Browse:FINGERNAILS - TOENAILS - FOOTSKIN (Volume 4, entries 6376–6527)/Part 2
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 6456
Take an' cut yore toenails off an' take dat an' put it in runnin' branch watah. An' take dis green stuff whut chew call moss, an' put it up in dere kinda like a tea an' put it in dat bottle. Shet it up airtight an' yo' put it up ovah de sill of yore porch.
(What will that do?)
Yeah, yo' wrap 'em up in dis green moss whut runs in runnin' watah [algae], an' yo' takes it an' puts it in a bottle an' put it up ovah de jois' [joist] of yore porch. (What is it supposed to do?) Sometimes dat'll - it will run some folkses CRAsY an' [but other folks] stay home. Dat'll bring peace in yore home.
Entry 6457
[That's a] powahful thing. Yo' kin take de fingahnails, de toenail, a lock of each individual hair.
(Yes.)
Takin' it an' put it in a li'le small can, see, lightin' fire tuh it an' leave it cook tuh a powdah. Sprinkle dat in any food of any woman an' no man kin git between yo' an' 'er. Or eithah way, yo' kin reverse it. If she do it tuh yo', no woman kin git between yo' an' 'er. (I see. I would simply take this woman's fingernails and toenails and some of her hair?) Yes, sir.
(Nothing from myself?)
Nope.
Entry 6458
All right, if yo' wants tuh run a woman crazy, yo' take some of 'er hair. An' cut 'er lef' li'le fingahnail, an' den git de middle fingahnail off de right han', an' some of 'er hair, an' tie it up tuhgethah an' go tuh a li'le saplin' tree. Bo' a hole intuh it an' place it in dat hole in dat tree. Ah guarantee yo' 'fo' a good while she be crazy.
Entry 6459
Yo' kin take yore toenails an' yore fingahnails an' yo' kin wrap dat up an' some kinda hair, if dey kin git yore hair. An' dey buries dat up undah yore back step an' dey say, den yo' can't stay in dat house no mo'. Yo'll have tuh move out. (You'll move out?) Yeah, yo'll have tuh Bove. Long as yore toenails an' things stay dere, yo' have tuh move.
(Well, now, if they were making me move, would they bury it under my house?)
No, dey bury it up undah yore house where yo' live in. Dey have tuh git yo' outa dat house.
(I see.)
Entry 6460
Jis' shave it off, take a little, yuh know - jis' a little bit off yeh fingahnails. An' take a razor an' shave a little bit undah yeh ahms, an' a lit- tle bit of hair down dere. An' take dat an' put it in a pot dat choo not gon'a use any mo', an' put it on de fiah; a pot choo're not gon'a use any mo', becuz yuh know nobody fix anything dat yuh wouldn't wana eat [from] it. An' git a pint of whiskey, somebody dat choo know dat love whiskey. An' take dat stuff aftah yuh cook it - it'll git thick - let it drain off. An' when it drain off, put jis' a little bit in whiskey, until de whiskey won't git so thick dat he'll pay mind tuh it. An' den dat's de way yuh kin draw a person wid jeh. If yuh can't git 'em no othah way, yuh kin git 'em in whiskey.
Entry 6461
(No, no, go ahead.)
Well, tuh make a man stay wit chew. Yo' cut all de side of yuh fingahnails an' yuh toenails, hairs undah yuh arms, hairs from yuh head, undah dere, an' yo' parch it brown, brown, lak de dust. When, if he drinks coffee, yo' put it in de coffee. If he don't, well yo' take it an' yo'll make it brown jis' lak it wuz black peppah. An' yo'll take it an' yo'll sprinkle it all ovah 'is fish, an' yo'll give it tuh 'em. Well, he'll come tuh lak yo' an' he'll love yuh.
Entry 6462
Well, ah've [heard] dat dey takes yore fingahnails. Yo' know, jis' lak yo' have a sweetheart or somepin-lak an' prob'ly dat chew don' want 'im an' he think dat chew don' wan' 'im. If he kin git chure fingahnails an' a, yo' know, jis' as if yo' cut yore fingahnails an' den take his fingahnails an' yore fingahnails an' put dat tuhgethah, an' take de bow outa his hat an' he puts dat wit 'em. Den he takes an' binds 'em up in a li'le secret place an' he carries dem wit 'im, an' he makes yo' wan'a stay in touch wit 'im.
Entry 6463
But ef dey git aholt of de dust from de trimmin' of yo' fingahnails, dey'd jis' mix it in a little moonshine, yo' know, or little good whiskey. Well, dey mix it wit de moonshine. An' if it's a woman an' dey wanta do any- thin' tuh yo', why dey jis' sew it anywhere in a hem or de bindin' of de sleeve dat dey weah regulah an' don' have tuh wash too much.
(What will that do then?)
Well, I suppose if dey might be a person dat care fer yo' an' yo' ain't payin' dem much attention, an' dat will change yore mind an' make yo' love dem dearly. (And they take the scrapings from a man's fingernails and put it in the whis- key?) Yes.
(What do they put that in then?)
Dey jis' put dat in dere tuh make.a moist taste. An' den dey weah it in a hem or de edge of a sleeve. But it will be a piece of material dat dey don' wash very reg'lah.
