Browse:THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF (Volume 4, entries 5206–8881)/Part 22
THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF
Volume 4, entries 5206–8881. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 6886
De woman might be Impregnant, chew know. Somebody might wan' 'em tuh die in dat state, chew know. Dey [some woman] gits jealous, chew know. An' den dey git tuh a, go tuh a oak tree an' measure nine inches from de bottom, an' skin de bä'k up an' boil dat tuhgethah [with] anythin' whut de woman would eat, chew know. Suppose dey could give 'er dat tuh eat, chew know. Dat child nevah come down, yo' see. (The child will never come down. This child will stay right in her. It will kill her then.)
Entry 6887
If a woman didn't have no intahco'se wit no boy friend or man or sompin lak dat, she would have a hard time [at childbirth] see. Dat's all ah've heard of dat. (How do you mean if they didn't have intercourse?) Well, jis' lak if ah wus impregnant, dat's whut chew mean. Well, ah wus impregnant. Well, maybe mah husband wus away. Well, ah an' 'im nevah had no dealin's wit each othah at all, see. Well, regardless tuh whut de othah man done, dat would git me in birthin' dis chile, if ah nevah had no intahco'se or nuthin tuh do wit dis man [I would have a hard time at delivery]. [Having had contact with the other man during her husband's absence, she must continue this contact to avoid a hard delivery. This reminds me of a tale I read years ago, an old Italian novella, the type of Boccaccio's Decameron: The husband after fertilizing his wife left home on a long journey. As time past, a neighbor, a trickster, informed the woman that her husband had left home without completing his task. The parts of a baby, he told her, were made at different times. Unless the husband returned soon the baby would be born with an arm, a leg, almost any- thing missing. To make a short story shorter, the neighbor, being a man, agreed to help her. The baby was born with all its parts.]
Entry 6888
If she [an enemy] gits 'er [victim's] urine an' put it in a bottle an' stop it up an' bury it, she can't delivah dis child. It will stop 'er womb an' she won' have stren't enough tuh force dis child, an' if de doctors can't take de child, it will kill 'em [baby]. Den [in addition to losing the baby] she will have tuh see someone tuh git 'er water tuh run, tuh work on dese peoples' [the spellcaster's] min' tuh git dis watah up an' take de stoppah out of it. But if dey nevah do, why it will kill dem [the woman with water trouble]. (That is, a woman could do that to another woman to cross her.up if she were having a child.) She would have tuh git someone tuh git dis watah from dis person, eithah watch it [an opportunity] 'erself.
Entry 6889
An' yo' kin take saltpetah an' 'er chamber lye an' let 'er drink dat an' she won' 'ave no baby. Jis' as 'er monthly comes around, jis' as she git off befo' she have a intahco'se wit anybody, drink up some of dat an' she won' 'evah [= won't never] git impregnant.
Entry 6890
If someone's tryin' tuh hahm [harm] yo', take 23rd Psalm an' read it three times evah day fo: nine days, an' write it an' put it down in a li'le bag an' weah it on de right side. Dat'll keep 'em from hahmin' yo'.
Entry 6891
Rattlesnake mahstah, puts it on whiskey an' let 'em drink dat till dey drink a pint. Aft' dey drink dat pint dey'll be so dey cud [could] walk aroun'. An' yuh cud fix anothah quart, an' a quart or a pint'll cure yuh.
Entry 6892
Take some of dat same rattlesnake mahstah an' put it in yuh pocket an' go anywheah. If a man wan'a dress yuh, he cain't do it.
Entry 6893
Yo' know lak dey have neuralgy [neuralgia] in de throat an' mouth an' haid. All right, yo' be swoled all up. Yo' go tuh a red oak bark tree an' git de bark on de sunrise side an' make tea off it, an' jis' steep yo'self wit it lak dat. Jis' have de watah, dat tea, in a pan an' jis' steep off, steep off. Open yuh mouth an' jis' let it, let it go all on. An' yo' kin make poultices if yo' wanta tuh put all roun' yuh neck or wherevah it's hurtin', an' dat'll scattah it.
