Browse:FOOT TRACK (Volume 4, entries 5301–5797)/Part 4
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 5541
Yo' take dat foot track, try tuh git it wit'out breakin' it. Yo' lay it on a piece of brown papäh an' yo'll take de measure [of] dat track. An' yo'll write dis person name crossways in it nine times. Yo' git some dirt offa sinnah -bad person died bad - yo' git dat offa dere grave, dat dirt. An' yo' put dat [grave dirt] on dere [the track]. Den yo' git chew some John de Conkah root powdah [hoo- doo drug store or mail order house product] an' yo' spread it in [the 2 dirts]. Den yo' bury dat track backwards: lak yo' gon'a walk intuh dis doah, well yo' wan'a put de foot print comin' in - yo' put de heel part comin' in. Dat'll make yer brains - mos' people bury it any way - it'll run yo' crazy, if yo' use it lak dat.
Entry 5542
Dey would take de cord an' dey'll measure it, an' yo'd draw [stretch that cord over the length of] dat foot track. An' yo'd take dat cord aftah it wus drawed [stretched], an' yo' put it in a bottle wit some devil vinegah. An' write his name in dere nine times backwards [like Smith John instead of John Smith] an' nine times frontwards, dat's 18 times, an' keep it in dere fo' nine days. An' at de end of de nine days he goin' die.
(But you have to find this foot track some place first?)
Yes.
(Where do you get this devil's vinegar? Do you buy it some place?)
In de drug sto'.
(The Crackerjack [Drug Store]?)
Any one of 'em [any New Orleans' drug store].
Entry 5543
(I am going to talk to a girl now who was here the other day, by the name of Mary Magdalene. I am not certain that I have her material on the rec- ords, so to be certain I am going to take it down again. Her number was 679.) (All right, go ahead I want to be ableto hear you.) It's a man - if yo' want him to come back, yo' know, and if he goes out chure house, well yo' pick up the left-foot track, the dirt. Put it into a box and shut it up. And get to de right-foot track and get yo' a pine stick - about this long a stick - and take it and nail underneath of de steps. And take that dirt and bring it into your house, and put it right underneath - place it right underneath of your mattress, if you want him to come back, and he can't get away from you. [THE PRECEDING PARAGRAPH IS VERY COMMON IN HOODOO, SOMETHING IS MISSING. THESE FREQUENT MISSING SOMETHINGS REQUIRE TOTAL CONCENTRATION ON WHAT THE SPEAKER SAYS. FOR THIS REASON I ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:]
(You said something about a pine stick?)
Yes, sir.
(What do you do with that?)
Measure that stick just as long as his right foot. And nail it underneath of your step. [Informant's answer is quite evident in her original statement, but her ex- planation was necessary for the record.]
(I see.)
But the bottom where you measure it - the bottom of it, turn it towards the ground. [That part of the stick touching ground during measurement must when tacked under step face downwards towards ground.l
(I see.)
Underneath the step, tack it up underneath the step. And you place that dirt in your bed mattress where you sleep.
(That's the dirt from the left foot?)
Yes, sir.
(And what do you measure with this stick?)
The right one.
[This is merely checking, not trying to trick informant.]
(The right one, and what is that to do?)
That's to make him stay. (Make him stay. Now, what kind of tracks do you get? His tracks out there, any track?) When he leaves out, yes sir - just right where he steps on de dirt.
(Oh, when he's going away?)
Yes, sir.
(I see.)
Entry 5544
Yo' don' wan'a harm 'em but yo' goin' tuh move 'em. Yo' walk right down de road behin' 'im whichevah he's walkin'. Git chew sides [suckers] dat growin' from a hick'ry or from a 'simmon [persimmon] tree, an' stick it down at de end of 'is toe an' clip it off at 'is heel. An' take dem [clipped sticks measuring foot tracks] an' carry it [them] down tuh de rivah, say, "Go an' don' come back." An' he cain't stay dere.
(How many years old you you take the tree?)
Jis' only three sides less den a yeah old, but maybe [as old as] three yeahs. Cut dem de length of de feet [foot tracks] an' carry 'em an' don' look back, whatevah yo' do. Wish dere [at the river]. Dat will move him. (You take that from a persimmon tree?) From any tree in a stump. See, yo' jis' cuts if off, cut one heah an' two heah.
(We call them little suckers.)
Well, we call 'em sides, sprouts.
Entry 5545
Yeah, yo' kin take up a person's foot track jis' lak yo' kin - yo' know, a person walk along, why yo' kin go dere an' take de measure. Take yo' a string an' measure dey foot, de width an' de length. Yo' kin use both if yo' wan' tuh. Dat's whut dey tell me, dat yo' kin use both of 'em wit a string. Measure de width an' de length wit dis string. An' den yo' go tuh work an' yo' bury it at dere back do'steps. Dat string jis' de length of dey foot, yo' bury it dere an' event'ly [eventually] dey'll jis' leave 'way from dere. Dey cain't rest dere.
(You make both measurements with the same string?)
Wit de same string, see; an' yo' bury dat string.
Entry 5546
Take yo' measure an' dey kin weah dat measure aroun' 'em.
(How would they take that measure?)
Dey git 'em a cord string or any kinda string an' take dat measure of yorn an' weah it aroun' 'em.
(The measure of this foot track?)
Yessuh. (What will that do then?) Dat keeps 'em down.
Entry 5547
Git chew a bran'-new piece of cord string, cord string. Go an' buy yo' a ball a nickel[!] ball of cord string, undahstan'. An' yo' ketch dat track. Yo' watch 'em where dey pass an' yo' go dere an' yo' measure dat from yore toe to yuh heel. Tie dat knot in dere [at the length] an' put it in yore pocket. Den yo' got 'em.
(How do you mean you got them?)
If yo' wanta bring 'em tuh yo' or whut chew wanta do. Tuh stop 'em from walkin' or fix 'em any Way yo' want, well yo' got 'em, yo' see.
Entry 5548
[They would] tie - dey'd make nine knots in dat foot track. (How could they make nine knots in that track?) Well, dey'd measure it.
(Oh, they'd measure it. I see.)
Yo' have to measure it. Yo' make nine knots.
(In that string?)
In dat string, an' yo' take dat string an' yo' tie it tight an' bury it. Yo' see? An' yo' bury it in any yard way in de back undah of a tree. Dat would make dem person leg draw up.
(Make the leg draw up?)
Draw up.
(I see.)
Yeah. (Now, would you measure either one of those tracks, measure either one of them?) Yeah, it would have to be one of 'em, de lef'. [New Orleans, La., (798) 1113:1.]
Entry 5549
I did [this]. Take it an' measure it, yore foot tracks. Take it an' take a rule an' yo' measure dat foot track.
(Both of them?)
Well, not necess'ry. Try tuh git de right feet. Git de right feet where de heart's on, de side de heart's on - git de right[!] feet. Yo' take dat. Take it an' measure it, den yo' bring it back home. Aftah yo' bring it back home [I interrupt]. (Do you bring it [foot track] back or the measure?)[Informant does not understand my noun use of word measure. Measurement would have been better.] No, yo' take a rule an' measure de foot track. Or prob'ly, yo' may not have a rule, might take a stick an' break it off, measure it. Yo' taken an' yo' bring it [rule or stick] back home. An' yo' git yo' a toadfrog, not a bull frog. Take it an' put 'im in a stove an' parch 'im. An' take some - well, yo' kin take or'nary [ordinary] papah, take a papah bag, if it's nes'ry [necessary] an' cut dat foot step out an' wrap dat up, an' tie it up in de chimley.
