Browse:FOLK MEDICINE (Volume 4, entries 6524–7262)/Part 4
FOLK MEDICINE
Volume 4, entries 6524–7262. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 6764
If a person got a wen on dere arm or anywhere about 'em, 20 wanted tuh git rid of dat wen, when a person dies, yo' kin go dere an' jis take dat wen an' wipe it on 'em jis' 'fore dey git cold, or eithah wash it down. Jis' take it an' wipe it on 'em. An' when dey bury dat person, in three day's time dat com- sence tuh wizen [wither or shrivel] away an' it'll go. [The verb to wizen, from the Anglo-Saxon, is obsolete, though it lingers on as dialect.] [Sumter, S. Car.,
(1368), 2422:2.] [Bone from dead cures warts, No.8027, p.3409.]
Entry 6765
If yo' is sick, if somebody put a bad spell on yo', why yo'll have funy feelin's. Dat spell will stay on yo', dat funny feelin' will stay in yo' all de time. If yo' sick [have an ordinary sickness], dat pain will go an' come. But if somebody put a spell on yo', dat spell keep aworkin' on yo', keep aworkin' on yo' all de time, till yo' goes tuh somebody tuh take dat spell offa yo'. [Diagnosis to determine obether the patient has an ordinary illness or has been hurt or witchcrafted, is an important matter in the practice of hoodoo curing. See v.l, pp.165-217 for examples.]
Entry 6766
Ah've see 'em take dis li'le bit of wasp or dirt daubahs, yo' know de're white. Ah've seen 'em [doctor] take dem [dirt daubers] an' go cah places dat people were poisoned. Dat is some ways tuh beat 'em out dere roney. [These people] thought dey were poisoned. An' [these doctors] have 'em in dere han' an' claim dey would cure 'em an' take out dose things in 'em. Dey gotta take out dose things, but dey didn't take 'em out.
(How did they do it then?)
Dey [doctors] carried 'em [dirt daubers] dere wit 'em. [Informant is skepti- cal about a doctor removing dirt daubers (usually if not always dead ones) from a person. He believes the doctor brought the insects with him and used a little sleight of hand.]
Entry 6767
If a man give yo' some poison - yo' git de poison in yo'. Den yo' make a tea out de dirt daubah nest an' drink it, an' dat'll kill it.
Entry 6768
Yes, sir, she eats that herself. Well, she eats that for to do away with children. She eats that, fourteen of them [the insects] to destroy her kids, if she is more than two months gone. If she is less than two months, she takes less than that - less dirt dauber - to destroy her kid.
Entry 6769
(The dirt dauber's nest. What do you do with that?)
Well, that will make her have a baby quick. If she's lingerin', yo' kin take some dirt dauber's nest an' make some tea, an' she'll soon come.
Entry 6770
Dirt dauber nest, make tea, give it to woman in labor, it'll he'p [help] 'er tuh come 'cross. [Informant, a former midwife, called it three- fingah dirt daubah.]
Entry 6772
Use dirt daubah's nest fo' delivahin' babies. Dey makes a tea of dat. Weah it in yore clothes an' bring yo' good luck. Put dirt daubah whah yore sweetheart is an' he'll give yo' money an' be good tuh yo'.
Entry 6773
Dey use dat fo' 'medicine. Yo' kin take dirt daubah nest an' make medi- cine outa it an' if a baby has measles or anything lak dat, de trash [thrush], yo' kin make a tea outa it an' wash dat baby's mouth, or bathe it when it got de thrash an' it done good. Now ah have made teas outa dirt daubah nest.
Entry 6774
If yo' thought somebody wuz HOODOOIN' yo' or if yo' had any pain an' yo' thought it came from somebody's work dat had anything on yo', dat chew kin use a plastahs on dat part wit dirt daub- ah, wit de eithah pound dat up or let it dissolve in vinegah an' use dat applica- tion. It will give relief.
Entry 6775
Well, yo' kin take a dirt daubah nest an' vinegah an' make a poultice tuh carry away a sprain.
Entry 6776
If yo' sprain yo' arm or yo' foot, yo' leg, mix it up wit vinegah an' tie it roun' dere, bandage a cloth aroun' dat. Dat's all ah know fo' dirt daubah nests.
Entry 6777
If yo' swole, got a whole lotta swellin' in yo', go git chew a dirt daubah nest an' jis' knock de dirt daubah nest down. An' take some vinegah an' try tuh ketch de dirt daubah if yo' kin. If yo' don't it's all right. An' make yo' a poultice an' put it dere, an' dat take DE SWELLIN' WHERE YO' THINK YO'RE CUNJURED.
