Browse:ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS (Volume 5, entries 9441–10605)/Part 2
ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS
Volume 5, entries 9441–10605. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 9521
Den yo' kin take table salt an' weah it in de bottom of yuh shoes, jes' lak yo' got dis business goin' on now [informant will return to dis business of mine later]. Yo' kin take table salt an' weah it in de bottom of yore shoes, an' go roun' dat by day wit dat undah de bottom of yore feet, an' yo' come tuh be slick an' yo'll come tuh be lucky in yore doin's an' successful.
(You say wearing the salt in your shoe makes you lucky in all sort of things?)
Jes' in all sorts of things dat chew carry on. TAKE TABLE SALT AN' PUT IT IN DE BOTTOM OF YORE SHOES DAT YO' WEAHIN'. DAT'S SO'S YO' GIT SLICK AS GLASS. YO' HAVEN'T NEVAH TRIED DAT?
(NO.)
WELL, YO' TRY DAT IN YORE BUSINESS. JES' LAK DIS BUSINESS YO' CARRYIN' ON put table salt in de bottom of yore shoe, yo' be lucky an' suc- cessful. Yore feet git slick as glass.
Entry 9522
I've known people to wear salt in the bottom of their shoe, the left shoe rather, to prevent anybody from cunjuring them; or, if they go any place and walk on anything, it won't injure them. [Snow Hill, Md., (85), grade school teacher who was born and still lives near Richmond, Va., except during the school year,14:2.]
Entry 9523
They say that they [an enemy] could take salt and put it in your left shoe and it'll give you bad luck for a certain number of years. [This and pre- ceding rite about salt in left shoe demonstrates the power of intention.]
Entry 9524
And he [root doctor] told me to wear salt in my dight shoe and take a little salt and sprinkle up under the bed every day. He uay it would change your luck.
Entry 9525
Ah have, ah've heard of 'em takin' yuh shoe an' sprinklin' table salt m' things like dat or Epsom salts intuh yuh shoe. An' dat is if yo' are a per- son who believes in stayin away from home, lak if it was yuh husban' an' he'd lak tuh stay 'way from home all de time - always away from home. An' dey would put some- dhin'intuh his shoe lak salt or [Epsom] salts an' - undahneat' de linin' of de shoe - an' dat would cuz 'im tuh stay home.
(Either shoe? Both shoes or just one shoe?)
Both shoes tuh make him stay home.
Entry 9526
Den dere's anothah thing, if yo' wanta run a person off. Yo' kin take [get] table salt an' jes' throw it roun' in yore room fo' nine mawnin's. Put a li'le in de toe of dey shoe an' shake it down [into the toes] an' turn dat shoe down, one down at de foot - one of his shoes down at de foot [of the bed] aftah he's gone tuh baid. Yo' kin take dat shoe an' turn It down at de foot [of the bed] an' carry one [shoe] tuh de haid [of bed] tuh dat Odah off [opposite] post. Jes' lak de baid has fo' cornahs, lay one [shoe] down at dis cornah an' de othah one [shoe] down at de othah cornah, jes' lak dat [dem- estrates by pointing to bed in interviewing room].
(What will that do?)
Well, dat will run a man on away from yo'.
(That is to get rid of the man?)
Yes sir. (You put the other shoe catercorner from the other one, and you [also] put t salt around the room.) [This magic-of-the-diagonal rite is also known in New Orleans by laying a broom catercorner under the bed - see v.1, p.674, No.2425.] Yo' put jes' a least bit of salt roun' in yore room, jes' put a li'le bit in his shoes an' shake it down tuh de toe where he won' detect it when he go tuh put it on.
(That is to get rid of him?)
Git rid of him.
Entry 9527
Why, if yo' is gone away from yuh wife an' [often equals Or] she gone away from yo', why yo' kin git up soon in de mawnin', mos' any mawnin'. Don't speak tuh anyone. An' jes' go back dere an' git salt - a box. Git some salt an' call 'er name fer three mawnin's. De foth mawnin', if she is a li'le mind of it, [if she has the slightest intention of returningl, she comin' back.
(What do you do with that salt?)
Take dat salt an' throw it de way she went.
Entry 9528
An' den if yo' wan' him tuh tell evahthing he knows, yo' kin put his han' while he's 'sleep - if yo' maybe ketch him drunk - put his han' in some cold salt an' watah, if yo' wanta find out whut he's doin', an' he'll tell evahthing he knows.
Entry 9529
If yo' know de person dat's goin' dere, if yo' seein' 'em an' it's jes' somebody whut visit yo', dat yo' don' wanta visit yo'. Well, now whenevah dey leave, yo' jes' throw jes' a li'le pinch of salt behin' dem, an' sweep it in de direction dey gone. Dey can't - dey won't come dere, dey'll stay 'way.
