Browse:THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF (Volume 4, entries 5206–8881)/Part 12
THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF
Volume 4, entries 5206–8881. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 6086
Well, ah heard in mah days past if yo' had a woman or a man an' yo' wnted tuh make love wit 'em an' wanted tuh make 'em stay wit yo', [take] some [hair] from de centah of de top of dere haid an' some of de hair from dey body down heah. An' some of de hair from undah dere arms. An' Cobine dat an' carry dat wit yo' to a young grave, where yo' could bury it. Or, yo' know, yo' could take all of dat an' if yo' wanted to make a person leaveyo', S0 dey'd worry 'bout yo' an' wanta come back to yo', but dey couldn't come back yo', jes' throw it in runnin' watah.
Entry 6087
Take his hair [from his head], de hair undah his nose, an' de hair from down dere, an' den wear his picture, an he'll come back.
[I do not recall nose hair elsewhere in HOODOO.]
(What would you do with that hair?)
Jes' wear it, wear it all de time.
(From his head, his nose, and down there. Wear it and he'll come back.)
Entry 6088
Take three stran's out chure haid an' three stran's down below, an' take it an' put it in a bottle an' stop it up. Yo' buries dat.
(What do you do that for?)
It'll kill yo'. (Do you bury your own hair?) Yore own hair. (Won't that kill you if you bury your own hair?) It'll kill yo'. (You Want to kill yourself?) Run yo' blind, sho' it would. [We do not understand one another. Informant merely Bys your stopped-up hair will kill you, whether you or enemy does it.]
Entry 6089
If a man wanta marry a girl, yo' undahstan', an' she don't want to ny him. An' she ain't goin' to mind, yo' know, lak he goin' wit 'er. Yo undahstan' vhat Imean, an' she don't want to marry him. Yo' undah- stam', jes' don't want to marry him. Now to make him marry her - to make her want to marry him, yo' know what he'd have to do? He ketch 'er an' cut 'er ten toe- -l, yo' undahstan'. He ketch 'er an' cut 'er ten toenail. Take 'er toenail, youmdahstan', an' take a few stran' of her - cut from some of 'er hair. Yo log, ketch 'er takin' a bath an' take of 'er hair out from undahneat' 'er right arm, an' put dat togethah. Yo' undahstan'? An' take three dem old - what-chew- call-'em, black-eyed peas.
(Three black-eyed peas?)
Three black-eyed peas an' 'er toenail an' hair from.undahneat' 'er arm. Yo' undahstan'? An' wrap it up, yo' see, an' put dat in 'is pocket an' wear it. Wear it right dere in 'is pocket an' ah'll guarantee yo' dat in 15 days she'll be willin' to marry 'im.
Entry 6090
(There is another way of bringing them back, too, you say?)
Yo' kin take some of de hair from down dere.
(Some of the private hair.)
Yessuh, take it. It 'tain't only but one stran'. An' yo' take an' carry a han'ke'ch'ef wid joo when yo' use it to dry it away. Yo' take it [hair] an' tie it in de cornah of de han'ke'ch'ef an' yo' keep it de same length of three days. An' yo' - an' puts yo' on it dis Hearts Cologne. Put it on Heorts Cologne. Take it an' yo' bury it at de right-han' cornah of yore steps, de right-han' cornah. Den yo' take it an' wear dat den on yo' fo' nine hours, nine or ten hours, sompin lak dat, an' go on back home. Stay right dere. Yo' go on back home an' make yore wishes, "Ah wish Sech-an'-sech-a-one Would come. Ah want So-an'-so back." Dat's anothah way yo' kin bring 'em back.
(That is if you happen to have some of their hair before they leave?)
Yes, if yo' could git holt of any of it befo' dey leave, if yo' kin find any anywhere - don' care how long dey been gone. Hair undah dere arm will do de same thing.
Entry 6091
Yessuh, yo' kin take a woman, she kin take her hair an' take yore hair. (The woman would take some of her hair from her head and some of your hair, and what else?) An' take yore private [hair] while yo' sleepin' an' wrap it aroun' an' tie three knots in it an' put it in a bottle of Hearts Cologne.
(How would she get that off then?)
Yo' see she tied it in knots, yo' see, an' slip it off lak dat, an' take it an' put it in a bottle of ten-cent Heart Cologne, an' yo' can't fool wit any othah woman but 'er. (You can go with other women but you can't do anything with them, but you can still do something with her?) Yo' kin still do something wit 'er.
Entry 6092
Oh yes. Yeah. Well, now a woman kin take de hair off a man private down dere, an' take hit an' git her a piece of red flannel an' nine pins, an' sew it up in dat piece of red flan- nel. Dat hair, sew it up in dat piece of red flannel an' wear dat roun' 'er waist fo' nine days. An' if she want dat man tuh stay wit 'er, she'll keep it roun' 'er waist; an' if she want dat man tuh go, den she kin take it an' turn - jes' look attah dat man an' say, "Go, go, ah hope ah nevah see yo' no mo'." An' throw dat hair, an' he'll go an' he'll nevah come back no mo'.
(Where does she throw it?)
Jes' throw it anywhere, jes' so she throw it an' don' look aftah [back at] it. Den he'll nevah come back no mo'.
Entry 6093
Yo' want to know how to make a wumman stay wit yo' or sompin lak dat. Dey said yo' - well, yo' do her jes' lak yo' do a man. Take her watah or take de hair off 'er haid. Yo' take, yo' know offa both places an' keep cologne on it an' keep pee on it. Jes' wear it all de time, keep it in yore pocketbook.
Entry 6094
If it's a woman, if she's gone an' de man wants tuh bring her back, he supposed tuh try tuh locate de place she live at an' cut some hair outa de mole of her head or some place, or jes' be wit 'er, if it's 'is frien' girl [girl friend] or sompin othah lak dat, an' git it an' bringit an' bury it back at dat do'step right down dere where dem rabbit balls [dung] is. Dey say she'll come back dere.
