March 2008 Cub Scout Roundtable Issue
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Volume 14, Issue 8
April 2008 Theme |
Theme: Abracadabra
Webelos:
Sportsman & Family Member
Tiger Cub Activities
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STUNTS AND APPLAUSES
APPLAUSES & CHEERS
Capital Area Council
Magic Yell – Pretend to reach up your sleeve. Pull your hand out and shoult “ShaZamm!”
Disappearing Rabbit – Hold hands to the side of your head like bunny ears and shout, “Poof! Poof! Poof!”
Magician Applause – Take the imaginary hat off your head, make a magical gesture over the hat and say “Presto!”
Magic Hand Applause – Applaud with your hands in front of you, then with your hands behind your back while you say, “Now you see them, now you don’t!”
Sam Houston Area Council
HANDKERCHIEF CHEER – Hold a handkerchief up and drop. Applause continues until the handkerchief hits the ground.
MAGIC CHEER – Group waves hands back and forth and says “Hocus Pocus!!” three times.
MAGICIANS CHEER – Pretend to take off top hat, reach into the hat with the free hand and pretend to pull out a rabbit, as they say “TA DA!!”
MAGICIANS CHEER (REVISITED) – Pretend to take off a top hat and wave your hand over the hat while saying “Hocus Pocus”. Then pretend to reach into the hat and pull out a lion with a “ROAR!”. Quickly stuff it back into the hat and say “Whoops, wrong spell!”
RUN-ONS
Great Salt Lake Council
Cub #1: Which toilet bowl cleaner do most magicians use?
Cub #2: Vanish!
Cub #1: How do you make a magician faint?
Cub #2: Use a dizzy spell!
Cub # 1: I know a person who thinks he’s an owl
Cub # 2: Who?
Cub # 1: Now I know two.
Cub # 1: How many birds can carry a big basket?
Cub # 2: I don’t know. How many.
Cub # 1: Toucan!
Cub # 1: Why was the little bird punished at school?
Cub # 2: Why was he?
Cub # 1: He was caught peeping during a test.
Cub # 1: What do you get when you cross a cuckoo clock bird with an octopus?
Cub # 2: Beats me. What?
Cub # 1: A cuckoo clocktopus!
The Secret Message
Sam Houston Area Council
Magician: Write a secret message on this piece of paper, but do not show me the message.
Spectator: (Takes the paper, and writes a message on the paper. Magician turns his back to spectator.)
Magician: Now put the paper on the floor, and stand on it.
Spectator: (Stands on the paper, with only one corner sticking out.)
Magician: I cannot see that message, but I know what is on the paper.
Spectator: You do not.
Magician: Magicians know everything.
Spectator: All right, If you’re so smart, tell me what is on the paper.
Magician: Your foot!
THE MAGIC CIRCLES
Sam Houston Area Council
Preparation: Cut out 3 paper circles the size of a quarter – use red, yellow and blue paper.
Magician: (Places the three paper circles on the back of his hand) Watch very carefully. I’m going to blow these 3 circles off my hand.
He blows on the circles, and they float to the ground.
Magician: I am putting the circles back on my hand.
Spectator: Big deal. Anyone can do that.
Magician: When I blow on my hand this time, only TWO circles will fly away. The other circle will not move.
Spectator: Really?
Magician: That’s right. You pick the circle.
Spectator: I choose the red one.
Magician: Abracadabra, Alakazoo. I can do this trick for you!
Magician takes a deep breath. Then he puts his index finger on the red circle, and blows as hard as he can. The yellow and blue circles fly off his hand. The red circle does not move.
Spectator: You tricked me!\
Magician: That’s why they call it a magic trick!
THE MAGIC PAPER
Sam Houston Area Council
Magician: (Holds up a large sheet of paper, and shows it to the spectator.) How would you like to earn some money? Here is a sheet of magic paper. If you can tear it into four equal pieces, I will give you a quarter.
