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SpellbinderEntertainment Inner circle West Coast 3519 Posts |
A Holiday Treat: THE GINGER-BOY
A Magical Story for the Okito Doll by Walt Anthony “The boy who lived next door died- last December, as his neighbors went about shopping for holiday gifts. Friends and family had nick-named him “Gingy” after the character in Shrek- probably because of his ginger-red hair as much as his plucky, outgoing personality. In Victorian times the tradition of baking gingerbread boys and girls was popular. Often as part of the fun, family members would decorate the little cookies to look like someone they knew, or themselves, in gentle parody. This Holiday Season, remembering my neighbor’s boy, I’ve decorated this cookie in memory of Gingy- red hair, glasses, freckles, and all.” (from a folded paper napkin the magician removes a small decorated traditional gingerbread boy, and rests it on a small paper plate) “While preparing a batch of these it occurred to me what a ritualistic act -an almost magical act- the baking process was. Imagine the powerfully symbolic, evocative, properties in these ingredients. The sweet of sugar, earthiness of flour, zing of the salt, the sour of lemon peel, the exotic heat of cinnamon, the sluggishness of molasses, and finally the crowning sharp bite from the pure ginger! And remember the old Witch baking her gingerbread inside her candy-and-cake house, using the ground bones of real children for her flour? Ancient cultures fashioned tiny dolls from earth or clay and baked them, as amulets or talismans of luck. In New Orleans I’ve seen ornately decorated Voodoo dolls fashioned as a special juju or a particular mojo. As I slowly combined the ingredients, next steadily rolled out the dough, then with sacrificial care began to cut out the body shapes, I could not help but dwell upon the pain in Gingy’s short life. He had been mercilessly bullied daily at school. Both verbal and violent bullying is a huge problem these days, exacting lasting physical and emotional scars, and escalating youth suicide. He was bright, and bold, and witty, but he was beaten and told he was dull, and ugly, and dumb, he could have been a suicide statistic, if they had not accidentally murdered him in their fun. These thoughts baked inside my head as the gingerbread baked inside the oven. I had to wipe away tears of grief and frustration as I iced and decorated the cooling cookie men.” (the magician has picked up the little cookie once more, and gently places it upon the palm of his hand, he speaks as he gazes unflinchingly at the image) “I got all the other details right, but I could not ice a smile for the frosting mouth, as I finished Gingy’s face.” (Time, that seems like forever ticks by, in reality probably only fifteen-or-twenty seconds, then almost imperceptibly, the little cookie quivers slightly, with a slow struggle begins to rise maybe a half-inch in the magician’s hand, then slowly sinks back and lies still, almost as if it had never moved at all, when all is still the magician speaks again, gazing at the little gingerbread boy) “And I had but one penny in the world, thou should'st have it to buy ginger-bread." William Shakespeare, from Love's Labours Lost” MAGICAL NOTES: I had made a weak joke on an online forum about using the method of the Oktio Doll with a Gingerbread Boy, but after a day or so I realized there was potential here for a poignant story and to make a point about how we care for and respect our youth. If you decide to perform it, this is a sure case of less-is-more, do not let the piece get overly emotional, and under no circumstances allow the doll to rise to full height, half-an-inch will make a more powerful statement about resiliency of spirit than larger movements. And take your time, with the story, with the gentle handling of the prop, and with the time you allow before the doll moves at all. Since time is so relative during a performance I slowly count to a full twenty seconds in my head before I allow anything to happen at all. During this time your spectators will fully fill the gap with thoughts and memories of their own, and their anticipation and focus will build as they watch for something unusual to occur. If you do this, I cannot emphasis enough that the cookie must look perfectly realistic and not like a prop, and don’t even think of using your straw doll as a substitute for the cookie-boy. He could be made from balsawood, or thin Styrofoam, and even decorated with real sugar and icing, it should look delicate and cute and real. I don’t think an eatable cookie has the correct weight even if the gimmick were baked in, but I’ve not attempted that either. This is an odd piece, perhaps one of the most bittersweet and odd I’ve written, and I would like to hear your feedback, you may email me directly if you have comments, or even better if you try it out this holiday season. Magically, Walt Anthony © Spellbinder Entertainment 2007 |
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docsteve Inner circle 1831 Posts |
“I got all the other details right, but I could not ice a smile for the frosting mouth..."
