Browse:SNAIL OR SLUG (Volume 3, entries 3630–3699)
SNAIL OR SLUG
Volume 3, entries 3630–3699. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → CAUSES OF SEXUAL IMPOTENCE. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 3630
An' den now, ah'm gon'a tell yuh somepin othah dat beat de worl'. But it ain't no use in me tellin' yuh dis an' ah won't git anythin' fo' it. Now, ah'm gon'a tell yuh dis thing. Mah daddy learned me dis 'fo' he died. Yo' see dat snail dat crawl down on de ground? Understan? Yo' git one of dem snails. Dis trick whut ah'm tellin' yuh, ah tole a man dat an' he give me $50 fo' it. But ah know yo' ain't gon'a do dat. Yo' know what yuh do wit a snail? Yo' know, dere's plenty of smart men in de worl'. Yo' take a snail. Yo' see a snail crawlin' aroun' dere?
(Yes, I've seen a snail.)
Yes? Well, all right. Yo' take a snail an' kill 'im an' yo' wipe a woman's lak dat, an' if she'll have any man but yo', ah'll eat yo' up.
Entry 3631
[Our second margin title (from HOODOO p.649, line 13) explains why a snail is so commonly used in impotence rites; it makes a person slowful (p.648, 4 lines from bottom of page). This word is not sloth- ful, because he'll git so slow - slowful (p.649, line 1). The person rubbed with a snail jes' kin mope along - he can't go, he jes' be draggin' (p.649, line 9). The second reason for the use of a snail is its slime, a sticky substance thought to resemble human semen.]
Entry 3632
Snails, if yo' go to have intahco'se wit a woman. See, dat snail is a slow thing, an' dat would make yo' evah so anxious an' ready to go, an' dey take dat snail an' jes' have it in dere hand against de woman. First rub yore hand lak dat - yo' don't have to have de snail - jes' put de snail down dere an' rub yore hand lak dat. Dat will make a man fall down, yo' see, when he go dere.
(Some other man?)
Yes sir, make some othah man.
Entry 3633
Yo' kin take a snail an' put it - yo' know, jes' lak yo' take a snail now, yo' know, yo' crack it or sompin an' yo' kin put it in dis man's coffee or tea or somepin an' he can't go out, unless yo' say so, or unless yo' 'gree wit 'im or sompin othah lak dat. Got a man ah love an' all dat, but yet dat snail, yo' see, it got it slowin' down.
Entry 3634
Dey say snails is hard luck to have roun' yore home. If yo' bring any of 'em roun' yore home, yo'll have a lotta misfortune, yo'll lose lotsa things dat yo' git hold of.
Entry 3635
I have heard that when a man goes to work or on a journey, and if he believes it himself that his wife is crooked on him, not treating him right, and he desires to catch her; I have been told he can ketch a snail. I don't mean a shell snail, but a slick snail. Well, you take that snail when you have sexual intercourse with her, and you are about to leave her now - and you take this snail and mash it in your hand, and unbeknownt to her, you are loving and kind to her, you rub it over her stomick, and any man will have difficulty in bothering her in your ao- sence. Now if he's a stiff stout man and he goes in, he will be caught there until you come back, and there can't nobody remove him but you. If you love the woman, I don't know what would be the result. You have to come home to release them. As a rule any man that takes to bother her, no sooner than he starts, his tool will fall - he can't raise a heart for her, not to save his soul. In case he do, and go with her, he'll get stuck and nobody can remove him unless this man remove him. You can send for any doctor in the universe and you can't move them except killing one or the other. [For killing the man or woman, usually the lat- ter, see No.3460f.] [This was the first time I heard the snail rite, the summer of 1936. I thought the man was lying.] [Old Point Comfort, Va., by Ediphone.]
Entry 3636
De only thing yo' kin do wit a snail, yo' kin take an' - go in de woods to a ole hollah log, to a ole tree, an' [or] fin' snails undah dat bo'd dere, it damp in de centah of a piece of plank or bo'd, yo' know, if yo' let it stay dere. Yo' take a snail - ketch it in yore han', see. Sometime yo' kin take dose snails - see, lak dat dey ain't got no shell on. Try to fin' yo' one dat ain't got no shell on. Take dat snail right - couldn't handle hardly tuh save yo' life, some people can't. Take him an' he's soft, limbah as dat. Yo' take dat snail in yore han' an' yo' go tuh bed wit 'er. Have dat thing fixed now - he's cold. Take dat snail right dere lak dat an' drap it on 'er, let dat snail tech anywheres close down dere lak dat. She'll jump, "Whut's dat?" "Oh, mah han's cold." Say sompin lak dat. Dat snail jes' tetch 'er, undah- stan'. An' yo' kin take dat snail den, an' heah she jump up an' say, "Oh, yo' got sompin in yore han'." She jump up. Aftah yo' done hit"'er wit dat snail, yo' be satisfied. Yo' ain't wantin' 'er den, yo' jes' wanta do dat trick. Yo' git mad wit 'er den. Yo' take dat snail an' go on lak dat an' throw 'im away, or yo' kin kill it if yo' wanta. Now, if any man, any man in de worl' git up on top of dat woman, HE'S GoT MO' NERVE DEN GOD GAVE HIM. Can't do it - can't go up dere tuh save his life.
