P 49 In British folklore, Pif and Paf are names of "the country where cats are made," homeplace to the Breton fairies.7 Pif-paf is a British interjection meaning "Pow!" For example, "Pifpaf! a blow on the ear sent sparks flying before my eyes, and rolled my hat to the ground."8 Variations and Incantations: • Pif paf piaf patapan -- Charles Nodier, quoted in Poétique de la Coupure Chez Charles Nodier by Hélène Lowe-Dupas (1976) • Pif, paf, plouf -- Raymond Federman, Take It or Leave It (1976) • Pif paf pof -- David Ascher, Learning Python (200 ) • Pif paf poof and voilà -- Matt Pilky, Angling Lines Forum, RMCAngling.co.uk (2004) • Pif paf poof nanoolia -- RiskyChris.com (2005) • Pif, paf, poof, tarapapa poom -- Jacques Offenbach, The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein (1867) • Pif-paf-pouf -- Gerard Genette, Mimologics (1995) • Piff, paff, poof "I opened the door to the tank and asked her to step inside. 'Once inside please face the front, and place your hands through the holes on either side. And ladies, would you please hold hands with our sweet volunteer, so that the audience can plainly see that she remains in the box at all times.' I moved to the side so that the camcorder could see she was now restrained inside the box. 'Now I'm going to shut the door, like so . . . could you please wiggle your hands to show that you're alright . . . excellent . . . and now I'm going to say the magic words -- Piff, Paff, Poof -- and Susie, our young volunteer has now disappeared!" -- Big Dave, "The Tuesday Club Episode Three: It's a Kind of Magic" (200 ) Piff Pang Poof Pop Facts: These are magic words "that work wonders" in conjunction with a fairy godmother wand, according to Elizabeth Ingrid Hauser's Princess Crafts (2005). 7 Lewis Spence, Legends and Romances of Brittany (1917) 8 Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine (1898)