Browse:KNOTS NINE (Volume 3, entries 3543–3629)
KNOTS NINE
Volume 3, entries 3543–3629. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → CAUSES OF SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → KNOTS AND TYING. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 3543
Dey says yo' jes' take a little rag, yo' know, an' make it lak a little towel, lak dat, an' put dat in chure mattress an' sleep on it, see. Now, yo' kin [also] take dat an' yo' kin tote it aroun' in yore pocket; or even if he sleeps, yo' understan', yo' kin take a piece of cloth an' measure his private, yo' know, an' jes' tie nine knots in dat an' put it in yore pocketbook. He couldn't git away to save his life. Dat's de way, when he's workin', what he makes, he's gotta give it [to you] when he comes.
Entry 3544
Yo' put nine knots in a bran'-new piece of cloth - yo' know, jes' lak yo' wanted to keep yore husban' from goin' out wit a woman, yo' know. Well, yo' jes' yo' know jes' lak yo' an' 'im be's connected togeth- ah, why den yo' an' 'er use dis new piece of cloth wit nine knots in it an' keep it undah yore bed mattress. An' he can't go out wit no othah woman but chew.
Entry 3545
Now, if yo' don't want 'im to go wit nobody but chew, yo' go to de sto' an' buy yo' a bran'-new - uh yahd [yard] of unbleached cotton, yeah. (Unbleached?) Cotton, yeah. Dat's yallah [yellow] cotton, unbleached - not bleached, unbleached. An' yo'll spread [it] right where he lays at. An' when yo' git ready to go wit 'im, have connection wit 'im, now don't chew discharge. Ah'm not goin' to discharge wit 'im, he goin' to discharge by 'isself. Ah takes dat an' ah'll tear a string off it, an' ah'll put nine knots in it an' ah'll wear it aroun' mah wais'. Now, when he git ready to go to see anothah woman, he can't see her. Ah'll stop 'im wit dat.
Entry 3546
If yo' got a man an' don't want 'im tuh have nobodys else but chew, yo' could tie him in nine knots in a towel or a new piece of yellah homespun. [Yel- low homespun is the same as yellow or unbleached cotton in preceding rite.
Entry 3547
Git a bran'-new han'ke'chuf. She use dat - jes' lak if yo' [a woman] wanta take his nature away, yo' undahstan'. If yo' [a man] don' Want 'er tuh go wit nobody else, yo' use it, see. Take a bran'-new han'ke'chuf an' she wipe wit it but not chew, see. Perten' [pretend] lak yo' did but chew didn't, see. An' yo' go an' put it ovah de do'dere [door of interview room referred to], see. Take dat piece out an' put ovah de do'. If yo' don't do dat, yo' kin take dat - yo' kin take it an' put it in de mattress. An' tie it in nine knots an' put dat in yore mattress. An' evah time he go tuh be wit anybody he'll fall.
Entry 3548
She'll take a string, see, an' if the man's asleep, you know, she'll take it out an' she'll git the full measure, see. An' then she'll go to work an' she'll tie nine knots in there, in this piece of new twine. An' she'll tie it right around the calf of her leg:
(Which leg?)
Either one, an' that's got chah. You won't want no other woman until you git where she is.
Entry 3549
(Well, how does she tie up a man. She takes a piece of what yo' call a grass rope an' whilst he's asleep, she'll take de measure of 'is body. She'll take de full measure of it.
(Of his body?) Yes, sir. What I mean, I can't explain rlght [I don't want to come right out and name it]. (Oh, I see. Yes.) [Yes = continue.]
Well, she put nine knots in dat an' she takes nine hairs from right close to his body. Yo' undahstan' what I mean?
(Right near it?)
Yes. Well, she takes dis an' she ties it in dere an' she ties it aroun' 'er wais'. An' she puts nine knots in dere an' she wears it aroun' 'er wais', an any woman he go to fool wit, he cannot have her.
(I see. But she must have those nine knots.)
An' evah knot supposed to have dis hair in dere. Yo' undahstan' what I mean?)
(She what?)
Evah knot she made [in the grass rope], she have a stran' of dis hair in dat. (Oh! Each one of these knots she made, she has a hair in that knot - one of these nine hairs in that knot. I see.) Yes, sir.
(And she wears it around her waist like a string, and it must be a grassrope.)
Yeah, grass rope.
(Grass-rope string. I see.)
Entry 3550
De stockin's [are] fo' love affairs. Now, dey kin take mah stockin's or mah socks - man or woman, don't make no diff'rence who it is, an' dey kin cut de toe of dat sock off an' de heel part of dat sock off, see. An' aftah dey cut it off, den dey tie it wit nine knots. Now dat's fo' love, [but] dat's not tuh drew [draw] dis love. It's lak if yo' loves a lady - ah should explain it tuh yo' lak dat. Jes' lak if ah loved a lady mahself an' she quit me fo' some othah man, an' ah don't want Ter tuh be intimate wit dis man. Prob'bly she could be wit 'im, but still she couldn't have no intahco'se wit 'im. Yo' undahstan'. All right, aftah ah cut de toe of 'er sock off heah an' de heel of 'er sock off - yo' know women don't har'ly wear stockin's now, some of dem wears socks now. Aftah ah cut dat off, ah takes me an' sets down, an' ah cuts it intuh a kin'a string-lak. Aftah ah cut dat off, see - ah wan'a show yo' whut ah'm talkin' 'bout. Ah think ah got a han'ke'chuf in mah pocket heah. Let dis kin'a be de toe of 'er stockin'. Ah cuts dat off, yo' undahstan'. Den ah takes an' tear dat, an' aftah ah tears dat, ah sits down an' ties me nine knots. See, nine knots In it in a diff'ren' form. An' aftah ah tie dose nine knots, ah pull dem darn tight. An' aftah ah tie dose nine knots, ah takes me a needle. Aftah ah git it all tied up, ah takes me a needle an' ah pins dat - see, wit de needle an' one of de pins. Now, [if] ah kin git a chance tuh git tuh her home, ah go tuh her home an' ah put dis in de middle of de bed. Prob'bly if it's too much [several beds] - if not, if it's only one, ah put it in de middle of it. [The center of a bed is the fifth pOint Of the quincunx.] NOW ANYBODY DAT SHE WANTS TUH INTAHCO'SE WIT, SHE CAN'T HAVE NO FEELIN' FO' DEM AT ALL. NOW, HE KIN DO IT, PROB'BLY HE WILL, BUT SHE WON'T HAVE NONE - NO FEELIN' FO' HIM AT ALL. [This Same nO feeling WIll alsO be found in No.3569.] DEN OTHAH WAYS ABOUT IT. Ah kin take her sock or 'er stockin's an' ah kin cut dat off ag'in, an' not even tie dem nine knots. Jes' cut it off an' take an' go tuh de woods. Now, ah'm goin' tuh de woods an' ah git me whut chew call herb stuff, now. Ah'm goin' tuh de woods an' ah git me whut chew call a holly leaf. Yo' [think] it's some Christmas holly wit berries on 'em, but dere's othah holly leafs hasn't got no berries on 'em - got dose sharp thorns on de leaves of 'em. Now, ah'm goin' dere an' take dose thorns. Ah'm gon'a git me nine leaves an ah'm gon'a break off all dose thorns on de leaves. Aftah ah done cut dat end of dat sock off, put it intuh a mere bottle - a half a pint flask. Put dose nine thorns offa all, each one, of dose leaves intuh dat bottle. An' aftah ah put it intuh dat bottle, den ah takes me a little of whut dey call - it's a water lily, it grows in de water. [This is probably the white-flowered species (Crinum amer- icanum), popularly called swamp lily (see 3246) of the southern United States.] Gits a bud outa dat. An' aftah ah gits dat bud outa dat, den I gits me jes' a leetle bit of salt, an' about, jes' aroun' about, a tablespoonful of hot peppah whut dey call red peppah. An' ah kin parch dat peppah [pod] now, or eithah ah kin let it be [buy it] in de cans. An' put it in dere wit dat an' stop dat bot- tle up. An' ah kin take dat bottle an' ah kin go home an' bury dat bottle any place in mah house ah wants tuh bury it. Take dese two fingahs [demonstrates].
