Browse:FOLK MEDICINE (Volume 4, entries 6524–7262)/Part 7
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 7004
Yo' git a catfish. An' it's got one drop of blood in it, in fron' of it between 'is eyes. Yo' take yuh ice pick, yo' git dat dropa [drop of] blood outa de catfish while he's alive. An' yo' drop it in dat likkah. Yo' shake it an' give it 'im tuh drink. An' whenevah he drink it, dat'll make him sick.
Entry 7005
Mah sistah did it tuh make huh husban' stop drinkin' - wit it - becuz he wuz a pure drunkard. Dere wuz a ole fortunetellah woman wuz comin' along de street an' he always wuz drunk an' would throw 'is money away. An' he tole huh - she tole mah sistah tuh go tuh de rivah an' git 'uh a catfish, an' take two dropsa his blood an' drop it intuh dat whiskey whut he drink. An' he ain't nevah drink a drop since.
(Two drops of blood?)
Two dropsa live catfish blood. An' he ain't nevah drink a drop since.
Entry 7006
Ket' choo [ketch choo = catch you] a live catfish or garfish, an' while he alive, an' git choo a halfa pinta likkah an' put three dropsa blood in it, while he's [the fish is] alive, an' give it'im [the man]. (That will stop him from drinking?) Stop 'im from drinkin'. [This may be the only reference in Hoodoo to the gar, or billy gar as we used to call it during my childhood at Quincy, Illinois, on the Mississippi River. The fresh-water gars of the U. S. A. are ga- noids of the order Holostei family, Lapisosteidae, widely distributed in eastern and central U. S. A., as long-nosed gar and short-nosed gar. Our present gar may be the alligator gar, a much larger fish found farther south.]
Entry 7007
Plenty times dat happen dat way. Yo'll git a bunch of fishes an' yo'll sometimes find a live fish on dere; yo' know, dat's not daid. Yo'll go tuh work an' yo'll git dat fish an' yo'll gut dat fish. An' yo'll take nine drops of 'is blood [see correction later] an' yo'll go tuh work an' yo'll put it in a bottle or somewhere yo' kin keep. An' yo'll give him a drop or two drops evah mawnin'. He won' wanta see any mo' [whiskey].
(Stops him from drinking.)
Yes. [A correction follows.] Ah mean fo' nine days. Give him two drops yo' see, but yo' see yo' make it fo' nine days.
(What kind of fish?)
Catfish, but he must be 'live.
Entry 7008
Take beef gall. Take some beef gall an' a catfish; yo' know, dese ole big long-head mud cats. Take dat mud catfish gall, yo' undahstan', an' take a [chicken] egg an' beat it up wit dis; keep it from bein' so bittah, yo' undahstan'. An' take [add] dis whiskey, beat it up good, good, good; so it won't foam much, yo' undahstan'. An' shake it up in de bottle of whiskey an' let 'im drink dat. It'll stop 'im from drinkin' all de whiskey in de world.
Entry 7009
Yo' kin take a catfish or use some of de slime offa his hide, or eithah cut 'im an' git somea his blood - maybe a teaspoonful an' put it in 'is drink an' git even wit 'im. Or, if yo' wanta stop 'em from drinkin', yo' see, well, yo' see, yo' don't use quite as much, jis' a li'le. Give him dat in a drink an' he'll nevah drink no mo'. Put it intuh whiskey an' let it stay in dere fo' prob'ly, well, twenty-fo' hours. Den yo' strain it if yo' see anythin'aroun' through it. An' if dey drinks dat whiskey wit dat fish blood in it, he'll go an' throw up [vomit] - he'll try tuh turn 'is insides out. Dat's worse den eatin' [too much]. An' dat's somepin yo' kin do [to stop a person from drinking].
[Record very indistinct here so last few lines cannot be transcribed.]
But [if] yo' don't use nuthin but de slime, dat's [to] stop yo' from drinkin'; but if yo' use dat dere catfish blood, it'll kill yo'.
(It'll kill you, but the slime will cure you from drinking.)
De slime will absolutely stop yo' from drinkin'. Dat make 'im heave up a li'le, but dat blood [will kill him].
Entry 7010
Well, yo' git some likkah an' put cigah ashes in dere an' den yo' make 'em drink off it. He won't drink no mo'. [Everywhere I found tobacco ashes a cure for alcoholism.]
Entry 7011
Tuh stop a man from drinkin' when he's [a] real heavy [drinker], when a man's real heavy [drinker], yo' ain't got a thing tuh do but git chew some cigarette ashes, undahstan', an' put it intuh a pint of whiskey an' shake it up. It'll stop 'im.
Entry 7012
As so often in hoodoo, the same rite can be used for an opposite pur- pose like the following one:] Git close tuh de people. Treats [de people] dere one night [when opening a bootlegging business]. Git chure trade worked up right. An' den, aftah dey come in, yo' drop a li'le sompin, cigah dust, cigah ashes. Put it in dere glass an' serve dis tuh 'em. Serve dere stuff on dat, an' dat will bring dem right back tuh yo'. (But they must come first. And the cigar ashes will bring them back there, if I am bootlegging.) Yes sir.