Entry 6894
Ah have know of sompin about trees fo' makin' medicine, red oak an' beechnut an' sycamore. Mix dem three barks tuhgethah an' put it in a 'luminum pot an' boil it until it come tuh a certain amount, jis' as much 'mount as yo' want. Jis' lak if yo' wanta make a half gallon, why yo' put chew a gal- lon of watah in on dose barks an' let 'em boil down tuh a half gallon, an' den take it out an' git chew some dis heah brown sugah an' put it in dere, an' den strain dat dere bark out dere. Den put dat sugah on dere an' make a syrup. An' put chew jis' a li'le pinch of alum in dere. Well, dat's good fo' coughs.
Entry 6895
Den yuh kin git some root whut dey call de blacksnake root, grain [green] root, an' arrowroot, an' High John de Conkah. Well, dat's de root, dat John de Conquah, dat is goin' tuh conquah mos' anythin', any kinda HO0- DOO dat come. DAT'S A Did yuh git chew [down] [blacksnake root] grain root, an' de arrowroot, an' John de Conquah? DAT RooT'S VERY EXPENSIVE AN' AH KNOW ZACTLY WHERE TUH GIT IT, see. Yuh kin [take] dose roots an' boil 'em tuhgethah an' if anybody wuz HOoDOOED, if mah lady wuz HOODO0, take some of dat root when it's dry an' beat it.up an' give it tuh a lady in some ine an' dat'll perform. Yuh kin see it, scorpion drived an' - given in powdah tuh someone - movin' in 'er laigs. Git dat stuff an' boil it an' make tea out it, an' in ten days dat git de pain outa yuh body. Dat came out. One time she couldn't walk straight. Evah time she stand up she fell on de floah. Ah goes tuh dat dere fellah an' ah says, "Look, ah wan' chew tuh drive me out tuh de country. See yo' got a li'le hatchet." Ah want tuh get me a hatchet an' he gave me de hatchet, an' ah went tuh de red oak tree. Ah trimmed off de white bark an' de black bark ovah it an' cut down tuh de juicy wood. Ah cut me fo' chips out on east side. Ah goes tuh de west side of de tree an' ah cuts me fo' more. Ah cut de chips off de east side firs', den ah go tuh de west side. Den ah git me some blackberry root, chew undahstan'. Den ah git some mul- lein an' ah take dat home, put it tuhgethah. Ah gits home an' ah tell mah wife, ah say, "Look, git me about two quarts of vinegah." An' she put dat on de fiah an' boil it, boil it an' boil it. An' she let it cool. Den she bathe me from mah haid tuh mah feet [downward bathing so that it will go out through his feet] in de tub, an' ah ain't had a pain in dis laig since.
Entry 6896
Dese here HOODOO dey git dat onion an' cut it up, fix it up in sulphur, stuff, an' git chew tuh tote it in yuh pocket, an' den if anythin' lak dat, chew - dey try tuh do anythin' tuh yuh, dat will keep it off, dat red onion.
(They fix this red onion up with that sulphur in it.)
Dat sulphur is de main thin' dey use.
(Nothing else, just the red onion an' sulphur.)
Entry 6897
Lak if yo're hurt, den yo' kin take red onions, an' urination, sulphuh, salt, vinegah an' boil all dat tuhgethah an' bathe 'em down in it, an' dat will run de poison out of dem.
Entry 6898
Fraid of any- one, afraid if dey fixin' tuh do yo' lotsa harm by walkin', yo' put down salt an' [red] peppah into yore shoes, say yo' prackly [practically] will walk ovah anything anybody have laid fo' yo'.
Entry 6899
If yo' got some peoples in yore house is evil an' bad luck tuh yo', all yo' gotta do is sprinkle plenty a red peppah roun' de house. Git de pod peppah whut grows lak yo' fingah [finger peppers] an' crumble it up. It's got seeds in it, little seeds fine an' white. Jis' sprinkle dat round de do' an' dey says none yore enemies will come 'bout. Ah often do dat times mahself, jis' keep up wit dis ole [turn machine off too soon].
Entry 6900
Git some red pod peppah an' some vinegah an' heat it real hot, an' git in it an' bathe in it. Wash all de parts. See, when it comes out through de po's [pores] of yore skin yo're sweat- in' den, an' dat'll cuz dat poison tuh go away from yo'.
