hethought,andopenedhiseyeswide,"icannotseeanythingatall,"buthedidnotsayso.bothswindlersrequestedhimtocomenear,andaskedhimifhedidnotadmiretheexquisitepatternandthebeautifulcolours,pointingtotheemptylooms.thepooroldministertriedhisverybest,buthecouldseenothing,fortherewasnothingtobeseen."ohdear,"hethought,"canibesostupid?ishouldneverhavethoughtso,andnobodymustknowit!isitpossiblethatiamnotfitformyoffice?no,no,icannotsaythatiwasunabletoseethecloth."

"now,haveyougotnothingtosay?"saidoneoftheswindlers,whilehepretendedtobebusilyweaving.

"oh,itisverypretty,exceedinglybeautiful,"repliedtheoldministerlookingthroughhisglasses."whatabeautifulpattern,whatbrilliantcolours!ishalltelltheemperorthatiliketheclothverymuch."

"wearepleasedtohearthat,"saidthetwoweavers,anddescribedtohimthecoloursandexplainedthecuriouspattern.theoldministerlistenedattentively,thathemightrelatetotheemperorwhattheysaid;andsohedid.

nowtheswindlersaskedformoremoney,silkandgold-cloth,whichtheyrequiredforweaving.theykepteverythingforthemselves,andnotathreadcameneartheloom,buttheycontinued,ashitherto,toworkattheemptylooms.

soonafterwardstheemperorsentanotherhonestcourtiertotheweaverstoseehowtheyweregettingon,andiftheclothwasnearlyfinished.liketheoldminister,helookedandlookedbutcouldseenothing,astherewasnothingtobeseen.

"isitnotabeautifulpieceofcloth?"askedthetwoswindlers,showingandexplainingthemagnificentpattern,which,however,didnotexist.

"iamnotstupid,"saidtheman."itisthereforemygoodappointmentforwhichiamnotfit.itisverystrange,butimustnotletanyoneknowit;"andhepraisedthecloth,whichhedidnotsee,andexpressedhisjoyatthebeautifulcoloursandthefinepattern."itisveryexcellent,"hesaidtotheemperor.

everybodyinthewholetowntalkedaboutthepreciouscloth.atlasttheemperorwishedtoseeithimself,whileitwasstillontheloom.withanumberofcourtiers,includingthetwowhohadalreadybeenthere,hewenttothetwocleverswindlers,whonowworkedashardastheycould,butwithoutusinganythread.

"isitnotmagnificent?"saidthetwooldstatesmenwhohadbeentherebefore."yourmajestymustadmirethecoloursandthepattern."andthentheypointedtotheemptylooms,fortheyimaginedtheotherscouldseethecloth.

"whatisthis?"thoughttheemperor,"idonotseeanythingatall.thatisterrible!amistupid?amiunfittobeemperor?thatwouldindeedbethemostdreadfulthingthatcouldhappentome."

"really,"hesaid,turningtotheweavers,"yourclothhasourmostgraciousapproval;"andnoddingcontentedlyhelookedattheemptyloom,forhedidnotliketosaythathesawnothing.allhisattendants,whowerewithhim,lookedandlooked,andalthoughtheycouldnotseeanythingmorethantheothers,theysaid,liketheemperor,"itisverybeautiful."andalladvisedhimtowearthenewmagnificentclothesatagreatprocessionwhichwassoontotakeplace."itismagnificent,beautiful,excellent,"oneheardthemsay;everybodyseemedtobedelighted,andtheemperorappointedthetwoswindlers"imperialcourtweavers."

thewholenightprevioustothedayonwhichtheprocessionwastotakeplace,theswindlerspretendedtowork,andburnedmorethansixteencandles.peopleshouldseethattheywerebusytofinishtheemperor'snewsuit.theypretendedtotaketheclothfromtheloom,andworkedaboutintheairwithbigscissors,andsewedwithneedleswithoutthread,andsaidatlast:"theemperor'snewsuitisreadynow."

theemperorandallhisbaronsthencametothehall;theswindlersheldtheirarmsupasiftheyheldsomethingintheirhandsandsaid:"thesearethetrousers!"