Subject:Beef
Entries
Entry 3156
A girl tole me dat she could take beef livah an' cook it an' give it tuh me tuh eat, an' dat would cuz me, if ah went out wit anothah woman, dat would cuz me an' 'er tuh go tuhgethah lak a dog. Jes' beef livah. (She wouldn't put anything else with it?) Ah don't know whut she put wit it. She nevah did tell me whut she put wit it. [Surely not beef liver but dog liver is meant - see later sub- subsection (c) DOG, under subsection (1) CAUSES OF SEXUAL IMPOTENCE.]
Entry 3715
Beef gall is sometime that is used to bring a man's nature back when a woman done tied knots aroun' - nine knots aroun' 'er stomach. (Well, how would you handle that? How would he get his nature back?) You use - take ordinary beef gall, if a man drink coffee, or whatevah drink he drink. Take or'nary beef gall an' make coffee or whatevah it is, make it strong enough dat yo' kin put one drop into dat an' he won't taste dat gall in dere, an' let 'im drink it, yo' see. An' if a woman is got a knot aroun' 'er stomach, an' she wears dem nine knots aroun' 'er stomach to kill a man's nature, yo' give him dat beef gall. Jis' continue givin' 'im dat beef gall, an' when dat string bu'st on 'im, he'll become a normal man when dat string bu'st on 'er. Long as he take dat beef gall an' urinate through 'is penis, dat string will continue wearin' - wearin' - [away].
Entry 6997
She kin take some beef blood an' put it in some whiskey yo' know, an' give dat tuh 'im. Yo' jis' put nine drops in dere at de time, yo' know, an' let 'im drink dat. An' dat'll make 'im sick an' dat'll turn 'im against it.
Entry 6998
Dey says yo' kin take a beef gall an' give him de beef gall in coffee an' dat'll stop 'im from drinkin' likkah.
Entry 6999
[They]tell me yo' take beef gall an' yo' put 9 drops intuh a bottle of whiskey. See if he don't stop drinkin'.
Entry 7008
Take beef gall. Take some beef gall an' a catfish; yo' know, dese ole big long-head mud cats. Take dat mud catfish gall, yo' undahstan', an' take a [chicken] egg an' beat it up wit dis; keep it from bein' so bittah, yo' undahstan'. An' take [add] dis whiskey, beat it up good, good, good; so it won't foam much, yo' undahstan'. An' shake it up in de bottle of whiskey an' let 'im drink dat. It'll stop 'im from drinkin' all de whiskey in de world.
Entry 8018
On de first Friday of de month yo' see, yo' goes an' yo' git chew a beef tongue an' yo' split dat beef tongue jis' long enough where yo' kin stick a piece of papah in dere. Stick dat person's name in dere, write dat person's name lengthways. Jis' don' cross. Kin jis Write it longways, yo' know, jis' write it nine times de long ways. Ah don' mean no cross it, yo' see. An' yo' take aftah dat, aftah yo' write his name, den yo' take it yo see an' yo' stick it down in dat beef tongue. An' yo' go in de graveyard an' yo' bury dat, see. An' when dat beef tongue begin tuh rot, dat person begins tuh feel drowsy an' droopy, sleepy, jis' continue sleep until he kinda sleep hisself away. [Algiers, La., (1590), 2987:4.] [Material about bones from the dead has already been given in many places, among them: MOANING BONES, P.36; HEAD BONE, P.38; POWER FROM HEADBONE, P.282; POWER FROM BROTHER'S SKULL, p.283; DEAD PREACHER'S BONE, p.285; and DEAD GAM- BLER'S HAND BUILT EUREKA HOTEL WHERE I INTERVIEWED IN MEMPHIS BUILT BY THE DEAD, first quotation on p.1871, from p.1876, line 17 from bottom of page, continued on p.1877. I am dividing this subsubsection on bones into: (ea) WHAT BONES FROM THE DEAD DO, and (eb) TYPES OF BONES FROM THE DEAD. These two divisions of course overlap.]
Entry 8669
Yo' take an' git chew a pack of bran'-new needles an' yo' buy yo' a beef tongue. An' yo' put nine needles in it an' yo' take dat beef tongue an' yo' bury it toward de east coast of de tree, or right undah de tree in de no'th corner of yore garden or yore fence. Dat's tuh kill dem. Rill me or anybody else. It'll rot. Yo' put de name on de tongue. (All right. You didn't tell me that.) Well, ah'm tellin' yo' now. (Now, how do I know?) We-ll, ah'm tell yo'. (How do you put the name on the tongue, now? Tell me.) Nine time, an' on a piece of papah, an' pin it wit dem needles nine times. Nine needles, see. An' yo' pin dat an' yo' bury dat tongue upside down. An' when dat tongue rot, dey rot.
Entry 8689
Now, ah tell yo' 'bout de stockin's. He could take her stockin's - [she could] take his socks an' put 'em undah 'er do'step. Git a beef tongue, yo' understan', an' stick pins in it; but she gotta stick a pin dere every mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's till she git nine pins in dere. An' den take a pencil an' a piece of papah an' sign his name all ovah dat beef tongue [see correction later] an' take an' wrap it up an' den put it - jes' bury it in de groun' right at 'er do'. He'll come back.
(She also puts his socks under the door?)
Undah dere.
(Do they point them any particular way or just....?)
Jis' put 'em dere - jes' so he walk ovah dere to go back an' forwards. (Well, now. She doesn't write on that beef tongue, she writes on the paper doesn't she?) She writes on de papah.
(What does she do with the paper then?)
She takes de papah an' den she folds de beef tongue up in de papah. An' den she bury it.
Entry 8780
If yo' wants tuh make a person move ag'in [another method] eithah [or] make 'em live bad - it goes fo' both de things. If yo' wanta make 'em live bad, ah break some ice up, an' ah take dat beef gall, an' de dirt dauber - yo' knows dat - an' yo' roll it [dirt dauber]. Yo' know, yo' take a bottle an' put it [dirt dauber nest] in a piece of papah an' roll it up, yo' know lak yo' do bread crumbs. An' yo' take dat beef gall an' yo' take de same cayenne peppah. Yo' use a whole box of it an' de beef gall, an': yo' mix all dat up togethah. An' yo' write de individual name down nine times each way. Yo' see, yo' could write it nine times straight lak dat [demonstrates]. An' den whosomevah yo' breakin' up from, yo' could write dem on top. An' den yo' write 'em down nine times each way yo' see. Yo' write it straight lak dat, an' den urite it, yo' know, catacorner [catercornered]. Yo' undahstan' how ah mean? Write it across jis' lak a seal lak yo' make. [These 2 groups of names cross each other making an "x" or cross.] An' den yo' put it in dat piece of papah, but chew git a white piece of papah an' yo' write it in ink. An' yo' git it in dat papah an' yo' fold it up, an' when yo' fold it, don' fold it towards yo', always fold it from yo'. An' yo' put it in a jah. Yo' put all dat togethah in dat papah an' yo' put it in a jah an' yo' stop dat jah up tight an' yo' put it in a ole country toilet. Have tuh be shure tuh find a country toilet tuh put it in where nobody won' find it.
