爱虚荣的国王与两个骗子

Many years ago, in a great and prosperous country, there lived a King who was passionate about fine clothes. He loved beautiful new garments more than anything else in the whole world. While other kings spent their money on strong armies, great ships, or new schools for their people, this King spent every single coin on his wardrobe. He had a different coat for every hour of the day, from morning until night. If anyone asked where the King was, the servants never replied, "The King is in the council chamber discussing laws with his ministers." Instead, they always smiled and said, "The King is in his dressing room, trying on a new suit!"

The King's capital city was a bright, lively, and cheerful place. Every day, large crowds of visitors, merchants, and travelers arrived from distant kingdoms across the sea. The markets were full of life, and the streets were always busy with laughter and music. One sunny morning, two strangers walked through the golden city gates. They claimed to be master weavers from a far-off eastern land. In truth, they were two cunning thieves and clever tricksters who had heard of the King's great weakness for fashionable clothes.

The two weavers went straight to the royal palace and asked for an audience with the King's chief officers. "We are not ordinary weavers," said the first man with a charming bow and a pleasant smile. "We possess the secret art of weaving the most extraordinary and magnificent cloth in the entire universe. Its colors are more radiant than a summer sunrise, and its patterns are more delicate and intricate than the finest spider's web." The royal officers listened with open mouths and wide eyes, fascinated by the strangers' confident words.

Then the second weaver stepped forward, lowered his voice, and added something even more astonishing: "Our wonderful fabric possesses a magical and supernatural power. Any garments fashioned from this special cloth are completely invisible to anyone who is stupid, simple-minded, or unfit for the post he holds!" The officers gasped in surprise. A magical cloth that could reveal the foolish and the incompetent? That was the most extraordinary thing anyone in the kingdom had ever heard of.

When the news reached the King, his heart beat rapidly with joy and excitement. "Those would indeed be the most splendid and useful clothes in the world!" the King thought to himself, rubbing his hands together. "If I wear a royal robe made from that magical cloth, I will instantly discover which men in my kingdom are not fit for their positions. I will be able to distinguish the wise counselors from the foolish fools at a single glance! Yes, this magnificent cloth must be woven for me immediately, no matter the cost!"

Without a moment's hesitation, the King summoned his royal treasurer. He commanded that a huge chest of gold coins and silver pieces be delivered to the two master weavers. "Give them whatever they request," the King ordered generously. "Provide them with the finest workshop in the castle, and let them begin their sacred work without any delay." The two weavers bowed to the floor, thanking the King with loud words of gratitude and loyalty.

The weavers were given a large, sunny room on the top floor of the royal castle. There, they set up two massive wooden looms. Then they sent a long written list of expensive materials to the King's treasurer. They demanded fifty rolls of the finest white silk, thirty balls of pure silver thread, and bags of glittering golden yarn. But as soon as these precious materials were delivered, the two clever rogues stuffed everything into their own leather travel bags and hid them safely beneath the floorboards.

Then the two men sat down before the empty wooden looms. With great dramatic energy, they began to work with empty hands. They reached into the empty air, pulled invisible threads through invisible shuttles, and pressed their feet down on the wooden pedals. They worked from early dawn until the dark hours of midnight, sweating under the candle glow, pretending to weave the most exquisite cloth the world had ever seen. Servants passing in the hallway whispered to one another: "Listen to them work! Those master weavers never rest!"

Meanwhile, the King sat upon his golden throne, thinking constantly about his future clothes. As days turned into weeks, the King grew increasingly curious and impatient. "I wonder how much of that marvelous cloth is finished by now," he said to himself. Yet every time he thought about walking up to the workshop himself, he felt a strange hesitation in his chest. He remembered the magical power of the fabric: anyone who was foolish or unfit for his office would see nothing at all.

The King stroked his chin thoughtfully and forced a confident smile. "Of course, I have nothing to fear for myself," he muttered in a proud voice. "I am the ruler of this great kingdom. I am wise, capable, and beloved by all. Still, it would be sensible to send someone else first, just to see how the weavers are progressing and what the cloth looks like." It was always wise for a great king to be cautious.

"I know whom I shall send!" the King declared happily. "I will send my faithful old minister to the weavers' workshop. He is the most honest, sensible, and experienced man in my entire court. He has served my father and me for forty years with great devotion. No one understands royal business better than he does. If anyone is fit for his post, it is surely my good old minister!"

By now, rumors about the magical cloth had spread through every street, square, and tavern in the capital city. Every citizen was talking about the invisible fabric with intense excitement and nervous anticipation. Everyone was eager to test their neighbors and discover how many fools and frauds were hiding among their friends and families. People looked at each other with suspicious smiles, wondering who would be the first to be exposed.

The honest old minister put on his reading glasses, straightened his heavy gray coat, and walked slowly down the long stone corridor toward the weavers' workshop. He walked with steady, confident steps. He had lived an honorable life. He had never cheated anyone, and he had always told the truth. He climbed the winding stairs, knocked firmly on the wooden door, and pushed it open.

Inside the sunny room, the two weavers were working at their empty looms with furious speed. The golden sunlight poured through the tall windows, illuminating the bare wooden frames. The old minister adjusted his glasses, stepped forward, and looked straight at the looms. There was nothing there. Absolutely nothing. The honest old man's heart skipped a beat, and the great test of truth and human vanity began.