Browse:THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF (Volume 4, entries 5206–8881)/Part 17
THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF
Volume 4, entries 5206–8881. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 6486
I know some people who wouldn't cut their toenails off to save their life and throw them away. They think somebody get a hold of that piece of toenail and do something or other to them.
Entry 6487
(You were saying something about a woman holding or bringing something back - to hold it back or something. What were you going to tell me about that?) Hold yo' back? (Yes.) Oh! Keeping yo', jis' keepin' yo'. Jis' lak, if yo' come here, lak yo' is now an' someone taken a likin' tuh yuh. Well, she will fool around wit yo' but she nevah could git yuh mind. Well, dat's like me. Well, ah could be a man of plenty of money an' a woman could heah talk of me. She say, "Well, I heah talk of dat fellow. He got plenty of money. I'm goin' tuh try tuh git in touch wit 'im." Well, she gits - some day she be settin' down an' she'll scrape de bottom of 'er feet. But she'll scrape it a diff'ren' way at least - a man kin take an' git holt of a woman de same Way, if she is a whiskey drinkah. Well, she scrape it back. Don' nevah scrape it fo'ward.
[Informant will continue to confuse person or sex of who is doing what.]
(How will she scrape it back, from the toes to the heel?)
[This is quite evident, but I wanted a statement from informant.]
From de toe tuh de heel, right in de hollah yo' see. Well she'll git dat. Well, her feet is got tuh be soft yo' know, got tuh be soft tuh do dat. She'll soak 'er feet in watah, yo' know, tuh git dis skin of it soft. Well, she'll take dat den an' she'll put dat intuh dis whiskey, an' she'll let dat whiskey set about ten days. In ten days time, well yo' kin hold it up an' yo' cain't see anything atall in it. Well, yo' might come an' yo' be settin' aroun' an' she come an' set in yuh lap an' yo' say, "Well, sugah," say, "ah brought somepin fo' yo'." Yo' reach back in yuh pocket. She say, "Whut is dat?" She say, "Aw, yo' been talkin' about whiskey." She say, "Ah'll give yo' a drink of whiskey. Ah bought some fo' yo'. Ah git ti'ed [tired] of yo' worryin' me fo' some whiskey all de time." Say, "Ah bought dis especially fo' yo'. Ah don' wan' nobody drink dis but yo'." Well, she take some an' drink it. Well, yo' still-drink. Yo' ain't drinkin' none atall, 'cuz yo' know whut it is. Yo' say, "Drink - drink - drink. Help yuhself, drink." Say, "I bought it fo' yo'." Well, fin'ly yo' - yo' do dat twice. Unlessen not, if it don' take no effect, well yo' do it three times. Well fin'ly it will take effect. It gits so den, when yo' git ready tuh go, if she'sa young girl - if she - yo' kin take holt of a young girl de same way. Her mothah cain't keep 'er at home. She'll come zactly where yo' is at. She'll - first thing yo' know, yo' look dere, an' yo' see her comin'. She say, "Where's Mr. So- and-So at? "' 'He's not here." 'How long he been gone?" '"Oh, he's been gone such- an'-such a time! He'll be back directly." "Do yo' reckon dat he'll be back?" "Yeah." Well, if yo' don't come, well she'll go on away huntin' yo'. Well, yo've got de underholt of 'er, see. Dat's where yo' take de underholt of 'er.
Entry 6488
Take de skin from undah yore feet. Yo' wash yore feet clean an' den yo' take a knife, jis' lak yo' scrapin' yore feet an' carry it back dat way, back tuh yo'. An' take dat an' mix it wit some sugah an' put dat in sompin tuh eat. Yo' give dat tuh 'em.
(What will that do?)
Dat will make 'em bring yo' evah cent dat dey git.
Entry 6489
Yo' wash yore feet right good, an' start at de - look, de toe of yore feet lak dis way, an' scrape down on de lef' feet. Come down [from toes to beel] an' let it be real quick. An' when yo' cook 'is food, see dat's when yo' wants 'im udah yore feet so yo' use him lak yo' want. When yo' coot 'is food yo' don't 'sposed tuh cook dat in dere [the food] but sprinkle dat ovah de food; see, whut he eats. An' dat hold 'im undah yore feet. Yo' kin use 'i jis' lak yo' wanta. See, dat keep 'im from gittin' away from yo'. Long as yo' use dat on 'im he cain't git from undah yo'. He's undah yore feets.
Entry 6490
(Now what do they do with that stuff from the bottom of your feet?) Well, yo' takes dat an' yo' dries it. Dat's if dey're washin' [the feet], yo' know. Yo' take dat. Dey soak dere feets an' dey take de scissors an' instead of scrapin' it down - an' dey scrape it up.
(They scrape it up from the heel to the toe?)
To de toe.
(Well, why do they do that?)
Well, dat's de way dey do it, from de heel tuh de toe. Dey dries dat. Let it dry an' roll it lak a powdah. Put it intuh de sugah an' let yo' sweeten it intuh yore coffee or intuh yore food. Dat's fo' makin' people lak me, yo' know. Bring on luck, brings all dat, see.
