Browse:SHOES (Volume 3, entries 5083–5205)/Part 2
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 5163
ALL SICH MESS LIKE DAT NOW WOULD CREATE LOVE. IT COME FROM DAT EX- PERIENCE BY WOMEN, yo' see. Dey'll git zhure shoe an' dey'll take de sole [in- sole] outa yore shoe. An' dey'll wear dat inside of heah nex' tuh 'em, inside uh dey bosom nex' tuh 'em. An' as long as she wears dat in dere nex' tuh 'em, yuh'll be in crave fo' her. She kin handle yuh anywheres she wanta. WHEN YUH MAKE YUH MONEY YUH'LL CARE [CARRY] IT TUH 'ER. Look like yuh'll give it tuh 'er freely. DAT'S [ALL DONE] BY DE SOLE OF YUH SHOE HEAH.
Entry 5164
Lak de shoes yuh weah fo' evah day, yuh know, if a man or woman wants tuh trick yo' in any way, why he'd take dat an' put dat inside of dere, dat linin'[insole]. An' den cut off a piece lak de lady been weahin' or sompin othah nex' tuh 'er, an' cut out a piece de same width dat shoe an' put it in dere. Put it in dere an' put dat [inner] sole back on dere. She put dat shoe on den an' she couldn't weah dat shoe nine mawnin's 'thout [without] suffahin'. Well, if yuh were used tuh goin' some place, why yuh couldn't go no mo', stay or nuthin. (You take this inside lining and turn it back, and then you get a piece from a woman, you say of a woman's clothing. What piece do you get?) Nex' tuh 'er - yuh know, bloomahs or anythin'.
(That is to keep her away from that place.)
Entry 5165
If dey pesterin' roun' an' yo' don' wan' dem dere, take dat shoe an' cut de hollah of de foot, right in de hollah. Anybody know whut de hollah is. Yuh gits dat out, wrop dat up in a piece of flannen or somepin othah. An' yuh wants tuh be wit dem an' make frien's, an' long as yuh keep dat some place, dat is supposed tuh bring frien's.
Entry 5166
Yuh kin take yore shoe an' git some of de inside of it out dere, an' yo' kin carry it tuh any person [hoodoo doctor]. An' dey take dat little piece of leather [inner sole] dat yuh don' think much of it, an' dey [doctor] take it an' dey put it in some Hearts Cologne. An' she [woman who took it to doctor] will take it an' put it in yore clothes anywhere. Well, dat give her or de man [if he does the same thing] - dat draw 'em right in tuh 'em.
(That's to draw that person to them.)
Yes.
Entry 5167
An' anothah one: a girl say de way she make a man come back. Take de inside sole [insole] of 'is shoe. Take de inside sole of a man's shoe, don' make no diff'rence which it is [left or right], an' take yore undahclothes - yo' know, de bottom pieces. An' take an' wrop it up in de sole of 'is shoe, right heah in de centah heah. An' in de night when he sleeps, tuck it undah 'is haid an' let it stay dere all night long. An' she says, she goes de nex' mawnin' tuh take it out, say he won' let chew move it. Let it stay dere an' say he'd can't git away tuh save 'is life.
(That is to hold the man?)
Yes.
Entry 5168
Yo' git de inside sole of a man's shoe. All right now. Yo' git some lightnin'-struck wood an' yo' take some sweet milk, an' yo' soak dat three days. Den yo' make a dress of dat [dressing or hand of wood and milk] an' yo' go tuh de crossroad where hit like dat, see [demonstrates a crossroad]. Den yo' call - git some salt.
[Here is an example of details often omitted in an interview.]
(Wait a minute! What do you mean you call?)
Call 'is name, say, "Ah wanta run So-an'-so." YO' HAVE TUH CALL 'EM TUH RUN "EM. Git chew some salt an' yo' make a dressin' of dat an' yo' bury dat. An' YO' TELL IT WHUT CHEW WANT IT TUH DO. An' evah - in about three days yo' go back there an' make yore dressin' an' tell it whut chew want it tuh do. DAT LIGHTNIN'-STRUCK WOOD GIT'S 'EM CONFUSED IN 'IS MIND. Yo' haVe tuh work 'is mind to do anythin' wit it. [This piece of wood dressed with lightning, milk and salt, 3 things, becomes a hand.]