Entry 9530
All right. Git chew a box of table salt an' jes' when dey leave out, yo' jes' take dat table salt an' sprinkle it behin' dem. An' git chure broom an': sweep de broom out behin' dem. Yo' won' be bothahed wit dem no mo'.
Entry 9531
Ah've heard that if there's anybody come to yore house that yo' don't want them tuh come there, when they go tuh leave, throw some salt behind them an' jes' sweep lightly an' that will stop them from comin' [to sweep lightly here is a part of the magic action].
Entry 9532
An' when ah gits tid [tired] of 'em comin' tuh see me, dey way ah do's him: When he - jis' when he gittin' up goin' out, ah'll put salt behin' him, an take a broom an' sweep him on out. An' ah won't be bothahed wit him no mo'. Ah won't have tuh hurt his feelin'.
Entry 9533
Den, in case, if de police come tuh yuh house an' yo' runnin' a whiskey house or some kinda business, well yo' kin take some salt an' throw it out behin' dem, an' sweep it out wit a bran'-new broom. He won't come back no mo'. Dat will keep 'em from comin' back.
Entry 9534
As person leaves, throw salt, make wish, take broom and sweep, won't come back.
Entry 9535
Take salt an' trō' [throw] roun' de house an' cuss 'em, den sweep it - sweep dey tracks. Dey say dey won't come back den.
(What will that do then?) Dey say dey won't come back.
Entry 9536
Dey tell me, git chew some salt when dey goin' [from your house]. Start where dey got up from an' carry it on an' sprin- kle. Throw it out de do' an call dere name an' tell 'em tuh go. Den take up de broom an' sweep dat same salt out chare do'. Dey won't come back.
Entry 9537
Have tuh git chew a box of table salt, sprinkle it all ovah yo' flo'. Dat's from de front do' - jis' lak if yo' got a po'ch on yore house, LAK DAT PO'CH DERE [points] - from de front do' tuh de po'ch. [For this porch see comment later.] An' take yo' a broom - one dese ole long brooms, stiff handle one [see comment later] - an' sweep it right out. Jis' take dat salt an' sweep it out. Do dat fo' nine mawn- in's. An' aftah de nine mawnin's dey will move an' nobody won't have tuh tell 'em. (That is to make a person move out of the house. But you have to sweep that stuff up, sprinkle it at their house? Don't you or what?) Don' care whose house it is, if it's yuh house or dere house or anybody's louse. Jis' lak yo' rentin' dat man's house, yo' rentin' dat house belong tuh dat man. Well, prob'ly yo' go dere at night, quite natchel [natural] if yo canta do dat yo' goin' have a broom wit chew. Well, yo' take dat salt an' sprin- kle. [The preceding dat pō'ch dere is a valuable piece of personal memorabilia. I could not remember whether I had interviewed in a second-floor back room, or one looking out upon the upper porch of the former Clark Hotel for blacks at Method- Ist Town, a black settlement then on the edge of St. Petersburg. You can see a colored photograph of this building, now abandoned, among the illustrations at the end of v.3, Ill.8. This picture I took in 1970, 31 years after the present interview. For St. Petersburg, see also vol.1, Intro. XxxIv, and letter to Ed- ward Bufford among illustrations at end of vol.2.] [The preceding long brooms, stiff handle one is sometime called a stick broom (see 2424, p.674, v.1). The short broom or un-stiff one, of course, is various varieties of the hand sweeper; long and tough grasses or twigs laid in a row and doubled, the point of doubling being the handle.]
Entry 9538
If this person was an enemy to you, then you get some salt - out of a jar that has never been used - and when the person leaves, you sprinkle the salt behind them. You did it In the Name of the Lord. Then take a broom and sweep it out the way they went. Then set the broom bck in the house bottom side upward. And they wouldn't come back again. [For setting brushy part of broom up and handle down behind door, a rite widely spread, See 2432, Wilmington, N. Car., and 2433, New Orleans, La., both p.675, v.1, etc.]
[Old Point Comfort, Va., collected in 1936 by Ediphone.]
Entry 9539
As person leaves, make one throw of salt behind him: In the Name of the Father, second In the Name of the Son, and third In the Name of the Holy Ghost. Won't come back. This same thing in another person's house will make him move out.
