Browse:HAT - SWEATBAND - BOW (Volume 3, entries 4509–4717)
HAT - SWEATBAND - BOW
Volume 3, entries 4509–4717. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 4509
Dey take dis watah dat yuh bath in, if dey wanted tuh hurt cha. Dey git holt of dis watah dat yo' bath in. Dey take an' make some sea watah an' mix it wit it, dis watah yuh bath in, an' dig a hole durin' de night an' po' it down in dere. Dat'll put yuh down in bed.
Entry 4510
Dey git hold of yuh [bath] watah. Dey take dat watah, see. Well, if dey wanta drown yuh, if dey wanta make yuh drown, yuh see, dey take dat watah an' carry it tuh a well, sompin like dat, an' dey'll throw dat dirty watah into de good watah. Well, yuh know when yuh don' bath yuh dirt an' all will come up in dat watah, yuh see. Well, when yuh bath yuh mind is on nuthin else but dat bath, see. Yuh realize dat when yuh bath, ain't it? All right, yuh look all ovah yuhself. Yuh take a nice bath an', why yuh figah [figure] how ah'm nice an' clean. Well, yuh look at de watah an' say, "Well, dat watah mighty dirty. Well, dat sure is dirty." Like dat or sompin like dat. Well, if de watah was not soil much, yuh say, "Well, ah sure wasn't dirty, but ah take a bath anyhow an' now ah feel bettah." Dey'll [an enemy] take dat dirty watah an' dey will carry it tuh de well an' dey will throw it in de well, see. Dey will throw it in de well an' perhaps somebody might go dere an' fin' yuh dere in dat well drownded. [Charleston, S. Car., (511), 575:5.] [If hat as a whole does not appeal to the hoodoo believer, sweatband and especially sweatband bow do; the former as a place to hide cunjure, the latter as a small pliable object full of symbolism, easily concealed, and usually worn or kept for a love hand. The preceding title I have separated into three head- ingS: HAT AS A WHOLE, SWEATBAND OF HAT EXCLUDING BOW, and BOW FROM SWEATBAND OF HAT.]
Entry 4511
If she's got 'is hat, she kin take his hat an' hole [hold] it ovah a lamp an' let it git warm inside, an' den jis' take it an' put it right in de middle of de bed. He'll come home. (With the crown down or up?) Dis way, see [demonstrates].
(The crown down on the bed.)
Entry 4512
Well, if mah wife want me tuh stay home, she could take mah hat an' put on de bed. Take a little piece of green leaf an' put in de back of it [in back = behind syeatband] an' let it stay on de bed. Evah time he go tuh pass dat night he'll nevah go nowhere. (What kind of a leaf is that?) A peah leaf or eithah a green apple - de apples whut grown down heah [in this part of the country]. Eithah one of dose or eithah one dem leaves out de [something].
(Where did she put that hat?)
Right on de foot of de bed.
(He'd see it there wouldn't he?)
Wake up an' *see de hat dere but he wouldn't know how it got dere. He jes' lay down.
Entry 4513
A girl came from N'Yawk [New York]. She tole me whut tuh do if a man, if he doesn't love yo'. She tole me whut tuh do wit 'is hat. She said if a man doesn't love yuh an' yuh love him, dat yuh take his hat. An' when yuh walk off, yuh an' 'im walk off from de house, an' yuh turn roun'. Yuh know, perten' dat yo' have tuh go back tuh de house. An' yuh take his hat an' pull yore pants down an' rub it 'tween yuh legs twice an' walk on back. An' she said dis man would be crazy about chew. (What do you do when you turn around? You snatch his hat. You mean away from him?) Yuh know, some girls jes' take dere boy fren's hat an' put it on dere haid an' perten' dat it's cold or somepin an' jes' have on dere hat. It rainin' or sompin an' jes' have on dere hat - it rainin' or sompin. Dey jes' wanta put it on.
(She'll go on back to the house wearing his hat?)
Uh-huh. Do it twice.
Entry 4514
Yuh could go to any tree - take de top outa a woman or a man hat, but dat will run 'em crazy. An' yo' bo' a hole in dis tree an' take dat hat [top] an' put it in dere. Den cut chew a little piece of stick dey call a peg an' yuh drive it in dere tight. See, lak dat. See, yuh drive it up tight an' yuh smooth it off. Well, dat tree - dat green tree, dat flesh [bark] will grow ovah dat, an' dat will run 'em 'way from dat place.
Entry 4515
If a man lef' home an' yuh kin fine [find] any one of de hats dat he have wore, or any of 'is undahclothes, yuh take it an' cut chew a piece off it. A woman kin do dat, cut a piece off it, an' tie: it up in a red little cloth. Put a white piece of cloth ovah it an' sew it up an' tote it in yuh pocket. An' by an' by dis man will come back home an' he won't know how he come back home. Jes' come right on back to yuh.