Entry 6464
Trim de toenails, dat's if yo' wanta keep 'em. De toenails, put 'em in a pan an' put 'em on de stove an' let 'em cook jis' lak yo' gon'a brown 'em see, till dey git brittle SO yo' kin take yo' some an' pow- dah dem up. Yo' don' wanta kill dem. Yo' put dat in dere coffee an' let dat dissolve. Take 'bout dis much, see, an' put it in dey coffee. Mos' likely dey drink dat. Dey's hoodooed.
(You just use the toenails?)
No.
(Both the toenails and the fingernails?)
Yes, jis' three times.
(You put it in there three times?)
Yes. Dey won' go nowhere.
(That holds them.)
Entry 6465
Now yo' take a person toenail. Yo' take yo' toenail, yo' fingahnail. Yo' kin take dem yo' see, jis' lak we trim de fingahnail. Well a person take yo' fingahnail up. He kin take dat fingahnail up an' he kin pound it up, kinda parch it an' pound it up. Take dat an' put it in whiskey. Well, in puttin' it in whiskey hit'll create sompin lak a gern or sompin. Take dat whiskey, see, an' as long as dey keep [it], well jis' say yo' fingahnail, well de worms an' bugs will commence to eatin' undah yo' fingahnails.
(And what do [did] you say people think it is?)
DEY CALL DAT CUNJURATION.
(No, people say they think you have what?)
DEY THINK YO' HAVE DE LEPAHSIES [LEPROSY] - SOMPIN LAK DE LEPAH [LEPER], YO' SEE. IT START IN DE FINGAHNAIL AN' IT JIS' EAT, AN' [AS] DAT GERM EAT, YO' SEE, WELL HIT GOES ALL UP YORE HAND. IT MAKE YO' HAND SPOTTED 'BOUT. AN' PEOPLES CALL DAT LEPAHSIES. IT DON' BE LEPAHSY, IT BE'S DAT CUNJURATION.
(That is if you drink your own fingernails, that causes it?)
Dat's right, if yo' drink yo' own fingahnails.
Entry 6466
Yo' see yo' scrape dat feet an' yo' take dat feet an' put it in a bot- tle of cologne an' black peppah. Mix wit it an' git some iron whut rust, rus' iron. An' yo' stuff down in dere wit it an' dat'll continue tuh eat dat, commence eat up dat feet dirt from yore feet. An' yo' feet will be eat de same, long as - de mo' dat dat thing, de mo' dat dat rus' commence eatin' dat scuff off yo' feet, de mo' yo' feet will be eaten.
Entry 6467
Yo' git some of de daid skin off de bottom of yore feet an' let it git good an' dry. Den yo' write dem. Yo' save dat an' yo' write dem an' dey write chew back. Well yo', when yo' answah dere lettah yo' put some of dat daid skin in de lettah, see. In eight or nine days dey'll coze back.
Entry 6468
They can take your toenails and fingahnails an' see, like mah nails mog, they could harm me purtty much for this simple reason. They're dirty. See, they are not all that much long, they are dirty. Well, they would take this nail and they would cut these nails as close as they poss'bly could with the dirt a'all into 'em. If they could get to my toes, they'd do my toes de same iden- tical way. Now, they take these nails here, an' mah toenails an' they'd put them together. If they could get a lizard, they'd take a lizard an' they'd kill the lizard an' let that lizard dry.
(They take a lizard and kill the lizard?)
They kill the lizard.
(Oh, they kill the lizard.)
An' let him dry - I mean, till he gets to a powder. When he gets to a pow- der, they mixes him with these nails of mine. They'd put that into a piece of red flannel and they buries that. AN' NOW, WHEN THEY BURIES THAT, THEY BURIES IT WITH A CROSS.
(What kind of a cross?)
THEY MAKES A CROSS THEYSELF. THEY DON'T VERY SELDOM BUY A CROSS. YOu know, ordinary, plain - just a plain cross, wooden cross; just any kind of a small cross you'll use, just since it's a cross. They buries it with a cross into that flannel. See? Well, now, when they buries that, why they got me just the Way they want me.
Entry 6469
[The two rites following explain each other:]
They say, kin get your fingernails. If you kin get a man's fingernails, or his toenails, or a piece of hair, you know, say, you get a piece of red flannen, I think, an' sew that up. An' you get chew a bottle of Hearts Cologne. An' I think you get that on the day when the moon's on the last quarter, I think. An' you fix that up and sew that up between nine and ten, an' make your wishes. An' then I think they wear that somewheres near the body, near the heart.
[Informant starts another hair rite:]
(I see. And what do they put in that bag? What would they put in that?)
Well, they's put in that a bag, it's some kind where they got their finger- nails and toenails or some of the hair where they - it's a kind of root they get dey call de Eve-and-Adam. See, those roots are twin roots together. They name one the man and the other one the woman. And then they keep it saturated, I think, in Hearts Cologne. They wear that near the body and make a wish for every stitch they make, sewing up that bag. They makes a wish. They make a bag an sews on it. They make a wish an' puts nine stitches each way [demonstrates]. (Nine stitches in the bag. This is a square bag, nine stitches on each side, nine stitches on each of the four sides of the square bag. I see. And that wish would get them, or something of that sort?) Yes, then they wear that near the heart. (That's different from the - adding that root? That's different from the first thing you told me?) Yes.
