Subject:Break
Entries
Entry 1757
In 1931 ah owed a big furniture bill and wasn't working and didn't have anyone to help me. Well, I had a brother, too, was in trouble - supposed to been in trouble. So I went to Jackson [Mississippi] over there to a man, and he told me about how ah could do - that he would fix up something for me and he said the furniture man wouldn't worry me and neither would the rent man. Well, ah was behind in both and ah was afraid. And so I went over with another girl - she was telling me about him. Well, he told me - when I went back home - he. gave a little old piece of bottle with some dust in it - hit was broken off - he said he usually did fix them that way - broke off - empty it in your hand, you know, and sprinkle in your front door. Well, hit was some kind of brown-looking stuff - kinda looked like it had little black spots or something in it, and he told me that I could sprinkle that a little before the rent man and a little before the furniture man got there and [he] say, if they come, they wouldn't ask for money at all. And so I did that. And so that Saturday morning [rent paid by the week] the rent man came down and he passed my door and went to another girl and asked for her rent. He didn't do anything but just speak to me. But I don't know what that stuff was - but I know he gave me that, and I didn't have no trouble until I got a job out here on [?] Avenue.
(You went over to Jackson to get that?)
To Jackson to a man named A. J. Williams.
(Williams - a colored man?)
A colored man.
(What did he charge you for that?)
Charge me for it? We only give him three dollars - was all I had. He said that he charges round ten and twelve dollars but he told me in the next two or three days if I could get a job, then I could send him a dollar along like that. [Brilliantl 'I am trusting you, trust yourself. Stop worrying - this will work" Also good business.] He didn't never charge much. But I never did pay him but five dollars after I worked. [The breaking of bottle could be magic act (No. 1015, p.389) or trademark of handnaker.]
Entry 2834
Well, the first thing you would do, you would get some saltpeter and sugar and Eagle Lye. And you scrub that house with it to dispel all evil that has been there from people that moved out - jinxes, as you'd call it. After scrubbing it with that, take a white candle and break it in half, not so it falls to pieces, and you burn that candle and let it burn out. [To break anything often frees the spirit within. Breaking here releases the power faster. In some cases it might double the power.] And after you've done that you will get you some garlic, three pods of garlic, and some lodestone perfume.
(What is lodestone perfune?)
There is perfume that you can buy from dealers that sell all this John de Conquer.
(I see, you can buy this lodestone [perfume]. All right, go ahead.)
And you put that in the water, and you burn the garlic peel, and you put a teaspoon of sugar in that, and scrub the house with it. And within three days that house would be ready - within the amount of pods of garlic that you put in, which was three pods of garlic. Well, within three days that house should be rented.
Entry 2946
Well, the way to stop it - the easy way to stop it would be to go to somebody house, not your house, get a straw out of the broom, a broomstraw. (One straw?) One straw, but you break it and you cross it and you wear that in your hair - like that [demonstrates].
(Like a cross in your head?)
A cross in your head, yes sir, about 21 days and you can stop it. But if you let it get too far, you can't stop it. But [if] you go to somebody right away and you find out what's your trouble, you can stop it.
Entry 2947
If you think candles is burnin' on you, you kin burn one on [them] yoreself. Suppose dey says, "Well, dere's candles burnin' on you." Well, you burn a candle - break it in half, if you think a candle is burnin' on you or some reader [reading the cards for you] will tell you a candle is burnin' on you. Or you feel lak a candle's burnin' on you, git a candle an' break it in half, jis' half, [and]. read, well maybe 118 Psalms, an' light it. [For other broken candles, see p.816 and Index.]
(Do you light this candle you break? Or another one?)
Light dat one - it'll burn.
(Where do you light it?)
Jis' crack it lak that - [light it] de usual place. It'll remain [lean] ovah but it'll burn. That'll stop de othah candle from burnin'.
(How would I feel if I felt that a candle is being burnt on me?)
Oooh, you feel bad, feel somethin's been crossed, an' you say, "Well, ah musta been crossed. You feel bad. You feel bad all de time an' you jis' feel lak yore livah is outa ordah an' lak that. Maybe yore blood feel lak it's a little hot. Yo' don't rest well, an' yo' don't have no success, an' jis' lak feelin' down all de time.
Entry 2948
I've heard that you could take a glass and take a - if a person's burn- ing a black candle on you, you would take a glass and break the bottom out of it, and turn hit bottom upwards over a white candle and light it and sprinkle devil dust on that candle and let it burn. It'll worry that person just as much as it will you. (It won't put the other candle out though?) No, sir.
(But it will worry them. I see. You mean by devil dust that devil's snuff?)
Yes, sir. [Chances are that devil snuff comes not from devil's-snuffbox but from hoodoo store.]
Entry 4128
If yo's wit a family of people an' dey has someone in heah dat didn't like yo' so well, an' dey drink watah, tea, or medicine, whatsomevah it is, well yo' take an' put [in] jis' a lit- tle chamber lye. Not too much, yo see, dat would make dem distrustin'. But yo' put jis' maybe a couple of tablespoonful in dere, an' yo' constantly do dat fo' 'bout fo' times. An' dey will come tuh love yo' an' nobody couldn't put dem against yo' in no kin'a way. An' it nevah would be broken except dey go tuh somebody an' take it off.
Entry 4192
Breakin' nine needles - take nine needles an' break 'em an' put 'em intuh dat - down intuh it, don't chew undahstan', in yuh chamber lye. It jis lak if yuh'd drink [milk]. Now, yuh kin take milk an' drink it an' put sugah in it, an' take a knife blade an' stir it, yuh'll have de stomikache from dat knife blade. Well, yuh'll always be ahurtin', always be a [in] pain, all de time. Evah time yuh look aroun' yuh will complain of a pain, but it be's in de same place - it nevah moves.
(And then this chamber lye, you put it in something to hold it, don't you?)
Yes, bottle.
[Long pause.]
(Well, go on, put it in the bottle there [informant demonstrating], and then you put these knives [this knife blade] and needles in it.) In the bottle.
(What do you do with that, then?)
Yo' jis' bury it, de bottle, in de ground an' nobody knows. "Git chew a round stick, yuh know, an' dig yuh a hole an' bury it right in dere.
(I see. That will give the person pains in his stomach.)
Yes sir.
Entry 4353
Put it in a bottle an' stop it up, an' throw it in runnin' watah an' if yuh don' git it, yuh'll soon pass away. (Put this person's chamber lye in it?) Yessuh, stop it up an' seven broken needles, an' throw it in runnin' watah. Or eithah bury it up undah de back steps where dey live at. Bury it up undah where dey go in de mo.st. Yo' put it up undah dere wit de neck down.
(What will that do to them then?)
Dat will kill 'em, dat git rid of 'em.
Entry 5535
Well, ah kin take dat foot track if ah jis' - say jis' WAN'A KEEP ANY- yo' see. Ah kin jis' ketch 'er track in a clear place, an' git a nice li'le stick an' measure dat track, an' git a good size bottle. An' ah'll sew dat track up in a red flannen cloth, an' ah will git nine bran'-new needles, see, an' stick it in dat cloth. Stick de needle right up lak dat in dat cloth, see. An' git three rusty nail an' tie it tuh- gethah, an' drop it in dat bottle an' cork it up airtight, an' evahthin' will be okay. Won' have no mo' trouble gittin' along wit chure wife.
(You said you use the stick for something?)
