Browse:BONES FROM THE DEAD (Volume 4, entries 8018–8059)
BONES FROM THE DEAD
Volume 4, entries 8018–8059. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → COFFIN - DOLL BABY - BURIAL - BONES. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 8018
On de first Friday of de month yo' see, yo' goes an' yo' git chew a beef tongue an' yo' split dat beef tongue jis' long enough where yo' kin stick a piece of papah in dere. Stick dat person's name in dere, write dat person's name lengthways. Jis' don' cross. Kin jis Write it longways, yo' know, jis' write it nine times de long ways. Ah don' mean no cross it, yo' see. An' yo' take aftah dat, aftah yo' write his name, den yo' take it yo see an' yo' stick it down in dat beef tongue. An' yo' go in de graveyard an' yo' bury dat, see. An' when dat beef tongue begin tuh rot, dat person begins tuh feel drowsy an' droopy, sleepy, jis' continue sleep until he kinda sleep hisself away. [Algiers, La., (1590), 2987:4.] [Material about bones from the dead has already been given in many places, among them: MOANING BONES, P.36; HEAD BONE, P.38; POWER FROM HEADBONE, P.282; POWER FROM BROTHER'S SKULL, p.283; DEAD PREACHER'S BONE, p.285; and DEAD GAM- BLER'S HAND BUILT EUREKA HOTEL WHERE I INTERVIEWED IN MEMPHIS BUILT BY THE DEAD, first quotation on p.1871, from p.1876, line 17 from bottom of page, continued on p.1877. I am dividing this subsubsection on bones into: (ea) WHAT BONES FROM THE DEAD DO, and (eb) TYPES OF BONES FROM THE DEAD. These two divisions of course overlap.]
Entry 8019
Take de bone of a wicked person an' puttin' it in a secret place in dere house an' it will cuz confusion. (How would it cause confusion?) De spirit will wisit dat house. (The spirit comes to the house.) It wisit dat house an' nobody nevah be able tuh live in dat house.
Entry 8020
Dey say if yo' take, fo' example, yo' take a daid person's bone an' bury it undah some person's premises, dat chew do not tuh thrive, an' dey'll jis' die away. Dey can't thrive. Dey git weak an' can't wage anything dere an' event'ly [eventually] go down.
Entry 8021
Ah tole yo' 95 percent of de people in dis town an' othah towns have got frauded outa money goin' tuh people, yo' undahstan', who claim dey kin do dose things an' frauded 'em outa money wit'out any proof. Yo' git a bone, a dead person's bone, yo' undahstan' an' yo' Would bury it undah de step where de party is at, tying nine knots in dat bone, yo' see, an' it will keep sickness in de house, yo' see. It will keep de people who can't undahstan' one anothah - man, wife and daughter, dey can't undahstan' one anothah. Dey all pull contrary somehow or anothah, see. An' dey will nevah make de end Iends] meet.
(Well, how do you tie the knots in that bone?)
Tie them in a cord an' den tie de bone wit de cord.
Entry 8022
Yo' kin git a piece of a dead body's bone but chew have tuh git two pieces. An' yo' go tuh a person's house while dey sleep in de night, an' yo' cross dat crossways lak dat [make a cross], yes sir, right in de middle part of de house, undah de middle sill. [This crossing of two bones at the middle of the house creates a quin- cunx.] Yo' bury it dere an' it won't be long 'fo' dat person will be dead. [For the soporific nature of graveyard dirt, see also Nos.7529-7530, Pp.3298-3299.]
Entry 8023
Dey take 'em an' make luck pieces an' things. A man kin take an' weah 'em in 'is pocket fo' tuh gamble wit an' things lak dat. (This bone of a dead person?) A dead person bone.
Entry 8024
Says yo' take lak dere's a grave rotten down or sompin othah lak dat, if yo' happen tuh go an' git dat bone, anything, yo' kin dress dat bone wit what- evah yo' wanta dress it wit, an' yo' kin use it, if it's [worn] undah yore arm or anything, yo' kin dress it, an' dey say dat's good tuh kill luck [of other gam- blers].
Entry 8025
A dead person bone, a small dead per- son bone [a small bone from a dead person], an' dey put it in a bag an' a couple of red beans an' steel dust, an' dey tie it up an' give it tuh yo' or sew it up. Dat's fo' luck.
Entry 8026
Ah hear dem say dey goes tuh de graveyard an' git - dig down dere an' git de lucky bone. Take it out an' bring it home an' dress it. Well, dey use Heart Cologne on it [for a dressing].
(How do they use the Hearts Cologne on it?)
Well, DEY WILL TEST IT OUT WIT DIS COLOGNE. DEY WILL PUT IT OUT AN' LET IT DRY. IF DEY TALK TUH IT AN' IT MOVES, IT BE'S DE LUCKY BONE. (Well, would they go out to the graveyard? They dig into a grave and get some kind of a bone?) Yes, sir.