Entry 4516
Take de hatban'. Yuh see, like a woman, she or her an' 'er frien' has busted up. Well, she jes' tryin' - say tryin' tuh make love wit a man. She kin take his hatban' or a ban' in 'is cap. Yuh see, dat's where he sweat, his sweat- ban'. An' yuh'll git a quartah of a yard of yellah cotton. (Yellow cotton?) Yellah cotton. Use it bran'-new. An' yuh will pin dat wit bran'-new pins, not no pins dat been used roun' de house. Yuh git yuh some pins dat has nevah been used fer nuthin atall. An' yuh take dat sweat- ban' an' dat piece of cotton an' make a belt as long enough - jes' add enough yellah cotton tuh dat hatban' or de ban' of de cap dat reach aroun' yuh wais'. An' as long as dey wears it dere, dey is boun' tuh follah 'er.
Entry 4517
If a man is away from home an' de woman want 'im tuh come back, she kin use de band"out 'is hat. Sew it in 'er undahclothes an' wear it @p undah 'er right arm. See, if he away, she kin bring 'im back wit de right or de left [arm], but anywheres where she sweat on it, why he can't git away from 'er. Dat's whut ah heard.
Entry 4518
Or dey kin take de sweatban' [whole or piece?] out chure hat an' wear it indey shoe. Wear it evah day in yuh right shoes an' he'll have tuh come back.
Entry 4519
Yuh kin take a man's hatban' [sweatband] an' use his hatband, weah it in de bottom of yore shoe, jes' a piece of it, an' 'is mine will always stay aroun' dat fiah [fire]. He nevah is contented nowhere. When he's where yuh at, dat's 'is contentedness time. (The outside or the inside band?) De sweatban'. Take hit an' fold it tuh yuh, split it, an' put it in de bottom of yuh shoe an' evahwhere yuh go, he rearin' tuh go.
Entry 4520
If yuh have a girl fren' an' yuh love her an' she didn't seems tuh care very much fo' yuh, why yuh could sometime in goin' roun' 'er, an' git a chance tuh git 'er hat. Take de ban' from roun' 'er hat. Take de band from roun' 'er hat an' git a piece she's wearin' close tuh 'er. Take it an' some of 'er hair from a [below]. Yuh kin git chance tuh make a date wit 'er an' git some of 'er hair from roun' 'er. An' take it an' wrap it up in a piece of red flannel an' wear it nex' tuh yuh skin. Why den she come back tuh live wit chew.
(What piece of clothing do you get?)
Git de seat out of 'er drawahs. (And the hair from down below. That will make you have power over her.)
Entry 4521
Yuh git dis here dog stuff.
(Dog manure?)
Dat's right. Yuh lay dat dog manure right out dere an' let it be dried by de sun. Yuh can't do nuthin [with wet dog manure]. An' yuh put it out dere an' let it dry. When it dry yuh beat it up intuh a powdah. Ah reckon yuh know about dat? (No, no.) Git chure hat an' yuh take de rim [inside band] of dat roun', an' yuh take dat powdah an' sprinkle it aroun' in dat hat jes' dat way [demonstrates].
(Inside the rim.)
An' yuh goin' weah dat hat. DERE AIN'T NO DOCTAH 'TWEEN HEAH AN' PHILLIPPINES KIN CURE DAT. AN' HE WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT'S DE MATTAH. OH, DEY TRIED TUH CURE ME [WHEN IS WAS] DATAWAY. Ah [had] mah hat [dressed].
(What would it do to you?)
It GIVE YUH A BAD HEADACHE AN' IT WILL LAS' YUH TUH YUH GRAVE. Dey done me dataway.
Entry 4522
Now, dere wuz a boy wuz goin' wit me an' ah took 'is hat. He wuz in New York but he's done been back heah since dat. An' ah took 'is hat an' ah dressed de bindin' of it, de wide bindin' inside. Ah took an' pur [poured] a few drops of dis heah dragon's blood an' a few drops of John de Conkah. Hit [the latter] wuz oil yuh see, not de wood. Sometime yuh qit it in bottles. Well, ah has some of dat an ah dropped a few drops roun' in dere, an' a few drops of dis heah cologne. An' he been wit me evah since. We've been married.
Entry 4523
Dey take dat an' git a new-bran' [brand-new] file, one of 'em three- cornahed files, yuh know, an' wrap [the sweatband] aroun' dat, yuh know. An' bury dat in de do' of de individual - yuh know, like yuh want tuh call de individual tuh yore do', yuh jis' do same way like yuh use de hat bow.
(You bury this file at the door.)
At yore do', yes.
(With the sweatband wrapped around it.)
An' den yuh pulls it, if yuh wan' 'em tuh come. Yuh draw it tuh yuh.
[File pulled through a wrapping about it is the old stick-in-a-hole rite.]
(That will make them come, I see, if you want to make love to anybody.)
Entry 4524
She kin git a chance tuh git dat [graveyard dirt] in dere [sweatband], dat'll make yuh go blin'.
“Graveyard dirt” and “sweatband” are bracketed editorial identifications within the printed speech.
Entry 4525
De' take de dust of a rattlesnake an' put it in a person's hat, an' when he sweat dat sweat rolls down towards 'is eyes an' it'll blind 'im. But it's nuthin'll do dat no good [there is no cure for it], if it's a rattlesnake.
