Subject:Dishrag
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Entry 1838
Yo' kin use a dishrag fo' dis purpose. If anybody visitin' yo' an' yo' Wants tuh give 'em luck, when dey be steppin' out chure house, why yo' jes' throw dat dishrag at 'em. Dat gives 'em luck. Lak if a fellah is goin' off lookin' fo' a job, his wife will throw a dishrag aftah him.
Entry 3336
Take de dishrag an' grease it good in lard an' put it in a airtight box an' de man nevah raiae a holler no mo', nevah in dis worl' be able tuh raise any holler Isee margin title of 3220, p.2365.] (That all she does with the dish- rag? What does she do with it then? Does she wipe him with it?) No, she don't have tuh wipe him wit it. Jes' grease it in lard, see. She kin jes' let it touch 'i - jes' [touch] him anywhere, when she have connection wit 'im. An' den she kin wipe wit it if she wanta wipe off wit it. But she kin jes take it an' grease it in lard an' jes' touch 'im anywhere.
Entry 3337
Now if yo' runnin' aroun' wit anothah woman, yore wife git holt of it she wipes yo' wit a dishrag. She git a chance tuh wipe wit de dishrag when dey go to bed an' have connection wit 'im. An' while she have connection wit 'im, dat time yo' know, she'll change dat rag [from one hand to the other] 'cross 'is back fo' 'im. Dat weaken 'im in de back. [Hand to hand across man's back is a magic rite of encircling or confinement.] An' den she'll wipe 'in wit dat rag. When she give him dat rag to wipe wit, dat killa 'is nature fo' any romsn but 'er. (She draws this rag cross his back before she gives it to him to wipe with. She puts her arms around his back.) She'll hand it jes' lak dis [demonstrates]. She'll hand it to him.
(She'll have it in her right hand like that and just throw it over his back.)
Jes' come 'cross an' put it in 'is hand - hand it to him tuh wipe wit.
Entry 3343
Dishrag or either a linen rag - know what ah mean. An' whenevah he have discharges wit yuh lak dat an' [you] bury it, dey tell me dat he couldn't have anybody but yo'.
Entry 3347
Yo' kin take a dishrag whenevah a man an' woman have business togethah an' yo' kin dry yo'self - let de woman dry herself off wit dat dishrag an' take it an' put it up ovah de do'. She may leave but she'll come back.
Entry 3349
Jes' lak wimmins wants tuh trick a man or sompin lak dat tuh keep 'im home. Well, dey'll take dey sickness, some of 'em, an' put it in sompin tuh eat. An' jes' lak yo' got a wife an' yo' runnin' aroun', why yo' go tuh have her, she'll take a dishrag an' clean yo' wit it. Well, yo' wouldn't be able tuh mess Wit anothah woman on de outside. Yo'll start but it will fall.
Entry 3350
[If he's] runnin' aroun', she kin cut 'is nature off. Well, yo' take up - if yo' wanta keep 'im home, all yo' gotta do, she fool wit 'im. If anybody go home an' fool wit mah ole lady - see. She kin take whut chew call, wit de rag she use, yo' know. Git one of 'er dishrags an' jes' take it an' dry me off wit it, yo' see. Den when she take dishrag an' dry me off, she jes' keep it dere [hidden somewhere] an' when ah go out yondah tuh fool wit de othah woman, ah jes' be as greasy as dat dishrag yo' know [and] limbah yo' know. An' dere's nuthin ah kin do dere. Fo' whut need of me gwine den, ah can't do nuthin. An' ah'll soon stop. When ah go to bothah wit 'er, be jes' lak dat [probably demonstrated by hold- ing up a straightened forefinger], but when ah go tuh see dis woman out yonder, ah'll be, yo' know - all limber [like a dishrag].
[To cure himself:]
Ah'll fish roun' dere an' fin' dat dishrag.
Entry 3351
She do dat wit a dishrag. Whenevah dat chew has a connection wit 'er, she'll take a dishrag an' dry yo' wit it, den she'll put dat dishrag away. If she use dat dishrag to dry yo' wit it an' den put dat dishrag away, why yo' can't have no nature nowhere but right where dat dishrag is - jes' in de house where dat dishrag is. Outside dat house yo' can't fool wit no one.
Entry 3356
Sompin about usin' a dishcloth, see. Jes' lak a man messin' aroun', yo' kin take a dishrag an' wipe him wit it an' put it up ovah de do' an' dat'll make him fall.
Entry 3357
Fix 'im so's he cain't bothah wit nobody else. If he bothahs wit 'er, she'll git a dishrag an' wipe herself off wit it good all up in heah. She stow it ovah de do' an' he can't run aroun' wit nobody else.
