Browse:BLACK CAT LUCKY BONE AGAIN (Volume 5, entries 10009–10157)
BLACK CAT LUCKY BONE AGAIN
Volume 5, entries 10009–10157. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 10009
(What about that frog?)
Yes, an' put 'im in yuh pocket. Jes' lak any kinda game dat chew wanta play, lak if yo' go tuh a show yo' hard at winnin' dat way. Dose shows, yo' kow: Lotsa times yo' go tuh a show, dose show folks gotta a lotta things dere, games yo' know. Games tuh play yo' undahstan'. An' a ole woman tole me about it. Ah always go tuh a show an' ah always lak dose games, but ah nevah could win any- thin'. An' ah went dere one night - ah wanted tuh git me a doll. Ah lost about a dollah or two 'fore ah could win anythin'.
Entry 10010
Take a toadfrog. Dat's de hoppy toad. Yo' kin take dat an' put it in yuh pocket, an' yuh go intuh a show an' dat'll stop it. He [you] have tuh go outa dere.
(What kind of a show?)
A big circus.
(Any kind of show, it will stop it?)
No, les' a circus.
Entry 10011
Dey kin take a frog an' go intuh a show an', if dey workin' any slight of han', why dey can't work it. See, as long as dat person have dat frog in dere. [Brunswick, Ga., (1207a), 2042:6A.] [My former material about the black cat lucky bone appeared in volume 1, pages 74-97. These rites of course do not include anything from volume 2, a collection of interviews only, or from the interviews in volume 3, pages 1859-2339. Even the material I did print was difficult to arrange in any logical order. Instead of the brief margin titles and underscoring of essential ideas in volume 1, I have made the present margin titles more descriptive of contents.l
Entry 10012
[Within the following rites of this section you will learn how to identify the black cat bone among all other bones of the cat's body, but the simplest of these identification methods is this one: Boil black cat, [empty bones from kettle into a pile to dry], when b bones have dried, the bone wnted will be lying by itself! [Mobile, Ala., resume, 852:1.]
Entry 10013
I've heard of that but I've never committed that sin. My grandmother has spoke of it several times in front of me, how you sells yourself to the devil, that you go in the woods and get you a black cat and kill it. And you get a boiling pot of hot water and you throu this cat in that water. And if yon can stand there and watch that cat cook to death, that you will be lucky and success- ful. Take the bones and throw them in a creek and the bone that float8 upstream, that's the bone that you take. And long as you wear that bone you slll be lucky.
(I see.) [Boiling cat in the woods is rare.]
Entry 10014
De way dey git de black cats lucky bone, kill de cat alive an' put 'im in a pot befo' he dies thoroughly dead - in a pota boilin' hot watah. All right. Let 'im boil till all de meat come off 'is bones, an' po' all de meat an' bones all in de [stream of] watah. An' de bone dat go upstream, take dat. Dat's de lucky bone, de black cats lucky bone. [Presumably cat is knocked senseless be- fore being dropped into hot water.]
Entry 10015
Dey says ketch a black cat wit not a white spot on 'is body an'- dat's a perfectly thing [cat is totally black]. An' says, put 'im in a pot live an' boil 'im live till all de meat come off 'is bones. An' he take dat bone, all dem bones tuh a runnin' stream of watah, an' de bone dat sink yo' git it. An' say he could do anythin'.
(The bone that sinks. What will the other bones do?)
Float on top.
(The bone that sinks you take?)
Yes sir.
Entry 10016
[In the preceding rites we are not told where the person boiling the cat finds his water. Since one cat is boiled in the woods, we must assume that water was near in a running stream, or a not too distant well, which is running water. Similarly another cat apparently, though not neces- sarily, was boiled near running water. We now come to what originally was prob- ably a fundamental requirement]: In boiling black cat you must use water from a rnning stream and throw the bones back into the same stream. [Wilmington, N. Car., resumé, 133: l+85.] [This rule is maintained in some of the following rites in which the black cat must be boiled on the bank of a running stream.]
Entry 10017
De man paid another fellah, but dis wuz a culud [colored] fellah comes up from [some place south of us]. An' he got acquainted wit me, or he got tuh learn of me, an' ah took 'im home wit me [to rent him a room]. Well, he had de dice [money to pay]. An' he said, did ah could git holt'a [hold of al black cat. "Can yuh find a black cat? Don' tell no one." So ah tell 'im, "Well, ah'd see." An' we got holt'a de black cat, right black cat wit not no white spot or nuthin about 'im. We put dat cat in a pot an' boil 'im down, all de meat off 'is bones, an' den taked tuh de watah, a big tub of watah, an' empty all dat [boiled cat] right in dere. An' he says, "Well, Butch, ah'll tell yuh whut ah'll want. Now, yo' mus' take dis han' [surely left hand] an' de bone dat swims on top of de watah, dat's de lucky bone." Dat black cat, ah heah 'em talkin' about it, but ah've never seen [the use of] it tried. [Since running Water is required, surely our operator before boiling commenced swished his hand about in the tub to suggest motion; or, if these men used city tapwater, we must remember that the latter when turned on becomes run- ning water many places in HOoDO0.]
Entry 10018
Well, ah hear'd dat dey take dis black cat - ketches a black cat wit not a white streak on 'im any place. An' dey takes 'im an' puts 'im on - starts 'im off tuh boil. An' when yo' git chure watah boilin', jis' drop dis live cat in de watah. An' den when yo' drop dis live cat in de watah, den yo' lets it boil all tuh pieces. Yo' take it tuh a swift stream, tuh a stream dat is runnin' swift, an' yo' po's it in dere. An' den de bone dat goes up de stream, yo' git dat bone. An' den dey say yo' kin go do anythin' dat chew wanta do.
Entry 10019
Take a black cat an' have oven heated hot, dat's got a lid on it, an' take dat black cat an' put 'im in dat oven, see. An' put de lid on it an' cook 'im. Call 'im [cat] by name whutevah it might be. It may be Tom an' it may be Jim. Dey have diff'ren names. Whatevah 'is name be, yo' call it, an' he'll answer yuh! He'll tell yo' 'zakly what bone tuh take. Dey tell me he'll tell yuh tuh take de short bone. Take all de - aftah yo' burn 'im up, take de bones an' carry 'em tuh swift watah, see. An' pour all dese bones in de watah. An' de bone dat goes up de stream, dat is de bone fer yuh tuh take. Dat's whut chew do. [This is probably the only black-cat-bone rite in which the name of the cat is called! Lid on an Oven is unusual!]
Entry 10020
Black cat baked alive in oven, bones thrown into running water. [Wil- mington, N. Car., resumé, 129:1.]
Entry 10021
Some people say yo' could take a black cat an' burn 'im, an' git his bone an' yo' keep dat bone in yore pocket. An' say yo' nevah lose nuthin, yo' always win [when gambling].
Entry 10022
If yo' wanta hurt 'em without - yo' don' wanta hurt 'em. Ah tell yo' whut ah've experienced. Yo' take dat black cat an' yo' kill 'im an' yo' boil dat cat. An' when yo' boil 'im yo' git de bone. Yo' gotta git de right bone, but if yo' ain't nevah experienced it, gittin' de bone, yo' don' know which one tuh git. So, ah've done had dis one fo' li'le bettah den foah yeahs. Well, people mightn't know which one tuh git or not. An' ah keeps it in mah pocket, jis' as ah wuz tellin' yo' an' ah has it all de time fo' foah yeahg an' nevah seen a bum day: [Did he have the bone with him? Strange I do not ask about it. Unfortunately machine was turned off here and any comments were missed.] Yo' reach down, when yo' boil dis cat. Yo' wait till it gits cold an' yo' reach down dere an' yo' git de right bone. Yo' don' know if yo' gittin' de right one if yo' ain't nevah seen it befo'. Some people might tell yo' sompin 'bout a glass [mirror] or sompin yo' look it in [in it] an' disappeah. Well. dey doa kaow dat, but if yo' ain't nevah seen de bone, yo' won't know whut chew gittin'. So ah seed it befo' an' ah knowed whut ah wuz gittin'. So it took me a whole day tuh git dis bone.
