Browse:LIVE THINGS IN YOU (Volume 4, entries 6524–6688)
LIVE THINGS IN YOU
Volume 4, entries 6524–6688. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → FOLK MEDICINE. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 6524
If yo' scrape de bottom of yuh foot, lak yo' is in love wit a man an' someone else in love wit 'im. Well, yo' scrape de bottom of yuh feet an' put it intuh 'is coffee or in 'is food an' make three wishes. An' he will stick tuh yo' jis' as long as yo' give 'im dat.
Entry 6525
Dey take - womens take cut of all yore toenails an' yore fingernails an' take de dirt from underneath 'em an' dey could cook 'em in de bread an' make a man love 'em. Dey could WITCHCRAFT dem dataway.
[St. Petersburg, Fla., (1022), 1653:5.]
(5). A FEW MORE DOCTORS {Folk medicine in hoodoo or witchcraft has a wider field of involvement than the isolated cures given in books of general folklore. This is true because hoo- doo or witchcraft supplies causes for all ailments and diseases as well as cures, and also tells how to protect oneself in the future. Such protective rites, actu- ally preventive medicine, as well as other cures unlisted here, will be found throughout the total text. For the latter, consult especially: FOLK MEDICINE pp.361-519; SEXUAL IMPoTENCE Pp.2341-2509; and 'HER PRIVATE TIME' Pp.2513-2540.] [A considerable number of live things in you will be found on pages 227-239, well as elsewhere in the complete text. May I call your attention to the first two rites in margin title SNAKES.]
Entry 6526
Hit wuz a lady up yondah, she got poisoned, an' a doctor out chere from Herbertville, he cured 'er. Sompin would be runnin' in 'er laigs an' yo' could see it jis' movin' in 'er laigs. An' de doctor out heah from Herbertville cured it.
Entry 6527
[When I asked this informant about putting live things in people, he answered:] Yuh know ah wusn't a man tuh eat much wit nobody. Ah wus always mighty funny 'bout goin' [so that people could not poison me by putting live things in me].
Entry 6528
Yo' kin take any kinda animal bone an' grind it up. (Is there any way of getting these out of your system after you get them into you?) Sho', yo' kin take some - jis' say fo' instance yo'd have a pan an' let it rust, an' yo' kin take an' scrape de rust offa it, undahstan', an' git chew some watah an' put it in dere, an' jis' use dis [rust] watah an' dat'll cut 'em all up. [This of course is the old iron or steel remedy against witchcraft.]
Entry 6529
Go tuh a ants' [mound] an' git enough of dose antses an' put 'em in a place an' let 'em dry. Pound 'em up tuh a powdah an' sprinkle 'em on anybody's food or in anything dat dey drink. When dey drink dat, in a length of time de ants will create inside dem de same as dey would [in the ant mound].
Entry 6530
Git de ants an' take an' put 'em up an' dry 'em, until dey gits good an' dry. Powdah dem. Take an' put dat in dey coffee or dere tea. Dat will do de work fo' yo' den. Dat will kill yo'.
(How Would it kill you?)
Kill yo' if yo' drink it.
(How? Will it put live things in you or what?)
[This was a leading guestion, though the answer could be inferred.]
Yeah, dere'll come live antses.
Entry 6531
Now dey tell me yo' kin take red ants. Go tuh a red ants' bed, jis' lak if yo' wants tuh run a person crazy. Yo' kin go tuh a red ants' bed an' git dose ants an' kill 'em. An' take 'em out in de sun an' let [put] 'em in de sun an' let 'em dry. Don't dry dem in de shade. Yo' know, put 'em in de sun an' let 'em dry. An' give it tuh de folks den in sech as dey bread, or one sech lak dat, an' dey says it will create live things tuh come up an' down in 'em.
Entry 6532
Goin' tuh a red ants' bed - jis' like yo' wanta put ants intuh some- body. Dat will jis' eat 'em up. Jis' git dem antses an' take 'em outa dere an' put 'em in anything dat dey'll parch up tuh a dust. Put 'em in dere live an' put 'em where dey'll parch up tuh a dust. An' git de Bible an' read de 37th Psalms while it's parchin', an' take it out. An' anything yo' put dat intuh, if dey nuse [use] it, drink it or eat it or anything, why dem ants will come alive in dem - jis' eat 'em up. [Why Psalm 37 should be used, I do not know.]
Entry 6533
Dey put dat in yo'. Jis' lak yo' know, it's not de ants, it's de aigs from de ants. Jis' lak yo' know yo're [you are] sore [angry] wit a person an' dis person drinks. Well, if yo' kin git - yo' know dese ants' aigs intuh dis whiskey, yo' kin give 'em dat. An' it jis' supposed tuh hatch an' run 'em crazy.
Entry 6534
Ah heard dat dey could take a dozen [12] red ants an' cook dem an' put 'em in a package. An' git dat package tuh a person an' saturate dat package in anything dat he might drink. An' dat would cuz 'im tuh swell up an' give him a' interternal [= internal] disease.
(In other words you would use this in the liquor.)
Entry 6535
If anybody poisons yo', yo' git dem red ants - de red ants. Ah don' know nuthin 'bout nuthin but de red ants. An' yo' git dem red antses an' yo' put it in a li'le bit of whiskey, an' yo' put some gunpowdahs wit it. An' when yo' put it in dat whiskey an' de gunpowdah, yo' make it out a liquid yo' see, of a mub. An' den yo' put it down dere an' yo' git de white of a aig, an' yo' mix dat up as a rub stuff. An' rub yoreself wit it, an' if dere an' insect in yo', why dat'll cuz dem tuh leave. As fur as ah heard of dat.
Entry 6536
Yo' take dis bat an' put 'im in bucket or box or somepin an' let 'im dry - jis' perish tuh death. Den yo' take an' if it's a person dat chew wish tuh harm, yo' feed 'em dat dust in some of dat food or watah dat dey have tuh drink, an' it'll cuz a person tuh have live things in 'em.
(What kind of live things?)
Bugs. [Bats are supposed to be full of bugs - see FACI, 1841, p.83, 1st ed.; 2007, p.78, 2nd ed.]
