Browse:FOOT TRACK (Volume 4, entries 5301–5797)/Part 3
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 5461
[This statement contains 3 separate rites, the last one the burning rite.] Well, now yo' kin use a track fo' love tuh hold a person, or yo' kin use it tuh run a person. Now, tuh hold a person yo' kin take a person's lef' track when dey are leavin' yore house. Yo' kin take it an' pull it backward, jis' a li'le of it back tuh- wards yo'. See, an yo' kin take dat track yo' kin mix it wit a li'le cookin' salt, an' yo' kin bury dat undah yore do'step or right down by yore do'step. Well, dat will hold a person an' make dem love yo', see. Or, yo' kin take dat track an' not use de salt but chew kin take yo' a li'le perfume or a li'le powdah - sweet yo' know, perfume powdah, an' mix it wit dat track. An' yo' kin take dat track an' yo' kin wear dat track. Keep it on yore person an' dat will make a person stick tuh yo'. An' den if yo' take.... If yo' wanta run a person wit dere track, yo' kin git dere track goin' from yore house. Don't put it tuh yore house. Yo' see, yo' wanta git rid of dat per- son. Like ah'm leavin' de house, pull it from yo', see. An' den yo' git yore track - yore own track - an' pull dat back towards yore house. Den yo' takes dose two tracks an' put it tuhgethah, an' yo' git chew nine peppah seeds. Git chew a li'le piece of bluestone an' a li'le piece of alum. An' if yo' kin git de cemetery dirt, yo' git dat. But if yo' can't git de cemetery dirt, den yo' jis' use dose ingredients. An' yo' put dat tuhgethah, mix it up tuhgethah, an' put a li'le salt in dat. SALT IS A WONDERFUL THING IF PEOPLE BUT KNOW HOW TUH USE IT. Take a li'le salt an' mix it in dat an' mix all dat tuhgethah. Den yo' jis' take an' ball it up an' burn dat. Burn it in de fiahplace or in de stove an' dat'll separate dat person from yo'. Dat is if yo' pull it from yo'. Now, pull dere track from yo'.
Entry 5462
Use graveyard dirt an' ashes, an' de man will leave out of town. Ah don' know about movin' out de house. Take dat dirt out of dere an' take Purity Salt [trade name?] table salt, an' put it in dere. Mix it all up tuhgethah. An' when dis man, dis person be goin' out de do', take it an' go behin' 'em an' put it in evah track. Put a li'le piece lak dis in evahone his tracks an' he ain't comin' back. Yo' ain't got'a po' it - jis' nine of 'is tracks. He can't stay in town. Ah seen dat mahself. Mah girl frien' did dat.
Entry 5463
Dey says if yo' take yore fingah, reach from hollah of de foot tuh de heel, dey take dat dirt up [demon- strates]. (YOu PUT THE INDEX FIN- GER AT THE HOLLOW AND the thumb at the heel and bring it together. Take up a pinch of that dirt. Out of either foot?) De right foot. An' yo' kin take dat den an' put 'em tuh wandahin' - trailin' [a rare word].
(What would you do with that dirt after you got it?)
Well, dey say dat yo' mix a li'le graveyard dirt wit it. Dey kin kill yo' wit it or else dey kin put yo' tuh travelin'. Take dat dirt an' sprinkle it wit nine new needles right in de direction yo' wan' 'em to go. If de house heah, dat yo' wanta run 'em from, yo' go right dere in front dat house an' put dat dirt. Say dat will run 'em. (Now I am not quite certain about those nails. You take this dirt from the foot and some of this graveyard dirt. And then you take nails or needles?) Kin take needles an' nails.
(How do you drive them - into the ground or what?)
Yeah into de ground. An' den nine new pins, an' needles wit it, but chew put dem needles between dem nine nails.
(That will make them go away.)
Entry 5464
Lak yo' wan'a make yo' git yo' a job, yo'll go an' git 'is [the boss's] track. Pull up 'is track ag'in [as in a preceding rite]. Go an' git it, but yo' shove his toe back tuh 'is heel. Go an' git chew nine pinches of salt, an' nine pinches of peppah an' nine pinches of sulphuh. Now, undahstan' whut ah'm sayin'. An' nine pinches of dat - dis heah dirt, dat graveyard dirt, an' yores too, tuhgethah, yo' know.
(Your what?)
Yore track, too. Fix his track an' yore track tuhgethah, an' shuffle itaroun' yo' know. An' den take it an' make a li'le ball. Stick it up de chimley an' let de smoke git in it, an' yo'll git work. (You fix some of his track and your track all together with nine pinches of that other stuff. That is to get a job?) Dat's right.
Entry 5465
Well, DIS GRAVEYARD DIRT IS ALWAYS A DIRT TUH CARRY YO' AWAY OR SEND YO' OFF.
(How do you use it?)
Well, yo' takes it - yo' takes de graveyard dirt an' put a li'le sulphur wit it, yo' undahstan'. An' table salt. If a person roun' yo' dat chew wan'a move 'im, pick 'is track up an' put it wit dat. Jis' take 'is track if he's goin'. If yo' wan' 'im tuh go, jes' take an' walk in 'is room, jis' lak ah walked in heah; an' ah start out, yo' take mah track an' git it goin' out. An' put it wit dat sulphur an' dat graveyard dirt, an' wrop it up an' carry it tuh runnin' watah an' drop it [in] dere. (That will send him away from around here. You take up one foot track or both of them or what?) No sir, jis' one.
Entry 5466
Now, if a person is a enemy tuh yo' an' yo' wanta git shet of 'em, yo' take dat footprint an' go tuh de graveyard an' git chew some graveyard dirt. Yo' sews dat up in a bag an' yo' goes tuh a runnin' stream of wa- tah an' yo' takes dat dere bag an' throws it in dat runnin' stream of watah an' keep yore face farwards, an' yo' nevah be bothahed wit 'em any mo'. [The admonition to Keep face farwards is rare. Usually it is don't look back.]
Entry 5467
An' den ag'in if dey ketch yore track yo' know in de street, well dey meet chew tuh git de track. Well den dey would take dat out de hollah of yore feet, an' den dey would git some dirt from de graveyard an' put dat tuhgethah, an' den dey put it on a shingle, an' dey put a piece ovah it an' tie it real good.
(What sort of piece do they put over it, another shingle or what?)
No, jis' any kinda cloth but let it be kinda thick an' wrap it tight so it won't come off. Well dey kin carry dat an' throw it in de rivah.
(What will that do?)
Dat will make yo' move an' keep yo' agoin'. Yo' can't rest or be contented nowhere yo' go.
Entry 5468
[Yo'] takes de right foot track but yo' got'a be meetin' dose people. Yo' got'a be meetin', not git behin' an' pick up de track - not behin' dem lak dat. Dey goes dis way an' yo' be comin' dis way [to- wards them]. Den yo' meet dat person an' git de dirt out de hollah of de right track. Well, den dey put dat dirt in a place an' den dey go tuh de cemetery an' dey git some of de graveyard dirt. An' dey puts dat tuhgethah. An' dey puts dat tuhgethah an' a piece of lodestone an' takes it - let it stay nine days in dey house. Takes it den aftah nine days an' put it on a shingle, an' takes it tuh de rivah or de runnin' watah, an' put it in dere an' let it go on down jis' lak dat. An' den yo' jis' turn right roun' an' put it in dere an' walk on off away from it an' not nevah look back. Well, dey tell me dat's a good way tuh git evahthing goin' jis' lak dey wan' it tuh go, if dey Wan' chew tuh go out de country or leave out. Or whutevah dey wan' chew tuh do, why dat's whut dey do tuh do dat.
Entry 5469
An' den ag'in, dey say yo' kin take dis track up an' pull it goin'. Pull dat track goin' an' take dat track an' go tuh de cemetery. An' run yore han' down in a grave, a wicked man's grave, an' git some dat clay out dere an' mix it wit dis track. An' care [carry] it tuh de great watah an' throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah an' say, "Go, devil, don't look back dis way no mo'." An' dey say dey shore will go. Yes sir, mah sistah-in-law tole me she done a woman dataway 'bout 'er husban', an' say, she jis' went adriftin' jis' lak dat track.
Entry 5470
Yo' kin go right out in de cemetery right now - have done dat tuh me - an' git some [dirt], jis' from de head of de grave, an' go tuh de feet an' git some. An' when dey git it, jis' say, "Ah wan's tuh keep Carrie down, ah don' wan' 'er tuh strive [thrive], wan' tuh keep 'er down." If she wanted tuh drove me off from dere, or run me off from dere, she would fix itdis- away. Yo' take de graveyard dirt an' yo' goes tuh work an' take red peppah, beat 'em up an' fling 'em in yere [place?] if dey got [a place?]. Yo' leavin' out chere. Den, if dey don' wan' chew tuh enjoy yore things or yore own stuff dat chew got - ah mean de - to break yo' up, chew know, dey take de graveyard dirt an' follah [follow] yo' behind, an' git chore tracks, both feet. Put 'em in dere, carry 'em tuh de sea or de rivah, an' jis' throw 'em in dere. An' yo' will leave dat place, can't resist it. De sea or de rivah an' yo' will leave dat place. Yo' got'a go in nine days time. Break yo' off from dere. Cuz dat have happen tuh me.
