Bell's Magic Book [1 ed.] 9780517126325

Citation preview

D\yKyr\

mi’s MAGIC BOOK

BELL’S

MACK BOOK

BBi’S

MAGIC

BOOK Magic Adviser PATRICK PAGE Illustrations by DENNIS PAHEN

ABOUT THIS BOOK All the tricks in this book are well within the range of the amateur magician. Some, of course, need a httle more practice than others . .. and it pays to rehearse them thoroughly, in front of an audience of family and close friends, before trying them out on a larger audience. This handy book gives tips and patter to help put your act over: what to say when tricks go right, when they go wrong, how to use your own personal appearance as the subject of jokes - and how to ‘put down’ the person who interrupts your act. Scattered throughout the book are Quickies short jokes that you can slip into your routine whenever the chance arises.

CONTENTS TRICKS WITH STRING AND ROPE How To Tie An Invisible Knot The Magic Knot Tie A Knot Without Letting Go The Ping Pong Tightrope The Cut And Restored String Trick Knots By Magic The Enchanted Bottle Escapology Made Easy

11 11 13 14 18 19 21 24 26

WHEN TRICKS GO WRONG

27

COIN PUZZLES

29 29 30 31 32 34 35 35 37 38

Six Into Four Heads And Tails A Touching Trick TheAquacoin Another Vanishing Coin The Coin And The Paper Disc A Trick Envelope Ten Into Five A Pushful Problem

TRICKS WITH BALLS The Obedient Ball Moonballs A Ping Pong Procession The Homing Balls

39 39 42 43 45

WHEN TRICKS GO RIGHT

47

CARD TRICKS

49 49 51 53 54 56 57 .58 60 61

Miracle Location It Must Be Thought Reading Card Levitation Extraordinary The Twenty-One Card Trick Reds Versus Blacks And The Next Card Is Yours Walking Through A Card Do As I Do A Sense of Touch Face Up Prediction The Dissolving Card

62

64

PERSONAL REMARKS

67

COMEDY MAGIC

69

The Color Changing Handkerchief The Vanishing Pencil Magic Paper Tearing The Unstrung Doughnut The Stretched Finger The Hanky Puppet The Cut And Restored Handkerchief The Sugar Trick

69

70 72 72 73 15 16

78

The Growing Man Push A Glass Through A Table The Magic Ads The Knotted Hair The Vanishing (t) IT s Impossible Finger Control The Mummy's Finger The Jumping Rubber Band Test Your Skill

PUT DOWNS MIND READING AND BRAIN TEASERS

80 82 85 86 87 89 91 92

94 96 97

Black Magic The Magic Clock Naming The Number -I Naming The Number - 2 A Sum Predicted The Memory Man For Fast Thinkers -1 For Fast Thinkers-2 For Fast Thinkers -3 How To Tell Someone's Age

99 99 100 101 102 102 105 106 106 107 108

SHADOWGRAPHY

109

MAGIC MDOD BAG

117

Black And White Magic The Quickness Of The Hand The Chinese Compass HowTo Make A Paper Tree

111

118 119 122

Folding Money The Travelling Magic Wand A Snappy Problem The Musical Fork Instant Knot The Color Changing Pencil For Two Pins ? Never Again A Sense Of Touch Color Sense The Magic Sugar Cube

123 125 126 128 130 132 134 135 135 137 138

HOW TO JOIN A MAGIC CLUB

141

FOR FURTHER READING

144

A NOTE; The tricks in this book use only props which can be found around the house, and need very little preparation. In the one or two that involye any cutting before or during the trick, be careful. A magician never looks his best with a bandaged thumb. Never use live animals in your show unless yon are a real animal tamer. Firstly, unless you lavirii great care and attention on them, they become unhappy and unwilling assistants. Secondly, yon’U spend most of your time cleaning up after them.

Copyright © MCMLXXIII by Crown Publishers, Inc. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 73-88939 All rights reserved. This edition is published by Bell Publishing Co. a division of Crown Publishers, Inc. by arrangement with Wolfe Publishing Ltd. cdefgh Manufactured in the United States of America

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TRICKS WITH STRING AND ROPE How To Tie An Invisible Knot Take a piece of string or rope about three feet long and tell one of your friends that you’d like to show him an invisible knot. Holding the string, one end in each hand, you throw the rope over his head so that it is draped around the back of his head. Ask him to hold the two ends one in each hand. Once he has taken hold of the ends, you hold your hands up in front of his face and proceed to go through the motions of tying a knot. Ask your friend to lift his hands upwards and lift the rope up and over his head to the front and he will be amazed to see a knot in the center of the rope. The knot is actually placed in the rope at the exact moment you throw the rope over your friend’s head. Look at hg. 1 and note the position that the fingers of both hands take. Note that the right hand end of the string is hanging over the right hand with the end of the string pointing towards the body. The left hand end is hanging over the left hand with the end pointing away from the body. 11

1

If the two hands are brought together as in Fig. 2 you will find that it is an easy matter to clip the left end with the right fingers and the right end with the left fingers. If you now separate the hands a knot will form itselfin the rope.

You now know how to make the knot appear but, to present it as a trick, proceed as follows. Walk up to your friend holding the string between your hands, which should be about eighteen inches apart. As you get close to him bring your hands together quickly and start to toss the string over his head. 12

At this moment the transfer of the ends is made. Once this has been done you separate your hands and ask him to hold both ends. The knot will now be in the rope but as it is behind his head he will be unaware of it. The trick is over as far as you are concerned but your friend doesn’t even know it has begun, so make the most of tying the invisible knot in front of his face and presenting your miracle.

The Magic Knot A piece of rope is lying on your table. You pick it up and it is seen to have a knot tied in it. On the word of command, the end of the rope is seen to start crawling upwards and upwards until it climbs through the loop and downwards again. Somehow, the knot has untied itself. The illustration will make everything clear. The rope

13

has a knot tied in it before you start the trick, but un¬ known to your audience a black thread is attached to the end of the rope. After being tied to the rope the thread is then threaded through the loop in the knot and downwards to the table and is fastened to the table top by means of a drawing pin. You may have to experiment a little to get the exact length of thread. Hold one end of the knotted rope above the table, with the other end almost touching the table top. Then get a friend to do the tying and pinning down of the thread. This should give you the right length. To perform the trick, have the rope already knotted with the thread in position, lying on your table. Pick the rope by the loose end and hold it above the table as in the illustration. Hold it there for a few seconds and draw attention to the fact that there is a knot in the rope. Now raise your right hand slowly and the thread will be drawn taut and pull the end of the rope up¬ wards, through the loop and down again. Don’t use too long a rope or a table that is too high, otherwise you will find yourself raising your hand too high and it will become obvious to your audience that this is partly responsible for the effect.

Tie A Knot Without Letting Go This item can create a lot of fun at a party because almost everyone present will want to have a go. It is the type of trick that you can repeat again and again and the more you do it the more your friends will want to try it The effect is simple. You hold a piece of string about three feet long, one end in each hand. After a series of simple moves, you are seen to have tied a knot in the center of the string and yet you have 14

never at any time let go of either end of the string. How do you do it ? Read on. The string should be held near the ends as in Fig. 1.

Take the right end of the string over the left arm until you reach the position shown in Fig. 2. Now take the

15

right hand end of the string. Push it through the loop and around the piece that is hanging down across the center of the loop and out again. Fig. 3 will explain this more clearly if you follow the arrow. Don’t release the right hand end as you do this and you will finish up in the position shown in Fig. 4.

4 16

You are now in a position to make that knot appear. Look at Fig. 4 and note the spot marked X. Ready? Drop the wrists slightly towards the floor turning them inwards a little and allow the string to slide off your wrists and over and off your hands. At the very same moment clip the spot on the rope marked X between the right third finger and the palm of the right hand and release the right hand end of the string from the right fingers. As soon as the string has slipped over the hands, separate the hands and the knot will be seen in the center of the string. As you hold the string up to dis¬ play the knot, clip the right hand end of the string again between the fingers and all will appear as it was at the beginning of the trick. If you analyse what we have just said, you will realise that you actually do let .go one end of the string and grip it again, but your friends don’t know that, do they?

QUICKIE In 1929 Harry HoudinU the world-famous magiciany performed an almost impossible feat of magic. He made this object (whatever you are holding) disappear into thin air. In its place, nestling in his arms, was a live, genuine, six-foot fire-breathing dragon. Unfortunately the fire department round here is very strict, so instead... (and into your next tnck). 17

The Ping Pong Tightrope This eflfect is quite astonishing. A ping pong ball is placed on the table and a length of rope or string, held between the hands, is placed in front of it. When the string is lifted, held taut by a hand at each end, the ball is seen to be balanced on it. If the string is tilted slightly the ball can be made to roll back and forwards along the string, a seemingly impossible feat of jug¬ gling.

The secret? A length of thread is attached to the string. When the string is placed in front of the ball, the thread is placed behind the ball with the aid of the two thumbs. If the string is now lifted upwards, the

18

ball will appear to be balancing on the string, although in fact it is resting on both the string and the thread. By tilting the hands the ball will roll from side to side. One end of the string can be tied to a chair and the same effect can be accomplished. If you raise and lower the end you are holding, the ball will start rolling along the string one way or the other.

The Cut And Restored String Trick This is an almost impromptu magic trick that is ideally suited for performing at a party. Pick up a drinking straw and thread a piece of string through it until there are about eight or nine inches of string hanging down from either end of the straw. Now bend the straw in half so that both ends of the straw meet and the two ends of the string are hanging together. Hold the straw as in Fig. 1 and cut off the bent bit in the middle. It is obvious that you have also cut a

19

piece from the center of the string. Now straighten out the straw and hold the two cut ends as in Fig. 2 in the left hand. With the right hand pull on one end of the string and the string will emerge from the straw all in one piece. Did you notice at the beginning that I described the trick as being an ‘almost’ impromptu. Actually there is one little thing you have to do to the straw before you can make the trick work - cut a slit in the side of the straw with a razor blade. The slit should be about an inch and a half long. Once you have done this, you are ready to perform. Thread the string through the straw and bend it in

20

half. It is at this point that the dirty work is done. Once you have bent the straw in half, you secretly pull on the two ends of the string. This has the effect of drawing the string down the slit in the straw so that when you cut the straw, the string is well out of the way. That’s all there is to it. The rest is showmanship. POINTS TO REMEMBER When you bend the straw in half, the slit should be on the inside of the fold at the center of the straw. The slit must be cut in the straw before your guests arrive. One friend of mine once cut slits in aU the straws he had in his house during a party and he kept walking around showing the trick to little groups. You will find that if you use a really sharp blade, the slit in the straw will not affect the working of the straw if it is used for its normal purpose. And when you are using the blade - PLEASE BE CAREFUL.

Knots by Magic This is what is termed as a magical flourish. A length of rope is shown to be no more than it appears to be. It is gathered up in a coil, as one would normally do with a length of rope, and suddenly shaken out to show its full length again, but this time six knots are seen to have appeared as if by magic. The method by which the knots are made to appear is really quite simple, but does require a careful study of the illustrations and should be practised until it can be done smoothly without fumbling. The real secret is in the special way in which the rope is coiled up. The more Imots you wish to appear the longer the rope must be. We would suggest that six knots should be the maximum, as any more may present a little difficulty. 21

Fig. 1 shows exactly what happens at the start. The left hand holds the end of the rope while the right hand starts to lift the rope to coil it. Note the position of the right hand in Fig. 1. The right hand now turns over (Fig. 2) and places the loop on the left fingers {Fig. 3). This same movement is repeated several times until there is no more rope to coil on the left fingers.

22

3

The coil of rope is now transferred to the right hand. As this is done the right fingers pull the left end of the rope through all the loops. The right hand grips this end in the crotch of the thumb as the rope is placed on the right fingers. It is now simply a matter of allowing all of the rope to drop downwards while retaining a grip on the end of the rope that is held in the crotch of the right thumb. The knots will suddenly appear. Once you have mastered this, it can be made more effective if, instead of dropping the rope downwards, you throw it outwards away from your body, and snap it backwards. Apart from looking more effective, this throwing out and snapping back of the rope also guarantees that the knots will appear in a tighter condition. This sudden appearance of six knots, each one drawn tight, is much more startling than having them appear in a very loose open condition. Elsewhere in this book you will discover that two sides of a dice, two opposite sides, that is, will add up to seven. In view of tWs, one could coil up a rope and lay it on the floor, not forgetting to pass the end in the left hand right through all of the loops. A dice could then be thrown by a member of the audience and the performer could then pick up the rope by one end, with a flourish, and seven knots would magically appear in the rope. To do this requires that youlceep 23

your eye on the correct end of the rope, the end that has been passed through the loops, and make sure that this end is uppermost when you lay the coil of rope on the floor.