Entry 9540
If yo' has a individual in yuh house an' yo' wan' dat individual out, an' yo' can't git him out - or can't git him or her out - why evah time dey go out, yo' turn dat mattress ovah. An' evah time dey go out yo' sprinkle salt on dat mattress an' turn it ovah, an' have dere things changed aroun' from where dey put it. When yo' find it at one place, take an' change it an' put it at anothah place. Dat's a kinda torment to de room. Dey will finely [finally] move away. [St. Petersburg, Fla., (983), 1591:12.] [Normally the word pepper alone means red pepper, usually black pepper being described as black (see examples in the black pepper rites at the beginning of section (4), Nos.9644-9654). Black can be substituted for red in an emergency, but red is more powerful; especially potent, if the container in which it was purchased pictures a red devil. Red of course almost always indicates cayenne pepper, though "finger peppers" - the hot-sauce peppers - are sometimes mentioned.]
Entry 9541
Tuh do yuh harm? Well, dere's sev'ral ways dat a person could harm yuh. At times a person would take red peppah an' salt an' stir it an' sprinkle it aroun'. At times dey could throw it on yo' shouldah or enywheres about chah an' make yuh have ill luck. (Well, what do you mean by throwing that salt and pepper around?) Jes' take it, yuh know, lak dey got it in de hand, yuh know. Jes' have it lak dis [demonstrates]. While yo' standing dere dey could sprinkle a li'l on yuh back. Well, sometimes, yuh know, dey come tuh yuh wit dey han' an' jes' rub on yuh, yuh know, an' say, "How yuh is?" Dey parts it [salt and pepper] down [on you] de same time, see.
(What will that do to you then?)
Dat'll give yuh ill luck.
(That will give you ill luck?)
Dat'll give yuh ill luck. Yuh wouldn't be a success fer nuthin, prob'ly fer de rest of yuh days.
Entry 9542
Well, they say that they could get a - can you hear what ah say?
(I heard you.)
Well, they tell me they can take a red pepper [cayenne pepper] and salt and sprinkle that in front of your door. That's to make confusion and you can't get along there and that [sort of thing]. Why, you'll move.
Entry 9543
Dey use [burn] cayenne peppah an table salt an' make yuh wishes ovah dat. An' if yuh kin git anywhere about de house, tuh git some of it in dere, dat'll make dem fight lak de devil.
(That's all you have to do. Burn some of that.)
Entry 9544
.. Take de peppah an' salt an' press it tuhgethah an' burn it, an' put it in yore pocket an' carry it wit yo' when yo' goin' tuh look fo' a job, if yo' want luck. An' if yo' talkin' tuh yore man, yore bossman, dat's yo's tryin' tuh git a job wit, have dat in yore han' an' [they say yo'll git yo' a job if anybody gits one. [Wilson, N. Car., (1486), cylinder 2660: item No?]
Entry 9545
If de opposite party would want confusion in yore house, dey [you] take an' send ovah tuh yore neighbah tuh borrah some salt. An' aftah yo' git dat salt, yo' see, yo' take dat salt an' yo' go roun' de house - an' yo' put some cayenne peppah [with it] see - roun' de three cornahs of de house, see. Yo' put dat cayenne peppah roun' dere an' it will cuz confu- sion dere. Dey won't be no kinda 'greements [agreements] atall. Dey'll jes' be in a uproar all de time roun' dere, by borrahin' de table salt. (Well, now who would do that? Suppose they [people] would want to cause con- fusion in this house [where I am interviewing], some other person outside would borrow from some neighbor near here?) Borrow it from heah [the house we are in now]. (You have to borrow it from the person with whom you are going to cause con- fusion?) Yessuh.
(Then you say they are right at the same house where they borrow it?)
Yessuh.
Entry 9546
Well, if yo' wanta make 'em fight bad in yore home, yo' jes' go dere an' git chew some salt an' red peppah, an' yo' take it an' yo' throw it in each cornah of de house - throw it in each cornah of de house. Take it an' put a li'l bit on de flo'. Won' be long 'fo' dey be fightin'.
Entry 9547
Take cookin' salt an' mix it wit cayenne peppah, ef dey have a rug or anythin' on de floor, an' spill it in evah cornah in de house. He cannot stay dere. He'll have tuh leave. CORNERS OF HOUSE - ALL OF THEM
Entry 9548
When person leaves, throw salt an' red peppah behin' 'im an' make sign of cross an' tell 'im tuh GO! [Washington. D. C. (?). 817:6.]
Entry 9549
Take yo' some red peppah an' salt an' sprinkle in dis person yard in de night, da'kest night, say dey'll move. Yo' wouldn't be worried wit: 'em any mo'.
Entry 9550
Git a bran'-new box of salt an' cayenne peppah an' yo' sprinkle it aroun' in de porch an' in de rooms. Salt an' peppah makes confusion. Cayenne peppah.
Entry 9551
Heard of 'em usin' salt an' red peppah tuhgethah. Dat is tuh raise disturbance roun' de home. Mix de salt an' peppah tuhgethah an sprinkle it undah de do'sill or somewhere neah de house, an' in crossin' dat, dat'll teah up a home. [The words doorsill and saddle of the door are infrequent in hoodoo usage.]
