Browse:SEXUAL IMPOTENCE (Volume 3, entries 3110–3831)/Part 8
SEXUAL IMPOTENCE
Volume 3, entries 3110–3831. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 3670
Keep de othah men from dere, git chew one dese big white pocket han'- ke'ch'ef. Go to de Dime Sto', git chew one ain't nevah been used, an' den take a snail an' put 'im in dat han'ke'ch'ef. Den take dat han'ke'chef when yo' have connection wit dat person dat night, an' she cain't nevah have.nobody else but 'im - cain't have nobody else. He ain't goin' have nobody else.
(What does she do with that handkerchief then after she has used it?)
She take de han'ke'ch'ef, she wipe him wit it an' she got 'im right den. She takes de han'ke'ch'ef an' puts it anywhere undah de baid, so he won' see it.
Entry 3671
(What would she do to fix him up that way?)
Well, she'd take a snail an' git some slime off dat snail on a piece of cot- ton, an' when she have dealings wit 'im, well she'd git some of dat on dat cot- ton an' wear it between 'er toes. (Between her what?) Between 'er big toe an' 'er othah toe - jis' lak ah tol' yo' 'bout de man a while ago, wear it between dere, an' he can't have anothah woman. (What would she do with that snail slime? What would she do with it first? Would she wipe that on her or him or what?) Yes, she wipe dat on 'er. Dat [snail slime] be already on de cotton an' she wipe it on 'er, yo' know, an' dat will keep it all togethah; an' she jis' put it between 'er toes dere an' keep it dere. Whenevah she pull off 'er stockin', change stockin's, she jis' take dat out an' put it right back in dere. Keep it in dere, wear it out in dere.
Entry 3672
Yo' take a snail dat crawl an' evahthing when de rain. Yo' take dat wit a little piece of yellah domestic cloth. Cloth lak dis [on interviewing table] dat has flowah on it, lak yo' say white cloth. Well de dark yellah yo' git. Yo' git enough fo' de woman to wipe herself on. Well, when he is wit dis woman, take - when dey gits through - take dat little piece of cloth, an' take dat snail live - don't let 'im be dead - an' run it right 'tween aftah yo' wipes 'er off. An' aftah yo' git through, yo' take dat an' yo' fold it up. Put it in a Holy Bible.
(How do you fold that up now?)
Yo' fold it in fo' cornahs [demonstrates]. Let it [snail] be live, don't let it be dead. Jis' take it lak dat an' jis' wipe to yo' an' lay ovah. All right. An' den yo' put it on a dish or eithah undah de pillah. Den yo' let 'er use it, but yo' don't wipe yo'self. An' den yo' fold it to yo' dis way, see [demon- strates].
(Fold it nine times that way.)
Yes sir, an' put it in de Bible. An' den yo' leaves 'er. Any man come he would nevah bothah 'er.
(Where do you put the Bible then?)
Yo' put de Bible somewhere, yo' know lak a safe anything - hide it. [Safe here is not a steel box with combination lock, but an old-fashioned kitchen cabinet, a piece of movable furniture with shelves and drawers holding dishes. knives and forks. etc.1 (This is like a square handkerchief and you roll it to you nine times, and then you turn it around lengthwise and roll it lengthwise.) An' de only way den, when yo' wan' to break 'er from bein' lak dat, yo' take dat cloth an' yo' wash it out wit Sameman [Salmon] Soap, see. An' den fold de cloth an' burn de cloth [and] dey [she] be's in de same condition [her nature will be restored].
(What kind of soap?)
It's 18c a bar - Sameman, Saveman [Salmon, has picture or mold of fish].
Entry 3673
Lockin' de bowels, well ah tell yo' ah don' really know much about dat, but it's one thing ah do know. Yo' kin stop a woman or a man from havin' intah- co'se wit anothah fellah, if yo' want to. Well yo' go an' git chew a house snail, dese ole snails crawl aroun' de house. Yo' take yore dishrag dat chew been usin' in de kitchen an' yo' washes it out. When dis snail starts tuh crawlin', yo' take de rag an' put it ovah 'im dataway [demonstrates]. Well, yo' know he's bound tuh melt.
(You just drop that rag over him and pick him up that way?)
Dat's right. Den put 'im back down. Do dat fo' about fo' times. Yo' take dat rag an' fold it up nice in yore pocket, or yore towel - whatevah it is. But it's best tuh be wit a dishrag. Yo' take dat dishrag an fold it up an' yo' go somewhere an' have intahco'se wit 'er. Well, she say, "Ah got sompin." Yo' say, "No, yo' take dis'un [this one], ah got sompin heah, mah ole han'ke'chef" - sompin lak dat. Well, when she take dat - but don' chew use it yoreself, let 'er use it. An' cain't nobody in de worl' have nuthin tuh do wit 'er but chew. Cain't even give her a million dollahs. Ah kin give her a million dollahs, an' de min- ute ah starts it will be jes' lak dis cloth heah [on table holding recording machine between us]. (Well, is there any way that you can get rid of that, after you are fixed up that way? How can you get rid of that?) No Suh, YO' CAIN'T GIT RID OF DAT. YO' GOTTA DIE [TO] PASS AWAY DAT OFFA YO'.
Entry 3674
I've heard of people takin' snails. Take dat snail an' mash 'im up fine. Yo' git a dishrag out de kitchen, I've heard, take an' wrap 'im up in dat dishrag. An' when yo' fool wid a woman, yo' wipe her wid dat an' bury dat, an' she no good. Den if she happens to fool wid anothah man on yo', she's gon'a git hung jis' lak de dog.
Entry 3675
(Now, what were you going to say about those snails?)
I wuz sayin' a man kin do de same thing wit de snail, shell of a snail, an' put a woman in dat predicament of life. (Well, just how would you do that?) Well, he'd take de snail an' hull de snail, yo' know take de flesh part out de snail's shell, an' parch dat snail's shell an' den beat it up real fine. He'll take dat snail dust - undah- stan' me - an' jis' be playin' wit 'er, yo' know, lak a man do sometime. Yo' know, run 'is index finger up 'er vagina, UP IN DAT PREDICAMENT OF LIFE. An' jis' put some of dat snail dust up in 'er vagina, AN' SHE BE LAZY AS A SNAIL, SURE AS GOD LIVIN', FO' ANY OTHAH MAN DAT CREPT IN DERE.
(I see. I get the idea.)
Entry 3676
Tuh keep 'im from havin' anybody, yo' take dat snail an' yo' kin dry 'im. Eithah [or] yo' kin take 'im an' put 'im in de stove an yo' kin brown 'im. An' den when yo' brown 'im yo' kin pound 'im up into powdah. An' yo' take de seat of yore man's drawahs an' yo' open it, jes' a little place, an' yo' put all dat down in dere. An' he cannot fool wit no one but chew. An' he gotta come home an' bring yo' de money.
Entry 3677
(Ever heard of using a banana?)
[I used this question in New Orleans because it was the great port for re- ceiving bananas.] Well, I tell yo' what I'm experiencin' dataway round here. He kin fix 'is- self, fix 'er so dat she won't bothah wit no othah man. He gits a snail an' he takes dis snail an' he makes a powdah an' puts it on 'im. An' when he's foolin wit - he put dat powdah on 'er an' no man kin fool wit 'er. When he go to her, he put - it fall, see.
