Page 428 - The Ashley Book of Knots

TRICKS AND PUZZLES

north. From south to north the doubled string crosses itself at right

angles. Ask someone to place his finger within the string, so that

. the string may not be removed. The chances are that he will put it N

on the spot marked X, in which case the string easily slides off the

table without engaging the finger. Now lay the cord down again,

but this time, in passing from south to north, twist the cord one x

half a right turn as in the second diagram. Then ask the owner of

the finger to try again, but this time to allow the string to be re-

moved. But this time the string will engage the finger if he places it

at X.

2594. Snare (2). This trick differs from the previous one, in that a

turn of the wrist is made each time the direction of the cord is

changed. The trick is started at N.W. and moved S.E., then S.W.,

then N.W., to N.E. The only difference between the left and right

diagrams is in the over-and-under at the last turn (at W.). Here the

wrist was turned left for the left diagram and right for the other.

In the left diagram the finger will not be snared at X and in the right

diagram it will be.

When a finger is placed at X on either diagram, any of the six

bights at the rim may be pulled on and the result is the same for all

six. The knotted ends are generally pulled.

2595. "Nailed to the mast": In addition to a piece of string, a knife,

nail or ice pick is required, and one's hostess should be consulted

before sticking the knife into any of her woodwork. A tree or a

fence post provides a satisfactory prop. Wind the string or rope as

pictured. Hold the two ends in hand. (It is not necessary to tie

them together.) Remove the knife and jerk the string, which will

then apparently pass through the tree. It may be tied with a spec-

tator's forefinger serving instead of a knife or nail.

2596. "La Garrotte": Take a right round turn about the victim's

neck, cross the cord in front, and, with the part leading from below

the right ear on top, move the doubled portion over the victim's

head to the nape of the neck. Pull snappily on the front bight and,

although the neck is apparently severed, the head will not falloff.

2597. "Fingering the Nose" is claimed by The Parlor Magician to

be "irresistibly funny": Tie the ends of a thirty-inch cord together.

Take a left round turn and grasp the center between the teeth. Hold A

the upper and longer loop with the left hand and move the lower

and shorter loop from underneath around and up to the right, turn-

ing it over the longer loop (right upper diagram). Stick the left

thumb up through the longer loop, the right forefinger through the

shorter loop. Place the right forefinger against the tip of the nose,

face your audience, laugh loudly and draw the string awa with the

left hand while the right hand remains in position, devoi of string.

If the whole right hand is passed through the shorter loop instead

of a mere forefinger and the thumb is brought in juxtaposition with

the nose the joke becomes even more irresistible and more up to

date, particularly when the fingers are distended.

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