Browse:FOOT TRACK (Volume 4, entries 5301–5797)/Part 6
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 5701
Yo' gits a person's foot track. Yo' drag it back three times - gits it from de top of de right track, an' drag it back tuh yo' three times. Gits some from each time, an' carry it tuh run- nin' watah an' throw it in dere. An' yo' kin run dat person away from town an' he'll be gone fo'evah.
Entry 5702
Dey gits de track an' ketch a toad an' cut de toad open an' put de track intuh dat toad. An' put 'em on top of a house where de sun kin shine an' de rain kin fall on 'em. Dat will prob'ly give 'em T. B.'s. (What track do you take in this case?) De lef' foot, de heart one - side of de heart all de time.
Entry 5703
Take frogs - jis' lak if yo' wanta run a person off, ketch a live frog an' split 'im wide open. Yo' take a person track - yo' take both of 'is track an' put one crossways, cut it dis way Idemonstratesl. (You cut that frog lengthwise and cross- wise - cross like an "x". All right.) Yo' put de right track straight up an' down, de left track yo' crosses dat. Dat crosses up 'is mind an' he'll drift an' drift an' drift. Dat crosses up 'is mind, see. An' den yo' sew 'im back up an' yo Pat 'im into a green gourd. Put 'im in an' stop it up. A green gourd, dat's right, an' go where de tide is gotta go a long ways, an' yo' walk dere, an' when yo' git tuh dis rivah yo' walk nine steps backwards an throw it ovah, say, "Go, Go." An' throw it ovah. Don' look back, jis' walk from de rivah an' keep agoin'. An' he'll go.
(You say "Go" twice?)
Yassuh.
Entry 5704
Foot track - jis' lak yo' make a track out heah in de soil. Yo' know uhat yo' could do wit dat? Take it an' put it in a snuffbox an' put it in a boxcar, in de shoe of a box- car, an' yo' be travelin' all de time, goin' an' yo' don' gor where yo' goin' at. Yo'll nevah stay one place.
(Either track?)
Either one, put it in a snuffbox.
Entry 5705
Well, if a person make yo' mad an' yo' wan' 'em tuh leave dat town, yo git 'is left track, an' if yo' come tuh a railroad anywhere, yo' take an' git some of dat dirt where dat train run out, an' throw it on dat train, an'say, "Go, yo' son-of-a-bitch." An' jis' as long as train will run, Be'll try tuh ketch up wit it. Don' care where. Yo' chunk it right on top de train. An' jis' as long as dat train will go, don' care if outa de state, he'll try tuh ketch it. When dat train stop he'll stop.
Entry 5706
Well, if it's anybody yo' wanta git out of town, git dere right-han' track, de right-foot track an' take a teaspoonful of dirt outa it an' mix it wit sulphuh an' burn it. An' tie it up in a flannel rag an' go tuh where a freight train go 'long, an' jis' put it down dere. Throw it in dere as dis freight train go 'long an' say, "In de Name of de Fathah, go."
(You throw that into the freight train?)
Yessuh.
Entry 5707
Go out de fo'ks of de road an' pick up some kinda dirt yo' know an' git chure track out dere, an' carry it tuh a railroad. An' put it in a papah sack an' tie it on a carbox, an' when de train goin' - don't make no diff'rence how fur de train goes, dat car- box runnin', yo' follah right behin' dat carbox. (They have to get your track out of the forks of the road in order to do that?) Yes.
(They put it in the carbox?)
Right behin' de carbox on de bumpah [bumper].
(Are you a railroad man?)
Yes sir, ah used tuh be a railroad man. Ah heard dat in a railroad town once. Dat's de reason ah know.
Entry 5708
Take de graveyard [dirt] an' de dirt from yore track. (Either track?) Both tracks, de dirt outa both tracks an' sack it up, an' put it on some train or sompin, an' 'long as de car runs, yo'll run. Run yo' plumb away.
Entry 5709
Dey say if anybody in yore town dat chew don' lak, yo' jis' git grave- yard dirt an' yore [this person's left] track an' put some red peppah an' gun- powder in it, an' care [carry] it tuh de rail- road track, an' dis a vich [which] way [way] yo' put it on de track [that is the direction in which this person will travel]. Dey say jis' sprinkle it along on de track, an' if de train ketch it, den dey won' have no mo' trouble wit joo. Dey say dat [foot] track a-make yo' go tuh de station an' ketch de train, an' de track dat dey put it on will be de train dat choo leave on.
Entry 5710
Dey take de track an' put it in runnin' watah an' cuz yo' tuh go away. Den dey kin take it an' put it in a li'le box an' nail de side of a boxcar. An' fur as dis train will go, yo'll keep goin' - yo'll nevah turn back.
(They take either track?)
Eithah track.
Entry 5711
Take gunpowdah an' a man track, or a woman track, an' salt, peppah an carry it to a red ants nest on a railroad an' say to it whut chew want done, an' it will be done. (You just put it there, you don't do anything else to it?) Jes' stir it roun' an' TALK TO IT AS YO' STIRRIN' AROUND; an' whut chew want done to it, it will be done. [The place collected and number of informant have temporarily been lost.]
Entry 5712
Well, dey kin take yo' foot track an' dey kin put it in a box.
(Which foot track do they take, either one?)
Take eithah one of 'em an' put it in a box, an' shet yo' foot track up in dat box an' carry yo' foot track away, an' bury it in some great big ole wood in some tree an' let it stay dere. An' yo'll git tuh de place where yo' can't walk. Yo'll nevah have no mo' good atall, yo' won' be no good tuh yo'self. Paralyze yo', yo' can't walk atall.
Entry 5713
Yo' wants whut could ah do tuh make yo' move out dis house. Well, all right, ah'll tell yo'. Now, ah could git some of yore track. Yo' make a track on de groun'. An' ah'm gona take dat track up an' ah'm gona put dat track in a sack or tie it up in a rag. An' ah'm gona ca'y [carry it out, way out in de woods, an' ah'm gona hang it up; an' ah'm not gona look back at it. An' yo' gona move.
(Where are you going to hang that?)
Hang it 'way up in de tree, out in de woods.
(Will you take either one of my tracks or just one track?)
