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

His whole retinue stared and stared. One saw no more than another, but they all joined the Emperor in exclaiming, 'Oh! It's very pretty,' and they advised him to wear clothes made of this wonderful cloth especially for the great procession he was soon to lead. 'Magnificent! Excellent! Unsurpassed!' said people everywhere, and everyone did his best to seem well pleased. The Emperor gave each of the swindlers a cross to wear in his buttonhole[52 - buttonhole – петлица], and the title of 'Sir Weaver.'

Before the procession the swindlers sat up all night and burned more than six candles, to show how busy they were finishing the Emperor's new clothes.

They pretended to take the cloth off the loom. They made cuts in the air with huge scissors. And at last they said, 'Now the Emperor's new clothes are ready for him.'

Then the Emperor himself came with his noblest noblemen, and the swindlers each raised an arm as if they were holding something. They said, 'These are the trousers, here's the coat, and this is the mantle,' naming each garment.

'All of them are as light as a spider web. One would almost think he had nothing on, but that's what makes them so fine.'

'Exactly,' all the noblemen agreed, though they could see nothing, because there was nothing to see.

'If Your Imperial Majesty will condescend to take your clothes off,' said the swindlers, 'we will help you on with your new ones here in front of the long mirror.'

The Emperor undressed, and the swindlers pretended to put his new clothes on him, one garment after another.

They took him around the waist and seemed to be fastening[53 - to fasten – застегивать] something – that was his train – as the Emperor turned round and round before the looking glass.

'How well Your Majesty's new clothes look. Aren't they becoming!' He heard on all sides, 'That pattern, so perfect! Those colors, so suitable! It is a magnificent outfit.'

Then the minister of public processions announced:'Your Majesty's canopy is waiting outside.

'

'Well, I'm supposed to be ready,' the Emperor said, and turned again for one last look in the mirror. 'It is a remarkable fit, isn't it?' He seemed to regard his costume with the greatest interest.

The noblemen who were to carry his train stooped low and reached for the floor as if they were picking up his mantle. Then they pretended to lift and hold it high. They didn't dare admit they had nothing to hold.