Continuation...
Soon afterwards the emperor sent another honest courtier(an attendant at the court of a sovereign) 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.
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 colors 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(a group action of a collection of people moving ahead in more or less regular formation) 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 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 cloth is ready now.''
To be continued...
Taiwo Yusuf Dare is a passsionate young lad who love to read and share anything inspirational.
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