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THE BIG BOOK OF
TRICKS ANB MAGIC by JAMES
R.
BLACKMAN
A RANDOM HOUSE BOOK
/t^^*^ -. „ -,
Digitized by the Internet Archive in
2009
http://www.archive.org/details/bigbookoftricl<smOOblac
THE BIG BOOK OF TRICKS ANB MAGIC
A RANDOM HOUSE BOOK
THE BIS BOOK
TRICES AND
MA6IG by JAMES R. BLACKMAN
©
Copyright, 1962, by James
All rights reserved
Conventions. Published Distributed
in
R.
Blackman
under International and Pan-American Copyright in
New
Toronto, Canada, by
Manufactured
in
ISBN:
York by Random House, Inc. Random House of Canada, Limited.
the United States of America
0.394-80632-8
CONTENTS THE SQUARE TRICK THE WALKING
MAN
AND
THE STRAW
3
4
BOTTLE TRICK
THE MIRACLE MATCH
6
THE WEEPING COIN THE
5
8
MATCH AND PENNY
TRICK
THE BALANCING HANDKERCHIEF THE MATCHLESS
AND
THE STRING THE
MATCHBOX
BILL
10
12
ICE-CUBE TRICK
AMAZING SUGAR CUBE
THE DOLLAR
9
AND
13
14
BOTTLE TRICK
THE MAGICIAN'S ASSISTANT
MATCH 18 THE MAGIC CRAYON
17
THE LAST
20
THE ALTERNATING GLASS TRICK THE MAGIC COIN THE GLASS
22
AND MATCH
THE TRIANGLE TRICK
MATCH BOX
TRICK
24
26
27 28
THE VANISHING COIN THE MATCH-EATING
TRICK
25
THE MATCHSTICK TRICK THE MASTERMIND
21
30
BANDANA
32
16
THE SINGING FORK
33
THE UNBROKEN LINE
THE HANGING CUP THREE GLASSES 36
34 35
SEVEN COINS— FROM HERE TO THERE THE OBEDIENT COIN 39
TWO
LITTLE DICKIE BIRDS
THE RISING WATER
43
THE MIND-READING TRICK
ANOTHER
BILL
AND
THE STRING TRICK
AND
48
49 50
UNDER WATER TRICK
THE GLASS
47
MAKE NINE
THE PYRAMID TRICK FIRE
44
BOTTLE TRICK
TWO CORNERS FOR ONE FIVE PLUS SIX
40
53
PLATE TRICK
THE MAGIC PURSE
55
54
46
38
THE BIG BOOK OF TRICKS ANO MAGIC
FOREWORD In life
there are two kinds of people: those
who
leod the parade end those
who
follow the leader. Every one of us secretly yearns to stand out from the crowd and
win the admiration of our friends and family but too few of us have any idea as to
how
Entertainment
to attain this goal.
ways
to popularity.
The sound
is
one
of the surest
of laughter or the look of pleased
your friends' faces at the completion of a well-executed magic
adequate compensation In It
and most rewarding
amazement on
trick
are more than
for the time taken to learn these simple tricks.
addition to being a crowd pleaser, the art of magic offers other compensations.
develops quickness and a good use of your hands.
It
also will develop the neces-
sary poise to address groups of people, since one of the most important things to
a magician
is
a good line of patter to hold the audience's interest while he
is
com-
pleting a trick.
I
am
sure you
learned with a
the tricks demonstrated
will find little
practice,
since most of the materials
After you have
amount
become
and magic
will
at being able to
this
needed can be found
in
your
proficient at doing the tricks
will
be astounded
book by my son
own home.
you
will
be amazed
at the
from watching you do them... but
at the feeling of satisfaction
do something everyone else
easily
prove to be a very inexpensive hobby
of pleasure your friends will derive
more importantly you
in
you
will
have
can't do.
JAMES
R.
BLACKMAN
Can you form a
perfect square with these matches
by moving only one match?
THE SQUARE TRICK
Take care
to
arrange
the matches exactly as
shown Gently move the top match, and as you see you will have formed
a square
in
the center
of the arrangement!
