Todd Eriksen, age 13, of Willingboro, N.J., for his question:

WHEN WERE COURT JESTERS FIRST USED?

It is not known when jesters first appeared. But there were many in Britain during the time of the Saxons. And we know that licenses were issued to jesters in the 1600s. Goles, a court fool, was named in a history of William the Conqueror, who lived in the 1000s.

Many kings who followed William had jesters. Henry VIII's jester, Will Somers, was a gift from Cardinal Wolsey. Hans Holbein painted a portrait of St. Thomas More's jester.

The court jester was often treated as a member of the family, taking part in private gatherings and playing with the royal children.

William Shakespeare's Hamlet recalls his father's jester, Yorick, when gravediggers uncover his skull. Hamlet says: "A fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy."