Subject:Dime
Other forms: Dimes
Entries
Entry 3265
You can take a dime, a silver dime, an' put it underneath your tongue when you're on top of a woman, and keep that dime under your tongue all the time [during intercourse], and she'll have no nature for any other man, and no man, can raise a head for her. [I would say the preceding word head is rare in HOODOO, heart or hard being the coron term. But I was not collecting sexual language, merely recording speech as it cme.
[Fredricksburg, Va., No. OO, by Ediphone.]
Entry 3266
To give a man a disease, she kin take an' hole [hold] a silvah dime in 'er mouth. See, she take an' hole a silvah dime in 'er mouth. She take de wax out of 'er years [ears] an' when she go to fool aroun' wit yoreself [with a man] yo' undahstan', she kin put dat on de head of it, if she gits a chance to do it she put dat on de head of it, yo' see. Now, when yo' go to have any connections wit 'er, yo' undahstan', an' when yo' go to discharge, she's got dat dime in de cornah of 'er mouth. An' when yo' 中商 goes to dis- charge, she put it in de roof of 'er mouth. She hole it in de roof of 'er mouth an' dat's goin' to strain yo', see. It'll strain yo' an' by strainin' yo', dis here wax what she'd taken outa her years an' put on yo', yo' see, dat's goin' to burn. Dat burn, dat make yo' tendah dere dat's goin' to give yo' a cut, see. An' den dat strain yo' in de back an' when yo' git through, when yo' git up from dere, de nex' mawnin' when yo' look at yore self, yo' got what yo' call a cleft. Yo' see, yo' got a cleft. An' den from a cleft it'll turn into maybe a shingle. An' dat'll cause maybe fer yo' to be op- erated on. If yo' let it run, come too bad, dey might have to operate on yo'. She give it to yo' dataway. An' de shankle is de worst disease dat a person kin have, excusin' de pox. See? Well, den yo' kin git de pox off of de same thin'.
(That same way? That same woman?)
Yes, sir.
(What do they use to get rid of those things?)
Well, now, if she wuz givin' yo' anythin' of dat sort - shankle, or pox or somepin of dat sort, yo' git yo' some of dis brown healin' powdah, dey call it.
Entry 3268
This is so, I done tried that myself. If you wan'a be wit a woman an don't wan'a discharge so quick, yo' take a dime, jis' put a dime in your mouth an' hold it underneath your tongue there, an' yo' kin screw that woman I reckon about two or three times as long as you would if you didn't have it. Dong if yo' can't whip 'er almos' to death.
Entry 3269
Wal, ah heard if yo' wanted 'im tuh come right quick, jes' put it undah yore tongue.
(What would you put under there?)
A dime, yes sir, or either a needle. Yo' kin put a needle in yore mouth[!!!]. (Well, that isn't the way I heard it.) [I was thinking of endurance rites for men.]
Entry 3270
A man kin take de piece of his - when he through wit 'er, he kin take dat piece an' tote it in 'is pocket an' wrap it up wit a silvah dime an' she won't have no othah man but 'im as long as he tote dat piece. (What piece is he going to tote with him?) De piece dat he use yo' know, when dey have intahco'se wit one anothah. He steal one of dose pieces an' put a silvah dime in dere.
(You mean what they wipe with?)
Yessuh.
Entry 3271
Well, when a man is runnin' aroun', yo' ask 'im fo' a silvah dime. He [does not] give yo' a silvah dime an' he gives yo' two nickels. Well, yo' know, [say], "oh! honey, ah don't want dis becuz ah don't want it aroun'." Or somepin lak dat. Give him some kinda story in ordah to git a silvah dime from 'im. Well, yo' takes a dime of yore own, go to de drug store or any store dat sells Hearts Cologne an' git chew a bottle of Hearts Cologne. Git chew a piece of white cotton, jes' enough to covah a dime. Den go wash out a jar, yo' know, a vaseline jar dat's large enough. Whenevah at night de man have intahco'se wit de woman, well he kin take [the cloth], or she rathah - it [cloth] be [at] de woman's side. Most mens take first but in [this case] a woman must take first. She takes dis cotton an' jes gits - jes' sodge [massage] it in dat, see. Fold it ovah dis dime an' drops it in de bottom of dis little glass jar. Den po's de Hearts Cologne ovah it [cloth] an' tighten it [jar] up tight, an' den set inside in de clothet. Or if a man, he kin do lak dat. He kin keep it in 'is pocket jes' in ordah where nobody won't see where - where she won't see it. Dat will keep 'im where he won't go out any mo'.
(How many dimes do you use, just the one or two?)
Jes' one, but when yo' see it's dryin' out, why yo' jes' renew it wit Hearts Cologne, dat's all. Den jes' massage it ovah ag'in an' use de Hearts Cologne.
Entry 3476
A woman kin git a man's seap [penis] an' measure it. Don't measure yo' roun' but measure disaway [lengthwise], an' war [wear]. Put a hole in a silvah dime an' put dis string [used in measuring] through dis silvah dime, an' war dat cord aroun' 'er leg [left ankle]. An' as long as she war dat cord dis man would nevah have no dealin's wit dat [any other] woman - no feelin's fuh 'er.
Entry 3485
If a man leaves yo' an' yo' wants 'im back, de thing about it, yo'll have tuh git in wit 'im an' go tuh bed wit 'im, undahstan'. Well, if yo' go tuh bed wit 'im one time, yo' could buy a halfa yard of yellah homespun cloth an' aftah yo'all finish whut chure doin', yo' kin jes' stick dat yellah home- spun, dat halfa yard of yellah homespun an' wipe him down wit it three times. Yo' undahstand me, wipe him down three times an' git a thin [well-worn] dime from 'im. An' take yore time, take dat yellah homespun cloth to de cornah an' double it. Evah time yo' fold it, fold it towards yo'. An' git a piece of thread an' tie dat an' bury it at chure do'steps. He come right on, straight on back tuh yo'.
(You put that little dime in the corner of this cloth and keep folding it up.)
Towards yo' evah time. [This woman spoke in a whisper all through interview.]
Entry 3497
Now, it's somepin how to make a person cold towards de othah one, cold towards evahone. Yo' go git chew a piece of new cloth, linen cloth, white cloth, 18 x 18 inches, an' yo'hem dat. An dis pahtic'lah person dat chure inter- sted in, yo' wan'a use dem - yo' use dat, yo' see. Yo' put it out an' let it dry an' den yo' tie dat as ah tole yo' about de dishrag. "Membah me tellin' yo' 'bout de dishrag? [Informant's material had been badly recorded several days before, she is now repeating.]
(Yes, but you better tell it over.)
Well, but dis doesn't go wit dat, dis is diff'ren' thing. Yo' use dat as yo' did dat, an' yo' tie de knot in it aftah yo' dry it, an' yo' stick dese points in lak yo' make a love knot, yo' know. Do it at twelve 'clock at night, if yo' have some person or frien' dat chew know is dead, yo go to dat grave of someone dat chew know dat have kept secrets fer yo'. Yo' stick yore han' down in dis grave wit a new dime. Yo' say, "Yo' have always been a friend to me, indeed an' yo' have always kept mah secrets. Now dis is one thing ah want chew to keep always, an' ah want chew to keep dis person evah near me an' no one else." An' yo' bury dis wit dat there person.
(The handkerchief you bury there?)
Dat's right, an' dis person will remain cold to evahone except yo'. Dat new dime, yo' pay 'em fer keepin' de secret.
(Where do you put that new dime?)
Right where, yo' know, where yo' dig de place to bury dat - de silvah, an' not two nickels but a dime.
Entry 3562
Yo' take a string an' measure dis person, an' tie a knot at de end of dat string. Yo' see, tie a knot at de end of dat string. Yo' see, tie a knot at de end of dat string, at de firs measurin' place an' den yo' tie it, an' from dere on yo' tie eight more which makes nine, an' den yo' kin eithah pin it aroun' yore ankle wit a sil- vah dime. Stick a hole in a silvah dime an' wear it aroun' de ankle, dey won't love no one but yo'. Well, NOW SOME PEOPLE SAY DEY USE IT FER CRAMPS [see Nos.1516-1517], BUT DAT'S ALWAYS AS AN ALIBI. DAT'S [LOVE IS] WHUT DE USE IT FO'.
(They say they use it for cramps, but they really want to keep a man.)
