Browse:THREE SUBSTITUTES FOR HUMAN BODY (Volume 4, entries 8055–8881)/Part 5
THREE SUBSTITUTES FOR HUMAN BODY
Volume 4, entries 8055–8881. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 8376
Git chure photo- graph an' nail it - carry it in de branch [stream of water] or in de swamp an' git small nails an' nail it tuh a tree an' it'll kill de person.
[This tree must have its roots in water.]
Entry 8377
Take de photograph an' git it an' take a pencil an' puts dat on de photograph. An' take it tuh a big oak tree down 'side of a stream. An' take it an' cut a place in it - take a axe an' split a place in dere, So yo' kin jes' stick de photo in dere lak dat. An' take some ole dirt or somepin othah an' jes' put it in dere, in de place, so de pichure cain't be taken out - so de photograph cain't be taken out. An' dey tell me dat will run 'em crazy. Ah've nevah experienced dat.
Entry 8378
Jes' lak a woman or anythin' got yore pichure. DAT'S WHY DERE SO MANY PEOPLE TUHDAY DEY'S ALWAYS 'STURB [DISTURBED], DEY AIN'T GOT NO STEADY MIND. DEY LEAVE DERE PICHURES TOO MANY PLAC[ES]. A woman kin take yore pichure an' yo' be a hunderd miles away, an' she'll take it an' go in a swamp where dere's runnin' watah, dere's a branch across it, where dere's a tree right in de middle of de place, an' a tree outside, an' de watah don' be but twelve feet each way - three trees. An' she kin take dat tenpenny nail, or any 'mount nail, jes' so dat she hit de heart of dat tree [picture] an' nail yore pichure [face] tuh- ward it. Wherevah she nail yore pichure at, see yo'll hit a bump evahtime she's drivin' a nail intuh dat pichure.
(What does she do that for?)
If she's mad wit yuh, wanta kill yuh, she could do dat. (Now what about these trees down at the branch? They have to be near each other?) See, de way it is dey cain't be ovah twelve foot apart - twelve foot. It don't make no diff'rence if it ain't no big branch, but de watah gotta be six- teen inch, an' if de fellah is a hunderd mile off, dat'll count sixty percent of one hunderd.
(What do you do? You only put that picture on one tree?)
Jes' one tree.
(And where is that one tree?)
Well, de one set nex' tuh de watah, closah tuh de watah, put it dere, but turn it facin' de watah, see. An' whenevah yo' drive a nail, yo'll heah sompin pop.
(This tree has to be near the water?)
Yes, neah de watah, an' have de pichure facin' de watah.
(And this tree has to be twelve feet from the water?)
No, dey has to be three trees, but dey has tuh be twelve foot apart.
(And you only put it on one of those trees, though?)
One dose trees an' de one closah tuh de watah. (You must find three trees near a branch, and the trees must be twelve feet apart, but the tree that's nearest to the branch, you put the picture on?) Dat's right, an' turn it neah tuh de watah.
Entry 8379
Dey say dey take it [photo] an' put it [against] a tree towards [facing] de sun- down, an' stick a nail through de heart of it. An' ven [when] de sun go down, yo' see, dat make dat pitchure fades away [so the person of the picture will fade away].
Entry 8380
Den yo' kin take dat photograph an' yo' take it tuh a green saplin', anywhere where yo' knows yo' won't come in contact wit anybody. Tack it right up in de tree an' yo' cali de person by name an' turn yuh face tuhwards de sundown, tuh- Wards de direction yo' want 'em tuh come down. An' put dat pichure [let it face] in dat direction. An' in de time it take tuh put de pi- chure dere, don't keer where yo' are, yo' kin be in New York, Canada, any place, so long as dat chure photograph an' yuh name is called. When dat happen it's all ovah. Ah know dat tuh be true. (Well, now why did you put that nail in half way in that first tree? Why did you put the nail in lightly?) Well, if yo' drives de nail in, yo' know, dat tend tuh complete a job. Dat will break de job, cuz yo've got tuh hit de nail if yo' want tuh complete de job. Yo've got tuh hit de nail so many licks, nine times, de las' lick is a hard one an' it's all ovah. (Then the job's completed. I see.)
Entry 8381
Take a ord'nary pichure an' go tuh a white pine, go on de right side of de white pine. (The right side as you are walking to it?) Dere yo' are, as yo' walkin' tuh it. Git chew a tenpenny nail an' drive it as neah tuh de heart as possible. An' den go dere fo' nine days, drivin' dis nail an' on de ninth day, drive it up. An' den dat would kill 'im.
Entry 8382
Well, ah heard people say if yo' put one's pichure on a tree an' - yo' know, yo' bo' a hole in de tree an' put it up in dere. An' if yo' drive a tenpenny nail, yo' go dere an' yo' knock dat nai Lfo'[ nine mawnin's, jes' one time each mawnin', an' make yore wish whut chew wanta happen, an' it will.
