Browse:HEADBOARD AND FOOTBOARD (Volume 4, entries 7693–7730)
HEADBOARD AND FOOTBOARD
Volume 4, entries 7693–7730. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → GRAVEYARD DIRT MUST BE BOUGHT FROM SPIRIT. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 7693
They kin take those headbo'ds or any part of that bo'd, an' if they wan'a make yo' drift out of the neighborhood, they kin take that an' put it to the doorsill, if they know where they live at, an' make yo' leave there.
Entry 7694
If you bring the headboard from the ceme- tery an' put it aroun' [near].de house, why won't anyone stay there. They could- n't stay there, it would be ha'nted.
Entry 7695
Lak yo' go tuh de graveyard an' git a footbo'd, or prob'ly somepin simple as a ole piece of tree stump, or sompin lak dat, or some kin'a log out de graveyard. Dey could take dat an jes' t'row it right down in fron' of yore do'. Why yo' not payin' so much 'tention tuh it. Why yo' say, "Well, dat's only ole piece of wood." Somebody comes by an' say, "Look, [So-an'-so] yo' not goin' any bettah." [You become ill and are not improving.] An' dat'll make yo' move, too.
Entry 7696
[He can take] de haidbo'd an' footbo'd, see, dem two li'le pieces, one at de haid an' one at de foot at de graveyard, dat [belong to], some of 'is rela- tives. Kin take dat at home an it will be lucky tuh 'im. (You mean the relatives of this dead man will go out and take these boards, and that gives them luck?) Sho' [sure].
Entry 7697
Oh, de graveyard bo'd. Yes, tell me dey take de one bo'd. See, some people's got 'em up lak dat, an' dey's got dey initial [name] on 'em. Well, some are made outa tombstone an' some made outa jes' plain bo'ds. Dey tell me if dey take dose an' bury 'em in de yard or anywhere dey git 'em, dey tell me in thirty days yo'll be daid.
(Do they bury the stones, or only the wood ones?)
De wood ones, don't bury de stone ones.
Entry 7698
Dey git de haidbo'd ah b'lieves it is, lemme see now, dey take de haid- bo'd an' bury it - of a family. Say, fo' instance if ah wus mad wit chew an' any kinda revenge ah could git, ah bring dat haidbo'd an' bury it roun' heah, an' hit wouldn't be long 'fo' [before] one of de family would die.
Entry 7699
Take de bo'd an' bring it on home an' burn it down on a - take de haid- bo'd an' yo' burn dat bo'd on a piece of tin, an' git de ashes an' yo' jes' take de ashes an' jes' go wheresomevah ah live at, an' go throw it dere roun' mah house. Dat'll jes' make yo' [me] move, dat's all.
Entry 7700
They say that chew can take the headboards of a dead person, I mean where they're placed at their grave, or footboards, either one, and burn them; and then get some of that dust of the grave with that, those ashes, and put them down under a door- step of an indivi- dual, and they'll become effected so that they can't handle themselves. They become tricked so they don't have any definite understanding about anything.
Entry 7701
Dey'll go tuh de graveyard at midnight jis' befo' de clock strikes twelve, an' dey'll make a cross mark - dat is a X - right acrost de footbo'd an' de haidbo'd [that is 2 crosses]. Dey go tuh de foot firs', den dey take nine steps backwards, back de way yuh come in [the graveyard], den yuh kin come on out. Dat's fo' luck.
Entry 7702
Take de haidbo'd from de grave an' dey carve, cut dat person's name in it dat's involved, an' dey bury it face down in de graveyard, right dere in de graveyard an' covah it up. An' dat person jis' comes right down in de dirt where his name is down dere. He's Way up in de world tuh begin wit, but dat [is] jinx, an' he puts de jinx on 'im fo' his name tuh be buried in de graveyard.
Entry 7703
(This grave board?)
Dat's right. Wal, yo' take dat an' yo' draw de name ovah [offa] it, jes' lak dat person's been daid. Now, if a person's been daid an' yo' wants tuh see 'em, Wan' 'em tuh come tuh yuh or sompin lak dat, yo' take dat an' draw is name ovah [offa] dat bo'rd, steam it, jes' lak dat, an' yo' read de 37th Psalm, an' he'll come befo' yo' end [the Psalm] an' talk tuh yuh.
