Browse:COURT CASES (Volume 4, entries 8949–9177)/Part 2
COURT CASES
Volume 4, entries 8949–9177. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 9029
Ah see whut it done an' done fo' me, but den yo' has a word tuh speak tuh it. If yo' wanta git dat, nuthin but gunpowdah, sulphur, aftah yo' git dat nest. Yo' git de sulphuh an' bluestone an' den dirt daubah out de nest an' dat black pep- pah. An' yo' make a good pow- dahs an' yo' kin sprinkle it anywhere roun' dere, jes' where de judge an' all de rest gotta come in ovah. When dey come inside of dat do' dere, an' dey walk ovah dere, dat settle it. Dat fur as ah know 'bout dat. An' ah've seen dat happen.
Entry 9030
Take his name and write it, the judge's name, [and] the district at- torney's name and all the high peoples names there. An' yo' write their name an' put it into yore left shoe, with that cinnamon, sugar an' steel dust, an' that sweeten 'em up. Put it in yore left shoe when yo' go in the courthouse. An' as yo' go in there, yo' cross yore fingers three times an' call their names.
(You do what with these fingers?)
Cross your fingers three times.
(Snap your fingers?)
Yeah, three times.
Entry 9031
Well, dey say tuh git a person's shoes, dey always say burnt shoes is good luck. Burn 'em anywheres right in yo' wash-pot in de yard or anywhere in yore house. Burnin' yo' shoes is good. But dey say de shoes is good fo' good luck, dey is good also fo' bad luck, 'cuz if yo' wanta do sompin fo' a person what- somevah yo' goin' do tuh 'em - jes' lak now, say a person uptown in de jailhouse. Well, now, yo' wanta git dat person outa jail. Or in fact, yo' wanta addle de judge an' evah'thin' dere [where] he tryin' 'im. Well, yo' take all dose judge names [officials concerned] an' yo' write 'em on a piece of papah. Yo' take yore gunpowdah an' de sulphuh an' de red peppah, an' yo wrop dat up in dose people names. Yo' stick dat down in de man's [client's] shoe an' yo' turn it bottomside upwards an' yo' burn dat. While yo' shoe burnin', yo' put yore han' tuhgethah tight, lak dis Way [demonstrates] lock yore fingahs tight.
(You interlock your fingers?)
Yes, an' yo' make yore wishes tuhwards he comin' free. Well, dey say dat will free a man.
Entry 9032
De nex' thing, tuh mah idea, whut's good, take some of yore fingah- nails. Trim yore fingahnails off. Go tuh some watah an' git dat daid skin undah yore feet. Scrape it down. Put it in sompin an' let it dissolve fo' nine days. Den take dat an' strain it. Have it in watah, an' jes' lak de jedge would have a sep'rate pitcher he drink out of, put dat ovah dere in his pitcher. Jes' lak yo' de jedge of de co't, put dat in yore pitcher. See, de chance is de co't goes up dere soon an' dey have evah-thing lined up, de jedge an' de jury. Put sompin in [the pitchers of] both of 'em. Ah'm de crim'nal. Ah'm de crim'nal, yo' know, an' yo' goin' try tuh send me tuh de chain gang. Git tuh arguin' on dat thing. Aftah while dey gits sorry fo' yuh. Things is workin' mah way. Whut chew want 'em tuh [do, that will do it]. Yo' couldn't do it. Simple things whut ah learnt wit de business [of being a hoodoo doctor].
Entry 9033
They can take a fish, yes sir. An' they can lay that out - that's fo' a court scrape, too. They take that fish an' put it between a lOO pounds of ice yo' know an' stick that full of needles an' pins on the ice, if a person is against yo' in the court house. They can't do nuthin, they can't talk against yo'. Any kind of a fish, so it's a fish. But have the fish live, like when yo' put it on the ice. An' nine needles an' nine pins in there, an' their name under that fish, an' put that ice on top of it. No, they can't talk because yo' see that chills the tongue. Some people use a fish an' some people use a beef tongue [For frozen beef tongue rites, see Nos.8961-8976, Pp.3637-3643, v.4.]
Entry 9034
Ah know a whole lot mo' about de frog. Yo' take a frog an' yo' take a cigarette papah an' yo' pinch out de papah, an' yo' put on dere whut chew want dis frog [called toadfrog later] tuh do: tuh bring Carrie back home or declare Carrie in co't or somepin lak dat. An' yo' take dis toadfrog be round dere [the nearby toadfrog], ole toadfrog. An' yo' take dis cig- arette papah an' make a ball, an' yo' put dis in dis frog mouth. An' if yo' goin' tuh co't, or yo' goin' an' want Carrie back home, yo' take dis frog an' put it undah where Carrie is stayin'. An' if yo' goin' tuh co't, yo' put de frog tuh de step [of the house where Carrie is staying] befo' co't, or have someone tuh do it. An' take 'im in a papah bag an' drop 'im down, on de can [if you carry the frog in a can], an' walk on an' don't look back, an' go out: 'bout chure business, an' Carrie will come home, or yo'll come cleah in co't.
(You make her go to court, you mean?)
No, ah mean, fo' instance Carrie has got a case in co't, fightin' [arrested for fighting] or somepin lak dat, an' dey got a whole lotta knives on Carrie [instead of a sword, knives are hanging over her head]. An' yo' git a frog an' yo' make dis [cigarette-paper] pill, an' yo' put it in his mouth an' put de frog tuh de step. Dat's fo' de co't. Den, if yo' wanta bring Carrie back home. Carrie is staying somewhere else an' she left yo'. Yo' take dat same frog an' yo' put it on dis papah an' yo' put it in 'is mouth, an' yo' walk by dis stoop late hours in de night an' between de hours of nine an' eleven-thirty. Jes' lak she stayin' heah, yo' put chure package undah de stoop whut chure frog would be in - in dis bag or in dis can or how yo' have 'im. Don't kill de frog. An' den yo' go on an' don't look back an' dat frog will bring er home tuh yo'. She'll come back home to yo'. Dat's anothah one - see, de co't an' de woman.
Entry 9035
In fact, dere used tuh be a ole fellah roun' heah - he wuz a bad fel- lah, bad principle, an' 'is mothah believe in dat. An' ah've often see 'er - she'd go off in de night, she's daid now, she died in Richmond. But ah'ye seen dat fo' a posi- tive fac', she'd go off an' she'd come back, when 'er son would be in trouble, an' she'd have dat. Ah couldn't sweah dat it's graveyard dirt, yo' undahstan', but it would look dat Way. An' she'd be stirrin', mixin' it. Whether she mixin' it tuh git 'im outa trouble, ah don' know.
Entry 9036
(That's for bottlegging?)
Yeah. He took - dis [root] woman was workin' on it, had powdah, two kindza [kinds of] powdah, Hearts Cologne powdah ah think an' some kinda body powdah, black peppah, an' two strands of 'is hair. An' taken it, when de judge was talkin' tuh 'er, yo' know, askin' 'er questions about: 'im. She wanted tuh talk tuh 'im an' she slipped dat in 'is inside coat pocket. An' dey tried it [his case] first, an' dey turned dat ovah [postponed it] until de nex' time. De nex' time dey decided - de judge jis' couldn't git hisself tuhgethah, yo' know, an' all dat. [For trying a case like this first and postponing it, See Doctor Washington of Charleston, working on a bootlegging case, No.9024.] Well, she put all dat whut wuz in dere tuhgethah. Well, she went an' she fixed it all again [see Washington again!]. An'.she took it dis time an' she put de hair an' de black peppah, an' dis heah soda in dere. An' she went an' saw de judge comin' out de do', yo' know, an' taken de ink out of a bottle an' dropped three drops of dat in his track an' picked it up an [put] dat intuh it, an' den slipped dat in dere. An' dey wuz fixin' tuh give 'im light time, an' he come completely cleah.
(This fellow was bootlegging when they arrested him?)
An' he wuz bootleggin'.
(And some root woman did this for him?)
Yes.
Entry 9037
Dead person dust offa dem [off their graves]. Dey use dat fo' re- leasin' people from chain gangs.
(How do they use that?)
Jes' slip it tuh de person in - it's dust - in a papah or somepin. An' evah- where dat dey kin git a chance of stirrin' aroun' in de prison or at de [chain gang] camps, dey sprinkles it. In a few days somebody'll come fo' 'im. Yo' see, tuh releas- ed 'im, pay 'im out or released him some way.
Entry 9038
If yo' have a case in co't an' dey kin git dat an' put it aroun' dere sometime an' - roun' de co'thouse, if dat dey have been in jail. An' go tuh de graveyard an' git dirt, graveyard dirt, an' put it around dere, de co'thouse an' he will come out.
Entry 9039
Well, now, in a lawsuit or sompin lak dat, chew go tuh a graveyard an' dig down in dere jes' 'bout jes' as deep as yo' kin reach down in dere wit de arm, an' git dat befo' co't. An' if yo' git a chance tuh go in dere, sprinkle some of it aroun' down where de judge sits. An' in de lawsuit - if yo' steal somepin or somepin lak dat - yo' be lucky in dat case.
Entry 9040
Yo' kin take dat - yo' go tuh de graveyard cert'in hours at night an' yo' kin dig down dere an' git dat dirt. An', jes' lak dey goin' have me fo' trial - ah done killed somebody, see. Well, dey might bon' [bond] me out. Ah'll go tuh de graveyard a certain time of night an' ah'll run mah han' down an' git a cert'in class of dat dirt. An' ah take dat dirt an' jes' when dey goin' have co't dat mawnin', ah git in wit de jon'ter [janitor] of de co't; yo' know, de fellah whut cleans up. Well, when ah git dere wit 'im ah'm gwine jes' - ah'm goin' he'p 'im clean up. Well, fast as we sweep up an' clean up, ah've got dat li'le graveyard dirt, ah jes' git roun' dere an' sprinkle it all roun' de judge stand, all roun' de haid jury- man stan'. See. Ah done he'p 'im clean up an' den throw mah li'le dang 'um dust dey calls it.
