The Emperor's New Clothes
Long ago and far away, there lived an Emperor who was very vain and could think about nothing but his clothes. He spent hours each day changing outfits and kept all the city's tailors and weavers busy.
News of his vanity reached two swindlers. They traveled to his city and claimed to be weavers who could produce a magical cloth. "This cloth," they said, "has the wonderful quality of being invisible to anyone who is unfit for their office or hopelessly stupid."
Intrigued, the Emperor paid them a large sum of gold and provided them with a room to work. The swindlers pretended to weave on empty looms. When the Emperor sent his honest old minister to check on the progress, the minister saw nothing but dared not admit it, fearing he would be seen as unfit for his post. He praised the invisible cloth.
The same happened with another official. Finally, the Emperor himself went to see. He, too, saw nothing but, not wanting to appear a fool, exclaimed over the beauty of the non-existent fabric. All his courtiers followed suit.
The swindlers then "cut" and "sewed" the invisible cloth into a new suit for the Emperor. For the grand parade, the Emperor undressed and the swindlers pretended to help him into the new garments.
During the parade, all the townspeople, having heard of the cloth's magic, praised the Emperor's magnificent new clothes, afraid to be thought foolish. The illusion held until a child cried out, "But he has nothing on!"
The truth spread through the crowd. The Emperor realized the deception but felt he must continue the parade, more ashamed than ever. The swindlers had long since fled with their gold. The Emperor was left a wiser, if humiliated, man.