(0f the right hand.)
Of de right hand.
(The index finger and then the finger next to the little finger?)
Dat's right. If she but been to mah house one time, ah kin take dese two fingahs heah an' git me a sharp match stem an' pick dese fingahs until dey bleed. Now her name is Miss H. M. Smith or H. M. Williams. Wit de blood of dat, dat come outa mah han's, ah writes 'er 'ritial - see, "H. M." See. An' puts dat in dat wit dat bottle an' bury dat bottle. Now, ah'm drivin' 'er tuh me, see. Ah'm bringin' 'er tuh me. Ah'm not drivin' 'er from me. Ah'm bringin' 'er tuh me. See. Now hit gotta set dere fo' nine mawnin's, an' aftah dese nine mawnin's den, in de tenth mawnin' yo' see her comin'. Don't kere who she is, she'll come.
Entry 3551
Ah've heard of fellahs takin' part of dere wives' undahweah, takin' an' tied it in nine knots. Well, he could take dat an' keep it in 'is back pocket all de time. An' anywhere he go, no mattah where, she go she be wit 'im. She can't have anything to do wit anothah man, seemed lak she'd jes' be sickly all de time - always sick, she can't do any- thing.
Entry 3552
Den if yo' want to, yo' kin stop 'em from havin' a intahco'se wit any- body but chew. Yo' take dat raw cotton string, jes' a cord string an' use it when yo' have intahco'se. Yo' take dat an' ketch dat an' tie nine knots in it, an' draw 'em to yo', an' tie it aroun' yore waist, an' evah time he goes out, den he cain't have nobody but chew.
Entry 3553
An' if yo' don't want yo' husban' to go wit anybody else, yo' kin take jis' a bran'-new piece of cord string an' measure de size of 'im down dere an' tie it in nine knots, each knot comin' to yo'. Tie it very tight. It's what yo' call tyin' a man up. Tie it very tight an wear dose nine knots aroun' yo' an' evah time he come in contact wit anothah woman he will be ready, until he git to de actual place, an' den he'll fall.
Entry 3554
(How do they do that?)
Well, dey take yore chamber lye an' if dey're still in dat house, yo' go to dere house. An' if yo' want to urinate, say, "Well, ah'm goin' to go to de bath- room." She give a jar to yo' an' yo'll urinate. She'll take dat an' as long as it contain no othah but yourn, she'll take it an' stop it up in a bottle. She'll take dat an' hide it somewheres. An' aftah she hide it somewhere on yo' [not on the man's person but about the house], yo'll find dat yo'll nevah be able [to have another woman] - she only. She take - aftah she gits yore chamber lye, she takes a string an' she'll measure yore private. An' aftah she git de length of yore private, den she take an' she make nine knots in it, drawin' to her evah time. Each time she draw a knot, it's drawin' it to 'er. Den she'll take an' she'll wear dis string aroun' 'er waist nex' to her skin, mo' so. An' den she'll take yore chamber lye an' hide it. She hide dis from yo' an' evah time yo' try to take intahco'se wit some othah woman, it drop. Yo' nevah can do it.
Entry 3555
An' den ag'in she kin git a new han'ke'chuf an' she kin wipe him up an' wipe her down, tie it in nine knots, an' den dat will make him stay home. (What will that do to him?) Dat'll make him so he can't have no othah woman, won't have no min' fo' runnin' roun'. [The magic of up or down is quite common, but up and down magic appears to be rare, I recalling but two examples: To make a baby long lived the person who serves as midwife should carry upstairs and then downstairs a thimbleful of the water used in washing the baby; and also: By running up and down the stairs with a baby you will make it spry. FACI 2nd ed., 3204 and 3206, p.145.]
Entry 3556
Fo' instance, when she have a intahco'se wit 'im, whensomevah he would discharge, instead of 'im wipin', she would take an' wipe him wit de rag. Den tearin' a strip off de rag an' tyin' nine knots in it an' wearin' it roun' 'er waist, an' when he'd go wit othah women dataway he'll be ambitious fo' 'em, but he won' do anythin' until he git dat way fo' her.
Entry 3557
Make nine knots.
(What?)
Nine knots, as I undahstan' it, an' tie dat. Take de rag where dey had de intahco'se wit an' dey wet it [by wiping with it], see. An' take a piece off dat rag where dat fluid is an' extract, it offen de fellah - from de germ cell. Take dat an' tie dat aroun' dere waist, see. An' dey'll usely [usually] will wear dat an' fo' some - fo' some reason, why it creates a kin' of a feelin' in a man's system. Me myself, I know of co'se about dem things cuz I stopped - I was messed in dat pahtic'lah position.
Entry 3558
(What do they do to cause trouble in the home, that is, break up a man and woman - cause them to fight, that sort of thing?) Well, ah an' 'im would be togethah. Well, instead of wipin' mahself, wipes 'im. Well, ah'd take dem pieces, dat cloth, an' cut it up in nine pieces an' tie it in nine knots, an' put it tuh mah side an' wear it evah day. Ah don't keer anywhere he be's at, he can't be uit nobody in de world - he'd fall evah time. (How do you mean you would tie nine knots? You would tie one knot in each one of these pieces?) Ef ah would - jes' lak ah an' mah husban' would be togethah, undahstan'. Well ah would take de towel an' wipe him. Ah ain't gon'a wipe mahself, only wipes 'im. Well, when ah an' 'im gits away awhile ah'm goin' tuh take dis same towel [cloth she calls it the first time - cloth used as towel] an' ah'm gon' tuh cut dis string [narrow pieces of cloth] about de length of mah fingah, an' ah'm goin' tuh tie it. Ah'm goin' tuh cut nine pieces in de string [cloth] jis' lak mah fingah.. [She is going to make a string of 9 finger-length pieces tied together.]
