Subject:Bring
Entries
Entry 4162
Yuh take it [urine] yuh know, an' keep it an' put it in a bottle. An' git 'er some sugah an' cinnamon an' write a person's name an' put it in dere. An' dey keep it lak dat an' dey say, if yuh have a hus- ban' - co'se ah don't have no husban'. Ah don't even do dat, cuz ah don't even have no husban'. Dey do dat, take it an' shake de bottle any time yuh want yuh husban' tuh come home. Or ah hit it on de flo' nine times an' he will certainly come home - if yuh got 'is name in dere.
(You hit it on the floor nine times?)
Right in de door nine times, an' dey say he'll certainly come home - don't care where he is. (But you have to hit it against the floor, hit it against the door-like
[saddle or floor at door], an' then you just shake it nine times?)
Yes, sir.
Entry 4171
Now yuh kin take dat urine an' burn yuh some incense yuh know. An' den take dat urine an' put chew some lye an' sugah in it, an' yuh kin scrub yuh front po'ch wit it, see. Jis' keep it right in front of yuh house an' it will bring mens intuh yuh home. Really will do it.
Entry 4361
Well, if dey wan' 'im tuh go away, dey will take a lock of de right head - hair on de right side, two or three locks of it - right side of de head, an' put it in a bot- tle an' put some urine in it, an' throw it away in a stream dat goes - tuh a stream dat goes up [river], carry it up, so dey [he] will go. Well, it's jis' de opposite if dey wan' 'im tuh come back, dey take it [hair] off de left side an' throw it in a stream comin' in tuh 'em - vice aversy. [This is a tide- water stream, coming in and going out.]
Entry 4505
Well, now, dey kin take yuh watah whut chew bath in an' yuh kin take dat watah an' po' out jes' like de sediment - dey ketch de sediment, de bottom. Dey don't ketch de top, git de bottom part of de dirt. It's from, yuh know, what comes from de hide. Yuh undahstan' me, from yuh hide. See, de sediment goes into de bottom. De watah dirty on top, but chew kin take time an' po' it out an' ketch de drainin's. Ketch dat dust. All right. Yuh'll take dat an keep it fer twelve days, undahstan' me. Den aftah de twelve days, yuh'll take it an' yuh'll go tuh a creek, forward, an' don't nevah look back. Whilst yuh's goin' it's diff'run', yuh mind is on goin' to dat creek. Don't look back'tall fer nuthin. When yuh get to de creek - yuh gets tuh de creek or rivah or what- somevah it is an' throw it back like dat. Yuh take dis han' heah [demonstrates].
(Your left hand.)
Dis han' here, dis yore heart. Throw it ovah dere an' go on about chure business. Don't look back.
(You throw it over your right shoulder?)
Yes, take dat lef' han'
(What will that do then?)
Well, dat is - dat man dat yuh wants tuh do dat tuh, dat gives 'i, he cain't stay nowheres. He has tuh jes' - see, de creek is got dat goin', an' jes' like he is goin'. He be here an' aroun' tuhday an' tuhmorrah in anothah little town somewheres, an' on an' on, unless yuh save a little of dat watah an' yuh git tired of 'im goin'. Yuh save a little watah an' change it. Go tuh a creek an' take dis han' an' throw it ovah. An' aftah it gits far as yuh wanta - if it git fer enough from yuh, dere ain't no way fer 'im tuh git back, becuz he'll nevah have de mind tuh git back tuh yuh. (In other words, if you want him to stop roaming, you take the other hand, the right hand, and throw this stuff over the left shoulder.) Yes sir, ovah de right shouldah [see correction later]. Take yuh lef' han' an' throw it ovah yuh right shouldah [see correction later].
(That's to get rid of him?)
Yes. (What's to make him stop then, when you take that other piece of dirt? When you go back to the creek the second time?) Well, yuh save some of dat sediment an' throw it ovah yuh left-han' shouldah [here is the correction] but don't look back. Well dat stops 'im. (You take the right hand and throw it over the left shoulder. I see.)
Entry 4925
Taken needles or pins or wire nails. An' jis' lak ah wuz tellin' yuh 'bout de sock: fold dat sock, if yuh wanta run 'em, fold it from yuh; an' if yuh wanta bring 'em tuh yuh, yuh fold it tuh yuh. An' yuh stick nine pins an' nine needles an' nine wire nails, an' yuh bury it undah yore steps, or undah dere steps, which- evah case yuh wanta do, run 'em or tuh draw 'em. If yuh wan' 'em tuh come, yuh bury it undah yore own step; an' if yuh wanta run 'em, yuh slip it in an' bury it undah dere step.
Entry 5396
Dey say yo' kin take dat track - jes' lak dey wanta run yo' away - dey'll pull de track from de heel tuh de toe. An' take dat track an' take a aig, an' bo' a li'le hole in de aig an' dreen de contents of de aig out. An' put dat track in dat shell an' put a li'le bit of papah ovah it. An' go tuh a rivah, a stream or somepin dat's runnin', an' turn dat back an' throw it ovah de shouldah an' use three words dey say. Dey says, "In de Name of de Father, Son an' Holy Ghost, let dis evil one leave." But de 'Father, Son an' HolyGhost' is de word de' speak. An' throw it ovah de shouldah an' walk away an' not look back. An' dey say long as dat aig float, yo'll continue tuh go.
(Do they take either foot track?)
Eithah one or both.
(If they want to bring you to them?)
Dey git in fron' of yore track, yo' see. Let see, yes, an' pull it from de toe tuh de heel. Well, den dey don' throw dat in no rivah. Dey take dat an' fill it full of de track, de aig, an' put sompin aroun' tuh keep it from break- in' - real tight. An' dey bury dat egg undah yore steps or put it in de middle of a loose mattress where yo' sleep. An' yo' can't leave dere. Yo'll go but yo'll come right back.
Entry 5409
Yo' take yore fingahs lak dis an' draw back from de end of de toe, back tuh de heel an' git de track, if yo' kin git de right foot. An' tie it up an' take it tuh a runnin' stream of watah an' - a new piece of home- spun - an' make yore wishes an' throw it ovah yore right shoul- dah. An' walk away an' not look back aftah it. An' dat would make yo' be in love wit 'im right on, make him come back tuh yo'. If he quitted yo' or sompin lak dat, yo' could do dat. (You just get his foot track between your two fingers, your index finger and little finger. Of the right hand.) Yeah. Say dat would draw 'im back. If yo' wanted tuh run 'im or drive [him away], say yo'd take yore lef' han' an' make bad wishes.
Entry 5463
Dey says if yo' take yore fingah, reach from hollah of de foot tuh de heel, dey take dat dirt up [demon- strates]. (YOu PUT THE INDEX FIN- GER AT THE HOLLOW AND the thumb at the heel and bring it together. Take up a pinch of that dirt. Out of either foot?) De right foot. An' yo' kin take dat den an' put 'em tuh wandahin' - trailin' [a rare word].
(What would you do with that dirt after you got it?)
Well, dey say dat yo' mix a li'le graveyard dirt wit it. Dey kin kill yo' wit it or else dey kin put yo' tuh travelin'. Take dat dirt an' sprinkle it wit nine new needles right in de direction yo' wan' 'em to go. If de house heah, dat yo' wanta run 'em from, yo' go right dere in front dat house an' put dat dirt. Say dat will run 'em. (Now I am not quite certain about those nails. You take this dirt from the foot and some of this graveyard dirt. And then you take nails or needles?) Kin take needles an' nails.
(How do you drive them - into the ground or what?)
Yeah into de ground. An' den nine new pins, an' needles wit it, but chew put dem needles between dem nine nails.
(That will make them go away.)
Entry 5776
They say they kin take your center part from yo' left foot, if yo' goin' away from home, an' put it in runnin' watah an' run yo' away from home. Get it if yo' goin' towards home. Take a young man - like if a lady Wants a man, yo' see, wan' 'in tuh come tuh 'er home. Why, tuh get sand from out de hollow of 'is foot, see.
(Which one?)
Out of the right foot, goin' tuh 'er home, yo' see. An' tie it up in a piece of new yellow cotton or homespun, something like that - where it nevah have been used, you know, an' they bury it undah the doorstep [to bring him to her home]. An' then they wear it in their shoes fer tuh hole 'em down [after he comes]. Bury it under the doorstep between nine and twelve o'clock.