(Just any kind of a bone?)
Yes sir, any kina bone.
(They grab anything and run home?)
Yes, sir. (And test it out. And if it isn't the right bone, they go back for another bone?) Dat's right, go back fo' 'nothah one if dat ain't de right one.
Entry 8027
Well, yo' kin take a dead person's bone, if yo' kin git one; an' if yo' got warts on yore han', yo'picks dis bone up an' dat'll take de warts off. But yo' puts dis bone back down, don't carry it off no place.
(But it must be the bone of a dead person?)
Dat's right.
Entry 8028
Yo' kin use dat bone [dead person's bone] in dis way. If a person is very, very, very evil, yo' take dat bone...yo' could take dat bone wit chew home [from the cemetery]. Yo' put it an' bury it undah dere back steps unbe- knownst tuh 'em fer nine nights an' nine days. Yo' take it up de tenth day an' take it back tuh de ceme- tery. It'll worry dem tuh de grave.
Entry 8029
Well, dey sprinkle it roun' yore house in yore home, de dust of dat dead person - de dead folks' dust yo' know roun' yuh home. Dat creates confusion. If dey want chew tuhleave, dey do dat jis' tuh run yo' 'way from dere. From de dead person bone, dis ole dust from de bones rotten.
Entry 8030
Well, yo' have tuh grind dat up, grind de bone of de dead man up. An' perhaps dey might put it intuh yuh food or perhaps yo' may drink. Why jis' grind it up fine or jis' take a hammah or sompin lak dat an' beat it up - put it in a rag an' beat it up fine, yo' know, jis' lak flour on somepin. An' put it intuh yuh food or jis' put it intuh whiskey yo' drink or soft drink or anything lak dat an' yo' drink it down. Why dat would give yo stomic trouble. De balance of yuh days yuh stomic will nevah be no good tuh yo'. Keep yo' in lingahin' death.
(What do they call that?)
Suffahin' a man.
Entry 8031
Take yo' a bone - lak yo' go tuh de graveyard an' take yo' a bone an bury it. An' pound it up. Pound fine, fine. An' if dey wants tuh run yo' crazy, sprinkle some in yore hair. An' dey'll keep dat. Or eithah put some in yore food. An' den yo' come in a length of time, yo' begin tuh pass worms lak snakes.
Entry 8032
Git chew some Heart Cologne, git chew some black gunpowdah. Go tuh de graveyard an' go down dere as fer as yo' kin reach. If yo' kin reach de casket an' git a bone - jis' any bone yo' git - take it, specially a ole graveyard where de bones is awfully rotten. Git it an' make a dust [of it]. Jis' git bone enough tuh make a dust out of it. Make it kinda in a powdah. Go dere - [I mean] go back home an' put it in a flannel [cloth] an' weah it undah yuh left arm. Git chew a piece of blacksnake root dey calls it, git hit an' put it in yuh mouth. Chew it up. Aftah six days yo' dere, go tuh dis place where yo' wanta git dis job an' git tuh talkin' tuh dis fellah, an' evah now an' den yo' spit. An' he might herd joo off de firs' time, but de second time yo' go back dere an' yo' git a job.
(You wear this stuff under your arm?)
Yo' weahs it fo' six days, goes down tuh de office an' carries it on. Nevah take it off until nine days aftah yo' git chure job. (Don't take this away until you have been on the job for nine days. And then you don't have to wear it any more.)
Entry 8033
Go tuh a graveyard where a man died, [I mean] if he died a gamblah, an' git dat bone [one of his bones] an' put dat bone - pound it up well, yo' see, an' put dat same ordah [amount] of con- trollin' powdah in dat, an' put dat cinnamon in dere wit sugah [these 3 substances dress the bone]. An' if he goes in any game, an' if anybody's playin' [chances] lak in a church or anythin', [or] he ask 'em fo' anythin', he controllin' 'em, see - he git it wit a smile, see. An' he kin be a man dat do not [harm?] tuh anybody, see.
Entry 8034
A bone from a daid pusson depends whut chew wanta use it fo'. N Now, yo' kin use a bone from a dead pusson fo' two diff'ren' thin's. Yo' kin use it - well, say three: yo' kin use it fo' gamblin', yo' kin use it fo' tuh hahm [harm] somebody or somepin of dat sort. (How do you use it for gambling?) Well, now, yo' take a bone. If yo' kin git de bone an' yo' can't beat it, if it's too hard fo' yo' tuh beat, yo' take dat bone an' yo' git chew a file an' yo' file dat bone. An' as yo' file dat bone, yo' file it intuh somepin, a clean piece of white papah where yo' kin git all dat dust yo' file [from] dat bone. When yo' git all de dust yo' want tuh, offa dis bone, yo' git chew a silvah dime an' yo' cut fo' holes - not holes, but ah mean marks in de dime, jis' lak whut is aroun' dis ole piece of ring ah got heah [shows it and demonstrates]. Yo' cut a hole dere, one dere, an' one dere, an' one dere - yo' cut fo' holes.
