Browse:SHOES (Volume 3, entries 5083–5205)
SHOES
Volume 3, entries 5083–5205. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 5083
Take de sock dat he done wored an' put it undah where - stretch it out on de side dat she lays on In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost an' sleep on it. Den he will stop runnin' roun'. (Stretch it out where?) Undahneat' 'er bed, which an' why. Put it undah de sheet on de bed an' lay on it, an' make her wish In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost dat she means tuh stop 'im from runnin' roun'. Dat will stop 'i. [Florence, S. Car. (1314), 2510:4.]
Entry 5084
Now, if ah wanta git chure influence, ah take mah stockin' an' lay it down - mine. [On her side of the interviewing table she begins to demonstrate by spreading out an imaginary stocking and sock, as I comment:]
(Flat down.)
An' put chures on top.
(And put one of mine on top. Just one of each?)
Jis' one of each.
(Which one would they take?)
[My they may be an attempt to avoid the guinea pig situation.]
De right. Den yuh rolls dis back, mine on top - roll it back [to you] an' turn it ovah.
(Do you roll it from you or away from you?)
Tuh me. Den aftah yuh rolls it tuh yuh, yuh take it den an' wet it in chamber lye an' put it intuh a close place where nobody will bothah it - nobody kin find it. Yuh keep it damp. No mattah what chew wanta do or what chew wanta say, or how yuh want dis person tuh do, dey will do it. Dat will control dere mind.
Entry 5085
Well, dey tell me it's good luck. Jis' like if yuh wake up in de mawnin', jis' say fo' instance, ah put on mah sock wrong side outwards. Change dat sock at twelve a'clock in de day an' dey say befo' de nex' twelve a'clock in de day yuh'll have a change in life fo' bettah.
Entry 5086
Tuh put on yore sock wrong side outward would help yuh tuh git a job. Ah reckon if yuh'd put on yore underclothes right side out would help yuh tuh git a job. [Wilmington, N. Car., (312), 241:2.] [This is the fifth subsection of SWEAT, one of the functions of the physical human body. As previously explained, clothing such as shoes is placed here only because of the magic and power of human perspiration.]
Entry 5087
She jis' gits a piece of de inside sole [insole of your shoe], puts it in a bottle wit cologne an' red peppah, salt, sulphah - dat keep zhoo in love wit 'er - wit Eve-an'-Adam [Adam-and-Eve] in it. Dat li'le root dey call Eve- an' Adam; it grows, looks lak a li'le tinsy [tiny] Ish [Irish] potatah. De Eve is a woman, Adam is a man. De man one'll swim, an' de she one'll sink. Dey grows on a hillside wit a li'le leaf looks sorta lak a heart leaf.
Entry 5088
Yuh kin [take] yore shoes an' yuh kin put alcohol in yore shoes an' wrench [rinse] it roun' in yore shoes. Yuh kin take dat alcohol out an' yuh kin po' it into any kinda drink an' give tuh a person. Well see, when yuh take dat alcohol an' po' it intuh any kinda drink an' give tuh a person, why dat'll give him den - his mind, he'll lose his mind. HIS MIND GONE FROM 'IM RIGHT STRAIGHT.
Entry 5089
Take yore shoes an' cuz yuh tuh fix 'em tuh keep yuh home, keep yuh from driftin' from pillah tuh post.
(How would they do that with your shoes?)
AH HAVE WELL EXPERIENCE OF KEEPIN' YORE MIND TUHGETHAH WIT SHOES. Yuh gO tuh de store an' git yuh a box of cinnamon an' a box of allspice. Take-a ole pair of shoes dat yuh have worn, if a person's mind have been drifted so dat dey cain't stay tuhgethah, an' take de cinnamon an' all- spice an' sugar, an' mix it tuhgethah an' put intuh each shoe. Take de shoe an' turn de shoes tuhgethah an' plant 'em [demonstrates]. (I see. You put the two mouths of the shoes together, and the soles away from each other, like that.) An' de sole away from each othah, an' den yuh kin [plant] dose shoes down in de centah of yore steps. Dat's tuh keep a person's mind from driftin' [away from home]. AH HAVE WELL EXPERIENCED DAT.
(Well, how do you mean, keep the person's mind from drifting?)
Jis' like if some one have put a spell on yuh, tuh be goin' from pillah tuh post, yuh see, an' by puttin' dis cinnamon an' allspice an' sugah in dat shoe, an' turn[ing] de soles of dat shoe tuhgethah [see later] an' plantin' it at de house where yuh live, it'll keep dere minds at home.
(You don't mean put the soles together, you mean put the tops together.)
De tops tuhgethah, yes. De soles go out.
(I see.)
[My correction of informant is one of the few times I ever did this sort of thing. I am not correcting her words but recalling her pantomimic actions I describe. Yet she was right the second time also, magically. What difference can there be whether the two MoUTHS of the shoes are together or the two soles (SOULS)? The significance is the same - love and peace. Significant also is the emptiness of the preceding magic. You are never responsible for any of your actions, because someone may have a spell on you. A perfect example of being irresponsible for your actions will be found in the alcoholic woman (No.78, p.33).]
Entry 5090
Dey take de shoes an' a little sulphuh an' burn it down tuh ashes. Dey'll take de ashes an' dey put allspice an' dragon blood wit it an' jis' like powdah. An' sprinkle it right in dey place. Dat'll bring luck.
