The Three Magic Knots | ★★ | The Disappearing Knot | ★★ |
Hold the ‘A’ end of the rope in your left hand. Using your right hand, make a loop with the ‘B’ end of the rope (see figure 2). Loosely drape the loop onto your left hand (figure 3). Repeat the steps in figures 2 and 3 until you have three loops on your left hand. Using your right hand, feed the ‘B’ end of the rope through the loops (figure 5). Pull on the ‘B’ end with your right hand while making sure your left hand continues to tightly grip the ‘A’ end. Three knots appear along the rope.
Before performing this trick, tie a piece of white thread around the rope so that a small loop is formed in the middle of the rope. Cover this thread with your fingers so the audience doesn’t see the thread. Pass one end of the rope under the loop and then back through it (it will look as if you have tied a knot). If you pull on the two ends at the same time, the thread will break and the knot will disappear. Of course, you must make sure that your fingers cover the white thread when you pick up the rope to “tie the knot.”
Keep the loops as loose as possible.
The Key and the Rope | ★★ |
You must practice this trick before the show – especially so that you are able to quickly and clearly direct your volunteer. Ask a volunteer to make two loops at the ends of the ropes and then pass them over your hands (in this way, the loops will not be too tight). The rest of the rope should hang between your hands (figure 1).
★★ Now, ask the volunteer to push the middle of the rope through the key (figure 2). This action will form a third loop (figure 3). Ask the volunteer to drape the third loop over your right hand (figure 4). Push the third loop through the loop that was originally on your right hand (figure 5). Take the loop that was originally on your right hand and pull it over your fingers and off your hand (figure 6 and 7). Gently pull your hands away from each other (figure 8) and the audience will see that the key is hanging from the rope (figure 9). (If you do not have a key with a large enough hole to fit the rope, use a key chain with a large loop instead.)
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