Subject:Candle/Blue candle
Entries
Entry 2795
You take his name and you write his name nine times and you write jours nine times on top of it. You place it in a saucer. You put dat honey, cinamint [cinnamon], drawin' powder, aroun' his name. If he's a white man, you gon'a burn a green can'le and his name wrote backwards on that can'le. You burn it bottom upward fer nine day. You'll dress yourself. Furce, you git choo some honey, you git dat loaves of sugar, an' you put dat in water and you'll boil it. You git choo some parsley an' let it git hot not boilin'. You take a bath wit dat. And you put choo nine pods of garlic in your pocket. And you go to the bossman: chewin' a piece of John de Conker root. When you git to him you spit. Then you'll ask him concernin' yore Job. And he have to give some kin'a def'nan [definite] answer.
(What if.the boss is a colored man?)
You do the same thing, but choo burn diff'ran can'le. If he's a black man, you burn a red can'le; if he's a brown-skin man, you burn a blue. If he's a dark man, you use a red can'le on him. [Informant gives variant of preceding rite.] You write his name nine times, you [a woman] write yours on top of his nine times, and place it in a new saucer that never was used or a [new] plate. You put nine loaves of sugar aroun' there, you put honey, you put steel dust, you put drawing powder in there. And you light that can'le bottom upward with his name wrote on the can'le, too. [His and her names each nine times were on a slip of paper under the candle.] And that'll draw him home.
Entry 10159
An' a woman wants her ole man back for love, she'll burn a blue candle. Well, she put that [candle] in molasses an' his name - if a colored person [black strap] molasses an' his name - on it nine times, an' hers on top, under that sau- cer see with the blue candle [standing and burning on top of the saucer]. That brings him back. (How long does she burn that and when?) Well, she kin keep that candle burning [as long as and whenever she wants to]. That's for her husband or man.
Entry 10160
I know what you can do. Well, they burns a candle for that [to bring a man back].
(How?)
Well, they burns a candle and writes his name nine times thisaway and nine times thataway [demonstrates] and burn a candle. And I'll guarantee he'll come home. (Well, now what kind of a candle do they burn?) They burn ordinary candles, white or blue. (White or blue. And they write his name nine times, this way and that way [I demonstrate].) Nine this way and nine across. (I see, they write it nine one way and then across it nine times. [The names are in the form of a cross]. When do they burn that candle?) They burn the candle nine days.
(Nine days. And any special time during the day?)
No, just the nine days; nine times night and [or] day.
Entry 10165
If yo' got a gurl - it's dis way. Ah got a gurl an' she runned away from me. She done lef' me. She's gone. Well, lak [I] say, dere's a lotta watah 'ween heah an' New Yawk. Say she's gone tuh New Yawk. She jes' jumped up an lef' me an' ah haven't did anythin' tuh 'er an' want 'er back. She won' come bach tuh me by writin' tuh 'er. All right. Ah go tuh de drug sto' an' ah gits me a 15-cents blue candle. Take de same nails an' needles an' put in dat.
(How do you put them in there now? How many do you get?)
A nickel wuth of ten-penny nail. Put eight nails, an' de whole papah of needles, an' about eight big pins. Yo' git dem ovahsize sticky pins yo' know, dem ovahsize one. Some packages dey sell two fo' a nickel. Dey are de small size. An' de large package it's got one long one dat way; dey sells dem one fo' a nickel. Yo' git chew a piece of lookin'-glass lak dat an' yo' tum de part dat chew look it, an' git chew a saucah of watah or git chew a bowl or cream saucah, or anything dat will hold watah. Den turn dat [looking] glass down ovah dat way. Take dat candle an' take de end of it which yo' is gonna set down, take a match an' light it dat way. Don' light de top part where de stem is; light de bottom part an' put it on dat glass.
(With the top part downward?)
Yessuh, on top of de glass, an' let it set dere an' make yuh wishes fo' hit. But yo' start hit at ten minutes an' burn it fo' twenty-five. In twenty-five [days?] yo' receive a lettah from her, to send aftah her or send her ticket. She's on her way back tuh yo'.
Entry 10167
(Tell me something more about burning these candles. How do they burn these candles? Give me an illustration.) Well, you burn those candles - they got different ones they burn. Now, for to make you die, you get a black one. To have luck and successes, you get a pink one [luck] and a blue one [success]. And a blue one will make your man come back to you, if he's gone. (Tell me how you do - just how you burn it. Do you know how you handle that?) Yes. You take that candle and you put it in a saucer or something and you put a little sugar. You take some sugar and you take a piece of paper or else - but honey is the best. Honey is better than sugar because honey is sveeter than sugar. And you put it in a saucer and you have that man's name down. And when you fold it, don't fold it from you, you fold it to you. And you put that candle there. Well, when that candle burn out, well, you see hit'll spread all over there, you see. And you put it where nobody won't see it. You burn that candle like today, the next day he'll come if he don't stay no more than [I interrupt]
(Do you put this honey in the saucer?)
In the - in the - look [demonstrates]: you put the piece of paper in the sau- cer. You put, you know his name is on it, the paper; you put the paper down first in the saucer. You put the honey [demonstrates].
(On top of the paper.)
On top of the paper and you fold it over like you fold a napkin, and you set the candle right up there.
(Down in the honey?)
Yeah, but you see - yeah, down in the honey; but you see, the paper is fold, you know.
(Before you put the honey there?)
Yeah, and you take piece of the candle - you take the candle and you let it drip. Let some of this wax drip on the paper so hit can stick. Well, stick it
[candle] there. Now, when that's burn out, well you go get another one [candle]
and you do the same. Well, you have his name in that [folded paper sweetened with honey]. That's to sweeten him.
(Well, how often can you burn that candle? Or when?)