(That is to bring her back home.)
Yessuh.
Entry 6095
An' ah could take yore hair an' ah could ketch me a rabbit, git any Hinda rabbit, an' clip dat rabbit back open an' put chure hair in dat rabbit back, an' ah sew dat rabbit back up, an' yo' nevah will quit'walkin'. Yo' jis' walk till yo' die. If nobody nevah kills dat rabbit, yo'll jis' nevah quit walkin'.
Entry 6096
Now along de hair line. Yo' kin take de hair outa de top if any in- dividual's hair, say if yo' wanta send 'em away. Dis is mo' from sperience ah'm tellin' yo' dat. [Now follows a good example of giving a rite and then illustrating it with a personal ex- perience.] Yo' take dat hair an' ketch a rabbit den, an' split 'is skin right in de fo'head dere, an' place dat hair in dere an' sew it up. Jes' turn 'im loose. Well, who- Cvah hair den dat yo' put in dere, if yo' want 'em tuh leave, when yo' turn dat rabbit loose dey can't stay. [We lived] cross town togethah. I an' 'im were good frien's, too. Well, he bad a right clevah wife. So ah nevah said nuthin tuh anyone heah 'bout dese things jes' like yo' talkin' tuh me now, 'bout runnin' off people. So ah says, "Well," says, "ah kin take de hair outa anybody's head, outa de zole [mold or mould] of de haid an' ketch me a rabbit," ah said, "an' ah kin nm a off quickly." She said, "How do yo' do dat?" Ah said, "Well, yo' git de hair out de mole of dere haid an' ketch chew a rab- bit an' split 'im right in de fo'haid," say, "an' put dat hair in dere an' sew it Turn de rabbit loose. She say, "Shuah 'nuff?" Well, ah didn't pay no mo' 'tenshun tuh it. Two-three days latah ah wus out in de woods cuttin' crossties. [Railroad rails are laid on and spiked to crossties.] All of a sudden he pulls off 'is clothes, all but 'is top-shirt. Ah nevah bothah. Ah reckon about fifty yards distance betveen us - us dere a log-cuttin'. An' when 'is cuttin' stopped, ah stopped aattin', looked tuh see whut wus he doin', weren't thinkin' about nuthin. So chen ah looked he wus standin' up on de log lookin' right straight off tuhwards de cypress pond. He got down off de log an' he walked right straight on off de Way, de direction he wus lookin' tuhward dat pond. He walked on off down dere an' he walked on it. Well, ah nevah pay any 'tenshun, ah went on back cuttin'. Ah say, "Maybe prob'ly got hot an' he's about gone [to] cool off." Dat's whut ah thought tuh mahself. So ah worked on about a hour an' he hadn't came back yet. Ah jes' worked on, hadn't nevah give it a thought. Well, it's about three hours he hadn't come back, so ah thought ah'd go down tuh de pond. Ah went on down tuh de pond where it wus muddy goin' in jes' 'fore yo' git tuh de water. Ah tracked 'im on tuh de watah. Ah whistled an' whistled an' called an' called. Aftah ah couldn't [find] 'im, ah went on aroun' de pond, an' when ah got on de othah [side] de back of de pond - ah seed where he come out. Still ah couldn't git no hearin', ah called an' whistled. So ah went on back, ah said, "Maybe he jes' went off tuh look fo' some [something]." But still he wus in his shirt, nuthin but 'is shirt. Ah went on back an' ah worked on till time tuh knock off. He hadn't came back yet. Time tuh knock off, ah couldn't call 'im up, couldn't whistle 'im. So ah went on back home. So ah went on down tuh his house aftah ah got suppah. He hadn't showed up yet. His wife couldn't tell nuthin about 'im atall. De nex' mawnin' he hadn't showed up. So ah went back out in de woods where his clothes still hangin' dere where he lef' 'em. Well, ah come back tuh de house den tuh tell 'er about it. He git plenty time to git 'rested [arrested for being in his unclothed condition.] Some- body mdght search fo' 'im. Well, de people dat know 'im - de law, dey took 'imup an' dey look fo' 'im dem two weeks. Dey nevah did find 'im. So' 'bout six-eight weeks latah dey got ahearin' from 'im. He wus in de 'sylum. So, I an' 'is wife wus talkin' dere one day aftah he had gone on an' she say, "Yo' know one thing?" "Whut?" Say, "Yo' know whut chew tole 'bout dat rabbit?" Said, "'Yes?" She says, "Ah tried dat. Ah thought yo' wus roun' devilin'," say, "an' dat's whut run mah husban' off from heah."
Entry 6097
Well, ah heard if a person git chure hair - wanta run yo' crazy, dey take yore hair an' jes' ketch a rabbit an' split its forehaid, right behin' yo' know, an' lay it in dere an' sew it back up an' turn 'im aloose. As long as dat rabbit run, yo'll be crazy.
(You split the forehead, behind the forehead?)
Dat's right.
Entry 6098
Take yore hair, cut de hair out de top of yore haid, near de mole of yore haid, an' den dey would take dat hair an' would put it into some Hearts Per- fume. Git de Hearts Perfume an' take dat hair an' put wit dat hair some whut is known as John de Con- kah, an' rattlesnake marstah. An' den yo' would take dat hair an' put it in a bag an' yo'd wear dat hair round yore waist to make someone love yo'.
Entry 6099
Git de hair out chure haid an' mix it wit bluestone, red peppah, gunpowdah, thundah- strucken wood an' put it in a bottle an' bear [bury] it, an' dat'll give yo' headache for- evah an' eternal until yo' go some place an' see somebody an' git 'em to dig dat stuff up.
(What was that last thing you put in the bottle?)