Yes, jis' any piece of li'le stick. Yo' jis' kin take a knife an' run off a li'le piece jis' long 'nuff tuh measure de track lak dat, see. Den yo' take de li'le stick an' yo' break it up, break it up in a li'le pieces, see. An' yo' put it in dat red flannen an' sew it up. Yo' take up dat track yo' know. Yo' take dat track up, see, an' put it in dat flannen jis' where yo' measurin' it. Sew it up an' take dem nine needles [etc.].
Entry 6072
Ah've heard tell of folks who take pins an' needles an' break 'em up y' know, snuff, sugah, an' hair from down in front of yo', an' wear it, wear dere husban's hair in a bag an' pin it to dey clothes right where it be nex' to dere skin. An' dey husban' couldn't object to 'em goin' out wit othah men if dey want to.
(Do they have their husband's hair in that bag?)
Dey [husband] don't know dey got it yo' know.
(Whose hair do they put in there?)
His'n, yessuh - from down heah, see. Steal it yo' know in his sleep.
Entry 6673
(A turtle. What do they do with a turtle?)
Well, ah see a person take a turtle aig. Take a turtle aig an' break it raw an' put alcohol on it, an' yo' save it. (You save it?) Yo' put it aside. But ah think a fellah mean an'( dirty enough tuh take dat few drops of al- cohol off dat turtle egg. An' yo' put it in some whiskey or somepin an' give somebody dat tuh drink. It will kill 'em right away. Dat's de way yo' kill people dataway.
Entry 7426
If a man kill a man, see, ketch a raw egg quick an' bust it in de man, de dead man's han', dey'll ketch dat man in less time dan a hour if he gone.
(How do they do - I mean how do they catch him by doing that?)
Jes' git de egg an' bust it in 'is han'.
(In the dead man's hand?)
Yes, jes' de egg in de dead man's han', an' dey'll ketch 'im. If dey don't ketch 'im dere, dey'll ketch 'fore he kin git away.
(Any kind of a fresh egg.)
Entry 7455
Put an egg under each arm of the mur- dered man and leave three days and break them just before burial.
Entry 7632
Yo' kin take de graveyard dirt an' boll it an' put it in a bottle dat kin broke easy. An' yo' an' a person come in contact, dey fixin' tuh fight [you], if yo' git a chance tuh break dat bottle ovah dere haid an' cut dem an' bring de blood out, why dey'll linger an' pine away an' die. (You do that if you think you are going to get into a fight, get into a fight with anyone?) Yes. See, see him comin', why crack dat bottle ovah his head an' bring a little bit of blood an' let de watah run down. [I suggest that the graveyard dirt is boiled to arouse the captured spirit of the graveyard dirt to fighting madness.]
Entry 8197
Take yure pitchure an' put it in a looking glass [the carboard behind the small.hand mirror having been removed]. An' turn it [photo] upside down [against mercury backing of mirror, restoring card- board back] an' put it undahneat' [you] an' sleep on it or walk on it or put it somewhere somebody'll tread on it an' break de glass, an' yo' [person of photo] got tuh come back. Go tuh de do' an' burn some disinfect [disinfectant] an' make yure wish [wish] an' burn it in de house. Den go to de do' an' make yuh wush [again] an' come back. An' 'at [that] been done in Short[?] William Street alley [here in Richmond]. Den [another method] yo' put it [photo without mirror] undah- neat' de carpet or in a trunk upside down tuh draw yuh back. Well keep yuh on yure haid or yuh feet till yuh git back home. An' use dat powdah, insex, love insex [love incense] dey call it. Burn it on a stove.
Entry 8497
Git 'is name.
(Get the boss's name.)
Uh huh.
(What do you do with that?)
Yo' write de boss name nine times an' den aftah yo' write de boss name nine times, yo' git chew three lumps of cut loaf sugah - three lumps. (Cut loaf sugar.) An' aftah yo' git dem three lumps of cut loaf sugah, yo' takes de boss name of de nine times writin' an' yo' take it an' fold lak dis here - yo' know, lak a envelope is fold. Fold it lak dat. [Fold the name as you would fold a sheet of paper to put in envelope.] An' yo' take de boss name an' aftah yo' fold it lak dat, yo' turn around an' yo' put it in a brand-new silk pocket han'ke'ch'ef. An' yo' put it in dat brand-new silk pocket han'ke'- ch'ef an' yo' weah it along in heah.
(Where? Where do you wear it?)
Weah along heah [demonstrates].
(Right along there?)
Yeah. An' he's sure goin' tuh send fo' yuh tuh come back.
(I see. Where do you put that sugar?)
Yo' put dat sugah wit it.
(In those three things?)
[Three things = 3 lumps of sugar.]
Yeah.
[I now for the first time reveal the Wearing place.]
(You put it down near your private?)
Uh huh. An' when dat sugah comin' [commence], tuh meltin', yo' take dat sugah out dat's comin' tuh dissolvin', an' yo' put it one - yo' know break it. Yo' take an' put one lump in dat cornah, one in dat one, one in dat, one in dat.
(You put a half lump in.)
Each cornah.
(Of your own house?)
Each cornah of yore own house - nobody else's house, in yore own house.
(Well, there are three lumps of sugar and you break two of them.)
Yeah, an' put it in each cornah, an' de boss, he'll send fo' yuh.
(I see.)
Entry 8629
My husband has - [suppose] my husband has this here woman and ah want to break 'em up. Ah take 'er name an' his name, ah'll put it in a lemon. Red brick - right in my alley, if I'm livin' in a alley, right up out of dat alley, ah'll get, ah'll pick up a brick. Ah will dig a hole, turn dem [in. the] lemon down fo' nine mawnin'. Ah'll walks ovah it. Ah'll say, "Yo' son-of-a-bitch, ah'll keep yo' down." Ah'll walk, ah've got tuh do dat fo' nine mawnin', every mawnin', an' den he'll separ- ate from 'er. When he separate from 'er, he'll say - he'll tell his friends, he say, "Yo' know one thing, ah been mistreatin' my wife, but somehow or anothah she must be - ah don't know what she doin' - she must be prayin' or going to church or somepin. Do yo' know ah ain't got no more feelin' fo' dat woman an' ah can't go wit nobody but just my wife." De reason why he can't go wit nobody but me because ah'm got 'im like dat.
Entry 8696
It absolutely does bring about dat, bring about dissatisfaction in de home. De really fac' 'bout it yo' kin go tuh work an' take red peppah, DE SEED OF RED PEPPAH, to bring about hys- terical state wit a man an' his woman, dat dey absolutely can't git along dere in de home no mo'. But chew could take two red peppah [seed] an' it 'sposed whut dey call planted dat in roun' his do' - anywheres roun' his do'. Yo' would name 'em. (You would name those peppers?) Yes, yo' really name dose peppahs. It's 'cordin' [according] to how many he has in his family. If it's no one but jes' him an' his wife, well, yo' only plant two grains [2 seeds] of dat red peppah, an' den yo'll go tuh work an' yo' name 'em. Dat is, yo' know whut his name is, why yo' go tuh work an' yo would call dat peppah, name dat peppah; an' evah whut her name is, do de same. An' den if he's got any chillun upstairs in de home, why yo' go tuh work an' try tuh find out whut dose chillun name is. Well, dat whut yo' use de red peppahs fo'. [Notice the simple means used here!]
Entry 9009
Why he'll jes' take a fresh aig an' when he go tuh co't, one of his people kin jes' carry dis aig an' jes' bust it up on de co'thouse, an' tell it whut dey want it tuh do. Why it will come all right.
