Browse:DOG (Volume 3, entries 3412–3469)
DOG
Volume 3, entries 3412–3469. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → CAUSES OF SEXUAL IMPOTENCE. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 3412
Well, ah hate tuh explain de thing so.
(Well, I hear all those things.)
Well, jes' lak yo' say, take a dishrag an' yo' use it, yo' undahstan'. An' den take it an' - take de dishrag an' use it wit yo' until yo' git a-plenty on it, yo' undahstan'. An' take a cord string an' wrap it up very tight an' carry it an' bury it in de dreen of de house [or] where de watah drops from a well. An' not so, put it up ovah de do'sill somewhere up high. An' yo' couldn't have 'nection wit nobody but 'er.
Entry 3413
She kin [take] her a dishrag an' aftah 'er an' 'im have a 'co'se, she wipe 'im off wit dat dishrag. An' she'll take a small piece of dat dishrag an' wipe herself wit it, an' wrap it up in a piece of white rag, a little small white rag, an' jis' tie it right aroun' 'er waist. Den she have him undah 'er control.
Entry 3414
Yo' kin ketch a houn' see when she's in heat - a bitch at least, when she is in heat, an' raise up 'er right hind laig an' cut it. (Cut it?) Yeah, an' git some blood from it, see an' put it in a cup. Put it in some of 'er coffee or tea, anything she drinks. Let 'er drink it an' if a man go to her, she'll get stuck an' can't nobody get 'em loose until yo' come back an' give her anothah drink of dat stuff. [For like cures like. see p.349.1 DE DOCTOR [M.D.[ KIN GIT 'EM LOOSE BY KILLING ONE OF 'EM, BUT CHEW KIN GIT 'EM LOOSE AN' SAVE BOTH OF 'EM.
(WELL! HOW CAN YOU DO THAT?)
JES' GIVE 'EM A DRINK OF DAT - FROM DAT CUP WHAT YO' KET' DE BITCH'S BLOOD WHEN SHE'S IN HEAT. Yo' know a bitch runnin' roun', an' yo' raise her right hind laig an' slit it. Jis' cut a gash enough to git some blood an' put dat blood in dere. Put a drop of blood in 'er cup of coffee or tea or somepin an' she drink it see, an' if a man go to her, why he gona stick.
(He'll get stuck.)
An' den when yo' come back [from finding a bitch] - evahbody roun' dere yo' know, doin' somepin fer 'em, see - no soonah yo' come back an' yo' walk in, an' picks up a dose of somepin [coffee or tea] an' put [in it] a drop of dat blood an' give it to her, an' she'll git back all right.
Entry 3415
(They do what?) Take dem to de doctor [M.D.] an' if de doctor don' git 'em apart, go right back an' git some of de dog's, some dog blood, an' grease de man back right in de centah, an' he'll come loose right immediately.
(You grease the man's back you say?)
In de centah wit de same dog blood - de same dog dat dey got de livah from [in another rite]. Dey kin git 'im right loose right immediately. [I stopped recording machine, but informant soon continued with a time state- ment I had to recover.] (And you say if the doctor [M.D.] doesn't get them apart, or you don't get them apart, they will come apart in?) In nine days.
Entry 3416
Jes' lak if yo' wanted to tie a woman an' a man togethah. Jes' lak if a woman wus goin' wit chure husban', or he wus goin' wit 'er. Jes' lak hen yo's dog be matin', yo' kin take yore pocketknife an' cut dat dog enough tuh bleed. Ah mean jes' in a piece of cloth or sompin. An' aftah it bleed on dis cloth, yo' take it an' carry it home wit yo' an' put it undah yore mattress, an' dey'll be tied togethah. Jes' fold it up in two ways - jes' lak heah mah han'kchuff now. Aftah yo' git de blood on dat - YO' DON'T MIND ME STANDIN' UP? Aftah yo' 股商 git de blood on dere, jes' fold it lak dis[demonstrates]. (Wait a minute! You fold one half to the middle and then the other half. You fold one half to the middle and the other opposite half to the middle. Then you fold it lengthwise to the middle, each side.) Den yo' put it right undah yore mattress where [the side] yo' sleep at.
(Nine folds.)
[Only one way can I understand nine folds. Surely the design here is 9 squares, a tick-tack-toe diagram, several examples of which appear in HOODOO. The handkerchief is folded twice, the two folds overlapping evenly, creating 3 equal and horizontal oblongs. These are turned vertically and folded twice, again both folds overlapping evenly, creating a stack of 9 squares. Instead of saying You fold one half to the middle, I should have said You fold one half toward the middle.] (Well, don't you do anything else with that blood first before you put it under your mattress?) No, jes' take dat blood on dis han'kschuff, lak ah got mah han'kschuff in mah han', an' put undah de mattress. In three days time dey'll git tied up.
(You don't put the blood on them or anything?)
No.
(Which dog do you get the blood from, the male or the female dog?)
De male dog.