Entry 4526
Well, dey tell me dat yuh kin take dat sweatband outa man hat an' keep it salted fo' de third mawnin'. Keep it salted an' dampened till de third mornin', an' take it up an' lay it in de sun an' let it dry, an' it will run 'em distracted.
(You put that in salt for three days?)
Yes.
Entry 4527
Whut chew kin do wit a man's hat. Now, yuh kin take a silvah dime. Yuh kin take a silvah dime an' plastah it tuh de centah of a man's hat back dere an' it'll change his mine [mind] from dif- f'ren' things. Jes' say, fo' an in- stance, if ah wuz stay- in' wit a lady an' she didn't wan' me tuh leave or somepin, well now, she would take dat silvah dime, see; an' me not payin' no 'tenshun an' plastah it right in dere in mah hat undah dat tag whut be's in dere [put dime in sweatband]. An' dat'll keep me from leavin'. All right, she kin take dat same dime an' she'll kill enough chinches tuh git enough blood, jes' enough blood tuh stain dat dime off of a chinch, see. An' put dat same dime right down dere [in the sweatband] an' fold it back ovah dat. Well, when ah sweat dat's goin' run down in mah face an' goin' run me blind.
(Those chinches, that's the same as the bug from the bed?)
Dat's it.
Entry 4528
(How do they fix the sweatband?)
Well, dey'll git dese diff'ren' spidahs an' gran'daddies [see laterl an' all lak dat. Dey'll poison 'em [the victim]. An' dey'll put 'em in a little watah an' cook dem. An' when yuh lay yuh hat down, dey'll take it an' wet all undah yuh hatban' [sweatband] good in front. An' when yuh git out an' git tuh sweatin', an' dat hatban' git sweatin' yuh know, dat thing goin' a-mix wit yore sweat. When dat sweat run down in yuh eyes - an' dat'll run yo' blin'. [Granddaddy = daddy longlegs = a harvestman or arachnid of the order Phalangida.]
Entry 4529
Ah know 'bout de rim roun' yuh hat. Ah nevah heard about no bow.
(What do they do with that rim around your hat?)
Well, dey take de rim from roun' yuh hat - de sweatban' ah mean, dat goes aroun' in de hat, an' dere's a herb in de woods dey callt de skunk [cabbage]. Well, if a person is away from yuh an' yuh wan' dem tuh return back tuh yuh, see. Dis is a fahm [form] of herb dat dey call it a skunk, smell jes' like a polecat. An' [take] a coon root an' a shame root. [This is perhaps the coon grape or raccoon grape (Ampelopsis cordata) of southeastern U. S. A., a woody vine with grapelike foliage and inedible bluish fruit; and less likely the fox grape (Vitis babrusca). For shame root, see shame brier, p.646.1 Dey take dose [three] herbs, dose roots togethah, yuh see, an' kinda put dem on de stove an' let 'em steep, an' put de ban' of dis hat in dere. An' IN DE MAWNIN' BEFO' DE SUN RISE YUH GO, DAT IS IF YUH IS RELIGIOUS - GOT TUH BE RELI- GIOUS TUH DO DAT SORT OF THING DEY TELL ME. An' when de sun risin', Why yuh take dat an' repeat de [Our] Father's Prayer an' ask Him in de Name of Jesus, "Yuh give me So-an'-so fer mah companion, mah love." An' den when yuh turn back - den jes' have a volve [resolve] to return 'im back, why dat will bring 'im back.
(What do you do with that sweatband then?)
Oh, when he come back, yuh throw it away. (I mean, you take this sweatband out [of the brew] when you are making this prayer, don't you?) No, let it all stay right dere.
(Stay where?)
Right in de vessel dat yuh have dere. Yuh have some kinda saucepan, yuh know. Let it stay right in dere.
(You take that out when you do that praying? You had that along with you?)
In de mawnin' yuh kin go, yuh know when de sun risin'. Den yuh bring dis back.
Entry 4530
Den dey kin wheel aroun' [change about] an' take yuh hat. Dey take yuh hat, dis ban' off yore hat, an' dey take de ban' tuh hurt cha. An' when dey take it off dere, dey keep dat. (They take that bow off.) Yes sir, dey keep dat. Den dey done take dat, dey keep dat. If dey kin git tuh yore shoes, dey take yore right foot shoe an dey'll burn it up tuh ashes, an' de oddah foot de same way. An' dey kin take dat ban' off de hat an' put it in deah, in heah, an' bury 'em an' keep yuh down.
Entry 4531
Dey go tuh work an' take de lef'-footed stockin' an' git chew some brimstone an' some spice. An' cut de stockin', de heel of it on down tuh de toe, an' burn dat tuhgethah - burn de stockin' an' makes a powdah out of dat. An' den goes tuh work an' grin' up dat spice an' grind up - when yuh grin' up de spice, den yuh goes tuh work an' yuh grin' up dis brimstone. An' mix it all tuhgethah an' yuh kin take it an' rub it in a hat - in his hat whut he use. Dat will make him stay home.