Entry 9015
[This is an unusual religious rite, my only example of the Sacred Host ever being mentioned. One would expect this to happen in New Orleans, not at Sumter, S. Car. Or is in- formant referring to the Lord's host or hosts, the angels?] Said if a man wuz in jail an' he's want some he'p [help] - if a man an' his friend dat know him an' he had a great habit dat might be tuh his relief, git de aig dat is laid, de aig dat is laid from a black hen. Dey [must be] dressed. Write de name of de twelve apostles, yes, an' 'be de Host's Bighty help, ' an' carry it - have him side face [face sideways] [and pray] dat God would he'p dat aig an' de twelve apostles dat dey name was written on dat aig [would help also], yo' understan' - to he'p de friend tuh come out of his trouble, don't chew understan'.
(What would they do with that egg, then?)
Carry it befo' - wait, lak, fo' ten mens tuh come 'long an' break it dat dey night walk ovah it. [I do not understand waiting for ten mens tuh come 'long. Does the waiter. bope that some of these men may be Jurymen or connected with the trial in some Way? Why ten?]
(That will get him out of jail.)
Entry 9018
If yo' git in trouble, see if yo' in trouble, in jail, or some of yore relatives in jail, or friends an' dey want out. Well, yo' kin take three aigs, right fresh aigs - see, right from de henhouse. See, not cold storage aigs. An' take an' write - yo' know de judge dat's goin' try yuh, put his name on de aig. (On just one egg?) No, on de three aigs. Put his name on de three aigs, de judge'g name. Yo' know he's goin' try yuh. An' de man dat caught chew, goin' up on de stand against yo', see, yo' put his name down on de aig. All right. Den yo' take dat aig an' chunk it up on de top of de buildin'. If yo' can't git a chance tuh chunk it up on de top of de buildin', if yo's in jail, send out someone an' git chew three aigs an' jes' in dis li'le stall [cell] heah, when de gang away, jes' put it up against de wall, say, "Ah put dis aig up 'ginst de wall In de Name of de Father, Son an' Holy Ghost, an' ah'll' [add any petition]. An' yo'll come out okay.
Entry 9180
Ah hear'd dat chew could take a chidken aig an' carry it tuh a red ants baid an' break it an' yo' know, dat's if yo' wanted anybody tuh leave a place. An' po' it down in dere an' call dere name an' tell 'em tuh go an' not come back. Jes' po' it. Yo' know it take it a long time tuh drip. An' jes' po' it. Dey say soon as dem ants tote de las' bit of it down in dere [the person named] dey'll disappeah.
Entry 9181
Now heah's somepin dat is known. Dis is rathah modern, too. Now, yo' kin take a black hen's aig an' write de seven apostel name. Yo' know de seven name? Ah don't guess yo' wanta know dey have seven apostel? Would yo' lak tuh know whut apostel? Why dey say dere's Petah, James, John, Simon, Zedpide [Zebadee], Bartholomew, an' dat othah apos- tel, Matthews. Well, jis' any seven of de twelve apostel, write dat on de aig see. Write dere [victim's] name on dat aig. Yo' see, yo' write de person name on dat Talsol. Dat's if yo' wanted tuh move 'um away from dere. yo' write dere name on dat aig. An' aftah yo' write dere name on dat aig, den yo' take it tuh dat dwelling place wheresomevah dey stay, an' jis' throw it down dere against de house as hard as yo' kin. Yo' see, an' yo' use de word: "In de Name of Jesus Christ, yo' shall go." Dat's one [dat] is true. Dey can't stay at dat place.
Entry 9189
Dey say yo's kin git a black hen aig, dat wus fo' bad luck. Dey say if yo' git a black hen aig an' somebody take it an' break it, an place it roun' where yo' gotta travel ovah, say dat will put bad luck on yo' bad luck will follow yo'.
Entry 9192
Well, jis' lak yo' wanta person tuh break up er [or] sompin lak dat. Yo' loved 'er. If yo' love a girl [and] de othah fellah - well yo' want 'er. Well yo' cain't git nex' tuh love 'er, yo' see, becuz dis man be's huh husban', she husban'. Why he might be a pure mahn, den yuh spirit might agree. Well, yo' wanta break dese parties up. Well, yo' go tuh work. Now, yo' may have [a] chicken layin', sompin lak dat. Yo' go tuh work an' yo' watch de chicken when de [they] lay. See, yo' git a fresh, fresh egg [at the] time dey drop it, [egg] leave de chicken, why yo' git dat egg: See. An' yo' take it tuh his house dat night an' throw it up jis' de hide [height] of de house an' let it fall right befo' de doah. An' aftah dat why yo' gotta have a broom, yo' unnahstan' [understand], an' sweep dat [away], see. Yo' sweep dat away from de house, see. Well, dat man'll continue goin', he'll be continue goin' until 'is min' [mind] will be changed until he leave dat woman.
Entry 9193
Ah know dis much about a nest of hen aigs, dat yo' kin go tuh work an' take a nest of hen aigs. Jes' lak, now, if ah wanted tuh really git chew, make yo' lost yore job, or git chew out wit anyone atall [at all], all de way roun' where yo' won't have any friends. Ah knew dat yo' kin take one of dose eggs outa dat nest, an yo' kin stand off an' yo' kin name 'em. Call dat aig a name. Jes' lak evahwhat are my name [whatever my name is], why den yo' call dat aig dat same name, an' set it back intuh de nest. An' den yo' will notice, see, jes' how many aigs. Well, de really fac' 'bout it, how many aigs yo' upsot wit dat. Yo' may really upsot two or three or fo'. One Way, dey says, crack 'em or break 'em wit dat [named egg]. An' dat will put chew where yo' can't git along wit nobody nowhere. Ah knews dat tuh be de fac'.
Entry 9196
If yo' wants tuh git outa trouble or anything lak dat, dey say if yo' take a aig - some people say if yo' take de aig at twelve a'clock in de night an' write de person's name on dis aig, an' yo' kin eithah go in one cornah of yore house an' bus' dat aig In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost at twelve a'clock... An' some people say tuh go in fronta de co'thouse or de jailhouse or wheresomevah de person am, see. An' take de aig an' throw it ovah dat an' let it bust ovah de topa it.
(Any kind of a chicken egg?)
Any kind from whut ah heard. Ah heard dat yo' kin take dis aig an' yo' kin take dat an' yo' kin make a wish In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost. Tell it whut chew want it tuh do fo' yuh an' bury it undah yore steps. Say dat will come true.
Entry 9197
Well, dey say dat chew could take a aig an' put yore name on it.
(Put my name on it if I am in jail.)
Yeah, put mah name on it, an' say two or three good words tuh it an' carry...
(What kind of good words?)
Well, ah fo'got now whut de words is [probably 3 Highest Names]. An' carry dat aig 'fo' de sunrise dat mawnin' an' bust it on de co'thouse steps, an' dat would change dere min' from whut dey wanta do tuh yo'. Dey wouldn't give yo' as heavy a fine as dey woulda. [For other egg rites at courthouse, see Nos.9006-9022, Pp.3656- 3660.
Entry 9200
Yo' take de black hen aig an' put a cross mark on it an' write de person name on it an' name, yo' say: De Son an' de Fathah an' de Holy Ghost, an' den if yo' in trouble, yo' turn yore back an' bust dat aig up by de tree, an' it break an' yore trouble break.