The Enchanted Bottle A length of rope is shown, and the end of it is inserted into the neck of a bottle. The bottle is now turned over and the rope remains suspended with one end in the bottle and no apparent means of support. As if this isn’t enough, the performer now grasps the end of the rope which is visible and turns the bottle the right way up and releases his grip on the bottle. The bottle is now hanging in mid air with one end of the rope inside it as its only means of support. The rope is now removed from the bottle and both the bottle and the rope are immediately handed out for examination. Three things are required for this effect. A piece of rope about two feet long, one bottle, which should be opaque (the dark green kind is usually the best) and one small cork or rubber ball. The ball should be able to enter the neck of the bottle easily without forcing. If it is a problem to obtain such a ball, you can make one with paper, rolling it up very tightly between your palms and then wrapping a rubber band around it several times. You start off with the ball inside the bottle. Hold the bottle in the left hand mouth upwards and insert the end of the rope into the neck of the bottle. Still holding the rope, turn the bottle over so that the left hand is above the right hand. You can now release your grip on the rope and it will remain there hanging from the bottle. 24

The reason is that the ball inside the bottle has dropped down and trapped the rope in the neck of the bottle {Fig. 1). You can now turn the whole thing over and the bottle will hang from the rope {Fig. 2). If

you pull hard on the rope, it will pull the ball out of the neck of the bottle and into your hand {Fig. 3). Everything except the ball may now be handed for examination.

A similar effect can be obtained by using a pencil instead of a rope. If you use a pencil, you have to push the pencil into the bottle a little to release the ball, and as you hand the bottle to someone to examine, hold it by the neck and the ball will roll out of the bottle into your hand. 25

Escapology Made Easy Get two lengths of string about three feet long and tie two people together as in the illustration. The problem is for them to free themselves without either cutting the string or undoing the knots.

When they appear to be beaten, step forward and put them out of their misery. The trick is accomplished by Mr. Right taking hold of the string that joins his hands, at the point marked X and passing the loop under the string that is tied around either one of Mr. Left’s hands.

2 The loop should be passed downwards towards the fingertips, and right over the hand and back up to the back of Mr. Left’s wrist. If Mr. Right now puUs gently his string will slide clear of Mr. Left’s hand. Sounds impossible - but just give it a try. 26

WHEN TRICKS GO WRONG When tricks go wrong, never show your embar¬ rassment. The greater your cheek (or courage) the more chance you have of getting away with it. Try this sort of approach when disaster strikes: I can’t understand what went wrong with that trick. It worked perfectly when Tommy Cooper taught it to me. Many of you probably think Pm stark raving mad - but then you came to see me. Ah, well, I don’t have to do this for a living. lean always go back to my old job on the farm. (Pose with your arms out like a scarecrow.) After that trick I can almost read your thoughts: '‘Up with him ... onto our shoulders - to the river!’ And now a fantastic demonstration of mind read¬ ing. You, sir - you’re thinking, 'He’s a rotten magician.’ {Triumphantly) I was right!

27

As the President of the Magic Circle said last time I performed this trick: ‘ Yeeeuchr Pm working under a handicap tonight - Vm a terrible magician. Don't worryfolks^ the night's still young. It'll be all right in a minute. Just talk among yourselves. I bet you thought Pd make a mess of that, didn't you ? How right you were.

COIN PUZZLES This is a series of puzzle type tricks using coins. One advantage of this type of trick is that everyone can join in the fun and as the only props required are a few coins, you shouldn’t have much trouble searching for them.

Six Into Four Place six pennies on the table as in Fig. 1 and ask your friends to rearrange them so that you can count four pennies, in both directions, up and down, and across. Once everyone has tried to rearrange them and failed, show them how clever you are by placing l^o. 1 coin on top of No. 3 coin.

29

Heads And Tails This one is quite a different trick, in that you do this one yourself first and then ask them to repeat what you have done. Place eight coins on the table in a circle as shown in the illustration. All the coins are heads up. You start off at any coin, count four coins and turn the fourth coin over so that it is now tails up. You continue counting four coins at a time and turn¬ ing the fourth coin over so that it is tails up. This is repeated until seven of the eight coins are turned over. The only stipulation is that at each move you must start with a head and each move must finish by turning over a head. 30

Secret: Count 1,2,3, and turn four tails up. Count 6,7,8, and turn one tails up. Count 3,4,5, and turn six tails up. Count 8,1,2, and turn three tails up. Count 5, 6,7, and turn eight tails up. Count 2,3,4, and turn five tails up. Count 7,8,1, and turn two tails up. The numbers given above are meant to be a guide. When you perform this puzzle, you count 1, 2, 3, 4, aloud.

A Touching Trick Place two 100 pieces, two 50 pieces and a 10 on the table and ask your friends if they can arrange them so that each coin touches the other four coins. The illus¬ tration shows the secret. It will require a steady hand to succeed, but it is not too difficult. If you find after a few trials that you just cannot balance that 10 on end, you can cheat a little by placing your forefinger on the top of the 10 to hold it in posi¬ tion while you show that each coin is in fact, touching all of the other four coins.

31

The Aquacoin This trick is basically the vanishing of a coin, but the conditions which the performer imposes upon himself to stop any trickery lifts it out of the realm of simple coin trick into a seeming impossibility. The performer drops a coin into a half pint glass of water in full view. Everyone present sees the coin at his fingertips. They see the coin drop into the glass of water and they actually see the coin sink to the bottom of the glass. The performer then covers the glass of water with a pocket handkerchief. After a suitable time lag to build suspense, and during which the performer recaps his actions, he takes hold of the handkerchief with his fingertips, by two of its comers, and lifts it off the glass. The glass is still there. It still contains water. But there is no coin. It has vanished completely. The performer has never at any time touched the glass and his hands are quite dry, proving that at no time did his fingers reach into the glass to remove the coin - if, indeed, it were even possible to do such a thing. He must have got it out of the glass because it is no longer there. The question is, how? Once again, the illustrations reveal all. You need a glass of water

1

32

and a pocket handkerchief which has a coin attached to it by a thread. The coin is glued to the thread, which must not be longer than the width of the handkerchief, or attached with a piece of wax. The best thread is one from an old nylon stocking. Note the position on the table of the handkerchief in relation to the glass. It is directly behind it, with the edge of the handkerchief to which the coin is attached, on the bottom. The coin lies on top of the handker¬ chief.

First of all, the glass of water is shown to be just that and is placed on the table in front of the folded handkerchief. The coin is then picked up and dropped into the glass. The handkerchief is then placed over the glass by taking hold of the two comers on top of the handkerchief and lifting them over the glass and in front of it so that the glass is now completely out of 33

sight. To show that the coin has vanished, you lift the handkerchief up by the two corners which are now behind the glass. Lift the handkerchief almost straight up and off the glass, bring it backwards a little and lower it down on to the table behind the glass. The coin will be hidden in the folds of the handkerchief.

Another Vanishing Coin Take a piece of metal foil and wrap it around a silver coin as in the illustration. Hold the coin on the palm of your hand, with the surface that is fully covered on top, and place the palm still holding the coin on the top of your head and rub vigorously. The metal foil will gradually take the shape of the coin right down to its smallest detail.

Once this has happened, remove the foil carefully from the coin. Make sure not to damage the impression made by the coin. With a small pair of scissors trim

34

away any surplus foil that is projecting underneath and you will have a perfect replica of the coin. The piece of foil can now be displayed as a silver coin and even at very close quarters will look exactly like a coin. To effect the vanishing of the ‘coin’ simply wrap it in a piece of paper and crush the paper up as if the coin was no longer there. Another use for this imitation coin is to display it on the palm of your hand and close your fingers over it slowly and crush the coin(?) into a ball and when you open your hand you have the piece of silver(?) from which the coin was manufactured.

The Coin and The Paper Disc Show your friends a coin and a paper disc which is the same size as the coin. Ask them if it is possible to drop the coin and the paper disc from the same height at the same time and for both of them to reach the floor at more or less the same moment. Should they attempt it they will find that the coin will land on the floor long before the paper disc ceases to flutter down¬ wards. If they finally decide that it cannot be done show them this method. Place the coin on the fingertips and place the paper disc on top of the coin. If you now drop the coin you will find that the paper disc will stick to the coin all the way to the floor.

A Trick Envelope This envelope is used when you have a small object, such as a coin, which you wish to vanish but still retain control of. In effect you place the coin into a small envelope. Seal the envelope and tap it on the table so 35

that the coin can be heard to be still in the envelope. At any time you can pick up the envelope and tear it into small pieces which are tossed into the air proving that the coin is no longer there.

All you do is cut a clean slit in the bottom of the envelope. Drop the coin into the envelope which is held in the left hand closing the slit. Seal the envelope and still holding the slit closed you can now rap the envelope on the table and the spectators will hear the coin hit the table. If you now raise the left hand a little and relax your grip on the envelope the coin will slide out of the envelope through the slit and into the left hand. At this point the right hand takes the envelope and places it on the table. Any time later you may pick up the envelope and tear it into small pieces destroying the evidence of the slit.

36

Five Into Ten Can you drop a 5 0 piece through a hole the size of a 100 piece?Offer a piece of paper to your friends with a hole in the centre of it the size of a 100 piece and ask them the above question. It is more than likely that all of them will say ‘no’.

1

The illustrations show you how it is done. Place the coin in the paper, fold the paper in half and lift the ends of the folded crease a little and the coin will drop through the hole.

37

A Pushful Problem This one is the perfect follow-up to the last one. your friends if they think you could push the lOp piece through a very tiny hole in the paper. When they answer that it can’t be done, show them just how slow they are. Explain that you did say you would push the coin through the hole.

38

TRICKS WITH BALLS The Obedient Ball One of the simplest, most effective magic tricks is the Obedient Ball. A ball with a hole drilled through it is shown to be threaded on to a piece of string. When the string is held vertically the ball will slide down it to the bottom. If the string is now turned end for end, so that the ball is at the top end of the string, the ball will immediately slide down to the bottom again. This is repeated several times to illustrate, without actually saying so, that it is no more than it appears to be - a ball threaded on to a string.

39

Having thus demonstrated the fact, the performer once more brings the ball to the top of the string and as it slides down the string to the bottom, he calls, ‘Stop!’ On the command the ball stops halfway down the string and remains there suspended for all to see. He then says, ‘Start again!’ and the ball immediately falls to the bottom of the string. This can be repeated as often as he wishes.

The method is extremely simple. The hole through the centre of the ball has a slight curve in it. It doesn’t go through the ball in a straight line, but enters at a slight angle, turns at about midway through the bail and comes out at a point opposite where it entered. Thread a string through the ball and hold the string vertically, by both ends. Turn the string over end for end and the ball will slide down the string just as long as you are holding the string loosely between your hands - but the moment you pull the string taut, the

40

ball will stop. Loosen your grip on the ends of the string and the ball will slide down the string to the bottom again. With a little practice you can stop the ball, then ask it to drop ‘just six inches’, and it will do just that. ‘Now another two inches’ and it will drop two inches. ‘Now all the way to the bottom’, and down it goes to the bottom of the string. Wooden balls can be obtained at most do-ityourself stores. For this trick you can use any size ball, although if you intend carrying it around in your pocket it would be wise to have one not more than 1^^ inches in diameter. Just drill a hole into the ball until it reaches the centre, turn the ball over and drill another hole in from the other side at a slight angle until the two join up. Don’t worry if you don’t get it exact - no one will notice. When you perform this trick, it is important that you show that the ball is quite free on the string. One way we have suggested is to hold the string vertically and then turn it end for end, allowing the ball to slide down the string. Another way is to hold the ends of the string, one in each hand in front of your body as in the illustration and alternately raise one hand and lower the other. By doing this the ball will slide back and forth along the string. This should be done without drawing attention to it and while you are

QUICKIE There are only two magicians who have success¬ fully performed this trick: the great Harry Houdini^ who has unfortunately passed away, and myself At this moment I don't feel too good either. 41

saying things like, ‘I’d like to show you a little novelty shown to me by my grandfather when I was quite small..

Moonballs Moonballs is the name we have given to a fascinating optical illusion. It is really a curiosity which you show to people and can be quite a conversation piece. It con¬ sists of a box about six inches square which you hold up to your friends at eye level. In the box they will see steel balls about a half inch in diameter floating about in mid air. They do not behave in any particular pattern but appear to roam freely all over the inside of the box. Once again a glance at the illustrations will explain how it works, The box has a mirror fitted at an angle of 45 degrees, from the top front edge to the rear bot¬ tom comer of the box. The balls - steel ball-bearings are lying on the bottom of the box and are hidden from view by a ledge one inch high. If the box is held up to a spectator’s eye level so that he can’t see this ledge but only straight into the box, he will see a reflection of the bottom of the box. As the balls roll about on the bottom of the box they will also be reflected and will appear to be floating upwards. All you need is a cardboard box, a mirror, some

42

2

strong glue and some ball-bearings. As it is easier to cut cardboard than glass, it is obviously better to make the box fit the mirror than the other way round. You could make the box from cardboard, or you may find an empty packet in the larder of the right size. Cut out one side of the box, leaving a ledge one inch deep at the bottom. Then glue the mirror to the sides as in the illustration.