Entry 5169
Take a pair of shoes dat yo' have worn an' yo' kin take dose shoes an' carry dose shoes tuh yore house - carry 'em tuh yore house. Den aftah yo' carry dose shoes tuh yore house, turn 'em ovah on dey face an' den go out in a cow stall somewheres an' git chew some of evahy kin'a manure yo' kin pick up from diff'ren' animals, all kin'a manure yo' kin pick up, an' put in dat shoe. An' dat will drive yo' jis' as crazy as a bedbug. (That is, if you want to harm me, you would get my old shoes and take them to your house to dress them?) Yes.
(Then what do you do with the shoes after you put that stuff in them?)
Oh! Yo' take de shoes an' carry 'em away an' bury 'em.
(What would that do to me then?)
Dat would jis' fix yo' up so yo' couldn't walk or do nuthin - paralyze yo'.
Entry 5170
Take a man's shoe, right shoe. Take de measure of it an' put some new pins an' needles in it, nine of each. An' yuh take [up] de sill [saddle] of de do'. Yuh know, pull [up] de sill of de do'. An' yuh put it [tape measure] down dere, tack it down dere. An' he have tuh cross ovah it, yuh see, an' [to] git inside. Dat will keep a person stayin' aroun' home.[Informant repeats for good measure:] Yuh git a piece of new tape an' take de measure of [right] shoe. Take it from yuh an' bring it tuh yuh. An' den yuh take dat an' pin de needles an' pins tight all de Way tuh yuh, an' as yuh put 'em in call 'is name. Den yuh take de sill [saddle] of de do' up an' yuh tack it [tape] down an' leave it stay dere. When yuh move out'a dat house, yuh take it up an' carry it wit chew. Evahwhere yuh move yuh carry it wit chew.
Entry 5171
Git de measure of dey shoe, an' put some powdah in dey shoe. Git some powdah, some cun, iure powdah, an put it in dey shoe. Well, dat will make 'em do anything yo' wan' 'em tuh do. [The term cunjure powder is rare. This may be my only ex- ample.]
Entry 5172
A lota men say if yuh gota woman an' she love tuh run about an' don' lak tuh stay home, why yuh kin take one of 'er right-han' slippahs an' bring [bend] de toe of it back tuhwards de house [let the toe point toward the house], an' put a eight-penny nail in it, drive it right through it. An' bury it undah de do'step an' dat'll make huh stay home.
Entry 5173
Nail a person's shoe undah de person's steps where dey live an' drive nine nails in it, in de shoe; an' when dese nails rust completely, dey'll die. (Suppose I would want to do that to you, would I take my shoe or take your shoe?) Mah shoe. (And then put it under your house, put nine nails right through the sole. Drive them down inside or?) Yo' turn dem [shoes] upside down an' drive dem [nails] through dat way [demon- strates]. Dem [nails] come [through] on de inside sole.
(Up [out] through the inside of the shoe.)
Entry 5174
Well, now, de piece when yo' intendin' - when yo' wanta send 'em away, now yo'll take dat piece [insole] an' cut a piece out of it. An', yo' know, yo' have tuh talk tuh it in a diff'ren' way all de time. Well, when yo' take dat piece out de shoe, yo'll git de lef' foot. An' when yo' take dat outa dat, dat's de same as 'is [foot] track. An' yo' take dat out an' den yo' git chew nine of dese fo'- cornahed nails, ah jis' call 'em. An' den yo' git chew a piece of thread an yo' tie all nine of dem nails. Yo' tie 'em tuhgethah. An' when yo' tie dem tuh- gethah, den yo' git a piece of shame brier [see p.646], an' yo' wrop dat tuh- gethah. An' den yo' put it in a blue bottle or a green one, eithah one lak dat, but let it be dark. An' yo' kin throw it in any runnin' watah. He cain't he'p from leavin', he got'a follah dat. (Now about those nails. You wrap those nails up in this piece of the old shoe. That the idea?) Yessuh, jis' a li'le piece whut yo' got outa de ole shoe, but yo' let 'em set a li'le while. An' den, when yo' set it dere, all yo' have tuh do, throw dem ovah yore lef' shouldah an' it go in dat watah. Yo' see, dey goin' as fur as dat watah run. Dey follahs den an' dey compelled tuh go in dat direction.
