Subject:Clothes
Entries
Entry 263
You go in front of a fireplace and take all your clothes off and take a black cat and put him in a pot of boiling hot water, alive, and turn around three times in front of the fireplace, then take the cat and the hot water and carry him down to a stream and pour him in this running stream water. Then you've sold yourself tc the devil.
Entry 425
First of all, take fo' instance if dere a treasure down de cellar dere. Well, yo'll git dis treasure - it's accordin' to de kind of individual dat chew are. If yo' a Christian, well it's a certain verse dat chew read; now whut verse it is ah don't know. All right, when yo' read dis verse, someone supposed to be dere. Yo' not supposed to make any fuss, not supposed to talk at all, jest continuation of digging an' continuation of readin'. All right, if he have anything to say to yo' after yo' start diggin' an' walk off, ah'll hole yo' right whare yo' are. Well, if different spirits an' things fall in dat hole or throw de dirt in it or throw something down while ah'm digging, well ah'm not supposed to say nuthin' - jest continue to dig right on until ah git where ah want. An' ah can't say anything until ah git it outa the hole an' git it away from de hole. Then ah kin talk. Got'a wear red all de time to keep de spirits away [yet, see No. 424].
Entry 2847
If you got a wife and your wife has done left you - you understand what I mean - and you want her to come back to you, you see. You take three white candles, take that woman name and put there - put on that [name the] candle. And if you can, get her underwears or slip, anything like that, slip or drawers and put 'em. Put that, spread that out there, you understand. Take your undershirt and turn it wrong-side out and put it on there, and light them three candles. And in nine days - just keep them candles burning there nine days and nine nights, and I guarantee that woman'll come back to you. (You put the name on just one of those candles or do you put on all three of them?) Put all three of 'em - put it underneath all three of them. Put 'em all three together - that where it supposed to be, underneath all of 'em. [A name is under each candle; the spread-out clothing is beneath the metal container holding the candles.]
Entry 3542
Ah tell yo' now jes' like dis, jes' like yo' got some ole clothes. Now yo' wear dose ole clothes, yo' undahstan', an' pull off de dirty clothes. Yo' pull it off an' she put it up; see, yo' Won't have nuthin to do wit dose clothes any mo'. Well, prob- 'ly she might git a piece of de seat of yore slip, yo' undahstan', an' cut it out yo' see. Well, perhaps she might git a piece from undah yore arms. See, yo' know jes' where yo' sweat, yo' see. An' den ag'in, she might git chure hat band or somepin like dat. Yo' know dese little bows in yore hat, she might take dat out, see. Well, she'll take dat an' she'll put some of dis - git a little car- bolic acid an' pot salt an' a little red peppah. An' she will git she a bottle of Coca Cola. She will sprinkle dat, see. An' befo' she sprinkle it why she will tie it up an' she'll put seven knots in it. Dat odds [odd number] yo' know. Now, see, seven knots. Well, she tie dat up, yo' undahstan' an' put it into yore pillah, see, cuz yo' know a woman makes de bed all de time. Yo' don't have no dealings wit beds - yo' wouldn't even think of it, see. Well, yo' have to stay home an' den ag'in yo' wouldn't even think of no othah woman but 'er.
Entry 3665
Said a man take a snail an' if he don't wan' dis woman to do nuthin wit nobody but 'im, he take dis snail an' where huh clothes hangin' up on de outside on de line, if he git a chance, he go dere an' rub dis snail right on uh drawahs. An' when she put dese drawahs on, she can't have no communion wit no man but 'im. Dat whut ah heard about it.
Entry 4215
A woman kin do de same thin', jis' lak she want me an' ah don't want 'er. Well, she kin git a piece of yuh shirt an' tie it in nine knots an' put it in 'er watah, her urinate watah, an' let it stay in dere fo' three mornin's. If she kin git dem nine knots back into mah pocket or in some of mah clothses, dat will draw me an 'er back tuhgethah.
Entry 4273
Although I could have indexed this rite under 9 DAYS, or NAME, or UPSIDE DOWN, I chose SIFTING, a magic action, because there are several examples of it in HOODOO. My early recordings in Mobile not being good, I asked some of the better informants to return a second time. The following rite is given in the original and revised version:] Original version: Say, fo' ninstance someone is away an' yuh want dis person. Yuh wanta know wha' chew do wit dat? [I probably nod yes.] Dis person, if dey come back an' spen' de night wit chew, git chew a clean slop jar - it's not where dey kin go out [outside] chew know. Yuh be careful yuh don't use it yuhself. An' yuh let 'em use dis an' den on de nex: mawnin' yuh git a ole-time siftah. [Sifter is a magic object, sifting or straining a magic action.] Yuh see, dese ole roun' siftahs de kind dat yuh turn.
(The old-fashioned hand sifter - flour sifter.)
Dat's right. Yuh git some othah bucket or pail an' yuh strain dis. Take dis out an' strain it fo' nine times.
(You pour this chamber lye through this sifter nine times.)
Dat's right, fo' nine mawnin's. An' den yuh po' dat out intuh a bottle an' yuh dig a place undah yuh back steps. Yuh put it in a bottle jis' enough tuh hol' dat amount, an' yuh turn it on de head. Put a cork stoppah in it, yuh un- dahstan', an' turn it on de head an' bury dat. An' dat person will nevah leave dere till yuh take dat up. Revised version: Jis' like if a person is away an' yuh want 'em tuh return, Xuh use yuh slop jar. Wash it clean an' jis' use it yuhself fo' nine mawnin's, an' yuh use an old siftah - one of dese big roun' ones. An' yuh set ovah dat [sifter and slop jar] an' strain dat each time fo' nine times. An' den aftah de ninth mawnin', yuh write dis person's name on a piece of parchment papah. Put it intuh a bottle an' turn it - no, yuh firs' place, if yuh have a piece of dere ole sock or undah- weah or anythin' like wherevah dere's perspiration. If it is undah de armpits, yuh cut dat out an' put it in dis bottle, an' put dat name on dat parchment an stick it in dere, an' yuh turn it on its head. Put it in yuh closet or some place where no one will disturb it, an' leave it. Dey will return.
(What do you do with this chamber lye then?)
Yuh put de parts of de sock or whatevah yuh get.
(You put that in the chamber lye don't you? What do you do that for?)
Well, dat has some kin'a peculiah effect - ah don't know.
(Oh! You don't put that in the bottle?)
Yes, ah think dat chew put dat in de bottle, but chew put dis cloth in it. (NOW, DID YOU SAY YOU SIT OVER THE STRAINER? YOU RELIEVE YOURSELF THROUGH THIS SIFTER?) Dat's right. Comparison of versions: [Several days separated the two preceding versions. We learn here as well as elsewhere, that a person proficient in hoodoo does not repeat rites word for word. There are many ways to rearrange even the same material. Besides, numerous in- formants tell us about various methods to accomplish the same end. In our second version the woman's, not the male victim's urine is used. Her urine will serve the same purpose, drawing power, by writing his name on a piece of parchment and dropping it into the bottled urine. This time she does not pour the urine through a flour sifter with a handle; she lays a round hand sifter - large wooden hoop with wire screening on one side - on the chamberpot and squats over it to relieve herself. Her urine passing through the sifter protects it against countermagic. For good measure his perspiration in a piece of his old clothing is added. Instead of burial, the bottle is hidden in a closet.]
Entry 4297
Well, dere's some piece of yuh [a man's] clothes she kin git an' wash 'em tuhgethah wit hers, an' take de suds offa dat watah an' she kin stop it up in a bottle. An' she kin take a little bit of it, an' if she kin git a holt of a little bit of 'is urine, an' she kin git dat an' stop it up in dere, shut it up tight, purtty soon he'll come back.
Entry 4304
I know this for myself. A man was in my home town in my neighborhood and his wife she was a woman who wanted to run around and have a good time. And she didn't want him to say anything to her, so she got two pieces of his clothes and some of his water, and put in a bottle and buried that at the center of the door he would come in at. And one day he decided to move that door from where it was, and digging up the steps he found this bottle, and saved it until she came and asked her if she knew anything about the bottle. She didn't want to own [up to it]. He told her he was going to throw it away in running.water. She begged him not to do it. I don't think he ever throwed it away. He didn't let her get a hold of the bottle any more. They are getting along now very well together.
Entry 4305
She kin take dose, take his socks or undahweah an' some of 'er urinate an' bur' it. Dat will bring 'em back. Or eithah de hatban' or any of 'is close weahin' dat touch 'is skin.
Entry 4556
It's a long time since ah went tuh a [hoodoo] woman, but ah went tuh a Woman ovah heah when ah wuz [having trouble with my husband]. An' she tole me tuh git de seat of 'is undahwears dat be's dirty an' de bow outa his hat, dat little bow dat be's on de inside. She tole me tuh git dat out an' sew hit in de seat of mah bloomahs, an' dat would make him come back an' ca' fo' her [me] mo' den he evah would do'.
Entry 4605
Take de bow from de back of a man's hat, dat is [if] a woman is got a sweetheart an' she don' wants tuh git rid of 'im. She takes dat bow from de back of 'is hat an' sews it in de seat of 'er clothes, an' wears dat bow. She wears dat bow in de seat of 'er clothes an' when he wears 'is hat so long till dat bow gits sweaty an' greasy, well she takes dat bow an' untie it, an' takes an' puts some of 'er hair wit it, an' sews it in de seat of 'er clothes, or up undah 'er arm where her clothes sweats, an' wears it.
(What will that do?)
Dat will keep 'im dere.
Entry 4649
(The woman would take that?) Dat little bow outa a man's hat, yeah. She kin take it out an' put it in de ban' of 'er dress - yuh know whut ah mean, in de seam of 'er dress an' wear it dere all de time. An' dis man would come tuh be a lovah fo' her, an' wouldn't love anyone else.
Entry 4721
If yuh kin git holt of 'is photograph or anythin', yuh kin git 'im back ag'in.
(Do you know just how they do that?)
Well, yuh git holt a piece of 'is clothin'. Now, if it's a woman dat wants 'im back ag'in, yuh git aholt of a piece of 'is clothes an' yuh dress it in cologne. Yuh take it an' fold it de way [direction] he is. If he is east, no'th, west, or south, yuh take dat piece of clothin', a small piece of it, an' fold it [demonstrates] an' make yore wishes.
(Fold it toward you.)
Towards yuh evah time. Points it de way he is an' fold it back evah time. An' yuh git yuh a couple of needles an' pin it each way, bottom an' top, an yuh split dat needle. Lets 'er wear one in 'er right shoe here, an' give her de othah one an' let 'er hold it in 'er han'. An' she kin walk - an' let 'er go straight tuh runnin' watah an' drop it ovahbo'd. Ketch de wind - she has tuh do dis on de grown [growing] of de moon an' ketch de wind blowin' towards de way she wants 'im tuh come. If she is in New York, ketch de wind blowin' disaway.
(Blowing south?)
Dat's right. Drop dis ovahbo'd an' walk backwards from it about nine steps, turn tuh left an' go on. Make her wishes an' he'll come right - in nine days he'll be dere.
(I didn't quite understand you about putting these needles?)
Yuh see, if yuh fold de clothes, prob'ly fold it dis way. Well aftah yuh git a little pad of it made, git yuh a needle on each side of it. Git chew a pair of keen - anythin' dat's sharp an' split dem needles in two.
(Oh, I see! You cut the whole package in half.)
De needles den will be on each side of it.
(Two halves of the needles will be in each side of the package.)
An' have dem needles so dey won't injure her foot an' let 'er wear it right in 'er shoe. Fasten it in dere in a way dat it won't slide backwards an' for- wards. Take dis half an' fold it in yore han' an' when it gits warm, when yuh go tuh de watah wit it - an' throw it ovahbo'd. Ketch de wind blowin' from de Way dat yuh want 'im tuh come home.
Entry 4722
Anybody you love is away and you want to bring them back, just burn a piece of his clothes and he'll come back. You take some clothing next to his skin. [Newport News, Va., by Ediphone.]
Entry 4723
If yo' got a house an' if yo' wanted tuh rent it an' want tuh put de people out of it, yo' go dere an' git some of dere ole clothes. Yo' carry 'em off an' burn 'em. An' while yo' burnin' de clothes, yo' take an' keep asprinklin' sulphuh on it. An' yo' burn it up an' yo' git dem ashes an' carry 'em back dere an' dey can't stay in dat house. Dey won't stay in dere long.
(What do you do with those ashes when you carry them back?)
Yo' carry 'em right an' sprinkle 'em right in de yard.
Entry 4725
[To bury clothes in the ground is a common rite in HOODOO. Some of these rites are complicated; others simple, such as those following, which estab- lish the margin title.] Yuh take a woman's stockin' an' a piece dat she worn near tuh 'er, we'll say 'er step-ins or 'er bloomahs. An' ah heard dat chew could bury 'em, an' dat would make de woman pay attention tuh de man - special, yuh know.
Entry 4738
[In] fac' [fact] ah have known it tuh be a fac'. Ah've known people tuh say so dat were very superstitious of dat so't [sort] of thing. Dey say dat dey git a piece of yore - some piece of yore clothes dat chew wear close tuh yore body. Take dem an' bury 'em undah yore do'steps so many days, an' go tuh a crossroad in de mawnin' an' turn roun' nine times, an' aftah den dey say yuh cain't stay dere. Jis' diff'ren' so't of invisible things will appeah dere an' jis' evently [eventually] drive yuh away.
(They would bury this piece of clothing under the person's own step?)
Bury it undah dere step. Jes' sneak up in de night an' bury it undah de step, undah whos'evah steps yuh wanta move.
The informant reports others' belief in bodily clothing buried beneath the target's steps, followed by a morning crossroad visit and nine turns for a claimed departure through invisible things. A follow-up identifies whose steps. The opening assertion and hearsay qualification both remain explicit, with Hyatt's word completions separated.
Entry 4739
If a cook has got a job an' wan'a hold it, she'll take her undahweah an' boil 'em where - in de same watah dat chure dishes is boiled in, an' wash de dishes in dat watah. She stay dere long as she please. Dat's true.
(She'll hold her job.)
Entry 4740
Git hold of yore shirt or somepin lak dat an' make yuh leave dis part, section of de country where yuh live, an' yuh'll nevah come back. Well dey said, yuh take it an' wrap it up wit dog manure. Jis' take de dog manure an' heat it or somepin an wrap dis piece of cloth up in it, see. An' put it in a tin can, bur' [bury] it at de foot of a oak tree good. An' fer five night an' five day yuh walk dat dog - dat same dog where yuh got de stuff from - walk 'im ovah dat place fer five days an' five nights. An' yuh'll nevah come back home no mo'. Yuh're runnin' away. Den aftah yuh git through wit dat dog, run 'im away, run de dog away den. [This running away a dog, not responsible for running away the person, looks like the Old Testament scape-goat rite, transferring your own sin to some living creature (see Leviticus 16:8, 10, 26).]
Entry 4741
Well, yuh see, if yuh leave yore undahsuit dere an' yuh jis' pulled it off an' she have nevah washed it, well she kin take dat an' she kin take deundah- suit an' eithah do dis. She kin git de undahsuit. An' yuh see where it is sewed up in de seat, see where, right where it fits right tight on yuh. She kin take dat an' cut de seat out of it, an' hang it right up ovah de do' where yuh bin goin' in an' comin' out. An' in nine mawnin's time yuh'll be right back dere wit 'er.
Entry 4747
Jis' lak a woman got a husban' runnin' roun', or yuh got a woman run- nin' roun' an' yuh wanta stop 'er. Yuh know wha' chew kin do wit dey socks or dey undahclothes. Yuh kin take de socks or eithah dey undahclothes wha' dey wore nex' tuh 'um an' bury dem. Put dat salt on it. Put a boil aig in it. Take a boiled aig an' put in dere an' dat salt.
(Leave the shell on or off?)
Leave de shell on - jis' a boil aig hot. Wrap it right up in dat clothes, see, an' bury it down undahneat' de front steps. MAN, DAT'S ONE OF DE WORST THINGS YUH EVAH. IT WEAKENS DOWN YUH MIND, YUH THINK YUH GOIN' DIE. Dey gits sick, jis' weaken down. Don't have no mo' strength atall. Dat's if a man is runnin' roun' an' yuh cain't stop 'em, see. An' yuh kin take it up, if yuh wanta ease de pain; but if dey start in ag'in, put it right back down an' dey git right back down ag'in. (That is if they are running around.)
Entry 4752
Fo' tuh hur' [hurt] chew? If dey wan'a hur' chew tuh kill yuh, dey'll git a piece of yores - wha' chew weah tuh yore skeen [skin]. (Piece of what?) Git a piece of whut yuh weah when yuh [not mentioned]. An' dey'll take dat piece an' dey'll bury it. An' aftah dey bury dat piece, dey'll take a stick an' nail down [drive down into the ground] at de head of dat stick, at [the head of] dat piece. An' dey'll take a cross, a stick of a cross [the horizontal piece or crossbar of the cross] an' tack it at de head of dat. You'll bloat up.
(Where do they bury that?)
Bury it right at de end of dat fo'k - [bury] a piece of yore clothes.
(End of what fork?)
At de fo'k of dat road.
(Oh! I see.)
Uh huh.
(And they put a stick, peg down?)
Peg down, an' den put de sign [crossbar] of de cross on it.
(Oh, then you put another piece [of stick] across there?)
Cross on tuh dat, right.
