Browse:Sun at the Forks (Volume 1, entries 357–358)
Sun at the Forks
Volume 1, entries 357–358. Source context: SPIRITS → SELL SELF TO THE DEVIL. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 357
Well, whatevah yore desires is, yo' go tuh de fo'ks of de road - one goin' yonder way an' one goin' dis way, lak dat. Well, dat's a fo'k, see. Well, yo' stand direct in de fo'ks of dat road an' look towards de sun jes' befo' it rise. Yo' makes yore wishes an' whatevah yo' wants done or did why yo' say dat an' den make a wish In de Name of de Father, an' de Son an' de Holy Ghost. Dat's de climax on whatevah yo' wish fo'. Do dat fo' nine mawnin's befo' de sun rise. Be shore yo' do dat befo' de sun rise an' yore wishes will come true.
The informant describes standing at road forks facing sunrise on nine mornings, expressing wishes in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The account gives a promised outcome without specifying a devil encounter or applying neighboring rites' requirements.
Entry 358
Whenever somebody wants some help, dey go to the forks of the road for nine mornings and carries some kin'a music piece with 'em - a banjo box or either some, you know, record. And the sun'll move jis' like dis here [demonstrates].
(Sun swings back and forth like a pendulum.)
You'll meet de devil dere every morning for nine mornings and de ninth morning dey'll be some form dere to show you da' [dat] chew want. And after the nine mornings you'll have anything you want and you'll be lucky. If you be gamblin', yo' go to a skin game and you'll win every time, see. But, if you turn back and startin' doin' any, you know, things dat de Lord would wan' chew to do, you can't ast de devil for nothin' else. You couldn't curse and get nothin' else da' chew want [one relapse and you are unsold to the devil].