Entry 3678
Take a snail an' if yo' [a man] have a sweetheart an' [so that] no othah man couldn't go wit 'er, takes dis snail an' dey makes a powdah out of it, parch it first, an' yo' sprinkle on de head of yo' [penis] befo' yo' go to fool wit 'er, an' whoevah [approaches her will fail].
The informant describes making powder from a snail. The anatomy and final outcome completions are editorial, and no effect is verified.
Entry 3679
So he wouldn't want no othah woman but chew, ah know how tuh fix 'im so "HE CAIN'T RAISE NO STAKES." Git a snail. It's mighty dirty. Git a snail an' put 'im on a ole [tin-can] top an' put 'im in yore stove an' let 'im brown. Take it out an let 'im cool, an' yo' take dat [browned] snail an' jes' rub it to a plumb powdah. Jes' parch it up, parch it up, an' when yo' an' 'im are layin' in de baid, yo'd have a little on yore han' an' tetch 'is thing, an' he cain't raise stakes fo no othah woman. Lak yo' been wit 'im a long time an' ti'ed [tired] of 'im an' got 'im fixed, yo' take dat stuff out de trunk an' take dat stuff from between de mattress, whut ah tole yo' tuh fix, an' carry it to de rivah an' turn yore back an' say, "Go, ah nevah want chew no mo', '' an' throw it in de rivah, an' he'll go on an' won't bothah yo' no mo'. Throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah an' don't look back, an nevah want chew no mo'."
Entry 3680
Well, yo' kin go tuh work an' git chew a snail shell, an' yo' take a snail shell an' jes' put it in a lil' yo' kin set it on de back of de stove where it's hot, an' let it stay right dere till it come hard. When it come hard, yo' kin mash it up an' use it same as flour, an' den yo' take dat an' come on back. Jes' lak if yo' got a woman an' don' want 'er tuh have muthin do wit no- body, yo' kin go tuh work when yo' make connection wit 'er, jes' put it on yore fingahnail an' rub it right down right dere fo' three times. Dere's muthin on yore han', but chew jes' do lak dat. An' any othah man dat come dere, de time he git right dere, dat will fall.
Entry 3681
Well, yore wife - jis' lak if yo' goin' off to work an' yo' wan' 'er not to be foolin' aroun' wit no othah man. Well, jis'as - befo' yo' leave dere, yo' git some snail dust - some snail, yo see, what creeps slow-slow across - JIS' GO TO ANY DRUG STO' AN' SAY, "GIVE Prob'ly yo' have to pay about 40c or prob'ly a little bettah. Yo' git dat snail dust an' jis' lak, say when yo' go on 'er dat night when yo' leavin' 'er [to go to work], yo' wants to go to bed wit yore wife befo' leavin'-time, an' yo' fools wit 'er. Befo' yo' fool wit 'er, yo' put some of dis snail dust into yore undahclothes or in yore hair - yo' know, put it in yore hair, see. Yo' put some of dis same sinimint [cinnamon] an' sugah right in de middle of de bed, jis' where yo'll put 'er to lay. An' yo' take dis snail dust an' yo' put it all on yoreself. Well. But she not payin' attention cuz she used to it an' yo' leave 'er. Yo' git on 'er an' yo' fool wit 'er an' she nevah have no feelin' fo' no man in de worl'. Evah time, yo' jis' rolls across 'er mind [she thinks of you]. Jis' look lak she ain't got no feelin' atall [for another man].
Entry 3682
A fellah could stop anothah fellah from goin' wit 'is wife. He'd taken a snail an' dead skin from undah his feet an' parched it an' take it an' - wit a dishrag. An' while she's asleep dat night, jes' sprinkle dat on 'er, put dat on 'er an' rub 'er wit de dishrag, so she couldn't go wit no one. Dat take de nature away from 'er.
(What did he do with this snail and the dirt and that dishrag?)
Take de snail an' ground - yo' know, groun' de whole shell an' de snail. Parch it good, make a kinda powdah out of it. An' when she went to sleep, why he sprin- it ovah 'er an' he wipe her across wit de dirty dishrag. Sprinkle dat ovah 'er on 'er drawahs, an' anyone couldn't go wit 'er no mo'. So findly [finally] dey broke up.
Entry 3683
Dey kills a couple of snail an' dey'll take dat snail shell an' dry it. Ef ah'm goin' wit a whoman an' she won't want me go nex' wit mah wife, she'll take dat snail shell an' dry it good an' parch it an' make a powdahs out of it. Put dat powdah in mah bread an' ah will eat it. Well, ah can't git up no nature fer nobody but 'er. Leave an' walk off.
Entry 3684
Well, yo' pound 'im up, poun' de snail up. Dry it an' pound it up an' git it in some likkah or coffee, jes' a leetle bit chew know, so dey can't ex- serve [observe] it, an' dat will kill yo' 'cuz yo' be [become] jes' lak dem [snails] an' yo' be's slow about evahthing. Can't have - nevah git ovah it.
(And it kills their courage?)
Kills dere courage.
Entry 3685
Well, takin' any snail an' while de woman's sleepin', he would take dat snail an' he would pass it across her stomach right dis way an' makin' a cross dat way. Ah don't care whut man she go wit or how he been wit 'er, when he goes tuh go wit 'er, his cnbition will fall.
(He will rub that across this woman's abdomen in the form of a cross?)
Jes' cross it.
Entry 3686
Yo' take a snail, fo' instance, if a man have a woman cr wife, an' if he figure dat she's goin' bad. He don't want 'er have any dealin' wit any othah fellah. While she sleep, he'll take a snail an' make a cross right undah de navel. An' each man dat would aim to go wit 'er, he'll nevah be able to go wit 'er. He'll have ambition until he mount 'er an' den he's - he'll fall. He'll nevah go wit 'er.
(I see.)
Entry 3687
Well, ah've nevah tied any but ah've heard 'em say how yo' tie 'em. Dey say jis' tuh measure 'em, an' if yo' kin measure 'em, git whatsomevah come out, an' tie dat wit a cord lak dat. See, an' put pins an' things in dere. Now ah have nevah did it but dat's whut a girl tole me tuh do, but ah wouldn't do dat. An' den dat would cut 'is nature from dis othah one, or eithah git a snail. See. Git a live snail an' den durin' 'er playin' wit 'im, take dis snail an pass it cross 'im lak dat [demonstrates].
(Like you were making an "x".)
Yh-hah, jis' lak dat. See, dat will kill 'is nature.
Entry 3688
Take a snail an' mark a cross, make a horse's pitchure on a woman's stomick, an' she cain't deal wit no othah man but jes' dat one. (Make what kind of a picture?) A horse's picture - a horse whut chew rides. (You have to draw a picture of a horse on a woman's stomach, but you have to use a snail - this thick stuff from the snail - and then she won't be able to have another man?) No, no man but jes' 'im. [An old note of mine reads: "I do not understand the picture, unless the per- son who draws the picture is the rider!"]
