightful!’ ‘Divine!’ they reported, to the emperor’s great satisfaction. Soon, everyone in the city had heard about the weavers and their magical clothes, visible only to the cleverest of people. Everyone became very excited and the emperor promised a procession to show off his new outfit. After six months the emperor was told that his clothes were ready and he went with his ministers to see them. The ministers all said, ‘How marvellous.’ But the emperor couldn’t see any clothes. ‘Why don't you try them on?’ said one of the weavers. ‘Er… I will,’ said the emperor, and he stripped to his pants. ‘First the shirt,’ said the weavers, ‘Then the trousers. Now the coat.’
© Humanists UK 2021