Browse:TO KEEP PERSON ASLEEP (Volume 4, entries 7057–7187)
TO KEEP PERSON ASLEEP
Volume 4, entries 7057–7187. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → FOLK MEDICINE. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 7057
Ah heard a woman say dat 'er husban' did 'er dataway. Said he taken a broom, got de broom out de cornah an' laid it aside huh, wit de broom part whut chew sweep, up de side of 'er haid. An' say he went down tuh 'is mothah's an' stayed till neahly day, an' come back an' she didn't wake up until he moved dat broom. Ah heard about dat.
Entry 7058
Take de broom, de sweepin' broom dat she sweep de flo' wit, an' push it up undah 'is haid an' he sleep right dere. Or eithah 'er bloomahs. [Some- where in Hoodoo I have already discussed the sweep- ing broom, a few rites later on called a stick broom or straw broom. There were also varieties of the ancient besom, especially for the old-fashioned fireplace.]
(Where would she push that broom?)
Undah de baid he's layin' [on] 'neat' 'is feeth [a slip of the tongue?]. Push it up undah dere. [She lays the brush part of the broom at the foot of the bed so that the outward handle extends the length line of the bed. The bushy part she then pushes up under the bed until it lies below his head.]
Entry 7059
She'd take huh brum dat she'd sweep uh flo' wit, an' she'd take dat brum - jis' lak if yo' sleepin in dat baid, see, she take huh brum an' she'll lay dat brum cross de haida [head of] yuh baid, undah de bottom on de flo'. An' yo' cain't wake up until she come in [come back from wherever she has been].
Entry 7060
Ah tell yo' now - jes' lak a woman wanta go out, a very jealous husban' don' wan' 'er tuh go. Well, de thing she would do, go tuh bed wit 'im. Well, she know 'bout how hard he sleep. Honeys 'im up uatil he go tuh sleep. An' den ease up vury easy, an' jes' ease a stray broom cross 'is feets, an' ease on out de do'. An' he'll sleep right dere till she come back. An' not so [if not that way], she could hang 'uh bloomahs on de haid of de baid.
Entry 7061
Ah heah dat a woman kin take a broom an' lay a broom at de foot of de baid, an' put 'er bloomahs above yore haid an' do anythin' she wanta - yo' won' notice it - an' go on out. Heard of 'em fixin' dat. (At night?) Yes sir, at night.
Entry 7062
Put de stick-broom 'cross de baid 'fo' [before] yo' goes, an' he'll sleep until yo' git back.
Entry 7063
Take yer broom an' jis' lak yo' turn it upside down an' go out chure house an' stay all night, yer wife or nuthin nevah know nuthin 'bout it.
Entry 7064
If de man lay down an' go tuh sleep an' dey want chew tuh stay dere, dey take two broomstraws an' cross 'em. Put 'em cross yo' an' yo'll stay dere. (Stay asleep. Where do you cross them?) Jis' take 'em an' lay 'em up heah lak dis heah [demonstrates]. Cross 'em dat way when yo're [you are] asleep... [A stop. Cylinder change.] (That would keep a person asleep. So if a woman wants to go out at night, her husband wouldn't wake up if she put two broomstraws [crossed over] him. That the idea?)
Entry 7065
Take fer a' instan' now. Yo' got a wife an' she wan'a go out - choo leor, tuh be wit anothah man, or go out somewhere. She don' wan' choo tuh wake up befo' she come [back]. Yo' layin' down dere asleep. She'll jis' take one of 'er [under] pieces of 'er drawahs, or somepin right nex' tuh uhself, yuh know, an' take it an' spread it ovah yuh face right while yuh asleep. An' yo'll jis lay right dere an' sleep an' dream, an' yo' wouldn't wake up fer de devil, until she come an' take dat thin' from ovah dere. She kin go on off an' stay long as she Want. BUT YO' MUST BE ASLEEP BEFO' SHE PUT IT OVAH DERE. [RichmOnd, Va.,
(343), 383:1 0r 286:1+86.]
