Browse:SWEAT (Volume 3, entries 4478–5205)
SWEAT
Volume 3, entries 4478–5205. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 4478
Well, there's a whole lots of things they kin do with it. That's A VERY SERIOUS PROPOSITION in the weakness of the body, to get your perspiration and use it IN THE RIGHT PREDICAMENT.
The informant names weakness of the body while discussing perspiration. The context does not establish a diagnosis, procedure or effect.
Entry 4479
An' den sometimes yuh wan' chure man tuh bring 'is money home. Take a little watah an' wash up undah yore arm an' squeeze it in 'is coffee, see, an' serve it. He's comin' home. Yuh sho' kin do det.
Entry 4480
Taken [taking] de watah dat yuh bathe in an' stoppin' it up into a bot- tle, an' if dey kin git yuh urine along wit it an' stoppin' it up in a bottle, it'll cause yuh tuh drag - drag sick.
Entry 4481
[While my machine was stopped, informant mentioned bath water.]
(What can you do with that?)
Well, dey kin take [bath water] an' put it in a bottle an' go tuh a green tree. What I mean by a green tree, when de sap is runnin'. Understan'? An' put it in dat tree, stop it up in dere jis' de same as takin' dere urine an' do de same thin'. Or if dey make a passage [of excrement], do de same thin'. An' dey'll pale yuh away jis' dry yuh up, yuh see. Jes' a slow death from mah undahstan'in'.
(They use your bath water the same way?)
[This question is to make certain the word bath water was recorded.]
Yes sir.
Entry 4482
(How do you do that?)
Yuh kin take bath watah an' jes' make a person jes' pale away. Dey won't be sick or nuthin of de kin' like dat, but yuh kin put 'em on a [what? Drag?].
(How do you do it?)
Yuh takes an' yuh bottles it up an' yuh buries it. (This bath water?) Yes sir. (I see. What does that do to them?) Jes' pale 'em - make 'em pale away.
(Oh! it makes him pale away.)
Entry 4483
Wal, yuh'll take a bath in de watah. Dey kin git a chance tuh git tuh dat watah an' dey'll take a bottleful. Take a bottleful of dat watah. If dey wanta conkah yuh, dey'll take a bottleful of dat watah an' put a stoppah in it. Pack it down tight an' put it down to yuh steps, er [or] tuh dey steps. Dat'll draw all yuh attention tuh nobody but dem.
Entry 4484
Take dat where yuh take a bath an' put it in a hole. (What kind of a hole?) Any roun' hole. (Where is this hole made?) Yuh put it in yuh backyard. (Oh, a hole in the ground.) Yeah, see he'd come out an' hafta [have to] walk ovah it, an' dat will strip 'em [him] up, peel 'em up - yeah, jes' like dey have de measles or sompin like dat.
[Walking over his bath water is walking over a part of himself.]
(I see, make this skin - give them skin trouble.)
Yeah, skin trouble call it.
Entry 4485
They kin take the water that you bathe in and use it, and if properly used give you some kind of a ailments in your skin. If they take that water and put sulphur in it and put it in a bottle and stop it up, your skin will break out with some kind of disease - something like itch or nettZe- rash or something. It will always continue to be thataway. Of course, I don't know that you couldn't go to a doctor [M.D.] and get shots or somepin. [HERE IS A MEMORABLE STATEMENT! INFORMANT THINKS IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO GO TO A DOCTOR (M.D.) FOR SHOTS TO CURE AN ITCH CAUSED BY HOODOO! A hundred times or more in HOODOO a Doctor of Medicine is dismissed as useless for hoodoo; in fact for most ailments. FOR A GOOD ACCOUNT OF THIS SITUATION BACK IN 1938 AT MOBILE, DESCRIBED BY PROFESSIONAL ROOT SELLER, See 12, p.11f.]
Entry 4486
Stop dat watah up in a bottle.
(This bath water?)
Yes, sir, stop it up in a bottle an' put it, bury hit down - an' bury it up- side down an' dat'll harn yuh, too. See, cuz yuh'll git sickly an' po'ly [poorly] an' things. Yuh see, dat be all yuh dirt, YUH STRENGTH an' things. BURIED BATH WATER TURNED UPSIDE DOWN
Entry 4487
Like yuh bath [not bathe], she'd get a quart bottle, get dat quart bottle of watah out chure - de watah dat yuh bath in.
(Yes?)
Aftah yuh bath, she'd take it an' gets a quart bottle of dat watah, an' she bury it about one a'clock dat night at de east cornah of de house, an' derefo' yuh can't 'scape no way. (You can't do what?) Yuh can't leave no way. [You] jes' be goin' all de time [and that stops it].
(That will keep you [from] going all the time?)
Yes.
Entry 4488
Well, dey jes' take de watah an' kinda jes' skim it off de top-like de grease-like.
(Of your bath water?)
Uh-huh an' dey'd put it in a bottle an' stop it down an' - dat's if dey is against yuh - an' dat will jes' run yo' away from around dem, too. [Intention here is more important than symbolism.]
Entry 4489
De dirt from undah dere, an' take de watah - go right in yuh bathtub, don't use no zinc tub, skim dat grease off round dere an' mix it wit dere fingahnails an' toenail. An' den yuh kin - if yuh want a man or anything like dat, good luck, jes' use it. Wear it an' anoint wit it an' he'll do anything yuh want 'im to. Give yuh money or anythin' like dat - HURT 'IS WIFE FO' YUH. (I see. You put these things in a bag or something with your fingernails and the toenails?) Yes, sir, an' den dat grease, yuh know, when yuh bathe, dat stuff comes aroun' dere [the edge of the bathtub].
