Browse:CAUSES OF SEXUAL IMPOTENCE (Volume 3, entries 3110–3699)
CAUSES OF SEXUAL IMPOTENCE
Volume 3, entries 3110–3699. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SEXUAL IMPOTENCE. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 3110
You take a boy around sixteen years old, that way. That's all their ambition. They are all that way, I don't know why. They think that the more eomen that he has connection with, that the bigger it makes him, see. Well, nothing can ruin the blood as quick as that, see. An' he gets a certain amount of germs in him an' a certain amount of bad blood. No physician can get it out because he [boy] ain't going to take that kind of treatment to get it out - see, that is to purify him. Well, all right, that boy comes to marry, you understand, an' have a wife. Then the children will have it, in- herit that, you see, by having bad blood. Well, that is worse than the other. It happen that a poor [boy] get gonorrhea or anything that way, he has a certain amount of energy in him, he can't get it out of him unless he has connection with a woman. But if he ever once has the claps, the munning range, or gonorrhea, every time he urinates he urinates some ambition, you see. That's why a man can be 45 years old and younger than a boy 25, you see, by using himself [properly] in his young days before he developes.
Entry 3111
Yo' kin take, if a man's goin' wit anothah man's wife an' dis man don' want 'im tuh go wit dis woman, yo' kin take some red antses, dese large one, if yo' kin git a lot of 'em. Jes' go tuh a antses bed an' git all de antses yo' kin git, an' take dese antses an' put 'em in a pan an' take dem home, an' put 'em in a stove an' let 'em parch an' den powdah dem all up. An' when dis Woman goes tuh bed at night an' go tuh sleep, he kin take an' powdah dis stuff across 'er stomic part down dere, her private part. An' when dat man goes tuh have a date wit 'er, why dey git hung up dere jes' lak dogs.
(Do you mix that red ant dust with lard?)
No sir, yo' don' need tuh put any lard in it, jes' put red antses dust by itself.
Entry 3112
Ah heard yo' kin take dese red antses beds, yo' know, an' git chew some of 'em. Take 'em if yo' wanted to fix up a man or anything lak [that] yo' know, an' yo' kin take 'em an' beat 'em [into powder] an' wear 'em roun' yore wais'. An' aftah de man - say yo' an' 'im be togethah. An' aftah he git through wit whut he done, yo' jes' take dem antses an' jes' wipe right, takes 'is leg an' den let it run up an' down 'is back, dese antses lak dat. But chew have it tied up in a rag. An' say den yo' wear it roun' yore wais'. Den de man can't have any dealin's wit anyone but choo. Ah've heard of dat much about antses.
Entry 3113
Den ah've heard of ladyfolks, yo' know - pardon [for what informant is about to tell me], ah've heard of ladyfolkses goin' ahead takin' a intahco'se, an' puttin' it onto, intuh a towel, yo' know, jes' whut dey use [for wiping themselves], an' puttin' Hearts Cologne on it an', yo' know, jes' take a piece of it [from the towel], an' wear it undah dere arms, an' dat gain de influence of love, sech as dat, yo' know.
Entry 3114
(Have you ever heard of a woman measuring a man?) [Measuring rites will come later.] Well, yes, ah've heard of it. Said dat dey would take string yo' know, an' measure dere privates, an' keep 'em from havin' a intahco'se wit a woman. (What do they do with that string then, after they do that?) Aftah dey do dat, well dey would tote it aroun' up undah dere lef' arm.
Entry 3115
Ah heard yuh could take a man's sock an' weah it between yore laigs an keep 'im down, an' yuh kin go an' he would not be jealous of yuh. (You use either sock?) Eithah sock, eithah one, jis' since he have worn it. An' a man kin take a woman's stockin' an' weah it undah 'is lef' arm wit de feet turned up, an' he'll ketch 'er in evahthin' dat she start at. If she go tuh slip on 'im an' have othah men, he'll walk right up on 'er.
Entry 3116
Yo' kin take a pocket han'ch'ef which yo' kin use wit chure wife, an a new nail an' place it intuh a tree [root] jes' beneat' de groun' an' nail it in dere an' kiver up an' leave. Back nine steps away from de han'ch'ef back [back- wards] an' den turn an' call de woman's name de third time [call her name 3 times] an' leave from dere. Dey won't have - evah time dey [other men] begin tuh top 'er wit dat, ah've been able tuh know dat dey've [demonstrates with finger, letting it fall over].
(They [the other man's tool] will just fold up. I see.)
(You nail this handkerchief on the tree down under the ground, but you will vipe her off with this handkerchief?) Yes sir. [Savannah. Ga., (538). 658:1+85.]
Entry 3117
In case if yo' don't have time, dis is a quick way now. Ah'm goin' tell yo' 'gin [again]. WANT CHEW PAY CLOSE 'TENTION AN' KETCH DIS. Yo' go tuh a fruit stan' an' git chew one banana. Undahstan' good now, jes' one. Yo' know dere's lotsa bananas are ripe, jes' so ripe dey'll almos' fall tuh pieces off de hull. Well, yo' git dat banana peelin'. Git dat banana peelin' an' den when she lay down at night an' go tuh sleep, jes slip dat banana peelin' dere, an' take dat banana peelin' an' jes' dou- ble it. See dere, double it jes' lak dat [demonstrates]. An' yo' take it an vipe dat woman. Wipe her fanny, see, an' yo' say, "No son-of-a-bitch don't git dis but me, no son-of-a-bitch don't git dis but me" [and probably repeat a third time]. All right, an' yo' do dat. Den yo' take dat banana peelin' an' throw it, throw it ovah yo' shouldah an' nobody else can't go wit 'er tuh save 'er life but chew.
Entry 3118
Take it [bath water] an' put it in a bottle, an' take an' po' [pour] some of dat watah an' stop it up. Put in a bottle an' put in a place where yo' kin - where yo' kin [walk] undah it, an' dat will control yo'. But yo' take dat [bath] watah an' a piece what yo' use wit an intahco'se wit dem. An' yo' rinse dat tuhgethah an' put dat in a bottle tuhgethah, an' have dem so dey kin go backwards an' fo'wards undah dat, an' dey control yo'. Whut dey tell yo' tuh do, well yo' come undah dat, an' do whut dey tell yo' tuh do. (I see. They take this bath water and some of the, piece of that cloth they use for intercourse, put in the bottle and stop it up.)
The interviewer describes a cloth used for intercourse in a closing restatement; the preceding informant wording is less specific. The claimed control remains unverified.
Entry 3119
Yuh take dat [bath] watah, put it in a bottle an' mix it wit wo watah, adx it wit salt an' gunpowdah. Throw dat in de runnin' watah, see. Dat will keeps yuh tied up. Well, it will make yuh lose ami bition fo' de woman dat yuh have, yuh undahstan'; an' it will keep yuh wit a mind - yuh undahstan', yuh will nevah be satisfied where yuh be yet.