Entry 5091
Dat a diff'ren' thing. Yuh kin take a man's shoes or a woman shoes an' aftah dey done wored [worn] it, yuh'll take it an' yuh'll nail it intuh any- thing dat travels de same as a freight [car], truck, or any steam- boat, anywhere. An' as dat boat travel, is [so] dat party mind do de same way. See, give him a travelin', a rovin' mind, see.
Entry 5092
Den, if yuh got a fambly [family] an' she gone away from yuh an' yuh wan' 'er tuh come back, yuh take her shoes - both shoes, her ole pair of shoes - an' yuh kin burn it de same as yuh do's de ashes. An' yuh put 'em in a pan an' put 'em undahneath' de baid, an' in nine days time she'll come back home. Ah know dat.
Entry 5093
Yuh burn dem ole shoes an' git de ashes, an' yuh buries dat, if yuh know any cleahin' [clearing] lak on some concrete or somewhere, yuh know, eithah in de stove. [If you do not have a stove, look for cleared concrete like a sidewalk.1 Clean out all de ashes an' sweep it out. Yuh kin burn it in dere an' git all dem ashes of it, an' put 'em in a little bag an' sew it up. An' put it in some Jockey Club, Hearts Own Perfume in it, an' bury hit undah de do'steps. Dat'll make him stay at home.
Entry 5094
Well, yuh take a ole shoe, jis' find yuh ole lef'-foot shoe, sompin lak dat, an' take an' burn it up in yore business. Burn dat shoe up in yore [place of] business - tuh [at] yore house dat day, yore business. See dey follah dat shoe. [Looks] lak de ashes of dat shoe will mo' [more] lak tuh draw 'em tuh yuh - lak it wus any kinda business. Well dey jis' come in dere. Could hardly git shet of peoples, couldn't hardly wait on 'em.
(Where do you put these ashes?)
Yuh jis' burn dem dere ashes up an' jis' sprinkle dem about ovah de flo'. An' den when yuh sweep, don't sweep it outdo's. Sweep it up behin' de do', 'cuz yo' sweep 'em away, yo' know. Sweep 'em right up behind de do'-like, yo' know, lak dat.
(And then leave it there?)
Yes sir.
Entry 5095
When I was a boy I was hunting a job here [at the Chamberlain Hotel] as bellboy and I had my mother to see a so-called fortuneteller. And he told her to burn some shoes and to get a few of the ashes, and sprinkle some of these ashes around Richmond's [the manager's] feet when I came to apply for the job. [This was the old Chamberlain, not the new one of 1936, when I interviewed informant, the head waiter there.] [Old Point Comfort, Va., by Ediphone.]
Entry 5096
Heard of takin' a ole shoe sole an' burn it. Take de ole shoe sole an' mash de ashes of it an' dey kin take dat an' sift it-through any kinda white cloth. An' sift it so much ev'ry day, some of it ev'ry day. Aftah de nine mawnin's - an' aftah de ninth mawnin' den sift de rest of it den. An' whosomevah shoe sole it is, dat's when dey pass out.
(It will kill them?)
Yessuh, it will kill 'em. [Sifting is a magic rite - See later in SHOES, margin title SIFTING WITH SIFTER.]
Entry 5097
Take de bottom, de sole part of a right-foot shoe, an' burn it intuh ashes an' pound it, yuh know, an' use dat in de coffee of anything. Dat'll run 'em crazy, too. (Whose shoe is used for that pur- pose?) Jis' like yuh had a man, yuh know, an' been wantin' some kinda way tuh git rid of 'im. Yuh kin take dat an' use it.
(Which right shoe do you use, yours or his?)
His.
(Just coffee?)
Yes.
Entry 5098
Now, in burnin' shoes, if yo' kin git - it don' mattah whethah yo' got de whole shoe or not, but if yo' git de tongue of, de tongue of dere shoe, git de tongue outa it, an' if not, why jis' take de bottom. An' yo' kin burn dose shoes an' take de ashes an' at sunrise sprinkle some toward de sun, say, "Peace be unto yo'." Den turn tuh de west an' tuh de no'th an' say, "Peace be unto yo'." An' turn tuh de south, an' say de same thing each time. An' whut- evah yo' want dat person tuh do, why yo' got 'em dere.
(You don't call his name or anything? That person's name?)
Nawsir.
(But you must have that person in mind when you are doing it?)
Oh yeah, yes sir.
Entry 5099
Well, lak yo' livin' in dis house 'sides [beside] yo' neighbah an' he's mad wit chew or somepin othah lak dat. Well, dey want chew tuh move out. Well, prob'ly yo' take an', if yo' kin git some of 'is shoes, an' take an' burn dem shoes, an' sprin- kle sulphuh on dem shoes as yo' burn 'em. An' if yo' take dis ashes aftah yo' burn de shoes - take de ashes an' prob'ly ketch dem goin' 'way from de house someplace or 'nothah lak dat. An' take dis ashes an' sprinkle it roun' both do'steps, de back do'step an' de front do'step. An' when dey goes in an' come out - when dey goes in de house an' come out, den yo' take dem ashes an' take an' bring 'em back, an' yo' burn 'em ag'in wit some sulphuh. Jis' burn 'em in dis sulphuh dis time, an' take an' sprinkle a li'le whiskey on it. Den dey leave ag'in, an' aftah dey leave ag'in, yo' take an' do de same thing, an' let it stay dere dis time. An' den when dey leave out dat time, den de nex' thing dey'll wanta do is move, becuz dat stuff whut she did will begin tuh start tuh work.