Entry 6778
[I know] evahthin' about it. Yo' take yo' some vinegah an' dirt daub- ah, yo' see, an' yo' mix it up jis' lak a salve-lak, yo' see, an' lay it on yore face wit a rag, yo' see. Plastah it on yore face. Dat bring dat swellin' down.
Entry 6779
Mud daubah nest is only good for fevahs an' diff'ren' things lak dat. Yo' break dat up an' put it in vinegah.
Entry 6780
[That [dirt dauber] is good for sprain, vinegar and soda. Dampen it and put it on a sprain?)
[I am repeating what was said while recording machine turned off.]
Dampen it.
Entry 6781
Makes up a salve wit it, wit some dirt daubah nest, saltpetah, chewin' tobacca an' yo' make a salve. Now yo' kin put it in a li'le - ah dunnō [don't know] how much yo' goin' make up, but put chew a li'le vine- gah in it an' it's jis' lak a mustard, yo' know, jis' lak prepared mustard. Make a li'le of dat an' put it on de place an' see whut it will do fo' yo' [recording machine stopped, see later].
(What will that cure for example?)
Well, jis' lak a lotta people - yo' know yo' got a misery in yore ankle, cain't stand up on yore ankle. Dey [person working spell against you] got chew down in yore knees. (You said before [while machine turned off] that it kills off a lot of hoodoo ousiness.) Hoodoo business.
Entry 6782
If bitten by a dog, catch the dog, cut hair off end of his tail, bury under the steps. Keeps you from bein' poisoned. [This is an unusual version of 'the hair of the dog that bit you." Poison here does not mean hoodoo poison but rabies. Even so, persons could have been found who would have said some evil- ainded person sent a mad dog to bite the victim, thus making it a hoodoo poison affair.]
Entry 6783
Yo' take - jis' lak if a person has azmē, a dog dat 'is passage be turnin' white. Yo' git holt of it. Yo' take dat an' yo' burn dat an' put it intuh 'bacca an' let 'im [patient] smoke it, an' it's good fo' de azmē.
Entry 6784
Take dogwood tree an' give it fo' neuralgee.
(How do you do that?)
Yo' take de no'th side of a dogwood tree an' boil it. Skin off de top part of de bark, dat will cure neuralgee. (What do you do with that?) Yo' take about dat much [demonstrates] in yore han', 'bout dat much in yore han', an' yo' put it IN A QUART OF WATAH AN' BOIL IT DOWN TO A PINT. [This is the Mgic rite of diminishing amount, which like the magic of increasing amount is fairly common in Hoodoo.] Dey tole me it cures neuralgee. Jis' boil it an' Strain it an' drink de tea.
Entry 6785
Jis' lak yo' git hurt or anythin', somebody done fixed yo', well yo' lin [get] dat [dogwood] an' bathe in it. Yo' put bluestone, yo' take de bark off de dogwood tree, take de bark offa de east side an' de west side an' kinda boil it yo' know down. Yo' drinks dat. Well, dat'll bring dat stuff on back oh yo'.
(If anybody has put any stuff [hoodoo] in you?)
Yeah.
Entry 6786
Yo' scrub yuh steps wherevah yo' may be, yo' know, down wit de nine buckets of hydrant watah; [I mean] eight buckets down, yo' know, an' de las' bucket throw it up. An' smoke yo'self in dragon's blood an' wash yo'self down wit linseed oil. (What will that do?) Dat'll keep 'em from harmin' yah. An' keep yuh salt throwed aroun' yah steps, wit chamber lye - yah know, yahurine. [There are many scrubbing rites in Hoodoo, most of them from New Orleans, some of them complicated. For a few of these beliefs see margin titles WATER and WATER THROWN (pp.740-743) and SCRUBBING in INDEX (vol.5). The present 9 buckets of hy- drant water - considered running water and therefore of magic power - are for rinsing what has been scrubbed. Eight buckets are dashed down; the ninth bucket is tossed up into the air, either all at one time or a particular number of times.]
(You do all these things together?)
Yo' mix dat [salt and urine] but yo' smoke yuhself in a new can by itself wit dragon's blood; or insant [incense], dat's good. [This is a protection rite against hoodoo of any kind.]
Entry 6787
If yo' in trouble wit high pains an' yo' been in trouble wit high pains, yo'll go an' git chew a young duck, an' regardless of where dat pain is, jis' cut dat duck open 'live an' lie it ontuh 'is nachel [natural] skin, an' when- evah dat duck is daid, an' dat duck git cold, why dat pain is 'sposed [supposed] tuh be gone.
