Browse:THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF (Volume 4, entries 5206–8881)/Part 41
THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF
Volume 4, entries 5206–8881. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 8406
If ah wanted tuh hurt anybody really bad - well, if yo' have anybody photograph an' dey don't want chew, yo' want dem, yo' take it an' turn it on de face in a basin of watah. An' if yo' want dem tuh die, yo' could repeat dis word, "Let I be true, In de Name of de Fathah, Son an' Holy Ghost." (Will that kill them?) No, not tuh kill 'em, but dey'll come back tuh yo'.
Entry 8407
Well a man tole me - lived right heah in town, supposed to be a expert root doctor - he tole me dey take yo' pichure an' put it in a glass of watah. Tip it up, wit chure face turned down. He claim dat it kill yuh in so Bany days, say it would surely kill yuh.
Entry 8408
Some one tole me dat - say if yo' got anybody's photograph, an' if yo' take dis photograph an' turn it upside down ovah a glass of watah, regardless of where dis man is, he's gotta come back. Dat's all ah know about dat.
(What did you say?)
Turn 'em upside down ovah a glass of watah an' regardless of where dis person lives, he gotta come.
Entry 8409
Ah've seen 'em take yore pichure. Yo' git a glass of watah an' turn it [photo] up. Yo' know, turn it bottom up lak dat [demonstrates]. It won't hurt cha, it twon' kill yo', but it jis' keeps yo' sick, sick, sick all de time.
Entry 8410
Well, dey said lak, yo' know, dey goin' wit a gurl an' dey happen tuh leave 'uh, dey say she could take a glass of watah an' turn dis pitchure, yo' know, down ovah it - de face down, yo' know, nex' tuh de watah. Wheresomevah yo' wus, yo' know, yo'd come back.
Entry 8411
(Tell me the whole story about the photograph.)
It have tuh be tintype - not pastebo'd - tintype. An' lak ah have yores right tuh mah baid, ah kin take it an' put a cup of watah. Now ah've tried dat, don't want yo' say nuthin, but ah've tried dat. An' put dat cup of watah undah mah baid an' take dis tintype pichure an' turn it down lak dat. Ah don' care where yo' at, yo' shore comin' soon. It ain't goin' be ovah twenty-four hours. Ah know dat, ah've tried dat.
Entry 8412
Well, fo' instan' yo' could take, if dis photograph is on a tintype, if yo's off some place, say, "Now, dere's a gurl, ah want 'er back tuh me, she's gone." Or a man gone or a woman wanta bring 'im back. Yo' take an' put dat photo- graph on a glass of watah undah de haid of de baid an' set it, if it's on a tintype, an' set down undah dere, an' purtty soon he'll 'vance [advance] back.
Entry 8413
Jis' lak ah'd have a man's photograph an' wanted dat man an' he had quit me, say. Why ah kin take dat photograph an' carry it - take it an' put it in a glass of watah. Put it undah de haid of yore bed turnin' de haid down, intuh dat glass, an' dey say dat makes de man come back tuh yo'.
Entry 8414
Dey take yuh photograph an' turn it bottomsides upward over a glass of watah, an' tie it tuh de haid of yer baid. Turn yer haid downwards in de watah an' dat'll make a man love yuh.
Entry 8415
Take a glass of watah an' put it behin' de bed, an' turn de face down on de glass of watah - ovah de glass of watah. (This photograph?) Yes, dat will keep dem home, but ah don' know about runnin' 'em crazy. [Sumter, S. Car. (1353), 2363:4.]
Entry 8416
Well den, if he leave home lak dat, yo' kin take a glass of watah an' set it tuh de no'th side of yore bed lak dat, in a dark place an' put 'is photograph up ovah de watah, see. An' when dat photograph, dat pitchure change, lak dat 'is face be goin' off it, ah don' care where he is, well dat'll draw him back home, if he not daid some place.
(How do you put that photograph glass? Show me.)
See, jis' lak dis de glass of watah. Yo' put it on de no'th side of de bed lak dat, in de da'k right behin' dere. Well, yo' take dat pitchure an' put it ovah de glass of watah, see on top de glass of watah jis' lak dat, wit de face down tuh de watah.
Entry 8417
Or yo' kin take yore pichure - ah heah mah ole grandmothah talk about dat often. Yo' kin take a pichure an' put it ovah a glass of hot boilin' watah an' - in othah words yo' sterilize it - an' den yo' go crazy. Dere isn't anything yo' kin do fo' dat. Aftah yo' git dat pichure sterilized see, when dat pichure fades away, well dey say den yo' crazy. Yo' be upset an' yo' be wantin' tuh go places all de time.
Entry 8418
If ah want chew tuh come back tuh me, well ah would put it [photo] in a glass of watah an' set it in a cornah, in a dark cornah, an' let it stay down dere. Turn de haid, heel foremost Iturn head where heel should bel yo' know. So ah jis' let it stay in dat dark cornah an' yo' is comin' back home.
