SARRONCA-RÃ

ONCE UPON A TIME...

Have you ever thought about how theatres used to work before the great modern-day technological advances took place, when there were no electronic effects, and before even electricity was discovered? The SARRONCA RA was a toy that was designed for creating special sound environments. Traditionally the sound box was a hollow nutshell. This made it possible to imitate the croak of a frog (rã), without having to. disturb the lovely little beast.

MATERIAL NEEDED

The canister of a photographic film, an ice-cream stick, a sheet of strong plastic, some sturdy sewing thread and a matchstick.

TOOLS AND ACCESSORIES

A pair of scissors, a penknife and some sandpaper (Nº. 150).

HOW TO MAKE THE INSTRUMENT

You have two operations to perform: one on the ice-cream stick and another on the plastic canister that your film carne in. This is why the SARRONCA RÃ is an ideal toy if you want to make it in the company of a friend. You have to cut a notch in the ice-cream stick and then sand it down to a smooth surface, so that the bow you’ve made with the thread can rotate without breaking. You should then do as follows to the film canister: cut out a round piece of the “strong plastic” sheet that is much bigger than the mouth of the canister and then make a very small hole in it with the tip of the scissors, so that you can pass the thread through. Once you’ve got the thread through, tie a matchstick to one end and tie the other end into a bow, which is going to fit into the notch that you made in the ice-cream stick. Finally, tie the plastic to the film canister and don’t forget to cut the matchstick so that it is only about 3 mm long.

DECORATION

Why don’t you cover the film canister with cardboard and draw a frog on it? Perhaps you think that this is a poor idea, in which case you’ve certainly got a much better decoration planned.

HOW TO PLAY THE INSTRUMENT

I

t is important to make sure that the thread is stretched tight, without breaking. Then rotate the ice-cream stick forwards and backwards. The rubbing of the bow on the notch is amplified by the canister and makes a sound that is just like that of a frog croaking.