Entry 3120
[To] fix a man to stay at home - dere's two or three ways yo' kin fix. I man, see. Well, jes' lak a woman's got a husban' an' he runnin' aroun'. She kin stop 'im from wandahin', yo' undahstan', an' de wimmins do do it, cuz I done seed 'em do it. Dey'li take dat - dey kin cook cake, pies.
(What?)
I say, jes' lak yo' have intahco'se wit yore wife, have connection wit 'er, well de rag what she wipe yo', well she'd put dat in de middle of dat bed where yo' lay at. I'll guarantee dat yo' can't have no othah wimmin.
(I see.)
See, she put dat an' fasten it to de mattress. See, an' keep dat rag where yo' sleep at, right where yo' lays all de time. An' I betcha yo' can't have nuthin to do wit no othah wimmin.
(I see.)
Entry 3121
Dey say when yo' have sexual intahco'se, dey say yo' take de towel an' put it undah de bed in which yo' sleeps, in a dark place, an' he doesn't have any courage fah anyone else.
Entry 3122
[Informant is repeating at my request.] Jes' lak if yo' had a sweetheart an' yo' wanted tuh quit 'er or she wanted tuh guit chew. Ah said, yo' could take de rag, de towel dat chew all wipe wit, an' yo' kin take dat towel an' yo' kin roll it up an' put it undahneat' yore baid. An' if she goes she'll come back.
Entry 3123
Yo' know lak dey both have intahco'se wit one anothah. Well, dey git through yo' know, dey Wipe off an' dry off, why SHE USE HER MONTHLY-PERIOD RAGS AN' DRY OFF WIT IT, an' if he go wit anothah woman, why it'll fall yo' see - it won't stand up. (What does she do with that rag then?) Don't do nuthin pahtik'lah.
Entry 3124
Ah've heard dat if yo' could git a woman's periods an' keep 'em, she can't have nuthin tuh do wit no othah mens.
(Where do you keep it?)
Jes' keep it in yore house.
Entry 3125
Well, now, if he'd wanta keep a man away from his house - his wife be sick evah month - he'd take'm [take him] one of de piece she use. He'd take one of 'em an' he'd fold it up an' cut dat stain out an' wrop it up in 'is pocket han'ch'ef an' put it in 'is pocket. A man kin come tuh de house but she won't have no desire tuh be wit 'm.
Entry 3126
See, whut he do tuh fix 'er up, he go tuh work an' he takes - he gits some of 'er intahco'se [menstrual blood here], yo' undahstan'.
(I understand, from her intercourse.)
Yes. All right, he takes dat. He takes dat rag an' he foles - he takes dat cloth an' he foles it, foles four times towards 'i. Don't nevah fole it from 'im, fole it up towards 'im. If he got a shoe, he puts it [a piece of it] in 'is shoe. Yo' undahstan'. Jis' put it in a pair of 'is shoes an' go on. He kin go on off an' stay three uh [or] four weeks, an' she ain't got no feelin' fuh no Othah man atall, she always wantin' to see yo', yo' undahstan'. [Both to fold and four times are common magic rites. To fold is magically to confuse, confine and control the spirit, or part of the spirit, residing (often temporarily) in the object being folded. The magic or sacredness of the four comes, to Christians at least, from the following Biblical quotation: I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth (Rev.7:1).]
Entry 3127
Now, a woman in de town heah - yo' got a woman an' yo' wants tuh hold 'er. If a woman git away from yo', why den yo' goes tuh work den an' take some of 'er cloth, her cloth whut she use, yo' know. Yo' take dat an' yo' measure on yore fingahs part of it, an' den yo' wear dat yo' see. Put about nine knots in it an' yo' wear dat. An' in wearin' dat, dat will hold 'er dere wit yo' - she cain't git away.
(What do you measure that cloth with? Your finger or what?)
Yes, jes' ketch yore fingahs [demonstrates].
(Right along your middle finger.)
Now, her, when yo' gittin' dat, den yo' take yore fingah an' measure 'er, yo' see. An' den yo' come, aftah measurin' 'er - well, den yo' measure dat cloth.
[I now comment upon the preceding rite to be certain that I understand it.]
(After you measure her with your finger, you measure that cloth with this. You take this piece of cloth long enough, just as long as that measure, then you tie nine knots in it, and you wear it around your body. That holds her. She can't have any other man?) No, she cain't.
The informant says about nine knots; the later interviewer restatement says nine. Both wordings remain distinct.
Entry 3128
An' den she kin do dis heah. She kin take an' trim 'er fingahnails, she take some of 'er period, an' she puts it intuh his sompin tuh eat, an' dat'll take his nature from 'im [except for her].
(She has to put all those together though?)
Scrape huh fingahnails an' take some of 'er ministrate.
Entry 3129
Ah heard a li'le sompin about dat. Dey say a man kin fix a woman lak dat. He git one of 'er monthly pads, yo' undahstan', an' take dat an' put dat in a bottle, see. Wash it an' wrench [rinse] some of dat out an' put it in a bottle an' stop it up, yo' undahstan', an' carry it aroun' wit 'i. An' evah time a [another] man [tries] to make a connection wit 'er, his thing will fal] evah time.
Entry 3130
If your husban' is mistreatin' yo' fer anothah woman, now yo' kin take her periods an' she kin take a brass needle, or eithah a brass pin an' write [on a piece of paper] his name on top an' hern upon de bottom. An' put it midways her bedpiece an' jes' so dat she sleep on it as much as he do. He won't have anythin' tuh do wit anybody else but her.
(She writes it with her blood on this pin?)
Yes, sir.
Entry 3131
Yo' kin take yore [a man's] hair an' kin run yo' crazy. Well, yo' kin take it an' tie it behin' a wumman - dat mean a wumman kin do it. A wumman kin take - whut ah mean, her ministrate an' wrap it [a man's hair] up an' tie it roun' 'er wais' an' it'll run yo' [him] crazy.
(The woman would take whose ministrate, her own?)
Yes.
(And wrap it around her own waist. That would run you [a man] crazy?)
Yes sir. (Well, what about - what is she going to do with your hair? Where do you put this hair?) Roun' yore wais'.
(What would she do with this hair?)
She wraps it up, yo' know, in one of de [her] towel. (She wraps it up in her menstruation cloth and wears it around her waist. That is to run you crazy about her?) Yes sir.
(0r to run you actually crazy?)
Well, it tuh run yo' actually crazy in dis way, run yo' where yo' couldn't have any othah woman but 'er. (She takes some of my hair, and then takes her menstrual cloth and wraps my hair up in it, and then wears it around her waist.) Yes.
Menstrual cloth is explicitly named in the interviewer's restatement. The exchange's 'crazy' wording remains a source claim rather than a clinical finding.
Entry 3132
Jes' lak dey go tuh bed at night, well her an' 'er husban' always - yo' know, she got it in fo' him but he don't know nuthin 'bout it, an' so she tie him - lak he doin' [running about with other women]. So she goes when dey have intahco'se an' evahthin', she gits out de baid maybe early dat mawnin' 'fo' he do an' she steals away, yo' know, an' hurries ahead an' goes on tuh huhself an' she have a bottle an' evahthin' prepared. Well, she ketches it an' by some means she puts some in a bottle.