Entry 6537
Yo' kin use de bat de same way yo' do de frog or de snake tuh make things go in people. Well, yo' jis' dry dat yo' know an' powdah it up [and drop in victim's food or drink].
Entry 6538
(Your grandfather told you that?)
Mah grandfathah, he wuz a ole, ole Way-back man. He says dat de way dese chings happen tuh yo', yo' know dis time of yeah, de spring of de yeah, all in- sects an' birds are matin'. So dey ketch- es dat bird an' kills it, an' dey puts it away an' let it dry. Den aftah it dries, it'll crumble, yo' know, lak powdah, an' den dey'll powdah dat - crumble dat ovah yuh food, an' yo' eat dat an' den it'll come alive - somepin in yo'.
Entry 6539
Yo' kin go tuh work an' take de chicken haid. Dry it intuh a powdah, crumble it up an' make a lotta things jis' lak peppah outa it. Place it intuh anyone's food, an' when yo' place it intuh dere food, dey person eat it, amn' nine days aftah - nine days, dey'll fumilate [formulate], dey body will be full of small ones.
(Small what?)
De li'le chickens, or li'le snakes, or ll'le frogs, or li'le bugs - jis' whut- somevah one [animal] dat chew use.
Entry 6540
Take a dirt daubah. See, dey builds dere nestses up side de house. Yo' takes a dirt daubah nes' an' yo' take dat an' yo' put it in watah or in anything, an' a person will eat dat. As it git inside of 'em, dey claim, it will be young eggs er sompin in dere. An' aftah dey git inside of 'em, by it bein' warm in dere, dey creates. An' when dey do anything, why it's jis' lak a dirt daubah's makin' a house.
Entry 6541
Ah heard tell of 'em takin' a dirt daubah's nes' an' cookin' it in yore food. An' dey say dat will put dirt daubahs in yo'. An' dose bugs an' things come in yo'.
Entry 6542
Tell me yo' kin take a dog hair, see, an' if dey cook it in yore bread an' git chew tuh eat it, it will fill yo' full of li'le things lak grubworms an' things. Eat chew up inside.
Entry 6543
Yo' take some dog hair an' put it in some whiskey. Mix yo' a li'le sulphur in wit it an' yo' give dat tuh a person to drink, an' it'll 'cumulate snakes in 'em. [Snakes are created because hair, usual- ly horse hair, will turn into snakes - see SNAKES later.]
Entry 6544
Dey take cat hair an' dog hair an' place it intuh a man's food, an' if dat'll remain dere 'bout nine days, well, it'll turn, yo' know, lak hair worms. An' den it'll stay dere 'bout six or seven months, den it beginnin' tuh form snakes. Whenever dose things get live, yo' know, dey jis' crawl an' crawl about. Well, it's quite natchel [natural] den dat'll run yo' crazy.
Entry 6545
You take frogs and kill them and get their blood, and put it in a bottle and keep it, and put it in some- thing they eat and frogs will be in them. You can hear them hollering the same as in the spring.
Entry 6546
Yo' kin git de blood from a frog an' yo' kin put dat in whiskey an' let em drink it an' dat'll cuz frogs tuh be in 'em.
Entry 6547
Yo' take a toadfrog an' jis' lak yo' drink sweet milk, ah'll put a drog of 'is blood in dis sweet milk, an' in nine days it will come in yore body.
Entry 6548
Yo' kin take a toadfrog an' hang 'im up an' kill 'im. Hang 'im fron' de fiah an' git nine drops of blood out dis frog an' put it in whiskey. Take de frog an' take an' kill 'im. If yo' kin git a snake, yo' kin take an' kill a snake an' git nine drops of 'is blood, an' put it in whiskey fo' yo'. It won' kill yo' right away. Yo' gon'a live an' be sick, but atter while dey gon'a be so big [inside you] dey kill yo'.
(How do they get those live things out?)
Well, lak dey put 'em in yo'. Go ketch yo' a snake an' don' kill 'im. Jis' split 'im open 'live an' - lak he's mad hot - an' smash it on dere, an' dat takes [those live things] outa yo'.
(Well, how do you get those frogs out?)
De same way wit snakes. Don' kill de frog, jis' ketch de frog while it's hot. Jis' play wit 'im or somepin an' make 'im mad. An' git 'im while he's mad, yo' see, an' split 'im right open an' slap it right on dat place, an' it will take de frogs out.
Entry 6549
Wal, tuh git de frog intuh de body, dey said dey takes an' use rain watah. Take de frog an' cut de frog while it live an' use rain watah. An' let de rain watah jis' - let de [frog] blood drop intuh de [pool of] rain watah. An' aftah gittin' dis blood from dis [pool of] rain watah, dey po' [pour] dis [blood and rain water] in dere [a container], an' partly covah it [container] an' den mix de [another] watah tuhgethah - de drinkin' watah tuhgethah. An' prak'ly [practical- ly] dem frogs will go intuh de body an' dey come tuh form life. [The frog blood having dripped into a puddle of rainwater is scooped up and poured into drinking water.]
Entry 6550
Dey use a frog. Kin take a frog an' kill 'im, an' git a drop of 'is blood an' a drop of someone's blood an' put it tuhgethah. An' put it in some coffee or whiskey or tea or sompin lak dat, an' give it tuh dem tuh drink. Well, dey'll be poisoned an' go crazy an' yo' have tuh send 'em tuh 'sylum.
Entry 6551
Git a red frog an' git some of de warts off 'im, an' some of 'is blood. If yo' kin slice him in 'is hind laigs dere, yo' know, git some blood outa 'im dat way. Take one of dese Warts an' boil it an' make yo' a tea outa it. An' take some'a de blood an' git intuh dis tea an' give a fellah a dose of it, he will become nervous, jis' lak he would have de St. Werdis [Vitus'sl dance. His arm or 'is hand or wherevah in it takes place at - he be settin' still an' soon as he gittin' settin' still, be jis' all ovah shake lak dat [demonstrates]. But yo' gotta git one of dose ole red toads dey call 'em, dese red speckled ones - git one of dem.
