Browse:WHAT TO DO WITH GRAVEYARD DIRT (Volume 4, entries 7727–7928)
WHAT TO DO WITH GRAVEYARD DIRT
Volume 4, entries 7727–7928. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 7727
In N'oleans [New Orleans] it wuz a lady taken some graveyard dirt. An' she taken some, yo' know, anvil dust an' graveyard dirt, an' she buried it an' de woman jes' got in a ill condition. (Where did she bury it?) She sift it undah de woman's house. She buried it undah dere, but ah haven't experienced dat. [Sifting itself is a magic rite.]
Entry 7728
Ah hear'd dey could take graveyard dirt an' some gin an' assafetadee [3 ingredients] an' mix it tuhgethah, an' go tuh a person's house where a family. Jis' lak a man an' woman livin' dere an' dis woman - he got anothah woman yuh know, an' she [latter woman] go an' git dat an' sprinkle all aroun' de do'. Dey say dat'll break peace, dey [the two inside] always fussin' an' fightin' one anothah. [The gin is for the spirit in the graveyard dirt - see ALCOHOL FOR THE SPIRIT, p.32].
Entry 7729
You go into a graveyard and take two pennies and dig in a grave and take the dirt out of the grave, and take these two pennies and put them down in the hole and close it. And they can walk behind you and take this dirt and throw it up and down your back, and they work the trick right on you, and you'll go off in bad health and you are going to come on back to the graveyard [as a corpse].
The informant describes taking dirt from a dug grave, leaving two pennies and using the dirt behind someone, with reported ill health and return to the graveyard. The corpse interpretation is Hyatt's bracketed gloss; the Ediphone citation supplies recording context.
Entry 7730
Take graveyard dirt an' sprinkle it in yore baid, jis' lak yo' wanta bust up a man an' 'is wife - tuh bust up anybody - why yo' sprinkle dat. If dere any way yo' kin git dat in de baid, sprinkle it in dere an' it'll bust 'em up. Dey won't be tuhgethah no mo'.
Entry 7731
Dey put de li'le bag - yo' sleep in anywhere - in yo' baid in yo' mat- tress, anything. Dey'll slip dat graveyard dirt in it an' put it in de mattress, sew it up intuh de mattress. An' if dey wanta run yo' outa town, run yo' away from dere, den yo'll leave dere, if yo' sleep in dat baid.
Entry 7732
Take graveyard dirt an' put it an' sprinkle it in any- body's bed if dey sick. Put it in dey mattress, sprinkle it all in dey mattress an' dey'll dwindle away tuh nuthin.
Entry 7733
You can take graveyard dust and sprinkle in your bed, sprinkle in your bed nine times - once on each of nine consecutive days, that'll fix them so they'll die.
Entry 7734
It's jes' lak pow- dah yo' know an' dey'd sprinkle it all undah de bed, so dat it couldn't be seen yo' know; cuz natchly [naturally] people whut come in would wanta know whut's all dat dirt dere fo'. But it wouldn't be so conspicuous dat way, it would jes' be sprinkle... [I interrupt].
(Where would you get this dirt?)
Outa de graveyard.
(And why do they use it?)
Tuh keep people away, dere enemies away. An' dey'd keep it undah de bed, see.
Entry 7735
Dat graveyard dirt - dey takes dat graveyard dirt an' dey'll come intuh yore house an' set, laugh an' talk, yo' not payin' 'em any mind. Well, dey'll take dat an' sprinkle it ovah yo'; yo' know, undah yore bed, table, aroun'. Well jes' keeps yo'- rathah be from home den tuh be roun' home. Ah don't care where yo' go, yo' can't stay dere.
Entry 7736
Put dat grave- yard dirt undah yore steps an' up undah yore house right back tuh where it turn. Sprinkle it from de foot right straight 'cross tuh de haid. Dey couldn't rest fo' nuthin. Dey cain't sleep.
(Where do they sprinkle that?)
Undah de house...
[I turn off machine too quick and must repeat informant's words.]
(Under the bed from the foot to the head and you couldn't sleep fo' nuthin.)
Entry 7737
Git graveyard dirt an' put it in a bag wit blackroot an' black dirt - de kind yo' buy from lak places lak de island black dirt - an' blackroot. An' put dat in a bag an' go out in de voods at twelve a'clock at night fo' three an' foah nights at de time an' pray tuh evil spirits, etc. [In the southern United States black- root is the perennial plant (Chaenolobus undulatus) with black tuberlike root- stocks used medicinally by herb and root doctors.l
(Down on what island? Where do they sell this black dirt?)
Right on de island ovah dere. Yo' have tuh git dat special shuah [sure] becuz dat is why dey call it black dirt. [This black dirt is top soil washed down from higher land during the years.]
Entry 7738
Ah think yo' put brimstone, camphor, bluestone, an' ah think graveyard dirt. Mix it up about soft enough tuh make li'le balls outa it, an' yo' keep dat till it git dry, an' yo' carry dat an' jes' powdah it. Jes' sprin- kle all roun' dere an' wish fo' whut yo' want it tuh do, tuh happen - whut yo' expect tuh happen.
(What do you expect of that?)
Yo' expect, jes' lak yo' want somebody tuh stay away from yore house, yo' could do dat den. Sprinkle it aroun', all roun' so dey can't see it, an' dey won't come ovah it.
Entry 7739
Well, they said, just like this; now, you living here and I wanted you to move, I want this house. Well, I'd go to the graveyard and I will get some dirt, and I will cross it up near the doorstep. (How do you cross it up? How do you mean?) Throw it like this [demonstrates]. (You sprinkle it in the form of a cross.) Yes. And make a wish and call your name. You'll move, can't stay there no more.