Entry 9217
Ah heard of 'em usin' black hen aigs fo' somepin else. Yo' take 'em an' if anybody in a house has done done anything tuh yo', or somepin lak dat, an' yo' want tuh run 'em away. Well, yo take dat hen aig, dat black hen aig an' go dere at nine a'clock in de night. It have tuh be at nine a'clock in de night, an' bust dat aig up ovah de do'.
Entry 9226
Said dey take a black hen aig an' go tuh de woman's house, an' if yo' man goin' dere, if yo' wanta bust 'im up from dere an' run 'im away from dere, bust 'im an' de woman up, yo' take a black-hen aig an' go an' throw it up against de do', an' say jes' whut chew want tuh de aig. An' throwin de aig at de do', bust it, an' he cain't go dere.
Entry 9228
Lak if someone comin' tuh see yo'. Prob'ly yo' don't keer [care] tuh have dem come dere no mo'. Well, yo' kin take a egg, yo' un'erstan', an' when dey leave - when dey come out dere by de do', yo' see, yo' must take dat egg an' pitch dat egg ag'inst de do'. Break dat egg ag'inst de do' an' dey'll nevah return ag'in. (They will never come back to see you again.) When dat egg breaks, dat breaks up friendship.
Entry 9250
Yo' can take yore fingahnails an' cut nine pieces - cut off nine fin- gahnails - an' get nine pieces of yore toenails, an' put it into a little bag put some asafetida in there with it. Then you bust a hen egg an' get de thread [the skin in the end] of it an' put in there, an' that'll be all right fo' de purpose. Yo' take an' carry it an' put it at or undah de house. Dat'll make dem leave, put dem to walkin'. [Out in country from Suffolk, Nansemond Co., Va., (Doctor Frank Hall) by hand.1
Entry 9253
Ah tole yo' dat, see. Now, lak ef yo' wanted me tuh git outa heah. Ef ah was in dis house heah an' yo' wanted me - yo' couldn't git me outa heah. Yo' go an' git a black hen's aig Was laid on a Friday, see. An' yo' write dat person's name on dat aig. An' yo' take dat aig an' put it intuh a teacup wit de handle - a teacup whut ain't got no han- dle, a new teacup, not a ole one, a new one whut ain't got no handle. [A new teacup with- out a handle? Did a person buy a new teacup and break off the handle? Or was a handleless teacup, small bowl, conveniently sold by hoodoo shops?] An' den yo' write de name on dat [egg] good. Well, yo' write it seven or nine times, but it's gotta be seven or nine times, not eight. Seven or nine, see. Well, den yo' shet dat ovah wit coffee grounds an' let it set in dere three days zactly. Well, den yo' make it back tuh mah do' dere at night, twelve 'clock in de night, an' jes' throw dat egg an' let it hit mah do', de cup an' all, an' say, "Go! Yo' son-of-a-bitch." An' dat egg hits dat do' it busts. De nex' mawnin' ah'm goin' git a wagon an' ah'm goin' move out dat place, can't stay dere fo' save mah life. Dere ain't no way fo me tuh stay dere.
Entry 9256
[A frizzly hen egg] take it an' write de name on de egg an' bust it in front of de person's do', will cuz a separation in de home.
(That has to be a egg from a...?)
From a frizzly hen. Only one ah was evah tole dey could use. Ah don't know about othahs.
Entry 9278
Take a black hen's aig an' write de person's name on it an' bury it. An' den take it an' throw it 'ginst de house, an' dey'll move out. (You bury this egg until it's rotten. Then you take it and throw it against the house.) Have dat person's name wrote on dat aig, an' bust dat aig 'ginst de house an' dey'll move out.
Entry 9281
Well, yo' kin take a aig, any kinda aig, black hen aig, any kinda aig. Jes' lak dose folks stay ovah dere dey fuss wit chew all de time an' yo' cain't live by 'em atall. Yo' wait until one night when dey go tuh baid, an' jes' take dat aig an' throw it ovah on top de house, an' let it break anywhere, say: Yo' son of bitch, go! De nex' mawnin' dey be moved.
Entry 9292
Yo' kin take a black hen aig an yo' kin - of co'se, If yo' an' yo' people can't git along good in yore home, yo' see, yo' could take a black hen aig. Now, a shu 'nuff [sure enough] black hen aig, yo' see, an' at a certain part of de wall, yo' could break dat aig in yore house an' yo' kin make de thing all right.
[Here comes a good example of my repeating informant's words.]
(What certain part of the wall?)
Dat 'cordin' [according] tuh how dey - on de right side dat git de sunrise on it. Break it tuh de sunrise [side] of it, de house.
(Outside or inside?)
Inside. (To bring peace into your house.) [The breaking of raw eggs inside a house is fairly rare, but see No.9398, p.3764.]
Entry 9309
Well, some folks say, it's jes' lak ah have a fren' an' de othah woman is gittin' de bes' time. Say, yo' write his or her name on de aig an' throw it ag'inst her house an' break it, an' it will break 'im an' 'er up.
Entry 9311
Yo' git a fresh aig an' yo' bust dat fresh aig. Yo' first write her name an' his name on dis aig an' yo' take dat fresh aig an' bust dis aig, yo' understan'. An' yo' take de yellah of de aig an' yo' throw de white away. An' take de aig shell, aftah yo' done bust it, an' Jis' crumble it up jis' as fine as yo' kin git it. An' den take de yellah of dat aig an' mash it all up in it, an' put chew a little black peppah in it. An' put it in a piece of papah an' rag an' bury it right up undahneat' de do'steps whah she passes in an' out, an' dere won't be no gittin 'long [along]. Dat'll separate dat man an' woman.
Entry 9313
If yo' wan' tuh hurt[hoo- dool anybody or do anything tuh anybody, even yuh enemah, yo' got'a go tuh de sto' an' buy a aig, a fresh aig, an' come back tuh dere house, yuh enemah house. An' stand off from de front do', an' take an' throw dat aig up ov' [over] de do' an' bust it. An' let it drain down an' make a oath whah choo wan' 'em tuh do. Jis' lak if yo' wan' 'em tuh die. An' while dat aig. drainin' down, yo' make a oath, an' in nine days dey'll take sick, an' dere's no cuah [cure] fah [for] 'em.
Entry 9314
Well, dey kin go intuh a place dat's got plenty of chickens, intuh de yard, but it must be a place dat have chickens. Now yo' git one fresh aig outa dis place. Yo' take dis egg an' yo' mark de party's an' yo' go an' break it intuh de do', where dis party's livin' at, an' dey gotta go. (I see. Well now, why must we get that egg from a yard that has lots of chickens?) Well, yo' see, accordin' tuh - de reason why yo' must do it, becuz a cold- storage egg is not any good. It must be a fresh egg.
(I see.)
Entry 9324
Well, go dere an' break up people. Well, yo' gits a fresh egg. If yo' can't git a black hen aig, yo' git a fresh egg. Write de individual name on it nine times, an' write one name goin' dis way [away from you] an' don't write no name so dey comin' dis way [towards you]. See, dat writin' mean dey go de othah way. (They write one going away from writer, and one going down nine times.) [The first name is written away from the writer, the other eight names are written down and across the first name. This is an elaborate crossing of the victim.] Dey'll put nine "J's" on each one [one "J" on each name], go tuh de fork of de road twelve o'clock in day or twelve at night, eithah one, an' broke de egg an' call dere name. Smash it up. [The letter "J" could stand for the obsolete word "Holy Jakes" we met in No.9068, p.3676.]
