dramatic character, fictive fool, folk fool, historical figure, quotes, stories
Dear Friends of Fools, Happy to announce you can now also follow the fool on our recently launched Instagram account.  See you there (and here, of course). And thank you for your continuing support, next batch of anecjokes coming up soon… Yours, in joy and...
folk fool, historical figure, stories
Delighted to announce the launch of a short animated lesson on fools, developed with TED Education. Join over a million others in watching this playful five-minute video, also available on YouTube. Â And feel free to use the teaching prompts if you’re in the...
16th century, Europe, Latin, Netherlands, primary source, quotes
According to Rabelais, kings and fools were born under the same horoscope. Perhaps that explains why we should be born one or the other, as outlined by Erasmus. One ought to be born a king or a fool. Aut regem, aut fatuum nasci oportere. Which would you be? ...
19th century, Europe, France, French, primary source, quotes
The range of jesterly skills included the capacity to versify, at least in improvising witty ditties, and there are instances of a court poet having something of the jester’s role. In some cases, such as in China, jesters were able to write poems which passed...
China, dramatic character, Europe, folk fool, historical figure, painting, portrait
As part of the Festival of the Fool, we invite you to join this lively, illustrated online presentation, in which Beatrice Otto will share some gems from the virtual museum of fools and jesters she is building, taking us on a short walk through ‘The...
16th century, drawing, Europe, fooleum, Latin, Netherlands, primary source
​This pen and ink sketch in the margins of an early copy of Erasmus’ Praise of Folly is one of 82 done by Hans Holbein (1497/98-1543) and his elder brother Ambrosius. In this drawing, the self-appointed goddess Folly, having given a sermon of brazen...
16th century, dramatic character, Europe, German, play, primary source, quotes
A German verse by the Swiss writer Pamphilus Gengenbach (1480-1525) affirms that in the 16th century, the fool enjoyed a strong presence on stage, since scarce any play could open without one: There’s scarce a play that can begin Without a fool who steps right...
