Browse:EXCREMENT (Volume 3, entries 4367–4477)
EXCREMENT
Volume 3, entries 4367–4477. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 4367
Well, ah've seen 'em. Yo' mean whut dey takes tuh lock a person up? Well, dey say yo' takes some of dat pass dey leave an' yo' fasten dat airtight, anywhere jes' so it airtight - jes' as tight as yo' kin git it. An' if yo' don' let dat catch no air atall, dey say dat'll lock yo' - say dat'll fasten yo' up. (You mean a person's water?) No, no, some of de othah. Yeah, some of dey passin'.
Entry 4368
Take where yo' go tuh de lav'tory. (The passage?) Yeah, an' put it in a ant's bed an' yo'll become very troublesome [troubled], an' dey say dat will make a person not be satisfied [he will be run- ning to and fro in all directions like the ants].
Entry 4369
If anybody tryin' tuh harm yuh, or jes' lak ah wanta harm anybody, well jes' lak yo' go tuh de lav'tory. Well, ah could go dere behin' yuh an' git some of yore urine [see later] an' put it in a bottle an' stop it up. Dat'll lock yuh bowels an' no doctor [M.D.] can't unlock dem.
(YOU MEAN MY URINATE OR MY PASSAGE?)
[TIME AND AGAIN I HAD TO ASK THIS QUESTION REGARDING URINE AND EXCREMENT.]
Yore passage.
Entry 4370
Ah heard dis, dat chew could take a person's bowels, aftah dey go to de toilet, an' put it in a quart jah [jar] or quart bottle or anything lak dat, an' stop it up real tight. Dat would lock dere bowels. Ah have heard dat.
(Where would you put that? Stop it up tight?)
Yo' bury it jes' as dough [though] yo' do de chamber lye - bury it.
The informant reports hearing about material described as a person's bowels after using the toilet. The alleged bodily effect is unverified.
Entry 4371
Ah heard talk of takin' de passage an' stoppin' it up in a bottle or a jar, an' buryin' it an' dat will stop yuh from havin' de action. Ah've seen dat done.
Entry 4372
Dey even done put it in bottles.
(This action?)
Yes, dey cork it up an' throw it in de runnin' watah, an' as fer as dat drift, why yuh mind would drift. Yuh become constipated, event'ly [eventually] suffah an' die.
Entry 4373
Someone, we didn't nevah find out who it wus, took some of 'er, yuh know, some of 'er action, yuh know, an' put it in a bottle an' stopped it so - sealed it so de air couldn't strike it. An' when - an' it stayed dere nine mawnin's an' in de ninth day she died. Dey didn't nevah found it, but dey found it aftah she died - aroun' de house. [THIS LOOKS LIKE ONE OF THOSE STORIES IN WHICH THE DOCTOR OR FOKTUNEIELLER, CALLED AFTER THE DEATH CONVENIENTLY FINDS THE CAUSE OF DEATH, A BURIED BOTTLE, BUT REFUSES TO NAME THE CULPRIT.]
Entry 4374
Well, ah heard dat chew go out tuh de fo'ks of a road an' yuh take a person's - dis is tuh kill 'em. See, yuh take whut de' [they] do back heah, dere passage, an' put it in a bottle an' yuh go roun' tuh de fo'ks of de road, an' yuh dig a hole up in dere an' yo' turn de stoppah dis way up in de hole, see [demonstrates]. An' yuh pass by dere fo' nine mawnin's, jes' walk by yuh see, an' jes' hit on it lak dat, see. Well, dat last mawnin' yuh hit on it, dey gotta go. Ah'm tellin' yuh whut ah know. Dey gotta go. Dey cain't stay heah. It will kill 'em - kills 'em daid.
(How do you put that bottle in that hole now?)
[When he was demonstrating before I did not interrupt.]
Well, yuh put it in dis way wit de stoppah goin' in [demonstrates].
(Down into the hole like that, upside down.)
No, yuh dig a hole roun' disaway [demonstrates] see, in de fo'ks lak dis, an' let it go straight lak dat tuh yo', an' push it up in dere yuh see, an' daub mud back on it. (You dig a hole like a little tunnel under there and you push that stopper away from you or toward you?) Yuh push it away from yuh, an' let de back part be disaway tuh de road all de time, see. An' yuh pass by dat fo' nine mawnin's.
Entry 4375
Well, yuh takes a person's urinate, yuh know, yuh wanta stop 'is bow- els. Yuh take it an' put it in a bottle.
(YOU MEAN HIS BOWELS OR HIS URINE?)
[A number of times in HOODOO urinate is used for excrement.]
Yessuh. Yuh take an' put it in a bottle, an' when yuh put it in dat bottle, jes' put it in dat bottle an' stop it up. Be sure tuh stop it tight enough, even tuh de odor - nuthin cain't git out of it. Yuh kin stan' dat bottle up, jes' right straight up lak dat. Stand it up in de ground wit de bottom of it up, an' de othah part be's down. But let it be kinda slantin' lak dat. Jes' lak east, no'th an' south, yuh know. Yuh kin dig a hole an' slant it. Well, yuh stop it up in dere an' bury it, an' covah it up perfectly good an' jes' pack de dirt down on it. An' 'is bowels won't move un- lessen somebody fin' dat. If nobody evah find it, he will always have locked bowels.
(WHAT DOES THE EAST, SOUTH AND WEST HAVE TO DO WITH IT?)
