Browse:FINGERNAILS - TOENAILS - FOOTSKIN (Volume 4, entries 6376–6527)
FINGERNAILS - TOENAILS - FOOTSKIN
Volume 4, entries 6376–6527. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 6376
Yo' know, jes' lak we be settin' down filin' our fingahnail off, yo' know, an' yo' know people be settin' roun' talkin' tuh each othah an' ain't thinkin' about it. Well, dey watch chew an' dey git chure fingahnails. Ah'll take 'em up an' ah'll carry 'em tuh dis ant bed an' whenevah dey take yore fingahnails an' carry 'em tuh de ants bed, yo' know dose ants mo' den apt tuh take evahthin' dey kin an' carry dem in 'is hole. See, when he carry dat, den ah'll go back de nex' mawnin' an' if dat ant is missin', have taken dese nails, vell ah'm goin' stop de hole up. Well, dat's she's goin' bad, got somepin, jes' lak somebody got de TB [tuberculosis]. Jes' long as her fingahnails an' thin's is stopped up in dis hole, she dryin' away.
Entry 6377
Take an' put yuh toenail an' a piece of dis man's hair in dere an' yo' kin git 'im back. (Put it where?) In de ants nest, in a red ants nest.
Entry 6378
Yo' soak yore feet an' den yo' git a knife an' scrape dat skin off - some of dat dead skin. Make it up an' put it in sompin tuh drink. Nachurally ef yo' drink tea, put it in yore tea or in coffee. An' take yore fingahnails an' toenails an' parch dem an' beat dem up an' put it in coffee or tea. An' wash undah yuh arm an' put dat in de tea. Dat vill make 'em love yuh, make dem real jealous of yo', too. An' ef yo' don't min' 'en, make 'em kill yo'.
Entry 6379
Dey say a woman, eithah a man, if dey want dey husban' or dey wife tuh stay home. Yo' take yuh fingahnails - trim yuh fingahnails, trim de toenails an' wash undahneath each one of yore arns an' if dey drink likkah, put it in likkah an' let it set fer three days. Don' let 'em see it. Jis' conceal it somewhere. An' dey say dey would nevah leave, jis' hang right aroun' dere - stay home.
Entry 6380
[This may be my only example of the rare term badge, meaning hand, or toby or mojo.] If yo' wanted 'er tuh love yo', why yo' jes' take some of - jes' lak yo'd take a bath an' git some of de dirty skin from undah de bottom of yore feet, de hollah of yer lef' feet. Trim yer fingahnails good an' close an' git some of de dirt from undah dere. Take dem an' parch dem, parch de fingah- nails. Parch dese fingah- nails brown, beat it up, an' git some of 'er hair an' burn it - de hair from 'er haid an' burn it. Mixes it tuhgethah wit Hearts Cologne an' sulphur, an' weah it undah-yer lef' arm as a badge.
(Wear it under your left armpit as a badge.)
An' in seven days she'll eithah come or she'll write yo' a lettah.
Entry 6381
Yo' kin make de girl love yo' dat way. Well, yo' kin take an' wash yore feet nice an' clean an' scrape de callous lightly, see. Go git chew a dime's wuth [worth] of beer or 15 cents wuth of beer an' put dat indere. Keep it always shet up good. Keep it in - an' co'se yo' could drink a glass an' give huh a glass, an' SHE BE JES' AS WILD ABOUT CHEW AS SOMEBODY ELSE IS ABOUT DERE BABY.
Entry 6382
Well, dey will take dat an' have yo' lame all de time. (What do they do with that then, after they scrape the bottom of the feet? What do they do with that then?) Bottle it up wit some stuff dey call de blue vitrus - wit blue vitrus. An' den dey take it an' aftah dey put dat blue vitrus in wit it, dey take it den wit a mixture fo' tuh do yo' harm - me harm, or somebody else. Don' care whose [who] 'tis. Dey'd mix it, yo' know, an' driv' [drip] it [bury bottle so that it leaks] long wherevah yo' have tuh go, fo' tuh strike yo' wit pain [in the feet].
Entry 6383
An' dey could trim yer fingahnails, yo' know. Say now, like if yo' set dere an' trim yer fingahs, I'd gathah dem up. See, I'd gathah dem up an' take dem - or toenails, eithah one of 'em. Take 'em an' put 'em in a li'le vial. An' aftah yo' put 'em intuh de li'le vial, yo' would keep 'em in dis vial fo' 'bout nine days, wit a li'le vitrus wit 'em fo'.tuh git 'em soft. Den yo' take 'em out of dat vitrus an' dry 'em off, an' put 'em in anothah vial den an' put othah stuff wit 'em. (What other stuff do they put with that second vial? What do they put in that second vial?) Intuh de secon' one yo'll put some of yer own chamber lye, an' a li'le bit of cologne root.
(Cologne root?)
Cologne root. An' yo'll take dat an' shift it aroun' [in the bottle]. Dat is tuh do 'em harm.
[Cologne root is probably a product of the root-seller or hoodoo drug store.]
(Well, what do you do with that bottle then, that has that stuff in it? This second bottle, what do you do with that, then?) De bottle? Well, yo' could take dat bottle out some place an' bury it. Bury dat bottle an' dat'll make dem useless in dere han's or foot, wherever dese nails come from.
