2nd century BCE, China, Chinese, East Asia, Han dynasty, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories
The jester Guo Sheren 郭舍人is often paired with Dongfang Shuo, coming off worst in riddle-battles. Here, Sima Qian 司馬遷 tells us that this favourite jester of Emperor Han Wudi 漢武帝 (r. 141-87 BCE), although not deeply philosophical, nevertheless brought pleasure and...
16th century, English, Europe, folk fool, primary source, quotes, Scotland
A fine story-telling version of the many tales about George Buchanan, celebrating him as the king’s fool. Buchanan (1506-82) is one of those tricky characters who begin life as an historical, living person and somehow, over centuries, morph into a jester of...
10th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, Southern Tang, stories
Court jesters and dwarfs would sometimes accompany the nobles they served on their travels; among other examples, we know some of the Spanish court dwarfs travelled to Portugal with members of the royal family. In China too, the jester might go with the emperor on...
8th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories, Tang dynasty
The Chinese jester Huang Fanchuo (黃幡綽 In Full Streamer Huang) is mentioned in a musicological work, the Tang dynasty Jie Drum Record (羯鼓錄), for having stunned the emperor, Tang Xuanzong 唐玄宗 (r. 713-56), with his ability to guess the emperor’s mood from his...
11th century, folk fool, historical figure, Persia, Persian, primary source, quotes, stories
Talhak, jester to Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna (r. 998-1030), enjoyed a close and easy relationship with him. See also the lexicon entry for ‘dalhak’, apparently deriving from Talhak’s name, and another example of his cuckold jokes. Like jesters in...
10th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories, Tang dynasty
This anecdote from Sima Guang’s 11th century historical record, the Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance, gives an insight into the personal closeness that could exist between an emperor and the jester. This jester, with the engaging name of Going Round in...
16th century, Europe, fictive fool, Latin, Netherlands, primary source, quotes
Here the charming, wise and witty Lady Folly merrily explains why any king worth his salt would surround himself with fools in preference to churlish philosophers. I particularly like the idea of keeping the latter ‘for show’.Erasmus’ timeless Praise...
Arabic, fictive fool, Middle East, primary source, quotes, stories
Physical deformity was in many times and places a positive asset in a jester, as this example from the 1001 Nights demonstrates. In other contexts, mental disability could also be an asset. We will reference fools and jesters of either type as we go, and also bring to...