Entry 6552
Take a frog or a lizard. Yo' know a frog is spawned with a little egg. Yo' kin take dat. It will more or less go to de bottom. If dere anybody yo' wants hurt, yo' kin take it [frog egg] an' dey'll drink it, an' dey'll form an' dey'll grow in 'em - grow in dat person. Ah have seen 'em. An' yo' kin take snakes' eggs an' do de same thing, an' dey'll crawl aroun' in a human bein's body.
Entry 6553
They take a frog and they keep that frog until he has eggs. And when the frog has the eggs, they take those and put in the beer, and they will give that to the enemy to drink. Well, inside of about four or five months, those eggs will hatch and in the person's stomach, and they will have frogs in their stomach. And there is but one way to get those frog eggs out of that person's stomach, out of the belly to keep them from hatching. You would have to go under a operation. The way you can get them out without going under a operation is if you learn they are in there before four months. You can easily get them out with black molasses and burnt sulphur, becuz that ties them up, that brings them right out when you are passing. You pass them right out.
Entry 6554
Git a frog. If yo' kin git de insides of a frog an' kin manage tuh git jis' a part of 'im intuh de pot - somepin neah 'is heart, which is de livest part of 'im aftah yo' kill 'im - an' yo' put it in de pot an' dat person eat it, dey say den he'll begin tuh have young frogs in 'im.
Entry 6555
Take de frog an' dry it. Aftah dryin' de frog, make a powdahs outa it an' sprinkle it intuh dere food an' feed it tuh a person. Aftah de birth - an' nine days aftah time [9 days after the feeding]de frog will begin tuh grow young ones on de inside of de othah person. In nine days time.
Entry 6556
An' den yo' take yo' - ef yo' don' wanna kill anybody, de bes' things fer dat now, ef yo' wanna put snakes in dem, or if yo' wanna put scorpions in'em, or if yo' wanna put frogs in 'em, yo' take dis stuff an' yo' dry it by de sun.
(In making that frog dust you have to let stay nine mornings in the sun.)
[This detail was given while recording machine turned off.]
Entry 6557
Ah know a woman had a frog in 'er throat an' it wuz put in whiskey - [I mean] in dat frog dust - an' aftah dey drink it, it formed dem live thing in 'er. It formed an' it grow back tuhgethah. Dem frogs grow. She had one right up heah in 'er throat an' it choked 'er tuh death finely [finally]. An' evah time she drink whiskey see, an' she wuz jis' crazy about whiskey, well dat thing would come up an' nearly choke 'er tuh death. Died!
Entry 6558
Well, ah heard dat yo' kin take de toadfrog. Yo' kin take de toadfrog an' ketch 'im alive an' put 'im in somepin [on or near the fire] an' let 'im git done, where yo' could jis' powdah 'im up lak yo' would powdah. An' put 'im in some whiskey an' give tuh de person an' it'll turn tuh frogs.
Entry 6559
Git a frog an' kill 'im an' let 'im dry up tuh a powdah, an' cook it in bread or anything an' give it tuh yo' in medicine or whiskey or anything lak dat, an' event'ly [eventually] dat powdah will 'cumulate an' HE'LL COME BACK A LIVING FROG, AN' YO' KIN FEEL 'IM MOVIN' RIGHT UP AN' DOWN RIGHT UNDAH DE SKIN.
Entry 6560
Lak if yo' wanta put frogs in somebody, yo' ket' chew a toadfrog an' gut 'im an' hang 'im up an' let 'im git pumb bone dry. Jis' dry 'im from a plumb hard dry. Yo' go dere an' yo' take him in a han'kerchef or sompin an' yo' beat dat frog up - beat 'im up real fine, jis' fine as yo' kin git 'im. Well, jis' lak yo' come in an' say, "So-an'-so, [I won' chew come have some dinnah or sup- pah wit me." Always have dat fixed fo' 'em. Yo' wan'a git dem frogs in 'em. Jis' sprinkle it in dat soup or jis' any othah kinda meat, an' dey eats dat stuff, while dat frog will jis' create in 'em. Now, hit ain't goin' work outa dem, it's gonna stay in 'em.
Entry 6561
Yo' wan' to put lak a person's - somepin in 'em. Well, yo' take a frog while deys alive, put 'im in somepin an' let 'im fry brown, brown, brown an' trun [turn] 'im an' let 'em git dry. If yo' are drinkin' wit de person, yo' take dat dust an' sprinkle dere [drink] wit it. Dat powdahed frog come tuh be alive again, de small ones, an' it comes tuh workin' inside of yo' alive.
(How could you get that stuff out of you?)
Well, I nevah knew how did yo' git 'em out.
Entry 6562
Ah've heard tell of 'em usin' frogs fo' diff'ren' things. Now ah've heard tell of 'em - yo' take a frog an' yo' wanta put a SPELL on a person, poison a person. Yo' take a frog an' kill 'im an' let 'im git dry. Den yo' parches 'im where yo' kin powdah it up. Yo' take dat powdah an' put it intuh whiskey or watah or yore coffee, an' let - yo' know, from time tuh time, let 'em drink offa dat. An' it'll create frogs in 'em.
Entry 6563
You skin the frog, dry the hide out, parch it, an' then you kin put that into somepin to drink to give a person. That'll make frogs come in them.
Entry 6564
A live toadfrog - eithah yo' kin take a DAID FROGGY'S SKIN, rubs it up while it's dry, an' put it in anybody's food or whiskey or anything, an' dey'll drink it, why dey subject tuh havin' dese toadfrog.
(You said if a person was poisoned. What did you do with the frog?)
IF HE'S LIVE, TAKE DIS LIVE FROG AN' LIE HIM ON DE MISERY.
(What will that do?)
Dat WILL DRAW IT FROM YO' IF HE'S LIVE.
(If the person has been tricked or anything?)
Yes.
Entry 6565
Down right on Hanover Street, why SHE HAD FROGS IN HER. Suah [sure] she had frogs. Now, dey li'le toadfrogs what jump aroun', understand. Jis' lak yo' out in de country, see dese li'le ole rough back frogs jumpin', yo' know, why jis' ketch 'em an' yo' kept 'em an' jes' let 'em - put 'em on a rag or sompin lak dat an' let 'em make a li'le watah, yo' undahstan'. All right, dey make a li'le watah an' yo' jis' kin take dat an put it across a person [person's] somepin tuh eat, yo' undahstan', yo' more dan apt tuh git frogs an' skippahs an' crawfish - all kind of insex intuh yo' by dat. [The word skipper I have discussed elsewhere. It is not something looking like a butterfly, but a maggot infesting meat. I personally knew only the skipper in bone-cured ham, the world's greatest jumper for its size.]
