Browse:SHOES (Volume 4, entries 5206–5304)
SHOES
Volume 4, entries 5206–5304. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 5206
Yo' kin take dere shoes an' take 'em an' put 'em undah de do'steps, an' put a li'le table salt an' sulphur an' diff'ren' thin's - mix it up tuhgethah an rub it on 'em, an' put 'em undah de do'step. Yo' steal de shoe unbeknownst tuh 'em an' put 'em undah de do'- step, an' dey'll leave town - run away from town.
(Do you get both their shoes?)
Jes' one. If yo' can git one, jes' git de left-foot shoe; if yo' can't git de left-foot, jes' git de right foot - any which one of 'em.
(And if you got my shoe, you would bury it under my door?)
Yeah, under yore own do'step.
Entry 5207
Git yo' some men's shoes - git chew a [new] pack of sulphur. Put chew a teaspoonful of sulphur in each one of those shoes, a pair - two, yo' know, burn 'em only two at de time. An' yo' put dat sulphur in dose shoes an' table salt an' put it in yore stove an' let it burn. Yore house will be so full yo' can't git in an' out on 'em.
Entry 5208
People, yo' know, kin take an' weah sulphur in de shoes, an' as long as yo' weah sulphur in yore shoes, ah don' care who put anythin' down fo' yo', it wouldn't hurt chew. Sulphur an' salt eats up de poison.
Entry 5209
An' den ag'in yo' kin take de salt, de eatin' salt, an' sulphur an' yo kin take dat an' let it been in dat ole shoe. An' take it out dat ole shoe an' yo' kin go an' sprinkle it in mah house, or on de sill of mah house, or anywhere on de step, an' ah walk ovah it ah'll leave.
(Whose shoe do you put that salt in?)
Anyone who yo' wanta work harm wit or good.
(Well, then you would take it out of their shoe?)
Yes, when yo' take it out de shoe, den yo' put it in dat bottle. Sho'. Well yo' jis' take dat salt out as a powdah an' throw it undah mah house or eithah in mah house, if yo' kin. (Well, now, suppose you were running me away and you want to use salt to do it, you would put that salt in my shoe?) No, no suh.
(You mean your own shoe?)
No, nobody's shoe. Yo' jis' takes dat salt an' diff'ren' things whut chew wanta put tuh it, an' yo' throw it down. Yo' kin jis' throw it at de threshhold of mah do' an' ah'd move. Evah time yo' walk ovah dat, see, dat satisfies - dat settle it. Yo'll leave, yo'll git a mind tuh leave heah an' yo'll go.
Entry 5210
[She was] a wild woman. Ah couldn't git rid of 'er an' ah went tuh another HOODOO. He tole me, say, "Yo' take two of 'er shoes, take 'em an' full 'em wit salt an' sulphur, an' put 'em down intuh a runnin' stream." An' yo' wouldn't have no mo' trouble wit 'er. Well, ah nevah had no mo' trouble wit dat woman. Got rid of 'er.
Entry 5211
Yo' kin take a person's shoes an' put a li'le sulphur an' a li'le salt in it an' dis heah Red Devil Peppah red peppah, an' yo' could take dat shoe an' yo' could bury dat shoe, but let it be de lef' feet. An' bury it in de back yard. An' dat person nevah be able tuh walk straight any mo'. [Red Devil Pepper is either a package of red pepper with a red devil on it, a commercial brand, or a special package sold by a hoodoo drug store or mail-order firm.]
Entry 5212
[Here is another version of preceding rite by same informant:]
Ah tell yo'. Yo' could take red peppah an' sulphur an' salt [3 ingredients], an' yo' could put it an' weah it in yore shoes; or eithah tie some of it in a piece of cloth an' put it roun' yore waist. An' nobody couldn't hurt chew tuh save yo' life.
Entry 5213
Wear red peppah in yore shoes, salt an' sulphur an' black peppah, no one cain't harm yo'.
Entry 5214
Git nine little seeds outa [a] red peppah, an' sulphur an' salt, an' put in yore shoes, an' whatevah dey wanta do - run yo' 'way, make it so hot yo' cain't stay where yo' are. (Put that in either shoe or both shoes?) In both shoes. Yo' know, in yore shoes yo' have a linin'. If yo' kin git up dat linin', git nine red peppah seeds an' git sulphur an' salt an' put in dere, dey not knowin' it's in dere, an' dey say yo'll be so hot yo'll jes' have tuh go. Yo' don't [know] where yo' goin' but yo' jes' got'a go.
Entry 5215
Ah've seen lotsa dat done. Take salt an' sulphur, take de ole shoes an' burn it. An' den dey take de ole shoes aftah dey burn it, an' den take it in de four cornahs of de house, er out in de yard an' bury it. An' ah've seen lotsa [people do it] but what it wuz in it [wheth- er this caused them to leave] ah don' know.
[I] seen 'em leave home.
Entry 5216
Dey take some cookin' salt an' sulphur an' mix it an' put it in a fire- place, 'nuff fo' de smoke tuh come out, an' burn it in yore chimley. Yo' kin take a shoe an' burn along wit it tuh make it mo' strong. An' burn it slowly in de chimley an' see dat'll smoke. Dey can't stand dat odor from dat smoke, an' it seems in a couple of week's time dey'll have tuh move. Dey couldn't stay roun' dere. [Burn] three time a day.
(That will cause the people next door to be moved.)
