Browse:THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF (Volume 3, entries 3110–5205)/Part 14
THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF
Volume 3, entries 3110–5205. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 4150
Git ashes out de fiahplace, an' watch out where she throw 'er chamber lye an' go git some of dat dirt. An' yo' kin take dat an' yo' kin mix dat jis lak yo' mix up a dough. Sprinkle some red peppah ovah it an' carry it an' spread it out up undah 'er steps. When she walk ovah it she'll move.
(That is to make her move, move out of the house.)
Entry 4151
Said yuh go tuh work an' wheresomevah yuh jis' go an' urinate on de groun', dey git de earth, yuh know, from a fresh place. Jis' lak ah come out chere dis mawnin', dat [man urinating on the ground] is a man dat runs about an' wouldn't stay at home. Dey'd git dat earth down dere an' dey boil it an' make a little Klnda drop [like eyedrops] outa it, chew know, an' when ah come in mah wife sould jis' take it an' drop a drop or two of dat in my tea or coffee, whatsomevah ah use at mealtime, an' dat would make me stay at home an' wouldn't wandah about.
Entry 4152
Yuh kin take gunpowdah an' Hearts Cologne an' saltpetah an' yuh own watah an' mix dat tuhgethah, an' use [that] aroun' talkin' wit dis person, an yuh kin git 'em tuh do whut chew want done.
(If you want to work for them or anything like that, or if you want to get a job.) Yes sir, use dat stuff.
Entry 4153
Yuh kin take a woman now, an' yuh kin git de hair outa her haid an' put it in a glass wit de pee in it. (A glass of your urine?) Yeah, an' yuh kin put it in a box [bottle] an' put it in undah de do'step where she walks ovah all de time, an' covah it wit somepin undah de bottom step, an' she can't leave, yuh got 'er tied.
Entry 4154
Yuh kin take de individual's cham- ber lye an' some cayenne peppah an' also some of dere hair, an' yuh kin run 'em outa town. (What do you do with all that stuff then?) Yuh bury it.
Entry 4155
Take dey chamber lye an' make yuh so dat chew can't make watah. Well dey takes it from yuh an' save it, an' dey git a stran' of yuh hair out chure haid, an' put in it an' let it stay fo' five weeks. Well, aftah dose five weeks dey mix some sulphur wit it an' dey put dat in dere an' dey put a little salt, red peppah, yuh know, whut grows on bushes. Den yuh can't make no watah.
(Where do they put all those things?)
Where dey keep it, puts it in a bottle, airtight so no air can't git in it, an' it stay in dere.
Entry 4156
If dey wanna go ag'in - tuh keep 'em from goin' ag'in, yuh'll have tuh clip a piece from she [demonstrates].
(From the top of her head.)
An' a piece from she private an' put it in de bottle wit nine needles, an' take yuh chamber lye an' some German Heart Cologne, an' mix it tuhgethah an' hol' dat in yuh pocket fer de fus' [first] nine mawn- in's. An' den take it an' po' it in one of yuh suits, an' she will nevah go tuh dat pocket tuh take it out. An' SHE'LL STAY DERE FOREVAH AN' FOREVAH.
(I see. That keeps her.)
Entry 4157
A woman kin take yuh hair an' a little of hers an' bring yuh tuh 'er by soakin' it in chamber lye, an' den tote it in 'er - sew it up in some of 'er clothes so's it not lost an' nobody will nevah see it. Tote dat an' go on. He be wit 'er.
Entry 4158
An' den yuh use a basin wit yuh chamber lye an' when yuh scrub, scrub wit it, an' also po' it on de front po'ch - an' Hearts Cologne.
(Put some Hearts Cologne in that, that will bring in trade?)
Yes sir.
Entry 4159
Well, it near about de same thin'. Yuh kin take yuh watah an' Hearts Cologne an' sprinkle it aroun' intuh yuh place. Have it intuh yuh pocket an' where yuh wit de cards. Dat'll bring yuh luck.
Entry 4160
Yuh take saltpetah an' yuh own watah an' Hearts Cologne an' use dat aroun' de bossman, an' he'll give yuh a job. Ah've hear of sech as dat bein' done. Dis same stuff; saltpetah, Hearts Cologne an' yuh own watah, aroun' where yuh doin' business at, an' de' say dat will draw yuh customahs.
Entry 4161
If a person is a enemy tuh yuh, now dey kin take yuh chamber lye an' stop yuh watah completely. An' dey take dat bottle an' stop it up as tight as dey kin git it, an' dey kin take it undah de back do'step or eithah in de no'th cornah up undah de house an' bury 'em dere. Yuh put such a po'tion [portion]- yuh leave a po'tion, enough of it out, dat chew kin take a hammah an' go dere an' hit fo' nine mawnin's befo' sunrise, an' it will stop yuh watah completely. An' IF IT AIN'T REMOVED, IT WILL CARRY YUH TUH DE CEMETERY.
(What do they hit? Do they hit the bottle?)
Yes, dey hit de bottle. Dey have it tight down - de bottle, dey covah [pack] it tight down, an' de' hit it fo' nine mawnin's. (What did they do with the other water? You said they poured a portion out didn't you?) No sir. Dey po' whut dey ketch, undahstan'. Jes' lak if dey wanted tuh ketch yuh watah tuh do yuh harm, undahstan'. If dey can't git tuh de chambah in de house, undahstan', dey'd set it up somewhere undah yuh labor'tory [lavatory] - mo' [more] specially if it's out [outside the house] - an' ketch it dataway. An' ketch enough tuh fill up dat little vial.
(Well, wouldn't the hitting break that bottle?)
No sir.
(They don't hit it hard enough?)
No, jis' hard enough tuh drive it down.