Entry 3689
So far as I know, ah kin tell yo' on dat part, too. So now, yo' take a woman - jis' lak ah'm got a ole lady mahself an' she don't want me runnin' out wit nobody but 'er. Ah seed [saw] 'er do it mahself. Dey take a snail, a live snail dat crawls aroun' - lotta people say yo' kin take yore han'. She take 'er han' an' she will run it across dis snail an' rub it on 'er stomick. Well, yo' kin do it a diff'- ren way dan dat. Yo' kin take a snail an' put it in a clean towel, see, dat yo' use to dry off or somepin. An' where dat snail greasin' dat towel - yo' don't kill 'im or nothin - jis' let 'im crawl across it or somepin an' he makes a mark across it each way he comes. [The crawling snail makes an X-mark.] An' dat towel will be folded right back up some place an' be hung right on de - or prob'ly at de foot of de baid. An' whilst de man have intahco'se wit 'er or somepin, why she han's 'im dat towel. Well, she han's 'im dat an' as long as he uses dat, why he can't do no good wit no one else.
(I see.)
Entry 3690
Dey tell me dat dey kin do things to 'er so dat a man cannot have intahco'se wit 'er at all. Say he kin go an' git 'im a snail, an' GIT DE DUST FROM WHARE DE SNAIL'S CRAWL- IN'. Take de snail an' fry dat snail plumb till it cook up. Yo' kin roll it up, yo' know. Put all dat dus' togethah an' jis' when he kin have intahco'se wit 'er, jis' have dat dus' an' git some of it on 'is han's an' rub on 'er, an' dey say a man nevah could - don' cay [care] how he tried, nevah kin have anything to do wit 'er.
(That's to protect his home while he's gone?)
Yes, sir.
Entry 3691
Yo' been in de woods an' yo' see dese thousan' laigs [= centipede, sometimes called thousand-legger, see FACI, 1st ed.,1399, p.62; 2nd ed.,1383, p.54]. Yo' know what dese thousan' laigs be's. An' dese conk [conch] shell in de rivah. Jes' lak yo' git a conk, yo' know what ah mean [see later], an' eat 'em. Yo' carry dat home, yo' git a piece of snail. Yo' git a ole snail. Yo' know what a snail is. Yo' put dem on de stove. Yo' cook dem until it's nuthin but a powdah.
(You put the snail and the shell and?)
An' de thousan' laigs all togethah [3 ingredients] right up on dat place an' dat will cook it tull [till] it nuthin but a powdah - tull yo' kin tetch it as nowthin' but a powdah. Well, yo' put all dat togethah, put it in a box. Well, he'll come to yo' an' say, "Ah want sompin to kill dat - dat kill 'er nature, to kill evah man nature fo' 'er, excusin' 'im [me]." Well, den yo' give him jis' a leetle bit an' put it in 'is han' an' yo' rub it out of sight lak dat. Rub 'is han' lak dat - hit's gone, he can't see it. Don' care if yo' wash de han' wit soap an' watah, dat's gone. [Here we have a doctor "dressing" a patient's hand - a little now you see it, now you don't "trick".] Well, dere's nobody kin have no dealin' wit 'er but chew.
(A man will do that to keep other men away from his wife.)
Evah man goin' stay away.
Entry 3692
Dey take a snail yo' know to stop a man from bein' wit a woman.
(How would they do that?)
Dey put dat snail - de woman will fix dat water in de tub. She'll fix de watah in de tub fo' de man an' den she'll put dat snail - wash dat snail all roun' in dat watah, an' when [then] he go to take a bath yo' see. An' evah time dat he go to be wit anothah woman outside of 'er, he'll fall.
Entry 3693
Yo' git de snail an' yo' cook de snail, an' yo' take de watah an' yo' git chew a han'ke'ch'ef, a new han'ke'ch'ef an' yo' soak dis han'ke'ch'ef wit it, an' yo' put dis on dis woman, an' she won't have any nature. If a man go dere, he can't do anything.
Entry 3694
Ah'm very, very fo'getful now.
[See my comment about this woman later.]
Kin do a man in dis way, yo' kin git a snail. Yo' know a woman kin take a syringe an' wash her purse out. Yo' know whut dat is. [This ancient use of the word purse is probably my only example of it.] An' aftah she washes it out, she takes de watah from whut she wash out wit an' she puts de snail in it, an' [afterward] she take it an' put it in de stove an' let it brown down to a crust. An' she takes it out, outen de crust, she take it an' she grinds it up, jes' mash it up yo' know right right small. An' den she take it an' put it - dope it in a wax, de chewin' gum yo' know dat chew chew - she'll roll it [in that]. Dat's to take dis man in [to trick him]. If she think any way fresh [here's another meth- od], she would git an asafetidy [asafetida] an' make little pills. An' she'll wait till he gits sick an' den give it to him, give de pills to him fo' swallow- in'. An' dat yo' know, it's got 'er nature. An' he swallah - take dese pills fo' a medicine. An' ah don' care whut woman or what kind, she cain't nevah git 'im tuh leave aroun' heah. [To be certain that I know what informant is talking about, I now comment to the machine and ask a question:] (She takes a syringe and washes her purse, and then she puts this snail in that water. Does she put the snail into the water before she washes herself or does she put the snail in after she has washed?) Aftah she has washed 'erself. She'll have a intahco'se wit 'im first befo' she do dat, yo' know. Dat's tuh git 'is nature. An' den she takes dat an' douche herself out right good, yo' know, wit not too much watah - yo' know, wit a very small amount. An' den she set 'im in de stove an' let 'im dry right. (This elderly woman supposed to be good, but she couldn't get her things to- gether. She may have been a little frightened also.)
Entry 3695
He kin go an' git 'im a pound of alum an' git 'im a cloth an' mess wit 'er all he kin an' wash dat cloth in dat alum an' wear it round him.
(Wear it around him?)
ALUM Yes sir, it'll bring 'er to 'im - it'll take dat up. Dat'll kill dat othah [impotence] dead, dat's whut dey say.
Entry 3696
[As ants cause (No.33llf.), so they cure impotence.]
Yo' kin git nine red ants an' boil 'em an' dey will give yo' courage, if yo' drink that tea three times a day.
(If a woman has taken your courage away?) Yes, it will give you courage.
Entry 3697
[To draw blood is a common remedy against witchcraft - see Nos.485-487 and elsewhere in HOODOO. That explains the use of many of the sharp-pointed instruments in hoodoo; the witch being afraid of cutting herself and drawing blood. Penis captivus and impotence, like all ailments and disabilities - in fact just about every misfortune in life - comes from a spell put on you.]
(Well, is there any way of getting them apart?)
De only way to git 'em apart is fer dem to git a ole doctor - young doctor don't know of it, but git a ole doctor. Ah've been told by mah fathah to take a penknife, a penknife an' stick it right in de hollah of de foot, an' den he'll bleed an' dat will disconnect 'im.
(What is a penknife?)
[Even in my boyhood penknife was becoming rare.]
Very small.
Entry 3698
De doctor kin do it by splittin' de bottom of his [patient's] feet.
(To get them apart.)
Yes sir.
Entry 3699
If any confusion come up between 'im an' de woman, an' if it be a fight an' HE DRAW ANY BLOOD FROM 'ER, he would be able aftah dat tuh go wit de [other] woman. See, he git a drop of blood from dat - drawin' any de blood from 'er yo' undahstan', DAT UNBIND 'IM FROM 'ER, an' he go on wit dis [other] woman. (If she tied him up, and he actually draws blood from her, that would kill that [impotence spell].) Kill it.
The informant links drawing blood in a conditional fight account to an alleged release. No actual violence, diagnosis or resulting effect is verified.
