Transcript Slide 1

Written by Lin Donn
Illustrated by Phillip Martin
The ancient Greeks would have
loved April Fool's Day. They so
adored being clever. It’s easy to
imagine the ancient Athenians
concocting their plots and chanting
their victories, and the ancient
Spartans rigging their barracks and
roaring with laughter.
A special day put aside just for
trickery, with everyone forewarned
that others were out to fool them
.... the challenge of it would have greatly appealed to the ancient
Greeks. But, they did NOT create this holiday.
The history of April Fool's Day only
goes back to the 16th century.
Legend says … April Fools Day
started with a change in the
calendar. The “new year”
celebration was moved from April
1st to Jan 1st.
Some people did not hear about
this change for many years. Other
ignored the change, and continued
to celebrate as they had always.
These people were called “fools”.
.
In the 1500’s, some people began
playing tricks on the “fools”. Over
time, April 1st became a day of
playing tricks, and a challenge – a
competition of sorts - to see who
could come up with the best prank.
Today, almost 500 years later, April
1st is still a day when tricks are
played on people in a spirit of fun.
Anyone who plays a mean trick is
just being mean. For the rest of us,
April Fool's Day is a challenging
game of trickery!
April Fools is celebrated in only
some countries in the world.
In France, April 1st is called
"Poisson d'Avril." French kids
play a special game on this day.
The object of the game is to
tape a paper fish on someone's
back without that person
noticing.
When the victim spots the fish
taped to their back, the kids yell
"Poisson d’Avril!" (April Fish!)
In Belgium, Egyptologist,
Jacques Kinnaer, shared:
"The expression "April Fish",
in my region of the country
(in Belgium), not only
applies to the paper (or real)
fish being stuck to
someone's back, but to the tricks
played on that day in general.
If I played a prank on you on April 1st, the
expression would be (translated into English)
that I've baked you an April's Fish. Even the
media (press and radio) try to bake an April's
Fish by adding something untrue to the news.”
In Newfoundland, Bruce Lane, a Newfoundland nature and
wild life photographer and teacher, shared: "Yes we do
celebrate April Fool's Day in Newfoundland! The custom is
that until noon you can trick people with lies and
exaggerations.
For example, one morning a
local radio station reported
seeing a herd of seals far up
an inland river. They reported
the story several times until
noon when they informed
the audience it was an
April Fools trick!"
In the United States,
April 1st is a day set
aside to play small,
clever tricks on people.
Placing salt in the sugar
bowl when no one is
looking is not a real trick.
Where's the cleverness
in that? (The ancient
Greeks would have
turned up their noses at
such a pathetic
attempt.)
In the United States,
April 1st is a day set
aside to play small,
clever tricks on people.
Placing salt in the sugar
bowl when no one is
looking is not a real trick.
Where's the cleverness
in that? (The ancient
Greeks would have
turned up their noses at
such a pathetic
attempt.)
A real April Fool's trick takes thought, creativity, timing, and a bit
of acting.
There are rules to this game.
1. Your trick must be harmless.
2. Your victim must
believe you.
3. Your trickery must
make your victim at least
smile (or better yet,
laugh) when you shout "April
Fool's!" Otherwise, it does not
qualify as an April Fool's Day
trick.
Funny stories
A: Just look at that young person with the
short hair and blue jeans. Is it a boy or a
girl?!
B: It's a girl. She's my daughter.
A: Oh, I'm sorry, sir. I didn't know that you
were her father.
B: I'm not. I'm her mother.
An aircraft is about to crash...
An aircraft is about to crash. There are five passengers on board, but
unfortunately only 4 parachutes.
The first passenger says "I'm Shaquille O'Neill, the best NBA basketball player.
The Lakers need me, it would be unfair to them if I died". So he takes the first
parachute and jumps.
The second passenger, Hillary Clinton, says "I am the wife of the former
President of the United States. I am also the most dedicated woman in the world,
a Senator in New York and America's potential future President. She takes one of
the parachutes and jumps.
The third passenger, George W. Bush, says "I am the President of the
United States of America. I have a huge responsibility in world politics.
And apart from that, I am the most intelligent President in the history of the
country and I have a responsibility to my people not to die". So, he takes a
parachute and jumps.
The fourth passenger, the Pope, says to the fifth passenger, a ten year old
schoolboy "I am already old. I have already lived my life, as a good person and a
priest I will give you the last parachute". The boy replies "No problem, there is
also a parachute for you. America's most intelligent President has taken my
schoolbag..."
…
Thank you for attention!