(Be gone?)
Dat be gone. It draws out, it be gone, don' chew undahstan'.
Entry 6788
Dey tie it roun' yo', anywhah dat chew have cramps. Some time dey git 'em an' go on all down 'em, some kinda cramp. Say yo' gits a cramp.
(That eelskin.)
Entry 6790
If a person bites yo' wit blue gums, yo' kin take a li'le of yore action, yore action an' put it on dere an' rub it in dere roun' good. (Rub it into the bite?) Yeah, an' go git chew some sulphuh an' burn it an' put it on dere, an' slip tuh 'is house. When yo' git dere, an' jis' lak yo' wanta a drink of watah, say, "Git me a glass of watah - git me some watah." An' carry a li'le dat burnt sulphuh wit chew an' - now, lak yo' wan' some watah. Rub it roun' intuh dat glass an' blow yore breath in it three times an' set it down nice, an' tell 'em tuh 'ave a drink of watah. He'll take a drink of watah an' he'll start tuh sufferin' wit de pyorrhea, los' [lostl de teeth outa his haid. (That burnt sulphur that you use in putting on your arm, that is out of the same batch of stuff?) Yes.
Entry 6791
Yo' kin take de fig tree roots an' destroy babies. Dat's de only thing ah know 'bout a fig tree. Well, yo' take de root, yo' know, an' yo' boil it an' make a tea of it. Dat'll make yo' miscarry a baby, dey tell me. (You just drink that tea?) Yes, yo' jis' drink dat.
Entry 6792
Know dey taken fish fo' a person dat dey win' [wind] is short [luag trouble]. Take a fish whut got dose bladdahs in 'em whut holds win'. Yo' diy dat, an' aftah dryin' dat, if a person is short-winded, yo' take an' bust it an' swallah [swallow] dat air, an' dat gives yore lungs fresh air.
Entry 6793
Put a salted fish on bottom of foot to draw out poison. This can be ordinary poison, if it exists in hoodoo, or hoodoo poison.]
Entry 6794
(How do you do that?)
[Something will] cuz warts on yo' haid or on yo' body, yo' know. Well, if it's on yo' haid, yo' kin git de - kill a dove, yo' know. (Kill a dove?) Git 'is heart out an' scrap de bottom of 'er feet; yo' know, husk scuff, scrub off where yo' feet [have become rough]. An' yo' puts dat in watah an' yo' boils it an' an'ints wit it three times a day. Ah mean three times a night: befo' night at six o'clock, twelve at night, an' six o'clock in de mawnin' [this is the well-known FORMULA 6-12-6, No.2885, p.830 and elsewhere]. But yo' always an'int wit dat at night, not durin' de day- tine.
(THAT'LL TAKE AWAY THESE PAINS THAT PEOPLE PUT ON YOU?)
Dat's SO. SuPPOSed tuh be Wit ANY KINDA PAIN DAT IS PUT ON YO' DAT YO' WASN'T BORN WIT. (Well, would that take off a pain that.someone put a spell on you? With that Lind of pain?) Dat's right. Dat's so [true] too. (You have to do that at six in evening, at twelve at midnight, and then at six o'clock in the morning?) In de mawnin'. (I see. You boil this dove heart and the scraping from the bottom of your feet.) [This rite presupposes the patient's walking barefoot much of the year, pick- ing up all sorts of bad smells and tastes odious to the disease-or-pain spirit captured by the spellcaster. The latter, called witch and many names, dislikes: Spitting, obscenity, animal manure, human excrement and urine (see FACI, 2nd ed., Bos.16481-16499, Pp.903-908). Our present rite is a hair-of-the-dog-that-bit you oae. Since the victim picked up his witchcraft or cunjure pains through his feet, he will rid himself of them the same way. Rites sending pain, even live things fn you, out through your feet, often through the big toe, are fairly common in Boodoo. Killing the dove is double or back-up insurance.]
Entry 6795
Yo' kin go tuh de fo'ks of de road, dat's if yo' got a sty on yore eye, an' throw a sty off yo' eye. Yo' kin go tuh de fo'ks of de road an' turn yore back tuh de point where [demonstrates] one road's runnin' dis way an' one goin' dataway, see. An' take yore han' an' wipe yore eye lak dat [demonstrates] an' say, "Sty, sty, go off mah eye." Turns yo'- self an' come back. An' it'll sho' [sure] go off. Ah know dat fo' mahself experience.
