Browse:(2) CANDLES (Volume 1, entries 2776–2991)/Part 3
(2) CANDLES
Volume 1, entries 2776–2991. Source context: THE DOCTORS AT WORK: REPORTS FROM LAYMEN → SHRINES: ALTARS - CANDLES - SAINTS; NEW ORLEANS AREA. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 2936
Yo' kin burn these light green candles, yo' see, an' yo' burn that candle an' make yore wishes. An' if yore wishes come as yo' make 'em, an' yo promise tuh save somepin, an' yo' go ahead an' donate dat to de church, well yo'd be successful. [New Orleans, La., (1560).2856:11.]
Entry 2937
Burn 'em on people. (Do you know what they burn or how they do it?) Yo' could burn nine of 'em - nine white candles. Yo' light 'em - don't put 'em 'em Jis' lak if yo' wanta git somebody there, yo' light those nine candles an set'em there an' let 'em burn till they burn down - let 'em burn till dey's out. An' whatevah it is dat chew want - if it somebody come back, yo' goin' have success with them candles. Yo' writes they name, see. Set each one those candle on their name - nine candles - under de nine candles an' set it afiah, an' let 'em burn till dey burn down. They will be on their haid comin' back; when that burns down dey will be there.
Entry 2938
To kill dat out, why yo' jest go right on back home an' burn yore can- dles. Take yore lucky piece [that is losing its power] an' set it right between dem candles, two candles, an' set it right between dem candles for maybe two or three times yo' know a week, an' den go an' try yore hand again. Yo' see, dat do's away wit it. It will come back to yo'. (I see, if some other fellow has a stronger hand than mine, I take my hand home and put it between two candles.) Dat's right, an' put chure lucky piece - dat's right, put one dere an' one dere [demonstrates]. Shet chure room up - jest shet up yore room an' go ahead an' Jest burn 'em long as you wanta.
(Any color candles?)
Any color. [I believe this is my only example of a worn-out hand being re- charged between two candles. For time limit on hand, feeding it, and renewing its power, see pp.577-580.]
Entry 2939
You can easily tell that they are candles being burned over you. You can take a - even with a deck of cards and tell when a candle's being burned over you. (How would you do that?) You take a deck of cards and if you run a deck of cards wit a queen and a jack running in diamonds - you take a deck of cards and shuffle them off, put 'em in nine piles, one time. Shuffle 'em off again and put em in piles. Shuffle 'em off again and put 'em in piles. Search the piles and see if you find any three times you run 'em off in the nine piles, three times [if] you can find that the queen and the jack are in the same pile. Then you come back with the cards in five piles and try it the same way, three times, and see if you find the queen and jack. See which one leads the other and when the deck is facing you, which one you find first more often, the queen or the jack. Then you will know a woman is burning candles. Then you will see if a woman have any candles burning on you. Now, your way to get them out. You'll have to make a novena yourself against that, and burn a candle against that. But keep yours in a continous burning and when your candle is out, be sure that it don't go out until it burns out. And when your candle burn out, then the candle against you will go out, unless. (About those cards you spoke about. If the queen comes first more often, then a woman is burning the candles?) Then a woman is burning the candles.
(If the jack comes first, then a man is burning the candles?)
Then a man is burning the candles.
(I wanted to make certain I understood that.)
That's right.
Entry 2940
If a person is burning a candle against you, you don't know exactly who it is. All right, you get you a deck of new cards. This candle, well you name 'um - you name the candle, just say, like if you take hearts or diamonds or what- ever you want to call it. You run them cards three times - you cut and run 'em three times. Understand? All right. And if it shows up what you running on in them three cuts, you lay 'em down - don't play 'em. It's regular old playing deck of cards like you go to the drug store and buy. You run them three times, the deck, and you lay 'em down and go out about your business. Well, tomorrow, you run 'em three times again, see. And if they running the same thing [you run them the third day], you run 'em nine times - that'll be three days. And if they run the same thing [on the third day], all right you lay 'em there. If they don't run the same thing, it's certain. You understand. If they run the same thing, it's just like if you put your hand on something and knows when something is going on. If you put your hand on and feel it, why you know it's moved; well if it ain't - if it don't move and you got your hand on it and you don't feel it, why you know it ain't moved. So, that's the way that goes.
Entry 2941
[How do you feel when a candle is burning against you? You almost always have a headache. On rare occasions instead of headache you are over- powered by restlessness.] You kin feel it when they're burnin' - you can't be, you know, satisfied. You can't stay nowhere long in peace - you're jis' walkin'.
The editor's bracketed framing names headache. The following informant words describe feeling unsettled and walking; no diagnosis or candle-caused effect is established.
Entry 2942
De white candle - ah want to tell yo' dat's fo' peace. Well, yo' put five Christian names - five people that chew think are Christians. Den yo' put five dead people name on de candle that are Chris- tians. Well, quite natural, those dead Christians is working wit de live Christians an' make dem de- vote their time an' dere energy an' do everything in their power they possibly can to make yo' happy All right. On a Friday yo burn red candles.
