Browse:HANDS: MAGIC HELPERS (Volume 1, entries 1704–2402)/Part 7
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 2184
You take a red onion an' git choo a rice[?] button - well, that's a white button jis' about 'tween as big as 'tween a ten-cent an' a nickel. You put a hole in the onion thataway, you see. Well, you put that button inside of the onion. Then you git some spice an' put inside, jis' put in there an' cork that onion up, an' keep that string in there an' put it aroun' yore wais'. Cause I know a man who fixed mah brother up like that. He had 'im on a $500 bond. When he come to court the jury acquit 'im.
Entry 2185
You go to a fortune tellah an' you tell 'im - he ast you whut you want. You tell 'im you wan'a job. He'll go back an' he'll git 'im a red onion, take the knife an' cut that red onion in half, put a penny betwixt it [the halves], take a piece of thread an' wrahp it aroun' an' tie it back together, an' go in the woods an' git 'im three pieces of blacksnake root an' cross em. You cross two like that, then take the othern an lay it like - kin'a looks like that, you see [demonstrates].
(Like a rail fence.)
An' them three pieces crossin' one 'nother, take the thread an' tie 'em to- gethah. You keep it in you' pockit an' befo' git to 'im you start to rubbin' 'em, the little sticks togethah - jis' like that. Then you take that red onion an' tie it in the cornah of you' han'ke'chief, an' a little befo' you git to 'im, you take that han'ke'chief an' wipe you' face. Don't nevah look down - always look 'im in the eye if you gon'a ast 'im fo' a job. He couldn't help from givin' it to you.
Entry 2186
Git a red onion. You know how a red onion is. Git a red onion and cut it four ways. You cut it like that and then cut it like that [demonstrates].
(The onion is quartered.) [See correction later.]
And then put salt each way.
(Salt in the four ways you cut it.)
Salt in the four ways you cut it.
(You cut it all the way through?)
No, don't all the way through; jis' split [girdle] it so the salt kin git in it. Then take you a string and wrap it right around it [putting the string in the girdled cuts or grooves]; then put it in yer pocket, either pocket choo want to. But befo' you do that, you git up in the mornin' and put cher underwear on wrong side outwards, put yer socks on wrong side outward - put all yer under- clothes on wrong side outward. Then take that onion and fill it [the cuts] full of salt and put it in yer pocket. Have you ever heard people say, "How come you do so-and-so-and-so?" [The questioned person answers] "I knows mah onions." Have you ever heard that said?)
(Yes.)
Well, that's what it is. Then you put some salt in your shoes, git choo some ole Hearts Cologne, then git choo ole John de Conker an' jis' put it on; put some Hearts Cologne on that ole John de Conker, and take that ole Hearts Cologne and put it all over yah. Any man'll give you a job.
Entry 2187
Git choo a red onion and put choo nine pins in there - nine needles, either one, jis' as it somepin with a sharp point. Take it and wear it in yer pocket. Make you a wush, jis' like you wush fer somepin - I'll go here and wush dis man would give me job this mornin'. Well, of course he might not give it to you right off, but choo stan' aroun' a little while and dey say you'll git it. [Red onion - like red flannel ball or bag for hands - symbolizes the human heart.]
Entry 2188
Yes sir, yo' take dat onion an' put chew nine pins - de red onion, yo know dese big ole red onions. Yo' put chew nine pins in it. Well, jes' how many's in dat case, yo' gits every one of 'em. Well, when de jurors go in jes' tighten on dat onion - jes' squeeze dat onion jes' as tight as yo' kin squeeze whilst de jurors is decidin' on de case. Yo' know, de jurors - whut dey does. Hold dat onion jes' as tight as yo' kin hold it. An' den when de come out vo hol' dat onion on dat judge. Dat judge will pass de sentence an' he may clear yo' an' he might give yo' two days. But if it's a fo' or five yeah case, he: ain't gon'a give yo' a sentence of thirty days. [For holding something on person or object see No. 436, p.137; man holding knife on a light.]
Entry 2189
I have hear tell of 'em usin' onions wit nine pins in 'em - stickpins. Well, yo' take a red onion an' yo' bo' yo' a hole all de way through de onion in de middle part of it, an' yo' put a string in dere an' yo' tie dat string around your neck an' let it hang somewheres roun' yore waist an' put nine stickpins in it, an' yo' jes' wear dat roun' dere until it git to de place yo' know, dat it dries up, an' yo' have to rechange it. But when yo' rechange it, conceal it wit de same nine pins dat yo' put in it at first, whether it be de same onion or not; but which an' evah it gits so small an' dryin' up on yo', gitin' hard, yo' take de nine pins out whut yo' put in de first an' put in de second one. Continue wit dat - keep it dataway. But soon as one dry up, why exchange wit anothah one.
(What will that do for you?)
That's supposed to be luck fo' selling whiskey. [Stickpins are not ornamental pins but ordinary pins; likewise straight pin in following rite.]
Entry 2190
If yo' wanta git a job, yo' git chew a red onion an' yo' take dat red onion an' yo' pack dat red onion wit sulphur, "In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost." Den yo' take yo' some good perfume an' yo' po' it down in dat hole, "In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost." an' stick nine straight pins in it, an' yo' go to apply fo' a job an' it's hard fo' 'em tuh turn yo' down. [See stickpin in preceding rite and single pin in following rite.]
Entry 2191
Take yo' a red onion, see, take a pencil an' mash yo' nine holes in it an' yo' fill dat up - dat hole - dem nine hole - jes' fill 'em up wit sulphur, an' physic salts an' table salt - sulphur, an' yo' got chure red peppah, yo put it in dere. Den yo' stop 'em back up, jes' seal it up wit a piece of papah or somepin lak dat till it git cake[d] in dere. If it stand, it will git hard in dere. Yo' take nine single pins an' stick in de end of it - roun' lak dat, right in de end of de onion - see, de top come out de top of de onion - stick 'em right roun' in dere. Den yo' take it an' yo' wear it in yore left-hand pocket on de back till it git dry, den yo' keep it an' yo'll be lucky from den right on. But chew keep de onion.
(What kind of luck do you do that for?)
Gambling, so forth an' so on. [See stickpin and straight pin in two preceding rites.]
Entry 2192
Yo' kin take a red onion an' twelve straight pins an' stick 'em down in dere an' put de onion in sulphur an' wrap it up good. Keep it wrapped up an' wear it in yore pocket, an' yo' go out on de street anywhere like yo' boostin' customers, yo' have it in yore pocket an' yore han' in dere on it tight, an' yo' talk to 'em, squeeze it tight an' dat gives good luck, an' dey'll come aroun' an' [that] draws 'em.
(You do that if you are in any kind of business.)
Bootleggin' or anything.
Entry 2193
Burn incent an' take a onion an' keep a onion hang up upside down ovah each one of yore do's. Dat'll keep de law away.
