Browse:DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD (Volume 4, entries 7516–8059)/Part 4
DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD
Volume 4, entries 7516–8059. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 7756
It's one thing, yo' kin go tuh de graveyard an' git some graveyard dust an' put dat on a person's do'steps. An' [they] try tuh stay dere fo' a certain length of time an' den dey will go crazy, yo' see.
Entry 7757
Bring it [graveyard dirt] from de graveyard an' bury it upon yore front do'step an' dis will bring yo' luck.
The material name “graveyard dirt” is supplied editorially in brackets. The speech itself says it comes from the graveyard.
Entry 7758
Go tuh de graveyard an' git graveyard dirt. Yo' kin bring dat grave- yard dirt back an' yo' bury dat graveyard dirt up undah de steps. See, dat will give yo' bad luck tuh run yo' away.
Entry 7759
Ah heard of 'em goin' tuh de graveyard an' gittin' dat dirt at twelve a'clock at night an' plantin' it undah de steps. Dat'll keep dere man, keep dere ole man; yassuh, keep de man at home, keep 'im from leavin'.
Entry 7760
Take graveyard dirt an' dragon's blood an' make [mix] it up. Yo' kin take dat an' sprinkle it aroun' in a person's home. He can't see it. Yo' begin tuh have a hackin' cough an' dat hackin' cough, yo' jes' cough, cough lak yo' got tuberculosis; an': if yo' don' git dat dirt - some people don sweep often enough. Some people know [how] tuh avoid dat. Any person kin come in yuh home an' have a pinch of it an' throw it in dere an' cuz yo' tuh have a hackin' cough. (You say they take graveyard dirt and dragon's blood. Do they put it sep- arately or what?) Naw, mix 'em tuhgethah. See, dragon's blood is a very precious thing an' de graveyard dirt yo' git it off a sinnah's grave.
Entry 7761
Dey tell me yo' kin take graveyard dirt an' aig an' put it tuhgethah an' throw it on - somewhere roun' de house an' dat will cuz dem tuh be in hard luck all de time.
(How do you put that graveyard dirt and egg together?) Dey jes' have it mixed tuhgethah.
Entry 7762
I've heard of them getting graveyard dust. That is to lay you so you won't bother me. If you have an enemy you get graveyard dust and you wrap it up ip a paper and bury that and you won't by me. You put that some place where they can walk over it.
Entry 7763
Go tuh de graveyard an' git some sand an' bring it back. Have it in yore pocket yo' know. An' den come back dere to dat house an' jes' not let de fellah see dat yo' wants tuh run off from dere, not let 'im know nuthin 'bout it. Jes' scattah it roun' on de flo' an' dey tell me dat will make dat man move from dere. De rent-man could do dat, say when de man come roun' aftah de rent. De man dat's dere yo' know, somebody in 'is house could make him do dat. An' when de rent-man come, why see he could go out dere an' talk tuh de rent-man, an den him an' de rent-man will fall out. Dat's a fact.
Entry 7764
I've heard you can go to a graveyard and get some dirt and put it in a bag for a lucky hand and they say you'll win every game you go in. You carry in your pocket.
Entry 7765
If dey's shootin' crap, shootin' dice, yo' kin [go] down tuh de ceme- tery an' git some-a dirt off de haid of it, an' put it in de pocket where yo' goin' use de money. Well, dat will [make you lucky in gambling]. [Here I turned off recording machine, then started again]. Yo' don't know how tuh make dice do yo'? [I probably shook my head.] Don't know how tuh make 'em? Well, yo' kin take - dey make 'em wit bones an' dey make 'em wit celluloid, too. Ah'm tellin' yo' whut ah know an' WHUT AH HIRED TO TELL YO'. [No one Was ever hired to tell me anything. Every one came to me on the basis of a promise: if he knew something I wanted to hear, he was paid according to what I thought the information was worth; if he knew nothing, he was given a small fee for his time. As we gained experience and established confidence in a community, we tried to weed out before reaching the interviewing room, those who knew little or nothing.] But de man who run de house tole me - he want tuh git me [sooner] but ah had tuh go out of town. [De man who run de house, the man who rented the house in which I interviewed, was H. L. Timmons (see Vol.1, p. XXxvII), my contact man, whose automobile I also rented.] (Well, all you have to do is to put this graveyard dirt in your pocket where you put the money.) Put it to work, dat's right.
(That is for luck in gambling.)
Tote wit de dice.
Entry 7766
He tole me one time, he says: Jes' lak yo' knew a person dat died re- cently, it don't make no diff'rence how long he's been [dead]. Dat's providin' if he's a gamblah, a man or a woman. It don't make no diff'rence, if he's a gamblah an' yo' wanted tuh git a "lucky hand" or sompin lak dat tuh be successful in gamblin'. Ah have nevah tried it but he tole me, said he wus successful. Ah noticed he handled plenty of money. Said, jes' lak yo' knew a person dat died, woman or man, an' dey wus a gamblah or pokah playah or sompin of de kind, an' yo' Wanted a little luck. Well, whutevah 'mount of money yo wanted tuh give 'em - yo' have tuh pay 'em firs'. Jes' lak yo'd git up, why it be twelve a'clock at night. Yo' go tuh dis pahtic'lah grave of de person yo' knew, yo' knew tuh be de gamblah, an' git so much dirt - jes' a little pinch lak dat. Jes' dig yo' a hole in dere an' git it, an' 'fore yo' close it back up, put some money in dere. Pay 'em fo' it an' take it an' wrap it up in yore little rag. An' tote it in yore pocket where yo' money at an' dey say yo' be lucky.
Entry 7767
Ah've tried. It give luck, if yo' go tuh de graveyard twelve o'clock in de night an' run yore han' down on dere, right in de centah of dat grave, an' git out some dirt. Put it in yore pock- it. Now, dat is if yo're a gamblah, put it in yore pockit wit chure change an' yo' kin go tuh de skin game an', long as yo' got dat money, yo'll have all kind of luck yo' want. Ah done tried dat.
Entry 7768
Dat [is a] luck proposition. Yo' kin go tuh de graveyard an' run yore han' down in dere up tuh yore elbow an' bring out as much dirt as yo' kin bring out between dem two two fingahs dere [demonstrates].
(The thumb and the little finger of the right hand.)