(That grease, that scum. And then you say you anoint that with something?)
Yuh anoint yuh body.
(Oh, you anoint your body, I see.)
Yes.
(Oh, I see - make sort of a salve?)
Yes, an' den put some dat heart - put dat old-time perfume.
(Heart's Cologne.)
Old-time perfume.
(Heart's Perfume, put that in with it. Make it smell nice. I see.)
Yes. [While machine is stopped I must have asked about the fingernails and toe- nails.] Claim dey get de toenails, fingahnails, something like dat. Hit jes' de same thing.
(I see, and that [the nails] will repeat the same thing.)
Yes.
Entry 4490
(What do they do with your bath water?)
Well, dey take dat bath water and strain it, an' put it up ovah de door some- where where yuh pass out an' undah, an' dat will keep yuh mind on 'em.
Entry 4491
Dey say yuh could take de dirt an' let it get dry. (What dirt?) De dirt what's lef' aftah yuh use - when yuh drain de watah out, an' de dirt dat's lef' in de tub. An' let it get dry an' keep it fo' nine days, an' dat will make yuh husban' stay home. I don't know all dat, whut it's fo'.
Entry 4492
Yuh could take de bath watah.
(The water you take a bath in?)
Yeah. Put it in a quart bottle, or a pint bottle - any [either] one. Yuh gets yuh 9 needles - yuh buy 'em what ain't been used out of - 9 needles, 9 pins. Put 'em in dat [bottle], a bran'- new stoppah. Yuh stop dat [bot- tle] up tight, tight. Turn it like dis, upside down. Bury it undah de hydrant where de watah runnin'. When yuh put dat dere, dat will run 'em crazy.
(I see.)
Entry 4493
Dey'll take dat watah dat yuh bath in an' dey'll take an' put dat watah in a bottle. Well, dey gon'a git chew. Like if yuh take a bath an' yuh wantsme, don' take dat watah an' [throw it away]. Den yuh put dat watah in a bottle an' evah ah come an' ask yuh fer a bottle of watah, drink of watah, yuh'll give dat watah [to me]. An' den dat'll make mah 'fluence [feelings] go towards yuh.
Entry 4494
De nex' way, she kin take an' wash 'er feet, yuh undahstan', an' make a tea out of it. Put it in yore tea or coffee. Wash 'er feet an' put it in yore tea or coffee an' give it tuh yuh tuh drink. An' when yuh drink it, it be about nine days or so yuh'll be crazy 'bout 'er.
Entry 4495
De watah whut chew take a bath [in] - if yuh wanta make a woman love yuh, git dat watah whut chew taken a bath in an' take a teaspoonful of dat. An' put it into - if yuh cook greens or peas or anything lak dat, a spoonful of dat watah intuh anything yuh cook. It's bes' tuh put it in coffee an' let 'er drink dat. An' de third day dere ain't no way in de worl' fo' her tuh quit chew. She can't quit, see. She won't have no feelin' fo' nobody else but chew.
Entry 4496
Yuh kin take watah in a pan, yuh know a pan. Well yuh kin wash yuh- self off - yuh see, all off. An' jes' like yuh cook or somepin like dat - boil corn, boil potatoes - yuh jes' boil it [bath water] an' put season in it, salt an' pepper, an' give it tuh a man to eat, yuh see. All dat keeps a man [some- thing whatever it is, meaning satisfied, complacent, etc.] to [with] plenty of WOmen. YUH SEE LOTS OF WOMEN GOT A MAN MAKES A GOOD LIVIN'. DE MEN DON'T GO ROUN' AN' SEE FO' DEMSELF [BY EXPERIMENTING WITH OTHER WOMEN]. DEY FIN' THINGS TUH DO IN DE HOME. [This is a good illustration of what magic rites and igno- rance instead of character and intelligence does to the human mind!]
The informant describes water for washing oneself. The editor later identifies the referent as bath water; the claimed relationship effects are unverified.
Entry 4497
Use de watah she'd take a bath in.
(Well, how would they do that?)
Take it an' cook food wit it, an' she kin control 'er husban'.
(The water she takes a bath in, I see.)
Entry 4498
When yuh wash yuh face an' han's, dey kin jes' take a little watah an' ketch some of dat watah an' stop it up befo' yuh throw it out. Dat'll.bring yuh back. An' dey say yuh kin go roun' de cornah [of house? street?] an' dey shake it an' yuh gotta come back.
Entry 4499
Well, if yuh've taken a bath in watah. Yuh see, when yuh bath yuhself, dat gets a certaln portion of yuh body off - dat perspiration of yuh body, see. Yuh washes off in dat. Dey take dat watah an' dey will stop it up in a bottle, yuh see. Well, it's quite natchal [natural] dat watah will sour, yuh see. Den dey take some sugah an' dey sweeten dat watah. Well, anything dat yuh sweeten will create an asick [acid] right away, yuh see. Dey take an' put dat in a bottle. Dey stop it up, see. Aftah dey stops it up, dey sets dat bottle upside down, yuh undahstan'. Evah once in awhile dey go in an' dey shake dat up. Dat shakes dat asick up in dat bottle, yuh see. An' when dey shakes dat asick up in dat bottle, dat starts yuh tuh burnin' an' eetchin' [itch- ing] all ovah, yuh see, an' yuh can't be peaceful nowheres. Yuh can't rest, it keep yuh tormented all de time.
Entry 4500
Yuh take dat watah an' put it aside an' let it git sour.
(This bath water.)
