Browse:THE AMAZING CHICKEN EGG (Volume 4, entries 9176–9440)/Part 3
THE AMAZING CHICKEN EGG
Volume 4, entries 9176–9440. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 9336
Said dat dey kin take chicken aigs an' take nine needles. An' yo' have tuh soak dat aig in vinegah, where yo' put dem nine needles dere, an' bury 'em intuh somebody's gate or do'step, where dey go in at. An' dey'll step on 'em, mash 'em. Dey'll leave town. (Any kind of chicken egg?) Any kind.
Entry 9337
Yo' kin take a aig, lak now a person livin' in de nex' house ovah dere. Well, yo' kin take a aig an' mark it [write name of victim on, see later], dis aig an' make a wish, an' goes somewheres by dem at de crack of sunrise. Well, do dat fo' nine mawnin's an' let de sun be lak de same, an' carry dat aig. An' evah way yo' go back dere fo' de nine mawnin's, go back anothah way, see. If yo' hap- pen tuh go round or go back dis way, let it be a object [opposite or different] mawnin'. Evah mawnin' be a new way comin'. See whut ah mean. If it happen tuh be de las' mawnin' de way yo' went de firs' time, let it be a new way comin' roun' de same thing. [Never go over the same path or road twice during the rite.] Well, yo' kin take dat aig in de last ninth mawnin' an' jes' haul off an' chunk it up on dat house an' let it bust, an' make yore wish befo' yo' bust it, one of dem names in de house. Jes' make a wish an' chunk it up dere. Write his name on de egg. See, dey goin' tuh leave. (You first get you the egg, don't you?) Yeah, git holt de aig. Take dis aig, an' well, fo' nine mawnin's yo' take up dis aig an' walk to someone yo' don't like. See, whut ah mean. Yo' want 'em tuh move out from roun' dere, from dis heah home. Yo' don't undah- stan' why people leave, yo' don't want 'em disturb. Yo' git dat aig an' yo' says, "Ah want dese heah people leave heah wit'out fussin'." Take dis aig an' carry de aig ovah heah, well jes' de time yo' see de sun jes' comin' tuh be. Well, take it out...
(Take it out where?)
To de front - tote de aig tuh de sun. See, jes' take it out where yo' kin see de sun an' turn back - don't look back. An' yo' place dat aig right back in de same place. Well, de nex' mawnin' - yo' do dat fo' de nine mawnin's, goin' out...
(Just going out and seeing the sun?)
Yeah. But don' let de sun be no fu'thah den yo' see it de firs' mawnin'. Don't let it be too fer. Jes' do dat fo' nine mawnin's an' let de sun be de same object an' 'bout de same time. Set yore clock. Do dat fo' nine mawnin's. Make yore wish an' write his name on dat aig an' jes' walk out de same mawnin' 'bout de same time, throw it an' let it bust. Yo' won't have no trouble.
(Where do you throw that egg?)
Jes' throw it an' let it bust on de house. On de left side [as you stand in front of the house looking at the house].
(That will make them move out.)
Dey gone.
Entry 9338
Well, yo' take an' git chew some black peppah an' some cai-yanne [cay- enne] peppah, an' git chew a fresh yard aig. De one in dat house dat made yo move out an' tole [told] him some yarns [lies] on yuh, him an' dim [= dem = them] gonna be jis' lak cat's an' dogs, until dey go, see. Now, if yo' wanta git back tuh dat house [if you Want to move back into that house]. (What do you do with that yard egg and that stuff that you mix up?) Jes' throw it up 'ginst de gate or any- wheres inside de yard, if yo' kin git in dere, an' [when] dey gone off tuh make [a visit] or sompin lak dat. An' throw it down on de groun' in front-a dey do'. Yo' kin do dat.
Entry 9339
Yo' kin take a aig an' yo' kin do dis, if yo' have a husban' or any niggah man dat chew want money outa 'im. [My transcriber, Miss Hayes (her work- ing name, actually a married woman with young school children) put a question mark over the word niggah, being surprised that one black person would call an- other black, niggah. The word niggah probably appears about 3 times in Hoodoo.] Yo' git chew a hen aig. Some says dat, but de' way ah know of it, yo' takes a hen aig if yo' husban' uh [or] man is colahed, an' git chew yo' two switches an' yo' git dis aig. Some say dat chew...but dis de way ah knows. Yo' take dis aig an' yo' care [carry] it tuh de house an' yo' set it up tuh de side of it. Git chew a glass-a watah an' hold de egg ovah de glass wit' watah in de glass. Yo' pop dat egg an' let jis' de white run intuh dat watah an' dat egg [white] will show [di- vine by initial or other form] whoevah been givin' yo' trouble wit dat man. She'll come down [come round] jis' lak she mah friend. Dey'll sprung up, de switches [as soon as informant sees in the egg white the woman causing trouble and pretending to be a friend, the use of the following switches springs up in her mind.] Den yo' go an' take dem switches, two perslmmon switches, an' put 'em in yore baid where he's gotta go tuh baid at. Put yo' one undah de steps where he's comin' in. Put chew one, jis' [lay] it down across lak dat [demonstrates].
(Put it across that door.)
Yes, he comin' right in de do' an' de othah two is in de baid. Well, he'll git in dat bed an' start tuh talk wit chah an' he's goin' step on dere, dat one comin' in de do'. An' when he goes tuh baid, yo' an' 'im will lay down right on dat switch [2 switches] dere. Well, ef he got any money, ah assure yuh, he'll han' yo' evahthin'. He goin' pay yo' what money he got.
(How many of these switches do you git?)
Git two fer de baid an' one fer de do'.
(That is all you have to do and he will give you all his money?)
Yes, sir, an' he'll give it tuh yo', too.
Entry 9340
At a certain time of de yeah - ah tell yo' 'bout de hen aigs. Dey say yo' kin take de aigs an' draw peoples pitchures on 'em. Dat's whut ah hear'd. An' yo' know, put de person's 'nitials undah de aig. An' dey say yo' go where dat person walk an' put de aig dere, an' say whut chew wanta say an' throw it down. When dat person walk ovah it, it'll happen lak yo' wanted it tuh happen. Dat de only [thing] ah hear'd about de aig.
Entry 9341
Dey can do a lot of things with chicken eggs.
(Well, for instance?)
Ah saw a woman once with a chicken egg. She had 'im - her man an' her was mad an' she wanted him tuh, yo' know, die, bump him off. She had his pitchure drawed on dat egg, an' she taken dat egg an' she had hulled a lemon out, a large lemon, an' she put it in dere. An' she went back an' buried it in de cornah of de yard, undah de steps at de cornah of de yard.
(What happened?)
Well, he died.
(It killed him?)
Killed him.
(Was that all she had to do?)
Yes, dat was all she had tuh do.
Entry 9342
Lak if ah been workin' in a place a long time, an' ah wants tuh stay dere, ah gits me a fresh yard aig [chicken egg laid in an old-fashioned henhouse and not on the modern commercial production line!] right aftah de hen lay it. An' ah take some straight stickin' pins [ordinary pins], dey gotta [be] new, an' ah put one right through it lak dis, see [demon- strates]. An' den ah run one across it, yo' see [demonstrates]. An' fo'evah weah dat. Even in mah pocket, jis' lak ah have a pocket, an' weah dat in dere, see [demonstrates]. An' yo' be dere [on the job] fo' a long time. Dey'll nevah fiah [fire = discharge] yo'.