Entry 5100
If he leave one of 'is shoes, any of 'is shoes at home, yuh take one of 'is lef' shoes. Yuh take his lef' shoe an' bury it undah de back step. Dat'll bring 'im back. [The mystery here is rather clear. Some involuted mind has produced this strange combination, because the back in back doorsteps and the back in bring back look like a magic coincidence or possibility!]
Entry 5101
Has a sweetheart dat he may lak 'er. He may wanta git hold of 'er. Whut he'll do. He'll take - go tuh yuh front gate an' he may put 'er shoe on de right-han' side, take one of yuh ole shoe or eithah a sock, an' place it on de left. An' he'll git a bay bush, he'll stick it between dem shoe - jis' a li'le small piece. An' jis' as de wind blow dis li'le bush, den dey'll be agru- in' [arguing] an' quarrelin' - raisin' cain. An' de minute dat dis bush - de wind blow dis bush down on de ground, an' she [the bush] fall, dere's where dey part.
(That's when they'll part. That's if you want to separate these people?)
Separate dem, yeah. (But you must do that at the gate. You just get a bay bush and stick it in the ground?) Yeah, a li'le small piece of bay bush.
(A twig or something?)
Dat's de idea. Don' have it so large cuz dey might be able to find it befo' de wind blows it down. When it fall from de wind, dere's where yo' got 'em. [Norfolk, Va., No.466, Doctor Paul Bowes, see 300, p.89; 337, P.99; 410, p.122; 455, p.141;614, p.206.]
Entry 5102
[Take] de lef' foot of yore shoes an' put it unnerneat' chure foot of yore baid, an' make a spirit stay away. Tuh give yuh good luck, dey [you] take yore shoes, one yore ole shoes, an' yuh put some sulphur in it an' throw it in de fiahplace, an' burn de sulphuh an' shoe tuhgethah. Dat will give yuh luck in yore home.
Entry 5103
If yuh keep shoes undah de bed yuh'll be sick all de time.
(You mean you do that yourself, you'll be sick all the time?)
Yes.
(So you don't want to keep them under the bed. That the idea?)
No [not under bed].
Entry 5104
Ef a person git one of yuh shoes, ef dey put bluestone an' sulphuh an' beat it all up tuhgethah an' git some of dis stuff from de drug store dey call de incense, dey put dat in de bottom undah yuh shoe. Yo' know de li'le piece dat be's up in yuh shoe [insole]. Put it up undah dere an' put it back down. Well, when yo' put dat shoe on, yo' goin' always stay sickly, an' yuh feets will start tuh swell.
Entry 5105
[As we have seen under ASHES, there are many more shoe-burning rites than those given here.] If yuh got a husban' an' he won' stay at home, yuh git one of 'is shoes, de right foot of 'is shoe. Take dis shoe an' burn it up. Of co'se, yuh know de [there is] leathah on de shoe. Burn it until it gits kinda intuh a powdah form. Den take it an' wrap it in a piece of papah. Dig a hole up undah de front do' an' of co'se, when he walks in, yuh won' have any trouble 'bout 'im goin' out any mo'.
Entry 5106
Git chure yore shoe while yore feets sweat - sweat up to de end of yore toes.
(What do they call that?)
Toe jam, toe jam. Yo' kin take dat shoe right down an' burn it an' dat will jes' give yo' a crazy mind. A mind wit - yo' wouldn't speak right no way. Yo' wouldn't talk right. Yo' wouldn't answer right. Yo' wouldn't act like a man dat had plenty sense. Yo' wouldn't.
Entry 5107
Dat innah thin sole in dere, yuh take dat out an' burn it an' it will 'fect yuh as rheumatish-like.
(Give you pains in your feet?)
Yes.
Entry 5108
Ah've did it mahself. Yo' take a ole shoe an' yo' burn it. Dat's tuh keep snakes away from de house. Burn de ole shoes wit sulphuh.
Entry 5109
Take dey ole shoes an' burn 'em an' jis' like yuh burn dem shoes till dey burns intuh ashes, dat person'll withah down. Dey tell me.
(WHOSE SHOES DO YOU BURN?)
WHOSEVAH YUH MAD WIT.
Entry 5110
Yo' git some sulphuh, yo' git a piece of ole shoe; but don' do dat, not until yo' dere by yuhself. Yo' set dat afire at twelve a'clock evah Friday. (In the daytime?) Yes sir, twelve a'clock evah Friday, an' burn dat slowly. An' aftah dat, yo' won' have no trouble. It may be slow in comin', but whenevah dey do come, dey come in a heap.
(You burn that at twelve o'clock in the daytime or at night?)
Twelve a'clock in de day, when dere nobody dere but chew.
Entry 5112
Says at sunrise evah mawnin', if yo' kin find an ole shce, tuh burn it in de mawnin' an' 'specially Mondays, Wednesdays an' Fridays, an' dey say things will come yuh way. (You burn this before sunrise.)
Entry 5113
[There are many more shoe-bury- ing rites than those given here.] IF HE'S ON A LONG VOYAGE, DE WAY MAH GODMOTHAH USED TUH DO, dey'd take her lef'-foot shoe. [This is the first appearance of the word godmother in HooDoO. Surely she took his shoe. Not necessarily 80. Everything in hoodoo bows before intention and desire.] In one instance, dey'd bury dat shoe right at de back of dere house like dat. Now, in anothah instance, dey would take dat shoe an' burn it. An' dey'd take de ashes of dat shoe an' wear it aroun' dere wais' an' continly [continually] pray.