Entry 8419
Well, anybody photograph, yo' ain't got a thing tuh do but tuh git chew a glass of watah an' turn it [photo] bottomside upwards an' set it in de left cornah of de house. Well, yo'll jes' wandah an' wandah all de time.
(This is to send you away or what?)
Yes sir, yo' can't stay in dat town see.
Entry 8420
Take yo' pichure now - if yo' had a fellah's pichure an' wanted tuh draw 'im back tuh yo', take dat pichure an' turn it down ovah a glass of watah. Put a lookin'-glass on top of it.
(You turn that face down over the glass of water.)
Face down. (Then you put a mirror over that? A mirror ovah it. Dat'll draw 'im back tuh yo'. Dat's all yo' have to do.
Entry 8421
An' ah hearn dat chew kin take one [photograph] - jes' lak somebody's Way off at somewhere in a furrinah [foreign] country or sompin an' yo' want 'em tuh come back - take it an' turn it down on a glass of watah, an' push it undah a bed an' let it stay nine days, an' in de tenth day dat person will come. Ah've seen dat happen.
Entry 8422
Yo' kin take a person's pichure an' set it in a glass of watah an' put it in a washstand right facin'. An' set de pichure down in de cornah of it. [Set corner of picture cater- cornahed in glass of water.] Don't kear [care] how long dey been gone, if yo' way in New Yawk somewheres, yo' mind will fall on de people whut's back heah an' dey'll [you'll] come. (You put this glass of water on the dresser. Where do you put this picture now?) Put it in dere [glass] katyfied [catercornered]. Put de cornah of it [photo] kinda lak dis.
(What we call cater-cornered. Do you put it in the glass of water?)
An' set it right in de face of de washstan' drawah, an' let it set dere fo' nine mawnin's. An' dem folks will come in less time den two weeks.
(Do you put this picture in the glass of water or behind it?)
Set it [photo] down in it [glass]. Let one cornah [of photo] be in de glass of watah, an' dat pichure will fade away, but hit'll come back. (You put that glass in that drawer and close that drawer so as to hold the photograph?) Yes sir.
Entry 8423
Yo' take de man pitchure, if yo' wan'a draw 'im back, an' put it on a glass of watah, face tuh de watah, ovah top'a de watah an' put a heavy weight on, an' let it stay dere fah nine days, an' he'll come back.
Entry 8424
If yo' wan' tuh make a boy love yuh, yo' take a glass of watah, a glass dat choo're not gon'a evah use ag'in, an' turn dat pitchure down ovah dat glass an' put nine drops of Hearts Cologne or Blue Moon perfume, eithah one is jis' as good, in dat glass of watah. An' let dat pitchure stay ovah dat glass of watah until yo' see some results of dat boy comin' towards yuh. If de boy has turn ag'in [against] sho [you] all tuhgethah an' yo' kin git 'is pit- chure, why dat'll bring 'im back. Put de glass under de haid of yuh bed.
Entry 8425
Dey say dey kin take yuh photergraph an' turn it ovah a glass of watah intuh a dahk place. Put it in a dahk cornah, an' turn yuh photergraph de haid up tuh dis watah. An' put some spice an' cloves in it, an' let sit dey [there] fo' nine mawnin's. Well dey say, well, if's anybody leaves yuh, anybody da'choo [that you] want, dey say he'll come back tuh yuh.
Entry 8426
Ah take de photograph an' put it ovah a tumblah of.watah an' set it undah de edge of mah bed, de watah an' de pichure undah de bed. "In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, ah want chew tuh love me."
(You - how often do you do that?)
Fo' nine nights.
(You say that once for nine nights?)
Yes sir.
Entry 8427
Ah heard dat chew could take a photograph an' put it ovah a glass of watah, dat is if a person is outa town an' cross watahs. An' pray nine times ovah it each day, one prayah a day. Fo' nine days, pray. In yo' own mannah, yo' see, yo' should pray. An' take it out den an' put it undah yore rug as yo' come in de do', wit de face down. Well, dat's tuh bring 'em froa cross vatahs.
(To bring a person back?)
Outa towm 'cross vatahs. (You put this picture over the water you say?) Ovah de glass of watah, jes' turn de face down. Yo' kin put it in yore bed an' sleep right where dat is, right ovah it. See, yo' put it neah yore heart up heah, yo' think where yore heart is, de glass jes' stand dere.
Entry 8428
If someone is away from yuh an' yo' wan' 'im tuh come, dey say if yo' take a glass of watah an' take him down [his photo] an' put 'im undahneat' yuh bed, an' turn de face down - let it stay undah dere fo' nine mawn- ings. An' dey say evah mawnin yo' go dere an' take de pichure up an' talk tuh it, an' tell 'im yo' wan' 'im tuh come. An' aftah nine days, dat dere watah will work against is mind an' he'll come.
Entry 8429
If yo' has gone away, dey kin take yuh photograph an' git a glass of watah, an' put chure photograph on dat glass of watah, face down. Aftah yo' put it on dere, yo' stand ovah it an' say, "I want chew tuh come back home. Yo've been gone long enough. Come back! Come back! Come back! An' let dat stay dere fo' nine days an' de tenth day dat person will be back. Ah've seen dat tried. [Wilmington, N. Car., 238:2.]
Entry 8430
If a man gotta wife an' she leaves home an' it makes no diff'rent how fer she may go, if he kin git 'er pichure. She may be cross de watahs but if he kin bring 'er back.... Now he take dat pichure an' he turns it. He takes a cleah glass of watah. He takes dat glass of watah an' he looks tuh all fo' cornahs of de house. An' he take dat glass of watah an' he sets it behin' de haid of de bed. An' he turns dat pichure down, an' evah evenin' jes' at sundown, he goes tuh de haid of dat bed an' he'll call 'er jes' as loud as yo' can, jes' as though he wus angry wit 'er - fo' nine days. An' if she ain't dere in nine days den she been carried out tuh de cemetery. (You say you look in the four directions? Then you put that water down. How do you put that photograph over it?) Yo' lay it flat down ovah de top of it, de face of it down right ovah de watah.
Entry 8431
De reason ah know dat, a woman, she tell me dis. Her husban' went away an' leave her an' she want 'im tuh come back home. An' she had a pichure of his'n an' she take a glass of watah an' set it in a dark corner in de house an' turn de pichure down ovah it an' call his name. An' when dem nine mawnin's wuz up, he came home. (Did she just call his name once?) Three times. (How did she call his name?) She call his name three time. (Just that one time when she put that picture over there?) When she put dat watah, de glass of watah in a dark cornah, turn de pichure down ovah it an' she call 'is name three times.
Entry 8432
Take his pichure yo' mean an' make him come back tuh her? Take his pichure an' put a [glass] jar of watah ovah dere lak on de dressah an' put dat pichure ovah dere be- hin' dat watah. An' evah mawnin' befo' de sunrise, fo' nine mawnin's dat chew'd git up an' call dat pichure's name twice, fo' nine mawnin's, an' it would bring 'im back.
(Every morning before the sunrise.)
Befo' de sunrise an' befo' yo' say anything tuh anybody. [A note of mine reads: Woman who had epileptic fit after she Zeft me!]
Entry 8433
Well, she take his pichure an' her pichure, undahstand, if he gone away from 'er. Take a watahglass, set it down, her face an' his'n tuhgethah. (Whose does she put down first?) Put 'er pichure down first, an' his'n on top of 'ers. Dat'll bring 'im back. (Do you put her picture down under water?) See, on top. See, both de faces is face tuh face, an' de glass of watah, an' let it stay right at de haid of 'er baid. An' dat'll make dis man worried. He can't wait till he sees 'er all de time.
Entry 8434
Well, ah hear 'em say, dey takes it [photo] an' turns it up on de head, yo' know, an' gits a glass of watah wit sugah in it. An' dey say dat makes yo' have de blues about 'em.
(I see.)
Entry 8435
Ah heard a lady said dat she knew a frien' dat a woman taken 'er photo- graph, 'cuz she wus mad wit dis woman about 'er own husband. An' she'd taken dis photograph an' taken it tuh a branch, yo' know a marsh place where a li'le watah runs all de time. An' said dey turned dis photograph ovah on de face an' let dis watah run an' run ovah it until all dat - all de person, yo' know, de flesh be, yo' know, cain't see any of 'em, until all of it's gone. An' dey say when dat's gone, say yo'll go on away from here. Gone, she say, "cuz she know a friend of hers says dis woman's taken 'er an' showed what she'd done.
Entry 8436
Jes' lak a photograph [demonstrates with something]. Dat's de breast. Right in de centah of yore heart. Go tuh a mahsh [marsh] an' yo' jes' - jes' lak yo' are on side of de sea down dere. Yo' git dat pitchure an' yo' put it right down dere. Yo' git chew a tenpenny nail....
[Informant has been demonstrating all the while.]
(Wait now, you turn that picture upside down.)
Dis heah is de face [demonstrates].
(I see, turn it over on its face.)
Dat in de centah of de mahsh.
(Right in this marsh.)
An' yo' got dat thing right in de centah. Yo' turn dat pitchure down jes' so. Git chew a tenpenny nail dat ain't nevah been drove an' drive it down dere[demon- strates].
(Drive it through the heart.)
Yes, sir, right through de heart. Git chew some leaves an' covah it. In nine days yo'll be daid.