(What do you mean by drawing that name off?)
[Had the name been on a tombstone a rubbing could have been taken.]
Jes' draw it off on a tablet - papah.
(You just put the paper on there and draw it?)
No, jes' draw it off wit a pencil on de paper, jes' lak it dah [there] an' den yo' see, yo' put dat [paper with name] on yore haid wit de [while you read de] Bible. An' yo' read dat [Psalm] an' he'll come an' talk tuh yo', an' tell yo' whut chew want.
Entry 7704
Providin' if it's a person dat yo' like an' dey are about tuh scurry away, an' if yo' go tuh dat ceme- tery an' talk to de dead an' pay dem so much, an' yo' write de name of de person on de headboard an' dat'll also keep 'em from goin' away, but it will keep 'em
Entry 7705
If yo' wanta hurt anybody, yo' kin go tuh de graveyard an' call de person name. An' carry a piece of [his] ole clothes, leave dat dere, an' bring [a small piece] eidah [either] de haidboard or de footboard; an' yo' kin go tuh a person house an' put it right undahneat' 'is pillah, [but] undahneat' de baid. An' he'll go tuh sleep dat night an' he'll take a pain an' he wouldn't nevah be no good tuh hisself. He wouldn't fin' out until he die. Somebody goin', but she'll nevah let 'im, unless yo' wanta turn 'im loose. Den yo' kin go an' tum 'im loose if yo' don't wanta harm 'im. (How do you mean put that footboard under the pillow. Wouldn't they feel it under there?)
[Actually only a splinter from the board is used.]
No, sir, dey ain't goin' feel it. Dey ain't goin' have sense enough tuh feel it. [This rite is unusual. The man's old clothes has contact with the grave- yard dirt, and the graveyard board splinter is taken to the house as a substi- tute for the dirt.]
Entry 7706
Dey say dey take it if yo' wan'a person tuh leave home. Jis' lak yo' stay roun' a family of people an' yo' didn't want dem tuh stay dere or dey were sturbin' yo'. Well, yo go to de graveyard an' yo' git some dirt offa grave. Yo' know about where a per- son's heart is an' yo' take a knife an' yo' cut a splintah offa dat haidbo'd an' a splintah offa de footbo'd. Say den yo' take dat splintah an' make a cross out it. Chew know, lak yo'd make a cross.
(Just a little bit louder.)
Yo' make a cross outa dem two splintahs an' yo' take dat dirt an' yo' put it undah dere do'step an' make a grave out of it. An' den yo' take dat cross an' stick to de haid of it jis' lak it wus tuh de haid of a grave. Well, dey will have tuh move 'way from dere. Dey cain't stay dere. [Here we have 2 splinters from the graveboards making a cross for a mock grave, a subtect to be explored later in this section DEATH.]
Entry 7707
Yo' kin go tuh de grave an' turn de haidbo'd from de grave an' take dat
[dirt], go to a person - jes' lak if yo' want a sweetheart or anything [a man to]
quit wit a woman - an' carry it an' put it dere, an' tell dis person tuh make dis man stop goin' dere. An' why if he evah go dere at night or anythin', go tuh sleep, dis [dead] person will worry him so dat he couldn't go back nohow.
(You put that board in the house?)
Yassuh, [no] put de dirt undah de house. Den yo' change de bo'd an' git de dirt, de graveyard dirt, an' carry it tuh de house. Why he couldn't go back dere.
Entry 7708
Dey kin draw yo' on a tombstone [or headboard] an' long as dem lines [remain] where dey draws yo' at; dey molt away, [I mean], yo' molt away wit dem. See?
(As that person in the grave molts away, you will molt away?)
Yo' molt away.
(Well, how would they draw you on that tombstone?)