(Any kind of an onion?)
Any kind of an onion.
Entry 2194
Jes' like yo' in business like sellin' whiskey or somepin like dat, yo' put a red onion ovah each one of yore do's, an' de Lord Prayers have it written, if yo' don't want nobody tuh pay no 'tenshun to it chew know. Git chew a small onion, de smallest one, an' jes' tack it up ovah de do' dere an' take de Lord's Prayers an' put it undahneat' yore carpet on yore floor right at chure do'. Well, yo' know yo' can't walk ovah God - dey can't go but so far ovah Him - yo' know yo' can't go ovah Him atall. Yo' take de Lord's Prayers an' put it down undahneat' dere. Co'se ah always use nine or ten.
(What will that do then?)
Dat will give yo' good luck an' no evilness kin come aginst yuh.
(That will give you luck for selling whiskey and keep the law away?)
Shore, an' people commence tuh envious against yuh. Dey'll come an' 'stead of bein' an enemy to yo' dere min'll [mind will] change an' dey'll be yore fren's instid of a enemy.
Entry 2195
How many cornahs has dis house got? Fo' cornahs ain't it? Well, you kin take fo' needles an' stick each in ev'ry cornah of dis house, an' take a red onion an' bear [bury] it, one to de front do' an' one to de back do', an' dey
[the law] cain't come in.
Entry 2196
You kin have them fer fifteen days, thirty days or a year. These hands are for shucking oysters or for finding them. See Introduction for my experience on Deal Island.] [Deal Island, Md., (?), 20:1.] [For hand time limit, see No. 1970, p.577.]
Entry 2197
I know about my father. He was an oysterman. He used to go oystering and to keep people from stealing his tongs, he would tie a piece of red flannel on his tongs and saturate it with coal oil, and he wouldn't lose them. And I have known him to leave bushels of oysters in his boat and put these tongs ring over them, with a red flannel rag on each end, and go back the next morning and the oysters were there. [The father, a young man in slavery, became an oysterman at Hampton, Virginia, inmediately after he was freed and remained one until death some 30 years later. The son, a man of 60, has also lived at Hampton all his life.]
Entry 2198
To keep 'em from comin' down de Sound stealin' 'em? [This man is an oysterman from Wrightsville Sound.] You make a roun' ring, put some sulphur roun' it. Make a roun' ring, I say about twenty yards long roun' de oysters. Can't come ovah dat ring. [Another oysterman hand was given in No. 1767, p.534.]
The ring is a round boundary around oysters; the source size wording remains approximate.
Entry 2199
Ah tell yo' whut chew do, if yo' in business fo' violation or in any way an' yo' figures de law is comin'. Well now yo' listen. Yo' git chew nine grains of red peppah outa de pods, nine grains. Git two teaspoon fulla sugah an' yo' git chew one palm of Christian seed [three ingredients] an' yo' powder dat all up togethah an' yo take an' make - yo' know, put it in a ball an' wheresomevah yo' got fiah, yo' throw it in dat fiah, an' de law will come right by de do' an' drive on 'way. [The term palm of Christian taxed my guessing ability to the limit. After efforts at various times I finally came up with palma Christi (hand of Christ), anglicized form palmcrist - the castor-oil plant (Ricinus communis). Informant's word seed probably confused me, because during my boyhood castor-oil plant seeds were called beans. They are still called castor beans, are poisonous because of ricin in them, and are nonetheless the source of castor oil. My only other folk- lore experience with the plant is a strange one: "It is against the law to cut down a castor-bean plant" - FACI, 1st ed.,1935, p.429. This could be one of those many inversions in folklore, as in life, meaning - 'It is unlawful to grow a plant having poisonous seeds."
Entry 2200
To keep the law away from your place. Weli, here's the way they told me to keep the law away. You go in the woods and find a he palmette root.
(They find a what?) A he palmetto. (He?)
A he palmetto root like a man - a palmetto - man.
[Somewhere I have a man-shaped root.]
(Palmetto root?)
Yes, sir - man palmetto root. (Do you mean that little thing that looks like a palm? That root? Looks like a spear?) [My questions are ridiculous in words. Actually here is a good example of occasional hand-talking. For little thing I indicate a low bush looking like a palm - I had seen millions of palmettos up and down the southeastern coast. To make certain we meant the same plant, I air-draw a cleft leaf - each cleft looks like a spear. Informant's answer shows the result.1 Yes, sir, got big wide leaves on it.
(All right, all right.)
Well, you get a he palmetto root. You take this he palmetto root and you bring it to your house and you cut it off just at that bush. After you cut it off at that bush, you put three splits in it - right in the bottom of that root, you put three splits in it. And you takes the judge's name, the district attor- ney's and the prosecuting attorney's name in there. Put it [names] on a piece of paper nine times backwards, you understand. And put it [paper] in between them splits, understand, and wear that in your pocket. I guarantee you they'll [the law will] all stay away from there.
(That's if you are bootlegging?)
That is if you are bootlegging.
Entry 2201
Ah tell you what you do if you wanna git a job. Co'se I've got it with me right now about a job line. Co'se I'm using de stuff [perfume] on it. I've got it broke ev'ry day from me not using it. But jes' like if you wanted to find out or Want a job, you jes' git you some of dis - you kin order de thing you calls de Eagle Brand perfume - or either Black- snake Brand perfume - or either Adam-and-Eve Brand - or either what chew call de High John Brand. Dat's jes' de Brand - de name of it, you understand. Diff'rent names and diff'rent also de stuff - only de same [brand of] perfume. Well, you jes' take some of dis - git chew de Adam-and-Eve root, according to you' perfume, see. You headin' off with it according to the perfume that you got there - Adam-and-Eve perfume, and you jes' git chew one Adam-and-Eve root, see. Git chew a High John [root] and put it dere wit a piece of Eagle Brand [High John perfume], or either a piece of devil's-shoestring. Put them [roots] in there, four or five [different kinds] of 'em - don't make no differ[ence]. Co'se you must have three [pieces of the root]. [Informant says you must use three pieces of the same root and feed them with a perfume of the same name. "Four or five" of these roots and perfumes corre- spond.]
Entry 2202
Dey says about doin' away with yo' with yore photograph picture - jes' lak yo' say if dere someone dey gits chure photograph an' dey keep it turnt bottom upwards on a mantle or somepin lak dat, dey say an' dat'll kind upset yore mind - things that yo' start tuh do, yo' would have no presence of mind to go to work an' tuh do it.
Entry 2203
Ah got dis by mah own experience. Ah used to work for [some] company a couple of years. Ah used to work out dere an' ah couldn't keep a job like dat - dere wus always somebody tuh undermine me. So ah went to a root doctor an' he had me to draw him a picture of de head foreman an' also de assistant foreman, an' also mah picture. [Three pictures.] He had me sign Mr. George Watson an Mr. Taylor's name an' mah name wus to de bottom. He sealed these names up in de envelope an' he tole me to take dose names an' put 'em in a box [coffin symbol], a sealed box, an' bear [bury] dem under mah front do'step, an' ah'd nevah have no mo' trouble about keepin' busy.