Entry 7740
I have heard that they go to the graveyard and get some dirt from the head of the grave, and then get some dirt from the foot, and bring that dirt to the house. Bury that dirt. [First, however, you] make a cross mark so. You make a cross [on the ground] with this graveyard dust. [Then] you make a hole right in the center [of the cross] and bury [the rest of] that dirt. You bury that dirt anywhere these parties to walk over it, and they won't walk long.
Entry 7741
Take some salt and black peppah an' go tuh de graveyard an' git some dirt an' cross it wit dat dirt. If anyone move dere, dey cain't stay. Yo' bury it in a li'le box [coffin symbol] dere, an' if anyone move dere, dey cain't stay. (That is, you cross this house up after you leave it so that the next person can't live there?)
[This is done if you have a grudge against the landlord or person moving in.]
Yes, dey cain't live dere.
Entry 7742
Yo' take a lettah. Well, if she's round in town, yo' go tuh de woman's house, or whosomevah's house she's at, an' yo' draw a cross mark lak dis an' yol take sulphuh an' yo' take graveyard dirt. An' git de graveyard dirt from a sinnah [sinner's grave]. An' draw yore mark an' call dere name an' yo' put yore peppah, nine pods of red peppah. Den yo' take de sulphuh an' put it cross. Den yo' [do] lak dat wit graveyard dirt.
(Making the form of a cross all the time.)
Yes. "An' let 'im walk 'cross dat. See, he goin' walk 'cross it if he come out. Well, in nine days him an' her will start fightin' jes' lak cat's an' dogs, an' it won't be long befo' he's goin' tuh break up [leave her].
(That is to separate them. That is going to make them quarrel, isn't it?)
Well, dis is gonna break 'im up, yo' see.
Entry 7743
Yo' go out tuh de fo'ks of de road now, lak if yo' have a boy friend an' yo' want 'im tuh go, or if yo' wan' 'im tuh come back. Yo' go tuh de fo'ks of de road, de heart of de road heah, an' take yore foot or else a long stick an' make a, yo' know, a trench long enough tuh spread salt an' sulphur [demonstrates]. (You make a trench like that.) Yes, tuh each one of de fo'ks of de road. Yo' know when de road fo'ks, it fo'ks sompin lak dat [demonstrates]. Well, yo' take an' make yore lines sompin lak dat [demonstrates].
(Make and "x".)
Yes. An' yo' have yore salt an' yore sulphur an' graveyard dirt an' yo' put it in dere, sprinkle it down. Have enough tuh put in dere, an' den yo' tell it whut tuh do. Yo' use graveyard dirt, dat's very good.
(What did you tell it to do now?)
Well now, lak now, if yo' want dem tuh come back. Or if yo' want 'em tuh [be] gone, say, "Go", whichevah direction yo' want. Say, "Go, dis way or dat way, or dat way, an' don't nevah return." But if yo' say, "Wherevah yo' are, if yo' in de no'th, so'th, east or west, come back tuh me."
(You can do it either way?)
Yes.
Entry 7744
See, jes' lak if yo' in a house an' somebody else wanta undahmine yo' fo' dat house, dey have tuh go tuh de graveyard an' yo' git some graveyard dirt, an' git chew some quick- silvah an' yo' git some High John de Conkah root an' some devil-shoestring roots, an' place it up undah de house. An' yo' goin' tuh an' fro', an' den evah night dey'll come 'n'int [anoint] it wit somepin an' yo'll soon come out.
(Do you know what they anoint it with?)
No suh. Ah did, but it's been a long time [since I heard this].
Entry 7745
Yo' go tuh de graveyard an' reach right down in de breast, an' dig down in dere deep an' git de dirt right off de grave, right off de breast part. An' mix dat graveyard dirt up an' a li'le cayenne peppah. Mix dat graveyard dirt up an' de cayenne peppah, an' yo' take dat graveyard dirt an' yo' gits a dirt daubah nest. Yo' go tuh a house whah [where] dere ain't nobody died in dat house an' git dat dirt daubah nest an' mix it all up tuhgethah.
(What do you mean, you go to a house where nobody died?)
Yo' see, whah dere's nobody died in dat house it give dat dirt daubah all powah. Git it whah dere ain't nobody died in de house. It have tuh be 'bout in de co'se of time of fo' yeahs. See! If dey died longah time den fo' yeah's time, it's all right; but if dey died recently, don't put dat dirt daubah nest in dere. Yo' have tuh git a wasps' nest. Yo' see, yo' git a wasps' nest an' put dat wasp nest in dere wit dat graveyard dirt an' dat cayenne peppah, an' it keep dem person on de warpath all de time - dissatisfied all de time.
(What do you do with this dust?)
Take it an' sprinkle it across de do'. Sprinkle it 'cross de do', sprinkle it ln dere house, an' let 'em walk ovah it. See, dey will be warfarin' all de time.
Entry 7746
Well, dey goes out an' dey git dis graveyard dirt, an' dey kin take it, if dey wanta give yo' bad luck. Dey kin take a lot of it an' sprinkle it all roun' yo' front dō' an' yo' back dō'. Ah don't know how true dat is, but ah know a lady dat lived next do' from us. She used to go out an' git it an' take it aroun' an' sprinkle it aroun' in front-a people's do's. An' dey said dat it would give dose people bad luck. An' dey really would have a lotta bad luck.
Entry 7747
Dey go out dere an' dig in it 'bout midnight an' put it tuh yore do' in de mawnin', an' yo' walk out on it. An' suppose yo' walk out on it, den yo'll soon have tuh leave dem dere.
(This graveyard dirt?)
Yes.
(You get it from any kind of a grave?)
Dey always do try tuh git it from a sinner's.
The interviewer identifies graveyard dirt and asks about the grave; the informant confirms and says a sinner's grave is sought. The departure claim remains source-reported.