Maybe have - dey done took yuh photo from somewhere. See, yo' [theyl done took yuh photo. Well, dey kin take yuh photo an' give it tuh somebody who know how tuh retrace it an' draw it, an' dey kin draw yo' lak dat. [An easier method would be to draw a circle adding ears, eyes, mouth and initials or call name. Informant good, has the right idea but complicates it.]
Entry 7709
Yo' take de haidbo'd. Now, yo' kin take de haidbo'd an' cut it roun' [demonstrates]. It's already cut lak a haid. Well now, if yo' cut anotbah roun' ring on it, take it den an' mark it right straight down. (The top of the headboard is round and you merely complete the circle by drawing an inverted circle under that, making it round. Then you draw a line straight down.) See, when yo' draw dat line straight down, dat makes a person. De cunjuration dat dey puts in yo' when yo' draw dat line straight down, dat's makes it start right up heah an' continue tuh come - start right at de top of yore haid an' come right straight on down. See, an' when it git clean down, why dere's no mo' of yo'.
(How do I know I've got the right person when I'm doing this?)
Well, ah tell yo' de way it is. See, jis' lak yo' go tuh a graveyard, yo' go tuh - jis' lak now if yo' know a person an' yo' happen tuh be dere when dey bur- ied. Well, now, ah'll go right chere - ah'll know dis person person'ly. Ah'll take dat haidbo'd, see, an' ah'll go right on. Well, now, dat's one in dat fam- ily is gotta go. Dat's one in dat family gotta go.
(That gets somebody in the family.)
Someone in de same family is gotta go.
Entry 7710
Dat's if yo' daid, if yo' daid. Ah wants tuh git nex' tuh dis man outa heah 'cross de street. Ah'll go dere [to the graveyard]. Ah'll know yuh name. Ah'll go dere an' ah'll pick up dat haidpiece [slip of tongue] from 'is feet an' ah'll git a little bit of dat [dirt] outa his chest down heah. Ah wants tuh run 'im an' wit dat chest-board [headboard]. Ah'll take dat an' covah it up an' bring it in mah house an' throw it undahneat' mah house. An' ah'll take de rest of dat chest [dirt] an' cast it in he [his] yard, an' he can't do me no harm. He's daid.
(You don't do anything with those boards, though?)
Take dat board an' put it undahneat' yuh [your own] house.
Entry 7711
Ah've hear'd dat dey go tuh de grave an' talk tuh de daid an' move de haidbo'd an' change it aroun' an' tell de daid whut chew want tuh be done tuh sech-an'-sech-a-one, chew see, an' it be done.
Entry 7712
("If a man is killed" - see, tell me the whole story like that.)
[If a man is killed]
dey take de footbo'd an' take it tuh de haid, an' [they take] de haidbo'd an' place it at de foot, yo' undahstand. Why yo' do dat? Yo' do dat in ordah tuh bring back de murdahah. [This rite should have followed No.7494, P.3288.]
Entry 7713
Dey say yo' take graveyard dirt. It's accordin' tuh where yo' git it from, whut side yo' git it when yo' goin' git graveyard dirt. Yo' go tuh de graveyard an' take de footbo'd an' put it tuh de haid; take de haidbo'd an' yo' put it tuh de foot. An' yo' take dat graveyard dirt right about at de centah, about tuh dis fah [far] at de centah [demonstrates].
(Up to the elbow.)
Yes, about tuh de elbow. An' yo' take dat graveyard dirt an' yo' could do mos' anythin' wit dat, see. Sprinkle it roun' a person house, dat'll confuse 'em, cuz 'em tuh leave home. Sometimes cuz 'em tuh be spellbound, go crazy. Dis graveyard dirt, jes' [sprinkle it] somewhere where dey kin pass ovah it, walk ovah it. Dey tell me dat whut graveyard dirt will do.
Entry 7714
Well, if yo' wan'a job an' know where's it at, or wan'a git de job back [if you have been dismissed], yo' cu'd [could] go in de graveyard about 'fore day in de mawnin', an' git de haidbo'd from de foot an' change it tuh de haid [and put the headboard at the foot of the grave], an' git some of de sand from de foot [of the grave] an' throw it towards de sunrise. Den yo' go on back tuh de job where yo's workin' at an' don't even ax [ask] fer yuh job back or nuthin, settin' aroun' dere coupla [couple of] mawnin's, an' de man will Say come on back an' 'vite [invite] chew tuh go tuh work.