Entry 7013
Yo' jis' take de whiskey, if he drinks a lot, an' yo' try tuh break it. Yo' take a dead man's han' an' po' de whiskey intuh a basin an' jis' take his han' an' jis' wash 'is han' off wit dat whiskey. An' yo' po' dat whiskey back in de bottle an' yo' give it tuh dat per- son [heavy drinker]. Or eithah yo' kin take some...
Entry 7014
Yo' kin stop 'em in two ways ah know of. Yo' kin git chew a piece of deerhide - yes sir, de skin of a deerhide. An' yo' kin make a tea outa dat an' give dem dat tuh drink an' dat'll stop 'em.
(Stop them from drinking liquor?)
Yes sir.
Entry 7015
Yo' kin save him from dat. (How do you save him from that?) Dey say yo' kin take a dishrag an' put it in any kinda likkah, a greasy dishrag, an' dey say de man will stop drinkin' from dat.
Entry 7016
Well, if yo' got a man an' yo' don' want 'im tuh drink whiskey, yo' roun' an' de firs' dog dat chew see wit young puppies, real young puppies, yo' ast de lady who owns it tuh let chew milk, or let 'er milk a li'le of dat milk intuh a glass. An' git about six or eight tea- spoonsfulla dat milk in de glass an' po' about - well, a gill of whiskey tuh it, an' let 'im drink it. No mo' whiskey fo' him.
(That will stop his drinking?)
YasSuh, it'll stOp 'em. AH STOPPED ONE FO' A WHITE LADY OUT DERE ON DE OLE STREET.
(That really will stop them.)
Entry 7017
Take some fish eel, dose fish eel yo' know whut chew skin 'em. Yo' kin take dat an' dry it. Put it up an' dry it an' let it come tuh a powdah. An' put dat intuh 'is whiskey, an' dat supposed tuh stop 'im from drinkin'.
Entry 7018
If he's a drinkah, whut chew kin do tuh stop 'im from drinkin'. Yo' take de skin of a eel, a skinned eel, an' let de skin git dry. An' aftah it's dry, yo' beat it up intuh I powdah an' put it in some whiskey, an' give 'im dat. He'll nevah want any mo'.
Entry 7019
Yo' kin take a eelskin, take an' ketch a eel. Take his skin an' let it git dry, an' yo' take dat eelskin aftah it git dry an' pound it up, an' put it in whiskey an' give it tuh 'im. Well, now when he drink dat, he might drink a halfa pint of it. It'll make him so sick until he'll jis' vomit till he 'bout th die. Well, dat'll break 'im from drinkin' whiskey.
Entry 7020
Well, if yo' is a real heavy likkah drinkah, a woman kin take a - jis' lak if she don' want chew tuh drink, she'll go tuh work 'erself an' buy yo' a quart of likkah. Well, now, yo' know she have it. An' git 'er a eelskin. Yo' kin skin a eel an' let 'im dry. An' aftah dat eelskin dry, take an' put it fn dat likkah an' let it stay in dere a night or two. Den take him out. He couldn't know it. An' den go an' give it tuh 'im. Dat'll break 'is likkah drinkin' up.
Entry 7021
Well, dey say dey take de eelhide. Dey do an' put in sompin an' let soak in dere fo' a couple of days.
(In some liquor?)
Yes sir, fo' a couple of days, an' den yo' remove dat. Strain dis stuff. Well, if yo' wanta - if it looks kinda druggy or too bad, yo' put some mo' tuh it an' let it set dere an' settle. An' den yo' drene [drain] it off an' give it tuh de person, an' hit'll make 'em sick till dey quit.
(They stop drinking.)
Yes.
Entry 7022
Says git a eelskin an' soak it in whiskey, about a pint of whiskey. Take dat eelskin an' soak it in dat whiskey fo' 'bout three days, an' den yo take dat eelskin out. An' jis' lak he be drinkin' an' come in an' eat suppah or sompin, yo' give 'im dat an' it make him purtty sick- heave a lot. But it will break 'im up from drinkin' whiskey.
Entry 7023
(You get what?) A eel, yo' see, one of dem fisheels. Yo' git chew a live fisheel an' git one drop of blood from 'im. Now yo' take dat drop of blood an' yo' drop it in de drink dat de man is goin' tuh drink, an' den he ain't goin' tuh drink no mo'. (I see.)
Entry 7024
Git a eel an' git 'is blood an' put three drops in dere, in dey whis- key, whutsomevah he drink, an' give it tuh 'im. Dat'll make him sick an' he'll stop drinkin'.
Entry 7025
A eel.
(You take: an eel?)
Yo' kin take a eel an' take de blood of a eel an' stop anybody from drinkin'. (How do you do that?) Yo' see, jis' whut dey drink, yo' take dat eel's blood an' yo' drop it in dere. An' when dey be drinkin', yo'll git enough an' yo'll do it fo' nine days. An' evah time yo' give dem a drink, yo'll put some of dat eel's blood in dere, but it'll make 'em awful sick. But yo'll stop 'um from drinkin'.
Entry 7026
Fathah Graybeard. Yes sir, it's a tree grows an' have a beard jis' lak a man. Yo' go dere an' dig dat tree up an' git de very top of de roots. But chew cain't take it off from de end, yo' gotta go up in de - where it grow up in de big part of de tree. An' git de chips outa dat an' put in de whiskey. It'll make dem sick dey lak tuh kill demself.
(You put this root in the whiskey to make a man stop drinking?)
Yes sir.
(You get the root just as it goes into the trunk of the tree.)
