Browse:FOOT TRACK (Volume 4, entries 5301–5797)
FOOT TRACK
Volume 4, entries 5301–5797. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 5301
He kin take de inside sole of a woman's shoe an' burn it - burn it into a powder. Beat it up fine an' git chew some Heart Cologne an' peppermint candy an' melt it, lak yo' use a syrup, melt it, take dem things an' mix up in dat, an' git chew some red peppah an' wear it in yore shoes. Why he will git 'er back.
Entry 5302
If a woman would wear a man's shoes - jes' lak IF MAH WIFE WUS TUH BE PERMITTED TUH WEAR MAH SHOES, dat, DAT WOULD PREVENT ME FROM 'SOCIATIN' ROUN' WIT OTHAH WIMMIN. In othah WOrds, SHE WOULD HAVE if she WOre mah shoes. If she wuz allowed tuh wear mah shoes, why she could manage me mos' any way she wants. In othah words ah'd be subject tuh her powah, if she's allowed tuh wear mah shoes. DERE'S SO MANY SUPERSTITIONS ABOUT DAT, DEY [MEN] WON' ALLOW DERE WIFES TUH WEAR DERE SHoES. [Sumter, S. Car., (1374), 2436:7.] [This is the sixth and last subsection of SWEAT, one of the functions of the physical human body. The following rites once presupposed tracks largely made by bare feet which left sweat and odor in the soil. For this reason, some of these rites will also be found under section MuRDER in volume 4.]
Entry 5303
Ah heard sompin on dat line. Dey say yo' could take an' git chew Adam- an'-Eve root an' High John de Conkah, see. An' git chew some Hearts Cologne, dis [just a] little - called Hearts Cologne - an' take an' put dis heah root on dis. An' evah time yo' git ready tuh go out wit - git close tuh 'ah [her] enough, in conversation somewhere, an' let 'ah [her] git de scent of dat. An' if she come anywhere about chew, pick up 'ah tracks see, an' put 'em in a bag yo' undahstan'. Take an' put 'em in de sack yo' see an' take an' bury 'em undah de cornah of yore house, an' dat will keep 'ah love. Dat will make hah come dere all de time. Jes' stay right roun' yo'.
Entry 5304
See, heah, when yo' go an' find a red ants nest, dey make a big - jes' a kinda hill of sand aroun' it yo' know, a ants nest. Well, jes' lak if anybody in dis town dat chew want dem tuh leave heah fo' good an' nevah return no mo', yo' pick up dere lef' track from de toe an' bring it back, an' put it in dat ants nest, an' dey'll go. Dey won't nevah come back heah no mo'. (They put the left-foot track from the toe to the heel into this ants nest, and that will make them move and leave town.) Well, ah nevah have tried it mahself - whut ah heah othah folks talkin' 'bout it. If a person knowed anothah one an' didn't lak 'em so gūd [good], well dey'd want 'em stay home [stay away]. Well he watch where he walk through in sand. Well, when 'is back turned he'd go an' git a little sand out dere. Well, he'd go den tuh a little ants hole an' put dat in dere, see. Well dat ants, dey jes' totin' sand all de time, see. Well he'd [ants] git holt of dat, keep totin' dat. Well, dat person he'd leave home, he jes' keep goin' all de time, from one state tuh 'nother. He can't let 'im stay home none at all.
(You take the sand from either of my tracks?)
Dat's right.
Entry 5305
Whut ah know about separatin' yo' husban' from yo' if yo've jis' tied up a man, sompin lak dat. Yo' kin jis' take his right foot track. Yo' see, it's leavin' yo' an' sometime as he go out tuh de do' an' yores when yo' is comin' back away from it. Yo' scoop up 'is right foot track right in de middle, yo' see, an' den yores as yo' turn back tuh go 'way from him. Yo' scoop up yore left foot track. An' yo' take dat an' carry it tuh a red ants' bed - big red ants' bed - an' yo' tell dem red antses, say, "Separate I an' him, I an' So-an'-so, 'In de Name of de Lord, dat we'll nevah have anything tuh do wit each othah any mo'.'" An' ah do know dat tuh be true.
(That is all you do, just put these tracks in that....)
Put dem tracks tuhgethah - jis' take it in yo' a little piece of papah or sompin, yo' know, dat chew won' waste it. An' yo' take it tuh dis red ants bed an' jis' sprinkle it as yo' talkin' tuh 'em.
(That's all you have to do for that?)
Dat's all yo' have to do wit dat.
Entry 5306
[HERE WE HAVE A TRIPLE WALKING-AWAY RITE: foot track itself suggest walking; graveyard dirt under the house drives person away; and ant dirt keeps a person running about like ants.] Dem ants - de dirt outa a ants bed an' a person track an' graveyard track. (Graveyard what?) Graveyard track. (Dirt, you mean?) Yes. Well ah'm talkin' about dirt. An' throw it up undah de house an' dat'll make dat person move - or will run 'em outa town.
Hyatt frames a triple walking-away rite in an editorial note. The informant distinguishes ant-bed dirt and a person's track, says 'graveyard track', and confirms dirt after the interviewer's clarification. The placement under a house and departure claim are reported, without treating every use of 'track' as dirt.
Entry 5307
Well, if ah wus wit a man an' me an' him disagreed an' couldn't git along, why ah'd take his track. Reach an' git it, pull it tuh me. Take it a certain time of de day, not latah den ten a' clock - not latah den ten. At ten a'clock in de day ah'd go tuh a ants bed, take me some gunpowdah an' put it in dat ants bed, an' take a match an' set it afire. Well, when dat scattah, he'd be gone.
