Browse:"CHANNEL DE WORLD" (Volume 5, entries 10604–13458)/Part 26
"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 12604
So, well, ah goes on to another man den, an' he learnt me some things about how to run a person away from yore place of business. Lak if yo' loved a girl friend an' if yo' don't wanta be bothered wit dis fellah an' he look like he gitting de best holt [hold on her], dis fellah tole me to git red pep- per an' manage some kind of way to slip it into de toe of his shoe. See, an' dat will run him away from dis place, an' everywhere he go - everywhere he'd git to her jes' couldn't res', he jes' had to keep agoin'. Well, dat's de way to get rid of a person, if yo' bothered with 'em an' don't want to be bothered with 'em. Dat's de way to get rid of dem.
Entry 12605
Now, secondly, the next thing is to do, that is, to get cayenne pep- per, black pepper and take that and bury it with limburger root. (What kind of root?) Limburger root. (Limburger root?) Yeah, limburger root.[Root with a strong odor, probably so called by some root seller.] You put those three mixes together and you go right under the step, and dig a hole and bury it and cover it up, and put that fire brick - if you can get it - right across it. [The fireplace is taken out to the steps!] And it has a tendency from two to - from three to seven days. Sometimes they moves.
(They what?)
They move out.
Entry 12606
(Will you tell me that again?)
Get some white lodestone, and when they go, go to the porch and sprinkle it, and then come back and get some incense and burn it and get the ashes off it, and mix it up with cayenne pepper. That's what I hear 'em say, now, I don't know. I haven't did [it]. (I understand, I under- stand.) Mix it up with cayenne pepper and put it under their doorstep and that will make them - they can't stay there. That pepper will cause them to leave and that lodestone will cause them to stay [away]. They'll wander away.
Entry 12607
(If anybody is at your house, you say?) Yeah, an' yo' want 'em tuh go. Dey jis' company an' yo' don' want dere company. Yo'll mix yo' up some coffee grounds, snuff, red peppah, an' yo' be's walkin' around right where dey at, where dey gotta pass any business [and you sprinkle this] an' dey goin' go away an' dey ain't comin' back dere no mo'. Dey ain't comin' back dere to your house.
Entry 12608
Jes' plain lye and this here Hearts Cologne, and put a mixture of that together and put red pepper in it, and throw it away from the house. Chase it [bill collector, law, etc.] away dey claim dey never would come back.
(Keep them away from around the house.)
Entry 12609
I know my brother did it. You kin take a pound of black pepper - dis grain [whole] pepper - and a pound of sugar. And you kin sit down and bite dis pepper and sugar together and put it in your pocket and go on the job. The man will give you a job. (You say your brother did that?) Yes sir.
Entry 12610
Dis pepper and salt, it'll work two or three ways. At sunrise, see, you throw it going out de house; at sunset, throw it coming in de house, and bootleggers will never bother you.
(You mean the law, if you are bootleggers?)
Yes, I mean the law will never bother you. I did dat in February right dere on Henry street.
(Well, now, how would you use that pepper now?)
Jes' take de grain [whole] pepper and bit it in two with your teeth - in half with your teeth and mix it, as much as you want of it, with a pound box. See, if it's a pound box, a pound of dat [whole black pepper] and a pound of de brown sugar. When you bit dis grain pepper half in two, well you mix it together. Well, if you don't want de law to bother you, at sunrise see, you throw it com- ing out of de house; at sunset, throw it coming in de house. An' de laws will never bother you.
(That will make the law stay away.)
Entry 12611
And get you a pound of brown sugar and a pound of black pepper and - there's somepin else goes with it - and a pound of salt. And you gets that pound of grain [whole] black pepper and you chew it - bites it up. Goes through the house and mix it all together and spread some in your house every morning and night and he won't come dere.
(What is that supposed to do then?)
Keep the law away from the house.
Entry 12612
Take sugah an' peppah an' sprinkle it down in dere an' dey'll fuss all de time.
(This man and woman will fuss and fight?)
Yes sir, dey'll fuss an' fight all de time, long as dat sugah an' stuff stays round in dere.
