Chapter 2

"What is Magic?" asked the
man in the blue robe at the front of the hall. A student, feeling
lucky, tentatively raised a hand: "Yes?"

"Something not possible under
normal circumstances?"

"No. Trick question, There is no
such thing as magic."

The general reaction to this by the
hall full of people selected to receive training in Magical Arts was
one of disbelief. Noting this, Sapphire continued:

"Let me demonstrate" he said.

Then he stuck his tongue out at the
audience.

The reaction to this was as was
to be accepted, Old Saff had finally gone loopy and right round the
twist. once the sniggering had died down Sapphire continued,
perfectly audibly and normally, yet with his tongue sticking out.

"Everybody in this room stick your
tongue out."

280 tongues emerged from 280 students.

"Now, roll it into a tube"
said the man in front

140 tongues rolled into tubes.

Another 140 made ‘I can’t do it’
noises.

"Correct" explained Sapphire,
"and that’s what I mean. To half of you, that trick is simply
that, a trick, But to the others it is an impossibility, your tongues
simply don’t do that. Magic is an ability to do something that others
can’t.