Entry 6566
You go to the drug store, they got what you call dried tadpoles there; and if you get them internal, they'll come to life and breed there and you'll have to go to a cunjure to get them out. [Sorry, I forgot in 1936 to ask where this drug store was. [Fredricksburg, Va., by Ediphone.]
Entry 6567
[Numerous examples of animal brutality and torture have been given in HOODOO. Here are several more examples.] I've seen a woman - she did dis when I wuz quite a kid. I seen 'er when she did dis - I wuz runnin' roun' 'er house - I guess she wuz payin' no 'tention tuh me amongst de othahs. She'd taken a frog. Dis frog - she taken dis frog an' SHE'D TAKE AN' STARVE DIS FROG, a li'le bit'a frog- a li'le, li'le frog. Yo' know de li'le bit'a frog dat jumps in de garden sometime or in de grass. She take dis frog an' she take an' starved 'im. An' she - I don' know whut she used tuh keep de frog in. She nevah would give him nuthin tuh eat, an' wouldn't allow us tuh give 'im nuthin tuh eat, yo' know. Well, she dried dis frog out when he died, dried 'im out an' powdahed 'im up. Aftah she dried 'im out good, she take an' powdah 'im up. Aftah she take de powdah - she took dis powdah an' she put it in some food [and put live frogs in the person].
Entry 6568
Dey takes a toadfrog. See, dey takes a toadfrog an' put dat toadfrog alive - put 'im undah de step wit a li'le sulphuh right undah *Is chin dere, an' if de people walks ovah 'im, dat put de toadfrog into de person.
Entry 6569
You take a frog and tie him to a brand-new shingle, and put dat frog right underneath of the house wherever his [victim's] head is lying [under the head of the bed above], and as her [frog] weaken down the person will weaken; and when he
[frog] dies, makes his last gasp, the person will die.
Entry 6570
Ah know a man dat a woman fixed 'im. She took a grasshoppah aig an' give tuh 'im in 'is buttahmilk. An' evah time he sneezed he sneezed grasshoppahs out 'is nose.
(How do they get rid of a trick like that?)
Ah dun [don't] know dey got rid of it, but he's livin' today.
Entry 6571
Well, all right, in case if yo' wanta learn how tuh raise snakes - raise 'em. An' naow [now] ah mean raise 'em. Well, yo' go tuh a stud horse. Undahstan' good now. Well, yo' go dere an' yo' cut a stran' of hair outa his tail. Well, den when yo' do dat, yo' go tuh a li'le stream of watah an' drive yer stick down in dat watah an' tie dat mane - dat horse's tail roun' dat stick. An' yo' watch dat. In fo' day's time jis' same as de big moccasin, it commence tuh wiggle. Yo' see now, dese wiggle-tail in de bay [of Mobile], well dey make snakes.
(But you have to tie that into a stream of water.)
Entry 6572
Ah don' know whut dey could do tuh git live things out, but ah've heard dat chew kin take an' - de way dat people pretend dat dey've brought live things outa people. Yo' kin take an' take some horsehair. Take a horse's hair an' put it in a bottle an' keep it in a dark place an' let dat bottle be kinda damp fo' a couple of days an' hit will look lak live things. Jis' lak people claimin' dey had got things outa people - worms.
Entry 6573
Yo' take a lizard or a salamandah or anything lak dat - yo' take a lizard now. Ef a person take him an' ketch 'im an' kill 'im, yo' take him den an' yo' let 'im dry up. Well, aftah he dry up, yo' take him an' pound 'im up an' put 'im in anything, an' aftah while he'll grow. Jis' lak yo' put 'im in watah or sompin tuh eat, an' a person eat it, git it in 'em. He'll grow an' in a very short while he'll be runnin' all through 'is flesh.
Entry 6574
Ah heard dat chew kin take a lizard an' take an' cut 'im an' dry 'im up. Kill 'im an' aftah yo' kill 'im, den yo' cut 'im. An' put 'im out on a piece of bo'd in de sun an' dry 'im up until he come crinkle. Den yo' take him an' parch 'im. Put 'im in de stove an' parch 'im, an' take him out an' grind 'im up an' put 'im in a bottle.
(What will that do?)
Dat dust, yo' kin jis' keep it in dat bottle. See, dat dust will poison people.
Entry 6575
Said dat a lady had some li'le lizards in 'er an' she wuz told by a hoodoo lady dat if dey caught dat lizard alive an' tied 'im in a dark cornah an' let 'im die. An' den took 'im an' parched 'im up, beat 'im up an' put 'im in de walk where she had tuh walk. So in de summah- time she'd go wit'out 'er shoes, an' de powdah would stick tuh de hollah of 'er feet, an' quite natchel [natural] 'er havin' life in 'er feets, she'd carry it on an' put on de shoe an' wear it, an' it create little lizards, an' de little lizards grew in 'er.
Entry 6576
(A lizard can harm her?)
If yo' done wanta, take a lizard, jis' keep 'im swimmin' in watah, jis' keep 'im alive in dat watah. Keep 'im in dat watah, while dat woman is neah 'er time. Always jis' keep dat lizard in dat watah an' evah mawnin' git chew a teaspoonful of dat watah an' drop it in de watah she drinks. An' keep dat lizard in dat watah. An' it will make 'er have a hard birth or a miscarriage.
Entry 6577
Ah heard a woman in Birmingham, Ala., say dat if yo' had a enemy an' if yo' wanta git de enemy out de way, say yo' could take a lizard an' dreene [drain] it. Yo' know, make de blood come outa it. An' take dat lizard's blood an' put it on a rag all de way roun' de rag. An' den take dat bloodly rag from de lizard an' put it in de band of a hat. An' dey said dat yo could take dat from a lizard an' put it in dere, an' in nine days, lizards be run- nin' all roun' in yore haid an' up an' down yore body.