Entry 12613
Whut yo' gotta do tuh keep de law away, yo' gotta use dat sugah an' dat cayenne peppah. Dat sugah an' cayenne peppah will keep 'em away. Jis' throw it at 'em when dey come in [!]. Yo' ain't got nuthin tuh do but yo' got sompin round dis way.
Entry 12614
Ah've heard people say yo' could take red pep- pah an' throw it round de house. Yo' know red peppah is fussin' anyway [causes a fuss]. Take red peppah an' throw it around de house. Or eithah burn it an' sulphur where dey kin git de scent of it, chew know.
(What would that do to them, then?)
It would cause confusion an' fussin' an' fights.
Entry 12615
Take red pepper an' sulphur, put it in a little bag, put it all to- gether, sew it up. An' yo' lay it right down at de step where yo' have to walk over it, goin' in an' comin' out. Dat'll make yo' [man and woman] separate sure as de worl' [goes round or something]. (That will cause confusion?) That will cause confusion dere. Bust up.
Entry 12616
Well, when yo' know [someone] goin' harm yo', comin' to yore house tuh harm yo', dere ain't nuthin fo' yo' tuh do, but jes' take yore shoes off, both yore shoes, an' put chew some sul- phur an' red peppah in 'em an' wear 'em, an' yo' kin walk ovah anything.
Entry 12617
Go tuh de drugsto' an' git chew a box of new sulphur an' [new] red cayenne peppah - ground-up peppah an' yo' mix dat sulphur an' dat peppah up to- gethah, an' yo' take it an' make a little ball - jes' a little ball. An' yo' tie it in de calf of de laig - in de knee part in de sock. An' sprinkle a little bit in yore shoe an' nuthin won't go up dere - dat [crunjure] won't go up through dat dere.
(What will that do?)
Dat will keep yo' from ketchin' whut dey put down [for you to walk over].
Entry 12618
Well, dey kin take dis heah red peppah, take dis sulphur and, if he's dere in de house, don't [let] him know nothin' about it, she kin make about 9 trips roun' [circumambulates] her house with dis stuff and make a oath. An' take dis stuff an' carry it in her room an' put it in dere where he don't [won't] see it, an' dat room will git too hot fo' him. He's gotta go.
(That is the way a woman can get rid of her husband.)
Yassuh, dat's de way a woman do to git rid of her husband.
Entry 12619
Dey say yo' takes red peppah, gunpowdah, an' sulphah, an' mix dat to- gethah an' weah dat under de bottom of yore shoe an' anythin'.yo' walk ovah dat won't take no effect on yo'. Yo' see, red peppah, gunpowdah, an' sulphah.
Entry 12620
Red peppah, brimstone, sulphur an' burn it an' blow de smoke [towards house] nex' to 'em an' [if people there] don' be in dey house - but if yo' burn it, yo' kin burn it in yore own house an' name it an' blow it nex' their house. Or git some of de garments of de house or somepin othah out of de house jes' since it's been worn. Well, yo' git a garment an' then yo' wrop de brim- stone, sulphur an' red peppah, an' wrop up in de garment. Take de garments to de woods an' bury it undah an' ole rotten log, an' that'll tear de home up altogethah.
(You mean after this stuff is burnt?)
Yes, in dat ole garment, jes' since it somepin out de house. Den de people all in de house - de man or de woman - well, yo' jes' take it an' bury it in de woods undah a ole rotten log.
(That is after you burn all that stuff?)
Yes, put it in that garment.
Entry 12621
If yo' wants tuh draw de customers to de place, yo' git some sulphur an' burn dat sulphur in de fo' corners of de house or de sto' an' den take some sulphur an' salt an' black pepper an' put right in de do' underneat'de steps an' dat will draw de customers.
Entry 12622
If you mix cayenne pepper, sulphur, asafetida and sprinkle this com- pound in the 4 corners of a room, the person living in it will move out.
[Rich-mond, 293:2.]
Entry 12623
A man said if: I could take a needle and 3 grains of pepper, red pepper, de seed of it, and some water and put in it, and salt, and then a few grains of black pepper. And take that needle and stick it down in that bottle. And when you get ready to go out, you go and take that bottle up and jis' shake [a magic act] it up and say, "Good luck and good prospire" [prosperity]. And go out. And he said, "You get a job." The man that told me that...and I declare I went and did it, I fixed it up, and I declare I git the job, the one I got now. And I've been with it over a year.
