Browse:"CHANNEL DE WORLD" (Volume 5, entries 10604–13458)/Part 20
"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 12124
If you tie a man's hat bow up in a piece of new homespun and put it up over the door-facing, he will do what you want. [Wilmington 112:7+85.]
Entry 12126
Bury dat bow wit diff'ren' things in it, sech as peppah an' first one ole stuff an' den anothah.
(Keep them with the headache?)
Keep 'em with a headache. [Algiers, La., 1954:10.]
Entry 12127
Bury man's hat bow under doorstep 'keeps him at home.' [Little Rock 1466:12b.]
Entry 12128
(What does she do?)
She gets some steel dust.
(And what does she take?)
The bow out of your hat. And she mix it with this bow and this steel dust together. And she put it right in the front of your hat thataway. She slips it back in there. See, when you perspire, why the steel dust will run with it and go into your eyes.
(What will that do?) Run you blind.
Entry 12129
If you don' want her no mo', after she come back to yuh [she have left you] - if yo' don' wan' her no mo', so's [= so as] yo' kin [get] control [of] yo'self - [you] kin git dis bow heah [he points to my hat with micro- phone on interviewing table] out de hat. A-tall [at all = whatever you do] don' chew take it [out]. Yo' tell her, say, "Ah wanta see dis bow heah, " lak dat. Say yo' wanta see dis bow. An' lak yo' wanta see de bow, yo' put de bow in your han'. An' when she put de bow in yore han' [after she remove it from the hat], yo' goes right to a white- folks graveyard - or a colored-folks graveyard - an' git a han'fula dirt lak dat. Don' git it from somebody [who] was buried dere yesterday [or] lak day 'fore dat. Lemme show yo' now. [Informant demonstrates on the floor of the interviewing room.] Yo' kin pick up de dirt lak dat. Quick! Don' let nobody see yo' pick it up. An' put it anywhere in yuh pocket. Ain't gotta put it in no papah. All right. Den yo' come back [home]. Yo' take dat bow an' yo' set an' yo' sprinkle it [with the graveyard dirt]. Understand?[He sprinkles graveyard dirt on a hat bow her hand had touched.] If she got a $1000, she'll pay yuh to make her husband take her back. But yet, he don' want huh, don' want huh no mo'.
Entry 12130
Yo' know whut yo' kin do wit dis bow a'gin. Well, yo' kin take dis bow heah yo' understand [again he refers to my hat on interviewing table]. An' yore wife will jump off today or tomorrow an' marry to de othah man. Two yeahs yo' livin' wit her, see. She don' mean yo' no good. She leave a little out. Look heah, she leave a little out dis high. Yo' know dis top, dat high on yo'. Say, dat ah'm yore brothah. Ah ketch yo' an' take dat. Understand, see. Yo' take dat bow lak ah tell yo', lak dis heah. Understan', goes right tuh de rivah. Ah don't mean no stop-watah, ah mean runnin' watah - dat be goin', runnin' 'long lak dat. An' she'll run yo' off, right on down [to the sea]. Well, when yo' git tired, yo' don't wanta run so far, cause yo' don' know where dey stop. Dat bow may stop at de sea.
Entry 12131
(Well, where do they put this bow then? Where do they put this bow?)
Well, sometime a person take dat bows an' tote it in dey pocket fer a length of time. See, den dey go neah dis hickory bone[?l root.... (What kind?) Hickory bone [bush]. Dey go along with dat and graveyard dust. Dat's to lingah yo', to run you crazy. And now you wanta meet anothah man [hoodoo doctor] who kin do dat job to keep you. from run- nin' crazy. Dey gotta use ca'line [cayenne] peppah, and chamber lye and salt and kerosene. Let it steep three days and den go back ovah de head ag'in. Den use [bush?] to burn it and den dat fellah will turn yo' loose. He'll come to yo' house and de first thing he goin' ask - "I match chew fer salt." Dat's [what he want, to match yo' [for] salt [or he asks you for a match or salt] because he know he could git chew right back again [in his power] if yo' give 'em de salt. He got chew. And if yo' give him de match, he got cha right back. [This is a well-known witchcraft theme: see NEVER LEND TO WITCH, No.16338 p.875 in FACI. If you lend to her you are back in her power.] (Well, now why were you telling me about that "louse" in the head? What was that about? The louse in this woman or something? How was that done? I don't umderstand that.) Well, if dey git de bow out de back of yo' head, it has de sweat. Well, dat louse run from de mole [mold of the head] right frum heah [demonstrates], come right back down. She [louse] keep atravelin' right straight back. (This louse keeps traveling back and forth right on top [of your head] from the forehead right to the back where the mole [mold of head] is?) Dat's right. And if she kill dat louse, it kill you. (Well, that [hat] bow is connected with that louse. If they take that bow, they are taking that louse then, aren't they?) Well, de acick [acid] from dat - yo' see, de acick from dat; all dat louse powah fall back to dat bow. You cut dat bow. All dis powah fall back to de band of [bow of] yo' hat. Now de only way you don't have dat - like I got dis hat right chere now [is he talking about his own hat or mine on interviewing table?]. All right, dis hat chere now ain't got anything in it [his hat]. Now, I wanta weah dis hat and throw it down anywhere I wanta throw it down. I goes back home and take a dirty dishrag wit de dirty water and rug [rub] it over dat [bow]. I kin throw it [hat or bow] anywheres. You go and pick up dat bow and do anything wit dat bow, dat's a dead bow, dat bow is done cured. See dat cured dat bow. [No one can take the hat bow and hoodoo you.] But now, if I don't do dat, I haven't cured dat bow. I done cured dat bow in case I be's careless. You kin take it out [of the hat] but nothing kin be done.