Entry 4162
Yuh take it [urine] yuh know, an' keep it an' put it in a bottle. An' git 'er some sugah an' cinnamon an' write a person's name an' put it in dere. An' dey keep it lak dat an' dey say, if yuh have a hus- ban' - co'se ah don't have no husban'. Ah don't even do dat, cuz ah don't even have no husban'. Dey do dat, take it an' shake de bottle any time yuh want yuh husban' tuh come home. Or ah hit it on de flo' nine times an' he will certainly come home - if yuh got 'is name in dere.
(You hit it on the floor nine times?)
Right in de door nine times, an' dey say he'll certainly come home - don't care where he is. (But you have to hit it against the floor, hit it against the door-like
[saddle or floor at door], an' then you just shake it nine times?)
Yes, sir.
Entry 4163
Yuh kin take dere chamber lye an' stop it up in a bottle. Evah mawnin' hit de stoppah. It'll have yuh so yuh'll have gravel stones or can't pee - ruin yuh dataway. (Hit it for nine morn- ings.) Nine mawnin's. Jis' one little lick.
Entry 4164
Yuh kin take a person chamber lye an' put it in a bottle, an' put a stoppah in it an' put it intuh a dry place, in a dark place where no air cain't hit it. An' yuh kin go to dat bottle evah day fo' nine days an' knock on dat stoppah, an' de las' day yuh hit on dat stop- pah an' drive dat stoPpah up. DAT PERSON WILL BUST OPEN.
Entry 4165
Take now, if yuh got a girl an' yuh likes 'er an' she don't like yuh much undahstan'. Yuh git a little bit of 'er hair. Well, yuh take an' make her trim 'er fingahnails, an' take a little of dat fingahnail an' yuh mix it up tuhgethah [with the hair]. An' if yuh kin, git jis' a little bit of 'er urinate watah an' put it in a bottle - a little vial. An' evah mawnin' yuh open dat bottle an' thump it nine mawnin's straight out, an' dat'll give her love fo' yuh.
(You do this to get the girl's love?)
Yes sir, ah've tried it mahself.
(You take the cork out and each morning you thump it. You hit it?)
Yassuh, nine mawnin's. Yuh hit it nine times evah mawnin'.
Entry 4166
If anybody put down anythin' fo' yuh, anythin' lak dat, yuh jis' take de chamber lye an' po' it all aroun' yuh house or in diff'ren' spots, or some- where yuh think it at. Say dat wuz good fo' thin's lak dat.
Entry 4167
Then again, if you want to harm your neighbor, if you want to keep him away from this place, from your home, you just go and get a bottle about that long. You put your [his] water in it. You hold it between your fin- gers like that, your two middle fin- gers [of the left hand], you hold it tight, and you say: Lord, Jesus Christ, your Nomesake. T Then you put the stopper right in. And when you bury it, you bury it [upright] just level with the ground. And IN NINE DAYS THAT WILL TAKE HIM OFF THIS EARTH. That stops his Water when he steps over it. IF YOU WANT TO TURN HIM LOOSE, YOU HAVE TO TURN HIM LOOSE IN EIGHT DAYS.
Entry 4168
Dat stuff yuh talkin' about burnin'. Ah make a wish an' ah will scrub de steps down in chamber lye an' dat will draw trade.
(What do they burn, you say?)
Jis' incense.
Entry 4169
Take chamber lye an' scrub yuh house out, say dat'll bring yuh luck. (chamber lye and what?) An' Blue Eagle Lye. (Blue Eagle Lye, I see.)
Entry 4170
Burnin' sensen [incense] in yuh house an' chamber lye an' lye. Yuh know, have chamber lye an lye mixed tuhgethah, constratin' [concentrated] lye. Dat bring luck an' keep folks passin' in. An' burn sen-sen.
(Keeps the law away?)
Sho'. [As the preceding and following rites show, chamber lye and lye are used for scrubbing.]
Entry 4171
Now yuh kin take dat urine an' burn yuh some incense yuh know. An' den take dat urine an' put chew some lye an' sugah in it, an' yuh kin scrub yuh front po'ch wit it, see. Jis' keep it right in front of yuh house an' it will bring mens intuh yuh home. Really will do it.
Entry 4172
An' den too, jis' lak if yuh want chure - if yuh husban' is runnin' aroun' an' yuh want 'im tuh stay at home, why yuh take an' yuh use one pot an' he use anothah, an' yuh put two table- spoons consitrated [concentrated] lye an' fo' tablespoons of sugah in dat urinate. Yuh see yuh use one pot an' he use anothah. See, yuh both don' use de same pot. An' yuh begin at de front do' an' mop evah mawnin' from de front do' tuh de back do' an' throw it directly ovah yore shouldah an' not look back ovah yuh left shoulder - not look back. An' he'll git to de place whare he'll jis' hang aroun' home.
Entry 4173
Well, yuh git chew jis' a medium-size bottle dat hold about a gill or somepin lak dat, a little ovah, an' fill it not quite fulla milk. An' den yuh take two or three, three teaspoonful of chamber lye, an' yuh put it in dat, an' take dat bottle an' turn it upside down. An' dat'll keep yore husban' at home.