Entry 3417
Git de blood from a dog an' de sickness of a woman an' mix dose two things togethah. Put 'em in a little bottle an' take dat bottle an' stop it up tight. Lay it down in a little groove lak dat an' put sand over it, an' dat will take her nature away from all men, any man. She can't have nuth- in to do wit anyone. (Do you take that from any kind of a dog, that blood? Any time?) Any kind of a dog, any time.
Entry 3418
Git a ole slut dog. Yo' heah 'em talkin' about mens an' womens being stick tuh one 'nothah an' couldn't git 'em loose. Well, dey jes' take dese ole slut dog dat run about, yo' know, de muss [usually mess] dey have at de time dey are proudin' - see whut ah mean, tuh mate wit de othah dogs. Well, yo' kin jes' cut dat little tip off down dere, cut dat off. An' well, go in where she makin' sandwiches or sompin lak dat an' give it tuh her. See, if yo' think she goin' out an' can't stop, an' yo' wanted tuh ketch dat man an' dat woman tuhgethah, yo'll shoo [sure] git 'em - she'll stay dere. [The word prouding is quite common in hoodoo; it merely means swollen. Years ago I used to hear the word proud in connection with a wound - the flesh of the sore had begun to proud. One dictionary calls its use to describe certain female animals obsolete except for dialect.
Entry 3419
Dere wus a man goin' wit a girl an' he couldn't do nuthin wit 'er. Well, she'd have connection wit othah men, an' he couldn't ketch 'er, an' he couldn't ketch 'er. Well, dis same John McKinna, he lived at Clinton [N. Car.], he said, "Ah'll tell yo' whut tuh do." An' he tole de man whut tuh do. Well, he take a dog when she wus proudin' an' he cut it off, an' he goes home an' he wipes 'is gal wit dis thing. Now, dis wus at Wilmington [N. Car.], an' he said de nex' time dis man an' dis woman have connection, dey'll git hung up jes' lak dis dog did. An' IT WUS A WHITE MAN HAVIN' CONNECTION WIT A COLORED WOMAN. An' ah did know 'er mah- self, ah wus stayin' dere [Wilmington] at dat time. An' de doctor [M.D.] had tuh git 'em apart, an' de only [thing] he did wuz tuh give de woman a black pill. He kill 'er tuh git 'em apart. Ah saw de woman mah ownself. [Doctor McKinna appears or will elsewhere in HOODOO.]
Entry 3420
Yes sir, ah heard about dat. Dey say dat when a dog is in heat, yo' take an' cut de end of a she dog'8 - de she dog, jes' dat tip-end of it. An' yo' take an' bake it till it git hard to a dust. An' den yo' take an' sprinkle it ovah a person feed, an' den he or she, or whoevah it 'tis have a connection wit anothah person, will hitch up lak a dog.
Entry 3421
In matin'-time wit dogs yo' kin git a piece of de hair out of a dog's chest an' neck up in here an' swinge [singe]. Burn dat hair real good an' burn it down to sompin - into a ashes. Jes' burn it slow but burn it into ashes where yo' kin jes' - whenevah it's rolled up, mashed up, it ain't paid much 'tention to. An' sprinkle it in a man's food, if he runnin' roun'. An' sprinkle it in 'is food or eithah in a woman's food, any individual's food, an' let 'em eat it.
(Then what happens if they eat it?)
Well, if dey eat [it] an' happen tuh start tuh runnin' roun' ag'in, well dey'll git tangled up jes' lak two dogs.
(Stuck.)
Entry 3422
Yo' kin take de hair from a dog or a cat when dey proudin' an' yo' singe it, burn it yo' know, parch it an' git it in dey food where dey kin eat it. an' when dey eat it, it will make 'em hitch up. An' a drop of dat blood, dat dog's blood - a drop of dat in dey food, yo' see. An' if dey runnin' aroun', de husban' or wife, an' yo' ketch 'em doin' dat, dey'll hitch up. Not till nine days dey come apart deyself.
(After nine days.)
Can't loose 'em. Stay dat way nine days.
Entry 3423
Yo' git de wax outa de cat's ear an' git de wax outa de dog's ear an cut jes' a little piece of hair off de dog's tail an' den de half way of his back, an' den de back his neck [hair from 3 places], an' put it in dey shoes. Dey put in de woman's shoe. (What happens then?) Dey git stuck to 'em lak doge. Yah, de' [dey] put dat in dere shoe, de woman's shoe. (They don't get any hair from the cat then?) Git de cat hair an' de dog halr togethah.
Entry 3424
De halr from a dog an de hair from a ket [cat] an' dey duap it into de food of a person. Dat will cuz a tyin' between a man an' a run-aroun' woman, but not at home.
(Cause what?)
Tie 'em up jes' lak a dog tie up.
