Browse:ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS (Volume 4, entries 8881–9440)/Part 7
ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS
Volume 4, entries 8881–9440. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 9361
Dem rotten eggs, yo' could take nine of 'em an' put dem undah anybody's house an' dey will move.
(What do you mean, you just put them under the house?) Write dere name an' throw 'em undahneath de house. (Make them move.)
Entry 9362
Dey say dat chew kin take a aig, rotten aig an' put peppah, cayenne pep- pah in it. Jab a little hole, yo' know, in it [the egg]. Put cayenne peppah in it an' shake it up, an' throw it ontuh yuh do' nine days, mawnin's. An' den, whenevah yo' git up in mawnin', take peppah an' salt, an' where yo' walk 'long, jis' sprinkle it all behin' dem. An' dey tell me dat'll make a person move away from dat place. (Now, you mean you take a different egg each morning?) No sir - yes, sir, a diff'- ren' aig fo' nine mawnin's. Dat's whut dey tell me. (In addition to that, you have to put this other stuff in there?) Dey tell me yo' jis' jab a little hole in it [the egg]. (You do both of them, to make them move.) Yes, tuh make dem move.
Entry 9363
Take a black hen's aig an' put a little salt in it an' bury it at dey do'steps. Say dat would run 'em. (How do you put that salt in that egg?) Put de salt in it, yo' peck a little hole.
Entry 9364
Well, now, yo' git a black hen, yeah. An' git dat aig from a black hen, yo' undahstan'. Yeah. An' den yo' take dat aig an' keep it in salty watah fo' two days. An' den yo' git dat aig an' care [carry] it. Yo' go tuh de steps, though, yo' know, an' bury it undah de steps. Dat's whut yo' do wit dat aig, if yo' wanta git 'em 'way from dere. Yo' undahstan' dat.
(That's all you have to do?)
Yes.
Entry 9365
Well, yo' take a chicken aig an' yo' kin broke dat shell, an' put dat in a cup or a [saucer], de yellah, not de white, jis' de yellah part of it, an yo' beat dat up. Yo' git chew den de thing yo' calls Seven Yeahs Adventure. Didja [did you] evah heah about dat? (Seven years what?) Seven Yeahs 'Venture, yeah. (Adventure or [something] or what?) Deventure. Deventure, yes. Yo' know, yo' drops jis' about 12 drops of dat in dat an' stir dat up. Beat dat up jis' lak yo' gon'a make - yo' see, yo' po' dat in fo' bottles [demonstrates]. Put one heah, one dere, one dere, an' one heah.
(Sort of shape of a cross.)
Yas, an' aftah dat ain't no man kin harm yuh. house
(Where do you put those four bottles?)
Yo' kin put dose fo' bottles aroun' in yuh yard [like this]:
[The house in center of cross forms a quincunx.]
Entry 9366
[The following rite, one of the most interesting and puzzling in Hoo- doo, raises the question asked in the margin title. Let us begin by reading the rite itself:1 As fer as ah heered 'bout dat ah don't know fo' definite whethah it's true or it's not true. Ah tell yo' whut ah has heered. Dey tell me dey take a black hen aig, an' take it an' break it, an' use it wit an intahco'se yo' havin' wit a woman. Suck dat black hen aig an' have a intahco'se, an' soon as yo' has a intahco'se, de same identi- cal thing dat passed in de time yo' havin' use it dat same way. An' use dat black hen aig an' stop it intuh a pint bottle. An' dey tell me dey nuse [use] dat undahneat' of de house.
[Informant will explain later what he means.]
(What will that do?)
Well, dat keeps yore [male] fren's away from 'er, an' keeps yore wife at home, an' keeps a calm home an' a-down [trouble] - whut chew call a harmless home.
(Now you take this raw black hen egg?)
Yo' use one crushed tuh yuhself.
(You eat that?)
Suck it - yes, lak dat.
(Before you have intercourse.)
All right. Yo' takes de othah one [eggl an' has it ready. Den yo' have a intahco'se wit 'er, an' de same thing dat she did befo' - quite natural when a woman's [woman has an emission!] it's common. An' he's quite natchal [natural] li'ble [liable] tuh see dat [emission!] an' pick it up: Jis' pick it up an' ah take dat an' put it in a bottle unbeknowst tuh 'er, an' ah bury dat. Don't bury it, ah'd use it undah de eve [eaves] of de house.
(What would you bury, take in that [bottle]?)
Stop dat stain [up in the bottle].
(From her you mean?)
Yes sir. Puts dat in a bottle an' stop it 'up an' use it undah de eve of de house where yo' kin go tuh de [buried] bottle.
(But you must eat that black egg first?)
Use dis black egg yoreself, suck it. Well, dis stain yo' put it in dis bot- tle, an' uses de othah one [egg] in dere wit it.
(What other?)
Her nature an' dat othah aig is in dere tuhgethah.
(How many eggs are you using?)
Two, jis' two. (You eat one first, then you use the other egg with her stuff [nature] in the bottle.) In de bottle. Shake it intuh a likkah [liquid]-like. [I must now restate the margin-title question: Does a woman during coitus dis- charge a female substance, which in some way unites with man's semen to create a new life? Remember, hoodoo knows nothing about ova and Fallopian tubes. The ordinary word for semen in Hoodoo is come, a word describing an action, something coming from a man. The same word is used for a woman's action, both in hoodoo and non-hoodoo thought, according to a question commonly asked of a woman: Did you come? A more generalized term denoting sexuality for both men and women appears in the word nature, found frequently in Hoodoo. Our present rite speaks of a fluid coming from the woman and making a spot, as her nature. This nature of hers is bottled with a chicken egg: Dat keeps yore [male] frien's away from 'er an' keeps yore wife at home. A woman's nature of course could also be her hair or urine or anything from her body; but a woman's nature joined with chicken egg, as in this rite, surely suggests that she ejects a procreative liquid. Why did I not question informant closely? Not back in 1939 when this rite was col- lected and folklore in English about sexual organs and acts did not exist! Be- sides, sex was not overemphasized in my field work.]
Entry 9367
Take a hen aig an' weah it intuh yuh pocket an' yo'll have luck wit mos' anything dat chew want tuh do. (How do you mean, wear it in your pocket? This whole egg or just the egg shell or what?) Jes' de shell of de aig. If yo' even eat de aig, take de shell an' jes' weah it, wherevah yo' go an' yo'll have luck. Even if yo' go tuh de circus an' yo' want [to] be seein' how dey win dese things, yo'll [have]luck.
Entry 9368
Take de hair an' put it in a aigshell an' care [carry] it to runnin' watah an' dat'll cuz 'em - it'll run 'em off, run 'em away. (Put that hair in the empty egg- shell?) Yassuh.
Entry 9369
Yo' kin take a aigshell an' yo' kin git some of 'is hair or have someone tuh git 'is hair. Have a barbah- shop or anywhere his hair cut at, yo' manage tuh git some of 'is hair. An' yo' bo' a hole in dat aig jis' as though a man gwine suck it an' yo' put some of dat hair in dat hole, an' yo' go tuh some runnin' watah. Now, dat's if yo' wanta git rid of individual. Yo' put dat - yo' go tuh some runnin' watah an' drap dat eggshell in dere. See, all de good [raw egg] is outa de aigshell. Yo' let it run out or suck it out lak some do. Yo' put dat aigshell in some runnin' watah an' 'long as dat aigshell drift, he ain't gwine be contented nowhere. He's travelin'. Dat's gittin' rid of - yo' might say of yore enemies or somepin lak dat.
