Browse:HANDS: MAGIC HELPERS (Volume 1, entries 1704–2402)/Part 3
HANDS: MAGIC HELPERS
Volume 1, entries 1704–2402. Source context: THE DOCTORS AT WORK: REPORTS FROM LAYMEN. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 1864
Well, if yo' comes to his house an' start away, dey take up de track an' chunk it tuhwards yo' an' yo' won't go back dere no mo'.
Entry 1865
Like if someone leave home an' you want 'em to come back, you take an' sweep dey track right back in de fiahplace an' dey're bound to come back.
Entry 1866
(Suppose a man is running around with another woman and his wife wants to break it up and make him stay at home. What would she do to make him stay around the house?) She would tie him to herself with footsteps; her footsteps and yours. She would tie him around her.
(Well, how would she do that?)
You get in there - some of de steps coming in, she ties that, takes de dust - I mean de track from your foot and she brings that in and takes her foot track and brings that in and she tacks dat under de carpet or at foot of de door. That holds you there. There's two spirits of two people.
Entry 1867
Hit wus a girl ah wus goin' wit an' ah been goin' wit her fo' sometime, 'bout a couple of yeahs, an' anothah boy come 'long an' got in 'twixt us, had her tuh de place she wouldn't pay me no 'tenshun 'tall. So ah goes to a ole fren' of mine dat wus a root worker, an' ah explained it to him an' he tole me, he say, "If ah kin git to it right at once." Said, "Soon as yo' kin git a chance, git some dirt out of de hollow of her foot track, at de left foot." Says, "Yo' ties it up in a pocket han'kerchief."
(That is your pocket handkerchief?)
Yessuh, mah pocket han'kerchief, an' he said, "Wet it wit Heart's Cologne an' yo' wear dat in yore pocket." An' so it wus about six or seven days, she wus in de field hoein' cotton an' ah walks close to de field an' ah got chance tuh git dis dirt, an' ah tied it up in de pocket han'kerchief an' goes on tuh town an' ah bought a bottle of cologne an' ah wet it. An' fo' 'bout a week an' a half ah say it wusn't any good, say, "Aw dere ain't nuthin tuh dis." But still ah carried - tryin' tuh see her. So dat Satiday evenin' ah seen her fatah an' he tole me, says, "Noble says she wants tuh see yo'." Tole him, "Okay." Well, ah try tuh stick out [hold back from going to see her]. An' so dat Sunday evenin' she came up on de church an' axed me, say, "Whut's de trouble?" Yo' hasn't been roun?" Say, "Well, yo' lak So-an'-So, didn't think dere's any use." An' from dat ah an' her start goin' tuhgether. An' ah went with her until she died an' dere wus no trouble atall. Lots of boys tried tuh go with her an' dey had lotsa money an' all, but ah didn't have any mo' trouble. Ah kept dat sack dere until aftah she died.
Entry 1868
Now at my home [near Yorktown, Va.] - I come [home] from West Virginia, and I got to my home and there was a fellow there that had a wife and she had been gone from home. So then she come to see her mother and - she was a married woman - she come to see her mother, and this husband of hers seeing an old fellow [doctor] had asked him could he stop her here. He said, "Yes." But he says, "If I was to go there, she'd think I would be up to somethin'." So he got me to go out in de road and ketch her track for him. I caught it - I went dere and I caught dat track. He told me to measure her track from her heel to her toe and say to her, "I take you back with me." And I went out and I measured that track and I spoke dem words he want me to speak, and I carried it to him. He taken them tracks and he put it - he'd taken that dust out de hollow of her foot and put it in a bottle, and when he put it in a bottle he'd taken three strands of her hair and put in dat bottle, and give it to the husband and told him to take it and bury it at de sill of de door. Well, he did it and she did come back.
Entry 1869
An' a man - de only thing to do to make him come back, when yo' be goin' out git de dirt out of nine of his tracks right in de palm of his foot - yo' know where he step on - de palm, an' take it, an' take de chewin' gum out of yore mouth, an' his hair. Yo' git close enough to git some of his hair out of his haid. An' put it in a bottle an' bury it under his room where he's supposed tuh sleep - yo' know, that's if he yore husband, an' bury it undah his room. An' then yo' go to that bottle twice a week an' tell it, says, ask it - close yore eyes an' ask if he wus really comin' back. An' they say them little things in dat bottle will turn round an' round, an' den nine days after dat, he be back.
(She puts this hair and his track and this chewing gum in this bottle?)
In de bottle an' bury it under his room.
Entry 1870
I heard dat dey could take your foot track, if you are talkin' to some- one an' they don't wan' chew to go. If you for example - you and your boy friend are together and he wants to make you follow him all aroun' the street, he'll turn you aroun'. He jes' take you by the hand and turn you aroun', all the way aroun' in your foot track, and take up your foot track he turnt roun' in and trow it over her [your] right shoulder and make you follow him fer der rest of your life. A boy does that to his girl or a girl can do that to her boy friend.
Entry 1871
They say that if you walk in the same track a person do, you'll give him a headache. Only children do that [now]. [Originally, adults did this, walking in someone's barefoot tracks.]
Entry 1872
Well, dey say dey kin take a fo'k an' a knife. (A fork and a knife.) Yeah, dey kin take a fo'k and knife and dey cross it like dat.
(Put it down for those people to cross over?)
Yeah, fo'k and a knife - ole knife and a fork, and dey kin put it down in de ground. Make a mark you know and put it down in de ground at dere house - put it down in dere yard, anywhere, just so it's put down. Put it 'bout two feet in de ground or a foot an' a half, maybe. Dey say dat dey'll keep you so dat you can't come dere - have to stay away, they says.
Entry 1873
Dey take that fo' leaf clover and whut chew call wish bean - wish bean. (Like a bean you eat?) It's somepin similar to dat but it's made altogethah diff'rent chew know an' it grows altogethah diff'rent. It's kinda - it's pretty good size. It's kinda round but it's fat an' lopsided an' it has speckles on it.
(Does it grow in the ground or on a tree or what?)
Well, jis' how it do, ah don't know, but yo' know yo' go to those places yo' know an' yo' git it. [I do not know the identity of this commercial product.] Den yo' put that wish bean an' that fo' leaf clover with yore name written three time on dere. Yo' make a bag of it an' jis' lak dis is de back of yore bed heah, yo' fix yo' some way to hang dat so it hangs behin' de bed where dat yo' sleep. Dat supposed tuh bring special luck to yo'.