Entry 5175
[Your left shoe] an' it's wore out an' yuh wanta half sole it, or yuh wanta put a whole sole on it, well she git de whole part of it, but she git it from de inside, not out- side. She git it from de inside, an' wit a piece of pastebo'd, an' den she cuts it. An' den she writes 'is name on it.
(On this pasteboard?)
Yes, sir. She writes it on dere an' she.bury it undah de steps, an' dat man's got'a come back. He cain't stay away.
(How many times does she write the name on there, just once?)
Wrote it nine times on dere.
(I see.)
Nine diff'ren' ways she write it on dat sole an' he got'a come back.
Entry 5176
Dat's not handy fo' yo' tuh do. Yo' git de inside piece of 'is shoe, yo' undahstan', yo' kin git dat inside piece of 'is shoes an' yo'll take dat inside piece of 'is shoe wit 'is name an' yo'll write his name in dere on a piece of paper. But yo' got de measure of dat whole feet, yo' got de whole measure [when you have the insole]. Now, yo'll git chew a piece of papah an' yo'll put 'is name nine times. Yo'll put - lak if it wuz me - my name at de top, an' den yo'll write it crossways heah ag'in, nine times. Den yo'll take dat measure an' yo'll put cinnamon in it an' yo'll put White Rose Perfume, an' yo'll dampen it good, an' yo'll put dat an' yo'll roll it towards yo'. See, yo' fold it towards yo' jis' as many times as yo' kin. See. Den yo'll go tuh work an' yo'll put a bran'-new needle. Yo'll pin a bran'-new needle in dat yo' see, an' yo' kin eithah put it in a bag or eithah put it in yore pil- lah or yore mattress. Dat'll keep 'im home. (You take the inner sole and you write his name nine times and yours across it. You put that paper and the sole together, and put those ingredients in, and then you roll it to you. And you can put it anywhere around you or put it in the mattress.) Anywheres.
Entry 5177
Den yo' git de shoes, yo' take - cut a li'le piece outa de bottom of dat shoe. When yo' cut a li'le piece outa de bottom of dat shoe, yo'll fix dat up in a li'le piece of cloth, a yellah homespun cloth. An' yo'll wind dat, yo' know, wit a string. An' yo'll have in dat nuthin but sulphuh an' eatin'-salt. An' yo'll put dat in dere, an' yo'll tie hit tuhgethah intuh dat li'le piece whut yo' cut out dat shoe. Well, now, if yo' hit [aim] tuh bring 'im back, well yo'll take a li'le piece of saltpetah an' yo'll put [make] dat in a powdahs - all dem into a powdahs, an' yo'll fix dat into dat li'le package. An' aftah, yo' wind dat li'le package up an' yo' bury dat at de back of yore house. An' when yo' put all dat in de back of de house, den yo' call 'im three times - woman or man - an' dey cain't he'p but follahin' back. Now, dat's fer as ah know 'bout dat.
(Do you wind it in any special way?)
No pahtic'lah way but jis' long as yo' know it tied.
(And can you send them away with the same thing?)
No suh, ah don' know if yo' send 'em away wit dat.
(You mean that piece in the shoe, that piece inside [insole] that you pul]
up?) Dat's right.
Entry 5178
Dey take de' lef'-foot shoe an' bury it undah de steps an' go out ev'y mawnin' fer nine mawnin's an' call 'im an' turn yore back. Call 'is name an' de ninth mawnin' he'll be back. (How do you turn your back? How do you mean?) Turn yore back - jes' like ah git up an' turn mah back tuh yo'.
(Do you turn your back to the house or do you turn your back some other way?)
