Browse:WHAT TO DO WITH GRAVEYARD DIRT (Volume 4, entries 7727–7928)/Part 2
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 7807
Graveyard dirt, dat's when yo' wanta run a person from any place. Jis' lak now, if a person stayin' in dis house [in which I was interviewing] an' yo' Want dis house an' yo' come in here. All yo' gotta do when yo' come, yo' walks aroun', aroun' dis place [demon- strates]: put some in dis place, put some in dis one, put some in dat one, an' put some in dat one.
(You put it in all four corners of the house.)
De fo' cornahs of de house. Don' keer who yo' is, dey couldn't stay in dere fer soul or life.
Entry 7808
Ah heard dat yo' kin take graveyard dirt - go tuh de graveyard. Jis' lak someone dat worries yo', dey tell me yo' go tuh de graveyard an' git - dig down right at de haid of dis person, an' take yo' a spoon an' git de dirt up, m' put it in each cornah of yuh house [demonstrates]: lak in dat one, dat one, an' dat one, dis one, an' den take it an' put it undah de do'step [five places]; an' if anybody tryin' tuh do anything tuh yo', it won't worry yo'.
Entry 7809
Dey say yo' kin take dat dirt, graveyard dirt, an' put it in de fo' cornah of de house, an' put some right tuh de front of yore do' where yo' walk cross it. Dey say dat'll stop confusion all in yore home.
(How would they put this dirt in the four corners? How?)
Jis' put it onto dere, sprinkle it down. (You put it something like that. Well, you told me before that you cross it. What do you mean by that?) No sir, jis' sprinkle it. [Waycross, Ga., (1098).1775:1.]
Entry 7810
It's de same as yo' were livin' intuh dis premises right chere, yo' undahstan', an' he might not be a sufficiently good enough neighbah roun', yo' know, in de community, an' yo'd like tuh git someone out chere. Well yo' goes tuh de graveyard yo' undahstan' an' yo' gits holt of some of dat dirt an' yo' put, ah think it's black peppah an' salt, an' yo' sprinkle it aroun' in de fo' cornahs of de house. An' den yo' jis' take de rest an' den yo' scattah it an' go on out tuh de street. It won't be but a day or two befo' dey'll go on, have tuh leave dere.
(Have to move out of the house?)
Oh! dey couldn't stay in dere.
Entry 7811
Fo' mahself, lak dis mah house, ah could put it in all fo' cornahs.
(This graveyard dirt.)
Jis' lak three times a week - ah mean three mawnin's but till nine mawnin's pass, an' den yo' stop, an' den yo' wait nine mawnin's an' yo' put it roun' ag'in. Dat will keep down confusion in yore house.
Entry 7812
Yo' kin take graveyard dirt, dat keep anybody from movin' in dis [empty] house. Take graveyard dirt an' salt an' cayenne peppah [3 ingredients] an' mix it tuhgethah an' plant it tuh de fo' cornahs of dis heah [empty] house. Well, yo' nevah take a notion tuh move [into this vacant house, this] keep yore mind off. (You mean you wouldn't move into the house.) Jes' lak ah say, if dey [you] have dis heah [house we are in] an' yo' move out, say fo' instance if yo' don' wan' de man tuh rent it, yo' go tuh de graveyard an' git chew dirt from de worst man's grave yo' knows, a wicked person - some wicked person dat didn't b'long [belong] tuh church or sompin lak dat. Yo' stick a cane [bamboo] down in dere deep, about two feet chew yo' know, an' git up de dirt an' take it out. Put three cents down in dere an' covah de hole up an' bring dat dirt tuh de house. An' mix it up wit salt an' peppah an' put it tuh de fo' cornahs of de house. Ah doubt whethah he'll rent it fo' twelve months. [Our cane, reed or bamboo here is probably genus Arundinaria, species maero- sperma, of the southern U. S. A. The only other American species is A. tecta, a small cane. Informant of course could be referring to one of the foreign bamboos introduced into the U. S. A., but I doubt it.]
Entry 7813
You get some graveyard dust and, when you go out to seek a job, you are talking to the boss, you sprinkle a little bit near him. You put some of that on his hat, if you can get it - that's better.
Entry 7814
Dey did mah grandmothah dat way, an' ah went tuh a woman [doctor] dat tole me. Take de graveyard dust an' got some ole stuff dey jis call John de Conkah, an' put it wdt dat graveyard dust. An' git Jockey Club an' put it. Mix it all up tuh- gethah an' put some peppah in it. An' put it in 'er tracks an' put it at de do' where she had tuh come out. An' de woman [doctor] git one of 'er shoes an' put some in dere, an' 'er foot lak tuh rise [swell] off her.
(Almost ran off?)
Yes. [The woman doctor or fortuneteller turned the spell back on the spell-caster.1
Entry 7815
You can use graveyard dirt for many occasions. Now, you can take graveyard dirt, dirt dauber, sand.
(Sand?)
Sand.
(Ordinary sand?)
Ordinary sand, cement [and graveyard dirt] an' yo' can make a ball out of it. You take it an' make a real ball out of it. An' after you make that ball out of it, why you takes that stuff that you make mosquito bar an' yo' take that, an' wrap that around of it. An' put it out in the sun, where de sun can hit it an' let it dry, an' take that an' just put it in de house. It's just as hard as a ball, it is. An' any time, why, if yo' wants to have control over whomsomever yo' desire to have control, yo' just kick that ball aroun' an' play wit it, call his names, an' de next three or four hours he's supposed to bedere.
(I see.)