A Ping Pong Procession How would you like to be able to reach into the air and produce a ping pong ball, then another and an¬ other - as many as you wish? No great skill or practice is required to perform this illusion. All you need is a cone made from a stiflfish paper which has a hole in it, and one ping pong ball. Study the illustration and note the position of the hole in the paper cone. It is almost at the bottom. It should be in such a position that when a ball is drop¬ ped into the mouth of the cone it will drop almost straight into the hand that is holding the cone. If the cone is now transferred to the other hand, the same ball can now be produced by reaching into thin air and squeezing it to the fingertips. To perform the effect you start by having the cone on your table with a ball inside it and the hole upper¬ most. It should perhaps be behind another object so

43

1

that the hole is not visible to your audience. Pick up the cone with your right hand. Transfer the cone to your left hand and as you do so allow the ball to roll out of the hole into your right hand. Show that the cone is empty by turning it over so that it is mouth down. Now reach into the air with the right hand and produce the ball at your fingertips. Drop this ball into the mouth of the cone and it will drop down into the left hand, which is holding the cone and covering the hole. If you now transfer the cone to the right hand you can immediately produce what appears to be another ball from thin air in the left hand. This is in fact the same ball. If you now transfer the cone back to the left hand, leaving the ball in the right hand, it can be produced once more. This production of balls can be repeated as many times as you like. Vary the production of the balls by reaching under the table for one, behind someone’s ear for another and so on. Be careful not to produce too many balls otherwise your audience will realise that the cone isn’t large enough to hold them all. Once you decide you have produced enough balls, return to your table

44

and apparently tip all of the balls into a cardboard box which is sitting on your table. Crush up the paper cone or, better still, tear it up so that there is no evidence of the hole. Another good idea is to have a number of ping pong balls in the cardboard box on your table so that in the event of anyone looking inside the box they will see all the balls that you tipped into the box from the cone.

The Homing Balls This can be performed with small balls made of wood or materid such as rubber, nylon, sponge. Even pieces of bread or paper rolled up into balls will do. But glass marbles or steel ball bearings are no good. Three balls are placed on the table. Two of the balls are picked up and placed into the left hand. The third ball is placed into the right jacket pocket. When the left hand is opened three balls roll out on to the table top. This can be repeated as often as your wish. To perform the Homing Balls you need four balls not three, although the spectators only ever see three. 45

Have the four balls in your right jacket pocket. Reach into the pocket and produce the four balls and place three of them in a row on the table. The fourth ball is retained in the right hand by clipping it with the curled up little finger. Draw attention to the three balls on the table. Pick one of them up with the finger and thumb of the right hand and drop it into the left hand which is held open on the table top to receive it. Pick up a second ball and drop this ball into the left hand. As you do so, allow the ball which is concealed in the right hand to drop into the left hand, along with the second ball. The left hand holds three balls although the spectators have only seen you place two balls into the hand. The moment you place the second ball into the left hand you must close the hand into a fist to conceal the fact that there are three balls there. There is still one ball lying on the table. Pick up this ball in the right hand and place it into the right jacket pocket. You now ask the spectators how many balls there are in the left hand. They will reply ‘two’ but when you open the left hand there will be three. To enable you to repeat the effect again and again, (but not too often) it is simply a matter of not leaving the last ball in your right jacket pocket but secretly retaining it in the right hand when you remove the hand from the pocket. When the left hand is opened to show it contains three balls, you are now ready with the fourth ball in the right hand to repeat the effect. The reason for not using glass marbles or steel ball-bearings is that, when you secretly drop two balls into the left hand, there is a possibility that the clicking noise will not sound exactly like one ball dropping on top of another - which is the sound they would make if you were only dropping one ball into the left hand at a time. 46

WHEN TRICKS GO RIGHT When tricks go right it is still far better to keep the tone light. Lots of cheery smiles, however dreadful you feel, and ‘quickies’ like: / should like to point out that I have nothing up my sleeves {show them) and nothing whatsoever between my ears. Many of you must be familiar with the disappear¬ ing handkerchief especially when you want to blow your nose. I first performed this trick before Her Majesty {pause) left for her last tour of {as appropriate). Some tricks can be traced back thousands of years to the early magical marvels of the Persians or the Chinese. This next miraculous trick was invented last week in {appropriate local area).

For my next trick I shall use an ordinary coin of the Realm . . . such as can be extracted from any yomger brother's piggy bank. 47

Vve had intelligent audiences before^ but you’re so good-looking with it. Don’t applaud. Just throw money. After applause: Thank you^ mother. In the audience tonight is the chap who used to help me with my sawing-in-half tricks. How are you. Shorty ? I once had a trick where a white mouse lifted an elephant clean above its head. Anyone want a white mouse, half an inch tall and three feet round?

48

CARD TRICKS In the tricks which follow, apart from the last one, all you need is a normal deck of cards. We have tried to avoid tricks which need a great deal of sleight of hand or special trick decks. Just as long as you have a deck of cards with you, or can borrow one, you can do the following tricks.

Miracle Location For this, you cut the deck into two equal packets. You shuffle each half of the deck thoroughly and place both packets face down on the table. You then invite one spectator to remove a card from the centre of one packet, to look at it, remember it and return it to the centre of the other packet. The spectator is now instructed to shuffle this second packet and replace it on the table. Then he is asked to place one packet on top of the other - it doesn’t matter which one is placed on top - and cut the deck and complete the cut. He may cut the deck and complete the cut several times if he so wishes. You now pick up the deck of cards and spread them out with the faces towards yourself. You remove one card only from the deck and place it face down on the table. The spectator is then asked to name the card he selected and then turn over the card on the table. When he turns the card over it is the very card he has just named. 49

This effect requires a little preparation. Before presenting the trick, separate the cards so that all the red cards are in the top half of the deck and all the black cards are in the lower half. The spectators, of course, should be unaware of this. Hold the cards in front of yourself with the faces towards you and run through the cards until you reach the point where the red cards meet the black cards and divide the deck in two at this point. Place the two packets on the table face down. Pick both packets up one at a time and shuffle them and replace the two packets on the table. This mixing of the cards will not affect the fact that one packet will still contain red cards and the other black cards. Invite a spectator to remove a card from the center of one packet and replace it in the center of the other packet, and shuffle that packet. He must now place the two packets together one on top of the other and cut the deck and complete the cut. To find the card he selected, all you have to do is pick up the deck and run through it with the faces towards you. Pick out any red card which is in the center of a bunch of blacks or vice versa. When the cards are first placed on the table in two packets, you must make a mental note of which is

QUICKIE There is a very old Chinese saying: The peacock cannot mate with the camel; but the beggar who sits cross-legged, naked, in winter on the marble steps of the Great Pagoda is nearer to heaven than the white cockatoo that lays a square egg in the palace of the prince. ... It has nothing whatever to do with my next trick - but it is a very old Chinese saying . . . 50

red and which is black. After the spectator has selected a card, replaced it in the other packet and shuflEled that packet, there is a possibility that he may shuffle his card to the top or bottom of the packet. This would mean that, when you look through the cards, you cannot find an odd red card in the center of a bunch of black cards. You must remember therefore, whether he has selected a red or a black card. If he selected a red card all you have to do when you look through the deck is remove the two red cards next to the black cards and place one of them on top of the deck and the other on the bottom. Place the deck face down on the table and ask him to name his card. When he does so you either turn the top card of the deck over or turn the deck completely over to show the bottom card, according to which one he has named.

It Must Be Thought Reading The performer lays out eleven cards in a row on the table. He instructs someone to remove any number of cards from one end and place them at the other. All the cards are face down at the time and the performer can leave the room while the cards are being moved. Once the cards have been moved, the performer re-enters the room. Walking over to the cards, he turns one card face up. The number of that card will show how many cards have been moved. If it is a three, the performer states, ‘you moved three cards’ and he is always right. The trick can be repeated immediately and as often as desired. In fact the more often it is done the more baffling it becomes. There is a vague possibility that the spectator will

51

leave the cards as they are and try to catch the per¬ former out. If this happens, the card turned over will be a Joker, and the performer can say, ‘You didn’t move any cards.’ For this effect you require ten cards running from Ace to Ten and one Joker. Lay the cards out face down on the table in the following order:

654321J 10 987 The card at the right hand end of the row is your key card. In this instance it is number 7. Let us assume that four cards were moved from one end to the other. They will now be in the following positions.

10 987654321J

• • •• The cards with dots underneath are the ones that have been moved. Remembering that your key num¬ ber is 7, you now count to the seventh card from the left hand end of the row and turn over the seventh card. It is a 4, and from this you deduce that four cards were moved. You now turn the four cards face down again. As you do so, it is a simple matter by counting along the row to the right 4 3 2 1 J to realise that the card on the right hand end of the row is a J. The J, which repre¬ sents eleven, now becomes your key number. If someone now moves some more cards from one end to the other, all you do is to count to the eleventh card from left to right and turn over the eleventh card. This card when turned over will tell you how many cards have been moved. The simple rules to remember are: • Know the number of the card at the right hand end. This is your key. O After the cards have been moved, count your key number from left to right and turn up that card. This card denotes the amount of cards that have been 52

moved. As you turn it down, mentally calculate which card is now at the right hand end b^ause this card is now your key.

Card Levitation Extraordinary The performer places his left hand flat on the table and inserts a number of playing cards under this hand. When he raises his hand from the table, all the cards stick to his hand. He can hold the cards up high for all to see, and turn the hand vertically or horizontally. During all these actions the cards remain apparently glued to his hand. Holding his hand above the table top, he can start to pull the cards away from the hand one at a time and drop them on the table. Or, on a word of com¬ mand, all the cards will drop suddenly from his hand to the table. For this trick you have to wear a ring. A glance at Fig. 1 will give you the answer. A match is put under the ring so that it sticks out either side. If you now place the hand palm downwards on the table and

1

insert two cards under the hand but above the match (Fig. 2) and then another two cards, you will find that it is now a simple matter to insert another fifteen or so cards above this first four. You can now lift your hand from the table. If your left fingers press down a little on the backs of the cards they will remain in position, apparently glued to the left hand. A little shake of the left hand will dislodge the first two cards from the match, at which point all the cards will fall to the table top.

The Twenty-One Card Trick Deal three rows of cards face up on the table with seven cards in each row, making twenty-one cards in all. Ask someone to mentally select one of the twentyone cards. Ask him which row his card is in. Which¬ ever row he points to, gather the three piles of cards up - making sure that his row is in the center. Deal the twenty-one cards out again. Once again ask him which row contains his card. Once again gather

54

up the cards again, placing his row in the center of the other two. Once again deal out the twenty-one cards and ask him once more which row his card is in. When he points to a row, you will know immediately that his card is the center card of that row. You may either reveal the card by naming it there and then - or you can use the knowledge some other way. For instance, if you now gather up the three rows of cards - once again placing the row which contains his card in the center of the other two - his selected card will now be the eleventh card from the top of the twenty-one cards. There are many ways in which this card can be revealed. If his card is the Six of Clubs, you can ask him to deal the cards one at a time from the top of the packet, one card for every letter in the name of his card: S-I-X-O-F-C-L-U-B-S. If he turns over the last card he will see that he has arrived at his own card. There are many cards in the deck which would spell out in eleven cards. If his card only needs ten cards, have him spell it out and turn over the next card. It is possible that your friend’s name can be spelled out in ten or eleven cards, like Jim Anderson or John Girvin. Perhaps the name of the street or the house you are in will contain the requisite number of letters. Whichever system you decide to use, always have one or two prepared in advance so that when you perform the twenty-one card trick, you don’t have the worry of deciding mentally, there and then, just how many letters it takes to spell the Seven of Diamonds. If you are a quick thinker you can probably cope with this problem as it arises - but if you don’t have your wits about you all the time, beware. When dealing the cards on the table, start off by dealing three cards from left to right - one, two, three and deal the next three cards on top of the first three 55

again from left to right, and so on until you reach twenty-one. The cards should be overlapping each other a little so that when all twenty-one cards are on the table they are visible for the spectator to make his mental selection. Great play should be made of the fact that he merely thinks of a card.

