Browse:THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF (Volume 3, entries 3110–5205)/Part 17
THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF
Volume 3, entries 3110–5205. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 4390
Dey say dey take some of yore Waist an' take an' burn it an' put red peppah in it, an' - it won't lock yuh bowels but it'll jis' burn yuh, hurt chew. An' if dey wanta lock 'em, jis' take some of it an' burn it, an' take an' put it in a bottle an' stop it up an' throw it in de rivah in a runnin' stream of watah, an' dat will lock yuh bowels.
Entry 4391
Ah heard dey kin take yore bowels an' put some hot cayenne peppah on it an' burn it an' den take it an' bury it an', yuh undahstan', yuh couldn't pass no mo'.
(That's to upset [lock] the bowels.)
Entry 4392
Yuh know, lak goin' tuh make a passage, yuh know yuh take some of dat an' burn it, see. Yuh take some of dat an' burn it. Co'se dat will make it so dat it will lock it tuh yuh. It'll lock it by puttin' peppah an' stuff in it, mixin' it up wit sompin else.
Entry 4393
Yuh take dere urinate, if yuh kin git it. Dere's two ways yuh kin hurt a person wit dere urinate. Yuh kin take it an' put it in a fiah wit cayenne peppah an' [or] put salt on it an' coal oil an' burn it. (You mean their passage?) Yes, dere passage, an' burn it an' dat'll gi' [give] dem de bloody piles. [The second way of hurting a person is given later under margin title OAK TREE - NORTH SIDE.]
Entry 4394
Yuh kin take a little salt an' black peppah an' put it in 'is passage, yuh undahstan', an' take an' burn it, an' it stops 'is bowels.
(Locks his bowels?)
Locks 'is bowels. Dere yuh are.
Entry 4395
(What do you say they do in that case?)
Well, jis' like a person's bowels want tuh move, yuh know, an' if dey cain't git intuh a toilet nowhere so dere bowels will move, an' dey happen tuh, yuh know, do it anywhere where a person kin git it. Well, yuh takes dat an' yuh puts it in a powdah can, a 'east [yeast] powdah can. An' yuh fastens it up tight, an' yuh puts it in a dark place an' yuh let it stay in dere. Now, yuh see like yuh bowels is supposed tuh move like three times a day. Well, yuh kin take diff'ren' thin's an' make yuh bowels move. Well, dey cain't move becuz some - ah'm got yuh stuff fastened up an' dat gives yuh locked bowels. An' in- stead of yuh bowels goin' down, hit comes up through yuh mouth. Ah've seen a man died like dat.
(I see. Yuh take this can and put it in a dark place. All you have to do?)
Uh huh, dat's all yuh have tuh do.
Entry 4396
Dey stop it up, dey stop up de manure of a person, a human, an' it will cuz dem tuh have - dey'll ketch it in a cup [can] dat has a top dat it will fit tight, an' dey bury it or eithah throw it away, an' it will lock de bowels.
Entry 4397
[Fingers crossed or interlocked to prevent a dog from completing an action started, I first reported in 1935, in FACI, 1st ed., 2022, p.94; 2nd ed., 2231-2233, P.89.] Well, now dat's whut chew call cuttin' 'em off. (You call cutting them off?) Dat's right. See, yuh take a person doin' business. See [demonstrates] yuh ketch dat fingah dis way.
(YOU INTERLOCK YOUR TWO INDEX FINGERS, KEEPING YOUR FINGERS CROSSED.)
Dat's right, dataway. Well, long as yuh hold dat, well dere's no business dey kin do.
(They can't pass their bowels?)
No sir, dere bowels won't pass.
Entry 4398
When yuh ketch a man goin' tuh de toilet - yuh git 'im goin' tuh de toilet, goin' tuh do sompin - jis' take yuh fingahs jis' lak dis [demonstrates].
(When you get a man going to the toilet, you crook your two little fingers together and pull tight.)
Pull tight, yes. [He stops talking.]
(Yes?) [This means continue.]
An' he cain't do a thing.
(He can't do a thing, I see.)
No. (You just hook your two little fingers together - just hook them together and pull them tight, when you see him going to the toilet.) He cain't do nuthin. He cain't do a thing.
Entry 4399
Take some borax, alum, salt an' do yuh fingahs disaway, put it [the three things] right dere [demonstrates]. (You put that [mixture] right on the index finger and then you lock your fingers.) An' yuh unloose 'em, yuh take it an' put it heah; an' do dat wit chure little fingah [auto horn sounds outside]. Dey tell me dese locks an' [demonstrates]. (The forefingers [in- dex fingers] inter- locked lock the bowels and the little fingers interlock them.) Yes sir. (I see. And to lock them put that substance under your index finger and to unlock them you put it under your little finger.) Dat's right. Lock an' lunlock.
Entry 4400
Take a lizard. Ah've heard 'em say yo' take a lizard an' tuh split 'im open on 'is back. An' when yo' split 'im on 'is back, take an' hang 'im up where de sun will rise on 'im. An' when de sun rise on 'im, see, when de sun is goin' up, yo' hang'im wit 'is tail up an' 'is haid down; an' dey tell me dat will turn dey bowels up so dey can't be unlocked.