Entry 7816
In some parts of the South they claim if you get some dirt from the cemetery and put it in a box, and place it under the steps of your enemy, it will cause trouble in their home. And oft times they sought a cunjure-man and he in turn gives them a piece of rau- hide, and tells them at intervals to tie a knot until that string is exhausted. That will do away with the evil spirit. [Informant Was born in Jacksonville, Fla.]
Entry 7817
If a person away an' - yo' could take yo' a cotton string an' yo' tie dose nine knots tuhgethah. Yo' sew dose nine knots up intuh a bag an' yo' take graveyard dirt wit'in dose knots. An' yo' take dat bag an' put it some- place in yuh clothes whut chew veah nex' tuh yo'. An' yo' weah dat bag wit dat string in dere twixt yo', an' dat'll bring 'em back.
Entry 7818
Dey would put hit an' larkspur tuhgethah an' dat would create confusion in de house. (They would put this graveyard dirt and what to- gether?) Larkspur, a flower. Sprinkle it aroumd yore house an' it will create upstirs.
(Make confusion in the family?)
Yes.
(Now, in using that larkspur, they just take the whole plant or?)
Take de flowahs, de flowahs off de larkspur an' pound dem up aftah dey dry - wit de graveyard dirt.
Entry 7819
Well, jes' lak she gits a lettah from 'im. All right, she'll take de lettah an' she'll go to de graveyard an' git some graveyard dust. An' she'll dress it wit de graveyard dust an' mail 'is signature back tuh him. Dat's whut dey tell me.
[After machine turned off, informant adds bring him back.]
(That will bring him back.)
Dat will bring 'im back.
Entry 7820
Well, yo' kin take a envelope an' go tuh a cemetery, well maybe 'long about dis time a-day, or maybe 'bout eight a'clock in de mawnin', an' yo' kin git some dirt offa de grave- yard. An' yo' takes it back home an' put it in dis enve- lope an' write chure name down nine time an' [demon- strates] write chure name heah nine time, er, one time, an' her name heah one time, see all de way down. Well, yo' go on down an' let chure name be firs' all de time, all de way down. Well, yo' go on down till yo' git dat nine times.
(Each one nine times?)
Yessir, yores nine an' mine nine times. Well, yo' takes dis envelope an' yo' cuts a hole in de mattress an' put dis envelope undah dere, undah de feet or eithah at de haid, or eithah where de body lay on de baid, see. Well, dat'll make him come, if he's workin'; an' if he ain't been bringin' 'is money home, dat'll make him come an' give his money tuh dis girl or 'is wife. An' den, when yo' do dis, put dis envelope undah dere, why yo' kin take...
[I interrupt.]
(Now, which side do you put it under, his place or under your place?)
His place where he sleeps. An' den yo' take dis aig, newly-freshly-laid aig, hen aig. Write chure name [demonstrates] heah one time, an' hers heah once, until yo' write it all de way round nine times.
(Each one nine times?)
Dat's right, each one nine times on dat aig, an' on de envelope, an' yo' bury dis aig undah de do'step. All right, whenevah he comes in, he gotta go in ovah dis aig an' he gotta come back out de do'. Dat's all tuh dat story.
Entry 7821
If someone's daid, some of yore relatives, an' yo' git in trouble, yo' take an' write dem a lettah an' tell 'em whut chew in trouble 'bout, an' care [carry] it tuh de graveyard an' put it in dey grave, an' yo' nevah will be 'rested [arrested] 'bout whut chew done. [Informant pronounced preceding word relatives as relatives.
Entry 7822
I've heard this: if you wake up in the night at twelve o'clock and you write a letter to some of your kin people which is dead and seal it and mail it to yourself, when you receive this letter you burn it and make a wish and the girl that you're going with will marry you. [Fredericksburg, Va., by Edi- phone.]
Entry 7823
Tisn't [It is not] but one place at ah knows of in de graveyard dat yo' kin git any dirt dat will do anythin'. Not any kind of dirt in de graveyard will not [omit not] anything. [Such a belief] it's a fake. If yo' go tuh a murdahed man's grave... [I interrupt.] (Some man that was killed?) Yeah, murdahed. He gotta be a sinnahman, a worldly man lak a gamblah or gangstah or somepin of dat kind. Yo' goes tuh 'is grave an' on 'is left-hand side at 'is haid, yo' take yuh right hand, yo' puts it down in dat earth. Yo' try tuh make it [reach the grave] aftah it rains, 'cuz de earth is soft. [As we shall see, you must grasp this dirt until you reach home and write a letter; consequently not one grain of this dirt must be dropped.] An' yo' kneels dere an' yo' ask 'im whut yo' wanta be done. Undahstan', an' as yo' ask 'im, yo' close yuh hand whilst yo' got it down in dat hole, an' den yo' brings dis dirt out. Undahstand? Yo' brings dis dirt out. Well, den yo' take it home. Yo' writes a lettah jis' lak ah'm writin' tuh a live person from which ah got dis dirt. An' in dat envelope ah'll put dis yere [here] dirt whut ah had in mah hand in dat envelope. Nevah let it [dirt] loose, nevah turn it loose until ah put it in dis envelope. An' den ah will take de sheet of papah an' ah will write tuh dat [dead] man. An' whutsomevah ah wan 'im tuh do, ah will seal dat lettah up wit dis dirt an' put it undah mah haid An' he will do anything dat yo' ast 'im tuh do. An' dat's de only place in de graveyard dat de dirt is any good.
Entry 7824
Yo' kin write a lettah tuh a dead person. If yo' want anything tuh happen tuh a person good or bad, write a lettah tuh a dead person. Go dere an' yo' kin carry nine cents, dig a hole an' give dis lettah tuh dis person hut's in de grave. An' dis party, jis' whut yo' ast in de lettah tuh happen, dey say dat would be true.