Entry 9370
Ah heard dat dey take a hen aig an' boil it an' bust it in de shoe, an' dat will make a man stay home an' nevah quit chew. (So he wouldn't know it?) No, hide de shoe. (Some shoe he isn't using?) Sho'[sure].
Entry 9371
Dat chew kin take de chicken aig an' de dust offa man's shoe, an' pick a hole in de chicken aig [and put the shoe dust in the egg] an' take it tuh de rivah an' throw it in runnin' watah. Run 'im off from a place, run 'im away, lak he was here in town an' yo' wanted 'im tuh leave.
Entry 9372
If de snakes is eatin' de biddies, yo' take de aig, den yo' boil it, undahstan' [understand]. Den yo' put it right back in de nest, an' dat will keep 'em away - keep de snake away.
(Biddies are the small chickens?)
Yes. [My transcriber, of Irish descent, adds a footnote: Biddies are colloqu- ially known as hens with families. I once heard of an elderly nun being called an old Irish biddy looking after her chicks - young nuns. A snake eating or swallow- ing a hen I would have to see to believe, unless it was a boa constrictor! That snakes steal chicken eggs is another piece of folklore; the thief usually being a rat, racoon, etc., or sometimes a dog who once picked up an egg and dropped it. Informant means, as stated here, the snake was eating the biddy': s eggs, or biddy = bitty, as in little bitty (little bit of), something small, little chick- ens. In any case boiling an egg keeps the snake from doing whatever it does!]
Entry 9373
Den ah know a woman she tole me how ah could put mahself in good luck, an' ah ast 'er how. She tole me tuh git a new fresh aig from a nest an' write on it jis' whut ah want it tuh be. Yo' know, whut ah want tuh tell it, an' black it wit sut [soot] an' bury it undah de house. An' aftah nine days why ah'll git a result. Good luck in anything dat ah wanted tuh happen, dat will happen.
Entry 9374
Den yo' kin take his socks, de left-foot socks, an' yo' kin put a hen aig in dere. Write his name on dat aig an' plant it on de no'th side of de do' an' dat'll bring 'im back.
(What do you mean by the north side of the doorstep?) Well, jes' lak de house is set- tin' dis way, on dat side [demon- strates]. (The north side of the steps.) Yessuh.
Entry 9375
Jes' lak now if yo' [ah] want someone tuh move, prob'ly it may be yo'. Ah'm jis' goin say it fo' a instance. Yo' in dis house an' ah don't want chew in heah. Well, ah'll take dat aig an' bust it on yore do', but ah gotta put a li'le sulphuh wit it first an' throw it on yuh do' an' yo' bound tuh move.
(You put some sulphur on that egg?)
Yes, an' bust it on yuh do'.
(Any kind of chicken egg?)
No, a black chicken aig. Put some sulphah on it befo' ah use it an' when ah throw it dere, say, "Ah'm doin' dis In de Name of de Fathah, Son an' Holy Ghost. Ah want chew tuh move." An' when ah do dat, why yo' bound tuh go.
Entry 9376
A black hen chicken aig, well dey take an' load it wit sulphuh an' gunpowdah [punch a hole in the egg and insert sulphur and gunpowder]. An' take it an' pass by yuh house an' throw it ag'inst chure house lak dat, de front do' dat way demonstrates]. Splash it dat way. It usely [usually] makes yo' move.
Entry 9377
Yo' take a aig if yo' wanta run a person away. Yo' take dat aig an' de sharp point of it an' go tuh de rivah, go down tuh de rivah in de mawnin', soon in de mawnin' 'fo' sunrise, an' turn yore back tuh it, tuh de rivah, an' throw it ovah yuh lef' shouldah. An' if anybody anywhere roun' dat chew don' want aroun' yuh, dat aig will float down [the river] an' jes' as long as dat aig goes, dey'll go. (What do you do with that egg? Do you do anything with that egg before you throw it in?) Don't do nuthin tuh it but chew take dat aig an' write dere name on it. Yo' write dere name all roun' on dat aig. Don't write it on de edge [ends] nowhere, write it around dat, all around on dat aig.
(Throw it over what?)
Throw it ovah de lef' shouldah, an' den yo' come [home]. Don't look back at it.
Entry 9378
Well, if yo' Wanta 'complish [accomplish] anything in business trans- action, wages see, yo' take dat an' yo' write de whole of: see, yo' boils it remove de shell an' leave dat skin on de aig, an' yo' write de third chaptah of Joshua on dat, ovah an' ovah - jis' keep writin' all ovah it an' dat will black dat [egg]. An' take an' put it in yo' mouth an' swallah it whole!!! An' dat breaks up dat arg'ment [argument]. Break up de arg'ment of anything dey Wanta do tuh yuh, cuz yo' got de word of God inside of it [you] an' nobody can't do nuthin wit de word of God.
(And what is this egg, an egg of what?)
A black hen.
(Do you swallow the whole egg?)
Yeah, chew it up so yo' kin swallah it!!!
Entry 9379
Ah've hear'd once dat - a woman come an' tole me, ah don't know how true dis is. But a woman come an' tole me once dat she could do anything dat she wanted. Said she could make me do anything dat ah wanted tuh do wit a woman. Said she'd bring me one aig an' ah'm goin' take dat aig, aftah she look at it, an' ah must walk tuh de rivah, an' don' say a word tuh nobody, don' care who meet me, don' say a word tuh nobody, don' care who meet me, don' say a word tuh nobody till ah git tuh de rivah an' throw it in dere an den come back. She say dat aig will make 'em leave town. [Informant's intention of making the person move is the power here.]
Entry 9380
Yo' kin take a black hen's egg, soak it in vinegah 3 days an' go out at midnight at 12 o'clock, de time de clock strike 12 o'clock, an' throw it ovah de house an' dey'll move.
Entry 9381
Yo' kin git dose chicken aigs an' go tuh a individual do'. Take de aig an' throw it on de steps an' crack it. Well, dat's a warnin' tuh yuh dat chew gonna move sometime but yo' don' know when. But whenevah dey take dose aigs an' dey have sompin ag'inst yuh, why dey'll bust three. Well, den when dey bust dose three aigs at yuh do'step, nuthin undah de sun kin keep yuh dere.
(Just any old kind of chicken egg?)
Any kind. It de very same as de chicken egg, de bird egg [ = you can do the same thing with a bird eggl. Regardless tuh whut kinda aig it is, if yo' bust dose three, it's real dat chure leavin'. [The use of bird eggs is rare for this kind of work.]
Entry 9382
Dey kin git three black hen eggs [an egg from three different hens]... fresh, fresh. Soak 'em in vinegah for nine days...break on top of dere house an' dey'll move. [Some people kept black hens to sell black hen eggs to hoodoo believers. Since these eggs always had to be fresh, fresh, they usually came from different hens laying the same day. Unless you saw a black hen dropping the egg, who would know the difference!]