Jis' take eithah one of 'em, jis' one.
(That will make me move.)
Entry 5714
Yo' git a right track jis' lak dis. [Informant then demonstrated this rite at a distance from the microphone while I comment.] (You get the person's right foot track, just the upper part of it, and face the sun. You pull this crack away from the setting sun, and put this in a bag and hang it over the limb of a tree.) An' dey walk undah it lak dat. Dat run 'em away from town.
Entry 5715
Jis' lak ah'm on de way now uptown. Ah'm on mah way up an' mah min' is toum. Ah got some pahtic'lah business ah wanta 'tend [attend] tuh, an' ah'm on de way, now. Den yo'll git some of 'is track, undah- stan'. Yo' stan' where he's goin', de direction dat he's goin'. Take some of 'is tracks three times - take dat dirt P outa his track three times, an' den put dat in a piece of new cloth an' bind I up. Put three pods of red peppah in wit it. An' den take dat an' sew it up a' put a long string about dat long an' so it kin swing it. Sew dat string jis batavay an' evah time de win' blow, dat swing. He's agoin'.
(Where do you tie that up?)
Ties it up on a white oak in de woods. Jis' take it, tie it up in dere. He can't stay becuz 'is min' altuhgethah from dere. (In other words you take that track, you take it three times out of three different tracks - one right after the other?) Yessuh. (The same thing as that other one you told me about, about taking all the dree tracks?) Dat's right.
Entry 5716
Yo' take a mockin'bird's nest an' yo' burn it an' git de ashes out of it, an' use it in makin' a man or a woman go 'way. Yo' take dat wit some of dere tracks an' hang dat up ag'in wit a long string. Tie it up wit a piece of new cloth. Put it in a cloth have nevah been worn, an' put dat in dere wit a long string on it. Hang it up on a white oak an' it will swing. Hit will make 'em go off. DERE SO MANY WAYS TUH MAKE A PERSON GO OFF.
Entry 5717
If dey ketch yore track where yo' make a track at, dey kin take dat track. Git a thread of any kin' an' measure it from toe tuh heel, undahstan', an' take de dirt up an' put it in [put in] quicksilvah, an' put it in a swinging bird nest, an' yo'll walk in yore grave. [Yo'll swing into your grave would have been better.] Jis' lak it's a bird nest yo' know up in a tree. Put it up dere where de birds go.
(And which foot do they get, both feet?)
No, de right feet.
Entry 5718
De cocklebur.
(That's a bush, isn't it, with stickers on it? What do they do with that?)
Say yo' kin hang anything up in dat tree an' if yo' want me tuh go, ah'm gone. Dey say, all yo' gotta do if yo's mad wid me, yo' take my track an' put it in a cup or a bottle, wit some red peppah an' hang it up in dat tree. (What kind of a tree.) A cocklebur. Evah time when de win' blows, see dat cup will go roun' an' roun' dat way an' come back dataway [unwind the other way]; an' when dat string rotten an' broke, den ah'm gone.
(How high is that cocklebur tree?)
Ooh some of it real high an' some of 'em - de young 'un ain't so high. (It has those little stickers on it, hasn't it, those little burs? The cock- lebur?) Dat's right. [Cocklebur appears twice in FACI, 1st ed., but the present rite is the first and only time I ever heard of a cocklebur tree! Does he mean chestnut, buckeye, sweet gum, or what?]
Entry 5719
Take yo' track an' rake it from de toe back tuh de heel. Dey take dat sand an' dey tie it up in a rag an' it hangs dere fer so many days. Have it tied up in a tree or a ceilin'. Hangs it in de centah dere. Dey puts nine stick pins in it, two needles. Go across lak dat [demonstrates], pins lak dis; jis' put de needles up an' down, right across dere. Now, dat's tuh run yo' away from dere. Do yo' harm so dat yo' can't git along wit nobody dere. (Now they take up that track, they get six [nine] pins. and two needles. And what do they do with those?) Take an' put de pins dis way [demonstrates].
(Put the pins one way.)
Put de pins dis way an' dis way, an' de middle pin goin' cross dem two needles right 'cross dere.
(I see, they make a cross. Then what do they do with those things?)
Tie de things up.
(I see, they tie that foot track and these needles and pins in a rag.)
Dat's de one dat... [I interrupt. Informant was about to say, "Dat's de one dat keep yo' confus- ed."]
(Then what do they do with that rag?)
Take an' tie it up an' put it at de cornah of yo' baid. [Previously inform- ant said center of ceiling. Bed or ceiling causes confusion in home.] Dey takes de track an' yo' tie dat dirt up in a tree, tuh a limb tuh a tree. Dat's tuhmake yo' leave.
(What foot track do they take?)
De lef' foot track.
(What do they tie it up in?)
Piece of rag, jis' in any kinda rag. (What do they do with that foot track with those needles and pins in? What do they do with that?) Tie it undah yore baid. Dat's tuh keep yo' confused. Yo' an' yore family are confused.
Entry 5720
Yes sir, yo' take nine pins; new pins, see.
(Straight pins.)
[Ordinary pins in Hoodoo are frequently called straight.]
An' three of 'em wit de point dataway [demonstrates], three wit de point dat- away, an' three wit de point dataway. Wrap 'em kinda [demonstrates]. (Just like - a crossing-like - like a big "x".) An' jis' wrap 'em up an' stick anywhere yo' wanta stick 'em, yo' undahstan', an' yo' stick dem pins dere fo' nine days. If yo' wanta jis' do 'way wit de fellah or evah who i'tis [it is], jis' let dem pin stay dere 9 days. An' aftah dem nine days, yo' go an' git dem pins an' stick 'em right down at de foot of de tree. Whosomevah yo' put 'em on, yo' undahstan', an' dat will disappeah dem.
(Where do you stick those pins the first time though?)
Jis' stick 'em right in a tree.
(No, the first time you stick them, before you put them away?)