Entry 7825
If yo' wanta be lucky, dey tell me yo' kin write a lettah tuh a fellah, lak yo' know a real bad fellah dat died. Yo' kin write lettah tuh 'im care of hell. Go tuh de graveyard an' write de lettah tuh 'im. Come back an' put it undah de haid of yuh baid dat night an' yo'll dream about 'im. Yo'll be lucky an' git money, lucky tuh git a job - anything. [In general folklore to dream of the dead is lucky - see FACI 2nd ed., Nos.8271-8272, 8274, p.367.]
(You write the letter in care of hell?)
Yassuh.
Entry 7826
I have heard of them getting a hold of graveyard dust and putting it in a bag. And they wear that on the left side of the breast, in a woman; and if it is a man, they put that in his [left] pocket. They want to wear that next oo the skin and they will get them.
Entry 7827
I've heard X's father say you can go to the graveyard and get some dirt off the left side of the grave and do anything you want. You put that in a box and bury it in another grave and mention their name. You do that about sunset.
Entry 7828
Git some lodestone powdah an' graveyard dirt an' mix dat tuhgethah an' dat will make yo' git a job. Put it in yuh pocket an' tote it.
(The boss will give you a job.)
Entry 7829
Said if anybody had done anything tuh yo' an' yo' didn't wan' 'em tuh know yo' done anything tuh 'em, yo' go tuh de graveyard an' git some fresh graveyard dirt. An' yo' take dat dirt an' yo' take quicksilvah, an' when yo' take de quicksilvah... (What is that quicksilver? Is it a liquid-like or that tin paper [tinfoil]? What is quicksilver?)
[Quicksilver among my informants meant several things.]
Well, ah call dat liquid silvah. An' den yo' take dat. An' yo' git dat an' yo' git dis lodestone an' yo' shivah [sliver? = shave] it off right fine. An' yo' take dat dirt an' all dat an' mix it tuh- gethah. An' when yo' git chure oin- ment made lak yo' wan' it, yo' take dat li'le wad [insole] in de bottom of yuh lef' shoe [and put it under there] an' dey'll lingah an' lingah den until dey be's put in de ground. Ah heard it lak dat.
Entry 7830
Mostly dey use graveyard dirt, but dey git tuh use sand an' powdah.
(Sand and powder?)
Yeah.
(Sand and powder. What kind of powder?)
Love powdah.
(Love powder?)
Yeah, yo' see. Well, dey use graveyard dirt an' love powdah. Dat's tuh make yo' lak 'em or anything lak dat, yo' see. (Well, how would you prepare that? How would you do it?) Well, de way yo' do, yo' take yo' some graveyard dirt an' yo' mix it up de powdah in dat. (This love powder?) Yeah, love powdah an' sand. Yo' buy de love pow- dah right in de drug store, an' sand.
(Ordinary sand?)
Sand. An' yo' put a li'le sugah in dere. Sugah's fer love, see. Put a li'le sugah in dere an' yo' kin put a li'le bit in de envelope. An' lak yo' send yo a lettah, yo' put a li'le bit in de envelope. Well, dat make dat person lak yo aftah yo' git dat stuff on 'em.
Entry 7831
Lak if two people co'tin' [court- ing] an' yo' wan'a break 'em up, if yo' git some dirt from de graveyard an' throw it between 'em, dey say it will break up dere love.
Entry 7832
Yo' go tuh de graveyard an' git some dirt, graveyard dirt an' some sulphur, an' mix it tuhgethah. An' when yo' see de two parties [man and woman] tuhgethah, yo' throw dis dirt between de two an' dey'll break up.
Entry 7833
Ah heard dem say dey take a person's height, jis' ord'n'ry [ordinary], why yo' bein' a low man, why jis' git somepin, objek[object] neah yuh height, yo' know. Well, yo' keep yuh eye on dat an' when yo' go out, why dey take de rule an' measure dat. Dat'll be yuh height den. Den dey take dat length an' go in de graveyard an' measure dat off on a grave. Say yo'd soon somehow git afflicted an' die, jis' from puttin' yuh measure in de graveyard, right on top of a grave. Makes a long switch an' put a mark on it - lak [as the measurement].
(Do they leave the stick there?)
No sir, jis' go ahaid an' take yuh measurement down dere, so many feet, right on top de grave, yo' know, where dey goes. Jes' make a mark right 'cross dere an' it some kinda li'le funny word dey would say, some kinda li'le message. Yo' goin' die or somepin happen.
Entry 7834
Take twelve - yo' kin go tuh de graveyard, lak some fellah yo' know has been bad, bad. Ah mean a bad fellah, he died bad. Yo' go intuh de cemetery, yo' git jis' anywhere 'bout a handful of dust offa his grave. Yo' don't want no mud, yo' jis' want de dust offa his grave. Yo' take dat dust an' yo' come back. Yo' git chew one fresh egg. Yo' git chew some lōg oil.
(What kind of oil?)
Log, loggah oil.
(Lōg? Lōg oil?)
Lōg oil, de name of it is Loggah.
(How do you spell it?)
Well, ah don't know de name of it, but yo' explain dat tuh de druggist. He'd know whut yo' want, if yo' go tuh de right place.
(Oh, all right.)
[I KNEW THE DRUGGIST HE MEANT. I GUESSED THAT INFORMANT MEANT LOGy, A WORD IN U. S. A., MEANING SLUGGISH = sluggish Oil!] Yo' git chew some Miner's oil.
(Miner's oil?)
(Mines with - minus - mind this - mindless?)
Minus.