Entry 6901
Anything wrong, yo' kin take some sweet milk an' heat it real hot, an' put some red cayenne peppah in it an' put some red pod peppah in it. An' scrape some silvah off de dime an' put in de glass, an' put some gun- powdahs in it, an' yo' drink it. An' when yo' drink it, jis' makes yo' bu'st out in a big sweat an' den yo' kin vomit it up.
(This poison?)
Yeah.
Entry 6902
(What's the name of it?)
It's called de red shank.
(The red shank root?)
Yes, sir. It's called de red shank an' ah'll tell yo'. If ah came tuh yo' an' if ah've got a bad disease, see. Well, yo' take dat red shank, yu' undah- stan', if it's put out, why yo' take de top of it; an' if it's not put out, yo' take a grubbing hoe an' dig the root up an' wash de root. See. Put it intuh two quarts of watah, an' bile [boil] it down tuh one quart [the magic of diminishing amount]. Unnahstan'?
(I understand.)
Bile it down tuh one quart. Den yo' take - when yo' bile it down tuh one quart, yo' take it an' yo' set it off [the stove]. Unnahstan' dat?
(Yes.)
An' den when yo' set dat off, yo' git a li'le piece of bluestone, lak a speck- led pea, an' beat it up right fine an' stuff it in dere. Git chew a li'le piece alum about dat long. Put it in dere, but let de watah be good an' cool. See, don' put it in dere hot. An' den yo' takes it den, an' yo' give it tuh 'im an' tell 'im tuh take three swallows three times a day. Now de way a boy, or man eithah - whutevah he is don't yo' take it jis' lak yo' drinkin' watah, becuz if yo' drink it lak yo' drinkin' watah, well it don't do yo' any good, becuz it will git down in yore stomic an' it will be dere so much till it will sour. It will be de same as milk, when yo' drinks it. Dat buttahmilk when a man is in bad shape, it's jis' a dose of poison tuh 'im. It keeps sour on 'is stomic. Jis' take no more dan three teaspoonsful a day. Take it as [medicine] yo' know. If yo' take too much of it, why it don't do you any good. It'll do yo' harm.
(Three swallows. One swallow before each meal?)
Dat's right.
(I see, each day. All right.)
An' den don't eat so much grease.
(What did you say?)
I say, let de buttahmilk alone.
(I see.)
Entry 6903
Ah heard 'em tell if yo' have a vener'al disease or a bad case of de POps or somepin lak dat, chew kin take red shank root, wild cherry bark an' Queens of Life. [He probably means Queen's - delight = greenroot (StiZlingia sylvatica) of the southern U. S. A., see p.630.] (What is that?) Dat's a weed dat grows out an' it's a root too.] It's in de woods. Wild cherry bark root an' de Queens of Life, an' red shank, an' sasparilla [sarasparilla]. An' take all of dat an' put chew 'bout a gallon of watah an' boil it down tuh a quart [magic of diminishing amount]. Dat's a good Dedicine fo' any case. It'll run it out but it'll kill - run it out chure blood an' cure it up. Den yo' kin cure it up on de outside yo'self.
Entry 6904
Jis' lak if yo' were stay- in' dere in dis house an' yo' vanted tuh stay dere, didn't want anyone tuh hurt chah anyway. Ah heard 'em say dat dey could git some table salt an' black peppah, jis' whut chew kin make an' hold it roun' in yore hand, see. Mix it up well. Git enough where yo' kin go all de way roun' yore house, undahstan'. Throw dat all de way roun' yore house. Dere no harm dey kin do yo'. But be sure yo' have aplenty so it be put down all de way roun'.
Entry 6905
If anybody come tuh yore house dat is not right in heah, dere's sompin lak dat wrong, dey swole up, git chew some salt an' black peppah an' throw it in de fiah an' jis' go on out. (You mean if he has a disease, a veneral disease?) Yessuh.
Entry 6906
Git a fresh box of salt, have nevah been used an' a box of red peppah, an' yo' mix a certain amount tuhgethah. Put some aroun' yore do' an' in front of gate an' yo' weah some in yore shoes. An' dat would keep dem from crossin' yuh, if dey wanta put hard luck on yo'.
