Browse:"CHANNEL DE WORLD" (Volume 5, entries 10604–13458)/Part 10
"CHANNEL DE WORLD"
Volume 5, entries 10604–13458. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
1 listed entry is unavailable here.
Entries
Entry 11324
Yo' kin go to a dogwood tree, yo' know, an git dis bark yo' know, an' do somepin to a person - a man eithah a woman. Yo' kin take somepin othah an' bo' a hole in dis tree. See, yo' take dis bark out an' bo' a hole in it [the wood part] an' git some of dat bark an' dat wood yo' understand out an' take an' mix it [bark and borings] up togethah, an' git some [of their] hair, an' den go back to dat place an' chunk [push] it [bark, borings and hair] back [in the hole] yo' undahstand. See, dat [hair] grow up in dere. An' take a - yo' know lak a person go to take a passage, yo' understan', take some of dat stuff [excrement] an' tie it up an' put it in dat hole. [Usually a hole with something in it is plugged up with a peg, perhaps not here.]
Entry 11325
Well, I'll tell you. I heard oldtime people say, they take white dog wood root, maple sugar, and all [= pure] linseed oil, mix it up, dig a hole, plant it at people's door, to keep them down to do their way. [Fredericksburg, Va., Ediphone, No.44.]
Maple sugar is explicitly named in a reported old-time practice; the speaker says 'I heard', and no performed act or successful control is established.
Entry 11326
Those [are] doll babies. But inside of those doll babies, there's somepin they have in there belonging to the person that they Want to do harm to. And of course, they make them a doll baby and sit it on the dresser, anywhere, nobody will never take any- thing of yours. That's how come they make those doll babies to hide what they are doing. [Here a doll baby is an ornament that also protects against thieves, but it is also an ideal place for an evil person to hide his cunjure.]
Entry 11327
(Your mother was sick?)
Uh-huh an' de doctor said dat somebody had put somepin down for 'er. So I kin remembah dat he dug up - you know, dey had dese fireplaces, an' he had taken up threw whole bricks. [I] remembah when he'd taken up dese bricks. Dey had a bot- tle buried an' had a form as a baby wit feathahs. Dat Was sewed up in a piece of yellah cotton [or unbleached homespun] an' in dat - see, he opened it - an' in dat dey had a red piece of flannen an' red cayenne peppah intuh dis bag. An' dis baby had its legs an' feet an' arms made outa feathahs.
(Chicken feathers?)
Chicken feathahs. An' some of 'er hair was in dis bag. An' so he tole my mothah tuh leave it tuh him, dat he would 'tend tuh dat bag. So, well, I don' think he did anythin' good enough. But still he put somepin else down dere, but my mothah always said dat whoevah put dat stuff down; dat dis man instead of workin' fuh 'er, he was workin' fuh de people what put it down. An' she didn't give him dat. [Patient keeping doll baby is most unusual. Poor doctor!] (Well, how was your mother sick? I mean - how did she happen to call him in? How did it start?) She had, she was kept wit dese wretched headaches, you know, an' she had de [medical] doctor, couldn't do nuthin. She kept sick all de time an' was jes' pinin' away tuh nuthin. An' so somebody told 'er tuh see one of dese root doc- tors. An' so she got one. An' de time he come dere, he says, "Yes, dere's somepin right here." An' she [said], "Dere's somepin dere? Go get it." He went an' got it. Looked like he know right where 'twas.
(Was it inside of the house or outside?)
Inside de house, in dat hearth, 'neath de three bricks, an' dere it was all laid out fer 'er. (Was this thing in a - what did you say the name of the thing, this feather thing was in?) In a, you know, a bag, in a yellah cotton bag. Was made on purpose fer it, so it would be shaped all of de baby.
(The bag was in that shape, too.)
[The bag was a baby doll form stuffed with feathers.]
Uh-huh. Dey done fixed it an' had made it out of feathahs, an' put it down fer 'er. Now, my mother's ['s = was] sick all de time.