Entry 3425
If yo' want two people tuh be tied up tuhgethah, jes' lak yo' know a man an' a woman goin' tuhgethah an' yo' want 'em tuh be brought tuh shame an' disgrace. Why then yo' git de [male] dog livah. Kill a dog an' git 'ls livah an' let - jes' [llke] ah wuz tuh cook livah fo' suppah. Well, now, ah put livah on yore plate, de dog livah on yore plate, but ah ain't goin' put it on mah plate, see. An' ah ain't goin' be wit chew. Ah'll play lak ah'm ministratin' an' can't be wit yo', see. [To be with him before the dressed liver performed its mission would break the spell; it could also be magically dangerous. Another example of the belief will be given later.] An' let dem use de dog livah an' yo' use de othah livah, yo' see. An' when dey go ahead an' be tuhgethah, dey'd git tied up lak a dog.
Entry 3426
Ah heard dem say yo' take a - jes' lak yo' klll a dog, or a dog git killed. Yo' take dat blood from dat dog an' fix it up in bread or sompin othah lak dat fo' yore husban', an' if he mess wit ary [any] othah woman, dey'll git fastened.
(You mean they get that from a dog that gets killed?)
Or, eithah yo' - de dog git kllled, if yo' ain't got de heart tuh do [it]. But dey say mostly it'll work bettah if yo' do it chureself. Split dat dog open an' git de livah. Cook it an' give it to yore husban', an' if dey'll have a intahco'se wit a woman, dey'll do jes' lak a dog do's. (You get that dog's blood and put it in some of his food.)
Entry 3427
Othah things about a dog, ah hear'n 'em say. Yo' could take a dog's livah if yo' wanta. Jes' lak if a woman's husban' goin' wit anothah one [woman] an' she [wife] wanted tuh ketch up wit 'im an' couldn't ketch up wit: 'im no way, an' she take dat dog livah an' cook it an' let dat man eat it. Well, when he go back to dat woman an' have connection wit 'er ag'in, dey git hang up.
Entry 3428
Well, yo' see de way dat's done, it's lak a man an' woman's havin' connection - white an' [or] colored, yo' know, togethah, an' de woman Want 'er husban' tuh stop. Why yo' git dat dog livah an' cook it, yo' know, an' den have her husban' eat it fo' suppah, yo' see. He eat an' den he go out, de firs' thing he git in 'is min', 'bout dat colored woman or whatevah woman he's wit, an' he go dere an' git wit dat woman, an' de doctor [M.D.] have tuh git 'em apart.
Entry 3429
Dat is to say, to tie up a person. If a man thought 'is wife wuz run- nin' aroun', he could kill a dog an' git 'ls livah an' feed de livah to his wife; an' den if de man come dere an' have intahco'se, he would git hung to her lak de dog.
Entry 3430
Yo' uses dog livah. Ketch a dog an' git 'is livah. Dey does dat to ketch a man an' a woman tied up.
(How do they do that?)
Kill de dog an' git de livah an' feed de man on it, an' he go an' have [con- nection] wit a woman, why den dey git tied up. So when dey git tied, why den dey'll be shown out to de world - evahbody will see 'em. Ah've seen dat.
Entry 3431
[I say] dat yo' could use dog livah tuh ketch a man wit a woman. De same if a man wus gwine wit mah wife an' ah wanted tuh ketch 'im an' he wus too slick fo' me tuh ketch 'im. Ah would go somewhere an' kill a dog, an' bring 'is livah home an' let 'er cook de livah. An' by her not knowin' an' she eat it, why - ah would nevah have anythin' tuh do wit 'er, see [see No.3425]. Jes' let 'er go on an' eat de livah, an' if she go out tuh have 'er man, why dey would hang up tugethah de same as two dogs. [Here, having heard this rite so often, I turned off recording, but turned on machine again so that I could repeat his final statement as a question.] (YOU HAVE TO KILL ONE OF THEM TO GET THEM APART. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY OF GETTING THEM APART?) No sir.
Entry 3432
He kin take de livah of a dog an' tie a man an' a woman togethah.
(How do they do that?)
It jes' lak if yo' got a wife an' yo' know yore wlfe got anothah man on, an yo' got two or three dogs yo' see, yo' won't min' partin' wit one dem dogs, yo see. Yo' know wimmins lak livah, yo' see. Well, yo' kin jes' take dem dog out lak yo' goin' huntin' someway [somewhere] an' kill one see, an' fix de livah up nice an' bring it back home to her, an' let 'er cook it an' eat a good suppah out it, an' if dat man evah touch 'er any mo' dat settle her.
(They get stuck together?)
Yes sir.