Turn yore back towards de house [and face] in de way he's gone, de way he went. Yo' turn yore back dere an' yo' call 'im. Yo' call 'im nine mawnin's.
(You turn your back. You then face the way he's gone?)
Face de way he's gone an' call 'is name fer nine mawnin's.
Entry 5179
Yo' kin take a man's shoe an' take de inside of 'is shoe, take dat inside out an' wear it in yore nation sack, an' he cain't leave yo'. (Either shoe?) Eithah shoe. [For nation sack, see excellent account on p.1458, lines 7-44.]
Entry 5180
Yo' take de near sole [insole] outa anybody's shoes, jes' lak if yo want 'em tuh stay home or sompin all de time. Yo' take de left sole. Yo' know dat dere little piece be inside dere shoes, yo' take dat out an' fold it tuh yo'. Put it in a li'le sack. Sew it up an' wear it roun' yore waist.
Entry 5181
An' yo' kin take a new [right] shoe sole [inner sole]. Buy a new pair an' cut it half in two [see later], an' take a indelible pencil an' write chore name from lef' tuh right. Turn it [inner sole] around, write his name from right tuh left, [or backwards, his family name first and his given name in front of that] coming tuh yo'. The [inner] sole is split [lengthwise] so one half can be worn in each of the new shoes. Make wishes [for him to return]. They say that'll bring a person tuh yo, bring 'em undah yore control.
Entry 5182
Dey taken dis heah thin sole [insole] outen de inside of a shoe. Yo' know, dere's a little cloth sole in dere when yo' first buy it, eithah shoe. An' git dem nine fat [lighter pine] splinters an' wrap 'em up in dat sole, an' den crawl undah de house an' bury 'em undah de middle of de house, an' dat woman cain't rest fo' yo'. She will follah yo'. (You put that under her house or under yours?) Take it from 'er house an' put it undah mine. (You get the inside of her shoe and put it under your house.)
The account calls it a little cloth sole; insole is a bracketed editorial label.
Entry 5183
Ah know dat dey say dat chew take yore shoe, yo' take yore right shoe, ah - no, yo' take yore lef' shoe. YO' CAIN'T JES' BE POSITIVE IN EVAHTHIN' YO' DO. An' yo' take dat right shoe yo' know, an' yo' take de inside of dat little linin' [insole] down in de bottom. Dey take dat chew know an' dey put dat wit nine needles an' whut else ah do not know; but dey put dose nine needles in dere an' dey take dat an' dey bury it on de lef' cornah of de house. An' dey said, when dey do dat, dey got chew all fixed where dat chew cain't go nowhere. Yo'll jes' git to de place where yo'll be all worn out. Chew don't wanta do nuthin yo' jes' wanta stay at home an' lay in de baid.
Entry 5184
If she's away from me and I want to bring her back, I'll get nine old shoes, burn one each night at midnight with [nine] ingredients: egg shell, sul- phur, ashes, salt, pepper, alum, saltpeter, cloves, ginger, and walk around this fire and say, Send me my wife, sister or friend or whatever it is, back. And the ninth morning take this ashes, all from the whole nine mornings, and throw the ashes toward the direction the person is. You must have the wind blowing that direction. [The wind blowing the right direction on the 9th morning could make this a difficult rite.]
Entry 5185
Dat's anothah way dat dey are supposed tuh bring a person back. Yo' supposed tuh have nine ole shoes an' yo' supposed tuh put sugah an' bluestone an' dis very brown powdah dat looks lak - ah don't know now whethah it's - it's not de same. It has de same smell but it's not de same kinda powdah, but it supposed tuh be de same kinda powdah dat chew put on yo' - dat de women use on dey face. But howevah, dey call it love powdah. An' yo' sup- posed tuh put dose three things intuh dis heah [shoe] an' yo' supposed tuh burn one of dose shoes evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's till yo' burn all de shoes up. An' dat's tuh show yo' special favors an' control. Supposed tuh be controllin' powah ovah some individual dat chew interested in.