Entry 7748
[Well, dey tell me yo' kin go out in de graveyard an' git some graveyard dirt an' bring it in, an' take it an' put it to de do', an' dat will turn me an' whoevah in dat house, where dey couldn't be able tuh do anythin' - couldn't pros- pah no way shape or form.
Entry 7749
Dey gits some graveyard dust an' tie it up an' gi' [give] some dat to yo', why it'll make yo' stay home.
(How do they do that?)
Tie it up in a piece of rag an' put it up ovah de do'.
(They get off the dirt from your foot track.)
[The sleep inducing quality of graveyard dirt mentioned elsewhere evidently acts upon the footprint dirt to keep a person home.]
Entry 7750
Yo' go tuh de graveyard wit a penny an' yo' buy some graveyard dirt from a wicked person whut die, an' take dat graveyard dirt an' sprinkle roun' de front do' an' dey'll move.
(That is to move your next door neighbor?)
Yessuh.
The informant describes buying dirt from a wicked person's grave with a penny. The interviewer's question about a next-door neighbor and the informant's confirmation remain separate; the departure claim is source-reported.
Entry 7751
An' ah've heard of 'em takin' graveyard dirt an' put it up ovah yore dō' an' it will make yo' lucky.
Entry 7752
Take graveyard dirt an', jes' lak if yo' don' lak a person an' dey don' lak yo', an' yo' wanta git rid of 'em. Take dat graveyard dirt an' sprinkle it in dey house, throw it undah dere stoop when dey out - absent. An' when dey come dey'll move. Dey don' know whut makin' 'em move. Dey'll move on out.
Entry 7753
Dey git graveyard dust an' sprinkle it on yore stoop, put it all roun' yore step, an' dat'll cuz yo' bad luck, cuz yo' have tuh move, cuz yo' tuh pine away, cuz yo' tuh pine away an' tain't long fore yo'll be in yore grave.
Entry 7754
Take graveyard dirt an' bury it undah a person's do'step an' dat will run 'em crazy.
(How do you mean run them crazy?)
Jes' make 'em where dey jes' git all upsot [upset] an' jes' leave an' jes' be all - jes' can't live dere, no way in peace, no way.
The informant explains the printed phrase 'run them crazy' through upset, leaving and inability to live peacefully. The interviewer's question is separate, and '[upset]' is an editorial gloss within the speech.
Entry 7755
Ah heard dat chew could take graveyard dirt an' kill anyone wit takin' an' diggin' a hole undah dey do'step, yo' know an' bury it, an' by folks walkin' ovah it, dey will fight amongst dem[selves].
(That will kill them.)
The informant introduces this as hearsay. The final parenthetical 'That will kill them' is the interviewer's statement, with no further informant confirmation printed. '[selves]' is an editorial completion within the printed speech.
Entry 7756
It's one thing, yo' kin go tuh de graveyard an' git some graveyard dust an' put dat on a person's do'steps. An' [they] try tuh stay dere fo' a certain length of time an' den dey will go crazy, yo' see.
Entry 7757
Bring it [graveyard dirt] from de graveyard an' bury it upon yore front do'step an' dis will bring yo' luck.
The material name “graveyard dirt” is supplied editorially in brackets. The speech itself says it comes from the graveyard.
Entry 7758
Go tuh de graveyard an' git graveyard dirt. Yo' kin bring dat grave- yard dirt back an' yo' bury dat graveyard dirt up undah de steps. See, dat will give yo' bad luck tuh run yo' away.
Entry 7759
Ah heard of 'em goin' tuh de graveyard an' gittin' dat dirt at twelve a'clock at night an' plantin' it undah de steps. Dat'll keep dere man, keep dere ole man; yassuh, keep de man at home, keep 'im from leavin'.
Entry 7760
Take graveyard dirt an' dragon's blood an' make [mix] it up. Yo' kin take dat an' sprinkle it aroun' in a person's home. He can't see it. Yo' begin tuh have a hackin' cough an' dat hackin' cough, yo' jes' cough, cough lak yo' got tuberculosis; an': if yo' don' git dat dirt - some people don sweep often enough. Some people know [how] tuh avoid dat. Any person kin come in yuh home an' have a pinch of it an' throw it in dere an' cuz yo' tuh have a hackin' cough. (You say they take graveyard dirt and dragon's blood. Do they put it sep- arately or what?) Naw, mix 'em tuhgethah. See, dragon's blood is a very precious thing an' de graveyard dirt yo' git it off a sinnah's grave.
Entry 7761
Dey tell me yo' kin take graveyard dirt an' aig an' put it tuhgethah an' throw it on - somewhere roun' de house an' dat will cuz dem tuh be in hard luck all de time.
(How do you put that graveyard dirt and egg together?) Dey jes' have it mixed tuhgethah.
Entry 7762
I've heard of them getting graveyard dust. That is to lay you so you won't bother me. If you have an enemy you get graveyard dust and you wrap it up ip a paper and bury that and you won't by me. You put that some place where they can walk over it.
Entry 7763
Go tuh de graveyard an' git some sand an' bring it back. Have it in yore pocket yo' know. An' den come back dere to dat house an' jes' not let de fellah see dat yo' wants tuh run off from dere, not let 'im know nuthin 'bout it. Jes' scattah it roun' on de flo' an' dey tell me dat will make dat man move from dere. De rent-man could do dat, say when de man come roun' aftah de rent. De man dat's dere yo' know, somebody in 'is house could make him do dat. An' when de rent-man come, why see he could go out dere an' talk tuh de rent-man, an den him an' de rent-man will fall out. Dat's a fact.
Entry 7764
I've heard you can go to a graveyard and get some dirt and put it in a bag for a lucky hand and they say you'll win every game you go in. You carry in your pocket.