(Well, how do you know what person you are working on?)
Well, yo' take an' yo' git some of dere action, an' yo' put it in dere. Put it on dis lizard, inside of 'im, de fo'wards side nex' to de sun, wit cayenne peppah on it. Yo' know, cayenne peppah draws too, it draws up, an' three drops of turpentine. An' den when yo' git dat bone, den yo' hang it up dere. An' dat lizard will dry up to nuthin but jes' dat skin. An' as long as he's hangin' up dere, why dey can't have an action. Dat's whut ah heard on dat.
Entry 4401
Jes' lak if yo' pull off yore shoes at night an' a person wanted tuh hurt chew or somepin othah lak dat. An' if he could git some of yore dung, yo' know, an' smeah [smear] it on yore shoes, an' put some salt an' red peppah in it an' fix it So yo' couldn't walk, yore feet would swell up. YO' HAVE SOMEPIN LAK DE RHEU- MATISM, CALLED DE DROPSY OR SOMEPIN OTHAH lak dat.
Entry 4402
[The tree-hole rites of this margin title are only a part of the total number to be found in the present section and elsewhere in the text of HOODOO.] If yuh wanta put a spell on a person or make 'em lingah in misery an' suffah foa long time, yuh could take some of dere pass an' bo' a hole in de tree an' stop it up an' dat would cuz 'em tuh suffah deyselves away. Ah heard dat chew could do dat.
Entry 4403
See, jis' lak yuh may git holt of a person's passage, an' yuh bo' a hole in a tree an' put dat in dere an' cork it up. Why dere yuh has 'em, becuz yuh see, dat jis' takes an' put 'em in a condition such as tuh lock dere bowels or sompin lak dat, chew know. An' dat kills 'em.
Entry 4404
Dey tell me dat chew kin take dat [human excrement] an' bo' a hole into a tree an' peg it tight, where it can't git out, an' it'll rush yo' wit headache all de time. Whut ah learned about dat.
Entry 4405
De passage from yuh body, yuh mean lock yuh bowels. Well, dat's per- tainin' from goin' gittin' some de stuff dey pass from 'em, an' take it out in de woods an' git chew a augah an' bo' yuh a hole in de tree, an' drive it up intuh de tree, an' dat will lock yuh bowels. Dat be de end of yuh.
Entry 4406
Take a auger an' bore a hole in a tree an' take some [human] fertilizah an' put in dere - put it in dat hole. Take a peg an' drive it down in dat tree. Dat will keep 'em from havin' action.
Entry 4407
About a person's stool, yuh kin take dat an' bo' a hole in a tree, well, yuh might say three or fo' inches deep in a tree, an' stop it up yo' know, an'dat'll run 'em crazy prob'ly kill 'em.
Entry 4408
[Someone] jis' taken an' bo'en' a hole in a tree, a big hole in a tree, an' den put it in dere while it wuz hot, an' fasten de tree on it an' he died.
(This manure from the man?)
Yessuh.
Entry 4409
Well, dat is said to be done in dis way. Yo' have tuh watch a pusson to see where dey goes tuh discharge dere stomach, yo' understan' an' yo' git aholt of some of dat, yo' see. An' yo bo' a hole in dat tree, an' yo' git a wedge an' yo' put dat stuff in dat hole. Yo' git a wedge an' yo' drive it in jes' as tight as yo' kin drive it, an' den yo' put some table salt in dat. Dis table salt is fo' killin'. Table salt will kill a live tree, yo' know dat. An' de pusson wanted tuh git rid of yo'. When dey do dat dey wanta git rid of yo'. Bo' dat hole an' git dat table salt an' dat, dat discharge from dey stomach an' drive it. Drive it, an' as dat tree begin tuh rot - ah don't think dey kin wait dat long - but dat man will nevah discharge from de bowels no mo', in de hospital or nowheres else. Locked 'em fo'evah.
Entry 4410
[Instead of the hole and peg into a tree, sometimes a splinter makes the hole and serves as a peg.] Dere two ways yuh kin lock dey bowels up. One way tuh lock a person's bowels, yuh kin take a sharp splintah. Jis' take yuh knife an' jis' sharpen up a splin- tah, see. Yuh kin git a little bit of de stuff yuh know on dat splintah. (The bowels?) Dat's right. An' take it down in de woods tuh some tree or 'nothah an' yuh take an' yuh drive 'em in dere. Co'se yuh got'a take an' bo' yuh a hole in dere. Drive it in dere den. When yuh drive it in dere, why yuh done lock 'em. [The second method, not given here, may be elsewhere in the text.]
Entry 4411
Now, jes' lak our bowels move, see. Well dey stop dat up in a bottle. Take a auger an' bo' a hole in dere - little round bottle. (Bore a hole in what?) In de tree. Put some of whut pass through from mah bowels in dis lit- tle bottle, an' put it in de tree, an' den nail [peg] a stoppah in dat. Well, dat will tie mah entrails up an' ah can't have no [more action].