(What kind of dust?)
Dey call it de li'le dang 'um dust. [Dang used to mean damn. This is God daorn 'em dust!] So ah be done throw dat aroun' dere. Well, now, when de co't come off, ah'm not uneasy, 'cuz ah know de judge can't do nuthin wit me.
The informant describes a hypothetical trial and calls the grave dirt 'dang 'um dust'. '[bond]' and '[janitor]' are editorial glosses; Hyatt's following explanation of the dust's name is distinct from the speech.
Entry 9041
All right now, if yo' wanta he'p a person dat is in jail. If yo' kin git some graveyard dirt, yo' supposed tuh git dat from as neah de haid as yo' could. Wal, jes' lak if ah wus in jail an' yo's goin' work fo' me, yo' would wanta walk aroun de jailhouse, yo' know, sif'in' a little - jes' sif' it a little aroun'.
(A little of this dirt?)
A little of dis dirt. Wal, if yo' could git into de co'troom yo'd wanta sif' a little. Wal, in case, in time of co't ah wouldn't have no - so many enemies. Yo' see? But hit sompin else yo' supposed tuh do wit dat graveyard dirt dat ah really don' know whut it is.
Entry 9042
Yo' kin go tuh de cemetery. Yo' have tuh go by yo'self an' carry jes' two or three grain of cawn [corn rare as payment] or two or three cent. An' run yore han' fur enough down in dere to tech de casket, tuh git de dirt, an' put dem pen- nies down in dere. An' when yo' put dem pennies down in dere, tell 'em, jes' say, "Ah want chew tuh do sech-an'-sech a thing. Ah want chew tuh git mah husban' outa trouble, or mah brothah outa trouble, " or somepin othah lak dat, if dey in trou- ble. An' when it time fo' trial dey'll come cleah. Yo' take dat graveyard dirt an' sprinkle it all roun' de co'thouse, all aroun' de jailhouse, or jes' where- somevah he at.
Entry 9043
Ah've heard dat people take graveyard dirt an' ball it up good an' wrop roun'. De sun rise - de sun set on dis side, roun' dis way [demonstrates]. Lak yo' be in prison an' ah'd fix dis [ball of graveyard dirt] fo' yo', an' if ah kin git tuh slip it intuh yo', why yo' kin be released. Dat brings de co't in yo' [in your favor], yo' see. (What do you wrap that with?) Any kind of a white cord thread [demonstrates] right roun' dis way an' dataway aroun'.
(As the sun rises, from the east to the south to the west.)
From de east, yes sir, right around [auto horn] dis way. An' yo' wrop it down good an' slip it tuh de person in prison. Tell dem dat will release dem.
[The package is wrapped sunwise or clockwise.]
(Just wrap it up in a little package.)
Entry 9044
Go tuh a cemetery where yo' nevah been dere befo' in yore life, 'way off by yo'- self an' git yo' [this dirt]. Yo' reach down an' pull up a handful of sand an', put it in yore pocket. An' yo' put dis dirt in yore pocket an' yo' git ready - lak yore case come off tuhmahah, well, yo' be dere. Lak yo' say, "Now mah case will be called." Yo' be in co't tuhmahah at ten aclock. Jes' have it dere in yore pocket. Have yo' a hole in dere an' yo' go all ovah dat place an' jes' throw dat dirt. MAH DADDY KILLED HIS WIFE [not informant's mOther] JES' HEAH - WELL, IT"S BEEN ABOUT THREE YEAHS AGO AN', AN' MAH DADDY WUS A FREE MAN UNTIL HE DIED ON DE NINTH OF DIS MONTH, AN' AH DIDN'T EVEN DO NUTHIN BUT USE DAT DUST. Jes' throW dat dust all round. Dat's right, dis graveyard dirt. Dat's all yo' have tuh do.
Entry 9045
Yo' kin take graveyard dirt an' tote it in yore pocket. In othah words if yo' kill somebody an' tote dis graveyard dirt in yore pocket, git it offa someone else's grave. Don' git it offa dey grave, see. In othah words, yo' kin git it offa - an' de iudge cannot sentence yo', if yo' have graveyard dirt off someone else grave, becuz it breaks de spirit, see. [If murderer took dirt from victim's grave, victim's spirit in this dirt would pursue; dirt from another person's grave protects murderer from victim's spirit and also does his bidding in court.] In othah words he [judge] won't condemn de case.
Entry 9046
All right, if yo' have any relatives, any good fren's dat are daid, yo' go to de cemetery an' run yuh han' in de centah of de grave. Jis' lak dey buried chere [demonstrates], dat's de haid an' dis de feet. Yo' run yore right hand in an' run it up towards his haid. Yo' take dat out an' yo' take it home, an' put it in de stove an' let it dry good. Aftah yo' let it dry good, yo' put it in a hans'cuff. Aftah yo' put it in de hans'cuff, yo' walk in de co'thouse an' yo' dust wit it, an' den de judge can't do nuthin but turn yo' loose. [Center of grave is a quincunx rite.]
Entry 9047
Yo' take graveyard dirt - jes' lak if yo' had a son or sompin in jail an' he's tuh be tried. Well, yo' go tuh de graveyard an' yo' git chew some graveyard dirt. Well, all right, say, "Now mah son's trial comin' off tuhmahrah." Well, all right, yo' go tuh de graveyard an' yo' reach down in a person's grave dat yo' well know, an' call 'is name three times, an' git graveyard dirt. Carry it home. When yo' go in de co'thouse, yo walks right in an' as yo' walk have it somewhere in yore pocket, where it kin jes' kinda sprinkle down on de flo' as yo' walk. As yo' sprinkle it all around on de flo', take yore hand an' rub ovah yore face three time.
(Take your hand and rub over your face three times.)
Three times. Rub ovah three times. Well, now, when dey call dis case up, de jedge can't convict 'im whatevah. He have tuh eithah dismiss de case [or] nol pros de case, fo' dere's no conviction be brought.
Entry 9048
When yo' go down 'fō' de jedge.
(For any kind of crime.)
Yeah, fo' any kinda crime. Well, now, yo' go down. Dey might 'rest [arrest] chuh, put chew in jail. Well, now if yo's in jail, if yo' kin git some of yore frien's, says, "Well, all right, '' says, "ah'm in jail. Now ah wan' chew tuh he'p me." "Well, all right, ah'll he'p yuh." Well, now, yore frien' will go tuh work - if he's a frien' tuh yuh, he'll go tuh work. He'll go tuh de graveyard an' he'll go tuh a pusson dat don' belongs tuh de church atall. He'd know his grave. He'd go dere an' tell 'im jes' so, he'll speak a word to 'im, he says: God, de Fathah; God, de Son; God, de Holy Ghost; three in one. Says, "Now, mah fren' is in jail an' ah want chew tuh turn 'im loose." Well, now, when he come back, he'll come back wit some graveyard dirt. An' when he come wit dat graveyard dirt de day his fren's trial is, he'll be dere, he goin' be right dere. An' whenevah dey calls his frien' on de witness stand, he gits up an' ast de jedge, May he speak tuh 'im befo' dey call 'im up. Quite nachural, dey'll 'low [allow] 'im a chance tuh speak. Well, when he go dere an' speak, whilst he's standin' dere, he's slippin' dirt tuh 'im, yo' see, he'll git right close up tuh 'im. If he can't git it tuh 'im in 'is han', he'll put it somewhere on his clothes where hit'll fall on de flo'. Right where it fall on de flo', yo' see, when he come tuh trial dat's nol pros.
The informant names graveyard dirt in an account claiming a 'nol pros' trial outcome. The grave's freshness and the claimed result are not established.
Entry 9049
Take graveyard dirt an' mix it wit ashes, an' if yo' got a case in co't, mix [mix] dis wit ashes, an' when yo' go tuh de co'thouse, sprinkle it befo' de do'. Take graveyard dirt an' mix it wit ashes, an' when yo' start in co't sprinkle it befo' de do'.
Entry 9050
Yo' go tuh a little bitta baby grave 'way in de night, a little infant, an' yo' git - yo' take one cent an' pay de baby one penny. An' take - yo' run yore arm 'way down in de round 'bout fur as yore elbow, an' git some sand up an' bring it on out. An' yo' know gunshell powdah. Yo' put gunshell powdah in dere an' put some sulphur in dere an' mix it up. An' jes' lak befo' trial in co't, yo' go an' sprinkle it an' say: Ah'm doin' dis In de Name of de Fathah an' in de Son an' in de Holy Ghost. An' be dogged if he won't come clāh. Ah know fo' mahself.
(That really worked.)
Ah mean it.
Entry 9051
Dey go tuh de graveyard an' dey gits dat dirt, if yo' got a case in co't. Ah have done seen it tried. An' yo' git all dat dirt up tuhgethah, yo' see, an' yo' brings it home. An' yo' takes it an' pound it an' put sulphur wit it, an' pound it all tuhgethah. An' go tuh co't wit it an' hold it in yore hands lak dat. An' when de trial comes up, de trial come up, dey'll dismiss it.
[Informant has been wrapping this mixture in a handkerchief.]
(They put it in that handkerchief and wrap it up. When they get to court they just keep it in their handkerchief.) Kin jes' keep it in dere han'ke'ch'ef an' evah once in a while jes' shake it lak dat. Dey don' know whut yo' doin' yo' see.
