Subject:Devil
References to the devil in the source accounts, beliefs and instructions; reported identifications and allegations are not independently established facts.
Entries
Entry 167
Ah heard that they say it's the devil in that whirlwind - when the whirlwind goes round an' round lak that, dey say it's de devil.
(Are you supposed to do anything to it?)
Ah dunno.
Entry 359
You go out under a holly tree for nine Sunday mornings and whatever you wanted to be or to play, on de ninth Sunday morning de devil would come himself. On the ninth Sunday morning if you wanted to be a dancer, the devil would come himself and strike a step. But he [a man known to the informant] couldn't stand it. The pressure was too heavy. I heard him laughing about it many a time. [For holly tree, see also No. 355.]
Entry 10541
Dey go to de forks of de road at midnight an' prac- tice dancing, an' dey become to be a natural dancer. Say de devil will meet 'em dere between midnight an' ( one a'clock an' dey will prac- tice. Go dere fo' nine nights an' dey'll become to be a natural professional dancer.
Entry 11270
You see, I'm like Doctor Eddie Murphy. I guess you may have saw his record, haven't you?
(No, I haven't.)
Doctor Eddie Murphy?
(No.)
Well, you may come cross him if you go to Columbus, Miss., if he's not dead.
(I see.)
Now, I tell you. Eddie Murphy, he taught me.
(Let me see, I'll put that doen.)
Columbus, Miss.
(Colored or white?)
Colored. I met him at the Convention in 1931 when I was down in Algiers, La. Er he sold hisself to the devil and he gived lots of instructions on different things.
Entry 11272
(Well, now, is Algiers a good place or not? I've never been down there. Is it so good or not, or is it just a lot of talk?) They really kin do what they say.
(They really can?)
Well, those people who have gone to work and have sold theirself to the devil.
[435:2.]