Entry 3637
[While recording machine was stopped, informant said you get a live snail.l Now dis is about if a man is runnin' aroun'. If he's runnin' aroun' an' yo' vanta stop 'im.
(All right, now you get this live snail.)
An' not any - don't git 'im wit de shell. Yo' know, yo' see some snails wit- out de shell an' some wit de shell. Git de one witout de shell. An' den yo' take a new han'ke'cheff an' yo' put 'im in dis new han'ke'cheff on de end lak. Well, yo' put salt on it ian' let it dissolve. Well, yo' see, yo' take dis han'- ke'cheff yo' know, when yo' have a connection wit each othah an' yo' let 'im wipe Alt it. Well, dat will stop 'im from havin' any intahco'se wit any woman at all except yo'.
Entry 3638
Dey tell me yo' kin take a snail - git a snail when he's in de shell, see, an' put 'im in alcohol an' dry 'im up. An' when yo' intahco'se wit a woman yo' kin put - jes' wipe yore han'-lak, yo' know, ovah her laigs, an' anothah man can't touch 'er if he try.
Entry 3639
Well, now here's what I wanted to get information on. Dere is tricks can be turned - it's kind of a woodsy trick, things lak dat. Whether yo' wanted to heah dat.
(Yes. Oh yes, go ahead.)
Well, I have known of people, man to have a connection wit a woman an' to git hung dere lak a dog or anything. Well, de beginnin' of dat, yo' kin take one of dese ole snails. Yo' see dey have a house. When dey stretch out an' crawl dey pull dis house along wit 'em. A shell dey call it. Well, he carries a slime along as he goes. Yo' git a little of dat slime an' yo' go in de woods an' dere's a bug - a black bug an' we used to call 'im a betty bug. It's about so long [demonstrates].
(What kind of a bug do you call him?)
A Betty Bug. Yo' see it's a big black bug dat stays in ole rotten woods an' stuff lak dat. Well he's got where his neck come, his body connects togethah, it's only one drop of blood in it. Break 'im an git dat drop of blood, a little hartshorn [not sal volatite, etc., but a fairly common pronunciation of the per- fumes Hearts Own and Hearts Cologne] an' dis slime from de snail, an' use it be- fore it gits dry or anything, an' yo' kin dress a woman wit dat yo' see. A man goes an' has a connection wit 'er an' he'll git hung dere de same as a dog would to a female dog or anything. If a man want to take dat off dere, he's gotta use dat same snail, a little new milk an' prob'ly somepin lak alcohol or real good whiskey. Dat'll git 'em apart.
Entry 3640
Ah heard 'em say dey ketch a snail an' git dat dust where he lay, an' take dat an' mix it wit some grease or sompin, an put it on a person's haid an' it will take all dere hair out. SLICK IT WIT A SNAIL, ah've heard dat. (Get that slime from the snail?) Dat's right, wipe it on dere.
Entry 3641
He kin take a snail an' - a man he's got a woman an' he believes some- body else is messin' wit 'er an' he cain't stop 'im. An' he don't wanta, say, jes' kill 'er - jes' straight out kill 'er. He love her. he don't wanta kill 'er. ies wanta git rid of 'er. Say he'll take dat snail an' he'll put dis heah snail on 'is - he go to start wit 'er. [For rub- bing snail on 'is, see No.3655.] Yassuh put dat on 'isself. Know it's not real sticky. It'll stick, dis snail will. He'll put dat on it an' he'll use dat as he goes. See dis heah - dis snail will grow in 'er. Jes' grow - folks will think she's in weight - yo' know, goin' wit a child. Say it'll jes' grow till it jes' kill 'er. An' dey tells me dat it's no one - dey's found no one dat could do nuthin wit dat, when dat's done.
Entry 3642
Well, if yo' got a wife an' she jes' happen tuh be a run-aroun' woman, yo' take de snail an' when yo' has connections wit 'er, undahstan', all yo' gotta do is take an' hol' dese two fingahs right heah an' jes' put it up twix [her leg] - AH DUNNO WHUT DE DOC- TORS CALL IT. An' any man dat goes tuh has dealin's wit 'er, he use'ly [usually] fall. [I FAILED TO ASK WHAT INFORMANT CALLS IT.]
Entry 3643
If a man is goin' off from home an' he had a wife an' he didn't want nobody to have no dealin' wit 'er. He'd git 'im some snails, see. An' he'd have some dealin' wit 'er, yo' see, befo' he leaves. Well, he would take dat snail an' rub dat snail - rub dem snails all in 'is han's an' jis' rub 'er belly wit it good. Anoint 'er belly wit 'is han' good. Keep on doin' dat until he git dat stuff, yo' know, to go into de skin. Well, if anothah fellah come dere - when 'er sweetie come, why he couldn't have no dealin' wit 'er. He'd try all right enough, but evah time he git up dere, why dere would be nuthin to him.
Entry 3644
Ole lady an' yo' don' want 'er tuh have intahco'se wit anothah man, says yo' kin take dat snail an' rub it cross her private, an' says de man can't have nuthin tuh do wit 'er. Say, when he git dere his jock will fall.
Entry 3645
If a man don' wan' nobody else tuh be wit a woman but 'im, he kin take a snail aftah goin' tuh bed at night, take a snail an' jes' take it unbeknownst tuh dat woman, an' drags it right up ovah, yo' know, drags it right up ovah 'er. She won't have any nature fo' anybody in de worl' 'cept 'im.