(Cut this towel?)
Yeah de towel, an' ah'm go'na tie it in nine knots, each piece. Ah'm go'na tie a knot in each piece an' have nine knots in it. Well, ah'm goin' tuh put de [nine-knotted] string around mah waist jes' de same as mah sanitary belt [rare term in hoodoo at this date] an' ah'm goin' tuh wear it evah day aroun' tuh mah side, right side, an' he can't have no woman in de world. He may try but he will fall evahy time - can't have nobody but mahself.
Entry 3559
Yes sir, dat's tuh keep a woman from - a woman keep a man from runnin' out wit anothah woman.
(How would she do that?)
She ties nine knots in dat string an' she measures it. Anyway dat she git dat string aroun' 'is private, why den she holds it lak dat. An' she - she might be drunk or sompin. Dey might be drinkin', playin', an' he won't not be thinkin'. An' she git a chance to git one knot in dere, why she got 'er han's on 'im, why den she goes off an' make de other eight. An' she wraps it roun' 'er waist. Why dat will stop a man from runnin' out in de streets, too. Dere sev'ral diff'ren' ways.
Entry 3560
Den yo' kin take a woman an' let 'er have intahco'se wit yo', an' take a piece of white cord, any bran'-new white cord dat jes' come off de wrappin [ball] ain't nevah been tied roun' nuthin. An' soak dat in 'er chamber lye an' jes' discharge aftah yo' git off, yo' know, uri- nate. Soak dat an' put eight knots roun' it an' tie de ninth knot right ovah her navel. Put de ninth knot right ovah her navel, an' yo cain't go off an' do nuthin else wit nobody, but jes' go right back to her, whethah she's a man's wife or a man's woman. An' yo' kin do de same thing on 'er, see.
(The discharge and your urine on it?)
Yessuh. [Both interviewer and interviewee are a little fuzzy here about a very fuzzy subject!]
Entry 3561
She measure mah private - she measure eight inches an' she taken a white cord-string an put eight knots in it, an' ah couldn't mess wit no othah woman.
(What would she do with that string then?)
She kept it.
[Eight knots permits the 9th knot by tying it about body or any object.]
Entry 3562
Yo' take a string an' measure dis person, an' tie a knot at de end of dat string. Yo' see, tie a knot at de end of dat string. Yo' see, tie a knot at de end of dat string, at de firs measurin' place an' den yo' tie it, an' from dere on yo' tie eight more which makes nine, an' den yo' kin eithah pin it aroun' yore ankle wit a sil- vah dime. Stick a hole in a silvah dime an' wear it aroun' de ankle, dey won't love no one but yo'. Well, NOW SOME PEOPLE SAY DEY USE IT FER CRAMPS [see Nos.1516-1517], BUT DAT'S ALWAYS AS AN ALIBI. DAT'S [LOVE IS] WHUT DE USE IT FO'.
(They say they use it for cramps, but they really want to keep a man.)
Entry 3563
Heard of 'em tyin' knots in a cord - jes' in a piece of string. Dey say if a man wanta make his wife stay home, he git a piece of cord de length of de bed an' let it stay dere one night an' she sleep on it. Den take it off an' put six knots in it, thinkin' about 'er, an' den three mo' knots In de Name of de Father, Son an' Holy Ghost. An' den take dat string an' wet it in chamber lye. (Wet it with him?) Yes sir, an' den take de rollah [roller] out de bed [one of the 4 casters on bottom of the 4 legs of the bed] on dat side an' put it up in dere an' push de rollah back in, an' dey say de man's wife will always stay home. De rollah, take it out an' put dat piece of thread up in dere an' den put de rollah back in.
Entry 3564
Yo' goin' wit dis woman an' she want yo' all to herself, wit all yore affection to her, why she jis' git a little string of some kine - some kinda fine cord or even a piece of thread. When yo' an' 'er go to bed, measure - put one knot in de end, an' she measure yo', yore instrument, see, tie dat knot. Well, aftah she measure yo', den she tie a knot dere. Den [after] yo' - all's up [yo' all is up], an' yo' is gone, or somepin, she put jis' as many knots in dere: if she wan' chew to stay wit 'er a lifetime, jis' put nine knots, see, in dat space of yore instrument, yo' undahstan'.
(Nine knots [including those] between those two end knots?)
Yeah, nine knots in dere, an' take dat right in dere, an' if it's not long enough, put anothah piece on it an' pin it aroun' 'er waist. As long as it stay dere, why yo'll fall fo' her all de time. Regardless of who yo' have any affec- tion about, why yore mind will be on 'er.
Entry 3565
[My opening comments here as in so many places are primarily either to put informant at ease or to suggest that he or she speak louder.]
(That's a boat whistling - the boat coming in from New Orleans, I suppose.) Yes, I guess so. (What did you say, now?)
I said dat she would take a cord string an' tie nine knots in it.
(What?)
A cord string.
(Oh, a cord string. All right, what would she do?)
An' tie nine knots in it an' take two grains of black peppah [see later] an' tie it in each one [end], yo' know, an' she would wear it. Of co'se, anything dat's bein' used lak dat, ain't supposed to wear it aroun' de waist. She'd have to keep it nex' to her.
(I see. Well she would have to put - you mean black pepper?)
Black peppah - no [not ground black pepper], you know black grain peppah.
(What kind? Black grain pepper?)
Black grain peppah. Yo' jis' tie dat black grain peppah.
(You just tie this one thing in each.)
Yo' tie it in each tying in the string, yo' know. (You mean those little round pepper things - little round, they are about the size of a bullet shot?) [I wanted to be certain that informant meant whole black pepper. This exces- sive repetition may also mean that I was having trouble with the recording. Gun shell shot would have been a better term.l Yeah, but yo' have to double de cord string.
(You do what?)
You have to double it.
(You have to double it?)
Double the cord string.
(How do you double it?)
Why yo' know how yo' take a string an' double it?
(Yes.)
Yo' ties de knots in it. (Oh, you tie the knots in the double string - nine knots. But you tie these pieces [whole black peppers] in the end?) In each end.
(I see.)
Entry 3566
She kin measure him an' take de nature from 'im fo' othah people so he have nature fo' her. Well, she take de measure of him, as long as he is, but let de string be dou- ble. Double de string an' take de measure of 'im. An' while she's foolin' wit 'im. Den take dat string an' wear it roun' 'er laig. Well, he won't fool wit no one.
Entry 3567
Den she kin take a bran'-new cord string an' put it up in 'er, an' aftah takin' dat string an' puttin' it up in her - take a cord string an' put it up in yo'. Double it three times fo' tuh wear it aroun' yore waist, an' have him. An' don't chew come, let 'im come. Take dat string out of yo' an' put it roun' yore waist, an' fo' nine mawnin's tie nine knots in it evah mawnin' put a knot in it. An' he won't have nobody.
