Browse:ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS (Volume 4, entries 8881–9440)/Part 5
ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS
Volume 4, entries 8881–9440. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 9201
Ah've seen 'em take a aig an' ma'k [mark] it roun' an' roun' dataway an' jis' dataway [demonstrates].
(Wait! Take the egg and mark it around. Which way do they mark it around?)
Each way [demonstrates]. (That's the egg. That's lengthwise. Mark it around that way. That's [the second marking is] the fat part of the egg.) Right roun' it lak dat. (Then you go around it lengthwise. You are making a cross on the egg. All right.) Take it tuh de bend of de road. Carry it tuh de bend of de road, de aig, an' dey dig a hole an' bury it - not so deep. De fus' [first] thing run ovah it an' smash it up, dey gone. Dey shō' gone.
(You mean you take that out where four roads come together?)
[Bend and curve of road are different.]
Yessuh, jes' lak dis is a road go disaway an' one go dataway. Well, yo' jes' put dat aig right in de fo'k lak dat, right in de fo'k of de road. Den de fus' thing come 'long an' mash it, dey gone, whosomevah yo' put it dere fo'. Yo' got a idea who yo' wanta run. Well, jes' put it dere fo' dem. Jes' do dat ma'k roun' an' roun' [the egg] an' put it right dere [at the fork of the road]. (In other words you would see these people coming and run out there and put that egg down, so that they would cross over it, if you want to get rid of a certain person. If some other person crossed over it, they would get it. To get the right person you would have to go out there and wait for them to come by.)
[I doubt my reasoning here. Almost always the intended person suffers.]
Don' let noboby see yo' when yo' go out dere.
The informant describes marking and burying an egg, first at a road bend and then at a road fork after clarification, for claimed departure when it is crushed. The interviewer proposes that another passerby could receive the effect, then Hyatt doubts that reasoning. Preserve the changing place words and the target-versus-passerby distinction rather than substituting one explanation.
Entry 9202
Dere's tuh [two] ways dat yuh cud [could] use dem. Ah kin take - see, yo' know a fresh egg dat yo' see a hen jis' got [up] from de nest. Yo' know, fresh egg jis' lak dat. If it's warm it's best. Well, yo' wo'd [would] take it. Yo' kin write a person name on dat egg. Write it dis way [demonstrates]. Turn de egg aroun' an' write it dat way [demonstrates]. (You write it one Way, then turn the egg upside down and then write right across.) [The two names are written in the form of a cross to cross up the vic- tim.] Uhuh, write it again [the second time] across it. An' yo' kin care hit [carry it] tuh runnin' watah, jis' dat egg, make yuh wishes. Any way yuh wan' 'em tuh go, why jis' say, "Go. "~ Any which way yo' want, jis' go tuh cussin' an' say, "Go, God damn yuh." Sompin lak dat. Throw it in.
Entry 9203
Yes sir, yo' kin take sulphuh an' de aig an' table salt an' some kinda perfume. Ah doesn't know whut kinda perfume dey use intuh it, but dey git it from de drug sto'. Dey say it's lucky perfume. Yo' kin take dat perfume yo' see an' po' dat perfume in [on] dat aig but yo' jes' wrap dat aig up in de sulphuh an' de salt, an' put it undah de do'step. Dat brings 'em back.
(Well, do you do anything with that egg, write their name on it or anything?)
[I am not asking a leading question here but trying to make informant repeat what had already been said. A note of mine on the original manuscript reads: This was explained in egg rite C688:14 (informant's rite preceding this one) which I am unable to find at the moment. It may be that C688:14 was discarded, everything being in present rite, or it may turn up in the printed text.] Yes sir, yo' write de name on it an' call 'em. Yo' know if yo' put call on dere it'll bring dem back. Jes' take dat aig tuh bring 'em home; yo' put chure sulphur an' yore table salt an' yore red peppah in dere. Well, yo' see, yo' don't break de egg an' put it in dere, yo' jes' wrap de egg up in dere. Yo' write de name straight up an down de aig. An' den yo' put de name cross de aig [making a cross]. Den yo' write on de side of it. Call "Come back," see. An' den yo' place it in dat cloth an' bury it down undah de do'step to about dis deep [demonstrates].
(What do you do with that perfume?)
Yo' wet it in de perfume. Dat's lucky. Wet de aig an' de sulphuh [etc.] an' wrap it all an' put it underneat' de step.
Entry 9204
Well, if yo' want 'em tuh leave home, want 'em tuh bust up, don't want 'em tuh live tuhgethah. Yo' git chew two aigs, write dey name on it an' put three "x" - cross marks on it. (Write whose name on it?) De folkses fn de house. (You mean both the man's name and the woman's name?) De woman an' de man name, write 'em both name on de aig. (One egg or both eggs?) [I am trying to learn whether his and her names are on each egg or separate eggs.] Two aig dis time. See, yo' Want one aig tuh make a fam'ly move. BUT YO' WAN' TWO AIG TUH MAKE A COUPLE [My question was not answered.] (Wait a minute! Here is your egg, the two eggs. You write his name or her name on this egg.) Write one name on one aig an' write de othah name on de othah aig.
(You put the woman's name on one egg and the: man's name on the other egg.)
An' yo' put three "x's" on it, see on each aig. An' yo' take it twelve a'clock in de night, don't go no earliah. Den yo' take it an' throw it between- lak dey have a dinin'-room an' settin'-room - where dem fo'ks of de house [is] - right up on top-lak - an' de drain go down. Throw it up on de fo'ks of de house an' let it bust an' run down. An' de two will jes' git [busted up] fo' de bal- ance of dey lives.
(You say throw it between the sittingroom and the...)
"Tween settin'room an' de dinin'room.
(In Other WOrds, ABOUT HALF WAY ON THE TOP OF THE HOUSE?)
Anywhere dey kin pass from de kitchen tuh de dinin'room, ON DE TOP OF DE HOUSE, ON DE OUTSIDE.
Entry 9205
Put seven marks on it an' git chure lef' track.
[Make 7 crosses like letter "x" - see later.]
(You put seven marks on this egg, chicken egg.)
Chicken egg. Put seven marks on dat an' dey will take it down [I interrupt].
