Browse:HANDS: MAGIC HELPERS (Volume 1, entries 1704–2402)/Part 8
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 2264
[Well, dey say yo' step roun' unbeknownst tuh 'em an' sprinkle salt in his head.
(Right on top of his head?)
Table salt - yes, on top of his head. (What will that do to him?) That kills his hand. (That kills the hand that is luckier than your hand in any kind of gambling game.)
Entry 2265
Well, he'd [my husband would] have me sprinklin' salt fo' 'em tuh fall. Ah used to sprinkle salt on 'em fo' 'em tuh fall, so he could win. Dat'll kill yo' hand if yo' got a gamblin' han' - done went somewhere an' got a gambling hand. Dat'll kill it - salt an' red peppah.
Entry 2266
Take salt an' black peppah an' three pods of garlic an' yo' wear it in de right pocket, an' if de fellah have anything dere fo' luck, yo' understand, it won't be very severe, yo' see. If he's any man with any kind of talent at all, he'll know it's somepin wrong an' he'll fin'lly quit that game, yo' see.
Entry 2267
When yo' gamblin' yo' have a buddy, a fren'. Well, dis fren' he'll be 'long wid joo an' when de crowd git tuh gamblin', yore fren' will have yo' some salt in his han' an' some red peppah or black peppah - jes' so's it peppah. An' dey go roun' de othah people, not both together, fes' his fren' go roun' to de othah people an' jes' throw a little down deys back - three times up an' down his back wit dat salt, an' de last one of dem who he put dat salt on dey'll fall, dere luck will fall.
(That kills the luck of everybody there.)
Kills it.
Entry 2268
Ah've taken some salt an' black peppah an' stuff an' went to skin game an' ah've let mah han' git wet an' take an' jes' put it all ovah de cards an ever'thing an' ah've taken salt an' sprinkle it all roun' peoples lak dat, an' been in a game an' ah win money lak that.
Entry 2269
Then yo' kin take salt an' put it in yore mouth lak dat [demonstrates].
(Just rub it over your tongue.)
Fo' nine times. Shuffle yore cards up an' put 'em down an' tell de man tuh cut. When he cut 'em yo' go turn de card on de top an' throw one out an' start a bettin:, an' yo'll win ever' bit of money dere's dere.
Entry 2270
Take salt and burn it, then dampen it, let it become hard, put it in a paper, wrap it up tight, wear it in your left pocket, and they say you'll have good luck.
Entry 2271
[The following rite is taken from my original pencil transcription (fair copy) made a few days after the recording. One change only have I made - my original parentheses had to be turned into brackets, because my comments or explanations were not spoken to the Telediphone at the time of recording.] You kin get a whole bran'-new box of salt, and don't even cook out of it, and take a handful in your right hand and trow it aroun' like dat. [Here informant demonstrated at the fireplace. She extended imaginary salt towards the flames, brought it back to her body by circling from right to left, completed the circle so that her hand was again over the fire, and dropped the salt] and say, Forsake eberbody else in de worl' for me. In de Name of de Father and de Son, Who made us all." And eber time you say dat, drop some in de fire. [The number of times Was indefinite.] You kin say dat for love and draw some man to yah.
[One cylinder later informant demonstrated another rite.]
Like I was in jail and I had somebody out dat I really didn't want some other girl to be aroun' or somepin, I'd take de broom, de broom dat I sweep de ward wid if I'm in jail; take dat broom, turn it down and call dat girl's name or dat boy's name or whoever it was. I take dis broom and do jis' like dis here... [At this point the informant, a girl about twenty, straddled an imaginary broom and went sweeping around the room. The broom strokes, rapidly made, were from be- tween her feet outward] and call their name [while sweeping] every morning for nine mornings. Then whenever I git through wid it I turn de handle part down and de head part up. De ninth morning dey'll come to jail. Dey'll commit a crime and de man'll ketch ''em and bring 'em to jail.
Entry 2272
If a person leave home, yo' take some table salt - jes' take it on de palm of yore hand an' blow it an' make a wish. Git up eve'y mornin' befo' de sun rise an' blow it towards de east for de nine mornin's, an' de ninth day dey'll be back. [In former days course salt was used for everything - cattle, curing meat and at the table. On farms it was bought by the old-fasioned wooden barrel. After finely granulated salt was introduced - first in small cloth sacks and then in cardboard boxes, this smaller salt was sometimes called table salt. In horse- and-buggy days, persons living in towns sometimes called it horse salt.] [Waycross, Ga., (1093), 1761:13.].
Entry 2273
Ah proved dis mahself, when yo' want a job, take yo' some table salt an' tie it up in de corner of yore han'kerchief an' go dere an' ask him fo' a job, an' feel dat salt in yore pocket an' mash on dat salt, work on dat salt, lookin' him straight in de eye an' tell him whut chew want, an' he'll give yo' a job. Ah done tried it.
Entry 2274
Said dat if yo'd like to run a person from a place, yo' could put salt around their bed, an' dey wouldn't be interested in staying dere no longer - dey would soon leave.
(How do you put that salt around their bed?)
Well, jest po' a little slight stream, yo' know, wit de hand - a little hand- ful, yo' know, jest round de bed in a circle.
Entry 2275
Once dere wus a fellah went an' shot in de church - shot in through de church. All of us in de church preachin' an' ever'thin', an' he came up drunk an' he shot into de church. Some of de fellahs made him mad an' went in de church an' he went home - ran home all de way home an' got his shotgun an' come back - got his pistol an' come back. He's intendin' tuh break up de church - all of 'em drunk. Well, he come back an' shot in de church. He run dem all out, de preacher out de church an' ever'thin'. Well, when he ran dem all out he ranned on out hisself an' went tuh shootin' behin' dem. Well, his father says, "Well son, ah'm goin' git chew outa dis, if yo'be's good." He said, "Yes." He wus goin' to his father tuh git him out. [For man so mad at his church he threw graveyard dirt on congregation, see No. 655, p.221.] Well, his father went to a man an' got a root. It wus a root about that long, a blacksnake root an' dese heah lil roots yo' call de sand root - about that, so long. He give him that root an' tole him to put it - cut it an' put it in his shoe, an' take one piece an' put it in his mouth when he git up there befo' de judge an' chew dat root, an' if he'd chew dat root, he'd come clear or wouldn't have tuh make a oath for 60 or 70 or maybe 90 days. An' he taken dat root an' went up dere an' he tole him tuh keep his foot pattin' lak that while he wus up there an' while de judge wus tryin' him. Well, he taken that root an' put it in his mouth an' had one under each feet an' he's up dere pattin' de root an' de judge tried him. He tole him he could give him a life sentence or have him exe- cuted, but de best thing he could do fo' him wus let him go, tuh give him five yeahs out of town. Dat's whut he did with the root dat he had.