Entry 4532
Dey kin git 'is sweatban' too an' give him anothah spell. Git 'is sweatban' outa his hat an' put it in a bottle. Yassuh [yes sir], take a bottle an' put it in a bottle, an' put a cork stoppah in dis heah bottle an' fasten it up an' keep dat ban'. Jes' roll dis heah ban' up real tight de way yuh fold it back double. Twist it real tight an' put it in a bottle. Put some hot watah in it. Let it be jes' hot enough not tuh break yuh bottle, an' let it set in dere. An' den dey go take dis heah den an' put it in de rivah, any kinda watah dat watah runs ovah. Dat'll give him anothah feeble mine [mind].
Entry 4533
Dey kin go tuh de rivah. She kin git one sock, dat would be de right one, an' de hatban' - brim inside, de sweat [sweatband]. An' take it an' throw it in de rivah. She got 'im. He would eithah go crazy or come back tuh 'er.
Entry 4534
I had a half brothah an' he wuz goin' wit a girl in Washington [D. C.]. Her name wuz Cornelia A. An' so he stopped goin' wit [her] an' went tuh goin' wit anothah girl. Den like a crazy he turned dis othah [second] girl down an' went goin' back wit 'er [first girl] again. So he tells mah mothah. I don't know, but he said he had a straw hat. She takes 'is hat an' she put somepin, I don't know, in dere. But anyhow, his whole eyes became jis' as white as dis papah [probably my open Numbers Book on the table], black an' all. He got so he couldn't see a wink. He died in jis' about three months afterwards.
[Snow Hill, Md., (Informant 93).]
Entry 4535
DIS IS YORE HAT AIN'T IT?
(Yes.)
Dere's a li'le bit of ban' inside of yore hat got a li'le bow in it. Yuh remembah dat?
(Yes.)
I learnt dat. De girl, I seen 'er do a boy dat way once. She take dis hat, she git dis li'le bow ribbon outa it, an' she pinned it on 'er, inside of 'er bloomahs right at 'er crutch [crotch]. An' she taken dat an' she wore dat. An' de boy couldn't git away from 'er. An' he went back to huh. Co'se he had quit 'er, laid off from 'er. [There are other references to my black hat in HOODOO.]
Entry 4536
Lak dis hat chere is mah hat [refers to my hat with microphone at the side of recorder]. Dat bow dere. Dey kin take dat bow outa dere an' pin dis bow in de seat of dere drawahs, a woman [kin], right nex' to dere meat, yuh know. An' wherevah dat dat woman go, why yuh'll go follah 'er. If yuh can't follah 'er yuh'll lose yuh min'.
Entry 4537
Ah have heard women say dat if dey git de bow out of a man's hat, dey takes dat bow an' dey wears it right next to dere skin. In othah words, dey put it undah dere arm somewheres. Well. dat man will always follah dem. He will be in love wit dem always.
Entry 4538
Yuh kin wear dat bow near yore privates or yuh kin wear it up undah yore arms, or wear it underneath yore breasts.
(What is that supposed to do?)
Dat will make him stay home an' dat will make him love yo' dat much mo'.
Entry 4539
Git de bow out of a man's hat an' put it undah 'er lef' arm an' wear it undah dere, an' he become tuh be in love wit 'er.
Entry 4540
Dat woman she takes dat out [bow of sweat- band]. All right, she takes an' sew it right up under heah [demonstrates]. (Under her left armpit.) Undah de lef' one, jes' right up dere an' weah it. An' jes' as long as she weahs it, it's nobody in de worl' - whut ah mean, yuh ain't goin' worry wit nobody else - can't nobody git cha, can't nobody do nuthin wit chew. Yuh earnin's an' evahthin' yuh git yuh goin' take tuh dat woman. An' she kin take it from dere an' she kin weah it in 'er lef' shoe. Dat's undah yore [her] feet. When she do dat it's purtty [pretty] hard. Well, yuh see it jes' more den drive yuh crazy becuz she trampin' on yuh. See WHEN SHE WEAR IT HERE [IN ARMPIT] DAT'S FRIEN'LY LOVE, BUT WHEN YUH PUT IT DOWN HEAH [IN HER SHOE] DAT GOES HARD, MORE DAN APT - MIGHT CUZ YUH TUH KILL CUZ IT GITS YUH CRAZY ABoUT 'ER.
Entry 4541
Wal, whut de' do wit dat little bow inside of a man's hat, de wimins takes dat. De wimmins take dat if dey wanted to hold a man. Dey want tuh hold a man an' keep 'im at home, dey takes it outa his hat an' stick it in de crack [in the wall!] right ovah de bed - ovah de head of de bed or anywhere in house dere. An' dey kin go anywhere an' come back an' he be right dere. He won't nevah leave. [This is one of those higher than the head rites like over the door rites.]
Entry 4542
Ah heard about 'em takin' de bow out of a man's hat, an' sewin' it up in a piece of red flannel cloth, an' takin' it an' throwin' undah bed. An' dat'll keep 'im comin' roun' yore house, comin' tuh yore house, dey say, if it's a woman; an' dat if it's a man, dat it'll run 'im crazy.
(They use the woman's bow to bring her?)
Well, eithah one.