WELL, DAT DE PRACTICE OF USIN' A PERSON GOIN', JES' WHICHEVAH WAY DE WORL' RUNS, YUH UNDAHSTAN'. DERE'S FO' CORNAHS TUH DE WORL', YUH UNDAHSTAN'. YO' KNOW DERE'S FO' CORNAHS TUH DE WORL' [so the Bible says in Rev.7:1]. Well, jes' lak dey bury yuh or me. Well, yuh know dey don' bury 'em only no'th an' south - his haid be's NO'TH AN' SOUTH prakly [practically] all de time. Well, DAT'S DE WAY YUH USE [to bury] DE [person with] "BAD POX". Well, his bowels stop. Well, yuh know, quite natchal [natural] a person kin [not] live long wit locked bowels. (Are you going to bury this bottle north and south or east and west? Which way are you going to bury it?) Yo' goin' BURY DIS BOTTLE NO'TH AN' SOUTH. An' evah nine days uh [ah = I] goes back an' search fo' dat bottle an' see is it still dere. When yuh git dere, hit dat bottle an' drive it deepah. Always drive it, don' let it straighten up, jes' contin'ly [continually] let it lay de same lak dat. Well, dat locks 'is bowels. He won't have no action.
Entry 4376
(Tell me that again, I didn't understand how you did that?)
Ah say yuh take it an' put it in a bottle.
(This manure from a person?)
Yes sir, put it in a bottle an' stop it up, see. An' bury dat bottle de same way on de - yuh see [demonstrates] de mouth down, see. Dat will lock yuh bowels tight.
(I see.) Dey won't move.
Entry 4377
Well, dat's jis' when yuh be at a place [where] a fellah kin git yuh passage. Yuh bury dat in de groun', but it would have tuh be strictly three feet undah de groun'. Put it in de bottle [and bury the bottle] upside down, wit yuh name on it. Evahthin' goes three times [name is written three times]. [Also] yuh say, Fathah, Son an' Holy Spirit. The rule of hoodooism is dat it must be three feet in de groun'.
Entry 4378
Yuh take yuh passage [excrement], yuh take dat an' stop it up in a bottle. Yuh kin take de hair offa end of a dog tail, a black dog, an' put it in dat bottle. An' squeeze dat lemon juice on it. An' it's no mo' tuh it. Yuh take dat bottle an' bury it. Yuh cain't make no passage no mo'.
Entry 4379
Yuh kin take anothah way an' lock 'is bowels. Take his stool an' yuh kin take an' sew it up in a piece of cloth - take some of it an' sew it up in a piece of cloth. An' yuh kin take it an' carry it off in some swamp. Take it down dere an' bury it. Bury hit down dere. Stomp [stamp] it down dere [demonstrates].
(Stomp it good with your foot.)
An' he locked.
(That will lock his bowels.)
An' dey won't be unlocked till yuh [or some other doctor] go dere an' move it.
Entry 4380
Yuh kin take a person's bowel stuff, take it an' burn it lak yuh do alum or sompin lak dat, an' take it an' stop it up, or bury it in a hidden place, an' dat'll stop 'em up.
(Stop up their bowels?) Yes, jis' de same as dey wuz locked.
Entry 4381
Dey kin lock yore bowels up when yuh go out in de woods, when yuh use - git some of dat an' tie it up an' burn it up. Dat'll lock 'em. Tie it up in a rag an' burn it up.
Entry 4382
Ah hear dem say dey could take it an' burn it. Dat will make yuh sore, stop yuh action - stop yuh bowels from movin'. Say it would lock yuh bowels an' dat would kill yuh.
Entry 4383
If dey go to a [outdoors] lav'tory - yuh know where yuh goes - yuh put kerosene on dat an' yuh go on [away]. An' dey say it will - an' bun 'a lak dat an' it will bring about piles.
(With this passage from the bowels.)
Entry 4384
[They take] some of yuh, yuh know, yuh actions. Ah heard dat dey could take it an' burn it, an' yuh take de piles.
Entry 4385
If yuh wanta do 'em harm, yuh take a person's actions, an' if yuh kin git 'em intuh somepin an' drive some gunpowdah, an' take two needles an' cross it an' burn it, an' dey say dat'll harm dat person. (In what way would it harm them, do you know?) No sir, ah only heard dat it would. It didn't lock dere bowels, but dey say it would do great hahm [harm], great hindrance. In othah words if dey had been - maybe dey had been in wit yuh some Way, yuh competitor - would cause 'em tuh lose out. In othah words dey become sick. Ah haven't heard whethah it would kill 'em or not. (You mean they would take their passage, that they made from their bowels, and do that with it?) Yes sir.
Entry 4386
Ah heard dat if - now jis' lak if yuh love a person an' dey mistreat yuh or sompin othah. Jis' lak ah may love yuh an' yuh don't love me. Dere man yuh know of dat kind, don't love 'em. Why - an' yuh love 'em an' do all yuh kin tuh git 'long wit 'em an' can't. Why yuh jes' takes most - well, any 'mount chew want of - well, food yo' know dat pass through dem. Yuh kin take dat. Yuh take dat an' yuh put it intuh a little rag, any kinda rag, or maybe a papah, anythin'. An' yuh take it down an' jis' lak yuh take up a brick outa yore chimley, an' yuh bury it undah dat brick an' let it stay undah dere fo' 'bout three days. Yuh take it out. Yuh take dat up den an' yuh burn it.
(What will that do then?)
Dat will bring 'im back.
(You burn his passage to bring him back?)
Yassuh.
Entry 4387
Well, yuh see, dey kin take de action of yuh an' put some wha' choc call Hot Foot Powdah.
