9th century, Europe, fictive fool, folk fool, Ireland, Irish, primary source, quotes, stories
In `The Destruction of Da Derga’s Hostel’ (`Togail Bruidne Da Derga’), an Irish saga written no later than the eighth or ninth century, Taulchinne, juggler to Conaire the High King of Ireland (whose dates vary according to sources from c. 110 BCE to c. 14 CE)...
Arabic, fictive fool, folk fool, Middle East, primary source, quotes, stories
There is an Arabic tale of a jester-like hunchback who helps the king see the stupidity of his superstitions by making him laugh. A hunchback was supposedly a bad omen, to be avoided. One day when the king was out hunting, the first person he met was a hunchback...