Entry 4174
An' jis' lak if yuh want tuh git chure man back, jis' lak if yuh want tuh make 'em come home, if yuh kin git a chance tuh, git 'is chamber lye an' put it intuh a bottle, an' don' have no watah in dere, no spit or nuthin. Take dis chamber lye an' put it intuh a bottle an put chew a teaspoonful of sugah in dere, an' take an' stop dat up in dat bottle. Put it somewheres where it cain't be in- tahfered wit, an' turn dat bottle down lak dat [demonstrates] an' let it stay dere. An' he will come back. If yuh wanta keep 'im wit yuh, yuh git some of 'is chamber lye ag'in - dere two or three diff'ren' ways dat chew kin do it. Go tuh a cow, if she's a cow dat has a young calf, a black cow an' she's got a calf. Git chew aroun' two teaspoonful of dat milk an' po' it intuh dat bottle. An' yuh kin keep 'im jis' as fast, jis' as yuh do de sugah an' dat chamber lye tuhgethah. Put all of it tuhgethah. Set it aside or put it in de trunk or put it up ovah yuh do'. It's all right. Dat will draw 'im home an' make him stay dere. He cain't go nowhere.
(You don't do that if he's away some place?)
[No.] Jis' [to] keep 'im. All yuh gotta do is tuh keep 'll.
Entry 4175
Yo' kin take a black cow's milk - take two teaspoonful of black cow's milk an' a teaspoonful of yuh chamber lye an' put it in a bottle, an' take an' set hit an' yuh cain't git rid of 'im - him or her. (Where do you set that?) In de cornah of yuh house, in one of de fo' cornahs of yore house. But chew turn it up jis' de same way yuh do dat chamber lye.
(Turn it on its head?)
Yassuh, dat's right.
(Whose chamber lye do you put in there?)
Well, if de woman wants 'im, she put her'n in dere; an' if it's de man, he put his'n in dere, see.
Entry 4176
Yuh take a person's chamber lye, takes seven nails. Yuh put three fo' dat person dat chew wanta use yuh Way. Git a Coca-Cola bottle. Jis' three nails yo' turn de points up - dat's de person dat chew wanta git chure way, an' de fo' nails dat's yo' - as a rule yo' turn dem lak dat in de chamber lye. An' den yuh stop it up wit a cork stoppah real tight. Den yuh set it in yore trunk where it can't be seen, or anywhere roun' de house where it can't be seen. An' as long as yuh hol' dat yuh got dat man.
(Whose chamber lye do you put in that bottle, his or yours?)
His, nobody but 'is. But chew remembah three nails down, name 'em, dat's de man; an' de fo' nails up, dat yuh. Dat's providin' it wuz a woman, an' 'vidin' it wuz a man. De one dat's workin' it tuh come dere way, dey must be on top.
Entry 4177
De chamber lye - yuh takes dis chamber lye an' put it in a jar an' git chew eight nails. Yo' turn fo' of 'em haid down an' fo' haid up. De down head is de woman, an' up is de man. Dat will break dem up. Yuh bury it right undah dey steps where yuh [they] kin walk ovah it.
(Well, whose chamber lye do you use?)
Use de man only. If yo' de man's wife, use de man only. If ah has a husban' an', yuh see, he's goin' wit anothah woman. Ah take his nurine an' put it in a jar wit eight nails, fo' nails haid down an' fo' up, an' close it up good in a jar tight. (What do those nails rep- resent now, what do they represent?) Dose fo' [down] de woman an' dose fo' up represent de man. Yuh take an' put de top on it tight, seal it tight, an' yuh take it an' go dig a deep hole an' yuh bury it. Den yuh covah it up real good, dat he may leave, go roun' 'er no mo'. He'll stay home.
(You don't call their names or anything like that?)
Don't call dere name.
Entry 4178
Yo' kin git ten penny nails, don't chew undahstan', an' brass pins. Yo' kin put 'em in a bottle wit de urine an' stop it up an' it'll set choo crazy. It'll stay in dere an' yo'll suffah clean till dey let choo out. Well, dat's mean, don't choo know. When dey let choo out, yo' got tuh git somebody [to help yuh], don't choo undahstan'.
(Why do they do that?)
Becuz dey're mad an' jealous of yo' gittin' along, an' do somepin tuh yo', don't choo know, so dat choo cain't have no luck.
(What do they do with this bottle?)
Dey buries it, buries it down in de groun' bottom upwards dey tell me.
Entry 4179
Ah could take yuh name an' write it on a piece of papah an' soak it in chamber lye until dat papah come dissolved, an' come heah sometime in de dead hours of de night an' throw it on yore po'ch. An' dat will make yuh move. (You just write that name on the paper once?) Yessuh. (You soak it in your own chamber lye?) Yessuh.
Entry 4180
Stop dat up an' run yuh crazy, dry yuh up. (This chamber lye?) Yes.
(How do they stop it up?)
Put it in de bottle an' put chure name in dere an' stop it up an' turn it upside down.
Entry 4181
Dey stop yuh watah.
(How do they do that?)
See, dey take yuh chamber lye an' put it in a bottle. Dey'll take yuh chamber lye an' dey'll' put it in a bottle, an' den dey'll take an' put yuh name in dat bottle - put it in dere. Den dey'll take an' dey'll stop dat bottle up tight - tight - tight. An' dey'll git some hot pepper an' put it in dat bottle. An' yuh see, den dey'll take an' stop dat bottle up tight an' bury dat bottle upside down. You see? An' dat stops yuh watah up - stop yuh from peein' an' gives yuh a gripe from all ways in yuh stomik. An' yuh can't pee good.
Entry 4182
Yo' wants a man an' yo' write his name see, nine times. An' yo' puts it in a bottle of chamber lye an' bury it undahneat' yuh steps. In nine days he'll be back dere.
Entry 4183
Yuh kin take dat [urine of his] an' write his name nine times on a piece of papah, right in de same place jis' nine times, an' yuh fold it tuh yuh each way. Each way yuh fold it, yuh fold it tuh yuh, an' yuh put it in dat chamber lye an' yuh put it in a perfume bottle an' turn it on its haid. An' long as dat piece of papah wettin' 'im down dataway, why yuh'll nevah git shet of 'im.