Entry 6907
Or eithah yo' kin take sulphuh. Say yo' kin [take] sulphuh if anyone comin' in yore house an' salt an' mix it tuhgethah. Jis' go round de edge, go all roun' yore yard an' sprinkle it all aroun'. Dat will keep dem out from comin' in, keep yore ene- mies from comin' in.
Entry 6908
Yo' kin weah cayenne peppah, salt an' sulphur in yore shoes, an' yo' kin walk ovah anythin'.
(If you walked over this stuff they planted for you, it wouldn't hurt you then?)
No sir.
Entry 6909
Well, yo' kin put chew some red peppah, nine balls, [I mean] seeds of red peppah. Yo' have de seeds tuh put in dere. Grind dat peppah. Nine drops of spirits of turpentine, halfa tea- spoonfula salt, halfa teaspoonfula sulphur. An' put it in yore shoe an' weah it an' dat will kill dat.
(Anything they put down for you?)
Planted fo' yo'.
(Do you wear this in one or both shoes?)
Yo' kin put it in de shoes, or else if yo' want, yo' kin put it undah de steps, put it all tuhgethah an' bury it undah de steps.
Entry 6910
If dey do sumpin tuh hurt dere ahm [arm] an' it's swollen up or sumpin lak dat, dey could take some vinegah an' put it in a bottle an' some bluestone an' salt an' red peppah, an' jis' keep a-bathin' de ahm, rubbin', an' dat'll more or less cure it in dem. (What causes this swelling in the arm?) It will be jis' lak if dey wan' tuh poison yo' or: sompin, sompin dey puts down, an' yo' go an' put yuh hand on dis. See, dat makes dat stuff go through yuh ahm. It'll keep on a-workin' an' a-workin' till it git intuh yuh body. If [you] start in time - den let 'em take a lot of sulphur. Sulphur's good, too. Jis' take it, put it in yuh han' an' eat it. An' brimstone. Joo kin take a pill of brimstone an' eat dat an' yo' kin eat or drink poison an' it won't hurt choo. See, dat brimstone kills it out.
Entry 6911
An' anybody got anything put down roun' yore place to make yo' - put chew in hard luck, git chew some sulphur, bluestone an' salt - table salt - mix it tuhgethah an' burn it. An' evah uhich way dat chew think it is, if it's in yuh room, why yo' jis' burn it. Yo' kin burn dat any time. Jis' take a teaspoonful or tablespoonful an' mix it up tuhgethah an' set it down in dere an' shet chure room up, shet it up an' let it explore[!] in dere. An' if anything wuz put in dere tuh put chew in hard luck, whenevah yo' burn dat three or fo' times, dat'll do away wit dat.
Entry 6912
An' yo' kin take kerosene an' bluestone an' brimstone an' salt an' rub wit it [the pains caused by conjuration] an' dat'll kill it, too.
Entry 6913
Dey call it sen-sen [an incense]. It's a li'le powdah. An' dey take dat prob'ly [probably] in de night, any time aftah nine a'clock, jis' sprinkle dat out aroun' de do'. It's sen-sen, whut dey call it. Put dat outside an' den take a li'le, as ah tole yo', about burning de Hawthrone [Hearts Own] Cologne an' de sulphur. It's a powdah. Dat's tuh keep yuh enemies away from yo'. Den no enemies cain't come.
Entry 6914
Ah'm fo' good luck. Ah'm a seven months chile, an' dis palm of mine cain't be read. (Why can't it be read?) Well, 'cuz ah'm seven months. [Ida Bates of New Orleans, also a doctor, was another seven-month child.]
Entry 6916
If cunjurated boil silkweed [= milkweed] an' John de Conkah in a pint of watah down to halfa pint [magic rite of decreasing amount]. Take 3 swallahs a day.
The bracketed note calls the preparation a magic rite of decreasing amount. That classification is editorial; it does not establish an informant's description or efficacy.
Entry 6917
Silkweed tea takes live things out of yo'. [Informant a root doctor born in North Carolina.]