Entry 9343
Ah kin move yo' wit a black hen's egg. Ah kin take dat an' go tuh yo' po'ch now an' bust one ovah dere, an' yo' sho' won't be dere. Yo'll move. [Porch is mentioned in a number of egg rites given elsewhere.]
Entry 9344
Says take a black hen aig an' lay it on dey private. Dat whut she tole me. An' write de person's name on it, an' carry it to a runnin' watah, an' she says dey'll travel. [Here is one of the amazing rites of Hoodoo! Where did it come from? Is its origin a hoodoo book written by someone who understood Hebrew? It is quite Biblical except for the purpose intended: And Abraham said unto his eldest servant... Put I pray thee thy hand under my thigh: And I will make thee swear by the Lord... Genesis, 24:1 (King James Version). Likewise The New English Bible uses under my thigh to translate privates or genitals. In the present rite a woman writes her man's name on the egg, lays it against herself and throws it into running water to get rid of him. His spirit in the name follows her spirit in the scent!]
Entry 9345
Sometime yo' got a enemy in yore way an' yo' don' have a chance tuh do anything, yo' git chew a aig. An' yo' write de firs' Psalms on it, an' write chure enemy's name on dat aig an' carry it tuh de swamp, de rivah, by de woods an' yo' cast dat from yo'. An' yo' see as dat goes, wherevah it goes, dey'll start tuh travelin' an' dey have tuh follah dat, until it don' git no place. [Psalm I is unsuitable here, being used out of context: "He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, etc. ". King James Version.]
Entry 9346
Take a aig an' put some quicksilvah in it. (A chicken egg?) Yes, sir. Make a little hole in it, chew know, an' put quicksilvah in it chew know. An' stop de hole up an' plant it right down at de place wheah yo' workin' at, an' dere can't nobody take dat job away from yuh.
Entry 9347
Yo' kin roll it on yore hearth, a chicken aig. An' roll it on yore hearth an' say de Lord's Prayah. Call de guy's name dat chew wants. Whosomevah yo' want, he'll come. He will, so dey tells me wit dat chicken aig. [To roll is an important and common rite in Hoodoo. Rolling commonly means to you or away from you.]
Entry 9348
Well, yo' see, de aigs, dere are two kinds of aigs. A roostah's aig is long an' de hen's aigs are round. Well, yo' git two hen aigs an' some salt an' black peppah. Well, yo' git on dis hen aig whut chew want done. Den yo' go an dig a hole de way yo' want tuh run it - tuhwards runnin' watah. Yo' dig a hole to- Wards runnin' watah an' den yo' put dis aig down in dere an' de black peppah an' salt, an' tell it evah whut chew want it tuh do. An' dey'll come back.
(You leave it there. You use two eggs though?)
Yeah, yeah, two aigs. Dey're round aigs. Yo' see, a roostah's aig is long an' de hen aig is round [the words long or round being words based upon sexual symbolism, not biology]. Well, yo' use de hen aigs. [For long eggs and round eggs see also following rite, and for round eggs and square eggs see also No.9284, p.3738.]
(You dig a sort of a ditch?)
No, a hole tuhwards runnin' watah. Yo' know, sometime yo' have ditches run- nin'. Well, yo' kin tell which way de watah is runnin'. Well, yo' dig de hole tuhwards runnin' watah.
(You mean between your house and the running water?)
Well, if de ditch is runnin' between yore house, yo' kin dig it right in front of de ditch, jes' so's it's runnin' which way de watah is runnin'.
(You mean you dig the hole away from you, down the way the water is running?)
Yeah, well, yo' take nine steps tuhwards de runnin' watah an' dig yore hole, an' den aftah yo' dig yore hole, yo' put chure aig an' salt an' black peppah down in dere. Co'se dis aig already has on it whut chew want it tuh do. An' den yo' have it bring 'em back.
(That is to bring them back?)
Yes.
Entry 9349
Well, jes' if anybody yo' want tuh move, if any of yore neighbahs is not so good an' yo' wanta move 'em.] But chew have tuh git a aig from a hen dat's been wit a roostah. De diff'- rence in dose aigs - yo' know de diff'rence in dose aigs? (No, I don't. Tell me about them?) Well, de hen dat doesn't be wlt a roostah, her aigs are round. An' de hen dat does be wit a roostah, her aigs is long. [Here as in the preceding rite, the symbolism of added length to the egg is obvious.] Well, yo' take one of dose long aigs an' yo' gits tuh de front do', an' yo' throws it ovah her house an' if dat aig busts yo're gone.
Entry 9350
Ah heard dat yo' could take a rotten aig an' make a person move out of de house. Break it on dere do'sill an' dat will make 'em move.
Entry 9351
Take a aig an' if it's a person dat chew dislike livin' in a house, yo' take a rotten aig an' take it an' throw it on dat do' an' splattah it all on dat po'ch an' dey will move.
Entry 9352
If it's anything an' yo' wanta make 'em move out de house, dat [foot] track business is one thing. Bust rotten aigs on his do' [also] make 'im move.
Entry 9353
Yo' kin take a aig, a rot- ten aig or sompin lak dat. Yo' kin take it an' put it above yuh do' 'fo' [door before] day fn de mawnin' -'fo risin' of de sun - an' yo' shoh [sure] will hafta [have to] git out of dere.
Entry 9354
[This rite and the two following ones come from Vicksburg, Miss. These three informants bear informant numbers 734, 736 and 738. Three consecutive informants telling the same story is not a chance occurrence, one of them having given the material to the other two. Two persons occasionally did this, especially man and wife, sisters or brothers, but the present three are probably my only example. May I add that this sort of thing never happened among professional informants.] If yo' got a wife an' ah wants tuh separate yo'all... (If I have a wife and you want to separate me.)...an' wants to separate chew, see. Ah don't have tuh take an' go tuh work an' git no lodestone or nuthin tuh separate chuh. Ah come tuh yuh house an' sit down dere an' talk wit chuh. Ah have a rotten aig in mah pocket. Ah'll git tuh yuh baid an' ah'll slip it in yuh baid, right where yo' lay. Ah'll slip it in de middle of yuh baid. Yo' go tuh baid at night, yo'all. Yo' an' 'er may lay down dere laughin' an' talkin' an' playin'. See, good humored wit one anothah, but whenevah yo' turn ovah on dat aig an' bust dat aig, yo' see, it'll fill de baid wit scent. Right dere where's it's goin' tuh start de devil in yuh house, yo' see. De minute dat chew ketch dat scent, yo' gon'a wanta know from dat wo- man whut de heck. What kinda scent dis in heah. See. "Yo' done had some man in dis baid." See. Well, right dere where's be a fussin' an' fightin'. Yo' goin' tuh jump up an' beat dat woman right away from dere. Well, yo' see, dat woman ain't comin' back 'cuz yo' beat 'er up, accuse 'er fo' nuthin.
(I see.)
Entry 9355
Lak ah want a fellah's ole lady, see. Well, ah'll git me a - ah'm goin' visit dere house an' have me a rotten aig dere, an' when ah git a chance, ah put it in de baid. See, dey'll fall out of dat [not bed but relationship] den. An' she want 'im back...
(She wants him back.)
An' she want 'im back, well she have tuh go tuh de hoodoo den.