(All he had was the piece of blacksnake root?)
He had a piece of blacksnake root an' whut chew call de sand root. An' he had then cut it an' put in his shoe - in each shoe an' while the judge wus tryin' him he chewed dat root.
Entry 2276
If a fellah gits in bad luck altogethah an' ev'rythin' he git, he jis' run away an' he jis' lose it - jis' nuthin come fo' him atall. Well, if he'd go uptown an' buy him a piece of red flannen, an' go in de woods an' git a blackberry root - git a blackberry root an' he git him a root dey call sassafras. Yo' know, yo' see people takin' sassafras tea. Well, yo' git de sassafras root an' de blackberry root, yo' come on back to town wit 'em an' yo' git chew some sulphur, an' take dat root an' sulphur an' put it together an' sews it up in dat flamnen cloth. [Three ingredients.] An' 'stead of yo' puttin' it in yore pocket - don't wear it in yore pocket, wear it roun' yore waist, hangin' in front of yo' all de time. Well, quite natch'l it bring plenty of luck to yo' all de time. Yo'll have a job all de time.
Entry 2277
If yo' want a enemy tuh stay outa yore house - don't want him in dere - yo' take dem scissors an' den yo' bind dem together jes' lak dat an' den yo' git chew some black thread an' den yo' tie nine knots in de bindin' an' hang 'em up near de do'. Dat enemy whut yo' don't want in yore home, she [he] won't come in dere.
(You tie those nine knots in the string to what?)
Yo' see, yo' put both de points together an' den yo' wrap it [in a piece of cloth] an' den tie it wit dis black thread an' hang it near de do', an' den dat enemy whut yo' don't want in dere won't come in dere.
Entry 2278
Have tuh bury 'em or eithah put' 'em undah de bed or put 'em in a pillah or: somewhere.
(This pair of scissors? What is that done for?)
Dat's fo' sharp luck, yo' know.
Entry 2279
De seals [are] in de Six an' Seven Books of Moses. Yo' take dis parch' [parchment] papah an' de seal dat fits yore complaint. Take dis seal an' yo' put dis seal, aftah yo've copied it [from the book], in de inner sole of your shoe, de right shoe an' yo' wear it dere constantly an' read de 25th chapter of Psalms fo' nine straight mawnin's. (What will that do then?) Dat's supposed to protect yo' from all enemies. [Seals are usually said to be from the Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses, but an able doctor will sometimes make his own seal (see No. 2281) and occasionally a person will call almost any hand a seal.]
Entry 2280
Over heah on mah property had a friend boarded an' his wife quit him, an' she was tryin' to do him harm an' he writ to dis person [doctor] an' he sent a little article. Ah got one dem little articles now, but ah have nevah tried it. See dat.
(What is that?)
[He didn't know, so I describe it for the microphone.]
(It's a square piece of heavy parchment [imitation] - it's a seal - it's about 1 1/4 inches square on heavy brown parchment. [Printed on it is] Seal from the Book of Moses. What did she give him that for?) Wal, to git his wife back to give him luck.
Entry 2281
Take dirt dauber's nest and mix with mostly any oil that you want to. and make like a seal for yourself. Understand. Just write like - like this were - like a seal that's made on de Sixth and Seventh Book of Moses. Well, you take that and beat it out, you know, press it. Well it get hard, understand. Then you write just whomsomever you want - a person you want upon there - and wear it upon you, just like I'd come to you for a favor or anything.
(You mean, you write this seal on this stuff?)
Yes.
Entry 2282
(If I want a seal, just how would I do that?)
Well, yo' write chure own seal. Yo' take yore birth, de day yo' wus bo'n, an de ll8 or 'long somewhere lak dat in Psalms - lak dat. Fold it very.even an' pir it somewhere down heah in de front - jis' so it's in front of yo' all de time. An' den yo' might write one an', put it in yore right shoe, but it don't have to move. Yo' have to seal it - yo' know, put a muscilage on it an' put a papah ovah it an' seal it. Let dat stay dere - jis' let it stay in a warm place. Dat keep anyone from harmin' yo' dat's tryin' tuh harm yo'. Ah puts dat seal in it an' ah wears dat saltpeter in dat shoe - make a dust of it an' put a little bergamine [bergamot] in dere, an' have mah seal in dere al- ready. If ah don't, ah put a seal in dere an' den ah wear dat in dere all de time, an' once in a while put a little white sugah. White sugah is pretty sweet.
(That is if the shoe was dressed for me, that would undress it.)
Well, ah'd git dat job seal. De seals is re'lly good. An' if vo' write a seal fo' a job, yo' would put it in a pocket, in a tobacco sack or somepin [thus seal becomes hand] an' put it in yore pocket an' den yo' take yore bath an' git chew a little piece of conker [John de Conker] an' talk to it.
(How would you make that seal for the fob?)
Yo' would make that seal jis' lak yo' would make the othah seals. Seals is wo'n mo' now den anything. [The latter is a personal judgment of the informant - doctor, woman and good. Seals were practicaliy unknown along the Atlantic coast and not used often in New Orleans. Copying a seal, whether design or prayer, is for the lazy or ungifted practitioner.] Everybody that works have someone workin' ovah 'em an' if they [the law] git chew, why the madam or whoever it is, will make a seal an' git it to yo' - the seals of the law [the seals to conquer the law].
(Have somebody over you to bring the seal to you in jail?)
Yes.
Entry 2283
Jes' take three locks of his hair.
(The boss's hair?)