Entry 5471
Well, yo' kin ketch a person's lef' track gwine away from yo' an' draw it tuh yo'. An' den yo' kin put it in a bottle an' put graveyard dirt wit it an' cayenne peppah, an' a li'le sugah an' some table salt, an' air- tight it an' throw it in runnin' water. An' den if dat bottle drift away, why yo' drift away wit it.
Entry 5472
Jis' lak ef ah wan' chew tuh move, yo' leave heah - jis' move from de place or somepin lak dat, leave out dis town. Well, ah would go behin' joo an' git chure track offa de groun'. See, jis' lak yo' goin' dis way an' ah'm comin' behin' yo'. Well, ah grab up yore right track dat way, yo' know, de dirt, behin' yuh, yo' see [demonstrates].
(From the heel to the toe.)
Yes sir, dat's right. Well, ah puts it intuh a papah or somepin othah so ah kin keep all dat dirt, see. When ah git it ah git it goin' [track going away] jis' lak daE. So - well den, ah goes tuh de cemetery an' gits some graveyard dirt, jis' anywhere, yo' know, about de grave, an' puts it in dere wit dat dirt. Well, ah put me some black peppah intuh it an' salt, see. An' den ah takes an' carry it onto de rivah somewhere, anywhere de watah's runnin'. Well, ah throws it intuh dat stream of water an' say, "Go, yo' devil, yo'." An' so dat night, ah reckon yo'll - yo' know, git goin' some way. Hit'll run yo' off, make yo leave.
Entry 5473
If yo' want 'em tuh go, yo' kin git de track up from yo' - take it from yo'. See, if yo' want 'em tuh go [demonstrates]. (Here's the toe here and here's the heel, then I take it up right like that. Like this?) Start at de hollah of de foot an' take it from dere tuh de toe. See, dat whut ah mean. Yo' want 'em tuh go. Take it jis' dis way, see. An' yo' take dat foot track an' put chew some red peppah an' some salt in dere. Listen, some grave- yard dirt, an' sew dat up an' go tuh de rivah befo' de sunrise. Yo' kin turn yore back an' throw it right where de watah's runnin' right along, an' throw it ovah dis way [demonstrates].
(Over your right shoulder?)
Yes. An' when yo' leave, yo' kin say anythin' - some of de baddest things, an' don't look back, an' walk away an' nevah look back. Dey'll go. An' if yo' wan' 'em tuh stay, yo' take it tuh yo' - if yo' wan' 'em tuh stay. Take it up tuh yo', see. Take dat track an' yo' kin fold it in a piece of news- papah. See, stretch it on out an' write dere name down nine times, an' pin it ovah yore do' an' make yore wish - where dey's comin' in an' out. An' dey's comin' in dere. Dey will continue comin' as long as yo' - until yo' take dat up an' destroy dat. Dat's tuh bring 'em, see, if yo' wanta.
Entry 5474
If dey wan' chew tuh leave town - if yo' givin' dem trouble an' dey Wan' chew tuh leave town, why dey'd ketch it [your track]. If yo' goin' dis way, dey'd ketch it disaway. Den dey would take dis dirt - take it an' put it in a new piece of home- spun. When yo' go tuh a graveyard, git chew two bran'- new teaspoons. Go tuh a graveyard wit two bran'-new tea- spoons. Git chew two teaspoonsfulla dirt offa two sinnahs graves. Well, yo' takes two pennies an' pay each one of dese sinnahs fo' de dirt. Well, yo' takes dat gunpowdah an' thundah-strucken wood, red peppah, an' mix it all tuhgethah. What ah mean thundah-strucken iw where lightning struck a tree. Well yo' take it an' divide it intuh two parts. Yo' put one in a red chunk bottle [bottle with long neck] an' bury it in de east, an' yo' put de othah one in a red chunk bottle an' yo' go tuh runnin' watah, an' yo' pitch it 'cross yore shouldah - turn yore back, pitch it 'cross yore shouldah. Befo' yo' pitch it 'cross yore shouldah, yo' say, yo' do dis, In de Name of de Father, an' de Son an' de Holy Ghost - fo' yo' tuh go an' nevah return. An' in three days time yo'll be left town, yo' can't stay. Yo'll tread dat watah until yo' drown.
(You say you put all that stuff in a red chunk bottle?)
In a red bottle - quart bottle [the ordinary brown beer or whiskey bottle one "chunks" or throws away.]
(Which shoulder do you throw that over?)
Ovah yore lef' shouldah.
Entry 5475
Well, dey take yore foot track - ah'm tellin' yo' lak ah've heard it - take yore foot track. Say dey take it up backwards, don't take it up goin'. Some of 'em say take it up goin', some says take it up backwards. Well, yo' git nine of dose tracks. An' den dey take dem tracks an' go tuh de graveyard an' git dirt. Any- body dat's not scared kin do dat. Git de dirt an' mix it tuhgethah. Carry it an' chunk ovah dey lef' shouldah in de rivah, yo' know, an' don't look back at it. An' jes' say, "Yo' drift on 'way from heah." An' dey say yo'll have tuh jis' wandah an' keep goin'.
Entry 5476
Takes dey tracks an' weah it in dey shoes.
(What will that do then?)
AH DON' WAN'A TELL NO STORY. Yes, yo' kin take dere tracks an' weah it in yore shoe. An' den yo' kin take brown sugah an' yo' kin take graveyard dirt, an' write his name an' yore name on a bran'-new envelope has nevah been used, an' put it undahneat' yore bed mattress. An' he's supposed tuh come back tuh yo' in three days.
(You put all this stuff into the envelope?)
Uh-huh.
Entry 5477
Jis' lak say, if ah wanted yo' tuh leave town. Yo' an' ah have become tuh be enemies, an' ah'm gonta [going to] make yo' leave town - not gonta put mah han's on yuh. Well, ah'll fool roun' until ah see yo' pass, anywheres where yo' make a imprint of a track on de sand. Well, ah'll go an' scrape up dat track, an' take it an' mix it wit gunpowdah, an' set fiah tuh it an' she'll blow up. An' dey say yo've got'a go.
(Now, how many tracks of mine would you take, both of them?)
Jis' git some of de dirt of yore track. Dey [who?] don't say eithah one, jis' say yore track.
Entry 5478
Ah heah 'em say, jis' lak if some people stayin' in de house an' dey don' lak yo' an' yo' want 'em tuh fall out, yo' take some gunpowdah. Yo' git dere track an' take some gunpowdah, an' mix it wit dat track an' put it up undah dere step, an' set it afiah an' let it blow up. In de night, jis' lak if dey be 'sleep, set it afiah an' let it blow up. An' iis' lak hit blow up dis mawnin dey'll have a fuss in dat house.
Entry 5479
Well, yo' go tuh de fo'ks of de road, but dat's did wit de track.
(Tell me how it is done.)
Well, dey take up yore track backwards. Now see, yo' comin' in dis direction. Ah'd take up yore track goin' backwards goin' dat way. Ah place it in a can about dat size. Ah go tuh de fo'ks of de road where it's fo'kin' di- rectly east tuhwards where de sun rise; one goin' dis way an' one goin' dat way. Ah take de can an' ah dig a hole down dere. Take de can an' beneath dat can ah put a li'le powdah - not a large can but a small one - put a li'le [powder]. Den ah'll have it so dat yuh dynamitin'. Strike a match an' put tuh it.
(What will that do to you then?)
Dat'll run yo' clean away from home.
(You do that with gunpowder. And you do that right where that road forks.)
Dat's right, yo' do dat in de early mawnin' when de sun jis' begin tuh rise.
Entry 5480
Take yuh foot track, git chah right foot, an' git choo some sulphah an' some gunpowdah, an' put it in a piece of brown papah. An' strike yuh a match tuh it an' blow it - an' light each cor- nahs of it, de fo' cornahs. It'll blow up. An' yo'll leave town. Anywhere yo're at, choo'll go, keep movin'.
Entry 5481
Jis' lak if yo' envious ag'inst a person, an' yo' wanta do sompin mean to 'em, yo' try tuh git dat track an' gunpowdahs an' Red Devil Lye an' put dere track an' dere name. Write de name on a piece of papah an' den yo' set dat gunpowdahs afiah.
Entry 5482
Now ah tell yo' sompin else yo' do ag'in. Now ah don' know if yo' kin git de track or not, but now yo' git three of de lef' track. Ah wanta show yo' how tuh git it. See, ah'm walkin', ain't I - walkin' along [demonstrates]? Well, yo' got'a git dis track up dis way.
(From the toe to the heel.)
From de toe to de heel. Jis' git a li'le bit of sand an' put it in yore han'. Git three of 'em.
(Get three out of the left track.)