The account names the eye and a sty. Demonstration notes are editorial; its reported removal and personal experience remain source claims.
Entry 6796
People sometimes claim that when you go out to a road like that [cross- road or forks of road] they've been hurt. They say they go to a tree, the tree after the crossroad, a birch tree. They're off from the forks of the road because most of the time the roads go dead off from a birch. And they get a certain bark off of that tree, and take it back home and keep it four or five days, and take it to a river of running water and throw it over their left shoulder. And they claim they will come all right again.
Entry 6797
When ah wuz small, a small girl, ah had lots of warts on mah han'. Mah han' wuz jes' fullah warts, an' ah went tuh a ole colored man an' he looked at mah han' an' he says, '"Yo' got lotsa warts on yo' han'." An' he says, "Ah'll tell yo' whut chew do, '' says, "yo' take dis needle an' pick dem, den take a knife an' kinda pull 'em out." Well, dey pull out lak li'le seeds. An' so he says, "Yo' take dese an' pick 'em an' pull 'em lak dat, an' when yo' git enough of 'em off, evah one yo' pick, " he says, "yo' take an' put 'em in a envelope an' go tuh de fo'ks of a road an' don't look back. Jes' drop dis lettah down an' don' look back, an' don' go right by [that place again]." An' he says, "Dat'll take de warts off yore han'." An' ah ain't got a wart on mah han'.
The opening recollection locates warts on the informant's hand. The man's later quoted advice is separate, and no treatment result is independently established.
Entry 6798
Some things is purtty good. Now a person, if he is EAT POISONED, yo' kin take a toadfrog - yo' know dese toadfrogs whut hop a li'le short hop. Yo' kin take one of dem an' split 'im open an' bind 'im on 'is side or on 'is laig an' yo' know, evah bit of dat poison will come outen it. Evah bit of it will come outen it.
Entry 6799
Dey taken toadfrog fo' poison. If anybody poison yo' or sompin, yo' could take a live toadfrog an' put 'im tuh yo', or somepin lak dat, an' it would draw de poison from yo'.
Entry 6800
At de fiahplace [fireplace], dere anyone dressed at. Ah've seen dat done, anybody dressed or deals at chore house. Yore han's - yore han' will com- mence risin' an' swellin' an' goin' on up, an' yo' cain't do anything. Yo' take a toadfrog an' cut 'im wide open, an' plastah 'im aroun' de sore place an' weah 'im dere. Den he cured. [The preceding word deals (deals a trick?) as a synonym for dressed is rare; in fact, this may be the only example in Hoodoo.l
Entry 6801
If yore leg is swollen through poison, split open a live frog and tie on.
Entry 6802
Yo' kin split a live frog open an' put it on dat place where yo' snake bitten at an' de poison will come intuh de frog.
Entry 6804
For sunstroke or brain stroke, put live frog in your cap an' keep on head until frog dies.
Entry 6805
To break chill, wrap live frog in piece of paper, breathe into his mouth. He takes the chill.
Entry 6807
Cook frog alive, add vinegar, when salve cold apply for venereal dis- ease.
Entry 6808
(Suppose I have come to you about taking a spell off?)
Well, ah nuse [use] dis salt, peppah, sage an' stuff - salt, sugah, sage, alum an' saltpetah. Ah got dat ovah in a box, see. An' ah take some new string, nuthin have been worn, an' ah tie dem, an' whatsomevah ah Want chew tuh do [demon- strates]. (Just tie a knot.) Yeah, tie a knot, an' den ah take dat, dis stuff an' sprin- kle it ovah dere, see. An' den if dis spell [is] on me [you], see. An' whosomevah put it on yo', if yo' know dere names, yo' jis' call dere name an' tell 'em yo' want 'em to take dis spell offa yo'. Well, if dey don't, yo' wish bad luck onto dem, see. An' yo' burn dis stuff. An' den YO' STRIP BUCK NECKED [NAKED] AN' DEN TAKE DIS BLANKET AN' PUT IT: OVAH YORE HAID. AN' DIS SMOKE, YO' CAIN'T HAR'LY [HARDLY] STAND IT. If dere's anything in yo' in any way, shape, form or fashion, it'll come out, see. [The preceding term suck necked [[naked]] may be its only use in Hoodoo.] An' den yo' take a li'le whiskey glass an' yo' boil dis heah gourd tea - yo know gourds - an' yo' boil dis gourd tea an' yo' take three glasses of dis gourd tea evah day. An' dat'll take de spell off yo'.
(Especially if they have something inside of you.)
