Browse:THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF (Volume 3, entries 3110–5205)/Part 15
THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF
Volume 3, entries 3110–5205. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 4230
If a woman is pregnant an' yuh wanta make her lose de baby an' yuh don't lak 'er. Well, yuh see, yuh kin take some of her urinate an' stop it up in a bottle an' dat'll make her mis- carry a baby, or she'll git tuh de place she'll have sech dreadful pains in de bottom of 'er stomik, in 'er bladdah, see - sompin lak bladdah trouble, an' 'er stomik begin tuh git weak an' event'ly she'll lose out.
Entry 4231
Evah time have tuh ketch some of 'er watah, an' she be lak dat [preg- nant], dey stop it up. An' dey put diff'ren' thin's. Dey puts graveyard dirt an' diff'ren' thin's in 'er wa- tah, an' fix evahthin' bad in dat bottle an' seal it up an' put it upside down. An' den de baby git crossed in 'er an' apt tuh kill 'er an' de baby.
(That's to fix a woman who is carrying a baby.)
Entry 4232
Yuh kin take some of 'er urinate or ministration an' yuh could fix it. Yuh could take some of 'er urinate an' yuh could bury it about 'er house or any- where undah 'er house. Suppose tuh be undah 'er house close by 'er baid an' near time yuh know think she gon'a git down. Go an' git dis bottle, whatsomevah yuh git it in, yuh kin put it in a bottle or a jar or somepin, but de best partly [mostly?] puts it in a bottle. Yuh go an' git dis bottle yuh think about near time dat she gon'a git down. Yuh git dis bottle, take de stoppah out. Sometime it will shoot out, sometime it will jis' blow out, jis' lak beer or somepin, hot beer. DEN FILL DIS THIN' UP FULLAH PEPPAH. SEE DAT FILLIN' 'ER FULL OF PAINS. Den bury dis deepah on down [than] what it wuz. An' she may given birth tuh de baby but she sure won't live.
Entry 4233
(What do you put in your shoes, you say, to keep them from harming you. What do they put in your shoes?) Bathes 'em in chamber lye. Puts cayenne peppah an' sulphur.
Entry 4234
Git chew a half gallon jar or sompin lak dat an' yuh half full it wit chamber lye; yuh know, where yuh urinate. An' den yuh kin go tuh de sto' if yuh ain't already got a sto' an' git some rock salt or git chew a big ball [block] of salt [from salt blocks made for cattle licking] an' beat off some an' put about two han'fuls or three, an' put it in dat [screw-top] jar, in dat chamber lye an' keep it shut. A quart, not ovah a quart.
(What do you do with that now?)
Dat whut chew do, jis' sprinkle it on yuh steps or on yuh po'ch. It will make peace aroun' yuh home, if anybody 'sturbin' yuh. Yo'll git peace. [Wilson, N. Car. (1496), 2665:4.]
Entry 4235
Take salt an' put it in yore chamber lye an' throw it in front of yore do' an' it will conquah, yo' know, yuh enemies dat way.
Entry 4236
Yuh take yuh chamber lye an' po' it roun' yuh do'step an' some table salt, if anybody try tuh put anythin' down undah yuh steps. Jis' come right along an' po' dat aroun' de do'step. Dat's no use dere, dey hurt chew.
Entry 4237
Take anybody chamber lye, if yuh want 'em tuh stay wit yuh, an' put table salt in it an' bury it undahneat' yuh do'step.
(What do you put that chamber lye in, anything?)
Jis' put it in a bottle wit cookin' salt.
(Whose chamber lye do you take, that person's that you want to stay?)
Yeah, dat person yuh wanta stay. Jis' lak a man comin' tuh mah house an' goin' tuh anothah house, well ah kin take his pee an' put cookin' salt in it an' bury it undah mah do'step. Well de othah woman, she could do de same thing, if she knew how. Well he jis' have tuh keep penetratin' from dis house tuh dat house, dis house tuh dat house. He can't stay tuh one house. He gotta go tuh dat house. He come tuh see me an' he got a wife. Well ah've got 'im fixed up so bad wit diff'ren' thin's, see, dat when he go back home he can't give a good word out tuh 'is ole lady. If she say anythin' tuh 'im, it make him cross.
(That will cause confusion.)
Entry 4238
Take chamber lye an' yuh kin put salt in dat an' throw dat in de rivah. Dey say dat will run yuh 'way from home.
(You would throw this person's chamber lye in the river.)
Entry 4239
If dey take yuh urine, dey kin have yuh so dat yuh can't make yuh watah.
(How would they do that?)
Dey'd take yuh urine an' put in a bottle an' dey'd stop salt an' peppah up in dis bottle, an' dey turn dat bottle upside down an' bury it, an' jis' let it stay dere. When dat cork dissolves an' dat watah, urine drains outa dat, dat pines yuh away.
Entry 4240
Sprinkle red peppah, salt an' chamber lye roun' de house, git chew 'way from dere. (That will make you move?) Yes.
Entry 4241
Dey git some red peppah an' some salt an den git some urinate an' put it into a [tin] can an' sprinkle dat fo' foah mawnin's an' den sweep. An' durin' as yuh go out goin' somewhare, dey sprinkle dis behin' yuh ag'in, an' jis' sweep an' yuh won' evah come back. (Well, now this pepper and salt. Do they sprinkle that around or do they mix that with the urine and sprinkle the urine around?) Dey mix it up wit de urine.
Entry 4242
( Chew kin take chamber lye an' make peace an' yuh kin take chamber lye an' make evil.
(Well how do you do each one of those?)
If yuh want tuh make peace wit chamber lye an' yuh wanta make de home pleas- ant, yuh take de chamber lye an' salt an' peppah an' yuh scrub wit it an' yuh use oil of mint, if yuh want tuh make yuh home pleasant. If yuh wanta have luck in yuh home, yuh know, yuh doin' any kinda business.
Entry 4243
Burn sulphur an use de same chamber lye an' salt an' scrub wit it an' burn sulphur in yore house, an' dey'll hardly come.
(Keep the law away. What do you scrub with chamber lye?)
[Informant does not understand my question.]
chamber lye an' potash [and salt]."
Entry 4244
Yuh kin take a person's chamber lye an' git chew some table salt an borax an' dat'll, dat'll put 'em outa business or - jis' lak if yuh's some woman who wanted [to] git a place. In case if yuh wanted tuh git a place an' yuh couldn't git in dere 'lessen dey [the person who had the place or job] wuz out, why den yuh take chamber lye.
(Whose chamber lye?)
Git some of yuh own chamber lye. Take yuh chamber lye an' table salt an' some borax. Yuh go dere an' jis' po' it aroun' de place an' it won't be long 'fore he [the person holding the place or job] be outa dere.
(You pour it around the place where he works or around his house?)
Aroun' de place where he work. Jis' go dere some days [nights?], jis' take it an' go right roun' de do', front an' de back.
(That is to get the other fellow's job?)
