Browse:Graveyard (Volume 1, entries 270–276)
Graveyard
Volume 1, entries 270–276. Source context: SPIRITS → BLACK CAT BONE. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 270
I heard a fellow say once, you go to the cemetery at twelve o'clock at night, you take the black cat; you're supposed to put him in the pot alive, you boil him in the cemetery. When the meat comes off, you pour the bones down in a pot of milk. When they come up to the top, you grab the bone that comes to the top. When you go to grab it, you see like a lot of hands and everything coming up at you. If you're lucky enough you'll get the bone. But you have to be quick. And don't get scared. You get that black cat bone and anything you want you get it. If you see somebody with eatens and you want it, you say, "Bring that tray to me," and that man will bring that tray right to you.
Entry 271
They tell me you take a black cat alive an' put 'im in a boilin' pot of water till he boil all to pieces - jis' like you were cookin' meal or somepin - an' the bone that come to the top, that stand on top of the water, dat's the bone fer you to use. Dat's de witchcraft bone. After you git dat bone, you suppose to go to the graveyard fer nine nights. Said the first night you just zern a little imp come an' dance up to you. [Each succeeding night additional imps appear] - then the ninth, the whole devil family, his wife an' the son, a whole bunch of 'em. If you kin stand fer whut you see, you'll be able to witch- craft in anything you want to.
Entry 272
Git the hair of a black cat up here between the years - cut the hair between the years. Then they git it between the two shoulders, right out to the middle of the back. Take them and put them together. They got'a take that to the cemetery nine nights. They wrap that up into a piece of new red flannel that never used. And you take that to the cemetery nine nights and at one o'clock and you go to that particular grave and call that person's name and tell 'em what chew want dem to do fer you. He have to use his eyes, you know. The last night, the ninth night, you carry seven pennies and you open the - here [demonstrates].
(The breast.)
Dig down to wherever it is, deposit those pennies and tell them just exactly hoW you want that done and when, and that tends - you know, make you disappear as you wishes. You kin go out and if a certain party appears, you disappear until they pass.
[He kept-it in his pocket.]
(Which pocket do you keep this in for your hand?)
In your right hand pocket, and you will disappear every time you touch that.
Entry 273
A little humpbacked man, he spent ever' cent he got for to win girls. I didn't see him do it but seen the finger. It was told me he went to the grave- yard and cut off a woman's right [index] finger - I seen the finger - cut that off and was carrying it around in his pocket. He went to the graveyard, so I was told, but he says so hisself. He went to the graveyard and carried a black cat and cut this black cat's head off. He's to go back to the graveyard nine days and he meet the devil there. He'd have to go back [each time] after dark and carry de black cat's head with him. And the ninth time the devil met him. Well, I know one thing. He was drawed up, the ugliest thing - his back had been broke. He couldn't take amongst girls, I was satisfied of that, but he could do some peculiar things. [Deal Island, Md., (108), 22:1; at Deal Island,1896.]
Entry 274
Whenevah he be goin' tuh gamble, he jes' go an' ketch him a black cat - anybody's an' throw him in de fiah 'live an' burn him up. Jes' keep him right in de heat ever'where dey is an' burn him up. An' den dey takes dis bone dat isn't burn all de way up, jes' kinda yo' know ashes, an' take an' go tuh de mirror an' if he kin stand tuh carry it cross his mouth lak dat yo' know, if he's got dat much nerve, after dat den at night, or wait until night an' go in de graveyard. Keep de bone with him an' if he's got nerve, stay in dere all de remain of de night, an' if any animals or any spirits, an' he's ain't scared, why dat bone will work fo' him, but if he gits scared an' come out why it ain't no good to him.
Entry 275
They go out to the graveyard at midnight and they ketch a black cat and boil him good in a kettle of water. They suck the tail of the cat until they git to the last bone [joint at rectum]. Then they say the Lord's Prayer backwards. Then they're supposed to have a hand to do anything they want to do.
Entry 276
Well, yo' git chure cat an' yo' stew him up an' git the bones.
(What bone do you get?)
Ah wouldn't know, but it towards heah somewhere up heah in de front part of his body. But anyway, tuh git that bone you have tuh try them all.
(How do you do that?)
Jis' brush 'em [like a toothbrush] in yore mouth an' yo' contin'lly lookin' in the glass, until yo' disappeah. An' when yo' git to that bone yo'll disappeah an' yo' take it to the fo'ks of the road an' turn roun' three times. Yo' do that fo' nine evenin's or mawnin's. An' then yo' take it to a cemetery an' yo' make a crossmark on someone's grave.
(What do you make the crossmark with?)
With that bone. An' then yo' take yore bone back an' yo' wrap it up with some silver money an' lodestone, an' yo' put chew a flannen rag aroun' it an' wear it in yore pocket. That's fo' luck an' that's tuh keep anybody from bothering roun yuh, an' yo' kin do most anything that yo' want tuh do.