Entry 10023
Dey say take de black cat an' kill 'im, an' boil 'im an' wake ot all de bones, an' whatevah bone is de lucky bone, why yo' throw 'en all in see watah, runnin' watah, an' all of 'em 'ill sink tuh de bottom but de locy bone will stay on top. Dey said yo' kin take dat bone an' open any kinda do'.
Entry 10024
Dey take dat black cat an' dey kills dis black cat an' boil 'im down, an' one'll sit an' suck dose bones. Jis' suck dose bones until dey begin tuh cain't see. When dey cain't see, den dey'll know it wuz de right bone. Den dey git up an' go on do dere work.
Entry 10025
Jis' say fo' instance yo' kidnap yuh black cat. Yo'll have tuh kidnap 'im. Yo'll take dat cat an' skin 'em. Yo' kill [stun?] 'im an' skin 'im 'live, jis' lak yo' would a rabbit or anything else. Well, yo' take dat cat an' yo' cook it. Yo' boil dat meat, jis' cook it so it'll fall tuh pieces. An' yo'll git dat bone. Yo' have tuh take it den an' yo' sterilize it. Yo' scrape it, scrape dat bone an' git it white, white-lak.
(How do you know that you have got the right bone?)
Well, it's a certain bone intuh 'is [left?] hip.
Entry 10026
[In the preceding rite the stealing of a black cat for ritual pur- poses appears to be rare, but here is another example]: Yo' steal that cat an' put 'er in de boiler, an' they said that cat...it [the room] would lighten jis' like i'twas
[it was] sun in that room. [Richmond, Va., resume, 368:2.]
The editor introduces a black-cat example, cited as a résumé. This does not establish verbatim informant wording, a measured rarity or the reported events.
Entry 10027
Boil black cat, everything turns black, headless cow [and other ani- mals] appear, throw boiled cat into running water, bone floats upstream. [This is merely a forks-of-the-road rite at midnight where in the darkness supernatural animals and the devil can be seen in the darkness.] [Mobile, Ala., resume, 860:1.]
The account states that a bone floats upstream; its citation says 'resume'. The bracketed explanation is editorial, and no observed motion or effect is established.
Entry 10028
(What do they say about getting that black cat lucky bone?)
Yo' take dat black cat. Ketch 'im alive, don' kill 'im. An' have yore watah on hot. Chunk 'im right in de pot wit'out killin' 'im. Yo' chunk [him] down in de pot 'thout killin' 'im. Put on de lid an' boil 'im. Boil 'im until prakly [practically] all de meat will leave de bones. Take de bones an' drop 'em in runnin' watah, see. De' [they] claim dat de bones will sink. In othah words dat [bone] come back up tuh de top, take it. Say dat's de lucky bone.
Entry 10029
Well, ah haven't heard of a bone from a dead person, but ah've heard jis' yo' take a black cat an' boil 'is bones. An' carry it tuh runnin' watah an' throw it in runnin' watah, an' de bone dat floats dat'll be yuh lucky bone. [Everywhere believed.]
Entry 10030
Dey tell me it's very lucky, it's de luckiest bone in de world. Ah tried it one time but ah jis' didn't have de ingredients. Yo' take a black cat an' have boilin' hot watah, an' have a cat wit not a white hair on 'im. When dat watah git tuh boilin' good, yo' grab dat cat in a sack or somepin an' throw 'im in dere an' put de top.on 'im. An' he'll boil an' he'll boil all tuh pieces. An' de bone whut chew want'll float an' de rest'll sink, but chew use dat wit lodestone. But now ah nevah did git de full ingredient but ah did cook de black cat an' got de bone. Dat bone shore will rise. Ah know dat. (It didn't work.)
Entry 10031
Well, tuh be successful an' lucky, it'd [it would] cuz [cause] zhow [you] [a lot of trouble?], yuh git de black cat bone. Yuh kill a black cat. Yuh got a pot of watah on [the fire] out dere. Yuh take de black cat [out there] befo' dat he is killed. Throw 'im in de pot of boilin' hot watah. Den aftah he cooks tuh pieces, take de bone [bones], put it [them] in running watah. De one dat stands [on surface of water and does not float away] yuh take dat. Dat's de black cat bone.
Entry 10032
Yo' take de black cat an' yo' take 'im down by de run- nin' watah. An' yo' boil 'im until all de meat come off 'is bones. Den yo' take all de bones an' dump it into de watah, an' de bone dat swims - dat comes up an' swim down de stream wit de watah - why dat's de bone dey gits.
Entry 10033
Well, now, ah tell yuh whut de' [they] say fo' runnin' watah. In case yo' wants anybody confused aroun', a disagreeable neighbah see, dat is terrifyin' yuh. An' yo' wanta git rid of 'em, want 'em tuh leave de community or leave de home or somepin lak dat. It's got a bad story but den ah got it. Yo' git a black cat. Put dat black cat intuh a pot of boilin' watah alive an' covah de pot up. An' let 'im stay in dere until all de flesh drop offa his bones. Den yo' git dat bone. Ah don' know jis' zactly whut bone, but jis' git a bone - ah'd imagine mos' any bone - an' carry it. Well, in othah words, tuh make it cleah, plain, yo' might take a collection of dese bones aftah dey are boiled, cleahed of de meat, an' den yo' carry 'em tuh a runnin' stream of watah. An' de bone dat will float down de stream - de most of 'em will sink - an' it ain't but one of 'em float, dat bone dat will float down de stream. Take dat bone an' carry it an' bury it somewheah neah dat dis- agreeable neighbah. Dat will drive 'em off. [An unusual use for a black cat bone!]
Entry 10034
Ah have information concerning that, how a person sells theirself to the devil, but ah have never [done that]. They tell me what you do to sell your- self to the devil. They say, you take a black cat alive and boil him. Drop him in hot boiling pot of water and boil him, you see. And after you boil him, you take out all those bones, the different bones, and you drop them in a running stream of water. Now, the bone that runs [floats away], you see, you pick up that bone. And you make a oath to the devil that you sell your soul for so many years to be successful. Not forever, you know. You sell your soul for ten years, you see. You be successful and can get everything your heart desires. But othervise, you oouldn't have no luck. If you dies, you couldn't go to heaven. You belong to the devil and all [heaven can't save you].
Entry 10035
It's awful [dreadful] tuh say so, but chew kin take a black cat. Ah've seen a fellah dat did try dat. Ah had a brothah dat tried it. Put it in de watah an' boil it an' take de bone out, see. Take all de bones. Boil it till it's boiled all tuh pieces, see. An' den aftah it's boiled all tuh pieces - don't go in de home of no one, boil it out [outdoors]. An' let all de meat fall from de bones, an' take it an' carry it tuh a branch - a creek, a small creek ~ an' put it in dere. An' de bone dat go backwards, yo' kin take dat bone. An' den yo' [can] go an' steal an' all lak dat [probably because you can make yourself invisible].