Entry 6921
Silkweed, silver, sulphur, and 3 drops of turpentine boiled tuhgethah; teaspoonful 3 times a day.
Entry 6922
[Silver - especially the American dime or ten-cent piece - was one of the most widespread and frequently used magic articles in hoodoo. Has the de- basement of metallic currency in the U. S. A. killed off these beliefs, or is there a brisk sale of true silver dimes? Despite that extensive collection of silver beliefs previously given on Pp.484-493, there are many more scattered throughout Hoodoo. The rites that follow may be duplicates, but they are un- printed in Hoodoo.] Dese people in St. Petahsburg, weahs a dime roun' dere ankle tuh keep 'em off - as a preventive.
(To keep off what?)
Any kinda HOODOO or hard luck or stop anythin' dat would happen tuh 'em. Why some of 'em weahs one on each laig!
Entry 6923
Dey jis' take a dime an' bore a hole in it an' tie it round yuh neck or roun' yuh wrist an' de people couldn't so easily HOODOO yo'. Dey claim de dime takes it up 'fore it git to yo'.
Entry 6924
Takes a dime an' put a hole through it, an' yo' kin weah it roun' yuh ankle or roun' yuh arm or roun' yuh neck. Dat's in case if a person wants tuh try tuh poison yo'. Dey claims dat dat poison goes in dat silvah in place of in yuh system.
Entry 6925
Fo' pertectin' yo'self if yo' thought dat dey wus goin' tuh put any- thin' down, lotta people goes tuh work an' take a silvah dime an' put it roun' dem laigs an' weah dat. Dey say de silvah dime will ketch de poison.
Entry 6926
Make a hole in de dime an' put a string through de hole an' tie it aroun' yuh ankle, an' dey say it yuh hurt any way, dat dime will turn black.
Entry 6927
Take a dime an' weah it roun' yore ankle an' if anybody's done anything tuh yo', DAT DIME WILL TURN GREEN, if anybody's tryin' tuh do anythin' tuh yo'.
Entry 6928
Well, dey say if yo' are hurt, yo' kin put a dime in yuh mouth, a sil- vah dime, an' de dime will burn black. Dat's de way yo' kin tell if yo're hurt.
Entry 6929
Tuh see whethah a person's poisoned or not. Dey take dat silvah dime an' dey put it in yuh mouth an' put it undah yuh tongue, an' keep it undah dere ten minutes; an' if yo' take de dime out an' de dime black, why dey say yo're poisoned.
Entry 6930
Take a dime, ah think, or somepin othah, whut it is, an' boil it. Boil it good an' let 'im drink de watah off it. Take silvah an' let 'im drink de watah off it. Boil it an' let it git as strong as yo' kin, an' den drink de watah from dat. If dey drinks de watah from dat, dat will cuz some confusion down in dere [stomach] an' den dey'll vomit it up. At least dat's whut ah heard.
Entry 6931
Yo' take a silvah dime, yo' file dis silvah dime in- tuh a pint of milk, yo' bile dat milk, yo' drank it, an' dat milk's gon'a bring whutsomevah poison in yuh. It's gon'a bring it out.
Entry 6932
An' if yo're hurt yo' kin take a dime, a silvah dime, an' file it up. Jis' take a new file an' file it, an' put it intuh some sweet milk, an' swallah it, an' dey say dat will kill it.
Entry 6933
Well, yo' kin tell by takin' somepin. Here's whut yo' take if yo' have a mine [mind] dat dere is someone got de best of yo'. Yo' git a silvah dime. Yo' grit [grate] it wit a pocketknife. Yo' grit some pieces offa it an' git 'em on a piece-a papah or piece-a rag, yo' undahstan', an' put dat intuh bot- tles wit one quart of sweet milk. An' drink dat an' den yo' pass dis. An' yo' put it somewhere dey kin see de bucket of slop. An' IF YO' "TRICKED" INSIDE, YUH PASSAGE IS BOUND TUH BE AS BLACK AS DAT SUIT YO GOT ON. NEW OrlEanS, LA.
(815), 1150:3.]
Entry 6934
(How do you do that, now?) Take a dime, one thin dime, an' file it in sweet milk an' drink it, an' take fresh lard an' drink down, an' dat poison-a come up. Pull dat poison up.