(What about that track? What do they do with that?)
Well, dey'd take it tuh de rivah an' throw it ovah de lef' shouldah. (Well now, they get the egg and get the track. What do you do?: Do you use those separately? Or how do you handle them?) Yo'use dat, Yo' know, jis' wit de track. Dey'd put dat in a sack to- gethah. (This egg and the track?) Yes. Dey take it down tuh de rivah an' throw ovah yore lef' shouldah in de rivah. Dat cuz tuh keep yore trouble. Always on de wandah. Keep yo' dis- satisfied.
(What sort of marks do they make on that chicken egg?)
Well, jis' cross dem. Jis' lak yo' mark heah [demonstrates], take an' make a cross dere [demonstrates].
(Make a cross mark, like an "x".)
[The X cross, a roughly drawn St. Andrew's cross, is normally used. This design can be made by rapidly crossing two diagonal lines. Also usable is the plus-sign cross + called the Greek or St. George's cross, a horizontal line vertically bisected by a line of the same length. To draw a cross in hoodoo crosses a person.] Jis' mark dat egg seven times.
Entry 9206
Well, if yo' wanta do anybody any harm, go tuh work an' yo' take a penny an' put it right in de crossin' of de road. An' yo' goes tuh work an' yo' take dat aig, an' yo' bust it right on dat penny. An' if dey wanta cross dat, dey can't cross.
Entry 9207
Ah've heard 'em say put dis person name on a aig. An' go tuh dis person house twelve a'clock at night an' curse dis person, an' bust dis aig an' tell 'em, say, "Ah want chew tuh leave." Dey'll leave - move.
(Where do you bust that egg?)
[Notice that I frequently repeat informant's word. Frequently informant repeats mine.] Anywhere on de house, eithah on topa de house twelve a'clock at night. Dey always tell me dat. Sometime dey say a black hen aig is good. Sometime dey use a dauber nest. Dey sprinkle hit. Dey use dat sometime to bust on de house.
Entry 9208
Ah had a job workin' an' ah lose de job. No, ah didn't lose de job. De man jes' say he didn't have nuthin tuh do. All right, lattah ah went tuh a lady [doctor] an' she say - peoples talkin' about [her] say she wus good. All right, she tells me, say, "Ah'll git yuh job back, [you] git fired offa." Git fired off [of job] on Sunday night. She says, "Ah'm goin' tell yo' whut tuh do. Yo' take dis heah rotten aig an' yo' go tuh dis heah place where yo' wus workin' at.' Say, "Yo' take it an' chunk it up ovah de do' an' cuss." Yo' undahstand. See, yo'd cuss an' yo'd walk off. An' she says, "Don't look back." An' she say, "In two or three days yo'll git de job back." An' ah done dat. She gimme dat aig. Ah give her de money. Ah done dat. AH NEVAH GOT DAT JOB BACK AG'IN.
(You never got the job back?)
No, ah nevah got dat one back.
Entry 9209
Take a hen egg an' if ah wanted tuh run yuh away from here, ah'll write yuh name on dat egg all 'round dere in diff'ren' words. An' ah'll pass by yuh house an' ah'll throw dat egg. Ah'll throw it ag'in yuh do', see. An' if dat egg bust on yuh do', yo' goin' leave. Yo' goin' git up an' leave from dere. An' yo' go on about chure business, go on. Break dat egg on de do' at night. [Informant says something after recording machine stopped.] (And you write that name in what words? What kind of words do you write?) Well, yo' use in vain [the Lord's Name in vain]. Yo' use it. Yo' take de Lawd an' den yo' cuss 'im.
(You cuss him and then you use it [the Lord's Name] in vain?)
An' use it in vain. Write dat on dat egg all around, yo' see.
Entry 9210
An' den ah took an' - dis anothah story fo' tuh keep de law away, yo' undahstan'. Ah got me some aigs an' whip it up wit whiskey an' devil's-shoe- string, an' buries it undah de do'step, between midnight an' day, an' de law nevah did have any chance tuh come in. (Well, when you whip the eggs with the whiskey, where do you put those? Do you mix it up with the devil's- shoestring or what?) Yes sir, all tuhgethah. Put it in a bottle.
Entry 9211
Take de chicken aig if yo' want a person tuh move out chure house. Yo' take an' bust dat chicken aig on de do' an' dey compel [they are compelled] tuh come out.
Entry 9212
Yo' take dat egg. He'd have tuh move, he can't stay dere. An' yo' go right tuh de front do' or de back do', eithah one, an' yo' take dat egg an' yo' throw it, an' bust it right up tuh de side of dat house, an' dat'll move 'em. Dat'll move 'em easy.
Entry 9213
Yo' kin take - AH HATE TUH GIVE YO' ALL MAH SECRETS. But ah will tell yo' dis. Yo' take yo' a black hen aig an' yo' pass longside of de street an' throw it an' let it splatter on dat porch against dat do'. Dat's dat [to move you].
Entry 9214
About de aig? Well, lak dis heah couple stayin' right heah, dis mar- ried couple [in house where author was interviewing], why ef ah wanted tuh break dem up. Take a aig, a hen aig an' throw it on dat front do' an' let it bust. Hit'll fall yo' see. Why yo' know in de mawnin when yo' wake up, yo' know quite natchly [naturally] yo' don't hardly, yo' know, look down dere at de do'. Yo' goin' be lookin' out in de street aftah sompin, yo' see, an' yo' step ovah dere. Yo' done go on. Den aftah yo' step in it [broken egg] den yo' say, "Well, ah wondah whut dis heah aig doin' heah on dis pō'ch. Well, see, dey break yo' up. Yo' an' yore husband nevah live in peace. Dat is tuh break yo' up.
Entry 9215
Well, if ah had a woman cross de street an' a man run ovah dere aftah dis Woman an' ah don' want him ovah dere, ah'll go git me a black hen aig, a fresh one jes' laid, an' ah'll write his name on dat. Ah'll go an' bust dat aig up de front of dat do'. Well, he cain't go dere no mo'.