Entry 10036
Ah hear'd tell of 'em usin' a black cat. Yo' kin take a black cat an' yo' put 'em in a pot of watah, an' let 'im cook till all de meat cook off 'is bones - come off 'is bones. Well, aftah all de meat is off 'is bones, yo' go an' git dem bones. Yo' carry dem bones tuh some runnin' watah an' de bone whut run back up de stream - not where de watah runnin', goin' dat way - yo' git dat bone. Dat's de luckiest thing a man kin git on earth.
Entry 10037
Said dat dey would take de cat an' put 'er intuh a pot an' boil 'er wit'out killin' 'er. Let 'er kill 'erself in de pot. An' take her tuh de run- nin' watah. Do dat aftah dey already cooked 'er up an' until de flesh would fall off de bone. An' take de pot tuh de runnin' watah an' empty it ovah in de runnin' watah. An' de bone dat goes up de stream is de lucky bone.
Entry 10038
(You take the bones of this black cat and throw them into the Water. That the idea? Then what do you do from then on?) Dat's right. Aftah yo' throw 'em in de watah, yo' take it - take 'em out. Yo' take de bones an' yo' carry 'em an' yo' throw 'em intuh runnin' watah, an' as dey drift- in' yo' take it out. (Which bone?) De one dat'll go up de stream. Don't want de one dat'll go down. Yo' want de one dat go up de stream. Den yo' take dat one out: In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost. dat chew [Il mean tuh conkah anythin' dat chew [Il come in contact wit. Dat is de right bone.
(What do you do with that bone then?)
Yo' take it an' yo' put it intuh a piece of flannen, wrap it up, an' yo' dress it in some Hearts Cologne an' tote it in yore pocket.
Entry 10039
At zactly twelve a'clock in de day. (You get what?) Yo' git a black cat, an' at twelve a'clock in de day yo' have yuh watah boilin'. An' yo' take an' yo' throw de cat in de pot, an' yo' have a covah dere so he can't jump out - tuh keep 'im down in dere an' cook 'im all tuh pieces, evahthing right on up. An' yo' take all dat stuff in de can [you use as boiler] an' yo' take it tuh a runnin' stream. An' yo' po' dat stuff in de stream where de watah is runnin', an' de bone dat chew want, instid of goin' down de stream wit de tide, it'll come back, or stan' right down dere tuh de bottom an' quivah. It won't go off, de stuff won't carry it away. An' dat's de bone, de lucky bone. Dat's de bone yo' want. Yo' will know de bone by - it acks pecul'ah, diff'ren' from de rest of de bones.
(What time do you boil that cat?)
Twelve a'clock in de day. [The old fashioned lard can (50 pounds of lard?) Was large enough to be used as a boiler. It is probably an antique today!]
Entry 10040
De way ah've heard it, yo' ketch chew a black cat. It must be black cat an' when yo' ketch dat cat, yo' take it to de fo'ks of de road at twelve a'clock. Have yore watah hot. Don't kill 'im. Dive 'im in dat pot of hot watah an' shet it up, an' let 'im cook till hit cook de meat off 'is bones. Den yo' take all dose bones an' taken 'em down tuh de runnin' stream, de stream goin' dis way [demonstrates]. Dat's down, backwards is upwards. An' yo' po' dem bones intuh dat runnin' stream one at de time. An' de bone dat goes back up de stream, dat's de lucky bone an' yo' git dat.
(What do you do with that bone?)
Well, dey tell me yo' kin take dat bone an' tote it in yore pocket an' it brings good luck in love affairs, gamblin' an' sech lak as dat.
[While machine turned off informant says something about disappearing.]
(Use that same bone you say?)
Yes sir, yo' put it in yore mouth an' it makes yo' invisible, people can't see yo'.
Entry 10041
(You have to go out to the crossroads and you have to go into the right hand fork of that road.)
[I am repeating what informant had said before recording began.]
Yeah, right-han' fo'ks of de road. An' he'll put de cat in de pot. Fill de pot up wit watah an' build a fiah roun' de pot. An' when dey gits through build- in' a fiah roun' de pot, dey'll sit dere an' dere be things comin' from evah which way - evah which direction. Don' keer whut come up. Dere people sudden comin' up wit no haids - alarms, bells, an' all dem kin'a things. An' yo' know, jis' when dey git dere, dey jis' changes all kinda color. All ole daid mens gittin' up out de grave an' walkin' down dere.
Entry 10042
Yo' take a jet-black cat an' yo' go tuh a forks of de road, see. Take yo' a pot an' put 'em in dere 'live an' shet 'im up, tight where he can't git out. Cook it - ooot all de meat off de bones; see, if yo' Hn stay dere an' smell it. Den gdt all dose bones. Listen good. Den yo' go down tuh a stream-a watah, see, an' tiroo all dem bones in a stream-a watah. An' de bone, dey tell me, dat gpess ap de stream, dat's de bone tuh git.
(What will that bone do for you then?)
Well, dey tells me yo' sells yo'self tuh de devil. Yo' kin do anything.
Entry 10043
Well, mah bruthah killed a black cat once, an' dis black cat didn't have any spot on 'im - white spot on 'im nowhere. He wus black all ovah. An' he'd taken dis black cat an' he put 'im - caught 'im alive an' put 'im intuh a boilin pot of watah. Cooked 'im. But de way he did, he built a kind'a dam-lak ovah one stream of watah, an' dis fiah wus up ovah dat, see. An' when it boiled all good, den he'd have a lookin'-glass an' he helt it lak dat ovah dis pot. An' only two of dem bones showed up in dat lookin'-glass. He throwed off both-a dem bones. One-a de bones floated crossways de rivah an' one of dem floated up tuh 'im. Well, de one whut floated up tuh 'im, dat's de one he'd taken an' put in 'is pocket. An' de bone dat floated off from 'im, he'd taken dat an' buried it. An' dat one bone dat he took, he could disappeah he says fo' a time, if dere anything dat he Wanted tuh do. Jis' hol' dat bone in 'is mouth an' disappeah. An' hit wus some boys wus standin' on de cornah. Dey tole me, says mah brothah walked up tuh dem one day an' ast dem did dey wanted a drink. Dey said, "Yes." An' so he said, "Hol' mah suitcase till ah come back." An' when he came back dey saw 'im at a distance when he got at dis sto', but when he got at de sto' dey didn't see 'im no mo'. When dey see 'im ag'in, he wus comin' back wit a case of whiskey. [To informant, a doctor and man, these two bones were dangerous, the reason for not looking into the pot. The bone floating away from him he safely buried, the one floating to him was harmless if properly used.]
Entry 10044
All right, if yo' wan's tuh be a man dat chew kin do anythin' dat chew want, yo' git chew a black cat an' yo' boil 'im. Go down tuh a crossroad at twelve a'clock at night an' yo' boils 'em. An' when yo' boil dis cat yo' see evahthin' all aroun' dere, maybe yuh coffin, or yo' may see all kinda spooks. Go down tuh a runnin' stream of watah an' throw dese bones in it. Well, all dose bones dat no good, dey go downstream, but de bone, dat lucky bone, it comes up- stream. Yo' take dat bone an' put it in yuh pocket, an' yo' kin do anythin' wit dat bone dat chew want.
Entry 10045
Well, jis' lak yo' wanta be a rootworkah or somepin lak dat, yo' go in de fo'k of de road an' yo' take a black cat [with you]. An' ketch 'im alive an' boil 'im. Boil 'im live an' take 'im an' take de bone whut run upstream. Take dat bone an' take it an' stand in de fo'k of de road till twelve of midnight at night. An' whatsomevah happen, dey say it will come tuh yuh dat night, an' de devil will tell yo' whut tuh do wit it.
(Tell you how to do the rootwork?)