Entry 7066
If she wan's tuh git out'a de house, an' don' wan' 'im tuh wake up, she go ahead on in de back. Well, yo' know, quite natchly how women are. She'll git dere in de back an' he's in dis room sleepin'. An' she'll go in de back room lak she's doin' somepin. She'll go on tuh singin'. She'll go tuh singin' some ole song, an' she's combin' 'er hair whilst she's singin' dis song. See. Aftah she gits through combin' 'er hair, she'll git 'er soap an' thin's. She's goin' tuh wash. She's goin' tuh powdah 'erself up. She slip on 'er undahweah an' thin's, clean, yo' know, but still an' all, she'll keep on dat dirty top-piece, until she seen 'er chance tuh git 'im asleep. Now, when she gits ready tuh go, she's got on evahthin' but de dress. Huh hair's all fixed an' evahthin'. She take an' she take 'uh undahweahs, which is uh bloomahs or uh step-in - whatevah yo' call it. She put dat ovah 'is face. She put dat ovah 'is face an' she leave dat stay dere. An' she take an' she covah 'im up, but she covah 'im up tuh here [demonstrates].
(Up to his neck?)
Up tuh his neck, see.
(With the bedclothes?)
Wit de bedclothes. But she's got uh bloomahs in 'is face. See, she's not tryin' tuh smothah 'im or nuthin 'cuz she - if she put too much or put it too heavy on 'im, it would smothah 'im. But she jis' got it where he kin, yo' know, breathe right through dat, yo' undahstan'. Well, now, as he breathin', his eyes, he's already asleep, but 'is eyes git heaviah. An' as he breathes, his heart[?] gits mo' sleepiah. Den he'll sleep dere until she comes in, if it's de nex' mawnin', when she come in. Now, she kin walk out de do' lak nuthin'. She don' have tuh sneak out. She kin walk out de do' jis' lak if he wasn't sleepin'. When she come in, she kin come in de same way. Well, she takes off uh clothes, an' she gits intuh bed, an' she take dat offa his face. Now, when she take dat offa his face, she kin shake him all she wan' tuh. He ain't goin' tuh hardly wake up. She'll git yuh some watah, cold watah. An' when. she git dat cold watah, she put it right backa his neck, an' she'll wake him up.
Entry 7067
If a woman got chew an' she wanted to make a date wit another boy frien', why - an' she can't git out to him, she will wait some night till yo' git to sleep. An' she will take her undahskirt - take her drawahs off first - an' she will lingah, be around to find out if he is asleep. An' if she finds dat chure sleep, why she de piece - take it an' put it ovah 'is face. Take her un- dahskirt an' spread it - take her undahdrawahs lak dat, spread it lak dat ovah yer head an' de bed. Yo'll nevah wake up if she stayed out till fo' 'clock de nex' mawnin'. Yo' nevah know it till she git back.
Entry 7068
(What do they say about that?)
Well, she'll take her - she takes 'er bloomahs whut she weah. If he's asleep, well she'll hang 'em right up ovah 'is head, or lessen or not, she'll lay dem right across 'is face. An' dat keeps 'im asleep. He's - he'll be dere until she comes back.
(I see.)
Entry 7069
She do somepin tuh keep 'im home, so he won't want tuh leave dere.
[Here is a new purpose for bloomers over his face!]
(What will she do to him?)
Well, dis is mighty funny.
(That's all right, anything you want to say. I've heard lots of funny things.)
He lays down in de baid lak he goin' tuh sleep. She comes an' lays down in de baid tuh go 'sleep. An' she pull off 'er bloomahs an' jis' take 'em an' spread 'em ovah 'is haid, an' let 'em lay ovah 'is haid awhile. See. Den 'fo' he wake up, she'll take 'em off. She might let 'em stay on dere ten minutes, but he won't wake up till she take 'em off - lay right dere sleepin'. Den she taken 'em off. She'll use 'em lak dat awhile. An' aftah awhile maybe she fixes de pillah. May- be she put it undah dere, or a dress dere de same way. An' when she puts demdere lak dat, why he jis' keep layin' off from goin' anywhere. He go limpah an' limpah until he jis' git so he don't want no more dere [away from home]. An' he don't go nowhere.
Entry 7070
Whilst he be sleepin' an' she wanta go out, she jis' take her drawahs an' put 'em ovah 'is face while he be's sleep, an' he sleep right dere sound as a door-nail until she come back. He stays sleep an' he won't wake up ontil she take dat drawahs off 'is face.