Entry 1874
Now, ah'm goin' tell you dis one from experience. Dis is mah own - heah's mah han' tuh God. God don't like - He don't like a liar, neither do yo' an' me. If yo' ketch a frog, yo' will have luck. Ah used to try tuh shoot dice. Ah was in Georgia, what chew call Macon, Georgia, about loO miles from Atlanta. Ah worked on a farm wit a man that had big skin games. Yo' evah know whut skin games are?
(What is a skin qame?)
Jis' have a deck of cards an' split [cut] 'em off an' ah turn yo' seven spot an' I got a ten, I'll bet chew a dollar dat mah ten falls, yo' win; if de seven fall, ah win. Dey call dat skin game. An' yo' wanta be lucky now.
[For skin game, see margin-title Frog - Georgia Skin, later.]
Ah was pickin' cotton fo' a man an' he wasn't payin' but 4Oc a hundred, an' swindlin' me wit de game, an' ah had to cook fo' mahself [buy his own food and cook it]. So Saturday night come an' we'd check up an' maybe whut ah done bought an' had cook, ah'd have 'bout two-three dollahs fer de skinning, an' ah jes' losin' mah money. One de boys said, "B, ah'm goin' put chew onto something - ket' chew [catch you] a toadfrog an' keep in yore pocket." Well, ah'd seen a little ole toad in de road dat hops about at night an' ah picked up one an' he wet in mah han' - ah always hear dem say dey make warts - an' ah put 'im in mah pocket. He felt cold as ice when ah got 'im, an' ah put him in mah pocket among some quarters an' nickels an' dimes what ah had an' ah went. De people had a big candle in de woods settin' down in de road - no, dey didn't have a candle, dey had a bottle wit a rope in it an' oil in de bottle makin a wick wit it, setting dere. Dey was down on dere knees gamblin'. Well, ah went dere an' held mah two hand - ah cleaned up ev'ry nickel an' dime dere was. Ah put so much money on dat frog until ah mashed 'im - killed 'im in mah pocket. Ah had all de silver, wag nuthin but silver at dat time - it wasn't no 20, 30 or 40 dollahs but ah broke ev'rybody dat night. An' ah always thought a frog was lucky. Ah had so much on him he got tuh jumpin' in mah pocket right in dere on mah money. [A frog or toad does not jump because the money is heavy; he is giving a warning we shall learn later.] An' ev'ry time ah got down dere to make a bet, ah more den apt to ketch 'em - if ah fall twice ah'd ketch it three times. That was luck.
Entry 1875
Ketch a frog an' put him in yore pocket, a live frog, an' run yore han' in yore pocket an' no one else kin win. Sometimes boys jes' fo' devilment throw him on de table an' let him hop round dere. When he hop, he goin' hop right back to yo', an' yo' put him in yore pocket an' nobody can't beat chew.
Entry 1876
Take a toadfrog an' put him in his pocket an' keep him in dere an' dat will give him plenty luck an' plenty money - dat toadfrog. If he's not lucky at all why dat toadfrog won't stay wit him; an' if he is, why dat frog will continue stayin' with him.
Entry 1877
Ah've heard of 'em usin' frogs fo' luck. Yo' know, jis' lak yo'd be shootin' craps, yo' know, an' yo'd ketch yo' a live frog yo' know an' put him in yore right pocket an' tote him roun'. Dat's luck - yo' use dat fo' luck. See, yo' keep him in yore pocket an' when he dies, yo' see, dat makes de luck. An' yo' tote him roun' den an' aftah he dries up an' ev'rything den he ain't no mo' good, see. But as long as he live in yore pocket yore lucky, see. An' aftah he dies, he ain't no mo' good - yo' have tuh git anothah one.
Entry 1878
Use a toadyfrog for lotsa luck an' fo' gamblin' or somethin' lak dat. Yo' kin take a frog an' put him in yore left pocket an' when yo' take an' put him in yore left pocket, yo' take dat cologne an' yo' kin jes' kinda sprinkle it on him in yore pocket. But chew have him tied so dat de people would [not know you had him] - have him tied up. An' jes' whenevah dat yo' go to de gamblin' game or anythin', if dat frog start tuh jumpin' or somepin lak dat, well yo'll be suc- cessful in whut chew doin'; but if he's not, dere won't be anythin' to it.
Entry 1879
Jes' as ah first said a while ago - de most luck ah evah had in mah life wus gamblin', ah used a live frog. Whensomevah ah go into a game, if ah could locate one, see, ah jes' take it an' put it in mah pocket; an' if yo' bettin' an' yore playin' poker, why dat frog will tell yo' - yo' know whut ah mean, he jumps when it's time tuh bet. Long as he stay still, why don't chew bet anything. It's common, but it's true.
Entry 1880
They catch them a toadfrog and puts him in their pocket and the money - the first bet that they win, they put that money in that pocket with that frog, and as that frog swell in his pocket, well you going to be winning the game.
(If that frog swells in the pocket?)
In that there pocket - yes, sir.
(You mean - how do you mean swells?)
Just - you know how they get - they just puff out that way. Well, as he begin to puff out, you just win and win till you break the ante.
Entry 1881
Take a toadyfrog an' put him in yore pocket. Yo' kin tell ev'ry time yo' gon'a fall - why, by him raisin' up in yore pocket. Mah husband was a gambler.
(You mean every time you want to play the frog would raise up?)
Ev'ry time yo' goin' fall, ev'ry time yo' goin' tuh lose - so yo' know how tuh bid.
Entry 1882
Well, they say if you take a frog and make him drunk and go to the game and, you know, have him in your pocket. Well, if you are going to play wrong, well that frog will move and you'll know what to do - you'll know that you fixin' to bet some money in the wrong place.
(That frog warns you?)
Yes.
(He'll move around?)
Uh huh.
(How do you make him drunk?)
Well, just take the teaspoon and pour the whiskey down in him.
Entry 1883
Take a toadfrog an' put him in yore right pocket an' go to a skin game. If this frog will nevah kick, yo'll win; but if he'll kick, yo' can't win.
[Fayetteville, N. Car., (1407), 2530:3.]
[The kicking or puffed up frog in the preceding beliefs is a type of Diagnosis
(p.165f.) or Jack (p.190f.).]
Entry 1884
Ketch a toadfrog and put it in yo' pocket and keep yo' hand on it and as dey play, you know, and turn de cards why yo' hand will be on de toadfrog and that will bring yo' luck.