Entry 3367
Or eithah yo' could take a simple thing as a dishrag. Yo' could wipe him wit dat dishrag an' put it undah de side of de mattress, on de side dat chew sleep on. An' keep it wet, see. Whut ah mean, evah time it dries, yo' damp it ag'in - jes' wipe him right down ag'in. An' long as yo' do dat he'll nevah raise a heart for anothah woman, until yo' take dat dishrag from undah dere.
(But you must wet it with him?)
Yeah, when yo' wit 'im evah time.
Entry 3370
She take a dishrag, a dishrag dat chew wash dishes wit an' she dried it good, an' she took an' put it undah 'er pillah at night. An' at night when he went wit 'er, she take an', yo' know, wipe wit it an' she take an' throw it right out de bed. An' evah time she mess wit 'im she use dat dishrag, an' it stop 'im where he couldn't be wit no one else but 'er.
Entry 3383
Kin use a dishrag on him to stop 'im from dat.
(How would she do that?)
She'd take dat dishrag an' have intahco'se wit 'im, an' wipe him off wit dat dishrag. Take de dishrag an' put it in de mattress at home, an' he'll have to stay dere, too.
Entry 3385
Dey takes de dishcloth, yo' know whut dey use in de kitchen, an' when dey fools wit one anothah on de bed, she'll wipe wit dat yo' see - she wipes 'im off wit dat. He'll have no feelin' for nobody else. (What does she do with that dishcloth then?) Dat dishcloth? Why she weahs it awhile roun' 'er waist, yo' know right 'fore her place dere yo' know, an' den fer three- fo' days yo' know. Den she quits. De only way yo' kin rid of dat, yo' has to steal yo' someone else's dishrag an' wipe yo'self wit it. Dat's de only way yo'll git rid of it. If yo' don', yo' cain't have no feelin' fo' nobody but 'er.
Entry 3400
Jes' lak if a person is mean an' cruel - a man is mean an' cruel tuh 'is wife or sweetheart or sompin lak dat. When yo' cook fo' 'im, take her [your] urine an' put it in 'is food, if yo' want 'im tuh still love yo'. Jes' take her [your] ministratin' an' put it into meals - put dat into meals. An' take de dishrag an' wipe his plate out wit it. An' dat'll make him come undahneat' cha.
(That urine in his food is supposed to make him be kind?)
Yes sir.
Entry 3401
A woman use a dishpan - a new dishpan an' a dishrag. Evah time she feed 'er ole man, why she rub dat dishrag in 'tween 'er laigs an' wipe his plate wit it an' 'is cups whut he use, to keep 'im.
Entry 3404
[To steal a dishrag is a common rite that will be found elsewhere in the text.] Now, when yo' have a intahco'se wit her, why yo' take a dishrag - steal some- one's dishrag, see. An' den when yo' an' 'er gits through havin' intahco'se, why yo' wipe her wit it an' take it an' throw it away - jes' bury it right off where dere can't nuthin git to it. An' dere can't nuthin git to it [the woman]. An' dere can't no man have her but chew.
Entry 3406
A woman can take a dishrag from a man's house she loves, wash it out and bury it in the ground. Let it stay for three weeks [21 days or 3x7 days]. Then go back and dig it up and wear it around her neck, and this man won't have anything to do with any other woman except her. That's how she can keep him.
Entry 3409
Wal, she kin take a dishrag dat she usin' in de kitchen an' let 'im an' 'er have connection togethah an' use it an' take it directly undah de eaves of de house where it rains, an' he won't have feelin' fer nobody else but 'er. She buries dis undah de eaves of de house right whare de rain drips.
Entry 3734
(How could they get their nature back?)
Ah brought a fellah back. Git hole of a dishrag dat lay on de table, jes' wash wit it, jes' take de dishrag an' wipe hisself down heah.
Entry 7179
She kin take a dishrag an' wet it fairly good wit 'er chamber lye an' slip it intuh de pillah or de cotton where he really sleeps on. An', why he'll go in dere [the cotton he sleeps on]. Well, de fac' [fact] about it, stay in dere. An' he'll nevah come out regardless tuh whut she even doin' on de outside. Let i sleep dere till daylight.
(He's going to sleep while she's gone out?)
Yes sir.
Entry 10336
Sometimes a woman wipes a man with a dishrag and throws it away. [The reason for this is given in the belief that follows this one.] [Richmond, 335:2.]
Entry 10339
A man's impotence can be cured if he steals a dishrag, wipes himself, throws it back across right shoulder and does not look back [Norfolk, 476:3].
Entry 10340
Man steals someone's dishrag, wipes himself, throws it away, does not look back. This will cure his impotence [Richmond, 341:2].
Entry 10341
If a woman herself is tied up, she must steal a dishrag, wipe herself 9 times to her, do this 9 times [9 times on each of 9 days?], walk out and throw dishrag over left shoulder. [Presumably she must not look back or see the rag or rags again.] [Mobile, 938:4.]
Entry 10346
If a man steals a dishrag from another house, wipes himself, then returns dishrag to place from which it was stolen, he will cure his impotence [Wilmington, 130:8].
