Browse:THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF (Volume 3, entries 3110–5205)/Part 20
THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF
Volume 3, entries 3110–5205. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 4630
(Do you know how they do that?)
Well, dey take dat bow an' dey take dat bow away from yuh hat an' dat thread off dat bow. Dey take dat an' dey sew it up intuh de mattress. An' aftah dey sew it up intuh de mattress, dey'll git some of dis here essence of cinnamon. Yuh know, de essence of cinnamon from de drug store - from de Crackahjack Drug Store. (Yes.) [= continue.] Well, dey git some of dat an' dey git two brass pins an' dey stick intuh dat bow an' aftah dat dey sew it up - evahthin' intuh de mattress. An' dey fix yuh wit dat.
(What will happen? What does it do to you?)
Dey'll fix yuh so dat yuh won't nevah be no help tuh yuhself or nobody else.
(I see. What do they call that stuff you get from the drug store?)
[A mumbled answer was almost unintelligible but it was essence of cinnamon, which may be the same thing as oil of cinnamon (2458-2459, p.681).]
Entry 4631
Dey tell me if yuh kin git a chance, yuh know, tuh git 'is hat or any- thin' lak dat yuh know, an' take it an' wear it roun' in yore pocket, he come tuh like yuh an' care fo' yuh an' DAT'S DE WAY DIS LOVE COMES ABOUT an' dat's de way yuh gits de girl. (What do you wear in your pocket?) Dat bow out de hat.
Entry 4632
Yo' kin git de bow offen de back of a man's hat an' wear it in yore pocket or somepin othah, if yo' want 'im tuh love. DAT WILL CAUSE 'IM TUH LOVE YO'.
Entry 4633
Dey takes dat bow tuh ketch yo'. Dey ties it up where yuh can't git it, prob'ly carry it in dere pocketbook. An' she keeps dat. Long as she keeps dat, why he can't git away from 'er. He'll love 'er.
Entry 4634
Why she takes de little bow. Ah'm goin' tell yuh whut she do's wit dat, an' it'll work. If she wanta gain 'er sweetheart, if he won' notice her, she gits de little bow outa his hat an' she pins it right ovah - she pins it right ovah dere, right ovah her private place. An' he'll follah 'er all ovah dis worl'. He cain't git shet of 'er until she takes it outa dere.
Entry 4635
Ah've heard of 'em put it in a cloth yo' know an' wear it, dat little bow in dere. Take it an' git chew a piece of cloth an' put it on it an' wear it, jes' lak yo' wear a Kotex between yore laigs. Ah've heard of dat.
(What will that do?)
Well, dey say dat will make him care fo' yo', love yo', yo' cain't git rid of 'im. Dis little bow. Ah've heard of dat.
Entry 4636
An' jes' lak if he's a frien' of yores, yo' kin git dat little bow out of 'is hat an' take hit an' put it in a 'bacca sack somewhere between yore laigs, always, an' he will always be yores. He cain't quit chew, he cain't leave yo' alone.
Entry 4637
Dey take dat little bow an' pin it tuh dere princess slip right ovah beneath dere crack an' wear it ovah dere an' he won't leave her. He'll contin'ly
[continually] stay dere wit 'er.
Entry 4638
De way dey do de love, dey natchly [naturally], de man has sweated through de hat. Well anything dat he has sweated on, a woman kin take it an' wear it close tuh her privates. An' she sweat on it, mingled wit de sweat dat he sweat on it, an' keep dat close 'bout 'er on 'er person an' dat man should love.
(What else did she do with that bow?)
She could run 'im crazy wit dat bow, too, but I don't know jes' how dey run it.
Entry 4639
Dey take dat bow an' dey bury dat bow. Dey takes dat bow an' deyburies it, if a woman gits it. Ah guess she musta puts it - wears it in 'tween 'erlaigs or sompin or othah like dat [first], if she wan'a man tuh be crazy about 'er an' jes' go crazy about 'er. She takes it an' wears it so many days right 'tween 'er laigs. An' dey said she takes dat bow an' she ties it up in a little ole - jes' sews it up in somepin an' she puts it in 'er pocketbook an' she wears it in 'er pocketbook. Dat's de way she did.
Entry 4640
Well, dey takes dat little bow an' cut it out, an' dey tie it up in a little piece of rag of any kin'. An' she takes it an' she takes, wears it right up in 'er crutch [crotch]. An' yo'll become crazy 'bout 'er. Yo' can't leave her, yo' don' even wanta see nobody talk tuh 'er or nuthin.
Entry 4641
Take de bow outa yore hat, de woman kin. Take de bow outa a man's hat an' git some of 'is hair an' take de seat outa his drawers an' weah hit. Only way she kin do tuh keep 'im, yuh know, feed 'im. Take fo' instance, her monthlies yo' know.