Entry 1885
De mos' ah seed done fo' it, yo' take one dese ole toadfrogs [some kind of] toadfrogs an' dry him up an' take de dust yo' see an' keep it in dere pocket, an' when dey shuffle de deck of cards once in a while, dey run dere han's in dere pocket an' git dat dust an' shuffle it through de cards. Dat gives 'em luck.
Entry 1886
I had a person tuh fix me up one of those things once. He had me tuh git a toadfrog an' kill it an' hang him on de west side of a pine tree until he dries, see. Then take him then an' sew it up in a piece of flannel, red flannel an' go to a drug store an' git yo' a bottle of Hearts Cologne - keep dat 'nointed with it. Go to a skin game. Why jest befo' yo' go to skin 'em, jest unbeknowst to anybody, jest 'noint it yo' understand an' rub yore hands - rub it in yore hands. Yo' know how yo' take dese powder puff an' jest dope yore hand wit it an sit down dere. Dat's purtty lucky, too. Ah've tried dat.
Entry 1887
Yo' takes a frog an' yo' kill him an' lets him dry, takes an' sews him up in a shammy skin, an' feed him with whiskey. Well, that's supposed to be a very, very nice toby fo' gamblin'.
Entry 1888
Take a toadfrog and stir him up [annoy or excite him] and get that oil that comes out [of his skin] and put it in a bottle, and get some whiskey and pour in on it; and when you get ready to gamble, shoot the dice you know, pour some in the palm of your hands and rub your hands all over with it [the dice]. That's good luck for gambling. And then you can get a snake. I'm scared of a snake but let somebody else kill it, and you can take and do it the same Way - use that snake oil. It's good for gambling.
Entry 1889
A frog, now he's good fo' luck too.
(To make the lucky hand. Tell me that all over again.)
Yo' git dis - yo' take dis frog an' yo' git chew some moonshine [illegally distilled whiskey] an' make yo' a - have yo' a container an' have it deep enough where that he'll go down in there, see. Then yo' fasten him down in that stuff an' let him stay in dere until he die. [You drown the frog in moonshine.] An' when he die, then yo' git some mercury an' yo' fill his mouth - yo' know, put that in his mouth. Yo' put this mercury in his mouth an' then yo' take him an' a piece of flannel - yo' know, a square piece of flannel, red flannel, an' put him in dis flannel an' then yo' drop nine drops around in de flannel.
(What kind of drops?)
Mercury. Then yo' sew dis flannel up an' ev'ry time yo' make a stitch, bring it to yo' like that [demonstrates] - ev'ry time yo' make a stitch until yo' git it sewed plumb up. Well, when yo' git it sewed plumb up, den yo' pray de 23rd Psalms fo' three days, an' all at de same time he'll drink [soak] up this othah stuff. Put him in some more an' let him drink that an' git him good an' full of it, don't chew know. Den put that in yore pocket an' that's tuh bring yo' luck.
(In gambling?)
Yes sir.
Entry 1890
Yo' kin git graveyard dirt an' a frog an' take this frog an' put this graveyard dirt an' dis frog an' de lodestone in yore pocket an' dress it ovah wit whiskey. Den yo'll be lucky.
(Lucky in what?)
In gamblin' or runnin' a house or most anything - restaurant - anything yo' doin'.
(You put all this in a little bag?)
Yes, in a little red flannel rag. Sew it up an' it'll make a hand - jis make a hand out of it.
Entry 1891
Graveyard dirt, it's good fo' gambling.
(How do they use it?)
Well, yo' take yo' some graveyard dirt an' yo' run yore hand jest as fur down as yo' can an' git some fresh dirt, chew see, an' put it in yore pocket an' git chew one dese toadyfrogs an' put him in yore pocket. Well, if yo' go to skin - gambling, somepin lak dat, yo' know, well yo'll break everybody in dat game, if yo' got some of dat fresh graveyard dirt an' toadyfrog in yore pocket.
(Do you put this in the same pocket?)
In de same pocket - in yore right pocket.
Entry 1892
Fo' gamblin', ah heard 'em say, yo' kin git chew a frog - a toadfrog. Well, a frog is got a numbah undah his neck right undah dere. Take dat frog an' git one wit de even numbah. Don't git no odd numbah lak three or five, but git chew one got a two or fo' an' take him 'live an' put him in yore pocket an' go to de skin gome or any kinda gamblin' game an' yo's lucky in winnin'. An' if yo' think dat dere's somebody else dere dat's got some roots or somepin dat's tryin' tuh win too, yo' jes' take an' git chew some table salt an' put some sulphur in yore shoes, yo' see, 'fore yo' leave home an' go on there. Yo' take dat salt an sprinkle it on their haid an' dey'll lose. Dey roots won't be no good to em.
(That kills that?)
Dat kills dat.
Entry 1893
If yo' gamblin', yo' take yo' a toadfrog - ketch him alive. Yo' know a toadfrog is got numbers on him - jes' lak if yo' kin be lucky enough tuh ketch yo a toadfrog with seven on him, it's a lucky frog. If yo' put him in yore pocket alive an' he stay in dere, ain't no way nobody kin win no money from yo'; but if yo' don't - if he don't stay in yore pocket, yo' kin tell whether yo's in good luck or whether yo' in bad. De minute dat chew put him in yore pocket, he's goin' holler an' jump out. But if yo s goin' have really good luck, take dat from in dere an' put him in yore pocket an' he stay in dere, yo' win de whole time dat frog is in yore pocket. [For putting numbers on frog, see No. 575, p.186.]
Entry 1894
(What would they do with the frog?)
You kin take a frog if yo' are betting cards and - jest like ah and you is in a skin game of betting, wal ah've got a toadfrog in mah pocket. Ah don't keer how lucky yo' is, ah'm goin' beat yo' out chure money long as he don't holler. If he hollers I quit betting and turn him loose and let him go.
Entry 1895
Use toadfrogs fo' luck lak if yo' wanta go to a spinnin' wheel an' win lak in dese carnivals - in dese big shows dey have dose spinnin' wheels. Says yo' take a frog an' go to de spinnin' wheel an' jes' befo' yo' go tuh turn dat spinnin' wheel, run yo' han' in de sack an' git chew some of de money off de toadfrog an' yo'll be lucky with it.