An' den yo' take it an' mix it up tuhgethah, an' den git yo' a pod of red pep- pah an' yo' open dat pod of red peppah tuh de top; not tuh de pointy part, tuh de big part.
(At the stem part.)
An' yo' put gunpowdah. Yo' gits yo' a shell, yo' know a gunshell, an' yo' put dat gunshell [powder] in dat, some of dat [foot track] dirt in dere. Yo' know it [pepperpod] can't hol' much yo' know, but yo' mix de gunpowdah an' de gunshell tuhgethah - er [I mean] de [foot track] dirt an' de gunpowdah tuhgethah. An' yo' jis' take an' puts it right in front of yo' do' an' set it [afire]. See, dat gunpowdah will make it explode, yo' undahstan'. An' yo' stick a match tuh it an' say, "Stay apart, stay apart, [stay apart]."
(Does it separate them or send them away?)
Separate 'em.
Entry 5483
Like it's yo'd have a girl frien' an' some man would come an' take her away from yo'. Prob'ly yo'd be married tuh her, an' some man would git between yo' an' yore wife. Now yo' wanta bust dat up. Yo'd trail him un- til dey'd cross a sandy place or real soft dirt - somewhere dey'd make a track. Yo'd git each one of dem lef'-foot track. Git chew prob'ly a piece of metal or piece of newspapah dat's nevah been used - anything dat yo' kin scrape up dem tracks wit'out breakin' 'em. Git chew a piece of new [yellow = unbleached] cotton an' place de heels tuh- gethah, both toes leavin' each othah. An' git chew some powdah [gunpowder] an' put it in between 'em, bind dat real tight. Git chew some silk thread dat chew kin wrap it good, dat it will have a good compression, an' light dat powdah. Put chew fuse dat it'll light dat powdah lak one of these fiah-crackahs, so when it goes off it blows dem tracks. Dat sends dem, one one way, one de othah way. Dey'll nevah be nuthin else tuhgethah.
Entry 5484
Yo' git 'is track an' git 'er track an' git chew gunshells, an' jis' put dem two tracks tuhgethah an' stick yo' a light undah it, say, "Ah wants one of yo' tuh go tuh de east an' de othah one tuh de west." Take dat gunshell an' put one on dis side, dis gunshell heah now in de middle. An' heah one track heah an' heah de othah one dataway, say, "Ah want one tuh go tuh de east an' one t-h go tuh de west." An' call dere names. An' stick a fiah undah dem an' dey'll say dey'll go evah way. Dey can't stay tuh- gethah, dey would have tuh go.
(This is to break up a man and his wife?)
Yes sir.
Entry 5485
De track business breaks up frien'ship between a girl an' her sweet- heart man. Hit's lak ah had a girl goin' wit a man an' ah didn't want 'im tuh go wit 'er. In ordah tuh break it up, ah would take three swings of dirt wit'out stoppin', an' walk right on behin' 'em - ah grab [swing] up three tracks dat are jis' made - wit'out stoppin' - an' ah save dem. An' if he Wus goin' - jis' lak he wuz goin' south, ah would ketch his comin' no'th. Ah ketch de girl's goin' no'thwards, [I mean] ketch her goin' so'thwards, gits de three grabs. (In other words if he's walking southwards, you catch his from the toe back to the heel; and the girl's going north, you catch her's back to the heel - just in opposite directions.) An' ah got three of each. Den ah takes it an' ah compound it, jis' sticks it in de ground an' compound it [mix his and her tracks]. An' den ah take, an' ah takes gunpowdah dat explodes, an' wrop it up an' put it in somepin tight, chew know. Put de powdah at de bottom, wit de dry papah comin' up through de center, yo' know, an' pack it aroun' dere. An' den ah put dirt on top jis' lak it wuz shot, an' ah take dat out an' den stick a match tuh de top of dis dry papah, an' it goes tuh de bottom an' de bottom explodes. Dat explodes dere frien'ship. Dat breaks de frien'ship up. An' dat will do so.
(All you put in there is that dirt and the gunpowder.)
Dat's right.
(In this paper?)
Yes.
Entry 5486
Ah heard 'em say, jis' lak if dey wanta run a person away, git a li'le of de dirt out dey right feet track an' put it in a gunpowder shell - put a li'le bit in de shell. Take de li'le shots out an' put a li'le bit of dat in dere an' put de li'le shots back in, an' shoot it in de way yo' want 'em tuh go. Say dat will jis' keep 'em goin'.
Entry 5487
Take a shell. Yo' kin take dat shell an' yo' kin empty de shell, an' yo' kin git a spoon or eithah jis' a little bit, jis' about as much as dat dere [demonstrates], of dirt outa man's track an' put it in dat shell. An' when yo' put it in dat shell, if yo' don't want 'em roun' heah, yo' git right tuhwards sundown an' yo' fire dat gun. An' he'll nevah come nowhere roun' yo', nevah be roun' yo' no mo'. Won't have no mo' trouble wit 'em.
Entry 5488
Well, dey say yo' could take three dips of earth outa dey right track, an' take a gunshot an' take some of de shots out of it, an' put dat dirt in dere an' covah it back up, an'.shoot it anywhere, object dat chew want 'em tuh go, an' cuss 'em. Tell 'em tuh go.
(You put that into a gun. That's to make them move out?)
Yes.
Entry 5489
[Yo'] kin take a gun shell an' yo' kin take yore tracks an' anothah woman's tracks, an' yo' kin put 'em in a shell, yo' know - undahstan', but leave de powdah. Take out de shots - see, de beebee, an' put 'em [tracks] in dat shell, an' pack 'em back down in dere jis' lak in de shell, an' yo' kin shoot it. An' dat'll settle wit 'em, dey'll nevah live tuhgethah.
Entry 5490
In othah words, ag'in, yo' heah tell about a man - ah'm havin' trouble wit a man about mah wife, yo' know. Well, AH'M JES' GOIN' USE YO' AN' AH FO' A PARABLE. Well ah done tell yo' 'bout mah wife an' yo' wouldn't quit, an' ah done git attah huh [after her] 'bout chew. An' yo'all - yet yo' don't quit. Look lak yo' jes' ready tuh die if yo' could. Well, fo' a instan' [for instance] now. Ah don't wanta ary [either] one a-yo' [of you], see. Well, tuh collah [put a collar on] it, ah gotta take de weak man's strength, see. Ah'm gotta make yo' stop in a way tuh keep mahself free. See, ef ah go ahaid an' kill yo', ah gotta be punished, yo' undahstan'; but if ah work fo' me, ah kin do it an' de law can't git at me, yo' see. Well, ef ah don' wanta kill yuh, ah'll jes' break yo' up. Ah'll take yore dirt dataway [demonstrates] - take up yore track, push it off from me.
(You take it from the heel to the toe or from the toe to the heel?)
Well, ah ketch dis centah of de track an' shove it from me - grab it an' grab it from me. Git up a li'le bit of it fo' three steps.
(From three different steps.)
Dat's right. Ah git it jes' lak dis heah [demonstrates].
(I understand: one - two - three.)
Three tracks - dat's de right feet. All right. Ah'll take dat an' put it right tuhgethah. Den ah'll turn roun' den an' ah'll git mah wife's track, see.
(How many do you get from her?)
De same thing. Den ah'll put dis in - ah'll take de shot out of a shell an' put dat [tracks] in dere, in de shot place, an' wheresomevah ah layway dem [keep mah gun an' shell] an' wheresomevah ah ketch 'em talkin' ah'll run in on 'em an' de time dey [before they have time to run away], see, ah'm goin' shoot right ovah dey haids yo' see. Dat's goin' blow 'em apart, yo' see. Yo' undahstan'? One go one way an' one go de othah, an' ah ain't goin' have no mo' trouble out chew an' 'er. AN' IF SHE BE WIT ANYBODY, IT BE WIT DE NEX' MAN, 'CUZ AH DONE BLOW YO' AWAY IN DE AIR.
(But you have to go in on them, touch them and shoot right over their heads?)
Dat's right. Jes' lak if yo's got 'er cornahed talkin' somewhere, ah ain't comin' up tuh shoot yo'. Ah's be lookin' roun' an' ah say, "Dere he be's now." [Yo'] know it customary tuh ketch yo' off [by yoreself] an' have a li'le talk. Well, it might be tuhday, see, when yo' go tuh work, when yo' [I] see 'em [you two]. Well, ah ain't gwine tuh see yo' [talk to you again], but jes' where ah meet chew [you two], ah'm goin' turn an' shoot ovah yore haid [heads]. An' when ah turn loose [the gun], one gwine dataway an' de othah one gwine dataway. An' den ah won't have any mo' trouble wit chew an' 'er.
Entry 5491
An' if it's anyone dat yo' don't wanta be worried wit, yo' take dey track goin' dataway, an' put it on a - saw off a post [any kinda post, saw de top of it off] an' put dat dust up on it. Jes' take dere track an' po' it up on dere an' take a shotgun an': shoot it off - shoot de track. [The top of the old half-rotten post is sawed off to make it level, so that none of the track will spill off.]
