Browse:THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF (Volume 4, entries 5206–8881)/Part 6
THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF
Volume 4, entries 5206–8881. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 5606
An' yo' kin take dat track an' yo' kin take it an' bury it. Bury it undah de jamb of a fence; lak dey'd put a rail fence, jis' put it right uud. 'i one dem jambs. Yo' bury it dere. Well, s'long [so long] as it stay dere dat person'ull [person will] jis' commence tuh pin'in' [pine + ing] away. Yo'll commence tuh pin'in' away. An' de track dat cheW gOt, DAT'LL MAKE DAT FEET EAT OUT RIGHT IN DAT HOLLAH an' DAT 'CASION [OCCASION] YO' DEN TUH SOON BE DEAD. An' a PerSOn won't know whut de cuz of it, yo' see. [I do not know the exact meaning of, jamb of a zigzag rail fence. It could be the place where rails overlap one another, or where the fence is braced with leanto posts, or a right-angle corner where extra bracing was required. See following margin title for further details.]
Entry 5607
An' ag'in dey could take yore lef'-foot track - down at de bottom of it, right in hollah of it - an' dey could take dat an' carry it tuh nine fence cornah, rail fence. (To nine corners where the rail fences meet.) [For this hazy comment, see later.] Dat's right an' dey could take it an' put dat in dere an' dey could run yo' 'way den. (Now wait a minute! They [I pick up informant's dey] dirt and then you put it in one rail fence corner, then you go to another rail fence corner. Do you mean the fence corners where this rail fences goes like that? [I demonstrate, probably by interlocking my fingers without bending them - looking like a row of X's.] You put it in one right after the other in nine of these poles - where these rails meet like that, at right angles? [The angles are much wider than 90°.] What will that do to you?) Dat's right. Dat will run yo' away. [Back before World War I the old pioneer rail fence that snaked or zigzagged along the ground (see ILLUSTRATIONS) had just about disappeared in my part of the country in Illinois and across the Mississippi in Missouri. Twice rail fence is mentioned in FACI, 1st ed., Nos.589 and 7422. Rail fence also occurs several times in Hoodoo, including the margin title preceding this one. Nine corners I interpret as 9 consecutive zigs and zags of the fence, though informant appears to indicate 1 place, not 9 places. Perhaps parallel beliefs found elsewhere will solve the problem.]
Entry 5608
Take up yore tracks yo' see, yore lef' track. Takeit up an' yo' goin' - see, jis' lak yo' spotted a person goin' dat way, pick up yore track an' dress dat track, an' dat'll keep yo' goin'.
(How do they dress that track?)
Well, dey dress it wit powdah - yo' see, dis snake powdah dat ah started tuh tell yo' 'bout awhile ago. Snake powdah. Dey call it rattlesnake powdah. It come already compounded yo' see an' fixed up. Dey git some of dat yo' see an' put it in dere. An' pick up yore track an' put yore track intuh a hollow tree. Jis' lak a tree got two forks [trunk of tree branches into one fork], yo' see, it's got'a hollah in de middle of it. An' let dat stay dere fo' 13 days. See, an' dat'll keep yo' goin'. If yo' don't fin' somebody fo' yo'self, fine'ly [finally], evently [eventually] hit'll run yo' crazy. It be bu'stin' headache yo' see, keeps yo' worried all de time.
(Well, after 13 days what do you do with that track then?)
Well, dey take it den outa dere. See, dey has it in somepin, wrapped up in somepin lak a rag. Dey take dat outa dere den an' carry it tuh de watah, see an' throw it ovah de lef' shouldah in de water. Well, see dat'll keep yo' goin' an' jis' keep yore mind jis' flusterated, jis' lak yo' cain't stay in no one place long, yo' jis' worried tuh death all de time.
(Where do you get this rattlesnake dust? Do you buy it some place?)
No sir, see if yo' ketch a rattlesnake, yo' kin take an' skin 'im an' parch 'in up. Parch 'im, bake him lak yo' bake anything, an' yo' make a powdah of dat.
Entry 5609
Ah know dis happened in Tampa. Take dis foot track of a person dat chew disliked. An' yo' kin git it an' yo' kin put it intuh a piece of red flan- nel. An' yo' kin carry it tuh a rivah of runnin' watah, an' throw it ovah yore lef'- han' shouldah an' say, "Go," an' make a curse word. An' dat person shall leave.
(You get what track?)
De left one, always de left if dey do anything.
(Why always the left?)
Don't know why de lef' but dey says de lef'.
Entry 5610
Dey could sprinkle cayenne peppah in de foot track.
(What would that do?)
Dat would have 'em a tendency to roam - a tendency to roam away from de place where dey were.
(I see. If someone sprinkled cayenne pepper in my foot track, I would roam.) Yes, sir.
Entry 5611
Yo' kin take up a person track an' put it in a bag, an' put red peppah in dere on yore track, an' dat'll make yo' lose yore mind, almos' run yo' crazy.
Entry 5612
Well, yo' take, if yo' have someone roun joo an' yo' don' wan' 'em aroun' joo, yo' kin take sulphur an' red peppah an' place it in de bottom of dere shoes, shoe track. [Informant should have put shoe track after an' following red peppah - 3 ingredients.] Jis' lak dey step on de soil down dere, jis' take some of dat soil, mix dat all up tuhgethah. Put dat in de bottom of dey shoe, dat will run 'em out.
(Whose shoe do you put that in?)
Put dat in de person dat chew wan' tuh leave.
(You mean in their shoe?)
In de one yo' wan's tuh leave.
(Put some of their own foot track in there?)
Yes, put some of deres - jis' lak if ah want chew to leave, see. Ah'd git soevhere yo'd been steppin', right 'long where yo's been goin'. Wouldn't git it where yo' comin' towards de house, git it as yo' goin' 'way from de house. Mix dat up togethah an' place it in dere shoes, see, ovahnight. De nex' mawnin' [I interrupt].