(How many?)
Just one.
(You burn these five white candles?)
No, tiiey aren't five. Those are five names.
(How do you put those names on the candle?)
Yo' would write them this way [demonstrates]. You write them with a pin - a straight pin.
(That's with the white candles. Now what about Friday with the red candles?)
The red candles on Friday, yo' use de same tactics; but dis time yo' use five peoples names you are in debt to, and den three dead sinners. An' yo' git dose three dead sinners, they are on there to whup these people that chew owe to who tantilize yo' 'bout chure bills.
(Now, what time of day do you burn those? Any time of day?)
No, yo' light them befo' sunup an' let them burn there till they go out - they go out theirself. Or if yo' write on them wrong or do the wrong thing with it, well it will go out.
Entry 2943
If I was burning a candle on you here and you'd be in Chicago, the way to make that candle go out, if it was an evil [candle] - if it would be working - if it was a black candle and [or] it would be a red candle - [I] would be burning that candle on you. And the moment you burn an evil candle on you, why it starts with a head - you have a ten- dency to have a headache. That's first starting off you have headaches. Well you light that black candle. I turns around - the moment I find out I may go to some hoodoo or go to a fortune- teller, and she might ketch the vibration right away, if she's pretty well up on clairvoyance work, the first thing she would offer up, that is, to set a pure white light. Then sends her thought direct with concentrating and with will power, and demand- ing whatsomever she desire with controlling power, and that light immediately over there - after she would burn her light one inch - it would say - Pop! - pop! - pop! Burn down at once. It won't go out, though - it just burn clean down. Now, I've seen that over there at de house,1917, right here in Lafayette Street.
(That candle that's burning against you would melt right away?)
Melt jist like - right down like that, just push down.
(It would give her controlling power?)
Yeah, controlling power - using controlling in dealing direct with the astral plane.
Entry 2944
Suppose it you, your case. There your case down - somebody burning it [candle] on you. If you deserve it, there's nothing [known] to me that you can't [can] do to make [spell] go off. I'm going to tell you the details like it is. But if you don't deserve it, they goes out theyself - cause you cannot burn it on nobody that they don't like that [unless] they deserve it. They cannot harm you if you don't deserve it, cause there is plenty of can- dles for something very low, very dirty.
Entry 2945
Use de straw jis' fo' de haid business. Jis' lak ah wus tellin' yo' when a person's haid is all upsetted, dey jis' didn't know whut tuh do. Ah've heard dey'll go tuh work an' dey'll go to a store or to yore place an' if dey see a new broom, dey'll take a straw outa dat new broom an' dey'll put it in dey haid an' dey'll use three words, "In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost." Dey'll put dat - dat's tuh ease dey haid. Some of 'em will ease dey haid wit dat straw.
(Just one straw?)
One straw, and dey'll stick it up in de top of dey haid. Yo'll say three saints' words, see. Dat'll give it easement but it'll nevah stop. [This informant's belief is more hopeless than the preceding rite. There the candle would go out if you did not deserve it, here your headache (caused by a candle burning or burnt against you) can never be cured.]
Entry 2946
Well, the way to stop it - the easy way to stop it would be to go to somebody house, not your house, get a straw out of the broom, a broomstraw. (One straw?) One straw, but you break it and you cross it and you wear that in your hair - like that [demonstrates].
(Like a cross in your head?)
A cross in your head, yes sir, about 21 days and you can stop it. But if you let it get too far, you can't stop it. But [if] you go to somebody right away and you find out what's your trouble, you can stop it.
Entry 2947
If you think candles is burnin' on you, you kin burn one on [them] yoreself. Suppose dey says, "Well, dere's candles burnin' on you." Well, you burn a candle - break it in half, if you think a candle is burnin' on you or some reader [reading the cards for you] will tell you a candle is burnin' on you. Or you feel lak a candle's burnin' on you, git a candle an' break it in half, jis' half, [and]. read, well maybe 118 Psalms, an' light it. [For other broken candles, see p.816 and Index.]
(Do you light this candle you break? Or another one?)
Light dat one - it'll burn.
(Where do you light it?)
Jis' crack it lak that - [light it] de usual place. It'll remain [lean] ovah but it'll burn. That'll stop de othah candle from burnin'.
(How would I feel if I felt that a candle is being burnt on me?)
Oooh, you feel bad, feel somethin's been crossed, an' you say, "Well, ah musta been crossed. You feel bad. You feel bad all de time an' you jis' feel lak yore livah is outa ordah an' lak that. Maybe yore blood feel lak it's a little hot. Yo' don't rest well, an' yo' don't have no success, an' jis' lak feelin' down all de time.
Entry 2948
I've heard that you could take a glass and take a - if a person's burn- ing a black candle on you, you would take a glass and break the bottom out of it, and turn hit bottom upwards over a white candle and light it and sprinkle devil dust on that candle and let it burn. It'll worry that person just as much as it will you. (It won't put the other candle out though?) No, sir.