Entry 9356
Make a man an' 'is wife separate. Bust 'em up, yes, sir.
(How will they do that?)
Take a rotten aig an' do dat.
(How?)
Take a rotten aig an' - jis' lak ah go tuh yuh house an' ah want yuh wife tuh put chew out. Take dis rotten aig an' ah'm settin' aroun' an' prob'ly yo'all eatin' or somepin. [I'd] git outa de room an' I'd slip it in de baid an' tuh- night when yo'all go tuh baid an' lay on dere - yo' wouldn't know it was indere - an' bust it. An' when yuh bust it, why dat cuse [cause] confusion.
Entry 9357
Git a white hen aig an' let it git rotten, an' throw it on de house an' dey'll have tuh move. (How do you mean, throw it on the house - where?) Anywhere roun' de house, jis' long as it bust de aig, aftah it's rotten. [Compared to eggs from black hens, an egg from a white hen is rare in hoodoo.]
Entry 9358
Say fo' instance if yo' own a piece of property, or if yo' don' own a piece of property. Heah's a fellah livin' intuh a house dat chew would lak tuh move in. Yo' take a aig an' yo' write de person's name, whoevah it might be, on de aig three times. Yo' take dat aig, aftah yo' write de name, an' shake it lak dat [dem- onstrates] an' dat'll make it, de white an' yallah come tuhgethah yo' know. An' yo' put dat aig away fo' nine days, see, an' it'll spoil. An' den yo' take dis aig an' throw it on de top of de house dat de person is livin' in. An' dey'll move.
Entry 9359
Yo' could do dat - yeah, sure. All yo' gotta do, take yuh three rotten aigs, see. Take yuh three rotten aigs. Yo' bury one-a dem [one of them] right at de steps. De othah two jis' hit 'em against de house. Nobody come in dere. (That crosses up the landlord. He can't rent the house after I leave there.) Dat's whut ah'm talkin' about. Aftah yo' bury one in front of de steps an' yo' throw two against de house right ovah yuh shouldah. GOTTA THROW 'EM OVAH YUH LEFT SHOULDAH. See, IF YO' THROW 'EM FACEWARDS, DON' AMOUNT TUH NUTHIN. Jis' throW 'em ovah yuh left shoul- dah against de house, aftah yo' done bury dat one in dere [at the steps]. Can't rent, not at all.
Entry 9360
Yo' kin have a wife. Yo' an' yore wife - yo' kin have a wife an' she leave home. An' yo' kin take three rotten aig an' throw 'em up side de wall on de house an' dat will bring her back home. (That will bring her back home. On the outside wall?) Yes sir. [This rite of breaking eggs, normally to send away or cause confusion, is made legiti- mate only by the intention to bring the woman back.1
Entry 9361
Dem rotten eggs, yo' could take nine of 'em an' put dem undah anybody's house an' dey will move.
(What do you mean, you just put them under the house?) Write dere name an' throw 'em undahneath de house. (Make them move.)
Entry 9362
Dey say dat chew kin take a aig, rotten aig an' put peppah, cayenne pep- pah in it. Jab a little hole, yo' know, in it [the egg]. Put cayenne peppah in it an' shake it up, an' throw it ontuh yuh do' nine days, mawnin's. An' den, whenevah yo' git up in mawnin', take peppah an' salt, an' where yo' walk 'long, jis' sprinkle it all behin' dem. An' dey tell me dat'll make a person move away from dat place. (Now, you mean you take a different egg each morning?) No sir - yes, sir, a diff'- ren' aig fo' nine mawnin's. Dat's whut dey tell me. (In addition to that, you have to put this other stuff in there?) Dey tell me yo' jis' jab a little hole in it [the egg]. (You do both of them, to make them move.) Yes, tuh make dem move.
Entry 9363
Take a black hen's aig an' put a little salt in it an' bury it at dey do'steps. Say dat would run 'em. (How do you put that salt in that egg?) Put de salt in it, yo' peck a little hole.
Entry 9364
Well, now, yo' git a black hen, yeah. An' git dat aig from a black hen, yo' undahstan'. Yeah. An' den yo' take dat aig an' keep it in salty watah fo' two days. An' den yo' git dat aig an' care [carry] it. Yo' go tuh de steps, though, yo' know, an' bury it undah de steps. Dat's whut yo' do wit dat aig, if yo' wanta git 'em 'way from dere. Yo' undahstan' dat.
(That's all you have to do?)
Yes.
Entry 9365
Well, yo' take a chicken aig an' yo' kin broke dat shell, an' put dat in a cup or a [saucer], de yellah, not de white, jis' de yellah part of it, an yo' beat dat up. Yo' git chew den de thing yo' calls Seven Yeahs Adventure. Didja [did you] evah heah about dat? (Seven years what?) Seven Yeahs 'Venture, yeah. (Adventure or [something] or what?) Deventure. Deventure, yes. Yo' know, yo' drops jis' about 12 drops of dat in dat an' stir dat up. Beat dat up jis' lak yo' gon'a make - yo' see, yo' po' dat in fo' bottles [demonstrates]. Put one heah, one dere, one dere, an' one heah.
(Sort of shape of a cross.)
Yas, an' aftah dat ain't no man kin harm yuh. house
(Where do you put those four bottles?)
Yo' kin put dose fo' bottles aroun' in yuh yard [like this]:
[The house in center of cross forms a quincunx.]
Entry 9366
[The following rite, one of the most interesting and puzzling in Hoo- doo, raises the question asked in the margin title. Let us begin by reading the rite itself:1 As fer as ah heered 'bout dat ah don't know fo' definite whethah it's true or it's not true. Ah tell yo' whut ah has heered. Dey tell me dey take a black hen aig, an' take it an' break it, an' use it wit an intahco'se yo' havin' wit a woman. Suck dat black hen aig an' have a intahco'se, an' soon as yo' has a intahco'se, de same identi- cal thing dat passed in de time yo' havin' use it dat same way. An' use dat black hen aig an' stop it intuh a pint bottle. An' dey tell me dey nuse [use] dat undahneat' of de house.
[Informant will explain later what he means.]
(What will that do?)
Well, dat keeps yore [male] fren's away from 'er, an' keeps yore wife at home, an' keeps a calm home an' a-down [trouble] - whut chew call a harmless home.
(Now you take this raw black hen egg?)
Yo' use one crushed tuh yuhself.
(You eat that?)
Suck it - yes, lak dat.
(Before you have intercourse.)
All right. Yo' takes de othah one [eggl an' has it ready. Den yo' have a intahco'se wit 'er, an' de same thing dat she did befo' - quite natural when a woman's [woman has an emission!] it's common. An' he's quite natchal [natural] li'ble [liable] tuh see dat [emission!] an' pick it up: Jis' pick it up an' ah take dat an' put it in a bottle unbeknowst tuh 'er, an' ah bury dat. Don't bury it, ah'd use it undah de eve [eaves] of de house.
(What would you bury, take in that [bottle]?)
Stop dat stain [up in the bottle].
(From her you mean?)
Yes sir. Puts dat in a bottle an' stop it 'up an' use it undah de eve of de house where yo' kin go tuh de [buried] bottle.
(But you must eat that black egg first?)
Use dis black egg yoreself, suck it. Well, dis stain yo' put it in dis bot- tle, an' uses de othah one [egg] in dere wit it.
(What other?)
Her nature an' dat othah aig is in dere tuhgethah.
