20 jars of light

The clever tailor

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom ruled by a proud and vain king. He loved fine clothes more than anything in the world. Every day, he would dress in the most elaborate outfits, hoping to impress everyone who saw him. One day, a tailor arrived in the capital, claiming that he could make the most beautiful suit ever seen. The king, intrigued, invited the tailor to his palace.

The tailor, who was a clever man, said, "Your Majesty, I can create a suit so splendid that it is invisible to those who are not wise or fit for their position."

The king was confused but interested. He thought, "I am wise enough to see this suit, and if I do not, then it would mean I am unfit to rule." So he ordered the tailor to begin immediately.

Days passed, and the tailor pretended to sew the suit, although he had made nothing at all. When the king asked to see the progress, the tailor showed him the empty threads. "Isn't it magnificent?" the tailor asked.

The king, afraid to admit that he couldn't see the suit, nodded enthusiastically. "It's wonderful! Let's have it ready for me to wear at the royal parade."

On the day of the parade, the king proudly wore the invisible suit, though he was, in reality, wearing nothing. The people of the kingdom, not wanting to seem foolish, all praised the king's clothes, saying how beautiful they were.

But a small child, innocent and pure, pointed to the king and shouted, "The king is wearing nothing!"

Everyone gasped and then realized the truth. The king was embarrassed but had learned an important lesson: vanity and pride could blind even the wisest man. He ordered the tailor to be thrown into prison for tricking him, but he also vowed never to be so deceived by appearances again.

Moral: Pride can make us blind to the truth, and sometimes, only the purest hearts can see what is real.