Entry 4543
[Sweatband bow combined with other substances in a bottle will be found later, as well as in other parts of the text.] Dey take dat little bow an' put it in a bottle an' fill half full of watah, an' turn it bottom upwards an' bury it wit de mouth down, so dat watah drippin' in de groun'. Yuh'll go intuh de groun', see; cuz I put a little hole in dat stoppah, so dat watah kin seep out. An' [when] all dat watah run out dat bottle, den yuh goin' tuh de grave.
Entry 4544
Dey take dat [sweatband] bow an' dey preserve it in alcohol in a bottle, stop it up tight, an' yuh won't only have de headache, sick tuh de stomick, it'll continue on yuh from one thing tuh anothah until finely [finally] yuh'll jis' git down like a man wit T. B. [tuberculosis], an' yuh'll jis' drift away tuh nuthin. [Informant may be mistaken about the alcohol preserving the bottled bow, or is this his way for saying that alcohol feeds the bow? See p.578, also margin title WHISKEY later on among these bow rites.]
Entry 4545
Take dat bow intuh yore hat an' dat will run yuh crazy. Take dat bow in yore hat an' put it intuh a bottle. Airtight dis bottle an' don't let no air git intuh it an' it will run yuh crazy.
Entry 4546
If dey jes' take some of yuh hair out chure haid, dey takes dat hair an' buries it. See, dat's tuh git chew in de action tuh work like dey want chew tuh work. An' jes' like if dis cap [informant's own], OR DIS HAT [MY BLACK HAT ON RECORDING TABLE]. Dis heah boW yuh see in dis cap [demonstrates], why yuh kin take dis bow heah out of dis cap an' run me crazy. See, ah gen'ral' [generally] WHEN AH GITS A CAP OR HAT AH ALWAYS TAKES DIS [demonstrates] OUT, CUZ IT'S DANGEROUS, see.
(Well, how would they do that?)
Well, dey takes dis bow heah out of yuh cap or hat an' dey takes dat bow an' dey dresses it, see. Dey dress it wit dis heah, some kinda whut de' call Hearts Cologne. Takes it an' put dat on it, an' dis heah stuff dey call - dat's a great thing - table salt. Dat's great. Dey take dat an' put dat in dere wit it an' dey sew it up, an' dey try tuh work in a way tuh git where yuh stay at. See, play partnahs wit yuh. An' when dey git tuh where yuh stay at, dey put it up ovah yuh do'. Den, when yuh git tuh actin' funny an' gittin' crazy [anything of yours over a door you walk under makes you light-headed], see it will run yuh crazy, an' yuh won't even know whut it's all about.
Entry 4547
Dey kin take dat little bow back dere an' run yuh crazy.
(How do they do that?)
Well, dey kin put it in a little alcohol [see 4544] an' go tuh a place where runnin' watah at, an' throw it ovah in dere. Well dey kin run yuh crazy. Or eithah dey kin take it an' put it in alcohol an' let it stay in dere fo' a certain length of time. Sew it up in a little bow an' put it undah pillah. Dey kin run yuh crazy dataway. AH DON'T WEAR NONE IN MINE. [He removes the bow from his hat, a common practice.]
Entry 4548
An' anothah thing ah tell yuh about dis bow in yore hat. Yuh know, sometime a man wears a bow in 'is hat. [This shows that many men remove the bow from the hat.] Yuh even could take dat out an' wear it in de seat of yuh step- ins, jes' take an' pin it in dere, an' he'll love yuh an' nevah quit chew - even quit 'is wife fo' yuh.
Entry 4549
Take dat bow out of yuh hat an' dey'd bury dat bow. Take dat bow an dey bury it back of yuh house in ordah if dey wanta use yuh in a way fo', what might say, a henchman or fool, or somepin like dat. Dey'd bury dat bow back of dere house an' dat'll keep yuh comin' dere, see. An' yuh kin jes' git rid of evahthing yuh've got.
Entry 4550
Take dat little band out chure hat, carry dat an' put de jinx [a word rarely used] on it, covah it up where de sun can't git holt of it. An' yuh'll be jes' as half-minded as a rabbit.
(Thought they did that to your bow?)
Dey jes' take dat new band - dat new bow out de hat.
Entry 4551
Take dat bow an' yuh bury dat bow. When yuh bury dat bow yuh'll die. Dat's whut chew'll do, yuh'll die.
Entry 4552
Well, ah've heard dat dey take dat little bow out chure hat, out de sweatband of yuh hat, an' dey buries it.
(What will that do?)
Well, dey says it will run a man crazy.
(Just ordinary crazy.)
Entry 4553
Take dat bow outa his hat an' grease it wit camphor. Ah mean wet it wit camphor an' wear it inside of yore clothes, on de left side [heart side]. Dat would make yore man love yuh an' do mos' any- thin' dat yuh want 'im tuh do. [Here I turned off machine and then informant added a note I had to repeat to include in rite.]
(Wear it near the left breast?)
Dat's right.
