The Emperor's New Clothes

Interesting Facts

• The tale tells of two swindlers who convince the emperor they can sew him an invisible outfit, visible only to the wise and worthy.
• The emperor, unwilling to admit his foolishness, pretends to see the outfit, and his courtiers do the same.
• The story illustrates the human tendency towards self-deception and fear of societal judgment.
• The climax occurs when a small child, unburdened by social conventions, loudly declares that the emperor is indeed naked.
• The tale has become a popular metaphor for describing situations where people fear speaking the truth due to fear of ridicule or misunderstanding.