Entry 6578
I knew an old man when I was a child who had a little lizard or some- thing in his leg. They say it would run up and down his leg. He could cut with his razor and when it would come down he would cut ahead of them and it would run out. It was a little scorpion or ground puppy or something. Someone put it in his leg.
Entry 6579
I've heard them say you go to a root doctor and he fixes something in a bottle, something about as long as a lizard, dries it up, and put it down for a person to walk over. And a ground dog comes in his leg.
Entry 6580
May water, cayenne pepper, nine pods of pep- per, salt; bathe down and take physic. Live things come out.
Entry 6581
Dey do it wit de fish. Dey take dat fish, de little minnow fish, an' put 'em in a little vial m' let 'im be live. An' dey go tuh work an' put dem a little garlic an' a lit- tle onion in dere. An' put 'im in a vial an' put 'im undah de doorstep. An' dat fish gits intuh de person [after you walk over it].
(Is there any way of getting them out?)
Yes suh, yo' work 'em out jis' de same as yuh did de frog.
Entry 6582
[I know of them] doin' things wit de scorpions. Ah've seed dat done 'caz ah waited on de woman. Dey ketch a scorpion an' kilt: 'im an' let 'im dried. Dis was a bright [skinned] woman an' dis bright woman wus givin' dis dark-skinned woman trouble wit 'er husban'. An' she taken de scorpion an' kilt 'im an' she cured 'im dry, jis' lak if yo' dny anything. An' she crumble dat up an' put it in some whiskey, an' she called er an' give her a drink of dat whiskey an' - IF AH NEVAH MOVE AG'IN AH'VE SEEN OSE LITTLE SCORPIONS, DEY COME BACK ALIVE. DEY CREATED IN 'ER. Dem little scorpions jis' like dat.
Entry 6583
Take a scorpion ag'in an' take some of dat same scorpion an' put it in whiskey or wine or sompin an' drink it. It will have scorpions runnin' all about in yore skin.
(Is there any way of getting those things out of you?)
Why ah don't know how yo' git it out, but dere's a man dat could git it out.
Entry 6584
Git 'em - an' yo' take dese heah stingin' scorpions, too. Git 'em an' parch 'em up. Let 'em git good an' brown. Cook 'em an' den powdah 'em up right good, an' put 'em in a bottle of watah an' stop 'em up real tight fo' awhile. An' den if yo' wanta poison dat indi- vidual, why yo'll po' some of dat out intuh 'is watah.
Entry 6585
Ah heard of 'em usin' a scorpion fo' makin' live things in people. Well, ah heard dat dey take 'im an' put 'im in a open SPIDER [FRYING PAN ON LEGS] one dese ole spidahs whut has a lid tuh it. An' jis' make fire enough in it where dat he'll jis' run aroun' in dere until he dies. An' let 'im bake till he gits where dey kin crumble him up an' make a powdah. An' den dey tell me dey kin put dat on a person an' hit'll go through de skin an' come de same thing 'live in de person.
Entry 6586
Take a scorpion, jis' lak yo' wanta scorpion, yo'd have one drop of blood, an' de joint of 'is tail give it tuh 'im.
(Just one drop of blood and [from] his tail.)
Take a joint. Evah joint's a drop of blood an' evah joint of blood will make a scorpion. Yo' jis' drop one drop in dere an' give it tuh a person, well dere will come a scor- pion. Yo' have dat little thing in dere cuz ah done see 'em right in dey feets. De feets git lak dat, gits swelled up.
(Is there any way of getting those things out?)
Not unless yo' see a person, de person dat gives it tuh yo' tuh git it. Dey kin take it, but how he take it out ah wouldn't know jis' how he take it.
Entry 6587
They tell me that you can take an egg and cut off a scorpion's head and put with that egg, and then take the blood and mark it around that egg so many times, nine times they claim, and then take the blood of an individ- ual and do the same thing. And then take that egg and that scorpion head and bury that, and the individual who has to travel and walk over that will get to a place they claim that he'll have scorpions in him.
Entry 6588
Now yo' take a scorpion, he's poison. Now yo' got sompin ag'in me an' yo' got sompin ag'in a man on King Street. Yo' may got sompin ag'in a man on Spring Street. Well, now, ah'm de fust [first] one yo' wanta git nex' tuh. Dis man on Spring Street de secon' man yo' wanta git nex' tuh. Well, yo'll take dat SCOrpion an' kill 'im. WHEN YO' DONE KILL DAT SCORPION, YO' BRING 'IM HOME HALF LIVE. YO' AIN'T KILL 'IM ALTUHGETHAH. He half live when yo' bring 'im home, but yo' finish killin' 'im when yo' bring 'im in yore house. Aftah yo' finish killin' 'im, de last lick yo' hit 'im yo' know yo' goin' kill 'im, yo' goin' call mah name. Yo' call mah name. Ah'm yore enemy. Ah'm yore dead [deadly] enemy. Ah'm de one yo' Wants tuh git nex' tuh altuhgethah. But when yo' kill dat scorpion an' call mah name, ah'm goin' take sick. Now dat man ovah heah on Spring Street, yo' goin' call 'is name by dat scorpion's tail. Yo' goin' cut dat scorpion's tail off jis' about dat much [demonstrates]. Well, yo' goin' tuh hold dat scorpion an' yo' wrap dat wit silk thread, silk thread. An' [as] yo' hit it, yo' cast it in yore yard an' say, "Go, yo' bastard, yo'." An' he's gone.
(And would it do anything to the person living on King Street, then?)
Dat man on King Street goin' work wit me.
Entry 6589
Lak if a person is sick an' dey wants tuh git rid of dis sick person. Bell, dey kin fix up a remedy fo' dem dat de maggots will eat 'em up. Dey kin take dese snails an' dey kin make a salve out dese snails an' dey rub wit dis salve an' dat'll bring maggots intuh dey skin. Well, dose maggots will eat dis person £P. DEY HAVE PLENTY CASES IN DIS CITY WHERE WOMEN HAVE FIXED MEN AN' DEY EVEN THROW UP MAGGoTS.