(What will that do?)
Dat will smash up de life of de couple. De individual yo' wanta break up, put dere name on it.
Entry 9328
About de nine hen aigs. Well, if yo' want a person, lak ah'm livin' nex' do' tuh yo' an' givin' yo' trouble, why yo' take nine black hen aigs. Be shuh [sure] dey black hen aigs. An' write yore [my] name [on them and] evah mawnin' 'fo' day, bust one - chunk one at de do' an' let it bust an' run down. In nine day's time why yo'll [I'll] leave town. When yo' chunk de last aig, why yo'll [I'll] move out. [Waycross, Ga., (1141), 1856:2. J
Entry 9332
Chicken aigs, nine aigs. If it's tuh a place - yo' know, jes' lak if yo' livin' next do' tuh a person an' yo' don' wan' 'em tuh stay dere by yuh. Take yuh nine aigs an' break it up, whip it an' care [carry] it roun' dere house fo' nine mawn- in's. Break a aig, don' chew know, one aig evah mawnin' three a'clock, an' beat it up an' care it [round] de house fo' nine mawnin's, see. Ah've heard dat. Dey say dat'll run de person away, if it's a individual whut's stayin' nex' tuh yuh.
Entry 9333
Well, de way dey tells me, an' ah have seen it did. Dey gits nine eggs.
(Nine eggs.)
Nine mawnin's. Yo' start 'fo' day in de mawnin', on a Tuesday, evah Tuesday. Yo' git up 'fo' day in de mawnin' an' take one-a [one of] dem eggs. Co'se yo' take de eggs, dem nine eggs, yo soak 'em in de chamber lye... [Here informant leaves chair and starts to demonstrate away from interviewing table and micro- phone. I often describe such demonstrations, but here I wanted a repetition of the words given before recording began.]
(Wait a minute! Will you come over here?)
[Informant returns to chair and repeats.]
Take nine eggs an' soak 'em in chamber lye, see. An' nine mawnin's see, 'fo' day, yo' take one-a dem eggs evah Tuesday mawnin' an' bust it ag'inst dat house. An' den yo' bust de last one, dat be de ninth egg an' dat be de ninth Tuesday. See. Well, in nine davs. ah'll betcha dey'll leave.
(I see. After the last egg has been thrown, then nine days later they'll go?)
"Fo' dem nine days latah. (Oh! I see.) [They will leave long before the 9 days!]
Entry 9360
Yo' kin have a wife. Yo' an' yore wife - yo' kin have a wife an' she leave home. An' yo' kin take three rotten aig an' throw 'em up side de wall on de house an' dat will bring her back home. (That will bring her back home. On the outside wall?) Yes sir. [This rite of breaking eggs, normally to send away or cause confusion, is made legiti- mate only by the intention to bring the woman back.1
Entry 9383
If a man had a posi- tion here an' yo' didn't want 'im here, well yo' kin go tuh 'is do' fo' three mawnin's early an' bust a fresh egg at 'is do'. Bust it dere fo' three mawnin's early an' bust a fresh egg at 'is do'. Bust it dere fo' three mawnin's, de fourth mawnin' why he'll leave dat business.
(Any kind of a chicken egg?)
Any kind of a fresh egg, jis' bust one of 'em fo' three mawnin's. (That will make him leave that place of business.)
Entry 9384
Jis' lak whut ah said jis' now, if yo' want somebody tuh move. If a person in a place an' yo' an' 'im can't git along an' yo' want 'im tuh move, why yo' bust a chicken aig on de do' an' dat make 'em move. Yo' have tuh bust a aig fo' three nights. Dey bust dem dere twelve o'clock an' [or] fo' o'clock, an' dey gotta be eithah black hen's aig or red hen's. [Red hen is rare under any circumstance.] An' dat'll make 'em move, but dey gotta bust 'em on de do'.
(At either twelve o'clock or four o'clock, three nights.)
Yes, sir.
(How many eggs do you break?)
One.
(Just one, you do it three nights and they move?)
Yes.
Entry 9385
An' den ah know anothah way tuh break up two people. Yo' know jis' lak if ah had a wife an' jis' say fo' instance, if mah wife would be goin' tuh some fellah or 'nothah, an' ah wus tuh find out dat she wus goin' wit 'em, an' dey wus layin'up at a certain hour, jis' any house dat dey wus layin' up at. [I do not believe I had heard the expression shack up at this date.] Ah'd walk tuh de front do' - git chew three aigs, three hen aigs. Yo' walk tuh de front do' an' yo' bust one of dem hen aigs tuh de front do'. Go tuh de back do', bust it on de [back] do'. Hit it up 'ginst de [back] do'. Bust it on de front do', den yo' go tuh de back do' an' bust dat othah one on de back do'. An' when yo' walk out de gate, jis' lak yo' walk out de gate dere, git right in front of dis do' an' throw de othah aig down on de ground an' bust it.
(That other egg?)
Yes sir. Dat'll bust dem up. Don't cay [care] how much she in love wit 'im or whut kinda lovin' 'fair [affair] dey have, dat's a guaranteed fact tuh break 'em up.
(Any kind of chicken eggs?)
Yes sir, any kinda chicken eggs. It don't make no diff'rence whut kind.
Entry 9398
Ah hear'd dat chew could take a ole black, coal-black hen an' take three of her aigs. Co'se, ah've hear'd it diff'ren' ways, but dis is de way ah hear'd it. An' take [the] three [eggs] an' run through de [your] house an' [reach- ing the outside] chunk de whole three aigs back 'cross de house. An' go back [go to other side of house where eggs fell] an' de one of dose aigs dat doesn't bust, yo' take it. An' take it right [back into the house] in de middle of de house an' drop it, an' let it bust right in de flo' where dat stain will be dere. [Breaking the egg in center of house establishes the fifth point, making this a quincunx rite.] An' if someone Wanted tuh git yuh some way, yore nex'-do' neighbahs [for example] or somepin; Wanted yuh tuh git out or wanted tuh move yuh, couldn't anything harm yo'. (You run through your own house and you throw these eggs. How do you throw. them now?) Yo' jis' run through de house an' when yo' hit de ground [reach outside] yo' throw all three of 'em 'cross de.house. An' dere's one ole lady used tuh...
[I interrupt.]
(Oh, you run through your house and throw those eggs over your house. Then you go to the other side and the egg that doesn't burst...
[Informant interrupts me.]
Dat doesn't bust, why yo' take it in de house an' drop it right in [on] de flo' an' let it bust, where de stain will be in de flo'.
Entry 9413
Why yo' kin take dose fresh aigs, jes' any fresh aigs outa a fresh nest. (How many?) Two, yessuh, an' write on 'em [what you want done] an' take an' bust 'em up in de front of yore house, an' it will stop de policeman, anyone comin' roun' dere tuh harm yo'. It will do so.
Entry 9418
An' if yo' wanta send somebody away, take a black hen aig an' when yo' urinate, yo' urinate on dat black hen aig. An' when yo' go out de gate, throw dat ahin' yo' an' let 'im bust. Dat's whut ah hear'd 'em [say] but now ah don't know...
[I interrupt.] (When you go out the gate how do you throw it?) Jes' throw dat aig behin' yo', yo' know, an' see, it'll bust. An' de people dere will move away. (That will make them move out of the house.)
Entry 9425
(A black hen egg? What do they do with that?)