(But it will worry them. I see. You mean by devil dust that devil's snuff?)
Yes, sir. [Chances are that devil snuff comes not from devil's-snuffbox but from hoodoo store.]
Entry 2949
Yo' kin feel it whatevah certain hour dat dey burn dat candle - yo' begin tuh feel de 'fects. Well, it's a piece in a Bible dat yo' go clip dat verse out of dat Bible and whenevah dat feelin' git on yo' when dey start aburning dat candle, yo' go somewhere in a close corner and read dat verse out of dat Bible. See, read de verse out of dat Bible instead of - don't say, git mad with de person whut chew think burning it. Yo' jest say, "God bless 'em, ' or something an' read dat verse out of dat Bible. That will turn it back. Dey say dat verse will be so strong - ah forget de name of dat verse, what verse it is. An' they say it'll go out - de candle can't burn, because yo' know dat's always stronger power den de devil.
Entry 2950
[If they] burn de candle tuh harm yo', git up an' light chew a red can- dle an' read Psalms 112, an' read Psalms 113 and 114 - uh-huh, de hundred Psalms de thirteen verse an' fo'teen verse of Psalms.
(What would happen then?)
Well, whosomevah wus trying tuh do yo' evil, they would leave you alone if dey burnin' dat candle. Light the red candles, yes, when yo' git through an' - yo' read that an' put de salt in each corner of de house - an' blow it out. Yo' not supposed [ordinarily] tuh blow a candle out; yo' supposed to smother it out lak dat [demonstrates].
(Those candles vou burn vou mean?)
Yes. [Normally the red or any candle would be snuffed out, but here it is blown out.]
Entry 2951
Well, whenever they're trying to harm you, if it's with a candle, you take the Bible and you get up every morning fust before sunrise, look to the east and you make a prayer. Then you read a verse in the Psalms, the 9lst Psalm, which is supposed to be one of the strongest Psalms of David. You read it - a verse out of that back- Wards. Stead of reading it down, you reads it backwards every morning for nine mornings straight.
(Would that make the candle go out?)
Yeah, reading this Bible backwards for nine mornings, that'll put that candle out and set the house on fire.
(I see. And set the house on fire?)
It'll set the house on fire.
(I see, I see.)
Cause they generally have the candle in a closed space and wherever that is, the heat'll be so that it will ignite. The way the candle'll do it, it will bend over and eventually burn the paper - whatever they got under there. Sometimes they writes your name for nine times on this paper, backwards and forwards, prob- ably crossways. But you must use an indelible pencil, see. And sometimes the candle drops over - it's always a matter that it looks like it's a accidental way to do. It'll drop over and probably burn the scarf or ketch the paper wherever the wax have run, you see, and it will set fire. I've seen it happen many times.
Entry 2952
Yo' take a pure white candle, co'se white is purity an' yo' light dat white candle an' yo' turn it bottom upwards. Yo' take an' light dat fore end of it an' yo' say yore prayer ovah it, an' yo' take yo' two needles or two pins an' stick it in dere on dat candle, an' dat candle will go out. (That candle that someone is burning against you will go out. How do you stick those - either needles or pins?) Cross 'em crossways - needles or - no pins - needles or matches. [This is a white candle burned against a black candle.]
Entry 2953
If someone is burning a black candle on you - that's that worryin' candle - you pray and burn a white candle and whosoever you think dislikes you enough to burn the black candle against you, write their name on the white candle
[and burn it and] they'll soon put out their black one.
Entry 2954
If a person is burning a candle against you, the thing to do, if you find it out, is to burn the same kind of candle against him that you think he is burning against you, and that will stall his evil purpose against you, and that will stall your evil purpose against him; and burning the two candles on each other at the same time, it makes neither one of the candles do any harm. [For similar magic see Like Cures Like, p.394, and Similia Similibus in Index.]
Entry 2955
Well, the protection from that [spell] in hoodoo is to take and burn a black candle in [your] back shed, back out in the open where the air can hit it and [it can] go into the dark corners, and that [going into dark corners] drives the evil away from you anywhere. [Candles against a person are often burned in a dark corner, which in my note (p.797) I changed to hidden corner sought out by spiritual smoke. The smoke from my informant's candle is not quite so spiritual, because it needs open air to penetrate the four corners of the earth. This latter expression - deservedly prominent in hoodoo and frequently used in this book (p.751) - comes from the Bible: And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth - Rev. 7: i. My four winds and five waves (five seas) in note on page 797 come from a hoodoo source, title on page 752. See also 2870, p.827.]
The informant directs burning a black candle; the long bracketed discussion is editorial. The protective effects remain source claims.