Yeah, if yo' kin git it. Be round his house where he'd comb, where he comb his hair, an' git three locks of his hair an' yo' take those three locks of hair an' yo' keep them saturated in Hearts perfume an' git close enough to him to talk to him to blow yore breath in his face. An' then yo' git a root which is called de Seven Sisters, an' yo' take that root an' yo' wrop this hair round that root an' keep that. An' when yo' go to 'em, dey says he won't deny yo'.
(You carry this root with you. What do you put that root in?)
Yo' take it an' put it in a lil cloth, or make a large enough piece of papah an' tote it right in yore watch pocket. An' de whole time yo' talkin' to him, yo' keep yo' fingah down in there, jes' lak dere somepin between yore thumb an' yore fingah next to it. Yo' know, work it kinda lak yo' would a match, yo' know lak that, yo' know [demonstrates].
(Just roll it around between thumb and forefinger of your right hand.)
Yessuh. [See margin-title Seven Sisters, later.]
Entry 2284
Luck with a man gamblin' - jis' like if he got a girl friend or somepin or other, go around her ministration, jis' like he may have a han's'chef, get some [menstrual blood] on his han's'chef or piece of paper or somepin or other, an' jis' wrap his money all up good with it an' go in a game an' nobody in the world kin win from him. An' a Woman, if she gamble, she kin let her man urinate on her money an' put it [in] her pocketbook or her nation sack [see preceding margin-title Nation Sack], you know, where thats he kin git to it you know from the bottom, an' jes' go in a game an all the money then is their money. [The words ministrate (as a noun) and ministration are known everywhere and frequently used in rites.]
Entry 2285
Ah heard that they could take the periods of a woman an' tie it - yo' know, jes' has it on a cloth an' put it in their pocket, in the right pocket, an carry that dice into that pocket an' it would give them luck. They nevah lose...
(They just carry this [these] dice right on this piece of cloth?)
Dat's right, an' they'd be always lucky in gamblin'.
Entry 2286
Said to be lucky - dey puts dere han' up undah a woman's dress fo' luck. Well, dat's all ah heard dem say dey do - jes' place dere han' up undah de Woman dress an' go right back. An' ever' time dey fall [lose], dat's whut dey do an' dey gain. Ah nevah been roun' anyone talkin' on dat line very much, but ah hear dat much.
(That is if they are playing cards or dice, or anything of that sort?)
Playin' cards an' shootin' dice an' all. Dat's whut ah heard dem 'splain of it. Ah nevah has had much experience about gamblin' atall.
Entry 2287
Cross him up - you gotta cross him up. See, like that, there's two- three Ways to cross him up for that. Now, you kin go to his house, if you wanta quit that game at that time - if you could get at his woman you could cross him uP. That's going to put him in bad luck. And sometimes you kin change cards and go and put him in bad luck. But the best way to cross him up in that game, you kin draw his cards. If not that, you git behind him and you sprinkle a little salt on his back. [Salt sprinkling with variations is known everywhere.] " See, that salt, that kills him [kills his luck]. (How do you mean, if you got his woman you could cross him up? You mean while he is in the game?) Yeah, while he's in the game gambling, and you go to the house and have his woman - he can't ketch nobody.
(Then his luck is bad in gambling?)
Yeah, that's right - it's going to be bad.
Entry 2288
Den dey go to a woman an' git some of her hair, understand, some of her hair down heah, de private hair, an' tie it up in a red han'kerchief or red rag or somepin an' tote it in dere pocket - yo' know, wear it on yo'. Work it in yo' han's yo' know [before playing or betting] an' stick it back in yo' pocket. (What do you do that for? For luck or what?) [Work it in yore han's indi- cates gambling but I wanted a statement.] For luck in gamblin'.
Entry 2289
If you wanta have luck in gamblin', if yo' married or got a wife or got a girl fren', jes' git a piece off her bloomers an' a piece of her hair an' a hairpin, an' put Heart Cologne wit dat an' a piece of garlic, an' sew dat into a cloth together with a dime an' keep it in yore pocketbook or in yore pocket. Yo always have luck in gamblin'.
Entry 2290
Dat is known as de sensitive brier [Schrankia uncinata], grows practi- cally all ovah de worl' practically, an' it has a small blossom on it - a pink blossom, an' then yo' go to dis blossom if yo' think you have any enemies an' yo' kin say to de brier - jes' pass yore han' ovah it, say, "Be shamed" an' de brier - de leaves will faint as if dey close up. Den when dey close up yo' git six of those - put three in one shoe an' three in de othah, an' then nuthin won't harm yo'.
(You can walk over anything, it won't harm you.)
Entry 2291
A little vine called de shame face.
(Called the shame face. And why is it called that?)
Ah re'lly don't know why it's called - that's the name that ah was learned. (You just told me why it was called a moment ago? If you touch it what will happen?) Oh! It will close. An' yo' get those little roots an' put them in a bottle of Hearts Perfume an' use that on yoreself. An' then yo' gain the influence.
(That is supposed to be if you are going down to get a job from the boss.)
Entry 2292
Yo' git cha some dis heah Shame Jim [shame brier] 'at's a root dat grows in de woods. You take it, see, and de leaves 'ull [will] all come to- gether. Dey call it Shame Jim. Yo' take dat Shame Jim and make yo' a tooth- brush, you understand. And go right down dere and talk to him [boss] and look him right straight in de eye, don't bat chure eye atall, jes' look him right straight in de eye and tell him, "Ah want a job - ah want so much money." He'll give it tuh you. Ah know dat well.
(How do you mean make a toothbrush of this Shame Jim?)
Just take it chew know and put it in yore mouth and chew it, yo' know like 'bacco, in yo' mouth and it makes a toothbrush.
(Is that the kind of toothbrush the old colored people used to use?)
Yes, suh - dat's it - dat Shame Jim and Devil's-shoestring.
(What do they do with devil's-shoestring?)
Dey use dat, too. Dey use'ly git it long, yo' know - devil's-shoestring long dat way and dey tie 'em 'round dere waist under dere clothes next to dere hide.
(What do they tie it around the waist for?)
Good luck - strength - strengthen yo' an' good luck [makes you stronger and luckier].