Stick 'em in a tree, stick 'em in lak dat, chew know. (Well, how do I know that I'm going to get the right fellow by using these pins?) [Informant merely has the person in mind, which is sufficient; but instead of saying I have him in mind or mentally name him, informant now creates the newrite by crossing two of the pins in the person's track.] Well, if yo' know who i'tis, yo' kin git 'im. Yo' kin git 'im by takin' two of dem pins an' watchin'. Yo' know 'im. Jis' go tuh 'is track wheresomevah he make it, an' Jis' take two of dem pins an' cross it.
(Cross them in the track?)
Yeah. An' den take dem up an' wrap 'em tuhgethah. An' when yo' do dat yo' vill known den dat [you have the right man]. An' dem pins, yo' take dem pins from up heah [on the tree] an' put 'em down heah [on the tree]. Yo'll jis' wat' chureself [watch yourself].
(Now, these two pins are taken out of these nine pins?)
Dat's right. (You cross them in his track, and pick them up and put these nine pins together and stick them in the tree. Then they stay there nine days and you take them and bury them in the foot of the tree. And that sends him away. Does it run him away or kill him or what?) Run 'im away. He'll nevah come back no mo', an' won' give yo' any trouble. [Before informant removed 2 pins to cross in victim's track, the 9 pins were stuck into a piece of cloth to look like a man walking (this being a walking or sending away rite), each line being tripled i and forming the spokes in a 3-spoke wheel or the third of a circle. By /crossing these separate 3 pins as a group over a common center we obtain a 6-spoke wheel Xfound elsewhere in Hoodoo.]
Entry 5721
(Have you ever heard of a person getting hold of your foot track and doing something with that to harm you?) Well, dey kin.
(What could they do with that?)
Well, dey kin take dat, take dat wit gunpowdah, an' while yo' are sleepin', call yo' an' yo' answah. Dat's yo'. Dey got yore spirit den. See, dey got chure spirit. See dat's all dey want. An' den dey kin take it tuh a tree, say a gum tree, an' dey kin split dat gum tree an' tack it up in dere.
(What do they tack up in there?)
Dey kin tack or eithah kin splice [split] it [tree]. Put dat right in.
(What do they put in?)
Put de track - put de track in dere. See, de tree will burn.
(What do they do with that gunpowder?)
Dat gunpowdah will keep it hot. Keep yo' hot. Yo' can't stay no one place. Yo' nevah be contented. [In the present rite a part of the victim's spirit, his foot track, has already been caught and mixed with gunpowder in a bottle - see PART OF SPIRIT EQUALS WHOLE SPIRIT, p.2lf. For good measure informant now catches spirit re- maining in victim's body by calling his name and closing bottle when he answers (see TO CATCH A SPIRIT, p.24f.). Whether these two wholes or two parts of the spirit unite in the bottle, or the gunpowder keeps them dancing apart, I do not know. Evildoer pours contents of bottle into a split made in gum tree and re- moves wedge. The word gum adds to the confusion.]
Entry 5722
Den ag'in yo' could take up a track - yo' pulls up dat track. When she's comin' home, git behin' 'er an' take de track de same way she's goin', jis' lak she's comin' home. Yo' take it three times. (Where would you take it from, the heel to the toe or the toe to the heel?) Take it from de heel an' carry it to de toe, 'cuz she's goin' home. Take it three time.
(You take it three times. You mean three steps or all out of one?)
Take de leas' leetle bit about a half a teaspoonful, den po' dat in yore han' an' take it an' git nine. Git it nine times, make it three times three. Put dat in dere an' den take de red peppah an' put it tuhgethah. Put it in a bran'-new piece of cloth an' take it an' sew it. Sew it up an' stick it in a green tree, in de limb, an' let it grow up in dat tree. She stay home.
(How do you put it in that limb?)
Jis' take yo' pucketknife [pocketknife] an' split it an' set it right in dere; slip it right intuh dere. Split it.
(And the limb will grow together again?)
An' it will grow ag'in an' it won' hurt 'er neithah.
(That will keep the woman home?)
Yes, keep her home.
Entry 5723
Ah've heard den ag'in dat a man could - he could take dat if he wanted tuh do yo' real harm or wanted tuh take yore life. Take some of dat same stuff an' go to a tree. (This sand from the left footprint.) Yeah from de left feet. Bore a hole in a tree an' take dat sand an' set it in dat hole, an' take a piece of wood an' make a nice tight stoppah, an' bat it down in dere an' cut it off smooth. An' dat'll put chew tuh goin', dat'll Treck yore mind, perhaps take yore life. Dere's several diff'ren' ways yo' kin do dat, but dat's one of de main ways dat ah always did learn, wuz tole tuh me.
Entry 5724
Well, a man tole me, dat if anybody did yo' anything, dat chew wanta git rid of 'em, de man, fo' yo' tuh go an' take up 'is footstep, his track, be- hin' 'im. Take it an' bo' a hole intuh a tree an' put dat track intuh de tree, an' cork it up an' dat will run dis man away from yo' - run dis man away from bone.
(Either track, do you take?)
De right track.
Entry 5725
Ah heah 'bout 'em bo'in' holes in a 'simmon [persimmon] tree an' stick de track up in dat tree, an' it will run 'em crazy. Bo' a hole in de tree an pick de track up, an' stick dat up in de tree. Den stop dat hole up.
(They take either track?)
Yes, eithah one.
Entry 5726
Dey say yo' go tuh work an' take a tapeline an' measure 'im, yo' know, from 'is head tuh 'is feet - so many feet. Den yo' put it on a piece of papah, yo' know, de length of 'im. An' git some of 'is tracks, yo' know, an' car- ry it way out in de woods somewheres an' bore a hole in a tree. (They measure you with this tapeline, this measure, and they put it down on a piece of paper - your length. And then they put your foot track in there?) They put chure foot track an' de length wit de papah. Den dey go way out in de woods somewheres another, off choo know, an' dey bore a hole an' put it in dere - drive dat in dere.
(What will that do?)
Well, dey tell me dat's a good thing, yo' know, drive 'em off from de land. Jis' lak yo' had a piece of land or sompin yo' know, dat will drive 'em off from de land. Ah seen a ole fellow doin' dat. He tole me whut he wuz doin'.