Entry 7765
If dey's shootin' crap, shootin' dice, yo' kin [go] down tuh de ceme- tery an' git some-a dirt off de haid of it, an' put it in de pocket where yo' goin' use de money. Well, dat will [make you lucky in gambling]. [Here I turned off recording machine, then started again]. Yo' don't know how tuh make dice do yo'? [I probably shook my head.] Don't know how tuh make 'em? Well, yo' kin take - dey make 'em wit bones an' dey make 'em wit celluloid, too. Ah'm tellin' yo' whut ah know an' WHUT AH HIRED TO TELL YO'. [No one Was ever hired to tell me anything. Every one came to me on the basis of a promise: if he knew something I wanted to hear, he was paid according to what I thought the information was worth; if he knew nothing, he was given a small fee for his time. As we gained experience and established confidence in a community, we tried to weed out before reaching the interviewing room, those who knew little or nothing.] But de man who run de house tole me - he want tuh git me [sooner] but ah had tuh go out of town. [De man who run de house, the man who rented the house in which I interviewed, was H. L. Timmons (see Vol.1, p. XXxvII), my contact man, whose automobile I also rented.] (Well, all you have to do is to put this graveyard dirt in your pocket where you put the money.) Put it to work, dat's right.
(That is for luck in gambling.)
Tote wit de dice.
Entry 7766
He tole me one time, he says: Jes' lak yo' knew a person dat died re- cently, it don't make no diff'rence how long he's been [dead]. Dat's providin' if he's a gamblah, a man or a woman. It don't make no diff'rence, if he's a gamblah an' yo' wanted tuh git a "lucky hand" or sompin lak dat tuh be successful in gamblin'. Ah have nevah tried it but he tole me, said he wus successful. Ah noticed he handled plenty of money. Said, jes' lak yo' knew a person dat died, woman or man, an' dey wus a gamblah or pokah playah or sompin of de kind, an' yo' Wanted a little luck. Well, whutevah 'mount of money yo wanted tuh give 'em - yo' have tuh pay 'em firs'. Jes' lak yo'd git up, why it be twelve a'clock at night. Yo' go tuh dis pahtic'lah grave of de person yo' knew, yo' knew tuh be de gamblah, an' git so much dirt - jes' a little pinch lak dat. Jes' dig yo' a hole in dere an' git it, an' 'fore yo' close it back up, put some money in dere. Pay 'em fo' it an' take it an' wrap it up in yore little rag. An' tote it in yore pocket where yo' money at an' dey say yo' be lucky.
Entry 7767
Ah've tried. It give luck, if yo' go tuh de graveyard twelve o'clock in de night an' run yore han' down on dere, right in de centah of dat grave, an' git out some dirt. Put it in yore pock- it. Now, dat is if yo're a gamblah, put it in yore pockit wit chure change an' yo' kin go tuh de skin game an', long as yo' got dat money, yo'll have all kind of luck yo' want. Ah done tried dat.
Entry 7768
Dat [is a] luck proposition. Yo' kin go tuh de graveyard an' run yore han' down in dere up tuh yore elbow an' bring out as much dirt as yo' kin bring out between dem two two fingahs dere [demonstrates].
(The thumb and the little finger of the right hand.)
Yes, an' put it in a rag an' jis' lak yo' luck fo' skinning or gambling, any- thing lak dat. An' go ahaid on tuh de skin game an' set down an' yo'll break evah game dere.
Entry 7769
Go tuh a good gam- blah's grave, a guy dat wuz a good gamblah. Aftah he's buried, go down dere de nex' day aftah he's buried, an' dig down tuh yore elbow befo' de sunrise. An' take it an' put it in a sock [not sack] an' tote it in yore pocket, an' yo' go tuh de skin game an' yo' don't fall.
(You put it in a sock - one of your own socks?)
Yes sir, one your own socks.
(You carry it in any pocket?)
Yes sir, jes' put it in any pocket an' tote it wit chure money.
Entry 7770
Go tuh de graveyard an' dig in a grave late at night tuh gamble. Go out late at night, midnight, an' go in a grave an' he git a handful of it an' throw it ovah 'is shouldah an' den take some back in a can or pot. An' den he goes an' gamble, shoot crap or throw cards or anything. He will be lucky in winning. (What does he do with that pot of this graveyard dirt - what does he do with it then?) Jes' keep it in yore pocket.
(What shoulder do they throw that dirt over?)
Right shouldah [demonstrates].
(With his right hand over his right shoulder.)
Entry 7771
Well, ah heer'd, if yo' wanted graveyard dirt fo' luck, tuh go tuh some bad man. Jes' lak ah wanted tuh git some graveyard dirt fo' luck fo' gambling, go tuh 'is grave an' call 'im by his name. An' dig down in 'is grave an' tell 'im dat ah want some of dis dirt fo' luck an', "Ah'm goin' pay yo' fo' it." An' drop two cents in dat hole an' pay him fo' it an' kivah hit back up. Take dat dirt an' go on gamble wit it. Dat is lucky.
(How do you carry it?)
Take dat dirt an' tie it up in a rag an' tote it in yore pocket.
Entry 7772
If a person wanta, yo' know, wanta know how tuh gamble an' be a wondah- ful gamblah, yo' go tuh de graveyard at night. An' go tuh dis wicked man, yo' know, grave. An' ast 'im, yo'know, tell 'im whut chew want, dat yo' wanta learn tuh be a gamblah. An' dig right down by his left side, an' git some of dat dirt outa, yo' know, his grave - by his left side. An' den yo' git three pennies an' put in dere an' give 'im. An' den yo' git de dirt an' carry it on, an' yo' be one de best gamblahs dey is in de worl'. Nobody beat chew no way - can't win, can't git chew no way.
(What do you do with that dirt then, after you get it?)
Yo' take it an' put it in a bag an' keep it in yore pocket. Evahwhere yo' go jes' carry dat dirt in dat bag an' evah game yo' git in yo'll win.