Dat's tuh git de othah fellah's job.
Entry 4245
Yuh kin use garlic an' [or] yuh kin use onions an' yuh kin use yuh slop jar watah.
(How do you use garlic for example to keep the law away?)
Take a package of garlic, a small piece of garlic an' put it up each night, a piece of it in yore slop jar an' throw de table salt, de table salt dat chew use, an' let it git on yore table. [Let it come from your table.] Yuh jis' keep it damp somewhere an' mix it an' throw it aroun' yuh do' both front an' back. An' co'se yuh have some good lodestone an' grad'ly [gradually] dey'll pass on by yuh an' yuh kin sell right on. Dat keep de officahs away. Throw it in de grass an' all lak dat aroun' yore do', but don't walk in it yuhself. [NEVER WALK OVER YOUR OWN HOODOO!] Leave it so dat people kin pass ovah it. Let it lay dere an' dey ain't goin' worry yuh.
Entry 4246
If dey take yuh chamber lye an' put it in a bottle an' put saltpetah in it an' Hearts Cologne, an' sprinkle it in de path where a person walk along, an' it'll cuz 'em tuh like yuh, come aroun' yuh an' visit yuh.
Entry 4247
Dey say dat yo' could take some of dis heah saltpeter an' some sul- phur an' put it in a chambah yuh know, jis' lak peoples make watah in de chambah yuh know. Yuh git up dat night sometime an' put some saltpetah an' sulphur in dere. Well, wheresomevah dey po' it out, yuh see, whosomevah cross dat, yuh know, wheresomevah yuh po' de watah at, where somebody kin cross it, yuh know, which an' evahbody cross dat watah or comin' up dem do'steps, dat will [make] dem go crazy: (That is to make them love you. A woman would do that with her chamber lye to bring in men?) Yeah, make 'em love yuh. Dat's a way dat dey kin gain mens too. Dat's simple but dey people don't know all dat.
Entry 4248
Well yuh kin take dat an' so it's said, dat wimmins will scrub wit it an' will draw mens in. (Take the chamber lye?) An' scrub yuh home, sho'. An' dey say dat it will draw mens in.
Entry 4249
Ah heard 'em say yuh kin take chamber lye an' mop roun' yuh room an' out on yuh po'ch, an' dat'll draw frien's.
Entry 4250
[To] make 'em leave home, scrub yuh flo' evah nine mawnin's wit chamber lye out tuh de steps, see - fo' tuh make 'em leave home, see. Well, evah nine mawnin's yuh'd scrub yuh flo' wit dat chamber lye an' throw it de way he'll go aftah he's gone an' he leaves outa dere. Yes, when yuh don't want 'im tuh come back, po' dat chamber lye de way he go an' scrub yuh flo' wit it.
Entry 4251
Take some chamber lye an' scrub yuh steps off wit it, scrub yuh po'ch off wit it, an' throw it ovah yuh lef' shouldah an' throw some ovah yuh right shouldah, an' don't look back at it an' go back in de house. Dey won't come dere no mo'. (That will keep this person from coming back to your house.)
Entry 4252
[One of the amazing rites of HOODOO is the shaking of bottled urine. The following submargin titles show great diversity. Other examples will be found in the text of these volumes.] Take a man's chamber lye an' yore chamber lye an' stop it up in a bottle an' he cain't go away. (The man or [and] the woman, puts those two together?) Tuhgethah. An' dat jes' places 'im right at home.
(What does she do with that bottle then?)
She takes it an' put it in a secret place. An' evah times he goes out - he goes out - she shakes it up. Dat's whut ah heard. An' when she shake up, an' den 'is mine [mind] strike him tuh come back home, yo' see.
Entry 4253
Now, if a woman love yo', she kin take yore chamber lye an' put it in a bottle. If yo' go off an' she wants tuh see yo', all she gotta do is turn it upside down, see. Shake it. Well, yo' have tuh come back.
Entry 4254
If yo' take a person's chamber lye an' stop it up in a bottle, put it in de cornah of yore trunk - in de east cornah of yore trunk, or tuh de haid of yore baid. Let it stay dere. Any time yo' wanta see dat person - listen tuh me, yo' shake it up an' turn de stoppah down. Ah've got chew.
(They are coming right there.)
Ah got chew.
Entry 4255
Ef he leave home - go an' quit me fer somebody else - 'fo' [before] he leave home ah won't be dere, but ah'll jes' take his urine an' ah'll take dat an put it in a bottle. An' fer nine days, evah time he'll go off, ah'll jes' shake dat bottle three times lak dat [demonstrates] an' he'll soon come back.
Entry 4256
If yo' wan' 'im tuh stay at home, yo' could take yore chamber lye in a bottle an' put a pinch of sugah in it an' shake it evah mawnin' fo' nine mawn- in's an' turn it up on its haid an' set it in a cornah. Well, nobody won' bothah 'im an' he'll stay dere an' yo' cain't drive him away. Yo' do dat fo' nine mawnin's.
Entry 4257
Take dere [his] chamber lye an' stops it up. Dat's tuh make yore love stay at home, if he's runnin' aroun'. Git some of yore [his] othah, yo' know, an' put in wit yore [his] chamber lye an' stop it up in a little bottle. [These passive pronouns are explained later.] An' turn de bottle down into de [one of the] cornahs on de side where he sleeps at, an' have it so sompin will be roun' it [hide it] so he cain't discovah it, if he should happen tuh look ovah. An' he jes' think it's a shoe or sompin settin' dere. Yo' have a shoe settin' dere an' a little small vial - have it turnt up. Yo' git up evah mawnin' fo' nine mawn- in's an' shake it [bottle] up an' turn it back up.
(You keep it standing upright all the time?)
Keep it standin' fo' [the first] nine mawnin's up [a usual procedure]. Yo' git up fo' nine mawnin's an' shake it an' turn it back up. (But you let it stand with the head down, don't you? [The change from down to up I do not pursue, down after 9 days is correct; but I do recheck ingredients which are normal.] And what do you put in with that chamber lye? What else did you put in there, did you say?) Some cayenne PePpah - it's de Same thing. [RED PEPPER AND CAYENNE PEPPER ARE ALMOST ALWAYS THE SAME THING IN HOODOO. WHEN RED PEPPER PODS - WHOLE, BROKEN, POWDERED - ARE USED, THE WORD POD IS ADDED. RED PEPPER PODS, COMPARED TO CAYENNE, SELDOM OCCUR.] Put it in dere. An' a little piece of lodestone, drops it in dere wit it an' let it set.
(You put something else from the man in there didn't you?)
Yes, de come [semen]. Put it in de chamber lye, ketch 'is chamber lye.