Entry 8437
Yo' take de photograph when in love an' put it in a basin of watah, an' if it floated on top, yo' an' 'er will be in good love; but if it goes tuh de bottom, she wan' tuh run away from yo' jes' as fer as she kin git. (Now, which is which?) Yo' couldn't git 'er if she goes tuh de bottom, no. See, becuz de watah washin' 'er offa dat pichure, yo' see, washin' 'er photograph 'way from yo'. It nevah will be on dat card atall, it will wash off.
Entry 8438
Lak if yo' 'way an' dey want chew tuh come back. Dey kin take a pitchah of watah an' take dis pichure an' set it be- hin' dis pitchah of watah. An' fo' nine mawnin's befo' sunrise, dey git up an' call yo' three times - call yore name three times. In nine days yo' mo' den apt tuh be back.
Entry 8439
An' den yo' kin again take dis pichure an' put it where runnin' watah run ovah it, an' dis person will jes' have tuh go, can't stay in one place - dey jes' have tuh keep goin'.
Entry 8440
Take dere pichure an' put it intuh runnin' watah, an' dat'll put a person tuh walkin'. Dey cain't stay at a place contented.
Entry 8441
Now, yo' could take a pichure, an' yo' could take it an' throw it in runnin' watah. An' ah don't care where dat person go, dey couldn't stay an' be satisfied. Evahwhere dey go dey wanta wandah.
Entry 8442
They say they kin take yuh pitchure an' throw it in some runnin' watah. An' if yo' be anywhere, yo'd come back home. [This belief is quite possible, but at the moment I am unable to think of a parallel.]
Entry 8443
Git chure [photograph] on a piece of tin [a tintype] an' throw dat ovahbo'd an' dat makes yo' leave. Ah know dat. Ah had it done. If dey take yuh photograph - dat's de reason ah won't take one. Dey jes' take dat in a jar or anything an' throw it ovahbo'd. Two or three days aftah dat, yo' done gone right dere [to the same place and jump into the water].
Entry 8444
An' den dey kin take yuh photograph an' throw it ovahbo'd. Dat will drown yuh. But dey got'a read de 108 Psalm.
Entry 8445
Jes' lak if dey take yore photograph an' throw it ovahbo'd - if yo' mad wit de person an' throw dat photograph ovahbo'd, dat would cuz de person tuh git drowned.
Entry 8446
An' yo' kin take dat picture an' go to a runnin' rivah an' throw dat picture ovah your haid an' don't look back, an' go off, an' it will run 'em crazy.
Entry 8447
Put it in runnin' watah.
(This photograph. What will that do?)
De same, make yo' lose yore mind.
Entry 8449
(What?)
Throw it in runnin' water...
(Throw this photograph in running water? And what will that do?)
That will run you crazy.
Entry 8450
Dey would take dat pichure, dat photograph an' turn it down, an' throw it in runnin' watah. (What will that do?) Yo' would go long as dat pichure was runnin'.
(What do you mean? Would [it] run you away or kill you or what?)
No, it wouldn't kill yo' but yo' be goin'.
Entry 8451
If dey wanta drive yo' 'way outa town or keep yo' goin', dey take yore photograph an' take it tuh anything dat's sealed airtight, an' set it in dat so it float on de watah. An' put it in dere an' tighten it up good, an' turn dat pichure bot- tomsides, upside down. Jes' as long as dat watah runnin' an' dat pichure floatin' yo' continue goin', yo' see. (How do you mean you turn this picture upside down, in this container you mean?) In de containah - lak jes' de glass heah [glass jar for my cigar ashes?]. Dis de glass. Why yo' [demonstrates] turn de pichure upside down dat way, see. Den yo' take it tuh de rivah. Screw it up airtight so de watah can't git in dere, see lak it float on de watah. Anyway so it will float. Jes' as long as dat watah runnin' an' dis in dere, why yo' continue tuh go. If it evah stops, yo' know, it dry up lak, see yo' begin tuh stop. Well, den if de watah come back flowin' again, yo' begin tuh go again.
Entry 8452
Dey kin take yore photograph an' nail it to a board an' put it in an' care it to a rivah an' nail it through yo' two eyes....de nail in 'tween it, an throw it in de rivah or eithah in any runnin' watah, an' it'll run yo' crazy an' run yo' away from dere. Jis' lak if it wuz me an' yo' didn't wanta see me or nuthin...any time yo' git one of mah photographs an' nail it to a bo'd an' nail it through mah two eyes on de bo'd an' throw it in de lak [in there like] bottomside upwards an' 'long as it's in dat runnin' watah den it runs me away an' ah keeps goin' jis' lak a person goin' crazy....
(The face down?)
Yessuh, wit de face down.