Yessuh. (After you get this black cat bone, you take it out to the fork of the road and stand there until twelve o'clock at night?) Yessuh, an' if yo' kin stand evahthing whut come about, yo'll be a good one.
Entry 10046
Well, dey tell me if yo' wanta have good luck, git chew a coal-black cat an' take him out tuh whah de roads crossin' some ole faraway road an' take yuh a pot an' take dis cat an' cook 'im, evahthin' but 'is eyes. Dose is de two thin's dat chew have yuh a [some- thing?] right wheah yo' put chure fiah, jis' enough tuh not burn de eyes. [See comment later about these eyes.1 Cook it tuh wheah it'll be hard, an' cook dat cat. Dey claim dat diff'ren thin's [spirits] come up out de pot but dat ain't true. (These things [appearance of spir- its] really don't come about?) Dey don' come about, but it is true tuh mah knowledge about de cat. An' yo' cook dis cat tull [till] he's per- fek done; ev'ry stran' of de meat's offa de bone. An' go tuh some spot-a watah where de watah is standin' perfekly [perfectly] still an' yo' drop dose bones in dere. An' dere's one li'le certain bone, dat's jis' a small bone, dat'll stay on topa de watah, an' de resta de bones dey goes down tuh de bottom. Dat bone yo' kin take it an' keep it fo' maybe ten or twelve days, an' take it tuh some place tuh where yo' kin dress it wit strong alkihol tuh wheah it has a strong scent. Have it wheah yuh kin smell dat scent. Den yuh kin keep it in yuh pock- et, lak yuh's a gamblah or some kinda card playah, an' it re'lly brings luck tuh yuh.
(What would you do with those eyes of the cat?)
Aftah yo' dress yore bone yuh git dose eyes an' place dem somewhah whah yuh's, in yuh residence whah yuh live at, whah dey kin stay whah nuthin'll bothah 'em. An' dose eyes - yuh know he [cat] has a gray eye. Dey'll begin tuh turn green. An' de whole thin'll git jis' as green as a gourd. Den yuh keep dose fo' yuh- self; not fo' nobody else but chureself. [Those preceding cat eyes are interesting! At the moment I do not recall anything quite similar in HOODOO. The fact that these natural eyes turn hard and then gradually change color from gray to green, shows we are concerned here with two cat's-eyes: gems exhibiting a chatoyant [[reflecting a single streak of light ohen cut in a cobochon]] luster, especially a variety of chrysoberyl, the ori ertal or precious cat's-eye. Though this is my only example - compare following rite - could present rite be an attempt to sell glass cat's-eyes as devil stones? Years ago at the turn of the century a cat's-eye shooting marble was alast a Superstition with some marble shooters. Perhaps an antiquarian could infona us.]
[For another example of black cat's eyes, see No. .]
Entry 10047
Take a black cat - ketch 'im an' put 'im in a pot'a boilin' watah alive, an' den let 'im stay in dat pot'a boilin' watah until he dies. Den take him down tuh a stream of runnin' watah an' cos [of course] quite natchal he'll be's intuh bone [bones will be separated from flesh] an' dere'll be a bone dat'll stay on top'a de water. An' yo' take dat bone an' take it an' keep it in yuh pocket. An' den yo' gone a week from dat, dat day dat chew did dis [= 7 days later] go down tuh de fo'ks of de road an' sell yuhself tuh de devil. An' yuh be able tuh do anythin' yuh want tuh do. (What do you do down at the forks of the road? [Pause.] Do you know? [I am not making myself clear.] When you go down with that bone in your pocket, is there anything that you do at the forks of the road?) Well, yuh jes' - yo' hold it [bone] in yuh lef' han', an' dat de time yuh sellin' yuhself tuh de devil.
Entry 10048
People do dat when dey sell dereself tuh de devil. Dey go out dere 'tween de fo'ks of de road. An' dey kills a black cat, yo' know, an' take a certain bone in 'im, an' dey take dat bone an' go out tuh de fo'ks of de road. An' when dey git tuh de fo'ks of de road, dey have sold deyself tuh de devil. He will come down [one of the roads]. Dat's why dey doin' dat, dat's de correct thing [to sell yourself to the devil]. People do dat, yo' know, who is notorious. It's not fo' good people tuh do dat.
Entry 10049
Put a black cat in a pot of water and boil it until all the flesh comes off and the lucky bone comes to the top. Then take that lucky bone and go to the forks of the road and there you'll meet the devil. If you can stand him you can do anything you want.
Entry 10050
I have heard that you take a black cat at two o'clock and carry him to a crossroad and there you will see evil spirits. Evil spirits are walking every night at two o'clock. [Hampton, Va., Ediphone cyl.24.]
Entry 10051
Now, yo' goes an' gits yuhself a straight-off black cat. Go right now an' git a straight-out black cat, yo' undahstand. Ah mean a real jet-black cat. An' take a pot an' put a big fiah undah it, an' take dat cat while he's alive an' put - throw 'im down in dat watah. An' jis' let 'im boil tuh pieces until all de j'ints come apart. An' carry it tuh a stream of runnin' watah an' yo' take all dose bones. one at a time, an' part it away [separate itl. An' yo' kin take it an dump it in dat runnin' watah, an' jis' what bone should happen tuh go off by it- self, well yo' git dat bone. But it must be jis' about midnight. An' yo' take dat b.one wot float by itself an' yo' walk tuh de fo'k of de road. An' when yo git at de fo'k of de road, why yo'll meet de devil. Den yo'll give yuh testimony tuh 'im. Den yo'll confess dat yo' sell yuh soul tuh 'im fer five yeahs. An' so yo' already sold yuhself tuh 'im, so dat's why yo' servin' de devil. Yo' workin' fer de devil an' yo' jis' have dat black cat bone an' yo' kin do anythin' dat yo' wanta do.
Entry 10052
(You what?)
Goes tuh de fo'ks of de road an' learn how tuh play music, an' dey will play right dere. Take a black cet bone, ah believe it is, an' as dey play an' as dey talk, dey draw it across dem, yo' know, until dey find dat main bone. Den dey fin' dat main bone an' ah think it's - dey'll heah a roostah crow. An' den dey 'ave sold dereself tuh de devil.
(I see.)
An' den dey kin play music jis' as good as a pursun dat's been playin' all de time. (What do they do to the cat first, before they pull all those bones through their mouth?) Well, yo' see, dey boils de ket. (And then they take each bottle while they are playing and put it through their mouth?) [This was inferred from informant's dey draw it across dem.] Yes, sir, put 'em through dere mouth.
(And when the right bone appears, a rooster will crow?)
A roostah 'ill crow.
(I see. And they have sold themselves to the devil?)
Yes sir.
(I see.) [For rooster see also 10066.]
Entry 10053
After killing black cat and sucking bone, go to three- pronged road 7 mornings before day, you will meet devil. Luck for seven years..[Deal Island, Md., resumé, 19:3.]
Entry 10054
Go to a three-forked road at night, on the 9th night kill [boil] a black cat there. While sucking the bones the devil will appear and "give you all the tricks you want."
[Norfolk, Va., resume, 448:8.]
Entry 10055
Ketch a black cat an', yo' know, put 'im in a hot pot of watah, see. An' dey say de lucky bone'll rise, yo' know, tuh de top of de watah. Dey take dis [bone] an' go tuh de forks of de road nine mawnin's. Say yo' go dere tuh meet de devil. An' say, if yo' go, yo' know, in any place [to rob it or where you could meet trouble] an' long as yo' keep dis bone wit 'im [you], yo' know, nuthin wouldn't hahm [harm] 'im [you].
