Subject:Carry
Entries
Entry 3870
Ah know it tuh be a fac', if a girl break up - lak if yo' didn't love 'er so good, yo' know, an' if she be sick or sompin othah lak dat. Well, dere's one thin' dat she kin [do], if she's sick, to he'p'er- self. If she kin git yo' tuh eat anythin', or drink watah, den she take a little of 'er sickness, in 'bout a teaspoonfulla watah, an' a li'le bit of red shank, an' boil it intuh de watah. She kin po' dis stuff, jes' 'bout a halfa teaspoonfulla in some watah an' gi' yo' [give you]. Why yo's a fool about 'er, see.
(You put a piece of red shank root into that water?)
Dat right. An' if yo' wanta, dere's a way dat yo' find out dat she did do yo' dat way. Yo' goes in de woods an' gits yo' de devil's shoestring. Den yo' comes back wit dat an' yo' boil it an' take yo' a piece of mullein. Dem [mullein plant] a flat weed sompin lak 'bacca [tobacco], lak a head of 'bacca, yo' know, but it be's somewhut flattah yo' know - it don't be high, yo' know. An' yo' take dat an' yo' take nine strands of dat mullein root an' ball [boil] it, an' two leaves. De way yo' gotta do, yo' git some whiskey an' put on it, on dat, an' git chew a piece of camphor an' put it on it. Well, yo' tote dat in yore pocket fo' 'bout two or three days an' pass 'er do', an' she'll tell yo' she got de headache one day when yo' pass dere. Inside of eight days she'll tell yo' she got de head- ache. Well, yo' jes' say to her, says, "Well, dat's mighty bad but ah got some camphor heah." Well, yo' go ahead by dere an' let 'er rub 'er haid wit it. Yo got 'er an' it's offa yo' den. Well, she git tuh lovin' yo' den. Maybe, if yo' wanta love 'er an' want 'er tuh love yo' - well, it jes' quite natural if a man love a woman, he want 'er tuh love him yo' know.
Entry 4618
Yuh kin take de little bow out of 'is hat an' wrap it up in dis real, whut chew call Love Me Powdah, an' take de love vine. Dere's a love vine. Yuh pass by it, it grows in de woods. An' yuh kin take dat love vine an' take it an' wrap it roun' de bow of de man hat, an' tote it in yore Love Me Powdah box. An' dat'll make a man stay home or eithah make a man love yuh or anything lak dat.
Entry 5320
Ah heard dat yo' could take a person's track an' drop it in a bed of red ants an' dose ants would come. An' dey [you] take little bit.of crumbs of dat [track] an' roll dat. Jes' roll dem crumbs an' put 'em intuh dat track an' drop dat track, an' tell dem ants tuh take it an' go away evah which way. Don't care whut dey do wit it, it wouldn't do de person any good, 'cuz dey'd [they would] have tuh go an' dey'd be always goin'.
Entry 5595
If yo' love a man an' a man don' care very much about chew an' he, yo know, come tuh yore house sometime an' sometime he doesn't. Well, yo' take a snuffbox an' [put] evah othah one of 'is tracks in dis snuffbox. Yo' put a li'le pinch of dirt in dis snuffbox out of evah one of 'is track - evah othah one.
(How many?)
Nine - till yo' git tuh nine. An' when yo' git tuh nine, yo' take dis snuff- box an' shet it up. An' yo' shet it up an' tote it fo' nine days in yore pocket. An' when yo' tote it fo' nine days in yore pocket, yo' come tuh yore step an' po' de dirt out intuh yore step. An' ah'll guarantee dat'll make him love yo'.
(You pour this track dirt of his under your step then?)
Yes.
Entry 5693
Now, jis' lak yo' say at de start back dere, ah would wan'a do yo' some evil. An' ah'd git up between midnight an' day jis' befo' de sun rise, but ah'd have tuh have some of yore urine watah or yore track. An' ah'd take dat an' ah'd mix it wit - it ain't powdah, it's a quick- silvah [and] brimstone. Yo' take dat brimstone an' ah'd have some of yore urine watah an' yo'd mix some bluestone wit, jis' lak yo' say. An' yo' take dat an' yo' git chew a tin box, yo' know, whut de lid will fasten down on, an' yo' put dat in dat box. Yo' bo' li'le holes in de bottom of de box. Yo' don' put no liquid in dat, jis' dat powdah. An' den set dat - de sun goin' tuh rise, yo' set it dis way [demonstrates]. Yo' don' lay it complete down, jis' kinda tilt it. Yo' set it so when de sun rise it'll come ovah it. Brimstone, bluestone an' quicksilvah.
(You bury that towards the sunrise.)
Yes, toward de sunrise. Yo' see de sun rise on it an' go ovah. Dis part of it tuh de sunrise. An' dat li'le box, whosomevah is doin' dis, dey got some words dey use three times a day: in de mornin' dey uses some words, dinnahtime dey use some words, when de sun go down dey use dose same words.
(What do they use?)
"Carry mah enemy away."
Entry 5698
Mah gran'mothah said dat yo' could take dat track up an' wrap it up, an' yo' could tote it roun' in yore pocket fo' 'bout three days, an' throw it in a stream of watah. As long as dat watah runnin' why yo'll be crazy, an' as long as dat watah runnin' yo' be goin' places. Yo' won' stay in one place, yo' be goin' jis' keep goin'; jis' keep yo' upset an' worried until dat watah stop. In othah words, long as de watah run yo' upset.
(You take either track?)
No sir, yo' take de lef' track.
Entry 5699
Dey take a person dat's goin' from yo'. Dey make a new paddle out of a shingle or a bo'd of any kind; jis' so dat chew make a paddle out of it - lak a spoon-lak, yo' know. Yo' carry it in yore pocket three days, knowin where dat party's track is, an' yo' ketch de sand out of de hollah of dere foot, SCoOP IT OVAH YO' LEF' SHOULDAH [see later]. Yo' pray dis prayah, it's de same thing, says, In de Name of God, return. An' go on. Throw de paddle ovah dere an' dey'll come back. [The preceding Words SCOOP IT OVAH YO' LEF' SHOULDAH mean that you kneel down behind the departing tracks, push the paddle forward under one of the tracks, say, "In the Name of God, return, '' and carefully lift the paddle, throw the dirt back over your left shoulder - that is, towards your home.]
Entry 6890
If someone's tryin' tuh hahm [harm] yo', take 23rd Psalm an' read it three times evah day fo: nine days, an' write it an' put it down in a li'le bag an' weah it on de right side. Dat'll keep 'em from hahmin' yo'.