Materials: Four matches.
in
the picture.
Can you make a walking
man
out of the numbers
given below by making
two
just
straight strokes with a pencil?
The Walking Man Write the numbers
This
one
letter
H
is
3
II
on a piece of paper.
easy! Using one stroke,
out of the
make
I
I.
make
the
With the second stroke,
the letter B out of the
3.
HOB Materials:
a
piece of paper
and a
pencil.
Can you
pick
up an empty pop
bottle with
a straw without touching the bottle?
The Straw and Bottle Trick
Materials:
a
dry straw and
a short stubby pop
bottle.
Bend straw a
little
than one third
its
less
length,
with both ends pointing upward.
Place straw in bottle, bent part
first,
holding onto the
long end. Then pull up on
straw slowly. The straw
wedge and you can
pick
will
up the
bottle without touching
it!
Can you by your magic power
#•
match
to
its
restore a broken
original condition?
THE MIRACLE MATCH
Use a large handkerchief with a wide hem.
Insert
a match
the hem, so that This
is
all it
the
can't
way
into
be seen.
done beforehand and the
handkerchief placed
in
your pocket.
Now
after
announcing what you can
do, pull the handkerchief out, lay
it
on a table, and place the second match
in
the center. Then pick up the
corner which has the match inserted in all
the hem,
and
four corners.
start folding
Pick
up handkerchief, and when you
have located the position of the match
in
the hem,
guests feel
Now
shift
hands a
the handkerchief bit
and
utter
in
it
let
one of your
and break
it
in
your
some magic
words such as "match, match, mend thyself."
Then shake the handkerchief,
and the whole match table.
will fall
on the
The broken one remain
IvIaterialSI
in
will
the hem.
Handkerchief and two matches.
two.
Can you make a
weep?
silver coin
THE WEEPING COIN
The secret of
this trick
is
to get the
Then place your
left
hand over your
piece of wet cotton behind your ear
ear and with your right hand rub the
without being observed.
coin on your arm,
making some remark
about the importance of rubbing the arm.
i
m
_
Your friends
and
will
is
be watching the coin
not notice that you are pick-
ing up the
that
will
*.
wet cotton with the hand
over your ear.
Now
very quickly place the wet cotton
behind the coin and squeeze friends will be
amazed
drip from the coin.
it.
to see
When
Your
water
the water
stops dripping, slip the piece of cotton into
your pocket or drop
it
out of sight.
Then show your friends the coin and
Materials:
a silver
half dollar.
let
fhem
a small piece of wet cotton or 8
try to
make
tissue.
it
weep!
Can you remove the penny with your match that
is
slanted to
fall
fingers without causing the
away from
the upright match?
The Match and Penny Trick Stand the cover of the match
box on
its
side, with the
scratching surface up. Sharp-
en the untreated end of a
wooden match, and
stick
it
in
the upper side of the cover, fairly close to the end.
Against the head of
this
match, rest the head of the
second match. Hold the
second one
in
position
by
placing a penny against
its
untreated end.
Light the third
match and
ignite
the heads of both matches.
The second match
away from you the
will
will curl
the penny,
and
be able to pick up
penny without causing
the second match to
away from
the
fall
first.
Materials.' Three matches, a penny, a safety-match
For safety reasons, place match
box on a
box and a
fire resistant
knife.
surface. 9
Can you balance a handkerchief on the tips of your fingers and make it rise and fall at your command?
The Balancing Handkerchief
Insert
a soda straw into the hem of
a handkerchief. This and the following step should
Tie a knot at the corner of the
handkerchief, and push straw up to the knot. Place the handkerchief carefully
in
your pocket, so you don't
break the straw. to
10
Now
show your
you are ready
friends the trick.
be prepared ahead.
Msterisls:
A
handkerchief with a wide hem, and a soda straw.
Take the handkerchief from your pocket, holding the knot
in
one hand.
With the other hand, stroke the handkerchief times.