Entry 9552
Well, they say that they could get a - can you hear what ah say?
(I heard you.)
Well, they tell me they can take a red pepper [ground cayenne pepper from a box] and salt and sprinkle that in front of your door. That's to make confusion and you can't get along there and that [sort of thing]. Why, you'll move.
Entry 9553
Take some salt an' red peppah an' bury it undah de steps. Dat'll make 'em leave.
(Make them move out of the house?)
Yessuh.
Entry 9554
Ah hear'd dey take salt an' peppah an' put it undah yuh dohstep, dat'll hurt choo.
Entry 9555
Go tuh yore house ver' [early] mawnin' 'fo' sunrise an' sprinkle salt undah yore do'step - salt an' red peppah undah each do'step. Dat'll make yo' move. (But it must be before sunrise?) Yes.
Entry 9556
As he leaves yo' kin take dis peppah an' salt togethah an' sprinkle it all roun' outside yuh door an' jes' on de inside, an' tell 'em tuh stay out [use some sort of in- cantation] an' dey won' come in - can't come in.
(That's to keep anyone from staying there.)
Yes sir.
Entry 9557
Yo' take salt an' red peppah dust. (Suppose that's my door right there [door of interviewing room]. Now, how would you put that down?)
[Informant goes over to the door.]
Yo' dig a trench [demonstrates].
(Straight out from the door.)
Right near de steps, an' put it [ingredients] in dere [demonstrates]: one, two, three, an' covah it. (You make these three trenches right in front of the doorstep and you put one of these things [piles of mixed salt and red pepper] in each of those trenches and you cover them up. And then what do you say?) "Go devil!" (And you say no one can step over that door [doorsill]?) No sir. [As soon as informant left the room I added a comment of my own: "Wilmington, N. C. The informant did most of this by pantomine: mixing the salt and red pepper, dividing it into three piles, digging three trenches, filling and covering them. His few words were mumbled. Hence I had to reconstruct what was acted and spoken from my own running comments on the telediphone cylinder.]
Entry 9558
Heard 'em say dat tuh put bad luck on yo', dey would git some cayenne peppah an' salt an' bury it at dere step where yo' come up at - so yo' have tuh walk ovah it. Aftah yo'd leave out [depart], den dey'd sprinkle some salt on yo' - throw it onto yo'. Yo' know, jis' as yo'd be passin' out [through the door], dey'd throw it on yo' lak dat [demonstrates].
(What will that do then?)
Thet would run yo' away from de place.
Entry 9559
Jes' take some red peppah, dis cayenne peppah an' salt, table salt an' jes' sprinkle it all in de house, an' dat'll cuz confusion or a bad sepa- ration.
Entry 9560
Well, jes' lak yo' got a good ole man an' sometimes dey begrudge yo', well, yo' jes' sprinkle salt an' cayenne peppah aroun' every mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's, an' dat keeps up a disturbance - keep 'em fightin' an' fussin'.
(That breaks you [a family] up.)
Entry 9561
[You] kin git some simple thing an' jis' git some red peppah - cayenne peppah - an' salt, an' call 'em in an' have a few word wit 'em, kinda conversa- tion. An' den aftah [or as] dey go out, throw it out behin' dem an' jes' sweep it out. Dat's how yo' could do dat. Dat's a li'l simple way tuh git rid of anybody dat yo' don't want. (I see. Now what else could they do?) Well, dat's about de simplest thing yo' could do tuh git rid of 'em.
Entry 9562
(How do you do that?)
What you do with a broom? Just like I want you to leave out of this house, where I'm got tired and sick and disgusted [with you]. All I gotta do is get me some salt, you see, and some pepper. And just as you leave out, I take the salt [and pepper] and throw it behind you - throw it down and I take the broom and sweep.
Entry 9563
I hear say if de rentman come to your house an' yo' ain't got de money, ain't able to pay him an' yo' don't want him to put yo' out, get yo' a brand-new box of salt, and a brand-new box of pepper. Open de door an' don't use nothin' else but that. Every time he come dere, sprinkle your house an' sweep it, sweep it in the room an' yo' oon't have no trouble with him.
Entry 9564
As person leaves, sprinkle salt an' peppah behin' 'im an' say, Go! An' don't come back no mo'. [Washington, D. C., (?), 822:2f.
Entry 9565
They tell me that if you on a job- like now, if I'm workin' heah with some people an' yo' don't like me. [You say] "I wish you'd git away from heah, '' 'cause he [you] got hateful ways or sompin like that, "stuck-up' [maybe]. They tell me yo' take salt an' cayenne peppah an' mix it togethah. If you could ketch dem goin' out of do', throw it at 'em so they won't see it an' sweep it on out. An' they said he won't be deah long.