Entry 7071
Say yo' should - jis' like if yo' wanted to have a date wit a man, why yo' take yore petticoat an' spread it ovah yore husband's face. An' yo' go out an' do whut chew wanta do, an' den come on back an' yo' take it off.
Entry 7072
Take a pair of 'er bloomahs, don' let 'em be washed, an'.when 'er husban' lay down, if she kin ease dat ovah 'is face, she kin go off an' he be dere when she come back.
Entry 7073
De dirty things. Well, yo' kin take yore undahweah, whut chew weah close to yo' - sompin lak dat. Dey say, yore slip, or yore step-ins. An' when he be asleep jis' lay it 'cross 'is face, an' he sleep till yo' come back.
Entry 7074
Dey say yo' kin take a woman's step-ins an' spread.it ovah 'is face, an' he'll lay dere an' sleep until she go where she wanta an' come back an' take it off.
Entry 7075
If a woman wants tuh go out - go off an' put a man tuh sleep when he lays down - she'll take her bloomahs off an' spread 'em ovah 'is face. Den she'll git out an' go on a car an' stay all night long. He'll lay right dere an' sleep.
Entry 7078
Why yo' would take yore bloomahs or eithah yore shimmy an' yo' would put dat on yore husban's face - put it ovah 'is head. Den yo' would back out de do' an' as yo' back out, yo' would repeat, "Stay sound asleep," fo' nine times backin' out.
Entry 7079
If he's runnin' out, tuh take her bloomahs an' dip it in a pan of watah, an' wring it out an' wave it ovah him three times. (Over his head?) Yeah, ovah 'is face an' hang it on de head of de bed. Take a sheet an' spread ovah de bed, most anythin', an' hang de bloomah fur 'nuff ovah 'is head so he can't pull 'em off.
(Is he in the bed all the time she is doing that?)
Yes, he's jis' lyin' dere 'sleep. He jis' didn't wanta git up yo' know. It make him he wouldn't wanta git up.
(That will make him stay asleep?)
Yeah, make him stay asleep. She kin go off where she please an' come back.
Entry 7080
Or eithah yore dirty bloomahs an' hang 'em ovah de haid of de baid right ovah 'is haid. An' fan it nine times dataway ovah 'is face while he's sleep an' make a wish, fo' nine times. Make a wish fo' nine times dat he stays asleep. An' den hang 'em up ovah de haid of de baid right ovah 'is haid. An' he won' vake up. Yo' kin go all ovah town an' come back, an' he be sleepin' sound.
Entry 7081
Ah had a girl one time. Ah wus ovah in Lockenberry den an' ah wuz quite a kid. Ah reckon ah wus 'bout 18. She's a fast woman yo' know. Ah didn't make no money 'en jis' give it tuh 'er jis' as fast as ah git it, yo' know. Well, she figured 'cuz ah bein' young an' drinkin' a lotta whiskey, undahstan', she figured ah might ketch 'er in wrong-doin' an' kill 'er, don't chew see. Cuz some time ah'd follah 'er don't chew know. So she worked a trick on me one night. An' ah wus lucky enough fo' de boy in de nex' room tuh wake me up 'fo' she come back in. But ah wuz hard tuh wake up. Ah could heah 'im talkin'. Looked lak ah wus half drunk, an' ah hadn't drink a drop. So dis boy he come in an' jis' kept acallin' an' acallin' me. So aftah while ah woke up. An' when ah come tuh mah senses, he says, "Look up. Don't look at me, look up." So ah looked up lak dat right at de haid of de baid. Dere wus 'er bloomahs hangin' ovah mah haid. So ah wus jis' layin' up dere sleepin' lak a [dog or] frog wit 'er bloomahs hangin' up dere. So ah took it. So - he wus oldah den me, yo' see - so he tole me, said, "Well, now, yo' jis go put it back up dere an' lay down an' don' bothah, an' make lak yo' don' know nuthin 'bout it, undahstan'." An' say, "An' de nex' time she pull dat trick," Say, "ah'm goin' watch her." An' says, "If yo' be asleep, ah'm goin' take it from ovah yore haid an' let yo' go out an' ketch 'er." So dat's whut she done to me, put de bloomahs ovah mah head.
