Browse:FOLK MEDICINE (Volume 4, entries 6524–7262)/Part 8
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 7084
Lay down wit 'im. All right, she ain't goin' tuh sleep yo' undahstan'. She pull off 'er undahweah right nex' tuh 'er private, see, an' jis' hang it right up ovah 'is haid. He goin' sleep right dere till she come back an' wake 'im up.
Entry 7085
Ah've heard of - if a woman got a husban' or a sweetheart an' he's wit chew at night, an' yo' wanted tuh go out an' he'd go tuh sleep, yo' kin take yo' garment, de piece yo' weah nex' tuh yo', an' hang it on de haid of de baid right ovah where he sleep at, an' he'll sleep right dere until yo' come back.
Entry 7086
Now, yo' take quite natchel if right tuhnight mah wife wanta make a date, yeah, out yondah. Ah wus sleepin' heah. If ah know how tuh tie her down, from - tuh keep 'er from gwine yo' know. Money an' likkah an' - dat ruin' 'em yo' know. If yo' find a woman drink likkah an' loves money, dey'll go - put chew tuh sleep an' go. Well, all right, she kin commence. She kin ketch me layin' in de sleep. She kin go tuh work an' take her undahclothes, jis' 'er bloomahs an' spread it ovah mah haid, an' ah'll sleep heah 'itll she come back. De house could burn down an' ah nevah Wake up. NOW, DAT'S JIS' A LITTLE SIMPLE "TRICK: Ah have see women try dat. De husban' didn't know anythin' atall about it, yo' see.
Entry 7087
If a woman wants tuh stay out all night an' 'er husban' is in de baid, befo' she leave she take her bloomahs an' put it ovah 'is haid. An' if she gon'a stay where she Wanta stay, stay all night, he'll nevah wake up 'till she come back.
Entry 7088
It wus a woman, a [something] woman bein' wit a young girl an' she wus actin' as a man. An' she would take her [girl] home an' put it [some article of clothing] ovah de haid of 'er baid an' be wit dis girl. An' den when she would finish whut she wus doin', she would take 'em down an' de chile would wake up de nex' day's time. But de girl didn't even know she wus bein' wit 'er, but she wus sickly an' weak. Ah wus at de [next door house] when ah heard dat.
(Well, what did this woman do? What did that other woman do?)
She wus actin' as a man wit de girl, bein' wit 'er, yo' know, an' it wus 'ginst de chile's health. De girl wus ill.
(Were they white or colored?)
Dey were colored. [I have forgotten the name my contact man Edward Bufford called these women. It may be somewhere in Hoodoo. In any case, he had a theory that education made homosexuals of women! They did not want to marry uneducated men!]
Entry 7089
Well, now, lak dis heah. A bunch of girls wuz settin' down talkin' one time an' ah asked 'em, ah says, "S'posin' yo' wanted tuh go out an' be wit anothah man an' yore husban' didn't wan' chew tuh go or somepin othah lak dat, yo' couldn't git off, huh?" She said, "Oh," said, "dat's simple." Ah said, "How would yo' do dat?" She said, "Well, he'd go tuh sleep an' ah'd take mah bloomahs off an' hang 'em ovah de top of 'is haid, " an' she say, "he'd sleep right dere till ah git back." Ah said, "Well, have yo' evah done dat?" She said, "Well, sho', ah've done dat many time, git out an' git wit anothah man an', ' says, "he sleep right dere till ah git back an' ah come an' take dem bloomahs an' wake 'im."
Entry 7090
When yo' sleep, [she] take off 'er bloomahs an' spread it ovah yore haid while yo' sleep, an' yo' won' wake up till she git back.
Entry 7091
Co'se now, a man is a uncomfortable man dat do it. I haven't heerd a man [doing it], but a woman, she kin go tuh work an' she wanta put 'er husban tuh sleep. An' she kin git up an' throw off 'er nightgown an' hang it up ovah de haid of de baid, right down ovah 'is haid. An' den she kin go on out an' come on back in, an' he would nevah know until she take dat gown down an' wake him up. He would nevah wake up.
Entry 7092
["To keep man asleep, woman throws her drawers over head of sleeping man." My reduction of longer statement to a note soon after collection years ago. H. M. H.]