Entry 6384
Dat he tole yo' concernin' scrapin' part of de foot, didn't he [my contact man]? [My contact man always required a rite before anyone could enter interviewing room. We wanted to be certain informant knew what we wanted. The rite in- formant gave now follows.] Yo' wash 'am an' evahthin' an' yo' take an' yo' scrape a li'le bit of de skin off yore foot. Ah don' know if white folks do or not. Ah know colored do, but now yo' - co'se ah nevah knowed zactly whut dey [white folks] do. Yo' take an' scrape de foot an' - take a knife, a dull knife so yo' won' cut chure foot, an' scrape it lak dat. Yo' take an' put it in a li'le [can or jar] top an' put it in de stove [oven] an' brown it. When it brown - yo' mix it [with] black peppah an' put it in de stove. An' whoevahyo' Wanta see, dat all yo've gotta do. An' whoevah dat chew want - whatevah one yo' want, yo'll have 'em right down undah yore foot. Dey'll come an' give yo' evah- thin' an' stick right tuh yo'.
Entry 6385
Ah heard tell of wimmins trickin' mens dat way, jes' git de mens where dey got dem undah dey own command yo' know. Yo' know aftah a certain time of de yeah, aftah yo' washes good lak dat, dere's a daid skin comes off dat, off dere'feet. Dey say dey'll destroy [scrape off] dat skin an' takes it an' burns it. An' natur'ly dey burnin' part of 'im. An' wherevah dey burn it at - whoevah burns it, dey jes' claim dat to 'em jes' lak dat.
Entry 6386
(They trim them? Well, what do they say they do with those [nails]?)
De trimmin's of 'em, dey takes 'em an' scorch 'em, an' scorch 'em - scorch 'em tuhgethah. Aftah dey do's dat, dey buries 'em in a piece of papah. An' when de papah begin tuh rot away All dis dust of dey trimmings go down in de dirt, dey say yo' begin den an' molt away, come down like yo' got consumption.
Entry 6387
Scrape de bottom of yore feet, git de dead skin off. Dat means if yo' evah let some- body git de dead skin from undah de bottom of yore feet, dey say dat yo'll nevah settle down. Yo'll always be goin' from one town to de othah.
(What do they do with that dead skin, anything?)
Jis' take it an' burn it up, wrap it an' burn it.
(Give you a sort of hot-foot with that?)
Keep yo' goin' all de time.
Entry 6388
Fingahnails or toenails people would [take] an' ball 'em, tie 'em up in a li'le ball tuhgethah, parch 'em, an' throw away tuh each cornah of de world.
[The world has 4 corners - see last book in Bible, Rev. 7:1.] Make 'em go crazy. Dey [have]
spell of sickness.
Entry 6389
Take 'em an' burn 'em in de ashes, an' sew 'em up in red flannen. (These fingernails and toenails?) Yes sir, an' it'll run 'em crazy.
Entry 6390
It's gotta be close frien's tuh git dat. But dey kin take dem fingah- nails an' dose toenails an' dat dead skin off de bottom of yore feet. An' take some dragon blood, see, an' some John de Conkah powdah. It's a powdah an' den it's a root, but chew take de John de Conkah powdah. (Where do you get the powder?) Yo' gits dis powdah from New Orleans. De woman tole me, yassuh. An' take it, dat dragon's blood an' dat John de Conkah, an' take dat dead skin an' dem toenails [and fingernails]. An' if it's possible, yo' kin git a piece of de individual's hair. Now ah'm tellin' yo' a way tuh drive 'em clean on out of town. An' put some cayenne peppah wit dat an' roll it up. An' sprinkle some table salt on it an' roll it up tight, an' burn it graj'ly [gradually]. Don't burn it real fast. Jis' put it in a place where it kinda simble [simmer] all day long. An' den [after] hit git burnt up, de party would git jis' hot-footed, hot-headed to go.
Entry 6391
De bottom of de feet, dat didn't happen tuh me once, but.it happen by dem people though. Yo' take de bottom of yore feet an' yo' take yore toenails an' yore fingahnails off. Yo' trims 'em yo' know wit de scissors. An' yo' takes dat an' yo' burys dat, see. An' when dey burys dat, dat keeps yo': aroun' home - keeps yo' from goin' away. An' dat makes de woman keeps yo' all de time undah huh control.
(I see, I see.)
Entry 6392
Yo' trimmin' yo' fingahnails an' dey'll tie it up in a cloth an' dey'll bury dat. Dat'll harm yo'.
(Well, how would it harm you? What would it do to you?) Whut will it do tuh yo'? Why, yo' fingahs will rot off.
Entry 6393
Ah've had a li'le experience. Dey say dey kin take de skin off de bottom of yer feet an' put it in - jis' lak dis [points to ashes and ash tray on inter- view table] de bottom of yer feet. Wheresomevah [whatever container] dey'd put it [footskin] in, dey dig a hole an' buries it, an' den turn it [container bottom upwards]. See. As hit [= it, the footskin] fade away, as
[likewise] yo' fade away.
Entry 6394
Dey take fingahnails an' toenails an' cut 'em up, an' place 'em intuh a stove. Parch 'em - parch de fingahnails brown. Aftah dey is parched brown, den dey takes 'em an' carry 'em, an' when dey git tuh yore do' or de front do', or dey git someone else dat's stayin wit yo' tuh place 'em ovah yore head, don't chew know, aftah dey parch 'em in de stove. Dat's de way ah learned of dat.
(What will that do to you then?)
It will cuz yo' not to leave home.