(What do they call it? Hot Foot Powdah?)
Hot Foot Powdah.
(Where do they get that?)
Sen' off an' git it. An' take it an' mix it up wit de action an' put some cayenne peppah in dere an' git a stoppah. It's a kin' of a cork whut chew buy, a square block cork. An' take de fo' cornahs off dat square cork, yuh see. It's called de dragon cork. (Where do you get that?) Send off an' git it. An' take it wit dat action an' take dat powdah whut dey call Hot Foot Powdah, an' put five grains of whole grain black pepper in it. An' roll it up an' write dat individual's name, who dat action come from. An' roll dat up in de papah where dat name is wrote, an' burn it up. An' dose folks will have a bad 'tack [attack (of)] lock bowels an' kill 'em, dere wouldn't be nuthin unlock de bowels.
Entry 4388
Yes, yuh kin. Ah kin come right on tuh yuh house, yuh undahstan'. Jis' lak ah'm a frien' of yern, a pahtic'lah frien' of yern. Yuh figure ah'm yuh frien', but ah'm yuh enemy all de time, see, an' ah'm jealous of yuh [style of] livin'. Well, ah'll come dere an' yuh'll shit. Well, ah'll come dere an' ah'll wait on yuh an' anythin', an' say, "Well, ah know what ah'll do. Ah'll git rid of 'em." "'Cuz if yuh stop yuh bowels, dat'll kill yuh, yuh see. Dey is locked bowels. Well, yuh see, aftah yuh done go, aftah yuh slop [use the toilet] an' thin', yo' know, ah jis' git me a stick of somepin an' git me some of dat outa dat, yuh undahstan', an' take me some red peppah an' stuff an' stir dat up in dere an' burn it up, yuh see - make me a little grass [put dried grass] aroun' it an' burn it up. An' yuh won't go out, yuh see, de locked bowels will kill yuh.
Entry 4389
Well, dey go right dere an' take yuh urinate [= excrement here] an' take dat stuff an' dey got anythin' ag'inst yuh, take dat stuff, an' yuh git some red peppah an' care [carry] it or take part of it, care it on off, put it on a bark - see a bark, a piece of pine bark will burn up. An' yuh burn dat when yuh git all dat stuff down dere. An' yuh sprinkle some of dat peppah - take dat odor away from it. Take dat thin' an' keep it in a can an' run yuh stone crazy. [For the use of tin can, see margin can titles soon to follow.]
Entry 4390
Dey say dey take some of yore Waist an' take an' burn it an' put red peppah in it, an' - it won't lock yuh bowels but it'll jis' burn yuh, hurt chew. An' if dey wanta lock 'em, jis' take some of it an' burn it, an' take an' put it in a bottle an' stop it up an' throw it in de rivah in a runnin' stream of watah, an' dat will lock yuh bowels.
Entry 4391
Ah heard dey kin take yore bowels an' put some hot cayenne peppah on it an' burn it an' den take it an' bury it an', yuh undahstan', yuh couldn't pass no mo'.
(That's to upset [lock] the bowels.)
Entry 4392
Yuh know, lak goin' tuh make a passage, yuh know yuh take some of dat an' burn it, see. Yuh take some of dat an' burn it. Co'se dat will make it so dat it will lock it tuh yuh. It'll lock it by puttin' peppah an' stuff in it, mixin' it up wit sompin else.
Entry 4393
Yuh take dere urinate, if yuh kin git it. Dere's two ways yuh kin hurt a person wit dere urinate. Yuh kin take it an' put it in a fiah wit cayenne peppah an' [or] put salt on it an' coal oil an' burn it. (You mean their passage?) Yes, dere passage, an' burn it an' dat'll gi' [give] dem de bloody piles. [The second way of hurting a person is given later under margin title OAK TREE - NORTH SIDE.]
Entry 4394
Yuh kin take a little salt an' black peppah an' put it in 'is passage, yuh undahstan', an' take an' burn it, an' it stops 'is bowels.
(Locks his bowels?)
Locks 'is bowels. Dere yuh are.
Entry 4395
(What do you say they do in that case?)
Well, jis' like a person's bowels want tuh move, yuh know, an' if dey cain't git intuh a toilet nowhere so dere bowels will move, an' dey happen tuh, yuh know, do it anywhere where a person kin git it. Well, yuh takes dat an' yuh puts it in a powdah can, a 'east [yeast] powdah can. An' yuh fastens it up tight, an' yuh puts it in a dark place an' yuh let it stay in dere. Now, yuh see like yuh bowels is supposed tuh move like three times a day. Well, yuh kin take diff'ren' thin's an' make yuh bowels move. Well, dey cain't move becuz some - ah'm got yuh stuff fastened up an' dat gives yuh locked bowels. An' in- stead of yuh bowels goin' down, hit comes up through yuh mouth. Ah've seen a man died like dat.
(I see. Yuh take this can and put it in a dark place. All you have to do?)
Uh huh, dat's all yuh have tuh do.
Entry 4396
Dey stop it up, dey stop up de manure of a person, a human, an' it will cuz dem tuh have - dey'll ketch it in a cup [can] dat has a top dat it will fit tight, an' dey bury it or eithah throw it away, an' it will lock de bowels.
Entry 4397
[Fingers crossed or interlocked to prevent a dog from completing an action started, I first reported in 1935, in FACI, 1st ed., 2022, p.94; 2nd ed., 2231-2233, P.89.] Well, now dat's whut chew call cuttin' 'em off. (You call cutting them off?) Dat's right. See, yuh take a person doin' business. See [demonstrates] yuh ketch dat fingah dis way.