(Wrap this frog stuff [powder] in this paper that you cut out?)
Yes, wrap it all up in dat, an' wrap it - don't wrap it from yo', WRAP IT TUH YO', ALL DE WAY WIT YORE LEF' HAN' 'CUZ YO' SUPPOSED TUH BE DOIN' A PIECE OF EVIL WORK. DAT'S ALONG DE LINE LUCIFAH WORRED, DAT'S NOT ALONG DE LINE WHAT CONCEN- TRATED IN WIT WILL POWAH, WHAT SUPPOSED TUH BE DEALIN' WIT' DE ASTRAL FORCE. (Well, now what will that do, when you fix my foot track that way? What will that do to me?) Well, if yo' runnin' off, it make yo' come back.
(Oh, that brings you back.)
Entry 5550
I learnt dat if yo're meetin' me an' ah'm meetin' yo', dat ah pick up yore right track, an' den turn roun' an' pick up mah right track. An' den [I] turn off an' walk off from yo', an' take dat right track an' carry it back [home]. Wrap it up in a piece of new cloth an' take it tuh runnin' watah an' throw it in dere. An' dat would cuz yo' tuh go, jis' keep agoin', yo' know.
(What would you do with your right track then?)
Well, de both of 'em - mine would be wit me yo' know, but ah mix mine wit yores, an' dat would make me stay an' yo' go.
(If you are walking toward me and I'm walking toward you?)
Uh-huh.
(And after you pass me you turn around and get my right track?)
No, Wait jis' a minute. WOULD JOO ALLOW ME TUH SHOW YO' Yo' see, here yo' come, meeting me, an' we jis' meet right up tuhgethah like dat an' dere we're standin'. An' we'll talk. An' well, aftah yo' pass by me or yo'll turn off tuh go some place, ah'll reach down an' git chures an' ah'll git mine.
(Just a little bit out of each one?)
Yas. An' den ah puts 'em tuhgethah. Now, deres anothah idea tuh be put wit dat but still ah haven't happened tuh learn it yet. Yo' put 'em tuhgethah an' den yo' take dem home an' yo' put 'em in dat new cloth yo' see. An' yo' tie dat up, so dey say, an' den dey'll throw it intuh rumnin' watah an' turn off like dat an' go on off. (After you throw it into running water, you turn your back and don't look back at the running water again.)
Entry 5551
Yo' be walkin' 'long an' pass by 'im. Yo' gwine down de street disa- way, ah'm comin' disaway. All right. An' when yo' pass by me yo' turn right roun' de first time yo' walk past, take up 'is track. Run down an' pick up de track. Yo' have tuh git it run- nin' an'... (How do you mean get it running? What do you mean by that?) All right, now ah'm walkin' down behin' joo, an' yo' lookin' dat way an' ah'm lookin' de same way yo' is, but ah'm lookin' at chure track an' ah'm goin' walk in a hurry. Yo' know, jis' take a little fast trot an' stoop down an' pick dem tracks up, runnin' like dat. An' take 'em an' put some salt in'em an' black peppah. An' take 'em tuh de rivah an' turn yore back an' throw 'em ovahbo'd, an' yo'll go crazy.
(What shoulder do you throw them over?)
Throw 'em ovah yore lef' shouldah.
(And what tracks do you pick up?)
Yo' jis' pick up two tracks, each foot - each one of yore foot.
Entry 5552
Now ah have heard dat if yo' wanted tuh vanish a person, in uddah words, dat's runnin' 'em off, drivin' 'im on. Yo' git up early in de mawnin'. Say ah were goin' dis way, but chew don't go in de direction ah'm goin'. Yo' come from de direction ah'm goin'. An' git a little of de dirt right out de hollah of mah track.
(How do you scoop that up?) From de toe [demon- strates]. (From the toe to the heel.)
Right in de hollah of it. See, yo' take dat sand tuh a runnin' stream, an' throw dat sand in dat runnin' stream, an' repeat de Three Highest Names. Jes' throw dat sand in de runnin' stream.
(What will that do then?)
Dat will run dem off.
Entry 5553
Yo' take a person dat yo' dislike an' yo' wan' 'em away from yo'. Yo' seet 'im. He's comin' dat way an' yo's comin' dis way. Take a bran'-new piece of papah, a piece like dat [he changes this for cloth later]. Take a bran'-new easpoon. When ah say bran'-new, ah mean one dat was nevah used fo' any purpose. An' yo' put it - take a piece of cloth, white cloth dat yo' have nevah used fo y othah purpose. Take dat wit yo'. An' prepare tuh meet yore man, whomsoevah ir is. An' meet 'im dere, an' git a smile if yo' kin. Pass 'im an' pass 'im a certain distant [distance]. But gauge yoreself so as tuh not allow 'im tuh git ay too far. An' yo' take de track up wit dat teaspoon. Begin right at de toe, don' cha know an' pull it directly back tuh de heel. An' git de spoonful an' put it intuh dis cloth, an' wrap it up so it won't - yo' know, it will be out of de way. An' yo' take a rusty nail an' yo' cross de track directly in de centah, an' den cross it ag'in from de heel tuh de toe - away from yo', directly. An' throw de nail ovah yore left shouldah. Den yo' keep de stuff dat yo' got in de cloth, take dat an' take de spoon an' throw dat ovah yuh right shouldah. Take dat cloth right on, roll it up tight, tie it away from yuh, don't cha know. Take a piece of rock an' put in it, in de othah part of it, an' yuh care [carry] it an' yuh throw it ovah yuh lef' shouldah, right ovahbo'd intuh runnin' watah. Or if de tide is goin' down, on de tide, when yuh throw it ovah. An' yuh mention de person's name. Dey goes right on out like dat [with the tide]. As it go ovahbo'd, dey die. An' if it's comin' up, yuh know what yuh call a spring tide, huh, when it's comin' up, why dey'll git almos' crazy until de tide turns. An' as soon as de tide turns ag'in, dey gone.
(Where did you learn this?)
Ah learned dat in de Bahamas.
(At Nassau?)
At Nassua.
(From this girl?)
From dis girl.
Entry 5554
Take up a track an' put it ovah a glass.
(On a glass. What kind of a glass?)
Eny kin' of lookin' glass.
(Oh! It must be a looking glass, a mirror?)
No, a mirrah [mirror] glass. An' yo' ta' kem [take them] back home.
(That all you do to it?)
No, den go tuh work an' take.some sweet cologne [unusual term] an' sprinkle 'em in de track.
(Which track do they get?)
Dey git de right-foot track. Pick it up - shovel it up an' put it on de mirrah, an' take dat cologne an' sprinkle ovah it an' put it tuh one side. An' evah day dey goes in dere an' sprinkle some more cologne fer nine days, an' in de nine days he'll come back.
Entry 5555
Dey take chure track up, jis' lak if dey would do sompin tuh yuh tuh set yuh down an' make yuh suffah, an' cain't do nut'in tuh he'p yuhself. Dey take yuh track lak dis, see [demonstrates] - lak dat right from in de middle ["hollow" of track]. An' take up jis' about - ah know dat is de truth - take up de dirt, yuh know, an' dey put 'em on a piece of papah. Dey take de othah one disaway [demonstrates]. (They take one track - they pull it towards them and one they pull away from them.) Dat's de way de' do. An' dey take dat an' dey put it tuhgethah. An' den dey git tuh put it tuhgethah, dey goes tuh work an' dey take a little pot salt [com- Ron name for ordinary salt in a pot before salt-shaker days] an' dey put in dere. Dey sew it up in a piece of red flannel or new homespun. An' dey take dat on de young moon, now. On de' young moon de' do dat. An' dey take dat t'in' an' dey'll bury it in de earth. Well, yuh is punished. Yuh go an' cain't do nut'in. It'll git chew in hard luck. Well, den dey kin take dat an' when de tide comin' up, t'row 'em down in de watah - jis' toss 'em in de rivah. An' de rivah runnin' lak dat, go right dere an' t'row it lak dat. Dey cain't stop. T'row it in de rivah an' den yuh wheel aroun' lak dat, an' turn [your] back an' say, "Go on." Yuh kin be all right fer days. Dis mont' yuh'll have sompin, de nex' mont' yuh go 'long an' have headache an' evaht'in'. Yuh'll take dat an' dis an' dis [medicine] till it become....