(Now wait a minute. You drive that stick down.)
Down into de groun'.
(And you take another stick.)
Take anothah stick, an' put...
(And tie that cross [crossbar] there.)
An' cross dat [first stick with another one].
(Oh, to make a sort of sign of the cross.)
[Did I mean a cross sign for a crossroad?]
Uh huh. An' aftah yuh tie dat [horizontal stick] across dat [vertical stick], yuh covah dat dirt ovah dat cross, so no one kin see dat. Well, yuh goin'. (Oh, I see. Now wait a minute! You tie that one stick across the stickthat's down in the ground and leave the cross standing up from the ground.) Uh huh [though I am mistaken about the visible cross]. An' yuh covah dat cross ovah.
(So nubody can see it.)
[This rite is one of the many forms of symbolical or mock burial in HOODOO, some of which include a doll baby in a coffin.]
Entry 4755
Well, yo' kin put a man down yo' know by takin' some of 'is clothes dat he weahs. Take de feet outa his drawahs an' dat'll make him humble an' nicah tuh yo', whutevah way yo' wan' 'em tuh do, an' weah it. (What do you do with that?) Yo' kin tie it aroun' yore laig, de muscle of yore laig above yore knee, or weah it aroun' yore waist.
Entry 4756
Dey tole me a story an' ah seen dat, but ah didn't know it till it wuz aftahwards. Take de man's drawahs, his dirty drawahs he pull 'em off, an carry 'em in de graveyard an' bury 'em right down by a grave. An' jis' as yuh lay 'em down dere, he'll travel until he die. He nevah live. (You mean you just lay those drawers down there without cov- ering them up?) Yeah, yuh gotta covah 'em up. Dig a little trench an' lay it right down 'long dat way, jis' lak dey pull 'em off, but dey must be dirty. Yuh covah 'em up an' he'll travel an' travel till he travel away.
Entry 4760
Dey says yuh kin go tuh work an' dress dat house an' it will draw people dere.
(How do you do that?)
Well, dey says yuh go an' git some dust from about dey house, git dat dust. An' den yuh git dat dust an' yuh git some of dere clothes an' put it in a bottle. Go dere an' fasten it tuh dat house some way inside of de house, or jis' fasten it on de step anyway, an' dey say dem people will stay dere. Or else if dey out dere, it will draw somebody dere.
(That is to make a person stay in this house.)
Entry 4761
Well, ah've heard ag'in, if yuh've got a man away an' yuh want 'im tuh come back tuh yuh, an' he leaves some of 'is clothes dere, said yuh take clothes tuh make him be on 'is haid. Put de clothes - put 'is undahweah an' 'is shirt, put de haid of it down towards 'is feet [dem- onstrates]. (On the bed?) Yessuh, yuh've gotta lay on dere yuh see. Put it down dere tuhwards 'is feet. Dey take his undah- weah an' take de bottom part - take de laigs of it an' put 'em up tuhwards de haid of de baid, an' let de body go down tuhwards it. Den yuh take his socks an' yuh take one an' bring it 'cross dis way an' let it be tuh de front of de baid.
(The head of the bed?)
No suh, de front. Yuh see - listen. Heah's whut ah mean. Now, yuh layin down dat way.
(Here's the bed. This is the head and that's the foot?)
Yessuh, now yuh lie dat sock dat way.
(Which is the foot and which way does the other part of the sock point?)
De foot part of de sock goes at de haid.
(That points to the head of the bed?)
De toe goes tuh de haid of de baid. Den heah comes de othah, de mouth of de sock, yuh know, where yuh put chure foot in. Let it be out tuh de front [demon- strates].
(One sock crosses the other.)
Yessuh. An' den aftah doin' dat. Let's see - man's sock, undahweah an' de top-shirt. Dat, she might lay in it, an' de rest of 'em yuh lay on top of 'em. Don't put a thing on top of 'em but a sheet. Den befo' yo' git in baid, make yore wishes. Put one needle up an' de othah one cross at de haid [demonstrates], 'tween de haid. Lak dis is de haid of de baid, put it down in dere, in between in dere. Don't let it git down by yore haid, but let it be up above.
(At the top of the head of the bed, you cross two needles.)
Yessuh. An' so yuh lay on dose things, an' ah think she said, in nine days he would come home.
Entry 4768
Why dey turns dere clothes befo' dey go tuh bed, whatsomevah dat piece dey gon'a wear nex' tuh dem. Why when dey gits up in de mornin', dey jis' picks up dat garment an' puts it on. Dat undah garment, jis' put it right on 'em, jis' like dey find [it].
(They put that on wrongside out for luck.)
Entry 4769
If a person steal somepin from yuh an' yuh figure dat he got it, if yuh kin git 'is sock or 'is shirt - dat's true, ah know. Yuh git eithah one of 'em, if yuh kin git it. Yuh turn it wrongside out an' regardless tuh where it is, if: it's tuh mah house or wheresomevah it is, jis' turn it wrongsides. out an' put it up undah de baid an' he'll bring it back. But chew got'a git whut he wear - jis' git whut he wears.
Entry 4773
(What can they do to make the man come back?)
She kin take her [under] clothes an' put 'er clothes on de wrong side, an she'll go tuh de sunrise an' talk wit 'im. She has sulphur an' red peppah in er shoes. An' she kin talk wit 'im befo' de sunrise. In about three days aftah dat he will come home an' he don't know how he come home. (She turns her underclothes inside out and she has to wear them - while she is talking to him - turned that way.) Tuh de sunrise.
Entry 4774
An' den ag'in yuh kin read about De Lord is mah shepherd an' anyone's away an' yuh wan' 'em tuh come back. Yuh pull off yuh clothes at night an' turn 'em on de wrong- side an' say, "De Lord is mah shep- herd fo' three mawnin's, an' dey'll come back.
Entry 4777
Well, if ah'm a enemy tuh yuh an' wants tuh confuse yuh in yore home, ah mah- self, ah cain't do it. Got'a git someone tuh help me tuh do it, an' dat's by goin' an' gittin' a piece of yore clothes, sompin othah dat chew wears, don't chew know - sompin dat chew wears. An' ah takes dat an' tear it up, makes a very small string out of it. Take it an' twist it.
(Tear the whole piece of cloth up?)
Not de whole cloth, jis' git yuh a strip off about lak dat [demonstrates], whatevah it is, an' jis' tear it up in small strips. Take an' twist it dis away [demonstrates]. One [strip] dis way an' one dis way, jis' lak dat, yuh know. Jis' keep atwisting it till yuh git right intuh a fine - down-lak yuh know, tuh a string. Yuh take it den an' yuh put it - draw a knot intuh it. Yuh know how yuh tie a knot intuh anything. Well, yuh take dat an' git it intuh whatevah yuh kin git it intuh [a jar, see later]. Den yuh take some salt an' take some vine- gah an' anything dat dey'd use lak a garlic. Yuh git yuh some garlic tuh put in dere an' nine drops of turpentine. An' tighten dat up real - tighten it down howevah yuh wanta tighten it down.
(Tighten that jar down?)
Tighten de jar down, yassuh, an' den yuh prob'ly cain't git tuh de house; but git somebody tuh bury it tuh de back of de steps.
(What will that do then?)
Dat will - dey cain't git along in dere.
Entry 4784
Knot an' tie it nine times, an' drive it ag'in in a hole. Bo' a hole [in a tree] an' hit off yuh. Aftah yuh git it roun' a person's wais' or somepin, somepin puhtainin' [pertaining] tuh 'is wais' or laig or somepin of dat kine [kind], git a piece of 'is clothes. (What will that do then?) Dat will kill yuh. (You mean, they take a piece of my clothing an' tie it in nine knots, and then put it in this hole in a tree. And then what will it do?) Den go dere an' hit it evah mawnin', once evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's. An' dat kill yuh.
Entry 4787
I have had de luck tuh see 'em brought back. If dat man leaves dat house an' he leaves any of 'is clothes dere, especially socks, undahweah or 'is top-shirt, or SOMPIN DAT REALLY HE OWNS, yuh kin cut a piece outa de seat of dose undahweahs, or a piece outa de tail of 'is shirt - anywhere roun' de privates, yuh see. Put it in a alcohol bottle an' stop it up, preserve it, an' hide it somewhere he cain't see it. Git it intuh dat lamp. An' dat man's comin' back dere, if yuh kin preserve 'im [preserve his piece of clothes]. Well, when he comes, yuh know what he's goin' tuh say? Yuh know what I heered a fellah say? An' ah seed de woman do dis. Ah know she done dis. I seed de woman when she done it. An' he come back, back dere on about de fo'th day, an' he walks up de steps he says tuh 'er, he says, "Hello, Honey." She says, "Lawd, where did yuh come from?" He sayed, "Ah come home tuh die." He say, "Looked lak ah'd git worried tuh death. Couldn't stay away no more." He say, "Ah'll nevah leave yuh no more long as ah live." He say, "Ah wanta stay here."
Entry 4798
Git some of 'er clothes. Git some of dey clothes an' carry 'um an' bury 'um tuh de steps, see, but chew have tuh git some of 'er undahclothes neah about dem, yo' know, de othah part. (Near her privates?) Yes sir. An' take it an' put it in yore pillah at chure bed, an' she'll come back home.
(But what do you put out under the doorstep? Any piece of her clothing?)
Any of 'er clothes by de do'. (But you have to put the underclothing at [in] your pillow.)
Entry 4803
If yuh got a woman an' yuh done lose - she done quit yuh an' yuh wanta git 'er back. Yuh git a dirty piece of hers of any kinda wear - her shimmy, drawers, or anythin' dat she got dirty. Yuh take dat piece an' yuh cut a hole in dat, an' yuh put dat in yore money case, an' she got'a keep up wit yuh de longest day she live. She'll nevah be wit'out chew. She'll always be wit chew.
Entry 4815
Dey says dat yuh could take - jis' lak me mahself, an' ah had two frien' mens [men friends] an' ah didn't wan' dem tuh connect tuhgethah, didn't want 'em tuh run tuhgethah, but [I] always be in de middle evah time dey meet. Ah could [take] mah ole man's shirttail an' 'is [other man's] shirttail, an' put it in a half a gallon of watah an' boil it down tuh a quart. An' take dat quart an' all dat shirt- tail, both uh dem shirttails, an' put it in ere an' bury it. An' dey say dem mens would run tuhgethah an' always be lovin', nevah would have a fallin'-out.
Entry 4821
Well, he cuts de seat out, out of 'er bloomahs.
(A man does that?)
De man cut de seat out her bloomahs. Den he takes an' put it in de bottom of 'is shoes an' wears it. Dat'll jis' tie her tuh 'im an' she can't git rid of 'im till she git dat thing out dat shoe. He wears it in de bottom of 'is shoe. [Sum- ter. S. Car. (1371), 2429:4.]
Entry 4825
[A string or thread from clothes, also called raveling, is rather rare. Usually the wearer prefers something more substantial. This raveling, not long enough to reach round the waist, would be too fragile and easily broken. A small piece can be worn in a bag or sewed into a garment frequently used.l Same thin' as dat, or yore ole lady or somepin, yuh know. Yuh don' wan' 'er tuh pay attention tuh no one [she] runnin' aroun'. Yuh take a string an' wear it aroun' yore wais', any of 'er clothes. Wear it aroun' yore wais'.
(Take a string from her clothes, did you say?)
From 'er clothes, any kin' of 'er clothin' - jis' a sock or some of 'er bloom- ahs or somepin dat she wear undah, yuh see. Take it an' wear it aroun' yore wais'.
(And she can't run around.)
Entry 4827
Dis is yore room [the rented room in which I was interviewingl: Well, if ah wus tuh pick up one of yore, YORE HAT [MY BLACK HAT ON INTERVIEWING TABLE], or a pair of yore socks or sompin, an' walk out wit it. Well all ah got'a do - now dis heah is true, yuh know. All yuh got'a do, yuh pull off yore undahweahs - yuh got'a use dem. Yuh ball dem things up. Well, jis' befo yuh go tuh bed yuh make yore watah on dese, on dat undahsuit. Yuh ball it tight, wrap it nine times. An' as yuh wrap it nine times, dat person dat chew have a idea dat stole dose goods, yuh call dere name, see. An' when yuh call dere name, yuh take an' lay dis in a cornah, [and] wit yore laigs [demonstrates].
(You lay it in a corner and stamp your feet on it.)
An' as yuh stomp - dat's all de stuff yuh got'a do. An' evah who did it, dey'll come an' bring it back - come an' tell yuh 'bout it.
(They will bring back whatever they took from me.)
Yes sir, evahwhere dey wus, down tuh - anything, dey comin' tuh tell yuh. Now, dere wus a man workin' wit mah husban' de othah day, an' he stole three paint brushes from Mr. Beasley, a man dat run a paint shop. Well, he carried it back, but he don't know how he carried it back. But he carried it back.
(You did this to him?)
[Informant I describe in note as small-time worker.]
He carried it back.
Entry 4828
Aftah dey steal dis piece from yuh, yuh turn roun' an' yuh git chew, if yuh got a piece of yore own clothes - mind yuh, if yuh got one piece of yore own clothes an' dey ain't stole dem all. Dat dey lef' jis' one piece dey didn't steal dough [though]. Well yuh git dat piece or dat sock. An' yuh take it an' yuh nail it de front of yore do'. An' aftah yuh nail it in de front of dat do' yuh take three little brass tacks an' yuh put it in dere but let de toe be comin' disaway. Well, aftah yo' let...
(Toward the house or away from the house?)
No, into de house.
(I see, into the house.)
So dat'll bring 'em back. But aftah yuh put tuh de do', nail 'em three brass tacks in dere an' aftah yuh nail 'em three brass tacks, say, "I nail dese tacks In de Name of de Fathah, an' de Son an' de Holy Ghost." An' dey bring 'em back.
(They'll bring back what they stole.)
Bring back what dey stole. Dey cain't keep 'em.
Entry 4833
(What about the socks now?)
De socks, de stockin's or piece of yore garments. Now, ah've seen dis real. Split de green pine with a chisel an' a glut, a chisel an' a glut. Dat is, de glut is a piece of wood wide enough dat chew could lay it straight up an' down lak dat. [A glut is a wedgeshaped piece of wood or steel.] Nail dat together [after you put a piece of clothes in the split and remove chisel].
(What do you put in that?)
[What do you put in that split before nailing it together?]
Now, ah don't know whut he put in it, but he put dat in de tree. We got [found] de tree.
(Put what in the tree?)
De sock, an' de woman's stockin's - jis' whosomevah dey workin' ag'in, an' a piece of dere undah garment close tuh yore skin. Yuh know, de arm-holes or de seat of dey drawahs, if it's a man; if it's woman, de seat of hers. Nail dat intuh de tree wit a ten-penny nail an' let it [split] grow up [together]. Dat runs yuh crazy an' make yuh sick.
Entry 4852
Jes' lak yuh in love wit a fellah an' yuh can't - yuh wan's 'im an' yuh can't git 'im lak yuh wan' 'im. All right, if yuh kin git a chance tuh wash fo' him, yuh take dose pieces dat he wear, his un- dah pieces an' all dat chew kin git tuh, an' put it tuh soak ovah night. Nex' mawnin' when yuh git up, yuh wash dem pieces out wit'out any soap. Rub 'em. git all dirt dat yuh kin out of dem. Den yuh take an' take de drainin's - turn it [pan or tub] on one side an' drain it [water] off. Take de drainin's of dat dirt come outa his clothes an' stop it up in a bottle. An' put it right undah de centah of yore bed undah de house - bury it dere. Turn it bottom upward, an' put it undah de centah, an' covah it up an' make yore wishes. Den he be comin' dere - he be yores. He come tuh be yores. From time tuh time he keep acomin'.
Entry 4859
I heard also that if you have something against a person and you want to harm the person, you take some of their clothes and throw it in the river and it will run the person crazy. [Snow Hill, Md., (85, a school teacher from near Richmond, Va.), 1:4,5.]
Entry 4860
Den anothah one tole me tuh git a garment of yo's, whut chew weah nex' tuh yo's. Tie it up an' put it in some runnin' watah an' carry it on away from dere. Yo' nevah will have no trouble wit dat person no mo' - run 'em out. Jis' lak someone roun' yore home givin' yo' some trouble wit chure home or somepin lak dat. Why if yo' do dat tuh dat fellah, dat would run 'im away from dere.
Entry 4864
Dey kin mess yuh up on dat. Dey take dat chew know at times, take yore undahpiece dat's been worn an' carry it tuh a lake or tuh a creek where dere's runnin' watah. An' den, if it's a straight pieceorifit'satwc piece, yo' know lak undahweah, an' yuh tie it on tuh a block [of wood]. An' den yuh put nine needles on dat same block an' nine pins. Let dem be goldeye nee- dles. An' turn dat ovahbo'd an' yuh got 'em dere.
(What will that do?)
Well, dat eat [it]. Dat's drivin' de person away.
Entry 4866
Yuh take a piece of yuh garment dat choo weah nex' tuh yuh skin, an' go tuh a runnin' stream of watah, an' wade in dere up tuh yuh knee, an' take dis piece of garment an' tie it tuh.one dem roots down in de watah, where it will stay undahneat', yuh know. Dat'll drive yuh away from home.