Entry 3786
Yo' kin take a pineapple, co'se it's diff'ren' to all kinds of - plenty diff'ren' things, plenty diff'ren'. Yo' take a pineapple. Now, a lady's got yo' so dat yo' don't wanta be wit anybody else but 'er, she's got yo' tied in nine knots, which, whut I mean, she'd have a string, she done meas- ured your private. She got dat tied in nine knots an' wears dat aroun' 'er waist. Now, yo' take a pineapple, yo' buy yo' one pineapple. Yo' take her name an' yo' write in nine times on a note. Yo' put it into dis pine- apple [demonstrates].
(Just nine times like that, one right under the other.)
Right on top of one anothah. See [demonstrates]. Yo' put it once dis way, jes' go right on down - not a large piece - den yo' come back right on top of dat again. See, nine times, an' yo' say yore prayers ovah dat. An' aftah yo' say yore prayers ovah dat, den yo' take it an' yo' go to de rivah an' throw it ovah yore shouldah backwards [demonstrates].
(Over your left shoulder.)
Ovah yore left shouldah. An' den yo' reach in yore right pocket an' take a silvah dime an' say, "In de Name of God de Father, God de Son, an' throw it ovah behind dat, ovah yore right shouldah. An' den yo' walk away wit'out lookin back. Don't look back. An' when yo' get back home, yo' beginnin' to feel all right, an' dat night yo' kin tell de diff'rence. Yo' kin tell yo' done broke dat [spell]. But yo' must do dat.
Entry 3800
A woman kin have a intahco'se wit a man an' git some of 'is stuff, aftah he be's wit 'er, an' take it an' tie it up in a pocket han'ke'chuf, an put some silvah money in dere an' tote it roun' in 'er pock- etbook an' say yo' cain't have no interco'se wit no othah woman - nobody but 'er. Say yo' git up a heart an' evah- thing an' de time fo' 'im tuh git tuh have intahco'se wit de woman, say when he go tuh git on 'er, he'll fall, he cain't raise up. (She just takes the handkerchief with that stuff on it and the silver and wears the whole thing?) Dat's all, yessuh.
Entry 3801
Git a bran'-new silvah dime from dis man whut chew goes wit, an' yo' git chew a large piece of white cloth an' tie it up in dis cloth. An' whenevah yo'd have intahco'se wit dat man, yo' used dis cloth wit dis same dime in it. When yo'd git through usin' it, yo'd put it in yore pillah an' let it stay in dere length of time, an' den yo' take it outa de pillah an' wear it down between yore laigs, see or eithah in yore nation sack. [For nation sack, see interview THE 'NATION SACK' WOMAN, p.1449, introductory comment.]
(What will that do then?)
Dat'll make de man come back.
Entry 3802
Well, if a person go tuh work an' take de measure of yore private an place it on a piece of paper, yo' take an' go tuh work an' git to de place dat chew can't be social wit no othah man, yo' take de five dimes an' swallah dem. When de five dimes came back in passes, why yo'll be a perfect person ag'in. Yo' kin go all de way an' love wit anyone dat chew want to:
(You say a woman will take a man's measure on what?)
On de private.
(How does she measure that?)
Wit 'er fingahs.
(Then what does she do with that, then?)
Take dat an' tie nine knots wit a cord string.
(Then what does she do with that string?)
She take dat string an' place it aroun' 'er waist.
(And that takes the man's nature away?)
Yes.
(Now, how is he going to get his nature back?)
He will have to go tuh work an' [provide himself] wit de five silvah dimes, jes' lak she will. Swallah five silvah dimes.
(Swallow the whole dime?)
All whole.
Entry 3918
I can send 'em away in dis mannah. Now, if I would - say fo' ninstance if I wanted to kill a person or somepin of dat sort, why den, man or woman. If it wus a woman, I could take an' - I'd take her pieces, yo' know, when dey dirty. I'd fold 'em up an' put nine needles in 'em. I'd take an' I'd go to de riv- ah, but when I get to de rivah, when I gets jes' about twenty feets of de end of de walk where I'm goin' to stand at - dere's de wall [of the room] heah, when I get jes' about twenty feets right heah, I'd back myself back to dat, see. An I wouldn't look back, jes' back up to dere. When I gets dere I throws dat over mah left shouldah. When I throw dat in de rivah ovah mah left shouldah. I throws a silvah dime behind me, an' dat'll make her drift. She'll pine away to nuthin an' when yo' look again, why she'll be in de cemetery.
(Well, what do you throw over your shoulder?)
[I know, but I am continuing for the dime later.]
I throw 'er pieces ovah my shouldah.
(Oh! What do you mean, her monthly pieces?)
Yes, sir.
(Her monthly pieces?)
Yes.
(Well, why do you throw that dime over your shoulder?)
Dat dime is fo' death. Dat dime is to carry her on - see, dat dime is to carry her on. She's got to go.
(Does anybody get that dime? Pay her?)
[Informant already has said that dime is: for death, but I am trying to obtain a fuller statement without suggesting what I want - the dime pays the spirit for doing the desired work.] No, no, sir, nobody gets dat dime. Dat dime goes in de rivah. Nobody gets dat dime.
Entry 3919
[HERE IS VERSION ONE OF THE RITE:]
Well, she goin' bring 'im home an' make 'im stay dere wit 'er. She'll take dat [sanitary] cloth an' take dem needles, dem nine needles an' cross 'em, take a silvah dime from 'i血m if she kin git it, an' take a piece of 'is hair outa his haid an' tie it, an' sew it all up in dat cloth togethah, an' cross it - crosses dose needles lak dat [demonstrates] - dat way. [The crossing of needles or pins in a cloth is a frequent magic act. Each needle or pin is stuck into the cloth so that it crosses over one or more needle or pin.] Well, aftah she do dat, she takes it an' puts it in 'er pocket. If it's nec- essary she wears it all de time.
Entry 4274
(Git his right-foot sock?)
Yeah, git 'is right-foot sock an' take a silvah dime. Yuh know, roll de sock up nice. Ah jis' kin show yuh. Yuh undahstan' whut ah'm talkin' about. Roll de sock nice an' carry it - de right sock. But co'se she'll have tuh use it wit a little of 'er chamber lye, don't chew know, an' bury it undah 'er do'step.
(What does she do with her chamber lye?)
Well, yuh see she jis' urinate a little in dat sock, don't chew see.
(And bury it in under the doorstep?)
Yeah, right whare he come in an' out.
(What will that do then when she does that?)
Dat make him stay dere.
Entry 4527
Whut chew kin do wit a man's hat. Now, yuh kin take a silvah dime. Yuh kin take a silvah dime an' plastah it tuh de centah of a man's hat back dere an' it'll change his mine [mind] from dif- f'ren' things. Jes' say, fo' an in- stance, if ah wuz stay- in' wit a lady an' she didn't wan' me tuh leave or somepin, well now, she would take dat silvah dime, see; an' me not payin' no 'tenshun an' plastah it right in dere in mah hat undah dat tag whut be's in dere [put dime in sweatband]. An' dat'll keep me from leavin'. All right, she kin take dat same dime an' she'll kill enough chinches tuh git enough blood, jes' enough blood tuh stain dat dime off of a chinch, see. An' put dat same dime right down dere [in the sweatband] an' fold it back ovah dat. Well, when ah sweat dat's goin' run down in mah face an' goin' run me blind.
(Those chinches, that's the same as the bug from the bed?)
Dat's it.
Entry 4668
Take dat bow an' git a silvah dime an' wrap dat bow aroun' dat silvah dime, an' wear it undah yore gartah in yore stockin' yuh know, an' dey say dat'll make a man give yuh money.
Entry 4695
Take dat little bow an' make anyone love yuh. Yuh could take dat an' put it in de toe of a sock an' take a dime an' put it in dere. An' yuh fold it dis way [demonstrates]. Yuh jis' fold it dat way an' den yuh fold de toe dat way, comin' in de house, an' den bury it up undah yore do'step, yuh undahstan', an' den take a leak on it evah mawnin'. An' ah guarantee dey won't leave yuh.
Entry 4823
Now you can take a piece of the oldest lamb, a piece of his right ear, and get that.blood and get a piece of her garment and stain it. And get nine ten-cent pieces and take and carry them to a muddy branch, and make a fold of this piece of garment and bury it [blood stained garment about 9 dimes] in the muddy branch, and she'll just follow you anywhere.