Entry 9566
Dey say dey sprinkle salt an' peppah in de house an' when dey go out yo' kin sweep it out behin' 'em an' dey'll move out lak dat.
Entry 9567
Yo' kin take red peppah an' salt an' sprinkle it, chew know, where yo' set down [have been sitting] an' where yo' walk, an' sweep it direct out de do'. An' if dey keep on doin' dat constant, piles of people tell me, really yo' git tuh de place dat yo' couldn't stay dere.
Entry 9568
Well, if yo' are here an' ah want chew tuh leave out, ah throw salt when yo' leave out de doah. Ah throw salt behin' yo' befo' yo' turn - when yo' turn yuh back tuh leave. Ah throw salt an' den ah take de broom an' ah sweep, ah sweep it all out tuh de sidewalk [sweep the visitor's foot tracks off your property]. An' if yo' continue tuh return, jis' add some pepper to it an' finely yo'll quit comin'.
Entry 9569
Ah've heard 'em say they could take salt an' red peppah an' make 'em move. (How would they do that?) When yo' leave out the house, dey sprinkle that salt an' [red] peppah an' sweep it out behin' yo', throw it ovah they left shoulder an' sweep it out behin' yo'. Den yo'll leave.
(You mean if I were doing that, I would throw it over my left shoulder?)
Yessuh.
Entry 9570
Well, dey jes' take salt an' peppah an' mix it tuhgethah - red peppah an' salt, mix it good tuhgethah an' each time yo' come, put it undah de do'step. Jes' keep it up undah de do'step, an' each time yo' come back, jes' throw it at chew an' yo' know, take de broom an' sweep it out. Purtty soon yo' will stay away.
Entry 9571
When dey come, jes' mix a little salt an' red peppah tuh- gethah, an' as dey goes yo' sprinkle it right on behin' de do'h an' sweep out - sweep behin' dem. Cuss dem' some. Say, "Go an' stay an' nevah come back." (They will never come back again.) [Charleston, S. Car., No.518, Doctor Nelson, 610:11.]
Entry 9572
Take salt an' peppah. See, evah time yo' come tuh yore house yo' jes' throw it behin' 'im an' yo' cuss 'im out. Don't say nuthin good, jes' cuss 'im out, jes' say, "Go on! Don' chew come back heah tuh mah house no mo'." Jes' sweep 'im on out de street. An' he stay 'way from dere.
Entry 9573
If yo' got a man or a woman an' yo' wanta git rid of 'em, yo' jes' let 'em come in an' yo' take some salt an' peppah an' sweep it out behin' 'em an' tell 'em, 'Git out heah, yo'devil, yo'! Don't nevah come back tuh heah no mo'!" [That is] if yo' wants tuh git rid of 'em.
Entry 9574
Dey tell me dat if yo' on a job - lak now, if ah'm workin' here wid some people an' yo' don' lak me [you say] "Ah wish yo'd git away from heah", 'cuz he [you] got hateful ways, " or sumpin lak dat. Dey tell me yo' take salt an' cayenne peppah an' mix it tuhgethah. If yo' ketch dem goin' outa [the] do', throw it at 'em so dey won't see it, an' sweep it on oat. An' dey said he won't be dere long.
Entry 9575
If yo' want to keep people away from your house an' afraid that they Ykrt chah, yo' must always have salt an' red cayenne pepper mixed together. Yo' take that salt an' cayenne pepper, they people go out. When they come in de house, yo' don't want 'em to come, yo'd put that salt and cayenne pepper all behin' 'em. An' then yo' take de broom an' sweep that off de way that they go out. As yo sweep it, make a wish, "Keep outa my house." See? Well, they do that three ties. An' then they won't come back to your house no more. If they mean yo' any harm, they ain't comin' back no more. [This is an unusual preparation for an emergency: You must always have salt an' red cayenne pepper mixed together. Often materials must be new and remainders discarded.] [Richmond, Va., (348), 291:1 0r 348:1.]
Entry 9576
[If you] wan' 'em tuh move out sometime or don' wan'a be bothahed wit nobody dere in dat house, yo' - someone says tuh put red peppah in de fire an' burn it, an' throw salt ovah de flo', an' as dey walk out yo' sweep behin' 'em. Sweep it on out an' yo' won' be bothahed vit'em no mo'.