Entry 2293
Yo' kin go out on de railroad track an' it's a lil vine dat grow out dere dey call de Shamin' Judy - yes, Shamin'. Some calls it Ashamin', but it's a Shamin' Judy. See, if yo' touch it, an' it close up - when yo' touch de bush de leaves close up. An' yo' dig dat root an' carry it in yore pocket an' take a piece - if yo' wants a' job, yo' takes a piece an' carry it in yore pocketbook - have good luck all de time. But if yo' wanta go see a man for a iob, chew dat root an' eye 'em - yo' know, jes' look him right on de eyes an' den he wouldn't turn yo' down.
Entry 2294
If they want a man and can't control him, they kin make him shimmy-tail tea. They boil their underclothes and let him drink, and put it in his food and they say they'll have control over him. And they say it's a real fact, too. [Shimmy-tail tea is known every- where.]
Entry 2295
When I was a boy I was hunting a job here [at the Chamberlain Hotel] as bellboy and I had my mother to see a so-called fortune teller. And he told her to burn some shoes and to get a few of the ashes and sprinkle some of these ashes around Richmond's feet, he was the manager, when I came to apply for the job. [The informant, headwaiter, began as bellboy at old Chamberlain; I interviewed him,1936 at new Chamberlain.]
Entry 2296
Ah say ah has learnt dis. If ah go to a man today fo' a job an' he turn me back an' he didn't need anyone, to go back agin tomorrow an' gwine with him agin. Well, he may turn me down dat time. Well, dey said if ah had a old pair of shoes dat ah wusn't wearin', to change mah luck tuh come back home an' git some sulphur an' take 'em to de back yard an' burn 'em an' it would change mah luck. [The third time succeeds.]
(Then you would go down and see him again to get a job?)
Dat's right.
Entry 2297
Yo' kin take an' take a person's shoe, if yo' wanted 'em tuh leave from home, an' burn it an' take dat an' throw it in de rivah. Jes' take an' carry it tuh de rivah an' throw it, say, "Yo' go." Jes' lak yo' throw it, holler, "Go." Dat person will have tuh go.
(You take either shoe?)
De left foot.
(And you burn it to ashes or just burn part of it?)
Yes, burn it up into ashes - de sole of it, not de whole shoe, jes' de sole into ashes. An' jes' git de ashes dust.
Entry 2298
To sober drunken man take off his shoe and rub it on the bottom of his feet. [I forgot to put this under Shoes (p.481), though it can be considered here a hand.]
Entry 2299
A woman had a 'fliction on her right side - would constantly 'flict her an' she thinks somebody had throwed after - whut de' called throwed after yo' - throwed a shoe after her or done something like dat. [This rite - with graveyard dirt, anything - is usually throw for.]
Entry 2300
Tuh make a man stay home, dat is, like women gen'rally do to make men stay home, all yo' gotta do is jes' blow yore breath in de right shoe three times an' turn it up, put it undah de bed.
(He'll stay at home?)
Tuh make him stay home - yeah, dat runs about at night.
Entry 2301
He would get up in de morning before a sunrise and I went with him - before sunrise and go to a shoemake bush. You know what shoemake bush is? (Yes, it has those berries on it. I know.) [This is merely a yes answer. I was thinking of staghorn sumac (Rhus hirta), which I had known for years; he presum- ably was thinking of smooth sumac (R. qlabra).] Yes, little red berries. Go to a shoemake bush and get a bunch of dem berries and give him nine of dem berries, and let him go down before de judge with nine of dem and talk with him, when de judge asking him questions. And if the fine is great, he'll put a light fine on him.
Entry 2302
Well, it's a herb dat chew get dat chew - de shoe-tongue, kinda chew dem, an' yo' have it in yore mouth an' chew it. Spit it. Spit it an' makes yore wishes whut chew want. [Is this the plant dog tongue or hound's tongue?] Lak yo' won't want de judge tuh go hard on yo', spit it down an' dey ain't goin' tuh know it yo' know, an' dat will make it light on yo' - it will go through [case against you will go through - fail.] (Why do they use shoe-tongue root? Why don't they use anything else? Why do they use that root? Do you know?) Because it's so good. It's so good.
Entry 2303
Well, den if yo' cain't git dose things, yo' go to de store and buy yo' one dose sifters. We call dem de ten-cent sifters. Yo' know dey have got 'em fo' a dime but ah think dey cost a little mo' now. (You mean that - they sift flour with?) Dat's right - yo' turn de crank. An' git chew one dose sifter. Well, all right, when yo' git dat and den yo' take dat sifter an' carry it round five times - jes' lak yo settin' in dat chair, carry it round yo' five times.
(How do you carry it - to you or away from you?)
Bring it like dis, see. [Demonstrates.] Carry it round lak dis - take dis hand and carry it round disaway again.
(Oh, the sifter goes all around your body - five times around your body?)
[While sitting in a chair, hold with right hand a sifter resting on your lap; then clockwise pass sifter behind chair, letting left hand meet it halfway and complete the circling.] Den, when yo' do dat and den yo' take dat sifter den an' wrap it up in a piece of unbleached domestic cloth and put dat up under yore steps. Don't bury it in de ground but bed it [lay it down] an' bed it wit de sifter part dataway [d emo ns trates].
(Away from the house and the handle part toward the house?)
Yes sir, dat keeps 'em goin' all de time - dey don't notice yo'.
(I see - that's to keep the law away.)
Entry 2304
I says, ah heard them say if anybody was in the house that you wanted to move out, to get a grave-digger to get you a hand off a sinnerman's - left hand off a sinnerman's body. You know, just like a house was high - well, it's got maybe some place where you got a chance to bury it. Well, quite natch'l, the evil spirit would follow [the hand to] that place, you know, and you would be afraid and you would have to move out 'cause you wouldn't understand nuthin. You would hear some kind of funny noise around there, you know, and you just couldn't understand it and you'd have to move. [House was high means house raised aboveground on four or more rocks or posts to avoid dampness. A person could crawl into this underneath airspace to plant any cunjure.]
Entry 2305
It's a good many times in turnin' work - dere's good many times dat chew wants tuh take an' turn it on a man, if he's very smart an' industrious an' yo' wanta put him slowful [not slothful] where he'll lose out on a job or anywhere, any way, form or fashion. Yo' takes de snail an' yo' put 'im into a halfa pint of watah, an' de road dat dis fellah got'a walk, yo' sprinkle dat watah 'long dere fo' nine mawnin's, "In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost," an' he'll git so slow - slowful.