Entry 4412
Jis' lak yuh go out aside an' dey know it, why dey kin go an' git dat an' put it in a bottle an' stop it up. An' when dey stop up dat bottle, why yuh can't have no passage den. (When you go outside, you mean your passage. They stop it up in a bottle, what comes from your bowels. What would they do with that bottle after they stop it up?) Yes, yes. Dey stop it up. An' dey tell me dey stop up dat bottle an' dey carry it to a tree. Bo' a hole in de tree an' den cut a round peg an' stop it up in dere.
[Sumter, S. Car., (1338)2311:9.]
Entry 4413
Go out tuh de fo'ks of de road an' take yuh stool, yuh know, an' bo' a hole in a tree, an' put it in dat hole an' stop it up. An' go dere an' tap dat peg about nine mawnin's, ah think dey say it is, an' dat'll run yuh crazy an' kill yuh.
Entry 4414
If yuh want tuh tie a man up, yuh kin tie his entrails up. Yuh kin take an' git a little of 'is manure an' rub it on a string, a new string, a new piece of homespun, an' tie nine knots in it. When yuh tie dem nine knots, yuh see, dat'll tie his stomach up, if she'll tie it in de same knots. An' see, den hang it up in a tree, yuh undah- stan'. An' [or] yuh kin take a person's passage an' put it in a piece of new cloth an' bo' a hole in a tree an' stick it in dat tree. When yuh do dat, yuh done stop 'im from havin' a action - I HE CAN'T HAVE NINE IN DIS WORL' [he will be dead before 9th action].
The source names a tree; no wood species or processed timber is identified.
Entry 4415
When yuh go outside - yuh know dey don't do dat roun' town. Dat's done in de country where dey ain't no sewage. But de last end dat come out - yuh know yuh bowels be's hard sometimes - dey take dat last end an' dey goes tuh de east side of a tree, an' bo' a hole in it, an' put dat in dere wit a peg an' yuh hit it fo' nine days. Stop dat up an' de last - de ninth day yuh drives it into de tree. An' de bowels nevah will move. Locked!
Entry 4416
[They would] have a passage. Yuh know whut ah mean. Well, dey would take de top of dat off of dat, bo' a hole in a tree or stop it up in a bottle. Well den, DERE AIN'T NO DOCTOR IN DE WORL' CAN MOVE YUH BOWELS, nOne in de Worl' cannot move yuh bovels. Yuh bowels is locked!
Entry 4417
His stoolment - his bowel stoolment. An' yuh kin cut a hole in any kinda tree, jis' since yuh cut a hole in it, an' put it in dere, an' den put dat same bark, yuh know, an' shut back ovah dat an' nail it up wit a hammah an' nail. An' dat'll lock 'is bowels an' he nevah will git ovah it.
Entry 4418
Dey say dat chew could take a nail an' dip off a little bit of yore, yuh know, manure, an' carry it tuh a tree, yuh know, a nail dain't [dat ain't] nevah been used, an' drive it through dat tree wit some hair, ah think dey say, an' some of yuh hair too, an' say yuh tap it fo' nine mawnin's, an' de ninth dey says yo'll die.
(That hasn't anything to do with your photograph, has it?)
Dey tell me dey have yuh pichure up dere wit it.
(Oh! You drive this nail through it?)
Through de pichure. Drive dis nail through de pichure, see, an' have dat hair up dere wit it. Jis' drive it on in.
(Where do you put the manure, on the end of the?)
On de end of de nail.
Entry 4419
Yuh kin take a person's a - yuh know ah couldn't use de proper name of it, yeah manure. Yuh kin take hit an' yuh kin go tuh a pine tree, an' go roun' right whare it pointed right to- wards de east, see. An' bore yuh a hole in dere, an' yuh could put it in dere an' stop it up, an' go dere nine mawnin's an' drive a nail, see, in- tuh dat. An' den go dere nine mawnin's an' drive dat nail fuhthah an' fuhthah in fo' nine mawnin's. Time comes it would come tuh 'im, yuh know, be worried wit 'is backside, yuh know, an' it will cuz him tuh have so much trouble it will kill 'im in de long run. [Informants proper nome of it is undoubtedly a messy four- lettered word!]
Entry 4420
Dey say yuh could take a person's bowels aftah dey moves fresh, an' take a nail an' drive it in de north corner of de tree. An' jis' drive it one inch [lick] evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's. Dey drive dat nail an' de las' mawnin' dey say yuh will pass out [die].
Entry 4421
Yuh keep a kinda eye on 'em, yuh all along. Yuh know, especially if ain't got no constipation. Dey [he] go an' do what dey [he have to do] an' leave. Yuh jis' go out dere an' go an take [a] stick an' jis' go dere an' take up some of dat. An' go tuh pine tree or any kinda tree. Git a augah an' bore a hole in de tree, an' push some in dere an' cork it up tight. An' drive four nails in dere: one up, an' one down, an' one on both sides of dat hole. [This represents the 4 corners of the world or the 4 arms of a cross - the latter crossing up the victim.] An' dat's a dead man. [Another version of this rite will be found later under (4) SOCKS AND STOCKINGS, margin title NAILS 4.]