[The graybeard tree in the southern states of the United States of America is the fringe tree (Chionanthus virginica), a small tree with clusters of white flowers. The dried root bark is used as an aperient and diuretic. Whether this is the Father Graybeard of the present rite I do not know.]
Entry 7027
Yo' take de fig leaves. Yo' git green fig leaves an' yo' put 'em somewhere or 'nothah lak yo' grind 'em up. Powdah 'em up yo' know jis' lak yo' would throw terbacca [tobacco] until yo' poun' dose green leaves up. Yo' know whut ah mean. Yo' let dem git dry enough till yo' poun' dem green leaves teetollay [teetotally] up intuh a powdah, an' yo' kin use it. Dat sup- posed tuh be wit candy or chewin' gum or anythin' else. Jis' sprinkle a li'le of dat powdah on de chewin' gum or candy, an' dat'll absolutely break 'em from drinkin'.
(Drinking liquor?)
Yes sir.
Entry 7028
[For MINNOW and MULLET, see later; CATFISH already given.]
Yo' kin take fish. Den yo' mash de fish an' put hit in some whiskey, a raw piece of fish. Put it in whiskey. An' if yo' wan' chore husban' or yore wife tuh quit drinkin' - an' evah time dey ask fo' a drink of whiskey, yo' give dem a drink of dat.
Entry 7029
He's drink, he don' know whut he's eatin', an' dey say if he eat a bit of dat, he won' drink no mo'. Well, now, when yo' clean de fish, yo' know, an' yo' will take de entrails out an' if he drunk anyhow, an' if he eat any of 'em, an' dey say dat makes 'im sick, he'll vomit an' he'll turn against likkah.
Entry 7030
Supposed tuh break any habit prakly [practically]. See, in de fo'k of de road where de road come tuh join dataway [demonstrates], or eithah cross data- Way [demonstrates] yo' go an' yo' git dat dirt. An' use it wit blue di'mond, whut dey sell at de drug sto', git John de Conkah, an' put dat in a airtight bottle. An' if de man have a habit of drinkin', or anythin' dat way, dat's de end of dat. Git some dirt in de road... [I interrupt].
(What do you do with that stuff in that bottle then?)
Jis' leave it stay shet up an' put it in de house where he live, 'custom [accustom] tuh live at.
(What is this blue diamond? What is that?)
Yo' git it from de drug sto'. It's lak dis steel dust, sompin lak dat.
Entry 7031
Ketch a frog an' put a pint of whiskey on a live frog an' de frog dies. [A small frog is squeezed into a bottle, whiskey poured on him, and the bottle corked up. I believe there is a simi- lar example of this frog treatment in Hoodoo.1 When de frog dies on de Viskey - it ain't goin' tuh hurt nobody - it'll make 'im sick. Jis' call a certain person, dat who all drinks so heavy, an' let 'im drink about two drinks off dat. Well, one drink, a good big drink off dat frog, an' den he won't nevah drink no mo' - have no mo' appetite fo' whiskey no mo'.
Entry 7033
Well, yo' git de left of a goose eye [the left eye of a goose], take it outa his haid, strain it intuh a bot- tle [containing whiskey] an' let 'im drink offa dat unbeknownst tuh 'im. Dat'll stop 'im from drinkin'.
Entry 7034
Yo' take dat an' airtight it, yo' see. An' yo' wan'a hurt anybody, yo' airtight dere watah good an' put it - yo' put three pennies down in de grave [to pay the spirit] yo' see, an' po' [pour] it [urine] down dere [in the hole with] yuh watah an' dose three pennies an' close it up. Dat's in ordah tuh keep yuh from drinkin', takin' strong drinks.
Entry 7035
[If yo'] wuz a drunkard an' drinks a lotta whiskey. Well, jis' lak if yo' drink whiskey an' ah wants yo' tuh stop, ah wanta stop yo' from drinkin' so hard. Well, yo' take any ole part of 'is cap or 'is shoe an' yo' carry it an' bury it in de graveyard, an' let it stay in dere fo' nine mawnin's. An' den come an' git it an' burn it up, an' dat'll stop 'em from drinkin' so hard.
(After you burn it, you don't bring those ashes back?)
Yo' git de ashes, bring 'em back an' put 'em in de yard.
(Stop me from drinking.)
Drinkin' so hard.
Entry 7036
Yo' take a man dat's been drinkin' all 'is days, or if yo' take dat [man] ain't bery long started, it easily done. But one dat's drinkin' all 'is days, most of 'em drinks whiskey or drinks [hard liquor]. De way she do 'im when he come in evah night - evah night when he comes in she goes tuh work an' clip off 'is, git 'is hair down dere.
(His private hair.)
His private hair, an' a li'le from 'is haid an' mix it tuhgethah. Den she takes dat an' puts it in a li'le bit of whiskey an' she keeps dat fo'.three days aftah she do it. Git dis li'le bit of hair an' takes dat fo' three days an' keeps it. Den she buys den a halfa pint of othah whiskey an' po's hit intuh dis whiskey, an' let 'im drink dat, an' he'll slack up on dat whiskey. Maybe he drink, perhaps it be fo' days, but it won't be ovah fo' days 'fore he come in, "Ah b'lieve ah'll slack up drinkin' whiskey, ah sho' do think it's takin' 'fect on me."