This is the collector's reduction of a longer statement, not a verbatim informant quotation. It places the drawers over a sleeping man's head and reports an intended effect.
Entry 7093
Well, take yore undahweah whut chew weah daily. Jis' lak yo' got on yore undahweah now an' he jis' ovah dere sleep. Yo' hang 'em up ovah dere haid. Jis' put it right ovah dere haid lak dat. Den yo' turn ovah, lak yo' goin' wake 'em up. YO' CAIN'T WAKE 'EM UP LESSEN' YO' TECH 'EM.
Entry 7094
Take yore bloomahs, yore dirty bloomahs, if yo' wanta keep 'im asleep, an' lay dem Ovah 'is haid. YO' DON' HAVE TUH JIS' LAY IT OVAH 'IS FACE. JIS' LAK YO' GOT A TABLE OR SOMPIN DERE, JIS' LAY IT OVAH DE HAID OF DE BAID WHERE HE SLEEPIN' AT, OVAH IS HAID.
Entry 7097
Well, a boy wuz goin' wit me, but 'im an' 'is buddy boy slept tuh- gethah. Well, any time ah wanta have intahco'se wit 'im, sompin lak dat, if ah kin be in de baid wit 'im, ain't but one thing yo' gota do. All yo' gota do, take yore step-ins an' take de seat an' put it cross 'is nose. He'll nevah take 'em off till yo' take 'em off ag'in.
Entry 7098
A woman if she wan' 'er husban' tuh not wake up while she's gone, jis' befo' she git ready tuh go, she hang aroun' an' dress an' all lak dat, an' she keep on 'er bloomahs whut she has on all day. She take 'em an' lay 'em, de seat of 'em, right cross 'is nostrils. An' SHE KIN GO OUT AN' STAY LONG AS SHE WANT, OR SHE KIN TAKE A MAN RIGHT IN DE BAID SIDE OF 'IM AN' HE WON'T KNOW ANYTHIN' ABOUT IT. Ah heard dat.
Entry 7099
Ah heard dat if a woman wants tuh go out aftah not 'er own husban', an' wants tuh keep 'im tuh sleep, take her britches an' put 'em right cross 'is nose whilst he's sleep. Jis' put 'em right cross 'is nose an' he'll stay dere. She kin go off an' stay from nine a'clock until two a'clock. He'll sleep right on dere, won't nuthin bothah 'im. Said she could be right back an' he wouldn't know nuthin 'bout it. Dat's whut ah heard about dat.
Entry 7100
Dese shorts whut he weah, yo' know, is real sweaty an' musty yo' know, an' when she asleep, lay 'em right by 'er nose where she kin inhale de scent, an' she wouldn't nevah wake up till he came back. [St. Petersburg, Fla., (1007). 1627:9.]
Entry 7101
Take her skin piece, right next tuh 'er skin, an' hang it right ovah 'is haid an' let part of [it] drap right cross 'is nose heah. An' he'll be right dere until she come back an' move it.
Entry 7102
[When he go to sleep, she jis' take 'er underweahs what she wore all that day an' whilst him laying down there put it - the seat of it - right cross his nose like that.
Entry 7103
An' den too, ah know a man de way he did 'is wife, when he'd wanta go off tuh see 'is sweetheart, yo' know. He'd go tuh work an' he'd weah 'is undah- clothes yo' see, fo' prob'ly a Week, an' 'im an' 'is wife would go tuh bed an' she wouldn't even know when he git outa de bed. He'd go tuh work an' he'd take his han's an' put 'em undah 'is arm an' roun' in 'is private, an' put it cross 'er nose lak dat. An' take dem drawahs an' put ovah 'er face. An' he could go an' stay till day de nex' mawnin', an' she wouldn't wake up until he come an' move 'is undahclothes off 'er bed. Ah've known dat tuh be true.
Entry 7104
Ah've been heah evah since de llth of Septembah anl ah declare dat's all dey do do's. Take yore step-ins or yore bloomahs an' put undah de pillah or spread it ovah dere face, an' dey'll nevah wake up until de nex' mawnin'.
(You put it either over the man's face or under his pillow, one or the other.)