(Sort of a notch, like you cut a piece of pie.)
Yes, sir, a notch.
(Cut a little piece off of it.)
Yes, yo' cut fo' lak dat in dat dime an' put dat dime in dere wit dat powdah. Yo' git chew some steel dust, see. Yo' git de steel dust an' dis dime an' yo' put 'em in, an' yo' git chew three needles. Yo' take dem three needles an' yo' put 'em on a piece of flannel - red flannel. But chew put one lak dis an' one dataway. Yo' cross 'em. An' yo' put de othah one 'way up above it dataway in dis position. See? Now, yo' wrap dis needle up here, yo' wrap it ovah dis way firs'. (Now, Wait a minute. You have these two needles crossed like that [I demon- strate], and then you put one above it like that?) Yes, sir. (One - this top one is just like you're making a "T" out of it. One, this top one is up above the "x" [the two crossed needles] there.)
[These 3 needles are now folded 9 times in a complicated rite:]
One's above de othah, yo' see. Well, dat's de one yo' fold, yo' see. Yo' fole dis othah one - when yo' fole dis othah one, yo' see, it'll fole right from dere tuh dere. Yo' kin covah dese othah two needles, yo' see. Now, when yo' fole dis way, dat one fold. See, when yo' fole ovah disaway ag'in, dat two folds. Yo' foles disaway, dat's three foles. An' disaway, dat's fo' foles. Now, yo' got fo' foles dataway. Now aftah yo' fole 'em dataway, yo' take an' yo' fole it ag'in. Dat's five. An' yo' fole disaway. Dat's six. An' fole dataway. Dat's seven. An' fole disaway. Dat's eight. See? An' yuh last fole, de ninth fole, it'll be about dat big. Dat's yuh las' fold. An' yo' fole jis' lak dat. Dat be yuh las fole an' it's goin' tuh be jis' - not a bit biggah dan what de needles, de length of de needles are. See, when yo' git through foldin' dat, dat'll be de length of de needles. Yo' put dat in yuh pocket, or yuh pocketbook rathah. An' now yo' got dat in yuh pocketbook, be sure dat chew got anothah small piece of coin dat chew kin put wit dat besides dat silvah dime yo' already have. Now, if yo' got anothah silvah dime, yo' put dat in de pocketbook wit dis othah stuff dat yo' jis' finished. Yo' put dat wit dat. Now, dat steel dust an' dose two silvah dimes, an' dose needles is tuh draw money, see. Yo' kin go an' shoot dice, play cards, anythin' yo' want. Yo' needn't tuh worry. Yo' might a-go dere an' lose de firs' dollah yo' have, yo' might even lose de firs' fifteen or twenty dollahs. Don't worry about dat. Yo'll make dat back in de nex' two plays yo' make. Yo'll make double of dat, yo'll make triple of dat. Dat steel dust an' dem dimes an' de needle is done draw yuh money tuh yo'. See.
Entry 8035
Yo' pound it up.
(What do you get?)
Yo' git a bone, any bone yo' git.
(A dead person's bone?)
Yeah. Yo' jis' pound it up. Yo' kin make a powdah. Yo' kin take one bone dat long an' make a thousan' dollahs wuth [worth] of powdah, becuz it don't take but jis' so yo' got one grain of dat bone. De person dat yo' give dat tuh will die wit de same disease dat he [bone owner] died wit. An' soon as he take it he got dat disease.
(How would you give it to them?)
Well, yo'd have tuh give it tuh 'em in somepin, yeah. If it's any way - de bes' way yo' could, if yo' wus goin' to do dat, if yo' could git tuh any of dere eats, or yo' could git tuh any of 'is coffee, or a drink of likkah or anythin'. Jis' de bes' way tuh yore advantage. But jis' as soon as he take dat he'd have de same disease dat de person dat's daid. [Brunswick, Ga., (1189, small-time doctor, has 6 & 7 Books of Moses), 2008:3.] [A few bones-from-the-dead rites were given on pages 543-545, as well as scat- tered throughout the text. Let us begin with a rite that could have been indexed under graveyard and graveyard dirt margin titles on pp.3248-3254:]
Entry 8036
An' if someone die an' yo' know 'em good, jis', yo' know, fresh buried, an' yo' git in trouble, yo' go by an' cut off dey left fingah an' put it in yuh pocket an' dey nevah will ket' chew [catch you].
