Browse:"CHANNEL DE WORLD" (Volume 5, entries 10604–13458)/Part 14
"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 11644
You take an' get you a twine string an' put five knots in it, see. An' then, after you put those knots in it, then you'll wrap it roun' another string; you know, like a string where you go on Broad Street [and buy something]. Dey, you know, bind it [package], tie it up. Well, jes' put them knots on that string. An' tie it on that string an' jes' wear it all the time an' [it] help you, keep you from havin' those fits.
Entry 11645
I've heard dat you go to your bossman an' ask him fer a job, an' if he don't seem like he wants to hire you right away, why you go to work an' git you some of this five-fingah weed [grass]. You put a piece of that in your Pockit, go to him the next day. See don't he hire yuh.
Entry 11646
(Five-finger grass.)
Five-finger grass, and I'll put this five-finger grass in under the faucet.
(Near the faucet?)
Yes. And I'll take me a piece of John de Conquer and go out like that and that long a piece too - have it in my mouth, go out like that - I will be chewing as I go on [to see the boss]. And while I'a approaching you, I'll do like that [demonstrates].
(Spit around.)
Yes. Then I go begin ask you my favor and I won't go away unheard.
(I see, I see, but you must have that five-finger grass in your pocket.)
Yes. Yes, sir.
(I see. What do you carry that for? What's the idea of that?)
That five-finger grass, that's attractive; more, that's to make things at- tractive, that's John the Conguer's master. Must break down all the friction in between you [two], you understand. [As I have probably explained else- where, originally five-finger grass was the name five-finger given to 4 plants: the common cinquefoil, oxlip, bird's-foot trefoil, and Virginia creeper. The hoodoo root shop, mail-order firms, and individual root collectors surely extend- ed the list.]
Entry 11647
Dey tell me yo' kin take de grass dey call de five-finger grass in yore pocket, wear it in yore pocket in yore pocketbook, an' de judge, de jury or de magistrate cannot convict yo'.
Entry 11648
Bringing in customers. Well, first start yo' off burnin' some incense. Yo burn yore incense an' den yo' use de five-finger grass. Hang it up anywhere in yore place of business. Den yo' keep a High John de Conkah roots. Dat would increase yore business.
Entry 11649
You collect 3 things by moonlight: five-finger grass, wild peppermint leaves, and clear water [pure at a spring or well]. You prepare and drink this concoction [by moonlight?] and you can conquer anything. [Memphis, excellent informant, 965:10.]
Entry 11650
Well, you get you some flaxseed, see, and you sprinkle that flaxseed around the door. See. And when that - whensomever that flaxseed begin to come up, well, after that flaxseed is grown about two or three inches, well, I'll guarantee you, that after a period of time, that you have to move; 'cause I've seen that happen, in my neighborhood. See.
(Here in New Orleans?)
Yes, sir. [Flaxseed put this rite into witchcraft, they being used to catch a hag or witch, see Nos.508-509, p.153, v.1. Was this a method for moving a witch from a neighborhood or annoying him or her?]
Entry 11651
You git that brown sugar, an' you git that flaxseed, an' you git some steel dus' [3 ingredients] an' mix it up. An' jis' like I'm livin' on this - you livin' on this corner an' you bootleggin'. All right. You take an' you sprinkle it both sides of the street on each corner. The law ain't gon'a bother you.
Entry 11652
Well, dat, it's supposed to be - it's jes' 'cordin', yo' use dem two ways, right an' left. Dat is, if yo' wants de re'lly fac' 'bout it, yo' use de right stockin'. Whut chew mean is to tie a person up. (Just tell me one way they use them.) Well, yo' kin take de flax- seeds. It's re'lly de fac' 'bout it, suh, jes' take three flaxseed an' put 'em into a stockin' or sock. If it's a man's socks, an yo' wanta break 'im up wit a woman, yo' take three flaxseeds. Yo' know whut ah'm speakin' of now. Yo' take three flaxseeds an' put it into de toe of a stockin' but dat's gotta be a new stockin' dat nevah has been used. An' den yo'll go tuh work an' yo'll slip it somewhere or 'nothah fo' him tuh put on. Den he wears it one night - wears it even one day an' he takes - when he pulls it off dat night. Well, yo' git it an' turn de stockin' Wrongside outwards an jes' let it remain wrongside outwards an' it 'sposed tuh be anyways undah de bed dere.
(You turn that sock wrongside outwards and put it under the bed.)
Yo' put dat flaxseed in dere, dese three.
[I stop a moment to straighten out the thinking.]
(Well, now, you have already put them in and you've turned the sock wrongside outwards and the three seeds have fallen out?) Yes sir, but fix it de way he'll wear it jes' one day.
(Well, what does that do then?)
Dat's tuh break him up if he's goin' with a woman. {Here again flaxseed are used against witchcraft, that of the other woman whd was holding the man from his wife.]
(Does he wear either sock of his?)
De right sock.
Entry 11653
Git chew [corn] meal or flour in de barrel an', dey a enemy to yo' sift dat flour good an' make it up. But dey won't cook but half of it an' turn de dirty [baking] pan ovah de other half an' let it stay 24 hours an' throw it [bread] out. An' dat cuts yo' off from gittin' any mo' [corn] meal. Have a hard time gittin' flour or whatever yo' wantin'. Can't hardly git nuthin tuh eat.
Entry 11654
Even with ears thought [spirit?] can hear anything, even a whisper, even if asleep = [ears are wonderful but you, at least some of us, were born with an additional hearing aid]. You were born with a little hole, like a pinhole, in your forehead. [It is invisible except to a seer.] It is called a wisdom hole or receiving hole. Through it you receive messages from [and you are in touch] with the Spirit of God, where to say no and where to say yes. [These "yes" and 'no' answers spiritually received are a spiritualization of the "Jack, ' the fet- ish that answers its owner's questions by movements meaning "yes or "no"; see "JACK-BALL" MAN in interview Pp.1593-1599, v.2. The present invisible hole on the forehead is actually the secret mark on a person's forehead I have discussed in my introduction to the interview of DOCTOR MARCUS BROWN on p.1290, v.2. It is the tav or taw = sign or cross, 22nd letter of Hebrew alphabet, the mark of the elect or chosen of God (Ezk.9:3-7). Both hole and mark are the eye in the middle of the forehead sometimes seen in occult signs or advertisements. Secret wisdom began with the tribal witch doctor and it is still with us!]