Entry 5021
Now listen, de way dat ah undahstan's dat, yuh take both heels [of her stockings] an' c'ook [crook] 'em togethah wit a dime in it. Well, yuh rolls 'em up an' yuh hides 'em 'way in some secret place or 'nothah an' yuh'll always have de advantage of 'er.
(You take these two heels of her stockings?)
Take de two heels togethah an' wrap a dime up wit 'em an' hide dem away. Yuh'll always have de advantage of 'er, den.
Entry 5023
[There are a number of rites in which a woman asks a man for a dime or a piece of silver; the following one being quite complicated:] Do dat tuh make a man bring 'is money home. Well, yuh kin take a man's sock an' let 'im weah it an' yuh weah one of yore [stockings], de right-foot sock [and stocking]. Den yuh git a dime, a silvah dime from 'i, outa his han. Den yuh writes 'is name nine times tuh yuh. Write it nine times, write, "Ah want chew tuh bring yore money home tuh me an' don't cash yore check until yuh git it tuh me, '' nine times. Den yuh takes dat name an' dat silvah dime, dat he give yuh outa his han', an' yuh fold it nine times [demonstrates] an' yuh tell it whut chew Want it tuh do [demonstrates].
(You are folding it toward you, aren't you?)
Uh-huh. Yuh talk tuh it, yuh know, "Ah want chew tuh bring yore money home tuh me." Make dat nine folds on it tuh yuh. Den yuh take yore stockin' an' fold it. Yuh take dis dime yuh know an' de name yuh know, aftah yuh fix it up an' put it in de toe of 'is sock, his right-foot sock, his'n, whut he'd been weahin'. Den yuh take one of yores an' yuh write on dere mah name, an', "Ah Wants tuh be boss. Ah wan' chew tuh bring yore money home tuh me. Ah'm yore wife." or "yore girl fren', " or whut-not. Den yuh fold yore sock [stocking] tuh yuh [and say], "Ah'm goin' bring it home. "See, lak dat [demonstrates]. "Ah'm goin' bring it home." Den yuh puts de man's sock in yores. See, yuh wants dis, an' shet it inside lak dat. Den yuh buries it where he kin walk inan' ovah it. An' HE WON'T CASH 'IS CHECK.
Entry 5070
Yuh kin take a woman's stockin' an' a co'se a [and of course al woman's stockin' - but ah tell yuh whut have tuh be done. A woman's stockin' have tuh be washed in Lysol, dat's Lysol whut chew take a douche wit. [Lysol is a trademark for a solution of cresols in soap, used as disinfectant and antiseptic.] Well now, yuh gotta take dat stockin' an' wash it in Lysol, an' den when yuh git through, don't rench [rinse], jis' wash it in de Lysol an' don't rench it. Hang it up an' let it dry, an' den when yuh git ready tuh press it, de way yuh do, yuh have tuh press it in dere, now. Yuh take dat stockin' an' den yuh git chew a dime an' put it right in de toe of dat stockin', where de big toe go at, an' yuh tie dat dime up in dat stockin'. An' aftah yuh tied dat dime up in dat stockin' yuh done tied 'er up in a knot wit dat Lysol. Don't take none of dat germ outa her feet whut's in 'er stockin' an' yuh'll have her.
(What do you do with that stocking after you get it prepared?)
Aftah yuh git dat stockin' 'pared, put it intuh de bottom of yore trunk an' lay [it] between a papah, or [and] lay it between de bottom of yore trunk.
(Who does this, the man?)
De man or woman, eithah one of 'em.
Entry 5404
Well, if a person wan'a harm yo' in a foot track, dey got diff'ren ways dey kin harm yo' in dat. Dey kin take fo' ninstance - dey kin take an' git eggs, dey kin harm yo' in dat. Dey kin use salt an' harm yo' in dat. (How do they harm you with the eggs with that?) All right. Dey take a egg. Dey kin take a egg an' break dat egg. Beat dat egg up - beat dat egg an' when dey beat dat egg, dey put sugah in it. Dey'd git what chew would call - de same thin' as ah jis' tole yo', spoke of; but yo' git de powdah, de war powdah. Yo' mixes dat tuhgethah, but when yo' mixes it, it will come as a paste, see. Well, yo' jis' mix dat tuhgethah an' yo' gits - lak DERE'S A DRUG STORE RIGHT HERE, A FEW BLOCKS FROM HERE, WE GOES TO. Yo' gO dere an' yo' git some of de steel dust, or else take a silvah dime an' scrape it. Yo' git de dus' off de dime. An' yo' stir dat up good, an' if yo' git dis person's tracks, yo' put jis' a li'le in each track. Well, yo' know dey's goin' tuh pass an' dey bound tuh put dere feet in it. Be sure yo' know dey goin' tuh put dere feet in it. Yo' ketch one track here an' yo' may ketch anothah one ovah dere. Yo' know some people make big steps. Yo' ketch de track an' yo' put some in dere, in each track of de party yo' doin' harm. See. An' dat be all of dat. Dere won't be nuthin done in dat - see, in tryin' tuh harm 'em.
(What will that do to a person then?)
Now, tuh keep a person from [I interrupt].
(What will that do to him if you put that in his track?)
Well, what will it do tuh yo'? Why, den it would maybe paralyze 'im, his foot. It could paralyze yo', make yo' go lame in one leg or maybe de whole side. See, if a person done harm yo'.
(I see. Then - what would they do then? Do you know how to prevent that?)
Entry 5441
Dey tell me yo' have tuh go tuh de cemetery roun' about fo' a'clock in de mawnin' an' take an' put yore han' intuh de middle of a dead sinnah's grave. An' den yo' put, yo' know, a dime [in this hole] an' git dis dirt. An' yo' take dis dirt, choo see, an' yo' come on away. An' yo' would take de [victim's] foot track, yo' see, wit dis graveyard dirt. An' wherevah a person is da' choo don't wan' 'em, dey tell me da' choo kin take dis dirt - aftah yo' git it from dis graveyard about fo' a'clock in de mawnin' - an' take it an' throw it all ovah dis place where dis person is. An' dey say dey'll nevah will go back no mo'. Dey say dey'll jis' certainly drive 'em away from dere, or drive 'em outa town. Yo' ain't got'a do a thing but jis' take an' throw it right on de front porch an' walk away wit chore back turned. An' don't look back.
Entry 5908
Yo' could take graveyard dirt an' take a dime an', if dere [there is] any woman haah, sew it up togethah an' dat'll make her can't git away from yo'.
Entry 5909
Well, yo' kin take de hair out de top of a woman haid an' go to de graveyard an' git some of dis graveyard dirt. Put a dime down in dere an' den yo' kin tie a little piece of new cloth - right new cloth. (You tie this hair and the graveyard dirt [and dime] together into this new cloth.) An' put it in a little bottle an' put dis stuff dey call Heart Cologne on it, an' yo'll keep 'em fo'evah - dey nevah will leave yo'.
Entry 5916
(All right, you were going to tell me?)
If dey git some of yore hair. Now, sometime dey lose on dat an' sometime dey don't lose. If dey git de hair from yore head - remembah dey kin take dat hair. ALL BIRDS DON'T USE HUMAN HAIR. But dis guinea hen chick bird [I interrupt]. (What kind of bird?) Guinea hen chick bird. (Guinea hen chick bird?) Yes, if dey kin GIT DAT BIRD - TO TAKE DAT HAIR AN' PUT IT INTO HER NEST. YOU'LL SUFFOCATE WIT A HEAD- ACHE TILL YO' GO BLIND. I kin take dat hair. Oh my! An' bore holes - wrap it into a silvah thimble an' put a silvah dime against it [open end of thimble] an bury it in de ground an' make warts come out on yore head. (Now, that guinea hen. You mean the ordinary guinea hen that runs around the yard. I see.) Yeah, yeah.
Entry 6026
Git a plait of hair an' yo' plait it undahwards, yo' know, lak dat [demonstrates]. Don't plait it ovah lak we plait our hair, plait it undah lak dat. Den tie a little bow of ribbon on dere. An' aftah yo' tie dat hair in dere, yo' take an' put a piece of lodestone wit it, an' yo' put nine pins an' nine needles in dere, an' yo' sew dat up in a flannel bag, an' yo' puts a little sugah in dere, too - ah'd fo'gotten dat - an' anvil dust lak at de blacksmith shop, dat dust where dey grind.
