Excerpt from The Court Jester You may think, and with reason, that turning handsprings was not a respectful thing to do when a lady, and above all a duchess, was talking. But Le Glorieux was the court jester, the fool, who when Charles the Bold, son Of the duchess, was living, was wont to make his master laugh. There fore his conduct and conversation as a rule were not what one could expect Of a sedate and dignified member Of society. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from The Jester Why bother me, I ask? I care but for my books, And smiling is such a task, It really spoils your looks. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from The Jester: A Comedy Elegant Interior setting, John Mortimer's Room. Sir John Mortimer, outside, in hall enters on Servant's arm. Back center door. Easy! Easy now! E - asy! This confounded rheumatism, gout or lumbago or whatever they call it (to servant who supports him.) What did they say I had? - Eh? James: Oh - er - ah - consumption - er - ah (James' great peculiarity is a very ridiculous laugh, a sort of gigle, and when reproved he always denies that he laughed. "I was'nt laughing.") Sir John: Now what in the duece are thou laughing at? James: Oh sir - I - I wasn't laughing sir! Sir John: "The rheumatism!" Ha! Ha! Ha! Why, I am as hearty and as hale (tries to jump) Ah!-ah!-ah! here James - quick! James: (comes to his aid and helps him to chair) Ah - ha! ha! ha! ha! Sir John: What in the name of seven ages art thou laughing at? James: Er - ah - I - I wasn't laughing sir! Thou art too weak my lord. Sir John: "My lord," Thou hast been reading bad literature! To me thou must say - "Sir John!" And mind thee, do-not let me catch thee at any more of thy darned mockery. Thou shalt say, "Sir, dost thou hear sir?" James: (has not been paying much attention) Er - ah - dost thou hear sir? Sir John: Sir! James: Sir! Sir John: Oh thou blooming idiot! James: Sir! Sir John: Wilt thou be kind enough to remove - to remove - thyself from my presence, and stay out until thou art wanted? Go sir! (Laugh comic - Exit James) Oh - James! - James I say! About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from The Works of Victor Hugo These Greek capitals, black with age, and quite deeply graven in the stone, with I know not what signs peculiar to Gothic caligraphy imprinted upon their forms and upon their attitudes, as though with the purpose of revealing that it had been a hand of the Middle Ages which had inscribed them there, and especially the fatal and melancholy meaning contained in them, struck the author deeply. He questioned himself; he sought to divine who could have been that soul in torment which had not been willing to quit this world without leaving this stigma of crime or unhappi ness upon the brow of the ancient church. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

In this lively work, Beatrice K. Otto takes us on a journey around the world in search of one of the most colorful characters in history—the court jester. Though not always clad in cap and bells, these witty, quirky characters crop up everywhere, from the courts of ancient China and the Mogul emperors of India to those of medieval Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas. With a wealth of anecdotes, jokes, quotations, epigraphs, and illustrations (including flip art), Otto brings to light little-known jesters, highlighting their humanizing influence on people with power and position and placing otherwise remote historical figures in a more idiosyncratic, intimate light. Most of the work on the court jester has concentrated on Europe; Otto draws on previously untranslated classical Chinese writings and other sources to correct this bias and also looks at jesters in literature, mythology, and drama. Written with wit and humor, Fools Are Everywhere is the most comprehensive look at these roguish characters who risked their necks not only to mock and entertain but also to fulfill a deep and widespread human and social need.