(YOU INTERLOCK YOUR TWO INDEX FINGERS, KEEPING YOUR FINGERS CROSSED.)
Dat's right, dataway. Well, long as yuh hold dat, well dere's no business dey kin do.
(They can't pass their bowels?)
No sir, dere bowels won't pass.
Entry 4398
When yuh ketch a man goin' tuh de toilet - yuh git 'im goin' tuh de toilet, goin' tuh do sompin - jis' take yuh fingahs jis' lak dis [demonstrates].
(When you get a man going to the toilet, you crook your two little fingers together and pull tight.)
Pull tight, yes. [He stops talking.]
(Yes?) [This means continue.]
An' he cain't do a thing.
(He can't do a thing, I see.)
No. (You just hook your two little fingers together - just hook them together and pull them tight, when you see him going to the toilet.) He cain't do nuthin. He cain't do a thing.
Entry 4399
Take some borax, alum, salt an' do yuh fingahs disaway, put it [the three things] right dere [demonstrates]. (You put that [mixture] right on the index finger and then you lock your fingers.) An' yuh unloose 'em, yuh take it an' put it heah; an' do dat wit chure little fingah [auto horn sounds outside]. Dey tell me dese locks an' [demonstrates]. (The forefingers [in- dex fingers] inter- locked lock the bowels and the little fingers interlock them.) Yes sir. (I see. And to lock them put that substance under your index finger and to unlock them you put it under your little finger.) Dat's right. Lock an' lunlock.
Entry 4400
Take a lizard. Ah've heard 'em say yo' take a lizard an' tuh split 'im open on 'is back. An' when yo' split 'im on 'is back, take an' hang 'im up where de sun will rise on 'im. An' when de sun rise on 'im, see, when de sun is goin' up, yo' hang'im wit 'is tail up an' 'is haid down; an' dey tell me dat will turn dey bowels up so dey can't be unlocked.
(Well, how do you know what person you are working on?)
Well, yo' take an' yo' git some of dere action, an' yo' put it in dere. Put it on dis lizard, inside of 'im, de fo'wards side nex' to de sun, wit cayenne peppah on it. Yo' know, cayenne peppah draws too, it draws up, an' three drops of turpentine. An' den when yo' git dat bone, den yo' hang it up dere. An' dat lizard will dry up to nuthin but jes' dat skin. An' as long as he's hangin' up dere, why dey can't have an action. Dat's whut ah heard on dat.
Entry 4401
Jes' lak if yo' pull off yore shoes at night an' a person wanted tuh hurt chew or somepin othah lak dat. An' if he could git some of yore dung, yo' know, an' smeah [smear] it on yore shoes, an' put some salt an' red peppah in it an' fix it So yo' couldn't walk, yore feet would swell up. YO' HAVE SOMEPIN LAK DE RHEU- MATISM, CALLED DE DROPSY OR SOMEPIN OTHAH lak dat.
Entry 4402
[The tree-hole rites of this margin title are only a part of the total number to be found in the present section and elsewhere in the text of HOODOO.] If yuh wanta put a spell on a person or make 'em lingah in misery an' suffah foa long time, yuh could take some of dere pass an' bo' a hole in de tree an' stop it up an' dat would cuz 'em tuh suffah deyselves away. Ah heard dat chew could do dat.
Entry 4403
See, jis' lak yuh may git holt of a person's passage, an' yuh bo' a hole in a tree an' put dat in dere an' cork it up. Why dere yuh has 'em, becuz yuh see, dat jis' takes an' put 'em in a condition such as tuh lock dere bowels or sompin lak dat, chew know. An' dat kills 'em.
Entry 4404
Dey tell me dat chew kin take dat [human excrement] an' bo' a hole into a tree an' peg it tight, where it can't git out, an' it'll rush yo' wit headache all de time. Whut ah learned about dat.
Entry 4405
De passage from yuh body, yuh mean lock yuh bowels. Well, dat's per- tainin' from goin' gittin' some de stuff dey pass from 'em, an' take it out in de woods an' git chew a augah an' bo' yuh a hole in de tree, an' drive it up intuh de tree, an' dat will lock yuh bowels. Dat be de end of yuh.
Entry 4406
Take a auger an' bore a hole in a tree an' take some [human] fertilizah an' put in dere - put it in dat hole. Take a peg an' drive it down in dat tree. Dat will keep 'em from havin' action.
Entry 4407
About a person's stool, yuh kin take dat an' bo' a hole in a tree, well, yuh might say three or fo' inches deep in a tree, an' stop it up yo' know, an'dat'll run 'em crazy prob'ly kill 'em.
Entry 4408
[Someone] jis' taken an' bo'en' a hole in a tree, a big hole in a tree, an' den put it in dere while it wuz hot, an' fasten de tree on it an' he died.
(This manure from the man?)
Yessuh.
Entry 4409
Well, dat is said to be done in dis way. Yo' have tuh watch a pusson to see where dey goes tuh discharge dere stomach, yo' understan' an' yo' git aholt of some of dat, yo' see. An' yo bo' a hole in dat tree, an' yo' git a wedge an' yo' put dat stuff in dat hole. Yo' git a wedge an' yo' drive it in jes' as tight as yo' kin drive it, an' den yo' put some table salt in dat. Dis table salt is fo' killin'. Table salt will kill a live tree, yo' know dat. An' de pusson wanted tuh git rid of yo'. When dey do dat dey wanta git rid of yo'. Bo' dat hole an' git dat table salt an' dat, dat discharge from dey stomach an' drive it. Drive it, an' as dat tree begin tuh rot - ah don't think dey kin wait dat long - but dat man will nevah discharge from de bowels no mo', in de hospital or nowheres else. Locked 'em fo'evah.