Entry 6395
Take when yo' scrape de bottom of yore feet. Some people have crusts or whatsomevah, ole dead skin, up undah de bottom of dere feet. Yo' take dat an' yo' put it in a jar an' bury it up undah yore back do'step. An' aftah yo' bary it up undah yore back do'step, whutsomevah trouble yo' have wit dis persmn, it'll be all ovah.
(You take that to somebody you are having trouble with?)
Yes sir.
Entry 6396
Well, yo' take a person fingahnail an' yo' cut dem. Dat's fo' love.
(Just how would you do that?)
Yo' trim yore fingahnails. Yo' take an' bake dem an' den yo' take an' beat 'em up tuh a powdah. When yo' feed a person yo' sprinkle dat in dat meal, see, an' dey'll love yo'. An' den ag'in yo'll take - wash yore feet real clean an' scrape de dirt from de hollah of yore foot. An' yo' put dat in de food, an' dat'll make dem love yo'.
Entry 6397
Dey say dat dey jis' cut jure [your] fingahnail off. Even if yo' trin yo' fingahnail an' anybody settin' aroun', it may be at party drinkin' tuhgethah, a person dat drink. Well, if yo' trim nail an' somebody don't lak yo', got it in fo' yo', yo' [person who dislikes you] take up de nails an' - down dere whilst yo' haid turn, yo' not seein' [him] take de nails up, an' prob'ly he got de likkah [handy] or slip up an' put some of 'em [your own fingernails] intuh yo' glass. Well, usely [usually] dey [fingernails] goes down parta de way tuh de bottom furs [first] an' come back up. Po' [pour] yo' a drinka likkah an' - well, yo' not thinkin' nuthin, takin' an' prob'ly half-shot or somepin-lak, an' drink dem nails dOWD, Why YO' FINGAHNAIL IS SURELY DEAD POISON TUH YO' BODY AS A RATTLESNAKE. DEY'LL SURE KILL YAH.
Entry 6398
Well, ah know a man de way he do. He take his toenails an' trim 'em. Where he have a knack of makin' coffee fo' his wife, yo' know, evah mawnin'. Well, he'll let dem toenails contin'sly be in de cof- feepot, an' boil coffee off dere fo' 'er an' let 'er drink it. An' so dat kinda ties her tuh 'im - keep 'er from men or anythin' lak dat. Well, a man or woman, eithah one could tie one anothah tuh 'em wit dat, by givin' it tuh 'er in whiskey tuh drink. Sev'ral diff'ren' thin's lak dat.
Entry 6399
Toenails, yo' know. An' [they] ketch yore toenails an', if dey kin git 'em, dey make a tea of 'em. It gives yo' - an' yo' drink dat an' git it inside of yo', it MAKES YORE ENTRAILS SCALEY INSIDE. It be's perfectly scaley JIS' LIKE A FISH, but it be's all de way roun' yore guts. But it's one thing, yo' see by gittin' dem, dey goes down. De scales don' come up dis way fo' yo' food tuh hang. De scales will hang down so yore foods kin go by. Dey will give yo' a bad odor through yore [mouth?]. Yo' undahstan' me?
Entry 6400
Ah've seen a ole lady [witchcrafter] take a boy one time. His wife wus a dissipatin' wumman, she didn't mean 'im any good. Dis wus a hard workin' boy, an' he went tuh 'er [the crafter] an' ah went wit 'im. (Went to this old woman?) Wit dis boy. She has 'im tuh go tuh work an' jis' take a warm pail of watah an' some soap, an' wash 'is hands an' feetses good an' clean. Sharp 'is knife, trim 'is fingah- nails an' lay dem down; an' 'is toenails, put dem down. She take jis' a li'le snail lid, jis' about lak dat [demonstrates], an' takes dose fingahnails an' toe- nails, an' puts 'em on de stove an' parches 'em thoroughly, up Intuh a powdah compound. Den she cooked 'em in a cake an' give it tuh dis boy. Well, dis boy wife eat dat, why evahthin' come tuh be lovely.
Entry 6401
Not fo' harmin'. Yo' take yore fingahnails an' toenails an' yo' par- ches dat. An' when yo' parch it, whutsomevah yo' cook fo' a person - lak if a woman got a husban' an' she wants 'im tuh stay aroun' 'er an' love 'er. Yo' takes dat whenevah yo' git ready tuh cook sompin fo' him, yo' parches it jes' lak black peppah, an' den yo' use dat ingredients intuh somepin dat chew git ready tuh feed 'im wit.
(That holds him?)
Dat holds 'im tuh 'er.
Entry 6402
Yo' kin make a person do anything in de worl' fer yuh. Yo' git dere toenail, dere fingahnail, yo' parch dem nail, an' yo' rub [powder] dem nail up, an' sprinkle intuh de food dey eat.
Entry 6403
Well some of 'em say yo' take dat an' make dere husban' love 'em. Take de fingahnails an' toenails an' clip de nail off in a piece of papah or cloth. An' put it in de stove an' parch jis' lak yo' parchin' corn. An' take it an' tyin' it up, beat it up, an' put it in a powdah-lak. An' when yo' give him 'is food tuh eat, put dat intuh it. He'll nevah leave yo'.
(That will make the man love you.)
Yes.
Entry 6404
Well, dey Say IF YO' GOT A HUSBAN' AN' YO' WANTA RULE 'IM - KEEP 'IM STAY AT HOME AN' NOT RUN AROUN' - dey always say dat yo' trim yore fingernails an' trim de toenails, an' parch dat an' crumble dat in his food, kinda lak black peppah. Dat will do de work.