Entry 2306
Yo' take a snail now. Regardless to how a person is, dey tell me if a person is fast an' as pert as dey wants tuh be, yo' kin take a snail. Yo' kin take a snail an' take 'im an' rub it on anything - yo' kin rub it on corn dat be on yo' feet or a bunion or anything. If you do dat it will care [carry] it off.
(What about rubbing that snail on a person that is fast?)
Well, yo' take it an' yo' rub it on a person dat's fast, jes' rub it nine times on a person. It'll git dem to de place where he jes' kin mope along - he can't go, he jes' be draggin'. People might say, "Well, ah wonder what ails So- an'-so," say, "he used to be jes' as fast, an' now he can't hardly git along." Well, dey don't know. It's someone dey done got a snail on him - dat's whut chew cail puttin' a snail on him.
Entry 2307
Dey kin take dis heah bone, snake bone an' plant 'em an' put 'em down fo' people tuh walk on top of 'em unbeknownst to 'em - dey goin' walk, see. An' den dey go ahead on an' dey'll ketch dose poison bones into 'em an' dey'll swell up, 'cause dey're poisoned.
Entry 2308
Kin get snake bones and tote them and that makes 'em be lucky. And I hear that people totes some root called black marster and that would be lucky and make'em get jobs.
Entry 2309
Ah've tried it mahself as ah first tole yo'. If yo' should go home tonight an' - ah gotta go tuh co't - been speedin' or somethin' like dat an' gotta go tuh co't in de mornin' an' tuh let de judge come wit chew. Yo' must find a dead spider an' have yo' a brand-new han'chief - maybe two if yo' kin. Yo' know a dead spider dat hangs around de wall. An' wrap dat spider up an' carry dat 'long with yo'.
(What will that do?)
Dat will help yo' luck - he won't hardly fine yo'.
Entry 2310
[During my collecting days I saw many hands (see 1706-1707, p.519f. and Index), but the one with the most unusual indwelling spirit or power I found at Savannah, Georgia. Its maker and owner, an old root doctor, showed me a small cloth bag containing roots - so he described the contents. This root baa he called a guard. Pointing to it he said, "That [[bag]] is the Spirit of Jesus." This substantiates my remark in introductory note, A hand can become a fetish, even a part of oneself (p.519). More interesting than the Spirit of Jesus, this old man himself is a hand of Jesus - "I'm a Jesus Christ Doctor." (For this doctor, see margin-title I'm A Jesus Christ Doctor.)]
Entry 2311
When you're gamblin', if yo' a good winner, if some person kin git behin' yo' an' spit in yore back, well then yo' supposed to begin falling.
(That would kill your luck.)
Entry 2312
Well now, way tuh kill anothah man's luck in a game when yo' shootin' dice, kill any luck in de game, spit on de dice three times, see. Spit on de dice three times an' if yo' kin git one of 'em in de crack of yore butt, if yo kin [put] one of 'em right in de back of de crack of yo'butt, see, an' then git it out befo' he kin see it. Any time anything lak dat, ah has de breeches loose, see, 'fore he git de dice - lak yo' goin' move an' stan' up, yo' see, yo' git it back dere. Well, yo' git up an' say somepin bitin' yo', an' smack it in dere, den take it out an' den be sayin', "Name of de Father, Son, an' Holy Ghost, ah kill yo' speed." [This holy formula is sometimes said under strange circumstances - see No. 205, p.58.]
(And that will kill everybody's luck there?)
Dat will kill his luck.
Entry 2313
Wild cherry white - it's a root, an' you take that an' you tie it up in a piece of cloth [this is a tied-up hand], an' then you keep in your pocket, your right-hand pocket. They say you jis' squeeze that jis' ever' once in a while, it'll be right hot, choo know. An' you squeeze it until your hands go to sweatin', an' you could tell if any- body got anything against you, about takin' [stealing] anything from you, any- thing like that.
(How can you tell?)
Well, you squeeze it an' your hands go to sweatin', you know; an' de same person that you figurin' on goin' to do that, you have him on your mind whilst you do the squeezin - see, then your hand go to sweatin'.
Entry 2314
For luck in gambling you get you some lodestone, you get you some steel dust, and you mix it together and you get you some paradise seeds, and you put all that together in a flannel bag and you sew it up. It's a bag about that size. And after you sew it up in that flannel bag, you take it and you put it down in a saucer - a round saucer and you pour some whiskey - or either good gin on it. You see, you gotta pour that on it. That's to season [feed] it. And you sprinkle a little steel dust on it - you see, that's to season it, and that is supposed to give you luck in gambling. You see, the steel dust supposed to draw and the lodestone. The paradise seeds - well, they include help to make it a success. I got lots of that stuff.
Entry 2315
De graveyard dirt by itself is not no good, but it's a certain time yo' gotta go git de graveyard, de dirt from de graveyard. One minute aftah twelve yo' supposed tuh be dere tuh git it from a fren' dat yo' an' him been long nice good - yo' an' him been good, see jes' lak a fren'. Yo' swap money wit him - could handle money wit him or somepin lak dat. One minute aftah twelve on de dot, yo call him by dey name when yo' go down dere by de graveyard, one minute aftah twelve. Say, "Joe, Jim, '' say, "come heah, ah want some luck from yo'. Ah wanta git a little de dirt." An' don't git de dirt right off de top of de groun'. Git it from as close by de casket [coffin], if de casket ain't rotted up, but it's bettah if yo' could git it right out it if de casket done been long 'nuff fo' it tuh done rotten. An' yo' take it an' mix it wit steel dust an' take yo' a silver dime - dat graveyard dust, de silver dime an' take yo' a piece of red flannen, an' git chew some oil of cinnamon an' mix wit dat an' make yo' a little bag an' wear it on yore left side. Dat's luck. Put de steel dust down in dere wit de silver dime, put it down in dere wit it an' wear dat on yore left side. Dat's luck fo' gamblin'. Success. But it's dangerous! Lightnin'! De dust, it draws. De steel dust is de same as lodestone, yo' know, it's always dangerous. Be sho' tuh take it off yo' in de case of thunder or lightnin' storm. Yo' should take it off yo'.
