A Gentleman Soldier's Paryer

I have an apology! - A few months ago I put the first part of a great little magical tale using an ordinary pack of cards and was so busy after returning from holiday, that I completely forgot to post the Second Part, although I did put it up on my Website at: Free Magic eBooks

Anyway my sincere apologies ...

Here's the whole story of this great playing card tale....

The Gentleman Soldier's Prayer!

The story goes that our soldiers had come through a pretty rough week around the city of Basra in Iraq, and so on the Sunday the sergeant of one particular company, decided to provide them with some religious and spiritual sustenance and created a “Church-like” atmosphere in a small bomb-damaged building.

He asked the Company Padre to preside and soldiers were invited to come and worship there, during a lull in hostilities.

However, they were given strict orders that this was to be a religious service and nothing had to be done that may disturb the peace and tranquility or to undermine the beliefs and faith of the members of the company.

The sergeant commanded his party to the church, and the short service began with the singing of a favourite hymn and when the padre had ended his prayer and was about to read his text, he invited all those who had a Bible to open it up at the particular place.

All of the soldiers that had a Bible pulled it out to find the text....

There was one young soldier who had no Bible or Prayer Book, but he put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a pack of cards and spread them before him as he sat; and while the padre was preaching he first kept looking at one card and then at another, as if playing some sort of game

The sergeant of the company saw him, and said, "Private, put these cards away out of sight, for this is no place for them." "I’m sorry sergeant,” said the soldier, "but you have got the wrong impression and it’s really none of your business."

Now the padre had ended his sermon and all was over; the soldiers repaired to the yard outside the makeshift church, and the commanding officer gave the word to fall in, which they did. However, the sergeant of the company singled out the young soldier who had been playing with the cards and took him away as a prisoner.

Young man, you are my prisoner, and you will face a court martial" said the sergeant. "Sir," said the young soldier, “what have I done that I am your prisoner?"

"You have played a game of cards in the church." "No," said the soldier, "I have not played a game of cards, for I only looked at my pack of cards."

"It makes no difference, you have disturbed the sanctity of our little church service and therefore will be reported to our senior officers.

"What will happen to me and where must I go?" said the soldier. "You must go before the Captain and he will decide whether your behavior warrants more serious proceedings," said the sergeant.

So he took him before the Captain, who was not too pleased at being disturbed on a reasonably quiet Sunday.

The Captain said in a rather rough manner, "Well, sergeant, what do you want with me?"

"I have brought a soldier before you for playing at cards at our church service."

"Well, soldier what have you to say for yourself? Said the Captain"

"Much, sir, I hope." "Well, I certainly hope so too, but if you have not got a reasonable excuse for such behaviour, you will be punished most severely."

"Sir," said the soldier, "I have been five weeks on constant duty and have had but little to subsist on, and I have no Bible, Almanac or Common Prayer Book, or anything but a pack of cards. I hope to satisfy you Sir, of the purity of my intentions."

Then the soldier pulled out of his pocket the pack of cards, which he spread before the Captain ; he then began with the Ace.

When I see the Ace," he said, "it reminds me that there is one God only;

When I see the Deuce or Two, it reminds me of the Father and Son; when I see the Three, it reminds me of the Holy Trinity, of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

When I see the Four it puts me in mind of the four evangelists that penned the Gospels, namely, - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

W hen I see the Five it reminds me of the Five wise virgins who trimmed their lamps, - there were actually ten, but five were foolish and were shut out.

When I see the Six it reminds me that in six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth; when I see the Seven, it reminds me that on the seventh day God rested from all the works, which he had created and the Lord blessed the seventh day and made it Holy.

When I see the Eight it reminds me of the eight righteous people that were saved when God drowned the world in the great flood, namely, Noah, his wife, his three sons and their wives; and when I see the Nine it reminds me of the nine lepers that were cleansed by our Saviour. There were ten of them, but nine never returned their thanks to God.

When I see the Ten it reminds me of the Ten Commandments that God gave Moses on Mount Sinai on the tablets of stone."

