(April 1st)
_In which is shown the origin of April Fools, and the fact that the
best joke is the one which rebounds on the joker himself._
April the first is celebrated as All Fools’ Day. Everybody must be
on the lookout for some joke to be played at his expense. He might
pick up a brick neatly wrapped in paper and tied with a string, or
get a letter with nothing but “April fool” written on the paper.
He must be on the watch so as not to be caught, for if he is and
anybody calls out “April fool!” he will feel very cheap indeed.
This custom is nearly five hundred years old. It was started at the
court of Burgundy in France, when Philip was Duke. There was always
in those days a sort of jester, or fool, whose business was to make
fun and keep the court in a good humor. Even knights had jesters or
fools, and while these jesters were always funny, sometimes they
were very smart.
Duke Philip said to his jester one day:
“I challenge you to a trial of wits. If you get the better of me I
will give you a thousand ducats. If I get the better of you, you
will lose your place.” So they agreed to have the trial on the
first day of April.
When the day came the Duke had a great feast and plenty of wine to
drink. The jester drank and drank until he appeared to be quite
drunk.
“Now, we will try him for drunkenness,” cried the Duke, “and
condemn him to be executed.”
So they tried the poor jester for being drunk, though he was not so
drunk as they thought he was. They decided he was to be executed.
They tied a band around his eyes, and the executioner struck him a
light blow on the neck, and they poured hot water on him to make
him think he was bleeding to death. It was all a joke, but the
jester took it in great earnestness.
Finally the jester fell down as though he were dead. They called to
him and said:
“It is a joke! Now get up!” But the jester lay on the floor and
they all thought he was really dead.
“He is dead of fright. He thinks we have bled him to death!” and
they were all much alarmed at this end of their joke. They sent for
a doctor, but the jester could not be aroused.
“Alas, me!” said the Duke, “I have lost my jester!”
“No, you have not!” cried the jester. “You have lost your thousand
ducats. I am not dead; and you are this April’s Fool!”
The jester leaped up from the floor as good as ever. He had turned
the joke on the Duke, and called for his thousand ducats. From this
time on people began to play jokes on each other the first day of
April in each year.