(What would that do then?)
Dat would break yo' up. Dat would break anybody up, if yo' want 'em tuh live bad an' not prosper or nuthin. Dat'll make 'em, yo' know, live bad.
(These two people.)
An' den ag'in, dat same thing yo' could do ag'in, if yo' wants tuh put some- body against - lak yo' have friends an' de people heah lak [like] yo'. If yo' put de othah person ag'inst dese othah people, yo' kin take dat same thing an orite dere name down an' den write de othah individual name on top an' put it down, an' dey'll come tuh lak yo' an' hate de othah one.
(You don't throw that in the toilet do you?)
Yes, de same thing. Yo' know it diff'ren ways yo' could do.
Entry 8956
If they got any kind of a witness that would speak against yo', well yo' gets their name an' yo' writes it upon this beef tongue. And you kicks it around the floor and you takes it and you put it up in the chimney. You hangs it up in there and they couldn't speak against you
[at court]. [Kicking is a frequent magic act.]
Entry 8957
(What do they do with that?) They go to the slaughterhouse an' get it [a fresh tongue is required]. (What do they get?) Get a tongue, a beef tongue, yeah. And you make a fire in the ole chimley when yo' going for trial, an' burn that On the judge. Put his name there [on tongue]. An' burn that on the judge. That changes his mind.
Entry 8958
Yo' take a portion and yo' put it in each shoe.
(You mean the oil. The oil?)
Yes, yo' put it in each shoe. An' there's three oils yo' get. Yo' get this oil of muritel.
(You get what?)
Murotel, yeah. That [is] if you out, yo' understand, goin' to meet co't. If yo're not in jail, yo' can take oil of murotel and cedar oil an' labena [ver- bena]. An' yo' mix them three oils together. [First oil is surely myrtle!] (What kind? Labena?) Labena [verbena], yes sir. An' yo' bathe yoreself in it that morning before going before the judge. An' if yo' have any witness, well yo' take a beef tongue. An' yo' know the right names, yo' writes the name upon dat tongue. An' if yo' got a chimley anywhere in de house, yo' hangs dat up in there, an' your witness can't speak clearly. (Well, what do you hang that beef tongue in that chimney for? What - how do you do that?) Just take it and [first] you roll it around with your feet [it is kicked in No.8956] and hangs it up in there and smoke it.
(Oh, you smoke it! I see.)
Entry 8959
If mah boy wuz in jail, ah would take a beef tongue an' ah would smoke it an' ah would keep it in dere [chimney]. An' ah would take de judge's name, de district attorney's name, an' take me nine needles an' put it in dere, an sew it up an' smoke dat beef tongue fo' nine days. An' ah would go tuh co't an' ah cross mah fingers, an' he Would git discharged. (How do you mean you would cross your fingers?) [Informant demonstrates.] (You would take the index finger of each hand and just cross them; each hand, like that. You would hold them crossed in court. Why do you use nine needles, any particular reason?) If dey got nine district attorneys [jurymen?] on dis case, yo' understand, if dey got nine of 'em, dem needles represent de district attorney [jurymen].
(If you have twelve jurymen then you would use the twelve.)
[Informant does not understand why 9 needles are used. We shall meet these 9 needles again and everywhere. This was the very first rite I collected on my second visit to New Orleans. Informant was the wlfe of one of my contact men, Peg Leg. She a professional worker had refused to see me two years before on my first visit. Her material, good, is scattered throughout the text.)
Entry 8961
[The day the case] comes off yo' git the beef tongue from de market. Yo' see, yo' gon'a know when de case come off 'cuz [you] git de subpoena. Freeze dat tongue in ice. Take a pen and write [scratch] de judge's name on dere [the tongue], bury it, an' have de party dat live in de building, a brother or anybody else, turn everything upside down. Turn de mat- tress upside down, de chairs upside down, de tables [upside down] during de time de case is coming off, an' de case will be nol pros [nol-pros, nolle prosequi].
Entry 8962
(How do they use the beef tongue?)
They take a beef tongue - they got to get a fresh one - have to go to the slaughterhouse and they get a fresh beef tongue and they bring it home. And they get a fresh beef tongue and they bring it home. And they get your name, the judge's and the district attorney's name and everything, and puts it in this tongue. And they take this tongue and they put it down in ice. That's to freeze the judge's tongue, you see. That's the way they do with them beef tongues, but you got to go to the slaughterhouse and get one fresh. Can't get none [from the butcher shop].
Entry 8963
(How do you use the alligator tongue?)
It do the same part as the beef tongue and from what it was taught to me from Doctor Henry Laemson, it's better.
(You think the alligator tongue is better than the beef tongue?)
Absolutely.
(What do you do with that, then?)
They take that alligator tongue and freeze it hard until it hard as the table. For instance, if it's a - the judge, probably he be named Anderson. I will write Anderson on that beef tongue, just take a hatpin or kind of a... [demonstrates]. [Since he changed from alli- gator to beef, I ask:] (Are you talking about the beef or alligator tongue?) Absolutely, write his name on there. See. Write the district attorney name on that. The tongue ls well froze. The day the case come off, bury that tongue. The party whosomever - if this lady that live in this building here, if it's her son, have her to turn the mattress upside down, the chair upside down, the table upSide dOWN, and IT LOOK LIKE THAT GIVE THE JUDGE NO WILLPOWER TO FIGHT AGAINST THE CASE, NEITHER THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, SEE. They absolutely more than have to nol pros the case, see. So that they won't get any good evidence, see, from none of the witness, even if I'm the witness, statement won't correspond. One may say that they....
Entry 8965
(If you are going to court, you say?)
Yes. Now, yo' git that beef tongue an' yo' takes hit an' yo' puts it on ice. Write de name whut chew done wrote. Yo' would write de name of de party dat's gotta go tuh co't where dey cain't talk, yo' see, lak yo' want a person convicted, an' git fined someway or 'nothah. Yo' takes dat name an' yo' writes it nine times, de judge an' de lawyer dat he has, an' puts dat round dat beef tongue an' put it on ice, an' dat freezes dey tongue an' dey cain't talk. Whut dey know dey cain't explain no mo'.
Entry 8968
Suppose yo'd [you would] have a case comin' off, yo' see, on de 28th of dis month. Dey day dat chure case goin' come off - [the day before] yo' git dat beef tongue from de market an' yo' put it on ice an' leave it freeze very hard. Aftah it freeze yo' take dat needle an' [scratch] all de jurys name on dat tongue. Aftah writing de jurys name on dat tongue, yo' take a shovel an' yo' put it [ice and tongue] about one foot in de ground. Yo' covah it ovah. It's frozen yo' see. Now dis dwellin' house dat chew live in. Yo' turn de chairs upside down. Well, dat chills his tongue an' he wouldn't be able tuh prosecute, unless de case is so brutish until de jurymen - yo' understand, regardless of whut de judge say - dey would have capital punishment. But if de case is not [too impossible] de [jury] wouldn't take de statement of de judge becuz he gonna give no statement whatevah. Dey take de statement of de witness dat got on de stand.
Entry 8970
[If you are] in court like this. If yo' done did a bad crime. He got a witness against yo' - or maybe ten or twelve - fifteen or twenty witness against yo'. Yo' take all of these witness names. Now which is de beef tongue, an' it runs about dat long [dem- onstrates]. Yo' know de size of a beef tongue. Yo' take dat tongue an' yo' split it open right into de mid- dle. Yo' take all dese names an' yo' stuff 'em down into dis tongue. Aftah yo' stuff 'em down into dis tongue, yo' get yo' a pack of needles an' yo' use nine of de biggest needles in dere. Yo' get yo' 50 pounds of ice. Dat's de day yo' goin' to court. Get yo' 50 pounds of ice an' yo' take dis beef tongue an' yo' put it down into dis ice an' freeze it. Co'se [of course] yo' could use it de night before dat. An' yo' take dis tongue an' yo' freeze it with these witness names against yo' in it. Then, when they get in court they can't say nothing against you. If it's anything, they going to say somepin for you.
(What do you do with those nine needles?)
The nine needles, you just stick it all in them names and in the tongue.
Entry 8976
Yo' use dem needles an' nails - well, nails. Ah'll put nails an needles togethah. Fo' instance, yo' have a case in court. Yo' have, probably three or fo' witnesses against yo' an' yo' afraid dat when dey appear dat dere testimony will convict yo'. Now, nine mornings befo' de day of de trial, yo' go to de market an' yo' get yo' a beef tongue. Yo' get de beef tongue an' yo' come back home an' yo' split it down de middle. Yo' take dese witness' name, also yore witness, an' yo' write dere name down, nine times, an' place it inside of the tongue. Get yo' this No.8 thread - yo' get black an' white an' yo' take a needle an' yo' sew dis up in dere, an' as yo' sew dat, yo' curse it. As yo' sewin' yo' cursin'. (Which do you sew with, the black or the white?) Well, it's known as No.8 thread. It can be white or black. (Oh, I see.) But like if it was a negro an' have white witnesses against 'im, yo'd use white an' black thread. See, like mixed. (What if it's a colored man and he had negro witnesses against, him, then what?) Well, he would use black thread. Yo' take this black thread an' sew it an' cuss at 'im. Sew an' cuss at 'im. Evah time yo' sew it, cuss 'im. Sew dat up. Den yo' take nine needles an' drive dem in dere an' curse it all de time. Aftah yo' take nine needles, yo' take nine tenpenny nails an' jug in dere, all de way up to dere. Just take dat an'...
(You drive the nails into the tongue?)
Yeah, drive dem in dis tongue, all.de way through dis tongue.
(I didn't get that word. Do you jerk them or jump them in?)
Yo' push 'em in.
(Oh! All right. I didn't understand what you said.)
[I am trying not to offend! Remember the hermaphrodite in New Orleans and my use of the word sporting-woman - see p.1685,5 lines from bottom, fol.] Yeah, yo' push 'em an' den aftah yo' take dat an' yo' dig a hole. Dig a hole deep enough fo' yo' to git say around abount 25 pounds or 50 pounds of ice. An' yo' put de ice at de bottom an' put dis tongue in between an' freeze dat tongue fo' nine days an' nine nights. An' de day of de trial - whenevah yo' think de ice will run out, yo' just go back an' yo' put ice on it. Yo' keep dat tongue froze. As long as yo' keep dat tongue froze just as hard, yo' know like when yo' freeze sompin it git real hard - as long as yo' have dat tongue froze, it will work. Yo' keep de tongue froze. De morning dat yo' are goin' to trial, get up - just like yo' get up out of yore bed, don't make it up, leave it. Take yore undahclothes, yo' turn dem on de wrong side, even yore socks. Put on yore shoes an' clothes an' yo' come on out. Den yo' go to court. If dat tongue is froze when yo' go to court, to trial an' get up on de stand, dey'll call de witness to de stand, it'll freeze his tongue. He can't talk like he wants to. He'll git up dere an' he'll make some mistakes. He'll git up dere an' he'll talk, he'll be talkin' against yo', but de way dat he'll talk, it'll be in yore favor. See. He'll sort of stutter an' can't get de thing right like he wants, yo' know. Dey will throw it [case] out then.
Entry 8978
Get yo' a beef tongue, an' get de judge's name. An' if dey have a wit- ness, get one for de witness an' one for de district attorney. An' yo' get a block of ice. An' yo' see, yo' set dem three candles or white candles [mentioned before recording started and also later] on [this] ice before yore trial, an' dat chills dere tongues. Yo' put de tongue into a big block of ice [usually 50 pounds]. Just make a hole an' put it down into de ice. An' cut de tongue open an' put de judge's name, de dis- trict attorney's name, an' de witness [name] in dat. An den set de light [candles] on before yo' go to court. One candle for each of dose people. Use white candles.
Entry 8980
Now if yo' go before de iudge, de judge goin' to discharge yo', ac- cording to what kind of case, yo' know, yo'll have. Well, if yo' got people against yo', yo' know, an' yo' don't want to have dem part of de jury. Yo' going before de judge, like if it's a criminal case, yo' know, yo' got to have de jury. Yo' see, dey have [a panel of] 75 jurors [to select jurors from]. Well, yo' don't know what people [will be on the jury]. They don't pick out but twelve. Now, yo' don't know what twelve dey going to pick out. Dat makes yo' gotta use de whole panel. Yo' see, ah [in my work] done use 'em all.[ Well, now, de person - what jurors is against yo'. Yo' go an' get yo' a beef tongue, a fresh beef tongue. Pay odd money fo' it, not even money - 25 or 35 cents or somepin like dat. Let de money be odd money. An' yo' go an' take dat tongue an' yo' get these peoples names what is against yo', what done harm yo', don't yo' see or what yo' done harm. Yo'll take dat tongue, yo'll write de names on a piece of papah, an' yo'll write all dem jurymen's names, de dis- trict attorney.