Entry 12132
If a woman wears a piece of sweatband from his hat, that will bring him back. [Wilmington 107:4+85.]
Entry 12133
Heard of 'em usin' a hawk's right foot. Well, yo' take de hawk's right foot, de one dat carryin' a claw [what the other one did I forgot to ask!]. Got a claw like a rooster have on his feet. Yo' take dat foot an' yo' take an' wrap it in a piece of flan- nel cloth wit sulphur an' den wit peppah an' salt mixed [3 ingredients]. Well, dat's fo' good luck in gamblin' an' things lak dat. An' ag'in dey takes de bird [hawk's] head or snake head. Take snake head an' beat it up into a powder an' dat will cripple someone, because ah wus crippled once on dat mahself.
(Just how would that cripple them?)
Dat will cause snakes an' things in dem - sompin of that kind.
Entry 12134
[Years ago this healer visited a home to cure a patient after the smallpox sign was up! This information did not come from the healer, the reason for lack of details. [Wilmington 142:1+85.] [Another note of mine refers to a case in Norfolk, Va., in which a healer visits a home to sprinkle a little dust or do something to keep a smallpox sign from being put up! These two notes made years ago are attached to the manuscript.]
Entry 12135
Jis' like you'd cut out a heart [from a piece of paper]...jis' like you say you gon'a...you draw a mark heah [demonstrates] - all right - comparin' to a heart [draw shape of heart on a piece of paper]. You kin take them [9] pins an' stick it [them] in that [paper] heart. You kin do jis' what choo wan' 'em to do after you stick dem pins in there. You use so many needles. You got to use needles - real sharp needles.
(How many pins do you stick in that heart?)
You kin take 9 pins an' put in there [demonstrates].
(In the center of the heart.)
You put 8 needles.
(Around the edge of the heart.)
You don't put it even, you understand. It's got to be odd [demonstrates].
(The heads and points of the pins and needles are alternated.)
An' you take that an' put it in your pillah. You kin use any kind of body [person] you want; you kin use 'em to your understandin'. [For alternate needles and pins, see Nos.9836-9837, 9844, 9849 & 9850, v.5.]
Entry 12136
Dat's usin' dis heah, whut chew call oil of peppermint an' Hearts Cologne. Yo' kin take dat an' mix it together an' every morning when yo' git up, before yo' speak to anyone, yo' kin put it in yore hand an' rub it in yore hand, an' den jest say, "De Lord is my shepherd" - hold yore hands touards de sun an' say, "De Lord is my shepherd an' I will"... [demonstrates]. (Hold the palms of your hands up like that.) Yeah, de palms of your hands up towards de sun an' say, "De Lord is my shep- herd an' I shall not want." An' you will be very lucky all that day an' things will come to yo' whut chew wouldn't a thought would come to you, see. It gives yo' better luck all dat day.
Entry 12137
Well, it's jes' like yo' runnin' a game in dis house an' yo' don't want 'em to be bothered wit chah [the reverse, you don't want to be bothered with them!]. All you gotta do is git chew a bottle of Heart Perfume [or Hearts Cologne] an' every mawnin' when yo' sweep out, sprinkle a little on yore front steps. Every mawnin'. Dey won't worry yo'. De law won't bother yo'.
(The law won't bother you.)
No sir, dey won't bother wit chew.
Entry 12138
Take Hearts Cologne an' Sen-Sen - yo' know, dis heah dope [breath- sweetner] dat people take - an' Two G. Sody, [brand name?] - cookin' sody [sod- ium bicarbonate] an' put it in a lil' [container], quite naturally yo' know, sompin dat chew kin shake it out lak dat. An' if yo' were jes' gittin' out of jail, an' yo' know who dis person who yo' goin' [to see] tuh git de job. Yo' shake it [contents of container] all de way roun' [where you meet the boss]. Quite natural, yo' know how some folks is. Dis per- fume is goin' tuh smell, an' yo' be talkin' with 'em [boss] an' yo' kin rub it in yore han's. Well, he'll ketch holt of yore han'. An' yo' know quite natural when a person talkin' tuh yo', dey goin' ketch holt of yo'. Dat's de way mah brother got a job. He still dere. He be workin' fo' thirty-five yeahs.