An' it get sour de suds goin' come tuh de top. Skim off dat suds an' pour all dat [water] out an' dere'll be groun's [dirt] undahneat' dere. Yuh take dat, de groun's undahneat' dere, too. Yuh know, gon'a be suds on de top, an' po' de watah off de top, den dere'll be drugs [dregs] at de bottom. Yuh take dat [dregs] an' yuh put dat in a bottle an' git dere name, write on a piece of papah nine times, nine needles, nine pins an' three nails, an' put 'em in dat bottle. See, if dey is from yuh [informant demonstrates by shaking imaginary bottle]. See, git dem tuh come tuh yuh. (Oh! You shake that bottle and the person will come to you. I see. Well, how do you get this scraping off their feet then? That off your feet or off their feet?) Dat off dey're foot, yuh know. (Oh! This is the bath water, that's right.)
Entry 4501
Jes' like yuh wanta have control an' influence ovah people. Aftah yuh wash yuh face an' han's, jes' throw it out de front [door] an' make a wish. Wish tuh be successful in yuh wishes - of being, like man- agin' an' gettin' dere mind in influence.
Entry 4502
Well, yuh take dat [bath water] an' throw a little of it behin' ieh evah time yuh leave. It'll draw yuh back. [There is a considerable amount of material about throwing articles behind you - when leaving for court, etc.]
Entry 4503
Ah heard about 'um takin' de watah yuh wash in, bath in, an' yuh take it an' throw it in a certain direction. Yuh step back - dey step back certain amount of step, ah think it's seven, an call de indiwidual name. If dey git a holt dat watah now, dey gotta git dat watah in a jug or somepin, er a basin. But it gotta be in [when] evahbody absent, when only yuh de one, yuh alone. Yuh take dat watah an' yuh step back seven times an' yuh call de indiwidual name, an yuh throw dat watah tuh de sundown side, an' dat will cause dat person tuh becom Puny, Puny, Puny, puny. Dey will nevah keep good health, dey always will be puny.
Entry 4504
(And what about the bath water?)
Well, take de bath watah an' put some sugah in it an' Hearts Cologne, an' den take an' [in the morning] throw it to de sunrise; an' if yuh don't want 'im, in de aftahnoon yuh take an' throw it tuh de east - ah mean west. (Well, what do you throw it to the sunrise for in the morning? Well, dat's to make him cling tuh yuh. (I see. If you don't want him, you throw it to the west.)
Entry 4505
Well, now, dey kin take yuh watah whut chew bath in an' yuh kin take dat watah an' po' out jes' like de sediment - dey ketch de sediment, de bottom. Dey don't ketch de top, git de bottom part of de dirt. It's from, yuh know, what comes from de hide. Yuh undahstan' me, from yuh hide. See, de sediment goes into de bottom. De watah dirty on top, but chew kin take time an' po' it out an' ketch de drainin's. Ketch dat dust. All right. Yuh'll take dat an keep it fer twelve days, undahstan' me. Den aftah de twelve days, yuh'll take it an' yuh'll go tuh a creek, forward, an' don't nevah look back. Whilst yuh's goin' it's diff'run', yuh mind is on goin' to dat creek. Don't look back'tall fer nuthin. When yuh get to de creek - yuh gets tuh de creek or rivah or what- somevah it is an' throw it back like dat. Yuh take dis han' heah [demonstrates].
(Your left hand.)
Dis han' here, dis yore heart. Throw it ovah dere an' go on about chure business. Don't look back.
(You throw it over your right shoulder?)
Yes, take dat lef' han'
(What will that do then?)
Well, dat is - dat man dat yuh wants tuh do dat tuh, dat gives 'i, he cain't stay nowheres. He has tuh jes' - see, de creek is got dat goin', an' jes' like he is goin'. He be here an' aroun' tuhday an' tuhmorrah in anothah little town somewheres, an' on an' on, unless yuh save a little of dat watah an' yuh git tired of 'im goin'. Yuh save a little watah an' change it. Go tuh a creek an' take dis han' an' throw it ovah. An' aftah it gits far as yuh wanta - if it git fer enough from yuh, dere ain't no way fer 'im tuh git back, becuz he'll nevah have de mind tuh git back tuh yuh. (In other words, if you want him to stop roaming, you take the other hand, the right hand, and throw this stuff over the left shoulder.) Yes sir, ovah de right shouldah [see correction later]. Take yuh lef' han' an' throw it ovah yuh right shouldah [see correction later].
(That's to get rid of him?)
Yes. (What's to make him stop then, when you take that other piece of dirt? When you go back to the creek the second time?) Well, yuh save some of dat sediment an' throw it ovah yuh left-han' shouldah [here is the correction] but don't look back. Well dat stops 'im. (You take the right hand and throw it over the left shoulder. I see.)
Entry 4506
An' throw it [bath water] in runnin' watah an' yuh'll drift - you'd drift, you'd drift from dere. (You throw my bath water into the water?) Yeah, in de watah, in de runnin' watah. (I see.) Dat's tuh put yuh on a draa tuh drift an' wandah. Yuh won't be satisfied no place. Yuh drift.
Entry 4507
Take dat watah an' stop it up an' go throw it in de Mis'sippi Rivah. An' if dey throw it in de Mis'sippi Rivah, yuh'll keep on jes' like de watah drift, yuh'll drift like dat.
(What would you stop up?) Take dat watah an' ketch it. (What water?) Take de watah yuh take a bath in. (I see.)
An' stop it up in a bottle right tight, an' take it an' throw it in de Mis'sippi Rivah; an' if dey throw it in de Mis'sippi Rivah, de cork can't come out. Jes' as long as dat bottle is stopped up, dat bottle goin' tuh float. An' yuh'll go.
