Browse:Nail (Volume 1, entries 2144–2146)
Nail
Volume 1, entries 2144–2146. Source context: THE DOCTORS AT WORK: REPORTS FROM LAYMEN → HANDS: MAGIC HELPERS. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 2144
Nail 'em, somepin lak dat - lak yo' nail a person when dey passin' by lak dat. Take nine nails an' put 'em all round in de ground an' cuss 'em. Any time yo' nail, de nail hurt 'em an' de blood poison will kill 'em. (What would you do with those nails?) Stick 'em in de ground - jes' make yo' a round ring all round yore house when yo' think dat he [policeman or enemy] goin' come by. See, yo' drive dese nails into him an' blood poison him - his flesh.
(You drive the nails in a circle.)
The informant describes a round ring of nails around the house. Circle is a local arrangement reading; poisoning and death remain source claims.
Entry 2145
Ah seen 'em nail nine in each do', jis' like yo' comin' in de front - nine dere, nine in de middle an' nine heah an' nine back. Dat keep de policemen away.
(Nine nails right down into that door?)
Nail 'em in a cross in each door [demonstrates]. (In the saddle of the door - down where you walk over - nail them in the form of a cross.)
Entry 2146
Some people say they use nails to keep the police - that's another thing they say to keep the police away an' keep yore enemies out.
(How do they do that?)
They nail one ovah each windah an' talk to it jes' whatevah yo' want it to do, an' ah think yo' dress it with - befo' yo' nail it ovah each windah. Yo' make yo' up some sulphur - sulphur is a thing goes 'bout with ever'thin', an' a little graveyard dirt, an' yo' dress this nail. An' if you can, go write on it whut yo' want it tuh do. Yo' nail one ovah each windah an' one ovah de do', an' they say there's nuthin kin come ovah there.