Marucci's Bizarre Bazaar

A Fool And His Money
by Peter Marucci

Effect: Three Tarot cards are shown - two Wheels of Fortune and one Fool. As the mage relates the old proverb about a fool and his money soon being parted, the cards change to all Wheels of Fortune and then all Fools.

Finally, the cards change again to one Wheel, one Fool, and - in keeping with the story line - one Death card.

Working: You'll need three Tarot cards - Wheel of Fortune, Fool, and Death. The cards are "stripped". The Wheel and Fool taper in at the top, while the Death card tapers in at the bottom.

The cards are set up, from the bottom of the face-down stack: Wheel, Death, Fool.

The face-down cards are held in the right hand in a Biddle Grip from above.

The right hand turns the packet up, showing the Wheel, then turns the packet down again.

The left hands comes toward the pack from underneath, the left thumb and middle finger gripping their respective sides of the packet.

Note: Because of the tapering, the left-hand fingers actually grip the wide end of the Death card.

The right hand removes what appears to be the top card, as the left hand holds what appears to be the other two cards.

In fact, the right hand removes the top and bottom cards (because they are stripped), while the left hand holds onto the middle (Death) cards, as if it were two cards.

The right hand then turns palm up showing what is supposed to be the second Wheel card (in fact, it is the first Wheel card, shown for the second time).

The right hand then puts its card(s) on top of the packet and draws off the real top card, showing it to be the Fool. It then replaces that card on top.

The cards are transferred, face down, to the left hand and the right hand takes the top card off and moves it to the bottom, as if shuffling the deck; do this a total of four times.

Now take the packet in an above Biddle Grip by the right hand, as the left hand comes from underneath. The right hand turns palm up, showing the bottom (Fool) card; it turns the cards down as the left hand comes from underneath and withdraws what you say is the bottom (Fool) card (in fact, due to the stripping, the left hand withdraws the middle card (Death). The right hand turns up again, showing what appears to be a second Fool (in fact, it is the first one again), as you call the card(s) in the right hand the "top" card. The right hand puts its card(s) on top of the packet in the left hand, spreads the packet and removes the middle card, showing it is also a Fool, for a total of three Fools, now.

Take the top card to the bottom four times (as mentioned above) and repeat the showing of the "three" cards, only this time they are all Wheels.

When you finish this time, turn up the top card - a Fool - the second card - a Wheel - and the final card - Death.

Presentation: "You have probably heard the saying that 'a fool and his money are soon parted'. The question, of course is - how did the fool and his money get together in the first place?

"However, let's assume he made it the old-fashioned way - he inherited it - and is now about to lose it.

"In this case, with these three cards (show the backs) we have TWO fortunes (show "two" wheels) and just one fool (show the fool).

"However, our fool should have no more problem losing two fortunes than just one - especially if he got mixed up (mix up cards four times) with the wrong card and had a couple of other fools to help him (show all three cards have turned to fools.)

"But even these might get a bit mixed up (mix cards four times again) if they each had a fortune - show each of the cards has now become a wheel of fortune card.

"In that case, they would almost certainly be soon parted from their money - as the saying goes (show one food and one wheel of fortune card), leaving nothing for the poor fools but - (turn over the Death card) - Death!"

Second Thoughts: This reads much more complicated that it is in handling, so please do it with the cards in hand.

If you want to change the ending, instead of the Death card, you can use a blank card on which you have pasted a picture of - well, anything that you can work into the story - a bank (where the fool should have kept his money); a charity's logo (where he should have given his money); stocks and bonds; Las Vegas; the possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

Make up the cards and make it funny. Or spooky. Or anything at all. Just as long as you make it entertaining!

Peter Marucci