(I see.)
Entry 6491
When yo' wash yuh feet clean, don' wlpe it, wait until it begin tuh dry an' den yo' scrape de bottom of each feet from de heel tuh de toe. See. Save dat an' put it intuh a vessel an yo' put yuh own chamber lye on it. Den yo' stop it up an' yo' let it stan' nine days - nine days. An' de las' day take it out an' dat party, if yo' kin git neah tuh 'em, drop a drop or two of dat in whutevah dey eat or dey drink. Why dey will eithah have tuh be yuh frien' or dey will die. I've knowed of dat [death] evently [eventually].
Entry 6492
De way yo' do dat, yo' have tuh cut 'em to yo' disaway, see. (Cut your fingernails?) Cut ary [every] one of 'em - cut all ten of 'em to yo'. Do yore toenails de same way - cut 'em to yo' all de time. Yo' git deg a bottle of Hearts Own Perfume an' put dat in dere. Den yo' kin set dat D8 anywheres.
(What will that do then?)
Dey'll be sickly all de time. Dey will not be healthy.
(The person whose fingernails and toenails you have.)
Yes sir, keep 'em. Yo' know when dey cut de toenails an' fingernails, yo' bor, dey gen'ly [generally] throws 'em out. Well, yo' see when yo' cut chure toenails disaway an' yure fingahnails, well po'don' scrape dat [bottoms of feet] from yo', yo' scrape it back tuh de heel.
(You scrape the dead skin back to the heel.)
Yes, scrape all dat tuhgethah an' den put it in dat perfume bottle an' stop it up. But it'll work quickah - hit'll work bettah by turnin' de bottomside up- wards.
Entry 6493
Now, if yo' got some of dis scrapin', lak ah said from undah de feet, throw it out. Have it in a papah an throw it out an' don' look back. Whichevah way yo' turn, yo' throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah an' keep agoin', but don' look back. Ah've done did dat too.
(What do you do that for?)
Dat goin' put bad luck on 'em.
(What do you mean by scraping under his feet?)
Yo' know dat dead skin.
(And where do you throw it, any place? Throw it out any place?)
In de fo'ks of de roads an' make a wish. When yo' scrape dat, yo' see some people scrape dat disaway. Scrape it back disaway. Put a piece on a papah an scrape from de toe back tuh de heel. Yo' kin put dat in whiskey an' he drink it an' he'll nevah leave yo'.
Entry 6494
Dat would make yo' painful. Yo' scrape dat off de bottom of a person's feet an' den put it in a glass - in a drinkin' glass. Jis' put it in a drinkin' glass an' put 17 drops of kerosene on it. Put 17 drops of kerosene on it, a pinch of sulphuh - jis' lak yo' put a pinch up lak dat, of sulphuh. An' git some borax - take a level teaspoonful of borax an' put in dere. An' jis' let it set up.
(Where?)
Jis' let it set somewhere in a dark place lak up in de loft of de house or in a closet where nobody nevah visit at. An' it will dry out de marrah in 'is arms.
Entry 6495
Well, dey take yo' toenails or eithah yo' fingahnails an' go out tuh a green tree an' has yo' augah wit ja [with you]. Yo' bores yo' a little hole in- tuh dat tree, an' carry yo' hammah 'long witja, an' drive it up in dat tree as fur as yo' kin git it. An dat will cause a stroke tuh jump on yo' from dat. See? An' yo' be lame fo'evah an' yo' wouldn't know whut happened tuh yo'. Yo' enemies done dressed yo' up, done got chure fingahnails an' toenails drove intuh a tree fo' de balance yo' days, an' yo' cain't nevah trace it up findin' it out.
Entry 6496
Ah've heard dat dey'd git holt of yo' toenails an' fingahnails an' a lock [of] yo' hair, an' put vinegah in it an' take an' care [carry] 'em in de woods. An' bo' a hole in a tree an' stick nine pins in dat hole. An' take de toenails an' fingahnails an' a lock of yo' hair an' ball it up, an' put it in wit dat li'le hole yo' bo'd. An' cut choo a peg an' put it in dere, jis' lak yo' gon'a cork up anythin'. An' yo' go dere evah mawnin' jis' a li'le 'fo' sunrise an' give it two licks real light fo' nine days. An' yo've drived dat fo' nine days an' de ninth day yo' drive it clean up. An' aftah yo' drive it clean up de ninth day, den de person who yo' got, he ain't be here long. Dat'll cure dem away, but dat won' kill 'em.
Entry 6497
Yo' take the finger- nails, the toenails, an' yo' take that an' yo' bury it in a hollow tree, an' that will make yo' dry up.
Entry 6498
Husks, take dat offa yuh foot. Yo' kin weah it. Put it in a bottle, yo' see, an' turn de bottle up dere in bed, if yo' wanted tuh see dat party. Yo' undahstan', turn it bottomside upwards, yo' understand, an' dey shore comin'. She can't git away.