Entry 6590
De buckets, anything yo' have tuh drink [from], whut yo' drink watah or yo' drink milk off, grajly [gradually] dat snail will grow. See, yo' rub it in dose things [buckets, etc.] an' dat snail, dat poison, will be in dat glass or dat plate or anything, an' [of] co'se, yo' eat where dat's been, dat will create soe mo'. Any kinda insects.
Entry 6591
Take de snail an' put it in de watah an' dey go drinkin' an' dose ails will grow in 'em.
Entry 6592
In case yo' wanta hurt somebody, somebody done yo' wrong, sompin lak dat, take a snail an' let it dry, an' beat 'im up fine. Yo' know, jis' beat it up in a powdah or anything an' den put it a person's food, anything lak dat. An' dat person will git sick an' snails Wl grow in 'em.
Entry 6593
Den it's anothah somepin. A fellah will do dat. Yo' know whut a snail Is. Well, yo' could take dat an' put it in dey drinkin' watah. Sprinkle a little salt in dere. Yo' know, take de snail an' sprinkle salt on it till it dwindle all away. Ah don' care how large he is he'll dwindle on away tuh nuthin. an' yo' n do de same thing wit a woman person. Let 'em drink watah.
(What will that do to a man?)
Dat will kill 'im. Yo' know, jis' dry 'em up, jis' lak dey would git sick an is'dvindle away. (But you have to dissolve this snail dust in salt and then put that juice into irdrinking water?) Yessuh.
Entry 6594
Ketch a snail an' kill 'im an' powdah 'im up an' put it in yore food, or eithah take a snail aig an' give it to an' yo' won't know it. An' den yo'll come tuh have snails in yore stomach. akes yo' sick.
Entry 6595
Yo' jis' take a snail an' beat it up real fine an' use dat dust.
(What will that do?)
Yo' know, use de dust, an' if yo' kin git a little drop of dat blood - well, jis' lak, now if yo' wanta do somepin tuh somebody, yo' take a drop of dat blood an'( dat dust from dat snail where yo' done parched it, an put it in whiskey an' give it tuh 'em. Well, yo' become tuh have live things in yo:. (What blood do you get, snail blood or blood from the/ person?) No, snail blood.
Entry 6596
Take dat snail. Take his shell an' put it in likkah an' let it stay in dere an' turn intuh a snail. An' yo' drink it yo' git dem snails in yo'.
Entry 6597
[As a diversion from the usual accounts of live things in you, I begin this margin title, about live snakes in a person, with a snake sensitive to time and psychology. For similar material in Hoodoo, and else- where in Hoodoo. Time without the psychology is a very important element in hoodoo.l Dis girl, a man fixed 'er, an' he had sompin jis' about dis big aroun', long lak a snake, an' it worked all de way roun' in 'er body. An' she said at night when she'd know dat dis man wanted tuh see 'er real bad, dat she had tuh go. Say dat snake would move roun' an' roun' 'er until [it] come all up aroun' dere [where?]. Yo' know, yo' could natchly [naturally] see it when it wuz movin'. An' it stayed in 'er back. Yo' know, move up in de bottom of 'er back dere, anl she could git rested. She couldn't do nuthin. An' DE MINUTE SHE WALKED IN DE DO' TUH 'IM, SHE SAY IT STOPPED MOVIN'.
(He put the snake in her to make her come to him.)
An' dey tryin' tuh find out how he put dat snake in her. Ah dunno [I do not know].
Entry 6598
[I follow the preceding snake story with a rare account of a woman with cancer, who, after hospital treatments and as a last resort, visits a spiritualist or hoodoo. About as revealing as the material itself, is my pencil note written on the original transcription sheets within a year of the original interview: MisceZl [miscellaneous material] several small things - will take [choose] one out later. The present cancer ex- perience is the only small thing I took out. Twenty or thirty years later I put over that old comment of mine 3 large exclamation marks in red ink!!!] Dis lady, she wus a frien' of mine, but ah knew 'er fer a long while. An' she had firs' - supposed tuh be a tumor on 'er arm. Had de tumor taken off an' she went on fer years an' anothah one came a'out some place else. She had dat taken off. An' fine'ly [finally] she had trouble wit 'er stomic. She wus comin' from work one day an' she wus comin' up de steps an' a pain struck 'er an' dey had tuh bring 'er in. She couldn't walk. Dey brought 'er in an' put 'er tuh baid an called de doctor. She wus swollen up from 'er toes all de way up tuh 'er hips. De doctor said she had a tumor an' made arrangements fer 'er tuh go tuh de hos- pital. She went tuh de hospital on Sunday an' she wus tuh be operated on Monday, but dey kept aftah 'er so. An' dey couldn't git 'er in any kinda condition fer operatin'." Dey had 'er dere a month 'fo' dey operated on 'er. Aftah dey operat- ed on 'er, dey'd taken a'out a very peculiah tumor. She tole me it had knots on it like a knotty white potato. [Potato in the Southern States usually meant sweet potato.] An' so aftah dey'd taken dis tumor a'out she stayed in de hos- pital a week, two weeks, an' den she went tuh 'er son so she could git 'er strength tuh come home. She wus at 'er son's, she had anothah one come out on 'er neck - up heah on 'er neck - an' she wus so dat she couldn't swallah. An' she said she could feel sompin movin'. She could feel sompin movin' in 'er throat. An' she would go tuh cleah 'er throat an' she would feel sompin like a claw, very painful an' 'er throat wus very sore. Ah know mahself she couldn't swallah. It would take her all day long. She couldn't git down so much as a glass or orange juice. [There is material in Hoodoo showing that live things in a person sometimes try to leave the body through the person's mouth; this being one of the causes of serious choking spells.l So a frien' of mine tole her about goin' tuh see somebody dat supposed tuh be A SPIRITUALIST OR HOODOO, or whutevah yo' might call 'em, an' - aw, she wus very sick, she couldn't eat anythin'. So dis girl [taking care of patient] she went tuh see dis [hoodoo] woman. Ah