(What did she do with this bow? Did you say? How will she wear those things?)
She weah dem undah - right 'tween 'er laigs. Put 'em in a sack an' weah dem 'tween 'er laigs.
Entry 4642
Ah've heard dat a woman could take dat, dat little bow from de back of yore hat, an' take it an' tie it up in a rag an' tote it 'twixt 'er laigs. An' she kin do yo' anyway in de worl' she wanta do. Now, dat's whut ah heard about dat.
Entry 4643
Ah heah dat a woman could take dat li'le bow in de back of a man's hat, an' wear it ovah her private an' keep it dere, tuh make a man go wit 'er.
Entry 4644
Kin take dat little bow an' sew it up in a piece of cloth an' wear it in 'tween dere laigs, an' dat will make 'em love yo'.
Entry 4645
Dey take dat bow - de wlmmin take dat bow of yore hat, see, if dey want chew tuh continue go wit 'em, can't go wit nobody else. Dey take dat little bow in de hat an' dey take dat bow an' dey'll put it in - yuh know, put it up in 'em, in de hole where a man have connection wit 'em. Den take dat an' put it in a bottle.
(They take it out then and put it in a bottle?)
Take it out an' put it in a bottle, see, an' put some cologne - John de Conker Cologne. Dis heah cologne, what chew call it?
(Hearts Cologne?)
Hearts Cologne in de bottle 'bout half full. Keep it stopped up an' yuh cain't go wit nobody else but 'em.
Entry 4646
[There are many rites in which one or more substances must be new, or new and used only for that one particular time - not the same rite repeated. Any remainder of this substance must be discarded in one of various ways. At times a substance can be reusa- ble, but only in the same kind of rite; for example, Hearts Cologne, in the following rite:] Git dat bow out de back of 'is hat an' git chew some Heart Cologne. Dip dat bow in Heart Cologne an' yuh take dat bow an' yuh wear dat bow. An' as long as yuh wear dat bow evah wheresomevah yuh goin', put dat Hearts Cologne on it. But don't use dat fo' nuthin else but dat Heart Cologne. Don't use it fo' nuthin but dat pahticulah [particular] thing. An' even in usin' de salt [is some other rite].
(Where does the woman wear that bow?)
She kin eithah wear it - jis' lak she - on 'er bloomahs. Pin dat on 'er bloomahs so it will tetch down nex' tuh 'er private; see, wit a little small safety pin.
(That will keep him.)
Entry 4647
Take dat bow outa de inside of a man's hat an' yuh put de Hearts Per- fume on it. An' yuh take dat bow an' yuh wrap it intuh a red silk, a little piece of red silk cloth, an' yuh sew dat bow up. An' yuh put dat bow, if yuh wanta make a man love yuh an' stay wit yuh too, yuh put dat bow in de toe of yore left shoe an' yuh wear dat bow in de toe of yore left shoe.
Entry 4648
(What will they do with that little bow?)
Well, dey take dat an' dey totes it. Dey put it in a little bit of bag, a little Durham sack [Bull Durham tobacco sack known since the days of rolling your own cigarettes]. An' tote dat nex' tuh 'em all de time. Does 'im an awful lot of harm. Put de hair wit it - an' de hair, toenails - evahthing dey kin git wit it. Dat jes' makes 'im drag aroun', drag till he die. Won't do 'im no good an' nobody else.
Entry 4649
(The woman would take that?) Dat little bow outa a man's hat, yeah. She kin take it out an' put it in de ban' of 'er dress - yuh know whut ah mean, in de seam of 'er dress an' wear it dere all de time. An' dis man would come tuh be a lovah fo' her, an' wouldn't love anyone else.
Entry 4650
Take dat bow offen a man's hat an' wear it in yore garment, in de seam nex' tuh yuh in yore skirt.
Entry 4651
Tuh hold 'em, take de bow or de band of a man's hat. Yuh could take dat an' wear it in de bottom of yore shoe. [To wear a sweatband in the shoe could be a problem.] Jis' lak yuh want a sweetheart or tuh hold a man, jis' when he come tuh yore house yuh jis' take de bow outa his hat an' put it in de bottom of yore shoe an' wear it. An' dat'll hold 'im.
(Either shoe?)
Eithah one of yore shoes - yore own shoes. [Bottom of the shoe usually means in the hallah = palm = center or middle of the shoe, the article worn being con- cealed under the insole; and if no insole, a false one is made from paper or cardboard - even a cigarette paper can cover the hidden object.]
Entry 4652
She take dat bow out chure hat. Dat's a little bow in yore hat, de [sweat] band of yore hat. Chew [she] take dat bow out an' sew it in de bottom of 'er lef' shoe, an' when she sew it in de bottom of 'er lef' shoe, it's no woman in de world kin take yo'.