Entry 6935
[If they get it] inside yuh body, lak worms an' diff'ren' things lak dat, yo' take some gunpowdah an' cow's milk, warm cow's milk an' take a silvah dime an' grate it. Yo' undahstand? Grate dat silvah dime intuh dis gunpowdah an' milk, an' drink it fer, say ten or fifteen days, an' yo'll pass it all outa yuh. Yer passin'll be as black as smoke.
Entry 6936
If anybody wuz poisoned an' lak if anybody wuz goin' do anythin' fo' dem, an' dey jis' really knows dis one thing an' jis' make up an' do fo' dem. Well, if dey wuz poisoned in a way dat chewed wanta do sompin fo' 'em, why yo' would take whiskey, a dime drink of whiskey, an' nine drops of turpentine an' puts it in dis whiskey. An' [if] dis whiskey don' make 'em drunk an' de tur- pentine won't bothah 'em, well dey drinks it down. Well, dey drinks it down. Well, tuh make it shore, yo' takes a ten-cent [piece] an' file it off wit a file. Well, yo' puts it in sweet milk an' give it tuh dem tuh drink evah day, jis' lak yo' do a meal.
(What will that do?)
Well, dat will draw de poison from 'em.
Entry 6937
One thing you can do to keep anybody in the world from doing anything to you, you get a silver dime, grate it, put it in water and drink it. Put a dime in each shoe. I guarantee you that you'll never be hurt. That silver dust will stick to the lining of your stomach and remain there indefinitely, and if it is not right, it will come right straight back up.
[Fredericksburg, Va., by Ediphone.]
Entry 6938
Put sulphur an' a dime in yore shoe an' weah it in dere, an' dey couldn't hurt chew.
(If you walk over anything, it wouldn't hurt you?)
Yes.
Entry 6939
They claim that if you put a ten-cent piece under your tongue while you're having sexual relation wit a woman, you won't catch any diseases from the woman. [This belief should have pre- ceded No.3258, p.2373, but it was under CURES and missed. This original tran- scription of mine in pencil was never typed. See ILLUSTRATIONS for original.]
Entry 6940
(If I had these things, live things in me, now what would they give me to get rid of these - to get them out?) Dey'd [they would] give yo' vinegah fer one thing, 'twill run 'em out; an' use tobacco fer anothah. An' den de medicine dat yo' take, dat's whut dey give yo' fer tuh rub wit; but de medicine whut yo' take an' whut supposed tuh be some silvah money in it, some time might be a dime or quartah or somepin lak dat. But anyway, it supposed tuh be a big piece, so yo' could take a file or somepin-lak an' file it an' git - prob'bly git dust offa it or somepin, an' put it in some medicine an' let it set, an' drink it. Well, aftah yo' drinkin' dat, why dat supposed tuh run 'em outa yo', fix yo' so yo' kin git 'em out, if yo' are stopped up.
(What did they do with this vinegar and tobacco?)
Well, dey use dat fer tuh bathe dere body in.
(Do they use that alone or do they mix something with it?)
No, sir, mix it wit red peppah.
Entry 6941
Ah think yo' take - ah think it's three dime an' boil 'em an' dreen [drain] de watah offa dem three dimes.
(What will that do then?) Dat will bring dem live things outa yo' if anybody got dem in yore body.
Entry 6942
Folkes 'ave dose roun' dere neck, an' on dere laig, fo' tuh keep somebody comin' dere tuh do anythin' tuh 'em. When anybody do anythin' tuh 'em, den dat silvah turn black. (You say they wear one around the neck, one around each wrist and one around the ankles? They use fifty cents altogether - five dimes?) Yessuh.
Entry 6943
[Silver will] run it outa yo'. Ah'll run it outa yo'. Ah'll git me a dime or quartah - so it's silvah money - take me a file an' ah'll file dat stuff, dat quartah, yo' see, an' git de dust, git it plumb dusty. All right, ah'll git me some vinegah, some salt. See, ah'll put it in dere. Ah'll put me fif- teen drops of turpentine in dere wit it. Ah'll git me a box of Epsom salts. Ah'll give yo' dat Epsom salts three times a day. Dat's tuh keep yore bowels open. Dat vinegah an' dat, whut ah got made up. Yo' drink it fo' times a day until it take a act on yo'. Well, now, it - in drinkin' dat, why it'll stir dat up in yo', yo' see, stir dat poison up. An' dat Epsom salt [is] tuh keep yuh bowels open, yo' see, an' pass it on through.