Entry 3433
Well, jes' lak yo' Want - if yore wife is a run-aroun' woman an' yo' Wanta ketch 'er wit someone, an' she all de time tellin' yo' dat she don't do dat.[ Well, all yo' gotta do is git yo' a dog - steal de dog an' carry 'im off an' kill 'im, see, an' git 'is livah. An' den when yo' git de livah, yo' jes' go on an' buy yo' a dime or so of de othah livah, yo' know, an' mix in it an' carry it to her dat night, dat aftahnoon, an' tell 'er to cook it fer supper, "I be home fer SUppah." See. AN' DEN SHE GO ON AN' COOKS IT. WELL, IT'S A KNOWN FACT DAT SHE BE WAITIN', WAITIN', WAITIN', AN' DON'T SEE YO' COMIN', SHE GOIN' GIT MAD AN' EAT HERS, yo' undahstan'. She goin' eat part of 'ers an- MAYBE IF SHE DON'T, WHENEVAH YO' COME IN, YO' JES' MAKE OUT LAK YO' GOT A PAIN IN DE STOMICK or yo' sick OR YO' DON'T FEEL LAK NUTHIN, yo' see. An' den she'll go on an' eat 'ers. See, an' 24 hours aftah she eat 'ers, why de nex' day or so if she go off, any time dat Week, any tIme - CO'SE YO' CAN'T EVEN HAVE NUTHIN TO DO WIT HER, see. [For other examples of this belief see Nos.3425 and 3431.] If she go out why yo'll find it out. See, yo' undahstan', she goin' git stuck. See, dat dog's livah make her, when she have connection wit de othah man, dat will draw de both of 'em togethah. Dey can't git away. See, he'll swell up an' she would too.
Entry 3434
It jes' lak dis: if yo' were a man - is yo' a man an goin' wit anothah man's wife. Now, lemme see if dat right. Yes. Aw - no. If yo' wuz goin' wit anothah woman an' yore wife found it out, an' she killed a puppy an' cooked dat puppy livah an' give it to yo', why yo' an' 'er [other woman] when yo' have connection yo' would git hitched [= tied]. Yo'd git hitched, an' yo' know it take doctors [M.D.'s] dat know dere business to unhitch yo'.
Entry 3435
Yo' could kill a dog, a puppy don't yo' know, an' take his livah out don't chew know an' fry dat. Put it wit some ole livah don't chew know from de sto' when yo' fry dat. Give it to yore ole man. He shore [sure] eat dat wit de dog livah. An' jes' whatsomevah woman he runnin' roun' wit, foolin' wit, well when dey ties up togethah, dey'll jes' hook up togethah, yo' undahstan' me. Dat's whut it take to make dem two, yo' know, git hook up togethah an' yo' can't git 'em loose - yo' undahstan'.
Entry 3436
Ah heard of dat. Dey tell me dat chew kin kill a feis' dog [a small dog] an' any way dat chew kin git any of de blood offa de livah of dat feis' dog [a feist] in any- thing at all to eat fo' him. Well, if he has anything to do wit anothah woman, it's natural he git stuck, yo' see.
Entry 3437
Jes' lak a woman's husban' runnin' roun' an' she wants tuh ketch 'im, why den she kin take - lak a fellah dat eat livah or somepin lak dat, why dey kin ketch a black dog, jes' a real black dog. Kill 'im an' take his livah. Jes' lak she would buy livah fo' suppah. Take dis livah an' give it tuh 'im dis evening. If he has intahco'se wit a woman, he git caught jes' lak a dog.
(Then they can catch him.)
Entry 3438
Dog livah will tie yo' up.
(Just how do they do that?)
Yo' gits dat dog livah. Cut dat dog while he live an' take de livah from 'im, an' dey'll take dat dog livah an' put it in whiskey or in de tea or anything, an' - if dey kin git to yo' - yo'll nevah do nuthin. (You say it will tie you up. How do you mean?) If yo' connect wit a woman - if a man connect wit a woman, git fastened.
Entry 3439
[Gyp or gip has been a common term in the United States for a bitch, the word deriving from gypsy or gipsy (chiefly British) and originally meaning a gypsy-like dog - a wanderer. Here, as so often in the United States, the female is accused of a trait not exclusively hers. Dogs - the males - as I know from experience can be male tramps. Finally, Gyp or Gip is - used to be at least - a favorite name for male or female dogs.] Yo' kin take a dog's livah now, if yo' wife is havin' intahco'se wit any othah man an' yo' wanta ketch up wit 'er. Well, yo' kin kill a gyp dog an' yo' kin care [carry] her two slices of dat livah an' let 'er eat it, an' de very nex' time, if it's de nex' day or de day aftah, she have intahco'se wit dis othah man, why dey git hung jes' lak dat gyp dog would.
(A GYP DOG? WHAT KIND OF A DOG IS THAT?)
A SHE DOG.
(THEY CALL THEM GYP DOGS DOWN HERE.)
Entry 3440
A man kin kill a proudin' gyp an' take dat livah an' cook it an' let 'is wife eat it, an' if she went out near anothah man, dat's where she'd be found. [My following comment is not a gratuitous remark of mine. I am merely re- peating what informant had added after I had turned off recording machine. Other examples of these brief additions will be found in the text.]
(There's no way of getting them apart.)
Entry 3441
Well, if a man got a wife an' she's runnin' roun' an' he wanta ketch 'er, an' he can't ketch 'er, well, he kills a dog dat's proudin' an' take de livah. An' jes' lak yo'll go uptown an' buy hog livah or cow livah, an' take it home an' let 'er cook it an' eat, an' de man dat she have connection wit, dey'll tie up jes' lak two dogs.
Entry 3442
Dog livah, dey claim dat yo' kin git a dog livah whilst a dog is proudin', if yo' kin git dat dog livah, an' if yo' husban' is goin' wit a woman - a man an' woman is goin' togethah, an' if yo kin git dat dog livah an' give it to dem to eat, dat dey would git hung.
