The Court Jesters of medival days were known as "Enlightened Fools".
Historically, the court jester was a state-sponsored mischief maker who was not only permitted, but hired to speak his mind--often in jokes, riddles or songs-- when others were forbidden in the presence of power. The jester was the only acceptable form of deviation in the King’s courts, expected to poke fun at all the cultural taboos, to puncture the ruler's ego and publicly break rules, thereby allowing an outlet for otherwise “forbidden” insights, behaviors and feelings. The Enlightened Fool is assigned the number zero - indicating that he is not yet defined - he is the symbol of the potential of all men. He is a symbol of the beginning of the journey, as well as a symbol of the traveler on the journey. However, the Fool is also the symbol of the redeemed initiate, who has returned to society to save others.