The Invisible Cloth

The honest old minister stood frozen in the middle of the bright workshop and stared at the empty looms. He opened his eyes as wide as humanly possible. He blinked. He wiped his glasses with his handkerchief and looked again. But he saw nothing. There was not a single thread of shining silk. There was not a tiny strand of sparkling gold. There were only bare wooden sticks standing in the quiet sunlight.

"Heaven protect me!" the poor old minister thought in utter terror, while cold sweat broke out across his forehead. "Can it really be that I am a fool? Have I lived all these years without realizing how stupid I am? Or am I totally unfit for my office as the King's chief minister? This is a dreadful nightmare! If the King finds out, I will lose my position, my salary, and my good reputation. I must never, ever let a single soul know that I cannot see this cloth!"

The two cunning weavers noticed his pale face and stepped forward with polite, welcoming smiles. "Welcome, noble minister!" said the first weaver in a pleasant tone. "Please come a little closer. What do you think of this magnificent pattern? Do you not admire the harmony of these deep, rich colors?" The weaver pointed his finger into the empty space between the wooden beams, tracing imaginary flowers and curving lines.

The poor old minister stepped right up to the loom and stared with all his might. He looked until his eyes began to burn, but he could see nothing, because there was nothing to see. Yet his fear of being called a fool was stronger than his love for the truth. He cleared his throat loudly, forced a cheerful smile onto his face, and nodded his head with great enthusiasm.

"Oh! It is breathtaking! Truly exquisite!" the old minister exclaimed in a trembling voice, pretending to examine the invisible details with deep appreciation. "What magnificent colors! What a charming and original design! Look at how that deep royal red blends with that sky blue and golden border! It is a true triumph of art! I shall return to His Majesty immediately and report that I am completely enchanted with your masterpiece!"

The two tricksters smiled warmly and bowed with exaggerated respect. "We are deeply honored by your generous praise, sir," said the second weaver. Then the weavers began to describe the nonexistent fabric in great detail. They gave names to the invisible colors, explained the meaning of the invisible symbols, and pointed out the imaginary silk flowers. The old minister listened with intense concentration, memorizing every single word so that he could repeat the exact same description to the King without making any mistakes.

Before the minister departed, the weavers made another bold request. "To complete this glorious robe in time for the royal parade," they said, "we will need another fifty gold coins and twenty more rolls of expensive colored silk." The minister promised that the King would provide everything at once. As soon as the heavy door slammed shut, the two rogues burst into quiet laughter, shoved the new gold into their pockets, and continued moving their empty hands at the bare looms.

The old minister hurried back to the throne room and bowed low before the King. "Your Majesty!" he declared with dramatic passion. "The cloth is more magnificent than words can express! The patterns are wonderful beyond measure, and the colors shine like precious jewels!" The King was overjoyed to hear this glowing report. He felt immensely relieved to know that his oldest and most faithful minister was indeed wise, capable, and worthy of his high rank.

A few days later, the King wished to know if the cloth was nearly finished. He selected another trusted officer from his court—a proud, intelligent nobleman renowned throughout the city for his sharp intellect and practical good sense. "Go to the workshop," the King commanded, "and inspect the progress of our royal garments."

The proud officer marched into the workshop with head held high and absolute self-confidence. But the moment he looked at the wooden looms, exactly the same thing happened to him. He stared from left to right, above and below, but saw only empty air and bare wood. "What on earth is this?" the officer asked himself in a panic. "Am I a simpleton? Am I stupid? That is impossible! I have won every debate in the council! But if I admit that I see nothing, everyone will say I am incompetent and unfit for my office!"

So the proud officer began to praise the invisible fabric with loud, flowery words. "The texture is as smooth as still water, and the embroidery is absolutely divine!" he announced to the smiling weavers. He rushed back to the King and proclaimed: "Your Majesty, the cloth is nearly complete! It is the most splendid and astonishing creation in the history of the world!"

Now the entire capital city could talk of nothing else. Citizens gathered in the streets, debating the beauty of the magical cloth and wondering how magnificent the King would look. Finally, the King could bear the suspense no longer. He decided to visit the workshop in person, accompanied by his two ministers and a grand retinue of noble lords and elegant ladies.

When the royal party entered the sunny room, the two weavers were working with extraordinary speed and energy, waving their arms, cutting the air, and rattling their empty shuttles. "Look, Your Majesty!" cried the old minister and the trusted officer together, pointing proudly at the empty space. "Is it not glorious? Behold the lovely colors! Behold the magnificent design! Each thread shines like pure light!"

The King walked up to the looms and stared with wide eyes. But he saw nothing at all. "What is happening?" the King thought in cold terror, feeling the blood drain from his face. "I see nothing! Am I a fool? Am I unfit to be King? That would be the greatest disaster that could ever happen to me! If my people find out, I will be ruined forever!"

So the King instantly forced a radiant smile onto his lips, clapped his hands together, and announced in a booming voice: "It is absolutely charming! It has my highest royal approval!" All the noble lords and ladies crowded around, squinting at the empty frames. None of them saw anything either, but every single one of them shouted: "Magnificent! Superb! Splendid!" They eagerly advised the King to have a suit made from this magical cloth for the great parade tomorrow. The King smiled, gave each weaver a golden medal to wear on his coat, and appointed them Official Gentlemen Weavers to the Crown.