Entry 7626
Stickbo'rd tuh de haid of graveyard [grave]...when yo' goes dere. Yo'll have tuh go dere at twelve 'clock at night. Durin' de time of goin' dere yo'll have tuh pay de graveyard-man three cents an' a half a pint of whis- key. (Where do you put that stuff?) Yo' have tuh dig in de haid of 'is breast, an' dig dat out an' set de whis- key down in de centah of it, an' step across 'im three times - backwards like dat [demonstrates] come across, go across - go across - go across - an' den go back an' talk tuh 'im in dat hole whut chew want 'im tuh do.
(What do you do with the pennies?)
Right in dat same hole where yo' put de whiskey, an' den call 'im up an' bring some of dat stuff away, out de hole, an' put it in a bottle. An' den he'll work fer yuh, do jis' whut chew want 'im tuh do.
Entry 7641
Dey go out tuh de fo'ks of de road, an' ah think dey speaks fo' times [recite an incantation of some sort] an' turns tuh de lef'. An' dey goes tuh de graveyard an' dey gits some graveyard dust from de left, from de head of de grave, an' put it in a li'le bag an' weah it in dey pocket- book. (What is that supposed to do?) Dat supposed tuh give yo' luck. (That will give you luck, I see. You go out to this crossroad and speak four times?) Yes, sir.
(What time do they go out there, any particular time or just any old time?)
Naw, five an' six o'clock in de mawnin' an' twelve o'clock at night, an prob'ly three o'clock in de mawnin'. [This means midnight or after, or before daybreak - the usual dark hour.]
(I see, and from the crossroads then they go to the cemetery.)
Yes, sir.
The informant thinks four utterances at road forks and a left turn precede taking dust from the left head of a grave and carrying it for luck. The account gives several possible hours; Hyatt summarizes a usual dark hour and interprets the utterances as an incantation. Keep the informant's uncertainty and times distinct from those editorial summaries.
Entry 7689
Graveyard dirt is all right, graveyard dirt is lucky tuh yo'. If yo' Wants some graveyard dirt tuh be lucky tuh yo', go tuh a gambler's grave. An' stick yore han' down in de grave jes' as fer as yo' kin, right down at de haid of de grave an' say, "Ah'll do dis In de Name of de Lord, tuh ovahcome mah enemies." An' stick yore han' way down in dere an' bring out some. Say when yo' bring it out, take it an' put it in sompin an' tie it up an' care [carry] it home. An' yo' care it home den an' yo'll be lucky - become lucky. Yo' kin gamble an' make money.
Entry 8982
Yo' go to de slaughter pen an' yo' get yo' a fresh beef tongue. An' yo' write his name, whosomevah, if yo' kin get dem witness names. Yo' write dem witness name down. Write each witness name down on a piece of papah. An' yo' take dat beef tongue an' split it open just like dis [demonstrates] an' put all dem names in dat beef tongue an sew it back up. An' yo' wrap dat up good an' yo' go on down dere [to court] wit dat in yore pocket. An' sit dere. When de witness get up dere, dey can't talk. All dem tongue-tied, dey can't say nuthin - just cross-talk, dey can't say nuthin. An' yo' goin' to get discharged.
Entry 8985
Yo' take beef tongue an' dries it. Yo' make a dust out of dat, under- stand. Yo' take that an' dries it. Yo' take it - just like yo' take it an' lay it, let it just wither up. Hang it so it wither up, yo' see. Well, yo' take it, yo' take blood of dragon - dragon's blood. Yo' take lodestone. Yo' take that an' grind it up. An' yo' takes a piece of red flannel an' yo' puts them in there an' makes yo' a bag out of that. An' yo' sew it up an' yo' tote it in your pocket. He always be's lucky an' successful man, never being bothered or worried or caught up when he's out walking around. See, he ain't got no job or nothing, he's out hustling for his living. Laws and things don't pick him up an' ask him a lot of questions or any- thing. If they ask him, all he's got to do is to tell him, why he's goin' tend- ing to his business, an' they let's him go.
Entry 9023
Yo' know dere's a bone in a black hen, a right black hen. Whut's de name of it? But it in de chest heah [the wishbone]. But yo' kin take dat bone out of a black hen, see an' pull it apart, an' de biggest end yo' keep in yo' pocket. An' if yo' happen to git in jail, see, yo'll come out. [And you can keep it] fo' luck.
Entry 9097
When yo' go befo' de judge, yo' know, yo' have tuh make a vow tuh yo'- self. Now, ah'll tell yuh how yo'll have tuh do dat. Now, jis' lak now, yo know yo' goin' tuh have trial. Well, how yo' have tuh dress yuhself? Yo' have tuh git chureself some camphor balls. Yo' know dose camphor balls yo' put in clothes. Well, yo' git dose camphor balls an' git choo a piece of asafitadee. When yo' git dose camphor balls, yo' gotta beat dose camphor balls up fine; an' den when yo' beat dose camphor balls up fine, den yo' put chew some lodestone in dere wit it. An' den yo' beat dat camphor ball up, an' dis rag yo gonna put dis camphor ball in, [put rag] in gasoline, see. An' now when yo' take an' git it an' put it in dat gasoline, git de rag wet. Don' wet de camphor balls jis' wet de piece [rag] see. An' den yo' jis' use dat, jis' hold it down in yore pocket - jis' carry it right wit chew in yore pocket. An' den if yo' kin git a piece of sweet basil, carry dat 'long wit choo. Dat sweet basil gonna come in lucky. (What do you do with that camphor after you beat it up? And the lodestone, what do you do with that?) Take it an' put it in dat rag, where dat gasoline's been dipped in dere. Seu it up lak a li'le bag, A SMALL LI'LE BAG, an' yo' see, jis' lak WHEN DE JUDGE IS TALKIN' TO YO', YO' TALK TO IT LIKE YO' ARE TALKIN' TO SOMEONE.[ MEMphIS, TEN.
(936), 1515:9.]
Entry 9149
Buy yo' a box of cookin' soda an' take dat cookin' soda an' carry it wit chew... (When you go down to the court. That's all you have to do?) Dat's all... (To get a light sentence or a fine.) Yes. [For cooking soda and court, see also 9144.]
Entry 9164
[Preceding rites in this section have given us examples of turning household objects upside down before court. Here is one to establish the margin title:] If it's a bad case when yo' goin' tuh co't, choo turn yuh chairs bottom upward. Yo' turn evahthing bottom up. Upset things in yuh house. Yo' read de seven Psalm [Psalm 7] in de Bible. Aftah yo' read dat, den yo'll take de judge name an' yuh name an' put it in de bottom of yuh shoe. Yo' write it on parchment papah. Write his name, yuh name on topa it, an' put it in de heel of yuh shoe, de right shoe. An' yo' tote dese nine pods of garlic. Yo' have yo' piece of John de Conkah root, an' when yo' git tuh dat [courtroom] do', yo' spit three times. Den yo' walk on intuh de co'troom an' yo' spit tuhwards de judge. Den, if yo' goin' in front of de judge he'll be lenient on yuh. Yo git discharge.