Entry 9383
If a man had a posi- tion here an' yo' didn't want 'im here, well yo' kin go tuh 'is do' fo' three mawnin's early an' bust a fresh egg at 'is do'. Bust it dere fo' three mawnin's early an' bust a fresh egg at 'is do'. Bust it dere fo' three mawnin's, de fourth mawnin' why he'll leave dat business.
(Any kind of a chicken egg?)
Any kind of a fresh egg, jis' bust one of 'em fo' three mawnin's. (That will make him leave that place of business.)
Entry 9384
Jis' lak whut ah said jis' now, if yo' want somebody tuh move. If a person in a place an' yo' an' 'im can't git along an' yo' want 'im tuh move, why yo' bust a chicken aig on de do' an' dat make 'em move. Yo' have tuh bust a aig fo' three nights. Dey bust dem dere twelve o'clock an' [or] fo' o'clock, an' dey gotta be eithah black hen's aig or red hen's. [Red hen is rare under any circumstance.] An' dat'll make 'em move, but dey gotta bust 'em on de do'.
(At either twelve o'clock or four o'clock, three nights.)
Yes, sir.
(How many eggs do you break?)
One.
(Just one, you do it three nights and they move?)
Yes.
Entry 9385
An' den ah know anothah way tuh break up two people. Yo' know jis' lak if ah had a wife an' jis' say fo' instance, if mah wife would be goin' tuh some fellah or 'nothah, an' ah wus tuh find out dat she wus goin' wit 'em, an' dey wus layin'up at a certain hour, jis' any house dat dey wus layin' up at. [I do not believe I had heard the expression shack up at this date.] Ah'd walk tuh de front do' - git chew three aigs, three hen aigs. Yo' walk tuh de front do' an' yo' bust one of dem hen aigs tuh de front do'. Go tuh de back do', bust it on de [back] do'. Hit it up 'ginst de [back] do'. Bust it on de front do', den yo' go tuh de back do' an' bust dat othah one on de back do'. An' when yo' walk out de gate, jis' lak yo' walk out de gate dere, git right in front of dis do' an' throw de othah aig down on de ground an' bust it.
(That other egg?)
Yes sir. Dat'll bust dem up. Don't cay [care] how much she in love wit 'im or whut kinda lovin' 'fair [affair] dey have, dat's a guaranteed fact tuh break 'em up.
(Any kind of chicken eggs?)
Yes sir, any kinda chicken eggs. It don't make no diff'rence whut kind.
Entry 9386
Jes' lak if yo' wanted tuh move anybody from heah dataway, or move 'em out of a house or anythin' of de kin', why yo' go tuh work an' yo' take a hen aig an' yo' write three letters of dey name. (Three letters of their name. What three letters do you write?) Well, yo' kin go tuh work an' yo' kin write evah third lettah, jes' evah third lettah. An' yo'll take it an throw it up 'ginst dere do' at night, anywheres 'ginst de wall of dere house, an' let it run down. Bust it. Well, dey can't stay dere, dey'll move.
Entry 9387
Ah've heard dat dey take a black hen, three black hen aigs an' go to, put undah yuh steps, an' yo'll leave - can't stay dere.
Entry 9388
Jis' lak if ah'm in dis town an' no one heah don't lak me, wants tuh kill me, wants tuh destroy me or somepin. [They tell me] dat yo' kin take three aig from a black hen an' boil it. Take dose three boiled aig an' jis' lak de individual travelin' dis way, yo' bury one dem boiled aig de firs' mawnin', on de third [second] mawnin' go fuhthah [farther] an' bury de nex' one, an' on de third mawn- in' go an' throw de othah one undah de end of de steps. An' dey say dat will git dem out chure way.
Entry 9389
Ah've heard 'em say dey take a chicken aig, an' say jis' lak yo' wus livin' in dis home an' de rentahs wus worryin' yo' or somepin, yo' could git chew three fresh ones an' jis' go out on one side of de house an' jis' chunk 'em clean ovah on de othah [side]. Ah imagine dat would be hard tuh do. But dey says dat stops dem from bothahin' yo' any mo'.
(Stops who?)
Stop de rentahs from worryin' yo', de man dat chew rent from, or de lady dat chew rent from. (Oh, they come bothering you about the rent or something of that sort. Any kind of chicken eggs?) Dey says jis' fresh aigs. Some folks says dey use black hen aigs. [This is an unusual rite. Most of these rites involve a person renting or owning the whole house. Here we have a person renting a room in the house, a person who does not want to be bothered too often about the rent. In throwing these eggs he or she does not move himself or herself. I suppose this could also apply to the renter of the whole house. Intention can change the normal meaning of a rite.]
Entry 9390
Take a black hen's aig - three hen aigs, black hen aigs. Lak a person bothahin' yo' fo' rent an' tellin' yo' tuh move, yo' kin take three of dose aigs an' throw it ovah yore house, an' dat'll keep 'im away from bothahin' yuh. (Just throw them over your own house?) Yes, sir, jis' chunk 'em cross de house.
Entry 9391
Dey kin take a black hen aig an' throw it across de house three times an' move a person.
(Do you throw that same egg or three different eggs?) Three diffren aigs becuz de aigs is liable tuh break, three times. (One right after the other, and that will make a person move?) Yes.
Entry 9392
If yo' stayin' at a place an' don't wanta go, git three aigs of a black hen an' throw 'em right ovah de house, across, tuhwards sunset. Throw 'em right ovah yore house an' yo' nevah go till yo' git ready. Dey can't put chew out do's [doors], dey won't bothtah yuh.
Entry 9393
Ah would git a aig an' ah would write chure name on dat aig three times, an' ah would throw dat aig ovah de house an' bust it. An' ah guarantee in three or fo' day's time yo's [you is] gone.
Entry 9394
Yo' kin take a chick- en aig if yo' got a church an' yo' think dey gonna put chew 'way from dat church, wal yo' take three aigs. (Any kind of chicken eggs?) Any kind chicken aigs. Take 'em an' yo' go ovah tuh dat church an' yo' chunk all three of 'um ovah de top of it an' bust 'em. An' dey won' even put chew 'way from de church. It still yuh chúrch right on. [Florence, S. Car. (1331), 2292:7.]
Entry 9395
Take a aig yo' know an' write his name on it, his full name. Write it all de way round about three times, see. An' go tuh 'is house late at night about twelve or one o'clock, an' jis' throw it out an' say, "Go"! Like dat. An' turn aroun' an' don't look back an' go on.
Entry 9396
Take a fresh yard egg [from chicken yard or chicken that runs freely], not a groc'ry egg...write de person's name on dat egg...three times...cross de Mississippi River an' when yo' gits in de middle... throw dat egg ovah yore shouldah an' yo' curse it. Dat breaks 'em up.
Entry 9397
Dey kin take yuh han'writin' an' draw yuh from home, an' dey kin run yuh from home.
(Well, how do they do that?)
