Browse:Holly (Volume 1, entries 2003–2004)
Holly
Volume 1, entries 2003–2004. Source context: THE DOCTORS AT WORK: REPORTS FROM LAYMEN → HANDS: MAGIC HELPERS. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 2003
Now, heah a while ago a friend of mine wus 'rested, he wus 'rested fo' whiskey selling. Dat's whut he said was charged against him, whiskey selling. Well now, he wus in jail, he couldn't evah do nuthin cause he wus in jail. An' he had de same identical thing ah wus tellin' while ago 'bout dose holly leaves. An' hit wus nine holly leaves given tuh him; three to go in dis shoe, three lays in dis shoe, [an' "three in yore left-hand pocket" - see later] an' a silver dime or - dat somepin dat chew kin hardly find. Yo' makin' money but ah haven't seen none hardly in a long time now. [This was during the Great Depression. Now,1968, all silver dimes have disappearedl] But in dat - puttin' dose three leaves in each shoe an' three in yore left-hand pocket [the nine leaves] - cross dat finger [demonstrates].
(On your left-hand cross the fore-finger and the little finger.)
[How many persons can cross forefinger and little finger? Even make them touch?] Yes sir, dat's right. Dat finger right chere, cross dis one round dat, an' put it [the crossed fingers] in yore pocket. An' dey tells me when yo' walks up befo' de judge - dat's whut dis fellah tole me now - dat it gits de co't tangled all up. See, de jedge an' de laws an' things they can't git de place together - say, dey'll throw it out. Now, when ah wus up dere, a fellah tried to git me. Ah tole him no. Ah says, "Now, listen, if ah do any kind of misdemeanor, all de law will ketch me fo' is drinkin' prob'bly, or if ah'm in a fight wit anyone."
The informant describes crossing fingers in a reported court-related practice. The precise finger pairing and demonstration are not resolved, and dismissal remains a source prediction.
Entry 2004
I seen that done. They would go to the woods on the hilly side where the sun shines, on a hill like you know, and get some of this moss - green moss. And they will get some of this here 'olly [holly] with the red balls - little red berries. They'll put it in some vaseline and let it set for three days. They'll take it and 'noint the steps, the doorway - the steps all over, all up and down. They can't come in there.
(They can't come in. That keeps the law away.) [Holly is the devil's bush.]
The informant says unnamed others cannot enter after doorway treatment. The law-away paraphrase is the interviewer's, and protection remains a source claim.