Entry 11328
A woman, that she didn't appreciate what choo do for her, and you want her to be in bad luck an' didn't want her to keep any money. An' yo' get you one dollar from her, you burn the dollar to ashes. Blow it out of your hand that way [demonstrates]. And she will never be able to keep anything in the world.
Entry 11329
Git chew three dollars.
(What kind of dollars, silver dollars or paper dollars?)
Paper dollars. An' dress dem wit some salt and some bread, an' wear it fo' three days on yo' left side, an' fo' three days yo' take an' go to three stores an' spend each one of them dollars - a dollar to each store yo' go to. An' dat'll bring yo' luck. (What kind of luck?) Well it bring yo' luck in making - gittin' holda money every day yore life.
Entry 11330
Dirt from under their [victim's door] step, put in bottle, carry to river, throw over left shoulder, they'll follow.
Entry 11331
Ah said, jes' lak someone is gone an' yo' want 'em back home, why yo kin take a dove - git chew two doves. Kill one de doves an' let de othah one be live. Jes' lak, say fo' in- stance, yo' want Charlie tuh come home. Drop three drops of dat blood outa dat dead dove on de wings of dat live dove - on each wing - an' call Charlie's name wit each drop of blood. An' drop three on de next wing an' call Charlie's name. An' turn de live dove aloose an' let him go wit dose six drops of blood on his wings, yo' see. An' dat will bring de person back home whut chew wanted back.
Entry 11332
Don' want chew tuh mess with a dove. Anybody [everybody] crazy 'bout a dove an' ever'thin' else 'cause dey say he discovered dry land, when he went out. If dey take one of his[!] aigs or anythin' lak dat an' bust up one of his aigs, yo'll be ragged all de time.
(He discovered dry land in the Bible.)
Entry 11333
Get a dove feather from right wing and use three of those feathers [slivers of the feather] and turn them up like platting[?] and tie one end. Put in bag and wear round neck and let hang between breasts. Whatever woman asks of man she'll get.
Entry 11334
Yo' kin git a dove, a turtledove. an take de heart out an' let it dry. An' when yo' dry it, yo' kin take a red strip - a string - an' wear it round yore right arm. [I turned off recording machine too soon.]
(That's luck for what?)
Fo' gamblin'.
(You get this from a turtledove?)
Yes, turtledove. Yeah, de heart of a turtledove.
Entry 11335
"Bout takin' de mo'rnin' dove [= turtledove] an' takin' his heart out, dat's fo' fixin' somebody. Yo' know, fixin' 'em in any kinda way dat chew wanta, so dey mindless. Dey take de heart out of a mo'rn- in' dove an' have it parched up until it jes' be like ashes or a powder, anythin'. An' say yo' kin take dat an' put dat intuh any watah or anythin' dey use tuh drink, or anythin' dat chew Wanta put it in, an' from time tuh time after yo' give it tuh 'em in de weeks dat dey live, dat dey would be jes' mindless or go jes' crazy.
Entry 11336
(Well, tell me about the dove's heart then.)
Just like I and you is enemies. I get me a dove and I'll take the dove and call your name, you see, at twelve o'clock at night. And I'll take that dove and I'll stab that dove through the heart and call your name In the Name of God, the Father, the Son. And when that 股中 dove - when that pain hit that dove it supposed to hit you, you see, and that will effect you, and you will wilt down just as that dove die. You see. But you gotta call your name and hit that dove through the heart with the knife. (I see.) [This is only one of many times in HOODOO I was used as a guinea pig.]
Entry 11337
Well, yo' take now fo' love - yo' know whut dese little ole hoot owls is, yo' know. No, ah mean dese little morning [mourning] doves. (Mourning doves that coo-coo like that?) Yes. Well, see a person kin go out, chew know, an' kill one of dem an' cut de tongue from under his mouth, an' place it under yore tongue in yore mouth an' kiss a girl, an' it'll be hard fo' yo' to git rid of her. She'll come to be in love with yo' an' yo' couldn't git rid of her.
