The Emperor's New Clothes & The Swineherd: Classic Tales Retold

The Emperor's New Clothes: A Tale of Vanity

The Weavers' Deception

An emperor was so fond of new clothes that he spent all his time in his wardrobe. One day, two weavers arrived, claiming they could manufacture very special clothes. The unique property of this fabric was that it was invisible to anyone who was unfit for their job. The emperor ordered the clothes immediately, as he wanted to find out who in his kingdom was unfit for their position. However, the weavers simply took the gold thread and silk given to them and put it all in their knapsacks while pretending to work at their empty looms. They were given the title of "Gentlemen Weavers."

The Royal Inspection

First, the king sent his faithful old minister to see the clothes. The minister saw nothing at all but said he liked the clothes very much because he didn't want to appear unfit for his job. When people visited the weavers, they would pretend to be working diligently. Everyone used grand expressions to describe the non-existent clothes, such as:

• Excellent
• Charming
• Brilliant
• What a splendid design!

The Grand Procession

The weavers pretended to dress the king in front of a looking glass with the magnificent new garments, which included a full outfit:

• Trousers
• Mantle
• Scarf

During the procession, a child finally said, "But the Emperor isn't wearing anything! He has nothing on at all!" The child's father exclaimed, "Listen to the voice of innocence!" This was then whispered from one person to another until everyone cried out the truth. The embarrassed king, realizing it was true, thought to himself, "The procession must go on now!" and continued the parade with his head held high.

The Swineherd: A Lesson in Humility

The Prince's Rejected Gifts

A prince sought to marry a princess and sent her two beautiful presents: a rose and a nightingale. The princess, however, did not like the gifts and refused to see the prince. Determined, the prince disguised himself as a common swineherd. The king, unaware of his identity, appointed him as the Imperial Swineherd.

The Imperial Swineherd's Bargain

As a swineherd, the prince crafted clever objects. The first was a kitchen pot with bells that could reveal what every person in the village was cooking. The princess desperately wanted the pot. The swineherd's price was twenty kisses from her. Next, he made a rattle that could play any kind of music. The princess wanted the rattle as well, and the price for it was one hundred kisses.

The Princess's Downfall

The princess kissed the swineherd to get the toys. When her father, the king, discovered this, both the princess and the swineherd were thrust out of the city in disgrace. The prince then revealed his true identity but refused to marry her because of her pride. He told her she had rejected an honest prince for his simple gifts but would kiss a swineherd for a toy. He then returned to his own kingdom, leaving her behind.