The Emperor's New Clothes

04-17-2006, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Many years ago there lived an emperor who loved beautiful new clothes so much that he spent all his money on being finely dressed. His only interest was in going to the theater or in riding about in his carriage where he could show off his new clothes. He had a different costume for every hour of the day. Indeed, where it was said of other kings that they were at court, it could only be said of him that he was in his dressing room!

One day two swindlers came to the emperor's city. They said that they were weavers, claiming that they knew how to make the finest cloth imaginable. Not only were the colors and the patterns extraordinarily beautiful, but in addition, this material had the amazing property that it was to be invisible to anyone who was incompetent or stupid.

"It would be wonderful to have clothes made from that cloth," thought the emperor. "Then I would know which of my men are unfit for their positions, and I'd also be able to tell clever people from stupid ones." So he immediately gave the two swindlers a great sum of money to weave their cloth for him.

They set up their looms and pretended to go to work, although there was nothing at all on the looms. They asked for the finest silk and the purest gold, all of which they hid away, continuing to work on the empty looms, often late into the night.

"I would really like to know how they are coming with the cloth!" thought the emperor, but he was a bit uneasy when he recalled that anyone who was unfit for his position or stupid would not be able to see the material. Of course, he himself had nothing to fear, but still he decided to send someone else to see how the work was progressing.

"I'll send my honest old minister to the weavers," thought the emperor. He's the best one to see how the material is coming. He is very sensible, and no one is more worthy of his position than he.

So the good old minister went into the hall where the two swindlers sat working at their empty looms. "Goodness!" thought the old minister, opening his eyes wide. "I cannot see a thing!" But he did not say so.

The two swindlers invited him to step closer, asking him if it wasn't a beautiful design and if the colors weren't magnificent. They pointed to the empty loom, and the poor old minister opened his eyes wider and wider. He still could see nothing, for nothing was there. "Gracious" he thought. "Is it possible that I am stupid? I have never thought so. Am I unfit for my position? No one must know this. No, it will never do for me to say that I was unable to see the material."

"You aren't saying anything!" said one of the weavers.

"Oh, it is magnificent! The very best!" said the old minister, peering through his glasses. "This pattern and these colors! Yes, I'll tell the emperor that I am very satisfied with it!"

"That makes us happy!" said the two weavers, and they called the colors and the unusual pattern by name. The old minister listened closely so that he would be able say the same things when he reported back to the emperor, and that is exactly what he did.

The swindlers now asked for more money, more silk, and more gold, all of which they hid away. Then they continued to weave away as before on the empty looms.

The emperor sent other officials as well to observe the weavers' progress. They too were startled when they saw nothing, and they too reported back to him how wonderful the material was, advising him to have it made into clothes that he could wear in a grand procession. The entire city was alive in praise of the cloth. "Magnifique! Nysseligt! Excellent!" they said, in all languages. The emperor awarded the swindlers with medals of honor, bestowing on each of them the title Lord Weaver.

The swindlers stayed up the entire night before the procession was to take place, burning more than sixteen candles. Everyone could see that they were in a great rush to finish the emperor's new clothes. They pretended to take the material from the looms. They cut in the air with large scissors. They sewed with needles but without any thread. Finally they announced, "Behold! The clothes are finished!"

The emperor came to them with his most distinguished cavaliers. The two swindlers raised their arms as though they were holding something and said, "Just look at these trousers! Here is the jacket! This is the cloak!" and so forth. "They are as light as spider webs! You might think that you didn't have a thing on, but that is the good thing about them."

"Yes," said the cavaliers, but they couldn't see a thing, for nothing was there.

"Would his imperial majesty, if it please his grace, kindly remove his clothes." said the swindlers. "Then we will fit you with the new ones, here in front of the large mirror."

The emperor took off all his clothes, and the swindlers pretended to dress him, piece by piece, with the new ones that were to be fitted. They took hold of his waist and pretended to tie something about him. It was the train. Then the emperor turned and looked into the mirror.

