MAGIC WORDS narrator: And he sneezed! . . . rufus: (over) Whoops! narrator: Immediately, the square section of marble floor on which the King was standing, descended, depositing His Majesty into the blackness below. Weatherspoon, still under the black cloth, had his eyes closed, and his mouth open. weatherspoon: Ah . . . ah . . . Atizoo! . . . narrator: The marble slab rose up, and fitted itself neatly back into place in the checkerboard floor. weatherspoon: I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but . . . Your Majesty? (puzzled) Where have you gone? (miffed) We-ell! Fancy rushing off like that! Just because I sneeze! How very petty! ... narrator: Weatherspoon started to paint. What a strange char acter Ampumpo was, he thought. He wore his hat upside down, and his tunic back-to-front! Perhaps he walked backwards too! (almost laughing) And wrote backwards! (sounding more serious) Ooh, then the magic word might be Oozita backwards! Weatherspoon stared at the letters carved into the ancient stone. weatherspoon: (slowly spelling) A, T, I, 'Zed', O, O. Atizoo! . . . narrator: (over) The earth shook and the new post box swayed. weatherspoon: Ooh, dear! narrator: The ancient stone, with the pillar box on top, had sunk into the ground! weatherspoon: My new post box! narrator: Suddenly, two grimy heads appeared from the gaping hole. weatherspoon: Your Majesty! Lord Chamberlain! rufus: Help me out, Weatherspoon! weatherspoon: Are you alright, Sire? rufus: Ooh. We had a terrible time down there, Weatherspoon! What happened? weatherspoon: I sneezed, Sire, and a sneeze sounds just like the magic word! rufus: What is the magic word? weatherspoon: Atizoo. Aum (see also om) Aum is the creative sound whose vibrations build the worlds. . . . He who can pronounce it with the right tone, is able to work wonders. -- Alexandra David-Neel, With Mystics and Magicians in Tibet (19 1)