Entry 5217
Well, if yo' think dey goin' put somepin down fo' yo' tuh walk ovah, yo' git some sulphur an' table salt an' - an' saltpetah. Put jis' a li'le bit'a each, about de same quantity of each, an' put it in each shoe, an' yo' walk ovah dat much as yo' wanta.
Entry 5218
Ah've heard dat yo' could take two ole shoes, two ole workin'-men's shoes, an' burn 'em. Take some salt an' po' on 'em, an' a li'le sugah an' po' on 'em, an' burn 'em an' dat will make yo' have luck.
Entry 5219
Dey taked mah shoe, got holt one of mah shoe, an' scraped jis' a li'le of de dust outa de inside of de shoe [insole], an' ball it up - wrapped up intuh a li'le somepin jis' lak dat [demonstrates]. (Ball it up [in a piece of rag or paper].) Yes suh, an' put it out in de yard close by de fence. Always put on de left side.
(The left side of what?)
Of yo' gate where yo' come in.
(You bury it out to the left side of your gate?)
Yes suh, an' yo' step ovah it. Dat is a pain ket' chew [= ketch chew = catch you] in yo' laig. Kills yo' foot daid. But dó [though] where de diff'rence [= but on the other hand] heah come anothah man [doctor] dat undahstan' de business, will ease [it] off yo' - take it right off. But it wouldn't be a month or week befo' yo' be walkin' jis' as straight as evah.
Entry 5220
Den ah've heard dat dey kin take yore shoe an' scrape de bottom of it. Lak yore shoes is - lak yo' weah yore shoes tuhday. Well, if yo' foot atall sweat, dey kin take it an' pull it off an' scrape de inside of dat shoe, an' git dat dere dirt whut come outa yore foot. An' dey could bind dat dere up an' put intuh a place whereby it cain't ketch no air atall. An yo' cain't walk. Of co'se it cain't kill yo' - won' kill yo' - but yo' won' have no use fo' dat foot. Dat takes de use of it, when dey puts dat intuh a place where it cain't ketch no air. De way dat chew comprehend [overcome] dat is tuh bring de use back tuh yore foot. Git chew some sulphur an' red peppah an' weah it in de bottom of yore shoe an' dat will kill it. See, dat'll kill it in yore foot. Dat won' be no good while dey have it in dat airtight place. Dat 'air [= dere = there] is de way dey ovahcome dat devilment when dey works it.
Entry 5221
If yore wife or anyone is gone 'way from yo', yo'll take dat shoe an' scrape de toe out of it wit yore pocketknife, on de inside. (Both shoes or just one?) Well, one of 'em will do - eithah one. An' yo' take dat scrapin' an' yo' put dat in a bottle an' yo' bury dat. Dat will turn dem aroun' - turn 'em back tuh yo'.
(Do you bury that bottle in any particular way or just any old way?)
Well, yo' should bury dat bottle tuh de sunrise.
Entry 5222
Now, yo' say fo' n'instant [for an instance] ef a man's lovah wus gone away, he could take - ef he kin git holt-a shoe which he knew dat she wuz gon'a wear again, he could pull up jis' dat thin papah in de heel, it doesn't make any diff'ren', an' take it an' weah it in 'is shoe. An' dey say dat is a good way dat she will come back tuh 'im.'
Entry 5223
[HERE FOLLOWS A RARE SIFTING RITE - SIFTING WITH A SIFTER.]
An' ah've heard 'em say dat chew take like nuthin but wimmen, take three or fo' wimmen here, or jis' me, one person'ly, say. Now, ah take all mah ole shoes now an' burn 'em up, but ah burn 'em on somepin dat ah kin save all dose ashes. An' burn tuh a charcoal an' den mash 'em up. An' den ah take salt an' peppah an' mix wit dose shoes now. An' ah take de siftah an' between nine an' twelve a'clock at night ah go aroun' de house an' sift 'em three times tuhnight.
(How do you mean, sift it three times?)
Jis' put it in a siftah, yuh see, jis' sift de dust [shoe ashes]. (You.mean you go round the house three times, or you sift the dust three times?) How - like ah begin now from de back door, from mah back door, an' ah go around dere an' make mah wish, yuh know. If ah wish fo' all men tuh come tuh mah house, or jis' one indivij'ly [individually], yuh know. An' if dere's some Woman dat ah think she's a enemy tuh me, yuh know, an' ah don't wan' 'er tuh come dere, yuh see, ah wish fer 'er tuh not come, an' wish fer 'im tuh come an' stay always wit me.
(I see.)
Ah'd go aroun' three times lak dat an' begin. An' de last wish, dat ah make right where ah begin dat, yuh see. An' ah wish dat he may come an' stay wit me always. See, when ah says always, ah'm [back] in de house den an' turns de sift- ah loose on de inside. An' den tuhmorrah - ah do dat tuhnight between nine an' twelve. An' tuhmorrah mawnin' now between twelve an' nine, well, prob'ly yuh kin do dat at three a'clock in de mawnin', fo' or five or six a'clock, any time befo' nine a'clock, but de bes' time dat dey do it is befo' sunrise. See, aftah twelve o'clock [and] befo' sunrise - roun' about fo'-thirty or five a'clock, an' yuh do de same thin' an' come back in an' drop de siftah right at de same place again.
(You sift it all over again?)