Dat's by - jis' as ah fo'say, ah kin take dat an' calls yuh name. Callin' yuh name ah go tuh de shop an' ah buy me three aigs, but ah gotta guarantee dey gotta be black hen aigs. [How informant knows eggs come from a black hen is not explained.] An' twelve 'clock at night, jes' de direction yo' is, ah throw dat aig an' bust it. An' jis' where she fall, SHE RUN YUH AWAY OR BRING YO' BACK.
(Well, how do you accomplish that?)
Becuz yo' are comin' - write chure [= victim's] name on de aig: "God de Fathah, God de Son an' God de Holy Ghost, Power." Den yore name come aftah it on de aig. De direction yo' are tuhward de street outside, twelve 'clock on de minute.
(You throw the three eggs?)
Throw de three aigs.
(That's to bring you?)
Bring yuh or run yuh, eithah one, whichevah yo' want done. Dat's right. (Well, how do you signify that you Want to run them away or to bring them back. How do you do that?) Tell dem on de egg, yo' write it. If yo' right in town - jis' right heah now yo' wanta run dat feliah dat be nex' do', yo' jis' come right by an' if 'is baid in de middle room, yo' throw dat right dere. Well he gone.
Entry 9398
Ah hear'd dat chew could take a ole black, coal-black hen an' take three of her aigs. Co'se, ah've hear'd it diff'ren' ways, but dis is de way ah hear'd it. An' take [the] three [eggs] an' run through de [your] house an' [reach- ing the outside] chunk de whole three aigs back 'cross de house. An' go back [go to other side of house where eggs fell] an' de one of dose aigs dat doesn't bust, yo' take it. An' take it right [back into the house] in de middle of de house an' drop it, an' let it bust right in de flo' where dat stain will be dere. [Breaking the egg in center of house establishes the fifth point, making this a quincunx rite.] An' if someone Wanted tuh git yuh some way, yore nex'-do' neighbahs [for example] or somepin; Wanted yuh tuh git out or wanted tuh move yuh, couldn't anything harm yo'. (You run through your own house and you throw these eggs. How do you throw. them now?) Yo' jis' run through de house an' when yo' hit de ground [reach outside] yo' throw all three of 'em 'cross de.house. An' dere's one ole lady used tuh...
[I interrupt.]
(Oh, you run through your house and throw those eggs over your house. Then you go to the other side and the egg that doesn't burst...
[Informant interrupts me.]
Dat doesn't bust, why yo' take it in de house an' drop it right in [on] de flo' an' let it bust, where de stain will be in de flo'.
Entry 9399
If a lady wanted yo' tuh leave from yuh home, an' yo' had some chicken dat wus black, coal-black, an' yo' take three of dose aigs. De lady dat wan' shoo tuh leave home - lak if yo' wus married an' yore wlfe wanted yuh tuh leave, she would take dose aigs. An' jis' lak if yo' wus a man dat liked tuh drink an' she Would make yuh a aignog, an' take one or two teaspoons of salt an' stir it in dere, an' a li'le black peppah. Jes' enough where yo' maybe taste it an' maybe not, jis' enough tuh make yuh drink it. An' she would take some of dat same peppah outa de same hand [holding the pepper] dat she put in dose aigs. An' put 'em in a papah an' put 'em in a jah [jar] or somepin, an' stop it up fo' five days. She'll let it stay stopped up. An' den she go back an' open dis an' burn dat peppah an' stuff, jes' tuh where it git hot, an' stop it up an' bury it where dat yo' cross ovah. An' if she wants yuh tuh leave, some way or 'nothah somepin goin' happen dat chew'll have tuh leave. (She puts it in this bottle, some of the eggnog that has this stuff in it, after he has drunk some of it.) Yes.
Entry 9400
Ah heard dat chew take a aig an' yo' put de person lettah [initial] on it. Jes' lak - ah heard it dis way - if somebody's goin' wit yore man, yo' write de firs' lettah of 'is name an' put a ring round it. Den yo' write de firs' lettah of yore name an' put a ring roun' dat. Den write de firs' lettah of de person name dat goin' wit mah man an' put a ring roun' dat. Den go all de way roun' de aig lak dat. Den yo' jes' brand it all, fes' lak mark it all ovah dat aig. (What kind of marks?) Jes' tell me yo' jes' write whatevah yo' want it tuh do. (You just mark the egg up?) Yes. An' den yo' take it tuh dat person's house an' throw it up in de house an' cuss 'em an' tell 'em whut jew mean fo' 'em tuh do. Dat fix dem. (In other words if some other woman was going with your man, that is what you would do to get rid of her?) Yes. Ah knew a woman dat 'er husban' done go 'way from 'er 'bout three yeahs, an' when he come back - he used tuh come back an' he used tuh treat her so mean. Aftah he come [back] tuh 'er [after 3 years] an' he didn't bring anything - an' she used tuh wanta git rid of 'im. An' she did dis same thing wit aig. An' he sure did leave den an' nevah did been back.
Entry 9401
Take a aig an' den she'll punch a knothole [large hole] right in de centah [of large end] an' den she'll git [a hole] in de small end yo' know. An' den she'll put on each side [3 sides of the width of the egg] three rings: [and write] de Fathah. Son an' Holy Ghost [one in each ring]. An' when yo' put dat dere, den yo' punch a least li'le hole in de centah of it, in dat top [top shell of ring, making 5 holes = 5 nail wounds in egg!] yo' know. Yo' take de spoon whut chew cook bread wit an' yo'll dig it up jis' so it's a spoon yo' uses in yore dinin'room or kitchen. An' yo'll dig a li'le small li'le hole wit dat spoon, an' throw de dirt out jis' lak if yo' puttin' it out as a grave or anythin' else. Yo' dig a li'le hole. An' yo'll set dat li'le aig [in the hole] an' set it straight up. Den yo' take some gun- powdahs an' whiskey an' sulphuh. Yo' know, gunpowdah an' whiskey an' sulphuh. An' den yo'll work dem thin's tuhgethah, in dat whiskey. An' den yo' work some in dat aig, an' jis' keep a-stirrin' lak dat, an' put it in de aig an' keep a- stirrin' it lak dat. An' yo' set dat aig down [in the hole]. Yo' bury dat aig but yo' bury it undah de back part of yore house [remember, houses in the low- lands are raised aboveground], an' yo'll set it up dere an' kivah [cover] it ovah. But now, yo' don't kivah it deep an' yo' don' bury it deep, but yo' bury it in a way dat chew know nuthin won' harm it, yo' know. An' yo'll call de man or de woman, whosomevah it is, three times, an' tell 'em whut chew want. An' yo' put dat aig down dere. She gotta shore [sure] stay in mah house, she ain't goin' no place.
(That is going to keep the man or woman home? Keep them from running around?)
Yeah, dey'll stay at home, yo' See DEY FOLLOWIN' DAT SPIRIT. [What spirit? Surely the spirit in the victim's name called 3 times to equal the threefold spirit of the Godhead.] [For another one of these rare center-of-circle rites, See SALT section, v.5., margin title beginning CENTER OF PLATE...] [The "5 WOUNDs of the margin title are not mentioned in the text, the reason why they are enclosed in a bracket. From where do the "5 wounds come? Notice that the egg has 3 circles, each circle having a hole in its center. Consequently the egg has 3 holes from the 3 circles. Add to these 2 holes, one at each end of the egg Therefore the egg has 5 holes or symbolically 5 wounds from the Cross.]