Entry 12624
Sift or crush red pepper pod at door or gate to protect against my evil. [Fredericksburg, by Ediphone, informant half-grown boy when Civil War began and was living in what was to become the Bloody Triangle when Lee and Grant met near Fredericksburg, Va. I have a number of rites from him, but can- not find his number at the moment.]
Entry 12625
Sprinkle red pepper and sulphur in yard to kill any cunjure "planted" there. [Wilmington 135:4+85.]
Entry 12626
[If someone] fixes de house, all you do is put some red peppah in de ground and then left it.
(Where would you put this red pepper?)
In de ground right to de door. Dat scatter dem from dere.
(That makes them move.)
Entry 12627
Git some cayenne peppah an' throw it up undah de do', an' dey goin' be gone by Sat'day night or ah ain't heah. [New Orleans 282:9.]
Entry 12628
Well, den, if yo' wanta run 'im, yo' go [get] de red peppah, dat cay- enne peppah lak ah tell yo', see. He ain't got no use to run in dere. Yo' jes' sprinkle it. [Savannah 2155:2.]
Entry 12629
To keep the law away - its a dirt [you buy]. Now, if the law ever once came to [you] doah an' [you] sweeps some [of this] on 'em an' red peppah behind 'em, they don't come back no more. If dey come back ag'in, dey don't come back ag'in [the same way] dey come [to] another doah. An' that [same thing also] keep enemies away. [Richmond 325:2.]
Entry 12630
If you throw red pepper in departing person's tracks, he will stay away or cannot hurt you. [Richmond 293:6.]
Entry 12631
Throw red pepper about door and wish for person to stay away.
[Petersburg 422:7.]
Entry 12632
An' yo' kin sprinkle cayenne Peppah in yore chair where yo' sit at, an' roun' yore bed, an' yo'll begin takin' wit a itch, an' if yo' jis' continue on stayin' dere, why yo'll break out wit sores. No doctah [M.D.] cain't do yo' any good. Dey [who put the powder] git rid of yo'. [Memphis 1520:10.]
Entry 12633
Throw red pepper into fire and persons living there will move or guest will soon depart. [Norfolk 525:12.]
Entry 12635
Wear a pod of red pepper in each shoe as a protection against walk- ing over any "planted" cunjure. [Wilmington 143:3+85.]
Entry 12636
Dey said puts red peppah in each shoe, an' said dat'll kill dat [cn, jure].
(If you walked over anything it wouldn't hurt you?)
Yeah, dey said it wouldn't hurt yo'. [Wilson 2672:7.]
Entry 12637
Wear red pepper in shoes and you can walk over anything. [New Orleans 1238:3.]
Entry 12639
Black pepper worn in shoes protects you against witchcraft. [Snow Hi11 2:8.]
Entry 12640
Get some red pepper, put it in the bottom of your shoe; nobody can do you no harm. [Vicksburg 1045:4.]
Entry 12641
A man poisoned [hoodooed] in whiskey had a spell every change of the moon; he was given red-pepper tea as a cure. [Richmond 325:11.]
The account says red-pepper tea was given as a cure; it does not report a successful recovery, and hoodooed is a bracketed gloss.
Entry 12642
Bury 3 pods of red pepper, one at front door and one at each front side of house; then put a pod of red pepper in each 4 corners of the house in- side. [7 pods are buried.] Keeps law away. [Washington, D. C. 828:7.]
The source presents this as a short instruction. Its opening notes attribute unbracketed text to informants; verbatim wording is not established.
Entry 12643
Fill a stocking with crushed red peppers and sprinkle vinegar on, and wear around waist to protect self against cunjuration. [Wilmington 125:1+85.]
Entry 12644
Well, yo' take some sulphur, red peppah, an' sprinkle it roun' yore do's where yo' come in, yo' do', an' dat'll kill dat.
(Anything that's put down.) [Waycross 1764:7.]
The printed instruction explicitly names sulphur. Sprinkling and 'kill dat' remain source claims; the parenthesized clarification is separate.
Entry 12645
Well, you takes sulphur and red pepper and bury it to your doorstep, and they never will bother you no way atall [at all], de law man, nothing.