Entry 3443
Dey ketch a dog whilst she's in heat an' takes de livah an' fix it up intuh a man. A woman give it tuh a man if she wanta ketch 'im - jes' lak if dis man is goin' out wit othah wimmin. Whenevah dis man go tuh be wit dis othah woman, dey find 'im fast.
Entry 3444
Yo' know de colored people laks livah, laks tuh eat livah yo' know - beef livah, calf livah. Well, quite natchel [natural] dey cooks de dog livah. Well, now, quite natchel, he laks livah, yo' see. But now, yo' wouldn't prepare dis livah fo' me, if yo' didn't care nuthin about me. Dese wimmins genly [generally] use dat on dere husban'. Dey usin' dat to tie him; if he goes out anywhere, why he'll git hung jes' lak a dog would. Dat's whut dey do wit dog livah.
(That's to shame him or something if he's caught.)
Oh! he git caught. Dere ain't no doubt about it. He'll swell up. An' de only thing dat kin unswell 'im - co'se de doctor [M.D.] kin do it, but quite natchel he might not he'p 'em [be able to help them] if dey settin' down a couple of days. He put a piece of ice right dere, an' dat ice gotta have at least three minutes, an' it will untie 'em. If she haven't got no ice, no good ice watah where yo' kin bathe 'im back down [my root doctor informant is now talking about his own professional abilityl, or bathe her down where it swellin', den he'll git fastened dat much tightah an' de doctor [M.D.] have tuh unloosen dem. Give 'im somepin tuh cool 'im down an' throw de swellin' down. Dat's why some use it - dem dat's mean enough - use dog's livah fo' dat. Dat's whut dey do wit it.
Entry 3445
Jes' lak we were talkin' 'bout back heah while ago, if a person git hook up lak dis, yo' give 'em dog livah an' dat will relief 'em. Dey tell me dat will relief 'em, give 'em dog livah. (If the man and woman are stuck together, you give them dog liver to eat. That'll unfasten them?) [This is an example of like cures like, see margin title, p.394.] Yes, dog livah will unfasten dem.
Entry 3446
[The following belief indicates that there is something strong and powerful about dog liver, even for the dog itself:] Yo' kin take a dog livah, if de woman's mad wit chew an' at 'er. Git de dog livah an' some kinda othah livah an' cook it, an' don' yo' eat none of it. Give dat to de dog an' he'll run away an' won't nevah come back. Take de two livah an' fry it togethah see, an' she won' know it.
Entry 3447
Dat's simple. Dat's a real trick, dat is. Yo' go to work an' ketch a dog dat's nevah has been mated. An' she begin tuh start tuh mate, yo' kin always tell, yol see. Den yo' go to work den an' take dis dog an' spear[?] her an' git de proud bag.
(After you get what?)
After yo' spread[?] de dog an' take out 'er proudin' bag an' den bang dat up an' let it git dry lak a bladdah den, where yo' kin pound it up. [The preceding word spear or spread is probably spade, the obsolete fon of spay, though spade is not quite as obsolete as the lexicographer thinks, I having heard it frequently through the years. No matter what the word, the bitch's ovaries are: extirpated.] Well, now, all a man's gotta do when he make a connection, he jes' put some of dat dust on 'im, yo' see, den dat gives a woman's womb an' [the] nature of a dog, don' yo' see, cuz de dog wus in heat but yet she had nevah mated. An' dat gives de woman - it grasps de dog to her, yo' see. Den when a man has connec- tion wit 'er, de head of his [penis] will swell an' de womb [vagina] will shet [shut] down on 'i. An' den when it shets down on it, dat will cause it tuh swell, an' dat's whut hangs 'em up tuhgethah.
Entry 3448
Well, dey say yo' kin take a dog an' kill de dog an' take 'is livah. An' dey say, when a man go to have intahco'se wit a woman, an' yo' kin git de chance to git it [the liver] on 'im some Way or 'nothah [they will be- come tied]. An' dey [cannot] git unloosed unless de doctor [M.D.] come to 'em. If dey's 'fraid of anything lak dat whenevah dey goin' out fo' dat, why dey kin jes' take a red onion, yo' know, an' jes' kinda lightly rub it on dereself, an' dey say nuthin lak dat would happen.
Entry 3449
Jes' lak yo' go tuh work an' wanta ketch someone, yo' see. Jes' lak yo' wanta ketch somebody wit chure sweetheart or sompin of de kind. Yo' go tuh work, yo' see, lak two dogs hitched togethah. Yo' know, when dogs proudin' yo' see 'em hitched yo' know. Den yo' go dere an' yo' ketch a lil' of dat come, yo' know. Yo' ketch a li'le bit of dat, yo' see, an' wipe dat on a han'schuff. Yo' git de idea. If yo'.have connection wit dis woman - yo' go an' have connection wit 'er an' yo' take dat han'schuff, when yo' git through wit 'er yo' know, yo' take dat han'schuff an' dust dat dust of dat come from dat dog. When he go dere he fastened jes' lak dat dog is. Ah hear tell of dat.