Entry 7082
Ah 'sperienced dis mahself. Me an' anothah girl fren' of mine wus home one night an' a boy come dere. Jis' lak ah stay heah an' she stayed nex' do', but she wus married. Well, mah girl fren' went ovah dere 'bout eleven 'clock one night an' knocked tuh 'er do'. An' when she did she wus home an' 'er husban' wus home. Co'se he wus asleep but she wus awoke. An' den she came tuh de do' an' ast 'er whut she wanted. Says, "Well, dere's a fellah ovah heah tuh our house wanted tuh see yo'." She say, "Well, tell 'im ah'll be ovah dere in a minute." So she came back home an' tole 'im. So he waited dere an' in a few minutes she came back ovah dere. Den we got in de cah an' we went out chere tuh de bar- becue stand an' got some barbecurin' whiskey. An' when we came back - we stayed out dere 'bout two or three hours. Well, aftah we stayed out dere, why den we came back. Well, it's been den roun' about one or one-thurty ah'd say. Well, ab didn't say nuthin tuh mah ole lady 'bout it, but dis man jis' lef' 'er den. Den we went on back an' den me an' 'er went tuh bed. So about two or three mo' days she tole mah ole lady. At least ah ast mah ole lady, ah say, "How'd she git 'way from 'er husban"thout 'im sayin' nuthin tuh 'er all night?" Seemed like she'd come back an' den waked 'im up. An' den so she say, "Ah'm goin' ast 'er." So she ast 'er. An' when she did, she say, well, she put 'er girdle ovah 'is haid. An' she say he nevah will wake up. Ah tole 'er, "Don't chew nevah put nuthin ovah mine, dough."
Within the informant's story, a woman is reported to have put her girdle over a man's 'haid'; the narration and the woman's reported action remain separate.
Entry 7083
Her las' piece whut she weah - yo' know, her drawahs. An' if yo' wanta go out, yo' git 'er drawahs unbeknowst tuh 'er. Yo' kin set 'er drawahs right tuh 'er haid of er bed on de mattress, see, jis' where she can't see it, an' yo' kin go out an' stay till in de mawnin', she wouldn't wake up. Won' wake up till yo' come an' 'move dat cloth. (And you spread this underneath [no, on] the mattress, where she can't see it. But you use her [instead of his] drawers?) Yes, use her drawahs.
Entry 7084
Lay down wit 'im. All right, she ain't goin' tuh sleep yo' undahstan'. She pull off 'er undahweah right nex' tuh 'er private, see, an' jis' hang it right up ovah 'is haid. He goin' sleep right dere till she come back an' wake 'im up.
Entry 7085
Ah've heard of - if a woman got a husban' or a sweetheart an' he's wit chew at night, an' yo' wanted tuh go out an' he'd go tuh sleep, yo' kin take yo' garment, de piece yo' weah nex' tuh yo', an' hang it on de haid of de baid right ovah where he sleep at, an' he'll sleep right dere until yo' come back.
Entry 7086
Now, yo' take quite natchel if right tuhnight mah wife wanta make a date, yeah, out yondah. Ah wus sleepin' heah. If ah know how tuh tie her down, from - tuh keep 'er from gwine yo' know. Money an' likkah an' - dat ruin' 'em yo' know. If yo' find a woman drink likkah an' loves money, dey'll go - put chew tuh sleep an' go. Well, all right, she kin commence. She kin ketch me layin' in de sleep. She kin go tuh work an' take her undahclothes, jis' 'er bloomahs an' spread it ovah mah haid, an' ah'll sleep heah 'itll she come back. De house could burn down an' ah nevah Wake up. NOW, DAT'S JIS' A LITTLE SIMPLE "TRICK: Ah have see women try dat. De husban' didn't know anythin' atall about it, yo' see.
Entry 7087
If a woman wants tuh stay out all night an' 'er husban' is in de baid, befo' she leave she take her bloomahs an' put it ovah 'is haid. An' if she gon'a stay where she Wanta stay, stay all night, he'll nevah wake up 'till she come back.
Entry 7088
It wus a woman, a [something] woman bein' wit a young girl an' she wus actin' as a man. An' she would take her [girl] home an' put it [some article of clothing] ovah de haid of 'er baid an' be wit dis girl. An' den when she would finish whut she wus doin', she would take 'em down an' de chile would wake up de nex' day's time. But de girl didn't even know she wus bein' wit 'er, but she wus sickly an' weak. Ah wus at de [next door house] when ah heard dat.
