Browse:Rattlesnake Master (Volume 1, entries 1436–1439)
Rattlesnake Master
Volume 1, entries 1436–1439. Source context: THE DOCTORS AT WORK: REPORTS FROM LAYMEN → FOLK MEDICINE → CURE AND PROTECTION. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 1436
Do you know what rattlesnake marster is? (I have heard of it, I have never seen it.) Well, you get a small piece of that and a small piece of John de Conker root - de High John de Conker root and a new dime and a piece of lodestone, and yo' sew dis into a little bag called a toby [another name for hand]. Sew it up and yo' kin either put a piece of red flannel or shammy skin - sew that up in it and keep it into yore left pocket always and never let anyone touch it. If you do that, 'that is a Wonderful thing.
(What will that do then?)
That will prevent anyone from harming you.
[For rattlesnake master and knots, see No. 1126, p.418.]
[Rattlesnake master - a name for several plants said to cure rattlesnake bite: Liatris squarrosa and L. scariosa, and Eryngium aquaticum of southeastern U. S. A. All plants of the genus Liatris are called button snakeroot.]
Entry 1437
Well, ah heard if someone tryin' tuh harm yo', why yo' could git chew some Hearts Cologne an' rattlesnake marster root, an' yo' could take that an' put it in a bottle an' use it; an' as yo' go out, put that on yo' an' it would keep dem from hurtin' yo'.
Entry 1438
It's a commonest thing as a piece of root chew call rattlesnake master. Well, yo' kin git holt of a piece of rattlesnake master an' yo' could cut it up, a piece of it an' put it into a bottle, see. Yo' po' a bottle of cologne on it see, an' yo' stop it up an' yo' set it one side in yore corner. After nine days yo' kin take dat stuff. (You take this rattlesnake master and you put it in the bottle of cologne. Then after nine days what do you do?) Yo' take it if yo' goin' out round anywheres - yo' jes', every time yo' go out, well, yo' jes' po' some of dat in yore hand an' yo' take it an' rub it all ovah yore face. An' then yo' take anothah piece of it an' sew it into a bag take string then an' let it tie roun' yore waist an' wear dat. See. An' dat keep down all evil.
(If anybody's trying to harm you.)
That protection - dat's chure protection.
Entry 1439
If somebody goin' put somepin down fo' yo' tuh walk ovah or somepin like that, yo' could use salt an' red peppah in yore shoes, or either a piece of root by de name of rattlesnake conker - put that in yore shoes.