Entry 8453
Dey takes dat photograph, lak if dey wants yo' tuh - ah may say run yo' away or maybe sometime have yo' daid or somepin lak dat. Dey take it an' fold it up in a piece of white rag also an' put a zinc [see later] on it an' throw it in runnin' watah, an' dat supposed tuh make yo' mindless. [Zinc = sink = sinker, a lead weight used in fishing.] If dey don't do dat, dey'll take an' bury it on de face. When dey bury it on de face it supposed tuh kill yo'.
Entry 8454
Well, dey tell me, if yo' do any hahm [harm] tuh a woman an' she love yuh in any way, she could take yuh pitchure an' turn it down a certain way. Yo'll have tuh come back [to her] or it run yuh mindless until yo' kin git tuh yuh pitchure or have some root doctor git it. An' [she] have it turned down in run- nin' watah. Jis' turn it right - haid upward, an' yuh foots up an' yuh haid down [downstream] on runnin' watah. She place it [tie it] down dere where it cain't git away, yo' know. She goes down dere evah mawnin' an' look an' take it up an' let it go back down. Evah mawnin' fo' about ah think twenty-two mawnin'. Den aftah dat happen, an' if shoo [you] don' come back tuh 'er, yo' jis' go crazy.
Entry 8455
Dey say yo' take de pichure an' put it in runnin' watah an' dat will run yo' crazy. Put yo' wit de haid down de stream an' de feet upstream, pointin' up. See, yore haid go down which will be in front, an' it will run yo' crazy in nine days.
Entry 8456
Yore photograph is yore pichure. Well, ah've heard dat people have taken yore pichure an' some quicksilvah an' throwed it in watah an' run yo' crazy or make yo' leave home. (Well, what would they do with that quicksilver?) Dey taken an' put it on de pichure [quicksilver here probably tinfoil] an' put it in a li'le sack, an' throw it in a stream of cleah runnin' watah. Jes' lak dis watah's runnin' downstream an' throw it in dat stream of watah, an' turn yo' back on it an' go on back. An' it'll eithah run yo' crazy or make yo' leave home.
(You just spread that quicksilver on the picture? The back of it or?)
On de back of it.
Entry 8457
Dey kin take dis pichure heah an' cut dis pichure half in two an' put it intuh a pint bottle. Don't put nuthin dere but jis' put dat pichure in dat pint bottle an' stop it up airtight. An' go tuh de rivah or any place where de watah's powahful strong an' throw it ovahbo'd. Jis' throw it ovah dere an' dey's gone, dey's gone.
Entry 8458
Yes, ah've heard 'em tell of dat. Lak if yo' got dey pitchure an' yo' wanta git rid of a man, want 'im tuh leave or somepin lak dat, yo' take dis pitchure an' yo' cut it up. Jes' take an' cut it up in fine pieces. Take an' cut it up in a jumple. Well, yo' take an' fix yo' a kinda a li'le sack, kinda lak a woman has fo' change - keeps a li'le money sack about dat long an' it got a zippah on it. Dey take dat pitchure an' dey chip it up fine an' take yo' some salt an' jes' mash it on dere. Sprinkle dat salt intuh dat pitchure. An' den take yo' some sulphuh an' put dat sulphuh intuh it. Den yo' take an' put dis zippah on dere an' tie it up good an' tight. Well, yo' leave home, ah reckin, 'bout twelve aclock, jes' long as it round midnight on a dark, cloudy night. When yo' leave dere, go right straight tuh a stream of strong runnin' watah. An' yo' take dis zippah [sack] whut dis pitchure an' stuff is in, an' yo' take yore pocket han'ke'- chef an' yo' blindfold yo'self. an' den yo' throw it right in dat stream of run- nin' watah. An' dat's de way yo' git rid of 'em.
(That's to get rid of them. That means to run them away, send them away?)
Dat's right, tuh drive 'em outa dere.
Entry 8459
Take dat photograph an' throw it in dat stream where dere running water, it goin' so'th, an' dat will run yo' crazy.
(Runs you crazy. Must the water run south?)
Runnin' so'th, yeah.
(What if it ran north?)
Well, ah haven't heard about dat.
(It must be water running south.)
Entry 8460
Takes 'is pichure an' throw it in a stream of runnin' watah goin' so'th, a deep stream, an' dat'll kill 'im.
Entry 8461
Well, dey say dat if yo' kin git a person pichure, say if it's a woman an' she has not been faithful tuh 'er husban', or if she's, yo' undahstan', goin' wit some othah man, an' he kin take her photograph down tuh some bubblin' spring befo' sun- rise an' stay dere until it's light enough fo' him tuh see de reflection of dat pichure in dat stream, in dat bubblin' stream. Why do dat three diff'ren' mawnin'. An' some says nine diff'ren' mawnin's. Now ah don' know de truth of it. Ah'm jes' tellin' de truth but dat's whut dey say, dat dat woman would event'ly [eventually] turn 'er face back tuh dat man.
