The Emperor's New Clothes

Long ago and far away, there lived an Emperor. This Emperor was very vain and could think about nothing but his clothes. He had wardrobes and cupboards full of clothes. They filled his spare bedrooms and upstairs corridors of the palace.

The courtiers were worried that the wardrobes would begin to appear downstairs and in their chambers¹.

The Emperor spent hours every morning getting dressed. He had to choose his outfit², preferable a new one, and the shoes and wig³ to go with it. Mid-morning, he invariably changed into something more formal for his short meetings with his councillors and advisors⁴. He would change again for lunch, and then again for a rest in the afternoon. He just had to change for dinner and them again for the evening!

He kept all the weavers⁶, tailors, cobblers and silk merchants of the city very busy and very happy! News of the Emperor spread to distant kingdoms and finally came to the ears of two very shady characters.

"Could we?" they asked themselves. "Could we fool the Emperor who loves new clothes?" "Let's try," they decided⁷.

They left their homes and traveled to the Emperor's city. there they saw the many shops selling clothes, shoes and fabrics⁹. For, if the Emperor dressed finely, so too did his couriers. The two travelers went to the palace along with many other tradesmen hoping to sell their wares¹⁰ to the Emperor. They asked to meet the Emperor. "We have something very special to show him," they told the Chamberlain. "That's what everyone says," said the Chamberlain. "Ah, but his is magical," said one, "We have invented a new cloth by using a very special and secret method."

The Chamberlain felt that it was his duty to bring new items to the Emperor's attention and he went to tell him. "Something magical?" said the Emperor, who was changing for lunch and admiring himself in the mirror. "Oh, I love new things, Show the two weavers in."

The two weavers were shown in, and began to describe their cloth to the Emperor. "It is gold, silver and rainbow colored, all at the same time," said one. "It shimmers¹²." "It feels like silk, but is as warm as wool," said the second. "It is as light as air," said the first. "A most wonderful fabric⁸."

The Emperor was enchanted¹³. He must have an outfit from this new cloth. "There is a grand parade in the city in two weeks time," he said. "I need a new outfit for it. Can one be ready in time?" "Oh yes, your Majesty," said the weavers. "But there is a problem. The cloth is very expensive to make." "No matter," said the Emperor, waving his hand. "Money is no object. I must have an outfit. Just see the Chamberlain and he'll sort it out. Make it here in the palace."

The Chamberlain showed the two weavers to a large airy room and they set to work. They asked for a loom¹⁴, and a sack of gold to start buying materials. The Chamberlain followed the Emperor's orders and they were denied nothing. The weavers worked away behind closed doors. The loom could be heard clattering¹⁵ away. Every now and then a courtier would stand and listen at the door. News of the magic cloth had spread.

Finally, the Emperor could stand it no more. "Chamberlain, go to the weavers and see how the cloth is processing. The parade is only a week way." The Chamberlain knocked at the door and waited. "Enter!" said the weavers. They had been expecting someone soon! "The Emperor has sent me to check on the progress of the cloth," said the Chamberlain, staring at the empty loom. "Is it not beautiful?" said one of the weavers, holding out nothing to the Chamberlain. "See the lustre¹⁶, feel the softness!" "Um," said the Chamberlain, not quite sure what to say. "Oh wise Chamberlain," said the other weaver⁵.

"Now you can see why it is magical. Only the truly clever and brilliant can see the cloth. Most people would see an empty loom, but a clever man like you will see our wonderful cloth." "Of course," said the Chamberlain, not wanting to look stupid. "It really is quite marvelous. Those colors, that shimmer¹¹ of the gold and silver threads. Marvelous." "Oh, you are so wise," said the weavers.

The Emperor was very impatient and couldn't wait for the Chamberlain to return. After ten minutes of pacing up and down, he went to the weavers' room, followed by half of his court. He threw the doors open, and saw the empty loom. "Why!" he cried in a surprised voice. "Your Majesty," said the Chamberlain quickly. " A wise man such as yourself can surely see the colors and sheen of this magical cloth." "Of course I can," said the Emperor, wondering why he could not. "It's beautiful. Simply enchanting¹⁷. When can my outfit be made? Send for the royal tailors!" "Your Majesty," said the two weavers. "We would be delighted to make your outfit for you. There is no need to trouble your hard-working tailor. It is such a difficult fabric to cut and sew. We will make the suit." "Very well," said the Emperor. "First fitting tomorrow."

The courtiers had followed the Emperor, and they now came into the room. Of course, they could see nothing on the loom for there was nothing to see. "Is it not beautiful?" said one of the weavers. "Of course, only the wise and very clever can see the beauty of the cloth. Look at the colors, feel the weight." The courtiers queued up to look at the colors and feel the weight, and each went away exclaiming over the marvelous cloth which was indeed as light as air. But each courtier secretly wondered if they were really stupid, as they had seen nothing at all. The two weavers then set to work as tailors. They muttered and discussed at the Emperor's fittings, stitching here, cutting there until at last the suit was made.

The following day was the day of the parade. "Am I not the handsomest of men in my marvellous suit?" said the Emperor to the Chamberlain, as he showed off his new outfit. "Just look at the tiny stitches and the lacework. Truly marvelous." "Undoubtedly¹⁸, sir," said the Chamberlain. "There is no outfit on earth to equal this one."

The Emperor was dressed in his new suit and ready for the parade. News of his amazing outfit had reached the people of the town and all wanted to see him. There were people crowded along the sides of the streets.

The parade began!