Entry 4554
Take de bow inside of a man's hat dey claim an' run 'im crazy. Dey use dat an' burn a black light on it - called a black candle. Set dis black candle on it an' burn it 21 days, an' it will make him absent-minded. [For Sims see 34, p.23; 532, p.157;2091 p.608.]
Entry 4555
Ah've heard of 'em. Dey takes dat li'le bow. Well, dey takes dat li'le bow dere an' dey walks aroun' dat house. Dey goes roun' dat house nine times an' bring de bow back in de back do', an' walk through de hall tuh de front do' an' put it ovah de front do'. Conceal it from dis man.1 He nevah know where it at. An' long as it stay dere, dey got dis man.
(A woman would do that to hold a man?)
Tuh hold de man. No harm perform on it, no mo' den a deep taste fo' love.
Entry 4556
It's a long time since ah went tuh a [hoodoo] woman, but ah went tuh a Woman ovah heah when ah wuz [having trouble with my husband]. An' she tole me tuh git de seat of 'is undahwears dat be's dirty an' de bow outa his hat, dat little bow dat be's on de inside. She tole me tuh git dat out an' sew hit in de seat of mah bloomahs, an' dat would make him come back an' ca' fo' her [me] mo' den he evah would do'.
Entry 4557
Yuh kin take dat bow from de back of 'is hat, one dat he done wore - de sweat in it chew undahstan'. Yuh kin take dat an' jes' keep it in de seat of yore bloomahs all de time. Jes' pin it in dere an' wear it in dere an' dat will always keep 'im wit chew. Dat's all yuh gotta do, jes' wear it in dere all de TIME. AN' EVAH TIME YUH CHANGE A PAIR OF PANTS, YUH JES PUT IT RIGHT BACK IN.
Entry 4558
Say a man, or yuh say a sweetheart, an' yuh want dat man tuh love yuh. Yuh take de man, dat bow out of 'is hat an' yuh sew dat bow - a hat he'd wear - yuh sew dat up. An' a woman pins it dey say in yore inside cloths, yore bloomahs, an' wear dat nex' tuh yore skin. An' dat'll bring 'im tuh yuh. Now, dat's whut ah wuz told.
Entry 4559
Take dat little bow in de back of 'is hat an' sew it up in 'er slip an' wear it nex' tuh 'er. He'll be crazy about 'er.
Entry 4560
Well, ah could take dat little bow in de back of a man's hat, an'pin it in de seat of mah step-ins an' wear it, an' dat keep 'im from messin' wit any othah woman but me.
Entry 4561
Out chure hat. It's a certain thing about a woman, she kin take dat bow an' take it home an' run yuh stone crazy wit headache.
(What would she do with that bow?)
She would take it out an' sew in 'er undahskirt an' she tote dat bow. An when she tote dat bow yuh always have de headache, furious headache. Yuh don't know whut de mattah an' yuh look in yore hat, de bow's gone.
(What would she do that for?)
Dat's tuh keep 'im down.
Entry 4562
Yuh know, lak yuh hat layin' up some place, dey take yuh hat, know dat hat from me. An' she take dat bow yuh know, an' pin it in 'er bloomah laig lak dat an' turn it back down. Den ah goes right crazy ovah 'er, till yuh [I] kin git down dere. An'den yuh [I] git dat.
Entry 4563
Yuh make a person love yuh. A girl tole me dey take it outa dere an' sew it in 'er bloomah laig, an' dat will make him love yuh den.
(This little bow in the back of the hat?)
Yessuh.
Entry 4564
Well, dey say take dat, de bow outa de hat whut yuh speakin' about, an' yuh pin it in de seat of yuh teddies. Wear dat dere all de time. Dey say yuh got de man all de time.
Entry 4565
An' ah believe yuh take dat bow. Take dat bow an' wear it in yore bloomah laigs.
(What will that do?)
Dat will keep de man followin'yuh.
Entry 4566
Woman will take dat an' run 'im crazy. Some says dey takes 'em an bring 'em back. Dey say if a woman takes de bow outa man's hat an' wear it intuh de seat of 'er pants, he will always - some says dey will stay an' some says dey will go. But ah had a friend of mine, she said she wo' hers until 'er husban' died; say he always jes' wanta be away from 'er an' say she brought 'im back dat way. Yuh takes de bow outa a man's hat an' yuh wear it intuh yore pants an' don't let 'im git holt of it. Say if he git holt of it, he'll kill yo'.
Entry 4567
Dey take dat dere little bow out of a man's hat an' weah dat intuh de seat of 'er undahweah an' cause 'im tuh stay right undah 'em. He wouldn't git out of 'er eyesight.
Entry 4568
Take dat an' fix it such a way dat no other woman can't have anything to do wit yuh but her.
(That little bow in the hat?)
Dat little bow in de back of yore hat. Dis is it right heah [demonstrates].
(What will she do with that?)
Well, ah tell yuh whut she do. She'll take it an' weah it down in 'er undah- clothes.
(That will keep you.)
Entry 4569
Dey takes dat bow an' wear dat bow down in de seat of dere drawahs, an' dat'll turn yuh ovah - dat'll bring yuh ovah. An' once dey got dat dere, why dey got chew.