Entry 3700
Ah heard a fellah say if a woman take his nature datavay, if he wants tuh git it back, he have tuh go tuh work an' git some of 'er ministrate. If he git dat, yo' see, an' he'll git it on a rag, an' he'll go tuh work an' take him some gin- whiskey an' put it in qin-whiskey. an' give it tuh 'er tuh drink. When she do dat she'll go tuh work an' release it offa him.
Entry 3701
Yo' kin take yo' a little bluestone an' put it in some watah, not too strong, an' yo' kin jes' mop dat. Keep dat mopped wit dat bluestone watah an' dat will bring it back. (Bring your nature back?) Yes sir, or yo' kin use sweet milk. Sweet milk is good. Yo' kin jes' bathe in dat sweet milk. Sweet milk will bring it back.
Entry 3702
Yes sir, ah heard jes' like if yo', yo' know, yo' be wit a woman yo know an' can't do nuthin - yo' undahstan' whut ah'm talkin' about? (You've lost your nature?) Yes sir. Well, jes' befo' yo' go tuh bed at night wit dis woman, whosoevah it is, an' if yo's sleepin' wit 'er, well jes' befo' yo' goes tuh bed, well from de way de sun rise evah mawnin', well yo' goes out at night chew know an' bow back ovah lak dis three times in de way de run rise [demonstrates].
(You turn your back to the sunrise and turn your head back toward the sun.)
An' bow lak dat three times but don't mess wit 'er dat night, but from den on why yo' won't have no trouble. [See bowing to the new moon 3 and 7 times, FACI, 2nd ed., 8399-8400, p.373.]
Entry 3703
An' den ag'in, anothah thing dey kin do, lak if yo' have intahco'se wit 'em, dey kin go to work an' take dat an' put it in a bottle. An' jes' lak if yo' wanted go fool wit anothah woman, why evahthing would stan' all right until yo' got dere, an' de moment yo' git dere, evah- thing would fall dead. De way dey handles dat - de way yo' would have to do to stop dat, why yo'd have to search de place where yo' stay, where yo' eatin' gen'ly [generally], an' yo'd fin' dis bottle. Dey got it airtight in a bottle. Dat is de way dey puts it up, airtighted in a bottle. An' long as it airtight in dere - co'se he kin have, be in action wit 'er all right, but he can't have no action wit no othah woman. Evah time he go to have one, evahthing will go dead on 'im. An' de way dey do to git dat, why yo' has to search de place an' git it, an' break it an' throw it in running water.
Entry 3704
(If a man wants to regain his nature, what does he do now?) He takes sulphah an' brimstone an' sugah an' throw it ovah yore left shouldah fo nine mawnin's an' say, "Dead work to put chew - fo' whut chew tryin' tuh do me, go back where yo' come." An' instead of it bein' on 'im, it will be on 'er, yo' see.
(What did you say now?)
"Dead work to it, dead work to her."
("Dead work to her." That will turn it back on her?)
Sho'.
(That left shoulder, you said was what?)
De left shouldah, dat means yore heart. Turn it back to her.
Entry 3705
Well, when she have intahco'se wit a man, well she kin take dat string yo' see, aftah evahthing is ovah, an' she'll jis' dry wit dat string, yo' know [wiping] to huh. Git it right wet an' she'll tie a knot in it an' jis' as many ties as she has interco'se wit dis man, she'll tie a knot in dat an' jis' keep on till she git nine knots an' wear it roun' her laig or eithah roun' her waist an' he cain't bothah nobody else.
(She just uses a string for this doesn't she?)
Yessuh, a cord string.
(She doesn't measure him or anything of that sort?)
She measured 'im, she measured 'im first.
(She ties it later on?)
Yessuh, aftah. Aftah wearin' dat string aroun' 'er waist or eithah roun' 'er laig, take dat an' burn it up an' he'll git rid of dat.
(He'll get his nature back again.)
Yes sir.
Entry 3706
He kin use his wlfe in a way dat she won't have othah men.
(How does he do that?)
How does he do it? Uses wlt de tongue. Dey call it goin' to de bushes. He goes down when he go to goin' down. She won't have anothah man. [That next-to-last sentence means: He goes down to the bushes, resorts to cunnilingus, when he begins to lose his nature. My informant, though marked professional and excellent is mistaken. Cunnilingus is neither a sign of ap- proaching impotence nor a mark of impotence.]
(Why?)
Well, DE HEAT FROM 'IS BREATH DRAWS DE LIFE FROM DE OTHAH MAN AWAY FROM 'ER. [To breathe, to heat, to suck, and to lick - these can be magic actions; but in this rite I see only intention or wishing. Protection against the other man, like all similar devices, is nonsense. As a matter of fact, all rites in HOODOO are wishful thinking - a dangerous mental activity.]
Entry 3707
(Calamus roots. And what do you put with it?)
Whiskey. (How do you prepare that?) Yo' boil it. Yo' put it in about a quart of watah an' yo' boil it down to a pint [magic diminishing amount] an' yo' put chew about a dime or 15c worth of whiskey in it. Den yo' po' it out, aftah yo' put dat whiskey in - po' it out an' put it in a bottle. Den yo' take it. An' dat'll bring 'is nature back.
Entry 3708
The follow- ing informant gives 4 separate cures:] Dey say yo' kin take in measurin' a man - well now, in yore husban', if yo' don't want 'im tuh fool wit somebody, why yo' could take an' measure him when he's sleep, if yo' git a chance. Or eithah, yo' fix 'im to pay no 'tenshun - have connection wit 'im fo' a chance tuh measure 'im wit a piece of cord string, dis little cord string dat come off a wrappin'. An' take an' measure 'im wit dat - jes' de length of it. An' den yo' kin take an' tie nine knots in it, an' yo' kin wear it in yore shoe, or if yo' kin, put it down undah de innah sole of yore shoe, an' he can't have anythin' tuh do wit anybody else. Den yo' kin take a piece of new homespun. Jes' lak yo' be playin' an' yo' have a piece of new homespun about de bed, or sompin yo' wus sewin', an' dey kin use dat aftah dey git through. Put it undah yore mattress an' double it up in a piece of papah an' put it undah yore mattress an' he ain't goin' bothah 'bout anyone. An' den if a person gits where dey kin't bothah wit anybody an' wants it taken off dem, dey kin go an' steal a dishcloth - steal someone's dishcloth. An' if dey got greasy dishwatah dere, dey jis' skim off dat grease wit dat dishcloth an' squeeze it up in dere. An' den yo' kin take dat dishcloth an' use it an' wash it off yoreself an' dat will kill it out. An' den yo' kin take an' git some cedar - these cedar leaves. Don't chew know, yo've seen dese cedars in de cemetery. An' take sulphur an' sprinkle it ovah dem, an' put a little fiah undah it, an' yo' kin kinda stand ovah dat an' let dat smoke go ovah yo', an' dat'll kill it. (That will kill it, if his nature has been taken away from him - restore his nature. But you don't have to get that cedar from the cemetery, you can get it any place?) Yes, anywhere. Yo' ain't gotta git it from de cemetery. [Yet, informant prefers graveyard.]
Entry 3709
Well, yo' kin mix yo' a glass of sweet milk an' yo' kin crack yo' a aig evah mawnin' befo' yo' git up an' drink it evah mawnin'. Dat's fo' yore nature. An' in othah words yo' kin suck it raw.