Entry 4867
Dey tell me dat if yuh wanta drive a person away wit dey own clothes, dat yuh kin take an' care it tuh a runnin' stream. An' take a stave an' stob
[or stahb] it up through de [mud]
an' let it stay down on de mud at de bottom wheresomevah dat it hit. An' whensomevah dat it stay dere an' rot, an' keep afraging away, dat dey will jis' be walkin' - driftin' de balance of yuh days.
(They drive that down into the mud with the stave.)
Entry 4868
Well, if she wanta git 'im back, yuh see. Anyway, she gits some of 'is - gits 'is shoe sole or some of 'is undahweah, pants he weah nex' tuh 'is skin. An' git dat. Why den, she take an' jis' make a little, little ball, put a little piece enough tuh stick in a bottle. Jis' a little ball about dat much [demonstrates], jis' a little piece yuh undahstan'. Now, take yuh some thread, black silk thread, fine, an' turn de thread pieces all de time tuh yuh [demonstrates]. Yuh see, wrap aroun' de thread, dat thread tuh yuh - all de time so it is coming yore way. Go tuh a stream of watah an' let de watah be comin' yore way. See, yuh meet dis - see, yuh meet dere. Lak yuh comin' disaway [demonstrates] an' de stream come from disaway tuh meet [you], an' yuh throw de bottle an' it will come back tuh yuh. [If you throw the bottle upstream, it wil] come floating downstream to meet you.]
Entry 5054
Tuh stay on dere ain't but one thing yuh could do an' dat is tuh git, jis' - well, yuh could jis' say a piece of dere ole sock or jis' any of dey clothes or anything lak dat. An' take it an' take an' jis' dip it in some turpen- tine. An' wrap it in a piece of cloth an' jis' tie it right roun' yore right arm. An' wear it dere fo' about fo' days or eithah six. Dey cain't do a thing-a wit chew. Dey couldn't move yuh. (If you were trying to move me out, I would get your sock and do that, so that you couldn't harm me then. If I did that, that would keep you from harming me any way - any kind of way at all?) Yessuh.
Entry 5950
Well, if a woman wants a man tuh go crazy 'bout 'er she'll take dat hair an' she'll sew it in dat newhome- spun an' slip it in de hem of 'er underskirt, dose bottom pieces yo' know, an' wear it in dere. Well, de man will cling to dat woman lak dat.
Entry 5987
Yo' clip de fingahnails - all yore fingahnails. Git nine stran's of hair out de top of yore haid, if he's gone, an' call 'is name an' say, "Ah'm tyin' yo' up an' yo'll evah be tied until yo' come back home tuh me." Tie dem up, an' if yo got any piece of 'is clothes at all, wrap it up in 'is clothes an' bury dat at de foot of yore steps.
Entry 6174
(What do they say about that?)
Well, yo' take Hearts Cologne lak ah tole yo', lak dey git it an' dress it fo' to keep yo'. Well, yo' git 9 pins, bran'-new pins what have nevah been used, an' yo' git Hearts Cologne. An' when yo' buy dat bottle of cologne, yo' take de stoppah out - yo' see, cuz dat stoppah been used. An' yo' buy a new stoppah, cork stoppah, an' yo' stick 9 pins in dat cork stoppah. Undahstan? An' put it right down in dat Hearts Cologne. Now, lak dere's some man ah want. I will try to git a piece off 'is clothes, anythin' an' put it in dere, yo' undahstan', fo' 9 days. Well, aftah I gits it in dere, whatsomevah ah want - den ah try to git a piece of 'is hair, an' some of 'is fingahnails an' toenails. If ah can't cut 'em, ah'll jes' take a little file here an' make out ah'm jes' playin' wit 'is han', an' file it off at de same time an' gittin' it in mah han'. Undahstan'? An' if ah kin git a piece of hair from undah his arm, yo' undahstan', an' git a piece of hair from de lowah Part, an' put it all in dere, an' 'tis nuthin atall he kin do unless ah command 'in to do it.
(I see.)
Entry 6324
Dere's three thin's dat yuh could use of dis person dat would cause 'a tuh do dat. Yuh could use his track or 'is hair or any part of 'is clothes dere's any sweat in, an' put it dere, an' 'is mind will jis' begin waverin', an' he won't go crazy nor it won' kill 'im. Yuh wrap it up in a piece of silk cloth a' take it down tuh de runnin' watah an' anchor it dere so it could move about en de watah's runnin'. [For anchoring hair in running water, see elsewhere f text.]
Entry 6365
Dey take yore hair, a stran' of yore hair, an' dey cut it an' put a li'le piece of it on 'em an' dey wear it roun' below... A piece of yore hair an' put a piece of dere garment an' wear it down below dere stomach. Yes - an' then - that makin' love. (They put a piece of any kind of gar- ment?) Yes a piece of 'er garment - de seat of 'er bloomers, yessuh. Yes - dat make a man love 'em.
Entry 6620
Yo' git a snake bone an' take de shoes - yo' git de snake bone an' yo' take a person's shoe an' take dat li'le leathah piece outa it whut's in dere. An' yo' take dat li'le bone an' dry it up - yo' know, kinda make li'le powdah of it. An' yo' take de othah part, de tip-end of it, dat sharp part, an' put it down intuh de shoe an' place dat li'le cloth back ovah it. Yo' take dat powdahs an' sprinkle dat all roun' in dere. If it's yore shoe, if ah wanta kill yo' or put sompin in yo', put snakes in yo' where dey won' come out. Well, yo' see when yo' put dat shoe on, yo' goin' press yore weight ag'inst it; an' when yo' does, see, it pops up intuh yo', intuh yore heel. Well, yo' see, dat poison jis' goes right straight on up in yo'. An' aftah dat poison git up intuh yo', in about de ninth day it begin tuh make li'le snakes in yo'. It begin tuh make li'le snakes in yo'. Well, if yo' wanta git dose snakes outa yo', yo' git chew some sulphuh an' green peppah, black peppah an' mix it all tuhgethah. An' den yo' git chew dis milk of magnesia an' den yo' put dat in wit it an' mix it tuhgethah, an' jis' nine drops of spirits of turpentine. Yo' mix it all up tuhgethah an' yo' take dat fo' about eight days an' it will kill dose snakes. An' yo' go tuh de woods an' dere's one li'le sprig of stuff dat dey call dat Copras it bears one of de straight leaves an' de li'le j'ints [joints]. Dey got about four li'le white j'ints run up tuhgethah. [Does informant mean copperas, and does he think it is a plant?] Yo' take dat an' weah dat intuh yore clothes, an' dey say dat will really, surely run de snakes outa yo'. Put it all tuhgethah an' it will run dose snakes out of yo'. (You just wear this root though, you don't take either of those things - just wear it?) Yes.
(And that snakebone, can you get that any place about the snake?)
Yes, yo' kin git it from de snake, jis' any part of 'is body, jis' so it has dat li'le sharp end kind lak a pin.
Entry 6719
Take cedah leaves an' burn dem an' git de odor in 'mongst yore clothes, an' dat will keep yo' from ketchin' any kinda germs. Lak yo' goin' in some places dat way an' burn cedah, an' git de odah [odor] in yore clothes, dat keeps yo' from ketchin' germs.
Entry 6747
If someone is tryin' to harm yo', yo' take yore undahsuit an' turn it grongside out an' yo' weah it [that way]. An' yo' take some parsley, an' put it in each shoe. An' dey can't harm yo'.
Entry 6876
If a woman is in fo' a labor, if she has somepin of 'is about 'er, a sock, hat or somepin lak dat - she has somepin about 'er, why dat'll cause 'im tuh have some of de pains, too. (Where would she keep this thing about her? Where would she keep it?) Jis' have it somewhere about 'er, maybe jis' always anywheres on 'er.
Entry 6881
A horse is tied wit a rope an' she pass ovah de rope. She's crossed. An' if anyone have any of 'er pieces dat she had befo' she got dat way, yo' see, dey kin tie nine knots in dat piece an' hang it up in a place - not tuh burn in de chimley, not tuh burn; only tuh smoke, yo' see, dataway. De child have tuh be taken from 'er by a physicianah.
(I see.)
Entry 7065
Take fer a' instan' now. Yo' got a wife an' she wan'a go out - choo leor, tuh be wit anothah man, or go out somewhere. She don' wan' choo tuh wake up befo' she come [back]. Yo' layin' down dere asleep. She'll jis' take one of 'er [under] pieces of 'er drawahs, or somepin right nex' tuh uhself, yuh know, an' take it an' spread it ovah yuh face right while yuh asleep. An' yo'll jis lay right dere an' sleep an' dream, an' yo' wouldn't wake up fer de devil, until she come an' take dat thin' from ovah dere. She kin go on off an' stay long as she Want. BUT YO' MUST BE ASLEEP BEFO' SHE PUT IT OVAH DERE. [RichmOnd, Va.,
(343), 383:1 0r 286:1+86.]
Entry 7078
Why yo' would take yore bloomahs or eithah yore shimmy an' yo' would put dat on yore husban's face - put it ovah 'is head. Den yo' would back out de do' an' as yo' back out, yo' would repeat, "Stay sound asleep," fo' nine times backin' out.
Entry 7080
Or eithah yore dirty bloomahs an' hang 'em ovah de haid of de baid right ovah 'is haid. An' fan it nine times dataway ovah 'is face while he's sleep an' make a wish, fo' nine times. Make a wish fo' nine times dat he stays asleep. An' den hang 'em up ovah de haid of de baid right ovah 'is haid. An' he won' vake up. Yo' kin go all ovah town an' come back, an' he be sleepin' sound.
Entry 7104
Ah've been heah evah since de llth of Septembah anl ah declare dat's all dey do do's. Take yore step-ins or yore bloomahs an' put undah de pillah or spread it ovah dere face, an' dey'll nevah wake up until de nex' mawnin'.
(You put it either over the man's face or under his pillow, one or the other.)
Entry 7378
Yo' kin take dat man's, some of 'is garment whut he wear nex' to his skin, an' take an' dress it wit Hearts Cologne an' carry it back where dis man got killed, an' spread it out an' let de sun shine on it, an' it won't [be] but sev'ral days fo' he show up.
(The man that killed him?)
Yes sir, de man dat kill 'im show up.
Entry 7379
If yo' take a man's clothes an' yo' bury his clothes, well it's like yo' bury 'im. Bundle his clothes up an' bury his clothes. Well de person dat did it, he can't keep it - he can't git off, he'll have tuh give up. (You mean if they take the clothes off the dead man, you bury them separately from the body?) Yes sir.
Entry 7383
Wal, dey say if a man kill a man an' yo' wanta git 'im, all yo' have to do, git 'is - some pieces of 'is clothes. Git a piece of clothes an' put some salt and vinegar ovah it, an' he come an' give up hisself to yo'. Yo' say, "What yo' want?" He say, "Wal, ah jes' like to come to see yo'." Sompin lak dat an' make a argue [argument]. Dat's de man.
(I see. You take the dead man's clothes and put the stuff on it.)
Yeh.
Entry 7387
Yo' [he] could kill a man an' he [murderer] goes away. Well, yo' take dat man's [killer's] name or take some of 'is clothes. Yo' take his clothes. Yo' take his clothes, de man's - if yo' can get some of de man's [killer's] clothes or something of de man's, de man dat's gone. Yo' take dat an' yo' put on de man dat he killed. Or, eithah, if yo' don't do dat, yo' take two hen egg8 an' put 'em in 'is han's an' turn 'im flat on 'is belly, an' fo' nine days when dem eggs bust, de man'll come in - he'll come an' give up. (And you say the other way of doing it is to get some clothes from the fellow who ran away.) Yeah, takes 'is clothes - take some of 'is clothes an' bury 'em wit dat [dead] man.
Entry 7404
Yo' kin take some of 'is clothes, de dead [murdered] person clothes, an' put dat on 'im [friend or relative of corpse], an' when he buried, it'll come tuh yo' [friend or relative] in a dream, who did it.
Entry 7498
Dey says if yo' kin git dis man track, yo' kin bring 'im back. If yo' can't git 'is track, take anythin' belongin' to dis man an' anythin' lak dat. (The man that did the killing?) Yes sir, an' he gone. But, jes' lak yo' kin take de bow off 'is hat. If yo' kin git any hat or anythin' dat belongs to de man, yo' take dat an' wheah dis crime is committed an' wit graveyard dirt, yo' bury it dere.
(You bury it where?)
At de graveyard. [No], yo' git de graveyard dirt an' yo' bury it wheah dis crime is committed, yo' know wheah he did de killin', an' he'll have to come back; if not, to dat house, he'll come back in dat neighborhood.
(Out of what graveyard do you get that dirt?)
Yo' git it out from on top of a wicked grave, a person dat chew know died wicked. Yo' go an' git 'is dirt.
Entry 7499
If you git his [the murderer's] dirty clothes, you kin take his dirty clothes an' yo' kin carry 'em to de cemetery an' yo' bury dem clothes.
Entry 7590
Git dat dirt - go tuh de graveyard. Well, yuh takes a new grave, kinda new, about say a week old. An' dey goes - goes down tuh de haidbo'd, de haidbo'd of de grave, an' dey get dat dirt. Well, dey gits some of yore hair an' some of yore gar- ments [3 ingredients] an' dey take dat an' put it where yuh have tuh walk over it. An' by changin' - do's dat, do it jis' befo' de moon change. When de moon changes, de spell be comin' on yuh. Well, den it come tuh gittin' wuse [worse] an' wuse, an' yuh'll git so cain't no- body do anythin' wit chew an' yuh jis go crazy - die off from it.
Entry 7705
If yo' wanta hurt anybody, yo' kin go tuh de graveyard an' call de person name. An' carry a piece of [his] ole clothes, leave dat dere, an' bring [a small piece] eidah [either] de haidboard or de footboard; an' yo' kin go tuh a person house an' put it right undahneat' 'is pillah, [but] undahneat' de baid. An' he'll go tuh sleep dat night an' he'll take a pain an' he wouldn't nevah be no good tuh hisself. He wouldn't fin' out until he die. Somebody goin', but she'll nevah let 'im, unless yo' wanta turn 'im loose. Den yo' kin go an' tum 'im loose if yo' don't wanta harm 'im. (How do you mean put that footboard under the pillow. Wouldn't they feel it under there?)
[Actually only a splinter from the board is used.]
No, sir, dey ain't goin' feel it. Dey ain't goin' have sense enough tuh feel it. [This rite is unusual. The man's old clothes has contact with the grave- yard dirt, and the graveyard board splinter is taken to the house as a substi- tute for the dirt.]
Entry 7840
Dey kin put some graveyard dirt in de end [hem] of yuh dress an' sew it up, an' dat'll run yuh crazy, make de spirits follah yuh, see. Dey'll be aftah de dirt, choo see, an' dey'll go dere [to your house] an' git it, 股 choo see. Jis' lak yogo dere [to the graveyard] an' git it, git it off a sinnahman's grave. Yo' put de money down, put two cents in at hole where yo' git de dirt from. Yo' say, "Well, ah mean fer yo' [spirit] tuh run sich-an'-sich-a-one crazy an' keep 'em worried until yo' [victim] come ohere ah'm at [come as a corpse to the graveyard]." Well, dat'll keep 'em wor- ried, choo see, until dey die.
Entry 7938
Take any yore clothes, yore dirty clothes an' put down in dat coffin an' bury it, or ei- thah bury it undah yore steps. An' when yo' cross dat, dat where yo' dies at.
Entry 7944
I heard of 'em usin' clothin' from a dead person an' makin' a tea of it. Yo' take a dead person's clothes, somethin'. Prob'ly yo' might die or I might die an' dey'd git some of my undahclothes, make a tea of 'em. Well, yo' git - dere's a root in de woods dat's called Adam-an'-Eve. Yo' take dat Adam-an'-Eve an' boil dat intuh it. Yo' git choo a li'le of dis aloes an' put dat intuh it, but not enough tuh make it bottah so's [so as?] yo'd notice it or enythin'. An' give a person a dose of dat tea an' he'll lingah an' lingah, an' 'taint long 'fo' he'll pine away lak he got TB, goin' on away from heah. He'll be a long time goin' but he's goin' away from heah, jis' come down tuh a [skeleton?]. Think yo' got TB, de doctors Work on yo' fo' TB.
Entry 7945
If you can get any part of the coffin or the garments in which a per- son is buried and fix it to a person, in their pockets or inside somewhere where it will not be seen or noticed, this person to whom this thing is attached will himself die in eighteen months.
Entry 7949
If dey are away a distance an' yo' want 'em back, yo' use de needle dat de first shroud wus made wit, if yo' kin git it or if yo' have it. De first shroud. An' yo' put dat through a piece of clothes or anything three times, jis' right through de same hole three times, an' send dis article tuh dat person. An' when dey git dis, dey are comin' back if dey have tuh swim. Anywhere dey kin git de money tuh come, dey are comin'.
(Whose clothes do you put that through?)
Anything dat yo' send tuh dis person; gartah, socks...
(The first shroud, what do you mean by that?)
If yo' have a needle de shroud wus made wit, de firs' shroud wus made wit - a needle.
(Whose first shroud?)
Anybody's, jis' long as it de needle dat de firs' one wus made of. [Find a needle used only once and that once to make a shroud. Did some under- takers or drug stores sell such needles?]