Entry 9052
Well, yo' kin git - jes' lak if de law ketch yo' an' yo' git out on a bond. Yo' wanta go down an' be dismissed. Yo' kin git a piece of red flannel. Yo' kin git chew some sulphuh an' git a little bit of grave- yard dirt. An' when yo' go in de co'thouse dat mawnin', have jes' a little in dat red flannel, an' jes' sprinkle it roun' de co'thouse.
(That all you have to do?)
Yes sir, sprinkle it right roun' in de co'thouse.
(And then yo'll get off?)
Yes sir.
Entry 9053
Now, sometimes in case yo' in trouble, yo' take it an' put it in yore shoe - weah it in yore shoe.
(This graveyard dirt?)
Yes sir. Take it an' po' [pour] it in dere loose in yore shoe, graveyard dirt an' sul- phur, mix it tuhgethah. Now, dat in case yo' got in trouble, or eithah, yo' know, jes' lak if somebody break prison or sompin dat kind. Now, dey use it fo' dat.
Entry 9054
Dis same talcum ah wus speakin' of - same talcum powdah.
(Eve-and-Adam?)
Dis Eve-an'-Adam an' talcum powdah. Gits a little of dis graveyard dirt [from east side of graveyard] an' make yuh a powdah. Fine sand dat graveyard dirt. Git a little da'k dirt so it'll turn kinda grayish-lak, so it will look lak a little trash in yuh pocket. Go up tuh de judge's stand an' take a little in yuh hand lak dat, an' sprinkle it around an' spit in yuh hand. Yo' got dat Eve-an'-Adam juice, spit in yuh hand an' watch dat judge right in 'is eye all de time. Keep yah eye on 'im, hypatize [hypnotize] 'im in a way so dat he gon'a be light on yuh, mo' 'an [than] apt tuh dismiss yuh all de time.
Entry 9055
Yo' take de vine, de bramboo vine.
(Is that like a fishing pole?)
[I am asking, is that a bamboo?)
Yes, but it's got thorns on it, bramble vine, an' de devil horseshoe string [devil's-shoestring]. An' take dem two pieces an' put it in a glass, an' put three spoonsful of salt in dere wit it, an' a few reesins [raisins] whut growed on de vine - like yo' buy 'em out de store on a vine [unstemmed raisins]. An' put 'em in dat glass 'bout fulla watah an' put it undah yore baid an' sleep ovah it. Den git up de nex' mawnin' an' take, throw de watah out de sunrise, an' take reesins out an' cast some of dem on yuh an' take de othahs an' de two roots an' carry 'em to de graveyard an' bury 'em. An' dey tell me dat dey won't git a trial an' dey turn 'em loose free. (What are the names of these two roots now that you put in there?) [Machine stopped too soon for answer already given.]
Entry 9056
Yo' take de haid [board] an' put it tuh de foot [of the grave]. Dat's suppose when yuh in a li'le trouble. Dey claim dat jis' lak yo's in trouble, de judge will clar yuh or turn yuh loose. Yo' go dere [to the graveyard] an' change de haid [board] an' foot [board]. Take de haid one an' put it at foot of dat 'un [one], an' put de othah [the footboard] here [at the head of the grave].
Entry 9057
Ef somebody's against [you], yo' gotta meet a co't, yo' go tuh de graveyards an' yo' turn de haidbo'd tuh foot [and footboard to head - see HEAD BOARD AND FOOTBOARD, PP 3340-3348, vol.4 and else- where] an' say, "Ah will change yore min' tuhnight." Yo' have tuh do it in de night: Ah'll change yore min' tuhnight, ah'll change yore haid tuh yore foots. Dat's changin' yore min' tuh somepin else. See, tuhwards joo'. An' yo' call de person name. Say, "Ah'm goin' change yore min'." Ef yore name is John or somepin othah, "John Henry, '' say, "ah'll change yore min' tuhnight; ah'll change yore haid tuh yore feet [despite preceding foots]. An' yo' change de footbo'd tuh de haid, an' yo' go down at de haid as fur as yore arm kin reach from heah [usually elbow] down. An' yo' git some dirt from out dere. Yo' take dat out, two han'fuls an': throw it tuh- wards de nō'th. Den yo' take a piece of papah, white papah, an' yo' write 'is name on it an' yo' set dat papah afire, say, "Dead [dead person], work! Evah- thin' yo' do or try tuh do, yo' must be mah fren'." An' yo' set dat afire an' yo' covah de hole back up, an' walk off an' don' look back.
(You burn that in the hole?)
In de hole an' walk off. Don' look back, jes' keep on. An' he can't come against yo' in co't. He'll have tuh be yore fren'.
Entry 9058
Well, anybody in jail git dat graveyard dirt an' a red onion, an' let dem sleep wit it undah dere haid dat night. Nex'l mawnin' turn dere clothes wrongsides out an' put it on, an' put dat graveyard dust in dey shoe. An' dey come cleah. Dey can't fine 'em, don't care whut dey do. It's de spirits [in the graveyard dirt] is worryin' de judge.
(Now, that night, you put that graveyard dirt under you in something?)
Yo' puts dat onion - undahstand, sleep dat night in de jailhouse. Yo' git up an' turn yore clothes wrongside outahs [outwards] an' pin dat onion on yo', an' sprinkle dat graveyard dust in shoe. Undahstan'? An' dey can't try yo' cuz de daid folks is worryin' 'em.
Entry 9059
If dey tryin' 'im fo' murdah, if she kin git a piece of de man's clothes dat chew killed, any part of his clothes, his undahclothes, dat has his prespira- tion [perspiration] on it, weah it nex' tuh yours. An' keep a Bible an' read de Ten Commandments lak ah tole yo', see. An' den, if yo' got somebody's comin' tuh see yuh, if yo' kin git chure- self a five-cent package[!] of rice, take dat rice an' mix it wit salt, an' go tuh de grave- yard an' git chure sand an' put it in it. Give some tuh dis fellah dat's in jail, in a package; an' de rest of it, yo' take as dey come in, come intuh de co'troom. Yo' have some in yore hand an' count nine, an' as yo' counts at each one of de counts yo' drops some, an' when yo' git tuh de ninth count, drop it all. Jis' do yore hand lak dat [opens hand] an' let it all fall. (Just open your hand and let it all fall. And that's supposed to get you off the trial.)
Entry 9060
One time mah brothah he wuz in a serious case, one time, an' so she [wife] had a ole man [doctor] workin' fo' 'er. An' de ole man told 'er, if she'd go tuh de graveyard tuh a fresh grave, an' take huh right han' an' reach down as fur as she could, an' git de graveyard dirt 'fo' de sun rise, an' take it tuh de co'thouse, an' make a roun' circle all de way roun' [circumambulate] de co'thouse, an' he say dat would free 'im. Ah know he come free. Ah don' know if dat done de work or not, but ah know he come free.
Entry 9061
When yo' go tuh dat co'troom, dat co'thouse, dat yo' goes tuh somebody dat yo' knows dat's real wicked. An' go tuh de graveyard an' run yore han' down an' git chew some graveyard dirt. An' as yo' go out, go left-handed, left-handed tuh de jail, de co'thouse, all de Way roun' it, an' jes' throwin' jes' lak yo' do fertilizuh. An' stroll right on tuh de place where yo' start in, an' den back in, an' jes' stop it all right in dere. Well, yo' go in dere, say dat's luck fo' dat. [According to my following question informant demonstrated.]
(YOU THROW IT WITH YOUR LEFT HAND?)
YESSUH AN' GO DE LEFT WAYS ALL DE TIME.
Entry 9062
Well, now what yo' mean tuh keep a person crazy. Ah tell yo'. Now dis is a jailhouse scrape. Now, ah have tried dat mahself an' ah know about dat. Now, yo' goes at 'leven 'clock - strictly 'leven. It make no diff'rence who yo pass, don't speak tuh no one. Go on tuh de graveyard an' yo' try tuh git - yo go tuh a grave where is a wicked person buried. Where a wicked person is buried an' yo' go dere an' yo' carry wit chew two matches in yore head [hair] an' one in yore mouth. Dat three ain't [it].
(What! Do you carry those matches in your head?)
Jes' stick it [two] in yore hair an' one in yore mouth. Den yo' dig down. Jes' take dis han' [demonstrates]. Ah've done it. Ah'm tellin' yuh whut ah've done. Take yore right arm an' yo' dig down in dat grave jes' about as far as a person's here [demonstrates]. Yo' know is from dat distant [distance] in de body. Yo' dig down about dat distant [distance], so fur. (Above the elbow.) An' yo' take out three han's- fulla dirt an' put it in a papah bag. An' yo' put three pennies in dere [hole in grave]. Yo' pay 'em [dead] fo' de dirt. See, dat pays fo' de dirt. An' den yo cover dem pennies up in dere." Walk aroun' de grave three times an' say, "Ah'm doin' dis tuh change de jedge an' de jurors min's." Yo' got dat? All right. Well, now yo' goin' back home, but don' chew speak tuh a soul. Don' speak tuh 'em till yo' git in yore house. An' jes' as de sun peep in de next mawnin', yo' goes to de co'thouse where dey goin' have dis trial, where dis crim'- nal is. See, de crim'nal in de jailhouse, but de trial goin' be in de co'thouse. Yeah. An' yo' go roun' de co'thouse one time. Sprinkle some of dat dirt as yo goes. An' go up de stairs.
(You go around the courthouse once and you sprinkle this dirt around there?)