Entry 4258
Git a man's chamber lye an' bottle it up. Cork it up aftah yo' put diff'ren' kin'a roots in it an' piece of yore [menstrual] cloth. Turn it up
[upside down]. Fasten it up, you see. An' when yo' turn it up- side down - an' [then]
yo' put where no one won' find it. Well, if yo' wan' 'im tuh come home - if he runned out an' yo' wan' 'im tuh come, yo' shake it upside down an' turn it. An' of co'se he stays in de house. An' when he goes out, why - yo' don' wanta keep 'im in all de time - when yo' wan' 'im tuh come back, yo'.take it an' shake it up, an' turn it upside down ag'in.
(In other words, if that bottle is upside down, he's to come back to you.)
Yes, keeps 'im upset. Have it already fixed [upside down] dere.
(What kind of roots do you put in that?)
Put John de Conker root.
Entry 4259
chamber lye an' a piece of hair. (Take chamber lye and a piece of Yore hair, mah hair, anybody else [hair] an' put it in a bottle, see. An' evah time [you want the person] tuh come tuh yuh, all yuh gotta do is shake it. But yo' gotta bury it [when not in use]. An' jis' shake it an' yuh'll [person'll] come.
Entry 4260
Yo' wanta heah 'bout de cleah nurinate. Well, de nurinate, yo' see - yo' take a person's nurinate, jis' de cleah nurinate an' yo' put it in a bottle wit salt an' cayenne peppah an' [or] red pappah [see later]. Yo' put it in dere an' dere name nine times in de bottle, an' yo' shake it up. (How do you write that name nine times?) Well, yo' see yo' write de name nine times - de party's name, yo' know whut ah mean - jis' dey whole firs' name. Jis' lak yo' want two people dere separations. Well, yo' put one of 'em tuh de top an' one of 'em to de bottom, jis' zakly [exactly] dat way nine times [demonstrates]. (The first one nine times that way, and the other one nine times on top of it.) On top of it. Jis' lak two han' on each othah lak dat [demonstrates]. [Two hands is a good illustration, each hand pointed in the opposite direc- tion. Normally the first 9 names are written one under the other and to the right, then the paper is turned upside down and the other 9 names are written to the right over the first 9 names - each group in the opposite direction. Ex- amples occur in the text.]
(Do you put this whole piece of paper in there?)
De whole piece of papah, don' teah [tear] it up; jis' de whole piece of papah wit de whole two peoples name, one on de top an' one onto de bottom. An' yo' shake it up wit de cayenne peppah [showing red pepper the same thing] an' de salt. An' den if yo' wanta, yo' could put de steel dust in it; it'll keep 'em togethah - tuh keep 'em renited [united]. An' [but to separate them] shake it up at six a'clock in de mawnin' an' at twelve or else nine. Yo' undahstan', nine in de mawnin' an' at twelve. Jis' keep 'em a-goin' [at each other]. Dere's cer- tain days lak Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays - see, three days a week. [Another magic combination is Monday, Wednesday and Friday - see p.830.] Jis' keep 'em humbuggin' all de time. [The word may mean humming and buzzing at each other rather than, though perhaps including, cheating and deceiving.] Dat's if yo' wanta break peace. An' den AG'IN IF YO' WANTA HEAH AG'IN ABOUT KILLIN' SOMEBODY. Keep it [bot- tle] in a cornah of a house, in yore house if yo' care to, where nobody tuh dis- turb it, if yo' wanta keep shakin' it up. Keep de confusin', yo' undahstan', an' it gon'a break de home up, wit de woman an' man.
Entry 4261
If yo've got a husban' an' he's capable of leavin' home an' stayin' away, yo' wash yore jah [jar] an' yo' let 'im use it. An' den yo' take dat urine an' yo' po' it in de [glass] jah. Put about three teaspoon of sugah in dere, an' three pieces of spice, an' yo' write his name nine times an' jes' fold it up an' put it in dere. Yo' don't do anythin' but write an' put it in dere, an' den yo' shut dat jah up tight, airtight, an' it's no good until dat papah has turned tuh powdah. Dat urine will natch'ly [naturally] powdah dat papah. It'll jes' look lak white lime in de bottom of dat urine. An' den if yore husban' is away, yo' can shake dat urine an' put it undah yore bed on de side yo' layin' on, an' lay on it, an EVAH TIME YO' SHAKE IT HE'S SUPPOSED TUH TURN OVAH. If yo' SHAKE IT DE THIRD TIME HE CAN'T SLEEP, HE'LL GET UP AN' COME HOME EVAHWHERE HE IS.
Entry 4262
She takes dis bottle of sweet watah - she makes it, I mean puts sugah in rain watah an' make it jis' lak syrup. She puts dat name in dere an' she shakes it up. She take dis bottle an' she put it bottom up, or eithah she put it on de side of de bed where he used tuh lay, an' he comin' back. Any time she take an' shake it up he comin' back. Or, eithah she could take his urine an' she could jis' - she gits a small tin lamp an' she takes 'is name an' she sets it in dere. She writes 'is name nine times. Write it [demonstrates] dis way an' she turns it [sheet of paper] dere, she write backwa'd an' fo'ward dataway. An' she always puts 'er name on de top.
(These are written in cross fashion?)
[Not names crossing at right angles in form of a cross, but his name is writ- ten 9 times, one under the other; then the sheet is turned and her name is writ- ten across his names. In this fashion names are written backwa'd an' fo'ward.] Yes sir. See, when she folds it, she folds it tuh her an' she sticks in dis- got to be a little small lamp - tin lamp. An' she drops it down in dere an' she lights de lamp an' she speak tuh dis lamp. [Small lamp rites are common in New Orleans, many of them scattered through text.] An' in three days - nine days be de longest - he will be back.
(WHAT DOES SHE DO WITH HIS URINE?)
She puts it in a bottle. She takes it an' she shakes it up dataway, wit 'is name in dere.
(I See, THE SAME AS WITH THE SUGAR WATER?)
Yes.
Entry 4263
Dey say if she want 'im sometime, yo' know, jis' take dere chamber lye an' put it in a bottle. An' take nine needles, new needles outa papah [of nee- dles]. Put 'em down in 'ere [there] on de points in de bottle an' stop it up tight. Whenevah yo' wan' 'im an' he don' come - an' yo' wan's 'im - jis' shake dat up. He git worried [and come].
Entry 4264
[Well now, ah'm gon'a tell yuh, if a woman has got a man an' she loves dat man, an' if he's a runabout man. A woman would take de chambah an' she wouldn't use it, she let yo' [man] use it, yo' see. An' also might be dat same night when she gon'a turn dis trick, she'll let chew fool wit 'er, see. An' she'll take dat certain rag an' she'll take dat chamber lye an' put it in a bottle. An' take dat certain rag - see, dat certain piece yo' see - wet dat rag an' squeeze all dat [semen] in dere [into bottle]. An' take nine needles ag'in an' put intuh dat same bottle. An' she wouldn't fasten dat bottle while yo' awake, yo' see. She'll let chew go tuh sleep first, see, but she'll [have] a good stoppah an' have it right to de mouth of dat bottle. An' she'll come an' wake yo', say, "So-an'-so!" an' 'So-an'-so!'. An' den yo' say, "Whut chew want?" She hit dat bottle an' stop it down dere airtight, an' yo' kin go fur as New York City - an' ah bet chew money - an' she take dat bottle an' shake it up lak dat, an' turn it down in her trunk, yo'd be back home tuh 'er.