Entry 10347
Man may wash himself with dishrag from the house of the woman who put the spell on him to cure his impotence for other women [Norfolk, 530:13].
Entry 10348
To find out who has tricked him, man borrows dishrag of woman he is visiting to wash himself with a solution of saltpeter and gunpowder, and makes the woman do likewise, to see whether she, or his wife or some other woman put the impotence spell upon him [Norfolk, 445:1].
Entry 10349
If a woman herself is tied up, a man must wipe her with a dishrag [Mobile, 963:2].
Entry 10350
Let a woman steal a dishrag and wipe a man with it. [This is a double-edge rite: she can do this to cure his impotence or to make him impotent for other women.] [Wilmington, 195:5.]
Entry 10352
After intercourse woman wipes herself with her dishrag and hangs it up over door through which man enters, leaves it there until he visits her again, repeats rite each time, so that he will always be potent with her [Wilmington, 217:9].
Entry 10370
Wipe man with dishrag, tie rag in one hard knot, put under step or under bed [Wilmington, 254:5].
Entry 13363
She wipes man off with dish rag, nails it under doorsill, and urin- ates on it. This is to hold him and to bring him back and keep him from other women. [If you walk over or under any part of your body or anything touched by your body, you are in the power of the person performing the rite.] [Rich- mond 302:12.]
Entry 10342
"Take a dishcloth every morning for 9 mornings and you get up before sunrise and you wipe yourself every morning around wit dis dishcloth and throw it up towards de sunrise 9 times every morning for 9 mornings an' den yo' lose de [impotence spell]." [Washington, D. C., 807:2.]
Entry 1767
[Here is a device used by George Jackson, a well-known doctor on the Eastern Shore before his death about 1900. This rite was told me by an old man who met prospective clients at the railroad station and drove them out into the country to interview the doctor. For some interesting information about this remarkable doctor, see margin-title George Jackson.] Now, if a man want to break his wife from some man, he steals this dishcloth an' when that he fools with 'er he ketches her nachure in this dishcloth. After he ketches this nachure in a dishcloth, he takes it home an' wraps it up tight an' buries it at his doah - right down under his doah. Fer nine mornin's he must git up an' walk over it an' make his wish whut he wants - never man can't enter. That's [a remedy of] Uncle George's. [Many persons called Jackson Uncle George.] That's called, understand, put a man down that he can't raise up courage fer that Woman, don' care how hard or whut he do. An' he can't. He made all the married, single, go to him, [even] captuns - go off, you know, on drudgin' [dredging for oysters in the Chesapeake Bayl an' leave their wives home. Of course, no man wanted a man to bother his wife while he's gone. He'd have her crossed before he left. [Princess Anne, Md., (130), 34: l; informant Joshua Wilson, age 65.]
Entry 3408
Ah don't know how true dis is but ah heard whut wimmins tole me, dat if a woman got a husban' an' don't want 'im tuh be wit no one but 'er - jes' lak he goin' [a] bit [little] wit 'er. Well, she gits a dishrag an' she will wipe 'i wit dat dishrag an' throw it out undah de bushes where de dew an' evahthin' kin fall on it. He stay limbah all de time. Why he couldn't be wit no woman but 'er. Well, den durin' de time dat it wuz out dere, if de sun happen to strike it an' dry it off, why he wuz jes' as good fo' anybody else as he wuz fo' her.
Entry 1222
She take dat bow in yo' hat. When she git dat bow in yo' hat, she's got somepin dat re'lly belongs to yo' fer true. Well, now when she git dat bow in yo' hat, you crazy to see her, you understand. But de way git rid of dat, yo'll take and take you a dishrag and squeeze de water into yo' hat - squeeze de water out dat dishrag into yo' hat. See, she done got dat bow out chure hat. Well, after you done squeeze de water out dat dishrag into yo' hat, that bow what she got is no good to her.
(Well, after she got that bow, what would she do with that bow?)
She would take dat bow and tie it up and put it in her mattress an' draw yo' more near to her. [For dishwater curing guinea sickness, see No. 991, p.382.]
Entry 1982
Ah went to a man to make conditions better at home. He had me tuh git a dime an' he grind it up an' he had me git twelve needles an' he broken dem in parts an' he put 'em into a - he ball a cloth up, made a round ball out of it, an' had me to wear dat round mah waist an' put Hearts Cologne on it, an' each day that would bring happiness into mah home. (Did it?) Yes sir, it seemed to he'p - fact mah wife seemed to act bettah an' mah - were mo' together an' we got along bettah. Then, on another occasion ah was tryin' tuh find happiness. Ah went to one [another doctor] an' he tole me tuh go out to de graveyard. An' mah little baby had jest died about two mont's, an' he said reach mah han' down in dere jest at sundown as fur as ah could git it an' bring up some sand, an' take that clay an' parch it until it become where ah could handle it somepin lak sugah - he said, lak where it would be lak sugah. An' had me to take it an' go an' sprinkle some of it ovah mah mother's haid, an' she laid down an' sprinkle some in mah wife's haid, an' sprinkle some all through on de flo'. An' that brought mo' harm than evah befo'. We had been fussin' but we got tuh fighting. It ran me clean away from dere. Instead of bringin' together, it did mo' harm than it did good.