De same thin' all ovah again. An' dey say, when yuh do dat - well, dey say yuh don't have tuh have many shoes. Doesn't take much, take much siftin's fo' dat dust, 'fo' dat dust is gone. Well, yuh do dat till all dat dust is gone through dat siftah, yuh see, an' dey say he'll nevah leave yuh den. He'll nevah leave yuh.
Entry 5224
De lef'-footed ole shoes from a man. Now, lak if yo' be in business lak sellin' whiskey or anythin' lak dat, yo' could burn it in yore home at six a'clock evah mawnin'. An' dat's good luck.
(That is good luck to bring in customers?)
Bring in plenty customahs an' all lak dat.
Entry 5225
Well, yuh take it [shoe] an' bury it - bury it undah de step. Dey got front steps, dey got back steps. Sometime a house is got fo' or five diff'ren' steps cleah aroun', yuh know, but yuh only - yuh count tuh de fo'th step, if yuh got fo' steps. If yuh ain't, yuh kin bury it undah de firs' one, but yuh won' wanta bury nuthin but de dirt part, de foot part [sole] of it. Yuh see, lak de hole's [open part is] up, yuh don' have tuh bury dat. Jes' cut it [sole] off, de foot part, an' bury it undah dere, bury it undah de first step or de fo'th one.
(What will that do to me?)
What will dat do?
(What will that do, yes?)
Oh, DAT AIN'T GOIN' TUH DO NUTHIN, JES' HAVE YUH AT DERE COMMAND. Dat's all - jes' de same thing as de othah [rite given].
Entry 5226
Yes, ah have heard of doin' sompin - takin' prackly [practically] nuthin but shoes. Bury dat shoe an' leave de top of it out, an' dat will kill 'em. (What do you mean leave the top of it out? You just bury the sole and leave the top part out?) Leave dis [top] part up, jis' so's all of it ain't in dere. Yo' kin do wit de sock de same way. Leave part of it up.
Entry 5227
A person take yore shoe an' cut jes' a small 'mount of de sole off each one of yore shoes.
(The outside sole?)
Yessuh, jes' cut dat sole offa dat, offa each one of 'em. An' take dat sole offa dat shoe an' git 'em a bottle of Jockey Club Perfume, an' lay it on a cloth an' sew it up right nice, an' keep it 'nointed always wit dat perfume. Don' nevah let it go wit'out it, dat per- fume. Evah day, don' fo'git tuh put as much as two or three drops on each one of dem li'le pieces. An' keep it in yore pocketbook an' DAT WILL FO'EVAH
Entry 5228
" Yo' would burn shoes fo' luck. Jis' git sugah, ord'nary sugah, an' sprinkle it ovah dem an' put 'em in de fiah an' burn 'em fo' any kinda luck.
Entry 5229
Yo' kin keep from bein' hurt dat way, whut ah know. Yo' kin keep sulphur in yore shoes an' keep from bein' hurt lak dat. Evah time yo' git ready tuh go out, evah pair of shoes yo' has, sprinkle a li'le sulphur in dem. Well, yo' nevah ketches anythin' from any- body. It's hard fo' 'em tuh git on tuh yo'.
Entry 5230
Dey burn ole shoes an' sulphur togethah, yo' know. Dey tell me dat makes yo' lucky - dat's fer luck.
Entry 5231
Jes' lak if yo' an' a man separated, an' dey say dat if yo' kin git 'is lef'-foot of 'is shoe, an' take it out in de back yard an' burn de shoe wit sul- phur, dat he would came back. (Take the left sole, the whole shoe?) Yes sir, jes' de whole shoe an' turn it down an' sprinkle sulphur on de shoe an' said dat would bring 'im back.
(Then you burn the shoe?)
Yes sir, burn it - jes' make a fire an' burn it.
Entry 5232
Yo' take brimstone an' put a li'le sulphur wit it, an' wear a li'le in yore shoes, an' de tendency of dat would keep anybody from tryin' tuh do any- thin' tuh yo'.
Entry 5233
Take dey lef'-foot shoe an' burn it wit sugah, black peppah, saltpetah an' bluestone. Dat'll call 'em back.
Entry 5234
Ah heard if dere any person dat chew don' wan' aroun' yo', in de mawn- in' 'fore de sun rise, yo' go an' sweep yore front yard. Well, when dey come dere an' dey walk in an' yo' sweep it an' yo' burn a ole shoe. Yo go roun' anywhere where dis person is an' git any ole shoe belong tuh dem an' burn it an' sprinkle it. Well dat will keep 'em 'way from roun' dere.
(You sweep first?)
Yo' sweep'an' den burn a ole shoe - jes' yo' sweep an' den yo' put some sul- phur in dat ashes of de burnt shoe. Sprinkle it in de front yard.
Entry 5235
De woman left de man, dis one [story] is, an' de man went an' tried to git 'er back an' he couldn't git 'er back. So he went to a fellah [doctor] de fellah tole him tuh take her shoe soles - found one of 'er ole shoes an' go to a post an' nail it up ovah de post on de sunrise side an' go back home an' not worry an' in three days she'd be back to him.
(Nail it on a post?)
Nail de sole of de shoe up on de side of a sunrise post.
(Just any kind of a post?)
On de side of a telegraph post - nail it up on de side of a telegram post facin' de way she went. In three days dat she'd be back.