(From the anvil?)
[From the hoodoo drug store or mail order firm I should have said.1 Yes. Put dat anvil dust in dere an' a silvah dime. Dat's tuh keep de person dat chew love, yo' know, keep dere minds contented towards yo'.
Entry 6057
Ah hear dat [they] kin take a piece hair out de man's - chice[?] of a man an' de man is sich of dem. Tell me dey git aholt of de hair.
(Of the head?)
From de head.
(Yes?) [= continue, because informant had stopped.]
An' dey git holt of de hair from down below.
(That's right [= keep talking]. Now, what do they do with that?)
An' den dey take dem two an' put it in a bag, an' ah don't know what dey do's. Dey takes dose two [kinds of hair] an' put 'em in a bag, an' put a dime intuh it. An' put dat same othah root whut ah tell yo' 'bout [pronounced boat].
(John the Conquer?)
Yes. Put some of dat an' dey git dis [informant unable to remember].
(And what else do.you put in there, then?)
Yo' put dis John de Conkah in dere an' den yo' git holt of dere hair - de two hairs - an' den yo' git a dime. An' yo' sew it up in a bag an' yo' wears it aroun' yo'. Yo' eithah put it aroun' yo' waist or wear it aroun' yo' neck. An' den yo' feed it wid dis same - de same cologne ah tell yo' about.
(That Hearts Cologne, you feed it?)
Yo' feed it wid dat. Eveh once in a while yo' feed it wid dat, see.
(And what is that supposed to do?)
Suh?
(What will that do then?)
What'll dat do? Well, if yo' got a husban' or anythin', or any man or any- thin', he gotta dump [give] evahthin' he got tuh yo' - couldn't git aroun' [with other women, gamble away his money, etc.l. He's gotta come home.
(That's to hold him, to keep him.)
Entry 6074
Dey say yo' take a silvah dime an' git nine stran's of a man's hair from 'is private down heah, an' some John de Conkah root, an' yo' chews it up good, an' puts it in dis bag wit dis dime, one dime, an' sew it up anl tie it aroun' yore waist. An' dis man cain't git rid of me, cuz he don't wanta git rid of me, an' still yo' cain't git rid of 'im. Yo' wear dat nine stran's of hair. Well, ah know dat's a fac' 'cuz ah tried it tuh see would it come out.
Entry 6123
Some takes dat. (That little bow from a man's hat?) Yessuh, an' a dime, a new dime, an' strain it wit hair from down heah, if dey kin git it, or eithah out de mole of 'is haid, an' dey sew dat up in a little piece of flannen rag an' put it in de bottom of dere foot an' wear it.
(What do they do that for?)
Dat's fo' tuh keep 'im controlled.
Entry 6451
(What do they do with those fingernails and toenails?)
Ah hear'd 'em say dat dey cut 'em an' put 'em in a snuffbox, an' go tuh de cemetery an' take a dime, an' reach yore han' as fer as yo' kin in de centah - ah mean in de centah of de grave - an' take jis' as much of dat dust as dat dime kin hold. An' ah hear 'em say yo' kin put it in a snuffbox an' throw it in a runnin' stream. An' dat's all ah know about it.
(What will that do to you then?)
Run yo' away, dat's whut dey tell me.
Entry 6819
Now, if yo' wuh [were] poisoned an' yo' find out dat dat dime wuz turnin' black, why yo' would take a silvah dime an' yo'll file it. Yo' take [and] yo' file, file, file an' yo' take de powdahed pieces of dat dime an' put in some watah. Yo' git some killbash [calabash] an' yo' take de seeds an' yo' boil 'em tuh- gethah, an' yo' strain it an' yo' drink dat watah. Dat supposed tuh kill dat poison dead regardless of whutevah it is, eithah brings it out one way or de othah. In de case of yo' takin' a few dose of dat medicine, den yo' [take] some laxative medicine. Yo' eithah bring it out one way or de othah. It's poison.
(Well, do you boil this silver with the killbash seeds?)
Wit de silvah an' de killbash seeds tuhgethah. Boil tuhgethah.
Entry 6867
So anyone won't hurt chew, git a piece of red flannel, pure flannel. See, git a piece of root. Ast fo' corkin' [porcupine?] vine root. Yo' evah hear of it? (Coffin vine? Corkin' [porcupine] vine.) Put dat an' put a dime, a silvah dime. See, put dat in dere an' put a li'le piece of asafitadee [asa- fetida] an' sews it up an' weahs it right dere [demonstrates] an' put a medal wit it, chew know, a St. Anthony [medal].
(Where do you wear that?)
No, sir, right dere.
(Right here on the front of your breastbone. Against your skin or?)
Right by yore meat. Yo' nevah git harmed. [The 4 preceding objects are sewed up into a red flannel bag, making a hand (see Pp.519-669), here a protective device to be worn about the neck. Suppose we analyze this hand: (1) The porcupine root I do not know, but it surely means a pointed article that will wound an intruder. Could this be a small piece of porcupine wood, the outer wood or the coconut palm with markings resembling por- cupine quills? Or have we here any root with quill-like projections. Similarly, years ago I had trouble with the identity of the alligator tree (mentioned some- where in Hoodoo), the sweet gum, so called because its bark supposedly imitates the hide of an alligator. In the present instance, however, we must remember that our informant is not a root digger, but buys this root from a hoodoo drug store or root seller. (2) The dime? This is the old silver dime, not the pre- sent [1973] dime of base metal. Hoodoo is filled with the miraculous powers of the old silver dime, any silver. (3) Asafetida? During my childhood, say 1902- 1910, and even before my time, many children wore a small piece of asafetida in a bag about the neck. This was to guard the wearer against communicable dis- eases. Actually We have here a bad smell to ward off witches. Why witches dis- like odious odors, excrement and urine for examples, I am unable to explain. (4) St. Anthony medal, a holy object, would be a useful addition to our hand. (5) Red flannel, the red alone symbolizes blood, life and power.]
Entry 6879
(How can that be done?)
Well, yo' see, de way dat dey do it, dey git a rope. Yo' know a woman's iml pregnant. Dey goes tuh de step an' dey come ovah de step.
(Wait a minute. What do they do with that rope now?)
Dey take de rope offa de mule.
(Oh, this rope is around the mule?)
De rope is aroun' de mule. Dey git tuh de step an' dey come over dat rope nine times backwards. See, dey jump ovah de rope once an' dey walk aroun' it an' dey jump ovah it ag'in. An' when dey git ovah dat rope, den dey jump up lak a mule. Now, when dis lady comes out, dat's crossin' 'er as a mule [woman's period will be as long as a mule's]. Now tuh git dis cross off 'er before dis child is born, yo' git chew a Bull Durham [tobacco] sack. Yo' take dat Bull Durham sack an' yo' wash it clean, clean, clean. Yo' go tuh one a dese big sand places such as Jenkins, Watts-Cornell [or] J. J. Cox, sand dat's nevah been used, jis' come in. Yo' fill dat bag about three-qurtah full of dat sand. It's purtty white sand. Yo' git chew nine silvah dimes an' yo' put in dat sand an' yo' git chew, git chew a half a cupa vinegah. Yo' take dat an' yo' put it intuh a pot an' yo' boil. An' aftah yo' boil, yo' boil yo' an' yo' boil it down an' yo' see dis sack done boiled enough, tuh where yo' want it tuh boil at, den yo' take dis sack an' yo' go an' throw it undah 'er steps. Dat's de woman impregnant. Yo' throws it right undah 'er step wit dese dimes an' dis sand intuh it. Now, de liquid dat's lef' from dis, from dat vinegah, yo' got dat dere. Now, she mus' take a sip of dis evah mawnin' fer nine mawnin's. An' ah'll guarantee yuh it'll knock dat off. (That checks that cross that's on that woman, checks it right away. You can't do any harm at all.)
Entry 6901
Anything wrong, yo' kin take some sweet milk an' heat it real hot, an' put some red cayenne peppah in it an' put some red pod peppah in it. An' scrape some silvah off de dime an' put in de glass, an' put some gun- powdahs in it, an' yo' drink it. An' when yo' drink it, jis' makes yo' bu'st out in a big sweat an' den yo' kin vomit it up.