(To make that man come back to you.)
He'll come back. (How would they bury that shoe to make that man come back, if that's what they do?) Dey would bury dat shoe wit de heel tuhwards de east, de toe tuhwards de west, jis' like ah'd have de shoe on an' it would be pointin' dataway.
Entry 5114
Ah kin tell yuh jis' whut chew kin do tuh make a person leave town. Yuh take dere left shoe an' bury it, if yuh kin git holt of it. All de time yuh cain't git holt of dere left shoe, but if yuh cain't, yuh git somebody else tuh git holt of it. An' yuh bury dat left shoe. Don' care if it's de only one dat dey nuse [use], bury it an' dey won't be seen in town aftah nine days or aftah yuh bury dat. It take 'em about nine days tuh git outa town. Dey gon'a leave out fo' some special cause. [Notice quaint all de time.]
Entry 5115
Well, lak de pieces inside dere.
(The inner sole?)
Yes. Take dat out. Yuh kin take dat out an' carry dat an' bury dat in de woods somewhere - in de woods somewhere by de creek, bury dat. An' dat person jis' continue goin', continly [continually] goin'. If yuh don't take it up, jis' go right on away. [Person will keep going because the creek is running. There are a number of these burials on the riverside.]
Entry 5116
Yuh kin take a man's shoe, yuh kin take one of 'is ole shoes, jis' lak yuh got some steps dat yuh come up, lak yuh got stair [door] steps, if yuh kin git undah dem stair steps [doorsteps], yuh bury dat shoe in de ground. Put salt in dat shoe an' bury it in de ground. He'll be back dere.
(Either shoe?)
Eithah shoe.
(You don't bury it any particular way? Just so that you bury it?)
Yuh bring it back [point it towards the house], den he's gotta come back. Git 'im so he'll cross ovah dat shoe an' he cain't stay away. Dat shoe will bring 'im back.
Entry 5117
Bury dat. Take dat shoe, dat lef'-foot shoe an' yuh take dat piece out dat shoe - dat bottom, dat piece of cloth.
(That inner sole?)
Yeah, dat innah sole. An' yuh bury dat. When yuh bury dat, when dat shoe rots, yuh'll rotten - GONE TUH HELL AN' GONE! GONE TUH HELL! SHO' KILL 'EM! OH, YE-AH!
Entry 5118
Yeah, dey kin burn shoe soles. Den [dey] kin take, aftah dey git through burnin' de shoe soles, dey kin take an' put it in some devil vinegah an' shake it up, an' in a length of time yuh goin' pass away or commit suicide or go crazy. [For devil vinegar, see p.547 and elsewhere.]
Entry 5119
Take de linin' [inner sole] outa fellah's right shoe, tote hit in yore pocket, see. An' take hit an' some devil's shoestring root an' wrop it up tuh- gethah. (Do you wrap it any special way?) Any special way? Jis' as [so] it wropped aroun' wit some asafitadee. Put it in dere an' wrop it away [from you].? Tote it in yore pocket. If yo' wanta run 'im away put red peppah an' salt in it.
(Then what do you do with it?)
Keep a-carryin' it. Has it on a string hangin' down on yore left side. Keep a fellah jis' hangin' dataway. Dat will keep 'l away from dere. Dat's like yuh have a case in co't an' want somebody tuh do somepin.
Entry 5120
Ah heard dey take a devil's shoestring an' wit de shoes, if yuh wan' 'em tuh return an' bury it undah de do'step an' dey will return.
(Do you put this devil's shoestring with the shoes? One or both?)
De two shoes.
(And you put the devil's shoestring with that?)
Yes, an' bury it right undah yore do'step where yuh wan' 'em tuh come in. Let 'em come in an' dey will come back.
Entry 5121
Ah heard dey burn dem ole shoes fo' luck. An' den ah heard ag'in, said yuh could take dat shoe an' put it ovah a do' where a person - yuh know, a person have lived at. An' it's a certain length of mawnin' dat shoe Would stay dere.[ Wheresomevah dey at dey would come back. (You would take - this person who had left, you would take his shoes?) Take his shoe an' put it up ovah de do'.
(Either shoe?)
Eithah shoe. An' it's a certain time dey say dat dat shoe would have tuh stay dere. An' aftah dem days, dey tell me, whethah yuh had yore [train] fare or whut; but aftah dat date go by, yuh'd have tuh come back.
Entry 5122
Take a person's shoes an' make dem leave. Take dey shoes an' put 'em up, HIGH UP OVAH DEY HAID. Or eithah take de sole off 'em where dey walk at an' dey'll walk. Dey nevah will stay dere no mo'.
(What do you do with that sole if you take it off?)
Take it an' put it up ovah de do' where dey walks at a lots, an' dey'll leave dere.
Entry 5123
Yo' throw de person's shoes at [and hit] de head of de front steps in ordah tuh keep 'em at home, or eithah wheresoevah dey are tuh bring 'em back. [This two-purposes rite cast in a one action form must be some- what rare. Actually there is a second but unexpressed action, the intention either to keep home or to bring back.]