Entry 9216
Jes' take de aig right aftah she lay, an' gits de drop on [take an unexpected advantage of] de person an' count three times. Well, yo' say, one - two - when yo' say three de aig's done left yore han' an' hit right in de centah of dey do'. It hit right in de centah of dey do' an' drap down dere. Well, dey gone.
(What kinf of an egg do you use?)
A black hen. Yo' cain't use no othah chicken but a black hen. She's gotta be black an' not have a white spot about 'er.
Entry 9217
Ah heard of 'em usin' black hen aigs fo' somepin else. Yo' take 'em an' if anybody in a house has done done anything tuh yo', or somepin lak dat, an' yo' want tuh run 'em away. Well, yo take dat hen aig, dat black hen aig an' go dere at nine a'clock in de night. It have tuh be at nine a'clock in de night, an' bust dat aig up ovah de do'.
Entry 9218
(Get a black hen egg.) Yes, yo' go dere twelve a'clock in de night an' yo' smash de black hen aig against de do' or de do'post of de house.
Entry 9219
Drap [drop] one black [hen] egg right at de doah at twelve a'clock in de night...dey'll certainly git away from dere.
Entry 9220
Suh [sir], ah've heard dey take a black hen aig, if yo' wanta family tuh move out de house an' yo' wants tuh git dat house, keep 'em"'way from dere. Take a black hen aig an' walk by at twelve a'clock at night an' throw it ag'inst de do' an' walk away an' don' look back. Dat's one thing.
Entry 9221
If ah wanted tuh run a pusson [person] outa de house, ah'd take me a aig an' put it in a brown papah bag an' ah'd thrash it up against de do', see. Break it, see. an' let dem sweep it out. See, an when dey sweep dat out why quite natchel [natural] it takes effect. (That makes them move out of the house. You throw this egg against their house before sunrise?) Jes' at sunrise. [My knowledge of sunrise came from before recording began. Since informant did not repeat word, I had to include it on the cylinder by a question. For another egg rite, but before sunrise, see No.9377.]
Entry 9222
Take a egg to move you away, too. Well, they'll write the person's name on this egg. See, and at a certain hour in the night they'll throw that egg on your door and then, providing from time to time, you are in hard luck or get despondent - but it gotta be a black hen egg to do it with.
(What will that finally do, then?)
That will move you away. (Move you out of the house.)
Entry 9223
(What about the black hen egg now?)
De black hen aigs. Now, dere wus a man comin' tuh me an' wus gittin' mine [eggs from black chickens] but ah didn't know whut he wanted 'em fo' till 'is wife tole me. An' when he came de nex' time, ah found out from him whut he wanted wit 'em. He takes dese black hen aigs an' write chure name on it an' dat's somebody dat he's aftah. He'll smash it on dey do' tuh eithah move yo' or keep yo' goin'.
Entry 9224
Git a chicken aig an' take it tuh dere home an' bust it up 'ginst de do' an' call de person name dat dey wants tuh leave from dere an' dey will leave.
(Just one egg?)
Yes sir, but it will be A FRESH EGG. (Any kind of a chicken egg.) From a black hen, special. (And you call the name once, to run them away.) An' throw it up 'ginst de do' an' it would make dem leave from dere.
Entry 9225
Take a aig an' bust it in front of yo' do', an' call yore name or de man's name, an' yo' would have tuh move becuz de aig wus busted.
(What kind of egg do you use?)
Ah'd take a black hen's aig.
Entry 9226
Said dey take a black hen aig an' go tuh de woman's house, an' if yo' man goin' dere, if yo' wanta bust 'im up from dere an' run 'im away from dere, bust 'im an' de woman up, yo' take a black-hen aig an' go an' throw it up against de do', an' say jes' whut chew want tuh de aig. An' throwin de aig at de do', bust it, an' he cain't go dere.
Entry 9227
Yo' know whut chew do, yo' git a black hen aig. Git a black hen aig an' yo' take de black hen aig an' go tuh dat house wherevah dey livin' at. An' dat's breakin' 'em up. An' yo' take an' throw dat black-hen aig against de do' bust it, an' say, "Stay away." (You say, "Stay away." What will that do when you break the egg on the door? You say it breaks them up?) Breaks 'em up.
Entry 9228
Lak if someone comin' tuh see yo'. Prob'ly yo' don't keer [care] tuh have dem come dere no mo'. Well, yo' kin take a egg, yo' un'erstan', an' when dey leave - when dey come out dere by de do', yo' see, yo' must take dat egg an' pitch dat egg ag'inst de do'. Break dat egg ag'inst de do' an' dey'll nevah return ag'in. (They will never come back to see you again.) When dat egg breaks, dat breaks up friendship.
Entry 9229
An' if yo' kin leave a aig ovah a place - ovah a do' - de skin of de aigshell aftah breakin' de aig, an' take de white of it an' fasten it [skin] ovah dat do' an' covahate [= coverate - cover] dat, dat will affect chew. (What will that do?) Dat will leave 'em fes' safe, run a enemy away. If yo' got a enemy anywhere roun' yore home, dat'll spite dem away.
(If you put that eggskin over the door?)
De inside skin of de aigshell an' de white of de aig. An' wipe it up dere [with the egg white]. Git de yellah from dere an' den wipe de white of de aig up dere. An' take dat inside skin - jes' a small piece of: it - place it up dere. Hit'll stick. When it weah out an' dry off, jes' let it go on an' sweep it all out. He's gone away, too. Dat's de enemy. (How do you know you are getting the right fellow? How do you know you are sending the right man away?) Well, yo' writes de name - by name yo' know. If yo' know - jes' lak yo's a enemy tuh me an' ah knowed yore name. Ah didn't want yo' tuh come to mah house no mo'. Ah'd write a name yo' know an' write it on dere an' den stick dat - dis question on dere. Take de white of de aig an' scrape it up dere an' de inside skin an' stick it up dere. When it git dry an' fade away an' fall off, sweep it on out. He's gone off, too.
Entry 9230
Take chicken aigs an' bury 'em undah de do'step an' a lady an' 'er husband tuh separate. (Any kind of chicken egg?) Black chicken aig. (Any number of eggs? How many?) Two an' [or] three. [Waycross, Ga., (1133), 1937:14. Two cylinders later in- formant returns to same subject.]: [I heard] of 'em usin' black hen aigs an' [or] usin' black hen dung.