Entry 11655
Takin' a fo'k an' stickin' it down in de ground. Jes' lak if ah didn't like yo' an' ah wanted yo' to move 'way from dat place without any fuss, ah'd take de fo'k an' stick it right in de corner of yore house right directly where yore bed is. Well, yo' jes' git so upset yo' jes' gotta go - yo' can't stay, yo' gotta go. [This is a corner-of-the house rite, sometimes the corner being inside, at other times outside; the one outside occasionally under the house. Opposite corners of a house or room also occur. Most frequently we find 4 corners of the house.]
Entry 11656
Ah heard yo' take a fo'k an' put it in yore bed mattress an' sleep on de fo'k three days, an' dey say that'll separate yo' an' yore sweetie. (Well, who would put that in there, under that?) Yo' put it in there yo'self yes, tuh git rid of yore man. Yo' see, yo' take that fo'k an' yo' put it in yore bed mat- tress, yo' see, an' yo' turn it towards him all de time. See, de sharpest parts [tines]. See. Yo' turn it towards him yo' see an' yo' sleep on that, three nights straight, an' that breaks yo'all up completely. An' tuh keep him away aftah he git gone, yo' git chew some table salt. See, an' sprinkle it jes' lak this [gets up and demonstrates]. Sweep it on out. He gotta stay out. Jes' do it gradually all de time, aftah he leaves [for work], when he walks out dis mawnin'.
Entry 11657
Yo' kin go tuh a sto' where dey sell dat fo'ks an' yo' kin buy it, an' name it when yo' buy it, this individual. Then yo' come back home an' yo' take a piece of papah an' write their names on it, an' make a wish, an' wrap that name right on that fo'k, an' yo' might tie it [name] on there. Then yo' kin carry it to some runnin' watah an drou it in there, an' don' look back at it, an' yo'll [person named will] go crazy. As that watah run, yore mind an' that sharp fo'k - yo' know, yore mind is on things an' off lak that.
(How do you throw that in the water?)
Throw it ovah yore left shoulder an' jes' keep awalkin' [away never looking back].
Entry 11658
When yore man's wit a woman an' yo' want her tuh quit him or sompin, jes' git chew a ole brass fo'k an' go tuh de do' late at night. Jes' knock on de do' an' curse, say, "Come outa dat, come outa dat," three times. An' dey say dat'll break 'em up. (What do you do with the fork?) Jes' stick it in de do', "Come outa dere." Junk it in de do' lak dat, 'Come outa dere," an' curse it. Dey say dat'll really break 'em up. Dat jes' cuts 'em right in two.
Entry 11659
An' if yo' already outdo's, yo' git a knife an' a fo'k an' yo' bury it undah dere [front doorstep] an' see if yo' cain't conker de rent man. Ah done tried dat. Ah know dat from self experience.
(Just how do you bury that knife and fork, any special way?)
Bury de knife dis-a-way [demonstrates] an' de fo'k dis way. (The fork crossing the knife.)
Entry 11660
Yo' in a strange place... nobody tuh inquire whut direc- tion it is, an' yo' tryin' tuh git to a town an' heah's de fo'ks of a road, dey say yo' git de right han' fo'k. All - ordinarily yo'll be right. Ah've heard that.
Entry 11661
Go at midnight to forks of road, bow down and pray to Lord for what you want. Go 9 nights.
The short account describes praying 'to Lord' at a road fork; prayer words and an achieved result are not supplied.
Entry 11662
Say yo' go down to de fo'ks of de road fo' good luck, nine mawnin's, an' after nine mawnin's yo' always have good luck... (What do you do when you go down to the forks of the road - what do you do down there?) Ah don' know! [The just going down gives the good luck.]
Entry 11663
Den you go to de fo'k of de road, see, dis here way; de road comin' like dis, one comin' like dis, and one straight up [3 roads coming together, a "Y" fork]. And if you wants me to die tonight, you goes to de fo'k of de road, say, "God damn it, I wants Mary to die to- night." Well, you hears a gang of music, but chew don't see nothin'. And you jes' throw a penny down dere and go off from dere. You left one penny dere, and I [Mary] dies 'fore de night is over. (You will die before the night is over. The fork of any road where two roads cross?) Ye-es, no, de fo'k of de road like jes' one coming dis way, one comin' dis away and one straight up.
(I see, three roads coming together.)
Yes, dat de fo'ks. (And you just stand in the fork of the road at twelve o'clock at night and you just say....) Twelve in de day and twelve at night. It don't work no other time; twelve at night or twelve in the morning. Gotta throw a penny down dere, you know. Yeah gotta leave a penny.
Entry 11664
Go to the forks of the road. You gotta get - there's a certain dust on the middle part of the forks of the road. Well, they take that and they put it in a clean cloth and they make nine knots - tie it in nine knots. And they take that and wear it around their waist, and now they got you stopped. [This is a protection against con- juration.] (Well, what do they wear that for?) Well, they - what they wear that for? Well, they kin harm you a whole lot, see. They kin make you go to a certain distance as they want you to go, and they kin stop you at a certain distance, if they wanta stop you, see.
(Well, how would they use that?)
[Informant has already answered my question.]
How they?
(Do they use it in any way? Or do they just wear it around their waist?)
Just keep it around their waist [for protection]. [New Orleans, La., (884), 1457:5 0r 4.]
The informant describes dust from the middle of road forks tied in a clean cloth with nine knots and worn at the waist, discussing control or harm. Hyatt labels it protection, including a final bracketed gloss. Preserve that difference in purpose and the interviewer's repeated questions without converting editorial protection into the informant's explanation.
Entry 11665
You go from home to the fork of the road sometime.
(You go to the forks of the road, then what?)
