The Emperor's New Clothes & It's Absolutely True
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Authors
Andersen, Hans Christian
Issue Date
1965
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Type
Book, Whole
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Abstract
This emperor has an outfit for every hour of the day. From the start, the artist delights in catching facial expressions, like those of the guards as the overdressed emperor passes by in the first picture. The two weavers advertise their marvelous cloth, with a "magical quality of being invisible to anyone who was stupid or bad at their job." Is it logical for the emperor to think that getting robes for himself from this material will tell him which of his ministers is unfit for his job? Fearing that the cloth might show him up, the emperor sends the prime minister first. The emperor panics the first time he visits the weavers' workroom but he of course praises the cloth. In fact, he gives them a medal and the title "Royal Knights of the Loom." Townsfolk watch from the square as the two work through the night. The emperor wears long underwear throughout the depiction of his "nakedness." All the people take up the boy's shout "The emperor has nothing on!" The emperor shivers, but the procession goes on with dignity. Nothing is said about the emperor's learning or the thieves' getaway. "It's Absolutely True" is like Aesop's story of the man who supposedly laid an egg. A hen loses one feather. Soon the report is spread abroad that five hens plucked all their feathers and froze to death. It got printed in the newspaper, and so it is true!
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Publisher
Peter Haddock Ltd
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Identifier
10798 (Access ID)