(What did he tell you to do this for?)
Tole me to do dat in order to bring happiness. Ah was seeking happiness. Ah wus tryin' tuh git mah - see, mah mother-in-law, seemed lak she didn't like me, an' mah sister-in-laws - ah jest couldn't git along wit de family. An' ah went to him - someone tole me to go to him an' ah went to him an' he had me to bring that to him an' go through dis performance with dis graveyard dirt. An' of course, instead of bringin' happiness, it got worse. An' on another occasion dat dis same gurl ran 'way from me - an' ah went around to one lady an' she had me to go lie down flat on mah back. Ah lie down flat on mah back, an' she put a dark cloth ovah mah face an' tole me to call her name, an' ah called her name. So she told me to go to Sarasota [Florida]. Ah went there an' ah found another one an' she tole me, "She's in St. Petersburg [Florida]." An' then ah went to one an' he give me help. He said that chew'll find her. Told me to go git two tater roots. [Potato in much of the South is sweet potato, not Irish potato.] Ah got two tater roots an' he tied 'em together an' told me to wear dat round mah waist, an' told me to go on an' when ah come to de first little town where ah could git a boat, go out into a boat an' throw dis ovah into de water, an' come on back and rest on it an' in a day or two she come up. Ah did that. Yes sir, she came back. (When she put a black cloth over your head, did she do anything else for you or did she just send you to another person?) She put the black cloth ovah mah haid when ah laid down. Den ah got up an' then she had me to read de 23rd Psalm, ah think it was, an' after ah read de 23rd Psalm, then she had me to stand up an' go through some motions with her, yo' see. She carry her han' out dat way an' up dis way [demonstrates]. An' she tole me tuh hole mah haid sidewards an' ah did that, an' then she begin tuh read [the cards] an' tell me various things. And of co'se from that, why she tole me tuh go an' ah went where she tole me, but ah did not find her.
(Well, after she finished with you, then she sent you on to somebody else?)
Yes sir. Once ah desire to go out an' ah couldn't go out an' ah went to a fortune- teller an' ah asked why. He tole me, said, "Yo' go home," he said, "an' yore wife has used de dishrag an' sewed it up in a mattress." He said, "When yo' kin ketch it - yore wife's off from de house, look in de middle of de mattress an' yo'll find dat dishrag. Take it an' go to back do' an' look towards de east an' wipe yoreself an' then go ahead an' throw de dishrag ovah de field - ovah there some place." An' he says, "Yo'll find complete results." An' ah did it an' ah really got results. That had me tied. Ah used that an' soon find out. [Dishrag is a widespread cure for impotence caused by tying.]
Entry 3332
She kin dress it, yo' know. Well, she dress 'em wit a dishrag. See, she kin take a dishrag while he sleeps, yo' understan', an' she takes dat dish- rag - see, de dishrag is limbah-lak [limber-like], an' she take dat dishrag an' jes' pass it across 'im, yo' know, lak dat. Jes' pass it across 'is penis, yo' know. Yeah, jes' lak yo' wipe [him] off, see, an' it will become he can't use it on nobody else, yo' see, but de person dat wipe. Cuz ah been in dat fix mahself. Evah time yo' go dere yo' can't do it, can't git up. Well, de way it happens, yo' see, dat dressed [or dressing], yo' see it lasts a certain length of time, yo' undahstan'. See, cuz DEY GOT YORE SPIRIT, yo undahstan'. YO' GOTTA FEED UP YORE SPIRIT AFTAH DAT.
(How do they feed it?)
Well, dey repeat it, yo' undahstan' - jes' make a repeat, see. But AFTAH THIRTY DAYS OR SO WHEN IT RUNS OUT, IF DEY DON'T REPEAT IT, yOu'll cOme back to yore nature again, see. But dey can - but long as dey keep dat goin', it will keep yo' off [your nature], yo' undahstan'.
Entry 3338
De way to deal wit 'er. She git 'er a dishrag an' he come out, she say, "Wait a minute fo' yo' git out." An' when he come out she would reach down, 'er han' down dere, an' she take dat rag an' she ketch 'im right dere right down close dere, an' he'll pull it out. Got 'im dere an' drop 'im to her. To keep 'im from othah womens, go to de windah dere an' throw it out an' don't turn aroun' an' walk back an' don't nevah look back. He's fixed den.
(Is there anything he can do to get rid of that?)
