noon
Now , at the time when this story commences , the King of Percan was Shahtah the Great . He was called the Great , because he weighed so much and measured so far round the waist ; since he had come to the throne , he had been growing greater and more powerful , until his fame spread through all the earth . It was New Year 's Day ; and all the people came flocking to the palace to see the King put on the Old Brown Coat . At noon came a long procession led by the Sixteen Coat-Tails , headed by Kaddel the chief of the Sixteen ; they carried the coat in a gold box . `` See ! '' cried the people ; `` that is the box ! the Old Brown Coat is inside !