(Now, you mean writing his name nine times, you keep writing right over it?)
Right in dat same place. Jis' lak yo' write it right dere [demonstrates]. Well go right back an' write it right dere ag'in, nine times in dat same one place. Den yuh fold it tuh yuh an' each way yuh fold it tuh yuh - each time yuh fold, why yuh jis' fold it tuh yuh. (You fold it like this [I demonstrate]. Then you fold the little corners here and fold it there.) Yeah, jis' lak disaway [demonstrates]. Fold it tuh yuh. Den yuh turn roun an' fold it de othah side, den yuh fold dis cornah tuh yuh, an' den yuh turn roun' an' yuh fold dat cornah tuh yuh, yuh see. Eithah way yuh fold it, jis' fold it tuh yuh. An' den yuh put it in a perfume bottle an' turn it on de haid, turn dat little bottle on its haid. An' long as dat's wettin' 'im down, why yuh'll nevah git shet of 'im. [HERE IS A UNIQUE HAND (see P.519f.). THE MAN'S CAPTURED SPIRIT (see p.24f.), HIS NAME, IS FED (see p.578) BY HIS URINE, ANOTHER PART OF HIS SPIRIT (see P.21, No.24).]
Entry 4184
[More calZing rites will be found later under SHAKING BOTTLED URINE.]
Well, in de night when yo' go tuh baid, ah wouldn't use no slop jah [jar] at all, see. Jes' lak ah wanta trick a gal, ah would let she [not her] urinate intuh dat jah, see. Ah'd git me a bottle an' ah'll put some her urinate in it, see. Dat's all ah want, de urinate, an' ah don' wan' nuthin else. Ah'll git dat urinate an' put it intuh a little vial bottle. An' aftah ah git de urinate, ah'll call 'er an' ah'll git 'er voice. Git 'er voice an' 'er urinate in dat bottle. An when ah call 'er an' she answah, why ah'll jes' put dat stoppah in dat bottle. An' why? Ah got 'er urinate an' 'er voice, see. An' she can't jes' left me fer nuthin in de world. [While machine turned off, informant tells about care of bottle.]
(And you carry that around? Tote it around?)
OR YO' KIN LEAVE IT AT HOME, BE ALL RIGHT; EITHAH TOTE IT AROUN' WIT CHEW. IF YO' TOTE IT AROUN', WHY SHE'LL HOUND JOO TUH DEATH. SEE, IT BES' TUH LEAVE IT AT HOME.
Entry 4185
See, yo' kin take a man's chamber lye, yo' undahstan' me, an' yo' kin put it in a bottle, an' yo' kin git 'if lef'-foot track, an' yo' kin git jes' a little tiny bit of powdah'd alum an' put dat in dere, an' yo' kin git a table- spoonfulla yores. (Of your what?) Of yore - yo' undahstan' me, yeah, of yuh chamber lye. An' yo' could step in one room an' let 'im be in anothah, an' yo' could call 'im. An' when he an- swah yo', jes' stop it up tight. An' bury it tuh de back steps or de front steps, an' dat will always keep 'im wit chew. Ah know dat mahsel' [myself].
Entry 4186
Ah know, confidentially [don't tell this to anyone], dat chew kin take de toenails an' fingahnails an' put 'em togethah wit chure own chamber lye; an put chure own chamber lye, an' put it in a bottle. Firs' it mus' be a clean bottle. Yuh trim yuh fingahnails an' den yuh toenails an' yuh put 'em in an' let 'em stay in dere. Den joo begin tuh name de person dat choo love, call 'em so dey will answah. When dey answah, why yuh have de stoppah open a crack sO yuh kin fasten it right out, yuh know, an' [he blows] DEY BLEWS DE BREATH IN IT. An' stick de stoppah right back an' seal it right tight. An' dat will be yuh frien!. (That will be your friend. I see, such as getting a woman or a man. With a man?) Yes.
Entry 4187
Me, fo' mahself, dis whut wuz tol' me tuh do: tuh git two needles, two bran'-new needles, an' put urine in de bottle, mine. Put it in a li'le bottle 'bout dat long, jis' big enough tuh hol' dem needles, yuh know, an' - ah kin go an' git dat an' show it tuh yuh where it's right dere now in mah trunk, ah kin show yuh - dat [2 needles and urine in bottle] an' some red peppah an' some salt an' some spice. An' put it all in a bottle an' stop it up tight, an' wear it on yuh. Dey said da' chew go tuh any man or any woman an' secure a job, see. Well dat somepin tuh git money.
(WHO TOLD YOU THIS?)
SOME OLE FORTUNETELLAH FELLAH DAT HANG AROUN' MAH HOUSE RIGHT - SEE AH LIVE UP DE HILL DERE.
(DID IT HELP YOU?)
NAW, AH DON'T SEE DAT IT BENEFIT ME ANYTHING.
Entry 4188
Now dis is about six needles - three needles up and three down, see [demonstrates]. (You put three up like that and three up like that - I mean down. Or do you put them like this [I must have demonstrated]?) Three up an' three down [demonstrates]. (One's up and one's down, one's up and one's down, and so on.) [The needles are alternately up and down.] See, yuh turn three point up an' den down, an' yuh takes some of de hair out chure haid an' yuh put it in de bottle - a glass bottle. Yuh buys some perfume, put about dat much in dere, yuh see; I mean full enough tuh covah dat - de haid [and points] of dem needles. An' yuh take yuh toenails an' put dat down in, den yuh take some of de hair from down below an' yuh watah.
(And your water on both.)
Yes, yuh puts some of de watah in dat an' mix dat wit dat cologne. Yuh kin bury dat. Yuh buries it right about three or four inches in de groun'. When dat bottle work out de groun', when dat bottle will bus' [bust], dey stop comin'. Dat person gone.