Entry 4653
Git de bow of 'is hat an' put it in yore shoe an' wear it in yore shoe. Dat will make him love yo'.
Entry 4654
Dey tells me dat yuh take dat bow out an' put it in yore right shoe an' wear it in yore right shoe, an' dey says dat'll keep 'im home.
Entry 4655
Take dis bow, see dat sits back dere in yore hat, an' put it in yore shoe an' wear dat in yore shoe. Wear dat an' make love.
(Who would do that?)
A man, eithah a woman. Dat whut ah use. Eithah one of 'em.
Entry 4656
Take dat bow an' wear it in de bottom of 'er shoe, de wimmins do.
(What does that do?)
Well, he love 'er. He goin' come tuh love 'er an' he follah 'er roun' or want tuh follah 'er roun'.
Entry 4657
Take dat bow an' wear it in de bottom of yore shoe. Wear dat bow in de bottom of yore lef' shoe. Dat'll make him crazy about chew.
Entry 4658
Take dat bow an' make him bring all 'is money home tuh yuh.
(How do you do that?)
Jis' take it out, see, an' put it in yore shoe, de bottom of yore left shoe an' wear it, an' dat'll make him bring all 'is money home tuh yuh.
Entry 4659
A woman kin take dat bow an' jes' run yo' crazy wit it. She kin take dat bow an' she wear dat bow in her shoes. She wear dat bow way up in de mouth [toe] of 'er shoe, dat same little bow whut a man got in 'is hat back dere.
(That's all she has to do?)
Yes sir.
Entry 4660
Ah heered tell de woman would take de bow outa man's hat an' put it up in de toe of 'er shoes, an' she always keep 'im down underneat' 'er foot. He be dere an' she always keep 'im down. Ah've heer'd tell of it.
Entry 4661
Take dat bow out of a man's hat an' put it in de toe of 'er right shoe, an' wear dat an' he'll always love 'er, until dat bow wears out in 'er shoe.
Entry 4662
Put it in de left feeted shoe, right in de heel. Walk on it an' he won' be so easy tuh leave yuh. He'll be awful good tuh yuh.
(This bow from the back of a man's hat.) De left foot of his shoe right in de heel. [Sumter, S. Car.,. (1384), 2459:13.]
Entry 4663
Well, dey take de bow out of a man's hat an' wet 'em [perfume or urine] an' wear it in dey shoe. (Either shoe, it doesn't make any difference?) Wear it in de lef' shoe. An' nevah take it out, jis' wear it till yuh lose it. An' dat will make de man stay wit yuh. [Fayetteville, N. Car., (1390), 2998.
Entry 4664
Git de little bow from yore hat. An' dey supposed tuh take an' put - prob'ly yuh may say a little black [pepper] or eithah a little salt an' soda, an put it in a little small rag, jis' small as it kin git. An' take yore right shoe off, put it in yore shoe an' take a little piece of thin, yuh may say a cigarette papah, an' plas- tah dat in de bottom of yore shoe. An' dey claim dat supposed tuh make love - bring fo'th luck lak dat [in love]. [Cigarette paper - dating this rite - 1s used because shoe is so old it does not have an insole!]
Entry 4665
Yuh kin take dat li'le bow out of a man's hat. Ah've tried dat mahself. Ah jis' tried it on a person tuh see would really [happen]. Ah didn't care nuthin about de fellah. Ah taken an' slip de bow out of 'is hat an' walks wit it two days in mah right shoe an' three in mah left. Dat's five days. Yuh know in six days it's broken [he fell in love with her].
Entry 4666
Ah kin tell yo' 'bout mahself, ah have used it. Mah husban' wuz a man, he wuz runnin' about. Mah husban' used to make gud on evah job dat he got on, an' ah couldn't see where his money went tuh. He wuzn't givin' me not a thing. All ah could see, he would buy a little groceries. He'd say he wuz gittin' two week's groceries an' dey wouldn't last a week. An' ah took de bow outa his hat - ah stole it out dere an' put it undah de bottom of mah foot, an' den put mah stock- in' on. An' aftah den, when ah put dat in dere, ah took 'is dirty drawahs an' cut de seat out of it, an' ah buried it undah de step where he walked in at. He nevah did stay home, an' aftah ah did dat - ah did dat jes' lak today, an' ah didn't know whut it 'twas fo' him tuh come in de early part of de night. His early part would be one aclock; if not dat, all night. Aftah ah done dat lak today, he went ag'in. When he come in de night, he nevah took time hardly tuh eat. He went out dat night. So aftah dinnah - he commence comin' in den, an' ah jes' got tired of 'im stayin' home. He stayed home so much an' he wuz so nice to me - he'd bring me his check den to have it cashed; if not dat, he'd tell me tuh meet 'im tuh de Union Station, goin' wit 'im an' havin' 'is check cashed. An' he done so nice an' we stayed home so much, dat ah couldn't turn. Ah went back an' dug it up fo' him tuh go some, an' took de bow out from undah mah shoe. Dat's whut ah done.
