wmw999 2,577 #1 April 1, 2010 Joseph Boskin, a History professor at Boston University, has stated that the celebration had begun during the Roman empire when a court jester had boasted to Emperor Constantine that the fools and jesters of the court could rule the kingdom better than the Emperor could. In response, Constantine had decreed that the court fools would be given a chance to prove this boast, and he set aside one day of the year upon which a fool would rule the kingdom. The first year Constantine appointed a jester named Kugel as ruler, and Kugel immediately decreed that only the absurd would be allowed in the kingdom on that day. Therefore the tradition of April Fools was born. It's an old and honorable tradition April Fools Wendy P.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #2 April 1, 2010 I thought it was when we switched from the Julian calendar to our present day Gregorian calendar, that New Year's Day changed from April 1st to January 1st. People who still celebrated on the old April date were called poisson d'avril, or "April fish" which became April Fools in our language. At least that's what one of my 5th grade essays said. I got an "A" so it must have been right. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #3 April 1, 2010 Quote In response, Constantine had decreed that the court fools would be given a chance to prove this boast, and he set aside one day of the year upon which a fool would rule the kingdom. . Pah and now we give them years More fool us (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtval 0 #4 April 2, 2010 Quote Pah and now we give them years More fool us My photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airkid 0 #5 April 2, 2010 it is poisson d'avril.... i'm not sure of the specifics as you put them (mostly because i think the first day of the Julian calendar was March 1st) but the pranks did originate from french children putting fish on others backs without them noticing.. (in france today the children use paper fish)... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,577 #6 April 2, 2010 OK, I'll admit went and cribbed the best origin-of-April-Fools story I could find Wendy P. There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
