In a grand kingdom, where majestic banners fluttered in the breeze, there lived an Emperor who loved nothing more than new clothes. He spent all his time and money on being finely dressed, caring little for anything else.
One day, two cunning weavers arrived in the kingdom. They boasted, “We have invented an extraordinary fabric, invisible to anyone who is unfit for their job or hopelessly stupid.”
The Emperor, curious and a bit anxious about his own wisdom, commanded, “Create for me a suit from this magical cloth. I must be the finest dressed in all the land!”
The weavers set to work, pretending to weave the non-existent fabric. They asked for the finest silk and the purest gold thread, which they pocketed, showing the empty loom to the Emperor’s advisors.
The advisors, not wanting to appear foolish or unfit for their jobs, praised the invisible fabric. “It’s magnificent!” they lied.
The Emperor himself visited, and seeing nothing, felt a wave of panic. But, fearing he might be deemed unworthy, he too exclaimed, “What splendid robes! Truly the work of genius!”
The day of the grand parade arrived, and the weavers presented the Emperor with his new ‘clothes’. He dressed in thin air, and paraded before his subjects, who had heard of the magical fabric. Not wanting to seem unfit or stupid, they all applauded and praised the invisible robes.
Amidst the crowd, a young child, too innocent to understand the pretense, pointed and said loudly, “But he isn’t wearing anything at all!”
The word spread like wildfire, and soon the whole crowd was murmuring, “He’s got nothing on!”
The Emperor realized the truth but was too proud to admit his folly. He thought, “I must carry on till the end.” And so, he continued the procession, prouder than ever, in his invisible robes.
From that day, the Emperor learned the value of honesty and the folly of vanity. The kingdom remembered the tale of the Emperor’s invisible robes as a lesson in humility and the courage to speak the truth.
And so, the story of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” passed down through generations, teaching children and adults alike the importance of sincerity and the dangers of succumbing to pride and pretense.
Also Read: Little Red Hen — The Woods of Change
Moral of The Story
The Emperor’s New Clothes teaches that it’s important to think for oneself, speak the truth, and not be swayed by vanity or the false opinions of others.