Vol 3 No. 6 b

ORACLE MAGIC MAGAZINE
THE MEMBERS ONLY WEBSITE
ISSUE #5 Pages 3 - 10 Sept/Oct

Volume 3 MORE McBRIDE - The Interview Continued 2008
Page 11
GODS PLAY DICE (Sources) - Robert E. Neale
Page 12
BIRTHDATED - Dale A. Hildebrandt
Page 13 - 16
A YULETIDE SMASH & STAB - Master Payne
Page 17 - 19
THE BEAST IN THE HALL - Ed Solomon
Page 20 - 22
SEEING WITH THE FINGERTIPS - Chuck Smith
Pages 23 - 25
A SHEL SILVERSTEIN ROUTINE - Marlene Clark/Circe
Pages 26 - 28
THAT MAGIC MOMENT - Larry White
Pages 29 - 30
ARACHNIPHOBIC ANNI - Odes Odhner
Pages 31 - 37
SCRIPTING MAGIC - Pete McCabe
Pages 38 - 39
COFFINS NAILS PLUS - Ed Loveland
Pages 40 - 41
MY CARD AT YOUR NUMBER - Larry White
Pages 42 - 44
THE GAME OF THE MASTER - Ed Loveland
Page 45
DOCTOR WATSONʼS LOST JOURNAL - A Story-Puzzle from Leslie Melville
Page 46
DOCTOR WATSONʼS LOST JOURNAL SOLUTION
ORACLE MAGIC MAGAZINE
THE MEMBERS ONLY WEBSITE
INDEX CONTINUED
ISSUE #5
Volume 3
Page 47 - 49
THE MAYAN SPIRITS OF TEOTIHUACAN - Ed Loveland
Page 50 - 52
SPOOKED HORSE - Ed Loveland
Page 53 - 58
LA CASA ROSADA -The Chronicles of Arch Mage Mitos Odnalor
Pages 59 - 66
CAPTAIN SLONEʼS GLASS EYE - A Devil of a Bar & Pub Report
Page 67
THE SWASTIKA - A Story-Puzzle from Leslie Melville
Page 68
THE SWASTIKA SOLUTION
Page 69
THE VAMPIRE CONVENTION - Larry White
Pages 70 - 73
ORACLEʼS WORKSHOP - MYSTERY OF THE BELLS - Ron Dayton
Pages 74 - 76
PSYCRETS - The British Society of Mystery Entertainers
Page 77
TICKLING THE ORACLEʼS FUNNY BONE - Alan Wassilak
Pages 78 - 81
A GIFT CARD - From Odes Odhner
Pages 82 - 85
SHOULD OLD ACQUAINTANCE BE FORGOT? - Ed Solomon
Pages 86 - 87
ITʼS ABOUT TIME - Ed Solomon
More McBride
Oracle: It is highly fitting that we feature wave style with disco that was over the top.
my friend Jeff McBride in this, our last is- So I looked closely at what audiences were
sue of Oracle: Magic Magazine. Few magi- watching. Unless you were doing something
cians understand the power of story as well that was shocking and very different the audi-
as Jeff does. We taped a lengthy interview ence was not impressed. The rock groups that
with Jeff last month and are pleased to pres- were wildly popular at that time were shock-
ent the full interview here on our web pages. ing and different – acts like David Bowie and
For the printed interview we edited a seg- Alice Cooper.
ment from the middle of this interview hav- I started combining more dance and even
ing to do with the concept of the magician’s martial arts into my routines, and because of
performance as a gift. my passion since childhood for masks – I al-
But, let us begin at our beginning. ready had a large collection of masks – I in-
Jeff, many years ago you made a decision tegrated them into my magic, as well. I was
to forgo the traditional tuxedo. Why? also very influenced by Marcel Marceau, and
mime skills became a part of my repertoire.
Jeff McBride: Early in my career when I People had seen the guy in the tuxedo pro-
decided to take my magic to New York City ducing silk handkerchiefs. I wanted to sur-
I found the clubs where I played to be en- prise them. And that’s what I did.
ergetic and noisy. My audiences would not
settle for conventional magic and I could not Oracle: Alice Cooper – and maybe Kiss? Did
get and hold their attention. This was the late the fact that their bizarre costumes and face paint-
seventies and eighties, a time of a whole new ing were exciting and popular influence you?
Jeff McBride • ORACLE V3 #6 1

Jeff McBride: Kiss was a big influence. in the audience who were savvy in metaphysics
In those early years I was a rock & roll I would not just be talking psycho-babble.
drummer. I started combining more music I took the list to The Magical Child, the old-
with the act and began working and tour- est, creakiest occult shop in New York City,
ing with rock bands. In 1976, I toured Ja- and bought a bunch of books. I was very in-
pan as an opening act with a Latin band, trigued by what I read and started practicing
and back here I the states I worked with ceremonial magic and studying the ancient his-
Cheap Trick, John Waite and Santana. I tory of magic and shamanism, which took me
even toured with Alice Cooper. They made to drumming. I came to the realization that to
a profound impact on my performance get the experiences I wanted from life I had to
style. walk away from Vegas. I went into the des-
ert with a friend of mine on a three-day vision
Oracle: Then, some time after that when quest. We drummed and worked magic by the
you were headlining in Las Vegas you had fire and I came to know that I needed to do a
an epiphany in the desert. How did that walkabout.
change your magic? While I kept my hand in magic, on and off,
over the next ten years I went all over the world
Jeff McBride: Since I was a kid my dream studying with different teachers and in differ-
had been to develop an act so good that it ent gatherings and retreats basically exploring
would take me around the world. That hap- the human potential and expanding my range
pened. Then, there I was in Vegas head- of experiences by sitting at the feet of masters.
lining at the Las Vegas Hilton. But I had I needed these experiences in order to tell the
come to a place where I was not making story for which my magic was ultimately des-
any progress. I was stuck. It was kind of tined.
like what Channing Pollock went through.
We spent a lot of time together because Oracle: Can you put into words what that
Channing came to Mystery School several means? For what was your magic ultimately
times. We had gone into magic because we destined?
wanted to be where the fun was, and all of
a sudden we realized that we were supply- Jeff McBride:: I think I tell that story ev-
ing the fun for everyone else, but it was not ery night on stage. I tell the story of my quest
fun for us. for real magic, for that is ultimately my story
I had been reading a lot of – whatever that may mean – and it
books on the Western esoteric has taken on different shapes over
tradition. This started while I the years. I tell that story at each
was reading Invocation. A read- class we give, and every time I sit
ing list had been printed there down in my library one-on-one with
and I realized that if I was going a person and do storytelling magic.
to do storytelling magic, which I
was thinking about at the time, I Oracle: For example, your coin
needed to have my facts straight, routine with the boy that you do in
so that if there were any occultists your stage show – is that representa-

tive of you and your pro- is then ceremoniously
gression in magic? presented with the magic
wand as a rite of passage,
Jeff McBride:: Actually which he can take home.
that routine has taken on
different meanings over Oracle: Does the audi-
the decades that I have ence see that?
been performing it. It is
the oldest routine in my Jeff McBride: Some see
repertoire, by the way. it on a deep level. But I
I’m glad you referred know that I am playing a
to it as the coin rou- mythic role. I know that
tine and not the Miser’s this is a timeless story
Dream. Most people call without words and that
it the Miser’s Dream, but is why some people feel it
that is not what it is. That deeply to their core.
is a totally different plot. My story is that of
the sorcerer’s apprentice. The mechanics of Oracle: It is like Bob Neale saying that all
the routine is right out of Bobo, and the inspi- magic is about life and death and yet the
ration came from Al Flosso’s Miser’s dream tricks don’t appear to be that way. Yet there
– his signature trick – but it has evolved into is something on a subconscious level that re-
what it is today. The audience perceives it to lates to that. A few recognize it… some rec-
be a pleasant interaction between a young ognize it but can’t put it into words… others
boy from the audience and myself, but what is skip right over it and would think you crazy
actually going on is a reenactment of a tribal to mention it.
initiation. The shaman, portrayed by me, goes
into the tribe, the audience, and takes a boy Jeff McBride: Another routine I do that is
from his parents. This is common to many very ritualistic is my rainmaker routine with
tribal cultures. I do this to the accompaniment the water bowls. That is another story with-
of a rhythmic kind of percussion on the coin out words. It is a story about thirst, invoking
pail as I lead the boy away to a liminal space the rain, and then being able to quench the
between the worlds where he is left alone. In thirst and fulfill that primal need. It is about
that symbolic moment he is no longer an audi- being over-blessed with abundance and then
ence member, but he is not a performer. He to be humbled by the elements.
is in a strange space between two worlds. In
tribal cultures the shaman returns and puts the Oracle: Stories. The power of the story!
boy through an ordeal. When the boy endures
he is accepted to the next level. He may be Jeff McBride:: I believe that people need
accepted as a man, he may receive the magic. stories. Stories are the food of life. We search
In my routine, without saying anything, I lead for stories, whether it be on the internet, in
the boy to the place where he creates magic, the newspaper, on television. We connect
where he causes coins to fall into the pail. He through stories. “How are you doing? What’s

new?” Sharing the news. Books, movies, story or performance has a way of transform-
everywhere. ing an objective witness into a subjective par-
But, these are almost all stories about ticipant. Most of us have felt strong emotions
other people. We are the witnesses of the while watching a movie; a live performance is
world’s stories. But consider this. The ma- just that much more powerful. There is almost
gician is a gift bringer, capable of giving a a tribal connection if a magician brings an au-
person a personal story. More than amaz- dience together. It can be six people standing
ing, more than impressing, more than mysti- at a cocktail party or 1000 in a theater. The
fying, when a magician touches the hand of magician is capable of transforming those in-
another person and puts a sponge ball into it dividuals into a small community, a small tribe
or has someone sign a card, he is giving that for that moment, and they share the experience
person a personal story. Something amaz- and they talk about it. They were conspirators
ing, something fun, something transform- in that mystery, conspirators in the truest sense
ing, something mysterious actually happens of all breathing the same air while the magic
to him. took place.
“It happened to me! I didn’t see it on the
news. I did not read about it. I did not have Oracle: Obviously not everyone in the au-
a friend tell me about it. My card ended up dience will choose to participate. Some will
on the ceiling and… look… I can show it to choose to remain spectators.
you. When I opened my hand it was filled
with sponge bunnies. It was unbelievable! Jeff McBride: In my shows I have audience
My bill, with my name on it, went inside the participation moments. For example I will ask
lemon – and here it is!” everyone to raise his hand. If someone doesn’t
We give people stories where they are the raise his hand I will look at him. He knows
heroes, where they are the centers of the sto- I am looking at him and he knows that even
ries. That is a huge gift! if he doesn’t raise his hand, he is witnessing.
That is a different sort of participation, but it is
Oracle: And that is the theme that runs valid. There are witnesses even in ceremonies,
through your recent DVD set, Magic at the like the sun dance, where people can witness
Edge. and support. They play a very important role
because they can tell that story just like those
Jeff McBride: Absolutely. who are participating.
The idea of the gift of the story
Oracle: I can readily see how is to keep the story moving on. That
this works for the participant, but is why shows last – because people
what about the people who are tell that story. Not because of ad-
not hands on but are observing? vertising, but because people tell
How does the magic affect them? each other.
Is it the same? Oracle: In traditional sleight-of-
hand presentations, such as Matrix
Jeff McBride: Yes, because they or the gathering of four aces in a
are witness to the story. A great classic four-ace trick, the performer

often does not say any- of life, the mythic, the
thing. The effects are archetypal, the timeless.
often done very quick- The magician can give
ly, leaving the spectator that, too.
surprised and perhaps There are different types
stunned, depending on of magicians for differ-
the skill of the perform- ent types of audiences
er. How would par- and venues. There is the
ticipants in your Magic Trickster who remains
and Meaning confer- on the surface, turning
ences consider such over reality, like a street
traditional effects? magician. Then there’s
the Sorcerer, a more for-
Jeff McBride: You ask mal stage magician. The
a very important ques- Oracle: is the more retro-
tion about the relation- spective magician dealing
ship among technique, story and mystery. If with feelings and memories. And then there is
we are at a loud dance club where there is the Sage, who is the storyteller, philosopher,
very loud music playing, it is very difficult mentor and teacher. Each of these different
to tell people a deep story. But it is possible personas, each of these different masks, if you
to entertain them with mysterious eye can- will, can be worn in different social situations
dy, like a Matrix coin assembly. It is what and venues. These are the roles that any magi-
I call club magic. That’s one level of con- cian can play at any given time in any given
necting with people socially, to give them situation, and a well trained magician can take
a piece of candy. And that’s okay. People the same effect and tell it a Sage, or as an Ora-
are often there to forget their troubles. They cle:, or as a Sorcerer or as a Trickster, depend-
aren’t interested in some great cosmic mys- ing on the venue and the intention of the story
tery theme. Sometimes, as Robert Neale and the depth he is going for.
reminds us, trivial magic for diversion, to Magic doesn’t have to be deep and meta-
help people forget the pressures of life, is a physical to be effective and meaningful.
wonderful medicine and a temporary heal-
ing. The Tibetans say that anything that al- Oracle: That means that anyone who loves
leviates suffering is medicine. So magic is magic can find his place and need not feel less
medicine. Magic can make pain and suffer- committed to magic or to being a magician just
ing disappear for those few, short moments. because his goal is to entertain. One final ques-
Just sign this card and the pressures of life tion about the DVD set. What was your goal
will go away. The magician can give that, in producing that set?
and it is a wonderful gift.
In theaters and where bizarre and sto- Jeff McBride: The intention of Magician 24-7
rytelling magic is performed we often find and Survival Magic, the first two DVDs in the
people who are there to remember, to liter- set, was to show the magic that I carry with me
ally try to connect with the greater themes every day. The routines are stories and most