(Mindless! Like you lose your mind?)
Dat's it!
(Mindless oil?)
Dat's whut choo want.
(All right.)
[We now have logy oil and mindless oil.]
An' yo' take dat oil an' mix it up. Yo' take nine drops of each oil. Co'se dey give yuh a li'le perfume bottle full. Yo' can't buy under 50c worth, dat's de less he'll sell yuh. An' yo' git - befo' yo' - yo' know, befo' yo' leave de druggist, yo' git chew ten cents of John de Conkah root. Yo' git de log oil [lōgy oil] an' de mindless oil an' yo' take dese an' yo' mix it up all intuh dat dust, until it git tuh a real powdah. An' yo' kin do wondahful wit dat, wit dat powdah. Kin do anything yo' want. Yo' kin do good or bad.
(Just using that powder?)
Yes, sir.
Entry 7835
Git graveyard dirt [from] a fresh grave an' a mockin'bird nest. Dere ain't been many people know how tuh find a mockin'bird nest. Yo' have to go an' look in a peah [pear] tree at, in de tiptop of a peah tree; a fo'k of a limb, yo'll find 'is nest. An' dere's three li'le large limbs an' crossed lak dat, kinna lak a cross[3 prongs like a triangle point upward] an' a li'le moss right on down top of it. Yo' take dat moss an' dose two pieces [the three-pronged fork] an' graveyard dirt, an' put it ovah yuh do' an' says, In de Name of de Fathah, Name of de Son, an' de Holy Ghost. An' in nine weeks she'll be back. Yo' kin bring a woman back dat way.
Entry 7836
(What do you do with that graveyard dirt, now?)
Yo' kin take it, if yo' know a person dat died dat wuz sinful, yo' undahstand. Yo' kin take it an' throw it ovah dere [at the house]. Say, dat de spirit will ha'nt 'em tuh death an' dey will leave. Den yo' kin take dis graveyard dirt an' mix it wit moving oil an' lemon juice. See, yo' mix dat tuh- gethah, an' if yo' got a friend dat live at dis - ah mean dat visit dis house - an' yo' mix dat tuhgethah an' make a powdah of it. An' yo' come an' yo' sprinkle it from front tuh back. An' dey won't stay in dere aftah three days.
Entry 7837
Wit graveyard dirt. Jis' lak, yo' see, yore ole man is left wit anoth- ah woman, yo' kin go tuh de graveyard an' yo' kin git some dirt. An' yo' git a nail jis' about 'er size an' den yo' write her name on a piece of pa- pah, an' yo' wrap it aroun' dat nail. An' den dat graveyard, yo' git a bottle, an' yo' pack it [graveyard dirt] in a bottle an' yo' put dat nail wit 'er name wrapped in it. Dat's called buryin' 'em. Yo' kin take dat [bottle, now a symbolical coffin] an' throw it ovah in runnin' watah, an' dat supposed tuh break 'em up.
(WHAT DO YOU MEAN A NAIL HER SIZE?)
Jis' lak if it's a small person, a low [short] person, den yo' kin git a small nail; an' if it's a tall person, yo' git de tallest nail dat yo' kin find. An' put de graveyard dirt in a bottle an' pack it jis' as tight as yo' kin pack it - dat graveyard dirt in de bottle - an' den yo' write 'er name on a piece of papah an' yo' wrap it around dat nail. Dat nail supposed tuh be her. An' yo' stick it in dat graveyard dirt whut's in de bottle an' stop it up real tight, an' yo' throw it in de rivah. Dat supposed tuh break 'im an' dat woman up.
Entry 7838
Yo' kin take graveyard dirt an' run people cleah [clear] outa town wit it.
(How do they say they do that?)
Yo' go tuh de grave an' right in de middle of de grave - have tuh be a murdah dough... [though].
[I stopped machine here to make certain the meaning of murdah.]
(Must be the grave of a murderer.)
Yo' go in de chest right here an' git it an' bring it away [demonstrates].
(Get a handful.)
An' yo' carry it - an' carry it home an' yo' mix coffee grounds wit it, all up good, an' yo' name dat aftah dis person. Keep it until it forms in a cake in dat cup. Yo' take den an' go an' carry it an' throw it ag'inst dis per- son's do'. Dey will have tuh go [cleah outa town].
Entry 7839
Ah heard dey kin take graveyard dirt an' sprinkle it all roun' yore do' an' make yo' move. [I stop machine so that we can begin on something not so well known.] An' yo' kin take graveyard dirt an' yore name an' put it in a bot- tle wit some watah, an' if yo' drink coffee, put coffee in dere an' make yo' commit suicide. (How many times do I write that name, just once on that paper?) No, nine times. (How do you write it?) Write it back dis way [demonstrates] dat's if yo' wanta do harm wit it, yo' write it backwards. Lak yore name's John Henry, ah write Henry John.
(Write it nine times?)
Yeah. Den yo' write it chere [here] an' yo' write it 'cross dere [demon- strates]. (Always keep crossing it up all the time.)
Entry 7840
Dey kin put some graveyard dirt in de end [hem] of yuh dress an' sew it up, an' dat'll run yuh crazy, make de spirits follah yuh, see. Dey'll be aftah de dirt, choo see, an' dey'll go dere [to your house] an' git it, 股 choo see. Jis' lak yogo dere [to the graveyard] an' git it, git it off a sinnahman's grave. Yo' put de money down, put two cents in at hole where yo' git de dirt from. Yo' say, "Well, ah mean fer yo' [spirit] tuh run sich-an'-sich-a-one crazy an' keep 'em worried until yo' [victim] come ohere ah'm at [come as a corpse to the graveyard]." Well, dat'll keep 'em wor- ried, choo see, until dey die.