Still
downward two
holding
it
or three
by the knot,
bring the other hand down, grasping the lower end of the straw the tips of the
thumb and
between
forefinger.
Release your hold on the knot, and will
look as
if
the handkerchief
balanced upright. Make
By a
movement
sliding
forefinger
"Down
Billy."
is
look
you are making a great
difficult,
as
efFort at
balancing the handkerchief.
if
of the
and thumb, allow the
handkerchief to come saying
this
it
Billy."
You can do
down
slowly,
Then say, "Up
this
several times.
At the end, throw the handkerchief into the air, catching
and crumpling
up before placing pocket.
If
it
back
in
it
your
you have two handkerchiefs
prepared, you can satisfy the skeptic
who
says, "Bet
you
can't
do
it
again!"
11
Can you make a
appear
coin
in
an empty match box?
The Matchless Matchbox Two
steps of this trick must
completed beforehand.
First,
be
open the
drawer of the match box
far
enough so that you can wedge a coin
between the cover and the end of the drawer. The second step
is
drawer
to slide the until
in
the coin
part
is
way
covered.
When
ready, hold up the apparently
empty match box,
half
opened
so that your friends can see inside,
and in
Now
close the
box
(the coin will
into the drawer). After
say, "This
box
is
matchless
more ways than one."
drop
a few
magic words, open the box again. To your
friends' surprise
a coin
has appeared!
Materials:
12
A
penny and a match box.
Can you snare an ice cube with a and lift the cube from the
piece of string glass?
The String and Ice-Cube Trick Float
an
ice
cube
Take a
in
string
one end, then
a glass of water.
and
invite
try their luck.
tie
When
They
will fail,
ice
cube
is
about impossible.
they give up, show
how Simply rest
it
can be done.
let
ice.
melt
the wet loop
on the
Sprinkle a the
in
your friends to
because looping the just
a loop
ice cube.
little
on
salt
The surface
will
and then freeze
again, with the string
embedded cube.
(It
in
the ice
takes a
little
time for the surface to
freeze again, so don't be too hasty with
this trick.)
Now
lift
the string carefully
by the free end, and you iVIateriais: Salt shaker, string with
cube of
ice,
and a
a loop,
glass of water.
can draw the
ice
cube out
of the glass.
13
Can you make a
pencil
mark
that has been placed on a cube
of sugar pass mysteriously through water
and onto the hand?
The Amazing Sugar Cube
On any one draw a heavy
firmly against the drawing.
come
off the
your thumb. (As trick,
do
noticed.)
14
heart, a number, or a cross with strokes.
up the cube and press your thumb
Pick
will
side of the cube of sugar
it
The mark
sugar and show on
this
is
the secret of the
quickly so
it
will
not be
Drop cube
in
glass of water.
Pick
up your
press your
of his
friend's
thumb
hand and quickly
firmly against the
hand as you are drawing
toward the
Hit the glass
saying,
"I
his
palm
Place his hand over the glass of water
and
tell
him to keep
it
down
firmly.
hand
glass.
a sharp tap with the pencil,
am now
tions."
M3t6ri3lS!
releasing the vibra-
Then
tell
your friend to look at
his
hand.
He will see the mark and will think it came through the water onto his hand!
Soft lead pencil, cube of sugar, three-quarters of a glass of water.
15
Can you remove a
dollar
bill
from under a bottle
without touching or upsetting the bottle?
The Dollar
Bill
and Bottle Trick
Place the bottle upside
down on
the
bill,
on a table or the bare
floor.
r up the
Roll
bill
carefully,
touching only the edges of the
bill
so that your fingers
do not come
in
contact
with the bottle. As you the
bill,
roll
the bottle will be
pushed along
until
finally off the
it
is
bill.
Materials: Dollar
16
bill
and pop
bottle.
either
Can you remove a
coin from under a cup without touching the cup?
The Magician's Assistant
Place one coin on a table, put the
cup over the coin, and
you are going
friends that
move
tell
your to re-
the coin without touching the
cup.