[Waycross 1765:14.]
Entry 12646
If somebody put somepin down an' dey want chew tuh walk ovah it. If yo' put sulphur an' peppah in yore shoes, if they put it down fo' yo', anywhere, an' yo' can't locate it. [Fayetteville 2523:10.]
Entry 12647
If yo' think someone tryin' tuh harm yo' an' yo' wanta protect yo self, wear sulphur an' red peppah in yore shoes. Dey can't harm yo'. [Bruns- wick 2060:6.]
Entry 12648
Yo' kin git some red peppah an' sulphur an' wear it in de bottom of yo' shoes.
(What is that supposed to do then?)
It supposed tuh turn back all poison.
(If you walk over anything, it wouldn't harm you.) [Florence 2182:15.]
Entry 12649
Wear red pepper and sulphur in your shoes as a protection against walking over cumjure. [Wilmington 228:6+85.]
Entry 12650
Git some red peppah an' sulphur an' wear it in yore shoe, or either yo' kin git a [silver] dime an' wear it round yore laig. That'll keep 'em from hurtin' yo'. [Waycross 1757:15.]
Entry 12651
Red pepper an' sulphur wear it in your shoe or either around your waist...nobody in de world will ever bother you; ah don't keer [care] how many roots you [the other person] got, it [what you do here] will kill 'em. [Jack- sonville 762:7.]
Entry 12652
Git red peppah an' saltpeter an' elm an' Epsom salt an' sulphur. Dey mix it all up together an' jis' put aroun' where they bees [are] an' that eats up their luck. [Little Rock, 1467:3.]
Entry 12653
Red pepper, sugar and white gunpowder sprinkle around the house to keep the law away. [Memphis 1553:4.]
Entry 12654
Another way - the other way, take their names and put it into pepper sauce. Yo' know pepper sauce yo' put ovah hot foot - hot pepper. (In a bottle like Tabasco Sauce.) In a bottle. An' put it there [saying] de same way [words]. Put their names on there and put it in there, and then bury it. Yo' Want confusion: "I want 'em confused" in dis hot stuff [and bury it].
Entry 12655
Yo' git chew dis peppah, peppah sauce, an' yo' git a tea- spoon an' yo' put nine drops of dat peppah sauce in dat teaspoon an' stop it up in a bottle. Go undah de house an' bury it upside down. Dat'll move 'em - move anything yo' please, anyone yo' wanta do.
Entry 12656
Yo' kin git a bottle of this Hearts Perfume an' put cha a spoonful of table salt [fine salt, not course salt fed to animals in it an' dab it on, an' as you walk out, rub it down befo your face - do this way, like that [demonstrates].
(Then what?)
And as you do that, their love grows toward you.
(Well, doesn't he have to do anything to her at all?)
Yes, sir. Sure, it will entice her.
(How?)
With that - usin' that, see, will entice her towards you, make her git closer to you.
Entry 12657
Jes' lak if yo' knew of a person an' he down. Yo' go to his place an' if he isn't there or if he ain't there, yo' take that perfume with yo' an' 'nint [anoint] chureself lak dis [demonstrates] dress yo'self jes' lak that [demonstrates]. (Down your face and down on your body.) That's right, down on yore face and do it lak that, an' do it three times. An' then yo' wait fo him an' whatsoever he got yo' will win it.
Entry 12658
Like yo' might have a girl fren' an' some other girl. Yo' might be wit chure girl fren' an' yo' like her or somepin, an' yo' wanta be on de good side of dis girl. Dis girl might be a fren' to dis other girl, but chew Want dis other girl. Yo' go an' buy yo' a pocket han'ke'ch'ef, in other words yo' buy three pocket han'ke'ch'efs, see. Yo' take dis pocket han'ke'ch'ef, de first one, an' put de 'nitial of dis girl yo' like, yo' wanna gain love with, in dis pocket han'ke'- ch'ef.
(What do you use to put the initial in there?)