(What shoe did you wear it in?)
In mah right shoe.
(Didn't do anything else with it? Anything?)
Didn't do anything else to it.
Entry 4667
If a woman wants a man an' she cain't git 'i, she'll take de bow out of 'is hat lak when he's settin' on top of sompin, settin' ovah heah. An' she jis', she'll take dat bow out of it. An' when she takes dat bow out, she jis' takes an' gits talcum powdah, yuh know. An' she take an' satu- rate dat bow in dat powdah, an' she take an' wrap it up in a thin silk han'ke'- ch'ef, an' she wear it right up undah her heart an' save it. An' dey says dat he'll go crazy 'bout 'er.
Entry 4668
Take dat bow an' git a silvah dime an' wrap dat bow aroun' dat silvah dime, an' wear it undah yore gartah in yore stockin' yuh know, an' dey say dat'll make a man give yuh money.
Entry 4669
A woman kin take dat bow if she wants de man tuh be crazy 'bout 'er, an' don't want 'im tuh mess wit no mo' wimmins - jis' follah her. She kin take dat bow an' sew it up in a little rag an' wear it nex' tuh her meat an' he nevah will follah no one but 'er.
Entry 4670
If any individual take dat, dis little bow right dah outa yore hat - take dat out an' wear dat anywheres nex' tuh 'em. Put it in sompin othah an wear It nex' tuh dere skin. Prob'ly be in dere pocket right nex' tuh dere skin. An' dat brings 'em controllin' poWah ovah yuh. DEY HAS DE DISADVANTAGE OF YUH all de time.
Entry 4671
Yuh take de bow out of a man's hat an' carry it home an' put it in matchbox an' put it undah yore haid, an' dey say dat will make 'em love yo'. [I stopped machine too soon and had to add:] (You said sleep on it.) [The matchbox, a coffin symbol (confinement) and the match, a sexual one - a frequent combination in HooDoO - explain them- selves.]
Entry 4672
Ah heard dat yuh kin take dat little bow an' take it an' sleep on it. An' aftah yuh git through sleepin' on it - yuh heah whut ah say? Yuh take it out an' yuh wrap it up an' yuh put it in yore shoe an' yuh walk on it. Yuh see, yuh walk on it fo' a length of time an' dat makes de man crazy 'bout chew. (You put that in your shoe?) In yore left shoe. [Yuh heah whut ah say? in some form or other occurs often in HOODOO, because I was not supposed to hear well. Call this an unfair ruse, if you like, but I often had trouble with people talking too low or too fast for my comprehension, hand over mouth, mumbling, occasionally stut- tering, dialect, unknown plants and animals, etc.]
Entry 4673
(How do you do that?)
About de hatban' dat yuh use. Yuh ast [asked] me 'bout de hatban' a minute ago. Yuh take de person dat yuh have de name out of de hat - dat little bow-like in de hat? An' yuh gO tuh de bird's nes'. LET IT BE DE SPARRAH'S NES', WHICH IF IT'S A SPARRAH'S NES', DE SPARRAHS USE DE SAME NEST ALL DE YEAH ROUN'. BUT A BLUEBIRD CHANGES "IS NES', AN' ALSO A PIGEON. Aftah a pigeon has used 'is nest, de pigeon tears de nes' up an' makes a fresh nest, but a sparrah use de same nes'. As long as de sparrah use de same nest, de person will con- tinue tuh have de headache, if yuh put dis bow of de hat intuh de sparrah's nes'.
(Just go to the sparrow's nest and put the bow into the nest?)
Jis' put de bow intuh de nes'. Dat's all. An' yuh could constantly happen tuh have a headache. But if - YUH KIN TRY IT YUHSELF SOMETIME OR EITHAH HAVE SOMEBODY EXPERIMENT IT FO' YUH. AN' WHENEVAH YUH REMOVE DAT OUT OF DERE, DE HEADACHE WILL BE BROKEN. BUT YUH KINNOT BREAK DAT HEADACHE BY BURNIN' CANDLES OR ANYTHING. DAT NES HAS TUH BE TORN UP, EITHAH DE BOW TAKEN OUTA DE NES'. Eithah one of de two will stop de headache, but nuthin else. An' ah betcha, becuz mah grandmothah tried it on 'er own daughter, mah sistah. [The latter relationship frequently happened, the sister being the mother whose child
(informant's) was brought up as the grandmother's.]