Entry 1896
Ah seen somepin lak dat done one time. Dat wus right chere in town. Dey had a great big circus - de Robinson Show. Dat man tole me outside - he say, "Ah believe ah'll broke up de show. When we go in dere, dere certain things ah see him doin' an' ah would keep 'em from doin' it. Ah got dis heah toadfrog an' hol' de toadfrog an' look at it. A leetle bit of milk come out de back of it - look lak milk, out de back of de toadfroa." He took dat toadfrog in a piece of red flannen - ah don' know whut he had in dere wit it, wit de flannen, outside of de toadfrog an' de flannen. He might have had somethin' else. Well, he took dat frog an' we sat down in de show, a seat purtty close-ways up, an' dey couldn't git de business tuh ack. An' one of de show fellahs must be's purtty sharp. He hunt round an' he hunt round an' he hunt roun', an' after while he come right up close where ah wus settin' wit dis fellah whut had de toadfrog an' tetched him on de shoulder an' tell him, "Yo' git outa heah." Carried him tuh de do' an' make him git out.
Entry 1897
Yo' kin take a frog an' go to a show or somepin lak dat where they has these magic things, yo' understand. Well now, dat cause all dat magic - dat settle in yore eyes an' yo' kin see whut tricks dey doin' an' all lak dat.
Entry 1898
Dey tell me yo' kin take a toadfrog an' go into any kind of a show or anything like that, even in a gambling room, anywhere yo' mind to carry 'em like dat. Said jest if someone come in dis town an' yo' wants tuh break up de show or anything like dat, say if there's any kinda lodestone dey have workin' round dere an' yo' wants to find out whether it is lodestone, jest ketch yo' a toadfrog an' go in dere an' dey say de toadfrog will eat all de lodestone dey carries in dere an' dey jest can't act.
Entry 1899
Totes a toadfrog. If a fellah got roots or anything lak dat, chew go an' git chew a live rusty toadfrog an' put him in a han'chief an' put him in yore pocket, in yore side pocket or anythin' lak dat, an' go in a game, an' yo' wanta kill his luck, if yo' [he] got any lodestone or anything, that's goin' kill it.
Entry 1900
Yo' kin ketch de frog an' yo' cut off his left hind laig whilst he livin' an' turn him unloose an' wear it in yore pocket. Mah brothah got one in his pocket today.
(What will that do for you?)
Say that makes yo' git 'long - anybody yo' kin walk up dere an' ask 'em fo' money an' dey'll give it to yo'.
Entry 1901
I was told dis by a fellow. Well, he was a white boy worked at de Ford plant - working every day and I reckon he is working there now.
(Here in towm?)
At de Ford plant over here at North Norfolk. See, I was told that a man - he's a North Ca'lina boy, too. He told me dat he left home - I knowed his people well - didn't know that's where his home was but I knowed his people by seeing them away. He told me dat he left home and there was a couple of men told him something to do, and when he left the plant and went home, see, they didn't like him much. Seemed like if he kind of hard on him, the man he worked for. So he went home and there was a couple of colored fellows told him what to do, and he told me what he told him. He say he told him to go ahead and get a little Spring frog and take him - one of de small ones you kin put into a small bottle and put him down in dere with his feet up and head down. Den he bring dat back and put him in dat bottle some cologne - see, de Hearts Cologne and continue to go to work with that on him, and when he come back - I don't know what he had did, but that's what he told me he did and his brother-in- law told me so too. Well, when he come back this same man that he was hard on 'em, he would take him around and take him all the way home in his automobile. I know that to happen, but I don't exactly what he did. That's what he told me. (That's what he said he did. He just had this frog in the bottle and put this Hearts Cologne in there.) Yeah, and let the frog be bottom up and his head down in dat little bottle.
Entry 1902
Ah used de nest of de red ants mahself - see, ah used to be a gambler. Yo' git a frog an' take tie him up, both his laig, to a stake ovah a nest of dose large red antses an' let dem eat de flesh off his bones, see. An' den yo take de bones an' wrap 'em up in a cloth an' dress em wit cologne an' yo'll win. But it's dangerous - yo' have tuh pay fo' it.
(What do you mean by that?)
Well, yo' li'ble lose a member of yore body, yore arm or laig, toe, yo' know, or lose somebody in de family yo' love, or either yore life. Yo'll have to pay fo it. It s de devil's trick.
(What do you do with that frog? You stake - you mean?)
Yo' stake him - yo' torture him - yo' let de red ants eat de flesh off him - stake him alive. Yo' tie him up, all fo' of him laigs where de ants kin git to his flesh.
Entry 1903
Jes' lak yo' go to de race track bettin' on de horse races, yo' ketch - yo' have two toadyfrogs - jes' have 'em wit chew, see. An' Jes' lak yo' bettin', take an' pat 'em on de horse an' de horse yo' want to win he will win every time.
(How do you carry those frogs?)
In yore pocket - either in a papah bag, both of 'em together so long as dey live. If dey's live it all right; if dey's daid dey ain't goin' be no good.
Entry 1904
Jes' say yo' speedin' wit chure automobile out dere an' de law run down an' subpoena yo' fo' co't in de mawnin'. Dis evenin' jes' go out dere in de woods an' git chew 'bout fo' or five big spring frogs. Put 'em in yore bosom. Yo' put 'em in water tonight an' in de mawnin' when yo' - befo' yo go up dere, put 'em in yore bosom an' when yo' go up dere befo' him why dere won't be nuthin tuh de case - it throwed out.
Entry 1905
[I don't] know anything about a gamblin' proposition 'cause I never gambled in my life, but I have heard of people gambling and I have talked with gamblers. They claim they go and get somethin' that you call a moojoo. What it is, I don't know. They get a green frog, I think it is and split him open and put that thing into the frog and sew de frog back up and then they wear it in they pocketbook and say Just any point they wan'a make, they make it. What else they do to it, I couldn't tell you.
(They do that for luck in gambling?)
Yes, sir.
Entry 1906
Take one dose big black frog, an' take him ovah de bed an' whup him - whup him till he cry. He will cry jis' lak a baby - ahh, ahh, jis' lak a baby. Take dat frog an' throw him right farwards in front of you an' de man will live. [Here a frog is used as a hand for curing an illness (see pp.441-445). The ailment is first transferred from patient to frog and then the disease-spirit is whipped out of the frog. This could be an elaborate rite with much talk, depend- ing upon the operator. For transferring disease to a chicken, see No. 1000, p.384.]
Entry 1907
Dey kin take dis ole dust, frog dust [toadfrog-bread dust], dat in de Woods an' git it an' sprinkle it in a person hat an' dat will run 'em blind. It's little ole stuff dat come up in de groun' - yo' know, We call it toadfrog bread. It's a little white thing [mushroom] dat grows up an' after which it die an' it goes to a dust. [This is the devil's-snuffbox or puffball - various fungi which discharge ripe spores in smokelike cloud when pressed.] Git dat an' put in yore hat dey say - sprinkle it in a person hat an' dey say dey will go blind, or in dey han'cheff er somepin. [For frog bread, see No. 250, p.72.]
