96 lines
6.1 KiB
Plaintext
96 lines
6.1 KiB
Plaintext
THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES
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Once upon a time there lived a vain emperor whose only worry in life was to
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dress in elegant clothes. He changed clothes almost every hour and loved to
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show them off to his people.
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Word of the Emperor's refined habits spread over his kingdom and beyond.
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Two scoundrels who had heard of the Emperor's vanity decided to take advantage
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of it. They introduced themselves at the gates of the palace with a scheme in
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mind.
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"We are two very good tailors and after many years of research we have
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invented an extraordinary method to weave a cloth so light and fine that it
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looks invisible. As a matter of fact it is invisible to anyone who is too
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stupid and incompetent to appreciate its quality."
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The chief of the guards heard the scoundrel's strange story and sent for the
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court chamberlain. The charnberlain notified the prlme minister, who ran to
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the Emperor and disclosed the incredible news. The Emperor's curiosity got the
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better of him and he decided to see the two scoundrels.
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"Besides being invisible, your Highness, this cloth will be woven in
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colours and paterns created especially for you." The emperor gave the two men
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a bag of gold coins in exchange for their promise to begin working on the
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fabric immediately.
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"Just tell us what you need to get started and we'll give it to you." The
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two scoundrels asked for a loom, silk, gold thread and then pretended to begin
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working. The Emperor thought he had spent his money quite well: in addition to
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getting a new extraordinary suit, he would discover which of his subjects were
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ignorant and incompetent. A few days later, he called the old and wise prime
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minister, who was considered by everyone as a man with common sense.
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"Go and see how the work is proceeding," the Emperor told him, "and come
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back to let me know."
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The prime minister was welcomed by the two scoundrels.
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"We're almost finished, but we need a lot more gold thread. Here,
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Excellency! Admire the colours, feel the softness!" The old man bent over the
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loom and tried to see the fabric that was not there. He felp cold sweat on his
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forehead.
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"I can't see anything," he thought. "If I see nothing, that means I'm
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stupid! Or, worse, incompetent!" If the prime minister admitted that he didn'
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see anything, he would be discharged from his office.
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"What a marvellous fabric, he said then. "I'll certaln!y tell the Emperor."
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The two scoundrels rubbed their hands gleefully. They had almost made it. More
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thread was requested to finish the work.
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Finally, the Emperor received the announcement that the two tailors had
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come to take all the measurements needed to sew his new suit.
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"Come in," the Emperor ordered. Even as they bowed, the two scoundrels
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pretended to be holding large roll of fabric.
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"Here it is your Highness, the result of our labour," the scoundrels said.
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"We have worked night and day but, at last, the most beautiful fabric in the
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world is ready for you. Look at the colours and feel how fine it is." Of
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course the Emperor did not see any colours and could not feel any cloth
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between his fingers. He panicked and felt like fainting. But luckily the
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throne was right behind him and he sat down. But when he realized that no one
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could know that he did not see the fabric, he felt better. Nobody could find
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out he was stupid and incompetent. And the Emperor didn't know that everybody
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else around him thought and did the very same thing.
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The farce continued as the two scoundrels had foreseen it. Once they had
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taken the measurements, the two began cutting the air with scissors while
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sewing with their needles an invisible cloth.
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"Your Highness, you'll have to take off your clothes to try on your new
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ones." The two scoundrels draped the new clothes on him and then held up a
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mirror. The Emperor was embarrassed but since none of his bystanders were, he
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felt relieved.
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"Yes, this is a beautiful suit and it looks very good on me," the Emperor
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said trying to look comfortable. "You've done a fine job."
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"Your Majesty," the prime minister said, "we have a request for you. The
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people have found out about this extraordinary fabric and they are anxious to
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see you in your new suit." The Emperor was doubtful showing himself naked to
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the people, but then he abandoned his fears. After all, no one would know
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about it except the ignorant and the incompetent.
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"All right," he said. "I will grant the people this privilege." He summoned
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his carriage and the ceremonial parade was formed. A group of dignitaries
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walked at the very front of the procession and anxiously scrutinized the faces
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of the people in the street. All the people had gathered in the main square,
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pushing and shoving to get a better look. An applause welcomed the regal
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procession. Everyone wanted to know how stupid or incompetent his or her
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neighbour was but, as the Emperor passed, a strange murmur rose from the
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crowd.
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Everyone said, loud enough for the others to hear: "Look at the Emperor's
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new clothes. They're beautiful!"
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"What a marvellous train!"
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"And the colours! The colours of that beautiful fabric! I have never seen
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anything like it in my life." They all tried to conceal their disappointment
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at not being able to see the clothes, and since nobody was willing to admit
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his own stupidity and incompetence, they all behaved as the two scoundrels had
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predicted.
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A child, however, who had no important job and could only see things as his
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eyes showed them to him, went up to the carriage.
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"The Emperor is naked," he said.
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"Fool!" his father reprimanded, running after him. "Don't talk nonsense!"
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He grabbed his child and took him away. But the boy's remark, which had been
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heard by the bystanders, was repeated over and over again until everyone cried:
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"The boy is right! The Emperor is naked! It's true!"
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The Emperor realized that the people were right but could not admit to
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that. He though it better to continue the procession under the illusion that
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anyone who couldn't see his clothes was either stupid or incompetent. And he
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stood stiffly on his carriage, while behind him a page held his imaginary
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mantle.
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