He kin do dis. Yo' kin fix up some way dat nobody deals wit 'er but chew, an' dat dishrag ain't goin' keep 'em apart.
(How do they do that?)
Don't use it - jes' got 'er. Yo' keeps dat wit yo', yo've got 'er. Aftah yo' take dat dishrag an' do dat an' den throws it out de windah.
[I stop machine and then informant continues about times.]
(How many times do they wipe with the dishrag?)
Wipe right across dere three times, an' when yo' do dat, go to de windah an' throw it out an' don't nevah look back.
(And nobody can fool around with her.)
Entry 3339
If he wus runnin' aroun' wit othah wimmin an' she wanted tuh stop 'im, all she'd have tuh do, she would have connection wit 'im 'erself an' instead of usin' a towel, she would use her dishrag. An' aftah usin' de dishrag, she would put dis dishrag in de stove an' bake it. Well, she wouldn't bake it to a powdah, she would jes' bake it so she could keep it - hold it 'erself. Well, dis man, he wouldn't know anythin' about it. Whenevah he'd go out to see whatevah woman he wanted tuh see, why he wouldn't be any good. He would rise befo' he git to dis woman an' soon as he touch 'er, he would fall. Well, den, if he'd go back to his wife, why he would be de same as he was befo'. He'd nevah fail wit 'er but he would wit othah wim- nn. An' aftah so many times he'd do dat, why he would see dat he couldn't be wit no othah wimmin an' it would stop 'im from runnin' out. {Fayetteville, N. Car., (1390), 2492:9.]
Entry 3340
Jes' lak if a woman's goin' wit a man an' he don't wanta pay her much min'. Why she kin take a dishrag an' not use it 'erse'f, but use it on 'im an' don't nevah wash wit dat dishrag. An' jes' leave it undahneat' 'er bed, den he can't go wit nobody else but 'er.
Entry 3341
Dey does dat BOTTLE - DISHRAG SOAKED - URINE - OPEN AND SHUT MAGIC mostly wit a dishrag. Dey git de dishrag yo' see an' in havin' connection wit a man, dey'll take dat whut come from 'em - yo' low, between dem two. An' dey'll put it in her watah an' let it soak - or in hambah lye, eithah one, an' let it soak. An' den dey ring dat watah out. An when dey ring dat watah out, dey'll have 'im lak dis heah rag. An' yo' see, den dey jes' have it away [hidden], yo' know, lak wimmins do's. Let 'im use dat an dere's no mo' chance fo' him. An' den dey put dat dishrag in a bottle. An' if she need 'im, she'll keep open dat bottle. If she need 'im, she'll open dat bottle; an' if she open dat bottle, why evahthin' is all right. An' if she don' need 'im, she'll keep dat bottle stopped tight; an' dere ain't nowhere else he kin go. [The words in italics are a part of the problem previously mentioned; what does a woman do - not according to science, but in accordance with hoodoo.]
Entry 3342
Take his discharge an' do some things wit it tuh keep im from runnin' aroun' wit othah women. Den she'll take a dishrag an' use it fo' a towel. An' she take dat dishrag an' she bury it dere 'bout dat house. Long as she keep dat buried dere, jes' if it's sompin he's done, why dat take care of 'im.
Entry 3346
She kin take her dishrag an' she kin wash 'erself wit dat dishrag, an' evah time he go to try to do somepin [with another woman] he can't do a thing. He'd be jes' lak 'er dishrag yo' see. [To cure himself, he will] steal somebody's dishrag an' go wash wit it an' den dat'll stop it.
Entry 3348
It have been said dat if a wumman has a husban', a bad husban' dat runs aroun' from wumman tuh wumman an' she wants tuh check 'im up, why she has a dish- rag. Instead of usin' dat dishrag whut she has been usin' fo' house purpose, she don't use it fo' dat no mo'. She take it an' may wipes 'im off wit it. An' Whensomevah he goes tuh someone else, why his nature will fall until he gits back tuh 'er.
(What does she do with that dishrag?)
Well, if she git dat dishrag an' 'serve [preserve] it an' wash it an' use it all along.
Entry 3352
See, if a woman wanta take a man's measure; she'll git a dishrag an' she'll wipe herself wit it an' den she'll wipe dis fellah, an' den she'll take it an' put it in 'er mattress an' keep it dere, an' see, evah time he have any dealin's wit anothah woman 'stead of he stayin' hard, he'll fall.
Entry 3358
Yo' know, jes' lak if a woman got a hus- ban' an' he runnin' aroun' an' won't stay at home. She can't keep 'im home, worried wit 'im all de time. Jes' lak when dey have intahco'se yo' know togethah, she take an' use de dishrag instead of a towel, or sompin. She use dat an' take it an' bury it undah de step aftah she use it, an' den dat holds 'im home.
intercourse as the stated context preceding dishrag use. No specific sexual act beyond the source term, bodily-fluid identity or personally performed event is inferred. These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified. The source says to use the dishrag instead of a towel. Towel is a rejected alternative; the subsequent use and burial refer to the dishrag. The comparison continues across the two linked pages.