(What does she put in the bottle?)
Well, it's.
(Something from her or him?)
From him.
(Where did she get it?)
It from both of 'em ah 'magine, somehow.
(How did she get it from him?)
Well, see when she go tuh - when he go tuh use de towel tuh dry off wit, she dry 'im an' pulls kinda hard - squeeze, gits evahthin' jes' lak she pullin' on sompin. She'd git it all out lak dat. Dat's how she become tuh have it.
(What does she do with that stuff when she puts it in the bottle?)
She puts it in de bottle see, an' when she put it in dis bottle, takes de bottle an' stop it up airtight an' she put it away. Well, long as she keeps de bottle - ah mean, an' keep it airtight - well she got 'i. But if she evah lets it git away.
(What does that do to the man?)
Well, dat 'fect 'im so he cain't raise no kinda heart fo' no othah woman.
Entry 3133
De way she ties 'im up when she make a connection wit 'im, she'll use de cloth, an' she takes it an' puts it in a quart jar an' stop it up. He could- n't go tuh anothah woman tuh save his life. Evah time he go - an' he'll make yo know. If it's mah husban' an' ah do dat fo' him, he'll make yo' know dat he can't go out an' have a connection wit anothah woman. He'll come in an' tell yo, say, "Ah don't know whut s de mattah wit me. Mah back wore me out. Ah'm jis' tuh de place where ah cain't do nuthin. Ah'm goin' up tuh see de doctor." Long as yo' keep 'im stopped up - she don't use de same cloth he does, jes' let 'im use it.
Entry 3134
Yo' could take dis man's - when yo' have somepin tuh do wit 'im, yo' kin take 'is come [semen]. Yo' ketch it on dat rag, on a homespun piece of cloth [unbleached cotton], an' put it in de milk bottle, a bottle of buttahmilk, an' half stop it up, if dis boy's in yore way. But don't use it fer nuthin else but dat. An' take it an' yo' know, put it in a ditch or somepin where it'll half drain out. An' den, whenevah it all drains out, why dat boy'll go away or sompin
Entry 3135
An' anothah way, if a woman stopped it up in a bottle, yo' have tuh hunt dat, yo' see.
(If she stops that cloth up in a bottle he'll have to hunt that.)
[The doctor he hires finds the bottle!!!]
An' one way dat she kin rule him, dat is tuh put it in de mattress an' she lay upon dat. An' when she lay upon dat he can't fool wit nobody, less'n he lay upon dat bottle. If he ain't layin' upon dat bottle dat got dat, he'll always be limbah.
(As long as she has that.)
Entry 3136
She kin take some of 'is discharge, some of dat, an' she kin take an' tighten it down [in bottle], jes' lak she kin put it in a rag an' tighten it down airtight an' wear dat on her, an' dat will keep 'im. Dosin' it a li'le bit wit black peppah, put black peppah on it, an' de firs' thing yo' know, yo'll be at de place dat chew don' want nobody else but 'er.
Entry 3137
De way she do tuh take his nature away from 'im. AH WANT CHEW TUH LIS- TEN AT DIS GOOD, so ah - dis is mah wife an' dis is me an' dis is anothah woman. Well, ah'm goin' wit dis woman, an' dis is mah wife heah. She don't undahstan about not bein' wit 'er as much as ah do wit dis othah woman. Well, dis othah woman ovah heah, well, ah had a communication wit 'er, an' she taken a rag an' she take some of de diff'rence twixt me an' 'er an' puts it in a bottle, a li'le perfume bottle, an' took dis Heart Cologne an' po'd it on top of it an' stopped it up, an' keeps it in 'er trunk. Dat took it [my nature] away. An' de fellah dat ain't git sharp enough tuh git dat, it'll [his nature will] stay away. Well, mah wife kin do de same thing an' bring it [my nature] right back, make hers [the other woman's magic] no good.
Entry 3138
If a man doesn't care very much about chew. Yo' an' 'im livin' tuh- gethah an' yo' want 'im tuh love yo', don't want 'im tuh go out wit no othah woman, yo'all git intuh bed an' whutsomevah yo' wipe wit, yo' git it. An' yo' git a whiskey bottle. An' yo' git a li'le bit of 'is come [semen] an' a li'le bit of yores [see later]. Put it in dis bottle an' screw it tight an' put it up undah de bottom of de do'step. An' any othah woman dat he git ready tuh make a date wit, he can't do it tuh save his life. [The prescription of a whiskey bottle, most unusual, presumably offers solace to the man's bottled spirit (see margin title ALCOHOL FOR THE SPIRIT, p.32). In an empty bottle! But surely a spirit could still detect the evanescent aroma of spirits! What happened to her imprisoned spirit? Perhaps it was merely content to be with us. Or maybe she surreptitiously intended her spirit not to enter the bottle, or just before the final twist of the cork tricked her husband's spirit by jumping out of the bottle! This spirit business is so complicated and devious that it confuses a skeptic like me.] [Now for the word come. His come definitely means his semen. The woman's come sometimes equals menstrual blood or other times: a mythical or non-existent ejaculation of procreative substance at or near the same time as his discharge. Ovulation, a modern biological discovery, remains unknown to folklore, hoodoo and witchcraft.]
Entry 3139
But now, if ah wan' chew tuh bring evah penny yo' makes tuh me, well yo' fool wit me in de baid an' ah git a cloth an' dry yo' off. An' [I] cut out dat spot an' shut dat up tight in a bottle, an' git yore toenail an' fingahnail an' a li'le bit chure chamber lye an' shake dat up. Well yo' can't git away from me.
(You put all that in the bottle?)
Yeah, gotcha [got you]. Long as yo' got dat he gotta come back.
Entry 3140
She'll take his currun[t] or comin' an' pu-tit in a Hearts Cologne bottle wit some Hearts Cologne, an' put a needle in it an' stop it up, an' pu-tit [in] huh bosom an' weah it; an' dat'll make dat man go tuh 'er house tuh see huh. [I met that word sounding something like current (without the t a number of times an' transcribed it as such in my original pencil transcription attached here to the final manuscript. I soon realized that the word should be comin' (coming) the verbal form of the normal word come, meaning semen.]
Entry 3141
If she have connection wit a man, she kin jes' take a piece of raw cotton an' wipe huhself wit it, an' she take dat an' stop it up in a bottle, an' put some alum an' salt in it. Put dat in dere an' makes huh wishes, an' screws de top on real tight. An' if she don't want tuh do dat, she kin take a neW cloth an' Wipe it on dat an' throw It in DE EAST CORNAH OF HUH HOUSE [the sun-rising side] when he go out [leaves the house]. Jes' tie it up an' jes' when he go on out of do', jes' throw it in de east cornah of de house. Den yo [he] kin go but nuthin yo' [he] kin do - he can't do nuthin.