(How many eggs are you using?)
Two, jis' two. (You eat one first, then you use the other egg with her stuff [nature] in the bottle.) In de bottle. Shake it intuh a likkah [liquid]-like. [I must now restate the margin-title question: Does a woman during coitus dis- charge a female substance, which in some way unites with man's semen to create a new life? Remember, hoodoo knows nothing about ova and Fallopian tubes. The ordinary word for semen in Hoodoo is come, a word describing an action, something coming from a man. The same word is used for a woman's action, both in hoodoo and non-hoodoo thought, according to a question commonly asked of a woman: Did you come? A more generalized term denoting sexuality for both men and women appears in the word nature, found frequently in Hoodoo. Our present rite speaks of a fluid coming from the woman and making a spot, as her nature. This nature of hers is bottled with a chicken egg: Dat keeps yore [male] frien's away from 'er an' keeps yore wife at home. A woman's nature of course could also be her hair or urine or anything from her body; but a woman's nature joined with chicken egg, as in this rite, surely suggests that she ejects a procreative liquid. Why did I not question informant closely? Not back in 1939 when this rite was col- lected and folklore in English about sexual organs and acts did not exist! Be- sides, sex was not overemphasized in my field work.]
Entry 9367
Take a hen aig an' weah it intuh yuh pocket an' yo'll have luck wit mos' anything dat chew want tuh do. (How do you mean, wear it in your pocket? This whole egg or just the egg shell or what?) Jes' de shell of de aig. If yo' even eat de aig, take de shell an' jes' weah it, wherevah yo' go an' yo'll have luck. Even if yo' go tuh de circus an' yo' want [to] be seein' how dey win dese things, yo'll [have]luck.
Entry 9368
Take de hair an' put it in a aigshell an' care [carry] it to runnin' watah an' dat'll cuz 'em - it'll run 'em off, run 'em away. (Put that hair in the empty egg- shell?) Yassuh.
Entry 9369
Yo' kin take a aigshell an' yo' kin git some of 'is hair or have someone tuh git 'is hair. Have a barbah- shop or anywhere his hair cut at, yo' manage tuh git some of 'is hair. An' yo' bo' a hole in dat aig jis' as though a man gwine suck it an' yo' put some of dat hair in dat hole, an' yo' go tuh some runnin' watah. Now, dat's if yo' wanta git rid of individual. Yo' put dat - yo' go tuh some runnin' watah an' drap dat eggshell in dere. See, all de good [raw egg] is outa de aigshell. Yo' let it run out or suck it out lak some do. Yo' put dat aigshell in some runnin' watah an' 'long as dat aigshell drift, he ain't gwine be contented nowhere. He's travelin'. Dat's gittin' rid of - yo' might say of yore enemies or somepin lak dat.
Entry 9370
Ah heard dat dey take a hen aig an' boil it an' bust it in de shoe, an' dat will make a man stay home an' nevah quit chew. (So he wouldn't know it?) No, hide de shoe. (Some shoe he isn't using?) Sho'[sure].
Entry 9371
Dat chew kin take de chicken aig an' de dust offa man's shoe, an' pick a hole in de chicken aig [and put the shoe dust in the egg] an' take it tuh de rivah an' throw it in runnin' watah. Run 'im off from a place, run 'im away, lak he was here in town an' yo' wanted 'im tuh leave.
Entry 9372
If de snakes is eatin' de biddies, yo' take de aig, den yo' boil it, undahstan' [understand]. Den yo' put it right back in de nest, an' dat will keep 'em away - keep de snake away.
(Biddies are the small chickens?)
Yes. [My transcriber, of Irish descent, adds a footnote: Biddies are colloqu- ially known as hens with families. I once heard of an elderly nun being called an old Irish biddy looking after her chicks - young nuns. A snake eating or swallow- ing a hen I would have to see to believe, unless it was a boa constrictor! That snakes steal chicken eggs is another piece of folklore; the thief usually being a rat, racoon, etc., or sometimes a dog who once picked up an egg and dropped it. Informant means, as stated here, the snake was eating the biddy': s eggs, or biddy = bitty, as in little bitty (little bit of), something small, little chick- ens. In any case boiling an egg keeps the snake from doing whatever it does!]
Entry 9373
Den ah know a woman she tole me how ah could put mahself in good luck, an' ah ast 'er how. She tole me tuh git a new fresh aig from a nest an' write on it jis' whut ah want it tuh be. Yo' know, whut ah want tuh tell it, an' black it wit sut [soot] an' bury it undah de house. An' aftah nine days why ah'll git a result. Good luck in anything dat ah wanted tuh happen, dat will happen.
Entry 9374
Den yo' kin take his socks, de left-foot socks, an' yo' kin put a hen aig in dere. Write his name on dat aig an' plant it on de no'th side of de do' an' dat'll bring 'im back.
(What do you mean by the north side of the doorstep?) Well, jes' lak de house is set- tin' dis way, on dat side [demon- strates]. (The north side of the steps.) Yessuh.
Entry 9375
Jes' lak now if yo' [ah] want someone tuh move, prob'ly it may be yo'. Ah'm jis' goin say it fo' a instance. Yo' in dis house an' ah don't want chew in heah. Well, ah'll take dat aig an' bust it on yore do', but ah gotta put a li'le sulphuh wit it first an' throw it on yuh do' an' yo' bound tuh move.
(You put some sulphur on that egg?)
Yes, an' bust it on yuh do'.
(Any kind of chicken egg?)
No, a black chicken aig. Put some sulphah on it befo' ah use it an' when ah throw it dere, say, "Ah'm doin' dis In de Name of de Fathah, Son an' Holy Ghost. Ah want chew tuh move." An' when ah do dat, why yo' bound tuh go.
Entry 9376
A black hen chicken aig, well dey take an' load it wit sulphuh an' gunpowdah [punch a hole in the egg and insert sulphur and gunpowder]. An' take it an' pass by yuh house an' throw it ag'inst chure house lak dat, de front do' dat way demonstrates]. Splash it dat way. It usely [usually] makes yo' move.
Entry 9377
Yo' take a aig if yo' wanta run a person away. Yo' take dat aig an' de sharp point of it an' go tuh de rivah, go down tuh de rivah in de mawnin', soon in de mawnin' 'fo' sunrise, an' turn yore back tuh it, tuh de rivah, an' throw it ovah yuh lef' shouldah. An' if anybody anywhere roun' dat chew don' want aroun' yuh, dat aig will float down [the river] an' jes' as long as dat aig goes, dey'll go. (What do you do with that egg? Do you do anything with that egg before you throw it in?) Don't do nuthin tuh it but chew take dat aig an' write dere name on it. Yo' write dere name all roun' on dat aig. Don't write it on de edge [ends] nowhere, write it around dat, all around on dat aig.
(Throw it over what?)
Throw it ovah de lef' shouldah, an' den yo' come [home]. Don't look back at it.
Entry 9378
Well, if yo' Wanta 'complish [accomplish] anything in business trans- action, wages see, yo' take dat an' yo' write de whole of: see, yo' boils it remove de shell an' leave dat skin on de aig, an' yo' write de third chaptah of Joshua on dat, ovah an' ovah - jis' keep writin' all ovah it an' dat will black dat [egg]. An' take an' put it in yo' mouth an' swallah it whole!!! An' dat breaks up dat arg'ment [argument]. Break up de arg'ment of anything dey Wanta do tuh yuh, cuz yo' got de word of God inside of it [you] an' nobody can't do nuthin wit de word of God.