Entry 10056
Dey git a black cat an' care 'im tuh de fo'ks uh de road fuh nine mawnin's about six a'clock. An' dey come back home an' bile dat cat. An' dey says den dey kin do mos' anythin' dey want. Dey bile dat cat an put 'im a - take all de bones, yuh know, aftah dey boil de cat, an' care it down tuh a creek am trow all de bones ovahbo'd. Well, all de mos' a dem bones'll go tuh de botto. save de bone w'ut float. Dey say dat be de lucky bone.
Entry 10057
Boil black cat, ''lucky bone rises to top of pot, take to forts of road 9 mornings, you will meet the devil, can go unseen into any place. [Résume, no reference, but from Wil- mington, N. Car.]
Entry 10058
Take a black cat an' throw it in a pot of hot watah... [I turn off machine here be- cause rite did not appear to be promising. This was a frequent habit of mine to save time and cylinder space. Once more I shall stop machine before letting it continue to the end. My questions show what had been omitted.]
(After they boil this black cat what do they do?)
Take 'is bones, all de bones an' carry it down tuh de...
[I stop machine and then begin again.]
(After they get this bone that goes up the stream, then what do they do?)
Dey take it an' goes tuh de fo'ks of de road fo' nine mawnin's an' pray tuh de Lord an' say dey sell deyself tuh de devil. An' den dey kin do anythin' dey wan'a do an' can't nobody hahm 'em.
Entry 10059
De way a fellah [doctor] tole me, when ah wuz tryin' tuh gamble. "Ah wanta be a real gamblah." He tole me he cud [could] fix me up a han' fo' $25, [he said] ah could do jis' about as good as he cud, if ah [he] tole yo' [me] tuh do dis. Ah says, "Whut do yo' mean by dat?" He say, "Yo' sell yo'self tuh de devil." Ah say, "How would ah sell mahself tuh de devil?" He say, "Yo' go tuh de fo' fo'ks of de road fo' nine Sunday mawnin's," an' he say, "on de ninth Sunday mawnin', yo' ketch yo' a black cat an' carry him. (After you have been to the fork on the ninth [Sunday] morning, then you catch a cat and take him home- the black cat.) "De black cat an' carry him home [continues doctor to informant]. An' git chew a wash-pot an' fill it halffulla watah an' put chew a big heapin' fiah roun' dere an' git some kinda lid an' put ovah dat pot, an' boil dat watah till it go- jis' rollin'. An' throw dat black cat in dere, an' covah it up, an' let 'im stay two hours lak dat. When yo' take him out, take de hip bone - take two hip bones- an' up in dere cross dem two hip bones, dere's a bone in 'is back dat's a forked bone. [This forked bone always suggests the chicken wishbone, a type of bone no other animal has. We have a number of examples of this misidentification in HOODOO - see No..] Well, yo' kin take dat forked bone an' carry it tuh de runnin' watah an' throw it down de stream." An' he say, "Dat bone will come back tuh yuh." "Yo' take an' go tuh dat fo'ka de road nine mo' mawnin's an' dat ninth mawnin'."
(Sunday mornings or any morning then?)
Yassuh, any mawnin'. Jis' nine mawnin'.
[We have 9 Sunday mornings followed by 9 mornings.]
Say, "When yo' do dat, on de ninth mawnin', yo'll meet de devil dere, an' yo' shake han's wit 'im, an' evahthin' in de worl' dat chew wants tuh do, yo' kin do it." Yo' sold yo'self tuh de devil. Tole 'im ah cudn't stand dat.
Entry 10060
Ah hear'd if a man wanted any luck, wanted tuh learn how tuh be a ex- pert or a musician, or if he wanted tuh be a expert gamblah or what not, dey goes out tuh dat crossroads fo' nine mawnin's. An' de ninth mawnin' when he go out there - but befo' he go out dere, he goes den an' he git 'im a black cat. Ah bettah [begin again] so yo' kin undahstan' it good. Befo' he goes tuh de crossroads dat nine mawnin's, he goes de firs' mawnin' an' he git 'im a black cat. An' he takes dat black cat an' he cares 'im out dere wit 'im tuh de crossroad nine mawnin's. An' when he cares 'im dere nine mawnin's, de ninth mawnin' when he git dere, dey says dat de devil 'imself meets 'im dere. An' dey says he'll tell 'im anything dat chew wan'a do or anything yo' wan'a know. Says, he'll give me anythin' between de sole of yuh haid an' de crown of yuh feet. [With a mixup like this between sole [soul] and crown, devil still must have been working.] He says, "It shall be granted tuh yo'." An' so when- evah he do dat, he takes dis black cat, which he's got alive, an' he gits 'im a pot.
(After he has gone there nine mornings, he takes the cat and gets this pot?)
Yessuh. An' when he gits dis pot, den he goes den tuh a stream of watah dat's runnin'. He makes 'im a fiah on de hill right up above de watah. An' when he makes dis fiah an' git dat watah boilin', he throws dat black cat in de pot alive an' lets dis cat cook alive. An' when de cat cooks until all de flesh has come off de bone, he takes de carcass of dat cat an' throw it in de runnin' watah. An' all de bones an' all de ones dat goes down de stream, he let 'em alone. He takes de - an' de bone dat runs up de stream, dat goes back up de stream de object [opposite] way, why he takes dat bone den an' he totes dat in 'is lef'-breas' pocket. An' when he tote it in 'is lef'-breas' pocket why anythin' he desires den, he'll git dat.
Entry 10061
Ah hear'd of people takin' a black cat an' boil 'em in a pot of hot boilin' watah alive an' den take 'im out. Take his bones out, all 'is bones, an' carry 'em tuh a stream of watah. An' throw 'em in dat stream of watah an' de one whut go upstream, take it out, an' de rest of 'em'ill go downstream. Let 'em go 'bead. An' de one dat go upstrea yo' take dat out an' put it in yore pocket. An' go tuh de fo'ks of de road evah Sunday mawnin' fo' nine Sopday mawnin's, an' de ninth mawnin' yo'll meet de devil dere. An' if yo' don' y My Duthin tuh 'im, he won' say nuthin tuh yo'. An' yo' turn rou' a'cone on back. An' yo' kin go down heah tuh de National Bank, any bank yo' want tuh - so ah've hear'd - an' take anythin' out. De law won't bothah yo'. Yo' disappeah. Yo' kin 'tempt [attempt] de cashier, yo' kin 'tempt de dogs, anythin' yo' wanta 'tempt.
Entry 10062
Whut chew call gittin' de black cat bone. Yo' take him intuh de fo'k of de road. Yo' take 'im out tuh de fo'ks of de road an' make a fiah, an' a pot, an' boil it. An' den yo' would take all dese bones, when it boil all tuh pieces, tuh a runnin' stream. An' yo' would put all dose bones in de stream an' de one dat floats up de stream, dat's de one tuh git. An' aftah dat dey'll go back tuh de fo'ks of de road nine nights. Go back evah night fer nine nights an' talk wit de devil. Yo' go dere an' meet de devil dere. An' den aftah dey do dat fer nine nights, dey is through. Dey kin do any- thin' dey wanta do.
(Well, what time do they go out there at night?)
Roun' nine 'clock.