Entry 5796
If they want chew to be with them, why they bury it under the doorstep. Like if they want chew to come to my home, see, I bury it under the doorstep. And if they want to run you away, why put that in running Water and make a wish. (Which tracks do they use?) Get de dirt from under de right foot. Like, just if yo' want 'em to come to your home, see, yo' take it when they're coming to de home. If yo' want 'em to leave, yo' git it out of that track when they leave home. [Elizabeth City, N. Car., (438), 401:3.] [The sixth section Of division THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF is HAIR. De- spite the hundreds of hair rites that now follow, hundreds more are scattered throughout the text of Hoodoo, because hair is often only one ingredient in a compound rite containing other important substances: URINE, BLOOD, GRAVEYARD DIRT, etc.] [The lO submargin rites under this margin title recall the well-known belief that hair continues to grow a long time after death - FACI, 2nd ed., 15415, p.714; 1st ed., 10367, p.595. Not so well known are the following beliefs about living hair continuing to grow, after it has been taken from the body:]
Entry 5956
Anything like a person's hair, you take that, you see, and you get this srahpin' twine. Now, then you take a red flannel or new yellow cotton, it's a homespun, and just a square, and make the little bag, four cor- ners. And you wrahp it up. You kin wrahp ar eitherwise you kin sew it. But always bring it towards yah, and tie it in a fat knot and make your wish. If you're wrahping it, chew know, why evah knot, cvah time you wraap, you wish that he may come to you, and you wish that he may be yours, and you wish that he may be mine and do whatever I want him to do, and sish that he may gave me mah money, and this In the Name of God. I wish that he Se united in holy matrimony, or anything like that. You see, just whatever your Tishes is. And then, you see, you tie it. And each time you wrahp it towards Rh, why that's bringing him to yah, bringing the person to yah. And you tie 1. And the last knot you tie is the last wish that chew make. You wish that Lemay be yours or may be mine all entirely and do just as I say In the Name Of God.
Entry 6076
Ah have heard dat chew could take a person hair an' gain de influence of 'em by carryin' dere hair in yore pocket. Yo'could take dere hair an' git chew a piece of bran'-new cloth, piece of bran'-new white cloth sech as be de - yo' know, don't be flowered lak dis. Yo' know, jes' any kin'a bran'-new cloth dat don't cost but 5c a yard - plain cloth. Yo' kin take dat an' take nine stran's of a person's hair an' carry dat nine stran's of a person's hair in yore pocket nine days, an' DE NINTH MAWN- IN' yo' git up outa de bed an' yo' say de THREE GOD MANHEAD: God de Father, God de Son, God de Holy Ghost - de ninth mawnin'. An' yo' take dem nine stran's of bair an' WALK TO DE BACK DO'. Wit yure left han' throw dem nine stran's of hair away. Don't look back aftah yo' throw 'em away, jes' throw 'em anyuay. Don't look back aftah yo' throw 'em. An' de person who yo's in love wit, y jes' lak yo' throw dere hair away, dey'll come back to yo'. [Even cloth at 5c a yard vas amazing back in 1939 - see INTR0., p. XXXV for date.] An' if it's a person dat chew wanta git away from yo', de seventh day yo' cake dat hair an' walk to de front do' jes' at sunrise an' say de THREE GOD MANHRAD, an' put it right in de centah of de do'step - right in de centah of de do'step. Den take a horseshoe - YO'VE SEEN A HORSESHOE - an' lay dat horseshoe right down ovah it; jes' yo' know square each way, jes' so it'll extend each way an' it'll be level each way. Yo' take dem nine stran's of hair an' dig a little hole an' bury it. Put dat horseshoe ovah it. Take yo' nine pins an' drive down in dere. Jes' try tuh drive 'em on top of de head of each othah it'll be bettah. An dat'll drive 'em away from yo', so yo' won't have any trouble wit dat person any
(You cover up that horseshoe so it can't be seen?)
Yes sir, yo' covah it up lightly so it can't be seen. [Despite the absence of pubic or armpit hair in this rite, I have placed it here because of 9 hairs snd9 days.]
Entry 6498
Husks, take dat offa yuh foot. Yo' kin weah it. Put it in a bottle, yo' see, an' turn de bottle up dere in bed, if yo' wanted tuh see dat party. Yo' undahstan', turn it bottomside upwards, yo' understand, an' dey shore comin'. She can't git away.
(I see, that's to make them come to you?)
Come real quick.
Entry 7696
[He can take] de haidbo'd an' footbo'd, see, dem two li'le pieces, one at de haid an' one at de foot at de graveyard, dat [belong to], some of 'is rela- tives. Kin take dat at home an it will be lucky tuh 'im. (You mean the relatives of this dead man will go out and take these boards, and that gives them luck?) Sho' [sure].
Entry 7723
See, yo' 'sposed tuh go tuh de graveyard twelve a'clock at night, an' yo' git dis dirt, an' when yo' start gittin' dis dirt, yo' supposed tuh say, "Dead spirit, ah didn't come tuh rob yore grave, ah came heah fo' luck In de Name of de Father, of de Son an' of de Holy Ghost." An' if yo' put money tuh dat grave or a corn or either some fresh rice, anything, yo' supposed tuh pay dem An' jes' lak if yo' want chure luck changed, yo' go dere in de nighttime at twelve a'clock an' yo' take de haidbo'd an' throw it tuh de feet an' take de feetbo'd an' throw it tuh de haid. An' yo' git dis graveyard dirt an' yo' sup- posed tuh put sulphur in it - supposed tuh put red peppah an' yo' supposed tuh put sompin yo' kin git at de drugsto', but yo' don' specially have tuh have dat, an' salt in it. An' yo' burn dis dirt three times a day. If it's wet yo' put it in de sun an' let it git dry, an' when yo' make yore fiah [fire] it gonna smell funny when it be burnin'. Yo' shet up in a room tuh yo'self an' yo' burn dis heah dirt. An' jes' lak if yo' want - if anothah party livin' next do', yo' want 'em out chure house, yo' burn dat dirt on dose people an' tell 'em dat chew want 'em tuh be out. Yo' know, move out de house. An' burn it three times a day. An' jes' lak if yo' runnin' a joint or anything, an' if no one will visit chure joint much, yo' kin burn dat dirt, an' in about ten minutes time yo'll have a crowd at chure house. An' if it's a woman yo' wants tuh see, an' yo' cain't see her, an' yo' burn dat dirt, dogged if she wouldn't be dere in about five minutes' time.
(You make your wishes when you burn that dirt.)
[This was not a leading question. Somewhere while recording machine had stopped this had been mentioned.] Yeah yo' make yore own wishes In de Name of de Fathah, an' de Son an' de Holy Ghost. (What is the stuff that you would get at the drug store if you wanted to use that and add that to it?) It's sompin, but chew specially [don't] have tuh have dat, becuz ah ain't nevah didn't nuse [use] dat. (You don't have to have it. What is it, if you do want to use it?) [Either no answer or I turn off machine too fast.]
Entry 7785
(What do you go out to the forks of the road for?)
Yo' go out tuh de fo'k of de road tuh git a kinda root. Yo' git a kinda root de' calls de Conkah root. Aftah yo' git dat conkah root, yo' goes on back tuh de house. Dat's when yuh madam done quit yuh - lak yo' mä'ied [married] an den yuh madam done quit yuh. An' aftah yo' git dat root, why yo' goes on back an' yo' take de root an yo' parch it-lak, yo' undahstand. Yo' make a kinda dust outa it, jis' make a dust an' yo' mix it wit graveyard dust, yo' undahstand. An' den yo' gotta rejoin dat tuhgethah.
(Well, what do you do with that, after you mix all this stuff?)
Aftah yo' fix it, yo' jis' take it in a li'le sack. Take it in a li'le sack an' jis' wash it roun' yuh waist-lak, yo' see.
(I see. That's to bring the woman back?)
Yes.
Entry 7924
I have heard of people giving graveyard dust. You throw it in running water. The person you want to go away or come back will come or go. You throw it over your right shoulder and don't look back but keep walking and have the person in mind.
Entry 8095
Yo' kin take a man's pichure or a man kin take a woman's pichure. If yo' wan' de person tuh stay aroun', yo' kin turn it up an' dey'll be aroun' if yo' walk on tuh 'em. If yo want 'em tuh come rushin' right tuh yo' at once, turn it down. Dat puts 'em on dere haid, dey can't stay away. Den yo' kin take de pichure ag'in an' punch de eyes out, put a "x" in de mouth, an' bury it on de face of it, but punch de eyes out an' dat'll run 'em blind.
Entry 8168
Dey take yore photograph an' write chure name on it an' carry it tuh de cemetery an' put it under a tombstone an' turn yer face downwards. Yo' goin' from heah. (You put under the tomb- stone?) Awrr-right undah it, undah de tombstone [headboard]. Jis' shev [shove] it up undah dere.
(Face down?)
Face down, an' [as] hit goes away, yo' goes away. [Or] take it an' put it bot- tonside upwards an' put it undah yer steps, dat bring 'em home tuh yo'.