Entry 6809
Dey tell me if yo' take garlic an' weah it in yore right shoe an' a piece in yore right-hand pocket, dere cain't no one poison yo'.
Entry 6810
(What do they use garlic for?) Dat's, dey poun' dat up, too. Dey poun' dat up an' use dat fo' - jis' lak now, if yo' sick, dere's somepin in yo' an' yo' cain't git it out, yo' know. Yo' take dat garlic pound it up an' take it - jis' pound it up, pound it up, pound it up, an' mix it wit a teaspoon sodee.
(Soda?)
Yeah cookin' sodee. Swallah it down, see. An' dat knocks it out.
(I see.)
Entry 6811
Yo' take garlic, yo' see, if a person got poison in 'em. Yo' jis' take dat garlic an' yo' stew dat down wit vinegah, an' yo' give it tuh dat person tuh eat. Dat will kill it down in dere. (What kind of poison?) Any kind. Jis' say, jes' lak dere's a person down heah gives yo' poison in whiskey or sompin. Yo' know, jis' LAK A PERSON TRY TUH KILL YO', TRY TUH GIVE YO' ANY KINDA SNAKE-HAID DUST.
(Any live things in them?)
Yeah.
Entry 6812
Ah know whut ah done tuh keep 'em from hurtin' me, aftah dey hurt mah chile. Ah put sulphuh in mah shoes. Dey say dat wuz good. An' dey tell me tuh drink garlic. Put watah on de garlic an' drink it, an' said put sulphuh in mah shoe, an' drink milk an' sulphuh. Dat's what dey tell me.
(Drink what kind of sulphur?)
Drink milk an' sulphuh.
(Milk and sulphur. Mix the milk together?) Yes, sir, an' drink it. Say dat's good fo' poison. (No one can hurt you if you do that.)
Entry 6813
(How do you get those black things out?) How do yo' git 'em out? Well, yo' git dem live things out - git saltpetah an' guinea peppah, garlic an' sweet milk an' parsley - heat parsley - an' it'll make 'em come up.
(That is to get the live things out. What do you do? Make this all into a tea?)
No, yo' don't make no tea at all. Yo' jis' beat it up, don't heat it, drink it in de milk.
Entry 6814
Well, jis' lak if people has some kinda goofah dust aroun' yo' take salt - cookin' salt - an' sulphuh an' sprinkle it aroun' wit chamber lye. Mix dat tuhgethah an' sprinkle it aroun' in yore house. Dat would kill it.
(Kill off this goofer dust.)
Dat put down fo' yo'.
Entry 6815
[Gopher, here, is the burrowing land tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) of the southern coastal regions, U. S. A.] Dat's if yo' wuz poisoned, an' it ain't no doctor [M.D.] kin cure it. Yo' kin ketch a gopher, pull 'is right laig out - yo' know he's got fo' laigs - de right- front laig. Jis' snatch it out, de blood's comin' from it. Well, yo' take dat blood an' put it in some warm water. Ah don' care whut's in yo', if somebody put in yo', dat blood an' some warm water, drink it as hot as yo' kin stand, an' it's comin' out. Ah don' care if it's 'live. He can't stay dere, he comin' out.
(What does a gopher look like?)
Well, it looks jis' lak a turtle, only dey haven't got a long tail. Dey got a hard shell.
Entry 6817
Take guts from a grain [green] gourd and make a tea. Drink, and if hurt inside, you will vomit.
Entry 6818
Yo' go an' git a green gourd, ole gourd. Yo' know dose green gourd dat grows on a vine. Jis' lak a - jis' any kinda gourd, yo' know. Yo' break dat gourd an' yo' git chew a pint of sweet milk, an' yo' beat dem guts up in dere, dem seed, jis' lak yo', yo' beat dat all tuh pieces. An' yo' put dat intuh a rag an' yo' squeeze dat. An' den take dat rag an' squeeze it [gourd juice] intuh a bottle an' yo'll give it tuh dem. An' give dat person dat tuh drink an' evahthin' dat's intuh yo' [the person] is comin' out.
(Anything that is live in them?)
Anything dat live in dem is comin' out.
Entry 6819
Now, if yo' wuh [were] poisoned an' yo' find out dat dat dime wuz turnin' black, why yo' would take a silvah dime an' yo'll file it. Yo' take [and] yo' file, file, file an' yo' take de powdahed pieces of dat dime an' put in some watah. Yo' git some killbash [calabash] an' yo' take de seeds an' yo' boil 'em tuh- gethah, an' yo' strain it an' yo' drink dat watah. Dat supposed tuh kill dat poison dead regardless of whutevah it is, eithah brings it out one way or de othah. In de case of yo' takin' a few dose of dat medicine, den yo' [take] some laxative medicine. Yo' eithah bring it out one way or de othah. It's poison.