Dat's right. Den yo' know dat mo' den apt de jurors always go up on de right-hand side of de steps. An' yo' go up dat steps an' yo' sprinkle dat dirt as yo' go. An' as yo' sprinklin', yo' say, "Ah'm doin' dis tuh change de jedge an' de jurors min's. An' JES' AS SHORE AS YO' GOIN' TUH DIE, if dat person done killed somebody, he'll come cleah. An' ah mean it wouldn't cost 'em nuthin. It'll cost 'em. Dey'll give him a fine. IT JES' AS TRUE AS DE CLOCK. Ah done tried it. AH'M. TALKIN' "BOUT WHAT AH'VE ALREADY TRIED MAHSELF.
Entry 9063
Dey take dat tuh settle a case in co't chew know.
(How is that done?)
Well, when de case comin' up, yo' wanta break de case down, yo' take - walk aroun' de grave seven times, 'cuz Joshua walk aroun' de walls of Jericho seven times, yo' know. Call dey pusson name evah time [7 times] an' tell 'em whut chew want. An' pull up de haidbo'd an' care [carry] it down tuh 'is foot, an' tell 'em'tuh bring de case down fo' me - tuh break it down. Right at chew foot, yo' know. If a fellah got a case ag'in' [again- st] yuh, dat goin' break it down. (What do they do with that footboard then?) See, dey - den dey take de footbo'd up, yo' know, an' care it tuh de haid, an' tell 'em tuh he'p yo' ovahcome dem. Git me [understand me]? Yo' go back tuh de foot now, an' git chew some dirt frum de foot an' care it wit chew in yo' pants pocket. It tends tuh bring all yo' enemies beneath yo' feet. Eithah in yo' pants pocket or eithah in yo' shoe, eithah one. Care it wit chew. Ain't no one comin' ag'in yuh.
Entry 9064
If de law don' git 'im, why he goes in de cemetery. He goes tuh de drug sto' firs', sends somebody tuh de drug sto' an' buy 'im some gum-ō-wackiom [the store's name for it!] a li'le ball lak dat [demon- strates]. It look lak wax, brown [perhaps beeswax]. An' when yo' buy dat, why yo' go tuh de cemetery an' git some uh dat graveyard dirt from nine diff'ren' grave. An' git yuh [demonstrates] some offa [off of] dis an' some of dis'n [this one]. An' yo' mix dat tuhgethah. An' yo' call dat judge name or whatsomevah or whomsoevah it may be. An' yo' care [carry] it tuh de co'thouse. Yo' put some roun' de place where de p'lice is, all gen'ly [generally] be, an' yo' put some in yer pocket. An' wherevah yo' go, yo'll nevah git trapped. [Gum-o-wackum is gum to whack them. Whack (Colloq. = to strike with a smart, resounding blow). This gum knocks out the judge! Could the gum have been asa- fetida? What a sense of perverted humor some of these sellers had!]
Entry 9065
Well, yo' could take an' go down [to buy bluestone] an' yo' would place dis bluestone intuh yore hat; see, bluestone an' saltpetah intuh yore hat - see, intuh yore hatband - an' turn yore hat [backwards]. Jes', say, fur an instant [instance] yo' take dis hat [my black hat on interviewing table] an' turn it backwards onto yore haid.
(Just turn your hat all the way around backwards. Wear it backwards.)
Turn de front intuh de back, see. An' he - he couldn't do nuthin.
(The judge wouldn't do anything to you?)
Nawsir [no sir]. Jes' turn yo' loose. To wear anything backwards or wrong- side out protects against ghosts, witches and trouble.]
Entry 9066
Well, dis jes' lak dis now, tuh change de judge mind. When it time fo' yuh co't - people talk about Hearts Cologne but dat stuff stands fer a lotta things, dis yere Hearts Cologne. Well, yo' take dat. Take a li'le dat Hearts Cologne an' yo' sprinkle it in de band of yo' hat. All right. Yo' take a li'le an' yo' put it intuh de mole [mold] of yo' haid, see. All right. Yo' take a li'le of it on yer fingah an' yo' smeah it across yo' chin. All right. Yo' put some on both sides of yuh face. See. All right. Den yo' drink de rest. An' dat's [that]. Jes' what chew ask de judge tuh do, he will come yer way.
Entry 9067
Ah've hear'd 'em say dey could go tuh a hickory tree an' go tuh de south side [the warm side], an' about three foot from de ground [3 for the three Highest Names], dat is, if a person is in trouble or in jail or what not, an' wants tuh git out. Dey take dat dere hickory tree, dat piece out de hickory dat dey cut out, an' dey cut it in de shape of a heart. An' when dey cut it in de shape of a heart, out dat hickory tree - if dey scared dey goin' be sent tuh de road [chain gang] or what not, dey tell me dey take dat heart outa dat hick- ory, where dey cut it outa dat hickory tree, an' dey git 'em a piece of high- price lodestone an' dey rub it all ovah dat.
(Over that heart?)
Yes, ovah de heart dey cut out de hickory tree. Rub it all ovah dat. An' when dey do dat, den dey goes den an' dey git some powdahs an' dey git perfume. Dey git dis Hearts Perfume. An' when dey do dat dey take an' dey saturate dem- selves wit dat, in wit dat olive oil. An' dey saturate demselves wit dat. An' den take an' dey dress dis heart an' dey pin dat ovah dere heart, an' den when dey go tuh trial, why den dere's three hearts dere tuhgethah. (What are the three hearts?) De defendant's heart, an' den de judge's heart, an' den prosecutor's heart - de one dat's prosecutin'. An' dey git dose three hearts dere tuhgethah. Well, de one dat wants tuh come cleah, he's de one got dat hick- ory heart pinned ovah 'is heart. An' dat hickory heart, dat represents de judge or whut dey go befo'. An' dis othah heart is de man is tryin' tuh convict: 'em fo' whut dey done. An' dey say dey take dat an' weah dat in dere, an' in so doin's why dat hickory heart which is tuh be de judge, an' by yo' weahin' dat ovah yore heart, an' yore blood is pumpin' ag'in dat, dey say dat will make it light fo' yo'. Prob'ly yo' git out. (They use Hearts Cologne and some kind of powder. Do you know what kind of powder they use?) No, talcum.
[Probably any kind of sweet-smelling powder.]
(All you do [he does] is wear one heart, just the wooden heart. That is all he wears?) Yes, weah dat ovah 'is heart.
Entry 9068
[Here is one of the most remarkable rites in Hoodoo! Either the old- time word Jakes lingered on somewhere or the inventor of the rite had a perverted sense of humor. Jakes happen to be an archaic word for privy, toilet, water- closet - not a very clean one at that!] If ah's goin' up tuh be on trial or somepin othah, lak dat, ah would look tuh de east an' look tuh de west an' use de name of Holy Jakes seven times.
(Holy Jakes?)
Holy Jakes seven times an' go befo' de jedge. Look tuh de east an' look tuh de west an' use de word of Jakes seven times.
(Seven times each way?)
Seven times - jis' look heah an' say Holy Jakes an' look dere an' say Holy Jakes until it's seven times. Not seven times each way, jis' seven times, yo' know lookin' each way.
Entry 9069
[0n pages 3637-3645 we have had a number of beef- tongue rites using ice, here are several more ice-and-court usages to establish a separate margin title ICE. Whut ah heah yo' could do, wherevah yore prosecutor wuz, dey tell me yo' git a piece of papah an' write his name nine times. An' git chew 25 pounds of ice an' break it half in two, an' put de papah in between dere, an' put de piece of ice on top of it, about a day befo' de trial. An' when yo' go tuh co't, dey say he really won't prosecute yo'. Dey say dat's purtty good fo' dat.
Entry 9070
[We have here the rare, perhaps only example of writing a white man's name on brown paper instead of the usual white. Is this a protest? Remember, the rite was collected before Martin Luther King Jr. marched on Selma! Though atmosphere and situation were changing, almost no one expected so much progress in such a short time. Is informant reducing prosecutor to the prisoner's level, asking what would you do if you were in his shoes? For the use of color symbolism, see COLOR SYMBOLISM, Pp.797f., and es- pecially the interview, NAHNEE, BOSS OF ALGIERS, Pp.1351-1386.] Yo' trial comin' up fo' de co't an' dey got a prosecutor, see. Well, yo' know fo' instance lak dey kill somebody or bootleggin'. Now fo' instance if de police find yo' an' he's de prosecutor... Yo' understan' me? Well, yo' gits a piece of brown papah. Yo' see dis heah brown papah. Yo' write dat guy's name on dat nine times an' yo' git chew a great big piece of ice an' put dat on de ice, an' he git dere he cain't open his mouth.
(You put the ice on the name or the paper on the ice?)
Put de papah on de ice, but yo' got his name nine times wrote dere an' yo' make yore wish, an' lay it on dat ice an' keep it all night. (Just on top of this cake of ice? How do you lay that piece of paper on the ice?) Jis' lay it flat or lay de ice on it. Lay de name nex' tuh de ice.
Entry 9071
Jes' lak yo' got a trial comin' up, yo' kin take dere name, whatevah yo' 'rested [arrested] fo' or sompin lak dat. If yo' kin git dis law's name an' write it on ice, write it in ice an' fast as dat melt away, jes' keep ice evah day. See, 'fo' dat trial comes up, yo' jes' keep dat ice evah day. An' find out zactly whut time yore trial's com- in' up, an' keep dat ice evah day, an' keep a-writin' his name on it till dat ice melt away. Jes' watch it all de time an' jes' keep a-writin' his name on it, an' it'll...
(How do you write his name on the ice?)
Jes' write de law's name. Yo' write it wit a nail. Yes, scratch it on, an' yore name. An' when yo' write it, yo' write chure name down heah. Write it three times, write chure name three times up tuh de top. Yo' write his name undah it. Den yo' take an' yo' cross it lak a "x", see.
(You just write his name once underneath or three times?)
