Browse:SPIRITS (Volume 1, entries 16–544)/Part 6
SPIRITS
Volume 1, entries 16–544. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 416
You have to use them too, for treasures.
(Hunting treasures?)
Hunting treasure. Take a piece - not take the whole [tomb]stone, but take a piece of it. Supposing we were going to dig money here. We come down and locate the treasure right here. All right. Now, you are the party got a headstone. We knew he died - when he died and passed out. He did good things all of his days. Well, we take that along with us and we dig a hole in the ground so the people passing wouldn't see that light, and we'd light that light there - a pure white candle at that headstone. We'd light that light there, then we'd go ahead and we'd make a circle round there after we locate the treasure - to keep the spirit from entering the ring, and we'd go to work and we'd sprinkle all around there mustard seeds, mustard seeds all around there. Then we'd go ahead down in and we found - we done found the treasure - we got the sounding rod right on top of the treasure. Now, after we'd go through that process, why, then we'd go ahead right on down and dig. That have a tendency to keep the spirit away and the treasure won't move.
Entry 417
Go to the graveyard at midnight. But chew have to go by yourself and you take a penny. You got'a give 'em, take something with you 'cause then - when you go walk round the grave two or three times see, around the head and you walk round the foot two or three times. And then you go back - well, about nine times all together, and then you kneel down. But yo' have to put yore hand - dig down, put chure hand in and git the dirt from this, right off the coffin. See. But then, when you do that, you have to leave a penny or some vinegar or something.
(Why vinegar?)
Well, that's to keep the spirit from hurting you. You kin even have whiskey on you, see, to keep the spirits from harming you; you see, so they don't be disturbed [see Spirits and alcohol, in Index]. Course ah never did this but ah -
(I know, you are just telling me what you heard.)
And then when you go out, if you don [leave a gift] when you git to that gate, they will rassle [wrestle] with your soul. Even if you call spirits in here now, you make a circle and call spirits; you'd have to fortify that circle, because if you don't - course you do that around twelve 'clock at night. You fortify that circle. You kin call the spirits and when you - they scare yuh to death, but if you fortify it and sit inside that they can't harm you.
(How would you fortify that circle, then?)
Well, you have to make crosses you see - make a circle for yourself to sit in. And then you make a gate like and you put - make a cross there and then you have to use holy oil and holy water and candles, and then you set inside of it and then you can call de spirits and sit there quiet and pray and they'll come. But you has to have a dozen candles. [Washington, D. C. (627), 804:2.]
Entry 418
Anybody that finds money has a hard time. If you talk one word, it will go away. They have an iron rod. When they get over the place where the money is and they dig and get down, they stick it down through the earth. And you can hear the rod when it touches the pot. They hold the rod on [the pot] and they go to digging around. If they are successful, they will get it; but if not, this money will start going right on, if it's not for you. You can hear it going through the earth. You know a ground mole in the earth? It makes a road just like that. Then it comes back to that same spot after you leave. You can go and do the same thing to it.
Entry 419
When you dig it up, don't say a word, don't open your mouth; if you do, it will sink down into the earth - it will keep on going right down. No, you can't try for it again. You'll never see a sign of it any more. They say what makes it go, the spirit what buried that money will come back if you speak. It will take the money right away from you. I remember once in my father's time [before the Civil War] a man plowed up some money and he said, "Uncle Pompey, I found some money." And when father got there the money was gone.
Entry 420
The way it started, twelve o'clock every night a noise would come in the hall like you throw something down. So my father decided there was money some- where under the house and he used the same thing [method described in No. 418] tc locate the money. So he took up part of the floor of.the kitchen floor. Well, he put his rod on it, but it [the money] would go away every time. One Saturday morning, he was away, and my little brother [a man!] started to dig. And he dug until the sand was all off the pot and the little handle that was on it. He stuck his finger in it, started to pull it up, and he got so excited he called my mother. And the pot went: away.
Entry 421
Dese olden-time people - yo' know, yo'have heard tell how dat is. Dey say if dey come to yo' an' tell yo' where dat money is, yo' kin go dere an' git dat money, but yo' has to be by yoreself. [To be by yourself is rare in treasure hunting.] An' when yo' start digging dat money yo' couldn't say nuthin' - it'll be all kinda things comin' fo' tuh run yo' away. But yo' jest be diggin' dat money, jest don't pay 'em any mind - jest don't say nuthin'. If yo' say anything dat money will jest keep goin' deeper an' deeper an' pretty soon it apt to git away from yo'. But yo' jest got'a go an' dig it by yoreself, dig dat money up by yoreself. An' den, after yo' git through diggin', den yo' kin git someone den to help yo' bring it home.
Entry 422
Ah thought ah could tell a story of once ah went to - it wus about some money. It wus one night mahself an' mah fren' an' another lady an' her fren' we went to a place to dig some money an' de older couple dey give up dere nerve, an' mahself an' de othah boy we's de younger couple. So we's supposed tuh hold out, but den ah heard such a lamentation, so ah got frightened an' so ah screamed an' so ah begin tuh run, so dis boy he begin tuh run with me. An' dere wus a awful noise, but dey still got'a stick an' git de money.
(You said she couldn't get the money because of what?)
She looked roun' every time she hears dis - looked roun' at dis lamentation - dis draggin' an' dis noise of dis chains. She said it sounded lak a chain and it be right close to her an' she would look roun' tuh see wus it on her. An' co'se de man dat wus doin' de diggin' he claim he nevah did see it, but she would see it. It wus her father an' her stepmother dat died an' left her dis money buried under de tree. We heard about it an' we went tuh diggin'.
(So she never got it because she looked away from the money?)
Yes - she looked aroun' lak dat - she didn't nevah keep her eyes on it.
Entry 423
When I was a child I hear'n of the old folks say they knew where there was some hidden money and they come to the conclusion that they would go and look for it. They wasn't positive sure it was there. And they appointed a night that they would go and try and see if something would happen. The leader was a woman. And when they got there they stop and draw a large circle on the ground. They drew that circle right around the money, where they had ideas to believe that it was there. And they was to come inside of that circle. And there must not be any conversation here at all inside of that circle. So she [the leader] said, "Lets try it." And so they got inside of that circle, and she took her stand about here, [demonstrates], and she was reading a lesson from the Bible. After that was over they had to go to work. She put her spur [spear] down into the ground, a rod, a money rod, right in the center of the circle. And there was something else they did but I can't think of that. But anyhow, this rod, after it got to a place so deep, it looked like somebody dancing - it just shivered. Then they start to dig and they got down to the money jar. They were.about to put it on top of the ground, and just as they reached down to get a hold of the jar, the woman said, "Up, up." Boom! it went back into the earth and disappear. So they didn't get it. But they say a fellow came back a couple of nights after that and got it. That happen sixty-four years ago [1872] down here near Snowhill [Marylandl. [Ocean Citv. Md., (16), Ed.
Entry 424
After I married Mr. Banks, there was a big crowd went out one night to hunt money and they were getting to the box. They had a woman reading the Bible. They always say to read the Bible to keep down the spirits. They had one man that was digging in there, he had one leg, and he had on a red shirt. And they say everything came in the shape of dogs, hogs, and everything. The last thing came was like what they call a red devil. He had to tail to him, long ears, and a spear in his hand, and spoke. And he said he wanted the man with the red shirt on. It so scared them all they all run away. And they left this poor man in the hole by his own self and he had a hard time getting out because he only had one leg: That ain't no lie. They went digging in there and all got scared and left. A lot of the men are dead and a lot living today. They never got the money. I don't know how they located it. They seen the box all right when these things came. There's certain Scriptures you read for spirits, they say. I don't think this woman could of been reading the right one or the spirits wouldn't have come so fast and scared them.
Entry 425
First of all, take fo' instance if dere a treasure down de cellar dere. Well, yo'll git dis treasure - it's accordin' to de kind of individual dat chew are. If yo' a Christian, well it's a certain verse dat chew read; now whut verse it is ah don't know. All right, when yo' read dis verse, someone supposed to be dere. Yo' not supposed to make any fuss, not supposed to talk at all, jest continuation of digging an' continuation of readin'. All right, if he have anything to say to yo' after yo' start diggin' an' walk off, ah'll hole yo' right whare yo' are. Well, if different spirits an' things fall in dat hole or throw de dirt in it or throw something down while ah'm digging, well ah'm not supposed to say nuthin' - jest continue to dig right on until ah git where ah want. An' ah can't say anything until ah git it outa the hole an' git it away from de hole. Then ah kin talk. Got'a wear red all de time to keep de spirits away [yet, see No. 424].
Entry 426
Ah ain't nevah seen dem hunt money but dere was money gived to me twice through de spirits - see, whether ah was hoodooed or whut, but anyhow it was give to me jes' lak if ah'm laying in dat bed dere 'sleep. Somepin come tuh me an' woke me up and tole me, says, "Right undah heah dere's $12,00 buried right down heah in de ground three and a half feet in de ground," and says, "ah give it to yo'." Well, ah got in tech wit a man in Ocean City, New Jersey - a hoodoo fellah and he come down dere. Hit was a man dey called to put people, yo' see, together when dey separate - he kin put em back together lak dat. [He is not talking about a marriage counselor but about a hoodoo fellah who uses hoodoo methods for putting together or back together - both technical terms.] Well, he come down and he tole me, "Say, Boy, if dere's money heah, it ain't gon'a cost yo' nuthin'. It was not right whare ah was standin' den, but ah knowed where it was.
(Where were you then?)