Entry 4422
Take some nails an' drive 'em intuh a person's bowels proposition, in- tuh a new bo'd, an' cuz 'em tuh have a eatin' cancer at dere private [rear, not front]. [The board is substituting for a tree.] (THEY DO WHAT?) Take a new bo'd an' place it on dere - jis' lay it on de new bo'd, de person business. When dey jis' go an' have a action, take it an' place it tuh de new bo'd. Take nine new nails an' drive it in an' [when] yuh drive 'em in so fur yuh crook de nine nails head tuhgethah. Don't let 'em tech tuhgethah, jis' crook 'em all lak dat [demonstrates].
(Bend them over towards each other.)
Ben' dem 'wards each othah an' dat'll cuz 'em tuh have a eatin' cancer at dere private.
(They drive these nails right through the business?)
Dey drive 'em right through intuh a new bo'd. [I have never heard of this rite before, but I suggest the 9 nails bent over are a diagrammatic figure representing Cancer or Crab, fourth sign of the Zodiac. If my suggestion is possible, 10 nails would have been a better symbol. Evident- ly the 2 pincers, because they close, are considered as one.]
Entry 4423
Well, dat will stop 'em, too. Now, de way dat is done, yuh bo' a hole on de sunrise in de east an' den.
(You mean on the sunrise side of the tree?)
De tree, yes sir. An' aftah yuh bo' yuh hole in dere, den yuh take it an' put it in a piece of papah an' push it down dat hole an' drive a peg behin' it, an' call de person. Yuh call 'is name three times an' den evah time yuh call dey name yuh hit de peg. See, yuh got 'em. Dat locks 'is bowels. (Locks his bowel, after you put that passage in the hole.)
Entry 4424
Ah have seen dat, dis chamber lye [see later]. Dere wuz a man heah 'bout ten yeahs ago - no, it's been about twenty yeahs ago [1919]. He'd taken me, mahself, taken mahself an' buried me in a tree. An' when he buried me in a tree he sup- posed tuh hit it - tap dat wedge nine days an' den ah'd die. But he didn't tap it nine days. De Lord fixed it so dat ah wuz able tuh light [loosen] it an' knocked it out befo' ah begin tuh take bad. Befo' ah begin tuh take bad ah found it an' knocked it out.
(What did he put in the tree?)
[I ask this because of the preceding chamber lye.]
He put some of mine in-stuff in de tree, put nine needles in it.
(He put some of your passage?)
Yes sir.
(How did he prepare that?)
He took it somewheres an' put it in a tree, bo'd a hole in a big tree wit a augah, an' aftah he bo'd wit dat augah in de big tree, he'd taken nine needles an' put dem in dere. Den he made dis wedge, wedge or stoppah, an' put in dere an' hit it fo' nine masniln's, an' he didn't git a chance tuh hit it fo' nine mawnin's befo' de Lord fixed it so ah could find it. When ah founds it ah knock- ed it out an' ah got bettah.
(What did you do wdth it. just leave it there?)
Ah'd taken an' carried it to de house an' showed it tuh 'im, but de pains wuz shootin' up through mah haid lak dat. An' if ah had let it stayed dere an' he'd ahit it nine mawmin's, ah wouldn't have been heah today. Ah wuz goin' down, be- fo' ah'd taken tuh bed.
Entry 4425
Yuh kin take dis person's or individual's where he go an' do his job - this, ah [mean], yuh lgc, manure.
(Manure?)
Manure, yuh umadahstan', where he done go an' do his job, see. All right. Yuh gits jis' enough of dat tuh, yuh know, do what yuh want wit it. An' den yuh takes dis needle. (Just one?) Jis' one needle, an' yuh brings dis an' yuh hangs it up high jis' about - if he six feet, yuh hang it seven feet an' stick dis needle in it. An' as yuh stick dat needle in it, an' dat's seven fet above 'im, dat's a feet above hi - he's six, yuh make it seven. An' den as yuh do dat, why let it stay dere nine days. An' aftah nine days, de individual will be mentally unbalanced.
(What did you put that stuff in?)
Yuh stop it up in a bottle. An' den yuh wrap a papah or rag, anything aroun' it, an' den yuh stick it up about a feet highah dan he is.
(Hang it anywhere?)
Hang it on a tree - hang it up on a tree, a limb of a tree.
Entry 4426
Ah heard dat chew could take a person's bowel move' - take a person's bowel movement. Git some of dat, yo' see, yes, from 'is bowels. Ah take it up on a little piece of stick. or sompin, an' put it in a little cloth an' double it up. An' yo' bo' a hole in de tree an' yo' poke dat in dat tree, see, an' stop it up. In nine mawnin's he'd die of dat, 'cuz it check 'is bowels where he can't have a bowel movement.
Entry 4427
Dey say dey git chure bowels jis' like yuh make - yuh go off, yuh make yer bowels move. An' dey go an' dey'll bo' a hole in a tree aboat six inches deep, ge' [get] dem a peg an' cram de bowels in dat tree, an' drive on it nine mawnin's. An' in de nine mawnin's dey drive dat peg clean up as fer as dey kin git it - jis' strike it tight. An' if somebody don't do somepin fer yuh mighty quick, yuh'll nevah make no bowels in dis world.