Entry 7037
De root of holly bush, an' yo'll boil dat root - dat holly bush root down. An' if he don't drink nuthin lak tea or coffee where yo' kin mix dat wit, yo'll compoun' dat root up, yo' see, right fine, where yo' kin put it in 'is food an' he can't pertect [detect] it. An' dat's one [way] tuh stop 'is bad habit - hababitchal [habitual] drinkah. Take dat holly bush root an' ground it up. Now, if yo' boil de root an' put de juice intuh sompin where he won't pertect it, it's all right; but if yo' can't - he pertect it dataway - yo' grind it up fine an' put it [in his food].
Entry 7038
Yo' kin git de blessed watah from de Cath'lic Church, anybody; but dey don' give it tuh yuh tuh do dat. Dey give it tuh yuh fo' tuh use fo' yuh own use; anything yuh wanta use it fo', yo' see. But ah did heah dat anythin' yuh ask... (Well, now, how do you use that blessed water, if this man was a heavy drinker?) How would ah give it tuh 'im?
(Yes.)
Oh, yes, when he's might ask yuh fo' a drink a watah, an' den yuh put some a dat blessed watah in dere, an' call In de Name of God, de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Spirit, hopin' dat he would quit drinkin' so hard. An' in dat way - dat's all dere's tuh dat.
Entry 7039
Mah husband's a heavy likkah drinkah but he don' drink now see. He don' drink now becuz ah broke him of dat. Now, yo' have tuh ordah dis. Dey call it cinnamon bark. Dat's all ah evah known, dat ah evah did [for a heavy drinker]. An' it made as a tea, but chew cain't give him de reg'lah cinnamon bark. Well, yo' go tuh de [she could not think of blacksmith, if she knew it] - yo' know where did man fix horseshoe. Well, yo' gO an' GIT CHEW A LI'LE PIECE WHERE HE TRIM OFF DE HORSE HOOFS. YO' CAIN'T GIVE 'IM MUCH 'CUZ IT'S DANGEROUS. Yo' may git chew a piece, well say 'bout large as dis pea. An' yo' boil dat cinnamon bark an' dis heah horse hoof tuh- gethah, an' yo' strain dat an' put it intuh a extra li'le bottle. An' den when dey drink dat, drink coffee or tea, well yo' have tuh take a teaspoon; yo' know, jes' lak dey measure thin's as a medicine. Yo' take a teaspoon an' take it half full an' po' it in 'is coffee, where he cain't taste it, an' let 'im drink it an' he'll finely he nevah drink no mo' whiskey. Mah man a drinkah an' ah broke 'im from it.
(Well, you must know.)
Entry 7040
If he a heavy drinkah - if a man a heavy drinkah, yo' git chew a king snake. See, a king snake about dat size [demonstrates]. Aftah yo' kill de king snake, yo' take his haid. An' yo' take de tip end of 'is haid an' yo' boil dat down. Boil it down tuh a medicine-lak, jis' about dis much, tuh put in a vial. An' aftah he goes tuh drink - he might drink wit chew. An' aftah he drink wit chew, yo' put about dis much of dat lik- kah in de whiskey. An' aftah he taste dat, he won't drink no more. Make him sick fo' 'bout twenty-some [twenty-one?] days. [The king snake of the southern United States of America is called king because it kills other snakes. Actually it lives chiefly on mice and rats.]
Entry 7041
If he's a heavy drinkah, when yo' be ministratin' yer third day - yo' be ministratin' - yo' take yuh three drops; an' if yo' go four days, de fourth day yo' git choo four drops. An' put it in some whiskey fo' 'im an' shake it up good. When yo' puttin' it in dere, well yo' put two needles in dere [but chew take de needles out], say[ing], "Ah'm puttin' dis in here fer tuh stick intuh yer whiskey drinkin' hard, tuh stop yuh from drinkin'." An' yo' take de needles out an' yo' give it [the whiskey] tuh 'im an' it'll make him sick.
Entry 7042
Yo' take dem li'le bitta minnow fish. Yo' see [you have seen] minnow fishes. Yo' take dem minnow fish an' git chew some whiskey an' let 'im [minnow] stay on it about two days. An' po' it [whiskey] off an' give it to 'em [man] an' he puke his entrails loose. An' he won' nevah take anothah drink. [The word entraiZs instead of guts is either false modesty, sheer habit, or respect for the white man. Fortunately this type of respect did not occur often. For other fish in this subsection on ALCOHOLICS, see preceding mar- gin titles CATFISH, FISH and following margin title MULLET.]
Entry 7043
Take anybody who's a bad habit of drinkin' an' yo' know, lak yo' wanta try tuh break 'em from drinkin', dey tell me yo' kin ketch three li'le minnows yo' know, an' put 'em in a bottle of whiskey an' let 'em die in dere, an' den give it tuh dat party, yo' know, who's a bad drinkah, who cain't do wit'out it. Give it tuh dem an' dey'll stop. Dat stop 'em from drinkin'.
Entry 7044
Ah hear'd a woman say yo' take - go tuh de sto' an' git chew some fresh mullet fish, an' yo' take an' yo' split dat fish. Don' put de bone part in it, [use] de meat part. An' put it in a pinta likkah an' let it set all night. An' de nex' mawnin' she give him dat likkah an' it make him so sick he wouldn't wan' any mo'. Dat would stop 'im.