With the second
coin,
have kept concealed
in
which you
Naturally, your friend will then pick
your hand,
up the cup to see
tap the table from the underside just
under the cup, saying, "Here
is
disappeared.
you quickly pick
up the coin that was under the cup
and
that coin."
Now
the coin has
if
say,
"I
told
you
I
could pick
it
up without touching the cup." Your friend has unwittingly
Materials:
been a magi-
cian's assistant!
Two
coins
and a
cup. 17
1
In this
game, can you
that your
figure out
opponent always
how
to
make
picks the last
sure
match?
THE LAST MATCH
Arrange
fifteen
matches side by side on a table.
of your friends that
one
you can always make him pick up
the last match, each of you alternating
two or three matches at a
time.
It
in
picking up one,
doesn't matter
Materials: Fifteen matches.
18
Tell
who starts.
The secret of
this trick
matches on the table
will lose
the
game. For
take three, leaving the two, you take two.
each case, the
last
If
make
certain to leave five
your opponent the third time
for
around. Then, no matter
he
to
is
how many matches he instance,
last
one
if
picks up,
he picks up one, you
for him.
Or
if
he picks up
he picks up three, you take one.
match
is
left
In
for him.
Following are two of the several combinations you can use to arrive at the point of leaving the five
opponent.
Opponent
matches
for
your
Can you
tell
seeing
the color of a crayon without it,
simply by feeling
it?
THE MAGIC CRAYON
Hold your hands behind your back,
and have someone choose a crayon of any color and place it
Grasp crayon
in
in
your palm.
one hand and
run thumbnail of other hand over
end of crayon.
Then quickly raise your hand
to
forehead and pretend to be concentrating, at the stealing a
same time
peek at the
bit of
crayon
on your thumbnail. After uttering a iew magic v/ords, reveal the color of the crayon.
Materials: Several crayons of different colors. 20
Can you rearrange all these glasses in alternating order-a filled one next to an empty one-by moving or touching only one glass?
The Alternating Glass Trick
Can you make a
coin disappear by rubbing
it
into
your arm?
THE MAGIC COIN
r Spin a coin on the table, and
announce that
it
is
that you can
»
a magic coin, and
Wtm
make
•'
by rubbing
it
it
disappear
into
your arm.
.
Pick
rub
Take your
right
the coin surprised
and
hand away,
fall
on the table. Act
say,
rub hard enough."
letting
Do
"I
guess
this
I
didn't
again and
remark, "My skin must be tough; it
22
takes a
lot of
rubbing."
j \^
up coin with your it
against your
left
right
arm.
hand and
a coin.
Materials:
Now
pick up the coin in your left
hand and pretend right,
but palm
it
to put in
your
it
in
left
your hand.
Start rubbing as before, pretending
you are using the lift
your
left
coin.
Meanwhile,
hand and casually
scratch your neck, letting the coin
drop inside your
shirt collar.
Then take your
right
hand away from
your arm and show that the coin has vanished!
23
Can you remove one of the glasses without making the match fall?
The Glass and Match Trick
Wedge one
of the matches
between the two
glasses.
Use the second match to the head of the
first
soon as the head
light
match. As
lights,
blow
out the flame. Let cool for a
few seconds.
The match doesn't sticks to the glass,
fall
but
and you
can remove the other glass!
MaterialSI
24
Two
glasses
and two
kitchen matches.
Can you make four triangles, all of same size, with six matches?
the
THE TRIANGLE TRICK
iniii
Materials: Six matches.
Lay three matches
flat
on the table
in
the form of a triangle. Then stand
the other three on end, one
corner of the
first
triangle,
in
each
and
let
the
other ends meet to form a tripod or
wigwam, as shown. Count them
—four
triangles!
25
Can you make
ten out of nine matches?
patter as your friends struggle to
do
Keep up the this trick.
The Matchstick Trick
//; Say,
"I'll
make
1
1
Mil
ten out of these nine matches/'
As you can see from the
— once you know the
picture, this
one
is
easy
trick!
Materials: Nine matchsticks (or toothpicks).