(You could hold a job after that.)
Ah held it dere till ah jest quit. An' dey'd written after me after ah quit.
Entry 2204
Ah've heard of 'em writin' on a black hen aig. Well, dey say yo' would specify - git a black hen aig an' yo' would take an' draw dis person's pitchure on dis black hen aig jes' in - yo' know de best dat chew could draw his pitchure or kind remind him of it. If he wear a cap, draw a cap on his haid; if he wear a hat, draw a hat on his haid. Well, yo' would write his name on there - that is him or her, don't yo' see. [The name is the person.] An' yo' would take dis black hen aig an' yo' would carry it to a stream of watah an' yo' would chunk it upstream, yo' see, an' dey say dat would git rid of him.
Entry 2205
Take three navy beans - ah mean pinto beans, dese gray beans, pinto beans, an' repeat de Lord's prayer ovah 'em three times an' put dem in yore han', yo' know, an' shake em lak dat an' call, "De Name of de Father, Son an' Holy Ghost." Yo' use 'em in yore pocket fo' luck - fo' good luck, fo' gittin' a job or gittin' money. Yo' know, jes' money will come to yo' promptly - not goin' to excess, yo' know. [Pinto = mottled. This mottled bean, grown in southwestern U. S. A., resembles a kidney bean in size and shape, both belonging to species Phaseolus vulgaris.]
Entry 2206
Whut chew do wit pins, new straight pins, if yo' wanted tuh sell likker - anything lak dat an' to keep de officers away an' don't want no trouble. Why, yo' git chew a new roll of 'em an' jest stretch out up ovah yore do' - say dat'll turn 'em, dey can't come. (You just stretch the whole paper right across the door?) Dat's right - see, let de pins hang down, de sticking part of 'em.
Entry 2207
Now yo' take if a fellah playin' poker, he takes up his cards an' he takes de queen of di'monds in case if he ketch it. Well, he's li'ble to get it as any other card. Well, if he ketch de queen of di'monds, he place de queen of di'monds - jes' lak he jes' standing here holding de queen of di'monds an' he got dis stuff [perfume], he jes' run it right in his hand on it an' take it out an' turn de queen of di'monds to him, keep de queen of di'monds to him in playing poker. He be winning all de time. (That is if he gets the queen of diamonds. And what is that stuff he puts on that queen now?) Jest the same Hearts perfune, jes' rub dat on dere.
Entry 2208
Yo' kin tack de king of diamonds, de queen of diamonds, de jack of dia- monds, an' de ten of diamonds up ovah yore do' an' burn incense an' use lye. It will bring all de trade yo' need.
(Who does this?)
People dat are gamblin' an' selling whiskey.
Entry 2209
Yo' bootleggin' an' you wanna keep de law from yo' house, you go in de deck and git jack of diamonds, jack of hearts, jack of clubs, jack of spades. Git 'em to de fo' corner of yo' door and yo' callin' dem laws man, and you take a penny and you put 'em to de foot of yo' door. You take nine needles and you hit 'em across chure door. Then you take - begin again to burning dragon's blood and incense, and ev'ry man come to dat door - as a man in power, he'll have to pass dat door.
(That will keep them out.)
He'll come but he'll have to pass dat door.
Entry 2210
Now in gamblin' yo' takes three cards - three de gamblin' cards, take three de playin' cards. Yo' takes de ace of spades and de king of di'monds and de jack of clubs. You tear jest a small tip off dose three cards - take a small tip off three cards an' after yo' take de small tip off dose three cards, git chew a file. Yo' take dis file and files a dime in half. Yo' take dis dust now from de dime, you save it too, yo' see - save de dust from dis silver dime, yo' save it. Git chew a piece of lodestone. Git chew a piece of red flannel. Yo' place dis first half of de dime on de flannel. Now see, yo' file it half in two, yo' put one half on de piece of red flannel. After yo' put de one half on de red flannel, yo' place either one [of the halves], yo' place one de three pieces of card - either one [any of three], jest a pinch of de card, yo' see. Put a pinch of de card on one piece [of the dime] and place de other half of de dime on top.
(Like a sandwich.)
Uh-huh - dat's right, like a sandwich. An' yo' put de other piece on it, den yo' put de other piece on top of it and put dis dust - dis filin' from dis dime on top of dat. See. An' yo' puts a piece of lodestone in dere with dat on dis piece of flannel - put it in dere with dat. You dress it, too, with hearts - dis Hearts Cologne, jest a little Hearts Cologne and yo' dampen dis, yo see. An' after you dampen dis, you fold it, but befo' you sew it yo' take a pin - a straight pin and cut de head off it, cut de head off de straight pin and put de head inside of it, and when you fold it up, pin dis other part of de straight pin in it and then you sew it up. See. [Pin or needle point is for sharp luck.] An' after you sew it up den you wears dat, yo' see. An' well, when yo' luck seem to be changin' a little, yo' dress it - yo' jes' take dis whole bag and pour dis Heart Cologne and dress it. Dat s to keep dis lodestone agrowin' - it's growing lodestone. (Now in putting this stuff in there - you've got two halves of the dime, haven't you. And you have three pieces of the corners of the cards. You put one piece of the card down first, then you put the half dime down, then a piece of the card, then a half dime, then a piece of the card.) Yeah, put a piece de card [last piece], den de dust on top of dat.
(What you filed from the dime on top of that. What do they call that?)
It's a gambling hand - yo' know, for luck in gambling.
Entry 2211
Yo've seen decks of cards. Well, they take the joker out of the cards and round that head on that joker, well, they draw that man's body. And then they gets a little can and fill it up with male [corn meal]. You mix some male and red pepper and salt together, and take that man, takes his head [head of joker], stick it down in that can; and then stop it up and carry it and put it somewhere in your room about cheh bed. And that'll bring him back - jis' like he be goin' with another woman, and that buses [busts = bursts] 'em up.
Entry 2212
An' then, say, like yo' selling whiskey or yo' runnin' a place dat chew don't want de police tuh come in on yo', yo' kin git chew a ole plow - yo' know whut a plowshare is don't chew? Dat iron part dat chew plow with in de ground. Yo' kin take dat an' bury dat at chure front do' an' de policeman wouldn't go dere to save yore life, or nobody dat chew owe - don't care who yo' are or who wants tuh go dere, dey can't go ovah dat.