Reds Versus Blacks A spectator is asked to shuffle the cards and cut them as often as he wishes. Meanwhile, the performer writes something on a piece of paper which he places, folded, in the spectator’s top pocket. The spectator is then instructed to deal the cards in pairs, face up from the top of the deck. If a pair of cards are both red, he is to place them to the right; if they are both black he is to place them to the left. If a pair of cards consists of one red and one black, they are to be placed in the center of the table. The spectator having dealt the whole deck out in pairs should finish up with three piles of cards in front of him. One pile has all red cards, one all blacks and the third pile has mixed red and black. The mixed pile is discarded. The spectator is now instructed to count the cards in both the piles on the table. Let us assume that he has sixteen red cards and fourteen blacks. He is now asked to remove the piece of paper from his top pocket and read aloud what is written there. He reads, ‘You will have two more red cards than blacks.’ This is a self-working card trick, needing no great practice. A simple subtlety is employed and is so dis¬ guised as to throw anyone off the scent. All you do is to remove two black cards from the deck before starting the trick. The spectator, of course, should be unaware of this. 56

It is a fact that when you ask someone to separate cards in this way, they never count the cards - they are too busy concentrating on the colors. If you removed four black cards from the deck there would be four more red cards than black at the outcome. What would happen if you asked someone to separate all the black cards from the red is that they would finish up with two even packets of cards. If you had removed two cards from the deck it would be noticeable when the reds and blacks were counted. To disguise the fact that some cards are missing you ask the spectator to deal the cards in pairs of reds and blacks, eliminating any pair of cards which do not conform to this pattern. This appears to be so casual that an uneven result would seem logical. Despite this, the pairs of reds and blacks should still come out equal, because the discards are pairing off too. It follows, therefore, that if you remove two black cards from the deck in advance, the red pile will have two more cards than the black pile. Your prediction is correct.

And The Next Card Is Yours The method used for the next effect is probably the simplest used in any card trick. Most schoolboys know it, but the revelation of the card is given a little twist which throws the audience off the scent. Take a pack of cards in your hands now and follow the trick through as we describe it. Shuffle the cards thoroughly and secretly note the card that is on the bottom of the deck. Spread the cards out and ask someone to select a card. When they have looked at the card, ask them to replace the card on the top of the deck. Place the deck face down on the table, cut the cards and complete the cut. Point out 57

that the card is now somewhere in the center of the deck. Start lifting the cards off the top of the deck one at a time and turning them face up on the table alongside the deck - but not in a neat pile. Scatter the cards around a little. After you have dealt about half the deck, you will eventually come to the card that was originally on the bottom of the deck. When this happens, the next card you turn face up will be the card your friend selected. But don't stop. Carry on dealing cards face up from the face down deck and make a mental note of what your friend’s card is, say the Ten of Clubs. When you have dealt perhaps six cards after you have noted the Ten of Clubs, stop, and say to your friend, “I’ll bet the next card I turn over will be your card.’ Your friend, who has already seen his card go by, will assume that you are going to turn the next face down card face up and he will naturally reply, ‘I’ll bet it isn’t.’ You now reach over and turn the Ten of Clubs face down saying, T’U turn this one over - was that your card?’ And, of course, you are right.

Walking Through a Card Can you make a hole in a normal size playing card, large enough for you to walk through? Most people expect a ‘catch’ in the answer. But there is no catch. It is actually possible to make a hole in a normal size playing card large enough to walk through. All you need is one playing card, one razor blade and a pair of sharp scissors. Take the razor blade - do be careful - and make a

58

slit in the card right down the center leaving about a sixteenth of an inch at either end uncut {Fig. 1). Now fold the card in half {Fig. 2), being careful not to tear the end pieces. With the scissors, start making cuts all along the length of the card. You cut the doubled card alternately from the edge of the card to the slit in the center, and then from the slit to the edges, each cut stopping short about one sixteenth of an inch from either the center slit or the edge of the card. Once this has been done you will find that it is possible, by carefully pulling the card in different 59

directions, to open it out into a large zigzag band

(Fig, 3). Place this band on the floor, step into it and lift the band up and over your head.

Do As I Do Do As I Do is a coincidence eSect. The performer and a spectator both perform a series of actions with two packets of cards with surprising results. The spectator finds the card the performer has selected and the performer finds the spectator’s card. The title to this effect is given because the performer stresses the fact that both he and the spectator perform exactly the same actions. The outcome, therefore, should be the same in both instances. Start oflF by shuffing the deck and handing approximately half the deck to the spectator. As you hand him the cards secretly note the card that is on the bottom of his packet. Ask the spectator to follow your actions exactly. You pull one card out from the center of your packet, look at it, and place it on top of your packet. The spectator repeats your actions with his packet of cards. The position now is that you both have a card which is sitting on top of your respective packets, which has been looked at. Cut the top half of your packet and place it on the bottom of your packet. This will place the card you have looked at somewhere in the center of your packet. The spectator repeats your actions, which will result in his selected card being placed somewhere in the center of his packet of cards. It will also place his selected card below the card which was on the bottom of his packet, the card you secretly noted at the be¬ ginning of the trick.

60

You now exchange packets with the spectator. Instruct him to hold the cards’ faces towards his body, to spread the cards out fanwise, to remove any card from the center of his packet and place it face down on the table in front of him. As you are instructing the spectator, you remove one card yourself from your packet and place it face down on the table. This card is the one beneath the card which you secretly noted. Both the spectator and the performer now have a card face down in front of them. The card the per¬ former has placed on the table is the one selected by the spectator, but no one knows which card the spectator has placed on the table. You ask the spectator to turn his card face up on the table and when he does so the performer says, ‘That’s my card!’ You then ask, ‘What was your card?’ When the spectator names his card, you turn over the card in front of you - and, of course, it is the spectator’s card. Needless to say, the card which the spectator turns over on the table is not the one the performer selected, but he will never know the truth. The fact that the other card is his will be enough to convince him that everything was above board.

A Sense of Touch Spread a deck of cards face down on the table. Ask someone to remove a card from the spread, look at the card and replace it at either end of the deck. Ask him to gather the cards up into one neat pile and cut the deck and complete the cut. He may cut as often as he wishes. Ask him now to spread the cards on the table, face up. The spectator is now instructed to hold your hand at the wrist. When he does so, you pass your hand back

61

and forth across the table above the cards. Your forefinger should be pointing forward. Explain to him that he must think of his card and that when your finger passes over the card you will feel a vibration coming from his hand into yours. As your finger passes over the cards, it suddenly stops and drops on to a card and pushes it forward. This card turns out to be the one he selected. All you have to do is to secretly note the top and the bottom cards of the deck before you spread the cards on the table. After the spectator pulls a card from the spread he is instructed to place it at either end of the deck, gather the cards together and cut the deck. This action will place his card between the two cards you have noted. Once he has spread the cards face up on the table you can spot his card immediately as it is sandwiched between the other two cards. The rest is window dressing.

Face Up Prediction The Face Up Prediction is similar to Reds versus Blacks in that a piece of paper is given to a spectator before the trick begins. After he has completed a series of actions, the outcome of which no one could possibly know in advance, he is asked to read what is written on the paper and it is exactly what the performer had predicted. A spectator is given a deck of cards and asked to place them behind his back. He is then asked to turn one card face up and inseit it into the deck somewhere near the center. He now brings the cards forward and spreads the cards face down along the table top. There will be one card face up in the center of the deck. He is asked to look at the face down card im¬ mediately below this face up card. It is the King of Diamonds. He is now asked to read what is written on

62

the paper and it turns out to be, ‘You will place the face up card next to the King of Diamonds.’ This trick depends on one little piece of chicanery plus a certain amount of address. When you are in¬ structing the spectator in his actions you must stress the impossibility of anyone being aware of what the possible outcome could be. Before you start this trick, turn one card iace up in the center of the deck and make a note of the face down card beneath it. Now turn the second card from the top of the deck face up also. When you write your prediction you write in the name of the face down card under the face up card at the center of the deck. You are now ready to perform. Hand the deck to someone and ask them to place the deck behind his back. Instruct him to remove the top card of the deck and insert it into the deck some¬ where near the center. At this point you say, ‘I think you will agree that it is impossible for anyone to know exactly where you placed that card in the deck. It could be anywhere. But will you take the next card, sir, and turn it face up and insert it into the deck, will you do that sir? You have done it? Good. Place the cards on the table please.’ You should realise by now that the spectator has

QUICKIE Picking up a very odd looking object (you can make one up beforehand out of old broomhandles, lampshades, bits of bicycles, vacuum cleaners, any¬ thing) you announce.* My next trick is so baffling^ so difficult and so expensive . . . that Fm certainly not going to waste it on you. So instead . . . {etc^ 63

turned a face up card face down and not the other way round as he thinks. Because he has been holding the cards behind his back it is impossible for him to know that the second card from the top was already face up. Ask him to spread the cards along the table so that his face up card will be exposed. When he does this there will be one card face up which is the card you reversed before starting the trick. Point out that no one could have known exactly where in the deck he was going to place the face up card. Ask him to look at the card beneath the face up card and then read your predic¬ tion. It is correct.

The Dissolving Card Have someone select a card from the deck. Take this card from him and place it on top of the deck. Place the deck on the table, scattering the cards a little as you do so. Take out your handkerchief and drape it over your left hand. Pick up the top card that is lying on the table and place it on the handkerchief. Then turn the hand¬ kerchief over so that the card is hidden from view. Fig. 1 shows this position. Lift up the front edge of the handkerchief and let the spectator see his card. Drop the front of the hand¬ kerchief again so that the card is once more hidden from view. Ask the spectator to take hold of the handkerchief and hSs card with it. Draping the edges of the handkerchief over the rim of a glass of water, ask him to push his card down into the glass of water. Ask him now to lift the handkerchief off the glass. When he does so, he will be amazed to see a glass of water and nothing more. His card has apparently dissolved in the water. You need a piece of clear acetate or celluloid for this 64

effect. It is cut to the exact dimensions of a playing card and is sitting on top of the deck at the start. Spread the cards and have someone select a card from the center of the deck. Take the card back from him and place it on top of the deck, which means that it is now on top of the piece of clear plastic. Place the deck on the table, allowing the cards to spread out a little as you do so. Bring forth your handkerchief. When you pick up the card to place it in the center of the handkerchief, you also pick up the piece of plastic. Turn the handkerchief over so that the card is hidden from view and lift the front edge of the hand¬ kerchief to enable the spectator to get a momentary glimpse of his card. In actual fact he will be seeing his card through the piece of plastic, but as it is done quickly he will not notice anything unusual. Ask the spectator to come forward and grasp his 65

card through the handkerchief and as he does so, allow the card to drop onto the deck which is scattered on the table. If you hold the handkerchief close to the table top no one will see it drop. Because the deck is a little scattered, the addition of one more card will pass unnoticed. At this stage the spectator is holding the piece of plastic under the handkerchief which he thinks is his card. Place the glass of water under the handkerchief and ask him to push his ‘card’ down into it. When he removes the handkerchief from the glass, the piece of plastic, because it is transparent, will not be visible in the glass of water. The card has indeed vanished. (Fig. 2)

66

PERSONAL REMARKS help the pace along. Remem¬ ber, pace and speed are two quite different things. Keep the pace easy and the speed down so your audience can understand you. Personal remarks

If your hair is short: I apologise for the unfashionable shortness of my hair, but for my last trick I broke out of Alcatraz {or whatever jail is well known locally). Special note: If you actually have just broken out of jail, get a wig. To yourself, after a successful trick: You mad fooll Is there nothing you cannot do ? If you are short: I was six foot four until I did that trick where you balance an elephant on your forehead. In a moment Vll do my fantastic disappearing trick. I turn sideways. 67

My dad and my brother are thin like me, but the rest of the family have big bulging muscles and hairy chests. Funny girls...

68

COMEDY MAGIC Comedy magic is just what it says - tricks which raise a laugh, either because they are funny in them¬ selves or because they produce a totally unexpected or baffling effect. Some of them are not really tricks at all - but they are excellent as icebreakers at the beginning of a routine, or as ‘liveners’ in the course of a per¬ formance.