Entry 9577
Take yo' some peppah - ah mean red peppah - an' den yo'll fix it, yo' see, an' yo' go jes' lak yo' wan's tuh pay a visit ovah deah. Yo' go an' set down deah, see, an' pay a visit, an' den yo' have dat peppah in a lettah [enve- lope] or sompin an' make lak [pretend] yo' git some fiah or light off de stove. An' yo' take dat peppah an' throw it in dere - in dat stove yo' see. An' outside, as yo' come on de outside, well yo' put some of it right down on de stoop an' some salt. Salt an' peppah tuh- gethah sprinkle it on de stoop, right on de top, right on down tuh de groun' an' trall it on tuh de cornah [of the street].
(And that makes them move out of the house.)
An' den aftah yo' do dat clean tuh de cornah, jes' take whut chew have leaved [left] in yore han' - take it an' throw it dat way [demonstrates] tuhwards de side where de wind is blowin', an' dey'll shore move out in less dan...
Entry 9578
Understand, listen good. You take cayenne pepper an' take dat salt fo' nine mornin's an' sweep it out your front way, an' betcha dey'll move.
(I see, that's to make the person move out of the house.)
Dere ain't nobody told you dat, have dey?
(Not the nine mornings one.)
I betcha dey'll move. Take cayenne pepper an' table salt an' jes' sprinkle [and sweep] it out for nine mornin's out your front door. Betcha dey'll move.
Entry 9579
When dey come in, an' as dey go out - yo'd have yore salt an' yore peppah, an' as dey walk out yo' sprinkle it right behin' 'em. An' as dey go out - yo' have yore broom- sweep it [salt, pepper, and tracks] from inside right on out. Say, "Don' come back, don' come back." Yo' repeat dat [incantation] nine timies, evah time dey come an' fine'ly dey'll stop comin'.
(That will keep anybody away - the law or anybody.)
Anybody - de salt an' pepper in dere tracks.
Entry 9580
If dey tryin' tuh harm yo' - yo' know, lak dey put down sompin an' yo' scared yo' walk ovah it - yo' kin take salt an' peppah, red cayenne peppah, an' weah it in yore shoe. (What will that do?) Dat'll - yo' cain't detect nuthin in yuh feet or anythin'.
Entry 9581
In dis way. Yo' kin git chew some salt an' peppah an' weah it in yore shoe an' it ain't nuthin in de world dat a person kin do [against you] wit dat salt an' peppah [in our shoes]. Salt an' peppah keeps down all of dat sorta thing [conjuration or witchcraft]. But chew has tuh weah good shoes. [The ad- monition here means you must wear holeless shoes to prevent the leakage of salt and pepper. Many of my informants wore cast-off shoes, few of them wearing con- dition, cardboard insoles being common. Remember, the material of these hoodoo volumes was collected during the Great Depression of the 1930's.]
Entry 9582
If a person tryin' tuh poison yo', yo' kin take peppah an' salt an' weah it in yore shoes. Evah time yo' put chure shoe on, keep dat red peppah an' salt in dere [see that it has not leaked out] an' ah don' care whut dey put down, it cain't hurt chew.
Entry 9583
Git salt an' red peppah an' mix all dat up tuhgethah, see, an' put it in yore shoes. See, pertect yo'self anywhere yo' goes. See, nuthin cain't harm yo'. Well, ah've heard dat.
(When you walk in anything it wouldn't hurt you.)
Entry 9584
Weah peppah an' salt in yuh shoes tuh git a job. Gits boss's min' torn up [confused], an' if he hasn't nobody he'll hire yuh. [This rite is for luck in the sense that any cunjure to keep you from obtaining the job will fail.]
Entry 9585
Suppose somebody wan'a poison you or put choo down an' fix you so you ain't able to move or walk. You go to work an' git choo de rock salt, an' you take that rock salt, you pound that rock salt up [as fine] as sugar. You take ciyine [cayenne] peppah w'at's never been used [a new box of cayenne pepper]. You put it into it [the pulverized rock salt] an' mix it, an' wear it in your shoe. An' nobody kin put nuthin down to harm you.
Entry 9586
Well, they say if you see a mark is made at your gate, or in de road or anywhere where you gotta pass around, say you take an' git you a pod of red pepper. Put nine seeds [from the red pepper pod] in each shoe and you kin put salt, table salt in there and wear it. If not that, you kin just take and sprinkle a little in your shoe.
(What will that do?)
And then you kin walk on over it and it won't hurt cha.
(I see.)
Entry 9587
[My informant gives the complete rite first and then much later during the interview adds a note about it.l And then they say you kin take and put salt and pepper in your shoe, if you wmta git a fellow. You know, take salt and pepper and put it in and wear it in ygmr shoes.
(In both shoes?)
Yes, in both shoes - yes.
(That's to get him?)
You know, they have a little saying about: If you want a fellow, I'll tell you what to do Just get some salt and pepper And wear it in your shoe Just red pepper, you know. Not black pepper, but red pepper you know.