Entry 7841
Dey kin take dat bow an' keep yo' wit a headache all de time. Dey odll take dat bow an' take it tuh de cemetery tuh a ole grave an' go tuh de haid of de grave an' call yore name an' bury dis dere, an' say tuh de spirit in de grave, "Why, keep dis till ah come fo' it." An' until dey come, why yo'll have de head- ache. If it's a stockin' dat's been worn, if it's a dirty sock, not one been washed, dat dirty, dat have de sweat or presparin' [perspiring] from 'er feet, don' chew undahstan', den yo' kin take dat an' take hit tuh de cemetery. An' put [it] down at de foot of de grave, not de haid but de foot, an' say tuh dat spirit: Keep dis till ah come back. An' dat puts dis woman's mind on yo'. Now, when yo' git tired of 'er, yo' have tuh go an' git it up an' throw hit in runnin' watah.
Entry 7842
Dey go tuh de graveyard an' dey git some dust. Dey go tuh de store an' dey buy a new pack of needles whut ain't be used. All right, dey take dose needles an' dey cross dose needles, an' den dey sews 'em up intuh a piece of red flan- nel. An' dey: make whut dey call a bag outa it, an' dat's fer good luck.
(How many needles do they cross?)
Two of 'em, jis' two needles. Dey cross 'em. When dey put dose two needles in dere, dey put's a piece of lodestone about so big [demonstrates] in dere wit it, see. Dat's fer good luck.
Entry 7843
Dey kin go out dere an' git a handful of graveyard dirt up off of dat grave, an' bring it - if dey Wan' choo tuh leave de house where yo' live - bring it an' take nine NEEDLES an' wrap 'em tuhgethah wit a li'le [small amount of] thread, an' stick 'em down at yuh steps, an' sprinkle dat grave- yard dirt aroun' de house where yo' walk ovah it.
Entry 7844
Yo' could use a needle, dey said, fo' breakin' up a home. (How would they do that?) Take nine needles an' nine ten- penny nails. Yo' undahstan' me? An' yo' could take dat same graveyard dirt. An' sew dat intuh a li'le bag an' bury it anywhere tuh de front of de steps. An' dat will tear up de home, tear it right up.
Entry 7845
My mother said once two ladies fell out, and one went to the graveyard and get dirt from the north side, and stopped it in a bottle an' put it under the other lady's doorstep, and she moved out. [This quarrel occurred in Spotsylvania Co., Va., 50 years before I interviewed inform- ant there in 1936 at Fredericksburg, the county seat, the quarrel occurring about 1886. [Fredericksburg, Va., (cylinder No.53) by Ediphone.]
Entry 7846
[The expression north corner of the house once bother- ed me, because there are two north corners, northeast and northwest, inside and out. The following rite will show that corner and side can sometimes mean the same thing.] Dat graveyard dust, jes' put it in de cornah of de house. Dat will atchly [actually] make 'em move. Dat's a known thing.
(What corner do you put it in, any corner?)
No suh, in de no'th side.
Entry 7847
Den yo' kin git some graveyard dust an' put it in de no'th side of de house an' yo' kin make 'em leave in dat way.
Entry 7848
Ah git me a li'le graveyard dirt an' ah take dat graveyard dirt an bring it back an' bury it, some of it. Take some an' put it in a vial an' put it in de no'th cornah of yore house an' den yo' see, whosomevah yo' put dat in dere fo', well see, quite nätchel [natural], if yo' love 'em or if yo' don' love 'em. If yo' hate 'um, dey won' stay 'bout chew; if it's fer dem, dey'll come tuh yuh. (Where would you bury that graveyard dirt?) Bury it [loose por- tion] undah de no'th end of de steps, an' put de othah [vial portion] in de no'th corner of yore house.
Entry 7849
Lak dey wanted tuh trick yo' or wanted tuh put sompin in yo' [poison you], well, dey go tuh de graveyard yo' see, an' git graveyard dust. Den dey take dat graveyard dust an' put some red peppah in it, an' sew it up, an' walk in de no'th cornah of dat house an' hide it; but dey have tuh put it in between somepin dat it Wouldn't be seen. An' den when dey walk, dey walk backwards wit dere face tuh de wall of dat house till dey got tuh de centah of de do'. When dey got tuh de centah of de do', dey turn aroun' an' walk on. An' wit'in a short while dat dust, why it will eithah draw yo' or send yo'.
(According to what you want done.)
Yessuh, jes' 'cordin' tuh what chew want done. If yo' want it tuh draw yo', den yo' turn aroun', see. If yo' want it tuh send yo', yo' walk backwards. An' when yo' turn, don' turn tuh de right, but tuh de left.
Entry 7850
Af' choo bear [bury] it [graveyard dirt], yo' walk ove' [over] dat, dat'll give yo' a pain. Well, dat'll make yuh feet swell up. Some time yo'll fall down dey [= dere = there], yo' cain't git up wit'out somebody help yuh up. [To bury graveyard dirt for an intended victim to walk over is one of the commonest rites in hoodoo. Examples in various combinations and for a variety of purposes are given else- where.]
Entry 7851
Yo' go an' git graveyard dirt an' put it in a pillahcase on dere [your] husband baid [and let him sleep on it] an' if he workin' [has a job] he won't, he can't open dat [pay] envelope until he brings the whole thing home.