Entry 6944
Well, dey say yo's hurt if it turns black, if somebody's hurt chew or tricked yo' some way, it turns black. Said yo' kin put it in yore mouth an' it will turn black, dat dime, or yo' kin weah it. Eithah a fifty cent piece or a quartah, an' it will turn black if somebody has hurt chew.
Entry 6945
Well, yo' take it an' yo' boil it an' yo' drink it, an' dey say dat will kill de poison. If anybody done anythin' tuh yo', hit would kill it.
(How do you mean? Poison you how?)
If anybody fix a dose fo' yo'. (You mean if they have live things in it or some- thing of that sort?) Yassuh, if yo' drink dis watah, yo' boil three quartahs an' drink it, three quartahs.
(You said three quarters or forty cents. What do you mean by forty cents?)
[Informant had said forty cents before recording began and I want a repetition and explanation.] Dat means fo' dimes. (You do the same thing with the-four dimes that you did with the three quart- ers?) Yessuh, yo' kin boil 'em an' den drink de watah.
Entry 6946
Say, fer instant [instance] if somebody wus poisoned or sompin, sompin intuh 'em. Take a silvah dollah an' scrape it an' put it in a pot or kittle
[kettle] an' boil dat scrapin' an' give de individual watah. Dat's all. Dat will make dem bring dat poison back up.
Entry 6947
Jes' lak she runnin' out on yo' an' doin' bad things an' yo' know it. She comin' in an' she kinda drinkin' a little. If she don't come in too high [drunk or intoxicated] an' don' let 'er be [something]. Yo' take a basin of watah an' take an' put 'er ban' in it, an' ast 'er a question while she's sleepin'. She'll talk wit chew jes' lak she wide awake an' tell yo' ever'thin', where she been an' whut she done an' all.
Entry 6948
Yo' could take de shoe an' take it an' lie it undah de baid, bottosl side upwards, an' lie dere han' in a pan of watah an' make 'em tell whut de'
[dey = they] done aftah night. Tell evahthin'.
Entry 6949
Take a snail an' jes' lak if yo' have corns or Warts an' things on yo', yo' kin take a snail an' rub 'im on dere an' hit will carry dem away.
Entry 6950
(Rub this snail on the corn?)
Yessuh, until that slime gits on there.
(That takes the corn off?)
Yessuh.
Entry 6951
Dey take a snail an' if she gits chure clothes, why she'll take a snail an' put it wit 'er starch an' she'll put warts all ovah yo'. Dat's whut dat's used fo', de warts.
(She puts the snail in the water that she washes the clothes with?)
In de starch when she starch yore clothes. She'll put one or two snails in dat starch, an' dat juice of dat snail will put warts all ovah yo', anywhere it tetch yo'. [Another informant from Wilson says the rubbing must be done when de moon's a shrinkin' (No.1563, p.494).]
Entry 6952
(How would they do that?)
Take an' mash it up. [What? See later.] Yo' use dat an' make a tea out of it fo' whooping cough. Dries it up an' use it as a powder [for making a tea]. [A penciled note of mine identifies the thing mashed up as a snakeshed. Two other notes of mine say do not use unless a parallel; infor- mant is fair. The INDEX (vol.5) may give us another example, but meanwhile Hoo- doo has a similar cure in which snakeshed powder cures bad nerves (No.1564, P.494). Also suggestive is another rite of mine collected years ago: A person sill lose his shingles [[or herpes]], if he kills a snake and wraps it about them. Sometimes the snake is skinned so that the inside of the skin may be applied
(FACI, 2nd ed., No.5400, p.240).]
Entry 6953
Spidahs are good fo' fevah. Say yo' take de spidahs an' yo' boils 'em an' bath [not bathe] patient's body in de watah, an' dey'll recovah from fevah.