Entry 7950
Take nine needles an' stick 'em through a dead person, an' bring 'em back an' stick 'em through yuh clothes. Well, yo's [you is] passin' away, 'cuz dem needles, yo' put dem [through a dead person's clothes], carry dem needles back an' stick 'em down [again] in dem dead person's cloths [and leave them there]. An' yo'll jis' pass on away. (Well, now give me an example in a story. Give me a parable, tell me how it is done. Well now, suppose I wanted to get rid of you. Tell me like that.) Well, jis' lak now yo' wanta git rid of me. Well, yo' take dem nine needles zn'yo' carry dem nine needles an' yo' stick 'em all through mah clothes. Well yo' take de clothes whut ah wear an' yo' carry 'em on back an' put 'em down dirough dem dead person's clothes. Well yo' take dem needles now den, an' yo' dng 'em back an' nail all dem needles down undah mah do'step. An' de more dey Mlt away, de more yo' molt away.
(If I wanted to kill you, I would stick these needles in your clothing first?)
Yassuh.
(Then I would stick these needles in the dead person's clothing?)
Yessir.
(Then I would bring them back and put them under your....)
Doorstep.
(I would stick those needles in the dead person's clothing first, would I?)
Yassuh, yo' jis' slip 'em, gotta slip 'em through dere, nine needles, goldeye.
Entry 7954
I've heard them say that they can take coffin nails and then take an individual's, some parts of his clothes, and go way out in the forest somewhere where the sun shines on a tree and nail that, use those nails in driving, and maybe some un- derwear or coat or something or a part of a coat, on that tree and fix it so it can't fall off. And as long as it stays there, on every change of the moon the individual will weaken down, and then finally he gits so he can't have any activity of his limbs atall.
Entry 8017
Take de frog an' put 'im in a box, an' take a piece of yore clothes an' put in dis box wit it, de clothes dat's nex' tuh yuh.
(Put his frog in the box and put some of my old clothing in it?)
Yes, put some of yuh ole undahclothes pieces, yo' know dat chew have worn, in de box wit dis frog. An' wrap 'im up airtight an' put 'im somewhere where no air kin git tuh 'im, an' yo'll pine away. (If I wanted to fix you, I would put some of your clothing with this frog?) Uh-huh, some of yuh clothes [not informant's!], an' fix it so de air cain't git tuh it.
Entry 8196
If a person is away an' yo' wan' 'em back, yo' could take a photograph, no mattah whethah it's tin or pastebo'd. No mattah if it tin or papah, dey kin take dat an' put it on top of de dressah, what choo call de bu- reau. Git ready, yo' take dat. Take a pichure, male or female, an' yo' could take dat an' wrap it up. If a woman wan' tuh bring 'im back, take a piece of 'er clothes an' weah it nex tuh him. [Informant has right idea but may have had a drink.] An' he wrap dat pichure up an' turn it on de haid an' rip dat piece, yo' know whut ah mean, be- hind de glass [of the mirror] an' put it dere lak dat [demonstrates]. Ah don' [care] whäh he is, aftah nine days he'll come, or twelve days, soon as he kin git dere.
Entry 8955
Lak if yo' got a co't case an' in de mawnin' when dat individual [you] git up, leave de house be upsetted, leave de chamber lye stay in de house an' de clothes whut dey have on. First dey take a bath. An' yo' git honeysuckle an' bay rum an' den yo' make yo' a bath wit dat. An' yo' take dat bath when yo' fixin' tuh go tuh meet de co't. An' yo' put on clean clothes. An' de ole clothes whut chew put off, yo' nail a nail up at de do' whut chew goin' out, an' yo' turn yore underwears wrongside out an' yo' hang 'em up upside down. An' yo' hang yore pantses up upside down, an' yo' turn yore shoes upside down. An' as yo' go out de do', make yore wish an' don' look back. But leaves de house dere - upset de house as much as yo' kin. Yo' wins dat [case]. Ah have win.
Entry 9785
She kin take two needles an' break it half in two - make foah pieces - an' stick it anywheres in his coat w'ure he cain't see 'em, an' dat'll make him stay wit her. He can't leave huh.
Entry 9828
Yo' take de needles an' yo' git chew nine new needles an' yo' take yore bag, a li'l piece outa red flannen [flannel]. An' yo' take dis red flannen an' sew it jis' lak a li'l bag. Well, anythin' of 'is soiled clothes, whut he sweats, somepin nex' tuh 'is flesh. Well, yo' put dat in dis bag. An' now yo' take dose nine needles. Turn all de p'ints tuhgethah. Well, it's lak if ah know yo' room heah [in the home where I was interviewing]. Well, ah'll come roun' an' put dis heah anywhere inside. If dis is yore room, ah come an' put it in yore room, undah de room - yo' know, bury it. [In the South small lowland houses are built off the ground.] Well, [as] long as yo' stay dere - well, yo' not goin' stay dere much longah becuz, yo' know, when dose needles begin - yo' know, any needles dat's in de groun' where it's kinda wet, it's goin' tuh soon rust. Well, when dey rust, yo' gonna git gone.
Entry 9894
If yo' have someone dat yo' desire dere affection an' dere love, dey say now yo' could ketch a bullfrog an' put 'im intuh a box where he's confined and put holes. Set dis box where ants kin eat 'im up. Aftah dey eat 'im, dere's a bone in 'im. Yo' take dis box up an' look in dere [among the bones]. Dere's a bone-lak, lak a "T". Yo' take dis bone an' go tuh dis person an' put it somewhere in de lining, somewhere in dere clothes where dey won' know it, an' let dem weah it nine days in dere clothes. Aftah dat yo' take it an' keep it, an' as long as dey live, yo' can't git rid of 'em. Don't care whut chew do or how mean yo' be or how cross yo' be tuh 'em, as long as yo' keep dis "T" dere, yo'll nevah git rid of 'em in de world.
Entry 9898
Tuh make dem have a tendency tuh love anyone - yo' know, gain de in- fluence of anyone yo' wanta love - yo' gits a grown live frog. Let 'im be well- grown, healthy. An' gits yo' a pastebo'd box an' a darnin' needle an' thread. An' take yo' a pair of scissors an' cut a deep hole in dis box, an' yo' put dis live frog in dis box, but let it be at de twilight of de night. An' take yore scissahs an' cut holes in dis box. An' den take dis needle an' thing an' sew up dis box. An' take it an' don' say nuthin tuh nobody. Yo' take it an' go tuh a ants nest an' den yo' put it right in de ants nest. An' den aftah seven days yo' go back tuh de frog an' den de frog will be a skeleton. An' den it's two pieces about de skeleton yo' want. One look lak a fish scale an' one look lak a fishhook. An' yo' git dem two pieces an' yo' keep de fish scale. An' den yo' take de fishhook an' jes' lak if yo' wanta - intend tuh love anyone, yo' pin it anywhere on 'em fo' about thirty seconds, an' yo' tote it den. An' 'long as yo' keep dat fish scale yo'll have dem undah con- trol an' do anything yo' want 'em tuh do.
(What do you do with that fishhook?)
Yo' take that fishhook an' put it on his shirt or anybody dress or anything. Yo' know, hook it roun' dere. Yo' leave it dere fo' thirty seconds.
(Then what do you do with it?)
If yo' wanta yo' kin take it off.
Entry 9912
Dat is tuh have yuh husban' undah yore feet, treat 'im lak yo' wanta an' yo' kin do as yo' please. Catch dat frog or yo' kin kill 'im alive an' take dat bone out. (What kind of bone?) De laig bone. Yo' takes one of dat left laig. Yo' skin 'in an' yo' take dat backbone an' dey gen'ly [generally] keeps it in watah. We got a case of dat by us right now. Keeps it in watah in a quart preserve jah. An' each in dere wash, gits dat an' wash 'er husband's clothes in it. If it's nothin but a undahshirt an' he wants a clean undahshirt, she does dat. An' dat po' fellah is jis' a footstool.
Entry 9935
Git de toadfrog. Yo' take him an' kill 'im an' aftah yo' kill 'im, plug 'is eyes out an' leave it dry an' makin' a powdah wit it. Yo' throw dat in de person's stockin's or in dey undahweah or anywheah [in clothing] an' in a length of time it'll go in de po's [pores] dat-a-way, an' it'll create one de baddest so [sores] an' ah don' care whut de phi-si-ci-an will give yo', he ain't goin' tuh stop it. It'll become tuh be kinda lak a cancah.
(Just a bad sore?)
Yes.
Entry 10678
Yo' got a girl friend an' yo' like her. Yo' tie nine knots in a string an' pin it in her back [on her clothes in back] while yo' lovin' her. Pin it in de back. Tie nine knots in it an' pin it in her back while yo' lovin' her, be huggin' an' kissin' her.
(What will that do?)
That will make her love yo'.
(You yourself take the string?)
Yes sir, tie nine knots in it an' pin it in de back like yo' got chure arm around her. (You have to pin it on her back clothing, and that's to make her love you. How do you mean make her love you?) Well, that makes happiness wit yo' an' her. [For woman to tie a silver dol- lar into a man's shirttail while he is loving her, compare, p., v.]
Entry 10730
If a man an' a woman, yo' know whut ah mean, a woman an' a man in dat kind of a line. Well, yo' kin take dat an' bury it. See, jis' lak if ah jis' pulled off mah underclothes, it's gotta be somepin dat's on dose clothes so's [so as] yo' kin do anythin' lak dat. Yo' understan' whut ah mean. See, jis' lak if a woman's ministratin', it's gotta have some of dat stain on dere. See. An' dey buries dat, jis' bury it anywhere, see. An' den when dose clothes begin tuh rot well, she begin tuh linger, sick fo' a long time. An' as dose clothes be rotten, she be lingerin' sick, yo' see. An' when dose clothes finish rotten aw [a why], den dat kills her right dere.
Entry 10775
(Ever hear of using a broom?)
You can take a broom, like if you got - there's a person you dislike. You take a broom and after you sweep with the broom, take the corner and the wall where that person sleep. See, where that person sleep, you take that broom, see, like that's your bed [points to bed in hotel room where I was interviewing]. And take that broom, just make it a habitual habit being unnoticed to me. Just set it up behind my bed, but in that broom you fasten my name. Write my name on a piece of paper, white paper, and put it down in that broom well, and fasten it so it won't come out easily.
(You put it down in the broom.)
In the broom.
(In the brush part.)
In the brush part of the broom, where it stay in there a long time, where it won't come out. And I'll betcha I won't be contented and I can't keep no clothes to save my life.
[I turn off machine but he says something about being upset.]
(Keeps you upset?)
Certainly, and I can't keep no clothes to save my life. And unless you get somebody [hoodoo doctor] to work on it, find out from somebody, go to somebody that I know, and [ask her] if she know what that [is] the person have; and they tell you something, well it'll keep you upsetted and without clothes as long as you live, unless that's taken out of there.
(You say, you put that broom behind the bed?)
Behind the bed.
(You put it up there with the brush part down?)
With the brush part up.
(Oh, the brush part up.)
The handle down but the brush part up.
(Oh, I see. Well, why did you do that?)
Well, because if you put it down, you're not against the person, see. If you put it up, you against 'eni - you against a person, see. See, if the brush part of the broom is up, that's against a person if it's behind the bed. If it's down, you don't have no hypnotic powers nowheres, nothing seems to work against him by having the broom down. You wants it against a person with the broom up where the sun goes acrost it each day. Every time the sun go across it, the sun crosses over that broom. If you has it down, well, it don't happen like that, you see.
Entry 10848
To make 'em leave, if somebody is heah dat chew wanta git rid of 'em. Well, if yo've got anything with any of yore clothes or anything, if ah kin git a buzzard or anything an' kill him an' git some of his grease. Lakif yore clothes is hangin' up dere [points to something] ah'll take an' run some of de grease maybe in yore clothes. Rub it under de arms of yore clothes or somewhere near, round in heah [demonstrates]. Yo' couldn't tell it wuz on dere.
(What will that do?)
Yo' will leave home.
Entry 10911
Dog manure an' dog hair - see, dey gotta git dat dog an' cat tuh fightin'; see, if yo' Wanta separate a man an' a woman. See, yo' git - lak mah, ah have two little white dogs now. Well, yo' git a cat an' git dem tuh fightin' an' clip de hair right quick while dey both mad. Yo' put dat tuhgethah, dat cat hair 'de dog hair, an' dog manure an' cat manure, an' rat manure. Well, yo' ba de three things don' git along, don't chew? Yo' know de cat hates de rat 'de dog hates de cat. So yo' throw dat in dere. It really separate any man wife an' it will make 'em move. Throw it in de room, jis' lak ah come in ah. Fo' instance, ah wanta have sompin in mah han'. Ah could be sittin' heah 'd coald be jis' sprinklin' it aroun'. [I replaced the original four-letter odd by amure.]
Entry 11065
Yo' livin' in de house an' yo' an' her can't git 'long, well, yo' fool roun' in her room till yo' git hold of a piece of her linen - jes' any piece of her linen. Well, yo' take dat piece of her linen an' yo' take it an' tack it undah yore linen - a piece of her linen undah yore linen - an' wear it right between where yo' [tool] will rub into her linen. An' 'stead of she be hatin' yo', she'll come tuh like yo'.
Entry 11298
Certain kind of things about de bristle of a dog. Git de bristle of a dog, nine strands [hairs] of it. An' yo' git dat bristle an' yo' know, yo' kin take it an' wrap it up. Ball de clothes up in it an' he be mad all de time. No satis- faction no way atall. Mad all de time an' den he'll jest naturally go crazy.
(You just get these bristles from the dog.)
People say dey know dat shore to be done.
Entry 11388
Take a file an' place it undah yore [their] do'step, dat cause 'em tuh move. Git a piece of dere clothes, yo' know, a piece of cloth in dey garment. Prob'ly a person when dey washin' or sompin lak dat, not knowin' dat yo' have anything against 'em, cut a piece of dere garment off an' use it. Bury it undah yore [their] steps. Yo' have to do it at night quite natural.
(Whose steps do you bury it under?)
Undah dere steps. (If I wanted to harm you, I would get a piece of your garment and bury it under your step?) Yes.
Entry 11751
They kin take some graveyard dirt and people's hair and some of their clothes, and they would soaken it in vinegar and turpentine and wrap it up tight in some kind of jar, and put it underneath of the people's [victim's] steps that they may walk over it. It would cause an infection or transaction between the two. The person would git in contact with the person with whom he want to git to. That would bring the one whom that they wanted to them. [The person who walks over the bottle will find and visit the person who prepared the bottle.]
Entry 12232
Git you White John de Conkah root - piece of white - piece of white root and it's hard. [Only time I ever heard of white!] You take a knife or hatchet or somepin and cut it. And you put it in your mouth and whilst you goin' round to dose person where you wants a job, you talk to 'um, but you kinda spit real fine and let it get on dere clothes.
(Spit?)
Yes.
[I turn off recording machine but soon restart it.]
(To help you with this, to get that job, you get some lodestone.)
Get some lodestone. You get dat lodestone and put it in de red flannel and you ties it up with a ten cent piece [a silver dime] and needle point. When [then] you wear dat in de pocket separate from anything where no tobacco or noth- in' kin git with it, if you have to make you a little pocket [bag] you just wear it with dat, and you - de person you go to 'em and talk to 'em with dat, why you'll finally draw dere attention and you'll get de job.
Entry 12281
Yo' kin during so many days tie knots in a string an' dey say dere a way of dressing dat. Git chure clothes an' put [knots] in dat an' bury it. When dem 9 days out yo'll be a corpse. (How would you dress those strings, those knots?) Dey dress with whut chew call - it's a root dey call a ~uampole root." It grows lak a great big white onion...
[I turned off machine and turned it on again.]
(It's a bitter weed, you say.)
[Is informant talking about wild onion?]
Yes sir, a hog loves it, de bitterest in de world. He scream when eatin' it. [This screaming sounds like folklore.] An' if yo' bite it an' swallow dat, it Will tie yo' up inside an' kill yo'. [Is this based upon pigs hunting for truf- fles, the pig being hit on the nose when he finds one (the cause of the squeal) so that he does not eat it?]
(Constipate you?)
Yo' kin bite it but don't swallow it.
(That's warpole root?)
Yes, wampole root. Dey takes dat string an' de salt[?] outa wampole root until dat thing git wet through an' through an' put dem knots in it. It will tie yo' up jes' lak...
(That is to tie your bowels up?)
Yes sir. Yo' heard of people wit locked bowels from dat. (What do they do with this string first? Do they have to get it out of your clothing or something?) Dey git chure clothing an' wrap dat string wit it. (Oh, you wrap that string around your piece of clothing.)
Entry 12283
I've heard that they take a string, one that you've worn, and take it and get hold of it, and tie a knot in it and name the knot, and ever knot is named, and they tie so many knots in that string; and then they take those knots and put them down where the individual has to walk over them. And after he's walked over 'em as many times as there are knots in that string, then that individual will become confused in his busi- ness affairs and also in any kind of work that he has to do, and he gits so he can't do it.
Entry 12407
If yo' take mat- ches an' take an' cut de haids of 'em off, an' put 'em in your husban's clothes, say dat will make him love yo'. Jes' cut de haids of de matches off an' 'solve [dissolve] 'em yo' see, an' take de watah off of dem an' cook his food with it. That will make him love yo'.
(Well, how do you mean make him love you?)
Jes' take, lak if he didn't ca' fo' terbacca [tobacco] wus runnin' roun' an' wouldn't stay home, den yo' could take dose matches an' take de sulphur out of 'em an' make him stay home.
Entry 12420
If she got any of his clothes, jes' lak if she got any of his under- weah - if she haven't got any of his own clothes dat she kin use, if she kin git in any place where he has slept. See, jes' lak if he has slept in dat bed, she kin cut a piece of dat mattress. Jes' cut a hole in dat mattress, undahstan', an' git a piece of de cotton, or anything dat goes, yo' know, undah where he has slept. Yo' see, his scent is still dere, undahstan'. Put it in de bottle an' git chew some dis heah 'bernekay. It sompin lak de peoples drink, sometimes fo' gittin' drunk off of it. It's a varnekay wafah [wafer], an' yo' puts it heah with this heah cloth, umdahstan' eithah with de cotton, whichevah one yo' use, an' stop it up in dis bottle, an' puts it in de closet dere. An' within nine days, eithah he or she vill return.
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 12498
Nation sack is a private purse worn by some women - always con- cealed and untouchable by other hands - in which hands, mojohs, keepsakes and all sorts of treasures are carried. Both fol- lowing accounts came from resume's of another in- formants material before all her cylinders were lost - these original pencil copies attached: (l) "Take garlic and piece about a person (fragment from clothing of person you want to hold) and your urinate, keep it wet (keeping this cloth wet with own urine is called feeding it), keep in nation sack or pocketbook." (2) "Sulphur, red pep- per, put together and sugar and wear it in nation sack, can't do yo' no harm."
Entry 12693
(What are you sup- posed to do with those? A sturgeon?) A porpoise. (Oh a porpoise!) [On the American Atlantic coast probably the bottle- nosed dolphin.] I know what you kin do about some of his filth. You kin take his filth and dry it.
(Of the porpoise?)
Yes. You walk to the seashore an' you find dese little small round balls. That his manure.
(That's his manure?)
Yeah. You take that and you'll dry it till it a dust, sprinkle it in your [victim's] clothes an' you [victim] can't stay in dere.
(Can't do what?)
Can't stay in your clothes. You can't stay in your own clothes, burns you just the same as pepper.
(People do that to somebody to harm them, I suppose. That the idea?)
Yes, but it will make them uneasy and make 'em miserable.
(Are these round balls hard or are they soft, that you find on the shore?)
Well, it depend on how long it had left his bowels.
(Oh, I see. Is it any particular color?)
Black, little round balls about long as that [demonstrates].
(About an inch round.)
Yeah, you take some of them and dry 'em,
Entry 12867
Now, yo' kin take for instance in yore clothes or in yore shoes, if dey's tryin' tuh git chew tricked. Yo' wear saltpeter in yore shoes - either shoe you put in - dat saltpeter in your shoes. An' whenever yo' go out yo' got dat in. Then you kin put a pod of garlic - garlic. They don't nevah beat the garlic. They cain't nevah do you nothin' atall.
(Where do you keep that?)
Anywhere about. Anywhere you go be sure yo' got dat garlic. Morning and night you keep it on yore person - de pod of garlic. An' dat saltpeter in de bottom of your shoe - any shoe. Jes' go an' sprinkle de bottom of yore shoe with saltpeter.
Entry 13064
Well, dey kin put walkin' spells on you with your shoes.
(How do they do that?)
Dey take jes' one of your shoes an' go get dem a snail, an' den get some of your ole clothes or somepin you wear. And take and cut it up - take some scis- sors and cut it up fine. Take dat snail and get some of dat snail slime off of dat snail. Put dat in de bottom of your shoe and you'll leave dere walkin'.
(What do they do with those clothes they cut up? What do they do with that?)
Dat clothes what dey cut up. Well, you see, dat's jes' somepin to help dat snail slime, make you leave dere.
(Well, do they put that cut-up stuff in that shoe or what?)
Yas suh, dey sprinkle it in dere, jes' cut it up fine.
Entry 13310
Dey kin take yo' bath water - like you washes, yo' know. Dey take dat. Like dey have to have somepin from yo', dey kin take dat and take a pair of socks of yours. And dey have to throw it in de tide going out. When it comin' up it ain't no good, when it goin' back down ev'ry time it come up, you'll be all right, but when it goin' back down, yo' mind goin' jes' dataway. I see all dat happen. I see dat an' know dat's a fact.
Entry 13326
De way ah've heard it now, dey split de tree - a little small sap- ling. Dey jes' split dat tree an' yo' kin take de trimmin'. Jes' lak yo' split it - yo' split de tree an' yo' cut out inside dere. Yo' take yore pocketknife an' yo' cut out de trimmin' 股中商 outa dere. An' den yo' take dat trimmin' an' den yo' go an' yo' - jes' lak a person dat chew see dat chew kere [care] fo' lak dat. Well yo' take de trimmin' outa dat an' yo' slip it in some of his clothes - yo' know, anywhere in de individual's clothes dat he wears regularly. Yo' understand, sew it up in his bindin' an' dey tell me dat'll bind two [one] couple together [you know] make dem cleave to one another. Dat's fur as ah evah hear of dat.
(What does that tree do then?)
Well, dat tree grows - yo' know, hit'll go back together, yo' understand me.
Entry 13435
If a woman take your underwear or anything closely, an' take it to a spring [running water] - see, steal anything like the linin' out of yer hat, anything like that - an' wash it in spring water, you'll have a wonderin' [wandering] an' a ramblin' mind. An' keep it close to her body at all times - sich as to put it on a belt an' wear it aroun' her waist - an' that would ca zhoo [cause you] to have a wonderin' [wandering] mind.
Entry 4767
Dey turns dat fo' luck.
(Their clothing Inside out?)
Yes. If dey puts dere clothes on in de mawnin' on de wrong side, dey keeps it on till twelve. Keep it on till twelve. An' when twelve comes, den dey'll take 'em off an' change 'em back on de right, wish fo' whut yuh want, an' durin' dat week yuh'll git it.
informant-stated luck from reversed clothing, timing and a wish, with clothing referent confirmed in dialogue. No guaranteed outcome changing wrong-side clothing back to its right side at twelve. Keep morning wrong-side wear until twelve, then changing back; no all-day or nine-day import from neighbors. These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified.
Entry 112
Well, you can find that out very easily. If I killed you and it seemed to be hard fer anybody to understand how it was done and who done it. See, you won't be naked, you bound to have some clothes on. They'll strip your clothes right off and put 'em to de side and get ready fer to lying you out as a corpse - you know, take 'em and stretch 'em right out right in de casket and lay you right on top of 'em. And I don't care where you are or where I am - if I've kill yuh, why I'm bound to be coming dere, and the moment I comes near, why the blood will gush out chure mouth and nose. It's not necessary to have the law do anything to me at all after dis, because I can't stay here. You bound to take me along with you.
Entry 2077
I was stealing a ride on a train and as we went into the yards the railroad detective made me get down out of the train [boxcar] and they put me in jail. That was in Florida. The penalty from riding on a train is ten days. The charge was trespassing on private property, so they put me in jail in a part known as the bull pen where there were about twenty-two fellows. The fellow that slept in the bunk above me had a little disk-like of metal in his pocket. When we went to bed that night it fell from the top bunk of my bunk. I picked it up and looked at it, I lighted a cigarette, but I couldn't make it out. Next morning when I looked at it good I saw that it was something in the shape of a luck piece and I put it in my pocket and it has been with me ever since. It's hard for me to lose it. Not because I think it does any particular good. It fust stays with me. I have lost it sever- al times and each time I get it back again. I don't look for it however, it just seems to come back to me. I lost it one night and I couldn't find it anywhere. So I went home thinking I had lost it. When I went to pull my pants off I found it in the cuff of my pants. I don't know what became of the boy that dropped it. I only stayed there ten days. After I left there I came straight here [to the Atlantic Hotel, Ocean City, Maryland]. I was some weeks getting up here. The same night I entered this town I got my present job. You know what a hobo looks like, ragged and dirty. After I got here to his hotel, I had nothing like money or the shape of money, only this luck piece I found in jail. And my boss went and got me some clothes after giving me a job. Any time I want to go out at night, if I knew I was going out at night for a good time, I somewhat depend upon this luck piece. I put it in my left-hand pocket and go on and think no more about it. [I ask informant to lay luck piece on the table so that I could describe it. Since I was then using an Ediphone, not Telediphone, I had to speak into the Speaking-tube, adding the note about superstition after informant had departed:] (This luck piece is about the size of an English penny or an American dollar and being stamped out of copper [brass] with a dye classifies it as an article sold by mail-order firms catering to the superstitious. On each side of the medal, in the center and occupying.one half of the space, is a large open hand raised above the surface. The inscription on one side says HELP, HAPPINESS, PEACE, SUcCESS around the edge of the disk. In the center of the hand it says THE LUCKY HAND. Below the hand it says AND LUCK and below that IS MINE BY RIGHT. On the other side of the medal at the top I SHALL BE GUIDED BY THE HAND OF and below that THE SPIRIT. Below that LOVE IS MINE. Below that PEACE HAPPINESS PLENTY.)
Entry 2170
Yo' use a olive oil an' den yo' have a perfume - a lucky perfume dat chew use. An' yo' rub dat all ovah yore han's an' put it on yore clothes an' go down an' git close enough to him fo' him den tuh inhale, yo' know so he kin smell it, an' talk with him. If he don't give yo' a job den he'll tell yo' tuh come back, an' yo' mo' den apt tuh git work tuh do. [Olive oil is considered more or less holy - see Holy Oil. The perfume applied later reduces the olive oil odor.]
Entry 2292
Yo' git cha some dis heah Shame Jim [shame brier] 'at's a root dat grows in de woods. You take it, see, and de leaves 'ull [will] all come to- gether. Dey call it Shame Jim. Yo' take dat Shame Jim and make yo' a tooth- brush, you understand. And go right down dere and talk to him [boss] and look him right straight in de eye, don't bat chure eye atall, jes' look him right straight in de eye and tell him, "Ah want a job - ah want so much money." He'll give it tuh you. Ah know dat well.
(How do you mean make a toothbrush of this Shame Jim?)
Just take it chew know and put it in yore mouth and chew it, yo' know like 'bacco, in yo' mouth and it makes a toothbrush.
(Is that the kind of toothbrush the old colored people used to use?)
Yes, suh - dat's it - dat Shame Jim and Devil's-shoestring.
(What do they do with devil's-shoestring?)
Dey use dat, too. Dey use'ly git it long, yo' know - devil's-shoestring long dat way and dey tie 'em 'round dere waist under dere clothes next to dere hide.
(What do they tie it around the waist for?)
Good luck - strength - strengthen yo' an' good luck [makes you stronger and luckier].
Entry 2389
I was on board of a ship that the mate was a kind of mean man and he hung his clothes upon the line to be brushed. And the steward brushed them and every time the steward brushed them he [the mate] hollered. The steward had him a witchcraft hand. He carried it in his pocket and every time he hit these clothes on the line, the mate would holler. That was 50 years ago (1886). That was the S. S. Lizzie(?) Scofield. We were off the coast of West Africa. [Informant 8 years old when Civil War began.]
Entry 2771
I had a pants taken from me oncet. (You had a pair of pants taken from you.) Had a pants taken from me oncet, and so I went to a lady to find out what become of my pants. So she told me that it was a friend of mine had my trousers, you understand. So I asked her what could I do to redeem them. She told me to go back home and she tell me that she'll cut the card on him. She'll set candles burning, for worrying him back at home. But then she said that he had never had did away with 'em, so far; but the time which he'll bring 'em back, that he'll have 'em on. Well, I goes on home and so she cuts the cards on him and she sets the candle, and she sets a black candle. She write his name down on it and she takes a piece of yellow paper and she wraps it around there, and she takes another candle, another black candle, and just like you are closing a letter - you know, all the way around, just like the way you got that paper curled around the candle. And just about [demonstrates]. (She seals this paper around the candle by using the wax from the second black candle.) With the black candle and leaves it burning. When this - she say when this candle burns out - see, I had to go and buy the candle myself. She said, "You set that candle and when that candle burns out and the paper burns down - but put it in a tub." You know, just like a tub where it wouldn't burn nothing, you know, around it. She say,. "When it burn out, he'll be back with the pants. Well, I did that and it was about a night and a day before that candle burns. Well, that candle burns slow. But it was about a night and day when that candle burns down, he was right back at the house 'cause he was rooming at the apartment where I was at. And he had the trousers on. I asked him why he happened to take my pants.
(Well, when you went to see this woman, did you see her here in New Orleans?)
Yes. I saw her - she was living down on [something] Street.
(You went into the room to see her? What did she have in that room?)
Yes. Well, it was just a ordinary room, just like anybody would have where they sleep. But then she had another little room there - you went in that till [after] you goes to her [she accepts you], where she used the cards. She had cards in there, you know, and diff'rent things around there. All kinds of saints and different things like that, but what they was for I didn't know.
(How was she dressed?)
Well, she just - several times I went down there she was dressed diff'rent ways, just like anybody else would wear; but she had on a black cap you know, just like a skull cap you know. And she was very old. But she was a woman that she could [do things].
(Can you tell me her name?)
Miss Mo.
(Miss Moe? How do you spell it?)
M-o-r-e.
(Miss More - she's dead?)
Yes, died a year ago.
(In 1937. I see.)
Entry 3953
She [my mother] wuz fixed dataway. A woman got some spots outa her shimmy an' drawahs an' taken 'em an' den nailed 'em in a tree wit a great-big railroad spike. She says she nailed it east an' west. An' she jes' pined away. An' she had dose spots. An' [she] got hol' some of hair, some kin' or nothah vuz in dere wit it, wit dat balled up togethah. An' she said it wuz nailed in de tree wit a great big ole railroad spike. An' de tree wuz right at de haid of de windah. An' mah mothah wuz sick an' she jes' pined away, an' she pined away, an' it plumb stopped 'er from ministration.
Entry 4726
Anywhere dey bury yore clothes at, DE SWEAT OF YORE CLOTHES, dat is goin' tuh make yuh wondah [wander] dere. Yuh goin' tuh wondah tuh dat place, see.
(Well, why would they bury those clothes out at the railroad track?)
Well, dat if dey want tuh git yuh out dere tuh kill yuh.
(Get you out there to kill you?)
Yuh see, if dey want tuh git yuh out dere tuh kill yuh, see, dey bury yuh out dere like dey want tuh git yuh out dere. Now, like if yuh de person an' yuh goes out dere where dey done got yore clothes, dey goin' tuh git yuh out dere so dey kin knock yuh in de haid or kill yuh.
Entry 4728
Dey husban' run aroun' an' dey don' wan' 'em tuh run aroun', dey take some of 'is clothes an' - take pieces of de undahclothes an' bury it. An' dat's all ah heah 'em say.
(His underclothes.)
Entry 4750
Dey go tuh de fo'k of de road an' if dey git any of yore clothes, dey kin bury it in de fo'k of de road where yuh pass at, an' it will run yuh crazy. (I see. They bury my clothes out at the forks of the road. If I walk over them?) Yuh'll go crazy.
Entry 4751
Steal de seat from a person's pants an' carry it tuh de fo'k of a road an' plant it in de fo'k of de road, an' dey'll eithah go crazy or die.
Entry 4757
(What do they say about that?)
What dey say about dat?
(Yes.)
All right, dey take - git de seat of yore drawahs, yuh undahstan' yore undah- clothes, an' cut it out an' take it tuh de graveyard an' bury it.
(What will that do?)
Dat'll make yuh couldn't stay dere.
(Couldn't stay where?)
In dat house.
(That will make you move from the house?)
Yes sir, dat's tuh make yuh move from de house.
Entry 4763
Ah've heard a woman say dey, she would jis' give him aplenty tuh eat an' take his clothes, keep his clothes, an' put 'em undahneat' de bed by 'er where she could lay on 'em, or somepin like dat. Keep 'em warm an' he would come back home. (What clothes would she take?) Such a' undahweah, socks.
Entry 4764
If she got 'is bottom piece of 'is pants an' lay 'em in yore bed jis' same as a man layin' down 'sleep. An' say he shore will come back. An' take his undahweah an' put it between de mattress, or lay on 'em evah night 'tween de sheet an' de mattress, an' dey say he shore will come back.
Entry 4765
Anothah thing she do. Take his clothes, eithah his undah piece an' put in de baid iis' lak he got 'en on, undahneat' de mattress, an' call dey name nine times. Wherevah dey may be, dey git troubled an' dey gotta come back home.
Entry 4850
Ah hear'd a woman say if she wanted tuh keep a man whut she would do. Jis' lak he got on a pair of shorts, dey [a woman] kin clip de seat out of 'em- lak - a small piece of de seat outa dem. Take dat out an' wear it somewhere on 'er body or somepin lak dat, an' dat would keep connection wit 'im from any othah woman - tuh 'er. [That will keep connection wit 'im from any other woman.] Ah've heered girls say dey have did dat.
(She would wear this piece of his shorts on her body?)
Yeah.
Entry 6951
Dey take a snail an' if she gits chure clothes, why she'll take a snail an' put it wit 'er starch an' she'll put warts all ovah yo'. Dat's whut dat's used fo', de warts.
(She puts the snail in the water that she washes the clothes with?)
In de starch when she starch yore clothes. She'll put one or two snails in dat starch, an' dat juice of dat snail will put warts all ovah yo', anywhere it tetch yo'. [Another informant from Wilson says the rubbing must be done when de moon's a shrinkin' (No.1563, p.494).]
Entry 7380
Ah heard dey take his clothes off 'im an' bury de clothes an' de per- son dat killed 'im would go crazy.