The Color Changing Handkerchief In describing this trick it might be easier if we write the patter for you as we go. It will make it easier to follow. Right, here we go. 7 would like to show you ... a miracle. You may laugh now.. . but when I have finished... aha... you'll probably wish I hadn't started. Right, here I have a blue handkerchief. It used to be white, but the wind blew it... sorry. 7 am going to stuff this handkerchief into the top of my left fist... like this. I have now stuffed the handker¬ chief into the left fist. Everyone here saw me do it. Now watch. Before your very eyes I am going to pull the handkerchief out of the bottom of my leftfist. ^Look at it... it has changed to red... it's a sensa¬ tion ... (open left hand) and when Ifind out how to get rid of the BLUE one I'll have a miracle." Stand by - we are now going to let you into the secret of tffls astounding trick. All that is required is that you conceal a RED handkerchief in your left fist 69

before you begin. When you stuff the blue handkerchief into your fist make sure that it is completely out of sight before you pull the red one from the bottom of your fist

The Vanishing Pencil Stand with your left side to the audience and hold a short pencil in your right hand. Your left hand is held out in front of your body palm upwards. Hold the pen¬ cil between the finger and thumb of the right hand about a foot above the left hand. Bring the right hand down and strike the left hand with the pencil and say ‘ONE!’ and immediately lift it up again to its previous position. Strike the left hand agam with the pencil and say TWO!’ 70

For the third time the right hand comes down and the left hand closes over the pencil and you say ‘THREE!’ Hold the left hand forward and say ‘WATCH’. Open the left hand and the pencil is not there. Turn to face the audience and they will see the pencil behind your right ear. If you study the above carefully and follow it with a pencil in your hand you will realise that your right hand, when it is brought upwards, will come very close to your right ear. It is a simple matter to place it behind your ear after you have said ‘TWO!’ (Remember, it has to be a short, stubby pencil.) As soon as you have said ‘TWO!’, the hand travels upwards, leaves the pencil behind the right ear and immediately travels downwards again to the left hand which closes over the fingers of the right hand, as if it still held the pencil. Hold the left hand forward as if it held the pencil, blow on it and open the fingers slowly. The pencil has gone. Turn your right side to the audience and they will see where it has gone.

71

Magic Paper Tearing Announce that you are going to perform, without the aid of a safety net, The Magic Paper Tearing Trick - ‘before your very eyes... and during which, you will note that my hands never leave the ends of my arms.’ Pick up a sheet of newspaper and start to tear pieces from it, dropping them on the floor as you do so. After you have tom a few pieces, carefully fold the paper in half and in half again. Make it look as if you are taking a lot of trouble. Now start tearing a few more pieces from it and dropping them on the floor. ‘Are you ready ? Watch this. I am going to tear a beautiful model of a pig. Hold it, we’re nearly there.’ Keep tearing the paper until you have nothing left and all the pieces are scattered all over the floor. Look around the floor at the pieces and say, ‘Well... at least I made a litter.’

The Unstrung Doughnut Have two spectators help you with his one. Take a piece of string about five feet long and thread it through a ring doughnut. Have the two spectators hold the two ends of the string, one standing at either side of you with the doughnut on the string in front of your body. All three of you should be facing the audience. Throw a large cloth or headsquare over the string, hiding the doughnut from view. Explain what you are about to do. ‘We have threaded the doughnut on to the string and the ends of the string are being held by these two gentlemen. What I propose to do is to remove that doughnut from the string without either damaging the doughnut or cutting the string. The performance starts now.’ Reach under the cloth and start to fiddle around as 72

if you are trying to complete some secret manipula¬ tions. Prolong this a little as if you are having trouble. Finally lift the cloth up and duck under it so that you are completely hidden from view. Keep making remarks like, ‘It won’t take long now,’ and, ‘It went all right at rehearsal.’ Under cover of the cloth you break the doughnut, releasing it from the string, and start to eat it. You take another doughnut secretly from your pocket and this is the one you hold up for all to see when you emerge from under the cloth, chewing madly. It’s quite obvious where the first doughnut has gone - you’re eating it.

The Stretched Finger Very young children really enjoy seeing this trick. Place your two forefingers side by side {Fig. 1) and point out that they are both exactly the same length. Now place the right hand under the left hand so that the right forefinger can be seen between the first and

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second fingers of the left hand (Fig. 2). Now ask a child to pull gently on the tip of the right forefinger. As he does so, allow the right forefinger to be pulled forward about an inch then ask him to stop. The position will now be as in Fig. 3.

Wiggle the right forefinger a little. Ask him to have another pull at it. When he does so, let the right fore¬ finger travel forward another inch. Again wiggle the finger a little. Now ask him to push the finger back and after he has done so, you show that both fingers are once again exactly the same length as in Fig. 1. 74

After a few trials you will find that the farther out he pulls your finger, the more you have to narrow the gap between the first and second fingers of the left hand to avoid the rest of the left hand being seen. Try to keep all the other fingers of the right hand out of sight behind the left hand.

The Hanky Puppet This one is not strictly magic, but the younger child¬ ren love it. All you need is a pbcket handkerchief, two rubber bands, and the head of an old doll, or puppet. Drape the handkerchief over your right hand and

75

place the two rubber bands over the thumb and middle finger of the right hand thereby fixing the handkerchief to those two fingers. Now place the head of the doll on top of the forefinger and there you have a puppet. The drawing shows you what it looks like. If you don’t have an old doll’s head, use a small jar or other item that will fit over the forefinger - it still looks funny.

The Cut and Restored Handkerchief A brilliant effect when properly handled, the Cut and Restored Handkerchief is an item that will be rem¬ embered long after you have made your exit. At least one person will have cause to remember it well the person who lent you the handkerchief. Having borrowed a handkerchief, the performer gathers it up into his left fist. The center of the hand¬ kerchief projects above the fist and the remainder hangs below. The center of the handkerchief is cut away from the rest of the handkerchief. This piece is now placed underneath the handkerchief and pushed upwards into the folds of the handerkchief. The hand¬ kerchief is now pulled away from the left hand and shaken. When the handkerchief is opened out, the center is quite intact and the whole is returned to its grateful owner. As well as the borrowed handkerchief, you will need a pair of scissors and one paper handkerchief. A piece about three inches square is cut from the paper handkerchief and the remainder is discarded. Thiis small piece is held in the crotch of the left thumb un¬ known to the audience. Borrow a white handkerchief from a member of the audience. Take the handker76

1

chief by the center and let the remainder hang down¬ wards. In this condition the handkerchief is placed into the left fist with the center point apparently projecting above the fist. Apparently is the operative word. In fact, as the handkerchief is placed into the left hand, it is gripped firmly in the fist and the small piece of paper handkerchief is pulled upwards into view. The scissors are now picked up and the center point of the paper handkerchief is cut off. You should be leaning over a table as this is done so that the piece will fall on the table. The scissors are replaced on the table and the piece of paper handkerchief is picked up in the right hand. This piece is now placed imder the handkerchief

77

and pushed upwards apparently into the folds of the handkerchief. In fact it is held in the crotch of the thumb of the right hand. A small piece of the paper handkerchief is still held in the left fist. The right hand is withdrawn from the folds of the handkerchief still holding the piece of paper handkerchief in the crotch of the thumb, unknown to and unseen by the audience. The right hand now takes hold of one comer of the handkerchief and pulls it from the left hand and gives it a shake. The left hand, still closed into a fist takes hold of another corner between the thumb and the base of the forefinger and opens the handkerchief out to show that it has been completely restored.

The Sugar Trick The next time you are sitting in a restaurant with a few friends, surprise them by picking up one of those small packets of wrapped sugar and placing it on the back of your hand as in Fig. 1. 78

1

Place the first two fingers of the other hand on top of the packet and press and as you do so, open your hand. Two things happen simultaneously. The wrapper will be squashed on the back of your hand and as the hand opens the two sugar cubes will drop from your hand into your teacup.

To prepare for this effect you must, as you sit down at the table, take one of the packets secretly from the sugar bowl. Get this packet under the table and re79

move the two sugar cubes. Rewrap the wrapper, which will retain its shape, and replace it in the bowl. Place it over to one side of the bowl so that when the moment arrives your fingers can go straight to it. When the tea or coffee arrives, reach over and re¬ move the empty packet from the bowl and place it on the back of your left fist, which unknown to your friends is holding the two sugar cubes. Place the right fingers on top of the packet and press. The packet, because it contains nothing, will collapse, and if at the same moment your left hand opens, the two sugar cubes will drop into the cup creating a pretty magic effect. Quite often, someone will say, ‘Do that again’ - so it might be just as well to prepare two packets or else have another trick handy to take their minds oflT the one you have just performed.

The Growing Man This is best described as a party stunt. At one point during the festivities someone walks in and walks around the room peering at people and objects around the room. He stops at one point and looks at the wallpaper, with his back to everybody. His head moves from side to side upwards and upwards until he appears to be about seven and a half feet tall. Gradu¬ ally he diminishes until he is back to his normal height at which point he makes his exit. Once more the illustration will make everything clear. Three things are required. An overcoat, a hat with as large a brim as possible and a pair of gloves. The overcoat should be very loose to allow the person to have his arms held in the position required. The gloves are pinned into position in the sleeves. The coat collar should be turned up so that the back of the

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person’s head cannot be seen from behind. The fingers and thumbs of both hands take hold of both the coat and the hat and lift them up slowly with a side to side motion until they can reach no farther. When this stage is reached he must continue to move from side to side and slowly raise himself up on his toes. The descent should also be slow and gradual. If it is decided that this should be presented as a set piece, have someone introduce the item as an im¬ pression of a man looking at the timetable board in a railway station. He makes his entrance, turns to face the wall, and starts looking at the timetable low down about three feet from the floor. This will make the stretch appear to be much longer.

Push A Glass Through A Table The performer wraps a glass in a sheet of newspaper, leaving the mouth end of the glass open (see Figs. 1 and 2). He places a coin in the center of the table and covers it with the glass. Then he explains that he is going to make the coin penetrate the table top. He lifts the newspaper cover off the glass a little and the spectators can see the coin still under the glass. He replaces the cover over the glass and gives the cover a

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1 tap with his right hand. His right hand now lifts both the glass and the cover together to show that the coin is no longer on the table, but the spectators see that the coin is still there. ‘That’s funny,’ he says. ‘Maybe I didn’t tap it hard enough.’ He replaces the glass and cover over the coin. This time, instead of tapping the glass, he places his right palm on top of the glass and presses downwards and the newspaper cover collapses flat on the table. ‘Oh dear! - I’ve pressed too hard,’ he says. ‘I’ve pushed the glass through the table.’ As he says this his left hand comes from under the table holding the glass. This effect is quite a stunner and can be performed impromptu, by borrowing both the glass and news¬ paper. As you will gather, the coin is used merely as an excuse. If you told them you were going to make the glass penetrate the table top, all eyes would be on the glass, but because you told them that the coin is going to penetrate the table top, aU eyes will be on the coin and it is this concentration on the coin that enab¬ les you to do the dirty work. To start with you ask if you may borrow both a glass and a sheet of newspaper. In practice you will find that you only require about two thirds of a single page of newspaper. If possible, try and obtain a straight sided

83

glass rather than a tapered one, but it is not essential. Wrap the glass in the paper and place it on the table mouth downwards. Place a coin in the center of the table and place the glass and cover over the coin. Explain what is about to happen, that the coin will penetrate the table top. Lift the cover off the glass to show that the coin is still there. Replace the cover and give the glass a tap. Now lift both the glass and the cover off the table and the spec¬ tators will see that the coin is still there. It is exactly at this moment that you do the dirty work. When you lift the glass and the cover off the table with the right hand, the right hand carries them back to the edge of the table. Don’t worry about anyone noticing this: all eyes will be on the coin at this point. Once the right hand reaches the edge of the table you relax your grip a little so that the glass slides out of the newspaper and into the left hand, which is waiting below the level of the table top to receive it. ‘That’s funny,’ you say as you replace the cover only over the coin, ‘Maybe I didn’t press hard enough.’ You will find that, although the glass is no longer under the cover, the cover will retain its shape and lead the spectators into thinking - although you don’t actually say so - that the glass is still under the cover. The situation now is that the coin is still on the table with the cover over it and the spectators think the glass is still there, but in reality the glass is in your left hand which at this point should be reposing in your lap. ‘Maybe I didn’t tap hard enough,’ you say. As you say this you reach forward with your right hand and press downwards on the cover which will collapse. ‘Oh, dear! I’ve pressed too hard,’ you say. ‘I’ve pushed the glass through the table,’ - and at this point your left hand appears from under the table holding the glass. 84

The Magic Ads This magic trick is both pretty and surprising. Pick¬ ing up a sheet of newspaper, the performer comments on some of the adverts it contains. He turns it around so that the spectators can see the other side of the newspaper and points out one or two other ads. ‘These days,’ he says, ‘Everyone is looking for some¬ thing new, and the advertising agencies have found a new way to present their products. It’s called Instant Advertising.’ He pokes his finger into the newspaper and produces from the hole he has made, a silk or chiffon handker¬ chief. ‘Look,’ he says, ‘a free sample.’ Turning the paper over, he points out another ad, this time for ladies’ tights. ‘Look at that - tights for sale.’ Again his finger pierces the paper and from the hole he produces a pair of tights. He crushes up the newspaper and tosses it aside with the comment, ‘I’m just waiting for the day when the banks start advertising money.’ To prepare for this trick you need two sheets of newspaper, a pot of paste, a paste brush and the pro¬ ducts, which may be handkerchiefs, tights, or anything else you think suitable. Place one sheet of newspaper on the table and on this place your products. Brush some paste around the products, an inch or two away from them and then paste all around the edge of the newspaper. Place the second sheet of newspaper on top of the first and press

QUICKIE On entering: Well, how do you like me so far? 85

down firmly on the parts you have pasted and leave to dry. Make sure that your products are not too bulky otherwise you will get bulges in the newspaper. The reason for pasting around the products is simply to stop them all slipping down to one comer of the paper. Once the paste is dry you are ready to perform. Pick up the newspaper, show it on both sides and remember to poke your finger into the paper at the right spots. If you are a perfectionist, you can actually have your products in the paper at spots which are actually behind real ads, but if you are performing at a slight distance no one will be able to read what is on the paper anyway.