(What would they do with that black hen egg?)
Bury 'em undah yore steps tuh part chew an' yore husband, cuz yo' tuh have back luck. [Waycross, Ga., (1133), 1839:10.]
Entry 9231
If he [first man] had a woman livin' in 'is house an' he [second man] want 'er [her] to leave 'im [first man] an' want [her] to live heah [with] him [second man], put de aig undah de step [of first man] covah it up an' dat [first] man walk ovah it fo' nine mawnin's she'll leave her husband [first man], an' come where he at, if he want 'er tuh do it.
(What kind of egg did you say it was?)
Black hen aig, it have tuh be black.
Entry 9232
Ah heard dat chew could take a black hen's aig an' bury it at chure do', an' aftah buryin' dis black hen's aig at chure do', when yo' make yore wishes an' whatevah yo' make yore wish, it will come. (You bury this black hen egg at your own door?) Yessuh. (And make your wish for anything?) Yessuh. Ah heard dat chew could do dat an' dat yore wishes would come.
Entry 9234
Jes' lak if yo' got a fren' an' he's away from yo', yo' use a chicken aig lak dis. Yo' put it in de mun of de house [under eaves] wit de end [small end of egg] down an' yo' writes 'is name on dat an' yo' puts it dat deep in de groun' [demon- strates]. (About as deep as your hand.) Yes sir, at de drain of yore house, an' yo' call 'im, an' yo' put sulphuh, sugah - all dat mixture is sweet don't chew know. Put sulphuh, sugah an' brim- stone. An' each mawnin' yo' call 'im fo' nine mawnin's. [Brimstone and sulphur raise hell with him, sugar sweetens him.] Yo' call 'im an' he boun' tuh come, he cain't stay away - he gotta come. One aig an' write his name on de aig. Ah'm goin' call yore name, see. Say, "Ah'm callin' yo' an' ah wan' chew tuh come on back home heah tuh me." Write dat on de aig. See, write his name on dere [egg]. Call 'is name an' write dat [name] on dat aig. An' put dat aig right down in dis guttah [in the ground under the eaves].
(Any kind of a chicken egg?)
It would be bettah if it wuz a black hen aig.
Entry 9235
Wal, yo' take de eggs from a chicken an' yo' take de shell an' yo' grind 'em up, jes' mash 'em up real fine. An' yo' take dose shell - eggs out dem shells an' yo' put 'em intuh a glass of watah an' let 'em set fo' nine days. An' den yo' take dat glass of watah an' yo' strain it out until it come tuh be perfect cleah, an' den yo' give dat to anyone. Jes' lak someone come tuh yore house an' want a drink of watah, yo' take some of dat watah an' po' in anothah glass, an' put some mo' watah intuh it an' give it tuh dem tuh drink. Dey'll certainly love yo'.
Entry 9236
[Well, now yo' kin take a black - it's gotta be a solid black hen. Yo' kin take a black hen aig an' write chure enemy's name on dere an' yo' kin bury it, if yo' wan' 'em tuh leave town or leave from aroun' yore neighborhood. Yo' put de lit- tle end out. (Out from what?) From de do'. Put de little end out. Jes' bury it right in front of yore do'. An' dat will run 'em away, but yo' will have tuh write dere name on dat aig an' it has tuh be a black hen aig. Then yo' kin take a black hen aig an' yo' kin throw it, but yo' have tuh be shore [sure] dat yo' hit right on de do'knob wit it. Yo' kin throw it an' let it strike right ag'inst a person's do'knob an' it'll cuz all kinda confusion in dat home, an' yo' can't stay dere in no peace.
Entry 9237
If yo' got a woman, or eithah if yo' wanta see a fren' of yor'n an' yo' wants dis woman, an' yo' don' know how tuh git up tuh 'er. Yo' take dis aig, a white fresh aig, an' yo' writes her name on dis aig, an' how ole she are, an' her address. An' jis' howsom- evah her facin', her house turn, yo' digs right down at de steps an' plant it at 'er do'. Go tuh 'er house an' digs dat down dere jis' about, say about fo' inches. An' yo' turn de edge [end] of de aig out tuhwards de streets, de small end tuh de streets. Yo' know, jis' ary way her house turnt tuhwards de streets, yo' turn dat sharp end [of egg] tuhwards de streets. Dat supposed tuh git dis woman undah yore control.
Entry 9238
Yo' kin take a chicken aig an' yo' kin - jis' lak dat de aig [demon- strates] turn it dat way, de haid of it. Take dat chicken aig an' go outside where any couple's house is - yo' know, a married couple be - an' take dat chicken aig an' bust it up side of dat house, de haid of dat aig is turnt, an' dat'll bust 'em up. Dat'll separate 'em. (Do you use any kind of a chicken egg?) Any kind.
Entry 9239
Take a black hen's aigs fo' somebody yo' want tuh have bad luck or sompin bad happen tuh 'em; git 'im from out de way, mark himself off de earth. Take a pencil an' write his name tuh de bottom of de aig on de little end. Write yore name - jes' lak yo' wanted tuh run me off or ah wanted tuh run yo' off, or do 'way wid yuh, ah would write chure name on de bottom of dat aig; see, on de little end. Write mah name on de top, on de big end of de aig. Go dere an' bury it right down where yo' had tuh walk ovah dat aig.
(How would you bury that egg?)
Neah de do'steps.
(How would you bury it, little end up or big end up?)
Little end down, big end up. Befo' long dat egg will come tuh git hot, or sour or bust. Dat locks chure bowels. Ain't a doctor [M.D.] 'tween heah an' nowhere kin do yo' no good. Whenevah dat aig bust down dere, yore bowels will lock an' bust inside. Right den all yore action will be on de inside yo' know, an' yo' won't be no mo' good. Won't be long 'fo' yo' be gone.
Entry 9240
No, yo' don't git a dozen - ah mean, jes' one dozen, but if yo' got a big yard [you can use more]. Yo' start out dere tuh dat front fo' yo' make a hole up heah an' a hole up heah [demonstrates].
(You make a hole in each end of the egg.)