of them end with me giving the participant Oracle: So, we are being encouraged to do
some sort of gift… a gift that is a touchstone, something good with our magic, to under-
a talisman of that moment in time that the stand that our magic presentations are in and
person can take out of their wallet or pocket of themselves gifts to the participants, to un-
to show at home and say, “I had a magical derstand that and try it.
experience. I went on a quest.” Or, “I was a Jeff, you, and Louis Falanga of L&L Pub-
hero and I brought back an interesting story lishing, were kind enough to allow us to de-
and I will tell you that story.” scribe and explain one of the routines on the
The magic effects are the medium to third DVD, “The Fire Ritual.” We are pro-
transform people’s lives by giving them the viding a link to L&L so that our members can
gift of a story. A touchstone. I chose the lo- see that routine performed and explained with
cation of the Burning Man Art Festival be- a click. But let’s talk about that routine for a
cause it is one of the most amazing places bit. To explain it briefly, a few participants
on earth for art creativity and the place were gather with you around a table upon which
the most progressive artists in the world go is a glass or brass bowl. You ask everyone
to give their art away for free. No one gets in the circle and those witnessing the routine
paid there. They are there raising money for to think of a word that represents something
their art installations to be able to show to they would like to see more of in the world.
the world and to the other participants at this You then ask one of the persons in the circle
amazing festival. I wanted to give the magic to write that word on what you call a piece of
world a peek into another possible context wishing paper. It is then crumpled into a ball.
for performing magic. While one participant holds the crumpled pa-
Basically the magic is strolling, or what per, you hand a second participant a smolder-
today we call street magic… walk around ing incense stick. Holding both their hands,
magic. It is interactive magic that makes you bring the glowing end of the stick near
connections to people. the paper. Then you take the incense stick and
ask the other participant to drop the crumpled
Oracle: I noticed that with only a few excep- paper into the bowl. You touch the glowing
tions the magic is simple, perhaps because end of the incense stick to the paper, which
the magic is secondary to the gift. disappears in a flash. Left behind in the bowl
is a token. In your case a small, red heart.
Jeff McBride: Correct. I didn’t want to use
difficult material because, as Eu- Jeff McBride: Yes, as I explain on
gene says, “Thinking kills magic.” the DVD, and as our readers will
If you are nervous that you might hear, I took a pocket trick that I
stumble over your technique, the learned from the excellent French
saving grace of many of these magician named Alpha, wrapped a
routines is that the intention is to story around it and ritualized it to
pass on a gift, not to trick them make it a stand-alone feature which
or fool them – if you do that too, is wonderful for birthday, anniver-
that’s a little bonus feature. sary, and New Year’s celebrations.
It is a piece of what I call secular

ritual magic. I bring cause those are hot but-
people into a circle ton words that secular
around the table and people do not use. In my
then involve everyone magic show, when I hand
by asking each per- down my magic wand, I
son to make a wish. might say, “And now we
Wishes are safe! I can carry on a very ancient,
dial up the intensity to magic tradition…” (De-
spells if I want to, but pending on the audience
wishes are safe. “Here I might say “ritual” rath-
is a piece of wishing er than “tradition.”) …
paper,” I say. “Write that has been passed on
down something you for thousands of years. I
would like to bring use those two words in-
into the world.” It terchangeably, but very
goes back to what consciously. “Tradition”
Bob Neale says about is acceptable. “Ritual,”
not forcing a certain hmmmm… ritual opens
system or mythology on people that might up the ground of metaphysics and spiritual be-
put them on edge, which could activate their lief. I have to be very careful where and when I
skeptical circuits and cause them to disbe- use those words. They will not walk down your
lieve. I am saying, in effect, for this moment path if you use hot button words that might
let’s make believe. Let’s enter this world of trigger their fear or skeptic circuits.
make believe, the once-upon-a-time story-
telling realm through which the magician Oracle: So, the presentation is really given on
travels that the audience well accept. two levels, the level of the audience, which de-
This routine is an example of possibly pends on the nature of the audience and their
luring people into experiencing deeper emo- belief systems, and your level. YOU know that
tions by utilizing an eye candy effect. I get you are giving them something more and, again
their attention. I build a little bit of trust and as you say in the discussion of this effect, you
give them a sense of security so that when are giving them a little piece of ceremonial mag-
I lead them to the edge they will feel safe. I ic because YOU know that’s what it is.
might even push their limits, but I will also
drop them back off at the end of the quest Jeff McBride: I know exactly that is what it
safely, with no damage. is. I know that when I do the cute coin trick on
stage with the kid it is a tribal rite of passage
Oracle: This is what you meant when you on a deeper level. But my job isn’t to teach my-
said that you wanted the participants to re- thology, or symbols, or rites of passage and an
lax into the spirit of ritual. appreciation of ceremonial magic to my audi-
ence. If there are aficionados in the audience
Jeff McBride: Yes. The way you do it is they will see what I do with hermetic eyes, with
to not use words like ritual or ceremony be- a different level of understanding.

I believe that magic helps shape our belief website you will have an idea what we are
system. By going out into the world and try- planning. TED stands for Technology, En-
ing different magic effects in different ways tertainment and Design, and the ted.com/
and using different personas the magic will talks website presents short selections from
inform us of our beliefs. I believe that magic top talks and performances. These are in-
is the teacher. Magic is my primary way of spired talks by the world’s greatest thinkers
expressing myself in the world. Magic helps and doers. We plan to do something similar
me get my philosophies in order. with Magic and Meaning. The leaders of the
Magic has been the guide and has led me magic and storytelling community will be
to other realms where I get experience. presenting at our conference; philosophers,
anthropologists and magicians – leaders in
Oracle: I will be attending Your Magic and their fields. We also have the videographers,
Meaning conference next month. I under- the camera people and the internet interface
stand that Bob Neale will be there, along with people to make it work. In this way the in-
Eugene, of course, as well as Larry Haas and spiration felt by the participants of what is
George Parker. What a strong group. I am really a small, intimate conference can be
really looking forward to it. retrieved again and again.
You are going to love it.
Jeff McBride: We are excited about it as
well. We are going to try something new this Oracle: I’m sure I will. Thank, you, Jeff.
time. If you have ever been to the TEDtalks

GODS PLAY DICE
Robert E. Neale
Dice” Box Sources
Use of the double door die box with a pre- seem that the usual shell with two open sides
sentation about two dice is from Alan Wassi- could be used in many situations.)
lak and was forwarded to me by Larry White.
Alan developed several interesting themes, To my knowledge, this Gunther routine is
and, most wisely, warned against using the the first to refer to, and employ for a routine,
double door for anything but a conclusion. It the idea of a “dice” box. The routines and
is his creative idea that stimulated my search presentations of Alan Wassilak are quite dif-
for a presentation. It did remind me of an ferent.
earlier routine, “The Dice Box” by Robert J.
Gunther. It appeared in Charlie Miller’s Genii The video/ DVD, The Venerable Die Box from
column, “Magicana” (May 1966). the Greater Magic Video Library shows the
creative thinking of many about the prop
In the Gunther routine, the performer opens itself, several routines for the standard pre-
a box to show a pair of dice, one in each sentation, and an outstanding contribution
compartment. He removes one of the dice by Gene Anderson developed from an old
to a hat and then claims that it has returned vaudeville routine as employed by William
to the box. By way of proof, he shows one Larsen Senior for the die box. For another
compartment at a time to contain a die, clos- entertaining routine with the regular die box,
es the door and tilts the box, and opens the see “The Die is Cast” by Philemon Vander-
other compartment to reveal a die there as beck in Volume 2, Number 1 of the maga-
well. After repeating this several times, he zine for bizarrists, Oracle.)
opens both doors simultaneously to show
both compartments empty. To conclude, the
performer removes two dice from the hat.
The routine requires use of a box with double

door features for both compartments, and a
five-sided shell to fit over a solid die. At the
beginning, the audience is shown the shell-
covered die and the fake flap die. The solid
die and shell are removed as one and placed
in the hat. Both doors are closed and the box
tilted back and forth, showing a fake flap die
in each compartment. From the hat, the shell
is removed first, placed on a surface conceal-
ing the open side and the solid die removed
and stacked on top of the shell. (It would
Robert Neale • ORACLE V3 #6 1

BIRTHDATED
By Dale A. Hildebrandt
MAIN EFFECT:
The mentalist guesses the birth month of a participant, within two months. This is accomplished with nothing
more than a pen and a piece of paper. Both the pen and the paper may be borrowed.
METHOD:
This is a combination of an old carnival technique known as the “J-Line Technique” and a concept that was
first introduced to me in my reading of Martin Gardner’s work. The Gardner concept was for a trick that I now
refer to as “Paris, No London”. In the Gardner effect, you ask someone to name a large European city. This is
best done in the United States and with someone who has not traveled a whole lot in their lives. You have two
predictions, one which acts as a sort of “out”. You write down the word “Paris” and then cross a line through
it and write “London”. If the participant chooses London, you say “It’s a good thing I didn’t go with my first
guess. Was someone here thinking of Paris?” If you have the right crowd in front of you, this question will
allow you to get a second hit. If they say “Paris”, you say “I should have gone with my first instinct. I think
there may have been some interference though. Was somebody thinking of London?”
The “J-Line Technique” is a way of writing out the month so that it can be read as either: January, July, or June.
Combine this with the “Paris, No London” principle by first writing “OCT” and crossing it out. If you do the
math, you will find that January, July, and June cover every month within two months EXCEPT for October. If
they choose October, you simply say “I was thinking of January, but I should have gone with my first guess.”
Below is a graphic that shows how to write the J-Line for the “J-Line Technique”, along with a crossed out
OCT for October. It is important when revealing the J-Line to say beforehand what month the J-Line stands
for, thus gaining acceptance, as well as compliance, from the participant. YOU must interpret your scribbling
as the appropriate month; otherwise they may interpret it as the wrong month. Remember, you are the one who
has the authority here, and so you must demonstrate this authority to the full extent.
Note: The “J-Line” technique is rarely used by carnival month guessers any longer, as the simple way to do
things now is to offer “slum” prizes and charge more than what the prize is worth. Some have accused the
carnival workers of using nailwriters, but this would prove to be simply ridiculous, because the easiest route is
to offer slum prizes for the contestants.
Dale A. Hildebrandt’s current projects include work on a Hardcover book, and a weekly periodical in PDF
format titled “Mystery Entertainer Weekly”. He has previously written many works, amongst them the highly
praised “Risk & Reward” and “Lunarcy”. His main website can be found at http://www.mirrorname.com/
He can be contacted via email at mirrorname@yahoo.com
A Yuletide Smash and Stab
By Master Payne
The magician brings out a large Holiday Tree Ornament and Five Paper Lunch Sacks that are each sealed with bulldog
clip. A spectator is then instructed to place the ornament into one of the sacks while the magician’s back is turned and
then mix the order of the bags. Once finished the magician then turns around and without hesitation smashes flat each
sack one at a time until only one sack is left. The last remaining sack is opened to reveal that it contains the unscathed
Holiday Ornament.
Requirements:
One Large Holiday Tree Ornament measuring 10 inches in diameter. 5 paper lunch bags and 5 bulldog clips.
Setup:
Open each lunch bag and set them in a row on a table.
If you look at an open lunch sack you will see that there is one side that has a single crease on it about three inches from
the bottom while the other side has two creases, one an inch and three quarters from the bottom and the other an inch and
three quarters above that. The side with the single crease will be the “front” of the sack and will face the audience. Fold
over the top three inches of the sack to the front and clamp it shut with one of the Bulldog clips.
The “Tell”
Working:
When the Holiday Ornament is placed in a sack, because of its size it will cause the bag to bulge slightly. However due
to the construction of the sack it will only be visible from the back. It will make a small break in lower crease on the bag,
which can be seen quite easily by the performer.
View from the

back
Presentation:
Place the five sacks in a row on the table you are standing behind making sure the side with the two creases are facing
you.
Bring out the Holiday Ornament and allude to its great sentimental value and fragility.
Select a spectator to come forward and hand him the tree ornament stressing as you do so the delicate nature of the object
and its extreme fragility. Instruct him that once your back is turned that he is to remove the clip from the top of a bag.
Gently place the ornament inside. Then reseal the bag with the clip. One this is accomplished the bags are to be mixed
and the magician told when the tasks are completed.
Front (audience)
view
You now turn your back so that the spectator can perform the tasks that were assigned to him. It is important that you
properly manage the actions of the spectator so that he doesn’t come behind the table or turn any of the sacks around
while he is mixing them so as the “tell” on the bag containing the ornament isn’t exposed.
Once the spectator has completed his tasks you turn back around to face the audience. Thank the assistant for his help
and have him return to his seat. Now all that is left for you to do is to crush each bag that doesn’t contain the ornament in
as dramatic a fashion as you can.
A SUGGESTED STORYLINE
You might not know it just by looking at me, dressed all in black as I am. But I love the yuletide season. The
candle, the bell, heck throw in a book and I feel right at home. But above all I really looked forward to all the
games my family would play at this time of year. One in particular I was quite good at. In fact I never ever lost,
unlike my now disfigured siblings.
We knew it was going to be a special day when we found the door to our oubliette unlocked and we would all run
upstairs to find on the kitchen table five paper sacks all in a neat little row.
Our father, dressed up as Zwarte Piet, would come up behind us and make us stand here behind the table.
He then would go to our holiday tree and remove from it the biggest, brightest and most mercury laden glass
ornament he could find. This he, while our backs were turned place into one of the sacks.
(Walk up to a spectator and hand him the ornament and invite him onstage to assist)
You sir, you remind me a bit of my father. But I shan’t hold that against you. Would you for the purposes of our
little demonstration here assume his role and while my back is turned place this ornament into one of the bags
and reseal it with the clip? Thank you ever so much.
Oh, and to make this game doubly difficult. After you finished would you mix the bags up so that they’ve all been
moved at least once to preclude the notion that I’ve somehow memorized the exact starting positions of the bags.
Very good, I shall now turn my back so as to allow you to complete the tasks I have assigned to you without me
seeing.
(Turn your back to the spectator so he can put the ornament in the sack and mix them up)
Have you finished? Very well you can return to your seat. Thank you.
(Turn back around to face the audience and have the spectator return to their seat)
The ornaments location now lost to me and my siblings, and to many of you as well our father then would have
Timmy our youngest brother come forward to smash one of the sacks flat.
(Smash one of the sacks flat. Preferably one of them that doesn’t hold the ornament).
Having a one in five chance he generally did pretty well. Only missing on two occasions thus negating what looked
to be a promising career in art.
(Look at both of your hands as if they’ve become disfigured und unusable)
With one bag removed form the mix my sister Alice, the next youngest was given a turn.
(Flatten another non ornament containing sack)
She really wasn’t terribly good at the game. She’d have been twenty-five this year.
With three sacks left it was up to my brother and I. Being the next oldest Lefty was the next to try his luck.
(Smash one more empty bag flat)
He wasn’t always called Lefty by the way.
Being the eldest I was always left with the seemingly fifty fifty chance of choosing the right bag. Or is it the left
bag?
Some might think this unfair. Really it isn’t. According to statistics I still have a one in five chance of choosing the
wrong sack.
(Crumple flat the last empty bag)
Or the right one.
(Open the last bag and remove the ornament from it and gaze upon it rather lovingly)
So beautiful, and yet so dangerous.
Happy Holidays one and all.