(Do you put it in both shoes or just one shoe?)
Jis' one shoe.
(And out of what foot track do you get this dirt?)
Out of the left track.
Entry 5613
[he pick up her track] an' put nine seeds of red peppah in it, if he Want de woman. Put nine seeds in dere an' sew it up in a little yarn rag, an tote.it in 'is pocket. Dat's de way he'll keep de woman. (Get that dirt out of her track - either track?) Either track, yessuh.
Entry 5614
Ah hear of 'em usin' red peppah an' stuff lak dat yo' know. [They] says dey mix it in dere track. An' says dey go an' dey take de track from yo' an' - start at de heel an' go tuh de toe, an' put it in runnin' watah. Say dey'll keep awalkin'. Nevah come back. (In other words you would get some of the dirt out of my foot track as I was walking away. You take it from the heel to the toe, and you mix it with red peppah and throw that into running water. That will keep me walking. Do you take either track?) It don't make any diff'rence.
Entry 5615
Well, yo' take de red peppah an' git dis track of de woman undah de hollah of 'er foot. Den yo' wrap dis dirt up in de peppah tuhgethah wit a lit- tle - in a rag, an' yo' go tuh runnin' watah an throw it intuh de watah an' don't look back. An' when it go on away, dis woman will go away an' won' bothah yore husban', fo' ah have tried dat fo' mahself.
(You just use the foot track - either one?)
De foot track, either one.
Entry 5616
They dit up the whole left-foot track and put it in a bottle. Take it and throw it in the river. They can put a little water in or a little cayenne pepper, if you want, make a wish, throw it in the river - and throw it away. You wish them to stand still or to drown, you wish them good or wish them bad, anything you want to.
Entry 5617
Take a fellah's track. Git right 'long behin' 'im an' take his track, if he be walkin', movin'. Yo' know right whilst he's movin', git 'is track from right behin' 'im. An' dey say dey'll take dat track den an' dey'll go git some black peppah, red peppah, turpentine, Sloan Linament - anything real hot whut'll burn yo' know. Says dey'll put it in dis track den an' dey'll take it den an' go tuh a runnin' stream of watah. Dey'll stan' wit dere lef' shouldah tuh dis stream of watah, an' dey'll throw it ovah de lef' shouldah an' den dey'll walk away. Well, dey say den dat track as it floats down de stream, say dat'll take, carry yo' on off - will run yo' away from home, jis' make yo' go on where- evah dat goes. Yo' jis' go on off till yo' die.
(How many tracks of mine do they take - or just one?)
Jis' takes one track - eithah one.
Entry 5618
Take dere tracks an' take a pinch, three pinches an' git chew nine grains of red peppah an' nine grains of black peppah an' nine peas of black- eyed peas, an' put it in a bottle an' throw it ovahbo'd, an' don' look back. Says she'll 'peah [appear] 'way from dere. (Here's the track like that. You take three pinches out of that track - either track, the right track or theleft?) De right track.
Entry 5619
Carry away yo' tracks - if he git chore foot track to hur' chew, take it up an' turn yo' toes back to yo' heels an' bury it. He'd make yo' sick. But if he'd take it from yo' toes back to yo' heels an' don' do nuthin wit it, an' yo' could nevah feel sick de fus' [first] time, take an' take yo' some salt, table salt, sprinkle it down in yo' yard an' call dat person name, if yo' kin. Squash it. He can't do no harm den.
Entry 5620
Jis' lak yo' has a enemy an' yo' an' 'im, yo' might say, call it to be a frien'ship. Well, now, jis' lak if dis wuz mah home. Yo' live so-an'-so. Well, yo' visit me. Well, if ah'm ti'ed [tired] of yo', yo' undahstan', yo' [I] kin take sech a thing as cookin' salt an' drop it inside 'is [your] heel track an' covah it. Yo' [I] won' have no more trouble wit 'im [you].
(Just part of any of his foot track?)
Yeah, eithah one his foot track. Jis' lak he step, jis' a little salt an' put it inside his heels or yore foot track. Keep 'im 'way from dere altogethah.
Entry 5621
Dey say if yo' goin' anywhere an' a person don' wan' choo dere, an' yo' leave, dey walks right back out on yore foot track; an' take de firs' two track, an' takes up one han'- ful of dirt from de lef' an' den throw some salt in de right one. Dey take de sand [from left track] on back to de house wit 'em an' put it in a bag: an' keep dat. An' dey say yo' can't come back to de house no more.
Entry 5622
Take up dere track an' put it in [put in it] some salt, cookin' salt, an' throw it in de runnin' watah - lak a rivah yo' know. Throw it in de runnin' - be sure an' throw it in de runnin' watah an' dat will run yo' 'way from yo' home.
Entry 5623
If yo' be walkin' down de dust [dusty road or field], well dey kin pull dat track back [from toes to heel] an' take up some of dat dust. An' take an' put salt in it. An' take it to de rivah an' throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah into de watah. An' dat'll run 'em.
Entry 5624
Dey git de dirt outa yo' track an' put salt in wit dat, an' go tuh rnnin' watah an' throw it ovahbo'd, an' yo'll move an' can't he'p yo'self. Dat uhut dey tell me. Said dey could run 'em wild - dat whut dey tell me - wit it. Said dey take dat an' tie it up in a new cloth, an' go tuh runnin' watah, throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah an' make a wish, say, "Go 'way." Yo' mind will go, sompin lak dat. (That track you got up thefirst time, you get it from the toe to the heel?) Uh-huh, an' yo' walk tuh de runnin' watah. An' put salt in it an' walk tuh de runnin' watah, an' throw it ovah yo' lef' shouldah an' don't look back, an' make yore wish an' leave on away. An' don' have nuthin tuh say.