don' know where de woman is [her street ad- dress]. Anyhow, dis woman she tole her tuh come see her, an' she say she didn't go out, de woman would have tuh come tuh 'er. An' we [corrected later to girl] tole her de woman wus too ill - de girl tole her de woman wus too ill. So she said bring 'er in a taxi. So ah mahself helped tuh git 'er ready, but ah didn't go tuh de woman wit 'er. She went tuh see dis woman, an' dis woman tole her dat it had been seven years ago dat it had been snake aigs wus powdahed an' put in 'er icebox in watah, an' she drank dis watah an' dese aigs 'cumulated in 'er. Yo' see, an' yo' know, dey jis' had formed in 'er an' dis woman said 'er insides wus scally like a fish. An' so, at first she tole her she didn't know whethah she could do her any good or not, but fer 'er tuh come back de nex' day [THE MAGIC DELAY SO OFTEN ENCOUNTERED IN HOODOO]. An' IN DE MEANTIME SHE GAVE HER, SHE CALLED IT GRAVEYARD DUST, IN SOME WATER. [This graveyard dirt was probably a blackish powder known as black draft or black drink, two different preparations, cathartics, frequently mentioned in Hoodoo.] She vomited up. De girl wus wit 'er. Now, ah wusn't wit 'er, de girl wus wit dis woman. She tole me she vomited up absolutely little yallah eggs. An' dis woman [hoodoo] said she had been so long [in finding out what was wrong with her] she wus jis' bedded wit aigs. See? An' she vomited up dese aigs in a pan. She give her a bucket aftah she give her dis graveyard dust. She vomited up dese aigs in dis pan. An' she tole her tuh stop by de store on de way home an' git mack'rel an' take it right a'out, salt mack'rel, an' take it right a'out de, yo' know, a'out de brine, jis' as it wus, an' don' wash it off or anythin'. Don' care whut it had on it, jis' take evah- thin' along wit it an' eat de belly of de mack'rel. Now dis is de truth. Now ah know dis fer mahself. An' she et [ate] dis mack'rel an' she said dis thin' dat wus up along 'er neck - it wus a snake in 'er neck, see - an' SHE SAY DIS BELLY OF A MACK'REL WOULD TURN DIS SNAKE DOWN, SEE. AN' SHE WOULD GIVE HER TREATMENTS AN' WORK IT DOWN TUH 'ER STOMACH [so that it could gO out through the bowels]. Well, she did an' she hadn't et anything fer a long time. She did. She et [ate] dis belly of dis mack'rel an' dat's de firs' thin' she had swallah- ed fer ovah a month. Yo' know, she couldn't swallah anythin' hard. An' den aftah dat, nachur'ly [naturally] she got bettah an' dis woman tole her if she Would keep on comin' tuh 'er she could cure her. NOT TUH GO BACK TUH DE HOSPITAL 'CUZ DE DOCTORS DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO FO' HER.
(What sort of treatment did she give her when she went to her house?)
She give her dis snake dust, er [I mean] graveyard dust. Dis made her vomit up dose aigs, yo' see. An' ah don' know whut she did. Ah guess she continue givin' 'er dat so much each time she would go dere. But anyhow she got bettah an' she got so she could go tuh dis woman 'erself. Now dis is de truth 'cuz ah know dis mahself. Ah seen 'er. Ah know 'er. She wus a frien' of mine. An' she WuS gittin' along fine an' CO'SE SHE WEN' TUH DE HOSPITAL TAKIN' RADIUM TREAT- MENTS FER A CANCER, yo' see. An' it burned 'er neck, yo' see, an' of co'se her son bein' [modern and insisting that she go to the hospital, etc.] [Something must have happened here. Machine turned off. I ask her to re- peat.] Yes, she wus goin' tuh de hospital takin' radium treatments an' yo' know dat hot thin' had burned 'er. An' see in de co'se of time it made her neck sore, an' of co'se as she wus sick she wasn't able tuh work den, an' 'er son he wus 'er main support. He started tuh go work fer [against] dis woman [hoodoo], an' den she went back, started goin' back tuh de hospital again. But dey didn't do her any good in de hospital. But dis thing it did git out of 'er neck. Whatevah it was it got out of 'er neck, an' she got so dat she could eat, 'cuz ah used tuh carry 'er food mahself, so dat she could eat. Of co'se, aftah 'er son wouldn't give 'er money [to go to the hoodoo], I give her money two or three times mah- self tuh go tuh dis woman. An' so in de co'se of time - an' in de meantime dis woman tole 'er dat dis woman had got mad wit 'er an' dey fell out about sompin othahs. Dis woman wus a roomah intuh 'er house. Dis woman put de stuff in 'er. An' dat had been seven yeahs ago dat stuff had been in 'er. See, it wus jis' workin' on 'er grajly [gradually]. Dat wus in '35. She wus supposed tuh die in '35. Well, she didn't die in '35. Well she died de fifth of [5th month] '36 - 1936. [I interviewed this informant, March, 1938.1 An' so ah used tuh go ahead an' bath 'er. Ah don' know whut it wus, but her had a big knot almos' as big as mah fist, she had it right undah 'er arm. She had a big knot an' truly yo' put chure han' on dat, it would move. Yo' know, yo' put chure han' right on it dere an' yo' could feel it slip. Ah don' know whut it wus.
(Where was this woman living when this happened?)
Yes, indeed, right heah in Washington, D. C.,
(And the root or hoodoo doctor lives right here in Washington, too?)
Uh-huh, she lived here in Washington City. An' she jis' continue tuh git wuse [worse] an' wuse an' got so bad off. She an' 'er son were livin' tuhgethah an' yo' know, she wus 'fraid tuh leave her home by 'erself an' all, she got so weak an' all. Dey'd taken 'er back tuh de hospital ag'in, right down heah to de [?] Hospital. Dey had taken 'er down to Doctor Reed [Walter Reed] Hospital. An' she jis' continued tuh grow weakah an' weakah, an' den, ah don't know whut it wus, but she had somepin othah an' she lost mo' strength. But dat thin' dat she had in 'er arm would achly [actually] make her arm jump, jis' dis Way [demon- strates]. An' it did like dat until she died.
(What did the doctors say was wrong with her?)
Ah nevah had nerve enough tuh ast de: son, but ah heah 'im talk dat ovah aftah she died.