(You say you hold that picture over the water?)
Ovah de watah, ovah a bubblin' spring. It gotta be where de spring is, don' chew know. Yo' go befo' sunrise an' stay dere until it's light enough tuh see de reflection of dat pichure in dat stream, yo' see. [This is undoubtedly a divination rite, a part of which informant has forgotten. Any suggestion on my part would have been a suggested answer. What the reflection revealed can be guessed. If the reflection showed a woman, she was faithful to her husband; if a man, unfaithful. The bubblin' spring of course complicated the answer!]
Entry 8462
Ah kin give yuh two practices on dat. Now, dey kin take yure photo- graph, yo' know, what yo' have already gotten yureself, since dat's yo'. Write chure name at de bottom first, write chure name on de top an' tote chew right down tuh any stream of watah dat goes up an' down [tide- water stream], you git tuh a piece of wood [= woods, collection of trees] where dere a tree what de watah comes up on. Yo' know, as it comin' up it looks lak dat [water covers a part of the tree trunk].
(As the tide comes up?)
Dat's right. Turn de haid right down an' take a rusty nail an' nail it right in dere. Don't drive de nail haid in, don't drive de haid in. Jis' drive it enough tuh hold it. Evah time when de tide comes up, why yo' know yo' will jis' be all crazy, evahthing looks funny tuh yuh. An' when de tide's goin' out, why yo'll jis' set in one place - lie down in one place an' sleep all de time. Sleep comes ovah yuh jis' lak dat.
Entry 8463
I've heard people say that people could git chere fortergraph - I think its on de tintype, we call it - an' put it down tuh the lowah watahmark; an' de tide rises ovah that an' comes tuh de high watahmark an' it covahs it. They say [they] can do somepin tuh yuh by that way.
Entry 8464
Now, yo' take some dose people kin git holt of yore photograph an' dey take it an' dey carry it tuh streamin' watah, yo' know, an' put it in streamin' branch watah. Let it run up an' turn round, den dey take it out an' bury it undahneath de do'step, an' dat will kinda worry yo' a li'le bit. (Wait! About this photograph. They put it in a stream of running water and let it go up the stream.) Dat's it.
(Then turn it around and let it go back.)
Float back.
(It goes up with the tide.)
Go up wit de tide an' come back right tuh de tide. Pick it up an' bury it right undahneath yuh do'step anywhere where yo' could walk ovah it.
(They bury it under my doorstep?)
Yes sir.
Entry 8465
They can, yo' know, throw 'em [a photograph] in this run- ning water, or the tidewater as it's going out, an' run yo' crazy.
Entry 8466
A person kin take yuh pitchure an', if dere isn't any watah between yuh an' dat person, dey kin take yuh pitchure an' a piece of dere hair [demon- strates], right from aroun' heah, right in back of de eah [ear], de right eah, an' put it, de face up tuh yuh pitchure, an' wrap it up good an' care [carry] it right in heah, in de bosom nex' tuh de heart. If dey wan' choo tuh love 'em, dey kin do dat.
Entry 8467
They can take your picture an' wear it on their person an' bring them to you.
Entry 8468
Well, dey will get chure photo an' a glassful of whiskey an' turn dat photo upside down [over the glass] an' de person dat de photo b'longs tuh will come. If he's away or wherevah he is, he'll come tuh dat place.
Entry 8469
(Now wait a minute! That's the photograph. What do they do that for?) Well, they do that, they say to keep the ole man or make him come back home. (First they do what with it?) Put it ovah a glass of whis- key an' they lay that ovah there - the photograph ovah that an' then they let it stay ovah there a day an' a night, an' then after that they take it off an' put it on the backside of their bed where they sleep, stand it up on the head - like that.
(That's to bring him back.)
Entry 8470
Now, whut ah've heard about de photograph. Yo' kin take a woman's photograph, if yo' lovin' dat woman an' yo' can't git any love wit her, yo' kin take dat an' weah it in yore pocket an' a bran'-new pocket han'ke'ch'ef. Keep it wrapped up in it an' jes' keep it damp wit a li'le likkah. An' dat woman will go crazy ovah yo' until yo' be's ready tuh quit 'er.
(You keep that pocket handkerchief anointed with liquor?)
A bran'-new one ain't nevah been used.
(Do you have to keep it in your pocket in any particular Way or anything?)
Yes sir, in yore left [the heart] pocket.
Entry 8471
( Get a person's photograph. Yo' kin take that an' use the best of whis- key an' put it in a dark closet. An' yo' kin take their photograph an' turn it bottom upwards. Well, they won't be satisfied till they see the person according tuh the wishes yo'd make. If yo'd wish fer them to stay away, they'll stay; if yo' wish fer 'em tuh come tuh yuh, they'll come.
(What do you do with that whiskey?)
Yo' takes the whiskey an' puts in a glass. Yo' turns the photo bottom upwards over the glass.