(What do you do with his foot track?)
Take dis gunpowdah an' dis track all mixed tuhgethah.
(You didn't tell me that, you see.)
Yes sir, yo' mix it tuhgethah an' yo' set a match tuh it, an' it blow up. Well, jes' lak dat smoke goin', dat fellah goin' de same way.
(You must blow this up in a ants bed?)
Yes sir.
Entry 5308
She could take his track an' she'd care [carry] it - take his track an' she'd care it tuh a ants bed, see. She'd ketch it in de middle, in de mid- dle of de foot, see. Jes' one track, yo' right foot. Dey would take it an' take jes' dat much sand out frum [from] undah his feet [demonstrates]. (Just a pinch.) She would take it an' care it an' put it in an ants bed, an' put some lard wit it an' place it intuh dat ants bed an' leave it dere. An' de mo' dem ants would stir it up, de mo' he'd go. He'd leave town.
Entry 5309
Dey take a man's track an' put a little grease mixed up in it. Go tuh a red ants nest an' put it in dere. Jes' lak dem ants is runnin' an' gwine, it will jes' have dat man jes' all stirred up all de time. But ah ain't nevah tried dat.
Entry 5310
Tuh separate a man an' his wife or sompin lak dat, dey said yo' take up dere tracks. If yo' want de man tuh come tuhwards yo' an' yo' want de woman tuh go from yo', yo' take de man track from de heel comin' tuh de toes. Pull de heel dat way, see [demonstrates]. An' de woman, yo' take dat sand at de toe an' pull it - take it from yo'. Dat [is] if de man wuz yore husban', an' yo' break him from anothah woman dat way.
(What do you do with that dirt?)
Yo' take it an' put it in a big ants nest. Dat's whut dey tell me, put it in a big ants nest. An' when de ants take it an' bring it out, an' carry it diff'ren' ways, dat's tearin' de min' [mind] apart, cuz one ant's comin' disaway an' de othah one comin' de othah way. Dat will jes' tear dere min' apart.
Entry 5311
If yo' wan'a git rid of 'em, don' wan' 'em come back tuh yore house, yo' take up dere track, de lef' foot track, an' carry it tuh a big ole - where a lota big ole red antses 'bout lak dat. Ah heard dey said yo' could take an' carry it dere an' put it intuh dat ants bed. Yo' have tuh go fo' nine mawnin's an' drop a little bit of dat track intuh de ant bed, an' den yo' really sure dat dey will not come back. Said dey will not come back.
Entry 5312
It's anothah thing. Yo' could take one dese great-big ants. Yo' kin Spot [easily see] it, yo' know. It ain't none dese little-size ants, [it is] one dese heah run by hitself all de time. Yo' take one dem an' git de middle of somebody's track, if yo' wants tuh run 'im 'way. An' yo' put it intuh a bottle. An' put dat ants in- tuh it an' carry it tuh de rivah, an' throw it ovahbo'd an' it will run 'imcrazy.
(How many ants do you put in that bottle?)
One, jes' one. Yo' ain't goin' see but one. Dere jes' be one by itself all de time.
(What color is it?)
It's kinda brown-spotted lookin' ants, 'bout de colah of dat shade up dere.
Entry 5313
Dey take yore tracks an' dey don't pick it up from yo' - [I mean] dey don't pick it up tuh yo', dey pick it from yo'. Pick it from yo'. An' dey take yore track an' put it intuh a jar. An' den dey says dey take it an' dey takes some antses, red antses, an' put dat in dere an' stop it up. An' aftah dey stop it up, dey takes it an carries it tuh some runnin' watah, an' cast it intuh de runnin' watah an' dat'll start chew tuh goin'. See de idea?
(Now what do you mean they take this track up from you?)
Take it up from yo' lak dis [demonstrates].
(You start at the heel and take it up like that. Both tracks?)
Take it up from yo' - jest one, dat's de right track. Dey put nine big red antses intuh yore track.
Entry 5314
Well, yo' take a person track. Yo' put a person track wit salt, black peppah an' yo' put it down in dat dirt daubah's nest - ah mean dat antses nest. An' dem antses goes - yo' see dem antses goin' in an' out of de nest. Dey be goin' an' totin' dirt an' stuff. Dey be totin' dat stuff an' dey be wavahin' [wavering] jes' lak dat [demonstrates]. It will keep 'em on a wave jes' lak dat goin' an' comin'.
Entry 5315
Yo' kin take a person's track - take yore han' an' ketch it from de toe an' bring it tuh de heel. Put some salt an' red peppah wit it an' some sul- phur. Mix it up very good. Take it tuh a ants nest an' po' it in dere an' make yore wish In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an Holy Ghost, an' dey'll leave.
Entry 5316
Ah git yore lef'-feet track an' yore frien' lef'-feet track, take it tuh a ants nest... Ah would take some red peppah an' some black peppah an' some salt, an' call de person name, an' throw it in dere. An' he'll [the ants will] tote it evah bit out. An' when he git through totin' it evah bit out, why yuh an' yore frien' will have a big row, an' yuh'll have tuh leave yore home.
