Once in old Greese a cynic took the liberty to attend a dinner to which he had not been invited, a Bufffoon as well had come who thought that his wit would be fine payment for all he would eat and drink. Well into the feast the fool sought to show his worth and standing up began to jest with all the folks, first this one and then that where soon under his attack until he came to the cynic.
    The cynic did not take the jest with the same heart as did the other guests and finally he became enraged and demanded the buffoon defend himself in a fight of fisted cups. The two entered the center of the room and the buffoon throughly thrashed the fellow fool. ( A highly abridge version of Lucian"s Feast of the Lipathia)
    A popular radio figure reciently was sued by a judge who he called a long and nasty list of names, when he found out he was being sued, he said the judge shouldn't take him so seriously. The responce was like a sudden ray of enlightenment to me because I realised just what it was that seperated fools like shakespears Touchstone ( a touchstone that could prove if gold where true) and hate comedy that often darken the knowledge of those who heard it. The Judge took him seriously because he took himself seriously (at least before he was being sued)
This was the problem with the cynic who sees everyone under a harsh and critical eye and yet is concieted himself. Thier where some essential tasks f humour mastered by old jesters, knavery(being bawdy)  roguishness(being a cleaver thief) Making afool of others (playing jokes and ussually involving the previous two) and being the butt of others jokes. A fool was the fair game of almost anyone, and was expected to be everybit the stright man as much as the comedian.
     Being the butt, and truely not taking oneself seriously is maybe one of the hardest jobs a fool has to learn, and yet it is one of the most important. It's easy enough to say "well I was only joking" and like so many lies it's easier said than done.


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                                                      FOOL