The Court Jester
Five fools entertain King Vlad in the hope of becoming court jester.
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When King Vlad the Villainous's court jester expired suddenly--the king did not have a sense of humor when the joke was on him--five new candidates auditioned for the job, each entertaining his majesty in his own special way. The first four fools who tried out were found wanting, however--and were summarily dispatched, with one being boiled in oil for his failure to please the king; the fifth candidate got the job. Given the tryout tale below, you should be able to find the order in which the five auditioned for King Vlad, the entertainment each provided, and how the first four fools met their fates.

  1. Jack auditioned right before the fool who did magic tricks for King Vlad and who did not survive to become court jester.
  2. The fool who later tumbled for his majesty watched in horror as an earlier candidate was drawn and quartered
  3. Ranulf wasn't the one who played the flute nor the one who sang for the ruler.
  4. Scarletto met his fate earlier than the fool who was drowned.
  5. Immediately after the juggler met his fate for failing to amuse, another fool failed and was drawn and quartered.
  6. Weems immediately followed the tumbler in trying for the job.
  7. Jack, who didn't juggle for King Vlad, wasn't the fool who was drawn and quartered.
  8. Pippin's talent wasn't playing the flute.
  9. Weems wasn't the fool who was drowned in the castle moat.
  10. The fool who was beheaded wasn't the one who did magic tricks.