Read full source (printed page 2396) · Read full source (printed page 2397)
Entry 3359
If a woman leave a man an' yo' wanta git her back, well it ain't but one way ah know to do dat, but chew have to have dealin's wit 'er. See, if yo' have dealin's wit 'er an' de rag yo' vipe wit - let it be a dishrag. See, an' yo' take dis dish- rag den an' come back an' bury it undah yore back do'steps an' she'll fin'lly come back. It Wouldn't be ovah a day or two befo she'll be back.
Entry 3360
Dey tell me dat whenevah him an' 'is wife, yo' see, would have an in- tahco'se, dey tell me dat she could take a dishrag, yo' see, an' aftah she git through yo' see, wipe him down wit it an' evah- thin', yo' see. An' take it yo' know an' put it up yo' know ovah de do' in a private place, where it can't be seen dat way. An' dey tell me he can't have nobody but 'er.
Entry 3362
She takes de dishrag - he fast asleep, fast asleep. Jes' take dat an' jes' wipe it down 'im an' call his name. Wipe it down, don't wipe it up, cuz hit'll come up. Yes, wipe it down, an' it'll be jes' lak de dishrag.
Entry 3363
Yo' could use eithah a bran'-new pocket han'cheff or eithah de dishrag, lak ah tole yo', tuh keep 'im from foolin' wit any othah woman, see. Yo' kin take an' wipe him down wit a bran'-new pocket han'cheff, an' take fo' nails an' nail it down undah de flo' undah yore rug, an' dat'll keep 'im. He couldn't raise a heart fo' othah women. Ah know yo' kin do dat.
Entry 3365
Dere's things she could do to make him love her. She could take a dishrag, she could pet 'im up to have intahco'se wit 'er. Take a dishrag an wipe him down an' bury one undah de do'steps an' put de other one undah de mattress or on de springs, an' he couldn't have no feelin' fo' no one but 'er. He'd have to love her cuz he couldn't git a passion fo' nobody but 'er, as long as she kept dat dishrag buried.
(Did she use one or two?)
She use two - yessuh, she uses two. She buries one undah de front do'steps an' uses de othah undah de mattress.
Entry 3371
Well, ah tell yuh firs' how dey do dat. Dey take a man when dey have intahco'se wit a woman, de clot' dey use. Dey take dat clot', de woman take de clot', yo' know. When yo' git through wit de clot', she don't wanna use it. Den she take dat clot' or towel, an' she put undahneat' de pillah, aftah usin' it - aftah yo' git t'rough wit it an' git up. She take an' cut dat stain out of it dat yo' havin' intahco'se wit 'er. Den she take dat clot' an' she fold it up, an' she put it in a dishrag what she wash de dishes wit an' she put dat tuhgethah. Take dat an' wrop it up good an' den put it somewhere keerful in de boae. An' yo' is all right when yo' come tuh her, to be wit 'er; but wit anybody else yore nachure wouldn't rise. But enytime yo'd come to be wit 'er, yore nachure oald be all right.
Entry 3378
Take a string an' measure 'im when, yo' know, de full length. She'll measure 'im wit dat string, wit 'er undahskirt string. If she have a undahskirt on, she'll have a string on dat. She'll take dat undahskirt string an' she'll measure his length. She take it an' tie it in a hard knot to dat same length. Tie it right in a hard knot an' tie it to her waist, an' at night she take dat string an' break it off. She go to her table an' she git a dishrag, an' she take dat dishrag an' wipe it down by dat string. Pull de string through dat dishrag three times an' roll de string up an' throw it behind de door - or hang it up ovah de door. Throw it behin' dere an' dat will tie him up. He nevah kin have any truckin'. (Now she takes this string from her underclothes and she gets his measure. Then she ties one knot in it. And what piece does she bring out of that, then?) De same end - jes' see [demonstrates] lak he's [his] length heah, she tie it right dere. She tie de knot in dat string to jes' de length of 'i. Yes, she break dat off.
(It's his length then that she pulls through the dishrag?)
Pull through de dishrag.
Entry 3379
Dey tell me dey ties three knots in a string an' wear dat. Dey tell me dat will hold somebody.
(What do they do with the string?)
Dey take an' put three knots in it an' gits a dishrag an' tie it roun' dere wit dat. (What will that do?) Dat will hold a man an' keep 'im from runnin' aroun'. (They just take a string and a dishrag. That's all? She doesn't use it on him or anything?) No, jes' wear it.
Entry 3380
Or eithah take a dishrag aftah yo' use it washin' dishes wit it. Yo' kin take dat dishrag an' wipe a man wit it an' fold it up an' put it ovah yore do', or eithah put it in de bottom of yore shoe an' wear it. Well, he can't raise no heart fo' no one. (Which do you tie?) Jes' tie de dishrag in nine knots, or eithah yo' could fold it an' wear it in de bottom of yore shoe, or eithah up ovah de do'.