Entry 9168
I heard dey takes some salt and pepper and mix it together, and carry it in court; or either wash dere face in chamber lye and throw it over your left shoulder, before you go down in court to be tried. (That will help you out?) Yeah, that will help you out. [One of many examples in tert showing interviewer and informant repeating each other's words.]
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 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 9440
Yo' take a black hen's aig an' break it an' git de yellah an' put it on a rag. Mix it wit some sulphuh an' some salt an' wrap it up in a rag an' tote dat.
[Informant had given rite before recording began.]
(What will that give you? Luck for what?)
Luck fo' anythin' yo' want, gamblin'.
Entry 9450
Take some table salt an' yo' wrop it up in a little piece of white rag, an' tie it up an' tote it in yore pocket. An' aftah yo' tote it in yore pocket, yo' take a little bit in yore han' an' jes' rub it right lak dat [demonstrates]. An' rub it all ovah yore haid an' face an' all lak dat.
(Over your hands?)
Yes sir, an' aftah yo' done rub it all in yore han's, jes' go [to the boss] an' he'll look out fo' yo'. Prob'ly yo' don' git de job tuhday, prob'ly not tuhmahrah, but befo' dat week or so out he'll give yo' sompin tuh do.
Entry 9451
If yo' goin' tuh hunt a job an' yo' think yo' not goin' be a success, yo' always tote yo' a li'le salt in yore pocket. Have salt in yore pocket evah mawnin' when yo' on dat job or when yo' goin' jes' tuh look fo' a job, see. An' jes"fore yo' git tuh yore boss, yo' put a li'le bita dat salt in yore han' an' goes up wit chure han' lak dat [demon- strates] an' jes' rub. An' go on tuh yore boss.
Entry 9468
[CENTER OF A CIRCLE, HERE REPRESENTED BY A PLATE, IS RARE IN HOODOO. For another example, see No.9683, p.3823. Contrariwise, center or middle of a square or oblong (bed, house, grave, room, etc.) is fairly common, the center or fifth point creating a quincunx.] Yo' kin, if yo' got a mean rent-man dat worries yo' an' yo' can't git along wit 'im. Yo' kin gits up in de mawnin' an' git yo' a fresh box of salt - cookin' salt. Teah [tear] it open an' yo' have a tablespoon- ful, an' yo' put a spoonful in yore right hand. Dat plate must be thoroughly clean dough [though]. Put it [spoonful of salt] in yore right hand an' put it in de middle of dat plate. An' yo' bring it right tuh de windah where de sun rise early dat mawnin', an yo' jes' throw it [salt] out de windah, an' come back an' turn de plate down. An' ah don't cay [care] how mean he is, when he git dere he be pleased.
(That is against the rent-man.)
Yes, de rent-man.
Entry 9905
Tell yo' about frogs. Take a frog an' put 'im in a snuffbox an' punch holes in it, an' ca' it down tuh de fo'ks of de road. An' at de twil of day go back fo' nine mawnin's, an' de las' mawnin' he'll be et up by de antses. An' take him den an' take de bone outa his haid, an' keep it in yuh pockit. An' if yo' wan' someone tuh do whut chew ast 'im [ask him] take an' put dat somewheah neah dem, an' dey'll do anything yo' as'cum [ask them].
(When do you take that frog down there to the road?)
At de 'twill of day - yes sir, jis' befo' daylight. (The twill of day, that means just before daylight.) [This last remark of mine is merely an editorial comment for the future. I may have another example of twil but I am not sure. Does it mean at the twilight of day? Somewhere in HOODOO I think we have the expression first Light. Does the latter equal dawn?]
Entry 9956
To get a job, chew John de Conkah root while talking to the boss and carry a live frog in your pocket.
Entry 9966
Ah hear'd dat if - jis' lak if a man wants tuh be a swift gamblah, an' he wanted tuh be lucky in 'is gamblin', dat he'd ketch a toadfrog an' he'd cut 'is hin' guartah off - 'is left [hind] quartah - an' put it in 'is pocket. De longah yo' tote dis heah hin' quartah, dey say yo'd be lucky in gamblin'. An' den if yo' evah lose yore luck, why yo'd lose yore love. [The preceding folk- lore or hoodoo penalty was and still is new to me, uhich may be the reason why I failed to ask an obvious question. What do you Dean by love? Would you lose your lover or sexual potency? Could these final words be a proverbial saying?]
Entry 9970
Well, yo' kin take a frog, jes' a or'nary frog whut jup 'round de iouse, see. Yo' take dat frog alive an' yo' kin put 'im in a containah or jah or anythin' an' yo' kin jis' take alcohol, any kind of rubbin' [lotion] or any- ching [and fill bottle] an' let 'im stay in dere till he petrify. Well, yo' kin take dat frog an' put 'im in yore pocket an' yo' kin weah him in dere an' yo'll always be lucky. (With what in particular?) In keepin' a job an' stayin' in peace wit people an' havin'- yo' know, jes' socialize wit 'em.
Entry 9985
Ketch a frog an' tote 'im round in yore pocket an' feed 'im offa flies. Keep 'im in yuh pocket fo' 'bout nine days an' tote 'im roun', an' dat's good fo' gamblin'. Anybody dat likes tuh dey carry frogs.
Entry 9989
Dey say yo' ketch a toady- frog an' make him swallow a dime, an' put 'im in a paper bag an' tie it up tight where he couldn't ketch no air, an' go ahead on tuh de game. Bet chew be lucky in gamblin'.
(You carry that though in your pocket?)
Yeah, jes' take it in yore pocket. Make him swallow a dime an' tie de end of de bag up an' carry dat on in yore pocket.
Entry 9990
An' den yo' kin take dat frog ag'in alive an' give him some whiskey, an' load 'im up wit [gun] shots, an' keep 'im alive in yore pocket. Den yo' kin go tuh any gamblin' shop an' have luck.
Entry 10001
Den ah heard dat when show people come tuh town an' dey winnin' a gang of money out dere [at the show-grounds], yo' know, dey have some of dat stuff. Well, yo' kin put a frog in yuh pocket an' go on out dere an' win all de money yo' want. Dat'll keep down dat. Whut chew call dat stuff?
(What do they call that now? It's a powder of some sort?)