Entry 7105
Put 'er undahclothes undah 'is pillahslip, or bloomahs or sompin lak dat intuh 'is pillahslip, undah 'is pillah where he sleep on, or eithah hang up ovah de head of de bed, makes 'im sleep.
Entry 7106
An' den eithah yo' kin take yore othah piece an' stick it undah yore pillah an' go out, an' when yo' come back, take it out an' he'll wake up.
(Under whose pillow do you put it? Under his or under your own?)
Undah his'n.
(And he'll stay asleep until you get back.)
Entry 7107
Take her bloomahs an' lay it tuh yore haid, right down dere on yore pillah, an' yo'll sleep lessen she come back [and take it away].
Entry 7108
['Put her dirty shimmy under man's head under pillow to keep asleep.']
[My note of a rite, probably one missed by transcriber - H. M. H.]
Entry 7109
If she wants tuh stop 'im from runnin' aroun' wit anothah woman, when he's sleep in de night, take her panties an' put it undah 'is pillah, undah 'is head, an' dat will stop 'im from runnin' aroun'. An' he sleep over dat all night an' he stop runnin' roun' den.
Entry 7110
Sho', jis' take yore shimmy whut chew weahs. When he drops tuh sleep, yo' in de bed wit 'im, pull off yore shimmy an' turn it on de wrong side, an' hang it, lay it right cross 'is haid. An' he won't wake up till yo' come an' take dat shimmy from off dere.
Entry 7111
She takes 'er undahpiece nex' tuh 'er skin an' hang it right up ovah de bed, turns it wrongside out. Turn dis part ovah dis way [demonstrates] an' dis part hang down in 'is face. (Let the lower part hang down near his face.) He'll sleep right dere until she come back.
Entry 7112
Take 'is hat an' lay it up undah de bed bottomside upwards, an' dey'll [he will] sleep dere until she comes back.
Entry 7113
She can pull off her gown, anything [she] sleep in next tuh you. She can take that an' fold it up an' lay it on your [a man's] breast [and he will continue to sleep until she removes it].
Entry 7114
Ah've heard of them taking their pants an' getting behind the armoire an' hanging 'em up, hanging them up by the legs.
Entry 7115
[As an example of the difficulties attending the arrangement of mate- rial in Hoodoo, please notice that the following shoe rites, quite a long list, could have been put under subsection SHOES, Nos.5087-5205, pp.2758-2781, vol.3 to Nos.5206-5302, pp.2801-2818, vol.4. Moreover, there are many other shoe rites in Hoodoo unlisted among the preceding num- bers.] Ah've heard dat chew take a person's shoe an' put it up ovah dere haid. Jis' tie it up ovah dere haid an' dat person will sleep sound until yo' went anywhere yo' wanta go an' return.
Entry 7116
Now dere's two things about dat. Dey tell me dat she kin take de piece, dat she weah nex' tuh 'er skin, an' put it ovah 'is face an' he'll sleep right dere until she come back. Now, dey tell me dat dey kin take yore shoes an' git right at de foot of de bed, an' tie 'em dis way [demon- strates] toe to toe. Jis' lay dem lak 'e weah dem but...
(Toe to toe.)
Yes sir. (And that will keep him asleep while she is gone out.)
Entry 7117
Yes, ah have heard of dat, too. Say, if she wanta git out - jis' lak she wanta git off. An' she take his two shoes an' tie dem tuhgethah an' hang 'em ovah 'is haid, an' put 'is two pants laigs ovah 'is haid. Dey say he wouldn't wake up. (What do you mean, tie his shoes together?) Jis' take his two shoe- strings an' tie a knot in it an' throw 'em cross de haid of de bed. Yo' takes 'is pants an' straddle dem cross de haid of de bed, an' put one laig on one side an' one on dis side; an' put one shoe on one side an' one on de othah. An' dey say dat would keep 'im asleep.
(Make him stay home while she's gone out?)
Yes. She would take an' take 'em by de laig an' hang 'em up. Jis' lak if he wuz tuh be bad about runnin' roun' an' she would take 'em an' hang 'em up on de foot of de bed an' hang de part, yo' know, dat fits on 'er, she hang dat right ovah de place where he supposed tuh sleep. An' let it hang dere fo' five or six nights an' dat would make him stay home. Ah know a lady dat do dat now.