Entry 5236
Take yore left - take dis sole out chure left shoe, dat inside [insole] out chure shoe, an' yo' take dat sole an' yo' take solid brown papah. YO' EVAH SEEN A TERRAPIN? Cut it [brown paper] in shape of a terrapin. De shoe, dat's in shape of a terrapin. De shoe, dat's in ordah - now, if yo' wanted tuh Zingah a person, yo' know, fix 'em so dey be lingahin' all de time. An' yo' cut dis piece of brown papah an' cut dat shoe sole [insole] an' yo' ball it up in a new piece of homespun. Take dis piece an' de same shoe dat yo' taken it out of, an' slip it back in dey house. Yo' know, lak peoples shoe is settin' roun' dere an' yo' take de sole out. Well, maybe yo' be smart enough tuh git it back in de house, an' yo' put dis piece of papah in it. Well, de nine days aftah dey git tuh weah dis shoe, dey foot begin tuh swell up an' dere ankle an' yo' cain't tell [the cause of the swelling]. Well, if dey take dat piece of - DAT. SOLE DEY GOT OUT OF YORE SHOE, IF DEY MAKE 'WAY WIT IT COMPLETE AN' FO'GIT ABOUT WHERE DEY PUT IT, WHY YO'LL NEVAH BE CURED. DERE'S NOBODY IN DE WORLD WILL EVAH CURE YO'. (If you want to make this person linger, you take this sole out of his shoe. Now, what do you do with this brown paper?) Yo' take dat papah an' put it back in dere shoe, in de toe of dere shoe. Yo' know it's kind of a tissue papah, li'le thin papah. Dey put it in de toe of dere shoe jes' as fur as yo' kin git it. An' whenevah yo' do dat, dey weah de shoe. Maybe dey weah de shoe out an' don' evah know dat papah is in de shoe. An' when- evah dey do 'way fo' yo', jes' lak anybody come in wit anythin' an' throw it down an' fo'git about where dey put it.
(Do they put the inner sole back in the shoe?)
No suh, keep it. If dey git holt of dat dey kin git cured.
(You take that sole [insole] out.and you put this paper in the shoe?)
Put it in de shoe. Cut it in de shape of a terrapin.
Entry 5237
De shoes - dat right foot of shoes, dey kin burn dat up intuh a powdah an' put sulphur in it. Have dat sulphur an' dat powdah an' dis cloves. AH KNOW YO' DONE HEAR TALK OF SPICES. Have all dat burnin' tuhgeth- ah an' mix it up an' burn it in yore house. Dey says three times a week: jis' Wednesdays, Saturdays an' Mondays, say dat's luck.
(What kind of luck? Luck for what?)
Bring good luck tuh yo'.
Entry 5238
De inside sole from yo' shoe - dat little piece yo' walk on - dey cuts three holes right in de centah. Now dat's if yo' wanta, yo' kin drive a person or yo' kin hold a person wit it. If yo' wanta drive 'em, yo' got'a fix it in sompin light [weight], an' put it in runnin' watah wheres it will jis' keep agoin'. An' if yo' wanta keep 'em, yo' take dat an' bury it at chure home.
(Do you take both those inner soles?)
One, de lef' one. DAT'S WONDAHFUL FOOT, DE LEF' ONE.
Entry 5239
Now, ah've nevah 'sperienced dat, but dey say yo' kin burn peppah an' shoe sole an' brimstone an' dat would keep 'em parafied [pacified? paralyzed?]. Yo' know, tuh keep 'em from doin' anythin'. Yo' know, dat will git dere mind kinda puzzled. Dey say dat would run a bad neighbah. Dat whut dey tell me.
(Well, where would you burn that stuff?)
Yo' carry it outdo's somewhere between yore house an' dere house, but don' let 'em see where de smoke comin' from, see. Now dat whut dey say.
Entry 5240
Dey kin take - if yo've wore yore shoes an' got 'em good an' sweaty, dey git chure feet dirt from it an' de scent of yore feet lak dat. An' dey kin take dat an' weah it aroun' 'neath of dere waist an' thing lak dat, an' put some of dis oil of cedah in it, an' make de person follah dem an' ca' [care] mō' [more] fō' dem den dey do any- body else. Jis' lak dey would take dere hair outa dere haid... (You mean they wear it around their waist?). Right nex' tuh dere skin lak dis. An' dey puts it in a bandage an' puts it nex' tuh dere skin, an' put dat oil of cedah tuh it, an' weah it night an' day aroun' dere waist nex' tuh yore skin.
Entry 5241
Ah heard tell dat yo' could take a person's shoes an' put red peppah in 'em an' salt an' some coppahs. Yo' have tuh take a penny. Take a coppah or brass, dat jis' whut dey use, an' take an' scrape it. Take a file an' scrape. An' put all dis heah stuff tuhgethah an' git it in yore shoes some way or othah. Den aftah yo' git dat in yore shoes, den dey cain't wear no shoes.
[To scrape a silver dime is common; to scrape a penny is rare.]
(What will happen to him?)
Well, his [skin] will begin tuh itch. All.de shoes he'll wear will have tuh be jis' de same as sandals. Yo' know yo' cain't weah a good pair of shoes on yore feet counta [on account of] dey disfigured yo' know.
(It hurts his feet when he gets this stuff on them?)
Yessuh.
Entry 5242
Yo' could take dat inside sole jes' lak ah have in mine heah, dat got de sweat on it, chew know. An' yo' take dat outa anybody's [shoe] who yo' want. Listen good. An' put some sul- phur in it, black peppah an' salt. (Sulphur, black pepper and salt.) Uh-hmm. Den yo' take it an' burn it. In three days times.if yo' want dem back dere, dey'll come back tuh yo' an love yo' bettah dan evah.