Entry 3384
An' yo' couldn't fool wit nobody else but dem. Well, dey take de rule an' dey measure it an' jes' how long it is. Dey call de inches, an' as dey call de inches, dey measure it 'cross. [To measure with a rule is rare.] After dey measure it 'cross, why dey take de rule an' double it up. After dey done dat, why dey will go to work - dat's when yo' 'sleep, now - dey will go to work an' git a dishrag, yo' undahstan', an' wipe yo' private wit it, see. Dey wipe yo' private wit it, why dey'll take dat dishrag an' put it in a cornah or some part of de house where yo' can't git holt of it, see. Aftah dey's done dat, why yo' jes' couldn't git no heart fo' nobody else but 'er.
(What will they do with that rule, then?)
Dat rule, dey don't do nuthin wit de rule, jis' measure yore dick an' dey'll close rule back up, see. [My informant, marked good, thinks magically. This rite, like many others, contains a number of magic actions: measuring (magic of limitation); length and Width (makes a cross), crossing up according to operator's desire or wish; closing the rule after measuring [[this is like opening and closing a pocketknife in some rites]] (magic of enclosing); double (magic encircling), cornering the dishrag
(cessation of movement); etc.]
Entry 3386
Take a dishrag an' evah time he mess wit 'er, why she wipe wit dat dishrag an' take an' ball it up, an' put it right back undah de mattress. Do it fer nine times an' ah cain't mess wit no woman on de outside atall. But ah kin mess wit 'er but no one else.
Entry 3388
Jis' like if I come here to dis lady's house an' steal 'er dishcloth, an' take it back home an' wash dat dishcloth out so dey won't be no fat on it [to] make the man suspicious]. Den, yo' see, use it ovahnight on 'im. Yo' got to use it for nine nights, or use it nine times - it's all right. Den take it an' put it into a pan of grease an' fry it. Take de cloth an' ball it up an' put it into a can where it'll stay hot - yo' know, not let it git cold - an' go an' bury dat can. An' he cain't leave dat house to save his life. A man ain't gon'a leave home. An' when he do go, he can't have nopleasure.
Entry 3389
Gits her a bran'-new piece of cloth an' she use dat nine times fo' a dishrag. She use dat nine times wit 'im, an' she take dat piece of cloth an she put it in her bosom, an' she wear it all de time. Now, when she wear it he can't do nuthin.
(She doesn't actually use it as a dishrag?)
No.
(Just for wiping?)
Yeah, jes' fo' a dishrag.
Entry 3391
Whut could yo' do wit a greasy dishrag. Well, if yo' got a man an' yo' don't want 'im tuh care fo' anybody else, yo' kin take a greasy dishrag an' let 'im drink off an' yo' don't. Take dat greasy dishrag an' wipe him fo' nine times wit it an' den fold it in nine different Ways tuh yo', fold it all de time tuh yo'. Den yo' put it up ovah anywhere dat he's gotta walk in an' out undah. Dat'l keep 'im from goin' wit othah women.
Entry 3399
Mah husban' wuz mistreated me fo' an- othah woman an' ah didn't want 'in to have dis woman. Ah wet mah dishrag an' ah washed my whole self wlt it an' ah wipe 'is plate out wit it an' let 'im eat out of it. He ain't goin' wit nobody but me.
Entry 3403
[Snail and impotence is quite a collection of material in itself - see later. The present snail rite I have decided to include here.] I've heard of people takin' snails. Take dat snail an' mash ' up fine. Yo' git a dishrag out de kitchen, I've heard, take an' wrap 'im up in dat dishrag. An' when yo' fool wid a woman yo' wipe her wid dat an' bury dat, an' she no good. Den if she happen to fool wid anudah [another] man on yo', she's gonna git hung jis' lak de dog.
Entry 3407
It wuz man an' wife had a fuss, dey said, an' 'is wife, she wuz a woman dat liked to run aroun' a lot yo' undahstan' wit othah men. An' he went to a fortunetellah an' see whut - yo' know, how he could stop her from runnin' aroun' wit so many men. So she tole him, she said, "Yo' steal a dishrag. Steal one from someone else, not 'is own - jes' like yo' steal anythin' else. So he steals a dishrag. An' she tole 'im, she said, "At night when yo' go to bed wit 'er, befo' yo' intahco'se wit 'er yo'self, " she say, "yo' play wit 'er an' take a part of de rag - jis' tear it off - an' rub it aroun' in dere, an' den put it in a bottle an' stop it up wit some of 'er watah, not yore own. She said, "Dat night when yo' go to her, ' she said, "don't use [put] yore watah in dere [chamberpot] - yo see, don't mix it [yours with hers]. An' den take hern [her water] an' put it in a bottle wit diz [this] rag. Yo' stop it up an' put it in de rivah. No othah man could have a chance to have intahco'se wit 'er. Soon as he git to de place, he'll jis' drop right down."