The Knotted Hair Take a straight hair and tie a knot in it and ask

someone to untie the knot. They will find it an im¬ possible task. When several people have examined the hair and declared it an impossibility, proceed as follows: Lick your palm at a spot just below the little finger. Place the knot on this damp spot so that the two ends are projecting across the palm and close your fist tightly around it. If you now pound your fist on the palm of the other hand or on a table top, you will find that the knot will gradually loosen up enough for you to undo it.

The Vanishing (?) The reason for the question mark in the title is that this particular little secret can be applied to almost any smaU object - coin, a ball, a salt cellar, practically anything. Let us assume we are using a coin. Hold the coin in the left hand and cover it with a pocket handkerchief. Ask one of your friends to reach up underneath the

87

handkerchief and feel the coin, making sure that it is still there. When he has done this approach someone else and ask this person to reach under the handkerchief just to check that the coin is still there. This is repeated several times, each person reaching under the handkerchief. Once everyone is satisfied that you have the coin under the handkerchief, your right hand takes hold of the comer of the handkerchief and gives it a pull, so that it comes clear of the left hand. The left hand is empty, the handkerchief can be examined. In fact the handkerchief can be a borrowed one and may be re¬ turned to its owner at the completion of the effect. The secret of this trick is very simple indeed. The last person whom you allow to reach under the hand¬ kerchief to check that the coin is still there is a con¬ federate. Although he may say, ‘Oh yes, the coin is there’ what in fact has happened is that he himself has taken the coin away. All that is left for you to do is to make a big deal out of vanishing the coin. There is a variation on this theme which has, on occasion, almost caused a riot. It is up to you to decide whether your friends are sporting enough to accept this type of humor. Instead of a coin, borrow a friend’s watch. When the time arrives for your confederate to reach under the handkerchief, he places a bunch of keys in your hand before he removes the watch. You now take hold of all four comers of the hand-

QUICKIE Make yourself some cardboard medals on rib¬ bons. Whenever you get a trick right, ‘decorate’ yourself with one.

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kerchief with the bunch of keys in the center. Remem¬ ber, your friend thinks that it is his watch in the hand¬ kerchief. Explain that you have discovered a new way of finding out whether a watch is shockproof or not. Holding all four comers firmly in your right hand, you smack the bunch of keys down hard on the floor. Keeping hold of the comers of the handkerchief, you give it a shake and your friend will hear the rattle of the bunch of keys. ‘No, this one isn’t shockproof,’ you say as you open out the handkerchief and show your friend the keys. When he enquires what has happened to his watch ask him to look in his pocket. When he does so, he will find his watch. You will find that there will be enough commotion caused when you smash the keys on the floor to enable your confederate to get behind your friend and drop the watch into his pocket.

Ifs Impossible It’s impossible. That’s what your friends will say when you give them this challenge. Fill a glass with water and cover it with a tea plate. Turn the whole thing upside down {Fig. T) and place it on the table. The problem now is to turn the glass of water over and stand it right way up on the plate, using one hand only.

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No doubt you have already looked at the illus¬ trations and spotted how to do it. Although it is basic¬ ally simple it does need practice - you have to balance the glass of water on your head for a few seconds. If you are tall you can perform this on practically any table, but should you be a little less than average height a coffee table would be more suitable. Place your head on the glass, take hold of the plate

90

and press upwards so that the glass is pressed against the top of your head. Now stand upright fairly quickly. Place the plate on the table then lift the glass off your head and place it on the plate.

Finger Control Ask your friend to clasp his hands in front of his body, interlacing the fingers {Fig. 1). Now ask him to turn his hands inwards and upwards until he reaches

91

the position shown in Fig. 2. When he is in this posi¬ tion point to one of his fingers and ask him to move it. In nine cases out of ten he will move the wrong finger. This is a fact. Whatever you do, don’t touch any part of his hands while he is in this position. Just point. Try it now, with someone who is sitting near you as you read this book.

The Mummy's Finger This one is really in the category of a joke, but it’s one you can have a lot of fun with. Explain to your friends that on a recent shopping expedition you had found an old junk shop full of all kinds of weird items. As you were looking around, the owner, who was a very old man, had told you that he had a real mummy’s finger that had apparently been stolen from a tomb in Egypt. He claimed that since he had had it in his shop he had been the victim of a series of accidents and was quite sure that it was the finger which was res¬ ponsible for his run of bad luck. Although you hadn’t believed a single word he had said, you had bought the finger because you thought it might be a curiosity. ‘Would you like to see it,’ you ask your friends. When they answer ‘Yes’, as they will, you bring out a 92

small cardboard box. When you lift the lid off the box, they see a finger lying in the box on some cotton wool. After showing it around, replace the lid. If one of your friends doesn’t believe your story, remove the lid again and ask if he’d like to feel the finger. As he is about to touch the mummy’s finger it suddenly pops up from the box. Just watch his face when that hap¬ pens. The explanation is quite simple. You take a small cardboard box with a loose lid and cut a small hole in the bottom of the box just large enough for you to pass your forefinger through and allow it to lie inside the box. Hold the box in your right hand to begin with, and as you place it on-ttie left hand, slip the left forefinger into the hole. When you lift the lid off the box your friends will

93

see the finger lying there. Although they will think that it is a fake, they will smile and probably say, ‘It looks real, doesn’t it’ or words to that eflFect. You will find that it helps the illusion a little, if you keep replacing the lid after showing it to someone and then removing the lid again to show it to the next person. The inside of the box should have a layer of cotton wool placed on the bottom with a hole through the cotton wool to coincide with the hole in the bottom of the box. The cotton wool, being fluffy, will disguise the edges of the hole. If you really want to be gruesome, you can sprinkle some red ink around on the cotton wool. This adds a touch of realism but you will have to change your story about the mummy’s finger as there would be no blood there if it really came from a mummy.

The Jumping Rubber Band Another classic trick in the field of impromptu magic is the Jumping Rubber Band. After placing a rubber band over two of his fingers, the performer snaps the fingers of the other hand and the rubber band jumps visibly off the fingers on to the next two fingers. You will have to take this slowly at first until you get the hang of it. You start by placing the rubber band over the first and second fingers of the left hand. Turn the hand

94

palm upwards and lift the rubber band up with the right hand {Fig. 1). This lifting of the rubber band is ostensibly to show that the rubber band really is on the two ^gers. In fact it has a double purpose. Three things happen al¬ most at one and the same time. You close all four fingers of the left hand, making sure that all four fingers go inside the rubber band. You allow the rubber band to snap back on to all four fingers {Fig. 2) and you turn the left hand over {Fig. i).

3 If you glance at Fig. 1 again you will notice that the rubber band is pulled a little over to the right. This makes it much easier for all four fingers to slip under the rubber band as it is allowed to snap back. You should now be in the position shown at Fig. 3. If you now quickly straighten out all four fingers of the left hand the rubber band will jump over on to the third and fourth fingers. You can now if you wish, make the rubber band jump back again by lifting up the rubber band as before and inserting all four fingers into it again as before. It is important to note that no one should realise that you are inserting the fingers under the rubber band. If you get the timing right, it will look as if you let the rubber band snap back at the same moment you turn the left hand over.

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Test Your Skill Ask your friends if they are any good at balancing things. If they say they are good at it, ask them to hold out both hands, fingers straight out, palms facing the floor. Place a glass of water on the back of each hand carefully and ask them if they can balance them for one minute. You will find that most people can do this and when the minute is up, say, ‘That was good, I wish I could do that’ - and walk away, leaving them with the two glasses of water still balanced on the backs of their hands.

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PUT DOWNS only to be used in emergencies - that is, if you are being heckled by a member of your audience. Don’t use them otherwise - they only infuriate people. But if you are persistently an¬ noyed by some Clever Dick, then have a go back. These are

Sir! Some people give pleasure wherever they go. You give pleasure whenever you go. Thank you, sir, for your help. Tm sure that if you really study hard youUl become a first class moron. Remember that you can lose the sympathy of an audience very quickly. Only if you are really being heckled will they sympathise with you and applaud when you hit back. Always smile as you use your put-downs. Would you mind repeating that, sir ? I don't speak Chinese. And a very happy St. Swithins' Day to you, too, sir. 97

Strange . . . For years Fw been a single act suddenly Fm a double act. You should be a real magician and wear a pointed hat. It would go well with your pointed head. Fd like to help you out, sir. Which way did you come in ? Apart from yourself, sir, did your parents make any other big mistakes ? That’s all right, sir. Just take offyour funny mask and enjoy the show. I need an intelligent member of the audience to help with the next trick, but perhaps you’d like to try instead. Why are you out tonight, sir - are they decorating your cage? May I borrow your hat, sir ? I want to pull out a Shetland pony.

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MINDREADING AND BRAIN TEASERS Black Magic Ask a friend to leave the room. While he is out, ask someone to name any object in the room such as a chair or a vase. Your friend is then invited back into the room and you start pointing to various objects. When you touch the object that was named, your friend says ‘Stop’. This can be repeated again and again. The amusing thing about this trick is that everyone knows that you are somehow signalling to him but they cannot figure out how. Not one single word is spoken. You can have your back to your friend at all times while you are pointing to the various objects. Stress the fact that you never utter a word and should they ask you how it is done tell them that it is all done by Black Magic. Your explanation is much nearer to the truth than they would suppose. What happens is that when your friend is out of the room someone decides on an ob¬ ject. When he returns, you start pointing at various objects in the room. When you decide that the right moment has arrived and you have created enough 99

atmosphere, you point to a black object. Once you have done this, your friend knows that the next object you are going to point to is the chosen one, hence the title. Black Magic.

The Magic Clock Draw a clock dial on a sheet of paper as in the illus¬ tration and ask your friend to think of an hour. Say. eight o’clock. Remember, he only thinks of the hour, he doesn’t tell you. Tell him that you are going to start tapping with the point of your pencil on numbers on the dial of the clock and each time you tap the dial, he is to add one to the number he is thinking of.

If he is thinking of eight, as we have suggested, then every time you tap he will be counting to himself, ‘nine, ten, eleven’, etc. Tell him that when he reaches twenty he is to call ‘Stop’. He will be amazed when he calls ‘Stop’ to find 100

that the number you are pointing to at that moment is the number he is thinking of. All you have to remember is the number seven. When you start tapping, you tap at random aU over the did until you reach seven. After seven, on the eighth tap, you must tap the number twelve on the dial. On the ninth tap you tap the number eleven, on the tenth tap you tap number ten and so on, travelling backwards in an anticlockwise direction on the dial. When he calls stop you will find that you are pointing to the number he is thinking of.

Naming the Number -1 Place three dice in a glass and hold the glass from above. The glass is now given a shake and it is pointed out that no one can possibly know how the dice will turn up. Shake the glass a few times showing that every time the numbers are different. When the spectators are convinced that there is no possibility of the dice being loaded, give them one more shake and ask someone to look at the dice from under the glass, looking through the bottom of the glass in fact. Ask him to add the three numbers on the dice to¬ gether. As soon as he has done so you tell him the total. This can be repeated immediately and each time the total is different. If you add the two opposite sides of a dice together they will always total seven. A one and a six, two and five, three and four. When you shake the glass all you do is total up the numbers on the tops of the dice and subtract this number from twenty-one. The answer you get will be the total of the bottom of the three dice. 101

Naming The Number - 2 Have someone throw three dice on the table while your back is turned. Have them add up the three numbers on top of the dice. Ask them to pick up one of the dice and add the number on the bottom. Throw this dice once more and add the number that now appears on top of the dice to his total. You now turn round and by taking one glance at the dice on the table you immediately tell him the number he has in his mind. Again, this is dependent on the fact that the opposite sides always add up to seven, but because the spectator has picked up one of the dice and thrown it again while your back was turned, it doesn’t seem possible that anyone could know the number he is thinking. When you turn around to look at the dice, all you do is add up the three numbers that are on the tops of the dice and add seven. This will give the number the spectator is thinking of. If you study what has happened, you will realise why. When you turn round and add up the three numbers on the tops of the dice, you are merely repeating what the spectator has already done. What you cannot see is the numbers on the dice which has since been re¬ thrown, but as the spectator looked at both sides of that dice and you know that both sides of that dice total seven, all you have to do is add seven to the total which is visible on the table.