Entry 3646
Well, yo' kin git a snail if yo' have a woman. Ketch dis snail an' take dat snail an' put dat snail jes' about three or fo' times across it chew know. An' den she cain't have no intahco'se wit nobody.
Entry 3647
" Jes' lak if yo'd go to be wit a woman an' yo' gwine away, yo' wouldn't have anything to do, jes' git chew a couple of snails - dat slobbah from a snail an' rub it ovah 'em right down dere. An' evah time a man might wanta, but evah time he go dere, evahthin' will fall.
The informant describes a contemplated encounter with a woman and predicts failure after a snail preparation. The sexual reading is contextual; no completed act or effect is verified.
Entry 3648
Git a snail an' rub it on a man's belly an' he cain't raise a heart fo' no woman. Eithah one - cain't no man have a woman if he [husband or her man] gits it on 'er stomick.
(You mean on her stomach or on her privates.)
Rub it on 'er stomick, jis' anywhere it touches 'er stomick. Jis' leave it right on de top of 'er pussy an' let it touch on dere, see an' cain't no man do nuthin. Kin be evah so ready but when he gits dere, ain't nuthin done.
Entry 3649
Ah experience dis much about it. If a man is got a woman an' he don't want 'er tuh have anothah man, he kin take dat snail, an' ketch 'im a snail an' rub 'er stomick wit 'im an' she cain't nevah have a man.
Entry 3650
Tell me dat, if yo' want a woman an' a man tuh lock togethah, go out an' ketch yo' a snail an' jes' lak if dere somebody dere dat yo' wants tuh ketch runnin' roun' wit a woman. If yo' evah had any dealin' wit 'em [snails], yo' know when a snail stick out he's got a slippery thing on 'im. An' yo' wipe yore han' ovah 'im an' git dat slippery thing off 'im. An' yo' be playin' wit 'er an' yo' happen to run yore han' ovah down dere, an' a fellah will go an' deal wit 'er or anything, it will create dem to lock.
Entry 3651
If ah had a woman an' didn't wan' 'er to have no one else but me, ah'd take dat snail an' wrap 'im in a rag or sompin. Ah go dere dat night an' me an' 'er be tuhgethah. Purtty [pretty] sure one of us goin' tuh sleep purtty soon, after yo' have intahco'se wit a woman. Take dat snail an' rub 'er. Don't want nobody be wit 'er but chew.
Entry 3652
Ah heard about a snail, if yo' don't want chure woman to mess wit no- body else, dat yo' git chew a snail an' wipe it 'cross 'er dere, an' no othah man can't mess wit er. Evah time he go dere, he'll fall.
Entry 3653
Jes' lak yo' had a woman an' she wuz havin' mens. Yo' distrust dat she wuz goin' wit some man an' yo' couldn't stop 'er, yo' git dis slime from dat snail an' yo' wait till she goes tuh sleep an' den yo' rub 'er good 'tween 'er laigs wit it until yo' kill de snail. Do dat wit it 'live an' yo' rub it good until yo' kill de snail. Den when yo' kill dat aftah rubbin' her, den yo' take dat snail an' sew it up in a sack an' den put it, if yo' got a shelf lak dat, put it right behin' dat shelf an' let it stay dere. An' every man dat go tuh her, he'll be ready fo' her until he git ready to git on 'er. Den when he git on 'er, 'is nerves will fall. Nevah will have no intahco'se wit 'er.
Entry 3654
Dey said if yo' ketch a snail, an' yo' see a woman yo' want connection wit, said all yo' gotta do is mash dat snail an' git all dat slime on yo' han', an' if yo' evah got chance to git it in de breast, jis' kinda rub it on 'er breast, an' dey said she will yield to yo' in a few minutes. (You have to rub it on her.) Yes, yo' have to rub it on her breast.
Entry 3655
Well, dey tell me to take dis snail an' rub it on yuh - rub it on yuh- self, yo' know yeah tool. An' yo' see, an' de woman kin rub it on huhself an' de man can't have nuthin to do wit 'er aftah dat. Ah have tried dat. (The woman puts it on herself and the man puts it on himself and that takes their nature away from them? It seems so. [This is merely the usual rite: the person having the rubber can have no one else.]
Entry 3656
What dey use a snail fo'?
(All right. What do they use a snail for?)
Yo' kin take a snail - jis' lak yo' don' wan' chure wife to fool wit nobody. Yo' kin take a snail an' jis' take him an' wipe him on yoreself, see, an' go wit 'er an' no othah man can fool wit 'er. Evah time he go to go dere, see, he goin' to git limp.
(I see.)
Entry 3657
Dey [women] take dat snail an' rub it on yore thing an' yo' couldn't raise de dust on a hill. Ah said yo' wouldn't raise up 'tall.
Entry 3658
Ah heard, if yo' ketch a snail an' when yo' go tuh have a intahco'se wit a man, tuh rub dat snail on 'im an' he couldn't have anything tuh do wit anothah woman.
Entry 3659
Take a snail an' rub across a man's, yo' know, an' dat'll stop 'im if he's runnin' aroun' - it will make him come back home. [Memphis, Tenn., (1529a) 2734:19.]
Entry 3660
Ah heard dat a woman could take a snail an' use it in a way on a man dat where he couldn't use no othah woman but 'er.