Entry 6954
Ah seen mah mother-in-law have used sulphur in her house. She sprinkled de sulphur down. An' if any- body comes dere dat don't lak yo', dey won't stay long. Dey go away.
Entry 6955
If yo' think dat yo' goin' be tricked or wuz tricked, well ah tell yo 'bout de luckiest thing dat ah know tuh he'p yo'self. Jes' use sulphur. Jes' put sulphur in each cornah of yore house an' burn de sulphur at night. No roots. It's umpossible tuh work ovah sulphur.
Entry 6956
If someone wuz tryin' tuh move yo' outa de house an' yo' wanted tuh stay dere, yo' would git chew some sulphuh an' go roun' [circumambulate] de house. An' each cornah of de house - yo' wouldn't have tuh tell 'em, yo' wouldn't let nobody know about dis - yo' would ies sprinkle a li'le sulphur in each cornah. An' yo' would jes' rake back jes' enough dirt - if yo' put it right smart - tuh keep anybody from noticin' it. All de way roun' de house. An' de person who wuz tryin' tuh - who wuz comin' in tuh move yo' out of dis house or have yo' move, why dey couldn't come in. An' yo' would stay dere an' dey couldn't put chew out.
Entry 6957
Tuh kill it an' tuh move it from yo', yo' would use sulphur, cream of tartar an' salt - Epsom salts. Dat will remove it outa yo' becuz it will kill it.
Entry 6958
If anyone wanta try tuh put a spell on yo' - whut chew take an' weah it fo', tuh keep dem from doin' dat - is weah a li'le sulphur in yore pocket evah day an' eat a pinch evah now an' den. See, an' dat will keep dem from puttin' de spell on yo'.
Entry 6959
One of de greatest things fo' any disastah, it have been said, dat if anythin' happens tuh yo' by evil people, dat's tuh jis' eat plenty sulphur. Jis' lay right tuh dat sulphur an' it will kill it out.
(That's if there is anything inside of you?)
Dat's de idea. Eat dat sulphur.
Entry 6960
If anybody been poisoned, yo' kin git some sweet milk an' a package of sulphur an' throw dis intuh dis sweet milk. An' stir it up an' carry it an' give it tuh dis person, an' if dey poisoned terribly bad, 'nuff tuh kill 'em, [they'll get well].
Entry 6961
Jes' lak anyway dey had git it in somepin tuh eat, or sompin othah lak dat, well, sweet milk an' sulphur, dey take dat. If dey git dat in time, take it 'fo' [before] it git on too fur, why dat'll cure 'em. Sweet milk an' sulphur. (That will kill this stuff that they have been tricked with.)
Entry 6962
Take a fresh laid egg an' mix de - mix sulphur in it an' fresh milk. Jis' make a li'le crack in dere an' take a straw an' put it dere an' drink it. (What will that do?) Dat'll stop anybody doin' yo' eny harm. See, den yo' kin drink wit yo' frien's. Yo' kin take a - jis' lak somebody would wanta give yo' tuh drink a glass of wine an' dey don' lak yuh, an' dey fix it fo' yuh, say, "All right boys, let's go." Dey jis' take one [drink] an' set it dere, an' dis one [drink] an' set it dere, an' this one [drink], an' set 'em dere [you can safely drink any of them].
Entry 6963
An' dey tells me if yo' wanta be lucky - sho' 'nuff lucky an' nobody can't do yo' nuthin - buy yo' a bran'-new pocketbook. An' pack it wit sulphur an' tote it in yore right-han' pocket, an' yo'll be lucky an' nobody can't do yo' nuthin.
Entry 6964
Put a li'le saltpetah in yore shoe. Weah it in yore shoe an' sulphur in yore shoe. Dat'll keep de poison from gwine [going (into your body)], tetch- in' [touching yo'. See.
Entry 6965
It's also good fo' dose evil thin's. Yo' take de silvah, any kinda silvah or steel. Yo' scrape de - yo' file it, chew know, an' yo' take dat dust an' yo' eat a li'lepincha [pinch of] it in yuh foods. Dat'll always project [eject] de evil, whutsomevah dey've did fo' yo' - tuh yo'.