saidtheoldgoblin."ihavetakenamotherforyou,andnowyoumaytakeoneofyouraunts."

buttheyoungsterssaidtheywouldrathermakeaspeechanddrinktotheirgoodfellowship;theyhadnowishtomarry.thentheymadespeechesanddranktoasts,andtippedtheirglasses,toshowthattheywereempty.thentheytookofftheircoats,andlaydownonthetabletosleep;fortheymadethemselvesquiteathome.buttheoldgoblindancedabouttheroomwithhisyoungbride,andexchangedbootswithher,whichismorefashionablethanexchangingrings.

"thecockiscrowing,"saidtheoldelfinmaidenwhoactedashousekeeper;nowwemustclosetheshutters,thatthesunmaynotscorchus."

thenthehillclosedup.butthelizardscontinuedtorunupanddowntheriventree;andonesaidtotheother,"oh,howmuchiwaspleasedwiththeoldgoblin!"

"theboyspleasedmebetter,"saidtheearth-worm.butthenthepoormiserablecreaturecouldnotsee.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

theemperor'snewsuit

byhanschristianandersen

many,manyyearsagolivedanemperor,whothoughtsomuchofnewclothesthathespentallhismoneyinordertoobtainthem;hisonlyambitionwastobealwayswelldressed.hedidnotcareforhissoldiers,andthetheatredidnotamusehim;theonlything,infact,hethoughtanythingofwastodriveoutandshowanewsuitofclothes.hehadacoatforeveryhouroftheday;andasonewouldsayofaking"heisinhiscabinet,"soonecouldsayofhim,"theemperorisinhisdressing-room."

thegreatcitywhereheresidedwasverygay;everydaymanystrangersfromallpartsoftheglobearrived.onedaytwoswindlerscametothiscity;theymadepeoplebelievethattheywereweavers,anddeclaredtheycouldmanufacturethefinestclothtobercoloursandpatterns,theysaid,werenotonlyexceptionallybeautiful,buttheclothesmadeoftheirmaterialpossessedthewonderfulqualityofbeinginvisibletoanymanwhowasunfitforhisofficeorunpardonablystupid.

"thatmustbewonderfulcloth,"thoughttheemperor."ifiweretobedressedinasuitmadeofthisclothishouldbeabletofindoutwhichmeninmyempirewereunfitfortheirplaces,andicoulddistinguishthecleverfromthestupid.imusthavethisclothwovenformewithoutdelay."andhegavealargesumofmoneytotheswindlers,inadvance,thattheyshouldsettoworkwithoutanylossoftime.theysetuptwolooms,andpretendedtobeveryhardatwork,buttheydidnothingwhateveronthelooms.theyaskedforthefinestsilkandthemostpreciousgold-cloth;alltheygottheydidawaywith,andworkedattheemptyloomstilllateatnight.

"ishouldverymuchliketoknowhowtheyaregettingonwiththecloth,"thoughttheemperor.buthefeltratheruneasywhenherememberedthathewhowasnotfitforhisofficecouldnotseeit.personally,hewasofopinionthathehadnothingtofear,yethethoughtitadvisabletosendsomebodyelsefirsttoseehowmattersstood.everybodyinthetownknewwhataremarkablequalitythestuffpossessed,andallwereanxioustoseehowbadorstupidtheirneighbourswere.

"ishallsendmyhonestoldministertotheweavers,"thoughttheemperor."hecanjudgebesthowthestufflooks,forheisintelligent,andnobodyunderstandshisofficebetterthanhe."

thegoodoldministerwentintotheroomwheretheswindlerssatbeforetheemptylooms."heavenpreserveus!"