INKtober 2026 - That Dapper Emperor
*‘Dapper’ is a word of Dutch origin. Its Dutch meaning is different. ‘Dapper’ means brave (in this case, the courage to say what others do not dare to say).
For this assignment, I used the fairy tale ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’. Both are brave: the emperor (in both the English and Dutch meanings of the word) and the child who speaks the truth. As far as the child is concerned, I’m not entirely sure whether pointing at the emperor and saying he’s naked has anything to do with being brave. In this case, it’s simply a child blurting out what he thinks, no different from drunks and ‘idiots’. As we say: children, drunks and madmen speak the truth.
Contrary to what many might think, the emperor, who was mad about fine fabrics and clothing (presumably anything that glitters and sparkles), was not naked. In the days of the fairy-tale tellers (18th/19th centuries), the term ‘naked’ meant something quite different from what we understand by it today.
Nowhere in Hans Christian Andersen’s original story is it mentioned that the emperor was naked. Those fake tailors made him take off his outer garments. In those days, standing in your underwear was called ‘naked’. So the emperor wasn’t walking about like a nudist. He was probably wearing long johns and a sleeved shirt.
Contrary to what some might think, this man wasn’t ashamed (and no, he hadn’t been wearing his boxer shorts with pink hearts either. Pink wasn’t a ‘girls’ colour’ back then), though he may well have been extremely stubborn. One thing is certain: the emperor sees himself as a god. This man has started something and will see it through to the end – and he’s right to do so. After all, you only make a fool of yourself if you feel that way yourself. If you ignore the fact and the wailing of a small child, and the laughter of those the emperor regards as a foolish populace, then there’s nothing to worry about.
It’s just as well that child has no parents; otherwise, they might well find themselves in serious trouble. Who knows, perhaps they and that child – along with those who are laughing – will be eliminated as soon as the emperor is out of sight. After all, a man like that is never out and about on his own. Incidentally, it’s also open to question whether the emperor isn’t primarily focused on himself and actually hears the people at all.
As for intelligence, no ruler wants a clever populace. Those in power would much rather have a docile populace.
Materials
- sketchbook - bamboo paper
- pencil HB
- blue ballpoint
- sort of "pink" fineliner
- watercolour paint (Action)
Other INKtober entries
- Beacon - modern Hans
- you are my Hero - or not
- Lounge Mode Activated
- Confused
- Flightless
23.10.26
INKtober prompt: dapper
#ccc #inktober #artonsteemit #drawing #creative #syeemexclusivr
There are many anecdotes about tailors who can achieve the impossible—namely, convincing a person that they will look their absolute best, sharp as a tack, if they only don a suit tailored by them.
Just as the tale of the fisherman and the fish is not really about a spiteful old woman, but rather about the old man’s devoted love for her, the story of the naked emperor is likely not about the emperor’s inflated ego, but about the tailors’ talent for granting someone a fleeting moment of happiness—even while deceiving their client, the naked emperor himself! :)
An excellent drawing! It transported me back to a fairy tale I read in my childhood :)
0.00 SBD,
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If you ask me the Emperor is about politics and ranks ...
The plebs are the sheep, too scared to say the truth, same for the servants. Those scammers do not care about ranks, they go where the money goes and know the weak points of the system and how to get what they want. A bit flattery... Sounds like Rutte praising Trump while kicking the Dutch into the mud.
Which fish? I only know the golden fish and the three wishes. As a child I had a beautiful book with pictures. All green and gold. And of course a sausage hanging at the tip of the nose... Also a lesson ..never wish if you do not know the consequences, have a partner, feel annoyed and are hungry (who knows even not if you are poor).
@steemchiller - 50 - https://steemit.com/ccc/@barski/tnf2aa
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Throughout history and across all nations, there have always been those who sought to make life miserable for the common people—typically the ruling class. Yet, there have also been those who showed how one ought to deal with such petty bureaucrats. People often forget that their own ancestors had some remarkable teachers! For instance, in the countries of Central Asia, there was the wise Hodja Nasreddin; and in your own native land, there was the equally wise and spirited Till Eulenspiegel—a man who never lost his love for life, even amidst the tyranny of the Inquisition and a culture where people routinely denounced their neighbors just to get their hands on their property. :)
Don’t pay any attention to politicians; they aren’t worth the honor! :)
As for the tale about the fish—I was referring to the work by Pushkin. :)