(When she turns it upside down?)
Yes sir, in her trunk.
Entry 4265
Ah said take dere chamber lye.
(Take their chamber lye.)
Dere chamber lye an' yores an' mix it intuh a bottle. An' yo' git chew nine needles, put into dat bottle. An' den shake it up don't chew know. An' set de bottle in de no'th side of de house an' call dere name three times, an' dat'll make 'em come tuh yuh ag'in.
Entry 4266
Well, if yo' wan'a person jealous of yo' - yo' know how womenfolks are.
(You want to make a man jealous of you?)
Jes' love yo', yo' know, an' don't want 'im tuh go out. Well yuh git 'is chamber lye. Yuh git nine bran'-new goldeye needles, nine pins - bran'-new pins, straight pins. An' yuh take nine of dese spices, whole spices [all- spices], nine cloves an' about nine teaspoonful of sugar an' cinnamon [9 each] wit dat. Yuh stop it up in a bottle an' den turn dis bottle on de head in a cornah or secret place. Ah don't care where dey at - jes' lak if yo' say, "Ah wanta see So-an'-so, if dey on de job," an' dey could be jes' lef' [left the job]. Yo' shake dis bottle, see, shake dis bottle up an' cāre [carry] it aroun' yuh head three times, an' bring it tuh yuh dis way three times [demonstrates], an' den yuh jes' shake, shake it, shake it, yuh know, three times, down tuh de flo' [floor], yuh see, an' always keep it [bottle] on de head [upside down], an' dat'll make 'em jes' go crazy [about you].
[Here's my immediate comment, at this point, about the demonstration.]
(Turn [instead of informant's care] this bottle round yuh head three times like a halo.) [Circle would have been a better word, but halo fully describes the action and also shows me commenting to cylinder, not to informant who probably would not have understood halo.]
Entry 4267
Anothah' way dat dey take it an' control of love wit it.
(This chamber lye.)
Kin control love wit it. An' den dey use it tuh draw a person tuh yuh. Tuh draw a pusson tuh yuh, yuh take dat an' put in it nine needles an' nine pins an' nine nails in a bottle, wit dat, jis' stop it [up]. An' drop de nails in head an' tail, de pins head an' tail, an' de needles head an' tail, callin' 'em evah time [you drop], an' make yuh wishes. An' den jis' stop de bottle up tight. Pusson apt tuh be settin' dere all alone, yuh shake dat bottle, yuh know, an' call dere name an' turn it upside down. Any place dey is, if dey ain't got de fare, dey be walkin', comin'." If dey ain't got de fare, dey try tuh be walkin' comin'.
Entry 4268
[Here is a fragment omitted from Doctor England, called Doctor English in my interview with him - see pp.1386-1401.] Other methods on such as that of gettin' the urine from a person, their urine. And take their name and write it down for nine times on a clear piece of paper. You places nine pins and nine needles, but you head and tail, say this way [dem- onstrates]. (Alternate them - one here, one there.) Right here, place in this bottle. See, what the urine is in. You put honey and sugar in there and place it on the outside of the door and let a person walk over it three times. Bring it back and put it over your front door and walk under it three times. Then it is taken and put into their home, and any time this woman or man, either sex, want them return home immediately or want her to come, only shake it up and turn the bottle on their head.
(I see. Where does she put this bottle? Into what?)
Into any place they want to keep it private.
Entry 4269
If yo' got a man.
(What?)
If yo' got a man, take his urinate an' stop it up in a bottle, an' put nine [new] nails an' nine new tacks, see. An' stand it up on its head. See, dat's when he is cross an' fussy. An' sweeten dat up an' jis' keep shakin' it up. See, when he come in cross, git dat bottle an' shake it up. See, an' dat.
(That will sweeten him up.)
Entry 4270
Now, from a man or eithah a lady tuh keep 'em tuhgethah, yuh know, wit yuh, yuh take it [urine] an' yuh put it in a bottle. Yuh put nine needles, nine pins, nine tacks, an' a table- spoonful of steel dust, an' a piece of John de Conker root, an' a tablespoonful of honey. Dat's to keep 'er from injur- in' yuh, undahstan'. Now dat's de way yuh tie up a man or a woman. An' keep it turned upside down, an' keep it behin' yuh bed or anywhere in yuh room. An' any time when yuh wanta see 'er when she is away, or him, yuh jis' take it [bottle] lak dis an' shake it to yuh an' call dere name. Dat's whut yuh call tyin' up a person.
Entry 4271
[Here we have a rare two-bottle rite; one shaken, one unshak- en.] Well, listen now. Ah would take yuh urinate an' put it in a bottle an' git nine tacks, bran'-new tacks doh [though], an' nine needles, an' nine nails, an' ah put 'em in dere head foremost.
(Put them in head foremost.)
Put 'em in head fo'mos' an' as ah put 'em in ah say whut ah want done, 'Ah tole yuh tuh do such-an'-so-an'-so. Ah wan' chew tuh do dis, an' ah wan' chew tuh do dat, now. Ah don' wan' chew tuh do dat, ah wan' chew tuh do dis an' dat." See. "Ah want mah woman tuh come home at a certain time an' stay home. Ah wanta do all dem thin's." Den ah fasten it up wit a stoppah tight as ah kin git it. Den ah put it behin' de bed bottom upwards ag'in, bottom upwards, an' hold it dere so he - if ah wanta see 'im, pick it up an' shake it up. He'll come dere. Whutevah he doin', he'll stop an' come. (You what?). Any time yuh wanta see 'im, yuh shake dat bottle. He's comin'. An' den, ah kin take some mo' watah [urine] in anothah bottle an' put some saltpetah in it an' jis' keep dat stopped up. An' don' shake it at all. Keep it stopped up behin' yuh bed. Dat will hold joo all [the southern you all] jis lak dat an' yuh cain't git away from dere. Cain't nobody move - cain't nobody in de world, nobody take 'em.
(Whose water do you stop up?)
His'n.
(The woman stops his water up?)
Yes, an' put about a teaspoonful of hers wit it - co'se it be togethah den, yuh see. Jis' put a little bit of hers wit it, too - cain't do it [work] by it- self. Put a little of hers wit it - not much, put much of it. Dat'll make hers [not as much as] his - jis' put a little bit.
(And a little bit of saltpeter too, you say?)
Yes, in de bottle dat's still, but de bottle dat yuh [don't] shake up put nuthin atall in it [except saltpeter].