[This is done so that the egg will leak or drip after it is planted.]
An' yo' take dose eggs an' yo' pack 'em [in a basket or something to carry them].
(How many eggs do you take?)
Well, if yo' got a big yard yo' gotta go all 'roun' de house. Well, yo' use yore yard. Yo' put [demonstrates] a egg heah an' yo' put a egg dere, an' a egg dere, an' a egg dere. Jes' set 'em up. Put dat point [little end] down, yo' see, an'.de stuff runs out. When dat egg runs outa dat shell, dat man won't be dere. Dey run mah husban' away lak dat. (Well, do they bury these any place in the yard or coming into the house or what?) Comin' intuh de house, all aroun' dere, aroun' de house.
(Just as many as you want to put there.)
Jes' plant lak yo' be plantin' corn [maize].
(And cover them up a little bit?)
Yes, yo' have tuh covah 'em up, sure, yo' know, else somebody would expect
[suspect] somepin dere.
Entry 9241
Wanta make dem move out, yo' come out heah an' take a aig an' bust it up ovah his front do'. Yo' git some of his dirt, some of his track yo' know, an' den pat it down good an' stick some nails in it, sompin lak dat, an' turn sompin tuh covah ovah it. In a few days he'll be gone away.
(Where do you put this stuff?)
Under de steps.
(Put a few nails in?)
Yes. Make it good, yo' know, lak a cake, an' stick some nails in it, an put it undah de steps.
Entry 9242
And then you turn around then and want to run him away from her, yo' get a coal-black hen's egg an' yo' write his name on de egg. An' den yo' turn around and get a pinch of dirt out of the hollow of his right-foot track, and write his name on a piece of paper, and put that egg and that dirt in that paper, carry it and throw it in strong running water, all run one way [meaning not a tidal river], an' make yore wishes. An' go back to yore house an' get in yore door an' turn yore face out of the door an' wish 'im from yore house, an' he'll go away. [Out in the county from Suffolk, Nansemond Co., Va., (Doctor Frank Hall, called by my tired mind Frank Harris! in v.l, INTRO., p. XXIX. I hadn't thought of Frank Harris in years! Material from Hall was taken down by hand.]
Entry 9243
Well, dey git a aig, hen aig. Go tuh de fo'k of de road an' bury it dere. Write his name on it an' de person name dat he go wit, an' put it at de fo'k of de road; an' when yore aig bust, dat bust de man an' woman up. (Well, how would I know that that egg is meant to be for them?) By writin' his name an' her name, an' tellin' de aig whut tuh do - whut yo' want it tuh do, bust.
Entry 9244
In case yo' wanta do anything wit it, yo' go dere an' yo' take two pennies. Yo' take a aig. Yo' still take a aig an' yo' take two pennies an' yo' go dere at twelve a'clock at night. Yo' bust dat aig right across of dat road. See, what- somevah yo' want, if it's evil, by dat bustin' dat aig, yo' pay de mean spirit two cents. Yo' drop dat two cents in dere [the bursted egg]. An' yo' bust dat aig right across de road at twelve a'clock at night, an' turn right an' go backwards an' don' look back.
[You probably walk backwards as long as you can see the forks of the road.]
(And then you make a wish for something that you want done?)
Dat's right.
(You do that down at the forks of the road.)
Dat's right.
Entry 9245
If yo' have anything dat chew wants done ag'in wit a aig - a aig is a valuable thing. If it's anything dat chew want done wit a aig, write upon yore aig whut chew want an' put it in yore mouth. See, put de whole aig in yore mouth. Write jis' whut chew want On dat aig an' put it in yore mouth, an' walk tuh de east cornah an' west cornah an' de south cornah - jis' walk in evah cornah of de house, an' turn yore face tuh de east an' make yore wishes wit de aig in yore mouth. Yo' gits yore.wishes.
(You do that at any time?)
Jis' any time. If yo' wants sompin tuh happen, anything dat chew want [to] happen.
Entry 9246
Bury a new-laid hen egg in de ground at each corner of yore house fo' luck.
Entry 9247
Ah heard if yo' wants tuh move someone out of de house neah yo', or eithah yo' wanta break someone up, dey tell me yo' go dere an' 'bout seven-thirty dat night, an' take yo' fo' solid aigs, chicken aigs, an' bust 'em on de top of de house an' yo' won't have any mo' trouble. Dey move out de house an' nobody won't know how dey move out dere or why dey gone.
(You take four eggs?)
Yassuh, fo' solid aigs. Back up fo' steps from de house, walk backwards fo' steps tuh de house an' bust dem fo' aigs on top of de house, see. An' yo' won't have any mo' trouble wit dem den. [Remember, we are not talking here about a mansion, but about a small one-story structure of cabin proportions. Walking backwards four steps and tossing four eggs over your shoulder on to the roof Would not require much skill or strength.]
Entry 9248
Yo' git a fresh aig from undah a hen, a fresh aig yo' see, an' take dat aig an' put it in de fo' cornahs of de room. (Here is your egg. Now how do you point that to the four cor- ners of the world?) [Something about the four cor- ners of the world had been said before recording started.l Ah mean yo' point it no'th; yo' point it south, west an' point east last. Yo' see, an' dey throw it ovah de house. An' when dat aig busts den yo' leave heah.
(I will have to move out of that house?)
Yessuh.
(When you point this egg, you mean that little end is pointing?)
Yessuh, de little end.
Entry 9249
Ah hear'd of 'em usin' chicken aig an' makin' men love yo' an' come back home. Yo' take dat chicken aig an' yo' write dis man name fo' times on dat aig, an' yo' bury it in de no'th; jes' lak on de no'th side yo' see of where yo' live at, in yore yard or eithah on de outside of de yard, an' call dis man name. An' he'll come back home. Or call dis lady name an' she'll come back home.