THE BEAST IN THE
HALL
Ed Solomon
This presentation came about because of some on going

vision problems that have plagued me for about a year now.
Complete details are unnecessary, but basically, I have lost
about 65% of my vision and am working in a shadowy world
now. Irony being what it is, if the world gives you lemons
you make lemonade. In my case, writing while I still can and
continuing in the world of the weird and unusual. This then, is
a bit of an autobiographical episode.
Out of the corner of his eye he was aware of a bit of unusual movement. When he directed his
full attention to the area there was nothing to be seen. It had been that way all evening and it
was a bit disconcerting. As he sat quietly, he was determined to solve this dilemma. He adjusted
his position where he could see the area reflected in the ornate mirror above the mantle of
the fireplace. Reading the paper, he glanced up now and then to survey the alcove in the hallway
where he thought he saw something.
His analytical mind was churning with possibilities. Was it a floater in the vitreous fluid in the
eyeball? Was it one of those little bits of tissue that drift from side to side with the movement
of the muscles of the eye? He disregarded that idea pretty quickly.
Could it have been one of these, almost invisible, Gecko lizards like the one he had seen in the
bathroom last week, perhaps running across the wall in the back of the alcove?
He turned off the overhead light in the room remembering the old physical law about the angle
of incidence being equal to the angle of reflection. No, that couldn’t be it.
If there were curtains and the window was open, perhaps the breeze was rustling the material
and he was seeing it with his peripheral vision, but there were no windows and no curtains, and
incidentally no peripheral vision.
Recollection of old wives tales and tales of the supernatural now began to surface in his mind.
Could there be some sort of spiritual communication happening? If there was something there,
was it trying to make itself known or was it trying to keep from being known or even seen? His
mind raced now with unlimited possibilities and his curiosity was becoming obsessed or perhaps
possessed by what ever it was.
Thinking back to his childhood when he attended parochial school, he remembered some of his
early instruction, and also painfully remembered the ruler across his knuckles when he didn’t
behave. Pleasant memories and bad ones as well, merge into a background of information that
comes seeping back into cognition at strange times when you least expect them. The thing he
wanted to remember was something about holy water.
The ritual use of this precious substance is ancient and rooted in the Old Testament. When
the Israelites entered the Temple, they had to undergo purification by immersion in a mikvah
(modern Jews still make use of mikva’ot on Yom Kippur, on wedding days, for purification after
menstruation or coming into contact with a dead body or semen, etc.). This ritual purification by
water prefigured Christian Baptism, which we recall when we bless ourselves (cross ourselves)
using holy water upon entering our churches. Devoutly blessing one’s self with Holy Water
remits venial sins.
When you enter a church, you might find a holy water font (or “stoup”) attached to the wall at
one or both sides of each door, or you might find a freestanding font. Simply dip the tips of the
fingers of your right hand into the water and cross yourself while mentally contemplating the
words, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” He remembered
being told, “Don’t rush through this; make it meaningful, remembering the meaning of your
Baptism and mentally express your gratitude to God.”
Many Catholics repeat this process upon leaving the church, too. (Note: you might see one
Catholic dip his fingers into the Holy Water and touch fingers with another Catholic to share it
if that second Catholic can’t reach the font comfortably).
Holy water is also used by the priest to sprinkle the people before the beginning of Mass. He
had a pail-like vessel called an “aspersory” to hold the holy water, and into this he dipped a stick
called an “aspergillum” (or an “aspergill”). The aspergillum has holes in it to catch droplets of the
water, and the priest’s swinging it toward the congregation causes the drops of water to fly out.
This blessing of the congregation before Mass is called “Aspérges.”
Holy water was blessed on the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6) and any time thereafter that
holy water is needed. First, the salt to be added to the water is exorcised and blessed. Then
the water itself is blessed with these words: “I exorcise thee in the name of God the Father
almighty, and in the name of Jesus Christ His Son, our Lord, and in the power of the Holy
Ghost.”
He thought to himself, as he contemplated a plan, that this was pretty powerful stuff. If the
stories and legends were true, werewolves and vampires couldn’t stand to be sprinkled so, he
would help himself to some holy water, and he would be prepared for what he know would be a
battle that he would have to fight by himself.
How he obtained the holy water was anyone’s guess. He didn’t tell anyone and no one asked. It
was better that way. The important thing I want to relate is the fact that he got some and had
devised a plan whereby he was going to spray that area and see what would happen.
On the back-porch was a box of the grandchildren’s toys that were going to Goodwill, and in the
box were a couple of water pistols. These would be his delivery system. He filled each with holy
water and crept back into the living room. With his back against the wall he inched his way along
to the opening of the alcove that led to the hallway and peered into the darkness. Was there
flicker of movement? He couldn’t tell for sure, but with water guns squirting at full stream,
his imagination propelled him into the archway, and he fired repeatedly into every corner and
at every wall and even the ceiling. He listened for the hissing sound of holy water dissolving
whatever evil was lurking there knowing full well that he had done what any red-blooded senior
citizen, hero would have done under the circumstances.
Quite convinced that he had returned order to the universe, he went quietly up the stairs and
promptly went to bed, to sleep and perchance to dream of adventures yet to come.
WORKING
The story really needs no magic, but I have a couple of things that I have devised to
make the drama more realistic. First, I needed a simple water pistol with a full chamber
of liquid just for ambiance. Second, Two black bandana handkerchiefs and a handle-less
change bag.
Using a water pistol filled with Clorox bleach, one of the black handkerchiefs was altered
with a sprayed cross and allowed to dry. When it had had time to set, and the color
bleached out of the cross, the handkerchief was washed and ironed. It now goes into one
side of the change bag. As the story is told, the un-altered handkerchief is shown, waved
in the air for the simulated movement and placed in the other side of the change bag.
A squirt or two of water is applied at the appropriate place in the story and the other
handkerchief is withdrawn illustrating the power of the holy water.
The other device is a Tarbell color-changing handkerchief made from a black bandana
and one that is covered with printed skulls. The color change occurs after the outside
handkerchief is sprayed with the water pistol and as it is drawn through the hand becomes
the one covered with skulls.
Instructions for making the color-change handkerchief are in the Tarbell books and the
only other thing to think about is the size of the ring. Washed cotton bandanas will work,
but the ring needs to be at least an inch and 1/4 in diameter, like a standard split key
ring. There is a lot of material that has to pass through the ring to make the bandanas
Seeing with
the
Finger Tips
Chuck STYLESMITH Smith
In 1937, Life magazine ran a three School Journal of Neuroscience…its

page story on a thirteen year old title... “Seeing with Your Fingers:
California boy named Pat Marquis, A Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
who convinced his doctor that he Investigation of Multimodal Sensory
could see after his eyes had been Perception
taped shut. Professors and reporters
who tested him later to satisfy With a mouth full like that coming
themselves of this claim… found no out of Harvard, I thought with
trickery. so much smoke there must be
some fire. “I wondered, are
Rosa Kuleshova these demonstrations of genuine
impressed psychic ability …or can we
scientists in suspect fraud?
the former USSR
identifying I decided to experiment
colors and myself.
reading print with
her finger tips I will need two helpers. (Two
while her eyes volunteer)
were covered. Time
magazine printed A blue backed deck is handed
this remarkable to one volunteer and a red
story… in 1963. backed deck to the other.
There is even an Please shuffle the decks

article as recent so there is absolutely
as July 2007 from no order…that they are
the Harvard Medical completely mixed. (They do so)
that it might. The “out”, if there
And as I stand with my eyes closed is not a match, ….DO IT AGAIN! The
and my arms outstretched, and the probabilities are REALLY on your
palms of my hands facing down, I side.
would like you to pass the cards
slowly under them face up so that my MORE “OUT” INFO...(IF YOU NEED IT!)
finger tips touch the cards. My eyes
are closed and I am tilting my head Look at your “notation” (that is, of
to the ceiling so that I may not course, not there!) and say, Hummmmm,
glimpse the cards. I’m not usually wrong! Have them
shuffle and count again. On seeing the
The volunteers fan the cards matching pair, this time, turn up at
under each of the performers hand matching positions – “swami” write in
simultaneously and move them along the number position and card value in
until all have been touched. the open spots of your message. Then
say, That’s amazing! I “PREDICTED”
Before we go on I would like to the position and value BEFORE it was
make a note! (The performer writes reached.....That’s never happened
something on the back of his business before....I must be psychic!
card.)
CREDITS
Now, I would like each of you to
count down your cards calling them Van Russell (Tom Bowyer) who invented
out in unison with your co-dealer. the “Repeat Dollar Bills” discovered
1-2-3-4-5-6-etc…..UNTIL... A CARD this principle of dealing two decks
MATCHES AT THE SAME POSITION. face up simultaneously and having two
identical cards appear at the same
You both have turned a card that time at the same point during the
matches, (arbitrary for demo) the deal.
eight of diamonds and they were both
in position 24 of the shuffled decks. George Kaplan, who wrote The Fine Art
Not only did I see the values with my of Magic, revealed a duplicate of the
finger tips I counted the cards to see matching pair in a Brain Wave Deck as
at what number they were positioned. the payoff.
Performer hands his business card to (Try substituting for one of the
one of the volunteers. It, of course dealing decks fifty-two computer
reads, THE EIGHT OF DIAMONDS ARE, cards, (If you can still find
IN BOTH DECKS, 24TH FROM THE TOP … them) each with the names of a
signed “Stylesmith.” different playing card on it. They can
be “programmed” at the beginning by
SECRET having a spectator mix them.)
All of you, I’m sure, know that

whilst talking about the location
of the card in both decks the magic
man is using his ever ready swami
gimmick to write the location. What
is so great about this effect is that
the laws of probability take over
for you and cause two identically
valued cards to place themselves at
the same numbered position in shuffled
decks. (This still amazes me!) It
has never failed me but I understand
ALTERNATIVE PRESENTATIONS
(I like this as a sightless vision routine but without the “seeing with
the fingertips” patter it could be a prediction of a card coincidence....
Synchronicity...and then prediction)
Synchronicity and Prediction
Proceed with the effect without the “seeing finger tips” bit and call for the
gentleman to whom you gave an envelope earlier in the evening to come onto
the stage. The envelope is opened and it turns into a prediction. Needless to
say, the envelope bearer is a confederate who writes the “prediction” as soon
as it is heard. That saves you all the labors of learning to write with your
swami. (-Whatever it takes to entertain the throngs! :-)
Second Sight
Your “medium” is blindfolded and the duel count is performed. The helpers
count out verbally the number of the card counted down as they count. When
the “match” is reached the professor codes the card value to the medium.
My favorite code is from Annemann’s “En Rapport” routine. It is also printed

in Max Abrams’ “The Life and Times of A Legend..Annemann.” In the collection
of Annemann effects called “Annemann’s practical Mental Effects” there are many
different two person codes from which you can choose.
A SHEL SILVERSTEIN ROUTINE
By Marlene Clark/Circe
A bit of background …
I give a poetry workshop to 5th graders and draw from “Where the
Sidewalk Ends” and “Falling Up.” They love Shel Silverstein and so do I.
But Silverstein isnʼt just for family audiences.
The following is one of his relatively tame poems, although I have bleeped out a few
words to make it acceptable to a wider audience. To use this as a storytelling routine,
all that is required is a simple switch of a pair of dice for a pair of blank ones, for the
magic surprises.
“THE DEVIL AND BILLY MARKHAM”
The Devil walked into Linebaughʼs on a rainy Nashville

night.
While the lost souls sat and sipped their soup in the
sickly yellow neon light.
And the Devil, he looked around the room, then got

down on his knees.
He says, “Is there one among you scum whoʼll roll the
dice with me?”
Red, he just strums his guitar, pretending not to hear.
And Eddie, he just looks away and takes another sip of

beer.
Vince, he says, “Not me, Iʼll pass, Iʼve had my share of Hell,”
And kept scribbling on a napkin, some song he was sure would sell.
Ronnie just kept whisperinʼ low to the snuff queen who clutched at his
sleeve,
And somebody coughed -- and the Devil scoffed -- and turned on his heel to leave.
“Hold on,” says a voice from the back of the room. “ʼfore you walk out thatdoor.
If youʼre lookinʼ for some action, friend, well, Iʼve rolled some dice
before.”
And there stood Billy Markham, heʼd been on the scene for years,
Singinʼ all them raunchy songs that the town didnʼt want to hear.
Heʼd been cut and bled a thousand times, and his eyes were wise and sad,
And all his songs were the songs of the street, and all his luck was bad.
“I know you,” says Billy Markham, “from many a dark and funky place,
But you always spoke in a different voice and wore a different face.
While me, Iʼve gambled here on Music Row with hustlers and with whores,
And, Hell, I ainʼt afraid to roll them devilish dice of yours.”
“Well, then, get down,” says the Devil, “just as if you was gonna pray,
And take these dice in your luckless hand and Iʼll tell you how this game is played.
You get one roll -- and you bet your soul -- and if you roll thirteen you
win,
And all the joys of flesh and gold are yours to touch and spend.
But if that thirteen donʼt come up, then kiss your ass goodbye
And will your useless bones to God, ʻcause your goddamn soul is mine!”
“Thirteen?” says Billy Markham. “Hell, Iʼve played in tougher games.
Iʼve loved ambitious women and Iʼve rode on wheelless trains.
So gimme room, you stinkinʼ fiend, and let it all unwind.
Nobodyʼs ever rolled a thirteen yet, but this just might be the time.”
Then Billy Markham, he takes the dice, and the dice feel as heavy as stones.
“They should, they should,” the Devil says, “ʼcause theyʼre carved from
Jesusʼ bones.”
And Billy Markham turns the dice and the dice, they have no spots.
“Iʼm sorry,” says the Devil, “but theyʼre the only dice I got.”
“Well, s - - t,” says Billy Markham. “Now, I really donʼt mean to bitch,
But I never thought Iʼd stake my roll in a suckerʼs game like this.”
“Well, then, walk off,” says the Devil. “Nobodyʼs tied you down.”
“Walk off where?” says Billy Markham. “Itʼs the only game in town.
But I just wanna say ʻfore I make my play, that if I should chance to lose,
I will this guitar to some would-be star whoʼll play some honest blues,
Who ainʼt afraid to sing the words like damn or s - - t or f - - -
And who ainʼt afraid to put his ass on the stage where he makes his bucks.
But if he plays this guitar safe, and sings some sugary lies,
Iʼll haunt him till we meet in Hell -- now, gimme them f - - - - nʼ dice.”
And Billy Markham shakes the dice and yells, “Come on, thirteen!”
And the dice, they roll -- and they come up blank. “You lose!” the Devil
screams.
“But I really must say ʻfore we go our way that I really do like your style.
Of all the fools Iʼve played and beat, youʼre the first one who lost with a
smile.”
“Well, Iʼll tell you somethinʼ,” Billy Markham says. “Those odds werenʼt too
damn bad.
In fourteen years on Music Row, thatʼs the best damn chance Iʼve had.”
Then, arm in arm, Billy Markham and the Devil walk out through Linebaughʼs door,
Leavinʼ Billyʼs old beat-up guitar there on the floor.
And if you go into Linebaughʼs now, you can see it there today
Hanginʼ from a nail on the wall of peelinʼ gray
Billy Markhamʼs old guitar . . .
That nobody dares to play.”