(That's a little song, you say?)
Yes, but you wanta get a box of salt that ain't even been used out of, you see. Go to the store and buy you a brand-new box of salt. Then you wanta get you a strand of [red] pepper: [pep- per pods] where's never any been used off it. See, if there's any been used off it, it's not any good. See, get you a strand of pepper where there's none ever ben used off it. And then you get a pod - you get you three pods of pepper in your shoe. And you cut one up in one shoe and you cut the other up. You cut half a one [pod] in this one [shoe] and half in the other [shoe]. And each time you cut the pepper you sprinkle some of that salt, you see, and make your wish.
(In doing that you use three pods of pepper?)
Yes, you use three pods.
(You put half in one shoe and half in the other?)
Half in one and half in the other.
(And you cut the second pepper in half?)
Yeah, you... (I [you] cut the first pepper in half, then you put some salt on top of that in the shoe and make your wish?) And make your wish. (Then you take another pepper and cut it in half and put it in the shoe, and then put salt and make the wish, that way?) Yes, three times.
(I see.)
That makes just three times cuttin' [3 peppers or cut] and you make your wish co see him. And then you wait three days to see him. An' he doesn't do like you want him to do in those three days, why you do that again, you see. But you use tree pods of pepper then. Well, probably see, he might come but not up to like yoa'd like for him to come. Well, you'd use three more, see. That makes nine pods, see, and then that makes nine days. See, everything works at nine days. And you know, they say for the right conjuration and for it to do right like you wmt it to do, you wants to work it on the last quarter of the moon, when it's dark nights, and then you see the results on the growing of the new moon. You see, as the new moon grows, why he'll come to you. [This is often called a put- ting-together rite. In the following subsection see onion cut into 4 parts, No.9596.]
Entry 9588
De salt an' peppah that chew wear in yore shoe, that's to make some- one - well, see, lak if yo' wanta man or a woman an' yo' can't git a chance out dem. An' yo' make yore wishes an' put dis salt an' peppah in it. [Here I turned off machine to ask if this was the same or a similar rite to the three red-peppers one.] Yes, yo' use three pods of red peppah. Yo' put one whole one [red-pepper pod] in one shoe an' one whole one in de othah shoe, but chew cut dem in half, see. Yo' put half one in each one [shoe]. Yo' put half in dis shoe [he indicates the right] an' half in de left one, an' yo' do them pods like that an' de third pod...see, that makes a pod an' a half in each one [shoe]. An' yo' put the sulphur an' salt in that. [Informant has added sul- phur.] An' see, yo' use dese cork soles [insoles], or yo' just use a paper [in- sole] ovah there, see, or yo' kin take up dat little inner sole an' just put it down [put mixture under insole] in yore shoe. An' dey say that'll bring a man to yo' or bring a woman to yo'. Yo' make yore wishes.
Entry 9589
Yo' git some black peppah - jes' lak ah'd wan' chew tuh move outa mah house. Ah'd git some of yore black peppah an' some salt, an' go tuh a grocery stō' an' git chew [me] some'a dis red peppah [either because you do not keep any or it must be new] an mix dat up an' throw it right undah - right 'fore yore do'. Dat'll natchly wanta git chew out.
Entry 9590
To get a person away from a place, if you don't want 'em there, there's little simple things you can go to the grocer and get. [This means all ingredi- ents must be new.] You get you some black pepper, some cayenne pepper, table salt, and you mix it well together. Then you throw it, when you git a chance at night when everybody's quiet and sleepin. You throw it under the house. [Small houses in the lowlands are raised aboveground.] You do that for nine times.
(The same night?)
No, every night for nine nights. See? And on the ninth night you throw that stuff and that same ingredient under the house. And then you walk away and never look back, and they'll soon disappear.
(Move out of that house?)
Yes, sir.
Entry 9591
Jis' like you had wife, yo' know, an' I [a woman] wanted you [a man]. Well, I could git 16 pods of pepper an' take 9 of those seeds out of all them 16 pods of peppah, 9 out of each one [= 144 seed or 12xl2 seed]. An' I git into your bedroom where you all sleep. An' I got cayenne pepper [as well as pod pep- per seed] and salt and black pepper. An' if I want you [a man] out, I'll find out what side de bed she sleep on an' put it [salt, cayenne pepper and black Pepper] under de sheets. An' when you all go to bed they'll [you two] git into the biggest argument an' git to fighting an' everything. See, I'll go [away]. All the way I go, jis' 股 drop them seeds right in the way I go. She [sex changed here] goin' go right behind them seeds.[Intention is the power behind this rite. If the man scattering the seeds gants the woman, she will follow the seeds to his house; if a woman scatters the seeds, the man will follow her home. Also by intention the seeds could also lead to the river or cemetery, or merely a jail.]