Entry 5556
Well, ah heard of a - if anybody yo' wants tuh do anythin' tuh an' yo' see 'em walkin', yo' could take a wire nail an' drive it right down in 'is track an' dat'll stop 'im from walkin'.
Entry 5557
An' ah've noticed in South Carolina, dey've got a ole belief down dere tuh cripple a person. I hear 'em talk it an' seen 'em practice it several times, dat yo' kin take a new nail dat's nevah been used. Any person yo've got somepin ag'inst an' yo' wan' tuh git even wit 'em dataway. Dey track 'em anywhere where dey'll leave a track in de fresh earth, dig a hole an' place dat nail in dere wit de point up, an' when dey pass dere again, dey become crippled an' stay crippled until yo' remove dat nail. Ah've seen dat practiced a whole lot, an' had 'em tuh tell me dat's really de way dat it's cuzed
[caused] an' how it's done.
Entry 5558
Whut dey would do if dey git holt of yore foot track. Well, dey'd pick dat dirt up an'.dey would take dat dirt intuh a bottle, an' dey would git 'em a rusty nail. An' den dey would stop dat dirt up in dere, an' den dey would throw it in runnin' watah. Dat would run yo' away from heah.
(Why do they put the nail in?)
Well, becuz it's rusty, an' it got a p'int tuh it.
Entry 5559
She an' ah were talkin' an' she said tuh me, "See dat man on top of dat lumbah pile?" Ah said, "Yes." She said, "Tuhmorrah he'll be gone." Ah said, "How will dat happen?" She say, "Ah'm goin' tuh git 'im tuh go." So she ast 'er how'd she do it. An' she said she'd taken a big rusty nail, an' as he walked along leavin' 'is footsteps, she drove dat nail right down in de centah of dat hollow of 'is feet. (Either foot?) De right feet. He gone. Ah nevah did see him any more.
Entry 5560
Dey said dat chew could take a new penny-nail, new brand [brand-new] ten-penny nail, an' git some hog lard an' grease it an' yo' kin harn a person lak dat. Yo take it an' go bury it in de left foot, de hollah [hollow] part of de lef' foot. Stob it down an' talk tuh de nail an' tell it whut chew want done.
Entry 5561
Take a ten-penny nail an' tell it whut chew want an' drive it right in de hollow of dey feet when dey leavin' home, drive it up, an' jes' tell it whut chew want it tuh do, call their name, an' say dey'll move way from dere. But ah've nevah tried dat...
(But you must put it in the foot track as they leave...?)
Yeah...
(Either track?)
Aw, de right track. [Wilson, N. Car. (1470), 2652:14.]
Entry 5562
You get a pinch of dirt out of their left-foot track, bind that in a package, an' put seven nails in that package. You put three nails with the point [head] up, and four with the head down. Take that to running water and throw it over your left shoulder. Go on away and don't look back. And you won't be both- ered with them no more, so I have heard old people say.
Entry 5563
Ah heard dat dey kin take dese heah ten-penny nails an' drive 'em in yore track an' it will kill yo'. Jes' drive nine nails in yore track, both yore tracks, de right foot an' de lef' foot, jes' whichevah way yo' goin'.
Entry 5564
Dat a lady taken de track, yo' see, de hollah [hollow] of both of de feet - dirt - an' put intuh some fresh hog lard, stuck nine wire nails, new wire nails in this lard. Den wraps it wit raw cotton thread an' cuts de shape of a shoe sole, a pair of 'em, an' put 'em tuh- gethah an' wraps 'em an' put it in ground. Now, dose things dey say stops de ones from walkin'.
(How do you mean stops them from walking?)
Dere knees cannot bend.
(She gets that sole out of your shoe or does she cut it out of something?)
Cut it out of a pasteboard. Now dat's whut de lady tole me herself. [Mobile, Ala., (704 0r 702), 960:8.]
Entry 5565
Well, she'll git his track - she'll git de sand out of nine of 'is tracks an' she'll carry it undahneath 'er house an' she'll spread dat sand out. She'll take nine nails an' stick up in dat sand. An' he'll leave.
(Now which tracks does she get - one right after the other?)
No, his left tracks. (Nine left tracks.) Yeah. (Coming to the house or going?) Goin' - jis' eithah way, jis' git nine of 'is tracks. She'll git nine nails, jis' spread de sand down, an' den she jis' stick dese nails up in dat sand.
(Is all this sand in one pile or do they leave it in nine piles?)
Oh, no sir, jis' spread it out an' de nine nails in dere, an' in nine days he'll be gone.
(Are the nails pointed down or pointed up?)
Point down.
Entry 5566
You take nine new nails and nine new pins and nine new needles. You cut around their footprint, lift it up, turn it upside down and put it right back in the same hole; then, they stick these pins and needles and nails in it. That will give you pains in your leg. They always say they come in the left leg and changes to the right.
Entry 5567
Now, if someone wanted tuh harm yo' 'bout dat, wantedtuh harn yo', dey would git chure track an' put it in a bag, an' write chure name on it an' put it in runnin' watah, an' yo' be goin' de balance of yore days.
(Get my foot track and put it in a bag.)
No suh, jis' put it in a piece of cloth yo' undahstan'. Jis' write de guy's Dame who yo' want tuh be gone.
(Where do you write that name?)
Yo' jis' write it on a piece of papah an' put it in dat dirt wit dat track in dere.
(You take either track?)
Eithah one of de tracks, it doesn't make any diff'rence.
Entry 5568
Git chure foot print, write chure name [or] yore 'nitial in it, an' pat 'it in a snuffbox, an' go roun' de house three times wit it [circumambulate outside of house 3 times] an' throw it ovah de house, an' go roun' dere an' pick it up. Go tuh some big runnin' stream wit it, an' slacken de lid on it jis' 'nuff fo it tuh open when it hit de watah, an' throw it in dere, an'
Entry 5569
Take yore track up - listen good - an' he kin write chure name in dat track, in dat sand. An' den take dat sand an' put it intuh a cup [can with lid] an' den go tuh de house where chew stay at, an' go roun' dat house three times an' t'row dat cup ovah dat house. An' den go git dat cup an' slacken de lid on it....
(Get that cup and do what?)
Slacken de lid, whereabout, whenevah dey gits tuh a runnin' stream, dat dat lid'll come off an' dat sand'll explode in dat stream. An' when de' t'row dat Smd in dere, whut dey taken outa yore track, why den dat watah carry dat. Dat'll o yore mind tuh wandah.
(That makes your mind wander away.)
Jis' lak dat watah carries it, dat'll cuz yore mind [to do likewise].
(He puts this into a can with a lid on it.)
Entry 5570
If a man leaves home an' a woman wants 'im tuh come back, if she kin git one of 'is track, his right track comin' from de toe, bring it back tuhwards 'er, jis' de top of it yo' know, an' git a black- hen aig an' write bis name on dat aig, an' roll dat aig an' dat sand an' dat sock up tuhgethah, put de sand in de sock or eithah any way yo' fix it tuhgethah, an' bury it undah de do'step, an' dat'll bring 'im back.