Ah said, bluestone, gunpowdah, an' red peppah an' stops it up in a red bottle an' bear [bury] it. [I was trying to obtain a repetition of thundah-strucken wood, a rare term for the more usual liahtnina-struck wood (see p.599). Thundah-strucken wood of course is associated with the thunderbolt and thunderbolt hand (p.655). For thumderbolt see FACI, 1st ed., No.5380; 2nd ed., No.5786. Informant in present rite ismarked good]
Entry 6100
Yo' kin take dat hair an' do three or foah diff'ren' thin' wit it. Yo' lin git de hair outa woman's haid, yo' take it an' carry it to de man's house, an' yo' buries it undah de step in a red piece of flannel. Well, he walks ovah dat hair. Bell, dat's tuh gain 'is influence towards de woman - dat's gainin'. If yo' kin git dat hair of de woman's an' carry it tuh his house an' put it in a piece of red flannel an' po' some Hearts Cologne, an' let him pass ovah it fo' five days. Dat's fo' one part of de hair.
(The woman does that in order to make him like her?)
Tuh make him like 'er.
Entry 6101
Take people's hair an' wrap it up in some red flannel an' wrap it wit black thread an' put it up ovah yo' do' an' run peoples crazy. (Do you put it up over your own door or over their door?) Ovah dere do'. (In other words you take some of my hair and put it over my door and run me crazy - make me lose my
[ind.)
Entry 6102
All right, yo' got a girl frien' an' she don't want chew doin't [doing it] wit nobodys else but 'er. She kin take some hair from right back of de mole of yore head, middle yo' know - back of yore head, some right oat de top. An' take it an' tie it up, an' tie it up in a rag. An' put some salt in it, an' soak it wit vinegar an' black peppah an' about two pods of red Peppah. An' bury dat right at yore front do'step. An' ef yo' don't go wit 'er yo'll go crazy.
Entry 6103
Yore hair proposition - dey git chure hair right out de mole of yore haid, right out de mole of yore haid. An' aftah dey git de hair right out de mole of yore head, dey take dat an' wrap it up into some into a rag, some cloth. An' aftah dey wrap it up into some cloth, dey takes it an' puts some red peppah, undahstan'. An' aftah dey put de red peppah in it, dey takes hit, takes de - Put red peppah, bluestone, alum, an' mix it all togethah, an' sulphur, an' put hit in dere an' ties it up. An' dey ties dat up an' dey carries it. Dey'll eithah bury it right at chure do'step - bury it at chure do'step an' yo' walks ovah all dat. Den dat begin pains about chure haid, right about chure haid. Den when it begin painin' about chure haid, put chew in bad sickness.
Entry 6104
If a fellah has a wife or a woman dat way an' dey Would git a Lock of 'er hair, yo' see, [and] some of 'er dirty pieces, [and] bury it in dat road, dat will give her headaches ~ see, dizzyness in de head, an' will continue wid dat dizzyness in de head long as it stays dere stopped up airtight [in a bot- tle].
Entry 6105
If dey git holt of some of yore hair, dey kin take dat hair an' put it in some hot salty watah, yo' undahstan' an' bury it undah yore step wit de bot- tle neck turnt out from - yo' know, from de way yo' come out de house. Well, dat'll cuz yo' tuh have addle brains. If yo' don' fin' it - if it stay undah dere nine days, dat'll cuz yo' tuh have addle brains.
Entry 6106
Dey take a strand of hair out chure haid an' it kin run yo' crazy. Well, dey take dat hair an' dey bury dat hair. Dey take dat hair an' put it in warm salt an' watah an' bile [boil] it. See, dey'll take a bottle, a quart bottle lak dat, an' dey take dat an' put salt in dere, an' dey put warm watah in dere, an' dey take dat bottle an' bury it about, well say about a foot deep, about a foot deep undah de top of dat bottle, an' let it stay in undah dere six months. Dere ain't no way fo' yo' tuh stay wit chure mind.
(That runs you crazy.)
Yeah.
Entry 6107
Dey kin take whut chew call a lock of yore hair, mean a plait, an' put salt an' peppah in hit, an' wrap de same thing up an' put it at chure do' an' bury it. Yo' cain't stay dere, yo' gotta go. Long as dat stays dere an' yo' don't find it, yo'll keep a-travelin', wandah, an' yo' won't nevah stop. Yo' stay awhile an' den yo'll go somewhere else. Yo'll keep a-goin' but yo' won't be at de same place. Wrap it up in a flannen cloth.
Entry 6108
Yeah, dey kin take yore hair an' sew it up yo' know some people wear shimmy tails - sew it up in yore shimmy tail an' dey'll become tuh love yo', yo' know. [See also, SHIMMY-TAIL TEA, p.647.]
Entry 6109
Well, ah've heard dat dey kin take a lock of yore hair from yore head, cut it out right about de mole somewhere along in dere, an' take dat lock an' wear dat in dere shoes sometime to make yo', yo' know, care fo' dem - make yo' wanta know where dey is.
Entry 6110
Ah take a girl whut ah want - lak ah tell yo' how ah do - tame dat girl an' git up to her. Ah kin take some of her hair yo' know, an' jes' take it an' wear it in de shoe, an' den she'll be crazy 'bout me. She'll be followin' me roun'.
Entry 6111
Take his hair, cut 'is hair out chew know an' take it an' put it in de bottom of 'er shoes, an' she wear dat in 'er shoes. Dat's tuh make him love her.
(Which shoe would she wear that in you say?)
[This question is almost useless; the information should be volunteered.]
In de left shoe.
Entry 6112
Well, dey says dey kin take de mole of yore hair - wimmins could take it an' wear it in de bottom of dere shoe. Dat will make a man follow dem where- somevah dey goes.
Entry 6113
Ah kin take yore hair an' wear yore hair in mah shoe or stockin' an' keep yore mind.
Entry 6114
Jes' lak he'd be settin' down somepin lak dat, an' she'd git a little of his hair. She have to take dat an' wear it in de bottom 'er shoe, see. Well, dat'll stop 'im lak dat.
(Running around with women.)
Entry 6115
A woman kin take a stran' of yore hair an' put it in de collar of 'er shirt, jes' stick it in dere. Dat will make yo' love 'er. Sompin lak dat. Dere diff'rent places yo' kin put it, see, suh.