Entry 6405
Well, now, dat would make a person stay tuhgethah. Dat's whut chew mean. Well, dey trim de toenails an' de fingahnails an' yo' parch 'em. Yo' put 'em in a li'le top, yo' put 'em on de stove or anywhere an' yo' parch dem fingah- nails an' toenails. Den yo' pound 'em up an' yo' put 'em in a person coffee an' give 'em. Yo' see yo' parch 'em.
Entry 6406
Take a person fingernails an' toenails an' parch it all up tuhgethah. An' jis' lak yo' wanta do somepin tuh git yore husban' back, put it in 'is ration an' he eat it. Why it'll bring 'im jis' as humble, an' anythin' dat chew tell'im tuh do, why he'll do it.
Entry 6407
Yo' kin cut off yore fingahnails or yore toenails an' lets 'em burn, an' if de person laks [likes] de coffee, den yo' parch it an' yo' git 'em plumb burnt jis' lak coffee, an' put it in de coffee whutevah dey drink, an' yo' cain't nevah git rid of 'em. Dey'll stay right dere. DAT'S LOVE!
Entry 6408
Dey tell me yo' could take de fingahnails an' toenails an' boil 'em, an' put it in bread or tea or sompin othah, an' keep 'im. Keep 'im home. He'll leave but he come back.
Entry 6409
Take an' wash yore feets an' take de dead skin from undah yore feet. But now, what dis is fo', what I'd [use] it fo', would do it fo' diff'ren' things. I'd take de dead skin from undah yore foot. An' yo' wash it, yo' scrape dat dead skin an' yo' let it dry. Put it on de stove an' make a powdah out of it. An' aftah yo' make dat powdah out, wellyo' kin drop it intuh dere Coca-cola or anythin' a person eat. Dat's when yo' wanta control 'em, yo' see; keep 'em so dey can't do yo' nuthin. Take advantage of 'em, yo' see.
Entry 6410
Yo' wash yore feet clean. Den sit down an' git chew a knife, see, an' jis' start. Yo' see, dat jis' a skin. Jis' take yo' a piece of papah an' scrape it off an' carry it off. See, yo' take dat an' put it on de stove an' let it dry till it gits brown, jis' lak yo' did this othah, an' put dat in dere food. Dat's tuh keep 'em.
Entry 6411
If yo' wan'a woman tuh go yore way or if she wan'a man tuh go her way, it works fifty-fifty. Sometimes de woman wants de man tuh go her way an' some- times de man wants de woman tuh go his way. Well, when yo' wash yore feet, yo' kin jis' take yore pocketknife an' scrape dis off undahneat' yore feet. Yo' git off some li'le fine stuff an' dat jis' fall on a papah, an' git dat in somepin tuh drink. Jis' a li'le bit of it, don' take but a leetle bit of it. Put dat in somepin fo' de man or de woman, either one, an' dey goes jis' lak yo' say. BE UNDAH YORE FEET.
Entry 6412
Yo' kin use dis dead skin from de bottom of de feet. Yo' kin use dat if yo' got a woman dat chew loves, an' yo' an' 'er are not gittin' long so well. Yo' kin keep 'er undah yore feet by takin' dat dead skin an' rubbin' it tuh a fine dust an' sprinkle it ovah de food. Mah mothah she use dat on 'er husban'. Dat's why ah know dat.
Entry 6413
Well, dey say - jis' lak yo' soak yore feet, scrape a li'le of de bot- tom of yore feet an' put dat in de coffee or tea, an' dat will make 'em stay home.
Entry 6414
Wash it nice an' clean an' take a knife an' scrape dat dead skin off, an' put it ovah 'is grits or ovah 'is rice an' put nice gravy ovah it. He'll jis' go foolish about 'em. Dat's all ah heard of it.
Entry 6415
Yo' scrape dat dead skin off de bottom of yore feet. Well, yo' take dat yo' see. Well, DAT'S JIS' LAK A WOMAN TAKING A MAN IN. Yo' scrape dat from mdah de bottom de feet, an' yo' take dat an' yo' make up de bread, or whatevah dey goin' put it in. Beat it all up in dere an' give it tuh 'em. Well, WHEN YO' GIVE IT TUH 'IM, YO' SEE, WHY HIT CREATES IN 'EM AN' GIT IM TUH DE PLACE, WHERE DERE NUTHIN SUIT 'IM DEN BUT JIS' TUH BE WIT DE ONE DAT HAVE DID ALL SECH AS DAT.
Entry 6416
Co'se ah ain't nevah done it but den ah knows whut dis thing will do. Pull off yore shoes an' wash de bottom of yore foot. Take a knife an' scrape dat dead skin off de bottom of yore foot an' parch it till it come to a powdah. An' take dat powdah an' put it intuh somepin dhut [that] dey have tuh drink hout [oat] of, an' let 'em drink offa dat powdah. Why, dey will - dey mind will be devoted to yo' as long as dey [live]. [Waycross, Ga., (1120a),.1798:7.]
Entry 6417
An' yo' kin take de skin offa yore feet, a woman kin, or eithah a man. It don' make any diff'rence. Take dat skin offa yore feet an' evah time yo' feed "in, drop some of dat intuh 'is food. An' let 'im eat it an' he cain't quit chew.