(Where do you bury this?)
Yuh buries it right aroun' de steps, de same somepin like what ah tole yuh while ago.
(Well, will this bottle come up out of the ground?)
Yes, dey work out de groun'. Yuh see, somepin like when it rain, work outa de groun'. See, work up. Some days dey work up dat much [demonstrates]. See, stick de haid up, de stoppah, an' keep aworkin' up an' git dat much out de groun'. An' den de bottle shoot up at a certain time when [something] an' bottle bus'. De man gone.
(Well, whose hair and stuff do you put in that bottle?)
His, his 'cuz he ain't buyin' any whiskey. See, whilst he's sleepin', she is playin' aroun'.
Entry 4189
Ah heard dat if yuh man wuz runnin' about, could take de chamber lye an' put nine needles in yuh cham- ber an' pee ovah 'em, make watah ovah dem.
(That will stop him from running about. You leave them there?)
Yessuh.
Entry 4190
Wit de chamber lye, ah tell yuh whut dey do wit dat. Yuh take nine new needles an' a person's chamber lye an' yuh stop it up in a bottle, an' yuh turn de bottle neck up- side down an' bury it. Dey'll surely die.
Entry 4191
Dey say take a needle, a goldeye needle, an' stick it in de stoppah of a bottle. But yuh gotta axe dis certain somebody fo' a penny, if yuh want 'em tuh give yuh some money, see. An' take dis penny an' his hair out de top of 'is head, an' put dis hair in dat bottle an' a penny, an' use some of 'is urinate an' keep dat. Stick nine goldeye needles in dat stoppah, an' dat'll make 'e [= he = him] give yuh money. But yuh gotta git dat penny from 'im.
(But you put your own [his] urine in the bottle?)
Yes.
(But you get that penny from the man?)
Yeah, from who yuh want de money.
(You just keep this bottle?)
Yes.
Entry 4192
Breakin' nine needles - take nine needles an' break 'em an' put 'em intuh dat - down intuh it, don't chew undahstan', in yuh chamber lye. It jis lak if yuh'd drink [milk]. Now, yuh kin take milk an' drink it an' put sugah in it, an' take a knife blade an' stir it, yuh'll have de stomikache from dat knife blade. Well, yuh'll always be ahurtin', always be a [in] pain, all de time. Evah time yuh look aroun' yuh will complain of a pain, but it be's in de same place - it nevah moves.
(And then this chamber lye, you put it in something to hold it, don't you?)
Yes, bottle.
[Long pause.]
(Well, go on, put it in the bottle there [informant demonstrating], and then you put these knives [this knife blade] and needles in it.) In the bottle.
(What do you do with that, then?)
Yo' jis' bury it, de bottle, in de ground an' nobody knows. "Git chew a round stick, yuh know, an' dig yuh a hole an' bury it right in dere.
(I see. That will give the person pains in his stomach.)
Yes sir.
Entry 4193
She take her husban' urinate an' she put it in a bottle an' she put nine needles wit it an' she stopped dat up an' she put it in de bed where he wuz sleepin' at fo' nine nights. An' aftah dem nine nights she take it an' she bury it undah de steps, an' she did dat tuh keep 'im at home an' so he won' go wit no one else but 'er. An' she say he stayed undah 'er feet so much until she wanta let it go. Yes, he stayed undah 'er feet all de time an' didn't go wit no one else but 'er. Dat whut she did it fo'. He stayed at home all de time. She did it tuh stop 'im from runnin' roun'.
Entry 4194
Dey kin put it in a vasoline bottle.
(This chamber lye.)
Yes. Dey gits nine shots - yuh know, lead shots, an' nine bran'-new needles. Yuh put one of dose shots in wit de needle down dere, de head down, wit anothah shot den, until yuh git all of dem nine in dere. An' stops it up in dere in dat vasoline bottle, an' den dey keep it straight up. Put it in a da'k [dark] closet. Dat supposed tuh hold yuh husban'.
Entry 4195
A three ounce bottle will hold three ounces. Yuh put three tablespoon- ful of urine in dis bottle. Yuh put de contents of one bottle of Hearts Cologne - yuh see dat's tuh dispose of de urine odor. An' yuh put a piece of lodestone de size of a pea in dis. Yuh put nine small needles in dat bottle an' if yuh are angry wit me - jis' like now [if] ah made yuh angry wit me, yuh git nine grains of spice an' drop in dat bottle [with this] an' say, "Well, ah want chew tuh always be pleased wit me, it is not my desire tuh have enemies." Dat person will immediately git in good humor wit yuh de very nex time yuh see dem. Dey will meet yuh wit a pleasant smile. Well now, not only dat, yuh kin put nine grains of spice in dere, if de boss is de only one dat is angry wit yuh. Dat works for dat one person. Well, maybe yuh do dat dis mawnin', an' it might be a week latah dat someone else will git angry wit yo'. Well now, let me tell yuh about a lady livin' on South Union Street in Mont- gomery [Ala.]. Well, at one time ah had a [little trouble with a woman] an' dis woman she wuz very angry wit me, an' ah had heard about dis [hoodoo] woman, an' a woman tole me, said, "If yuh go tuh dat woman, she sure goin' tuh tell yuh jis' whut tuh do." An' evahthin' worked out all right. She [hoodoo woman] said, "Dis woman will not appear in co't ag'inst chuh." Well, ah didn't har'ly believe it, but ah jis' thought ah would go on anyway. But de woman wuz one of de worst enemies ah had. I went tuh dis [hoodoo] woman an' she fixed dis bottle fo' me - tole me tuh fix it an' tole me jis' as ah have tole joo. Tole me tuh drop de spice in dere, an' ah did dat. Dis is true: Dis woman came ovah tuh mah house 'bout a half an hour befo' co't an' she tole me, she says, "Ah'm not goin' tuh court ag'inst yuh or no one else. It jis' came tuh me dat ah'd be doin' de wrong thin'. Ah'm not goin' do it." Den ah know it wuz workin'.