You go from home to the fork of the road. You, somebody wants you to do somepin for 'em to harm 'em [someone else]. You take you a frizzly chicken, you stand on the left-hand side of the fork of the road, and you got the per- son's name you wanta do harm to. And kill the chicken and put their name inside of the chicken and bury it. But it have to be before day in the morning, after twelve and before day in the morning. (I see. You bury this frizzly chicken and that name in it, the name of the person you want to harm?) Yes.
Entry 11666
Yo' go down to de fo'k of de road an' yo' kin take a fresh aig - jes lak yo' in bad luck. Git a fresh aig an' a penny an' throw it cross yore shoulder at de fo'k of de road an' walk on an' don' look back. After while it put chew in good luck. (You throw that penny and
[WHY EGG? THAT IS PAYMENT FOR SPIRIT OF THE FORK] the egg over it [shoulder]?)
An' de aig ovah - both of 'em together, an' throw it cross yore shoulder an' walk on - de left shoulder and walk on. An' why dat put chew in good luck? An' de one dat come an' find dis penny, it put dem in bad luck. [This is a tranference rite, very common in wart cures.]
Entry 11667
Wal, jes' lak if yo' wuz goin' tuh de fo'ks of de road tuhnight, see. It be a certain hour dat chew go. See, yo' goin' dere at twelve a'clock at night. Yo' go at twelve a'clock dis night. Well yo' go, yo' say. Yo' git chew some steel dust. Yo' go wit de steel dust. Yo'll go in de fo'k of dat road where yo'll make wit yore footstep lak dat [gets out of chair and demonstrates]. (You make a cross right in the fork of that road?) Wit yore shoe, right- han' foot, an' yo' take an' pick up some dust, an' yo' takes an' mix it wit steel dust, an' sprinkle it lak dat [demonstrates]. Yo' walks an' as yo' walk yo' make yore wishes. An' yo' come back dere [to the forks] to a secret prayer. Make a secret prayer at de fo'ks of de road. What- somevah yo' wanta know about at the forks of the road, it [answer] will come to yo'.
Entry 11668
Walk just like you walk to the two forks of the road, from the house, make a cross mark with your right foot, you know. Turn around and go back to the house. That's supposed to be lucky to you. Sup- posed to bring luck to you. (That will bring you luck, I see.)
Entry 11669
I have heard that they goes tuh the forks of de road and dey crossmarks yo' out like that. That's whut ah've heard about that.
(Well, what does that mark do? Do they just make a mark there in the road?)
They jest make a mark at the [fork of the] road.
(Well, how does that affect me if I don't go out there?)
It won't 'fect yo' if you don't go out there. If yo' go out there it'll 'fect chew.
(I see, you have to walk over that mark.)
Entry 11670
Whut dey do's at de fo'k. Well, de fo'k of de road, when yo' do dat, yo' kin draw a person tuh yo' or yo' kin run 'em from yo'. Well, now, when yo' got dere at de fo'k of de road, yo' git dere at sunrise. Well, den yo' make a cross, jes' lak de cross dey say dat Christ hung [on], yo' know. Yo' name dat even, an' yo' cross dat, an' den yo'll take a little graveyard [dirt], good or bad [grave] it don't make no difference. An' den yo' put dat in a little bit of sulphah an' salt, an' den yo' make a powdahs of dat - lak, yo' know, an' den yo' throw it in dat place. An' dat's de way yo' uses dat at de crossroad, yo' know, anything lak a fo'k. An' dey [den?] yo' say, yo know, yo' have to talk to it, say, "Jesus Christ suf- fered an' died on Calvary Cross, why can't yo' do so- an'-so-an'-so." See, jes' anything yo' want tuh name tuh it.
(You do that for harm or bad?)
Yeah, it'll do eithah fo' good or fo' bad, but den yo' have de Lord, an' make it which way yo' want it tuh go.
Entry 11671
When yo' go to a forks of de road, make a cross mark an' go. If yo see a fork of de road, make a cross mark an' go [on your way]. Said yo' more den apt to be lucky. Dat's whut ah heard, yo' more den apt to be lucky. [For luck by making cross at fork of road, see No.11668.]
Entry 11672
Take de dirt out de fork of de road, if you don't want 'em to leave. Take de dirt out of de fork of de road and put it in a bag and hold it there. Keep it, that will keep them from going away. (You just go out to the forks of the road and pick up that dirt.) Yes, an' put cayenne pepper with that, and hold it. That's what ah heard.
Entry 11673
Say yo' kin go to de fo'ks of de road an' take, yo' know, dat crossin' sand. [sand from crossroad used in crossing person]. An' go an' git 'im, say, a box about foah inches square. An' git a piece of flannen cloth. An jest lak it wus me, dey take mah name [write it] and [write] whatsomevah dey wanta do tuh me; lak dey wanta kill me or wanta lingah me. Dey kin take dat an' read de 35th Psalm fo' nine days at sunrise, an' [while reading it] turn yore haid to de sunrise, an' dey kin kill yo'. (What would they do with all these things in that box? You didn't tell me vhat they did with those.) Well, dey would jest go an' dey would take dat crossing sand [sand from cross- road] yore name, yo' understand, an' dat jest be closed up [in the box]. Yo understand me. Go out an' put dat ingredients in deah. It's a dragon's blood dat chew kin git - dragon's blood - put it in dere. An' put dat box back to- gether, yo' know, jest like yo' kin use dat sand an' dat dragon's blood an yore name an' read dat - yo' understand, dat 35th Psalm.
(Where do you put that box then?)
Well, yo' jest place it most anywhere about in de house, ain't got no certain place.
Entry 11674
Go to the forks of a road and yo' can git dat dirt jes' as it turn off at de forks of de road, yo' kin git dat dirt an' yo' kin take it and bring it back an' sprinkle it in a person's shoes an' if dey wearing dat shoe an' yo' want 'em to go, that will keep them going.
(But you must get this dirt from the fork of the road.)
Git it from de turn, that's to make them leave. (It must be the dirt from their track?) Not from their track. Yo' go out to the forks of the road, you git dat dirt.
(Anybody's dirt or any kind of dirt.)
No, yo' git de dirt out of the road, not nobody else's track.