Entry 3710
Lak yo' got a husban' an' he go off an' mess wit a woman, an' she fix 'im so dat yo' can't have connection wit 'im - can't discharge himself. (How would she do that?) Well, I don't know how she do dat but I kin tell yo' how to untie it. (Well then, how do you untie it then?) Yo' go an' get yo' about that much twice of bluestone, get 1Oç bottle of sweet oil [= olive oil], an' get de white of two eggs [three ingredients], an' put it all in dere an' mix it togethah, an' shake it up an' dat bluestone will 'solve, an' take it an' rub yoreself down lak dat, an' all around up in yo', an' it will be all gone.
(That's for a man to do? Or the woman?)
It's a woman. Man kin do it too, if a man is tied up so he can't do nuthin.
(That will take off the spell if some other woman has put it on him?)
Yes.
Entry 3711
Gunpowdah. Well, dat's fo' nature - de gunpowdah an' de yellah of a aig, it's fo' nature.
(You take that?) Yassuh, take dat fo' nature.
Entry 3712
Go out to de henhouse an' git yo' nine dry hen turd an' put 'em in sompin an' let dat watah git lukewarm. Take dat an' stroke yo'self down good. Jes' lak yo' expect to go dere tomorrah, why yo'll do dat today. Den say, dat aftah tomorrah, de nex' day, yo' go an' buy a little bottle of Heart Cologne, an' go on back an' bathe wit it.
(That will restore his nature?) Yessuh, an' he do dat mo' den one time.
Entry 3713
An' anothah thing, yo' could take a young rooster off de yard dat jes' startin' tuh crowin', git de gizzard. An' yo' take dat gizzard out an' ' peel dat inside skin, dat rough skin in dere, an' jes' poun' dat up an' put it in corn whiskey, good corn whiskey or gin, an' dat will make him stan' up right away.
(That will bring his courage back?)
Yes, bring it right up. One dat jes' start tuh crowin', start comin' [growing] up. An' de man who's takin' it, why it'll grow, it will increase evah day.
Entry 3714
Go an' git 'im some coon root [see later] an' put it on some whiskey an' drink it three times a day, or eithah git 'im some lion tongue [lion's tongue - the spotted wintergreen]. (What is that, lion tongue?) Some dis li'le string stuff dat grows in de woods, it's got three or fo' leaves on it an' all of 'em runs out diff'ren ways, one runnin' dis way an' one runnin' dat way - runnin' east an' west an' no'th an' south.
(What does he do with that root then, just chew that or?)
Chew it or eithah put it on whiskey an' drink it.
(This will bring back his nature.)
[I can see why anything called lion's tongue would be good-magic medicine, especially when soaked in whiskey; but coon [racoon] root does not sound promis- ing. If coon root is not a root-trade name, could it be: (l) the coon grape of southeastern U. S. A., the Ampelopsis cordata, a woody vine with grapelike foliage bearing inedible bluish fruit; or (2) the fox grape Vitus labrusca?]
Entry 3715
Beef gall is sometime that is used to bring a man's nature back when a woman done tied knots aroun' - nine knots aroun' 'er stomach. (Well, how would you handle that? How would he get his nature back?) You use - take ordinary beef gall, if a man drink coffee, or whatevah drink he drink. Take or'nary beef gall an' make coffee or whatevah it is, make it strong enough dat yo' kin put one drop into dat an' he won't taste dat gall in dere, an' let 'im drink it, yo' see. An' if a woman is got a knot aroun' 'er stomach, an' she wears dem nine knots aroun' 'er stomach to kill a man's nature, yo' give him dat beef gall. Jis' continue givin' 'im dat beef gall, an' when dat string bu'st on 'im, he'll become a normal man when dat string bu'st on 'er. Long as he take dat beef gall an' urinate through 'is penis, dat string will continue wearin' - wearin' - [away].
Entry 3716
Ah tell yo' whut he kin do. Whut dey tell me is very good. Yo' take dat cow's horn, yo' know whut belong on a cow's haid, an' yo' scrape it up an' let it - don't scrape it down. Git de shavings up dat way an' make a tea out of it, an' he drink that. Dat's as good a medicine as yo' want.
(That's to bring his nature back.)
Bring it back.
Entry 3717
If yo' got a husban' an' he's runnin' roun' too much an' not, yo' know, any service to yo', why yo' kin take a cord string an' measure his thing. An' aftah yo' measure it, take an' tie it up in ninekmots an' den wear it roun' yore laig. An' den yo' wear it roun' yore laig an' whenevah he git ready tuh have a woman or anything, why he can't have 'em an' he won't know whut's de mattah wit 'im. An' he'll be dat way as long as yo' keep dat string. BUT IF YO' EVAH LOSE DE STRING, WHY HE'LL BE JES' LAK HE ALWAYS WUZ. He take sweet milk an' bathe himself in it an' he kin git rid of it - dat if he wants tuh. Put cream or sweet milk.
(If he was tied up that way by being measured?)
Yes.
Entry 3718
Den if he wants tuh git rid of dat, he takes an' gits 'im a quart of sweet milk an' washes 'isself down wit it. Then he kin go an' have anybody he wants to. (He washes himself down. His whole body?) Jes' 'is private, yo' know.
(Couldn't he wash them up?)
Ah don't know, but dat whut dey always say, whenevah he wanta git rid dat. If anybody put anything lak dat on 'im so yo' can't use yo'self, jes' git chew a quart of sweet milk an' jes' bathe yo'self down wit it. An' let dat stay dere.
Entry 3719
(Is there anything that a man can do to get his nature back?)
Well, ah've had a woman took a dishrag an' kinda fixed me so ah couldn't have no othah woman but 'er. Ah've tried othah women. Ah've been a railroad man all de time, lak ah runnin'[from here] in to At- lanta. No mattah how badly ah wanted dis woman, how much powah ah had, de minute ah lay down on dis woman - be wit 'er yo' know - come to be jes' as limbah as de end of mah fingah [demonstrates] dataway. But de onliest way dat ah evah cured mahself of dat, git me some sweet milk an' bath mahself down wit it nine mawnin's Dat'll give me as much power as ah evah did have. Or ah'll go to some runnin' watah, watah dat's runnin', an' bath off dataway. Dat'll give yo' powah.
(You go to running water and bathe?)
Bathe, or bathe in sweet milk.
(How could you bathe there in running water?)
Evah nine mawnin's.
(Do you bathe up or down?)
Down, bringin' yo' out all de time. Yo' don't want nuthin tuh draw back. Let it stretch out.
Entry 3720
Dis is a story of mahself. Well, ah felt lak ah wuz messed up an' ah sent to a ole man down heah in de country an' he tole me dat time, says, "Well, Ton, yo' take some sweet milk an' take a bath wit it." Ah say, "Well, how long?" He says, "Well, yo' take dat three maonin's. An' take yo' bath wit it an' bring me de milk back, de las' milk yo' use." Well, ah tuk de milk an' carried it back to him an' den he put sulphah in dis milk an' den give it back to me, an' tole me co'se milk will clabbah, an' fo' me aftah tuh use it up to de ninth mawnin'. An' so ah did so, an' co'se de milk had clabbahed an' dat whey - dat sulphuh wuz in dere, kept it from turnin' all to whey. It would not turn tuh whey, see. An' shortly aftah, ah don' know whut ah done tuh make it do dat, but ah be dogged if ah didn't git straightened out on it all right.
(You got your nature back?)
Got it on back, doggone right.
(What did you do with that clabber then?)