Entry 11338
Mah husband had quit me once an' a girl tole me about a dove. She tole me tuh take de tongue of dat dove an' put it tuh dry, an' den lay it in Hearts Cologne, an' den when ah gits a chance tuh go wit mah husband, tuh put it in mah mouth an' kiss him, an' his love would come new ag'in to me. So ah tried it an' suah enough, it did.
Entry 11339
Kill a dove and put de dove's tongue under yore tongue an' kiss anyone dat chew love an' dey will git affectionate.
Entry 11340
Dere's a love powder yo' kin make, too. It's made from a dove, a turtledove. Yo' git dis turtledove an' put him in de oven an' jes' bake him dere until he dry. An' yo' make a powder an' sprinkle dis powder, a teaspoonful of powder into a cup of wine, an' dat will draw de love.
(Of the person that drinks it?)
Yes.
Entry 11341
Dese little mawnin' birds like a turtledove, dey calls it - lak a dove, a mawnin' dove. It's lak a [something] but it's a smaller bird. See, if dere's a sick[ness], dere 'fliction around de house, yo' see him come light around dere. Pretty soon dat's a dead body. [A note of mine reads: "The drunk who came in twice.'"'
Entry 11342
I've heard that people will take and burn dragon's blood on the stove and it's supposed to drive all trouble away.
Entry 11343
Take dragon blood an' dress it with Hearts Cologne, sompin lak that, a' jes' use it in yore home. That would make it lucky fo' things lak that. (If you were selling liquor or anything of that sort.)
Entry 11344
Yo' go to de drug sto' an' yo' git somepin dey call dragon's blood, a' yo' gits sulphur an' nine seeds of red peppah, an' yo' take dat an' burn it. (What will that do then?) Dat will keep de poleece away. An' den yo' take some of it an' spread it round de front, yo' know, spread it round where he'll come ovah it, but jes' a little bit chew know where it won be noticeable. Take some dragon's blood an' sulphur... Dat will keep down spells.
(That will keep down anything anybody is putting down for you.)
Ah mean keep 'em down where lak where a poleeceman's an' lak dat dey'll come try tuh come in, but dat will keep dem from comin' across.
Entry 11345
One way to do, dey go on dere and dey take an' burn sulphur and dra- goa's blood. Put it behin' de do'r, front do'r. Den dey go down to do'r, one dey go after to git dat jah - job. (I see, they burn that before they go down to the house [to get job].
Entry 11346
If you be out of work and you want's to get a job, you go to the drug swre and you get you some cinnamon bark - not the ground cinnamon - cinnamon bark. You chew that. You get you 25 cents of what you call - it's a drawing powder - and you gotta pay attention too when you get that. After you get that powder... Now, for you, you have to get pink. They got two kinds of it. got the pink and white. You get that drawing powder. Of course, you rub of it in the palm of your hand like that [demonstrates]. You take that cinnamon bark and you chew that cinnamon bark. And when you get around there where the boss is, of course, spit it but not enough so nobody will pay atten- tion to you. You take some of that powder and you put it in some of your pock- ets, and because it's got a sweet smell to it, nobody never pay attention to it anyway. In your pockets. When you close to him, spit that cinnamon bark around there. And that powder will draw him to the person [to you] and he will give you a job.
Entry 11347
Yo' has dis earwax an' yo's fixin' tuh have a' interco'se wit a woman, if she wuz subject tuh any disease. All right, yo'll take de wax out de ear jes' befo' yo' have her, an' jes' lak yo' make de pass in, tetch it wit dat ear- wax on yore finger. If dere anythin' dere, she can't stay dere. She'll jump clean from undah yo'.
Entry 11348
Git eel hide.
(He wears the eel hide and then - what will that do for him then?)