Entry 5727
Ah heard dat yo' jis' could take dat foot track an', as yo' walkin', take it outa dat hollah [hollow] of dat foot track. Take dat dirt up an' puts it in a pocket han'ker- ch'ef. An' take dat den an' take some a fellah's stool an' put dat wit it. An' bo' a hole in a tree an' stop it, an' it will run 'im crazy.
(Make him lose his mind, this foot track and some of his bowels.)
Yes.
Entry 5728
Well, yo' kin take a person's foot track an' take de lef' foot up in de centah, in de hollah of de foot; an' yo' take it an' go an' nail it up in a tree, an' jis' as dat tree rotten down, dey'll fade on away. (How could you nail it in the tree?) Jis' go tuh de tree an' put a hole in de tree an' take dat track, In de Name of de Father, Son an' de Holy Ghost, dat dat person will nevah succeed, an' put dat piece back in dere an' stop it up.
Entry 5729
Jis' lak now if yo' wanta take dey feet track, lak de girl, lak yo' leavin' heah now, dey slip on out de do' an' git chure feet track, an' carry it back in de house an' put it in a box. Go tuh de graveyard roun' about twelve or one a'clock - between twelve an' one. Git tuh some grave where dey dyg a fresh grave, see. An' yo' take it [dirt] an' mix it in wit it [track], an' some table salt.
(Begin right from the beginning. What are you going to do, now?)
Jis' lak yo' be leavin' heah now, [you] step on de groun' an' make a feet track. Take de feet track up on it - in a piece of papah, shingle or anythin' lak dat.
(Either one or both foot tracks?)
From de heel tuh de toe. Den go at one a'clock or twelve a'clock at night - go on tuh de graveyard. Git thirteen han'ful dirt out, if ah ain't mistaken, of a fresh grave. Den when yo' fix tuh leave, yo' see, yo' leave dat one cent in dat grave, in dat hole where yo' dug in de top of it. Den yo' go an' git chew a box of table salt an' mix dat in it. Den yo' go tuh de store an' git chew a box of dat cayenne peppah an' yo' mix dat in it. Den yo' go tuh de drug sto' or some place where yo' buy de sulphuh - aftah yo' git chure box of salt - an' yo mix all of dat in it. Den yo' take it an' yo' go out in woods, somewhere close, where yo' carry dat an' augah [auger] yo' a hole in a tree wit a augah. An' git chew a cork stoppah, yo' undahstan', dat chew drive in dere. Push it in - stove de dirt in de hole, den take de stoppah an' drive it up in dere. IN THREE DAYS HE'LL FALL DEAD.
(What happens?)
He'll eithah die or leave town.
Entry 5730
Ah tell yo' about de foot track as fur as ah knows. Yo' drags dat track from de toe an' drag it back wit dem two fingers, until yo' thoroughly gits back to de heel. [Demon- strates.] (You take the right hand and the index finger and the little finger. Make them as a shovel and drag it back towards the heel. And you begin with that track - your thumb must touch the heel and then where those two fingers rest, you draw them back like that.) Right in de centah of de track. Yo' takes dat track an' yo' buy yo' a bottle of ink, an' yo' mix jis' enough of dat in dat track tuh make a li'le, yo' know, a dough of it yo' might say. Den yo' go tuh a growin' tree on de sundown side an' bo' a hole right down at de foot of it. Put dat in it, pack it up, an' go back dere fo' three days evah mawnin' an' give it [peg] one tap. De third mawnin' yo' have it [peg] in wit [even with] de tree. Den take some of dat same ink an' stain all roun' dat place, an' go on about chure business. Dat man nevah go out in peace. Dat will jis' run 'im com- plete 'way from dere.
Entry 5731
They take the right footprint and take this and wrap that in a rag. And put High John de Conquer and Adam-and-Eve, and they said a eagle's feather, and put that in a [the same] rag. And cut a hole with a auger in a green tree and put that in there. And strike nine licks on the stopper that chew put in there for nine days. And you do that in the morning before sunrise and then do it before you speak to anybody in the moring. That will put the person in a lingering condition and will finally die.
Entry 5732
Yo' kin take dat foot track, if she's if's [if it's] a woman an' yo' in love wit 'er an' she's tryin' tuh 'bandon [abandon] 'erself from yo', yo' git 'er foot track as same she's goin'. Firs' place, yo' saw 'er foot track where she's comin' tuh yore resident [resi- dencel. Yo' take dat foot track an' yo' scoop it up dis way, from de heel goin' tuhward de toe, yo' see, in de sand. Yo'll put dat in a bottle an' yo'll let dat bottle - yo'll take some of yore chamber lye an' puts [it in] de bottle wit dat sand. An' yo' let dat sand stay dere nine days. An' de tenth day yo' take a nail, one dese heah No.6 nails, a pusson [person] might Say, or a No.8 nail. Yo'll drive [that] in de no'th side of a sweet gum tree, Jo'see, an' yo'll strike dat nail evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's. De tenth avnin' yo'll drive it plumb up, see. Now, dat's a woman dat chew in love wit an' she's tryin' tuh 'bandon 'erself from yo'. When yo' drive it up de tenth mormin', drive dat nail up, it ain't gwine be den ovah two-three days 'fo' [be- fore] she'll come back. Don't care where she at. See, she'll come back tuh yo'. Dat's yore love yo' see.
(What do you do with that bottle all this time?)
Yo' got dat bottle jis' anywheres roun' de house. Yo' keep dat bottle. Yo' got it in a preserved place yo' see.
Entry 5733
Yo' kin take a woman, if yo' wants dat woman, yo' let 'er jis' walk on de groun'. An' yo' could dig undah dat track an' turn dat track aroun', an' dat woman will come tuh dat house pleased tuh do anythin'. She's jis' lookin' at dat house all de time, comin' right dere. Can't keep 'em away from dere. (How do you turn that track around?) Jis' git a piece of - lak a shingle or a tin or somepin or othah, an' jis' git mdah dat track an' turn it aroun' pointin' back towards dat house.
Entry 5734
If dey come tuh yore house an' yo' don' wan' de person tuh yore house, take de track 'neath de shoe. Yo' take dey track up an' yo' turn it aroun' away from yore house an' - ah know dat true - dey stay 'way from yore house.