Entry 4410
[Instead of the hole and peg into a tree, sometimes a splinter makes the hole and serves as a peg.] Dere two ways yuh kin lock dey bowels up. One way tuh lock a person's bowels, yuh kin take a sharp splintah. Jis' take yuh knife an' jis' sharpen up a splin- tah, see. Yuh kin git a little bit of de stuff yuh know on dat splintah. (The bowels?) Dat's right. An' take it down in de woods tuh some tree or 'nothah an' yuh take an' yuh drive 'em in dere. Co'se yuh got'a take an' bo' yuh a hole in dere. Drive it in dere den. When yuh drive it in dere, why yuh done lock 'em. [The second method, not given here, may be elsewhere in the text.]
Entry 4411
Now, jes' lak our bowels move, see. Well dey stop dat up in a bottle. Take a auger an' bo' a hole in dere - little round bottle. (Bore a hole in what?) In de tree. Put some of whut pass through from mah bowels in dis lit- tle bottle, an' put it in de tree, an' den nail [peg] a stoppah in dat. Well, dat will tie mah entrails up an' ah can't have no [more action].
Entry 4412
Jis' lak yuh go out aside an' dey know it, why dey kin go an' git dat an' put it in a bottle an' stop it up. An' when dey stop up dat bottle, why yuh can't have no passage den. (When you go outside, you mean your passage. They stop it up in a bottle, what comes from your bowels. What would they do with that bottle after they stop it up?) Yes, yes. Dey stop it up. An' dey tell me dey stop up dat bottle an' dey carry it to a tree. Bo' a hole in de tree an' den cut a round peg an' stop it up in dere.
[Sumter, S. Car., (1338)2311:9.]
Entry 4413
Go out tuh de fo'ks of de road an' take yuh stool, yuh know, an' bo' a hole in a tree, an' put it in dat hole an' stop it up. An' go dere an' tap dat peg about nine mawnin's, ah think dey say it is, an' dat'll run yuh crazy an' kill yuh.
Entry 4414
If yuh want tuh tie a man up, yuh kin tie his entrails up. Yuh kin take an' git a little of 'is manure an' rub it on a string, a new string, a new piece of homespun, an' tie nine knots in it. When yuh tie dem nine knots, yuh see, dat'll tie his stomach up, if she'll tie it in de same knots. An' see, den hang it up in a tree, yuh undah- stan'. An' [or] yuh kin take a person's passage an' put it in a piece of new cloth an' bo' a hole in a tree an' stick it in dat tree. When yuh do dat, yuh done stop 'im from havin' a action - I HE CAN'T HAVE NINE IN DIS WORL' [he will be dead before 9th action].
The source names a tree; no wood species or processed timber is identified.
Entry 4415
When yuh go outside - yuh know dey don't do dat roun' town. Dat's done in de country where dey ain't no sewage. But de last end dat come out - yuh know yuh bowels be's hard sometimes - dey take dat last end an' dey goes tuh de east side of a tree, an' bo' a hole in it, an' put dat in dere wit a peg an' yuh hit it fo' nine days. Stop dat up an' de last - de ninth day yuh drives it into de tree. An' de bowels nevah will move. Locked!
Entry 4416
[They would] have a passage. Yuh know whut ah mean. Well, dey would take de top of dat off of dat, bo' a hole in a tree or stop it up in a bottle. Well den, DERE AIN'T NO DOCTOR IN DE WORL' CAN MOVE YUH BOWELS, nOne in de Worl' cannot move yuh bovels. Yuh bowels is locked!
Entry 4417
His stoolment - his bowel stoolment. An' yuh kin cut a hole in any kinda tree, jis' since yuh cut a hole in it, an' put it in dere, an' den put dat same bark, yuh know, an' shut back ovah dat an' nail it up wit a hammah an' nail. An' dat'll lock 'is bowels an' he nevah will git ovah it.
Entry 4418
Dey say dat chew could take a nail an' dip off a little bit of yore, yuh know, manure, an' carry it tuh a tree, yuh know, a nail dain't [dat ain't] nevah been used, an' drive it through dat tree wit some hair, ah think dey say, an' some of yuh hair too, an' say yuh tap it fo' nine mawnin's, an' de ninth dey says yo'll die.
(That hasn't anything to do with your photograph, has it?)
Dey tell me dey have yuh pichure up dere wit it.
(Oh! You drive this nail through it?)
Through de pichure. Drive dis nail through de pichure, see, an' have dat hair up dere wit it. Jis' drive it on in.
(Where do you put the manure, on the end of the?)
On de end of de nail.
Entry 4419
Yuh kin take a person's a - yuh know ah couldn't use de proper name of it, yeah manure. Yuh kin take hit an' yuh kin go tuh a pine tree, an' go roun' right whare it pointed right to- wards de east, see. An' bore yuh a hole in dere, an' yuh could put it in dere an' stop it up, an' go dere nine mawnin's an' drive a nail, see, in- tuh dat. An' den go dere nine mawnin's an' drive dat nail fuhthah an' fuhthah in fo' nine mawnin's. Time comes it would come tuh 'im, yuh know, be worried wit 'is backside, yuh know, an' it will cuz him tuh have so much trouble it will kill 'im in de long run. [Informants proper nome of it is undoubtedly a messy four- lettered word!]