(Shoot it off the top of the post?)
Shoot dat dirt off de top of de post. Take a shotgun an' go shoot it off de top of de post. (You pick up the track as they are going away. You pick it up the opposite way?) Yo' pick it up de object [opposite] way. If dey goin' dis way, yo' takes de track dis way [demonstrates]. An' put it up on any kinda post, solid post where it won't fall down, an' shoot de post an' dat shoot 'em away.
Entry 5492
Well yo' see yo' kin take his track an' pick it up in de hollow part of 'is feet, jes' lak he make it, an' put it in a li'le ole tobacco sack. Den yo' git some gun- powdah an' also some red peppah [in the sack] an' throw it in a runnin' stream of watah, an' say, "Go, an' don't nevah return any mo'." An' dey say in nine days time he'll be missin' out de town.
(You put this other stuff in the sack with the track?)
Yes sir, mix it all tuhgethah.
Entry 5493
Take dat - yo' take yore foot track an' yo' put dat wit sulphur, red peppah an' gunpowdah an' put quicksilvah wit dat. Yo' go tuh de rivah an' go throw it right 'cross yore right shouldah. Go on an' don' look back. Dat will run yo'. Dey say dat will run yuh. Quicksilver may be the real thing, tin foil, or scrapings from back of mirror; the important idea being the five letters q-u-i-c-k.1
(You take, use either foot track. It doesn't make any difference?)
No.
Entry 5494
Take his hair...
(With that little bow.)
[Bow was mentioned before I turned on recording machine.]
Yes, take de hair an' put it in a bottle an' bury it. Yo' buries dat. Bury dat wit some of 'is tracks. See, yo' take an' bury dat wit some of 'is tracks. Dat will make him follah yo' evahwhere, anywhere yo' go. (What else do you put in that bottle?) Some of 'is hair, some of 'is dust out from undah 'is feet, an' den some of de ravels from 'is undahclothes - from undah 'is arm an' yo' know down below.
(Some of the sweat.)
Yo' know, jes' lak dey'd git chure dirty clothes an' ah'd take some of de ravels. An' put it in a bottle, undahstan', an' yo' carry dat an' bury it. Bury it out at chure do'step. He'll follah yo' anywhere.
Entry 5495
Ah says dere wuz once a man an' wife twan't [they were not] gittin' 'long good. Dey wuz gittin' 'long happy at one time an' den dey had some sort of misundahstan'in' an' dey couldn't git 'long tuhgethah. So he wuz studyin' a way how tuh make her love him an' git 'long happy tuh- gethah. So he taken some of de dirt outa her lef' track an' he fixed it up wit Hearts Cologne an' sweet camphor. [Does informant mean sweet niter, or camphor with a sweet in- gredient?] Tuk [took] an' he mixed dat all tuhgethah, an' he got three stran's of her hair out of her haid, an' he fixed it up in a li'le small sort of sompin lak a li'le small package. An' he tied it wit a string an' jes' bind it so it rest right up undah his left, right in de hairs of 'is ahm [arm], so it git de sweat on it. Well, den aftah while dey got 'long very happy.
Entry 5496
Now, ah tell yo' whut chew kin do. If ah taken some man - ah tell yo' yo' kin let a person walk away form yo' or sompin lak dat an' yo' kin take dere lef'-foot track an' pull it back tuh de heel. Yo' pick up jis' as much as yo' kin pinch in yore fingah lak dat [demonstrates] an' if yo' kin ketch 'im 'sleep, see [demonstrates] yo' git chew some hair from right up heah.
(From the top of the head.)
Yassuh. An' yo' take an' yo' put it in a bag, an' yo' weah it aroun' ovah yo' yo' know whut ah mean.
(Right over your private?)
Yeah. Weah it daily an' anythin' in de worl' dat yo' got in yore view tuh worry dat person, it will surely come tuh rest dere. Cain't he'p it. Some thin's [I know are true]. Dat's whut ah have did.
Entry 5497
Git de dirt outen dere track, in de middle of de feet, in de right feet, goin', an' git it outen de left. Den yo' take dat an' git de hair from heah [demonstrates] an' from de back.
(The hair from the top of the head, [and] the back of the neck.)
An' yo' mix dat tuhgethah an' yo' totes dose fo' luck. Totes dose fo' luck tuh git 'im back. Jes' lak if yo' have a husban' an' yo' cain't do anythin' wit 'im, an' den yo' take dat stuff an' put it tuhgethah. Dat'll always keep 'is mind always comin' back home.
(Where do you put this stuff after you get it?)
Well, yo' put it - jes' sew it up in yore dress, or eithah take it an' tie it up an' put it in yore baid mattress or yore pillah where yo' sleep on it.
(That will bring a man back.)
Entry 5498
Well, yo' take a stran' or two of yore hair out chure haid an' dey'll take an' git de bow out de back of yore hat. Yo' take dat hair an' de bow out chure hat an' yo' git a few grains of sand outa yore shoe track - out de streets an' den take an' put it tuhgethah. Sew it up in a little bag an' put it undah yore steps an' yo' cross ovah it. Why dat jes' upsets yore mind altuh- gethah. Dat's de way dey trick yo' dataway.
(Now whose steps would they put this under, mine or...?)
Dey put it undah de steps where yo' come ovah. (Well, now suppose they got all that stuff from me. Would they put it under Ty step or under your step?) Undah de step dat chew goes ovah.
(That is to upset my mind?)
Yassuh.
Entry 5499
Jes' lak if he run aroun' wit a woman, yo' kin take his track - dat's yore husban'. Take his right track an' git de dirt out de hollah of 'is foot, 'is track. Take dat dirt an' put some black peppah intuh it, an' a li'le salt, an' wrap it up in a piece of brown papah, an' bury it undahneat' of yore do'step. Put a li'le of 'is hair in dere. An' he'll stay bne.
Entry 5500
She can take and get a piece of dirt from his left-foot track, and a lock of his hair, and a piece of his underwear, and nine nails, and seven grains of red pepper, and put all of that in one pack- age, wrap very careful, and take it and put it down at the sill of the door, out the door like that, and lean the package back, and he will come back home. [Fredericksburg, Va., by Ediphone.]
Entry 5501
Dey say dey take up yo' shoe track, take up de shoe track right from de door on back. Yo' take ahold of dat an' put dat in a bag. An' yo' take yore toenails, cut yo' toenails off. Yo' see: 'em trim dey toenails off. An' a piece of hair out chure haid, an' cut some of de hair undah de arm an' 'tween yore laigs. An' put all dat tuhgethah. An' yo' sew dat up in a li'le bag an' yo' buries de bag about dat deep in de groun' [demonstrates].
(About that deep, about nine inches.)
Yes sir, about dat deep. Well yo' buries it at de first step dat yo' come to.
(The first step as you come out?)
Yes sir. No sir, bury it at de bottom step when yo' come. Dat's tuh keep 'im undah 'er. Yo' see, when a woman's husban' go out too fast an' he won't try tuh come home, yo' do dat. Dat's tuh keep 'im from runnin' about.
Entry 5502
I have heard that if two men are going to see the same girl, one of the men can take some dirt from this girl's left-foot track and a piece of her hair, and make a pocket-piece of it. He puts that together in a pack- age and wears it in his left pocket. Finally, he will change the girl's mind and she will take to him instead of the other fellow. [Fredericksburg, Va., by Ediphone.]
Entry 5503
( Git a piece at de toe an' de hollah of yore feet an' at de heel, an' put dat in a yarn rag an' sew it up. Git a piece [of] hair out de mole of yore haid, some old hair from de back of yore neck an' put it in [with] de mole of yore haid. Dat will make 'em care fo' yuh.
(You put that hair with this foot track dirt?)
Yo' put de foot track dirt, sew it up in a piece of yarn rag.
(And what do you do with that rag then?)
Totes it witcha [with you]. Put it in yore pocket an' totes it witcha. (I see. That will make them like you. Well now, do they take that dirt from both feet or just one?) No, de right foot.
(Oh, from the right one. I see.)
An' yo' put dat in a yarn rag an' sew it, an' ev'ry time yo' sew it, bring de stitch to yo'.
Entry 5504
Take a man who quarrel and mean in his home. You [the root doctor] take a pinch of dirt out of his right-foot track, take a piece of hair out of the lower part of you[him], get a piece of her [pubic] hair, and then wrap hers round his [pinch of dirt and hair which have been wrapped in paper or a rag], and that'll tie him to her, and he will come to seriously love her as he always did. [Doctor Frank Hall, see vol.1, Intro., P. XxIX and p.573, by hand.]