Dey call it, yes sir. Some kinda powdah dey use. Ah jis' can't think of de name of it. (Is it goofer dust?) Yes sir, dat's right! Well, dey [the show people] sprinkle dat down roun' de place dere an' yo' can't do no winnin'.
Entry 10005
Ah heard dis about a frog. Jes' lak if yo' wanta go tuh a show, yo' take a frog - a toadyfrog. Dat whut we talkin' about. An' all dem lodestones where dey makin' all dese monkey motions in dem shows, yo' take de frog an' when yo' go dere yo' kin kill evah bit of lodestone dat dem folks is got in dere. Yo' see, yo' tote it [live frog] in yuh pocket an' dat'll kill all de lodestone dey got in dere - jes' lak dey workin' tricks or have shootin' gallery.
Entry 10019
Take a black cat an' have oven heated hot, dat's got a lid on it, an' take dat black cat an' put 'im in dat oven, see. An' put de lid on it an' cook 'im. Call 'im [cat] by name whutevah it might be. It may be Tom an' it may be Jim. Dey have diff'ren names. Whatevah 'is name be, yo' call it, an' he'll answer yuh! He'll tell yo' 'zakly what bone tuh take. Dey tell me he'll tell yuh tuh take de short bone. Take all de - aftah yo' burn 'im up, take de bones an' carry 'em tuh swift watah, see. An' pour all dese bones in de watah. An' de bone dat goes up de stream, dat is de bone fer yuh tuh take. Dat's whut chew do. [This is probably the only black-cat-bone rite in which the name of the cat is called! Lid on an Oven is unusual!]
Entry 10040
De way ah've heard it, yo' ketch chew a black cat. It must be black cat an' when yo' ketch dat cat, yo' take it to de fo'ks of de road at twelve a'clock. Have yore watah hot. Don't kill 'im. Dive 'im in dat pot of hot watah an' shet it up, an' let 'im cook till hit cook de meat off 'is bones. Den yo' take all dose bones an' taken 'em down tuh de runnin' stream, de stream goin' dis way [demonstrates]. Dat's down, backwards is upwards. An' yo' po' dem bones intuh dat runnin' stream one at de time. An' de bone dat goes back up de stream, dat's de lucky bone an' yo' git dat.
(What do you do with that bone?)
Well, dey tell me yo' kin take dat bone an' tote it in yore pocket an' it brings good luck in love affairs, gamblin' an' sech lak as dat.
[While machine turned off informant says something about disappearing.]
(Use that same bone you say?)
Yes sir, yo' put it in yore mouth an' it makes yo' invisible, people can't see yo'.
Entry 10125
They say you catch a black cat and boil him alive. And you take the bone from the left hind leg and wrap it in a piece of rag, and always carry it wherever you go. That makes you lucky in gambling always. If you do that you've sold yourself to the devil. [Petersburg, Va., first collecting visit there, Ediphone 34.1
Entry 10209
I hear'd about a woman taking a man's nature sure 'nough. After she menstr'ate two days, she'll take off dat piece, put dat piece down dere an' put it jes' in dat water and soak it. She takes a new linen han'ke'ch'ef and wash it. (A new red handkerchief.) No, linen. Linen, so it get soft. When he discharge, she ketch it on the han'ke'ch'ef. All right. She get bolt of dat noy and she put it in dat water to soak it, and she wring it out. And vring Lc dirty piece out and pour it in a bottle, and go down at lou water, lov tide, and when the tide is out, and put it in dere. When dat tide come in, she [tide] carries it with her, and the tide carry it out. No matter how many years, he's in for life. He's gone dere. (Is there any way he can get that off of him?) [There is no answer. It may have been lost.l
Entry 10555
Take a bat an' kill him an' ketch de blood in a bottle of watah an' carry it in yore purse. An' let de bat dry an' hang it up in de no'th corner of yore house, an' cover it up, an' it always bring luck to yo' as long as yo' live there.
Entry 10562
Well, dey take dis bat an' kill him, an' let him dry; jest lak leather anyway, see. Jest let him dry an' jest [wrap] him up an' jest tote him in yore pocket. [For 3 dried bats see later.]
(The whole bat?)
De whole bat.
(What will that do?)
Well, dey tell me dat's lucky to yo'.
(In any particular way?)
In anything yo' start, any thing.
Entry 10602
Now a fellah tell me fo' a fact dat chew kin ketch a bat an' yo' kin carry dat round wit chew jes' like: yo' would take dem wings off him an' don't have nuthin but de bat, jes' de little ole skin. Ain't nuthin but skin nohow. Take de little ole bat, de little haid, an' put him in a papah sack or a cloth. Tie it up - sew it up jes' lak yo Would sew up a little bow, an' carry it out in yore pocket. An' yo' kin go an' do most anything yo' want. Ah don't know whether dat's true or not.
(You take just the wings off the bat though?)
Take de wings off.
(And just tie up the body?)
Tie up de body.
Entry 10834
Yo' go to somebody an' yo' git a little ole sompin dey calls a buck- eye, an' yo' tote dat in yore pocket. Sew it up in a lil' sack. An' yo' go to de drug sto' an' git some Heart Cologne an' po' dat on dere, an' jes' go an' ask fo' a job an' he git chew a job.
Entry 10835
Dere's a root dey call de little buckroot. It grows right straight down dere an' have sort of a fork down dere an' grows down. If yo' kin git dat an' yo's tuh tote dat an' chew a piece of it when yo' talkin' with him [boss] - yo' Want a job - an' look him right in de face an' don' look on de ground; jes' look towards his hat, dat will soften his mind, an' he'll quit talkin' tuh anyone else an' look right after yo'. An' yo' jes' talk an' tell him whut chew want, if yo' please do so-an'-so, whut yo' want. An' he'll yield to yo'. [Could little buckroot be the little buckeye = the red buckeye, a shrubby species of buckeye Aesculus pavia of Southern U. S. A?]
Entry 10949
We call dem "charity root" [see later]. An' dey go dere and dig: piece to [from] de sunrise an' piece to [from] de sundown [sides]. Take dat and put 'em in a towel, in a piece of cloth. Jest put de both together - in 'em in 'tween de cloth. Put dat in yore pocket and you be lucky if yo' git a job most anyway. [What he says here is not what he means.] Dat's de way dat I heard it. [I had trouble understanding some informants in Charleston. My informant called the root charity root, thought my transcriber; to me the root sounded like cherrytree or Cherokee root.]
Entry 11037
Take a chicken foot, take de right foot an' hang it up. Yo' take all of his toes an' yo' bend 'em down an' den yo' go into de [backhouse] an' hang it up, an' whatsomevah one jes' straightens out, dat's de one. Take dat along an' wear it in yore pocket an' in all yo' travels yo' always have luck.