26
Could you
tell
which of these cords was touched
while you were out of the room?
THE MASTERMIND
This trick
is
lots
of fun,
and
is
especially
good
after dinner while
a group
is
still
around the table. Place some cards on the table, and then ask somebody
sitting
to
touch one of them while you are out of the room. Tell him you will be able to pick out the one he has touched. The secret of this trick
who knows
When
the trick)
you come back,
you touch the can't
sit
is
to
have a confederate (someone
next to you at the table.
sit
down, and
right card,
start
touching the cards one at a time.
your confederate
go wrong! And you can do
it
will
When
tap you lightly on the foot. You
several times before
anyone catches
on.
Materials: Twelve to fifteen playing cards,
placed on a table as shown.
27
Do you want to make your power? You
friends believe
you have some strange
have to prepare a small box of matches beforehand, then you can do the trick on the spur of the moment. will
MATCH BOX TRICK
Break or cut one of the matches so that
it
is
just
long enough to
wedge
across the drawer of the match (this
must
pends on
28
Insert
drawer
where
it
will
in
box and put box
not be disturbed.
fit
this
box
snugly as the trick de-
wedge
match.)
Materials:
a small
box of matches.
Now
you are ready any time
box and
tell
to bring out the
your friends that you can make
the matches stick to the inside of the box.
the
Open
box part way (be sure the wedge match
does not show) so that everybody can see there are matches
Now
in
box upside down and
turn the
drawer
all
the box. Close the box.
the
way
out, holding
it
pull the
so everyone
can see you are not using your fingers to hold the matches
Your friends stay still
in
in.
will
be amazed that the matches
the box. To prove that the matches are
drawer sharply against the
there, tap the
keeping the drawer upside
table edge,
still
down.
wedge
matches
The
will fall in
dislodge
and
the
a heap. Pick them up (pock-
eting the wedge), put
your friends
will
them
in
try to figure out
the box,
how
and
the trick
let
was
done!
29
Can you make a
coin vanish into thin air?
The Vanishing Coin
The secret of
amount
this trick
is
of soft soap on a corner of
the handkerchief while no one
Place dime
in
a small
to put
is
watching.
the center
of the handkerchief.
Pick
up the corner nearest your
right
hand, which should be the corner with the soap. Then press
30
it
on the dime.
Take the other three corners of the handker-
and
chief
fold
down over
a person standing by that, tell
it
first
corner. Let
and with
feel the dime,
him you are going to pass
through the table. Then
on
the
let
your
fist
it
right
come down
with a thud.
Next, place the thumbs of each hand under the folded edge, as shown.
With a quick outward movement, straighten the
edge and grasp the
done stuck
this
coin
ivl3t6ri3lS^
Some
soft soap,
you have
in
to
one of the corners,
is
now
your right hand. Deftly pocket the
while holding the handkerchief up for
inspection.
doing
If
properly the coin, which had been
by the soap
concealed
corners.
If
you can keep up the patter while
this trick,
it
will help.
a coin and a handkerchief. 31
Have you ever seen a bandana
that eats matches?
The Match-Eating Bandana
The secret of
this trick
is
to get
a smal
Pick
up matches with the
right hand.
rubber band around the fingers of your left
hand while no one
is
hand closed and no one
Bring
left
is
band around the into
off fingers
Keep
notice
will
it.
hand up under center of ban-
dana. The hand
down
looking.
open with the rubber fingers. Push
matches
Shake bandana, and
to
your friends'
amazement, the matches have "eaten" by the bandana!
palm, and pull or slide band
and around matches. You
notice they are held in the
will
bandana.
Materials: Small rubber band, some matches, and a brightly figured bandana. 32
been
Can you make a
fork sing?
THE SINGING FORK This
is
a perfect
trick to
do at the
dinner table or after refreshments at
a party.
As
illustration
shows, grasp fork
center of handle,
and keep
in it
close to but not touching the table.
With the
left
hand, pick the
prongs of the fork
firmly.
It
will
give forth a dull sound.