Entry 4196
Git some of 'is urinate an' git 'er nine needles - goldeye needles - an' nine spices. Put it in dere an' nine cinnamons, ah mean cloves. Stop it up an' turn it bottom up- wards an' bury it undah de back do'step. If she could git 'im, yuh know dat would draw 'im back, an' den when yuh [he] walk ovah it once or twice, he'll keep comin' back.
(Just what do you put in that bottle now?)
Yuh put nine goldeye needles an' nine grains of cloves, an' nine spice. Yuh know, cloves an' spice [allspice] is diff'ren', but it's all about de same, yuh know. Put nine of each: nine needles, nine cloves an' nine spice.
(What else do you put in that bottle?)
De urinate.
(Whose? Yours?)
His.
Entry 4197
[The preceding rite is here repeated 23 informants later:]
Take dey nurinate an' put it in a little bottle an' put nine spices an' nine cloves an' nine goldeye needles an' stop it up an dig a hole underneat' de back do'step an' bury it, an' dat will draw 'em to yuh.
(Whose urine do you put in there?)
Yuh kin put de othah person's in dere.
(What if you can't get it?)
Well, dere some way dey is - lak if it's a friend or sompin of yuhs.
(They get it for you.)
Entry 4198
Yuh kin take a person chamber lye an' put nine brass pins in it - any- body chamber lye - kin put nine brass pins in it an' put it intuh a dry place where it will be air- tight, where no light can't hit it, an' as long as dat pins an' dat chamber lye is stopped up in dat bottle, dat person al- ways complain of pains in dere stomick.
(That gives them stomach pains.)
Entry 4199
Dey night watah, uh-huh, an' po' it in a bottle. Put about nine new needles or nine new pins in it an' co'k [cork] dat bottle up an' yuh'll be pinin 'way till yuh daid, if dey don't go an' unstop dat bottle. (You put either the needles or the pins?) Nine of each or nine of any one of 'em - de nine.
Entry 4200
Dey takes dat [urine] an' dey'll stop it up. Dey puts nine needles, lodestone, nine bran'-new pins, an' den dey'll stop dat up. Even maybe dey'll bury it in de groun' an' turn it bottom up - seals it an' turns it bottom up.
(Do this with this water, this urine?)
Yuh urinate - yuh urinate watah.
(What will that do?)
Well, dey say dat hold's de man - holds 'im, yuh know.
(Hold the man, I see.)
Entry 4201
Ah heard dat chew kin take nine needles an' nine pins an' some piece of 'is, or 'er chamber lye an' put it in a bottle. An' turn de - jis' put one pin dis way an' put one needle de same way, an' one needle up, p'int up, an' one pin de p'int up, instead of git de nine needles. But chew mus' put de p'int of de haid of de pin down an' de head of de needle down first, an' de p'int up of de needles an' de pins, un- til yh git de whole nine needles in dere, an' stop it up. An' take dat an' set it in a close place - in de closet or any place lak dat. Dat will keep 'll home.
Entry 4202
Dey'll take dat urine an' dey'll put it in a bottle an' dey'll apply cinnamay [cinnamon] powdah tuh dat urine, mixin' dat an' de urine, sugah, nine needles an' nine pins. Bury dat where de individual pass at an' dat'll keep 'em accustomary goin' nowhere. When de sun is down, dey min' [mind] not care whut kinda powdah dey be in. It'd make 'em very home [sick], dere min' will refer back home whensomevah de sun go down, regardless of how gran' de party be, yuh can't keep 'em from home.
Entry 4203
Dey git a hold of some of yuh hair an' git some of yuh watah wit it, an' put dat in a bottle, an' dey git a hold of nine new needles an' nine new pins, an' cork de bottle up, an' dey bury dat anywhere where yuh walk along, an' dat will run yuh crazy.
Entry 4204
Dey cud [could] take yore track up, yuh know, an' dey cud use yuh watah an' some of yuh hair, from undah here an' also below here, an' take nine new needles an' nine [new] pins, an' stop it up in a bottle an' put it at chure head an' dey cud have yuh like dat. (At your head?) An' let yuh sleep on it. (And how would it harm you? What way will it harm you?) Wal, it jis' make yuh jis' stay an' take any- thin' dey do an' anythin' yuh got. Yuh jis' bring it an' give it tuh dem.
(To the man or to the woman?)
Tuh de woman. Jis' like if yuh got a woman an' she t'inks yuh runnin' roun' - yuh know, sompin like dat.
(Fix you with your hair?)
Uh-huh.
Entry 4205
Yuh know, yuh kin take a man's watah an' yuh stop it up in a bottle an' tote it. Yuh put nine needles an' nine grains of cinnamon - er [I mean] mixed spice, allspice dey call it, in a bottle. (You put just nine grains of allspice.) Nine grains of allspice an' nine goldeye needles, nine pins. Turn de nine needles one down an' one up, one down an' one up, an' de pins de same way. An' den yuh take an' hang dat up somewhere back in a cornah where he won't find it. An' he can't fool wit no othah woman - stop it airtight an' he can't fool wit no othah Woman.
Entry 4206
Dey say yuh kin take chxnber lye. Jis' lak dis yuh sweetheart, yuh kin take yuh sweetheart's chamber lye an' yuh chamber lye an' put it both tuh- gethah an' git chew nine needles an' nine pins an' nine nails, bran'-new nails, an' bury it undah de bottom of yuh footstep [doorstep] or eithah undah de bottom of yuh backsteps. Or eithah, if yuh don't wanta bury it undah dere, it's all right. If yuh wanta put it in de room anywheres it's all right, but it's bettah tuh bury it. An' dat'll make dem come home, an' love yuh very much.