Entry 4272
Why, yuh see - but dat's so hard to git - see, becuz prob'ly ah an' yuh in de room. Well, we's pass watah in de same bucket, but when yuh wanta git dat, yuh see, yuh [woman] gotta pass watah in one [bucket] an' have one fer 'em [man]. Co'se when yuh [he] pass watah in deah [there], yuh have tuh take dat watah. If he goin' throw sompin in deah [he could spit into it to kill any love cunjure see margin titles soon to follow, beginning with word SPITTING]. Yuh gotta throw dat in de toilet, yuh undahstan'. When yuh got dat stuff, yuh got 'im stopped tight [in a bottle]. Why dat's perfect. Well, now, if he comin' - if it's time fer 'im tuh be comin' from work, yuh jis' lifts dat stoppah up a little bit. Dat's fer 'im tuh come home. If it's payday, shake it [bottle] an' he can't stop till he git home. [He won't] git rid of de [money]. If yuh want 'im to broke [break away] an' run home, jis' git a little bit [of] de foot track an' put it [in] dere [bottle] too. Long as yuh has dat, why he's gOtta COme. BUT LONG AS HE WORKIN', WHY DURIN' DE DAY JIS' LIFT DE STOPPAH AN' GIVE HIM A LITTLE AIR, YO' KNOW, TUH WORK ON. BUT WHEN YUH THINK IT'S KNOCKIN'- OFF TIME, STOPPAH DOWN. An' shaken it [bottle] up an' [or] down lak dat [means]: WHEN YUH WAN' 'IM TUH WORK, SHAKE IT DOWN, yuh know stick it on de head; an' WHEN YUH WAN' 'IM TUH COME HOME, SET IT UP STRAIGHT. An' aftah he come home, yuh kin lay it down.
Entry 4273
Although I could have indexed this rite under 9 DAYS, or NAME, or UPSIDE DOWN, I chose SIFTING, a magic action, because there are several examples of it in HOODOO. My early recordings in Mobile not being good, I asked some of the better informants to return a second time. The following rite is given in the original and revised version:] Original version: Say, fo' ninstance someone is away an' yuh want dis person. Yuh wanta know wha' chew do wit dat? [I probably nod yes.] Dis person, if dey come back an' spen' de night wit chew, git chew a clean slop jar - it's not where dey kin go out [outside] chew know. Yuh be careful yuh don't use it yuhself. An' yuh let 'em use dis an' den on de nex: mawnin' yuh git a ole-time siftah. [Sifter is a magic object, sifting or straining a magic action.] Yuh see, dese ole roun' siftahs de kind dat yuh turn.
(The old-fashioned hand sifter - flour sifter.)
Dat's right. Yuh git some othah bucket or pail an' yuh strain dis. Take dis out an' strain it fo' nine times.
(You pour this chamber lye through this sifter nine times.)
Dat's right, fo' nine mawnin's. An' den yuh po' dat out intuh a bottle an' yuh dig a place undah yuh back steps. Yuh put it in a bottle jis' enough tuh hol' dat amount, an' yuh turn it on de head. Put a cork stoppah in it, yuh un- dahstan', an' turn it on de head an' bury dat. An' dat person will nevah leave dere till yuh take dat up. Revised version: Jis' like if a person is away an' yuh want 'em tuh return, Xuh use yuh slop jar. Wash it clean an' jis' use it yuhself fo' nine mawnin's, an' yuh use an old siftah - one of dese big roun' ones. An' yuh set ovah dat [sifter and slop jar] an' strain dat each time fo' nine times. An' den aftah de ninth mawnin', yuh write dis person's name on a piece of parchment papah. Put it intuh a bottle an' turn it - no, yuh firs' place, if yuh have a piece of dere ole sock or undah- weah or anythin' like wherevah dere's perspiration. If it is undah de armpits, yuh cut dat out an' put it in dis bottle, an' put dat name on dat parchment an stick it in dere, an' yuh turn it on its head. Put it in yuh closet or some place where no one will disturb it, an' leave it. Dey will return.
(What do you do with this chamber lye then?)
Yuh put de parts of de sock or whatevah yuh get.
(You put that in the chamber lye don't you? What do you do that for?)
Well, dat has some kin'a peculiah effect - ah don't know.
(Oh! You don't put that in the bottle?)
Yes, ah think dat chew put dat in de bottle, but chew put dis cloth in it. (NOW, DID YOU SAY YOU SIT OVER THE STRAINER? YOU RELIEVE YOURSELF THROUGH THIS SIFTER?) Dat's right. Comparison of versions: [Several days separated the two preceding versions. We learn here as well as elsewhere, that a person proficient in hoodoo does not repeat rites word for word. There are many ways to rearrange even the same material. Besides, numerous in- formants tell us about various methods to accomplish the same end. In our second version the woman's, not the male victim's urine is used. Her urine will serve the same purpose, drawing power, by writing his name on a piece of parchment and dropping it into the bottled urine. This time she does not pour the urine through a flour sifter with a handle; she lays a round hand sifter - large wooden hoop with wire screening on one side - on the chamberpot and squats over it to relieve herself. Her urine passing through the sifter protects it against countermagic. For good measure his perspiration in a piece of his old clothing is added. Instead of burial, the bottle is hidden in a closet.]
Entry 4274
(Git his right-foot sock?)
Yeah, git 'is right-foot sock an' take a silvah dime. Yuh know, roll de sock up nice. Ah jis' kin show yuh. Yuh undahstan' whut ah'm talkin' about. Roll de sock nice an' carry it - de right sock. But co'se she'll have tuh use it wit a little of 'er chamber lye, don't chew know, an' bury it undah 'er do'step.
(What does she do with her chamber lye?)
Well, yuh see she jis' urinate a little in dat sock, don't chew see.
(And bury it in under the doorstep?)
Yeah, right whare he come in an' out.
(What will that do then when she does that?)
Dat make him stay dere.
Entry 4275
I know one time a woman had some [urine] in a bottle. She had six bottles: One was about two inches full, another was about three inches full, another about half full, an- other half full, and another almost full, and another all full. And [all] stopped up tight. The bottles had needles and pins in them and hair in it. And he couldn't pass his water until some of those bottles were opened. Her husband, she didn't like him, and she was going with another man. It' was his water she stopped up. It killed him. He actually died. [The magic rite of increasing amounts - as well as of decreasing amounts - is fairly common, but this one is rather elabo- rate, unusual.]
Entry 4276
An' mah mothah when she wuz - used tuh settle wit a white man, he nevah come in dere 'till twelve or one a'clock, an' so she, well, didn't wan' tuh be dere dat late at night, yuh know, tryin' tuh settle wit 'im. An' so she tole a certain man dat came along [itinerant root worker] an' he tole her, says, "Well, now, ah tell yuh whut tuh do, if yuh wanta make him settle wit yuh, an' ah guarantee he'll settle wit yuh 'fore ten a'clock tuhnight." She say, "All right." He say, "Git chew some gunpowdah an' git chew a little han'ke'ch'ef, [and] dis Sweet Sachet Powdah - perfume, sachet powdah." An' he say, "An' den she'll [yuh'll] cook fo' him too" - she cooked fo' de white man - he says, "an' yuh sprinkle dat sachet powdah all aroun' dere. An' den yuh put some of dat gun- powdah in it an' put some vine - blacksnake root in dere." An' he say, "Yuh go on dere an' talk wit 'im." An' he said, "He'll ask yuh - yuh don't have tuh fuss eithah - settle right away." Well, she'd git dat an' she would sew dat bag on 'er. Dat's when I wuz small.