Yes, an' put it in a rag an' jis' lak yo' luck fo' skinning or gambling, any- thing lak dat. An' go ahaid on tuh de skin game an' set down an' yo'll break evah game dere.
Entry 7769
Go tuh a good gam- blah's grave, a guy dat wuz a good gamblah. Aftah he's buried, go down dere de nex' day aftah he's buried, an' dig down tuh yore elbow befo' de sunrise. An' take it an' put it in a sock [not sack] an' tote it in yore pocket, an' yo' go tuh de skin game an' yo' don't fall.
(You put it in a sock - one of your own socks?)
Yes sir, one your own socks.
(You carry it in any pocket?)
Yes sir, jes' put it in any pocket an' tote it wit chure money.
Entry 7770
Go tuh de graveyard an' dig in a grave late at night tuh gamble. Go out late at night, midnight, an' go in a grave an' he git a handful of it an' throw it ovah 'is shouldah an' den take some back in a can or pot. An' den he goes an' gamble, shoot crap or throw cards or anything. He will be lucky in winning. (What does he do with that pot of this graveyard dirt - what does he do with it then?) Jes' keep it in yore pocket.
(What shoulder do they throw that dirt over?)
Right shouldah [demonstrates].
(With his right hand over his right shoulder.)
Entry 7771
Well, ah heer'd, if yo' wanted graveyard dirt fo' luck, tuh go tuh some bad man. Jes' lak ah wanted tuh git some graveyard dirt fo' luck fo' gambling, go tuh 'is grave an' call 'im by his name. An' dig down in 'is grave an' tell 'im dat ah want some of dis dirt fo' luck an', "Ah'm goin' pay yo' fo' it." An' drop two cents in dat hole an' pay him fo' it an' kivah hit back up. Take dat dirt an' go on gamble wit it. Dat is lucky.
(How do you carry it?)
Take dat dirt an' tie it up in a rag an' tote it in yore pocket.
Entry 7772
If a person wanta, yo' know, wanta know how tuh gamble an' be a wondah- ful gamblah, yo' go tuh de graveyard at night. An' go tuh dis wicked man, yo' know, grave. An' ast 'im, yo'know, tell 'im whut chew want, dat yo' wanta learn tuh be a gamblah. An' dig right down by his left side, an' git some of dat dirt outa, yo' know, his grave - by his left side. An' den yo' git three pennies an' put in dere an' give 'im. An' den yo' git de dirt an' carry it on, an' yo' be one de best gamblahs dey is in de worl'. Nobody beat chew no way - can't win, can't git chew no way.
(What do you do with that dirt then, after you get it?)
Yo' take it an' put it in a bag an' keep it in yore pocket. Evahwhere yo' go jes' carry dat dirt in dat bag an' evah game yo' git in yo'll win.
Entry 7773
De graveyard dirt, yo' go out tuh de graveyard an' - yo' gambles wit dat - yo' take an' go tuh de graveyard an' digs a hole down tuh de head of yo' grave. Go in dere so yo' could reach chure arm out an' dig up an' pick up dat dirt lak dat. An' puts a silvah dime down in dere, a bran'-new sil- vah dime in dere
[the grave]. Dey puts dat [dime] down in dere [grave] an' dey'll take dat [dirt]
an' dey'll tie it up an' dey'll let dat dime stay in dere [grave] until dey gits through wit de dirt. An' when dey go back tuh carry de dirt back [to the grave] dey'll take de dime out [of the grave]. But dey'll tie hit [dirt] up in a li'le sack - yo' know, yo've seen dese Bull Durham sacks - dey puts dat [dirt] in dere an' dey'll - den dey takes it [sack with dirt] an' puts it in dere pocket, right- hand pocket, an' when dey go tuh skin games, dey take de li'le sack in de hand lak dat an' shake it [tied-up sack] all ovah de table, an' dere won't nobody win de money den. Dey'll [the shaker] win it all by deyself [himself]. (WHAT DO THEY USE IN THIS LITTLE SACK, JUST THE DIME? OR DO THEY HAVE GRAVE- YARD DIRT IN THAT SACK?)
[Preceding material is confusing without my bracket explanations.]
YO' HAVE GRAVEYARD DIRT IN DAT SACK.
(WELL, WHERE IS THE DIME?)
IT'S AT DE GRAVEYARD WHERE YO' GOT DE DIRT.
(YOU CARRY THIS DIRT BACK, WHEN YOU GET THIS DIME BACK.)
[The new-silver dime is not a payment to the grave but a deposit to guarantee the return of the dirt! After all, even the power in graveyard dirt eventually wears out, especially in a gambling game fighting all those other luckpieces and charms and roots! Instead of casting the useless dirt away, it is restored to the grave to be on the good side of the spirit.] There is nothing else like this in Hoodoo! The shaking of the sacked graveyard dirt over the gambling place ex- cites the spirit in the dirt to action.
Entry 7774
[If a good or noted gambler dies], if he die, aftah he's buried nine days, yo' go tuh de cemetery. Take away de sod, take yore right arm an' stick it jis' as fer in de grave as yo' kin git it, an' bring up enough sand in dem fo'-five fingah - jis' a pinch. An' yo' take dat an' yo' hold 'till yo' git tuh some tis- sue papah an' put it on tissue papah. Git chew a li'le 'bacco sack, one dese li'le 'bacco sacks, an' yo' takes seven drops of Hearts Cologne an' jis' stir wit dat until it git moist- ened. Put it in dat sack in de tissue papah an' close it tight, an' take de bot- tle of perfume wit yo'. An' whenevah yo' go intuh a game yo' jis' drop two drops of dat in yore pocket, in yore hand, an' yo' can't lose.
(What do they call that? Do they call that anything, that you have prepared?)
[I am asking informant for his name of this luckpiece: hand, jōmō, etc.]
No, sir, don't have any special name. [Informant does not understand my question. Several minutes later he calls it a gambling hand, when he repeats the rite as follows:]
(What do they do with graveyard dirt?)
Well, graveyard dirt is a gambling hand an' a slicking hand, yo' see.
(A ganbling hand. How do they fix a gambling hand from that?)