Entry 4674
Yuh could use yore chamber lye an' dat'll cause 'im tuh love yuh. Take yuh chamber lye befo' yuh speak tuh anyone early in de mawnin' an' yuh dampen dat little bow an' wear it. Wear it in yore right-foot shoe. Dat will cause de man tuh love yuh.
Entry 4675
Take de bow out 'is hat an' dat insole of yore shoe, an' put dat bow right up undah dere. Take a pinch of sulphur an' put it down in dere. Ah guar- antee yuh dat boy goin' stay right by yuh cuz ah've tried dat mahself. (Just put this bow in your shoe. Eith- er shoe?) Yessuh, eithah shoe.
(And put a little sulphur with it. Put it up under that inner sole?)
Yessuh.
Entry 4676
Well, yuh take dis little bow dat's right in de back of man's hat. Dat's de little bow right dere [demonstrates]. Yuh take dat an' take it an' put it in a bottle of sweet spirits of nitah, an' take an' shake it up good. An' den take it, an' yuh know dese women dey got a pocket or somepin in some of dere bloomahs, yuh know. Take it an' put it in dat pocket an' sew dat pocket up an' weah in dere. An' dey say dey nevah will go wit anothah woman.
Entry 4677
De bow an' a dirty sock - out de hat an' 'is dirty sock, lef' foot sock. An' git some Eve-an'-Adam [Adam-and-Eve], some High John de Conkah, some love powdahs, an' roll 'em to yuh. Make yore wishes as yuh roll 'em. Den yuh take it an' put it in yore pillah or in yore mattress, de woman, an' sleep on it an' he'll stay dere.
Entry 4678
Yuh kin take dat little bow out of 'is hat an' put it in some bluestone an' sugah an' burn it in de lamp fo' nine days, an' dat change s'is min'. It'll
[mind will] stay right on yuh, see.
Entry 4679
Dey take a piece of red flannen an' a piece - an' dey take his intahco'se [semen] an' dat Jockey Club Perfume an' puts it in dat red flannen, an' a piece of lodestone in it, an' dey wrap it. Dey make it [package] flat, tight enough tuh go inside of dat bow. See, it go inside of dat bow, an' when it git in dat bow, dat will trick dem right dere. He cain't git rid of 'er.
(She will put that in the bow of the hat and tie it back in the hat?)
Yessuh, take an' sew it back on dere.
Entry 4680
Yuh [she] take dat bow, an' applyin' oil of verbena wit dat bow, she kin put some sugah wit dat bow an' she kin put some sweet spirit of nitah wit dat bow. An' puttin' it in a little bag, see, an' wearin' it roun' 'er waist or anywhere near tuh her skin, an' she'll have him jis' lak she wanta. Ah mean anythin' dat she do, regardless of whut dey tell 'im, he will take her statement fo' it.
Entry 4681
Dis little bow here [demonstrates] dat ah've got 'im mah hat chere, a woman kin take dis bow an' - an' take it an' put some peppah in it an' salt an' some incense, an' take it an' bury it, yuh see. An' bury dis bow accordin' tuh de moon. But she gotta bury de bow when de moon is young. An' as de moon go down, de old- ah it git, de more it take effect on me. Ah'd git a misery in mah head, yuh see, until de moon go down. When de moon go down in darkness, well ah'm certain tuh lose mah memory. Do yuh hear? [My hearing is supposed to be weak.]
(I see.)
Entry 4682
Dey kin take dat, take dat bow from mah hat, if anybody git holt of it, lak dat [shows his hat]. Yuh see, dere it's hot now. Yuh see ah'm sweatin'. Sit down dere, yuh undahstan', an' takin' a knife an' scrape it outa dere, jis' lak dat, an' take all dat dirt an' sweat out of dere tuhgethah, an' git it outa dere till dey git quite a nice bladeful. Git about a knifebladeful out de bow of de hat, yuh undahstan'. An' yuh take dat an' yuh go tuh work, yuh undahstan', an' go tuh a tree an' digs yuh a hole in dere. Gits yuh somepin othah tuh gouge yuh a hole in dat tree lak dat dere. An' den take dat knife an' wipe dat thing off on a li'le piece of rag, an' take an' shove it back in dere. An' git chew a stoppah, make yuh a peg tuh fit dat hole an' drive it in dere. Drive it in dere tight jis' lak dat. Yuh kill 'em, bash it - hit ovah 'is haid.
(That gives him a bad headache and kills him?)
Kill 'im.
Entry 4683
Dat little bow in de back of a man's hat, take dat an' go tuh a green pine tree an' bo' a hole wit a augah, an' drive it wit sompin back dere tight. It will run 'im crazy.
Entry 4684
["Hat bow - take new nail - nail up in right side of tree - run him away or go crazy." [Author's note from untranscribed cylinder.]