Entry 6599
Well, she takes de snake an' she dries 'im up an' she takes 'is bones outa his tail, which dose de softes' bones, an' she dries dose bones up. Dey make a dust outa dem an' put dat intuh a vaseline, or hair oil, or hair grease dat he uses, an' he passes dat ovah 'is head when he combs 'is hair. An' it will penetrate tuh 'is - through 'is skull intuh 'is brain. An' he will al- Ways have a min' dat he wants tuh drown 'imself, or he will always have a min' he wants tuh kill 'imself or commit suicide. But de Way tuh keep 'imself from doin' dat, committin' sui- cide, HE WILL HAVE TUH GO TUH ONE OF DOSE PEOPLE OVAH DE RIVAH [IN ALGIERS], SOME OF DOSE TWO-HEADED PEOPLE, AN' DEY WILL TELL 'IM JIS' WHUT IS WROEG WIT 'IH AN' DERE IS NO DANGAH FO 'IM, BECUZ DEY KIN GIT IT BACK OUTA 'IS SKULL BEFO' IT
(How do they do that?)
Dey shave all de hair off, yo' see, an' dey use fresh lard an' sulphh an' hot towels, an' dey will draw dat - draw dat right out, an' he will have tuh pot eat anythin' fo' nine days. He should not have anythin' on 'is stomic, nuthin in "is bowels, nuthin. Give 'im two or three big dose of salts, an' dey contimue usin' dat fresh lard an' sulphuh on 'is head. An' in about nine or ten days, he il begin tuh come back tuh 'imself, an' den he will realize den whut dangah be sus in.
Entry 6600
Yo' be's de firs' one - an' when yo' git 'im yo' put yo' a wire through 'is haid, don' chew know, where yo' kin hang 'im up cleah [clear - not touching anythingl like dat. An' let 'im hang dere.
[The wire as well as hanging clear or free is a magic isolation.]
(Why do you hang him up that way with the wire did you say?)
Why he become 'live after yo' do yore tricks. Yo' hang 'im up an' let 'im die dere. [Here as in so many rites is the tor- ture before death theme.] Well, aftah he die dere yo' take his hide an' yo' groun' dat, yo' know, dry it out thoroughly an' den yo' powdah it. An' yo' take dat - take dat hide - it be's tuh blind yo' see. [Informant begins to tell me this powder will blind a person, but changes his mind.] Well, yo' take dat haid an' cut dat haid off an' powdah dat haid up an' git it intuh a person. Dat makes live snakes [in him]. [After informant left interviewing room, I say to my re- cording machine: This woman spoke so low I don't know whether I shall be able to hear her or not [[at transcription time]]. That or not shows me unconsciously imitating informant's repetition - redundancy! All through Hoodoo informants and I frequently requote one another.]
Entry 6601
(Tell me the story just how you heard it.)
Said dat dis woman had been tuh church an' she come back an' she had a woman stayin' in de same house, undahstan', an' dere wus section [partition] in between duh two rooms. Well, yo' see de brick wus on de side in de back, an' dis othah woman she hollered in dere an' ast dis othah lady did she got some coffee made. She said, "Yes, ah got some jis' 'bout ready." An' dis othah woman tole her, all right, said she'd be in dere to git a cupa coffee. So she'd taken a cup fo' herself an' fixed a cupa coffee down dere fo' - she reach up de chimley an' got de snake haid an' beat it up an' put some in de bot- tom de cup fo' dis othah lady, an' put de sugah on topa it. An' dis othah woman, she settin' in dere lookin', peekin' through de crack at 'er. An' she didn't put nuthin in dis cup ovah dere but sugah. Dat was fo' herself, see. An' so she po'd up de coffee an' called dis womah tuh come on an' git 'er coffee. It wus ready. So dis othah woman she jis' come in dere an' lif' dis cup from heah - whilst dis othah woman turn aroun' - an' she jis' changed it right quick. Took dis cupa coffee an' sot [sat] dat one ovah dere. An' so did othah woman [intended victim] drinked dat cup of coffee; an' dis othah woman, she whut fixed it, she drinked dat whut she had fo' de woman. De woman jis' switched de cups don't chew know. So she say, "Ah'm a dead woman right now." She ast 'er why she's a dead woman. An' [she] say, she went on tuh tell 'er, jis' tell 'er she know she goin' die. An' so dat thin' jis' created young snakes in 'er. An' she died at de [some- thing] plaCe an' DEY SAY DE BUZZARDS WENT DERE AT 'ER 'FO' SHE DIED, SHE WUS STINKIN' SO BAD. AN' ATTAH [AFTER] SHE DIED, DE LI'LE SNAKES ALL CRAWLED OUT "ER NOSE AN' OUT 'ER MOUTH.
(You said something about how she got that snake, how she got that.)
[I] said she took - cut de snake head off right at Holt Place an' hung it up de chimley an' let it dry, an' beat it up intuh a powdah. Dat's whut dey say. Ah didn't see it. [This switching of drinks is surely a folktale theme localized; not by inform- ant, but by a predecessor.]
(This happened up in Georgia? Holt, Georgia?)
At de Holt Place.
(Near what town?)
Near Perry, Georgia.
Entry 6602
Well, all right, ah've had de pleasure tuh meetin' a woman travelin through de country, an' five or six diff'ren' people of mah profession tole [her] dat dere wus snakes put intuh 'er. Now, dey wus Wondahin' how did dese snakes git intuh dis woman. Ah claim dat yo' kin take snake dust an' put snakes intuh a person. Yo' kin sprinkle dis dust over some of dere food an' if dey eat, dey claim dat snakes will grow intuh 'em. Ah've had de pleasure of gittin' one from a woman. Ah've taken de hair from de top of 'er head an' burn dis an' let 'er weah dis dus' in 'er lef' shoe, an it made dese snakes disappeah.
Entry 6603
People had got hurted. People have, yo' know, whut chew call poisoned peoples. Dere wus a lady stayed [with us]. An' dose peoples comes dere tuh 'er. An' yo' know people kin fix yo', yo' know, kin put snakes in yo'. She came dere to de doctor an' yo could see where dey had fixed - in a couple of places yo' could see de snakes.