Лучшие сказки мира на английском языке. Уровень 1 / The Best Fairy Tales of the World

'If I wore them I would be able to discover which men in my empire are unfit for their posts. And I could tell the wise men from the fools. Yes, I certainly must get some of the clothes for me right away[41 - right away – прямо сейчас].' He paid the two swindlers a large sum of money to start work at once.

They set up two looms and pretended to weave[42 - pretended to weave – притворялись, что ткали], though there was nothing on the looms. All the finest silk and the purest old thread which they demanded[43 - to demand – требовать] went into their traveling bags, while they worked at the empty looms far into the night[44 - far into the night – до поздней ночи].

'I'd like to know how those weavers are getting on with the cloth,' the Emperor thought, but he felt slightly uncomfortable when he remembered that those who were unfit for their position would not be able to see the fabric. It couldn't be that he doubted himself[45 - doubted himself – сомневался в себе], yet he thought he'd send someone else to see how things were going.

The whole town knew about the cloth's special power, and all were impatient to find out how stupid their neighbors were.

'I'll send my honest old minister to the weavers,' the Emperor decided. 'He'll be the best one to tell me how the material looks, for he's a sensible man and no one does his duty better.'

So the honest old minister went to the room where the two swindlers sat working at their empty looms.

'Heaven help me,' he thought as his eyes flew wide open, 'I can't see anything at all'. But he did not say so.

Both the swindlers begged him to be so kind as to come near to approve the excellent pattern, the beautiful colors. They pointed to the empty looms, and the poor old minister stared as hard as he could. He couldn't see anything, because there was nothing to see.

'Heaven have mercy,' he thought. 'Can it be that I'm a fool? I have never thought that, and not a soul must know. Am I unfit to be the minister? I will never say that I can't see the cloth.'

'Don't hesitate[46 - don't hesitate – не сомневайтесь, не стесняйтесь] to tell us what you think of it,' said one of the weavers.

'Oh, it's beautiful – it's lovely.' The old minister looked through his spectacles.