Entry 2956
Someone trying to harm you, [you protect yourself] according to the way they are trying to harm you. There's several ways they can harm you, you know. Quite natural they got a way. They can get your name on a sheet of paper in nine different ways - they get it wrote. They can put it into a lamp and burn that lamp on you. Put a little sugar in there and burn that. And if you didn't want to go their way, when they burn that nine mornings, nine days, you gotta go their way. You gotta do what they Want you to do, regardless of what it is or whatever they want you to do. You got to do that. There ain't but one thing for you to do. Just get their name and - on a piece of paper, nine different ways on a piece of paper - and then you take it in the north corner of your house and get you a black candle and set a black candle on that, and burn a black candle on there for nine mornings. And that lamp where she got that sugar and your name in, it's going to bust. She can't hinder it from busting. You burning that candle on her and she burning that lamp on you. But that candle will put that lamp out. It'll bust that lamp.
Entry 2957
Take a little holy water and then sugar and ammonia, and you put it in the mole [mold] of your head like that, "In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost." [I comment on his actions.] (You make a cross on the top of your head while you are putting that [mixture] on.) Yes, "In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Ghost. In the Name of God put this light out." And it will go out.
(I see - and the candle will go out.)
Entry 2958
You take and cross two new needles in your head - two new needles in your head and get some holy water, see, and just take that holy water for nine mornings and throw it backwards over your head - over them new needles.
(Over? You just throw it back over the needles?)
Over the needles - over your head.
(I see, and what will that do then?)
That would cause the candle - if the candle been burning, the candle would do no harm. It make it burn out and it wouldn't do you no harm.
Entry 2959
Take two needles and put across your head and get you a bottle and put you nine needles in there and nine new pins - [he corrects to] nine new needles and some holy water and put it in there. Shake it and stop it up. An' turn it bottom up and set it in a corner. Leave it stay there. And every morning you go and shake it. [Magic rite of shaking.]
(What will that do?)
Well, that keeps him from - you know.
(Well, what do they do with those candles?)
What you do with the candles?
(Oh, what do you put those needles in your hair for?)
Somebody is burning candles on you and that is to stop 'em from burning candles. ["To stop 'em from burning candles" - though informant does not say so - are preceding nine needles and holy water in bottle turned upside down and shaken. For other versions of this water rite, see following margin-title AGAINST BURNING CANDLE USE WATER.]
Entry 2960
(Tell me about burning that candle now.)
If somebody burning a candle, how to put it out? You could take you some holy water. After you take the holy water - and you goes to work, your head will be hurting you all the time if they be burning that candle. They'll be burning the candle and you take that holy water and you put the holy water - but you gotta go to a two-headed person to find out who is that that burning that candle on you. After they burning that candle on you, you carries that holy water there and after you let that holy water there three nights, that candle'll go out.
(What do you mean that holy water will be let there?)
Put it with the holy water.
[The preceding it means another candle, we learn later.]
(Oh, you put it with the holy water?)
Yes, sir. (And you take this to the two-headed person and you leave it with them three nights?) Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
(Then what do you do with it?)
Then, what he going to - he going to put a candle, another candle, in the cup and burn that candle and have the white of the egg in the bottom of de cup. Just like you'd stick a candle [to the bottom of the cup with egg white instead of melted candle wax] and have de holy water [in the cup], you know. [Candle is often burned in a cup of water.] And when that holy water drain [evaporate] - you put about this much - then, why, the candle'll go out. That why the other candle will go out on you.
Entry 2961
Light choo a blue moun' [small incense come colored blue] to [Our] Lady [of] Lourdes, an' then you take the holy water an' go over your house each week, "In the Name of the Father, Son an' Holy Ghost." That'll make it [the candle being burned against you] go out. [For blue mound, see 2507, p.695; for various types of incense, see pp.700-705.]
The editor identifies the candle referred to by the informant's prediction that it will go out. The house practice and protective result remain unverified source claims.
Entry 2962
Well, yo' kin take - if yo' see a person's tryin' tuh do yo' anything or somethin' like dat, yo' go an' git chew some holy water and have it blest. See. If you have this holy water blest and bring to yore home, and yo' sprinkle it in each fo' corners of yore house - jes' sprinkle dis holy water in each fo' corners, underneath yore steps an' on yore porch. An' while yo' be's saying dat - well it's a piece in de catechism yo' has to say wit dis holy water, some- thin' about Holy Mary. Yo' sprinkle at each fo' corners of yore house an' dey can't - a person can't burn any candles or can't do anything long as yo' keep dis holy water and keep it sittin' behin' yore bed. (Well, what do they say? How does that piece from the catechism go - Holy Mary?) Well, it's "Hail Mary, conceived without sin, pray fo' me."
(It isn't, "Hail, Mary, full of grace?")
Yeah, it's, "Hail, Mary, full of grace, conceived without sin, pray fo' me."
Entry 2963
You could cross matches, or something of the kind in your head, to put 'em [candles] out if they were burning to get - make you sick or give you the headache. Some candles that they burn will keep you with the headache at certain hours. They say you can cross matches in the mole of your head to put the candle out.
The informant directly names candles in a headache account. The claimed timing and match-crossing counteraction are unverified; the head wording remains unresolved.
Entry 2964
Yo' kin take a little pinch of salt an' put it in yore hair near de mole [mold] of yore haid. Well - an' den yo' take two matches an' cross 'em in yore haid. Dat puts it out - dat candle's out an' it cain't do yo' any harm.