Entry 5625
Take de dirt from undah a person's right feet an' put it in a rag, an' put red peppah an' salt intuh it an' put it in runnin' watah. Dat will cuz a person tuh bust - goes mos' anywhere yo' wan' 'em tuh go.
(That will send him away.)
Entry 5626
Pick up de lef' foot jis' in de centah, in de middle of de track, an' put it into a bag. An' put a little salt, a little [red] peppah an' throw it into de rivah. An' dey say dat will do yo~ harm - make yo' go away, don' chew know, run yo' outa town sompin lak dat.
Entry 5627
Yo' kin take a person track an' take red peppah an' salt an' put it in a halfa pint bottle, an' chunk it in runnin' watah de way yo' wan' de person tuh go an' dey'll leave. Dey won' evah come back.
Entry 5628
Take de foot tracks up an' put dat in abottle of water, an' put some cayenne peppah an' salt an' steel dust, an' throw it inde rivah. Dat will make yo' drift. Track of de left foot.
Entry 5629
Take dey track.
(Either track?)
No sir, de track outa de right foot. Take it up from yo', put it in a jah [jar]. Put chew some salt an' red peppah wit dat, stop it up tight. Go down tuh de rivah when de tide's goin' out an' stan' wit chure back lak dis [demon- stratesl, an' pitch it ovah yure lef' shouldah an' call dat person name. An' dey'll leave out jis' lak dat - dat bottle go down wit de ebb tide.
Entry 5630
Well, yo' take dat foot track goin' dis way an' - yo' take it goin' - an' den yo'. take it comin', see. Well, aftah yo' take dat track - gits both tracks - see, yo' git one goin' an' de othah one comin'. Yo' gits a piece of Lowe's, bran'-new Lowe's cloth. It's thick stuff whut dey make sacks outa, cotton sacks.
(What they call Louis?) [Lowe's.]
Yessuh. Yo' git a piece of Lowe's an' yo' sew it up [into a bag]. An' yo' go git chew a box of table salt. Yo' git chew a box of cayenne peppah. An' take dat track an' yo' compounds all dat up tuhgethah an' yo' put in dere [small bag nade from new Lowe's cloth] an' [put] dat [Lowe's-cloth bag into a bag of] red flannen. [A bag of any material holding the ingredients of a hand is often en- closed within red flannel for added power.] An' yo' goes tuh de rivah an' yo' turn backward dis way [demonstrates] an' chunk it ovah in de rivah. See, lak dat, ovah yore lef' shouldah.
(What will that do?)
Dat will run 'em away.
Entry 5631
Well, dey gits up de foot track an' dey prepare dat up an' tote it. We use red peppah an' black peppah - sech as dat. We sprinkle dat down an' we salt it. Salt is sup- posed tuh save things. We use salt wit de idea in view of de savin' powdah by dat. We put de salt in dere tuh save it. As long as de salt holds it strength, we got holt of de undahtakin' at de time. SALT IS A GREAT IHING BUT LOTTA PEOPLE DON'T KNOW IT.
(Just what do you do with that track now?)
Well, We takes dat track - IT'S NOT BUT A VERY FEW PEOPLE IN DIS DAY'S TIME HANTS TUH KILL A PERSON, BUT DEY WANTS DEM TUH COME UNDAH DERE CONTROL AN' HOLI "EM, Yo' KNOW. When dey do dis, so den dey use dese means.
[Informant, professional worker, starts another rite.]
Put DUST IN YORE SHOES. PREPARE IT WIT THREE DIFFREN THINGS. An' dey uSe dat tuh sprinkle dat in yore shoes. Dere certain things yo' kin do tuh pertect yo'. Yo' kin walk ovah any kind whatsomevah it is. It melt away. Why.all yo' would do - use salt, nine drops of vinegah.
(How would they use that?)
Weah three needles in yore cap or hatband or whatsomevah yo' gwine tuh do. Stick it - conceal it away.
(What did you do with that salt and vinegar?)
Well we take de salt an' vinegar an' drop nine drops in each shoe. Jis' put a little pinch of salt in dis shoe an' one in dis one, an' we walk anywhere we vanta go.
(You can walk over anything?)
Walk ovah anything a man kin put down.
Entry 5632
Ah heard a ole man say if yo' had a bad enemy, ah mean neighbor an' he come tuh be a enemy, he said, dat yo' could take his track. Take a track of 'is. An' he said yo' could take some black peppah an dis pulverize - yo' know yo' take peppah an' make it outa tobacco [pepper out of tobacco equals snuff]. An' he said yo' git some of dat [also] an' tie up 'is track. Tie it up good in a rag. An' take dat rag an' dey said tie it aroun' dere good an' tight. An' den take a stick an' put it down in de watah - runnin' watah. An' he said, when yo' do dat - an' leave it dere In de Name of de Lawd. An' fix it so it will be weighted down an' watah run ovah it. DEY GOIN' DOWN DAID. Now, dat's whut ah heard about it - a enemy.
(They put black pepper with that?)
Scuse me. Dey put black peppah an' salt, a tablespoonful, an' dey take de red peppah already ground an' put it.
(Cayenne pepper?)
Yessuh. An' put it in dere. An' den aftah yo' do dat, po' de salt all ovah dat, an' take an' tie it up In de Name of de Lawd. An' put nine knots in dis rag. An' den aftah yo' put dose nine knots, yo' take an' drive down de rag through a stick - drive through de rag de stick to hold it down dere. Den yo' lay a rock or somepin ovah it an' let de watah run ovah it. An' dat'll make 'em move from dat place. Dat's whut ah heard.
Entry 5633
If someone gone away an' dey wuz persuaded away by some person dat's tryin' to do yo' harm in de family or somepin of de kin', an' dey git dis person out an' tell 'em to leave home, ah wouldn't stay dere; an' den, yo' 'see, dey're tryin' to do yo' harm. Dey would git dis person off, an' den dey would give 'em somepin to keep 'em away from yo'. Ah've heard dat.