Entry 10063
Now, if it's a hand dat he wants, he'll go in de fo'k of de road 'fo' day in de mawnin' at fo' 'clock. He'll be dere by foah. Well, he take jis' thin's. Yo' evah heah talk of dis root dey call John de Conkah? Well, it's de root dat chew git - it's a blacksnake root also. Well, yo' take de root. Well, it's a bone. It's lak a chicken bone. It's on a black cat. Ah could almost tell yuh where tuh git it from. [I too can tell where tuh git it, wishbone from, but you wo won't find it in a black cat! I have discussed this matter elsewhere in HOODOO.] Yo' take dis cat an' yo' kill de cat, see. Yo' take de bone, it's long lak a chicken. Well, yo' take dis bone, de blacksnake root an' yo' take dis John de Conkah, an' yo' takes dis bone, an' yo' goes in de fo'ks of de road. An' yo' draws somepin in de Way of a triangle. Dis way [demonstrates] in de mawnin' at fo' 'clock when- evah yo' make yuh wish. An' yuh hand dat chew wants, yo' sellin' yuhself tuh de devil, also, whenevah yuh do dat. Den yo' take de sinnahman's dirt from 'is grave an' nine pennies which yo' pays de devil fo' 'is work. Yo' give him dis stuff an' leave it dere. An' he'll come up jis' de same as a natchal man. An' when yo' give him dis, he give yuh a hand an' dere's nobody kin break it up.
[All hands can be broken by counter charm or powerful doctor.]
(This is the hand for gambling. Where do you put all this in this triangle?)
Right in dis triangle. Jis' lak in de fo'ks of de road: one comin' dis way an' one goin' dat way an' one's behin' yuh. Well, yo' stands right in de fo'ks of de road an' yo', yo' know, so nobody cain't git it up. Yo' know, dig it up, an' yo' stand right dere, if yo' have nerve enough, an' yo' fix all of dis in heah [demonstrates].
(In this hole?)
In dis triangle in de hole [in the hole in the triangle]. An' whenevah yo' do, yo' talk tuh hit, yo' know, jis' talk jis' lak ah'm talkin' tuh yuh: Ah wan' chew tuh do so an' so, an' ah wants a "hand, " an' ah wants tuh win evahthin'. Well, whenevah yo' do dat, well, dere's yuh luck right dere. Well, den yo' kin take, when yo' git ready tuh leave, yo' take a piece of each of de roots an' de black cat bone, an' put it in a ten-cent vial of Hearts Cologne. [This ten-cent vial of Hearts Cologne as hand we have elsewhere.] An' when yo' go in yore game yo' 'n'int chureself wit it, an' dat'll cuz evahbody tuh come right tuh yuh.
(Where do you put these pennies?)
Yo' take dose pennies. Well, see, yo' bury dose pennies. Yo's payin' 'im [devil] fo' yuh hand.
(Where do you put those pennies?)
Yo' put it right in de triangle an' yo' bury it. See, yo' won' take dose pennies [away] wit chew, yo'll leave 'em dere.
(You take the roots with you?)
Takes a piece of de root, jis' a piece. See, de roots join. Jew evah seen a piece? De root's [root is] join [has joints].
(You take a piece of it and you leave the rest of the root in the hole.)
Leave de rest of de root. Jis' take a piece of each piece of dis heah, but chew takes dat bone an' put it in de jah [jar], right in de jah, an' den yo' put chure - den yo' stops it up, each piece of de root. Den yo' 'oint [anoint] yuh- self when yo' git ready tuh go on a game.
The informant describes a four-o'clock road-fork triangle rite with named roots, a black-cat bone, grave dirt and pennies, and later carrying parts in Hearts Cologne for gambling. Hyatt disputes the bone identification and indestructibility claim. Preserve the source's shifting root description, represented request, payment recipient and editorial qualifications without equating roots or bones globally.
Entry 10064
If yo' wanta have yuh way anywheah in de world yo' go, wanta do any- thing yo' wanta do, yo' git chew a jet black cat. Don't let 'im have no spot on 'im atall - jet black. An' yo' take dat cat an' take yo' a kettle, an' yo' go down heah tuh de swamp alone, by yo'self, no one wit chew. Put dat cat in dat kettle of watah an' put sompin on de lid tuh hold 'im down in dere. Make yuh up a fiah an' bile it [kettle] till de meat come way from dat cat bone. Aftah doin' dat yo' take all of 'is bones an' yo' go tuh a crossroads. All kinda things comin' tuh yuh, but don' chew git frightened. Don't chew git scared. Jis' stay right dere. All kinda things comin' tuh yuh: things wit no haids, no laigs, no ahms - comin' tuh yuh. But chew stay dere. An' aftah yo' stayin' dere yo' take dese bones an' yo' go back tuh runnin' watah an' throw dem in, an' de one yo' see travel up - up - yo' git dose bones. Aftah gittin' dose bones, yo' go tuh a graveyard. An' when yo' git tuh de graveyard, why yo' put dese bones down dere an' let 'em stay down dere fo' nine days. Aftah nine mawnin's yo' go back dere an' git dem bones an' yo' left yo' [you leave] nine pennies. [For paying spirits of dead in graveyard, see pp.3316-3323, v.4 and other places in HOODOO.] Dig yo' a hol' an' let dem nine pennies down dere - at de graveyard, attah yo' git de bones. Yo' put nine pennies dere. An' when yo' take dem bones, yo' take dem bones an' yo' wrap 'em up in a piece of red flannel. An' yo' weahs dese bones. An' yo'll be all right anywhere yo' done go. Nuthin'll worry yo'. Nuthin'll trouble. If yo' in trou- ble, yo' kin git out. Nuthin will hindah yuh atall. [I put in italics that wonderful expression: alone, by yourself, no one wit chew!]
Entry 10065
Dey go out tuh de forks of de road an' some do's one thing an' some anothah, see. Some will take a half a bushel [basket] see, an' dey puts dat in de forks of de road. An' aftah dey put dat in de forks of de road, dey git a black cat an' put undah dat bushel - half bushel. See. An' dey'll use de word: God, de Fathah - God, de Son - God, de Holy Ghost. Three times, see, an' de storm will rise... (Remainder of this story cannot be secured because of bad spot on cylinder.) [Comment by transcriber.] [What happened? Did the cat escape? Did the devil appear? I hope someone has preserved this story. For a similar story see one in which the devil demands you cuss God three times, No.348, p.103, vol.1.]
Entry 10066
While boiling black cat at a three-pronged road, a rooster comes out of the steam, crows. an' then the devil appears. [For rooster at forks of road, see also No.10052.] [Richmond, Va., resumé, 305:1.]
Source résumé, Richmond, Va., 305:1. This summary describes an explicitly three-pronged road; the No.10052 cross-reference is separate editorial context. It is not a verbatim informant turn or a verified apparition.
Entry 10067
Tell me dey go down in de graveyard 'bout twelve a'clock in de night an' carry dat black cat out dere. An' have mah watah boilin' at twelve a'clock, an' jis' at twelve a'clock throw dat cat, dat black cat, in dat boilin' watah alive. Throw 'im in dere 'live an' let 'em boil till all de meat come off all de bones. An' care [carry] de bones tuh a runnin' stream an' put 'em in dere. An' de bone dat comes tuh de top, pick dat up an' tote on 'em. Dat bring a person luck.
Entry 10068
Yo' kin go tuh a graveyard. Git chew a black cat an' go tuh a grave- yard an' stay out dere till twelve 'clock in de night. An' boil dat black cat in de graveyard. An' aftah yo' boil 'im good an' hot, why run tuh a li'l stream an' po' 'im in de stream; an' de bone dat comes up de stream, git dat an' dat's good luck.
Entry 10069
Kill a black cat an' take him away out in de graveyard, build a fire an' stew him down an' git 'is bones - out de lef' hind laig. An' wrap dat up an dat's what de' call de black cat bone. An' dat makes yuh husban' or yuh boy friend - jis', he's right wit chah. Nobody kin git 'im. [Evidently a woman must manage this rite, though I never heard of a woman attempting the ordeal. In theory the person who wants a black cat bone must obtain it himself, but I am certain a hoodoo person or shop could arrange the business.]