(Well, what did this woman do? What did that other woman do?)
She wus actin' as a man wit de girl, bein' wit 'er, yo' know, an' it wus 'ginst de chile's health. De girl wus ill.
(Were they white or colored?)
Dey were colored. [I have forgotten the name my contact man Edward Bufford called these women. It may be somewhere in Hoodoo. In any case, he had a theory that education made homosexuals of women! They did not want to marry uneducated men!]
Entry 7089
Well, now, lak dis heah. A bunch of girls wuz settin' down talkin' one time an' ah asked 'em, ah says, "S'posin' yo' wanted tuh go out an' be wit anothah man an' yore husban' didn't wan' chew tuh go or somepin othah lak dat, yo' couldn't git off, huh?" She said, "Oh," said, "dat's simple." Ah said, "How would yo' do dat?" She said, "Well, he'd go tuh sleep an' ah'd take mah bloomahs off an' hang 'em ovah de top of 'is haid, " an' she say, "he'd sleep right dere till ah git back." Ah said, "Well, have yo' evah done dat?" She said, "Well, sho', ah've done dat many time, git out an' git wit anothah man an', ' says, "he sleep right dere till ah git back an' ah come an' take dem bloomahs an' wake 'im."
Entry 7090
When yo' sleep, [she] take off 'er bloomahs an' spread it ovah yore haid while yo' sleep, an' yo' won' wake up till she git back.
Entry 7091
Co'se now, a man is a uncomfortable man dat do it. I haven't heerd a man [doing it], but a woman, she kin go tuh work an' she wanta put 'er husban tuh sleep. An' she kin git up an' throw off 'er nightgown an' hang it up ovah de haid of de baid, right down ovah 'is haid. An' den she kin go on out an' come on back in, an' he would nevah know until she take dat gown down an' wake him up. He would nevah wake up.
Entry 7092
["To keep man asleep, woman throws her drawers over head of sleeping man." My reduction of longer statement to a note soon after collection years ago. H. M. H.]
This is the collector's reduction of a longer statement, not a verbatim informant quotation. It places the drawers over a sleeping man's head and reports an intended effect.
Entry 7093
Well, take yore undahweah whut chew weah daily. Jis' lak yo' got on yore undahweah now an' he jis' ovah dere sleep. Yo' hang 'em up ovah dere haid. Jis' put it right ovah dere haid lak dat. Den yo' turn ovah, lak yo' goin' wake 'em up. YO' CAIN'T WAKE 'EM UP LESSEN' YO' TECH 'EM.
Entry 7094
Take yore bloomahs, yore dirty bloomahs, if yo' wanta keep 'im asleep, an' lay dem Ovah 'is haid. YO' DON' HAVE TUH JIS' LAY IT OVAH 'IS FACE. JIS' LAK YO' GOT A TABLE OR SOMPIN DERE, JIS' LAY IT OVAH DE HAID OF DE BAID WHERE HE SLEEPIN' AT, OVAH IS HAID.
Entry 7097
Well, a boy wuz goin' wit me, but 'im an' 'is buddy boy slept tuh- gethah. Well, any time ah wanta have intahco'se wit 'im, sompin lak dat, if ah kin be in de baid wit 'im, ain't but one thing yo' gota do. All yo' gota do, take yore step-ins an' take de seat an' put it cross 'is nose. He'll nevah take 'em off till yo' take 'em off ag'in.
Entry 7098
A woman if she wan' 'er husban' tuh not wake up while she's gone, jis' befo' she git ready tuh go, she hang aroun' an' dress an' all lak dat, an' she keep on 'er bloomahs whut she has on all day. She take 'em an' lay 'em, de seat of 'em, right cross 'is nostrils. An' SHE KIN GO OUT AN' STAY LONG AS SHE WANT, OR SHE KIN TAKE A MAN RIGHT IN DE BAID SIDE OF 'IM AN' HE WON'T KNOW ANYTHIN' ABOUT IT. Ah heard dat.