Entry 5505
Yo' kin take her right foot track. Now, lak yo' tryin' tuh make love an' dis girl doesn't want tuh make it wit yo'. An' jes' lak it seem yo' couldn't make it up wit 'er, an' in kinda speakin' tuh 'er, yo' goin' try tuh make it some- how wit 'er. Well jes' take her right track den an' jes' take yo' a flannen rag, yo' know de red flannen rag, an' jes' git 'er right toe track outa dat toe where dat dig up. Git dat. Git about as much as yo' kin pick up [with your fingers] an' put it in dat flannen an' do [tie] it up. An' git some red peppah an' put it in dat, an' git some of 'er hair. If yo' don't do it jes' den, it may be a month or it may be a yeah yo' gotta work. Git one stran' of 'er hair out 'er haid. Don't git de lef' foot, git de right one. An' when yo' git dat, put it in dis rag an' jis' wrap it up. Sew it up. See. Well, aftah yo' sew it, make a knot. See, right befo' yo' git roun', make nine knots in it; an' de las' one at de end of yore sewin' let it be nine knots. See, jes' make nine knots befo' yo' close up de end. See. An' jes' 'ninte [anoint] it good befo' yo' go tuh sewin' wit dis. Let it be a cloth string or cotton thread string. Well, jes' use spirits of turpentine, jes' ninte [anoint] it good wit dat, an' jes' make de nine knots an' den yo' got evahthin'.
(What do you do with that bag then?)
Jes' tote it in yore right pocket - keep it. An' she'll come tuh yo', BOY. [This is the second time I have been called boy.]
Entry 5506
Take some of yore hair off down below an' take some of dat [foot track] dirt; an' some of dat hair down heah, git some hair from undah yore arm. Take all dat an' put it in a little bag an' sew it up, an' take it an' bury it in de cemetery. Den yo' got 'em lak yo' wan' 'em.
(What will that do?)
Run them crazy - yo' know, jes' make yore min' jes' - yo' know, jes' make yo' go crazy.
(Whose hair would you use?)
Uh, anybody's hair.
(Whose foot track would you use?)
Lak ah'm Wit yo' - LAK AH HAD DIS FRIEN' GIRL AN' AH'M MAD WIT 'ER, AN' AH IAN'A GIT DE SPITE OUT, AH WOULD TAKE SOME OF 'ER HAIR AN' DO DAT.
Entry 5507
If yo' wan' anybody leave home an' wan'a send 'em away fo' good, jis' git de dirt undah de lef' foot an' mix it wit cayenne peppah an' carry it tuh a stream of watah. An' git some of de hair, if yo' kin; but if yo' cain't, jis' git de track. An' yo' take dat an' cayenne peppah an' go tuh a stream of watah, a runnin' sorean of watah, an' throw it in de stream of watah. An' dey'll go jis' de way d atah will go.
Entry 5508
Well now, if yo' got a man an' yo' wan's tuh drive him away - ah mean, If yo' wan'a git rid of 'im, yo' git some dirt outa his shoe track an' git some Wdr out of haid, out de top of 'is haid, an' tie dat intuh a rag an' throw it ia rummin' stream of watah, goin' downstream, an' dat will carry 'im away.
Entry 5509
Dey tell me dat chew [they] kin git some of yore hair an' some of de dirt out chure track, an' mix it up an' throw it in some runnin' watah an' run yo' crazy.
(Get the dirt out of either track?)
Out chure lef' track. Dat tuh run yo' crazy.
Entry 5510
De track yo' know. Dey take de track, take it from de heels tuh de toes jes' lak dis [demonstrates]. [If he]' walks dat way [away from you], why yo' take it from de heel, jes' from de heel tuh de toe. Take dat track an' throw it tuh where jes' lak dey walks on [throw it direction he is walking]. Throw it dat way an' dat'll keep 'im goin', yo' see - goin'. Lak if yo' wanted 'em comin', why yo' take it from de toe tuh de heel.
(What would you do with that, then?)
Yo' takes de track den an' yo' throw it off - yo' know, throw it so far goin' from yo' [as far as possible from you] an' dat makes 'em go.
[Informant misunderstood my question, I ask it another way:]
(What if you wanted to bring them back, what would you do with that track?)
Why, if yo' want tuh bring 'em back, why yo' kin take de track from de toe tuh de heel an' keep de track. Take de track in de design lak ah wus tellin' yuh, from 'is toe tuh 'is heel, an' keep it an' he come back. Or eithah a ring outa his shirttail. Jes' cut a roun' ring outa his shirt- tail. Cut a roun' ring outa dat an' yo' kin keep it an' he'll come back. (Just cut a ring out of his shirttail and keep it. That will make him come back.) [In addition to a ring or circle of cloth cut from clothing, squares and oblongs (coffin symbols), perhaps other designs are also cut out.]
Entry 5511
He kin take it [her foot track] an' take his han' an' rake it up light an' rake it tuh 'im. An' take de dirt an' carry it home an' put it in 'is right sock, an' she'll come back if she gone off. An' if he wan's 'er tuh leave him, tuh don' nevah come back no mo', he kin take her track - take his han' an' dip it from 'im. Start from de foot on tuh de toe. Carry it home an' put it in 'is right sock an' throw it away, an' she won' nevah come back. [She will] stay dere, nevah come back no mo'.
Entry 5512
Also, I have heard, that if you see a lady or a gentleman that you like very well, and there is no ways in the world that appears to you that you can change their affections, so then the next thing for you to do, should you see them traveling, you get close enough to them to get their footprint, but remember, in getting their footprint you want to get it just exactly in the hollow of their feet, their tread I mean, at all times the right foot, not the left, and secure it and keep it, and you will get what you want. [old Point Comfort, Va., by Edi- phone.]
Entry 5513
Yo' kin trick 'em disaway. Yo' kin go tuh work - see, it's yore shoe. Lak yo' walk wit de shoe in some san' [sand], an' den shape of yore shoe is lef' down dere, dat hollah right yondah. Where de track leave de hollah in dat san', yo' watch it, an' yo' go an' git chew de san'. Be sure it's 'is track, dough [though], an' start tuh [to = at] de toes of it, lak dis heah [demonstrates] an' draw it back, in de track from de shoe. Yo' draw it up once [one time only] an' tie it up.
(Which one?)
De lef' or right, don' make no diff'rence. Jes' start tuh toes of 'is shoe track an' drag it back dere lak dat. Git a handfulla dat track from de shoe, from de hollah. Be sure yo' git de hollah part right in heah. Take it 'long wit chew an' tie it up - sew it up in a li'le new piece of homespun, or a ole piece, it makes no diff'rence. Yo' jes' carry dat thing right down in yore pockets an' weah it dere. Weah it dere jes' lak dat an' yo'll run 'em crazy, long as yo' tote dat track. Yo' tote dat track.
(That is to hold the person?)
Yeah, by totin' dat track. See, he don' know it. Yo' totin' dat track evah- where yo' go. Dat's whut dey say yo' do 'bout it.
Entry 5514
Take de track - yo' know, scoop it up off de ground. Take yore track an' throw it 'cross de house an' it will run yo' crazy. (You can't throw that track across the house. Don't you put it in something?) No sir, take a ash shevel an' take up dat track an' throw de sand 'cross de house [one-story house].
(You don't put it'in anything then?)
No sir, jes' throw it 'cross de house an' it run yo' crazy.
(Either track?)
Yes sir, either track.
Entry 5515
A sock - lak yo' would take any of yore sock an' git chure track an' put it in, up ovah de house an' den yore laigs go bad, give yo' somepin lak de rheumatism. (Would they take either sock to do that?) No suh, dey take de lef' sock, becuz in othah words de lef' sock is fo' any bad luck.
(What do they put in that sock now?)
Dey put chure track. Lak yo' step down heah, well dey jes' pick up yore track an' throw it ovah de house. No suh, ovah yore house.
(But they have put this stuff in your sock first?)
Have tuh put chure track in yore sock. (In other words you would get my track and put it in my sock and thrcw it over your house.) No suh, ah'd git chure track an' yore sock, an' put chure left track in yore sock an' throw it ovah yore house.
(I see, I understand. All right.)
Entry 5516
People wan's people tuh move out of a house, why dey gits de drop on dat fellah when he's walkin' an' watch 'im, yo' see. An' prob'ly [they] take a bottle or maybe tobacco can or snuff- box or somepin an' git de dust out of 'is lef'-foot track dere. Prob'ly walk aroun' dat house an' throw it across it. An' well, dey can't live dere no more.
(Where do they throw it across?)
Throw it across de eaves.
(Right across the roof of the house?)
Yes, sir. As it go ovah, he leaves it open so dat it might scattah as it go across, yo' know. (I see, leave that bottle or can open as you throw it over the house, and scatter the dust over the roof. That will make them leave the house.) Well, dey becomes tuh be dissatisfied wit de house, won' be satisfied until dey move. An' it ain't goin' be very long befo' dey moves.