In Augusta, Georgia, an' dis happen sixty miles from Augusta. Well, we comes on down dere den to dis place. So when he got dere, was some peoples in de house an' so ah tole him, ah say, "How we goin' git dat?" He say, "Ah fix dat." So we went on in dere an' dis man talked wit dis man - de colored fellah what had de house and de was staying in de house - he was just. renting it, see, but it was a white fellah's place. So, well, we goes to work dere den, and dis man said, "Well, ah'll git all de peoples out from roun' heah tuh work, then ah'll let yo'all go inside dere." So we went in dere and de man took de needle and went over searching fo' it to see was it dere. So he searched all round dere and when he got to whare ah tole him where it was, the needle pointed right there - see, went to drawing his hand right on down to de ground. So he bowed his haid, said, "Us mustn't talk." An' so us went on off den. He said, "Yo' kin go off an' talk all yo' wanta." So we went on off dere to de car and he said, "Well, now, ah'm going dress yo' first," an' say, "an' yo' ahead on dere and go to digging right straight down." Say, "But if it's under de house, right at dat man's pillar whut holds up de house" - you see, we had tuh kinda dig [to keep] from undermining dat house, throwing it down, to ketch up with it [treasure]. An' so ah went on an' dig and when ah got through digging, ah had tuh beg - when ah got tired ah had to beg fo' another fellah - wit chure finger - yo' can't talk. An' so he say, "Ah'm goin have tuh dress yo'all. Yo' rub dis ovah yore face [demonstrates], 'cause somepin will come through directly big [as] a cow an' scare yo' to death." Said, "Ah have to dress yo' wit dis heah stuff to keep yo from being scared."
[For another example of a doctor curing a person of fear, see No. 16.]
(And where did he put it, over your face like that?)
Oil - some kind of oil [holy oil - oil the doctor had blessed].
(He rubbed it over your face?)
Yassuh, he'd taken an' jes' rub it ovah his face jes' lak dat an' his hands, yassuh. An' so dis fellah go back to digging. So, well it looked dat - he come back 'gin an' he put dat needle back dere 'gin and it pointed and draw right up under dere where dat block was. An' dat's where de money was under dat block, but chew see, we couldn't git to it. So he got a wagon axle and stuck down in dat ground where dat money was buried, an' covered it up, an' tole de fellah, say, "We are coming back." Jes' lak dat. But ah believe he double-cross me. See. He went to work den and de fellah tole him, said, "Ah'll burn de house down" - see - "an' let chew know. Ah'll stay in touch wit chew so yo' kin git to dis here stuff." See. He say, "Yes, 'cause yo' git good pay if yo' do dat - yo' won't lose nuthin'." So we never did go back. So we went to de other place where de money was gived to me - see, de money gived tuh me twice. An' we went to de other place an' we couldn't git up to it cause dere some white folks staying dere, yo' see, an' we couldn't talk tuh 'em lak we wanted to, so we wouldn't bring it up atall - jes' wait till dey move out.
(This root doctor, did you give him any money or anything?)
Didn't give him a penny - he wouldn't charge me nuthin' - an' de expenses cost him 'round about $12 'cause we made two trips down dere. But he didn't charge me a penny - give me all ah wanted to eat, an' ah's wandering why he did dat. Dat's why ah figured he double-crossed me. He went back an' got it.
Entry 427
(The Rev. Young is going to tell his story again about his experience in New Orleans.) [The preceding words are not for Mr. Young who heard them, but for the concealed microphone - a notation to remind me later that his story the preceding day had not been well recorded. My previous knowledge of his adventure is the reason why I can prompt the rerecording.] This man was named Scott - that lived at Moundville, Alabama - an' he came to New Orleans and was stopping at de Chicago Hotel, run by a man by the name of A. O. Smith on de corner of [name began with P] and Liberty Streets. He come to New Orleans to see one of these wizards as they call them [never so called], or either fortune-tellers or hoodoos, and he was talking to the proprietor, Mr. Smith, relative to having someone who knew New Orleans who would take him around. He [Smith] told him he knew a young man who was in school at Leland University, and that he would possibly be there and that he was just the man he was looking for. So, while they were talking, I happened up that afternoon. I simply happened up and Mr. Smith says, "Here's the very man we Was talking about" - introduced me to him and said, "This is Mr. Scott from Moundville and he wants to go with someone who knows New Orleans, to go about with him." Well, first thing he explained the nature of his business to me, and said whatever ah charged him for mah time, he would give it to me. He was looking for a man that Would help him to find some money that was supposed to be buried on his premises, on his property. The first thing he wanted to do was to find him some of those barrooms where he could find him some gin, and he claimed that gin was lucky to him, and after clearing about a quart of this gin - drinking it - why we went round sight-seeing in New Orleans and visited a deal of places up until about possibly ten-thirty or 'leven 'clock that night. Then we went out, way out Bienville - near Galvers Street - way out - seventy-five blocks away, possibly - way out in New Orleans, Way out to Bienville Street - dat's about two blocks from Canal Street, parallel to Canal Street. We got out there, ah suppose about ten-thirty or 'leven 'clock and knocked on a door and dey - mostly all downtown houses in New Orleans have dese blinds and shutters, and de people is very superstitious - it's a very hard matter to find anybody round New Orleans. If you knock on a person's door and dey'll ask you who you looking for and sometimes you's talking to dis party, and dey won't answer you. And if dey are somewhere else in de house dey'll call 'em and perhaps yo' gone, and if you wanta see dat person perhaps they'll call you back. So [before] we went in and - his wife said, "Oh, sure it's you, Percy?" Ah said, "Yes." She said, "Come on in." Ah said, "Ah got company, someone to see Professor Frank." She say, "Why he's in bed asleep." Ah said, "Well, this is rather important and I would be glad should you call him." She say, "All right." So she went and called Professor Frank and he came out dressed in a very gorgeous robe, seem'ly made of red velvet and large arms - had a cap on same as that which a priest wears, and had dis man to come and kneel. [Since I did not ask for a description of this cap "same as that which a priest wears," I evidently assumed that it would be a biretta rather than a zucchetto and that the color would be black; this article and color being more accessible to him at a Roman Catholic religious shop. But I had not yet visited New Orleans and had much to learn - the cap was probably red.] De room was lighted with two large candles on either side of the mantlepiece - red candles - de carpet on de floor was red, and then they had a large altar over in de corner. It seem to set the room off katycornered, and there was a stool [prie-dieu] by which a man could kneel down upon as the people do in some of the churches to pray. This man knelt down on this stool and he told him to put his right hand on his heart and his left hand on a book which was supposed to be the Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses of witchcraft and superstition. Then he mumbled some words, turned his back to dis man and looked up as in meditation and mumbled something and turned and told him dat he would seek what he was lookin' fo'. This altar I didn't describe it as I had yesterday - the robe [frontal] on de altar was of deep, dark red velvet with fringe all round and worked wit gold and various colors of stars, and de moon. It had a large gold and silver horseshoe mingled with seem'ly various colors - ivory.
(You spoke of that awning [his word] being held up, yesterday.)
Yes, this awning [canopy] over the altar was caught up right in de center in front, seem'ly by dis horseshoe and den draped down to a point on either side and went almost round de - in fact, it covered de altar. This altar Was made very similar to that of a pulpit - suppose it was about two and a half or three feet and about eighteen inches wide - something like dat - and he stood with dis heavy robe on him - this large robe girded round him in fringes on de end.
(It was the kind of a robe that a priest throws around him?)
Yes sir. And he had the bottom of his hand up this way - his right hand - he was seated in front of a table. Now dis table was something similar to a living- room or a parlor room mahogany table, seem'ly about four feet possibly and about eighteen inches in width, very heavy carved, de legs - I didn't say dat yesterday but it was large ole antique furniture. On this table was a large red covering with fringes that went up and down in the center. It didn't exactly cover the table. On this table was a large reading lamp with a shade seem'ly probably of gold, and he went behind dis table and sit down in large reclining revolving chair. But before he sat down in this chair - no, after he sat down in de chair, he pulled out a drawer in dis table and got out a kind of pipe - seem'ly it was gold - had a little crooked pipe stem to it [surely a calabash - my first pipe] - got some what we call moss tobacco or cut-plug - something similar to cut-plug tobacco and filled his pipe with tobacco continuously looking at this man, who sat dere and seem'ly half out of his wits and trembling - looked upon dis man as some supernatural being or some man dat was extraordinary - out of the ordinary person. He continuously looked at him searchingly, and dis man would look up at him guardedly. After he had filled his pipe with tobacco, still looking at dis man, he got out a - out from underneath his robe - the robe was lined with heavy satin - ah don't think I said that yesterday - he pulled out dis gold match- lighter and some way pushed a spring and out come a blue flame which seem'ly had something else in it - resembled that of lightning - still continuously looking at dis man. After lighting his pipe, put this cigarette lighter out and stuck it back in his pocket. He sat down and looked at this man and told him what he came there for. First he told him that his mother was dead and that he lived with his father; that he Was in a business and that he was very successful in this business, and he had a large amount of money and had come to New Orleans looking for him and that he Would find there was heap much money on this property of his buried. Seem'ly it was probably buried there by the Indians who seem'ly had formerly owned - lived in that settlement before it was thickly inhabited or populated.
(Then he sent you away for the night, didn't he?)
Yes sir. He had us to leave with the understanding that at ten 'clock de next morning he would come back and not say a word to anybody and bring $75 with him, which dis man did. We meets at de hotel and de next morning ah brought him back, since he didn't know New Orleans, and we came back - made it our business to be there exactly at ten 'clock. Came there and then he took him in his back yard. They had a rod that resembles a lightning rod, something like a lightning rod.
(What was the shape of this rod?)
Hit was round and at the ends it went down in an inner case and was made so it went down in an inner case and was made so it would go up and down at a certain length, a certain depth.
(Yesterday you said it was like a drill.)
Yes sir - it was like a drill in one end and it was curved like curved wire - like a curved lightning [rod] wire.
(How long was it?)
Oh it was possibly - probably six feet near as ah kin judge. And he went in his back yard and had some wires attached to it [the drill] - he apparently had these wires [also attached] on de wall of his house [in] back- yard, but it seems he attached them to some other wires connected with, possibly the electric wires, and place this machine out in de middle of de yard. Had it to drill itself - worked it a certain way that it worked itself down in de yard, and stood off from it, waved his hand like magic and said some peculiar words three different times, and then flames of fire like lightning flamed up at the top of [this] rod - flamed up three different times at de top of this rod. Well, the man as well as mahself, we stood there amazed because it was - well, now you understand it. We, when we went out of his house - dere was a little alley between his house and the next house - the houses in New Orleans are built very closely together - went out in the street and right in front of his home was a gutter that jes' carries off the Water, a ditch, very seldom cleaned out and there was Water in it, stopped up - stagnant water dere most all de time. Stuck dis rod down in de Water, but he never left the rod off the wire as he went through the yard - that wire was coils you know.