(You mean it [in the collar] itches him, that will make him love her?)
Yes. Den yo' put it in 'is shoes, in de bottom of de shoe, slip up dat sole-lak [insole] yo' know, an' stick it in dere, why dat will make yo' go way yo' know.
(Put it in his shoes?)
Yeah, dey put it on 'im both ways [to hold or send away], see.
Entry 6116
Dey kin take yore hair an' wear it in dere shoe an' keep yo' down undah den lak dat.
(You mean down in connection with love or something of that sort?)
No sir, jes' keeps yo' down, keeps yo' down underneat' 'em - lak if yo' tryin' tuh go up, why dat keep yo' down, keeps yo' from prosperin'.
Entry 6117
Yo' take an' git some of de hair, it don't make no diff'rence where yo' dt it from, jes' since it's de hair out of 'is haid.
(Out of the bosses head?)
Outa de boss' haid an' wear dat in yore shoe. See, dat's gittin' 'im undah yore feet, an' den he be kind an' do mos' anything yo' want 'im tuh do. Ah tried wit a lady mahself.
Entry 6118
She take his ole shoe, regardless tuh how long de shoe been dere or how ole de shoe is. She take dis shoe an' git some of 'er hair an' put it in dis. shoe an' she wear dat shoe her- self. She will bring 'im back kinda limpin', but he'll stay dere long as she'll continue tuh wear dis ole shoe aroun'. He'll stay home but Soon as she take dis shoe an' put it aside, an' take her hair out, he's gone back [away] ag'in.
(She takes either shoe, it doesn't make any difference?)
Eithah, ain't any diff'rence whut shoe it is.
(Does she wear both of them or just one of them?)
Wear both of 'em, wear both dese shoes.
Entry 6119
Git some of de hair out of yore haid an' put it in yore shoe, in de bottom of yore shoe. Well now, if it's a woman yo' put it down in de bottom of yore shoe an' yo' tote it, an' each foot Wrapped up in some news- Papah. Don't put it in no white papah, put it in a newspapah wit de lettahs on it. Put it in each foot an' yo' wear it. See dat's love. She got to love yo'. Dere's more diff'ren' ways yo' got to learn besides dat, but dat's about de bes' Wy dat it is.
Entry 6120
A man could take a woman's hair an' wear it in de linin' of 'is shoes, an' if he wants tuh go wit 'er, he could beep 'er.
Entry 6121
Dey git holt tuh yore hair, a woman now tryin' yuh. She'll git holt of yore hair an' she'll wear it in de shoe. Undahstan' now, she wear dat in 'er shoe, if she kin git dat hair out de mole of yore haid. She'll lovin' an' git dat hair out de mole of yore haid an' den she'll wear it in 'er shoe'fo' seven days. An' aftah she wearin' dat shoe seven days, she'll den takes it an' put it in a silk piece of cloth an' put dat dere undah 'er pillah an' den she'll sleep wit dat dere undah 'er pillah. Well, den aftah she sleep wit dat undah 'er pillah nine days, she don't care wha' choo do. Well, she got chew jes' lak she wan' chew. Den yo'll lurk aftah her den.
(Does she wear that in either shoe?)
De right foot.
Entry 6122
An' den, say fo' instance, if dey wants to, someone wants to make yo' love 'em, make yo' lak 'em, think about 'em, yo' undahstan', see; aw well, dey would take dat [hair] an' git some silk thread, yo' undah- stan', an' put it in dat hair an' turn [wrap] it to dem. See, wind it, turn it to me all de time, so dat draws yore attention to me, yo' see. Yo' kin do dat, yo' undahstan'. All dey have to do is dey put dat, dey wear dat in dere shoes, yo' undahstan'. Well, durin' dat time, dat will cause dose people to be thinkin' about chew, yo' undahstan'. Why dat calls dere attention towards yo'.
Entry 6123
Some takes dat. (That little bow from a man's hat?) Yessuh, an' a dime, a new dime, an' strain it wit hair from down heah, if dey kin git it, or eithah out de mole of 'is haid, an' dey sew dat up in a little piece of flannen rag an' put it in de bottom of dere foot an' wear it.
(What do they do that for?)
Dat's fo' tuh keep 'im controlled.
Entry 6124
Well, ah've [heard] dat dey will take de hair from de mole of yore haid an' dey will mix dat wit cayenne peppah an' sulphur - an' from yore haid. It take a woman tuh have dat. Dey say she will wear it in 'er shoe or pin it aroun' 'er waist, an' dat will draw yo' tuh 'er.
Entry 6125
Yo' kin [take] hair, if a man's 'way from yo', an' take dis heah little bottom out of 'is shoe. Yo' know dere's a little thin bottom [insole] in 'is shoe, yo' kin pull it up yo' know, an' yo' kin take dis hair an' some table salt an' red peppah an' sulphur an' stir it all up togethah an' yo' puts dis in yore shoes. Or eithah put it in a new piece of homespun. Sew it up in a little piece jes' about dat long, sew it up an' make a long string an' wrap it roun' jes' below yore knees, an' yo' wear dat. Well, dat keeps yo' from git- ting poisoned, an' den it makes yore sweetheart be good to yo' an' come home to yo'. "An' when it gits old, see, yo' change it.
Entry 6126
Yo' kin take nine needles an' a ball [pod] of red peppah an' jes' as much sulphur as yo' want, an' den take some de hair out de mole of 'is haid an' put it in black cloth an' sew it up an' put it in de inside of 'is shoe undah dat little sole dere, an' let 'im wear dat an' he will be nice to yo' an' any- thing dat chew say, he will do it an' nevah be out wit othah wimmins, yo' know. (You wear that in your shoe. Either shoe all right?) Eithah one.
Entry 6127
Yo' take dere hair an' plait it - plait it, yo' know, like dis heah [demonstrates], an' wear it in yore shoe. Yo' kin wear it in yore shoe or yo' kin take it 'tween de sole of yore shoe heah, an' seal it up ag'in tight, an' wear it in yore sole [insole].