Entry 11675
Go out to de fo'ks of de road an' git some dirt, if it a person at yure house, yo' know, an' yo' want 'em tuh leave or eithah come back, see. Yo' git dat dirt out de fo'k of de road an' bury dat up undah de steps. An' put so some sugah an' two brand- new needles ain't been used. (What will that do?) That will make them stay at home.
Entry 11676
If somebody put a spell on you, or evil verk [work] on yuh, ah kin take yuh any night at twelve 'clock an' go tuh de fork of de road. An' lak at a certain time [I will] fetch yuh on back home an' fix de door tuh yuh step - an' den yuh'll go back- ward an' go tuh yuh baid- room an' git a pair of 'is socks or some othah thing. An' nine days aftah dat yuh would be off from home. Nine days aftah dat yuh'll commence tuh... [I inter- rupt.] (Well what would you do at the crossroads? What Would you do down at the crossroads to cure a person?) Why yuh want me tuh tell yuh secret information? (I'm not going to be here to go into business again- st you or anything of that sort, you understand. [Long silence and I continue.] You see, what you tell me is confidential. It doesn't go any farther, you see.) Well, I'll tell yuh anyhow. Now yuh, if anybody harm yuh, hurt chuh, an' yuh Wan'a put a spell on dem [this is called "returning the spell"]. Yuh go an' git a frog, one frog. Git chuh nine, nine eightpenny cut nails. Yo' know what a cut nail is?
(Yes, a square nail.)
Mm [whatever that means!]. An' go carry it tuh de crossroads, jes' go ovah de dirt where his feet print [leave footprints]. Do lak dat [demonstrates] an do lak dat [demonstrates again] an' be raising de nail.
[I describe his actions.]
(The person puts his hands down on the ground.)
[The hands are spread out flat on the ground.]
Gotta have [demonstrates] ground gotta go through his hand, you know [demon- strates].
(Through his fingers.)
[He continues to demonstrate.]
Yuh put yuh fingahs here and den yuh put de nails right here.
[Demonstrates a hammer.]
(A special hammer you use for that purpose.)
[While this is going on.] De devil will come along. Nevah go up to him. Go back home as slow as yuh kin an' carry dat nailed-down [prints] an' take de sand wit it. Nail dem tuh de steps an' yuh do de same thing. Let him go in de house backwards. As he go at de step goes on up, go in backwards an' lay down [to rest]. He gonna git up early - sunrise. Aftah sunrise de nex' mawnin'. An' den yuh give him a quart of vinegah an' sulphuh, an' in dat bottle. An' put it dere an' throw it in runnin' watah, den dat will [begin to work]. An' in nine days time, if he ain't too long [gone, he will begin to recover].
[While machine stopped I ask a question.]
No, yo'll start at de do' an' den take five more [steps] an' git some vinegah. Tie it right togethah wit a piece of cord string an' put about a spoonful of sulphur, wit a quart of vinegah. But chew have dat fixed. Now you have dat fixed a couple of days, yuh undahstan'. Den aftah yuh do it, git de person an' let 'im take a dose three times a day.
(That'll cure him?)
In nine days now dat person week is up an' de reason it is done. If it's recently done, dey has de party dyin' in t'ree days. [Presumably the longer the spell in time, the longer it takes to cure it.]
(The person that put the spell on him.)
Yeah, goes back [to him] see. [This is called returning the spell and by other names.]
[To be on the safe side I continue.]
(As I pass, I put them [my feet] down there and make my footprints and my handprints right at the crossroads.) Right at de cross of de road [making this the center of a square and a quin- cunx rite] and come right back to de steps and do de same thing. An' he'll [doctor] have to carry yuh back as yuh go backwards an' lay in de baid.
Entry 11677
Yo' go tuh de fo'ks of de road an', when yo' go tuh de fo'ks of de road, yo' git a pinch of dirt from de fo'ks of dat road. Den yo' go to do - befo' yo' go tuh de fo'ks of de road, yo' go tuh de graveyard yo' know, an' git some of de graveyard dirt an' mx it tuhgethah. Den go tuh de fo'ks of de road an' git some of dat, an' mix dat tuhgethah. Den yo' have tuh season it, chew know. Yo' git dem two things an' yo' git some salt an' yo' git some peppah an' some sulphur, & an' crumble it all wit dat dirt from de fo'ks of de road. An' it will do jes' whut chew want it tuh do.
(What will you do with it?)
Yo' went dere fo' a purpose. When yo' went tuh de fo'ks of de road, yo' vants somebody probably, or yo' wanta change somebody from goin' wit somebody's else, an' yo' bring yo' dese, an' why, dat means dey'll come yore way.
(What do you do with that dirt after you mix it up? What do you do with it?)
Sprinkle it.
(Where?)
Yo' know, jes' lak ah know yo' goin' out. "Sposin' ah'm goin' from heah ovah yondah an' yo've gotta cross dat othah fellah's house, ah sprinkle it right down in yore yard an' yo' walk ovah dat. Yore mind changes, dat changes yore mind. (That changes your mind. That is if you want to bring somebody back, some- thing of that sort?) Yassuh.
The informant describes a mixture of dirt from a graveyard and road forks with salt, pepper and sulphur, sprinkled to influence a person's direction or attachment. Questions clarify use and purpose. The hypothetical yard scenario begins with an unclosed printed quote, so no closing speech boundary is invented; both dirt origins and the qualified return purpose are retained.