A Sum Predicted Hand an envelope to someone and ask him to keep it in his pocket. You now produce a small note pad, hand this to another person, and ask him to write a 102

four figure number across the top of the pad in the place you indicate. Once this has been done, you pass the note pad to another person and ask this person to write another four figure number on the note pad, underneath the first person’s number. This is repeated another two or three times, each time having a different person write down a four figure number until you have a small colunm of four figure numbers. The note pad is now handed to still another person who is asked to draw a line under the colunms of numbers and add them up, writing his total under¬ neath. Let us assume that the total is 14,982. The first person, to whom you handed the envelope, is asked to open the envelope. Inside is a piece of paper which has some writing on it. He is asked to read it aloud. He reads: T predict that the total of the numbers written down will be 14,982.’

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First of all you will require a small note pad of the type shown in Fig. 1. Remove any printed cover or back stiffener that it may have, and write on the front page a series of four figure numbers that will total up to 14,982. You are now ready to perform. When you offer the pad to someone it is the other side of the pad that is exposed to him. 103

Each time a person writes down a four figure num¬ ber, take the pad from him and pass it to the next person. This ensures that they will not turn the pad over. Once you have reached the required amount of numbers, draw attention to the fact that you could not have possibly known previously what numbers were going to be chosen. Now hand the pad to still another person, one who has not written any of the numbers himself, and ask him to total them up. As you hand him the pad turn it over so that the numbers he is adding are the ones that you have previously written down, the total of which is, of course, 14,982. It is now merely a matter of having the person to whom you have entrusted the envelope open it and read out your prediction. Remember to ask someone who has not written down a number to total the figures up. Anyone who did add to the list will notice that his number is no longer on the pad.

QUICKIES You really are a marvellous audience. And believe me. Pm very hard to please. After this, you’d better giggle and mutter: Oh, you devil! or you’ll lose them.

My next trick is quite simple, really, and can be easily performed by any child of six with anl.Q. of 275 104

The Memory Man This trick gives the appearance of an unusual memory at work. It is best performed at a party early in the evening so that later, or even the next day, you can recall exactly what is required. One dice is all you need. Ask someone to roll the dice on the table. Let us assume that it turns up a six. Ask this person to remember that their number is six. This is repeated with as many people as you wish. It is possible that you may get ten people with the number six, seven with the number four, etc. You can do this with as many people as you wish. At any time, even up to a week later any one of those persons can walk up to you and say, ‘What’s my number?’ and immediately you can tell them their number. The system by which this effect is achieved is known as mnemonics, or the association of ideas. Study the following table. For number 1 a chefs hat. For number 2 a bowler hat. For number 3 a policeman's helmet. For number 4 a top hat. For number 5 a Robin Hood hat. For number 6 a cloth cap. There are six sides to a dice, each one numbered one to six. For each number you have to memorize a hat. Each hat is different and should be as outlandish as possible. The list of hats above is merely an example. You can substitute others if you wish. Every time someone throws the dice you have to think of that person wearing the hat which belongs to their number. If grandma throws a number three you have to visualize her wearing a policeman’s helmet. Because the picture in your mind - of your grandma wearing a policeman’s helmet - is a ludicrous one, it is 105

easily remembered. When grandma asks, ‘What’s my number?’ all you have to do is look at her. You will immediately con¬ jure up a picture of her in your mind wearing a police¬ man’s helmet - at which point you will know im¬ mediately that you must say ‘number three’. You will realise that the more outlandish the hats are, the funnier the picture in your mind. Can you imagine dad wearing a baby’s bonnet?

For Fast Thinkers — 1 These mental puzzles are not really magic - but they certainly seem to be when your victims come up with the wrong answers. They can come in very handy as a mild ‘put down* when some Smart Alec in the audience reckons he can see through your tricks. They might look easy - but just you try them. Ask your friend: ‘ What are ten times ten ?' He will answer ‘ 100!’ ‘ What are twelve times twelve ?' He Will answer ‘144’. ‘ What are eleven times eleven ?’ Strange though it may seem he will probably answer either‘122’ or‘133’.

For Fast Thinkers — 2 Here’s another one. ^ If you sell 50 cigars for $1, how much is that each ?’ He will reply, ‘Two cents each.* 106

'If you sell 100 cigars for $1, how much is that each ?' He will reply, ‘One penny each.’

'If you sell 75 cigars for $1, how much is that each ?' Believe it or not, he will probably say ‘One and a half cents.’

For Fast Thinkers — 3 Now try this one. Three men had lunch at their favorite restaurant and when they had finished the waiter brought a bill for $1.50. Each man gave the waiter a 500 piece. On taking the money to the cash desk, the waiter was reprimanded by the cashier for an error in the bill, which should have been for only $1.25 and gave the waiter 250 to return to the customers. On his way back to the table the waiter decided to keep 100 for himself and returned 50 to each of the.three gentlemen. The three men had therefore spent 450 each, making a total of $1.35 The waiter had 100 in his pocket bringing the total up to $1.45.

What happened to the other 5^ ? If you read that again carefully you will see that nothing happened to the other 50, The men have spent 450 each, a total of $1.35. $1.25 has gone to pay the bill. The other 250 is in the waiter’s pocket.

QUICKIE / sayy you really are a wonderful audience up

North - and believe me^ 1 say exactly the same thing down South. (Or vice versa). 107

How to Tell Someone's Age While, this formula is not guaranteed to work for anyone who is more than one hundred years of age, you will not find many people who are. When doing this trick it is important not to tell them that the purpose of the exercise is to ascertain their age. If you warned them in advance, they would probably decline to co-operate. Ask the person to write down the number of the month he was bom in. If January he would write 1, February 2, March 3, etc. Ask him to multiply that number by 2, add 5, then multiply by 50 then add his age. He now substracts 365 from that total and after¬ wards adds 115. When you are given the answer, the two figures to the right of the number will be the person’s age. The remaining numbers to the left will be the month. Example: If the answer is 1138 you will know immediately that the person was bom in November and is 38 years old. If it is 416, he would be bom in April and be 16 years old.

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SHADOWGRAPHY No one knows exactly when the art of Shadowgraphy first began. Perhaps our ancestors cast shad¬ ows on the walls of their caves by the light of their flickering fires. The art of throwing shadows - and it is indeed an art - can be one of the most amusing party pieces. Ideally you need a lamp and a portable home movie screen, but they are not indispensable. All you really need is a source of light and a surface upon which to cast your shadows. The surface can be simply the nearest wall, preferably a plain wall with no hanging pictures or fancy wallpaper patterns. The safest source of light is a flashlight or.a home movie or slide projector. Place the light or projector on a table and either kneel on the floor or sit on a small stool alongside it. You will have to experiment to see just how far away to hold your hands. If you hold them too close to the light, the shadow will be too large. If you hold them too far away, the shadows will be too small, or you will obstruct the view of your friends. Assuming that you have found the right light, study carefully the illustrations on the following pages and see if you can reproduce them. To make hand shadows more interesting and amusing, they should be animated. To cast the shadow of a dog and leave it at that just isn’t good enough. Open the dog’s mouth, move its head, waggle its ears. Make it appear to be sniffing at something, give it life. A good example of this can be found in the shadow of a dog biting the rabbit. Cast the shadow of a rabbit first. Make it move across the bottom of the frame and exit from the other side. Now make the dog appear and have it sniff around as if it had detected the scent of the 109

Rabbit

Ill

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rabbit. Makethedogexitfromtheothersideoftheframe. Suddenly the rabbit appears again. As he moves across the frame, the dog appears behind him and appears to be trying to snap at him. The rabbit finally exits with the dog apparently still chasing him. You can, if you wish, begin the performance by holding a card in front of the candle from which some letters have been cut, announcing:

CANDLELIGHT PRODUCTIONS present John Smith and his Shadow Friends and climax the performance with another card which simply states

THE END Make a few cardboard cutouts of various types of hats. A policeman’s hat, a chef’s hat. Put a small pipe or a cigarette in one character’s mouth. Have him chew on a prop cigar. Make a cutout of the top of an old woman’s head with a bun at the back. Have her stick her tongue out. Use your imagination and before long you will be presenting little scenes which can rival any home movie - with the added enjoyment of doing it all by yourself. After some practice you could get more ambitious and make jointed figures from stiflF card. Arms, beards, visors, etc. - in fact anything which moves - can be attached to the body by a push-through paper chp. Make sure the hole in the body is large enough to allow it to revolve. The moving parts can be operated by a piece of wire or a cardboard tab.

QUICKIE

At the end of yonr show:

If you've enjoyed my show, will you please tell all your friends. If you haven't, will you kindly keep your big mouths shut ? 113

SOME JOINTED SHADOW FIGURES

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MAGIC MIXED BAG Black And White Magic Stack a pile of poker chips up on the table, one on top of the other, alternating blue and white. Tell yoiu" friends that you want them to separate them into two piles, blue to one side, white to the other, and you want to see who can do it the fastest. After everyone has had a go at this and have taken varying amounts of time, show them just how fast you can do it. Place a ruler flat on the table and give the bottom poker chip a blow by sliding the ruler along the

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table.Because of the law of inertia (look it up or ask your teacher if you haven’t heard of it), the remaining poker chips will simply drop downwards and remain in a stack on the table. If you now bring the ruler backwards along the table top it will knock the next one out from under the others. Keep repeating this, sliding the ruler back and forwards along the table top and in a matter of a few seconds youwiU have separated all the blue poker chips from the white. Don’t forget to give yourself plenty of room - you’ll need it.

The Quickness Of The Hand Balance about six 100 pieces on the edge of a glass, with a strip of paper between the coins and the glass. Explain to your friends that the problem is to remove the strip of paper from between the coins and the glass without touching either the coins or the glass. Fig. 1 explains the situation quite clearly. Fig. 2 explains the method by which your objective is achieved. Hold the end of the strip of paper that is

118

farthest away from the coins, being very careful not to dislodge the coins from the edge of the glass. Hold the strip of paper, in as nearly a horizontal position as possible, with the left hand. The right hand is held about eight inches or so above this strip of paper and brought down smartly on the paper. The paper strip will be withdrawn from between the coins and glass so fast that the coins will remain in position on the edge of the glass throughout the whole experiment. Once again the law of inertia is responsible for what appears to be an incredible feat of skill.

The Chinese Compass This is one of the great optical tricks of all time and, unlike many others which require special preparation or equipment, this one can be made up in two minutes and can be carried around in your wallet It consists of a piece of stiff white cardboard two inches across and cut to an octagonal (eight-sided) shape. You will find it easy to make if you start off with a piece of cardboard two inches square and cut the comers off. It has an arrow drawn or painted on both sides.

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1

When you show this to your friends you explain that it is a Chinese compass. Hold the compass as in Fig. 1 and explain further that the Chinese compass is dif¬ ferent from any other compass in that it has two arrows, one on each side. As you say this your right forefinger pushes the edge of the compass so that it re¬ volves between your thumb and forefinger and turns over to show the arrow on the other side. ‘ You will notice that both arrows point in the same direction.'^

Keep revolving the compass to show that both arrows do in fact point in the same direction. 'Even if we turn it around like this (shift the position of the compass so that the arrow is pointing in the opposite direction as in Fig. 2) both arrows will always

2

point in the same direction.' (start revolving the com¬ pass again). 'But the Chinese are funny people. For instance, if they want to go this way (set arrow as in Fig. 3), they set the arrow this way.'

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3

At this point you revolve the compass and watch their eyes pop when they see that the arrow on one side is pointing in exactly the opposite to the other. If you will refer to Fig. 4 the answer will become quite clear. The two arrows are actually pointing at right angles to each other, but when the compass is

revolved between the thumb and forefinger both arrows will appear to have been pointing in the same direction. Once you have played around with the compass for a few minutes, you will realise that there are two posi¬ tions in which both arrows will appear to be pointing in the same direction. Both these positions are shown in Figs. 1 and 2. If it is held as in Figs. 3 and 5, the arrow on the reverse side will appear to be pointing in the opposite direction.

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How to Make a Paper Tree The paper required for this pretty eflFect can either be a length of wallpaper or a number of sheets of newspaper pasted together end to end. The longer the paper, the taller will be the finished tree. It is advisable to have the paper folded at the start and rolled up in view of the audience, pointing out without actually saying so that the paper is completely unprepared. Once the paper has been rolled up, three cuts are

made with a pair of scissors from one end of the roll to the center. Once the cuts have been made the roll of paper is opened out as one would peel a banana. The forefinger is now inserted into the center of the roll and the center pulled upwards. The effect created will be that of a taU tree. 122

The tree should then be placed into a pot. Any flower pot will do provided you have made provision inside to hold the tree in a rigid position. A stiff cardboard tube glued to a flat disc would suffice.