(This photograph.)
Entry 8173
Jis' lak ah'd take yer pichure. Well, ah could go tuh de graveyard an' git some graveyard dirt right off from de sinnah's, yo' know, where a sin- nah is buried at, right in 'is chest. Git hit an' sew hit an' de pi- chure up intuh a piece of cloth, an' keep it fo' nine mawnin's, an' bury at chure do'step, an' dat'll bring yo' love.
(That's for love?)
Yes sir.
Entry 8198
Jis' lak if yo' got a daughtah run away from home, yo' undahstan', an' she might run away wit some young man dat married, yo' undahstan'. An' yo' don' know where she at an' don' know where she gone, an' she won' write chew or come. See, lak yo' got 'er pichure dere. All yo' gotta. do, take dat pi- chure dat's dere an' turn it bottom upwards. Turn it bottom upwards [demon- strates].
(Take the picture and turn it like that?)
Dat's right.
(Turn it on its face.)
Thah's de pichure right dere leanin' back 'ginst de wall lak dat, yo' see. Bell, all yo' gotta do - some of 'em say take dat pichure an' put it 'ginst de nirror lak dat [demonstrates].
(Put the face to the mirror?)
Dat's right. Well, now, de way ah heah it. See, lak dat [demonstrates], de pichure's facin' yo'. All yo' gotta do, turn de haid down dataway.
(Have the picture standing on its head?)
Dat's right.
(What will that do then?)
Well, dat'll make her git on de haid about chew, an' den she'll come back home.
Entry 8202
Well, dere's a certain type of people dat believe in de wanishin' [van- ishing], dat yo' kin do away wit a person through an' by a photograph. Yo' could git de actual photograph of a person. Yo' take it an' on de first of de new moon, yo' carry it anywheres where dere's a tree or a stone, anything dat choo kin mark an' know it won't be moved. An' plant it face downward in de soil. An' dey claim dat when dat moon passes away, de nex' new moon will cuz some kinda affliction tuh ovahtake de person, an' dey will grajly [gradually] drift away tuh nuthin. Nuthin will relieve 'em. It impossible tuh cure 'em, until dey will fine'ly
[finally] jis' waste away de same way de photograph do.
Entry 8208
(To make the man come back?)
Well, if yo' have his photograph, yo' kin bring 'im back. Well, yo' kin take his photograph an' sleep wit it an' use dat photograph upside down, see. An' EVAH NIGHT AT TWELVE A'CLOCK CALL "IM DE SAME AS HE WUS DERE. Jis' don' tell 'im anything, but continue callin' 'im. WHEREVAH HE AT, AT DAT PAHTIC'LAH TIME OF DE NIGHT, HE'LL GIT UPSETTED, AN' WHICH AN' WHILE [uSua11y Which and why] DE SPIRIT WILL BRING 'IS MIND ON HOME, AN' HE WILL COME HOME.
(Where do you keep that photograph?)
Well, yo' kin keep it - jis' say fo' a' instan' [instance] if ah want chew tuh do it. See, YO' BRING ME DE PHOTOGRAPH AN' AH'LL DO DE WORK, See. But quite natchly [naturally] if he come tuh Savannah yo' goin' tuh see 'im, see.
Entry 8503
[For burning, see also long mar- gin title LAMP.] If yo' wanta git somebody back tuh yo' or somepin, well yo' would - if yo' were usin' somepin lak yo' were goin' tuh burn somepin tuh bring dem back. Well, yo' would repeat dere name. Yo' repeat dere name, say, "Well, Johnny, let Johnny - Hoodoo Conjuration - Witchcraft - Rootwork come back." Well, fo' so many times whilst chew were burnin' yore - whut dey use tuh bring 'em back yo' see.
Entry 8516
In a she coconut - yo' know de she coconut?
(What is a she coconut?)
A she coconut got two eyes.
(All right.)
Yo' take jis' one of dem eyes an' push it out an' drain dat milk [coconut juice] out. An' yo' put someone's name in dere, if yo' wanta drive dem away from yuh, an' throw it ovah yuh left shouldah [into running water]. An' it's goin' tuh drift, an' wherevah it drift dey gotta go. (Can you bring them back with a coconut?) Yes, if yo' Wanta bring 'em back, yo' gotta git dis he coconut. De he coconut has got three eyes. Yo' push one eye out but yo' gotta be sure dat de right eye yo' pushin' out doesn't got [does not have] a white spot. An' dat main eye dat's de eye yo' push out. An' put a stoppah in dere an' dump dat milk out. [The stopper is inserted after the milk is out.] Now, yo' throw dat disaway, dataway, dat's bringin' 'em back, see [demonstrates].
(Throw it over your shoulder. Throw it at your house?)
Yeah, throw it at your house. [Throwing an object towards the house, door, etc. is a common rite to bring a person back.l
(Over your right shoulder?)
No. Over yuh right shouldah? Yeah, ovah yuh right. (And when you want to bring this man back that's away, you throw it over your right shoulder?) Throw it ovah yuh right.
Entry 8556
They write your [a man's] name up here [at the top of a piece of paper] and hers down here [at the bottom] and fold your name on top of it [fold man's name over woman'sl and wear that in your left shoe. That's in order to bring
[her] his way.
Entry 8559
A paper you know and cut it out, if him and her was fussin'.
(What would you cut it out of?)
Cut it out of paper, and if they know the name of the person, and if the... (Well, what else do they do now?) If they take that paper and roll it, fold it to 'em. (Fix the paper up. Then what do you do?) Write the person's name once to you, but you gotta write it three times and fold it to you.
(What do you do with it then, after you roll it to you? Then what do you do?)
You kin wear it right in your waist so they kin come to you.
(All right, now, suppose you wanted someone away, what would you do?)
Fold it from you, if you don't want to have nuthin - gettin' them away from you. If you don't want no connection with 'em, fold it from you and wear it.
(And wear it where?)
Around your waist.
(Or in the shoe?)
Yes.
(I see.)
Entry 8638
Yo' take his [murderer's] name an' write it down nine times, de party dat did de killin'. Yo' write it [murdered man's name] down nine times across his [murderer'sl name. An] den yo' stick dis into a lemon. On top of dis lemon yo' put a spoonful of salt, an' yo' bury dis at de place where he committed de crime, an' he won't leave. [This rite could have been placed under subsection (2) HOW MURDERER CAN BE CAUGHT, p.3258f. A lemon rite at this date in Washington, D. C., merely means that our informant, Doctor Sims, had come from New Orleans. For some of his material, see Nos.23,532,2091, and especially margin title IT'S A GIFT ETC., No.2742, p.746f.]
Entry 8672
They put nine needles, nine pins, nine new tacks, nine loaves of sugah, a spoon of honey, a halfa spoon of drawin' powdah, a teaspoonful of John de Conkah Root Powdah [all in a bottle]. An' dey'll stop dat up fer nine day. [Afterwards, to perform the rite] they'll git to de door [their own door] an' dey'll knock three times, an' dey will call de person [your name] - wit yore name [written on a piece of paper] in dat bottle. Dey turn dat bottle upwards [upside down] [during the ceremony] an' dat's supposed to keep yo' wor- ried. An' dey call yo', whenevah dey wan' choo [want you] to come by knockin'.
[Preceding loaves = Zwmps of sugar.]
Entry 8676
Yo' kin write his name nine times an' make a wish an' den yo' kin wear it in yore right shoe an' he'll come back.
Entry 8700
Dey takes a person's chxmber lye an' puts it in a bottle. Git some of dat an' puts it in a bottle, an' den takes it an' put sugah in it or honey, ei- thah one. Write dere names down nine times wit a indelible pencil but write it frontwards. As ah 'fore tole [be- fore told] yo', in place of put- tin' de entire [name], yo' put de given name first. Yo' put John an' den yo' put Edwards, see. Yo' write dat down nine times an' yo' put dat in dat bottle an' yo' stop it up. An' whenevah dey go somewhere, an' yo' want 'em tuh do anythin' fo' [you] whenevah they go somewhere, yo' take dat bottle an' yo' roll it jes' lak yo'd roll a lemon or sompin tuh git de juice out of it. An' yo' roll dat bottle nine times an' every time yo' roll it yo' call dere name. Dat's when a woman wants a man tuh do sompin fo' her.
(How do you mean?)
See, lak if a woman's got a husband an' he's mean to her. He believe in run- nin' about an' diff'ren' thing lak dat, an' she wants tuh draw 'im tuh 'er, an' Wants tuh git his earnin' [earnings, his wages]. She do's dat. (What did you put in there now? The chamber lye? And that nine, now you wrote that nine times? How do you write it, just one right under the other?) Yessuh. Jes' write it on one sheet of papah.