Entry 9592
Yo' git chew some bluestone an' tote dat in yore pocket an' a little red peppah an' salt an' tote dat wid chew. Dey can't har'ly [hardly] - can't do a thing wit chew.
Entry 9593
Ah heard dat chew could take some red peppah, cayenne peppah, an' some bluestone an' some salt an' black peppah. Dat's fo' luck. Well, yo' take an' sew hit up into a rag an' wears it in yore shoe an' dat'll keep yo' hot, dey say. [Does cayenne pepper explain red pepper or is the latter broken pieces of a pepper pod?]
(That's for luck?)
Fo' luck.
Entry 9594
I'll tell you what I would do [to make a person move]. I would get some bluestone and salt and pepper, and put that down right beside of the house and wish them to go, and they're bound to go. [Fredericksburg, Va., by Ediphone.]
Entry 9595
All she gotta do is tuh go tuh work an' take some cookin' salt an' some red peppah an' some bluestone an' beat it all up tuh- gethah. An' den she ain't got a thing tuh do but jes' pass by de gate where de lady lives an' jes' throw it three times ovah de gate where yo' bound tuh cross it, chew know, comin' in an' out. Yo' won't go dere any more. Dat breaks up de home.
(That breaks up the man and this other woman?)
Yes, an' he'll come back tuh 'is wife. An' stay.
Entry 9596
If de law's bothahin' yo', yo' kin take de onion an' de garlic an' cut it in fo' equal parts. Yo' jis' take de garlic, yo' don't cut it all; yo' jis' take diff'ren' pods, pieces [cloves] yo' know. An' yo' use eithah de white or de red onion, an' yo' kin jis' cut it yo' know, in fo' parts: An' go an' yo' po' a whole box of table salt ovah it, an' den yo' po'a whole box of red peppah ovah it, an' sprinkle a li'l saltpetah an' a li'l bluestone on it. Dat'll keep de law out chure house.
(What do you do with that garlic?)
Well, yo' take dat garlic an' burn it. It's fo' luck. Yo' take dat garlic an' put it in a li'l bag an' fold it up an' wit all kinds - all kinda diff'ren' li'le pieces of stuff dat chew use wit it. Weah it. Yo' know weah dat garlic. (How do you keep the law away with that onion after you prepare it? What do you do with that onion?) Yo' take dat onion an' continue tuh burn it till de third mawnin', an' dat'll keep de law away.
(Where do you do that - burn that?)
Well, yo' take it de firs' night an' let it burn up dere, yo' see. Sprinkle it all round yore house. [In preceding subsection see 3 pepper pods halved, No.9587.]
Entry 9597
Well, now, yo' see, jes' lak yo' had a house. Yo' wanted tuh rent it an' yo' wanted tuh be lucky on it. Well, yo' take an' go tuh a person, say, "Well, ah'll rent yo' dat house fo' so much." Well, now yo' wants tuh be lucky in rentin' it. Yo' go tuh work den an' yo' take yo' some black peppah, some salt, an' take yo' nine pods of red peppah, an' yo' take yo' three grains of calomel.
(Is that the stuff you take for your bowels?)
Dat's right. Take dat an' yo' put it all tuhgethah an' yo' put dat in a bag [making a hand]. Yo' take den an' yo' carry it tuh yore home an' yo' lay it right up ovah de do', or eithah put it right undah de right cornah of yore do'- step. Well, yo'll always be lucky in dat home.
Entry 9598
If yo' don't know dey name or sompin lak dat, git chew some salt, black peppah an' sugah an' ground real fine. Yo'll have tuh beat it as a powdah. Jes' take yore rollah an' roll it jes' intuh a powdah. Sprinkle it all aroun' yore house, yo' see, tuh keep off all evils. Yo' sprinkle red peppah an' lye behin it. Dat simple thing. Den yo' kin git chew some dis chlorine salve. It's whut chew call - it's sompin lak a asic [acid] - an' dat keeps anyone from roun' yore house, close aroun'. Yo' kin use it about chure body, dat draws all yore enemies away. An' yo' kin use it as a chloride salve, jes' plain chloride salve without asic an' as adraw- in' card, fo' people's tuh yo'. But jes' dis plain chloride asic is tuh keep 'em from yo', from doin' yo' bodily harm.
Entry 9599
Well, ah tell yo', yo kin git chew some salt an' red peppah an' oil of citronella an' weah dat bag intuh yuh pocket each night when yo' go out gamblin'.
Entry 9600
Yo' kin weah red peppah in yore shoes an' salt an' coal oil [kerosene]. Dat keeps anybody else from doin' anythin' tuh yo'.