Entry 6470
Some folks takes 'em an' parch 'em an' puts 'em in a sack, an' if yo' kin - jis' lak ah wan' chew tuh love me. Ah'll take yore fingahnails an' toe- nails an' parch 'em, an' put 'em sack an' ah'll wear dat roun' mah waist, an' ah'll make yo' cling tuh me. An' den ah kin take yore fingahnails an' toenails an' parch 'em, an' pound 'em up an' make a powdah outa 'em, an' feed yo' wit chure own fingahnails an' yo' own toenails. An' dat will make yo' love me. Den ah kin take yore fingahnails an' toenails an' bury 'em - parch 'em an' bury 'em an' name 'em, an' dat'll run yo' 'way from dere. (Now you say in putting that stuff into a person's food - now if I want this woman to love me I would use her own nails or use my nails on her?) Use yores an' hers mixed, jis' mix 'em.
Entry 6471
Well, dey kin take yo' toenails an' put it intuh a bottle an' stop Hoodoo - Conjuration - Witchcraft Rootwork it up, an' put t'ree needles in it an' call yore name nine tires.an' have yo' undah a bad affliction fo' a certain distance of cire. (On a bed of affliction [wndah a bad affliction] for a certain length of time.) Yas. Aftah dat certain distance of time come, well if he wanted tuh take yo' up, he'll snatch one dem needles out. Dat will let chew git up.
Entry 6472
Take yore fingahnails an' put 'em in new cloth an' it will cuz yo' tuh be painful. Jis' take 'em an' put 'em in some new cloth an' it will cuz yo' tuh be painful. Yo' know, sew 'em up real tight in a new cloth, an' don't break de needle off. Jis' stick de nee- dle right through de cloth where yo' sew it up, an' jis' lay it up ovah de do' where a person got'a pass through in an' out. It would make 'em painful.
Entry 6473
" Yo' could take an' scrape out from under yore feet an' put it in a - sew it up in a little cloth an' veah it roun' 'er waist nine days. An' squeeze it in 'is food fo' nine mawnin's. Dat's de way yo' make him love yo'.
Entry 6474
Now ah tell you. If yo' got a friend, a girl friend, or wan'a be wit one in company an' she don' love yo' enough [you don't love her enough] an' she cut chore fingah- nails. Cut it off, an' when yo' done, she take dat fingahnail, an' if yo' drink coffee or sompin, take dat fingahnail an' throw it in dat coffee. An' den when it done drawin' in dat coffee, she kin cat 'er own an' put 'em in dere. An' yo'll drink de coffee fer suppah or break- fast. Give yo' dat about nine mawnin's or nine nights. Yo' couldn't git away from 'er to save yo' life. Yo' has tuh go through till death.
Entry 6475
Yo' take nine of 'er fingahnails an' nine of 'er toenails, an' den git a red onion. An' git nine stran's of hair outa de mole of 'er haid an' dat on- ion, red onion. An' cut it open an' dig a li'le hole in it, an den take dem nine toenails an' [nine] fingahnails an' dat nine stran's of hair outa 'er haid, an' place tuhgethah an' put it in dere. An' stop dat onion up an' go roun' de house towards where de sun rise an' dig a li'le hole an' put it dere, an' den covah it up. [For a man to hold a woman.]
Entry 6476
Yo' know jis' lak yo' scrape yore feet an' leave de scrapin' an' nails on a piece of papah. He kin take dat an' put it in a pocket hans'scuff an' take it an' weah it in de seat of 'is pants, causin' 'em tuh do things lak dat. If dey don't wanta do it, make women tuh obey yuh. Make hisself do things dat he wouldn't desire tuh do.
Entry 6477
Yo' kin take jis' de dead skin. Yo' wash yore feet, soak yore feet ah mean tuh say, an' den yo' wash it, an' den yo' take dis dead skin an' scrape it off yore feet. An' den yo' wash de plate. Git chew a plate dat yore wife or sweetheart or who yo' got goin' eat. An' yo wash dat plate wit all dat dead skin, see. An yo' let it dry on dere, an' den yo' let 'em eat outa it, an' yo' nevah git shet of 'em.
Entry 6478
Sometime a man lay down to sleep - done tried dis mahself - or eithah a woman it'll work de same way. A man lay down tuh sleep. She say, "Umh! yo' feet cert'ly do smell bad! Why don' choo Wash yo' feet?" "Well, yo' go an' wash 'em fer me." "Looka chure long toenails! Dey about long as a dog claws. Why don' choo cut chure toenails off?" "Cut 'em off fer me." He might not think. Dat woman wash yo' feet, an' take a scissors or somepin an' cut chure toenails off. An' she take dem toenails an' tie dem up in a li'le rag or anythin' an' weah 'em aroun' wit 'er. Yo' always gon'a be cravin' fer 'er, yo'll follah 'er down de street. An' she'll [you'll] do de same thin' tuh yo' [her], if zhoo git 'er toenails. Dis is whut ah experience mahself. Ah had a girl ah thought, re'lly did think somepin of 'er. An' we wus stayin' where dat we could be talkin' wit one 'nothah an' usin' one 'nothah lots of times. An' ah heard of dis, don' choo see. So one Sunday she had a pair of silk stockin'. Ah say, "Yo' gon'a put dem silk stockin' on ole dirty feet?" "Ah ain't got time tuh wash 'em." Ah say, "Ah'll wash yo' feet fer yah." Ah said, "Look'a chure toenail! Long an' cut a hole up through yo' sock. An' An' ah done took de safety razor blade an' trim 'er toenails an' washed 'er feet, an' trim 'er toenails an' took 'em. Trimmin', dey fell on de floor an' ah jis' - aftah she got up, ah went an' took dem trimmin's up an' put 'em in mah pocketbook an' wore dem. An' didn't care where ah wus, dat where she wus."