AFTAH DE NINE MAWNIN'S WHY AH CARRIED IT BACK TUH 'IM, See. CO'SE HE BURIED IT.
(Well, what did you do with the clabber after that?)
Ah use dat milk right straight on.
(You kept bathing with this clabber then until the ninth morning?)
Yes.
Entry 3721
He kin bathe in sweet milk fuh nine mawnin's - see, jis' de milk whut yo' milk out of a cow's bag whilst it's warm. An' bathe his privates down fuh nine mawnin's. An' take dat an' saltpetah, see an' alum fuh nine mawnin's, an' dat'll bring 'is nature back to him. (Do you take this milk bath separately or do you put this saltpeter and alum in it?) No, yo' see, yo' bathe in de raw milk by it- self warm, jis' as it come outa de cow's bag. An' aftah yo' do dat fuh nine mawnin's wit de milk, den yo' see when yo' take a bath, jis' a or'nary bath, yo' bath fuh nine days in dat saltpetah an' alum. An' dat'll restore yore nature back.
Entry 3722
(Now what would a man have to do to get rid of that, if he wants tc regain his nature?) Bathe hisself, his person in sweet milk an' spirits of turpentine nine nights or nine mawnin's. An' it'll come back to him, natch'ly [naturally].
Entry 3723
(To remove this spell, if a man has put this spell on the woman.)
To keep 'er from havin' intahco'se, see. An' evah time a man would go to her, his nature, yo' know, his nature won't rise on 'im. (And you were going to tell me how a man would regain his courage, his nature.) Yes, or a woman, see. Now, if yo' trick 'em wit dat snail. (Yes, what about that milk now? This is to get the person's courage back again. All right.) All right. Yo' take - yo' buy a guart of sweet milk, see, an' yo' wash wit it. Eithah one kin wash wit it, see an throw dat away - jes' wash wit milk see. De next, drink half of de milk out first; an' den do it wit dis third bottle, an' den yo' kin use it. An' yo' kin- see, yore courage go back to yo'. See, dat's to break de spell off a person.
(You use three bottles of milk.)
Yo' use three bottles of milk.
(The first bottle you wash with.)
De nex' yo' drink half of it an' den wash wit it, see. (Wash with the other half and the third bottle you drink, and after the third bottle you are all right.)
Entry 3724
[Some of the cylinders containing the interview of informant 962 were missed by my transcriber. While I was rechecking them I transcribed in pencil several of the rites and made a few brief notes of others, intending to return to the cylinders later for complete transcriptions of special material. My origlnal penciled note attached to this present statement in the original manuscript reads: Coal oil & sweet milk bathe down Memphis, Tenn., 1554:5 - 962 good.]
Entry 3725
For manhood weakness, well dat female takes advantage.
(How do you mean they take advantage?)
In dey transport demselves an' invite him to have action wit dem an' dey ketch de stuff an' store it away, see. Might take it in a cloth an' let 'im - maybe he lay down on it, sleep on it. Well, I'll advise him to go an' steal from 'is own - from 'is home a ole dishrag, yo' know, such a common thing, wipe hisself nine times or nine nawnin's dataway and dataway [demonstrates]. (Nine times each morning he wipes down and wipes across his... Nine times down this. Each and across, or?) No, nine times. See, fer nine mornings nine times, see; but heah yo' go.
[Demonstrates.]
(I see, make the cross.)
Yes, dat's one time - jes' count it as one, see.
(In other words, you make a cross nine times?)
Yeah, nine mawnin's an' each nine mawnin's. Yo' do dis each mawnin'.
(What else does he do then?)
Dat restores 'is manhood, yeah. Dat wipes it away. An' den, when yo' git on dat, den yo' takes de ole rag an' yo' supposed to do away wit it. Dat mostly come from de female sex, see.
Entry 3726
An' de dishrag in de same lak mannah. Take dat dishrag an' she'll wipe it, dry off wit dat dishrag. Don't make no diff'rence if it's dry or if it's been used in grease, an' dat takes 'er courage away. Takes all de nature away from 'em. Now if a woman ties yo' lak dat now de way dat she do, she'll wait till he's asleep an' she'll mess roun' wit chew an' she'll hang her gown or sompin ovah yore haid till yo' go tuh sleep yo' see [common rite]. An' she'll git a cord string an' she'll measure de length of yo', an' den when she measure de length of yo', she'll tie dat many knots in it, see. Den she'll tie it roun' 'er laig, right around de [calf] of 'er laig, or else roun' 'er wais'. Most of de time she tie it aroun' dere. Well, yo' find it an' yo' mistrust dat. Well den, yo' don't know whut tuh do, yo' tried evahthing, go to de doctors [M.D.'s] an' still dey ain't done any good. Well, yo' lay awake until yo' ketch 'er asleep, an' den yo' slip to her an' take dis cord string off of 'er. An' den when yo' take dis cord string off of 'er, while she's 'sleep, yo' kin take dis same [string] in lak mannah an' measure it [her] dis way, see. An'when yo' measure it dat way, an' den dis way, an' yo' tie it in string in dat shape.
(In a round shape?)
Yes, an' den yo' take dat same string an' yo' sew it; see, sew it from dis heah, dataway. Jes' cut it out an' sew dat togethah. An' dat will git off yo an' git on 'er. Den yo' take yo' some warm watah, as warm as yo' kin bear it, an' put table salt in it an'.wash yo'self real good. An' git cedar oil an' rub - jes' yo'self real good. An' take yo' a dry rag an' wipe down. Dry it off real good an' dat'll do away wit it.
Entry 3727
[Here is Surely ONE OF THE MOST ORIGINAL CURES IN FOLK MEDICINE, my only example of it - a man making the sign of the cross with his whole body over the whole body of a woman!!!] If a man loses 'is na- ture an' wants to have a woman, why he kin take an' git 'im a aig an' a bottle of gingerale or two aigs: a bottle of gingerale, an' git him some Hearts Cologne, an' take nine swallows eight mornings. Dat'll give him nature. An' de first woman dat he evah have communication wit, de first woman, why he jes' lay right 'cross 'er. Lay wit 'is head to de west an' 'is feet to de east [body facing east as in burial, to see rising sun on resurrection dayl. An' den turn roun' an' lay straight up an' down jes' before he uses 'er. Dat will bring 'is nature back.
Entry 3728
If dey is bind togethah dat way, an' de individual dat bind 'em, if dey [he] dies, well, dey'll always stay togethah. See, it's no way tuh git it off aftah de individual is dead, yo' see, dat de one dat did it, see. [See margin title IF EVILDOER DIES SPELL INCURABLE, p.396.]
Entry 3729
Mine wus caught. Mah watah wus caught in a bottle an' wus buried, an' dey took it up an' put graveyard dirt wit it, an' ah didn't have no nature to- wards mah life. Well, on account of dat ah wus in bad luck. Me an' mah wife couldn't git along, an' dey [a rootman] tole me dat it wus somepin wus against me. An' dis man told me dat de only thing dat ah would do, ah would have tuh go at twelve a'clock at night in de cemetery. Well, dat's somepin ah wus scared tuh do, but ah had tuh do it. An' ah went an' found - [this man] say, ah must find where a little one wus buried an' jump across de grave three times, jes' frontwards dis way an' dis way backwards, an' frontwards ag'in, an' walk away from it an' don't look back at all, jes' keep on goin' regardless to whut chew hear, don't look back, until yo' git to de public highway and dat mean [here, public] street, an' den mah [bad] luck leave me. Ah [before this] wus out of a job, couldn't git no job or nuthin. An' ah felt dat it [the spell on me and the cure] wus true, 'cuz ah got a good job an' been workin' evah since.