Entry 8037
Yo' git de little fingah of a woman from de graveyard - de bone from de hand of a dead woman - de little-fingah bone, an' take dat an' put it in yuh pocket. An' yo' kin gamble wit dat.
Entry 8038
A fellah had ca'd [carried] a daid pusson fingah all de while an' it seem as if he had some so't [sort] of influence wit othah gamblahs. He wouldn't do 'way wit dat fingah.
(Did he carry it any special way?)
He jis' ca'd it in 'is pocket.
(Do you know what finger it was?)
It wus dis second fingah from de thumb, on 'is right hand.
Entry 8039
Ah heard dat dey take de middle-fingah bone an' if dey wants tuh be lucky.
(What do you call the middle-finger bone?)
Uh, dis fingah heah [demonstrates].
(The middle finger on the left hand.)
Yessuh, dis one [demonstrates].
(The third joint. That's the joint right next to the hand.)
Yessuh. An' dey take dat an' dey let it git hard an' dry, an' dey take den an' dey put dat in de stove an' let it bake till it becomes - it bleaches white an' lak crumbly. Den dey takes it an' dey crumble it tuh ashes. An' dey take dose ashes, take de ashes from dat middle fingah, an' den dey take de ashes of a dove's laig, of dis lef' laig, an' dey take dose two ashes an' put 'em tuhgethah, an' den dey put lode- stone in dere. An' aftah dey put de lodestone, den dey take den an' dey put dis silvah; not de liquid quicksilvah, [but] yo' know dis silvah dat's kinda lak dey shake it out jis' lak powdah. An' dey take dose three thin's an' dey mix 'em all tuhgethah.
(The silver is just like a powder you mean. It's a silver just like powder?)
Yessuh, grind it tuh a silvah powdah. Yo' know, not de quicksilvah whut chew po's out, whut chew po' lak watah. An' dey takes an' dey mix dose three thin's tuhgethah an' dey say dat it will cuz dem tuh have powah an' dominion ovah me tuh rule 'em.
(A man would do that to get power over another man?)
Yessuh.
Entry 8040
Take dat bone [demonstrates].
(This bone from a dead man.)
Dis must be off de dead man. It must be his fo'th fingah [demonstrates].
(Next to little finger on left hand.)
Dat's right. Now yo' take dis an' yo' grind it intuh dust. Den yo' git chew a piece of lodestone. Den yo' git yuh silvah dime an' sew it up in a sack an' take yuh some honey. Yo' know [what they] calls honey, don't chew? Well, yo' take yuh honey an' yo' set it in a saucah - po' yuh honey in a saucah an' jis' put dat sack in dat plate [saucer] an' let it soak good. Turn it ovah, yo' undahstan'. An' dat makes yuh successful in gamblin' propositions.
Entry 8041
Well, ah've heard fo' luck, if a person wanted to git lucky an' make plenty of money, yo' know, jes' if someone died yo' know. An' cut dat li'le [fingers] right in de second joint, cut dis fingah from de second j'int [demon- strates]. (The left hand.) Yes, from de left hand, an' burn it until it come jis' uhite, jis', yo' know. An' jis' take it an' put it in a eel skin, fresh eel skin, an' [or] jis' keep it round [wrapped up] wit snakeskin. Plenty good luck long as yo' iive.
(Keep it where?)
Round yore neck, yes in a piece of skin.
(You tie it around your neck with a string or something?)
Yes, sir, let it hang down around about de middle of yore chest. See.
(What sort of luck is that supposed to give you?)
Well, it be fo' luck tuh git a job, or win money, or speed-up doin' anything yo' wanta do.
Entry 8042
Yo' kin take a pusson's skull attah dey daid, thirty days attah dey daid. [Nothing more is said about skull.] If yo' kin go tuh de graveyard an' turn de casket roun' an' yo' kin take one clip off de end of dis fingah, an' carry it back tuh dey house an' bury it tuh de'steps - dat's wherevah dey come from yo' know, or anybody dat yo' have anythin' ag'inst - dat's about nine days aftah dey's daid, jes' take de fingah off, jes' so yo' git one j'int, an' yo' bury dat at de do'steps an' say, "Yo' leave," jes' lak dat, an' bury it down. If yo' don' believe it, yo' try it, an' it will be datavay. Wit de fingahnail up facin' de house, jes' lak dat, an' dem people have tuh move. Hobody Will nevah stay at dat place. AH KNOWS TWO PLACES RIGHT NOW IN TOwN NO- BODY BEEN ABLE TUH STAY IN LONG AS AH'M IN TOWN. (All you do, you just go out there and just take this finger and bury it in the door. You don't do anything with the skull?) No, yo' ain't gotta do nuthin wit de skull tuh do dat.