Entry 9402
Jes' lak dis man is heah in dis house an' ah didn't want 'im livin' heah - jis' lak fo' 'im tuh move outa heah - ah'd git me three aigs an' dey have tuh be rotten dough [though], dey have tuh be rotten eggs. Ah throw dem aigs ag'inst dis house, but ah goes nine steps backwards an' ah throw 'em ovah mah shouldah. Dat's whut ah do wit dem aigs den. It be any time of night or any time of day. An' den ah come dere an' sprinkle a li'le dust aroun' dere, dis same dust whut ah got, graveyard dust, an' dey couldn't stay dere. Dey gotta leave.
(You walk backwards from the house?)
Nine steps, nine steps backwards. Not backwards from de house, backwards tuh de house. Jis' lak if ah wuz 'cross de street, ah'd walk backwards tuh de house, not from it, den throw 'em ovah mah lef' shouldah.
Entry 9403
An' if yo' got any enemy roun' joo anywhere dat chew wanta git rid of 'im, an' fo'evah git rid of 'im, yo' got chure walkway intuh yuh house, goin' in. Git chew three aigs an' bury dose three on dat side an' three on dat side. An' dig a hole in both end of it [egg]. Dig a hole in de ground about dat deep [demonstrates].
(About seven or eight inches deep.)
Yeah, an' stick it down in dere, an' kivah it up, an' when dem aigs drene out from dere, dey'll be away from dere, an' dey won't - dey won't give yuh no more trouble. (You can use six eggs altogether, three on each side of the walk, the walk coming into the house.) Yes sir.
(Do you put those eggs down in the ground in any special way?)
Jis' put 'em down in any way yo' want, jis' since yo' pick a hole in both ends of'em.
(Any kind of a chicken egg?)
Yes.
(Raw egg?)
Yes. An' whenevah dem aigs drene out, why dey'll drene wit 'em. An' dey won't give yo' no mo' trouble, dey won't come back dere no mo'.
Entry 9404
If yo' don' want nobody else tuh move in dat house, yo' jis' go an' git chew some fresh hen aigs, an' yo' [write] de name roun' dat fresh hen aig. An' go dere jis' as de sun risin' an' throw dem aigs jis' on de side - bust 'em all ovah dat house. (Which side do you use?) De sunny side of de house. Jis' go up tuh dat house - jis' lak de sun risin' 'fo' day early in de mawnin', an' yo' go right up tuh dat house an throw dem aigs up dere, up de side of dat house. (You throw those eggs against the east side of the house and no one will rent that house.) Go dere 'fo' sunrise an' throw 'em 'cross dere. Keep 'em in bad luck, keep 'em movin'. Jis' take dem fresh hen aigs, an' yo' don' lak de person in dat house. An' yo' know dey name, yo' jis' write de name all ovah dat aig, an' yo' go dere an' throw dat aig on dere house at sunrise in de mawnin'. Jis' lak de sun rise disaway, yo' go dere an' throw it disaway [demonstrates].
(You throw it the way the sun rises.)
De sun rises [demonstrates].
(You throw it and turn to the west, though. You throw it toward the sunset.)
An' dey'll have tuh go.
Entry 9405
Git three fresh aigs an' bust 'em on de do' face fo' nine mawnin's. Dat'll make 'em move. (How could you bust those on the door-face for nine mornings if you only had three eggs?) Ah could. Evah nine mawnin's bust three fresh aigs on de do' 'fo' day. (For how long do you do that?) Fo' nine mawnin's. (You only use three eggs altogether?) Ah said three aigs evah mawnin' - three aigs, fo' nine mawnin's. An' bust 'em on de face of de do' an' dat'll make 'em move. [This is an excessive number of eggs but anything is possible in hoodoo.]
Entry 9406
Git chew a fresh hen, black hen aig an' yo' put a hole in it, an' aftah dat stuff outa dat aig [come] outa dere, git chew a bottle of turpentine. An' fill dat aig up wit dat turpen- tine an' bury it right where dey have tuh pass ovah it. Sure tuh move.
(That drives them out of the house.)
Entry 9407
AH TAKES A DOZEN AIGS. ALL RIGHT. AN' AH'LL BRING 'EM UP HEAH [I AM INTERVIEWING ON SECOND FLOOR OF DOWNTOWN BLACK HOTEL] AN' AH'LL SET DOWN AN' ASK YO' WHAT'S CHURE NAME. AN' YO' BE SETTIN' DOWN ON ONE SIDE AN' AH BE SETTIN' DOWN ON DE OTHAH JIS' LAK WE BE'S SETTIN' NOW. AN' AH HAVE A DOZEN. AIGS AN' YO' DON'T KNOW NUTHIN ABOUT IT, AH HAVIN' MAH HAT LAYIN' OVAH DEM. AN' EVAH TIME AH ASTS [ASK] YO' WHAT CHURE NAME AN' AH JIS' KEEP A-WRITIN' IT ON DE AIGS AN' TALK- IN' WIT CHEW RIGHT ON. ALL RIGHT. AN' DEN DEY TAKES DEM AIGS AN' PUTS 'EM, AN' PUTS CHURE NAME ON 'EM AN' DYES 'EM JIS' ABOUT DE COLAH OF DAT WALL DERE, DARK BLUE. An' dey take dem aigs, dey takes one tuh de windah, fo' at de steps, an' de rest of 'em at de back do'. All dem is left, chew know, from gwine roun' to de windah an' de front steps. But chew puts even [number of] aigs on de front steps, but chure name is on dem aigs. An' dey'll let 'em stay undah dere so many days [or] so many weeks. An' den dey'll go an' dig dem aigs up. If yo' don' go out dere yuhself, someone goin' tell yuh tuh go an' dig aroun' undah yuh do'step. An' when yo' dig roun' undah yuh do'step, see dem aigs settin' down dere, an' suddenly yo' goin' be hunt [hunting] fer 'em. Yo' jis' a feelin' in yuh mind yo' be hunt [hunting] fer dem. An' when yo' go dere yo' dig down. All right yo'll pick up dem eggs an' dey'll jis' bust away, jis' bust, an' all de stuff git right on yuh an' dat's de end.
(What will that do? Why do they bury those eggs under the doorstep?)
Dat's tuh run yo' crazy. Jis' lak - dere's two things dat dey'll do tuh yuh. Dey kin run yo' crazy wit 'em. An' den if yo' got a wife - jis' [like] ah got a wife heah an' she done quit me. Ef ah go an' take dem eggs an' bury 'em undah 'er do'step an' she don' come back, she'll go crazy. An' when she come back tuh me, she can't leave me no mo'. An' she kin take 'em an' go an' bury 'em undah yuh do'step, an' if yo' don' go back tuh 'er yo'll go crazy or eithah yo' won't live wit nobody else but 'er, until she dig 'em up. (The first you said, it was to set somebody crazy, but they have to find those eggs though. Doesn't somebody break them or they won't work? That right?) Yo' ain't gotta bothah. Yo' jis' goin' tuh feel tuh go out dere an' dig round undah yore do'step, or maybe jis' yo' wanta see sompin an' yo' jis' diggin' undah dere or somepin. (If they bury those eggs under your doorstep and you don't find them, does that have any effect on you?) Yes, if she don't nevah go an' find dem, dey do's jis' as much harm if she don' go an' fine [find] dem as it does tuh fine dem. De name is on dem eggs.