(You'll go. What's going to happen to you?)
Huh? Yuh'll get drownded.
(I see.)
Entry 4508
Well, yuh bath in dat watah an' if dey kin git perten [= purtty = pretty] near all of it, left or drained in de bottom, about half of it left, dey take dat bath watah an' yuh put it in a jug - sompin dat wouldn't leak. An' yuh fix it in sompin-like what it wouldn't sink, yuh undahstan'. An' aftah it won't leak out an' it won't sink, dat's all yuh want. Put it in some runnin' watah - long as it don't sink, long as it don't leak - why dat will, yuh will nevah be no mo' good. See, 'cuz dat watah will be goin' an' it'll be comin' back - back an' fo'th jes' like de tide is goin'. Yuh kin take dat an' throw it ovahbo'd, an' den when de tide goes down, why yo' is down, yuh sick. De tide will come up, yuh coumence tuh feelin' a little bettah. But dat will be yuh ways de balance of yuh days. If yuh don't ketch dat jug an' bust it, why yuh will be goin' from dis place, from side tuh side like dat.
Entry 4509
Dey take dis watah dat yuh bath in, if dey wanted tuh hurt cha. Dey git holt of dis watah dat yo' bath in. Dey take an' make some sea watah an' mix it wit it, dis watah yuh bath in, an' dig a hole durin' de night an' po' it down in dere. Dat'll put yuh down in bed.
Entry 4510
Dey git hold of yuh [bath] watah. Dey take dat watah, see. Well, if dey wanta drown yuh, if dey wanta make yuh drown, yuh see, dey take dat watah an' carry it tuh a well, sompin like dat, an' dey'll throw dat dirty watah into de good watah. Well, yuh know when yuh don' bath yuh dirt an' all will come up in dat watah, yuh see. Well, when yuh bath yuh mind is on nuthin else but dat bath, see. Yuh realize dat when yuh bath, ain't it? All right, yuh look all ovah yuhself. Yuh take a nice bath an', why yuh figah [figure] how ah'm nice an' clean. Well, yuh look at de watah an' say, "Well, dat watah mighty dirty. Well, dat sure is dirty." Like dat or sompin like dat. Well, if de watah was not soil much, yuh say, "Well, ah sure wasn't dirty, but ah take a bath anyhow an' now ah feel bettah." Dey'll [an enemy] take dat dirty watah an' dey will carry it tuh de well an' dey will throw it in de well, see. Dey will throw it in de well an' perhaps somebody might go dere an' fin' yuh dere in dat well drownded. [Charleston, S. Car., (511), 575:5.] [If hat as a whole does not appeal to the hoodoo believer, sweatband and especially sweatband bow do; the former as a place to hide cunjure, the latter as a small pliable object full of symbolism, easily concealed, and usually worn or kept for a love hand. The preceding title I have separated into three head- ingS: HAT AS A WHOLE, SWEATBAND OF HAT EXCLUDING BOW, and BOW FROM SWEATBAND OF HAT.]
Entry 4511
If she's got 'is hat, she kin take his hat an' hole [hold] it ovah a lamp an' let it git warm inside, an' den jis' take it an' put it right in de middle of de bed. He'll come home. (With the crown down or up?) Dis way, see [demonstrates].
(The crown down on the bed.)
Entry 4512
Well, if mah wife want me tuh stay home, she could take mah hat an' put on de bed. Take a little piece of green leaf an' put in de back of it [in back = behind syeatband] an' let it stay on de bed. Evah time he go tuh pass dat night he'll nevah go nowhere. (What kind of a leaf is that?) A peah leaf or eithah a green apple - de apples whut grown down heah [in this part of the country]. Eithah one of dose or eithah one dem leaves out de [something].
(Where did she put that hat?)
Right on de foot of de bed.
(He'd see it there wouldn't he?)
Wake up an' *see de hat dere but he wouldn't know how it got dere. He jes' lay down.
Entry 4513
A girl came from N'Yawk [New York]. She tole me whut tuh do if a man, if he doesn't love yo'. She tole me whut tuh do wit 'is hat. She said if a man doesn't love yuh an' yuh love him, dat yuh take his hat. An' when yuh walk off, yuh an' 'im walk off from de house, an' yuh turn roun'. Yuh know, perten' dat yo' have tuh go back tuh de house. An' yuh take his hat an' pull yore pants down an' rub it 'tween yuh legs twice an' walk on back. An' she said dis man would be crazy about chew. (What do you do when you turn around? You snatch his hat. You mean away from him?) Yuh know, some girls jes' take dere boy fren's hat an' put it on dere haid an' perten' dat it's cold or somepin an' jes' have on dere hat. It rainin' or sompin an' jes' have on dere hat - it rainin' or sompin. Dey jes' wanta put it on.
(She'll go on back to the house wearing his hat?)
Uh-huh. Do it twice.
Entry 4514
Yuh could go to any tree - take de top outa a woman or a man hat, but dat will run 'em crazy. An' yo' bo' a hole in dis tree an' take dat hat [top] an' put it in dere. Den cut chew a little piece of stick dey call a peg an' yuh drive it in dere tight. See, lak dat. See, yuh drive it up tight an' yuh smooth it off. Well, dat tree - dat green tree, dat flesh [bark] will grow ovah dat, an' dat will run 'em 'way from dat place.
Entry 4515
If a man lef' home an' yuh kin fine [find] any one of de hats dat he have wore, or any of 'is undahclothes, yuh take it an' cut chew a piece off it. A woman kin do dat, cut a piece off it, an' tie: it up in a red little cloth. Put a white piece of cloth ovah it an' sew it up an' tote it in yuh pocket. An' by an' by dis man will come back home an' he won't know how he come back home. Jes' come right on back to yuh.