(Do you know how she did it?)
Well, now, ah kin make it plain tuh yo'. Ah heard dat she ketch dat snail an' beat 'im up 'live an' whenevah - jis' lak a man would go to be wit is wife, or somepin lak dat, why she'd take dat an' rub it on 'im. An' den whenevah he'd go to be wit some woman, why he couldn't be wit no one but 'er.
Entry 3661
Jis' or'nary simple thing - it's nuthin but a snail. Yo' kin take a snail, one of dese or'nary ole snails dat yo' see crawl outen de watah. See, yo' kin take one of dem an' mash 'im an' yo' use him, when yo'd have connection wit 'er. Jis lak yo'd have him in yore han', yo' see, an' jis' fuddlin' aroun' wit 'er or somepin an' yo' jis' pass dat cross 'er nine times, an' I'll guarantee dat she can't have no man but choo.
(I see.)
An' ah know dat evah time a man go in dere - bound to stay away from 'er house.
Entry 3662
Dat snail dat I wuz tellin' yo' 'bout. She kin take a snail - take dat. snail an' take her han' an' git some of dat snail dere, an' when she goes to have sompin to do wit 'er husban', prob'ly she got dat snail put away some place. She kin take dat snail an' git a little bay rum an' put on 'er han', take dat snail when she goes to take holt of 'er husban' or sompin, have dat snail where she kin git it an' rub it on dere. Do dat fer nine diff'ren' times. An' evah time he go to a woman, he be as hard as he want. As soon as he put dere, it will ball up an' he can't do a thing in de world.
Entry 3663
Oh, dey said if she goin' out wit anothah man an' he wan' it fixed so dat she won't have no courage fo' no othah man. Well, in othah words, so when de man goes tuh be wit 'er he'll fall befo' he evah be wit 'er. Git chew a ten-cent bottle of Hearts Cologne. An' when yo' git dat ten-cent bottle of Hearts Cologne, git tuh playin' roun' wit 'er. An' take an' saturate his han's wit dat Hearts Cologne, prob'ly jis' befo' he git ready tuh go tuh bed an' be wit her. An' when he do dat, why he takes den an' bathe her down - rub her down [demonstrates].
(From her hips right down?)
Yessuh, from de hips down - all in heah. An' do dat fo' three time a week - dat means evah othah day. An' dey tell me when yo' do dat, why den when she'd go out, de man dat gon'a be wit 'er - but when he gits to de place his courage will fall. He can't have any intahco'se wit 'er.
Entry 3664
Yo' kin take a snail an' jis' boil 'im an' git de watah off 'im an' put it on a piece of cloth an' if it's a man or a woman - if it's woman.has othah fel- lahs goin' wit 'er, den rub 'im down. He'll nevah come up. Dat's all yo' wanta do, rub 'im on down. She slip, jes' slip on 'im - can't do nuthin - nevah want de use of a man.
(You mean no other man but her husband?)
Yessuh.
Entry 3665
Said a man take a snail an' if he don't wan' dis woman to do nuthin wit nobody but 'im, he take dis snail an' where huh clothes hangin' up on de outside on de line, if he git a chance, he go dere an' rub dis snail right on uh drawahs. An' when she put dese drawahs on, she can't have no communion wit no man but 'im. Dat whut ah heard about it.
Entry 3666
Dey say yo' [a woman] take a snail an' run 'im ovah a man's clothes an' run 'im ovah yo'self, an' dat man or yo' neithah can't have nobody but yo'self. [The complicated words of this rite mean each is confined to the other.]
Entry 3667
Well, ah heard dat chew kin take a snail on a man, if a woman wants tuh stop 'er husban' or 'er boy frien' from goin' wit othah wimmins. Dey take dat snail an' smear 'im up at de seat of 'is drawahs. An' yo' know he [snail] have a kinda - ah don't know whut chew call it - some kinda slickery [slippery] sompin come from dat snail, an' yo' take, yo' cut a piece out, outa de middle of dose drawahs an' den yo' sew a piece ovah dat, an' let 'im wear 'em. An' dey tell me, dey say he can't have nobody in de worl'. Say he'll fall.
Entry 3668
Yo' kin take a snail, dese snails. Kill de snail an' rub it onto a han'ke'chuf or a cloth or somepin, an' go to her an' rub dat ovah 'er private, yo' know. Ah've nevah found anyone yet dat would be able to go ovah dat.
Entry 3669
Take a snail an' jes' lak somebody yo' know, goin' wit chure ole lady- sompin of de kin' yo' know - an' yo' do dat. Dey tell me yo' kin take dat snail yo' know an' wrap it up in a rag yo' know, jes' lak a rag she nuse [use] - sompin of dat kin' - it will stop 'er from foolin' wit anybody.
Entry 3670
Keep de othah men from dere, git chew one dese big white pocket han'- ke'ch'ef. Go to de Dime Sto', git chew one ain't nevah been used, an' den take a snail an' put 'im in dat han'ke'ch'ef. Den take dat han'ke'chef when yo' have connection wit dat person dat night, an' she cain't nevah have.nobody else but 'im - cain't have nobody else. He ain't goin' have nobody else.
(What does she do with that handkerchief then after she has used it?)
She take de han'ke'ch'ef, she wipe him wit it an' she got 'im right den. She takes de han'ke'ch'ef an' puts it anywhere undah de baid, so he won' see it.