Entry 12139
If yo' wanta go tuh git a job fo' good [a steady job], yo' go tuh dat job. If yo' kin git tuh de office where he's at, understan', git tuh de office where he's at, yo' kin git chew some dat stuff whut chew eat. Whut dey call - yo' kin git it at most any drug sto' - shellac. Yo' know, shellac, sompin dat chew paint things wit. Jes' take an' drop one drop anywhere. jes' lak yo' wuz heah [in this rooml, jes' drop one drop anywhere on de flo' heah where yo' step ovah it. An' den yo' go on back den an' take de rest of it. Go on back an' mix a little bit of Hearts Cologne, two or mo' drops of hit, an' puts hit in de bottle. Den yo' go tuh him, yo' may go ovah tuh him, dere ain't any jobs, an' if dere somebody else on de job, yo' tell him 'bout dat job. [He will ask], "Whut kin yo' do?" Yo' say, "Anything. All right, perhaps ah wants a job real bad. De next time yo' go to him, says, "Well, ah don't want but 75." [Is 75 cents an hour the wage back in 1937?] "Come back sech an' sech a time." An' when yo' go back de third time ag'in, yo' git dat job an' start workin' right off.
(And you just drop one drop of that shellac where the boss can walk over that?)
Dat's right, in de office.
Entry 12140
If you wanta get a job, work somewhere, you kin do that. And when you go round [to] 'proach a person, wet it [usually a handkerchief with what is coming later]. Well, when you first 'proach him, maybe he liable not to need no one. He liable to turn yuh down, say, "Well, now, I don't want no one. I couldn't do that now [at this time]. I ain't gonna do that." Somepin like that. You kind of fiddle around, put a little [of this liquid] round where he walk over it. Put some of that same stuff. If you kin get that close to the person at that time, and when you go back, you be around them a little bit. You not harmin' them with it or anything like that.
(What do you sprinkle around him now?)
You take - like if you got some of where he baths [bath water]. Somepin like that, you know. You take and put it with some nice Hearts Cologne. or somepin that smell, not too loud. And just be around, you know, like you be around talking with him and you just might put a little on your fingers or down on de floor or anywhere. Long as you keep that up, there'll always be harmony with you.
Entry 12141
Well, ah wuz sellin' whiskey once mahself, yo' see. Ah got me one bottle of Hearts Cologne an' put it on a table an' some powder. (What kind of powder?) Well, ah got dis heah regular bath powder. An' ah put it dere on de table where it would perfume roun' in de house. Mens comes in, different ones comin' in, well, de luck's on de house. Dat heart is lucky perfume yo' understand. Well, dey spends lots of money.
Entry 12142
She [root doctor] tell me. Ah'm goin' tell yo' whut she tole me 'bout de gamblin'. She gimme a bag an' tole me go tuh de drug sto' an' git a bottle of Hearts Cologne. An' ever' time ah go in a game wet it wit dat Hearts Cologne; an' say wet it wit de Hearts Cologne an' rub it on yore han's, de Hearts Cologne - rub de bag on it.
(What was in the bag?)
Well, she [told me] yo' wusn't 'sposed tuh open it.
Entry 12143
Oh yes, indeed, sure she could.
(What do they say about that?)
Well, she could do the same as I was telling you, if any way that she could get Hearts - you know Hearts Cologne? Perhaps you have smelled it a lot of times. Well, she will git Hearts Cologne and she will dress herself with it from her right hand. She oill invite you to her home and she will dress herself with her right hand all over her face and her body. Understand? And if you make your appearance in her bome and - she will have this here - if she kin get a chance, she will put some in her hand and she rubs it over you like that, or just pat you on your face or stroke your hair back. You couldn't stay away from her. You'd be compelled to ooe, but why you wouldn't know. And she will keep that and if she don't do more than just dress you with that hearts....
(I see, that will keep him there.)
Entry 12144
You [a woman] kin take some Hearts Cologne and put it under your arms, and put it down in front of you, between your bosom, and drink a little. And talk in their face, in front of de boss, and they say if you don't git it the first morning, keep a goin'. The chances is you'll get a job.
Entry 12145
Dey say yo' kin git yo' some of dis Hearts Cologne and yo' kin pour dat all ovah yo', and go dere, and dey say dat will change his mind.
(The boss's mind.)
Entry 12146
Dey say yo' take dis Hearts Cologne an' yo' rub it on yore han' befo' yo' go out in a game; an' when yo' git in de game, say yo'll be lucky. [Florence 2192:12.]
Entry 12147
Use Hearts Cologne an' wear it under de left arm or in de breast an' if he'll quit, he'll have to go back. [Waycross 1856:8a.]
Entry 12148
Dey jis' git dat, jis' git de plain water, an' jis' put it in a co- logne bottle with a little Hearts Cologne, an' jis' stops it up, jis' put it right under de bed, an' dey got yo'. Dat holds yuh. [Wilmington 160:4+85.]
Entry 12149
Go to a hickory tree an' go on de no'th side of a hickory tree, an' den dig down an' git de roots. An' take dis root an' put it in some watah an' boil it fo' thirty minutes. Then yo' kin take it an' put it in bread an' yo' will cause things to grow in 'em - worms.