(Well, she doesn't let them [stay] there while he's there in the day?)
See, she waits till he goes tuh bed an' den she hang's 'em up. An' dey tell me, while - whenevah she got 'em hangin' dere, he can't go no place. An' den whenevah she hang 'em dere fo' a certain numbah of nights, he don't wanta go.
Entry 7118
Take yore shoes an' turn 'em upside down right where yore bed is at. Yo'll put dat shoe in de groun' an' she'd put yo' in bed - yo' goin' tuh come dere an' go tuh bed, go tuh sleep. An' she'd git up dere, yo' won't wake up 'till she wake yo up. She kin git up any time of night she want, an' go where she want, an' come back an' yo' jis' sleepin' - can't wake up.
(Does she bury both shoes?)
One, yore lef'-foot shoe.
(Does she bury it in the ground or put it under the bed?)
Nope, she bury it in de ground, yo' know, right where de bed at; yo' know, lak dat. An' turn it upside down an' put dat shoe in de ground, see.
(She'd have to get under the house then?)
Yes, sir, she'd git undahneat' de house an' put dat dere right where de bedat.
(I see.)
Entry 7119
Ah've heard people say yo' could put 'is shoes undah de bed an' turn 'em bottom upwards. An' long as dose shoes is bottom upwards, he'll lay dere an' sleep until she comes back.
Entry 7120
Take 'em an' turn 'em down while dey sleep. (The shoes?) De shoes, an' dey cain't wake up until yo' turn 'em back up.
Entry 7121
(This is to make the man sleep while she's gone out.) Take his shoes an' take 'em an' turn de top down undah de haid of 'is baid, an' he'll sleep until she go an' come back an' moves dem.
Entry 7122
Yo' could take de lef'-foot of any- body's shoe an' turn it down, jis' lak yo' wanta turn a trick, an' yo' be sleepin', why yo'll sleep right dere till dey do whut de wanta an' come back.
Entry 7123
Yo' could take a person's shoe when dey sleep or anything, an' if yo' Wanta slip out - yo' could take de lef'-foot shoe an' turn it upside down.
Entry 7124
Turn person's left shoe bottom upwards an' lay that under bed. Won't Wake up.
Entry 7125
Left foot shoe [his] bottom up- wards under middle of bed. When [she] come back, turn shoe upwards [again].
Entry 7126
How, tuh keep 'im asleep while she's out at night, take his lef'-foot shoe an' turn it down undahneath undah de head of de bed.
Entry 7127
Dey kin use a shoe dis way. If it's in yore house an' if yo' wants tuh put a person tuh sleep, yo' take de lef'-foot shoe an' turn it down right at de haid of de bed, an' dey'll sleep dere clean until yo' move dat shoe. Yo' got a chance tuh do anything in de world tuh 'em an' dey cain't wake up.
Entry 7128
If yo' wanta make a person sleep, yo' kin [get] outa de bed from 'im while he's sleep. Yo' take his shoe, jis' only one. Take his lef'-foot shoe an' ease it down, an' turn it bottomside upwards right undah de side of de bed where he sleep on. Turn it bottomsides upwards undah dere. Yo' has a chance tuh go anywheres yo' wanta, 'cuz he's not goin' wake up 'long as dat shoe is turned bottom upwards.
Entry 7130
Take the [his] left foot shoe an' turn it up[side down] on his side of the foot of the bed an' he won't wake up.
Entry 7131
Yo' want anothah woman. Jis' lak yo' runnin' a roomin' house an' got roomahs in dere an' yo' an' yore wife in bed- room goin' tuh bed, an' yo' wanna git up an' go in de othah room an' don' wan er to wake up. Yo' take 'er shoe an' put it right undah de bed an turn it upside down, lak mah hat [demonstrates] right undah 'er where she's layin' dere. An' she can't wake up until yo' go wake her up yo'self. Yo' kin go out, kin dress an' stay out till daylight, an' den come back home an wake her up. Dat woman, she won' wake up till den.