(What cemetery did you go to?)
Laurel Grove, colored section dere. Yes sir, dere's white an' colored yo' know dere.
Entry 3730
Well, yo' take de dishrag, if a woman has got a run-aroun' man an' she take de dishrag - aftah she take de dishrag, wipe him wit de dishrag. Wipe him wit de dishrag an' iron it with a very hot iron, an' bury it to de left side of a tree. When yo' bury it to de left side of de tree, dat will perish away all nature dey has fo' any woman. He can't run aroun' any mo', he'll have to stay at home. Well now, if he don't go to de graveyard an' den git de graveyard dirt from de head an' de foot, place a penny in de centah of de grave- pay de grave fo' whut chew git in de Name of de Lord. Take it back an' mix brimstone, sulphur an' sweet milk an' drink it. Well, if he don't do dat, he'll nevah be a man any mo'. He goes to T. B.
(But if he does that, it restores his nature.)
Entry 3731
Dirt dauber nest will cure a person if dey's hurt. Take dem waspses out dere, dem little waspses lak dat yo' know, an' if yo's want tuh be wit a woman an' she's dressed [by her husband], why yo' go an' git a dirt dauber's nest an' git some young spidah's out dere, jes' one or two of dem, an' rub yore han's lak dat, an' go an' rub 'er ovah heah. An' when yo' rub dat, take de no'th cornah of yore shirttail an' rub it off dere. Yo' put dat on dere an' yo' go right on doin' jes' whut chew came to do.
(If the woman is hurt what do you do for the woman then?)
She ain't hurt, she's jes' dressed. Yes, jis' dressed. Well, if yo' take an' put dat on a woman dressed lak dat yo' know, yo' couldn't have nuthin tuh do wit er tuh save yore life. (If I thought some other man was fooling around with my woman, I would rub it where the stuff won't hurt her.) Yeah, jes' take dat an' smear it on 'er lak dat - on her person [privates].
(But you have to rub that over your own privates first?)
Yeah, an' yo' take de no'th cornah of yore shirttail an' go dere an' - dat stuff ah tole yo' - an' rub it off lak dat. Take de shirttail, de no'th cornah of it, an' spread it out lak dat. An' yo' kin go right on to her.
Entry 3732
Well, ah hear tell of people takin' dere dishrag an' usin' de dishrag an' carryin' it back in de kitchen an' usin' it de same as dey had evah used it befo' an' dat stopped it.
(After they had wiped with the dishrag they would keep on using it?)
Use it jes' de same [for the dishes].
Entry 3733
Dey say if a man can't git up a heart, say if he take a dishrag an bathe hisself down wit it - yo' know, nobody don't know it but jes' 'isself, an dey say dat whatevah 'is wife or whoevah fixed 'im lak dat, why he kin git right lak he always wus. (That is all he has to do?) Yes, take dat dishrag, dat's all he do wit de dishrag.
Entry 3734
(How could they get their nature back?)
Ah brought a fellah back. Git hole of a dishrag dat lay on de table, jes' wash wit it, jes' take de dishrag an' wipe hisself down heah.
Entry 3735
Whenevah she heah of 'im makin' love [elsewhere], she wipe 'im down wit a dishrag, an' he cain't bother with nobody but her. (If he's been tricked, if he's been tied up with this dishrag. Now what can he do to get rid of it, you say?) Steal a dishrag from anothah house. He wipe himself up dataway. See, she wipes 'im down, an' he wipes 'isself up dataway.
Entry 3736
[They] say, if a woman loves a man so much dat she don't want 'im tuh go nowhere, jis' wit, except 'er, [here is] whut she did. She have got de dish- rag an' wipe dat man, don't chew understan', an' she put it ovah de do' or undah de step, don't chew understan'. When he go out why evahthin' jes' stays [as it was, he being unable to have another woman]. But now, fo' dat man tuh git rid of dat. He goes to some of 'is neighbor's house, yo' understan' an' steals a dishrag unbe- knownst to any of 'em an' he gits off from de house, why den throw it down [dem- onstrates], an' den dat relieves 'im of dat trouble. (All he has to do after he gets this dishrag is to leave the house where he stole it from. An' he just [wipes with it and] throws it down behind him?) Dat's right.
Entry 3737
Well, yo' wit wimmin folks an' can't - can't even, yo' know - yo' ain't even got no nature. Well, it's some othah wumman workin' dat fo' yo'. Yo' take a man dat runnin' roun' all de time, see wit dis wumman an' dat wumman. Well, it's some wumman gonna mess wit im some way or 'nother. Well, jes' lak dis othah wumman is workin' on 'im. well yo' take an' go tuh anybody's house an' steal a dishrag an' wipe off wit it. Wipe yo'self down, see. Well yo' go on out den an' yo' take it in yore left hand an' chunk it ovah yore left shouldah an' don't look back at it, an' dat'll break dat up.
Entry 3738
A man kin take an' kin slip a dishrag outa de kitchen an' wipe hisself down wit dat dishrag, out some place to hisself, an' throw it back lak dat [dem- onstrates] [over his shoulder] an' don' look back at it. Den yore nature will come back.
Entry 3739
An' den anothah way yo' could stop 'er again. It jes' lak if yo' an' 'er combine togethah, an' yo' ca'd [cared] anything about 'er. Well, yo' may all git through. De minute yo' git through wit de intahco'se, yo' undahstan' what I mean, jes' take it an' go to anybody house an' steal a dishrag. See, a dishrag. See, a dishrag dat dey would argue 'bout - wondah who de dishrag an' so on. Yo' undahstan' what I mean. Well yo' take dat an' yo' let it dry if it's wet, de one dat dey wash de dishes wit. An' when dey all have intahco'se, yo' take an' jes' slip dat on here, yo' undah- stan' an' let 'er wipe wit dat, see. An' when she use dat, why den yo' take an' throw it across de left side of 'er, see. Yo' know, make out lak yo' use it an when yo' gits through, throw it ovah on de left side, on de left side of 'er. An' den she nevah will have no use fo' no othah man. No othah man will suit 'er outside of yo'. (You mean you throw it over on the left side of her on the bed or on the floor or what?) Right ovah de bed on de floor, on de left side of 'er. [Charleston, S. Car.,
(525 to 530), 638:2+85.]
Entry 3740
Yo' kin steal a dishrag an' wipe on dat dishrag an' throw dat dishrag away an' dat'll take his nature until yo' git dat dishrag back.
(The woman would wipe the man with that?) Yessuh, on de dishrag. (If he wants his nature back he has to find the dishrag, you say?)
[My question shows that I have stopped recording machine and am merely repeating what informant has said during stoppage.] Yassuh, but chew throw dis dishrag where yo' kin find it if he [you] want 'is nature back. If he [you] jis' don' want 'is nature back, jis' throw it anywhere. If yo' nevah git dat dishrag, his nature will nevah come back.
(Well, if he gets it back, then what?)
Well, he be jis' lak he always been, if he git 'is nature back.