Entry 7852
Git fo' fat lightah splintahs. Trim 'em off an' make a peg out of 'em two tuh de haid an' two tuh de feet [of the grave] an' put in de middle [of grave] de name or de hat. Place it or eithah de linin' from de hat or eithah de brim of de hat, jes' so it's de scents of de body, an' bury it right intuh de grave. (You bury it right into the grave.) Yes, an' dat would take a deeply 'fect. Dat of co'se will - ah've always find dat tuh put dem in de grave, mahself. Yo're worried, jes' have yuh worried an' grieved. An' jes' worry yo' ownself tuh death. (Well, why do you use those four splinters? Is there any purpose in using those?) Yes sir, dere's a purpose of usin' dose, becuz dat is pinnin' [pinning]. Jes' lak yo' take a nail an' nail a board on a wall [pin or nail a board to the wall]. Well, when yo' use dose an' put de person's 'fect [= effects = good or personal propertyl, de hat or somepin, in de grave an' pin dose pegs, dat is pinnin' 'em down.
Entry 7853
If you want a girl to love you, go in agrave- yard at twelve to one o'clock that night. And you get a handful of graveyard dirt and sneak it in your girl's pocket, and she'll always love you. [Deal Island, Md.,. (114), 33:5.]
Entry 7855
(What was that?)
Graveyard dust. Dey say dey kin go tuh de graveyard an' git some graveyard dirt an' take it an' use it. Keep it in dere pocketbook or prob'ly tie it up in a li'le rag, or prob'ly put it in a can in dere house. An' dat will bring good luck tuh home. Well now, whethah it's so, now ah don't know.
Entry 7856
Say fer instance, if ah wanted tuh keep de law away, ah would take potash - take dis ole potash an' ah would take an' place it undah yuh steps, an' ah'd [I would] place dis ole potash up undah yuh step an' ah'd put graveyard dust intuh dis potash, an' yo' wouldn't have no trouble wit no police. Not comin' tuh yuh house, if yo' wanted dem tuh stay away.
Entry 7857
If ah wus tuh go tuh de cemetery an' gathah some dust, graveyard dirt as we call it, an' come when dey are not suspectin' an' sprinkle it ovah de po'ch. (What will that do then?) Well, dat would, yo' know whut ah mean, corrupt de minds of de persons dat lives in dat place. An' it won't be long befo' dey leave dere.
(That will make them move out.)
Dey'll move.
Entry 7858
Yo' go, if yo' know a person dat die bad, yo' go tuh de grave an' jes' run yuh han' about dat deep in de grave an' git some of de dirt. An' if yo' want a person tuh leave from 'way round yo', throw it on de po'ch. Dey'll be gone. [For an interesting little story about this driving-out-of-a-house rite, see one from Wilmington, N. Car., No.1629, p.506.]
Entry 7859
Ah've heard of about graveyard dirt. If yo' wuz in love wit a man an' he wuz goin' tuh a place dat chew didn't want 'im tuh go, an' come tuh see yuh, yo' kin take graveyard dirt an' go tuh dis lady's house an' sprinkle it on de porch, front do', as much as yo' kin. Dat'll stop 'im from goin' dere. AN' AH HAVE TRIED DAT AN' DAT'S TRUE.
Entry 7860
I have heard that people go to the graveyard and get fresh dirt from a corpse lately died, and they will come to your home and sprinkle it on your porch or anywhere where you will have to cross, and you will begin to linger sick.
Entry 7861
Take graveyard dirt an' spidahs an' eggshell an' dis stuff yo' call quicksil- vah, an' put it tuhgethah an' put it in person pump where dey pump. An' dey drink dat watah an' it will kill 'em. De ole people [in the country] uses pumps. Yo' put it in dere an' it kill 'em. [Somewhere we have a rite about quicksilver drying up a pond.]
Entry 7862
An' de left-hin' foot of a graveyard rabbit is lucky.
(Lucky for what?)
Well, mos' anything, yo' know, any an' evah'thing.
(What is a graveyard rabbit?)
Well, now ah couldn't explain whut a graveyard rabbit [is], only a rabbit jes' stay in de graveyard all de time. [There are not many graveyard rabbits in Hoodoo. I suspect that he was largely developed by come- dians. Perhaps some help came from writers of hoodoo manuals. Somehow, except that he lives or runs through a graveyard and has a lucky left-hind foot, he is not especially interesting. Of course he can be a witch in disguise, but so can a pig or a dog and other ani- mals.]
Entry 7863
Dey git graveyard dirt an' sew it up in a li'le piece of red flannen an' wet it fo' nine mawnin's wit Hearts Cologne an' weah it in yore pocket. Dat brings yo' luck in gamblin' an' on dese [playing] cards.
Entry 7864
Take graveyard dirt an' red peppah. Jes' lak if yo' seen somebody yo' hated, why yo' go where yo' think dey walk at in de mawnin'. Go 'fore sun [before sunrise] in de mawnin' Where dey git up an' walk ovah it. Sprinkle it roun' in de yard yo' see, an' den dey'll walk ovah it. Yo' kin fix dem lak dat.
(What will that do to them?)
Well, sometimes it will give dem - dere feet will swell up or dere laigs or somepin lak dat, an' dey can't git it off dem until dey go tuh some root person or somepin lak dat.
Entry 7865
Take de cayenne peppah an' mix wit de graveyard dirt, an' if de person valk ovah it, dey have a burnin' in dey feet, she tole me.
Entry 7866
Well, ah've heard some of 'em say dat yo' could take a penny an' go tuh de cemetery, an' say one or two words an' [say to] jes' de person in de cemetery dat chew want 'em tuh work fo' yo'. An' yo' git a li'le bit of dat dirt an' come back home, an' take yo' some red peppah an' sulphuh an' put it in a sack, an' stick it undah- neat' de house. An' it supposed tuh move 'em in nine days.