Entry 5735
Dey take dat foot track up an' dey take a piece yo' weah nex' tuh yore skin. An' take dat dirt an' tie it up in dat piece an' let it stay fo' nine mawnin's. An' den take it an' untie it, an' spread it back out, an' turn it whichevah way dey wan'cha to go. Untie de piece an' spread de dirt out lak it wuz.
Entry 5736
Jis' lak if yo' goin' wit a man - yo' wus goin' wit 'im an' he don't wan' chew, he wan' somebodys else. When he come tuh yore house fo' three days, yo' git 'is track on dat new shingle an' jis' go tuh de front an' turn it roun'. He'll turn back roun' tuh yo' an' give tuh yo' jis' as he ought tuh, come back tuh yuh an' love yuh. (You put this new shingle right under his track and turn right around, but he has to come to your house for three days first.) Yes sir, do it three times, regardless if he done come dere three days. Yo' know, jis' lak if ah wus tuh come heah three days. Jis' so yo' do it three times. (If he comes there once, you go out and do that. Three days - each day you turn one of these tracks around on this new shingle.) [For man turning Woman in her track, also see 1870, p.555.]
Entry 5737
Ah heard dat yo' could take dat track up an' put it in turpentine, dat will give dat person rheumatism. (Do you take both tracks up or does it make any difference?) It really doesn't make any difference, jis' so you git one de per- son's tracks.
(And just put it in something with turpentine?)
In turpentine, dat 'sposed tuh give 'em rheumatism. Dey say dat it does.
Entry 5738
Dey git twelve of yore tracks. Ah'm tell yo' whut ah knows. Red Devil Lye, rose watah, anothah potash - ah can't name it, ah think it's [something] - Hearts Cologne. Fix all dat up an' throw it in runnin' watah. See, dat will cuz yo' or ah tuh run away. (You take up one step right after the other, both right and left. Twelve of them?) Yes.
Entry 5739
A pinch of dirt outa twelve tracks from a woman, dat's good luck.
(What do you do with that dirt?)
Take it an' sew it in a rag an' tote it. [St. Petersburg, Fla., (1017, 1647:3.]
Entry 5740
If yo' wanted tuh git rid of a person, whenevah yo' would see dere track befo' it wuz ovahnight - yo'd have tuh do it wit a track not goin' ovah a day or it wouldn't do no good. But overnight, jis' befo' it's been inside de twelve hours, take de track right out of de middle, right undah de hollah of dere feet, some of dat dirt. Take it an' carry it in de night, an' dump it intuh run- nin' watah an' dey go - dat person will leave. Yo' nevah will have no trouble wit'em.
Entry 5741
Go 'long an' pick up yore track while it's warm an' put it in a bottle. Put a little sugah in dere an' stop it up, an' den throw it in runnin' watah. Yo'll run jis' as dat bottle goin', watah runnin'.
Entry 5742
If yo' want [them] to be driven from love or separate, tuh take tracks of a man an' woman an' bury it undah de do'step an' it stay dere. Put red peppah wit it an' it stay dere fo' nine days. An' yo' kin separate de man an' woman. (Well, now where am I going to bury it, under my doorstep?) Yes sir. (I want to separate another man and woman? I bury their tracks under my door- step?) Yes sir. [Red pepper makes them quarrel.]
Entry 5743
Or else yo' take his track - take de dust outen dey track an' put it tuhgethah an' separate 'em when yo' git where yo' goin' an' put it down. Dem party bound to separate, dey cain't stay tuhgethah. (How do you mean, take the dust from their track?) Jis' lak yo' take de dust outen dat toe an' carry it on back if yo' don't want 'em 'gethah. Take it at de toe an' carry it all de way back tuh de heel. Pick it up. Dat'll separate 'em. An' take his dust outen 'is shoe track an' put it one place an' hers in anothah. Dat'll sep- arate 'em. Dey cain't stay tuhgethah.
Entry 5744
Ah know about whut chew do wit de tracks. If yo' have a enemy or any- thin', anybody dislak yo' or anythin', an' dey wan' chew tuh leave town or sompin lak dat. Dey'll meet chew an' git chure track an' take it an' mix some dog hair an' cat hair. Yo' know cats an' dogs disagrees in anythin' lak dat. An' takes nine straight pins an' ben' dem tuhgethah, an' put dem in de fo'ks of de road, an' yo'll leave town. An' if it's a woman an' a man dat loved one anothah an' de' meet one 'nothah ag'in, dey be hatin' one 'nothah jis' lak cats an' dogs, be mad an' wanta fight an' kill up one 'nothah. No mattah how good dey is in love, dey git apart.
(This is to separate a man and his wife. Whose foot track do you take?)
Take his'n an' hers. Take his'n, yo' know, de lef' goin', an' bring it up ob yo' lak dis, an' take hers an' bring it up tuh yo'. An' mix it tuhgethah dt de hair out yore haid, if yo' kin git it. Eithah if yo' cain't git de hair oat dere haid, den git de dog's hair - yo' know, de bristles an' de cat's bris- tles, an' mix it tuhgethah wit nine straight [bent] pins.
(Wait a minute! You take the man's left foot, you say?)
De lef' foot track.
(And what about the woman's?)
Take de lef'. Uh-huh, take one goin' an' de othah one comin'. Dere's one aiie' one way an' de othah one comin' de othah way.
(Whose do you take going?)
Take de man's goin' or eithah de woman - it don' make no diff'rence, so dere's e goin' one way an' de othah one comin' de othah.
(And you bury this out at the forks of the road?)
At de fo'ks of de road, but chew mix dem cat bristles an' dog bristles wit dat track. Den take nine straight pins an' bend 'em. [Waycross, Ga., (093, 1760:6.]
Entry 5745
If a man wants tuh hold 'is job wit a man, dey take an' git 'is right foot, right track, right in de heart [hollow of foot]. Pick it up three times, d'; not comin' back, goin'. An' git dat track somepin lak dis heah [demon- scates] lak he come, goin' disaway. Yo' walk behin' 'im an' git it disaway [demonstrates]. (He's going one way and you walk behind him and pick it up the opposite way. Bring it back to you. I mean, back from the way he is going.) Now dat's three times. Den yo' git one of yours. Keep agoin' an' don't look back. Take dem two tracks an' yo' put dem two tracks tuhgethah. (His and yours.) Yourn an' his'n, an' yo' take dem two tracks an' yo' go right at 'is office, an' yo' put dat undah dere jis' about dat deep [demonstrates].