Entry 7715
Yo'd go down tuh de grave an' take de haidbo'd an' carry it tuh de foot an' make yore wish In de Name of de Father, de Son an de Holy Ghost.
(What would you do with the footboard then, throw it away?)
Bring it tuh de head.
Entry 7716
Ah said she could go tuh de graveyard.
(The woman could go to the graveyard.)
An', yo' know dere's a haidbo'd an' a footbo'd. Write dat individual's name on de haidbo'd of de grave an' vice versa [likewise on] de haid [foot]. Take dat haidbo'd an' write 'is name on it an' put it back tuh dis foot, an' take de footbo'd [and write his name on it] an' put it tuh de haid, an' dat individual will return.
(That man will come back to her?)
Dat's right.
Entry 7717
Yo' could go down tuh de cemetery an' call 'is name an' make de change wit dose bo'ds.
(Call whose name?)
Yo' bossman's name, an' make de change wit dose bo'ds, In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, an' go tuh 'im de nex' mawnin' or de same day, eithah one, an' he'll settle wit chew.
Entry 7718
When yo' wants a man tuh stay wit yuh, yo' go tuh dat graveyard an' yo' write his name in de middle of de grave - on de middle of de grave jes' write his name in de dirt. Jes' take yore fingahs yo' know an' write his name. Den yo' take de footbo'd from de foot an' put hit tuh de haid, an' take de haid- bo'd an' put it tuh de foot, chey lmo. Jes' change de footbo'ds [graveboards] roun'. An' dat'll make 'im stay home.
Entry 7719
Now, yo' take an' yo' go tuh de graveyard, an' yo' write her name down three times on a piece of papah, an' change on de stob on de grave, yo' know. Pull it up heah [de- monstrates], see, an' put it down heah [at the foot] - yo' take de haid [headboard] tuh de foot, yo' see. Well, she done left yo' an' yo' want 'ah [her] back, see. Take de haid [board] tuh de foot an' change it [with the footboard]. Dat's to come [to bring her] back. See, she have tuh come back dere.
(What do you do with that paper?)
Dat papah, yo' got 'ah [her] name on it an' yo' [demonstrates] put it down dere an' yo' put it [pour] in some whiskey an' drive it [footboard in hole]. (You put it [paper] in that hole where you pull up that headboard and put it [headboard] to the foot. Then you take the footboard and put it back in the hole in the headboard's place?) Dat's right.
(Then she'll come back?)
She'll come back. [Paying the grave spirit with whiskey is fairly common.]
Entry 7720
Well, yo' goes - yo' have tuh go dere twelve a'clock in de night an' git dat [dirt]. An' yo' bring dat back. Yo' go tuh de graveyard an' yo' takes it [board] from de haid - yo' takes de haid, put de haid tuh de foot [board] an' de foot [board] tuh de haid. Den yo' go right down in de middle [of the grave] wit three cent in yore han'- go down in de middle. Yo' turn 'em loose dere an' yo' bring up dat dirt. Den yo' carry dat back home. An' yo' - jes' lak yo' wanta put it, yo' carry it tuh anyone's house; if yo' wanta run 'em off, throw it round de house. Jes' spread it roun' de house an' jes' call dere name, an' tell 'em yo' wan t'em tuh, "Go, yo' devil." Tell 'em tuh keep goin'. Cain't stay dere.
Entry 7721
If yo' sellin' likkah an' yo' wanted tuh keep de laws away, go tuh de cemetery an' make de change [of graveboards]. If yo' know dey all names, call dem names; an' if yo' didn't know de names, jes' use de word "of yore enemies" an' make yore wish, In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' Holy Ghost. An' bring some of that dirt back wit yo', an' leave three pennies. An' then take it an' mix it wit some salt an' red peppah. Sprinkle some on each side of yore house where dey's goin' tuh come up to dere, an' make yore wish on each side of it, "In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, make dat man stay away."