(This poison?)
Yeah.
Entry 6922
[Silver - especially the American dime or ten-cent piece - was one of the most widespread and frequently used magic articles in hoodoo. Has the de- basement of metallic currency in the U. S. A. killed off these beliefs, or is there a brisk sale of true silver dimes? Despite that extensive collection of silver beliefs previously given on Pp.484-493, there are many more scattered throughout Hoodoo. The rites that follow may be duplicates, but they are un- printed in Hoodoo.] Dese people in St. Petahsburg, weahs a dime roun' dere ankle tuh keep 'em off - as a preventive.
(To keep off what?)
Any kinda HOODOO or hard luck or stop anythin' dat would happen tuh 'em. Why some of 'em weahs one on each laig!
Entry 6931
Yo' take a silvah dime, yo' file dis silvah dime in- tuh a pint of milk, yo' bile dat milk, yo' drank it, an' dat milk's gon'a bring whutsomevah poison in yuh. It's gon'a bring it out.
Entry 6934
(How do you do that, now?) Take a dime, one thin dime, an' file it in sweet milk an' drink it, an' take fresh lard an' drink down, an' dat poison-a come up. Pull dat poison up.
Entry 6935
[If they get it] inside yuh body, lak worms an' diff'ren' things lak dat, yo' take some gunpowdah an' cow's milk, warm cow's milk an' take a silvah dime an' grate it. Yo' undahstand? Grate dat silvah dime intuh dis gunpowdah an' milk, an' drink it fer, say ten or fifteen days, an' yo'll pass it all outa yuh. Yer passin'll be as black as smoke.
Entry 6936
If anybody wuz poisoned an' lak if anybody wuz goin' do anythin' fo' dem, an' dey jis' really knows dis one thing an' jis' make up an' do fo' dem. Well, if dey wuz poisoned in a way dat chewed wanta do sompin fo' 'em, why yo' would take whiskey, a dime drink of whiskey, an' nine drops of turpentine an' puts it in dis whiskey. An' [if] dis whiskey don' make 'em drunk an' de tur- pentine won't bothah 'em, well dey drinks it down. Well, dey drinks it down. Well, tuh make it shore, yo' takes a ten-cent [piece] an' file it off wit a file. Well, yo' puts it in sweet milk an' give it tuh dem tuh drink evah day, jis' lak yo' do a meal.
(What will that do?)
Well, dat will draw de poison from 'em.
Entry 6937
One thing you can do to keep anybody in the world from doing anything to you, you get a silver dime, grate it, put it in water and drink it. Put a dime in each shoe. I guarantee you that you'll never be hurt. That silver dust will stick to the lining of your stomach and remain there indefinitely, and if it is not right, it will come right straight back up.
[Fredericksburg, Va., by Ediphone.]
Entry 6939
They claim that if you put a ten-cent piece under your tongue while you're having sexual relation wit a woman, you won't catch any diseases from the woman. [This belief should have pre- ceded No.3258, p.2373, but it was under CURES and missed. This original tran- scription of mine in pencil was never typed. See ILLUSTRATIONS for original.]
Entry 6940
(If I had these things, live things in me, now what would they give me to get rid of these - to get them out?) Dey'd [they would] give yo' vinegah fer one thing, 'twill run 'em out; an' use tobacco fer anothah. An' den de medicine dat yo' take, dat's whut dey give yo' fer tuh rub wit; but de medicine whut yo' take an' whut supposed tuh be some silvah money in it, some time might be a dime or quartah or somepin lak dat. But anyway, it supposed tuh be a big piece, so yo' could take a file or somepin-lak an' file it an' git - prob'bly git dust offa it or somepin, an' put it in some medicine an' let it set, an' drink it. Well, aftah yo' drinkin' dat, why dat supposed tuh run 'em outa yo', fix yo' so yo' kin git 'em out, if yo' are stopped up.
(What did they do with this vinegar and tobacco?)
Well, dey use dat fer tuh bathe dere body in.
(Do they use that alone or do they mix something with it?)
No, sir, mix it wit red peppah.
Entry 6941
Ah think yo' take - ah think it's three dime an' boil 'em an' dreen [drain] de watah offa dem three dimes.
(What will that do then?) Dat will bring dem live things outa yo' if anybody got dem in yore body.
Entry 6942
Folkes 'ave dose roun' dere neck, an' on dere laig, fo' tuh keep somebody comin' dere tuh do anythin' tuh 'em. When anybody do anythin' tuh 'em, den dat silvah turn black. (You say they wear one around the neck, one around each wrist and one around the ankles? They use fifty cents altogether - five dimes?) Yessuh.
Entry 6943
[Silver will] run it outa yo'. Ah'll run it outa yo'. Ah'll git me a dime or quartah - so it's silvah money - take me a file an' ah'll file dat stuff, dat quartah, yo' see, an' git de dust, git it plumb dusty. All right, ah'll git me some vinegah, some salt. See, ah'll put it in dere. Ah'll put me fif- teen drops of turpentine in dere wit it. Ah'll git me a box of Epsom salts. Ah'll give yo' dat Epsom salts three times a day. Dat's tuh keep yore bowels open. Dat vinegah an' dat, whut ah got made up. Yo' drink it fo' times a day until it take a act on yo'. Well, now, it - in drinkin' dat, why it'll stir dat up in yo', yo' see, stir dat poison up. An' dat Epsom salt [is] tuh keep yuh bowels open, yo' see, an' pass it on through.
Entry 6945
Well, yo' take it an' yo' boil it an' yo' drink it, an' dey say dat will kill de poison. If anybody done anythin' tuh yo', hit would kill it.
(How do you mean? Poison you how?)
If anybody fix a dose fo' yo'. (You mean if they have live things in it or some- thing of that sort?) Yassuh, if yo' drink dis watah, yo' boil three quartahs an' drink it, three quartahs.
(You said three quarters or forty cents. What do you mean by forty cents?)
[Informant had said forty cents before recording began and I want a repetition and explanation.] Dat means fo' dimes. (You do the same thing with the-four dimes that you did with the three quart- ers?) Yessuh, yo' kin boil 'em an' den drink de watah.
Entry 7601
[Among the many graveyard-dirt rites in Hoodoo, here we have a rare and unusual one, my only example of it - see my comment at the end of rite.] When yuh go tuh de graveyard in de aftahnoon tuh git dis dirt, yuh have tuh go at sundown, see. An' when yuh go at sundown, yuh have tuh git middleways of dis person. Middleways is the center or fifth point of the four-pointed or four- cornered grave, which makes a quincunx.] Git dis dirt an' yuh put a nickel [or] dime down. An' when yuh put de nickel down dere yuh git de dirt, yuh payin"en fo' de dirt. An' if yuh vanta run anybody away, yuh git dis dirt an' walk on back tuh dere house. Sprinkle dis dirt all de way roum' dere house [the rite of circumambulation]. An' aftah yuh sprinkle dis dirt all de way roun' dere house, yuh turn off an' walk sideways an' walk on back tuh de street. [Somewhere in Hoodoo I have explained why a person walks sideways, if he has en- closed himself within a circle.] An' aftah yuh git tuh de street yuh go hone. An' den aftah yuh go home, den yuh throw some of dis dirt roun' yore do' an' dey'll leave. Dey can't stay roun'.
[Our informant says sprinkle dis dirt all de way roun' dere [[victim's]]
house. This means the graveyard-dirt sprinkler goes completely round the house. Here we have a rite of circumambulation, also a circle of graveyard dirt about the house. As soon as the dweller within passes over the graveyard dirt, he will be driven permanently from house and perhaps town. But the sprinkler himself has trouble. He is inside the graveyard-dirt circle! If he walks out of the circle, crossing the dirt, he breaks his spell against the dweller; moreover, the spell automatically turms back upon the sprinkler, who now will be chased by the spirit! Our sprinkler solves his problem with a magic rite I have never recorded or met before. He proceeds neither forwards nor backwards; he sidles sideways. If sprinkler moves forwards or backwards across the dirt, at some point of each step his legs and feet pass and are at the moment of passing in a straight line. In an instant the spirit pounces upon him! But if sprinkler slides his right foot sideways to the right, then his left foot sideways to the right, not letting left foot touch right, then legs and feet are never in a straight line. He always presents to the waiting spirit only one half of his body at each step. The spirit is tricked! Why does sprinkler on reaching home sprinkle some of the same graveyard dirt at his own door? Graveyard dirt is a protective device against a possible call from departing victim and chasing spirit.]