Entry 6418
Dey could take de skin from de bottom of de feet an' mix it in wit de dlk, or watah - whatsomevah dey make de bread wit, an' feed it to a person. Dey say dat would make dem love yo'.
Entry 6419
Well, yo' scrape de dirt from undah de bottom of yore foot an' put dat in tea or coffee, tuh give tuh yore boy frien' fo' love, tuh hol' [hold] ]'is love.
Entry 6420
But if dey scrape de bottom of de feet an' dey cook dat in yore food, yo' cannot leave 'em.
Entry 6421
Scrape yo' feet, I've heard dat. Dey scrape de bottom of yo' feet maybe an' po' it - yo' know, slip it in yore drinkin' watah, yo' know.
(What will that do to you?)
Dat will make 'em catah [cater] tuh yuh at yuh home.
Entry 6422
Dat's right. Take dirt from undah yore fingahnails an' dress it in boiled food, lak cabbages an' turnips an' all squashes an' things lak dat. An' people eat dat an' become tuh be crazy about people. Do dat two or three times.
Entry 6423
Git de dirt out of a person's fingahnails an' yo' kin hurt 'em wit dat. Den yo' kin make love wit dat.
(How would you make love with that?)
Now, yo' kin take de dirt out chure fingahnails dere an' put it in anything dey eat or eithah drink. An' jis' let he [him] git dat wit dat dirt outa yore fingahnails an' he eats dat, if yo' wan' dem dere yo' see. An' when he git dat den yo' got 'im, yo' see.
(That's in case of love.)
Entry 6424
Dey use it tuh make love, boys an' girls yo' know.
(The dirt from under their fingers. How do they do that?)
[I had asked about fingernail dirt before turning on recording machine. My question here is merely a comment for myself.] Well, dey put it intuh dere food jis' lak it wuz powdahed.
(What is that supposed to do?)
Well, he would eat wit 'em yo' know an' dat make him think mo' of de party, yo' see.
Entry 6425
Heard tell of people say dat yo' could take de dirt out from undah yore fingahnails, an' dough it up in de bread or anything dat yo' cook lak dat, an' make yo' boss 'em [that lets you boss the person].
Entry 6426
Yo' take dis fingahnail lak dat, scrape de fingernail [dirt] an' put it in anything, an' yo' know, an' give it tuh 'em in watah, an' dat will make 'em wild about chew - sompin lak dat.
Entry 6427
Dey say dat if yo' scrape de bottom from yore fingahnail, dat is scrape yore fingahnail yo' know an' feed it tuh de individual, dat will also cause her or him tuh like dem.
Entry 6428
Well, now, ah've seen dem use de fingahnail tuh make people love 'em an' all, yo' know, an' pull 'em dere way an' all. But dey take dere fingahnail an' dey'll git de dirt from undah dat fingahnail. An' dey'll scrape de fingah- nail an' den when dey do dat, dey'll take dat dirt an' stuff from undah dat fin- gahnail an' put it in dey coffee or dey tea.
Entry 6429
Now ah've heard dem say dat de ladies dat goin' wit mens, fo' spechly [specially] spō'tin' wimmins, dey takes dere fingahnails an' jis' git a li'le dirt from undah 'em, or eithah dere toenails. An' lak dey cook grits or make any kinda nice gravy tuh put ovah a man's food, or somepin lak dat, dey will put it in dere an' make de man jes' so crazy about 'em - all dat.
Entry 6430
Put de dirt from undah yore fingahnails or eithah undah yore toenails intuh coffee or tea. Ah've heard of dat.
(What would that do?)
That is to make love. (Make someone love you? Just the dirt from under your fingernails and under your toenails?) Yes, dat's right.
Entry 6431
Scrape off de bottom of yore feet an' scrape yore fingahnails. Jis' all yore fingahnails dis way an' scrape 'em off. Yo' take dat an' make it in coffee. Some people jis' scrape de fingahnails an' de toenails. Dey take dat an' make coffee. Dey'll hold dat intuh de han's an' den dey make de coffee. An' when dey fix 'is cup, dey'll drop dis stuff in dere, an' dey'll give hin dat cup of coffee tuh drink. An' it will bring 'im down tuh where yo' won't lmoc 'im.
Entry 6432
Dey say yo' kin trim yo' fingahnails, lak ah trim mah fingahnafls, an take de skin offa de bottom of mah feet. An' take an' parch dat up an' put in mah husband's coffee or sompin lak dat. See, let it draw up in dere. An' give 'im dat an' make 'im care mo' fo' me.
Entry 6433
How tuh make a woman love yo' or a man love yo'. Trim yore toenails an' fingahnails or clean out from undah yore fingahs. An' put it in yore coffee or put it in sompin tuh eat, or sompin othah lak dat an' let chew eat it. An' yo' go crazy about 'em, an' make yo' love 'em an' all lak dat.
Entry 6434
Wal, if a person wanted chew - a woman loved yo' an' couldn't git chew, she could trim some of 'er toenail an' 'er fingahnail an' take de dirt out from undah 'er toenail, yo' see, an' put it in - say a soft drink or sompin lak dat. An' den passin' it roun' an' yo' bein' settin' dere, yo' know. Yo' jis' passin' all of 'em drinks an' she drene [drain] dis outa dis bottle. Jis' lak she's servin' in dis room yo' see, an' yo' all settin' roun'. She'll drene dis outa dis bottle in yore glass an' she servin' yo'. Dat'll make yo' crazy 'bout 'er.