Entry 4428
If yuh wuz tuh be goin' 'long 'side of de road an' stop an' do a fob, if a person wanted tuh kill yuh or sompin othah like dat, well he'd take 8ome of yuh dung an' bo' a hole in a tree, an' he drive dat peg in dere. Hit it evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's. Well, den yuh bowels would lock. WOULDN'T BE ANY DOCTOR IN DE WORL' COULD OPEN DEM BOWELS.
Entry 4429
Dey tell me, yuh know, dat yuh git a person's manure, yuh see, an' take a big augah, dey claim, an' bo' a hole. Go tuh a LIVE TREE an' bo' a hole in de live tree, see. An' den yuh take dat dung an' place it in dat augah hole, an' den yuh take a peg. Trim yuh a peg jis' tuh fit dat hole tight, yuh know, where no air can't git in dere, yuh see, an' tap it, see. An' tap dat up fo' nine mawnin's. Evah mawnin' yuh go dere an' give it a small tap, yuh see, fo' nine mo' mawnin's, an' on de las' mawnin' yuh drive it plumb up. An' dey say dat will bind a person bowels, yuh see, tuh where dey can't have a action, yuh know, an' dat will kill 'im.
Entry 4430
People dat is enemies tuh othah people an' dey would watch 'em very closely an' when dey go tuh deyself, dey gits dat an' dey bo' a hole in de side of a tree, an' plug it in, an' take an' drive a peg in behin' it, an' go an' drive dat peg jis' a little bit fo' nine mawnin's, an' de ninth mawnin' dat will certainly kill 'em.
Entry 4431
Yuh kin take dey action an' bo' a hole in a GREEN TREE. Take yuh a peg an' cut nine notches in it an' evah mawnin' yuh put some of dat in dat green tree. Evah mawnin' yuh drive dat peg a notch. Evah mawnin' yuh repeat, say, "Ah do dis In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, dat yuh nevah git ovah it." Evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's yuh drive dat peg in dere an' de ninth mawnin' yuh drive de peg, an' if somebody don't pull, pull it down, why YUH'LL BE A CORPSE.
Entry 4432
Now a person kin hurt chew an' kin kill yo' daid. Take some of dere - yuh know, when dey go out tuh de toilet -.take some of dat an' go tuh de no'th side of de tree, an' take somepin an' bo' a hole in dat tree. Jis' go an' bo' it till it git about dat deep, an' den dey put dis in dere, an' den cut a stick an' make a peg fo' dat hole big enough tuh stop dat hole up. Yuh stop dat hole up an' don' evah open it. She'll die or he'll die.
Entry 4433
Go on de no'th side of a tree an' bo' a hole in dis tree an' take of dere, yuh know dere stuff an' - an' put in de tree. An' evah mawnin' go, but don't drive it in, yuh know, right at once. Fo' nine mawnin's yuh go dere an' hit dat stahb one lick fo' nine mawnin's, an' de ninth day dey'll be daid. Dere bowels nevah move an' can't nobody unlock dat wi'out dey kin git tuh dat peg, git dat peg out dat tree where yuh put it. An' dey will die from dat.
(This is to lock their bowels?)
Lock dere bowels, an' nobody - AIN'T A DOCTOR IN DE WORLD KIN UNLOCK IT.
Entry 4434
All right. Yuh take when a person go outside, yuh see, a person watch yuh - see, in de country where peoples steps out de side. Well, a person go be- hind yuh an' take dat an' find 'im a tree. On de sunny side, bo' a hole in dere an' take an' put it in dat hole an' sharp a peg an' drive it up in dere. Go dere nine mawnin's an' hit dat peg nine mawnin's until yuh drive dat peg up. An' when yuh drive dat peg up, dat person's bowels nevah moves no mo'.
Entry 4435
Jis' lak a person - if yuh wanta git rid of a person, well yuh take dere bowels an' - yuh know whut dey use. An' go tuh de west side of a tree an' bo' a hole in it. See, take a augah an' bo' a hole in dis tree, an' take dere manure an' put it in dere, an' stop it up an' dat'll lock dere bowels. An' when dey bowels do move, it'll move through de mouth an' evently [eventually] dey'll die. It'll kill 'em.
Entry 4436
Dey'll take dat stuff, yuh know, an' carry it to a tree, on de right side of de tree. An' dey kin bury it in dat hole an' take a stoppah, a peg, an' drive it fo' nine mawnin's, an' in nine mawnin's dey'll be dead. (Lock up the bowels.)
Entry 4437
A man died out tuh ouah home at Flour City, Ark. An' 'is wife had taken 'is bowels an' bo'd a hole jis' ovah a limb of a tree an' stopped it up an' dat killed 'im. His baa-owels.
Entry 4438
Well now, ah learnt dat de passin' of a man's bowels, dey tell me dey do somepin wit it. Yuh want tuh know whut dey kin do. Dey'll take dat up an' dey'll put it in a bottle an' dey'll stop it up tight, airtight. An' dey'll carry it somewhere, an' git dem a augah, see, an' bo' a hole at de root of a tree. One dese li'le small bottle an' git chew a good augah an' bo' a hole in de tree. An' den yuh put dat in dere an' put a peg in dere. HE'LL NEVAH [wake] NO MO' TILL HE HEAR DE FIRST TRUMPET.