Entry 5517
Jes' lak someone yo' don' lak in yore home an' yo' wan' 'em tuh stay from roun' yore home. Yo' watch dey track. Yo' kin git eithah one of dere track, or yo' kin git both of 'em. An' yo' kin put dis same sulphur an' salt wit it an' throw it back. Yo' walk aroun' yore house nine times, an' back at de sunrise [side] on de right side of de house, an' jes' [throw track, sulphur and salt] on top of yore house. Den dey'll stay from roun' dere. Ah have did dat. (If somebody comes to my house and I don't want them around, I will take that dirt from two of their tracks and put the sulphur [and salt] with it. Then I Would walk around my house nine times, and then do what on the sunrise then?) Go on de sunrise side of de house. (You go on the sunrise side of the house, and then you throw that stuff against the house or over the house?) Ovah de house.
(All the way over the house.)
Have it kinda lak a sack. Yo' put it in a sack.
(That keeps them away.)
An' tie de sack tuhgethah, an' dere ain't no ways 'bout it - none atall
[they'll stay away].
Entry 5518
Yo' would go an' walk roun' yore house, roun' an' roun', an' take five - ah don' know much about it but dis is whut ah heard mah ole people say. Take five li'le - well, jis' take yo' five [wood] chips dat maybe yo' had cut sometime. Yo' know dat chew had cut 'em sometime dere. An' dis fellah evah who yo' thought had did dat... (Had planted this thing down.) Had planted it fo' yo', yo' burn dem [wood chips] an' git chew some of 'is tracks sure. Make sure dat it 'is tracks an' burn it [5 chips]. Put it in a cup or sompin an' put it where it kin git hot, an' jis' burn dat coal good - mix it wit dat dirt. An' some way or 'nothah jis' t'row where dat he kin git it on 'im - somewhere. Maybe jis' sprinkle it aroun' 'is baid or in 'is baid, an' dat won' bothah yo', so dey tell me. Ah don't know, ah nevah tried it.
(Well, what do you do with those five chips?)
Well, yo' burn 'em - yo' burn 'em an' mix 'em wit dis dirt, but yo' must be sure dat it's some dat he have cut offa somethin', an' yo' must be positive dat dat's 'is dirt dat he walked on.
(You mean you burn this track and these five chips?)
Yes, burn 'em an' sprinkle it somewhere roun' where he kin git tuh it, see.
Entry 5519
Yo' kin take de lef'-foot track an' stop it up in a bottle, an' put in an ole house dat's not any good, yo' see, an' den yo' could make dem come back, if yo' wan' 'em back. (You take this bottle with the foot track in it and put it in an old house. That is supposed to bring the person back?) Dat's right.
Entry 5520
Dey tell me dat dey take dat foot track an' take a hot iron an' put on dat foot track. An' carry dat iron an carry dat iron home an' put dat same iron on top of a cloth. An' fold dat cloth up an' hide it somewhere in de ceilin', or in de roof of de house some place. An' dey says dat will cause dat person to go crazy.
Entry 5521
Ah heard dat dey kin take yore track from de toe, take it right back'ards. An' take dat track an' tie so many knots in a string, an' hang it ovah de middle of yore do'. An' let it hang right in de centah, an' de man shore will stay right dere.
(Wait a minute! What do you do with that foot track then?)
Jis' hang it up dere.
(What do you put the foot track in?)
Put it in a cloth an' sew it up, an' hang it on a string right ovah de do', ovah de middle of de do', an' dey say de man always will stay dere.
Entry 5522
Dey will jis' take dat an' put it in a rag.
(This foot track?)
Yes, take de whole track up an' put in a rag an' tie it [1 knot], up an' den dey carry it an' bury it undah de do'step. Put a meatskin in it. It'll worry yuh, prob'ly run yo' crazy.
(What sort of meatskin? Any kind of meatskin?)
Yeah, jis' white bacon. [The meatskin is to draw some animal or insect that will chew on the meat and foot track.] (And they put your foot track under your own door.)
Entry 5523
Now yo' kin take sand outa nine of 'er tracks. Now dis is fo' leavin' yo' undahstan'. Yo' take sand outa nine of 'er tracks an' tie it in nine knots in a piece of gingham cloth, bran'-new ging- ham cloth, an' carry it an' put it up undah her do'step. An' she'll leave him two days aftahwards. (That is to make her leave. What tracks do you take, one right after the other?) Yes sir, one right aftah de othah.
(Left and right, left and right, [until] you get nine of them.)
Jis' git nine.
(That is to drive her away. But you must put them under her doorstep.)
Undah 'er do'step.
Entry 5524
Dey take dat an' make yo' love 'em. Take dat track out de hollah yore foot. Take it up - jis' lak yo' take up, jis' lak dat [demonstrates], lak dis de hollow of it. An' put sugah in it an' put dis powdah in it, dis same love powdah. Put it in it an' tote it in yore pocket. Dat will make dem love yo'.
(You take that out of either track, either the right or left?)
De right.
Entry 5525
Yo' take de lef' track jis' undah de palm ["hollow" or "ball" of foot], jis' lak [palm of] mah han'. An' den yo' kin sew it up in a li'le cloth, if yo' wan'a weah it undah yore clothes, see. Den yo' kin - well, yo' jis' keep it 'nointed wit Lucky Mojoo Perfume. Well, dat tuh keep yore luck good. Some folks weah dem in a li'le bag roun' dere neck.
(What do you wear that thing for, that fellow's foot track?)
Well, yo' weah it - yo' see, if yo' wan's de man, if he don' wanta stay wit cheW. AN' DEN SOMETIME YO' JIS' WAN'A A MAN ANYWAY. Yo' gO Out dere an' gits dat fo' luck.
Entry 5526
Take a can of lye, can of potash yo' know, dis Red Devil lye, an' put it undah yore step. Take yore track an' put de can of lye wit it - yo' know, jis' lak yo' seen people make tracks. Put dat lye undah dere. (Put the lye in the track?) No, take de lye - dis heah man shoe track. Take de track up an' put it in dat lye.
(Put it in this can of lye?)
Put it in dat can of lye an' bury it undah yore steps. Bury it undah yore step, jis' lak yo' go dere an' sweep up heah undah de step. Yo' can't stay dere.
(You can't stay there. That runs you out of the house.)
Yo' can't stay dere.
(That's either one of your shoes?)
Yeah, ary one yore track.
(And put this can of Red Devil lye under your step and you can't stay there.)
Entry 5527
Ah'm tellin' whut experienced. Dey take de dust, de dirt out from yure lef' foot, an' dey put it in a li'le small bag an' mix wit Devil Lye. An' put it in a secret place dat chew kin walk ovah it, an' dat'll cuz pain in yore foot. Yo"mem- bah [remember] readin' duh Bi- ble whah [where] it says, in Numbahs [Nuonbers] de 27th and 15th [chapter 27, verse 15].
(What Was that? From the Bible?)
De Numbahs, ah say, de 27th an' 15th, say, "Warned he dat hideth anything in a secret place dat yore neighbor finds it not."
(That's from Numbers, 27th chapter,15 verse?)
[The preceding guotation comes not from Numbers but from Deuteronomy as fol- lows: Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen" - King James Version.] [While recording machine was stopped I must have asked informant, "Where did you hear this?" He evidently answered, "From my uncle."]
(Where did he live, here?)
Oh, he daid now. He used tuh live in Perry County, in Perry County, Ala., Scott Station.
(What was his name?)
His name Jim Herod. An' one [another uncle] named Winston Williams. Well, he daid.
(Well, he wasn't your uncle?)
Both of 'em mah uncle. Both uncle on mah mothah's side, but dey had diff'- ren' fathahs, see.
(Well, whose remedy was this? Who told you this?)
Mah uncle Jim Herod.
(Well, you tell me which one of your uncles you learned these things from?)
[This man Was brought to me as a root doctor. Two comments of mine are on the original transcription: "not much" and later "may use as [[an example of]] a fake R.D.[[root doctor]]. THE LATTER CRITICISM IS UNJUST. I WAS TOO SEVERE ON THESE EARLIER INFORMANTS. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS LYE-TRACK RITE, AS THE PRECEDING AND LATER-IN-DATE EXAMPLE FROM BRUNSWICK, GA., SHOWS.]
Entry 5528
Take dat an' put new manure in it. Take mah track an' put new manure in it an' jis' scattah it each way yo' see, an' den ah'll keep a-goin'. Ah jis' won't nevah continue ' nowhere. Dat's tuh keep yo' wit travelin' min'. [This manure, animal, is evidently scattered both ways along your tracks so that you are not going to or coming from a definite destination but in all directions. Human manure is almost a foot-track rite in POWER FROM DEAD PREACH- ER'S BoNE, that amazing and almost unbelievable story, p.285. In the present and following rites newness is reguired.1
Entry 5529
(Suppose you begin that right from the beginning now. What do you do with this woman's track?) Yo' take dis woman's track, de lef'-foot track. See, yo' mus'n't [must not] ketch it gwine from yo'. Ketch it jes' lak - yo' ketch it comin' tuh yuh, jes' lak ah'm comin' tuh yo' heah, now. Jes' lak yo' call me, say, "Come heah, Jim." Ah goes tuh yo', an' yo' watch de lef' foot yo' see. Well, now, maybe when ah turn mah back an' go on de othah way - yo' know, ah don't know whut chure idea is. Yo' git it lak dis, yo' see. Yo' watchin' me goin' de othah way, yo' see. Yo' ketch it lak dis - go back to de heel [demonstrates].
