Principal Report

THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES

Many years ago there was an Emperor so fond of new clothes that he spent all his money on being well dressed. He cared nothing about reviewing his soldiers, going to the theatre, or going for a ride in his carriage, except to show off his new clothes.

One day two conmen came to town, telling everyone they were weavers and could weave the most magnificent fabrics. Not only were their colours and patterns beautiful but the clothes made of this cloth by magic would become invisible to anyone who was unfit for his office, or who was unusually stupid.

"Those are just the clothes for me," thought the Emperor. "If I wore them I would be able to discover who is unfit for their jobs. And I could tell the wise people from the fools." He paid the two conmen a large sum of money to start work at once.

They set up two looms and pretended to weave, though there was nothing on the looms.

The whole town knew about the cloth's special powers and were impatient to find out how stupid their neighbours were so the Emperor decided to send his honest old minister to report on progress.

The honest old minister couldn't see any cloth at all but he did not dare say so.

The conmen invited him to approve the excellent pattern, the beautiful colours. The poor old minister stared as hard as he dared but he couldn't see anything, because there was nothing to see. "Heaven have mercy," he thought. "Can it be that I'm a fool? Am I unfit to be the minister? It would never do to admit that I can't see the cloth."

"Tell us what you think of it," said one of the conmen.

"Oh, it's beautiful." The old minister peered through his spectacles. "Such a pattern, what colours! I'll be sure to tell the Emperor how delighted I am with it."

And so he did.

The conmen asked for even more money to get on with the weaving.

Soon the Emperor wanted to see it for himself. He was shocked to see the empty looms.

"What's this?" thought the Emperor. "I can't see anything. This is terrible! Am I a fool? Am I unfit to be the Emperor?" So he praised the cloth and so did all his courtiers even though they couldn't see anything either. The emperor decided to wear clothes made of this wonderful cloth for an important procession he was soon to lead.

Before the procession the conmen sat up all night to show how busy they were finishing the Emperor's new clothes. They pretended to take the cloth off the loom. They made cuts in the air with huge scissors.

And at last they said, "Now the Emperor's new clothes are ready for him."

Then the Emperor himself came with his noblest noblemen, and the conmen each raised an arm as if they were holding something.

They said, "These are the trousers and here's the coat. All of them are as light as a spider web. You would almost think you had nothing on, but that's what makes them so fine."

The conmen pretended to put his new clothes on him, one garment after another.

"How well Your Majesty's new clothes look. That pattern, so perfect! Those colours, so suitable! It is a magnificent outfit."

The Emperor admired himself in the mirror. The noblemen who were to carry his train stooped low and reached for the floor as if they were picking up his mantle. Then they pretended to lift and hold it high. They didn't dare admit they had nothing to hold.

So off went the Emperor leading his procession. The crowds cheered and clapped. Everyone said, "Oh, how fine are the Emperor's new clothes! They fit him to perfection!"

Nobody would admit they he couldn't see anything because they were afraid they would be called a fool.

All of a sudden a clear little voice was heard.

"But he hasn't got anything on," a little child said.

People began whispering to one another. The Emperor hasn't anything on. That child says he hasn't anything on.

"But he hasn't got anything on!" the whole town cried out at last.

And everyone burst into laughter at their foolish Emperor, his foolish noblemen and their foolish selves.

Don't be afraid to tell the truth as you see it.
Don't be afraid of looking silly or going against the crowd.
Speak up.
Sometimes even the most powerful people can be wrong.
And don't believe everything you are told!

Acknowledgement: Adapted from The Emperor's New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen