Browse:Worry 'em up (Volume 1, entries 106)
Worry 'em up
Volume 1, entries 106. Source context: SPIRITS → GHOSTLORE. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 106
Well, you've seen dat in de graveyard - you seen where dere one stick standin' up on dis end [of the grave], de haid [the headboard], an' one on dis end [the footboard]. Well, she'll take his name - she'll know his name, an' I guess she'll get somebody to do dat, because she'll be scared to go dere aroun' two a'clock in de night, see. She'll get somebody to go dere an' jes' call his name - his name John, Will or somepin another - an' say, "Will, I take dat footstoll [footboard], ' an' turn it over an say, "Well, I turn you haid over heel, in de Name of the Lord, therefore, dat He'll find you an' bring you back to me, In the Name of de Lord" - (Say that slower.) [She was speaking this incantation so fast I could hardly understand her.] Well, dis way. "John, I turn you'" - you take dis footstoll [footboard] jis' like dis [demonstrates], an' you turn it over an' say, "As I turn you haid over heel, therefore I don't want you to refuse, an' bring you back to me an' make you love me, In the Name of de Lord, Our Saviour, Jesus Christ." Well, you stick dis one [the footboard] here [at the head of] de grave where de haidboard had been, an' you take dis one [the headboard] an' turn dis one over [and say], "I turn you haid over heel, therefore if you refuse, an' make you love me an' come back to me, In de Name of de Lord, Our Saviour, Jesus Christ." Well, he'll [the man acting for the woman will] run his hand down in de middle of dat grave an' he'll take some of dat dirt, a handful of dat dirt out de grave. Well, dat'll be about dat deep.
(A hole as deep as - up to the elbow.)
Take a handful of dat dirt out an' after you get a handful of dat dirt out, den he'll drop three pennies in dat grave jes' for the spirit, an' [say, ] "I's [I has] pay you to work for me, In de Name of de good Lord, Our Saviour, Jesus Christ." An' he'll walk right aroun' dat grave three times an' he wouldn't look back. An' he would take dat dirt an' he'd throw dat dirt up in de air an' say, "Go, spirit, an' worry 'em up, an' bring 'em back, In de Name of de Lord. Go to de west, east, north an' south, de four corners of de world an' wheresomever you may be." He'll come. An' if he right in dat town, you don't have to do dat but twice; if he's out dat town, you gotta do it nine times, nine nights. You go dere after twelve a'clock, between twelve an' one. Den, I don't care where he's at, he'll always contended [contented] with 'er on his mind. He'll come where she's at. I don't care where he's at, unless he's in jail.