(He kept on to this wire - the wire was still attached to the house?)
Yes sir - still attached to the house and he uncoiled it. as he went on through the alley and sent this same rod - it was made to go down in de ditch of water, and said those same words he said in the back yard and waved his hand over this wire and then the flames came up seem'ly out of the.water through this wire. Jes' how it was [done I] don't know [!ii]. But after that he said to this man that regardless of where dis money was buried, if it was an old well, if it was in Water anywhere, or it was on dry land, dis machine would be sure to find it. And this man gave him the $75. He gave him that when he first went in the house the second day. And he was to go to this man's home at Moundville, Alabama - this side of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, up on de Alabama Great Southern Railroad between Meedan [?] [Meridian, Mississippi] and Tuscaloosa [Alabama]. And sometime that afternoon they left all of a sudden for Moundville where he was supposed to go to find dis money.
(This man went with him?)
Yes sir, this man went with him. [As the reader has already suspected, when the professor "waved his hand like magic his wife inside the house pulled the switch!] (You were telling me yesterday about this candle-burning: You said it is very prevalent along the Gulf here and New Orleans to burn candles.)
[This was several weeks before I reached New Orleans on my first trip.]
Yes sir. (What was your idea about why they burn candles in other parts of the country; you told me that yesterday.) Well, because de religious idea seem'ly is borrowed from de Catholics who burn candles in their religious ceremonies. A deal of dese people are persuaded, some of them are Catholic persuasion and some of them belong to the Catholic Church. Those who do not belong to the Catholic Church, as the Catholics to some extent predominate along the coast and in New Orleans, through Mexico, down through Central American - these peoples ideas are molded by their religious worship. These superstitious get the idea that they use these candles - they use highly perfumed candles. (You were telling me about the perfume they use over there in New Orleans - what was that?) Van-van they name it. The name is van-van - it's a highly perfumed powder jest a little above the odor of oil of peppermint - oil of cinnamon. It has a Wonderful pleasing effect on people who smell it. The people around New Orleans, white and black, around certain districts use that in scrubbing their doorsteps and houses, and even pouring this van-van which is very expensive oil - perfumed oil in the water with which they scrub their floors and even sweept off the brick pavement around their doors. They claim that it brings good luck. Racehorse men and racehorse women who play lots on racehorses are known to use this perfume greatly on their clothes. It's a very frequent thing to meet people with their clothes highly perfumed with this van-van odor. (You were telling about the women in the fast houses; do they use that in some way?) Yes sir - very much so. How do they use that? They use it perfumed in their bath water - they use it also in having their maids to scrub their houses. It's also used in these candles. Some of these candles that they burn, they are very expensive and they are perfumed. They burn that candle and practically shut that room up practically all day. Well, everything in dat house is perfumed with dat incense or whatever they call it.
(What do they do that for?)
That brings luck - that makes dem very successful or lucky, and nine times out of ten luck comes their way.
[After my informant left, I comment to the microphone.]
(This is the Rev. Mr. Young telling some of the things he told me yesterday - I just wanted to make sure I got them down.)
supposed buried-money premise in a rerecorded treasure-search account. The story was rerecorded with prompts based on a poorly recorded prior telling; no verbatim-audio fidelity. narrator-described apparent flames in a wired demonstration. Preserve the rerecording and separate Hyatt wife/switch explanation; the editorial mechanism is not an independently witnessed fact. reported repeated unknown words during a criticized demonstration. Preserve staged/criticized context, narrator uncertainty, wires and Hyatt separate switch explanation. These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified.
Read full source (printed page 128) · Read full source (printed page 129) · Read full source (printed page 130) · Read full source (printed page 131) · Read full source (printed page 132)
Entry 428
(Have you heard of candles in your work?)
Candles? Yes sir - dat's goin' out on hidden treasure.
(Hidden treasure? Now, can you locate hidden treasure for somebody?)
Yes sir. (Well, how is that supposed to be done - locating hidden treasure with instru- ments and things of that sort?) I kin call de spirit and let him show me where it is. That spirit should work dat. Ah've got a compass - dat's from de catalog... [The recording is bad here and there but my comments give the sense of what is lost.] (You have to get in touch with the owner spirit and the spirit will find the treasure - the spirit will get in touch with the watchman. The [owner] spirit will find [locate] the treasure and then you can do something.)
(You get them by giving them whiskey? How do you do that?)
Well, those kind of people wasn't nothing but a drunk all dey life, you know that.
(For finding the treasure?)
Yes sir, you git de badest man in de world to do dat - don't want no good quiet Christian mind to do dat - de badest kind, one who was...
(Whom do they put to guard that treasure?)
Well, dey takes me and my character - dey know it. Dey raise me and dey know I don't min' killing and don't care fer God nor man, and don't care about dying dead, don't care about dying, and let 'em kill me. Dey will take me ovah to dat tree yonder and make me dig a hole dere. All right, gimme some corn-crazin' drink [whiskey] and show me how to do it. And I gits me how to do. All right, dey bring dat [money] safe out dere in a ole cart, a rale [real] one, pulling and carryin', and set it on down dere. Dey'll set de chest in dere [the hole]./All right, dey'll set nails in dere. Now, dey must call living people fer guardin'. Dey say to me - my name might be Washington [it is Washington]. "Well, listen, Washington. Well now, we goin' off to [do something else], so don't leave [until we return]." Dat's whacha call de sandman [getting ready to put you to sleep]. Many people don't know what de sandman is. [This.is a mock burial. Washington, made drunk, believes he is watching a dead body, not money.] "Listen, Washington, as you live and die, dis here body dat layin' befo' you and you got'a be good to dem. Hasn't we been good to you?" "Yes sir." "Well, has you been listenin' to your boss or your missus?" "Yes sir." "Have you done make a vow? Raise your han' on your heart." "Yes sir." "Over your other arm." "Yes sir." "You swear by all de Great Good and God dat you'll mind dis body until de Resurrection Mawnin' and hear dat you do?" "Yes sir." Bam! Den I'm shoot chah. I'm right behin' yuh and shoot yuh, and walk dere and cut my [your] throat, and dey got somethin' dere to ketch de blood and rubs it all ovah dat casket.
(That the money is in.)
All ovah dat casket - rub 'em all over it. And den the - the other party will come quickly and seal me up jest like a wall - right in dere and I'm guardin' - nobody kin git dat money. But you got'a mind me.
(You qot'a manage the spirit?)
You got'a manage my spirit - can't git dat money, 'cause I made a vow. Well, I kin go out dere and stay dere like dat. I go out dere on de full of de moon - t'ree days befo' de moon rise and t'ree days after he rise - no one around. T'ree days after you rise and t'ree days before it going to bed - dat's on de full of moon - t'ree days before de full and t'ree days after de full. All right - ah got it right. T'ree days after you rise and de new moon come out - t'ree days after de moon is full - when de moon is full up to tiptop - then I go to work and git de owner. You got'a git to somebody - got'a find out about it. Then I question her. And what I done question her [about] and she done [tell] me that how she come by de money. I takes her with me and I makes her go and git me four hens. Out'a de four hens. one must be a rooster, and I want ey'ry drop of de blood out of him, ey'rv one little drop - cut him neck off and ketch de blood - and a drop from each one of dem. Dat's a ceremony. Let 'em ketch de blood and put dat blood aside. Then you'll pick dat hen and when you done picking, you gut: 'em and have another basin and you ketch all de blood that drip; everythin' that drop, ketch it - dat blood, ketch it. All right, dat two blood ain't it. De third blood, when you wash it, ketch that. That three jahs [jars]. "Father, Son and Holy Ghost" - that master de world, dat work dat man with de trunk [treasure chest]. If you ain't got dat [guardian] you got no business [hunting buried treasure].
(That's the spirit that man is looking for?)
Dat what he looking for and dey ain't one out'a hunderd can't [can] git it. Oh, yeah. Good God dat what he died wit [the buried money]. Dat's what dey done when dey done dat to me [killed him in his illustration]. But git dose three things. Now, when you do dat, now nobody know - half pint a' liquor - there's at least a quart, at least. For four-five days go dere fer drinking Water and git some yourself - carry half a gallon. All right, don't drink a drop till you git dere. Set your compass - dat's one way, go on de compass, let de compass pull you and you goin' call de spirit out wit it, and go back [and] git de thing right. Jest lak I was dere - I go dere and take two drinks of liquor, screw de iar down tight and I point east, south, north, west and t'row de bottle ovah my head and let de bottle fall and wherever de bottle fall I go right dere and pick it up and pour jes' about dat much [whiskey] on de ground - about as much as I drinkin' - dat goin' in de sand now. I wait about thirty minutes and I'm going call, "He-ey, Samuel [a name for the devil]. Samuel, watchman on de watch, give me de hour - he-ey, Samuel." And whilst you is talking, looking right at de place, he and I be foolin', walking up and down by de place, like dat - right on down. I go dere and I make a ring [circle]. I done all of my working in dat way. All right, den I take dat blood - dese t'ree kind of blood - I set one east, I set one west, and I set one south and leave north off; leave a door open dere fer him to come out. And right dere down take a saucer - three saucers. Pour some of dat whiskey in it - each saucer. Broke a egg and turn in each one of dem [saucers] and set 'em on de three corners of de world. And I goin' in dere [the circle] and I go to work. Before goin' to work [for clients] I go through the ceremony the same as this [one described]. I talk my 'greement over - what dese four people agree on 'fo' dey left my home. And I'm looking right at one fellah all de time. I lookin' at him, at dat one fellah and talkin' to him. Dis man had come to me on Monday gone [last Monday], on the 17 or the 18, and he done 'clare [declared] to All Great and Good God that this [dead] man done [give the treasure] to him. I hope and trust that she will stand by him and have him and whatsomever dere [in the hole]. [The woman in the preceding paragraph is mentioned earlier - the woman to whom owner spirit or guardian spirit had given the treasure, the woman who supplied three hens and one rooster. Since she was unable to participate in the dangerous work of digging up the treasure, she with the spirit's consent chose a man to act as her proxy. I must add - to emphasize the danger involved - that Washington had come to me in a treasure-seeking mood, having taken a few drinks of moonshine whiskey from his screw-top jar. After he left me, he and a doctor waiting for me got into the altercation described elsewhere - see Washington in Index.] He's not 'toxicated now, but he soon will be.