(From the toe to the heel. Pick it up.)
Yo' pick it up. Den yo' goes tuh work an' goes - don't go tuh a steer. Yo' KNOW WHUT'S A STEER IS? A steer is - he has been a bull but he been cut, yo' Know. An' yo' goes tuh a bull lot. Yo' goes in dere an' aftah yo' goes in de bull lot - make it dere befo' sunrise an' de bull be layin' down yo' know. Yo' stir 'im, make him git up, yo' see. When he git up, he goin' stretch yo' know. Hell, when he stretch he goin' do his business. Well, yo' see, yo' ketch de second turd befo' it hit de groun' - don't let it hit de groun' yo' see - de secon' turd. Jes' as de first one - yo' let de firs' one hit yo' see.
(You grab that?)
Yo' grab dat yo' see. Yo' take dat an' go on off an' put it in a ole tin pin [pan] an' set it on de fiah. An' yo' go tuh work aftah yo' set it on de fiah - dat parch it. Yo' have seen people parch coffee. Yo' set dere an' yo' stir it yo' know an' parch it. An' yo' take dat track, an' yo' take dat bull's stuff, an' go tuh de drug sto'. Go tuh drug sto' an' git chew a bottle of cologne, or eithah de Ten Cent Sto'. Yo' mix dat up wit one of dem track yo' see. Yo' mix dat up tuhgethah an' go git chew a vial: Den yo' goes tuh work yo' see an' yo' gits yuh a li'le bottle - see, 'bout lak dat [demonstrates].
(A small bottle about the size of your middle finger.)
Dat's right, a small bottle. Den yo' goes tuh work an' yo' gits dat Heart Cologne. Git chew a li'le bit of likkah. Heart Cologne, dat trouble. An' git chew a li'le bit of likkah an' a li'le camphor, yo' see. An' yo' put all dat in dere, yo' see, intuh dat bottle. Put dat mixture yo' mix outa dat bull turd an' 'uh track. Put all dat in dat bottle. Yo' see de idea. An' aftah yo' put it intuh dat bottle, yo' shakes it up lak dis yo' see [demonstrates]. Yo' take a stoppah an' yo' puts it intuh a stoppah [into the bottle] an' yo' git chew a piece of silk cloth an' yo' sews dat up. YO' KNOW WOMENFOLKS IS KINDA SHARP, yo' know, an' yo' sews dat up. Den yo' go tuh work an' yo' tote dat right nex tuh yo'. Yo' see, if yo' kin git it in dis li'le fob pocket chere [here], yo know, nex' tuh yore skin anywhere. Yo' totes dat yo' see. Well, yo' feeds dat jes' lak yo' feeds [yourself], 'bout three time a week. Yo' go tuh work an' buy a li'le mo' likkah, yo' know, an' yo' put on dat yo' know. Take a li'le bit mo Heart Cologne an' yo' po' on dat, yo' see. Yo' po' dat right on de rag, yo' un- dahstan'. Well, now, dat's carried. An' evah time yo' go by 'uh, anywhere, yo' say, "Looky heah, honey, how 'bout [so-an'-so]?" "Yes, all right.'" An' jes' git a li'le bit of it, yo' know, right out de top of 'uh heah [demon- strates].
(The top of her hair - top of the head?)
Jes' about three strands. Be sharp enough - be sharp enough aftah 'uh sleep- in'. Yo' see de idea. Go right heah [demonstrates].
(By her privates?)
Yeah. An' take 'bout three strands, de long one right heah, yo' know. Take dat an' mix it all tuhgethah an' put it right in dat bottle. She'll follah 'im anywhere in de worl'.
(And keep her?)
Yessuh. See, ah tried dat. Ah had so much trouble wit womenfolks, dat, yo' know, ah'd...
(Who taught you - who told you that?)
Well, ah tell yo', AH MET A LADY [doctOr] FROM LOUISIANA. SHE WUS TRAVELIN' AN' SHE WUS THROUGH HEAH. So ah been havin' quite a lot of trouble wit wimmins yo' see. Ah used tuh be a woman lovah, yo' know. Ah did love womenfolks, yo' know, an' AH HAD MAH HAID BUMPED BY MANY, yo' see. An' ah tole huh 'bout it N' she tole me whut tuh do. An' ah has tried it - RIGHT TODAY, YO' HOL' DEM AN' PUT "EM UNDAH YORE FOOT. Yo' hol' dem, an' long as yo' kin keep 'em down undah yore foOt, yo' kin gO. But DE MINUTE DEY GIT DE UPPER PULL ON YO', DEY GOT CHEW AN' GONE. Yo' see? Dey got chew an' gone.
Entry 5530
Dey take de length of yore feet, take it right from de toe back to de heel. An' aftah dey take de length of yore shoe, dey take an' wrap it. An' dey take dat an' go bury right at the bottom of each step, yo' see, intuh anothah shoe; not yore shoe but anothah ole shoe dere at de house. An' dey put dat down an' dey claim dat would cross 'im up.
([They take] that string and measure the shoe and also [take] the foot track?)
Jis' take de length, dey don't take the foot track. Jis' take de length. Now, dey take some dust right at de end of de shoe, where dey measure it. Take some dust from dat end, an' dey take some dust from dat [other end]. An' put all dat tuhgethah an' wrap it up, an' put dat in de ole shoe.
Entry 5531
They say that if you take a rule and measure a [foot] track straight and then measure across, and take that same measurement and mark it out on a piece of paper, and take that paper and put a piece of cube root they call it, it grows mostly in Florida they say, and take that and the Sampson snakeroot and also Adam-and-Eve and 'coon root and High John the Conqu- er, and put that in with that paper, and then take that paper and put it so that it can be used under the head of the individual's bed, and by staying there for nine days in succession the individual begin to pine away and finally die. [Elizabeth City, N. Car. (182), 551:2.]
Entry 5532
Ah've heard dat dey kin git chure foot track an' measure yore foot track, an' take some of de dirt out de hollah of yore track, see. Den go tuh de graveyard aftah twelve o'clock an' git some de dirt from de heart, about de heart, an' from de head an' from de foot [3 places]. An' mix it wit dat dirt whut dey took out of yore track. An' march aroun' dat grave fo' times, firs'. Den come back an' march aroun' it ag'in five, six, seven. De seven is de uneven numbah. March roun' dat seven times. Den take dat dirt whut dey got wit de graveyard dirt outen yore track, an' go an' mix it tuhgethah, an' boil it in salt an' water an' lime. Throw dat in salt, watah an' lime. Den dey will take dat an' sprinkle it wherevah yo' gotta go, where yo' cross ovah at, if it's yore doorstep or some path yo' go. If yo' in a car, why dey'd sprinkle it aroun yore car - sompin like dat - an' dat will do yo' harm. See, when yo' git in dere, yo'll be painful an' cain't rest, an' have no min' tuh stay at home - only be goin' all de time. (NOW TO MAKE CERTAIN ABOUT THIS. When you get this graveyard dirt after twelve o'clock at night, you get it from three places: on the head, the heart, and the feet. And before you get that dirt, do you walk around the grave four times or after?) Aftah.
(Then you say you walk around it again five times?)
Firs' yo' walk aroun' it, dat make five. Den yo' walk aroun' it seven times.
(Seven separate times or all together?)
Altuhgethah.
(You walk around it four times. Then what do you do?)
Yo' walk aroun' it fo' times an' yo' speak words.
(What will you say?)
Yo' will say, "Ah wan' dis man tuh be subjec' tuh me. Ah wan' 'im tuh go an' not come back. Dat 'is min' may go from 'im, dat he may not undahstan' whut he do." See, dat's whut dey'll say.
(Then you will walk around it?)
Two mo' time. Dat makes seven. (They walk around it four times. They dig that dirt up and walk around it four times. Then what do they do after the fourth time, after they say those words?) Den dey walk aroun' it ag'in one time. Dat makes five, yo' see.
(Then do they say anything?)
Naw, don't say anything. Den de fifth time, den de sixth an' de seventh. Den dey march aroun' dere de seventh time, den dey will repeat de same words over ag'in....
(Then you go on away with the graveyard dirt.)
Entry 5533
They measure your footstep with a string and tie that around a ten- penny nail, and drive it right in the ground where you have to step over ft, and that puts a curse on you. [Fredericksburg, Va., (45), by] Ediphone.]
Entry 5534
If a man have a woman dat's run away from home, she won' stay home an' won' be satisfied, she wanta do jis' as [she pleases] - de fellah don' wan' 'ah [her] tuh move away from dere. Take a cord string, cotton cord string, put de end of 'ah heel an' de end of 'ah toe, an' git 'ah measure- ment. An' put it roun' a nail an' drive it right ovah in front of de do'. An' den he wanta read de 90th Psalms of David.
(What will that do?)
She'll stay home.