Entry 9250
Yo' can take yore fingahnails an' cut nine pieces - cut off nine fin- gahnails - an' get nine pieces of yore toenails, an' put it into a little bag put some asafetida in there with it. Then you bust a hen egg an' get de thread [the skin in the end] of it an' put in there, an' that'll be all right fo' de purpose. Yo' take an' carry it an' put it at or undah de house. Dat'll make dem leave, put dem to walkin'. [Out in country from Suffolk, Nansemond Co., Va., (Doctor Frank Hall) by hand.1
Entry 9251
Kin take a black hen's aig on Friday, dat's laid on Friday, an' write dere name on it. Write it roun' de aig an' den write it crossways de aig, an' den take it an' go an' throw it on dere do'. Dat will make dem move. (Now here is the egg. Do you write that name down like that? [I dem- onstrate.l And then you write it across like that?) Yes.
(You make a cross by writing the names that way?)
Yes.
Entry 9252
Yo' git a black hen's egg dat was laid on Friday an' write dere name all ovah it backwards [= last name written first] an' put it in coffee grounds three days, an' den throw it on dat do' an' tell 'em to go an' not return, an' dey'll sure go.
Entry 9253
Ah tole yo' dat, see. Now, lak ef yo' wanted me tuh git outa heah. Ef ah was in dis house heah an' yo' wanted me - yo' couldn't git me outa heah. Yo' go an' git a black hen's aig Was laid on a Friday, see. An' yo' write dat person's name on dat aig. An' yo' take dat aig an' put it intuh a teacup wit de handle - a teacup whut ain't got no han- dle, a new teacup, not a ole one, a new one whut ain't got no handle. [A new teacup with- out a handle? Did a person buy a new teacup and break off the handle? Or was a handleless teacup, small bowl, conveniently sold by hoodoo shops?] An' den yo' write de name on dat [egg] good. Well, yo' write it seven or nine times, but it's gotta be seven or nine times, not eight. Seven or nine, see. Well, den yo' shet dat ovah wit coffee grounds an' let it set in dere three days zactly. Well, den yo' make it back tuh mah do' dere at night, twelve 'clock in de night, an' jes' throw dat egg an' let it hit mah do', de cup an' all, an' say, "Go! Yo' son-of-a-bitch." An' dat egg hits dat do' it busts. De nex' mawnin' ah'm goin' git a wagon an' ah'm goin' move out dat place, can't stay dere fo' save mah life. Dere ain't no way fo me tuh stay dere.
Entry 9254
Well, ah tell yo'. Yo' kin git a aig dat is laid on Friday an' write de name of dese people on dat aig an' de nex' Friday night choo take dat aig an' throw it ovah de house an' dey'll move - all de way [over the] house, de nex' Friday.
(Take the egg from any kind of a chicken?)
Any kind of a chicken aig. Jis' throw dat aig ovah dat house.
Entry 9255
Ah would git me a egg from a frizzly hen [for frizzly chicken, see p.59f. and elsewhere] an' ah would put it undah de steps. Den, aftah nine days, yo' see, dat egg would bus [burst]. Dat would make con- fusibn an' de landlord would put 'em out de house.
Entry 9256
[A frizzly hen egg] take it an' write de name on de egg an' bust it in front of de person's do', will cuz a separation in de home.
(That has to be a egg from a...?)
From a frizzly hen. Only one ah was evah tole dey could use. Ah don't know about othahs.
Entry 9257
Take a black hen's egg and take a needle, punch it. Take a little of gingsing oil an' pur [pour] it in an' take de cement an' plaster it right up. Take it an' drop it right on top of de house an' it bursts, an' dey will move, yo' understand. [I understood at the time but uncertainty came with the transcription, in which the key word sounded like gingsing oil. Oil? Was this oil from the aromatic ginseng root, perhaps sold by a hoodoo shop? Even with one having a Chinese proprietor? They did exist, though primarily as incense and curio centers. Ginseng, known among root collectors for years before my work began, appears rarely in Hoodoo. The importance of root shapes, once considered desirable in Chinese medicine, is also known in hoodoo, but none of these examples concerns ginseng, as far as I know. The North American plant is Panax quinquefolium, the Chinese P. schinseng.]
Entry 9258
What ah heard 'em say, said dey take a hen egg, a black hen's egg an' some - an' tuh go out tuh de graveyard an' git a han'ful of graveyard dirt, an sprinkle dat dirt on de porch, an' take de egg an' bust it up side de do'. Dat sup- posed tuh make yo' move, if dey didn't lak yo'.
Entry 9259
Ah heard dat if yo' - jes' lak yo're workin' on a job an' dere's somebody dere dat try tuh work ag'inst yo', an' yo' wanta put 'em away from dere (2)1 an' yo' take his place, dey tell me dat yo' kin take a fresh hen aig an' go tuh de graveyard and git some graveyard dirt, an' bury it tuh de pahticlah [particular] place dat he always stand at, an' in a few days time he'll be gone from dere an' yo' have his place.
(You use any kind of a chicken egg?)
A black hen aig.
Entry 9260
Eithah yo' kin take a aig an' rub graveyard dirt on it, an' throw it ovah from de front tuh de back an' if it busts, dey'll move or git sick; most of 'em die.
(Throw it over the house from the front to the back?)
Yessuh.
Entry 9261
Dey take graveyard dust, dey take a aig. Dey take dis aig an' dey wind [roll] dis aig all ovah dis graveyard dust. At twelve 'clock in de night dey take dis egg an' dey throw it up on de top of yo' house. An' jes' [like] yo've seen a quarrel or fussin' or sompin lak dat all day long in de house, well yo' throw dat aftah yo' go git dis graveyard dust. Yo' take dis aig an' put it [graveyard dirt] tuh- gethah an' event'ly [eventually] de nex' day er [or] dat night, twelve 'clock, yo' throw it on de top of de house. De nex' - well say 24 hours, de person dis- appeahs.
Entry 9262
If yo' got a man an' he runs out, yo' kin take a chicken, hen aig, an' den yo' kin take an' write his name on it good as yo' kin. An' den yo' kin go tuh de graveyard tuh a wicked person's grave, an' dig as fur as yo' kin git chure han' down in dere, an' git some of dat dirt, an' yo' put a dime in dere. An' den yo' come back an' yo sprinkle dat dirt undah de do'steps. See. Den yo' take dat aig an' yo' throw it hard as yo' kin an' break it [against the door of the other woman]. Dat'll break dem up an' yo' won't have no mo' trouble at all. She'll have tuh leave town. (You throw that egg against the door under which you have buried this grave- yard dirt. That's the black hen egg.)