Entry 11219
You get the mud dauber.
(Yes.)
Out of a big stable anywhere. You stick this finger.
(Which finger?)
This one.
(The middle finger of the right hand?)
Yes. Get the blood out of it.
(Yes.)
Get all the blood. You write the name nine times on a piece of paper. You roll that mud dauber, that name, steel dust, lodestone, wrap it up. Roll it up tight, and you get [have] some luck. (It separates them.) Man and woman.
Entry 11693
Dey say take a piece of dis heah fo' corners of de world [a rare root in HOODOo], yo' know, a lil' piece of root about dat long. It's got fo' corners, call it fo' corners of de world. An' a piece of High John de Conker. An' tote dat [those 2 roots] an' dey say yo'll git work.
Entry 11710
Now to get a job. Well, if you going out to hunt you a job, you always get up in the morning, don't be angry, get up with a good pleasant mind. And you always keep you some sugar or the middle part of garlic. Tote that in your pocket. Take and pull all the garlic out and just the little mid- dle - that part that's in the middle - tote that in your pocket.
(What will that do?)
That will give you luck. See.
(I see.)
Fast luck.
Entry 11738
Yo' kin go to the graveyard about 12 a'clock at night. Understand now, yo' git this dirt off a sinnerman's grave, 12 a'clock at night. An' yo' take this dirt an' yo' mix some salt with it an' [red] pepper. Yo' under- stand me now? An' yo' go an' git a No.6 gunshell; yo' know one of them No.6 gunpowder, those shotgun, them shells, yo' know No.6. An' yo' open it an' yo' scrape all that gunpowder out. An' yo' put that gunpowder, that cayenne pepper and that salt wit that graveyard dirt, but don't take it nowhere near your home. Yo' understand, don't let it go near your home. An' yo' take that an' throw it up on their door an' all the hunting[?] they do, they shore git killed.
Entry 12301
Pass a hole into a lemon an' squeeze de juice out of it an' full it up wit sulphur an' brimstone an' salt. Take nine pins an' put through it an' den wrop it up jes' as tight as yo' kin, an' tie nine knots in it - into de string dat yo' wrop aroun' it. An' stick nine pins in it an' go ahead. (What will you do with that then?) Well, jes' carry it with yo'. (What is that supposed to do then?) An' den ah'll go ahead an' attack whatevah busi- ness yo' wanta attack, an' dat supposed to help yo' accomplish it.
(Any favors or anything of that sort?)
Yes.
Entry 12344
(Lodestone.)
Keep it wet with perfume and tote that in your pocket. That will give you lock to get a job like that, even be able lucky for anything - luck for anything like that.
Entry 12345
Yo' git chew a piece of lode- stone an' yo' put it in a little piece [of cloth] or yo' kin put it in yore pocketbook, an' a piece of dat in- cense, an' put it together an' keep it. An' yo' tote it in yore pocketbook an' every time yo' go to work, why yo wash yore face an' hands in dat Van-Van an' dey won't turn yo' off.
Entry 12535
(What do you do with the red onion?)
Well, dey say if yo' break de skin of it an' jes' carry it in yore pocket, some of it, or either throw it away, jes' throw it away, dey say dat's lucky. If yo' boil it, boil yo' three dimes in it an' den drink de watah, dat's lucky fo' yo' - yore in- come will be good.
Entry 12925
If a man huntin' a job an' he wanted a job, de first thing, he's got- ta make de man feel he's sorry fo' him, an' to do dat, he'd have to carry on him what is known as Shame Brier. But he mustn't git de Shame Brier until [FOR IDENTITY - NAMES - EXAMPLES - SEE v.1, p.646f.] it closes up. Yo' see, de leaves is open, an' deh, dey'll close up. But chew gotta pass de han' ovah dere an' say tuh de Shame Brier tuh "be shamed", or whatevah yo' wanta do, yo' tell de brier dat an' tell de brier tuh be shamed. An' den when it closes up - it will close up itself. Well, yo' git chew nine of dose leaves. Yo' wrap dem up an' den take 'em on tuh where yo' wanta go an' den ask fo' yo' job.
(That will get you the job.)
Entry 12927
(How do they use that?)
Well, they tell me that you have to get it at midnight.
(This shame grass.)
Shame grass.
(What does it look like?)
Well, it's, has thick leaf and if you run your hand over it, the leaf will wither up. If you put your hand over it, you can tell it. (I see.) And you can take the root of that and mens carries it in their pockets or either chew it in their mouths. And every what [whatever] they walks up to a woman and wants her to [do], command her to do, she'll have to do just what he says do. You takes it - you can tell it. It's a herb that grows and runs on the ground like a vine, and the minute you do like that [touch it] the leaves will close together.
(That's all he does, just chew it?)
You chew it or either carry it in your pocket. And any time you rubs it in your hands and lays your hands on her body anywhere, she'll do just what you Want her to do.
Entry 12999
Well, if a man want luck in gambling, well, he'd wanta got Lost John powder. [This could be my only example of Lost John.] (What kind?) Lost John. (Lost John?) Lost John powder, it's good luck. You take Lost John powder and you put it in your pocket. All right, you go get you some pulverized bluestone. You take you five dimes and you boil that in two quarts of water. You boil that water down to one quart [magic of diminishing amount.] You put it in somepin and measure it. You put it in somepin and you boil it until it comes down to one quart [diminishing amount] one quart of water. You gets one quart of water, you pout one teaspoonful of pulverized bluestone, one teaspoonful of granulated sugar, one teaspoonful of sulphur, and well shaked [shake well]. You take your five dimes out of that water after it's boiled and put 'em - you can use them again, you can spend them. [Often articles used in rites cannot be used again, they are dangerous.] You take that and you shake it up - well shaked. You can take that and rub it in the band of your hat, and you go anywhere in town and you can have luck: with the laws, the police, or anything like that. They ain't going to worry with you.
(What do you do with that Lost John root powder? What do you do with that?)
That Lost John root you tote that in your pocket. Tote that in your pocket.
Entry 1355
If you carry three pieces of High John the Conker wrapped up in your pocket [a hand], no one can harm you.
Entry 2179
Onions is very lucky things to use. Yo' take a red onion an' you take the outside offa dat onion, den yo' burn dat onion in yore house fo' nine days - it's lucky. Yo' always burn yo' onion - dat's very, very lucky. Yes, a red onion is lucky. Den yo' kin carry dat onion an' dat'll make yo' lucky. If yo' steal a red onion - yo' go an' pick up a red onion quick, steal it, an' use dat in yore pocket. That's lucky.
Entry 4717
(Tell me something about that.)
