Browse:Rattlesnake Master (Volume 1, entries 2234–2246)
Rattlesnake Master
Volume 1, entries 2234–2246. Source context: THE DOCTORS AT WORK: REPORTS FROM LAYMEN → HANDS: MAGIC HELPERS. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 2234
In case yo' an' me are bootlegging an' ah wanta keep de law away from you, well it's a weed dey calls de rattlesnake marster. [I had been called a bootlegger before - see No. 808, p.279.] (Did you tell me why they call it the rattlesnake master?) It's de master of all snakes - it's de rattlesnake master, it conquers ev'rything. Well, it grows out heah - ah intend tuh bring it down heah an' show it to yo so yo' kin know. Yo' see it has wide leaves on it jes' lak dat an' yo' gits two of 'em - it's a he an' a she. De she one de leaves is got speckled splotches on it - red, jes' lak blood; an' de he one ain't got it on dere. You see you put that in two cans an' sell it. Yo' see those pair goes together. Yo' see yo' sets dem on each side of yore door an' no sheriff or nobody kin interfere wit yo' atall. (If you are bootlegging.) [For rattlesnake master identity, see No. 1436, p.469.]
Entry 2235
Like he wus down on his business. It's a thing look like a lily, name of rattlesnake master. Dat's one of de luckiest roots dey is out for business. Take dis heah rattlesnake master an' set it out in a bucket like yo' would a lily - or pot - an' take some water an' spit on it ever' mornin'. Business will come to yo'.
Entry 2236
Git two rattlesnake marster.
(Get two rattlesnake masters?)
Uh-huh. Dey grow in de woods and you put one on one side of yo' do' and one on de other side, and jes' say, "In de Name of the Father, Son an' Holy Ghost, I hope dey won't come." An' he won't come either.
(That is if the law was coming or the rent man?)
Yes.
(Now what does rattlesnake master look like?)
It's a lily - looks kinda like a lily. It grows in de woods.
(Has a flower on it?)
Yes, suh, it has a yellah flow'r and when yo' see one it looks jes' like a snake's mouth.
Entry 2237
If you can get somebody to go into de woods and git chew a plant of rattlesnake marsters - a bush dat grows, it called de rattlesnake marster. You git it an' plant it into a pot like a flower, and set it up inside de door and they will not come inside the gate.
[After machine turned off, informant adds another plant.]
(You put one plant on each side of the door?)
One plant on each side of the door - the male and the female plant - put one on each side of the door. And they [law] will never come in that door.
Entry 2238
Yo' take for a' ninstance, yo' take a rattlesnake - yo' know, he's called to be a rattlesnake master.
(You're talking about rattlesnake master?)
That's right. Dey have a bush, too - it's climber bush, it's very nicely, it's silkish. An' yo' take dat an' yo' put dis - it's not Hearts Cologne. "Yo' git another cologne - it cost yo' $5 [during the Great Depression!]. I'll bring it down to yo' sometime an' let chew see it. An' yo' sprinkle that an' put it in de bottom of yore trunk. If you haven't got chure clothes, put chure clothes in there. Yo'll have good luck the balance of yore days - yo'll be successful in yore jobs, always ever'body will want chew to work for them.
(Rattlesnake master is a root isn't it?)
Yes, it's a root. [I rewrite the underlined words: If you haven't got (all) chure clothes (with you), put chure clothes in there (after you go home)...always ever'body will want chew to (root) work for them. Once again I am a doctor - see Hyatt, H. M., in Index.]
Entry 2239
If yo' have trouble wit de law yo' kin git dis rattlesnake marster. Everybody should keep it fo' protection, cause it's natch'ly good - ah know personally - for friends or either enemies. A person should keep it an' chew it - at least swallow a piece of it as much as once a day. Now that is something good to keep the law off yo'. [Rattlesnake master as protection, see p.469f.]
Entry 2240
Well, sir, yo' hear tell of de rattlesnake marster. Well, git de roots of hit an' git some Hearts Cologne an' cut it up into a bottle; an' jes' when yo' be round people, be wit people, keep yore face an' hands 'nointed wit it. Say it draws friends an' plenty customers.
Entry 2241
Ah've been told dat if yo' will dig yo' de fresh rattlesnake marster - an' yo' take dat rattlesnake marster an' use it with perfume. Hearts perfune is de best perfume dat yo' kin use in anything lak dis. Yo' take dat Hearts perfume an' yo' go right straight - if yo' know anybody dat chew know kin go out an' git chew some rattlesnake marster an' John de Conker, yo' put dat rattlesnake marster an' John de Conker together an' yo' use it. Yo' know, saturate it good with per- fume. An' yo' keep doin' dat an' as yo' go into de co'troom - yo' try to git in dere befo' anybody else an' yo' sprinkle dat round where he goin' tuh set, see. An' then yo' use dat freely - use dat freely. Yeah, yo' use dat John de Conker an' dat rattlesnake marster wit dat perfume.
Entry 2242
Perfume - why yo' use it fo' luck. Yo' takes de rattlesnake marster an' John de Conker an' de three fingers an' put all in dat Hearts Cologne. [A three-roots rite.]
(Three fingers?)
Yes sir, an' put it in dat Hearts Cologne and yo' know, like sportin' womens put it all ovah dem. Dat's gon'a grow money fo' dem.
(Take this juice off those roots and put in that perfume.)
That's right.
Entry 2243
Dey tell me yo' go tuh work an' git chew some John de Conker an' some rattlesnake marster an' blacksnake root [three roots] an' git chew three new needles. Put de needles right up ovah yo' do' there yo' see, an' keep dat John de Conker, rattlesnake marster an' de blacksnake root in yore pocket.
(That will keep the law away?)
Keep de law away.
Entry 2244
Git some dis same rattlesnake mahstah an' jis' wash it off an' tote it in you' pocket. An' git choo a lil piece of lodestone an' put it right dere wit it, an' a dime. An' yo' kin git a job anywhah.
Entry 2245
[Rattlesnake root - different from the preceding rattlesnake master - means various plants of the genus Prenanthes; the root here probably being P. altissima, once an acceptable snakebite remedy in the South. It is also called cankerweed in U. S. A.]
(Get the rattlesnake root in the woods?)
In the woods. Find this root, bring it in and dry it out thoroughly where it's cured - not green, but dry. Take that and wear that in your purse or put that in your register.
(Cash register.)
The best place is to leave it in the cash register all de time. That will have a tendency to draw customers in and nobody else, or nobody. Dat's my best secret that isn't known - the public doesn't know it, that particular part.
Entry 2246
Go out in de woods an' ah find some rattlesnake root an' git it an' tie 'em up in a sack an' sprinkle some black pepper ovah it an' tote 'em right in yo' left shoe.
(What will that do then?)
Well, that make yo' luck be on - people can't win then [from you].
(That's for luck in gambling.)