Entry 9263
Yo' kin take a aig, jes' lak a settin' hen yo' know, an' jes' lak yo' know somebody yo' wanta run crazy or yo' wanta kill, sompin othah lak dat, yo' kin write de name on dis aig, an' carry it tuh a grave dat chew know an' bury de aig, see. When de aig bust, dey tell me dem folks will die.
(You mean you have to know the grave?)
Yo' have tuh know somebody.
(You have to know who is buried in that grave.)
Yo' have tuh know who buried in dat grave.
Entry 9264
Dey tell yo' kin take a fresh hen aig - black hen - dat jes' fresh laid, an' take dis person's name, whosomevah it is, is a enemy tuh yo' an' yo' wanta git rid of 'em, don't wanta see 'em live. Write dere name [on it] goin' an' write it on comin' [see ex- planation later]. Well, yo' take dat egg an' dis grave- yard dirt an' take it tuh dey house an' bear [bury] it undahneath dey do'step. An' when yo' leave don't look back towards 'em. An' dis aig should lay undah dere fo' nine mawnin's, dey tell me. An' dey say aftah dem nine mawnin's dat egg will bust [a common belief that an egg becomes rotten and bursts on inth day]. An' dey say whosomevah dat was whose name yo' had on dere, when dat egg bust dey'll bust.
(What do you mean by writing the name going and writing the name coming?)
Lak dis is de top of de aig [demonstrates], well yo' take it an' write it dis way an' den yo' bring it back dis way.
(You write it forward across the top of the egg and then write it backwards.)
[Back and forth.]
Entry 9265
Git a hen aig an' some graveyard dirt an' bluestone an' jes' keep a-throwin' it on dere front - yo' break dat aig in de front do'. Dat graveyard dirt yo' throw it all aroun' de house an' dat bluestone. Dey can't stay dere tuh save dere life.
(That drives them away.)
Yes sir.
Entry 9266
Dey tell me dey take a black hen aig, if yo' wanta run a person. Ah'm using mah seriance [experience] 'bout dis. Ah believe dat dis graveyard dirt an' gunpowdah dey puts in dat egg, dat black hen's egg, bust it in yore do'. Jis' throw it ag'inst yore do' an' bust it. Dat'll bust yo' an' dat woman up.
Entry 9267
Dey tell me dat dey bust rotten eggs on yore do' an' put graveyard dirt from dere to de gate. [For more rotten-eggs rites, see following rite and later in section.] (What's that for?) Tuh make yo' move.
Entry 9268
Yo' kin take a chick- en aig an' it kin be dressed wit sulphuh, graveyard dirt an' peppah, but it has tuh be a rotten aig. An' if ah don' wan' chew tuh come in dis do' no mo', aftah ah git dat dressed, ah come 'long heah early in de mawnin' an' throw it up 'ginst dat do'. Yo' know, right ovah de facin' of dat do' an' let it bust ovah dat do'. Yo' ain't comin' in heal no mo'. (How do you dress it with that graveyard dirt? Just roll the egg around in that sulphur?) [Here is a leading question, more to keep the conversation going than anything else.] Yo' make a hole in it yo' see, jes' a small hole in it, if it wus a rotten aig. Jes' lak yo' goin' suck it [if it was fresh instead of rotten]. An' den yo' pinch dat graveyard dirt in dere, jes' a li'le bit. Yo' know, don' take verah much, an' a li'le sulphuh. Take a match stem or a toothpick an' shove it down in dere. Yo' take a small piece of papah an' wet it an' put ovah dat hole an' stop it up. Put it in yore han' an' come on by dis do' in de mawnin' soon [early] or at night, an' throw it up 'ginst dat do'. Jes' say right in de middle of dat do' where it will bust, an' jes' let it run down dere. Yo' ain't comin' heah no mo'. [Intention is everything here. A woman throws this egg against another woman's door to keep a man or husband from going there, or a man similar- ly drives away another man from some woman's door. Sucking a fresh raw egg, an old custom, may be unknown to a few readers in modern cities. During my boyhood at the turn of the century, when even a city boy could live among chickens and horses, and farms were only a mile or two away, some people would make a small hole in the end of a fresh egg to suck out the contents. From this custom comes the well-known proverb: Go teach your grandmother to suck eggs.]
Entry 9269
Take graveyard dirt an' sulphah an' put people back tuhgethah, an' yo' kin take it an' part 'em. Well, yo' take dat sulphuh an' table salt an' grave~ yard dirt, take it an' break yo' a aig an' put jes' a lit- tle of it in a aig if yo' wanta run 'em now. An' den yo' stick nine pins in dat aig. Den yo' take dat aig an' write de name cross it an' den write de name straight up an' down dat aig. Den yo' take dat aig at twelve'clock in de night an' bust it up onto dere house. Dey gotta go.
(How do you get those pins into the egg?)
Jes' punch 'em in dere, jes' stick dem in dere till de haid go down.
Entry 9270
Tuh make yo' move out of de house, kin go git a black hen's egg an' bust dat egg on yuh porch an' spattah de egg on it. Gotta be de black hen's egg. An' throw dat egg on yuh porch. Yo' gotta move, yo' cain't stay dere. Take dat black hen's egg an' throw it at chure do' an' say fer nine times: Ah hope yo'll nevah stay here, yo' cain't stay.
(Do you do that all in one day.)
In one day. Yo' won't stay. An' git a little dirt from de cemetery. Go tuh de cemetery an' git chew a little dirt. An' de aig of a black hen.
Entry 9271
Yo' take a black hen egg. Yo' boil dat. Yo' git graveyard dust. Yo' git dirt dauber. Yo' boil dat togethah. Den yo' git war watah. An' yo' mix that up together an' put it back in this egg shell. Yo' put it in red, a flannel yo' know, [in] somepin or othah, [because] yo' t'row it [and the mix- ture must not fall outl. In nine days time de person will move aftah dey walk over dis. Yo' t'row it on top of de house.
(What do you do with that egg?)
Yo' break de egg. Yo' boil it see, first. Den yo' break it in dis dirt dauber.