Entry 3142
(You say she wipes him with this towel. Then what does she do with it?) Put it in a jah [jar], yessuh. Stops it up tight an' put a weight tuh de jah, so it will sink when yo' throw it in de watah. Throw it in de watah where nobody can't git holt of it, or yo' kin even bury it, yo' see, but nobody will know where it's at but chew. An' dat will stop a man from havin' anything tuh do wit anothah woman.
Entry 3143
If de man have a date wit dis woman. Now, yo' know she make a connec- tion wit 'im. Well, when dey git through, she don' have tuh if she don' want tuh. When dey git through den, she take dis new pocket han'ch'ef an' wipe 'im wit it chew know, an' take an' cut off de wettest part of dis pocket han'ch'ef, an' put it in a bottle an' stop it up, an' go throw it in runnin' watah an'dat'll kill a person.
(Klll him?)
Yes sir, dat would kill 'im. Well, nobody would wanta do dat.
Entry 3144
(Have you ever heard? They tell me a woman does something to a man to make him lose his courage?) Oh! Oh! Yes, sir! She holds 'er breath on 'im. (Holds her breath on him?) Yes, sir! Takes his nachure away from 'im.
(How does she do that?)
Well, when he git ready tuh make a 'nection [connection] tuh her, she ketches her breath on 'im. Dat knocks zim out.
Entry 3145
Ah heard dat, jes' lak if a man wus tuh be runnin' aroun' wit anothah woman, an' she [wife] wanted tuh do somepin tuh stop 'im. No doubt if dis othah woman didn't expect dat dis heah man prob'ly wus bettah in some instance den prob'ly any othah. Well, ah heard dat if dis woman [wife] an' dis man [husband] could evah be tuhgethah, dis husban an' wife could evah be tuhgethah, an' dis woman [wife] could git a chance tuh hold huh breath on 'im while he wus at 'is work, JEs' FO' "BOUT DE SPACE OF TEN MINUTES, TUH HOLD 'ER BREATH ON 'IM JES' FO' DE TIME AS LONG AS SHE COULD, FO' 'BOUT TEN MINUTES FO' NINE TIMES, Well den dat WOuld cause 'im tuh git weak an' he couldn't do jes' lak he wanted tuh do wit de othah lady.
(You mean nine different days? Not on the same day?)
Yes.
[Nine breath-holdings on one occasion for a total of ten minutes.]
Jes' lak evah time dey have a intahco'se she would do dat fo' nine times. An' den dey said dat would cause him tuh git weak an' weaken down an' he couldn't hol' up. (He couldn't do anything with other. women except her.
Entry 3146
Well, when yo' an' he's doin' yo' git choo a brass pin an' put it in yore mouth up undah yore tongue, an' yo' hold yore breath. An' whilst yo' hold- in' yore breath, yo' jes' sayin', be repeatin' tuh yo' heart what choo don't wan' tim [want him] to do to nobody but choo. An' den when yo' git through, well yo' take dat brass pin an' tie it in a rag an' wear it. An' any time he go tuh anothah woman, well it'll fall.
Entry 3147
It's a ll'le bush grow dis high called de buckeye. Well, its in de summahtime de sun dries 'em an' it cracks open an' li'le black ball draps out on de ground. [The buckeye is a tree, it and the black balls I have known since childhood.] Yo' take dat ball up an' yo' take bunch of 'em an' yo' put 'em in yo' pocket den. All right. She take one an' den yo' takes one. Yo' go on about yo' business. [Here informant's words meaning little I stopped recording, but almost imedi- ately restarted machine to ask about some promising words I had missed.]
(What was that?)
Don't want anyone toward 'er whilst yo's gone [on] yo' job. Yo' kin go on yo' job about two or three weeks - ah got a job about two or three weeks ovah heah. All right, yo' pick up dem two balls an' she take a buckeye ball an' yo' go any- whah yo' wanta go, an' she satisfy no one.
(How many of those do you carry?)
Yo' carry two an' leave her one.
Entry 3148
I get me - DO YOU KNOW WHAT BUMBLEBEES ARE? You know what they are?
(Yes, wild bees.)
Yo' have tuh do dis in de summahtime. Yo' have tuh git someone tuh ketch dese fo' yo'. Yo' take dese nine bumblebees an' brown 'em in de stove. Jes' put 'em in an' cook 'em dere. An' den yo' jes' git yo' a hammah an' put 'em in a piece of new cloth of some kine, an' jes' take yo' a hammah an jes' poun' dem intuh powdah. Well, now, say yore husban', yo' don't wan' 'im tuh be wit no othah woman. Yo' wan'a keep 'im away from dis pahtic'lah person. So aftah yo' have - yo' take dis befo' yo' go tuh bed, yo' see, put dis in dis cloth an' rub it tuhgethah yo' kngu. Be sure yo' got dis powdah all in dis cloth. Have anothah one fo' yoreself. Yo' an' 'im both don't use de same - let 'im use dis cloth fo' 'imself. Yo' know, some people are not very careful tuh take a bath. If he should take a bath, don' give it tuh 'im until he dries. If he dries 'imself wit it befo' he takes a bath- when he gits ready tuh dry 'imself, den give 'im dat an' rub 'im wit de powdahs on it. Well, he gits finished wit dat an' he goes tuh see dis person, whenevah he has intahco'se wit dat person, dey will have a burnin' sensation. Dey will come tuh yo' an' tell yo' how somepin has happened tuh dem an' yo' will know dat dat is de person. Den take dis cloth an' fold it ovah an' tie it in a real hard knot, as hard as yo' kin draw it, an' den yo' stick dese nine small needles in dere. Dat is tuh keep yo' away from dis person. Dey always have some kin'a complaint. Yo' know yo' heah of people always havin' aches an' pains - down here in pahtic'lah. Well, dat is part of de spell tuh keep dem away from dat person.
(What do you do with the cloth then?)
Yo' go an' bury dat. An' dat will stick fast until he when [you, another woman] go wit 'em [him] dey [he] be lak dey [he] be dead. [RUBE GOLDBERG THE CARTOONIST MUST HAVE DESIGNED THIS RITE!]
Entry 3149
Dey take de cloth, yo' know, dat yo' both use. She brown it, take dat cloth an' puts it in de stove an' let it parch, don' chew see. An' aftah it parch down, den she takes it an' puts it intuh somepin othah, an' keeps it concealed aroun' de bed whah yo' an' 'uh is.
(What will that do then?)
Dat will cuz yo' tuh be weak, don' keer [care] fer nobody, don' wan' nobody else but chew long as she keep dat in huh possession.
Entry 3150
An' jes' lak now, yo' fool wit a woman, yo' know, well she'll give yo' a towel. An' she won't use dat towel, but she'll bury dat towel. An' when she done bury dat towel, yo' won't have no feelin' fer no othah woman but she.