(I see, that's to make them come to you?)
Come real quick.
Entry 6499
Ah don't really know dis, but ah heard it, dat yo' kin take de girls fingahnails aftah she clip 'em off, dat's tuh keep de law off yo'. An' put 'em in a bottle an' urinate in de bot- tle, an' put a li'le Hearts Cologne on it, an' she'd follah 'im evahwhere he'd go. An' dat fellah, ah've nevah know 'im tuh lose a girl yet.
Entry 6500
Dey scrape it offen de feet an' den dey take dem fingahnails, dey trim dose, an' dey git de dirt off de toenails, from undah de toenails an' undah de feet, an' put all dat tuhgethah an' powdah dat up an' dry it. Den when dey git dat powdah up, dey put dat in a bottle. Dat's when yo' want 'em tuh love yuh an' yo' can't do 'em no harm. Yo' put dat in a bottle an' den yo' fill dat bottle wit chure urinate wit dat stuff, an' let it sit dere nine days befo' dey use it. Den aftah de nine days whenevah dey fix yo' a meal or anythin' lak dat tuh eat, or anythin' tuh drink, dey will put a teaspoonful of dat in there fo' yo'. Well, den dat gits chew jis' dey way. Gits yuh down undah dere foot an' yo' can't do no mo' den dey wan' chew tuh do.
Entry 6501
An' take de dust an' put it in a glass, an' put some vinegah on it an' salt, an' dat will fix 'em. (What will that do to them? Suppose they took this dust from my fingernail. What would that do to me then?) Dat will make yo' wandahing.
Entry 6502
You can scrape the bottom of a person's feet, you see, aftah yo' sweat, an' dat's yer stren't'. An' if you scrape the bottom of a person's feet an' you buries it, well some people say to leave it stay buried about six months an' some about nine. Well, you begin to feel bad. Nuthin'll hurt you at all, but you just getting weak, they tell me, in your breath, an' you begin to feel bad until you just pines away to nuthin until yo' die.
Entry 6503
If a woman wants a man to be what you would call under her feet, she wants to command that man to do everything she say, she lets her feet get dirty. She goes two or three days without washing her feet, then she soak 'em in water until they, you know get all that dry skin off, that dead skin. She puts that in the stove and bakes it until it's just as dark as coffee. Then she rolls it out to a powder, then she cooks it in the man's coffee. And after he eats a certain portion of that, he has no will of his own at all. His will is her will- her will is his will, rather. He's down under her feet.
Entry 6504
[Contrary to two preceding beliefs, the contrary is also believed.] You take the bottom of your feet and you wash it good and you scrape it. And you put in the water and drink coffee or tea and that will leave a man drink it. If you want him back, he will stay with you.
Entry 6505
When yo' go intuh a bath, yo' wash yore feet good an' clean, an' den yo' wash 'em ovah a'gin, an' yo' take dat watah an' yo' put dat intuh coffee or sompin lak dat fo' de person tuh drink.
(What will that do?)
Dat keeps 'em, keep 'em lak yo' want 'em tuh be, yo' know, roun' yo' or sompin lak dat.
Entry 6506
Providin' - if yo' wuz a disagreeable person, well dey will use de watah from de foot, from de bath or somepin lak dat. An' sometimes dey use it in dere food, an' dat's why dey does dose tricks. (What do you mean by that? I didn't quite understand that.) Yo' see, jis' lak if yo' wash yore feet in de watah, see, an' de watah is cleah, well den some people dey'll take it an' dey'll cook de food in dat watah. See, an' aftah cookin' de food in dat watah, why den de person who eats dat food, if dere spirit is high, [a cross person] dey mostly will bring it down lak dat. Uh-huh nominal [= make person normal.]
(I see, the temperament.)
Entry 6507
[I heard'em] say yo' could take, yo' know, if dey git yer fingahnails or somepin lak dat - said dey could take an' put it in a bottle of watah. Dey say, if yo' be any- where, dey say yo' jis' painin' all de time. Yo' know somebody - jis' lak yo's goin' wit somebody an' dey git mad wit yeh, dey fix yah lak dat so yo' jis' be painin' an' hurtin' all de time. Put it in some watah - put it in a bottle of watah an' put it in a dark place somewhere lak a closet.
Entry 6508
Go right on an' let 'er cut 'er toenails an' 'er fingahnails. An' yo take dat an' care [carry] it right on in de crick [creek] where runnin' watah at. An' yo' t'row right in dat watah. Dat watah be runnin' evah day. She nevah would love me no mo'.
Entry 6509
Take de toenails or fingahnails an' put it in runnin' watah an' it will drive love to each othah, make yore love be mo' strongah.
(Suppose I love a woman. Would I put my own fingernails in the water or what?)
Her fingahnails an' put 'em in runnin' watah. Jis' put it in watah an' dat will drive yo' an' 'er love back togethah.