(The photo doesn't touch the whiskey at all?)
No.
(I see, it just sets over the glass of whiskey.)
But yo' is standing on your head.
Entry 8472
Now, if I wan'a keep yo' in trouble - kin yo' hear me? [I probably nodded yes.] If I wan'a keep yo' in trouble, I get a glassful of whiskey, half full, and turn you [your photograph] down in [not on] that glass, and put [in] three old brass pen- nies, yo' know. Pennies, yo' know. And let it [photograph] stay upside down in there, and you will be in trouble the balance of yore days. [3 pennies symbolize Three Holy Names or are taken over from payment to grave spirit for graveyard dirt.]
Entry 8473
Dey take alcohol.
(After they got the fingernails.)
After dey got de fingahnails an' aftah yo' take de alcohol, dey put it intuh dis alcohol. All right, den dey go git chure photo, yore pichure. Dey have tuh take yore photo an' dey puts yo' down, standin' down on yore haid. Well, all right, dey takes an' put fo' strings in dat; dat's if a woman wants a man tuh come back tuh 'er. (They put the four strings in what?) Intuh dis pichure. (How do they put them into the picture?) Wal, take a thread, yo' know in de fo' cornahs. Den dey turn it down, turn yuh down on yo' haid, see; an' dey take dis pichure an' dey place it ovah, behin' dis alcohol wheah yo' fingahnails is. See, an' den go tuh de back of de baid an' den dey tie dis string [in each of 4 corners of photo]. Well, dey covah it [photo] up where yo' cain't see it an' den event'ly [eventually], yo' come.
(This man is supposed to come home?)
Yeah.
Entry 8474
When yo' call a person's spirit, twelve 'clock at night, yo' draws on a person.
(Draw her picture?)
Draw his pichure. Git 'is name an' address. Yo' set [in] a dark room by yo'- self. Yo' take a sheet an' put it ovah yo' haid, wit chure eyes out so yo' kin see. Yo' set a li'le bit of whiskey in a glass [to draw his spirit back, spirits lov- ing whiskey, see ALCOHOL FOR an' yo' gotta memorize de person name, an' yo' call 'is name three times. Durin' de time yo's callin' 'is name, take a needle wit chure lef' han' an' punch nine holes in it. (Nine holes in what?) Nine holes in de pichure, in de form what chew draws. An' when yo' done cut de nine holes in it an' yo' watch de pichure an' blow on it. An' durin' de time aftah yo' done blowin' on it, an' if yo' hit it again tuh [do something] den chew light yo' lamp. Aftah dat, den yo' set a match tuh it. See what side she [match] bendin'; if she bend going, if she bend comin' back. She'll [match will] fall back in yuh hands. If she [match] bend goin', goin' de direc- tion she [or hel was [had departedl. she'll [match'll] fall dat way; an' if she [match leans to] dis side, she'll fall dat side; an' if she's [woman's] comin' back, she'll [match'll] fall right up in de woman form. [She] come right on back tuh you. [Informant alternating the sexes is confusing.] An' durin' de time dat dey bring 'er back, yo' git up an' yo' take yo' dishrag an' wring it ovah de do' an' call 'er name. Dat's cases if she gone an' leave yo'. If she gone an' leave yuh, if she leave any she [not her] clothes in dere lak a dress or pettycoat, lak dat, jes' take an' ball it up an' put it 'neat' chure pillah an' she will come back less dan three day's time, if she's able tuh, if she's in de city.
(That's to bring the woman back. You are calling her spirit back that way.)
Yes sir.
Entry 8475
Say yo' takes 'er pichure. Yo' goes an' git a gun an' regardless tuh who she is or how much money she got, if yo' loved 'er, git 'er photograph an' turns 'er photograph on de desk, layin' de photograph an' call 'it 'er pichure, an' mark it wit a "X' - a cross, 'X'. Take an' folds it up in a piece of news- pahah an' put it in yore shoes. Hoids up de linin' of yore shoes an' put it in dere, an' turns de haid of 'er pichure down tuh de ground an' tuhward de back of yore heel. Weah it three days an' take it an' delivah it out. An' pertends [pretends] yo' drinkin' whiskey, two glasses. Drink yores an' name hers wit de pichure ovah it. An' let it stay dere fo' three days an' she'll return tuh yo'.
(After you wear this in your shoe, you take it, the third day, and then you?)
Put it in two drinks of likkah, put it in two separate glasses. Fulls [fill] de glasses up each, an' drink one. An' put de othah one back an' name it wit de pichure in it, ovah de glass wit de face down tuh whiskey.
Entry 8476
(Or sometimes they say they get hold of your photograph. [I am repeat- ing informant's preceding statement unrecorded.] What do they say about that?) Oh, yes sir. Well, I heah dem say, I don't know whethah it is true, but I tell yo' what I heard dem say. Say dey kin take yer photograph an' turn it like dis [demonstrates]. Here photograph, dey turn dat down.