Entry 4439
Yuh take dat an' yuh wraps it, an' yuh got de east side of a pine tree, yuh bo'es a hole jis' lak mah hand sets [demonstrates] down tuh de roots. (Slant it down to- wards the roots.) Tuh de tap roots, an' yuh strike dat fer as dat augah go. An' yuh take dat an' yuh put seven needles an' seven pins, an' yuh hit it nine mawnin's, an' on de ninth mawnin' yuh drive it up. IN THIRTY MINUTES HE'LL BE DEAD.
(You put this passage in there?)
Dat's right. Yuh sticks 'em, yuh see. DAT'S CALLED DRESSIN'. Yuh sticks 'em. Yuh sticks de pins dis way, an' sticks de needles dis way - de heads dis way an' dat head dis way, so dey be crossed lak dat intuh it. It be in a cloth yuh know. An' yuh jis' stick dem pins in it, an' den yuh jis' chunk it in de crack [hole] an' put dat peg jis' tuh fit it. Jis' lak yuh bo'd de hole, de peg's gotta be jis' de same width as de augah, jis' airtight. An' yuh jis' need.tuh tap it de firs' mawnin' an' fo' nine mawnin's yuh hit one tap, an' de ninth mawnin' yuh drive it up. [Here I turned off recording machine but informant adds the place where this rite was performed. I restarted machine.]
(Where?)
Dat was done in [near] Tifton, Ga.
Entry 4440
De mess from yuh body, an' yuh take it an' yuh'll dig a hole an' yuh'll po' sulphur - dig a hole 'side of a tree an' put sulphur in dere an' burn dat mess. Well, dat will dry yuh up, goin' dry yuh up where yuh'll nevah have actions yuh undahstan'. Purtty soon dey give yuh medicine tuh have action an' dat will fin'ly [finally] kill yuh.
Entry 4441
Yuh git tuh a green tree, a growin' tree, an' yuh cut a hole in dat tree, an' yuh'll bury it [excrement] down in de tree. Firs', yuh got'a take John de Conker Root, take devil shoestring, an' yuh'll wrap it all up tuhgethah wit it [the excrement], an' yuh'll bury it in dat tree. An' yuh git some red clay dirt [to be used as a stopper or packing] an' yuh put it in dat hole, covah it up good, shet it up good. An' dat's gon'a grow intuh de tree, cuz it's a growin' tree.
[That locks the bowels.]
Entry 4442
Ah seen dis happen right down heah. If yuh's mad wit a person, if yuh kin git some of dere, yuh know, de manure, take dat an' go an' wheresomevah yuh find a green tree at, an' take a augah an' bo' holes in it an' cuts it out, an' stop it up wit it, an' drive dat peg in de tree. When he git dere tuh have a action he can't. Yuh kin let 'im have one, if yuh wanta; if yuh don't, yuh kin let 'im die. Ah know dat's true.
Entry 4443
Well, dey goes tuh work, if it yuh own toilet, yuh undahstan', an' somebody workin' roun' dere git in wit chew. Takes dat an' dey puts it in a piece of paper, undahstan', goes out in de woods tuh a green tree, bo' a hole, stop it up. Well, dat's tuh kill yuh.
Entry 4444
Take dat - take his stuff yuh know.
(The passage from his bowels.)
An' den carry it tuh a growin' tree. Have yuh a augah an' bo' a hole in it an' put dat in dere, dat hole, an' put a peg in it. An' evah day yuh go dere an' give it a lick - evah day. Den de mo' yuh knock on dat, de mo' it shet up, de mo' de bowels closed, till finally it git to de last, de bowels shet up tight.
Entry 4445
AH DON' WORK DAT KINDA BUSINESS NOW BUT AH USED TUH. Yuh take SOMe dey urinate [= excrement - see comment later], anybody's, don' care who it is. Take some of 'is urinate an' bo' yuh a hole in a half-grown tree, 'cuz young trees grows fastah, a good flushin' [flourishing] young tree. An' take a augah an' bo' yuh a hole in dere, if yuh wanta git shet of 'em, don't want 'em roun' dere. An' yo' put dat urinate in a papah, wrahp [wrap] it up. Roll it up an' put it in dat hole an' trim yuh a peg an' start it in dere jis' a little, jis' stop it up jis' a little an' go on off. Evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's go dere an' hit it a lick an' evah time yuh hit, dey's gittin' locked tightah an' tightah. Well, when yuh hit it de ninth mawnin', it's plumb tight, an' he'll die if yuh don't git it outa dere.
(You mean take that from bowels?)
Yeah.
Urinate remains the printed wording; the editorial gloss and later question about bowels are distinct context.
Entry 4446
Yuh take a young tree an' yuh bo' a hole in dat, an' yuh take a per- son's passage an' put it in dere, an' dis peg whut yuh put in dere, yuh gradually nail [peg] in dere, an' in nine days force it up. Dat will kill 'em - cause 'em tuh be constipated, dere bowels are locked.