Entry 7099
Ah heard dat if a woman wants tuh go out aftah not 'er own husban', an' wants tuh keep 'im tuh sleep, take her britches an' put 'em right cross 'is nose whilst he's sleep. Jis' put 'em right cross 'is nose an' he'll stay dere. She kin go off an' stay from nine a'clock until two a'clock. He'll sleep right on dere, won't nuthin bothah 'im. Said she could be right back an' he wouldn't know nuthin 'bout it. Dat's whut ah heard about dat.
Entry 7100
Dese shorts whut he weah, yo' know, is real sweaty an' musty yo' know, an' when she asleep, lay 'em right by 'er nose where she kin inhale de scent, an' she wouldn't nevah wake up till he came back. [St. Petersburg, Fla., (1007). 1627:9.]
Entry 7101
Take her skin piece, right next tuh 'er skin, an' hang it right ovah 'is haid an' let part of [it] drap right cross 'is nose heah. An' he'll be right dere until she come back an' move it.
Entry 7102
[When he go to sleep, she jis' take 'er underweahs what she wore all that day an' whilst him laying down there put it - the seat of it - right cross his nose like that.
Entry 7103
An' den too, ah know a man de way he did 'is wife, when he'd wanta go off tuh see 'is sweetheart, yo' know. He'd go tuh work an' he'd weah 'is undah- clothes yo' see, fo' prob'ly a Week, an' 'im an' 'is wife would go tuh bed an' she wouldn't even know when he git outa de bed. He'd go tuh work an' he'd take his han's an' put 'em undah 'is arm an' roun' in 'is private, an' put it cross 'er nose lak dat. An' take dem drawahs an' put ovah 'er face. An' he could go an' stay till day de nex' mawnin', an' she wouldn't wake up until he come an' move 'is undahclothes off 'er bed. Ah've known dat tuh be true.
Entry 7104
Ah've been heah evah since de llth of Septembah anl ah declare dat's all dey do do's. Take yore step-ins or yore bloomahs an' put undah de pillah or spread it ovah dere face, an' dey'll nevah wake up until de nex' mawnin'.
(You put it either over the man's face or under his pillow, one or the other.)
Entry 7105
Put 'er undahclothes undah 'is pillahslip, or bloomahs or sompin lak dat intuh 'is pillahslip, undah 'is pillah where he sleep on, or eithah hang up ovah de head of de bed, makes 'im sleep.
Entry 7106
An' den eithah yo' kin take yore othah piece an' stick it undah yore pillah an' go out, an' when yo' come back, take it out an' he'll wake up.
(Under whose pillow do you put it? Under his or under your own?)
Undah his'n.
(And he'll stay asleep until you get back.)
Entry 7107
Take her bloomahs an' lay it tuh yore haid, right down dere on yore pillah, an' yo'll sleep lessen she come back [and take it away].
Entry 7108
['Put her dirty shimmy under man's head under pillow to keep asleep.']
[My note of a rite, probably one missed by transcriber - H. M. H.]
Entry 7109
If she wants tuh stop 'im from runnin' aroun' wit anothah woman, when he's sleep in de night, take her panties an' put it undah 'is pillah, undah 'is head, an' dat will stop 'im from runnin' aroun'. An' he sleep over dat all night an' he stop runnin' roun' den.
Entry 7110
Sho', jis' take yore shimmy whut chew weahs. When he drops tuh sleep, yo' in de bed wit 'im, pull off yore shimmy an' turn it on de wrong side, an' hang it, lay it right cross 'is haid. An' he won't wake up till yo' come an' take dat shimmy from off dere.
Entry 7111
She takes 'er undahpiece nex' tuh 'er skin an' hang it right up ovah de bed, turns it wrongside out. Turn dis part ovah dis way [demonstrates] an' dis part hang down in 'is face. (Let the lower part hang down near his face.) He'll sleep right dere until she come back.
Entry 7112
Take 'is hat an' lay it up undah de bed bottomside upwards, an' dey'll [he will] sleep dere until she comes back.
Entry 7113
She can pull off her gown, anything [she] sleep in next tuh you. She can take that an' fold it up an' lay it on your [a man's] breast [and he will continue to sleep until she removes it].
Entry 7114
Ah've heard of them taking their pants an' getting behind the armoire an' hanging 'em up, hanging them up by the legs.