Entry 1908
Ah've heerd of 'em usin' garlic. Jes' say fo' an instance, ah wanted to be lucky in a skin qame. Ah would take a piece of garlic an' place it into Hearts Cologne. I would stick it in dere an' ah would go dere an' ever' time ah would make a bet into a skin game, ah would take an' po' some dis stuff into mah hand. An' 'long as ah was doin' dat ain't no way ah could - ah would win all de money into dat game 'long as ah used dat stuff.
Entry 1909
Yo' jes' wear garlic fo' luck. Yo' kin take it an' jes' wear it in yore pocketbook. Co'se yo' know yo' eat it, it's good fo' yore nerves - hot
[cooked with food].
Entry 1910
Then you kin take garlic and put it in your pocket - just like you gambling, put it in your pocket and if the other person got something [a hand] to gamble with, that will kill theirs. Garlic you kin use for many different things.
Entry 1911
Yo' kin git chew a piece of garlic, yo' know whut dat is, an' yo' takes dat garlic an' yo' git nine pieces of garlic an' make yo' a little sack like if yo' were canvassing. Yo put that garlic in yore pocketbook. Quite natural it's gon'a smell. An' anything yo' doin' an' wants tuh bring luck in yore place, why yo' use that garlic. Tote it in yore pocket or in yore pocketbook or in yore sample case or anything like dat.
Entry 1912
An' also yo' can have luck by goin' to a store an' stealin' a piece of garlic. Don't let 'em see yo' git it an' don't buy it an' don't ask fo' it. Jes' steal it from de store or anywhere an' put it ovah the door or put it in yore truck or most anywhere, or carry it in yore pocketbook - anywhere. Yo'll always have luck with yo' business.
Entry 1913
Getaway powder they calls it. (Get-away powder?) Yes, sir. Ortman sells it down here - they got it down there. (Where?) Ortman's Drug Store.
(Where is that drug store?)
On Montmartre and Davis Avenue.
(How do you use that powder? That get-away powder?)
You sprinkle it around - you know, just like if someobdy come and you don't Want them no more, when they go out, then you throw the powder out behind them or something of the kind.
Entry 1914
You got a house out [vacant] an' yo' wanted people to go in dat house. Well, yo' jes' go - yo' takes a - de person whut chew wanted to go in it, jes' whosomever it is - yo' go there an' yo' dress that house, yo' see. You kin dress the house. Yo' kin go in an' take this dust powder - take it an' dust it jes' lak that. An' it's jes' lak if yo' take a person tuh show him de house an' then if he gits de odah of that, he takes de house - pays de price regardless.
(What kind of powder is that?)
It's good luck perfume powder. It hasn't got a special name - yo' order it.
Entry 1915
Jes' lak if yo' want to drive a person from town [or] home, yo' kin go in de cemetery an' run yore han' down in de grave jes' about dat deep, jes' to de end of his [your] fingers an' git de dirt at de end of his [your] fingers an' come back. (You run your hand into the dirt just about as deep as your hand - up to your wrist.) An' git dat dirt at de end of yore finger, git as much as yo' kin an' carry it to dere house - right in front of dere porch, dere steps an' make a little grave dere. De nex' mawnin' when dey git up an' see dat dere, dey'll go. An' dey gradually perish away.
(How do you make that little grave?)
Make it jes' lak yo' make a grave an' bury folks, jes' in de same shape.
Entry 1916
Take graveyard dirt an' care [carry] it to a person's house dat chew Wanta move from dat house, an' make a grave out of it an' put it under his do'- steps. Make a little small grave and put a headbo'd to de head an' one [stick or small piece of board] to [as] a footbo'd, an' write dat person name on a piece of papah an' put it inside dat little grave whut chew make, yo' understand, an he have tuh move. He can't stay dere.
Entry 1917
Yo' kin take two sweet gum sticks an' go undah a person's house an' dig a lil' hole an' put one in dere an' one into anothah hole, right underneat' de bed, jes' lak dis bed sit ovah dere [points to corner of room in which I was working]. Well, dat be's down undah de ground. Put one undah dat bed an' one undah dis one, an' dat person will jes' dry up - wither up until he dies.
(If he sleeps over those sweet gum sticks.)
An' dey say dat's a body. It's a parable as [it signifies] a body, yo' sec, an' when dat stick dry up, dere body will wither away an' dry up an' die.
(Do you put one stick under each bed or two under one bed?)
Well, one undah each bed, jes' either one. Well, dat'd be lak someone mad at someone, see. An' yo' jes' put one undah dis bed an' shape it up as a grave, jes' lak a grave.
Entry 1918
You go back to the graveyard, walk to the third grave and you get some of that graveyard dust. Now, you got'a use it when the moon is full. When the moon is weak, you can't do nuthin' with it. And just get round that job there. He goin' to hold it awhile, maybe not long. Might be in the time of the moon failing when you get it when you going for the job. And you sprinkle that dust down there where the boss goin' to walk. He got'a walk out there to see you where you is. Well, you sprinkle it just where he walks and you goin' to get that job. [See margin-title Three Graves, later.]