Entry 7773
De graveyard dirt, yo' go out tuh de graveyard an' - yo' gambles wit dat - yo' take an' go tuh de graveyard an' digs a hole down tuh de head of yo' grave. Go in dere so yo' could reach chure arm out an' dig up an' pick up dat dirt lak dat. An' puts a silvah dime down in dere, a bran'-new sil- vah dime in dere
[the grave]. Dey puts dat [dime] down in dere [grave] an' dey'll take dat [dirt]
an' dey'll tie it up an' dey'll let dat dime stay in dere [grave] until dey gits through wit de dirt. An' when dey go back tuh carry de dirt back [to the grave] dey'll take de dime out [of the grave]. But dey'll tie hit [dirt] up in a li'le sack - yo' know, yo've seen dese Bull Durham sacks - dey puts dat [dirt] in dere an' dey'll - den dey takes it [sack with dirt] an' puts it in dere pocket, right- hand pocket, an' when dey go tuh skin games, dey take de li'le sack in de hand lak dat an' shake it [tied-up sack] all ovah de table, an' dere won't nobody win de money den. Dey'll [the shaker] win it all by deyself [himself]. (WHAT DO THEY USE IN THIS LITTLE SACK, JUST THE DIME? OR DO THEY HAVE GRAVE- YARD DIRT IN THAT SACK?)
[Preceding material is confusing without my bracket explanations.]
YO' HAVE GRAVEYARD DIRT IN DAT SACK.
(WELL, WHERE IS THE DIME?)
IT'S AT DE GRAVEYARD WHERE YO' GOT DE DIRT.
(YOU CARRY THIS DIRT BACK, WHEN YOU GET THIS DIME BACK.)
[The new-silver dime is not a payment to the grave but a deposit to guarantee the return of the dirt! After all, even the power in graveyard dirt eventually wears out, especially in a gambling game fighting all those other luckpieces and charms and roots! Instead of casting the useless dirt away, it is restored to the grave to be on the good side of the spirit.] There is nothing else like this in Hoodoo! The shaking of the sacked graveyard dirt over the gambling place ex- cites the spirit in the dirt to action.
Entry 7774
[If a good or noted gambler dies], if he die, aftah he's buried nine days, yo' go tuh de cemetery. Take away de sod, take yore right arm an' stick it jis' as fer in de grave as yo' kin git it, an' bring up enough sand in dem fo'-five fingah - jis' a pinch. An' yo' take dat an' yo' hold 'till yo' git tuh some tis- sue papah an' put it on tissue papah. Git chew a li'le 'bacco sack, one dese li'le 'bacco sacks, an' yo' takes seven drops of Hearts Cologne an' jis' stir wit dat until it git moist- ened. Put it in dat sack in de tissue papah an' close it tight, an' take de bot- tle of perfume wit yo'. An' whenevah yo' go intuh a game yo' jis' drop two drops of dat in yore pocket, in yore hand, an' yo' can't lose.
(What do they call that? Do they call that anything, that you have prepared?)
[I am asking informant for his name of this luckpiece: hand, jōmō, etc.]
No, sir, don't have any special name. [Informant does not understand my question. Several minutes later he calls it a gambling hand, when he repeats the rite as follows:]
(What do they do with graveyard dirt?)
Well, graveyard dirt is a gambling hand an' a slicking hand, yo' see.
(A ganbling hand. How do they fix a gambling hand from that?)
Well, yo' take hit an' put it jis' lak ah 'fo' [before] tole yo'. Take hit [graveyard dirt] up yo' see an' put it in tissue papah, an' yo' takes a li'le Hearts [Colognel, seven drops, an' yo' stir it. Takes it an' put it back in de 'bacco sack an' corded dat down tight [pulled draw string of sack tight] tuh keep moist [7 drops inside]. Den yo' takes dat perfume an' yo' go intuh a game. Jis' when yo' go an' git dere yo' take it out an' turn it up lak dat [demonstrates]an' hold it in yore hand. Put it in yore pocket, hold it in yore hand. But yore han olll fis' sweat [when it is time to betl. Jis' as long as dey put dat money down, yo' will git it. Dat's a gambling hand.
Entry 7775
A man tole me one time when ah used tuh try tuh gamble - ah nevah was nuthin but a game-fan [watcher] - but ah've quit dese things now. But ah remem- bah dis in mah youngah days. Ah'm tellin' yo' de truth. He always tole me, said, "If yo' wanta be lucky, B" - called me B, mah name is Bidgood - he says, "if yo' wanta be lucky, yo' go tuh de graveyard an' go intuh de breast of de grave, an' put chure hand down as deep as yo' kin git in an' git some-a de dust. Git chew a piece of red flannen an' put it in dere, an' put some black peppah, some honeycomb" - lak de bees make honey, use de comb sometime fo' curin', but de honey's gone - "an' tie it up an' put it in yore pocket. When yo' go tuh a pokah game or skin game or crap game, jis' take dat ball out an' roll it in yore hands disaway [demonstrates] an' evahthing lak dat, ' an' says, "yo' prob'ly make a couple of passes on de dice - craps. Well," says, "yo' keep dat up an' rub yo' hands [until they] gits warm an' hot. Go tuh a drug store an' git chew some good cologne an' put all through dat so it have a sweet smell tuh it." He says, "Yo' more den apt tuh be lucky." But ah have nevah tried it.