Entry 7621
Wal, dey learnt me dat if yuh wants tuh do any harm wit graveyard dirt, dat chew take ten cents [dime] an' go tuh a graveyard early in de amin' jis' befo' day, an' run yore han' down in dere jis' as deep as yuh kin. Have de dine in yore han' an' drop de dine dosn in. If yuh gu dem person name, yuh call dem name an' tell 'em yuh wants tuh buy a dime's wor' of dust an' do so- an'-so wit it. An' dey say when yuh git dat han'ful of dust, leave de dime dere an' take dat dust an' care [carry] it an' strike it round yore [victims] house. Jis' throw it roun' dey place of business.
(What will that do?)
Dey say that will run dem out or kill 'em, jis' whatsomevah dat yuh tell 'em
[the dead] tuh do - yuh wants tuh do wit it.
Entry 7622
Take some dimes an' git chew a little graveyard dust an' bury it undah de front dō'steps an' dat finely [finally] make 'em leave. Yessuh, some dimes an' wrap 'em up right tight in a rag, an' put some of dat dust dere an' bury it undah dat do'step. (What is the idea of putting the dimes, I wonder?) Well, dem dimes - see, dey stay dere so long ah guess, an' dey cankers, see, an' yo' know anything dat cankers will gen'ly [generally] make anything go 'way. [Is this the reason? Or is the rare case of payment for the dirt being kept with the dirt?]
Entry 7682
Tuh put evil spirits behin' yo', yo' goes tuh a graveyard an' yo' gits de dirt off of a grave but chew do not git it offa a person grave dat died - dat wuz a Christian an' vent tuh heaven. Yo' gits it off a sinner's grave, a person dey know God won' pardon dere sins. See. An' when yo' goes tuh git dat dirt chew leaves a dime, an' yo' takes dat dirt an' sprinkle it anywhere where anybody's dead [alive] an' call dat person name whut's daid an' tell 'em yo' want 'em tuh to'ment 'em. An' dey will tō'ment dat person an' dey won' be able tuh stay no- where roun' where yo' puts dat dirt.
Entry 7784
If yo' wanta make someone move or sompin lak dat, why yo' go tuh de cemetery but it have tuh be at twelve a'clock in de night. Jes' lak yo' know somebody died wicked, yo' jes' put a dime on dere grave an' git some of dat dirt. An' dey say yo' go tuh de fo'k of de road an' yo' put it down dere, an' yo' put so much on dere steps [or] on dere porch. Dey gotta leave den.
(You put this graveyard dirt...)
Yo' gotta pay fo' it. Yo' got it offa a wicked person's grave.
(And then you go to the forks of the road? What do you do out there?)
Put some of it out dere at de fo'k of de road. (Put some of the graveyard dirt out there and then you put some of it under the steps?) Yes.
(To make a person move.)
Yes, dey gotta leave, go eithah one of dem roads. Dey gotta go. (They would have to leave on one of those roads at the fork.) [Brunswick, Ga., (1201), 2017.1
Entry 7805
Now, yo' see yo' take a house dat is unlucky dataway. Yo' say now, de house is unlucky, ain't good luck tuh yo'. Well, yo' go tuh, say a graveyard, an' yo' git some of dat graveyard dirt. Yo' gits right ovah.a grave an' stretches out on it, an' reach as fer down wit yore right ahm [arm] as yo' kin. Yo' take a dime in yore han', go dere an' reach down in dere, an' yo' turn dat dime loose an' yo' takes dat dirt up, an' carries it back home an' sprinkle it all aroun', allroun' yore do' - all aroun' yore house, yo' see. Well, when yo' sprinkle it roun' dere, well evahthin' den will come yore way. Dere's no hahm [harm] tuh be done. Yo'll come lucky. (That is if somebody has crossed up my house and I'm leaving, moving out, that is to uncross it.) Dat's right, dat'll uncross it.
Entry 7901
Git chew - git nine or ten grains of fresh graveyard dirt an' fix it up wit garlic an' a piece of silvah, a dime. An' take de silvah dime an' scrape it. Scrape some of de silvah in wit dis sand an' a piece of garlic an' tie it up an' weah it. [This hand has 3 ingredients.] Dat's luck. (Luck for what?) Well, it's lak yo' got someone dat chew lak an' she don't care much about chew, yo' weah dat. Dat's suppose [to] be luck.
(You take ten grains you say?)
Yassuh, nine or ten grains.[ Brunswick, Ga., (1182), 1992:9.]
Entry 8034
A bone from a daid pusson depends whut chew wanta use it fo'. N Now, yo' kin use a bone from a dead pusson fo' two diff'ren' thin's. Yo' kin use it - well, say three: yo' kin use it fo' gamblin', yo' kin use it fo' tuh hahm [harm] somebody or somepin of dat sort. (How do you use it for gambling?) Well, now, yo' take a bone. If yo' kin git de bone an' yo' can't beat it, if it's too hard fo' yo' tuh beat, yo' take dat bone an' yo' git chew a file an' yo' file dat bone. An' as yo' file dat bone, yo' file it intuh somepin, a clean piece of white papah where yo' kin git all dat dust yo' file [from] dat bone. When yo' git all de dust yo' want tuh, offa dis bone, yo' git chew a silvah dime an' yo' cut fo' holes - not holes, but ah mean marks in de dime, jis' lak whut is aroun' dis ole piece of ring ah got heah [shows it and demonstrates]. Yo' cut a hole dere, one dere, an' one dere, an' one dere - yo' cut fo' holes.
(Sort of a notch, like you cut a piece of pie.)
Yes, sir, a notch.
(Cut a little piece off of it.)
Yes, yo' cut fo' lak dat in dat dime an' put dat dime in dere wit dat powdah. Yo' git chew some steel dust, see. Yo' git de steel dust an' dis dime an' yo' put 'em in, an' yo' git chew three needles. Yo' take dem three needles an' yo' put 'em on a piece of flannel - red flannel. But chew put one lak dis an' one dataway. Yo' cross 'em. An' yo' put de othah one 'way up above it dataway in dis position. See? Now, yo' wrap dis needle up here, yo' wrap it ovah dis way firs'. (Now, Wait a minute. You have these two needles crossed like that [I demon- strate], and then you put one above it like that?) Yes, sir. (One - this top one is just like you're making a "T" out of it. One, this top one is up above the "x" [the two crossed needles] there.)
[These 3 needles are now folded 9 times in a complicated rite:]
One's above de othah, yo' see. Well, dat's de one yo' fold, yo' see. Yo' fole dis othah one - when yo' fole dis othah one, yo' see, it'll fole right from dere tuh dere. Yo' kin covah dese othah two needles, yo' see. Now, when yo' fole dis way, dat one fold. See, when yo' fole ovah disaway ag'in, dat two folds. Yo' foles disaway, dat's three foles. An' disaway, dat's fo' foles. Now, yo' got fo' foles dataway. Now aftah yo' fole 'em dataway, yo' take an' yo' fole it ag'in. Dat's five. An' yo' fole disaway. Dat's six. An' fole dataway. Dat's seven. An' fole disaway. Dat's eight. See? An' yuh last fole, de ninth fole, it'll be about dat big. Dat's yuh las' fold. An' yo' fole jis' lak dat. Dat be yuh las fole an' it's goin' tuh be jis' - not a bit biggah dan what de needles, de length of de needles are. See, when yo' git through foldin' dat, dat'll be de length of de needles. Yo' put dat in yuh pocket, or yuh pocketbook rathah. An' now yo' got dat in yuh pocketbook, be sure dat chew got anothah small piece of coin dat chew kin put wit dat besides dat silvah dime yo' already have. Now, if yo' got anothah silvah dime, yo' put dat in de pocketbook wit dis othah stuff dat yo' jis' finished. Yo' put dat wit dat. Now, dat steel dust an' dose two silvah dimes, an' dose needles is tuh draw money, see. Yo' kin go an' shoot dice, play cards, anythin' yo' want. Yo' needn't tuh worry. Yo' might a-go dere an' lose de firs' dollah yo' have, yo' might even lose de firs' fifteen or twenty dollahs. Don't worry about dat. Yo'll make dat back in de nex' two plays yo' make. Yo'll make double of dat, yo'll make triple of dat. Dat steel dust an' dem dimes an' de needle is done draw yuh money tuh yo'. See.
