! What colors! These are indeed
royal robes!"

"The canopy which is to be borne over your Majesty, in the procession,
is waiting," announced the chief master of the ceremonies.

"I am quite ready," answered the Emperor. "Do my new clothes fit well?"
asked he, turning himself round again before the looking glass, in order
that he might appear to be examining his handsome suit.

The lords of the bedchamber, who were to carry his Majesty's train felt
about on the ground, as if they were lifting up the ends of the mantle;
and pretended to be carrying something; for they would by no means
betray anything like simplicity, or unfitness for their office.

So now the Emperor walked under his high canopy in the midst of the
procession, through the streets of his capital; and all the people
standing by, and those at the windows, cried out, "Oh! How beautiful
are our Emperor's new clothes! What a magnificent train there is to
the mantle; and how gracefully the scarf hangs!" in short, no one would
allow that he could not see these much-admired clothes; because, in
doing so, he would have declared himself either a simpleton or unfit
for his office. Certainly, none of the Emperor's various suits, had ever
made so great an impression, as these invisible ones.

"But the Emperor has nothing at all on!" said a little child.

"Listen to the voice of innocence!" exclaimed his father; and what the
child had said was whispered from one to another.

"But he has nothing at all on!" at last cried out all the people.
The Emperor was vexed, for he knew that the people were right; but he
thought the procession must go on now! And the lords of the bedchamber
took greater pains than ever, to appear holding up a train, although, in
reality, there was no train to hold.

THE SWINEHERD

There was once a poor Prince, who had a kingdom. His kingdom was very
small, but still quite large enough to marry upon; and he wished to
marry.

It was certainly rather cool of him to say to the Emperor's daughter,
"Will you have me?" But so he did; for his name was renowned far and
wide; and there were a hundred princesses who would have answered,
"Yes!" and "Thank you kindly." We shall see what this princess said.

Listen!

It happened that where the Prince's father lay buried, there grew a rose
tree--a most beautiful rose tree, which blossomed only once in every
five years, and even then bore only one flower, but that was a rose!
It smelt so sweet