(Oh, they turn it down.)
Yes, dey turn dat down lak dat.
(Well, what does that do?)
An' make a wish on it. Dey say dat will carry yo' away, run yo' away.
(I see, run you away.)
Entry 8477
I have heard they take your photograph and get the hair out of your head, and wish anything would happen to that image, and attach that hair onto your pic- ture, and that wish will come true.
Entry 8478
Ah heard dey could take dat chew know. (This photograph.) Take dat an' make a wish three times an' bury it on de face an' de loved one will return. [Waycross, Ga.,
(1126), 1831:8.]
[The second section Of division THE THREE GREAT SUBSTITUTES FOR HUMAN BODY (the first section PHOTOGRAPH, p.3419f.) contains a goodly' number of rites, considering the fact that hundreds of examples have already been given in the text, and that more will follow this present section. Such imbalance occurs because names normally are merely a part of a larger or more important rite.]
Entry 8479
Well, you open that banana - you see, not far enough for it to be shown - and write that name and put it in, and put it up overhead and the apple too. That will keep them right there with you, just like that urine. That is supposed to make them care for you. [While recording Was stopped I asked informant about the 9 times previously mentioned.] You write the name nine times on the paper, yes sir, and put it in the hole, stick in the hole in the apple or orange or banana; just fix it up, you know, so it won't be laid open. Then you wrap it up into somepin. And then you put it up overhead, anywhere high. When you wrap it, you wrap to you like this [demon- strates] and put it up overhead where they pass by. [Wrapping, as here, is often a magic rite - see later margin title WRAPPING.]
Entry 8480
They say you can take that spittle [= spit] and take some sage, green sage, and mix that with it, and write the names of the Twelve Apostles on that sage [12 sage leaves]. And you mix it with it [spit with leaves] and then take that and hide it under a doorstep. Put it under a doorstep where it'll be covered, where it can't be seen. And that individual will begin to pine away and finally go into consumption [tuberculosis].
Entry 8481
Dey kin walk backwards an' call a person name, an' if dey continue tuh do dat fo' a certain many days, dat'll run yo' crazy.
Entry 8482
Jes' lak yo' were enemies tuhgethah, sompin lak dat, an' yo' wanted dem tuh go, why den yo' go ahaid an' take dere name. Take dere name - jes' lak ah'm enemies ag'inst yo' - take dere name an' write it nine times. An' wrap it up in a piece of papah wit de bird aigs an' put it in de bird nest. An' den dat'll make dem, yo' know, go wild; have a wild mind, a goin' mind tuh go. Dey won' be satisfied nowhere dey go.
Entry 8483
Take de black bottle an' set it 'hin' de baid, dat's whut ah heard, an' dey said tuh write chure name on dat bottle nine times. An' let de bottle stay 'hun' [behind] de baid fo' nine mawnin's, an' den yo'll come back home. Dat's if yore gone, see. (How do you write the name on that bottle?) Yo' write de name goin' dis Way [demonstrates] fo' nine times, den yo' turn dat roun' an' yo' write it comin' back 'cross dat way [demonstrates]. See, dat's de way yo' should write it.
(You mean you write it on the glass?)
[I knew the name was not written on the glass, but I needed an explanation without suggesting it.] Take a piece of papah an' write it on dat, put it around dat.
(Put this paper around the bottle.)
Yessuh, around de bottle, an' write de name dis way nine times an' den write it back dis way nine times. [After first name is written forwards, turn the paper upside down and write second name beneath first. This is called writing backwards, or forwards and backwards, or back and forth.]
Entry 8484
Ah say yo' could take him an' write him [his name on a piece of paper] an' put 'im in one of these black wine bottles; his name and some steel dust an' some golden powder, washing powder. Take an' throw him [bottled] in de rivah. (Any kind of washing powder in black bottle?) An' that makes 'im go on a drag. [Black bottle in New Or- leans before Prohibition] and World War I was always the French dark-green-glass wine bottle. These bot- tles, become scarce after Prohibition, introduced the dark bottle, usually a brown beer bottle. Though informant does not name the golden washing powder, I am sure the formerly well-known Gold Dust Twins was meant.]
Entry 8485
Well, dey says dat dey kin git chure blood an' write chure name, an' evah whut dey wanta do tuh yuh, write dat wit yore blood. Say, if dey want chew tuh go crazy, say yo'll go crazy; an' if dey want chew tuh leave town, yo'll leave town. If dey want chew tuh stay right dere wit dem - evah whut dey want chew tuh do, why dey write dat aftah dey write chure name an' yo'll stay right dere; but chew gotta take dat, aftah yo' write it, an' put it in a secret place where cain't nobody put dere hands on it but chew.