(What do they give them?)
Dey say dey would fix up somepin in dere food, some kin', lak women have, an' put it in dere food. An' den to bring 'em back, a lady tol' me dis, she wuz a ole lady, she's daid now, she tol' me dis to bring 'em back. She said if yo' wan' 'em, desire dem back home an' couldn't git 'em back, said if dey did come to see yo', if dey happen to come to see yo', yo' git some salt an' red peppah an' some sulphur, an' sprinkle it in dere tracks when dey leave ag'in, so dey come back ag'in dey wouldn't go back any mo'. If dey leavin', dat'll bring 'em back.
Entry 5634
Dey say yo' kin take dere track an' put it wit some salt an' [red] peppah an' sulphur an' put it in a bottle, an' go to runnin' watah an' throw it in backwards, an' tell de person - call dere name - tell dem to go jis' lak dat track go down dere, down de rivah. An' long as dat watah runnin' carr'in' dat track, why dat person always wundahin' [wandering] roun' an' goin'.
(You use the dirt out of either foot?)
Either one.
Entry 5635
About de track, ah know about de track. De' [dey = they] takes nine pods of red peppah an' de' take nine pinches of sulphur. De' take nine pinches of salt an' git dat track, de right-foot track, when dey're leavin' home. An' mix all dat togethah. Ah seen 'em do it, mix all dat togethah yo' know. An' dey take it an' box it up, an' dey chunk it in de rivah. Den dey'll go. In nine days dey'll leave town an' nevah come back.
Entry 5636
When a person, yo' know, jis' walkin' along, an' dey could take sulphur an' salts an' spirits of turpentine an' mix it tuhgethah an' cuz yo' tuh have a foolish min'. [Spirits of turpentine is used occasionally instead of turpentine, the addi- tion of spirits giving to turpentine a spirit or other-world quality. An inform- ant somewhere in Hoodoo explains the spiritual essence of turpentine.] (Well, what do they do with that stuff after they get it? What do they do with that?) Takes it an' mix it tuhgethah an' as yo'd walk along, see dey po's dat in yore track as yo' go 'long. A certain numbah of tracks yo' know. Ah 'spect [suspect] yo' have tuh put it in de tracks, nine tracks nine mawnin's. An' dat vill cuz yo' tuh go crazy.
(This mixture, they just slip it into these tracks?)
Yes.
Entry 5637
Well, dey say dat if a person - if dey git de foot track right at de do'step, see. When dey git de foot track right at dis step right aftah dey Walked in an' out, dey could take some out of it an' put it in sompin an' put some salt, peppah, black peppah, two or three drops of vinegah, an' bury it up undah de back steps. Says, dey von' come back any mo'.
Entry 5638
Yore left track - if yo' goin' down 'er steps, she could rake yore left track to her an' jis' mix a little sugah an' salt wit it, an' yo' jis' keep yore min' on 'er all de time. (What would she do with that track?) Heah it, Weah it in a little bag, an' dat jis' keep yore min'.
Entry 5639
Dey go to work an' if dey git yo' an' if dey're goin' to hahm [harm] yo' dey take yore tracks an' bury on to dere steps. Well, now listen, dey put some saltpetah in yore tracks. See, now dat'll hahm yo'. If dey take yore tracks up from any- where dey'll hahm yo' if dey put saltpetah in it. [Somewhere either before recording began or along in here while recording machine stopped, informant mentions 5 foot tracks or footprints. I missed a notation at the time but will soon mention them.]
(On your own steps?)
Yes, on yore own steps.
(Yes, I see. On my own steps?)
On yore own steps.
(That is, five footprints of dirt on my own steps? Either foot track?)
Eithah foot, it don' make any diffrence.
Entry 5640
Well, yo' kin take de dirt up out dere foot track. Yo' take dat up m' put it in a cloth an' den dey take salt an' [red] peppah, an' it's eithah Samson [snake root] or blacksnake root. Yo' take dat up an' put it all togethah, an' den wrap dat up, see an' dey bury dat. Put it in a bottle an' stop it up right airtight, an' dey bury dat. Dat'll make yo' stay.
Entry 5641
Ah heard 'em say yo' could take some dirt out right in de bottom, right in de palm of de lef' feet, choo know. Take it an' put it in a bag an' fix yo' so yo' couldn't walk. Yo' jis' weah it in de bottom of yo' shoe.
Entry 5642
[This is a job-stealing rite! There are a number of them in Hoodoo. To obtain a job is an important rite in hoodoo thought.] Fo' instance, yo'd walk on out dere lak yo' attah [after] quittin' a job, a feller not wantin' a job. All right, yo' could take a shovel an' pick dis [other feller's] track up, de right track, an turn it roun'. An' den de nex' mawnin' yo' kin go dere an' ast dis man fo' de [other man's] job. See? Go dere fo' - well, 'bout three mawnin's, somepin lak dat. But on de third mawnin' yo' go, de man [boss] will give yo' de job. (He would take my job away from me and give it to you, if you turned my foot track around?) Yes.
(But you must get my foot track while I am going to the job?)
Dere yo' are [exactly]. Yore right foot track whilst yo' goin' to de job.
Entry 5643
Ah learnt dat if yo' wants tuh drive a person away wit dere track, git 'em - jis' like yo' see a person walkin' up de street, de firs' track he put down, keep yore eyes on 'em an' go an' pick de firs' track up. Git chew a siftah whut have nevah been used befo' an' sift it through dat. Take it in yore home an' at mawnin', jis' as early as yo' possibly kin git up, jis' take it an' walk out an' look right straight up, an' throw part of it to de east an' part to de no'th, part to de s'uth an' part to de west. Dat will keep 'im goin'.
(Sending you away with your track.)