-------------------------------------------------------------
At the start show the dice with spots. Roll them and the spots vanish. At the end, gather
the dice and toss them again to have the spots reappear as you recite the last lines.
“The Devil and Billy Markum” was originally published as an epic poem in a 1979 issue
of Playboy Magazine. Later it was refined into a one-act play titled “Oh Hell” in the late
1980ʼs with both monologue and song.
Of interest to magicians is that when played in New York city the now The Society of
American Magicianʼs Dean, George Schindler, was the “Magic Consultant.”
Check out: the (New York Times critique at:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE5DC143
FF937A35751C1A96F948260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all
Circe
That Magic Moment
Larry White
You step forward and start to sing or hum (if you can) the tune, “That Magic
Moment.”
You are holding two sheets of paper, one pink and one blue. A pair of scissors is
handy.
Ah yes... That Magic Moment... I’m sure you’ve heard the song, and, hopefully, even felt that emotion
... a special moment in life when something magical happens within us .... perhaps...
You display a PINK piece of paper.
... between a GIRL...
You display the BLUE piece of paper...
... and a BOY.
The papers are laid one on top of the other and folded in half down the center. You then pick up the scissors and
start cutting the papers in the shape of half a heart.
As boys and girls mature so do their hearts. Not only their physical hearts, but their emotional hearts as well.
When you are done cutting you open the hearts, separate them, to show one blue and one pink heart.
When we are young our hearts are separate ... a boy’s heart in a young lad, a girl’s heart in a young lass. But, as
both mature that magical moment happens. The boy’s heart discovers the girl’s heart.
You lay one of the hearts on top of the other, aligning them.
And their hearts come together.

The hearts are folded in half together along their centers.
You pick up the scissors and whisk it through the air as though it were an arrow, aa you say, At that very
moment, Cupid comes along with a bow and arrow...
You snip the hearts into two halves along the fold.
... and, although it looks like the hearts have been severed, this is not the case at all. What has happened is that
Magic Moment...
You separate the two halves and open each one. The two hearts now consist of half of a pink heart and half of a
blue heart, joined together.
At the magic moment hearts have merged. Boy and girl share each other’s hearts in this most wondrous and
mysterious manner. It is called LOVE. Love has happened.
You lay the two hearts back together, one on top of the other, fold them at the center and snip off a small slice
where they join. When you separate and open each, the hearts are back as they were, one pink and one blue.
Of course, we all know our hearts cannot truly merge and join physically, however in most lives there will be a
Magic Moment when two hearts felt as if they did.
The hearts and the scissors are set aside.

METHOD
For those familiar with Clippo the working will be obvious. For those of you not familiar, I will give a brief
explanation.
Take a strip of paper and coat it with rubber cement. When the cement dries dust the surface of the paper with
talcum powder so the cement is not sticky. The paper can be shown freely on both sides now. Fold the strip in
half and crease the center. Take a pair of scissors and snip off the center a bit below where it is folded in half.
Open the paper and it will appear to be “healed”... that is, it will open without falling in two parts because the
rubber cement will stick the two pieces together at the edge where they meet (where they were snipped). You can
refold the strip and cut it again, many times in fact, and it will always open “restored.” Clippo has long been a
“classic” magic trick.
Usually it is done with a single strip of paper as has been just described. Here I usee TWO prepared pieces of
paper and a heart shape instead of a strip for a new twist.
Begin with a sheet of RED paper and a sheet of blue paper. Cover BOTH sides (this makes it more sure-fire) of
both sheets with rubber cement. When both are dry dust them with talcum powder which will also dull the red
and blue colors, making them appear pink and light blue. This is appropriate for the “boy/girl” image. Have a
pair of scissors handy and you are set.
Following the “script” above (or your own), lay the papers one on top of the other and fold them in half. Cut a
heart shape out of them by cutting half of a heart on the sides away from the fold. You can then open the hearts
and separate them, showing a matching pink and blue heart. (Note: the rubber cement will cause the edges of the
hearts to cling together but they are easily pulled apart and the audience should not be aware of this.)
Lay the hearts one on top of the other, aligning them. (It does not matter which is on top.) Now cut directly up the
center of both hearts. This is a “double Clippo” cut and each half on top will be attached to the lower half by the
cement. The audience sees half of the top heart in each of your hands, separated.
When you open both halves half a pink heart has “joined” with half a blue heart. The illusion is perfect thanks to
the “Clippo” principle and you can show the two “melted together” hearts freely.
You can, of course, stop right here and put everything away, ending your tale. But, if you wish to go one step
further you can lay the opened “half-and-half-hearts” one on top of the other, fold them in half and snip off a thin
slice along the fold as before. Unlike the usual Clippo routine, however, you will not show the heart “restored” by
opening it. You will actually separate the two halves by pulling them apart and open up each half to show the two
halves of the pink heart have rejoined as have the two halves of the blue heart.
Arachniphobic Anni
by Odes Odhner
For Use with Jim Pace’s “The Web”
Spiders…
Some, a rare few like me, are fascinated by them, intrigued by their deadly efficiency, enamored of their predatory
perfection. Most others—yes, I see your faces—abhor them. It’s an abhorrence born of the ID, is it not? Yes—and why
not?
Sitting there, patient as Death, in the center of their invisible webs, waiting to crawl up your arms or down the back of
your neck as you, all unseeing and unprepared, step into one of their ghastly, clinging shrouds…Or there, crouched in
corners low and high, lurking in all the shadowed places. Surely they just wait, don’t they? Wait for us to go to sleep so
that they might creep upon us from all corners of the room. Surely, as we slumber, they crawl across our skin, our faces,
perhaps even over our fluttering, dreaming eyes. Surely they seek only some soft spot to bite, to draw a bit of blood to
satiate their own vampiric appetites. Oh yes, your very blood they would steal, leaving only poison spittle in its stead.
One must either admire or revile, eh?
Anni DeLewar, of the old homes and the old money up on College Hill, was one who suffered much that atavistic
revulsion of arachnids.
Inside Mansion DeLewar, the chemically cloying smell of pesticides and repellents ever hung like a miasma of incenses
within a cathedral. The Orkin Man was one of the rare few who still went there. Anni had long ago run out of servants
who were willing to take on the daily responsibilities of doing battle against the objects of her obsession. So the lady
herself moved about the halls and corridors of that great house like another lonely shadow, feather-duster in hand, busily
clearing away the cobwebs in her mind…
DISPLAY FEATHER-DUSTER AND “DUST” IT OVER ONE TEMPLE IN A CIRCULAR MOTION, THAT
UNIVERSAL SIGN OF CRAZINESS.
Every wall, every corner, every antique piece of bricka-bracka. And especially every ceiling. That is what Anni feared
the most—THEM dropping down onto her from above. So upon a small ladder she would stand…
ASK VICTIM TO HOLD OUT ONE HAND, PALM UP; MOVE THEIR HAND INTO POSITION,
SIMULTANEOUSLY LOADING THE SPIDER.
…So upon a ladder she would stand, feather-duster raised overhead like a gladius by ever-weakening arms, dusting and
clearing each and every ceiling…[SHOWING CARDS AS WHITE, WHILE DEALING THEM FACE-DOWN INTO
VICTIM’S HAND]…making sure each was clean and white and pristine.
But always, within her haunted soul, those imagined shrouds would return, and upon them the spiders would creep…
[MAKING CREEPING, CRAWLING MOTIONS WITH ONE HAND; THEN PICKING UP CARDS AND SHOWING
THEM COVERED WITH WEBS, WHILE DEALING THEM BACK ONTO THE VICTIM’S HAND, AGAIN FACE-
DOWN]…And the webs within her mind would grow and grow and grow.
ASK VICTIM FOR HER FREE HAND, AND GIVE HER THE FEATHER-DUSTER; ASK HER TO “DUST” IT
OVER THE CARDS.
So again, each and every day, she would go through Mansion DeLewar, busily clearing every wall, every corner,
every antique piece of bricka-bracka…[RETRIEVE FEATHER-DUSTER FROM VICTIM; THEN PICK UP CARDS
AGAIN]…And especially every ceiling…[SHOWING CARDS AS WHITE ONCE MORE, WHILE DEALING THEM
FACE-DOWN BACK ONTO VICTIM’S HAND]…Making sure each was clean and white and pristine once more.
And then one day, just as she finished the last ceiling of the last room, Anni suffered a massive stroke and died. The
Orkin Man found her three days later…
Did she find peace at last, Anni DeLewar? Did she find some corner of heaven where spiders do not dwell, where she
could find some final surcease from her fearful phobia?
I do not know…Who can say?
TAKING CARDS FROM VICTIM’S HAND, AND LAYING THEM ON OWN PALM, FACE-DOWN.
But would you put both of your hands down now upon the cards, and join me in a moment of silence for Anni DeLewar,
to ask that she may have found freedom at long last from the spiders in her mind?
HOLD OUT THE HAND HOLDING THE CARDS, BOW YOUR HEAD WITH EYES CLOSED, AND WAIT…
ADDITIONAL NOTES: Yes, I use the term “Victim.” For this one, it applies…
When choosing a Victim, choose a person who looks uncomfortable at the opening monologue, but NOT the person
who looks most uncomfortable. That person is liable to be too on guard, or to not want to participate at all.
I, sexist male elitist pig that I am, prefer to pick on women with this one. Their screams are just more shrill…
Pete McCabe is a professional scriptwriter and an
inventive magician. He has written a book which has
been on the GENII “Best Seller” list since its
publication. It is a gem of a book that should be read
and reread by every magician who cares about the craft.
Storyteller magicians rely on carefully scripted stories,
of course, but any magician who speaks while
performing will greatly improve his performance by
scripting it. Performing compelling magic requires the
magician to perform two tasks simultaneously -- to
manipulate his props and to speak. By scripting the
routine, and practicing the script while practicing the
routine, the final result is a smooth performance that
allows the magician to do one additional thing ... to
relate to and enjoy his audience.
We asked Pete if we could include a sample from his
book and he kindly invited us to use whatever we chose.
So, we selected a simple time-honored trick most every
magician does at some point, “Two In The Hand and
One In The Pocket.” Read the following excerpt and see
what scripting can make of this simple trick.
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Coffin Nails Plus
by
Ed Loveland
The Mage displays a miniature coffin, which he opens, showing it to contain a common
nail (Figure 1). He explains, “This is one of the few nails from the ashes of the coffin in
which a modern day witch had been cremated, early during the last century. Although
she is no longer with us, this nail retains much of her supernatural powers. Let me
demonstrate.”
Holding the nail between his thumb and forefingers, the Mage rolls it back and forth
and as it begins to smoke, giving off an odor of burnt flesh. Then the nail begins
bending, until it reached a 30-degree angle.
“As you can see,” the Mage explains, “the powers are sufficient to heat the nail and
cause it to bend.” At which time he throws the hot nail from hand to hand and finally
into the hand of a spectator, who in a frightened voice exclaimed, “My god, it is hot!”
Figure 1
Arcanum: This routine incorporates the same ideas utilized in Tony Andruzzi’s Coffin
Nails, from his GRIMIOR OF THE MAGES, and the gimmicked, lead nail and matching
bent steel nail from the commercial effect of “Doc” Dougherty’s called, PSI-FLEXON.
To heat the bent nail, you will need a product called The Heat Solution, which can
be obtained in stores selling camping and hunting supplies. In the Seattle area, it is
available from an REI store. It is a reusable hand warmer that is activated by snapping
a small convex disc that is in a sodium acetate liquid solution (Figure 2). The solution
crystallizes and in the process, reaches temperatures of 130 degrees F. You will need
to enclose the hand warmer and nail with a piece of aluminum foil, as you would a cover
of a book. This will allow the maximum heat to be retained by the nail, which is placed
between the aluminum flap and the hand warmer. The hand warmer should be activated
a few minutes prior to the performance.
Figure 2
You begin by performing the standard Coffin Nail effect, but you utilize a lead nail instead
of a real nail. After creating the smoke, hold the nail between your left thumb and first two
fingers. Slowly bend it and then toss it up and down in your left hand, as though it were too
hot to handle. (While you are in the process of bending the nail, you pick up the heated nail
from the hand warmer pack, which is in your lap, with your right hand.) You then perform a
shuttle pass, in which you appear to throw the bent nail from your left hand into your right
hand. In reality, you palm the lead nail in your left hand and display the heated, steel nail in
your right hand. Toss it into the air once or twice and finally into the hand of the spectator.
You could also make an old fashioned spike-type nail from solder to match a similar real nail,
should you want your story to go back further in time.
MY CARD AT YOUR
NUMBER
Larry White
It has been said that a magician works his magic by influencing
the thoughts of his audience. Do you think this is possible? Can I,
as a magician, make you perform a subconscious action you think you
made yourself? May I try? This is a very simple little experiment I call
“My Card At Your Number.”
The magician removes a deck of cards from the case and flips through the deck showing the cards are in a
random order.
Usually a magician has a person choose a card, loses it in the deck and later finds it. I won’t do that instead I
will choose the card and see if I can influence you to find it.
He brings forth his business card and a pen and, as he lays the card on the table, he says, Here is my car, now I
am going to ask for your number.
There are fifty-two cards in the deck. One of these cards is significant to our experiment but I won’t name it
quite yet. Nor will I shuffle the cards. They are randomly mixed except for one card, whose location is known to
me. My task is to influence you to locate that one card.
Please concentrate on any number between one and fifty-two. Do you have one in mind? Please feel free
to change your mind if you wish and when you are satisfied name your number out loud. While you are
considering this I shall attempt to mentally lead your mind to the number I have in my mind.
The helper names a number (any number, no force). The magician writes the number on the face of his business
card and slides it across the table toward the helper.
I have written your number on my card. Please do not touch my card until we conclude our experiment. You
have chosen the number 37. Do you feel you had free choice in deciding on that number? Good. Let’s see what
card is number 37.
The magician honestly counts down to the 37th card and turns it over. Let’s say it is the Ten of Spades.
So, the card at your number -- 37 -- is the Ten of Spades. A free choice or not? Well, 37 is YOUR number and
I gave you my card when we started. (Magician gestures toward his business card). Let’s see what MY CARD
was. Please turn over my business card.
The helper does and the magician has printed on the back “TEN OF SPADES.”
METHOD
The beauty of this trick is the absolute freedom of choice of number given by the spectator. There is no force
and any number, 1 through 52, can be named. And, in fact, after one simple move, the helper can be given the
cards and he can count down to his number.
The deck is a trick deck, of course. It is a Svengali Deck but used in a totally different way and with one small
modification. A Svengali Deck has every other card the same, but each is cut short so the faces can be riffled
and only the odd cards will show so the deck appears to be randomly mixed.
The simple modification is to take the two top cards and make them so they will cling together but can be easily
separated. This can be done using roughing fluid or just a dab of magician’s wax. Once they are so treated they
are set back on top of the deck and the deck is cased .
On the back of your business card write the name of the force card and you are ready to go.
With only one very, very simple “move” you are now able to have a force card appear at any number given by
the helper.
In performance -- remove the deck and riffle t toward the audience showing the faces in random order. Display
your business card and ask the helper for a number between 1 and 52. Write this on the face of the business card
and place this before the helper, asking him not to touch it for now.
Now you will use the simple and natural “move” to assure a force card appears at his number regardless of what
it is.
THE “MOVE”
The very top card on the deck will be one of the force cards. The second card (clinging to it) will be an odd
card. What you do now depends on whether the spectator gives an even or an odd number.
If the number is odd: Split the top pair and count the single top card as “One.” Continue counting the cards
individually and a force card will be at the number named by the helper.
If the number is even: Do NOT split the pair, but draw off both cards stuck together and count them as “One.”
Continue counting the cards individually and a force card will be at the number named by the helper.
Because this simple “move” is done at the very beginning of the counting you can begin to count a few cards
then hand the deck to the helper to continue the count to his number. However, it is always dangerous to hand a
heavily gimmicked deck to a helper so only consider this if you are very brave <G>.
CREDITS
To the best of my knowledge this method is original with me. I would like to thank Bob Neale and his expert
friends for their assistance in attempting to find an earlier reference. It would appear that the use of the
top pair to accomplish the trick smoothly has not appeared in print before, although its simplicity certainly
suggests others must have thought of it. If so, I assure them this then becomes an honest case of reinvention
on my part and, considering the vast number of card tricks that have been devised, this happens quite
frequently. -- Larry White
THE GAME OF THE MASTER
by
Ed Loveland & Mark Sherman
I am a collector of... unusual objects. At one time... when I was