(The whole 75 of those names?)
Yeah, just put de whole 75. Yo' have to use de 75, because outa dem yo' get twelve.
(I see. All right.)
Now, yo' get de district attorney what is de man to prosecute yo'. Yo'll get his name an' put it on dere, but not de judge in dat part. An' yo'll -git yo' dat tongue. Yo' get yo' nine needles an' nine pins. Yo'll get yo' dese people names an' yo'll put down on dere an' yo'll put dat down in de throat of dat tongue. Yo'll take dat tongue an' yo'll hang it up in de chimney. An' den aftah dat, yo'll take an' git yo' some watah an' yo'll get yo' some peppah. Yo' git yo some coarse snuff an' yo'll burn a - light a candle.
(Coarse snuff?)
Coarse snuff, dat coarse snuff; not dat in a box. An' yo'll light dat candle an' yo'll put it.in dere. Now, yo' want to come clear an' yo' want de judge to be lenient wit yo', so yo' take de judge's name. An' yo'll take de judge ame, den yo'll git yo' a block of ice, 'bout fifty pounds of ice. Yo' put it in a little pail an' yo'll sweeten it. Den yo'll light de candle, but yo'll light it straight up [the candle will be standing upl. An' den yo' see, sweeten de judge. But this othah part what yo' do, yo' take an' yo' put de candle - yo' turn 'em upside down, yo' get dat coarse snuff an' all dat, an' put in dere. Well dat make de district attorney be fightin' against dem. An' de people, what he got fo' witness, goin' to speak against yo'. Anything dey drink, perhaps dey drink whiskey. Some might drink gin or somepin like dat. Well yo'll get dat [liquor] an' yo' put dere name an' set yo' a little glass. An' put dat candle on dat [name and liquor in the glass] an' ah'll guarantee every one of 'em will go to court drunk. An' yo'll come out clear 'cause dey'll be drunk. Dey won't know what they're sayin'. They'll be lying backwards and forwards.
(What'll that ice do?)
Well, yo' see, de ice, dat's to cool, dat's fo' yore part. De ice makes yo' cool. Yo' know ice makes yo' cool. [Usually ice freezes apponent's tongue.] Well, de judge won't be fiery wit yo'. See, he'll be cool an' calm. But on dis othah side, yo' get dat snuff an' yo' put dem names in dere an' yo' get dat beef tongue. Yo' put dem things in dere an' shove dat tongue, all down in de throat, an' just hang dat tongue up an' den yo'll see. Yo'll see an' dey'll be lyin' an' dey'll be drunk. Just what dey drink, yo' set dat candle in dere [in the glass]. An' dey'll be lyin' an' dey won't say a thing against yo'. What color...just what candles you select. Don't try de black candles.
(Anything but black?)
But black candles.
(How many do you burn?)
Yo' burn - see, if dere's five people, yo' put five candles. An' if it's three, yo' put three; just accordin' to how many is against yo', yo' put dem many candles. An' den what they drink, yo' get a little glass, just what fit de candle an' put dat [liquor] in dere, an' ah'll guarantee yo' every one will be drunk.
Entry 8983
Yo' take a beef tongue an' yo' goin' to court, an' yo' takes it, an yo' put de one's name who got yo' arrested, an' de judge, an' de district attor- ney and the party dat's accusin' yo' [caused the arrest] an' yo' puts de [3] names in dere. An' yo' write it an' yo' stick it a way down in dat tongue. Yo' go to court an' yo' can carry dat tongue wit yo', wrap it up good, in yore pocket. When dey get ready to say somepin, dere tongue will be tied, becuz dere name is down in dat tongue - pushed a way down in dere - an' dere mind get all up [upset], an' dere tongue get heavy. It's just like if yo' take somepin [and put it] on my tongue - put anythin' in dere. It goin' to make it still heavier, if it held wit a weight, ain't it? Well, dat'd make de tongue get heavy an' dey can't say nuthin. So dat's de reason why - dat's what a tongue do's. Yo' put de name in dere, de party dat accused her [had her arrested], de judge, an' de district attorney. Dat's who all names yo' want, Just de three names: de party dat's ac- cusin' 'er, de judge, an' de district attorney. [New Orleans, La., (826a) 1212:2.]
Entry 8984
Well, de beef tongue. If a guy have commit a crime, why yo' git dat beef tongue an' put nine needles in it, [name of criminal in], an' take it to de cemetery an' put it on a grave. Wrap it up yo' know an' put it on de grave. An' it'll stay there till it spoil an' fade away. An' in dat time it fade away, dis guy will be back, yo' see, an' den he's captured.
(Whose grave do you put this tongue on?)
Well, yo' put it on any' grave dat chew know of, who had not been buried, yo' know, not so very long.
(You don't put it on the grave of the man who was killed?)
No, no.
(This is to bring back some man who has committed a crime?)
Well, yo' see, de man dat had done committed de crime, why yo' jes' put it in on a grave dat chew know of people were real smart peOpZe [DOES THIS MEAN THE GRAVE OF A "TWO-HEAD?" IF SO, THIS WOULD PROBABLY BE MY ONLY EXAMPLE OF USING THE GRAVE OF A "TWO-HEAD" - A HOODOO CANONIZED INTO A SAINT!] An' den When dat fade, why de man will be back an' be captured.
Entry 8985
Yo' take beef tongue an' dries it. Yo' make a dust out of dat, under- stand. Yo' take that an' dries it. Yo' take it - just like yo' take it an' lay it, let it just wither up. Hang it so it wither up, yo' see. Well, yo' take it, yo' take blood of dragon - dragon's blood. Yo' take lodestone. Yo' take that an' grind it up. An' yo' takes a piece of red flannel an' yo' puts them in there an' makes yo' a bag out of that. An' yo' sew it up an' yo' tote it in your pocket. He always be's lucky an' successful man, never being bothered or worried or caught up when he's out walking around. See, he ain't got no job or nothing, he's out hustling for his living. Laws and things don't pick him up an' ask him a lot of questions or any- thing. If they ask him, all he's got to do is to tell him, why he's goin' tend- ing to his business, an' they let's him go.
Entry 12476
Well, if a person do sompin an' dey wanta git away an' dey got 'em trail'-lak, say fo' instance, dey put de policemen on dere track or put de bloodhoun's. Dey git bloodhoun's behin' 'em an' trail 'em. Dey git a piece of beef livah an' jes' rub dat blood in de bottom of dere shoes. Dey git 'em some garlic an' chop garlic up an' put it all in de bottom of dere shoes. An' wheresomevah dey makes a track, kin nuthin trail 'em.
Entry 3944
An' say, fo' instance, if yo' wanta hold him ag'in, don' want nobody interferes wit 'im an' he cain't quit chew at all an' go tuh [some other woman]. Go tuh de market an' buy yo' a beefsteak. Jes' lak if yo' go dere dis mawnin an' buy it, yo's WEAR IT ALL DAT DAY AN' DE NEXT DAY takes it an' cooks it an give it tuh him. Yo' still got 'im, dere ain't no way he kin git away. He stay right dere.
Entry 3949
An' den ag'in if a man quit a woman an' she kin git 'im tuh eat tuh her house - lak a woman take sick once a month - she wear a piece of steak right fol ten minutes, an' take it an' beat it up an' fry fo' him. An' aftah she beat it up an' fry it fo' him, den he eat dis steak an' he'll be jes' as crazy 'bout 'er as he evah wuz.
Entry 1530
Cut yo' a silver dime into fo' parts wit a file, if anybody have given you any poison or anything dataway. Yo' take an' cut de silver dime into fo' parts, an' yo' take yo' some fresh beef lard an' take de cow milk an' drink that, an' yo'll vomit everything that chew took - fight it right now, in about fifteen minutes everything will come up. (You just take the dust of the dime. You don't cut the dime all the way throughthen?) Yo cut dat dime all de way through see, because yo' goin' tuh swallow that silver.
(But you must cut the silver into four parts.)
Yo' cut into fo' parts an' den roundin' it so it won't irritate de entrails, makin' it very round so yo' won't have no sharp point on it atall. See. Take an' mix it with that milk, that cow milk, an' that fresh lard an' drink it down. Anything that chew take that won't kill yo' in de co'se of twenty minutes, it comes right back up.
(You don't use the dust?)
No, not de dust - dat's very dangerous, de dust. If de dust git into de intestines dataway, yo' understan', an' settle - why, yo' understan', yo' got'a file it aroun' an' make it small enough tuh swallow de same as a pill yo' know. Not de dust. [Sometimes the whole dime is swallowed - see Dime in Index.]
Entry 2773
[I made no special effort to collect material about Marie Laveau, the second, or the hoodoo dance. It was too late for either one and besides I am not a historian. There will probably be a little more material about both in the text somewhere.] Well, dat's a person will do yo' somethin' dat chew go - it sup- posed tuh be mean things when yo' go to a fo'k of de road. Dat supposed tuh be very mean but den dere ain't nuthin whut a mean person won't do at times. Well, yo' take yo' a aig an' yo' soak it in vinegah an' dis cayenne peppah, but chew put de names of de party on dat aig. Yo' understand, put de name of the party on that aig an' put it in a jar an' soak it in vinegah fo' nine days in dis peppah an' salt. An' den yo' goes tuh de fo'k of de road an' make yore wish, an' yo' dance an' ever'thing, an' break it, but nevah look back at it - jis' break it an' leave it dere.
(What will happen to that person then?)
He'll leave direct - won't be a long time leaving, leave town. Yo'll send him away.
(The way she explained it to you?)
Well, she tole me dat dere wus a woman by de name of Marie Baptiste. She had two daughters an' she liked fo' her daughters tuh outdress de girls down in de 7th Ward. Dat's whare ah wus bo'n in de 7th Ward. An' she sol' herself to de devil at twelve a'clock at night wit de fire of furnace - a furnace fire, yo know, at de fo'k of de road in de woods.
(What kind of a fire? A furnace? How'd she get the furnace out there?)
[I soon realized she was talking about a charcoal brazier, when her furnace becomes a hot pot.] Well, she brought it out dere. She had it out dere an' she sol' herself to him dat she could git anything she wanted so she could go in de sto's an' any- thing she take dey couldn't see her.
(What did she do when she got out there? Didn't she do anything?)
Well, dey had some kin' of a dance dey danced, de hoodoo dance - dey danced wit a'kinda meetin' lak. Dey danced an' dat's de way she sol' herself tuh de devil an' dey had de devil tuh git her away from de devil.
(Have you ever heard of that woman Marie Laveau?)
Yessuh, ah've heard of her.
(What have you ever heard said or told about her?)
Well, dere's so many things tole about her. Well, ah tell yo', her an' mah mothah used tuh be friends an' ah used tuh be in her house. Some of 'em claimed ah wus partly christened at her house, an' she done everything she could do. She used tuh use dem furnace an' fiah too, an' hot pots on her. Ah kin carry yo' tuh de same spot of ground where her house wus on - yessuh, St. Ann between Rampart an'Burgundy.
(She was pretty good wasn't she?)
Yessuh, she wus fine.
(Did they used to have those old hoodoo dances when you were a girl?)
Yessuh.
(What did they used to do?)
Dance in dey petticoat tail an' dey shimmy tail - dance.
(Did you ever hear of them dancing a person to death?)
No, ah nevah heard of that.
(They just had those dances for good-time dances?)
De good-time dance an' dey wus doin' dey work at de meantime, but dey wus doin' hoodoo work when dey used tuh dance. Plenty tuh eat an' plenty tuh drink, an' if it wus anything tuh harm, dey would have hearts - raw hearts an' dey would eat that.
(What kind of hearts?)
Beef hearts. (Can you tell me any particular whole story about any one particular thing that you used to do?) No, ah wus too young tuh remember.
(Does any of that go on today or has it all died out?)
Well, ah think it's all died out an' dere ain't nuthin of that much now. It's gone. It's mo' de spiritual whut's goin' on now. (All that ole-time stuff has all died out? Those dances and things of that sort?) Jis' de time dey has it at de ole lake every 24th day of June. Yo' know dat's St. John's day an' dat's mah day. At de lake [Pontchartrain].
(What would they do?)
De hoodoo dance. Dey dance an' dey has a meeting, an' anything dat dey would want tuh do, dey does it that day. If it's good or bad they does it that day. An' anybody could go out dere if dey would wanta go. [After she leaves, my contact man Edward and I talk, though a part of the opening conversation is unrecorded.] Dat her name non est.
(How do you spell that?)
Ah don' know.
(Is that her real name or just a?)
Jis' a nickname we give her. [If Edward actually used the words non est, they were something our assistant Mack, old-time taximan, had picked up in New Orleans.]
(She is supposed to be pretty good?)
Yes, she's a spiritualist.
(That woman that was just in here?)