Entry 12150
Do the same thing with a piece of papah, if yo' know his [boss's] writing. Said yo' jes' write his name an' keep dat name undah yore feet [wear it in your shoe]. Or, yo' could go tuh a hickory tree, yo' know jes' a small one, an' ben' it down. Jes' ben' jes' lak yo' wanta ben' it. Jes' talk to it like yo's callin' his name: 'Ah want chew to be submissive tuh me or nice tuh me, an' min' me." An' said when yo' go tuh him why he'll be jes' lak dat [putty in your hands].
(He'll give you a job?)
Yessir, yo' could control dem [him].
Entry 12151
An' if yo' wanted tuh stay tied up tuhgethah, ah heard dat chew could go in de woods tuh a hickory tree, a young hickory tree, an' take dat hickory tree an' make yore wishes as yo' ties it. Dat's tuh keep yuh [together]. (You tie that hickory tree. How do you tie it?) Yeah, yo' take it an' yo' bend it. Yo' see, yo' take a young sapling an' yo' bend it an' as yo' bend, yo' make yore wishes till yo' git it in a loop; but chew know yo' kin tie anything dat young den. Sompin lak dat. Jes' so it's a hickory. Dey say dat will tie yore love tuhgethah.
Entry 12152
A hickory tree is good, dey say - not exactly a hickory tree, but dey say if a person wanta tie a person down, tie a person down, dey go tuh a hickory tree an' yo' measure it yore size - come tuh yo' - measure tuh yore waistline. Yo' stand up an' measure it tuh yore waistline, an' yo' bring 'em [bend tree] down lak dat, yo' bring it down till yo' bring de top end down tuh de bottom [of tree]. Dat fasten a man down an' he cain't - he's havin' good process, pro- gress an' all dat - an' dey say dat fasten him down an' cause him so he cain't git no success. Yo' know, jes' lak throwin'a man intuh tough luck where he can't git no job - jes' go tuh pieces. Take dat hickory tree an' yo' put dat hickory down tuh de groun'.
(You do this to the little hickory tree.)
Jes' de lil' small hickory tree.
(You keep bending it down and bending it down.)
Yeah it down till yo' bend it on down tuh de roots dere. Dat ties a man down where he cain't have no success.
(Well, do you leave that tree bent down then?)
Yo' tie it down. Yo' wind it down dere. Yo' wind it down dere nine times with a thread, brand-new thread. Dat keeps a man down.
Entry 12153
Ah heard of a person takin' a hickory stick an' if dey give - jes' 1 lak yo' an' dem in a fight or sompin lak dat. Well, dey hit chew wit dat stick, an' dey take dat stick an' bury dat stick an' call yore name three times. An' dey tell me dat in nine days - ah didn't see dis done, but ah heard some people say dey have witness de same thing. Dey say in nine days dat person will be dead.
(All you do is hit that person with the stick?)
An' call dere name an' bury dat stick by de man's relative dat las' died, yo' know, in de graveyard. But chew bury it right by de person dat las' died, an' call dere name.
(Call the name of the person you hit?)
Yessuh. An' in nine days, why, if dey don't drop dead, dey jes' die sudden.
Entry 12154
Now, if a man's stayin' on a place an' yo' want him move'd from dere, yo' cut chew a growin' hickory stick an' carry it an' bury it down at his do'. If dat man has a mule, yo' kin always notice dere's a certain corner dat mule go tuh pee. Bury it right down somewheres near dere an' let it dere fo' nine days. Take it out. Let dat be on de young moon. An' go on to de cemetery an' bury it, but bury it wit de big end [of the stick] towards de sunset. An you' ll be right dere till dat house burnt down. (You have to bury this stick right where this mule waters on.)
Entry 12155
If yo' have a sweetheart an' he's got anothah [girl] friend, an' yo' yanta break him up of dat friend. Yo' go tuh a hickory tree an' yo' take - git chew a switch of it - yo' measure three joints of it of de middle fingah.
(The three joints of the middle finger in length.)
Dat's right - an' notch 'em. See, yo' cut dat off. Yo' notch it round. Now when yo' git tuh dis woman house where yo' wanta break yore friend up, yo' begin tuh walk in her yard where she walk ovah, an' yo' begin tuh talk tuh it jes' whatsomevah dat chew wanta say. See. If yo' want 'em tuh part, yo' say, "Well, it seem like" - whoevah yo' wanta part, yo' call dem by dere name, yo' whittlin' dat - say, "Now, ah'm goin' part chew-all [you all]." De second one yo jes' whittle dat off. Well, now yo' take dat othah part an' yo' buckle [bend] it tuh yo'. Buck- le it tuh yo' an' bring it as a hoop an' wrap it jes' dataway. An' it be a hoop. Yo' carry dat an' put it undah yore step, an' dat'll break dem up. (That one piece you cut off the length of your middle finger. That you whit- tle. And then the long piece that is left, you wrap that around you - just make it go around you. Then you let this hoop fall off....) No, jes' lak dis [demonstrates]. (You put that together by intertwining the ends. And what do you say while you wind that other around?) Say, "Now, yo' make lak dat yo' kin stay 'way from dis house, but now ah'm goin' break yo' up from heah." An' as yo' say dat, yo' jes' throw it right undah yore steps. Now, when he come back tuh yo' an' have tuh walk ovah dat step, his spirit will nevah follow dat othah house no mo'.