Entry 5571
Ah kin tell yo' how tuh hol' yore husban' or yore sweetheart. Yo' go an' take his track if he's goin' out de do'. Take a teaspoon an' git a teaspoon- ful of de lef' foot, of dirt. Rake it backwards tuhwards yore house. An' yo take dat an' carry it in de house an' a teaspoonful of table salt, a tea- spoonful of red peppah, an' write de name of 'im an' a woman, a woman dat he used tuh go wit, or eithah he goin' wit den [at the present time], three times, an' fol' it up an' burn it up in de stove. An' yo' take a teaspoonful of red peppah an' tie it up in a papah, an' write de name three times, an' put it undahneat' de bed. An' dat'll break den up, an' he'll come right on back home. (Now what you do: when he leaves home you take a teaspoon and you take a Spoonful of dirt out of his left track and you bring it in and put these things with it. Then you take a piece of paper and you write his name on it three times, and then the woman he used to go with or the woman he is going with now, you write her name down three times, each one three times, then you put something in that paper?) Put the salt and de peppah in de paper, a teaspoonful of each one. (Then you burn it up. Then you write the names down again? Three times each on another piece of paper?) Yes - yes.
(And you put a teaspoonful of pepper in that?)
Salt, don't put de peppah.
(The salt. Then what do you do with that?)
Fol' it up an' tie it wit a string an' put it right undahneat' de bed where he sleep at.
(That will break him and the other woman up?)
Yes.
Entry 5572
Take de foot track from de end of yore feet. Yo' kin take dat an' put it intuh a cloth. It's all right tuh hold it at home, too. Take it an' put it intuh a cloth an' weah it. Make yo' a bag an' weah it, an' he will always follah yo'. Evah- where yo' go, he'll go wit yo'. Evahthin' yo' [have] a mind tuh do, he's ready tuh do dat. Jis' 'is foot track. Take his left-foot track from de toe back tuh de heel. Take dat an' take it an' fo' nine mawnin's, if yo' don' wanta weah it fo' nine mawnin's, walk through yore house an' throw it ovah yore shouldah, yore lef' one, see, jis' lak dat an' don' look back. An' call dis man three times, an' he'll come tuh yu' if he's in Chicago or any place. Yo' use it dat long. (You throw it over your shoulder and then you pick it up, and throw it over your shoulder again. That the idea? You do that nine times?) Do dat nine times, throw it ovah yore shouldah.
(Nine times each morning?)
Fo' nine mawnin's, once each mawnin' 'fore de sunup fo' nine mawnin's.
Entry 5573
Now, if yo' wan'a make someone run someone 'way from town - wanta git 'en outa town, run 'em 'way less den twenty-fo' hours - yo' go an' pick up dere track. But don' pick up de track behin' dem, pick up de track from de toe tuh de heel, both tracks. An' go tuh de lef'-han' cornah of de house an' write his name in dere. Tell 'im tuh, "Go. 1
(Write his name in his tracks? How do you write that? With what?)
Yo' write it wit yore han', yo' know wit yore fingah, see - right in de sand, see. Well, yo' pick up de track, write in de sand an' call 'is name an' say, "Henry, go." An' walk tuh de lef'-han' cornah of de house, backwards fo' steps, an' throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah. In twenty-fo' hours he'll leave town - anybody will.
(You take both tracks or just one?)
Take both tracks. (And what do you call the left-hand side of the house? Suppose I am coming in the front now. What would you call the left-hand side? Is it coming in or going out?) Dis de lef'-han' side of de house, it's a case of - yo' undahstan' now. If ah'm comin' dis way an' if ah pick up dis track disaway. Weli, ah'm goin' dis way. Well, if ah pick up dis track comin' dis way, dis is de lef side of de house.
Entry 5574
Providin' if yo' wanted me tuh leave town, say dat chew would git some, ah think it's red peppah, an' dat chew would call me, an' say dat yo' wus callin' me by mah name. An' so dat yo' would git de red peppah an' dat yo' would give me a cuss. In othah words, yo' would git mah track an' yo' would throw it towards de sundown, an' use dat cuss to go away. Dat's de only thing ah know. (What would you do with the red pepper? What track do you take, either track or it doesn't make any difference?) Always de left track.
(Well, how do you use the red pepper?)
De red peppah an' de track go tuhgethah.
(And you pick up the left track, mix the red pepper with it?)
Mix de red peppah in wit it.
(Then you throw it toward the sundown?)
Toward de sundown.
(And say?)
"Go, So-an'-so [a cuss word in here] an' stay."
Entry 5575
[Name of the Lord is also used in other foot-track rites.]
It's diff'ren' things whut chew kin do wit a person's foot track. Whut chew ganta know, tuh bring peace to him or tuh drive yo' [him] 'way? (To drive them away first.) Well, now if yo' wanta drive him away, de way yo'd do dat. De Lord said de evildoer shall not stay. Yo'll find dat in de Psalms of David: 'All evildoers shall be done away wit." An' de way yo' do bat, yo' do dat in de Name of de Lord. Pick up 'is track an' bury it about a foot deep an' he'll shore leave.
Entry 5576
Ah went tuh a person [doctor] fo' dat, too. Now he tole me, he got mah name fust [first] an' hern [hers] second, an' he tole me tuh go back an' in meetin' 'er, take some ofde dirt outa de right foot - chew know, meetin' 'er. Well, behin' 'er dat's de lef' [not right] foot. See. Grab some of de dirt outa back heel, jis' a little small amount of it, an' put it in dis piece of paper an' roll it. Roll it tuh yo' all de time, see till yo' git it down tuh a small little papah. Den git nine needles, dat nevah has been on de flo', an' stick 'em in it. Take a little vasoline bottle an' drop dat little thing in it an' stop it up, an' bury it undah 'er do'step where she'll have tuh step ovah it. [The preceding nevah has been on de flo' goes back to the American pioneer cabin - probably to primitive man - which originally had no floor, the bareearth, sometimes packed level with the first log, being warmer and easier to keep clean. The word floor at least in pioneer English can mean the bare ground, always a place of magic. This also is one of the meanings of articles dropped: accident- ally, purposely, or mysteriously by spirits.] Ah had a boy crost [across] town done de same thing. His wife went back tuh 'im an' been [with him] evah since.
(Now in getting this dirt from her foot track you are walking behind her?)
No, comin' in front of 'er. (Oh, you are coming in front of her, meeting her. And you are taking the dirt out of which track?) Dis track ovah here, dat would be yore lef' foot.
(Out of her left-foot track.)
Comin' tuh yo' it would be her right foot - comin' tuhwards yo'. But still it's de left foot if yo' git behin' 'er. (Oh, actually, you get it out of the heel of her left foot.)
Entry 5577
Well, yo' kin take a needle - dat's great thing to break frien'ship so ah learnt. JIS' LAK AH AN' YO' - JIS' LAK MAH WIFE, YO' IN TETCH WIT 'ER, YO' UNDAHSTAN', YO' GOIN' WIT 'ER SOMEPIN LAK DAT. an' ah tell yo' ah really don't want yo' tuh mess wit 'er, somepin lak dat. Well, yo' heah me tell yuh an' den yo' don't listen aftah while to me. Well, ah jis' go an' git me a needle an' stick it in yore right track, an' do - dat'll break all dat up.
(That will just break that up?)
Yes sir, dat'll break it up. Dat's de only thing ah know about a needle.
