PATTER & STORY:

"On the far off South Sea island of Samoa, there is a cluster of palm trees known as ‘The Blushing Palms’. They are given this name because the green leaves turn a bright red immediately prior to the trees bearing fruit.

A superstition exists which encourages young girls about to be married to spend a night under the ‘Blushing Palms’. It is believed that if the leaves are red when the girls awaken, then the marriage is sure to be blessed with many healthy children!

The girls must perform a small ritual before going to sleep – I’ll show it to you. It goes like this (performer addresses attractive girl) – "Hold out both of your hands with the backs up" (performer demonstrates by holding own hands straight out in front and side by side with the backs up and about waist high – girl does likewise) "Clench your fists like this and wind them forward and then back again!" (performer demonstrates again by turning fists forward and back as though pedaling a bicycle – again, she follows suit) – "Knock your fists together and say, "Aloha, Aloha, Aloha" (she does) – "Now stretch them out as before" (she does) Say, "Na Wa Te Pa To Te" (she does) "Now turn your hands over  (when she does this, the performer points to her palms and says) "See!! Your palms are blushing already! – That’s a good sign!" (when she turns her palms over, she will probably scream, because a bright red patch has appeared in the centre of each palm!).

METHOD:

Contained in the small vial, is a quantity of red powder. It is very loose so keep the lid on until you are ready to perform the trick and be careful that you do not spill it!

When you are ready to perform, get a small dab of the powder on to the tip of each middle finger. Approach a group of people among whom there is at least one attractive young lady. Demonstrate the trick on her. Go into the story, and at the point where you ask her to stretch out her hands, take hold of them with both of yours and raise them to about chest high. Cover this action with the words, "No, a little higher". As you are raising her hands, you simply dab your fingertips into her palms! Continue with the ritualistic business and when you tell her to turn her hands over, I promise you, SHE WILL SCREAM!

Do not worry about lifting her hands, it is just a casual adjustment and no one ever remembers that you touched her at all!

If you are familiar with the old cigarette ash stunt - this is just a more elaborate version of that!  Instead of ash, the red powder is dry water colour pigment - available in most artist supply shops. Be careful, it is quite safe to use but can get messy if you spill it! I speak from experience!

[routine copyright to Leslie Melville 1992]

Stories....?....That's telling!

Leslie Melville.

Dragonskull note: Bill Thompson of the House Of Secrets came up with this handy idea for performing this effect anywhere without mess. Get an empty matchbox and stick a bit of bath sponge into the drawer (fill the drawer with it). Bath sponge is best because it has large irregular holes in it and is slightly softer than standard foam). Tip some of the powder evenly onto the sponge and gently tap the drawer on a hard surface (this helps the powder to be 'knocked' into the holes. Next tip the drawer over and very gently tap the drawer with your finger to dislodge surplus powder. Finally replace drawer. When ever you want to perform the effect, have the box in your pocket, open the drawer slightly and 'dip' your finger into or along the sponge. Enough of the powder will be taken onto the finger for the effect to work.