Entry 5317
Yo' take dis dirt from de track an' mix up some sugah wit it, an' den yo' fin' a ant bed. Yo' evah see dose big red ant beds? Well yo' put it in dat ant bed. Fix dat dirt all up in dat red ant bed an' - ah mean dirt. Well, aftah dose ants is workin' on 'im, dey keep dat party goin', keep 'im goin' from one place tuh anothah. Red ants, now. Not dose black ants. What ah call dese big red ants.
Entry 5318
Pick up de track an' mix sugah wit it an' put it in a ant bed. An' evah time dem ants git tuh workin', dey work dat track up an' stuff. Don' care where yo' is yo' gotta go.
(That is to send you away?)
Yes sir.
(You mix sugar with that track?)
Mix sugah wit it, so de ants goin' work it. Yo' know de ants goin' be aftah de sugah.
Entry 5319
Now yo' take a red ants bed. Yo' kin take sugah an' a person track an' carry it an' put it in dat ants bed an' make yore wishes. If yo' wanted 'em tuh love yo', dey'll love yo'; an' if yo' want 'em tuh go, yo' kin fix it an' make yore wishes an' dey'll go. Mix it up wit dere track, wit sugah. Dat sugah's gotta eat up [penetrate] all dat sand though whut chew take up, an' see, dem ants will tote dat sugah intuh dat hole. An' when dey eat dat sugah out from dat track, he go, too; if yo' want him tuh go. He [ant] goin' throw dat sand out an' when he throw dat sand out, he [man] gone.
Entry 5320
Ah heard dat yo' could take a person's track an' drop it in a bed of red ants an' dose ants would come. An' dey [you] take little bit.of crumbs of dat [track] an' roll dat. Jes' roll dem crumbs an' put 'em intuh dat track an' drop dat track, an' tell dem ants tuh take it an' go away evah which way. Don't care whut dey do wit it, it wouldn't do de person any good, 'cuz dey'd [they would] have tuh go an' dey'd be always goin'.
Entry 5321
Mah husban' an' ah weren't gittin' along so good, an' somebody tol' [me] how tuh git rid of it. Take his lef' track. Don't pull tuhwards yo', pull goin' from yo'. An' git a red ants nest, dese great big ants. Yo' git dis track an' yo po' it in dis ants nest. An' den, if [you] wan im tuh go away, yo' tell tuh go away. Or whut- somevah yo' wan' 'im tuh do, yo' talk tuh it.
Entry 5322
Well, git his track - git nine track comin' tuhwards yo' an' git it an' put it wit some red ants nest - in de red ants nest, an' some salt in it. An' stir it roun' an' talk tuh de red ants an' tell it whut chew want done, work an' all, an' he'll come back. (That is to bring the man back? You get nine tracks as he is coming toward you?) Yes.
(Just one track right after the other, I see.)
Entry 5323
" An' take a apple, a large-size apple, an' bo' a hole out of it. An' in bo'in' [boring] de hole out of it, pick up de hollah track [hollow or center of the track] of a person's feet. An' yo' kin carry it tuh a rivah or stream an' throw in. Dey'd leave. (What do you do with that track as you pick it up?) Take it an' put it in de hollah of dat apple, where yo' cut de hole out, an' place de top back on dere. An' throw it in de rivah an' don't evah look back. An' de person will leave home.
(Put the top on the apple again and throw the apple into the water?)
Yes.
Entry 5324
If yo' know it's yore husban's track - yo' see 'im when he make dat track [as he leaves home], she kin go däh [there] an' git de dirt out de hollah of 'is feet. Jis' pull de dirt back tuh 'er out de hollah dat feet ovah de heel. Bot' of 'em. An' take it home, yo' know, an' put it in a bag, an' put some salt wit it - nuthin but salt. Make de bag strong enough, an' wah [wear] it right undah 'er right ahm. An' dey say he'll come back, straight back home.
Entry 5325
Dat is about a girl, yo' know. Take dis girl out yondah [yonder] an' yo' wan'a go wit 'er. Yo' kin take huh track an' take a teaspoon fulla de sand outa huh track an' a tea- spoon fulla sulphuh an' a little ball of asafitidy. An' tie it up in a black cloth an' put it in yore pocket, an' weah it in dere fo' 'bout nine mawnin's - eithah seven mawnin's. [They] say she'd come tuh yore house. But yo' jes' keep it in dere de ninth mawnin'. But [they] say aftah seven mawnin's yo'd make good wit 'uh. An' jes' weah dere until de ninth mawnin' an' yo'll have 'uh den.
Entry 5326
Dey kin hurt chew wit yore foot track.
(How would they do that?)
How would dey do it wit yore foot track? Dey kin even take up de dirt dat wuz undah yore foot tracks. Bring dat dirt up an' put it an' keep it dere in a place. An' dey could put a little ashes on yore - on dat dirt. An' dey take dat an' dey'd have yo' so yore feet would take de eetch [itch].
(That all they'd do?)
Oh, yeah. Dey take it from dere. Dey gotta git dat ashes at de full of de moon. See, if dey git dat ashes when de moon is weak, it won't do yo' nuthin. (Well, what do they do with that ashes [and] with that [track]? Then what do they do?) Stop it up. Dey got'a stop it up. Dat's goin' tuh give yore foot de eetch. Dat's when dey wan'a fix yuh so yuh can't walk.
Entry 5327
Git chure track - yes, git chure foot track an' take an' bottle it up. An' den [they] say yo' back back nine steps, an' den turn roun' an' make three wishes. Say an' yo' make dem three wishes, den yo' handle 'em lak yo' want. (You can handle them anyway you want to. What do they do with that bottle?) Dey takes an' puts chure track in dat bottle.