Entry 4207
Well, yuh take it [urine] an' stop it, stop it tight wit 'leven needles an' bury it. In 'leven days he can't do his watah.
Urine is bracketed editorial matter; the unbracketed instruction explicitly names eleven needles.
Entry 4208
Dat stop 'is bladdah. Dey takes 'is urine an' put it in a bottle an' let it stay stopped up in dere nine days an bury it turnt down.
Entry 4209
Cuz a person tuh swell up wit dere watah.
(How would they do that?)
Dey put it in anythin' airtight an' stop it up fo' nine days, an' den a person begin tuh swell up.
(Stop it up for nine days, then what do they do with that?)
Say it will cause a person tuh swell up.
The informant says stopping the person's 'watah' in something airtight for nine days will cause swelling; no result is independently established.
Entry 4210
An' de same if yuh owe a debt. If ah owe a debt, prob'ly mahself wit a man, a furniture man, an' ah have no money fo' 'im an' ah don't want 'im tuh come dere, well ah usely [usual- ly] see 'em take de stuff yuh call chamber lye an' like dat. Well, yuh hold dat stuff so many days - think yuh sup- posed tuh hold it nine days until it git strong, an' yuh take dat out in de yard, right where yuh [rent man] got'a come along, an' put nine [spoonfuls?] of de Red Devil Lye in it at de same time an' use dis red cayenne pepper. Well, yuh take an' throw dat right down in front of yuh door, but yuh not supposed tuh put it out in de day - supposed tuh be put in de mawnin'. Say, if yuh put it out in de mawnin', supposed tuh be dere befo' six a'clock. An' den yuh sprinkle dis stuff all aroun' in front dere, at yuh gate, whatevah is dere. If de law or anythin' come dere, why sometime dey may stop an' look but dey keep on by. De same way it is wit de rent man or somepin. Thin's is pretty tough [during the Great De- pression] an' he knows how it's tough or sompin like dat. Well, when he come dere, yuh don't come. Sometime he pass on by. He won't stop.
Entry 4211
Why yuh kin take yuh chamber lye an' - jis' lak someone put down sompin tuh plant sompin roun' yuh steps - yuh kin take yuh chamber lye an' throw it undah yuh step fo' nine mawnin's an' dey can't hurt chuh dat way.
Entry 4212
If yuh got a boy in New York - if ah wuz a woman - see, an' yuh want him back heah. She take his shirttail, if yuh kin git hold of a piece of 'is shirt, see, yuh cut de shirttail off an' put it in de bottle an' urinate on it fo' nine mawnin's. Fo' nine mawnin's do dat. An' he'll come back home.
(Then what do you do with that bottle?)
Dat bottle? Use de bottle tuh put de thin's - see, de shirttail in.
(After you do all that, what do you do with the bottle?)
Well, ah bring de bottle back an' rinse it out an' keep it fo' de nex' time.
(Thought you said you buried that bottle?)
[This must have been said before recording began.]
Yeah, ah bury de bottle.
Entry 4213
Dat's bad. Yuh take nine drops of dat an' put it in a bottle an' stop it up an' it will run yuh clean crazy. (Nine drops of chamber lye.) Put it in any woman's period. Yuh undahstan' about de chamber lye. Yuh jis' put it in a little bottle 'bout dat big - about nine drops, an' stop it up right tight.
(What do you do with it?)
Jis' hold it or chunk it any place yuh want tuh.
Entry 4214
She kin git some of 'is urine, dat'll be his watah, see, an' dey tell me dat dey kin go an' git some of dis Hearts Perfume, 25c a bottle, an' put 'er nine drops in dat an' keep it right de middle part of 'er bed [a quincunx], de bedtick yuh see, fo' nine days. An' dat'll keep 'im from runnin' aroun'. He stay at home den mo' den evah. He won't wanta leave home. She can't hardly leave him. She tell him sometime, why don't he go out somewhere. He tells 'er, "No, ah don't wanta go, want tuh stay here wit chew." Yestahday he been goin' all de time, see, night an' day. A ole lady showed me dat about thirteen or fo'teen years ago.
Entry 4215
A woman kin do de same thin', jis' lak she want me an' ah don't want 'er. Well, she kin git a piece of yuh shirt an' tie it in nine knots an' put it in 'er watah, her urinate watah, an' let it stay in dere fo' three mornin's. If she kin git dem nine knots back into mah pocket or in some of mah clothses, dat will draw me an 'er back tuhgethah.
Entry 4216
Dey takes de chamber lye an' stop it up in a bottle an' bury it undah de steps of de house at de no'th corner an' dat, yo' know, stops dere watah an' all.
Entry 4217
Dey say dey kin take dat, dis chamber lye. take dat an' put it in a bottle, cork it up tight an' bury it in de no'th side of de house. (What will that do?) Dey say dat would cuz, would put ovah [accomplish] whatevah dey desire tuh do wit chuh. Whatevah dey wanta do, say dat would carry yuh in dat work.
Entry 4218
Well, yuh kin git dis chamber lye an' oil of cinnamon an' lye an' scrub yuh house each an' evah mawnin' an' dat brings luck tuh yuh house jis' as yo's - whut yuh'all desire.
Entry 4219
Go tuh de drug sto', if yuh want aplenty customahs. Jes' lak when yuh use yuh slopbucket at night an' have yuh urinate in dere. Git chew a dime of oil of cinnamon an' a ten-cent can of Red Devil Lye, an' yore urinate. Mix it in de bucket an' let somebody scour yuh front porch wit it, an' plenty customah come in tuh yuh - be comin' dere evah day.