Entry 4420
Dey say yuh could take a person's bowels aftah dey moves fresh, an' take a nail an' drive it in de north corner of de tree. An' jis' drive it one inch [lick] evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's. Dey drive dat nail an' de las' mawnin' dey say yuh will pass out [die].
Entry 4421
Yuh keep a kinda eye on 'em, yuh all along. Yuh know, especially if ain't got no constipation. Dey [he] go an' do what dey [he have to do] an' leave. Yuh jis' go out dere an' go an take [a] stick an' jis' go dere an' take up some of dat. An' go tuh pine tree or any kinda tree. Git a augah an' bore a hole in de tree, an' push some in dere an' cork it up tight. An' drive four nails in dere: one up, an' one down, an' one on both sides of dat hole. [This represents the 4 corners of the world or the 4 arms of a cross - the latter crossing up the victim.] An' dat's a dead man. [Another version of this rite will be found later under (4) SOCKS AND STOCKINGS, margin title NAILS 4.]
Entry 4422
Take some nails an' drive 'em intuh a person's bowels proposition, in- tuh a new bo'd, an' cuz 'em tuh have a eatin' cancer at dere private [rear, not front]. [The board is substituting for a tree.] (THEY DO WHAT?) Take a new bo'd an' place it on dere - jis' lay it on de new bo'd, de person business. When dey jis' go an' have a action, take it an' place it tuh de new bo'd. Take nine new nails an' drive it in an' [when] yuh drive 'em in so fur yuh crook de nine nails head tuhgethah. Don't let 'em tech tuhgethah, jis' crook 'em all lak dat [demonstrates].
(Bend them over towards each other.)
Ben' dem 'wards each othah an' dat'll cuz 'em tuh have a eatin' cancer at dere private.
(They drive these nails right through the business?)
Dey drive 'em right through intuh a new bo'd. [I have never heard of this rite before, but I suggest the 9 nails bent over are a diagrammatic figure representing Cancer or Crab, fourth sign of the Zodiac. If my suggestion is possible, 10 nails would have been a better symbol. Evident- ly the 2 pincers, because they close, are considered as one.]
Entry 4423
Well, dat will stop 'em, too. Now, de way dat is done, yuh bo' a hole on de sunrise in de east an' den.
(You mean on the sunrise side of the tree?)
De tree, yes sir. An' aftah yuh bo' yuh hole in dere, den yuh take it an' put it in a piece of papah an' push it down dat hole an' drive a peg behin' it, an' call de person. Yuh call 'is name three times an' den evah time yuh call dey name yuh hit de peg. See, yuh got 'em. Dat locks 'is bowels. (Locks his bowel, after you put that passage in the hole.)
Entry 4424
Ah have seen dat, dis chamber lye [see later]. Dere wuz a man heah 'bout ten yeahs ago - no, it's been about twenty yeahs ago [1919]. He'd taken me, mahself, taken mahself an' buried me in a tree. An' when he buried me in a tree he sup- posed tuh hit it - tap dat wedge nine days an' den ah'd die. But he didn't tap it nine days. De Lord fixed it so dat ah wuz able tuh light [loosen] it an' knocked it out befo' ah begin tuh take bad. Befo' ah begin tuh take bad ah found it an' knocked it out.
(What did he put in the tree?)
[I ask this because of the preceding chamber lye.]
He put some of mine in-stuff in de tree, put nine needles in it.
(He put some of your passage?)
Yes sir.
(How did he prepare that?)
He took it somewheres an' put it in a tree, bo'd a hole in a big tree wit a augah, an' aftah he bo'd wit dat augah in de big tree, he'd taken nine needles an' put dem in dere. Den he made dis wedge, wedge or stoppah, an' put in dere an' hit it fo' nine masniln's, an' he didn't git a chance tuh hit it fo' nine mawnin's befo' de Lord fixed it so ah could find it. When ah founds it ah knock- ed it out an' ah got bettah.
(What did you do wdth it. just leave it there?)
Ah'd taken an' carried it to de house an' showed it tuh 'im, but de pains wuz shootin' up through mah haid lak dat. An' if ah had let it stayed dere an' he'd ahit it nine mawmin's, ah wouldn't have been heah today. Ah wuz goin' down, be- fo' ah'd taken tuh bed.
Entry 4425
Yuh kin take dis person's or individual's where he go an' do his job - this, ah [mean], yuh lgc, manure.
(Manure?)
Manure, yuh umadahstan', where he done go an' do his job, see. All right. Yuh gits jis' enough of dat tuh, yuh know, do what yuh want wit it. An' den yuh takes dis needle. (Just one?) Jis' one needle, an' yuh brings dis an' yuh hangs it up high jis' about - if he six feet, yuh hang it seven feet an' stick dis needle in it. An' as yuh stick dat needle in it, an' dat's seven fet above 'im, dat's a feet above hi - he's six, yuh make it seven. An' den as yuh do dat, why let it stay dere nine days. An' aftah nine days, de individual will be mentally unbalanced.
(What did you put that stuff in?)
Yuh stop it up in a bottle. An' den yuh wrap a papah or rag, anything aroun' it, an' den yuh stick it up about a feet highah dan he is.
(Hang it anywhere?)
Hang it on a tree - hang it up on a tree, a limb of a tree.