(Yes, but what do they do with the track then in the bottle?)
Back back nine steps.
(No, what will finally happen to that bottle?)
Say dat bottle will turn purpole [purple] an' say dat will start tuh workin' in dere. It'll start tuh workin' in dere. An' say yo' should make nine wishes [instead of former three]. Yo' make nine wishes an' whatsomevah yo' wish, it vill [happen]. Keep bottle sewed up in pillah [pillow].
Entry 5328
Dey take yore foot track an' put it in a little bag, see. Throw it in derivah down de stream de way de rivah run. An' fur as de rivah carry dat, why yo' would go dat distant. Yo' would have tuh leave dat place wheresomevah yo' wus at.
Entry 5329
Ah heard of a person kin be walkin' along an' a person kin take yore track, an' put it in a papah bag or eithah sew it up in a rag, an' carry it tuh rmnin' watah an' put it in, an' it'll cuz dat person tuh go - jes' keep goin'.
Entry 5330
Dey kin take de foot track an' put it in a bag an' throw it in runnin' watah, an' dat'll make 'em have a ramblin' mind an' leave from away [leave away from here] - continue tuh travel.
(Either foot track?)
De right foot track.
The informant describes taking a foot track, bagging it and throwing it in running water, then specifies the right foot track in reply to a question.
Entry 5331
Take yore foot tracks an' put it intuh a bottle intuh some quick- silvah - use a black bottle - an' throw it over yore [shoulder] intuh de rivah... as long as dat bot- tle drift, yo'll drift, too.
Entry 5332
Dey take mah, yo' know, pick de dirt up. Ah'm walk- in' dis way an' co'se ah wuz told dat dey pick de dirt up of me goin' dis way [demonstrates].
(From the toe back to the heel.)
Yes, pick mah dirt up lak dat. Well, ah wuz told it wuz put intuh a red flannel cloth an' throwed intuh runnin' watah - BLACK RUNNIN' WATAH.
(Why black?)
Ah don' know about dat.
[This is my only example of black running water.]
(What did they do that for?)
Well, dat wuz tuh make me jes' travel an' wandah.
Entry 5333
Ah heah talk of 'em usin' yore foot track fo' keepin' people 'way from yore house. Now, if a person come tuh yore house an' yo' don' wan' 'em tuh go dere no mo', yo' take de dirt from right undah, aftah he leave, take de dirt from undah dere. (From either foot?) Yessuh. An' put it - bury it in a bottle, a li'le vial about lak dat [demonstrates], an' put some black- snake root in it an' bury it undah yore do'steps. An' he won' come dere no mo'.
Entry 5334
[For another rite of blowing foot track, see later margin title DEVIL'S SNUFF.] If yo' kin be roun' de bossman an' pick up 'is lef' foot track - but grab dat track from de heel tuh de toe, an' grab yore own track from de toe tuh heel, but try tuh git - an' tie dat up intuh li'le bottle an' wear it on yore lef' side. An' den go on an' talk wit man fo' a job. Take dat bottle out an' [demonstrates].
(Blow on it - three times - rub it down your face.)
Yes, an' go on tuh 'im. He give yo' a job.
Entry 5335
I used to hear my father say they would take up sand from out of your track and put it into a bottle, and put some chemicals in there. Then they take it and put it underneath the doorstep and put this vial in there and cover it up. Then they proclaimed they were cun- juring the missus and master. [For bottle, see also pre- ceding margin title BLACK BOTTLE.]
Entry 5336
Yo' kin take up de track of a person, de hollah of de track of a per- son's feet, an' sew it up in sompin an' shet it airtight. An' dey will nevah rise, neithah fall, jes' be at one model stage. Ah have seen some people do dat.
Entry 5337
Ah know if yore man wus tuh go off - ah know dat if yo' git 'is track an' put it in a bottle an' throw it off, he won't come back. But if yo' wan 'im back, why yo'd use de ban' out 'is hat.
Entry 5338
Dey kin take yore foot track an' put yo' tuh walkin'. An' yo' take yore lef'-foot track an' put dat in a bottle an' stop dat bottle up. An' dey kin add a prayah outa de Sixth and Seventh Book of Moses, an' write it an' put it in dat bottle wit dat dust, an' dat'll make yo' wandah away from home.
[After I had stopped machine, informant adds something about burying bottle.]
(You say they bury this bottle?)
Yes, sir. Dey'd wan' chew tuh go away from home.
(Yes?)
[Since I could not understand how burying the bottle could send the person away, I say Yes? = continue.] Dey'd bury dat bottle p'intin' dat way.
(Pointing away from home?)
Yes.
(Away from the house, I see.)
To the east.
(Have it pointing to the east?)
Yes.
(I see. All right.)
Entry 5339
Well, yo' see, jes' lak if ah's walkin' across de street - yo' know, if ah wanta do yo' a injury, ah'd go dere an' ketch chure track, dig it up an' put it in a bottle an' pee on it, an' put salt an' peppah, an' jes' stop it up an' bury it in de groun'. An' dey pine away. Dey wouldn't live but a few mo' months aftah dat.
(What foot tracks do they pick up? Both of them?)
No, jes' one, de left foot.
Entry 5340
(You take both tracks or one?)
No, take up de lef'. Yo' pick it up on a shingle [demonstrates]. When yo' pick it up say, "Go."