Entry 3671
(What would she do to fix him up that way?)
Well, she'd take a snail an' git some slime off dat snail on a piece of cot- ton, an' when she have dealings wit 'im, well she'd git some of dat on dat cot- ton an' wear it between 'er toes. (Between her what?) Between 'er big toe an' 'er othah toe - jis' lak ah tol' yo' 'bout de man a while ago, wear it between dere, an' he can't have anothah woman. (What would she do with that snail slime? What would she do with it first? Would she wipe that on her or him or what?) Yes, she wipe dat on 'er. Dat [snail slime] be already on de cotton an' she wipe it on 'er, yo' know, an' dat will keep it all togethah; an' she jis' put it between 'er toes dere an' keep it dere. Whenevah she pull off 'er stockin', change stockin's, she jis' take dat out an' put it right back in dere. Keep it in dere, wear it out in dere.
Entry 3672
Yo' take a snail dat crawl an' evahthing when de rain. Yo' take dat wit a little piece of yellah domestic cloth. Cloth lak dis [on interviewing table] dat has flowah on it, lak yo' say white cloth. Well de dark yellah yo' git. Yo' git enough fo' de woman to wipe herself on. Well, when he is wit dis woman, take - when dey gits through - take dat little piece of cloth, an' take dat snail live - don't let 'im be dead - an' run it right 'tween aftah yo' wipes 'er off. An' aftah yo' git through, yo' take dat an' yo' fold it up. Put it in a Holy Bible.
(How do you fold that up now?)
Yo' fold it in fo' cornahs [demonstrates]. Let it [snail] be live, don't let it be dead. Jis' take it lak dat an' jis' wipe to yo' an' lay ovah. All right. An' den yo' put it on a dish or eithah undah de pillah. Den yo' let 'er use it, but yo' don't wipe yo'self. An' den yo' fold it to yo' dis way, see [demon- strates].
(Fold it nine times that way.)
Yes sir, an' put it in de Bible. An' den yo' leaves 'er. Any man come he would nevah bothah 'er.
(Where do you put the Bible then?)
Yo' put de Bible somewhere, yo' know lak a safe anything - hide it. [Safe here is not a steel box with combination lock, but an old-fashioned kitchen cabinet, a piece of movable furniture with shelves and drawers holding dishes. knives and forks. etc.1 (This is like a square handkerchief and you roll it to you nine times, and then you turn it around lengthwise and roll it lengthwise.) An' de only way den, when yo' wan' to break 'er from bein' lak dat, yo' take dat cloth an' yo' wash it out wit Sameman [Salmon] Soap, see. An' den fold de cloth an' burn de cloth [and] dey [she] be's in de same condition [her nature will be restored].
(What kind of soap?)
It's 18c a bar - Sameman, Saveman [Salmon, has picture or mold of fish].
Entry 3673
Lockin' de bowels, well ah tell yo' ah don' really know much about dat, but it's one thing ah do know. Yo' kin stop a woman or a man from havin' intah- co'se wit anothah fellah, if yo' want to. Well yo' go an' git chew a house snail, dese ole snails crawl aroun' de house. Yo' take yore dishrag dat chew been usin' in de kitchen an' yo' washes it out. When dis snail starts tuh crawlin', yo' take de rag an' put it ovah 'im dataway [demonstrates]. Well, yo' know he's bound tuh melt.
(You just drop that rag over him and pick him up that way?)
Dat's right. Den put 'im back down. Do dat fo' about fo' times. Yo' take dat rag an' fold it up nice in yore pocket, or yore towel - whatevah it is. But it's best tuh be wit a dishrag. Yo' take dat dishrag an fold it up an' yo' go somewhere an' have intahco'se wit 'er. Well, she say, "Ah got sompin." Yo' say, "No, yo' take dis'un [this one], ah got sompin heah, mah ole han'ke'chef" - sompin lak dat. Well, when she take dat - but don' chew use it yoreself, let 'er use it. An' cain't nobody in de worl' have nuthin tuh do wit 'er but chew. Cain't even give her a million dollahs. Ah kin give her a million dollahs, an' de min- ute ah starts it will be jes' lak dis cloth heah [on table holding recording machine between us]. (Well, is there any way that you can get rid of that, after you are fixed up that way? How can you get rid of that?) No Suh, YO' CAIN'T GIT RID OF DAT. YO' GOTTA DIE [TO] PASS AWAY DAT OFFA YO'.
Entry 3674
I've heard of people takin' snails. Take dat snail an' mash 'im up fine. Yo' git a dishrag out de kitchen, I've heard, take an' wrap 'im up in dat dishrag. An' when yo' fool wid a woman, yo' wipe her wid dat an' bury dat, an' she no good. Den if she happens to fool wid anothah man on yo', she's gon'a git hung jis' lak de dog.
Entry 3675
(Now, what were you going to say about those snails?)
I wuz sayin' a man kin do de same thing wit de snail, shell of a snail, an' put a woman in dat predicament of life. (Well, just how would you do that?) Well, he'd take de snail an' hull de snail, yo' know take de flesh part out de snail's shell, an' parch dat snail's shell an' den beat it up real fine. He'll take dat snail dust - undah- stan' me - an' jis' be playin' wit 'er, yo' know, lak a man do sometime. Yo' know, run 'is index finger up 'er vagina, UP IN DAT PREDICAMENT OF LIFE. An' jis' put some of dat snail dust up in 'er vagina, AN' SHE BE LAZY AS A SNAIL, SURE AS GOD LIVIN', FO' ANY OTHAH MAN DAT CREPT IN DERE.