Three times. Yo' write his name up heah three times. Yo' write dat three times yo' see an' write chure name right down undah it three times, an' den yo'll cross dat evah time. Dey'll throw it outa co't.
Entry 9072
You kin go to the drug store like the Crackerjack. That's a wonderful drug store for all hoodoo methods. You can go there and get you some Jerusalem root. You take that Jerusalem root, you beat it up, you put it the left shoe, and you make four signs of the cross with your back turned.
(Show me how you do that.)
That's the infidel sign, they call that. They make that four times like that [demonstrates]. And when you go and face this man, well you're not supposed to look off from him or nuthin like dat. Yo' are supposed to wave his conscience from 'is eyes, an' that dust is helpin' yo' more so to win 'im, becuz yo' got confidence an' faith in dat dust. Therefore he'll look over maybe $25 or $30 [theft] and give you a break. Yo' make that cross before yo' meet 'im. On your back. See yo' can't make de regular sign in front, yo' got to make it four times wit yore back turned. They call dat de infidel sign. [Did he make this cross on his back or backside?]
Entry 9073
[Before hearing the judge of the present rite, I must say something about our famous root, the most widely used root in hoodoo. Like the equally well-known term goofer dust, the meanings of these words have varied with place and time and individuals - especially in hoodoo shops, where instead of saying we are out of John de Conkah but have it on order, anything available is handed to the customer. Other examples of our root will be found scattered throughout Hoodoo especially on pages 455-457 and 593-595.] Say, "Yo'all niggahs come here sprinklin' down yer roots an' spittin' round me, goin' send yo'all tuh jail, evah las' one of yuh."
[Yo'all is an expression in the Southern States.]
(Who Was this judge?)
Judge Crutchfield. Used tuh be heah yeahs ago.
(I see. But he knew they were doing it.)
He said dat somebody had taught 'im dat.
(Somebody had taught him?)
Taught 'im tuh [know] but de vury [very] man dat had [taught him] he didn't send 'im tuh jail - discharged 'im.
(I see. He knew they were doing it though.)
Yeah, he use tuh tell 'em about it: "Yo'all niggahs comin' here chewin' yer roots an' spittin' yer powdah around chere," say, "ah'm goin' send evah one of yuh tuh jail, evah one of yuh." But he didn't done it.
Entry 9074
Jes' lak if yo' goin' tuh co't, see yo' git dat John de Conkah. An' if yo' chew it - see, yo' chew it lak dat buckeye [in another rite] an' spit. Dat's when dey'll pay yo' 'ten- tion, when yo' spit.
Entry 9075
Git chew some John de Conkah, an' when yo' go tuh de co'thouse, as yo' go in, as yo' goin' up de steps, yo' put a piece in yore mouth, jes' lak yore chewin' tobacca. An' yo' start tuh chewin' dat, an' yo' goin' aroun' circulin' [circling] aroun'. Den yo' chew dat John de Conkah an' spit it, as yo' goin' up, jes' lak dat [demonstrates]. Don't spit, but jes' lak yo spittin'. Den yo' keep dat, hold dat in yore mouth, jes' lak yo' got a cigah, an' dat'll make it easiah on yuh.
Entry 9076
Dey tell me - ah haven't did dat, but chew John Conkah, yo' see. An' co'se when dey be talkin' tuh de judge, yo' see, dey'd have a hanky an' be spit- tin' in de hanky. Yo' know. dat's spittin' de luck tuh 'em [yourself].
Entry 9077
Dat same root ah tole yo' about, dat High John de Conkah, if yo' kin git it green whilst yore in jail. Yo' got somebody out [of jail] an' dey kin git it green. Whilst yo' are talk- in', whilst de whole time yo' is in dere, an' maybe befo' dey calls yuh, yo' got dat in yore mout'. An' yo' ain't sayin' nuthin tuh nobody. An' two tuh one ef yo' git any sentence atall. Yo' may git a yard sentence. Yo' may git from - supposin' yo' deserve twenty yeahs - supposin' yo' deserve forty years - supposin' yo' deserve five yeahs - supposin' yo' go in dere an' instead of gittin' five yeahs yo' gits three months. Dat would be light [sentence] Wouldn't it? Well, ah'm jes' explainin' de conditions, how strong a hundred powah is dat High John de Conkah's got an' it have been proved up.
Entry 9078
Dey has a li'le root dey call John de Conkah. Dey ordahs dat from some company up in New Yawk. If yo' git in any trouble, yo' go down dere an' meet de jedge, an' yo' have one in yore mouth. An' evah time he ast chew a question yo' chew on de root yo' know, an' he will release yo' from dat whut he goin' give yo'.
Entry 9079
Dere's a root yo' kin go tuh de sto' an' git called John de Conkah. Yo' take dat root an' put in yore mouth an' chew it. An' if yo' got a chance tuh spit, yo' spit. An' yo' be talkin' all de time whut joo want it tuh do, wit it in yore mouth yo' know, an' yo' spit dat juice anywhere. Jes' talkin' an' spit an' dey'll change dere mind on whatevah it is. Dey'll dismiss yo' or else yore fine will be so light yo' won' - yo' know, dey won' press it against yuh. Mos' de times yo' git off all right, dey won' persecute [prosecute] chew. Don' fine yo' er nuthin. Use John de Conkah root.
Entry 9080
Ah hear'd dey kin git dis root dey call John de Conkah root, see, an' Eve-an'-Adam root, an' take dat root an' boil [usually sounds like ball] it up tuhgethah. If dey kin git tuh de co'thouse see, when dey un- lock it, git it an' sprinkle a aisle around de judge seat. [Sprinkle a circle about judge's chair.] Den dey will set back when yo' come in tuh where de prisonahs is. Den dey'll sit back an' eye de judge right in de eye. See, hol' [hold] dere hand on de vial what have de John de Conkah root an' Eve-an'-Adam balled [boiled] up in it. See. Dey go tuh co'thouse in de mawnin'.
(You said at an hour didn't you? What do you mean by that hour?)
Dey go dere jes' befo' de co'thouse unlock, befo' dey come in. An' dey sprinkle de aisle. Dey take de watah what dey boil up: de John de Conkah an Adam-an'-Eve root, an' gingah, & an' ten grains of black peppah. Dey'll take dat an' sprinkle it - wit de aisle an' aroun' ovah de prisonah box.
(Oh! The prisoner's box. I see, up the aisle.)
[Informant's eye or letter i had bothered me! Aisle!]
An' where de judge goes up intuh his seat, see dey do dat, an' den when de judge is talkin' tuh yuh, yo' gotta look 'im right in de eye. See [if] dey kin git de judge's eye, look 'im right in de eye. An' if de sentence - it Ziminated down. [All this reduces the sentence.] If it's ten yeahs, it Ziminated down tuh three or fo' yeahs. Ah've hear'd dat.
Entry 9081
Yo' go out an'.git chew one dose conkah roots - 20 fo' a dollah. Git chew one of dose, an' yo' goes up dere. Bathe yuhself all ovah good wit salt- petah, an' sugah an' chamber lye. An' yo' git up dere an' go befo' de judge. As yo' walk in de co't, yo' jis' spit as yo' go up dere fo' 'im. An' dat'll change 'is mind.
Entry 9082
An' yo' gits dis John de Conkah root, an' yo' gits a piece of devil's- shoestring root. An' yo' split dat devil's-shoestring root, split it in half, in fo' halves [quarters]. An' yo' cut dat John de Conkah root round. An' yo' puts hit [both roots] intuh a vial, an' yo' put dis Jack of Clubs, Hearts Cologne [2 perfumes] on it. He totes dat in his right pocket.
(For what?)
Dat's fo' luck in trouble. (Now what does he do? He puts that John the Conker piece, cut round, puts it in the bottle. What does he do with the devil's-shoestring?) Mix it wit it, put it right in de same bottle - put dat in de same bottle. (Wait a minute! You didn't put that round piece and that split part of John the Conker then?) No.
(Separately?)
Jes' separate dem.
(Why do they split that John the Conker root? I mean the devil's-shoestring?)
Ah don't know, jes' tuh split de enemies dey say. Dey put dem two into a bottle.
(How many pieces of John the Conker do you put in there, you say?)
Three piece, three round pieces.
(Why do you put three round pieces in there?)
Dat is fo' de jedge an' de solicitor an' de lawyah, ah 'spose.
(That goes in with that devil's-shoestring.)
Yes.
(And you feed that you say?)
Jes' feed dat, Hearts Cologne, Rose Van [Rosewater] or Jack of Clubs.
Entry 9083
Ah remembah one dat ah got tuh fightin' mahself [I got into fights] an' did right much damage. An' dere wus an ole woman used tuh live right through here on Williams Street. an ah know dat she wus said tuh be a root doctor. So ah got bail. An' while ah wuz out on bail, of co'se ah goes an' see her, see if she could give me anything. Now, she gave me sompin an' whut she gave me wuz call High John de Conkah. An' ah wuz tuh chew dat an' use de spittle [old-fashioned word for spit, from Bible] ovah mah face - jis' spit in mah hand an' bathe mah face wit it. Well, ah did dat an' ah got off from de' crime fer five dollahs. Ah wuz tuh do it between times; befo' ah went in de court, an' while ah wuz in dere. Evah time ah got a chance ah could do it.
Entry 9084
If yo' gotta go befo' de judge, well yo' dress yo'self befo' yo' go 'fo' de judge. Well, yo' kin have yo' some dat same John de Conkah an' guinea peppah.
