WHEN I WAS small, the big children’s holiday after Christmas was April Fools’
Day. I can remember saying to my father, “Mr. Fish phoned and left his number.”
And, of course, my father would return the call immediately, only to have the
Aquarium answer. Big surprise! Then I shouted, “April Fool!” and my father smiled.
Other countries also celebrate holidays in the same spirit as April Fools’ Day.
In ancient Rome, the Saturnalia (a festival honoring Saturn) was the merriest holi-
day of the year. Slaves were given temporary freedom and were allowed to lie down
at the table and eat the finest food while their masters served them. They were also
allowed to joke with their masters and even insult them. At any other time, insults
could cost the slaves their lives.
If you are in India during the Holi Festival, you will have to remember to wear
your old clothes. Everyone, regardless of age or rank, is subject to a dousing of
colored water or brightly colored powders. People dance in the streets, light bonfires,
march in parades, and sing.
And if you read a play by William Shakespeare called A Midsummer Night’s
Dream, you’ll meet one of the greatest tricksters of all—Puck, the fairy. Can you
imagine falling asleep in the forest and then waking up to find you have a donkey’s
head on your shoulders? Or, pretend that you are the beautiful and majestic Queen
of the Fairies and, to the amazement of your followers, you fall madly in love with
this half-donkey–half-man. These are only two of Puck’s tricks, and as he watches
the victims of his jokes, he cries out, “Lord, what fools these mortals be!”
Well, we mortals are fools sometimes, and it’s a good thing to admit it—once a
year on April Fools’ Day.48