Entry 8659
You take his name an' write it nine times, an' git choo a he an' she lodestone an' put it in there with his name, an' git a silver dime from 'im. An' he'll give yo' ever' nickel of money he kin make or scrape. (What do you do with that after you get this stuff together?) Yo' make it like in a little bag an' yo' pin it on yo'. Yo' see, yo' write his name first, yo' make yore wish jis' w'atevah yo' want done, yo' understan', an' den yo' wrap it up to yo' an make yore wish an' sew it up an' wear it on yo'.
(What do you do with this dime?)
Put it in there with dat - dat lodestone. Draws it, draws his money to yo'.
Entry 8660
(How do they do that?)
Well, they makes up a little bag an' takes an' puts lodestone in it, an' this here Conkah Root; put Conkah Root Powdah, cinnamon an' things, an' if dey wanted a man they sew de man's name up in dat, with a dime in dere an' den dey weah it. (I see.) [A gambling hand becomes a love hand by the addition of a person's name.]
Entry 9119
(1) Dey could git a big sage leaf an' write de Ten Commandment on dat sage leaf an' take it tuh de co't an' yo' make out anybody dere an' jes' throw it. (2) Eithah yo' could take a red onion an' split it in fo' parts an' sprinkle salt in it an' carry it in yore pocket han'ke'- ch'ef, an' whilst in dere, blow yore breath once in awhile. (3) Or eithah yo' kin take a [silver] ten cents an' put it undah yore tongue an' hold it dere, an' dat will make de party dat's against yo', 'sturbed [dis- turbed].
Entry 9820
Latsa people dey take nine needles, bran'-new needles an' dey git a piece of lodestone an' put 'em in dis way an' dat-a-way [demonstrates].... (Now wait. [I try to repeat informant's demonstration.] Put in this way and that way?) [I am making a cross.] Yes sir, cross [demonstrates].
(Cross them all.)
An' den yo' go tuh a blacksmith shop an' git chew some anvil dust, de steel from de anvil where dey make de iron, an' put it in dere. An' git chew a piece of lodestone an' put ten cents [a silver dime] in it. It's lucky tuh yuh if yo' keep it an' let nobody touch it. Feed it wit whiskey. Yo'll always have silvah money. [Even during my collecting days back in 1938 the preceding anvil dust never saw an anvil; it came from ma- chine-shop filings. Anvil dust and steel dust were the same thing, depending upon age, size, color, etc.] [In the following comment I am not talking for informant's benefit, I am an- notating for the future.] (Now in putting these needles, you put one needle like that, and then you put another needle on there like that - like a cross, sort of like little squares, like tick-tack-toe.) Yes. [Everything is arranged or sprinkled into the form of a cross before the combined materials are put in the bag.]
Entry 9876
Dey have used frogs wit de hard lumps on dem [toads?].
(How would they do that?)
Let 'em dry an' throw it undah de house. Yo'll nevah go an' neithah come.
(How would you get rid of that?)
Well, all yo' got'a do, jes' take de frog an' pays 'im a [silver] dime. An' when yo' pays 'im a dime, yo' ketch 'im alive an' yo' stick im on yo' do's. Stay wit chew a length'a time an' den he goin'a run dem out de house. (You do what?) Stick 'im alive on de backa yo' do'. Yo' ketch 'im an' take 'im swallah a dime. An' take a picket [stake] an' put a picket in 'is haid two han's [feet], bottom 'ands [back legs], until he come tuh be dry. When yo' want 'im tuh go out dere, den yo' go out dere an' den throw im dat same distance [direction] where dey is. Den he do yo' work.
(He'll [second toad will] throw off the other frog.)
[Two toads are used here, the first one thrown under victim's house so that he can nevah go and neither come. To counteract this spell, victim or his doctor catches and pays another live toad to work for him.] Yeah.
Entry 9989
Dey say yo' ketch a toady- frog an' make him swallow a dime, an' put 'im in a paper bag an' tie it up tight where he couldn't ketch no air, an' go ahead on tuh de game. Bet chew be lucky in gamblin'.
(You carry that though in your pocket?)
Yeah, jes' take it in yore pocket. Make him swallow a dime an' tie de end of de bag up an' carry dat on in yore pocket.
Entry 10491
"Some people call a hag a witch. She rides you. To keep her from riding you, put a dime in the keyhole an' she can't come in."
Entry 10576
We have what you call, as I 'fore told you [told you before], is a silver dime - one silver dime and a bat. You'll find them goes round in the stable and all there. And you take that bat and take the heart out. He have a heart in him. Mostly everything that be found walking - every creater - if it's a creature, it's got a heart. And you take that heart out of there and take that heart there and you put it on top of this dime. Then you take this lodestone and tie it up in there, and after you tie it up, you find what you call this Star [or Stars] perfume [has stars on label] that's what you gotta feed it with. Then you [can] walk into any place, step in in any business you got, everything's going be [O.K.]. But at the same time, those people that you have dealt with, if you gamble with them [you have to be careful].
(That's for luck in gambling? This is for luck in gambling?)
Yassuh.
(I see.)
That's my way.
Entry 10623
De Adam-an'-Eve root, yo' takes de Eve [part] an' yo' takes it an' yo' weah it in yore pocket. If not dat, chew take a lil' root chew call - dat lil' root chuh call Adam. [Adam-and-Eve are on the same root.] Yo' take dis lil' root an' yo' take dese three needles an' yo' break 'em all three in three pieces, each one needle broke in three pieces. Well, dat supposed tuh be nine pieces. Yo' takes dis root an' dese needles an' let 'em stay in dis root three days. Takes dese needles from dis root an' throw it in runnin' watah [I inter- rupt]... (You throw the needles in the running water?) In runnin' watah. Yo' take dis dime an' puts it wit dis root an' tie it back up, an' if yo' goin' out fo' luck or anything, yo' wipes it 'cross yore face - wipes it 'cross yore face an' haid. An' takes de root an' puts it up, keep it from bein' annoyed - [anyone] git atter [get after] dis root - if yo' wanta have any luck.
Entry 10892
Well, the first thing that happened, this girl, other girl, was going with the woman's husband; and she [other girl] wanted the woman's husband for herself, and the woman wanted the husband at home. And she [other girl] told me that she was going to make them [husband and wife] get along bad. So she put some dog hair and some cat hair dat - you know, caught 'em fighting and cut the hair out of the dog and the cat, and put this hair together and put it in there, in his coat lining. And she say, whenever he go home that would cause he and his wife to get along bad, and they'd set up argue, fuss all the dune. Quite natural nobody wants to stay with anybody like that. After which, ohen they separated - the man and wife - den she wanted him back.
(The wife wanted him back?)
The wife wanted him back. And to get him back, she decided to get to him and soft talk, you know, love and talk to get him back home to have intercourse with hin, and then she was going to take part of his and keep it at home. She say she tie it in a rag and put a silver dime in the corner of the rag, and she stick it under her bed mattress, and that would make him to come back to where be left froa.
(Well, then, did he come back?)
Yes, he came back.
(Oh, he came back all right.)
Entry 11160
For pain in the stomach, boil devil's shoe- string and drop in two [silver] dimes while boiling, strain and let patient drink.
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 12234
If you is gambling and you wants luck, well you'll git you some steel dust. See. You git you a dime - a silver dime. Git that dime and you put it in a piece of flannel, and you take it and you git a piece of John de Conkah root. See, that John de Conkah root. You takes all that and you put it down in there. Steel dust, and then you get you some of that cinnamon powder. You understand. And you takes that down [from shelf] and put it in there, and then you git you some Van- van. You ever heard of that. Or some good Jockey Club Perfume. And you put it [flannel package or hand] in your pocket. See, that steel dust draws. Then you put it in your pocket and every time you wants to gamble with somebody, you take it and rub it like that in your hand. You see. Take it and rub it in your hand but don't let 'em see you. And whatever you doing, you going to be lucky.
Entry 12346
Make a little scap [scapular] to wear on you to make luck.
(What's a scap?)