Entry 3568
Git chew some black thread, an' jes' lak he be's drunk or eithah sleepin', yo' measure 'im. An den when yo' measure 'im yo' double dat thread nine times to yo' an' tie nine knots in it an' tie it in de middle of de [bed] spring, an' yo' got 'im. [Middle of de spring, like center of bed, room, house, etc., is quincunx magic.]
(What will that do to him?)
Make him stay dere an' bring 'is money home.
(Will it take his nature away?)
No sir, not fo' yo' but othah folks - he won't care fo' no othah one but chew.
(For no other women.)
Entry 3569
Fix it in a way dat she wouldn't forgit 'im, yo' know, when he come back. Now he's git - he'd take an' he'd git 'im a piece of cord string. He'd ketch 'er while she's asleep, an' he'd measure her. See, he'd measure her. Now, when he'd measure her, he'd take an' he puts a knot evah inch of dat string. He puts nine knots but he'd put 'em an inch apart, see. Now, he puts dem nine knots a inch apart an' he folds dat string up an' he tries to make it in nine wraps. As he wraps it aroun', yo' know, he make nine wraps outa it. He'd go an' he'd git 'im a bran'-new silk pocket han'ke'chuf. He'd tie dis in dat pocket han'ke- chuf an' he'd put it in 'is back pocket an' keep it dere in 'is back pocket. An whenevah she go to do anything, her feelin' will fall an' he'll know it, cuz one of dem knots goin' to come loose. See, one of de knots will come unloosed. Evah time she goes to start he'll know it, cuz one of de knots. I don't care if he goes to New York, when she goin' to do anything, one of dem knots vill come un- IOOSEd, BUT SHE AIN'T GOIN' TO HAVE NO FEELIN' FO' DE FELLAH SHE'S WIT, yo' see. SHE MIGHT DO IT, BUT IT BE AGAINST 'ER WILL; an' HE'LL [HUSBAND WILL] KNOW IT, CUZ ONE OF DEM KNOTS WILL COME LOOSE. [The PreCeding SHE AIN'T GOIN' TO HAVE NO FEELIN' FO' DE FELLAH SHE'S WIT is also believed in Waycross, Ga., see No.3550.]
(How would he measure her? Here she is. How would he measure her?)
[Here she is: indicates that I pushed my Numbers Book (see illustration at end of volume 2) over to informant.] Well, he'd take it straight up an' down, yo' see. (Straight up and down - from the top to the bottom. I see.)
Entry 3570
Well, dey has nine knot to tie, dey tie 'em in a length of dat length [demonstrates].
(About a foot.)
[These knots on the string are tied a foot apart.]
Yo' tie eight. Evah knot chew tie, yo' names whoevah yo' want dere love. Yo' name dem, yo' want dere love an' bring 'em back to yo'. De last [ninth] knot chew tie, yo' tie dat knot, yo' tie dat string roun' yo' an' yo' wear it; but chew 'noint it wit dat holy oil (see p.588) an' den yo' wear it roun' yore waist. An' dose people will love yo' an' always be dere. Ah know dat pos'tively fo' mahself. (You take any kind of string to do that?) Yes - no, ah take a cord string, yo' know, jes' lak yo' buy a package. Yo' take a cord string an' do dat.
Entry 3571
Yo' could measure him to keep from bein' wit anothah woman, but heah's whut chew gotta do. Yo' could take a simple thing as a piece of cord - whut chew tie a package wit - an' measure it down [not up] his thing an' knot it nine times in each little space. [Keep the knots close together.] Knot dat cord nine times an' keep it tied roun' yore waist. An' he couldn't raise a heart fo' no othah woman.
Entry 3572
Well, yo' could take socks an' ah could let 'im - jes' lak he mess wit me, ah could let 'im wipe on dat sock an' ah not wipe on it. An' ah could tie it to de.spring of de bed - not on de sock, a rag. Dat do jes' as good as de sock. An' ah could tie it in nine hard knots an' let it stay to de spring of de bed, an' he nevah mess wit anothah woman long as dat sock [rag] tied dere.
Entry 3573
Yo' wear it. Yo' tie nine knots in dat string fo' nine mawnin's, yo' see. Yo' sleep wit 'im nine mawnin's an' git up on dem nine mawnin's an' tie a knot in dat string fo' nine mawnin's an' wear it aroun' 'er waist. (You tie one knot each morning?) Yeah, each morning. (What do you do with the string? Do you have to do anything with the string first?) Yes, wear it around - no, I nevah heard dat, nevah heard it. She jes' wear it aroun' 'er waist.
(I see.)
Entry 3574
Dat's tuh make a man love yo'. Well, if yo' goin' wit a man an' evah time yo'all go tuh bed togethah, evah time yo'all go out togethah, well yo' tie a knot in dis. Git chew a piece of yellah homespun an' yo' tie a knot in dis homespun until yo' git nine knots. An' aftah yo' git dose nine knots in it, yo' put it in a jar an' shet it up tight, an' den yo' take it an' bury it. An' aftah yo' bury it, dis man will - he jes' can't keep away from yore house.
Entry 3575
Yo' supposed tuh wear a cord string roun' yore wais'.... Fust [first] yo' buy de cord string from de grocery man [so that it will be new]. When yo' have anything [to do with a man], look lak, yo' PUT see. When yo' have sompin tuh do wit 'im, don't chew do nuthin. Let 'im do whut he go'na do. Den yo' take de cord string out. De first time, night, yo' put a knot in it de next mawnin', yo' put anothah knot in it fo' nine mawnin's. Keep de string roun' yore wais'. Low [allow] length enough yo' know till yo' kin put nine knots in dere, an' let it be loose 'nough till yo' put nine knots in it, see. Den yo' put de nine knots in dere an' yo' kin hold 'im.
(But you always wear this string inside yourself?)
No, no. See, de first time yo' put de string [in] an' den yo' have a intah- co'se on de string, see. An' den yo' tie de string aroun' yore wais' an' den evah mawnin' yo' ties a knot in it fo' nine mawnin's. See, dat ties 'im up. (THAT WOMAN WHO WAS IN HERE TALKING TO ME, HAS TO SPIT. SHE IS CHEWING [TO- BACCO, NOT A "ROOT'l AND HAS GONE OUT TO SPIT, AND IS COMING BACK IN AGAIN. NO WONDER SHE COULDN'T TALR!)
Entry 3576
She'll take a cotton string, an' she said she use dat cotton string evah time she have dealin's wit 'er husban'; an' jis' how many times, she'd tie a knot in it. An' den she wear it roun' 'er waist fo so many days, an' den she take it an' put it undah de leak of a house an' bury it dere. An' den he wouldn't run aroun', he'd stay home.
(Do you know how many days she wore that?)
She said she wore it three days.
(That kept him from running around with other women?)
Yes.