Well, dey claims dat dey write chure name on dat an' yo' put dat in vinegah an' let it stay dere nine days. An' den yo' break it ovah de person's do', if yo' wanta make 'em move. (You just write the name on this egg, just once?) Yeah, once on de aig, an' yo' put it in vinegah. Leave it stay dere nine days, an' den yo' throw it ovah dey do'. Also a guinea aig. A guinea aig is mostly bettah den de black hen aig. [THIS MAY BE MY ( ONLY EXAMPLE OF A GUINEA EGG.] Although lotsa people believes in de black hen aig, but a guinea goes roun' de house makin' fuss all de time. Yo' know, yo' notice dat? [Guinea fowls considered as good as a watch dog.] An' if yo' wanta make fuss an' keep confusion, yo' git dat guinea aig, yo' see, an' dat keeps de confusion. (You do the same thing as you did with the black hen egg.)
Entry 9426
Ah don' know whethah it's so or not, but dey tell me yo' kin take a black hen aig an' yo' kin - if yo' wants a person tuh stay 'way from yuh house- take a black hen aig an' put it up in vinegah till it becomes long, yo' know. Yo' know vinegah will make a aig git small as dis fingah [demonstrates finger], jis' stretch it. An' says, an' aftah dat aig gits where 'bout it stretches, yo'...if yo' put a aig in vinegah - ah don' know whethah yo' have experienced dat or not, but vinegah will make a aig stretch. [If reader does not believe this, an egg and vinegar are an inexpensive experiment.] Jis' put a aig in a bottle. Yo' kin put a aig in one small bottle, ain't no mo' 'en [more than] hole dat big [demonstrates]. Yo' kin put a hen aig in dere by puttin' dat hen aig in vinegah. Yo' see, vinegah will make dat hen aig stretch lak a string. Well, yo' kin put it in vinegah, a black hen aig. Dey tell me dey do dis. An' yo' kin take dat black hen aig an' if ah don' wan' chew tuh mah house, ah kin break dat aig whilst it's got dat vinegah in it, an' ah kin jis' strow [archaic for strew = to scatter] it around mah do'step or eithah way, mah entrance way, an' yo' cānt [can not] come in dere. Anybody kin come dere 'scusin' [excusing = eXCePt] yo'. IF YO' START IN DERE WHY YO'D HAVE SECH PAIN YO'D FALL 'FORE YO' COULD MAKE IT. But whethah dat dere is true, now ah don't say dat is true.
Entry 9427
That's when you want to break up a man an' woman.
(How would they do that?)
Yo' write de names. Yo' write yore name on dat aig an' den yo' - yo' can break it. Yo' break dat egg just wherevah dat man or woman walks - just break it. Dat breaks things. Any little thing she... [I interrupt.] (Whose name do you write on this egg?) De man's, just whoevah yo' want to break 'em up. Just like if yo' want to write - just like if yo' want to break up [a man] an' a woman, well yo' write their name on dat.
(Oh! I see.)
Each name, all de way around dat egg. Den take it some place an' break it, right where dey have to walk on.
(I see.)
Entry 9435
[They] tell me yo' kin take a aig an' go dere, an' don't let 'em see yo', an' jis' make a wish an' throw dat egg at de house, dey tell me, an' dey will move.
Entry 9439
Dey git a black hen aig. Dey take it an' write some kinda - what dey want done on dere. Dey take it way late [at night] or soon in de mawnin' 'fore de sun rise, dey chuck it on yore po'ch. If dey can't git ontuh yore house, dey put it on yore po'ch, see; an' puts some kinda peppah on topa it an' busts it. Dat make yuh move. (What do you mean by getting on top of your house?) Well, dey can throw it but let it hit de fiahplace [chimney]. Makes yuh git out de house.
Entry 9488
If anyone will come in yuh house - jis' lak a person wan'a come in yuh home an' broke yuh home up, an' yo' know dey come [for that purpose], take some salt an' go all through yuh house an' throw it in de each fo' cornahs of de house, an' use it In de Name of de Lord. An' when dey use dat salt, throw it through de house. Dey throw it undah yuh do'step too when dey come. Why when dey come in dey can't do a thing tuh yuh an' evahthing will go on pleasant.
Entry 9616
Den if yo' - if somebody wus in some business, got a lotta trade-like, an' yo' wanta break it up. Well, yo' could git some soda an' salt an' red peppah an' put it togethah. Mix it up togethah. An' when yo' go into dis place where dey are at - where de business is goin' on at - yo' could sprinkle it round in dere on de flo'. An' ah know fo' a fact dat it is good.
(It will break up their business.)
Break up their business.
Entry 9684
Jis' like if your husband was goin' with someone else, [I know] of a remedy that would break that up, and that is one heaping tablespoonful of salt. You dip up this here, a tablespoonful of salt, pick it up, an' you take yuh hand an' brush it off [level the salt]. An' you pour that over there on the Papah. Then do the same with de sulphur. An' you brush that off [take a table- Spoon level-full of sulphur] an' pour it into this [salt]. Then take one pinch of saltpeter an' you put this into this [salt and sulphur]. Then you make [mix] it up real good an' start from the front door, go upstairs, you go backwards, sprinkle this. An' they say when he walks over this, it'll break 'em up.
Entry 9775
Take a needle an' - take a part of a needle [break needle in half] an' thread dis needle an' stick it up ovah de do'. An' dat's [to] cause if yo' has a young girl roun' or sompin lak dat, dat'll cause whenevah a man comes aroun' dat chew wants fo' her husban'. Yo' take de needle down an' pin it neahby in a chair where he sits. An' she kin git dis heah man fo' a husban' wit de needle. Wit a pin point [the point broken from pre- ceding needle] yo' gotta find a pin point dat's real sharp an' use it. Jes' lak, say if a hustlah, differen' hustlahs come roun' yore house. An' if yo' kin ketch 'im tuh set in a closed place - yo' know whut ah mean, jes' lak prob'bly dey settin' right where dat back. Yo' jes' - prob'bly yo' might walk ovah an' say somepin tuh 'em an' use dis pin point fo' hustlahs. Dat is tuh make 'em sharp. Dey call 'em [pin points] sharp luck.
(What do you do with that pin point?)
What would yo' do wit de pin point? Oh, yo' gits de pin point an' keeps it. See, jes' lak, even de men jes' lak whut ah's sayin' 'bout fo' de girl's mar- riage, yo' takes de point off dose needles an' [or] de pin point an' keeps 'em yo'self. See, dat's luck fo' tuh bring tuh yore house.
Entry 9782
Mah grandmothah said dat yo' kin take a needle an' break up people. She said joo take de needle an' put it in de man's pants pockit, in 'is right.
Entry 9785
She kin take two needles an' break it half in two - make foah pieces - an' stick it anywheres in his coat w'ure he cain't see 'em, an' dat'll make him stay wit her. He can't leave huh.
Entry 9851
I have hear'd talk of a needle - dat yuh kin break up needles. Yuh take needles, needle dat sewin' wit, about twelve needles, an' crush 'em up. Yuh know, pind [pound]'em up. An' put 'em wit peppah an' sprinkle 'em arom' a person doah. An' dey'd soon leave dere, an' dey'll take badly off sick befo' dey go.