Well, yo' see, jest lak eel - yo' know yo' kin ketch an eel an' yo' can't hold him to safe [save] yo' life. After yo' gits de hide from dat, yo' wear it next to yo' skin tight, an' if a person ketch yo' it's jest lak when yo' ketch a eel it's nuthin that he kin do wit yo'. Yo' kin jest do 'way wit him jest lak dat. Ah don't [know] how come, but....
(If you are wrestling they can't hold you.)
Dey can't throw yo'. [This eel belief is known everywhere.]
Entry 11349
Ketch yo' a eelfish outa any watah an' skin him. An' skinnin' him, put dat hide up an' let it dry, an' aftah puttin' it up dere to let it dry, yo' cut yo' a piece about big enough to go round yore waist an' jes' wear it round yore waist. An', man, nobody kin throw yo'. (Nobody can throw you in a fight.)
Entry 11350
Ketch a eelfish an' scrape dat slime offa him into a cup an' po' dat whiskey on it an' let it set twelve hours an' strain it off, an' give it tuh him tuh drink. (That will stop him from drinking.) [This cure is known everywhere.]
Entry 11351
See, fo' instance, take a eel, yo' understan' aftah yo' ketch 'em outa de watah dataway, an' skinnin' him, an' takin' dat skin an' leavin' it till it dries. Pound it up to a powder an' put it into his pocket when he go anywhere. Well, jes' as slick as he would be when he's 'live, dat's de way yo'll be able to make yore points, yo' know. Seems lak if de watchman is dere yo'll git by him some way. Where, if ah wuz wit'out it, ah'd git trapped, yo' understan'.
Entry 11352
Well, yo' know, as ah first said, if somebody yo' have somepin in fo' 'em - ain't goin' de way yo' want 'em - tuh puttin' 'em tuh walkin' or sompin othah, anything. Well, yo' go down tuh de rivah an' yo' fish an' try tuh ketch a eel. Yo' know it's a long ole fish look lak a snake. Well, yo' cut de haid off an' have a bottle or a glass or sompin ready, an' hit's one drop of blood dat will drop from dis eel's haid. So yo'll take dat an' yo'll take some honey. An' dey'll take some honey an' de root dey call de High John de Con- ' kah an' dere's one dey call de Low John de Conkah. Well, yo' take dis root an' yo' boil dat an' yo' make a kind of a syrup-lak, an' as yo' go tuh dis friend or whoevah it is, house, an' jes' lak dey shoes be's sittin' undah de dressah - somewhere yo' know, round de house. Well, yo' kin drop three drops in de shoes or anywhere jes' so long as it be's neah de shoe or a little bit git on de shoe. An' yo' kin say whatevah yo' want tuh be done, "In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost." An' in de limits of time, dey say it will come tuh pass.
(What did you do with that drop of eel's blood? What did you do with that?)
Yo' take dis drop of eel's blood an' yo' fixes it wit dis honey an' dis othah root - High John de Conkah.
Entry 11353
Eel grease, l drop in ear for 9 mornings for deafness. Someone gave to me for my supposed deafness.
Entry 11354
Put eel powder in food or drink to kill. [Fredericksburg by Ediphone.]
The account names 'food or drink' as alternative media and states a killing aim; no result is established.
Entry 11355
Eel skin in liquor to stop alcoholic drinking, from Fredericksburg by Ediphone.
Entry 11358
Eel skin or blacksnake skin around waist makes wearer supple and slip- pery in wrestling; no one can throw you. Norfolk 488:2.
Entry 11359
Wear eel skin on waist so that no one can hurt you. Wilmington 268:2+85.
The short account claims protection so that 'no one can hurt you'; it does not establish invulnerability or a verified result.
Entry 11360
Eel skin worn on back for backache caused by cunjuration. Richmond: 358:6.
The account attributes backache to 'cunjuration' and describes wearing eel skin; the cause and effect remain unverified.
