from the stupid. I must have this cloth woven for me without delay.” And he
gave a large sum of money to the swindlers, in advance, that they should set
to work without any loss of time. They set up two looms, and pretended to
be very hard at work, but they did nothing whatever on the looms. They
asked for the finest silk and the most precious gold-cloth; all they got they
did away with, and worked at the empty looms till late at night.
“I should very much like to know how they are getting on with the cloth,”
thought the emperor. But he felt rather uneasy when he remembered that he
who was not fit for his office could not see it. Personally, he was of opinion
that he had nothing to fear, yet he thought it advisable to send somebody
else first to see how matters stood. Everybody in the town knew what a
remarkable quality the stuff possessed, and all were anxious to see how bad
or stupid their neighbours were.
“I shall send my honest old minister to the weavers,” thought the
emperor. “He can judge best how the stuff looks, for he is intelligent, and
nobody understands his office better than he.”
The good old minister went into the room where the swindlers sat before
the empty looms. “Heaven preserve us!” he thought, and opened his eyes
wide, “I cannot see anything at all,” but he did not say so. Both swindlers
requested him to come near, and asked him if he did not admire the
exquisite pattern and the beautiful colours, pointing to the empty looms.
The poor old minister tried his very best, but he could see nothing, for there
was nothing to be seen. “Oh dear,” he thought, “can I be so stupid? I should
never have thought so, and nobody must know it! Is it possible that I am not
fit for my office? No, no, I cannot say that I was unable to see the cloth.”
“Now, have you got nothing to say?” said one of the swindlers, while he
pretended to be busily weaving.
“Oh, it is very pretty, exceedingly beautiful,” replied the old minister
looking through his glasses. “What a beautiful pattern, what brilliant
colours! I shall tell the emperor that I like the cloth very much.”