Wait a second, and then with the
free
hand, point to or touch any nearby object.
As you do
this, let
the
handle of the fork come to the table firmly
rest
on
and pick the prongs
once more. To your
amazement, the fork
friends'
will sing!
Materials: Dinner fork and a table covered with a cloth.
33
Can you make
the drawing below
In
one unbroken
line?
THE UNBROKEN LINE
This trick
are
simple; there
is
many ways
it
can be
done. Several persons can at the
same
time.
try
it
Do
not put the numbers on
the diagram. They were
put
in
simply to
one way the
trick
can be
done.
9.4
Materials:
a sheet of person,
34
show you
paper and pencil
for
each
and the diagram shown.
Can you
cut the string in
two without making the cup
fall?
THE HANGING CUP
Tie the string to the handle of the cup
as shown and
let
someone hold
the upper end of the string. Then state that
the string
you are going in
to cut
two and that because of
your magic powers the cup
This
one
is
in
simple.
Make
the string
will
not
fall.
a large loop
and knot
it.
Then
snip the string in the loop, as shown,
and announce,
"It
cup
MaterifllSI
A cup,
is
is
cut
still
and the
hanging!"
a piece of heavy string and a pair of
scissors.
35
Can you place
all
position after
the glasses
in
an upright
making three moves?
THREE GLASSES
an excellent but very teasing
This
is
You
will
time
if
be able
keep
to
you work
it
trick.
it
going a long
right.
Explain that
each person gets three moves, and that after these
moves,
should be standing tion.
Each move
all
in
of the
glasses
an upright
Say
to your friends,
three moves,
and
"I I'll
will
show you the
wager you
can't
posi-
repeat them." Then make the three
up
moves, keeping up the patter as you go.
consists of picking
any two of the glasses and reversing
No more and no less than two glasses may be picked up at any one
them.
time.
First
move: Turn over the second and
third glasses, leaving
tion
36
shown above.
them
in
the posi-
Turn over the leaving
all in
first
and
third
glasses,
the following position:
glass up, second
and
first
third dov/n.
For the third and last move, turn over the second
Nov/
all
and
three
third glasses.
will
be rightside up.
Then give your friends a chance to do the
trick,
but place the glasses as shown
above, which nal
position.
move,
down
all
is
the reverse of the origi-
Naturally,
in
the
final
of the glasses will be turned
rather than up, which will mystify
th em!
Materials: Three glasses placed the center one up
in
a row as shown,
and the outside ones down.
37
Can you move seven
coins from
one point
to
another
on the diagram below without duplicating any moves?
Seven Coins -From Here To There
Make
a diagram, as shown, on a piece
of paper. The
numbers are used
practice only.
showing the
the numbers
In
ofF,
trick,
for
leave
so that no one can keep
track of your various moves. Start the first
coin
anywhere you
wish, but
move
the second coin to the point from which
you moved the
first
one.
Repeat the
same process with each succeeding then you
MflteriSlS! seven
from
1
2-8
to
coins,
a
not
fail.
6-4 to -7 5-3 to 8.
to
pencil,
and a large sheet
38
will
of paper.
1
Example:
to
4-2
to
coin,
Move
7-5
to
Can you remove a dime from under a
glass without touching
it?
THE OBEDIENT COIN
Place a dime or other coin on the table-
between the two matches, as shown. Then set the glass upside down
cloth
on the matches.
The
trick
is
to scratch the tablecloth with
the nail of your glass
and
first
finger,
near the
directly in front of the dime.
With rapid, short scratches, draw the fingernail
away from
the
glass
The ripples made by your finger on the tablecloth will cause the dime to
move
toward you and out from under the glass.
and
toward yourself.
MSlBrlSlS! A
glass, a coin,
two
matches, and a table with a cloth on
it.
39
Do you know how
to play the Dickie Bird
Game?
Two Little Dickie Birds This
is
children.
a cute
You
trick
recite
with which you can
a rhyme with
it,
amuse younger
which goes as follows:
Two little dkkie birds sitting on o pole, One named Peter, and the other named Fly
away,
Come
Peter. Fly
back, Peter.
away,
Come
Paul.