Entry 7132
(What do they do about that?) Dey [women] take his 'ef' shoe an' turn it bottom up, put it right up undah 'is head - yo' see, lak up undah de bed. Well, yo' take dat lef' shoe of his'n an' yo' turn it right up undah 'is bed bottom upwards, an' he'll sleep dere until yo' come back.
(I see. If the woman wants to go out and run around?)
Yes, sir.
Entry 7133
Take the [his] right shoe an' turn it upside down until she come back. Keep him asleep.
Entry 7134
Git de right-foot shoe an' any piece he weah nex' tuh 'im - his undahclothes-lak. When dey go tuh sleep, take dat piece whut he weah nex' tuh 'im, an' put it ovah 'is face. An' take his shoe, de right-foot shoe an' turn it down. He'll continue sleepin' dere until dey go an' take dat from ovah 'is face an' turn 'is shoe back up straight in de night.
Entry 7135
If a woman's gittin' ready tuh go out, if she got sense, she'll lay on de bed wit 'er husban'. She pulls off 'er clothes an' while he's not lookin', she'll take and place her undah- weah undah 'is head. She'll take an' place her undahweah undah 'is head, an' he'll lay dere an' go tuh sleep an' he'll nevah wake up. Den she'll take his lef' shoe an' TURN IT DOWN IN UNDAH DE BED, AN' SHE KIN GO TUH HELL AN' COME BACK.
(And she must put the underclothes under his pillow - under his head?)
Her undahclothes undah 'is head.
(Under the pillow or under his head?)
Undah 'is head. Put 'er undahclothes undah 'is head. It kin be, as long as it's undah 'is head, she kin even put it undah de sheet. Yo' know, she put it somewhere where he can't see it.
(Oh, I see.)
Entry 7136
She'll take 'er drawahs an' pull 'em off whut she had on an' put 'em undah 'is haid; take her right-footed shoe an' turn it bottom upwards undah de foot of 'is baid, an' take his lef'-footed shoe an' turn it bottom upvards. An' he'll sleep dere until she come an' wake him up. (Where does she put his shoe?) Jis' turn it bottom upwards undah de baid. Put 'is shoe, one tuh 'er foot an' one tuh 'is, right side by side undah de bed.
(But she puts her drawers under the pillow?)
Ease it undah 'is pillah.
(And what would happen then?)
He jis' sleep.
Entry 7137
Yo' could take one of 'is shoes an' turn it down jis' somewhere at de side of de bed, an' den he sleep a long time. An' a woman kin take her skin- piece an' put it up ovah'at dis end of de bed, jis' hang it up ovah dere. Dey'll sleep sound lak dat.
Entry 7138
Ah tell yo' whut a woman kin do. Jis' lak if 'er an' 'er husban' gone tuh baid an' she wanta step out, she'll git up an' she'll take his shoe, turn 'em bottomside upwards in undah de foot of de baid. See, he cain't wake up until she come back an' turn dem shoes ovah. Den a man kin - he kin, jis' lak if he wan's tuh go out an' leave her dere asleep, all he's gotta do, jis' git up yo' know an' take his pants off or some of 'is drawahs, yo' know it's dirty, an' hang: 'em ovah de top of de baid ovah 'er haid dere, an go on off about 'is business. An' she won't wake up until he come back an' move dem things.
Entry 7139
Wal, dey take de lef' of yo' shoes an' turn it bottom upwards on any kinda piece of bo'd, an' nail it bottom upwards. An' dat's de way yo'll be, jis' lak dat shoe. (How is that?) Becuz de shoe is bottom upwards. Why when yo' turn dat shoe bottom upwards, feet up an' de - in dat way yo'll be down. De only way yo' kin be right is pull dat nail out an' turn dat shoe back up.
Entry 7140
Take a person's left shoe when he goes to sleep, hold over his nose about 10 minutes. He won't wake up.
Entry 7141
Take man's shoe an' pass over his face, then hang on bed; then her underwear pass over his face an' hang over bed.
Entry 7142
She'll take the left foot shoe an' jis' pass it over his face three times an' put it down...