Entry 3151
Den if she doesn't want 'im tuh have a outside fren', yo' see, she'll take huh a new piece of new white homespun an' she goes tuh bed, yo' know, an' be wit 'i. She ketch evahthin' in dat white homespun an' she'll take dat piece of white homespun an' bury it anywhuh roun' 'uh house - undah huh steps, undah de side of de house, undah a brick pillah or anywhuh. Well, if he go out he can't have no woman, see. Dat blocks 'im any way he tryin' tuh have anothah woman.
Entry 3152
"Fore yo' leaves dere, yo' see, dey go git a fresh egg an' git dat 11'le skin nex' tuh de shell - dat ll'le thin skin right nex' tuh de shell - an place dat. An' he have intahco'se wit 'is wife 'fore he go [away]. He place dat ll'le thin skin on de end of 'is penis an' den have connection wit 'er. It will come off. Well, when it comes off in dere dat jes' goin' tuh stick tuh de lining, see, 'cuz it slips, yo' know, an' it's very thin an' light, yo' see. Well, dat dere, it comes off in dere. He wants tuh leave it right dere. It will come off in dere - dat thing comes off in dere, yo' see. She kin lay down all she wants, but de [other] man can't do a thing. Yo' kin leave off dere an' GO TO DE WORLD'S FAIR - go far as yo' Wants - she'll nevah have done dere.
(That keeps other men away.)
Entry 3153
Take a black hen feathah. An' yo' know when yo' pull it out 'is wing, yo' git a little bit of juice in dere. An' sprinkle dat 'cross a woman, see. Or yo' kin sprinkle it in yore han' an' rub it in yore han' [and rub across a woman]. Dat's if yo' got a woman dat yo' don't wanta have nobody else. Jes' sprinkle dat in yore han' an' rub it in yore han' an' [rub it across her]. If a man tetch her, she fastened jes' lak a dog.
Entry 3154
He kin take de right han' of a roostah's spur an' do de same thing - take de right foot of a roostah spur an' do de same thing. An' she kin take de left one an' do de same. Yo' jes' buy yo' a roostah, kill 'im an' eat 'im, cut dat spur off, an' aftah de last dish of dat is eat up, yo' jes' take it an' rub it lak dat.
(Where do you rub it?)
Jes' rub it in yore han', de right of a roostah's spur. If she wanta work one on yo', yo' undahstan', jes' take an' rub 'em lak dat three times. Whensomevah she wit chew, she kin rub it up dere lak she's playin', an' yo' can't have nobody else. She kin take de left one [a man takes the right]. But yo' cain't do it until de chicken's eat up. Den yo' kin try it den.
Entry 3155
If a man wants tuh make - eithah a woman make 'im love her. Durin' de time dat dey are havin' a intahco'se, take de discharge an' put it in a li'le cloth wit a li'le coffee grin's [grinds] an' tie it up in a rag an' put it in de coffeepot, an' boil it an' let eithah one of 'em drink it, an' dat'll make her be able tuh hold 'im.
Entry 3156
A girl tole me dat she could take beef livah an' cook it an' give it tuh me tuh eat, an' dat would cuz me, if ah went out wit anothah woman, dat would cuz me an' 'er tuh go tuhgethah lak a dog. Jes' beef livah. (She wouldn't put anything else with it?) Ah don't know whut she put wit it. She nevah did tell me whut she put wit it. [Surely not beef liver but dog liver is meant - see later sub- subsection (c) DOG, under subsection (1) CAUSES OF SEXUAL IMPOTENCE.]
Entry 3157
Dey say when yore man is runnin' aroun say if yo' bathe him wit dat sweet milk from a black cow, an' it will stop 'im, say dat he cain't have a woman. (Bathe whom?) Bathe de man - whatevah yore frien' may be, or anybody dat chew come in contact wit dat chew don't want tuh run aroun'
(I mean how would you bathe him? Where would you bathe him?)
Bathe him down heah, his privates.
(With this milk from the black cow and that will keep him from running round?)
Yessuh.
Entry 3158
Well, now, anothah way is if yo' know someone dat has a young calf, cow wit a calf. If yo' know dis person milks de cow, yo' go dere when de person is milkin', yo' know. An' de calf sucks de cow has dat saliva in it. Yo' reach yore han' in dere an' git dat saliva. Carry a rag or sompin wit yo', yo' see.
(The saliva from the cow?)
No de calf's. (Do you get it out of the cow's mouth or get it out of [off] the tits of the cow?) Yes, out [off] de tits from de cow. Yo' put dat on dat rag. If yo' know dis person [man] is goin' away an' is goin' tuh be wit somebody [a woman] dat day, well yo' [a woman] gotta be wit me [him] befo' yo' [he] leave, yo' see. [THE SHIFTING PRONOUNS ARE SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO MANAGE.] Well yo' take dis rag an' when yo' are through, yo' dries 'im wit dat. An' when dey [woman] do dat, dey [the man] will stay dere. [The man will be held there.] Dat's a fact.
Entry 3159
She have a connection wit chew, why he's brought back, from whut dey say. Well, dey tell me dat if she kin have connection wit yuh, dat she'll take de cloth dat she nuse [use] an' bring it back an' fold it tight as she kin. An' de firs' crack dat she find anywhere in de house, she'll pack it in dere. Have it good an' tight. Well, whut she didn't use in dat crack, she'd always keep it twist up an' keep it undah de haid of 'er baid, right where she had tuh lay.
(That would keep him what?)
Dat would keep 'im in wit 'er, make him stay home.
Entry 3160
(You what?)
If yo've had any dealin's wit 'er, yo' kin take an' tie it up an' stick it in de crack of, any crack of 'er house, an' till yo' move dat she'll have dealin's wit yo'. (You have to tie up what?) Jes' take de towel dat yo' an' 'er wipe wit an' stick it in de crack of a house, of any house an' any crack. Ontil yo' move dat yo'll have somepin tuh do wit 'er long as yo' want tuh.
(I see, but it must be in the crack of a house?)
A crack of any house of some kin'. It's in a tight place where yo' have tuh wedge it in.
(That's the only place you can put it?)
Yes, sir.
Entry 3161
Take two match sticks an' two needles, two new needles, an' take dese two needles an' stick 'em each into each end of de match stick. An' take a new piece of thread an' tie it [the 2 matches] in a cross, an' hide it up under yore girl friend's bed or somepin like dat. An' dey say she wouldn't have no courage for no guys or nuthin like dat, an' you could walk right in an' ketch 'em right at de work.
Entry 3162
An' if yo' wanta keep yore man tuh home, don' want 'im tuh go roun' wit nobody, yo' kin take a bran'-new pocket han'chef an' let 'im have intahco'se wit chew, an' dry 'im on dat han'chef an' take an' fole dat han'chef in fo' parts. Yo' know, jes' lak yo' take yore han'chef, a man's han'chef is a real large one. See, yo' take it an' yo' fold it. Don' nevah fold it from yo', always fold it disaway - see, lak dat [demonstrates by folding oppo- site corners of nonexisting handkerchief to her, creating two parallelograms - see later]. An' as yo' fold it, turn it roun' disaway. See, dat's once.