Entry 12156
But on de othah hand, yo' take dat hickory tree as yo' calls it - not no fig tree, yo' take dat hickory. Yo' go in de woods an' see yo' kin find a hickory tree of twelve months growth - a young hickory tree. It must be a young one, an' yo' find lotta of dem is down dere wit forked limbs, too. Yo' find one wit de forked limb of twelve months young growth, if yo' kin gits it, an' yo' takes dat dere hickory tree, dat forked one." Yo' kin take it, understan', an' work any kind of a little conjurin' things with it, an' set pegs to people's house.
(What do they do with that hickory tree?)
That hickory tree, yo' jes' cut off that forked limb. Yo' jes' take yore knife an' cut it off up there. Cut it off 'bout lak dat [demonstrates], de forked limb, cuts off 'bout lak dat yo' see. Well, now yo' take dat dere fo'k an' yo' wanta go keep yore ole lady from runnin' round.
(You take this hickory limb and you do what with it? You....?)
Yo' cut it off an' yo' take yore knife an' cut lil' notches 'long dere lak dat, yo' know, an' yo' name dem notches whatevah yo' wanta call it or whatevah yo' want done to it. Whatevah yo' want. Yo' want, 'Well, ah want this much done." Yo' say, "Look heah, ah'm cuttin' yo' an' dat's whut ah want chew tuh git me. Ah want chew tuh he'p me git her loose" [from the man she's running around with]. An' yo' cut de next notch an' say, "Look heah, ah tell yo' whut ah want chew tuh do." talkin' to it right dere. "Ah want [chew] tuh go tuh de bank an' borrah me a hundred dollahs, without no' - don' sign no papahs up fo' it, ah mean tuh pay 'em back by an' by." Well, yo' kin take dat thing, dat dere with de three notches in it, an' yo' go to de [some shopping place]. [I] says, yo' go to a big grocery sto' an' keep dat thing in yore pocket.
Entry 12157
Well a hickory tree, yo' kin take dat an' cut it down an' put it, an' make a razor rock [first and only time I ever heard this name] out it, whut chew call a molly-backbone [molly-back hone]. Mah father made one outa dat an' let it stay 'bout seven or eight yeahs in watah an' it turnt to a molly-back hone, razor rock.
(A razor rock, for sharpening a razor?)
Yessir.
Entry 12158
High John de Conkah, it's made out of graveyard dirt and other soils put in red flannel. Use any liquor on it [to feed it]. Give you will power over people. [Richmond 295:9.]
Entry 12159
Dey put somepin in de shoes. It's a mixture of this ground up - they call it hog-hoof. Yes, dey grind it up lak meal an' dey mix soda an vinegah an' salt, but it's gotta be ground up very fine, jes' lak flaxseed meal, in a powder, so it won't be notice- able. An' jes' powder de shoe aroun' wit dat. Dat will keep him from goin' off. [A note of mine reads: this keeps the man from being hoodooed away by another woman.]
Entry 12160
De cow hoof or hog hoof - yeah, anything lak dat. Yeah, yo' burn dat. Yo' git dat cow hoof, hog hoof, whatsomevah what it is, an' yo' git chew some Hearts Cologne an' sprinkle ovah dat an' yo' burn dat. Burn it in yore house. While yo' burnin' dat, yo' hook yore han' [fingers] together an' yo' make yore wish. Dat's good wishes. Yeah yo' jes' lock yore fingers together. Dat's good wishes, dat's sompin good. Dere no harm in it. Ah haven't heard it, dere's no harm in dat.
Entry 12161
Now in So'th Ca'lina, one man wanted a girl an' de girl wouldn't notice him. An' he got a holly leaf. Now dis is whut ah heard. Now, ah don't know dis [myself]. He got a holly leaf. As she stoop- ed down tuh git her water out de spring - dey have a lotta springs dere - he throwed dat leaf ovah her haid an' dey say she went stone crazy. Ah didn't 'sperience dis an' ah can't be a eye-witness, an' ah haven't 'sperienced dat.
(Well, where was this supposed to have taken place in South Carolina?)
Ah think it at a place dey call de Beaver Dam. Dat was way back in startin' of slavery.
(What day did it happen on did you say?)
On a Sunday.
(Did he have to do it on a Sunday?)
Dis happen on a Sunday wit dis Holly leaf.
Entry 12162
Well, now, ah heard - now, yo' kin take some kind of dat oil dey call de holy oil. Dey kin take dat an' 'noint all ovah dey face 'fore dey goes. So when dey git dere, yo' know de boss, he might kinda drag a little bit, but he'll give 'em a job. He'll tell 'em, say, "Come back, yo'll be sure to git a job." He'll tell 'em come back an' dey git de job.
(Where do they get that holy oil?)
Ah don't know where they git it from, but dey has it.
Entry 12163
(All right. Now, what about that holy oil?)
If you got a holy oil, you keep yourself anointed with that. That will keep you lucky and successful with a job, or business, or anything.
Entry 12164
Well, before the judge you use the holy water too. You can sprinkle yourself good with it and read the 23rd Psalm of David. You can read the 23rd Psalm of David and sprinkle yourself with holy water. It'll make you wish [you will make your wish] and go before the judge.