(What will that do?)
Dat will kill yore mind, change yore mind.
Entry 6128
If anybody wanta git holt of yore hair, dey take dat hair an' dey'll plait it, work it into de linin' of dere shoes. Wear dat. Well now, yo' may wanta quit 'em, but long as dey wear dat hair in dey shoe, why yo' will always have a Lakin' fo' dem.
Entry 6129
Take a plait out chure haid an' take it an' put salt in it an' black Peppah an' take it an' wear it in de bottom yore shoe. Do dat to make love.
(Do you wear it in either shoe?)
Yes sir an' when ah do it, why everything's all right.
Entry 6130
Do dat in diff'ren' ways. I kin take yore hair - I take yore hair, but if I take yore hair, I take from de mole of de haid. Take yore hair from de mole of yore haid. I would plat yore hair. If I Wants to do yo' any harm, I would plat yore hair. If yo' wuz a woman an' I wanted to make yo' come back to me or some- pin of dat sort, I'd put it in de toe of my shoes, an' I'd wear dat hair in de toe of my shoes. I'd plat it an' put it in de toe of my shoes an' I'd wear dat bair in dere. An' while I'se got dat hair in my shoes, walkin' aroun' wit dat wr, I'd gits me one of dese little small perfume bottles. I writes 'er name dosn wit pen an' ink, nine times. I makes dis bottle full of sweet water, jes' as sweet as I possibly kin git it, but say, anyhow, into a syrup. I would take sngah an' make it into a syrup, see, wit dis watah. Put 'er name down into dis bottle an' 'er hair in de toe of my shoe. Dat's if I would want 'er. See, an' I'd keep 'er dere into dis bottle an' in de toe of my shoe, an' I puts dis bot- te udah my steps, but I would bury it undah de steps. I wouldn't bury it so deep. I would bury it an' den she would come on back home. See.
Entry 6131
In cases den, if yo' wife is done quit chew, yo' woman's quit chew, an' yo' want 'er tuh come back home. If yo' want yore woman tuh come tuh yo' an' she's gone, yo' go an' see, if she comb 'er hair, yo' gits 'er hair an' go tuh dis drug sto' an' git chew - go tuh a store where dere's lotsa people trans- atin' dere, an' git chew one dose big wire coppah tacks, de head of it, an' take 'er hair an' drive it down in yore left shoe. She can't quit chew, she'll come back home an' stay wit chew.
Entry 6132
Lak ah wanted tuh love yo', ah could git some of yore hair, go tuh yore house an' git some dirt outa yore - from undah yo' left shoe, an' tie it up togethah an' den put a penny in dere wit it, an' wear it in mah right shoe. Dat will make me love.
(You mean that will make me love you?)
Yes sir.
(What do you - put in a penny, you say?)
Yes sir.
Entry 6133
He doesn't like her, yo' see. She got all kinda ways in de world to git up to him. She gits some of 'is hair an' she has dat hair dressed. She wear it in her left shoe. (Where would she have that hair dressed?) Well, she goes to a rootworkah of cour se. Ah know fo' mahself she kin git chure hair an' she kin wear dat hair in her shoe natchly [naturally] wit her stocking on, see, fo' nine days, an' dat sock sweat on de hair an' dat'll git chew to goin' wit'out anything in de world in it atall. Don't have to put nc kinda [love] powdah.
(Where did you say she would wear that?)
She wear it in 'er left shoe, right in de hollah part of 'er feet. Yes sir, right out de mole of yore haid.
Entry 6134
A man kin take a stran' of a woman's hair, yo' know, him an' her, she 'bout tuh quit 'im an' he wanta hold 'er, make her love him. Put a stran' of 'er hair in 'is shoe, in de left shoe, an' keep it in dere fo' nine days, in 'is shoe, an' she'll come tuh love him.
Entry 6135
Git 'er hair an' wear 'er hair jes' lak she wears 'is in 'is lef' foot, see, an' git 'im some sulphur an' wear it in dere - not nuthin but jes' de sul- phur. Ain't gotta put no peppah or nuthin 'tall. Wear it in dere fo' twelve days. Where it's goin' tuh be workin', why co'se wear it in dere till it sweat - till it jes' sweat, yo' know, jes' into de bone, an' dat'll keep 'er at home. She won't wanta go nowheres, an' ah've tried dat.
Entry 6136
(What would they do if they got hold of some of my hair?)
Hair? Well, jes' lak if it wuz a woman's hair, an' yo' wanted to be wit dat woman, an' lak yo' an' 'er used to play befo' de time come fo' yo' an' 'er to separate or anything, or any confusion come up. Evah time yo' comb 'er hair, yo' try to git some 'er hair, until yo' git roun' about thirteen stran's. Yo' take dat woman's hair, aftah yo' git thirteen stran's an' yo' plat it up. See, yo' plat up. Yo' take de linin' of yore shoes, raise de linin' of yore left shoe an' yo' put dat.
(You raise that up?)
Yeah, an' put it at de end of yore toe, de tip of yore left aboe, an'yalk on it. Dat woman nevah would leave home. She's always be at home.
Entry 6137
Yo' kin take de hair out of de haid wit a comb - where dey cozb oat de hair, see. Git it an' dey kin take dat hair an' put it in - git chew a piece of paper, de sta- tionery hich dey writes op, see. Write dat name on it an' put de hair in it an' wit three cornahs, see, an' put it in de toe of yore shoe. An' yo' nevah be outa dere employment. Now, ah know dat's true.
(You would not be out of employment.)
Long as yo' work fo' dat person.
(Whose hair do you put in that paper?)
De employer's hair.
(What did you say about those three corners?)
Yo' fold yore paper in three corners - triangle. Qou put it in the toe of what shoe?) Under de left shoe - undah de innah sole.