Entry 10070
You take a black cat and you kill it and pass with it through the graveyard.
(You pass it through the graveyard?)
Through the graveyard.
(How do you do that?)
Just like you go by a graveyard, when you'd have it; see, you is passing through the graveyard when you is going to a place for a job, and you pass it [cat] through there [graveyard] when you go there [for job]. And just like you got to go up to the office, right at his office, and you'd have some of that blood in a piece of paper, which you may call a little can. [The dead cat is not carried into office.] Well, you drop that blood on the [office] floor and you bury that cat right at his steps [steps of his house] overnight, what you may call "overnight" [is] at midnight. He'd be looking for you to give you a job.
(Just through that cat.)
[Informant having told story before recording began, I now start questions to check veracity. He is marked "ng" but here his tale held together.] (Now, what do you do? You take and catch [I am unknowingly using informant's ands] a black cat, don't you?) Yes, you ain't got to have no white one or brown one.
(Then you kill it. Then you carry him to the graveyard?)
Yes.
(Then you go and bury this cat under the boss's steps?)
Under his steps.
(That's all you have to do?)
That's all you have to do to him.
(To get a job?)
Yes, you get a job. (I thought you said something about cutting the hair off the cat's tail for something?) You cut the end, the end of his tail off - just like you see, the little tip end of his tail?
(Yes.)
Well, you would cut that off, and you would keep that with you.
(Oh! You keep that part.)
Keep that part with you. And the other, you bury it like that.
(I see, at the bottom of the step.)
At his step, and nobody can knock you from getting a job.
Entry 10071
Yo' [some enemy] kin take yore track an' a black cat's bone an' bury it in de cemetery, an' in about nine or ten days - about a week latah - yo'll suffer. Yo' will have dis same cat, of yore own, in- side of yo', if yo' don't try to git shet of 'em.
Entry 10072
(After you have boil- ed this black cat, you take these bones and limbs. Then what do you do with those bones?)[I am summarizing what informant had said be- fore I: turned on machine.] Yo' has tuh suck evah one of 'em, evah one tuh git tuh de right one. When yo' git tuh de right one, it's a short j'int bone, somepin lak dat [demonstrates]. When yo' git tuh dat, it goin' burn yore mouth. When yo' burn yore mouth, yo' take it an' yo' force it roun' - put it in a sack an' reseal [seal] it up wit some garlic an' salt an' some sugah an' some red dirt [reddish clay unless one buys a special red dirt somewhere; in any case it is a substitute for blood]. An' if yo' goin' play dice wit dat or any kinda game, dere's two words yo' say out de Seven Book of Moses: If ah could win, ah'm goin' win; an' if ah happen tuh win, ah'm trustin' yo'. [Whether this is from Seventh Book of Moses, I do not know.]
(What kind of a sack do you put that in did you say?)
In a mink skin! [After informant leaves room, I say to machine: End of 1604. I think this fellow was a liar. Liar is a little strong, but I did concentrate upon every Word said. That I did not believe everything is shown by the section on made- up material in this present volume.]
Entry 10073
Ah heard dey take a black cat bone, aftah dey done kill de black cat, an' take it an' put it in dere mouth. Pass it dere a couple of times. an' den set [itl back in dere pocket an' go in tuh win.
(That is for luck in gambling?)
Yeah.
Entry 10074
They says yo' kin go to a four-fork road - you've seen them - for nine mornings after you suck this black cat's bone. Suck the morrow [marrow] of it, then you be lucky and do whatever you want to do. [The marrow is swallowed. You evidently visit the crossroad to receive the devil's left-handed bless- ing.] [Deal Island, Md., (109), 25: l. This cylinder reference was also given for margin title POWER FROM BROTHER'S SKULL, v.1, p.283, informant's number here, a day later, being 125. Numbers of cylinders and informants were for collector's conveience only.]
Entry 10075
I heard yeh had to kill a black cat. A certain bone yeh had to git. I think the story went yeh had to suck that bone. And then you had to go to a three-prong road, a crossroad - [dem- onstrates] a prong this way, and a prong that way, and a prong this way - seven mornings before day, and yeh supposed tuh meet the devil there. That's people that is trying to git Over for to do anything they want to do. And he [devil] was supposed to meet yeh at a certain time. And yeh meet sompin other dere dat was supposed tuh be the devil himself. And he was to set jeh free [to do anything]. And then you could do anything, have any kind of luck you wanted for seven years.
Entry 10076
Yo' put chew a pot of watah on an' boil it. An' ketch a black cat, a all-black cat, an' put 'im in de pot of boilin' watah an' put 'im in dere 'live. Boil 'im until - boil 'im tuh pieces. An' de lucky bone will come on top. An' dis bone dat come on top, yo' take dis bone out an' suck de bone [suck out marrow?] an' den lay it up an' let it dry. An' carry it in yore pocket an' yo'll be lucky enough tuh git anythin' yo' want or do anythin' yo' wanta do. Yo' kin even disappeah.
(Why did you suck it?)
Jis' suck de bone aftah it comes tuh de top. De only way yuh'll know dat bone, yo' see, aftah de cat boils, de meat boils off de cat an' dis bone will come to de top, an' all de resta de cat'll go tuh de bottom.
(You don't suck it at any particular place?)
No, yo' jis' put it in yuh mouth an' suck it. An' aftah yo' suck it, den yo' lay it out on anythin' an' let it dry out.
Entry 10077
Yo' git a black cat without any white spots an' take dat cat an' a pot - ketches dat cat an' puts 'im in a pot of hot boilin' watah an' boils dat cat. An' yo' boils him until all de meat comes offa his bones. Den yo' takes dat cat out of de pot an' yo' goes tuh a runnin' stream of watah - jis' let it be a li'le small stream - an' yo' suck each one of de bones [on bank of stream] until yo' come tuh de bone. An' throws 'em all [into stream] until yo' come tuh de one dat goes up de stream. An' de one dat goes up de stream dat's de lucky one if yo' kin git it. An' yo' takes dat an' keeps dat one.
Entry 10078
Well, yo' ketch a cat - a black cat - an' yo' take 'im tuh a runnin' stream somewhere off in some desolated place, an' yo' build yuh a fiah an' yo' heat watah an' yo' boil dis cat. Yo' boil all de bones off dis cat. An' aftah dis cat boiled an' all de meat fall off 'is bones, den yo' take dese bones an' yo' put dese bones in a bag, an' po' dese bones in dis stream of runnin' watah. An' den yo' sit dere. Dey say dat sev'ral things supposed tuh happen uhile yo' doin' dis. Various horrible apparitions will appear trying to fright- en you.] An' all dese bones will go downstream in swift watah, an' dis one bone come back up against de stream, dat's de bone yo' git. Den yo' git dat bone an yo' carry dat bone. Yo' carry dat bone diff'ren' places. Yo' suck it in yuh zouth when yo' wanta do things, an' carry it in yore pocket in yuh han'. Dat bone supposed tuh do sev'ral things; sech make a man invisible or any othah things dat yo' wanta do.
Entry 10079
Yo' kin git a black cat an' boil it an' stan' befo' a mirror in a dark room an' run dem bones across de mouth an' de one dat's de natural bone, why it will be a whole lot- ta diffrent sights dat will appeah befo' yo'. [Here is a tricky one: if you can see into mirror in a dark room, you do not need a black cat bone! Probably my informant means you will see all the horrors including the devil, you missed, had you gone to a crossroads.]