[Informant folds again.]
(Then you fold it to you again, twice.)
Dat's twice, yassuh, an' yo' change it roun' disaway. Dat's three. An' yo' ketch it an' turn it roun' dataway an' fold it back tuh yo' lak dat. Well, dat's fo'. Well, yo' take dat jes' lak yo' see it dere an' put chew a pen [ink] in heah crossways an' put chew needle through it dataway an' put chew a needle in it dat way, an' pens [pins] it right heah. An' it's no way he kin have no one. He may have a strong mind fo' it, but all de same time when he do git dere, hit falls, he cain't do anything.
(In other words, you put a pin across?)
A needle, git chew a gold-eyed needle. [Pin is my mistake from her words put chew a pen [pin] in heah crossways. A needle, not a pin, is pinned crossways.] Git chew fo' gold-eyed needles tuh pin it, de point of dat needle dat way [demonstrates]. Take de othah pointed needle an' set it dataway. See, dat's fo' [four] cornahs; in evah cornah be a needle.
(They are all catercorner; they are all diagonal.)
[Catercorner and diagonal are notations for my use later, not guestions for informant.] Yessuh.
(You have to use four needles so that the point goes to each corner.)
[Informant gives 2 methods for sticking needles in corners - see later.]
Dat's right. [We have here THE MAGIC OF "GEOMETRIC PROGRESSION", specifically a magic rite of increasing squares - in number, not by size. It is also a magic rite based upon the four corners of the earth (see 3126, p.2344). Let me explain it: (1) Spread out a handkerchief so that it lies square - not diamond-shaped - in front of you. Fold the 2 farther corners over to you and lay them on the 2 nearer corners, making 2 oblongs one over the other. (2) Without lifting the once- folded handkerchief, turn it clockwise so that its length extends directly out from you, and for a second time fold it to you, making 4 squares. (3) These 4 squares were not turned clockwise but probably should be to keep the magic in proper revolution. Again fold the 2 farther corners over to you so that they co- incide with the 2 nearer corners, making 8 oblongs. And (4) turn the 8 oblongs clockwise so that its length extends directly out from you, and finally fold the 2 farther corners over to you so that they agree with the 2 nearer corners, mak- ing 16 squares. Our package is now ready to be pinned. These 4 needles can be pinned into the folded handkerchief in 2 ways. Either each pinned-in needle cuts across a corner, making 4 triangles resting on 16 squares, or each needle, point- ing outward or inward, bisects the 90° angle of the corner. If the needles point inward, they help keep the folded-up man inside; if they point outward, they keep possible intruding women outside. And so on ad finitum. For further folding rites in this section, especially triangles, see 3182-3190, p.2356f.]
Entry 3163
(What do they say about that?)
Dey kin use nine needles an' nine pins, too. Dat's de same thing I wus tellin' yo' 'bout wit women in bad work. Get some of dat, yo' know, an' take a little piece... (Well, will you explain the whole thing?) Take a little piece an' get some of dat on dere an' cross dem needles an' pins [in the piece]. Says yo' kin wear dat - say dat will take effect - dat will control a man, too. Co'se I've nevah tried dat.
(Well, what sort of a piece do you take?)
Jes' whatevah kinda piece yo' use, a piece of a towel or anything.
(I see, anything you wipe with. I understand.)
Entry 3164
Well, I got a cousin. Dat ain't no story, dat's truth. An' huh an' huh husban' separated an' she wanted to be wit 'im an' he didn't want to be wit 'uh. Dey separated about anothah woman. So dis woman dressed 'im, had her [the wife] swelled up. (Do you know how she dressed him?) Yes. (You tell me that, then. If there's anything you want to say, I want you to tell me just what happened.) Well, she takes an' washes 'im an' dresses 'im, puts dis stuff on 'im.
(What sort of stuff did she put on him?)
She put dis heah Cuticule Salve an' Montgomery Salve, an' mix it up tuhgethah an' rubbed it on 'im. An' den...
(On his private?)
Yes, rub across 'is private. An' he got it on 'uh [the wife] an' swelled 'uh up, turned 'uh wrongside outwards.
(Turned her wrongside outwards. You mean her womb?)
[I used womb thinking a fallen womb was being described.]
No, sir, dat place down dere where he put it in.
(It turned it [I avoid womb] wrongside out.)
[That was not the end of cousin's trouble!]
[This woman] put cayenne pepper and salt, kerosene and stuff in snuff an' grind it up an' give it tuh mah cousin. Turn 'uh wrongside out, jes' eat 'uh up inside.
(Well, how did she get it in her?)
She give - see, dey all wus workin' tuhgethah, an' she ast huh fo' a bit of snuff. She wus mad wit huh anyway, but she didn't know she wus aftah huh husban'. She ast fo' some snuff an' she give it [in] de stuff, an' it turned huh wrong- side out an' eat it up inside. De doctor say dat snuff eat it up inside. Well, she died. [In a serious case of this sort an M.D. would have been involved - without saying anything about doctored or cunjured snuff. After the woman's death, how- ever, someone would have consulted a root doctor who explained what really had happened. Every believer knows that a Doctor of Medicine could not recognize cunjure. He would call it cancer or somepin othah.]
(That happened right here in Norfolk.)
Not in Norfolk, it was Danville, Virginia.
(Do you come from down that way?)
Yes, sir. Dat's my home, I wus born dere.
Entry 3165
Ah know once.a lady she had taken a - had intahco'se wit 'er husban' an' so she nused a clean white pocket han'chuff, brand-new, had nevah been used. An' she take it an' buried it. (What did she do with that handkerchief? She didn't bury the handkerchief first. What did she do with that, now?) She digs a hole. (No, she doesn't bury the clean handkerchief.) Aftah she nused it wit de intahco'se, she wipe wit it. She kin jes' take dat han'chuff an' bury it, yo' see, an' den put dishwatah on it.
(Where did she bury that?)
At de kitchen windah. An' den yo' take dishwatah where yo' wash de dishes an' throw [through the kitchen window] on it fo' nine mawnin's. See, dat will stop de man from lovin' any woman or havin' any woman but 'er. See, he can't keep no heart up for nobody but her.
Entry 3166
Well, she has a intahco'se wit 'im, an' git dat - de undahpiece whut dey done use. See, prob'ly dey done use dat. Take it an' dey use dat if dey done has intahco'se. Take dat an' put it up dere [points to over the door]. Dey [men] kin come in an' out an' dey kin start tuh have intahco'se, dey cain't do nuthin. (Put it up over the door?) Where dey come in an' out. An' dey'll [it'll] fall evah time dey start in. Dey won' have any luck.
(Who puts it over the door?)
De woman.
(What would she do that for?)
He may be goin' off wit othah women an' she don't want 'im tuh go off, keep 'im from doin' dat.