(I see. I get the idea.)
Entry 3676
Tuh keep 'im from havin' anybody, yo' take dat snail an' yo' kin dry 'im. Eithah [or] yo' kin take 'im an' put 'im in de stove an yo' kin brown 'im. An' den when yo' brown 'im yo' kin pound 'im up into powdah. An' yo' take de seat of yore man's drawahs an' yo' open it, jes' a little place, an' yo' put all dat down in dere. An' he cannot fool wit no one but chew. An' he gotta come home an' bring yo' de money.
Entry 3677
(Ever heard of using a banana?)
[I used this question in New Orleans because it was the great port for re- ceiving bananas.] Well, I tell yo' what I'm experiencin' dataway round here. He kin fix 'is- self, fix 'er so dat she won't bothah wit no othah man. He gits a snail an' he takes dis snail an' he makes a powdah an' puts it on 'im. An' when he's foolin wit - he put dat powdah on 'er an' no man kin fool wit 'er. When he go to her, he put - it fall, see.
Entry 3678
Take a snail an' if yo' [a man] have a sweetheart an' [so that] no othah man couldn't go wit 'er, takes dis snail an' dey makes a powdah out of it, parch it first, an' yo' sprinkle on de head of yo' [penis] befo' yo' go to fool wit 'er, an' whoevah [approaches her will fail].
The informant describes making powder from a snail. The anatomy and final outcome completions are editorial, and no effect is verified.
Entry 3679
So he wouldn't want no othah woman but chew, ah know how tuh fix 'im so "HE CAIN'T RAISE NO STAKES." Git a snail. It's mighty dirty. Git a snail an' put 'im on a ole [tin-can] top an' put 'im in yore stove an' let 'im brown. Take it out an let 'im cool, an' yo' take dat [browned] snail an' jes' rub it to a plumb powdah. Jes' parch it up, parch it up, an' when yo' an' 'im are layin' in de baid, yo'd have a little on yore han' an' tetch 'is thing, an' he cain't raise stakes fo no othah woman. Lak yo' been wit 'im a long time an' ti'ed [tired] of 'im an' got 'im fixed, yo' take dat stuff out de trunk an' take dat stuff from between de mattress, whut ah tole yo' tuh fix, an' carry it to de rivah an' turn yore back an' say, "Go, ah nevah want chew no mo', '' an' throw it in de rivah, an' he'll go on an' won't bothah yo' no mo'. Throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah an' don't look back, an nevah want chew no mo'."
Entry 3680
Well, yo' kin go tuh work an' git chew a snail shell, an' yo' take a snail shell an' jes' put it in a lil' yo' kin set it on de back of de stove where it's hot, an' let it stay right dere till it come hard. When it come hard, yo' kin mash it up an' use it same as flour, an' den yo' take dat an' come on back. Jes' lak if yo' got a woman an' don' want 'er tuh have muthin do wit no- body, yo' kin go tuh work when yo' make connection wit 'er, jes' put it on yore fingahnail an' rub it right down right dere fo' three times. Dere's muthin on yore han', but chew jes' do lak dat. An' any othah man dat come dere, de time he git right dere, dat will fall.
Entry 3681
Well, yore wife - jis' lak if yo' goin' off to work an' yo' wan' 'er not to be foolin' aroun' wit no othah man. Well, jis'as - befo' yo' leave dere, yo' git some snail dust - some snail, yo see, what creeps slow-slow across - JIS' GO TO ANY DRUG STO' AN' SAY, "GIVE Prob'ly yo' have to pay about 40c or prob'ly a little bettah. Yo' git dat snail dust an' jis' lak, say when yo' go on 'er dat night when yo' leavin' 'er [to go to work], yo' wants to go to bed wit yore wife befo' leavin'-time, an' yo' fools wit 'er. Befo' yo' fool wit 'er, yo' put some of dis snail dust into yore undahclothes or in yore hair - yo' know, put it in yore hair, see. Yo' put some of dis same sinimint [cinnamon] an' sugah right in de middle of de bed, jis' where yo'll put 'er to lay. An' yo' take dis snail dust an' yo' put it all on yoreself. Well. But she not payin' attention cuz she used to it an' yo' leave 'er. Yo' git on 'er an' yo' fool wit 'er an' she nevah have no feelin' fo' no man in de worl'. Evah time, yo' jis' rolls across 'er mind [she thinks of you]. Jis' look lak she ain't got no feelin' atall [for another man].
Entry 3682
A fellah could stop anothah fellah from goin' wit 'is wife. He'd taken a snail an' dead skin from undah his feet an' parched it an' take it an' - wit a dishrag. An' while she's asleep dat night, jes' sprinkle dat on 'er, put dat on 'er an' rub 'er wit de dishrag, so she couldn't go wit no one. Dat take de nature away from 'er.
(What did he do with this snail and the dirt and that dishrag?)
Take de snail an' ground - yo' know, groun' de whole shell an' de snail. Parch it good, make a kinda powdah out of it. An' when she went to sleep, why he sprin- it ovah 'er an' he wipe her across wit de dirty dishrag. Sprinkle dat ovah 'er on 'er drawahs, an' anyone couldn't go wit 'er no mo'. So findly [finally] dey broke up.