Entry 5124
Ah heard about de shoe 'cuz ah tried it mahself; jis' lak yuh wan' yore man fren' or sompin tuh come tuh yo' an' not leave yuh. Well, ah take his lef'-foot shoes - dat's pertainin' tuh de heart - an' bury it undah de do'step, es- pesh'ly [especially] de do' where he comes in.
(Do you bury it in any special way?)
Yes, bury it comin' tuh de house, not goin' away, comin' tuh de house - wit de track down, de bottom of de foot down.
(You mean the shoe is standing up, straight up? Or you turn it upside down?)
Straight up. See, jis' lak yo're [you are] walkin' in de shoe.
Entry 5125
Take a person - jis' lak ah tole yuh 'bout de lef'-han' shoe or sock. Wus it shoe or sock?
(You didn't tell me about either one.)
Well, anyway yuh kin take a person lef' shoe - SEE, DAT'S DE HEART ON DE LEF' SIDE - an' take it an' bury it deep as yuh kin undah de step, tuh keep 'im from any idea 'bout it. Bury it undahneat' de step, so he cain't leave home.
Entry 5126
(Tell me how that's done to make a man stay at home.)
[I am repeating informant's statement after turning on recording machine.]
Yuh take his shoe or slippah or anythin', an' yuh bury it undah de steps, but comin' in. He won' go nowhere.
Entry 5127
Jis' lak if dey off somewhere an' yuh wan's 'em back, puts dat shoe undah a do'step an' yuh BRUSH OFF DOSE SHOES NINE MAWNIN'S. Dat'll bring 'em back. Yuh don' bury de shoe. Put 'em up undah de step, jis' undah de step.
(Then you brush them off nine mornings?)
Nine mawnin's.
(You put both shoes under there?)
Both shoes.
Entry 5128
(They do what to make somebody come home?)
De son - jis' lak if yore son ovah de way [at some friend's house], yuh could bury dat shoe at de foot of yore steps. Yuh put it down at a time when dere's no one lookin' or nuthin lak dat. Yuh putty [pretty] sho', even if yuh'd have tuh go out between midnight an' day, an' bury dat shoe at de foot of de steps. An' den at a certain length of time, somepin lak six months or less, well yore son would come home.
(You would bury that a certain way wouldn't you?)
[I picked up informant's certain.]
A certain way. Yuh bury it - let de toe of de shoe turn toward de house, eithah shoe, jis' one shoe.
Entry 5129
Takes dey shoes an' put 'em tuh de steps. Bury 'em wit de toe comin' in undah de step, an' jis' curse 'em when yuh put it down dere. An' he kin always - don't care where he go, long as dat shoe dere, dat track dere, he'll come in dere.
(You just put one or both shoes?)
One, jis' one foot, de right foot. An' always turn it comin' in.
(That is to make him come on home?)
Yes sir.
Entry 5130
Ah says like you separated from yore wife. Well, she take dat shoe, if someone done tole her about it. Yuh take yore shoe an' yuh puts it undah de step, facin' tuhward like yuh comin' in, an' turn it bottom upwards. When yore man's out, when he come back an' he walks ovah dat shoe, why when yuh walk ovah dat shoe, yuh continue stayin' dere. Yuh'll nevah leave until dat shoe is move.
Entry 5131
Take dat shoe an' yuh dress it. Yuh kin put a little perfume or jis any kinda little powder or anythin' in dat shoe. An' yuh take dat shoe an' yuh dress it, an' den yuh take dat shoe an' carry it out in de woods an' bury dat shoe. If yuh don' do dat, bury it right undah de do'steps where she'll walk ovah it. Bury dat shoe. Make 'em stay at home.
Entry 5132
If a person gon'a leave yuh an' yuh Wan' 'em, dis is one way if yuh wan' 'em tuh saty. Why yuh jis' take his or 'er shoes an' jis' open up dat thin little piece [insole] in de shoes.
(Inside the shoes?)
Yessuh, an' put some sugah an' peppah in dat shoe, an' den turn dat little piece back. An' go undah yore house, undah yore steps, an' bury de toe of dat shoe comin' up - yuh undahstan', up intuh de house. Jis' lak dey had it on dere feet, yuh know, an' comin' in de house, bury it de same way. An' dey'll nevah leave.
(You mean that little sole [insole] inside the shoe?)
Yeah, rip dat open an' so yo' kin put dat [pepper and sugar] up in it. An' den put it back ovah dere.
(You use both shoes?)
Jis' one, de right one. [These 24 beliefs on one cylinder is about the high- est number ever recorded. This means that informant's preceding and following statements were brief and mostly things I had heard many times before.
Entry 5133
De shoes, if yuh wan' tuh. yuh kin take 'em an' bury de shoes. But if she wan's yuh tuh come back, see she take 'em an' bury 'em at de front of de house comin' in, wit de toes comin' in. See. Den she let dose stay dere nine days. (Then what do you do?) Den aftah de shoes are dere nine days, she'll wrote a lettah. Den when he comes back yuh git dis heah [here] - write it [the name] nine times. An' git chew nine bran'-new needles an' pin it in dere. Stick 'em - see, yuh pin 'em like dis heah [demonstrates]. Yuh put 'em where he comes in. Put it [needle] undah dere, right ovah it [weaving the needles] in an' out [of paper with name]. An' he'll continue goin' [in] an' out. An' wit dose shoes buried, he comin' back.