[Who? Probably the guardian spirit or watchman.]
[Doctor Washington exorcises - preaches to the watchman's spirit through the owner spirit's voice:] "Dis body be'd [was] laid down here through de sand [sandman] ceremony: We come to take up dis body by and through dis ceremony, and we find no harm in him or anything, as I have known dat man in de flesh of his shape." And he'd [owner's spirit would] walk up to him [guardian spirit or watchman] and point [out] dat man to me personally, and I would 'cuse [excuse] dat person directly I see him - talking like you'd talk to man you wanta save. [The preceding rite at the buried treasure site is the sandman ceremony in reverse. The watchman or quardian spirit of the treasure - once an evil man, now a dangerous spirit - can not be killed a second time; he must be tricked or mollified in some manner if the treasure is to be taken from him. Once again he must be made drunk; the whiskey being poured on the ground where he can absorb its liquid or fumes. To show good fellowship, Doctor Washington drinks with the spirit. Then, using Owner spirit's voice, Washington proclaims, "We come to take up dis body (honorable burial is intended)... we find no harm in him." Even to say the words no harm magically reduces the possibility of harm. Meanwhile, that half-gallon of whiskey has attracted other spirits, but fortunately owner spirit now appears in person - taking his voice called him up - and identifies watchman for the doctor. The latter act automatically releases watchman from his oath to guard the treasure. Doctor Washington, now returning to his own voice, begins talking like you'd talk to (a) man you wanta save. He 'cuses (excuses) watchman, absolves him from his wicked human life; he excuses (relieves) him immediately of his treasure-watching duties. So restored and released, watchman comes up into the magic circle, goes out the gate, and disappears forever. We will fail to understand this rite unless we realize that a gifted doctor - we shall meet many similar ones - is a master of spirits.]
[They now begin to dig.]
I 'sign [assign] you [proxy and helpers] de work, all de work [of digging]. And by time I goes down dere [into the finished hole] - go down dere - don't find nothin' but a solid piece of steel or a solid piece of iron. Lot'a time I go down dere and find jewelry, nothin' but all silver - old spoons, silver forks, silver watch. [Charleston, S. Car., (509), 570:5.] [As in the preceding subsection Spirits Guard Buried Treasure, here also we have a subject in which doctors are very much involved - see margin-title Witch- riding and Doctors at end of this subsection.] [What is a hag? An elderly root doctor in Savannah, Georgia, says: "De hag is a ha'nt, a spirit. Dere's two of 'um (two kinds of hags). One of 'um is comin' so you can't sleep in de night - dat's ha'nts, dat's a ha'nt (spirit of a dead person). An' another one is a hag - a hag is a living person; dey've becomes a hag, dey deals with de devil."] [Quotation from my interview given later - Old Man, R.D., No. 540. R.D. = Root Doctor; parentheses are mine.] [The preceding spirit of the dead either comes of its own accord to worry someone at night (see No. 535) or is sent, usually by a doctor (No. 77). It is occasionally called Jack Mulatta (No. 107), a term approximating Jack-mu-la't' or Jack-ma-lantren, a corruption of Jack-o'-lantern (No. 128-136) - lantern pronounced lantren or latren by uneducated Negroes and Whites. Jack Mulatta, a hag or witch carrying a light at night, is identified with Jack-o'-lantern (No. 436). Traveling lights are sometimes spirits of the dead (Nos. 121-127 and see Lights, mysterious, in Index). Often a spirit of the dead is sent in a whirlwind (No. 142). A doctor can also send a dressed animal to witch-ride a person (No. 200).] [The preceding witch, the old man's living person sold to the devil - who hag- rides and casts spells and cures - is also called a witch-hag (No. 462); a reason for describing her or him in the subdivision title as Witch in Hag Form.]
Entry 429
Dey say a witch is a ole woman - say it's when a woman lives to be years old an' say she takes, gits to whare she'll come out 'er hide. She'll come out 'er skin, say at night when she gits ready to go out to do her devilment; say she'll git out 'er hide an' then she'll go out necked with dis heah skin off 'er. Say den, when she go out, say she kin go through yore keyhole anywhares - jump in de keyhole an' come in to whare yo' is. When she come in dey says she come in to yo' by night, and she's one of dese things then whut chew call - dey don't use a man at night. Make yo' have nightmares, yo' know. Sometime dey nature gits so high till dey jes' - at night, dey dreamin' yo' know. Dat's a witch - say dat's whut she's doin' at night when she comes into yore house.
The account explicitly mentions skin in its reported witch description; the events are unverified.
Entry 430
A witch is something that comes to your bed after you lays down and he rides you. You can't speak either when he gets on you, they say. They just ride you till they bring you to nothing. You get so poor you can hardly live. You can't holler. You think you are hollering but you ain't saying anything. Some people call them nightmares now. Dey tell me, that if they once start after you, it's hard to break them off.
The account places reported riding after lying down; the events and effects remain unverified.
Entry 431
I knew a man that use to belong to this church, Tyree [African Methodist Episcopal] Church [just out of Berlin, Maryland]. It was his mother-in-law. She was one of these witches. So she got him in kin'a poor health, the way he told the story. Someone told him to catch her when she was riding him. When you are in bed asleep they get on you and bear on you. They ride horses too and tangle the manes. And so he caught his mother-in-law, so he told me. After that she came to so she couldn't talk, and just natch'ly pined away. She talked round - you couldn't understand her - until she died. Some call that nightmare.
The account also mentions riding horses and tangling manes; those events are reported, not verified.
Entry 432
Mah stepmother told a story of her father an' a witch. Her father went to sleep - he'd often heard tha' chew kin ketch witches if yo' put a Bible undah yo' haid - so he placed the sifter an' some mustard seed down besides the bed an' he went to sleep. The witch tried to lure him to sleep, he said, but jes' about de time dat she thought he was asleep she started to do something to him and he grabbed her; an' immediately when he hollered fo' his mother tuh come an' bring a light, she vanished out of his hands. Ah don't know how but that's all she tole me.
Entry 433
They say when they catch dem [witches] it's nothing but a bunch of rags: Dey turn into snakes and turn into a squich [screech] owl. A man told me he catch her and he hollered for his wife to bring the light, and it turned into a snake and slipped out of his hand. My uncle, he was laying in bed and de witch pitched right on de foot of de bed. And when he drawed his foot up to kick her, den she left. The witch looked just lak a little squich owl. Dat Was in slavery time here.
Entry 434
My mother was in bed, my mother and father had gone to bed, and mother Was making a funny noise like they do when they try to get their breath. And my father saw this old witch leaning over my mother. And my father knew it was her. They called it riding her. So he jumped up and grabbed her. He saw her. She looked like herself but she was not as visible. And my father said she changed just as quick. She turned into a leather strap and slipped through his hand. He stood there holding the strap. [An interesting little document - a man with strap in hand standing over sleeping wife!] [New York City, (1), by hand; Gaston Co., N. Car.,1890.]
Entry 435
I know a woman once who was a famiZar hag. She got mad with me because I was going to see another woman and wouldn't look after her. So she told me one day, "I am going to get even with you." So I told 'er it was all right, that if she was to monk [monkey] with me I would shoot 'er. She told me that I couldn't shoot 'er. So I said, "All right, you just try it." So after I had been over to my girl's house, you know, I went over to my batch. And after going home I had a chain on my door. Just as I undressed and went to bed I heard de chain rattle on my door and I wasn't a bit sleepy at that minute. After I got my clothes off I sat on the bed, I lit my pipe and began to smoke. As I smoked I began to get drowsy. Den I saw the door open and I saw de form of dis woman walking in. She came to me and used the expression by saying, "Shish, shish." And when she got close to me I fell asleep. When I fell asleep she jumped right on top of me and she rode me perilous and it was all I could do to catch her by the thumb, but hold her I could not. And when she got away from me I woke up immediately and she was gone. [Hampton, Va., (27), Ed.; near Hampton,1918.]
Entry 436
Way people go [travel], call a hag - ya' evah hear dat?
(Yes, yes. What do they do about that?)
And [a hag] goes out fishing - [she] open de light [old-time dark lantern] - jest like a torch [when lantern opened] and a man said one day he coming in de night - it was dark - an' he saw de light opening and he take out a knife - new steel knife and he hold 'em on it.
(He pointed this knife toward this light.) [See No. 517.]
An' de woman came direct up to him out de pond [where she had been fishing] - out de wood. He say, "Who dat? You?" It say, "Yes." He say, "Whatchu doin' heah?" It say, "Ah." It's a woman - ole woman - she said, "Don't tell nobody [see 'Shish, shish" in No. 435]." An' soon dat mornin' he come and tell my mother. Say he seed a hag last night - so it was so.
(What was she supposed to be?)
She a hag.
(And when she goes around she looks like a light?)
Yeah.
(Like a Jack-o'-lantern?)
Yah - dat's it. (Oh, a hag is a jack-o'-lantern?) [Travels like a jack-o'-lantern - see my comment at beginning of this subsection.l Yeah.
(Then that's true?) [I repeat his so it was so.]
Yeah, dat's a fac' and if it came to yo' house today and yo' want prove it, yo'd take yo' broom and put it to dat door, cross de door - he'll nevah go out de door today, he'll take up dat broom before he go out dere. I've seed dat.
Entry 437
(When a person wakes up in the morning?)
Yeah - it's jes' kinda lak a mucus in de corners of de mouth.
(And it comes from the mouth?)
Uh-hum.
(And they say that's the effect of what?)
It is de after effect of de hag ridin' yo' through dat night. [The informant had just made this brief statement while my Telediphone was switched off. This is a laborious attempt to obtain a repetition.] [Sumter, S. Car. (1344a), 2327:14.]