Well, yo' take hit an' put it jis' lak ah 'fo' [before] tole yo'. Take hit [graveyard dirt] up yo' see an' put it in tissue papah, an' yo' takes a li'le Hearts [Colognel, seven drops, an' yo' stir it. Takes it an' put it back in de 'bacco sack an' corded dat down tight [pulled draw string of sack tight] tuh keep moist [7 drops inside]. Den yo' takes dat perfume an' yo' go intuh a game. Jis' when yo' go an' git dere yo' take it out an' turn it up lak dat [demonstrates]an' hold it in yore hand. Put it in yore pocket, hold it in yore hand. But yore han olll fis' sweat [when it is time to betl. Jis' as long as dey put dat money down, yo' will git it. Dat's a gambling hand.
Entry 7775
A man tole me one time when ah used tuh try tuh gamble - ah nevah was nuthin but a game-fan [watcher] - but ah've quit dese things now. But ah remem- bah dis in mah youngah days. Ah'm tellin' yo' de truth. He always tole me, said, "If yo' wanta be lucky, B" - called me B, mah name is Bidgood - he says, "if yo' wanta be lucky, yo' go tuh de graveyard an' go intuh de breast of de grave, an' put chure hand down as deep as yo' kin git in an' git some-a de dust. Git chew a piece of red flannen an' put it in dere, an' put some black peppah, some honeycomb" - lak de bees make honey, use de comb sometime fo' curin', but de honey's gone - "an' tie it up an' put it in yore pocket. When yo' go tuh a pokah game or skin game or crap game, jis' take dat ball out an' roll it in yore hands disaway [demonstrates] an' evahthing lak dat, ' an' says, "yo' prob'ly make a couple of passes on de dice - craps. Well," says, "yo' keep dat up an' rub yo' hands [until they] gits warm an' hot. Go tuh a drug store an' git chew some good cologne an' put all through dat so it have a sweet smell tuh it." He says, "Yo' more den apt tuh be lucky." But ah have nevah tried it.
Entry 7776
Once ah wuz goin' wit anothah woman - me an' anothah fellah wuz goin' yit de same girl an' we didn't know anything about it. An' she tole anothah girl dat me an' 'im, dat we wuz both ma'ied [married] an' she wuz goin' kill both of us befo' three days. Well, we went on back an' wuzn't pay- in' any 'tenshun an' she fixed a pint of whiskey up an' sont [sent] fo' me a' 'im tuh come an' git some of it. So den de fellah come on an' got de whiskey a' tried tuh git me tuh go an' ah didn't care tuh go. An' he went an' got an caken a drink of de whiskey. He taken sick an' he lived three days aftah dat. An' she tole 'im, when she got through wit 'im, she taken some of 'is hair out from off de left side of 'is haid an' put it in some whiskey an' got some grave- Yard dirt an' went to a place where dere wuz a dead snake, an' got some of 'is womes an' grin' hit up real fine an' put it in de whiskey. An' he drinken [drank] dat an' he died in three days.
Entry 7777
You can take the graveyard dirt, they say, and put it in whiskey and give a person consumption.
Entry 7778
About graveyard dirt, that will give you consumption [tuberculosis].
(How do they do that?)
They take it in your water and bury it under your doorstep.
(Your drinking Water, you mean?)
Yes, sir. [Graveyard dirt in your drinking Water, though under the doorstep, contaminates all your drinking Water.]
Entry 7779
An' dey could take graveyard dirt an' put it in likkah an' dey could give yo' dat. (What would that do to you?) Well, dey jes' have yuh jes' crazy, jes' foolish all de time. Yo' don't have yore right mind about it, anything.
Entry 7780
Ah've hear'd dey cud [could] git graveyard dirt an' runnin' huckle- berry an' ball [boil] it tuhgethah. Dey say huckleberry will kill anybody. An' jis' two spoonfuls of dat tuh anybody [in food or drink] will kill 'em or keep 'em lingahin' two or three months, an' de doctah's [M.D.'s] medicine will not do 'em any good. [Huckleberry is sometimes called devil's huckleberry.bush, see HUCKLEBERRY BUSH, No.361, p.107.]
Entry 7781
They'll git graveyard dirt, jus' a little pinch of it, an' put it in some of your food. You'll linger, yo' know, jus' start to lingerin' that way - it ain't gon'a kill you right away.
Entry 7782
Dat make yo' - dat make somepin fo' luck in gamblin', some way.
(Tell me what way to do it.)
Only one way yo' do dis, wit graveyard dirt. Git some of de dirt outa de graveyard, outa de middle de grave. Yo' take dis dirt an' put it in somepin fo' a man, if yo' wanta hahm [harm] 'im, an' yo' let 'im git holda some-a dat dirt tuh eat - in some-a his food or somepin lak dat, dat graveyard dirt. Dat'll put 'im undah affliction whut would take a hard time tuh git 'im ovah.
(I see.)
Entry 7783
[The following rite could have been placed with the foot tracks and graveyard dirt under Nos.5437-5476, Pp.2845-2855.] Well, if yo' have did any hahm [harm] tuh any- body-lak, see lak some yuh friend, an' den dey'll misjudge joo an' den dey die, some-a dere family will go tuh de graveyard where dey wuz buried at an' take some-a dat [grave dirt] an' throw it on yuh, throw in yuh [foot] tracks where dey'll know yo's had tuh walk at all time. Dey'll [the dead spirit will] be right in yuh way all de time.
Entry 7784
If yo' wanta make someone move or sompin lak dat, why yo' go tuh de cemetery but it have tuh be at twelve a'clock in de night. Jes' lak yo' know somebody died wicked, yo' jes' put a dime on dere grave an' git some of dat dirt. An' dey say yo' go tuh de fo'k of de road an' yo' put it down dere, an' yo' put so much on dere steps [or] on dere porch. Dey gotta leave den.
(You put this graveyard dirt...)
Yo' gotta pay fo' it. Yo' got it offa a wicked person's grave.
(And then you go to the forks of the road? What do you do out there?)
Put some of it out dere at de fo'k of de road. (Put some of the graveyard dirt out there and then you put some of it under the steps?) Yes.
(To make a person move.)
Yes, dey gotta leave, go eithah one of dem roads. Dey gotta go. (They would have to leave on one of those roads at the fork.) [Brunswick, Ga., (1201), 2017.1
Entry 7785
(What do you go out to the forks of the road for?)