Entry 6435
Jis' de same like a woman, or eithah a man, dey wan'a rule dere husban' or de man wan'a rule 'is wife. Well, dey take de fingahnail an' de dirt from undah de fingahnail, an' dey scrape de bottom of dere feet. An' dey puts it on de stove or anything an' dey'll patch it like a powdah. When dey give 'em dere food, well dey takes dat an' dey'll sprinkle it ovah de food from de feet [and nail clippings]. Dat's my experience wit dat.
(What will that do?)
Well, dat's - dey could rule 'em like, yo' know.
Entry 6436
Take de fingahnails or de toenails. Jis' lak yo'd trim yore fingah- nails or toenails, an' dey put 'em in a pot of tea where yo' draw tea, an' give 'im tea offa dat. DAT MAKES 'IM QUIET AT HOME. A MAN OR A WOMAN, IF DEY'RE FUSSY AN' QUARRELIN AT HOME, YO' KNOW, YO' TAKE DAT AN' PUT IT IN A TEA AN' GIVE IT TUH 'EM, WHY DEY COOLS DOWN. DEY JIS' AS CALM WHEN DEY COME IN AN' Why, de same thing - jis' take de bottom of yore feet, or yore fingahnails or toenails an' put it in de tea.
Entry 6437
[Well, ah've heard dey take de fingahnails an' toenails an' wash yore feet an' scrape undahneat' de bottom of yore feet. An' take an' parch de nails, beat it up an' put it wit dis heah stuff dat come from mdahneat yore feet, an' put it in 'is coffee. Dat's fo' someone yo' wan' tuh love yo'.
Entry 6438
Take yore fingahnails an' yore toenails, an' scrape undah de bottom of yore foot, an' take dat an' take an' put 'em in sompin fo' him tuh eat. Dat will make a man love yo'. Parch it in de stove, yeah. Parch it in de stove till it git tuh a powdah, cuz yo' know, so dey can't detect it in de food. An' put dat in dey food an' dat will make dem love yo'.
Entry 6439
Dat's tuh feed men or women, dope people tuh make dem care fo' yo'. Take dem an' parch 'em an' cook 'em. An' cook 'em an' put 'em intuh food an' dey cain't leave yo'.
(These fingernails and toenails.)
[After I had turned off recording machine, informant added feet.]
(Scrape their feet?)
Scrape dat all an' puts it in dere food. Dat's whut dat's done.
(Is that done with the fingernail [and toenail] or do you do that separately?)
Yo' do either one yo' wanta do [separately or together] see.
Entry 6440
Yo' kin scrape yore fingahnails an' yore toenails wit sugah an' give 'em tuh yore lovah, an' dat makes 'im stay at home.
(How would you give it to him?)
Kin mix it wit yore sugah an' serve in 'is coffee.
[While recording machine was stopped I must have asked about footskin.]
Nevah done dat but ah've heard of it bein' done. Yo' use dat too - wit yore fingahnails an' yore toenails - de dead skin [from the feet]. Uh-huh, along wit dat.
Entry 6441
Now, if yo' wan'a woman tuh love yo' - yo' jis' wan'a woman tuh love yo' wit dem nails. De way yo' do, yo' git her nails an' parch 'em an' parch mah nails. Cut mah nails an 'er nails an' put 'em tuhgethah an' parch 'em. Make a fine powdahs out of 'em an' put dat in de food - jis' feed 'er on dat. Dat'll make her love me.
Entry 6442
You could take yore toenails, your fingernails, the dirt from under your feet, an' you could put that in a bottle an' you could feed a man on such as that. Spread it [on his food] when you give him somepin to eat. That'll make him crazy about choo, keep him from goin' away from you.
Entry 6443
Take de dead skin from de bottom of yore feet or yore toenails or some- pin' like dat - triimin' 'em, yo' know. A person kin take dem toenails an' jis' like if yo' walk, yo' take dis step an' dat step. Now dat dus' created dere from undah yore foot, put some in dis track, where yo' done walked; an' put some in dis one where yo' stepped. An' jis' keep yo' on a wandah, goin' on all de time awalkin'. Yo're nevah satisfied no more. But yo' see, dey does dis to dat stuff. Dey puts...
[I interrupt.]
(Toenails. And then you would put it in one foot track, and then into another foot track?) An' some in de othah one. Divide it up.
(You might begin with the left, or you might begin with the right?)
Yo' begin wit de right foot. Yo' see, yo' watch 'im walkin'. Co'se yo' know de right from de lef' in de direction dey's goin', but yo' wanta be sure yo' git de prints. Yo'll see de prints an' know one foot from de other. Yo' put it in de right foot firs'. It's quite natchel [natural] dat a person steps off on 'is lef' foot mos' any time when he's alone. Well, yo' put it in dere an' yo' git dis...
[I interrupt.]
(You take that and you put some in the left and you put it in the right, too?)
An' some in de lef'.
(I see. All right.)
Yo' dig a li'le hole wit yore pocketknife. Yo' know, jis' kiver [cover] it up. An' dat'll put 'im dissatisfied, so dat he won' even be satisfied nowhere he goes. He's jis' like a man when he done killed a man. He's afraid de law's in here, he's afraid de law's in dere. He's on de go all de time.
(I see.)
