April Fool's Day: Sixteenth-Century Origin and Dissemination The most widespread theory about the origin of April Fool's Day involves the Gregorian calendar reform of the late sixteenth century. Although popular, this theory has a number of problems with it. The theory goes like this: In 1582 France became the first country to switch from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar, following the directive of the Pope. This switch meant that the beginning of the year was moved from the end of March to January 1. Those who failed to keep up with the change, who stubbornly clung to the old calendar system and continued to celebrate the New Year during the week that fell between March 25th and April 1st, had various jokes played on them. For instance, pranksters would surreptitiously stick paper fish to their backs. The victims of this prank were given the epithet Poisson d'Avril, or April Fish. Thus, April Fool's Day was born. (See the previous page for an alternative story about the origin of the term 'Poisson d'Avril'). The calendar change hypothesis might provide a reason for why April 1st specifically became the date of the modern holiday. But it is clear that the idea of a springtime festival honoring misrule and mayhem had far more ancient roots (see previous page). In addition, the process by which the observance of the day spread from France to protestant countries such as Germany, Scotland, and England is left unexplained by this theory. These nations only adopted the calendar change during the eighteenth century, at a time when the tradition of April Foolery had already been well established throughout Europe. Finally, it is not clear what, if any, primary evidence (i.e. first-hand accounts written during the 16th and 17th centuries) supports the theory. The link between the calendar change and April 1st appears to be based on modern conjecture rather than archival research. Therefore, while the theory remains a possibility, it should not be treated as a fact. Hunting the Gowk The Scottish appear to have enthusiastically embraced April Fool's Day earlier than the British. They developed a tradition known as 'hunting the gowk' (gowk being a term for a cuckoo bird). To be sent on a 'gowk hunt' meant to be sent on a fool's errand. The victim would be asked to deliver a note that, unbeknownst to him, read, "Never laugh, never smile, Hunt the gowk another mile." Recipients of this note would duly redirect the poor victim somewhere else until they had been run all over town. The Scottish also prolong the April Foolery by celebrating Taily Day on April 2nd. This day is set aside for rump-related jokes, such as pinning paper tails on people's posteriors. There was also a strict custom in all countries that the foolery could begin at midnight of April 1 but had to end by noon. Pranksters who failed to observe this rule themselves became the April Fools. The Washing of the Lions One of the earliest examples of an April Fool's Day prank was recorded in Drake's News Letter in 1698. Cards were sent out inviting Londoners to come see the washing of the lions at the Tower of London on April 1st. Of course, the lions had long been removed from the Tower, as was discovered by those who showed up to see them be given a bath. In the years to come, Londoners frequently played this prank on unsuspecting visitors from the countryside. In 1860 the prank was again repeated on a large scale.