Entry 3741
"Cuz ah have tried it. Dey tells me dat chew kin take de cloth - yo' kin have connections wit a woman or couldn't have it. If yo' couldn't have it, jes' couldn't have - jes' got limp, couldn't do any- thing. Well, yo' take a dishrag, stole it - even from your wife or from someone else, an' wipe wit it. Wash wit it an' throw it in runnin' watah.
(What will that do?)
Dat will raise yore nachure.
(Bring it back?)
Yes.
Entry 3742
Well, he have tuh go tuh work den an' jes' be sharp enough to know whut it 'tis, an' when she bring dat rag back to him de nex' time, do dat den he shet it off 'im. He have to take dat rag an' keep it, an' when yo' git dat rag yo' has to go to swift runnin' watah. Put sompin to it to make it sink, go to swift-runnin' watah an' put a weight in it an' chunk it from yo' right out in de stream. Dat'll carry dat right off yo'.
(That will carry that spell away and have his nature back again?)
Yes.
Entry 3743
If a man is goin' away from home an' he don't [want] nobody to fool wit 'is wife but 'isself, he take a dishrag what he wash dishes wit, an' jes' stroke his wife down three times an' he carry it in 'is back pocket, an' when he come back - she wouldn't have no nature fer nobody but 'im - when he come back jes' take de rag an' wipe it up three times an' den he go on 'er, she got de nature again.
Entry 3744
She best tuh [has to] fold it three time once and set there - set de iron on it fer thirty minutes an' fold it three times ag'in an' set de iron on it fer thirty minutes an' den she take it off. (What can I do to take that spell off? What can I do to get rid of that?) Yo' know what yo' have to do? It's been on me, see. Ah'm tellin' yo' what ah knows about it. Ah went to a root man an' ah paid 'im plenty an' he tole me what to do. To take it [spell of sexual impotence] off from yuh, yuh go tuh somebody house - jes' lak yore frien's - tell 'em yuh want a drink of watah. If he trust yuh, yuh go on in de kitchen an' yuh look aroun' until yuh see a dishrag. Steal dat dishrag an' yuh go on out somewhere in de night aftah sundown, an' wipe yuh- self up three times lak dat. See, up - three times up. An' take it an' go tuh somebody's house, an' hide it up undah de sill of 'is house. Dat'll break it.
Entry 3745
Yo' takes a dishrag. Go tuh anybody's home an' de dishrag is hangin' lak dey use it dis morning, yo' go tuh dere 'long 'bout now so hit's damp. Yo' steal de dishrag. Don't ask fo' it jes' steal it. An' go out tuh de way de sun rise an' turn yore face, turn yore face dat way [to east], turn yore back sunset, an' yo' takes an' yo' wipes three times straight down wit de dishrag, den across jes' lak dat [dem- onstrates].
(That will cross it out.)
[Informant's words down and then across, and my words cross it out, show in- formant makes sign of cross 3 times.l Across yore stomic.
(Oh, cross your stomach. From left to right or right to left?)
Bring it from de left tuh de right. An' yo' fold it tight, take it in yore lef' han' an' throw it ovah yore head an' go straight, don't look back. Go two blocks or mo' straight. Don't look back, jes' keep straight walkin'. Don' say nuthin to nobody. It's purtty hard tuh do 'cuz yo' might meet somebody, but place yo'self in a place whah yo' won't have tuh even speak tuh nobody. An co'se whatsomevah she got on yo' crossed up, she gotta redo it ag'in. But dat'll uncross yuh.
Entry 3746
A dishrag is fo' dis. If ah wuz goin' wit anothah woman an' mah wife wanted me tuh stay at home an' tried tuh hold me, she'd take dat dishrag aftah she had a intahco'se wit me. Take 'it an' wipe him off wit it an' take hit - she goes an' steals de dishrag from someone else house, an' takes it an' aftah he have intahco'se, he wipes it off an' throws it away. An' if he don' go an' have it changed off, he'll nevah be any good. He'll go an' steal a dishrag de same way an' fix 'er. [This is called return- ing the spell.] An' if he wants tuh fix 'er wit'out dat, he'll go an' git 'im two snails an' grind up de shells in a dust an' when he git ready, git through havin' a intahco'se wit 'er, he powdahs 'er wit dis - same as talcum powdah. An' it's mo' trouble fo' her tuh have anyone else.
(She can't have anyone else?)
She can't have anyone else.
Entry 3747
(How could he get rid of that condition?)
De onliest thing dat I heered talk of dat, dat dey could do wit dat, is dat he'd have to steal. He'd have to steal de dishrag - git him a greasy dishrag, but he'd have to steal it. Steal de greasy dishrag. An' he'd have to wash 'is belly in greasy dishwatah, de watah dat she used, fo' about nine mornings, see, to wash dat off. Dat's de only way dat he could git dat out of de skin. (What do you mean by saying he'd have to get the greasy dishwater? What do you mean by that?) Dat's de watah dat yo' wash dishes wit.
(Well, does he use that water?)
Yes, sir, de watah dat she used. Git de watah dat she used. Well, dat's de watah dat she would have to use to git dat off of 'er. (Oh, I see. He wouldn't have to do anything - use this dishwater. He doesn't need that. He'd use the dishrag.) Yes, sir. Dat's all he'd have to do, jis' use dat dishrag - jis' keep dat dishrag. Take dat dishrag an' carry it off somewhere an' when he git ready to use it, why he don't have to do nuthin but dampen it in dat dishwater.
(Did he take the dishwater, too?)
Yes, he take dat dishwatah an' put it in a can or somepin othah, an' put it in a place where he kin go, where dere ain't nobody won't know it, yo' lmov, an keep it.
(He must get the dishwater that she has used?)
Yes, sir. An' when he git ready to use it, an' dis dishrag be dry, he would- n't do nuthin but soak it in dere, yo' know, an' take it out an' wash 'imself. Carry it an' put it back up until he git rid of dat.
Entry 3748
Ah know dis heah. If yo' think yo' got a woman an' she's indiff'ren', yo' take her wit dat snail. An' at night when yo' happen tuh be foolin' aroun', handlin' ovah 'er, yo' press dat snail ovah 'er, grease dat snail ovah 'er, an' den de nex' man - if she has othah ones about 'er, when he go tuh 'er, he can't git up no 'rection [erection], yo' see. Hit'll fall evah time. An' de onliest way now - now here's where tuh conkah 'it. When he finds out dat he can't have no intahco'se wit 'er, he'd steal a dishrag. He steal a dishrag from some wumman, somebody's place, an' bathe hisself down nine mornings - bathe hisself down nine mornings wit dat rag, an' den take it an' bury it at de do'step - dis same fellah's do'step now. An' den aftah de nine days - he bury it an' let it stay nine days. - aftah nine days he kin take 'er an' screw 'er jis' as much as he wants.
Entry 3749
All right, if yo' got a woman or a man an' yo' don't want nobody else tuh have dem but chew. Take yo' a dishrag out chure kitchen, yo' know, lak de people use - not de dishtowel, mean dedishcloth - an' when yo' make an' intahco'se wit dem, well yo' take dat an' dry yo'self an' dem, too, an dey couldn't have nuthin else tuh do wit nobody else. Dey'll fall evah time dey go tuh make de intahco'se. Dey'll be jes' de same as de dishrag - limbah.
[Now comes the cure.]
Jes' take dis same dishcloth - dey have tuh back de way dey git it from, an' yo' wash it an' starch an' iron it perfect, an' evahthing will be all right.
(That is if he will do that?)
Yes.