Entry 2213
Well, yo' takes dat lodestone and git chew a little piece of flannel an' sew it all up together, an' yo' buy Hearts Cologne an' jest feed it on it - hit grows as yo' feed it, 'noint it a lot. Ah had a piece once a long time ago an' de more yo' feed it wit dat Hearts Cologne why de bigger it grows, an yo'jes' use dat chew see, jest rub it in yore hand an' tote it in your right hand pocket, den yo' go on tuh gamble. Well, it's lucky anyway, jest all de time getting holt of something.
(Why do they carry it in the right-hand pocket?)
Well, dey tell me dat's de place to carry it, say if yo' tote it in yore left pocket, anything leaves yo' - de right fo' coming in an' de left fo' goin' out.
[See margin-title Three Pockets.]
Entry 2214
You go to the graveyard and you get some dirt and you tie it up in the corner of your handkershief and put it in your right pocket if you are right handed, and as you shoot dice you rub that handkershief and quite natch'ly you won't fall, you will win.
Entry 2215
Atter it's chamber lye is] shet up three days airtight, stick a pin in it an' stick it in some candy an' let somebody eat dat. Well, dat candy - he say, "Ah 'clare dat sho' is good candy." Jes' one lil tip will do jis much good as a whole spoonful would. [No wonder I marked this man good root worker on original transcription.] An' dey go 'head an' eat dat air an' dey git gladdened. Dat's de best herb dey is in de woods, de Queen Delight - dat's fo' yo' blood. Dat will purify yo' blood. [He has changed to another rite.] Yo' git a root of dat an' yo' go 'head an' yo' boil dat root an' a Adam weed root. Ah doubt if dey's in flat country lak dis, Adam root. An' yo' boil dem two roots together an' git chew a piece of red shank an' put dem togethah [three roots], an' yo' go tuh de drug sto' an' yo' buy somepin dey call Beewee. It's jes' about dat long in a lil red box an' yo' put jes' a pinhaid outa it, jes' a pinhead, a lil bit, outa dat an' let it drop down in dere as yo' boil dem othah things. An' yo'll set dere den an' don't care who come in or not an' dey wanta drink of whiskey, if yo' kin jes' git a lil bit in 'em, yo' kin do whatevah yo' want. Yo' kin go tuh dere house an' yo' kin cuss an' argue, an' dere ain't a thing done about it. Shoot in dere an' dere ain't nobody know anything about it. If yo' kill some- body, dere ain't nobody know anything about it - de family, dey won't nevah tell on yo'.
Entry 2216
(What do you take?)
Queen's Delight an' snakeroot an' some John de Conker an' put it togethah an' keep it round joo all de time an' yo' go in any kinda place an' de law won't git chew. [See Queen Elizabeth, p.596.]
Entry 2217
But if yo's makin' whiskey an' yo' scared de law runnin' on yo', yo' git gueen weed root an' yo' git it near - on de low end of de mountain. Yo' cain't git it on flat country lak heah. Co'se up roun' mah home close tuh de Blue Ridge Mountains yo' kin fin' all kinda roots. Mah granddaddy, he's been huntin' those things all his life, even in slave time. Yo' git one dem queen weed roots an' yo kin take dat roots an' boil it. It got a elbow on it ovah five j'ints an' de j'ints is ovah a inch jes' lak dat - knots, all lak a rattlesnake's tail, yo' know, got dat bell on de rattle- snake tail. Well, it got lil knots on it an' yo' kin tell where dose j'ints is yo' know. Yo' take three of dem j'ints an' boil it in a lil hot watah. When dem three is boiled in hot watah, yo' put 'em down undah yore front do'step an' de law will not pass ovah there. He'll stand out an' he'll talk to yo', see - 'Well, ah heared so-an'-so 'bout chew, but ah tole 'em it warn't so." See. He'll vell fo' yo' 'fore he gittin' out de car, "Come on, buddy." Well if yo' bury down somepin an' yo' ain't dere, he won't come ovah dere. An' some of 'em do happens somehow or'nother tuh come ovah it sometime, but if dey do, dey'll git down in dey laig an' nevah will be no mo' good. But he'll go roun' tuh back, now, an' come in, if yo' don't set one at de back. If yo' set one at de back, put one or two elbow - not three. See, ah gene'lly put three at de front - one fo' yo' fren's, one fo' yo enemies, an' de othah one fo' de law. See, yore fren's will gi' yo, harm yo, see; an' yore enemies will, dey won't do anything to yo', only steal from yo', see. Dat's why yo have tuh put three.
Entry 2218
Git de dust of dat - dat's tuh make love. (The file?) [Steel tool.] Yessuh. Yo' take an' file dat off, git de steel of it an' git de dust, an' yo' puts hit in quicksilver an' yo' - it'll run yo' cross country, jes' run yo' clean to devilment. Yo' take an' put dat powders an' dat silver dust together an' yo' take an' make a salves of dat - make a salve of dat silver an' lard, don't put no peppah in dat. Grease yore han's wit it an' when yo' shake han's wit anybody, dat's conjurin' anyone. (And that quicksilver, is that the silver that comes around tobacco?) [I ask because quicksilver and silver are sometimes tin foil.] No, it comes on de back of a lookin'-glass, on de back of de lookin'-glass.
[Steel dust is usually bought prepared.]
Entry 2219
Now, dis is a real fac', ah've seen people use it. Yo' kin git somepin dey calls anvil dust an' yo' kin take the back ofa mirror an' scrape that stuff off. An' den yo' take pods of peppah. [Three ingredients.]
(The pods of ordinary red pepper?)
Yes, but it gotta be red, it cain't be green. An' yo' put it in somepin an' kinda parch it up an' mix it up an' put it in there. (What do they do with this anvil dust and this mirror dust and this pepper then?) Put it all together an' throw it in de house an' make a wish dat dey'd leave.
Entry 2220
An' yo' wanta keep dem away, yo' kin git chew some quicksilver an' when dey leave yore house, why yo' kin sprinkle some in front of yore do'step when dey walk 'way. Call dat person by dere name an' yo' be's sprinklin' dis stuff along. Call 'em by dey name an' say fo' 'em not tuh come back dere no mo'. An' dey won't come back no' mo'.
Entry 2221
I went to a man when I was in North Carolina when I didn't have no work to do, an' he told me to go get somebody to kill me a rabbit, get me the right feet and tie that right feet up in a piece of red flannel, and get me a bottle of Heartshorm Cologne and makes some of my water and mix it together and pour it on that rabbit feet, and for me to go out and go from door to door and ask people if they don't want nobody to do some Work. And I have got jobs like that, and that luck did me some good.
(Well, now which foot did you use - the right foot?)
His right feet.
(Both of them or just one?)
One of them - his right feet [foot].
(I see - the front or the back one?)
The front feet [foot].
Entry 2222
Ah used tuh gamble an' ah have all kinda han', but de only lucky han' ah evah had wus a rabbit's foot - a lil tiny rabbit's foot. Now ah paid him fo' it. Aftah he gave it to me, ah take dat foot an' wrapped one end of it tight - put three buckshots between his toes an' wrapped it tight, an' soaks it in Hearts Cologne. An' yo' wrap red thread around it wit de bones stickin' up. An' he give that to me. Long as ah carried, nobody in de worl' could beat me gamblin'.
