The Emperor’s New Clothes | A Classic Tale of Wisdom and Humility for Kids with Audio
Listen To Emperor’s New Clothes, A Best Bedtime Story For Kids (Audio)
The Emperor’s New Clothes: A Classic Tale for Kids
Once Upon a Time in a Grand Kingdom
There was once an emperor who cared about nothing but his appearance. He spent all his time trying on extravagant clothes and parading in front of his people. The emperor’s obsession with fashion made him an easy target for tricksters.
The Arrival of the Weavers
One day, two cunning swindlers arrived in the kingdom. They claimed to be the finest weavers in the world and told the emperor they could create a magical fabric.
“Your Majesty,” they said, “our fabric is so special that it is invisible to anyone who is foolish or unfit for their job.”
The emperor was thrilled by the idea of such a marvelous fabric. He thought, “This will help me find out who in my kingdom is wise and who is not.”
The Fabric That Didn’t Exist
The emperor paid the weavers a large sum of money and gave them a room with a loom. The weavers pretended to work day and night, spinning and weaving, though their loom was empty.
Curious about their progress, the emperor sent his most trusted minister to check on the fabric. But when the minister arrived, he couldn’t see anything on the loom. Embarrassed and afraid of being called a fool, he praised the “fabric.”
“Your Majesty, the cloth is exquisite!” the minister reported.
One by one, everyone who visited the weavers pretended to admire the invisible cloth. No one wanted to admit they couldn’t see it.
The Emperor’s Parade
At last, the weavers declared the fabric finished. They pretended to dress the emperor in his new “clothes.” The emperor stood before a mirror and admired himself, even though he was wearing nothing at all.
On the day of the grand parade, the emperor walked through the streets of his kingdom. His subjects cheered and clapped, too afraid to admit they couldn’t see his clothes.
The Child Who Spoke the Truth
As the emperor paraded through the crowd, a small child pointed and exclaimed, “But the emperor isn’t wearing any clothes!”
The crowd fell silent. Then, one by one, they began to laugh and shout, “The emperor is naked!”
The emperor blushed with shame but realized the child was right. He had been fooled by the weavers and his own vanity.
Moral of the Story
“Honesty and humility are more valuable than pride and appearances. Even the smallest voice can reveal the greatest truth.”
Comprehension Questions for Kids
- Why did the emperor want the magical fabric?
- Why didn’t anyone admit they couldn’t see the cloth?
- What lesson can we learn from the child’s honesty?
Important Note
The story of The Emperor’s New Clothes is a timeless fairy tale first published by Hans Christian Andersen in 1837.
At StoriesCastle.com, we retell such classics in simple language to make them accessible for young readers, while preserving the story’s valuable moral lesson. Visit us more often for more such amazing Bedtime stories for kids.
