It was April Fool’s Day. It would be Wouter’s first April Fool’s Day at school. Gretha explained to her son about April Fool’s Day.
“Today,” said Gretha to Wouter, “is April Fool’s Day. People can play tricks on you, and if you get caught out, they will call you A Big April Fool! It is only a joke, so you must laugh and enjoy it. For example, if someone says, ‘There’s a butterfly on your back!’ and you believe it, then they will laugh and call you A Big April Fool! So be prepared.”
Wouter went to school. “Look out!” someone shouted. “There’s a ball!”
Wouter ducked. There wasn’t a ball.
“You Big April Fool!” everyone shouted.
Wouter burst into tears. “You’re only allowed to say ‘There’s a butterfly on your back’,” he said.