(And what is this egg, an egg of what?)
A black hen.
(Do you swallow the whole egg?)
Yeah, chew it up so yo' kin swallah it!!!
Entry 9379
Ah've hear'd once dat - a woman come an' tole me, ah don't know how true dis is. But a woman come an' tole me once dat she could do anything dat she wanted. Said she could make me do anything dat ah wanted tuh do wit a woman. Said she'd bring me one aig an' ah'm goin' take dat aig, aftah she look at it, an' ah must walk tuh de rivah, an' don' say a word tuh nobody, don' care who meet me, don' say a word tuh nobody, don' care who meet me, don' say a word tuh nobody till ah git tuh de rivah an' throw it in dere an den come back. She say dat aig will make 'em leave town. [Informant's intention of making the person move is the power here.]
Entry 9380
Yo' kin take a black hen's egg, soak it in vinegah 3 days an' go out at midnight at 12 o'clock, de time de clock strike 12 o'clock, an' throw it ovah de house an' dey'll move.
Entry 9381
Yo' kin git dose chicken aigs an' go tuh a individual do'. Take de aig an' throw it on de steps an' crack it. Well, dat's a warnin' tuh yuh dat chew gonna move sometime but yo' don' know when. But whenevah dey take dose aigs an' dey have sompin ag'inst yuh, why dey'll bust three. Well, den when dey bust dose three aigs at yuh do'step, nuthin undah de sun kin keep yuh dere.
(Just any old kind of chicken egg?)
Any kind. It de very same as de chicken egg, de bird egg [ = you can do the same thing with a bird eggl. Regardless tuh whut kinda aig it is, if yo' bust dose three, it's real dat chure leavin'. [The use of bird eggs is rare for this kind of work.]
Entry 9382
Dey kin git three black hen eggs [an egg from three different hens]... fresh, fresh. Soak 'em in vinegah for nine days...break on top of dere house an' dey'll move. [Some people kept black hens to sell black hen eggs to hoodoo believers. Since these eggs always had to be fresh, fresh, they usually came from different hens laying the same day. Unless you saw a black hen dropping the egg, who would know the difference!]
Entry 9383
If a man had a posi- tion here an' yo' didn't want 'im here, well yo' kin go tuh 'is do' fo' three mawnin's early an' bust a fresh egg at 'is do'. Bust it dere fo' three mawnin's early an' bust a fresh egg at 'is do'. Bust it dere fo' three mawnin's, de fourth mawnin' why he'll leave dat business.
(Any kind of a chicken egg?)
Any kind of a fresh egg, jis' bust one of 'em fo' three mawnin's. (That will make him leave that place of business.)
Entry 9384
Jis' lak whut ah said jis' now, if yo' want somebody tuh move. If a person in a place an' yo' an' 'im can't git along an' yo' want 'im tuh move, why yo' bust a chicken aig on de do' an' dat make 'em move. Yo' have tuh bust a aig fo' three nights. Dey bust dem dere twelve o'clock an' [or] fo' o'clock, an' dey gotta be eithah black hen's aig or red hen's. [Red hen is rare under any circumstance.] An' dat'll make 'em move, but dey gotta bust 'em on de do'.
(At either twelve o'clock or four o'clock, three nights.)
Yes, sir.
(How many eggs do you break?)
One.
(Just one, you do it three nights and they move?)
Yes.
Entry 9385
An' den ah know anothah way tuh break up two people. Yo' know jis' lak if ah had a wife an' jis' say fo' instance, if mah wife would be goin' tuh some fellah or 'nothah, an' ah wus tuh find out dat she wus goin' wit 'em, an' dey wus layin'up at a certain hour, jis' any house dat dey wus layin' up at. [I do not believe I had heard the expression shack up at this date.] Ah'd walk tuh de front do' - git chew three aigs, three hen aigs. Yo' walk tuh de front do' an' yo' bust one of dem hen aigs tuh de front do'. Go tuh de back do', bust it on de [back] do'. Hit it up 'ginst de [back] do'. Bust it on de front do', den yo' go tuh de back do' an' bust dat othah one on de back do'. An' when yo' walk out de gate, jis' lak yo' walk out de gate dere, git right in front of dis do' an' throw de othah aig down on de ground an' bust it.
(That other egg?)
Yes sir. Dat'll bust dem up. Don't cay [care] how much she in love wit 'im or whut kinda lovin' 'fair [affair] dey have, dat's a guaranteed fact tuh break 'em up.
(Any kind of chicken eggs?)
Yes sir, any kinda chicken eggs. It don't make no diff'rence whut kind.
Entry 9386
Jes' lak if yo' wanted tuh move anybody from heah dataway, or move 'em out of a house or anythin' of de kin', why yo' go tuh work an' yo' take a hen aig an' yo' write three letters of dey name. (Three letters of their name. What three letters do you write?) Well, yo' kin go tuh work an' yo' kin write evah third lettah, jes' evah third lettah. An' yo'll take it an throw it up 'ginst dere do' at night, anywheres 'ginst de wall of dere house, an' let it run down. Bust it. Well, dey can't stay dere, dey'll move.
Entry 9387
Ah've heard dat dey take a black hen, three black hen aigs an' go to, put undah yuh steps, an' yo'll leave - can't stay dere.
Entry 9388
Jis' lak if ah'm in dis town an' no one heah don't lak me, wants tuh kill me, wants tuh destroy me or somepin. [They tell me] dat yo' kin take three aig from a black hen an' boil it. Take dose three boiled aig an' jis' lak de individual travelin' dis way, yo' bury one dem boiled aig de firs' mawnin', on de third [second] mawnin' go fuhthah [farther] an' bury de nex' one, an' on de third mawn- in' go an' throw de othah one undah de end of de steps. An' dey say dat will git dem out chure way.
Entry 9389
Ah've heard 'em say dey take a chicken aig, an' say jis' lak yo' wus livin' in dis home an' de rentahs wus worryin' yo' or somepin, yo' could git chew three fresh ones an' jis' go out on one side of de house an' jis' chunk 'em clean ovah on de othah [side]. Ah imagine dat would be hard tuh do. But dey says dat stops dem from bothahin' yo' any mo'.
(Stops who?)
Stop de rentahs from worryin' yo', de man dat chew rent from, or de lady dat chew rent from. (Oh, they come bothering you about the rent or something of that sort. Any kind of chicken eggs?) Dey says jis' fresh aigs. Some folks says dey use black hen aigs. [This is an unusual rite. Most of these rites involve a person renting or owning the whole house. Here we have a person renting a room in the house, a person who does not want to be bothered too often about the rent. In throwing these eggs he or she does not move himself or herself. I suppose this could also apply to the renter of the whole house. Intention can change the normal meaning of a rite.]
Entry 9390
Take a black hen's aig - three hen aigs, black hen aigs. Lak a person bothahin' yo' fo' rent an' tellin' yo' tuh move, yo' kin take three of dose aigs an' throw it ovah yore house, an' dat'll keep 'im away from bothahin' yuh. (Just throw them over your own house?) Yes, sir, jis' chunk 'em cross de house.
Entry 9391
Dey kin take a black hen aig an' throw it across de house three times an' move a person.
