Thistimeshedidnottakehimtoasplendidpalace，buttoadeepcaveinarock，wheretherewerechainshangingfromthewall。Themaidennowchainedtheyoungman’shandsandfeetsothathecouldnotescape；thenshesaidinanangryvoice，’Hereyoushallremainchainedupuntilyoudie。Iwillbringyoueverydayenoughfoodtopreventyoudyingofhunger，butyouneedneverhopeforfreedomanymore。’Withthesewordsshelefthim。
　　TheoldKingandhisdaughterwaitedanxiouslyformanyweeksforthePrince’sreturn，butnonewsofhimarrived。TheKing’sdaughteroftendreamedthatherhusbandwasgoingthroughsomegreatsuffering:shethereforebeggedherfathertosummonalltheenchantersandmagicians，thattheymighttrytofindoutwherethePrincewasandhowhecouldbesetfree。Butthemagicians，withalltheirarts，couldfindoutnothing，exceptthathewasstilllivingandundergoinggreatsuffering；butnonecouldtellwherehewastobefound。AtlastacelebratedmagicianfromFinlandwasbroughtbeforetheKing，whohadfoundoutthattheKing’sson-in-lawwasimprisonedintheEast，notbymen，butbysomemorepowerfulbeing。TheKingnowsentmessengerstotheEasttolookforhisson-in-law，andtheybygoodluckmetwiththeoldmagicianwhohadinterpretedthesignsonKingSolomon’sring，andthuswaspossessedofmorewisdomthananyoneelseintheworld。Themagiciansoonfoundoutwhathewishedtoknow，andpointedouttheplacewherethePrincewasimprisoned，butsaid:’Heiskepttherebyenchantment，andcannotbesetfreewithoutmyhelp。Iwillthereforegowithyoumyself。’
　　Sotheyallsetout，guidedbybirds，andaftersomedayscametothecavewheretheunfortunatePrincehadbeenchainedupfornearlysevenyears。Herecognisedthemagicianimmediately，buttheoldmandidnotknowhim，hehadgrownsothin。However，heundidthechainsbythehelpofmagic，andtookcareofthePrinceuntilherecoveredandbecamestrongenoughtotravel。
　　WhenhereachedhomehefoundthattheoldKinghaddiedthatmorning，sothathewasnowraisedtothethrone。Andnowafterhislongsufferingcameprosperity，whichlastedtotheendofhislife；buthenevergotbackthemagicring，norhasiteveragainbeenseenbymortaleyes。
　　Now，ifYOUhadbeenthePrince，wouldyounotratherhavestayedwiththeprettywitch-maiden？
　　ManyyearsagotherelivedanEmperorwhowassofondofnewclothesthathespentallhismoneyontheminordertobebeautifullydressed。Hedidnotcareabouthissoldiers，hedidnotcareaboutthetheatre；heonlylikedtogooutwalkingtoshowoffhisnewclothes。Hehadacoatforeveryhouroftheday；andjustastheysayofaking，’Heisinthecouncil-chamber，’theyalwayssaidhere，’TheEmperorisinthewardrobe。’
　　Inthegreatcityinwhichhelivedtherewasalwayssomethinggoingon；everydaymanystrangerscamethere。Onedaytwoimpostorsarrivedwhogavethemselvesoutasweavers，andsaidthattheyknewhowtomanufacturethemostbeautifulclothimaginable。Notonlywerethetextureandpatternuncommonlybeautiful，buttheclotheswhichweremadeofthestuffpossessedthiswonderfulpropertythattheywereinvisibletoanyonewhowasnotfitforhisoffice，orwhowasunpardonablystupid。
　　’Thosemustindeedbesplendidclothes，’thoughttheEmperor。
　　’IfIhadthemonIcouldfindoutwhichmeninmykingdomareunfitfortheofficestheyhold；Icoulddistinguishthewisefromthestupid！Yes，thisclothmustbewovenformeatonce。’