Entry 5134
Naow [now], dey kin take dem shoes - either one or two, but always seem lak tuh me dat lef'-foot shoe. Take dat lef'-foot shoe an' put some cay- enne peppah an' some saltpetah. An' if dey tryin' tuh hurtcha, gitcha down some way, tuh gitcha past walkin' or swell yuh up, yo' see, put some salt- petah in dem shoes, an' some cayenne peppah, an' some dragon blood. An' put it in dat shoe an' po' some kerosene on it, an' burn dat shoe grajly [gradually] about ten minutes evah mawnin'. An' aftah de shoe burn up, well dat individual will begin tuh suffah wit, 'is knees an' laigs, an' continue lak dat.
Entry 5135
What chew do wit yore shoes? Jis' sprinkle a little bita dragon blood in dere an' a little sulphuh. Yuh know, jis' sprinkle it in dere an' let it [stay in there awhile] an' den shake it out so dat he cain't see it. Or eithah hole [hold] up dat little thin piece [insole] an' let it go tuh de bottom [all the way to the toes, letting the insoles then fall back into places] an' he cain't stay from yuh. He has tuh come home.
Entry 5136
In de bottom of dey shoes, yuh kin take dat little cloth dat be dere in de bottom an' drive 'em away or kill 'em off. (How would they drive them away, first?) [Drive him away first, then kill him.] Well, tuh drive 'em away, yuh take it an' bury it. If yuh wanta make 'em stay home, why yuh kin take dat an' wrop it up an' put it in de crack anywhere in de side of de wall in de house.
Entry 5137
Well, yuh wearin' dat shoe when yuh come in an' yuh take it off. Well de moisture from yore feet is still in dere, an' yuh take dat [insole] an' fold it up. Fold dat to yuh. An' yuh use a piece of flannel. Put dat in de flannel an' keep dat wet [dress it] wit - put Epsom salt or anything. See, dat [is] salt. By me carry [carrying] some salt, well dat salt keeps it moist wit dat perfume. [Perfume either had been mentioned before recording began or this was just a mental lapse.] Dat keeps it moist so it stay alive. Sew dat up an' bury somewhere, or anything [or again], yuh kin jis' put it in a little [tin] can an' keep it on de opposite side of de bed where dey sleep on. He'll nevah notice it, won't know whut it's all about. Dey will keep )'im dere all de time. ANY WOMAN GOT A MAN SHE WANTS TUH KEEP 'IM, A HARD WORKING MAN. Well, dat's whut she do. She got de big advantage of 'im.
(She takes this inner sole out of his shoe. Either shoe?)
Eithah shoe.
Entry 5138
It's a - people go out tuh de fo'k [fork] of de road. Fo' instance, de fo'k of de road made in dis position [demonstrates].: See, dey'll go at de end of dat fo'k. Dey'll take an' dey'll dig down dere an' dey'll git a certain amount of dirt. Dey'll come back wit dat dirt an' dey'll git de sole of a - a individual's shoe. (The outside sole?) De inside sole, see, of de shoes wit dat dirt. Mix dat [fork-of-road dirt] up wit dat insole. Bury it undahneat' de step where de party pass goin' in an' out. Dat will git 'is mind intuh two channels.
(I see.)
He won't have a stationary mind, yuh see. Yuh'd have his mind, always keep 'im cross-minded. He'll be here, he won't be satisfied; he'll go tuh dat town, an' he'll figure he should move outa dat town. It jis' keep 'im always upstirred anyway.
(His mind will be in two channels just as that road forks into two roads?)
Absolutely - dat's de idea.
(You get that dirt right from that "Y" at the fork?)
Absolutely - dat's de place.
(I see.)
Entry 5139
An' den on de othah han', if yuh don't wanta [be bothered] - if dere's somebody dat come dere dat disturb yuh or somepin of de kin', de law or anybody else, take some ole shoes an' rags an' burn 'em evah Friday. Don't miss a week. Yuh'll nevah be troubled. Ah know dat's a fact. [This rite is merely an exten- sion of the belief Old shoes may be burned on Friday for luck (FACI, 2nd ed., 10676, p.485).]
Entry 5140
Yuh take a man's right-foot shoe an' burn it on a Friday mawnin' befo' sunup tuh give yuh good luck, whatevah yuh wanta wish fo'.
Entry 5141
Yuh kin take yore ole shoes an' keep it in yore house an' burn it evah Friday at twelve a'clock - burn yore ole shoes evah Friday at twelve a'clock. Jis' burn it right in de middle of yore flo' [making a quincunx, see p.710) in somepin. Shut chure do' an' walk out. [In somepin means old bucket, can or pan. Even if these are raised on bricks this is a dangerous rite whether fire started with live coals or coal oil!l But it mus' be twelve a'clock. Yuh start dat a li'le befo' twelve. Start de fiah, see, an' it be burnin' at twelve a'clock.
(In the daytime or the night?)
Daytime - twelve a'clock in de day.
Entry 5142
Yuh take dat shoe - jis' take one of 'em, de one tuh de right foot. An' burn it halfway up. Den take it an' care [carry] it an' dig yuh a hole an' bury dat shoe. Pray ovah it. Go dah evah mawnin' an' throw a handful of dirt on dat, an' he'll leave yuh. Yuh won' have no trouble wit 'im, he'll go on whah he won' bothah yuh no more.
Entry 5143
Well, now, dere one dat ah heah dey do wit a shoe, wuz take it an' jis' lak make 'em restless.
(How do they do that?)