Entry 5578
Yeah, ah heard dat yo' take de centah of de right-foot track, take de dirt jes' from de centah of dat. An' den take dat dirt an' git de centah of yore right-foot sock. An' den take dat dirt an' wrahp it in dere. An' when dey wrahp it in dere dey'll put bran'-new needles in it, an' put it in de no'th cornah of a house, an' dat'll cuz 'em tuh desert dere. Maybe dey wanta kill yo' or cuz yore death aftah nine days.
(How many needles do they put in it?)
Three.
(They put it in the north corner of the house?)
Yes. (Well, now, if you got my foot track, would you put it in the north corner of your house or in the north corner of my house?) Well now, dey'll put dat in de no'th corner of yores prackly [practically]. Yo' goin' to it. If dey cain't git tuh yore house, see, well den dey have tuh practice where yo' go. Well dey put dat dere. Or else put it where yo' sit down, see.
(What will that do then?)
Well, aftah nine day's time yo' becomes in a 'lapidated [delapidated] condi- tion, come tuh be sickly, yo' see. Yo' lingah. De longah yo' stay dere an lingah, why yo'll soon [the sooner you will] pass away.
Entry 5579
Know whut dey put down? Sometime dey could take yore track an' put it. down, bury it, an' yo' have tuh leave. Bury it undah yore do'steps an' yo'd have tuh leave. Dey kin take nine needles an' put 'em crossways an' put it in wit chure track, an' put red peppah in dere an' gun- powdah, an' yo'd have tuh leave.
(Where would you put all that stuff then?)
Put it undah yore do'step.
Entry 5580
Take now fo' [for] de foot track. Ah have had a little dealin's wit dat foot track. Now if jis' lak yo' walkin' down de streets dere an' ah ketch chure foot track. An' if ah would wanta run yo' outa town or sompin de kind yo' see, well ah'd take an' ketch dis heah foot track an' snatch it from me. So ah take it back den an' ah put it in a hans'scuff an' tie it up, put nine needles in dere, an' yo'll have tuh leave town.
(What would you do with that handkerchief then?)
Well, ah jis' keep it in mah house, jis' keep it an' de foot track.
Entry 5581
Well, say fo' 'ninstance [an instance] ah had a wife an' ah wuz doin' all dat ah pos'bly could do to make life happy fo' her, an' jis' as soon as mah back wuz turned she prob'ly had - she wuz sweetheartin' on me, see to someone dat didn't mean anythin' to her prob'bly, but would put her name in de streets. Well, ah prob'bly would git aftah 'er about it, tell 'er dat ah heard dis an' dat about 'er, prob'bly se purtty straight evidence. She seem tuh give it de lie all de time. Well, oog ah'm gon'a look out fo' mahself, see, an' see if ah kin ketch 'er. Whut ah know about dis? Well, prob'bly time mah back's turned she's always cat in de street somewhere. Well she's comin' home. Well ah prob'bly gon'a take de dust of 'er shoetrack - de print of it. Well ah'm gon'a take it an' ah'mgon'a aooceive it into a bottle - jis' de dirt of 'er track, 'ceive [conceive] it in de bottle. Git me a bunch of needles, git me a little piece of wool cloth, an' stuff in dat bottle. [But first], put jis' as many needles in dere as ah could git Orossvays. Den ah take dis bottle an' will conceive it tight [with the wool cloth aa cork?] an' put it undah de do'step. Dat'll end 'er rompin' de streets so h. Well, now, ah'm goin' ketch dis man [my wife was rompin' de streets with so much]. Ah'm goin' ketch 'im goin' away an' ah'm gon'a take his track an' ah'm gon'a conceive it in a bottle, jis' as ah have said about mah wife - needles an' de cloth de same way. An' ah'm gon'a conceive dat, an' ah'm gon'a take it den to some deep runnin' watah, an' throw it in a place where it will nevah grow dry - watah dat'll nevah be still. Dat'll keep 'im always driftin' an' nevah is contented an' nevah successfully through life. Dat's in ordah fo' me tuh have peace an' respect of dat kind.
Entry 5582
Beginning Norfolk, Va. [This is the first rite from Norfolk.] Take right foot track an' put nine needles in it. [Of] co'se I'd git 'em in a bottle, nine needles, an' yo' goes to de rivahside, see, nine mawnin's. See, you got nine nee- dles in dis here bottle wit de dirt in [from the right foot track]. An' goes down to de rivah nine mawnin's. An' when yo' gits down dere yo' walks backwards so many feet - yo' walks backwards nine times [9 steps] each mawnin'. An' de las' mawnin', yo' throw dat bottle ovahbo'd. Nine needles an' go down to de rivah nine mawnin's an' de las' mawnin' yo' throw dis bottle ovahbo'd.
(I see. Well now, what is this supposed to do to a person?)
Dat will cuz a person to leave his job, or cuz fuss 'tween man an' woman. If a woman want tuh git de man from 'er husban' [a bad influence on her husband, gambles, etc.], dat would make him leave. Dat's how a woman out here - a woman said dat 'er sistah had been did [sister had been sent away by some man's wife].
(Now, what foot track do they dig that dirt from...both feet or...)
Naw, dis one - de right foot.
(The right one.)
De right foot. Take dat dirt outen de right foot. Go on dere jis' as soon as de sun rise - see, 'fore de sun gits hot an' dat sun rise. [I stop recording here but informant continues. I try to recover missed words.]
(What carries it out, did you say?)
De tide, de water. You know, when de tide goes out, takes dat bottle out wit it.
(Yes, and after that carries it out, what does it do then?)
Dat cause dat man to leave, see.
(Carries him out.)
Carries 'im out, carries 'im from 'is work or 'is wife.
Entry 5583
Dey say dey takes 'is track an' put it in a piece of new cloth. Dey say yo' kin git chew nine needles an' nine pins an' put in it. Dat will run yo' crazy. (What do they do with that then?) Put it in runnin' watah an' shet it up [in bottle or can].
Entry 5584
Dey take dat[foot track] up, put dat in a bottle. Understand? Put dat in a bottle an' put war watah. Git chew a bottle of war watah an' put some of dat war watah on it, cayenne peppah, yo' undahstan', nine needles, nine pins, an' take dat an' stop it up, an' go to de rivah. Git on de ferry an' when de ferry git in de middle of de rivah, throw it an' turn aroun'.
(You throw it and you turn around?)
Throw it in de watah an' turn aroun' [demonstrates] an' say a oath.
(I see, you throw that as you turn around.)
Turnin' aroun'. Throw it an' turn aroun' [demonstrates]. Wheel like dat.
(I see.)
An' dey'll go right on behind it. Yes, sir, right on behind it.
Entry 5585
Git nine new needles an' a piece of red flannel, an' git a spoon an' take out de tracks, de middle of de tracks, an' bottle it up an' put it in run- nin' watah. Dey won't come back any mo'. (You get this dirt out of which track, both of them?) No, de right.
Entry 5586
Well, if a man a long way from home an' he wanta come back - she have tuh do dis befo' he git off do [though]. Git 'is track from 'is right foot, from de toe back tuh de heel, an' sew hit up in a bran'-new piece of cloth, an' tote it in 'er pocket evahwhere she go. But she mustn't let nobody put dey han's on it. An' he come home back tuh 'er.
Entry 5587
(What can you do to make a man stay away? Drive him away?)