[I describe demonstration.]
(You take it from the heel to the toe.)
Dat's right. See, yo' pick it up jes' lak yo' walkin'. Pick it up right from de heel on down to de toe, lak dat.
(Then what do you do with it after you pick that dirt up?) When yo' pick it up yo' say, "Go." (Well, then what do you do with the dirt?)
Den yo' take it an', if yo' got a vial, an' put dat in de vial. Fasten it up, carry it home wit chew. Jes' long as yo' keep dat - well, yo' kin jes' keep it. He gon'a keep on till he wandah on off - wandah off from home, jes' long as yo' keep dat, tellin' 'im tuh stay off.
(When do you pick up this track? When he's coming to your house?)
Yo' pick it up lak if he's goin'.
Entry 5341
Yo' put 'em tuh ramblin', see. Well, now, heah's whut ah mean by dat. Yo' takes a fresh hen aig see, an' hit will be jes' fresh laid. An' wheresom- evah yo' transfah [walk] at on de natchal [natural] groun', yo' take dat an' bury it in de hollah of dere track. See. An' yo'd be sho' [sure] not tuh bury it mo' den three inches deep, an' in place of rakin' de dirt ovah lak dat, yo' rake it ovah back tuhwards home, where yo' wan' 'em tuh come. See. See, yo' rake it back de way yo' wan' 'em tuh come. An' den yo' take dat an' yo' git chew cleah watah an' put it in nine bottles at chure home. An' yo' take dem bottles an' put 'em on a grate or heatah or whatsomevah yo' have, one at de time. An' have a co'k stoppah in dat [bottle] so it wouldn't burn out, an' dat would bust in dat fiah, see. An' dat will break dat trouble an' draw 'em back. (The woman, when he leaves home, she would get one of his foot tracks and put that egg in that foot track. Bury taht egg in that foot track. And after she does that, carries it back toward the house. Then she gets her nine bottles of clear water and puts one on the hearth...) Puts 'em dere one at de time.
(And each one must break.)
Each one must bust, explode, jes' pops.
(And after she has done nine of them, then he'll come back to her.)
Will come back. If he knew dat she wuz doin' dat an' he still wanta stay 'way an' not go, well he'd have a way tuh keep from doin' dat. Well, now, he'd do dat wit de same thing - salt. He'd burn dat salt and put it in a little bag, see, an' keep dat in his pocket. Dat would break dat.
Entry 5342
Ah've heard de story about, if you are angry with someone or somepin... ah've heard people say, mah mothah an' oldah people say, dat people have told 'er about, dat yo' kin take dis dirt where de person walks. Take dat dirt out of dere track an' put it in a bottle an' throw at in runnin' watah, an' dey'll lose dere mind. [Snow Hi11, Md., (86), 4:8.]
Entry 5343
Anothah one - well, one if yore wife's runnin' wit a bad woman an' yo' don' wan' 'er tuh be runnin' wit 'em, yo' undahstan'. Yo' take her foot track, de left foot track. Pick it up an' stop it up in a bottle, an' go tuh de rivah an' throw it in a runnin' stream of watah. An' dat woman - she'll, woman or man, den dat individual travel. Dey nevah stop travelin', jes' can't nevah stay home no mo' in one place. [Brunswick, Ga., (1247), 2114: la.]
Entry 5344
Say dey kin take yore left-foot track an' start tuh de toe of it, an' make right back tuh de heel part of it, an' take an' stop it up in a bottle. An' go tuh de rivah when de watah's goin' out [tide-water river is going out] an' throw it ovah dere, [they] say, an' yo'll have tuh go.
Entry 5345
(Either foot-track?)
Yessuh, put it in some kin'a anything lak a tin or bottle, where de watah can't git intuh it, an' throw it in runnin' watah. Say dat will run de people outa town, have dose people goin' all de time.
Entry 5346
Dey gits de foot track up an' dey carry it tuh runnin' watah. An' stop it up in a bottle an' carry it tuh runnin' watah an' tho' it ovahbo'd, an' dey kin run a person crazy - unsettles dere min' an' go crazy in de haid.
Entry 5347
Dey say if yo' walk in any sand an' dey wat'cha [= watch you] an' dey take up de lef'-foot track. Take up de lef'-foot track an' de' [they] put it in a bottle, an' dey stop it down tight. An' dey say if dey throw it ovahbo'd, why yo'd be gone 'bout chure business outa dis city. Yo' go on out dis city.
Entry 5348
Well, ah heard dat yo' could take de dirt out from undah de right feet an' put it in a bottle, an' carry it tuh de rivah an' turn yore back tuh it, an' stop it in de bottle about dat full, jes' enough fo' de watah seep in. An' take it an' throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah an' says, Go, devil, go. An' ovah dat yo' throw half dat dirt.
(You get that out of that foot track, the right foot?)
Yessuh.
Entry 5349
He'll take yore track - yo' know, jes' take it up right whole an' carry it away. An' aftah he carry it away, he'll take it an' he crumble it up, an' put it in a bottle an' stop it up right tight. See, dey put it in a bottle - takes it pinch by pinch aftah he gets it away, an' put it in a bottle an' stop it up right tight. Well, he'll take dat bottle an' bury dat bottle anywhere close by runnin' watah. Right close by runnin' watah, jes' don't put it in de runnin' watah. An' if yo' kin evah find where dat bottle is - or git somebody tuh tell yo' where dat bottle is. Or yo' kin git somebody tuh take it offa yo' an' turn it back on dem, an' dey'll know what it is, an' go an': git de bottle deyself. (So, what is that supposed to do to you, if that bottle is buried with that track? What will that do to you?) Well, it will jes' dwindle yo' down - drag, dwindle yo' down. Yo' can't walk. Dwindle yo' down till yo' jes' go all away tuh nuthin, till yo' git so weak yo' jis' die.
