安徒生童话-第72章
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t； buthe could see nothing； for there was nothing to be seen。 〃Oh dear；〃he thought； 〃can I be so stupid？ I should never have thought so； andnobody must know it！ Is it possible that I am not fit for my office？No； no； I cannot say that I was unable to see the cloth。〃
〃Now； have you got nothing to say？〃 said one of the swindlers；while he pretended to be busily weaving。
〃Oh； it is very pretty； exceedingly beautiful；〃 replied the oldminister looking through his glasses。 〃What a beautiful pattern；what brilliant colours！ I shall tell the emperor that I like the clothvery much。〃
〃We are pleased to hear that；〃 said the two weavers； and describedto him the colours and explained the curious pattern。 The old ministerlistened attentively； that he might relate to the emperor what theysaid； and so he did。
Now the swindlers asked for more money； silk and gold…cloth； whichthey required for weaving。 They kept everything for themselves； andnot a thread came near the loom； but they continued； as hitherto； towork at the empty looms。
Soon afterwards the emperor sent another honest courtier to theweavers to see how they were getting on； and if the cloth was nearlyfinished。 Like the old minister； he looked and looked but could seenothing； as there was nothing to be seen。
〃Is it not a beautiful piece of cloth？〃 asked the two swindlers；showing and explaining the magnificent pattern； which； however； didnot exist。
〃I am not stupid；〃 said the man。 〃It is therefore my goodappointment for which I am not fit。 It is very strange； but I must notlet any one know it；〃 and he praised the cloth； which he did notsee； and expressed his joy at the beautiful colours and the finepattern。 〃It is very excellent；〃 he said to the emperor。
Everybody in the whole town talked about the precious cloth。 Atlast the emperor wished to see it himself； while it was still on theloom。 With a number of courtiers； including the two who had alreadybeen there； he went to the two clever swindlers； who now worked ashard as they could； but without using any thread。
〃Is it not magnificent？〃 said the two old statesmen who had beenthere before。 〃Your Majesty must admire the colours and thepattern。〃 And then they pointed to the empty looms； for theyimagined the others could see the cloth。
〃What is this？〃 thought the emperor； 〃I do not see anything atall。 That is terrible！ Am I stupid？ Am I unfit to be emperor？ Thatwould indeed be the most dreadful thing that could happen to me。〃
〃Really；〃 he said； turning to the weavers； 〃your cloth has ourmost gracious approval；〃 and nodding contentedly he looked at theempty loom； for he did not like to say that he saw nothing。 All hisattendants； who were with him； looked and looked； and although theycould not see anything more than the others； they said； like theemperor； 〃It is very beautiful。〃 And all advised him to wear the newmagnificent clothes at a great procession which was soon to takeplace。 〃It is magnificent； beautiful； excellent；〃 one heard themsay； everybody seemed to be delighted； and the emperor appointed thetwo swindlers 〃Imperial Court weavers。〃
The whole night previous to the day on which the procession was totake place； the swindlers pretended to work； and burned more thansixteen candles。 People should see that they were busy to finish theemperor's new suit。 They pretended to take the cloth from the loom；and worked about in the air with big scissors； and sewed withneedles without thread； and said at last： 〃The emperor's new suit isready now。〃
The emperor and all his barons then came to the hall； theswindlers held their arms up as if they held something in theirhands and said： 〃These are the trousers！〃 〃This is the coat！〃 and〃Here is the cloak！〃 and so on。 〃They are all as light as a cobweb；and one must feel as if one had nothing at all upon the body； but thatis just the beauty of them。〃
〃Indeed！〃 said all the courtiers； but they could not see anything；for there was nothing to be seen。
〃Does it please your Majesty now to graciously undress；〃 saidthe swindlers； 〃that we may assist your Majesty in putting on thenew suit before the large looking…glass？〃
The emperor undressed； and the swindlers pretended to put thenew suit upon him； one piece after another； and the emperor lookedat himself in the glass from every side。
〃How well they look！ How well they fit！〃 said all。 〃What abeautiful pattern！ What fine colours！ That is a magnificent suit ofclothes！〃
The master of the ceremonies announced that the bearers of thecanopy； which was to be carried in the procession； were ready。