Entry 7867
It is not like ordinary dirt. Most graveyard dirt is reddish clay. You can go to any grave, you see clay, and it'll be reddish clay. If it looks black on top it's red down beneath. All hoodoos use it. You've got to go to the graveyard before midnight. That's an unlucky hour, be- cause then all the spirits is risen and around them.
Entry 7868
Yo' kin go tuh de graveyard, but it gotta be a certain time; late at night, ah think now, ah dunno. An' yo' go down intuh de middle of de grave, run yore hand down in dere jes' as fer as yo' kin in de middle of dat grave. Yo' bring out some of dat dust, jes' a small amount, don't have tuh have very much of it. An' yo' go back home an' yo' take dis table salt an' mix in wit it. An' lak if yo' wanta come in possession of sompin othah, or Want somebody tuh do sompin dat yo' desire 'em tuh do, take dat dust an' dat table salt an' go an' place it - place it where dey will pass ovah it.
Entry 7869
Dey could take dat an' make de person do as dey want 'em tuh do.
(How would they do that?)
Dey would go git de graveyard dirt an' dey mix some wit table salt, put it in yore pocket, an' go on talk wit 'im an' he will give yuh a job.
(Don't you have to do anything with that salt at all?)
No sir.
Entry 7870
Take some graveyard dirt, a li'le bit of it an' a li'le bit of salt, an' eithah sprinkle it roun' de house or eithah 'neath de house. An' dat'll make him leave or eithah have a fight. [Florence, S. Car. (1323), 2268:4.]
The informant describes graveyard dirt mixed with salt and reports departure or fighting as alternatives; the account does not establish an observed effect.
Entry 7871
Go tuh de graveyard an' git some graveyard dirt an' bring it back home an' put salt in it, an' sprinkle it all roun' yore do' an' yo'd have tuh go.
(That will drive them away?)
Yassuh.
The informant's description, the interviewer's question about driving people away, and the informant's confirmation remain separate parts of the exchange.
Entry 7873
Dey kin git jis' some plain bakin' soda wit salt, an' use dat wit a li'le graveyard dirt, an' dat will usely [usually] run a person away. (How would they use that?) Well, yo' use it - jis' take de salt an' de bakin' powdah [soda?] an' graveyard dust, make it in a bag an' hang it by dere do' where dey have tuh pass in an' out, an' dat will cuz dem tuh be wondahin' [wandering] from den on. (You just hang it near their door, where they'd have to pass under.)
Entry 7874
Yo' want sompin fo' luck or sompin lak dat, take some graveyard dirt. Depend on how much yo' want. Now, yo' don' wanta make a plastah of graveyard dirt fo' no sickness or nuthin. Yo' take a tablespoonful of graveyard dirt an' a tablespoonful of salt an' git chew some bluestone. An' mix dis up in a quart bottle an' use it in 'er room or in a hall where it's private. Now lak if it in yore room, use it in yore room. But yo' gotta git out an' use some out dere too an' not let 'em know nuthin about it.
(What do you do with that after you put it in that bottle?)
Shake it up an' use it jes' lak yo' would perfume, yo' see - jes' lak yo' do perfume. Yo' kin use it on yo'self, go tuh baid an' use it.
[To shake it up, a magic rite, excites the spirit in the bottle to action.]
(What will that do?)
Make him love her, git all de money she wants.
Entry 7875
Well, ah've heard 'em say dat dey go tuh de graveyard an' git some dirt an' bring it back an' git some salt an' peppah an' mix dem wit it. An' come tuh yore house an' have it fixed so dat dey would throw it from yore front do' to de back an' drop a bag of it up undah yore steps, or eithah slip back up dere at night an' bury it up undah yore steps. Dat'll make dem move.
(You say you take this from the front door?)
Yes, where dey come in from de front an' sprinkle it all de way up de steps as dey come. An' have it fixed so dey have dere han' in dere pocket an' have a hole in dere pocket lak dat an' have it so dat it'll be siftin' out as yo' be goin' on. [Hole in the pocket is a coumon trick.] Git up an' ast 'em fo watah, an yo' go on, yo' know wit yore han' in de pocket an' drink de watah. An' go tuh de back do' an' walk out on de po'ch an' sprinkle it, aftah yo' got de watah, aftah yo' done got through drinkin".
(They must take it all through the house?)
Yes, take it all de way through de house.
Entry 7876
If dey go tuh de graveyard an' git some dirt, an' yo' go tuh somebody an' in some way git holt of dis dirt, an' take it an' carry an' put some salt an' peppah [black?] in it. An' den take it an' bury it undahneath dere do'step, de same thing will turn back on dem.
[This is a method for returning the spell.]
(You bury this under the back doorstep?)
Dat's it. [This informant, a note tells me, was a rapid talker.]
Entry 7877
Ah heard 'em say sompin 'bout - some people say dey take graveyard dirt an' salt an' peppah an' all lak dat stuff, yo' know. Well, dey say - ah don' know how dey fix it all, but dey mix it tuhgethah an' throw it up on dere house an' all lak dat. But whethah it is true, ah don' know.
(That is supposed to make you move out?)
Yes.
The informant reports hearsay and explicitly does not know how the mixture is prepared or whether the claim is true. The interviewer's question concerns the supposed departure effect; the answer does not remove the stated uncertainty.
Entry 7878
If dere anybody in yore house an' yo' wanta git dem out an' yo' ast dem tuh git out an' dey wouldn't git out. Well, yo' jis' take yo' some graveyard dirt an' red peppah an' salt an' burn it all. An' make a good fiah an' put it right up on top of de stove, an' let it burn an' don't have no mo' worry den. Git dem away.