(I want to know just how they use the egg.)
Yo' take de whole [boiled] egg out de shell. Den mash it like yo' gon'a mash- mash potato wit a fork. Yo' take de dirt dauber nest. Yo' mash dat up in dere. Yo' take graveyard dirt off a bad sinner's grave. An' yo' mix dat all up tuh- gethah an' yo' put it in de stoVe. An' yo' kin GIT SOME OF DIS RED GROUND PEPPAH [ground red pepper] FROM DE HOODOO DRUG STORE an' yo' mix dat [in there]. Den yo' stuff dis shell back wit dat egg an' tie it up [in the red flannel] dis way [demonstrates, probably wrapping the string away from you, though a notation of the manner was not made at the time]. An' yo' gon'a t'row it upon dat house. Yo' t'row it in a manners so it'll roll [off and break]. An' de folks won't stay dere long.
Entry 9272
(This is to separate people?)
Yes. Take a aig. Ah uses de aig: Ah'm talkin' 'bout whut ah use mahself. Ah ain't talkin' about whut nobody tell me. Ah use de aigs fo' separation. Yo' take three aigs regardless tuh how fresh dey is an' how ole dey is. Yo' take three aigs an' write de person's name. If it's yore wife an' yo' wanta separate her from a man, or sbe Wants [to] separate chew from a woman, well both dere names should be written, yore name an' dis woman's name or de man's name or de woman's name. Yo' understan' whut ah mean. Dat's tuh separate chew [man] from dis.othah woman fo' yore wife, or separate yore wife from dat man. Yo' take her name an' 'is name an' put it on de aig, take three aigs.
(Do you write my name any number of times on each egg? Once?)
Once all around each one. Yo' know, each one de name. Yo' make as much as fo' or [I mean] three time, each one of de names, [one] on each one of de aigs, on de three aigs. An' den yo' take yore needles, yore nine needles an' yo' pass 'em through cross [crossed]. Cross dem nine needles through de aigs, all de way through, all three of dem aigs [demonstrates], one dis way an' one dataway an' one dataway.
(You put three needles in each egg?)
In each aig an' den yo' take 'em an' yo' put 'em in a sack or pan where yo' gonna carry 'em, an' yo' got 'em far apart. But it's mostly done at de grave- yard. Yo' bury 'em a foot apart an' dat's a broke up scrape [a broken up affair]. (That is to separate this woman and this man. His name is written on the egg and her name is written on the egg? Just once on each egg?) No, two an' three times on each aig. See, ah could put between de needles - de needles gotta go between de two names, don't chew understan', go through dem names. See, her name at de top or his at de top, anyway, see, an' gotta go in between dem. Turn it lak dat [needle is forced through egg by turning] an' go in between it [the names]. See, an' when yo' turn it lak dat go in between it. Yo' write disaway an' disaway an' write it 'cross lak dat. Jis' lak yo' stick yore needles, jis' lak yo' make yore names - three of yore name an' three of 'er name yo' see on each aig.
(On each egg, and you stick three needles in each egg?)
Three needles. (You write those two names three different places on the egg so that you can cross those needles three times on the eggs, and the needles are crossed through those names.
Entry 9273
Ah said, three aigs, graveyard dirt, if he or she are gone away, it will bring dem back.
(What do you do with those three eggs to bring them back?)
Bury them.
(Where?)
Anywhere.
(Anything else you have to do?)
Nothing.
Entry 9274
An' den if a woman wants a man tuh leave ag'in, why she kin git a aig an' she break dat aig jis' roun' - roun' jis' as neah as she kin, yo' know, in half a shell, an' po' de inside of it out. An' when she po' it out why take dat shell an' write his name in dat shell - inside of it. Yo' see yo' drēne [drain] all dat out an' den take yore fingah an' wipe it out, so yo' kin write. An' write it on de inside of dat shell an' git chew some 'hesive [adhesive] tape an' put aroun' dat shell so it won' - stick it back tuhgethah an' den put dat 'hesive tape, so no watah kin git in it. An' den walk tuh a stream of watah dat's runnin' an' throw it in dere an' say: In de Name of de Fathah, go! An he'll go an' won' evah come back.
(Does she do anything with that raw egg she has taken out?)
Nawsuh, she jis' use it fo' anything she want. She only use de shell, dat's all.
Entry 9275
[For more house-and-egg rites, see margin title DooR in this section.]
Dey say if yo' got somebody in de house an' yo' do wan'a [want to] see dat some- body in de house, well yo' git yore- self a fresh egg - a thoroughly fresh egg: An' yo' take dat egg an' jes' slam it against de house, an' go on about chure business. An' jes' soon as yo' go, dat same somebody, who yo' Wanta see in dat house, is comin' where yo' is.
(The person who is in that house is coming to where you are?)
Yes, sir, if dere's a woman dere an' yo' wanna see dat woman, why all yo' gotta do, take dat fresh egg an' smash it right against de house. An' she gon'a come zactly where yo' is, or if she can't find yo', she will inquire until she do.
Entry 9276
Git a black hen aig. Yo' take it an' throw it on de house an' dat'll make 'em - make 'em all stir up in de house, an' make 'em fuss all de time wit dat.
Entry 9277
Take a fresh aig an' throw it - jes' throw, jes' at de house where dat chew feel dat yore enemy at. Throw it tuh de house where dey at an' don't nevah look back at it, jes' go ahead an' dey'll nevah harm yo'. A fresh hen aig.
Entry 9278
Take a black hen's aig an' write de person's name on it an' bury it. An' den take it an' throw it 'ginst de house, an' dey'll move out. (You bury this egg until it's rotten. Then you take it and throw it against the house.) Have dat person's name wrote on dat aig, an' bust dat aig 'ginst de house an' dey'll move out.
Entry 9279
Dey kin jes' take a fresh aig an' write on it an' tell 'em, 'Ah want chew tuh bust sech-an'-sech a one up." An' take it an' throw it up 'ginst de house an' let it bust up, an' dat will bust 'em up.
Entry 9280
Go an' git chew a fresh hen aig. Take it an' write dere name on it, see. Take it an' chunk it up on top of de house. In de nex' day or two dey gone
[move away].