Entry 7045
Take a fish - take a mullet fish tail an' anybody drinkin' likkah... (A mullet fish?) Yes sir, take de tip end of de tail, an' take a black string an' tie it roun' dat tail, an' put it in a bottle of whiskey. An' let it set all night an' let it 'solve [dissolve] an' take it out. An' anybody git a drink of dat, dey won't drink any mo - stop 'em from drinkin'.
Entry 7046
Git nine rusty nails an' soak 'em in a short pint of likkah nine days. Den take dose nails out an' strain dat likkah an' give it tuh 'em tuh drink. He'll nevah drink anothah drop. Ah'll guarantee dat, cuz mah uncle, dey broke him wit it. HE WUZ 80 YEAHS OLE. (He was 80 years old when they broke him?) Yes sir.
Entry 7047
Den yo' kin take de 65th Psalms an' read dat continly [continually] fo' dem, an' dey'll gradjly [gradually] slow down from drinkin'.
Entry 7048
" Of it he drink likkah, don't chew know, yo' could jis' take de Bible, an' read de 69th Psalms about five times, an' jis' contin'ly [continually] read it, don't chew know, an' say, "Lord, ah hope he'll stop: In de Name of de Fathah, Name of de Son, an' Name of de Holy Ghost. An' he'll stop. An' yo' continue tuh read dat mawnin' an' night an' he'll stop. He'll leave it off.
Entry 7049
(How do you do that?)
Yo' kin even make 'em stop drinkin' whiskey.
(How do you do that?)
Now, yo' know a man dat drinks whiskey. Yo' take a man dat's a heavy whiskey drinkah, when he comes home, if he drink anythin' lak coffee or tea, or anythin' lak dat. Yo' go tuh 'is shoes, when he come in at night, an' take any dust - some dust off of one of 'is shoes. See, yo' jis' take de dust off of any shoe yo' git off of 'is foot. An' take dat dust an' powdah it. Powdah it up good an' fold it in a piece of paper, an' let 'im sleep wit dat undah 'is pillow. Evah time he come, whethah he come in sobah or come in drunk, take it away where - wrap dat good an' put it undah 'is pillah, an' let it stay undah 'is pillah fo' nine days. An' aftah it stay undah 'is pillah fo' nine days, yo' take it an' take dat same dust an' po' it intuh any drink dat he drinks - whiskey or gin or anythin' an' dissolve it an' mix it well. Jis' drop it in, jis' a li'le particle of dust on dere, from any one of 'is shoes. An' let 'im sleep wit dat undah 'is head fo' nine days, an' po' it in 'is drink. An' ah'll bet if yo' continue doin' dat - if dat don't give him de natchal [natu- ral] effect de firs' time, use it on 'im ag'in. An' ah'll bet dat he'll - it'll stop 'im from drinkin'.
Entry 7050
Trim [scrape] his feet up from yuh [his] toes an' also scrape yuh nails an' boil it [together]. Den boil some money wit it, two fifty cents [2 half-dol- lar pieces, formerly of silver] an' let 'imdrink it. Cos' [of course]yo' have tuh slip it tuh 'im [disguise it], lak a tea. Yo' have tuh kinda [do this secretly]. [They] say dat'll stop 'im from drinkin'. (You scrape [from] the bottoms of his toes back to his heel. Then you scrape your fingernails; then take the two pieces of silver money.)
Entry 7051
Break yo' up completely from drinkin' whiskey. All right, yo' go in de woods an' ketch chew a snail, an' put 'im intuh a pint or half a pint of whis- key, an' shake him until all dat slime come off 'im. When it come off 'im, yo' remove de snail from de whiskey an' den give it tuh whosomevah yo' wanta stop drinkin'. An' dey won't nevah drink whiskey no mo'.
Entry 7052
Yo' take his right sock an' put it in coffee an' take de coffee an' give it tuh 'im, an' dat'll stop 'im from drinkin'. (Stop him from drinking liquor.) Yessuh.
Entry 7053
A woman could take her watah or chamber lye an' put it in a man's coffee or anythin' lak dat, if he's a bad likkah drinkah, an' he'll quit off right den; won't know whut's de mattah wit 'im tuh cuz 'im - he'll think he jis' quit it.
Entry 7054
De wife'll take de sage tea an' put it in a quart of watah, an' boil it down to a half a quart. An' she'll take some of 'er urinate, de amount of dat about half a teacup, an' po' dat in dere. An' sweeten it wit sugah an' syrup, jis' a li'le syrup, an' den yo' go tuh eat, dey'll po' some of dat in yer coffee. But chew don' know it. An' den dat'll turn yo' ag'inst whis- key, 'cuz evah time yo' drink it, it'll make yo' sick an' yo' can' keep it on yer stomic.
Entry 7055
If she take his watah, chamber lye...
(The man's?)
Dat's right, but it have tuh be his wife.
(His wife would do this?)
Take his chamber lye an' stop it up in a bottle but don't bury it. Keep it concealed fo' nine days, an' aftah nine days yo' take dat bottle an' po' it on de sundown side - aftah yo' stopped it up in de bottle. An' he would have no taste fo' likkah or any othah strong drinks - no mo'.