Entry 6510
Ah heah yo' [they] kin take yore toenails - ah don't know nuthin about chure fingah - but chew kin take yore toenails an' stop it up in a li'le bottle an' throw it in nunmin' watah. Dat will cause yo' tuh be driftin' about through de world mindless.
Entry 6511
Take yore toenail an' scrape from de bottom of yore feet an' put [red] peppah in it, an' throw it intuh run- nin' watah an'yo'always achin'. Yore feet an' things always achin' - hurt chew. Dat de hot foot.
Entry 6512
De toenails - de trimmings of yo' toenails an' put it in, git some run- nin' watah an' put it in a bottle an' bury dat undah yo' do'. Dat'll give yo' bad luck, makes yo' ail in de feet or sompin lak dat. (You have to take the running water though and put it in a bottle.)
Entry 6513
Dey kin take yore fingahnail an' run yo' crazy. Dey kin take yore fingahnail an' also dey kin take dis - de skin from de bottom of yore feet. Yo' know, de dirt from de bottom of yore feet, an' put dat tuhgethah, see, sew it up an' take it down tuh de rivah on de ebbtide, while de tide goin' out tuh de sea, an' throw it ovahbo'd.
(What will happen then?)
Yo'll have tuh follow it.
Entry 6514
Yo' kin take an' put it in whiskey, or yo' know anythin' dey drink, amything lak dat an' make 'em wil' [wild] 'bout chew. Takes de skin, dead skin off de foots, scrape it an' put it in dere. Make 'em wil' 'bout chew.
Entry 6515
Ah heard dat chew kin take from de bottom of yore feet dat dead skin an' put it in stuff, if yo' wanta gain a man or somepin of dat lin'. Jis' put it in some whiskey or coffee or somepin dat he's gon'a drink, in 'is food or somepin lak dat. Yo' jis' keep 'em down undah yore feet all de time.
Entry 6516
Take dere fingahnail an' scrape de fingahnail lak dat an' give tuh yuh in yuh whiskey or somepin an' dope yuh. Ah know dat. (What is it supposed to do to you if they do that?) Well, jis' dope yuh, yuh know, lak me an' you-alz goin' tuh a party an' yuh got plenty a-money, an' yuh wit de girl an' yuh got a gang a-money, yuh know, an' she wanta take yuh oat an' make yuh drunk. She jis' scrape huh fingahnails. Yuh got a bottle a hiskey, an' she'll drop a li'le bit in dere an' yuh drink it an' dat's it.
Entry 6517
Cut off de fingahnails, see. An' den wash de feet an' scrape dat dead sti from undah de bottom, an' put it in whiskey an' let it set so many hours. See. Den dey strain dis whiskey an' put it back in de bottle. An' den dey give it tuh de party, see, dat dey fix it fo' tuh drink. Dat's tuh make 'em love 'em.
Entry 6518
Ah heard mah poppah say dat chew could take it an' put it in whiskey, an' jis' lak he wus in love wit me an' ah didn't care any- thin' fo' 'im an' drink offa dat whiskey, off dose nails, an' it would make me tuh become tuh love 'im.
(These fingernails and toenails.)
Entry 6519
Ah've heard dat dey take de fingahnails an' toenails. Yo' mean tuh make a person love yo' or sompin lak dat? Yes, ah've heard of peoples takin' peoples' - takin' yore fingahnails or some othah person's fingahnails. Ah've heard tell of 'em takin' yore fingahnails an' toenails an' scrape from de bottom of yore feet, an' put it intuh whiskey, if a person drink whiskey, don't chew see, an' give it tuh a person.
Entry 6520
Lak yo' go tuh somebody's house an' dey'd be cuttin' dey fingahnails an' yo' wan'a hurt 'em. Yo' take one of de fingahnails an' put it in a bottle half camphor an' half whiskey. An' dey say dat'll make dem go crazy tuh lose dere mind [not crazy with love]. An' dey don't think lak a normal person, an' dey do jis' silly things.
Entry 6521
A person kin take yore fingahnails - dey kin trim yore fingahnails, trim three of yore fingahnails from each hand. (Which three?) Yo' usely [usually] git dese three [demonstrates]. (The three center ones.) De three centah ones. An' yo' kin take dese fingahnails an' it's a kinda root by de name of devil's shoestring. An' yo' kin boil dose roots in dose fingahnails an' put it in whiskey or somepin lak dat. When a person drink it, dem gristles will grow inside from dis nails heah. An' dis devil's shoestring will be a likkah-lak. An' dey put dis in whiskey an' yo' drink it an' den dey grows gristles in yo' - inside of yo'.
(What will that do then?)
Well, jis' grow gristles - be somepin lak a tumor jis' grow biggah an' biggah an' biggah. Will kill yo'.