Dat little pocket?
(No, the other.)
Whenevah he go tuh de sto' an' buy 'er somepin, well he jis' put it undah 'is lef' arm heah. Let it hang down ovah it lak dat, an' keep it undah dere. Don't let nobody take it out till he git tuh 'er. When he git tuh 'er, he give it tuh 'er lak dat an' she'll lak 'im. She'll always lak 'im, always be wit 'im.
(Well, what would he buy her for example?)
Jis' anything - jis' some candy or stockings or anything she weah, jis' any- thing.
(But he must keep it under his left arm.)
Keep it undah 'is lef' arm, yeah.
Entry 4965
If ah want yuh tuh be mah frien', ah'll take dat stockin' an' ah'll tie nine knots in it an' ah'll carry it home an' keep it.
Entry 4973
Carry a woman's stockin' an' wear it roun' 'is waist, an' dat keep 'er from havin' any othah mens.
Entry 12558
I hearen people say if you go to hunt a job an' carry a red onion in Pocket, an' yo' git a job. [Wilmington 259:5 original pencil transcription attached to MS.]
Entry 13412
Yo' go tuh a tree, on de west side of a walnut tree an' git chew a twin walnut - dat's two growin' togethah yo' know. Git chew a twin walnut an' don't break de walnuts off, break de limb an' take yo' a brand-new ovahsize needle an' shove a hole through it dis way [demonstrates] an' den turn it on its side an' shove a hole through it dataway. Den yo' run a string through it an put one heah [demonstrates an' one behin' yo' heah [demonstrates]. An' any- thing dat chew ask fo', yo' kin git it, but yo' gotta weah 'em on yo'. Yo' cain't take 'em off. When yo' bathe yo' take 'em off, dat's de onliest time. But when yo' git through bathin', yo' puts 'em right back on yo' an' yo' wash 'em tuh church or anywhere yo' go. Yo' gotta carry 'em with yo', gotta keep 'em on yo'.
(You have a twin walnut in front and a twin walnut behind?)
No, yo' breaks de twins a-loose.
(Oh, one in front and one behind?)
Yo' break 'em a-loose.
Entry 11562
"I could put dat track in a pocket han'ke'chef and I could take it and put it in a bottle...call your name, stop it up tight, an' take that bottle and carry it to some rivah...throw it ovahboard...keep you wavering and wavering and roaming all your life." [Charleston 642:4.]
Entry 5119
Take de linin' [inner sole] outa fellah's right shoe, tote hit in yore pocket, see. An' take hit an' some devil's shoestring root an' wrop it up tuh- gethah. (Do you wrap it any special way?) Any special way? Jis' as [so] it wropped aroun' wit some asafitadee. Put it in dere an' wrop it away [from you].? Tote it in yore pocket. If yo' wanta run 'im away put red peppah an' salt in it.
(Then what do you do with it?)
Keep a-carryin' it. Has it on a string hangin' down on yore left side. Keep a fellah jis' hangin' dataway. Dat will keep 'l away from dere. Dat's like yuh have a case in co't an' want somebody tuh do somepin.
Entry 10129
I have heard the old people say you get the two hind bones of a black cat's leg, both legs, they should be dried, and sew up into a woolen rag and they should be carried all the time. And you use these bones as your guard against evil spirits.
Entry 732
De devil's-shoestring[s] an' den it's anothah certin sort of a root dey call Jerusalem root an' anothah one dey call de Adam an' Eve. Dey very peculiar roots chew know - not ever'body would know 'em 'cause dey very peculiar. Well, yo' take all those roots an' put 'em together an' yo' go to de Ten Cent Sto' an' buy some sort of ten-cent perfume, an' put 'em in dere an' let 'em stay fo' so many hours - jes' lak ovahnight. An' aftah dey dissolves yo' shakes 'em lak dat, an' naturally yore luck will gradually come back. Now, ah have know it tuh be a fact, because ah have done it mahself.
(That is for luck in gambling?)
That's fo' luck in gambling.
(What do you do with that stuff in this bottle? Do you carry it or what?)
Oh yeah, yo' carry it in yore pocket. An' co'se den, everybody don' use it alike. Some of 'em jes' takes it, slyly yo' know, an' sprinkle it around in de room lak dat in dere han'. An' some of 'em takes it an' holds it in dey hand an go by yo' an' put it on yo' or somepin lak dat, chew know. Dat put chew in bad luck an' put him in good luck. Jes' lak dat.
(What is peculiar about the Adam and Eve root?)
Well, it has a very strange particular odor which it carry-, In fact, those. three diff'rent roots dey grows diff'rent from any othah root dat's grown.
(What did you say about those three roots that people say?)
Dey [people] means, dey talk to each othah lak dat: Yo' know, Adan an' Eve, devil's-shoestring, an' de ruler of de earth [Jerusalem root?] dey talks to each other. Yo' put 'em in dat perfume an' puts 'em all togethah. In fact dey grows in diff'rent parts of de woods no doubt, but aftah dey all be brought togethah, ah 'magine dey have [are sort] of glad to see each othah, somepin lak dat. Dey all git togethah an' jis' talk lak dat, chew know. [These three roots in a ten- cent bottle of perfume are glad to see each othah and talks to each othah!]
Entry 2385
De breast bone - yo' know it's a little fo'ked bone, call dat a wish- bone. Yo' carry dat in yore pocketbook an' that's fo' if yo' goes somewhere an' yo' wants tuh git somepin - dere's somepin yo' want. Yo' make yore wishes befo' yo' leave home an' yo' keep dat bone oiled with lucky oil an' yo' carry dat bone in yore pocket in de day, an' at night when yo' take it out yo' lay it up somewhere where nobody kin remove it but chew. An' yo carry that in yore pocket. That's fo' something that chew haven't got but chew's expectin' to, an' it's always successful anyhow tuh carry a wishbone.
Entry 3208
Now, yo' takes a man dat runs aroun' wit de wimmin an' she wanted 'im always to stay home. An' dere's [when] she git 12 or 15 diff'ren stran's of bair dat she gits from aroun' 'is private, yo' undahstan'; an' she gits about de same amount from 'ers, yo' see; an' she combines both togethah, yo' undahstan'. Den she makes a bag an' she carry on 'er. Dat'll keep 'im dere.
(That will keep him home.)
Entry 3290
Now yo' take a woman, she'll take a man's nature dataway. She'll go to work - jes' lak yo' fool wit a woman. Well, now when yo' gits through fool- in' wit 'er, she'll take a piece of 'er undahwear an' wipe dis man wit it. Well, aftah she wipe him wit it, she'll take it den an she'll carry it, fold it up an' she'll put it undah 'er bed laig. Well, now she'll keep it in a secret place where nobody passes. Well, as long as hit dataway, she keep it dataway, he can't have no nature fo' nobody regard- less, but 'er.