Entry 3577
If yo've got a man fren' an' he don't come tuh see yo' as reg'lah as yoo want 'im tuh come, yo' git chew a nail an' a string an' tie nine knots in it [demonstrates]. Yo' wrap dat string an' yo' tie a knot, wrap. it roun' an' tie a knot till yo' git nine. Take dat an' stick it down dere to de do'step an' yo' make a wish whut chew want. Dat will make him come. (You just wrap the string around your finger [serving as a nail] and tie it around, tie it around [9 times].) Yes.
Entry 3578
Say in case now, if yo' gotta wife - yo' wanta learn dis?
(Yes, go ahead.)
Case if yo' gotta woman or wife or somepin lak dat, an' dis othah man is goin' wit 'er, an' yo' wanta break de man who goin' wit 'er. Yo' wanta know dat? All right. Yo' go to de sto' an' git chew a piece of new white cloth, an' yo' git dat white cloth an' tears a strip off it like dat, see [demon- strates]. Well now, lak if yo' goin' wit dis woman an' don't want nobody else tuh go wit 'er but chew. Yo' see, if yo' take dat piece of cloth WHEN SHE HAS CONNECTION, DON' CHEW HAVE NO CONNECTION AT ALL. Jes' tear a strip offa dat an' den tie nine knots in dat - see, nine knots in dat strip. Well, all right, when yo' tie dem nine knots in dere den yo' puts it inside dat piece of cloth jes' lak dat yo' see. [demonstrates]. (You put this strip that you tore off, that you put the nine knots in, you put it in this other piece of cloth that you didn't tear.) See, dis strip dat chew to' [tore] off, now.
(This is the cloth that she's wiped with?)
Yeah, yo' tear dat off an' yo' put nine knots in dat, yo' see. An' jes' lak if my name Dawson [his name was Dawson], yo' say, "Dawson." All right. An' yo draw dat knot to yo', see. Well, lak 'er name So-an'-so, yo' say, "So-an'-so, I an'"So-an'-so," an - see, yo' call yore name evah othah [each] time till yo git nine [knots and names]. Den, when yo' git nine, den yo' take dat an' roll dat to yo' lak dis, yo' see [demonstrates], an' den yo' git chew - go to de store an' git chew a bran'-new spool of thread No.8 an' a needle - big needle - an' put dat in dere an' sew dat up an' wear it roun' yore waist. No man can't go wit 'er to save dere life - TO YORE LIFE AN' MINE'S EITHAH.
(The man does: this to the woman.)
Entry 3579
Ah've heard of 'em tyin' knots in strings, women. Dat's whut ah heard dey do. Dey'll tie dem strings in nine knots an' EVAH TIME DEY TIE ONE DEM KNOTS DEY CALL DE PERSON'S NAME, who dey in love wit, an' if dey Want 'em to love dem, dey'll tie de string in dem nine knots. An' den dey'll put it roun' dere waist an' dey'll wear dat a certain many days, an' in dem certain many days dat person who dey want will cling'to dem. Don't kere who it is, if it's a man's wife, she'll cling to dat man. Or if it's a woman's husban', he'll cling to dat woman.
Entry 3580
Yo' take a cotton string - all dat's tyin' 'em. Yo' take dat cotton string an' yo' git yo' a bottle of Heart Cologne an' yo' drop it in dat bottle as yo' tyin' dem knots, see. An' yo' drop it in dat bottle an' name dem, tie a knot, den drop it in - tie it nine times.
(Each time you tie a knot you let the string fall down into that bottle?)
Down in de bottle till de las' one git on it [string]. Take de string den an' yo' tie it roun' yore waist, an' yo' wear it roun' yore waist. An' yo' git chew a piece of hair from de top [of the head] an' a piece from down dere an' make a li'l' ball - jes' a li'l' ball about as big as a match, de fiah part of de match, an' put a little piece of cloth to it, an' tie it in one dem knots an' let it hang right down, right down on dere.
(On the privates?)
Yeah. An' dey'd wear it. An' see, dat's tyin' 'em.
Entry 3581
Tie knots, as many as yo' want, an' tie a person's name [in the knot]. Jes' lak yo' want dat person tuh do somepin, yo' tie 'em an' yo' call dere name, say, "Well, So-an'-so, an' So- an'-so, ah'm tyin' dese knots heah fo' yo'." An' yo' tie dose knots hard, den yo' wear 'em, an' yo' kin wear 'em round yore waist or undah yore feet. An' dat controls 'em, dey have tuh be submissive to yo'.
(How many knots did you say to tie?)
Nine.
Entry 3582
When yore husban' lie down to take his rest, when he git tuh sleep good, git chew a cord string. Git chew a cord string an' take it an' measure it an' tie nine knots in it. (Measure him. Where does she measure him?) Start tuh measure him from de head down to de toe, an' put nine knots in dere, an' take it an' tie it - tie nine knots in dere an' wear it aroun' yore waist.
(What will that do?)
Evah time yo' tie it yo' call 'is name an' tell 'im tuh come back to yo'.
(What are you doing that for, tying those knots for?)
Well, dat's tuh bring him back home.
(Make him stay home?)
He'll stay home when he come back.
Entry 3583
(Just a minute! Tell me the whole thing.)
Well, dey say yo' kin have a cord string in de meantime, an' yo' kin have it fixed so when yo' go to use it in yore rag, an' hit'll git not much on it yo' see. An' den yo' tie nine knots in it an' let 'er wear dat aroun' 'er waist. An' [dey] say, den she can't do anything.
(He can't.) He can't do anything but wit 'er.
Entry 3584
[Rites of where to measure a man have al- ready been given, but for the sake of completion here are a few more examples of length, width and length and width. Length of person's body rarely occurs in this type of measuring.] Measure him, measure a person, an' tie nine knots. Aftah yo' git de length, den yo' tie yo' nine knots, an' yo' take it an' yo' wear it roun' de top of yo'. [Informant either demonstrated or I turned off machine, missed the words about leg.]
(Oh, round the top of your leg like a garter?)
Yes. Take it off at night an' git up in de mawnin' an' put it on. He cain't do nuthin. Any time he start: [I interrupt].
(Why do you take it off at night?)
Well, he den kin find it. See, yo' pull stockin' off wit 'em, becuz' dey liable tuh go tuh feelin' roun'.
(You hide it at night?)
Sho'.
Entry 3585
Yo' kin take - when yo' have intahco'se wit chure wife, or wit anybody yo' like, jes' take dat string, don't chew know, an' as long as - skuse [excuse] me dat expression [which is the following] as long as it is. Yo' jes' tie nine knots on dere an' jes' wear it roun' yo'. Even if yo' [a man] are wit yore wife, or de othah woman, or eithah de man [can measure a woman]. Take a cord string an' jes' tie nine knots an' de way she is yo' jes' tie nine knots an' yo' know, rub some of dat stuff on it an' jes' wear it roun' yore waist. An' dat'll make 'em jes' git crazy ovah yuh.
Entry 3586
Yo' know dese little wrappin' strings yo' wrap wit. An' when he's daid asleep at night, measure him wit dis.