Entry 2965
You git a penny box of matches from de groc'ry store, an' you git choo some salt an' needles, an' cross it in your haid. You say, "By St. Peter, by St. Paul, by the Lord that made us all." An' cuss de one dat choo think has got dem can'les [burning against you]. An' dey go out.
(You put this salt in your hair?)
You put de salt. An' de matches yuh cross 'em in your head. An' you rub it [the salt]. You go there ever' mornin' an' rub it, choo know. Ever' mornin' you take a little salt an' rub it. An' say that prayer ["By St. Peter"] for nine mornin's. An' he'll run away.
(That candle will go out?)
Yes, that candle will go out.
(How many matches do you put in your hair?)
Two. Each mornin' you put new matches out a box has never been used.
(Just two - just across the two.)
Just two. [Needles also crossed.]
Entry 2966
If yo' got bad headaches an' dat headache is not natural, yo' take dat matches, two of 'em, an' cross dem in de mole of de haid. First yo' go to de hydrant an' yo' take an' let de hydrant run on yore haid in de mole fo' fifteen minutes. Now, yo' come back an' yo' 'noint dat [with what?] an' den yo' put dose matches dere an' cross 'em in yore haid. An' dat puts any lightnin' in de world out - dat puts de lights out. [Crossed matches a protection against lightning.]
(If somebody is burning a light on you, that will put it out?)
Dat will put hit out.
Entry 2967
Dey say if a person is burning candles on you an' yo' feel - you see it gives you awful headaches and you go fo' days in and days out with headaches, don't chew know, and you turns real dark under yore eyes. Andthenyo'takeand git some matches and stick them in your hair.
(How many did you say you get?)
Three. Stick one like that, one like that, and one like that [demonstrates]. (You make a cross - one match one way and then two crossing it. Put it in your hair and what will that do?) Wear it in your hair - that will outen the candles.
Entry 2968
Well, yo' git it out of a box dat's nevah been used out of. Well, you take three matches and make six halfs, see, an' cross it right at de mole of yore head. It will put 'em out, if dey burning candles on yo'.
Entry 2969
Take three matches of different colors an' break 'em. Name one de Father an' de other de Son an' de other de Holy Ghost. An' yo' put one in [on] each one of the artro veins of yore haid. Dat will put de candles out.
(That will put the candles out that are burning for me.)
Then yo' take three mo' matches an' light all three of 'em. Yo' name 'em, "Name of the Father, Son and de Holy Ghost," an' yo' light 'em all at once an' pinch 'em out with yore left hand.
(What will that do?)
Put 'em [candles] out. That's throwing de misery back dey say to de one dat give it tuh yo'.
(Do they do these two things together or do they do them separately?)
Separately.
(Now what three veins did you say in your head?)
Those artro veins right back there. There one there an' one there.
(One at the back of the neck?)
Two at de back of de neck and one right heah. (Two at the back of the neck and one right here - and one here on the left side just above the temple. They are called what?) Those artro veins.
Entry 2970
Ah was cooking fo' a lady in this town - now this is real fresh [personal experience] - and another lady, a real dark lady, wanted the job. She wanted the job where ah was at. And of course ah took sick. In a few days ah recovered and went back down there and the [boss] lady had hired another woman. Well, she [new cook] got afraid that the lady was goin' tuh take me back - which she had tole me tuh come back to the job - she was afraid she was goin' tuh take me back, understand. Then she [boss lady] told me, she says, "Sarah, is yo' able to work?" Ah said, "Yessum, ah kin work some, Miz Smith, but ah'm not give you all the labor that choo do have, and ah drather not work, not jest now." So ah goes back down there when ah got able tuh work and under the kitchen cabinet as ah went out of the door ah viewed two - three black candles.
(In the kitchen where you worked?)
Where ah worked at, yes sir, under the kitchen cabinet, and all three of 'em was aburning. Well, ah didn't say anything to her about those candles.
(You didn't say anything to the cook about them?)
No, ah didn't say anything to her. So that night when ah went to bed, ah dreamed about those candles, and she told me in mah sleep, "Those is to keep you away an' to keep you ailing." And then ah told another old Indian lady [hoodoo doctor] about it that come to our house, and she tole me, she say, "You take a looking-glass and turn it on its face under yore bed and you'll put those things out." Well, ah did that and shore enough, ah never seed any more of 'em. Ah visited jest to see was they still burning. So ah didn't say anything to her about 'em atall. But ah found out [from doctor] through that that's what she was burning 'em fo'. An' she's got the job today - today.
Entry 2971
Dey go to a store and buy some gold-eyed nee- dles and cross 'em - take 'em and put 'em in yore hair and cross 'em.
(How many do you put in there?)
Two.
(Just two in the form of an X or a cross right in your hair.)
Form a cross jes' thataway but put it right up in dis part of yore hair.
(Top of the head. What will that do?)
Say that will put 'em out.
Entry 2972
Two brand-new needles - you know, what you never used - these gold-eyed needles, make a cross in the top of your head with them and keep those needles up there in the top of your head.