Entry 6522
Dey take dem toenails, jis' trim 'em. Take dem toenails an' yo' parch dem toenails up, an' de fingahnails tuhgethah. Jis' - now, yo' got two fingahs on yo' fingahs dat is valuable. (What are those?) Dem's dese here [demonstrates]. (The thumb and the finger next to it?) Yes sir, an' yo' parch 'em up, an' if yo' drink whiskey, dey put 'em in dere. An' yo' put some of dat in dat whiskey. Let it set today, tonight. Den yo' be friends. An' yo' urinate, an' de las' dat uri- nate an' likkah, drap it [in] dere. An' yo' got 'em tied den.
Entry 6523
Wash de feet well an' scrape dat dead skin. Fo' instance, if a man is accustomed tuh drinkin' wine, when he drink, yo' see, take dat dead skin tied up in a piece, put it down in dat bottle, an' full dat bottle full of wine. Leave it stay in dere three days. Restrain it an' give him dat tuh drink. Dat's caused aplenty ulcahs in de stomach an' things, but it gen'ly [generally] makes de man, yo' undahstan', he have a certain amount of de woman's blood [essence that comes from the skin of her feet] it seens lak, an it make him [his] whole ambition an' mind be directed on 'er.
(I see.)
Entry 6524
If yo' scrape de bottom of yuh foot, lak yo' is in love wit a man an' someone else in love wit 'im. Well, yo' scrape de bottom of yuh feet an' put it intuh 'is coffee or in 'is food an' make three wishes. An' he will stick tuh yo' jis' as long as yo' give 'im dat.
Entry 6525
Dey take - womens take cut of all yore toenails an' yore fingernails an' take de dirt from underneath 'em an' dey could cook 'em in de bread an' make a man love 'em. Dey could WITCHCRAFT dem dataway.
[St. Petersburg, Fla., (1022), 1653:5.]
(5). A FEW MORE DOCTORS {Folk medicine in hoodoo or witchcraft has a wider field of involvement than the isolated cures given in books of general folklore. This is true because hoo- doo or witchcraft supplies causes for all ailments and diseases as well as cures, and also tells how to protect oneself in the future. Such protective rites, actu- ally preventive medicine, as well as other cures unlisted here, will be found throughout the total text. For the latter, consult especially: FOLK MEDICINE pp.361-519; SEXUAL IMPoTENCE Pp.2341-2509; and 'HER PRIVATE TIME' Pp.2513-2540.] [A considerable number of live things in you will be found on pages 227-239, well as elsewhere in the complete text. May I call your attention to the first two rites in margin title SNAKES.]
Entry 6526
Hit wuz a lady up yondah, she got poisoned, an' a doctor out chere from Herbertville, he cured 'er. Sompin would be runnin' in 'er laigs an' yo' could see it jis' movin' in 'er laigs. An' de doctor out heah from Herbertville cured it.
Entry 6527
[When I asked this informant about putting live things in people, he answered:] Yuh know ah wusn't a man tuh eat much wit nobody. Ah wus always mighty funny 'bout goin' [so that people could not poison me by putting live things in me].
Entry 6528
Yo' kin take any kinda animal bone an' grind it up. (Is there any way of getting these out of your system after you get them into you?) Sho', yo' kin take some - jis' say fo' instance yo'd have a pan an' let it rust, an' yo' kin take an' scrape de rust offa it, undahstan', an' git chew some watah an' put it in dere, an' jis' use dis [rust] watah an' dat'll cut 'em all up. [This of course is the old iron or steel remedy against witchcraft.]
Entry 6529
Go tuh a ants' [mound] an' git enough of dose antses an' put 'em in a place an' let 'em dry. Pound 'em up tuh a powdah an' sprinkle 'em on anybody's food or in anything dat dey drink. When dey drink dat, in a length of time de ants will create inside dem de same as dey would [in the ant mound].
Entry 6530
Git de ants an' take an' put 'em up an' dry 'em, until dey gits good an' dry. Powdah dem. Take an' put dat in dey coffee or dere tea. Dat will do de work fo' yo' den. Dat will kill yo'.
(How Would it kill you?)
Kill yo' if yo' drink it.
(How? Will it put live things in you or what?)
[This was a leading guestion, though the answer could be inferred.]
Yeah, dere'll come live antses.
Entry 6531
Now dey tell me yo' kin take red ants. Go tuh a red ants' bed, jis' lak if yo' wants tuh run a person crazy. Yo' kin go tuh a red ants' bed an' git dose ants an' kill 'em. An' take 'em out in de sun an' let [put] 'em in de sun an' let 'em dry. Don't dry dem in de shade. Yo' know, put 'em in de sun an' let 'em dry. An' give it tuh de folks den in sech as dey bread, or one sech lak dat, an' dey says it will create live things tuh come up an' down in 'em.
Entry 6532
Goin' tuh a red ants' bed - jis' like yo' wanta put ants intuh some- body. Dat will jis' eat 'em up. Jis' git dem antses an' take 'em outa dere an' put 'em in anything dat dey'll parch up tuh a dust. Put 'em in dere live an' put 'em where dey'll parch up tuh a dust. An' git de Bible an' read de 37th Psalms while it's parchin', an' take it out. An' anything yo' put dat intuh, if dey nuse [use] it, drink it or eat it or anything, why dem ants will come alive in dem - jis' eat 'em up. [Why Psalm 37 should be used, I do not know.]