Entry 5535
Well, ah kin take dat foot track if ah jis' - say jis' WAN'A KEEP ANY- yo' see. Ah kin jis' ketch 'er track in a clear place, an' git a nice li'le stick an' measure dat track, an' git a good size bottle. An' ah'll sew dat track up in a red flannen cloth, an' ah will git nine bran'-new needles, see, an' stick it in dat cloth. Stick de needle right up lak dat in dat cloth, see. An' git three rusty nail an' tie it tuh- gethah, an' drop it in dat bottle an' cork it up airtight, an' evahthin' will be okay. Won' have no mo' trouble gittin' along wit chure wife.
(You said you use the stick for something?)
Yes, jis' any piece of li'le stick. Yo' jis' kin take a knife an' run off a li'le piece jis' long 'nuff tuh measure de track lak dat, see. Den yo' take de li'le stick an' yo' break it up, break it up in a li'le pieces, see. An' yo' put it in dat red flannen an' sew it up. Yo' take up dat track yo' know. Yo' take dat track up, see, an' put it in dat flannen jis' where yo' measurin' it. Sew it up an' take dem nine needles [etc.].
Entry 5536
[HERE IS AN UNUSUAL RITE, ONE DEVISED FOR PICKING UP A PERSON'S FOOT TRACK INSIDE THE HOUSE BY WASTING WATER ON THE FLOOR:1 Well, if yo' wan' someone tuh stay home - yo' heah me? Yo' heah me? Yo' measure dey footsteps an' yo'll take nine nails an' yo'll take dat footstep, de real footstep, an' yo'll put nine needles [nails] in de footstep. Dat's when we comin' in, when we in de house. Aftah yo' git 'em in de house, don' let 'em see it. Yo'll do dat even if dey sleep. Yo'll take dem nails an' yo'll - yo'll take dat whole footstep whilst dey in sleepin'. Now, if yo' wanted 'em tuh go 'way from home...
(Is that one thing complete now about the nine nails and the footstep?)
Well, yes, dey have tuh be in de house. Dey have tuh git 'em, an' if he sleepin', yo' kin do it bettah. Yo'll take nine nails an' yo'll ketch dey foot- step.
(How do you catch the footstep?)
See, lak mah shoe - see, lak dey comin' in an' yo' make a footstep. Maybe if dey got watah - always Wet sompin so dat dey kin step in it tuh git dey step, so becuz many time it dry an' yo' kinnot [cannot] git dey steps. Yo' have tuh waste watah or make where he gotta walk in it. An' den when he pass, it always - fo instan' [instance] yo'll make it wit a pencil so yo'll take de full step of de person. Yo' gotta git de full step of dat. Now, when he's in, yo' do dat - see, dat nine nails.
(What do you do with those nine nails now?)
Jis' leave 'em in de flo' wheresomevah he's at, dat's when he's comin' out de house. Well, now, fo' instan', if yo' wan'a use, scusin'[excusing] dat, dat's if a woman husban' is stayin' off.
(Here's my footstep. Now, you pick that up on something?)
Yes.
(Then you bring it into the house?)
No.
(What do you do with it now?)
Yo'll take de measure of dat footstep wit a pencil, if yo' gotta waste de watah or somepin fo' 'im tuh make de step. (There's the step now, then you take the length of it with a stick or some- thing? Now what do you do?) Yo' nails nine nails intuh de step [foot track] aroun' de marks [of the track] tuh ketch de whole footstep.
(You nail nine nails into the ground?)
No, intuh de house, intuh de house if he's in a house.
(You put that around the measure?)
Yes, if it's de whole measure. (You put that measure on the floor and then you put the nine nails around the measure?) Yessuh, dat's whut ah wanta [have been trying to] tell yo'.
Entry 5537
Jis' lak if yo' go an' make a footstep, dey go an' measure dat track... wit a cord string - jis' de way yo' goin' - an' dey picks it up from dere toe an' bring it backwards...put it in runnin' watah an' have yo' walkin'.
Entry 5538
Ah'll answah yo' dis guestion. (All right.) Dey'll take yore foot track an' dey'll take a cord string, a bran'-new piece of cord outa de store, an' dey'll measure yore foot track. Dey will measure each one of 'em, right an' left. Dey goin' tuh put one foot track goin' dis Way an' dey goin' tuh put de othah goin' data way [demonstrates]. An' dey goin' tuh write yore name on a bo'd - it goin' tuh be on a bo'd [symbol of graveboard]. Dey goin' tuh write yore name on dat, an' dey goin' tuh take an' throw it ovah de lef' shouldah in de rivah [Mississippi] or in de lake [Ponchartrain] air [either] one of dem two go; if it go in de lake, it's all right an' if it go in de river, it's all right. Well, dat's tuh - dat is so yo'll jis' git sick, lingah sick, an' yo' don' know whut's de mattah wit chew. Firs' thing, a pain'll take yo' an' yo'll git paralyzed-lak, but yo' isn't paralyzed, yo' is tricked. See. Yo's [you has] no control of yore feet an' jis' puts yo' in a dragon [dragging] con- dition. (Now, they turn one foot track that way and one this way [author demon- strates]?) Yes, sir, jis' lak dis [demonstrates].
(Do they use the same string for both or two different strings?)
It's de only one string. Dey wan' dat track.
(Do they dig up that track or do they [merely] measure it?)
Dey takes 'em up. Dey takes 'em up, de whole measure of it. But how dey do, dey take 'em up - dey have a li'le flat bo'd an' yo' see, dey take dat dust an all up tuhgethah.
(They just slip it under those tracks?)
Dey slip it right undah dese tracks, an' now dey goin' tuh put one track goin' dis way an' [demonstrates] - one feet goin' out dis way an' de othah feet go dis Way. An' dey goin' tuh write yore name on a pastebo'd.
(Pasteboard?)
Shoe pastebo'ds whut chew buy shoes in. Dey goin' tuh write yore name on dat. An' aftah dey write chure name on dat, dey takes it an' dey goes tuh de rivah or de lake, an' throw it ovah de lef' shouldah.
(Well, wait a minute. Do they throw these foot tracks in with the pasteboard?)
Yes, sir. Dey throw dat ovah de lef' shouldah an' In de Name of de Fathah, an de Son, an' de Holy Ghost.
(I see.)
Dat's goin' tuh make yo', in nine days time, yo' goin' tuh come, be loose of yore limbs. No more service tuh yoreself. (What do they do with that string they measure it with? What do you do with the string?) Dey takes dat string - dat's de - dat so as - yo' see when yo' be - if yo' be pickin' up - yo' know, if yo' pick up dust, it's bound tuh crack, huh? But chew got de full length of it wit dat string.
(I see.)
Well, dat string goes wit it. It's tied right across dat bo'd. An' throw it ovah de lef' shouldah In de Name of de Fathah, of de Son an' de Holy Ghost.
Entry 5539
Well, see, if a person is stayin' 'way from home all de time, jis' come home an' eat an' tuh sleep a little while an' go right on off, doesn't have any time tuh be roun' home an' yo' wan' 'em tuh stay at home. Well, yo' ketch de track comin' home to- wards de door. An' if yo' git dat track an' yo' measure it wit a papah or eithah way [another method] yo' kin use cahton; well, if it's a piece dat dere hasn't been anything cut off of it befo'. Den when yo' write de name an' make de wishes - make yore wish yo' wanta make, an' fold it ovah, an' each fold fold it towards de house.
(You write on the cotton cloth or on the paper, and each fold you make?)
Each fold fold it towards de house an' repeat de words, "Come home an' stay at home." An' yo' fold dat an' aftah yo' fold it, yo' take a piece of new home- spun an' yo' put dis in it, an' den yo' put some salt. Yo' puts nine grains of red peppah, a pod of red peppah has nevah been any used out. Well, yo' kin put de whole nine pods or yo' kin put de nine grains, which is de seed yo' see. An' yo' put some salt an' some peppah wit dat, be sure it's de salt an' peppah whut yo' jis' bought 'specially fo' dat - an' sulphur. An' put dat down an' bury dat den. Yo' dig de top soil, yo' dig until yo' git down below de top soil, see, an yo' bury dat, an' make yore wishes. An' den de persons will stay at home.
Entry 5540
Now, dey kin take dat foot track of yores an' use it jis' lak dey wan'a. Well, dey takes a knife an' a rule an' measure yore foot tracks an' print it on a piece of papah. Den yo' carries de name. Jis' lak yo' say, ah wan'a do as ah wan'a wit dis person. Yo' carry de name three times. Write yore name. (They measure that foot track with the ruler and then take a piece of paper, a piece of paper the length of the foot track.) Dat's right an' den dey take yore name an' dey draws yore name in a box, in a square, in the box, diamond and heart. Dey write yore name. Yore name would be Jones Johnson. Dey put it backwards, yore name would be Johnson Jones, yo' undahstan'. An' dey cast dat in de light in de lamp, an' have yo' do jis' whut dey want yo' tuh do. Dat's right, dat's fer quick wishes.