You [know] jis' like a piece...you make it an' you put...jis' like you say, "Ah come to you an' ah wants somepin for luck, an' ah want a hand from you." Now you ass me what ah wants to do with this hand, but ah say, "Mah husband is a man that don't give me money." Well, you gon'a tell me how to fix that. [You are going to make a hand for me so that my husband will give me money.] An' ah'm gon'a wear that on me. Dat's to make him bring me his money.
(How Would you fix that?)
You see, you take dat...dat is jis' w'at ah'm tellin' you about. You go to the CRACKERJACK DRUG STORE - right down here. You git choo a he an' a she lode- stone, a pod of garlic - git a red garlic - an' you put dat with a dime [silver one] an' his name. You write his name furce an' your name on top, an' wear that on you an' he'll give it yuh [his money].
Entry 12535
(What do you do with the red onion?)
Well, dey say if yo' break de skin of it an' jes' carry it in yore pocket, some of it, or either throw it away, jes' throw it away, dey say dat's lucky. If yo' boil it, boil yo' three dimes in it an' den drink de watah, dat's lucky fo' yo' - yore in- come will be good.
Entry 12986
Yo' could take a dime an' git a leaf dat nevah was scorched[? some- thing meaning undamaged] yo' know, dat de frost don't kill. Any kinda leaf de frost don't kill. An' put dis dime on dat leaf an' hold it on dere, an' yo' kin keep dat dime near dat leaf an' yo' have de best kind of luck. Put chew in real good luck. An' yo' keep it 'long as yo' keep dat dime.
(You just keep the dime, you don't keep the leaf?)
No, yo' don't have tuh keep de leaf, jes' keep de dime. Keep de dime. When yo' first git it, put it on de leaf an' hold it on de leaf. Den yo' keep dat dime den. Den yo' have good luck. Keep it in yore pocket - don't lose it - keep it in yore pocket.
Entry 12987
De best luck is a silver dime. Git chew a silver dime an' git chew some dis heah stuff yo' cut outa a hank[?] - cheap boxes yo' know. Take dat dere stuff [packing] an' dat silver dime... [interviewer interrupts].
(Is it sort of sawdust or shavings?)
An' put hit an' de dime an' some salt an' a piece of red flannel, an' sew it an' wear it round yore laig.
(What will that do?)
That will keep you lucky...
[I ask what kind of luck and restart machine.]
Any kind of luck - most any kind of luck.
Entry 12989
Or yo' kin take an' go to - if yo' believe in the root-working or hoodooing - go to them an' yo' tell them that yo' are out looking for a job. Git a cotton cord string an' take a dime an' put a hole in it an' put this string - run the string through that hole of the dime an' jest hang it around yore left ankle. Let it hang down so it can be in yore shoes, hang down in yore shoes, so anyone can't see it. An' yo' keep that around there an' that will give you luck to have work as long as yo' kin any time.
Entry 12990
Yo' kin take a dime an' put it in, yo' know, in a letter. Yo' would take de dime an' jes' lak yo' know somebody, an' yo' wanta git 'em back, an' jes' keep it yo' know wit a piece of lodestone. Wear it wit a piece of lodestone, yo' know, 'bout two or three weeks sompin othah lak dat. Put dis dime in a letter an send it to her an' tell her, yo' know, jes' lak yo' want a pin or sompin othah. An' tell her about dat. An' dey tell me, say, she'll come in de place or send de pin.
Entry 12991
Take a thin dime [well- used or old] yo' see an' put it in a sack, an' some cayenne pepper an' salt in it, an' hang it up ovah yore do'. As he come in, yo' see, back an' fo'th, an' jis' keep it ovah de do'.
(What will that do?)
That will stop yo' [him] off from de [other] woman.
(From this other woman?)
Yessuh.
Entry 12992
You tie you a piece of - some sugar, you takes a piece of lodestone, and you put you a silver dime in that, you see. And you sew it up. You sew it up in a red piece of flan- nel. You make it like dat and you carry it in your pocket, but you won't have no luck though if you have the cheat against you. As long as you keep the cheat off you, you have luck.
(What do you mean "have the cheat against you?")
"Cheat, '' of course, if you [someone] put down loaded dice or anything, you can't beat it. See, you can't beat anybody that have [loaded dice].
(Oh, they cheat against you.)
Yeah.
(Oh, I see.)
If they cheat, you can't beat a cheat, you see. It won't do no good, you see. [This theme of "unless someone cheats is rare in HOODOO, since it would destroy confidence in ganbling "hands."]
Entry 12993
Yes sir, ah've heard dat yo' take an' steal a dime - a silver dime - an' carry it to de... (You steal this dime?) Yes sir, steal it from someone. (And then you cross it. How do you cross it?) Right cross de piece. Take a pocketknife or sompin an' cross a cross mark cross de face [on the dime]. An' carry it to de cemetery an' bury it, an' she'll follow yo' ev'ywhere yo' want her tuh.
(Whom would you steal this dime from?)
Anyone. It be best tuh steal it from her, providin if she got one.
(Oh, I see. To make her love you?)
Yes sir.
Entry 12994
If yo' want him tuh give yo' his money, all his money, sometime ask him fo' money. If he happen tuh han' yo' a silver dime, don't chew spend dat silver dime. Yo' take dat silver dime an' wrap it up in a piece of - it ain't cotton flannel either. It's woolen stuff. Yo' put chew two needles in dat, a short one an' a long one, an' yo' make a wish fo' tuh rule him an' fo' tuh have him bring yo' dat money. An' yo' git chew some oil from de drug sto'.
(What kind of oil?)
Oil of annis. An' keep it [wrapped up hard] anointed wit it an' put it in de bottom of yore trunk, an' he'll bring his money tuh yo'. Dat's whut ah kmoc 'bout dat. Dat's whut ah have experienced.
Entry 12995
Take a silver dime. Yo' [a woman] git a silver dime from him an' yo' take dat silver dime an' yo' put it in a glass an' put two teaspoonfuls of sugah on dat dime an' set it back in a corner. If he makes any money he'll bring it. He'll bring it to yo'.
Entry 12996
Jes' lak anybody, well, jes' say if a woman have a friend or sompin an' he is able tuh give her, an' can give her, an' hit look lak he don't wanta use her fo' convenience, why she kin git a dime from him an' she kin take dat dime an' put it in a brand- new piece of domestic an' fold it tuh her nine times, an' sew it an' wear it right next tuh her an' dat's good. Dat'll help out a whole lot in peace with him an he'll provide for her mo' bettah.
(Just wear it any place on her body?)
Yeah, jes' pin it right inside her on de right side, wear dat down dere.
(Next to the skin?)
Yes.
Entry 12999
Well, if a man want luck in gambling, well, he'd wanta got Lost John powder. [This could be my only example of Lost John.] (What kind?) Lost John. (Lost John?) Lost John powder, it's good luck. You take Lost John powder and you put it in your pocket. All right, you go get you some pulverized bluestone. You take you five dimes and you boil that in two quarts of water. You boil that water down to one quart [magic of diminishing amount.] You put it in somepin and measure it. You put it in somepin and you boil it until it comes down to one quart [diminishing amount] one quart of water. You gets one quart of water, you pout one teaspoonful of pulverized bluestone, one teaspoonful of granulated sugar, one teaspoonful of sulphur, and well shaked [shake well]. You take your five dimes out of that water after it's boiled and put 'em - you can use them again, you can spend them. [Often articles used in rites cannot be used again, they are dangerous.] You take that and you shake it up - well shaked. You can take that and rub it in the band of your hat, and you go anywhere in town and you can have luck: with the laws, the police, or anything like that. They ain't going to worry with you.
(What do you do with that Lost John root powder? What do you do with that?)
That Lost John root you tote that in your pocket. Tote that in your pocket.
Entry 13000
Take bluestone an' alum an' make a - an' take nine silver dimes an' sew it up together, an' anywhere yo' go, any kind of game yo' play, yo'll win all de money dey have. (What do you sew that in?) Red flannel.
Entry 13143
Yo' kin take his sock to make 'im love you an' yo' stockin' an' put it [them] together. Understand? An' puts some sugah with it. An' take it out an' bury it on the side of your house, an' go out there every mawnin' an' pour your chamber lye there. Don't you under- stand? See, on that. An' you take the sock an' your stocking an' roll it together, see. Now put a red onion with it, a dime - that's to make 'im give her money - roll it together. Sew it to you an' make your wish - that's her, you see - sew it up in your mattress. That man'll give you money, give 'er roney as long as he's there.