The Wizard picks up a branch covered with
red, yellow and gold autumn leaves. He reminds the audience of
the scene in the Harry Potter movie (#3) where the Whomping
Willow tree sheds all its leaves at once, and claims he has
taught other trees to do the same, making it convenient for the
Gardening Elves to rake them all up at once rather than having to
rake them up over a period of several weeks. To demonstrate, he
waves his wand at the branch and all the leaves fall off and drop
to the floor at once.
Now he picks up one leaf and crushes it in
his fist. Taking a fan decorated with autumn leaves, he fans the
pieces of his crushed leaf and they fly out of his hand, faster
and faster until many more leaflets are flying around the air
than could have possibly come from his hand. Magicians will
recognize this as a colorful version of “Winter-time in
China.”
Some of the leaves form a circle about the
Wizard and whirl around him faster and faster. The Wizard may
wish to produce a flute or recorder and provide music for his
leaf dance. Some of the leaves jump out of the whirling pattern
and dance with the Wizard in time to music. Some or all of these
leaves may burst into flames at the end of their dance. Finally,
all the whirling leaves rise up into the flies and the Wizard is
left alone, dancing by himself. The music stops and the Wizard
realizes that all the leaves have flown off. He bends over and
picks up the bare branch that earlier shed its leaves so
suddenly.
“Don’t worry,” the Wizard
tells the audience. “They’ll be back again next
spring.” He waves the branch and it is suddenly covered with
little green leaves and flower blossoms. He puts his finger to
his lips, winks at the audience as if telling them to keep a
secret, and tucks the branch into his robe pocket.