Entry 4426
Ah heard dat chew could take a person's bowel move' - take a person's bowel movement. Git some of dat, yo' see, yes, from 'is bowels. Ah take it up on a little piece of stick. or sompin, an' put it in a little cloth an' double it up. An' yo' bo' a hole in de tree an' yo' poke dat in dat tree, see, an' stop it up. In nine mawnin's he'd die of dat, 'cuz it check 'is bowels where he can't have a bowel movement.
Entry 4427
Dey say dey git chure bowels jis' like yuh make - yuh go off, yuh make yer bowels move. An' dey go an' dey'll bo' a hole in a tree aboat six inches deep, ge' [get] dem a peg an' cram de bowels in dat tree, an' drive on it nine mawnin's. An' in de nine mawnin's dey drive dat peg clean up as fer as dey kin git it - jis' strike it tight. An' if somebody don't do somepin fer yuh mighty quick, yuh'll nevah make no bowels in dis world.
Entry 4428
If yuh wuz tuh be goin' 'long 'side of de road an' stop an' do a fob, if a person wanted tuh kill yuh or sompin othah like dat, well he'd take 8ome of yuh dung an' bo' a hole in a tree, an' he drive dat peg in dere. Hit it evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's. Well, den yuh bowels would lock. WOULDN'T BE ANY DOCTOR IN DE WORL' COULD OPEN DEM BOWELS.
Entry 4429
Dey tell me, yuh know, dat yuh git a person's manure, yuh see, an' take a big augah, dey claim, an' bo' a hole. Go tuh a LIVE TREE an' bo' a hole in de live tree, see. An' den yuh take dat dung an' place it in dat augah hole, an' den yuh take a peg. Trim yuh a peg jis' tuh fit dat hole tight, yuh know, where no air can't git in dere, yuh see, an' tap it, see. An' tap dat up fo' nine mawnin's. Evah mawnin' yuh go dere an' give it a small tap, yuh see, fo' nine mo' mawnin's, an' on de las' mawnin' yuh drive it plumb up. An' dey say dat will bind a person bowels, yuh see, tuh where dey can't have a action, yuh know, an' dat will kill 'im.
Entry 4430
People dat is enemies tuh othah people an' dey would watch 'em very closely an' when dey go tuh deyself, dey gits dat an' dey bo' a hole in de side of a tree, an' plug it in, an' take an' drive a peg in behin' it, an' go an' drive dat peg jis' a little bit fo' nine mawnin's, an' de ninth mawnin' dat will certainly kill 'em.
Entry 4431
Yuh kin take dey action an' bo' a hole in a GREEN TREE. Take yuh a peg an' cut nine notches in it an' evah mawnin' yuh put some of dat in dat green tree. Evah mawnin' yuh drive dat peg a notch. Evah mawnin' yuh repeat, say, "Ah do dis In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, dat yuh nevah git ovah it." Evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's yuh drive dat peg in dere an' de ninth mawnin' yuh drive de peg, an' if somebody don't pull, pull it down, why YUH'LL BE A CORPSE.
Entry 4432
Now a person kin hurt chew an' kin kill yo' daid. Take some of dere - yuh know, when dey go out tuh de toilet -.take some of dat an' go tuh de no'th side of de tree, an' take somepin an' bo' a hole in dat tree. Jis' go an' bo' it till it git about dat deep, an' den dey put dis in dere, an' den cut a stick an' make a peg fo' dat hole big enough tuh stop dat hole up. Yuh stop dat hole up an' don' evah open it. She'll die or he'll die.
Entry 4433
Go on de no'th side of a tree an' bo' a hole in dis tree an' take of dere, yuh know dere stuff an' - an' put in de tree. An' evah mawnin' go, but don't drive it in, yuh know, right at once. Fo' nine mawnin's yuh go dere an' hit dat stahb one lick fo' nine mawnin's, an' de ninth day dey'll be daid. Dere bowels nevah move an' can't nobody unlock dat wi'out dey kin git tuh dat peg, git dat peg out dat tree where yuh put it. An' dey will die from dat.
(This is to lock their bowels?)
Lock dere bowels, an' nobody - AIN'T A DOCTOR IN DE WORLD KIN UNLOCK IT.
Entry 4434
All right. Yuh take when a person go outside, yuh see, a person watch yuh - see, in de country where peoples steps out de side. Well, a person go be- hind yuh an' take dat an' find 'im a tree. On de sunny side, bo' a hole in dere an' take an' put it in dat hole an' sharp a peg an' drive it up in dere. Go dere nine mawnin's an' hit dat peg nine mawnin's until yuh drive dat peg up. An' when yuh drive dat peg up, dat person's bowels nevah moves no mo'.
Entry 4435
Jis' lak a person - if yuh wanta git rid of a person, well yuh take dere bowels an' - yuh know whut dey use. An' go tuh de west side of a tree an' bo' a hole in it. See, take a augah an' bo' a hole in dis tree, an' take dere manure an' put it in dere, an' stop it up an' dat'll lock dere bowels. An' when dey bowels do move, it'll move through de mouth an' evently [eventually] dey'll die. It'll kill 'em.
Entry 4436
Dey'll take dat stuff, yuh know, an' carry it to a tree, on de right side of de tree. An' dey kin bury it in dat hole an' take a stoppah, a peg, an' drive it fo' nine mawnin's, an' in nine mawnin's dey'll be dead. (Lock up the bowels.)
Entry 4437
A man died out tuh ouah home at Flour City, Ark. An' 'is wife had taken 'is bowels an' bo'd a hole jis' ovah a limb of a tree an' stopped it up an' dat killed 'im. His baa-owels.