Spectator: That’s easy. (He takes the sheet of paper and folds it in half. He folds it in half again, and then he tears the paper along the folds.) Here are your four equal pieces. (Hands pieces to the magician)
Magician: And here is your quarter. (Magician hands spectator one of the squares.)
Spectator: You tricked me!
Magician: Magicians know lots of tricks.
Alice, Golden Empire Council
Richard and Robert
Cub #1: Can you say “Richard and Robert brought a rabbit” without saying the “R’s”?
Cub #2: No, that’s impossible!
Cub #1: I can do it – Dick and Bob bought a bunny!
Corners
Cub #1: Can you take away four and leave eight?
Cub #2: No, it can’t be done!
Cub #1: Can anyone else solve this puzzle?
(Let people try to guess how this could be done)
Cub #1: Let me show you how.
(He picks up a square of paper)
Here you have four corners.
(He cuts off each of the four corners)
Now you have eight corners!
I took away four and left eight!
MAGIC TRICKS AND STUNTS
Be sure to check out Bill Smith, the Roundtable Guy’s website for magic tricks
http://wtsmith.com/rt/magic.html
Here are two examples from the many magic tricks he has on his site –
The Magic Rubber Band
- Loop one rubber band over the first two fingers of your right hand.
- Place a second rubber band over the tips of all four fingers, twisting it between each finger.
- Now grasp the loop of the first rubber band with your left hand bend the fingers of the right hand, and pull it over all four fingertips.
- When you straighten the fingers quickly, the first rubber band will jump mysteriously to the third and fourth fingers as shown.
- Make it jump back by repeating the process.
The Mobius Strip
To learn more about a Mobius Strip, go to Bill’s website,
he has several links to sites with more information
Note from Alice:
Any of the following easy tricks could be assigned to a parent for the “Pull the Rabbit Out of the Hat” Gathering Activity or as a trick to be done in a Magician’s Talent Show –For more tricks check CS Program Helps for April 08- Abracadabra, The How To Book, Section 7, the Den Chief Book or the Cub Scout Magic Book. Alice
Walk Through a Card
Alice, Golden Empire Council
An old but effective trick.
It’s shown in the How to Book, pg. 7-4.
You challenge someone to walk through an ordinary postcard or 3 by 5 card – and it’s actually easy!
Seeing Spots
Alice, Golden Empire Council
- You hold a cardboard with dots in front of your friend and ask how many dots are on the card. He’ll say One.
- “Fine” you say, flipping the card over. “Now, how many on this side?” He’ll look and say he sees 6 Dots.
- “Exactly,” you say. “But let’s check that other side again, shall we?”
- You flip it over and now he sees….THREE Dots!
- And the other side?
- Again, you flip the cardboard over and NOW he sees FOUR Dots! By this time, your friend is seeing spots.
Set Up
You will need to prepare a big piece of cardboard first.
On one side, use a marker to make two dots like this:
 
On the reverse side, put five dots in this pattern.
Here’s how to confound your friend:
- First, show him side A, but with your hand and fingers hide the TOP dot. All he will see is that center dot, so he’ll say that side A has One Dot.
- Now flip the card over, holding your fingers over the middle bottom space where there is NO dot. Your friend will say there are 6 dots, because he’ll assume there’s a dot where your finger is.
- Now, flip your card over to side A, but hold it right below the center dot, where a THIRD dot might me – but isn’t! You friend will “see” Three Dots on the card. Again, in his mind, he completes the pattern.
- Flip over to Side B, and hold the card so the top center dot is masked … and he will see ONLY Four Dots!
- It will seem to be quite a magical card you have there!
The Amazing Rubber Pencil
Alice, Golden Empire Council
Cub #1: (holding up a pencil)
Can you change this wooden pencil into rubber?
Cub #2: (takes the pencil, looks perplexed)
That’s impossible!