Entry 7143
Ketch a man asleep an' take yore right-foot shoe an' carry it ovah 'is face nine times. An' yo' kin go on where- evah yo' wanta an' come on back, an' he won't wake up until yo' come back. (How do you put that shoe over his face? Show me how you do that.) Jis' lak he's layin' perhaps on 'is back. Yo' take yore shoe an' yo' turn it. Yo' know, maybe it smell inside of it, he inhale dat. Yo' jis carry it ovah 'is face lak dat [demonstrates].
(In a circular motion.)
Nine times in a motion, nine times.
Entry 7144
Turn person's shoe upside down an' leave on chest or stom- ach. Keeps him asleep.
Entry 7145
Tell yo' whut dey do wit yore shoes. Lak if yo' go out an' stay out late at night, or sompin lak dat, an' dey wanta keep yo' home. Dey don' wan' chew tuh go out too much at night. Or if yo' layin' down sleepin' an' dey wan chew tuh sleep soun' an' don' wan' chew tuh wake up, take an' put some black peppah an' salt in de shoe, an' turn it bottomside upwards an' put it undah yore bed - both de shoes.
Entry 7146
She'll take his shoes an' turn 'em upside down...take his hat, pin it [up] over his head.
Entry 7147
Turn de shoes bottoms upwards - his shoes. (Where?) Well, jis' lak he's pulled dem off an' gone tuh bed, she take 'em an' turn 'em bottoms up - turn de' sole up an' de top down. Say dat'll make him sleep until she come back.
Entry 7148
Turn yore shoes upside down, if yo' tuh bed. Turn yore shoes upside down an' walk on out, an' yo' won' wake up until he come back an' turn de shoe ovah.
(Do you use both shoes or just one?)
Use both shoes. Put it crossways lak dat [demonstrates].
(On top of each other crossways.)
Entry 7150
She take the left shoe off his foot...she turn it upside down under- neath the bed, an' then take his sock an' lay it across that shoe [making the shape of a cross]; either one of the socks, but she got to take that left foot shoe.
Entry 7151
Jis' take de shoe an' turn it down...den take an' turn his pockets wrongside out.
Entry 7152
If she gwine out - mean if she goin' tuh 'er girl fren' - dey kin jis' turn yore shoe upside down an' turn de toes undah de bed, an' he won' wake up till she come back.
(He turns his shoes upside down?)
Dat's right, de man's shoes.
(Both shoes, both pointed under the bed.)
Undah de bed.
(He won't wake up until she gets back?)
No, no!
Entry 7153
Dey tell me dat de women kin - 'fact a woman tried it on me - take her shoes an' turn 'em right undahneath de head of 'er bed, an' put a half a dollah undah each shoe, an' go out an' stay out, den come in, an' yo' won' know it. Yo' won' wake up until she come back an' move 'em.
Entry 7154
Take both 'is shoes an' turn 'em undah de head of de bed, upside downwards, fo' an' aft. (How do they turn them?) Foah an' aft. (That's the toe, one. And the heel?) Dat's right. Heah's a toe an' heah's a toe. See, dats de way. Undah de head of de bed. (Toe and heel, and heel and toe?) [Shoes are together upside down facing opposite directions.] Dat's right, an' he cain't wake up until she come back an' turn 'em up. An' he kin go an' do her de same way, if she's got low quartahs or top.shoes. But if she's got top shoes, dose high-top shoes, yo' have to put de tops undah, fold de tops undah, yo' see, so dey'll set straight. Jis' put 'em undah de head of de bed.
Entry 7155
Home at night? Take yore shoes, turn one tuh de head an' de othah back tuh de foot; yo' know, jis' de opposite ways, yo' see, wit sugah in each one of dem shoe, an' sleep lak dat. Tie one knot in 'uh undahskirt or 'er chemise, whatevah she has, an' sleep until she returns. She jis' has tuh keep it on, de one she has on. (Put one shoe with the toe pointing to the head and one to the foot. You put the shoes upside down, together, or one at the foot and one at the head?) Upside down, one at de head an' one at de foot. Set 'em nex' tuh each othah right in a row, right foot at de head of de man; one fo' de head an' one fo' de foot.
Entry 7156
After he's gone to sleep, look, she takes one of his shoes an' turn it to the head [of the bed] an' the other one to the foot, see, tying three knots in her underslip, an' he'll sleep there until she return back an' re- move those shoes.