Entry 3167
Well, if she want 'im stay home, she'll have connections wit 'i, lak dat, an' she wipes 'im off wit a rag, an' take dat rag an' put it ovah de do' where he have tuh come in, where he come in de firs' night, an' he always dere. Won't go out. When he go out tuh work or sompin lak dat, he hurry right back home. Keep 'im home.
Entry 3168
(How would a woman take the nature away from a man?)
She'll take, jes' lak you'd go out an' be wit 'er dat night, she goin' - when yo' an' use de rag at - all right she goin' take dat rag an' she goin' put it - she ain't goin' wipe huhself off wit it, eithah wash huhself off wit it. She goin' let yo' wash off wit it. An' when yo' throw de rag down, she goin' stoop down an' git it an' yo' ain't goin' know whut. Yo' might not know whut she be gittin'. Well, when yo' know anythin' she'll have de rag back tuh de house. Lak some night she'll be gwine off tuh be wit a woman or somepin an' yo' might have good nature whilst she gone, an' jes' at de minute dat chew walks out an' git off wit anothah woman, why yo' ain't got no nature atall. She'll take dat rag, an' dat stuff be on de rag which yo' have used wit 'er, an' she'll put some salt in it an' put it up ovah de do'. An' evah time yo' go out de house, gwine out tuh have anothah woman, dat's goin' tuh kill yore nature.
(That is if you walk out under it?)
Yes. Ain't no diff'rence had it at de front do' an' back do' an' yo' cain't miss it. Yo' gotta go out one of de do's. An' when yo' go out dat do', gwine tuh huh, yo' ain't goin' tell 'er nuthin about it. Yo' know, yo' gwine out tuh have a woman. Yo' jes' slippin' out de do', yo' know, wit huh dat night. Well, when yo' go out tuh go wit huh, an' jes' as yo' an' huh git in de baid, dere ain't nuthin yo' kin do.
Entry 3169
A simple thing. Ah's been did dat way by mah wife. Lak she go on an' have connection wit yo', see. Well, now, aftah yo' git through, take an' wash, yo' undahstan' an' she takes any kinda cloth whut yo' might dry wit, takes an' puts it in any kinda can, a coffee can or eithah a glass, somepin small lak a can, an' puts it ovah de roof of de do' an' let it stay dere. Well, where a man don't pay no 'tenshun tuh it lak dat. An' whensomevah he goes back tuh de same place where he jes' came from, dat othah girl, well he cain't even git up no courage fo' her. He'll be jes' as soft as when he git through. Jes' as long as she keep dat in de can, he can't.
(He can't do anything.)
Entry 3170
Well, she git a bran'-new pocket han'schef, or eithah a bran'-new piece of white homespun, an' when he'd have a intahco'se wit 'er, she'd let 'im use dis cloth. She take dis cloth an' set it up ovah de do' facin', an' he can't raise a heart [for other women].
Entry 3171
[Many examples of this rite are given elsewhere.] Ah heah how tuh make anybody love dem. Ah heah dey take dey han'chief an' make dem take it firs' an' yo' take it nex'. An' put it undah yore do'step, an' yo' kin keep dat dere an' dat makes 'em love yo'.
Entry 3172
[There are many examples of this magic rite elsewhere.]
Evah time jes' when he start to deal up wit 'em, some of dese broad wise one dey takes, instead of yo' wipin', dey wipes it, pulls it down. Dey don't pull it uP, pull it down, an' den yore horn will stay down. When yo' git aroun' anythin lak dat it will curl up like a grubworm, instead of goin' in. (That's all they have to do then, just wipe it?) Some of 'em will take an' wipe it off, yo' know, an' dey will pull it down an' make wishes an' stuff lak dat an' it will stay down.
Entry 3173
(Cut the seat out of his drawers?) Where his private lay, yo' know, whilst he's dressin' yo' know - jis' whutevah side it lay on, cut dat off an weah it aroun' dey waist on dis cord.
(What will that do?)
Dat would keep 'im from foolin' wit anybody...any time he'd git tuh...
Entry 3174
[This belief is found everywhere, despite the few examples here. See elsewhere in HOODOO.] If yo' go tuh have a intahco'se wit a girl, if dere's anythin' wrong Wit her, yo' take yore han' right ovah heah, 'fore yo' start anythin' wit er, she up an' gone.
(What do you put on her?)
De wax out chure ear, take it an' put it on dere an' she's gone.
(She can't stand that.)
Entry 3175
Takin' de [ear] wax 'fore yo' have any connection wit 'er an' de wax she says, very well, see, an' if she have anythin', any kinda bad disease, undah- stan', de moment time yo' touch 'er, she jealous [nervous], she cain't stan' any- thin', jis' as if yo' stick 'er wit a pin.
The informant conditionally discusses 'any kinda bad disease' in an ear-wax account; the described reaction is a reported belief, not a diagnosis.
Entry 3176
If she has some disease, yo' kin take earwax an' jes' grease yo'self, an de minute yo' start in an' evahthin', dat disease...
(The woman will yell or something of that sort?)
[I am not prompting; informant is repeating something not taken down.]
Yes.
Entry 3177
Tuh tell whethah woman has bad disease, rub 'er privates wit yore ear- wax, sets 'er on fire.
Entry 3178
Dey say yo' kin take somepin [cloth or] stick an' put it in 'is year [ear] an' get wax outa his year, an' play wit 'er an' he fin' dat burn 'er an sting 'er so dat she can [have a bad disease].
Disease is an editorial completion in a reported burning/stinging account. Neither a disease type nor a verified bodily effect is established.
Entry 3179
De mens say dey use earwax tuh put on a woman so she cain't have a connection wit de men. [This belief is similar yet different from the preceding earwax beliefs. Only a catalogue of earwax statements in HooDOO and other sources would indicate the frequency and territory of the latter rite.]
Entry 3180
Den yo' kin take de towel, yo' undahstan' whut ah'm talkin' about now, an' use dat an' yo' take a fat-lightah chip about so high, 'bout a foot hight, an' wrap dat towel up on dat chip, an' git a piece of new homespun cloth an' band on dat, an' dig a deep hole up undahneat' de front do'step. See, dat's de way yo' want 'im tuh go in. An' stob it down dere an' covah it up. An' evah time yo' go on in an' out dat house yo' go right ovah dat, an' yo'll nevah go wit nobody but dat one woman. Dat's a one-woman man an' yo' ain't goin' have no courage fo' no one but dat one woman.
Entry 3181
Den aftah she git back to yo', yo' takes an' goes anywhere an' git a fish. Yo' takes de gill of dat fish - de gill of dat fish an' yo' take 'is gall an' de livah [3 parts] of de fish. Yo' take it an' yo' parch it - de FISH gill, livah an' gall - tuhgethah as a dust. When she gits back, yo' got it all fixed up but have it kinda in lak a sponge - do lak dat [demon- strates], in a sponge. Well, whilst yo' playin' wit 'er lak dat, regardless of what kinda clothes she be in - if she be in 'er night clothes, OR GOT ON OR'NARY CLOTHES LAK YO' GOT ON YO' NOW - yo' jis' take it lak yo' playin' wit 'er an' touch 'er lak dat wit it an' sprinkle some of dat dust on 'er. [For heart, liver and gall of fish, see cure for blindness, 1256, p.439 from Book of Tobit in Apocrypha (6:1-4; 11:10-14).]
