Hostess: Ladies and gentlemen, tonight you will witness a contest of magic between two
masters of illusion.
The first is Prescott the Great.
Prescott: Thank you, thank you!
Hostess: His illusions will fool your sense of reality!
And now please welcome our other master of illusion, Mr. Wordsworth.
Wordsworth: Pardon me, did you say illusion with an "i"?
Hostess: Yes, of course.
Wordsworth: Oh dear, there's been a misunderstanding. You see, I'm a master of allusion with an "a".
Hostess: Allusion?
Wordsworth: Yes, allusion, the act of making a reference to something, perhaps a work of
literature or a historic event. Ugh, this is more tragic than "Romeo and Juliet".
Prescott: Wait, did you just use an allusion?
Wordsworth: Why, yes, I did.
Hostess: Very impressive.
Prescott: I have an idea. I will perform an illusion, and Mr. Wordsworth will respond
with an allusion.
Wordsworth: A splendid idea.
Hostess: Then let the contest begin!
Prescott: For my first illusion, I will make a hippopotamus appear out of thin air.
Wordsworth: Do you have Noah's ark under that cape?
Prescott: Very nice.
Hostess: Nice allusion!
Wordsworth: Of course.
Prescott: And for my final illusion, I will make our lovely assistant disappear!
Hostess: Oh, my!
Wordsworth: Like Frodo wearing the ring, she's become invisible.
Prescott: A wonderful allusion! I love those books.
Both: Thank you. Thank you.