Entry 7776
Once ah wuz goin' wit anothah woman - me an' anothah fellah wuz goin' yit de same girl an' we didn't know anything about it. An' she tole anothah girl dat me an' 'im, dat we wuz both ma'ied [married] an' she wuz goin' kill both of us befo' three days. Well, we went on back an' wuzn't pay- in' any 'tenshun an' she fixed a pint of whiskey up an' sont [sent] fo' me a' 'im tuh come an' git some of it. So den de fellah come on an' got de whiskey a' tried tuh git me tuh go an' ah didn't care tuh go. An' he went an' got an caken a drink of de whiskey. He taken sick an' he lived three days aftah dat. An' she tole 'im, when she got through wit 'im, she taken some of 'is hair out from off de left side of 'is haid an' put it in some whiskey an' got some grave- Yard dirt an' went to a place where dere wuz a dead snake, an' got some of 'is womes an' grin' hit up real fine an' put it in de whiskey. An' he drinken [drank] dat an' he died in three days.
Entry 7777
You can take the graveyard dirt, they say, and put it in whiskey and give a person consumption.
Entry 7778
About graveyard dirt, that will give you consumption [tuberculosis].
(How do they do that?)
They take it in your water and bury it under your doorstep.
(Your drinking Water, you mean?)
Yes, sir. [Graveyard dirt in your drinking Water, though under the doorstep, contaminates all your drinking Water.]
Entry 7779
An' dey could take graveyard dirt an' put it in likkah an' dey could give yo' dat. (What would that do to you?) Well, dey jes' have yuh jes' crazy, jes' foolish all de time. Yo' don't have yore right mind about it, anything.
Entry 7780
Ah've hear'd dey cud [could] git graveyard dirt an' runnin' huckle- berry an' ball [boil] it tuhgethah. Dey say huckleberry will kill anybody. An' jis' two spoonfuls of dat tuh anybody [in food or drink] will kill 'em or keep 'em lingahin' two or three months, an' de doctah's [M.D.'s] medicine will not do 'em any good. [Huckleberry is sometimes called devil's huckleberry.bush, see HUCKLEBERRY BUSH, No.361, p.107.]
Entry 7781
They'll git graveyard dirt, jus' a little pinch of it, an' put it in some of your food. You'll linger, yo' know, jus' start to lingerin' that way - it ain't gon'a kill you right away.
Entry 7782
Dat make yo' - dat make somepin fo' luck in gamblin', some way.
(Tell me what way to do it.)
Only one way yo' do dis, wit graveyard dirt. Git some of de dirt outa de graveyard, outa de middle de grave. Yo' take dis dirt an' put it in somepin fo' a man, if yo' wanta hahm [harm] 'im, an' yo' let 'im git holda some-a dat dirt tuh eat - in some-a his food or somepin lak dat, dat graveyard dirt. Dat'll put 'im undah affliction whut would take a hard time tuh git 'im ovah.
(I see.)
Entry 7783
[The following rite could have been placed with the foot tracks and graveyard dirt under Nos.5437-5476, Pp.2845-2855.] Well, if yo' have did any hahm [harm] tuh any- body-lak, see lak some yuh friend, an' den dey'll misjudge joo an' den dey die, some-a dere family will go tuh de graveyard where dey wuz buried at an' take some-a dat [grave dirt] an' throw it on yuh, throw in yuh [foot] tracks where dey'll know yo's had tuh walk at all time. Dey'll [the dead spirit will] be right in yuh way all de time.
Entry 7784
If yo' wanta make someone move or sompin lak dat, why yo' go tuh de cemetery but it have tuh be at twelve a'clock in de night. Jes' lak yo' know somebody died wicked, yo' jes' put a dime on dere grave an' git some of dat dirt. An' dey say yo' go tuh de fo'k of de road an' yo' put it down dere, an' yo' put so much on dere steps [or] on dere porch. Dey gotta leave den.
(You put this graveyard dirt...)
Yo' gotta pay fo' it. Yo' got it offa a wicked person's grave.
(And then you go to the forks of the road? What do you do out there?)
Put some of it out dere at de fo'k of de road. (Put some of the graveyard dirt out there and then you put some of it under the steps?) Yes.
(To make a person move.)
Yes, dey gotta leave, go eithah one of dem roads. Dey gotta go. (They would have to leave on one of those roads at the fork.) [Brunswick, Ga., (1201), 2017.1
Entry 7785
(What do you go out to the forks of the road for?)
Yo' go out tuh de fo'k of de road tuh git a kinda root. Yo' git a kinda root de' calls de Conkah root. Aftah yo' git dat conkah root, yo' goes on back tuh de house. Dat's when yuh madam done quit yuh - lak yo' mä'ied [married] an den yuh madam done quit yuh. An' aftah yo' git dat root, why yo' goes on back an' yo' take de root an yo' parch it-lak, yo' undahstand. Yo' make a kinda dust outa it, jis' make a dust an' yo' mix it wit graveyard dust, yo' undahstand. An' den yo' gotta rejoin dat tuhgethah.
(Well, what do you do with that, after you mix all this stuff?)
Aftah yo' fix it, yo' jis' take it in a li'le sack. Take it in a li'le sack an' jis' wash it roun' yuh waist-lak, yo' see.
(I see. That's to bring the woman back?)
Yes.
Entry 7786
Go tuh de graveyard an' git dirt from de graveyard, an' den go tuh de forks of de road an' make a wush fo' nine mawnin's, an' dey have bad luck. If dey wusn't in bad luck, bad luck will follah dem; if dey wishin' good luck, why good luck will follah dem. (That is if I wanted you to have good luck or bad luck, I would go to the graveyard and get some dirt, and then I would go to the forks of the road nine mornings and make my wish.) Nine mawnin's befo' day, befo' de sun rise.
(But I only go to the graveyard once?)
Yes.
Entry 7787
Take a chicken alg an' go tuh a ant hill an' dig down in dat hill an' git some dirt an' a red ant. An' den go tuh de woods an' git a young oak tree, a oak tree dat's got jis' kinda sprouts tuh it. An' dey come back wit it an' take it, an' go intuh a kinda forks in de road 'bout where anybody, yo' know, 'spect [expect] tuh walk on. An' den if fellah [lover] or fren' is gone away, take an' bury dat. Yo' know, bury dose things down tuh de ground an'take dat red ant, egg an' all, an' put ovah de top of it, an' dey say dat will bring 'em back.
