April

the fourth month of the year. The name is from a Latin word meaning to open. The name is given appropriately to the month of opening buds. It contains thirty days. The first day of April is known as April Fool's Day. It is traditionally a day of playing harmless jokes. In English-speaking countries one who is imposed upon is called an April fool; in France, an April fish; in Scotland, the term frequently applied is a gowk. Chambers suggests that an appropriate errand for the day is sending one to the library for the life of Adam's grandfather. A typical American diversion of the day is nailing a pocketbook to the sidewalk, or attaching it to a string, so that it may be jerked away when the passing pedestrian stoops to pick it up. The origin of the day is not clear, possibly French, but, however that may be, it is just as well for one who falls into a snare to take the matter good-naturedly. See Calendar