Entry 11678
Yokin git de graveyard dirt. Yogo tuh de graveyard. Yo' kin go dere any time a-night dat chew wanta, if yo' ain't scared tuh go, an' git chew some of dat dirt: but chew gotta burn some of it, an' keep some of it unburned. Anwhenyo gits in a place, jes [like] ah'm in heah an want chew tuh do business wit me. Ah keeps some wit me all de time, an'ah jes' rubs mah han's when ah wants tuh be lucky. An'ah raps mah hands on de table lak dat [raps on interviewing table] an' ah've nevah gone out broke. Ah've always had a dollah every day of mah life, evah since ah've been usin dis dirt an' burnin' ah've got it. An' den yo' kin take dis graveyard dirt an' yo' kin go tuh de fo'ks of de road an' git dirt; dat's where yo' meet dem two fo'ks of de road. Yo' know whut ah'm talkin' about. Yo' go in dere. Now, yo take yo' a silvah spoon, yo' go to de fo'k of de road an' yo' git chew some dirt an' put wit dis graveyard dirt. Yo' kin conkah all of yore enemies in any way yo' want, if yo' take dis dirt an sprinkle it round dere [their home]. An' yo' kin be partic'lah wit it, ain't gotta let 'em see it; 'cause if yo' let dem see it, yo' know, say yo' doin' sompin wrong. Yo' gotta be partic'lah wit anything yo' do. See, dat's de way ah use graveyard dirt. An' it gotta be burnt, some of it's burnt. When yo' git dat dirt outa de fo'k of de road yo' ain't gotta burn it atall, but yo' put it wit dis graveyard dirt an' yo' kin do anything. Yo' kin conkah all yore enemies in any kind of way. Dat make yo' successful. Yo'ain't got nuthin tuh do tuh keep de law away, but jes' yo' go out an' den yo' go tuh de fo'k of de road. Go on back tuh de fo'k of de road now in dis partic'lah business. Yo' take yo' silvah spoon an' yo' git yo' some dust an yo' ain't gotta put de graveyard dust. Now, jes' about nine or ten steps 'way from yore house an' in front of dere, jes' sprinkle dat dust down, an' count de tracks dat chew make, cause if yo' make a mistake, well, yo' liable tuh have tuh go ag'in 'cause somepin othah liable tuh happen. But it always causin' tuh keep yore enemies cowered at chure feet when yo' git that dust from de fo'k of de road. If yo' got it wit de graveyard dirt it goes bettah wit chew. If yo' ain't got it, well, it's all de same - it'll do it right on. Jes' go tuh de fo'k of de road on de left-han' side.
Entry 11679
Atdefo'ksofde road, well yo' go at a certain hour at de fo'ks of de road. See. Yo arrive about six a'clock in de mawnin early, six a'clock in de mawnin'. Well, yo look no'th, yo' look east, yo' look south an'yo look west, yo' see. Well, den yo' say dis, "Lord, he'p me tuh rule dis day." Pray dat prayer, "He'p me tuh rule dis day." Dat's tuh conkah yore enemies, from round yo'.
Entry 11680
Well, yo' kin go to de fo'ks of de road for de man dat chew love or yore husband - to see who yore husband was [is to be]. Yo' kin go dere an' set until twelve a'clock at night jes' wit chure whole heart an' mind on a husband an' he'll appear befo' yo'. Or, well, if yo' wanta go dere, if yore husband don't come dere an' yo' not goin' live long, why de shape of yore coffin will come.
Entry 11681
If one wants tuh marry a man, gits a looking glass an' go de east of de fork of de road an' buries it there. Well, that makes this man marry her. (She simply takes the looking glass and goes out and buries it at the forks of the road.) Forks of the road. Turn it up, an' den she visit dat yo' know fo' nine mornings.
(Well, how does she know she is going to get the right man?)
Well, dat de one she want. Well she put his name on dat glass an' puts it dere.
Entry 11682
What do they do at the forks of the road? Well, dey go out dere some- time tuh bury glass, a broken glass. Dey go out dere to meet spirits in some way but ah cain't explain dat ex- actly, 'cos' ah done fo'got. (What kind of glass do they bury out there?) Well, dat's a mirror, a lookin' glass. Well, dey bury that there tuh bury their troubles to these fo'ks.
Entry 11683
Dey go tuh de fo'ks of de road. Dey calls yore name an' de' drives a stäb [stake] in de fo'ks of de road. Well, dat jes' keep yo' goin'. Yo' can't stay in one place, jes' keep agoin' - goin' all de time.
Entry 11684
Ah says, dey'll - sometimes dey'll go dere [forks of road] an' drive a stäve [stake] down in groun' where yo' can't see it, and pull green grass and put on top of it. When yo' git dere yo' won't know it. Yo' can't cross dat road. (You can't cross that road? Where do they put that stake?) In de middle, right in de middle of de road. Dey'll drive it down so yo' can't see it, even wit de groun', yo' know.
(You do that out at the forks of the road. Well, what do they do that for?)
Well, if you walk over it, you'll have pains de balance of yore days in yore laigs, dey begin tuh git so stiff.
Entry 11685
Ah've heard dat yo' go to de fo'k of a road, somewheres roun' where fo' fo'ks run dis way, one dis way, one dis way an' den dis way - de crossroads, yessuh. At fo' fo'ks. An' make a round ring dis way [demonstrates circle on ground] an' drive a stick [stake] right into de center of de ring - drive it to 70 degrees - an' de stick probably is nine inches or twelve inches [long]. An' drive it clean down to twelve inches. It shouldn't be ovah twelve inches long. [This means stick is level with ground.] An' dat takes great effect when a per- son walkin' along dere. Sometime a person will stumble [but he does not stumble over stick!] an' dey don't know whut cause 'em tuh stumble. Ah've heard of dat, too, an' it taken great effect. (You do that against some of your enemies or some- thing?) Yes. If yo' have a enemy, yo' know, an' dat's de way yo' want to git 'em. Cause 'em to have a [physical] downfall.
(Does he just fall down or what?)
He fall down an' git full of pain or somepin lak dat.
Entry 11686
Yo' go out dere 'fore day in de mawnin' an' git a twig offa tree at de fo'ks of de road an' use it. Yo' kin use it fo' luck, fo' bad luck, an' dey use it with dis red flannel. Ah 'magine yo' seen red flannel. Yo' use red flan- nel. An' git chew a twig while de sap is in it, but chew cain't git it when it's dry, at de fo'ks of de road. Dat cause people tuh has spells, fallin' outa beds, agony in de haid, agony in de feet, athaletics feets an' all lak dat. (What do you do with this twig? How do they work that?) Well, yo' git chew a piece of red flannel an' git chew some turpentine an' asafetidy an' boil it all tuhgethah in 'bout, jes' say 'bout a cup of watah an strain it an' po' all dat drugs [dregs], let say yo' has drugs tuh it, an' strain it through dat red flannel. An' aftah yo've strained it through de red flannel, den yo' use only de watah, understan'. Set dis watah in a dark place in a closet an' keep dis twig in dis red flannel wrapped. Yo' kin weah dis roun' yore neck fo' luck fo' yo'self. An' de watah fo' bad luck yo' kin sprinkle around a person's do'steps tuh cause 'em tuh move. If yo' wanta sprinkle it fo' luck, if yo' Wanta sprinkle it, yo' kin sprinkle it tuh cause 'em tuh move. Yo' kin sprinkle it fo' a person dat's sick, tuh make 'em have iller health. Yo' kin sprinkle it where a person is sick, tuh make 'em have bettah health; accordin' tuh whut chew magic' but chew gotta git it from de fo'ks of de road 'fore day in de mawnin'.