Entry 5644
Take de foot tracks out from behin' somebody as dey be walkin' along, don' let 'em see yo'.
(Foot tracks?)
Both tracks, dat he [you] wanted to run away. An' take it to de rivah an' de early part of de mawnin', when yo' firs' wake up befo' yo' speak to anybody an' throw it in de rivah ovah yore lef' shoul- dah. An' walk away an' nevah look back at it an' dat'll run 'im away.
Entry 5645
Ah heard dat when dey take up yore foot track, yo' tie it up in a silk rag an' throws it in runnin' watah; run a man from his home or a lady. (Put it in silk rag - just wrap it up in there, and you must throw it in water running north?) De watah runnin' no'th... [I turned off recording machine too soon to catch the final words watah runnin' no'th, because informant was slow in adding them. This sudden addition is quite common while interviewing. That is why I comment or ask question hoping informant will repeat. Sometimes he does, other times he does not.]
Entry 5646
Dey kin go an' see yore track an' begin at de toe an' pick it up completely to de heel, right undah de middle. Don't let any of it fall off, evah bit of it. An' put it in a silk piece of cloth, a piece of silk ole or new. Don't make [no difference] jis' so long as it's silk. An' go to de rivah, drop in de middle of dat rivah. Don't say a word but jis' make yore wish, jis' like yo' say, "Go, yo' devil! Yo' go!" Turn yore back de moment yo' drop it an' don't look back. Come on away an' dey'll go.
Entry 5647
If yo' wan'a make love yo' take his right - if he's comin' towards yo', take de dirt out 'is right foot track when he comin' towards yo'. Put it in a bag wit sugah an' spice in dere, an': sleep wit it undah yore haid, undah yore mattress undah yore hair where yo' lies.
Entry 5648
If yo' have somebody nex' do' tuh yo' an' yo' wanted 'em tuh move. An' dey wuz 'sturbin' de neighborhood, yo' know, an' yo' wanted 'em tuh move. Why yo' jis' take some of de dirt outa dere right foot, an' put it in a snuffbox an' carry it tuh de rivah. An' throw it intuh de rivah 'not look back an' go on home. Dey'd move. [Waycross, Ga., (1121), 1802:5.] ap'
Entry 5649
Git dere foot track an' put it into a snuffbox an' put it ovah de do' an' drive dem.
(What do you mean driving?)
Dat drivin' yo' 'way from home.
Entry 5650
Well, ah'll tell yuh whut dey do. Dey takes dere track an' den dey pats some kinda stuff wit it, see. An' dey take dat track an' den dey take it an' dey'll throw it eithah ovahbo'd or dey buries it, see. Or dey put it in a dirty sock an' dey'll bury it, see. An' dat will prohibit yuh from goin' if yuh vanta go some place.
(Keep you from going where?)
Wherevah yuh wanta go. Jis' like providin' if yuh got somebody an' dey love yuh, see. An' dey kin prevent yuh from goin', why dey takes dat track, see. An' dey'll fix it an' dey bury it. An' dat will keep yuh from goin' away.
(What sort of powder did they put in that track, did you say?)
Dey puts some ingredients in it, see.
(What do they put in it?)
Dey puts spice, sugar, or salt, eithah one, an' dey bury it.
Entry 5651
Jis' lak de husban' er [or] somebody, he lvin' wit 'em an' leave 'em, an' dey wan' im tuh come back. Dey'll git de footprint, start at de haid, zhoo know, at de toe, an' pull it back tords de heel - de lef', de lef' always. An' Said [say to the dirt], "Yo' lef' me, but choo're comin' back." Yo' take dat [dirt] an' git a pair dere ole socks, if yo' have 'em, an' put it in dat [left sock] an' bur' [bury] at chore doah, an' dey'll be supposed tuh come back.
Entry 5652
Like dat yo' git mad wid a fellah like dat, yo' ketch 'im goin'. Ah think he mus' be goin' east, yeah. An' yo' gits nine pinches outa his right track, dey tells me, an' yo' takes it an' yo' puts it in a bottle or anything an' stop it up. An' yo' spit in it nine mawnin's. An' de en' de nine mawnin's so' carry it down to de rivah, see, an' throw it ovahbo'd. An' tell me dey'll go away from home an' won't nevah come back no mo'.
Entry 5653
Dey kin take yore foot track up. Jis' go out an' jis' lak yo' stan' in de sand, take it up wit a silvah spoon. Jis' take it up real lightly an put it in a bottle, an' stop it up an' throw it in runnin' watah an' it will carry yo' away.
(Either track?)
No suh, have tuh be yore lef' track.
Entry 5654
Dey take yore foot track up in a spoon an' put it in a sack an' den throw it ovahbo'd. Dat will hahm [harm] yo'.
(What will that do to me?)
Dat will drown yo'.
(Which track do they take up?)
Take up de lef' feet.
Entry 5655
Yes, take up yore track. Sho' [sure] take up yore track an' carry it to de rivah an' put it down 'side de rivahside an' yo' will leave. (How would I put it down beside the river? How do you mean put it down?) Take a stick or a spoon an' git de dirt from de hollah of de foot an' carry it tuh dat rivah. Yo' couldn't stay dere. Yo' lay it down side of de rivah bank, jis' on de dirt.
(Do you take either track or both of them?)
Only de right foot track.
Entry 5656
Ah heard dat chew have tuh take nine spoonfuls of dirt outa dis per- son's track as dey go 'way from de house. Jis' go 'long an' take nine tracks of dey tracks, nine of dey tracks, yo' know, jis' lake one, two, three - nine. Git nine pinches of dirt outa each one dose tracks, dey said, an' bottle it up an' dey nevah would come back any mo'. (You get nine pinches out of these nine tracks or you get nine spoonsfuls. Which do you get?) Dey said nine spoonfuls.