(What would you do with those ashes, anything?)
No, jes' let it go yo' know, aftah yo' put dat sulphur an' black peppah in dere, an' salt.
Entry 5243
Wit de shoe - yo' kin take ole shoes an' compel good luck wit 'em one way.
(Well, how would they do that?)
Well, yo' kin git chew three ole shoes an' JES' AS DE SUN IS RISIN' - YO' KNOW DE SUN HAS A MIGHTYFUL POWAH - an' jes' as de sun is risin' yo' take yo' a little sulphur an' put it in all three of dose shoes, right up in de heel part, an' set de toe of dose shoes tuhwards de house. An' yo' burn dose three shoes jes' as de sun risin' in de mawnin', an' dat'll certainly bring yo' good luck. Yo' kin do dat wit de shoes.
Entry 5244
(What do you do to make him come back?)
Take de right-foot shoe on a Thursday mawnin' an' burn it in yore fireplace.
(Whose shoe do you take?)
His - one of 'is own shoes.
Entry 5245
Take yore shoes an' put one dis way an' dat way, say it won't be long befo' yo' be leavin' dat place. De way dey tell me, dey say de heel one way an de toe [the other wayl. Dat makes yore mind be wavahed tuh 'em. Ain't got no sense in anythin'. Dis is de heel an' dis is de toe [demonstrates]. Yo' put one heel heah an' one [heel] heah, yo' see.
(You put the toe of one shoe against the other heel.)
Entry 5246
Take de tongue outa de shoes or in - de inside linin' [the insole].
(What do you do with that?)
Take dat an' wear it in 'er pocketbook, anywhere, nex' tuh 'er breasts, an' dat'll make him always be runnin' aftah 'er.
Entry 5247
Cut de tongue out of a shoe an' keep dat aroun' in yore pocket. (What will that do?) Dat he'p yo' tuh yore man or de woman.
(Do you cut either tongue out or both of them?)
Out de left shoe.
Entry 5248
Jis' lak yo' weah out a shoe. If he weah out 'is shoe, well he will throw de shoe outdo's. Well, she go out an' git it an' cut dis tongue out de shoe an' bury it undah de back steps.
(What will that do, make him stay home or what?)
No, make him jis' be wit no one but 'er.
Entry 5249
Ah know dey'll take joor [your] shoe tongue out joor shoe - dat's whut dey tell me. Yo' take de shoe tongue out joor shoe an' take a stran' of haah from joor haid, an' beah [bury] it in joor fiahplace. An' yo' kin go away but choo cain't stay. Yo' got'a come back at home. If yo' work any job, evahthin' da' chew [that you] make [earn] yo' have tuh bring it tuh 'er. An' she'll let dat stay in de fiahplace nine days, an' den she'll take it tuh a root of a tree an' beah it. An' she'll let it stay dere. An' jis' as long as dat stay beahed [buried] dere, she got choo.
Entry 5250
Take shoes of dey right feet, say, if yo' wan' 'em tuh ride or walk away. Take dat shoe an' take it tuh a carbox [boxcar], any kinda carbox or if it jes' passin' by de carbox. Take dat shoe an' throw it intuh any empty carbox an' as dat shoe travel, dey will travel, too.
(You mean like the boxcar of the freight train?)
Yessuh, de boxcar of a freight train. Takes an' throw dat shoe in dere an' curse it. Turn yore back tuh it an' let it go ahead on den, an' dat train tra- vels. An' don' nobody intahfere wit dat shoe. Dey got'a go, too.
Entry 5251
A pusson kin take yo' shoe - real spells. DERE SO MANY ANGLES WIT DE SHOE. Dey'll take yo' shOe an dey kin put chew tuh wondahin' [wanderingl. Take yo' shoe an' put a pusson tuh wondahin'. Take de shoe an' put graveyard dirt in de shoe so dey cain't tell. Go tuh anythin', a instrument dat movin', train or ship er anythin'. De individual be jes' lak dat train movin' place tuh place, dat ship go frum place to place. Dat pusson move dat same way. (You'd have to move away.)
Entry 5252
Well, now, if yo' wan'a person tuh leave, say leave town, yo' kin take 'is shoe. Take one of 'is shoes an' take it tuh de railroad an' turn de shoe de way de train's comin', de way yo' want 'em tuh go. An' when de train runs ovah dat, yo' call 'is name an' have some graveyard dirt. An' jis' drop three pinches down in 'is shoe an' slip dat shoe on de railroad an' de train will run, yo' know, hit runs ovah de shoe, an' he's wit dat [train] crew. Yes sir, dat will lose him. (You don't put that on the rail, you just put that on the track? Between the rails?) Yeah on de track - NO, PUT IT ON DE RAIL!
(Oh! the train actually runs over it.)
Yes sir, runs ovah it.
(Either shoe is all right?)
Don' make any diff'rence.
Entry 5253
If dat man worries yuh an' yuh don't wan' dat man, an' make him let yuh alone. Yuh take his shoe, his lef' shoe, an' go tuh de railroad where a carbox at an' tack it on de carbox, an' jes' as long as dat train carry dat shoe, dat man'll walk jes' de same. Jes' as far as dat carbox goes, de shoe goes.
(What is a carbox? One of those flat [open] cars?)
