PRODUCTION OF TWO PIGEONS

By Miaco

By this method a magician can produce two pigeons, or but one, or if he would rather he can produce a small rabbit or a bundle of silk handkerchiefs. The effect is that the magician shows a large silk handkerchief. It is perhaps best that it be folded when first introduced. He shakes it out and spreads it between his two bands as be holds opposite corners. He shows both sides of the silk and one after another he picks up each corner and puts them into his right hand. When all four corners are held together the handkerchief hangs down in the form of a bag. The magician then reaches into this bag and brings forth his pigeons one at a time. The production is made in just the same manner if the magician is using either a rabbit or handkerchiefs. With the rabbit, of course, but one production is made.

The load is kept in a specially made bag to which there is a wire handle. Perhaps it would be best to describe this bag and its construction before attempting to describe either where the bag is hidden or the sequence of the moves necessary for the production. The shape of the bag illustrated is for holding a pigeon, or made a little larger for holding two pigeons. The bag was designed so that a pigeon could be put into the bag or taken out without, in any way, injuring the bird. Particular attention is called to the wire netting for air at the pigeon's head. The smallest size dress snaps hold the bag closed after the pigeon has been put into the bag. The handle is made of wire, doubled so as to make a loop at its outer end. The end of the handle attached to the bag has a hinge joint. This joint is so made that when the handle is at right angles to the bag it hits a stop which keeps the handle from falling down. The joint, however, permits the handle to move up. Right at the top of the bag, and by the handle joint, is fixed a hook made of flat metal. This hook is about three-quarters of an inch wide. There is a flat metal tube made with an opening of the size easily to take this hook. To this tube is soldered a safety pin.

In order to hide the load, the safety pin on the tube is fastened to the seam of the seat of the trousers just above the crotch. The hook is put into the tube so that the handle of the bag points towards the magician's right. Both the bag and handle are covered by the tails of the magician's dress coat.

The large silk should be of quite thin material. The silk should he only heavy enough so that it is not transparent. To two corners of the silk should he sewn bone, or plastic, rings such as ladies use for drawstring bags. These are purchasable at any notions counter and are just a little larger than a finger ring.

When the handkerchief has been shaken out at the start of the trick, the magician immediately sticks the little finger of each hand through these rings. His right hand moves so that his first, second, and third fingers are behind the silk. The thumb is in front of the silk and shows to the audience as does the little finger. The bone rings are not noticed. First the silk is shaken and then held out to show the one side. As this side is shown the magician has his arms straight down and a couple of inches in front of his legs. This is a most natural way of showing the silk because the magician draws everyone's attention to the silk by bowing his head and looking at it himself. After the silk has been shown on this side for a few seconds--the trick should not be hurried--he swings his left hand over to the right in order to show the other side. As the swing is made the right hand moves back a few inches so that the fingers inside the silk can grasp the handle of the load. As the back of the silk is shown for the same length of time as was the front, ample opportunity is given for the magician to get a good grip of the loop of the handle. The moment the handle is grasped it is lifted enough to free the hook from the holder. As the magician brings his left arm back so that the first side of the silk is again toward the audience, he steps to the right one step. As this step is made his hands are lifted and the handle is permitted to turn in the fingers so that it hangs perpendicularly and, because of the hinged joint, the bag hangs straight beneath the handle. The left hand drops the corner it was holding and in letting go swings the corner so that the silk wraps about the bag. These moves have to be described in sequence, but in actual performance several are done at the same time. When properly done they so synchronize that it seems to the audience that all the magician possibly could have done was to show the back and front of the handkerchief.

At this point the magician is holding the handkerchief, shoulder high, by one corner. The left hand then lifts one corner after another to the fingers of the right hand. All the fingers are free to grasp these corners except the middle finger which goes through the loop of the handle. When all the corners are in the right hand the magician reaches in at the opening, caused by the slack of one of the sides hanging down, and quickly pulls open the snaps. He then lifts the pigeons out of the bag. Once the production is made, the handkerchief, and the concealed load bag, is put on a table or handed to an assistant.

It will be obvious that the silk from which the production is made should be of such a size that when it is gathered into a bag it still will be longer than the combined length of the load bag and handle.

This production has proven to be appealing to audiences because it seems to them that the magician actually materializes the pigeons in a thin silk bag which was made before their eyes. It is a clean production and easily portable. Because at the moment that the load is swung behind the handkerchief, and before it is wrapped in the silk, it can be seen from behind, the trick cannot be done with people all around the magician-but they may be on three sides.