(Where did this happen? In what part of the country?)
"At was up here at Hollyville.
(That's in Mississippi?)
Campbellsville, yes sir, Mississippi. (I see. Well, she would put this snakeroot in this powder and just sprinkle it around? What did she do with it?) She would put dat sachet powdah all aroun' 'is plate-like - make de food smell good. She didn't put it in food. Well, she put dat othahs in a little bag, yuh know, dat [gunpowder] an' dat snakeroot-like - yuh know, dat blacksnake root, an' carried it [bag] in dere when she went on tuh urinate on it.
(She would urinate on it before she went in there?)
Yes.
(And she carried the bag?)
Yes, sir.
(Well, why wouldn't he settle with her except at those hours at night?)
Ah don't know, he jis' wouldn't do it. She'd go dere an' set an' set. She stayed wit 'im five years, an' whenevah he'd settle, she'd have tuh go dere an' set. He jes' wouldn't settle, jis' waitin' an' foolin' aroun'.
Entry 4277
Yuh take dis chamber lye an' set it, set it fo' 34 hours, see. An' yuh let it stay dere an' den yuh take it. Boil dis [John de] Conkah root an' boil dis snakeroot tuhgethah. Put de juice of dis snakeroot an' conkah root intuh dis chamber lye wit a tablespoonful of red peppah, tablespoonful of table salt. Stir it all up tuhgethah. Ef anybody come in dere an' yuh don't want 'em come in, when dey go out jis' throw it behin' 'em an' keep on like dat. Dey nevah come dere no mo'. An' yuh kin break a fellah's business up wit it. [This Conker root is really devil's-shoestring says infor- mant in 798:3, several rites preceding present one.]
Entry 4278
Put soda in it. (Put soda in the chamber lye?) Yes sir, put soda in it. Jis' lak if yuh wuz layin' down tuh sleep, or me, an' when we git up through de night, someone ease [into] our room an' git dat stuff an' bottle it up an' put some soda or somepin in it an' dey bury it. An' de nex' time yuh git ready tuh do dat, it will stop on yuh an' give yuh pain.
(You mean some man or woman will get it?)
No, de man kin be alone.
(Or the woman alone.)
Yes.
(They only do this with your own chamber lye?)
Yes. (They put the soda or something in it and then they bury this.)
Entry 4279
Yuh take dis chamber lye an' put it in a bag [bottle] an' git some soda an' put in dat. An' break de walls, de plastahin' in de house, anywhere in de house, an' keep it dere in dat, keep it stopped up. Dat will keep )'im an' make him love yuh an' stay roun' home.
Entry 4280
Dey take yuh watah an' stop it up an' YUH'LL NEVAH MAKE WATAH NO MORE IN DE WORL'. Put it intuh a bottle - if yuh don't spit intuh it, see. If yuh spit in yuh urinate, dat kill de urinate [and an enemy cannot use it to harm you]. An' dey dig a hole an' put it undah de step. Well, yuh don't make watah nO mo', an' DAT CUZ YUH TUH BE WATAH BOUND.
Entry 4281
Well, a lot of instan' [instances], like yuh's a man would have a wife, or she would have a husband, an' he would urinate yuh see. Now, if he spit in dere, it prakly [practically] kills it. If he don't, she takes dat an' she puts it in de bottle, nine pins an' nine needles, see, an' stops it up tight wit some cinnamon powdah, put it right where he passes at. By judge yuh can't git 'em apart regardless how she treat 'im.
(You mean she puts it where he can walk over it or under it?)
To walk ovah, like it be's a step tuh go upstairs, jis' put it right undah de step where he passes ovah.
Entry 4282
Well, ah seen 'em spit in yuh pee, whut chew pee in. It wuz all took up an' put in a bottle. All dat wuz put in a bottle an' dey put cayenne peppah in dat. Dey put sugah in dat an' set it behin' de bed, an' let it stay 'hin' de bed fo' three days.
Entry 4283
Dey take yuh chamber lye an' stop it up in a bottle, an' lak if ah want chew tuh love me, take dat an' put some sugah in it, an' stop it up in a bottle an' keep it dere until de bottle busts. (Then what would happen?) Yo' couldn't live.
(Whose chamber lye would you put in that bottle?)
Yuhs, yuhs an' mine.
(They would mix up both the man's and the woman's? That would kill you then?)
Yes.
Entry 4284
Yuh don' do nuthin but jis' de sulphur an' yuh peepee, dat'll keep de law from yuh house an' it will gain dere love.
(Where do you put it?) Jis' sprinkle it on each steps, jis' throw it all roun' yuh house - all roun' yuh house.
Entry 4285
chamber lye kills poison. If yuh keep chamber lye roun' yuh house, wit sulphur an' red peppah, no one can't harm yuh.
Entry 4286
Fo' good luck yuh take dat ovahnight - lak yu'd use yuh slop jar in yuh house, well mawnin's yu'd git up 'fore de sunrise an' po' it undahneath yuh step an' roun' in de front where yuh fren's have tuh walk in an' out comin' in yore do'. An' dat's fo' good luck an' fo' peace.
Entry 4287
Ah've heard dat evah mawnin' 'fo' sunrise, jis' lak yuh - yuh git up an' take yuh chamber lye an' throw it tuh de right-hand side of yuh do' 'fo' de sunrise, an' dat'll make yuh lucky.
Entry 4288
Throw dat out de do' evah mawnin' 'fore sunrise. It will give yuh good luck.
(This chamber lye.)
Dat's right.
Entry 4289
chamber lye is dis way, when yuh in hard luck sometimes - in hard luck. Fo' nine mawnin's, git up an' take yore chamber lye an' walk out an throw dat out in fronta yuh do' lak dat fo' nine mawnin's tuhwards de sun- rise. An' regardless of who it is, yuh luck will change, yuh luck won't go bad wit chew atall.
Entry 4290
Ah goes tell de people come roun' fo' de sunrise an' take de chomber lye an' po' on de bottom do'step - undahstan' me - an' see [watch] de sun dry it up. Undahstan' me? De sun dry it up an' if dey have any trouble wit de officahs, anythin' lak dat, dey don' wanta bothah roun' dere atall - don' bothah wit yuh home.
(Do they do that every day?)
Do dat fo' 'bout nine days.