Entry 10212
Tuh separate 'em. Yo' take dis man when he deal wit yo'. Yo' wanta break dem [man and other woman] up. Yo' take dis man when he deals wit yo' an' yo' take dat towel dat yo' an' him uses, see. An' yo' take dis towel tuh dis woman's house - if yo' kin locate where she live at - dis woman he's runnin' roun' wit. Den yo' bury dis towel down right at her do'step, where she have tuh come out at. Yo' bury dat towel dere an' den yo' take some bluein' - Purity Bluein', see. See, yo' takes bluein' an' ink an' mix it up combined. Yo' kin jis' sprinkle dat towel, on dere, an' den yo' bury dat towel right up undah- neath whah she have tuh walk at. Dat'll break it up. Dat break it up, too.
Entry 10659
Yo' ketch one dese big ones - big red ones - an' yo' take three of 'em an' put it [them] in a bottle, dese red antses. Yo' put 'em in a bottle, three, an' buries it tuh de steps. Dat's tuh broke up de house an' family an' make dem move out.
Entry 10785
If yo' wanta break up a family of people, yo' kin take dat broom, an' some black pepper an' salt an' put it in de fo' corners of de house, an' sweep dat out, an' dat makes de man go an' de woman won't want 'im. (You do this in somebody's house, if you want to break them up.) Jes' put it in each corner, jes' dese three teaspoonful of dat. Mix it up together an' put it in de fo' corners of de house. Sweep it in de middle an' sweep it on out de do', an' one or de other will be gone.
Entry 10837
Yes, sir, a butterfly root. And you take that - yo' know dere's milk in it. Yo' kin bring it to yere house. Jest dig it up and break that up - break it, jest pull de leave on it an' see de milk drop. An' yo' [take] that and it stings jest like de house is become yore [word or several words dropped = bete noire, obsession, hoosoo, etc.]. Yo' kin [take] that and bury it right out yonder to them steps an' yo' ain't nevah goin' come no further. You wanta come in de house but you cain't go [in]. You keep agoin' by. Yo' be comin' by but yo' cain't come in.
(You just bury it out in front of the steps?)
Yeah, jest take it and bury it there jest somewhere front of de steps or any- where where yo' know he ain't nevah goin' to raise his foot up to come in. [This is the common butterfly weed, a milkweed with showy orange flowers (Asclepias tuberosa) common to the eastern U. S. A.]
Entry 10847
Ah learnt dat if a person kill a buzzard an' jest like if I had a friend - a wife or anything - an' dey wants tuh take de "upper turns" of me an' take away from me, well dey kin kill a buzzard. Dey say a buzzard got one lump of grease in him. Take dat lump of grease out an' fry it an' put it in a little vial an' keep it around wit dem. An' say, if ever occasion fo' dey comin' to mah house, dey kin take a drop or two an' run in dere han', an' when dey git to mah house, say if dey kin git clost enough to mah folks to rub dey han' on 'em, it will keep mah folks in confusion, an' dey'll have de influence of mah home.
(They just rub it over their clothes?)
Ovah de clothes, head, anywhere. (That is if someone is trying to break up you and your family.)
Entry 10886
Take a black cat hair, dog hair - don't make no difference whut kinda dog - an' nine grains of peppah an' some of dey urinate, an' put it in a bottle. An' if yo' wanta break up any- body, take dat nine grains of peppah, Heart Cologne, an' dat dog an' cat hair, an' bury it where dey walk, either one of 'em. Dey git so dey soon bust up.
Entry 10911
Dog manure an' dog hair - see, dey gotta git dat dog an' cat tuh fightin'; see, if yo' Wanta separate a man an' a woman. See, yo' git - lak mah, ah have two little white dogs now. Well, yo' git a cat an' git dem tuh fightin' an' clip de hair right quick while dey both mad. Yo' put dat tuhgethah, dat cat hair 'de dog hair, an' dog manure an' cat manure, an' rat manure. Well, yo' ba de three things don' git along, don't chew? Yo' know de cat hates de rat 'de dog hates de cat. So yo' throw dat in dere. It really separate any man wife an' it will make 'em move. Throw it in de room, jis' lak ah come in ah. Fo' instance, ah wanta have sompin in mah han'. Ah could be sittin' heah 'd coald be jis' sprinklin' it aroun'. [I replaced the original four-letter odd by amure.]
Entry 11020
If you wanta break up individuals - you has chickens in de yard and you wanna break up a woman an' a man. You feed de chickens and you ketch hold de rooster's tail, pull a feather out of dat. He fly away and you ketch his tail, you know. You call de pus- son name and say, "Yah big so-and-so from so-and-so, " you understand, dat break de man away.
(You say that as the rooster flies away. You pull the feather out.)
Yo' git hold dat feather and say, "Break up so-and-so with so-and-so." If yo' wanna break a woman loose from a man, you pull de feather out of a hen.
Entry 11146
Go tuh de fo'ks of de road, fo' [to make] a man tuh go in a diff'- ren' d'rection. Take a lookin'glass an' dey beat dat up right fine, an' if he's goin' tuh de fo'k of de road, yo' take dat an' jes' throw it in de fo'k of de road 'bout sunset - 'tween dak [dark] an' sunset, an' he won' go dat way no mo'. He'll turn roun' an' go back. Yo' do dat tuh stop him from goin' dat way. He won' go dat way no mo'. He tu'n [turn] his back.
(If he's running away after some other women or something?)
Yes.
Entry 11157
Now, if yo' don' wanta take an' do dat, chew kin git chew some devil heart watah [hoodoo store preparation?] an' bluein' an' shake dat up an' bust dat bottle. Git de devil heart watah an' put it into dat bottle; den yo' git chew some bluein' an' put it into dat bottle. An' take dat bottle an' shake it up an' wherevah de person livin' at, yo' bust dat bottle in front dey do' an' dat make 'em move.
Entry 11332
Don' want chew tuh mess with a dove. Anybody [everybody] crazy 'bout a dove an' ever'thin' else 'cause dey say he discovered dry land, when he went out. If dey take one of his[!] aigs or anythin' lak dat an' bust up one of his aigs, yo'll be ragged all de time.
(He discovered dry land in the Bible.)
Entry 11652
Well, dat, it's supposed to be - it's jes' 'cordin', yo' use dem two ways, right an' left. Dat is, if yo' wants de re'lly fac' 'bout it, yo' use de right stockin'. Whut chew mean is to tie a person up. (Just tell me one way they use them.) Well, yo' kin take de flax- seeds. It's re'lly de fac' 'bout it, suh, jes' take three flaxseed an' put 'em into a stockin' or sock. If it's a man's socks, an yo' wanta break 'im up wit a woman, yo' take three flaxseeds. Yo' know whut ah'm speakin' of now. Yo' take three flaxseeds an' put it into de toe of a stockin' but dat's gotta be a new stockin' dat nevah has been used. An' den yo'll go tuh work an' yo'll slip it somewhere or 'nothah fo' him tuh put on. Den he wears it one night - wears it even one day an' he takes - when he pulls it off dat night. Well, yo' git it an' turn de stockin' Wrongside outwards an jes' let it remain wrongside outwards an' it 'sposed tuh be anyways undah de bed dere.
(You turn that sock wrongside outwards and put it under the bed.)
Yo' put dat flaxseed in dere, dese three.
[I stop a moment to straighten out the thinking.]
(Well, now, you have already put them in and you've turned the sock wrongside outwards and the three seeds have fallen out?) Yes sir, but fix it de way he'll wear it jes' one day.
(Well, what does that do then?)
Dat's tuh break him up if he's goin' with a woman. {Here again flaxseed are used against witchcraft, that of the other woman whd was holding the man from his wife.]
(Does he wear either sock of his?)
