Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-04-01
SEARCH FOR ORIGIN
OF 'AL[FOOLS' Day
EthnoIogists and EncycIope-
distS DeIve in Mines of
Antiquity in Vain.
OCCASION is DEVOTED
TO FRANKS AND JOKES
Variety of Opinions Regarding the
Beginning of Custom Now
Almost Universal.

In vain have ethnologsts and encyclo-
pedists delved in the mines of antiquity
to discover the real origin of the dedica-
ton of the first dav of April to practical
Jokes and pranks. having for their OBJ
Ject to deceive and make laughing stocks
of the unwarE. That all the nations have
practiced and still retain the customs pc
culiar to the American April Fools day
would seem to prove that they were de-
rived from the same source. What was
the origin? In answer to one of these
ever-recurring queries. the following arti-
Gle was published April -, 1879, in the
London Publick Advertiser:
Humorous Jewish origin of the Gus
tom of making fools on the first of April
This is said to have begun from the mis-
take of Noah in sending the dove out of
the ark before the water had abated on
the first day of the month among the
Hebrews. which answers to the first of
April. and to perpetuate the memory of
| this deliverance. it was thought proper.
whoever forgot so remarka BILE a circum-
stance, to punish them by sending them
upon some sleeveless errand. similar 10
that ineHectual message upon which the
bird was sent by the patriarch. The GUS
tom appears to be of great antiquity. and
to have been derived by the Romans from
some of the eastern nations"
Edwards in Words, Facts and Phrases"
also gives the tradition of the Jews as
the origin of All Fools day.
\ Other Versions Given.
In his Glossary of Words Used in the
Neighborhood of Whitby,' F. X. Robin
son tells that the old custom of making
April fools is said to have proceeded from
letting insane persons he at large on the
first of April. when amusement was made
by sending them on ridiculous errands,
April day being then called Naears
holday-that is. Fools holiday-and an
April fool in that neighborhood is an
April gowk.'
As the English-speaking people i'll every
land celebrate their day of all fools.
| SO the Romans had their "Festum Stul-
| forum" and the BrahminS still have their
Hull festival, the carnival Of the Hindoos.
! in which one of the principal amusements
| is to send their victims on errands and
| expeditions of fictitious character which
are to end in Il laugh at their folly in
being caught in some clever trap.
| The author of Indian Antiquities, y
Maurice, suggests that The boundless
| hlarity and jocund sports prevalent on
the LIST of April in England and during
the Hull festival in India have their ORR
gin in the ancient practice of celebrating
with festival rites the period of the
/ vernal equinox. and Fastbrooke. in his
| Encyclopedia of Antiquities, also notes
| this day as being 'variously derived from
| the Feast of Fools. a mockery of the
| Druids and the Hull festival of India in
| celebration of the vernal equinox
| Grimm insists that the day with its
| peculiar pastilnes was unknown to Ger
| man antiquity. and that it was brought
| into Germany from France in compare
| lively modern times. i'll connection with
| the miracle plays. Some French writer's
suppose that the game of 'Poissons
| d'AvnG" which take place on April l.,
date from the year 1854. when Charles
! * ordained that the year should begin
upon the LIST of January, and no longer
be reckoned from April.