Entry 6444
Yuh take yoah toenails, den yuh put 'em in a li'le rag yuh see an' tie 'em up re'l tight. Cu' [cut] choo a fo'ked stick - yuh see, has two fo'ks tuh it - an' go right undah dere doah step. An' pu' dat rag right in dis fo'k an' drive it down so de fo'k will hol' de bag down tuh de groun', see. An' pu' tit in de groun' jis' enough, yuh know, jis' fer nobody can't see it, yuh know. An' [they] tell me dem toenails'll grow as yuh go away. An' yuh fall off an' go 'way tuh nuthin jis' like dem toenails grow.
Entry 6445
Ah have heard dat yo' go tuh de fo'ks of de road, an' take yore fingah- nail or a corn off yore toes, an' make yore three wishes. Yo' know, say, "Ah wish dis one would nevah in- tahfere wit me no mo'; ah wish dey would go 'way from me an' nevah come no mo'." An' drop it an' dey'll go. Firs' thing yo' know, if dey's roun' about chew, why dey'll leave. [During brief stoppage of recording machine, victim's name is called - see later.]
(What do you do with the fingernails or the corn? What do you do with those?)
Jis' drop 'em down in dere an' say, "Ah wish yo' tuh go an' ah may nevah seen any mo'."
[Here I add the person's name previously dropped.]
(You just call this person's name, so they won't be around you any more.)
Entry 6446
Well, see - jis' lak yo' go tuh de fo'ks of de road. An' dey supposed Th be crossed lak dat [demonstrates]. Well, yo' take dat part of it - dat's de same as buryin' it an' [or] throwin' it in runnin' watah. Yo' take de skin from dey feet, de one's [feet] whut chew wanta do somepin tuh "a, yo' undahstan'. Well, yo' takes it an' yo' scrapes it back. See, jis' lak da [demonstrates]. If yo' from or tuh yo' lak dat. If yo' are cleanin' dere feet, yo'll have dat chance. Yo' take it an' bury it jis' lak ah tole it. An' o takes it tuh de fo'ks of de road an' throws it ovah yore lef' shouldah. An: look back at each one of de fo'ks, an' den go on where yo' goin'. Makes a as nark in de road an' turn aroun'.
(What will that do to them?)
Dat'll make dem go - jis' insance [insane]. An' dey mind nevah will come tuh 'em lak it supposed tuh.
Entry 6447
Yo' take yore fingahnails - do dat on Friday. An' yo' trim all 'em off an' den git chure toenail de same way, an' scrape de bottom of yore feet. An' yo' parch dem toenails an' fingahnails tuhgethah. Parch 'em separate so dat de toenails be hard as de fingahnails an' de trimmin' from de bottom of yore feet. When yo' git 'em all parched, den yo grind 'em up tuhgethah. Yo' take dem den an' yo' sprinkle it ovah de food dat dey eat, an' dey'll eat dat. Well, now, yo' puttin' dem undah yore feet den.
(That's for love?)
Yes.
Entry 6448
Yo' cuts yore fingahnails an' yore toenails evah Monday or evah Friday, until yo' git a tablespoonful of it, an' den yo' take dat an' put it in whiskey. Dat's makin' yo' love me, see. Put dat in whiskey. An' den yo' put so much of dat - ah would - in yore coffee or yore tea an' let chew drink off it. Or yo' kin git it in dat powdah an' sprinkle on yore food, an' yo' eat it. (But you must cut these fingernails and toenails on Friday or Monday.)
Entry 6449
Well, dey could take yore toenails an' put 'em on a fire; parch 'em up an' make a powdah outa dem, see. Dey could take a frog, take dat frog an' put 'im in somepin where he can't git out, yo' see. Dey puts 'im on a fire an' parches 'im up tuh a powdah. Dey mixes dose two things tuhgethah, yo' undahstan'. An' aftah dey mix 'em tuhgeth- ah, den dey'll take 'em an' put 'em in a red flannel bag, a little small bag, an' dey will bury dem, see. When dey bury dem, it takes effect on yo' right away. Yo' git founded in yore feet. Yo' can't git about an' yore feet will begin tuh swell on yo'.
(I see.)
[Since I did not ask for the meaning of the preceding founded, I must have understood it as confounded in your feet (found being an obsolete form of con- found); or as fZoundered (flounder = stumble) or to stumble and go lame, as a horse.]
Entry 6450
Dey hoodoo - tell yuh whut dey, yuh know [with] whut dey. stick on stamps.
(Mucilage, it's like gum?) [This sort of thinking can happen!]
Dat's right, somepin like gum.
(Mucilage, paste?) [Again I OFFEND THE OCCASION with MUCILAGE!]
Yes, sir. Put dat in a bottle an' put it in dere wit de fingahnails an' toe- nails an' shut it up, stop it up. (What else did you say? You said you put something else in that bottle. What did you say?) A little limewatah.
(A little limewater and what else?)
Dat's all.
(Did you say something else about water?)
No, sir.
(I see. And what will that do?)
Well, jis' keep it - tote it.
(Well, what will it do?)
Whut'll it do?
(Yes.)
Well, it'll cuz yuh tuh have - toenails, fingernails, lose all of 'em, see. Toenails always be sore, toes always be sore.
Entry 6451
(What do they do with those fingernails and toenails?)
Ah hear'd 'em say dat dey cut 'em an' put 'em in a snuffbox, an' go tuh de cemetery an' take a dime, an' reach yore han' as fer as yo' kin in de centah - ah mean in de centah of de grave - an' take jis' as much of dat dust as dat dime kin hold. An' ah hear 'em say yo' kin put it in a snuffbox an' throw it in a runnin' stream. An' dat's all ah know about it.
