April 1 is not an official holiday in Moldova.

But in Moldova, humor and laughter are organically fused with the national character, and one can confidently speak of fun and cheerfulness as a national trait.

Among the Moldovan people, this holiday cannot be ignored and is not celebrated without laughter, pranks and jokes.

Moldova is also rich in folk humorous characters and stories. The well-known Moldovan character Păcală, whose humor and irony make everyone smile, is well-known.

The Moldovan people are no strangers to humor of any kind, as well as anything that allows one to show off one's wit – anecdotes, ironic jokes, puns, pranks, irony or subtle mockery, deception, anything comical that can evoke a smile and healthy laughter.

It's worth noting that the folk phenomenon of snoave holds a special place in Moldovan humor. Snoave are short humorous stories.

In general, folk humor in Moldova has deep roots, and it has evolved over many centuries into a distinct genre, the presence of which is readily apparent at every turn. It's simply hard to imagine a Moldovan without a distinctive sense of national humor.

Moldovan jokes, unlike anywhere else, feature a positive beginning, and the narrative almost always ends with some kind of action. A Moldovan joke and mockery always ends with the recipient not being left looking like a fool, but rather being encouraged to join in and, as it were, laugh at themselves, keeping in mind that anyone can find themselves in a ridiculous situation.

We could go on and on about Moldovan humor, but in conclusion, I'd like to reiterate that in Moldova, humor, irony, and sarcasm are ingrained in the nation's character. But most importantly, the people of Moldova are less easily offended and often take a joke seriously and with a smile.

But the Moldovan ability to laugh at oneself is clearly evident in this version of a short story about Pacala:

In the middle of the night, Păcală heard the rustling of thieves in his room. He woke up and asked in the darkness:

- Hey, who's that there?

- Shut up, they are thieves, they have come to take your riches from you.

- Why did you, fools, come to look for something at night that I can’t find at home even during the day?