Entry 2223
I've heard them say you take a rabbit bone - cut his right hind leg off, put it in a pot and boil it in milk. Take it out and dry it in the sun for six days, take it and put it in the ground and bury it and let it stay in there for two nights. Dig it up and tie a piece of string around it and tie it around your arm. And anything you want you take it out and talk to it - tell it what you want and you are more than apt to get it.
Entry 2224
Yo' take de left hind foot of a rabbit an' yo' go round where the law is traveled on the dirt an' yo' git jes' a lil dirt - jes' whut yo' kin hold on lightly out of they track, an' yo' take that dust an' bring it back an' when yo brings it back why yo' take an' fix it up an' yo' plant it under each corner of the house - right up under there. An' yo' take that rabbit foot an' yo' go to de back do' right up undah de first step an' yo' make a "x" an' also at de front do'. That will keep him 'way.
(You make that "x" with the rabbit's foot?)
Yessuh.
(And then what do you do with the rabbit's foot after you make the "x"?)
Yo' put it back in yore pocket.
Entry 2225
Yo' take some of yore urinate water yo' see, an' a lil peppah, an' a little piece of lodestone if yo' kin git it. If yo' cain't git that, well, yo' take a lil piece of rabbit foot. Yo' kin take one rabbit foot an' wrap it up in flannen cloth an' tie it up, have de red peppah to it, an' carry dat in yore left pocket. Dat will make yo' have a good hand.
(That is luck in gambling?)
Yessuh. [Since I did not ask what happened to the urinate water, I probably assumed it was used for feeding the hand - see margin-title Urine later in this subsection.]
Entry 2226
(What do they say about the graveyard rabbit?)
De next thing then dey use in gambling business to be successful - the next thing they git is de graveyard rabbit, and de gits de left hind feet - de ketch him and cut it off while he alive. And you kin turn him loose and let him go - it git much better you know. You carry dat wit a piece of lodestone and put cologne on dat [feed it], chew know, and go about chure business and be's lucky and successful.
(That is for luck in gambling?)
Yes sir, de left hind foot.
Entry 2227
Say, fer an instance, yo' wanta be a gambler. All right, chew go to de graveyard an' yo' take an' yo' roll up yore sleeve an' yo' go to one certain grave - he's a gambler. Yo' go dere to de graveyard an' yo' run yore arm down as fer as yo' kin, an' git graveyard dust, an' yo' take dat graveyard dust an' yo' go on home. All right, if yo' wanta be lucky, yo' take dat graveyard dust - yo' do dat first, den yo' would see a rabbit dat it would be a rabbit coming towards de graveyard, yo' see, an' yo' kill dat rabbit an' yo' cut [off] his left foot.
(He has two left feet you know - which one do you take?)
De left one - see, de back. An' yo' take dat an' yo' would take dis dust an' tie it up in a rag an' tote it in yore pocket, an' yo' would be lucky all de time fer gambling. Any kind of a rag.
Entry 2228
Yo' git de rabbit foot - de front left foot.
(Now, just how do you prepare that?)
Yo' git dat rabbit foot an' yo' take it as it is an' put three needles in an' yo' put it in flannen, red flannen, an' keep it wit chew all de time. Yo' sew it up in dere - keep dis rabbit foot with yo' all de time.
(What do you use that for?)
Dat's fo' luck in games - gamblin'.
Entry 2229
Fo' luck in gamblin' yo' kin git chew a rabbit foot an' dress it. Well yo' take dat rabbit foot - yo' git de left foot, de back left foot. Yo' take dat back left foot an' yo' gits a brand-new cord string an' yo' wrap de top of it nine times, wrap it to yo' nine times. Den yo' git chew some kinda perfume an' yo' put on dat. Yo' git chew some lodestone dust an' wrap it - dress it an' den yo' wrap it. See. Den yo' put dat good perfume on it - good luck perfume, real good. Den yo' wear dat. Dat's good tuh tote. Yo' carry dat in yore pocket, carry dat around fo' gamblin'. An' den yo' kin git chw some diff'rent perfumes an' put on yo' fo' luck.
(What kind of perfume?)
Oil of bergamot, van-van oil.
Entry 2230
Take a rabbit's foot an' tote it in yore pocket an' keep Hearts Cologne on it fo' nine days an' yo'll have good luck in gamblin' - anything, in almost 'anything.
(What foot do you take from the rabbit?)
His right foot - back.
Entry 2231
Take de left hin' foot of a rabbit an' wear it in yore inside coat pocket or vest pocket, next to yore heart, an' set an' eye de judge de whole time he is talkin' an' he couldn't convict chew.
(Just keep your eye on him the whole time?)
Yessuh - jes' keep yore eye right on him.
Entry 2232
Ah heard yo' git a rabbit foot, left hin' rabbit foot, an' tote it in yore left hip pocket an' dat will bring in luck in gamblin'. An' den always his money he win in his left pocket wit de rabbit's foot.
Entry 2233
Yo' kin take a rabbit an' kill him an' take his left hin' foot an' take it an' soak it in salt an' sugah. Mix salt an' sugah together an' soak it in salt an' sugah all night an' git it up de nex' mawnin' an' put it in yore pocket an' let it dry out in yore pocket. Den yo' have a lucky han' fo' gamblin'.
(What foot do you take?) [A check, not tricky question.]
De left-han' back foot.
Entry 2234
In case yo' an' me are bootlegging an' ah wanta keep de law away from you, well it's a weed dey calls de rattlesnake marster. [I had been called a bootlegger before - see No. 808, p.279.] (Did you tell me why they call it the rattlesnake master?) It's de master of all snakes - it's de rattlesnake master, it conquers ev'rything. Well, it grows out heah - ah intend tuh bring it down heah an' show it to yo so yo' kin know. Yo' see it has wide leaves on it jes' lak dat an' yo' gits two of 'em - it's a he an' a she. De she one de leaves is got speckled splotches on it - red, jes' lak blood; an' de he one ain't got it on dere. You see you put that in two cans an' sell it. Yo' see those pair goes together. Yo' see yo' sets dem on each side of yore door an' no sheriff or nobody kin interfere wit yo' atall. (If you are bootlegging.) [For rattlesnake master identity, see No. 1436, p.469.]
Entry 2235
Like he wus down on his business. It's a thing look like a lily, name of rattlesnake master. Dat's one of de luckiest roots dey is out for business. Take dis heah rattlesnake master an' set it out in a bucket like yo' would a lily - or pot - an' take some water an' spit on it ever' mornin'. Business will come to yo'.
Entry 2236
Git two rattlesnake marster.
(Get two rattlesnake masters?)
