Many, many years ago lived an emperor, who thought so much of new clothes that he spent all his money in order to obtain them; his only ambition was to be always well dressed. He did not care for his soldiers, and the theatre did not amuse him; the only thing, in fact, he thought anything of was to drive out and show a new suit of clothes. He had a coat for every hour of the day; and as one would say of a king “He is in his cabinet,” so one could say of him, “The emperor is in his dressing-room.”
Not long ago lived a strange group of people, who were working together in a corporation and a project. Some of them did not care for anything but the project and others did not care for the project at all. They were happy as long as they could send out orders. "Here is a completely new order" one could say, but it was an old copied one. They had to sit there behind taped windows so no one could see what they did or did not. "Don't disturb, they are not thinking", you could say.
The emperor and all his barons then came to the hall; the swindlers held their arms up as if they held something in their hands and said: “These are the trousers!” “This is the coat!” and “Here is the cloak!” and so on. “They are all as light as a cobweb, and one must feel as if one had nothing at all upon the body; but that is just the beauty of them.”
The Head of Heads and all the Heads gathered in a big Hall. They said; "Today is a big day for us all! We'll tell you about the biggest, the newest, the greatest and finally you will see our new logo and you must ask many questions because we are very modern. Don't be shy".
“Indeed!” said all the courtiers; but they could not see anything, for there was nothing to be seen.
"Nod, nod, nick, and nod", said all the Heads. Here the two stories become very different. While the emperor undressed, the Head of Heads and all the other Heads dressed.
“Does it please your Majesty now to graciously undress,” said the swindlers, “that we may assist your Majesty in putting on the new suit before the large looking-glass?”
The emperor undressed, and the swindlers pretended to put the new suit upon him, one piece after another; and the emperor looked at himself in the glass from every side.
The Head of Heads dressed the corporation and the project and the second Head of Heads did the same. "There was never a greater project than this and all would be remembered for taking part in it."
“How well they look! How well they fit!” said all. “What a beautiful pattern! What fine colors! That is a magnificent suit of clothes!”
"Hear, hear", said the Head of Ceremonies, "Feel free to ask questions, since we are very modern and truly international. No questions? Don't be shy."
The master of the ceremonies announced that the bearers of the canopy, which was to be carried in the procession, were ready.
“I am ready,” said the emperor. “Does not my suit fit me marvelously?” Then he turned once more to the looking-glass, that people should think he admired his garments.
The chamberlains, who were to carry the train, stretched their hands to the ground as if they lifted up a train, and pretended to hold something in their hands; they did not like people to know that they could not see anything.
"Today you will hear all about our great mission", said the two biggest Heads. One after one came forward and told the People about how fabulous everything was. They came from North and South and East and West. Even the Head of Protocol had his say.
The emperor marched in the procession under the beautiful canopy, and all who saw him in the street and out of the windows exclaimed: “Indeed, the emperor’s new suit is incomparable! What a long train he has! How well it fits him!” Nobody wished to let others know he saw nothing, for then he would have been unfit for his office or too stupid. Never the emperor’s clothes were more admired.
Most of the People listened since they had to. Little did they believe in much of what was said? They were waiting for the champagne and the dancing. The master of the ceremonies asked a beautiful Lady and not the Head of All Heads to come forward and officially reveal the New Logo and she did with charm.
“But he has nothing on at all,” said a little child at last. “Good heavens! Listen to the voice of an innocent child,” said the father, and one whispered to the other what the child had said. “But he has nothing on at all,” cried at last the whole people. That made a deep impression upon the emperor, for it seemed to him that they were right; but he thought to himself, “Now I must bear up to the end.” And the chamberlains walked with still greater dignity, as if they carried the train which did not exist.
The Head of Heads and the other Heads had not been told by a little child that the corporation doesn't appear modern an international. The corporation is not naked like the emperor; it has a hat and a coat from the sixties and a suit from 1974.
"Not very modern", you may say. The emperor finally realized that he was naked.
Will the Heads ever get rid of the old hat, the coat and the suit from 1974?
