The state herald., 1889-11-29
A FOOLS PARADISEj
a Carnival at Which was Always Plenty
Of Material for Fun.
Queer Institution Of Badsnsss Town Whore a
Fools Tribunal Existed by Special Char
&c: Of the Governmental Real All Fools

Nuoor Aubututlon o1 A0auouoso x0Wu WnorC
Fools Tribunal Existed by Special Char
te- Of the Governmental Real All Fools
Day.
The little town OF Stoclsach. In Baden,
which has barely 1000 inhabitants. en-
joys the peculiar title Of "Deutsch-
lands Narrcn Residenz"-that Is, the
German court Qor capital) OF fools,
says Cassells Saturday journal. The
name originated in tho privilege ac-
corded to tho town by letters patent.
and exercised for centuries, OF holding
annually at carnival time public
FOOLS assize. nj which all the follies
committed by the people Of the town
and vicinity wero made known and
held up to public ridiculo. According
to local tradition Stockack was the
birthplace OF Hans Kuoni. jester to
Leopold, the brother of Albert the
Wise. archduke OF Austria. Just be-
fore the battle Of Morgarten, in 1915,
the man in motley was asked TO express
his opinion OF tho plans OF tho cam
paign, which had been adopted in .his
presence. II MS shook his cap and
bells and answered.: "Your speeches
please mo little, my M s,ers, for you
only think md debate how you shall
enter the enemy's territory, but take
no thought how you shall leave it,"
The battle took place. LoopOld's
forces were defented and escaped death
almost by miracle. Then tho Arch
duke Albert, "becauso the fool had
been wiser than all his brother coun-
solers," gave him the right Ito sit in
| Judgement upon the wise" annually In
his nntive town, and granted many pri-
vileges and immunities TO this "fools
court" This peculiar tribunal. which
met even in tho present century, was
composed OF tho .father OF fools" as
| president, and an unlimited number of
fool councillors" as associates. Tho
members OF the court met In january
TO select the cases to be presented to
the court and to arrange the program
for the subsequent festival OF fools.
These preliminary meetings took place
in tavern called the Fools inn and
distinguished by special shield OF
tablet on the outer wall. On the Sun
day before Shrove Sunday the FOOLS
clerks. in fantastic garb, drove through
tho town in II carriage drawn by four
horses attended by negro footmen and
Outriders. and loudly notified tho ut
tentive. and in many cases anxious, in.
habitauts tliat such and such cascs
would be presented to tho court to be
held on the approaching Shrove Tues.
day. On the succeeding Thursday q
stout pole was solemnly erected near
the fools fountain in the middle OF the
town. This fountain. under which the
original documents relnting TO the es
tablishment OF the fools court were
buried. stood In the middle OF the
street until 1858, when IL was moved
TO another position. When the docu-
ments were exhumed they were found
10 be almost illegible. The fools
court, being hastily convened resolved
10 bi:ry the defaced manuscripts again
| under the new foundation OF the foun-
tain. This was done with appropri-
ate ceremonies, mud the old documents
TO which was added statement OF
the circumstances OF their discovery,
signed by all the members OF the court,
remain buried under the fountain tn
this day. The pole erected by the
fountain bore board inscribed "Thc
Fools Genealogical Tree
Shrove Sunday and Monday were
given over TO tho young fools,' or tho
children. who marched through the
street In fantastic dress. as they did.
and still do. In many other places.
Meanwhile n number OF the boys main
tnincd II sort Of watch mt tho fools
tree. and. with car-splitting noises and
blows OF whips. drove away all comcrs
who wero not fantascally nttired. In
reward for this service each urchin re-
| ccivcd an immense FOOLS cake. On the
eagerly awaited Shrovc Tuesday, mt
10 o'clock In the morning. tho members
Of the court assembled on great plat
form In the open mir. and the judicial
proceedings wero begun. The fools
prosecutors made their saiirlcal nccusa-
tions. and tho persons convicted OF
folly, when their crimes had been
described. were punished by having
their names entered In tho book OF
fools. No one was spared. The guilty
ones. without distinction OF person.
were publicly ridiculcd md enrolled
among the fools. Protcstations were
OF no avail, and whoever ventured TO
oriticise the sentence OF tho court or
10 speak In favor OF the convicted fools.
was declared TO be u fool himself. mud
his name was put on the roll. When all
the eases had been disposed OF process
sion. headed by tho council OF fools.
marched through the streets, pnusing
frequently. especially before tho houses
oi tho convicted persons, 10 read aloud
the sentence OF tho court, TO the gre Il
delight OF tho populacc. Tho sentence
WIS also affixed 10 the doors of tho
criminals houses. Then began tho
festival OF fools, tho program Of which
included lively theatrical representa-
tion for the populacc. IA banquet ut the
Fools Inn. nnd another banquet and
dance In the evening. On tho next
day. Ash Wednesday. nj 4 o'clock In
tho afternoon. the council again assem-
blcd before the Fools inn TO bury their
folly. Al the head Of thu possession
came two young folk bearing immense
kcys-tho keys 10 tho realm OF folly.
Mex, came the fools guard. carryin n
parii-colprud aud decorated staif. on
the top OF which was the bust OF Hans
kuoni. Iic was followed by two fools
trcnsurors. who bore nm ancient car ycd
chest containing tho books OF fool and
tho records OF tho court Then came
the father OF fools. usually tho oldest
male inhabitnnt Of tho town. The rest
OF tho fools followed. walking two aud
two. with bowed heads and Ia silence.
Ike attendants Mt u funeral. Whom tho
procession had reached tho fools tree
II marched around II three times and
then dispersed, aud the reign OF folly
was over for that year