He took the Knave or Jack and laid it aside and continued. "When I see the Queen it reminds me of the Queen of Sheba who came from the furthermost parts of the world to hear the wisdom of King Solomon, for she was as wise a woman as he was a man, and came to test his wisdom, for she brought 50 boys and 50 girls all clothed in boys' apparel to parade before King Solomon and for him to tell which were boys and which were girls;

The King could not tell from looking at them and so he called for water to be brought for them to wash themselves; - Now, the girls washed up to their elbows and the boys only up to their wrists, so King Solomon was able to tell by that, who were the boys and who were girls. The Queen also reminds me of our own gracious Queen whom I loyally serve:

When I see the King I am reminded of the great King of Heaven and Earth, who is God Almighty."

"Well," said the Captain, "you certainly have a very good description of all the cards except one, which you laid aside." "Which is that?" said the soldier. "The Knave," said the Captain. "Oh, I can give your a very good description of that, Sir, if you won't be angry." "No, I will not be angry," said the Captain. "Provided you will not liken me to the Knave." "Well," said the soldier, "the Knave reminds me of the devil and the greatest Knave I know is the Sergeant of the company, who brought me here."

"I don't know", said the Captain, "that he is the greatest Knave, but I am sure he is the greatest fool."

The soldier continued, “When I count how many spots there are in a pack of cards, I find that there are 365, the exact number of days in the year. When I count how many cards there are in a pack I find there are 52, the number of weeks in a year.”

“When I count how many tricks in a pack I find there are 13, the number of lunar months in a year, and the Four suits remind me of the Four Seasons of the year, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.”

“So You see, sir, that this pack of cards is not just a pack of playing cards to me. It is my Bible, Almanac, Common Prayer Book and my friend, reminding me of my God and my home.”

As you can well imagine, the Captain was very impressed with the young soldier’s knowledge of the Bible and the use he made of this simple pack of playing cards and the sergeant was extremely embarrassed by the whole affair.

So I think you’ll understand why magicians and soldiers alike always carry a pack of cards with them wherever they go. These cards not only bring comfort and joy to the lonely soldier, but in the hands of the Magician they can bring Fun, Laughter and Magic.

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It's All In The Mind - Magic trick

This is a magic trick you can do anywhere and you don't need a pack of cards. It's a simple but effective coin trick. It is another little effect that's really part of my Magic Course and is simply another way of vanishing a coin. - I've just added an amusing way of revealing the coin.

You can borrow a coin from a member of your audience, provided that it's not too heavy. You'll need to experiment with your own currency. However, I can say that all the UK coins work perfectly well. - I use the largest UK coin the 50 pence piece.

Anyway, let me just describe the it to you so that you get an idea of the effect before I give you a short explanation....

IT'S ALL IN THE MIND

Firstly you borrow a coin from a member of your audience and possibly perform a simple vanish, using something like the 'French Drop'. Then you say that you can actually vanish small items by using the "Power of the Mind".

You now clearly place the coin onto the palm of your left hand, and close your fist with the coin clearly still in the palm. You now turn your clenched fist over and give a little rub on the back of your left hand with the forefinger of your right hand, as you say, "It just takes a little concentration."

You next place your right hand onto your forehead, as if in deep concentration. Then SLOWLY OPEN THE LEFT HAND TO SHOW THE COIN HAS VANISHED!

As you continue to look at your empty left hand you remove the right hand from your forehead and say, - "There you are, VANISHED BY THE POWER OF MY MIND."

However, the real FUN part is as you raise your eyes towards the audience, you say with a smile, - I can vanish things with the power of my mind but getting them back is not so easy."

You'll find there's GREAT AMUSEMENT as everyone can see that the coin is STUCK ON YOUR FOREHEAD. You look as if you're unaware of it being there and then when you realise what the audience are laughing at you, simply remove the coin from your forehead, hand it back to the person from whom you borrowed it and say, - "Powerful stuff this MIND POWER!"

So how's it done?....