Well, yo' will have to take up 'is track. Yo' see, yo' watch 'im when he valks. Now, see, if 'is toes are goin' dis way, 'way from de house, undahstan', vell yo' start from 'is heel an' yo' take one dat way an' take de othah one dis way, an' rake de dirt up. (Which one do you begin with first?) His right foot, from de heel. Take it from de heel an' carry it to de toe. Den yo' take yore lef' foot an' carry it de same way, from de heel to de toe. Yo' take dat an' put dat in - yo' have to use new homespun wit all dese things, yo' undahstan'. An' yo' take dat an' put it in new homespun an' carry it to evah-runnin' watah, a rivah or jis' a stream dat runnin'. An' yo' take it an' yo' jis' stan' direct lak dat [back to water] an' throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah an' let it go on down de stream. An' ah mean he'll follow it.
Entry 5588
Take out a piece of newspapah by yore track. Put chure foot down on de newspapah an' cut out dat track - understan', by de newspapah. An' take some sulphur an' red peppah an' sprinkle it in de bottom of yore shoe, an' set dat papah in dat, an' put chure foot in yore shoe. Yo' kin walk in it an' it [no cunjure or spell] ain't goin' hurt chew. Dat's right.
[Nothing planted for you to walk over will harm you.]
(After putting that stuff in your shoe, you simply put that insole of news- paper on top of it?) On top of it.
Entry 5589
De only thing ah evah heard about dat - ah ain't nevah seen dat tried - but de only thing ah've heard about dat, jes' lak if ah wanted to do sompin to a fellah to gain de influence of 'em. Yo' take jis' de middle of de hollah of 'is track an' put it in a small bag an' tote it fo' so many days.
(How many days?)
Ah think it's nine days.
Entry 5590
Ah've heard 'em say dat yo' could git de - if dey wan'a fix yo' fo' dere own benefit, to bring 'em to dem, yo' take dere lef' track from de toes. Yo' wan'a take it up wit a shovel or a hoe. Take it from de toe back to de heel. Dey takes dat den an' put it in a li'le bag. An' dey take dat bag an' secure dat fo' nine days. Den dey open it. Dey puts a li'le salt, table salt in dat bag, an' dey carry dat bag wit 'em. Dey weah dat aroun' de waist.
Entry 5591
Yassuh, take yore foot track an' tie it up into a cloth an' bury it fo' nine days, an' aftah nine days go back an' dig it up an' put it in runnin' watah.
(What will that do to me?) Dat supposed tuh make yo' go jis' as long as dat goes. (Would either track of mine be all right?)
No, de same track. Dey take yore lef' track.
Entry 5592
Take his track fo' nine days an' put it in a little bag an' bury it, an' he goes away.
(Take his track for nine days. What do you mean by that?)
About nine days. Jis' lak yo' want 'em tuh go 'way, jis' take his track - jis' take nine of 'em an' put in a little papah bag an' bury it. He'll move. Dat'll run 'im off.
Entry 5593
Dey say yo' git de dirt outen nine tracks an' git a new piece of white homespun cloth an' sew up dem tracks. An' take de dirt outen de hollah of de track - nine tracks. Go drop it in dat sack an' sew it up an' tote it in yore pocketbook or in yore pocket. An' dey say dat dat woman or dat man will follah yo' anywhere.
(Nine tracks one right after the other?)
Yes sir. If a woman don' like a man an' wants him tuh go [that is what she does]. Well, den if he done wanta go, she kin take his track an' put it into a bag an' tote it an' dat'll prove him tuh come back to her.
(She'll get the dirt out of his tracks?)
Yes sir. Don't say de left or de right, but jes' say his tracks. Ah think it wuz nine tracks dat he tuk.
(Somebody told you that?)
Yes sir.
Entry 5594
Dey would pick up evah othah one of yore tracks for nine tracks, but dey take de right feet fer nine tracks. An' dey would take it off an' place dat into a bottle. Aftah placin' into a bottle dey would take - yo've seen dese pickanettle roots. People call 'em [par?] nettles.
(No, I don't know them [pickanettle] but I know what you are talking about.)
[This is probably the horse nettle, which appears several times in Hoodoo.]
It grows wit a white blossom into de top. Take dis blossom an' put it into a pot an' boil it. An' put a little linament, Sloan Linament into dat one, an' put watah onto de linament an' some kinda flesh meat. An' take it out an' yo' got a linament of yo' own creatin'. An' put on top of dat - stop it up tight [in a bottle] - write chure name onto de linament [bottle] be- fo' yo' put it [lina- ment] in dere. Write chure name an' turn it into de bottle, an' turn de bottle down to de groun' dis way.
(Turn that bottle down like that. All right. Then what do you do?)
Yes, sir, turn de bottle down dis way. Turn it down an' put chure name on it. Write chure name on it an' use a verse in de Bible.
(Do you know what verse in the Bible?)
Yes, sir, an' use de Second Kings but read it backwards, see. Read it back- wards an' write chure name. Writes chure verse three times an' write chure name three times. It must be backwards. Put on de linament in de bottle an' turn de bottle downward, down dis way [demonstrates].
(Cork down.)
An' dat'll take 'fect on 'em.
(Well, where are these foot tracks now? Where are the foot tracks?)
De dirt ah got from de foot tracks ah got it in de bottle.
(How much dirt did you take up?)
Jis' a small little.
Entry 5595
If yo' love a man an' a man don' care very much about chew an' he, yo know, come tuh yore house sometime an' sometime he doesn't. Well, yo' take a snuffbox an' [put] evah othah one of 'is tracks in dis snuffbox. Yo' put a li'le pinch of dirt in dis snuffbox out of evah one of 'is track - evah othah one.
(How many?)
Nine - till yo' git tuh nine. An' when yo' git tuh nine, yo' take dis snuff- box an' shet it up. An' yo' shet it up an' tote it fo' nine days in yore pocket. An' when yo' tote it fo' nine days in yore pocket, yo' come tuh yore step an' po' de dirt out intuh yore step. An' ah'll guarantee dat'll make him love yo'.
(You pour this track dirt of his under your step then?)
Yes.
Entry 5596
Well, some of 'em goes out dere to git some of dose leaves [from holly bush], dey uses 'em fo' a tea. Dat's part too of dis WITCHCRAFT BUSINESS. An' some of 'em goes dere to git some of dose balls [berries]. Dey git nine balls from dere each time dey goes. Some uses dat. Dey take dose holly balls an' fin' nine of yore foot tracks an' dey'll go ahead an' place nine of dese in 'is track [one in each track], an' give [call] his name, an' tell 'im to go. Well, dat will put 'im to movin'. [See also 2004, p.588, margin title HOLLY TREE, p.107, etc.]
Entry 5597
Now, I heard that you can take and find a man's foot tracks, count nine of them, the right track, and you get a little dirt out of that right track [the ninth right track]. And you take the dirt and take a little piece of brown paper, and put the dirt in it and save it. And when you get a chance you get the woman's tracks and you get the same out of hern, the right one [after counting nine of her right tracks]. And you put both of them together and you put [to this combined dirt] one third table salt, and you make just enough of your water into it to make it mucky. And you roll it up and get a piece of rag and lay this piece of brown paper into the rag and fold it up into a ball. And get a strong string, cottonor something similar, wrap it up as tight as you can wrap it; and as you wrap it make nine wishes, whatever you wish them to do. And you take it and hide it in a dark place and let it stay. And that's putting you two together.
Entry 5598
Jis' sompin othah, some broad [woman] yo' wanta make. Yo' know, meet a broad an' yo' try tuh make a broad, yo' know, an' she don' pay yo' no mind. Yo' know, yo' kin - dere's a way tuh make her, see. (Well, how can you make her do it?) Well, all yo' got'a do is jes' take a li'le of 'er foot, yo' know where she step, take a li'le of de dirt in yore pam [palm] an' put it in de han'ke'chuff, fold it backward [fold it to youl, yo' know, an' put it in yore belt. But de firs', yo' got'a put it down at chure do' an' walk ovah it evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's an' name it, see. Aftah nine mawnin's, yo' take it up an' put it in yore belt. An' de ninth mawnin' she jis' goin' tuh be dere. An' she'll be dere, too.