(With that string?)
Yeah, measure him wit dis yo' see, from de bottom-lak [to] de tip-end - yo' know whut ah'm talkin' about. An' tie nine hard knots in dat string yo' see, an' den tie it undah her [bed] springs, or eithah roun' de bed somewhere; an' if he goes off tuh fool wit anothah woman, he cain't do it tuh save his life. Hit'll go an' fall.
Entry 3587
Take a string an' measure de length of 'im an' tie it in nine knots an' hang it up an' he become to de place where he nevah would care fo' her [the other woman].
(Where would she hang that string?)
Anywhere about in de house where dat he can't reach it, or where it won't be reached - so anyone won't evah bothah it.
Entry 3588
Bran'-new cord string jes' off de grocery or wheresomevah yo' git it, but it must be bran'-new. Well, all right, yo' measure his private. Yo' measure dat wit dat cord string. An' yo' take dat cord string where yo' measured it, how big - how long dat so-an'-so is, an' yo' make dem nine knots how long dat is, right on dat, an' yo' puts dat roun' yore waist. Yo' wear dat roun' yore waist. Dat keeps 'im tuh come tuh yo' an' don' want no worry wit nobody but chew.
Entry 3589
Fo' instance, de man would be asleep at night an' de woman would take a string an' measure him, de length of it. She would tie nine knots in dat string. She would wear dat aroun' 'er waist, an' de woman dat he would have am- bition fo', an' he go on away to her, an' he have it till he git to her, den it would fall. An' he won't be able to do anything to her, yo' see. He have ambi- tion befo' he git to her.
Entry 3590
Yo' kin take a string, a cord string an' measure roun' - take it jes' as roun' as, lak yore, measure dat jes' to make it de same size as it. Keep dat de same size, an' yo' take it an' tie it aroun' yore laig. Jes' keep dat aroun' an' tie it aroun' yore laig. (You tie this one string around it and you put two other pieces of string ontd it, and tie it around?)
[Three pieces of string used.]
Tie it aroun' yore laig, or eithah roun' yore waist.
Entry 3591
A woman kin take a man an' take his concern when he sleep, take a cord string an' measure his concern wit dat cord string, yo' see, jes' in de middle [center] yo' see. An' she'll have a certain mark dere, yo' know, how long [thick] it is. An' she kin put nine knots in dat string right in dat certain place an' wear it roun' 'er waist. An' ah bet chew ten dollahs tuh fifty, yo' couldn't fool wit a woman. Evah time yo' go tuh fool wit a woman, it will fall right lak a rag right heah.
Entry 3592
An' if she got yo' so dat yo' couldn't fool wit no othah womens - prob'ly she done given yo' some appearance [menstrual blood], dat anywhere she be at, yo' wants to be dere wit 'er. Well, quite natchly [naturally], yo'll say to yoreself lak dis, "Huh, well, ah could fool wit mah wife so, an' when ah git aroun' othah women, den ah can't do nuthin. Which yo' really is, but de ninute yo' aim to do things, yore courage will leave yo'. Well, dere wuz a woman, she got a cord yo' know, jis' lak any little fine piece of line.
(A cord, yes - a string, yes.)
Well, she done - while yo' sleepin', she done cut de length of yo'. She done cat de length from yo' an' how big aroun'. She done cut dat. She'll put knots in de twine. She'll put nine knots in de cord. She take dat cord an' she put it right ovah herself lak dat, add it to anothah piece of cord, an' she'll put nine knots in 'er cord what she got, an' she'll wear it aroun' 'er waist, but de knots in yore length dat goes ovah 'er, she got it right in front ovah 'er pri- vate. An' jis' as long as she got dat roun' 'er, yo' couldn't fool wit no othah womens.
Entry 3593
Take a string an' measure his thing, an' tie a knot in it at evah time yo' measure it. Yo' measure de length an' de width of it - ah mean around it. Take it an put some of 'is come wit it an' wear it an' he cain't git up no heart fo' her.
(How many knots do you put in the string?)
Nine.
Entry 3594
Yo' want [to] make her stay wit chew, yo' jis' - yo' take her when she 'sleep, an' yo' come dere an' measure roun' 'er wit a string; an' yo' make nine knots in de measure dat way an' yo' tie it, hang it roun' yo see. [Measure roun' 'er = circumference, a circle, a confining symbol; measuring and circle being confining devices.]
(Round your leg? The man ties it around his leg? That holds her?)
Yessuh.
Entry 3595
An' dere's anothah way to tie yo' up. Take - a woman kin fool wit yo' an' git de measure of yore stick, an' put nine knots in it, an' wear it aroun' 'er laig, an' yo' can't have no connection. Yo' may try to have connection wit de party, but evah time dey start, yo'll have de ambition but...
Entry 3596
If yo' got a boy fren' an' don' want 'im tuh intahco'se wit anothah girl, yo' take a cotton string an' tie it in nine knots, in de cotton string, an' when yo' have intahco'se, take dat cotton string an' wipe him off an' tie it roun' yore laig dere, an' he cain't have no intahco'se wit nobody else.
(How many knots?)
Nine knots.
Entry 3597
A wumman could take a string an' tie nine knots in it an' when he goes wit 'er she could measure his privates wit it. (After she has tied nine knots.) Yessir, she could measure his privates wit de string aftah she tied de nine knots in it, an' take dis string an' wear it roun' 'er waist three days. An' aftah she wear it roun' 'er waist three days, take it an' burn it up, an' he couldn't have no intahco'se wit nobody but 'er.
(Well, couldn't he ever git rid of that?)
No, unless somebody wuz jes' smart enough [a two-header], yo' know, tuh tell him how tuh git relief.
Entry 3598
Jes' he be - yo' tyin' 'em togethah now, see. All right, jis' lak ah got a boy friend an' ah say ah'm worried about 'im, he 'bout to git away from me wit some othah woman. All right, me an' 'im go tuh bed an' we have connection wit each othah. All right, he steals de cloth whut he use, or ah steal it from 'im, yo' undahstand. He goin' an' tie it up in nine knots an' we goin' be togethah till dem knots git rotten.
Entry 3599
Lak if dere's a boy an' he goin' wit a girl dere an' he wants tuh - well, ah take it, say if dere's a boy goin' wit two girls. Ah mean two boys goin' wit one girl an' one boy he wanted tuh overdo dis othah one wit dis girl. He take one of dese twine strings an' tie nine knots in dis string, an' aftah 'im an' 'er have an intahco'se, measure each way two ways - cross an' straight up an' down on 'er. An' den take an' tie dat string aroun' 'is waist. An' aftah he do dat she'll come tuh be undah 'is control an' de othah boy he be so he can't have anything at all to do wit 'er. (You say he takes the string and measures her private. You say he measures it three ways. Well, how do you mean? Take the width of it?) Yessuh, an' cross dere. Den he takes an' measure on dis way [demonstrates]. (Diagonal - the corner. Measures it three ways.)
