The Emperor’s New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen has been a popular children’s folktale for generations. Recalling this amusing tale may shed light on the serious subject of our cover story.

In the fable, a vain emperor who spends lavishly on new clothes is deceived by two swindlers posing as weavers. The swindlers claim that they can weave clothes so magnificent that anyone who is a fool or unfit for the emperor’s office would be unable to see them. The weavers go through the motions of working diligently at their empty looms, and when finished present the nonexistent new “garments” to the emperor, and have him undress and put them on. Of course, no one can see the splendid new clothes, but no one — including the emperor — will admit he cannot see them, since that would mean acknowledging that he is stupid or unworthy of the position.

So enthralled is the emperor with his fine new clothes that he sets off on a procession through the town so all his subjects can admire them. Everyone expresses how fine his clothes are — until a little child exclaims, “But he hasn’t got anything on!” Everyone then wakes up to the fact that their eyes are not deceiving them, and the emperor really is naked.

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