Uh-huh. Dey grow in de woods and you put one on one side of yo' do' and one on de other side, and jes' say, "In de Name of the Father, Son an' Holy Ghost, I hope dey won't come." An' he won't come either.
(That is if the law was coming or the rent man?)
Yes.
(Now what does rattlesnake master look like?)
It's a lily - looks kinda like a lily. It grows in de woods.
(Has a flower on it?)
Yes, suh, it has a yellah flow'r and when yo' see one it looks jes' like a snake's mouth.
Entry 2237
If you can get somebody to go into de woods and git chew a plant of rattlesnake marsters - a bush dat grows, it called de rattlesnake marster. You git it an' plant it into a pot like a flower, and set it up inside de door and they will not come inside the gate.
[After machine turned off, informant adds another plant.]
(You put one plant on each side of the door?)
One plant on each side of the door - the male and the female plant - put one on each side of the door. And they [law] will never come in that door.
Entry 2238
Yo' take for a' ninstance, yo' take a rattlesnake - yo' know, he's called to be a rattlesnake master.
(You're talking about rattlesnake master?)
That's right. Dey have a bush, too - it's climber bush, it's very nicely, it's silkish. An' yo' take dat an' yo' put dis - it's not Hearts Cologne. "Yo' git another cologne - it cost yo' $5 [during the Great Depression!]. I'll bring it down to yo' sometime an' let chew see it. An' yo' sprinkle that an' put it in de bottom of yore trunk. If you haven't got chure clothes, put chure clothes in there. Yo'll have good luck the balance of yore days - yo'll be successful in yore jobs, always ever'body will want chew to work for them.
(Rattlesnake master is a root isn't it?)
Yes, it's a root. [I rewrite the underlined words: If you haven't got (all) chure clothes (with you), put chure clothes in there (after you go home)...always ever'body will want chew to (root) work for them. Once again I am a doctor - see Hyatt, H. M., in Index.]
Entry 2239
If yo' have trouble wit de law yo' kin git dis rattlesnake marster. Everybody should keep it fo' protection, cause it's natch'ly good - ah know personally - for friends or either enemies. A person should keep it an' chew it - at least swallow a piece of it as much as once a day. Now that is something good to keep the law off yo'. [Rattlesnake master as protection, see p.469f.]
Entry 2240
Well, sir, yo' hear tell of de rattlesnake marster. Well, git de roots of hit an' git some Hearts Cologne an' cut it up into a bottle; an' jes' when yo' be round people, be wit people, keep yore face an' hands 'nointed wit it. Say it draws friends an' plenty customers.
Entry 2241
Ah've been told dat if yo' will dig yo' de fresh rattlesnake marster - an' yo' take dat rattlesnake marster an' use it with perfume. Hearts perfune is de best perfume dat yo' kin use in anything lak dis. Yo' take dat Hearts perfume an' yo' go right straight - if yo' know anybody dat chew know kin go out an' git chew some rattlesnake marster an' John de Conker, yo' put dat rattlesnake marster an' John de Conker together an' yo' use it. Yo' know, saturate it good with per- fume. An' yo' keep doin' dat an' as yo' go into de co'troom - yo' try to git in dere befo' anybody else an' yo' sprinkle dat round where he goin' tuh set, see. An' then yo' use dat freely - use dat freely. Yeah, yo' use dat John de Conker an' dat rattlesnake marster wit dat perfume.
Entry 2242
Perfume - why yo' use it fo' luck. Yo' takes de rattlesnake marster an' John de Conker an' de three fingers an' put all in dat Hearts Cologne. [A three-roots rite.]
(Three fingers?)
Yes sir, an' put it in dat Hearts Cologne and yo' know, like sportin' womens put it all ovah dem. Dat's gon'a grow money fo' dem.
(Take this juice off those roots and put in that perfume.)
That's right.
Entry 2243
Dey tell me yo' go tuh work an' git chew some John de Conker an' some rattlesnake marster an' blacksnake root [three roots] an' git chew three new needles. Put de needles right up ovah yo' do' there yo' see, an' keep dat John de Conker, rattlesnake marster an' de blacksnake root in yore pocket.
(That will keep the law away?)
Keep de law away.
Entry 2244
Git some dis same rattlesnake mahstah an' jis' wash it off an' tote it in you' pocket. An' git choo a lil piece of lodestone an' put it right dere wit it, an' a dime. An' yo' kin git a job anywhah.
Entry 2245
[Rattlesnake root - different from the preceding rattlesnake master - means various plants of the genus Prenanthes; the root here probably being P. altissima, once an acceptable snakebite remedy in the South. It is also called cankerweed in U. S. A.]
(Get the rattlesnake root in the woods?)
In the woods. Find this root, bring it in and dry it out thoroughly where it's cured - not green, but dry. Take that and wear that in your purse or put that in your register.
(Cash register.)
The best place is to leave it in the cash register all de time. That will have a tendency to draw customers in and nobody else, or nobody. Dat's my best secret that isn't known - the public doesn't know it, that particular part.
Entry 2246
Go out in de woods an' ah find some rattlesnake root an' git it an' tie 'em up in a sack an' sprinkle some black pepper ovah it an' tote 'em right in yo' left shoe.
(What will that do then?)
Well, that make yo' luck be on - people can't win then [from you].
(That's for luck in gambling.)
Entry 2247
[Red flannel frequently encloses substances and the completed object is called a hand, but here the material itself is a hand. Flannel is often called flannin or flannen.] Like if somebody gon'a hurt chah an' yah wan' tah perteck yerself to keep from hurtin' yah. Well, de onlies' t'ing [thing] 商 like dat zhah kin do to keep from hurtin' yah is tah wure dat red flannel aroun' yah. Yah see, yah take zit an' jis' fole [fold] de red flannel - jes' like, yah know, yah take za bandage an' wrahp aroun' yore han's. Well, yah wrahp dat righ' tah yore skin.
Entry 2248
(What do they say about that?)
Well, now if you want a job and can't get no job, well now, you goes to these white people's house and ask them for a job. They'll turn their back on you. Well, you go back home and get you a piece of red flannel - red flannel cloth, tie three knots in it, tie it around you calf up here - right round down below your knee.
(Either foot?)
The left foot, uh-huh, and saturate it good in spirits of turpentine and you go the next day. You go there and they more than apt to give you a job.
Entry 2249
A lady was telling me about that. She live in the neighborhood of people like that. And that it was an old lady told her that - to wear red pepper in her shoes. She told me that no law would never pass on that last. (What was that?) And she say that would object [obstruct] them from doing anything, long as you got that red pepper in your shoe. They say they couldn't do anything with you.
Entry 2250
Ah've done dat mahself. Ah have took an' - take yo' a red peppah [a small pod, not ground red pepper] an' Hearts Cologne an' gin an' put it in a tobacco sack bag. An' aftah yo' put dat in dere, you wear it. Den put one ten cen' [cents] in dere an' yo' wear dat. Don't nevah git rid of it an' [or] yore luck would fall fo' yah. Yo do dat fer luck to git jobs.