Entry 11687
Yo' go tuh de fo'k of de road - fo' luck yo' mean? [I probably nodded yes.] Fo' luck. An' yo' turn around twice [stand- ing in same place] an' on de right han' side, not on de left-han' side. An' yo' succeeds dere on de right han' of de road. Don' nevah look back, jes' keep right on on de right han' side, yo' understan'. An' right at de bend of dat fo'k of de road - dere's three fo'ks of de road. Well, at de second fo'k of de road, yo' look right at de second road.
Entry 11688
Well, yo' kin go to de fo'ks of de road an' probably turn aroun' three times an' yo' don' [look back?]. Cos' whatevah yo' have [of victim's] well, yo' know, jis' lak if yo' wanted to do somebody some harm or somepin. Well yo' take whatevah yo' got of theirs an' place it there in de fo'ks of de road, an' there where they're [vic- tim is] goin'. They'll stop, an' they cain't go any further becuz' they'll lin- ger roun' there, yo' know. Well, they'll continue goin' that way all de while until dey die.
Entry 11689
Dey go to de fo'ks of de road an' dey turn three times, but ah heard dey go to de graveyard befo' an' dey gits some dirt. An' dey take dat dirt an some sugah an' some sugah of lead an' some sulphur, an' take it an' take dat dirt an' bury it undah de steps, undah de front steps, either de back - if dey's out an' yo' want 'em tuh come in...yo' take it an' yo' mix dat all up togethah. Yo' take it an' bury it undah yore steps, where dey gotta come ovah. An' dat'll make dem come back.... Either yo' take it an' bury it out from de steps. Dat'll make 'em go away.
(What about the forks of the road?)
Ah say, ah've heard of 'em goin' to de fo'ks of de road but it be at de grave- yard at de fo'ks of de road, an' git dat graveyard dirt.
(You have to go to a graveyard that's near a forks of the road?)
Yassuh, tuh git dat dirt, but now if yo' say go to de graveyard an' git dat dirt off a grave fo' dat somebody dat's went away.... An' yo' wanta git 'em back.... Dat's whut ah'm tryin' tuh tell yo' 'bout dat graveyard dirt. Yo' go dere an' git dat an' yo' bury dat dirt.
Entry 11690
: Take the forks of the road, [I will] just mark on this [piece of paper] the forks of the road there.
[After he draws a diagram I comment.]
(That's the forks of the road. All right.)
Now, you kin take the forks of the road [a crossroad] and you kin go either mere or there [to right-hand or left-hand fork]. You kin make a wish at twelve o'clock at [demonstrates]: (At each fork - at either fork, just before he gets to the joining place.) Yes? (Yes, all right.) You kin make a wish there [demonstrates] for success for dealing with women. You can make a wish [here, a second place] for success in instruments - like you nta play a piano, guitar or something [demonstrates]. (I see. On the right-hand side of that fork [4 forks] you use to wish for women; the left-hand fork is used for instruments and things of that sort. All right.) Yes.] Now, but you must be here at twelve o'clock.
(On the right hand side?)
Yes, either side [chosen] you must be there at twelve o'clock at night, you know.
(I see.)
After the clock strike twelve. You go there before then and be there at twelve. And you'll be entertained [all sorts of things will appear].
(Then you just make a wish. That all you do then, at the forks of the road?)
[Machine stops. No answer.]
Entry 11691
Well, yo' take de colored folk graveyard - yo' nevah been dere, is yo'?
(No.)
Well 'scuse me - dis heah is de white folks graveyard [demonstrates], yo' undahstan', an' de colored folk graveyard come lak dat dere tuh de fo'ks of de road lak dat. Well, yo' kin go right chere 'tween de colored folk graveyard an' de white folk grave- yard, an' any man whut owe yo', take an' write a let- tah, yo' undahstan'. Yo' ain't gotta git no lawyah tuh 'rest him. Yo' go right tuh de fo'ks of de road lak ah tell yo' an' jes' pick up lak dis heah jes' pick up lak dis heah [demonstrates] de white folks graveyard in dis graveyard, yo' understan'. Yo' go right dere tuh dis heah an' take yore han' backwards an' take it up...
(Pick up what?)
Pick up his track backward. An' don't cay [care] if ah owe yo' or anybody owe yo', pick it up backwards, yo' undahstan', an' don' say nuthin 'tall. Jes go home.
(Tell that over again.)
Ah said, any colored man - if yo' open up a place right heah - yo' got dis place right heah now. If ah pass by or anythin' an' yo' not friends wit me, understan'. Well, lak ah wus walkin' from dis side, an' den - well, yo' jes' ketch mah track lak dis heah [demonstrates] undahstan'. An' de sulphur, so dat yo' don't go out dere an' fight dere in de [street]. Yo' go round back in de sto', undahstan', an' set it right dere in de cornah an' yo' jes' shake dat sul- phur up fine, undahstan'. "Fore dat sulphur git burnin' good, yo' undahstan', in dat fo' cornah of de house. See, dat's a cornah of de house, dis a cornah, an' dis a cornah, an' dis a cornah. Well, when yo' set dat table yo' gits a little bit an' sprinkle in dat cornah, dat cornah, dat cornah an' dat cornah. Dat fo' cornah of de house. An' den de man ovah nex' do' can't - de Irishman or Jew or [who?], yo' undahstan', he say tuh dem, "Dis man has opened a place of business heah. Ah been befo' he come heah an' he got mo' customahs den ah got. Ah think ah'm goin' move."