Walt, it's worth it for that line alone; that's when the chill hits. Very nice.
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Bill Ligon Inner circle A sure sign of a misspent youth: 6437 Posts |
That's a powerful piece, Walt! Beautiful! "Wow," is all I can say!
Bill
Author of THE HOLY ART: Bizarre Magick From Naljorpa's Cave. NOW IN HARDCOVER! VIEW: <BR>www.lulu.com/content/1399405 ORDER: http://stores.lulu.com/naljorpa
<BR>A TASSEL ON THE LUNATIC FRINGE |
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Mark Rough Inner circle Ivy, Virginia 2110 Posts |
Beautiful!
What would Wavy do?
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SpellbinderEntertainment Inner circle West Coast 3519 Posts |
The wonderful Ed Solomon, who writes a Linking Ring column, and is great at bizarre prop construction provided me with the instructions below to make a convincing Okito Gingerbread Boy for the story above! Thanks Ed!
There is some 1/4 inch styrofoam available at many sewing centers. Easily cut with craft scissors, the edges will compress taking out the carved look. It can be pressed with finger tips to shape it like the curved edges of a cookie. Using Elmers glue the foam should be coated several times and allowed to dry in-between coatings. Using tempera paints or acrylic paint mixing it with a bit of Elmer's glue will allow a further coat to color the cookie. There are various paints that are used on cloth that have a beaded look to them and stand up above the fabric. These can be use to "decorate" the cookie and color the hair and then a face. While hot glue may melt a portion of the foam, attaching a bent pin will need some significant strength to hold it in place. If the pin is inserted cut end first into a match stick, the matchstick can then be inserted into the foot and can be held in place with Elmer's glue. The foam will make the best visual image of the cookie and will be the easiest to work with as far as weight is concerned. |
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The Curator V.I.P. Beware Vampire, I have 3909 Posts |
It's a pure little gem.
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Eddie Garland Inner circle Hells Kitchen, New York City 4207 Posts |
Wonderful World of Walt!
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Bill Ligon Inner circle A sure sign of a misspent youth: 6437 Posts |
I can't wait to try this!
Author of THE HOLY ART: Bizarre Magick From Naljorpa's Cave. NOW IN HARDCOVER! VIEW: <BR>www.lulu.com/content/1399405 ORDER: http://stores.lulu.com/naljorpa
<BR>A TASSEL ON THE LUNATIC FRINGE |
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AltonThrash Special user Meridian, MS 589 Posts |
I am glad I posted the Okito doll question now.
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Spellbinder Inner circle The Holy City of East Orange, NJ 6438 Posts |
Great idea. It occurs to me that in keeping the cookie-boy in a folded paper napkin, there is a more surprising ending possibility. Placing the folded napkin down on the table, the storyteller tells one of the listeners to guard it and check up on the little fellow from time to time as you continue. At some point the person will open the napkin only to find a few crumbs of real gingerbread cookie left behind. Perhaps a tiny note drops out: "Hide and Seek! You won't find me! I'm the Gingy Boy and at last I'm free!"
Professor Spellbinder
Professor Emeritus at the Turkey Buzzard Academy of Magik, Witchcraft and Wizardry http://www.magicnook.com Publisher of The Wizards' Journals |
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Mystician Inner circle Wallachia 3485 Posts |
Followed by news of Gingy joining the trench coat mafia and gunning down half the school the next week..
