- In the days of King Arthur, they lived in Camelot, A source who entertained the royal court with miraculous feet south, magic high.

Above the castle walls, the ancient necromancy meets with members of the magic round table.

Come with us now to the secret room of Merlin.

- Welcome, welcome once more to my secret room.

It's, it's nice to see you again.

Our latest round table member is Valentine Callay from Rialto, California.

And in honor of her new membership, I'm going to present a trick that I'm sure she'll enjoy.

It's called the Chinese rice bowls.

I like to present now the Chinese rice bowls as taught to me by the ancient wizard, tongue pin.

Sue, old tongue pin.

Sue use two empty bowls made of spun copper and they performed a very, very important function in the life of all the villagers because when tongue pin, Sue wanted to determine if there would be a good season.

You know, there were a lot of famines in early China.

He could determine this by filling one bowl with rice, a man sized portion of rice.

And by doing that old tongue, OU was able to find out whether or not the forthcoming rice year would be a good one.

And this, this is exactly how he did it.

He leveled off the bowl evenly, one full portion, one man size portion of rice, and then he put the other empty bowl on top of it like this and he shook them back and forth and muttered a mystic oriental incantation, Waka, shawan, naga, henna.

And if the one bowl of rice doubled in quantity to overflowing, then the villagers knew they had a pretty good chance of having a good rice season.

He tap the bowl just like that and slowly, slowly the rice would multiply.

Watch, let's see if there will be a famine or a bounties year.

Will the rice double or remain one bowl full?

This meant there would be a good season if, if one thing happened first, first, old tongue pen had to check the rice for its whiteness for its purity, and he would pick up a few grains of rice and taste them.

Ah.

Said old tongue pin, I think.

I think it'll be a good season.

Oh, but I forgot one thing.

Rice will not grow without sunshine.

And what?

Sunshine and water are the necessities.

So he tap the bowl again.

One more time.

Wa open the Oriental fan and wave it.

And hopefully, hopefully now the rice would vanish and the bowl would overflow with crystal clear droplets of water, rain, water.

You know, all rice fields are thoroughly irrigated without water.

Without water, rice will not grow.

Have you ever seen a rice field, a rice patty?

The little chutes of rice are actually planted under the water into the ground.

And so you can see why.

Why?

Oh, tongue pen.

Sioux made this test.

The test of the water.

Shall we look and see if the rice has disappeared?

And if the bowl is now full of liquid crystal, the all important life-giving water, I'd better make one more sign just for good luck.

Ah, I hope it's a good year in the rice fields.

Yes, there will be no famine.

The bowl is now full of water And the rice has vanished, such as the story as told to me by old tongue ue the story of the rice bowls.

I hope you liked it.

We forgot the sword.

Excalibur, you better make 'em rise very quickly and learn the theme word of the day.

Shall we say the mystic words together?

Here we go.

Ready?

Good.

Fiddly eye fiddly D. Magic sword Rise for me.

And the magic word.

The magic word today is music.

Without music, it wouldn't be much fun.

In the days of King Arthur, it wouldn't be much fun at all.

And there's one person upon whom we could always depend for good music.

Perhaps you can tell me, have you any idea who this might be.

I wonder if you can tell me.

Very, very popular fellow in King Arthur's Day is this man.

Do you know who it is?

Well, he's a man that we like to see many times in the village because this man is the traveling, the traveling minstrel, and he travels from town to town singing songs on a loot or a flute or other instrument that was popular in the days of King Arthur.

This particular young man's name is Alan Odale.

And not long ago I saw Alan Odale playing a loot outside of King Arthur's court.

He's so good.

He's one of Robin Hood's band, you know, and he sings about Robin Hood that I ask him to be with us today.

The very popular minstrel.

Alan Odell.

Welcome to the Secret Room, Alan.

- Thank you, Merlin.

- This evolved from the Loot.

It's a guitar.

- Yes, it is modern guitar.

Yes it is.

It's a 12 string guitar Merlin.

I - See.

Could you play a song on it that well, A song that maybe Robinhood would like?

There's one about Robinhood and the and the and the Sheriff.

- Oh yes, yes, I know that one.

Yes, I'd love to hear it.

Gentleman Hall, listen.

While fall and Fall, I'll tell you how Robinhood served the and robbed him of his gold.

Him of his gold.

It fell on a sun funny day when Vis was in his blind.

But Robin, that him and, oh, what shall I do?

Send Robinhood them.

Thank me.

No mercy, he'll show unto me, therefore I will flee, therefore I'll flee.

Then Robin will Sting, turned him about a little house, did Spy Joe and old wife to save his life.

He love began to cry.

He allowed, began to cry.

The woman, come tell me for good.

I'm an applause.

As many of you know, my name is Robin Hood and Jan and all of I be taken deep day and night.

You'll work me spine and will I be, will I be If thou be Robin Hole and thou just ing to be the day, I will hide from a, I remember one Saturday night, blast me shoes and holes.

I'll hide the person to hide and keep eye from eye from then give to me like coat of gray and take my mantle green spin and twine to me resign and take my my ski.

The show became to the old Matton called in a furious move.

Come let me see the right Robin Hood, the old woman.

He sat on an old milk, Steve himself on a great and for the joy was Robin Hood and laughing all way, laughing all the way.

But as they were riding along, the chance to see a hundred brave men, the green tree under the green water tree.

Who is Y at the chef in that?

My says old woman.

I think it'd be Robinhood out in which I have with me.

Why?

I am a woman who live my cabin.

See live.

Why see me?

The sheriff said, ever.

I saw this date he turned about but Robin South and called him Bid to Stay.

He called him bid, say Robinhood took his medal and spread it out on the ground out of the Sheriff's Pocket came 500 pounds.

Now let him go.

Robin said, no, said little John.

He shall sing us a song before he go on.

Before he does go on.

Then Robinhood took the share of by hand and bound and fast tree and made him sing on Merry song to him and his old man to, and is your - Thank you.

Thank you, LAN.

That was wonderful.

When I say goodbye to our friends, I wonder if you'd you'd play some more for me, would you?

Sure.

We'll see you soon.

I'd like to learn this song.

- Alan Dale was portrayed by Howard Chek.

Merlin is produced in the studios of Ohio University Television, Athens, Ohio.