[Informant now illustrates rite with following story:]
Dey talk about a ole man an' he didn't want 'is daughtah tuh stay 'way. He vent out tuh de red ants' baid an' he got de fo'ks of a li'le tree, an' buried it down tuh de fo'ks of road in de direction which she went, wit graveyard dirt, an' told it whut he want done. An' 'is daughtah came back an' she's up dere tuh 'is house right now.
(You mean just this little small fork off the tree?)
Yes jis' a li'le small fo'k about where it will not be noticed. An' bury it in de direction in which she's gone. Jis' use de graveyard dirt an' tell it whut chew want done an' sprinkle dat graveyard dirt ovah it. (You mean the fork at the tip of a [branch], you cut that off that red oak tree?) Yessuh.
Entry 7788
Git some of dat graveyard dirt an' jes' throw it right to yore gate, an' when he [landlord or rentman] come along, he'll pass by, pass right on by.
(The landlord couldn't move you out of the house?)
No suh, couldn't move yo' out de house.
The answer claims the resident could not be moved out. Landlord identification is supplied in interviewer/editorial context, and no protective result is independently established.
Entry 7789
Ah know of a man gittin' a gravevine stick, but he have it dressed, dressed, load it up wit a piece of li'le small lodestone an' brimstone an' put it in dat stick wit graveyard dirt. Put it in, in de stick. Have yo' a separate hole bo'd [bored] fo' it. Yo' 'tend [attend] tuh dat yo'self an' nobody won' observe any hole 'bout it. An' if yo' knock a man wit it, why he'll lingah - dat cuz 'im tuh lingah an' pass away. [If I may guess at the intention here: the lodestone attracts the person to be present for the hitting, the brimstone sends him to hell, after the graveyard dirt has killed him.]
Entry 7790
Well, they say that chew can go to a graveyard and take the dirt be- tween the top and the bottom down in the grave, and mix that with a right foot of a rabbit; but the rab- bit must be shot down while he's running. And you take that and then git somebody's finger- nails and toenails and mix in with that, if you're against them, and then put that in a gun and shoot that away; and the direction that you shoots, the indi- vidual will leave, go off that same direction and become a wanderer.
Entry 7791
If yo' wanta break up anybody, if yo' kin git de black cat hair an' black dog hair an' gunpowdah, an' graveyard dirt, an' wasp nest an' dirt daubah nest, put it tuhgethah an' mix it, an' shoot it an' dat'll break 'em up. (Where do they shoot this stuff?) Jes' put it on a li'le shovel an' throw it up out- do' at night. [The preceding word shoot has been retained by present informant in the baseball sense: he shot the ball to second base, meaning he threw it as hard or as fast as he could. Shoot can mean to send swiftly along as to shoot guestions at someone. Here we have an example of how original rites can be changed: A person may not own a gun, es- pecially the old-fashioned muzzle-loader implied here. Besides, shooting a gun at any time could attract attention. By using a shovel we return to rites of letting the wind blow things away.]
(Where do you do this?)
At chure home or anywheres.
(If I were trying to break up somebody, I would do that at my home?)
No, at dere house.
Entry 7792
Now, if a person wanta run yo' out of a house, why dey goes tuh a ceme- tery where dere's someone deposit dead dere dat is well known, dat dey knows de disposition of de person [ill- tempered]. Dey carry along 7 pennies an' two lightvood AND HOW [fatwood or fatlighter pine] splinters [stakes]. Dey stick one on dis side jis' across de ways [waist] an' de othah cross de othah side di- rectly opposite an' dey stretch dat string zactly across dere.
(Across the breast from one stake to the other.)
Yes sir, lightly - must be caught lightly. An' den dey take anothah string an' stretch it directly from de foot tuh de haid [demonstrates].
(IN OTHER WORDS, YOU ARE FORMING A CROSS RIGHT ON TOP OF THAT GRAVE.)
Yes, sir. Den yo' go tuh work an' yo' go right intuh 'is hips, de right hip, an' yo' deposit dem 7 cents dere, an' yo' bring up from dere a handful of dat earth. Put it intuh a li'le box of some kin' dat yo' kin close it down tuh- gethah with. An' den tell 'em jis' zactly whut yo' wants done an' how yo' want it done. Den make dem undahstan' dat yo' have paid 'em, absolutely have paid 'em de price an' yo' mean fer 'em tuh do it. Yo' come on back tuh de house an yo' buy one gunshot shell an' cut de shot off, an' yo' takes de powdah an' yo' will po' it out an' measure jis' exactly how much powdah yo' want tuh put in dere. Measure de powdah an' put it intuh a clean piece of cloth an' measure de earth, jis' dat much earth, an' put it intuh dat cloth too. An' den yo'.git yo' dat much ground red peppah. Put it in dere an' fold it up tight an' yo' puts it right intuh de gun an' yo' turn directly an' face westward an' call dere name an' pull de triggah. An' if dey don't move, dey'll drop daid on de spot.
(Where did you learn that?)
Ah learned dat right chere, Charleston.
(Is that a special remedy of anyone? Of any special person?)
Yes, sir, fellah in de neighborhood name of Robert Chaplin. [Charleston, S. Car., (514, Doctor Glover), 595:2.] [For Glover see also references at end of 7214, p.3209 and elsewhere.]
Entry 7793
Jis' git graveyard dirt an' sprinkle it aroun' de step an' kep' [kept] back evil, dey call it.
(What do you mean by that?)