The vanish is a nice little effect in itself and is done by placing the borrowed coin in the palm of your left hand , slightly towards the back of the palm (wrist side). - FIG. 1

If you now close your hand loosely and turn the palm downwards, your fingers will come into contact with the coin and and you can start to push it out of your palm towards the wrist.- FIG . 2 . This looks quite natural and is very easy, as your hand is turned palm downwards, gravity helps in the motion of pushing the coin part way out of your fist.

FIG. 1

FIG. 2

Now with your right forefinger extended you simply give a little rub and tap the back of your left hand a couple of times, and as you do this you slowly turn your left hand over, so that it is now facing upwards with your thumb at the top.

The vanish is actually done during this turning movement. As your right forefinger remains extended and is now tapping the thumb area of the back of your slowly turning left hand, YOU CAN SIMPLY CLIP THE COIN WITH SECOND AND THIRD FINGERS AND STEAL IT AWAY, as in FIGS. 3 & 4.

You'll find that this is very easy to do, as the coin will be sticking out in just the right position to grasp it with the fingers of your right hand, as your left hand slowly turns over. It is a simple matter for the right second and third fingers to grip the coin and secretly steal it and carry it away. This is an excellent and effective way to vanish a coin.

FIG. 3

FIG. 4

That's really the trick over, but you now need to use your acting ability to get the best and indeed the most amusing effect from the revelation of the coin on your forehead.

Once you have stolen the coin in the fingers of the right hand you simply let the right hand drop to your side and allow the coin to fall into the finger palm position. Or you can curl the fingers and push the coin into the standard coin-palm position, whichever is more comfortable. I prefer to let the coin fall into the finger palm, where it is in just the right place to stick on your forehead.

Next you hold out your left hand with the fist still clenched and supposedly still holding the coin and as you extend your left hand to the left side, you draw attention to it and keep your eyes on the left hand. You can now patter about the Power of the Mind.

As you are talking about the strange power of the mind, you bring your right hand up to your forehead and pretend to be concentrating very deeply and you press the coin against your forehead with the fingers. FIG. 5. Actually the act of pressing your fingers to your forehead is quite a natural one when concentrating and a little bit of play acting will convince the audience even more.

You'll find that the coin will stick to your forehead, due to the moisture and unless the coin is a very heavy one, you can take your hand away with confidence.. FIG. 6

FIG. 5

FIG. 6

Once the coin is stuck, you continue to stare at your left hand You then remove your right hand from your forehead, leaving the coin sticking there, and point to the left hand. This draws attention to the left hand and then with a magical wave of the right hand, you slowly open your left hand to show that the coin has VANISHED..

As you wave your hand over the left hand it is obvious to the audience that the right hand is empty and the coin has really vanished. As you are looking to your left at your left hand, most of the audience will not really see your forehead and as you show both hands now empty in front of your body you are looking down and you appear as bewildered as the audience as to where the coin has gone.

You can then just say how amazing it is that the coin has vanished by The Power Of The Mind. Then as you raise your eyes to face the audience you just smile and say, - "I hope I have the mind to bring it back again!" As you look up at the audience everyone will see the coin on your forehead and you'll certainly get a laugh.

The trick can be over at this point or you can take it just a little further by appearing to be unaware of the coin on your forehead and look as if you don't know what the audience are laughing at. Then when it finally dawns on you or someone in the audience tells you, you simply remove the coin and say, "You see it's ALL IN THE MIND".

Accept the applause and return the borrowed coin with thanks.

It's a super little effect and you can have a lot of fun with it. You can also add a little bit more fun by swapping the coin for one with a small nail or screw-nail stuck on it. FIG. 7. You can then display this and rub you forehead and say, "All that concentration and using my Mind Power really gives me a sore head"

.
FIG. 7

Go on try it and have FUN!

There's more Coin and Money Magic in Lesson One of The Magic Course

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Sleight of Foot - Card trick

SLEIGHT OF FOOT

EFFECT.

This is a super effect where the Magician never touches the cards; still he finds a selected card in the centre of the pack.

The Magician asks someone to shuffle a pack of cards, and then to divide the pack into several piles on the table. A spectator is requested to remove a card from the centre of any pile of cards, note the name of card, and replace on the top of any of the piles of cards. The piles of cards are then gathered together and replaced one on top of the other, and the pack can then be cut several times, squared up, and placed on floor.

