"thisisthecoat!"and"hereisthecloak!"andsoon."theyareallaslightasacobweb,andonemustfeelasifonehadnothingatalluponthebody;butthatisjustthebeautyofthem."

"indeed!"saidallthecourtiers;buttheycouldnotseeanything,fortherewasnothingtobeseen.

"doesitpleaseyourmajestynowtograciouslyundress,"saidtheswindlers,"thatwemayassistyourmajestyinputtingonthenewsuitbeforethelargelooking-glass?"

theemperorundressed,andtheswindlerspretendedtoputthenewsuituponhim,onepieceafteranother;andtheemperorlookedathimselfintheglassfromeveryside.

"howwelltheylook!howwelltheyfit!"saidall."whatabeautifulpattern!whatfinecolours!thatisamagnificentsuitofclothes!"

themasteroftheceremoniesannouncedthatthebearersofthecanopy,whichwastobecarriedintheprocession,wereready.

"iamready,"saidtheemperor."doesnotmysuitfitmemarvellously?"thenheturnedoncemoretothelooking-glass,thatpeopleshouldthinkheadmiredhisgarments.

thechamberlains,whoweretocarrythetrain,stretchedtheirhandstothegroundasiftheyliftedupatrain,andpretendedtoholdsomethingintheirhands;theydidnotlikepeopletoknowthattheycouldnotseeanything.

theemperormarchedintheprocessionunderthebeautifulcanopy,andallwhosawhiminthestreetandoutofthewindowsexclaimed:"indeed,theemperor'snewsuitisincomparable!whatalongtrainhehas!howwellitfitshim!"nobodywishedtoletothersknowhesawnothing,forthenhewouldhavebeenunfitforhisofficeortoostupid.neveremperor'sclothesweremoreadmired.

"buthehasnothingonatall,"saidalittlechildatlast."goodheavens!listentothevoiceofaninnocentchild,"saidthefather,andonewhisperedtotheotherwhatthechildhadsaid."buthehasnothingonatall,"criedatlastthewholepeople.thatmadeadeepimpressionupontheemperor,foritseemedtohimthattheywereright;buthethoughttohimself,"nowimustbearuptotheend."andthechamberlainswalkedwithstillgreaterdignity,asiftheycarriedthetrainwhichdidnotexist.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

thefarm-yardcockandtheweather-cock

byhanschristianandersen

thereweretwococks-oneonthedung-hill,theotherontheywerebotharrogant,butwhichofthetworenderedmostservice?tellusyouropinion-we'llkeeptooursjustthesamethough.

thepoultryyardwasdividedbysomeplanksfromanotheryardinwhichtherewasadung-hill,andonthedung-hilllayandgrewalargecucumberwhichwasconsciousofbeingahot-bedplant.

"oneisborntothat,"saidthecucumbertoitself."notallcanbeborncucumbers;theremustbeotherthings,too.thehens,theducks,andalltheanimalsinthenextyardarecreaturestoo.nowihaveagreatopinionoftheyardcockontheplank;heiscertainlyofmuchmoreimportancethantheweather-cockwhoisplacedsohighandcan'tevencreak,muchlesscrow.thelatterhasneitherhensnorchicks,andonlythinksofhimselfandperspiresverdigris.no,theyardcockisreallyacock!hisstepisadance!hiscrowingismusic,andwhereverhegoesoneknowswhatatrumpeterislike!ifhewouldonlycomeinhere!evenifheatemeupstump,stalk,andall,andihadtodissolveinhisbody,itwouldbeahappydeath,"saidthecucumber.

inthenighttherewasaterriblestorm.thehens,chicks,andeventhecocksoughtshelter;thewindtoredowntheplanksbetweenthetwoyardswithacrash;thetilescametumblingdown,buttheweather-cocksatfirm.hedidnoteventurnround,forhecouldnot;andyethewasyoungandfreshlycast,butprudentandsedate.hehadbeenbornold,anddidnotatallresemblethebirdsflyingintheair-thesparrows,andtheswallows;no,hedespisedthem,thesemeanlittlepipingbirds,thesecommonwhistlers.headmittedthatthepigeons,largeandwhiteandshininglikemother-o'-pearl,lookedlikeakindofweather-cock;buttheywerefatandstupid,andalltheirthoughtsandendeavoursweredirectedtofillingthemselveswithfood,andbesides,theyweretiresomethingstoconversewith.thebirdsofpassagehadalsopaidtheweather-cockavisitandtoldhimofforeigncountries,ofairycaravansandrobberstoriesthatmadeone'shairstandonend.allthiswasnewandinteresting;thatis,forthefirsttime,butafterwards,astheweather-cockfoundout,theyrepeatedthemselvesandalwaystoldthesamestories,andthat'sverytedious,andtherewasnoonewithwhomonecouldassociate,foroneandallwerestaleandsmall-minded.

"theworldisnogood!"