Entry 11361
Dey tell me, say, yo' kin git de fo' names of de 'ciples [who wrote the 4 Gospels] an' write it yo' know, an' jes' like.... An' den take twelve fig leaves, sompin othah lak dat, an' wear it in yore left shoe, an' dey tell me de folks will come; yo' know, give up.
Entry 11362
They have some powder - you go to. the Cracker Jack Drug Store dowatoun you know They calls it the Evil Powder. (Evil Powder?) Yes sir. You takes it and sprinkles it around your house or on your steps, you understand. And finally - not tomorrow you going to move, but finally, you get disgusted of the place and you'll move on away from that place.
(I see.)
Entry 11363
It's just like if you go out and have a passage. You will take that and put it any place that will do, put it in a jar. Get nine needles and nine pins and nine tacks, and put them in there and stop that up, and it will cause you not to move your bowels. They won't move. They'll pass through your mouth and finally it will kill you.
Entry 11364
(To drive a person crazy what do you do?)
Well, it's to take some of his - whut yo' would call it some proper name, ah don't know.
(His passage?)
Yes sir, an' bo' a hole in a tree.... [Stopping passage up in tree is a common rite. I have reproduced this one here to indicate the limited vocabulary con- cerning vital parts and func- tions of the body.]
Entry 11365
Turpentine and red pepper with excrement put in north side of tree to kill or burn victim's hind end.
Entry 11366
Jes' lak if mah husband be's goin' wit a woman an' ah been tryin' tuh prevail wit him tuh leave her alone an' she won't do it. Yo' git de green an' red pod peppah an' git two. All right, yo' dig all dem seed an' every- thin' outa dose two pods of peppah an' yo' kin throw dat away anywhere yo' want. yo' git chew a gunshell but it gotta be black [have black pow- derl. Git chew some dis salt in one pod of dat peppah an' name it de woman he goin' wit. Put de gunpow- dah in de othah pod an' name it he. Yo' curse her while yo' doin' dat an' den yo' curse him. Yo' git chew some fat lightwood splintahs [can be large pieces of wood] an' yo' cross dem disaway [demonstrates]...
(Like an "x"?)
Yessuh, an' while dey burnin' yo' jes' be cursin' 'em fo' everythin' yo' kin think of, an' when dat powdah blow up, when he go tuh see her ag'in, he'll beat her an' den he won't go tuh see her any mo'.
(He'll beat her?)
Yes sir. Dey'll fall out right den, see.
Entry 11367
Dey say a fig tree, dat hit every Christmas or every New Year's Day dat hit blooms, dat hit stay as it blooms, little blossoms, little seeds come on an' off, an' be gone away 'fore day every New Yeah's.
Entry 11368
Undah de fig tree, dey says, de first night of de year, say if yo' go down tuh de fig tree, say yo' kin heah music in de air. Says if yo' jes' sit dere yo' couldn't tell which way de sound comin' from. Dat is New Year's night. Say if yo' go down tuh de fig tree, say yo could heah angels singing. Say yo' couldn't tell whut dey wus singing an' which way it was comin' from, but yo' jes' heah dat music.
Entry 11369
Dey say de fig tree leaves is good fo' luck. See, yo' take dem an' put 'em in yore cifforobe [combination of wardrobe and chest of drawers (U. S. A.) or yore trunk or put 'em in yore billfold, de fig leaves. Dey are nice fo' luck. Jes' take a leaf yo' know, lak a little young leaf-lak, a little young one, yo' know, not one de great big ones. Put it some- where yo' kin handle it, jes' spread it out.
Entry 11370
Ah heah mah grandfather say dat evah yo' workin' fo' a man an' felt lak he wanted tuh git rid of yo' or somepin othah, it slow on de job, yo' jes' go an' take a fig leaf an' Write de 23rd Psalm, ah think, an' put it in a lil' red bag an' keep it an' let it stay in a stream of runnin' watah fo' about eight days. Say he won't fiah yo'.