Well, yo' take dat shoe an' yo' carry it an' yo' bury it bottomside upwards; jis' lak yo' dig a hole, jis' lak yo' diggin' a grave. Yo' put dat shoe down in dere - see, bury it. An' when yo' bury dat shoe in dere, yo' cuss dat person evah kinda dirty cuss dat chew kin think of, an' pack dat dirt. Well, dere's no Way in dis worl' fo' dem tuh rest, an' dey won' be heah no longah.
(You say you bury that shoe like you are digging a grave?)
Yeah, jes' lak yo' dig a hole. Put it deep, cuz sompin othah will scratch it up. An' bury dat shoe, pack de dirt on it. An' as yo' pack it yo' cuss it, jis cuss 'em jis' as hard as [you can].
(Either shoe?)
Dat's right. Any kinda shoe, jis' since it's a shoe dey done wore. But it got'a be wored, dat shoe, a good length of time. Den yo' bury it, see. Dat's right.
Entry 5144
Take yore shoes an' scrape, yuh know, some outa de instep. An' dey kin roll dat up in a piece of red flannel an' carry it right down tuh any cemetery, any grave in de cemetery, right at de foot, an' [bury it and] IT WILL MAKE YUH WALK YORE BRAINS OUT - keeps yuh walkin'.
Entry 5145
Take graveyard [dirt] an' yuh kin keep someone wit chew. Yuh git twelve days, which is twelve months to de yeah. [You get 12 pinches of grave- yard dirt, enough to last 1 pinch a day for 12 days, the latter symbolizing the 12 months of the year.] Yuh kin take an' loose one sole [insole] of dey shoe, an' take yuh knife blade an' cut jis' a little bit [a hole for the dirt] in dere. An' jis' as long as she wear dat shoe, she'll always be comin' tuh love yuh, regardless tuh whut shegot. IF SHE'S GOT A MILLION DOLLAHS, SHE'LL BE COMIN' TUH LET CHEW HAVE PART OF IT.
Entry 5146
Ah burns de sole of 'is shoe an' take de ashes an' gits dragon's blood an a bottle of cologne an' wear it on me. An: ah would git some graveyard dirt.
(What would you do that for?)
Well, tuh keep 'im roun' wit me. Wear it in yore bosom.
(You put this stuff in the bottle? After burning his shoe sole?)
Yes sir.
Entry 5147
Take de graveyard dirt. An' yuh git a ole shoe an' yuh parch dat ole shoe until yuh kin jis' powdah it up. An' yuh mix dat graveyard dirt wit dat shoe dust an' yuh put sugah in dere an' cinnamon. An' yuh sprinkle dat roun' ovah yore flo's an' lak dat. Dat keeps peace in de home. Dat's fo' success.
Entry 5148
Yuh take de lef' shoe an' cut a square outa de centah of de shoe.
(The center, the bottom or the top part of it?)
De bottom, jis' where yore feet fit right in de bottom of dat shoe. Yuh jis' cut a square outa de inside of de bottom of de shoe. [A square piece is cut out of the center of the insole.] An' yuh bury it.
(What will that do?)
Yuh cut de square outa de shoe an' put it in a li'le sulphuh an' red peppah an' graveyard dirt, an' yo' sew it in a li'le bag an' bury it. An' if yuh wanta hurt a person, well dat will cuz whatevah shoe it is, if it's de right shoe, why dey'll grow lame in dat side. An' dere's no doctah [M.D.] kin cure dem until yuh fin' de person dat has dat [square piece of insole] an' git it from dem. An' de only way tuh find out is tuh [see a] fortunetellah an' let 'em tell yuh how tuh git it.
(I thought it was the left shoe?)
Well, it's de left shoe dat ah'm speakin' about.
(This is out of the left shoe?)
Yes.
(You don't get the right then at all?)
Well, ah nevah learn of de right. It's de left.
Entry 5149
Dey kin take de bindin' in de back right in where yore [a man's] heel rub, cut out a little of dat skin in dere, dat little place of skin. If a woman want a man, dat will keep him. (What will she do with that then, after she took it out of there?) She take dat an' mix it with Adam- an'-Eve root an' wear it with Heart Cologne an' nine grain of spice. Jes' wear it right next to her skin, an' she puts on it a perfume. An' when he be roun' dere an' smell it, yo' know, he don't know whut de contraction [attraction], but he jes' go roun' 'er.
Entry 5150
Take yore shoes an' put some hot-foot powdah inside de inside sole of yore shoe. Dress dat shoe fo' yuh, dey kin put yuh walkin'. Dey kin dress dat shoe fo' yuh an' give yuh spells. Ah had a woman las' yeah dat went tuh a lady an' she tole her tuh - give her some oil an' tole her, say, "Now, yuh kin gain 'im if yuh git 'im drunk an' git dis in 'is shoes. Yuh git dis in 'is shoes. Git 'im drunk, unless dat he wise. He got plenty sense." Say, "Yuh git 'im drunk an' git dis in 'is shoe." An' say, "Yuh have 'im like yuh wanta." Say, "He'll leave his wife an' come an' stay wit yuh."
(What kind of oil was that?)
It was hot-foot oil.
(For you [the man] to come to her.)
[HOT FOOT POWDER (see p.590 and elsewhere) is used to run 'em 'way from dere. HOT FOOT OIL, not so common as hot-foot powder, runs a woman's husband away to a woman working the spell under the direction of a lady, a hoodoo worker.]