De right sock.
Entry 11658
When yore man's wit a woman an' yo' want her tuh quit him or sompin, jes' git chew a ole brass fo'k an' go tuh de do' late at night. Jes' knock on de do' an' curse, say, "Come outa dat, come outa dat," three times. An' dey say dat'll break 'em up. (What do you do with the fork?) Jes' stick it in de do', "Come outa dere." Junk it in de do' lak dat, 'Come outa dere," an' curse it. Dey say dat'll really break 'em up. Dat jes' cuts 'em right in two.
Entry 11694
Sompin yo' do to make de boss give yo' a job - find dat herb.
(All right, do you know how to do it?)
It's a four-finger herb, jest lak a, made jest lak a man's [the 4 fingers of his hand]; like a gombling han', four-fingered herb. All right, yo' go in de woods some place an' yo' kin find dat herb. Yo' kin find dat herb in Alabama. Probably kin find it in de vest part of Florida, but ah nevah found it. Yo' break off de second from de last little finger - break dat one off, probably stick it in yore mouth jes' lak yo' would a match stem. Den yo' walk in an' ask de boss fo' a job an' he can't turn yo' down.
(What do they call this root?)
Dat root is called de fo' finger, de fo' finger lucky root. (Wait, you break off the finger next to what would be the index finger - break off this one here?) [I demonstrate.] Dat's right.
Entry 12385
If a person take an' - anything dey take an' steal of yores, an' take potash an' bury it right at de window where yo' sleep at, an' dat potash eat it up, why he'll break out in sores. (If they bury with that potash anything that you Wear to your skin - your socks or anything - it makes you break out in sores.)
Entry 12567
Take a dauber nest.
(Just take one dauber's nest?)
And seven peanut hulls.
(And seven peanut hulls.)
And seven pods of red pepper.
(And seven pods of red pepper.)
And parch all that together and crumble it up. And then sprinkle it around a person's door if you - like if your husband is going over there. And sprinkle it around her door, and the path, anywhere where she goes in and out at. And it will bust them up. But you have to crumble it up fine after parching it, and just sprinkle it all up and down there. See, and it bust 'em up. They will bust up - and they goes - just drift from place to place.
(This will bust them up?)
He will quit her. You use one dauber nest and seven pods.
(And seven pods.)
Oh, I should have said that that dauber nest was to be filled with a certain kind of mud, what is used to tear down. (The dauber nest is to be filled with a certain kind of mud, I see.)
Entry 13130
You take water, if you going to take a bath in water. You wanta hurt me or anything of that sort. Well, I'm going to take my bath and probably just before I take my bath, if you after hurtin' me [that word after preceding hurt- ing was added by Irish transcriber], you would take, say for instance, this is my bathroom. I'm fixin' to go in there to take my bath. Well, I liable to draw my water first. See, and I got my water took, I'm liable to walk out. And if I don't do that, you take and you - before I go in the bathroom to draw my water, you get you some of the stuff you call kankeena.
(What do you call that?)
Kankeena.
(Kankeena?)
Kankeena.
(Where do you get that?)
It's a powder you can get it at most any drug store.
(I see.)
Get kankeena, it's a white powder. You get very little for a nickel, just a very small quantity for a nickel. You gets that. Now, when you get that pow- der, you sprinkle it around that tub, all around on the edges, not to the bot- tom, but be sure it gets just around the tub, like that.
(On the outside or inside of the tub?)
On the inside of the tub. It's got to get into the water, see. Now, that stuff there is to take - when I bathe in the tub, this powder going to get on me. Now, when I get this powder on me, it liable to startin' and itchin' an everythin'. After I done bathin' it start in itchin'. It won't be the soap, it won't be the water. I won't know what it's all about. See. It'll start me to itchin', probably, I'm liable to start to breakin' [out] in a few days - break all kind of sores out on me [quite a separation between break and out!]. See. Well, then I liable have to go to a doctor [M.D.] to find out what it is. He think it's my blood's bad. He try to use different medicine. He wanta give me shots of somepin. Probably he can't do me no good with the shots and all that they gives you. Well, then, if he couldn't do me no good, he done give me [I turn off machine to bring informant to point]. (This doctor [M.D.] couldn't do you any good and you go to the Cracker Jack Drug Store and get the same things you said, you mentioned.) I'm going to get - I'm goin' to get more than the one thing, I'm goin' to get some of this steel dust.
(I see.)
I'm goin' to go to the Cracker Jack - I'm usin' steel dust again. I'm going to use the steel dust. I'm going to get me what you call the snake oil - they sells that. I'm going to get that snake oil. I'm goin' to get steel dust. Now, when I get the snake oil and the steel dust, I'm goin' to put those two together. See. I'm going to use that to rub with. I rub myself with that at least three times a day. Now, in rubbin' with that stuff, I says the 35th [23rd] Psalms of David. See, that's a prayer. You say it, that's the 35th [23rd] Psalm of David. I says that! "The Lord is my shepherd and I shall not want." See, as I'm rubbing: 'The Lord is my shepherd and I shall not want." And I just keep arubbin'. See. Well, now I may have to do that, maybe nine or ten days. I may have to do it for a couple of weeks. Eighteen or twenty days at the most, anyway. See. Well, then I do that and as I do that every day for three times a day, I says the 35th [23rd] Psalm of David and for about twenty days and then I'm over with that. See.
Entry 13416
Well, they gets that war water and stop it up in a bottle and throw it over in your yard. Well, dat break up peace in de home. (This war water.) Quite natural bottles lays around in de yard and gits fulla water sometimes. Yo'll never know what that bottle means.
Entry 13417
They take war pow- ders an' war water. You git it from the drug store. An' take this bottle an' put it in. Go in front of their house an' throw it an' break it. Well, it make 'em move.
Entry 13418
If yo' wants tuh make a person move lak dat, well yo' go an' buy some war watah. Yo' understan', dat war watah, an' yo' pass in front of de do' lak if yo' had tuh pass in front of de do', an' if yo' have tuh throw de bottle across de house, yo' make yore wish. If yo' jis' break de bottle in front of de house an' make yore wish, why yo' could break 'em up an' make a big disturbance. Make 'em move an' de house would be upsetted. Yo' could upset de home.
Entry 13425
And I wouldn't want you in that place. You kin go to the [hoodoo] drug store and get you what they call some war water and take that bottle and bust that bottle in front of your place, not mine, in front of your place. And in busting that bot- tle, come back and take your name and some salt and bury it right behind your place - right at the back of your place. (Your own house, now, not the hosue of the person you want to move, but be- hind your house.) No, behind your house. See, I wanta move you.
(Oh, you're moving me?)
Yes. (And you throw this water in front of my house. Now, you are going to bury my name in salt at the back of my house.) At the back of your house, see. When that salt is buried, in less than 9 days you'll be out of there.
(I see.)
Entry 13456
I'll go get me a pint of this here sour wine, the Italian wine. You go there to the gate and break it right at their gate. They come out there and fuss. Nobody kin go in there without there be a fuss, fuss. What I'd do... [turn off machine too quickly and must repeat.]
(Nobody can rent that house?)
Nobody rent it.
(Because there'd be a fuss in there.)
Be a fuss all the time.
(Do you sprinkle this bottle of sour kind of wine?)
No, just break it, don't sprinkle it. Just throw this bottle on the floor, say a bad word: "God damn, you go." So there'll be a fuss all the whole time. [Not on their floor but at their gate as at the beginning of rite.]