Entry 4516
Take de hatban'. Yuh see, like a woman, she or her an' 'er frien' has busted up. Well, she jes' tryin' - say tryin' tuh make love wit a man. She kin take his hatban' or a ban' in 'is cap. Yuh see, dat's where he sweat, his sweat- ban'. An' yuh'll git a quartah of a yard of yellah cotton. (Yellow cotton?) Yellah cotton. Use it bran'-new. An' yuh will pin dat wit bran'-new pins, not no pins dat been used roun' de house. Yuh git yuh some pins dat has nevah been used fer nuthin atall. An' yuh take dat sweat- ban' an' dat piece of cotton an' make a belt as long enough - jes' add enough yellah cotton tuh dat hatban' or de ban' of de cap dat reach aroun' yuh wais'. An' as long as dey wears it dere, dey is boun' tuh follah 'er.
Entry 4517
If a man is away from home an' de woman want 'im tuh come back, she kin use de band"out 'is hat. Sew it in 'er undahclothes an' wear it @p undah 'er right arm. See, if he away, she kin bring 'im back wit de right or de left [arm], but anywheres where she sweat on it, why he can't git away from 'er. Dat's whut ah heard.
Entry 4518
Or dey kin take de sweatban' [whole or piece?] out chure hat an' wear it indey shoe. Wear it evah day in yuh right shoes an' he'll have tuh come back.
Entry 4519
Yuh kin take a man's hatban' [sweatband] an' use his hatband, weah it in de bottom of yore shoe, jes' a piece of it, an' 'is mine will always stay aroun' dat fiah [fire]. He nevah is contented nowhere. When he's where yuh at, dat's 'is contentedness time. (The outside or the inside band?) De sweatban'. Take hit an' fold it tuh yuh, split it, an' put it in de bottom of yuh shoe an' evahwhere yuh go, he rearin' tuh go.
Entry 4520
If yuh have a girl fren' an' yuh love her an' she didn't seems tuh care very much fo' yuh, why yuh could sometime in goin' roun' 'er, an' git a chance tuh git 'er hat. Take de ban' from roun' 'er hat. Take de band from roun' 'er hat an' git a piece she's wearin' close tuh 'er. Take it an' some of 'er hair from a [below]. Yuh kin git chance tuh make a date wit 'er an' git some of 'er hair from roun' 'er. An' take it an' wrap it up in a piece of red flannel an' wear it nex' tuh yuh skin. Why den she come back tuh live wit chew.
(What piece of clothing do you get?)
Git de seat out of 'er drawahs. (And the hair from down below. That will make you have power over her.)
Entry 4521
Yuh git dis here dog stuff.
(Dog manure?)
Dat's right. Yuh lay dat dog manure right out dere an' let it be dried by de sun. Yuh can't do nuthin [with wet dog manure]. An' yuh put it out dere an' let it dry. When it dry yuh beat it up intuh a powdah. Ah reckon yuh know about dat? (No, no.) Git chure hat an' yuh take de rim [inside band] of dat roun', an' yuh take dat powdah an' sprinkle it aroun' in dat hat jes' dat way [demonstrates].
(Inside the rim.)
An' yuh goin' weah dat hat. DERE AIN'T NO DOCTAH 'TWEEN HEAH AN' PHILLIPPINES KIN CURE DAT. AN' HE WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT'S DE MATTAH. OH, DEY TRIED TUH CURE ME [WHEN IS WAS] DATAWAY. Ah [had] mah hat [dressed].
(What would it do to you?)
It GIVE YUH A BAD HEADACHE AN' IT WILL LAS' YUH TUH YUH GRAVE. Dey done me dataway.
Entry 4522
Now, dere wuz a boy wuz goin' wit me an' ah took 'is hat. He wuz in New York but he's done been back heah since dat. An' ah took 'is hat an' ah dressed de bindin' of it, de wide bindin' inside. Ah took an' pur [poured] a few drops of dis heah dragon's blood an' a few drops of John de Conkah. Hit [the latter] wuz oil yuh see, not de wood. Sometime yuh qit it in bottles. Well, ah has some of dat an ah dropped a few drops roun' in dere, an' a few drops of dis heah cologne. An' he been wit me evah since. We've been married.
Entry 4523
Dey take dat an' git a new-bran' [brand-new] file, one of 'em three- cornahed files, yuh know, an' wrap [the sweatband] aroun' dat, yuh know. An' bury dat in de do' of de individual - yuh know, like yuh want tuh call de individual tuh yore do', yuh jis' do same way like yuh use de hat bow.
(You bury this file at the door.)
At yore do', yes.
(With the sweatband wrapped around it.)
An' den yuh pulls it, if yuh wan' 'em tuh come. Yuh draw it tuh yuh.
[File pulled through a wrapping about it is the old stick-in-a-hole rite.]
(That will make them come, I see, if you want to make love to anybody.)
Entry 4524
She kin git a chance tuh git dat [graveyard dirt] in dere [sweatband], dat'll make yuh go blin'.
“Graveyard dirt” and “sweatband” are bracketed editorial identifications within the printed speech.
Entry 4525
De' take de dust of a rattlesnake an' put it in a person's hat, an' when he sweat dat sweat rolls down towards 'is eyes an' it'll blind 'im. But it's nuthin'll do dat no good [there is no cure for it], if it's a rattlesnake.