(You put the names right under each other?)
Yassuh.
(And you write it with what?)
Well, yo' writes it wit any kinda pencil [former indelible pencil withdrawn]. It don' make no diff'rence.
Entry 8712
Yo' git up at sunrise, befo' yo' speak to anyone at all, wash yore face or anything, jes' as de risin' of de sun, dey go out to de step like de sun risin dis way, an' yo' call dere name three times. An' after yo' call dere name three times, don't make none other step towards dat way. Jes' turn right aroun' an' come on back. Say, an' after yo' come back yo' kin speak to anyone yo' want to, wash yore face an' anything if yo' want tuh.
(You called their name out there didn't you?)
Yeah, call dere name three time, which person yo' wants tuh come back home. See, jes' lak mah name is Walter. Jes' call mah name, jes' plainly, de full name three times. An' dey do dat fo' nine mawnin's. An' den de mawnin' yo' hear from 'em, yo' begin about de fifth until 'bout de 15th, yo' hear from 'em some Way or 'nother by friends. Somebody bring yo' some kinda message.
Entry 8723
If de man leave an' yo' Want 'im tuh come back, yo' git chew some sulphur an bluestone an' a piece of papah - writin' papah. Yo' write his name on it three times an' yo' put dis sulphur an' dis bluestone on dis papah an' yo' burn it fo' nine mawnin's.
(This same paper or do you take a new piece each morning?)
New each mawnin'. Yo' burn dat fo' nine mawnin' an' de nine mawnin' he'll come back.
Entry 8768
You write your name down on a piece of paper, an' yo' write de othah party's name down on de other piece of papah. Well, if dat's someone dat yo wanta get back, an' yo' folds it [to you] three different ways. Well, because of the Way yo' foldin' it, yo' want dem tuh come back. Well, yo' have dere name turnt in de house, yo' see, an' every time, dey walk, yo' see, dey always goin' back in de house all de time, cause dere name is joined dat way. Well, if yo' want dem to stay out of de house, yo' turn de names up lak dat [demonstrates]. Yo' see, just like a... turn it up lak dat.
(You turn the names out if you want them to stay outside.)
If yo' want 'em to stay outside, yo' turn de names out de house. Jes' like yo' put it up ovah dat door [points to door of interviewing room]. Well, yo' turn de name out like dat. If yo' want dem to stay in, always come in yore house, turn de name dis Way [into house].
(I see.)
Entry 8785
See, lak yo' start today. Well, yo' jes' git chew some steel dust an' sprinkle it all roun' dat house. An' git dere name an' some cayenne peppah an put it all - mix it all up dere togethah, wit some brown cinna- mon an' sugah. An' shake all dat aroun' dere. Throw it all up on dat window sill. An' curse 'em. Yo' know, give 'em a bad name. An' den take dey name an' jes' bring dat name in de window, yo' know, an' tie it up in a pocket han'ke'ch'ef. See, lak dat, an' ah guarantee yo' in two days he done left. He be walkin'. He cain't find no place in world tuh stay. Nobody want 'im. Wanta git rid of 'im an' all. Won't leave him stay. [To get rid of the man in the house, his spirit is tricked by carrying his name, his captured spirit, into house through a window. This confuses the spirit so that it no longer knows how to enter normally through the door. We have a similar piece of magic in the funeral rite in which coffin is' removed from house through window instead of door.]
Entry 8840
Yo' have tuh go tuh de grave tuh do dis. Go tuh de graveyard an' go down in a man's grave an' yo' have a penny in yore hand. Run yore han' down in de grave - it make no diff'- rent which han' - run yore han' down in de grave an' leave dis penny an' come up wit de dirt. An' take dis writin' an' sprinkle it [dirt] right 'cross dat writin', an' fold it up, an' lay it undah de lid [cover] of de Bible. An' ah don't care whut she done or nuthin, yo' kin 'tract [attract] her anywhere he want tuh by dis dirt. (You take her writing? Her handwriting, a letter she wrote to you, and you can make any kind of a wish and she'll do anything you want her to do?) Yes.
Entry 8871
An' yo' want 'em tuh come back tuh yuh. If yo' know where dey are, kin git in touch wit 'em, write dem a lettah some kinda way. Use dis Three S Love Powdah an' yo' sprinkle it all ovah yore lettah. Jis' evah time yo' write a word yo' dab yore fingah in dis powdah an' dab it on evah word, cross it-lak. An' when he read it he'll come right on back.
Entry 8918
Well, if yo' didn't know just exactly who it was who stole it. If yo' knowed, had a idea, knew that was the one that brought it back - stole it - why yo' could, but if yo' didn't know, well, I have [never] heard what yo' could do.
(Well, if you know who stole it, then what should you do?)
Well, if yo' knowed who stole it, yo' could take his name an' he'd bring it back. You could take his name nine times an' wear it - put it in your lamp, put it in a closed place. Put it in the dark. Yo' could PUT IT IN A LAMP AND SET IT IN A DARK PLACE! And when that lamp burnt down, when that oil burnt down to that name, why he'd bring it back. [To burn a small lamp for hours in a dark place, sometimes a closet, could be a fire hazard!]
Entry 8921
Now, if anyone has stole anythin' from yo', yo' go tuh some runnin' watah an' yo' write his name on dat piece of papah an' put slime or mud, whatso- evah it 'tis, an' call de Three Great Names - dat's de Father, Son an' de Holy Ghost, "may he bring dis back to me, ' an' throw it ovahbo'd. An' dat runnin' watah hit'll run back to yore house, bring it back to yore house. He pick some chance tuh bring it back, 'thout [without] chew seein' 'im. [The preceding expression Three Great Names is rare compared to the more usual ones of Three Highest Names and Three Holy Names. (If you think that's the person that stole the article, you write his name on a piece of paper, and you put this mud on the piece of paper.) Right on top of his name.
Entry 8943
De do' what chew goin' thru, de threshhold of de do', an' yo' cut a piece of chip from dere.
(A chip out of that door, that the thief has gone out.)
Yes. An' den ag'in, dey gits a wagon in de yard. Put dose chips into de axle of de Wagon an' den turn it backwards. An' call de thief name: In de Name of de Father an' of de Son an' de Holy Ghost, bring back whut chew done took. See, say dat, an' turn de wheel backwards. Say [turn] it backwards fast. An' yo' turn dat backwards fast. An' fo' [before] three times three days, dem people come back. If dey don't bring dat, dey'll put it on a place somewhere yo' kin find it. (This thing they took from you.)
Entry 8950
You will go to a creek where ther's water running at. You get you some of that sand out of the bottom of that creek. See, some of that white sand, and you get you some of that run- ning water, see. You brings it back home, you puts it in a clean basin. See, put that sand in the bottom of that basin. You puts that water in there. You take and you write your name on a piece of paper nine times. See. And you puts it in that water. Well, it's natural when that paper gets wet, it's going to sink under that water, you understand. That paper sinks under there and you stand up in it and you repeat the Lord's Prayer for seven times and make your wish. And whosomever got anything from you, they ain't going to rest until they bring it back.
(I see, if anybody has stolen anything?)
If anybody stole anything, it keep 'em tormented until he bring it back. (What do you mean by repeating the prayers seven times? You mean all on this one day?) Yes, sir.
(Or seven different days?)
Oh, no sir, just one time, yo' see. An' while yo' repeating that, that paper going to come back to the top of the water, you see. And when it come, it going to begin to float around, see. It float around, you see on that water. An' then you don't take it out; see, yo' leave that paper float in that water. See. And it's goin' keep him tormented until he brings that back. It going to create a fear on him, he can't rest nowhere.
(I see.) [New Orleans, La., (873), 1426:4.]
[Despite the following do-it-yourself rites about court cases, it was always advisable in serious crimes to employ the service of an expert, especially of a legendary person like Doctor Buzzard, who never appeared in court but sent an animal to do his work (pp.891-905). At an earlier date some witchcraft people could break up a trial by thunder and lightning, so it is said. Much of this court material is scattered throughout Hoodoo - see interview COURTROOM SPECIAL- IST, Pp.1423-1449, v.2; SIFTER AND SCISSORS, No.604, p.204, v.1; and especially a rite, No.9024 in this present section, one of the finest statements in Hoodoo; My amazing experience with Doctor Washington of Charleston, S. Car. He, using me as a guinea pig, explains how he could free me from the clutches of the law, if I were a bootlegger and had been arrested! This freedom he describes by asking me questions and then answering them himself - Shakespearian! Indirectly he will bribe the court through a go-between with the money I pay him in advance, keeping a part of it as his commission, and work his real magic with 2 black hens. Washington, after talking to me, had a fight with another doctor out in the court- yard of the house where I was interviewing. I refer to this fracas later while in Brunswick, Ga., after two doctors likewise had a quarrel outside the house where I interviewed (lines 5-6, 15-16, p.337, v.1). Washington, as also most other doctors, paid me the great compliment of my life, without any suggestion or pretense of mine. He and they considered me a hoodoo man from New York City! Big-city life would make me ignorant of animals that crawled or hopped or flew. Consequently he offered to help me by taking over any live-things-in-you cases coming my Way in Charleston - See DOCTOR WASHINGTON ASKS FOR DOCTOR HYATT'S "LIVE-THINGS-IN-YOU" CASES, pp.2253-2258, v.3.]