Entry 9408
She says she had some trouble with her stepchildren - she married this man.- of co'se they [she and stepchildren] couldn't get along. An' so she was ready to give up everything and leave. So somebody directed her to some woman down in Augusta, Georgia. Ah was from Augusta. So she went down there to see this woman. So after talk- ing with this woman, this woman advised her instead of giving up her home to just go back home and: Get a fresh egg, a fresh-layed egg, and take this egg and place it in - [place] the tip of the egg in salt halfway, and finish covering this egg with sulphur, [let it stand] for twelve hours. Remove this egg then from the sulphur and write the parties' names all over this egg with a lead pen- cil. Take this egg and go outdoors to the room where these parties sleep [the room was in her own house and occupied by the stepchildren] and throw it against the house. And as you throw this egg, call this parties' names. And this egg will bust, and you turn right around and go on about your business and don't look back. And she said, "Within nine days somepin will happen [egg supposed to bust in 9 days - see elsewhere] and that somepin would be some confusion in the home with these parties that is causing the trouble with you and your husband; or, these children would be forced to move away." Well, she says she did that. And of course after - she said the eleventh day though, the eleventh day, this row came up and these children moved out. They were all grown and married. And she said for six years they hadn't been back. And they've gotten along just fine, she says, she and her husband.
Entry 9409
Take a new aig an' write his name on dis aig, say all de way ovah dis aig, yo' see, an' den on top-a dis name, put on dere, "Come back home." Yo' see, "Come back home." Den take jis' wheresomevah he at, take 'is name an' put on some writin' papah, crossways, dat Way [demonstrates] about twelve times. An' take her name an' she put 'er name right on hit twelve times comin' tuh de house. No mattah where he is, if he is in New York or where, he'll come. An' she'll heah from 'im wherevah he comes [from] an' wherevah he stop right befo' he git home. (What does she do with that egg?) She takes dat aig an' tie it up yo' see. Roll dat egg up tight in a li'le piece of cloth about three or fo' diff'ren' times, an' put 'is name right in dere as ah say on dat papah, an' bury it right tuh de foot of de steps. Now, yo' take dat an' yo' bury it tuh de foot of de steps wit dat sharp point up, de big point of de aig down an' lean it. Ah Would lean it [whole egg] jis' 'bout dat way [demonstrates] comin' from out de - Memoirs of Alma Egan Hyatt. Foundation - street tuh de steps, comin' in de do'.
(Have it leaning toward the door?)
Dat's right.
(Any kind of chicken egg?)
Any kind, no matter whut kind of aig, long as it is a aig. (She will write her name twelve times and then she will write your name twelve times.) Wrote his name twelve times an' den put 'er name de same way, lak yo' carry his name dis way an' take her name an' start it comin' back dat way.
(Well, now does her name go away from the house...?)
Her name an' his own comin' right tuh de house. Dere is anothah part on dat. Yo' take dis an git 'is name, as ah tell yo'. Yo' undahstan' me? An' git a bottle an' take her watah. Ah mean 'er nightwatah, pee. An' put it in dere an' shake it an' call 'is name three times - jis' what- evah 'is name am - "Henry come home - Henry come home - Henry come home." An' lay it dere right undahneath 'er pillah. In a short time or about fo' or five days he'll be there. (You use all these things, altogether. Yo'll have to use the egg and you have to use that bottle.) All at de same time.
Entry 9410
Ah'd git me two aigs. Ah'd break dem both 'cross mah house - see, 'cross on de top - befo' de sunrise. Break dem both 'cross mah house. Ah says, "Go! Ah nevah be's seein' yuh no mo'." Dat's befo' ah break mah aigs. Ah'm breakin' 'em all de time right 'cross mah house. Dey'll move out an' yo' nevah will see 'em no mo'. (Do you throw that across your own house or across the house of the person that you wanta move?) Throw it 'cross yo' own house an' dey'll move clean out an' yo' nevah will see 'em no mo'. Throw it across yuh own house.
Entry 9411
Take de aigs sometime, don't chew know, an' jes' lak if anybody have a house again, take two aigs, see, an' put undah dat house an' dey'll move.
(Any kind of eggs.)
Any kind of eggs.
Entry 9412
Take a egg from a black hen, two black hens [1 egg from each hen]... throw it [the 2 eggs] on the house an' it'll bus' an' dey'll go away from de house.
Entry 9413
Why yo' kin take dose fresh aigs, jes' any fresh aigs outa a fresh nest. (How many?) Two, yessuh, an' write on 'em [what you want done] an' take an' bust 'em up in de front of yore house, an' it will stop de policeman, anyone comin' roun' dere tuh harm yo'. It will do so.
Entry 9414
Yo' jes' kin take two fresh aigs an' bury 'em an' say, "Make dis person change 'is min' an' let me stay heah," an' bury it underneat' de house. An' when dem nine days is up, evahthing will be all right jes' lak it always been.
(They can't make you move out of the house?)
No, can't make yo' move out.
Entry 9415
Den yo' kin take two aigs an' write dey name on 'em, jes' lak yo' Wanted a person drove away from heah. If dey cain't do yo' no good, dey won't do nobody else. Yo' kin take two aigs an' write dere name on 'em an' throw 'em in runnin' watah. Go tuh de rivah an' throw 'em in runnin' watah. Dat'll keep 'em goin' all de time, dey min' [mind] goin' all de time. Dat'll fin'ly run 'em crazy.
(Any kind of chicken egg?)
Fresh chicken aigs.
Entry 9416
An' den ah kin [take] a aig ag'in - JIS' LAK YO' WUZ MAH OLE MAN OR SOMEPIN ANOTHAH an' yo' had a woman an' ah knew 'er name. Write both of yo'all [you all] name on each one of dese aigs jis' lak ah wuz showin' yo' [Cylinder changed, also author's sex!] [nO- tice lady not woman]. Ah heard yo' were wit mah hus- ban' an' ah knew yuh name. Well, ah would put yuh name on one egg an' mah husban' on de othah one. Good fresh aigs. An' ah'd [I would] go tuh de rivah an' ah wanted yo'all to scat out an' separated, why ah'd go to de rivah an' jis' In de Name of de Lord, say, well, "Ah bus' [bust] yo'all up In de Name of de Lord." Jis' take dose eggs an' jis' smash 'em tuhgethah. Jis' stan' dere an' hol' dem [hold them over the water] until dey dreens [drain] out [of the shells]. Den yo' takes dese shells an' yo' bring dese shell home. Well, yo' put dis shell on top of yuh stove if yo' kin, or somepin clean glittah [glitter], where dere ain't no grease at, an' parch dat shell good an' brown. An' take dat [powdered or small pieces of shell] an' sprinkle it all ovah yuh house, an' all in yuh baid, an' all aroun' yuh doah jis' as much - lightly, yo' know, take an' sprinkle. He wu'd [would] nevah think of 'er [again]. [Memphis, Tenn., (962), 1553: loa.]