Entry 3450
Ah don' know of anything but yo' know ah've heard of diff'ren' things. When a bitch is gwine wit a dog yo' know, if a woman would ketch dat drooling8 from dat dog - de dreenings [drainings] - an' rub 'em on 'er husban' place, an' he go back dere [to that other woman] ag'in, it'll be de cause of he bein' lined up wit 'er jes' lak dem dogs.
(With this other woman?)
Yes.
Entry 3451
Well, now, in case - fo' instance now, if a man gits - lak if ah tell yo' or yo' tell me, says, "Listen, Doc [Doctor Dawson], ah want yo' stay 'way from mah woman." An' ah say, "Well, ah ain't bothahin' yo' woman." Yo' says, "Yes, yo' is bothahin' 'er. Ef ah ketch yo' dere 'gin, de worl' will know it. [FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON MY TRANSCRIBER AT THIS POINT LEAVES ABOUT THREE INCHES OF MASSED DOTS. THIS INNOCUOUS BUT IMPORTANT MATERIAL SHE OMITTED I ADDED BY PENCIL WHEN I CHECKED THE CYLINDER AGAINST TRANSCRIPTION. DOCtOr Dawson, as well as other informants knew that I was collecting material to write a boOk. HERE ARE THE DELETED WORDS:] FOR GOD'S SAKE! WILL DAT THING BE PRINTED HERE? DESE WHITE FOLKS WILL HANG ME! Well, ah say, "Ah ain' bothahin' wit yo woman. Yo' [a woman] say, "Hell, yes yo' is." Well, den ah'm slippin' roun' dere, yo' see. An' ah think dat chew [woman] don't know how tuh ketch me. Well, yo' walk out in de woods dere an' yo' go an' git a dog, a dog dat's proudin' bad, an' she's proudin' an' she'll swelled up right dere behin'. All right, yo' ketch dat dog an' yo' take yo' pocket han'scuff lak when - yo' undah- stan' - when a dog gits through wit 'er, yo' take dat pocket han'scuff an' wipe dat dog's contraption good wit dat pocket han'scuff. All right. Well, yo' roll dat up tight den. Yo' roll dat up den an' when yo' go home at night, an' yo' go home, an' when she lay down to sleep, yo' take dat rag an' rub 'er. Rub all up inside her thing good wit dat rag. Yo' say, "Well now, de son-of-a-bitch, if he gits on 'er now de worl' will know it." Well, den ah'll come in dere, ah'll be hot chew know, wouldn't be thinkin' nuthin. Well, den ah'll go jump on 'er. Ah'll say, "Come on, lady, gimme me [HERE AGAIN MY TRANSCRIBER RESORTS TO DOTS AND HERE IS WHAT SHE OMITTED;] a little bit of it. Well I'll then aroun', jump on dat woman. Well, when ah git through wit dat woman....ah can't pull mah thing out to save mah life. Ah'm hooked dere.
Entry 3452
A woman had a bad husband an' she wanta bring a shame on 'im to de public. She can't keep 'im at home. Git a dog when he proudin', when kin anothah dog be hung to her. Ketch dis dog aftah a dog got loose from 'er. Take yo' a rag an' ketch de dog, wipe him lak dataway wit de rag in de back, carry it on de house an' put dat rag down. It will eithah do one or de othah of 'em - it will hang a man to a woman or break dem up. Won't have no mo' trouble outa him wit dat part, or hang 'im dere. Or she'll come to be sick, yo' know, an' jes' fall away to nuthin.
(The other woman will?)
De othah woman will.
Entry 3453
Why when yo' go to fool wit 'er, git dat livah an' rub on 'er.
(What kind of liver?)
Dog livah. Rub on her an' anybody go to fool wit 'er, why she hang lak dat. Or yo' eithah take some dog slime an' put.on 'er an' she'll hang lak dat.
(Dog what?)
When a dog come yo' know, take de dog - git some an' put right in 'er, put on an' rub ovah 'er. I seen em jes' hang up togethah.
(Just put that stuff on her, this nature from the dog?)
Yes, jes' take a rag an' wipe her up dere wit it - make no diff'rence if - jes' take an' rub it on 'er, why he'll, jes' soon as he be dere it will stick 'im soon he go in dere. When he git wet, why it jes' stick 'im, see.
Entry 3454
Well, dey goes an' gits somepin from one dese heah whelp dogs [= a dog that brings forth young = female dog], yo' know. It's sompin she change de same as woman do's at a certain time of month. Cook it in some of yore food an' give it to yo' an' yo' come in contact wit dis man, de wife will, an' dey'll lock togethah.
(They put something in her food.)
Entry 3455
If yo' be fortunate 'nuff fo' two dogs tuh make connection lak dat an' jes' lak one be yore dog, an' yo' take a piece of cloth an' go right dere an' she watah [nature, not urine is meant] on hit, an' yo' take an' go to de man an' yo' wipe dat man down wit dat cloth. When he go tuh de othah woman, dey'll be jes' lak dem dogs.