(Couple of inches deep.)
Git chew a pin or needle that nevah been stuck an' a piece of cloth, an' stick dat pin down in dere. Let de point be up an' let 'im walk ovah dat. Den yo' gain his influence. Dat's de way ah heard 'em say.
(I see, that is to get a job or hold it.)
Entry 5746
Git dem foot tracks. Ah use dat once. Ah had put mine in a jar, in a fruit jar. Ah turn dat jar down an' buried it undah mah house an' jis' lak ah wuz totin' yore'n, dat's de way it wuz done. Take dem foot steps up an' put 'em in a fruit jar an' put it down. Turn de jar down, tighten it tight an' turn it down dataway an' bury it.
(What will that do?)
Conkah 'im. Dat's conkahin' 'im.
Entry 5747
This is to cross you. You take the right-foot track, you dig that out and turn it over, and fill the hole full of salt and pepper and quicksilver and sulphur and gunpowder. Then you put that foot track back in the hole upside down and tamp it down and make a wish. You do that the same both for a man and a woman, if you want to break them up.
[Berlin, Md., by Ediphone.]
Entry 5748
In case yore lovah is gone 'way from yuh ag'in an' yo' wanta bring 'im back, yo' kin take yore foot track de way he's gone. Take de track an' pull it back towards yo', an' put it in some of yore urination an' put it in a bottle an' stop it up. An' dat will bring 'im back, an' she kin keep im. (Where do you keep this bottle then?) Oh, yo' know de do'step, if yo' have a steps. Put it undah de do'steps. If not, put it somewhere where he could walk ovah it.
(How many tracks do you take, just one track?)
One track, his right track. Git it - yo' know, bring it back towards yo', as he goes from yo'. See, yo' wanta bring 'im back to yo' [demonstrates].
(Bring the toe back to the heel.)
Entry 5749
Dey take yore foot track, take it up, yo' know, jis' lak it is, an' turn it aroun' an' p'int it tuh dem, an' put some of dere watah in dat. Yo' know, make a ball of it. (Make a what of it?) Make a ball - you know, wet it 'nuff tuh ball it up, yo' know, lak a snowball. (Oh! Oh! Make a mud-ball.) Yes, yes, but wet it wit some of yore watah, yore urine.
(I see.)
An' den yo' bury dat undah yore do'step. Dat brings 'em tuh yo'.
(Oh, that brings them to you.)
Yes. (I see. Well, who would do that? Some woman, a woman would do that to bring a man to her?) Or a man eithah. Make no diff'rence.
Entry 5750
Ah heard dey pick up foot track, in hollah of it. Dey tell me dey puts dat in somepin an' puts quicksilvah wit it.
(What do you mean, they put it in something?)
Dey put it in somepin like a jar or a cup or anythin' like dat an' dey puts quicksilvah wit it. An' dey tells me, yo' know yore urinate, well dey tell me dey will po' dat ovah it fo' so many days. An' dey tells me de zo' dey po' dat ovah it an' keep it shet up tuh time dat dry, it dries up a per- son, drifts 'em away-lak.
(Whose chamber lye do they put on there?)
Dere own.
(The person that is doing the bad work?)
Yes.
(That's to dry them up.)
Entry 5751
If yo' got a girl, yo' know, an' she leave zhoo, ah know how yo' kin git 'er back. Jis' take huh feet tracks, yo' git de right one, put 'em in a jah an' urinate a li'le bit on it, an' jis' stop it up an' keep it right undah de baid. Dat'll bring 'er back. [Wilmington, N. Car., (205), 160:1+85].
Entry 5752
Take de dirt outa yore tracks an' put it in a tobacco sack, an' dey'll write on it an' stick it up. An' dey'll put urinate on dat, stick up dere, an' let it dry. An' dat'll cuz yo' tuh be jis' awandahin' an' leave. An' lak dat, dey could take yore tracks, take up yore tracks lak dat, an' persons dat wuz - lak two persons wuz goin' togethah. Dey ould separate two persons by takin' de dirt outa yore track lak dat.
(And what would they do with that dirt that they took up like that?)
Dey'd make watah on it an' tie it up. Let it dry an' den scattah it about. Dey would scattah an' dey would jis' leave.
Entry 5753
You can go to work and take nine drops of chamber water and get nine drops of dirt out of the hollow of the right foot and get a little piece of bow out of the hat and then carry it to somebody else's house and they po to that somebody else and want to move in with them. You bury it right under dhe door. [By hand Doctor Frank Hall, near Suffolk, Nansemond Co., Va., see - INTRO., V.1, p. XXXIX, line 25f.,1958, p.573.1
Entry 5754
Yo' could take dere track an' take it an' put it in a piece of cloth ='drap a drop of yore watah on it fo' nine mawnin's. An' take it an' string it roun' yore neck an' let it go right 'long heah tuh dis li'le hollah heah [points to].
(In the breast.)
An' he'll come tuh love yo' an' yo' an' 'im will git along all right, no mat- tah how much yo'all been fell out. Dat jis' got 'im an' yo' right tuhgethah. (If two men are fighting and quarreling, or if you were fighting and quarrel- ing with somebody else, you could make him be peaceful with you by taking his foot track and doing this. You wear it right down here underneath the rib bones?) Yessuh.
Entry 5755
Ah said dat, if yo' have a loved one an' a husban' or a wife an' she's very jealous, dey tell me dat chew kin take a track an' sew it up in a piece of homespun wit nine drops of olive oil an' 'is urine an' let it dry up. (How much urine?) Three or fo' drops.
Entry 5756
Well, yo' see de foot track, takin' de foot track [demonstrates] wit dis fingah an' de tum' [thumb] an' jis' drawin' it tuh yo' dat way.
(That's the left hand with the thumb and the finger next to the index finger.)
