“But he has nothing on,” said a little child.
“Just hear the innocent!” said the father; and each one whispered to his neighbor what the child had said.
“But he has nothing on,” cried out all the people at last.
This struck the Emperor, for it seemed to him that they were right; but he thought to himself, “I must go through with the procession now.”
So he held himself stiffer than ever, and the chamberlains held on tightly, carrying the train which was not there at all. [[27]]
THE GOLDEN GOOSE
There was once a man who had three sons, the youngest of whom was thought to be very stupid and silly. Everybody used to tease and mock him.
One day the eldest son wanted to go into the forest to hew wood, and before he started, his mother gave him a fine sweet cake and a bottle of wine to take with him. In the forest he met a gray old man, who bade him “good day,” and said, “Give me a piece of your cake and a sip of your wine, for I am very hungry and thirsty.”
But the prudent youth replied: “If I give you my cake and wine, I shall have none for myself. Be off with you!”