Entry 6138
Dey say dey take hair from de mole of yore head. Say women'll take dat, say, an' wear it into de left shoe, wit yore name written nine times in wit sugah. If it's not sugah, it be honey - somepin sweet. Wear it in dere left shoe nex' to dere feet, gee. But it must be written wit indelible pencil, nine times. Yo' could when- cah yo're writin' 'er name an' yo' want to draw 'er to yo', well yo' put yore on top, an' yo' put 'er name at de bottom. An' write it nine times straight. De yo' folds it, an' yo' fold it again, but yo' make a triangle of it. De small point of de triangle goes to de heel of yore shoe, de othah two points go to de gide - jes' lak dat [demonstrates]. An' dat othah stuff be right in de middle of yore shoe. (Where do you wear that stuff, in that piece of paper? Do you wrap it up or hat?) In dat papah - it's in dat papah. It's supposed to work in through dat. Dat's posed to sweeten 'er to yo'.
Entry 6139
Dey say dat chew could take a woman's hair out of de front part of 'er d an' wear it in yore right shoe, an' dey say dat would make her be in obedi- ence to yo', an' finely [finally] yo' could kinda handle de rule. An' fine- J she will come to love yo'.
Entry 6140
Yo' [a woman] kin take his right shoe an' shev [shove] sompin up in de Oe, undahstan' me. Well, take his right shoe an' shev 'is hair up in 'is shoe an' take some of dat same of 'is hair an' shev it up in yore doe an' wear it, an' yo' always be togethah de balance part chure days. What shoe would I [the man] wear that [in]? What shoe would the second per-
[the man] wear that in?)
[My question shows me a little confused.]
De second person? Now, she's wearin'dat shoe an' yo's [the man's] wearin' dat shoe, wearin' yore right shoe.
(What shoe is she wearing that in, the left or the right?)
Yo' slip it up in de right, put it in de right. No, she don't have tuh put none in. Yo' steal it an' put it up in her right shoe an' put some of her same hair in yore right shoe. [A pencil note of mine reads, "Clear up the meaning here!"
Entry 6141
Well, now, if a fellah got a girl, a wife or sweetheart, whatevah he intend 'er tuh be, he go right tuh work, jes' lak mah haid or yore hair right dere an' git chew fo' strands of hair. Be combin', git roun' lak dat, or yo' kin fool wit 'er, make out yo' goin' play an' git it, an' git holt of fo' stran's right out de mole of 'er haid right dere. Dey kin take dat fo' stran's an' put it yore right shoe in de toes or de mouth of it up heah. Fold it tuhgethah an' put it up in dere an' yo' wears it in dere. Now, yo' wears dat in dere, undahstan', an' evahwhere yo' go she'll go. An' if she wants tuh quit - she kin git mad, yo' know - yo' got 'er tied. An' she gits mad an' stays off at some of de neighbor's house an' part up wit yo', lak she not comin' to yo' fo' sometime, well 'fore de sun go down she's right back wit yo'. Can't stay 'way atall.
Entry 6142
[Later during interview informant gives another version of the four- strands-of-hair rite:] Dat's wus'ah [worse-er] den de fo' strands of hair, undahstan'. Den yo' kin take - go git dat fo' stran's of hair. Take dat needle dat de lady sews wit an' wrap it up an' put it wit dat fo' stran's of hair, an' put it in de mouth [informant means toe] of yore shoe, an' wear it dere, yo' undahstan'. An' IF SHE LEAVE YO', DEN DE SUN AIN'T SHININ' OUT DERE - can't leaVe yo'.
(Put four strands of her hair in your shoe?)
Wear it in de toe of yore shoe, way up in de toe, put it up dere where it won't git lost when yo' pull off yore shoe or yore sock - jes' pack it in dere. Let it stay in dere. But it's de quickest way tuh git 'em - dat's it, yo' undah- Stan'. But now YO' MUST KEEP DAT UP ONCE A MONTH. DON'T DO IT JES' ONE TIME, IT DIE DOWN. DAT MEANS, SEE, DAT ONCE A MONTH DE MOON CHANGES. Do it OnCe eVah month.
(On the change.of the moon.)
Entry 6143
(What else do they do with the hair?)
Well, yo' kin take it an' use it in anothah way. Dey kin take yore hair - dey git it in certain places.
(Where?)
In de mole of yore haid, or in de temple, or down below, an' dey kin wear dat hair in dey foot - de shoe. Put it in dey right shoe. Put it in a little thin piece of cloth, yo' know, flannen cloth an' wrap it, an' yo' git some of dis what chew call van-van an' wet it wit it. An' puts it in de bottom of yore shoe an' put a piece of newspapah on top of dat an' wear daily in yore shoe. Well, dat kinda runs yo' crazy 'bout 'em.
(Hakes you like the person?)
Makes yo' love 'em.
Entry 6144
Well, yo' kin make a person do anything yo' want 'em tuh do, wit de bir of a person. Yo' kin take de hair off a person's haid, if it's not but one strand, an' if it's a woman, yo' put it wit three pieces of devil's shoestring a yo' could wear dat in de bottom of yore shoe, providin' yo' goin' wit dis an, an' she'll do anything dat chew want 'er tuh do, jes' as long as yo' let dat hair stay in de bottom of yore shoe of de right foot. Well, now, if a woman wanted a man, she gits a piece of 'is hair from de tem- ple an' wears it in 'er right shoe, an' keep it dere always, an' he'll jes' al- ways yield tuh her jes' lak she wants 'im tuh do.
(Where would the man get the hair from the woman?)
Hell, he kin git it off 'er haid if it's jes' a personal love affair, an dat'll make her jes' do anything he want 'er to do, but he puts it wit dis de- vll's shoestring - three pieces.
(But the woman only has to use the hair from his temple?)
De hair from a man's temple wit'out de devil's shoestring.
Entry 6145
Ah heard if yo' takes a girl hair an' jes' lak yo' got a roll in yore sleeve lak dat [demonstrates], cut a hole in dere an' stick dat hair in dere an' wear dat hair evah day. Yo'll make her run aftah yo' - fall in love. [The hole is made under the cuff.]