younger, my collection was large. Oddities of every conceivable size
and shape. Now that I am older... it is much, much smaller. Only a
few... important pieces.
These four coffins for example... very rare... hand carved. They are
believed to have been carved in the early 1800s. In Haiti... by the man
known as Le Maitre
They were given to me by another collector. A gentleman from a very old and very aristocratic
Southern family, that traces its roots back to France. His name was Jules... a fantastic
collector. A rival, actually... who acquired the four coffins from an estate sale by outbidding
me. And then much later made arrangements, in his will, that the coffins be given to me after
his death. And so they were.
Shortly after his death, I received a box containing the coffins and a letter from Jules...
(Removing a postmarked letter from a jacket pocket...placing the letter on the table... and
reading:)
“Edward... here are the coffins of Le Maitre... the ones we squabbled over. Now, they
are yours. I ask only one thing... that you keep them in play and keep the Game alive.”
Yours,
Jules
The coffins are part of a game. A very strange little game. Would you like to play? The game
is called Le Jeu du Le Maitre... The Game Of The Master. And I only play this game... with
special people. The three of you strike me as very special. You agree?
Yes... I’ve been watching you... and noticing the way the three of you seem to have a large
appetite for life... a large appetite for the Game Of Life. Let’s play.
Here are the four coffins and here are the rules. Each of the coffins contains something. But
only one of the coffins contains The Prize: Le Grand Prix de le Maitre, The Grand Prize of the
Master:
A full life, a lavish life, a life of unending novelty, partaking of unheard of POWERS.
However, since there are four coffins... and only three of you... it is possible that none of you
may select the prize. Please, each of you... select a coffin, but... please... don’t open them
until I have instructed you to do so.
Good, you have made your selection. This IS a strange game... isn’t it?
Now... you’re probably asking yourself, what have I got to lose?
OH! I’M SO SORRY. I forgot to explain THAT PART to you. I got a little too excited.
Well... no harm done.
(Turning over the letter from Jules, the bizarrist reads the words, ON THE BACK
of the letter on the table.)
“P.S. Remember, Edward, that you are REQUIRED to tell the players that, by taking one
of the coffins... they are agreeing... at the moment of death... to relinquish their immortal
souls. Once a coffin is chosen, Edward, it is too late. The agreement is in effect... and
binding. I only remind you of this, because, of your tendency to become overexcited in
the heat of the moment... and forget... the SMALL details. I know I can count on you to
do the sporting thing.”
Sincerely,
Jules
(Folding up the letter)
I APOLOGIZE.
(Pause)
I APOLOGIZE PROFUSELY.
I did get excited… I did forget. And now your immortal souls stand at risk.
But... is that really so bad? You still have a life to live. And of course, if you have
selected the proper coffin, you have nothing to fear.
Oh... and ONE more detail. To make this COMPLETELY fair, I am obligated to explain to
you, that I usually win this... ah... should we call it… a wager?
You see... I am now living that life of endless novelty promised by Le Maitre.... A rich life.
Full of luck. And I really don’t want to give it up. Would, YOU? And I really am a VERY
poor loser. But, to be fair, I am required to allow you to exchange coffins with me... If
you so desire.
Would any of you like to do so?
(All open their coffins, read their message, and find that they have lost the game.
Edward opens his message and seems a little confused and comments:)
How could HE know?
(He reads the message.)
“Must I REMIND YOU... AGAIN... OF THE RULES OF THE GAME? Although you may
run the game for others, you MAY NOT enter into play yourself. The game can be played
ONLY by people who possess an immortal soul to wager. Years ago we played the game...
and YOU lost. Your soul belongs to me. This game is forfeit. Please return these souls
to their rightful owners. The game is over. Enjoy yourself... until the moment I take
possession of what rightfully belongs to me.”
Jules le Maitre.
Arcanum: This routine was created with extensive help and suggestions from Mark
Sherman. He essentially gave me the idea for the story including much of the dialog.
Each coffin contains the same message. When you tip the coffin to dump out your message,
you hold it in with your thumb, switching it for a palmed message slip. After closing the
coffin, you proceed to read it.
The following presentation is the result of a puzzle that John Henry Flood showed me at
the 2003 Charles Cameron Bizarre Gathering in Edinburgh. I was intrigued and have
been playing about with the idea ever since.
DR WATSON’S LOST
JOURNAL
Leslie Melville
While clearing out the loft of London’s 22lB Baker Street, workmen
discovered a dusty book. Upon examination, it appeared to be a journal
that once belonged to Dr. John H. Watson, friend colleague and chronicler
of world-renowned detective, Sherlock Holmes!
In it is described a hitherto unreported case of detection by the famous

sleuth.
Dr Watson entitled the episode: “The Case of the Unexploded Marmalade Sandwich.”
It seems that a group of art thieves had stolen a valuable painting and locked it in a box along with a
booby-trapped marmalade sandwich. The box had been taken to Scotland, and was being held in the
back room of a public house in Kilmadinny It was in the care of two men, each of * whom had been
brainwashed, one to always tell the truth and was called The Truth-teller’. The other was
called, ‘The Deceiver?. He always lied
One of them held the key to the locked box and the other one a special tool for defusing the bomb and
Holmes didn’t know who held which
The pub landlord told Holmes that the bomb would shortly detonate - he only had time to ask one
question. If he could locate the possessor of the key, it would be handed over, as would the defusing tool.
Remembering that one of them always told the truth and the other an untruth, and that there was only
one question he could ask .......................... !
WHAT WAS THAT ONE QUESTION?
After the key had been handed over and the bomb made safe, Holmes and Watson looked at the valuable
painting.
At first glance, it looked like the picture of a normal oak free in the middle of a forest, but upon looking
closer, they could see that it was a very surreal painting: The tree’s trunk was actually made of fire, and
it’s branches were made of ice, clouds and earth. “What is it?” asked the good doctor in awe.
“It’s an element tree, My Dear Watson”, said Holmes.

Dr. Watson’s Lost Journal
SOLUTION
The Question that Holmes asks is, “DOES THE DECEIVER HAVE
THE KEY?”
Scenario 1: The Truth-teller has the key, the Deceiver, the

defusing tool.
If addressing the Truth-teller, he will reply ‘No’, to the above question (He always tells
the truth). If addressing the Deceiver, he will reply, ‘Yes’ (because he always lies).
Therefore Holmes goes for the negative reply (the one who says ‘No’ has the key - the one
who says ‘Yes’ does not have the key).
Scenario 2: The Deceiver has the key, the Truth-teller, the defusing tool.
If addressing the Truth-teller, he will reply, ‘Yes’ (He always tells

the truth).
If addressing the Deceiver, he will reply, ‘No’ (He always lies).
Therefore Holmes goes for the negative reply (the one who says ‘No’ has the key - the one
who says ‘Yes’ does not have the key).
IN EITHER SCENARIO, THE ONE WHO SAYS ‘NO’ HAS THE KEY AND THE
ONE WHO SAYS ‘YES’ DOES NOT HAVE THE KEY!
In presentation form:
As the story unfolds, the performer can invite two spectators to participate. Lay out a key
and any peculiar looking device to represent the defusing tool (Allen key, spanner, adjustable
wrench or even a bottle opener or an egg-whisk!). The performer turns his back while the
two participants pick up either one - they first must decide between themselves (unknown to
the performer) who is the Truth-teller and which one the Deceiver. They each hold the item
behind their back before the performer turns around.
N.B. It must be explained to the assisting spectators beforehand that they must tell the truth
or lie, according to their adopted characters.
He can then demonstrate how Sherlock Holmes identifies the holder of the key, etc
THE MAYAN SPIRITS OF
TEOTIHUACÁN
by
Ed Loveland
I heard a car door slam, and as I peered through the curtains, a flash of lightening revealed
Eduardo as he ran up the path towards the house. He appeared to be carrying a small black bag
and a narrow rectangular box under his arm.
He had called earlier with such excitement in his voice, that I could not discourage him from
coming in spite of the violent storm. I must say, that by the time he had taken his coat off and
had seated himself at the table, my curiosity had really peaked. He loosened the strings of the
black leather bag and slowly opened it, carefully lifting from it a beautiful formation of quartz
crystals.
He explained that after hearing of the existence of the Crystal of Don Ricardo, it reminded
him of a story told to him several years ago while visiting the site of Teotihuacán, “The Place of
the Gods,” near Mexico City. What he had originally assumed to be folklore, turned out to be
true. For on his most recent trip to the area, he had searched out, and was able to acquire the
objects of this tale.
Eduardo related that, “the crystal had greater powers than he had ever dreamed... as if giving
sight to one’s mind’s eye.” He then opened the narrow rectangular box and removed a small
jeweled sarcophagus and what appeared to be three miniature mummies, each of a different
color.
“The red one,” he explained, “is said to hold the Spirit of Life, represented by the color of
blood; the yellow, the Spirit of the Sun; and the blue, the Spirit of Rain, all important aspects
of the Mayan culture. According to the lore, it is said that the powers of the crystal will
reveal, to its bearer, the location of these Mayan Spirits of Teotihuacán. So after acquiring
the crystal, it was a simple matter to locate the Spirits. Let me show you.”
He turned his back to me, asking that I place one of the mummies into the sarcophagus and
then to hide the remaining mummy on the left side with my left hand, and the one on the right,
with my right hand.
Again, facing me, Eduardo proceeded to demonstrate the powers of the crystal. He explained,
he would first determine which of the spirits was being held in my right hand. He closed his
eyes as he held the crystal in his outstretched palm, and pointed it to my right side. The
crystal began to glow dimly… slowly increasing in intensity, into a brilliant light which then
dimmed back into darkness. “I perceive the Spirit of Life,” he exclaimed. “And now the
contents of your left hand.” As he moved the crystal towards me left side, it again began to
glow. “This time,” he stated, “I perceived the Spirit of Rain. And obviously, that leaves the
Spirit of the Sun in the sarcophagus.” Again the crystal glowed brightly when pointed in the
direction of the sarcophagus.
I opened my hands to assure myself that he was correct. I then fully understood and shared
the excitement of his discovery.
Arcanum: I use “The Crystal of Don Ricardo,” described on page 641 of the New Invocation.
(See Figures 1 & 2) This is made by gluing quartz crystals around an “Energy Ball” as shown in
Figure 3. Or if you have one,
Figure 1 Figure 2
you could just use the ENERGY BALL. At the time I originally wrote this routine, about 1992,
the ENERGY BALL was readily available. But, it is
Figure 3
probably nowhere to be found today. If you don’t have one, use some other “Mystical” object
and just fake it, with your eyes closed. You will also need a set of MAYAN MUMMIES, a dealer
item that can be found in most magic shops. You may even have one tucked away in a drawer
somewhere. This is an old item which consists of three mummies, one weighted at its head, one
at is feet, and one that is not weighted. The sarcophagus is constructed such that it will rock
to head, feet, or remain balanced, depending on which of the mummies it holds. By placing the
mummies in a known sequence from left to right, in front of the spectator, it is an easy matter
to determine which is in the left and right hands, after first realizing which one is in the
sarcophagus. This also takes the “heat” off of the sarcophagus gaff, by revealing it last. For
the routine, I keep the mummies and sarcophagus in a small decorative box. (See Figures 4 & 5)
Figure 4 Figure 5
It is made from cardboard. I use a decorator finish called “Rub ‘N Buff” to provide the finish
after first sealing it with a clear spray lacquer. “Rub ‘N Buff” is available at most craft supply
houses.
By the way, if anyone knows of a source for these Energy Balls, let me know.
SPOOKED HORSE
by
Ed Loveland
During the mid 19th Century, Seattle became a significant leader in the lumber industry.
With the lush forested areas surrounding it, it was becoming a booming lumber town.
And towards the end of the 19th Century it became the Gateway to the Alaskan gold
rush. A stepping off point for those suffering from the gold fever of the Alaskan
slopes. During this period of time there were many new entrepreneurs starting
businesses in the city.
In 1880, one such successful business man and his wife were also rewarded with the
birth of a beautiful baby boy which they named Mark. It was not long before it was
evident that Mark was an extremely brilliant individual. By the time he was three, he
could carry on conversations with adults, utilizing words unheard of from a child of his
many time his age. And by the time he was five, he could read better than many adults.
You couldn’t begin to imagine the amount of joy he brought to his proud parents.
But two tragedies marred the life of this young genius. The first was a disease that
left him completely paralyzed in 1887 and the second was his untimely death in 1889 in
the Great Seattle Fire of Seattle that destroyed 14 city blocks, including the entire
downtown area of the City. The entire city, at that time, was constructed from the
readily available lumber that had helped to create the city and its economy. The advent
of brick buildings to downtown Seattle was one of the many architectural improvements
the city made in the wake of the fire. Too late, of course, for young Mark.
Tonight, I would like to show you one of the few articles that were found, intact, in the
charred remains of the family’s home.
You unfold a bandanna and display a miniature, antique rocking horse.

