andersen's manuscript was at the printer’s when he suddenly changed the original climax of the tale from the emperor’s subjects admiring his invisible clothes to that of the child's cry. andersen’s decision to change the ending may have occurred after he read the manuscript tale to a child, or had its source in a childhood incident similar to that in the tale. in 1872, he recalled standing in a crowd with his mother waiting to see king frederick vi. when the king made his appearance, andersen cried out, "oh, he’s nothing but a human being!" his mother tried to silence him by crying, "have you gone mad, child?". whatever the reason, andersen thought the change would prove more satirical.