Yes. [A carbox is a boxcar.]
Entry 5254
An' den de nex' question yo' kin do wit a fellah's shoes. Yo' kin take shoes an' nail 'em on de carbox [boxcar], de train yo' know on de rail- road tracks. Yo' nail 'em on dere an' yo' supposed tuh go until yo' ketch up wit de shoes. (Which track do you take and throw over your left shoulder?) Yore left-foot track. (What about the shoe, the left foot?) Ah mean de lef'-foot dirt, from undah de dirt. But if yo' want me tuh go an' keep a-goin', take both of mah shoes an' put 'em on de railroad track, on de train.
Entry 5255
Take de lef'-foot shoe an' carry it an' nail it on a carbox, on a train yo' know, an' dat will make dat fellah leave, leave from roun' dat pahtic'lah place.
Entry 5256
If dey wanted yo' tuh leave heah an' didn't wan' chew tuh come back heah, dey could take some of yore ole shoes or sompin or 'nothah an' put it un- dah a boxcar, but he supposed tuh have yore name in dat shoe. An' jes' lak he says tuh dat boxcar - well, when dat train leave mos' likely yo'll git uneasy. Yo' goin git fixed tuh gittin' ready fo' goin' yo'self.
Entry 5257
Yo' kin take a person's shoes an' git chew a bran'-new nail an' put in dem shoe an' put 'em in a boxcar, yo' know, lak when yo' jump de boxcar dat be's heah. When dey done been unloadin' yo' see, an' jes' waitin' on de train tuh come in heah. Jes' throw one on heah an' one on dere. Ah don't know whethah it's de lef' shoe or not, but ah believes it be de lef' shoe dat cheW take. Well, EVAHBODY ALWAYS BELIEVES ON DE LEF' WHEN DEY DOES ANYTHIN'.
Entry 5258
Shoe? Dey kin make yuh travel wit yore shoes.
(How would they do that?)
Yuh kin take a person's lef'-foot shoe an' take any outgoin' freight train, out of town, an' jes' wait until dat man blows dat whistle. An' make a wish wit dat shoe tuh 'is destruction. An' jes' as de train passes - jes' lak it's passin' by lak dat - jes' throw dat shoe on dere, an' let dat train carry dat shoe off.
(I see.)
Entry 5259
Ah've heard dat dey kin take yore shoe an' run yo' off. Ah've heard dey could take yore lef'-foot shoe an' put nine needles in yore lef'-foot shoe, an' take dat lef'-foot shoe an' put it on a train an' dat will run yo' off.
(Where would they put those nine needles, in the shoe?)
Yo' would stick dose nine needles wit de point goin' farward. (Forward, that's toward the toes. Well, wouldn't the person see those needles in the shoe?) AW, ah thought chew meant wit de ole shoes, de discarded shoe.
[Discarded shoes are used.]
Entry 5260
Yo' kin take de right-foot shoe of a man, if yo' won't want tuh be bothahed, an' yo' take table salt an' a pod of red peppah - not li'le brown pep- pah, de red peppah. Go tuh a train where a box- car an' tack it up dere an' dat party will leave. Or yo' kin do de same thin' an' carry it tuh de rivah an' put dat shoe in any watah dat's runnin' an' he will leave. Dat is true, also.
Entry 5261
Well, yo' kin take yore shoes - jes' lak if yo' got a pair of shoes an' yo' wan'a run anybody away from roun' heah, yo' kin take dose shoes an' drop 'em in a freight train runnin'. Jes' as long as dat freight train is travelin', yo'll have tuh travel. Well, yo' kin take a woman's sock or a man's sock an' carry it an' put it in de freight train an' keep 'em goin' - so it sweat in it, yo' know, jes' enough to keep it hard.
Entry 5262
Put it on a freight train an' as dat train run, yo' know yo' be tryin' tuh keep up wit dem shoes. Yo'll be runnin' where dem shoes is.
The informant says to put 'it' on a freight train and separately describes running where the shoes are; the pronoun's object remains unresolved here.
Entry 5263
Yeah, take de shoes off. Well, if yo' don' want me tuh stay here in dis town, ah'm disturbin' yo' some way - yo' prob'ly jis' don' lak me. Yo' git hold of mah shoe, eithah one, don' make any diff'rence. Take mah shoe an' go down tuh a railroad place at de absence of de men. Tack it on de carbox [box- car], undahstan'. (Absence of the what?) Absence of de men - no one kin see yo'. Undahstan'? Lay it on dat carbox wit de toe pointed down-lak - jis' point it down de rail. An' dat train leave dere, nobody know where or whut yo' did. It jis' take dat shoe off dere. Ah'll [if it is my shoe] nevah stop. When or whut dat dey move dat car, why ah be tryin' tuh git dat [shoe].
The informant explicitly names a departing train in a hypothetical shoe account. No actual journey or resulting effect is verified.
Entry 5264
If yuh'd find any of dere ole shoes out dere, git 'em an' bury dem on de railroad wit de feet turned - de toe turned whutevah way yuh wan' 'em tuh go.
Entry 5265
Put 'im on a travelin' route. Takin' de shoe fer instan' [for in- stance], an' aftah yuh done wore it awhile, take it an' tack up undah a boxcar - cuz dat train travels. See, dat train travels an' yore mind prakly [practically] travels jis' lak yuh were on it.