Entry 4685
(Dey take that bow from the back of a man's hat and do what with it?)
An' tack it on a tree an' git some of yore hair an' tack it right on de end of dat bow, an' put dat hair on dere. When dat hair go all de way roun' dat tree, it'll meet back to dat bow. Den yuh'll go crazy. (They have to go to the tree with the bow and have some hair in [on the end of] the bow. Then that hair grows all the way round the tree?) All de way roun' de tree. [For detached human hair to continue growing under all sorts of conditions, See examples at the beginning of long section HAIR.]
Entry 4686
Take hit an' put it - yuh know chamber lye - put it in chamber lye, dis little bow. An' keep it in dat chamber lye an' dis man go crazy ovah dat woman. He cain't guit 'er fo' no othah woman in de worl'.
(Whose chamber lye does she put that bow in?) Put it in 'ers - 'er chamber lye.
Entry 4687
Well, ah've heard dey take dat li'le bow out de hat an' put it in de bottom of yore shoe, an' keep it wet wit chamber lye, yore cham- ber lye, an' jis' wear it in de bottom of yore shoe, twixt de sole an' yore foot. (What will that do?) Dat will keep a man home; he won't leave 'er. She's lyin' onto [she can rely on] him all de time.
(Either shoe?)
No, de left shoe.
Entry 4688
Takes dat an' soaks it in chamber lye, de bow from de back of man's hat. Soaks it in chamber lye an' puts it in de bottom of 'er shoe. She got de man. Evahwhere she go, he's follahin' 'er.
(She can wear it in either shoe?)
Either shoe. Jis' de innah sole yuh know, take dat out an' soak it in chamber lye, eithah put chamber lye in dere an' put de innah sole down ovah it, an' he follah her evahwhere she wants tuh go.
(Whose chamber lye does she put in there?)
Hers. She use her own chamber lye.
(She puts that in the man's shoe?)
[My question or statement shows me napping, caught by the words he follah her, I momentarily forgetting what went before.]
Entry 4689
Now ah heard 'em say about dat little bow - ah always caution mah boys about dat bow. Ah don't know whut dey kin do, but ah heard 'em say dat dey take dat bow. In fact a ole wumman tole me dat. Say, yuh take dat bow an' rip up dat thin sole [insole] in yore shoes an' put dat bow undah dere. An' yuh know, jis' keep it perfumed wit dis ole Hearts Cologne an' keep dat - put chure chamber lye, put chure pee on dat, an' keep dat bow in dere, in de bottom of yore shoe. An' dey say, dat boy or man can't leave yuh tuh save his life. Say, he jis' can't go off.
Entry 4690
Dey tell me yuh take dat bow out dat hat an' puts Hearts Cologne on it an' a little of yore chamber lye. An' put it in a flannen rag an' wear it right nex' tuh yore flesh. Say dat will make a man love yuh.
Entry 4691
Take dat bow out of a man's hat, like dey take dis bow heah [demon- strates]. Well, dey kin take dat bow - a woman kin git dat bow out 'is hat. She take an' put it in some choambah watah an' she put some Hearts Cologne on dere. Well, if she kin git dat bow back in yore hat wit'out chure knowin' it, dat will make yuh fall in love, really in love wit 'er.
Entry 4692
[Take hat bow, buy Hearts Perfume, pour 1/2 out, but don't use for anything else, fill rest of bottle with urine, wear 9 days and keep. (Authors abstract of informant missed by transcriber).]
Entry 4693
(A woman does what?) She take dat bow, yuh know, an' she'll tie it in a piece of flannel, yuh undahstan', an' she'll take it an' she'll urinate on it, an' take it an' tie it aroun' 'er waist, an' she kin keep it right straight up an' down 'er navel-like. Dat would keep - don't keer where yuh go or whut yuh do, yuh min' will be back dere on 'er all de time. See?
Entry 4694
Take dat little bow right out de back of yore head [hat] an' dey'll take it an' tie - a woman will take it an' when she tie it up, she take it an' she'll put it right in 'er bloomahs an' wear it. Wear it right dere right close up tuh 'er, nex' tuh 'er. An' when she git ti'ed of wearin' it, she'll take it tuh 'er do'step an' she'll bury it. An' evah mawnin' she'll go out dere an' she'll throw chamber lye on it. An' it won't be mo' dan three weeks befo' yuh'll go crazy. (And she wears that long as she wants you, and when she doesn't want you, she'll bury it under the door.)
Entry 4695
Take dat little bow an' make anyone love yuh. Yuh could take dat an' put it in de toe of a sock an' take a dime an' put it in dere. An' yuh fold it dis way [demonstrates]. Yuh jis' fold it dat way an' den yuh fold de toe dat way, comin' in de house, an' den bury it up undah yore do'step, yuh undahstan', an' den take a leak on it evah mawnin'. An' ah guarantee dey won't leave yuh.