〃I am ready；〃 said the emperor。 〃Does not my suit fit memarvellously？〃 Then he turned once more to the looking…glass； thatpeople should think he admired his garments。
The chamberlains； who were to carry the train； stretched theirhands to the ground as if they lifted up a train； and pretended tohold something in their hands； they did not like people to know thatthey could not see anything。
The emperor marched in the procession under the beautifulcanopy； and all who saw him in the street and out of the windowsexclaimed： 〃Indeed； the emperor's new suit is inparable！ What along train he has！ How well it fits him！〃 Nobody wished to letothers know he saw nothing； for then he would have been unfit forhis office or too stupid。 Never emperor's clothes were more admired。
〃But he has nothing on at all；〃 said a little child at last。 〃Goodheavens！ listen to the voice of an innocent child；〃 said the father；and one whispered to the other what the child had said。 〃But he hasnothing on at all；〃 cried at last the whole people。 That made a deepimpression upon the emperor； for it seemed to him that they wereright； but he thought to himself； 〃Now I must bear up to the end。〃 Andthe chamberlains walked with still greater dignity； as if they carriedthe train which did not exist。
THE END。
1872
FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
THE FARM…YARD COCK AND THE WEATHER…COCK
by Hans Christian Andersen
THERE were two cocks… one on the dung…hill； the other on the roof。They were both arrogant； but which of the two rendered most service？Tell us your opinion… we'll keep to ours just the same though。
The poultry yard was divided by some planks from another yard inwhich there was a dung…hill； and on the dung…hill lay and grew a largecucumber which was conscious of being a hot…bed plant。
〃One is born to that；〃 said the cucumber to itself。 〃Not all canbe born cucumbers； there must be other things； too。 The hens； theducks； and all the animals in the next yard are creatures too。 Now Ihave a great opinion of the yard cock on the plank； he is certainly ofmuch more importance than the weather…cock who is placed so high andcan't even creak； much less crow。 The latter has neither hens norchicks； and only thinks of himself and perspires verdigris。 No； theyard cock is really a cock！ His step is a dance！ His crowing is music；and wherever he goes one knows what a trumpeter is like！ If he wouldonly e in here！ Even if he ate me up stump； stalk； and all； and Ihad to dissolve in his body； it would be a happy death；〃 said thecucumber。
In the night there was a terrible storm。 The hens； chicks； andeven the cock sought shelter； the wind tore down the planks betweenthe two yards with a crash； the tiles came tumbling down； but theweather…cock sat firm。 He did not even turn round； for he could not；and yet he was young and freshly cast； but prudent and sedate。 Hehad been born old； and did not at all resemble the birds flying in theair… the sparrows； and the swallows； no； he despised them； thesemean little piping birds； these mon whistlers。 He admitted that thepigeons； large and white and shining like mother…o'…pearl； looked likea kind of weather…cock； but they were fat and stupid； and all theirthoughts and endeavours were directed to filling themselves with food；and besides； they were tiresome things to converse with。 The birdsof passage had also paid the weather…cock a visit and told him offoreign countries； of airy caravans and robber stories that made one'shair stand on end。 All this was new and interesting； that is； forthe first time； but afterwards； as the weather…cock found out； theyrepeated themselves and always told the same stories； and that'svery tedious； and there was no one with whom one could associate；for one and all were stale and small…minded。
〃The world is no good！〃 he said。 〃Everything in it is so stupid。〃
The weather…cock was puffed up； and that quality would have madehim interesting in the eyes of the cucumber if it had known it； but ithad eyes only for the yard cock； who was now in the yard with it。
The wind had blown the planks； but the storm was over。
〃What do you think of that crowing？〃 said the yard cock to thehens and chickens。 〃It was a little rough… it wanted elegance。〃
And the hens and chickens came up on the dung…hill； and the cockstrutted about like a lord。
〃Garden plant！〃 he said to the cucumber； and in that one wordhis deep learning showed itself； and it forgot that he was peckingat her and eating it up。 〃A happy death！〃
The hens and the chickens came； for where one runs the othersrun too； they clucked； and chirped； and looked at the cock； and wereproud that he was of their kind。
〃Cock…a…doodle…do