Entry 7382
Dey say if a man falls on 'is face, dey say dat man ill be caught. Den dey take some of dis man's clothes an' dey tie knots in 'em an' put some othah man's devilment [= urine or excrement] on dere an' dat will make dis man come back.
(The man that killed him.)
Entry 7385
Ah heard dat jes' lak if some of mah people wus tuh git killed an' ah wouldn't know who killed 'em - lak ah'd find 'em daid somewhere an' ah wanted tuh know if somebody killed 'em. Well, den yo'd go to de undahtakah's shop an' yo' dress 'em, an yo' cut nine pieces out de tail or out de hem of whatsomevah dey had on. An' den you take dis heah an carry it to yore home, an' yo' keep it dere prob'ly until yo' git ready to bury 'em. Den dey tell me yo' prays nine prayahs ovah 'em, an' den yo' takes it an' carries it back to dis corpse, jes' lak if yo' goin' bury 'em. Yo' carry it back an' set it on de grave jes' yo' seen 'em bury dem right heah in de graveyard. Yo' take an' put one ovah his heart, yo' puts one ovah each eye an' one ovah 'is nose, one ovah his mouth an' one in each one of 'is ears, an' den put one in de palm of 'is han' - of dese heah little blocks yo' cut out de hem of 'is pants or dress or whatsomevah. An' den say, whosomevah killed dis person, dat dey would come back. (You put this right over the body itself, right over the eyes. You cut nine pieces, there are two eyes, nose and mouth - that's four. The ears, that is six. The two palms, one of each hand, that's eight. Now what is for the ninth piece?) One ovah the heart.
Entry 7490
Ah tell yo' it make sure yo' wouldn't last long. Dat's de easiest method. Ah seed dat done right in mah home. (In Orangeburg.) In Orangeburg [S. Car.]. Ah knowed dey [normally] dig dat grave lak dat - digs de grave up an' down, east an' west. Well dey turn it lak dat [demon- strates north and south, see later], see, an' drives de footstep, de footpost [footboard] down so yo' can't see dat atall, an' leave de head [headboard] stand- in'.
[I now explain preceding demonstrations.]
(You make this grave north and south and you drive the footboard all the way down.) All de way down an' de head [board] you leave high. Den yo' go back home, now, an' yo' done find out dis fellah git killed, an' yo' goes an' yo' turns - jes' lak yo' dies on dis bed [in interviewing room]. Dat's dere three days. Yo' lay ovah a couple of days. Yo' take dese clothes whut he gits killed in an' bury de clothes. Bury de same clothes. Be sure dat yo' bury 'em at, right by 'is do though.
(By whose door?)
By de fellah who do de killin'. Well, he cain't git away dere cuz he have to walk both ways. An' de firs' time dat he walks ovah it, or de firs' day dat he be's neah around it, he'll git right up an' say, "Ah don't feel good," an' he start tuh throw up. He start tuh throw up in is sleep, yo' know, "Sech-an-sech- a-one bothahin' me. Oh, ah gotta go pay dis man. Ah gits sick." Dat wus fer de - dat wus fer de murderer's death sure. Ah see dat happen. Ah standin' in de room right nex' to - lak dat room dere, an' he's talkin' to me. He's dead but he - he gotta go to pay a debt. Now, dat ketch 'im, he ain't gonna live long cuz yo' done crossed 'im 'cross de world, see [with the north-south grave]. But he's goin' follah 'im down. Dis man [his spirit] gonna worry 'im. Soon as he see dat, he goin' - well he ain't goin' live long: He'll die about a day or two aftah.
Entry 9059
If dey tryin' 'im fo' murdah, if she kin git a piece of de man's clothes dat chew killed, any part of his clothes, his undahclothes, dat has his prespira- tion [perspiration] on it, weah it nex' tuh yours. An' keep a Bible an' read de Ten Commandments lak ah tole yo', see. An' den, if yo' got somebody's comin' tuh see yuh, if yo' kin git chure- self a five-cent package[!] of rice, take dat rice an' mix it wit salt, an' go tuh de grave- yard an' git chure sand an' put it in it. Give some tuh dis fellah dat's in jail, in a package; an' de rest of it, yo' take as dey come in, come intuh de co'troom. Yo' have some in yore hand an' count nine, an' as yo' counts at each one of de counts yo' drops some, an' when yo' git tuh de ninth count, drop it all. Jis' do yore hand lak dat [opens hand] an' let it all fall. (Just open your hand and let it all fall. And that's supposed to get you off the trial.)
Entry 10373
Woman ties clothing, on which semen falls, into 3 knots, dampens with witch hazel, and puts in mattress [Wilmington, 133:4].
Entry 11101
Woman can wear any clothes man left, or put it some place in house, make wishes, he'll come back. [Norfolk 475:3.]
Entry 11105
Git piece she wore next to her skin, dress it, bury by her gate, she couldn't stay home. [Wilmington 83:3.]
Entry 11616
A man is brought back by the woman wearing his foot track and hair, or a piece of his clothing, next to her skin. [Petersburg 422:4.]
Entry 11859
Take yore hair an' a piece of yore clothes an' nail it into a tree. Ah've heard of dat.
(What will that do?)
Well, dat'll dry yo' up, kill yo' by degrees; yo' know, jis' dry yo' dat way.
Entry 12069
Now if a man gits drownded, yo' take some of his near-wearin' pieces or his hat an' throw it in, an' wherevah he's at, dose clothes not goin' sink till dey git dere. [Memphis 1518:7.]
Entry 12078
Dey tell me dat a woman kin take dat bow an' wear it in her clothes, take it an' put it in her clothes an' that would take yore mind right along with her all de time. [Wilson, near cylinder 2665 containing same informant 1497.]
Entry 12477
Git piece of murderer's clothing, dip in blood of murdered man, bury at left-hand corner of murdered man's house, to bring murderer back. [Charles- ton 644:1.]
Entry 12478
Throw into grave the clothes man got murdered in, to kill murderer.
[Charleston 606:9.]
Entry 12481
Put in coffin some of clothes person was murdered in and bury him crossway8 of de world, de murderer will die.
Entry 13111
If a person rubs a snake shed in the seams of a person's clothes, 'he stay chilly all de time jes' like dat snake. [Mobile 959:6.]
Entry 9895
There is something else that ah didn't tell you, they has a peculiar influence on people, an' that is the frog. Did chew evah hear that? You get a toad. You know what a toad is? [I probably nod my head yes.] You take him and you go to - you seen these large ants. You take him while he's alive an' carry him to a bed of these creatures, you know, an' put an ole bucket over him so he can't get out. And they'll jes' eat him completely up, and den they will leave the bones there. It's a bone that come out of his back; it looks like a shoe- buttoner, has a little hook-like in it. You take this and get a piece of this person's clothing. Say, for instance, if you could steal a pair of a lady's stepins or jes' anything that chew have of theirs - that chew can get of theirs, small that chew can wrap up. You wrap that up into a package of some kind like it was something very precious. And as long as that bone remain there, this person will remain very near to you. Now, that is something that has been tried by millions, an' also by myself - something to be substantiated.
Entry 9897
If yo' wanta make a gurl love yuh, [they] say yo' git chew one dese big toadfrogs an' put it in a cigarbox, yo' know. An' put holes in it. Yo' see, all round it so de ants kin go through, dese large red ants. Yo' know, not de real large ones but dese li'l small red ants. An' put it right ovah de hole where nobody won't bothah it, off somewheres or 'nothah. An' dem ants will eat off all de - eat 'im up yo' know. Sting him an' den dey'll eat - feed off him, see, until dey git all dem bones tuh dereself. An' it'll be one bone dere jes' lak a fishbone. Ah've seen it mahself. It look jes' lak a fishbone.
(How does it look now?)
A li'l crooked - yo' know how a fishbone got a li'l crook in it. An' dey'll take dat fishbone an' - sometime yo' know yo' kin git up tuh a gurl an talk wit 'er but she don' care nuthin much 'bout chew; but den de same time, yo' kin git closah yo' know. Well, den when yo' git closah, yo' take dat bone yo' know an' stick it in 'er clothes anywhere, an' yo' can't git rid of 'er.
(That will make her love you.)
Entry 9910
Yo' know dese ole rough frogs dat hop. Well, yo' take dem an' yo' put 'em in a tin can an' cut some holes in dere. An' yo' git a bone out dere dat shape lak a fishhook. An' yo' could hang dat on anybody's clothes an' dey'll follah yo' regardless who dey is woman or man, an' love yo'.
Entry 24
[There used to be a mathematical axiom stating that the whole is the sumn of all its parts. In hoodoo, however, a part can equal the whole. Every part and function of your body (hair and breath) - anything touching you (clothes and bathwater) - whatever signifies you (name and photograph) - all these and others are substitutes for either the whole or part of the spirit. Many examples of this belief will be found elsewhere - here are a few:]
Entry 2988
Take some matches and put in your head across, a little salt, a little ammonia and rub it in the middle of your head. And if you want them candles to go out, you wear your clothes on the wrong side. Every piece you got underneath, excusin' the top, you wear em on the wrong side and the candle'll go out. Well, you can tell when someone knows the candle's burning on 'em, when they take and change their clothes. Just like the candle was burning on you, you come and you say, "Oh, my head hurts me so bad." I say, "Someone is burning a black candle on you. I say, "Put your clothes on the wrong side." You'll change your clothes and when you start to change your clothes, the candle goes - start to popping. The candle don't go out. You keep your clothes on there and put that salt in your head, them two matches like a "x" in your head, and in that way the candle will go out. And if you don't wear your clothes on the wrong side, them candles is not going - they going to burn 'em until you die.
Entry 11102
"She kin take some of his clothes an' bury 'em...he'll either come to 'er or he won't be living" [this may be my only example of this rite]. [Jack- sonville 690:3.]
Entry 692
Of course, I've heard of many things, but I know of one real happening, myself.
(Will you tell it to me?)
Well, in 1918 I was in Darlington, South Carolina.
(Darlington.)
South Carolina. And there was a woman there - it seems that she had run with another woman's husband. See. And this woman [wife] located her where she lived and she came up - she wasn't very far from where I was stopping - and when she came to this house this woman ran, you see, and told the girl that was there, told her she was near. So she came in and she stops and said she'd sit down there and said she was going to wait for her awhile. Where she sit down there, this woman's trunk was there and it was open. So she asked the girl in the house, she said, "Whose nice clothes?" And the girl tells her they was Miz' Dower's... Yes, I'm from there [North Carolina] too - Wilmington.
(I see. Oh, you are from Wilmington?)
Uh-huh, from Wilmington heah, but I went from here down to Darlington - it's my home.
(Oh, Darlington's your home?)
Uh-huh, I went right in 1918. So, this woman put her hand in this trunk. Then she gets up and leaves. Well, we heard of the happenings of this woman putting on these clothes after the woman left. She dressed and she went down town and she - well, she just stripped herself down town. So the whole town - it was small town, so it just spreaded all at once. So just the day before I was leaving, I says, "Well, I'm going to see for myself. I heard so much." So I went. And she had something live in her leg. It was really in there and she had a dime tied - you know how people wears a dime round their leg on a string* Well, she would pat her leg up in the knee - about the flesh part of her calf and that thing would straighten out and move and go down that leg and whilst it Would be going under the string, it would draw the string so tight that the dime would just flap over, over, over, like that [demonstrates]. They had doctors to her and they didn't do any good. So then they sent and got a man, a old hoodoo doctor, and he asked everybody come in her house would they bring him a dime. [The doctor was taking up a free-will offering.] And he had sulphur and sweet milk and something - I don't know what, but that's what he give her to drink, he said to keep the thing from going any further up until he could kill it. Well, I left there the next day - I didn't get to see that before I left. And I went down and seen that part and that was all I seen about that. Now, what become of her - I know they was to operate on that leg, but I don't know when because I were leavin'. So I just left.
Entry 3098
[Molly Lee, a white doctor, had quite a reputation. I first heard about her while I was collecting in Richmond. Since I did not interview white doctors (see INTRODUCTION), I assumed she lived in or near Richmond - a false assumption. The following well-known and commonplace rite attributed to her does this doctor an injustice. Any woman who could receive her crystal ball from the spirits (561, p.178) must have been original and competent.] I knows once in my time, a woman had a man for her husband, and she lived over here in Suffolk. Maybe you heard something, too. There's a lady the other day, lady named Molly Lee, a white lady, she claims do it. She done something. She's a great woman for wrestlin' with young boys. She has a young boy down dere and she say, "Go ketch me a young frog - a toadfrog." And he get that frog and go put a board or something on him so that he can't get away - wouldn't kill him, fasten him down where he'd stay there and die, and the ants eat him up. Let de ants eat him up, you know, all to a skeleton. And in that frog's bones, find a little bone in 'em just exactly like fish scale. And there's another bone in 'em that is used, too, like a fishhook. You know, a little point to it - wasn't, see, all de way; but just more like a fishhook than any other bone. You kin take that bone - now, this has happened, this is not - but this is the bone that the boy had. She take that bone and hook it into a person's coat.
(Into what?)
Into somebody's clothes - just as you pass by, you know, just hook it into somebody's clothes and don't you pull it out, and he'll fall for you just as far as you'll let him. And at de same time this other little bone like a fish scale, see, when you get a chance to do it. Well, you see, if you can't get 'em to you, you can't drive them away. That's what they always says. And you come and just put dat bone just like a little fish scale, drop it on 'em, and just stay like you never seen 'em before. You'll never get dis bone out yourself. If you don't put dat fish scale on 'em, dat's finished - dey's gone and you'll never see 'em no more. He just gone from you just as free if he never been with you atall. (I see. If you want to keep them, you put this little hook; and if you want to drive them away, you put this fish scale on them.) Yes.
(And this is what that woman over in Suffolk did with these young boys?)
Well, she would have these boys ketch frogs for her.
(Oh! She had those boys catch frogs for her.)
Only little boys what is barefoot. Woman had children big as me. (I see. She did that though to get these other men, but she had that little boy catch the frogs for her. That was her way of getting a man and sending him away if she didn't want him - got tired of him.) Yes. And I mean, they ain't been back. That is what they used. I don't know whether there's anything else now that she did besides that, 'cause I've been there. I've gone over there in my automobile. That's what he carried on back. [Informant drove a client over to Molly and that is what she gave him to use for himself.]
(Is she supposed to be a root doctor or something?)
She is that.
(Molly Lee?)
Molly Lee.
(Is she still living?)
Yes sir, fur as I know. I have never heard of her being dead.
Entry 4838
Tuh bring a person back yuh got'a use de lef' [foot] track. Jis' lak dere's two or three ways tuh bring a person back. Well, jis' lak if it's a woman dat chew want tuh bring back, if yuh kin git even a piece dat she weah nex' tuh 'er, any place. Co'se, if yuh wanta cut a piece outa it - go on back home an' put it in some watah. Dis is tuh bring 'em back, bring a person back tuh yuh. All right, yuh take an' put it in some watah an' yuh goes tuh where two trees dat is right in tuhgethah. Yuh seen trees lean- in' ovah on one nothah. Well, if yuh ain't got a augah, take a axe an' dig a hole in it, an' jis' take dat li'le cloth an' put it in dere an' let it stay three hours. Bring it on back home den an' let it set up dere. Yuh take a li'le bita bottle jis' lak dis an' put it in dere. Now yuh take dis watah offa dere, yuh undahstan', an' yuh throw dis piece yuh got away, an' jis' let it be de watah dat yuh had it in. Take de piece outa it an throw it away. Take dis same watah an' care [carry] it tuh de tree an' let it stay in dere three hours. Take it out an' bring it on back home an' let it set dere. An' whatsomevah yuh want, yuh kin took fo' 'em from de time it will take dem tuh come from where dey are tuh where yuh live. Dey'll be dere.
Entry 12298
(What do they do with that cat hair?)
They take that cat hair and they put it with a piece of woman's shimmy or petticoat or anything of that kind. Put it into a lemon, throwing it into the Mississippi River, after putting War water in there. They'll keep that woman all upset. If she's gotten a job anywhere, she'll walk away from her job. She'll quit working. Her husband can't do anything to sat- isfy her. Everything that they do it just look like it wrong to her. See. It practically looks like it takes her mind from her. See. She don't have no presence of mind. See. By using it, she have...get a...
(She what?)
Get a animal amibition-like. See.
Entry 6225
I heard 'em say yo' takè a auger an' go tuh a tree an' bo' a hole in it. Den yo' kin take de hair - take de pieces of dere dress or dey shirt or dey clothes, whut dey wears, an' de bands out dere hat [auto horn] or anythin' lak dat - somepin dat dey use. An' take an' put it in dat tree - in dat place where yo' bo'd out. An' take an' git chew a sharp peg - a [pine] lighter peg whut won't rot, an' drive it up jis' as hard as yo' kin drive. Dey kin go out dere fo' nine mawnin's yo' know an' jis' knock it - take a hammah an' hit it one time. Do dat fo' nine mawnin's. Say dat'll run a person crazy.
Entry 6353
Well, some people'll [people will] take haih. Jes' lak yo' take mah hair yo' know an' weah it, weah it on me [you], put it in a bag or somepin an' pin it tuh de clothes on de inside. [They] says dat'll make mah mind cleave tuh dem [you].