Entry 5599
[I evidently had asked about any rite done before sunrise.]
Dere sev'ral things yo' do 'fo' de sun rise. It be's jis' lak if ah want mah man tuh come back. Well ah would git up fo' de sun would rise an' ah would talk tuh de Lord. Ah says, "Lord, ah want mah" - jis' lak 'is name John - says, "Lord, ah want John tuh come back tuh me, send 'im back tuh me in de Name of de Lord Jesus sake." An' ah would say dat fo' nine mawnin's. An' den nine mawnin's out, well ah git 'is track - ah already did have dat. An' when ah git 'is track de las' nine mawnin' ah throw hit out de do'. He'll come on back home.[ Waycross, Ga.,
(1132), 1837:6.]
Entry 5600
Ah've had 'perience wit a mean husban', yo' see, an' wanted tuh git rid of 'im, jis' couldn't live wit 'im, an' he wouldn't leave. So ah wuz tole - yo' see, a ole lady [doctor] tol' me, she sayed, 'Ah'll tell," she sayed, "when he goes out dis house," she sayed, "yo' go out behin' 'im jis' barely enough tuh keep 'im from seein' yo', an' pick up, git chew a han'ful of dirt out 'is right track - outa his right footprint.' She say, "When he gits outa sight, '' she say, "yo' jis' turn yo' back tuh 'im an' yo' throw dat dirt no'th, an' say, "Go, may de Lord go wit chew." An' ah, did dat an' he went. Dat's all ah did fer dat, too. An' he went an' he nevah has come back. Dat happened right chere in Wilmington.
Entry 5601
An' 'e [he] taken dat piece of pastebo'd an' cut it in de shape of yo' shoe.
(You cut the pasteboard in the shape of your shoe?)
In de shape of yo' shoes, yes. An' den yo' take dat dirt out chure track an' put it in [on] dere, an' yo' take new piece of cloth an' yo' stitch it all de way roun', an' throw it right off [throw it away]. (And what will that do?) Run yo' - run 'im away. (You cut a piece of pasteboard out. And what else do you do with that pasteboard, now?) Not enything. Yo' make it de shape of yo' shoe an' yo' git dis track. Yo' take dat dirt an' put it into [onto] dat track [pasteboard].
(You put it onto that pasteboard you mean?)
On dat pastebo'd. Den yo' git a bran'-new piece of cord string dat nevah been used. An' den yo' sews it tuhgethah, an' dat will run 'im off.
(What foot do you have to get?)
De lef' foot.
throwing the stitched pasteboard-and-track-material object right off. No river, shoulder, distance or destination is specified for this throw. These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified.
Read full source (printed page 2892) · Read full source (printed page 2893)
Entry 5602
Aftah he goin' outa de do', ah heahed [heard] chew could take his track comin' tuh yo'. An' if he'd walk out de do', tuh take yo' a penny an' drop it in de middle of 'is track. An' jis' as much dirt as would covah dat penny, tuh pick it up. An' regardless tuh where dey'd go, dey'd be uneasy until dey got back tuh yo'. (That is, as he left the door - his feet are going away from the door, you Would put this penny in his track. Either track?) Yes sir.
(And take some of this dirt. That is to bring him back?)
Yes sir.
Entry 5603
"Simmon [persimmon] tree. Ah've heard dat yo' kin take 'simmon, yo' kin git a half-green root - yo' kin git a half-green 'simmon an' yo' kin take a li'le cloth, ah reckon about a yard or half a yard wide. An' yo' kin take dat half-green 'simmon an' dat half a yard of cloth, an' yo' kin take de tracks of a person an' write his name in 'is tracks. Put 'em in dat li'le cloth an' sew it up, an' care [carry] it tuh de rivah an' throw it ovahbo'd; but chew wanta throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah an' yo' leave dere walkin'. Don't nevah look back at it. An' dat'll run dem crazy.
(What do you do with that persimmon?)
Well, ah says yo' put dat 'simmon [track] in dat.
(Oh, you put that in that [track] too.)
Entry 5604
An' den it's like if yo' got a job an' yore bossman don' like yo', yo' take up 'is track an' put it in yore right-han' pocket, an' keep it in dere all de time an' he'll come tuh be satisfied wit yo' altuhgethah. (Either track or both?) Either one. He'll come to be all right.
Entry 5605
Yo' kin [do] dat - jis' lak if yo' love a girl an' yo' sees 'er walkin' 'long, yo' kin go an' pick up some of dat sand outa her track, an' put it in yo' lef' hip pocket. See, take it an' tie it up in a li'le bundle, an put it in yo' lef' hip pocket an' make wishes. An' yo' somehow or 'nothah will git tuh dat girl, see, an' git tuh talkin' wit 'er. An' den she'll come tuh have tuh fall in love wit chew. An' den when she fall in love wit chuh, den take, yo' know, mess aroun'. Well, yo' kin take a li'le of 'er hair, yo' see, an' put it in yo' pillah. See, rip de pillah where yo' kin put it inside dere in yo' pillah. An' den evahwhere yo' be's she'll come where yo' is.
(What track do you take that dirt from?)
De lef' one.
Entry 5606
An' yo' kin take dat track an' yo' kin take it an' bury it. Bury it undah de jamb of a fence; lak dey'd put a rail fence, jis' put it right uud. 'i one dem jambs. Yo' bury it dere. Well, s'long [so long] as it stay dere dat person'ull [person will] jis' commence tuh pin'in' [pine + ing] away. Yo'll commence tuh pin'in' away. An' de track dat cheW gOt, DAT'LL MAKE DAT FEET EAT OUT RIGHT IN DAT HOLLAH an' DAT 'CASION [OCCASION] YO' DEN TUH SOON BE DEAD. An' a PerSOn won't know whut de cuz of it, yo' see. [I do not know the exact meaning of, jamb of a zigzag rail fence. It could be the place where rails overlap one another, or where the fence is braced with leanto posts, or a right-angle corner where extra bracing was required. See following margin title for further details.]
Entry 5607
An' ag'in dey could take yore lef'-foot track - down at de bottom of it, right in hollah of it - an' dey could take dat an' carry it tuh nine fence cornah, rail fence. (To nine corners where the rail fences meet.) [For this hazy comment, see later.] Dat's right an' dey could take it an' put dat in dere an' dey could run yo' 'way den. (Now wait a minute! They [I pick up informant's dey] dirt and then you put it in one rail fence corner, then you go to another rail fence corner. Do you mean the fence corners where this rail fences goes like that? [I demonstrate, probably by interlocking my fingers without bending them - looking like a row of X's.] You put it in one right after the other in nine of these poles - where these rails meet like that, at right angles? [The angles are much wider than 90°.] What will that do to you?) Dat's right. Dat will run yo' away. [Back before World War I the old pioneer rail fence that snaked or zigzagged along the ground (see ILLUSTRATIONS) had just about disappeared in my part of the country in Illinois and across the Mississippi in Missouri. Twice rail fence is mentioned in FACI, 1st ed., Nos.589 and 7422. Rail fence also occurs several times in Hoodoo, including the margin title preceding this one. Nine corners I interpret as 9 consecutive zigs and zags of the fence, though informant appears to indicate 1 place, not 9 places. Perhaps parallel beliefs found elsewhere will solve the problem.]