　　Andhegaveboththeimpostorsmuchmoney，sothattheymightbegintheirwork。
　　Theyplacedtwoweaving-looms，andbegantodoasiftheywereworking，buttheyhadnottheleastthingonthelooms。Theyalsodemandedthefinestsilkandthebestgold，whichtheyputintheirpockets，andworkedattheemptyloomstilllateintothenight。
　　’Ishouldlikeverymuchtoknowhowfartheyhavegotonwiththecloth，’thoughttheEmperor。Butherememberedwhenhethoughtaboutitthatwhoeverwasstupidornotfitforhisofficewouldnotbeabletoseeit。Nowhecertainlybelievedthathehadnothingtofearforhimself，buthewantedfirsttosendsomebodyelseinordertoseehowhestoodwithregardtohisoffice。Everybodyinthewholetownknewwhatawonderfulpowertheclothhad，andtheywereallcurioustoseehowbadorhowstupidtheirneighbourwas。
　　’Iwillsendmyoldandhonouredministertotheweavers，’
　　thoughttheEmperor。’Hecanjudgebestwhattheclothislike，forhehasintellect，andnooneunderstandshisofficebetterthanhe。’
　　Nowthegoodoldministerwentintothehallwherethetwoimpostorssatworkingattheemptyweaving-looms。’Dearme！’
　　thoughttheoldminister，openinghiseyeswide，’Icanseenothing！’Buthedidnotsayso。
　　Boththeimpostorsbeggedhimtobesokindastostepcloser，andaskedhimifitwerenotabeautifultextureandlovelycolours。Theypointedtotheemptyloom，andthepooroldministerwentforwardrubbinghiseyes；buthecouldseenothing，fortherewasnothingthere。
　　’Dear，dear！’thoughthe，’canIbestupid？Ihaveneverthoughtthat，andnobodymustknowit！CanIbenotfitformyoffice？
　　No，ImustcertainlynotsaythatIcannotseethecloth！’
　　’Haveyounothingtosayaboutit？’askedoneofthemenwhowasweaving。
　　’Oh，itislovely，mostlovely！’answeredtheoldminister，lookingthroughhisspectacles。’Whatatexture！Whatcolours！
　　Yes，IwilltelltheEmperorthatitpleasesmeverymuch。’
　　’Nowwearedelightedatthat，’saidboththeweavers，andthereupontheynamedthecoloursandexplainedthemakeofthetexture。
　　Theoldministerpaidgreatattention，sothathecouldtellthesametotheEmperorwhenhecamebacktohim，whichhedid。
　　Theimpostorsnowwantedmoremoney，moresilk，andmoregoldtouseintheirweaving。Theyputitallintheirownpockets，andtherecamenothreadsontheloom，buttheywentonastheyhaddonebefore，workingattheemptyloom。TheEmperorsoonsentanotherworthystatesmantoseehowtheweavingwasgettingon，andwhethertheclothwouldsoonbefinished。Itwasthesamewithhimasthefirstone；helookedandlooked，butbecausetherewasnothingontheemptyloomhecouldseenothing。
　　’Isitnotabeautifulpieceofcloth？’askedthetwoimpostors，andtheypointedtoanddescribedthesplendidmaterialwhichwasnotthere。
　　’StupidIamnot！’thoughttheman，’soitmustbemygoodofficeforwhichIamnotfitted。Itisstrange，certainly，butnoonemustbeallowedtonoticeit。’Andsohepraisedtheclothwhichhedidnotsee，andexpressedtothemhisdelightatthebeautifulcoloursandthesplendidtexture。’Yes，itisquitebeautiful，’hesaidtotheEmperor。
　　Everybodyinthetownwastalkingofthemagnificentcloth。
　　NowtheEmperorwantedtoseeithimselfwhileitwasstillontheloom。Withagreatcrowdofselectfollowers，amongstwhomwereboththeworthystatesmenwhohadalreadybeentherebefore，hewenttothecunningimpostors，whowerenowweavingwithalltheirmight，butwithoutfibreorthread。