Entry 438
Now, I will tell you somepin that's a coincident [coincidence because I had just asked about witch-ridingl. It actually happened to me last week [August 1936, at Atlantic Hotel, Ocean City, Maryland, where my wife and I were staying while I collected hoodoo]. I was asleep one morning. I don't know whether I was dreaming or what happened, but I jumped and fell on the floor and I busted my knee. I thought a rat was riding me. After falling on the floor I tried to go out of the room and then I awoke. It must have been a nightmare or a dream or somepin. I really busted my knee. I found the rat wasn't there. I don't know whether I was doing somepin and somebody was riding me or not - that somebody was getting it back on me. I don't know anything in particular to account for it. [Ocean City, Md., (18), Ed. Informant was a young man who had graduated recently from a large high school in North Carolina.] [More examples of hag-or-witch riding will be found in the following margin- titles.]
The knee injury is claimed in the unbracketed account; bracketed interview context is editorial, and the cause is explicitly uncertain.
Entry 439
I knew of an old man and he used to live at northwest Berlin [Maryland] and he was alone, and a woman stayed with him keeping house. And so she used to Watch him at night and she said he would go to an old wooden chest, and she would play that she was asleep, and he would go to de chimney, a old fireplace chimney and outten he would go up de chimney. She said she would lay there and sometimes would drop off to sleep for an hour or two. After awhile she would hear somepin scuttering. Down the chimney then he would come and go to this old box.
Entry 440
The old people tell this, that they [witches] take something, put on de hand and rub under their arms, went and smoothed it back of the chimley and say, "Mount devil and fly." And out their skin dey went.
Entry 441
He [informant's father] use to say that he heard that before they [witches] go out to do their mischief, that they would take a ole grease and grease all over. They kept the grease in a gourd - the big gourd for drinking. [Wilmington, N. Car., (158), 152:1; informant Carrie [Mrs. Gavin], in whose house I interviewed at Wilmington, was a sister of Julia in No. 1.]
Entry 442
An' they went tuh work - yes, if dey wanted tuh ketch de hag. An' they went tuh work and sit at his hour. Dey got [discovered] his hour he comes in to do his work and dey sit where he comed in, caught his trick - he'd git out of his skin [getting out of his skin was his trick]. Dey went tuh work after he come out of his skin, in order to ketch him so dey would know whether it was de man who was haggin' de people. [This is the only time I heard the verbal form of hag.] They took salt an' peppah an' put it in his skin, and when he come back an' pick up his skin - started to go back in it, it would burn him. He had a way of sayin', "Skin, skin, do yo' know me? Skin, skin, do yo' know me?" An' dey say his skin would crawl right back ovah his body an' he'd become all right. But the folks caught him with his trick by putting peppah an' salt in his skin, and dey find dat dat wus de man whut was haggin' de people.
Entry 443
I often hear people say a witch will ride yo'. Well, some people say, "Oh, dat's' [fogyism] - all right. So she goes in de room one night an' put her some salt right down by dis boy's bed. All right, an' she takes a little salt an' sprinkle it round, yo' know, at de side of de bed lak right along heah where yo' got'a git in de bed. An' say dis witch come - when dey git on yo', why dey pull off dere skin, yo' know an' git on yo'. See, de witch throwed de skin down on de flo' an' when it throwed it down why it got salt on it. When it jumped back in de skin, why it make a noise - de salt be burning yo' see an' it couldn't git back in de skin. So dey caught dat witch. Said it was a Woman right dere in town. Said dey caught dis lady an' said de white folks got her an' took her out an' burned her. Dat's a real fact. She [who?] tole me about it - dey took her out an' dey said dey burned dis lady.
Entry 444
Ah've heard dat dere wus a boy travelin' once an' he stopped at a lady's house - some widow wimmins wus stayin' out to deyselves, a whole lot of 'em, an' so he wus layin' dere an' he heard 'em whisperin' an' talkin' roun' dere an' he gits up an' peeks an' see whut dey wus doin'. Dey went up de chimley an' got somepin othah, an' dey - all three of 'em or all fo' of 'em - jes' put somepin on deyselves yo' see, an' say, "Devil, speedily fly." Yeah sir, an' said dey went right on out an' dis boy he got up an' done de same. An' he went on out an' then he found hisself in de store right whare dey wus. Well, when dey got whut dey wanted, dey said de same words an' dey went right back home whare dey come from. An' dis boy he said, "Lord, have mercy, ah don't know how ah'm goin' git out chere." An' he jes' turned right back lak he wus. An' so dey went dere den an' dey found him in dere an' he told dem how dey done an' carried 'em an' showed 'em how dey done, an' dey found deyself - dey Was in dat same store. An' dey said they burnt them [the witches] up.
(Where did you hear that storv?)
Ah heard de story when about fifteen yeah old.
Entry 445
Now, yo' take whut dey used to call de witches - yo' take a grease an dey'll grease deyselves all ovah, jes' like dey goin' out tuh do somepin an' git clean out dere skin. Well, when dey git clean out dere skin dey'd be in de house; dey has a word dey say, "Round an' about - out de keyhole go." Right out de keyhole dey'll go. Well, dey go on out an' do whut dey's gon'a do an' come back. And when dey come back, dey'd say de same thing, "Round an' about de key- hole - out de do' we go." Well, dey'd come back in. When dey'd come back in dey'd git back into dey skin, git in - walk up to de skin, say, "skinny, don't chew know me?" An' dey'd jump an' if - now, if a person be lucky 'nuff, dey'd git dere befo' dey git in dere skin an' take dat skin, den dey couldn't git back in it.
(What did the witches do - what did the witches used to do?)
Well, dey say now, witches, dey used to ride hosses. Dey go to a cowpen an' milk cows an' go in a smokehouse an' take meat an' things. Well, dey all jes' carry dat back to dey homes - dey nevah did do nuthin' but jes' practice dat.
(Were these men or women?)
Mens an' wimmin.
(Did the witches do any conjuration at all - or not?)
Well, dey done a whole lot'a dis cunjuration. Dey claim dat dat's where de cunjuration come from - de witch crowd.
(Were you born here in Georgia?)
Yes suh, born in Georgia.
Entry 446
There was a witch that used to go out every night. She would ride different people. Anyhow, she kept on riding different people. After awhile someone Was smart enough to go to work and ketch up with her. They caught her as she come out of her skin and they sprinkled salt into her skin. And when she came in and goes to work to put her skin on, the salt had drawn her skin up And her words was, "Do witch! Do come! Come on skin!" She couldn't get in her skin and died.
Entry 447
This is a story I used to hear my grandmother tell. There was once an old witch who used to go out every night. So one night she went out and jumped out of her skin and left it hanging on the door. So some of the folks in her house salted it and the next morning she came in late and jumped into her skin and it stung her so she jumped out and say, "Lookee here, old skin, don't you know me?" And she jumped in again and out again and say, "Lookee here, old skin, don't you know me?" So at last it worried her so she died.
Entry 448
"If you don't come in, a old witch will catch you." [This was a warning to children when they stayed outside too late at night.]
The editor characterizes the quoted statement as a warning to children who stayed outside late.
Entry 449
It was suppose to happen there home in the country. She was suppose to be a witch. That was years ago. My father used to tell us about it to scare us. I used to be a-scared to look out of the door at night, thought I would see her standing there out of her skin. At a certain time in the evening she would go about what they called witch-riding. Dem days witch-riding is what we call these days stagnation of the blood. Why I said that - when I came out of a operation in the hospital I saw about one thousand cats. The cats just clawed me. I woke up trying to get away from them cats. This witch would get out of her skin and go to somebody's place at night when they were asleep and ride dem. They would see things, just lak dem cats I told you about. She did that every night. Some- body said to find out where she lived and go where she lived and put salt in their skin. They leave their skin behind when dey go out, get right out of it. I don't know how they found out where she lived. When she came back to go into this skin she couldn't get in it. They must never let the light [dawn] catch dem without being in their skin - they will die sure. She couldn't get into the skin and dey say she went down [to the river] and jumped overboard.
Entry 450
There was a old witch. She said, "I'm gon'a get out of my skin and when I come back I will get in my skin." She lifted it right off like this [informant demonstrates, putting her hands to her shoulders and taking hold of the skin, lifted it off as she would her nightgown]. If you haven't anybody wise enough, she can go and stir up trouble. One time when she was out of her skin they put salt in it and when she got back she said, "Oop! My skin doesn't know me." She couldn't get in it. She died.
Entry 451
I've hear'n about one getting out of his skin and couldn't get back in. That had been going on for a long time. They had been missing some of the food, so they decided they would really watch to see. So this old man came in. They said he commenced to shake and shake like that [twisting his shoulders]. They said they were a-watching of him and they said he got out of his skin. They said he looked to be putting something [grease] on himself. I don't know what he put on. And they said when they came to look at him, sure enough, he pull it off and laid it aside, then he commenced going all over the place and getting ever what he wanted. In the meantime some of them said to put pepper and salt in that skin. They said he couldn't get back in. The last they saw of him he Was saying, "SkinI Skin! Don't you know me?" That's the last they saw of him. Then they left. They were scared to hang around for fear he might do them some harm. That's the end of it as far as I know. I was a small child when I hear'n that. That was seventy years ago [1866].
Entry 452
My grandmother, she knew of a party in this community that were accused of being a witch in her day [during slavery]. And this party always denied it. And they figured up ever' way to trick her. So finally they goes to the stable - this'll sound so unusual, but of course we had to believe it - and they find dat de horse was gone. The horse Was gone and there was her [the witch's] hide. They taken the hide and they put salt and pepper in the hide and that's how they found who the witch was.
Entry 453
I've heard the old story about the old lady who went out one night to a country fair and coming back home she thought she heard a noise. When she got in the house a witch was there. She saw herself [she herself saw] a witch. She looked and she shook and she crooked - and she moaned and she groaned - and she couldn't get out of her skin. She looked like she Was as tight as a fish in its skin. Just at once somebody shook her and she came to her senses and the witch was gone.
Entry 454
Once upon a time dey said there was an old woman and there was a certain family that was always pestered with what they called nightmares or hags. They called it hags in those days. Some people would get 'em. It seems it would bear on 'em so hard until they would just holler in their sleep. It was called a hag. And so, once upon a time, an old woman came and she said to the other woman, "You know what you do? You sprinkle salt all around your bed and later on you'll find out what that is that's bothering you." So that night the woman sprinkled salt all around her bed. She got in her bed. At the usual hour this thing came and she got all overpowered with it. She jumped up in her sleep and when she jumped up there was a man standing there. And he said, "Skin! skin! You don't know me! Skinl Skin! You don't know me!" So the woman caught him. And it was some man that she knew that was a witch. And he pulled his skin off and laid it down, then torment her. When he got ready to put it back on that night, it had salt on it and he could not put it back on. They said they caught him and tortured him and really destroyed him, because this other witch instructed them how to catch him.