Paul.
back, Paul.
Put the adhesive tape on the forefinger of each
the fingers on the
hand and place
edge
Then say, "Two
little
dickie birds
sitting
on a pole."
Materials:
40
of the table.
Two
small pieces of adhesive tape.
Raise your right forefinger about
three inches as you say,
"One named
Peter." Replace this finger
table
and
on the
raise the left finger,
saying "and the other
named
Paul."
Raise the right "Fly
Bring right
away,
hand as you say,
Peter."
hand down, concealing
the forefinger
and
letting the
middle
finger rest on the table.
Do
the
same
thing with your
hand as you say
"Fly
away,
left
Paul."
41
The taped are
now
fingers, or dickie birds,
out of sight, and the middle
fingers are resting
Now
raise
on the table.
your right hand and say,
"Come back,
Peter," placing your
right forefinger
raise your left
on the table. Then
hand and say, "Come
back, Paul," replacing your forefinger on the table.
Both dickie birds are again sitting
42
on a pole.
left
Can you make water go up
into a glass?
THE RISING WATER
Place some water
a friend into
if
the
saucer.
in
a saucer, and ask
he can make the water go up without
glass
When
he says
show him how
it
touching it's
the
Push the paper into the inverted glass,
and
light the
paper with the match. Wait
a few seconds.
impossible,
can be done.
Then place the glass
in
saucer of water. The glass
and the water
which the paper
fire will
will
is
use up the
be drawn up
in its
burning
in
the
oxygen
in
the
place. (A few
drops of coloring were added to the water shown here for photographic purposes.)
MfltBridls:
A
amount of water in it, of paper, and a pencil.
saucer with a small
a glass, a match, a small piece
43
Can you guess what was
secretly written
on a piece of paper?
The Mind-Reading Tricl(
In
the center of the paper,
not more than one
draw a
and a
circle
He may
write something like
this:
half inches
Hand this to someone in your audience, and tell him to write a short
Of course you aren't allowed to look at what he has written, but he may pass it
question inside the
around
across.
Then
down
tell
the
circle.
him to fold the paper twice
Pick
middle— that
half,
direction as shown.
is,
once
in
each
up
for others to see.
this
folded paper and tear
in
placing the half with the center
corner underneath the other half.
Materials: Piece of paper about three by four inches, pencil, a large ash tray,
44
it
and a match.
Then tear these two pieces
half again,
in
placing the center corner piece again
underneath
all
hold
it
tray,
and
light
into
a large ash
them with a match.
the other pieces. Slide
the corner piece, which into the
Then drop these pieces
is
palm of your
there with your
on the bottom,
right little
hand and
finger while
you continue tearing up the other pieces.
While they are burning, walk around the
room and pretend
trating.
When
your back
the piece of paper
in
to is
be concenturned,
and read the message. You must do into
your pocket or
shirt front.
will
look like
this:
open
your right hand
quickly, afterwards slipping the
The message on the paper
this
paper
Now
stand again by the ash tray; con-
centrate over the dying flames
and
re-
veal the message or answer the question.
You can do some hocus-pocus with
your hands over the ash tray to make the trick seem difficultand
more magical. 45
Can you remove
the dollar
touching or knocking
down
bill
without
the bottles?
Another Bill and Bottle Trick
_
Can you take away one corner of a square and thus produce five corners?
Two Corners
For One
Hold up the piece of paper
and
say, "See,
it
now has
four corners. Let's give
it
five!''
Simply cut
you
off
will find
for one," or
one corner, and
you have "two
a
total of
five corners.
Materials:
A
square piece of paper and a pair of
scissors.
47
Can you add
five
matches
to six
Five Plus Six
matches and make nine?
IVIal(e
Nine
Place six matches on the table so that they form a row as shown. Lay the other five in
a
the row,
If
pile. Tell
your friends to add these
and make
five to the other six,
nine.
they have not succeeded
in
a reasonable length of time,
thought anyone could spell "nine!" Then show them.