Entry 12165
Well, yo' uses holy watah lak fo' somepin good. Yo' kin use it lak fo' sprinklin' round yore house, yo' see. An' then yo' kin git a bottle of holy watah an' keep dat on de back- side of yore bed. Lak de bed. An' ah put a leetle string [on the bottle] an' keep it hung on dere [behind bed]. Dat's luck, yo' know. It's successful [brings success] in yore home, too.
Entry 12166
That is only good for one thing to my mind and I know that. Just like you is at home and its ha'nted at home, spirit that worrys you at home. You take the holy water, put that in a bottle and tie a string right [to the bottle and tie it] on the head of your bed. And the only thing you gotta do is at night to say the Lord's Prayer and no spirit will come around.
Entry 12167
Yeah, holy water is good for spirits. You see, like if the spirits worry you at night, or any time of the day the spirits worry you. As long as you have holy water over your bed and keep it in your room, that keeps the spirit out.
Entry 12168
"Holy water give you good luck. Sprinkle it all ovah your bed."
[Hobile 883:9.]
Entry 12169
[Put holy water] in de fo' corner of de house, dey said, twice a day - six in de morning and six at night - de holy water an' ask fer luck.
(Where do you get this holy water?)
Wal I - yo' kin buy dis holy water at de drug store. [Jacksonville 769:4.]
Entry 12170
"Use holy water to drive out evil influence; throw it to de 4 cornahs of de house." [Mobile 944:4.]
Entry 12171
A hoodoo bag you're supposed to drop it either in the house or under the steps of those you wish to bring ill luck to. Of course the hand you carry for good luck. A hoodoo bag doesn't look like a hand at all. It looks like a sache bag. You sew them and you put them around the waist or around the leg. [These definitions are too absolute, too exclusive. Some persons would call a nand a hoodoo bag, or this latter the former.] [Fredericksburg, Va., No.43, by Ediphone.]
Entry 12172
Hoodoo doctors put needles and pins in these bags. They tell you it gives you sharp luck. [Fredericksburg, by Ediphone.]
Entry 12173
Mostly they give them to gamblers. It's a little square bag of no particular color. And they tell them to wear it next to their skin and that you will win. They don't tell you what's in that. They tell you if you open it you'll have bad luck. [Fredericksburg, No.43 by Ediphone.]
Entry 12174
It is said that if two people are riding horses and one person sees a ghost and the other person can't see it, if he
[second person] lies down on the horse's back and looks between his [horse's]
ears, he can see the ghost the other person seen. [Fredericksburg, No.35 by Ediphone.]
Entry 12175
I have heard a gentleman, people, say that you take a piece of horse- hair and put it under your doorstep and you won't have any trouble with a evil person coming to bother you, coming to your house. [Some- how this belief sounds old. Horses and hags and witches are associated with horses. Does the presence of a horsehair confuse the hag-witch and hold her to daybreak? My wife and I stop- ped one night here at the hotel in Petersburg, Va., on our way from Old Point Comfort (not in Richmond as I said somewhere in HOODOO some years ago) - to War- renton on our Way back to New York City. At both one-night stands I interviewed the bellboy. My original transcription by hand is attached to manuscript. This vas informant No.33.1
Entry 12176
Take a piece of horsehair and put it in some whiskey and give to a person and it will form snakes in 'em. (Is there any way of getting those snakes out, if you get them in?) Yeah, you kin take some sweet milk and give it to 'em and they will come out of 'em. Drink it and they will come right out.
Entry 12177
Yo' kin take a horsehair an' take it an' put it in a bottle of watah an' let it stay fo' a couple of weeks, an' she'll turn to a live little snake. fFlorence, S. Car., (1310), 2220:3.]
Entry 12179
Dey could burn sulphur an' salt. Salt an' sulphur is good fo' any- thing, good fo' killin' poison an' it's good luck. [Having turned off machine because material did not sound promising, I now restart machine by repeating what had been lost.]
(Is it good for, if they want to rent the room or rent the house?)
Yes. Well, ah tell yo' sulphur an' cayenne peppah an' salt - yo' burn dat an' yo' kin git de hoofs off a shoe, yo' know de hosses hoof, an' burn it every night befo' yo' go tuh bed an' yo' stay dere an' inhale dat. Well, den whatevah kind of luck yo' want or whatevah yo' ask it tuh do, why it mo' den apt tuh come out all round...
[Again I turn off machine too soon and must restart it.]
(If you are selling anything or anything of that sort? Would that help bring in trade?) Yes. Keep de police off yo' if yo' sellin' whiskey.
Entry 12180
Well, if yo' want good luck an' success, yo' know, yo' go to de black- smith shop an' git hoof from de horse hoof, an' yo' take it an' lay it down. Yo kin take three pieces. Have 'em all three de same length. An' yo' take an' lay 'em [demonstrates]: One fo' de Father, one fo' de Son an' one fo' de Holy Ghost. (You cross them when you are doing it.) Yes. An' then yo' put sulphur an' salt on top of that, an' while it's burnin' - burn it - an' while it's burnin', yo' jis' talk to it an' tell it anything that yo' want to have - if yo' want any good luck or anything yo' want done. [For this same design in other rites see those listed at end of rite 11879.]