Entry 4696
Take dat li'le bow in de back of a man's hat an' take an' put sulphur on it an' wear it [in a bag - see later] nex' tuh yuh - right tuh yore heart. An' dey say dat will bring 'i back tuh yuh, make him love yuh. An' den yuh take an' urinate on it fo' nine mawnin's an' put it back in dat - have a little bag ah reckon about de size of dis box [box of matches I had on interviewing table]. Put it in dere fo' nine mawnin's.
(After you put that sulphur on there.)
Yuh put de sulphur on dere an' yuh let it stay lak tonight. Well, de nex' mawnin' yuh start [to urinate on bow] fo' nine mawnin's, evah mawnin', an' den put it back in dat bag. An' den dat will make him love yuh.
Entry 4697
Ah heard dat if yuh take dat little bow out of de hat, de wimmins [take it], an' dey take it an' dey wear it aroun' dere waist - on aroun' dem, wheresomevah she may keep it all de time. Dat will cuz de man tuh love her.
Entry 4698
Say dey could take dat bow out de back of a man's hat an' wear it aroun' dere waist, an' dat would make yuh love 'em.
Entry 4699
Yuh kin take it an' tie it roun' yore waist an' dere mind will stay on yuh all de time. Yuh kin take de bow outa anybody's hat, or eithah de band.
Entry 4700
Take dat little bow out of a man's hat an' put it into a bag. Wear it roun' dere waist an' dat make de man jealous.
Entry 4701
A woman kin take de bow out of a man's hat an' tie it aroun' 'er waist - put it in a ribbon an' tie it aroun' 'er waist. Wheresomevah she goes, he'll go wit 'er. He will follah 'er.
Entry 4702
Dat little bow inside of 'is hat? If a person git dat bow, provided yuh [can] git yuh han' on it, well yuh goin' tuh take dat. An' if yuh take it tuh yuh house - an' yuh CUT A HOLE IN DE WALL an' put dat in dere. But yuh'll have tuh put a card [paste- board] stoppah in dere. Yuh put a card stoppah in dere or yuh put a cork stoppah in dere, an' it will kill de person, kill 'im dead.
Entry 4703
Well, dey kin take dat bow an' dey kin put it in a piece of cloth, anythin' dey wanta put it in. Take dat bow an' carry it to runnin' watah an' dey kin throw it in dat. Long as dat bow stay in dat runnin' watah, yuh will be runnin'.
Entry 4704
Ah've heard - jis' lak dat little bow dat be in de back of yore hat back heah - ah've heard dat dey take hit out an' put it in runnin' watah an' make folkses leave home.
Entry 4705
Well dey say dey takes dat bow. Take dat bow out an' dey puts dat in Hearts Cologne. Aftah dey put it in Hearts Cologne, git it in somepin airtight where no watah cain't git in it. Dey put it [in] sompin lak a rivah dat's runnin' an' throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah, make yore wish an' walk away from it an' don't look back. Dey say dey'll go crazy. (That is to make that person go crazy? Who owned the hat that the bow came from?) Yes.
Entry 4706
Ah've heard dat chew kin take de bow out of a man's hat an' put it in runnin' watah, an' den wear it in yore shoe an' yuh won't have much trouble git- tin' rid of 'im. Ah heard dat. (You take this bow from his hat and put it in running water?) Yes, an' put it in runnin' watah. Firs', git it, jis' hold it in dere, an' den take it out an' put it in yore shoe an' wear it.
(Do you put it in either shoe?)
Eithah one.
(That's to get rid of him?)
No, dat's tuh make him love yuh. [Is holding it in running water a threat or warning of what could happen to him? Or is it a purification ceremony?]
Entry 4707
Dey take dat little bow out chure hat an' carry it an' put it down to de edge of de rivah an' tie it wit a string, an' jis' like dat watah is raisin' dat bow in dat hat, dat de way yuh hair will be raisin', long as somebody don't git dat bow. Yuh will be sick in yuh haid an' yuh wouldn't nevah come tuh yuh right senses no mo'. But de sweatban' of yuh hat is jis' like dat, jis' about de same [you can do the sweatband the same way].