Entry 6357
Ah've heard dat dey kin take dat hair an' sew it intuh de bindin' of dey clothes. It mo' lak gittin' yore nature if dey keep dat hair sewed intuh de bindin' of dey clothes an' it become sweaty wit de nature of yo'. Den yo' kin come mo' lak managin' dat person. An' den ag'in yo' kin weah it [hair] in de bottom of yore shoe. Weah it in yore shoe an' walk on it an' dat person will nevah become a enemy of yo', becuz yo' got 'em undah yore feet.
Entry 649
She was goin' with a woman's husband. She asked her to give him up, but she wouldn't do it. She talked to her three times and told her. She wouldn't, you know. And she says, "I'll make you leave." This woman told us after she [woman going with husband] was dead. She [wife] said she taken a penny and taken the skin off of a red onion. She rubbed it all together. You know a penny is poison. And she put that penny up and she let it dry right dry and make a powder of it. She dressed her husband with it - dusted his clothes. And when he went back [to the other woman] - see, it got on her. And it turnt her jis' as wrong side out. No doctor couldn't git it back. It turnt her wrong side outwards. She died. Jis' turnt her whole womb and everything. It came out. That's what I call trickin' 'em. [Cf. No. 10, p.7.]
Entry 894
A girl named Clara B., she was goin' with a boy named Johnnie, and de girl dat Johnnie used to go with got mad with Johnnie and she got some kind of a dust like, it seemed like it was some sawdust like, and she took it and put it in Johnnie's clothes. And when Johnnie put on his clothes, his moudt turnt from here all away roun' to there, turnt way roun' here, Just as if somebody would take your moudt and turn it around just like dat [demonstrates]. And Clara took him in Kinston [North Carolina], and de man told him to take some sulphur and jist dust hisself all over in de sulphur, and take his clothes and burn 'em up. He'd have to burn all his clothes what he wore up since de time he started goin' with Clara, and he'd have to wear new clothes. And he told him to take some of this same sulphur of what he dusted himself wid and put it roun' her door and roun' her gate, and put nina grains of corn dere. And it turnt right back on de girl [and her mouth became awry]. [Wilmington, N. Car., (267), 263:1; in Wilmington,1932; for more antisepis, see whisk broom, p.10.]
Entry 1490
[Saltpeter is used in many healing or protective combinations - see Index.] Well, you kin get saltpeter. You kin go and get you a dime's of saltpeter and sprinkle a little in your shoes about every four or five days. Wear that in your shoes and there can't nobody harm you - not do it to the flesh or put nuthin down fer you. But, of course, it's quite natural that if somebody get aholt of something of yourn - your hairs or your clothes that you been wearing for several days, get something out of them - why they kin do you harm. But as fer as putting something down for you, they can't do you no harm over that saltpeter.
Entry 2371
Drop nine drops of vinegar inside a bottle of white Heart Cologne an' yo' make a wish dat chew want a job an' yo' want to be lucky with a job, an' yo' take that Heart Cologne an' bury it at chure do'steps an' let it stay down dere fo' nine days. An' after nine days, yo' take dat Heart Cologne up an' jes' lak yo' - de time dat yo' wanta git dat job, yo' po' it every direction on yore clothes, yo' know, all in front of yo', an' po' a little bit in yore shoes, an' dey say dat known tuh make a person git a job. Say de man give it to yo' without any huntin' fo' it, but yo' must let it stay buried fo' nine days after yo' make a wish.
Entry 3522
Well, that's so he can't have anothah woman.
(Well, how would she do that?)
She jis' take a string offa some of 'er clothes an' measure dis man, an' den take anothah string an' tie onto it, long enough to reach aroun 'er waist, an tie three knots in it an' wear it aroun' 'er waist. An' as long as she got dat aroun' 'er waist, he can't have anothah woman. (I see.)
Entry 3853
I've heard dat if a woman leaves home - I mean a man leaves home, an' de woman wants to make him come back. De biggest idea in dealings such as dat, yo' deal wit de pieces yo' wears - de clothes yo' wears. Yo' takes de man's clothes, but yo' must wanta have an' undahpiece dat he wore. Yo' take dat undahshirt or pajama suit or anything dat de man have worn. Yo' takes it - she'll take dat, I heard, an' she will mix dat wit some of 'er personals. Yo' know vhat dat is?
(No.)
Her monthly personals.
(Her monthly personals. All right.)
Her monthly personals, yo' understan', an' she will take his shirt an' she will wrap it, yo' know, aroun' some of 'er personals. See! An' den she will take dat an' she will dig a hole jes' about undah de centah about where de bed sets [a quincunx]. Dat will be up and undah dere house - see, right in de soil. See, dig a hole down dere an' she'll bury dose two pieces togethah an' it's im- possible fo' him to stay away.
Entry 3976
Ah heard dat chew cud [could] take some dere. wearin' apparels, an' it said in person dat yo' cud place dem, an' read certain po'tion of Scriptures an dey wud [would] be removed [killed].
(Where would they place these pieces of clothing?)
In runnin' watah an' when all dat blood wud wash away - dat's de way mah mothah wuz killed - an' dat chew'll pass away.
(You do this in particular to the woman?)
Yessuh.
(Do you know what portion of Scripture you read on that?)
Yas, de 37th Psalms of David. [Either Psalm 37 is a guess or quoted out of context: For they shall soon be cut down like the grass and wither as the green herb (King James Version). With- er has little in common with running water.]
Entry 4157
A woman kin take yuh hair an' a little of hers an' bring yuh tuh 'er by soakin' it in chamber lye, an' den tote it in 'er - sew it up in some of 'er clothes so's it not lost an' nobody will nevah see it. Tote dat an' go on. He be wit 'er.
Entry 4712
Take dat bow an' yuh git chew rock sulphur [a molded cake of sulphur] an' yo' git some spice, spice an' rock sulphur, an' powdah it up togethah, an' yuh sew it up intuh a bag an' yuh feed it on red whiskey [not white moonshine]. Tote it anywhere 'bout chew or pin it tuh yore clothes nex' tuh yore skin. Dat keep dem home, dey Won't go. [Brunswick, Ga., (1224), 2080:6.] [Perhaps most hoodoo believers would say that clothing is a substitute for the human body only if it contains sweat - it must be dirty. On the other hand there are cases of a clean garment being stolen from the clothesline (p.92, lines 5-12) because it has merely touched the human body.]
Entry 4749
Git a person's clothes an' dress 'em an' let 'im wear 'em, wear dose clothes an' yuh kin make 'im love yuh dac way. [To] dress de clothes, why yuh take dat love powdah an' jis' sprinkle it in 'is clothes, an' git chew fo' fish- hooks an' tie 'em up, an' put 'em inside de pad of de linin' of 'is coat chere. An' put dat Hearts Cologne on it. Yuh kin dress 'em lak dat.
Entry 4796
If she doin' yuh any kinda way an' de law pertect [protect] 'er in whut she do, if yuh cain't git rid of 'er an' yuh wan'a git rid of 'er, wanta git 'er kilt. Say, fo' ninstance, yuh wanta kill 'er, an' don' want 'er tuh be pertected. See, yuh take one of 'er clothes from 'er suitcase, whut she wear, an' sprinkle salt on dat an' go tuh de no'th side of de house an' dig a hole in de ground about two an' a half feet deep, an' yuh bury dat. An' den sprinkle salt ovah dat place evah mawnin' when yuh firs' git up. An' den sixteen days from de date chew bury dat, she'll be a corpse. An' all de insurance or whatsomevah she got, yuh'll receive. An' dere cain't no doctor [M.D.] detec' it.
Entry 4858
Git holt of some of 'is dirty clothes an' bring 'im back. Take dem dirty clothes an' place 'em - wash 'is dirty clothes an' take de watah of it an' put it in 'is food.
Entry 4870
If a man got a woman or a wife, or if a woman got a man or husban' an' he leave any of 'is clothes, his undahweah in de house, she kin cut one spot out de undahweahs, or dose clothes where de odor from dat man go. He kin [do the same thing to] bring 'er back. Take it an' work on it, bury it in de yard.
Entry 5082
[Wiping, different from the magic rites of rub- bing, is itself often magic action; in fact, it frequently occurs in impotence causes and cures.] If she have any of 'is clothes, she kin bring 'im back. If he left any of 'is pieces he wore close tuh 'i, she kin git 'im back. Well, she take 'em jis wherevah - if he got a sock, stockin', or anythin' he's got, she'll take dat sock an' she'll wipe herself wit it. An' she'll fill it fulla sugah an' she'll roll it tuh 'er an' she'll sew it. An' right where he lay at, dat's where she'll put dat sock. An' de ninth day he'll be back.
Entry 5365
Dey takes yore track up an' do somepin wit it, or fix it so yo' be lame or crippled or somepin.
(Do you know how they do that?)
Well, dey takes it an' carry it, bury it undah yore steps.
(Either track or both tracks?)
Well, eithah one of 'em. Dey bury it undah yore steps, an' dey dress de shoes tuh dat 'fect too. Dat cripple yo' up. (What do they put in your shoes to do that?) Dey puts some of yore whut yo' weah nex' tuh yore skin, a little piece dey cut from de clothes yo' know, an' take an' dress it an' put in dere, an' dat will make yo' lame de balance of yore days.
Entry 5525
Yo' take de lef' track jis' undah de palm ["hollow" or "ball" of foot], jis' lak [palm of] mah han'. An' den yo' kin sew it up in a li'le cloth, if yo' wan'a weah it undah yore clothes, see. Den yo' kin - well, yo' jis' keep it 'nointed wit Lucky Mojoo Perfume. Well, dat tuh keep yore luck good. Some folks weah dem in a li'le bag roun' dere neck.
(What do you wear that thing for, that fellow's foot track?)
Well, yo' weah it - yo' see, if yo' wan's de man, if he don' wanta stay wit cheW. AN' DEN SOMETIME YO' JIS' WAN'A A MAN ANYWAY. Yo' gO Out dere an' gits dat fo' luck.
Entry 6072
Ah've heard tell of folks who take pins an' needles an' break 'em up y' know, snuff, sugah, an' hair from down in front of yo', an' wear it, wear dere husban's hair in a bag an' pin it to dey clothes right where it be nex' to dere skin. An' dey husban' couldn't object to 'em goin' out wit othah men if dey want to.
(Do they have their husband's hair in that bag?)
Dey [husband] don't know dey got it yo' know.
(Whose hair do they put in there?)
His'n, yessuh - from down heah, see. Steal it yo' know in his sleep.
Entry 6330
I have heard stories about that. They would get a lock of your hair in a certain part near the top of your head [the mold] where the brain is more exposed. And they get that hair and put it with some other ingredients, and a piece of your clothes that you have happen to have worn very close to you. They tie it up tightly and throw it in running water. This is supposed, they say, to make you lose your mind and to go away from wherever you live. You will continue to want to go as long as this thing keeps in the water and keeps going. It will stop you from running if it will catch on something, a root, a snag; then they say you will stop. You will never want to come back from where you started from.
Entry 6476
Yo' know jis' lak yo' scrape yore feet an' leave de scrapin' an' nails on a piece of papah. He kin take dat an' put it in a pocket hans'scuff an' take it an' weah it in de seat of 'is pants, causin' 'em tuh do things lak dat. If dey don't wanta do it, make women tuh obey yuh. Make hisself do things dat he wouldn't desire tuh do.
Entry 7114
Ah've heard of them taking their pants an' getting behind the armoire an' hanging 'em up, hanging them up by the legs.
Entry 7346
All right, if a man kills anybody an' he wants tuh run away an' dey can't ketch 'im, he gits down an' he takes jes' a little bit of turpentine an' puts it in de bottom of his shoe, an' he walks on de ground till he git to a railroad an' he pull off all his clothes an' throw it all 'way. Well, dem dogs cain't follah him a bit fu'thah den dat railroad. When he gits on de railroad, dey cain't follah him a bit fu'thah den dat railroad track.
(Why couldn't they follow the railroad track?)
Cuz dat's cold - see, dey cain't.
Entry 7384
To bring a fellah back whut's went off an' done sompin an' run off, yo' go to work an' git a piece of dis fellah's clothes or eithah a shoe or sompin, an' yo' take dat an' carry it to yore place of [hoo- doo] business, see. An' yo' dress dat wit dis heah - git some of dis Heart Cologne, see, wit drawin'-love powdah an' some dis heah High John de Conkah root. An' yo' take dat an' yo' come back home den, an' yo' take it an' bury it undah yore house, see. Yo' take it an' bury it right undah yore house right behin' undah yore dohstep. Hell, fo' so many mawnin's yo' go round yore house, about nine mornings - one time evah mawnin'. Inside of dat time dat fellah goin' eithah be back or sompin be's happen to 'im.
Entry 7585
[This rite should be classified under candles, but graveyard dirt from a woman's grave is so rare I prefer to place it here. Our rite comes from an excellent professional worker whose cylinders were missed by my transcriber. Later I made notes from them. Here is the present note: to keep woman - dirt from woman's grave - scrape a little from top - take home - light 2 black candles - set under bed where she [[woman who left home]] has been sleeping - put graveyard dust and sprinkle a ring [[of it]] around candles - and a piece of her clothes and lay where she sleeps - turn mattress up and lay the clothes on springs on a paper - take Bible and say prayers and read Bible - when candles go out she'll come home.]
Entry 7817
If a person away an' - yo' could take yo' a cotton string an' yo' tie dose nine knots tuhgethah. Yo' sew dose nine knots up intuh a bag an' yo' take graveyard dirt wit'in dose knots. An' yo' take dat bag an' put it some- place in yuh clothes whut chew veah nex' tuh yo'. An' yo' weah dat bag wit dat string in dere twixt yo', an' dat'll bring 'em back.
Entry 7932
It was a woman that had a son in New York [City] and she lived in Ports- mouth [Va.]. And this body had killed someone. This woman heard of this boy being in trouble, and she goes to work hanging clothes out that morning. She draws a mark on the ground like a coffin. She draws that with a clothespin, no particular place. She was talking with another neighbor. She says, "My son will be to me in a few minutes." She just put her hands like this. [Informant evidently demonstrated with his hand, but I repeating his every word, or small group of them into the Ediphone, was too busy to comment. Comments would come later wdth the Ediphone.] And in two days times the sheriff or the consta- ble where he was, brought her son back to Portsmouth. He Was condemned to be hung. [This in 1928, interview in 1936.]
Entry 8147
Cut - dey could cut it in fo' parts. Well, dey could take it an' tro' [throw] it ovahbo'd. Dey could take it an' tro' in de fiah hole or sompin lak dat, yo' undahstand, an' make dey vishes when dey doin' dat, yo' undahstand. An' jis' whut dey vishin' - an' tro' it ovah- bo'd or in de fiah or cut it in fo' parts. Well, somebody vill cut cha tuh death. If dey tro' it ovahbo'd why yo' vill go ovahbo'd an' git drownded. If dey tro' it in de fiah, vell prob'ly maybe yuh clothes may ketch afiah from yuh cigarette chew smoke or yo'll ketch afiah somehow an' git burned up. [The word photograph is not mentioned but clearly meant.] [Charleston, S. Car.,. (511), 576:4.]
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 9176
Yo' would git up in de mawnin' an' yo' would turn yore clothes - under- Wears - wrongside outwards, an' yo' would turn yore socks wrongside out. An' den yo' would turn to de chap- tah of Psalms, de 25th chaptah of Psalms. It reads lak dis: "Plead mah case [cause] O God, an' stand up fo' thy helpmate, an' so on lak dat chew see. An' yo'll purtty much git dismissed.
(You do that before you go down to see the judge.)
[Psalm 25 does not contain the preceding words. The nearest to them would be those opening Psalm 35: Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me. Similar words are: Plead my cause and deliver me - Psalm 119:154. The helpmate part of informant's quotation does not appear in Psalms.] Ah wuz in jail fo' murdah once, an' it wuzn't no joke 'bout me not bein' guil- ty. Had a ole man [doctor] outa Jacksonville, Fla., an' he come tuh me an' he says, "Well, ah know yo's no risk," said, "but dis chaptah right chere ah'm goin' give yo' tuh read." He say, "Only de 25th eve'y mawnin' 'fore yo' git up, 'fore yo' speak to anybody else, aftah yo' gits up, an' yo' jes' go on an' yo'll be discharged." An' he says, "De ninth mawnin', de mawnin' dat chew bein' tried, ah'll come an' tell yo' whut tuh do." So he come tuh me an' tole me whut tuh do. [I failed to ask what informant was supposed to do on the 9th day, but it was probably to chew John de Conkah root during the trial.] An' ah wuz acquitted wit'out goin' tuh a judge, or even tried. [This is one of those cases settled out of court - see Doctor Washington's amazing account, No.9024, p.3660, v.4.] Dat wuz at Greenville, Fla. An' eve'ybody else could tell yo', by jes' sayin dat. Ah've been down in co't, ah reckon ah've been prob'ly five hundred times
[an obvious hyperbole] an' dat's all ah use.
Entry 10755
Den, too, yo' kin take a woman's sick clothes. Yo' kin take dem an' yo' kin take, if dey already dry, yo' kin take an' wet 'em. Kinda mash 'em, yo' know, wit a little bit of dat on, an' cork dat up. An' she can't go wit no othah man. Or eithah, yo' kin take 'em, dey tell me, an' chunk it down de stream [to send away]. Chunk it upstream, says, an' she'll go( crazy.