Entry 4570
Yuh could take dat, de bow out dey hat. Yuh could take it an' sew it in any little thing, a Woman's britches or anything lak dat, where yuh could wear it. See what ah mean. An' den in othah words [another method], yuh could wear it in yore shoe. See, what ah mean, it would make him love yuh.
Entry 4571
A woman kin take de bow out of de back of a man's hat, an' sew it up in a piece of cloth an' wear it in de seat of her bloomahs. An' long as she wear dat, dat bow in 'er bloomahs, why he couldn't quit 'er. He couldn't go wit no othah woman but 'er.
Entry 4572
Take de bow out de man hat an' wear it down in de seat of dere bloomahs, an' dey say dat'll keep 'em down.
Entry 4573
Take dat bow, dat bow out of de hat. Dey take dat bow out of dere hat an' sew it intuh de seat of 'er bloomahs, an' he'll be prob'ly satisfied tuh stay wit 'is wife.
Entry 4574
Well, womens take dat, some of 'em, an' pin it on dey undahpiece an' wear it.
(What do they do that for?)
Dey say dat will make 'em come back.
(That is that little bow from his hat?)
Yes sir.
Entry 4575
Dey take de hat an' take dat ban' out of it.
(The band or the little bow?)
Yeah de little bow, jes' right heah [demonstrates]. Dat's a ole hat ah been hangin' up dere. Dey take dat little bow an' dey will take it an' cut fo' prongs intuh - dey cut fo' prongs intuh dis heah newspapah, jes' like dat little bow is [this makes an X or a cross]. Dey'll cut it jes like dat an den dey'll wrop dat in dere tight. Well, when dey wrop dat in dere, well, dey'll git some diff'ren' stuff an' put in dere an' dat'll make me go back. See, jes' like if I quit 'er, dat'll make me come back. She'll take it an' put it - take it an' sling it aroun' 'er wais' an' she's got me right off. See.
(By cutting out the four prongs, do you mean cutting all of that - like an X?)
Yeah, jes' an X - jes' like a X like dat.
Entry 4576
Cross two needles in dat an' run 'im crazy.
(Cross two needles in this bow in the hat.)
An' put about six aroun' de [inside of the sweatband] de linin' lak dis heah [demonstrates]. See, lak dis heah, an' it will run 'im crazy. (What about that little bow - you know, that little ribbon that is tied in a knot?) Yo' mean in de back part of de hat? Well, jes' lak dat bow ties, yuh take de two needles, two gold-eye needles an' dip 'em in chamber lye an' cross 'em dat way, an' yuh'll run 'im crazy. (Do you leave them right in the hat or do you take the bow out?) Nawsir [no sir], leave de bow in de hat.
(You put it under the bow so it can't be seen?)
So it can't be seen. Dip it in chamber lye.
Entry 4577
Yuh kin take dat bow out dat man's hat, an' yuh kin take a powdah called love powdah [later called movin' powdah] an' calcimine powdahs [calcimine], an' he's bound tuh come [to the woman]. He'll do anything yuh say do. Dey take dat bow [out of the hat, untie it - see KNOTS later for untying - put the powders on it] an' jis' double [fold once] dat bow tuh 'em, an' dey put three pins in dat bow [thus shutting up the powders inside the bow]. [Informant now demonstrates how these three pins hold in the powders.] Yuh stick one head dis way [up], an' yuh stick the othah head down, an' put dis one right across [the other two]. [This produces a double cross, even a triple cross or three daggers like this H. Joo take dat an put it in yer shoe an' wear it.
(What were the names of these powders?)
Dey call one of 'em de movin' powdah, all right, an' yuh call one calcimine. De movin' powdah is tuh move yuh back tuh dem; de calcimines powdah is tuh make things clean [as calcimine normally does, but here by symbolically cleaning the return road home of all difficulties]. [Come home, all is forgiven. But by wearing the bow in her shoe she indicates a determination to keep him under her foot!]
Entry 4578
Take dat bow. Hit stands in de back of de man's hat. Take dat bow an' take nine needles an' nine pins an' stick 'em evahwhah in dat bow crossed up yuh possibly kin. An' when yuh git 'em all fixed in dat bow lak it supposed tuh be - naow [now] a woman kin fix dat fo' a man an' run 'im crazy - an' take it an' put it in a bottle. An' put some, fill de bottle half up wit table salt, an' den fill de bottle clean up wit 'er urine an' stop dat bottle up. Turn it upside down an' stick it mos' any kin'a cornah or any kinda drawah or [place] up ovah de head or anywhere, but jes' since it's outa sight in a dark place. An' dat man'll go sta'k [stark] crazy.
Entry 4579
On a dog's tail an' cat's. Three stran's of dog hair an' three stran's of cat hair an' put it in dat bow. [See later.]
(This bow on a man's hatband?) Yes. An' dat'll run 'im crazy. (What you do is let it stay on thebow?)
Yes, put it in de bow of de hat an' let it stay dere.
(Three strands from the dog's tail and three strands from the cat's?)
Three stran's.
(From where?)
From undah 'is tail. Yuh know dat an' kinda plat it tuhgethah-like an' put it right in dat little bow on de hat.
