to appear as if
he were admiring his new costume.

The chamberlains, who were to carry the train, stooped and put their
hands near the floor as if they were lifting it; then they pretended to
be holding something in the air. They would not let it be noticed that
they could see and feel nothing.

So the emperor went along in the procession, under the splendid canopy,
and every one in the streets said: "How beautiful the emperor's new
clothes are! What a splendid train! And how well they fit!"

No one wanted to let it appear that he could see nothing, for that would
prove him not fit for his post. None of the emperor's clothes had been
so great a success before.

"But he has nothing on!" said a little child.

"Just listen to the innocent," said its father; and one person whispered
to another what the child had said. "He has nothing on; a child says he
has nothing on!"

"But he has nothing on," cried all the people. The emperor was startled
by this, for he had a suspicion that they were right. But he thought, "I
must face this out to the end and go on with the procession." So he held
himself more stiffly than ever, and the chamberlains held up the train
that was not there at all.

[Illustration]

GREAT CLAUS AND LITTLE CLAUS

IN A VILLAGE there once lived two men of the same name. Both of them
were called Claus. But because one of them owned four horses while the
other had but one, people called the one who had the four horses Big, or
Great, Claus and the one who owned but a single horse Little Claus. Now
I shall tell you what happened to each of them, for this is a true
story.

All the days of the week Little Claus was obliged to plow for Great
Claus and to lend him his one horse; then once a week, on Sunday, Great
Claus helped Little Claus with his four horses, but always on a holiday.

"Hurrah!" How Little Claus would crack his whip over the five, for they
were as good as his own on that one day.

The sun shone brightly, and the church bells rang merrily as the people
passed by. The people were dressed in their best, with their prayer
books under their arms, for they were going to church to hear the
clergyman preach. They looked at Little Claus plowing with five horses,
and he was so proud and merry that he cracked his whip and cried,
"Gee-up, my fine horses."

"You mustn't say that," said Great Claus, "for only one of them is
yours."

But Little Claus soon forgot what it was that he oug