Mark was a truly remarkable child. Although he was paralyzed and unable to physically
play with his toys, he somehow overcame his handicap with this, his favorite toy.
(Indicate the rocking horse.) It is said that with his brilliant mind, he was able to imagine
that he, in some miniature form, was actually sitting on the toy. And then, as it sat on
the self, across from his bed, it would begin rocking, just as though he was riding it. It
would begin to rock, faster and faster, and would suddenly stop when he became bored
with it.
He was such an unusual individual and had such a strong will, that I have been able, from
time to time, to use him as a spirit guide. I believe that with your help, it might be
possible to contact his spirit and use it as a guide in our séance tonight. Try to visualize,
as mark may have done, that there is a small boy sitting on this horse, swaying his body
back and forth. As he rocks back and forth, he begins to create a momentum that causes
the horse to gradually begin to move.
Mark... give us a sign. Give us an indication that your spirit is with us tonight.
A few moments pass and there is nothing. Then there is an almost undetectable
movement of the horse. Then it begins to rock, gaining speed for a short period
of time. It then comes to an abrupt stop.
It appears that the spirit of Mark is with us tonight. Let us now begin our séance.
Arcanum: This routine evolved from Bob Gillard’s contribution to the original Shadow
Network, back in early 1991. Bob presented the idea of using a plate lifter, sandwiched
between a double thickness of a cloth, to cause a small toy rocking horse to rock during a
séance. He challenged us to come up with a story line for the routine.
For my routine, I use two paisley type cotton handkerchiefs sewn together with the lifting
portion of the plate lifter positioned between the two, at an easily identifiable point in the
middle. The tube running from the lifter comes out the side of the handkerchief, where
it could fall into your lap and will not be noticeable. I start by setting the handkerchief
bundle on the table, and as I unfold it to display the horse, I allow the squeeze bulb to fall
in my lap.
After displaying the toy rocking horse, it is placed at the appropriate point in the middle
of the handkerchief. During the séance, I relax, allowing my hands to fall in my lap where
I can then control the rocking motion.
The Chronicles of Arch Mage, Mitos Odnalor
La Casa Rosada En La Esquina

Sotnas Grymiore: Fastasmas de Chile
The smell of incense with a touch of vanilla and hot candle wax wafted through the upper floors of
the east tower at the Sanctum Sancti in the Texas Hill country.
Natali and Dinorah had just finished the incantations and protective wards in Natali’s private study
as they prepared to open one of the small wooden boxes that Mitos had sent from Chile.
Unlike Mitos’ private study, which resembled a chaotic renaissance alchemist’s apartment, Natali’s
study was modern with state of the art technology and lighting. Off the main room was a lab that
would be the envy of any CSI department in the world. The main space was warm with leather
couches, a fireplace and a large oak wood table worn smooth, but beautiful with age and use.
Colombian art, photos and crafts, reflecting her native country, filled the room, most of it hiding
repositories in the wall and small chambers where she kept the ephemera, concoctions, amulets and
powders that have been part of the tools wizards and priestess have used for ages.
Although the crate was sealed with a simple incantation, indicating the contents were only mildly
charged with occult energy, Natali made sure that Dinorah had completed the circle of salt around
them before opening the container.
Inside, Natali removed a skeleton key blackened with age and rust, some Chilean currency, mostly
bills, several photographs and a hand written entry for the Sotnas Grymiore from Mitos.
Santiago de Chile May 2008
In the older section of Santiago, at the corner of San Pablo and Morande
Streets, a few blocks from the Central Market, is a house known simply as La
Casa Rosada En La Esquina, the Pink Colored House on the Corner.
The soft pink colors and its architectural beauty aren’t why the house is so
well known and it is not listed as a key landmark in any travel guide.
La Casa Rosada en la Esquina has been known for decades throughout the country
for one sinister reason---,people enter and never come out. I know for a fact that the
house´s reputation is true because I bear witness to some of the events.
house
Chileans whisper about a Casa Rosada in hushed tones and even back
in the 30´s and 40´s, the house was given a wide berth by passersby.
Some say that the masonry work on the outside walls are not art but
rather demons who pick their victims as the walk by in daylight and
come to life after dark to kidnap them.
I stand witness to the fact that there are far greater evils in the world than
the demons that periodically break through into our dimension and that La
Casa Rosada En La Esquina is not deathtrap but a sanctuary.
Many Chileans will say that on September 11,1973, evil incarnate

came to Santiago in the form of a military coup led by General
Augusto Pinoche
The coup resulted in the death of President Salvador Allende and

resulted in thousands of Allende supporters being taken to the
National Soccer Stadium where they were systematically tortured and
executed.
It is documented fact that few of those rounded up and
taken to the stadium ever came out alive.
Many of those being rounded up were illuminati of every discipline. I was with Pablo Neruda, a Nobel Laureate in the
final stages of a battle with cancer when word came that Allende had been killed.
Neruda, a confirmed and vocal socialist as well as a supporter of Allende instantly became a key target that night.
Neruda’s face, already deathly pale from his battle with cancer took on the color of a funeral shroud.
Pablo struggled to get up, saying come my friend we must go to the La Casa Rosada. Of all places, I could not
understand why he wanted to go there, even as a stranger to the country I knew about the house’s reputation. It had
been on my list of occult related mysteries to investigate, but I had not gotten around to it.
While I could have escaped using one of the many ´key lines´ that those of our kind have at their disposal, I feared for
what was left of my friend´s life. Death by firing squad or death via La Casa Rosada. No I would not leave him either
way so I agreed to go on what a fools errand.
Pablo knocked on the door, briefly said something in Latin not Spanish, and we were allowed inside. Presently, a
distinguished gentleman entered the room. He had white hair in a lionly mane, piercing brown eyes, dressed in a dark
blue linen suit, white shirt and blue silk tie. On his right hand he wore a ring that bore the double headed eagle with a
crown and the pyramid of light. I quickly spoke the sacred words of our shared freemason brotherhood.
Pablo and the gentleman looked at me in surprise. Pablo said, “ Excelente , he can use , the path,
But the gentleman was adamant that on a night of such turmoil, no one not known to him would be allowed to use
the secret path. It was too dangerous because Pinochet had infiltrators everywhere. Before I could speak, Pablo demanded his
Freemason right to use an ancient ritual to settle the issue---he demanded that the question put to the test of the Key of Fate.
I had heard of it, but had never witnessed it. The chance to experience this bit of legendary arcane knowledge, out weighed the
chance of dying in a coup.
Presently, the gentleman brought out the key that I finally acquired and is now safely hidden in the Sanctum Sancti. Even in
the 70 s it was blackened with age as well as sweat and oils from countless hands it had been laid upon.
As per the ritual, Neruda had me hold my hand out palm up. The key was laid across the palm and the question asked, “Should
I be allowed to enter the sanctuary.”
If the key remained still, I would be locked out of the sanctuary and put out on the street to face the roving teams of military
personel rounding up threats to the new military dictatorship,
If the key turned over of it own volition, my path to freedom would be unlocked.
Imperceptibly at first the key began to move---slowly then suddenly, it turned completely in my hand unaided by my own
powers. Instantly a panel in wall opened revealing a hidden passage.
Neruda smiled and collapsed. Taking the key from me , urged me told me to go in a cough wracked spasm. I hesitated, but the
gentleman pushed me toward the opening as he knelt over Neruda.
I never saw him Pablo alive again, 12 days later died of cancer.
Since the turn of the century Freemasons have been using the house to escape persecution.
La Casa Rosada en La Esquina is in fact a place where people DO enter and NEVER come out again, but that is not always a bad
thing.
The entry ended with Mitos’ stylized : “M”
Sanctum Sancti
Dinorah looked at the key and then at Natali and said, “Pinchoet was a sadistic tyrant wasn’t he? He
targeted his political opponents, which included systematic violations of civil liberties and human
rights. Didn’t he die few years ago?”
“ Yes,” answered Natali. “ But is regime also implemented economic reforms, including the privatization
of several state controlled industries and the rollback of many state welfare institutions. It was known as
el milagro económico (“the economic miracle”). Some say Pinochet is the father of modern democratic
and economy stability through Latin America.
“So why did Mitos send this stack of bills? Asked Dinorah as she thumbed through the bills. Natali
smiled and said Those are “Milagro bills.”
Dinorah looked puzzled. So Natali took one and said “ In the 70’s in Colombia it used to be said that
Chilean money was made by the Devil and his assistant Pinochet.
“Keep your eye on the portrait of the soldier.” She said as she folded the bill in half lengthwise and
then to right and finally into a square.
“People said it did not matter if the regime leaned right, or was isolated or even everything turned
up side down in country.” When Natali unfolded the bill, the soldier’s portrait was upside down.
She again folded the in half lengthwise and then to the right and said “Because Pinochet was
supposed to be the Devil’s favorite, the economy would always end up okay.” When she unfolded
the bill, the portrait was right side up again.
Dinorah took the bill and examined it, but it was a normal bill. Natali smiled.
Dinorah, made a mental note to search the archives to see if there was an entry on this Milagro
Paper currency and then said “ Natali people from many Latin American countries don’t seem to
like any one from another country. I can’t figure out how to understand the differences between say
Mexico and Argentina.
Natali toyed with a Colombian flag on her desk said, “It is complicated. To Americans we are all the
same, but there are significant differences. Let’s catalogue the photos, key and the money first, then
release the protective spells. After that I will show you how to remember how differences break
down.
A few hours later, back in the kitchen of the Sanctum Sancti, Dinorah poured two cups of coffee and
set down some pan dulce ( Mexican pastries) on the table. Natali reached over and picked up the
deck cards from last night’s Canasta game and said “Let me show you an easy way to remember the
different countries and their cultural idiosyncrasies. I learned this from Mitos.”
Natali took out the King from each suit and said “ The hearts are Mexicans, Clubs are Colombians,
Diamonds are Brazilians and the Spades are Argentines.”
Turning the cards face down in her hand she spun them clockwise
around and turned over a heart saying, “The Hearts represent
Mexicans because they are humble, hardworking people who put
their heart into everything they do.”
Flipping the heart over she twisted deck counter clockwise

and turned over a Diamond and said “The diamonds are like
Brazilians all glitter and fiestas like Carnaval.”
After flipping the cards over turned over again and twisting
the cards clockwise the King of Clubs appeared. “The clubs
represent Colombia. The Top pip represents the majority of
the public. They are caught between the drug lords and the
FARC a guerilla faction.
Now that leaves the Argentines,” but she could not find
the King of Spades anywhere among the four cards.
They are the most arrogant. Argentines even describe
themsilves as Europeans who happened to live in Latin
America. With them you have to be really forceful.”
Suddenly the cards popped in her hand and the King of Spades
appeared reversed among the other cards---
DEVIL OF A BAR & PUB SCRIBE’S NOTES
SUBJECT: Captain Slone’s Glass Eye
LOCATION: Circe’s Rest
OCCASION: DOB&P Get Together
DATE: April 1, 2008
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
CAPTAIN SLONE’S GLASS EYE
Doom Slone laid a pad of paper, a pencil, an antique folded map, a packet of
old cards and a black velvet bag on an empty table and invited us to gather
around.
I’ll spin you a strange tale of the sea as my contribution to the night’s
entertainment, he began. Doom unfolded an ancient map showing the globe
and continued. As some of you know, my Great Granddaddy, Captain Slone, was a
seafaring captain whose trade took him to all points of the compass.
Doom picked up the stack of cards and distributed them on the map. The
cards had compass points printed on them and Doom laid them on the globe
accordingly: N. NE, E, SE, S, SW, W and NW.
This map and these cards are part of my Great Grandfather’s legacy. They
accompanied him on his many voyages and he came to rely on them for his
safety – and therein lies the story I would like to tell.
On one of his voyages he had an accident-- a large fishhook ripped out his
left eye. But, being a tough old buzzard, he rinsed it daily with salt water
and later when he docked in Germany he had a fine glassmaker mold him a
glass eye that he wore from then on.
I am pleased to say my Great Grandfather’s glass eye has remained in the

Slone family to this day.
Doom opened the velvet bag and poured a glass eye onto the map. We all gasped.
It was a rather red color and a bit frightening.
Despite it’s strange appearance, the Captain discovered that his glass eye
possessed an uncanny power, which proved more valuable to the Captain than
his maps and compass. And, in fact, the eye still possesses it to this moment.
Shall I demonstrate?
Now this was getting downright eerie, but we were fascinated and asked Doom
to continue.
Many times Captain Slone drifted off course and became hopelessly lost. To
demonstrate how his glass eye helped him we must first lose him. Doom picked
up the pad and pencil and handed them to Hanlon Wyatt.
He turned to Jerry Monsoon and said, Jerry, let’s put the captain at an
unknown location. What latitude shall we use? You don’t have to know where
it is, just give us two digits. Jerry said, “63.” Doom asked Hanlon to write 63
on the pad and turned to Seidel Wooed.
Seidel, give us a Longitude -- any two digits. Seidel said, “42” and Doom asked
Hanlon to write these beside the 63.
Great, said Doom, so we now have put the Captain at an unknown longitude and
latitude somewhere on the Earth. I would say you two guys have thoroughly
lost him. Because you just made up the longitude and latitude, not even you
know where he is, right? The guys nodded.
Well, let’s lose him even more. So far we have his location as 6342. Take those
four numbers and mix them up any way you wish, in any order.
Jerry and Seidel decided on 2463.
What we have just done is exactly what my Great Grandfather did when he was
lost. He did not know his longitude and latitude so he made them up … and
then relied on his trusty glass eye to “see” the way home. Here’s how he did
it…
First he subtracted the larger number from the smaller one. Hanlon, will you
do that?
Hanlon did.
6324
- 2463
---------
3861
Ah, exclaimed Doom, and now we are really lost. By chance we have arrived at
Longitude 38 and Latitude 61. Where on Earth could that be and how do we get
home from here? Well Captain Slone trusted his glass eye to see the way.
He simply added the digits of the longitude and latitude together --- please
do that Hanlon --- and using that number and his glass eye he sailed away.
What is the total, Hanlon?
“18,” replied Hanlon.
Fine, now we trust the eye. Here is what my Great Grandfather did. He picked
up his glass eye and said, “1.” And he set it on north and said “2.” Then
he sailed around the world as he counted off the latitude and longitude
numbers, which, you say added to 18, right? Hanlon nodded.
Doom then moved the glass eyeball in a clockwise direction, counting numbers
as he touched it to each card. When he reached the card at number 18 he set
the eyeball on that card. It was the card at the NW position.
So what does this mean? We began by YOU choosing arbitrary longitude and
latitude. You had free choice. You even changed the numbers around and we
used them to create still another arbitrary longitude and latitude… and
we used that to derive a number, which traveled us around the globe and
eventually landed us here, seemingly by chance. Doom pointed to the eyeball.
But was it by chance? Or did my Great Grandfather’s glass eye steer us on
the correct course home? Did his eyeball see the dangers along the way and
avoid them? How can we know?
Doom pointed to the card labeled “N” and said, Well, the eyeball moved us
quickly away from the North, perhaps so we would avoid hitting icebergs.
He flipped over the “N” card and “Icebergs” was written on it! He then
quickly flipped over each of the other cards. And, it certainly saw other
dangers and led us away from them…
Doom flipped over each of the other cards and they read: STORMS, REEFS,
PIRATES, SARGASSO SEA, SEA MONSTERS, and CANNIBALS.
Finally, Doom removed the eye from the card it rested on and flipped that
card over.
HOME SAFELY
Spooky, isn’t it, said Doom as he gathered up his props and put them away.
After all these many years Captain Slone’s glass eye still seems to be
looking out for him.
Spooky indeed. What a great story for such a spooky night.
THE TRUTH
As the evening mellowed, so did Doom. I asked him about his Great
Grandfather’s glass eye and, with a twinkle in HIS eye, he explained his
trick. Yes, it was a trick.
“I bought the glass eye from a taxidermy supply company, called VanDyke’s. I
wanted a spooky looking eye so I bought a cheetah’s eye. It cost me less than
ten dollars and I got two because they come in pairs.”
(Later, I found Van Dyke’s at: HYPERLINK “http://www.VanDykesTaxidermy.com -