Entry 5350
Tuh git mah wife outa sight, dat is tuh kill 'uh - ah guess yo' imagine [ah] meant rathah yo' take 'uh track dat make yuh jis' walk out de do', yo' know, an', ah come behin' 'uh an' git 'uh track. Well, ah'd [I would] git some san', yo' know, right out - he [doctor?] tole me tuh up both of 'em. Jis' sweep off de top of dat earth, dat is whah [where] she made a track, an' put it right in - jis' [make a] shingle outa a li'le piece of wood, make a li'le box, an' take dat track an' po' right in dere an' seal it up. Tack it up - dat is, seal it up, yo' see, an' go bury it. He said dat would settle it.
Entry 5351
Git two of dose straws an' put 'em tuhgethah. (Two straws from the broom?) Yes sir. Put 'em tuhgethah, which an' why, lay 'em 'cross one anothah, an' stick a pin through 'em, an' put 'em out intuh where de tracks is runnin'. An' make yore wish: In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, an' call de individual name dat yo' mean tuh git rid of. An' dat will git rid of 'em. (They will leave.)
Entry 5352
If yo' take up a man's track an' put nine buckshot in a little piece of cloth wit dat track, an' go tuh runnin' watah an' walk off five steps from de stream, an' den walk backwards an' chunk it ovah yore lef' shouldah - let him go.
(Which track do you get?)
Either one, jes' so it's dey track.
(Do you get that any particular way out of there?)
Grab it from de toe an' drag it back tuh de heel.
(And you put it with nine buckshots into this little cloth.)
Yes.
Entry 5353
Kin take a man track - lak a woman loved me. Well, if she know whut tuh do wit dis track, she'd take dis track an' run me crazy. Well, dey take dis track an' take an' burn it - put some kinda oil an' stuff on dis track. Run me crazy. Jes' de shoe track.
Entry 5354
They claim that if you take some of the dirt out of their track and put that in a rag and throw it in the fire and burn it, that they won't come back any more.
Entry 5355
Take it up - jes' take yo' a shovel jes' lak yo' take a track up. Scoop it right up an' build a fiah ovah dat an' burn it.
(What track do you take? Which one?)
Usely [usually] take eithah one. Evah one.
(After they burn that track, what will that do to me?)
Run yo' insane.
Entry 5356
When a person comes to your house and you don't want them to return, you take the dirt up out of their track and put it in the stove and burn it.
Entry 5357
Jes' in de mawnin' time aftah he done already put on his clothes, yo undahstan', an' he ready tuh go out...as soon as he walk out de door, yo' undah- stan', she goes tuh work an' sweep, jis' swept his foot, jes' lak he's going out dis di', yo' see, she jis' grab aholt of it [a broom] an' go on an' sweep dat dus' right tuhgethah right from de place dat he started off tuh walkin', an' bundle it in a pile, yo' see. Den she added a li'le sulphur on a piece of papah of any kind, yo' undahstan', an' put a li'le piece of shoe sole wit it an' throw it in de stove, anything lak dat. Why he wouldn't be able enough tuh come back de same night.
(Whose shoe sole would she use?)
Well, de shoe soles, yo' see, she would more or less burn de heels part - de heels part of de shoes, yo' undahstan'. An' she will pound it up intuh dat same dust wit de sulphur, then she add it all intuh de stove.
Entry 5358
Yo' take dat track an' yo' ketch it from de heel tuh de toe, an' den yo' ketch it in de hollah of de foot, on de lef'-han' foot. An' yo' take dat track an' carry it an' put it in yore cookin' stove an' burn it. An' when yo' burn dat track, yo' take de ashes an' throw 'em in de rivah, an' dat'll make de person leave de place.
Entry 5359
If yo' don't want anybody to come to your house, I've heard the old people say you get their track. Take it up in a paper, put it with some sulphur, some salt, burn it in a pan, and take the ashes and throw it northward and say, "Don't come no more." And they say they won't come no more neither.
Entry 5360
If someone comin' tuh yore house an' yo' wanted tuh keep 'em away, well see, yo' kin git dere track an' burn peppah, sulphuh an' some ole shoes. An' go tuhwards de sunset an' say de same thing, In de Name of de Fathah, an' Son, go. Dey'll go. Yeah, yo' won' be bothahed wit dem no mo'.
Entry 5361
Dey say if a person gits yore foot track, he has de con- trol of yo', an' wherevah he bury it at, dat's where yo'll dwell. Now, lak if ah git chure foot track an' want chew con- tinue comin' heah, an' ah bury it chere, yo' can't jes' travel.
(I would come to stay here?)
Come to stay an' can't leave out.
Entry 5362
Scrape de dirt an' put it in a sack.
(This dirt from the foot track. And what do you do with that?)
Yessuh, jis' bury it right in de ground. Dat will run 'em. Or if yo' don' wan' 'em come to yore home, yo' kin do harm wit it.
Entry 5363
Take dat foot track up on a spade...bury it...dat'll cause yuh tuh leave.