Entry 4708
Yuh take de little bow. Yuh take de little bow an', if they kin git it out of dere jis' as it's in, dey take dat bow an' dey'll make what chew call a twist. Yuh see, if dey kin twist it like dey want, tuh keep from tyin' it, dey'll twist it. An' if dey kin git de edges, de ends, de way dey want it, dey take dem ends an' dey twists until dey cut - till dat end is jis' as thin as one stran' of yore hair, jis' by twisting it, but it'll be locked. [The weave of the bow will still be there, twisted into one thin string.] It'll be locked an' yuh twist till it gits thin as one stran' of yore hair. Now, if yuh leave [you do leave] a hole in between, see [demonstrates].] Now, yuh leave dat hole in between dere an' yuh take an' yuh git yuh a stick, an' yuh cut dat stick as roun' as yuh kin an' yuh put dat hair [twisted bow] on dat stick. When yuh put dat hair [twisted bow] on dat stick, yuh put it in de centah of de stick. Put dat hair [twisted bow] in de centah of dat stick an' carry it tuh where dey got runnin' watah, an' yuh take an' yuh hang - yuh git chew a string an' yuh put it on each end of de stick an' yuh let it hang in dat runnin' watah, but don't sink, yuh see. Evah day yuh go dere, evah twenty-fo' hours, see, yuh go dere. When yuh go, yuh let down on dat, see. Yuh let it down evah time - evah twenty-fo' hours yuh go an' yuh let it down until de length of yore thread would give out, which would be about two feets of string dat yuh would have on each end of de stick. See. An' when dat thread give out, yuh see, yuh go an' yuh give de same party dat yuh got dere hair [twisted bow] you git dem, an' yuh carry 'em jis' about two blocks tuh dis runnin' watah. See. Well, when yuh carry dem de two blocks tuh dis runnin' watah where yuh got dere hair at - see, dey goin' tuh go wit chew all right, dey'll have good intentions. Dey'll go, but when dey git jis' about two blocks from dere, dey ain't goin' tuh go. Dis party, dey goin' tuh turn aroun' an' come back. See. Now, when dey come back, yuh know yuh got 'em den. Dey goin' tuh come back. Don't beg 'em, don't force 'em tuh go at all. If dey want tuh come back, let 'em come back, but dey goin' tuh come back dere own indi- vidual self. Dey'll come back demself tuh see what it's all about. Dey'll jis' have - yuh want tuh lead 'em tuh come back, see. An' dey'll go dere an' dey'll set. Set right dere an' dey goin' tuh wondah maybe fo' days an' days, jis' stay dere wit'out nuthin tuh eat or nuthin, maybe prob'ly sleep. People will be won- dahin' where dey at, wondahin' what's de mattah, tellin' 'em dey're makin' a tramp of yoreself an' all sech things as dat, but dey won't know what it's all about, see. But dey'll stay dere as long as dat hair is dere an' until he die. He would not move from dere - starve tuh death.
[I stop recording to ask a question or two, then start machine again.]
I'm got it on a stick.
(The little bow from the hat?)
Yes, I'm got it on a stick, see.
(What about the hair?)
I'm talkin' about de bow of hair - yuh see, de hair an' de bow.
(Talking about the hair and the bow?)
I'm got it wrapped up on de stick, yuh see. I'm got it wrapped up an' I'm got a hole in dere an' I'm got de stick. Yuh see here?
(Yes.)
I'm got dat stick 'tween dat dataway an' I've thread on each end of it - jis' about two [feet on each end].
(You've got hair in that bow?)
I'm got de hair in dere.
(Oh!)
Yes.
(And did you put a hole in the stick or did you split the stick?)
De stick is not split, I'm only got de stick. Yuh see like dis here ridge in mah fingah [demonstrates]. I'm got de stick. I only got a ridge [groove] jis' all de way round it dataway.
(I see.)
An' I'm got thread on each end of it. See [demonstrates], on each end I'm got jis' about two feets of thread - on each end of de stick. (And you hold the stick over the water and it swings? You hold it and it swings over the water?) Yes, jis' let it swing. But evah twenty-fo' hours, evah twenty-fo' hours, go dere an' lowah it down until de two yards - or rathah de fo' yards of thread is gived out. Undahstan' (I see. YOU HAVE THIS BOW WRAPPED AROUND THAT STICK THEN? THAT YOU LOWERED DOWN IN THE WATER?) Yes, sir.
(I see.)
[This informant is not lying, he has a confused mind - often from long addic- tion to alcohol. Versions of this rite - lowering or floating objects in running Water - occur elsewhere in HOODOO.]
Entry 4709
She likes yuh very much an' she wants tuh keep yuh. Well, she takes dat bow out see, an' she puts dat in a rag. She puts it in 'er mattress an' keeps it. She do dat in ordah tuh keep yuh. An' if yuh go away from 'er, evah time yuh go tuh go across watah, why it will cuz yore head tuh have an ache in yore head all de time. [That hat bow contains a part of the man's spirit and therefore his whole spirit (see HooDOO p.21). A spirit cannot cross water (see FACI, 2nd ed., p.754, and several places in HOODOO).l (If you go across water, you will get a headache; then, while she has this bow tied up in the mattress, you will come back to her.)