(Well, do you boil this silver with the killbash seeds?)
Wit de silvah an' de killbash seeds tuhgethah. Boil tuhgethah.
Entry 6820
Take de grapevine an' de gourd vine an' dese things dey call sunflow- ahs, an' yo' kin make a tea wi' dat. An' dat is very good tuh take fo' de blood if anyone go tuh work an' work on yore blood agains' chuh. Well, yo' kin go tuh work an' work wit dat, an' nobody kin nevah hurt chew. A gourd vine is a very simple medicine tuh take against poison any time. If anybody take it, dey nevah git poisoned.
(Well, what would they take from the gourd vine?)
Jis' de leaves, eithah de vine.
Entry 6821
[All the following graveyard dirt rites, as well as others elsewhere, indicate that the spirit in graveyard dirt fights or protects you against the spirit powering the cunjure put down for you:] Pay de grave an' git dat graveyard dirt...den new needles an' huh [her] ole shoes an' sul- phur...in de room evah night tuh keep ghost aay. [Here is one of other statments showing that the spirit in graveyard dirt keeps other spirits away.]
Entry 6822
Go tuh de graveyard on a dark night...put de han' down in de grave... put it [graveyard dirt] in de pocket or in de toe of dere shoe an' dey kin walk ovah anythin' anybody put down fuh [for] dem.
The account claims being able to walk over things put down for someone. Its ellipses remain; identifying it as graveyard dirt is editorial, and no protective effect is established.
Entry 6823
Git chew some graveyard dirt an' put it aroun' yuh waist an' dat'll keep it [cunjure] off.
Entry 6824
Dey could take de dirt from de grave an' put it, weah in yuh shoes. It could be dust. Dust, dey say, is bettah dan de compoun' dirt. Yo' git de dry pulverized dirt an' put dat in yuh shoes, an' yo' kin weah dat if a person is seek- In' tuh put somepin down where yo' might walk ovah tuh [harm you] or cripple yuh in some way, or deform yuh from gittin' aroun' an' makin' a livin'. Why yo' weah dat, dat prevents dat, dat graveyard dirt.
Entry 6825
Tuh git graveyard dirt, dey say go out tuh de graveyard whah some of yoh relatives die. Well, dey tells me dat dat'll kill double pneumonia. Ah had a baby die yestiday mawnin' wit double pneumonia, an' ah were in mah home Sunday an' a lady came tuh mah house, an' say, "Ah tell yo' whut chew do," she say, "yo' git in yuh cah [car]." She came dere Satiday night. She say, "Come an' git in yuh cah an' come go wit me, an' go out whah a man is buried, whah yuh mothah-in-law is buried, an' git some of dat graveyard dirt an' put it in a bag. Git some from right undahneat' de lef'-han' comah of 'er grave. An' put it in a bag an' take it tuh hospital an' sprinkle it undahneat' dat baby's mattress, an' he won't die."
(What do you mean by the left-hand corner of the grave?)
Well, dat whut she tole me. She say, "Git it from de lef'-han' cornah." Ah say, "Whut de lef'-han' cornah?" Wal, she tole me dat evahtime yo' beah [bury] a person, YO' JIS' BEAH 'EM A CERTAIN WAY. AH HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT DAT. DID JOO? All right. She says, "Now yo' go an' git it out de cornah, " an' says, "yo' scattah it undah huh [her] haid. Git it from de lef'-han' cornah of de grave an' put it in jis' a li'le bag. An' go an' slip it undah dat mattress an' dat baby won' die."
[While machine turned off informant gave information I now repeat.]
(Get the dirt from the left-hand side near the heart.) [This means, while standing at head of the grave looking to the foot, the left-hand corner would be the heart corner.]
Entry 6826
Now, suppose dat chew would git in a fight wit a pusun [person] an' dat dey bit chah. Why yo' go tuh de grave- yard fer nine mawnin's an' put a li'le graveyard dirt on dat, an' it'll rot dere teeth out.
Entry 6827
Well, yo' take graveyard dust - see, I wuz a person hurted in dis right feet heah an' it wuz ah had tuh bathe intuh hot watah - boilin' watah intuh red peppah an' ammonia, saltpetah [defect here, could not tell whether salt or saltpeter] an' mah urine - an' jis' bathe in dat fo' nine mawnin's. An' den ah made - it wuz plaster made outa fresh lard an' graveyard dust, see. An' dat's whut drawed de misery out.