(That will keep the law away if you are bootlegging?)
Yes sir. Yo' make de changes in dat.
(Change the headboard and the footboard.)
In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' Holy Ghost, an' bring some of dat dirt wit yo'. Take it tuh de co'thouse aftah yo' mix it wit salt an' red peppah; take it tuh de co'thouse an' sprinkle it aroun' dere.
Entry 7722
Go tuh de cemetery an' make de changes wit de bo'ds out dere. Put three pennies intuh de groun', intuh de grave. Bring some of dat dirt back wit chew an' put some red peppah an' some cay- enne peppah in dere wit it, an' burn it intuh de fire, call- in'; In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, dat yo' may have luck in gainin' de influence of all of yore frien's. An' yo' will have luck.
(That is to get customers if you are bootlegging?)
Yes.
Entry 7723
See, yo' 'sposed tuh go tuh de graveyard twelve a'clock at night, an' yo' git dis dirt, an' when yo' start gittin' dis dirt, yo' supposed tuh say, "Dead spirit, ah didn't come tuh rob yore grave, ah came heah fo' luck In de Name of de Father, of de Son an' of de Holy Ghost." An' if yo' put money tuh dat grave or a corn or either some fresh rice, anything, yo' supposed tuh pay dem An' jes' lak if yo' want chure luck changed, yo' go dere in de nighttime at twelve a'clock an' yo' take de haidbo'd an' throw it tuh de feet an' take de feetbo'd an' throw it tuh de haid. An' yo' git dis graveyard dirt an' yo' sup- posed tuh put sulphur in it - supposed tuh put red peppah an' yo' supposed tuh put sompin yo' kin git at de drugsto', but yo' don' specially have tuh have dat, an' salt in it. An' yo' burn dis dirt three times a day. If it's wet yo' put it in de sun an' let it git dry, an' when yo' make yore fiah [fire] it gonna smell funny when it be burnin'. Yo' shet up in a room tuh yo'self an' yo' burn dis heah dirt. An' jes' lak if yo' want - if anothah party livin' next do', yo' want 'em out chure house, yo' burn dat dirt on dose people an' tell 'em dat chew want 'em tuh be out. Yo' know, move out de house. An' burn it three times a day. An' jes' lak if yo' runnin' a joint or anything, an' if no one will visit chure joint much, yo' kin burn dat dirt, an' in about ten minutes time yo'll have a crowd at chure house. An' if it's a woman yo' wants tuh see, an' yo' cain't see her, an' yo' burn dat dirt, dogged if she wouldn't be dere in about five minutes' time.
(You make your wishes when you burn that dirt.)
[This was not a leading question. Somewhere while recording machine had stopped this had been mentioned.] Yeah yo' make yore own wishes In de Name of de Fathah, an' de Son an' de Holy Ghost. (What is the stuff that you would get at the drug store if you wanted to use that and add that to it?) It's sompin, but chew specially [don't] have tuh have dat, becuz ah ain't nevah didn't nuse [use] dat. (You don't have to have it. What is it, if you do want to use it?) [Either no answer or I turn off machine too fast.]
Entry 7724
Yo' git a headboard from de grave, de headboard, why dey claims it'll make yo' lucky. Yo'll have luck in hittin' de numbers; or if yo' are bootleggin' yo'll have luck in sellin' it. (What do they do with that headboard, though, to get that luck? What do they do with it?) Well dey keeps it somewhere roun' dere home. Dey jis' [keep] it - don't do anything wit it, jis' keep it aroun' dere home.
Entry 7725
Take de footbo'd an' put it tuh de haid an' de haidbo'd an' put it tuh de feet, an' let it stay fo' [for] fo' [four] days. Go back an' reverse de footbo'd tuh de left-side an' de haidbo'd tuh de right-side, an' name de othah per- son - name de per- son [victim]. Take de length of dat grave from de haid wit a rule [string can be used]. Carry it back through a [paper bag suggested later] an' pass it tuh dem [the victim]. Give it tuh dem or some of de ones in de house - or de one dat shure tuh be condemned. Dat'll be de one who'll soon pass out of de house. (How do you mean? You go there and put the headboard to the foot and the footboard to the head?) That's right. (Then you go back there in four days. And then what do you do with those boards?) Take 'em an' jes' place 'em tuh de side, one tuh de left an' one tuh de right Iside of grave].