(Do you take those needles out?)
No, you lose 'em out. Like you go to bed, you see, you don't take 'em out with your hand and lay 'em nowhere - like you go to bed, you let 'em lose out in the bed.
(I see. Then the candles go out?)
Yeah.
Entry 2973
Take two brand-new needles and cross 'em in your head - two brand-new needles - and put 'em right cross there. And if you got a hydrant, go to the hydrant every morning and let the water run right on the mole of your head - that hydrant water.
(That makes those candles go out?)
Go out.
Entry 2974
Take two. needles an' yo' cross 'em nine mawnin's in de hair - up in de hair yo' cross fo' nine mawnin's. Yo' go tuh de rivah or well an' yo' bathe yore face, dat'll pass dat pain in de haid.
(Will that put the candles out or what?)
Dat'll put 'em out - put out dat cross.
Entry 2975
To make that candle go out? Well, they burn that on your head, you see - that the way they burn that on you, on your head. Now, what you do to make that candle go out. You take you two Pins and put 'em in the top of your head, cross em - make a cross out of 'em two pins. Take some salt and rub it right in the top of your head and wear that there for about four days, and I'll guarantee that headache will pass out - put 'em candles out.
Entry 2976
Take t'ree dressin' pins an' wear: 'em crossways in de mole of yer haid heah, right up in de top heah, an' yo' wear 'em crossways dere. If yo're burnin' dat candle, dat'll make dem - dey have to take dere min' off of from burnin' de candle. Dere wouldn't be luck 'nuff to burn dat candle all de while on yo'.
Entry 2977
Somebody is burning a candle on you, and you got fire in the grate or else in the wood stove. You take a tablespoon of sugar and you put that in that fire and you take a tablespoon of salt and you put that in there. In about three minutes them candles will go out, cause I had it happen to me and I did it.
Entry 2978
You take your chamber lye for nine mawnin's and take it out and throw it over your left shoulder nine mawnin's, sunrise [to the east]. (At sunup or before?) Before sunrise, nine mawnin's. Throw it east, throw it the way the sun rise [rises]. Go to de north cormer of de house and throw it for nine mawnin's over your left shoulder and don't look back. And the last mawnin' that you throw it, that candle'll burn - will go out. They goes on out - that drowns 'em out, you see.
(The candle that they are burning on you.)
That goes out.
Entry 2979
[Some persons refuse to use ordinary means to put out candles burning against them, they must know the name of the culprit. There are two methods for learning this name; the better being a visit to a hoodoo. The latter will see the candleburner either in the cards or close his eyes and actually watch him at work. But - but the hoodoo is always cagey about naming names (2748, p.757). After all, the name is a spirit. What the hoodoo will do has been described previously many times. The second method is to doctor yourself.] All right. Yo' take yo' some sugah an' yo' take yo' some dis heah war water and yo' burn dat light [your candle] up in dere [in a container holding sugar and war water]. [You burn a candle against his candle (2954, p.853). This is also one of the many rites of divination (see Diagnosis, Pp.165-217).] An' when yo' burn dat light, whoevah got de light up on yo' [burning over your name], dat light gon'a burn in a cross-like, see. [My informant omits an important step here, perhaps assuming that I am a hoo- doo and should know what he is talking about. The operator must call or breathe out near the candle every name he can think of until flame looks like a cross; not a formal cross but a stylized fleur-de-lis with tits, the two laterals being the arms of the cross.] An' when yo' find it out who's de person, den yo' carry dere name [write it on a piece of paper] an' keep dat light upon dere name. Dat put out every candle dey puts on yo'. (How do you mean you burn that light in this War water and stuff? Where do you put that?) Yo' put it into a cup or saucer an' put dat light in dere. [First, drop melt- ed wax into the container, stand the candle in it and after it is firm, add the war water and sugar.]
(What color light?)
Yo' kin use a red light [blood against blood] or a green light [everything is clear].
Entry 2980
I know once someone was burnin' a candle on mah brother. A two-headed person told him. So he told us what to do to put de candle out. You git chew a quart bottle. Yo' fill dat bottle with water and put dat stopper in dere jes' as tight as yo' kin git it. Yo' turn dat bottle up on de neck and leave dat way, and de candle can't burn.
(Where do you put that bottle?)
At de head of de bed.
(You turn it upside down.)
On de neck and stop it so dere won't none of de water git out [demonstrates].
(Turn it just like that [upside down].)
An' de candle cannot burn. Ah believe dat. Dat's one thing ah believe because he was sufferin' wit de headache an' 'bout to go crazy and ah declare de minute dey did dat, it stopped. Ah believe dat. Now dat's one thing ah re'lly believe.
Entry 2981
If yo' close to de rivah an' [or] yo' is heah [in New Orleans] go to de Miss'ippi Rivah an' git a quart bottle of watah, an' put a brand-new stopper on it an' turn it upside down in de corner of de house. Dey cain't keep it lighted; same as de watah po'ed on it. (You set it down in the corner of the house. In the inside of the house or on the outside?) Inside.