　　’Isitnotsplendid！’saidboththeoldstatesmenwhohadalreadybeenthere。’See，yourMajesty，whatatexture！Whatcolours！’
　　Andthentheypointedtotheemptyloom，fortheybelievedthattheotherscouldseetheclothquitewell。
　　’What！’thoughttheEmperor，’Icanseenothing！Thisisindeedhorrible！AmIstupid？AmInotfittobeEmperor？Thatwerethemostdreadfulthingthatcouldhappentome。Oh，itisverybeautiful，’hesaid。’Ithasmygraciousapproval。’Andthenhenoddedpleasantly，andexaminedtheemptyloom，forhewouldnotsaythathecouldseenothing。
　　HiswholeCourtroundhimlookedandlooked，andsawnomorethantheothers；buttheysaidliketheEmperor，’Oh！itisbeautiful！’Andtheyadvisedhimtowearthesenewandmagnificentclothesforthefirsttimeatthegreatprocessionwhichwassoontotakeplace。’Splendid！Lovely！Mostbeautiful！’wentfrommouthtomouth；everyoneseemeddelightedoverthem，andtheEmperorgavetotheimpostorsthetitleofCourtweaverstotheEmperor。
　　Throughoutthewholeofthenightbeforethemorningonwhichtheprocessionwastotakeplace，theimpostorswereupandwereworkingbythelightofoversixteencandles。ThepeoplecouldseethattheywereverybusymakingtheEmperor’snewclothesready。Theypretendedtheyweretakingtheclothfromtheloom，cutwithhugescissorsintheair，sewedwithneedleswithoutthread，andthensaidatlast，’Nowtheclothesarefinished！’
　　TheEmperorcamehimselfwithhismostdistinguishedknights，andeachimpostorhelduphisarmjustasifhewereholdingsomething，andsaid，’See！herearethebreeches！Hereisthecoat！Herethecloak！’andsoon。
　　’Spunclothesaresocomfortablethatonewouldimagineonehadnothingonatall；butthatisthebeautyofit！’
　　’Yes，’saidalltheknights，buttheycouldseenothing，fortherewasnothingthere。
　　’WillitpleaseyourMajestygraciouslytotakeoffyourclothes，’saidtheimpostors，’thenwewillputonthenewclothes，herebeforethemirror。’
　　TheEmperortookoffallhisclothes，andtheimpostorsplacedthemselvesbeforehimasiftheywereputtingoneachpartofhisnewclotheswhichwasready，andtheEmperorturnedandbenthimselfinfrontofthemirror。
　　’Howbeautifullytheyfit！Howwelltheysit！’saideverybody。
　　’Whatmaterial！Whatcolours！Itisagorgeoussuit！’
　　’TheyarewaitingoutsidewiththecanopywhichyourMajestyiswonttohaveborneoveryouintheprocession，’announcedtheMasteroftheCeremonies。
　　’Look，Iamready，’saidtheEmperor。’Doesn’titsitwell！’Andheturnedhimselfagaintothemirrortoseeifhisfinerywasonallright。
　　Thechamberlainswhowereusedtocarrythetrainputtheirhandsnearthefloorasiftheywereliftingupthetrain；thentheydidasiftheywereholdingsomethingintheair。Theywouldnothaveitnoticedthattheycouldseenothing。
　　SotheEmperorwentalongintheprocessionunderthesplendidcanopy，andallthepeopleinthestreetsandatthewindowssaid，’HowmatchlessaretheEmperor’snewclothes！Thattrainfastenedtohisdress，howbeautifullyithangs！’
　　Noonewishedittobenoticedthathecouldseenothing，forthenhewouldhavebeenunfitforhisoffice，orelseverystupid。NoneoftheEmperor’sclotheshadmetwithsuchapprovalasthesehad。