Did you know that spaghetti grows on trees?
It’s April Fool’s Day!
Inspired by the Egyptian legend of Osiris and
Seth, Romans celebrated Hilaria at the end of March. People dressed up and joyfully
mocked important people.
In 1582, France switched from the Julian to
the Gregorian calendar. A lot of people were slow to get the news that the
start of the new year had moved to January 1 and continued to celebrate it
during the last week of March, leading to a lot of laughs on and about April 1.
Paper fish were fastened to the backs to symbolize how these gullible people
were easily “hooked.”
In the United Kingdom, during
the 1700s, people
were sent on phony errands searching for gowks (a word for cuckoo bird, which became
the symbol of a fool. The following day
became known as Tailie Day, when pranks were played on people’s derrieres, such
as pinning fake tails or “kick me” signs on them.
April Fools’ Day spread throughout Britain
during the 18th century. In Scotland, the tradition became a two-day event,
starting with “hunting the gowk,” in which people were sent on phony errands
(gowk is a word for cuckoo bird, the symbol for a fool.) Tailie Day, which
followed, involved pranks played on people’s derrieres, such as pinning fake
tails or “kick me” signs on them.
This year, may you enjoy your April fools day
and, if you are out and about, remember
to watch your back!
Stories at Fern is the Guild's regular monthly meeting. Admission is free for members who have paid their dues. If you would like to become a member or pay your $25 annual dues, you are always welcome. If you are just dropping in to a virtual event, the suggested donation is $5, which can be made in three ways: via Paypal (paypal.me/storytellersvictoria), an e-transfer to treasurer@victoriastorytellers.org, or you can contact them to obtain a mailing address for a cheque.
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