"Goodness, they suit you well! What a wonderful fit!" they all said. "What a pattern! What colors! Such luxurious clothes!"

"The canopy to be carried above your majesty awaits outside," said the grandmaster of ceremonies.

"Yes, I am ready!" said the emperor. "Don't they fit well?" He turned once again toward the mirror, because it had to appear as though he were admiring himself in all his glory.

The chamberlains who were to carry the train held their hands just above the floor as if they were picking up the train. As they walked they pretended to hold the train high, for they could not let anyone notice that they could see nothing.

The emperor walked beneath the beautiful canopy in the procession, and all the people in the street and in their windows said, "Goodness, the emperor's new clothes are incomparable! What a beautiful train on his jacket. What a perfect fit!" No one wanted it to be noticed that he could see nothing, for then it would be said that he was unfit for his position or that he was stupid. None of the emperor's clothes had ever before received such praise.

"But he doesn't have anything on!" said a small child.

"Good Lord, let us hear the voice of an innocent child!" said the father, and whispered to another what the child had said.

"A small child said that he doesn't have anything on!"

Finally everyone was saying, "He doesn't have anything on!"

The emperor shuddered, for he knew that they were right, but he thought, "The procession must go on!" He carried himself even more proudly, and the chamberlains walked along behind carrying the train that wasn't there.

DONT be a SHEEP !

bry623 · 04-17-2006, 09:44 AM

This is confusing.

yustr · 04-17-2006, 10:13 AM

Not confusing. Pick your Emperor and speak truth to power.

ebackhus · 04-17-2006, 01:05 PM

And children are perceptive to our jests.

**linderman** · 04-17-2006, 04:50 PM

BRY ROFL this is confusing !!!!!!!!!!!!

explains how some can be such a devote Republican !!!!!!!!!!!! y

ahahahahahahahahahhahahhahahahhahah

~~Meztiso~~ · 10-07-2006, 11:03 PM

Old Thread. I was researching the banned "Purple Sky" because he had a magic-bullet fix for a User a while back, and I found his archived thread while helping one just now.

Wondered why/how someone that had something to contribute got the boot.

So then I find THIS thread, where Bry gets confused by "The Emperoror's New Clothes".

Truly shocking in it's current relevance, isn't it.

Anyways, my little contribution to this ancient thread is to mention that the story can actually be told in several ways. In *my* version, the little boy that "spills the beans" about the naked emperor is quickly shut-up and taken away, because you WANT your Emperor walking around naked, completely incapable of hiding anything.

If he wants to believe that he's wearing clothes, well that's his perogative. WE want to see ALL of EVERYTHING of those with power.

Another variation is that the child is mercilessly beaten into submission and silence, because there are some collective truths that are too "offensive" to be mentioned, even if they are true and relevant. Witness Republican reaction to the Foley allegations and the determined effort to focus instead on other topics, such as Bill Clinton (and his you-know-what).

And look at how well the Catholic church has responded to the community "input" on their little problems.

The "child" in this variation has accomplished no great feat in "telling the truth", he just hasn't been forcibly indoctrinated into carrying the burden of perpetuating the community lies.

Personally I think this variation probably is most appropriate, given PurpleSky's Member status.

**koala** · 10-07-2006, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meztiso

Personally I think this variation probably is most appropriate, given PurpleSky's Member status.

PurpleSky left for personal reasons, nothing to do with this thread or his opinions.

**Spatcher** · 10-09-2006, 05:17 AM

I was wondering where my pal PS went....

**Fr4665** · 10-09-2006, 05:21 AM

looks like he got "lined"

**DumberDrummer** · 10-09-2006, 04:58 PM

He wasn't banned. He left over a disagreement with the other staffers and requested that his account be deleted. He was not banned for behaviour.