Entry 3683
Dey kills a couple of snail an' dey'll take dat snail shell an' dry it. Ef ah'm goin' wit a whoman an' she won't want me go nex' wit mah wife, she'll take dat snail shell an' dry it good an' parch it an' make a powdahs out of it. Put dat powdah in mah bread an' ah will eat it. Well, ah can't git up no nature fer nobody but 'er. Leave an' walk off.
Entry 3684
Well, yo' pound 'im up, poun' de snail up. Dry it an' pound it up an' git it in some likkah or coffee, jes' a leetle bit chew know, so dey can't ex- serve [observe] it, an' dat will kill yo' 'cuz yo' be [become] jes' lak dem [snails] an' yo' be's slow about evahthing. Can't have - nevah git ovah it.
(And it kills their courage?)
Kills dere courage.
Entry 3685
Well, takin' any snail an' while de woman's sleepin', he would take dat snail an' he would pass it across her stomach right dis way an' makin' a cross dat way. Ah don't care whut man she go wit or how he been wit 'er, when he goes tuh go wit 'er, his cnbition will fall.
(He will rub that across this woman's abdomen in the form of a cross?)
Jes' cross it.
Entry 3686
Yo' take a snail, fo' instance, if a man have a woman cr wife, an' if he figure dat she's goin' bad. He don't want 'er have any dealin' wit any othah fellah. While she sleep, he'll take a snail an' make a cross right undah de navel. An' each man dat would aim to go wit 'er, he'll nevah be able to go wit 'er. He'll have ambition until he mount 'er an' den he's - he'll fall. He'll nevah go wit 'er.
(I see.)
Entry 3687
Well, ah've nevah tied any but ah've heard 'em say how yo' tie 'em. Dey say jis' tuh measure 'em, an' if yo' kin measure 'em, git whatsomevah come out, an' tie dat wit a cord lak dat. See, an' put pins an' things in dere. Now ah have nevah did it but dat's whut a girl tole me tuh do, but ah wouldn't do dat. An' den dat would cut 'is nature from dis othah one, or eithah git a snail. See. Git a live snail an' den durin' 'er playin' wit 'im, take dis snail an pass it cross 'im lak dat [demonstrates].
(Like you were making an "x".)
Yh-hah, jis' lak dat. See, dat will kill 'is nature.
Entry 3688
Take a snail an' mark a cross, make a horse's pitchure on a woman's stomick, an' she cain't deal wit no othah man but jes' dat one. (Make what kind of a picture?) A horse's picture - a horse whut chew rides. (You have to draw a picture of a horse on a woman's stomach, but you have to use a snail - this thick stuff from the snail - and then she won't be able to have another man?) No, no man but jes' 'im. [An old note of mine reads: "I do not understand the picture, unless the per- son who draws the picture is the rider!"]
Entry 3689
So far as I know, ah kin tell yo' on dat part, too. So now, yo' take a woman - jis' lak ah'm got a ole lady mahself an' she don't want me runnin' out wit nobody but 'er. Ah seed [saw] 'er do it mahself. Dey take a snail, a live snail dat crawls aroun' - lotta people say yo' kin take yore han'. She take 'er han' an' she will run it across dis snail an' rub it on 'er stomick. Well, yo' kin do it a diff'- ren way dan dat. Yo' kin take a snail an' put it in a clean towel, see, dat yo' use to dry off or somepin. An' where dat snail greasin' dat towel - yo' don't kill 'im or nothin - jis' let 'im crawl across it or somepin an' he makes a mark across it each way he comes. [The crawling snail makes an X-mark.] An' dat towel will be folded right back up some place an' be hung right on de - or prob'ly at de foot of de baid. An' whilst de man have intahco'se wit 'er or somepin, why she han's 'im dat towel. Well, she han's 'im dat an' as long as he uses dat, why he can't do no good wit no one else.
(I see.)
Entry 3690
Dey tell me dat dey kin do things to 'er so dat a man cannot have intahco'se wit 'er at all. Say he kin go an' git 'im a snail, an' GIT DE DUST FROM WHARE DE SNAIL'S CRAWL- IN'. Take de snail an' fry dat snail plumb till it cook up. Yo' kin roll it up, yo' know. Put all dat dus' togethah an' jis' when he kin have intahco'se wit 'er, jis' have dat dus' an' git some of it on 'is han's an' rub on 'er, an' dey say a man nevah could - don' cay [care] how he tried, nevah kin have anything to do wit 'er.
(That's to protect his home while he's gone?)
Yes, sir.
Entry 3691
Yo' been in de woods an' yo' see dese thousan' laigs [= centipede, sometimes called thousand-legger, see FACI, 1st ed.,1399, p.62; 2nd ed.,1383, p.54]. Yo' know what dese thousan' laigs be's. An' dese conk [conch] shell in de rivah. Jes' lak yo' git a conk, yo' know what ah mean [see later], an' eat 'em. Yo' carry dat home, yo' git a piece of snail. Yo' git a ole snail. Yo' know what a snail is. Yo' put dem on de stove. Yo' cook dem until it's nuthin but a powdah.
(You put the snail and the shell and?)