Entry 10847
Ah learnt dat if a person kill a buzzard an' jest like if I had a friend - a wife or anything - an' dey wants tuh take de "upper turns" of me an' take away from me, well dey kin kill a buzzard. Dey say a buzzard got one lump of grease in him. Take dat lump of grease out an' fry it an' put it in a little vial an' keep it around wit dem. An' say, if ever occasion fo' dey comin' to mah house, dey kin take a drop or two an' run in dere han', an' when dey git to mah house, say if dey kin git clost enough to mah folks to rub dey han' on 'em, it will keep mah folks in confusion, an' dey'll have de influence of mah home.
(They just rub it over their clothes?)
Ovah de clothes, head, anywhere. (That is if someone is trying to break up you and your family.)
Entry 11095
Wash person's clothes, bottle this water, put overhead - over picture or door - keeps person home. [Norfolk 530:3.]
Entry 11098
Wash man's right sock and sweaty places under arms of his clothes, bottle; keep, keeps him home. [Baltimore 47:3.]
Entry 11099
Wear man's hat bow around your neck in a bag, or hang any of his garments on the front of the bed or make a pillow of it, and he'll come back.
[Wilmington 123:4.]
Entry 12362
Dere.danger to yo' head all de time. Yo' take a man's hat, yo' under- stand, an' yo' go to de drug store an' git what chew call sulphur of potash, something like a powder and it's called love powder. That's the name fer it Love Powder. Sprinkle dat in de hat, in de lining. Or if he goes with yo' and yo' kin get near to him, sprinkle it in any piece of his clothes. Dat means dat yo' can't stay away, yo' will come back.
Entry 12473
Ah heard of a man once dat wuz goin' wit a girl. He wuz a married man. An' dis girl wanted tuh go tuh de show. He didn't want her tuh go because a single [man] was carryin' her. So he called for her an' had her go tuh his office. An' he strangles her first. An' den he dismembered her body, cut de haid off first an' her arms, an' den he cuts her body off [up]: cuts her thighs off, den de laigs - jes' dismembered her dat way. Dere wuz nobody in de office, an' he lived about ten miles out. He carries her out past his home an' put [the parts of] her body different places, an' two weeks later de news got out an' he didn't say anything about it, when he heard de news. He went tuh her people about her. He hadn't seen her in a couple of weeks an' she was on a vacation. It was man seen him put de haid out - out of a truck. He know de man's face but he didn't know his name. An' when de news got out about her, dey go tuh dis place an' git de haid, an' roun' in dat settlement dey found all de parts of de body. He burnt her clothes an' shoes in his office. An' dis man, after dey got her back tuhgether, de man dat killed her, dat was her sweetheart. Dey carried dis man tuh de undertaker's shop tuh identify her. But it didn't seem tuh take any 'fect on him de first three times dey carried him. So de third time he wus dere, why dey used some kind of - dey called it perfume, but ah don't know de name of de perfume. It was tuh weaken him. De nex' time dey didn't have tuh carry him dere. He went hisself an' gave up. After he looked at her, he jes' broke an' telled dem.
Entry 12024
To keep his love, woman takes piece of his clothes, graveyard dirt, soaks them in vinegar and turpentine, wraps tight, seals in jar, and buries under steps. [Richmond 341:6.]
Entry 13275
Sulphur worn in clothes or shoes or rubbed on hands that might touch conjured articles is a protection against them. [Wilmington 189:6.]
Entry 4851
She said she cut dis piece uh 'is [of his] clothes, cut out a round plug [see 4845]. I reckon de plug mus' uh [must have] been about dat roun' [demonstrates], jis' about duh size of a dollah - cut it out de seat of 'is draw- ahs. She said she took it an' put it in a bag, an' put some fish brine salt in dere [there] wit it. An' she said, an' cared [carried] it on de northeast cornah of 'er house, an' dug de hole an' put in deah. She said evah mawnin' befo' de sunrise she'd go roun' deah an' make watah on it. Shedone it fer nine mawnin's, she said. An' dey said he lef' heah an' nevah did come through heah no mo'[more].
Entry 5166
Yuh kin take yore shoe an' git some of de inside of it out dere, an' yo' kin carry it tuh any person [hoodoo doctor]. An' dey take dat little piece of leather [inner sole] dat yuh don' think much of it, an' dey [doctor] take it an' dey put it in some Hearts Cologne. An' she [woman who took it to doctor] will take it an' put it in yore clothes anywhere. Well, dat give her or de man [if he does the same thing] - dat draw 'em right in tuh 'em.
(That's to draw that person to them.)
Yes.
Entry 4837
Ah heard dat she could a [= could of] take any piece of 'is clothes [if] dat he evah lef' home, any piece, or any shoe-lak [piece], [like] his shoe tongue, or eithah 'is clothes dat he weah nex' tuh 'im. Take an' go tuh stoah [store], an' buy some cologne from de drug stoah, an' fix de clothes up, an' bur' [bury] 'em undah root of a tree, an' in nine day's time he will be back at home.
Entry 7386
If a person is killed an' yo' wanta find out who do it an' yo' want dis person to die aftah killin' dis person, yo' cut a green tree an' put it down in de grave. (You cut a green tree?) Yes sir, cut a small green tree an' put it down in de grave, an' den yo' bury dis dead man on dat green tree, an' put 'is clothes [in which he was murdered] undah 'im, an' de man who killed 'im it won't be long befo' he dies. But ah don't know what dey say to ketch 'im, ah nevah hear of dat. But dey say it wouldn't be long befo' he dies.
(Do you cut any kind of a green tree?)
Yes sir, any kinda green trees, so as it's green. Put it in de grave.
(Then you put the dead man's clothes on that tree?)
Yes, put de dead man's clothes on dat.
(Then you bury the dead man on top of that?)
On top of 'is clothes, an' dey say it wouldn't be long befo' dis person have killed would follah 'im. Mah stepfathah got killed an' people have tell my mothah to do dat, but she Wouldn't do it. Yo' jes' get a green tree - cut a green tree an' throw it in de grave, an' den throw all de murdered's [murdered man's] clothes an' shoes an' evah bit right down in dere, an' bury de dead right on dat an' dis person will sure follah yo'. (Well, what do they bury the man in, then, the man that was killed? What do they bury him in? They bury his entire clothes don't they?) Dey bury 'im in clothes but yo' jes' throw de old bloody clothes in de grave; see, an' throw dat down in dere an' den bury 'im right on top of dat, see. (And YOU SAY THAT YOUR STEPFATHER WAS KILLED OVER HERE ON JAMES ISLAND. I see, and they told your mother to do that? And she wouldn't do it?) No sir, she wouldn't do it - she wouldn't do it.
(That's supposed to be an old, old way of finding out who killed him.)
Dey find out who kill 'im, yes.
Entry 11092
Woman takes any soiled clothes of man, such as sweaty underclothes, takes some of hers, wraps together and wears. [Washington 836:2.]
The account names soiled clothes, with sweaty underclothes as an example, combined with some of the woman's clothes. No actual performance or effect is established.
Source passage
continuous interview or recording context · Source-local attribution; no resolved person identity is asserted.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
(I see. Well, how did your son become mixed up in this?)
informant · Miffin (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
My son didn' git mixed up...my son got in a teenage scrape, doesn' concern it.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
(Oh, I see. You've been trying to find this man...)
informant · Miffin (speaker in this passage); supporting excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
To fin' somebody to he'p us git dem out. Yo' know, de people whut said could he'p yo'. Say dey could dress clothes an' he'p you git 'em out
editorial gloss or commentary; supporting excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
[of jail]
informant · Miffin (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
(Oh yes. I see.)
informant · Miffin (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
Dat's how me an' 'er came in contac' togethah.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
(I see. Some of the root doctors say they can get you out of jail too.)
informant · Miffin (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
Dey can. It one down in Williston, Florida can git choo out. ALL YO' GOTTA DO IS TAKE 'IM A OL FIFTY-CENT - DE OLDES' FIFTY-CENTS YO' CAN FIN' AN' HE WILL HE'P YO'.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
(What is his name, do you know?)
informant · Miffin (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
I don' know his name but.... Do yo' know him?
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
[Addresses this question to Cubby.}
context only; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
editorial speaker label; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
CUBBY
contact participant · Cubby (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
I know where he is...
uncertain turn attribution; attribution alternatives: Miffin (speaker in this passage), Cubby (speaker in this passage); attribution is uncertain; context excerpt; unresolved source attribution, context only · Vol. 5, p. 4496
He's down in Williston. Somebody s'posed to take me down dere, but it's too late now. Dey done sentenced my son. Dere's nothin' I can do about it - not ha'dly anymore. Although I be right upon him. Ev'ry fourth Sunday I go up to see 'im
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
[her son]
informant · Miffin (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
(I see.)
informant · Miffin (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
But this gurl is still workin' on her son - hard, hard
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
[draws out this hard]
informant · Miffin (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
. Yo' know Ronnie, don' yo'?
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
[Addressed to Cubby.]
informant · Miffin (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
Got in dat trouble - his mother's Lois.
editorial speaker label; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
CUBBY
contact participant · Cubby (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
Oh, yes, yes. I know who yo' talkin' about.
uncertain turn attribution; attribution alternatives: Miffin (speaker in this passage), Cubby (speaker in this passage); attribution is uncertain; context excerpt; unresolved source attribution, context only · Vol. 5, p. 4496
Dat's de one. Yo' don' remember the gal who wus stayin' wit 'er? He had her about crazy one time, yep.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
(Do you know where this fellow down in Williston lives? How far is Williston from here?)
context only; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
[Question addressed to Cubby.]
informant · Miffin (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
Williston is not too far.
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
[Miffin answers.]
context only; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
editorial speaker label; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
CUBBY
contact participant · Cubby (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
Williston is about an hour's drive.
uncertain turn attribution; attribution alternatives: Miffin (speaker in this passage), Cubby (speaker in this passage); attribution is uncertain; context excerpt; unresolved source attribution, context only · Vol. 5, p. 4496
Yeah about an hour's drive. Because I have been bein' so broke, but they tole me if I git me de oldes' fifty-cent I could fin' an' go down dere an' take it I will git little Timmy some money an' keep me a little piece of money. Now I defin'tly know people dat go down dere.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
(Now what does he do? Have you any idea? Has anyone told you what he does?)
informant · Miffin (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
Well, dat's up to yo' an' dis main wha' choo do. Yo' know wha' choo wan' did. It's up to yo'.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
(You take an old fifty-cent piece in silver.)
informant · Miffin (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
Yeah, but yo' gotta have dat. Have yo' heard dat?
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
[Again asking Cubby.]
informant · Miffin (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
Yo' gotta git de oldes' fifty-cent piece yo' can fin'.
editorial speaker label; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
CUBBY
contact participant · Cubby (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
I happen to know where he lives because I've taken a fare there before.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
(You've taken a fare there. To see him?)
informant · Miffin (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
But yo' know what? I know a woman dat got 'er son dead out of trouble goin' up dere - dead out. But I'm too late fo' my boy 'cause I didn' b'lieve in dis an' I jis' couldn' git myself up to go 'til it wus too late. Dey sentenced 'im an' ev'rything. My son got from 6 months to 20 years an' he was jis' 15.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
(Oh, that's terrible!)
informant · Miffin (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
Yeah.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
(That's terrible!)
informant · Miffin (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
Yeah, but he can make it out in another year if I understan' de parole. But dis main is good down in Williston, Florida. Have yo' heard he Was real good?
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
[Again talking to Cubby.]
context only; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
editorial speaker label; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
CUBBY
contact participant · Cubby (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
Yeah, I've heard he's very good.
uncertain turn attribution; attribution alternatives: Miffin (speaker in this passage), Cubby (speaker in this passage); attribution is uncertain; context excerpt; unresolved source attribution, context only · Vol. 5, p. 4496
Yeah, tha's whut I heard too.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
(We'll have to try to see that man, Mr. Cubby.)
context only; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
editorial speaker label; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
CUBBY
contact participant · Cubby (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
We can get down there week after next.
editorial speaker label; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
HYATT TO CUBBY
context only; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
(All right. I'd like to see him.)
context only; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4496
Nested source context: live participant knowledge limit · Vol. 5, p. 4496
CUBBY I happen to know where he lives because I've taken a fare there before.
Unresolved source context: exact live turn attribution unresolved · Vol. 5, p. 4496
He's down in Williston. Somebody s'posed to take me down dere, but it's too late now. Dey done sentenced my son. Dere's nothin' I can do about it - not ha'dly anymore. Although I be right upon him. Ev'ry fourth Sunday I go up to see 'im
Unresolved source context: exact live turn attribution unresolved · Vol. 5, p. 4496
Dat's de one. Yo' don' remember the gal who wus stayin' wit 'er? He had her about crazy one time, yep.
Unresolved source context: exact live turn attribution unresolved · Vol. 5, p. 4496
Yeah about an hour's drive. Because I have been bein' so broke, but they tole me if I git me de oldes' fifty-cent I could fin' an' go down dere an' take it I will git little Timmy some money an' keep me a little piece of money. Now I defin'tly know people dat go down dere.
Unresolved source context: exact live turn attribution unresolved · Vol. 5, p. 4496
Yeah, tha's whut I heard too.
locally coherent printed subpassage
Attribution of several unlabelled continuations remains uncertain.
closed_printed_multi_participant_exchange
Unlabelled first-person speech about the son remains Miffin’s; named CUBBY turns do not absorb her following paragraphs.
The malformed closing brace in the Addresses this question note is preserved as editorial production markup.
Cubby’s taken-a-fare statement establishes his own claimed transport history, not direct knowledge that treatment worked.
They say, I know a woman, heard he was good and I heard too are differing reported-evidence claims, not verified efficacy.
The final HYATT TO CUBBY label is structural addressee information, not another spoken name.
Bounded passage retrieval, not complete corpus coverage or practitioner consensus.
Read the full source context: Vol. 5, p. 4493 · Vol. 5, p. 4494 · Vol. 5, p. 4495 · Vol. 5, p. 4496 · Vol. 5, p. 4497
Source passage
continuous interview or recording context · Source-local attribution; no resolved person identity is asserted.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
(Now, how did a person,
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
[if]
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
a person wanted, was in trouble, wanted to see Doctor Buzzard to work for him, how did he do it in the old days? How would he get to see him?)
informant · Speaker called Prophet in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
Now, nine
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
[times]
informant · Speaker called Prophet in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
out of ten thuh person was in bad trouble would be in jail. Some of thuh rel'tives would come.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
(How is that?
editorial recording or production note; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
[I ask about cassette.]
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
That can't be still...)
context only; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
editorial speaker label; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
CUBBY
contact participant · Cubby (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
Yo' got jes' about anothah minute.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
(All right, then you turn it over, flip it over then. All right. "Sorry"
context only; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
[to Prophet]
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
. Ah, now, they send somebody that's in the family. Well, how would they get to him?)
informant · Speaker called Prophet in this passage; supporting excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
At tha' time, if he figgah thuh case was worthy of 'is service.... He would tell 'em tuh bring um somethin' belong tuh this individ'al, say a shoe, sock or even a suit of clothes. An' what he did wit tha' is a secret. But ah have tried it an' ah see tha' it does work.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
(It does work.)
informant · Speaker called Prophet in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
Um hm.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
(Now, when they came to him did he ever refuse to take people, to take cases?)
informant · Speaker called Prophet in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
Um hm.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
(He refused to take cases?)
informant · Speaker called Prophet in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
Many of 'um too small. He tole me these secrets. He says,
reported or enacted speech · Speaker called Prophet in this passage · Buzzard (as recounted by the speaker); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
"The po' will
reported or enacted speech · Speaker called Prophet in this passage · Buzzard (as recounted by the speaker); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4624
always be with yo'.... If yo' are goin' to woik, give all tha' choo have tuh people yo' work fo', if dey abal
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4624
[able]
reported or enacted speech · Speaker called Prophet in this passage · Buzzard (as recounted by the speaker); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4624
to pay."
informant · Speaker called Prophet in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4624
There
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4624
[then]
informant · Speaker called Prophet in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4624
they come a cast, or a case, tha' choo know thuh circumstance, was...cause this trouble, then he'p this person. If they're hungry nevah turn 'em aroun'. Now, this is the way he worked. Like ah'm sayin' tuh yo'.
Nested source context: live recording logistics · Vol. 5, p. 4623
(How is that? [I ask about cassette.] That can't be still...) CUBBY Yo' got jes' about anothah minute.
Nested source context: reported quote opens across page · Vol. 5, p. 4623
He says, "The po' will
Nested source context: reported quote closes across page · Vol. 5, p. 4624
always be with yo'.... If yo' are goin' to woik, give all tha' choo have tuh people yo' work fo', if dey abal [able] to pay."
locally coherent printed subpassage
Cubby's recording interjection is distinct from the continuing informant called Prophet; Buzzard quotation is reported speech, not a live Buzzard turn.
closed_printed_exchange_with_live_recording_interruption
Cubby’s minute-left statement is live recording logistics, not Buzzard or the Prophet speaking.
The author addresses Cubby about flipping the cassette and then returns to the Prophet; bracketed addressee notes are editorial.
He says introduces reported Buzzard words; the passage does not let us confidently extend direct quotation beyond the printed closing quote.
I tried it is a claim by the present interviewee, not a demonstrated success during the interview.
Bounded passage retrieval, not complete corpus coverage or practitioner consensus.
Read the full source context: Vol. 5, p. 4622 · Vol. 5, p. 4623 · Vol. 5, p. 4624 · Vol. 5, p. 4625