Entry 12181
Yo' take it an' stir it up in yore coffee, de manure from a horse, an' yo' stir it up in yore coffee. Jes' like a horse if she carrying a - birth a young colt - jes' goin' have a young colt, well yo' take that an' yo' stir it up in yore [vic- tim's] coffee, the manure. An' it's brown yo' know jes' like a coffee color. An' if yo' [victim] drink it, yo' see, if yo' drink it, that runs a person wild jes' like a horse [colt]. It will keep yo' so yo' can't stay home, yo' can't stay nowhere - be always goin'.
Entry 12182
Right at de front do' of de family dat chew wish tuh make a disturbance yo' know, jis' so dey kin have a family feud, yo' know.
(Just put this horses manure. Where now?)
Right at de front do'.
Entry 12183
Take animal manure and dry it. See, you got a good animal and dey want it. See, dey take de animal manure and dry it right dry. Take an' dey pound it up, see. And dey will take alcohol, see, and put in dat manure and bury it. See, and den bury it under dere doorstep. And you'll often be to their house to sell 'em dat horse. See, you'll want to sell him dat horse better dan anybody else. And he [horse trader] kin git de horse from you cheaper dan you bought de horse fo'.
Entry 12184
[Here is an interesting rite about horseshoes but the language can be easily misunderstood. A horse walks with the curved part of his shoe forward, this being called a heel! The two ends of a horseshoe are called toes! Linguis- tically a horse walks backwards! The imagry of the following rite is based upon these ideas and can cause confusion.] Do you Wanta stay in de house or do you wanta go? (I want to stay in the house.) Yo' git yo' a horseshoe and yo' don't have to place it inside de house. Place it in de front gate and turn de horseshoe [demonstrates] that [part] goes back. [Which part? Toes or heel?] Turn it in towards, to de house, an' fo' 9 mornings sweep towards de house an' that will keep you in de house. (Suppose a man and woman are in here and the woman wants to keep the man in the house. She will put the horseshoe out there [at the preceding gate] you say.) Yes, sir, if she wants to keep him in, turn de back of the horseshoe inside [turn heel, the curved side] towards de house. If you turn de horseshoe de way de horse make the track [toe toward the house, the way a horse would start away from the house] that will make him [man] go. If you turn it [heel, curve of the horseshoe] towards yo' [towards the house] it will make him come, stay in de house.
[I misunderstood.]
(If you turn these two ends [toes] of the horseshoe away from the house?)
No, sir, turn dem back to [towards] de house, that will keep him in de house.
(Well, now, suppose the woman wants to make him leave, then what does she do?)
Well, if she want him to leave, turn jes' like de horses face [walks pointed away from house]; yo' turn de round part [heel] of de shoe, jis' turn it to de house. He will leave. [Informant is a little confusing. If you want to keep person in the house, keep back of horseshoe or heel toward house, you cannot back away from the house; if you want to send the person away, point the prongs or toes to the house, because that is the way you would walk away from the house.]
Entry 12185
Dat's very easy. You can take some of this black stone [black lode- stone?] and Van Van and sweet oil. You take all that and you mix it together, and you put that in a lit- tle sack or in a little bottle. You hang that over your door, under a horseshoe. You put the horseshoe up and you hang your bottle under there, but you have the bottle so that no one can see the bottle, but they can see the horseshoe. This bottle be's behind the horseshoe. And no law in the world gon- na come in your place lessen they git permission. They kin come someone to see the proprietor before he [law] come in there. The horseshoe is in the right form just like it lays on the animal's foot [prongs or toes down] but the bot- tle is fixed [hidden] under there.
Entry 12186
(What do you do to keep the law away from a place? The law - to keep the police away?) The policeman?
(Yes.)
Well, I knows some of them puts a cross up on the side of their door.
(What kind of a cross?)
[Informant evidently thought a cross is a cross and I did not insist.]
A horseshoe - you know them horseshoe - a cross. They either take a horseshoe or either they has some silver - just like that is. [He pulls out a piece of tinfoil.1 Take a brand-new that never has walked on [an unusual expression] you see, that never been used. And be sure it's a brand-new piece. Put that there and put that horsefeet [horseshoe] up- side down [prongs or toes up]. The law will never come there. [Do not use tin- foil picked up from street or off floor. For tinfoil from street see No.12192.]
(Just one horseshoe?)
Yes. He [policeman] pass right on by there.
Entry 12187
Hang a horseshoe ovah de back do'.
(Who does that?)
De bootleggahs.
(What do they do that for?)
Tuh bring in trade.
(Horseshoe over the back door?)
Dat bringin' in trade. [You] know de horseshoe is supposed tuh keep de law out. An' de [they] git sulphur an' sprinkle round dere do' tuh bring trade.
Entry 12188
[Put] a horseshoe into yore front do'.
(To keep the ghosts away or spirits away.)
Yeassuh, yo' take an' use pepper an' salt.
(Where?)