(Do you throw that same egg or three different eggs?) Three diffren aigs becuz de aigs is liable tuh break, three times. (One right after the other, and that will make a person move?) Yes.
Entry 9392
If yo' stayin' at a place an' don't wanta go, git three aigs of a black hen an' throw 'em right ovah de house, across, tuhwards sunset. Throw 'em right ovah yore house an' yo' nevah go till yo' git ready. Dey can't put chew out do's [doors], dey won't bothtah yuh.
Entry 9393
Ah would git a aig an' ah would write chure name on dat aig three times, an' ah would throw dat aig ovah de house an' bust it. An' ah guarantee in three or fo' day's time yo's [you is] gone.
Entry 9394
Yo' kin take a chick- en aig if yo' got a church an' yo' think dey gonna put chew 'way from dat church, wal yo' take three aigs. (Any kind of chicken eggs?) Any kind chicken aigs. Take 'em an' yo' go ovah tuh dat church an' yo' chunk all three of 'um ovah de top of it an' bust 'em. An' dey won' even put chew 'way from de church. It still yuh chúrch right on. [Florence, S. Car. (1331), 2292:7.]
Entry 9395
Take a aig yo' know an' write his name on it, his full name. Write it all de way round about three times, see. An' go tuh 'is house late at night about twelve or one o'clock, an' jis' throw it out an' say, "Go"! Like dat. An' turn aroun' an' don't look back an' go on.
Entry 9396
Take a fresh yard egg [from chicken yard or chicken that runs freely], not a groc'ry egg...write de person's name on dat egg...three times...cross de Mississippi River an' when yo' gits in de middle... throw dat egg ovah yore shouldah an' yo' curse it. Dat breaks 'em up.
Entry 9397
Dey kin take yuh han'writin' an' draw yuh from home, an' dey kin run yuh from home.
(Well, how do they do that?)
Dat's by - jis' as ah fo'say, ah kin take dat an' calls yuh name. Callin' yuh name ah go tuh de shop an' ah buy me three aigs, but ah gotta guarantee dey gotta be black hen aigs. [How informant knows eggs come from a black hen is not explained.] An' twelve 'clock at night, jes' de direction yo' is, ah throw dat aig an' bust it. An' jis' where she fall, SHE RUN YUH AWAY OR BRING YO' BACK.
(Well, how do you accomplish that?)
Becuz yo' are comin' - write chure [= victim's] name on de aig: "God de Fathah, God de Son an' God de Holy Ghost, Power." Den yore name come aftah it on de aig. De direction yo' are tuhward de street outside, twelve 'clock on de minute.
(You throw the three eggs?)
Throw de three aigs.
(That's to bring you?)
Bring yuh or run yuh, eithah one, whichevah yo' want done. Dat's right. (Well, how do you signify that you Want to run them away or to bring them back. How do you do that?) Tell dem on de egg, yo' write it. If yo' right in town - jis' right heah now yo' wanta run dat feliah dat be nex' do', yo' jis' come right by an' if 'is baid in de middle room, yo' throw dat right dere. Well he gone.
Entry 9398
Ah hear'd dat chew could take a ole black, coal-black hen an' take three of her aigs. Co'se, ah've hear'd it diff'ren' ways, but dis is de way ah hear'd it. An' take [the] three [eggs] an' run through de [your] house an' [reach- ing the outside] chunk de whole three aigs back 'cross de house. An' go back [go to other side of house where eggs fell] an' de one of dose aigs dat doesn't bust, yo' take it. An' take it right [back into the house] in de middle of de house an' drop it, an' let it bust right in de flo' where dat stain will be dere. [Breaking the egg in center of house establishes the fifth point, making this a quincunx rite.] An' if someone Wanted tuh git yuh some way, yore nex'-do' neighbahs [for example] or somepin; Wanted yuh tuh git out or wanted tuh move yuh, couldn't anything harm yo'. (You run through your own house and you throw these eggs. How do you throw. them now?) Yo' jis' run through de house an' when yo' hit de ground [reach outside] yo' throw all three of 'em 'cross de.house. An' dere's one ole lady used tuh...
[I interrupt.]
(Oh, you run through your house and throw those eggs over your house. Then you go to the other side and the egg that doesn't burst...
[Informant interrupts me.]
Dat doesn't bust, why yo' take it in de house an' drop it right in [on] de flo' an' let it bust, where de stain will be in de flo'.
Entry 9399
If a lady wanted yo' tuh leave from yuh home, an' yo' had some chicken dat wus black, coal-black, an' yo' take three of dose aigs. De lady dat wan' shoo tuh leave home - lak if yo' wus married an' yore wlfe wanted yuh tuh leave, she would take dose aigs. An' jis' lak if yo' wus a man dat liked tuh drink an' she Would make yuh a aignog, an' take one or two teaspoons of salt an' stir it in dere, an' a li'le black peppah. Jes' enough where yo' maybe taste it an' maybe not, jis' enough tuh make yuh drink it. An' she would take some of dat same peppah outa de same hand [holding the pepper] dat she put in dose aigs. An' put 'em in a papah an' put 'em in a jah [jar] or somepin, an' stop it up fo' five days. She'll let it stay stopped up. An' den she go back an' open dis an' burn dat peppah an' stuff, jes' tuh where it git hot, an' stop it up an' bury it where dat yo' cross ovah. An' if she wants yuh tuh leave, some way or 'nothah somepin goin' happen dat chew'll have tuh leave. (She puts it in this bottle, some of the eggnog that has this stuff in it, after he has drunk some of it.) Yes.
Entry 9400
Ah heard dat chew take a aig an' yo' put de person lettah [initial] on it. Jes' lak - ah heard it dis way - if somebody's goin' wit yore man, yo' write de firs' lettah of 'is name an' put a ring round it. Den yo' write de firs' lettah of yore name an' put a ring roun' dat. Den write de firs' lettah of de person name dat goin' wit mah man an' put a ring roun' dat. Den go all de way roun' de aig lak dat. Den yo' jes' brand it all, fes' lak mark it all ovah dat aig. (What kind of marks?) Jes' tell me yo' jes' write whatevah yo' want it tuh do. (You just mark the egg up?) Yes. An' den yo' take it tuh dat person's house an' throw it up in de house an' cuss 'em an' tell 'em whut jew mean fo' 'em tuh do. Dat fix dem. (In other words if some other woman was going with your man, that is what you would do to get rid of her?) Yes. Ah knew a woman dat 'er husban' done go 'way from 'er 'bout three yeahs, an' when he come back - he used tuh come back an' he used tuh treat her so mean. Aftah he come [back] tuh 'er [after 3 years] an' he didn't bring anything - an' she used tuh wanta git rid of 'im. An' she did dis same thing wit aig. An' he sure did leave den an' nevah did been back.