(Well, which is which?)
De haidbo'd tuh de left [heartside] an' de footbo'd tuh de right. Jes' take dem an' jes' push 'em dere; jes' push 'em dere an' name 'em.
[Somewhere along here informant said something about a sign on the grave.]
(That you make a sign on the grave?)
Yo' make a "x" on de grave, dat's right. Carry it [measurement] back an' give tuh de person.
(What do you give to the person?)
De measure. Yo' measure it wit a rule or a string; anything yo' want tuh, jes' since yo' git it back [to the house]. Yo' take de measure an' give it tuh dis person, somebody in de house. Yo' gotta give it tuh 'em in a papah bag or sompin - in de bag or sompin. Be sure dat chew give it tuh 'em. [Sumter, S. Car. (1384), 2460:5.]
Entry 7726
Yo' take de foot- bo'd tuh de haid an' jes' whatevah yo' want done, vell yo' gotta say dat fo' yo'self yo' see; but chew take it, an' see how it's turnt one way, den yo' pull it up an' den yo' turn it roun' de othah way. See.
(You mean you put the head part [headboard] down to the foot?)
Yeah, yo' take de haid part - yo' take it from de haid an' put it tuh de foot an' den yo' - but chew turn it upside down. Don't turn it lak yo' pull it up. (You put the top [part.of graveboard] down into the hole. What do you do with the footboard then?) Yo' do de same thing. Yo' take de footbo'd an' put it to de haid an' yo' take de haid an' put it tuh de foot.
(But you must put them upside down?)
Upside down. Jes' whutevah yo' want did, den yo' ast dis dead body tuh do dat fo' yo' - jes' whutevah wish yo' want, whutevah yo' want did, yo' do dat. [Sumter, S. Car., (1348), 2330:9.] With all the graveyard dirt previously given and more to follow this subsec- tion (2), what is the reader to do? Remember only, graveyard dirt full of the spirit refuses to be confined within man-made schemes of order.]
Entry 7727
In N'oleans [New Orleans] it wuz a lady taken some graveyard dirt. An' she taken some, yo' know, anvil dust an' graveyard dirt, an' she buried it an' de woman jes' got in a ill condition. (Where did she bury it?) She sift it undah de woman's house. She buried it undah dere, but ah haven't experienced dat. [Sifting itself is a magic rite.]
Entry 7728
Ah hear'd dey could take graveyard dirt an' some gin an' assafetadee [3 ingredients] an' mix it tuhgethah, an' go tuh a person's house where a family. Jis' lak a man an' woman livin' dere an' dis woman - he got anothah woman yuh know, an' she [latter woman] go an' git dat an' sprinkle all aroun' de do'. Dey say dat'll break peace, dey [the two inside] always fussin' an' fightin' one anothah. [The gin is for the spirit in the graveyard dirt - see ALCOHOL FOR THE SPIRIT, p.32].
Entry 7729
You go into a graveyard and take two pennies and dig in a grave and take the dirt out of the grave, and take these two pennies and put them down in the hole and close it. And they can walk behind you and take this dirt and throw it up and down your back, and they work the trick right on you, and you'll go off in bad health and you are going to come on back to the graveyard [as a corpse].
The informant describes taking dirt from a dug grave, leaving two pennies and using the dirt behind someone, with reported ill health and return to the graveyard. The corpse interpretation is Hyatt's bracketed gloss; the Ediphone citation supplies recording context.
Entry 7730
Take graveyard dirt an' sprinkle it in yore baid, jis' lak yo' wanta bust up a man an' 'is wife - tuh bust up anybody - why yo' sprinkle dat. If dere any way yo' kin git dat in de baid, sprinkle it in dere an' it'll bust 'em up. Dey won't be tuhgethah no mo'.