Entry 7056
Yo' have tuh git a young chile's urine. See, an' git some, lak if he loves tuh drink wine. Well, yo' know he loves tuh drink dat wine. When he comes home tuh dinnah - but it has tuh be a woman chile. See, a kid nine, six or seven yeahs ole. An' yo' make her urine in a bottle an' yo' take... [author interrupts].
(Must it be a girl?)
It must be a girl, an' yo' make her urine [urinate], yo' know, in a cup or somepin; but chew mustn't let yer fingahs touch nowhere. Yo' know whut ah mean, jis' [no] mo' den tuh po' it out in de bottle, yo' see. An' yo' give him some. Po' dat urine in dere an' den yo' git some likkah, wine, an' mix dat tuhgethah. See, an' when he drink dat, dat jis' make his stomic upset. An' evah time he go tuh drink dat, give him dat. Well finely it weahs off an' he cain't stan' it. See, it makes 'im sick. [Algiers, La., (1590), 2989:3.] [Informants call these rites tricks (Nos.7081, 7086, 7091). They are one of many methods for capturing a person's spirit, the very essence of hoodoo, always dangerous for the believer. Nowhere has a time limit been set to the spell, ex- cept the return of the spellcaster (almost all rites). Thus the sleeping victim could burn up, if the house caught fire (No.7086). Similar keeping-asleep rites scattered through the interviews of Hoodoo will add greater variety to the mate- rial presented here.]
Entry 7057
Ah heard a woman say dat 'er husban' did 'er dataway. Said he taken a broom, got de broom out de cornah an' laid it aside huh, wit de broom part whut chew sweep, up de side of 'er haid. An' say he went down tuh 'is mothah's an' stayed till neahly day, an' come back an' she didn't wake up until he moved dat broom. Ah heard about dat.
Entry 7058
Take de broom, de sweepin' broom dat she sweep de flo' wit, an' push it up undah 'is haid an' he sleep right dere. Or eithah 'er bloomahs. [Some- where in Hoodoo I have already discussed the sweep- ing broom, a few rites later on called a stick broom or straw broom. There were also varieties of the ancient besom, especially for the old-fashioned fireplace.]
(Where would she push that broom?)
Undah de baid he's layin' [on] 'neat' 'is feeth [a slip of the tongue?]. Push it up undah dere. [She lays the brush part of the broom at the foot of the bed so that the outward handle extends the length line of the bed. The bushy part she then pushes up under the bed until it lies below his head.]
Entry 7059
She'd take huh brum dat she'd sweep uh flo' wit, an' she'd take dat brum - jis' lak if yo' sleepin in dat baid, see, she take huh brum an' she'll lay dat brum cross de haida [head of] yuh baid, undah de bottom on de flo'. An' yo' cain't wake up until she come in [come back from wherever she has been].
Entry 7060
Ah tell yo' now - jes' lak a woman wanta go out, a very jealous husban' don' wan' 'er tuh go. Well, de thing she would do, go tuh bed wit 'im. Well, she know 'bout how hard he sleep. Honeys 'im up uatil he go tuh sleep. An' den ease up vury easy, an' jes' ease a stray broom cross 'is feets, an' ease on out de do'. An' he'll sleep right dere till she come back. An' not so [if not that way], she could hang 'uh bloomahs on de haid of de baid.
Entry 7061
Ah heah dat a woman kin take a broom an' lay a broom at de foot of de baid, an' put 'er bloomahs above yore haid an' do anythin' she wanta - yo' won' notice it - an' go on out. Heard of 'em fixin' dat. (At night?) Yes sir, at night.
Entry 7062
Put de stick-broom 'cross de baid 'fo' [before] yo' goes, an' he'll sleep until yo' git back.
Entry 7063
Take yer broom an' jis' lak yo' turn it upside down an' go out chure house an' stay all night, yer wife or nuthin nevah know nuthin 'bout it.
Entry 7064
If de man lay down an' go tuh sleep an' dey want chew tuh stay dere, dey take two broomstraws an' cross 'em. Put 'em cross yo' an' yo'll stay dere. (Stay asleep. Where do you cross them?) Jis' take 'em an' lay 'em up heah lak dis heah [demonstrates]. Cross 'em dat way when yo're [you are] asleep... [A stop. Cylinder change.] (That would keep a person asleep. So if a woman wants to go out at night, her husband wouldn't wake up if she put two broomstraws [crossed over] him. That the idea?)
Entry 7065
Take fer a' instan' now. Yo' got a wife an' she wan'a go out - choo leor, tuh be wit anothah man, or go out somewhere. She don' wan' choo tuh wake up befo' she come [back]. Yo' layin' down dere asleep. She'll jis' take one of 'er [under] pieces of 'er drawahs, or somepin right nex' tuh uhself, yuh know, an' take it an' spread it ovah yuh face right while yuh asleep. An' yo'll jis lay right dere an' sleep an' dream, an' yo' wouldn't wake up fer de devil, until she come an' take dat thin' from ovah dere. She kin go on off an' stay long as she Want. BUT YO' MUST BE ASLEEP BEFO' SHE PUT IT OVAH DERE. [RichmOnd, Va.,
(343), 383:1 0r 286:1+86.]