Entry 6479
Jis' lak a girl cut off a boy fingahnail, or toenail, eithah one. She'll take 'em home, yo' know, an' take a knife. She put 'em on de table an' chop 'em up fine, an' put 'em on de stove an' parch 'em, see. Well, dey tie 'em up in a red flannel an' tote dat in 'er pocket. Well, dat boy will love her long as she keep dat, see.
Entry 6480
Yo' take yore fingahnails an' toenails an' put 'em in a piece of rag or somepin an' tote 'em, an' yo' kin make a person like yo', or even yo' kin make 'em hate chew, but chew have tuh put salt an' black peppah with it, or salt an' red peppah. (You do that to make them hate you?) Yessuh.
(And you tote them then?)
Dat's right, an' make 'em not have nuthin tuh do wit yo' in no way or form or no fashion. Dey can't harm yo', but dey Won't bothad wid joo.
Entry 6481
If dey could git holt of dat - an' if dey git holt of dat, why dey'll scorch it, see.
(These fingernails or?)
Or toenails, see, in ordah if dey wants tuh trick yo'. Dat's if a person is sellin' whiskey or somepin lak dat an' dey wants de customah tuh continue or tuh come on tuh love den, why dey'll burn dat. Dey'll scorch it, yo' see. An' aftah dey scorchin' it, den dey put de spice wit it, see. An' dey tie it in a li'le bag, see. An' maybe, if it's a woman an' she wants tuh use it, she'll [put] her dis- charges in it. An' den she'll jis' put it in a li'le whiskey an' soak in dere. See. An' aftah soakin' it well, she'll take de juice from dat an' den she'll po' it in dis whiskey. An' she'll shake it an' if yo' drink it, yo'll continue tuh go back.
Entry 6482
Well, yo' kin take a li'le bit of yore dirt from undah yore fingah- nails. Well, yo' git some salt an' git some alcohol, some vinegah - salt, an' put it in a bottle an' shake it up, an' make yo' do jis' lak dey want chew tuh do. (Do you get that dirt from under your fingernails or under mine?) No sir, git 'em from undah yore fingah- nails. Make yo' do jis' lak ah wan' chew tuh do. (Who would do that? Some woman to a man or man to a man? Something of that sort?) Eithah one could do it if dey knew [how]. Jis' lak yo' were mah wife an' yo' runs aroun' an' ah couldn't keep yo' home. Well, ah could git a li'le bit of dat dirt, yo' know, from undah yore fingahnails, an' make yo' do jis' lak ah wanted yo' tuh do.
Entry 6483
Take yore toenail an' fingahnail an' put dat in a little sack. Sew it up in a little sack an' put some sugah 'long wit it an' tote it roun'. Dat will make 'em keep love, keep de home. Yessuh, weah it roun' yore waist lak a belt.
Entry 6484
Well, it's quite natchel if a man love a woman, he wan' 'er tuh love 'im yo' know. When she rub 'er haid - when she mub 'er haid wit 'im, well she love yo' an' yo' love 'er. Well, but if yo' wanta git sho [sure] of 'er, if yo' got dat much 'er toenail yo' cut off - cut chure toenail off an' tie it tuh a string wit jis' about dat much Adam Weed Root [Adam-and-Eve?] in dat, wit dat toenail, an' let it swing off intuh runnin' watah. An' jis' as long as dat vill stay dere, she'll love yo'.
(That's her toenail you tied?)
Sho', her toenail.
Entry 6485
If yo' kin git de nail offa each li'le fingah an' de big nail off each [big] toe of de person, an' a lock right out de mole of dey haid an' put it un- dah yuh right steps, dere ain't no way in de worl' fo' dem tuh leave until de house burn down. Ah don't ca' [care] who it be. Undah de right cornah of yuh step. Whutevah way it is dey is comin' in from de no'th is de right cornah of yuh step where yuh house settin'.
Entry 6486
I know some people who wouldn't cut their toenails off to save their life and throw them away. They think somebody get a hold of that piece of toenail and do something or other to them.
Entry 6487
(You were saying something about a woman holding or bringing something back - to hold it back or something. What were you going to tell me about that?) Hold yo' back? (Yes.) Oh! Keeping yo', jis' keepin' yo'. Jis' lak, if yo' come here, lak yo' is now an' someone taken a likin' tuh yuh. Well, she will fool around wit yo' but she nevah could git yuh mind. Well, dat's like me. Well, ah could be a man of plenty of money an' a woman could heah talk of me. She say, "Well, I heah talk of dat fellow. He got plenty of money. I'm goin' tuh try tuh git in touch wit 'im." Well, she gits - some day she be settin' down an' she'll scrape de bottom of 'er feet. But she'll scrape it a diff'ren' way at least - a man kin take an' git holt of a woman de same Way, if she is a whiskey drinkah. Well, she scrape it back. Don' nevah scrape it fo'ward.
[Informant will continue to confuse person or sex of who is doing what.]
(How will she scrape it back, from the toes to the heel?)
[This is quite evident, but I wanted a statement from informant.]