Yo' go out tuh de fo'k of de road tuh git a kinda root. Yo' git a kinda root de' calls de Conkah root. Aftah yo' git dat conkah root, yo' goes on back tuh de house. Dat's when yuh madam done quit yuh - lak yo' mä'ied [married] an den yuh madam done quit yuh. An' aftah yo' git dat root, why yo' goes on back an' yo' take de root an yo' parch it-lak, yo' undahstand. Yo' make a kinda dust outa it, jis' make a dust an' yo' mix it wit graveyard dust, yo' undahstand. An' den yo' gotta rejoin dat tuhgethah.
(Well, what do you do with that, after you mix all this stuff?)
Aftah yo' fix it, yo' jis' take it in a li'le sack. Take it in a li'le sack an' jis' wash it roun' yuh waist-lak, yo' see.
(I see. That's to bring the woman back?)
Yes.
Entry 7786
Go tuh de graveyard an' git dirt from de graveyard, an' den go tuh de forks of de road an' make a wush fo' nine mawnin's, an' dey have bad luck. If dey wusn't in bad luck, bad luck will follah dem; if dey wishin' good luck, why good luck will follah dem. (That is if I wanted you to have good luck or bad luck, I would go to the graveyard and get some dirt, and then I would go to the forks of the road nine mornings and make my wish.) Nine mawnin's befo' day, befo' de sun rise.
(But I only go to the graveyard once?)
Yes.
Entry 7787
Take a chicken alg an' go tuh a ant hill an' dig down in dat hill an' git some dirt an' a red ant. An' den go tuh de woods an' git a young oak tree, a oak tree dat's got jis' kinda sprouts tuh it. An' dey come back wit it an' take it, an' go intuh a kinda forks in de road 'bout where anybody, yo' know, 'spect [expect] tuh walk on. An' den if fellah [lover] or fren' is gone away, take an' bury dat. Yo' know, bury dose things down tuh de ground an'take dat red ant, egg an' all, an' put ovah de top of it, an' dey say dat will bring 'em back.
[Informant now illustrates rite with following story:]
Dey talk about a ole man an' he didn't want 'is daughtah tuh stay 'way. He vent out tuh de red ants' baid an' he got de fo'ks of a li'le tree, an' buried it down tuh de fo'ks of road in de direction which she went, wit graveyard dirt, an' told it whut he want done. An' 'is daughtah came back an' she's up dere tuh 'is house right now.
(You mean just this little small fork off the tree?)
Yes jis' a li'le small fo'k about where it will not be noticed. An' bury it in de direction in which she's gone. Jis' use de graveyard dirt an' tell it whut chew want done an' sprinkle dat graveyard dirt ovah it. (You mean the fork at the tip of a [branch], you cut that off that red oak tree?) Yessuh.
Entry 7788
Git some of dat graveyard dirt an' jes' throw it right to yore gate, an' when he [landlord or rentman] come along, he'll pass by, pass right on by.
(The landlord couldn't move you out of the house?)
No suh, couldn't move yo' out de house.
The answer claims the resident could not be moved out. Landlord identification is supplied in interviewer/editorial context, and no protective result is independently established.
Entry 7789
Ah know of a man gittin' a gravevine stick, but he have it dressed, dressed, load it up wit a piece of li'le small lodestone an' brimstone an' put it in dat stick wit graveyard dirt. Put it in, in de stick. Have yo' a separate hole bo'd [bored] fo' it. Yo' 'tend [attend] tuh dat yo'self an' nobody won' observe any hole 'bout it. An' if yo' knock a man wit it, why he'll lingah - dat cuz 'im tuh lingah an' pass away. [If I may guess at the intention here: the lodestone attracts the person to be present for the hitting, the brimstone sends him to hell, after the graveyard dirt has killed him.]
Entry 7790
Well, they say that chew can go to a graveyard and take the dirt be- tween the top and the bottom down in the grave, and mix that with a right foot of a rabbit; but the rab- bit must be shot down while he's running. And you take that and then git somebody's finger- nails and toenails and mix in with that, if you're against them, and then put that in a gun and shoot that away; and the direction that you shoots, the indi- vidual will leave, go off that same direction and become a wanderer.
Entry 7791
If yo' wanta break up anybody, if yo' kin git de black cat hair an' black dog hair an' gunpowdah, an' graveyard dirt, an' wasp nest an' dirt daubah nest, put it tuhgethah an' mix it, an' shoot it an' dat'll break 'em up. (Where do they shoot this stuff?) Jes' put it on a li'le shovel an' throw it up out- do' at night. [The preceding word shoot has been retained by present informant in the baseball sense: he shot the ball to second base, meaning he threw it as hard or as fast as he could. Shoot can mean to send swiftly along as to shoot guestions at someone. Here we have an example of how original rites can be changed: A person may not own a gun, es- pecially the old-fashioned muzzle-loader implied here. Besides, shooting a gun at any time could attract attention. By using a shovel we return to rites of letting the wind blow things away.]
(Where do you do this?)
At chure home or anywheres.
(If I were trying to break up somebody, I would do that at my home?)
No, at dere house.
Entry 7792
Now, if a person wanta run yo' out of a house, why dey goes tuh a ceme- tery where dere's someone deposit dead dere dat is well known, dat dey knows de disposition of de person [ill- tempered]. Dey carry along 7 pennies an' two lightvood AND HOW [fatwood or fatlighter pine] splinters [stakes]. Dey stick one on dis side jis' across de ways [waist] an' de othah cross de othah side di- rectly opposite an' dey stretch dat string zactly across dere.
(Across the breast from one stake to the other.)
Yes sir, lightly - must be caught lightly. An' den dey take anothah string an' stretch it directly from de foot tuh de haid [demonstrates].
(IN OTHER WORDS, YOU ARE FORMING A CROSS RIGHT ON TOP OF THAT GRAVE.)