Entry 5186
Take his shoe an' burn it. Burn 'is shoe tuh ashes an' take de ashes an' bo' a hole in a oak tree an' stop it back up. Dat will kill 'im.
(What do you do burn up, both his shoes?)
No, one - de left shoe.
Entry 5187
If yuh wan' 'im tuh come back home, if he yore husban', yuh could take a couple of ole shoes. [If you] know he's done lef' some anywheres roun', yuh'll fin' 'em. Git two pair of ole shoes [one pair only, see later] an' yuh take one foot an' yuh turn it - de toe of it dis way, de way dey went yuh know. An' one [same shoe] dataway. An' de nex' one [second shoe], turn it back dis way [to the house]. Well, yuh bringin' 'im back home den, see. An' yuh say, "By de he'p of God yuh went away from home, but by de he'p of God, ah wan' chew tuh come back." (Where do you put those shoes?) Put 'em [right shoe] in front of yore house - take one [left shoe] tuh de back an' one [right] tuh de front. (What do you mean, to the front or to the back of the house?) Jes' have tuh take dis foot chere - left foot, put it tuh de back. Turn de toe goin' 'way from de house like he goin'way. Take de right one an' take hit an' turn hit tuh de front - let de toe out tuh de front. Dat's bringin' 'im back. Yuh say, "By de he'p of God yuh Went away, y de he'p of God this is tuh bring yuh back." (Do you put those shoes under the ground or just put them on top of the ground?) Put 'em on top of de groun', right lak dat. Needn't covah dem up atall, jes' put 'em right on de groun'.
Entry 5188
Take dem an' burn 'em, dese ole shoes. Dey have tuh be a pair yo' know, jes' one of each pusson, if yuh kin git de ole ones. An' take de sole outa dem, an' yuh burn 'em an' git de ashes, an' dey cain't go any place wit'out chew sayes fo' dem tuh. (What do they do with those ashes?) Well, yuh keep 'em - yuh bury dem yuhself. Yuh keep 'em. Lak if dere's somebody heah an' yuh don' wan' 'em tuh go, yuh git one of yore shoes an' one of deres - de lef' of deres - an' yuh burn 'em down tuh a ashes an' yuh keep dem ashes yuh- self or bury 'em.
(You get the left shoe?)
Yeah, de lef' of evahthin'.
Entry 5189
Yo' kin git a person's shoe heel an' yo' kin put it, yo' know, in a stove or somewhere yo' know. An' bake it where it'll be, yo' know, right crunchy lak pie or somepin othah lak dat. An' put it in, yo' know, where de sun kin hit it, an' run 'em crazy - run 'em slap outa town. (That all you have to do?) Dat's all yo' have tuh do. Put it yo' know in some place where nobody cain't bothah it. Run 'em slap outa town.
(Use both heels, you say?)
Eithah one.
Entry 5190
Dey say dat chew could take a li'le shoe sole an' burn it, an' den scrape it aftah yo' burn it, an' it wus good fo' good luck.
(Just how would they prepare that? Then, after they have got it scraped?)
Well, ah don't know sir, only jes' know dey put it in a little bag an' wear it.
(You mean the shoe sole, that thick sole at the bottom?)
Yessuh, yo' parch it lak yo' would peanuts or anythin' lak dat. Well, yo' kin scrape it tull [till] yo' scrape a dust off it.
Entry 5191
De only thin' dat ah knows of dey shoes, dey take an' jes' kinda burn or scorch it a little bit an' throw it ovahbo'd.
(What will that do?)
Dat will run 'em jes' about mindless. Dey'll have spells. Dey mind is goin' an' dey jes' cain't stay one place. Evah time dat shoe would be goin', flippin' back an' fo'th, dey mind will jes' be goin' lak dat, until dey jes' go crazy an' run away from yo' or somepin lak dat.