From de toe tuh de heel, right in de hollah yo' see. Well she'll git dat. Well, her feet is got tuh be soft yo' know, got tuh be soft tuh do dat. She'll soak 'er feet in watah, yo' know, tuh git dis skin of it soft. Well, she'll take dat den an' she'll put dat intuh dis whiskey, an' she'll let dat whiskey set about ten days. In ten days time, well yo' kin hold it up an' yo' cain't see anything atall in it. Well, yo' might come an' yo' be settin' aroun' an' she come an' set in yuh lap an' yo' say, "Well, sugah," say, "ah brought somepin fo' yo'." Yo' reach back in yuh pocket. She say, "Whut is dat?" She say, "Aw, yo' been talkin' about whiskey." She say, "Ah'll give yo' a drink of whiskey. Ah bought some fo' yo'. Ah git ti'ed [tired] of yo' worryin' me fo' some whiskey all de time." Say, "Ah bought dis especially fo' yo'. Ah don' wan' nobody drink dis but yo'." Well, she take some an' drink it. Well, yo' still-drink. Yo' ain't drinkin' none atall, 'cuz yo' know whut it is. Yo' say, "Drink - drink - drink. Help yuhself, drink." Say, "I bought it fo' yo'." Well, fin'ly yo' - yo' do dat twice. Unlessen not, if it don' take no effect, well yo' do it three times. Well fin'ly it will take effect. It gits so den, when yo' git ready tuh go, if she'sa young girl - if she - yo' kin take holt of a young girl de same way. Her mothah cain't keep 'er at home. She'll come zactly where yo' is at. She'll - first thing yo' know, yo' look dere, an' yo' see her comin'. She say, "Where's Mr. So- and-So at? "' 'He's not here." 'How long he been gone?" '"Oh, he's been gone such- an'-such a time! He'll be back directly." "Do yo' reckon dat he'll be back?" "Yeah." Well, if yo' don't come, well she'll go on away huntin' yo'. Well, yo've got de underholt of 'er, see. Dat's where yo' take de underholt of 'er.
Entry 6488
Take de skin from undah yore feet. Yo' wash yore feet clean an' den yo' take a knife, jis' lak yo' scrapin' yore feet an' carry it back dat way, back tuh yo'. An' take dat an' mix it wit some sugah an' put dat in sompin tuh eat. Yo' give dat tuh 'em.
(What will that do?)
Dat will make 'em bring yo' evah cent dat dey git.
Entry 6489
Yo' wash yore feet right good, an' start at de - look, de toe of yore feet lak dis way, an' scrape down on de lef' feet. Come down [from toes to beel] an' let it be real quick. An' when yo' cook 'is food, see dat's when yo' wants 'im udah yore feet so yo' use him lak yo' want. When yo' coot 'is food yo' don't 'sposed tuh cook dat in dere [the food] but sprinkle dat ovah de food; see, whut he eats. An' dat hold 'im undah yore feet. Yo' kin use 'i jis' lak yo' wanta. See, dat keep 'im from gittin' away from yo'. Long as yo' use dat on 'im he cain't git from undah yo'. He's undah yore feets.
Entry 6490
(Now what do they do with that stuff from the bottom of your feet?) Well, yo' takes dat an' yo' dries it. Dat's if dey're washin' [the feet], yo' know. Yo' take dat. Dey soak dere feets an' dey take de scissors an' instead of scrapin' it down - an' dey scrape it up.
(They scrape it up from the heel to the toe?)
To de toe.
(Well, why do they do that?)
Well, dat's de way dey do it, from de heel tuh de toe. Dey dries dat. Let it dry an' roll it lak a powdah. Put it intuh de sugah an' let yo' sweeten it intuh yore coffee or intuh yore food. Dat's fo' makin' people lak me, yo' know. Bring on luck, brings all dat, see.
(I see.)
Entry 6491
When yo' wash yuh feet clean, don' wlpe it, wait until it begin tuh dry an' den yo' scrape de bottom of each feet from de heel tuh de toe. See. Save dat an' put it intuh a vessel an yo' put yuh own chamber lye on it. Den yo' stop it up an' yo' let it stan' nine days - nine days. An' de las' day take it out an' dat party, if yo' kin git neah tuh 'em, drop a drop or two of dat in whutevah dey eat or dey drink. Why dey will eithah have tuh be yuh frien' or dey will die. I've knowed of dat [death] evently [eventually].
Entry 6492
De way yo' do dat, yo' have tuh cut 'em to yo' disaway, see. (Cut your fingernails?) Cut ary [every] one of 'em - cut all ten of 'em to yo'. Do yore toenails de same way - cut 'em to yo' all de time. Yo' git deg a bottle of Hearts Own Perfume an' put dat in dere. Den yo' kin set dat D8 anywheres.
(What will that do then?)
Dey'll be sickly all de time. Dey will not be healthy.
(The person whose fingernails and toenails you have.)
Yes sir, keep 'em. Yo' know when dey cut de toenails an' fingernails, yo' bor, dey gen'ly [generally] throws 'em out. Well, yo' see when yo' cut chure toenails disaway an' yure fingahnails, well po'don' scrape dat [bottoms of feet] from yo', yo' scrape it back tuh de heel.
(You scrape the dead skin back to the heel.)