Entry 9417
Now, if yo' constantly come tuh mah house, an' maybe ah'm carryin' on somepin dat ah wouldn't Want chew tuh come in mah house, ah wouldn't wan' tuh be bothahed wit chew. Ah wan' tuh make yo' leave an' don' come back. Ah go an' borrah two eggs from yuh, says, "Ah jes' gotta have some aigs. Will yo' loan me two until ah gits some more? Ah'll give dem back tuh yuh tuh- morrah or such a day." If yo' go past dere house at night, at six or twelve...
[I interrupt.]
(In the morning or night?)
In de morning or night, at six or twelve. Ah dig a hole dere an' ah put de eggs down dere an' ah say, "Now dis is tuh divide yo' an' me." An' ah put an inch space between de aigs. "Ah don' want chew tuh cross ovah heah no mo'." Ah Say dat when ah put 'em down. "Now ah wan' chew tuh stay on dis side an' ah'm gon'a stay ovah here." Don' let yo' cross, yo' see.
Entry 9418
An' if yo' wanta send somebody away, take a black hen aig an' when yo' urinate, yo' urinate on dat black hen aig. An' when yo' go out de gate, throw dat ahin' yo' an' let 'im bust. Dat's whut ah hear'd 'em [say] but now ah don't know...
[I interrupt.] (When you go out the gate how do you throw it?) Jes' throw dat aig behin' yo', yo' know, an' see, it'll bust. An' de people dere will move away. (That will make them move out of the house.)
Entry 9419
(To make this person move out of the house what do you do?) Take dat aig an' tote it in yore pocket fo' one day, twelve hours. An' when yo' go tuh sleep dat night, de first thing yo' do: in de mawnin' when yo' git up, yo' pee on dat aig. An' when dey ain't nobody lookin', smash against de do'knob, right up against de do' somewhere about de do'knob. An' dey'll move outa dat house.
Entry 9420
Yes sir, ah heard dat if yo' [woman] got a [man] frien' dat go wit anothah woman, yo' kin git a black hen aig an' make watah on it fo' nine mawnin's, an' go by dere an' throw it on dis woman do', see. It shore will break. See, dat will break 'em. (That will break that woman and your sweetheart up.)
Entry 9421
A lady tole me, say yo' cud [could] take a chicken aig, if yo' gotta man an' de woman is mean tuh yuh [can't quite understand this lowland dialect]. Say yo' cud take de chicken aig, a fresh aig jis' a hen laid, an' yo' take dat an' yo' break 'em [the egg] up. Break 'em [egg] in dis man chamber lye. An' put it in a bottle an' stop it up, an' beah [bury] it undahneat' de house. Say he wod [would] give dose t'in's [things] up.
(I see.)
But ah nevah tried it. Dat's whut she tole me.
The informant reports a woman’s advice and explicitly disclaims having tried it; the relationship wording remains uncertain.
Entry 9422
Put dat [urine] in a bottle an' put de needles an' pins in it. An' yo' kin put a aig in dere an' when dat aig busts, dat person will die. (They put this chamber lye in this bottle, and needles and pins. Any number of them?) Any number of pins, any kin' of a aig. Dey bury dat bottle an' when dat aig rots an' bust, yo' bloat up [and bust?].
Entry 9423
Jis' lak if dere anybody yo' wants tuh make move from any- wheres, why yo' git a black hen aig, fresh aig. Git somebody whut's got [black] chickens, yo' know. Be shore it's a black hen. An' git dat aig an' put it in a coffee cup an' yo' pee on it fo' nine mawnin's. An' jis' lak dis mawnin' make de ninth mawnin', why yo' go tuh dat place where dey stay; an' jis' throw de cup an' aig an' all up side de do', an' he goin' leave dere - he jis' move.
Entry 9424
[Here is a delightful rite and a special favorite of mine, informant not knowing I was a preacher and long familiar with some of the churchly (I avoid the word Christian) problems. There are several more preacher problems scattered through the text. Not expecting much information from informant, I was a little late turning on re- cording machine.] (They took the egg out of the egg- shell?) Take de aig out, yessuh, an' dey [the church members] take a snail. Dey can't do yo' no harm until dey git some of yo' [some part of your body]. Den dey got some of 'is [the preacher's] hair from de haid, den dey put it in de aigsheli. Den dey got some of 'is watah an' put in de aigshell. An' he [preacher] stay in dat row [quarrel with the church members] until he left dere. He couldn't stay 'way an' he couldn't stay dere [for a long time but finally he left].
(Where did they put this?)
Ah don' know but he found it, it been dere.
(Where did he find it?)
Right up undah de pulpit whäh he sot [sat] on.
(Under his pulpit in the church?)
Yassuh, but not right up undah de pulpit, 'neat [beneath] it. See, jis' lak dis table heah [holds my machine between informant and me], up in heah [here]. Yessuh, right in de chu'ch [church]. [Informant forgets all about the snail, so did I, but for its use see margin title SNAIL, Pp.648-649, v.1. This snail rite slowed down the preacher, made him slowful, not slothful - see p.648, 4 lines from bottom of page for word slowful. How could anything be buried under the pulpit? We have here a small country church built off the ground with an air place and earth under the building. How could the church members obtain preacher's urine? There are many examples in Hoodoo showing how this could be done, but the following should be sufficient: rites 4143-4151, Pp.2568-2569, v.3.]
Entry 9425
(A black hen egg? What do they do with that?)
Well, dey claims dat dey write chure name on dat an' yo' put dat in vinegah an' let it stay dere nine days. An' den yo' break it ovah de person's do', if yo' wanta make 'em move. (You just write the name on this egg, just once?) Yeah, once on de aig, an' yo' put it in vinegah. Leave it stay dere nine days, an' den yo' throw it ovah dey do'. Also a guinea aig. A guinea aig is mostly bettah den de black hen aig. [THIS MAY BE MY ( ONLY EXAMPLE OF A GUINEA EGG.] Although lotsa people believes in de black hen aig, but a guinea goes roun' de house makin' fuss all de time. Yo' know, yo' notice dat? [Guinea fowls considered as good as a watch dog.] An' if yo' wanta make fuss an' keep confusion, yo' git dat guinea aig, yo' see, an' dat keeps de confusion. (You do the same thing as you did with the black hen egg.)