Entry 5340
(You take both tracks or one?)
No, take up de lef'. Yo' pick it up on a shingle [demonstrates]. When yo' pick it up say, "Go."
[I describe demonstration.]
(You take it from the heel to the toe.)
Dat's right. See, yo' pick it up jes' lak yo' walkin'. Pick it up right from de heel on down to de toe, lak dat.
(Then what do you do with it after you pick that dirt up?) When yo' pick it up yo' say, "Go." (Well, then what do you do with the dirt?)
Den yo' take it an', if yo' got a vial, an' put dat in de vial. Fasten it up, carry it home wit chew. Jes' long as yo' keep dat - well, yo' kin jes' keep it. He gon'a keep on till he wandah on off - wandah off from home, jes' long as yo' keep dat, tellin' 'im tuh stay off.
(When do you pick up this track? When he's coming to your house?)
Yo' pick it up lak if he's goin'.
Entry 5653
Dey kin take yore foot track up. Jis' go out an' jis' lak yo' stan' in de sand, take it up wit a silvah spoon. Jis' take it up real lightly an put it in a bottle, an' stop it up an' throw it in runnin' watah an' it will carry yo' away.
(Either track?)
No suh, have tuh be yore lef' track.
Entry 6002
So far as yore hair concerned, yo' could be ruled by yore hair. Yo' Lou whut ah mean, somebody could take yore hair an' make yo' love dem. Yo' undahstan'. (Do you know how they do it?) How dey do it? Well, ah kin take yore hair. Dey usely [usually] gits - dey takes three pins or needles an' put it in a bottle of Hearts Perfume, yo' undahstan', but dey must know yore name.
(What do they do with that name?)
Write on dis piece of papah an' put it in wit de hair.
(Put all these things in the bottle?)
All dese combination in de bottle.
(What do you do with that bottle then?)
Take it - but wit chew, carry it. Yo' gotta carry dat bottle all de time. Sometimes peoples buries it.
Entry 2009
Take dat 'nure [manure] an' put lodestone with it an' people sell dat fo' lucky han's. Dey gits hoss manure an' cow manure an' mix all dat together an' lodestone an' salt an' that makes him be lucky. An' 'noint it down wit whiskey. See, dat'll make yo' have a lucky han'. An' yo' kin carry dat an' rub it - jis' lak yo' want a job or somepin, yo' carry it an' rub dat an' yo' mo' den apt to git chew a job.
carrying the described lucky hand while seeking work. Keep mo’ den apt as a qualified claim, not actual employment or a guarantee. combining horse/cow manure, lodestone and salt before whiskey anointing. Do not turn whiskey anointing into an unspecified extra ingredient proportion or combine neighboring recipes. These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified.
Entry 7255
Dem [= them = hel wus a hoodoo doctor. [I] knew all dat. Dat's all dat wus. [He] gived me one an' it looked lak it wus a toby tuh me or somepin, [a piece of] cattle [ani- mal] heart. It wus nuthin but a plain dried cattle [animal] heart, which dey [he] had placed in it [bag with] luck pins, looked lak it wus. (What did you carry that for? You carried it? Were you supposed to carry that?) Yes, ah carried it. It looked lak ah would git a job. An' ah played - if ah played politics ah would git it [the job], until ah lost it [the bag].
(Well, how did you carry that?)
Jis' tied it up in a red bag.
(In a red what?)
In a red bag, rag, a li'le small piece, yo' know, an' ah wore it around mah waist.
(I see.)
[This toby was a small piece of dried animal heart [chicken?] with several luck pins in it, carried in a red flannel bag.] [Vicksburg, Miss., (772) 991:4.]
Entry 7658
Anyone dat's daid an' dere spirit worry yuh, why yo' go tuh dere grave an' git on de lef' side; an' git some of de dirt offa dere lef' side an' carry it on yore person, an' dey'll stop worryin' yo'.
Entry 7828
Git some lodestone powdah an' graveyard dirt an' mix dat tuhgethah an' dat will make yo' git a job. Put it in yuh pocket an' tote it.
(The boss will give you a job.)
Entry 8141
Now, if yo' wanta kill somebody wit dat, yo' take de photograph. Yo' don' wan'a use but jis' part of it. Jis' take off, if it's got a foot, yo' know some got a whole photo- graph, some got jis' a part, some got jis' de haid. Some got jis' de body, some got de whole an' some got jis' de haid. If yo' wants to kill somebody, an' it's de whole one, yo' cut off, jis' clip off de right foot, an' take dat whole photograph an' take it an' turn it, jis' turn it.
(You take off the right foot. And then how do you turn that, now?)
Jis' take it an' turn it tuh yo', jis' roll it, lak yo' take one roll, two rolls, three rolls [to you]. Understan'?
(Keep rolling it to you. The foot part or the rest of the photograph?)
No, de rest of de whole photograph. Yo' undahstan'? Jis' roll dat lak dat three times an' jis' carry it anywhere, don' care where yo' throw it, jis' throw it out somewhere. Well, now, hit's gone on away. All right. Yo' takes dis right foot, an' bring it on back tuh de house, but chew do nuthin wit it den. Let it stay dere, at least six or seven hours, sompin lak dat. "Bout six or seven hours aftah yo' done dis, hold it, take de pichure of dis foot, takes an' puts it down in a bottle, jis' de smallest bottle yo' kin find, an' puts ah reck- on 'bout dat much of mustard seed, lak yo' ketch dat much [demonstrates].
(Just a little pinch of the mustard seed.)
Drop it in de bottle, wit'out anything in it - jis' say about nine, if it ain't but jis' a haid [means foot]. Drop it in dere an' stop it up, an' jis' keep dat wit choo all de time. Dat's tuh influence dat person. Keep dat wit chew. An' yo' weah it a while. Well, no quickah den dey die, yo' gon'a feel dat right shouldah jump, jump jis' lak sompin skip ovah it. Soon as it do dat, yo' must take it [bottle] an' throw it away lak dat. Throw it lak dat. [If informant demonstrated, I missed it.] De safest way, de spirit comin' tuh yo' an' givin' yo' a notice dat dey daid. Don't care where dey are. (Right after this notice that they are dead, you must throw this bottle away right then?) Right then, de right arm will move when dey come.
(You will have that little kick then in the right arm?)
Dat's right.