Yes, sir. Den yo' go tuh work an' yo' go right intuh 'is hips, de right hip, an' yo' deposit dem 7 cents dere, an' yo' bring up from dere a handful of dat earth. Put it intuh a li'le box of some kin' dat yo' kin close it down tuh- gethah with. An' den tell 'em jis' zactly whut yo' wants done an' how yo' want it done. Den make dem undahstan' dat yo' have paid 'em, absolutely have paid 'em de price an' yo' mean fer 'em tuh do it. Yo' come on back tuh de house an yo' buy one gunshot shell an' cut de shot off, an' yo' takes de powdah an' yo' will po' it out an' measure jis' exactly how much powdah yo' want tuh put in dere. Measure de powdah an' put it intuh a clean piece of cloth an' measure de earth, jis' dat much earth, an' put it intuh dat cloth too. An' den yo'.git yo' dat much ground red peppah. Put it in dere an' fold it up tight an' yo' puts it right intuh de gun an' yo' turn directly an' face westward an' call dere name an' pull de triggah. An' if dey don't move, dey'll drop daid on de spot.
(Where did you learn that?)
Ah learned dat right chere, Charleston.
(Is that a special remedy of anyone? Of any special person?)
Yes, sir, fellah in de neighborhood name of Robert Chaplin. [Charleston, S. Car., (514, Doctor Glover), 595:2.] [For Glover see also references at end of 7214, p.3209 and elsewhere.]
Entry 7793
Jis' git graveyard dirt an' sprinkle it aroun' de step an' kep' [kept] back evil, dey call it.
(What do you mean by that?)
Ha'nts [spirits of dead people]. [The magic principle here is: like cures like, fight fire with fire, hair of the dog that bit you, etc. Spirits of the dead, as those of the living, fight among themselves. Somewhere in Hoodoo an elderly woman remembers seeing as a child a graveyard fight among spir- its.]
Entry 7794
(Tell me that again, now.) Dey put it in de band of yuh hat. (This graveyard dirt?) Graveyard dust, put it in de band of yuh hat an' it fall down in yuh eyes an' cuz yo' tuh go blind.
Entry 7795
Well, yo' kin take dat [graveyard dirt] an' put confusion in peoples' homes, [or] dat will put chew in bad luck regardless of how far away dat dey living... Awe [I] kin take dat dirt an' put it in yore house an' yo' begin tuh fall, fall down tuh nuthin, lingahin' of sickness. (Where do you put it in the house?) Anywheres, down anywhere.
Entry 7796
"At's [= Dat's = that is] whut ah hear'd 'bout de graveyard dirt, one way. Ah heah 'em say yo' kin take it an' sprinkle roun' de house, yo' know jes' lak de man an' 'is wife in de home an' yo' wanta break 'em up. Dey sprinkle it all rom' dere yo' know, undah house, roun' dere, an' dey go tuh fightin' an' raisin' Sam [Sam = the devil]. Jes' graveyard dirt.
Entry 7797
Jis' lak yo' gittin' along good here now an' yo' look lak yo' success- ful an' doin' good. Co'se.ah might grudge [begrudge] yo'. [Or] me an' yo' can't git along, sompin lak dat. Well, ah wants tuh put chew out of business, see. Well, jis' lak ah foretole yo', now ah would go tuh de graveyard an' git me some graveyard dust an' ah'll - when ah git about 50 feet from yuh house - ah'll sprinkle it, lak when yo' about 50 feet down de street or road, sompin lak dat. An' why? Yo' jis' couldn't stay dere, see. [This is from Peter Brown, a root doctor, mentioned by Doctor William [Marcus] Brown who belittles him despite my marking him good - see last 14 lines on p.3188.]
Entry 7798
( Graveyard dirt? Well dey could take dat - de same as yo' is livin' in heah, dis could be yuh property an' yo' lives heah. Dey could take dat dirt - at night dey would come past an' jis' got it in dere hand lak dat [demonstrates]. Whilst dey walkin', yo' know, why dey jis' sprinkle it, throw it aroun', an' when dey git through, dust dey hands.
(What happens then?)
Wal, yo'd be dere fer awhile but chew gotta move out of de house, not goin' tuh stay.
Entry 7799
Take graveyard dirt an' dey done go.
(Where do you put that?)
Jes' throw it roun' de house or empty it anywhere roun' de house. Dey say it upsets de home. Ah heard 'em say dat.
Entry 7800
An' then anothah way yo' kin take dat same graveyard dirt an' fix it an' put it into a home, an' it'll be someone out dat home - short, long or short [see later] will git killed.
(What happens in that house now?)
In dat house, if it's contin'l [continual] sprinklin' in dat house, well some- one in dat house, longah or shortah [sooner or later] will git killed. Out of dat house someone will git killed.
Entry 7801
Dey tell me yo' kin git graveyard dirt an' bury it roun' somebody's house or sompin of de kind. Dat will make 'em leave home or run 'em crazy.
Entry 7802
Take graveyard dirt an' sprinkle it roun' yore house an' dat'll keep enemies from yo'.
Entry 7803
Go tuh de graveyard about twelve a'clock at night an' git some grave- yard dirt. Dig it real deep in de groun' an' git it off dat part, an' bring it an' sprinkle it aroun' de house an' yo'd move.
Entry 7804
If yo' were livin' by me an' ah want chew tuh move. Well, ah could go tuh a graveyard an' git a handful of dirt; an' take a handful of dirt an' start roun' in de left side, yo' undahstan', an' sprinkle it roun' in dere house. Den de nex' mawnin' yo'll move. [This circumambulation ap- pears to be inside the house. Notice that the person sprinkling the dirt starts on the left side, meaning he performs a clockwise circle inside the house.]
Entry 7805
Now, yo' see yo' take a house dat is unlucky dataway. Yo' say now, de house is unlucky, ain't good luck tuh yo'. Well, yo' go tuh, say a graveyard, an' yo' git some of dat graveyard dirt. Yo' gits right ovah.a grave an' stretches out on it, an' reach as fer down wit yore right ahm [arm] as yo' kin. Yo' take a dime in yore han', go dere an' reach down in dere, an' yo' turn dat dime loose an' yo' takes dat dirt up, an' carries it back home an' sprinkle it all aroun', allroun' yore do' - all aroun' yore house, yo' see. Well, when yo' sprinkle it roun' dere, well evahthin' den will come yore way. Dere's no hahm [harm] tuh be done. Yo'll come lucky. (That is if somebody has crossed up my house and I'm leaving, moving out, that is to uncross it.) Dat's right, dat'll uncross it.