Entry 5192
Take a person's shoe an' take an' burn it, an' yo' crimp it jis' lak yo' would when yo' take livah sometime. Ah mean yo' may not have nevah did it but Jews does it. Yo' put livah intuh - jis' lak yo' take a shoe yo' put it inside de stove. Now, yo' don't burn it. Yo' put it in- side de stove an' let it burn from de inside of de stove. See, yo' take an' let it burn from de inside of de stove an', den yo' take dis shoes leathah an' yo' git chew some of dis quicksilvah an' drop it all roun' in dat thing. An' den yo' git chew a white of aig wit dis quicksilvah, an' den yo' take dis an' whip it right good an' put dis quicksilvah in dere. See. An' den yo' jis' put it all in dat shoe an' powdah dat shoe all up wit - jis' let it go all up, yo' know. An' den yo' jis' take an' sew hit up, but choo sew it up in a silk cloth. An' den yo' puts a red piece of ribbon aroun' it. See. An' whatevah yo' wanta do wit dat - if yo' fixin' fo' tuh do anybody harm or do anybody good. [If harm], dey'll git tuh walkin'.
(What do you do with it after you put it in the bag? What happens then?)
Tote it in yore pocketbook or tote it...
(You take either shoe? Take one of your own?)
Take de lef' shoe. Always take a lef' shoe.
(Take your own?)
No, don't none of yore own. Yo' got tuh take one of his'n. (What are you going to do this stuff. What are you making this preparation for, now?) Why do you do it? Well now, dat starts 'im walkin'. When yo' fool wit a person's shoe, yo' know, dat's de scent from 'is feet zhoo know. Dat's de nature of 'im, yo' see. (This starts him walking. Well, what do you do with that bag that has this stuff in it?) Jis' take an' tote it, make 'im start walkin'.
Entry 5193
Ah started tuh make uh gurl love me an' ah did jis' lak de root doctah tole me. He tole me tuh take tuh grain of black peppah [2 pinches of black pep- per] an' take an' weah in mah shoe. Yo' has it [pepper] on a piece of papah. Take a piece of brown papah an' yuh put it ovah dere. Keep it right down by yuh baid unbeknowin' tuh 'er. Yuh take tuh [fresh grains] evah mawnin' an' put in yuh right shoe fo' nine mawnin'. Leave it dere. An' shō [sure] in de nex' mawnin' tuh put tuh mo' in dere. Do dat fer nine mawnin'. [THIS IS AN INCREASING AMOUNT RITE.] Yuh put on yuh shoe an' weah yuh shoe. Weah 'at [that pepper] in yuh shoe. An' den aftah ah weah dat in mah shoe, be sho ven [when] ah pull mah shoe off [eachnight] tuh take an' put mah shoe unduh [under] de cornah of de baid jis' whure she sleep at. Evah mawnin' [during these nine days when] yuh git up, yuh hug 'er. An' den he give some kin'a dus'. He said evah mawnin' sprinkle dat dus' on 'er while yuh huggin' 'er. Den aftah dat [at the end of nine days] go outdo' an' take dis shoe an' dig yuh a hole right undah de front steps, right whure she got'a walk out. Bury de [eighteen grains of] peppah. An' aftah yuh [do] dat, she'll fall in love wit chuh an' yuh cain't git away from 'er, an' she cain't git away from yuh. [Here is my comment on my original pencil transcription: Voice clear but vemy difficult to transcribe - a primitive mind [[not in a technical sense]] - recheck [[original]] before final using - No.311 is a Negro from the Sound [[Wrightville Sound]]. After informant had left room, my contact man Mr. Gavin came in to ex- press his sorrow for him. He had never seen anyone quite so inexperienced and isolated from simple forms of normal life.]
Entry 5194
Git holt of yore shoes, shoes or yore socks yo' know, an' jis'...
(What are they supposed to do with those?)
Supposed tuh git yore shoes an' yore socks, eithah one, an' mixes some of yorr undahclothes wit 'em, an' dese pins an' needles, an' buries 'em. Dat'll cuz yore feet tuh swell.
[Norfolk, Va., (453) 427:5.]
Entry 5195
[Red Pepper itself, or in combi- nation with other ingredients, is a common practice in hoodoo. Many examples appear elsewhere in the text of HOoDoo.] They can sprinkle something in your shoes, red pepper I think, and it will make them all crippled and lame.
