‘Good heavens!’ thought he, ’is it possible that I am a fool.  I have never thought so, and nobody must know it.  Am I not fit for my post?  It will never do to say that I cannot see the stuffs.’

‘Well, sir, you don’t say anything about the stuff,’ said the one who was pretending to weave.

‘Oh, it is beautiful! quite charming!’ said the old minister, looking through his spectacles; ’this pattern and these colours!  I will certainly tell the Emperor that the stuff pleases me very much.’

‘We are delighted to hear you say so,’ said the swindlers, and then they named all the colours and described the peculiar pattern.  The old minister paid great attention to what they said, so as to be able to repeat it when he got home to the Emperor.

[Illustration:  They pointed to the empty loom, and the poor old minister stared as hard as he could, but he could not see anything, for of course there was nothing to see.]

Then the swindlers went on to demand more money, more silk, and more gold, to be able to proceed with the weaving; but they put it all into their own pockets—­not a single strand was ever put into the loom, but they went on as before weaving at the empty loom.

The Emperor soon sent another faithful official to see how the stuff was getting on, and if it would soon be ready.  The same thing happened to him as to the minister; he looked and looked, but as there was only the empty loom, he could see nothing at all.

‘Is not this a beautiful piece of stuff?’ said both the swindlers, showing and explaining the beautiful pattern and colours which were not there to be seen.

‘I know I am not a fool!’ thought the man, ’so it must be that I am unfit for my good post!  It is very strange, though!  However, one must not let it appear!’ So he praised the stuff he did not see, and assured them of his delight in the beautiful colours and the originality of the design.  ‘It is absolutely charming!’ he said to the Emperor.  Everybody in the town was talking about this splendid stuff.

Now the Emperor thought he would like to see it while it was still on the loom.  So, accompanied by a number of selected courtiers, among whom were the two faithful officials who had already seen the imaginary stuff, he went to visit the crafty impostors, who were working away as hard as ever they could at the empty loom.

‘It is magnificent!’ said both the honest officials.  ’Only see, your Majesty, what a design!  What colours!’ And they pointed to the empty loom, for they thought no doubt the others could see the stuff.

‘What!’ thought the Emperor; ’I see nothing at all!  This is terrible!  Am I a fool?  Am I not fit to be Emperor?  Why, nothing worse could happen to me!’

‘Oh, it is beautiful!’ said the Emperor.  ‘It has my highest approval!’ and he nodded his satisfaction as he gazed at the empty loom.  Nothing would induce him to say that he could not see anything.