Entry 2316
[He and the girl are walking down the road.] Dey been on a quarrel an' he leave 'er [and runs down the road] an' de firs' stone he git to, he take a ole stick an' put underneat' dere an' turn it ovah, an' den he come on back up dere [to the girl] an' den she'll still love 'im. Dere won't be no quarrelin'. He roll de stone ovah on top de stick.
Entry 2317
I know a way you kin keep 'em away. Well, you kin git nine rocks - jis' common little gravel you know - an' they kin put it in a bag, an' jis' way- somevah that person travels 'long, you kin put it down 'is path. Bear [bury] it undahneat' de ground, you know, way he can't see it - put it down in 'is path. An' if he evah steps ovah it, if he [the law] evah move to [toward] you' house, he'd turn aroun' an' go back.
Entry 2318
(This is for shooting dice?)
Yessuh. Ah'd take 'em an' ah'd wear 'em fo' 'bout nine days right between mah laigs where ah sweat in. Wear 'em till dey git kinda slick an' ah take 'em out an' put 'em in mah pocket, an' dat would make me lucky.
Entry 2319
Fo' luck in gamblin' yo' go in de woods, an' it's a weed dat chew git in de woods it has a little yellah flower. Some people call it candyweed, an' some of 'em call it peppermint, but it's real sweet - de root, when yo' pull it up. De flower ain't got no scent 'tall, but yo' pull hit up hit got a sweet root. Now yo' put dat Heart Cologne an' yo' rub it in yore hand an' go amongst de people in de game. An' then yo' kin take salt, table salt, an' yo' rub it in yore hands until yore hands sweat from rubbin' that way. Why den, if it's necessary, yo' go into a game; but if yo' don't sweat, why den don't go into de game 'cause yore luck is not on.
Entry 2320
Make a trade on somepin like dat, prosperity [property?] trade, yo' git a small piece of lodestone, live lodestone, bundle it wit some devil's-shoestring and put some sweet oil on it, an' yo' kin tote dat when yo' goin' tuh see de man to make de trade an' he'll agree with chew. (If you want to rent something or do anything of that sort?) Dat's de same way - yo' carry dat wit chew.
Entry 2321
She kin jis' take de [scraping from the] fo' cornahs off of a table, an' she puts it in with a small little rag an' sew it up, an' soak it with camphah. She could take mos' any colahed rag - you know, any colah tha's plain [cloth must not have a design]. Jis' wrop it up tight, sew it, zhoo know, with black thread. Camphah on it to keep it alive, you know, keep it 'live. Put so much, you know. An' sulphah an' salt in it. An' if she kin git anywhure whure he travel aroun' - anywhure, anywhure whure he could step ovah it - an' if he evah step ovah, why she'll bring 'im right on back. [This rite also keeps a dog home - see FACI,2ed., Nos. 2295-2296, Pp.91-92.]
Entry 2322
By gettin' yo' a bar of this black tar soap, an' yo' kin write the name of those enemies on that soap an' take it to runnin' watah an' yo' kin throw it in dat runnin' watah. An' dey can't appear against yo'. That'll hold them off. (You mean they can't appear in court against you?) Yes sir - that'll hold them off, they won't go against yo'.
Entry 2323
You want a job and you know the boss name. All you gotta get the boss name, just like it was John Henry Lewis. You goes to him for a job and you takes his name and you write it down on a parchment or anything and you wear it in the bottom of your foot - I mean shoe, and keep him under your foot, you see. And go to him and you get you some of these Paradise seeds and chew 'em, see. And when you go to him, you spit three ways - front, side and back, you see. And if he can't give you a job this morning, he'll tell you to come back tomorrow morning, and in nine days you'll have a job. But you gotta have his name on that parchment and put it and wear it in your shoe under the bottom of your foot.
Entry 2324
Take graveyard dirt from three graves, if yo' want luck - take an' wear it.
Entry 2325
It ain't but one thing in it dat ah know about de gamblin' proposition - git rattlesnake master, shame brier root an' den add dirt dauber nest. Yo' puts dem things together an' hit'll draw.
(Well, what do you do with them after you put them together?)
Yo' jes' make a powder an' make a little bundle of it an' den yo' must tote dat. [A few of the many examples of three ingredients are noted in the text.]
Entry 2326
Yo' see dose little fishes. Sometime when it rainin' down dose little minnows - little small fishes dat be in de waters sometime when yo' don't see no fishes. Take three of dem an' put in a pint of whiskey an' give to anybody - dey'll stop drinkin'. [For fish falling during a rain, see FACI,2ed., No. 1537, p.61.]
Entry 2327
He told me go and get some fast luck oil. (What kind?) Some fast luck oil, oil of van-van and olive oil, and mix it up and rub your hands and it bring luck to you.
(In gambling?)
In gambling.
Entry 2328
If you're a gambler an' wants to go somewhere to win, make your wish before you git there. You see, I do so much work [informant a doctor and excellent]. Go round behind the house an' function [urinate] an' wet on hands - jis' take an' function an' do this way [demonstrates]. (Rub together.) [First] buy you a nickel's worth of rice and sprinkle in this pocket an' this one, an' go on in. Then you'll win the money.
(Put rice in each of your pockets.)
Each of your pockets. See, there's a pocket back here, ain't they, on each side of a man, an' there's one down here [in front] where he puts his money. That's three pockets they put it in.
Entry 2329
Well, from mah own experience, ah have a couple of things dat ah know of in gambling: Ah git some root dey call de High John de Conker, an' Ruler of de Worl' an' King Of Man - lak de king of anything, lak de King of England, somepin. An' ah have anothern dey call de Eve-an'-Adam [Adam-and-Eve]. An' ah experience of de High John de Conker an' Ruler of de Worl' an' King of Man - ah've gambled wit dat. (How would you fix that up? How would you prepare that?) [I tried to avoid prepare - see what he does with it.] Well, it be compared up wit Hearts Cologne in a little bottle [this is a bottle hand] an' as yo' go into de game - befo' yo' go into de game yo' take some of it an' po' it in de palm of yore han', rub it, see [demonstrates]. Rub it on yore han' an' rub it on yore face. Yo' might take de bottle lak yo' put perfume on yo' an' tetch it on heah couple of times. Den yo' goes on in de game an' if anybody have put any cookin' salt on yo' or somepin lak dat, yore luck won't be no good. It can't be touched by no othah man but jes' de one who handles it - yore wife, yore husband, or yore sister or nobody lak dat. If dey do, why den yore luck begin tuh change - it's bad.