(What will that do to you then?)
Run yo' away, dat's whut dey tell me.
Entry 6452
All right, now, heah's anothah one yo' kin take. Yo' be's roun' some person an' yo'll say, "Lemme look at yore feet." Yo' kin take - yo' know dis heah thick skin dat be's in de bottom of a person's feet. Yo' kin scrape out dis thick skin. Jis' scrape a li'le bit offen dis thick skin an' hold it in yore han'. An' if yo' wanta trick a person, undahstan', jis' lak yo' roun' an' someone sleepin' heah, an' yo'all had a argu- ment or sompin, see. Yo' take dat dere scale offen de bottom of dere skin an git chew some sulphuh, undahstan', an' yo' git chew some red peppah. Well, yo' mix dat tuhgethah. All right, den yo' go an' git chew some wild animal blood, an' put dat in dere. All right, aftah yo' mix dat up good, yo' git chew a li'le box, an' put it in a li'le box an' carry it in yore pocket. An' de nex' thing yo' do wit it, yo' carry it tuh a graveyard. See, yo' goes tuh de graveyard an' yo' do's lak dis, yo' go tuh de graveyard an' yo' stan' up [demonstrates], an' de grave is back dere, yo' stan' up by dis grave [like this].
(You stand up with your back to the grave.)
Wit yore back to de grave, an' yo' chunk dat an' yo' say, "Ah hope yo' go 'vay from me. Name of de Fathah, Son an' Holy Ghost, go 'way." Yo' throw dis back when yo' speak de las' words. Dey gone an' yo' don' have no mo' trouble wit 'em.
(What will that do to them then?)
Well, he'll leave yo' an' yo'll nevah see 'im any mo'. Yo'll nevah see him any mo' an' nevah have no mo' [trouble].
Entry 6453
Yo' kin take yo' a per- son's fingahnails - jis' lakmah fingahnails, yo' know. Git de fingahnails, jis' take de fin- gahnails. All right, yo' kin take dem fingahnails an' go tuh a graveyard wit 'em, an' put dem fingahnails down [Bury them] in de graveyard. An' let dem fingahnails soak dere fo' 'bout nine days, until dey come tuh be soft. When it's soft, den yo' go dere an' take it up. Yo' see, when yo' take it, yo' turn den an' go git chew a small piece of rusty tin. Yo' go dere den an' yo' git chew a small piece of rusty tin, see. An' yo' take dose fingahnails, yo' see, an' yo' put it in wit dat piece of tin. Yo' see [demonstrates], heah's de piece of tin on de bottom an' yo' got dis fingahnail. Spread it roun' dere, see kinda in a curve jis' lak dis. Undahstan'? All right. Yo' take dat piece of tin an' yo' rolls it up jis' lak dat [demonstrates]. Yo' roll it jis' as tight as yo' kin git it. Well, yo' tie dat piece of tin yo' see an' [you tie] dis person dat's intahferin' wit chew, bothahin' wit chew an' yo' cain't res' from 'em. See, dere fingahs will draw down jis' lak dat [demon- strates].
(They will turn up.)
Turn up, cramp up: Dey won' have no mo' use in dey han's.
(What do you do with that tin after you roll it up that way?)
Well, yo' leave it in dere [the graveyard], see. Yo' take de tin an' yo' take dis an' yo' take it an' carry it tuh de foot of a tree. See, an' yo' bury it. Yo' take yore axe an' yo' clip off a li'le piece lak dat. Let it be down in de groun' an' back it up, right up tuh de side of de foot of dat tree an' let it stay dere. Let it stay right dere. An' 'long as dat stay dere, yore fingahs will - well, dat piece of tin will bend mo' hitself. Well, when yo' do dat, yo' say, "Ah'm doin' dis In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, dat ah may konkah [conquer] yo'." Den jis' bend down lak dat. [Fingers become magical- ly crippled not only by the bent tin, but also by the tangled tree roots.]
Entry 6454
Some [graveyard] dirt an' some crawfishes an' snakedust. Mix it tuh- gethah an' some of yore toenails an' yore fingahnails an' some of yore strength. (Some what?) Some of yo' strength yo' - WHAT HAVE SOME OF YORE STRENGTH IN SOME OF YORE FINGAH- NAILS. An' take it an' put it up ovah de do' or up ovah yore head, anywhere. An' jis' lak dose things pine away, dat person pine away. Yo'll pine away an' die. Or either put it on a toadfrog in a box wit dat graveyard [dirt] an' put it undah de steps. Go out yo' home an' put it undah de steps an' dat frog will stay dere nine days until he pass away an' die. Dat person will die. Jis' lak de graveyard dirt an' de crawfishes molt away, yo' molt away.
Entry 6455
Puts 'em in a bag, dese.
(These fingernails and toenails?)
Yes, takes yore fingahnails an' toenails. Dey git holt of 'em an' puts 'em in a bag. Aftah dey puts 'em in dis bag, dey take an' go tuh de graveyard an' git some dirt in dem an' hang 'em up ovah yore door- sill. An' aftah hangin' yore fingahnails ovah de doorsill, stay up dere awhile, den dey take an' sprinkle dem down by yore do'.
(And what will that do?)
Dat will run yo' away from someone dat dey don' wan' chew tuh be wit.