www.VanDykesTaxidermy.com)
“I found an antique map of the globe in a book store. I made it look older by
wrinkling it and staining it with coffee. I made the cards on my computer.
I printed them on gold parchment paper, then tore ragged edges and aged
them like the map. I wanted them to look like they might have belonged to my
Great Grandfather.
“The rest is just an old mathematical trick that works itself. Take ANY four
numbers – I called them longitude and latitude to fit the story – and then
create a new number using the same four digits. Subtract the smaller number
from the larger one then add the digits of the total together and you will
ALWAYS get a number 9, 18 or 27.
“There are 9 cards. I labeled them with compass points so I can mix them up
and still lay them in their correct order – simply by laying them at their
correct positions around the map. The HOME card is NW.
To begin, I set the eye in the center of the map. When I am told the total of
the mathematics … 9, 18 or 27, it doesn’t matter. I pick up the eyeball and say
‘1’. Then I touch it to the ‘N’ card and say, ‘2’. Then I proceed from card to
card clockwise, tapping each with the eyeball as I count.
“If the number is 9 I will only go around the circle once. If it is 18 I will
go around twice and if it is 27 I go around 3 times but it doesn’t matter. I
will always end on the HOME card because 18 and 27 are multiples of 9.”
Well, I must admit I was a bit disappointed to be told it was just a simple
trick but I complimented him for feeding me the above blasphemy. It was
a great tale that we all got so caught-up in we didn’t even think about
mathematics.
Sargasso Icebergs
Sea
N NNE
Sea
Monsters
CARDS & MAP
FOR CUT OUT CARDS.
CAPTAIN FOLD IN HALF AND
SLONE’S GLUE TOGETHER
GLASS EYE
E
Deadly
Pirates
Reef
ESE S
Typhoon
SSW
Hurric- HOME
aine FREE
W NNW
This 1689 map
is in public
domain
THE SWASTIKA
A Story-puzzle from Leslie Melville
For many people the Swastika is an emblem of evil

and will forever be associated with anti-semitism
and The Holocaust. But for three thousand years,
until the middle of the twentieth century and the
rise in Germany of Adolph Hitler and the Nazi Party,
the swastika was held by many cultures to be a symbol of
good fortune and happiness!
Images of the swastika have been found on coins and pottery found by archaeologists in the
ancient city of Troy. Not only is the swastika associated with ancient Troy, the symbol is found in
many other cultures, such as Chinese, Japanese, Indian and southern European. By the middle
ages, the swastika was a popular and much used charm symbol.
Throughout history, the swastika has represented life, sun, power, strength and good luck.
In the early 20th. Century, it was still considered a positive symbol and during World War 1,
it was found on the shoulder patches of members of the American 45th Division and also the
Finnish Air Force.
The ill-fated daughters of Russia’s Tsar Nicholas, while in captivity, are reported to have
embroidered swastikas onto the sleeves of their dresses - unfortunately they and their entire
family were murdered by the Bolsheviks in 1917, so the emblem was unable to afford THEM
much happiness!
Buddhists have long associated the symbol with spiritual significance and there is a story of a
sect of monks who tested those wishing to join the order, with a ‘spiritual’ challenge.
The novice would be given sixteen oblong tiles. His challenge was to arrange twelve of the tiles
into a square. Then with the remaining four, he would
have to create the symbol of the swastika inside the
square. If he succeeded, he was welcomed into the
order. If he failed, he would be deemed unworthy and
sent on his way.
Could YOU pass the test? Take sixteen playing cards

and assemble twelve of them into a square - as shown
to the right.
Then, using only the remaining four cards, create a

perfect swastika inside the square.
THE SWASTIKA
The four additional cards are laid out as shown and the swastika symbol appears in the resultant space.
Stories and presentations copyright© Leslie Melville 2008.

Larry White’s
THE
VAMPIRE
CONVENTION
First: Here’s a simple science trick:
Sprinkle some pepper in a glass of water and it will spread out across the surface.
Now touch the surface of the water in the center with the corner of a bar of soap.
The pepper instantly moves away from the soap and gathers at the edge of the
glass. It’s an experiment with surface tension. In simple terms: The surface
tension of water can be likened to a sheet of rubber stretched across the surface
of the water beneath it. Soap breaks the surface tension much like a knife
could cut the center of a sheet of rubber. Once “cut” the surface tension, like
a stretched rubber sheet that is suddenly cut in the center, draws away from the
“hole” dragging the pepper along with it.
One story you can tell as you do this is: Imagine this glass of water is a swimming pool and
(sprinkle in the pepper) these are lots of little kids having a swim. Some people say kids
don’t like to take baths but this is not really true. Look at how much fun these kids
are having. Kids love being in the water. Do you know why they don’t like taking
bathes?” (Show a bar of soap) “They don’t like soap! Watch what happens
when I put some soap in the swimming pool. (Touch the corner of the soap to
the center of the water).
But you can change the story for Halloween...
Add a little fake blood the water it so it looks like a glass of

blood. Introduce the pepper grains
as vampires and you have a “Vampire
Convention!” What better place to hold a
Vampire Convention than in a pool of blood? And what
would be most unwelcome at a Vampire Convention? A cross
or a clove of garlic perhaps? Everyone knows vampires are
“repulsed” by those.
Just a bit of soap secretly rubbed on the cross or clove

beforehand lets you play Van Helsing and make those
vampires scatter.
Got the idea? Yea, it’s silly. But it’s “bizarre silly” and
that’s fun if you’re looking for something a little bizarre to do
for children on Halloween (or anytime <G>).
Ron Dayton described a very ingenious method for
making a ring/no-ring bell in his long-running
“Deceptive Thoughts” column in M-U-M, (November
1996). Because we have included several other
methods to make such a bell in various issues of
ORACLE we asked Ron if we could include his
original method in The Oracle’s Workshop.
He kindly agreed.
T
H
E
MYSTERY OF THE BELLS
Ron Dayton
Three “jingle bells” are displayed. Each has a loop of decorative string or ribbon attached to a slit in the bell
designed for that purpose. The first two shown are proven NOT to ring. The third bell is the only one that
O will “jingle.”
R The bells are hung by their respective loops upon the first, second and third fingers of the left hand.
Their positions are then exchanged in a series of moves, effectively mixing the bells. The audience does not
A know which of the three bells will ring.
C A spectator is asked to select a bell, which is removed by the performer, using his thumb and first finger,
and given a shake. It does not ring. The selection process is repeated, and that bell does not ring. The bell
L that is left is given a shake. It is the genuine “jingle bell.”
E’ The entire process may be repeated as often as you desire. Each time, without fail, the spectators will fail to
S find the ringing bell in the first two selections.
METHOD: The mystery of the bells is entirely self-contained. Each of the bells can ring, or not, depending
W on the control of the performer. There is not any other hidden device as in other “rattle” effects.
O Begin by taking three jingle, or Christmas, bells and examine them closely. You’ll find that they have a
R “bail,” a small half-hoop, in the curved back of the bell through which a ribbon or string may be threaded. It
is by this device that the bell may be hung from a tree or other object.
K
S
H
O
P
Directly below this bail is an opening which leads into the interior of the bell. The bottom section of the
bell consists of four leaves of metal. Using a thin-bladed screwdriver or a pair pliers pry one of these flaps
open on each bell and remove the clapper disc found inside.
T
H
E
Depending on the size of the bells, thread either a length of string or ribbon through the top bail opening
and out through the openings made by the spread flaps
O
R
A
C
L
E’
S
and out the bottom.
W
O
R
K
S
H
O Tie a small metal washer or small fishing weight to the lower end of each ribbon. Pull the washers up into
the bells until they come to rest at the interior bail ends of the bells.
P
Decide how large you wish to make your loops and cut the ribbons (strings) to size, allowing enough
string to tie the free ends around the bails of the bells. Trim away any excess string or ribbon. Finally, press
the extended flaps back into place, closing the bells.
T
H
E
O Whether the bells will ring or not depends upon where you grasp the ribbon or string when you shake
R each bell.
A
If you grasp the ribbon on side Z, off-center from the top of the loop, the small washer is allowed to
C lower into the bell. When you shake the bell, it will ring.
L
E’
S
W
O
R
K
S However, if you hold the ribbon at side X, the washer is drawn tightly against the top of the bell; and
the bell will not ring.
H
O
P
T
H
E
O
R Ron’s original illustration
A
C
L
E’ Although they will be more difficult to
S pry open and manufacture, consider
using heavy-duty “Sleigh Bells” or
“Harness Bells” instead of the
W inexpensive “pressed metal” Jingle
Bells.
O
R Various designs and weights can be
easily found by searching the internet.
K
S Here’s a place to start:
H http://bellsgalore.com/bulkbells.aspx
O
P
Psycrets: The British Society of Mystery Entertainers
by
Roni Shachnaey Dr Todd Landman
We first met each other on-line through the Oracle Forum. Todd
had posted a thread about hosting a meeting for mentalists and the
allied arts in London for July 2007. Roni was interested but sent
Todd a message that said, ‘once you have more than 25
participants signed up, let me know.’ Once the meeting got 25
signed up, Todd wrote to Roni, who came to the meeting, which
took place at Treadwell’s (esoteric) Bookshop near Covent
Garden on 7 July 2007.
The event was conceived to bring together like-minded
performers who want a new space dedicated to mentalists in which
new ideas, experiences, and business tips could be discussed. In
addition to Roni and Todd the meeting included such luminaries
as Andy Nyman, Phill Smith (author of Mitox), Jon Thompson
(author of the Naked Mentalism volumes), Doug Segal (creator of Big Brother’s Tawdry Little
Sister), and Simon Shaw (creator of Director’s Cut), as well as designers, computer techies,
special effects artists, hypnotherapists, and readers, as well as novices. The Oracle forum
helped greatly as we could contact different individuals and measure the numbers that would
be interested in such an event.
Beyond the great discussions and sense of camaraderie at this
meeting, there was the distinct sense that some sort of
organisational base was needed, and with the excitement of the
first meeting behind them, Roni and Todd set about establishing
Psycrets: “The British Society of Mystery Entertainers”. The
society aims to provide a formal space for mentalists and mystery
entertainers to share ideas and enhance the art of mystery
entertainment. Roni and Todd established the formal
documentation, membership cards and lapel badges, and enlisted
the assistance of Steve Drury to design the webpages
(www.psycrets.org.uk).
Alongside the development of the organisation (which now boasts
over 60 members worldwide), the society became involved in organising two UK meetings per
year under the label of Tabula Mentis. Thus, on 27 October 2007 and 12 April 2008, Psycrets
was pleased to host two full (over 50 attendees) meetings at 7 Mallow Street, London, a
wonderful subterranean studio of member Tim Bowden. The meetings include guest lectures,
informal ‘breakout’ sessions, a catered lunch, and a real opportunity to celebrate the art of
mystery entertainment and to feel a part of a real community of practitioners.
Tabula Mentis II featured lectures from Colin McCleod on dual reality, Phill
Smith on stage mentalism, Malchat and Daniel Young on close-up mentalism,
Lior Manor on corporate entertainment, Barry Cooper on the use of
pendulums and hypnosis, Alan Jones on pre-show, and Jon Thompson on the
thinking behind Naked Mentalism. These lectures were followed by a Q and A
session from David Berglas and an evening of ‘mental busking’ from Roni, Phill
Smith, and Jonathan Marshall. The event was nicely reviewed by Ian Rowland
in the December issue of The Magic Circular.
Tabula Mentis III focused on psychology,
suggestion, and mentalism. It featured lectures
from Enrique Enriquez on his ‘optical’ Tarot
reading system, Paul Brook on psychology and
the role for ‘plausibility’ in mentalism, Marc
Paul on corporate entertainment and the role
for ‘impossibility’ in mentalism, and a special
demonstration of mental math and the now
seminal ‘Any Card At Any Number’ by Mr.
David Berglas himself. Psycrets made a special
feature of David’s performance and awarded
him its own Griffin Award of “Grand Master of
Mystery” which is the highest award granted by Psycrets for life time achievements in
Mentalism. This meeting had fewer scheduled lectures and therefore gave more time for the
informal conversations in small groups dotted about the studio.
To demonstrate that Psycrets caters to all corners of
the mystery entertainment community, Tabula Mentis
IV is dedicated to séance, bizarre, and psychic
demonstrations. At the time of writing, the meeting is
scheduled to feature Roni performing and explaining
his Rogova séance, Jon Randall presenting an hour-
long lecture on fraudulent mediums (including a
demonstration of psychic surgery), Tom Lauten
showing how to create aged props for bizarre magick,
Steve Murray with his own brand of Bizarre Magick
and a special evening presentation by the Grand
Master of Mystery David Berglas.
The meetings have been praised for their sense of
community, openness, and lack of hierarchy in which
member and non-members can enjoy a day of
discussion about techniques, routines, experiences,
products, scripting, and the business of being a mystery
entertainer. Tabula Mentis III, for example, showed
real differences in views among the participants with regard to the ethics and purpose of giving
readings and the degree to which mentalism effects should be given plausible explanations.
We are both passionate that Psycrets is very much needed and that it is responding to certain
amount of demand among mystery entertainers who find that there is little room for them
among the myriad of magic associations in the UK and beyond. Psycrets has a facility to allow
for the establishment of local Chambers around the world, and our membership includes
performers from the US, UK, Scandinavia, the ‘low’ countries of Netherlands and Belgium,
Turkey, Hungary, and many others.
With the sad news of the discontinuation of Oracle magazine, Psycrets
will pick up the mantle and offer in 2009 the first issue of Inner
Psycrets a periodical for the discerning mystery entertainer. The idea
is to encourage the continued submission of articles, letters, essays,
routines, etc. that would be of interest to mentalists and practitioners
of the allied arts. We are currently investigating ways to minimise
piracy and to maximise value. Psycrets membership will include
receipt of Inner Psycrets, while non-members will be able to purchase
it on an issue by issue basis. Of course any contributions are very
welcome so if you have that something you wish to have published in
Inner Psycrets please email:
Dr. Todd Landman at drtodd@metaphysical-magician.com.
TICKLING THE ORACLE’S
FUNNY BONE
ALAN WASSILAK, became intrigued with a discussion on The