Entry 6533
Dey put dat in yo'. Jis' lak yo' know, it's not de ants, it's de aigs from de ants. Jis' lak yo' know yo're [you are] sore [angry] wit a person an' dis person drinks. Well, if yo' kin git - yo' know dese ants' aigs intuh dis whiskey, yo' kin give 'em dat. An' it jis' supposed tuh hatch an' run 'em crazy.
Entry 6534
Ah heard dat dey could take a dozen [12] red ants an' cook dem an' put 'em in a package. An' git dat package tuh a person an' saturate dat package in anything dat he might drink. An' dat would cuz 'im tuh swell up an' give him a' interternal [= internal] disease.
(In other words you would use this in the liquor.)
Entry 6535
If anybody poisons yo', yo' git dem red ants - de red ants. Ah don' know nuthin 'bout nuthin but de red ants. An' yo' git dem red antses an' yo' put it in a li'le bit of whiskey, an' yo' put some gunpowdahs wit it. An' when yo' put it in dat whiskey an' de gunpowdah, yo' make it out a liquid yo' see, of a mub. An' den yo' put it down dere an' yo' git de white of a aig, an' yo' mix dat up as a rub stuff. An' rub yoreself wit it, an' if dere an' insect in yo', why dat'll cuz dem tuh leave. As fur as ah heard of dat.
Entry 6536
Yo' take dis bat an' put 'im in bucket or box or somepin an' let 'im dry - jis' perish tuh death. Den yo' take an' if it's a person dat chew wish tuh harm, yo' feed 'em dat dust in some of dat food or watah dat dey have tuh drink, an' it'll cuz a person tuh have live things in 'em.
(What kind of live things?)
Bugs. [Bats are supposed to be full of bugs - see FACI, 1841, p.83, 1st ed.; 2007, p.78, 2nd ed.]
Entry 6537
Yo' kin use de bat de same way yo' do de frog or de snake tuh make things go in people. Well, yo' jis' dry dat yo' know an' powdah it up [and drop in victim's food or drink].
Entry 6538
(Your grandfather told you that?)
Mah grandfathah, he wuz a ole, ole Way-back man. He says dat de way dese chings happen tuh yo', yo' know dis time of yeah, de spring of de yeah, all in- sects an' birds are matin'. So dey ketch- es dat bird an' kills it, an' dey puts it away an' let it dry. Den aftah it dries, it'll crumble, yo' know, lak powdah, an' den dey'll powdah dat - crumble dat ovah yuh food, an' yo' eat dat an' den it'll come alive - somepin in yo'.
Entry 6539
Yo' kin go tuh work an' take de chicken haid. Dry it intuh a powdah, crumble it up an' make a lotta things jis' lak peppah outa it. Place it intuh anyone's food, an' when yo' place it intuh dere food, dey person eat it, amn' nine days aftah - nine days, dey'll fumilate [formulate], dey body will be full of small ones.
(Small what?)
De li'le chickens, or li'le snakes, or ll'le frogs, or li'le bugs - jis' whut- somevah one [animal] dat chew use.
Entry 6540
Take a dirt daubah. See, dey builds dere nestses up side de house. Yo' takes a dirt daubah nes' an' yo' take dat an' yo' put it in watah or in anything, an' a person will eat dat. As it git inside of 'em, dey claim, it will be young eggs er sompin in dere. An' aftah dey git inside of 'em, by it bein' warm in dere, dey creates. An' when dey do anything, why it's jis' lak a dirt daubah's makin' a house.
Entry 6541
Ah heard tell of 'em takin' a dirt daubah's nes' an' cookin' it in yore food. An' dey say dat will put dirt daubahs in yo'. An' dose bugs an' things come in yo'.
Entry 6542
Tell me yo' kin take a dog hair, see, an' if dey cook it in yore bread an' git chew tuh eat it, it will fill yo' full of li'le things lak grubworms an' things. Eat chew up inside.
Entry 6543
Yo' take some dog hair an' put it in some whiskey. Mix yo' a li'le sulphur in wit it an' yo' give dat tuh a person to drink, an' it'll 'cumulate snakes in 'em. [Snakes are created because hair, usual- ly horse hair, will turn into snakes - see SNAKES later.]
Entry 6544
Dey take cat hair an' dog hair an' place it intuh a man's food, an' if dat'll remain dere 'bout nine days, well, it'll turn, yo' know, lak hair worms. An' den it'll stay dere 'bout six or seven months, den it beginnin' tuh form snakes. Whenever dose things get live, yo' know, dey jis' crawl an' crawl about. Well, it's quite natchel [natural] den dat'll run yo' crazy.
Entry 6545
You take frogs and kill them and get their blood, and put it in a bottle and keep it, and put it in some- thing they eat and frogs will be in them. You can hear them hollering the same as in the spring.
