One of the most famous stories in magic is that of the legendary Indian Rope Trick. There are many versions of this trick. The story goes: an old Indian mystic caused one end of a long piece of rope to rise slowly into the air where it would disappear through the clouds and remain perfectly rigid. A small boy would then climb the rope until he too vanished into the clouds.
This story led to a multitude of rope effects, which have been a staple in the repertoire of most magicians. Rope tricks are among the most baffling yet, seemingly simplistic effects a magician can perform. They also have many variations, can be performed any time, anywhere and in an impromptu fashion.