Entry 3600
At night measure him an' tie nine knots an' make a cross an' bury it.
(How do you make that cross?)
Make a cross wherevah it's buried - aftah. (She buries the string with nine knots on it, and then makes a cross on top of the ground?) Yessuh.
(What is that supposed to do?)
Dat's breakin' 'em up.
(Breaking up the other woman?)
Yes.
Entry 3601
(You would take the rag and do what with it?)
Take a new piece an' [after a man's stuff is on it] tie nine knots in it an' put it in a - let it stay in a bottle where it's greasy an' let it stay wet all de time. Keep it in a cornah, some closed cornah in yore house. [This corners, confines a man.] Say yo'll git all yore husban's or man's money like dat.
(Keep this rag in that bottle?)
Yes, keep it, never let it get dry - put it right dere ovah dat grease an' let it stay wet all de time. [This of course is a hand automatically fed grease. For feeding, see p.578.]
(And you'll get all his money, you say.)
Yo' gits 'is money.
(But this piece of cloth, you must wipe him with that or yourself?)
Yo' ketch dat from 'im.
Entry 3602
Now an' den wit 'er.
(What will that do?)
She be layin' down wit 'im an' she have her a piece of yellah cotton.
(Yellow cotton?)
Yes. An' when she go wit 'im, she wipe 'im, she wipe 'im wit it. She takes dis yellah cotton, make nine knots in it, an' put it in de cornah of 'er mat- tress - sew it up in de mattress. He can't git a heart fo' nobody.
Entry 3603
Inside a man hat, de women take dat bow an' whensomevah de man - dey take dat bow out of de man's hat. Whensomevah dey go wit a man, dey takes a special piece [of cloth] to vipe wit, an' aftah takin' de piece to wipe wit, dey take dat bow an' dey tie it up in dat piece wit nine knots an' wear it aroun' dere waist. Well, hit'll make him follah lak one of dose animal do when dey hook 'im in de nose [a bull] wit dat hook, yo' see. Dat's fo' sure. Huh voice am sound sweetah dan any othah ooman, huh cookin's taste bettah an' evahthin'. He jis' git devoted to her so, until dat if he happen to do anythin' aftah she doin' dat, DE LAW SHOULD TAKE SIDES WIT 'IM BECUZ HE'S NOT OF HISSELF. (I see. Will she take a piece and wipe it after she's had intercourse with him?) Absolutely.
(I see.)
Entry 3604
Dey say yo' kin take a new piece of material an' - if yo' have intah- co'se wit a man lak dat, an' tie nine knots in it, wear it roun' yore waist nine days an' buries it - dey say, why den dat man can't have no othah woman but yo'. [For new material, see also Nos.3543-3548.]
Entry 3605
Take some of de hair from undah his clothes an' some of de hair from off de woman an' tie it up in a pocket han'ke'ch'ef wit nine knots, an' tote it in yore pocket.
(This woman would take some of his hair down below?)
Yes sir.
(Just the hair, and what would she do with that?)
She would tie it up in a pocket han'ke'ch'ef.
(What would she put with that hair, anything?)
She put her hair.
(Where would she get her hair?)
Outa down below.
(She puts it in the handkerchief, any kind of handkerchief?)
Yes sir, jes' a white han'ke'ch'ef. An' tie it in nine knots. She does wit dat hair an' she jest tote it, put it in her pocket an' tote it.
(What will that do then?)
Well, that will stop him.
(Stop him from running around with other women?)
Yes sir, hold 'im right dere.
Entry 3606
Dem dere tyin' dem knots, yo' see, is a question lak yo' has to use othah stuff wit it, yo' see. It's prob'bly lak if yo' git a woman's sick rag or somepin lak dat an' tie nine knots in it, yo' see, an den place it into her bed. Well she'll come to be sickly all de time. Dem nine knots yo' know dey use fo' a whole lotta things.
Entry 3607
Well, sometimes dey will tie nine knots in a string an' dey will wear aroun' dere laig underneat' de - if dey want to. An' dat keeps a man tied up. Jes' put nine knots in it an' wear it around dere laig. (What do they do with that string first before they tie those nine knots in it?) No, dey don't wear it atall. Jes' tie nine knots in it an' wear dat aroun' dere laig. An' dey wear dat.
Entry 3608
Ah've heard of womens tyin' knots in little strings lak dat an' wearin' fo' menfolkses dat have quit 'em, jes' as yo' spoke 'bout while ago, an' go away. Why yo' kin tie nine knots in a string an' wear it roun' yore waist. Dey claim dat will bring 'em back.
(Do they do anything to the string first?)
Dat's all ah've heard.
Entry 3609
Ah heard dat chew could take sompin jes' lak some of yore fingahnails, toenails, things from out undah yore toenails, an' trim 'em an' put: 'em in whis- key an' let 'im drink off dat whiskey. An' say dat he'll come back. An' dey say if yo' wanta keep one, tie nine knots in a string an' have lak sompin to dc wit 'im, an' let some of dat stuff git on it an' wear dis string aroun' yo'. An' dey say dat will keep him tied to yo' where he won't leave.
Entry 3610
If a man is runnin' aroun' wit a woman - yo' mean yo' don't want 'im to fool wit dat othah woman?
(Yes.)
Well, dey say, yo' know yo' got a husban'. Well, when yore husban' go wit yo' an' yo' an' 'im connects togethah. Well, dey say, yo' takes a piece of cord string. Well yo' catches dat, an' dey say yo' ties dat in nine knots. See, an' yo' ties it aroun' yore wais' an' yo' wears it aroun' dere all de time. Well, he can't fool wit no othah women but yo' becuz yo' got 'im all tied up.
(I see.)
(What can he do?)
He else will have to git it from yo' [the woman]. He has to go to somebody [hoodoo] an' dey'll tell 'im dat 'is wife got 'im tied up. Now, he may kin catch yo' in de bed asleep at night an' cut dat string from aroun' yore wais', yo' see. An' den yo'll notice dat de nex' time he go wit yo', yo' see, dat's de way dat is.
(He has to get that cord from you?)
Yes.
Entry 3611
Ah heard dat if yo' didn't want chure woman to leave fo' nobody else, dat chew take an' take a string outa her petticoat or 'er bloomahs or somepin lak dat an' git it wet wit some of 'er monthly stuff, an' take an' tie it in nine knots an' wear it roun' yore waist, dat no othah man can't mess wit 'er. Evah time he go dere he'll fall right down dere evah time.
Entry 3612
Fo' a man to lose his nature an' - lak if he has a woman an' she loves 'im, or he has a wife an' she loves 'im best. To remove him from 'er, or to take his nature away, she'll take a string, a cord string an' she'll measure his private an' den she puts nine knots in it. See. An' aftah puttin' de nine knots in it, den she'll take it an' she'll bury it or tie it undah de bed an' sleep on it. Dat is to take away his nature. or to keep 'im from goin' wit anybody else.
