FOR THE CHILDREN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2616, 25 September 1909, Page 4 (Supplement)

FOR THE CHILDREN.

THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES

Many years ago, there was an emperor who was so fond of new /clothes that.,he ©pent- all lii» money fin dress. He did not trouble in the least about his soldiers; nor/did he care, to go cither to the theatre or the chase, except that they gave Mm opportunities for displaying hils clothes. He had a different suit for 1 e'aeh hour of the day ; and instead! .of saying of him: “He is sitting [in council,” people always .said : “‘The emperor is sitting in his wardrobe.”

Time passed away merrily in the large town which was his capital; strangers arrived every day at the Court. One day, two rogues, calling themselves weavers, made their appearance. They gave out that they knew how to weave stuffs of the most beautiful colors and elaborate patterns, the clothes manufactured from which should have the wonderful power of remaining invisible to everyone who was uiifit for the office he field, or who was extraordinarily simple in character. “These must indeed -he splendid clothes!” thought the emperor. “Had I such a suit, I might at once find out what men in my realm arc unfit for their office, and also be able to distinguish the wise from the foolish. This stuff must be woven for me immediately.”

“I should like to know how the weavers are getting on with my cloth,” said the emperor to himself, after some little time had elapsed. He was, however, rather embarrassed, when he remembered that a simpleton, or one 'unfit for'hia office, would be unable to see the manufacture. “To be sure,” lie thought, “I have nothing to risk in my own person: but yet I would prefer sending somebody else to bring me intelligence about the weavers and thenwork, before I trouble myself in the affair.” “I will send my faithful okl minister to the weavers,” said the emperor at last; “he will best be able to see liow the cloth looks; for he is a very sensible man, and no one can he more suitable for Ms office than he is.” So the faithful okl minister vent into the hall, where the knaves were apparently working with all their might at their emntv looms.

The impostors requested him to he so good as to come nearer their looms, and then asked him whether the design pleased him, and whether the colors were not very beautiful, at the same time pointing to the empty frames. The poor old minister looked and looked, nut he could not discover anything on the looms, for a very go-ad reason — there was notliing there. “What!” thought he again, “is it possible that lam a simpleton? I have never thought so myself; and, at any rate, if I am so, no one must know it. Can it be that I am unfit for my office? Xo. that must not be said either. I will never confess that I could not see the stuff.”

“Weli, sir minister,” said one of the knaves, still pretending to work, “you do not say whether the stuff pleases 3-011.”

“Oh, it- is admirable!” .replied the old minister, locking at the loom through his spectacles. “This pattern, and the colors —I will tell the emperor hew Very beautiful I think them.”

“We shall he much obliged to you,” said the impostors; and then they named the different colors and described the patterns of the pretended stuff, j And then the knaves asked for more ! silk and gold, saying, that it was necessary to complete what they had be- ! gun. However, they put a’l that was given them into their knapsacks, and continued to work with as much apparent diligence as before at their i empt3* looms. j The emperor now sent another officer of his court to see how the men were getting on, and to find out whether the cloth would soon be ready. ' “Does not the stuff appear as beautiful to 3-0 U as it did to my lord the minister?” asked the impostors of the emperor’s second ambassador. “I certain!;.- am not stupid!” thought the messenger. “It must be that lam not fit for my good, profitable office! That is ver\- odd ; however, no one shall know am-thing about it.” And ac-ord-irgl}- he praised the stuff he could not see, and declared that he was delighted with both colors and patterns. And now the emperor himself wished to see the costly manufacture, while it was still cn the loom.. Accompanied by a select number of officers of the court, among whom were the two honest men who had already- admired the coth, lie went to the crafty impostors, who, as soon a.s they wore aware cr the emperor’s approach, went on working mere diligently than ever, although t'-ry st'U did not pass a single thread through the looms. “Is not the work absolutely magnificent?” said the two officer- of the | Crown already mentioned. “If Your Majesty will only he pleased tc lock at it! What a splendid design! What glorious colors!” And at the same time they pointed to the empty frames, for they' imagined that everyone but themselves cou’d see this exquisite piece of workmanship.

r “Hmv is this?” said the emperor to himself. “1 can see nothing. This js indeed a terrible affair! Am 1 a simpleton, or am I unfit to be an emperor? That would he the worst thing that could happen. . • • Oh, the .cloth is charnttngS” said he aloud. And he smiled graciously, and looked closely at the empty looms, for on no account would he say that he could not see what two of the officers of Ms court had praised so much. All his retinue now strained their eyes, hoping to discover something on the looms, but they could see no more than the ethers. Nevertheless, they all exclaimed: “Ob, how beautiful!” and advised His Majesty to have some new clothes made from, this splendid material for the procession that was going to take place very soon. The two rogues sat up the whole of the night'before the day on which the procession was to take place, and had Hi j lights burning, so that everyone might jl? sec how anxious they were _to flniglpY the emperor’s new suit. When .wPiM day arrived, they came to the with huge boxes. 11 “If Your Imperial Majesty v.dl be graciously pleased to have 3'our clothes taken off we will fit on the new suit in front of the looking-glass,” they said. The emperor was accordingly undressed, and the rogues pretended to array him in his new suit, the emperor turning round from fc’de to side, before the looking-glass. “How splendid His Majesty looks in hi.l new clothes, and how well they fit!’’ ever3 T one cried out. “What a design! These hre indeed royal robes!” “The canopy which is to be borne over Your Majesty in the pageant is waiting,” said the master of ceremonies.

“I am quite ready,” answered the emperor. “Do m3 7 new clothes, fit well?”

The lords of the bed- chamber, who were to carry His Majest3'’s train, felt about on the ground as if they were lifting up the ends of the mantle, and pretended to lie carrying something, for they would !y no means betray anything that looked like simplichy, or unfitness for their office. So now the emperor walked under his high canopy, in the midst of the procession, through the streets of his capital; and all tlie people standing by, and those at the windows, cried out: “Oh, how beautiful are our emperor’s new clothes!” •‘But the emperor has nothing on l’’ said a little child. “Listen to the voice of innocence!” exclaimed his father. And what the child had said was whispered from one to another. “But he has nothing on!” at last cried out all the people. The emperor was vexed, for he knew that the people were right. And at last, be ieving that he was really unfitted for his throne, he resolved to give up trivial things and rule his kingdom well. The weavers fearing to be punished, fled and were forgotten, and the emperor and his people lived in happiness for manv many vears.