Entry 455
(Did you ever hear that story about the old witch that got out of her skin - some old witch got out of her skin or something?) Well, yes, I heerd of dat. They tell me once that a witch used to go through the keyhole, get out and go to riding people. They'd get out of dere skin and they'd turn round in de room and say, "Round about, round about, and out you go. Well, they'd go through de keyhole. And they tell me once that a ole man was laying dere - it was chilly, you know, and he happen to watch dis witch. When she'd get out of her skin, he slips dere and takes salt and pepper and peppered dis skin; you know, filled it full of pepper as he could get it. And after he filled it full of pepper, why dis witch come back and went to get in dis skin, dis skin would burn her. Well, she was running round dere and she was hollering, "Skinny, don't choo know me! Skinny, don't choo know me!" Finally she couldn't stand it to get back in her hide, and finally she died.
Entry 456
Dey have some oil what dey grease wit, called witch oil, and dey grease wit dat oil and dey stretch demself and dey out dere skin. Den they go through a keyhole with a fellow, you know, and have a big time with de skin off 'em lak dat; you see, witches. Dey say, one time a old lady done dat and a boy saw her done it, and dey tell me dey put red pepper all in her skin, and so when she come back dat morning for to get in it, to get in her skin, dere was bubbles [?] on her and she couldn't get in it, and said she was laying down in de bed raw - all de skin off of her. So old master come dere and call her to go to work and she couldn't - wouldn't get up, you know. And dey pulled de covers off her and all de skin was off her.
Entry 457
I remember at one time the hags used to ride our horses. A young man and I - it was in the summertime in the month of July - we had been out visiting and in coming home, its being so hot, we decided to go up in the barn loft to sleep. That was right over de horses stable: So we opened both doors [of the loft] and there is where we laid. So each of us went to sleep. And at one time he was asleep and I was awake, and I heard the horses scrumbling in the stable. What was the matter I did not know. So finally, I got up and went downstairs in the stable, and when I got down there, the doors was open and the horses were out in the yard running to and fro. But what was on the horses I know not. I did see that there was a little knot upon their manes up around the shoulders. They tie this knot in his mane and use it as stirrups [witches' stirrups] and ride it until it drops dead. When we got the horses in the stable the horses were all wringing wet. [old Point Comfort, Va., (27), Ed.; Norfolk Co., Va.,1929.]
Entry 458
My father had a grey horse at home. He bought him from a very old man and this was his [the old man's] riding horse. Ev'ry morning he would find two little stirrups tied in his mane. The horse wouldn't get fat. Ev'ry morning my father would comb that all out nicely, each night when we get through feeding, and the next morning those two little knots would be tied in there. You would hear the horse groaning and groaning at nighttime. Someone told us that the old man was riding the horse and to turn the horse around the other way in the stall. After that the horse got all right. It was that old man. It was sold in his estate and he didn't want anyone to have it.
Entry 459
I had a horse that was real poor with a long mane. I combed that mane out every morning. I would get up the next morning and it was all tied up with stirrups from witches riding him. It looked like the more I fed him, the horse kept getting thinner. I told him what to do. I told him to go and get him a broom, drive a nail up behind the stable door, hang this broom up there. If this witch comes there, she has to count every straw in that broom before she can get a ride, then day will be on her and she will have to leave.
Entry 460
Now, I have seen this. I can say this. My uncle had a horse, a little black horse. He did dray work around the streets, hauling trunks and boxes and things for folks in town. And I've had him come and show us dat horse any number of mornings. She'd be soakin' wet, hardly could move de next day. And he'd show it to me for the fact and say to me, "De witches has rode dis horse last night." And then he has also showed me her mange [mane] de next day. It would be all pladed [plaited] up where they had developed over night. Now, what did that?
(Was there any way to protect the horse?)
No. De only thing, he had horseshoes stuck up over de doors.
Entry 461
In 1877 I lived wit a man by de name of Mr. Charlie B. My father hired me there for carrying Water for de women folks and bringing in kindling and stuff for the women. I was eleven years old and a little ways into twelve. A man from Snow Hill by the name of Mr. John S. - and in that time a horse and carriage was de fastest way to get along - he had a bay horse, come to Mr. Charlie B. And this horse, one day his mane was all tangled and mingled. And he wanted to lick me over it. Mr. Charlie B. told him, "No, that boy ain't bothered that horse, because my horse is so often like that when I go to take them out. And I know he didn't bother him." And he saved that man from cracking me. If you want to keep the witches from tangling them, you nailed a horseshoe right over the barn door with the points down to keep the witches from riding the horses.
Entry 462
They claim that a witch-hag would go to a stable and get a horse and get on his back backwards and come to your house and go through the keyhole while you were sleeping and ride you to death. That is [now] called stagnation of the blood.
Entry 463
I remember one night I was living on a farm all alone. Whilst being there, I had been told that this place was witchy, so I minded it not. So I went there to live. And after staying there for a period of time a witch came to my home. And I was told how to capture this witch. So I captured this witch. So after capturing this witch I had her on my way to the stable and she turned into a horse, a beautiful grey nag. After I put her in the stable, I was so delighted with my new horse that I hardly could sleep. I wanted day to come so bad so I could go down to the blacksmith shop and have my nag shod all round. So finally, the next morning - I stayed all night by her in the stable - and the next morning before breakfast I take my nag to the blacksmith shop and had her shod all round. After she had been shod I carried her back to the stable and put her up in the stable. One of the neighbors round there had taken violently ill. What was the trouble, nobody knowed. So they sent for the doctor. The doctor came. I told the doctor about my new pony. So I went to the stable to get my nag to show the doctor and when I got there de nag was gone. When I heard of this neighbor being so sick, deathly ill, I went to see her. And when I went to see her she refused to let me look at her hands and also her feet. I persisted on doing that and den I got help so I should examine her. After I examined her I found she had horse- shoes on each feet and on each hand. She was deathly tormented with those nails. She had den turned to a natural human form. (About 1886, near Hampton, Virginia. This is an example of a folktale told as a personal experience.) [This is my comment in 1936, after informant left room.]
Entry 464
I heard of a man, his wife she would go out hag-riding every night. And that night when she came in, her husband was in the horse stable when she brought the horse in. And when she opened the door he cut her finger off with the ring and he got that. She would go to the stable and get the prettiest white horse he had in there. And when he cut her finger off it dropped and he got the ring, she rushed to the house. And when he went in she were in bed. Next morning when he got up she had her finger tied up. So he asked what was the matter with her hand. She said she cut it. So then he asked her where was her ring. And then she said her finger was sore and her finger was gone. So then he asked her where was the finger. She didn't know where the finger was at. So he taken the finger and ring and showed them to her and told her, "This is the ring I gave you. You've been out hag-riding with my horse. I were in the stable when you came in. You don't need to worry because I'm going to kill you." And he killed her.
Entry 465
An old lady one time, her husband had give her a gold ring. She use to go out every night witch-riding. So that night when she went out and when she got out of her skin, she left her skin laying on the floor. So while she was gone her husband came home and he saw this skin on the floor. And he picked it up and he recognized the ring on it. So he took the ring off and put it away. So when she came that night and was in bed - no, he didn't say anything to her that night. So the next morning when he got up he asked her where was the ring. She said she had put it away. He told her to go and get it. She never did go and get the ring. So finally he asked her at midday to get the ring again. And she wouldn't get it. So the next night he asked her again where was her ring. And she wouldn't get it. So then he took the ring out of his pocket and asked her what was it doing on there with her skin. So he found out that she was a hag-rider. So then he burnt her up.
Entry 466
Ah heard dat a wumman jumped out de skin an' - it was in slav'ry times - say, ev'rytime dey'd go out dere yo' see, dey said dere would be a white gyp dog; a white dog would be trottin' round all de time, ev'rytime. Said, at last one mawnin' dere was a man took a axe an' chunked it at dat dog an' cut one of his laigs off - de front laig off. An' dey say dey picked it up an' it turned back to a nachur'l han'. An' dey went in an' tole - de han' had a gold di'mon' ring on it, an' dey showed it to de marster an' he tole 'em, say, dat look lak mah wife's han', an' dey went in dere an' he tole 'er, "Lemme see yah han'." An' it Was her han'.
Entry 467
They said there was some men traveling and they had no place to stay: They came to this house. This man told them there was a house there and there couldn't nobody stay in it. He give them some matches to make them a fire, he give them some potatoes and said they could roast them if they Wanted to. They made a fire and roasted these potatoes. Something came down the chimley and scratched the fire out. They had nerve enough to make the fire again. They scratched the fire out again. They decided they Wouldn't make the fire again. They blowed the light out. They lit the lamp and they blowed that out. They said they wouldn't light the lamp again. So they laid down to go to sleep. One man watched. After awhile a whole lot of people came in and began to dance. Then they went out and brought the card table in and began to play cards. Then they went out. And after awhile - this man was still watching - the door flew open. He fastened the door and the door flew open a second time. He fastened it a third time and the door blew open again. Then he happened to look up and this cat had her paw through the door. He said, "Now, I'm going to get that." He got up and goes around the side of the house and taken his knife and whacked off the paw. The ring dropped on the floor. He taken the ring up and put it in his pocket. So the next morning he walks on up to the house and this man says, "Well, you made a night of it." He says, "Yes sir." He said, "Well, did you see anything?" He said, "A plenty. There's one thing I want to tell you. Look what I got," and he held the ring up. He said, "Let me see that. Do you mind if I show this to my wife?" 'Not at all if you bring it back." So he went upstairs. And his wife was in bed. He said, "Haven't you got up yet?" She said, "Go away, I don't feel well." He said, "Look, I got something to show you." "Go on away from here, I don't want to see nothing." He pulled her over and took her by her hand and her finger was gone. That was his wife's ring. He said, "Well, if that's what you are, I'm going." So he left her. I heard that story ever since I was a little girl [in Orange County, Virginia,1886].