Entry 4580
[These objects-over-the-door you walk under and objects-under-the-door you walk over are frequently important rites in hoodoo, yet quite a number of informants, including the present one, do not know the meaning of the word sill or doorsill.] Well, they say you can take that little bow in the back of a man's hat. You see, that's his sweatband, that's where you done sweat. Well all right, you take that bow on the back of man's hat an' he done wore that hat. And after you take that bow in the back of that man's hat, well you take that bow and you puts it up over the sill of your front door - see, like where he got to pass under. [The word over instead of under would have solved the problem here.] Well, that's to keep him home. He'll stay at home all the time and you can go out. Well he will never fuss with you about nothing, because you got him right down under your feet.
(I see.)
Entry 4581
Take dat little bow in a man's hat an' cut some de hairs off yuhself an' wrap de bow up.
(The hairs from your head?)
No, dey tell me de hairs off yuhself. An' wrap dat up an' put it up ovah yore do', careful. Stick it somewhere in some crack or 'nothah where dey can't git it. [For cracks and holes, see WALL later.] Say dat's tuh keep 'em. Whut dey tell me, say dat will keep a man.
Entry 4582
Dat bow be's right back dere. Now yuh kin take dat bow out chure hat, ah've heard dat. Yuh take dat bow out dat hat an' yuh kin, whut chew call dress it. Yuh dress dat bow an' yuh kin take dat.
(With what?)
Yuh take dat bow an' yuh kin dress it.
[As we now learn, it is dressed with sweat.]
Jes' lak a woman take a bow outa man's hat. She kin take dat bow yuh see an' den rub it undah her arm, also between 'er laigs [to dress it]. An' when she take dat bow an' do dat, take it an' wrap it up in a piece of red flannel. [This is now a hand, see p.519f.] She kin eithah wear it roun' 'er neck or roun' 'er waist or eithah put it ovah 'er do'. Well, now if she put it ovah 'er do' or wear it anywhere, keep it anywhere in a close place, it'll always keep 'is haid kinda wandahin' - his mind. He'll nevah have no good mind. Jes' keep 'im wan- dahin'. He's heah today an' tuhmorrah 'is mind jes' wanta go. He can't be con- tented nowhere he goes.
Entry 4583
Yuh take dis little bow here an' take some devil's-shoestring dey call it. Take dat devil's-shoestring an' dis bow an' some cinnamon bark an' salt [and] black peppah. An' dey takes dis bow an' put it in de sole of yuh shoe. See, like yuh got a shoe, a woman would do dat. Dat's tuh make her - make yuh stay. Yuh goin' tuh stay right wit 'er. An' she'll take dat an' put it in de sole of 'er shoe an' wear it dere. As long as she got dat thing in dere, yuh can't leave her.
Entry 4584
Dey takes dat bow an' dey carry it home an' dey bury it undah a brick in dey fiahplace, an' he can't no mo' stay wit dat woman no mo'. Evah time he goes tuh dat woman house, his haid begin tuh hurt 'im an' he cripple himself up an' den he fall. Evah time he see her he gits maddah an' maddah wit 'er. She puts it undah a brick, de cen- tah brick in de pipe [flue] - undah de centah brick.
(Well, who would do that?)
Now lak yo' wanted tuh - see heah, if she wanted 'im tuh leave dat house ovah yondah an' come heah. Well, she git dat bow an' she carries it an' put it right down dere undah dere. See, dat man can't visit yondah no mo'.
Entry 4585
(That little bow out of a man's hat, now?) Say yuh take it outa his hat an' make it in yore gartah an' he cain't - he'll lose all energy fo' any othah girl. He won't love nobody but chew. Sew it into de gartah.
Entry 4586
Take dat an' wear it aroun' yore wais' or on yore gartah somewhere, an' yuh got dat man.
(The sweatband from his hat?)
Yes, ( dat little bow, or de sweatban' eithah.
The interviewer asks about the sweatband from his hat. The informant names the little bow or sweatband as alternatives; the entry does not require both or make the objects synonyms. Earlier agent reviews of the printed page attribute the answer to the informant despite the extra opening parenthesis retained in this transcription. The reported outcome remains a historical source claim.
Entry 4587
Ah taken de bow outa de hat an' ah put some come wit it an' a little hair out from undah his arm dere an' wore it roun' mah laig heah, an' dat'll make him love yuh. (You mean you wear it as a garter or something of that sort?) Jis' a string, ah don't wear gartahs. [The length of the untied bow would be extended with a piece of string, and the hair would be threaded into a needle and woven, perhaps also tied, into the bow. For string addition, see 4597.]
Entry 4588
Dey kin run yuh crazy wit dat bow outa yuh hat easy, becus dey take dat bow outa de hat an' take it an' git some of dat stone outa graveyard - chip of stones off de [tombstone] out in de graveyard, graveyard dust, white sand out of de graveyard from de head of any grave. An' take it an' put it intuh a jar, altuhgethah, an' take it back an' plant it in dere, in de grave- yard. Dat easily kin run yuh crazy too, de same way as yuh hair.