Entry 5266
Git a fellah shoe dat he been 'custom tuh weahin'. Take dat inside sole outa dat shoe an' yo' tack it up undah a boxcar, or yo' would fo'ce it down in a coconut. Shet [shut] de coconut up an' put some turpentine wit it, tro' it in de rivah an' leave it drif' down de stream. As it drif' down de stream, his min' will git - regard- less tuh whut job he got, he'll start tuh driftin' an' leave away from de place dat's he [that he's] 'custom tuh be.
Entry 5267
Take de sole, out chure shoe an' dey kin take dat little piece [insole] an' dey kin take it an' drive it into a tree an' run yo' crazy wit it. (The sole [insole] of either shoe or both shoes?) Yore left shoe where yo' have yore trouble at.
Entry 5268
Well, dey kin git yuh shoes. Dey will git a li'le piece of de innah sole out of 'em, jis' outa eithah one of 'em. An' take dat innah sole an' carry it an' use turpentine on it; may- be ten or fifteen drops, not undah ten an' not ovah fifteen. Take it an' put it in a tobacco can or snuffbox. Git dat an' bury it, jis' keep it buried dere. An' YO'LL BEGIN TUH TAKE PAINS IN YUH ANKLES AN' KNEES, JIS' AS LONG AS DAT'S BURIED, JIS' LAK YO' WUS A MAN WIT DE RHEUMATISM. YO'LL BE DOWN IN YUH ANKLES AN' YUH KNEES, AN' FINELY [FINALLY] IT WORK ON UP IN YUH HIPS. AN' WORK ON THROUGH YUH BODY. IT'LI WORK ALL OVAH YO'. IT'LL GIT YO' IN SICH A CONDITION DAT YO'LL HAVE DE STIFF- NECK AN' EVAHTHIN' ELSE.
Entry 5269
If de boss fire yuh - yeah, he fired yuh. Yuh goes tuh 'im an' ast 'im fo' a job ag'in, once mo', an' he says, "No." Yuh say, "Well, ah been work- in' mighty faithful fo' yuh an' yuh's not treatin' me right.' Sompin lak dat. Git chew some spirits turpentine an' if yuh kin git tuh 'is shoe or sompin lak dat, his right shoe - if yuh kin ketch 'im wit 'is shoe off sometime, rub it on de bottom of 'is shoe, yuh know. An' take a li'le dust dere from de bottom of 'is shoe an' mix wit some turpentine an' put it in a li'le can. An' stop it up an' carry it an' bury it undah yore do'step. An' yuh got a job wit 'im right on. Yes sir, yuh git de job back.
Entry 5270
Take yore left-foot shoe an' git chew a piece of wire - don't git no string, see. An' tie - put two li'le holes in de shoe, yo' undahstan', an' tie it back tuh yo'. Always tie de toe part back tuh de heel part, yo' undahstan'.
(With the wire?)
Yessuh, an' dat bring in luck from de do'. Tie it right in de middle of de flo' [a quincunx, see p.7lO] it's comin' in de do'. An' den take an' put a little coal oil on it an' set it afiah an' burn it up. But let it gon'a be a ole shoe, now - jis' about wo' [worn] out, chew undahstan', an' do [work] wit it. Dat's luck. Dat smoke will go an' stay up in de wall.
(What do you do with that shoe then?)
Aftah it burn up - it jis' burn up - it's luck in yore house. Ah done tried dat.
(Won't it leave some ashes on the floor or something of that sort?)
Whut li'le ashes be lef' on de flo', ah take mah shovel - don' nevah throw it outdo's - ah take an' throw it in mah cookin' stove.
(You burn this on the shovel?)
Nahsuh [no sir], ah burns it in de middle of de flo' - see, comin' intuh de do'. But ah takes mah shovel an' take dat ashes up an' put it in mah cookin' stove. Ah don't nevah throw it out yo' undahstan' - out de house.
(What do you burn the shoe on, to keep the house from burning down?)
Ah burn it on a piece of tin.
(That wire will hold the toe of the shoe back to the heel?)
Yessuh. Throw dat shoe back dis way an' dat smoke will go right straight up, see.
(When you tie it with that wire, why do you tie it?)
Why dat tyin' yore luck back in de house.
Entry 5271
[In the preceding rite and this one we have an object bent together before it is tied together. To bend, like to twist, is not a common magic rite.] Ah heard it said dat yo' could take de sole of de lef' foot of a man's shoe an' tie it in de middle - buckle it [before tying] - an' bury it tuh de steps an' dat'll keep 'im combined [bent up and tied, either to keep him home, or to cripple him.]
(How do you mean, buckle the shoe? The outside sole you mean?)
Yes, jes' take de sole an', yo' know, refold de sole lak dat [bend it to- gether] an' tie it, tie it real tight. Yeah, de outside sole - de one, jes' since he walked on it.
Entry 5272
He turned it bottomside upwards in de house when his wife lef'. Well, his wife lef' 'im one Monday mawnin' an' he turnt dat shoe up dat Monday aftahnoon when he came in, an' in about 24 hours aftah he turnt dat shoe up she came back; but now tuh whut [else] he done wit dat shoe....
(Which shoe was it?)
It wuz de lef' shoe, ah think.
(How did he turn it upside down?)
He turned de sides right upwards lak dat, lak dey's comin' intuh de house. She came right back.
[While recording stopped, informant says something about a corner.]
(Which corner did he turn it up in?)
In de right corner, as yo' comin' in de do'.
