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Saturday, April 1, 2023

April Fool

                             April Fool  

When and how did the idea of the "April Fool" start. And why would someone come up with such an idea?
No one really knows the answers, but some scholars say the idea is from Roman mythology. The story is this: Prosperina (or Persephone) was a fair young maiden playing in the Elysian meadow. She filled her lap with daffodils.  Along came Pluto, and he decided she would be his wife, whether she liked it or not. She did not. She screamed and hollered while he carried her down to the lower world.  
Demeter (also named Ceres) was Prosperina's mother.  She heard her daughter's screams and searched for her, and in her anger, she made the earth barren (like winter) until her daughter was allowed to spend two-thirds of the year with her. Hence we have Spring, Summer, and Autumn.

Legend says that when the mother was searching for her daughter, all she heard was the echo of her screams, but that it was a fool's errand since all she found was the echo. 

In India, people celebrate the vernal equinox by playing tricks on their friends. This festival happens on March 31st. 

According to Hebrew legend, the first April Fool's Day trick was Noah sending out the first dove before the waters receded.  The first day of the Old Hebrew month is our April 1st.

Some scholars say it started because of the uncertainty of the weather in April. 

Did you know there is an etiquette for April Fools?  It can only happen between early morning and must end by noon. 

Did you play an April Fool joke on someone?  Was an April Fool's joke played on you?.
Write and tell me about it, please. pstinson23comcast.net


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