literature

Azshara's New Clothes

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Literature Text

Once upon a time, in another world called Azeroth, there were a people called the Night Elves. Like all elves, they were graceful and skilled in many arts. Yet they could often be proud and were prone to be foolish.

The Night Elves had a queen called Azshara. She was so beautiful that they called her the Light of Lights. Not only was she very beautiful, but she had great magic power. Yet she shared the same faults as her people in that she was very proud and a little foolish. Perhaps this was why the Night Elves loved and adored her so much. They had the queen they deserved.

One day, Azshara sat on her throne holding court. She loved to wear beautiful clothes and she was dressed in a gorgeous white gown. She wore jewels on round her neck, on her arms and on her shapely ankles. Her feet were bare, for Night Elves often went barefoot and Azshara especially preferred to display her pretty feet.

Before her came various dignitaries bringing gifts and presenting requests and supplications. One of her stewards announced the arrival of two goblins.

Azshara was rarely visited by races other than her own. The Night Elves had few dealings at all with the goblins.

The two goblins were short, with green skin and long pointed ears. They were dressed in colourful and very fine clothing. They knelt down and bowed low before the Night Elf queen.

"What brings goblins to my realm?" asked Azshara.

"We have come to behold the beauty of the Light of Lights. We are delighted to find that everything we had been told was true about your magnificence. We also bring gifts to your majesty," said one of the goblins.

This pleased Azshara enormously. She liked being complimented on her beauty and she liked being given gifts even more.

"We see by your gown that your majesty is an elf of fine taste and great refinement," said the other goblin.

This continued to please the beautiful Night Elf queen.

"My brother and are tailors and we should like to compliment your majesty by making you a new gown that is even better suited to your magnificence and very sensible judgment."

"That would indeed please me," said Azshara.

Now the two goblins were not really tailors at all. They were in fact swindlers and were about to pull a fast one on the gullible queen.

"This is no ordinary dress, for it will be made of the finest cloth in all Azeroth. This cloth is so fine and delicate that a person who is stupid or ill-bred will be quite unable to see it. Your majesty will be able to test whether your courtiers are really fit for office," explained the goblin.

To Azshara this sounded like a quite wonderful idea. "I must have it!" she cried. "Make me this gown and I shall reward you handsomely with gold and jewels."


The two goblins later set up their workshop. They took scissors and needles and cut and sewed through thin air.

Azshara sent one of her highborne to inspect the work. This Night Elf was called Vilkadan and he was in charge of the palace coffers. He prided himself on his sound judgment. When he came to the workshop, he was horrified to find he could not see the gown. Was he stupid and ill-bred? He became terrified that his unfitness for office would be exposed. Hiding his shock, he complimented the goblins on their excellent work. He brought back a glowing report to his queen, though he was careful not to be specific about its colour or design.

Azshara herself soon came to see her new gown. When she entered the workshop, she was shocked to see nothing at all. How could this be? Was she stupid and unfit to be queen? But she was the Light of a Thousand Moons! She squinted hard and tried to imagine the gown. She had to be able to see it!

After staring hard for a few minutes, Azshara convinced herself that she really could see the gown. After all, a lot of the dresses she wore were rather transparent anyway. She ordered it to be brought to her chambers and a chest of gold to be given to the two goblins. The swindlers bowed low and made a hasty departure.

Azshara knew she could see the gown. How could the Daughter of the Moon fail to see it? She decided she would parade through the streets of Zhin-Azshari in the dress, that all Night Elves might behold her magnificence.

She made her way to her chamber and had her maidservants strip off her old clothes. Azhara's maidservants were, of course, unable to see the gown. They were very awkward as they dressed their mistress in a gown that they could not see. The maids told her that they had never seen her look so beautiful as she did now. Azshara commanded her heralds to gather the crowds for her parade tomorrow.

The next day Azshara and all her highborne courtiers paraded through the street. They all wore their finest clothes, but they declared that none of them could compare to the beauty of Azshara's new gown. They talked of its colour, the quality of its cut and the way it fitted her form so well.

Azshara stepped gracefully through the streets of Zhin-Azshari on her delicate bare feet. Of course, she was stark naked apart from the jewels that tinkled as she moved.

The crowds cheered with delight to see the queen. None of them could see Azshara's new gown, but nobody admitted it.

"Has any queen ever dressed like the Light of Lights?" the Night Elves shouted. "What flower can compare to the Daughter of the Moon?" cried the crowds.

Azshara walked proudly past them all, waving with delight at her people who so worshiped her.

Yet there was just one Night Elf who was unimpressed. A small boy was shocked when he saw the naked queen. He clapped his hands and roared with laughter.

"The queen has no clothes on! The queen is naked!" he cried.

The boy's mother was very embarrassed and commanded him to be quiet. However, the boy continued.

"The queen is naked! She's as bare as when she was born!"

The crowds around him all heard. They looked at the queen. Could she be naked? Could she have been duped? No, that was impossible. None was as wise as the Light of Lights, nobody was as great and skillful in magic as the Light of a Thousand Moons! She had to be wearing clothes.

The mother of the boy became very angry and clipped his pointed ear. His father was even angrier and slapped him very hard.

"How dare this boy insult the Light of Lights!" shouted the Night Elves. "Teach him a lesson!" somebody shouted. The boy and his parents rushed away from the streets, fearing they would be mobbed.

With the departure of the boy, the crowd continued cheering and praising their queen's new gown, for sometimes both men and elves will continue in their folly even when the truth is obvious.
"So off went the Emperor in procession under his splendid canopy. Everyone in the streets and the windows said, "Oh, how fine are the Emperor's new clothes! Don't they fit him to perfection? And see his long train!" Nobody would confess that he couldn't see anything, for that would prove him either unfit for his position, or a fool. No costume the Emperor had worn before was ever such a complete success.

"But he hasn't got anything on," a little child said.

"Did you ever hear such innocent prattle?" said its father. And one person whispered to another what the child had said, "He hasn't anything on. A child says he hasn't anything on."

"But he hasn't got anything on!" the whole town cried out at last."



Hans Christian Anderson's classic fable, The Emperor's New Clothes retold as a World of Warcraft fanfic.

I love the way the Light of Lights is so light-headed.
© 2011 - 2024 Celestialhost
Comments14
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DesignedDespair's avatar
I think it's a really good story, but it lacks the high level of skills and talents to be legit WoW lore. I'm sure this wasn't the intent, however, and itwas a great story.

Don't think this is putting you down. I wish I could pass for an author as great as those who formed the stories.