Browse:Bite Off Candle Top and Bottom (Volume 1, entries 2813)
Bite Off Candle Top and Bottom
Volume 1, entries 2813. Source context: THE DOCTORS AT WORK: REPORTS FROM LAYMEN → SHRINES: ALTARS - CANDLES - SAINTS; NEW ORLEANS AREA → (2) CANDLES. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 2813
You write the Our Father Prayer. You write it down. Now after her writing the Our Father Prayer down - you write it down with an indelible pencil. You take this man name. (The boss's name.) And you write it down nine times, but you write your first name first, then you write the boss- man's name down there nine times, toward you.
(I see. You write the names down over this prayer or near it or what?)
You write this whole prayer.
(Yes. And where do you write the names?)
On another piece of paper.
(Oh! All right, I understand.)
On another piece of paper. See, when you write this man's name, write the name down nine times, then you get you some cinnamon, sugar, and you put that together. Get a white and blue candle - see, white is for truth and blue is true.
(White is for truth.)
And blue is for true.
(Blue is for true.)
True and truth.
(Oh, I see - one's true and one's truth.)
Yes, then you take and you take the candles and you do that the same, like if you was going to court. See, that's the - that's for drawing 'em in your favor. You take the candle and you bite it - the head of it off.
(You mean that little ridge?)
Yes, you bite that off.
(You bite that off. All right.)
Then you take the bottom-side of this candle and you bite it off. Then you take and you light this candle. [Light the new wick.] Before you light it, you put your name on there - you put your name and you put his. Then sprinkle sugar and cinnamon around that. Like a altar is here - well, you got it right there. You got one blue candle here and the white candle there. Now you got both names. You got his name written on both candles and your name written on both candles. You light them.
(You write the names just once?)
Over his.
(His once?)
No, you see, write his name - write your name first. Like my name is John Hall, I put John Hall down; and his name may be Alec Bruce, you put Alec Bruce here. John Hall-Alec Bruce, John Hall - Alec Bruce ~ on this candle.
(On the candle.)
But you got the candle upside down. Nine times.
(Nine times. You turn that candle upside down?)
[Confusion! Informant says nine times, I repeat nine times. Nine times what? Candle upside down? No. He finally answers my preceding question - you write the names just once. This is the delayed explanation I just mentioned (2750, p.758). Sometimes the delayed explanation never comes; at other times regard- less of the closest attention to informant's thought and words, I miss a neces- sary question, or having asked it forget and fail to repeat it. In Interviews section later reader will be able to follow better fieldwork question problems.] Upside down. Remember, you done bit it off at both ends and you got it up- side down when you light it, see. And you light this candle and you put some stuff [melted wax] where it will hold a little, and you put some on the other - do likewise on the other [candle]. And then you get your sugar - sprinkle your sugar and then sprinkle your cinnamon. Let it come to like a head. [The base of the candle stands in a conical mound of sugar covered with cinnamon.] Well, [as] if this wax run down off this candle, it'll run down into this sugar. See. If you can prepare this before, say nine days [before you ask for the job], and do this for nine days straight, you got him [the boss]. You go to him and sit down and talk to him. He may be a man of quick-speaking way - kind of rough- like. You'll find he won't be so rough. You go to him and he'll sit down and talk to you. He'll reason that you can [do the work. Use] your sense of humor with him, you more than apt to get the job. See. More so than any other body. (I see. Now, I just want to make this thing straight. Now, here's the little altar. Here's your blue candle here and the white candle is here.) Yeah, the blue and white.
(I see.)
That's for good. Whenever you want to do good you use blue and white. (It doesn't make any difference what side of the altar they are on?) [Left or right. Or, since altar faces east, north or south side.] Either side.
(Then you put the sugar in the center?)
You put the sugar around the candles.
(Around each candle?)
Yeah, you just - see [demonstrates], the candles is about that close together so that the blue [melted wax] will mix with the white.
(Where do you put the sugar - right where the candles touch?)
You see, like this is one candle here and here's one right here. Well, you put the sugar around this candle, just like that - both candles, just like that, some going there and there, just around, see. And as this white [wax] run down, it'll run into this [sugar and] cinnamon - it'll mix, and the blue and white can- dle will - both will run right into each other and mix with each other. See, will run right down. That way when it goes down, it going to get warm; well, it melts this sugar and cinnamon and it commence to - it comes together. (Now, this candle, you bite off the head so that when you turn it upside down, it will stand up there; and you bite off the bottom so that you can light it. I understand, now.) Yes, sir.