Cub #1: Using my magical powers, I can change this wooden pencil to rubber. Just watch!
Lightly hold a pencil at the eraser end between your thumb and index finger. As you quickly bounce the pencil up and down, it will appear to others as if it has been made of rubber
Pick It Up and It’s Yours:
Alice, Golden Empire Council
Cub #1: Can you pick up this dollar bill?
Cub #2: Of course!
Cub #1: OK – Stand here, with your back and heels against the wall. If you can pick up this dollar bill without moving your heels or your back away from the wall, it’s yours!
Place the dollar bill less than a foot in front of Cub #2 – he will not be able to bend over without moving his back and/or heels away from the wall.
Paper Clip Connection:
Alice, Golden Empire Council
You will have to practice this before hand to remember just how to place the paper clips.
Cub #1: (holding up dollar bill with paper clips attached as shown above)
I can make these two paper clips connect without even touching them! Want to see how it’s done?
Cub #2: Sure! It looks impossible to me!
Cub #1: Here goes!
He grabs the two ends of the bill and yanks it taut – the paper clips will link together.
Finger Power
Alice, Golden Empire Council
Cub #1: I have developed my magical powers so that I can mentally force your fingers to move, without even touching you.
Cub #2: I don’t believe it!
Cub #1: I’ll prove it to you. Clasp your hands together with your fingers intertwined. Now raise both your index fingers straight up in the air.
Cub #2: OK – but you can’t touch my fingers!
Cub #1: Make a great show of waving your hands over the other person’s fingers – but never touching them –take a little time
I command your fingers to move.
And they will – not because of your command, but because they can’t stay up in the air very long in that position
The operative word is move not return to where they were – when I tried this they begin to shake a little from the strain of holding the position. Do not allow the boys to press the two fingers together. CD
Knot Likely:
Alice, Golden Empire Council
With great fanfare, ask for a neckerchief and then spread it out on a table. Ask if anyone can tie a knot in it while holding one corner in one hand and the opposite corner in the other hand – WITHOUT letting go of either corner! Let several people try. When everyone has failed, show them the secret:
Cross your arms in front of you as shown BEFORE you grab the opposite corners of the neckerchief. Now, WITHOUT LETTING GO of the corners, uncross your arms – the neckerchief will be knotted!
This used to be in the Cub Scout Leader Basic Training course to show people how to think outside the box. CD
Twelve Thousand Baffler:
Alice, Golden Empire Council
Hand around some pencils and paper to a few people. Tell them to work quickly – the first one done correctly wins! Now tell them to write a very simple number – Twelve thousand, twelve hundred and twelve. But the faster they try to write this number, the more perplexed they will be. Most will end up with something like 12, 1212.
The answer is that there IS no such number as 12 thousand, 12 hundred and twelve. You have to ADD together the component numbers 12,000 – 1200 – and 12 – which will actually give you 13,212 – the correct answer!
Color by Touch:
Alice, Golden Empire Council
Materials: A box of wax crayons.
Directions:
Cub #1: (taking crayons out of the box to show that each one is a different color)
I have tuned myself to read minds and “see” with my fingertips. Let me demonstrate. I need a volunteer.
Give the box of crayons to the volunteer
While my back is turned, I want you to choose a crayon – any one you want – and put it in my hand. Don’t tell me which one. Then hide the box with the other crayons in a place out of sight. Tell me when you are ready.
Volunteer chooses a crayon, puts it in Cub Magician’s hand, then hides the others as he said.
Cub #2 OK, I’m ready.
Cub #1: (Turning to face volunteer, with hands still behind the back – magician scrapes a tiny bit off the top of the crayon with the right index fingernail)
Now I want you to think of the color you chose – don’t say it, just think it.
Cub Magician, still holding the crayon behind his back, brings his right hand forward and slowly up to his forehead, as if to concentrate – this shows your hand is empty and lets you sneak a look at the tiny bit of crayon in your index fingernail
Cub #1: (With a lot of drama) My fingers are not seeing as well today. Your mind seems to be blank. Please concentrate and think only of the color of your crayon.