Entry 8043
Take de dead man's bone, take fo' of 'is fingahs. Yo' see, dese: one, two, three, fo' fingahs here. An' take each one of 'em j'ints. Yo' undahstand. Yo' take de end of dem fingahs, aftah all de meat's done faded offa dem.
(Either hand?)
No, no, take off de right hand.
(All right.)
Dat's 'is gamblin' hand, makes a gamblin' hand outa it. Dat's tuh make yuh win, undahstand. Dat's supposed tuh make yo' lucky, make yo' win. Take dem fo' fingahs here an' dey chip 'em right in half. When dey chip dem fo' j'ints in half, dey puts 'em intuh a li'le bag, yo' undahstand. An' put some steel dust in dere an' lode- stone an' six needles, gold-eyed needles, an' sew dat up an' give it tuh yuh. Call dat a lucky hand.
(For gambling.)
Entry 8044
Git a dead man's fingah in gamblin' or anythin', any luck; can't beat 'em or nuthin. (Which finger do you take of that dead man? Any finger?) Yo' take dat one [demonstrates]. (You take the index finger of the right hand. By the way, what is the dog finger? What is it? You have heard of it?) Heah's de dog fingah.
(Oh, that is the dog finger, the index finger.)
Entry 8045
Ah hear 'em say yo' could take a daid man's fingah an' tote it in yore pocket an' it be good luck.
(For what?)
Fo' gambling.
(Any particular finger that you know of?)
Dey say de dog fingah.
(Which is the dog finger?)
Dat de dog fingah [demonstrates]. (You take - the index finger is the dog finger.) [Dog finger is also mention- ed elsewhere in Hoodoo.]
Entry 8046
An' den, yo' could take a dead man's fingah.
(A dead man's finger. Which finger do you take?)
The decical fingah. It's de only fingah dat is any good [demonstrates].
(Which hand is that?)
The right hand.
(But the little finger of the right hand.)
Yes, an' dis j'int.
(The first joint.)
Yeah - no - yeah. Dis one, de second j'int. Dis [demonstrates] de firs' j'int an' dat's de second j'int. (I see, the second joint at the top of the finger. All right.) An' yo' take dat an' carry it wit chew in yuh pocket. Ah could come right tuh yo' an' long as ah has dat, but ah have tuh have - now, dat's de decical fingah of de dead man. Ah have tuh have mah decical fingah on dis bone in mah hand, yo' see. See, ah'm goin' have mah hand shut, but ah gotta have mah fingah right on dere, mah decical fingah tuh, right on dis bone. Ah could come tuh yo' an' ah say, loan me a dollah, loan me five dollahs. Yo' will be, yo' couldn't hesitate at all.
(Almost anything you want, you get.)
Entry 8047
Yo' kin [take] a person's bone outa his laig, a li'le small one of 'is bones. Take a strand of 'is hair, live person's hair, whoevah yo' want, an' wrap it aroun' dat bone. An' yo' take dat bone, if yo' don' want tuh bury it, yo' kin put it in a close [or dark] corner wit de hair aroun' it, yo' know, an' whutevah yo' wish fo' - if yo' wish dose person tuh die or whutevah yo' wish fo', den at [after] de six week dat wish will come true. Wit de hair Wrapped aroun' dat bone, becuz if yo' wrap dat hair roun' de bone, it won't be long fo' dat DEAD BONE WILL TURN DAT STRAN' OF HAIR WHITE. Yo' kin notice it. It will turn dat stran' of hair white.
Entry 8048
Yo' know what dat candle's fo'? (No.) Dat candle's fo' gamblin' purposes. (Well, how would you prepare any- thing of that sort?) Bell, if yo' kin git de bone of a dead person - de bes' thing dat yo' kin use from a dead person, if yo' kin git dat bridge of de nose, what's in a person here. If yo' would put it in... [I interrupt.]
(You mean the bridge of the nose?)
Yes, dat bridge in de nose. If yo' kin git dat an' take dat an' put it in, go tuh an' make a novena[!] ovah dat, an' burn two candles. (Well, after you get that bridge of the nose, where do you make that novena? In your home or in the church?) In yuh home.
(In your home. Then what do you do?)
Den yo' set two candles tuh burn.
(You mean two candles before, or near it, or what?)
Two candles ovah it - undah whatevah yo' got de candles in burnin', have it. Have whatevah yo' got de candles in big enough so dat de wax from de candle will rum right down in dat containah what it's settin' in. An' have dis bridge of de Dose undah dat containah. Yo' undahstan'? An' let dose two candles burn out ovah dat.
(What sort of candles do you use in a case of that sort?)
Yo' kin use two white candles.
(I see. All right, go ahead.)