Entry 11692
Go to a table, de fo' corners of a table, an' scrape de dirt off it - de fo' corners of a table an' cook it in his biscuits or anything she cook it in an' give it to him to eat, an' ah guarantee he won't leave. He'll stay right there [I had heard about sitting down at a kitchen table, scraping the corner to your right and feeding scrapings to dog, also scraping 3 corners for the same purpose, keeping animal home (see FACI, 2nd ed., Nos.2295-2296, p.91- 92); but keeping a man home with scraping from 4 corners was new to me. Is a man harder to keep home?]
Entry 11693
Dey say take a piece of dis heah fo' corners of de world [a rare root in HOODOo], yo' know, a lil' piece of root about dat long. It's got fo' corners, call it fo' corners of de world. An' a piece of High John de Conker. An' tote dat [those 2 roots] an' dey say yo'll git work.
Entry 11694
Sompin yo' do to make de boss give yo' a job - find dat herb.
(All right, do you know how to do it?)
It's a four-finger herb, jest lak a, made jest lak a man's [the 4 fingers of his hand]; like a gombling han', four-fingered herb. All right, yo' go in de woods some place an' yo' kin find dat herb. Yo' kin find dat herb in Alabama. Probably kin find it in de vest part of Florida, but ah nevah found it. Yo' break off de second from de last little finger - break dat one off, probably stick it in yore mouth jes' lak yo' would a match stem. Den yo' walk in an' ask de boss fo' a job an' he can't turn yo' down.
(What do they call this root?)
Dat root is called de fo' finger, de fo' finger lucky root. (Wait, you break off the finger next to what would be the index finger - break off this one here?) [I demonstrate.] Dat's right.
Entry 11695
If it was me - 'course ah been in this same shape [had a man leave me]. She kin do that in through another woman.
(How would she do it?)
She [herselfl kin, if she's a four-headed woman; she kin do things as all that. He would come back - [or] she would come back to you [a man]. She kin dress him, but ah couldn't do it myself. [Here is a woman who still thinks that bringing a husband or wife back is work for a professional worker. Tran- scriber could not understand a woman having four heads; the reason for her transcription four-handed in original transcription. Four-handed is a legiti- sate word, industrious, but not here. I believe this to be the only use of Fgur headed in HOODOO. A two-headed, two-head or two-header are common.]
Entry 11696
It's a simple thing, scrub yore house out every first Friday. Yo' scrub yore house out an' yo' git dat drawin' powders. Ah jis' fo'git de name of it. But anyhow, if yo' got a place of business an' dey have sawdust - not only sadust, yo' could even sprinkle it. [There are many scrubbing rites, mostly fra New Orleans and Algiers, scattered throughout HOODOO.]
Entry 11697
MATERIAL FOR LETTER "G" BEGINS HERE WITH GALL OF THE EARTH: Drink tea from gall of the earth if you are hurt, a remedy from root doctor Johnson, the black-Indian of Richmond, Va., (385), 333:3.]
Entry 11698
Tea from gall of the earth and Adam-and-Eve removes worms from person poisoned [by worms through hoodoo]. [Richmond, 322:10.]
Entry 11699
Use a piece of garlic.
(Do you carry that?)
Yes, sir. Wear that in your pocket. That's an awful lucky piece for gambl- ing. Now, honest to goodness. [It is lucky because it keeps away witchcraft and therefore hoodoo].
Entry 11700
An' in gwine in gamblin' rooms, yo' kin jis' take a piece of garlic or a live frog in your pocket an' yo'll have luck throughout de game. [Memphis
(937) 1517:4.]
Entry 11701
Take garlic an' tote it in yore pocketbook an' it bring good luck to yo'.
Entry 11702
Dat be good luck to yo'. Jes' take garlic an' put it in yore pocket- book. It be good luck to yo', if it's not cut anyway [steel must not touch it].
(It must be a whole garlic.)
Entry 11703
Take a pod of garlic, put that in your pocket for luck.
(Just for plain luck?)
Plain luck.
Entry 11704
Garlic in yore pocket....
(Keep a piece of garlic in your pocket for gambling?)
Yessuh...
Entry 11705
Jis' steal yo' a piece from de sto' anywhere an' wear it in your pocketbook, jis' a ordinary piece of garlic. Dat's lucky. [Memphis (930), 1512:5.]
Entry 11706
Lak ah'm a cook, ah'm always in de kitchen. Well, ah take brown sugah an' garlic, mash it up together. Well, when ah'd go in de kitchen ah'd put it along de stove-lak, yo' know, an' let it burn. Dat makes yo' friendly-lak always.
Entry 11707
You pound that garlic up until it gits fine, fine, fine. Then you gets you a bottle of whiskey and put it [in] there ane let that garlic sit there 3 days in that whiskey [the whiskey is for the spirit or spirits to do you work] an' jis' care [carry] it and sprinkle it around anybody's door that you want to move. [New Orleans (855) 1351:3.]
Entry 11708
Yo' kin take garlic an' if yo' wanta have good luck, take garlic an' put it in a bottle an' put some Hearts Cologne [in it]. Dat kills de odor of it. Take fo' instance, yo' go out an' yo' wanta git a job or anything or any kind of success. Jes' take some of dat garlic like dat an' rub it on yore hands an' on yore face, den yo' go out. An' yo' be - oh, yo' be too lucky. [Waycross (1093) 1762:12.]
Entry 11709
Well, it's a powder yo' go tuh de drug sto' an' git which in - it's a plain powder called calomus [calamus = sweet flag] powders - jest a common powder. Yo' go tuh de drug sto' an' yo' kin git de powders in de drug sto', an' yo' kin git de Heart Perfume, an' yo' mix it up tuhgether. An' take yo' a little piece of gar- lic an' chip it up an' put it in dere. An' put it in a little sack an' wear it. An' yo' walk in dere, he [boss] mo' 'en [= then = than] apt tuh put chew tuh work.
(This is calamus?)
Yes, jes' plain calomus. (It's not calomel? Calamus that they put around a baby's neck - to wear? What do you use calamus for otherwise? What do you use it for?) Well, yo' kin jes' take it fo' a bad cold or tuh clean out chure system or anything. Ah have used it mahself wit Heart Perfume an'....