04-17-2006, 09:44 AM	#2 (permalink)
bry623 Manager, The Conversation Pit/Analyst, Security Team Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: NW Territory circa 1787 Posts: 11,692 OS: winxp pro sp2	This is confusing. __________________ "If you aren't a liberal when you're 20, you have no heart. If you aren't a conservative when you are 50, you have no brain"

04-17-2006, 10:13 AM	#3 (permalink)
yustr Asst. Manager, The Conversation Pit Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Connecticut shore Posts: 6,052 OS: XP Pro My System	Not confusing. Pick your Emperor and speak truth to power. __________________ If there are lawyers or politicians involved, logic may be a very poor tool for reaching a conclusion.

04-17-2006, 01:05 PM	#4 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 14,286 OS: WinXP Pro SP3/Windows 7 RTM My System Blog Entries: 28	And children are perceptive to our jests. __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.

04-17-2006, 04:50 PM	#5 (permalink)
linderman Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 20,440 OS: win 2000 pro / Win XP pro My System	BRY ROFL this is confusing !!!!!!!!!!!! explains how some can be such a devote Republican !!!!!!!!!!!! y ahahahahahahahahahhahahhahahahhahah __________________ I still know nothing and I respect that fact, striving to improve and, along the way, help anyone that comes from the place that I used to be! Power Supply Selection LEARN TO BACK-UP YOUR DATA FREE & EASY YouTube - Runtime Software DriveImage XML tutorial

10-07-2006, 11:03 PM	#6 (permalink)
~~Meztiso~~ Register user Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 341 OS: WinXP Home	Variations on a Theme... Old Thread. I was researching the banned "Purple Sky" because he had a magic-bullet fix for a User a while back, and I found his archived thread while helping one just now. Wondered why/how someone that had something to contribute got the boot. So then I find THIS thread, where Bry gets confused by "The Emperoror's New Clothes". Truly shocking in it's current relevance, isn't it. Anyways, my little contribution to this ancient thread is to mention that the story can actually be told in several ways. In my version, the little boy that "spills the beans" about the naked emperor is quickly shut-up and taken away, because you WANT your Emperor walking around naked, completely incapable of hiding anything. If he wants to believe that he's wearing clothes, well that's his perogative. WE want to see ALL of EVERYTHING of those with power. Another variation is that the child is mercilessly beaten into submission and silence, because there are some collective truths that are too "offensive" to be mentioned, even if they are true and relevant. Witness Republican reaction to the Foley allegations and the determined effort to focus instead on other topics, such as Bill Clinton (and his you-know-what). And look at how well the Catholic church has responded to the community "input" on their little problems. The "child" in this variation has accomplished no great feat in "telling the truth", he just hasn't been forcibly indoctrinated into carrying the burden of perpetuating the community lies. Personally I think this variation probably is most appropriate, given PurpleSky's Member status.

10-09-2006, 05:17 AM	#8 (permalink)
Spatcher Henry Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,484 OS: Mac OSX	I was wondering where my pal PS went.... __________________ JohnThePilot: Cenedl heb iaith, cenedl heb galon (a nation without a language is a nation without a heart) John Butler Trio: Go take a step outside, see what's shakin' in the real world - Good Excuse Paul Kelly: Just add a dollop of tomato sauce for sweetness and that extra tang - How to Make Gravy

10-09-2006, 05:21 AM	#9 (permalink)
Fr4665 aka mr.fraggs Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA or Germany Posts: 2,965 OS: Win XP,Vista,Android My System	looks like he got "lined" __________________ I don't subscribe to threads please PM me if i miss a reply. ------- Everest SensorView Pro DriverCleaner how to fix your game

10-09-2006, 04:58 PM	#10 (permalink)
DumberDrummer Cymru am byth Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Oregon Posts: 5,385 OS: Windows XP Pro SP2 My System	He wasn't banned. He left over a disagreement with the other staffers and requested that his account be deleted. He was not banned for behaviour. __________________ Living with Louie dog's the only way to stay sane _____________________________________________ ... and with those words so begins my lifetime of longing for the devil's warm embrace