Which means there have been lots of chances for good mischief.

1698: A wild start

The first documented April fools prank took place in London.

A clever Brit announced a special event at the Tower of London: See the Lions washed.

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No such public cleansing of jungle cats was planned, but the announcement drew a crowd of rubes.

It was an elaborate stunt, three years in the making.

illustration of coat with tassles on it in top left; illustration of volcano in top center; illustration of person with fur hat trimming it with scissors in top right; illustration of man looking up at baseball flying over head in bottom left; illustration of noodles with crown on it in bottom center; illustration of people standing on cracked cliffs in bottom right

illustration of calendar of april with jester on it with the year 1582 on left; illustration of lion in tub of water on right with year 1698

illustration of coat with tassles on it with year 1796 on left; illustration of volcano and year 1974 on right

illustration of person with fur hat trimming it with scissors with year 1980 on left; illustration of noodles with crown on it and year 1983 on right