Entry 5365
Dey takes yore track up an' do somepin wit it, or fix it so yo' be lame or crippled or somepin.
(Do you know how they do that?)
Well, dey takes it an' carry it, bury it undah yore steps.
(Either track or both tracks?)
Well, eithah one of 'em. Dey bury it undah yore steps, an' dey dress de shoes tuh dat 'fect too. Dat cripple yo' up. (What do they put in your shoes to do that?) Dey puts some of yore whut yo' weah nex' tuh yore skin, a little piece dey cut from de clothes yo' know, an' take an' dress it an' put in dere, an' dat will make yo' lame de balance of yore days.
Entry 5366
They'll take some dirt from your foot track - from the instep [ball of the foot] - and take that and bury it into the ground and say: Lord, have mercy: if he steps over that, let him die before his day. [Fredericksburg, Va., by Ediphone.]
Entry 5367
Yo' takes a person an' yo' wanta drive 'em or any- thin' lak dat, yo' gits de hollah outa his left foot - a pinch of sand. Yo' takes dat an' yo' dress it. Yo' takes it an' gits chew a BUZZARD feathah. Clips it dis way. Takes dat sand. [I want a better demonstration.] (How do you clip that buzzard feather?) Yo' cut it dat way [demonstrates]. (Oh, you cut it sort of a diagonal way. You don't have the bone sticking out? Cut off that bone sticking out there.) An' put dat sand in dere an' den yo' slips it back on dere an' go tuh runnin' watah. In seven days he's gone. (In other words, you clip that buzzard feather right in half and then you put that sand inside the quill. And then he's gone, when you throw that in running water.) Yes, in seven days he'll leave town.
Entry 5368
Dey tell me yo' kin [take] de hollah of de foot track, airtight it in a can an' throw it intuh runnin' watah, an' it will make yo' walk away.
(You use either track?)
De left-foot track.
Entry 5369
Yo' kin take it [track] an' put it in a can, stop it up an' throw it in runnin' watah, an' dat'ud [that would] make yo' be driftin' about through de worl'.
(You take either one or both or what?)
Yo' takes jes' one - yeah, eithah one.
Entry 5370
Now, if yo' wanta woman tuh leave her husban', yo' meet 'er in de street at a sandy day...when de win'...when de sand is dry. Yo' set some'ere she comin' by, an' when she pass yo', yo' take her right track. Yo' care [carry] a j'int of a cane, care it along, an' open one en' of it, an' take her track an' put it down in de cane. Place some cotton on it, an' den take an' go tuh de stoah [store] an' buy yo' some cologne, a bottle of cologne, pu' it in deah, on deah, an stop it up. An' de nex' day yo' git tuh de same place... If yo' see her passin', any street, an' stop deah, an' she will say sompin tuh yo'. An' den she will take up wit joo. But she won't know about it. Aftah yo' fix it up, care it tuh yo' - yo' care it wit yo' all de time in yore pocket. An' jis' as long as yo' care dat cane, yo' got de change of 'er.
Entry 5371
Yo' kin take a person's foot track an' ran 'em away. Well, perhaps some time we cain't find 'em [tracks] an' sometimes it be's so dat we cain't git de dirt from undah 'is track. Yo' might watch an' see jes' he put his feet on de concrete. Yo' kin take a clean pocket han'- ke'ch'ef an' yo' kin go dere an' jes' wipe dat track tuh yo' - wipe dat track tuh yo'. An' den yo' kin take dat han'ke'ch'ef an' yo' kin take it home. Set down wit it an' buy yo' a bran'-new box of red cayenne peppah, an' yo' kin take a teaspoon of dat cayenne peppah an' tie in de - yo' might say in de east corner of dat han'ke'- ch'ef. Dat track is all ovah dat han'ke'ch'ef [because] quite natchly [naturally] yo' wipe it lak dat, see. An' yo' take dat teaspoon of cayenne peppah an' yo'tie hit up in dere wit 'is name wrote. Yo' cross 'is name an' yo' tell 'im tuh go an' yo' put a bad name - yo' put a bad word tuh hit, on dere name. '[Bad name] an' ah wish yo'd go an' don' stay nowhere yo' go in peace." An' tie it up an' carry it tuh de rivah 'fore de sunrise. Throw it in runnin' watah an' he'll leave.
Entry 5372
Ah have done it. Ah have a man ah wus goin' wit an' he quit me. An' ah went tuh work an' taken dirt, pull it back towards me on de bottom of his right feet. An' ah'd taken it an' put it in de cornah of mah house an' stayed in dere. An' when ah done dat, it weren't but two days he come right back tuh me. (Which track did you pull, the one that was going away from the house or com- ing to you?) De track comin' tuh me. Comin' tuh me, not goin'. An' if yo' pull it out from yo', he'll leave.
Entry 5373
Ah heard dat yo' take dat. Lak de track set dat way, dat's de toe. Rake dat dirt back dat way [demonstrates].
(Toward the toe.)
Yes sir, an' if yo' wanta do 'em harm, rake it back dat way an' carry it tuh runnin' watah, an' throw it in an' dey'll run away - go crazy-lak, yo' know. If yo' wanta do 'em good, bring 'em home, lak yore wife would be gone, yo' take it from de middle of de foot back tuh de heel, bring it in an' put it in de cornah of de house, in a good place where nobody won't intahfere wit it, an' dey say she'll come home.