An' yo' wrap dat bridge of de nose of dat person wit one piece of garlic. Divide it an' tie it aroun' de bridge of dat nose, an' sew it in red flannel. An' let dat person keep dat piece of - dat in dat pocket, an' when dey go tuh a gamblin' house, or any place tuh gamble, rub dat ovah dere hands an' den rub dere hands ovah dere face, an' put it back in dere pocket. An' dat's all dey've got mah do wit it.
(That's a gambling hand?)
It's a gamblin' hand.
(I see.)
Entry 8049
Ah hear'd about dey gittin' de bone, de haid part.
(A bone from the head?)
Yes, sir. Ah hear'd dat dey go out an' git dat, goes out dere an' dig it up. Git de haid of a pusson. An' when dey git de haid of a pusson, beat up dat an' make some kinda diff'ren' li'le thin's dey calls hands, so dat dey have good luck an' all dat. Dat's what dey do wit dat. [For headbone see also pp.38,282 & 283.]
Entry 8050
(Did you say they could kill you with graveyard dirt?)
Yes, not with graveyard dirt eithah. When yo' spoke of it, ah remembah now about puttin' things in peoples. Yo' kin take powdah from a graveyard - yo' know, aftah a pusson been daid so long. Well, say if yo' wanta put a daid man's bone... Have yo' heah of peoples puttin' daid man's bone in peoples?) (No.) Now yo' take a pusson dat's been daid. Now, firs' yo' kin take de haid or skull, a man's skull, aftah he's been daid fo' yeahs. Yo' kin got [go] out some place an' find a skull. Scrape de skull off, jis' scrape an' scrape until yo' git a powdah. Yo' know as yo' scrape, an' it's ole, yo' gonna git a powdah off of it. Well, yo' kin take dat powdah, or a woman or man kin do it. If yo' wanta put it in a woman, yo' [a man] kin do it; if a woman wanta put it in a man, she kin do it. All right, chew take dat powdah an' yo' mix it up [in] bread or in tea or in coffee, jis' where it won't show. Mix it up good wit sugah, where it won't show. An' let 'em drink dat. An' when it gits down intuh 'em, dat stays moriced [moist] see, an' dat bone will jis' fertilize. Dat dust will fertilize intuh a bone. Dat bone will clog right up tuh here [demonstrates].
(Right up through his breast.)
Right up through 'is breast, an' if yo' don't fin' some way tuh git it out of 'em, it will kill 'em. Evah time he breathe yo' kin jis' see dat bone jis' up in 'is breast. Yo' see dat bone by bein' moriced [moist] in yuh stomic, well dat cuzes dat powdah tuh fertilize intuh a bone, an' dat keeps dat bone in here.
Entry 8051
Ah heard dat yo' kin go tuh de graveyard an' git one of dese bones. If it's a sinnah, yo' kin take de bone off 'is right foot, de big-toe bone, an' take it an' put some black peppah an' salt an' cayenne on it. Dat's fo' gamblin'. (How would you handle that, then?) Well, yo' jis' go an' dig it up, see. Ah ain't nevah tried dat now. Go an' dig it up, see, an' cut dat bone off. Yo' have tuh git a saw an' saw if off. Saw dat bone, dat j'int dere. Saw dat off an' git chew black peppah, salt an' bluestone, see. Well, yo' car- ries dat home dere an' let it stay undah yuh step fo' nine mawnin's, see. Well, yo' take it den an' put it up ovah de do' - jis' lak yo' sleepin' in dis room, an' put it up ovah de do' an' let it stay dere den contin'ly [continually]. But yo' have tuh sew it up intuh a black rag, see. Let it stay dere contin'ly an' den yo'll be lucky in gamblin'.
Entry 8052
Yo' go in de woods. Yo' make it tuh de woods, way outa town, an' yo' turn in an' git chew a black line, a thread line - a thread line dat's black, a spool of thread. (Like a black fishing line?) Dat's right, lak a black fishin' line. An' yo' turn in an' git chew two needles. Yo' bring it [demon- strates] from heah an' yo' roll dat lak dat, reel it out from heah, jis' lak yo' stealin' dis whiskey. Jis' lak yo' in dere stealin' dis whiskey, yo' draw dat fishin' line, see, right on out. Yo's right in heah. Yo' be settin' heah, an' yo' draw dat fishin' line right on out. Well, yo' git den an' yo' stop an' yo' have a li'le yore watah in a tin can, yore pee in it already, an' yo' po' [pour] dat right down. Evah time yo' stops it [the line] po' it down. All right, yo' keep right on runnin' [out the line] an' go a certain distance. Ah [would] say yo' go about, aw jis' a short step, yo' know, aroun' an' den yo' stop an' yo' drop a li'le bit of it [urine]. Well, yo' keep right on a-runnin' [the line] an' see, yo' stop an' yo' drop a li'le of yore pee dere. An' yo' keep right a-rumnin' an' yo' stop ag'in an' yo' put a li'le pee dere. An' yo' git right back where yo' started off an' put some mo' yore pee dere.