Entry 9190
Jes' lak if yo' an' a person sep- arate an' yo' want dat pusson tuh come back tuh yo'. Yo' take a aig an' take a needle an' jug it in yore fingah until it bleeds. An' write chure name on dis aig an' his name [with this blood] an' bury it undah de do'step an' dat'll bring him back tuh yo'.
Entry 9237
If yo' got a woman, or eithah if yo' wanta see a fren' of yor'n an' yo' wants dis woman, an' yo' don' know how tuh git up tuh 'er. Yo' take dis aig, a white fresh aig, an' yo' writes her name on dis aig, an' how ole she are, an' her address. An' jis' howsom- evah her facin', her house turn, yo' digs right down at de steps an' plant it at 'er do'. Go tuh 'er house an' digs dat down dere jis' about, say about fo' inches. An' yo' turn de edge [end] of de aig out tuhwards de streets, de small end tuh de streets. Yo' know, jis' ary way her house turnt tuhwards de streets, yo' turn dat sharp end [of egg] tuhwards de streets. Dat supposed tuh git dis woman undah yore control.
Entry 9325
Take an aig - advance a aig an' turn it. Jes' if [for example if] a person off [away], yo' kin take a aig an' turn it on a new tinplate. Write de girl name in dat new tin plate nine times an' turn it [egg] fo' nine mawnin's. Turn it nine times fo' nine mawnin's an' dat bring 'em back, wit an aig.
Entry 9334
Well, jes' lak if yuh ole man's gone, yo' take nine fresh aigs an' de end of one of his shirttails an' two of his socks. An' point 'em an' put.dat aig right in between, yo' know, each toe of dat sock with his shirttaii. An' yo' bury it, bury dat right up undah de steps. Dat is sup- posed tuh bring him back. (You bury these socks with the toes pointing to each other. And right where those toes point to each other you put that egg?) Put dat aig an' his shirttail.
(The shirttail is wrapped around the egg?)
Yessuh.
(There are nine eggs though, aren't there?)
Nine fresh aigs, yessuh. Gotta be fresh aigs.
Entry 9348
Well, yo' see, de aigs, dere are two kinds of aigs. A roostah's aig is long an' de hen's aigs are round. Well, yo' git two hen aigs an' some salt an' black peppah. Well, yo' git on dis hen aig whut chew want done. Den yo' go an dig a hole de way yo' want tuh run it - tuhwards runnin' watah. Yo' dig a hole to- Wards runnin' watah an' den yo' put dis aig down in dere an' de black peppah an' salt, an' tell it evah whut chew want it tuh do. An' dey'll come back.
(You leave it there. You use two eggs though?)
Yeah, yeah, two aigs. Dey're round aigs. Yo' see, a roostah's aig is long an' de hen aig is round [the words long or round being words based upon sexual symbolism, not biology]. Well, yo' use de hen aigs. [For long eggs and round eggs see also following rite, and for round eggs and square eggs see also No.9284, p.3738.]
(You dig a sort of a ditch?)
No, a hole tuhwards runnin' watah. Yo' know, sometime yo' have ditches run- nin'. Well, yo' kin tell which way de watah is runnin'. Well, yo' dig de hole tuhwards runnin' watah.
(You mean between your house and the running water?)
Well, if de ditch is runnin' between yore house, yo' kin dig it right in front of de ditch, jes' so's it's runnin' which way de watah is runnin'.
(You mean you dig the hole away from you, down the way the water is running?)
Yeah, well, yo' take nine steps tuhwards de runnin' watah an' dig yore hole, an' den aftah yo' dig yore hole, yo' put chure aig an' salt an' black peppah down in dere. Co'se dis aig already has on it whut chew want it tuh do. An' den yo' have it bring 'em back.
(That is to bring them back?)
Yes.
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 9374
Den yo' kin take his socks, de left-foot socks, an' yo' kin put a hen aig in dere. Write his name on dat aig an' plant it on de no'th side of de do' an' dat'll bring 'im back.
(What do you mean by the north side of the doorstep?) Well, jes' lak de house is set- tin' dis way, on dat side [demon- strates]. (The north side of the steps.) Yessuh.
Entry 9608
Yo' kin git 'im back easy. Well, ah tell yo' 'zackly how yo' do dat. Yo'll git chew two pods of red peppah. One pod - yo' take dat peppah [inside] out'a it. One pod yo' put gunpowdah in; de nex' pod yo' put salt [in it]. (How many pods do you use now, two or three?) Yo' use one - two today an' two tuhmahrah. Well, yo' don' have tuh use any mo' of [more than] dat. Well, yo' take hit. Aftah yo' fill it wit de gunpowdah an' de salt, yo' tie it, de end of it. Whatevah she [her] name or whatevah he [his] name, she call he name. Don't use no plain [every-day] lan'wish [use religious language]. Jes' say, "Mah Lord, ah wants mah husban' or mah wife back home." Git right in de front of yore do' an' set fiah tuh it [this package]. Put fiah tuh it. An' den when hit burn - yo' see, dat powdah - say, "Wush" [sound of powder burning]. An' dat salt'll molt [dissolve] away. An' ah'll bet he'll come [back] an' stay. [This was informant's last rite. After she left the interviewing room, I comment to my machine: "End of 1217. This old woman almost ran me crazy." That sort of notation I rarely made. What she had done to disturb me, I no longer remember. Though not one of my better informants, her subject matter was not impossible. For some 0f it see: HOODOO, vol.1: p.24, No.38; p.111, No.375; p.425, No.1160; P.494, No.1565; p.522, No.1715; P.598, No.2049; p.599, No.2059; p.647, No.2297; etc.]
Entry 9666
Yo' take an' git a salt [salted] fish an' put it in watah an' scale de fish an' clean 'll. If yo' wants tuh [have?]'i open or sompin lak dat an' take all dat [insides out] - if yo' don' wanta throw de guts an' all intuh yore, in fronta yore do', take dem out an' throw de fish watah an' evahthin' right out in front [of your house] an' de people will come tuh yo'. (That is for customers?) Yessuh. (For what - what kind of a business?) Well, any kinda business yo' want, whethah it's a whiskey business, or whethah it's business in a sto' or whut. Anythin'.
(You say you take a salt fish?)
[Informant's opening words: git a salt fish...put in water and scale...an' clean 'im had confused me, especially the words put in water.] Takes salt fish, scale 'im.
(What kind of a salt fish?)
We gen'ly use salt herring, or any kinda salt fish. We generally gits de real cheap ones. [Informant definitely means salted fish.in a can or tin. One fish at lease is soaked in water to obtain the brine, scaled or skinned, and then split open sad cleaned. The fish essence in the water fishes for customers, the salt in the water kills anything put down by an enemy to stop the arrival of customers.] An' den, ag'in [another way for trade], take urination an' put salt in it an' throu it de direction where yo' see big crowds. [Just as the urine of a dog attracts other dogs, likewise human urine attracts people or customers.] Do dat fo' nine mawnin's. De crowds will come right towards yo'. Ah saw dat done.
(If you are selling whiskey you do that?)
Yes.
Entry 9714
(What did you tell me about the forks of the road?)
Yo' go out - yo' take chamber lye. Yo' know, just like if yo' wan'a man, yo' lgc - yo' wan'a make de man, yo' know, go an' leave yuh alone; or make 'im come, eithah one. Yo' take both yuhs [yours] chamber lye. (His chamber lye and the woman's chamber lye.) Yes sir. Mix dat tuhgethah. Take dat tuh de three fo'ks of de road [a "Y" fork, road separating to right and left]. Yo' take a brand-new bor of salt, which yo' ain't nevah used out of, an' go tuh three fo'ks of de road. Bell, de right - de one dat's tuh de right, yo' take dat chamber lye an', if yo' gnim tuh go an' stay an' don' nevah come back - don' wanta be bothahed - yo [use] curse words. Yo' make a curse word an' throw it [salt] down at de point [where one road separates into two].
(The right road?)