Yo' use it into yore house, into yore bed, yo' see, to keep 'em 'way - to keep witchcrafts away. Dat's de same thing, ah imagine. [St. Petersburg 1649:4.]
Entry 12189
Ah heard dat chew could take a horseshoe off a grey horse an' turn it up, de p'int up ovah yore do', an' yo'll be lucky an' de home will be lucky.
Entry 12190
Keep a horseshoe fo' good luck. (That is all you have to do?) Dat's de only thing ah heard dat yo' kin do wit de horseshoe. Make a fiah an' turn it upside down an as it burns, sprinkle salt on it an' make some wishes with it.
Entry 12191
You get you a horseshoe. You get you a horseshoe and put it at your door. You put one at the top and you put one at the bottom and nail them down. When [where] your friends come in the house where you is. And put the horseshoe down and make friends which had been your enemies. But now they're friends when you put the horseshoe. They come and see you. And if you're out where they is, you just tote you some pepper in your pocket, red pepper in your pocket. Well, they're going to come where you is after you done put the horseshoe out to make friends, they can't do you any harm. This is like to keep anybody away from you. (Right on the top of the door and let the two pieces
[the toes or 2 prongs] hang down?)
Let the two pieces hang down.
(How do you put it on the bottom?)
You put it at the door but you gotta cut a track down in the door where the door can open, you see, and put the horseshoe down in there where the door just comes right on over that.
(Which way do the ends point, in or out, do you know?)
Ends point out, out of the house.
(And do you cover that with something? Can they see it down there?)
Yes, they can see it but they don't know what it is.
Entry 12192
Said they git three horseshoes, an' go in de street an' pick [up] cigaret pack, an' git de tinsel [tinfoil] offen dere an' cover dose horseshoes up, an' bury 'em undah de step of de house. Dat will make dem move out. (You take three whole horseshoes and cover them with this tinfoil, and you bury them under the steps?) Yessuh. [For tinfoil not from street, see 12186.]
Entry 12193
To keep de law away from a place. Well, ah've heard of, they take a horseshoe an' put it up ovah de do'. That's whut ah've heard of about that.
[Waycross 1839:3.]
Entry 12194
Git a horseshoe an' nail it up ovah yo' do', an' yo' be lucky an' successful an' de law don't have to come to yore house. Nail it right ovah yo' do' or right at de bottom of yo' do'. [Horseshoe at bottom of door not usual, yet see No.12191.] [Waycross, Ga., 1732:1.]
Entry 12195
(How do you keep the law away?)
Hang a horseshoe ovah de front do' pointin' down. [Memphis 1525:7.]
Entry 12196
You take a horseshoe and put it over the door and take some silver Paper [tinfoil] and wrap it around it, and hang it on top of [over] the door. You put the prongs down. And you won't have any trouble with the spirit coming back. [From bellboy at hotel in Petersburg, Va., night my wife and I stayed there in 1936. He was informant 33. My original transcription made a few days later attached.]
Entry 12197
Take a horseshoe an' nail it up ovah de front do' - or either take new lumber - take an' repair some parts of de house wit new lumber, an' dat yould run de spirits away. [Brunswick 1989:2.]
Entry 12198
Take a horseshoe an' nail it up ovah yore do', ovah each do', an' dey say an' dat will keep de evil spirit out chure house. [Waycross 1746:2.]
Entry 12199
Yo' supposed to put a horseshoe turned bottom inverted, with de legs of de horseshoe up towards de do' an' de bottom part facing down de do', as yo' oone in, an' this is supposed to keep de ghosts out of anyone's house. [St. Petersburg 1621:6.]
Entry 12200
Tuh keep ghostses outa mah home, use horseshoes ovah mah do's.
[Florence 2220:5.]
Entry 12201
Nail dat horseshoe nail fo' luck up ovah yore do'. Yo' take dat horseshoe [nail] an' nail it up dere ovah yore do' on de inside. Dat's fo' luck to a home.
Entry 12202
Yo' kin take a horseshoe an' two horseshoe nails [these 2 nails are changed to one later]. An' if yo' kin git a chance to, take dat horseshoe an' bury it under de person's do'steps or any place - or any place. An' dat will drive 'em away too. An' jes' drive dat horse- shoe right down at dere do'. If it's in de ground it don't make any difference. (Just one nail from the horseshoe?) Jes' one nail from de horseshoe. (You don't have to put the horseshoe under the ground, just the nail?) Take dat nail from outa de horseshoe, drew de nail from de horseshoe, an' take de horseshoe an' carry it to yore [victim's] house an' take de nail at dey house an' drive dat nail into de wall. Dey will absolutely leave.
Entry 12203
Now, listen, she kin take nine horseshoe nails, some sulphur and lard, put those nails in de lard and sulphur at six 'clock in de morning. And then leave 'em there until six 'clock in de evening, standing at chure do' dere, an' call it. Put dem nails up on top yore door like that [demonstrates]. (Lay them along the ledge at the top of the door?) Yes, den you lay them up there and then you call him three times by his name. Jes' like you'd say, "Sam! Sam! Sam! Come heah!" And he would come. Ah don't care where he's at, he'll come.