Entry 10080
Boil black cat, when cool suck bones. On reaching lucky bone you'll go blind [temporarily]. [The word mirror, may have dropped out of this rite.]
[Seuport News, Va., informant from; resume, by Ediphone at Old Point Confort, Va.]
Entry 10081
Boil black cat, horse without a head, etc., appears; hold bones in front of new mirror, at right bone you go blind - see nothing in the mirror. [This is a rare rite because a new mirror is required. At the NEW MIRROR moment I can think of only one other rite, the remarkable new magic mirror in No.7211, p.3206, v.4.] [Petersburg, Va., second trip, résumé, 421:4.]
Entry 10082
[I heard of] people using a cat.
(All right, how do they use that?)
Well, yo' git a real black cat. Dat's now in regard if yo' wants tuh hurt someone, yo' undahstan'. Ah've heard yuh git a real black cat, an' yo' heat yuh some watah. Yo' git de watah real hot an' yo' put de cat in dere alive. Yo' put a lid on topa de pot an' jis' drop de cat in dere alive. An' aftah he's in dere alive, let 'im boil 'til evah bone in 'im - 'til it come all off de meat, therly [thoroughly] done. An' aftah yo' boil 'im therly done, den yo' take 'im out an' yo' suck evah bone in de cat 'til yo' git tuh de right bone. Whenevah yo' git tuh de right bone, it'll cuz yuh [to disappear] by yo' cannot see yuhself - yo' can't see yuhself in a mirrah. Yo' kin look in a mirrah an' yo' fail tuh see yuhself.
(Then what do you do?)
Well, yo've got de right bone, an' yo' kin do mos' anything den yo' wants tuh. Yo'll accomplish mos' anything yo' want tuh accomplish.
Entry 10083
[Dat's] fo' gamblin', fo' luck.
(I never heard of that.)
Yo' are supposed tuh take a cat - which de mans Ovah de rivah [IN ALGIERS] - through dem people, yo' know. Got some smart people ovah dere, too. Dey take a cat an' dey go ahaid an' boil dat cat. But it cost plenty money. Ah wasn't nevah able tuh pay dat money. Dey charge me $400 but ah didn't have dat much money tuh start wit. An' yo' supposed tuh do anything aftah yo' do dat. But yo' sell yuhself tuh de devil.
(I see.)
Ah know one fellah - one or two fellahs - ah know puson'ly, he don' have a dime now, an' in de night [overnight] he goin' tuh have fo' or five hunderd dol- lahs. An' how he gits it, ah don' know. But it must be natchly true, ah think. Dat's far [as I know] but ah believe it. Ah believe it's true but ah nevah had it done tuh me. But what he said he did. He goes in all gamblin' rooms an' win money all de time.
(I see.)
Well, yo' ketch dese big games lak de lumbah[?] camps an' all dat. Yo' in gang. Dat's how he got to de road [got in business]. So, he is supposed tuh take a cat an' put 'im in a hot kettle a watah. Sup- posed tuh covah 'im up so he said. An' aftah de cat come in de boilin'-hot watah an' he dies - yo' know, in dat hot watah he is still alive. Yo' take dat black cat an' den aftah he be's in dere, de man takes evah bone an' stand in front of a mirah, lak yuhself stand ovah here. [Was there a mirror in the interviewing room?] He passes evah bone through 'is mouth-lak. Not jis' open 'is mouth - pass it through, see. An' den when he gits de right bone, which is supposed tuh be lak dat bone, he disappear in front of de glass. Well it's dat bone he has. Dat's what he is supposed tuh do [to disappear.]
(I see.)
Entry 10084
Dat black cat bone - well, yo' ketch a real black cat, see. All right. Aftah yo' ketch dat cat - he have tuh be alive, yo' see, an' yo' take 'im an' put 'im in boilin' watah. Put 'im in a big ole pot, chew know, an' boil 'im. An' when yo' done boil 'im down, well den yo' pick de bones, an' den yo' have tuh have a lookin'-glass an' fin' de right bone. Den, when yo' hit de right bone an' yo' git de right bone, dat glass gits smokey an' yo' cain't see yo'self in dat glass. Well, den dat'll be de bone dat yo' must git. (When you pick these bones - do you do anything to them when you pick these bones? What do you do with the bones when you pick them?) Well, when yo' be pickin' 'em, yo' jes' continue pickin' de bones an' lookin' in de glass, don't chew undahstan'.
(You are just picking up the bones?)
Yes, lookin' tuh see whut kind a bone yo' must git, an' den when yo' git de right bone, well, den de glass - yo' cain't see yo'self in de glass any mo'.
Entry 10085
Dat black cat - takin' de black cat, pure black, no white spot, no nuthin, an' puttin' 'im in a pot of watah alive an' boilin' 'im. Aftah he is boiled, tuh find de right bone, yo' must take a lookin'-glass an' passin' each bone through de mouth. When yuh git tuh de right bone, yuh don' see yuhself in de glass at all. Well, dat's de bone dat chew use in yuh pocket. An' whensom- evah yo' use dat bone in yore pocket, yuh walks intuh any place - yo' may be comin' up along de street an' ah see yo' comin', an' befo' yo' git tuh me yuh'll disappeah an' ah don' see yuh. See. Yo' done git invisible wit de black cat bone. But it's only one certain bone dat it kin be done wit.
Entry 10086
Yo' go tuh work an' take a black cat wit no spots on 'im atall. An' yo' takes 'im an' yo' puts 'im in a washpot an' fill it up [with water]. Yo' don' fill it clean up, jis' let it [fill] so's [so his] haid kin be stickin' up [out of water] so he won't drown befo' he git chance tuh burn or anythin'. An' yo' jis' make a fiah an' put de lid on it [pot] so he can't git out. Make a fiah an' boil 'im right dere uatil all de meat come off 'is bones. Den yo' take dem bones den an' put 'em in a sack. An' carry 'em an' go tuh where de watah is runnin', an' jis' po' evah one dem bones in dere. An' dere'll be one bone out dere dat'll float up de stream. All de rest of 'em goin' down de stream, de way de watah runnin'. An' de one dat come up de stream, yo' gits dat one. Take dat one an' yo' kin dry it out fo' yo' ownself. Yo' walk up befo' de glass dere an' yo' put it in yuh mouth an' yo' cain't see yo' ownself. An' yo' kin go anywhere dat yo' wanta go an' put dat bone in yore mouth, why dey cain't see yuh.
Entry 10087
(You get the black cat and you boil him, you say?)
Yes, boil 'im alive. An' den yo' have a glass [a mirror]. Dey tell me dey vave it in front-a yuh hand [holding mirror] dat way an' evah bone dat is put in yuh mouth, if it wasn't de right bone, why yo' would see yuh face [this is putting things backwards!] an' den when yo' git tuh de right bone, de bone'll be so strong it would shade [pull a shade down over] de glass. Yo' oodn't even see. An' dey say dat would be de right bone.
The informant's reply explicitly names boiling. The interviewer question and later editorial explanations remain separate; no performance or claimed effect is established.
Entry 10088
You get a real black cat, jet black, and throw him in a pot of hot water and let him stay there until the bones all come to pieces. You take all the bones out then and put them in your mouth, one at a time, and when you strike that bone, the lucky bone, you'll become blind. Then you have struck the right bone. You carry that for luck. [This is a tricky rite! After I draw each bone through my lips and still see, what happens then? Are some black cats without lucky bones? Am I supposed to continue in rotation or haphazardly redrawing the bones through my lips ad infinitum? Is this merely a folk trick? A practical joke?] [Hampton, Va., Old Point Comfort, Ediphone cyl.30.]