Entry 6546
Yo' kin git de blood from a frog an' yo' kin put dat in whiskey an' let em drink it an' dat'll cuz frogs tuh be in 'em.
Entry 6547
Yo' take a toadfrog an' jis' lak yo' drink sweet milk, ah'll put a drog of 'is blood in dis sweet milk, an' in nine days it will come in yore body.
Entry 6548
Yo' kin take a toadfrog an' hang 'im up an' kill 'im. Hang 'im fron' de fiah an' git nine drops of blood out dis frog an' put it in whiskey. Take de frog an' take an' kill 'im. If yo' kin git a snake, yo' kin take an' kill a snake an' git nine drops of 'is blood, an' put it in whiskey fo' yo'. It won' kill yo' right away. Yo' gon'a live an' be sick, but atter while dey gon'a be so big [inside you] dey kill yo'.
(How do they get those live things out?)
Well, lak dey put 'em in yo'. Go ketch yo' a snake an' don' kill 'im. Jis' split 'im open 'live an' - lak he's mad hot - an' smash it on dere, an' dat takes [those live things] outa yo'.
(Well, how do you get those frogs out?)
De same way wit snakes. Don' kill de frog, jis' ketch de frog while it's hot. Jis' play wit 'im or somepin an' make 'im mad. An' git 'im while he's mad, yo' see, an' split 'im right open an' slap it right on dat place, an' it will take de frogs out.
Entry 6549
Wal, tuh git de frog intuh de body, dey said dey takes an' use rain watah. Take de frog an' cut de frog while it live an' use rain watah. An' let de rain watah jis' - let de [frog] blood drop intuh de [pool of] rain watah. An' aftah gittin' dis blood from dis [pool of] rain watah, dey po' [pour] dis [blood and rain water] in dere [a container], an' partly covah it [container] an' den mix de [another] watah tuhgethah - de drinkin' watah tuhgethah. An' prak'ly [practical- ly] dem frogs will go intuh de body an' dey come tuh form life. [The frog blood having dripped into a puddle of rainwater is scooped up and poured into drinking water.]
Entry 6550
Dey use a frog. Kin take a frog an' kill 'im, an' git a drop of 'is blood an' a drop of someone's blood an' put it tuhgethah. An' put it in some coffee or whiskey or tea or sompin lak dat, an' give it tuh dem tuh drink. Well, dey'll be poisoned an' go crazy an' yo' have tuh send 'em tuh 'sylum.
Entry 6551
Git a red frog an' git some of de warts off 'im, an' some of 'is blood. If yo' kin slice him in 'is hind laigs dere, yo' know, git some blood outa 'im dat way. Take one of dese Warts an' boil it an' make yo' a tea outa it. An' take some'a de blood an' git intuh dis tea an' give a fellah a dose of it, he will become nervous, jis' lak he would have de St. Werdis [Vitus'sl dance. His arm or 'is hand or wherevah in it takes place at - he be settin' still an' soon as he gittin' settin' still, be jis' all ovah shake lak dat [demonstrates]. But yo' gotta git one of dose ole red toads dey call 'em, dese red speckled ones - git one of dem.
Entry 6552
Take a frog or a lizard. Yo' know a frog is spawned with a little egg. Yo' kin take dat. It will more or less go to de bottom. If dere anybody yo' wants hurt, yo' kin take it [frog egg] an' dey'll drink it, an' dey'll form an' dey'll grow in 'em - grow in dat person. Ah have seen 'em. An' yo' kin take snakes' eggs an' do de same thing, an' dey'll crawl aroun' in a human bein's body.
Entry 6553
They take a frog and they keep that frog until he has eggs. And when the frog has the eggs, they take those and put in the beer, and they will give that to the enemy to drink. Well, inside of about four or five months, those eggs will hatch and in the person's stomach, and they will have frogs in their stomach. And there is but one way to get those frog eggs out of that person's stomach, out of the belly to keep them from hatching. You would have to go under a operation. The way you can get them out without going under a operation is if you learn they are in there before four months. You can easily get them out with black molasses and burnt sulphur, becuz that ties them up, that brings them right out when you are passing. You pass them right out.
Entry 6554
Git a frog. If yo' kin git de insides of a frog an' kin manage tuh git jis' a part of 'im intuh de pot - somepin neah 'is heart, which is de livest part of 'im aftah yo' kill 'im - an' yo' put it in de pot an' dat person eat it, dey say den he'll begin tuh have young frogs in 'im.
Entry 6555
Take de frog an' dry it. Aftah dryin' de frog, make a powdahs outa it an' sprinkle it intuh dere food an' feed it tuh a person. Aftah de birth - an' nine days aftah time [9 days after the feeding]de frog will begin tuh grow young ones on de inside of de othah person. In nine days time.