Entry 4220
chamber lye is fo' success. Dey put it in de watah dat chew mop yuh flo's wit. Put chamber lye an' put sugah in de watah an' oil of cinnamon, an scrub yuh flo's. Start at chure front do' an' scrub on back in de house. Scrub yuh do' facin's an' all, wash 'em down. If yuh got varnish do's an' yuh cain't scrub 'em, why yuh jis' sprinkle 'em; but yuh scrub yuh flo's wit it, mop 'em yuh know lak dat.
Entry 4221
Mostly dey uses dere in houses in dere watah [urine], whut are used fo' men. Whut ah mean, sech as de wash watah. Wash watah are used an' only one oil is supposed tuh be used intuh it. See, dat's de oil of pennyroyal, an' flo' is supposed tuh be scrubbed wit it. De balance of de watah is tuh be po'ed in front of de do'. Dat is tuh continue of mens goin' - comin' backward an' fo'- wards.
(That is to keep the men coming.)
Jes' keep 'em comin' backwards an' fo'wards, mens, see de room whut dis watah is come out of. Dis washin' an' de urine watah is all used tuhgethah tuh scrub de house wit, yuh know.
Entry 4222
Aftah, dey take de pennies an' dey put it in yuh chamber lye, an' den in de mawnin' befo' de sunrise, ah've seen 'um back [give power to?] dey chamber lye an' de pennies. Dey puts ten pennies in dere an' den dey make a wish, "Ah wish yo'd go away, ah wish yo'd go away, ah wish yo'd go away." See? An' den dey'd take dat an' throw it jis' where de sun would rise an' evently [eventually] dey'd go away.
Entry 4223
Dey say dey kin take a man's watah an' put it in a Coca Cola bottle, an' dey kin go tuh de drug sto' an' git dis stuff in de drug sto' called Fo'get- Me-Not [perfume] an' dey kin put it in dat watah, an' bury dat bottle in de yard an' dat man will set roun' dat house. Ah've seen dat done. Ah've seen a woman do so, an' she kin feed 'im jis' lak a baby - bring 'is meal to 'im an' he sit dere an' cry. He can't even holler.
Entry 4224
Well, yuh kin take a person's chamber lye an' yuh kin put it intuh a bottle an' yuh kin bury it undahneat' yuh step or de right cornah - yuh know, de right pillah of de cornah of yuh house, an' dat'll give 'em gravels an' keep 'em from nuratin' an' dey would die. [The lowland small house sets a foot or so off the ground, resting upon 4 or 5 pillars; low posts, large single stones, or small brick columns. The 4 pillars are at the 4 corners of the house, the fifth pil- lar is at the center of the house, making a quincunx. The right-hand corner depends upon whether you are looking at or away from the house.] (You mean the right-hand side looking at the house or looking away from the house?) No, de right-han' side as yuh...
(As you come to the house?)
[Informant is uncertain.]
Jis' bury it right by de pillah. Put it in a bottle an' stop it up tight sc no air can't git tuh it.
Entry 4225
Yuh kin git any woman's chamber lye, de chamber lye of a lady's, an' put it in a bottle wit some Hearts Cologne an' take it back intuh yore house undah de pillah an' bury it, an' let it stay dere a month, a month an' three days, an' take it out. An' yuh got de 'fluence of 'er. She wild about chew. Yuh go out dere an' yuh kin do any kinda way yuh want. She ain't gonna do nuthin. She's jis' worryin'. Dat'll worry an' worry an worry. An' jis' evahthin' she git 'er hand on, she give it tuh yuh, an' try tuh make yuh confident [con- tented] so yuh stay right dere wit 'er. Dat'll sure do it. Ah did it. Ah knowed a lady - a ole lady tole me dat tuh do tuh a gurl of mine.
Entry 4226
Yes, ah have too. Ah heard dat jis' lak if somebody wuz tuh wanta fix yuh or poison yuh some way, an' if yuh kin take it - jis' lak if dey wuz tuh go 'long an' put down poison fo' yuh an' den, if yuh kin git dis heah tuh put ovah it, yuh see, befo' dis person git tuh it, den dat would kill de poison out of de dose dat dey have put down fo' yuh.
(They just sprinkle this chamber lye over it?)
Yeah, dey sprinkle it ovah it.
Entry 4227
If yuh wanta make a person move, now yuh could do dis. Co'se dis is ve'y har' [hard] tuh git tuh do. Now, yuh know, de usual thin' de ladies use chambahs. Now if it's any way yuh kin git tuh dere house an' empty dat chamber lye on dere po'ch, well dat'll make dem move. Dat's kinda har' tuh git tuh do, but dat will make dem move. (If some woman was living here and I would want to make her move, I'd come here and take her chamber and empty it on the porch?) No, yuh wouldn't do dat, yuh wouldn't have tuh do dat. If she wuz livin' heah an' yuh want tuh make her move, yuh wouldn't empty hers; yuh would bring yuh's an' throw it on de po'ch. Yuh bring yores an' throw it on dat po'ch.
Entry 4228
An' den if yuh wuz sellin' whiskey or somepin lak dat an' yuh don't Want de law tuh come in, why yuh could git a box of or a can of potash [or lye] an' put it at chure front do'steps. Bury it dere an' evah night yuh could throw chamber lye out, chew know. Scattah it in front of dose steps an' dat would keep de law away.
Entry 4229
Take a - jis' lak some chamber lye an' put a box of potash in it an' scrub de stoop wit it, an' let it be in front of de steps, an' as long as it be dere, dat will keep de jinx away an' de policeman can't come to de do'.