Well, yo' can stamp it in dere, embroider it dere, anyway yo' wanta put it n in dere. An' yo' bury dis first pocket handkerchief, yo' see. Yo' take dis second pocket han'ke'ch'ef an' yo' do de same, yo' put dis 'nitial in dere any- way yo' prefer to put it in dere, and yo' offer her de second pocket han'ke'- chief. Well, she - in other words she may refuse dis han'ke'ch'ef. But yo' take de third one yo'self an' put chure 'nitial in it an' yo' keep dis pocket han'ke'ch'ef an' use de same thing. Yo' take any kin' high-priced perfume an' put in dis han'ke'ch'ef. Put two drops on it or one perhaps, but two be's still stronger. Well, if she refuse dis han'ke'ch'ef wit her 'nitial in it, yo' bury it wit de han'ke'ch'ef whut chew bury wit her 'nitial in it, yo' see; but chew take dis one yo' got yo'self wit chure 'nitial in it an' yo' - yo' know if yo' got de privilege to go see her, well, when yo' entertaining her, yo' jes' take dat han'ke'ch'ef, pull it out chure pocket an' sorta, yo' know, flash it 'cross her face so she git de scent of dis perfume, yo' see. An' use dis John de Con- kah root yo' call it. Chew it yo' see, or perhaps she may be de kind like to kiss or somepin. Well, yo' can kiss her an' chew on dis root. Yo' gains love like dat.
Entry 12659
You kin buy some Jockey Club.
(Jack of Clubs or Jockey Club?)
Jockey Club perfume and just keep asprinkling that on it - around it.
(The house? What will that do?)
They won't bother you.
(Keeps the law away.)
Entry 12660
Pulverize persimmon bark and sugar, and one teaspoonful of sulphur. Put that on yore stove, on de top of your stove, on a Monday and Wednesdays. That's to get a job. Then you hold it and then you always kin pick up - getting jobs. (Well, what if you have a job?) It will cause you to pick up more, cause you to pick up more, cause you get more extra jobs. [This shows a chronic condition of the times, the Great Depression, there were few jobs for these people, and had there been permanent jobs, few were trained to hold them. Forty years later, as I write, conditions have not improved much.]
Entry 12661
Well, I'll tell you. If you're sellin' liquor, you can go ahead and sell it and have de house fixed so when dey [officers of the law] come dey can't come in. (How can you do that?) Well, you jes' git you some uh, you go to a 'simmon [persimmon] tree, you git a 'simmon tree, the bark, and tie it to de step - don't put it way under de step - and dey can't come in until you git everything out de way. [The magic here could be, you must get this bark while the tree has unripe persimmons on it. Bite into one of them and you will leave the others alone.]
Entry 12662
She take three little 'simmon [persimmon] switches, an' she could put them undah the doahstep of these people house, an' let it stay, an' it'll split 'em up. They say it'll jis' woop [whip] 'em an' buses [= busts = bursts] 'em up. [A pencil note of mine reads: "See putting oak branch in grave of murdered man to whip murderer to death, from Charleston, S. Car. See No.7507, p.3291, v.4.]
Entry 12663
All right, if yo' got this thing dey call de a - we call it ole di- arrhea or dysentery, go tuh a persimmon tree an' git chew six switches. Yo' kin have it on yo' today an' dat go down in yore stomach an' den yore bowel be choked up an' de doctor [M.D.] can't hardly break it. Yo' go tuh a persimmon tree an' git chew six switches offa dere an' don't peep? 'em, understan', take dem [just as they are] an' chew 'em an' swallow de juice. An' when yo' swallow dat juice at night befo' sundown, yo' won't know yo' got no such a thing as [running off]. Yo' won't know yo' have it. Yore bowels will be tied up, tied up in a knot jes' lak dat knot [informant refers to a knot of some sort]. Tie yo' jes' lak dat. Yo' gotta take salts an' all tuh loosen up yore bowels ag'in. Dat whut 'simmon tree is good fo'. [I do not know the meaning of the preceding word peep. Some- thing is done to persimmon switches before using them. What? For one of then see following rite.]
Entry 12664
(The persimmon bush?) Dat's de 'simmon tree. Take dose an' cut nine notches in 'em an' take yo' nine yards of black thread, an' yo' fold it in dere in every one of dem, cross 'em on dis side [demonstrates], make it up tight, put dat last lak dat. [Demonstrates by tying so that weaving round knots will not unravel.]