(You take nine tracks, one right after the other.)
Yes sir, de way dey goin' from de house.
Entry 5657
Yah suh, dey - someone has tole me dat if dey git aholt of yo' foot track, an' dey put it in a bottle, an' dey puts six needles, six pins an' six ole rusty nails, six new gold- eye needles, six pins dat nevah did been used an' six rusty nails [mistakenly repeated] - an' den dey take it an' put it in a forked stick like dat [demonstrates], see. An' dey ties dose togethah an' dey put it to de foot of de steps, see. (Well, now they put that stuff in the bottle first, don't they, and then they put that bottle in that fork of that stick.) Yeah.
(I see. Where do they put that?)
Put unnah de steps or put it on de sunrise or sundown side. See, de haid of de step like dat, see, put dat down dere.
(I see - the step must be on the sunrise side of the house?)
Yassuh.
(And what do you do at the sundown side of the house then?)
Dey put de bottle outside - dey lean de bottle, put de bottle an' lean it. Don't let it lay down flat. (I see, they put the bottle at the sunrise side of the steps and they lean it tovard the sundown?) Uh-huh an' den dey lay down. Ah don't know nuthin about it befo' ah learned. (That's what I wanta hear. What you have heard about it. That's right. What vill that do to the person?) Suh, whut dat'll do? Dat track, if yo' got a husban', dat'll make him stay bome. An' den if he ups wit any othah wimmin, he can't even run about. If an- othah woman got 'im tied up, dat'll break 'em up. Dat's supposed tuh break 'em up in nine days time. (I see. And after you bury that bottle, do you do anything else then. After you bury that bottle, you let that stay there for nine days and then.
Entry 5658
(You take two pine sticks?)
Jis' two li'le pine sticks. Yo' take 'em an' let one be de man an' one be de Woman. An' yo' take 'em an' put 'em in a new piece wit some of yore track - yo' know, de dirt. Put 'em both in dere togethah an' lay it up ovah de do' an' dat'll make 'em stick togethah, stay togethah in dis house. (Do you take up the dirt from either track?) Take it from de left track, de one dat de heart's on. See, dat's in ordah to know whether yo' mean tuh do right or wrong.
Entry 5659
Lak in de centah of it, lak in de ball of 'is foot chew know, right ohere he press down in de sand, an' jes' make up a little knot, an' dey even tie dat chew know in de knot. Yo' know, make a li'le knot an' tie dat ovah yo' haid lak where yo' walk undah. (What will that do?) Dat will make him stay home. (What do you tie in a knot now?) Yo' git de stockin'. Yo' tie it right up ovah de do' where he valk in, jis' a knot in dat stockin'.
Entry 5660
Well dey have to git it while he's 'sleep, cut it while dey sleep.
(And how would they use those tracks?)
Jis' take de hollah of de right-foot track an' put it in a li'le bag, an' jis' take it an' bury it undah de steps. Put it undah a stone so de rain won' Wash it away. But chew see when yo' dig a place undah de steps an' bury it - git dat track an' bury it, yo' see, dat will make him come back.
Entry 5661
Dey take yore track, if yo's goin' some place, an' dey wan' chew tuh come back. Whey dey git chure track - why jis' take it an' bring it tuh yo'. Jis' take it an' put sugah wit it, an jis' put jis' as much sugan as dere is track. An' stick it down undah yore do' or in yore house some place, why yo'd have tuh come.
Entry 5662
Yo' take a foot track, take it an' put sugah wit it. Carry it to de rivah an' throw it ovahbo'd an' tell it to "Go! Go! ". As long as de watah run, dat man'll run. Dat drive 'im away.
Entry 5663
Take yore foot track an' sew it up in a piece of white homespun an' put sulphur to it, an' take it an' go throw it in runnin' watah. Dat makes yo' tra- vel. Yo' can't stop until dat bag hits some part of de rivah, yo' see, where it stop at, can't pass.
Entry 5664
When a person is doin' anything tuh yo', yo' take dey track an' take it - if dey goin' dis way, yo' take de track dis way; if dey goin' dis Way, yo' takes de track dis way [demonstrates]. (You take the track right from the toe back to the heel?) Take de track from de toe. Don't take de heel, take from de instep tuh 'is feet, from de instep of 'is feet. Take dat goin' dataway an' go an' git chew some sulphur, spirits of turpentine, black peppah an' tie it up in a ball. An' go tuh a runnin' watah an' throw it in.
(What will that do?)
Well, dey'll leave.
Entry 5665
Well, if yo's a person dat want a person tuh leave town or anything like dat, if yo' kin ketch 'is footprint in de evenin' when de sun's goin' down. Yo' gotta lay fo' 'im. Some- times it be weeks an' months, yo' know, when anything like dat goin' tuh occur, yo' gotta wait until yo' kin ketch 'im goin' dat way. An' yo' kin git de whole shapes - de whole shape.
(Either track?)
Eithah track, right or lef', an' de same thing ag'in. Carry it right down tuh de rivah. He lef' town but he won't be hurt.
(Well, how do you pick that up.)
Yo' gotta pick dat up wit 'is face goin', goin' west, his face turned from de sunrise tuh de west. Yo' pick up dis track.
(Then what do you do with that track?)
Yo' have tuh take it an' put it in a bag or anythin' an' carry it. Throw it ovahbo'd where de tide's goin' out an' he go right along. He [will suddenly] have a job [somewhere], he'll rush tuh go.
Entry 5666
Git dat foot track comin' to yo', both of 'um. Git dat track an' take it an' take a piece of cloth. Git some red peppah an' salt an' tie dat oop [up] in dere. An' take it an' go east on a vacant lot some- where, where dere ain't no house at, an' throw it ovah yo' lef' shouldah - ovah de right shouldah at sunrise an' don' look back. Yo' see? An' de way yo' throw it, dat's de way de person is gwine.