Entry 2982
Take yore pitchure an' burn candles on yore pitchure. Well, if dey Want it fo' good, dey use it wit sugah or honey. If not, if dey want it fo' bad, dey take dat candle - dey take de bottom part of dat candle an' cut it an' dat's de part dey light, light it bottom upwards. Dey put dat candle in a lemon an' set dat lemon on yore pitchure. Dat's whut dey do when dey wanta burn it tuh give yo' a headache or any kinda misery or anything lak dat - burns de candle bottoms upwards on top of dat pitchure.
(Do they use any particular color or does it make any difference?)
Well, dey - yo' kin use white. It's jes' as good as any othah color. Yo' use black if yo' wants tuh run 'em away.
(Do you light that candle at any particular time?)
Six in de mawnin', twelve at noon an' six at night. Ketch watah. Take an' leave yore haid - hol' yore haid down anywhere where yo' kin have some watah run on it. Ketch it in a pan an' take dat watah an' put it in a bottle. An' git chew nine needles an' nine tacks an' nine pins dat's nevah been used. Write dere name down nine time an' take dat bottle an' put some cayenne peppah an' table salt in it an' turn dat bottle - stop it up an' turn dat bottom upwards an' dat will put any candle out. An' yo' take yore left-foot shoe an' turn it bottom upwards under de side of de bed where yo' sleep at night. An' draw a glass of watah befo' de sunrise, an' put dat glass of watah undah yore bed an' when de sun goin' down, yo' throws it ovah yore left shoulder.
(What will that do?)
Dat puts de candles out. (That's another way of putting it out. Those are two different Ways of putting the candle out?) Both. All those ingredients goes tugethah. Yes, yo' see, when yo' usin' de watah, when yo' got de name in de watah, yo' gotta have dat shoe. Yo' take dat shoe an' turn dat shoe bottom upwards undah yore bed on de side where yo' sleep. Yo' draw a glass of watah befo' sunrise an' yo' leave it stay undah de side of de bed where yo' sleep till aftah de sun goes down. When de sun goin' down, yo' stan's an' yo' throws dat watah ovah yore left shoulder an' don't cross it [walk over it] - no suh, yo' don't look back at it.
(All that will put the candle out.)
Entry 2983
You go to de rivah an' gi' choo a bottle of watah. You come back an' you take you a glassful fer nine mornin'. You stan' in de back do' or windah an' say yore prayers ovah it. You t'row it ovah yore haid. An' you use St. Raymond pitchure an' burn a white light to it. An' dat'll put de can'les out.
Entry 2984
You could make the candle go out easy. It's a simple thing. Get to running water. Go there three times a day - any running water you go to, if you can get to the river. You can tell w'ah [whether] ah got a candle burning or not on you, because your head's done always feel hurted. Regardless of what you use, it's not going to stop your head from hurting. But if you think of it, go to the river - that's running water. Bathe your head three times. I mean - you see, just put your head - take your hand and throw water and let it run back to your neck and run on down there. It's nothing if you wet your clothes. Just let it run on down, see. Three times. You just duck your head three times and let that water run back on you like that. You do that three times a day and that will put the candles out.
Entry 2985
(How do they make them go out?)
Well, for my way - my understanding is that you wash your head with running water for nine mornings, and you take [two] matches of the same color, and a needle, and you cross 'em right in the mole of your head.
(You take matches and a needle and cross all three of those things.)
Right in the center of your head.
(Do that in addition to the running water or is that separate?)
That's afterwards. Do that after you wash your head with this running water. Then you cross 'em in your head.
(I see. To make the candles go out.)
Entry 2986
Work on yo'self, yo' know. Yo' tell me how yo' feel an' yo' say, "Well, ah feel - well, numb an' lak dat." Well, yo' git chew a bath, an' yo' git a whole box of Arm an' Hammer Soda, [arm and hammer a trademark of Armour Co.], whole box, an' put every bit of it in yore bathwatah, an' a little - an' Jis' two or three drops of bergamine [bergamot] an' a little salt. Dat makes yo' feel bettah. Den yo'll mo [more] know - den yo'll know whut tuh do. Den yo' wash yore face in runnin' watah [from a hydrant] an' let de hydrant continue tuh run. Wash yore face an' let it dry in de runnin' watah - jis' don't dry it on a towel or anything yo' know. Dat makes it feel bettah. (Well, how do I know then whether I was tricked or whether I was just ordinary ill? How do I know then?) Why, yo' usin' de trickin' stuff, dat'll make yo' know.
(You mean after you do all this, if you are not feeling better?)
Oh, yo' feelin' brighter.
(If you are not feeling better than someone has tricked you?)
Yessuh. Den yo' feel bettah. Den take dat agin - take dat same treatment ovah - take that agin an' go back to the runnin' watah. Take that about nine mawnin's an' yo'll find yo'll feel all right.