The Magician now reminds the audience that he hasn’t touched the pack of cards, so there can be no question of “Sleight of Hand”, however, he has been practicing some “Sleight of Foot” and with his foot, he kicks the pack, and the cards slide apart.

He indicates the card just below the point where the pack breaks most prominently, and he places the toe of his shoe on this cards. As he raises his foot a card is seen to be stuck to the sole of his shoe and this card is found to be the chosen card, which he raises up and shows it to the audience stuck to the toe of his shoe.

SECRET

All that you required for this trick is a small amount of salt in the waistcoat pocket or in any other convenient pocket.

After the pack has been divided into three or four piles on the table, the performer turns his back and asks a spectator to remove any card from any pile, and replace on top of any other pile. Meanwhile, performer places first finger into waistcoat pocket and gets a few grains of salt on to the end of his first finger.

The performer then turns around and pointing to piles of cards, he asks spectator on which pile he replaced the chosen card. When spectator indicates the pile, the performer places finger on that pile; this move will leave a just a few grains of salt on top of the selected card, but unnoticed by the spectators.

The spectator is now requested to place a pile on top of the one containing the chosen card, then another pile on top of that, until entire pack is assembled.

The Pack may now be cut, and placed on floor.

After reminding that audience that the Magician has not touched the cards, he then resorts to his “Sleight of Foot”. - With the side of the shoe, just strike the side of the pack a sharp blow. The cards will slide apart at the point where the salt is.

This break is your cue. You can withdraw the card just below it, and you have the chosen card, or as I prefer to do…

I have just a tiny piece of magician’s wax on the sole of my shoe, right at the toe and when the pack splits to expose the chosen card, I simply place my toe on the card immediately under the split, as if pointing to the card with my foot.

However, the little bit of wax is just enough to allow the card to stick to my shoe, and I can then lift my foot to show the selected card. – It’s Real Magic!


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Free Card Tricks? - A Soldier's Prayer

Glad you looked back!

Here's the first part of this great playing card tale....

The story goes that our soldiers had come through a pretty rough week around the city of Basra in Iraq, and so on the Sunday the sergeant of one particular company, decided to provide them with some religious and spiritual sustenance and created a “Church-like” atmosphere in a small bomb-damaged building.

He asked the Company Padre to preside and soldiers were invited to come and worship there, during a lull in hostilities.

However, they were given strict orders that this was to be a religious service and nothing had to be done that may disturb the peace and tranquility or to undermine the beliefs and faith of the members of the company.

The sergeant commanded his party to the church, and the short service began with the singing of a favourite hymn and when the padre had ended his prayer and was about to read his text, he invited all those who had a Bible to open it up at the particular place.

All of the soldiers that had a Bible pulled it out to find the text....

There was one young soldier who had no Bible or Prayer Book, but he put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a pack of cards and spread them before him as he sat; and while the padre was preaching he first kept looking at one card and then at another, as if playing some sort of game

The sergeant of the company saw him, and said, "Private, put these cards away out of sight, for this is no place for them." "I’m sorry sergeant,” said the soldier, "but you have got the wrong impression and it’s really none of your business."

Now the padre had ended his sermon and all was over; the soldiers repaired to the yard outside the makeshift church, and the commanding officer gave the word to fall in, which they did. However, the sergeant of the company singled out the young soldier who had been playing with the cards and took him away as a prisoner.

Young man, you are my prisoner, and you will face a court martial" said the sergeant. "Sir," said the young soldier, “what have I done that I am your prisoner?"

"You have played a game of cards in the church." "No," said the soldier, "I have not played a game of cards, for I only looked at my pack of cards."

"It makes no difference, you have disturbed the sanctity of our little church service and therefore will be reported to our senior officers.

"What will happen to me and where must I go?" said the soldier. "You must go before the Captain and he will decide whether your behavior warrants more serious proceedings," said the sergeant.

So he took him before the Captain, who was not too pleased at being disturbed on a reasonably quiet Sunday.

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