Ha'nts [spirits of dead people]. [The magic principle here is: like cures like, fight fire with fire, hair of the dog that bit you, etc. Spirits of the dead, as those of the living, fight among themselves. Somewhere in Hoodoo an elderly woman remembers seeing as a child a graveyard fight among spir- its.]
Entry 7794
(Tell me that again, now.) Dey put it in de band of yuh hat. (This graveyard dirt?) Graveyard dust, put it in de band of yuh hat an' it fall down in yuh eyes an' cuz yo' tuh go blind.
Entry 7795
Well, yo' kin take dat [graveyard dirt] an' put confusion in peoples' homes, [or] dat will put chew in bad luck regardless of how far away dat dey living... Awe [I] kin take dat dirt an' put it in yore house an' yo' begin tuh fall, fall down tuh nuthin, lingahin' of sickness. (Where do you put it in the house?) Anywheres, down anywhere.
Entry 7796
"At's [= Dat's = that is] whut ah hear'd 'bout de graveyard dirt, one way. Ah heah 'em say yo' kin take it an' sprinkle roun' de house, yo' know jes' lak de man an' 'is wife in de home an' yo' wanta break 'em up. Dey sprinkle it all rom' dere yo' know, undah house, roun' dere, an' dey go tuh fightin' an' raisin' Sam [Sam = the devil]. Jes' graveyard dirt.
Entry 7797
Jis' lak yo' gittin' along good here now an' yo' look lak yo' success- ful an' doin' good. Co'se.ah might grudge [begrudge] yo'. [Or] me an' yo' can't git along, sompin lak dat. Well, ah wants tuh put chew out of business, see. Well, jis' lak ah foretole yo', now ah would go tuh de graveyard an' git me some graveyard dust an' ah'll - when ah git about 50 feet from yuh house - ah'll sprinkle it, lak when yo' about 50 feet down de street or road, sompin lak dat. An' why? Yo' jis' couldn't stay dere, see. [This is from Peter Brown, a root doctor, mentioned by Doctor William [Marcus] Brown who belittles him despite my marking him good - see last 14 lines on p.3188.]
Entry 7798
( Graveyard dirt? Well dey could take dat - de same as yo' is livin' in heah, dis could be yuh property an' yo' lives heah. Dey could take dat dirt - at night dey would come past an' jis' got it in dere hand lak dat [demonstrates]. Whilst dey walkin', yo' know, why dey jis' sprinkle it, throw it aroun', an' when dey git through, dust dey hands.
(What happens then?)
Wal, yo'd be dere fer awhile but chew gotta move out of de house, not goin' tuh stay.
Entry 7799
Take graveyard dirt an' dey done go.
(Where do you put that?)
Jes' throw it roun' de house or empty it anywhere roun' de house. Dey say it upsets de home. Ah heard 'em say dat.
Entry 7800
An' then anothah way yo' kin take dat same graveyard dirt an' fix it an' put it into a home, an' it'll be someone out dat home - short, long or short [see later] will git killed.
(What happens in that house now?)
In dat house, if it's contin'l [continual] sprinklin' in dat house, well some- one in dat house, longah or shortah [sooner or later] will git killed. Out of dat house someone will git killed.
Entry 7801
Dey tell me yo' kin git graveyard dirt an' bury it roun' somebody's house or sompin of de kind. Dat will make 'em leave home or run 'em crazy.
Entry 7802
Take graveyard dirt an' sprinkle it roun' yore house an' dat'll keep enemies from yo'.
Entry 7803
Go tuh de graveyard about twelve a'clock at night an' git some grave- yard dirt. Dig it real deep in de groun' an' git it off dat part, an' bring it an' sprinkle it aroun' de house an' yo'd move.
Entry 7804
If yo' were livin' by me an' ah want chew tuh move. Well, ah could go tuh a graveyard an' git a handful of dirt; an' take a handful of dirt an' start roun' in de left side, yo' undahstan', an' sprinkle it roun' in dere house. Den de nex' mawnin' yo'll move. [This circumambulation ap- pears to be inside the house. Notice that the person sprinkling the dirt starts on the left side, meaning he performs a clockwise circle inside the house.]
Entry 7805
Now, yo' see yo' take a house dat is unlucky dataway. Yo' say now, de house is unlucky, ain't good luck tuh yo'. Well, yo' go tuh, say a graveyard, an' yo' git some of dat graveyard dirt. Yo' gits right ovah.a grave an' stretches out on it, an' reach as fer down wit yore right ahm [arm] as yo' kin. Yo' take a dime in yore han', go dere an' reach down in dere, an' yo' turn dat dime loose an' yo' takes dat dirt up, an' carries it back home an' sprinkle it all aroun', allroun' yore do' - all aroun' yore house, yo' see. Well, when yo' sprinkle it roun' dere, well evahthin' den will come yore way. Dere's no hahm [harm] tuh be done. Yo'll come lucky. (That is if somebody has crossed up my house and I'm leaving, moving out, that is to uncross it.) Dat's right, dat'll uncross it.
Entry 7806
From personal experience, yo' would go in de cemetery an' git dirt at a cer'in hour at night, an' dat hour would be twelve, 'tween twelve an' one, an' yo' would take dat if possible an' sprinkle it in de no'th cornah; an' if not possible, yo' Would sprinkle it aroun' de house nine diff'ren' times. In less dan nine days dey'd be moved wit'out any trouble. If yo' know how tuh kill it, in case if someone knew dat, had de ideah of dat, he'd do de same thing wit brown salt [salt browned on stove]. Take table salt an' as yo' sprinkle at night, why he'd git up in de mawnin' an' sprinkle ag'in, an' dat would kill it.
[As informant said, this sprinkling is done 9 times.]
(What kind of salt?)
Table salt. Yo' take it an' brown it an' dat will kill it. Now, dat's from personal experience. Ah know dat.