Entry 11371
Dey take de root of a fig tree from de no'th side an' hang it up ovah de do' dat chew go in an' out de most, an' it would make yo' be lucky in havin' a job or anything yo' wanta undertake tuh do.
Entry 11372
Ah know if yo' go to a fig tree an' cut a root outa fig tree - cut dat root 'bout large as yo' could hold it in a pocketbook - well, it's luck to yo'. An' den in any kinda games - yo' are lucky in any kinda games wit fig root. Yo' know, put it in yore pocket an' tote it lak dat. It's lucky.
Entry 11373
Said yo' go to a fig tree an' yo' git a root from de no'th side, a root from de west side, dat de side de sun set on, yeah. An' git de root from three different parts; don't git it from foah, git it from three, three different directions, [they] say. An' yo' keep dat root an' put a little Hearts Cologne on it, an' jest keep it in yore pocket an' yo' kin demand anything yo' want done. Dat's all from a fig tree. [For another version of this rite, also from Waycross, see No.1247, v.1.]
Entry 11374
Well de fig tree is always goin' tuh be good. Yo' work good wit dat. Anything, yo' understan', tuh do or whut chew want it tuh do. (How would you do that?) Well, yo' jes' only put it at de root, anything whut chew wanta use in dat. Jes' lak if yo' wanta do ne good, an' wanta give me even good luck on it, yo'll put it at de foot of a fig tree. Yo'll jes' take me an' name me. An' den when yo' name me, why, co'se den yo' jes' only write mah name an' den yo' write whut chew want done. An' den yo'll put dat down at de fig tree root, but chew put it in dirt. Dat's all ah know 'bout dat.
Entry 11375
De fig tree - take a bottle an' urinate in de bottle. An' it's jes' lak if yo' got it in fo' me an' yo' wanta hurt me, urinate in de bottle an' den take somepin else [what?] an' po' in dat urinate, an' take dis red string an' tvist it real tight an' slash it to de main root of dat fig tree. Anybody go to dat fig tree an' eat it dey poisoned. If dey eat a fig offa dat tree dey's poi- soned. [The preceding word slash I evidently understood as lash according to my following question.]
(How do you tie this string around it?)
See, yo' takes de cork stop- per an' puts it into dis bottle. An' yo' takes a small nail an' makes a hole right into de center of dis stopper, right down in de cork, see. An' de end of it, take it out an' jes' twist it real tight an' jes' take yore knife an' jes' open de end of a tendril, jes' break off de tendril an' jes' let de thread in dere, an' jes' let it close right back up. See, dat urinate po' right into de tree.
(You have part of the string into the bottle and part of it hanging outside?)
[This is one of several transfusion rites in HooDoO, another example of how doc- tors imitated M.D.'s.] Yes.
Entry 11376
If yo' wanta git a girl tuh love yo', yo' take her undah a fig tree an' [they] say, yo' take her dere fo' as many times as twelve, an' dey say, if yo' git her tuh go with yo' twelve times, say she'll love yo' - aftah yo' taken her dis twelfth time say she will love yo'. Jes' take her down dere an' talk with her under de fig bush.
Entry 11377
Yo' know, during when de figs is green, dey have a little white sompin dat chew kin mash up. An', if yo's in love - lovin' someone an' she wus treatin' yo' so jes' like yo' wanted tuh git out, quit lovin' her or sompin - dey claim yo' take two of dose figs an' squeeze. Don't git de seeds, jes' git all dat milk out an drink it with yore milk an' all, an' along - along gradually she'll come to leave yore mind. Jes' like yo' have yore mind set on somepin, yo' can't think of any- thing else but dat. An' dey claim dat dat'll settle it. Dat's whut ah hear de ole people say. Ah've nevah tried it.
Entry 11378
Yo' kin take a three- cornered file an' yo' kin crawl under de middle of some lucky person house - person's house - underneath de house, an' yo' kin put dis file down jes' about two inches. In three days dey'll be gone.