Entry 6146
Take yore hair an' git yore hair outa yore head an' bury it in a snail shell undah de door- step or at de back windah, an' put yo' to gwinin' [going] an' have yo' where dat yo' won't know - dey'll put aspell or headache onyo' see, an' dat head- aohe will jes' lingah an' lingah undah until it kill yo'. Ain't no cure fo' it, crs de doctor can't cure it, de hoodoo gotta cure it. Yo' can't git it cured un- til yo' be lucky enough to git some hoodoo to go back undah dat windah, undah dat doorstep an' dig dat up an' give it to yo'. Well, when he dig it up an' tell yo' vat to do wit it, den it's to hell an' gone. (I see.) [The hoodoo doctor sends it back to hell whence it came.]
Entry 6147
Jes' lak if yo' wanted a sweetheart woman an' yo' couldn't git to her, æll yo' buy a pair of stockin's an' git a strand of hair out of yore haid an' work it in de fold at de top of dat stockin' an' den give it to her. When she put dat stockin' on, dat make love. (You just take your hair an' sort of weave it into the top of those stockings?) Yes, dat'll make love. Jes' as long as dat hair in dat stockin', why yo' ain't got no trouble atall, whatevah.
Entry 6148
Dat's one way yo' kin make her - yo' let 'er comb 'er hair good, yo' og, 'cuz yo' know women will leave hair in de comb by de roots. An' yo' take m' put it right in de bottom of yore socks. Open de hair flat yo' know an' put it in de socks an' wear it, an' it will weave into yore socks jes' lak de factory put it in dere. An' yo' got her undah yore control dere. (Do you wear that in both shoes?) Yes sir, yo' kin wear it in de both shoes, if yo' wanta - in both of yore socks, an' it will weave into it, chew know. It'll shure weave into it, cuz ah tried it.
Entry 6149
Jes' lak if yo' got a wife an' if she leave yo' an' if yo's married an yo' do want 'er come back to yo'. If yo' could git aholt of 'er, some of 'er hair, a plait of 'er hair an' sew it up in a cloth. Tie it up in a cloth an' sew it on de inside of de sock an' wear dat sock an' nevah take dat sock off, jes' wear dat sock right dere fo' nine days, say she come back to yo' in de ninth or seventh day, but chew wear it on till de ninth day, an' say yo'll have her an' she'll nevah leave no mo'.
Entry 6150
Sure, ah heard dat yo' jes' take dat hair an' put a few little diff'- ren' articles in it an' wear it in yore pocket. Yo' git de hair an' a piece of de foot out de right foot of dere stockin', an' yo' sew dat hair an' dat piece of stockin' togethah an' yo' wear it in yore pocket an' dey have to return.
(Either sock?)
Out de right foot.
Entry 6151
Yo' kin take a man's hair, or eithah a woman's, an' yo' kin take dere hair an' a chicken feathah outa de top of 'is head.
(A feather off the top of a chicken's head?)
Yes sir, an' wear it in yore stockin's or about roun' yore waist or somewhere. Den yo' - den dat'll make dat man or woman can't do no way, yo' can't go nowhere. (Can't go with other women or other men?) Yes, sir. (You have to take that person's hair and a chicken feather from the top of a chicken's head?) An' de hair from de top of 'is head.
Entry 6152
She kin take his stockin's an' turn 'em wrongsides befo' she wash 'em, yo' see, an' den she kin git some of de hairs of 'is haid an' put dat in dose stockin's an' table salt. It's a common thing dis table salt, an' put ut [it] undah de haid of 'er baid - see, fo' nine nights. An' dat'll stop 'im.
(That is if he is running around with other women - make him stay home.)
Yes sir.
Entry 6153
If dey braid yore hair an' spit in dere han' an' fix yore hair, ever' bit of it will come out, cuz mine came out. (Just spit in their hand and rub it in your hair?) If dey spit in dere han' an' fix yore hair. (Just rub their hands over your hair as if they were attempting to fix [arrange] it?) [Notice how I have repeated informant's dere (as their) and fix; this being a frequent practice of mine. Similarly, informants often repeat my words.] Yes, man or woman, don't make no diff'rence. Cuz ah know mine come out an' it nevah did come back no mo'.
Entry 6154
Well, ah heard dat dey could take dat an' put it in a spool, take dis hair an' put it in a spool, into de spool dat de thread comes from. Stop up each end [of spool] an' throw it ovah de shoul- dah in runnin' watah. An' dey say dat'll make a person lose his mind an' travel. Dhroc it ovah de lef' shouldah an' don' look back.
Entry 6155
(Take what?)
If you take a string of thread an' measure it from [I interrupt].
(A string or thread.)
An' measure from de mole of yore haid to de tip of yore toe, yo' know, an' clip a little hair out de mole of yore haid. Take dat an' wrap it up in a forked stick - wrap dat hair an' thread [or measur- ing string] up in a forked stick, an' bury it undah de do'step - dat, yo' know. See, she couldn't quit yo' or couldn't leave dat house until yo' dug dat up.
(I see. This is for the home?)
Yes, sir.
Entry 6156
Yo' jis' git some his hair out de top of de mole of 'is haid, an' git choo a golgree [?] stick about de size of yore fingah. Dat's a flowah dat grow in de swamp wintah an' summah, white as ivory. An' yo' split dat stick in two. Yo' take dat hair an' put hair in dere, an' yo' kin jis' cord it [urap it with cord string] an' stick in yore pocket dataway. An' yo' [ask for 1 job] an' yo' got a job fer life.
[Is this the swamp lily, the white-flowered species of Crinum (C. americum)
found in the southern states of U. S. A? This flower appears elsewhere in the text. I first saw it in a roadside pond on my trip through Virginia and Kentucky in 1922 - see Intro. v.1, p. XxvIII, last paragraph.]
(You get some of the boss' hair [for that stick]?)