Entry 2251
If de law's botherin' yo', yo' go to work - see, yo' happen to go to another fellah yo' hear talk of [from] somebody dat he kin do [your work]. Well, he'll tell yo' dis - say, "Well, ah tell yo' whut ah do, '' say, "now, if he's botherin' yo', ah'li stop him for so-an'-so much." Yo' say, "Well, if yo' stop it ah'll pay yo'." He'll go to work an' he'll fix yo' up a little bag about dat long - jest about fo' inches long. He'll put chew some black pepper in it, put chew about eight grains of spice an' he puts chew nine grains of red pepper, an' he'll put chew in about a little piece of saltpeter 'bout big as a black-eyed pea, an' he'll put chew in about three grains of'sulphur. An' he'll take dat, see, an' den he'll wrop a silk thread string - sew it wit silk thread. Yo' take dat den an' yo' wear it in yore pocket. An' any time de officers come by yore place, why, yo' have nuthin tuh do when dey come in talk wit chew - run yore han' in yore pocket an' jest kinda roll dat round in yore hand, in yore pocket. Every once in a while kinda take yore hand out an' do somepin lak dat [demonstrates]. Yeah, jest rub it ovah yore face, yo' see, an' put it back. An' he'll pass right on by yo' an' dere's no kick to come. [Rolling is a common magic rite - see following margin-title St. John's Water.]
Entry 2252
[I have described an old man in New Orleans whose cure-all root bottle was his complete theory and practice of medicine - see No. 847, p.293.] Then agin they says - in fact they has a little ball into a bottle. Ah went to him once. Ah didn't go to him 'cause ah believe in him but ah went jes' tuh please de othahs. Ah went to him down dere an' supposed to be a real cunjure. He had a little stuff put in a bottle, bottle of herbs, but de way he had yo' go through de process, hold it in yore han' lak dat [demonstrates] an' anything yo' desires, he say it comes. Yo' hold it in yore han' lak dat an' carry yore han' ovah yore haid three times an' de third time, yo' says, "In de Name of de Father, Name of de Son an' Name of de Holy Ghost." Then yo' put chure han's 'cross yore breast that way an' put chure han's around to each side an' put 'em behin' yo'. Well, we 'sposed tuh do that ev'ry mawnin'. Now dat's an instance. Now, say fo' instance, ah want a jomo, dat's whut ah would do.
(You just make that wish?) [The bottle is a wishing jomo.]
Ah jes' make dat wish. If ah want a job, de same thing.
Entry 2253
Mean dey try to do you harm?
(Yes, if I don't want them to do it, how can I stop them?)
It can't do you no harm in a way. You goes to work an' anyone tryin' to harm yuh - goes to work and git chew about a tablespoonful of gun powder, sulphur, red pepper - sulphur and about Adam-and-Eve and dey son - jest about dat big in de woods. Adam-and-Eve and dey son. See Adam-and-Eve stays right on one stem - Eve-and-Adam and de son. You kin git dat and you put 'em right straight in dat and you know, make a little sack. Put 'em away in de front where nobody couldn't do you no harm. Den you'll take you a two pods of red peppah and put it in your stocking. Anything dey put down can't do you no harm.
Entry 2254
Ah told him [my contact man Edward] absolutely dat ah believed in dese things an' dey could do - dese things could be done. Dere is roots dat ah know of dat ah've got faith in. Yo' take de rattlesnake marster, dat's one of de wonderfulest roots dat will bring luck an' carry it fo' yo' - keep yo'. Ah have experienced whut ah'm tellin' yo'. Yo' take it - yo' kin an' have it round yo' an' yo' kin hold a job. Ah know that - ah believe it - got faith in it. Yo' take de blacksnake root - dat's a good root an' in usin' it with whiskey yo' kin keep love. Yo' kin love them.... Then there's a root dey calls de shoestring - devil's shoestring. Yo' kin wear it - dat'll keep luck. Dat's good fo' luck. Den yo' take the - ah've got faith in it 'cause ah've tried it. Yo' take - dere's a bull nettle. Well, whenevah a man an' a woman - a woman kin fix a man so dat he kin have nuthin tuh do with othah women.
(How would she do that?)
How she do it - dey tell me dey take worms, these earthworms, an' fry 'em an' git de grease an' rub it on him. He can't have nuthin else to do with no othah - take it an' use de grease an' he can't have nuthin tuh do wit a woman. But now, if he take dat bull nettle, he kin overcome it. Nuse [use] it by puttin' it on whiskey, gin whiskey [= white whiskey, either gin or moonshine (uncolored) whiskeyl, puttin' it on gin whiskey an' drink it. He'd overcome it. Well, dere's a butterfly root. Now dat's a wonderful root tuh keep a woman with yo' jes' as long as yo' want her.
(How would you do that?)
Yo' kin use de root dis way. Take hit an' boil it, git all de suction [juice] out of it, an' put it in a vial an' keep it with yo' all de time in that vial - a small vial, jest as small as yo' kin git it. Keep it with yo' all de time an' she nevah will leave yo'.
(You don't use it?)
Don't use it - jest keep it with you....
(What is the name of the root?)
Shoemake root. Dey tell me if yo' take hit an' git tuh de person an' git it somewhere dat dey have tuh step ovah it - they will have tuh come back. Dey tell me if yo' take dis heah thing - ah calls it [Graney?] Greybeard.
(Graney Greybeard.)
Take hit an' use it or wear it. Soak it ovah night de first night yo' git it an' use it gamblin'. Ah tried dat. Ah know dat. Soak it ovah night in some kinda cheap cologne - perfume it an' use it. Do dat once a month an' ah believe it's luck. Ah tried it.
(You just wear that thwn you go to - )
Wear it dat way - soak it once a month.
Entry 2255
Go and git some alligator beans and break them up - git nine of 'em - they'll be dried hard, and you will go where they live early in the morning be- fore they git up, and throw that whole bean all broke up into their door or under their steps or into their hallways, and call their name and walk away, for nine mornings.
(You throw a different bean each morning.)
They'd only be about that long - jest break 'em up, you know. And that will make 'em move.
(What is an alligator bean?)
Hit's - it look somethin' like a horse bean.
(Like a horse bean. Is it something to eat?)
No, yo' can't eat that thing - that will kill you.
(Do they grow on a tree?)
To tell de truth ah never seen how they grow, but I get dem from Palestine. [Informant probably means he bought his alligator beans from a root or hoodoo merchant, who said they came from Palestine. Are they holy beans? At least horse bean is a variety of the common broad bean (Vicia faba) grown in Palestine from biblical times. A poisonous alligator bean I do not know, unless this is a disguised castor bean. The beans may not have been holy but this informant, my first in Washington, was: "Washington, D. C., Thurs., July 29, 1937 - beginning record 961 - No. 62la - Rev. A. C. Foster" - Numbers Book 62la-646.]