(If somebody would put cooking salt there, it would kill that luck?)
Kill it - dat's right. Or either yo' kin take a red pocket han'kerchief an' band dat roun' yore waist with one dose ole hoppy toadfrogs. If anybody got roots or anything lak dat of de kind in de game, why yo' kin tell it by dis frog.
(What will the frog do?)
He will holler jes' lak it rainin' or somepin lak dat - jes' lak a frog holler when it's rainin'. Dat's to notify yo' dere's somepin dere wrong.
(There's something wrong in the game?)
Dat's right. An' if it any kinda root - de King of Man, or either de High John de Conker, or Eve-an'-Adam, dey won't stand no salt or no othah han's on it but yores after yo' git it. If yo' do, yo' conceal it wit bad luck. If yo' kin keep it without anybody han' on it, without anybody puttin' de cookin' salt on it - lak folks standin' in de game behin' yore back dey sprinkle salt on yo'. Dat's tuh put chew in bad luck.
Entry 2330
Well, yo' kin take a sewin' needles an' yo' kin take a pair of slips - git hold of a pair of slips, dat is bloomers. An' yo' kin go tuh work den an' yo' kin snatch three stitches right into de seat of de person's slips. Buy a pair of new slips, Jes' lak if yo' wanta make a person a present of 'em, an' yo' kin drop three small stitches like into de seat an' dat'll lock dey bowels.
(Then you give them that new pair of slips.)
Yeah, jes' as a present yo' know.
Entry 2331
[Here are the magic three days of the magic seven-day week; the times, not the days of the week being important.] Yo' heah talk of dis John de Conker. Yo' take dat John de Conker and some camphor an' put it in a little vial, and yo' put dat in yore pocket an' yo' shake it up - mix it well wit dat camphor an' put it in yore pocket. Yo' take a little piece an' chew it an' yo' go tuh him. If de third time, if he don't give yo' a job de third time, den don't go back dere no mo' dat week. Wait till de same day yo went dis week an' yo take dem othah three days an' de next week an' go back dere de next week. Den he supposed tuh give yo' a job.
Entry 2332
Anyhow, I went for a job - I needn't tell de names - I went for a job and de job was pile drivin', you know at de wharf on a pile driver, and I asked de man did he want to hire a man. He looked at me and he says, "Yes, go 'board of de driver dere." I walked round dis man with my means on me three times and he hollered 'board dis driver - holler 'board [to] de captain of de driver, 'Here's a man I'm goin' to send you." "I don't want him," [answered the captain]. I walked around him third time. He says to me, "Go on walk aboard dere," he says, ''dat is my driver." I went off aboard and I says - he asked me, the captain did, asked me, "You ever been on a driver before?" 'No, sir." "Well, what de hell good are you here?" I says, "This driver is on water and I'm a waterman from your heart." All right.
(A waterman from where?)
From his heart. He say, "Well, if you stay here, I find you out." All right. All at once de harmer fall - broke. Dat dat pulls dat big hammer up - it broke. He told a man he had dere with him, "Mike a'go up - Pete," he said, "and put dat cord together." He went up dere. "An' take dis fellah on with you" - dat's me. "Take dis fellah up along with you," told him, "help you hold it." He took me along with him. And I went up dere - harmless, you know, don't know nuthin now. All right, I hold it for 'im. Presently, I see dey was doin' it wrong - dat dey were strikin' it wrong. I says, "Pete, if I was you, I wouldn't put it together like dat." The captain says, "Turn it." over to him and see what he kin do with it." I took it and I holds it together just like it ought to be, you know, be- cause I been a sailorman all de time. I'm a rigger. I took it and I put it to- gether and come on down. He says, "I rated you at $1.50 a day but," he say, "now I'll give you as much as I'm givin' the other men. That's $2.50." "Yes, sir - thank you, sir." Now, puttin' that [cord] together caused dat. Oh! And den the boss come down [to the driver], the head boss, the one that I hired my- self with, you know - dat [boss] settin' off dere - wit my tricks dat I done had around me. I got in de favor of him with my tricks [such as circumambulating him], and he made me go up aboard dere. So, I don't know nuthin about what somebody else do outside of myself. I done that.
(Well, now what else did you do when you walked around him?)
I had cologne root, the kind of a trick I had for to gain him. I had cologne root. [Cologne root is your favorite root in cologne.] I had dis root into a bottle and I 'n'int myself with it - had pure cologne with it, you know, with this root, and I 'n'int myself with it and jes' de scent of it made him do dat. And I walk around him - you know when a fellow talkin', you know, he walking aroun', some of 'em, any old time, and I was walkin' around talkin' with him, you know, lookin' at dese here big pipes standin' six foot high, walkin' around lookin' at it and I round him three times.
Entry 2333
In de mornin's wash yore face." If yo' workin' on a job, ev'ry mawnin' when yo' wash yore face, yo' wash yore face with three watahs to sundown. Name de watah through de help of de Lord. Ask de Lord to take charge of de water. All right, an' yo' go to de bossman dis mornin' through de he'p of de Lord an' ask him fo' a job. An' if yo' git de job, accordin' to whut kind of a job it is, an' if he evah sends yo' fo' watah or anything fo' him, wet de dog fingah and cross de watah, an' carry it to him fo' nine times. An' he'll content yo' tuh stay dere wit de job. Anything data- way dat he's gotta use on de inside, wet de dog fingah an' make it nine time - mark across it.
(Anything he eats or anything of that sort.) [Dog finger = index finger.]