Entry 12665
(In that gambling game if somebody has a better charm than mine, could I kill this charm in any way?) Easy. Yo' kin kill this very easy, that is when yo' gambling. Yo' takes a little perfume in a bottle an' carry that with you. Yo' rub yours [gambling piece] in your hands. Yo' take that piece [gam- bling hand] off an' yo' rub it in your hands, put a little more perfume on it. Jes' have it so dey kin smell it, see, an' by yo' being perspiring yore odor is involved with it, an' that takes his [hand] too.
(That will kill his charm.)
Entry 12666
An' de woman takes de watah from [under] her ahm. Take a rag an' git watah. Takes a rag an' she take a bath from undah her ahm an' her person. Well, now, she'll take dat watah an' she won' take a whole lotta it, jis' take enough tuh git enough tuh do dirty work, yo' see. She'll take dat watah an' when de man come tuh fix his food, she'll have dat watah settin' maybe some- where. She'll take dat an' she'll put it ovah his food. Dat'll keep him home an' keep him in touch with her, keep him lovin' her mo' an' mo'.
Entry 12667
Well, dey say yo' kin take a silk han'ke'ch'ef an' rub it into a strand an' when she meets dis man, she kin continually take dat rag an' puttin' it 'bout his haid an' face, switchin' [swish- ing?] it ovah his face yo' know, an' sometime hit him cross de face wit it [dangerous for eyes] an' take dat rag an' wipe it undah her arms an' about her joints, an' git de perspiration of herself - an he won't have any desire fo' anothah woman.
(She takes this handkerchief and rolls it up into a strand, you say.)
An' den jes' wipe in undah her arms an' her joints.
(And then just waves it around him.)
Entry 12668
All right, 'bout love again. If a man asleep an' a woman love dis man - yo' know, want dis man tuh love her, if he sleep, every two or three nights, she take an' git de scent of herself down here an' underneath heah. (Down below and under her arms?) Yes sir. An' will go cross his nose, while he's still in bed, three times. An' den de third time take an' shake it an' say, "Come undah mah command."
(She rubs her hand up under his nose, while he's asleep - three times.)
An' he inhald [inhales] it.
(And the third time she says, "Come under my command.")
An' she goin' call him an' make him answer her, see.
(But she says, "Come under my command, " while he sleeps through.)
Yes, certainly, but he ain't goin' answer, yo' know, most men asleep while dey wakin' up. Jes' lak his name, John, Bill or Joe.
Entry 12669
If someone is kinda cranky with someone - dat's mean, kind of mean wit someone. Well, a man or a woman kin naturally go tuh work an' dey dissolve [wash out] a rag - dese clothes [cloths], yo' know whut dat means. Yo' kin wipe undah yore arms but yo' must not do it aftah a clean bath. De odor undah yore arms must ketch in dis dissolve [water from rag] either arm. An' yo' don' have tuh wipe undah de arms. An' yo' kin take - naturally yo' kin take de same cloth an' wipe 'tweer yore toes. Den yo' kin wipe in undah de bottom of yore feet, but chew gotta git de odor from dose feets. An' yo' kin drink de same stuff right along with 'em, an' dey'll follow yo'.
(What do you do with that, after you wipe that stuff off?)
Put it in some water or whiskey or anything else, since [just so] yo' git it down 'em. Ah had a boy one time - mah mothah wuz a Indian woman, an' he used to beat me every day. An' mah mothah knowed a whole lot about things, an' she learnt me how to do it. [And I did this.] An' ah beat it in good, an' he followed me. An' he follows me up to today, an' dat's been ovah fo'ty yeahs ago.
(This boy?)
We wuz boys then.
(That is how you conquered him?)
De same way ah tole yo' jes' now.
(That is the way you conquered that boy, made a friend of him?)
Why shore, an' we friends today.
Entry 12670
Well, jes' whatevah becomes of de photograph, dat's goin' tuh become of yo'.
(If you burn that photograph then?)
Well, yo' git burnt up. Jes' whatevah becomes of it, dat's whut will become of yo'.