Entry 1919
Now when yo' go to de graveyard, yo' go dere on de full of de moon or de first quarter. Yo' hear anybody talkin' 'bout gwine tuh de graveyard, gittin' dirt, dere ain't nobody knows whut tuh do wit it, it don't do's em good. Go down at de full of de moon or de first quarter. Go down dere. Yo' ain't comin' in dere dis way, understand - yo' see, yo' don't wanta go tuh de right, de right's always good; yo' wanta go tuh de left all de time. Yo' see, dere's nuthin good in de devil's work - always go tuh de left. Yo' go tuh de left, yo' walk in dere, in de cemetery on de left side as yo' enter lak dat, an' if yo' know anybody, yore friend or nuthin lak dat, dat'a bad fellah or something lak dat, yo' know where he's buried an' dat, yo' walk in tuh de left of yo', an' jes' go right on ovah, don't say a word. Take yo' five cents or ten cents - well, de ten cents is bestes', it's silver. Take yo' ten cents an' sit down an' dig down as fur as yore arm will go down in dat grave up to heah. Go on down as fur as it is, keep plowin' down in dere wit yore arm till yo' git down dat deep - way down. Yo' says dese words, says, "Ah didn't come tuh steal, ah didn't come tuh walk [I am not out here for exercise], but ah come honest an' wit faith an' truth, tellin' yo' de truth" - talkin' to de dead man - "tellin' yo' de truth, dog-gone it, an' ah wan'a git some of yore earth dat's yo's buried undah. Ah'm not stealin' it, ah wan'a borrow it, an' ah m leavin' ten cents heah. Ah'm not gittin' but a han'ful, an' ah don' disturb yo' an' ah know yo ain't goin 'sturb me." Take a han'ful. Dat's all. An' yo put de ten cents down dere. Take it an' kiver it up an' pack it back. Turns right around an' don't say anothah word an' walk off - don't look back, go home. Well, if ah want one of mah neighbahs where ah'm livia'.ah don't want 'em livin' dere togethah, ah goes - when ah go out de path, walk a ways with it, an' take some of that dust dere, an' when ah come in dis house, ah come in on which- ever de left side is. Lak ah stands dere on de left side an' ah go ahead up to de do'step - any night dey sleep, not in de daytime. Ah ease down an' ah takes some in mah han' an' ah sprinkles it undah dat do'step, right along, right along out ah go till ah hit de road, jes' sprinklin' dis sand. Ah wouldn't leave off till ah hit de road, till ah git off dat path leadin' outa de house, right 'long dere. Now, dey got'a walk ovah dat. Dey goin' walk ovah dat. All right, in a week or so, dat man an' his wife, all of 'em will git dissatisfied, fights be goin' on an' dey won't stay dere no mo' - jes' move.
Entry 1920
Wal, dey kin take yo' [foot] track and run yo' ev'ry place in de world. Ah have one boy he's been runned all over de United States. Dere's lot'a things people kin do to yo' feet.
(Well, how did they run your boy away? What did they do to him?)
Put a spell on him.
(Through his foot track?)
Yes sir.
(Well, how did they do it?)
Dey didn't git his track. Dey waits fer him at home, ah heard, and put him to bed sleep with her, measured him by another girl and [put] de dust from de bottom of grave in his shoes, and as dat spirit [in the graveyard dirt] wander it made him walk all de time. He's been walking all de time.
Entry 1921
Tell yo' re'lly fac' about it. Ah know a little 'bout graveyard dirt. Ah knew dis much, suh, dat graveyard dirt kin put chew in bad luck.
(How would you do that?)
Well, if yo' take a sewin' thimble an' yo' go tuh de graveyard an' de very freshest grave dat's buried, anyone dat's buried yo' understand, an' yo' git nine thimbles of dirt off de grave an' yo' carry 'em back. Well, de re'lly fac' about it, yo' git nine triin's of de person right track an' yo' kin put it into a sifter together an' yo' mix it. Put it in de sifter jes' lak yo' were goin' tuh sift meal or anything of de kind dataway, an' yo' kin take an' spread it anywhere across de crossroad or anywhere wherein dis person walks at, an' dat puts dem in tough with bad luck - see, jes' from hand tuh mouth. See, dat person makin' five dollahs a day an' spendin' ten.
(That puts them to walking you say?)
Puts dem tuh walkin', but chew gits dat an' put it into a sifter.
(And you sift it out there at the crossroads?)
Dat's right.
(And that give them bad luck of some sort?)
Oh yeah, puts'em in bad luck. Re'lly fac' about it - round an' round dey goin'.
Entry 1922
You goes tuh work an' git dat graveyard dirt an' yo' pays de dead when yo' go dere an' git it. Pay 'em 'leven cent or much as yo' wanta, den yo' git dat graveyard dirt. An' yo' goes into de graveyard backwards an' go up to one of de graves - jes' whatevah one yo' git to - go into to it backwards an' jes' call de dead an' tell 'em whut yo' want, an' carry a white piece of cloth an' put dat in dere. Den yo' carry dat white piece of cloth, yo' stoop down dere an' git dat graveyard dirt, git it right from de heart. Git dat graveyard dirt right in dere. Take dat dirt an' it do de work.
(What do they do with that dirt?)
Take dat dirt an' carry it an' wheresomevah yo' wanta put it, carry dat dirt dere an' put it down dere.
(What do you put that dirt there for?)
Yo' put it dere tuh run a person - a man or a woman off from dere home. Mah husban' wus run off from home.
Entry 1923
They say, if anybody bother me and my husband and I want to get rid of 'em, want 'em stopped, why just take a penny.
(A penny?)
One penny and go to the grave of somebody who you know died kind of wicked.... Go there and take up the headboard and put it to the foot, and hand the footboard back down to the head - take that down. This person who you working after - and take the penny - just take the fingers, you see, and make a hole down there in the middle of grave and put that penny down there and just - then, as I want you [to work for me], say, "Roll dis person fer me, Such-and-Such-a-Person." Call dere name. "Dead, I want you to roll dis person for me." And slap dat penny right dere and go on 'bout your business. Then in three days they'll be gone.... They'll leave towm. They'll leave from around where you is.
Entry 1924
Well, I've heard dat people could go where you make a step on de groun an' git de dirt outa de holler of your right foot. Would take it an' dig a hole in a fresh graveyard a foot an' a half deep an' bury dat dirt; an' take some of de graveyard dirt an' put it back in one of your tracks. An' dey say you'll be- come to have a pain in your leg an' you'll never git over dat.
Entry 1925
Yo' kin go tuh de drug sto' an' buy graveyard dirt an' yo' kin put it in dey shoes. All right, it will cause dem tuh either be cripple or yo' kin take it an' put it in de band of dey hat an' dey go stone blind from it.
Entry 1926
Graveyard dirt makes yo' lucky in gambling.
(How do you use it?)
Yo' take graveyard dirt. Go dere at twelve 'clock at night, go dere on some wicked person's grave yo' know an' reach yore hand as fur down in de grave as yo' could git it, an' take it an' bring it an' put it in yore shoe. Wear it in yore shoe. Long as yo' put it in yore shoe you will be lucky in gambling.
The informant describes dirt from a wicked person's grave after the interviewer's question. The gambling-luck claim remains source-reported.
Entry 1927
Well, fer as ah know about graveyard dirt, yo' could take dat an' make yo'self lucky an' successful. Well, use it jis' lak yo' use powder. See, yo' kin wear it in yore pocket and den yo' could take an' use it as yo' use powder - put it on yore face when yo' go tuh gamble or anything lak dat, when yo' wanta be lucky. An' co'se yo' gotta have a little lodestone wit it. Ah've got of dat heah in mah pocket.