Shadow Network regarding ancient formulas for transforming Wassilak before
oneself into a werewolf. Being an experimenter at heart, Alan
boldly proceeded to test one of the formulas on himself. The
following is his report.
A procedure was given for turning oneself into a werewolf. I was intrigued by all the
mumbo-jumbo, so I decided to try it to see if it would actually work.
First, the procedure goes:
“According to a number of ancient magical texts, one of the methods by which one might willingly become a
werewolf was to disrobe and to rub completely over one’s naked body an ointment made of the fat of a
freshly killed animal and a special mixture of herbs....”
So I went down to my local Kentucky Fried Chicken, purchased a bucket of the late Colonel Sander’s finest,
came home, took off my clothes, and rubbed myself all over with legs and wings still greasy from the deep fat
frying and permeated with those trademark secret herbs and spices.
The second set of instructions was:
“...The person who wishes to accomplish the lupine transformation should also wear a belt made of human or
wolf skin around the waist...”
I have a bit of a middle-aged “spare tire” around my waist, acquired naturally, so I figured that would suffice
as a “belt of human skin” -- my own.
“...then cover his or her body with the pelt of a wolf....”
I didn’t have a wolf pelt handy, so I covered my torso with the pelt of a cow. That is, I donned a nearby leather
jacket.
“...To accelerate the process of shape shifting,

the apprentice werewolf should drink beer mixed with blood and recite an ancient magical incantation....”
My refrigerator was bereft of both beer AND blood, so I guzzled down a bottle of Moxie... which pretty
much tastes the same as the blend of drinks described in the procedure -- but without the buzz. As for the
ancient magical incantation, there was no specific one given in the instructions, so I had to
find one on my own. The only thing that came to mind was the Fairy Godmother’s song
from Walt Disney’s “Cinderella” -- the one that climaxes with “Bibbity-bobbity boo.” It was
a transformation incantation (pumpkin to coach, mice to coachmen), so I sang that three
times in my best imitation of voice actress, Verna Felton.
Having completed the ritual, I waited for the full moon to see if I would transform into a
werewolf. That never happened, but I did become awfully irritable and moody. (Though I’m
told that I don’t need a transformation ritual for that to happen.) I also developed a tendency
to crow at sun-up; maybe obtaining the rubbing fat from KFC wasn’t the best idea.
Wassilak after
A “GIFT” Card from Odes
Odes Odhner has been an ORACLE subscriber from issue Number 1. For
this final issue he offers a gift for us all. He wrote:
Larry, Attached, you’ll find an antique photo which, inspired by the dealer item called
“Heirloom” (which I don’t own, but saw performed a couple of years ago), I’ve modified for a
Card Force. If you like, and it’s not too late, feel free to put it into the final issue of ORACLE, as
a farewell gift to all my fellow subscribers...
From The Imagitorium, --Odes
We liked it! So you will see it below. If you wish to print it out
in high resolution on photo paper or adhesive paper (to stick on a
playing card) do so from the PDF download, not from the web images.
Odes also sent along the unedited photo too saying, “in case you
might want to do a switch, or whatever. So we have included that
too. Plus, we feel the photo is so visually interesting we have
also included it in a 5 X 7 photo size, which can be framed as a
photo rather than a playing card.
Thanks so much, Odes. Your creativity will be missed.
SHOULD OLD
ACQUAINTANCE
BE FORGOT?
By
Ed Solomon
Ritual is defined as a prescribed form of a ceremony or a system of
ceremonies or rites. We recognize customary or regular procedures to
commemorate or recognize activities in a ceremonial observance. I would
share with you one such ritual. One, having to do with the traditional pledging or drinking
a toast. Toasting to one’s success, to one’s happiness, to one’s good health. Tradition says
that we should stand and raise our glasses on high while the toaster praises, flames, or
acknowledges the toastee.
There are those memorial occasions when such toasts are in order and in most families,
those include birthday celebrations, Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas and New Years.
This story concerns one such occasion.
At the end of World War II, the family gathered in thanksgiving to celebrate. The
oldest members, the grand parents were most grateful that the war had allowed the safe
return of the young men and women. Grandfather suggested that New Year’s Eve would
be a fine time for such a celebration and so a new family tradition was established. For
a nice dinner and some good wine, as many relatives as possible would gather to fulfill
the ritual. Even after the grand parents passed on, the family carried out the annual
ritual with happy toasts to the memories of those who had passed on. Over the years
that followed, the family members got caught up in the business of living. With urban
sprawl and a mobile society, the family gathering became more sparse with each passing
year. Finally there were just the two old brothers who celebrated. In their seventies
and neither in good health, they would, if nothing else, call each other on the phone on
New Years Eve, toast the past and pledge to stay in touch during the new year. Clinking a
wineglass against the mouthpiece of the phone, wishing each other well, they continued the
family ritual. Now they too, are gone and there is no one left to remember sixty years
of tradition… or is there?
Placing two wineglasses on the table and lighting two holiday candles, DeNomolos rested his
hands on the edge of the table. The room lights were extinguished and a hush came over
the room. Ever so slowly the two wineglasses moved toward each other at the center of
the table. The flickering candle flames seemed to dance as the two glasses moved steadily
toward their goal. A gentle “clink” as they touched, hushed gasps were heard from the
company and the ritual was completed once again.
WORKING
The table is covered with an ornamental cloth, the pattern of which conceals a length of
invisible crystal sewing thread. One end is anchored to the opposite side of the table and
the other end is attached to two- ounce lead fishing weight. The length of the thread
is such that it lets the weight rests about two inches from the floor on the performer’s
side of the table. Two ornamental candles are placed on either side of the table to
provide the ambiance. The two glasses are exhibited and then placed on either side
of the thread that is running across the table taking up the slack in the line. Pushing
one glass to the right and the other to the left, the base and the stem of each glass
engages the thread and are pulled to the area near each candle putting the thread
in a sort of “S” or “Z.” The fishing weight on the free end of the invisible thread is
balanced on the knee below the surface of the table until ready to motivate the glasses.
When the performer places his hands on the edge of the table, one hand or the other
serves as a break keeping the weight from falling too fast. Tipped off the knee, the
weight will, depending on if the glasses were placed correctly, slowly pull the glasses
toward each other until they touch and create the “clink.” Because of the round base of
each glass, the glasses rotate after the “clink” as though they were dancing as the full
length of the invisible thread is played out as the weight makes its journey to the floor.
The hand break controls the speed of the movement. It is most mysterious to see and
the significance of the toast adds so much to the presentation.
The system of motivation has been used before with rings and velvet cords, card
balancing acts, and other small prop movement. Full glasses will be too heavy and will
tend to tip over. A sip of wine in the bottom of each would be a nice touch but empty
glasses will be adequate.
Cord representing the invisible thread is anchored on the left.
The weighted-end in this picture is on the right.
The glasses move toward each other as the weight is allowed to descend.
The glasses are in this final position after the thread is played out.
WELL, IT’S ABOUT TIME TO SAY GOOD-
BYE
By Ed Solomon
DeNomolos spoke rather quietly. His mood was somber and we could not ascertain if he
were serious or not. “ I have had a little time on my hands,” He said lightly, “and I
have written a little essay which is timely. If you don’t have time to listen you may be
excused, but if you leave you will hear this another time.” We settled in comfortable
chairs and waited patiently for him to begin.
“If I could save time in a bottle, the first thing that I’d like to do is save every day ‘till
eternity passes away just to spend them with you.
“If I could make days last forever, If words could make wishes come true, I would save
every day like a treasure and then again I would spend them with you.
“If I had a box just for wishes and dreams that had never come true, the box would be
empty except for the memory of how they were answered by you.
“But there never seems to be enough time to do the things you want to do once you’re
found them. I’ve looked around enough to know that you’re the one I want to go through
time with.”
“These haunting words were written by Jim Croce in the early Seventies. Knowing what
time meant to him with his alcohol and drug soaked brain; these words clearly spell out the
passage of his time.”
DeNomolos seemed somewhat depressed and we knew that we were in for a deep
philosophical tirade. There are evenings like this when it might have been best to stay at
home.
He continued saying, “We all look at the passage of time with remorse and sometimes
regret, while we recognize the fact that time is passing us by, we wonder, as have
generations before us, what has happened to the time we have spent?”
“Time is a great enigma, a fundamental importance in our consciousness surpassed only

by space. We are aware of time throughout the changes of phenomena observed by or
experienced by our senses. If the present pattern of experience did not change, we would
have no sense of time and would be in a state of timelessness. In other words, human
consciousness consists of awareness of three temporal categories...past, present and
future.”
“What is time? The only real answer in the 20th century came from Albert Einstein who
said, in effect, that time is simply what the clock reads. The clock, acting as the deputy
of the sun, moon and stars, tells us when to get up, when it is time to go to work, when it
is time to fix a meal and when it is time to go to bed at night.”
“Time is always in our thoughts and is the buzzword for many of our activities. Time is
a great teacher, a great healer, great legalizer, and leveler: It stands still, slips away
from us or flies past us. We can make time, save time, lose track of time, spend time,
waste time and in music we keep time. Time is money, we beat time, kill time and in some
criminal instances, do time. It is time to go, time to leave, time to get ready to do this
or that. “We’ll go fishing kids, just as soon as daddy can find the time.” Once upon a time,
dream time, sleepy time, this time or that time, my time, your time, bedtime, anytime.
Our language is full of time describing clichés, each a bit trite but in constant usage from
early childhood till the end of time. I would tell you more but I’m running out of time.”
“Just as the sand runs through the hourglass, our life time heads for the inevitable
conclusion and no matter how we manipulate our lives, the course is set and as we say
“time marches on.” There is as time to plant, a time to harvest, a time for joy and a time
for sorrow. There is a time to laugh out loud and a time to remain silent and reflect.
Everything in it’s own good time.”
“We try to work around the inevitable, filling out hours with things that please our senses
and allow for our creature comforts. We work, play, dream our dreams and adjust our
given time into workable allotted and manageable units. Not wishing to accept our allotted
twenty-four hours a day, we manage to do enough work to fill 26, burning the candle at
both ends and shortening our lives in the process.”
“Some of us try to move things around in time to suite our needs, perhaps wasting some
of our precious time. Just look and listen to all the words and phrases we use to describe
time and the passage from one unit to another.”
“Words are the best tools for “moving” things around in time. The Egyptians believed that
to name a thing or action was to call it to mind, to summon it up. From the past to the
future. (Even today to “speak of the Devil” is to invite his presence.) If we are bored
or idle, time drags by. If we are occupied, time flies by. The philosopher Diderot said,
“Work has the advantage of shortening our days and lengthening our lives. Work helps us
justify our existence and use our allotted time in a constructive manner.”
“Is this then our immortality? Will we leave anything significant behind us when we go?
Are we but filling this void? Pretty powerful questions? You better believe it.”
“H. G. Wells wrote a book about time machines by which people could travel forward
or backward through time. The new age practitioners are constantly talking about our
of body experiences. Nothing new here. The yoga masters have been doing that for
hundreds of years, or so we are led to believe. Either there is mass hysteria, bad
media coverage, and bad karma or just perhaps there is something to the business of
time travel. Perhaps it is only in the mind.”
“I know you are thinking that is high time for this to end. Others stopped listening long
ago but now I am finished. Just in the nick of time.
DeNomolos took his pocket watch from his vest and opened it to reveal the time.
He then produced two small walnut boxes with the Greek letters Alpha and Omega
decorating their top surfaces. He opened each box to show that they were empty and
placed his pocket watch into the one labeled, Alpha.
“This is the Beginning,” he intoned. He shut the box and turned to the box labeled
Omega. He closed this box as well and mumbled, “This is the end.” Then without
rhyme or reason he said, “Beam me up. Scotty!” Quickly he opened the Alpha box and
his watch was gone. He turned and opened the Omega box and his watch was there.
Transferred magically, the watch read exactly five minuets different than it had
before. Some where in the passage of time the watch had been moved through time and
space and it took five minuets from another plane of existence.
WORKING:
Two small drawer boxes become the time machine in this little adventure. Bob Solari
has some beautiful drawer boxes that will hold a deck of cards. Two matching pocket
watches, one set five minuets ahead become the actors in our little play. The magic is
simple and direct. The story is too long to use in its entirety but there are elements
here for any effect with watches, hourglasses or even sundials. The magic is in the
lyrics and the message is one of great recognition. Get on with it. It is about time, and
what you are going to do with it?
I would tell you more, but we have run out of time.
In the Craft,
Ed

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ORACLE MAGIC MAGAZINE

THE MEMBERS ONLY WEBSITE

ISSUE #5 Pages 3 - 10 Sept/Oct

Jeff McBride • ORACLE V3 #6 1

Jeff McBride • ORACLE V3 #6 2

Jeff McBride • ORACLE V3 #6 3

Jeff McBride • ORACLE V3 #6 4

Jeff McBride • ORACLE V3 #6 5

Jeff McBride • ORACLE V3 #6 6

Jeff McBride • ORACLE V3 #6 7

Jeff McBride • ORACLE V3 #6 8

The routine requires use of a box with double

Robert Neale • ORACLE V3 #6 1

View from the

(Look at both of your hands as if they’ve become disﬁgured und unusable)

(Flatten another non ornament containing sack)

(Smash one more empty bag ﬂat)

He wasn’t always called Lefty by the way.

(Crumple ﬂat the last empty bag)

Or the right one.

So beautiful, and yet so dangerous.

Happy Holidays one and all.

This presentation came about because of some on going

Chuck STYLESMITH Smith

In 1937, Life magazine ran a three School Journal of Neuroscience…its

There is even an Please shuﬀle the decks

All of you, I’m sure, know that

Synchronicity and Prediction

My favorite code is from Annemann’s “En Rapport” routine. It is also printed

“THE DEVIL AND BILLY MARKHAM”

The Devil walked into Linebaughʼs on a rainy Nashville

And the Devil, he looked around the room, then got

Red, he just strums his guitar, pretending not to hear.

And Eddie, he just looks away and takes another sip of

And, Hell, I ainʼt afraid to roll them devilish dice of yours.”

“Thirteen?” says Billy Markham. “Hell, Iʼve played in tougher games.

Iʼve loved ambitious women and Iʼve rode on wheelless trains.

So gimme room, you stinkinʼ ﬁend, and let it all unwind.

Who ainʼt afraid to sing the words like damn or s - - t or f - - -

Leavinʼ Billyʼs old beat-up guitar there on the ﬂoor.

Hanginʼ from a nail on the wall of peelinʼ gray

Billy Markhamʼs old guitar . . .

That nobody dares to play.”

Check out: the (New York Times critique at:

You display a PINK piece of paper.

... between a GIRL...

You display the BLUE piece of paper...

... and a BOY.

And their hearts come together.

The hearts and the scissors are set aside.

One must either admire or revile, eh?

I do not know…Who can say?

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I am a collector of... unusual objects. At one time... when I was

Now... you’re probably asking yourself, what have I got to lose?

(Folding up the letter)

(He reads the message.)

In it is described a hitherto unreported case of detection by the famous

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