Entry 468
I remember one time about a shoemaker. He had a wife and three children. And one night this shoemaker was at his work late. So another woman went to the shoemaker's wife's home and began to talk to her, and as they began to talk, one says to the other, "Leave us transform ourselves." And they did so. And they turned to cats and went down to the shoe shop where her husband was working. And after they got there they set and watched him work on the shoes. And one of the cats pawed at this man, and while she did it, he grabbed a shoe knife and hacked at this cat with the knife and cut one of the cat's forefeet off. He left it standing there and the cats went away and he didn't see them any more. While he Was at his Work, the foot being lying on the floor, he got ready to go home. He picked up the foot and looked at it. And while he had it in his hand the foot turned to a natural hand. And on this hand was a ring. It was the engagement ring he had gave his wife before he married her, not knowing that he had married a hag.
Entry 469
"I heard a story of a man who had a mill. The miller died that owned the mill. There couldn't nobody work in that mill. They could go there all right in the day but at night there couldn't nobody stay there. This woman that owned the mill was a witch and turned into a cat. This cat would just dance around and all at once she would light on whoever was staying at the mill at night. So nobody couldn't stay there. One man said, "I'll stay there." He went to the mill. He had a very sharp knife. And when this cat commenced to dancing around and around he watched her. She lit on him and he cut her front paw off. It was the man's
[dead miller] wife's hand with a gold ring on.
Entry 470
An old witch used to worry the miller. He sat one night for to catch her. She came in the form of a cat. She put her paw through the hole to raise the latch up and he took a knife and chopped it off. She had her gold ring on her finger. He took the ring and carried it to her husband next morning and this finger. And he looked at the ring and knowed the ring, and he said, "This is my wife's ring." And he went upstairs and she was in the bed with her hand wrapped up. And he asked her what was the matter and she told him, "Nothing." He told her, "There is something the matter, '' and showed her the ring and said, "Ain't this your ring?" She tried to deny it but he wouldn't let her. I heard that he killed her.
Entry 471
I have heard that a miller was at his mill one night grinding corn. There was a big cat came in and put its paws upon him. He was setting down. So he took his knife and cut this cat's paw off. After awhile he began to examine it, and instead of seeing a cat's paw, it was a woman's hand. So when he goes home next morning he found his wife in bed. He asked her what was the matter. And she said she didn't feel very good. So he goes and turns the cover down and looks. And he had cut her finger off that had her engagement ring on. So his wife was a witch. That was down in Culpeper [County, Virginia] some place. They say it was done there.
Entry 472
Well, they tell me a man once lived by himself and there must have been a woman who had something against him for she turned herself into a witch and the form she taken was a cat, a black cat. So the man when he come in from work, he set down to eat, and the cat would grab at his food. He would just shoo the cat away. Finally the cat continued to do so and he kinda got angry and took his knife and when the cat grabbed at him again he chopped off his paw. When he chopped off the paw the cat disappeared. He was holding the paw of the cat and it turned into a woman's hand. So he decided to investigate. Next day he heard of this woman being sick who he knew. So he decided to visit her. So he went there to enquire of her what was the trouble. And she said, "Oh, nothing." And he said, "What's the matter with your hand?" She had it covered. She said, "Nothing." Then he pulled the cover back and found her hand was missing.
Entry 473
I can tell you one thing in my childhood days about a witch. There was a cat and it used to come and set right down on the hearth. And the cook would be cooking. She did that for weeks in and weeks out. She said, "I wonder why that old cat hangs around here every morning? I can't get rid of her." She said, "Never mind, I'm going to get rid of her. Some morning I'm going to have the poker and set it right here and I'm going to cut her feet out from under her." That went on maybe for a month or so. The cat came in, set down right in the corner, it was cool weather, very, just sat there. And the cook had that fire iron setting off there. The first time she got that cat's eye on her she grabbed that poker and swung it like that [in a sweep] and cut one foot off. It wasn't a foot no longer, it was a hand. It had real beautiful rings on it and she knew it was madam's hand that had the rings. I heard that told when I was a child [about 1866 near Elizabeth City, North Carolina]. That was in the morning. Then she took the breakfast from the kitchen and carried it on to the great house and served it there. After putting it on the table the boss [the master] came in and madam didn't come. The cook said, "Where's Miz Sarah?" He said, "She doesn't feel well this morning." So we went in to speak to her. In the meantime she had her hand all covered and wrapped over. She was never able to see that hand. The cat went on about its business. They never saw that cat come back. The cat went on. I can't remember just how long she stayed there, the cook, but they got rid of the cook. She was too smart. They claim she [the madam] turned into a witch. This cook knew about it and she said, "If there's any such thing as witches, I am going to find out." So that was the morning she found out.
Entry 474
I have heard that there was a man, his wife would be gone every night to a ball or a dance. The husband came to the party and asked for a drink of wine. The cat waited on him. It seems in some way or another she didn't satisfy him and he cut her paw off. It was a finger with a ring on. When he got back home he said to his wife, "Let me see that hand." And the finger with her wedding ring on was cut off.
Entry 475
Well, I know once, a witch used to ride a woman - a man, it was. You would like for to hear dis story'
(No, I never heard it - yes, yes, I'd like to hear it.)
Once dere was a boy he was traveling through de country and he went to a rich farmer's home and he asked him, said, "Mister, could you give me a place to stay tonight?" He says to him, said, "Yes, I got a big place over yonder," he said, "if you kin stay over dere," he say, "I'll give you dat place - you kin have it." He said, "Well, I'll go over dere and see kin I stay." He said, "It's really ha'nted, '' he say, "I never knowed no one to go there and stay." He say, "Well, I'll go try." So he cut up some wood dat day what he carried in to her and she fixed supper for him, and den she give him an old lamp and a little oil to go tc make him a fire, or so he could have a little lamp burning sittin' up dere by himself. Sittin' up dere by himself he started to burn dis old lamp. And after while, he had him some beans an' he ete up all dem beans. And after while he looked and he saw five black cats was coming down de stairs - looked to him they had a coffin totin' of it, and he'd taken his [New] Testament and begin to read it upside downwards. And the next thing walked in was five chickens. He's still reading - still reading. And the next thing he looked and saw a cat dipping his paw in de wash basin tryin' to put de light out.
(He what?)
The cat had his paw - putting it in de water, trying to slap de light out - splashing de water trying to put de light out - he still reading. And after while he looked and saw dis cat and he seed a ring on de cat's paw and he grabbed de hatchet, you know, and chopped de paw off and had taken it up and put it in his pocket with de ring on it. Well, de next morning he went up to de boss' house and spoke to him. De boss say, "Well, I'm surprised to see you here alive." He say, "Yes," say, "well, I made out all right but I had a hard time - [he's ahead of his story] - but jest before he gets: dere [to the boss], a little low-sided, gray-headed man walked in, which was a ghost. Well, dis boy -
(What kind of a man?)
A little short gray-headed man - about three foot high with beard hanging down to his shoe-top. Dis boy say, "What in the Name of the Lord, the Father, and the Son do you want here?" And dis ghost says, "You follow me," said, "I've got a fortune for you." Well, de boy went on down in a old out-house way down into de basement and he [ghost] put a mark down and he say, "You dig down here and you'll find a fortune." Well, de boy, he marked dis place and after he marks it, he waited till the moon got right - on the growing of de moon, he started to plan for to dig at dis place. Den he goes up to de house and the old man [the boss] says, "I'm surprised to see you livin'." He says, "Well, I had a hard time but I made it all right." Well, he told de boy he could have the place, which he gave de place to him, and de boy he run his hand in his pocket and passed him dis ring. De old man lqoked at the ring and says, "Seem lak I know dis ring." His wife was in bed very sick. Well, he got de doctor for her. When de doctor rech for her hand, she 'fused to pass him her right hand and give him de left hand. Well, why she give him de left hand? "Cause de right hand was chopped, you see, which had de finger cut off in de shape of a cat, for she was a witch, you see, but dis man didn't know she was a witch. Well, he made her hand her right hand and he happen to see de finger all chopped up dere and the hand being bloody. He wanted to know what was de trouble. He happen to look at de ring and he found it was de ring dat boy give him, and dey found out she to be a hag. Well, de old man got a little troubled den and got to worryin' over it. An ole riddle says, "He sent 'er out jes' as fur as men an' water could take 'er" - he got rid of 'er. An' dis boy he begin to dig down dere and he find a whole lot of silver and gold, what de spirit had give him.
(Where did you hear that story?)
Well, I heard dis story in North Carolina, down in Bertie County.[ Norfolk, Va., (466), 463:10; Doctor Paul Bowes.]
Entry 476
There was a man annoyed every night by being rid by a witch. He thought it was a certain woman who hated him through jealousy and worried every night. He did everything he could to prevent this witch from riding him. Finally one night he was ridden by this witch. He looked and he saw a woman sitting on the side of his bed, whom he knew very well, the same woman whom he had suspected. He struck at her with a pair of scissors and cut the end of her finger off. She then turned into a cat and went out the door with one of her paws cut off. Next morning a daughter of this lady's came over to the house and said her mother had one of her fingers cut off and she didn't know what happened. There's no doubt this Woman Was a witch in the form of a cat. [Fredericksburg, Va., (35), Ed.; happened (!) at White Oak,7 miles from Fredericksburg.]
Entry 477
We use to live in a house where a witch would come in dere ev'ry night - a little ole woman. She'd come in dere an' she'd ride me ev'ry night. Ev'ry night, Laws [Lord's] sake, she'd ride me - jes' worry me so ah couldn't sleep dere. An' when she'd come in she'd come in from de do', from de front do'. (How did you get rid of her?) Well, ah took an' put a Bible up undah mah haid. Yo' kin put a Bible up undah yore haid if yo' dream a lot - yo' kin stop it.
Entry 478
There's something on you riding and you can't speak. You get up and put de Bible under your head; open de Bible and put it under your head, then you'll - they come back there no more. Or you take a open knife or put a ice pick under there. See, those are evil spirits bothering you - see - and it won't bother you no more.