Entry 9085
Go roun' tuh court. An' yo' gotta go tuh court, see, an' yo' wanta have a easy time wit de judge an' git close tuh 'em. All right. Well, den, if dey haven't got yuh con- fined - co'se yo' may have some frien's tuh work it fo' yo', if dey got chew confined. But if yo' not confined, yo' kin git chew a li'le piece of lodestone an' put it in yuh pocket. Git chew a piece of John de Conkah root an' all de time yo' settin' up dere in de chair, yo' chew dat John de Conkah root, see. Chew dat John de Conkah root, spittin' it towards de judge an' spittin' it on 'em. Jis' blow it on 'em, it's all right. De mo' yo' kin, de closah yo' git it tuh 'im, de mo' yo' draw 'is attention towards yuh. Be apt tuh cleah yuh, yo' see. Den, when yo' git up tuh speak ast de mercy of de court. Dey bound tuh grant it tuh yuh.
Entry 9086
Ah've tried dat tuh help people out wit things. Yo' use High John de Conkah roots an' yo' set down an' concentrate. Get de judge's name an' de law- yer's an' yo' git most of 'em, de ones dat yo' gotta be tried befo'. Yo' git dere names an' yo' set down at night an' burn dis High John de Conkah, an' call de judge's name an' tell 'em jis' what chew want 'em tuh do. An' den yo' weah de lodestone charm. Yo' dress yuhself firs' wit perfume from de High John, see. Yeah, have it [High John] in a bottle, yo' see, an' yo' puts perfume in it an' yo' jes' dress de body wit it befo' yo' go out, all aroun', run yore hands around. An' co'se [of course] dat perfume stays on yuh. Den, when yo' go down in front of 'em.... [Washington, D.c., (627), 804:8.]
Entry 9087
John de Conkah an' chew on a li'le piece of it, prob'ly hold it in yuh lip.
(Tell me your experience, the whole experience of that trick.)
One Sat'day evenin' ah goes down in mah roasting-ear patch [sweet corn patch] an' git some roastin' ears, 'cuz mine wasn't ripe. A woman Wanted tuh buy a dozen [ears of corn] from me. An' ah jis' stepped ovah, well maybe two or three hunderd feet in dat othah patch, in de othah woman's patch, an' got 'em. Well, she saw me gittin' 'em. Well, she didn't say anythin' den. Ah got de doggone things an' brought 'em on home an' dey laid dere a li'le while. An' den ah went on up on Pearl Street an' carried 'em tuh de lady an' she bought 'em.
(Where did she live?)
On Pearl Street down here.
(Pearl Street, P-e-a-r-l Street.)
Pearl Street.
(I see.)
So ah come on back home an' - it was mah sistah-in-law tole me. See. An' ah Was wondahin'. Ah says, "Ah wondah what's de mattah, ah feel so funny." Didn't wan' tuh go nowhere dat Sat'day night. Well, dat was jis' an' hour or so befo' sundown. Well, ah set down dere. An' ah was settin' down dere an' mah wife had chills. She laid down in de baid. Well, ah had some medicine dat ah made up mahself an' ah give 'er fo' de chills.
(What did you make up for the chills?)
Well, ah don't remembah, but ah kin, see.
(Oh, all right. Go ahead.)
An' somebody knocked on de do' an' ah had a halfa bottle of whiskey settin' right down dere on de flo', right down at de foot of de baid. An' ah was settin' on de baid wit mah back tuh de do', jis' lak dis way [demonstrates]. An' ah didn't look back, ah jis' said, "Come in." Ah jis' thought it was somebody, yo' know, but two police officahs walked right in, an' one walked right up an' stood right ovah dat whiskey. Ah say, "Howya, Captain, what do yo' say? What do yo say?" He says, "So yo' had tuh git chew a few roastin' ears, did yuh?" Ah says, "Oh! Yes, sir. Ah've got some roastin' ears." He say, "Yeah, dey come from right down dere in Madam B's roastin'-ear patch." Ah says tuh mahself, "See?" But ah tell 'im, "What's kin be a li'le wrong?" An' he say, "Well, come on an' go tuh jail." Ah stayed in jail dat Sat'day night up until Monday mawnin' at nine o'clock. Ah took mah toby [hand - mojo - luckpiece] an' torn it open an' took two pieces of John de Conkah root out of dere an' put it mah mouth an' Walked right down dere tuh de judge. He asked me, he said, "Yo' got a patch?" Ah say, "Yassuh."
(You got a what?)
He says, "Yo' got a roastin'-ear patch?" Ah say, "Yes, sir." He says [to the woman], "Yo' got one?" An' she tole 'im, say, "Yes, sir." An' she had seven witnesses an' ah didn't have none. Now, dis is de truth. He said, "Well, what did yuh do wit de roastin'-ears yo' had?' Ah said, "Ah sold 'em tuh Violet.... He said, "Where did yo' git 'em?" Ah said, "Ah got 'em outa mah patch." Yo know, he jis' looked right straight aroun' at 'er an' he say, "Well, yo' got a patch an' he got one, " he says, "His word is as good as yours." She say, "Well, ah got - here's two women here an' [I] got three men dat knows, lookin' right [at] 'im when he got 'em." He said, "Did yo' go on out dere?" Ah say; "Ah went in mah own patch." De judge go on, he said, "Ah'm through wit dis case, an' don' come up here no more wit nuthin lak dat." He say, "Go on outa here, go on home." (Well, what did you have in that toby that you tore up? What did you have in that toby?) Didn't have nuthin but lodestone an' John de Conkah an' a silvah dime. (I see. And you took this piece of John the Conker out and spit it - I mean chewed it?) Yes, sir. Ah didn't spit it at 'im, ah jis' kept achewin' it. An' when ah was talkin' ah was as close as ah am tuh yuh.
(Did he know what you were chewing?)
Naw, sir. "Didn't know what ah was chewin'.
(Was that - did that happen here in the Vicksburg Court House?)
Right here in de City Hall.
(City Hall, I see.)
Entry 9088
De judge - goin' up befo' de judge? An' yo' don' want no trouble wit de judge. Yo' take his name befo' yo' go up dere. Yo' take de judge's name. Don't care if yo' don' know him, yo' jis' try tuh fin' somebody dat knows his name - de district attorney's name. Yo' take dere names an' yo' write 'em, yo' write 'em fo' times backwards - his last name firs'. An' yo' turn right aroun' den an' take dat firs' name an' write it last an' fold it up. An' always try tuh put it some place on yuh where yo' will have when yo' go in fo' law - when yo' go in fo co't. Always try tuh have dat. All right. If yo' kin, yo' try tuh git chew a John de Conkah root. Anyone dat yo' think [of] kin go tuh de drug sto' some- where, an' which is very easily found. Dere's people dat have 'em in drug sto's. A drug sto' have dat, dat John de Conkah root. Yo' chew dat.
Entry 9089
Dey claim that if yo' use God's Name three times aftah usin' three different kind of roses, one a red rose, a white rose, an' anothah a kind of a pink rose - after usin' those roses - they boil those roses an' get de juice out of 'em an' takes a bath in dat juice. An' den take dat juice an' put a little bit in a vial or sumpin like dat in de pocket. An' put a mixture in dat wit High John de Conkah an' bluestone an' aloes an' incense; an' den use de word, "God de Father, God de Son, an' God de Holy Ghost" fo' nine times in de court- house. Dat'll be impossible fo' a judge to give a heavy sentence. [Elizabeth City. N. Car. (482), 498:8.]
Entry 9090
[Here is a rare rite, magically a logical one, my only example of it in Hoodoo. See my comment at end.] When yo' are goin' befo' de judge, yo' go up dat morning. Befo' yo' leave to go up befo' de judge, yo' got what dey call Jockey Club Co- logne. All right, yo' get up in de mawnin' an' yo' wash yore face an' hands, but don't wash wit yellah soap. Wash wit what chew call dis white soap. Yo' call - forgot what yo' call - proximine soap.
(Peroxide soap?)
Not wit peroxide - proximine soap. It's a soap dey call proximine soap, a bar about that long.
(Is it white?)
White - it cost 25c.
[At that date an expensive soap and probably sold by a hoodoo shop.]
(All right.)
Yo' eat yore breakfast, take dat Jockey Club Cologne an' yo' rub it on yore hands an' yo' get yo' dat John de Conkah, an' when yo' go in de co'thouse, yo' jes' chew it. [Years ago at the time of collecting this rite, I lacked experience to under- stand it. Later when I read the transcription, I still misunderstood what was staring me in the face. Consequently I wrote on the transcription sheet, still there in the manuscript, ng, meaning no good. Later and suddenly meaning came. Instead of using that cheap yellow soap your wife or mother uses for washing clothes, and you also use for washing hands, buy the white man's soap. Momen- tarily at least, you a yellow or black man will be an equal facing the white judge. Besides, your hands will be white or clean. Even the name of the soap, proximine, looks suspicious. Since informant was a little uncertain about this name, could it have been something like prox-mine, suggesting that informant near the judge would be playing a part by mimicry. In any case color symbolism is frequent in hoodoo, see COLOR SYMBOLISM, p.797f., vol.1.]
Entry 9091
Yo' kin use dat [string] fo' lawsuits. Jes' lak if yo' was in a lawsuit, somebody had yo' prosecuted an' yo' had tuh [go to court] an' if ah wuz a witness against chah. Ah don't care how many witnesses against chah, yo'll [tie] dat in about nine knots. Evah one of us - yo'll tie us down in nine knots, an' we can't harm yuh. Yo' don't do no mo' den tie dat. Yo' jes' tie dem knots an' tell it whut chew want it tuh do. See. An' when yo' tell it whut chew want it tuh do, it goin' work directly de way yo' say.
(Then what do you do with that string?)
What chew do wit it den? Jes' hol' it in yore han' tight.