[The urine is sprinkled in a circle about his liquor. This is to protect it.]
All right. Den yo' look aroun'. Well, ah did dis In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, dat ah may rest from all evil, an' dat ah may die [several words], an' chunk it on away. All right, den yo' back up an' yo' git up on dis lak dis heah. Yo' back up off it, see, where yo' stop at. Yo' backed up an' yo' look at it [your whiskey]. Yo' stop five minutes an' yo' don't say a word. Yo' look at it. Den yo' walk back up to it an' yo' look at it ag'in. Den yo' back up. Den when yo' back up yo' look in dat direction an' jis' turn an' look an' jis' walk in dat direction. An' when yo' git out in dat direction, yo'll have a seat an' set down dere jis' a few minutes an' look at it. Don't say a word. Jis' look jis' fo' a few minutes. Den yo'll leave from dere an' yo'll go tuh a graveyard. An' if yo' kin git holt of a man's toes, yo' git holt of about fo' or five of de toes tuh fo'k [fork into the ground] roun' [the goods for sale]. Yo' stick 'em in de ground, yo know, round [the liquor], yo' see. An' den yo' say, Ah hope dis will be a fence fo' all [to keep everyone away], In de Name of de Fathah, Son an' de Holy Ghost. Well, devils [evil spirits] will be dere, see an' dat will keep dem dere [those] mens [low men] from comin' in lookin' fo' yo' makin' dis whiskey. Dey drove [are driven] away [by this protection] but yo' dere, but yo' know who dey are. See, yo' keep 'em drove away, but chew stay dere, but dey cain't stay dere. DEY'LL BE FRIGHTENED. WHEN DEY COME AN' CREEP AN' STOP, BEGIN TUH LOOK, DEY'LL GIT FRIGHT- ENED. SOMPIN WILL HIT 'EM ON DE BACK, SEE, AN' DEY'LL GRAB DEY PISTOL AN' TURN ROUN' AN' DERE'S NUTHIN. YO' HAVE HEARD OF THINGS SLAPPIN' PEOPLE. AH KNOW YO' KNOW.
(You said you get two needles. What did you do with those needles?)
Yo' take dose two needles - yo' take dose two needles an' yo' put 'em up on top of dis heah stove, jis' set 'em up dere. See, dat's tuh mean fo' sharp luck. Yo' carry dem needles fo' sharp luck. Yo' put dem needles up dere an' yo' cross 'em, see. Now, dem needles is dere fo' dem devils. See, dem needles is dere fo' dem devils, undahstan'. Dem needles is goin' p'int [point] at dem devils, undah- Stan'. WHEN AH CALLS DEVILS, DEM GUYS COMIN' IN DERE GOIN' TRY TUH RUN YO' OUT. WELL, AH WANTA HAVE DEVILS DERE STRONGAH AS DEY IS, an' dem needleS goin' hold 'em, dey is crossed, undahstan'. Well, ah'll look roun', see, an' put it dere, an' den got de stuff from de graveyard, yo' see, done got dem folk's toes, dem daid toes if it ain't nuthin but de bones. Ah got de toes. Well, ah done named dem, see. Ah name, jis' say, de Fathah, Son an' Holy Ghost, dat dey may keep 'way all devils. Well, when dem othah devils [law men] come, see, up dere tuh ketch me an' carry me down an' lock me up in jail, dese things will keep dem PartieS Off. DEY CAIN'T NEVAH GIT IN DERE, DEY'S ALWAYS SCARED OUT. AN' EVAH TIME DEY PULL OUT DEY PISTOL AN' GO TUH SHOOT, DEY'LL LOSE IT OR SOMPIN, DEY CAIN'T SHOOT.
Entry 8053
Well, ah've toted mahself in cologne fo' luck, a woman bones. Her small toe bones an' den her fingah bones, dese heah two fingahs heah [points].
(The two middle fingers?)
Dat's right.
(What did you tote that for, what kind of luck?)
Luck in gamblin' an' luck fo' sellin' whiskey.
Entry 8054
Well, yo' take a bone, say dis wrist bone here [demonstrates].
(The left wrist.)
Yeah. Yo' take de left wrist. If it's a evil person, say like some fellahs ah might recite yuh [or their] name fast: "George Bohall," "Up-jump, de Devil" [etc.]. All dose fellahs had police records, bad. Dey got kilt, dey died bad. Dey had tuh hold 'em down. Well, yo' take his bone an' yo' would bring it ovah tuh de house, an' yo' have what yo' call de dead pot.
(Dead what?)