Entry 2334
Yo' use dat same thing, no mo' den yo' use but three. De mawnin' befo' yo' leave fo' yore trial, yo' bu'st three of dem bottles of watah, an' yo' have in dat watah sulphur an' it's a white lead; dat's whut chew has in dat watah, an' yo' bu'st dem in de house jes' lak yo' did de othah one.
(You put three bottles on the fire and burst one each - one each day?)
De same mawnin' - all three of 'em de same mawnin'.
Entry 2335
[My transcriber missed most cylinders of two outstanding doctors; one from Jacksonville, the other from Memphis. I made abstracts of some of the material, using quotation marks for the original.] [Use candles or incense for luck at home and "get lucky jomo perfume - it's gon'a work better than that ere Hearts [[perfume]]" - put in palm of hand - "rub till it gits hot - make you' wishes - three wishes - with bright eyes [[meaning]] don't bat your eyes" - put a little on thumbs - rub hands on breasts - then corners of eyébrows and rub eyebrows down - then rub 'em in.]
Entry 2336
Lak a thunderbolt hit a tree, it blazes all de way down an' goes down to de ground. Dey take dat tree fo' trickeration - fo' trickin' people, an' giv 'em ramblin' min's - spells lak.
(What does a thunderbolt look like?)
A thunderbolt looks lak a flintrock - it's kinda shaped lak a Indian [arrowhead], lak a glaze rock. Yo' see a glaze rock. (An Indian rock?) Yeah, it's made somepin lak dat. [For another description, see p.214.] (What could you do with one of those thunderbolts? What are they good for - anything?) Use graveyard dust. Tie it up in a little bag. Sew it up with luck oil an incense, an' that'll be very lucky fo' de house fo' gamblin'.
Entry 2337
[How to find a thunderbolt or lightning stone:]
Dere a thing whut chew call a bolter [bolster?] or somethin' othah. Ah heard dat yo' could go to a tree where de lightnin' done struck an' dig down in under de root dere somewhere an' find dat, yo' know, dat bo'ster[?l dere. Yo' know whut ah'm talkin' about. Find hit - dat's all ah know about it.
(Can you do anything with that?)
Not as ah remember.
Entry 2338
Jes' lak yo' smokin' any cigars yo' kin take some of dis Hearts Cologne an' po' about nine drops in dere on dat cigar an' dry it about, say two or three hours. An' dat will give it a sweet smell an' dey say dat's lucky to yo' - yo' be lucky in gambling. (You just pour it on this cigar before you light it an' let it dry.) About a couple of hour. Den smoke it, or either de cigarette. Yo' kin do it wit cigarette if yo' wanta.
Entry 2339
[A toby is a hand. The following informant uses these two terms as synonyms. Toby belongs to the New Orleans area and is little known along the Atlantic coast - unknown in the country districts.] If yo' wanta make a han', yo' kin make a han' fo' fellah tuh carry in his pocket or if he wanta wear it roun' his neck. Yo' git chew a piece of John de Conker vine. Dat's used often in a lot of dese cases. Yo' take yo' some soda, cookin' soda, an' yo' take yo' some lodestone, a she an' a he, an' sew dat together. Don't have tuh take a great big piece - jis' a small piece. Yo' sew dat up, dat soda, John de Conker vine an' oil of clover. Yo' wet [feed] it wit oil of clover - yo' buy yo' some oil of clover an' yo' wet it. That brings luck. Yo' buy yo' a bottle of Jockey Club Perfume. Wash an' scrub yore han's. Wit dat toby yo' bound tuh win.
Entry 2340
Dey tell yo' 'bout de tree dat's struck by lightnin'. Yo' take de bark from dat tree an' yo' take dat bark an' yo' burn dat bark into ashes an' yo' take dem ashes an' yo' git chew some Epsom salt an' put wit dat. Yo' kin take de Epsom salt an' de ashes from dat tree an' yo' put it in a flannen rag with lode- stone an' yo' sew it up, an' yo' take that an' use it as a toby for all de time. If yo' wanta go yore way, jes' go on an' go yore way. Long as yo' got that wit chew, yo' cain't nevah be disappointed, nobody will evah refuse yo' no way, yo' nevah have no fusses. [For "struck by lightning," see Thunderbolt Hand above.]
Entry 2341
Yo' take that hair an' yo' bury it, yo' see, an' when yo bury that hair yo' puts it into lak a little bag, an' yo' make a toby lak yo' would make a toby, put a little hair in there an' bury it; but chew bury dat in de grave- yard.
(What will that do then?)
That will run yo' crazy.
Entry 2342
Luck piece - you carry de luck piece on you." You get you a John de Conquer root, put dat in your pocket and you carry dat along. You use Noonsum oil.
(Use what?)
Noonsa oil.
(Noonsa?)
Yeah.
(All right. What kind of oil is that?)
That's a lucky oil.
(Where do you buy that?)
You buy dat - you order dat.
(Oh, you order that. Oh, I see.)
And you take dat and pour it on dat. You make you a toby, see, and put dat on dat and carry dat in your pocket, see. Well, dat influence de man's [mind] you see, where you tryin' to get a job - he give you a job pref'rence anybody else. You got his mind, you see. You [got] de influence of him, you see. He'll work you where maybe he'll turn off maybe four or five more - he'll take you, you see, and let the other fellow go.
(Now will you tell me the name of that oil once more?)
Nooso - Noozoo Oil.
(Noonzoo oil?)
Yes, sir.
(Do you know how they spell that?)
No, sir - I don't know how you spell dat Noonzoo. (Noonzoo oil.) [See Spelling, difficult to get a, in Index.]
Entry 2343
Ah've heard dat chew kin git dose trumpet roots, git five trumpet roots - de little bush which grows about dat high an' it got a top like dat. Yo' git dose little round roots - kind round like a ball - marble. An' yo' git five of dose an' tie 'em in a rag - tie a knot - put one in each knot.
(Like a necklace - like a string of beads?)
Yes, and have it long enough to go around your waist. An' if yo' wear dat up, why dey claims it takes a great influence, if yo' go up in co't or anything lak dat. (When you go up before the judge. Where do you find these roots? On the ground or in the water?) Dey don't grow in de water - they grow right in a flat place yo' know - course not up on a hill but on de side of a falls like, yo' know. Yo' see 'em, dey got a white top.
(White top and a green stem.)