Entry 7806
From personal experience, yo' would go in de cemetery an' git dirt at a cer'in hour at night, an' dat hour would be twelve, 'tween twelve an' one, an' yo' would take dat if possible an' sprinkle it in de no'th cornah; an' if not possible, yo' Would sprinkle it aroun' de house nine diff'ren' times. In less dan nine days dey'd be moved wit'out any trouble. If yo' know how tuh kill it, in case if someone knew dat, had de ideah of dat, he'd do de same thing wit brown salt [salt browned on stove]. Take table salt an' as yo' sprinkle at night, why he'd git up in de mawnin' an' sprinkle ag'in, an' dat would kill it.
[As informant said, this sprinkling is done 9 times.]
(What kind of salt?)
Table salt. Yo' take it an' brown it an' dat will kill it. Now, dat's from personal experience. Ah know dat.
Entry 7807
Graveyard dirt, dat's when yo' wanta run a person from any place. Jis' lak now, if a person stayin' in dis house [in which I was interviewing] an' yo' Want dis house an' yo' come in here. All yo' gotta do when yo' come, yo' walks aroun', aroun' dis place [demon- strates]: put some in dis place, put some in dis one, put some in dat one, an' put some in dat one.
(You put it in all four corners of the house.)
De fo' cornahs of de house. Don' keer who yo' is, dey couldn't stay in dere fer soul or life.
Entry 7808
Ah heard dat yo' kin take graveyard dirt - go tuh de graveyard. Jis' lak someone dat worries yo', dey tell me yo' go tuh de graveyard an' git - dig down right at de haid of dis person, an' take yo' a spoon an' git de dirt up, m' put it in each cornah of yuh house [demonstrates]: lak in dat one, dat one, an' dat one, dis one, an' den take it an' put it undah de do'step [five places]; an' if anybody tryin' tuh do anything tuh yo', it won't worry yo'.
Entry 7809
Dey say yo' kin take dat dirt, graveyard dirt, an' put it in de fo' cornah of de house, an' put some right tuh de front of yore do' where yo' walk cross it. Dey say dat'll stop confusion all in yore home.
(How would they put this dirt in the four corners? How?)
Jis' put it onto dere, sprinkle it down. (You put it something like that. Well, you told me before that you cross it. What do you mean by that?) No sir, jis' sprinkle it. [Waycross, Ga., (1098).1775:1.]
Entry 7810
It's de same as yo' were livin' intuh dis premises right chere, yo' undahstan', an' he might not be a sufficiently good enough neighbah roun', yo' know, in de community, an' yo'd like tuh git someone out chere. Well yo' goes tuh de graveyard yo' undahstan' an' yo' gits holt of some of dat dirt an' yo' put, ah think it's black peppah an' salt, an' yo' sprinkle it aroun' in de fo' cornahs of de house. An' den yo' jis' take de rest an' den yo' scattah it an' go on out tuh de street. It won't be but a day or two befo' dey'll go on, have tuh leave dere.
(Have to move out of the house?)
Oh! dey couldn't stay in dere.
Entry 7811
Fo' mahself, lak dis mah house, ah could put it in all fo' cornahs.
(This graveyard dirt.)
Jis' lak three times a week - ah mean three mawnin's but till nine mawnin's pass, an' den yo' stop, an' den yo' wait nine mawnin's an' yo' put it roun' ag'in. Dat will keep down confusion in yore house.
Entry 7812
Yo' kin take graveyard dirt, dat keep anybody from movin' in dis [empty] house. Take graveyard dirt an' salt an' cayenne peppah [3 ingredients] an' mix it tuhgethah an' plant it tuh de fo' cornahs of dis heah [empty] house. Well, yo' nevah take a notion tuh move [into this vacant house, this] keep yore mind off. (You mean you wouldn't move into the house.) Jes' lak ah say, if dey [you] have dis heah [house we are in] an' yo' move out, say fo' instance if yo' don' wan' de man tuh rent it, yo' go tuh de graveyard an' git chew dirt from de worst man's grave yo' knows, a wicked person - some wicked person dat didn't b'long [belong] tuh church or sompin lak dat. Yo' stick a cane [bamboo] down in dere deep, about two feet chew yo' know, an' git up de dirt an' take it out. Put three cents down in dere an' covah de hole up an' bring dat dirt tuh de house. An' mix it up wit salt an' peppah an' put it tuh de fo' cornahs of de house. Ah doubt whethah he'll rent it fo' twelve months. [Our cane, reed or bamboo here is probably genus Arundinaria, species maero- sperma, of the southern U. S. A. The only other American species is A. tecta, a small cane. Informant of course could be referring to one of the foreign bamboos introduced into the U. S. A., but I doubt it.]
Entry 7813
You get some graveyard dust and, when you go out to seek a job, you are talking to the boss, you sprinkle a little bit near him. You put some of that on his hat, if you can get it - that's better.
Entry 7814
Dey did mah grandmothah dat way, an' ah went tuh a woman [doctor] dat tole me. Take de graveyard dust an' got some ole stuff dey jis call John de Conkah, an' put it wdt dat graveyard dust. An' git Jockey Club an' put it. Mix it all up tuh- gethah an' put some peppah in it. An' put it in 'er tracks an' put it at de do' where she had tuh come out. An' de woman [doctor] git one of 'er shoes an' put some in dere, an' 'er foot lak tuh rise [swell] off her.
(Almost ran off?)
Yes. [The woman doctor or fortuneteller turned the spell back on the spell-caster.1
Entry 7815
You can use graveyard dirt for many occasions. Now, you can take graveyard dirt, dirt dauber, sand.
(Sand?)
Sand.
(Ordinary sand?)
Ordinary sand, cement [and graveyard dirt] an' yo' can make a ball out of it. You take it an' make a real ball out of it. An' after you make that ball out of it, why you takes that stuff that you make mosquito bar an' yo' take that, an' wrap that around of it. An' put it out in the sun, where de sun can hit it an' let it dry, an' take that an' just put it in de house. It's just as hard as a ball, it is. An' any time, why, if yo' wants to have control over whomsomever yo' desire to have control, yo' just kick that ball aroun' an' play wit it, call his names, an' de next three or four hours he's supposed to bedere.
(I see.)
Entry 7816
In some parts of the South they claim if you get some dirt from the cemetery and put it in a box, and place it under the steps of your enemy, it will cause trouble in their home. And oft times they sought a cunjure-man and he in turn gives them a piece of rau- hide, and tells them at intervals to tie a knot until that string is exhausted. That will do away with the evil spirit. [Informant Was born in Jacksonville, Fla.]
