The Emperor's Smoke and Mirrors

Photo by @briskventure

The soup arrived without liquid, and the emperor is parading around without his clothes. #smokeandmirrors

We began the last Curated Feast with a Sovereign Soup of Roasted Curried Cauliflower, Pearled Onion, & Purple Potatoes—served with a Truffle Beef Broth and a Toasted Golden Brioche Wrapped in Silk.

This soup was served along with the archetypal stories of the King and the Queen. Today let's explore a story which asks us to consider wisdom and foolishness. It is about learning when to speak up for what you believe, which feels apropos for this historical moment, whichever side you're on. This tale comes to us from Hans Christian Anderson.

Many, many years ago there was an emperor who was so terribly fond of beautiful new clothes that he spent all his money on his attire. He did not care about his soldiers, or attending the theatre, or even going for a drive in the park, unless it was to show off his new clothes. He had an outfit for every hour of the day.

One day, two swindlers came to town and convinced the emperor that their clothes are of a magical silken fabric so light that only the worthy could see it. "Well, I am dressed. Aren't my clothes becoming?" remarked the emperor. He turned around once more in front of the mirror, pretending to study his finery. The two gentlemen of the imperial bedchamber fumbled on the floor trying to find the train which they were to carry. They didn't dare admit that they didn't see anything, so they pretended to pick up the train and held their hands as if they were carrying it.

In the parade, people congratulated him on his fine new clothes. No one was willing to admit that they hadn't seen a thing; for if anyone did, then they would be branded a fool. Never before had the emperor's clothes been such a success. Finally, one voice from the crowd dissented: "But he doesn't have anything on!" cried a little child. They all knew it was true.