Entry 9401
Take a aig an' den she'll punch a knothole [large hole] right in de centah [of large end] an' den she'll git [a hole] in de small end yo' know. An' den she'll put on each side [3 sides of the width of the egg] three rings: [and write] de Fathah. Son an' Holy Ghost [one in each ring]. An' when yo' put dat dere, den yo' punch a least li'le hole in de centah of it, in dat top [top shell of ring, making 5 holes = 5 nail wounds in egg!] yo' know. Yo' take de spoon whut chew cook bread wit an' yo'll dig it up jis' so it's a spoon yo' uses in yore dinin'room or kitchen. An' yo'll dig a li'le small li'le hole wit dat spoon, an' throw de dirt out jis' lak if yo' puttin' it out as a grave or anythin' else. Yo' dig a li'le hole. An' yo'll set dat li'le aig [in the hole] an' set it straight up. Den yo' take some gun- powdahs an' whiskey an' sulphuh. Yo' know, gunpowdah an' whiskey an' sulphuh. An' den yo'll work dem thin's tuhgethah, in dat whiskey. An' den yo' work some in dat aig, an' jis' keep a-stirrin' lak dat, an' put it in de aig an' keep a- stirrin' it lak dat. An' yo' set dat aig down [in the hole]. Yo' bury dat aig but yo' bury it undah de back part of yore house [remember, houses in the low- lands are raised aboveground], an' yo'll set it up dere an' kivah [cover] it ovah. But now, yo' don't kivah it deep an' yo' don' bury it deep, but yo' bury it in a way dat chew know nuthin won' harm it, yo' know. An' yo'll call de man or de woman, whosomevah it is, three times, an' tell 'em whut chew want. An' yo' put dat aig down dere. She gotta shore [sure] stay in mah house, she ain't goin' no place.
(That is going to keep the man or woman home? Keep them from running around?)
Yeah, dey'll stay at home, yo' See DEY FOLLOWIN' DAT SPIRIT. [What spirit? Surely the spirit in the victim's name called 3 times to equal the threefold spirit of the Godhead.] [For another one of these rare center-of-circle rites, See SALT section, v.5., margin title beginning CENTER OF PLATE...] [The "5 WOUNDs of the margin title are not mentioned in the text, the reason why they are enclosed in a bracket. From where do the "5 wounds come? Notice that the egg has 3 circles, each circle having a hole in its center. Consequently the egg has 3 holes from the 3 circles. Add to these 2 holes, one at each end of the egg Therefore the egg has 5 holes or symbolically 5 wounds from the Cross.]
Entry 9402
Jes' lak dis man is heah in dis house an' ah didn't want 'im livin' heah - jis' lak fo' 'im tuh move outa heah - ah'd git me three aigs an' dey have tuh be rotten dough [though], dey have tuh be rotten eggs. Ah throw dem aigs ag'inst dis house, but ah goes nine steps backwards an' ah throw 'em ovah mah shouldah. Dat's whut ah do wit dem aigs den. It be any time of night or any time of day. An' den ah come dere an' sprinkle a li'le dust aroun' dere, dis same dust whut ah got, graveyard dust, an' dey couldn't stay dere. Dey gotta leave.
(You walk backwards from the house?)
Nine steps, nine steps backwards. Not backwards from de house, backwards tuh de house. Jis' lak if ah wuz 'cross de street, ah'd walk backwards tuh de house, not from it, den throw 'em ovah mah lef' shouldah.
Entry 9403
An' if yo' got any enemy roun' joo anywhere dat chew wanta git rid of 'im, an' fo'evah git rid of 'im, yo' got chure walkway intuh yuh house, goin' in. Git chew three aigs an' bury dose three on dat side an' three on dat side. An' dig a hole in both end of it [egg]. Dig a hole in de ground about dat deep [demonstrates].
(About seven or eight inches deep.)
Yeah, an' stick it down in dere, an' kivah it up, an' when dem aigs drene out from dere, dey'll be away from dere, an' dey won't - dey won't give yuh no more trouble. (You can use six eggs altogether, three on each side of the walk, the walk coming into the house.) Yes sir.
(Do you put those eggs down in the ground in any special way?)
Jis' put 'em down in any way yo' want, jis' since yo' pick a hole in both ends of'em.
(Any kind of a chicken egg?)
Yes.
(Raw egg?)
Yes. An' whenevah dem aigs drene out, why dey'll drene wit 'em. An' dey won't give yo' no mo' trouble, dey won't come back dere no mo'.
Entry 9404
If yo' don' want nobody else tuh move in dat house, yo' jis' go an' git chew some fresh hen aigs, an' yo' [write] de name roun' dat fresh hen aig. An' go dere jis' as de sun risin' an' throw dem aigs jis' on de side - bust 'em all ovah dat house. (Which side do you use?) De sunny side of de house. Jis' go up tuh dat house - jis' lak de sun risin' 'fo' day early in de mawnin', an' yo' go right up tuh dat house an throw dem aigs up dere, up de side of dat house. (You throw those eggs against the east side of the house and no one will rent that house.) Go dere 'fo' sunrise an' throw 'em 'cross dere. Keep 'em in bad luck, keep 'em movin'. Jis' take dem fresh hen aigs, an' yo' don' lak de person in dat house. An' yo' know dey name, yo' jis' write de name all ovah dat aig, an' yo' go dere an' throw dat aig on dere house at sunrise in de mawnin'. Jis' lak de sun rise disaway, yo' go dere an' throw it disaway [demonstrates].
(You throw it the way the sun rises.)
De sun rises [demonstrates].
(You throw it and turn to the west, though. You throw it toward the sunset.)
An' dey'll have tuh go.
Entry 9405
Git three fresh aigs an' bust 'em on de do' face fo' nine mawnin's. Dat'll make 'em move. (How could you bust those on the door-face for nine mornings if you only had three eggs?) Ah could. Evah nine mawnin's bust three fresh aigs on de do' 'fo' day. (For how long do you do that?) Fo' nine mawnin's. (You only use three eggs altogether?) Ah said three aigs evah mawnin' - three aigs, fo' nine mawnin's. An' bust 'em on de face of de do' an' dat'll make 'em move. [This is an excessive number of eggs but anything is possible in hoodoo.]
Entry 9406
Git chew a fresh hen, black hen aig an' yo' put a hole in it, an' aftah dat stuff outa dat aig [come] outa dere, git chew a bottle of turpentine. An' fill dat aig up wit dat turpen- tine an' bury it right where dey have tuh pass ovah it. Sure tuh move.
(That drives them out of the house.)
Entry 9407
AH TAKES A DOZEN AIGS. ALL RIGHT. AN' AH'LL BRING 'EM UP HEAH [I AM INTERVIEWING ON SECOND FLOOR OF DOWNTOWN BLACK HOTEL] AN' AH'LL SET DOWN AN' ASK YO' WHAT'S CHURE NAME. AN' YO' BE SETTIN' DOWN ON ONE SIDE AN' AH BE SETTIN' DOWN ON DE OTHAH JIS' LAK WE BE'S SETTIN' NOW. AN' AH HAVE A DOZEN. AIGS AN' YO' DON'T KNOW NUTHIN ABOUT IT, AH HAVIN' MAH HAT LAYIN' OVAH DEM. AN' EVAH TIME AH ASTS [ASK] YO' WHAT CHURE NAME AN' AH JIS' KEEP A-WRITIN' IT ON DE AIGS AN' TALK- IN' WIT CHEW RIGHT ON. ALL RIGHT. AN' DEN DEY TAKES DEM AIGS AN' PUTS 'EM, AN' PUTS CHURE NAME ON 'EM AN' DYES 'EM JIS' ABOUT DE COLAH OF DAT WALL DERE, DARK BLUE. An' dey take dem aigs, dey takes one tuh de windah, fo' at de steps, an' de rest of 'em at de back do'. All dem is left, chew know, from gwine roun' to de windah an' de front steps. But chew puts even [number of] aigs on de front steps, but chure name is on dem aigs. An' dey'll let 'em stay undah dere so many days [or] so many weeks. An' den dey'll go an' dig dem aigs up. If yo' don' go out dere yuhself, someone goin' tell yuh tuh go an' dig aroun' undah yuh do'step. An' when yo' dig roun' undah yuh do'step, see dem aigs settin' down dere, an' suddenly yo' goin' be hunt [hunting] fer 'em. Yo' jis' a feelin' in yuh mind yo' be hunt [hunting] fer dem. An' when yo' go dere yo' dig down. All right yo'll pick up dem eggs an' dey'll jis' bust away, jis' bust, an' all de stuff git right on yuh an' dat's de end.