Entry 7115
[As an example of the difficulties attending the arrangement of mate- rial in Hoodoo, please notice that the following shoe rites, quite a long list, could have been put under subsection SHOES, Nos.5087-5205, pp.2758-2781, vol.3 to Nos.5206-5302, pp.2801-2818, vol.4. Moreover, there are many other shoe rites in Hoodoo unlisted among the preceding num- bers.] Ah've heard dat chew take a person's shoe an' put it up ovah dere haid. Jis' tie it up ovah dere haid an' dat person will sleep sound until yo' went anywhere yo' wanta go an' return.
Entry 7116
Now dere's two things about dat. Dey tell me dat she kin take de piece, dat she weah nex' tuh 'er skin, an' put it ovah 'is face an' he'll sleep right dere until she come back. Now, dey tell me dat dey kin take yore shoes an' git right at de foot of de bed, an' tie 'em dis way [demon- strates] toe to toe. Jis' lay dem lak 'e weah dem but...
(Toe to toe.)
Yes sir. (And that will keep him asleep while she is gone out.)
Entry 7117
Yes, ah have heard of dat, too. Say, if she wanta git out - jis' lak she wanta git off. An' she take his two shoes an' tie dem tuhgethah an' hang 'em ovah 'is haid, an' put 'is two pants laigs ovah 'is haid. Dey say he wouldn't wake up. (What do you mean, tie his shoes together?) Jis' take his two shoe- strings an' tie a knot in it an' throw 'em cross de haid of de bed. Yo' takes 'is pants an' straddle dem cross de haid of de bed, an' put one laig on one side an' one on dis side; an' put one shoe on one side an' one on de othah. An' dey say dat would keep 'im asleep.
(Make him stay home while she's gone out?)
Yes. She would take an' take 'em by de laig an' hang 'em up. Jis' lak if he wuz tuh be bad about runnin' roun' an' she would take 'em an' hang 'em up on de foot of de bed an' hang de part, yo' know, dat fits on 'er, she hang dat right ovah de place where he supposed tuh sleep. An' let it hang dere fo' five or six nights an' dat would make him stay home. Ah know a lady dat do dat now.
(Well, she doesn't let them [stay] there while he's there in the day?)
See, she waits till he goes tuh bed an' den she hang's 'em up. An' dey tell me, while - whenevah she got 'em hangin' dere, he can't go no place. An' den whenevah she hang 'em dere fo' a certain numbah of nights, he don't wanta go.
Entry 7118
Take yore shoes an' turn 'em upside down right where yore bed is at. Yo'll put dat shoe in de groun' an' she'd put yo' in bed - yo' goin' tuh come dere an' go tuh bed, go tuh sleep. An' she'd git up dere, yo' won't wake up 'till she wake yo up. She kin git up any time of night she want, an' go where she want, an' come back an' yo' jis' sleepin' - can't wake up.
(Does she bury both shoes?)
One, yore lef'-foot shoe.
(Does she bury it in the ground or put it under the bed?)
Nope, she bury it in de ground, yo' know, right where de bed at; yo' know, lak dat. An' turn it upside down an' put dat shoe in de ground, see.
(She'd have to get under the house then?)
Yes, sir, she'd git undahneat' de house an' put dat dere right where de bedat.
(I see.)
Entry 7119
Ah've heard people say yo' could put 'is shoes undah de bed an' turn 'em bottom upwards. An' long as dose shoes is bottom upwards, he'll lay dere an' sleep until she comes back.
Entry 7120
Take 'em an' turn 'em down while dey sleep. (The shoes?) De shoes, an' dey cain't wake up until yo' turn 'em back up.
Entry 7121
(This is to make the man sleep while she's gone out.) Take his shoes an' take 'em an' turn de top down undah de haid of 'is baid, an' he'll sleep until she go an' come back an' moves dem.
Entry 7122
Yo' could take de lef'-foot of any- body's shoe an' turn it down, jis' lak yo' wanta turn a trick, an' yo' be sleepin', why yo'll sleep right dere till dey do whut de wanta an' come back.
Entry 7123
Yo' could take a person's shoe when dey sleep or anything, an' if yo' Wanta slip out - yo' could take de lef'-foot shoe an' turn it upside down.