Entry 4291
If yuh in bad luck in doin' business in yuh house, de firs' thin' yuh do in de mawnin', git up 'fo' de sunrise an' sweep yuh dirt out chure back porch [never out the front entrance if you are in business], sweep de sand off yore back porch. An' go out tuh yuh, IF YUH GOT A TOILET, out where yuh dump yuh chamber lye. Bring dat fresh stuff back an' sprinkle on yuh porch an' yuh won't be bothahed wit dat no mo'. Why ah says yuh take some of yuh chamber lye whut chew urinate, yuh own, yuh sweep off yore back porch firs', den bring some of yuh urinate back dere an' jis' sprinkle ovah de back porch, an' yuh be through wit dem fo'evah. (That is after you sweep the porch, you sprinkle it with some chamber lye. You do that in the morning for nine mornings.) Fer nine mawnin's. [These 9 mornings enter the text after the first paragraph, where the extra periods following no mo' in original transcription indicate a recording-machine stoppage. Informant's preceding words yuh be through wit dem fo'evah raises the question With whom? Her bad luck does not arise from too much competition (espe- cially severe during the Great Depression, the time of this interview), lack of business ability, quality of facilities and goods and services. No, bad luck, like disease and all ailments, is caused by an evil-minded person who has thrown a dust in her house, planted a hand outside, wished her evil, etc. Why does she use ground on which urine has been emptied? Is this a contact-with-the earth rite? Or have we a practical reason? Urine, frequently used in scrub water, would become as urine-soaked-earth more useful when sweeping.] [St. Petersburg, Fla., (1043).1693:2.]
Entry 4292
Yuh go dere early in de mawnin' jis' a little befo' day - tuh dis house, yassuh, an' yuh sprinkle red peppah all around it, all in de yard, an' heavy undah de steps where dey have tuh go in an' out. When yuh git through sprinklin' dis red peppah, den yuh take yuh some chamber lye an' throw it undah de steps on de peppah dat's undah de steps. An' den yuh leave. Dat brings up confusion between 'im an' 'is family an' de person dat he's dealin' wit, an' he'll have tuh leave dere.
(That is to get even with the landlord? To keep people out of the house?)
Yessuh.
Entry 4293
Git yuh some salt - git yuh some table salt an' throw it out dere on de sidewalk. Dey'll move. Git dat salt an' put it out dere, yuh'll move 'um. When yuh pass, come along, yuh goin' call 'um. He'll have a mind tuh come here. He'll wanta when he start, but when he git here, 'is mind, dat carries 'im on by, yuh see. Dat salt - yuh've got 'i gwinin' [going], yuh see. Jis' sprinkle dat salt an' mix it up wit some chamber lye, an' carry it dere an' thrown it down out dere, early in de mawnin' about oice a week 'fore sunup, yuh see. An' he's gone, he ain't nevah goin' come back. He goin' stay 'way all de time. But he'll see you somewhere an' he say, "Well, ' he say, "ah'll be back tuh see yuh sometime, '"' say, "tell me yuh boot- leggin'." Yuh tell 'em tuh come on, but he ain't comin'. He ain't nevah comin'. Dat salt keep 'im weakened an' dat chamber lye keep 'im weakened, see. Yuh go on home. He ain't gwine wit yuh, he ain't nevah comin' back.
Entry 4294
( On a Friday mawnin' befo' de sun rise.
(Yes?)
Yuh kin buy some [kind of] oil, use yuh chamber lye - don't evah empty yuh chamber lye [don't throw it away uselessly] - an' what yuh wash yuh face wit [water]. Mix dat [water] wit yuh chamber lye an' dis oil. An' scrub yuh house wit it - dress yuh house wit it in de mawnin', an' den at noontime right at twelve a'clock on a Fri- day. But be sure tuh scrub yuh house an' use it wit dat - dat's de inside. But in de mawnin' yuh-use dat prakly [practically] on yuh front.
(I see. What kind of oil is this, they get?)
Secret.
(Secret oil?)
Yeah.
(Secret oil. I see. And that's to keep the law away.)
[The oil is identified later.]
Dat's protection where yuh are at.
(What else do they do outside in the morning?)
[Scrub] yuh steps an' right on yuh sidewalk, right in front of yuh do'.
(And then [at noon on Friday] you scrub inside?)
Yes, sir. [Here I stop my recording machine to prepare for a repetition of details a clearer account of the rite.]
(All right.)
[We start all over again.]
In de mawnin's when yuh wash yuh face an' han's, well yuh slop jar dat yuh use durin' de night, jis' yuh po's dat [face-and-hands] watah intuh it. Den add dat oil intuh de same pot.
[There are the 3 ingredients of the "scrub".]
(What kind of oil was that?)
Cedar.
[We had worked out the oil problem while machine stopped.]
(Cedar oil, all right. Now, go ahead.)
In de mawnin's den, yuh use it right in front of yuh do'.
(What mornings?)
Well, dat's on Friday mawnin', but prakly evah mawnin' in front.
(I see.)
But de [main thing] is Friday mawnin' an' in yuh house. It's Friday at noon dat yuh scrub inside. (I see. You said you scrub your outside in the morning and the inside about noon.) Yes sir, on Fridays.
[The special inside scrubbing on Friday is for weekend customers.]
(I see.)
[Here after stopping machine, I decide to ask a question about protection.]
Use dat same oil.
(Cedar oil?)
Yes sir, dat same oil in de same way. Put it intuh a bottle an' shuttin' it real airtight [demonstrates] an' bury it. (Jerk the bottle from you [and bury it at the door to keep anyone from harming you].)
Entry 4295
Well, yuh wan'a keep de law away, if yuh're bottleggin'. Evah mawnin' fer nine mawnin's yuh git up, yuh go tuh de front do' - don't evah sweep yuh dirt out de front - befo' de sunrise. Sprinkle chamber lye an' - but firs', burn ole shoe sole an' take de dust of dat ole shoe an' sulphuh, an' sprinkle it all aroun' yeh house out- side. An' den do all dat when de sun go down in de evenin'. As de sun goin' down yuh burn de shoe sole [and the sulphur - see later]. Nex' mawnin' befo' de sunrise, sprinkle it aroun' yeh house [shoe-sole ashes] an' sulphur, an' den sprinkle chamber lye all de way roun'. Den as zhoo sweep yuh house, sweep de dirt all back, from de front all de way back. Take it up on yuh shovel an' befo' sundown dat evening take dat dust whut choo sweep out cheh house an' burn it up in sulphuh an' ole shoe sole. An' do dat fer 9 mawnin', don't miss a mawnin', befo' de sunrise. An' as de sun goin' down in de evenin', yuh burn yuh shoe sole. An' continue sprinkle dat chamber lye aroun' yuh house. An' de officahs, dere wouldn't be anothah step about choo, won't nevah think about chew an' yuh likker.
Entry 4296
Dey say if dey catch yuh watah, da's [that is] dangerous, cuz ah know a man dat happened tuh. It wuz a frien' of ourn. Dey takes yuh watah an' dey puh-zit [puts it] in a bottle where no air kin hit it an' dey stah-zip [stops] it up wit a tight cork, an' dey take an' beah [bury] dat in de sunrise wit de bottom turned, yuh know, bottom upward.