Entry 6556
An' den yo' take yo' - ef yo' don' wanna kill anybody, de bes' things fer dat now, ef yo' wanna put snakes in dem, or if yo' wanna put scorpions in'em, or if yo' wanna put frogs in 'em, yo' take dis stuff an' yo' dry it by de sun.
(In making that frog dust you have to let stay nine mornings in the sun.)
[This detail was given while recording machine turned off.]
Entry 6557
Ah know a woman had a frog in 'er throat an' it wuz put in whiskey - [I mean] in dat frog dust - an' aftah dey drink it, it formed dem live thing in 'er. It formed an' it grow back tuhgethah. Dem frogs grow. She had one right up heah in 'er throat an' it choked 'er tuh death finely [finally]. An' evah time she drink whiskey see, an' she wuz jis' crazy about whiskey, well dat thing would come up an' nearly choke 'er tuh death. Died!
Entry 6558
Well, ah heard dat yo' kin take de toadfrog. Yo' kin take de toadfrog an' ketch 'im alive an' put 'im in somepin [on or near the fire] an' let 'im git done, where yo' could jis' powdah 'im up lak yo' would powdah. An' put 'im in some whiskey an' give tuh de person an' it'll turn tuh frogs.
Entry 6559
Git a frog an' kill 'im an' let 'im dry up tuh a powdah, an' cook it in bread or anything an' give it tuh yo' in medicine or whiskey or anything lak dat, an' event'ly [eventually] dat powdah will 'cumulate an' HE'LL COME BACK A LIVING FROG, AN' YO' KIN FEEL 'IM MOVIN' RIGHT UP AN' DOWN RIGHT UNDAH DE SKIN.
Entry 6560
Lak if yo' wanta put frogs in somebody, yo' ket' chew a toadfrog an' gut 'im an' hang 'im up an' let 'im git pumb bone dry. Jis' dry 'im from a plumb hard dry. Yo' go dere an' yo' take him in a han'kerchef or sompin an' yo' beat dat frog up - beat 'im up real fine, jis' fine as yo' kin git 'im. Well, jis' lak yo' come in an' say, "So-an'-so, [I won' chew come have some dinnah or sup- pah wit me." Always have dat fixed fo' 'em. Yo' wan'a git dem frogs in 'em. Jis' sprinkle it in dat soup or jis' any othah kinda meat, an' dey eats dat stuff, while dat frog will jis' create in 'em. Now, hit ain't goin' work outa dem, it's gonna stay in 'em.
Entry 6561
Yo' wan' to put lak a person's - somepin in 'em. Well, yo' take a frog while deys alive, put 'im in somepin an' let 'im fry brown, brown, brown an' trun [turn] 'im an' let 'em git dry. If yo' are drinkin' wit de person, yo' take dat dust an' sprinkle dere [drink] wit it. Dat powdahed frog come tuh be alive again, de small ones, an' it comes tuh workin' inside of yo' alive.
(How could you get that stuff out of you?)
Well, I nevah knew how did yo' git 'em out.
Entry 6562
Ah've heard tell of 'em usin' frogs fo' diff'ren' things. Now ah've heard tell of 'em - yo' take a frog an' yo' wanta put a SPELL on a person, poison a person. Yo' take a frog an' kill 'im an' let 'im git dry. Den yo' parches 'im where yo' kin powdah it up. Yo' take dat powdah an' put it intuh whiskey or watah or yore coffee, an' let - yo' know, from time tuh time, let 'em drink offa dat. An' it'll create frogs in 'em.
Entry 6563
You skin the frog, dry the hide out, parch it, an' then you kin put that into somepin to drink to give a person. That'll make frogs come in them.
Entry 6564
A live toadfrog - eithah yo' kin take a DAID FROGGY'S SKIN, rubs it up while it's dry, an' put it in anybody's food or whiskey or anything, an' dey'll drink it, why dey subject tuh havin' dese toadfrog.
(You said if a person was poisoned. What did you do with the frog?)
IF HE'S LIVE, TAKE DIS LIVE FROG AN' LIE HIM ON DE MISERY.
(What will that do?)
Dat WILL DRAW IT FROM YO' IF HE'S LIVE.
(If the person has been tricked or anything?)
Yes.
Entry 6565
Down right on Hanover Street, why SHE HAD FROGS IN HER. Suah [sure] she had frogs. Now, dey li'le toadfrogs what jump aroun', understand. Jis' lak yo' out in de country, see dese li'le ole rough back frogs jumpin', yo' know, why jis' ketch 'em an' yo' kept 'em an' jes' let 'em - put 'em on a rag or sompin lak dat an' let 'em make a li'le watah, yo' undahstan'. All right, dey make a li'le watah an' yo' jis' kin take dat an put it across a person [person's] somepin tuh eat, yo' undahstan', yo' more dan apt tuh git frogs an' skippahs an' crawfish - all kind of insex intuh yo' by dat. [The word skipper I have discussed elsewhere. It is not something looking like a butterfly, but a maggot infesting meat. I personally knew only the skipper in bone-cured ham, the world's greatest jumper for its size.]