O’Toole’s favorite TV show is the Arthur Alligator show. Arthur was a, happy, baggy eyed, Alligator who liked to have entertainers on his show who had never been on TV before. At the end of his program Mr. Authur would award a prize to the best performer. O’Toole was watching this show one evening when Mr. Alligator introduced a hippopotamus magician. The hippo had a nice performance; it was fun to watch the Hippo do his trick.

O’Toole said to Hank the Tank – I wonder if we could do magic on TV.

So, on the next day, O’Toole spent some time with Hank the Tank and Miss Kitty talking about doing a magic trick on TV.  Hank the tank decided that O’Toole and Miss Kitty were going to do a classic Magic trick of pulling a cat out of an empty hat.  O’Toole got very excited. Miss Kitty wasn’t so sure.

Hank the Tank asked O’Toole to find a coat with a big pocket. Hank the Tank wanted Miss Kitty to climb into that big pocket and hide. At the right moment, Hank the Tank wanted Miss Kitty to climb out of that pocket and sneak into the hat.   She didn’t really like being hidden in that pocket for very long. But Miss Kitty agreed to try.  She quickly started liking the trick.

So, Miss Kitty and O’Toole practiced the trick over and over again. First, O’Toole would show the hat to the audience and let the audience see the inside of the hat so that they knew the hat was empty. Then O’Toole started waving his left hand while he moved the hat with the right hand over by the pocket so that Miss Kitty could sneak into the hat. Once Miss Kitty was in the hat, Then O’Toole was going to reach into the hat and pull Miss Kitty out of the hat. The first few times they tried it this Kitty kept falling out of the hat before it was time to be pulled out of the hat.

Do you think they ever could get it right? Gradually they became pretty good at doing all of the parts of the trick. Hank the Tank used his cell phone to record the magic trick. They kept practicing the trick with the cell phone until you could not see Miss Kitty sneaking into the hat on the cell phone.  They knew they were ready for the TV program.

So, they went and found Mr. Arthur, Hank the Tank did all the talking. Hank the Tank convinced Mr. Arthur that they were able to do their trick and were ready for TV. Mr. Arthur asked them to come on the TV program that night. O’Toole, Miss Kitty, and Hank the Tank were very excited.

Hank the Tank, Miss Kitty, and O’Toole arrived at the TV station that night ready to do their magic trick. When their time came to perform, O’Toole and Miss Kitty got up in front of the TV camera and all the people in the audience.  O’Toole told the audience about the magic trick.  The audience clapped they were ready to see this magic trick.

O’Toole showed the audience the empty hat, then raised up his left hand just like he was supposed to and waved it in the air so everyone was watching his left hand, finally he moved his right hand over by his pocket with the hat in his right hand.

O’Toole said quietly to Miss Kitty — please jump into the hat.

Miss Kitty didn’t realize they were on TV. Miss Kitty did not hear O’Toole. 

Miss Kitty stuck her head out of the pocket and asked — when are we going to start?

The audience roared with laughter. O’Toole became very embarrassed.

O’Toole told Miss Kitty – please get back in my pocket.

Miss Kitty hid away in his pocket. Once again, O’Toole lifted his left hand up and asked the audience to watch his left hand.  O’Toole held his right hand and the hat over by the pocket. Miss Kitty jumped out of the pocket and she missed the hat. And you know where she landed? Right on top of Mr. Arthur’s head. The audience loved it.   They clapped and clapped and laughed.  Poor O’Toole was really embarrassed.

O’Toole walked over to Mr. Arthur and held the hat up.  O’Toole said to Miss Kitty — jump into the hat.

Then O’Toole said to the audience — be prepared to be amazed!

O’Toole reached into the hat and pulled Miss Kitty out. The audience laughed and laughed and laughed, they thought it was very funny. O’Toole put Miss Kitty back in the hat and stomped off the stage. O’Toole was certain that his magician days were over.

O’Toole waited and waited for the show to end. At the very end of the show Mr. Alligator announced the winner of the show.

Mr. Alligator said — there was no question in my mind as to which act was the very best for the evening. This award is for the best comedian we have ever had on this show. I want to award the $1000 prize to O’Toole the comedian, Miss Kitty the flying cat, and Hank the Tank the wonder dog.

O’Toole was absolutely surprised, and very humbled. He went back on to the show with Hank the Tank and Miss Kitty.  They received their prize.

Mr. Alligator asked — What are you going to do with this prize that you’ve earned tonight?

O’Tool said — We have some friends who need furniture for their house and I’m going to give the money to them so they can buy their furniture.

Mr. Alligator asked — you’re not going to spend that money on yourself or Miss Kitty or Hank the Tank?

O’Toole responded — no sir, we all three have agreed to help our friends, Mr. and Mrs. Citylife.  They need new furniture and that’s why we came to win the prize so that we could help our friends. We thank you very much Mr. Alligator but now it’s time for us to go, goodbye everyone. 

The audience stood up and gave the trio a standing ovation.  It was a very good day.  The End

Written by Martin Gardner, Published in the Humpty Dumpty Childrens Magazine, May 1956

Adapted for ShalomTalk by Dan, 2024