Entry 1928
Well, ah've take an' ah went tuh de graveyard mahself. Ah went dere jes' 'fo day in de mawnin' to git somepin, yo' know, tuh gamble with. Ah knowed some wicked peoples. Ah put mah han' down in de graveyard lak dat right at de foot of 'em an' mah han' shet up lak dat [demonstrates], an' ah taken de qrave- yard dirt an' went tuh de game where dey wus gamblin' at, an' go all aroun' an jes' throw it all aroun', put it all on de cards, an' ah wus lucky lak dat.
The informant describes a personal graveyard visit and reports gambling luck. '[demonstrates]' is Hyatt's stage direction; the account's claimed result is retained as reported.
Entry 1929
If yo' wanta be lucky, if yo' is a gambler. If yo' know of some drunk- ard that's dead, see, an' yo' go there to his grave at midnight, yo' call his name twice. Dig, jest keep digging until you git to that clay - yo' know de stuff like clay - jest dig, dig, till yo' git to that clay, an' git chew a han'- ful an' put in one of dese tobacco sacks. Ah don't know whut's de name of de tobacco - yo' kin git 'em sacks, cloth sacks. Go on back to any gambling room. Ever' time yo' start tuh losin' jest touch that graveyard dirt lightly with yore hands.
The informant describes clay collected from a deceased drunkard's grave and calls it graveyard dirt in this account. This occurrence does not establish a global equivalence between clay and graveyard dirt.
Entry 1930
Well, ah have use it. Yo' take graveyard dirt an' put Hearts Cologne wit it an' use it fo' luck fo' gamblin'.
(Just how would you do that?)
Go to de graveyard where a grave's been - where de grave be about six months old, de dirt. An' yo' go dere an' git dat dirt an' bring it back. Git chew a piece of red flannel. Yo' sew dat dirt an' a dime up together, a dime an' de dirt up together, an' keep dat wet in Hearts Cologne or even in good whiskey.
(What does that do for you?)
Dat's tuh give yo' luck fo' any kinda games an' gamblin'.
The informant says the material has been used and describes dirt from a grave about six months old. Hearts Cologne and good whiskey are stated alternatives for wetting it; the luck claim remains source-reported.
Entry 1931
Ah heard 'em say yo' go to the graveyard an' git graveyard dust. An' jis' lak yo' wan'a make a bag fo' tuh gamble or somethin', yo' git graveyard dust an' yo' take it an' put it in a bag, an' put needles an' red peppah an' bluestone an' sew it up in dat bag with dat graveyard dust. An' dey say when yo' go tuh gamble, all yo' got'a do is jis' rub yore han's on it an' yo'll win ever' time yo' put chure han' on it.
Entry 1932
Graveyard dirt - that's good for gambling.
(How?)
You take the graveyard dirt and you takes needles, seven points of a needle - seven points of seven needles. Take that graveyard dirt and take some emery dust from the drug store and you get some lodestone and you put that together, and you make a wish and you sew that up and you wear it. As long as you have the confi- dence in this, it may bring you succeeding power, but if you don't believe in it it's not good.
The informant describes graveyard dirt among several ingredients and qualifies the claim with confidence, 'may', and the statement that without belief it is not good. The interviewer's question is separate.
Entry 1933
That's used for gambling.
(How do they handle that?)
They take graveyard dust and white sand and put it in a tobacco sack. Take a tobacco sack and wash it out in clear water and turn it wrong side out. And [take] two teaspoonful of graveyard dust and two teaspoonful of salt and a silver dime. And tie 'em nine knots - tie it nine times, which would make 81 knots in de sack and wear it in yore pocket.
(What do you do with that white sand?)
The white sand - that's a - they use that in place of steel dust.
(Well, do you put it in that sack, too?)
Yes, sir.
(How much?)
About a teaspoon and a half of white sand. (I see. What do you mean by tying nine knots? How could you tie nine knots in that sack?) Well, you see, there's two strings to it.
(Oh, yes.)
And you take and every time you tie a knot, you.tie it to you, you know. You see, tie nine knots in it, see. And after you tie the ninth knot, you see, well then you turn that sack like this.
(How do you mean, you turn the sack? How do you mean?)
Just take the sack like that and hold the strings - hold one string in this hand and one string in this hand and turn the sack over to you [demonstrates].
(You swing the sack over toward you. I see.)
Yes. Then you tie nine more, you see. Nine times nine is 81. (I see. You have to swing the sack at the end of each nine knots. You pre- pare that for what? Gambling you say?) Yes, sir.
Entry 1934
Dey tell me dat chew kin go to work an' if a man dies - jes' lak a gambler. We all could be in de gambling hall an' jes' gambling. Prob'bly dis man will be shot off, prob'bly ah may be shot off in gambling. Well now, dey tell me dat if he has a ring on his finger - if yo' got any money in yore pocket an' he has a ring on his finger - any kind of ring, doesn't matter if it's jes' little ole ten-cent ring - yo' gits dis: ring offa his finger. An' in pulling off dis ring yo' tell him - jest call him name, tell him, "John or Henry, ah'm buyin' dis ring fo' yore luck on gambling." Well, dat's gittin' luck offa dead man tuh gamble. Now, in buyin' dis ring yo' puts dis ring in yore pocket an' puts de money whut chew goin' tuh give him in his pocket. Well, after he'd be buried, yo' goes back to his grave den an' git chew some dirt - about three or fo' months after he done laid dere in de grave. Git chew some dirt an' tote dis dirt in yore pocket wit dis ring, yo' see. Well now, dat gives yo' a hand.
The informant introduces hearsay about acquiring a dead gambler's ring and later dirt from his grave. The quoted purchase words are prescribed speech; the gambling-luck claim remains reported.
Entry 1935
Ah've heard tell of 'em using, gittin' a chip off de headbo'd, gittin' a piece off de headbo'd of de grave an' using it fo' luck.
(Well, how do they use that?)
Well, yo' scrape it. Yo' take a knife an' yo' scrape de - shave it off de lefthand side of it. Git dat off de lefthand side, yo' scrape it tuh yo'. Yo' scrape it to yo' an' yo' say, "Lord, let dere be luck. Lord, let dere be luck." Yo' say dat three times an' yo' scrape dis knife to yo' - yo' bring it to yo'. Yo' bring yore knife to yo', not from yo' - dat's lucky.
(Well, what would you do with it after you get those scrapings?)
Well, yo' take dat scraping an' wear it. Yo' take yore little fine scraping an' put it in a little bag an' yo' wear it round yore waist, if yo' a person out fo' luck in numbahs or somethin' lak dat.