Yes. End 1584. ["Algiers, La., Fri., Feb. 23, 1940 - 1584 - old woman - several things - Ph [[something looking like Phillip - probably name of person who brought her]]." Numbers Book 1558-1605. Almost anyone would have been described as giving "several things" after following 1583, Nahnee - see her long interview. I did not know that the next woman to walk through the door would be - DARK LADY - DARK GLASSES - DARK DEEDS - See her interview.]
Entry 3097
I haven't had no dealing with that, but anyway, ah kin tell you some- thing about that lawyer.
(About what lawyer?)
My husband, he had kilt a man and I went to Mother Kate. (Mother Kate?) Yes, sir. (Where did she live?) She lives up on Jackson and Magnolia.
(Is she still living?)
Ah don't know if she's still living yet. I think she moved uptown.
(Oh, all right.)
But anyway I went there to her. I'd gived the lawyer $50, and so a lady told me to go up there to her. And I went up there to her, and I say, "Mother Kate, I come for you to help me - my husband is going to the penitent'ry. The next trial he get, he go to the penitent'ry. She say, "You know what you do," she say, "you go to the Ten Cent Store and get ten cents of brand-new needles and ten cents of pins and," she say, "you go to the market and you get you a beef tongue and," she say, "you put ten pins on each side and you put ten needles on each side." And she say, "you get you 50 pounds of ice and," she say, "let it stay 24 hours and," she say, "leave that tongue froze; and when he go to court he won't get no lifetime - he go to the penitent'ry, but he might get six months in the parish or either get three." And he got three months in the parish. And so after I got him out, he left me. And I went back there and I told her, ah said, "Don't you know he done left me - all that I did for him." She say, "Well, you got any money?" Ah say, "I got one quarter." She say, "You go to the corner and get a nickel worth of nutmeg and a nickels sugar and," she say, "you grate that nutmeg up, ' and she say, "you write his name nine times on a piece of paper, and you put some of that nutmeg [and sugar] in that paper and you put it in the lamp," she say, "you get a piece of red flannel and you burn your lamp."
(Wait a minute! What do you do with that red flannel, now?)
Get a piece of red flannel and drap it in the lamp - keep him from seeing it, you understand - and drap the paper in there [into red flannel to hide paper], and [but first] wrap it up with a piece of thread. And she say, "You write it nine times again and tie it up with a piece of thread and wear it in your shoe." And she say, "You get it nine times again and," she say, "you go to the barroom and gets you ten cents of gin and," she say, "you put it [third paper with 9 names] in a bottle and put it behind your bed and," she say, "you shake it up three times a day," she said, "and I'm betting he'll come back to you.'" And I'm got him till yet.
(Did he come back?)
Yes, I'm got him till yet.
(I see.)
And she say, "Three time a day you shake it up and say, "The Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
(I see. Mother Kate told you that.)
Yes, told me to get a nickel's worth of nutmeg and a nickels sugar.
(Yes?)
She told me to grate the nutmeg and mix it up in the sugar, and write it nine times.
(Wait a minute! Write what nine times?)
Write his name nine times on a piece of paper.
(All right.)
And put it in the lamp and get a piece of flannel and drap [or wrap] it in there. (Wait! You wrap this paper in a piece of flannel, and you put the flannel in the lamp?) Put the flannel in the lamp and wrap the nutmeg and the sugar up in the piece of paper and tie a piece of thread around it and drap that in the lamp.
(But the flannel is around the two then?)
Yes, sir, the flannel goes at the bottom - you know, the paper done sink and the flannel, you see, is all around it.
(Oh, all right. Then what?)
And then she told me, 'Write his name nine times again and put some of that nutmeg and sugar and wear it in your shoe.
(What do you wrap it up in?)
A piece of plain white piece of paper. Write it nine times and tie it up with a piece of white thread and wear it in my shoe.
(You don't put any flannel around that?)
No, don't put no flannel around it atall.
(Just the paper?)
Just the paper.
(All right.)
And she say, "Write his name nine times again on a piece of paper and wrap it up with a piece of thread." And she say, "You go to the barroom and get you ten cents of gin, and you put it in there and three time a day," she say, "you shake it up."
(Wait a minute! You put this paper in this gin?)
Put some of the sugar and the nutmeg and wrap it up with a piece of thread and drap it in the gin.
(I see.)
And then stop it up and put it behind the bed. "And three time a day," she say, ''you shake it up and say, "The Father, Son and Holy Ghost." (I see. You had to do all these three things, then - you burned the lamp, you had to wear it in your shoe, and.) And put it in ten cents of gin.
(And put it in gin. For how long do you have to burn that lamp?)
Burn it all day - but I don't burn it now.
(I see. You only burned it all day.)
Burned it all day and all night.
(I see.)
That's to get him back.
(And you wore this up in your shoe too?)
Wore that in my shoe - the nutmeg and.
(You only burned that lamp one day?)
Burn it all day. I burned it about three weeks.
(I see. OhI you burned it about three weeks.)
Yes, sir, I burned zactly three weeks.
(And he came back.)
And he come back - come back with his suitcase. (I see. You burned this lamp three weeks and you kept that thing in your shoe three weeks and you kept shaking that bottle up for three weeks.) I've got the bottle now, but I don't let him see it.
(I see. You did all those three things for three weeks.)
Three weeks.
(It was three weeks before he came back?)
It was three weeks before he came back. He come back that Monday.
(I see. All right.)
Entry 3940
Den a woman could take a - jes' like yo' go to market an' yo' git some steaks - yo' get steak. She know yo' like dat, or any kin'a meat yo' like. She wears dat right 'tween 'er laigs. She take dat an' leave her wear dat whole day an' she cook dat. An' she'll take dirt from undah her toenail an' she'll put it in yore food. She'll take an' she'll get some tomato paste an' put it into dat meat. De minute yo' eat dat, regardless of where dat woman at or where yo' at, but yo'll suffah wlt cramps in yore stomik. She done got dat, all dat filth down in yore stomik. Don't care where dat woman at, yo' want to see her, [even] if dere mens wit a fowl gun dere; but if dat woman in dat buildin', yo'll take a chance an' go on where she at. Dat's what yo' call she done fed yo' off 8ome of 'er 'pearance.