Entry 4526
Well, dey tell me dat yuh kin take dat sweatband outa man hat an' keep it salted fo' de third mawnin'. Keep it salted an' dampened till de third mornin', an' take it up an' lay it in de sun an' let it dry, an' it will run 'em distracted.
(You put that in salt for three days?)
Yes.
Entry 4527
Whut chew kin do wit a man's hat. Now, yuh kin take a silvah dime. Yuh kin take a silvah dime an' plastah it tuh de centah of a man's hat back dere an' it'll change his mine [mind] from dif- f'ren' things. Jes' say, fo' an in- stance, if ah wuz stay- in' wit a lady an' she didn't wan' me tuh leave or somepin, well now, she would take dat silvah dime, see; an' me not payin' no 'tenshun an' plastah it right in dere in mah hat undah dat tag whut be's in dere [put dime in sweatband]. An' dat'll keep me from leavin'. All right, she kin take dat same dime an' she'll kill enough chinches tuh git enough blood, jes' enough blood tuh stain dat dime off of a chinch, see. An' put dat same dime right down dere [in the sweatband] an' fold it back ovah dat. Well, when ah sweat dat's goin' run down in mah face an' goin' run me blind.
(Those chinches, that's the same as the bug from the bed?)
Dat's it.
Entry 4528
(How do they fix the sweatband?)
Well, dey'll git dese diff'ren' spidahs an' gran'daddies [see laterl an' all lak dat. Dey'll poison 'em [the victim]. An' dey'll put 'em in a little watah an' cook dem. An' when yuh lay yuh hat down, dey'll take it an' wet all undah yuh hatban' [sweatband] good in front. An' when yuh git out an' git tuh sweatin', an' dat hatban' git sweatin' yuh know, dat thing goin' a-mix wit yore sweat. When dat sweat run down in yuh eyes - an' dat'll run yo' blin'. [Granddaddy = daddy longlegs = a harvestman or arachnid of the order Phalangida.]
Entry 4529
Ah know 'bout de rim roun' yuh hat. Ah nevah heard about no bow.
(What do they do with that rim around your hat?)
Well, dey take de rim from roun' yuh hat - de sweatban' ah mean, dat goes aroun' in de hat, an' dere's a herb in de woods dey callt de skunk [cabbage]. Well, if a person is away from yuh an' yuh wan' dem tuh return back tuh yuh, see. Dis is a fahm [form] of herb dat dey call it a skunk, smell jes' like a polecat. An' [take] a coon root an' a shame root. [This is perhaps the coon grape or raccoon grape (Ampelopsis cordata) of southeastern U. S. A., a woody vine with grapelike foliage and inedible bluish fruit; and less likely the fox grape (Vitis babrusca). For shame root, see shame brier, p.646.1 Dey take dose [three] herbs, dose roots togethah, yuh see, an' kinda put dem on de stove an' let 'em steep, an' put de ban' of dis hat in dere. An' IN DE MAWNIN' BEFO' DE SUN RISE YUH GO, DAT IS IF YUH IS RELIGIOUS - GOT TUH BE RELI- GIOUS TUH DO DAT SORT OF THING DEY TELL ME. An' when de sun risin', Why yuh take dat an' repeat de [Our] Father's Prayer an' ask Him in de Name of Jesus, "Yuh give me So-an'-so fer mah companion, mah love." An' den when yuh turn back - den jes' have a volve [resolve] to return 'im back, why dat will bring 'im back.
(What do you do with that sweatband then?)
Oh, when he come back, yuh throw it away. (I mean, you take this sweatband out [of the brew] when you are making this prayer, don't you?) No, let it all stay right dere.
(Stay where?)
Right in de vessel dat yuh have dere. Yuh have some kinda saucepan, yuh know. Let it stay right in dere.
(You take that out when you do that praying? You had that along with you?)
In de mawnin' yuh kin go, yuh know when de sun risin'. Den yuh bring dis back.
Entry 4530
Den dey kin wheel aroun' [change about] an' take yuh hat. Dey take yuh hat, dis ban' off yore hat, an' dey take de ban' tuh hurt cha. An' when dey take it off dere, dey keep dat. (They take that bow off.) Yes sir, dey keep dat. Den dey done take dat, dey keep dat. If dey kin git tuh yore shoes, dey take yore right foot shoe an dey'll burn it up tuh ashes, an' de oddah foot de same way. An' dey kin take dat ban' off de hat an' put it in deah, in heah, an' bury 'em an' keep yuh down.
Entry 4531
Dey go tuh work an' take de lef'-footed stockin' an' git chew some brimstone an' some spice. An' cut de stockin', de heel of it on down tuh de toe, an' burn dat tuhgethah - burn de stockin' an' makes a powdah out of dat. An' den goes tuh work an' grin' up dat spice an' grind up - when yuh grin' up de spice, den yuh goes tuh work an' yuh grin' up dis brimstone. An' mix it all tuhgethah an' yuh kin take it an' rub it in a hat - in his hat whut he use. Dat will make him stay home.
Entry 4532
Dey kin git 'is sweatban' too an' give him anothah spell. Git 'is sweatban' outa his hat an' put it in a bottle. Yassuh [yes sir], take a bottle an' put it in a bottle, an' put a cork stoppah in dis heah bottle an' fasten it up an' keep dat ban'. Jes' roll dis heah ban' up real tight de way yuh fold it back double. Twist it real tight an' put it in a bottle. Put some hot watah in it. Let it be jes' hot enough not tuh break yuh bottle, an' let it set in dere. An' den dey go take dis heah den an' put it in de rivah, any kinda watah dat watah runs ovah. Dat'll give him anothah feeble mine [mind].