Entry 9337
Yo' kin take a aig, lak now a person livin' in de nex' house ovah dere. Well, yo' kin take a aig an' mark it [write name of victim on, see later], dis aig an' make a wish, an' goes somewheres by dem at de crack of sunrise. Well, do dat fo' nine mawnin's an' let de sun be lak de same, an' carry dat aig. An' evah way yo' go back dere fo' de nine mawnin's, go back anothah way, see. If yo' hap- pen tuh go round or go back dis way, let it be a object [opposite or different] mawnin'. Evah mawnin' be a new way comin'. See whut ah mean. If it happen tuh be de las' mawnin' de way yo' went de firs' time, let it be a new way comin' roun' de same thing. [Never go over the same path or road twice during the rite.] Well, yo' kin take dat aig in de last ninth mawnin' an' jes' haul off an' chunk it up on dat house an' let it bust, an' make yore wish befo' yo' bust it, one of dem names in de house. Jes' make a wish an' chunk it up dere. Write his name on de egg. See, dey goin' tuh leave. (You first get you the egg, don't you?) Yeah, git holt de aig. Take dis aig, an' well, fo' nine mawnin's yo' take up dis aig an' walk to someone yo' don't like. See, whut ah mean. Yo' want 'em tuh move out from roun' dere, from dis heah home. Yo' don't undah- stan' why people leave, yo' don't want 'em disturb. Yo' git dat aig an' yo' says, "Ah want dese heah people leave heah wit'out fussin'." Take dis aig an' carry de aig ovah heah, well jes' de time yo' see de sun jes' comin' tuh be. Well, take it out...
(Take it out where?)
To de front - tote de aig tuh de sun. See, jes' take it out where yo' kin see de sun an' turn back - don't look back. An' yo' place dat aig right back in de same place. Well, de nex' mawnin' - yo' do dat fo' de nine mawnin's, goin' out...
(Just going out and seeing the sun?)
Yeah. But don' let de sun be no fu'thah den yo' see it de firs' mawnin'. Don't let it be too fer. Jes' do dat fo' nine mawnin's an' let de sun be de same object an' 'bout de same time. Set yore clock. Do dat fo' nine mawnin's. Make yore wish an' write his name on dat aig an' jes' walk out de same mawnin' 'bout de same time, throw it an' let it bust. Yo' won't have no trouble.
(Where do you throw that egg?)
Jes' throw it an' let it bust on de house. On de left side [as you stand in front of the house looking at the house].
(That will make them move out.)
Dey gone.
Entry 10076
Yo' put chew a pot of watah on an' boil it. An' ketch a black cat, a all-black cat, an' put 'im in de pot of boilin' watah an' put 'im in dere 'live. Boil 'im until - boil 'im tuh pieces. An' de lucky bone will come on top. An' dis bone dat come on top, yo' take dis bone out an' suck de bone [suck out marrow?] an' den lay it up an' let it dry. An' carry it in yore pocket an' yo'll be lucky enough tuh git anythin' yo' want or do anythin' yo' wanta do. Yo' kin even disappeah.
(Why did you suck it?)
Jis' suck de bone aftah it comes tuh de top. De only way yuh'll know dat bone, yo' see, aftah de cat boils, de meat boils off de cat an' dis bone will come to de top, an' all de resta de cat'll go tuh de bottom.
(You don't suck it at any particular place?)
No, yo' jis' put it in yuh mouth an' suck it. An' aftah yo' suck it, den yo' lay it out on anythin' an' let it dry out.
Entry 10148
You kill a black cat, boil it, then dry the bones. Put it in a luck bag and carry it around your neck for good luck. [Fredericksburg, Va., Ediphone cyl.45.]
Entry 10626
Adam-an'-Eve an' High John, an' make a bag of it, an' put it cal gethah an' put a li'le sagah dd it - a teaspoonful of sugah vid it - or salt wid it. An' mix it tuhgethah an' sew it up an' care it wid joo. To'll git a job dat way.
Entry 9544
.. Take de peppah an' salt an' press it tuhgethah an' burn it, an' put it in yore pocket an' carry it wit yo' when yo' goin' tuh look fo' a job, if yo' want luck. An' if yo' talkin' tuh yore man, yore bossman, dat's yo's tryin' tuh git a job wit, have dat in yore han' an' [they say yo'll git yo' a job if anybody gits one. [Wilson, N. Car., (1486), cylinder 2660: item No?]
Entry 10709
De cedar tree an' de leaf from a Bible, an' jes' carry it with yo' an'.... Yo' git dose strips from a cedar tree an' de leaf from a Bible an' [leaf from] a fig tree, an' dat will make a person follow yo', when yo' in love with 'em.
Entry 10926
Cut hair off end of tail of black cat, put in bag - "somepin like a mojo bag"' - carry it for gambling.. [Longer item, check if it can be transcribed for text.] [Richmond, Va., 365:3.]
Entry 11867
Carry person's hair and fingernails in bottle with Hearts Cologne for love. [Wilmington, 169:3+85.]
Entry 12719
(You get a rabbit foot you say?)
Git a rabbit foot an' cut de hair out de knee of de foot an' bury dat an' carry dat an' yo'll have good luck in gamblin'.
(What foot from the rabbit?)
De left.
(Which left? There are two left feet.)
So - a rabbit ain't got but one left, one right, fo' [four] feet.
(All right, which do you Want, the front left or the back left?)
De front.
(The left front.)
Entry 13001
Ah've heard of a person dat gambles, if dey want 'em to have good luck in gambling, take a silver quarter [25c], a silver halfa a dollah [50c] an' dey fix dat up in a package or rag or some way, an' tote it with 'em. Keep it on 'em an' that will give 'em luck fo gambling. Use Hearts Cologne on it [to feed it].
Entry 13080
Ah've heard dat yo' kin take a snake, ketch a snake an' git about a... If yo' kin, jes' take de teeny end off a snake tail - de sharp end. Dat lil' point end, de tail end. Yeah, clip it off. An' den yo' put dat on de dice yo' carry in yo pocket. An' yo' carry dat lil' tail-end of dat king snake tail with dose dice.
(You get this though from a king snake.)
From de king snake. Dat's conkerin' all othah snakes. Dat's de king of all snakes.
Entry 13240
Take a little bit of sugar and a little bit of coffee and tie it up in your handkerchief - or bread, either one, it's very good. It's luck, if you put it inside of your handkerchief and carry it around on you. It's very good.
(That's for good luck?)
Sugar is drawing you know - they all is drawing you see, because the spirits 11kes those things.
Entry 11615
An' yo' kin take de foot track an' take it up an' carry it an' throw it into runnin' water an' dey'll run - dey'll go. [Sumter 2413:6a.]
The informant describes carrying a taken-up foot track before throwing it into running water; the later running/going effect remains a claim.