Browse:WHISKEY PAID OR CHICKEN SACRIFICED (Volume 4, entries 7627)
WHISKEY PAID OR CHICKEN SACRIFICED
Volume 4, entries 7627. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → GRAVEYARD DIRT MUST BE BOUGHT FROM SPIRIT → 1 PENNY - AT MIDNIGHT - GRAVE OF SINNER OR MURDERER KILLED; DIRT FROM HEART SIDE - OATH - SALT - PEPPER - SULPHUR. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 7627
(Right from the beginning now.)
Well, right from de beginnin' of it is: Yo' takes it from anyone dat has died bad, yo' see, an' yo' goes tuh de grave an' yuh jis' tell 'em whut chew wan' 'em do fer yuh, yo' see, any troubles of any kin. (When do you go out there?) Well, yo'll have tuh go out at de nighttime, see. An' den yo' axe 'em dese questions, yo' know. YO'LL SEE 'EM SETTIN' UP ON DE GRAVE. AN' DEN YO' AXE HIM IF HE GOIN' DO DIS FER YO', yo' unnahstan'. WHUT WOULD HE DESIRE FER YO' TUH GIVE HIM. Well, IF HE'D WANT A CHICKEN, Well yo'd kill de chicken an' YO'D BRING TUH 'IM DE BLOOD, yo' know, INTAH A BOTTLE. Or if he wanted whiskey, why yo'...
[I interrupt.]
(What would you do with that blood then?)
Well, yo'd po' it right down on de grave.
(On the grave?)
Right tuh de foot of de grave. Yo'll jis'...
[I interrupt before I forget informant mentioned whiskey.]
(I see. And what if he wants whiskey?)
An' if he wanted whiskey, why yo' pour it in de same place.
(I see. And what else do you do then?)
Well, AFTAH YO' DONE DO DAT YO' UNNAHSTAND, JIS' WHEREVAH YO' GO YO' SEE, WHY HE'LL ALWAYS BE WIT CHEW. AN' YO'LL BE SO YO' KIN JIS' DISENTANGLE YUHSELF ANY TIME, INTUH ANYTHING DAT YO' WANTA BE. (I see. And didn't you say something about praying? What did you say about praying?) PRAYIN'? OH, YEAH! DAT'S RIGHT, AH DID. IT WILL BE UNUSEFUL FER YUH TUH PRAY ANY MORE, 'CUZ YUH DONE GIVED YUHSELF AWAY. [I now ask what he means without suggesting that he has sold himself to the devil.] (And is he supposed - is that supposed to be anybody special? Or just a dead man?) Anyone who died bad, especially if dey know yuh, yo' unnahstan'. Yo' KNOW INTUH A GRAVEYARD IS A VERY BAD PLACE TUH GO IF YUH NOT KNOWIN' ANYONE, YO' UNNAHSTAN'. If a [something? Evil spirit?] will come befo' yuh, yo' might make yo' a rich man yuhself. [There is just a suggestion here that you could sell yourself to an evil spirit.]
(I see.)