Drawin' it tuh yo' dat way, pinch it tuhgethah. Take dat back an' put it in- tuh a bottle an' put nine needles in dere, nine needles in dat bottle; cinnamon powdah mixed in dat wit chamber lye of de woman. Buryin' it or put it in a very close place where she won't find it. If she a woman 'custom [accustomed] tuh bein' away from home an' stayin' away from home, she will come 'custom tuh stay at home.
(You take this dirt out of either foot track?)
Yessuh, eithah foot track. But de foot track must be prints in de groun' dat is damp, yo' undahstan'. De foot track must be prints yo' see.
Entry 5757
Why yo' kin take a person foot track an' put it in a bottle an' stop it up wit chamber lye an' throw it ovahbo'd an' run dem outa town. (Either foot track or both of them?) De right track an' part of de lef' track. Put it in a bottle, put chamber lye on it an' stop it up, an' throw it ovahbo'd 'cross yore lef' shouldahs.
Entry 5758
KIN DO DAT THREE DIFF'REN' WAYS. (Well, how would they do that?) Well, de way ah undah- stan', dey measures yo' feet [lengthwise], den crosswise, an' den make a triangle outa it. An' den tie dat up in bags an' bury it. Say dat will make yo' leave eithah de country or state where yo' are.
(I see. What foot tracks do you measure?)
Ah think it's de lef', fah [far] as ah undahstan'. (You measure them lengthwise. [I demonstrate.] Here's your foot track. You measure it lengthwise and then across?) Across, an' den make a angle out of it.
(Oh! Then you sort of...)
Sort of angle from de toes...
(You mean you come across this way?)
[I demonstrate.]
Yes, dat's right.
(You measure it this way and then that way, then you measure it this way?)
Jis' a angle - don't bring it all de way down dat time. Dat's de way ah andahstan'it.
(Bring it down like this?)
Dat's right.
(Sort of a...)
[I am still demonstrating.]
Jis' an' angle - a "v", see.
(A "v", I see.)
Supposed tuh be...
(You make a "v" in it like that...and...)
An' de way yo' wan' de parties tuh go, why de way de angle point, dat's de way dey'll travel. (I see. You make that angle - the way that angle points, that's the way they'll travel. I see.)
Entry 5759
Now, yo' kin go in de woods an' DERE SOME LI'LE VINES DAT GROWS WHERE A LOTTA ROTTEN WOOD GROWS, STRINGY VINE WIT WORM-LAK HAIDS. YO'VE SEEN DESE KINDA EARTHWORMS WIT NO PAHTIC'LAH Well, dere's a vine grows in rotten wood in de earth, grows'mingled an' tangled wit de rotten wood. Both of 'ems [plant and animal has] got sharp ends. Yo' go an' git some of dat vine.
(What is the vine called?)
AH DON'T KNOW, IT JIS' COME UP IN DAT ROTTEN WOOD. AH RECKON AH WOULD CALL II DE ROTTEN-WOOD VINE, 'CUZ DERE NO OTHAH VINE GROW LAK DAT. [Take] dat vine an' take de same dust outa de instep. In othah words, git dat an' turn de person. Lak de person goin' dataway, yo' take de dirt outa his feet goin' backwards. Ketch it from 'is toes an' take it backward dat way, an' bary dem things aroun' de home. Put a li'le table salt in it. Dere yo' got 'em. Dose three compositions will drive 'em away outa de home.
(That will drive them out of the home.)
Entry 5760
Dey tell me now, tuh keep a person, if yo' really wants tuh keep a Person - jis' lak if any cement or clay or somepin lak dat aroun' joo, an' yo' travel aroun' in it till yo' make a track in dat. Dey tell me yo' jis' kin take up dat track, if yo' wan'a person tuh be roun' joo all de time. Carry it an' fix it in some way yo' kin keep it up side yore wall. Jis' as long as dat track stay ap side of de wall, dat somebody will keep ahangin' aroun'.
(How do you mean, up side of the wall?)
Well, jist tack it up side of de wall, or eithah stick it up side of de wall.
Entry 5761
Well, yo' know what a wasp is. Yo' know what a wasps' nest is. Well, so' git the wasp nest. Yo' go an' get their left foot goin' this way, from you, an' yo' take this dirt up. You start at the toe an' yo' [go] round [in] the front of it. You take it up this way with a spade or something to keep from disturbing - keep from breaking it. An' then you sprinkle that over with salt. Sometime if you have time I would demonstrate to you how you do this? You sprinkle de salt goin' from you an' then you sprinkle red pepper all over that, an' then you put this in the stove, a red-hot stove; an' you just cook it until it just parched, just until that salt is just brown, you know, and the dirt is jest as hot. Well, you take that an' you put it into a snuffbox or any kind of box that chew kin jest cement with wax or anything to airtighten it. Then you throw it down in a runnin' stream, and that person will have hot feet. They will go jest as long as that water will carry them, keeps them wandering. That is something that has been proved. (Now, the track is going away from me and you take this shovel and you go under it like that - from the heel to the toe and pick the whole thing up.)
Entry 5762
Yo' can't take de foot track up but yo' could take a magical sign. An' yo' would take a person's foot track dat runs like dat. Yo' gotta have what is called a fine piece of papah.
(A fine piece of paper.)
[As we shall see later, this is probably a cigarette paper.]
An' lay it right on dat track, an' take de material stuff from de end, where his big toe an' 'is heel, an' yo' more dan apt tuh easily draw de attraction of dat person on dat. But it's bad fo' dat person. Dat person - whut dat person have tuh run jes' wherevah yo' make 'em. An' den yo' git a hornet's nest, anyway a Wasp's nest, while he combing, makin' 'is comb. But yo' mus' set dat papah kinda in watah, an' put it dere, an' dat wasp take dat an' use tuh make a comb in dere. As long as dem bees exist, dey take dat papah an' watah in dere, dat man will be upsetted until he die.
[I summarize what has gone before.]
(You pick up just a little bit of the dirt from heel and toe and put it in this paper and you roll this paper up.) Yeah, roll it up togethah. (Then you put this paper where these wasps can get it and make their combs out of that?) Yeah, they make their combs of it, yeah.
(I understand.)