Making it look difficult, the magician finally announces the correct color of the crayon.
Even or Odd
Alice, Golden Empire Council
Magician: I need a volunteer to turn around, take some coins from his pocket and hold them inside your closed fist.
(Volunteer does so)
Magician: OK, now I am taking some coins from my pocket, and I will hold them in my fist. Now we both have coins concealed in our hands. Although I have absolutely no idea how many coins you have in your hand, I can positively predict that when my coins are added to yours, if your amount is odd….it will become even. If your amount is even, it will change to odd.
Please count your coins. (The audience member counts his change and finds that he has an odd number of coins.
Magician: (The magician adds his coins to the spectator’s) Now, please count the coins. (As predicted, the amount will change to the opposite)
Magician: (Making a great show of it) Proof positive – my magic has changed your coins to an _(say even or odd) total!
SECRET: It may look like this trick depends on the magician magically knowing the exact amount of coins in the volunteer’s hand, but nothing could be further from the truth. The trick works regardless of the amount. The secret is that the magician’s hand always contains an odd amount of coins. The odd amount of coins, when added to the audience member’s will make an even amount total odd, and an odd total even.
Drop Out Pins
Alice, Golden Empire Council
This trick is really an optical illusion. Before you start, get two identical and large safety pins. Now you want to close each pin – But here’s the trick: Put the pointed end of each pin into the other safety pin – you will have two safety pins making a “V” shape, and they will actually be attached to each other.
Now pick up the pins, covering the bottom of the pins (the loops where the pointed end comes out). By holding the pins between your thumb and index finger, and covering the bottom of both, it will look like you have two ordinary safety pins, closed up as usual.
Display the pins as above, and point out that they are securely fastened. (Still hiding the bottom)
Hold the pins about 12 inches above the table and tell everyone you will cause the pins to open magically.
Now drop the pins. They will come to rest, separated and in the open position, without you really having to do anything.
Now, close each safety pin, give them to a volunteer and ask them to duplicate the magic!
JOKES & RIDDLES
The Secret Message
Sam Houston Area Council
Magician: Write a secret message on this piece of paper, but do not show me the message.
Spectator: (Takes the paper, and writes a message on the paper. Magician turns his back to spectator.)
Magician: Now put the paper on the floor, and stand on it.
Spectator: (Stands on the paper, with only one corner sticking out.)
Magician: I cannot see that message, but I know what is on the paper.
Spectator: You do not.
Magician: Magicians know everything.
Spectator: All right, If you’re so smart, tell me what is on the paper.
Magician: Your foot!
Trick Jokes
Sam Houston Area Council
I did a trick on the phone just yesterday, but no one was watching.
I did this trick over the radio last week and a hundred people wrote in saying they didn’t see how I did it!
Magician Riddles
Sam Houston Area Council
What kind of magician does it take to light a match?
Answer: A Fire-Poof one!
What do you get when you cross a snake with a magician?
Answer: Abra da cobra
What do you get when you cross a bird with a magician?
Answer: A flying sorcerer
What do you get when you cross a rabbit with a lawn sprinkler? Answer: Hare Spray
Why did the magician cancel his show? Answer: He just washed his hare and couldn’t do a thing with it.
Favorite Trick
Capital Area Council
Cub #1: I understand you like to do magic tricks. What’s your favorite?
Cub #2: Sawing people in half.
Cub #1: Interesting, and are there any other people in your family?
Cub #2: Yes, I have two half brothers and two half sisters.
KNOCK, KNOCK
Sam Houston Area Council
Cub #1: Knock, Knock
Cub #2: Who’s There?
Cub #1: My Magic Hat Goes
Cub #2: My Magic Hat Goes Who?
Cub #1: I didn’t know you could pull an OWL out of a magic hat!
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