(I see. You throw it over your right shoulder?)
Yes sir, an' don' look back.
(You throw it toward the east?)
East.
(Before sunrise?)
Jis' de way de sunrise, jis' as de sun go down. Let it be first dark, on a vacant lot where ain't no house. See? An' don' look back at it. An' de way yo' throw it, if yo' want dat person to move in dat direction, dey'll go in dat direction.
(I see.)
Entry 5667
It have been said dat if an' individual come to yore house an' yo' want en to stay away an' not come again, to sweep dere track out immediately right behin' 'em as dey go out.
Entry 5668
If somebody comin' round yo' an' doin' yo' harm, or wupin lak dat, an' yo' wan' tuh git rid of 'em, when dey goin' out de do' sweep dey tracks out behin' 'em.
Entry 5669
If anyone visit yore house an' yo' don't wan' 'em dere, when dey start to leave, da' chew [that you] would follah 'em to de do', an' as soon as yo' kin, close de do' behind 'em, den open it immediately befo' dey kin git outa sight. Jis' keep Watchin' 'em, an' take a broom an' sweep dere tracks aay from de do', right on towards de direction dey're goin'.
Entry 5670
If yo' has a enemy dat comes to yore house, yo' wait cill it's dark an' take de broom an' sweep out de tracks behin' 'em. Dat enemy gon't return no' mo'.
Entry 5671
If yo' don't have nuthin tuh do wit 'em an' yo' wants tuh drive 'em, Yeep 'em away from yore house, yo' take some bluestone an' burn it well. An' while de bluestone is burnin', yo' take an' mix watah an' let it cook in dere good. An' dey come back tuh yore house an' yo'don' wan' 'em dere, when dey walk out, yo' po' it right in de tracks where dey make tuh go out, an' sweep it. Dat whut dey do wit de bluestone.
(They won't come back?)
Won't come back.
Entry 5672
When he come tuh yore house, when yo' see his tracks comin' towards yore house, well when he comes tuh yore house, yo' know dis 'is tracks. An when he stays - when he stays 'is length of time, an' when he starts out, git chew some salt an' throw on 'is back, an' den throw some salt in de yard, " den yo' start tuh sweepin'. Start from de do' an' sweep 'is tracks out back clean out. Dat's sweepin' 'im on away.
Entry 5673
Well, dere nuthin much dat chew kin do wit de foot track, but a lotta ople says it fo' drivin' people away an' all like dat. But de only thing dat yo' kin do wit de foot track is now: a lotta peoples wants tuh keep yo' away from de house an' all like dat. Now te thing is wit yore foot track proposition, like yo' have a person come tuh yore boase an' yo' don' wan' dem tuh come dere so often. Why [you] kin sprinkle some salt down right in front de gate where dey pass by, an' jis' as soon as dey come an' walk out, yo' gotta sweep de whole track an' all outside of de gate.
(Do you put that salt down before they come?)
Befo' dey come in dere. Jis' like yo' done be expectin' someone tuh come in, " yo' don' wan' 'em tuh be bothahin' yo'. Yo' don' wan' 'em tuh come dere, why put dat salt down dere.
Entry 5674
Tuh drive 'em away - tuh drive 'em away yo' git yo' some cayenne peppah an' salt. Jis' lak if a person is comin' in heah an' yo' don' wan' 'em in heah. An' yo' git chew some cayenne peppah an' salt, an' yo' set an' hold 'em [inl a conversation. Set an' talk wit 'em, be frien'ly wit 'em an' ack lak yo' ain't mad, chew know. An' den dey say, "Well, ah reckon ah bettah go." Well, yo' already has dat salt an' peppah mixed up an have it in yore han's somewhere, an' yo' follah 'em out de house. See, when dey goin' out, jis' sift dat cayenne peppah an' salt in dere tracks. Den go tuh each fo' cornahs of yore house an' put some cayenne peppah an' salt in each fo' cor- nahs of de house. An' den take de broom an' sweep it all on out an' sweep it de Way de' go an' flirt it. When yo' sweep it down on de steps, jis' lak if dey goin' up de street dat way, yo' flirt it de way dey goin' [demonstrates].
(How do you do that? Do it with your hand like that?)
[Flirting with a fan I had read about and had seen on stage; but flirting with a broom, though good English, was beyond my experience.] Wit chure broom, when yo' flirt it yo' say - WHEN YO' SPRINKLE IT DOWN IN YORE [ROOM] HERE, SAY, "WELL, AH'M CONKERIN' MAH ENEMY, IN DE NAME OF DE LORD. DRIVE DE DEVIL AWAY FROM ME, IN DE NAME OF DE LORD." An' jis' sprinkle it on dere, an' WHEN YO' SWEEP IT AN' YO' MAKE DAT FLIRT, YO' SAY, "WELL, AH'M FLIRTIN' MAH ENE- MIES AWAY FROM ME, IN DE NAME OF DE LORD." An' den flirt de dust on de street. Dey nevah put dere foot in yore house.
Entry 5675
Yo' mean de foot track tuh go or de foot track tuh come?
(Well, both of them - one one way and one the other way.)
Well, now, if yo' want somebody tuh come back, yo' git dis foot track an' don't - now, like de foot track is goin', don' turn de foot track back tuh yo'. Yo' git chew a piece of papah an' write on dat papah nine times, an' put it undah de step an' turn dat foot track back tuh de house. Dat's tuh come. Now, if yo' wan' 'em tuh go. (What do you write on that paper nine times.) Yo' write, "Come back, come back." An' ah don' care how far dat person is - an' if yo' wan' dat person tuh come back, in nine or 21 days dey will come back. Dat's fo' - now tuh go, yo' turn de track. Dis is de track, yo' write dat nine times, "Go."
(You turn the track as if it is going away?)
Yes. Git chew a handful of salt an' jis' dash it down an' sweep 3 times. Dey gone.