Entry 7879
He'll go to de graveyard an' he'll dig down in dat graveyard an' git some of dat dirt off de daid person, see. An' he'll mix salt, red peppah, mix it an' use it; throw it all in front of dat man place [of business] in de night aftah twelve or one a'clock. An' dat'll make de people [customers] slack up from goin'; dat'll stop de people, dat spirit. WHEN YO' [A CUSTOMER] GIT DARE A'HAVE A MIND TO GO IN DARE, ANOTHAH SPIRIT - A DAID SPIRIT - WILL JIS' WORRY UP WIT YORE LIVIN' SPIRIT AN' KEEP YO' OUT OF DARE AN' YO'LL JIS' PASS ON BY DAT FLACE. An' de place done contend [commence] tuh gittin' dullah an' dullah, an' so he [proprieter] must leave an' somebody else got dat place.
The informant describes graveyard dirt with salt and red pepper in a business-departure account. Uppercase speech remains distinct from the bracketed editorial identifications and glosses; the spirit explanation and claimed result remain source-reported.
Entry 7880
Go tuh de cemetery an' git some graveyard dirt an' put in both shoes unbeknownst tuh him - put it in dere. Git some red peppah an' salt a an' sprinkle it in both of yuh [his] shoes an' he won't be dere no mo' den about tro or fo' hours, an' he will have tuh go.
(That is to drive a person away from the house?)
Away from yore house.
The informant describes cemetery dirt in shoes and a separate pepper-and-salt treatment to drive someone from a house. The interviewer identifies that purpose; the bracketed pronoun is editorial. The reported departure and timing remain the informant's claims.
Entry 7881
Dey could send yo' away wit graveyard dust. Git some cayenne peppah dat hasn't been used an' fresh table salt an' mix it wit graveyard dust, an' make a wish an' throw it de Way yo' live. Dat'll run yo' away.
Entry 7882
Yo' may take graveyard dirt an' go tuh someone's house dat chew don' lak, an' take cayenne peppah, black peppah an' table salt, an' run people from home. (What would you do with this powder and all this mixture then?) Mix it all up tuhgethah an' throw it aroun' de house an' throw it up on de po'ch, or carry it in de house if yo' kin git it in there, an' dey will leave.
The informant names graveyard dirt, cayenne pepper, black pepper and table salt in a mixture placed around, on or conditionally inside a house. Departure is reported by the informant; the interviewer asks about placement.
Entry 7883
Or eithah yo' go tuh a graveyard late at night an' stick yuh arm as far down in de fresh grave as yo' kin, an' git some of dat graveyard dirt out. Well [rooster crows] yo' git back, take it, bluestone, salt, red peppah an' mix it tuhgethah, an' put it undah de cornah of a person house. Dey'll fuss an' fight all de time until yo' git dat removed. When yo' git dat away from dere, den dey quits fussin' an' fightin'. Dey don't fuss an' fight no more. But long as dat dere an' dey don't know where it is, dey goin' tuh fuss an' fight an' kill one anothah maybe, all de time. Yo' gotta git somebody dat knows [what to do - a hoodoo doctor.]
The informant describes fresh-grave dirt mixed with bluestone, salt and red pepper beneath a house corner, with reported conflict while it remains and relief on removal. The rooster interruption and final explanation of someone who knows what to do are editorial context.
Entry 7884
Ah heard dey kin take graveyard dirt wit salt, Epsom salts, cayenne peppah an' sprinkle it undahneat' de do'steps, or git a chance tuh git in de house an' sprinkle it roun' close places in de house.
(What will that do then?)
Well, dat will make 'em move.
(They use both cooking salt and Epsom Salt, too?)
[I wanted to be certain informant did not say salt twice.]
All tuhgethah, an' graveyard dirt.
Entry 7885
Go tuh a graveyard an' git graveyard dirt an' mix salt wit it an' whut's dis dey call some kinda sulphur.
(Sulphur?)
An' jes' sprinkle it round in de house and sprinkle it de way dey want chew tuh go. Sprinkle it all de way through de house. Well, dey gits chure track an' take it an' wrap it up in somepin - a cloth - put graveyard dirt wit it an' if dey goin' down to runnin' watah, throw it down in runnin' watah. (These are two different ways of making you move?) Yes. An' dey take an aig an' write chure name on de side of it an' throw it cross yore house an' break it: if it breaks cross dere, yo' gotta move; if it don't yo' git sick. If somebody [root man] don't do somepin fo' yo', yo' liable tuh die.
The informant reports two dirt-related ways to make someone move: a graveyard-dirt mixture scattered in a house, and a track wrapped with graveyard dirt and cast into running water. A subsequent named-egg rite is separate and does not establish dirt use there. Departure, illness and death remain reported claims.
Entry 7886
Yo' go tuh somebody's graveyard [private cemetery on a farm] an' jes' lak dey got somebody down dere, lak yore name is Jane or John or sompin, say, "Well, dere some people's [people is] givin' me trouble an' ah don't know whut could ah do tuh make 'em go 'way." An' reach down in dere an' git some graveyard dirt an' go right back tuh de house. An' put some salt an' sulphur wit it, an' tie it up an' put it right undah de do'steps. An' when yo' go an' put it undah dere, says, "Go, yo' son of a bitch." An' dat John, he'll worry dat house so, he come down de stairs, got a ball an' chains an' buckles an' evahthin', jes' causin' a rattlin', an' dem folks will move.
The informant gives a conditional account with prescribed addresses, not a record of a particular invocation. The bracketed farm-cemetery and grammar explanations are editorial; the rattling and departure remain source-reported.