Yes, sir. Yo' thrown it down dat right road [the right fork of the "Y"]. An' if yo' wan' 'im tuh come back an' stay, yo' throw it down dis left one [left fork of the "Y"].
(I see.)
An' make all curse words, if yo' wanta 'im tuh stay, come back yo' know, go. (I see. You throw it down the right [fork] to make him go away, and the left to make him come back?) Yes, sir. You see, yo' throw it back this way [demonstrates].
(You throw it back towards you?)
Yes.
(And when you make him go away, which way do you throw it?)
Tuh de right.
(Do you throw it towards you or away from you?)
Yo' see, yo' throw it jes' lak dis, yo' see [demonstrates]. Throw it jes' lak Lr, yo' know, jes' lak dat. Lak yo' go, go tuh de right. When yo' wan' 'im tuh g back an' stay, well yo' throw it jes' lak dat, an' make yuh curse words, J' know, what yo' wan' 'im tuh do: Come back an' do [better]. Bring yo' money. Take yo' an' do lak dat, yo' know - jes' throw it lak dat [demonstrates].
(That brings him back.)
In de left one [fork] dat salt what yo' nevah used out of, yo' throw dat salt dat way [to the left]. An' dat way [demonstrates].
(I see. What will that do?)
Dat makes 'im go tuh stay, tuh de lef'. [Informant finally has the proper forks: left to send away, right to bring back.]
(To the left makes him go away - scatters him away?)
Yes, sir. This salt yo' have, had used out of [the package].
(I see. You don't throw that chamber lye down that left road, do you?)
No, sir. Yo' throw de chamber lye dis way, yo' see [demonstrates].
(But you throw that [urine] to the right?)
Yes, sir.
(And the salt to the left?)
Yes, sir. [There are a number of rites concerning the "Y" fork of roads. Here the urine thrown to the right brings the man back, salt to the left sends or keeps him away.]
Entry 9749
Jes' lak if yo' an' a person have a big dispute or somepin of de kind, den yo' take nine nails, nine bran'-new nails. An' take yo' some sulphuh an' take dem nine nails an' a piece of tin. Yo' know, a top [lid of tin can] an' nail it down lak dat. Nail it through dat top an' put dat sulphuh undah it, undah de top. See [demonstrates], turn de top down, see, an' yo' take nine nails an' nail 'em roun' [through the lid] lak dat. An' if he's plannin' tuh do anythin', take a suit ag'inst yo' or anythin' of de kind, use dem nine nails. Den yo' tie his mind down. Yo' tie his mind down dat he can't do whut he intend tuh do. Can't do it.
(You just simply put the sulphur out there, and turn that tin top [or lid]
down over it, and drive nine nails into it.) Nine nails. An' talk to it jes' lak ah'm talkin' tuh yo', jes' what yo' want tuh be done.
(What would you say?)
Jes' lak dis: "Ah don' wan' chew tuh bring suit ag'inst me. Yo' must be mah fren', not a enemy. Yo' gotta be mah fren'." Yo' see, yo' nail dem nails down an' yo' talk tuh it, jes' lak yo' call 'is name: "John, yo' must be mah fren an' not a enemy tuh me. Yo' must be mah fren'." An' jes' nail yore nails right on down. "Ah'm talkin' tuh yo', John, an' callin' yore name. Dis is Carrie Han' [Hand] talkin' tuh yo'. An' yo' must be mah fren, not mah enemy.' An' jes' nail dem nails down lak dat.
(Where do you nail the nails down?)
Yo' kin nail 'em down jes' anywhere in yore house, yo' undahstan'. [Sumter, S. Car., (1351). 2344:6.]
Entry 9813
Well, yo' go git chew nine needles, nine pins; jes' take nine needles an' nine safety pins. Jes' cross de needles an' put de pins up an' dom. See, heah's de needles crossed an' heah's de safety pins across dem. Lak if yo' have a piece of cloth heah [demon- strates] an' yo' stick a needle across in it dere, yo' stick a safety pin lak dat [demonstrates] but don't hook it.
(You put the safety pin across this needle right in the cloth.)
Dat's right, but don' hook it, undahstan'. An' yo' take dat den - aftah yo' git 'em in dere, yo' take dat piece of cloth, if dey anywhere aroun' neah an' jes' take it - yo' ain't gotta bury it if yo' don' wanta. Yo' kin wrap it. Yo' kin bury it middleways of de steps, if yo' git undah dere. Go right middleway of yore steps. Don't have [to] bury it or yo' kin do it, jes' in de middleways of de steps. Dey ain't goin' stay dere long 'fore dey be gone.
(This will move them out.)
Yes sir, dey won' come roun'. Dey won' even come up dat steps no mo'. Dem same nine needles ah's tellin' yo' 'bout, dem same nine needles, yo'll cross de firs' one across. Put de needles 'cross an' de pins straight up an' down - de safety pins.
(Get a piece of cloth like that?)
Yes, an' put dem in dere an' let 'em stay in dere, an' put it 'way somewhere. "Stead [instead] of 'im goin' off, he'll stay roun' dere. De person dat's been bothahin' yo' is goin' tuh leave dere, an' de law ain't hardly goin' come. Dat's whensomevah yo' wants tuh run dis person dat's bothahin' yo', an' whensomevah yo' wants yore customah tuh come tuh yore house an' de police tuh stay away.
Entry 9845
Yo' kin take nine needles an' sulphuh an' salt an' put it undah yore do'steps, an' if yo' walk ovah it - it be about nine days befo' it start tuh burn an' de ninth day yo'll feel somepin up an' down yore laigs lak needles an' pins. An' dat'll be cun- juration workin'. Co's' ah've had experience of dat 'cuz ah wus hurt lak dat once. Den dey could take nine pins, lak if yo' wanta bring some- body back or if dey off stay- in' wit anothah woman. Yo' git nine - git a pack [package] of [new] pins an' take nine out of dat an' put 'em up ovah yore do' where dey'll come in an' out. Co's' if dey're not dere, why dey won't; but dey's away, yo' git up evah mawnin' befo' sunrise an' yo' go tuh dat do', an' open dat do' an' say, "Name of de Fathah, Name of de Son, an' Name Of de Holy Ghost, ah want mah husban' tuh come back tuh me." Or whoevah it is, "Ah want dem come back in Name of de Fathah, Son an' Holy Ghost." An' in de ninth day, if dey don' come in dat do' - den yo' keep it up an' yo' don' take it down. Yo' keep 'em up dere, where dey walk in. Aftah dey come back, den yo' know where dey walks in an' out. Den yo' don't do it right on lak, yo' kow, right fo' de nine days, but chew do it occasion'ly, in case it die down. Yo know yo' do it occasion'ly, jes' keep it on. Don't do it [all the time], keep it right on straight.
Entry 10169
If you want to bring a woman back home to you, after she done left you and - you want to get her back home. Now, you take her name, and you take you two pins, just fix them like this here. Just cross it like a "x" you see; right over her name, you see. And you burns it with a candle, you see. You burn that for nine days and in nine days that woman'll come back home to you.
(What do you burn, a white candle?)
No, burn a red candle. Red candle is - black candle is evil, red candle and white candles is all good ones. You see, brings her home.
Entry 10629
Take Eve-an'-Adam root an' Queen Elizabeth root an' five-finger grass an' bind dem together an' put on [them] whiskey, an' let it soak fo' seven days to abstract dere pow- ers. An' yo' take yore- self: yo' bathe yore body, anoint yore body [with this concotion] an' dey say dat will bring back love an' luck to yore lose ones, put man an' wife back together.
Entry 10679
Well, ah take dat [foot] track now, and ah put it in de bottle, see. Ah taken a 'leven birdshot.
(Number 11?)
"Leven birdshot, dat [is] little shot.
(Eleven of them.)
Dat's to weight 'em down. Ah come here tomorrow and bring you my bottle, ah show you. Ah put eleven in dere an' ah takes, gets some needles. [Ah] take, [ah] put in, see. Dat [is] two parts of one... listen now, ah takes a piece of wheat straw. Ah put two needles in one straw an' ah name dat him. (You put a needle in the wheat straw?) Naw, sir. Ah put dem two straws in dat needle dis way [demonstrates]. (You put the needles into the straws.) Yes. First, ah want to put two straws together. Ah put one edge together, see, just like dat [demonstrates]. Then ah write his name three times. Ah write it down on dat straw[!] three times, see now. Write it down on dat straw and ah say, "Listen, now..." Ah don't put no curse on 'em. Say, "Ah kin give you fourteen years or twenty-one years. See, just what your time, ah give you traveling years." When dat twenty-one years, after dat twenty- one years, you coming back. And [I] name de day he coming back. See. And ah put dat name dere. Dat shot holds 'em down in dat bottle with de cork shut tight. Ah takes some paste and ah just paste on dat stopper. An' dis man, well he's a gone boy. He's gone away from here. If he don't move inside of nine days, den ah'll take an' look to his house. If he's dere, ah'll take my gun along with nine buckshot an' ah shoot him loose. Ah'll break dat glass [bottle]. Den when ah break dat glass, he go anyhow. See, dere's certain things we use on a man sometime; but [if] you can't do much with him, you can't move him, you...