Materials: Eleven matches.
48
without moving
tell
them that you
Can you
lift
a pyramid of three matches with a fourth match?
THE PYRAMID TRICK
Slit
the untreated end of the the
whittle
match to a
wedge. Force the wedge of
the second match into the
match. You
Now
will
match, and
end of the second
untreated flat
first
slit
now have an
in
the
first
inverted V.
form the pyramid by standing these
joined matches
head down on the table and
placing the third match head down, so that the end of
it
rests at the top.
Place the fourth match under the peak of the
pyramid. Very gently and slowly, push the
V
two matches that formed the inverted
away from You
will
the third match
in
IVI3l6n3IS. Four trick,
but
on your
it
kitchen matches
requires a steady hand,
Now
and a
all
fall
will
into the
match which
raise the
your hand, and you
pick up
the pyramid.
see the third match
throat of the V. is
in
fmd you can
three.
small paring knife. This
and you should practice
it
is
a good
before trying
it
friends.
49
Can you
two pieces
join
of string in your
mouth?
THE STRING TRICK
Hold the
string
up before your friends
and knot the two ends together.
Twist the string
in
one
your hands. This requires practice.
is
full
turn with
the part that
It
is
important
to get just the right twist.
Materials:
A piece of string 50
two or three
feet long
and a
pair of scissors.
Now
fold
one loop over the other,
as shown, put your hands through the
double loop and
pull taut,
holding
the "lock" or twisted part between the
thumb and
first
finger of
one hand.
Grasp the
string with
your
left
hand a couple of inches away from your right hand, and ask someone to cut through the
your
Now
still
keeping the "lock"
between thumb and finger of
hand so
it
left
and
two
strings
between
right hands.
in
right
does not show, hold up
the string to
show
been
it
has
cut in two.
51
Bring your right
hand
place the locked part
to your mouth, in
your
mouth. Take hold of the opposite
ends with each hand and go through the motion of chewing
and
let
your
tongue push the short piece of string to the side of
Pull
your mouth.
long string out of your mouth,
and pass
it
around.
Who
can
doubt that you joined the two pieces in
your mouth?
When you have slip
the short piece out of your mouth
on the in
52
a chance, you can
sly.
It
will
the picture.
look like the piece
Can you
light
Your patter
Fire
is
a match and burn
it
under water?
particularly important in this trick.
Under Water Trick
Simply
strike the
match on the
bottom of the glass and
keep it
it
under the glass while
burns. Your friends can't
deny that
it is
burning
under water!
Materials: Kitchen match and glass partly
filled
with water.
53
Would you
like to
astound your friends with a neat balancing
trick?
The Glass and Plate Trick This trick looks difficult to onlookers
because they see
it
believe you are doing an extraordinary feat of balancing.
do between other
tricks, since
it
from the front and is
It
a good
can be done on the spur of the moment.
Place the plate
holding the rim
in
the right
in
front
and with your thumb
in
hand with the fmgers
toward your audience, back of the plate, ex-
tended upward. Be sure the thumb the
edge
friends.
of the plate, or
Now
of the plate
is
how
it
and support
will
look to your friends:
Materials: 54
A
plate
it
will
and a
glass.
it
is
not
above
be seen by your
set the glass carefully
as shown.
This
trick to
on the edge
with your thumb,
Can you make an egg come out
of
an empty purse?
THE MAGIC PURSE
This
is
a good
trick to
perform after
dinner while your friends are table.
You
will
As the purse
is
it
it
upside down, and shake
patter will create interest.
pocket
the
next to you.
carefully, it.
A
little
When
purse comes to your confederate, he in
trick)
passed around the table
ask everyone to examine turn
at the
need a confederate
(someone who knows the sitting
still
egg which he has had
all
the time.
back
to you,
When
the purse
the slips
in his
comes
say a few magic words
and then
pull out the
Mflteridls:
egg.
An empty
purse and an egg.
(A hard-boiled egg
is
safest!)
55
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