Entry 5273
Dey will take yore shoe an' bury it, turn it down bottom upwards an' bury it, see. It will cuz yo' tuh lose yore mind.
(Do they use either shoe or one of them or what?)
Yo' kin use de lef' foot. [St.] Petersburg, Fla., (1056), 1716:4.]
Entry 5274
YO' KIN TURN A SHOE DOWN UNDAH YORE BED, DAT IS, IF YO' DREAMIN', AN' IT'LL STOP YO' FROM DREAMIN' IN DE NIGHT.
Entry 5275
An' den ah heah dem say yo' kin take dey shoes. Lak if a person run off from home an' be runnin' aroun', an' yo' don't wan' 'em tuh do lak dat. Well yo' take de shoes, both shoes an' jes' turn 'em down. Dey mos'ly has mo' den one pair of shoes. Yo' take de shoes an' turn 'em down, yo' know, wit de soles up, an' dey say dat will make 'em stay at home.
Entry 5276
Well, yo' could take a person's shoe an' dat will make 'em - take de shoe an' keep it on its face all de time, turned down right undah yore dressah or eithah de haid of yore baid, an' dat will make 'em stay home. Dey won't be so bad tuh run aroun'.
Entry 5277
An' a man, tuh keep 'im from runnin' aroun', yo' kin take his lef'- foot shoes an' keep it turned down in yore dirty-clothes box. Keep it turned down in yore dirty-clothes box an' dat will keep 'im from runnin' aroun'.
Entry 5278
Aw dey kin take yo' shoes if dey wan' chew tuh stay home. Take yo' lef'-footed shoes an' turn it upside down. Dat's tuh make a man stay home an' make a woman stay. home.
(Where do they put that shoe then?)
In de left cornah of yore house, upside down, de lef' shoe. She got'a have more den one pair of shoes.
Entry 5279
Ah've heard of 'em takin' a man's lef' shoe, if he's away, an' turnin' dat shoe dcwn wit dat toe back in de house, an' if he's out he'll come back. Ah hear dat.
Entry 5280
Jes' lak yo' wanted tuh be lucky in keepin' dis job at dis place. When evahone is gone, take off yore left shoe an' turn it bottom upwards on de stove or somepin of de kind. Use a little tin pan, jes' somepin dat will keep from burnin' yore shoe sole. An' yo' put two or three drops'of cinnamon oil on de chairs. Git dese Ole Banum[?] Tears.
(You put some of these on this stove lid?)
Put chure shoe - turn yore shoe bottom upwards an' burn dat on dere, an' yo' make yore wish concernin' what chew want. If yo' want so much money, an' yo' make yore wish fo' dis or dat. An' it may be if dis person seem tuh be angry tuhwards yo', or treatin' yo' indiff'rent anyway, yo' wish fo' bettah coopera- tion. An' yo' burn dis an' yo' postively will see a change. An' if someone have dismissed yo' from yore job, yo' drop dese nine grains of spice in de bottle as ah have tole yo' [several days before in another rite]. Now tuhmorrah when ah come ah can demonstrate dat bettah tuh yo', jes' how dat is done. An' den all de times when yo' meet these partic'lah people, yo' wanta drop a drop or two on yore hands an' rub yore face before yo' come in con- tact wit 'em. [Mrs. Brady, one of my contact people in Mobile was a capable woman familiar with the hoodoo-fortune telling world. I had interviewed her several days be- fore, but the recording being bad she had returned for another interview.]
Entry 5281
Den ag'in yo' could take a shoe - jis' lak yore ole lady leave yo'. Well, if she stay away an' ah don' ca' [care] how long she stay, well yo' take her shoe. An' IT'S REALLY SIMPLE. Yo' don' have tuh do so much tuh dat but rub yore han's in it. Rub yore han' until it git hot, yore right han', an' set 'em intuh de do', tuh de front do', an' turn 'em up. See. Well, de nex' day she'll be home or else dat night. She cain't stay.
(How do you turn those shoes up?)
Yo' have tuh turn 'em up, yo' see. Aftah rubbin' yore han' well, yo' turn 'em up an' have each one of 'em on each cornah of de do', jis' lak dis do' heah [demonstrates].
(The toe is pointing out of the house like that?)
De toe in. [The toe was pointing out because I was on the opposite side of the table and demonstration.]
(Why is that?)
Well dat's fo' tuh tuh walk right on in.
Entry 5282
Yo' kin take a person's shoes, if yo' in love wit 'em, an' call dere name three times. An' turn it undah de bed where yo' sleep at, an' sleep ovah it an' dat person'll come tuh yo'. (You turn that other person's shoes up- side down under your own bed?) Mah own shoes. Jes' lak if ah wuz in love wit a man an' ah wanted tuh see him. Ah turn mah shoes - jes' right foot, turn it down undah de baid where ah sleep an' call de name three times. An' dey'd come. DO DAT EVAH NIGHT UNTIL DEY COME.
Entry 5283
I've heard of people takin' saltpetah and molasses and putting it in a shoe and turn it upside down, turn around seven times and make a wish, and whatever that is it will come against the one that owns the shoe.
Entry 5284
Yo' take a shoe, de left shoe, an' carry it tuh a stream of watah. Take it an' throw it in a stream of watah an' nevah look back. Nevah look back at it an' he'd go de same way.
Entry 5285
Throw de lef' shoe ovah dere lef' shouldah ovah in de stream an' dat man will soon drift.