Entry 5196
Take his shoes an' dress 'em. Dey put some sulphur, cayenne peppah an' all lak dat in it tuh keep him home an' right sweet. Keep 'im home wit dat, keep him from runnin' roun'.
Entry 5197
Yo' wear sulphur in yore shoes, if some- body put somepin down tuh harm yo'. Yo' git chew some sulphur an' red peppah an' put it in each shoe an' wear it, an' whatevah people put down fo' yo', it can't harm yo'. Red peppah an' sulphur.
Entry 5198
Yo' kin pertec' [protect] yo'self - yo' kin go ahead an' git chew a pod of red peppah an' sulphur an' put in de bottom of yore shoe, each foot, an' wear dat. Dey cain't harm yo', dey cain't harm yo'.
Entry 5199
Ah've heard dat chew take shoes whenevah - if yo' wanta do anythin' tuh a person. Lak yo' wanta prob'ly git 'em out chure way - jes' lak if ah wuz a woman an' had a husban' an' prob'ly ah thought some othah woman wuz givin' me trouble wit 'im. If ah could git hold of 'er shoe, ah would take her shoe an' den ah would put snuff an' red peppah - ah take an' burn red peppah, an' take dis heah snuff an' red peppah an' put it in 'er shoe, an' dat would drive 'er aWay from 'im. AH SEE DAT PURTTY NEARLY EVAH DAY.
Entry 5200
Women take de shoes - why den dey a - if dey wanta keep a man home. Women mostly do dat. A man don't hardly do dat. Wanta keep )'im home, he always gone off some place. She goes tuh work an' put salt on 'er shoes an' - both feet, an' she buries dat shoes. Dat keeps 'im home - anywhere in de yard. Dat's fur as'h [as I] heard about dat.
Entry 5201
Well, yo' kin take de shoes an' burn 'em an' dey'll come back.
(Both the shoes?)
Yes, burn shoes.
(After you burn them what do you do?)
Yo'jes' burn 'em wit salt. If yo' jes' take salt an' sprinkle it behin' a person dey will leave. Den yo' kin take de shoes an' burn 'em wit salt an' dey'll come back. [Burning the shoes with salt - both burning and salt - breaks the spell cast that send the person away.]
Entry 5202
Well, dey take yo' shoes if dey wan'a do any- thin' tuh yo' - anythin' lak dat. Dey take - if dey don' wan'a bury de shoes dey'll burn dem. But dey git somepin tuh put in dere tuh burn 'em wit. Dey git some of dis here bluestone an' put in dere an' table salt. An' dat tear yuh all tuh pieces. Dat'll run yuh ragged.
(You put this bluestone and the salt in the shoe and then burn the shoe.)
Yes sir, burn de whole thin'. An' den when it burn, he jes' as foolish as he kin be.
Entry 5203
Hit's a whole heap a ways tuh nuse [use] de shoes.
(Just one way now?)
Yo' take mah shoe - yo' kin take salt an' [red] peppah an' put in dere an' dat keep yo' from puttin' anythin' in dere tuh hurt me.
Entry 5204
Take red peppah an' salt an' put it in yore shoes tuhgethah. An' mix it in a li'le bag or papah an' put it in yore shoe an' weah it. Dat'll keep any- one from hurtin' yo'.
Entry 5205
Dey say yo' kin take a man's shoe an' git chew some peppah an' salt, an' mix it up on a piece of papah - jis' mix it up. Jis' lak yo' be's roomin [with me] an' ah'd git hold of a pair of shoes yo' weah. An' maybe ah won't stay dere [you are not rooming with me], but ah'd go in dere an' jis' sprinkle de stuff right in dat shoe. Dey says when ah sprinkle dat in dat shoe, dat peppah stuff, yo'll git outa mah sight. If yo' do dat, if it's a man a enemy 'g'inst yo', yo' kin run 'im away by puttin' dat in 'is shoe, sprinklin' in it. He'll move.
(You do that with both shoes?)
Both of 'is shoes. [St. Petersburg, Fla., (1008), 1630:2.]
(subsection SHoEs continues in volume four)