Browse:Treasure Moves in Ground (Volume 1, entries 418–421)
Treasure Moves in Ground
Volume 1, entries 418–421. Source context: SPIRITS → SPIRITS GUARD BURIED TREASURE. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 418
Anybody that finds money has a hard time. If you talk one word, it will go away. They have an iron rod. When they get over the place where the money is and they dig and get down, they stick it down through the earth. And you can hear the rod when it touches the pot. They hold the rod on [the pot] and they go to digging around. If they are successful, they will get it; but if not, this money will start going right on, if it's not for you. You can hear it going through the earth. You know a ground mole in the earth? It makes a road just like that. Then it comes back to that same spot after you leave. You can go and do the same thing to it.
Entry 419
When you dig it up, don't say a word, don't open your mouth; if you do, it will sink down into the earth - it will keep on going right down. No, you can't try for it again. You'll never see a sign of it any more. They say what makes it go, the spirit what buried that money will come back if you speak. It will take the money right away from you. I remember once in my father's time [before the Civil War] a man plowed up some money and he said, "Uncle Pompey, I found some money." And when father got there the money was gone.
Entry 420
The way it started, twelve o'clock every night a noise would come in the hall like you throw something down. So my father decided there was money some- where under the house and he used the same thing [method described in No. 418] tc locate the money. So he took up part of the floor of.the kitchen floor. Well, he put his rod on it, but it [the money] would go away every time. One Saturday morning, he was away, and my little brother [a man!] started to dig. And he dug until the sand was all off the pot and the little handle that was on it. He stuck his finger in it, started to pull it up, and he got so excited he called my mother. And the pot went: away.
Entry 421
Dese olden-time people - yo' know, yo'have heard tell how dat is. Dey say if dey come to yo' an' tell yo' where dat money is, yo' kin go dere an' git dat money, but yo' has to be by yoreself. [To be by yourself is rare in treasure hunting.] An' when yo' start digging dat money yo' couldn't say nuthin' - it'll be all kinda things comin' fo' tuh run yo' away. But yo' jest be diggin' dat money, jest don't pay 'em any mind - jest don't say nuthin'. If yo' say anything dat money will jest keep goin' deeper an' deeper an' pretty soon it apt to git away from yo'. But yo' jest got'a go an' dig it by yoreself, dig dat money up by yoreself. An' den, after yo' git through diggin', den yo' kin git someone den to help yo' bring it home.