Entry 5374
Tuh git yore foot track, why yo' jis' take dat dirt outa de bottom of it an' put it intuh a bottle or somepin an' bury it. Dat foot track, or eithah put it in a cornah in de house some place. An' dat'll make yo' stay dere.
(Do you get both foot tracks or just one of them?)
Jis' one, de right one.
Entry 5375
Dey take de dirt out of a right-foot track, an' yo' take it an' throw it in runnin' watah, an' cuss de person an' tell 'em tuh leave out of town. (Get the dirt from the right foot track?) Yes.
Entry 5376
Ah heard 'em say dat dey kin git chure right-foot track an' run yo' 'way from town. Dey kin take chure right-foot track an' sprinkle some cayenne peppah in dat dirt an' mix it up good. Take it tuh a stream of runnin' watah an' jes' throw it in de watah an' jes' cuss. Make a mean cussword an' pitch dat sand in de watah an' walk off from it an' don't look back at it.
(You pitch it up over your shoulder?)
Dat's it, up ovah de shouldah. Jes' pitch it an' don' even look back at it, jes' walk on off from dere.
Entry 5377
Well, [if] ah wanted tuh make yo' have bad luck. An' ah would ketch yore footprint in de sand an' ah would go tuh de risin' of de sun, an' jes' take de heel of yore feet - jes' de heel of it, an' den take de toe of it. Tie it up inside of a white cloth. An' den ah'd put red peppah an' den ah'd git dis devil's snuff, whut dey call now is devil's snuff [snuff from the devil's snuffbox]. Dat's in a ball. Yo' kin find it all roun' toadstools where dese little frogs be [see FROG DUST, TOADFROG BREAD, DEVIL'S-SNUFFBOX, Pp.562&72, No.250; and elsewhere]. An' ah take dat an' ah mix it tuhgethah an' ah'd burn it. Ah'd take de ashes out an' go tuh de fo' cornah of de earth an' put it in de palm of mah han' an' blow it, an' say, "From good tuh worse yo' go." An' dat's de way of takin' a person's footprint.
(Now do you take either footprint or both of them or what?)
No, yo' take one. Yo' take de lef' foot.
(And you say that you burn this devil's snuff?)
Yo' burn de dirt, burn evahthin', tie it up in a white cloth an' burn it all tuhgethah, see. An' den take de dust from it an' go tuh de fo' cornahs of de earth.
(What do you mean, go to the four corners?)
See [demonstrates by pointing to the corners of the room] dere's a cornah dere, dere's a cornah dere, an' dere's a cornah ovah heah, an' a cornah ovah heah, see. Well, yo' kin take dat to de fo' cornah of de earth yo' know. See, if yo're in a big house an' yo' have a fence. In any house - it don't have tuh be a big one. Jes' go tuh one cornah of de house, de nex' cornah an' den - see, lak dat [demonstrates].
(You face each corner.)
Each cornah.
(In other Words, yOu simply BLOW THIS STUFF IN FOUR DIRECTIONS.)
From de palm of yore hand. [For another blowing rite concerning foot track, See preceding margin title BLOW BREATH 3 TIMES.] [St. Petersburg. Fla., (1045) 1695:7.]
Entry 5378
If it's a man - someone yo' love, if yo' kin ketch 'is track an' jes' have a piece of newspapah wit yo', an' de minute chew pick it up, say, Come heah tuh me; yo' dirty son of a bitch. Sompin lak dat, an' put dat track in dere. An' yo' put dirt daubah wit it, an' some kinda sweet stuff lak yo' put in pies an' thin's. Yo' mix all dat tuhgethah an' put it in de mattress an' lay on it. An' ah don' care where he go, he comin back.
(You take up either track?)
Jes' take up de track an' put it in newspapah.
(Either track, it doesn't make any difference?)
Yes, it don't make no diff'rence, eithah track.
(Coming or going, it doesn't make any difference?)
Yes, it don't make no diff'rence jes' since yo' git dat track an' have dat newspapah an' put it in dere right den soon as yo' pick it up. An' yo' fix lak spice.
Entry 5379
An' yo' take woman, or man's foot-track, lak if she were comin' tuh yore home an' yo' didn't wan' 'em or sompin lak dat. An' yo' jes' take dat li'le cloth yo' know, yo' wash dishes. Yo' jes' take dat an' - jes' take dat an' lay it dere an' cut it out lak, kinda lak dat track is. An' yo' go out dere lak yo's firs' start turnin' [spading] yore yard - de firs' track - an' yo' jes' dig a hole right dere an' spread dat air [that there] rag lak dat bottom of dere track. Yo' know, jes' as de track is, an' put de dirt back on it. Why he won' stay dere no mo'. Ah pract'ly [practically] know purtty neah de truth of dat. (You simply take that dishrag and cut it out the shape of his foot, and you just bury this track where it just turns away from your house. Either track?) No, yo' git de first one, eithah track, but let it be firs' track he stepped in when he starts in [into the house or onto the property]. (Then you bury that cloth right in that same track. That is to make him stay away?) Yes.
Entry 5380
[Direction is important in foot-track rites. Besides taking up a track toe to heel or heel to toe, and to you or away from you, there are many coming or going tracks; the following few given here merely to establish the margin title:] Ah've heard dat dey take some dirt from yore foot track an' if yo' wan'a keep a person away from yore house, dey say yo' take dirt from de out-going footsteps bur' [bury] it undah yore do'- step.