Entry 5608
Take up yore tracks yo' see, yore lef' track. Takeit up an' yo' goin' - see, jis' lak yo' spotted a person goin' dat way, pick up yore track an' dress dat track, an' dat'll keep yo' goin'.
(How do they dress that track?)
Well, dey dress it wit powdah - yo' see, dis snake powdah dat ah started tuh tell yo' 'bout awhile ago. Snake powdah. Dey call it rattlesnake powdah. It come already compounded yo' see an' fixed up. Dey git some of dat yo' see an' put it in dere. An' pick up yore track an' put yore track intuh a hollow tree. Jis' lak a tree got two forks [trunk of tree branches into one fork], yo' see, it's got'a hollah in de middle of it. An' let dat stay dere fo' 13 days. See, an' dat'll keep yo' goin'. If yo' don't fin' somebody fo' yo'self, fine'ly [finally], evently [eventually] hit'll run yo' crazy. It be bu'stin' headache yo' see, keeps yo' worried all de time.
(Well, after 13 days what do you do with that track then?)
Well, dey take it den outa dere. See, dey has it in somepin, wrapped up in somepin lak a rag. Dey take dat outa dere den an' carry it tuh de watah, see an' throw it ovah de lef' shouldah in de water. Well, see dat'll keep yo' goin' an' jis' keep yore mind jis' flusterated, jis' lak yo' cain't stay in no one place long, yo' jis' worried tuh death all de time.
(Where do you get this rattlesnake dust? Do you buy it some place?)
No sir, see if yo' ketch a rattlesnake, yo' kin take an' skin 'im an' parch 'in up. Parch 'im, bake him lak yo' bake anything, an' yo' make a powdah of dat.
Entry 5609
Ah know dis happened in Tampa. Take dis foot track of a person dat chew disliked. An' yo' kin git it an' yo' kin put it intuh a piece of red flan- nel. An' yo' kin carry it tuh a rivah of runnin' watah, an' throw it ovah yore lef'- han' shouldah an' say, "Go," an' make a curse word. An' dat person shall leave.
(You get what track?)
De left one, always de left if dey do anything.
(Why always the left?)
Don't know why de lef' but dey says de lef'.
Entry 5610
Dey could sprinkle cayenne peppah in de foot track.
(What would that do?)
Dat would have 'em a tendency to roam - a tendency to roam away from de place where dey were.
(I see. If someone sprinkled cayenne pepper in my foot track, I would roam.) Yes, sir.
Entry 5611
Yo' kin take up a person track an' put it in a bag, an' put red peppah in dere on yore track, an' dat'll make yo' lose yore mind, almos' run yo' crazy.
Entry 5612
Well, yo' take, if yo' have someone roun joo an' yo' don' wan' 'em aroun' joo, yo' kin take sulphur an' red peppah an' place it in de bottom of dere shoes, shoe track. [Informant should have put shoe track after an' following red peppah - 3 ingredients.] Jis' lak dey step on de soil down dere, jis' take some of dat soil, mix dat all up tuhgethah. Put dat in de bottom of dey shoe, dat will run 'em out.
(Whose shoe do you put that in?)
Put dat in de person dat chew wan' tuh leave.
(You mean in their shoe?)
In de one yo' wan's tuh leave.
(Put some of their own foot track in there?)
Yes, put some of deres - jis' lak if ah want chew to leave, see. Ah'd git soevhere yo'd been steppin', right 'long where yo's been goin'. Wouldn't git it where yo' comin' towards de house, git it as yo' goin' 'way from de house. Mix dat up togethah an' place it in dere shoes, see, ovahnight. De nex' mawnin' [I interrupt].
(Do you put it in both shoes or just one shoe?)
Jis' one shoe.
(And out of what foot track do you get this dirt?)
Out of the left track.
Entry 5613
[he pick up her track] an' put nine seeds of red peppah in it, if he Want de woman. Put nine seeds in dere an' sew it up in a little yarn rag, an tote.it in 'is pocket. Dat's de way he'll keep de woman. (Get that dirt out of her track - either track?) Either track, yessuh.
Entry 5614
Ah hear of 'em usin' red peppah an' stuff lak dat yo' know. [They] says dey mix it in dere track. An' says dey go an' dey take de track from yo' an' - start at de heel an' go tuh de toe, an' put it in runnin' watah. Say dey'll keep awalkin'. Nevah come back. (In other words you would get some of the dirt out of my foot track as I was walking away. You take it from the heel to the toe, and you mix it with red peppah and throw that into running water. That will keep me walking. Do you take either track?) It don't make any diff'rence.
Entry 5615
Well, yo' take de red peppah an' git dis track of de woman undah de hollah of 'er foot. Den yo' wrap dis dirt up in de peppah tuhgethah wit a lit- tle - in a rag, an' yo' go tuh runnin' watah an throw it intuh de watah an' don't look back. An' when it go on away, dis woman will go away an' won' bothah yore husban', fo' ah have tried dat fo' mahself.
(You just use the foot track - either one?)
De foot track, either one.
Entry 5616
They dit up the whole left-foot track and put it in a bottle. Take it and throw it in the river. They can put a little water in or a little cayenne pepper, if you want, make a wish, throw it in the river - and throw it away. You wish them to stand still or to drown, you wish them good or wish them bad, anything you want to.
Entry 5617
Take a fellah's track. Git right 'long behin' 'im an' take his track, if he be walkin', movin'. Yo' know right whilst he's movin', git 'is track from right behin' 'im. An' dey say dey'll take dat track den an' dey'll go git some black peppah, red peppah, turpentine, Sloan Linament - anything real hot whut'll burn yo' know. Says dey'll put it in dis track den an' dey'll take it den an' go tuh a runnin' stream of watah. Dey'll stan' wit dere lef' shouldah tuh dis stream of watah, an' dey'll throw it ovah de lef' shouldah an' den dey'll walk away. Well, dey say den dat track as it floats down de stream, say dat'll take, carry yo' on off - will run yo' away from home, jis' make yo' go on where- evah dat goes. Yo' jis' go on off till yo' die.
(How many tracks of mine do they take - or just one?)
Jis' takes one track - eithah one.
Entry 5618
Take dere tracks an' take a pinch, three pinches an' git chew nine grains of red peppah an' nine grains of black peppah an' nine peas of black- eyed peas, an' put it in a bottle an' throw it ovahbo'd, an' don' look back. Says she'll 'peah [appear] 'way from dere. (Here's the track like that. You take three pinches out of that track - either track, the right track or theleft?) De right track.
Entry 5619
Carry away yo' tracks - if he git chore foot track to hur' chew, take it up an' turn yo' toes back to yo' heels an' bury it. He'd make yo' sick. But if he'd take it from yo' toes back to yo' heels an' don' do nuthin wit it, an' yo' could nevah feel sick de fus' [first] time, take an' take yo' some salt, table salt, sprinkle it down in yo' yard an' call dat person name, if yo' kin. Squash it. He can't do no harm den.
Entry 5620
Jis' lak yo' has a enemy an' yo' an' 'im, yo' might say, call it to be a frien'ship. Well, now, jis' lak if dis wuz mah home. Yo' live so-an'-so. Well, yo' visit me. Well, if ah'm ti'ed [tired] of yo', yo' undahstan', yo' [I] kin take sech a thing as cookin' salt an' drop it inside 'is [your] heel track an' covah it. Yo' [I] won' have no more trouble wit 'im [you].
(Just part of any of his foot track?)
Yeah, eithah one his foot track. Jis' lak he step, jis' a little salt an' put it inside his heels or yore foot track. Keep 'im 'way from dere altogethah.