Entry 7066
If she wan's tuh git out'a de house, an' don' wan' 'im tuh wake up, she go ahead on in de back. Well, yo' know, quite natchly how women are. She'll git dere in de back an' he's in dis room sleepin'. An' she'll go in de back room lak she's doin' somepin. She'll go on tuh singin'. She'll go tuh singin' some ole song, an' she's combin' 'er hair whilst she's singin' dis song. See. Aftah she gits through combin' 'er hair, she'll git 'er soap an' thin's. She's goin' tuh wash. She's goin' tuh powdah 'erself up. She slip on 'er undahweah an' thin's, clean, yo' know, but still an' all, she'll keep on dat dirty top-piece, until she seen 'er chance tuh git 'im asleep. Now, when she gits ready tuh go, she's got on evahthin' but de dress. Huh hair's all fixed an' evahthin'. She take an' she take 'uh undahweahs, which is uh bloomahs or uh step-in - whatevah yo' call it. She put dat ovah 'is face. She put dat ovah 'is face an' she leave dat stay dere. An' she take an' she covah 'im up, but she covah 'im up tuh here [demonstrates].
(Up to his neck?)
Up tuh his neck, see.
(With the bedclothes?)
Wit de bedclothes. But she's got uh bloomahs in 'is face. See, she's not tryin' tuh smothah 'im or nuthin 'cuz she - if she put too much or put it too heavy on 'im, it would smothah 'im. But she jis' got it where he kin, yo' know, breathe right through dat, yo' undahstan'. Well, now, as he breathin', his eyes, he's already asleep, but 'is eyes git heaviah. An' as he breathes, his heart[?] gits mo' sleepiah. Den he'll sleep dere until she comes in, if it's de nex' mawnin', when she come in. Now, she kin walk out de do' lak nuthin'. She don' have tuh sneak out. She kin walk out de do' jis' lak if he wasn't sleepin'. When she come in, she kin come in de same way. Well, she takes off uh clothes, an' she gits intuh bed, an' she take dat offa his face. Now, when she take dat offa his face, she kin shake him all she wan' tuh. He ain't goin' tuh hardly wake up. She'll git yuh some watah, cold watah. An' when. she git dat cold watah, she put it right backa his neck, an' she'll wake him up.
Entry 7067
If a woman got chew an' she wanted to make a date wit another boy frien', why - an' she can't git out to him, she will wait some night till yo' git to sleep. An' she will take her undahskirt - take her drawahs off first - an' she will lingah, be around to find out if he is asleep. An' if she finds dat chure sleep, why she de piece - take it an' put it ovah 'is face. Take her un- dahskirt an' spread it - take her undahdrawahs lak dat, spread it lak dat ovah yer head an' de bed. Yo'll nevah wake up if she stayed out till fo' 'clock de nex' mawnin'. Yo' nevah know it till she git back.
Entry 7068
(What do they say about that?)
Well, she'll take her - she takes 'er bloomahs whut she weah. If he's asleep, well she'll hang 'em right up ovah 'is head, or lessen or not, she'll lay dem right across 'is face. An' dat keeps 'im asleep. He's - he'll be dere until she comes back.
(I see.)
Entry 7069
She do somepin tuh keep 'im home, so he won't want tuh leave dere.
[Here is a new purpose for bloomers over his face!]
(What will she do to him?)
Well, dis is mighty funny.
(That's all right, anything you want to say. I've heard lots of funny things.)
He lays down in de baid lak he goin' tuh sleep. She comes an' lays down in de baid tuh go 'sleep. An' she pull off 'er bloomahs an' jis' take 'em an' spread 'em ovah 'is haid, an' let 'em lay ovah 'is haid awhile. See. Den 'fo' he wake up, she'll take 'em off. She might let 'em stay on dere ten minutes, but he won't wake up till she take 'em off - lay right dere sleepin'. Den she taken 'em off. She'll use 'em lak dat awhile. An' aftah awhile maybe she fixes de pillah. May- be she put it undah dere, or a dress dere de same way. An' when she puts demdere lak dat, why he jis' keep layin' off from goin' anywhere. He go limpah an' limpah until he jis' git so he don't want no more dere [away from home]. An' he don't go nowhere.
Entry 7070
Whilst he be sleepin' an' she wanta go out, she jis' take her drawahs an' put 'em ovah 'is face while he be's sleep, an' he sleep right dere sound as a door-nail until she come back. He stays sleep an' he won't wake up ontil she take dat drawahs off 'is face.
Entry 7071
Say yo' should - jis' like if yo' wanted to have a date wit a man, why yo' take yore petticoat an' spread it ovah yore husband's face. An' yo' go out an' do whut chew wanta do, an' den come on back an' yo' take it off.
Entry 7072
Take a pair of 'er bloomahs, don' let 'em be washed, an'.when 'er husban' lay down, if she kin ease dat ovah 'is face, she kin go off an' he be dere when she come back.
Entry 7073
De dirty things. Well, yo' kin take yore undahweah, whut chew weah close to yo' - sompin lak dat. Dey say, yore slip, or yore step-ins. An' when he be asleep jis' lay it 'cross 'is face, an' he sleep till yo' come back.
Entry 7074
Dey say yo' kin take a woman's step-ins an' spread.it ovah 'is face, an' he'll lay dere an' sleep until she go where she wanta an' come back an' take it off.
Entry 7075
If a woman wants tuh go out - go off an' put a man tuh sleep when he lays down - she'll take her bloomahs off an' spread 'em ovah 'is face. Den she'll git out an' go on a car an' stay all night long. He'll lay right dere an' sleep.
