The naked truth

A king loved wearing new clothes. One day two swindlers came with an offer to weave for him a diaphanous magical costume, as thin as the spider’s web. Only the honest people would see it, not the crooked ones. The king was delighted. He would sit in court in his new dress and ask darbaris how it looked. Those who couldn’t see it would not be able to respond. They would be immediately dispensed with.

The king’s new costume became a subject of intense gossip in the court , in fact, in the whole realm. An atmosphere of dread and suspicion settled in. Each thought the other was corrupt. 

Soon the dress was ready. The court was called in attendance while the king went to don the new ‘telling’ dress. He took off his clothes and the swindlers put up a grand show of ‘enrobing’ him in the gossamer suit. Head held high, preening with pride ,the king entered the court with the chamberlains in tow carrying the train that wasn’t there. 

“Goodness, they suit you superbly . What a perfect fit, what a pattern ! what colours ! Such luxurious clothes”

“ incomparable, what a beautiful train on his jacket!”,  the ringing chorus greeted him. 

Never before had the king’s new clothes received such unanimous fulsome praise, except from one darbari who couldn’t hold back wondering to one beside him, “but is he wearing anything? ” The man in turn asked the one next to him “Is he ? “. Soon the court was a whispering gallery of,  ‘is he ?’ Then the whispers turned into an audible murmur, the King heard it too. 

“What ‘Is he’ ? ” , he shrieked

Everyone stood up and all fingers pointed to the offending darbari. 

“My Lord, he doubts you have anything on. ” 

“Aha ! the corrupt one. I am happy that he is the only one. He has no business to live, despatch him to the heavens. I need to find out how many others in my realm are corrupt. ” 

The darbari lost his crown. 

And the crown on the king’s head settled in more easily, securely, comfortably.

And the king henceforth gave public audiences in his birthday suit, eager to spot the corrupt ones. But till he died none noticed his nakedness. 

(Adapted from a well known Danish folktale)