Entry 3456
Yo' go ketch a dog when a she dog an' he dog, then dey mtie", ab°git some of 'is nature from de dog an' put it on de woman, dey say. Aa' yo'croao - yo' make one straight up an' one across lak dat. [The sign of the cos 1s marked over the vouan's valva adth che dog's semen.] Yo' don't let 'a bo it, choo know - jis' azboo [as yoa] playin' wit 'er. An' [they] tell me if any othah man have anything to do dlt 'er outside of yo', he'll stay dere jis' lak a dog when he goes in a bitch. Yo' boo how long dey stay togethah.
Entry 3457
Well, ah got a girl fren' or wife an' she's runnin' wit some.an an' ah reckon ah wanta ketch 'er, go tuh where two bulldogs tied up. An' take a pockt han'ke'chuf or eithah a new piece of vhite boe spun cloth an' vipe dose dogs off wit it, an' yo' ties it up. Yo' ties it in a knot, a hard knot, an' yo' totes it; an' whenevah yo' have connection wit dis woman, yo' wipes 'er wit it. Yo' totes it in yore pocket.
(What does that do?)
Dat makes yo' ketch 'er.
(What will that do to that woman then?)
It will make her an' a man git tied up.
(If she goes with another man.)
Entry 3458
Take a dog an' ketch 'i, a boy dog, an' ketch 'im an' cut his balls out an' cook 'em, cook 'em right soft an' den crumble 'em up in 'is [a man's] food. Dat's if 'is wife wanta ketch 'im. An' put it [in] somepin tuh eat an' den if he goes wit any woman, she'll find out who it is he goin' wit. When he go tuh be wit dis woman dey'll git hung up... [Three dots show that I turned off recording machine and restarted it in time to catch: Yo' have tuh kill one of 'em.
(To get them apart.)
[The testes of roosters and other male animals have been used for centuries as an aphrodisiac.]
Entry 3459
Yo' kill a dog an' take his tools - yo' know, dem little bags whut he got. Dey tell me yo' kin take dem an' powdah 'em up an' yo' kin give it to a man in 'is whiskey or eithah in 'is coffee, an' dey tell me dat make him tie up wit a woman jes' lak a dog tie up wit anothah dog. If yo' wanta ketch - dat's how yo do when yo' wanta ketch 'em, dey tell me.
Entry 3460
An' people pay to go see it. Yo' know how dey do it. Yo' ketch a dog in heat, see. Yo' know a dog proudin' aroun'. An' kill it an' git 'is [her] livah outa him [her]. Carry it on home - wrap it up in a piece of papah jes' lak de othah livah. Fool 'er, yo' know. Slice it up. An' don' chew eat none of it, let 'er eat it. An' when she eat dat if she go [demonstrates] dat's what will happen to her.
[Informant's demonstration was probably interlocked fingers.]
(She will get stuck to the other fellow?)
Yes, sir, git stuck together. DEY HAVE TO KILL ONE OUT TO DE HOSPITAL TUH SAVE DE OTHAH.
Entry 3461
Othah words, if yo' can't git to her dat way, yo' kin to [with] de undahwear. Take it an' go somewhere an' git choo a male dog. An' whenevah dey [the dog] git in a hard, yo' know, an' den wipe it off. Git choo nine shingle nails - nine little wire nails - an' care [carry] it to a tree. Dig de root, dig down to [into] de ground where yo' find 'em forked roots. Nail it up in dere - tack it up in dere - put dem nine nails in dere an' covah it ovah. Well, dere he's stuck ag'in, he can't git away. But if yo' have sympathy fer 'em an' go an' take it up yore ownself, dey'll come loose; an' if not, YO' GOT TO KILL 'EM BŌF OR KILL ONE OF 'EM to git 'em loose.
Entry 3462
Ah know of a woman an' a man dat been goin' togethah an' dis man wife wanted to make dis man 'shamed an' dis woman, an' let 'em be caught an' let de public see 'em. An' so she'd taken an' got sompin from a dog, an' fixed dis man. Whut ah mean she taken an' gits a dog discharge. [She] do wit 'im lak dey wuz goin' have one an' afterward - or if she wuzn't goin' have one - she would take dis an' put it on 'im. An' den he'll - an' [if he] have anyone, an' dey git hung lak dogs.
(Is there any way of getting them apart?)
Yes, ah know a way yo' kin git 'em apart, an' ah know a way dat dey didn't git 'em apart? DEY HAVE TUH KILL ONE AN' SAVE DE OTHAH ONE.
(How did they get them apart?)
Ah know in one case, see, de party dat do it kin git 'em apart.
(How do they do that?)
Wit watah, yes. Put in on 'em, jes' lak yo' do a dog.
Entry 3463
Dey said dat if a man is goin' wit anothah man's wife or girl frien', or whosomevah dey wants dat does not belong to dem, an' dat individual gits a dog an' dey feed dat individual on de livah of de dog - say fer instance, if a man got a wife an' he ketches 'im a dog unbeknowst to her, an' dey kill dat dog an' dey gits de dog's livah an' dey feed dat wumman den on de dog livah, but [she] suppose dat it come from de market. Well, she eats dat livah an' den any man goes wit 'er aftah den, why will git lined to her.
