I Hypnotize You!
If the group is large, some five or six guests are asked to sit in a circle in front of the audience. If there are not more than ten guests present, let them all form a circle, seated, with a person who will make a good victim next to the leader. A good victim is not always only a good sport. He is inevitably that, but in addition, a leader who chooses her subjects wisely will choose one who will not readily see the hoax. In this case the victim is entirely unconscious of the important part he is to play.
The leader tells the group that certain very simple movements of the hands across the forehead of a subject can hypnotize that subject in almost no time, and without actually hypnotizing her subject she will demonstrate on her neighbor, so that they may all see the principle of the thing and practice on their neighbors before the real hypnotizing begins. Subjects in each case should be right-hand neighbors. Assuring her right-hand neighbor in all seriousness that she is only going through the motions of hypnotizing, without really accomplishing anything, she begins demonstrating on him. Her hands are lying folded in her lap. Her first request is very important, but she is very casual as she asks her victim to close his eyes, as she wishes to make certain movements over the closed eyes. As soon as his eyes are closed she makes several soft, gentle movements directly around and over his eyes, making much of the point that she is only demonstrating and not actually hypnotizing. When she has done the thing to her own satisfaction, she folds her hands again and tells him to open his eyes, while he, together with the rest of the group, is to practice these movements preparatory to some actual hypnotizing.
Mr. Victim cannot understand the very unreasonable mirth of the other members of the circle, who have all they can do to keep upright as they make a pretense of practicing on each other. He finally gets suspicious however, and goes to a mirror. What he sees there leaves no doubt in his mind as to what they were finding so extremely funny!
The leader’s hands, which were folded so innocently in her lap, had previously been generously coated with lampblack, all of which had transferred itself to his face!