Entry 7817
If a person away an' - yo' could take yo' a cotton string an' yo' tie dose nine knots tuhgethah. Yo' sew dose nine knots up intuh a bag an' yo' take graveyard dirt wit'in dose knots. An' yo' take dat bag an' put it some- place in yuh clothes whut chew veah nex' tuh yo'. An' yo' weah dat bag wit dat string in dere twixt yo', an' dat'll bring 'em back.
Entry 7818
Dey would put hit an' larkspur tuhgethah an' dat would create confusion in de house. (They would put this graveyard dirt and what to- gether?) Larkspur, a flower. Sprinkle it aroumd yore house an' it will create upstirs.
(Make confusion in the family?)
Yes.
(Now, in using that larkspur, they just take the whole plant or?)
Take de flowahs, de flowahs off de larkspur an' pound dem up aftah dey dry - wit de graveyard dirt.
Entry 7819
Well, jes' lak she gits a lettah from 'im. All right, she'll take de lettah an' she'll go to de graveyard an' git some graveyard dust. An' she'll dress it wit de graveyard dust an' mail 'is signature back tuh him. Dat's whut dey tell me.
[After machine turned off, informant adds bring him back.]
(That will bring him back.)
Dat will bring 'im back.
Entry 7820
Well, yo' kin take a envelope an' go tuh a cemetery, well maybe 'long about dis time a-day, or maybe 'bout eight a'clock in de mawnin', an' yo' kin git some dirt offa de grave- yard. An' yo' takes it back home an' put it in dis enve- lope an' write chure name down nine time an' [demon- strates] write chure name heah nine time, er, one time, an' her name heah one time, see all de way down. Well, yo' go on down an' let chure name be firs' all de time, all de way down. Well, yo' go on down till yo' git dat nine times.
(Each one nine times?)
Yessir, yores nine an' mine nine times. Well, yo' takes dis envelope an' yo' cuts a hole in de mattress an' put dis envelope undah dere, undah de feet or eithah at de haid, or eithah where de body lay on de baid, see. Well, dat'll make him come, if he's workin'; an' if he ain't been bringin' 'is money home, dat'll make him come an' give his money tuh dis girl or 'is wife. An' den, when yo' do dis, put dis envelope undah dere, why yo' kin take...
[I interrupt.]
(Now, which side do you put it under, his place or under your place?)
His place where he sleeps. An' den yo' take dis aig, newly-freshly-laid aig, hen aig. Write chure name [demonstrates] heah one time, an' hers heah once, until yo' write it all de way round nine times.
(Each one nine times?)
Dat's right, each one nine times on dat aig, an' on de envelope, an' yo' bury dis aig undah de do'step. All right, whenevah he comes in, he gotta go in ovah dis aig an' he gotta come back out de do'. Dat's all tuh dat story.
Entry 7821
If someone's daid, some of yore relatives, an' yo' git in trouble, yo' take an' write dem a lettah an' tell 'em whut chew in trouble 'bout, an' care [carry] it tuh de graveyard an' put it in dey grave, an' yo' nevah will be 'rested [arrested] 'bout whut chew done. [Informant pronounced preceding word relatives as relatives.
Entry 7822
I've heard this: if you wake up in the night at twelve o'clock and you write a letter to some of your kin people which is dead and seal it and mail it to yourself, when you receive this letter you burn it and make a wish and the girl that you're going with will marry you. [Fredericksburg, Va., by Edi- phone.]
Entry 7823
Tisn't [It is not] but one place at ah knows of in de graveyard dat yo' kin git any dirt dat will do anythin'. Not any kind of dirt in de graveyard will not [omit not] anything. [Such a belief] it's a fake. If yo' go tuh a murdahed man's grave... [I interrupt.] (Some man that was killed?) Yeah, murdahed. He gotta be a sinnahman, a worldly man lak a gamblah or gangstah or somepin of dat kind. Yo' goes tuh 'is grave an' on 'is left-hand side at 'is haid, yo' take yuh right hand, yo' puts it down in dat earth. Yo' try tuh make it [reach the grave] aftah it rains, 'cuz de earth is soft. [As we shall see, you must grasp this dirt until you reach home and write a letter; consequently not one grain of this dirt must be dropped.] An' yo' kneels dere an' yo' ask 'im whut yo' wanta be done. Undahstan', an' as yo' ask 'im, yo' close yuh hand whilst yo' got it down in dat hole, an' den yo' brings dis dirt out. Undahstand? Yo' brings dis dirt out. Well, den yo' take it home. Yo' writes a lettah jis' lak ah'm writin' tuh a live person from which ah got dis dirt. An' in dat envelope ah'll put dis yere [here] dirt whut ah had in mah hand in dat envelope. Nevah let it [dirt] loose, nevah turn it loose until ah put it in dis envelope. An' den ah will take de sheet of papah an' ah will write tuh dat [dead] man. An' whutsomevah ah wan 'im tuh do, ah will seal dat lettah up wit dis dirt an' put it undah mah haid An' he will do anything dat yo' ast 'im tuh do. An' dat's de only place in de graveyard dat de dirt is any good.
Entry 7824
Yo' kin write a lettah tuh a dead person. If yo' want anything tuh happen tuh a person good or bad, write a lettah tuh a dead person. Go dere an' yo' kin carry nine cents, dig a hole an' give dis lettah tuh dis person hut's in de grave. An' dis party, jis' whut yo' ast in de lettah tuh happen, dey say dat would be true.
Entry 7825
If yo' wanta be lucky, dey tell me yo' kin write a lettah tuh a fellah, lak yo' know a real bad fellah dat died. Yo' kin write lettah tuh 'im care of hell. Go tuh de graveyard an' write de lettah tuh 'im. Come back an' put it undah de haid of yuh baid dat night an' yo'll dream about 'im. Yo'll be lucky an' git money, lucky tuh git a job - anything. [In general folklore to dream of the dead is lucky - see FACI 2nd ed., Nos.8271-8272, 8274, p.367.]
(You write the letter in care of hell?)
Yassuh.
Entry 7826
I have heard of them getting a hold of graveyard dust and putting it in a bag. And they wear that on the left side of the breast, in a woman; and if it is a man, they put that in his [left] pocket. They want to wear that next oo the skin and they will get them.