An' de thousan' laigs all togethah [3 ingredients] right up on dat place an' dat will cook it tull [till] it nuthin but a powdah - tull yo' kin tetch it as nowthin' but a powdah. Well, yo' put all dat togethah, put it in a box. Well, he'll come to yo' an' say, "Ah want sompin to kill dat - dat kill 'er nature, to kill evah man nature fo' 'er, excusin' 'im [me]." Well, den yo' give him jis' a leetle bit an' put it in 'is han' an' yo' rub it out of sight lak dat. Rub 'is han' lak dat - hit's gone, he can't see it. Don' care if yo' wash de han' wit soap an' watah, dat's gone. [Here we have a doctor "dressing" a patient's hand - a little now you see it, now you don't "trick".] Well, dere's nobody kin have no dealin' wit 'er but chew.
(A man will do that to keep other men away from his wife.)
Evah man goin' stay away.
Entry 3692
Dey take a snail yo' know to stop a man from bein' wit a woman.
(How would they do that?)
Dey put dat snail - de woman will fix dat water in de tub. She'll fix de watah in de tub fo' de man an' den she'll put dat snail - wash dat snail all roun' in dat watah, an' when [then] he go to take a bath yo' see. An' evah time dat he go to be wit anothah woman outside of 'er, he'll fall.
Entry 3693
Yo' git de snail an' yo' cook de snail, an' yo' take de watah an' yo' git chew a han'ke'ch'ef, a new han'ke'ch'ef an' yo' soak dis han'ke'ch'ef wit it, an' yo' put dis on dis woman, an' she won't have any nature. If a man go dere, he can't do anything.
Entry 3694
Ah'm very, very fo'getful now.
[See my comment about this woman later.]
Kin do a man in dis way, yo' kin git a snail. Yo' know a woman kin take a syringe an' wash her purse out. Yo' know whut dat is. [This ancient use of the word purse is probably my only example of it.] An' aftah she washes it out, she takes de watah from whut she wash out wit an' she puts de snail in it, an' [afterward] she take it an' put it in de stove an' let it brown down to a crust. An' she takes it out, outen de crust, she take it an' she grinds it up, jes' mash it up yo' know right right small. An' den she take it an' put it - dope it in a wax, de chewin' gum yo' know dat chew chew - she'll roll it [in that]. Dat's to take dis man in [to trick him]. If she think any way fresh [here's another meth- od], she would git an asafetidy [asafetida] an' make little pills. An' she'll wait till he gits sick an' den give it to him, give de pills to him fo' swallow- in'. An' dat yo' know, it's got 'er nature. An' he swallah - take dese pills fo' a medicine. An' ah don' care whut woman or what kind, she cain't nevah git 'im tuh leave aroun' heah. [To be certain that I know what informant is talking about, I now comment to the machine and ask a question:] (She takes a syringe and washes her purse, and then she puts this snail in that water. Does she put the snail into the water before she washes herself or does she put the snail in after she has washed?) Aftah she has washed 'erself. She'll have a intahco'se wit 'im first befo' she do dat, yo' know. Dat's tuh git 'is nature. An' den she takes dat an' douche herself out right good, yo' know, wit not too much watah - yo' know, wit a very small amount. An' den she set 'im in de stove an' let 'im dry right. (This elderly woman supposed to be good, but she couldn't get her things to- gether. She may have been a little frightened also.)
Entry 3695
He kin go an' git 'im a pound of alum an' git 'im a cloth an' mess wit 'er all he kin an' wash dat cloth in dat alum an' wear it round him.
(Wear it around him?)
ALUM Yes sir, it'll bring 'er to 'im - it'll take dat up. Dat'll kill dat othah [impotence] dead, dat's whut dey say.
Entry 3696
[As ants cause (No.33llf.), so they cure impotence.]
Yo' kin git nine red ants an' boil 'em an' dey will give yo' courage, if yo' drink that tea three times a day.
(If a woman has taken your courage away?) Yes, it will give you courage.
Entry 3697
[To draw blood is a common remedy against witchcraft - see Nos.485-487 and elsewhere in HOODOO. That explains the use of many of the sharp-pointed instruments in hoodoo; the witch being afraid of cutting herself and drawing blood. Penis captivus and impotence, like all ailments and disabilities - in fact just about every misfortune in life - comes from a spell put on you.]
(Well, is there any way of getting them apart?)
De only way to git 'em apart is fer dem to git a ole doctor - young doctor don't know of it, but git a ole doctor. Ah've been told by mah fathah to take a penknife, a penknife an' stick it right in de hollah of de foot, an' den he'll bleed an' dat will disconnect 'im.
(What is a penknife?)
[Even in my boyhood penknife was becoming rare.]
Very small.
Entry 3698
De doctor kin do it by splittin' de bottom of his [patient's] feet.
(To get them apart.)
Yes sir.
Entry 3699
If any confusion come up between 'im an' de woman, an' if it be a fight an' HE DRAW ANY BLOOD FROM 'ER, he would be able aftah dat tuh go wit de [other] woman. See, he git a drop of blood from dat - drawin' any de blood from 'er yo' undahstan', DAT UNBIND 'IM FROM 'ER, an' he go on wit dis [other] woman. (If she tied him up, and he actually draws blood from her, that would kill that [impotence spell].) Kill it.
The informant links drawing blood in a conditional fight account to an alleged release. No actual violence, diagnosis or resulting effect is verified.