(I see, if you were hurt in that right foot.)
Yes. Ah wuz crippled fo' three months an' dat's de only thing dat cured it. A woman came along an' cured it.
(Who came along?)
A woman. She know right smart.
Entry 6828
Goes tuh de graveyard an' git dirt fo"luck: An' yo' kin git it fo' bad luck. If anythin', yo' kin git it offa certain grave, if yo' kin remembah de certain grave; an' if yo' cain't remembah de certain grave, git de dirt, but it's gotta be at night. Yo' cain't go in de daytime an' git. Some peoples have tried it in de daytime when dey goin' tuh de funeral an' git it, but chew'll have tuh go at night, when only de gravediggers are dere.
(What do you do with it then?)
Yes, yo' kin use it fo' luck. Yo' kin take dis graveyard dirt an' git chew some of de flowahs dat's in de graveyard. Yo' kin git some of de rose - yo' cain't use it unless yo' has some kinda flowahs - rose. Yo' kin git chew a flow- ah from de graveyard an' use dis graveyard dirt or eithah fern from de graveyard; or eithah some kinda sprout twig - not any dry. Yo' cain't use any dry twigs, yo' have [to] git 'em all sproutin' when de sap is in 'em. An' place 'em tuh- gethah an' wrap 'em in any kind of cloth yo' wanta. An' wind 'em roun' yuh waist fo' luck, or eithah yo' kin have 'em fo' peoples havin' spells. Or eithah yo' kin use it fo', if yo' have a person sick in yuh home, it's bettah fo' dat. If a person's sick in yore home an' yo' figure dat dey're not goin' git well, de doctors an' evahthin' have given 'em up, use dis graveyard dirt fo' dat, but chew'll have tuh cook it in dere food. Regardless tuh how dirty it is an' all lak dat, yo'll have tuh cook it in dere food, fo' de condition dat dey are in - fo' dere health.
Entry 6829
(What do you use with the graveyard dirt?)
Yo' po' dat on de graveyard dirt.
(Yes?) [Continue.]
Go tuh a undahtakah's parlah or anywhah whah de daidman is. Git some of de fat outa dis man. Melt it down lak yo' would lard. Mix dat wit anythin', mos' commonly wit 'is food, undah- stan'. Or jis' as a medicine, let 'im drink dat, an' he's cured of dat graveyard dirt. He's soun' an' well ag'in.
(I see. I see.)
Entry 6830
Red peppah, hot red peppah an' chamber lye an' bathe yo' laig wit it an' that would give yo' ease. Ah have tried that mahself. (If somebody has put something down for you to walk over.) Yes sir, a fortuneteller tole me someone had put sompin down fo' me to walk ovah. [Here, either while'recording ma- chine is stopped or cylinder is changed, I ask for the whole story.] Well, mah laig kep' hurtin' me an' someone come along an' tole me, say, "Miss Carter," say, "ah knows a good man 'cross town. If yo' would go, he would tell yo' sompin tuh relieve yo' of dat pain in yore knee." It nevah would swell but it jis' hurt all de time. So ah went ovah dere an' he tole me someone had hurt me in mah knee. An' he got me some green moss an' tole me tuh boil dat an' bathe in de watah hot. Put some table salt in it. An' aftah dat, den rub it wit some of dis red peppah an' dis saltpetah mixed tuhgethah. Make a salve. Put some lard wit it or some oil or sompin an' make a salve an' rub wit dat, an' hit would relieve me. An' ah did dat an' it relieved me. An' a li'le latah it commence tuh hurtin' ag'in. Well, ah went tuh anothah lady an' she tole me - least she didn't tell me but she fixed de poultice huh- self; Brown Mule chewin' 'bacca an' earth worms whut chew dig up out de ground. An' she stewed it up tuhgethah an' give me dat tuh put some meal wit it, an' make a hot poultice an' put on mah knee. An' dat relieved me.
(That was the end of that?)
Yes sir, an' mah knee got bettah.
Entry 6831
If yo' gotten any poison - yo' see, anythin' dat wuz poisoned - dey could go tuh a gumwood tree an' git de innahba'k, yo' undahstan', from de sun- rise side, an' boil it in sweet milk. An' give tuh dat person three times a day, a tablespoonful, an' dat would offset some trouble, dat poison.
(You mean if somebody has tricked them?)
[I am asking, is this ordinary or hoodoo poison.]
Yeah, somebody's tricked 'em.