(Is there any way that they get them apart?)
Unlined? Dat. dey lose one or de othah. ONE OR DE OTHAH HAS TO BE KILLED. I've seen one or two cases lak dat, but DE WOMAN WAS LOST BUT DE MAN WAS SAVED. DEY MORE ( OR LESS TAKE DE WOMAN.
Entry 3464
If dey wan'a person to stop slidin', well dey said yo' take two dogs in de spring when dey havin' intahco'se an' dey're hung. An' yo' take a han'ke'- chef an' ketch some of dere nature. Keep it. An' den if yore boy frien' slides [cheats] on yo' to de extent dat choo wan'a stop 'im forevah, aftah yo've had a intahco'se wit 'im, dry 'im wit dis han'ke'chef. IT'LL LAST A WEEK. De first woman he goes wit he'll git hung wit 'er.
(It'll last a week?)
It'll last on 'im a week. HE CANNOT WASH IT OFF. Den if he goes wit anothah woman wit'in dat length of time, de first woman he goes [with] he'll git hung wit 'er an' yo' cannot git 'em apart. YO' HAVE TO TAKE 'EM TO A HOSPITAL AN' DE RE- SULTS IS DE WOMAN WILL HAVE TO BE KILT, becuz de longah he stay in 'er de largah he swells. YO' HAVE TO KILL DE WOMAN OR DE MAN, SO DEY USUALLY KILL DE WOMAN AN' CUT 'IM OUT. An' dat ends dat slidin'.
Entry 3465
Yo' jes' kill a li'le dog, any kinda dog, an' take his livah. Take it an' flour it an' fry it, fix it, an' he eat a piece of it, an' den de firs' woman dat he go tuh have, dey git stuck togethah dat way. [This was the logical place to stop recording, but informant immediately con- tinuing forced me to repeat his last statement in the form of a question.]
(They have to kill the woman?)
DAT OUTA HER, CUZ IF DEY GO TUH CUT IT OUT SHE GOIN' DIE. [FayettevIlle, N. Car.,
(1450), 2335:4.]
[We are concerned here with the simple knot, one of the oldest and most Fl portant inventions of man. What would he have done without it? No wonder the tying of a knot soon became and has remained for the untutored mind a great magic rite, one of confining the spirit, making it submissive to the tier's will.]
Entry 3466
Now a man connect wit 'is wife or woman, whatsomevah it is. He git a bran'-new piece of yellah cotton, unbleached dey call dat. Don' chew discharge, yolet im discharge anketch, yo see. An' yo' take hit an' use a cose [coarse] stran' of black thread, an' yo' tie dat. Yo' fol' dat piece an yo' tie it. Yo' tie it, yo' tie it till evah piece is offa dat spool of thread. Now yo' lie dat right on de side dat he sleep on an' dat keep 'im home. An' dat keep 'im dat he don' want nobody but chew.
(How do you wrap that thread? Away from you like that?)
[My preceding words are an attempt to avoid a leading question.]
No, yo' wrap it to yo', an' tight as beeswax, until evah stran' is offa de spool. An' den yo' put it straightways, 'cuz it's gonna be stiff aftah it's wound tight, an' right on de side dat chew sleep on. An' dat man don' ca' [care] fo' nobody but chew.
Entry 3467
Git holt of a man's pocket han'ke'chuf an' tie it up - lak yo' wish 'im tuh have trouble in two or three places, lak yo' runnin' a business ovah yondah an' want yo' tuh lose, runnin' a farm an' want chew to lose yore farm an' yo' stock. Tie knots to evah - cuss de devil an' God an' tie a knot fo' evah- thin' yo' want done. An' take dat han'ke'chuf an' burn it up, an' dat'll make yo' have hard luck.
Entry 3468
If he's goin' wit 'er, she kin take de measure of 'is a - 'hawk. (What?) His 'hawk, his tomahawk. If it's seven or eight inches, den she t take a string see, an' she measure dat; an' if eight inches, why she tie eight knots in dat an' wears dat in 'er purse.
(What if it's seven inches?)
Jis' tie seven knots. Yes, she kin fix 'im so dat he can't have anything to do wit any othah woman but 'er. [There are 1 or 2 other examples of tomahawk in HOODOO.]
Entry 3469
Yo' take a piece of string, any kin'a string, a cord string mo' spec- ially. An' de length of de string, yo' see, evah inch - if it's nine inches, evah one of dose inches yo' tie a knot to each one of dose inches, yo' see. Git de measure an' den evah inch, tie a knot in it. Well, den dey sav dey could take dat an', yo' know, dey could take it an' tie it on 'em an' carry it wit 'em. An' dat would have yo' to de place dat yo' wouldn't have no feelin's fo' no othah woman, jes' dat one pahtic'lah woman, de one dat do yo' dat way.