Entry 4447
[Dey say dey could take] whut pass from a person an' put it in a tree, peg it up. An' come tuh a live tree an' bo' a hole, an' put it in de live tree, an' in so many days why yuh'll be dead.
Entry 4448
Well, ah experienced once a woman got a li'le chile's stools an' buried it in a tree, an' dat locked 'er bowels an' 'sposed tuh kill 'er.
(How did she bury that in that tree?)
In a hole in a hollah tree, an' stopped it up in dis hollah tree.
(And that killed the child, locked it's bowels?)
Yes.
Entry 4449
Well, dey kin lock yuh bowels one way. Dey kin take - go tuh de lav'- tory where yuh use an' git some of yuh, yuh know, an' stop it up in a hollah tree, an' as long as dey let it stay stopped up, yuh bowels won't move.
(I see.)
Entry 4450
Anywhere yo' see a mess - anywhere yo' be at an' yo' see where dey goes an' done dey [their] business, well yo' take dat an' yo' put it in a bottle. De top [cork in the bottle] wouldn't give it no air. Yo' go to de sap of [the] tree, [go] jis' befo' de sap goes up. Yo' turn dat bottle bottom upward in dat [hole]. Cut off a wood [peg] [and put] in dat tree [hole] tight as yo' could git it. Dey couldn't do anything [have a passage], an' when de sap of dat tree go up, dat'd blow dem up.
Human-waste retrieval follows the source's euphemistic 'mess' and 'business'; [have a passage] is editorial. The bodily effects remain unverified claims.
Entry 4451
Lockin' de bowels. Fo' instance lak yuh would take a person's passage an' go intuh de swamp, an' taken a augah an' bo'en a hole intuh a tree, an' put- ten it in dere an' shutten de hole up airtight. Whensoevah de sap is up. Den, whensomevah de sap go down, it close up ag'in, yuh undahstan'. Den 'is bowels is locked until it taken out. Dat locks 'is bowels.
(You put this into the tree when the sap is up?)
Yes, wit an auger, airtight.
Entry 4452
Jis' like ah foretole yuh, [like ah told you before], jis' like a per- son go himself intuh de toilet - yuh know, prob'ly a whole lot'a time if yuh stay In de country, yuh go in de woods an' do yuh business, why somebody watches yuh an' dey got any animosity fo yuh, why dey go dere an' git it. An' dey'll take a augah an' dey'll bo' a hole intuh a stump or a tree if it ain't sawed off yuh undahstan'. An' aftah dey done bo'd de hole, dey'll take dat stuff an' put it into dat hole an' dey will stop it up. Yuh'll have locked bowels de balance of yuh days, yuh will nevah have no free action no mo'.
(Then that will kill you.)
Tie yuh up, yes sir.
Entry 4453
Ah heard dat dey could take yuh bowels an' bo' holes in trees or stumps or somepin an' put 'em in dere an' lock 'em up. Yuh know, jis' stop 'em up an dey say dat will lock yuh bowels, too.
Entry 4454
(Take this passage.)
An' bo' a hole in a tree or a stumP, yuh undahstan'. Jis' bo' de hole in it an' wrop it up an' stick it in dere, an' take a peg, yuh know, an' stop it up. Drive it in dere an' dat will kill 'em.
Entry 4455
Dey could take some of yuh manure an' dey'll put dat - stop dat up in a bottle. An' dey carry it tuh a dogwood tree, a fo'ked dog- wood tree, yeah fo'ked, an' bo' a hole in dere an' slip it down in dere [demonstrates].
(Oh! Bore a hole down [slanted] in the fork like that.)
Yeah, an' stop it up. Walk off an' don't look back, an' yuh'll nevah have a pass unless yuh cut 'em open. But dey couldn't [have] nary one demself, only jis' gittin' relief.
Entry 4456
Dey go tuh a dogwood tree. Aftah yo' go to de toilet, dey take de white part of yore nurinate [see later] carry it dere, an' bo' a hole into de tree an' go dere an' tap it. Put a stoppah into de tree, aftah yuh bo' de hole in dere, an' put de nurinate in dere, an' go an' tap dat stoppah-an' let dat stuff go back up in dat tree lak dat, an' tap it fo' nine mawnin's. Dat will kill yuh.
(YOU MEAN BY A PERSON'S NURINATE, THEIR BOWELS?)
Yessuh.
Entry 4457
Yuh kin go an' git dere pass, dere action, an' go tuh a gum tree on d sundown side, an' bo' a hole in dere an' put it in dere, an' put a peg in it an' dey can't have any mo' action.
Entry 4458
Whut ah hear about a hickory tree. Now, jis' lak ah don' lak yuh an' ah wanta stop yuh - yuh know, stop yuh. An' yuh go tuh a lav'tory an' ah go an' ah git some of yuh passage. Well, ah'll go an' bo' a hole in dis tree, an' ah'll put dat in dis hickory tree. Well, see, ah'll put dat plug back in dere an' fo' nine mawnin's ah'll go dere fo' evahy mawnin', until nine mawnin's an' ah'll hit it. Take a hammah, yuh know, an' knock dat furthah an' furthah. Well, de ninth mawnin', say yuh be tryin' tuh have a leave up until den. Well, AH'M GOIN' FIX IT SO YUH CAN'T HAVE NO MO' UNTIL YUH DAID.