Well, you burn it, the candle, for nine days and in nine days he'll be back to you, you see; but you burn it every day - you see, every day.
(All day long?)
All day long. Or, when that one go out, you burn another one. You see? You buy you - well, you say, well, I'll buy me [candles]. If you buy you nine can- dles, well [use them] long as those candles burn out; but when you ain't got no more, you go get some more for nine days. And when that - he'll be back in the nine days, 'fore the nine days.
Entry 10171
Light candles - it's a white and blue candle, see. And they burn from seven o'clock 'till nine - that's the white one. They'll light the blue one, they'll burn it from nine 'till three in the evening. The red one, they'll burn it from three 'till nine at night. [Three candles are used: red, white and blue.] (From three in the afternoon until nine at night?) Yassuh. They say that's to draw [customers]. That's for luck in de house, see. (Do they burn them separately or together or what?) No, no! They burn one at de time, jest like I light the white one this morning. Well, you see, I burn dat 'till nine. Well, then I'll put hit out. Then I'll light the green [blue] one and burn it 'till three this evening, and then I'll pinch it out. Then I'll light the red one this evening [afternoon] at three o'clock and I'll burn it 'till nine tonight, and then I'll pinch it out [candles are not blown out]. Well, I won't burn no more 'till tomorrow. See, that's burning it too hard. See, you'll burn so hard that way 'till they [customers] take sick from it.
Entry 10172
Burn a blue candle. Dey set de blue candle - yo' know, jis' put it in a saucer an' light it. (Do they light it at any par- ticular time? Or burn it for any particular length of time?) Dey burn it till it burns out, but chew light it between six an' nine in de mawnin'. Let it burn till it burns out.
(What will that do then to me, if that's done to me?)
Dat'll put chew in terrible bad. Everything yo' undertake to do yo'll fail. When yo' think yo're goin' up yo'll fall back down.
Entry 10194
[Informant has a good rite here but fails to explain it.]
Write that name down and put a glass of water - write that name down over a glass of water nine times. Then put that glass of water before dat, put the... Now, I take and I put that glass of water there over that paper and take three swallows out of that glass of water nine mornings [see correction lat- er.] (Drink that water for nine morn- ings.) For nine mornings take three swal- lows out of that glass of water - I mean for three mornings. You take nine swallows out of that glass three mornings. Do that for three mornings. Den after you do dat for three mornings, get you a blue candle and let it burn right over dat man name. Don't you worry about him.
(After you burn that candle over his name.)
[I am merely making a comment to myself.]
What?
(I say, all right, go ahead.)
Well, you just - like I explain. Like you burning that candle over his name, perhaps you don't want the man - you don't wanta see him. You drink three swal- lows of water out of there for three days!!! That keep him away. See you drink three swallows each three time a day, twice in the day, and three [the third] at night. That'll be nine swallows. You take those glasses of water. Then you... see, like you agreein' with him, see you drinkin' with him. Then, you put your candle there and let it burn. Set that candle there and let it burn there.
(What will that do then?)
Well, he can't come there.
(The law can't come there?)
Yes.
(You write the policeman's name down on that piece of paper.)
Shore. (Well, how do you burn that candle? Do you put the candle down in the glass to burn?)
[The shaky answer is according to my following comment.]
(You take the glass away and put the candle on the name?)
That's what you do.
(Long as that candle burns, it keeps him away?)
Shoh, he keeps away, too.
Entry 10203
St. Michael? Well, you take a blue candle and you burn to St. Michael for him; burn the can- dle to conquer your enemies. You get ahead of them, keep them from harming you.
Entry 10207
Tuh make 'em [thief or casual borrower] bring it back, dat's a easy mrtah tuh be come, [that] is tuh git a blue candle, yassuh, an' write dat indi- vid'al name on dat blue candle. An' write dem a note concernin' whut dey taken Sr yuh. An' take some dragon blood, an' sprinkle dat note good wit dragon's blood, an' put de note down. An' put chew a piece of John de Conkah - sprinkle some John de Conkah powdahs [from hoodoo drugstore] on dis note wit dat dragon blood. An' light dat candle. An' light it but don' light it in de mawnin' - jes' burn it at night. See, burn it evah night six 'clock an' let it burn till ten minutes aftah six. An' whatsomevah ah've from yuh ah'll bring it back tuh yuh in less time den seven days.
(Where do you put this note and this candle?)
Put it jes' anywhere in a saucah or in a bowl, somepin othah, but chew kin put it anywheah roun' in de house, up undah de dressah or behin' de bed, jes' any- wheah jes' since it's burnin'. (I mean what do you do with this note. Do you wrap this note around the can- dle?) No suh, yuh spread de note down in yuh saucah or yore bowl whatsomevah yuh burnin' de candle in. Spread it down jes' lak it's - it has tuh be a small piece, yuh know, somepin lak dat [demonstrates size] wit dat name wrote on it. An' sprinkle it good wit dat dragon blood, an' den sprinkle it good wit dat John de Conkah powdah - wit de name wrote on it. An' de name is wrote on de candle an' jes' put it down dere, an' jes' tell me [the thief] say, "Now, ah mean fo' yuh tuh bring so-an'-so back tuh me an' ah don't mean maybe.' An' jes' cuss me an' say, "Ah mean fo' yuh tuh brint it tuh me, an' ah don't mean maybe. Hurry up an' bring it." An' light de candle an' jes' be talkin' tuh me while yo' lightin' de candle. (You put that candle on top of the note?) [This is not a leading question, informant having already said yuh spread de note down in yuh saucah.] Jes' set de candle right on top de note. An' as dat candle burn, well dat rouse up mah [thief's] mind about what ah done done, an' in less time den seven days ah be done brought whatsomevah ah stole back tuh yuh.