Entry 5676
Well, yo' take a person's foot track. Jis' lak if yo' wanta run some body 'way from town, move 'em, yo' take dere track. An' if dey goin' dataway, jis' go by an' ketch it from de toe heah, ketch it up from de toe back tuh de heel. Walk along an' don' stop an' pick up de track from de toe tuh de heel. Yo' jis' come 'long dataway an' carry it on home. An' soon as yo' git furt [far] as yore fron' do'step, yo' back back three steps from it an' throw it right ovah yore lef' shouldah. Take a li'le bit of sulphur in dis han' an' throw it ovah de right shouldah. An' yo' take de broom an' go tuh sweepin' it tuh de outside of de yard, an' dem people in less time den three days, dey goin' move 'way from dere. (The track you put it in your right hand and throw it over your left shoulder, and the sulphur you put it in your left hand and throw it over your right shoul- der.) Yo' take de track, see [demonstrates] dis is mah lef' [side]. Throw dat ovah yore lef' shouldah. An' de sulphuh yo' put it ovah yore right shouldah at de same place.
(You use the dirt from either track?)
Yo' use it from de right track.
(That is to make a person leave.)
Entry 5677
If anyone come in de house an' yo' didn't wan' dem enemies to come dere any mo', as soon as yo' step out on de outside, yo'll git a pail of watah an' throw de watah down behind 'em an' sweep it ot [out]. An' dat's de sign da' chew [that you] won't come back dere any mo'. Throw it on de flo' an' sweep dere tracks off. Yo' do dat on de sly.
Entry 5678
Well, yo' kin take dat dust from de feet, if yo' wanted a person in yore neighborhood ~ an' yo' had a fuss wit 'em - an' yo' wanted tuh run 'em away. Yo' goes at de ninth hour, yo' see, tuh runnin' watah an' yo'll take dis here dast, whut yo' have swept up at de ninth hour, an' yo' throws it ovah yore lef' shouldah wit yore lef' han', not tuh look back, wit a curse word. An' yo' are forced tuh leave unbeknown tuh yore ownself. Yo'll pack up. Yo'll jis' leave. Yo' have tuh walk away.
Entry 5679
(This woman whom the man has left, she would get hold of his left sock?) Git holt of 'is lef' socks, 'is drawahs, an' take an' take dem home, an' put 'en undah de do'steps. Don' let nobody see or know yo' put 'em undah dere. An' den take yore broom, when he come inside de house. an' sprinkle salt down evah'where he walks. When he's goin' out, don' sweep it out do's, sweep it back in de house. Seep it all back in de house. Sweep 'is track all back tuh de kitchen, an' let dat stay undah dere, an' dat will bring 'im back.
Entry 5680
Well, if yo' want 'im tuh stay home, evah time he starts out, evah tine he leaves yore house, yo' jis' walk right straight on out while his tracks hot. An'.sweep 'em back right undahneat' de steps, say, "Come back heah." Yo' ain't gotta put nuthin behin' dat, says, "Yo come on back heah. Ah'm yore wife. Come on back heah." An' yo' sweep 'is tracks right undah dat steps. An' evah time yo' go out, yo' do dat an' he'll Qe back an' be so nice.
Entry 5681
Dey could go on down den an' dey could take yore track an' put it in a tater [potato].
(You mean an Irish potato?)
No sir, a potatuh, a sweet potatuh. Take yore track an' put it in a sweet potatuh an' stop it back up an' put a peg in dat tatuh an' throw it in de rivah, an' yondah yo' go. (That's to send you away?) Send joo right on away.
(Do they take both tracks or what?)
Take de lef' track, an' ag'in dey could take yore right.
Entry 5682
Take de print of yore lef' foot, about a teaspoon an' bring it toward 'em, an' in nine days time yo'll be gone. (Here's your left-foot track and you get a teaspoon?) Bring it towards yo', bring it back towards yo'. Dey'll be gone in nine days time.
(What do you do with that after you get it in the teaspoon?)
Well, yo' kin put it in de bottle an' bury it.
Entry 5683
Yo' kin git dere tracks, jis' like ah wuz firs' tellin' yuh a while ago 'bout de rivah, but chew don' take it tuh de rivah. Yo' take dis an' put it in a tree an' let it stay dere fo' nine days. An' den yo' take a yo' know, if yo' don't git dat wood whut [has that] in it [what?], den yo' ketch yuh a terrapin. If yo' kin git one, bo' [bore] a hole in 'is back an' put dis dirt in dere. An' he'll finely [finally] go on away jis' like a terrapin crawl off somewhere an' nevah come back any mo'. [An old note of mine reads: tree = cross; 9 days = 9 hours on cross.]
Entry 5684
Now, yo' kin take a sewin' thimble whut chew have on yore han' an' yo' kin put it tuh de toe of a person track. Dat is de lef' track. An' yo' draw dat sewin' thimble back tuh de heel wit whut dirt, yo' know, [so full of dirt] dat it wouldn't even draw, yo' undahstan'. An' yo' tie dat up intuh a piece of new cloth dat nevah been used. An' yo'll step tuh a place where watah runnin' an' yo' throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah an' don' look back at it. Dat'll run 'em away from dere.
Entry 5685
[You] kin take yore foot track an' take a thimble. Take it from de toe of de foot back to de heel. An' dey kin kill yo' wit dat. (Just how do they do that?) Well, dey take dat an' dey put nine needles in. Dey take de thimble an' dey puts a thimbleful of it, an' take it an' put nine needles in dat stuff an' put it in a jar, a bottle, an' drop it in floatin' watah an' yo' die from dat.
(Which track did you say they take, both of them?)
De lef' track. (Take a thimbleful of the dirt and put nine needles into and put it into a bottle. Do you cork it up or leave it open or what?) Stop it up tight as wax. Dat will kill de person.