Entry 12671
Ah understan' about de snail an' a person's photo. Well, yo' kin take a photo an' bury it upside down in de graveyard, an' yo' take a snail an' yo' git some steel dust an' yo' write dat indivi- dual name down an' yo' glue it onto de snail yo' see. An' whatsomevah yo' make yore wish, whatsomevah yo' wants tuh, yo' know, make it fo'. If yo' want a person tuh drag lak dat [snail] an' as dat snail crawl yo' see an' de picture fade away, well, dat person will jis' drag until dey die. (You do those two things but you don't do anything to the photograph at all except bury it in the graveyard.) Yo' take de photograph an' yo' write de person name on it nine times, an' if yo' want 'em tuh drag or sompin, why yo' write whatsomevah yo' want, yo' know, tuh happen tuh 'em, an' turn it upside down [and bury it] in de graveyard. An' probably, maybe somebody whut chew know died bad yo' see. Yo' turn it, point it tuh where dey died [buried?] at yo' understan', upside down. An' yo' take de snail an' yo' git some steel dust an' yo' write dere name down on a piece of papah an' yo' put dat steel dust in dere, an' yo' take it - glue it, yo' know, onto de snail. An' yo' see, yo' know, a snail crawl away slow; an' jis' as dey [the snail] crawl an' dat picture fades away, well, dose people will drag an' dey'll pass out.
(Do you write this in any special way, with just an ordinary pencil or what?)
Well, yo' could write it with blue ink if yo' wanted tuh.
Entry 12672
Bury that [a tintype] upside down in the graveyard...you'll go away.
[New Orleans 1146:9.]
Entry 12673
You can take a tintype picture of a person and go out in any place and bury that picture; and as that picture fades off the tin you begin to get sick and finally you'll die. [New Orleans 1348:3.]
Entry 12674
Photograph bottom upwards buried under front steps for 9 days - "you soon be gone." [To send away or to kill.] [Richmond 292:10.]
Entry 12675
Ah heard 'em say dat chew could take yore photograph, tintype only whut chew use fo' dat, de tintype. Dat's all ah heard about de photograph, an' yo' take dat an' bury it standin' up, haid down, an' dey say dat will kill yo'. Dat's whut dey say. [Memphis, 2815:4.]
Entry 12676
Yo' kin git a person's picture an' turn de picture down on de haid; jes' dig yo' a hole an' turn de picture down on de face an' dat person won't live long. Jes' as dat picture fades away, dey fades away. [Florence 2212:16.]
Entry 12677
Kin take de photograph an' if a person is away from home, an' yo' wanta see would dey come home, ah heard dat yo' kin take dat photograph an wear it into yore shoe - wear it in yore shoes on de right feet, an' dey say dey'll have tuh come home. [Wilson 2666:5.]
Entry 12678
Yo' kin take a person's picture, if yo' angry with 'em, yo' kin take dere picture an' take an' shoot it an' it won't be long befo' dat dey'll linger an' die. [Wilson 2653:20.]
Entry 12679
A person could take one of yore photograph or picture an' bo' a hole in a tree an' wish yo' some harm an' put dis picture in de tree an' after so many days when de tree close yo'll die - jes', yo' know, pine away an' die.
(Do they put a peg in that hole or anything?)
Yes sir, peg de hole up after it - puttin' dis picture in dere an' shet dis hole up. [Brunswick 2012:4.]
Entry 12680
They can take your picture and nail it to a tree, and I don't care where he'd be at, he'll come back to her. [Intention is the magic power here.]
[Richmond 458:10.]
Entry 12681
Take dat picture an' nail it up in a tree, an' yo' kin take an shoot at it. Take an' shoot dat picture five times an' dat person's picture yo' shoot, dat person will drop daid. [Florence 2212:16b.]
Entry 12682
Take de photograph an' put it different heights on a ordinary tree at a certain distances an' goes ahead an' shoots it. Or yo' take dat same photograph an' fill it fulla needles, see, on de side of some dead [delapidated and deserted] buildin' or on de side of some livin' tree - sompin dat will jes' pain [needles cause pain]. [Wilson 2682:5.]
Entry 12683
Yo' kin take a person's photograph - ah had a fellah's photograph an' ah didn't love him, an' ah wanted tuh git rid of him, an' ah carried it an' nail it up on de no'th side of de tree, an' we broke up friendship. [Wilson 2668:3.]