Yes, scrape all dat tuhgethah an' den put it in dat perfume bottle an' stop it up. But it'll work quickah - hit'll work bettah by turnin' de bottomside up- wards.
Entry 6493
Now, if yo' got some of dis scrapin', lak ah said from undah de feet, throw it out. Have it in a papah an throw it out an' don' look back. Whichevah way yo' turn, yo' throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah an' keep agoin', but don' look back. Ah've done did dat too.
(What do you do that for?)
Dat goin' put bad luck on 'em.
(What do you mean by scraping under his feet?)
Yo' know dat dead skin.
(And where do you throw it, any place? Throw it out any place?)
In de fo'ks of de roads an' make a wish. When yo' scrape dat, yo' see some people scrape dat disaway. Scrape it back disaway. Put a piece on a papah an scrape from de toe back tuh de heel. Yo' kin put dat in whiskey an' he drink it an' he'll nevah leave yo'.
Entry 6494
Dat would make yo' painful. Yo' scrape dat off de bottom of a person's feet an' den put it in a glass - in a drinkin' glass. Jis' put it in a drinkin' glass an' put 17 drops of kerosene on it. Put 17 drops of kerosene on it, a pinch of sulphuh - jis' lak yo' put a pinch up lak dat, of sulphuh. An' git some borax - take a level teaspoonful of borax an' put in dere. An' jis' let it set up.
(Where?)
Jis' let it set somewhere in a dark place lak up in de loft of de house or in a closet where nobody nevah visit at. An' it will dry out de marrah in 'is arms.
Entry 6495
Well, dey take yo' toenails or eithah yo' fingahnails an' go out tuh a green tree an' has yo' augah wit ja [with you]. Yo' bores yo' a little hole in- tuh dat tree, an' carry yo' hammah 'long witja, an' drive it up in dat tree as fur as yo' kin git it. An dat will cause a stroke tuh jump on yo' from dat. See? An' yo' be lame fo'evah an' yo' wouldn't know whut happened tuh yo'. Yo' enemies done dressed yo' up, done got chure fingahnails an' toenails drove intuh a tree fo' de balance yo' days, an' yo' cain't nevah trace it up findin' it out.
Entry 6496
Ah've heard dat dey'd git holt of yo' toenails an' fingahnails an' a lock [of] yo' hair, an' put vinegah in it an' take an' care [carry] 'em in de woods. An' bo' a hole in a tree an' stick nine pins in dat hole. An' take de toenails an' fingahnails an' a lock of yo' hair an' ball it up, an' put it in wit dat li'le hole yo' bo'd. An' cut choo a peg an' put it in dere, jis' lak yo' gon'a cork up anythin'. An' yo' go dere evah mawnin' jis' a li'le 'fo' sunrise an' give it two licks real light fo' nine days. An' yo've drived dat fo' nine days an' de ninth day yo' drive it clean up. An' aftah yo' drive it clean up de ninth day, den de person who yo' got, he ain't be here long. Dat'll cure dem away, but dat won' kill 'em.
Entry 6497
Yo' take the finger- nails, the toenails, an' yo' take that an' yo' bury it in a hollow tree, an' that will make yo' dry up.
Entry 6498
Husks, take dat offa yuh foot. Yo' kin weah it. Put it in a bottle, yo' see, an' turn de bottle up dere in bed, if yo' wanted tuh see dat party. Yo' undahstan', turn it bottomside upwards, yo' understand, an' dey shore comin'. She can't git away.
(I see, that's to make them come to you?)
Come real quick.
Entry 6499
Ah don't really know dis, but ah heard it, dat yo' kin take de girls fingahnails aftah she clip 'em off, dat's tuh keep de law off yo'. An' put 'em in a bottle an' urinate in de bot- tle, an' put a li'le Hearts Cologne on it, an' she'd follah 'im evahwhere he'd go. An' dat fellah, ah've nevah know 'im tuh lose a girl yet.
Entry 6500
Dey scrape it offen de feet an' den dey take dem fingahnails, dey trim dose, an' dey git de dirt off de toenails, from undah de toenails an' undah de feet, an' put all dat tuhgethah an' powdah dat up an' dry it. Den when dey git dat powdah up, dey put dat in a bottle. Dat's when yo' want 'em tuh love yuh an' yo' can't do 'em no harm. Yo' put dat in a bottle an' den yo' fill dat bottle wit chure urinate wit dat stuff, an' let it sit dere nine days befo' dey use it. Den aftah de nine days whenevah dey fix yo' a meal or anythin' lak dat tuh eat, or anythin' tuh drink, dey will put a teaspoonful of dat in there fo' yo'. Well, den dat gits chew jis' dey way. Gits yuh down undah dere foot an' yo' can't do no mo' den dey wan' chew tuh do.
Entry 6501
An' take de dust an' put it in a glass, an' put some vinegah on it an' salt, an' dat will fix 'em. (What will that do to them? Suppose they took this dust from my fingernail. What would that do to me then?) Dat will make yo' wandahing.
Entry 6502
You can scrape the bottom of a person's feet, you see, aftah yo' sweat, an' dat's yer stren't'. An' if you scrape the bottom of a person's feet an' you buries it, well some people say to leave it stay buried about six months an' some about nine. Well, you begin to feel bad. Nuthin'll hurt you at all, but you just getting weak, they tell me, in your breath, an' you begin to feel bad until you just pines away to nuthin until yo' die.