Entry 9092
Jes' lak yo' got a case in co't, sompin othah lak dat, yo' kin tie - ah think it's twelve knots in a string. An' take an' put it [string] on a stick, yo' know, an' cut so many notches. Ah think it is nine or twelve notches in dat stick. Drive it yo' know lak a peg at de da'k cornah of yore house, an' dey tell me dat'll cleah yuh in co't. (You have to have as many notches on the stick as you have knots on the string?) Dat's right.
Entry 9093
If a person have a fight, a purtty bad fight chew know, an' ah know de man's goin' git me - all of it fell on me becuz ah done mo' den 'nuff, an' ah know it's goin' fall on me, an' dunno [don't know] whut tuh do. Aw, ah'm jes' cryin' an' a-grievin', ah dunno whut tuh do. "Lawd, ah know ah'll gits a whole lotta time." An' ah don' wanta [get time]. Heah comes somebody, says, "Oh, dat's so bad. Ah heared of yore troubles." Says, "Well, ah tell yo'," says, "yo' ain't got no money an' yore po' an' yo'll pay fo' it." Says, "But chew kin git a li'le, prob'ly a dollah or two, but chew will git chew some luck." "Well, where will ah go?" "Ah know a man [doctor] live right ovah dere, right straight ovah dere. Ah know he'll fix yo' up." "Well, ah shore hope so becuz ah'm fed up. Ah dunno whut tuh do." Says, "Yo' go ovah dere. He's a good man. He's a high-class man. He knows stuff." Yo' walk in an' he [doctor] says, "Hello, dere. Yo's in trouble dis mawnin', ain't chah?" "Yes." Says, "Yo's in trouble," says, "yo' goin' have a lawsuit an' yo' come out heah fo' he'p?" [For some of the methods used by doctors when greeting patients, see CONSULTATION TECHNIQUE, PP.307-319.] "Yes." Okay. "Well, ah tell yo' right now, it goin' cost chew five dollahs, an' ah give yo' somepin othah. An' yo' take dis an' yo' go up dere [to court]. Dey jes' ast yo' a few questions. Den come on out." He goes back an' gives 'im a li'le piece of root about two inches, ah reckon. Dere's three notches cut intuh dis root, an' de notch is cut in dere to represent de Fathah an' de Son an' de Holy Ghost. Dat takes ca' [care] of dat. Yo' know whut dat means. Dat's [case is] out. Dat's throwed out. Dey jes' say, "Out."
(That's in a court case?)
Dat's throwed out.
Entry 9094
An' they show 'em what to do, yo' know.
(I see, I understand.)
Yo'll get yo' de judge's name an' yo'll get yo' a lamp what's never was used. Yo' put yo' some sugar in dere. Buy yo' some sugah. An' yo' take dat judge's name an' yo' put it down in de lamp an' pour de sugah on dat, on his name. Dat sweetens 'em up. Aftah yo' put dat sugah down on dere, pour de kerosene in dere, an' yo' light this light. An' as yo're lightnin' it, say, "In de Name of de Father, an' de Son, an' de Holy Ghost, ' askin' fo' help. Hold yore hand up to God say, yo're asking fo' help. Dat's fo' good.
(What then?)
Yo' leave dis light nine days an' nights.
(You leave it burn for nine days and nights?)
Yes, sir. Dat's when yo' get yore subpoena.
(And then that will help you out with the judge?)
Yes, sir, it'll sweeten his mouth an' yo' come - when yo' go before 'im, in- stead of frowning, this is de truth, he instead of frowning, he'll smile.
Entry 9095
It was a colored person, a lady, Miss Field [in New York City] she'd fell [fall] off in a trance, tell yuh anything. An' she tole me dat [a remedy in 870:2 - mullein and snake oill. An' she even tole me dat any time de trouble come, any- thing dat ah wanted tuh go in- tuh, or anybody was goin' tuh do anything, tuh come back in trouble - she tole me tuh go git some limes, yo' know dese li'le limes. An' if ah'm goin' in co't or any trial dat Was goin', cut one of 'em in half - dis fortunetellah in New York - an' walk in dere an' while ah walkin' in, put a half in mah mouth, an' de whole time jes' spit a li'le bit of spit. Evahthin' in court was throwed apart half- an'-half, no kind of fine. Nuthin can be - de jedge cain't do nuthin'. She said, go anywhere, regardless, jes' take dat lime an' cut it in half an' use dat in....
(When you are in trouble.)
When yo' in trouble be sure to git dat lime.
Entry 9096
Well, if yo' gotta go over there to meet a case an' yo' wanta miss de case, yo' gotta go in de woods. Aftah yo' git in de woods, yo' git yo' a lizard. MY GRANDMOTHER WAS A TWO-HEADED PERSON an' dat an' she know a whole lot about dat Yo' go git yo' a lizard. Aftah yo' get dat lizard, see yo' take its palate out. Yo' take its palate out. (Out of his mouth?) Out of 'is mouth. Jes' take 'is pal- ate out. Aftah yo' take its palate out, then jes' cut 'bout de tip-end of its tail off. Aftah yo' git his palate out an' de tip-end of his tail off, den, why yo' take some watah dey call glucose [or bluecose] watah.
(Glucose?)
Glucose. Glucose, yo' could mix it up, yo' could mix it up yoreself. Dey sell dat at de Crackerjack Drug Store [in New Orleans].
(Oh! You mix it up. What's it made out of?)
Yo' make it up. Yo' git some watah an' yo' mix about dis much of it. It's jes' like a blue pencil-like, yo' know. [He is talking about bluestone.] But aftah yo' put so much amount of watah in it, it come to liquor-lak, yo' know.
(What's the blue stuff called?)
Called bluecose [= bluestone].
(Bluecose?)
Yes. Yo' see, it come to a liquor-lak, yo' see. Aftah it come to a liquor, an' den yo' just put it in, de day dey try yo'.
(What do you do with that?)
Yo' got de lizard's palate.
(And this little piece of his tail? Now, what do you do with that?)
Yo' put dat in the bluecose [bluestone] watah, aftah yo' done mix it up, an' set it undah de steps. Aftah yo' set it undah de steps, dat's de only way I kneu make yo' miss de case.
(Under what step do you put that?)
Undah de jail-house steps.
(I see, I see.)
Some one gotta set it undah dere fo' yo'.
Entry 9097
When yo' go befo' de judge, yo' know, yo' have tuh make a vow tuh yo'- self. Now, ah'll tell yuh how yo'll have tuh do dat. Now, jis' lak now, yo know yo' goin' tuh have trial. Well, how yo' have tuh dress yuhself? Yo' have tuh git chureself some camphor balls. Yo' know dose camphor balls yo' put in clothes. Well, yo' git dose camphor balls an' git choo a piece of asafitadee. When yo' git dose camphor balls, yo' gotta beat dose camphor balls up fine; an' den when yo' beat dose camphor balls up fine, den yo' put chew some lodestone in dere wit it. An' den yo' beat dat camphor ball up, an' dis rag yo gonna put dis camphor ball in, [put rag] in gasoline, see. An' now when yo' take an' git it an' put it in dat gasoline, git de rag wet. Don' wet de camphor balls jis' wet de piece [rag] see. An' den yo' jis' use dat, jis' hold it down in yore pocket - jis' carry it right wit chew in yore pocket. An' den if yo' kin git a piece of sweet basil, carry dat 'long wit choo. Dat sweet basil gonna come in lucky. (What do you do with that camphor after you beat it up? And the lodestone, what do you do with that?) Take it an' put it in dat rag, where dat gasoline's been dipped in dere. Seu it up lak a li'le bag, A SMALL LI'LE BAG, an' yo' see, jis' lak WHEN DE JUDGE IS TALKIN' TO YO', YO' TALK TO IT LIKE YO' ARE TALKIN' TO SOMEONE.[ MEMphIS, TEN.
(936), 1515:9.]
Entry 9098
Well, jes' lak yo's got a great big case on hand an' yo' can't hardly do nuthin wit dat case. Yo' git all dem, yo' git de judge's name; yo' git de district attorney's name; yo' git all dose p'licemans on dat beat, on yore beat. See, de one dat 'rested [arrested] 'em an' evahthin'. Yo' writes all of dere names down an' yo' take dere names an' yo' weah dere names; see, aftah yo' write 'em down. See, yo' turn all of 'em dis Way. See... [demonstrates].
(So they are headdown.)
Yeah, turn 'em down lak dat, see. An' jes' weah 'em right cross heah, right 'cross de stomach. Dat's all. Yo' ain't got a thing tuh do... [demonstrates]. Put it in a li'le "NATION SACK" [see THE NATION SACK WOMAN, Pp.1449-1459, vol.2] see an' weah it right 'cross de stomach lak dat. An' evah mawnin' soon as yo git up, yo' say de Lord's Prayahs behin' dat an' yo' call all of 'ems name. An' evah night yo' git on yore knees an' say de Lord's Prayah, an' yo' call dere names behin' dat. An' dat's really good.
Entry 9099
Git powdahs, perfume, dey call it lucky star powdahs [incense]. Yo' burn it an' as yo' burn it de sut [soot], it drops down, an' as dat drops yo' make a wish, an' dat turns evahbody ag'inst chew in de line of tryin' tuh do yo' some harm. But chew [in jail] cain't do it. Some of yore friends will have tuh bring it tuh de co'troom an' do dat.
(You wouldn't do that in the courtroom, though?)
Do it at home an' make a wish as dat falls down.
(What do you call this powder?)