(That's to move them out of the house.)
Entry 11379
Git a brand-new three-cornered file; see, a brand-new one - three- cornered file. Yo' kin git one fo' a nickel right down to Kress [= Kresge, now K mart]. At fo' 'clock in de mawnin', if yo' want dis house [house in which I was then interviewing informant], see, if yo' want me [to] move outa dis house - not outa town now - jes' outa dis house. Yo' comes dere to de step an' stick it fur enough [under] so nobody kin see it, see. An' den leave it an' de folks will leave dis house.
(They will move out?)
Oh, dey gotta, ah seen dat happen.
Entry 11380
Git a ole rusty file, understan, what somebody haven't used and you kin file that file. In other words dig a hole about two steps from the door- step and put a hog foot down in dere. An' then go about two steps further and you drive that file down about two inches under the dirt. An' of course when you drive it down in, using three words. Conseguently, it won't be long till that's gone. (What three words do you use?) Well, you drive that down, In the Name of the Father, Name of the Son and the Holy Ghost.
(I see. What will that do to them then?)
Well, they have to go. That will set them going.
(Make them move.)
Entry 11381
Or yo' kin take a file an' yo' kin write a man's name an' keep him at home wit a file - keep him, make yore husband stay at home. Yo' kin buy a brand-new file, be shore it's a brand-new file, one of those flat files, an' name it yore husban'. Yo' take it home an' yo' write his name comin' tuh yo' on dat file. Dat's kinda hard tuh do but chew kin do it. Write his name on each side of dat file. An' den lay it up where he tranferrin' in an' out, an' dat'll make him stay at home.
Entry 11382
De file, dey say yo' kin take a file an' file a nail down right fine. Dat whut dis man say, cut de nail down right fine an' put de nail down undah de do'sill an' put de file up undah de sill undah de house. (You file a nail down?) Yeah, right fine - yo' know, right sharp. (To a point?) Yes. An' yo' nail it down in de ground - put it down in de ground, right undah de sill, an' den take de file an' nail it up on de sill undahneath de house. An' dey says dat will make a quiet home. [Undah de sill undah de house shows that this house is built a foot or more aboveground, resting upon 4 or 5 piles or pillars and having open sides, so that you can crawl underneath to perform this rite. We have met these houses and under-the-ground-floor rites before.]
Entry 11383
(You bury the file under the doorstep? This brings trouble into the home?) That brings trouble in a home. (The point must be....) Extendin' [pointing] to de house. Yo' don' wanta bury it dis way on de step [demonstrates]. Yo' wanta bury it dataway, extendin' to de house an' kinda elevated up. Dat brings trouble in de home.
Entry 11384
Yo' take dat file an' it's a certain place at chure steps. yo' stick dat file down on de point. But chew gotta have sompin else tuh go undah dat. Yo' gotta have... Yo' take dat John de Conkah, yore chamber lye an' a teaspoon fulla sugah. An' de blue- stone yo' beat it up, if yo' don't git it compounded. Yo' beat it up an' put it in dere, an' yo' take it an' yo' put it in a hole. Den yo' take dat file an' yo' stick it down - po' it [ingredients] in dat hole an' stick it [file] down dere, about two or three inches from yore steps. Dat's whut dat file is fo', tuh keep down dose sharp things [an enemy could bury under your doorstep].
(What will that do now?)
Dat will hold yore luck in dat house. It will hold yore luck.
Entry 11385
Policeman comes several times and you wanta keep him away, and you doin' underworld work. You have to get you oil of cinnamon, use your chamber lye, and cayenne pepper, and scrub every morning before the sunrise. Scrub into house [for trade], never out. Then you get you two brand-new files and you put 'em to your door and cross 'em. They can't come over that.
(Well, where did you put these at the door then? How would you put them?)
What, the files?
(Yes, at the door.)
You would put them underneath the doorstep.
(Underneath the doorstep. I see, so they won't come in.)