Entry 4459
Dey kin take yuh passage or yur urinate.
(That is your business, you mean?)
Yes, take dat aftah dey do it, while it's fresh, an' take it tuh a big hick- ory-nut tree an' bo' a hole in it, in de hickory-nut tree, an' put dat stuff in dere. Pack it. An' go git a li'le salt, cayenne peppah an' turpentine an' stop dat in wit it. Dat will lock yore bowels so dat yuh can't have no passage. Yuh feel lak yuh wanta do it. When yuh go tuh do it, it will burn yuh.
Entry 4460
De hickory tree, yuh kin take a person's yuh know, when dey bowels move, an' yuh got a grudge ag'inst 'em, yuh kin take some of dere stuff an' put it in a tree on de no'th side, an' bo' a hole an' peg it an' put it in dere. Dat'll stop 'em up. Yuh gotta put it in a hickory tree 'way up, where nobody kin evah, yuh know, discovah it.
Entry 4461
Tuh lock a person's bowels, yuh go tuh where dere fresh stuff is done. Yuh take dat an' take yuh a augah an' go tuh a live tree. It bettah tuh be a magnolia tree. An' on de east side bo' yuh a hole in dat tree. Place dat in dat hole. Cut chew a peg an' put de peg in dere. Yuh hit dat peg fo' nine mawnin's jis' one lick.
(One lick each morning for nine mornings.)
Yes sir. Dat'll do de work.
Entry 4462
Well, now if a person fool aroun' people, ketch out where dey go out, yuh know, an' git dat stuff. (That passage?) Yes, git dat an' stop it up in a bottle, yuh see. Stop it up in a bottle an' go tuh a oak tree. Cut a hole an' put dat bottle in dat oak tree an' dat will stop dem from doin' anythin'. Dey cain't make it.
Entry 4463
Heard of peoples goin' bo'in' holes in trees an' puttin' a person's passage in dere an' stoppin' dat up airtight into a growin' oak tree. Ah heard tell of dat.
(What will that do?)
Well, dey say dat will stop dere passage up, too.
Entry 4464
Dey'll leave an' yuh wanta ketch up wit 'em, yuh know, jis' like if it's a - well anythin' yuh wanta make on 'em - yuh see, yuh kin take some of dis same urinate dat a fellah has an' some of 'is bowel action, an' bore a hole in de north side of any oak or gum tree. [Urinate here is urine and not excrement.] (Oak or gum tree?) Yes, an' put it in dere an' cork it up, an' nine dates [days] aftah dat, dey say dat unlessen yuh find who did it, becuz if yuh don't uncork dat an' let it out, dey say dat yuh'll die.
(I see, that is if you are trying to get even with someone.)
Tryin' tuh git even wit someone an' yuh don't know who. Well, maybe yuh'll know, keep a person dat othah way.
Entry 4465
Den yuh kin take it [urinate = excrement] and stop it up in a hole. Go tuh de no'th side of a oak tree and drill yuh a hole in dere back about dat deep, where yuh kin git in dere. Wedge it in dere lak dat, an' drive a green peg up in dere, an' dat will stop 'em completely off.
Entry 4466
(To stop my bowels up, what do they do with that?)
They take dat an' stop de bowels up, an' git some red oak leaves, yeah, an' mix 'um tuhgethah an' put dat down in de dust. Dat keep yuh from doin' any busi- ness. (They bury it in the ground?) Yes. [The red oak leaves are a substitute for a red oak tree or for any tree.]
Entry 4467
Git a person dung an' kill dem, SEND DEM TUH DE CEMETERY. Dey take dat - why dey stop it up whut dey say [call] a oak - a water oak by de rivah- side. Dey hit it fo' nine mawnin's at sunrise an' it will natchly [naturally] will lock yuh bowels.
Entry 4468
[Ah'll] tell yuh 'bout whut ah heard about killin' people - stop 'em from havin' action an' all lak dat. Well, ah ain't nevah tried dat chew know. Well, ah heard dat chew could, jis' lak ah see where yuh made a action at, well ah would go dere an' git some of dat an' goes tuh a white oak tree. Well, ah put dat action intuh de tree an' den put me a peg in it. Well, den ah takes an' fo' nine mawnin's ah gits me a hammah er anythin' an' drive dat peg fo' nine mawnin's, see. Well, when dem nine mawnin's up, well yuh can't nevah have a action. So it apt tuh kill yuh.
Entry 4469
Yuh takes de manure of a person aftah dey have a action an' yuh go tuh a 'simmon tree an' bo' a hole in it, an' take de manure an' puts it in dis 'sim- mon tree. An' den yuh make yuh peg an' stop in dere. Dat usely [usually] locks dere bowels. (You have to go to a persimmon tree?) Yes, becuz a 'simmon tree yuh know is tight itself. Somehow or 'nothah it works - jis' on an' on.