Entry 8973
Go somewhere an' buy yo' a beef tongue if yo' wants tuh do sompin. An' yo' cut dat beef tongue open [slit lengthwise] an' yo' writes de person name down nine times on one straight piece of papah. (That is, you write the name one right after the other?) Yessuh, one right undah de othah on a piece of papah, jes' lak yo's writin' a lettah; but as yo' write one name, yo' leave dat, an' yo' put de entire [family name] first an' put de given name last. An' yo' writes dat down wit a indelible pencil. Yo' git chew nine needles, brand-new needles dat's nevah been used, nine brand-new pins, an' git nine [brand-new] tacks, an' yo' stick it in dat beef tongue; but as yo' stick it, yo' stick it across it. [Needles cross needles, pins pins, tacks tacks.] Yo' git chew some silk thread an' yo' sew dat beef tongue up an' yo' take dat beef tongue an' yo' bury it to de sunrise.
(What will that do?)
Well, dat's tuh keep anybody from talkin', lak if yo' got people aroun' yo' an' evahthin' yo' see, dey meddles wit chure business an' jes' go about an bring news, an' say evahthing. See, yo' do dat wit dat beef tongue. [This rite will keep people from talking about you and also help you in the court scrape that follows:] Now, yo' take it fo a co't scrape. Yo' take de beef tongue an' yo' write de name down nine times, one right aftah de othah.
(The name of the fellow that is before the judge.)
Whut's befo' de judge, see; an' de witness name, too. Yo' write de witness name, but yo' 'sposed [supposed] tuh make it - now, yo' write de witness first; den yo' write de defendant's name on top, see. Write it down nine times an' put it in dat tongue, an' yo' use dem nine needles an' nine pins an' nine tacks.
(How do you put them in there?)
Yo' crosses 'em, cross one right on top an' stick a needle, an' yo'll stick a pin dat yo' makes a cross. Yo' cross dat pin 'cross dat way [demonstrates]. Den yo' takes dat tack an' yo' crosses it 'cross dere, until yo' git de whole nine of 'em in dere. When yo' git de whole nine of 'em in dere, yo' git some thread an' yo' sew dat beef tongue up. An' yo' git chew some ice an' yo' put dat beef tongue on a piece of ice an' leave it freeze. An' de witness, or who- somevah be against yo', won't be able tuh say nuthin against 'em when dat co't scrape come up.
Entry 8979
(In this court case now.)
Now, if yo' got a case an' yo' know it's a bad case, well yo' go tuh de market an' git chew a beef tongue, an' aftah yo' git dat subpoenee. Den yo' git de iudge name an' yo' git chure witness name whut ag'inst yo'. An' yo' write all dat down on dat same subpoenee whut de judge name on it. Yo' git chew hot peppah tuh ketch 'em an' yo' put dat in yore lamp. Yo' burn dat until yo' go tuh co't., 'Fo' [before] yo' go yo' turn de chairs, mattress, bed, every- thing, upside down. De shoe, dat left-foot shoe, turn it upside down, whut chew ain't been wearin' fo' quite a while - turn dat upside down. An' yo' git chew a pink candle, a St. Raymond candle [St. Raymond's candle more likely to be green - see No.3042-3051, Pp.877-880] dat a pink candle. An' yo' leave somebody at de house an' dey'll burn it tuh keep it from ketchin' de house [afire] or anything. Yo' git dere an' yo' git chew some cinnamon, some ground cinnamon an' de brown sugah; an' yo' only have tuh have dat much in yore han', as yo' goin' up when de judge call yo'. Jis' have it lak dat an' jis' sprinkle it an' go ahead on up, sprinkle it aroun'. Den aftah evahthing is ovah, yo' come back an' yo' git dat tongue.
(After the case is all over?)
Aftah de case is all ovah, yo' come back an' git dat tongue an' yo' put it down in de ground an' yo' leave it stay in de ground three days. An' aftah dem three days, yo'll take it up an' let it stay up, a day an' a night, on top of de ground. Den yo' take it an' carry it tuh de graveyard an' bury it if yo' yanta. If not, yo' kin carry it tuh de rivah. BUT DE CASE IS OUT. IT'LL NEVAH BE CALL UP ANY MO' ON DIS SIDE OF JUDGMENT [DAY].
(Now, how is that pink candle burned while I am down at the court?)
Well, yo' have tuh have somebody dere tuh burn it all day - all day.
(Where is that tongue all this time? Where is that tongue?)
De tongue gonna be at de house in de smoke, in de smoke an' de needles - in de smoke of wood, papah, anything yo' kin keep it a-burnin' wit, until yo' git back.
(You keep it smoking and the candle is on a table burning?)
Well, de candle is jis' as good as de tongue. Let me tell yo' dat right now.
(Wait a minute! Are we using both the candle and the tongue or what?)
Yo' kin use both, both of 'em.
Entry 11276
Now, in some of them, they goes in the woods. I have an old friend of mine, it is most good for those people when they get ready to sell theirselves [to the devil] to go on by another person. He will make him lay down. Then, uty when he lay down, he will call all the different insect[s], and if he kin stand fer them to go over him, he's all right. Back in 1927 I was called down here to a place what they call Cole Coran, H. Car. [Not in Dennison U. S. Postal Zip Code Directory, 1968.] While I vas there, there was young girl who had just returned from school. Well, they put ber under an evil influence: she was pulling her hair out, screaming, wanted to jp i the gell. So the gentlemen sent fer me. I goes right out and looks aromd. Sbortly after I find a piece of beef stuck on one side of the wall and the last piece vas a piece of liver. So I'd taken it all out. Somebody had taken some [of.this geat?] and dropped it in this water and [one of] them board caskets made it be- One these insects [maggots] into this meat. They were after putting ["after putting comes from Irish transcriber; leave out "after'] insects into the water what they was drinking, become as though they had little snakes, but by pitching [throwing instead of rubbing] it stuck on the sides of the wall, and on the top of the well, and didn't get in the well.
(I see.)
The arrangement [ruse] of making the person who do's all that to return to the well to show theirself up, you look to find two large oyster shells. The oyster shells may be placed into fire and burned slowly and gradually and burn 'em halfway - just about halfway. At exactly twelve o'clock at night, you takes them and pitch them in the well. The next morning you'll go out there and the person who did that will be standing up out there where you kin see them.
[441:3.]
Entry 3945
An' then ah've heard if he's runnin' aroun' - see, if a man's got an- othah sweetheart, an' he's got a wife an' he doesn't provide fo' his home as he should. She kin git a beefsteak an' she PUT IT UNDAH HER ARMS, an' de sugah IF HE DRINKS COFFEE, PUT DE SUGAH UNDAH HER ARM - PUT ONE UNDAH EACH ARM. Let It stay fo' 'bout a hour. Den cook dat steak an' take dat sugah an' sweeten his coffee, an' dat'll break up dat.
(She puts the beefsteak under one arm and the sugar under the other?)
Yes.