(What do you mean in the sunrise?)
Yuh see, jis' lak de sun rise ovah heah, jis' de cornah de sun rise. Well, yuh - jis' lak dis is de cornah of yuh house. Well, yuh jis' beah dat where de sun risin' an' when it rises, it'll face right on dat bottle. But yuh see yuh turn dat bottle bottom upwards. Now, when yuh gits ready tuh urinate, yuh stomik begins tuh hurt an' yuh can't urinate, becuz yuh watah is stopped up. An' now, if somebody kin git tuh it an' let yuh watah out, dat will relief yuh. DAT'S WHY MANY PEOPLE HAVE WATAH-BOUND AN' DIE.
Entry 4297
Well, dere's some piece of yuh [a man's] clothes she kin git an' wash 'em tuhgethah wit hers, an' take de suds offa dat watah an' she kin stop it up in a bottle. An' she kin take a little bit of it, an' if she kin git a holt of a little bit of 'is urine, an' she kin git dat an' stop it up in dere, shut it up tight, purtty soon he'll come back.
Entry 4298
Ah heard dat yuh kin take a man's undahweah, his dirty undahweah an' yuh kin wash it in yore pee, see, an' den fold it up. Yuh take de sleeves an' yuh fol' dis sleeve, fold it in, an' yuh take dis sleeve an' fold it on top of dat. Den yuh take it an' fold it tuhgethah, turn it ovah tuhgethah an' roll it up, an' put 'em undah yuhr mattress an' sleep on it. Dat is, if he's gone away from home, dat will bring 'im back.
Entry 4299
Ah tell yuh whut she could do tuh make him come back tuh 'er. If she got any of 'is undahclothes, if he left any of 'is undahclothes dere, she would take his undahshirt an' 'is drawahs an' wash 'em, see. Wash 'em in some cleah watah. Don't put no soap in it, jis' take de cleah watah an' rinse it off. Take dis watah yuh undahstan', from 'is undahclothes an' put it in a bottle. Bury it undah 'er front steps, yuh undahstan', an' go dere fo' nine mawnin's an' pee on dis bot- tle. Ah'll guarantee yuh [he] won't fool wit no othah woman an' yo'll [he'll] come back dere an' go on in wit 'er [live with her again].
(You leave this bottle standing upright like that?)
No, turn it up.
(Turn it upside down?)
Turn dat upside down wit de watah offa yuh clothes in dere, yuh undahstan'.
turning the bottle upside down after rejecting upright orientation. Keep the full upright→No→upside-down exchange; upright is rejected, not an alternative instruction. washing/rinsing the man’s underclothes with clear water and no soap. Do not restate it as soap washing or discard the collected rinse-water purpose. These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified.
Entry 4300
She said she cut dis piece of 'is clothes, cut out a roun' plug. Ah reckon de plug mus' have been dat roun' [demonstrates], jis' 'bout de size of a dollah. Cut it outa de seat of 'is drawahs. She said she took it an' put it in a bag an' put some fish brine salt in dere wit it. An' she said, an' carried it on de no'theast cornah of 'er house an' dug de hole an' put it in dere. She said evah mawnin' befo' de sun rise she'll go roun' dere an' make watah on it. She done it fo' nine mawnin's, she said. An' dey say he left here an' nevah did come through here [Richmond] no more. [Richmond, Va., (340), 373: l, about 1929 in Richmond.]
Entry 4301
Git de sole of de shoe when de sole wo' 'way on de bottom, parch 'em in ashes an' put 'em in chamber lye. Parch 'em intuh ashes an' drop it down in a bottle an' put in chamber lye an' stick it [bottle bottom] up.
(What will that do?)
Say dat gits 'em down. Dat breaks up a man an' 'is wife.
(Whose shoes would they do that to?)
Jis' lak if anybody wanta break me up an' ah throw mah ole shoes out, dey gits 'em. Dey git mah shoes an' burn de sole.
(And whose chamber lye do they put on that, then?)
Yores, yore own.
(The person that is trying to harm you?)
Dat's right.
Entry 4302
If a man leave home an' she wants 'im back tuh 'er, she kin take his clothes. If he leave any garment dere, shoes an' clothes, an' [she] take dose clothes an' put 'em undah de haid of de baid, an' some of 'er urinate an' sprinkle it ovah de clothes, sleep on it, in three days he'll be home.
Entry 4303
Dey take socks or stockin's an' put dis lump insaint [incense], dey chamber lye. Cut de bottom of it out, roll it an' put it in a bottle in de person's chamber lye, an' dey say dey kin keep 'em. Dey'll nevah separate from 'em.
Entry 4304
I know this for myself. A man was in my home town in my neighborhood and his wife she was a woman who wanted to run around and have a good time. And she didn't want him to say anything to her, so she got two pieces of his clothes and some of his water, and put in a bottle and buried that at the center of the door he would come in at. And one day he decided to move that door from where it was, and digging up the steps he found this bottle, and saved it until she came and asked her if she knew anything about the bottle. She didn't want to own [up to it]. He told her he was going to throw it away in running.water. She begged him not to do it. I don't think he ever throwed it away. He didn't let her get a hold of the bottle any more. They are getting along now very well together.
Entry 4305
She kin take dose, take his socks or undahweah an' some of 'er urinate an' bur' it. Dat will bring 'em back. Or eithah de hatban' or any of 'is close weahin' dat touch 'is skin.
Entry 4306
Yo' take dat yo' see - yo' take dat chamber lye an' yo' put it in a jar yo' know, an' a pair of a foot of 'is socks, an' yo' bury dat undah 'is step an' he couldn't, yo' know, go out lak he goin' tuh diff'ren' womenfolks. Yo' would have 'im, yo' see, he couldn't go.
Entry 4307
Now ah tell yo' whut yo' kin do wit de chamber lye dat keeps a person at home. Now, if a person husban' - sompin lak dat - or wife is runnin' aroun', let 'em make dere chamber lye tuh demself. Well, de nex' mawnin' yo' take some of dat an' po' some intuh a little vial, an' put nine pods of red peppah in it an' de dirty heel of dat person's sock, an' stop it up real tight an' bury it down undah de front do'step where dey gotta walk down. An' dat will change dere min'.
(You just get the one dirty heel or both dirty heels?)
One of de lef' sock, one off de lef' side, de dirty heel.
Entry 4308
Jis' like yuh sellin' whiskey or sompin like dat, an' yuh take yuh watah an' throw it on de front steps an' sweep it, dat supposed tuh bring a crowd. Don't sweep it out, see, sweep it in.
Entry 4309
Take yuh urine watah an' throw it on de steps an' wash de po'ch off wit it, dey say, an' keep de law away. (Do many people do that?) Prak'ly [practically] all of 'em. Of co'se dese people up in dis district [where I was working in a black home] kin'a half respect- able, dey don't do it; but yuh take dat common class of people aroun' Second, Third and Fourth Street do it.