You have to use 'em in de back door like dat [also] if there is two entrances going in. Well they can't come across those two new files.
Entry 11386
Take a file if anyone be doin' anything roun' yore home. Take a file an' a new brand [brand-new] file an' [demonstrates] place one at that corner an' one at de othah corner [of house], an' one at chure [front] do'steps, an' dat do away with all dat.
(Place those two files at the two front corners of the house?)
De front corners of de house.
Entry 11387
Yo' kin go tuh a hardware sto' an' buy yo' fo' new files an' stick 'em down to each corner of dat house an' somebody be always dere who wanta rent it. If yo' want anybody tuh stay, dat'll even make 'em stay. Dat's right.
Entry 11388
Take a file an' place it undah yore [their] do'step, dat cause 'em tuh move. Git a piece of dere clothes, yo' know, a piece of cloth in dey garment. Prob'ly a person when dey washin' or sompin lak dat, not knowin' dat yo' have anything against 'em, cut a piece of dere garment off an' use it. Bury it undah yore [their] steps. Yo' have to do it at night quite natural.
(Whose steps do you bury it under?)
Undah dere steps. (If I wanted to harm you, I would get a piece of your garment and bury it under your step?) Yes.
Entry 11389
If yo' wanta git me outa heah, bury dat file an' let it stay dere nine days.
(Where do you bury it?)
Undah de front steps. [New Orleans, La., (1558), 2982:10.}
Entry 11390
[Since these three divisions of our margin title are listed both sin- gly and together in the following rites, I have for convenience combined them here in one margin title; this title later to be followed by a closely related but sep- arate margin title FOOT PRINTS or FOOT TRACKS. These latter in former times and through much of the year were made by the skin of the bare feet. Other rites about these four aspects of the human body are scattered throughout HOODOO.] Fingernails in food helps love matters. [Wilmington 83:4+85 & Richmond 348:1.]
Entry 11393
Lotta mens an' dey drink plenty of whiskey or gin, an' dey goin right by, dey tell me yo' take some of yore fingernails an' put in it, say dat will help bring business. Put dat in dere. [Fayetteville 2599:8.]
Entry 11394
You can wear another person's fingernails for love. [Wilmington 115:5+85.]
Entry 11395
"They take your fingernails, if you kin git 'em after somebody cut 'em off, an' wraps 'em up in a handkerchief, and take and wear 'em close to your body. They claim you kin always have power over 'em. You kin do 'em any way you want to and they can't do nothin' to protect themselves about it."
Entry 11396
Dirt from under someone's fingernails kept or worn causes love.
[Mobile 882:4.]
Entry 11397
Fingernails are worn in shoe to hold person. He specifies middle finger of right hand and finger next to little finger on left hand and dirt from under these 2 nails. [Vicksburg 1001:6.]
Entry 11398
I heerd 'em say day dey kin get chure fingernails and dey take and burn 'em and git de ashes. See, and put it in de ground and bury it, and dey say dat you will suffer wit de headache. I hear 'em say dat all de time.
(Suffer with the headache. I see.)
The informant reports hearing about ashes from burned fingernails. Neither preparation nor the alleged headache is established, and the interviewer response remains separate.
Entry 11399
Take dey fingernails and bury 'em an' make 'em lose dere mind. [Fay- etteville 2614:13.]
Entry 11400
Scrape fingernails, put in coffee, tea, or whiskey, an' you'll go crazy. [Charleston 572:2.]
Entry 11401
If dirt under your fingernails is dropped into whiskey or anything, your system becomes poisoned or poisoned. [Charleston 642:5.]
Entry 11402
"Scrape the fingernails into the drink...goes into the man's stomic... that ails him...as if you put a slow poison in a person." [New Orleans 1135:7.]
Entry 11403
"They take your fingernails and soak it in whiskey, and you drink it, and it will kill you AS DEAD AS FOUR O'CLOCK." [Fredericksburg, by Ediphone.]