Entry 7157
Heard 'em say dey kin take dere shoe from de right foot an' turn it up by a do', an' if dat person 'sleep, he'll sleep dere till yo' remove dat shoe 'fo' he wake up.
(You turn it up by the door?)
Yo' have tuh turn it up on de flo' facin' at de do' on de side.
(You turn it upside down?)
Yes sir, like dat.
(The right-foot shoe?)
Yes sir, an' say he will sleep until yo' remove dat shoe.
Entry 7158
Now, dat goin' in devilment trick. A woman takes yo' stockin' an', if [she] do dat 2 or 3 weeks, she take yo' stockin' an' she'll put it - no dis heah 'er stockin' whut ah'm tryin' tuh explain now. Ah ain't heard about 'is stockin' but 'er stockin'. She'll take dat an' she kin put it aroun' yo', roun' where yo' wouldn't know it's dere. An' den she'll take den 'er piece dat nex' tuh 'er, somewhere next tuh 'er skin, an' she'll put dat ovah yo'. An' yo'll sleep den, right on den, an' she kin go out an' do any kinda business she wanta, an' yo' won' wake up. DAT JIS' DE SAME AS MORPHINE YO' KIN TAKE IT.
Entry 7159
Well, ah heard dat yo' could take yore sock, if yo' wants tuh git out anywhere at night wit'out yore ole lady knowin' it or somepin lak dat. Or if she Wants tuh git out wit'out yo' knowin' it. Well she takes 'er stockin' an' while yo' sleep, she puts it ovah yore nose, see, an' yo'll nevah wake up until she come back an' move dat stockin'.
Entry 7160
Sock - kin take a sock. A SOCK FER TRUE HAVE COME DOWN FROM HISTORY. If yo' kin take a stockin' an' if a person is asleep - has plenty of money - yo' kin take it an' lay it, yo' sleepin', an' heah: s yore nose heah, an' yo' kin lay it right dere in fron' of yore nose. AN' YO' KIN TRY IT ANY TIME YO' WANTA, AN' YO' WOULDN'T WAKE UP. Ah kin be right dere when yo' woke up. Well ah been out de house, done been evahwhere, an' ah'll come back an' yo' sleepin' right on. An' den ah'll come dere an' take dat sock, an' soon as yo' commence drawin' long breaths, ah'll remove dat sock. Look lak yo' sawin' inside - look lak a saw. Minute dat sock is gone yo' don't heah dat. Reckon ah'll shake yo' an' wake yo' up, but ah done got whut chew got an' gone wit it. Done carried it somewheah, but ah wake yo' up. Me an' yo' lay down tuhgethah. Yo' couldn't sweah ah took it. Well, yo say dere's nobody else in de house but us two. How could it be gone? Well, if yo' didn't know, [who knows]?
Entry 7161
Well, dey always say, dat if a man asleep an' yo' wan' 'im tuh sleep till yo' come back, take yore [his] dirty socks an' hang 'em ovah de head of 'is bed an' he sleep till yo' git back. Take one of 'is dirty socks, de right foot, as neah as yo' kin see. Yo' kin see how de toe is printed in de sock. Yo' take dat sock an' yo' hang it ovah de head of de bed.an if he sleepin', he sleep till yo' come back.
Entry 7162
Well, she could take her undahweah an' jis' put it up ovah de head of de bed. Or eithah take a sock - her stockin', yo' know, a dirty stockin' an' tie three knots around it - like he's layin' in de bed, see, an' jis' lay it right cross 'is neck. AH (She takes her dirty stocking, and it has three knots in it, and puts it right around his neck?) Jis' lay it right ovah 'is neck [demonstrates]. (She puts the three knots right on his throat, and just lays it right over his neck. And he won't wake up until she gets back?) Until she gits back an' unloose de stockin'.
Entry 7163
Dey kin git de footbo'd or de headbo'd at least an' come an' put it undah yore house an' yo' can't wake up. (You can't wake up? Why would they put that under the house to keep you asleep?) Dey put yo' tuh sleep lak de dead man is. (Why would they put you to sleep? What was their idea of doing that?) De idea tuh put chew to sleep, den yo' nevah wake up.
(Oh, this is to kill you.)