Entry 7078
Why yo' would take yore bloomahs or eithah yore shimmy an' yo' would put dat on yore husban's face - put it ovah 'is head. Den yo' would back out de do' an' as yo' back out, yo' would repeat, "Stay sound asleep," fo' nine times backin' out.
Entry 7079
If he's runnin' out, tuh take her bloomahs an' dip it in a pan of watah, an' wring it out an' wave it ovah him three times. (Over his head?) Yeah, ovah 'is face an' hang it on de head of de bed. Take a sheet an' spread ovah de bed, most anythin', an' hang de bloomah fur 'nuff ovah 'is head so he can't pull 'em off.
(Is he in the bed all the time she is doing that?)
Yes, he's jis' lyin' dere 'sleep. He jis' didn't wanta git up yo' know. It make him he wouldn't wanta git up.
(That will make him stay asleep?)
Yeah, make him stay asleep. She kin go off where she please an' come back.
Entry 7080
Or eithah yore dirty bloomahs an' hang 'em ovah de haid of de baid right ovah 'is haid. An' fan it nine times dataway ovah 'is face while he's sleep an' make a wish, fo' nine times. Make a wish fo' nine times dat he stays asleep. An' den hang 'em up ovah de haid of de baid right ovah 'is haid. An' he won' vake up. Yo' kin go all ovah town an' come back, an' he be sleepin' sound.
Entry 7081
Ah had a girl one time. Ah wus ovah in Lockenberry den an' ah wuz quite a kid. Ah reckon ah wus 'bout 18. She's a fast woman yo' know. Ah didn't make no money 'en jis' give it tuh 'er jis' as fast as ah git it, yo' know. Well, she figured 'cuz ah bein' young an' drinkin' a lotta whiskey, undahstan', she figured ah might ketch 'er in wrong-doin' an' kill 'er, don't chew see. Cuz some time ah'd follah 'er don't chew know. So she worked a trick on me one night. An' ah wus lucky enough fo' de boy in de nex' room tuh wake me up 'fo' she come back in. But ah wuz hard tuh wake up. Ah could heah 'im talkin'. Looked lak ah wus half drunk, an' ah hadn't drink a drop. So dis boy he come in an' jis' kept acallin' an' acallin' me. So aftah while ah woke up. An' when ah come tuh mah senses, he says, "Look up. Don't look at me, look up." So ah looked up lak dat right at de haid of de baid. Dere wus 'er bloomahs hangin' ovah mah haid. So ah wus jis' layin' up dere sleepin' lak a [dog or] frog wit 'er bloomahs hangin' up dere. So ah took it. So - he wus oldah den me, yo' see - so he tole me, said, "Well, now, yo' jis go put it back up dere an' lay down an' don' bothah, an' make lak yo' don' know nuthin 'bout it, undahstan'." An' say, "An' de nex' time she pull dat trick," Say, "ah'm goin' watch her." An' says, "If yo' be asleep, ah'm goin' take it from ovah yore haid an' let yo' go out an' ketch 'er." So dat's whut she done to me, put de bloomahs ovah mah head.
Entry 7082
Ah 'sperienced dis mahself. Me an' anothah girl fren' of mine wus home one night an' a boy come dere. Jis' lak ah stay heah an' she stayed nex' do', but she wus married. Well, mah girl fren' went ovah dere 'bout eleven 'clock one night an' knocked tuh 'er do'. An' when she did she wus home an' 'er husban' wus home. Co'se he wus asleep but she wus awoke. An' den she came tuh de do' an' ast 'er whut she wanted. Says, "Well, dere's a fellah ovah heah tuh our house wanted tuh see yo'." She say, "Well, tell 'im ah'll be ovah dere in a minute." So she came back home an' tole 'im. So he waited dere an' in a few minutes she came back ovah dere. Den we got in de cah an' we went out chere tuh de bar- becue stand an' got some barbecurin' whiskey. An' when we came back - we stayed out dere 'bout two or three hours. Well, aftah we stayed out dere, why den we came back. Well, it's been den roun' about one or one-thurty ah'd say. Well, ab didn't say nuthin tuh mah ole lady 'bout it, but dis man jis' lef' 'er den. Den we went on back an' den me an' 'er went tuh bed. So about two or three mo' days she tole mah ole lady. At least ah ast mah ole lady, ah say, "How'd she git 'way from 'er husban"thout 'im sayin' nuthin tuh 'er all night?" Seemed like she'd come back an' den waked 'im up. An' den so she say, "Ah'm goin' ast 'er." So she ast 'er. An' when she did, she say, well, she put 'er girdle ovah 'is haid. An' she say he nevah will wake up. Ah tole 'er, "Don't chew nevah put nuthin ovah mine, dough."
Within the informant's story, a woman is reported to have put her girdle over a man's 'haid'; the narration and the woman's reported action remain separate.
Entry 7083
Her las' piece whut she weah - yo' know, her drawahs. An' if yo' wanta go out, yo' git 'er drawahs unbeknowst tuh 'er. Yo' kin set 'er drawahs right tuh 'er haid of er bed on de mattress, see, jis' where she can't see it, an' yo' kin go out an' stay till in de mawnin', she wouldn't wake up. Won' wake up till yo' come an' 'move dat cloth. (And you spread this underneath [no, on] the mattress, where she can't see it. But you use her [instead of his] drawers?) Yes, use her drawahs.