People gasped¹⁹. "What a suit!" they cried. "What suit?" asked a small boy, who had not heard of the magical cloth. "The Emperor has no clothes on at all!" "It's true! No clothes! The Emperor is naked!" the people cried. And the Emperor was very ashamed. He had been so vain, and now he had been made to look a fool. As for the two tailors -- they were in fact thieves, and had long since left the town with their bags of gold. Probably laughing all the way! But the Emperor is a wiser man now, and spends a lot more time with his advisors and far less with his tailors.


I. Translation for Reference(参考译文)

皇帝的新衣

从前有一个国王很喜欢穿新衣服，差不多每过一个钟头就要换一件。因为这个缘故，他差不多把所有的钱都花在买衣服上了。他不关心他的士兵，也不愿意到哪儿去玩儿，成天地的催着大臣去给他找最新奇的衣服，想着怎么夸耀他的新衣服。别国的人民谈到他们的国王，都是说：“他在开会。”可是在这个国家里，大家总是说：“他在换衣服。”

有一天，有两个骗子来到这个国家。这两个骗子化装成织布匠去见国王，说他们能织出世界上谁也没见过的一种布。


“国王”，一个骗子说：“这种布不但是图案非常美丽，而且有一个特色，就是非常愚蠢的人，或能力跟他的职位不相配的人看不见。”

“织这种布很费事。”另一个骗子说：“不过，我们愿意替你织。”

过了一些日子，国王心想：“不知道他们两个把布织得怎么样了？”

他很想去看看，可是他一想到愚蠢的人或才能跟职位不配的人看不见这种布的事，心里又有点不安。“对了，”国王自言自语地说：“最好先派我的宰相去看看。他的学问和才能都比别人高。此外他对我又是最诚实的，从来没说过谎话。派他去看，是再可靠也没有了。”

忠诚的宰相走进了织布机房。两个骗子指着空空的织布机，问他这种花样儿好看吗？那种颜色美丽吗？

宰相看不见织布机上有什么，但是他不愿意让国王认为他是个愚蠢的人，不配做宰相。所以他说：“嗯，好极子，这种花样儿太美了，那种颜色真好看。我要告诉国王，说你们织的这种布是我从来没见过的，最新奇的布！”

又过了些日子，国王派了他的侍从官到织布房去看。

侍从官所看到的情形跟宰相看到的一样，织布机上连一根丝也没有。“啊，我一定是不配做侍从官。”他想，“真糟糕！不过我不能让国王知道我的能力不够。”因此他也称赞这两个骗子织的布非常好看，回去以后就对国王说：“国王，你见了一定会喜欢。那种布太美丽了！”

布终于织好了。两个骗子把布拿来给国王看。国王张大了眼睛也看不见布，只能看到装布的空盒子。“是怎么回事儿？”国王想，“我什么也看不见。难道我是愚蠢的人，不配做国王？…….”他想了一会儿，高兴地宣布说：“这块布真是好看极了，是世界上最新奇的布！”他的侍从官和宰相也表示同意他的说法，并且建议他做成衣服来穿。

国王高兴地给了骗子许多钱，要他们用这块布给他做一套衣服，准备在举行游行大会的那一天穿。两个骗子日夜赶工，把衣服做好了。

他们请国王脱光衣服，然后做出拿着新衣服给国王穿的样子，说：“看，这是内衣。这是衬衫。这是外套。这种美丽的布像蜘蛛网一样轻巧。穿了就跟没穿一样儿。不过，这正是这种布的特点。”

游行的时侯到了，全城的人都争着来看国王的新衣服。他们个个都说：“我们国王的新衣服好漂亮啊！世界上再也没这种漂亮、高贵的衣服了！”

国王越来越高兴。可是就在他最得意的时後，人群突然有一个小孩儿叫了起来：“国王明明光着屁股嘛！他身上什么都没穿！”小孩儿一直跟妈妈吵闹着：为什么你们都没看见吗？明明就是没穿衣服，为何一直称赞国王的衣服呢？

大家听了这个小孩儿的话会怎么想呢？

最后，就是大家哄堂大笑了起来～～猜到了没有？



　

II. Exercise Choose the correct answer to the following questions.

1. What or who did the Emperor really think about?
A. His subject（臣民）.
B. His money.
C. His wife.  
D. His clothes.

2. What did the two weavers travel to the Emperor's city for?
A. Fooling the Emperor.
B. Doing something good for the Emperor.
C. Just touring there.
D. Doing some business.

3. What did the weavers say about making the cloth?
A. Very complex.
B. Very expensive.
C. Very easy.
D. Very cheap.

4. When they need any money for making the clothes, who would they go to see?
A. The Emperor.
B. No one.
C. The Chamberlain.
D. Solve the problem by themselves.

5. Who went to the weavers' loom first?
A. The Chamberlain.
B. A servant.
C. The Emperor.
D. The courtiers.

6. Who could really see the clothes?
A. The Emperor.
B. The courtiers.
C. The Chamberlain.
D. No one.

7. What did the Chamberlain say about the clothes during the day of parade?
A. Truly marvelous.
B. Just so so.
C. Very neat.
D. No comment.

8. Who told the truth finally?
A. The Chamberlain.
B. The courtiers.
C. A small boy.
D. A old woman.

　

III. New Words and Expressions 生词和词组

vain a. 空虚的  
chamber n. 房间
weaver n. 织布者
fabrics n. 织物
shimmer v. 闪烁
lustre n. 光泽
sheen n. 光泽
stitch v. 缝合

　

Key to Exercise(练习答案)

1.D  2.A 3.B 4.C 5.A 6.D 7.A 8.C