Page 377 - Brion Toss - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice

gertips at all times. After a simple, easily followed wise along the entire circle; it’s obvious that you’ll
series of moves, during which you reiterate that what end up with two separate circles. But when you—or
you are about to do is impossible, you gently lower someone else—makes the cut, something entirely
your hands, and the knot appears mid-string (Fig- unexpected and inexplicable happens: you get a sin-
ure 11-7). You repeat, invite volunteers to try, even gle, large circle, with (“Twilight Zone” theme music)
tie along with them simultaneously. It only works an Overhand Knot tied in its length (Figure 11-8).
for you. “One of us is cheating, and it certainly isn’t This Mobius-strip variant is real magic, a jolt to the
me,” you note, “so you should just be ashamed of mind and somewhat unnerving, so put it away and
yourself.” return to silliness.
While they are apologizing for their dishonest
behavior, you prepare for the third method, the THE CUT-AND-RESTORED STRING
Mobius Overhand, getting out a 3-foot by 4-inch
piece of paper—newspaper is handy—you twist an Tell your audience that the best-known rope trick is
end one-and-a-half times, then tape the two ends the cut-and-restored string. This is old hat for you,
together to form a circle. You can have someone else so you’re a little bored as you demonstrate how one
do this if you like, so that everyone is sure there is can cut a line in the middle and restore it to a single
no trickery. piece (Figure 11-9). It’s simple mechanics, you say:
Now produce a pair of scissors and ask rhetori- Cutting the string in half produces four ends, which
cally what would happen if you were to cut length- necessarily means two pieces, right? So by cutting
off one end and throwing the other away, you’re
Figure 11-8. The Mobius Overhand. Take a long strip back to two ends, thus one piece. It’s simple. You, of
of paper or cloth—about 3 feet by 4 inches. Twist one course, do not do simple cut-and-restored tricks, but
end one-and-a-half times, then tape the two ends you did once learn how to splice with your tongue.
together. If you now cut the resulting loop lengthwise, It all started when you were sailing off the coast
you will get, contrary to all rational expectation, a of (your preference) in company with a wise old
single loop with an Overhand Knot tied in its length. salt and a few other friends. You were sitting a lit-
Real magic. tle to windward as the old man declaimed upon the
necessity for resourcefulness at sea. “Every thumb
a marlingspike,” he intoned, “and every hair a rope
yarn”—a classic saying that, due to the noise of the
wind, came to your ears as, “Every tongue a mar-
lingspike to repair a rope yarn.” It made no sense,
but everyone else was nodding sagely, so you nod-
ded sagely too, suddenly convinced that any real
sailor could make a splice using tongue for spike.
People do silly things out of pride, and you
were no exception. You began furtively to practice
this impossible feat, sitting in darkened closets with
string in your mouth. Accidentally discovered, you
explained that you were using very large dental floss
because your teeth are widely spaced. Your tongue
became callused, you grew depressed, certain that
you’d never be a real sailor.
And then one day you heard of Swami
Seezanahta, the world’s leading exponent of Knot

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