Entry 7827
I've heard X's father say you can go to the graveyard and get some dirt off the left side of the grave and do anything you want. You put that in a box and bury it in another grave and mention their name. You do that about sunset.
Entry 7828
Git some lodestone powdah an' graveyard dirt an' mix dat tuhgethah an' dat will make yo' git a job. Put it in yuh pocket an' tote it.
(The boss will give you a job.)
Entry 7829
Said if anybody had done anything tuh yo' an' yo' didn't wan' 'em tuh know yo' done anything tuh 'em, yo' go tuh de graveyard an' git some fresh graveyard dirt. An' yo' take dat dirt an' yo' take quicksilvah, an' when yo' take de quicksilvah... (What is that quicksilver? Is it a liquid-like or that tin paper [tinfoil]? What is quicksilver?)
[Quicksilver among my informants meant several things.]
Well, ah call dat liquid silvah. An' den yo' take dat. An' yo' git dat an' yo' git dis lodestone an' yo' shivah [sliver? = shave] it off right fine. An' yo' take dat dirt an' all dat an' mix it tuh- gethah. An' when yo' git chure oin- ment made lak yo' wan' it, yo' take dat li'le wad [insole] in de bottom of yuh lef' shoe [and put it under there] an' dey'll lingah an' lingah den until dey be's put in de ground. Ah heard it lak dat.
Entry 7830
Mostly dey use graveyard dirt, but dey git tuh use sand an' powdah.
(Sand and powder?)
Yeah.
(Sand and powder. What kind of powder?)
Love powdah.
(Love powder?)
Yeah, yo' see. Well, dey use graveyard dirt an' love powdah. Dat's tuh make yo' lak 'em or anything lak dat, yo' see. (Well, how would you prepare that? How would you do it?) Well, de way yo' do, yo' take yo' some graveyard dirt an' yo' mix it up de powdah in dat. (This love powder?) Yeah, love powdah an' sand. Yo' buy de love pow- dah right in de drug store, an' sand.
(Ordinary sand?)
Sand. An' yo' put a li'le sugah in dere. Sugah's fer love, see. Put a li'le sugah in dere an' yo' kin put a li'le bit in de envelope. An' lak yo' send yo a lettah, yo' put a li'le bit in de envelope. Well, dat make dat person lak yo aftah yo' git dat stuff on 'em.
Entry 7831
Lak if two people co'tin' [court- ing] an' yo' wan'a break 'em up, if yo' git some dirt from de graveyard an' throw it between 'em, dey say it will break up dere love.
Entry 7832
Yo' go tuh de graveyard an' git some dirt, graveyard dirt an' some sulphur, an' mix it tuhgethah. An' when yo' see de two parties [man and woman] tuhgethah, yo' throw dis dirt between de two an' dey'll break up.
Entry 7833
Ah heard dem say dey take a person's height, jis' ord'n'ry [ordinary], why yo' bein' a low man, why jis' git somepin, objek[object] neah yuh height, yo' know. Well, yo' keep yuh eye on dat an' when yo' go out, why dey take de rule an' measure dat. Dat'll be yuh height den. Den dey take dat length an' go in de graveyard an' measure dat off on a grave. Say yo'd soon somehow git afflicted an' die, jis' from puttin' yuh measure in de graveyard, right on top of a grave. Makes a long switch an' put a mark on it - lak [as the measurement].
(Do they leave the stick there?)
No sir, jis' go ahaid an' take yuh measurement down dere, so many feet, right on top de grave, yo' know, where dey goes. Jes' make a mark right 'cross dere an' it some kinda li'le funny word dey would say, some kinda li'le message. Yo' goin' die or somepin happen.
Entry 7834
Take twelve - yo' kin go tuh de graveyard, lak some fellah yo' know has been bad, bad. Ah mean a bad fellah, he died bad. Yo' go intuh de cemetery, yo' git jis' anywhere 'bout a handful of dust offa his grave. Yo' don't want no mud, yo' jis' want de dust offa his grave. Yo' take dat dust an' yo' come back. Yo' git chew one fresh egg. Yo' git chew some lōg oil.
(What kind of oil?)
Log, loggah oil.
(Lōg? Lōg oil?)
Lōg oil, de name of it is Loggah.
(How do you spell it?)
Well, ah don't know de name of it, but yo' explain dat tuh de druggist. He'd know whut yo' want, if yo' go tuh de right place.
(Oh, all right.)
[I KNEW THE DRUGGIST HE MEANT. I GUESSED THAT INFORMANT MEANT LOGy, A WORD IN U. S. A., MEANING SLUGGISH = sluggish Oil!] Yo' git chew some Miner's oil.
(Miner's oil?)
(Mines with - minus - mind this - mindless?)
Minus.
(Mindless! Like you lose your mind?)
Dat's it!
(Mindless oil?)
Dat's whut choo want.
(All right.)
[We now have logy oil and mindless oil.]
An' yo' take dat oil an' mix it up. Yo' take nine drops of each oil. Co'se dey give yuh a li'le perfume bottle full. Yo' can't buy under 50c worth, dat's de less he'll sell yuh. An' yo' git - befo' yo' - yo' know, befo' yo' leave de druggist, yo' git chew ten cents of John de Conkah root. Yo' git de log oil [lōgy oil] an' de mindless oil an' yo' take dese an' yo' mix it up all intuh dat dust, until it git tuh a real powdah. An' yo' kin do wondahful wit dat, wit dat powdah. Kin do anything yo' want. Yo' kin do good or bad.
(Just using that powder?)
Yes, sir.
Entry 7835
Git graveyard dirt [from] a fresh grave an' a mockin'bird nest. Dere ain't been many people know how tuh find a mockin'bird nest. Yo' have to go an' look in a peah [pear] tree at, in de tiptop of a peah tree; a fo'k of a limb, yo'll find 'is nest. An' dere's three li'le large limbs an' crossed lak dat, kinna lak a cross[3 prongs like a triangle point upward] an' a li'le moss right on down top of it. Yo' take dat moss an' dose two pieces [the three-pronged fork] an' graveyard dirt, an' put it ovah yuh do' an' says, In de Name of de Fathah, Name of de Son, an' de Holy Ghost. An' in nine weeks she'll be back. Yo' kin bring a woman back dat way.