Entry 3613
Tie knots on a string an' tie it on to de lowah part of de body, an' tie a piece of cloth to dat, an' evah time - why dey have anything to do wit de fren', why dey take whut dey got fixed lak dat an' let him, yo' know, wipe wit it first. An' he wouldn't have mood, no wants fo' no othah woman but 'er. (Well, would she tie those nine knots first into the string?) [She had said nine knots before machine began to record.] She tie dose nine knots first, an' den yo' sew it onto a little bag, an' keep it right aroun' yore waist. An' evah time dat she be wit im, she would let Tim use it but not she use it. An' do dat fo' 'bout nine times. Well, aftah nine times, why yo' take an' bury it undah yore do'step, an' he wouldn't have no use fo' no othah woman.
Entry 3614
Yo' kin tie nine knots into a cloth if it's a cloth dat yo' use wit anybody, or dey usin' a dirty garment. Yo' tie de nine knots into de cloth an' bury it to de sunrise. It'll pine de person away.
(You mean any garment that the person has used?)
Yes, an' dey won' feel sick, dey won' feel bad or nuthin - jes' dry up on earth.
Entry 3615
It's a certain thing about a woman, dey take an' wrap it wit black thread. (What would he take from her? Some of the cloth?) An' he would wrap it wit black thread jes' as tight as he could, an' tie nine knots aroun' it an' put dat in 'is pocket. Dat woman would follah 'im any place he went. (This woman would follow him. He gets her cloth and he wraps black cloth around that.) No, black thread - nine knots.
(And he puts it in his pocket.)
Or aroun' 'is waist.
Entry 3616
Well, yo' kin take a woman's sanitary cloth [a term rarely used at this date by informants], aftah she'd put it dere somewhere. Yo' kin take it an' tie it in nine knots - not take nine knots in de cloth an' tie it, but yo' know yo' kin take a piece of cord string an' tie nine knots hard dis way, yo' undahstan'. Tie nine knots in. An' yo' take it aftah yo' tie dose nine knots in it, an' put turpentine on it an' burn it up.
(You mean you tie this string around the cloth?)
Roun' de cloth wit nine knots in it.
(And then you put nine knots in the string after you tie it?)
Shu' [sure] - no, tie knots wit de string. See, wrap it roun' an' tie dat one dere; den wrap it roun' ag'in, see. (This string, you wrap it around once, around the sanitary cloth, and tie it Once; wrap it around again and tie a knot; wrap it around again and tie a knot. Get nine knots?) Git nine knots. She won' be no mo' [good] to 'erself or no one else.
Entry 3617
Ah have lived wit a woman in dis city, an' ah found some hair, colored man's hair or coman's hair, an' one penny sewed up in a sack an' a string wrapped aroun' it, an' de string had nine knots in it an' a rabbit's foot. But ah knows one thing dat ah couldn't have nuthin else to do wit no othah woman but 'er. But how dat wuz, whut she did, ah don't know. But ah foun' it in 'er purse.
(She did this to you?)
She did dat to me.
Entry 3618
As ah 'fore said awhile ago 'bout a woman usin' 'er cloths, especially if ah don't use mine, or if ah use mine heah, she would use hers heah. All right now, ah kin be done wit de woman an' stretching out. Now ah'm tellin' yo' dis heah whut ah experienced mahself. Dis heah not whut ah heard, ah experienced it mahself. Crosstown heah last year [1938] ah wus hurt lak dat wit a woman, see. But ah didn't have no itchin' fo' no woman. Well, ah went to de druggist an' bought whut chew call courage pills an' othah kin'a pills. Dey didn't do any good. All right, ah kin'a heard a - ah heard of dis heah talkin' of takin'yore nature from yuh an' ah caught on to she musta had me tied up. An' ah went to her one night, ah said, "Lookit heah, " ah say, "ain't chew got sompin near yo' of me? Or got me fixed some way?" She say, "No." Well, den ah thought about dis heah method of takin' de nature from yo' in de bed, yo' know. Yo' wanta know about dat? Well, she went to de job - went to her job dat mawnin', an' while she wus gone ah tore up de mattress an' foun' dis mess. An' when ah found it, hit wus nine knots tie in a piece of cloth, de same cloth dat she used on me but not on 'erself, see. Now she had it tied in nine diff'ren' knots, jes' nine knots all crossed up in all kinda diff'ren' ways, an' she wore dat. Whut chew call wear, she wore dat roun' 'er waist. See. She had one cloth an' had it tied in nine knots an' she wore dat. An' she had anothah dat she put ovah - lak she puttin' a bandage ovah it, an' she wore dat right on 'er stomach roun' dere. Ah could roam aroun' town, anywhere in de world, see any people, jes' havin' fun. Now, ah couldn't git up no nature fo' 'em. Ah could go to any woman. "Lookit heah, " ah say, "how about gittin' some so-an'-so?" All right. An' go right dere, an' jes' as de minute ah start, it be lak dis heah [evidently demonstrated with a dropping finger or hand]. Until when ah found dat mess, an' when ah found it ah didn't even bothah atall. Ah made her took it out. An' aftah she untied it an' took it, den ah had [my nature again].
Entry 3619
A string, an' measure it, de length of 'is [privates] an' tie nine knots in dis string. Now, if it's not long enough to go roun' 'er waist she might piece it out. Now she tie dem nine knots an' she [wet] dem nine knots in turpentine an' wear dem nine knots right below 'er stomach in front [mons veneris], an' in time won't have no nature fo' nobody but 'er.
Entry 3620
Take yo' a cord an' measure his thing. Aftah yo' measure it while he sleep, yo' tie nine knots in it an' 'noint it [knots] good wit some turpentine an' wear it roun' yore waist or eithah roun' de calf of yore laig.
(What will that do?)
Dat'll keep 'im from gittin' up a nature from anybody else.
Entry 3621
Den yo' kin take a piece of cord string an' put nine knots in it. Git chew some turpentine an' put it up an' down in dere an' put dat roun' yore waist. Yo' can't git up a courage tuh have an intahco'se wit no woman.
(Well, don't you do something with that string first?)
Jes' only put - no, dat's anothah diff'ren' one altogethah. But see, dat nine knots, an' worked in dat turpentine, put it roun' yore waist. Yo'll have a hard time, yo' know, to git courage fo' 'er.
Entry 3622
She kin take a cord string, see, an' evah time - tie nine knots in it an' evah time she have some dealin' wit 'er husban' put a little dat on dat cord string, see. An' it's a little turpentine ah think goes wit it, see. An' den he won't have any nature fo' any othah woman.
(Where does she keep that string?)
Around her waist.
(She ties those knots in it?)
Yessuh, ties dose knots in it - see, until she gits nine.
(She doesn't measure him with that string or anything of that sort?)
[My leading question here makes informant's answer measure from a distance useless.] She gen'ly [generally] measure from a distance first an' den ties de knot in dere.