(Anything you want done?)
Yes.
Entry 8383
Take yore pichures. Now ef yo' got a tintype pichure - can't do a thing wit a pastebo'd pichure - but if yo' got a tintype pichure, take dat pi- chure an' go tuh a trunk an' place dat pichure down. Turn it upside down in dat trunk. Put de clothes on de bottom of dat trunk. An' if a man really love a woman dat she could do enything in de world wit 'im, she kin turn 'im enyway dat she Wanta. But she kin have any perfection of 'im - wouldn't hurt nuthin but would draw out love an' all 'is attention an' care fer dis woman.
Entry 8384
Dey kin take yore photograph, if de man an' wife broked up, sompin lak dat. Well, if de man got de photograph or de woman, she kin take de photograph an' carry it home, an' put it in de trunk an' turn de face down, an' dat boy will pine away or whosomevah it is till he daid.
(It will kill him?)
Dat's right, shu' will.
Entry 8385
Somebody takes dat photograph an' lay it down on de face in a trunk an' put some things on it, clothes lak dat, an' dey shore come back. (If they want me to come back, they take my photograph and put it in the trunk face down, and put some clothing on it. Whose clothing?) Some of dere clothes.
(Not my clothes but some of the woman's clothing. Then I will come back.)
Entry 8386
(What can they do to me with my photograph?)
If it's on a tintype, dey bury it. It'll kill yo'. But if it's on a paste- bo'd, dey jes'bury it, dat'll bring yo', dat'll keep yo' dah. But if it's on tintype, it will kill yo'. (How do they bury that tintype?) De tintype's buried in turpentine. (Just how do they bury that?) Jes' take it an' dig a hole fer a foot an' a half an' yo' turpentine it good. Put de turpentine at de bottom where yo' lay it, an' yo' put dat - jes' put it right down in dere lak dat an' pack de dirt on.
(You turn the face up?)
Turn de face down. Yes, de face is turned down. Well, dat divides dem.
Entry 8387
De one dat's left, dey take dey photograph an' turn de haid down lak dat an' de feet up, an' dat would make 'em come home an' dey couldn't leave again.
Entry 8388
Yo' kin take his pichure an' turn it upside down an' dat'll make dem love yuh. Wilmington, N. Car., (243), 166:1+85.]
Entry 8389
Take yuh photograph an' turn it upside down an' let it stay dere nine days, an' dem nine days yo'll soon be gone.
Entry 8390
Now, dis photograph, if yo' wanta kill a woman or kill a man, yo' take de pichure an' bury it in de ground. Turn de face tuh de ground an' yo' po' pee all ovah it, an' den yo' covah it up. An' dis pichure, aftah yo' do dis pichure lak dis, dis person will die. Or yo' kin live undah six months, den dey'll die.
Entry 8391
Kin take de photograph an' dose pictures, take de haid yo' know. Take de pichures or sompin lak dat an' take his haid. She take an' wipe [that photo] yo' know wit a little pee yo' undahstan', see. Well, dat pichure standin' ovah heah. Yo' know, a girl, she Will do most anythin', so dat boy cain't quit 'er an' go no place yo' undahstand.
(She just puts her pee on his photograph?)
Dat's it.
(And she keeps it some place?)
Dat's right.
Entry 8392
If yo's went away, take yore pichure an' put it in watah dat chew make yoreself, an' turn dat pichure down when yo' put it in dere. An' dis pichure will come tuh de top, an' whenevah dis pichure come tuh de top, dis person will come home. (You just put this picture in there face down in this chamber lye, and that will bring the person back.)
Entry 8393
Yo' kin take de photograph if yo' want tuh. Take dere photograph an' git chew some of yore chamber lye, an' yo' kin jes' keep dis face turned down tuhwards de - in de chamber lye, an' he'll be right dere. An' long as dat pi- chure stay dere, he'll be right dere. (You don't put the picture in the chamber lye?) No suh, jes' put it on top of it. See, jes' lak yo' got a li'le jar or sompin lak dat wit chure chamber lye, yo' undahstand. An' yo' put it [photo] right ovah dat [jar]. If he starts, yo' kin call 'im back by jes' goin' on back tuh dis chamber lye an' say, "Come on back heah tuh me. Where yo' goin'?" An' he'll make lak he leave sompin tuh de house or sompin of de kind, yo' undahstand [and come on back for it]. Well, he gotta come back dere.
Entry 8394
Yo' take yore photograph, yo' undahstand, a tintype an' jes' turn it down an' bury it, yo' undahstand, an' use yore - fo' nine mawnin's, 'cordin' tuh whut dey wants tuh do wit chew. (Use your what?) Yore, yo' know, yore urinate. Po' dat nine mawnin'. Yo' see, yo' bury dat photograph, dat tintype, an' fo' nine mawnin's yo' kin jes' put dat - yo' urinate on dat tintype fo' nine mawnin's.