Have a little pot about dat high, what de women use fo' po'in' [pouring] on.
(For what?)
Fo' po'in' on, tuh keep dere comb warm when dey are straight'en' [straight- ening] women's hair. Well, dey got a small little pot lak dat. It's a little stove, yo' know.
(Yes.)
Well, yo' take dat bone from dat evil spirit [the spirit of the bad man killed] an' yo' take it dere, an' yo' git some good whiskey. Yo' know, an' if he died a drunk. Dose are people dat yo' know [about], yo' know where dey grave, buried at, an' yo' go tuh dat most pahticlah [particular] grave an' git dat bone. Yo' put dat on de fiah an' yo' boil dat. Now, yo' set three hick'ry sticks across dere an' yo' set dat right on top of dat bone. Aftah yo' set dat on dat bone, why yo' take whiskey an' yo' po' ovah 'im, po' ovah dat mos' pahticlah bone. An' aftah yo' po' it ovah 'im, yo' demand 'im tuh go an' kill So-an'-so-an'-so.
(I see.)
An' dey goes on an' yo' do's de work.
(I see.)
Or else, yo' wanta, say, run 'im ovahbo'd [make him jump overboard], let 'im, let a automobile run ovah 'im. Yo' always place him in a place dat he'll git kilt.
(I see. You cross those hickory sticks?)
Cross 'em across. (And then when you - this [I demonstrate] is your pot. Are the bones in the pot?) No, dat's what de sticks are dere fo'. Supposin' de pot about dis size [dem- onstrates]. Well, yo' place [demonstrates] one here, one dere, an' one here. An' den yo' place de bone right 'cross dere lak dat [demonstrates].
(Oh, across the sticks.)
Across de sticks. Dat is tuh [I interrupt]...
(Then what do you do with the pot?)
Well, yo' mos'ly use a li'le turpentine an' linseed oil in dat pot - turpen- tine an' linseed oil in dat pot. But yo' start yuh fiah slow, jis' so, so she [pot] make an ord'nary steam. Dat is tuh keep a certain pressure on 'im. Den yo' demand 'im wit controllin' powah, say, "Ah demand yo' wit controllin' powah tuh go ovah an' do such-an'-such a thing. Go ovah an' kill Such-an'-such a one." An' yo' [the spirit] must do so. (I see.) [New Orleans, La., (819), 1171:2.] [As we have seen, there are many substitutes for the human body: (l) anything that came from the body, such as blood, semen, urine, excrement, sweat, spit, hair, fingernails, toenails, and footskin; and (2) anything that has touched the body, especially clothes. In this division we shall examine three entities that are not a part of the body and yet preeminently represent it - photograph and name and letters and handwriting. Of these three, name already has occurred so many times in the preceding rites, I shall start here with photograph.]
Entry 8055
Well, de pichure - see, lak mah pichure an' yuh pichure, it's in a frame, in a big frame.... Take dat pichure an' put it intuh a basket upside down, an' aftah dat, about three or fo' days, yo' begin tuh have a misery in yuh haid an' yo' don' even know whut it is all about. Come tuh find out, de pichure lak dis will run yo' stone crazy, if yo' don' go see [a doctor] about it right away... [I turn off machine too soon].
(You put this picture into what?)
Intuh a basket. Put chure face upside down, any kinda basket, turn yo' upside down.
Entry 8056
Sleep on it [a photograph] with the nights and the person can't rest and they'll just be dreaming and think- ing of you. See? That'll make them think of you all the time.
Entry 8057
During my childhood days I heard that a sick person who was very trou- blesome and worried them and worth a little money, the only thing you could do [to kill this person and] to stop the law from com- ing into it: This person went to a hoodoo, and he told her to take this person's picture and turn it upside down under the [sick] bed and watch its effect. In three days the person vas a corpse. You turn a photograph down like that, and you watch the person and see if he don't get weaker every day. When you lay it down you are turning the life down like that. [Fredericksburg, Va., by Ediphone.]
Entry 8058
Well, sho' [sure] but it's gotta be on tin [tintype]. Yo' take de one dat's on a tin. Yo' kin take dat photograph an' yo' kin take it an' lay it up undah yore bed fo' nine days an' night, an' dat photograph will fade. Dat photograph will fade away an' de people gona disappeah. Dat's when yo' want 'em tuh disappeah outa yore sight. Dat's when dey bothahin' yo'. Well, yo' take dat an' lay it undah yuh bed fo' nine days, an' de mo' dat photograph fade away, dem people git outa yore sight.
Entry 8059
I've heard that they could make a person follah them by means of using their pitchure. They claim that they would put that in the head of the bed, jis' take it an' tack it behind the bed in the headboard. An' that person whose pitchure it is, why [he] will be at their beck-an'-call at any time.