Entry 4533
Dey kin go tuh de rivah. She kin git one sock, dat would be de right one, an' de hatban' - brim inside, de sweat [sweatband]. An' take it an' throw it in de rivah. She got 'im. He would eithah go crazy or come back tuh 'er.
Entry 4534
I had a half brothah an' he wuz goin' wit a girl in Washington [D. C.]. Her name wuz Cornelia A. An' so he stopped goin' wit [her] an' went tuh goin' wit anothah girl. Den like a crazy he turned dis othah [second] girl down an' went goin' back wit 'er [first girl] again. So he tells mah mothah. I don't know, but he said he had a straw hat. She takes 'is hat an' she put somepin, I don't know, in dere. But anyhow, his whole eyes became jis' as white as dis papah [probably my open Numbers Book on the table], black an' all. He got so he couldn't see a wink. He died in jis' about three months afterwards.
[Snow Hill, Md., (Informant 93).]
Entry 4535
DIS IS YORE HAT AIN'T IT?
(Yes.)
Dere's a li'le bit of ban' inside of yore hat got a li'le bow in it. Yuh remembah dat?
(Yes.)
I learnt dat. De girl, I seen 'er do a boy dat way once. She take dis hat, she git dis li'le bow ribbon outa it, an' she pinned it on 'er, inside of 'er bloomahs right at 'er crutch [crotch]. An' she taken dat an' she wore dat. An' de boy couldn't git away from 'er. An' he went back to huh. Co'se he had quit 'er, laid off from 'er. [There are other references to my black hat in HOODOO.]
Entry 4536
Lak dis hat chere is mah hat [refers to my hat with microphone at the side of recorder]. Dat bow dere. Dey kin take dat bow outa dere an' pin dis bow in de seat of dere drawahs, a woman [kin], right nex' to dere meat, yuh know. An' wherevah dat dat woman go, why yuh'll go follah 'er. If yuh can't follah 'er yuh'll lose yuh min'.
Entry 4537
Ah have heard women say dat if dey git de bow out of a man's hat, dey takes dat bow an' dey wears it right next to dere skin. In othah words, dey put it undah dere arm somewheres. Well. dat man will always follah dem. He will be in love wit dem always.
Entry 4538
Yuh kin wear dat bow near yore privates or yuh kin wear it up undah yore arms, or wear it underneath yore breasts.
(What is that supposed to do?)
Dat will make him stay home an' dat will make him love yo' dat much mo'.
Entry 4539
Git de bow out of a man's hat an' put it undah 'er lef' arm an' wear it undah dere, an' he become tuh be in love wit 'er.
Entry 4540
Dat woman she takes dat out [bow of sweat- band]. All right, she takes an' sew it right up under heah [demonstrates]. (Under her left armpit.) Undah de lef' one, jes' right up dere an' weah it. An' jes' as long as she weahs it, it's nobody in de worl' - whut ah mean, yuh ain't goin' worry wit nobody else - can't nobody git cha, can't nobody do nuthin wit chew. Yuh earnin's an' evahthin' yuh git yuh goin' take tuh dat woman. An' she kin take it from dere an' she kin weah it in 'er lef' shoe. Dat's undah yore [her] feet. When she do dat it's purtty [pretty] hard. Well, yuh see it jes' more den drive yuh crazy becuz she trampin' on yuh. See WHEN SHE WEAR IT HERE [IN ARMPIT] DAT'S FRIEN'LY LOVE, BUT WHEN YUH PUT IT DOWN HEAH [IN HER SHOE] DAT GOES HARD, MORE DAN APT - MIGHT CUZ YUH TUH KILL CUZ IT GITS YUH CRAZY ABoUT 'ER.
Entry 4541
Wal, whut de' do wit dat little bow inside of a man's hat, de wimins takes dat. De wimmins take dat if dey wanted to hold a man. Dey want tuh hold a man an' keep 'im at home, dey takes it outa his hat an' stick it in de crack [in the wall!] right ovah de bed - ovah de head of de bed or anywhere in house dere. An' dey kin go anywhere an' come back an' he be right dere. He won't nevah leave. [This is one of those higher than the head rites like over the door rites.]
Entry 4542
Ah heard about 'em takin' de bow out of a man's hat, an' sewin' it up in a piece of red flannel cloth, an' takin' it an' throwin' undah bed. An' dat'll keep 'im comin' roun' yore house, comin' tuh yore house, dey say, if it's a woman; an' dat if it's a man, dat it'll run 'im crazy.
(They use the woman's bow to bring her?)
Well, eithah one.
Entry 4543
[Sweatband bow combined with other substances in a bottle will be found later, as well as in other parts of the text.] Dey take dat little bow an' put it in a bottle an' fill half full of watah, an' turn it bottom upwards an' bury it wit de mouth down, so dat watah drippin' in de groun'. Yuh'll go intuh de groun', see; cuz I put a little hole in dat stoppah, so dat watah kin seep out. An' [when] all dat watah run out dat bottle, den yuh goin' tuh de grave.
Entry 4544
Dey take dat [sweatband] bow an' dey preserve it in alcohol in a bottle, stop it up tight, an' yuh won't only have de headache, sick tuh de stomick, it'll continue on yuh from one thing tuh anothah until finely [finally] yuh'll jis' git down like a man wit T. B. [tuberculosis], an' yuh'll jis' drift away tuh nuthin. [Informant may be mistaken about the alcohol preserving the bottled bow, or is this his way for saying that alcohol feeds the bow? See p.578, also margin title WHISKEY later on among these bow rites.]