Entry 7124
Turn person's left shoe bottom upwards an' lay that under bed. Won't Wake up.
Entry 7125
Left foot shoe [his] bottom up- wards under middle of bed. When [she] come back, turn shoe upwards [again].
Entry 7126
How, tuh keep 'im asleep while she's out at night, take his lef'-foot shoe an' turn it down undahneath undah de head of de bed.
Entry 7127
Dey kin use a shoe dis way. If it's in yore house an' if yo' wants tuh put a person tuh sleep, yo' take de lef'-foot shoe an' turn it down right at de haid of de bed, an' dey'll sleep dere clean until yo' move dat shoe. Yo' got a chance tuh do anything in de world tuh 'em an' dey cain't wake up.
Entry 7128
If yo' wanta make a person sleep, yo' kin [get] outa de bed from 'im while he's sleep. Yo' take his shoe, jis' only one. Take his lef'-foot shoe an' ease it down, an' turn it bottomside upwards right undah de side of de bed where he sleep on. Turn it bottomsides upwards undah dere. Yo' has a chance tuh go anywheres yo' wanta, 'cuz he's not goin' wake up 'long as dat shoe is turned bottom upwards.
Entry 7130
Take the [his] left foot shoe an' turn it up[side down] on his side of the foot of the bed an' he won't wake up.
Entry 7131
Yo' want anothah woman. Jis' lak yo' runnin' a roomin' house an' got roomahs in dere an' yo' an' yore wife in bed- room goin' tuh bed, an' yo' wanna git up an' go in de othah room an' don' wan er to wake up. Yo' take 'er shoe an' put it right undah de bed an turn it upside down, lak mah hat [demonstrates] right undah 'er where she's layin' dere. An' she can't wake up until yo' go wake her up yo'self. Yo' kin go out, kin dress an' stay out till daylight, an' den come back home an wake her up. Dat woman, she won' wake up till den.
Entry 7132
(What do they do about that?) Dey [women] take his 'ef' shoe an' turn it bottom up, put it right up undah 'is head - yo' see, lak up undah de bed. Well, yo' take dat lef' shoe of his'n an' yo' turn it right up undah 'is bed bottom upwards, an' he'll sleep dere until yo' come back.
(I see. If the woman wants to go out and run around?)
Yes, sir.
Entry 7133
Take the [his] right shoe an' turn it upside down until she come back. Keep him asleep.
Entry 7134
Git de right-foot shoe an' any piece he weah nex' tuh 'im - his undahclothes-lak. When dey go tuh sleep, take dat piece whut he weah nex' tuh 'im, an' put it ovah 'is face. An' take his shoe, de right-foot shoe an' turn it down. He'll continue sleepin' dere until dey go an' take dat from ovah 'is face an' turn 'is shoe back up straight in de night.
Entry 7135
If a woman's gittin' ready tuh go out, if she got sense, she'll lay on de bed wit 'er husban'. She pulls off 'er clothes an' while he's not lookin', she'll take and place her undah- weah undah 'is head. She'll take an' place her undahweah undah 'is head, an' he'll lay dere an' go tuh sleep an' he'll nevah wake up. Den she'll take his lef' shoe an' TURN IT DOWN IN UNDAH DE BED, AN' SHE KIN GO TUH HELL AN' COME BACK.
(And she must put the underclothes under his pillow - under his head?)
Her undahclothes undah 'is head.
(Under the pillow or under his head?)
Undah 'is head. Put 'er undahclothes undah 'is head. It kin be, as long as it's undah 'is head, she kin even put it undah de sheet. Yo' know, she put it somewhere where he can't see it.
(Oh, I see.)
Entry 7136
She'll take 'er drawahs an' pull 'em off whut she had on an' put 'em undah 'is haid; take her right-footed shoe an' turn it bottom upwards undah de foot of 'is baid, an' take his lef'-footed shoe an' turn it bottom upvards. An' he'll sleep dere until she come an' wake him up. (Where does she put his shoe?) Jis' turn it bottom upwards undah de baid. Put 'is shoe, one tuh 'er foot an' one tuh 'is, right side by side undah de bed.
(But she puts her drawers under the pillow?)
Ease it undah 'is pillah.
(And what would happen then?)
He jis' sleep.