Entry 5151
Dey say, jis' like a person go off an' yuh wan' 'em back, say yuh take dey shoes an' chunk it ovah - go outdo's an' chunk it clean ovah de house. An' den take it an' bring it roun' in de house, yuh know, an' bring it in de front do'. An' dey say dey will come back.
(Do you throw both shoes over?)
Jes' de one.
(Either one?)
De right-foot shoe.
Entry 5152
Take a person's shoes an' jis' like he's gone away, or somepin othah like dat. If he's away an' yuh wan' 'im tuh come back, yuh kin take his shoe an' go at de front do' an' throw it ovah de house, yuh know, where he livin' at - clean tuh de back, clean ovah. An' yuh fo' [for] three times fo' [for] seven mawnin's, an' in dem 21 times he's sure tuh return back.
(You throw both the shoes over?)
Jis' de one shoe, de lef' shoe.
Entry 5153
[The following two accounts of the same rite came from Memphis, but the belief is known elsewhere:] Den yuh kin take dat same lef'-foot shoe an' come tuh de middle of dis house each way, right dere to de middle plank, an' nail it up side - nail it up jis' lak dat. An' dat fellah will den stay at home dere, if it's in de middle of de house. [The shoe is sometime nailed up under the house that has a crawl-space beneath it.]
(You must get right in the middle of the house?)
Yessuh. [A quincunx rite.]
Entry 5154
Yuh could take a person's shoe. Yuh could take dat shoe an' nail it up in de centah of de house, if de individual away an' yuh wan' dem back. Yuh kin take dat shoe an' nail it up in de direct CENTAH OF DE ROOM, an' dat will draw 'em back.
Entry 5155
Ah know a case in Beaver Falls, Pa., dat a incident of dat kind hap- pened a year ago [1936]. Wus a woman whut lived dere, an' 'er husban' wure very cruel tuh 'er. An' he begin tuh stay out all night, an' he beat 'er an' knock 'er out. So she begin tuh study de Sixth an' de Seventh Book of Moses. An' wit- in studyin' dat, she found out jis' whut tuh do tuh send 'im away from 'er. An' she tole me dat she'd taken 'is lef' shoe, an' cut 'is 'nitial on de inside of it in de instep. An' taken 'is - one of 'is lef' dirty socks, an' put nine brass pins in it, an' nailed [pinned] it tuh de instep of 'is shoe, an' threw it ovah 'er lef' shouldah at sundown. Ah know he left dere an' he hadn't been back a month or so ago.
Entry 5156
[The following small collection of insole rites is only a small part of them.] If a frien' or prob'ly ah say yore wife, somepin like dat, had gone, an' yo' git dat [insole]. Even so much if yuh couldn't git it, if yuh would git somebody tuh git it, git dat shoe tuh yuh - de innah lining [insole] of dat shoe. An' yuh take de innah lining of dat shoe. An' aftah yuh git it, de piece right undah de hollah of yuh feet heah, cut out a piece de size of a silver half a dol- lar an' wear dat. Put dat inside of yore shoe, wear dat fo' nine days, an' she'll come back.
(Do you take that little piece from out of either shoe?)
Eithah shoe, but dey mos'ly says de right-han' shoe. But ah've seen 'em tried it an' couldn't git wit'out de lef'-han' shoe was done.
(What shoe do you wear that in, either shoe?)
De shoe yuh git it out of, be sure yuh know whut shoe yuh git it out of. If yuh git it out of de left, put it in de left; if yuh git it out of de right, put it in de right.
Entry 5157
Cut dat out dere shoe.
(What do you cut out?)
De linin' - yes, de innah sole.
(What do you do with that?)
Put it in yore shoes an' weah it.
(What will that do?)
Make him love yuh.
Entry 5158
If yuh wan' 'im tuh stay wit chew, take dat li'le sole, dat li'le thing on de inside of yore shoes. An' yuh take dat an' put it in yore shoes instead of 'is shoes. Yuh take it an' put it in yore shoes, an' yuh weah dat, see. An' long as yuh weah dem shoes wit 'is sole [insole] in dere, den yuh got 'i:.
Entry 5159
Yuh kin take a man or a woman. An' yuh kin take a piece outa her lef'- foot shoe an' wear it in yore shoe. Yuh kin put it in yore right or eithah de lef'. But yuh put it down in de side of yore shoe an' wear dat piece in dere, an' she'll nevah leave yuh 'long as she live. Yuh kin keep 'er all de time. Dat's good fo' a woman. [A woman can do the same thing to a man.]
Entry 5160
Take de centah, de sole dat's inside de shoe. Place it intuh yore shoe...it'll make him stay at home. A woman, eithah one, it don't make no diff'- rence [a woman can do the same thing with a man's insole].
Entry 5161
Dey gits right in de pam [palm] of yuh feet an' dey clips out a li'le bit [of insole]...weah dat in dere shoe...make yuh care fo' dem.
The informant says the practice will make someone care for another person. This supports only a contextual affection reading; the kind of relationship and any effect remain unverified.
Entry 5162
She take dat [inner sole of either] shoe [of the man] an' put dat in hot watah an' soak it, an' put dat in a bottle. An' dey say aftah she puts it in a bottle, she puts some cotton in dere wit it, an' den take de cotton an' let de cotton dry. An' she wears dat, an' dat'll bring 'im back - on 'er laig or eithah in 'er bloomahs.