Entry 479
You put a Bible underneath your - open it to any chapter and turn it down under yore pillah, and then you kin put a pair of scissors and that will keep them away.
(The hag.)
Uh-huh.
Entry 480
You read de 35th Psalms of David and then after that reading that Psalm, you put the Bible under your head, but you must read that Psalm for nine nights and after reading that Psalm, you put it under your head, and then go to sleep and after that nine nights the hag will go away and won't worry you.
Entry 481
Put a Bible under your pillow. A witch will have to read that Bible backwards before she can ride you. Sometimes it takes much longer - if they miss one word in one chapter the witch must go straight on back [start] again, and by dat time it's daybreak and they can't ride you.
Entry 482
Dey put the Bible under dey haid - yeah, open it to any chapter in the Bible, iest put a key in it and close it back up and put it under their haid.
(What will that do?)
That keeps the hag from riding them.
Entry 483
I was living in a lady's house. I couldn't sleep in de bed for nothing. And I used to hate to go upstairs to bed because every night after I would go to bed I would hear something tipping on the steps. So when it would get about middleways on the floor it would jump on me and just nearly mash the life out of me. I waked up in de morning, the lady's grandmother lived across the street, I went over there and was telling her about it. And she said, "Honey, that's an old witch." She say, "You put a knife and de Bible under your head and she won't come back no more." So I put the Bible and knife under my head and never heard of her or seen her no more.
Entry 484
To keep a hag from ridin' a person, sleep in black - ole black - or ole black undershirt or even is worth while a black shirtwaist. Put on that and he can't come. [Charleston, S. Car., (512), 585: l. For black coat over outside door to keep out witches, see FACI,2ed., p.889.] [I should note here that hag riding was practically unknown in Adams County, Illinois; a community largely of German extraction. The word hag does not appear in the exhaustive index of the first edition of FACI.]
Entry 485
Once there was an ole lady and she kept comin' in the keyhole, and this Woman [the victim] would sleep flat on her back. So when this witch.would come, why she [the victim] stuck a pin in [the clothes at] her breast. This witch, when she go ride this lady, why she stick the pin in her [drawing blood] and that will keep the witch from ridin' you.
Drawing blood is an editorial explanation; it does not verify wounding or protection.
Entry 486
We were setting there talking. Somebody went to tell a tale. He said his mother said a witch rode her at night. Being much worried about it she told her parents and her parents told her to place a knife under her pillow at night. She did this. And they told her if the witch came, to cut it with the knife [to draw blood]. She did this the next time the witch came. Later on in the day she found out it was her brother. He had a cut arm. I don't know how true it is. [The knife (with Bible) under pillow (No. 483) is not used for drawing witch's blood - witch keeps away from it, afraid she will cut herself.]
Entry 487
I heard my mother say lots of times that witches used to ride people in olden times and she herself. A woman didn't like her and she thought that she came one night. She said she saw her come through the keyhole. There was no other Way to get in, she had fastened the door. It was just something [that came through the keyhole] but when she looked at the fire she saw [recognized] her. And she went to the fire and warmed her hands and walked back to the bed and then back to the fire again. And she saw her pull off her shoes. And she got on her in the bed and for hours she couldn't speak a word. And all the week she seemed to be sick from it. Then night after night she would sit up and watch for her but couldn't see her until she went to bed. Then she decided, if aunt Margaret come again - that Was the old lady's name - she was going to bite her, if she couldn't do anything else. So she did it. From that the witch had a bad hand. [More than this, drawing witch's blood stopped her permanently.] [Girdletree, Worcester Co., near Pocomoke City, Md., (89), by hand; happened 1886.]
Entry 488
Well, if you wan'a keep out witches and ha'nts away from your house, you can take bluestone [= blue vitriol], put it in the four corners of the house and right at the steps where you go over, and you won't be bothered with 'em no more. You puts nine grains [crystals] at each corner of the house and nine at the front door.
Entry 489
[The following eight beliefs are variations on the bottle rite for catching a person's spirit - see Nos. 38-44.] I heard about my uncle catching a witch. They hung a bottle up the chimney and crossed a knife and fork. It was bothering and bothering him every night. Somebody told him to do this and he did it. And the next morning he taken this bottle down and something was in it. He left it stopped up. Somebody told him this woman who was bothering him was sick. He didn't go to see her. Finally, she says for him to come and see her. She said, "For the Lord's sake, please let me out, I'll never bother you again." He turned her out and the woman got well.
Entry 490
You kin put down mustard seeds, sprinkle 'em over the floor, and ies before they go they'll have all them seeds to count. And you kin ketch 'em and you kin put it in a bottle and stop it up. And early that morning there'll be somebody come aroun' and want to borrow a match or salt or somepin.
Entry 491
Take nine new nails an' put 'em in a bottle or nine new needles, either one, to ketch a thing dey call a witch at night when dey ride yo'.
Entry 492
No, sir - say a witch don't put spells on you, a witch rides you. [A great amount of evidence is given in this book that a witch does put spells on you and also rides you.]
(How could you keep her from riding you?)
Well, you git - lemme see now - you gits new needles and you gits [new] pins - I know a man had ketched one of 'em - git new needles - he was a sensible man - you know, he know all dem things - he was a sensi'le man - he died now - he caught one. You git new needles and you got'a pins - git new needles and pins, he say, and put 'em in a bottle and when he come a-riding, you know, someone will call his name. You see, someone will be shaking his side to wake him up and somebody will call him - jus' like if I'm over here and you say "John" - you call my name and dat bottle'll be open and slap dat bottle up like dat [demonstrates], you see, and you got his spirit. See, you got de spirit and dey say you kin see de little black thing running around in de bottle. And this one this man had ketched, he stopped de bottle - dey called his [witch's] name - his [victim's] wife called his [witch's name] while he was riding her husband and stopped de bottle up - stopped de spirit up in de bottle, you see, and [later] dis witch takes fits and dey takes him ovah to the hospital and de witch never did get better. And dis witch say if he [could] see dis man - dis man was by de name of Mr. Joe Richardson - he says, "If I could see Mr. Rich- ardson, I would git well." You see, if he could see you and just talk wit you, you see, he would get better - see, because it would git his spirit back. You see, dis man had his spirit. But dis man wouldn't go to de hospital and see 'im, you see, because he done belonged to de same church dat dis man belonged tuh and that he Was a witch. And everybody used to say he was a witch, but you see, some people doesn't believe it. Well, this gentleman [Richardson] he was, you see, half-white and half-colored but he was more white den he was colored and he had plenty sense. So he say, "I tell you he's a witch all right," he say, "I'm goin' ketch him because I know how to ketch him - I'm goin' ketch him." And he [his wife] got de bottle and stopped de bottle up and called his name and ketched his spirit in de bottle wit de new needles and pins, and he tuk sick and he was sick until he died - he died in de hospital. Dey come to your house in de night - late hours.
(Now tell me how to catch a spirit - what will they do now?)
Dey call you late hours in de night when you sleepin' and when you answer 'em, den dey shut de bottle up and shut your spirit up in de bottle. Dat's de way dey catch you.
(I see - you have to answer them though before they catch you?)
Yes, answer - you got'a answer 'em, and if you don't answer 'em dey can't ketch you - your spirit.
(This is if somebody wants to get your spirit to harm you?)
That's right.
(What if they catch your spirit - what will happen to you then?)
Well, you may be spritely and, you know, plenty of spirit in you, and then you be's deadlike - you have to be just like how I am - you see, I can't work - I ain't workded for over two years, I'm not able to work.
(Well, what do you think is wrong with you?)
You see, I was poisoned. You see, I use to been smart, you see, and working, going all de time, and dey didn't like dat - they fixed something you see to take all of my strength away from me.
Entry 493
That's if he is a human an' be a livin' pusson.
(What have you heard about that?)
Dey [hag or witch] jis' take an' strip off necked [naked], jis' strip off necked, if dey gon'a ride joo. Dey write chore name down fo' diff'ren' places - write it on one piece of papah, write it on anothah piece, write it on anothah, an' on anothah one. He'll take it an' tie it roun' his ahm, he'll tie one roun' dis laig, an' one on dis laig, an' one on dis ahm. An' he'll put one roun' dere [his neck]. Dat'll be five pieces - jis' yo' name on it - two feets an' yo' ahms, an' put one piece aroun' de neck. An' aftah dey do dat, why dey grease all ovah wit fresh hog lah'd [lard]. Dat make 'im go to bed wit dis thing on his min'. An' in de night when you lay in bed sleepin', his spirit wandah an' git where you's at, an' jis'beat on yo', knock on yo', choke on yo', an' have yo so yo can't har'ly ta'k. An' de way to git 'im, de only way yo' can git 'im, is jis' take some peppah an' pu't in a bottle, red peppah pu't in a bottle, an' open de top of it. An' he'll go down in dat bottle an' he can't git out, an' he'll stay thah, in thah till nex' mawnin'. He'll put on his clothes [next morning], wherevah he be he'll put his clothes on, an' it'll be de firs' one at yo' house dat mawnin' axin' yo' fo' somepin. An' if yo' don't care wha' chew give im out chore han', dat'll turn 'im loose out dat bottle. An' while he's in dat bottle he turn into all kin' of insex, ants, bugs. An' when he come to yo' house dat mawnin', an' if yo' give 'im anything, a couple of matches or any- thing, why you turn 'im loose. When he come thah he'll be down [dejected], lak dat, chew know.
(Suppose you burn that bottle up?)
He'll die. Dat is his spirit.
Entry 494
I have heard that if a witch rides you at night take a small vial, put hairpins and plain pins and vinegar and a loose stopper in the bottle, and put it under your pillow, and they say it will catch the witch. The witch will get in the bottle, can't get out. The pins will catch the witch and keep him in, and the vinegar will dissolve him and change the color of the contents and you will know that you have the witch. You'll never have trouble with witches as long as you live.
Entry 495
I did hear the old people say at one time that a witch came in the house and got in a wine bottle and drank too much and couldn't get out. Ev'ry once in awhile she would holler about the keyhole, trying to go through it to escape, and fall back on the floor. There where the witch was caught. The olden people use to make the wine and set it under the bed or table and the witch got in one of these bottles.