Entry 7247
Tuh make a woman an' a man stay tuhgethah, de firs' things ah heer'd, when ah wuz growin' up - yo' know, grown folks would be talkin' an' dey wouldn't be talkin' tuh me an' ah would ketch some of dese things. Ah'd be workin' roun' - co'se [of course], mah gran'- mothah an' aunts could heah things dat grown people said. Ah heer'd some things. She said dat one time dere wuz a woman had a fellah an' he liked anothah girl. Said de woman took an' washed 'er feet right good an' den washed 'er hands an' washed from undah 'er ahms an'aroun' 'er neck, an' she washed dose places about 'er body real clean. Said de firs' place she washed from undah 'er ahms an' she squeezed dat in de watah an' she goin' tuh give it tuh 'im in somepin tuh eat. An' dey say, aftah she squeeze dat in de watah, said den she washed ag'in an' ag'in squeezed dat in de watah. Washed in palm of 'er hand an' squeezed dat in de watah. Washed dis hand an' squeezed dat in de watah. Said den she turn roun' an' didn't wash once but de nex' time tuh make it clean, an' she washed undah de bottom of 'er feets, instead of washin' 'em out dat way, she washed 'em tuh 'er, an' den cross-marked 'er hand on each foot, an' she squeezed dat in de watah. Well, she said dat worked around all right fo' awhile, den dat wore off. Den she turned aroun' an' washed 'er feet an' scraped 'em an' took de dead skin from de foot an' put all of it tuhgethah an' put it in a pot an' boiled it. An' when she did boil dat, den she goes tuh work an' strains dis watah an' put dat in somepin tuh eat an' dat's whut kept him. Dey claim he follahed 'er each an' evahwhere she'd go. Den dey said it commence tuh weah [wear] off an' she got - it's anothah part about chew dat only be's once a month, an' she got dat. She got about half tea- spoonful of dat, counted tuh seven drops of dat an' put dat in it. An' dat kept 'im.
(She would only use seven drops of that?)
Yessuh. An' put dat in an' dose drops lasted a yeah - seven yeahs. Den anothah woman tole her tuh take a tablespoonful of weewee an' put it in, an' dat still kept 'im. Dat kept 'im awhile den an' den dat begin tuh weah [off]. She tole her tuh go an' buy some beefsteak, an' she bought dat. She tole her tuh take her fingah about 'erself an' take an' wipe it on dis an' po' gravy ovah it. An' dat kept 'im. She said dat kept 'im until death.
(You said one woman did all these things?)
One woman told all dis about one woman, an' dis one woman had so much trouble wit 'im. He wuz supposed tuh be a very nice-lookin' man, it seemed lak dat all de women wuz 'bout tuh take him, an' it seemed lak she intend tuh have him an she tried all dese things.
Entry 8971
They take that beef tongue and they put them nine pins in 'em, nine pins and nine needles. And they take that tongue and they take and - that's if you are going to court or going against anybody - and they take that tongue and they'll put it on ice. They freeze it, put that ice around it. Yo' know, pack it right around with that ice. Well, that's when yo' go to talk, that chill yore tongue and yo' can't say what yo' want to say. That chill yore tongue.
Entry 8972
See, if it was a hard case an' yo' wanted to go before de judge. May- be yo' being tried fo' murder an' yo' done murder somebody. Well, yo' got may- be - yo' have a witness against yo' - all of dem against yo', dead against yo', yo' see. But still an' all yo' tried fo' cold-blood murder, yo' understand, an' yore wit- ness all against yo'. Now, yo' know what yo' do. Yo' go to de market an' yo' git a beef tongue. See, when yo' get de beef tongue, yo' take de beef tongue an' yo' carry it home. See. Jes' like yo' know what section yo' goin' in 'fore de judge - what judge yo' goin' to. Yo' know what policeman even what done 'rest yo'. Yo' know de people against yo' on de witness stand. Yo' take dem people's name an' yo' - an' dat judge's name, whomevah what court yo' goin' in." Yo' take his name an' yo' write it down. Yo' take dat beef tongue an' yo' split it open. Put all de witnesses against yo', put 'em down in dat beef tongue. Den yo' get yo' some nails. Take it an' nail it down in dat beef tongue. Den yo' get yo' some nee- dles - jis' needles - as many needles an' pins as yo' could, an' just stick 'em all down in dat beef tongue. Den yo' take yo' - maybe about a block of ice, yo see. Yo' take a block of ice an' yo' take dat tongue an' put it down undah dat ice. Yo' take it an' put it down undah dat ice, yo' see. Den yo' consider yo' freezin' dem people out; yo' freeze dere mine, yo' see.
Entry 8974
(A beef tongue and wrap it up.)
They use a beef tongue. It's like if they got somebody done prosecute 'em, see, an' dey'll get up on de stand [to] prosecute. Well, yo' take dat beef tongue, an' write dere name nine times an' sew it up into de - a piece of de tongue - wit nine needles an' nine pins. An' aftah dey sew it up into dat, dey put it on ice de day of court, an' de people dey get to go on de stand can't talk. Stop 'em from talking.
Entry 8975
All right, yo' git chew a beef tongue an' yo' write everyone of 'em name in de co'thouse down nine times backwards. [Instead of writing John Smith, write Smith John.1 Yo' git] chew nine new needles, nine new pins, an' nine new tacks, an' yo' crosses dem as yo' be's stickin' 'em in dat tongue. Den yo' pack dat tongue down wit sawdust. Af- tah yo' pack it down, yo' sew it up wit black thread; an' befo' it's time fo' de co't, put it on ice an' thaws it. Dat's tuh beat a case in co't.
Entry 8982
Yo' go to de slaughter pen an' yo' get yo' a fresh beef tongue. An' yo' write his name, whosomevah, if yo' kin get dem witness names. Yo' write dem witness name down. Write each witness name down on a piece of papah. An' yo' take dat beef tongue an' split it open just like dis [demonstrates] an' put all dem names in dat beef tongue an sew it back up. An' yo' wrap dat up good an' yo' go on down dere [to court] wit dat in yore pocket. An' sit dere. When de witness get up dere, dey can't talk. All dem tongue-tied, dey can't say nuthin - just cross-talk, dey can't say nuthin. An' yo' goin' to get discharged.
Entry 10748
"Course it's...but she don't that....
(I understand, I hear all those things.)
All right, she kin take a beefsteak and wear it twixt her legs. She kin take, you know, when the changes of the moon and beat it [beefsteak] up and cook it in his food, not too strong [with the blood] and he'll never leave her. Be right there, she got him tied, he can't get away.
The informant-side statement explicitly names a beefsteak. Later bracketed clarifications remain editorial, and no performance or claimed relationship effect is established.