Entry 6503
If a woman wants a man to be what you would call under her feet, she wants to command that man to do everything she say, she lets her feet get dirty. She goes two or three days without washing her feet, then she soak 'em in water until they, you know get all that dry skin off, that dead skin. She puts that in the stove and bakes it until it's just as dark as coffee. Then she rolls it out to a powder, then she cooks it in the man's coffee. And after he eats a certain portion of that, he has no will of his own at all. His will is her will- her will is his will, rather. He's down under her feet.
Entry 6504
[Contrary to two preceding beliefs, the contrary is also believed.] You take the bottom of your feet and you wash it good and you scrape it. And you put in the water and drink coffee or tea and that will leave a man drink it. If you want him back, he will stay with you.
Entry 6505
When yo' go intuh a bath, yo' wash yore feet good an' clean, an' den yo' wash 'em ovah a'gin, an' yo' take dat watah an' yo' put dat intuh coffee or sompin lak dat fo' de person tuh drink.
(What will that do?)
Dat keeps 'em, keep 'em lak yo' want 'em tuh be, yo' know, roun' yo' or sompin lak dat.
Entry 6506
Providin' - if yo' wuz a disagreeable person, well dey will use de watah from de foot, from de bath or somepin lak dat. An' sometimes dey use it in dere food, an' dat's why dey does dose tricks. (What do you mean by that? I didn't quite understand that.) Yo' see, jis' lak if yo' wash yore feet in de watah, see, an' de watah is cleah, well den some people dey'll take it an' dey'll cook de food in dat watah. See, an' aftah cookin' de food in dat watah, why den de person who eats dat food, if dere spirit is high, [a cross person] dey mostly will bring it down lak dat. Uh-huh nominal [= make person normal.]
(I see, the temperament.)
Entry 6507
[I heard'em] say yo' could take, yo' know, if dey git yer fingahnails or somepin lak dat - said dey could take an' put it in a bottle of watah. Dey say, if yo' be any- where, dey say yo' jis' painin' all de time. Yo' know somebody - jis' lak yo's goin' wit somebody an' dey git mad wit yeh, dey fix yah lak dat so yo' jis' be painin' an' hurtin' all de time. Put it in some watah - put it in a bottle of watah an' put it in a dark place somewhere lak a closet.
Entry 6508
Go right on an' let 'er cut 'er toenails an' 'er fingahnails. An' yo take dat an' care [carry] it right on in de crick [creek] where runnin' watah at. An' yo' t'row right in dat watah. Dat watah be runnin' evah day. She nevah would love me no mo'.
Entry 6509
Take de toenails or fingahnails an' put it in runnin' watah an' it will drive love to each othah, make yore love be mo' strongah.
(Suppose I love a woman. Would I put my own fingernails in the water or what?)
Her fingahnails an' put 'em in runnin' watah. Jis' put it in watah an' dat will drive yo' an' 'er love back togethah.
Entry 6510
Ah heah yo' [they] kin take yore toenails - ah don't know nuthin about chure fingah - but chew kin take yore toenails an' stop it up in a li'le bottle an' throw it in nunmin' watah. Dat will cause yo' tuh be driftin' about through de world mindless.
Entry 6511
Take yore toenail an' scrape from de bottom of yore feet an' put [red] peppah in it, an' throw it intuh run- nin' watah an'yo'always achin'. Yore feet an' things always achin' - hurt chew. Dat de hot foot.
Entry 6512
De toenails - de trimmings of yo' toenails an' put it in, git some run- nin' watah an' put it in a bottle an' bury dat undah yo' do'. Dat'll give yo' bad luck, makes yo' ail in de feet or sompin lak dat. (You have to take the running water though and put it in a bottle.)
Entry 6513
Dey kin take yore fingahnail an' run yo' crazy. Dey kin take yore fingahnail an' also dey kin take dis - de skin from de bottom of yore feet. Yo' know, de dirt from de bottom of yore feet, an' put dat tuhgethah, see, sew it up an' take it down tuh de rivah on de ebbtide, while de tide goin' out tuh de sea, an' throw it ovahbo'd.
(What will happen then?)
Yo'll have tuh follow it.
Entry 6514
Yo' kin take an' put it in whiskey, or yo' know anythin' dey drink, amything lak dat an' make 'em wil' [wild] 'bout chew. Takes de skin, dead skin off de foots, scrape it an' put it in dere. Make 'em wil' 'bout chew.
Entry 6515
Ah heard dat chew kin take from de bottom of yore feet dat dead skin an' put it in stuff, if yo' wanta gain a man or somepin of dat lin'. Jis' put it in some whiskey or coffee or somepin dat he's gon'a drink, in 'is food or somepin lak dat. Yo' jis' keep 'em down undah yore feet all de time.
Entry 6516
Take dere fingahnail an' scrape de fingahnail lak dat an' give tuh yuh in yuh whiskey or somepin an' dope yuh. Ah know dat. (What is it supposed to do to you if they do that?) Well, jis' dope yuh, yuh know, lak me an' you-alz goin' tuh a party an' yuh got plenty a-money, an' yuh wit de girl an' yuh got a gang a-money, yuh know, an' she wanta take yuh oat an' make yuh drunk. She jis' scrape huh fingahnails. Yuh got a bottle a hiskey, an' she'll drop a li'le bit in dere an' yuh drink it an' dat's it.