Entry 2256
De blacksnake root - an' yo' kin take it an' dig it up - it's a kind of a big ole red root done has a blue flower. Well, yo' kin dig dat up an' yo' kin tote it in yore pocket all de time, an' when yo' go tuh git a job yo' kin keep feelin' dat in yore pocket, until dat gits on de boss's mind hard an' den he'll give yo' a job dataway.
Entry 2257
Well, the only thing to do in case if you should happen to want any result and be successful in luck [getting a job], jes' go and git some oil of rose from de drug store, which and why, you gits dat in all leading drug stores. You don't find dat in no little drug store, you know, 'cause it is too costly. It costes 10ç a drop and you know what one drop is - it's jes' only a whiff of it, so therefore you will have to git at least about ten drops in dere to do you much good. Now, you take dat ten drops of oil of rose and jes' rub it over once in de palm of de hand - rub it jes' like dis [demonstrates]. Rub your hands together and press it down and while you is pressing it down, say, "God de Father, God de Son." And press your hand like dis and press it across your face - bring it down - don't evah rub it up - always bring it down, you know, pressing it in. Then when you git through wit that, then you gits de Scriptures and read de 3lst chapter Psalms, the 45th and the 52nd. And then you go out depending on luck. And de first place you stop in, well, jes' knowing exactly how to approach, they won't take you then, but will tell you as much as possible to drop in now and then, and by going on you will come into the sense of being successful and get the job.
(You got the job?)
Yes, you'll come to have a chance of getting it.
Entry 2258
De fo' Psalms, that chew use. And yo' use rose oil tuh grease yore face and hands befo' yo' go in - rose oil and salt. An' grease yore hands and face and use the fo't division of Psalms - it's a prayer.
(You do this before you go up before the judge.)
Entry 2259
Tuh keep de [bill] collector - tuh keep him away from yore do' [some indistinct words].
(You take river water?)
Yo' kin take it but yo' gotta git that watah an' keep it from one yeah to anothah. Yo' gotta git it on de 24th day of June [St. John the Baptist's Day]. Dat's whut chew call St. John watah an' yo' put it in yore bottle an' yo' keep de haid turn up an' yo' collector or yore landlord neither ain't goin' worry yo' too much. Ain't nobody goin' break up yore business. The laws won't come around or anything. The laws won't bother yo'.
(You just take water out of the river.)
Yo' git de clear watah out de rivah wit chure prayers. Yo' gotta pray - any prayer. Our Father - dat's de Lord's Prayer.
(That's St. John's water?)
St. John water an' yo' call him fo' protection an' he'll protect yo'.
(You just have the head of that bottle pointed out the door?)
Out de do' - dat keep 'em off. If he comin' - yo' jis' take dat bottle when yo' think yore landlord's comin' or yore enemies is comin', yo' take yore bottle an' yo' roll it. Yo' roll it wit chure feet - an' den roll it right back where it come from at de do'. [This is one of several magic rolling rites confined to the New Orleans area - rolling a bottle, a candle, a coconut, anything (see Rolling in Index).] [St. John's water is also a health measure, like May water (No. 986, p.381 and Index), and consequently a protection from evil. In Teutonic folklore St. John's fire was lighted on the night of June 24 to ward off sickness and misfortune for the coming year. The preceding evening of June 23 - Saint John's Eve or Mid- summer Eve - was the beginning of various rites.]
Entry 2260
De herb men see somepin dey call Peter's Protection. Key - and anoint that seven mornin's with Lucky Holy Oil and wear it on yore person.
(What will that do?)
That to protect yo', if people tryin' to do things to you. (What does this key look like?) It look like aluminum or silver or some kind of shiny stuff. It made like a key but it don't fit no lock on a door - made fer dat [protection] purpose. [This key sold by herb men, who buy it from mail-order firms or religious supplies shops, is worn for protection. The same or similar key in New Orleans area is offered to picture or statue of St. Peter (see margin-title St. Peter).]
Entry 2261
Now, you kin wear a medal, but you gotta have a silver medal to wear. You kin wear St. Theresa. Wears it and you will hold a job and you will keep a job. (You will hold this job and keep it, if you wear the medal.) That medal will bring you a job and once in a while if you be late on the job, the watchman ain't goin' say a thing to you, dey think you doin' dey work.
Entry 2262
(This animal - what's the name of it now?)
It's de salamander dey call it. He's got skin kinda like one dese brown puppy dogs, an' long claws - dey gits about dis long, see. He's got a pocket [pouch] on each side of his haid, see, an' a little root jest about dat long in dose pockets. An' natchly yo' kin git dose roots outa his pockets - dey jest about de size of a penny, an' yo' wear dose roots jest natchly in yore pockets, or yo' sew it up into somepin - course yo' kin sew it up into a piece of flannel if yo' wanta, so yo won't lose it. It'll shore give yo' good luck. Ah've tried dat. An' ole lady told me about dat. Ah nevah had seen one befo' ah come down heah. Since ah been working down heah we found one out on de job while we was workin', an' quite nach'l it shore has got two little pockets one on each side of his haid. Well, ah got dose two roots - looked in dere an' found dose two roots an' ah got dose two roots. Ah didn't do anything wit 'em but ah got 'em on me heah in mah pocket now. Ah wears them in mah pocketbook every day an' ah has pretty good luck.
(Just general good luck.)
Yes sir. [I evidently looked at them. A pocket gopher (Geomys tuza) is called salamander in southeastern U. S. A.]
Entry 2263
A man kin go ketch one dese heah sandomingos (salamander) in Georgia. [Comment later.] He look jes' lak a white rat. He stays in de ground lak a mole. He's got a pocket lak a 'possum an' he's got it fulla yerbs, all kinda yerbs outside in his pocket. An' yo' ketch one of dem an' git de yerbs outa hit, outa his pocket, an' dey ain't nobody in de world kin beat chew.
(What would you do with those herbs?)
Yo' carry 'em in yore pocket wit chew. An' rub de cards wit 'em. Yes, that's luck fo' gamblin'.
(And you say the sandomingo - does it run around down in Georgia, you say?)
Yessuh, sandomingo, jes' lak a white rat, got red eyes. He stay in de ground jes' lak a mole an' travel, but he comes out.
(And he has a little pocket?)
Yessuh, he has a pocket on de outside - jes' lak dis shirt, his pocket is on de outside.
(And he carries some roots in that pocket?)
Yessuh, he carries it full. [Even my transcriber realizes informant is trying to describe the pocket gopher, because she added the salamander parenthesis. Since this animal is not a marsupial, it has no outside pocket - only cheek pouches. Whether an albino has been seen or exists, I do not know.]