(Any place on her?)
Anywhere on 'er. Yo' jis' 'noint it. She wouldn't have no kinda mind of leavin' yo' or bein' worried wit nobody else but yo'.
(That's to keep her after she comes back?)
Aftah she comes back.
Entry 3182
An' den ag'in ah heard 'em say dat if yo' want chure husban' or yore frien', eithah one, if he's goin' wit anothah woman an' yo' wanta break 'im up from foolin' wit 'er. De way yo' do, yo' an' 'im, whenevah yo an' 'im have intahco'se, yo' see, yo' take one end of dis new piece of homespun an' aftah yo' - yo' wipe wit one end an' she wipe wit one end, an' take dis piece of homespun an' fold it tuh yo' all de time, an' den Wear it, pin it aroun' jure waist, an' dat will stop 'im from havin' anythin' tuh do wit any woman excep' chew. He can't do it tuh save his life.
Entry 3183
Dey say dat's when yo' have intahco'se wit someone. Dey take a linen pocket han'scuff, an' say, yo' fol' dat linen pocket han'scuff three times, an' yo'press dat pocket han'scuff wit a hot iron an' bury it right up undah de steps an' dey say dat he won't have anythin' to do wit no one but yo'. See, evah time he would try, hit would, yo' know, hit would fail on 'im - he couldn't do anythin' but wit dat woman. Dey uses dat han'scuff, don' choo know, evah...
(On one, or on both of them?)
On 'im, see. She jis' use it on 'i, see.
(Then she folds it?)
Folds it an' presses it.
(I see.)
An' den buries it undah de steps right where he have to go ovah.
Entry 3184
Maybe, say yo' had a woman an' yo' wuz jealous. Yo' couldn't do lak yo' wanted tuh do wit 'er. Evahwhere yo'd go, somewhere she'd squabble an' fuss. Well, now, de way yo' wanta do dat. Jes' lak yo'd have a intahco'se wit 'er or sompin, yo' git a bran'-new towel an' den when yo'all wipe, wipe in de middle of dat towel an' den fold it.
[Informant evidently produced a handkerchief.]
(Show me with the handkerchief.)
Take de towel jes' lak dis, jes' de centah dat chew wipe wit, an' take dat towel an' fold it dis way [demonstrates]. (You fold one-fourth of it [oblong towel] to the middle, away from you; then a fourth of it away from you, bring it to you to the center.) Yes, dis way; to yo' ag'in dis way.
(Then you fold it over again, fold it three times.)
[The towel is folded into 5 oblongs.]
Yes. Well, dat keeps de air from it, see. Well, now yo' take dat an' pin it right aroun' yore wais' dis way, see. Wear dat aroun' yore wais', an' when yo' goin' take a bath or at night take it off, put it where nobody cain't find it or git to it. Put dat aroun' yore wais' an' wear it fo' five days. At de end of dat five days yo' kin bring de woman in de house an' yo' kin do anythin' yo' wanta an' he won't say anythin'.
Entry 3185
Take an' git some of 'is nature yo' know, when she have anythin' to do wit 'im. Have a clean cloth. Take a clean cloth an' use dat, but chew don't have connection wit 'im. Take dat cloth an' fold it fo' times. Fold it one time dis way, an' den fold it dat way. Fold it dis way an' fold dis end in. An' put it [demonstrates]. (You fold that handkerchief [I describe informant's actions]. You fold it to you one fold. Then you come to this other end and fold it the other way, and you fold it again in the middle, and you fold this other side in the middle. That's four folds. You make two [by folding top to you, then folding bottom away from you, making 3 oblongs] and then fold them over [fold the 3 oblongs, left side to right past center, right side to left past center, creating 9 squares and you have a tick-tack-toe design.].) Dat's right, den yo' put it in de middle of de bed undah de Eattress. [For another folding 4 times, see 3162, p.2352.]
Entry 3186
Or jes' lak yo' be wit 'im an' yo' love 'im. Yo' don't want 'im go out. Keep 'im from havin' othah women. Yo' git a bran'-new pocket han'scuff an' yo' be wit 'im. Yo' let 'im use dat han'- scuff an' yo' full it wit salt an' roll de fo' cornahs to yo', an' bury it undahneat' chure steps. He goin' bring dat money home when yo' git 'im lak dat.
(He isn't going out with other women.)
He ain't goin' bothah wit 'em, he cain't.
(That's the way you take his nature away from him then?)
Yes. [Brunswick, Ga., (1201), 2016: lla.]
Entry 3187
Well, if a woman wants a man, an' don' wan' 'im tuh run roun' wit no othah woman, well if she have anythin' tuh do wit 'im, see. When dey git through she takes a white - clean pocket han'chef - see, an' wipe 'in on it, an' den she takes it an' she folds it six ways. She goes up- town an' gits 'er a bunch of safety pins an' she puts nine pins in dat han'chef an' bury it undah de steps. Well, he can't be wit no othah woman but dat woman.
(Show me how she puts them six ways?)
See, she take de han'chef - lak it's fo' cornahs, an' she fold it dis way an' she fold it dat way. Den she brings it dis way, den she bring it dat way. Dat's five ways. Den she bring it back ovah tuhgethah. Dat makes it de last, see. An' she buries it undah de steps.
Entry 3188
If a man runnin' aroun' an' a woman wanta stop 'i, cut 'im completely off where he won't have no nature, know whut chew do. She act sweet wit 'im, go to bed wit 'im tull he discharge a little. She don't do nothin', she fool wit 'im [fools him], yo' see. All right, she takesdat rag an' she fold it three times to her. She take a hot smooth- in' iron an' put on it an' leave dat set dere fer about thirty minutes. She take it up an' she fold it ag'in - she folds it three times firs'. All right, an' she leave dat iron set dere 'bout thirty minutes. She take an' fold it three mo' times to her an' leave dat iron set dere ag'in. Den she take it an' put it, hid it somewhere in de mattress or eithah hide it somewhere he gotta sleep. He cain't do nothin. Evah time he go out, he jes' go jes' lak
[demonstrates with a falling gesture].
Entry 3189
A man kin have intahco'se wit 'is wlfe or eithah 'is girl frien', see, an' she don't wan' 'im to run aroun'. He may be constantly doin' dese thin's. An' she take dis han'kechef or dis cloth whut she, yo' know, dry huhself off wit an' make a triangle of it, see, an' always fold de ends to her. See, an' fold it careful an' put it in de bottom of 'er trunk an' let it stay dere. An' 'er husban' will natural- ly be broke off havin' contact wit de womens - runnin' roun'.