There may be a time when you need to entertain, and balloons or other props are not available. If you have access to a couple napkins you can perform a simple trick that will amaze your audience. Before I get into detail I need to identify a couple common magic terms.

The “clean hand” is the hand that is not concealing anything. The term “dirty hand” refers to the hand that is working the manipulation, concealing an item or hiding something from the audience. Keep these references in mind as I teach you the napkin tear and restore.

Begin by picking up a napkin. This needs to be done secretly. You might want to take one off another table or sneak it into your hand as you are talking with your audience. It needs to be rolled up and palmed in your dirty hand as in Figure 1.

You are holding a paper rolled up napkin. It does not take much pressure to keep in hidden in your palm. In fact, you can use the dirty hand to point to the second napkin you pick up off the table as in Figure 2. This is the beginning of the trick. The audience sees the clean hand holding a napkin. The dirty hand hides the rolled-up napkin in the palm.

Unfold the napkin and show the front and back as shown in Figures 3 and 4. Notice in Figure 4 how the arm crosses over the body as you show the back.

This position, when showing the back, is critical. When you finish the trick, you will show the restored napkin front and back in the same posture.

When you have shown the napkin, and are ready to begin the magic the napkins will be in your hands as in Figure 5. The napkin you secretly set up will remain concealed in your palm as you work with the one you allow the audience to see. This figure is only included to show you the positions of the napkins. Do not let the audience see that you have a hidden napkin.

Begin tearing the napkin, in your clean hand as shown in Figure 6. Take your time and allow the audience to see you physically tearing it. Tear it into a few pieces.

When you have torn it into a few pieces slowly roll it into a ball. Hold the ball in your dirty hand. Figure 7 shows you the two balls. The hidden ball in your palm is the one you secretly started with. The second ball is the torn napkin you just rolled up. This posture is for you to see the positioning of the napkins. Do not show this angle to your audience.

As you are working with the napkins, trade places. Bring the palmed napkin up to the top of your hand and palm the one you just tore up. Now you are ready to set up the ending.

With the torn napkin palmed slowly unravel the other napkin. Be careful as you do this. You do not want to tear it as you open it back up. Once open show the front as in Figure 8

This time when you cross your arm to show the back the torn ball will be hidden by your body posture. Figure 9 shows how the audience is hidden from the torn ball in your palm.

Now you gather the restored napkin into a ball, enclosing the torn one in your palm as in Figure 10. The positioning you used to show front and back as you started the trick and at the end allows you to toss both napkin balls in the track, or put in your pocket.

This completes the trick, you can show both hands empty as in Figure 11.

(Extracted from my “Sponge Ball Magic” lecture. For information on my lecture, or if you have questions feel free to email: topperhtc@yahoo.com)