That's a very creative twist on a modern classic, Walt, and more than a little dark for the holidays, heh. I have to wonder if this could be done, impromptu, with a real cookie.. if you carry the certain something with you, it might be possible to insert it, so long as the dough is moist enough not to totally crumble. Risky, but wouldn't it be neat to actually grab a real cookie out of someone's batch and do this right in front of them with their own baked goods. I don't know much about baking though, so I've no idea how feasible or ridiculous this is.
Just hanging out with the rest of my fellow dregs.
http:// www . phrets . com Visit http://www.bizarremagic.net |
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Spellbinder Inner circle The Holy City of East Orange, NJ 6438 Posts |
There are other ways to gimmick the effect, and IT might make a better impromptu version with someone's borrowed cookie. Just don't try to levitate it and ruin the story with too many magician's shenanigans. Don't forget to "wipe that grin off his face first!"
Professor Spellbinder
Professor Emeritus at the Turkey Buzzard Academy of Magik, Witchcraft and Wizardry http://www.magicnook.com Publisher of The Wizards' Journals |
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fishwasher Inner circle B'ham uk 1231 Posts |
Wonderful!
Thank you Walt.... |
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SpellbinderEntertainment Inner circle West Coast 3519 Posts |
Thanks for your comments and thoughts everyone!
- I fear that adding more “magic” will destroy the moment and power from the piece, so I really don’t see a way for motivating a napkin vanish. This story is not about the magic, in fact it can be told just holding an appropriate cookie with no magic, and none would be better than too much. - And, yes I agree if he had not died he would have probably shown up at school with an automatic weapon to blow the kids away. That’s why I wrote it, things are far more serious and out of hand than when we put gum in each other’s hair at school. - I do think a real cookie is too heavy for this method, but a haunted-key variation might work. I get nervous with IT work, I guess I’ve seen the never-ending spinning credit card or playing card whizzing past confused spectators too often now. - This is a dark piece, but then again, the Holidays are times of great darkness and great light, and people tend to dwell on those who are no longer with them as well as those who are. - Magic need not be all sweetness, nor all terror, and this piece I hope will provide a good balance of bittersweet. Magically, Walt |
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dough Loyal user Gee. . . 13 years, and only 238 Posts |
Thanks for giving me a mention, made me feel all warm and fuzzy, although the rolling, not so much.
Great story!
"One of the Last Ten in One Sideshows"
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Mark Rough Inner circle Ivy, Virginia 2110 Posts |
Okay, I know Walt doesn't want to take it there, and I won't take responsibility for anyone burning their kitchens down, but a merangue cookie might be light enough. Okay, now back to Walt's beautiful story.
What would Wavy do?
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SpellbinderEntertainment Inner circle West Coast 3519 Posts |
Hey, thin merangue might work, cool!
Walt |
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KOTAH Inner circle 2289 Posts |
You already know I loved this story and concept from the email I sent. Great holiday gift to all of us; but you really should market it. Other cookies from other holidays might be adapted to a story of their own.
Kotah |
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Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
Excellent Walt! Excellent.
A twist on the story for a fast kid routine... Like in the Hot Rod where one does not HAVE to do the Force for a good routine...in this, the Boy does NOT have to die or be brutally treated or threaten suicide if one wants to lighten the mood a tad for a little Holiday kid bit. He can be ostracized because of his poverty...he can have passed by the bakers window with longing eyes for the cookie he could not afford to buy..he could wish he was that cookie in a land of cake and candy... "And you know...he wished so hard that a little piece of his spirit broke away and became part of the legend of the gingerbread cookie boy." But that's not all...later in life he becomes wealthy and buys the Baker shop and every year from then till now, just about at Christmas time... Not great but can expand the idea from dark to warm.
Higley's Giant Flea Pocket Zibit
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fraughton Veteran user of books 327 Posts |
Walt, this story is among the best I have seen for magic. Well done. Thanks for this wonderful gift.
Beware of this and that.
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