(What will that do? Why do they bury those eggs under the doorstep?)
Dat's tuh run yo' crazy. Jis' lak - dere's two things dat dey'll do tuh yuh. Dey kin run yo' crazy wit 'em. An' den if yo' got a wife - jis' [like] ah got a wife heah an' she done quit me. Ef ah go an' take dem eggs an' bury 'em undah 'er do'step an' she don' come back, she'll go crazy. An' when she come back tuh me, she can't leave me no mo'. An' she kin take 'em an' go an' bury 'em undah yuh do'step, an' if yo' don' go back tuh 'er yo'll go crazy or eithah yo' won't live wit nobody else but 'er, until she dig 'em up. (The first you said, it was to set somebody crazy, but they have to find those eggs though. Doesn't somebody break them or they won't work? That right?) Yo' ain't gotta bothah. Yo' jis' goin' tuh feel tuh go out dere an' dig round undah yore do'step, or maybe jis' yo' wanta see sompin an' yo' jis' diggin' undah dere or somepin. (If they bury those eggs under your doorstep and you don't find them, does that have any effect on you?) Yes, if she don't nevah go an' find dem, dey do's jis' as much harm if she don' go an' fine [find] dem as it does tuh fine dem. De name is on dem eggs.
Entry 9408
She says she had some trouble with her stepchildren - she married this man.- of co'se they [she and stepchildren] couldn't get along. An' so she was ready to give up everything and leave. So somebody directed her to some woman down in Augusta, Georgia. Ah was from Augusta. So she went down there to see this woman. So after talk- ing with this woman, this woman advised her instead of giving up her home to just go back home and: Get a fresh egg, a fresh-layed egg, and take this egg and place it in - [place] the tip of the egg in salt halfway, and finish covering this egg with sulphur, [let it stand] for twelve hours. Remove this egg then from the sulphur and write the parties' names all over this egg with a lead pen- cil. Take this egg and go outdoors to the room where these parties sleep [the room was in her own house and occupied by the stepchildren] and throw it against the house. And as you throw this egg, call this parties' names. And this egg will bust, and you turn right around and go on about your business and don't look back. And she said, "Within nine days somepin will happen [egg supposed to bust in 9 days - see elsewhere] and that somepin would be some confusion in the home with these parties that is causing the trouble with you and your husband; or, these children would be forced to move away." Well, she says she did that. And of course after - she said the eleventh day though, the eleventh day, this row came up and these children moved out. They were all grown and married. And she said for six years they hadn't been back. And they've gotten along just fine, she says, she and her husband.
Entry 9409
Take a new aig an' write his name on dis aig, say all de way ovah dis aig, yo' see, an' den on top-a dis name, put on dere, "Come back home." Yo' see, "Come back home." Den take jis' wheresomevah he at, take 'is name an' put on some writin' papah, crossways, dat Way [demonstrates] about twelve times. An' take her name an' she put 'er name right on hit twelve times comin' tuh de house. No mattah where he is, if he is in New York or where, he'll come. An' she'll heah from 'im wherevah he comes [from] an' wherevah he stop right befo' he git home. (What does she do with that egg?) She takes dat aig an' tie it up yo' see. Roll dat egg up tight in a li'le piece of cloth about three or fo' diff'ren' times, an' put 'is name right in dere as ah say on dat papah, an' bury it right tuh de foot of de steps. Now, yo' take dat an' yo' bury it tuh de foot of de steps wit dat sharp point up, de big point of de aig down an' lean it. Ah Would lean it [whole egg] jis' 'bout dat way [demonstrates] comin' from out de - Memoirs of Alma Egan Hyatt. Foundation - street tuh de steps, comin' in de do'.
(Have it leaning toward the door?)
Dat's right.
(Any kind of chicken egg?)
Any kind, no matter whut kind of aig, long as it is a aig. (She will write her name twelve times and then she will write your name twelve times.) Wrote his name twelve times an' den put 'er name de same way, lak yo' carry his name dis way an' take her name an' start it comin' back dat way.
(Well, now does her name go away from the house...?)
Her name an' his own comin' right tuh de house. Dere is anothah part on dat. Yo' take dis an git 'is name, as ah tell yo'. Yo' undahstan' me? An' git a bottle an' take her watah. Ah mean 'er nightwatah, pee. An' put it in dere an' shake it an' call 'is name three times - jis' what- evah 'is name am - "Henry come home - Henry come home - Henry come home." An' lay it dere right undahneath 'er pillah. In a short time or about fo' or five days he'll be there. (You use all these things, altogether. Yo'll have to use the egg and you have to use that bottle.) All at de same time.
Entry 9410
Ah'd git me two aigs. Ah'd break dem both 'cross mah house - see, 'cross on de top - befo' de sunrise. Break dem both 'cross mah house. Ah says, "Go! Ah nevah be's seein' yuh no mo'." Dat's befo' ah break mah aigs. Ah'm breakin' 'em all de time right 'cross mah house. Dey'll move out an' yo' nevah will see 'em no mo'. (Do you throw that across your own house or across the house of the person that you wanta move?) Throw it 'cross yo' own house an' dey'll move clean out an' yo' nevah will see 'em no mo'. Throw it across yuh own house.
Entry 9411
Take de aigs sometime, don't chew know, an' jes' lak if anybody have a house again, take two aigs, see, an' put undah dat house an' dey'll move.
(Any kind of eggs.)
Any kind of eggs.
Entry 9412
Take a egg from a black hen, two black hens [1 egg from each hen]... throw it [the 2 eggs] on the house an' it'll bus' an' dey'll go away from de house.
Entry 9413
Why yo' kin take dose fresh aigs, jes' any fresh aigs outa a fresh nest. (How many?) Two, yessuh, an' write on 'em [what you want done] an' take an' bust 'em up in de front of yore house, an' it will stop de policeman, anyone comin' roun' dere tuh harm yo'. It will do so.
Entry 9414
Yo' jes' kin take two fresh aigs an' bury 'em an' say, "Make dis person change 'is min' an' let me stay heah," an' bury it underneat' de house. An' when dem nine days is up, evahthing will be all right jes' lak it always been.
(They can't make you move out of the house?)
No, can't make yo' move out.
Entry 9415
Den yo' kin take two aigs an' write dey name on 'em, jes' lak yo' Wanted a person drove away from heah. If dey cain't do yo' no good, dey won't do nobody else. Yo' kin take two aigs an' write dere name on 'em an' throw 'em in runnin' watah. Go tuh de rivah an' throw 'em in runnin' watah. Dat'll keep 'em goin' all de time, dey min' [mind] goin' all de time. Dat'll fin'ly run 'em crazy.
(Any kind of chicken egg?)
Fresh chicken aigs.