(What sort of gun do you trick him with? Just an ordinary gun?)
Yes, ordinary gun, but ah wanta show you how ah load it. You see, when ah come back here, ah bring you 3-4 [3 or 4] things - show you all ah do. Get all and bring more too. Ah kin shoot a man away and ah kin bring him back. Ah kin bring a man back, now. Ah takes three peppers. You see, when you want to bring a man back, you take one box of red pepper and bring...folks back... don't care how long dey gone. Well, if you take a little glass [mirror or glass tumbler?l and you see how dat man's track in dere and he been gone for so many years, you kin break dat glass and he'll come. Get de idea? Take dat paper and write de name nine times [on the paper] and you put nine pieces of dat pep- per in dere [the paper] 'fore sunrise, and you roll dat [paper] to you, and you tie it [rolled paper] tight, an' 'fore sunrise you burn it up. Ah guarantee he'll come right dere.
Entry 10693
And what will she have to do [to bring the man back?]. All right. She'll have to get her some benzoin. Benedict. You know, they call that ben- zoin; some persons call it benedict. See? It's a little weed. It grows some- thing like cor you understand. Call it benedict. [Here I turn off machine un- til informant says something about the French, which starts machine again.] (The French all it what?) Benzoin. (You mean the French [speak- ing people] here in New Or- leans call it benzoin?) But it's benedict. [For the identity of this plant, see my comment at end of rite.l You take that benedict and popcorn - see, this small popcorn - and grind that up fine, fine, and make a powder out of it. You understand. And she make a powder out of that. Take and put it in her mattress, right where he going to sleep; where he have been sleeping at [before he left]. You understand what I mean. And just leaves it there, you see. And get her a dog, any kind of dog, see. And let him [dog] lay on that. Tie him on there if he won't stay there. Tie him on there nine days and he [man] will come back again.
(Well, what has that dog got to do with it?)
That dog puts a heat to it somehow or other. I don't know, that what they [person who sold this substance to him] told me. The dog puts a heat to it, you understand.
(And what happens to it then, when it's heated?)
When it's heated, it foams, see. It makes a foam, swell. See, that bed is there and that corm, whatsomever, it swells up.
(And what will it do if it swells?)
After it swells, he [man] coming back there. Oh yeah, he coming. He going to leave this other woman. That breaks them up. [Informant says: They call that benzoin; some person call it benedict...a lit- tle weed. It grows something like corn [[surely maize = Zea Mays]]. Benedict must be a popular or a trade name. Benzoin means one of two things: (l) It is or was a balsamic resin from Styrax benzoin and other species of Styrax in Jaca, Sumatra, Siam, etc. It is used as a stimulant; incense, perfume, etc. (2) Ben- zoin is also the name of a small genus of aromatic shrubs of the laurel family [lmracese] having two North American species with popular names: (a) spicebush or spicewood and (b) benjamin bush. Informant's benzoin or benedict was probably anything his hoodoo drug store or mail-order house sold him.]
Entry 10759
After you have a bath in that water, you put household ammonia and some sugar and some blueing [in the used] water, and that will uncross your bad luck, and bring you success- ful. An' yo' take that and you throw it where the sun rise.
Entry 10773
Ah heard sompin 'bout a broom. Now, yo take a broom now - dey claim dat yo' take a broom an' yo'll sweep with it. Well, now, if yo' take a broom an' lay it down an' step ovah it, it will give yo' bad luck. Always, if yo' step ovah a broom forward, step backwards ovah it an' dat give yo' good luck.
Entry 10800
When yo' sweep de flo' always start at de front an' sweep yore trash on backwards. Don't nevah carry [sweep] it out de front. (That will bring in customers?) [Customers or good business were men- tioned before present recording began; I am not asking a leading question.] Dat brings in customers, see, cause dat sweeps de customers in instead of sweepin' 'em away from yo'.
Entry 10968
Take that left shoe. You understand, take that left shoe - from the under part of it, from the foot part, you know, like you walk like it was stiff [take the sole] - and a egg and put out under the step, and she'll come back. (Stand up?) Yeah, just like you [informant demonstrates]. (Standing up - this way, toes point to the house?) [Here we are back to complete show again.] Yes.
Entry 11292
Take a piece outa black dog's tail an' yo'll take some dirt [including soot] outa de back of de chimley where yo' find dese ole clay chimleys. Take some dirt outa de back of a chimley an' den yo' put dat. If yo' be fortunate enough to git some of dey watah an' put it wit dat dog tail an' dat clay outa de backa dat chimley, an' bury at dey's do'step - at dey do'step. Den, ah don't care how bittah enemies dey been to yo' or whatsomevah dey've been like dat tryin' to up [to be upish, superior], yo' kin bring dem down to yuh command. Dat makes dem make friends wit yo', make any kinda bad enemies friends. Ah've heard dat 'bout de black dog tail an' dat chimley dirt an' a little bit of [their] urine [sometimes ureene but chamber lye vas still the usual word]. It'll make a friend. Put at dey do'step.
Entry 11322
Yo' kin take a knife an' go tuh a forked dogwood tree [a dogwood tree having a small branch with a fork]. Go out in de woods an' cuts yo' off a piece of dogwood, kinda lak a bow an' arrow what chew pulls back [what we used to call a rubber shooter = slingshot]. Yo' take an' puts some lye in dat an' yo' goes - dere two things yo' kin do with dat, too. Dat will bring a person tuh yo'. Yo' kin take an' put some lye right in de fo'k of dat an' put it at de right han' cornah of yore steps, stick it in dere, an' put de dirt ovah it, an' let jes' 'bout dat much of it be stickin' out. Dat is if yo' wanta bring a person back, yo' kin do dat. Now, jes' lak if sompin wuz stole from me. Ah had some money stole from me, an' ah don' know who stole it. Jes' lak if yo' lock up dis place heah an' some- body comes 'long an' steals yore money an' yo' don't know who 'tis. Why, yo' Lin take dat lye in de forked piece of dogwood an' put it at de right-han' cornah step an' covah it up, an' in three day's time dis person is goin' come up. He's not goin' tell yo' he got it, but yo' kin see he did it no quickah yo' look at him - he drop his haid. An' den yo' commence tuh askin' him questions an' he won't deny it.
Entry 11689
Dey go to de fo'ks of de road an' dey turn three times, but ah heard dey go to de graveyard befo' an' dey gits some dirt. An' dey take dat dirt an some sugah an' some sugah of lead an' some sulphur, an' take it an' take dat dirt an' bury it undah de steps, undah de front steps, either de back - if dey's out an' yo' want 'em tuh come in...yo' take it an' yo' mix dat all up togethah. Yo' take it an' bury it undah yore steps, where dey gotta come ovah. An' dat'll make dem come back.... Either yo' take it an' bury it out from de steps. Dat'll make 'em go away.
(What about the forks of the road?)
Ah say, ah've heard of 'em goin' to de fo'ks of de road but it be at de grave- yard at de fo'ks of de road, an' git dat graveyard dirt.
(You have to go to a graveyard that's near a forks of the road?)
Yassuh, tuh git dat dirt, but now if yo' say go to de graveyard an' git dat dirt off a grave fo' dat somebody dat's went away.... An' yo' wanta git 'em back.... Dat's whut ah'm tryin' tuh tell yo' 'bout dat graveyard dirt. Yo' go dere an' git dat an' yo' bury dat dirt.
Entry 12057
In case if sometime a man an' wife is confused, yo' know, lak some confusion in de family. Some kinda dissatisfaction an' wanta bring peace an' harmony, den if yo' kin git a lock of de man's hair or a lock of de woman's hair, an' go tuh de graveyard an' git some graveyard dust. An' den git some of de dust of dere insteps of dey individuals' feet, see.
(Where they walk in the ground, their track?)
Yes, whether dey bared feet or whether dey have on shoes, jes' so it's from de instep of dey feet. An' dey git some sulphur an' some brimstone an' mix all up. Beat dat brimstone tuhgethah fine an' mix all dose tuhgethah. Sew it up intuh a flannen rag - cloth. Sew it up good an' tight, an' yo' kin drop a few drops of camphor; dat's tuh keep it alive, quicken it. An' jes put dat roun' de do'step, bury it two or three inches in de earth. An' dat'll bring peace in de home.