Entry 2987
Get two glasses of water and set one on each corner of the mantelpiece [often used as altar]. And if you have a idea who it is, jest call their name and knock three times and leave the glasses of water set up there. And you see, gradually, if the water be seeping out the glass, the candle's goin' out. The water goes out, jest shifts out like somebody poured it out. (If the water in the glass goes down, that's a sign the candle's going out. I see.)
Entry 2988
Take some matches and put in your head across, a little salt, a little ammonia and rub it in the middle of your head. And if you want them candles to go out, you wear your clothes on the wrong side. Every piece you got underneath, excusin' the top, you wear em on the wrong side and the candle'll go out. Well, you can tell when someone knows the candle's burning on 'em, when they take and change their clothes. Just like the candle was burning on you, you come and you say, "Oh, my head hurts me so bad." I say, "Someone is burning a black candle on you. I say, "Put your clothes on the wrong side." You'll change your clothes and when you start to change your clothes, the candle goes - start to popping. The candle don't go out. You keep your clothes on there and put that salt in your head, them two matches like a "x" in your head, and in that way the candle will go out. And if you don't wear your clothes on the wrong side, them candles is not going - they going to burn 'em until you die.
Entry 2989
Dey say you kin turn yore pocket wrongside out.
(Which pocket?)
De pocket which you use de most in your clothes. That will keep them from doing you harm or put out the candle.
Entry 2990
[Every well-known rite has minor variants too numerous or too unimportant to mention. At times these variants are too important to ignore - see Penny, pages 611-615.] (a) Anoint your head nine times with blueing to put out candle. [Blueing will whiten, therefore it will turn black magic into white.] [New Orleans, La.,
(803), 1122:4.]
(b) Go to an old-fashioned fireplace, stick a steel fork into the hearth bricks while wishing for the candles to go out, and let it remain there. [Witch- craft remedy taken over by hoodoo.] [New Orleans, La., (845), 1291:2b.] (c) Keep two new pins crossed over your heart and wear your stockings wrong- side out. [Two rites joined.] [New Orleans, La., (859), 1367:4.] (d) Turn the toe of your left shoe - an old one you are not using - to the north side of the house, and turn your left pocket inside out.
[New Orleans, La., (837), 1258:4.]
(e) Hang your clothes upside down behind the bed; that will make the candles go out. [New Orleans, La., (805), 1131:7.] (f) A man can hang his pants up upside down, the legs up.
[New Orleans, La., (835), 1257:1.]
(g) Nail with two nails [a nail for each leg] your underclothes upside down against the wall. [New Orleans, La., (800), 1116:6.] (h) Turn furniture, mattress and chairs upside down; that puts that candle right out. [New Orleans, La., (814), 1147:3.] (i) Go to the faucet nine times and wash mah face down.
[New Orleans, La., (788), 1100:2.]
(.i) Get up nine mornings before sunrise, each morning take nine glasses of water from the hydrant, go to the east side of the house, and throw the water over your left shoulder while wishing for the candles to go out.
[New Orleans, La., (845), 1291:2a.]
(k) Get right out of the bed and go to the hydrant, turn the water onto your head like that, and let it run nine mornings - without speaking to anyone.
[New Orleans, La., (798), 1115:4.]
[We have already learned that colored candles and privately owned altars are characteristic of hoodoo's treatment of Christian saints (pp.747-748, 770-773, 775-776, 789-792). In this sub-subdivison, SAINTS, our knowledge of individual saints will improve. Even so, only later interviews already mentioned (p.744) will permit us to go below the surface for a deeper understanding of this unusual aspect of life.]
Entry 2991
["Algiers, La., Feb. 21, 1940, Weds.- woman 50 - good - brought by Moses - paid" - Numbers Book 1558 to 1605. Moses, our contact man in Algiers, brings me a birthday present - the following woman. She, a pro- fessional worker, answers my unrecorded question with an extempo- raneous prayer, opening and closing with a triform petition.] St. Anthony, open dis do'. St. Anthony, please open de do'. An' dear St. Antho- ny, who lives in Jesus' love, open dis do'. St. Anthony, ah consecrate mahself to yo' an' use yo' as mah patron saint, an' ah ask yo' tuh keep mah do' open. Ah ask yo' tuh send me customers, St. Anthony, an' ah'll always use yo', through Our Lord givin' yo' de power an' strength tuh send me customers an' give yo' de lights on yore [altar]." St. Anthony open dis do' - St. Anthony open dis do' - St. Anthory open dis do'. An' yo' give lights tuh St. Raymond, he's fo' luck an' success. St. Raymond, yo' give him lights today. Git chew a red light. An' yo' use lights fo' him on Mondays an' on Thursdays an' positively everything red. An' they give yo' a prayer wit gittin' it [when you purchase the candle a prayer is included]; an' ah'll guarantee that vo'll have mo' luck then vo' want. In 24 days. But yo' must give him yore offerings. He's guaranteed 24 hours - 24 hours to a day. He gives yo' jes' whut chew want. He's first-class.
The prayer is presented as the informant’s response to an unrecorded question; the opening account of its production is editorial.