Entry 6517
Cut off de fingahnails, see. An' den wash de feet an' scrape dat dead sti from undah de bottom, an' put it in whiskey an' let it set so many hours. See. Den dey strain dis whiskey an' put it back in de bottle. An' den dey give it tuh de party, see, dat dey fix it fo' tuh drink. Dat's tuh make 'em love 'em.
Entry 6518
Ah heard mah poppah say dat chew could take it an' put it in whiskey, an' jis' lak he wus in love wit me an' ah didn't care any- thin' fo' 'im an' drink offa dat whiskey, off dose nails, an' it would make me tuh become tuh love 'im.
(These fingernails and toenails.)
Entry 6519
Ah've heard dat dey take de fingahnails an' toenails. Yo' mean tuh make a person love yo' or sompin lak dat? Yes, ah've heard of peoples takin' peoples' - takin' yore fingahnails or some othah person's fingahnails. Ah've heard tell of 'em takin' yore fingahnails an' toenails an' scrape from de bottom of yore feet, an' put it intuh whiskey, if a person drink whiskey, don't chew see, an' give it tuh a person.
Entry 6520
Lak yo' go tuh somebody's house an' dey'd be cuttin' dey fingahnails an' yo' wan'a hurt 'em. Yo' take one of de fingahnails an' put it in a bottle half camphor an' half whiskey. An' dey say dat'll make dem go crazy tuh lose dere mind [not crazy with love]. An' dey don't think lak a normal person, an' dey do jis' silly things.
Entry 6521
A person kin take yore fingahnails - dey kin trim yore fingahnails, trim three of yore fingahnails from each hand. (Which three?) Yo' usely [usually] git dese three [demonstrates]. (The three center ones.) De three centah ones. An' yo' kin take dese fingahnails an' it's a kinda root by de name of devil's shoestring. An' yo' kin boil dose roots in dose fingahnails an' put it in whiskey or somepin lak dat. When a person drink it, dem gristles will grow inside from dis nails heah. An' dis devil's shoestring will be a likkah-lak. An' dey put dis in whiskey an' yo' drink it an' den dey grows gristles in yo' - inside of yo'.
(What will that do then?)
Well, jis' grow gristles - be somepin lak a tumor jis' grow biggah an' biggah an' biggah. Will kill yo'.
Entry 6522
Dey take dem toenails, jis' trim 'em. Take dem toenails an' yo' parch dem toenails up, an' de fingahnails tuhgethah. Jis' - now, yo' got two fingahs on yo' fingahs dat is valuable. (What are those?) Dem's dese here [demonstrates]. (The thumb and the finger next to it?) Yes sir, an' yo' parch 'em up, an' if yo' drink whiskey, dey put 'em in dere. An' yo' put some of dat in dat whiskey. Let it set today, tonight. Den yo' be friends. An' yo' urinate, an' de las' dat uri- nate an' likkah, drap it [in] dere. An' yo' got 'em tied den.
Entry 6523
Wash de feet well an' scrape dat dead skin. Fo' instance, if a man is accustomed tuh drinkin' wine, when he drink, yo' see, take dat dead skin tied up in a piece, put it down in dat bottle, an' full dat bottle full of wine. Leave it stay in dere three days. Restrain it an' give him dat tuh drink. Dat's caused aplenty ulcahs in de stomach an' things, but it gen'ly [generally] makes de man, yo' undahstan', he have a certain amount of de woman's blood [essence that comes from the skin of her feet] it seens lak, an it make him [his] whole ambition an' mind be directed on 'er.
(I see.)
Entry 6524
If yo' scrape de bottom of yuh foot, lak yo' is in love wit a man an' someone else in love wit 'im. Well, yo' scrape de bottom of yuh feet an' put it intuh 'is coffee or in 'is food an' make three wishes. An' he will stick tuh yo' jis' as long as yo' give 'im dat.
Entry 6525
Dey take - womens take cut of all yore toenails an' yore fingernails an' take de dirt from underneath 'em an' dey could cook 'em in de bread an' make a man love 'em. Dey could WITCHCRAFT dem dataway.
[St. Petersburg, Fla., (1022), 1653:5.]
(5). A FEW MORE DOCTORS {Folk medicine in hoodoo or witchcraft has a wider field of involvement than the isolated cures given in books of general folklore. This is true because hoo- doo or witchcraft supplies causes for all ailments and diseases as well as cures, and also tells how to protect oneself in the future. Such protective rites, actu- ally preventive medicine, as well as other cures unlisted here, will be found throughout the total text. For the latter, consult especially: FOLK MEDICINE pp.361-519; SEXUAL IMPoTENCE Pp.2341-2509; and 'HER PRIVATE TIME' Pp.2513-2540.] [A considerable number of live things in you will be found on pages 227-239, well as elsewhere in the complete text. May I call your attention to the first two rites in margin title SNAKES.]
Entry 6526
Hit wuz a lady up yondah, she got poisoned, an' a doctor out chere from Herbertville, he cured 'er. Sompin would be runnin' in 'er laigs an' yo' could see it jis' movin' in 'er laigs. An' de doctor out heah from Herbertville cured it.
Entry 6527
[When I asked this informant about putting live things in people, he answered:] Yuh know ah wusn't a man tuh eat much wit nobody. Ah wus always mighty funny 'bout goin' [so that people could not poison me by putting live things in me].