Entry 11710
Now to get a job. Well, if you going out to hunt you a job, you always get up in the morning, don't be angry, get up with a good pleasant mind. And you always keep you some sugar or the middle part of garlic. Tote that in your pocket. Take and pull all the garlic out and just the little mid- dle - that part that's in the middle - tote that in your pocket.
(What will that do?)
That will give you luck. See.
(I see.)
Fast luck.
Entry 11711
Jes' lak if a person didn't lak yo', yo' take a garlic an' yo' mostly chews it, an' when yo' git around dese people - yo' jest go around dem. Jes' if dey didn't lak yo' an' yo' wanta make friends wit 'em, yo' jes' spit around dem. Jes' continue to use dat garlic de whole time yo' around dem. Directly yo' all will be good friends an' otherwise he wouldn't even be speakin' to yo'.
Entry 11712
Well, garlic's for luck for skinning.
(For what?)
Any kind of card games. You take garlic and antiphigestin. They have a' 'nointment, a salve-like they calls aniphigestine. People use it for sores. Well, you take garlic - take those little buttons of garlic - take one of 'em and cut it up into nine pieces. (Nine pieces.) Nine pieces of it. Take this - a whole tube of anamjestine... (Ana - anamajestine?) Anamajestine. Yes, sir. (All right.) Then you take it and wrap it up in a nice clean ohite cloth - just so the cloth is nice and clean. Then you take and take a piece of white - red flannel and wrap it up in that. And take this stove coal - hard, hard, you know, and beat it up just like a powder.
(Black coal?)
Black coal, yes, sir. And take some vinegar and put this coal in some vinegar, nalf a glass of vinegar. And put about a teaspoonful of that coal dust in that and steel dust - a small amount of steel dust. And put it on and boil it down i real low. And then you take and soak that garlic and anamajestine in it. That akes a toby.
(What's a toby?)
For cards - that tells you when your cards is on the table, when to turn 'em D. Tell you when to set.
(How will it tell you that?)
Well, when it's....it'll jump in your pocket.
(Do what?)
It'll jump.
(It'll jump to tell you to do that.)
Entry 11713
Well, it's a root whut chew call de Georgia [George?] crooked root. It grows an' it has a red flowers. Now, yo' kin take dat root an' yo' kin bring love in yore home. Yo' take dat root an' yo' dig de root up. Put it up an' let it dry. An' aftah dis root is dried, yo' cut two 'nitials in dis root. De root grows about dat big. Lak if yo' cut L. A. or whoevah name it is. An' yo' wanta be successful in yore home an' yo' want peace dere, yo' cuts two 'nitials in dat root. Yo' bury dat root up undah de do'steps an' dat will bring plenty peace in de home.
(What do you call the name of that root?)
George Crooked root.
(Where does that grow? Around here?)
Ah nevah see any in dis state but dere's plenty of it in Georgia. [Is this the Georgia bark tree, Pinekneya pubens?]
Entry 11714
If a stick cracks or a limb falls down, while you are walking along, it's some of your older parents dead and they are discussing who is passing by. These two hants [ghosts] talking throw down limb and the passerby will look around to see who it is. [Richmond (343) 286:3.]
Entry 11715
Ghosts kept away in following rites: Horseshoe over the door.
The short text links 'Ghosts kept away' with a horseshoe over the door; it supplies no individual interview citation.
Entry 11716
Take a penny with a Lincoln head an' drive up over the sill of the door.
Entry 11717
Heat a case knife in the stove and mark crossmarks on windows and doors.
Entry 11718
Files: one for each 4 corners of the house outside and each corner of the door- steps. Drive them into the ground outside the house, using one on each side of your front doorstep and one in front of the step - 7 files in all.
Entry 11719
I know a root I will get and it makes you lucky, successful in life. That's the root you call, it's a little small root that grows, it...you know, gingsing [ginseng]. You take that root, you have to be mighty careful with it, you wrap it in cotton and sew it in a nice lit- tle cloth, make a nice little pocket [bag], you can even carry it in your purse. You have success in life and in traveling, absolutely. I've been all over. I was born in Tennessee. I know all about all this business. [I have very few examples about this well-known root.]
Entry 11720
She [hoodoo woman] tell me, if you wan'a make a man an' a girl break up, jis beat up some glass right fine an' put it in a bottle with a little whis- key on it. Drain it [the glass] off of dat whiskey - strain it [the glass] off [of the whiskey], you know. An' when yo's having a party or somepin, jes' slip dat [strained whiskey] into de drink dat you gon'a give dis person. [The person who drinks this strained whiskey will have in him or her a part of the spirit of the broken glass, because spirits share a weakness for whiskey and PART OF THE SPIRIT EQUALS WHOLE OF SPIRIT, No.24, p.21, v.1. Even so the rite is dangerous.]
Entry 11721
(What is goofer dust?)
Well, it's not a particular thing. It's sompin jes' lak whut chew say, a reefer. It's not a twig, it's mo' of a flour [ = powder-like] but it's ground, ground into a powder, an' they use it fo' sprinklin' fo' luck an' they throws it on peoples' po'ch fo' bad luck. (What is a reefer?) reefer is somepin lak a cigarette; dey smoke reefers - uh-huh, jes' lak hops.
(Drugs?)
Uh-huh.
Entry 11722
Yo' go in de woods an' we got whut de call de devil's snuff - yo' see dat haven't yo'.... Yo' take dat an' powder it up an' yo' use dat with chure lodestone... [Having turned off the machine too quickly I repeat his answer to t the microphone.] (They call that goofer dust down in Louisiana.) Yes.
Entry 11723
Fix it up an' go in de cemetery an' git some dirt an' fixes it up.... (That is all you put in it?) No sir, yo' put sulphur an' put dis table salt an' red peppah, grind it fine, an' yo' take it an' sprinkle it anybody's track - sprinkle it ovah dere - say dey'll leave an' dey won't come back no mo'.
(You call that mixture goofer dust?)
Yes. [This informant gave an unusual account of how to sell self to the devil, No.375, v.1.]