(Cunjured them or something?)
Dat's right. Dere wuz a ole man dat usta [use tol come tuh mah gran'mothah's house an' he would tell 'er a certain person wuz jis' down an' out, chew know, jis' couldn't har'ly [hardly] live, an' dis same remedy dat ah'm tellin' yo' 'bout now, of de sap ba'k from de sun- rise of a gum tree. Boil dat in sweet milk an' give dat person. An' dere's somepin 'bout a blacksnake hide dat yo' git fo' 中商 dat person tuh weah it roun' 'is vaist or anythin'. Give him dat sweet milk an' gum ba'k boiled, yo' undahstan', fo' a medicine. Dat would be de remedy.
Entry 6832
Yo' take gunpowdah an' wet it, DAT GUNPOWDAH IS EVIL, IT'S JIS' LAK A EVIL SPIRIT. An' yo' kin take it yo' know an' wet it up. Put chure foot ag'inst de watah. Ah don' know whethah yo've evah seen dat done. Yo' put enough of it in watah an' jis' keep ' a stirrin' 'till dat watah come tuh be perfec'ly black, an' it's all dissolve jis' lak, yo' know, jis' lak sugah. Wal, den yo' take dat watah den an' reverse [see later] it on dat track whah yo' walk. Yo' put some tuh de front, some tuh de back, an' dat do's de work.
(What will that do?)
Wal, dat jis' keepS a man safe, DAT DRIVES DE PART OF EVIL AN' DE SICKNESS AWAY FROM YO'.
(This evil away from you?)
Yes. [First, you protect or cure yourself by dropping gunpowder into a bucket. Wet it up means a little water on the gunpowder in the bucket. Put chure foot ag'inst de watah shows that you mix the water and gunpowder with your foot in the bucket. Next yo' reverse it [the water], not by stirring the gunpowder water in the contrary direction, but by pouring it on dat track whah yo' walk. You pour it on one or more tracks from toe to heel, backwards, opposite the direction of your made tracks. Rites from toe to heel - reversing rites - usually sending maker of the tracks in the opposite direction, are fairly common in Hoodoo. In the present rite the spell is turned back to its sender.]
Entry 6833
"Heah 'em say yo' kin take de powdah outa gunshell an' put it in de milk, some sweet milk, an' dat keep anybody in de worl' from bothahin' yo'.
Entry 6834
Ah've hear'd of - yo' kin use gunpowdah in drinkin' it in sweet milk, a woman or girl dat would breed children. It'll stop 'em from breedin'.
Entry 6835
[Here is one of many examples in Hoodoo of my restarting recording machine, hoping informant will repeat the brief rite just given:] (You use that for poison?) Poison, yo' know. Yo' take gunpowdah an' steel dust an' yo' grin' dat up an' yo' take dat a sweet milk, drink it, an' whatevah inside'a yo', yo'll pass it.
Entry 6836
If someone tryin' tuh hahm [harm] yo', yo' kin jis' go tuh work an' git chew some Hearts Cologne an' jis' fumigate yuh rooms wit it an' leave it on yuh clothes all about [all about or over your clothes], an' it's nuthin dey kin do wit yo' 'bout it wit'out dey gits somepin in yuh food.
Entry 6838
Tea from High John de Conkah, apple tree bark, an' fig tree roots [for pain or swelling].
editorial-only purpose annotation for the short tea item. Role remains editorial, not informant. Preserve pain OR swelling rather than both diseases or a diagnosed condition. These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified.
Entry 6839
Well, if dey git aholt of yuh foot track an' try tuh harm yo', now yo' kin git chew some cayenne peppah, High John de Conkah, an' mix it up tuhgethah an' put it in a bag. Tie it up, car' [carry] it tuh de rivah an' throw it right ovahbo'd an' don' look back at it. An' dat'll turn it right back on 'em.
(That's if they took your foot track?)
Yes. [Informant may have dropped out a detail of this rite, but intention is sufficient.]
Entry 6840
Dey use de hog hoof fo' curin' a person wit pneumonia. Yo' take de hog hoof an' bake 'em in de stove. Jis' parch 'em real brown an' den boil 'em, an' dat's a certain cure fo' pneumonia. It boils 'em, an' dat's a certain cure fo' pneumonia. It draws de fevah.
Entry 6842
Take a hog jawbone an' boil it fo' awhile [and use] fo' toothache.
(Then they use that water for the toothache?)
Yessuh.
Boil names the boiling action here. The bracketed and use is editorial, the water question is interviewer speech, and no remedy effect is established.