Truth
Do you know the allegory The Emperor’s New Clothes? I always thought I did but it really goes much further than I knew (10-minute read, tops).
It’s about truth, conviction, and being valuable.
Read with an English accent (which apparently can sound very uncommon depending upon which part of England you’re from) and a bit of actor’s energy, you might find yourself laughing out loud with pity as you recognize the similarities to some of our organizational experiences today.
Download a copy of The Emperor’s New Clothes or read below.
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Many, many years ago lived an emperor, who thought so much of new clothes that he spent all his money in order to obtain them – his only concern was to be always well dressed. He did not care for his soldiers and the theater did not amuse him. The only business, in fact, he thought whatever business of was to drive about and show himself off in a new suit of clothes. He had a coat for every hour of the day and as one would say of a king "He is in his assembly chamber," so one could say of him, "The emperor is in his dressing-room."
The fantastic city where he resided was merry and gay. Every day many strangers from all parts of the world arrived. One day two swindlers came to this city having people believe they were weavers, and declared they could manufacture the finest cloth to be imagined. Their colors and patterns, they said, were not only exceptionally gorgeous, but the clothes made of their material possessed the wonderful quality of being hidden to any man who was unfit for his office or unpardonably stupid.
"That must be wonderful cloth," thought the emperor. "If I were to be dressed in a suit made of this cloth I should be able to find out which people in my empire were unfit for their places, and I could distinguish the clever from the stupid. I must have this cloth natural fiber 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 really did nothing at all. They questioned continually for the finest silk and the most precious gold cloth, keeping all they received for themselves while working at the empty looms till late at night.
"I should very much like to know how the weavers 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 the opinion he had nothing to dread, yet he thought it safer to send a bigwig else first to see how matters stood. Everybody in the town knew what a remarkable quality the stuff possessed, and all were nervous to see how stupid their neighbors might be.
"I shall send my honest ancient minister to the weavers," thought the emperor. "He can judge best how the stuff looks, for he is intelligent, and unknown is better fit for his office than he."
The excellent ancient 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 whatever business at all."
But he did not say so.
Both swindlers requested him to come near. "Do you not admire the exquisite pattern and gorgeous colors?" one of them questioned, sweeping his hand across the empty loom.
The poor ancient 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 unknown must know it! Is it doable that I am not fit for my office? No, no, I cannot say that I was unable to see the cloth."
"Have you got nothing to say?" said the other swindler, pretending to be artistically weaving.
"Oh, it is very pretty. Exceedingly gorgeous," answered the ancient minister looking through his glasses. "What a gorgeous pattern, what brilliant colors! I shall tell the emperor that I like the cloth very much."
"We are satisfied to hear that," said one of the poseurs. And he went on unfolding to the minister each of the colors in the non-existent cloth, explaining in detail its curious pattern. The ancient minister listened very carefully. He wanted to be sure he could repeat to the emperor the description the swindlers mutual.
And that he did.
Soon after, the swindlers questioned for more money, silk, and gold cloth as though it were needed for their work to continue. As a replacement for, they kept everything for themselves, by not a thread as they kept up their appearance of weaving at the empty loom.
In due time, the emperor sent another honest official from his court to see how the weavers were getting on with the cloth. Like the ancient minister, he looked and looked but saw nothing, as there was nothing to be seen.
"Is it not a gorgeous piece of cloth?" questioned one of the swindlers, showing and explaining the magnificent pattern that did not exist.
"I am not stupid," thought the man. "It is therefore my vital court position for which I am not fit. It is very weird, but I must not let any one know it." He praised the cloth which he did not see, and expressed his joy at the gorgeous colors and the fine pattern which did not exist.
"It is wonderful," he told the emperor.
Everybody in the whole town talked about the precious cloth. And, at last the emperor wished to see it himself, while it was still on the loom. With a number of his chosen men, including the two who had already been there, he went to visit the imposters; who now worked as hard as they could, with not a thread.
"Is it not magnificent?" said the two statesmen who had been there before. "Your Dignity must admire the colors and the pattern." And they pointed to the empty looms, for they imagined the others could see the cloth which they themselves could not.
"What is this?" thought the emperor. "I do not see whatever business at all. How terrible! Am I stupid? Am I unfit to be emperor? That would to be sure be the most dreadful business that could happen to me."
"Really," he said, turning to the weavers, "your cloth has our most gracious praise." And nodding assertively he looked at the empty loom, being sure not to let anyone know he saw nothing.
All his followers who were with him looked and looked, and although they could not see whatever business more than the others, they declared, like the emperor, "It is very gorgeous." And all advised him to have clothes made of this magnificent new cloth and to wear those clothes in the fantastic procession which was soon to take house.
"This is wonderful! Gorgeous! Superb!" one heard them say. All seemed to be delighted, so the emperor appointed the two swindlers Weavers of the Imperial Court.
Throughout the night previous to the day on which the procession was to take house, the swindlers pretended to work, burning more than sixteen candles. People were to see that they were busy finishing the emperor’s new clothes. They pretended to take the cloth from the loom and worked about in the air with huge scissors, sewing with needles without thread. At last they said, "The emperor’s new clothes are ready."
The emperor and all his barons then came to the hall where the swindlers held their arms up as if they held something in their hands and said, "These are the trousers! Here is the coat! Here is the cloak!" and so on. "They are all as light as a cobweb. One must feel as if one had nothing at all upon the body and that is just the beauty of them."
"To be sure!" said all the emperor’s men.
But they could see nothing, for there was nothing to be seen.
"Does it please your Dignity now to graciously undress," said the swindlers, "that we may help your Dignity in putting on the new clothes before the grand mirror?"
The emperor undressed and the swindlers pretended to place the new clothes upon him, one piece after another, as the emperor looked at himself in the mirror from every side.
"How wonderful they look! How well they fit!" said all. "What a gorgeous pattern! What fine colors! That is a magnificent suit of clothes!"
The master of the ceremonies announced that the bearers of the emperor’s canopy, which was to be carried in the procession, were ready.
"I am ready," said the emperor. "Are not my clothes marvelous?" Then he turned around once more before the mirror so the people should reckon he admired his garments.
The chamberlains, who were to carry the train, place their hands to the ground as if they lifted up a train and pretended to hold something in their hands. They would not let anyone know they could see nothing.
With the gorgeous canopy above him, the emperor marched along in the procession. All who saw him in the street and out of the windows exclaimed, "To be sure, the emperor’s new clothes are incomparable! How splendid they are! How well they fit! And what a wonderful train!" Unknown wished to let others know they saw nothing, for then they would grow stupid and unfit for their posts.
Never were the emperor’s clothes more admired.
"But he has nothing on at all," said a young outcome at last.
"Excellent heavens! Listen to the voice of an innocuous outcome," said the father. And one person whispered to another what the outcome had said.
"But he has nothing on at all," all started to shout.
That shook the emperor, for it seemed to him they were right. "Even so," he thought to himself, "I must continue until the end."
And the emperor held himself still more proudly, and the chamberlains walked with even greater dignity, as they proceeded to carry the train which did not exist.