Magic is a tradition of entertainment that goes back to ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. It’s a practice that spans cultures. Many First Nations in North America, for example, had skilled magicians. China is home of the famed “linking rings” trick that dates back about 2000 years.

Last year, China hosted the World Championships of Magic, a week-long event held every three years. Magicians compete against each other for a gold medal in different magical events. Canadian Shawn Farquhar won the gold medal for close-up magic with a card trick. To be “close-up” magic, the audience is no more than three meters away (the length of an Austin Mini).

You might not win any gold medals with this trick, but you will wow your friends. And everyone needs at least one party trick.

• 3 stackable cups (we used big plastic cups — not see-through!)

• 4 small balls (you can use cotton balls or even crumpled balls of tin foil)

• Flat surface (a table is best)

This trick should be practiced many times before you go in front of an audience.

Part A — Preparation

1. Take two of the cups and stack one inside the other, open ends facing up.

2. Drop a ball inside the top cup. To hide the ball, stack the third cup over it. The ball is between the middle cup and the third cup.

3. Drop the three remaining balls inside the third cup.

Part B — In Front of an Audience

It helps if you chatter — use patter — the whole time to distract the audience. Use some of the tricks of misdirection. (See page 20 of our latest issue, YES Mag 76!)

1. Tip the three balls onto the table. Space out the balls in a row so the audience can see each ball. Flip all the cups over, placing a cup behind each ball. (Practice tipping the cup with the hidden ball, because it has to be done so no one can see the hidden fourth ball.) The cup with the hidden ball must be the middle cup.

2. Pick up the middle ball and place it on top of the cup behind it. Stack the other two cups over the middle cup. Wave your hands around, say something magical, and then lift the cups. The ball “melted” through the cup! (The cup in the middle of the stack now contains a hidden ball.)

3. Separate the cups again. Place the middle cup with the hidden ball over the ball that “melted” through. The audience should think all the balls are accounted for — two on the table and one under the cup.

4. Pick up one of the two balls from the row on the table. Place it on top of the cup the audience thinks has one ball under it. Place the other two cups over it. Wave your hands and say something magical. Lift the cups. Two balls are under the cup.

5. Separate the three cups again. Remember to place the middle cup with the newly hidden ball over the two balls.

6. Place the remaining ball on top of the cup with the balls hidden underneath. Stack the other two cups on top. Wave your hands and say something magical. Lift the cups. Three balls have magically “melted” through the cups.