Entry 4545
Take dat bow intuh yore hat an' dat will run yuh crazy. Take dat bow in yore hat an' put it intuh a bottle. Airtight dis bottle an' don't let no air git intuh it an' it will run yuh crazy.
Entry 4546
If dey jes' take some of yuh hair out chure haid, dey takes dat hair an' buries it. See, dat's tuh git chew in de action tuh work like dey want chew tuh work. An' jes' like if dis cap [informant's own], OR DIS HAT [MY BLACK HAT ON RECORDING TABLE]. Dis heah boW yuh see in dis cap [demonstrates], why yuh kin take dis bow heah out of dis cap an' run me crazy. See, ah gen'ral' [generally] WHEN AH GITS A CAP OR HAT AH ALWAYS TAKES DIS [demonstrates] OUT, CUZ IT'S DANGEROUS, see.
(Well, how would they do that?)
Well, dey takes dis bow heah out of yuh cap or hat an' dey takes dat bow an' dey dresses it, see. Dey dress it wit dis heah, some kinda whut de' call Hearts Cologne. Takes it an' put dat on it, an' dis heah stuff dey call - dat's a great thing - table salt. Dat's great. Dey take dat an' put dat in dere wit it an' dey sew it up, an' dey try tuh work in a way tuh git where yuh stay at. See, play partnahs wit yuh. An' when dey git tuh where yuh stay at, dey put it up ovah yuh do'. Den, when yuh git tuh actin' funny an' gittin' crazy [anything of yours over a door you walk under makes you light-headed], see it will run yuh crazy, an' yuh won't even know whut it's all about.
Entry 4547
Dey kin take dat little bow back dere an' run yuh crazy.
(How do they do that?)
Well, dey kin put it in a little alcohol [see 4544] an' go tuh a place where runnin' watah at, an' throw it ovah in dere. Well dey kin run yuh crazy. Or eithah dey kin take it an' put it in alcohol an' let it stay in dere fo' a certain length of time. Sew it up in a little bow an' put it undah pillah. Dey kin run yuh crazy dataway. AH DON'T WEAR NONE IN MINE. [He removes the bow from his hat, a common practice.]
Entry 4548
An' anothah thing ah tell yuh about dis bow in yore hat. Yuh know, sometime a man wears a bow in 'is hat. [This shows that many men remove the bow from the hat.] Yuh even could take dat out an' wear it in de seat of yuh step- ins, jes' take an' pin it in dere, an' he'll love yuh an' nevah quit chew - even quit 'is wife fo' yuh.
Entry 4549
Take dat bow out of yuh hat an' dey'd bury dat bow. Take dat bow an dey bury it back of yuh house in ordah if dey wanta use yuh in a way fo', what might say, a henchman or fool, or somepin like dat. Dey'd bury dat bow back of dere house an' dat'll keep yuh comin' dere, see. An' yuh kin jes' git rid of evahthing yuh've got.
Entry 4550
Take dat little band out chure hat, carry dat an' put de jinx [a word rarely used] on it, covah it up where de sun can't git holt of it. An' yuh'll be jes' as half-minded as a rabbit.
(Thought they did that to your bow?)
Dey jes' take dat new band - dat new bow out de hat.
Entry 4551
Take dat bow an' yuh bury dat bow. When yuh bury dat bow yuh'll die. Dat's whut chew'll do, yuh'll die.
Entry 4552
Well, ah've heard dat dey take dat little bow out chure hat, out de sweatband of yuh hat, an' dey buries it.
(What will that do?)
Well, dey says it will run a man crazy.
(Just ordinary crazy.)
Entry 4553
Take dat bow outa his hat an' grease it wit camphor. Ah mean wet it wit camphor an' wear it inside of yore clothes, on de left side [heart side]. Dat would make yore man love yuh an' do mos' any- thin' dat yuh want 'im tuh do. [Here I turned off machine and then informant added a note I had to repeat to include in rite.]
(Wear it near the left breast?)
Dat's right.
Entry 4554
Take de bow inside of a man's hat dey claim an' run 'im crazy. Dey use dat an' burn a black light on it - called a black candle. Set dis black candle on it an' burn it 21 days, an' it will make him absent-minded. [For Sims see 34, p.23; 532, p.157;2091 p.608.]
Entry 4555
Ah've heard of 'em. Dey takes dat li'le bow. Well, dey takes dat li'le bow dere an' dey walks aroun' dat house. Dey goes roun' dat house nine times an' bring de bow back in de back do', an' walk through de hall tuh de front do' an' put it ovah de front do'. Conceal it from dis man.1 He nevah know where it at. An' long as it stay dere, dey got dis man.
(A woman would do that to hold a man?)
Tuh hold de man. No harm perform on it, no mo' den a deep taste fo' love.
Entry 4556
It's a long time since ah went tuh a [hoodoo] woman, but ah went tuh a Woman ovah heah when ah wuz [having trouble with my husband]. An' she tole me tuh git de seat of 'is undahwears dat be's dirty an' de bow outa his hat, dat little bow dat be's on de inside. She tole me tuh git dat out an' sew hit in de seat of mah bloomahs, an' dat would make him come back an' ca' fo' her [me] mo' den he evah would do'.
Entry 4557
Yuh kin take dat bow from de back of 'is hat, one dat he done wore - de sweat in it chew undahstan'. Yuh kin take dat an' jes' keep it in de seat of yore bloomahs all de time. Jes' pin it in dere an' wear it in dere an' dat will always keep 'im wit chew. Dat's all yuh gotta do, jes' wear it in dere all de TIME. AN' EVAH TIME YUH CHANGE A PAIR OF PANTS, YUH JES PUT IT RIGHT BACK IN.