Entry 4438
Well now, ah learnt dat de passin' of a man's bowels, dey tell me dey do somepin wit it. Yuh want tuh know whut dey kin do. Dey'll take dat up an' dey'll put it in a bottle an' dey'll stop it up tight, airtight. An' dey'll carry it somewhere, an' git dem a augah, see, an' bo' a hole at de root of a tree. One dese li'le small bottle an' git chew a good augah an' bo' a hole in de tree. An' den yuh put dat in dere an' put a peg in dere. HE'LL NEVAH [wake] NO MO' TILL HE HEAR DE FIRST TRUMPET.
Entry 4439
Yuh take dat an' yuh wraps it, an' yuh got de east side of a pine tree, yuh bo'es a hole jis' lak mah hand sets [demonstrates] down tuh de roots. (Slant it down to- wards the roots.) Tuh de tap roots, an' yuh strike dat fer as dat augah go. An' yuh take dat an' yuh put seven needles an' seven pins, an' yuh hit it nine mawnin's, an' on de ninth mawnin' yuh drive it up. IN THIRTY MINUTES HE'LL BE DEAD.
(You put this passage in there?)
Dat's right. Yuh sticks 'em, yuh see. DAT'S CALLED DRESSIN'. Yuh sticks 'em. Yuh sticks de pins dis way, an' sticks de needles dis way - de heads dis way an' dat head dis way, so dey be crossed lak dat intuh it. It be in a cloth yuh know. An' yuh jis' stick dem pins in it, an' den yuh jis' chunk it in de crack [hole] an' put dat peg jis' tuh fit it. Jis' lak yuh bo'd de hole, de peg's gotta be jis' de same width as de augah, jis' airtight. An' yuh jis' need.tuh tap it de firs' mawnin' an' fo' nine mawnin's yuh hit one tap, an' de ninth mawnin' yuh drive it up. [Here I turned off recording machine but informant adds the place where this rite was performed. I restarted machine.]
(Where?)
Dat was done in [near] Tifton, Ga.
Entry 4440
De mess from yuh body, an' yuh take it an' yuh'll dig a hole an' yuh'll po' sulphur - dig a hole 'side of a tree an' put sulphur in dere an' burn dat mess. Well, dat will dry yuh up, goin' dry yuh up where yuh'll nevah have actions yuh undahstan'. Purtty soon dey give yuh medicine tuh have action an' dat will fin'ly [finally] kill yuh.
Entry 4441
Yuh git tuh a green tree, a growin' tree, an' yuh cut a hole in dat tree, an' yuh'll bury it [excrement] down in de tree. Firs', yuh got'a take John de Conker Root, take devil shoestring, an' yuh'll wrap it all up tuhgethah wit it [the excrement], an' yuh'll bury it in dat tree. An' yuh git some red clay dirt [to be used as a stopper or packing] an' yuh put it in dat hole, covah it up good, shet it up good. An' dat's gon'a grow intuh de tree, cuz it's a growin' tree.
[That locks the bowels.]
Entry 4442
Ah seen dis happen right down heah. If yuh's mad wit a person, if yuh kin git some of dere, yuh know, de manure, take dat an' go an' wheresomevah yuh find a green tree at, an' take a augah an' bo' holes in it an' cuts it out, an' stop it up wit it, an' drive dat peg in de tree. When he git dere tuh have a action he can't. Yuh kin let 'im have one, if yuh wanta; if yuh don't, yuh kin let 'im die. Ah know dat's true.
Entry 4443
Well, dey goes tuh work, if it yuh own toilet, yuh undahstan', an' somebody workin' roun' dere git in wit chew. Takes dat an' dey puts it in a piece of paper, undahstan', goes out in de woods tuh a green tree, bo' a hole, stop it up. Well, dat's tuh kill yuh.
Entry 4444
Take dat - take his stuff yuh know.
(The passage from his bowels.)
An' den carry it tuh a growin' tree. Have yuh a augah an' bo' a hole in it an' put dat in dere, dat hole, an' put a peg in it. An' evah day yuh go dere an' give it a lick - evah day. Den de mo' yuh knock on dat, de mo' it shet up, de mo' de bowels closed, till finally it git to de last, de bowels shet up tight.
Entry 4445
AH DON' WORK DAT KINDA BUSINESS NOW BUT AH USED TUH. Yuh take SOMe dey urinate [= excrement - see comment later], anybody's, don' care who it is. Take some of 'is urinate an' bo' yuh a hole in a half-grown tree, 'cuz young trees grows fastah, a good flushin' [flourishing] young tree. An' take a augah an' bo' yuh a hole in dere, if yuh wanta git shet of 'em, don't want 'em roun' dere. An' yo' put dat urinate in a papah, wrahp [wrap] it up. Roll it up an' put it in dat hole an' trim yuh a peg an' start it in dere jis' a little, jis' stop it up jis' a little an' go on off. Evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's go dere an' hit it a lick an' evah time yuh hit, dey's gittin' locked tightah an' tightah. Well, when yuh hit it de ninth mawnin', it's plumb tight, an' he'll die if yuh don't git it outa dere.
(You mean take that from bowels?)
Yeah.
Urinate remains the printed wording; the editorial gloss and later question about bowels are distinct context.
Entry 4446
Yuh take a young tree an' yuh bo' a hole in dat, an' yuh take a per- son's passage an' put it in dere, an' dis peg whut yuh put in dere, yuh gradually nail [peg] in dere, an' in nine days force it up. Dat will kill 'em - cause 'em tuh be constipated, dere bowels are locked.