(All right, then what does it do?)
Yo'll do anything ah wish yo' tuh do den, if det [that] were me.
Entry 8395
De onliest thing, yo' kin go tuh de fork of de road tuh do. Yo' kin take yuh husband's pichure an' go tuh de fork of de road an' bury it. Go dere fo' nine mawnin's an' make watah on it. An' if yo' want 'im tuh die, or if yo' want 'im tuh leave yuh, yo' kin run 'im out of de house dataway.
Entry 8396
Yo' kin take a photograph of me, yo', anybody, an' yo' kin draw dat photograph dere an' yo' will natchly [naturally] run a person wild. (What would you do with that photograph?) Well, ah tell yo' whut chew do wit it. De way ah undahstand, yo' kin take dat photograph an' yo' kin turn it down fo' nine days, see, an' put it through a solution.
(What kind of a solution?)
Well, a chamber lye solution, an' yo' kin run a person wild - not wild, whut ah mean, but yo' kin have 'em all upset.
(About what?)
Oh, well, about anything. (Now wait a minute, when you do my photograph, do you run me crazy or do you make me crazy about someone. I mean be definite about it.) Dat would make me crazy about de particular one dat worked it.
Entry 8397
Dey takes yore photograph, if dey wants tuh kill yuh or if dey wanta control yo'. Dey will take dat photograph an' dey will keep dat photograph in a place, where it's in dey shoe, an' dey weah it, if dey wants chew undah dere feet. But if dey Wants tuh kill yuh, dey will take dat photograph an' bury it on its face, an' leave it dere, an' take dere urinate an' wet on it, yo' undahstand. Wet on dat photograph fo' nine mawnin's an' dat's de end of dat. An' dey say as dat decay, when dat has fully decayed, why yo'll die.
Entry 8398
Nex' thin', yo' kin take a photograph an' use it. Lak some people use a jar lak dey make watah in, yo' know. Dey'll take dat photograph an' dip right down in dat watah nine times evah night fer three nights. Dat pusson come tuh yuh an' tell yo' evah- thin' dat on yuh mind.
Entry 8399
As fer as ah know 'bout usin' de photograph, now yo' kin take a per- son's photograph an' yo's in love wit a woman an' she quits yo', yo' take her photograph an' turn it bottomside upwards an' bury it an' dat'll kill 'em.
(How do you mean, turn it bottomside upwards?)
Bury it face down an' bury it in vinegah, an' dat'll make dem perish away.
Entry 8400
Put it in vinegah an' soak it an' stop it up tight, tight so no air can't git it, an' dat will - see, dat will pine 'em away, pine 'em away quick.
(I see, this photograph, put in the vinegar.)
Entry 8401
I've heard that you can take a person's photograph an' soak it in warm water and vinegar for sev- eral hours, so much so that the paint leaves the photograph. And take it out- doors and put it in some old outhouse, and turn the face to the wall, and leave it there for twenty-eight hours. Then bring it back and put it where it was at first, and bad luck will happen to this person.
Entry 8402
Well, dey kin run yuh crazy, or kill yuh, or make yuh git down sick, eithah.
(How do they do that?)
Dey take dat photograph an' git chew a saucah an' fill it about half full of vinegah, an' turn dat photograph down on de face in dat vinegah, an' take yo' a drinkin' glass an' set ovah it, an' let it set dere. An' when de vinegah eat all dat, yuh future [features] out of dat photograph, why yo' go crazy. Dey keep dat glass ovah it tuh keep de air from hittin' it. Yo' see, yo' can't let de air git in dere.
Entry 8403
Dey take a photograph an' place it in vinegah, turn de photograph down. See, yo' know what ah mean, turn de face down an' place it in vinegah. An' den let it stay in vinegah fo' - ah think it's nine mawnin's. An' den yo' take it, aftah yo' let it stay in dat vin- egah - see, it fades, yo' know. Den yo' take a hen aig an' push a li'le tiny hole in de hen egg an' let it drip right on dat pichure.
(What will that do?)
What dat will 'fect - it's almost similah tuh yore hair [in a previous rite by informant], but it jis' won't run yuh as bad. It will cuz yuh tuh have a Wondah- in' [wandering] mind, yo' know, become dissatisfied.
Entry 8404
Take a pichure an' yo' kin turn it up- side down, de photograph, an' yo' kin turn it upside down on de wall, so dey says, an' yo' run de person crazy wit de haid down.
Entry 8405
Well, ah've heard of 'em takin' yore photograph an' turnin' tuh de wall fo' three an' foah days, an' go tuh Six an' Seven Books of Moses an' read a cer- tain passage of dat.
(What passage?)
But now....
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.