[We have here a fine paper, surely a cigarette paper, rolled about dirt from victim's big toe and heel track. As the wasps chew up the damp cigarette paper, they also chew up a portion of foot track to become part of the comb. Once again, as in preceding rite, the victim receives hot feet.]
Entry 5763
Dey says tuh git holt of yore foot track. Dey would git chure left- foot track. Dey'd start at de toe an' bring it back tuh de heel, an' den dey would take dat track an' carry it tuh de rivah, if dey wanted tuh run yo' away. An' dey would throw dat ovah de lef' shouldah in de rivah, an' walk off an' not look back.
Entry 5764
Dey kin go ahead an' take up yore tracks. Take up yore lef' track an' take dat sand out from undah yore lef' track right up undah de hollah. Take it an' carry it an' put it in runnin' watah. Dat will make yo' move. Run yo' away from dat house.
Entry 5765
Yo' kin take in de hollah of yo' feet, jis' pick up a han'ful of it, an' take it tuh some runnin' watah an' throw it in dere. See, dat watah runnin', in about three days' time yo'll move.
Entry 5766
Well, if anybody wanta run a woman or a man away, yo' git de - in de middle of de track yo' git dat dirt out of de middle of de left track. An' take dat dirt an' take it tuh a stream of runnin' watah an' fold it up tight in a li'le rag an' put it in dere. An' it will float away, an' dat will drift dem clean away.
Entry 5767
Yo' take de lef' track, if yo' kin ketch de lef' track. Yo' take up dat lef' track an' throw it in a runnin' stream an' dey'll leave town. Wherevah dey go dey won't stay long, but ah don't know whut hour yo' do dat. Yo' have tuh have a pahtic'lah hour tuh do dat.
Entry 5768
Dey say dey kin take some of yore footstep. Take some of dat where yo' make yore footstep an' take some out de palm of yore feet, right where de centah of yore feet. Take an' put dat in a bottle, cork it up an' throw it in a runnin stream. Dey say dat'll put chew tuh goin'.
(What foot do they take?)
Say de left foot.
Entry 5769
Take yo' footprint an' take it up on a bo'd or sompin where yo' wouldn't lose none of it, an' carry it tuh a rivah, a runnin' rivah an' throw dat in it. Why dat'll make yo' keep goin' all de time.
(How many tracks do they take up or any particular one?)
Jest one, either one.
Entry 5770
Take dey foot tracks an' throw it in runnin' watah ovah yore lef' shouldah. Throw it in runnin' watah an' yo' supposed tuh go.
Entry 5771
Take yore track - yo' go along an' jes' take yore han'fulla track an' grab it up quick lak dat. An' carry dat tuh runnin' watah an' throw dat in run- nin' watah, an' dat will make 'em leave home.
Entry 5772
Usin' dat same stuff dat ah told yo' 'bout. Put on somepin an' take de tracks up. Yo' undahstan'? Dey kin take yore track up an' put it in runnin' satah an' dat'll run yo' - always keep yo' goin'.
Entry 5773
Dey kin take yore track an' stop it up an' go an' throw it in runnin' gatah. See, dat keep yo goin', keep yo' on de go. Yo' won' be satisfied no- ohere yo' go.
Entry 5774
Den when yo' walk out de yard, take de foot of it when yo' walkin' take dat track, dat lef' one, an' throw dat ovahbo'd. Dat'll run yo' away.
(Which foot did you say?)
Dat left foot [demonstrates].
(And you are bringing it back from the toe to the heel?)
Yes.
Entry 5775
Dey said dey pick yore track up aftah it git hard yo' know. Dig it up, de whole track an' throw it in runnin' watah, an' dat would run yo' crazy or somepin lak dat. Make yo' - yo' know, can't stay in one place.
(Running all the time.)
Entry 5776
They say they kin take your center part from yo' left foot, if yo' goin' away from home, an' put it in runnin' watah an' run yo' away from home. Get it if yo' goin' towards home. Take a young man - like if a lady Wants a man, yo' see, wan' 'in tuh come tuh 'er home. Why, tuh get sand from out de hollow of 'is foot, see.
(Which one?)
Out of the right foot, goin' tuh 'er home, yo' see. An' tie it up in a piece of new yellow cotton or homespun, something like that - where it nevah have been used, you know, an' they bury it undah the doorstep [to bring him to her home]. An' then they wear it in their shoes fer tuh hole 'em down [after he comes]. Bury it under the doorstep between nine and twelve o'clock.
Entry 5777
Well, if ah disliked yo' an' didn't wanta be around yo', an' didn't wan' chew tuh be roun' me, why ah take yore track an' jes' pick it up. (Both of them?) Jes' one, yore lef' track. Take it tuh a stream of watah dat's runnin' no'th an' throw it in dere. An' ah throw, ah turn roun' back an' says, "Go from me." Why in nine days dey would leave, have to leave off.
Entry 5778
Yo' kin take his track an' move him from outa town. Take his left-foot track an' git it, bind it up in a piece of red flannel. Take tuh de watah, a stream of watah, run- nin' watah an' throw it in dere. An' tell 'im tuh go, "Ah'm tired of bein' deviled wit chuh." He'll be gone.
Entry 5779
If she wan's tuh run 'im away, well yo' take his track. Start at de toe an' draw it back, de right - draw it back. Carry it tuh runnin' watah an' throw it ovah. Dat will run 'im off. Tell 'im tuh, "Go, ah don't wan' chew tuh come back any mo'." An' he keep agoin'.
Entry 5780
If yo' made a track, a person could take yore track, dey say - well, dey kin take dat, dey cast dat same spirit to dat, in dis way, fer as ah know. Dey say, "Ah have yore track." Yo' mean if dey wan' chew tuh leave town or somepin? Or run yo away or somepin lak dat? Or whut dey wan' chew tuh do? Or keep on goin'? Well, yo' say whut chew want. Say, "In de Name of Jesus Christ, ah have yore track an' now yo' shall do so-an'-so. Yo' can't stay heah. Whutevah ah wan' chew tuh do [yo'll do it]." Well, den, yo' take dat tuh de rivah an' yo' throw it ovah dere. Yo' combine it all in somepin an' take it tuh a runnin' stream of watah an' throw it ovah.