Entry 1936
Take graveyard dirt an' put it in yore pocket - graveyard dirt an' Sampson snakeroot an' blacksnake root an' measure it. [Three ingredients.]
(Measure what?)
De blacksnake root when yo' take it up. Yo' measure it de length of yore finger, de blacksnake root.
(Which finger?)
It either be's [these] two or dese two - this or the other one [demonstrates]. Ah don't know, don't want be positive.
(Either two of the fingers of the right hand.)
Yes sir. They take three of those Sampson snakeroot an' measure 'em, den dey take three of blacksnake roots an' measure 'em, an' weave 'em together with raw cotton thread, weave 'em together, an' put 'em in dey pocket, an' git some grave- yard dirt an' put in it.
(What is that supposed to do then?)
That is luck - luck to win. Or way back in slavery time that was luck to keep yo' boss from whuppin' yo'. Ole people carried dat - dat's all dey had to pertek deyself. [Informant born 1858.]
Entry 1937
See, ah'm gwine wit a girl. Ah have did dat mahself. An' go tuh de graveyard, carry nine pennies yo' see, an' yo' put dem nine pennies down three each time - one fo' de daid, an' one fo' de livin', an' one fo' de girl. See. An' den yo' pay a penny fo' dat graveyard bo'd, fo' dat headbo'd, an' yo' stick it down - walk backwards an' stick it down an' go home. Ah didn't have tuh use no dirt. An' ah did see her de nex' mawnin'. (Well, did you say anything or do anything out there when you were doing all this?) Ah went there an' - git somepin tuh dig a hole. Put three penny in one hole - dat's fo' de dead. It a good many yeahs since ah did it. Ah jes' remembah. Ah put down first de three penny in de girl name. Den ah put three penny down in my name, an' ah put three penny down fo' de dead, an' ah put three penny down fo' de headbo'd, yo' see. An' den ah take dis bo'd, de headbo'd up In de Name of de Lord an' ah stick it back down In de Name of de Lord, but ah stick it back down dere backwards an' walk on out of there, an' ah call dis girl name ever' time, an' de next mawnin' ah did see her.
(You do this in order to see this girl?)
Dat's it, yessuh.
Entry 1938
You kin go to a graveyard, but chew have to go before de sun rise they say, if you lose a job an' wants to git yore job [back], or if you wants a job. You go to a graveyard in de mornin', six mornin's, befo' de sun rise an' get a little bit of graveyard dirt an' throw it over left shoulder. You get dere befo de sun rise an' jes' as de sun start to peepin' up, then you throw it over your left shoulder. An' then you go back home and you dress up an' go on out to de job. An' jis' don't you say nuthin in de world to your bossman; jis' set dere an' they tell me he'll call yah.
The informant introduces the job account with 'they say' and 'they tell me'. '[back]' is an editorial insertion; the passage reports six mornings without establishing the claimed job outcome.
Entry 1939
Dat graveyard dirt, why ah've got it mahself to be lucky. Why ah take it an' some Hearts Cologne an' git me a silver dime an' put into it, an' wrap it up in some red flannel an' wear it in mah shoe fo' nine days - in mah left shoe fo' nine days. An' ah change it out an' put it in mah right shoe fo' nine days. An' de tenth day, why if ah felt like it, if ah had a job or gambling, ah'd go back to gambling, why ah'd always be lucky.
Entry 1940
You kin git chew a little dis talcum powder, git chew a little grave- yard dirt. Go as near de center of de graveyard as you can. It don't make any diff'rence where [whether] you git it off de grave or not, but you git from sandy dirt like. Take dis talcum powder and mix dat and de graveyard dirt together. Prob'bly you have to put it in de stove somewhere and let it dry out so's it'll be dust. You go and git chew a little of de best cologne dat you kin find and sprinkle into dere. Well now, if you kin git right on to dis boss or kin roun next to 'im, you may drop some of it roun' his feet like dat or run your hands - keep some in your pocket all de time. Run your hand in your pocket and sprinkle a little roun' dere. Well, you take dis same Adam and Eve root. It don't hurt cha if you put it in yo' mouth. You take and place one in each jaw, walk roun' de boss and talk to 'im. Spit ever' once in a while roun' in dere. If dere's anything on his desk or anywhere [like] dat, you kin prob'bly spit in your hand and go and lean on it - jes' like I'd come in chere and ask you for a job, I'd lean up here [against my work table] and talk to you. Now I got dat spittal in my hand you see and put it on his desk. He can't tell nuthin.
Entry 1941
You jes' go to 'im and - dat's if you kin git to 'im. Git to 'im and you got some of dis same graveyard dirt, but you git dis before de 12 o'clock tonight when you wan'a git a job. If you go to git a job, you go to dis grave at 12 o'clock in de night, fresh grave, and you go to 'im and you say to de dead man, "Will you let me have dis?" You say dat to 'im t'ree times before he give it. Den you takes dis direct fromst de middle, fromst de foot, and fromst de head, see. And you put dat in a little cup and you bring dat cup out [the grave- yard]. Now you know where dis bossman stay, you know dat he stay dere. Well you go to his house four o'clock.
(In the morning or at night?)
No, in de mornin' - four o'clock and you knock at de door t'ree times before you put dis down. Knock at de door t'ree times and put dis t'ing right on under- neath de steps and you go off. He comes out.
(He comes out.)
Yeah, and you gone and he ain't goin' see nobody when he come out. All right. Den next mornin' you go up to him, "Good morning, boss." "Good morning." 'Well, Boss, I's looking fer a job." 'You wan'a job?" 'Yes, sir." "What kin you do?" "Well most anything, suh, you want done." 'Well, I'll give you a week's trial." "All right, sir." That's all you want. Git in dere and after dat you is dere. [We have in this rite three actions, each performed three times.]
Entry 1942
They kin take this graveyard dirt, they kin take this camphah gum, with sulphah [three ingredients], an' they wear it in their pocket. Maybe they jis' dampen with whiskey an' stuff. An' jis' befo' you git to the white man you gon'a ax fer the job at, you take this stuff an' you rub all in your hand an' rub it ovah your face three times, an' you kin walk up to the man an' ax fer a job. He might deny you the first time he might, but the second time he can't deny you.
Entry 1943
Well, there's diff'rent things. They said that they take that grave- yard dirt and mix it with - just like if they working on a job and they wan'a get 'em away [from] there. Well they get the graveyard dirt, but they get it off a sinner's grave. And they take this graveyard dirt and you mix with pepper and salt, and get to where this person that you wan'a get off the job, and sprinkle on 'em and they won't be able to stay on that job.