Entry 9426
Ah don' know whethah it's so or not, but dey tell me yo' kin take a black hen aig an' yo' kin - if yo' wants a person tuh stay 'way from yuh house- take a black hen aig an' put it up in vinegah till it becomes long, yo' know. Yo' know vinegah will make a aig git small as dis fingah [demonstrates finger], jis' stretch it. An' says, an' aftah dat aig gits where 'bout it stretches, yo'...if yo' put a aig in vinegah - ah don' know whethah yo' have experienced dat or not, but vinegah will make a aig stretch. [If reader does not believe this, an egg and vinegar are an inexpensive experiment.] Jis' put a aig in a bottle. Yo' kin put a aig in one small bottle, ain't no mo' 'en [more than] hole dat big [demonstrates]. Yo' kin put a hen aig in dere by puttin' dat hen aig in vinegah. Yo' see, vinegah will make dat hen aig stretch lak a string. Well, yo' kin put it in vinegah, a black hen aig. Dey tell me dey do dis. An' yo' kin take dat black hen aig an' if ah don' wan' chew tuh mah house, ah kin break dat aig whilst it's got dat vinegah in it, an' ah kin jis' strow [archaic for strew = to scatter] it around mah do'step or eithah way, mah entrance way, an' yo' cānt [can not] come in dere. Anybody kin come dere 'scusin' [excusing = eXCePt] yo'. IF YO' START IN DERE WHY YO'D HAVE SECH PAIN YO'D FALL 'FORE YO' COULD MAKE IT. But whethah dat dere is true, now ah don't say dat is true.
Entry 9427
That's when you want to break up a man an' woman.
(How would they do that?)
Yo' write de names. Yo' write yore name on dat aig an' den yo' - yo' can break it. Yo' break dat egg just wherevah dat man or woman walks - just break it. Dat breaks things. Any little thing she... [I interrupt.] (Whose name do you write on this egg?) De man's, just whoevah yo' want to break 'em up. Just like if yo' want to write - just like if yo' want to break up [a man] an' a woman, well yo' write their name on dat.
(Oh! I see.)
Each name, all de way around dat egg. Den take it some place an' break it, right where dey have to walk on.
(I see.)
Entry 9428
An' den yo' kin take a black hen aig an' yo' kin write - jis' lak yo' Wanta run me off or somepin lak dat. Yo' kin write mah name on dat black hen's aig. Jis' run me off an' mah wife will still be dere. Or eithah yo' kin run mah wife off an' ah stay dere - ah still be dere. Bust it up against dat house where de haid of dat baid turnt [the foot of the bed being in a direction opposite from the operator of the rite facilitates the victim's departure and avoids any possible collision between the two].
Entry 9429
Take a egg... [I interrupt.] (Will you talk a little bit louder, please.) Take a raw egg an' war watah an' put it intuh a bottle. An' bury it up undah de steps an' dat'll cuz 'em tuh move. [War water causes confusion within.]
Entry 9430
They take a black hen egg an' cayenne peppah an' guinea watah - er, yes - an' chuck it at yore door.
(What is that? What else do they take, now?)
Cayenne peppah, yes; a black hen egg...
(A black hen egg and then what?)
An' guinea - not guinea. Aw shucks they call it...
(A black chicken egg.)
A black chicken egg, cayenne peppah...
(Yes, all right.)
An' yo' mix dat togethah.
(What do you mix now, what kind of water?)
War water!
(Oh! All right!)
An' yo' take an' yo' chuck it at dere door. Now, yo' see, yo' take a black hen egg by itself an' yo' chuck dat at yore door fo' nine mornings, an' dat makes yo' move an' makes yo' an' yore husband or yo' an' yore neighbor fight until yo' go to jail. (I see. All right.) Now, dat war water, just sprinkle it all around yore door. An' yo' just take a whole bottle of it an' mix it wit cayenne peppah an' den chunk it an' it busts at yore door. Yo' are sure to go to jail.
(I see.)
Entry 9431
[I now repeat in form of question what informant had said before recording began.]
(How do you run them crazy with an egg?)
Well, yo' kin take dat aig an' put dey name on it an' throw it in runnin' watah. Run' 'em crazy.
Entry 9432
A black hen aig. Yo' take a black hen aig an' where dere a person yo' don' lak, yo' write dere name on dat aig an' throw it into runnin' watah, an' de person leave town. Don' care whut time dey goes, dey not satisfied in dere min' - keep dere min' stirred up an' down. Dey cain't rest nowhere dey go. Dey goin' tuh wandah all de time.
Entry 9433
Take a black hen chicken egg an' it's lak - dat's anothah way yo' kin do a person hahm [harm]. Yo' know, lak yo' wanted tuh git rid of somebody or run 'em off or sompin. Yo'd write dere name on a black hen aig an' throw it in de rivah an' dat'll run 'em off yo' know.
Entry 9434
Yo'll take dat chicken aig, de red[!] of de aig. An' den yo'll git chew three needles, new-bran' [brand-new] needles, an' yo' run it through dat, de red of de aig. An' yo' wrap it wit red flannen an' den throw it ovahbo'd. Well, it don' kill yo', jis' make yo' wandah - wandah aroun'.
(How do you know that you have the right person?)
Oh! well, yo' go tuh work an' pick up de right person through a card [having fortune told by cards]. Write de name of de person on de aig.
(On the outside of the egg, before you break it and get the yellow?)
Yeah, yeah, git dere name an' jes' write it - write dere name. [These 3 new needles, symbolizing the 3 Holy Names are here worked through yolk taken from egg, but I now believe the yolk was left in the egg and the needles worked through the shell and crossed inside - see No.9272, p.3736.]
Entry 9435
[They] tell me yo' kin take a aig an' go dere, an' don't let 'em see yo', an' jis' make a wish an' throw dat egg at de house, dey tell me, an' dey will move.
Entry 9436
Ah'd [I would] take a fresh [black] hen egg an' ah'd take an' throw it an' break it on top of yore house, an' make a wish fo' somepin bad tuh happen tuh yuh.
Entry 9437
Tuh make 'em stay.away, yo' kin take a black hen's aig an' at night, ovahnight, yo' go dere an' take dat aig an' chunk it ovah on top of dere house, anywhere an' make a wish, say, "Ah wish dey'd stay from mah house. Ah'm tired of dem worryin' me. Ah'm tired of 'em." Jes' chunk dat black hen's aig, yo' know, ovah de - on de house, on de porch, anywhere. An' den de nex' mawnin' dey mo' den apt tuh git up an' move. Dey move out from de house. [I frequently heard preceding word tired as tied, the past tense and past participle of verb to tie.]
Entry 9438
If ah wus wit a man in a lawsuit, an' ah wus afraid he wus goin' tuh win de case, why at night ah would take a black hen aig an' ah write on dat an' he leave heah, "Don't nevah come back no mo'." Well, ah take dat egg at twelve a'clock at night. Ah take mah search- light out dere at twelve a'clock at night, an' ah would go dere quietly. An' at de hour of twelve ah would chunk it ovah his house an' let it fall on 'is house. In seven days he would be gone.
Entry 9439
Dey git a black hen aig. Dey take it an' write some kinda - what dey want done on dere. Dey take it way late [at night] or soon in de mawnin' 'fore de sun rise, dey chuck it on yore po'ch. If dey can't git ontuh yore house, dey put it on yore po'ch, see; an' puts some kinda peppah on topa it an' busts it. Dat make yuh move. (What do you mean by getting on top of your house?) Well, dey can throw it but let it hit de fiahplace [chimney]. Makes yuh git out de house.
Entry 9440
Yo' take a black hen's aig an' break it an' git de yellah an' put it on a rag. Mix it wit some sulphuh an' some salt an' wrap it up in a rag an' tote dat.
[Informant had given rite before recording began.]
(What will that give you? Luck for what?)
Luck fo' anythin' yo' want, gamblin'.