Entry 12235
I've heard talk an' I've known it done, gettin' a root they call John de Conkah. An' she taken an' put it in a bottle an' tote [carried] it with her fo' 10 mawnin's. When she get up...dey go to de risin' of de sun fo ten mawnin's an' have dat [bottle] in her right hand by her right side, an' give it throw-off like that [makes a motion of throwing the root towards the sunl. Regain her husband.
Entry 12393
Well, every mawnin' yo' want people tuh come into yore place. Yo' go tuh de sto' an' git chew dis same bottle of dis heah cologne - Hearts Cologne - an' a box of lye. [No- tice - new articles are purchased.] Well, in de mawnin' 'fore de sun rise, scrub yore house thoroughly - good - befo' de sunrise in de mawnin' soon - wit dat Hearts Cologne an' dat lye. Scrub yore house soon dat mawnin' 'fore de sun rise. Pur chure pee [urine] in dere too. Scrub yore house good every mawn- in' when yo' git up. After den, take yore lye [I] mean yore chamber lye, yo know, an' throw dat out on de front po'ch, right on out tuh de do'. Dat bring plenty customers. Dat fo' bootleggahs - sompin lak dat.
Entry 12459
Now, dat works wit de moon. Now, when it's de new moon an' if he's gone an' she wants him tuh come back, she'll go tuh dat moon three times a week an' bow. Now, when dis moon gits full, she'll bow, an' every time she bow tuh de moon, dat is fer de moon tuh come down. She bows three times. An' wherever he is he is tuh come back. (Now she bows three times during the new moon?) Yes, sir, an' three times tuh de full moon, an' every time she bows, she wave her hands three times. Dat's fo' him tuh come back.
(She waves her hand at what, the moon?)
Yes, sir [demonstrates].
(Wave down like that?)
Yes.
(Does she go out three different nights to the new moon, or just once?)
Three fo' de new an' three for de full.
(And each time she goes out to the new moon she bows three times?)
Yes, sir, an' makes a wish an' say, "Will you please come back."
Entry 12472
Yeah, you see, after a man - when you kill a man and you run away and every- body huntin' you and thinkin' you ain't coming back, de man dat he killed, you kin just cut any part offa his clothes. You take that and you bury it right where dis fellov [urderer] was supposed to live. Dat's goin' bring him back. You cut just any part offa his [victim's] clothes while he's dead. That's goin' bring him right on back. You bury it.
Entry 12496
Write name, put an "o" [or circle?] under each letter of name, take oil of bergamine [bergamot], oil of anise and put in lamp with the kerosene, keep burning very low for 9 mornings and 9 nights, light before 6 o'clock in morning, to bring person to you. [Presumably lamp is extinguished at bedtime. This is my original resume attached to original manuscript. Informant was outstanding. Letter "o" surely needs no comment.]
Entry 12539
Yo' take de red onion - dat's lucky fo' yore house - yo' take de red onion. It's lak if yo' got a friend, yo' kin rule him by usin' dat red onion. Yo' take dat red onion an' cut it in fo' parts an' git chew a little cup an' put dat in wit sulphur, brimstone an put dat in de corner of yore house - yo' know, where people don't have to be Worryin' roun' dere no way but chewself. An' his name write on a piece of papah understan' dat. An' dat will keep him, make him be nuthin but lovin' to yo', an' den dat will make him bring his money to yo'.
Entry 12544
Dey tell me yo' git some lodestone an' git chew some sen-sen an' a red onion. An' yo' peel dis red onion an' take de hull an' drop de sen-sen down in it. [Sen-sen Was or is trade name of small lozenges to suck to sweeten breath.] An' yo' look in de east an' ask de Lord tuh move yore enemies an' bring yo' luck an' peace. An' den yo' sprinkle de sugah ovah dis same thing an' dis red onion. An' yo' walk to yore front do' an' walk back- vards to yore back do' nine times, aftah yo' fire it back. Dat will bring yo' peace an' yo' be's successful wit chure friends.
Entry 12546
If she got his name, put it in a onion. Get you a red, red, red big onion and hull [core] it out good. And write his name nine times, thisaway [demonstrates] and write yours this Way [demon- strates] nine times on his'n. (Running across it.) Yeah, and put it in the onion, shut it up and put it in a can, and keep it under the side of the bed he slept on and he'll be back.
(Keep the onion shut up in a can under the side of the bed on which he slept?)
Yes, sir. Where he slept at.
(And he'll come back?)
He'll come back.
Entry 12735
I've heard tell of 'em takin' soak and soapin' the track. Well, that's to hold down trains and - the same as zhor girl had lef' from here. You want her even to come back or be dis-successful w'ere she is. Then you take that soap and slick on the side of the track [the one she travels over when leaving you] on the rail, top of the ball [top surface of the rail]. And it say the way she went, she will come back - come back to you.
Entry 12994
If yo' want him tuh give yo' his money, all his money, sometime ask him fo' money. If he happen tuh han' yo' a silver dime, don't chew spend dat silver dime. Yo' take dat silver dime an' wrap it up in a piece of - it ain't cotton flannel either. It's woolen stuff. Yo' put chew two needles in dat, a short one an' a long one, an' yo' make a wish fo' tuh rule him an' fo' tuh have him bring yo' dat money. An' yo' git chew some oil from de drug sto'.
(What kind of oil?)
Oil of annis. An' keep it [wrapped up hard] anointed wit it an' put it in de bottom of yore trunk, an' he'll bring his money tuh yo'. Dat's whut ah kmoc 'bout dat. Dat's whut ah have experienced.
Entry 13221
If a man leaves home an' a woman wants tuh make him come back, well - vell, ah understan' she could take de measure of his whole body an' dat she could take de measure of his- self, an' tie nine knots aroun' it. An' den at de bed where he sleep, de side dat he sleep on, tie it de whole length of de bed. An' den whatsomevah... Yo' know yo' always have a spirit dat chew pray tuh, well are him tuh back yo' up, yo' see. An' make yore wish whut chew want him tuh do. If yo' want dat man tuh come back home, make yore wish an' den scrub yore house oat wit sweeten watah. (What do you do with that length from the head to the foot? What do you do gith that length, that string?) Yo' measure it...yo' tie it de full length of de bed, yo' know, on de spring- Lak, from de haid tuh de foot.
(You don't tie nine knots in it do you?)
Yeah, nine knots.
(And you tied nine knots in the other string too?)
No, yo' tied nine knots in dat string.
(What do you do with that short string?)
Well, dat othah short string yo' wear aroun' yore waist. Algiers, La.,
(1586), 2695:4.]
Entry 13365
Well, yo' kin use it. Some use it fo' jes' patches, understand, fo' de men. Mostly women use it fo' patches fo' men, prob'ly might put it on dere clothes, understan' in dey inner garment or sompin next to 'em. Well, dis woman always uses her chamber lye, dey say. Washes dis piece in dey chamber lye first an' puts it near 'em in dey underwear or sompin lak dat, sompin dat's closer to 'em. Dat's to keep dem [men] at home, understan', or even if de're [they are] gone away from home, dey use dis heah hide [hidden piece] in an' make 'em return home.
Entry 13405
Well, now, fo' 'ninstan', if a thief had been to yo' home an' yo' has lost sompin from de house or dey stolen anything, yo' go an' cut chew three splinters off de do' de do' facin' or de win- dow facin' or from de vehicle or wherevah yo' lost it from. Yo' take de wagon wheel an' take de nut off it [axle] an' put dose three splinters in dere [the hub!] an' put de wheel back on, an' put de nut back on it [axle] an' den yo' turn de wheel slower. Yo' say to de thief, "Thief, thief, bring back de stolen goods," whut chew've lost from de house an'. But chew turns [wheel] gradually. Yo' call his name three times, 'Thief, thief, thief, bring back de stolen," whut chew've lost from de house, but chew still turnin' - turn slow. Don' let de wheel stop, jes' gradually turn until yo' git through talkin'. An' den on de last, yo' tell de thief, "Thief, bring back de stolen goods," dat chew have lost from de house. An' as shuah as de Virgin Mary shall not bring forth another son named Jesus, yo' shall bring back de stolen goods."
Entry 13447
Take a horseshoe an' some sage leaves an' a black cat bone an' olive oil, an' yo' git some [whiskey].
(What do you do with that?)
Yo' jes' put it anywhere secretly aroun' yore place of business wherevah yo' at [and saturate it].
(You saturate it with what?)
Wit de whiskey, see. Dat supposed tuh keep it 'live an' tuh 'tract dere attention, of people. It's very attractive wit dat.
(If you want to bring in customers?) Yes.