Lucky star powdah. Yo' buys it in de drug sto'. It looks lak dust, an' as it burns de soot drops from it, an' yo' make a wish in behin' dat stuff. An' anybody tryin' tuh do yo' some harm dat turn 'em 'ginst chew. Jis' lak if yo' have somebody in jail an' yo' want 'em out, well yo' take an' burn dat. Go up tuh de jail. Den it won't be long 'fore dey be outa de jail. [Lucky Star is also incense shaped like a star, See LUCKY STAR, No.2088, p.607, vol.1.]
Entry 9100
If yo' have somebody in prison - it's mo' easy fo' yo' tuh take a cord becuz dey'll notice too much if yo' take a string, if yo' go tuh see yore people dere. Yo'll go dere tuh see 'em an' yo'll have tuh do dat slightly [carefully] yo' see. Lak if he's standin' up, den yo' stand up an yo' jis' put dat cord lak back of his haid lak dat... [demonstrates]. Jis' stan' up lak dat, an' yo' take dat cord an' put it behin' his haid. An' den yo' unwrap de othah part an' let it fall on de flo'... [demonstrates]. Well, now whilst he standin' dere, yo' tell 'im don' move, say, "Don' move." (Take that whole measure from the top of his head to the foot). Yo' take dat up an' den yo' fix dat in a ball. Yo' see, yo' fix dat an' den yo' burn dat wit a brand-new han'ke'ch'ef. Yo' burn dat. Let 'im wipe his face an' burn dat an' wit 'is name - de judge's name. Yo' burn all dat tuhgethah, dat papah an' all tuhgethah, yo' see, an' de lawyah's name. An' yo' burn all dat tuhgethah. An' when he'll come, if he won' discharge 'im, he won't let 'im go no fu'thah. Yo' jis' drap [drop] it from de do' an' yo' jis' drap it [ashes]. (When you go back to see him again, you sprinkle that [string and paper] dust around, and they will turn him loose?) Yes.
Entry 9101
[Here we have a remarkable rite, a rare glimpse at how a hoodoo doctor prepares his client or patient for a possible death sentence. Equally interest- ing, the greatest small book in the World, The Gospel of John, is unable to coml pete with a book of magic! The statement firs', secon', an' third chaptah of Psalms confuses because the word chapter here cannot mean com- plete Psalms,1,2, and 3 not applying to the present situ- ation. Chapters also means verses. I suggest, as in several other cases, inform- ant has Psalm 23 in mind here, especially verses 1,4, and 6.] In case if a fellah wuz seized fo' murdah, sompin lak dat, an' yo' wanted tuh git 'im off lightly. Not say 'zactly bring 'im out altuhgethah, but yo' see, yo' read de firs', secon' an' third chap- tah of Psalms, Let thy heart not be troubled [not from Psalms but from Gospel of John, 14:1, Let not your heart be troubled, King James Version.] But write it off. Yo' write de Psalms off an' weahs 'em in yore shoe, one in each shoe. An' yo' takes de second chaptah of Psalms an' git dat down by yeah [learn it by "ear," by memory]. An' evah night an' evah mawnin' dat yo' lays down an' git up, repeats dat in yore mind. When yo' git ready tuh go tuh de co'thouse, yo' change yore undahsuit, change it on de Wronghan' side, back up nine step backwards an' say de firs' miracle: Christ, Jesus, turnt watah tuh wine. Speak dat in yore mind. Say: Lord, yo' go tuh prepare de way fo' me but yo' come ag'in tuh see me in yo'self. Yo' goes downstā's intuh de co'troom. An' as de judge be tryin' yo', yo' be still 'peatin' [repeating] de secon' Psalm in yore min'. An' when de judge will call yo' in front of 'i, de powah [power], say from de Six an' Seven Books of Moses, dat powah would come an' change de judge min'. If yo' goin' git lifetime, he would change tuh manslaughtah.
[After I turned off machine, informant said something.]
(What did Christ do?)
Change watah into wine. Dat de firs' miracle he done.
Entry 9102
Seventh Book of Moses, during trial let somebody read it and yo' think of what is de 7th Book, while dey were having yore trial. Or let some one slip it tuh yuh an' weah it in bottom of yore shoes during trial. [Since it would be impossible to wear this paper-back volume in your shoe, perhaps one of the pages or something copied from the book is worn.]
Entry 9103
Dere's a small root dat dey call de Moses. An' yo' take dat root an' yo' chew it de whole time dey's fixin' tuh have dis trial, yo' chew it. An' yo' be's chewin' de spit an' dere'll come on some disastah of de trial, it won't come up. Now, ah did see dat. Ah see dat happen in Waycross, Georgia. Ole man Murray dat had a son in dere, an' dey was fixin' tuh give him two years, an' de judge, de sheriff an' all de people dat was in de court, an' dat boy walked right out by 'em all an' was gone. He walks right out de co'thouse. All of de solicitors an' de judge an' evahthin' was settin' dere. It was about three or fo' 'clock in de evenin', an' when he got up an' walked out, dere didn't anybody pay him any attention. He walked right on out an' was gone thirty minutes 'fo' any of 'em detected he was gone.
Entry 9104
Yo' mean if dey ketch yuh fo' trial. Well, if dey ketch yuh fo' trial an' yo' kin git out on bond tuh git tuh dis judge - know wheah dis judge stays an' git tuh his home, yo' go dere an' slap fo' [these 4 objects later]: one tuh dis cornah, one tuh dat cornah, dis cornah, an' dat cornah. Drive fo'. De third one, dat'll be yuh. When yo' go co't, when de co't come, dey turn yo' right loose.
(What do you drive?)
Drive fo' nails. Drive one east, west, south an' north, an' when de co't come, dat settles it. It's off.
Entry 9105
Yo' kin, if yo' know de judge name. Jes' lak ah know yore name, see, an' mah folks goin' up dere tuhday tuh be on a trial, see. Jes' lak ah know de judge lak ah know him now. Ah makes dat same person whut goin' up on de trial, if he in or out on a bond - ah kin do it mahself. Write his full name, de judge's full name, an' go right tuh dat do' right dere, an' tack it ovah dat do', see. An' ah'd go right up dere front of de co't an' evahthin' will be all right.
Entry 9106
Get the judge's name and the jurymen's name, an' yo' take yo' - whilst de case goin' on - yo' gets dat an' yo' make a hot fire. An' yo' take yo' a hot pot of watah, an' yo' take dat name an' put it in dere. An' man, have it boilin'! An! just like dat, de co't goin' to keep upstirred all de time. Keep it upstirred an' dey can't do nuthin. Dey won't nevah come to no agreement. Gotta have dat watah boilin' wit de name in it. Yo' see! Drop a li'le sugah in dere, yo' see, an' just keep on boilin' up, an' dis court will just keep upstirred all de time. An' at a certain time yo' take de watah an' yo' throw it. An' when yo' throw dat watah out, de judge will throw dat case out.
Entry 9107
Now, here's another way. If yo' goin' to de judge - sup- posin' yo' goin' down dere to Judge Landix, why yo' just take Judge Landix' name. Take parch- ment papah an' cut out just de sole of yore shoes, stick in your - sew it to de heel of yore shoe. An' yo' take his name an' write 'is name down nine times. He's a nine-months child, see.
(He is a nine-month child?)
Yeah, his mother carried him nine months. Yo' take yore name an' yo' write hit down dere nine times, over his. Yo'll say, "Judge, ah want yo', In de Name of de Father an' de Son an' de Holy Spirit, to have mercy on me today an' let me go. An' dat same thing, whensomevah dey call yo' up befo' de judge - yo'll have a lawyer dere to do yore talkin'. De judge goin' to ask yo' a few question an' de lawyer goin' to take part. Yo' just keep a-sayin' dat inwardly. De policeman get up an' make 'is testimony.'Don' yo' come back here no mo'." Ah say, "Thanks." Dat's fo' dat. Now, yo' use nine drops of Van-van fo' dat.
(How do you put that on?)
Yo' put dat right on - right in dat parchment papah an' den put it in yore shoe an' walk on dat, dat right shoe.
(Is Van-van an old oil?)
An ole oil, but yo' must know when yo' gettin' Van-van. Ah was kiddin' a boy here month befo' last, ah say, "Now, look, ah'm not in de business but, " ah said, "dis is fo' a personal friend of mine, an' she done gone down here [to where Van- Van is sold] an' got some [Van-van] perfume down [there]. Ah don' want dis othah stuff [she got]. Give me de othah stuff." Van-van [of good quality] is kind of
[hard to get]. [For Van-van, see p.662 and elsewhere.]
Entry 9108
Ah heard dat jes' lak if yo' wuz tuh git in trouble, somepin lak, an' dey prob'ly let chew out on a bond. Well, ah hear'd dat chew would jis' go in de woods an' git chew de heart outa red oak tree. An' yo' takes de heart of dis tree an' yo' takes an' trims it down, an' yo' puts it in a bag, an' hangs it right ovah yore heart. An' den whenevah yo' git ready tuh go down fo' dem tuh try yuh or anything, says, "Now yo' have dese two hearts tuhgethah." Den dat'll be three hearts, yo know: his heart, yore heart an' de red-oak-tree's heart, supposed all tuh be as one. Well, yore mind is goin' be fo' tuh free yo', an' den, says dis heah heart of de tree will work wit de heart of de man. An' dey says, den dat'll cuz yore case tuh be lagged, cuz dem tuh give yuh lightah terms. (Well, now, what do you mean by the heart of the red oak? What do you mean by the heart?) De heart of de tree. See, yo' cuts de tree, cuts it down, jes' lak yo' cut it right down. Well, dey gits de middle outa dis tree. Yo' takes an' cuts a piece of dis heah tree, jes' trim it down an' shape it wit yore heart jes' lak a heart.
(You make it in the shape of a heart.)
Yo' take dis heah an' put it right ovah yore heart. Den yo' goes down tuh trial an' dese three hearts...