Folding Money This is a curious and rather unusual trick and is very easy to perform. A $1 note is folded very slowly and carefully, three times. It is then unfolded very slowly 123

and carefully and when this is done the note is now upside down. It can be repeated immediately with particular care being taken to show that the note is unfolded without any funny business and in exactly the reverse order to that in which it was folded in the first instance. 124

If you study the illustrations and follow them through you will arrive at the position shown in Fig. 4. It is important to note that the second fold, Fig. 2, is made by folding the note backwards and the third fold, Fig. 3, is made forwards. But when the note is un¬ folded both folds are opened from the front. It is unwise to repeat this effect too often to the same friends. Fold it once to turn it upside down and do it once more to bring it back to its original position then return the bill to the person from whom you borrowed it

The Travelling Magic Wand A magic wand is placed into a long narrow envelope, from which it vanishes - to reappear in another envelope which was previously shown empty. You need two long, narrow envelopes, each one long enough to contain the magic wand, and one magic wand. The wand is a 12-inch length of wood dowel. It is painted black in the center and white for one and a half inches at each end. You also need a duplicate wand made of black flint paper, which has a shiny surface, with two pieces of white paper to resemble the white ends of the solid wand. The solid wand should be able to fit inside the paper wand. You start by having the two envelopes on the table alongside the paper wand, which has the wooden solid wand concealed inside it. Pick up one envelope in the left hand and the wand in the ri^t hand. Insert the wand about two thirds of the way into the envelope and rattle it around inside the envelope to show that there is nothing inside the envelope. Remove the wand from the envelope and, as you do so, allow the solid wand to slide out of the paper wand into the envelope. Place the envelope which now contains the solid wand on the table. 125

The audience is unaware that this has happened because you are still apparently holding the wand in your right hand althou^ it is in fact the paper one. Pick up the second envelope and insert the paper wand into this envelope, all the way, and seal the envelope. Hold this envelope up in front of your body and tear the envelope to pieces slowly. The wand, seemingly, has vanished. Pick up the first envelope and tipping it sideways allow the solid wand to slide out of the envelope. The illustration shows the paper wand being re¬ moved from the first envelope and an exposed view of the solid wand sliding out of the paper wand into the envelope.

A Snappy Problem The most interesting fact in a Snappy Problem is that anyone watching the demonstration will want to 126

participate in the experiment. This fact makes it ideal for performance at small house parties. A person is seated in a chair and is either blind¬ folded or asked to keep his eyes closed firmly from start to finish. He is asked to point his finger at the direction from which he hears your fingers snapping. You start by snapping your fingers alongside his right ear. He will obviously point to his right. Now snap your fingers at his left ear. He will point to his left. Repeat this right and left several times - then switch to the back of his head. No two people will react the same when you snap your fingers at the back of their head. Some will say left, some right. Some will not be sure. The same applies to when you snap your fingers under his chin or above his head or occasionally in front of his face. It is important that the seated person should be instructed in what he is to say. Either, left, right, front, back, above or below. Take great care not to touch the person - this will give him a clue to where the

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sound is coming from. As we have said, no two people will necessarily behave in exactly the same way and it is this that makes it interesting. Everyone will want to have a go. Let them.

The Musical Fork The next time you are sitting at the dinner table, spring this little surprise on your friends. All you need is a table fork. You may have to try this one secretly first because it cannot be done wiA every fork. The old fashioned type seems to work better. Hold the fork with the forefinger and thumb and strike the prongs of the fork on the table top and you will find that it will ring. If it doesn’t ring, try another fork. If it does ring, then touch the table top with the

QUICKIE Here’s a mad one. Yon need a small bird box or shoe box with airholes in it. And now for Esmeralda^ the Wonder Pigeon (tap the box). When I whistle^ Esmeralda the Wonder Pigeon will fly out of this bird box^ circle the room (hall, arena) and take a ring from my assistant standing there at the back. Shout: Are you ready, George? Good! Then Esmeralda will fly back and place the ring in my mouth. Are you ready, Esmeralda? Tap the box. Whistle. Open the box. Nothing happens. So you whistle again. Then turn the box upside down. Out of it fall a few motheaten feathers. Sadly: 77/ kill that lousy cat! 128

bottom of the handle of the fork. As soon as the handle of the fork touches the table top you will find that it will ring again with a slightly different tone. Try this a few times to get the hang of it. To turn this item into an amusing stunt at the table we add a little acting ability. Strike the fork on the table and as soon as it rings, make a grab in the air above the prongs of the fork as if you are grabbing the sound. Now move your hand away from the fork a few inches and open ^e hand quickly and at exactly the same moment touch the table top with the handle of the fork. The effect you create is that of sound emanating from your closed fist at the moment you open the hand. You appear to have grabbed some sound in your hand, taken it away from the fork, opened your hand and let it free again. To take this a stage further explain to your friends that it only really works when you open your hand above an empty object such as a glass or a cup. As you say this you grab the sound, transfer it to just

129

above a glass, open your hand and the sound will appear to come from the glass. Repeat this a few times and explain once more that it only really works when you hold it above something that is empty. Strike the fork once more on the table top, grab the sound in your hand - then place your hand above one of your friends’ heads before you open it. Never strike the fork on a polished table top. Make sure that it has a table cloth covering it or is made of one of the modem plastic products which don’t scratch easily.

Instant Knot Removing his handkerchief from his pocket, the performer gives it one shake and a knot appears in the handkerchief.

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The knot is already in the handkerchief to begin with. The handkerchief is held by the comer in which the knot is already tied. This knot is concealed by the fingers of the right hand. When the handkerchief is given a shake, what happens is that the unknotted end of the handkerchief is ^cked upwards and grasped by the fingers of the right hand, and the knotted end is released. The result is an instantaneous appearance of a knot in the comer of the handkerchief.

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The Color Changing Pencil For this effect you wrap a red pencil in a pocket handkerchief. When you unwrap it, your friends will see that it has changed to yellow. To prepare for the effect you need two pencils, one red and one yellow and one pocket handkerchief. A colored or patterned handkerchief is preferable to a plain white one.

Place the yellow pencil on the table and cover it with the handkerchief. Place the red pencil in the center of the handkerchief, a little behind the position of the yellow one.

Now fold the handkerchief over and away from your body making sure that the comers of the handker¬ chief do not meet exactly.

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3 Roll up the handkerchief as in the illustration until the two comers are on top. Both pencils must be rolled up inside the handkerchief. At this point you have to be careful. Once both comers are on top of the rolled up handkerchief, you have to roll it just a little bit more so that one comer only rolls imder the handkerchief and pops up round the other side. You now have two comers on top of the packet again.

If you now take hold of these two comers and pull them in the direction of the arrows in the illustra¬ tion, the yellow pencil will now be on top of the hand¬ kerchief and the red one underneath. It is important that, when you start to perform, your friends are unaware that there is a yellow pencil underneath the handkerchief. The easiest way to achieve this is to start off with the yellow pencil rolled up in the handkerchief in your pocket. Remove the handkerchief from your pocket and unroll it on the table, making sure that the pencil is underneath the handkerchief and not on top.

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For Two Pins? Fill a wine glass to the brim with water. When filling the glass, pour the water slowly from above into the center of the glass to avoid getting the rim of the glass wet. This is important.

SURFACE

Having filled the glass with water, take half a dozen pins arid drop them one at a time, point downwards, into the center of the glass. Then ask your friends how many pins they think you can drop into the glass before the water overflows. Your friends will no doubt give varying amounts up to perhaps 20 or 25.

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It is, in fact, many more. The exact number depends on the size of the glass and the steadiness of your hand, but if we told you that it could be somewhere between two and three himdred, with a not too large glass of water, would you believe it?

Never Again Offer to show your friends something which has never ever been done before, and which will never ever, at any time be seen again. Once you have gained their interest you can prolong the agony by starting a discussion on great events which only ever happened once. Once you have made the point, pick up a nut, crack it, show the inside, then eat it. They will never see that done again.

A Sense of Touch Hand someone three pieces of paper and ask him to write the names of three of his friends, one name on each piece of paper. Explain to him that it is im¬ portant that he writes the names of two boys and one girl. When he has done this, he is asked to fold each piece of paper in half, then in half again, and to drop all three pieces of paper into a hat. Reaching into the hat, you remove one piece of paper. Without looking at it or unfolding it, you hold it to your forehead for a few seconds and place it on the table. This is repeated with the remaining two pieces of paper. When all three pieces are lying on the table, you pick up one of them again, hold it to your forehead and say, ‘Yes, this is the one. My mum always did say I was attracted to the ladies’.

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1

You hand this paper to the spectator who did the writing. When he unfolds the paper it is found to be the one that contains the girl’s name. This is another of those effects with a simple secret but a dramatic presentation. You need a sheet of paper with sharp clean edges. It is folded twice and torn, down the folds, into three pieces. A glance at the illustration shows that the piece which was

136

originally the center of the sheet has two torn edges, while the other two pieces have only one tom edge. You offer the pieces to the spectator one at a time. On the first two pieces he is asked to write the names of two boys. When you hand him the third piece to write a girl’s name, this is the piece with the two tom edges. Once you have all three in a row on the table it is a simple matter to spot the one with more than one tom edge.

Color Sense Hand several pencils to a friend and ask him to note that they are perfectly ordinary pencils but that they are all painted different colors. When he has verified this, turn your back to him and ask him to hand you one of the pencils behind your back. Once he has placed one of the pencils in your hand, ask him to place the remaining pencils in his pocket, out of sight. When he has done this you turn round to face him, still holding the pencil behind your back. After a moment’s concentration you name the color of the pencil you are holding behind your back. What actually happens is that when you turn to face him, your right forefinger scratches some of the

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paint off the pencil. Still holding the pencil in your left hand behind your back, you bring your right hand forward and hold your forehead in your hand as if you are concentrating deeply. After a moments’ thou^t, you name the color of the pencil. It is a simple matter when you bring your right hand up to your forehead to secretly ghmpse the color of the little piece of paint held under the nail of the forefinger. Although we have used pencils to describe this trick, wax crayons or chalk can be used. They are also much easier to scratch than pencils. You can also use pencils with different colored leads. In this case you can actually draw a line on the pahn of your left hand.

The Magic Sugar Cube Ask a person’s name. Assuming it is Mary, you write the letter M on one side of a sugar cube. This cube is now dropped into a glass of water. The spectator is then asked to place her right hand palm downwards on the top and over the mouth of the glass. She is then asked to hold it there a few moments while you explain to them that this is ancient oriental 138

formula which wiU cause the sugar to dissolve and cause the initial M to float up to the surface of the water. While you are explaining this, impress upon Mary that she must hold her hand tightly over the mouth of the glass, otherwise the formula will fail. After a few moments, look disappointed and point out that the sugar doesn’t seem to be dissolving too well. Ask Mary to remove her hand from the glass and look into the top of it. Remark that nothing seems to have happened. Now ask her to look at the palm of her hand. She will be more than surprised to see the letter M imprinted on her palm. All you need is one sugar cube, one glass of water and one pencil. The pencil is important. It should be a soft lead pencil with as thick and as soft a lead as possible. A carpenter’s pencil is ideal. You begin by asking Mary her name. Write the letter M in a capital on one side of the sugar cube in as large a letter as possible. Hold the cube up for

139

her to see. As you do so, draw the glass of water a little closer to yourself and dip your middle finger into the water, secretly. Place the cube on the table with the letter M upper¬ most. Placing your right middle finger on top of the letter, push the cube across to Mary. Make sure that you press down firmly, and try to make it appear as if all you have done is push the cube across the table. What you have done, in fact, is to take an impression of the letter on the tip of your middle finger. Ask Mary to pick up the cube and drop it into the glass. When she has done this, take hold of her left hand with your right hand and place it on top of the mouth of the glass. As you do this, your right middle finger presses against her palm. She will now have an impression of the letter M on the palm of her hand and, because she is holding her hand on top of the glass, she will be unable to see it. After a few moments, and repeated glances at the cube in the glass, ask her to lift her hand off the glass. From now on it is simply a matter of waiting for the right psychological moment to reveal the fact that she has the imprint of the letter M on her palm. To lift this trick into the ‘miracle’ class all you have to do is to leave the imprint of the letter M in several other places. If there are one or two other spectators around, take one of them by the wrist casually and draw them a little closer. The letter M will now be on his wrist. If someone is wearing short sleeves touch him casually on the arm as you say, ‘keep your eye on the glass and you’ll see a miracle happen’.

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