No, DON'T GIT IT OUT OF 'IS HAID. GREAT GOD! DAT'LL RUN 'IM CRAZY! [A split or cleft-stick rite is rare (except a dog's hair in, to keep him wne) but it must appear 7 or 8 times in HOODOO.]
Entry 6157
Yuh take a person's hair from 'is haid an' put it in a stick. Wrap it tight an' throw it in runnin' watah. Dey say as de watah runs, dere mind goes from 'em - will cause dem tuh go crazy. (How do they put it in the stick?) Jis' take de stick an' split de stick open an' put it [hair] in it an' wrap it tightly [and tie].
(Any kind of stick.)
Any kind of stick.
Entry 6158
Put dat [a person's hair] in a lil fat Zightah [pine] splintah. Jis' split de splintah an' stick it [hair] in it [the split], an' tie a string aroun' it, an' throw it de way de water's runnin's out, yuh see, an' dat'll run yuh crazy. [Objects of cunjure or hoodoo are usually thrown into ordinary running water, but one must be careful with tidal water. In the present instance the spellcaster casts the spell object downstream to be certain it does not for a second start to move op- posite or past where he is standing.]
Entry 6159
Yuh take a person's hair tuh harm 'em. Yuh kin put it in a bottle an' put a peg in it, a wooden peg an'.- - yuh take dat hair an' put it in a wooden peg, an' put it in a bottle or anythin', an' put a wooden peg in it [peg the bottle]. An' yo' kin chunk it in de rivah ovah yuh lef' shouldah an' dat will harm 'em. (What will that do?) Dat will harm yuh, kill yuh. Dat will run yuh crazy.
Entry 6160
Ah wuz goin' wit a girl oncest an' ah quit dis girl, an' dis girl didn't Want me tuh quit 'er at de time. But den, yuh see, ah stayin' [with] anothah girl dat ah feel tuh mo' den ah did 'er. An' evah time ah'd go wit dis othah girl, well ah'd have trouble wit dis girl dat ah'd guitted. So ah went tuh a doctor, a 'erb doctor, an' inquirewhut could ah do tuh git rid of 'er. He tole me tuh go back [to quitted girl] an' bring 'im jis' as much of 'er hair as ah could git. So ah, ah do dat. Ah went back an' played wit 'er until ah got a chance - ah had me a ole Jem City razor blade - until ah got a chance tuh clip dat hair off. Jis' cut it off so she wouldn't miss it, cut it off jis' here [demonstrates].
(Above the ear.)
Ah give it tuh 'im. He got a peg six inches long. It wuz jis' a lil ole ash peg. He give me de peg an' tole me tuh go down by a creek, down dere aside of a sweet gum tree, an' stick dis peg in de groun', an' take two stran's of 'er hair an' throw in de watah. An' evah mawnin' - he tole me tuh keep enough of de hair- so evah mawnin' ah go dere fo' nine mawnin's tuh throw two stran's of hair in dis watah, an' drive dis peg jis' a lil evah mawnin'. An' evah mawnin' - ah went down fo' nine mawnin's - ah throwed two stran's of de hair in de watah an' driv de peg, an' jis' driv it fer enough so on de ninth mawnin' yuh kin driv it down [completely]. I did dat fo' de nine mawnin's. On de ninth mawnin' - an' ah smack de peg [all the way in]. From den on ah didn't have no mo' trouble wit 'er. He say dat would divide us. He say dat watah wuz runnin', he say dat would divide us. [Wilmington, N. Car., (283), 198: l; this happening at Whiteville, N. Car., in 1929, the doctor's fee being $15.]
Entry 6161
Dey tell me if yuh git a person's hair, even if it's not but one stran', dat chew kin take dat one stran' an' cut a little green stick about a inch long an' wrap dat stran' roun' it, band it up in some cloth an' tie a string on it, an' put it in some runnin' watah, an't [and it] will run 'em right into de 'sylum.
(Run them crazy?)
Yes sir.
Entry 6162
Kin take a person hair an' put it into a sack an' tie it on a stick in runnin' watah an' run 'em crazy. S'long as dat hair stay on dat stick in runnin' watah, why dat person is crazy until yuh take dat hair off an' let it git dry - dat hair.
Entry 6163
Yuh want me tell about de girl. Well, de love ah had fo' girl. She wuzn't doin' right an' ah fom' 'er oat. An' so ah had knowed it tuh be done an ah 'cided [decided] ah'd try it mah- self. An' so ah made 'er come. She wuz in mah house an' ah took a plait of 'er hir right out de top of 'er haid, an' - well, ah kep' it a long time'an' couldn't git 'er tuh do right. So ah takes it down tuh de stream. Ah takes it down tuhde aatah, dis runnin' stream of watah, where dere's root crosses at de bottom of de stream. Ah nailed it tuh dat root in de bottom of dat stream.
(This hair?)
Yessuh, an' in nine days she got where she couldn't stay home. She couldn't stay nowhere she would git tuh, an' finely [finally] at last she packed 'er suit- Oase an' leave dis town. An' she stayed off foah days an' den come on back, an' Stayed home three days an' went ag'in. An' dat's been twelve months ago an' she ain't been seen back heah since.
Entry 6164
Take de hair an' take it in a bottle, if yuh want 'er tuh be absent- rinded - runnin' away, cain't stay wit nobody an' bein' contented. Take dis hair an' put it in a Coca- Cola bottle. Stop it up an' put it in run- In' watah an' tie a string tuh it an' jis' let it bobbin' dere, an' s'long as de watah runnin' cross dat bottle, she be absent. She cain't stay no place. Jis' got'a be goin' all de time. (You have this string tied and this bottle tied to this stick, so that it cm't float away?) Yessuh.
Entry 6165
De way ah heard it - said dey take dey hair an' tie a string roun' it an carry it tuh runnin' watah an' drop it in runnin' watah. An' dey tell me dat will run yuh crazy. Now ah do not know [how true that is]. (How do you mean, run you crazy? Make you lose your mind?) Bake yuh lose yuh mind.