Entry 3411
An' a woman take a man, if he mess wit anothah woman, an' she take a dishrag tuh wipe him wit it. If she want it tuh last always, take an' soak it in sugah, den wipe him wit it. Den yo' put it in a quart jar an' throw it in runnin' watah. Well, it jes' work fo' about thirty days. Jes' take de dishrag an' put it in a bottle up ovah 'is haid, yo' know, where no one won't git to it. It lasts thirty days.
(Where do they usually put it over his head?)
Jes' lak yo'd go out dis do' an' lak yo' comin' in from work, yo' come in dat do' - go back an' come in dat do'. He cain't mess wit no othah woman. Ah know dat's tuh be true. (You put that over the door, but if you soak that dishrag in sugar before you use it on him, then throw this into running water it will last all the time.) Yes. [Fayetteville, N. Car. (1504), 2571:11.]
Entry 3412
Well, ah hate tuh explain de thing so.
(Well, I hear all those things.)
Well, jes' lak yo' say, take a dishrag an' yo' use it, yo' undahstan'. An' den take it an' - take de dishrag an' use it wit yo' until yo' git a-plenty on it, yo' undahstan'. An' take a cord string an' wrap it up very tight an' carry it an' bury it in de dreen of de house [or] where de watah drops from a well. An' not so, put it up ovah de do'sill somewhere up high. An' yo' couldn't have 'nection wit nobody but 'er.
Entry 3673
Lockin' de bowels, well ah tell yo' ah don' really know much about dat, but it's one thing ah do know. Yo' kin stop a woman or a man from havin' intah- co'se wit anothah fellah, if yo' want to. Well yo' go an' git chew a house snail, dese ole snails crawl aroun' de house. Yo' take yore dishrag dat chew been usin' in de kitchen an' yo' washes it out. When dis snail starts tuh crawlin', yo' take de rag an' put it ovah 'im dataway [demonstrates]. Well, yo' know he's bound tuh melt.
(You just drop that rag over him and pick him up that way?)
Dat's right. Den put 'im back down. Do dat fo' about fo' times. Yo' take dat rag an' fold it up nice in yore pocket, or yore towel - whatevah it is. But it's best tuh be wit a dishrag. Yo' take dat dishrag an fold it up an' yo' go somewhere an' have intahco'se wit 'er. Well, she say, "Ah got sompin." Yo' say, "No, yo' take dis'un [this one], ah got sompin heah, mah ole han'ke'chef" - sompin lak dat. Well, when she take dat - but don' chew use it yoreself, let 'er use it. An' cain't nobody in de worl' have nuthin tuh do wit 'er but chew. Cain't even give her a million dollahs. Ah kin give her a million dollahs, an' de min- ute ah starts it will be jes' lak dis cloth heah [on table holding recording machine between us]. (Well, is there any way that you can get rid of that, after you are fixed up that way? How can you get rid of that?) No Suh, YO' CAIN'T GIT RID OF DAT. YO' GOTTA DIE [TO] PASS AWAY DAT OFFA YO'.
Entry 3674
I've heard of people takin' snails. Take dat snail an' mash 'im up fine. Yo' git a dishrag out de kitchen, I've heard, take an' wrap 'im up in dat dishrag. An' when yo' fool wid a woman, yo' wipe her wid dat an' bury dat, an' she no good. Den if she happens to fool wid anothah man on yo', she's gon'a git hung jis' lak de dog.
Entry 3682
A fellah could stop anothah fellah from goin' wit 'is wife. He'd taken a snail an' dead skin from undah his feet an' parched it an' take it an' - wit a dishrag. An' while she's asleep dat night, jes' sprinkle dat on 'er, put dat on 'er an' rub 'er wit de dishrag, so she couldn't go wit no one. Dat take de nature away from 'er.
(What did he do with this snail and the dirt and that dishrag?)
Take de snail an' ground - yo' know, groun' de whole shell an' de snail. Parch it good, make a kinda powdah out of it. An' when she went to sleep, why he sprin- it ovah 'er an' he wipe her across wit de dirty dishrag. Sprinkle dat ovah 'er on 'er drawahs, an' anyone couldn't go wit 'er no mo'. So findly [finally] dey broke up.
Entry 3719
(Is there anything that a man can do to get his nature back?)
Well, ah've had a woman took a dishrag an' kinda fixed me so ah couldn't have no othah woman but 'er. Ah've tried othah women. Ah've been a railroad man all de time, lak ah runnin'[from here] in to At- lanta. No mattah how badly ah wanted dis woman, how much powah ah had, de minute ah lay down on dis woman - be wit 'er yo' know - come to be jes' as limbah as de end of mah fingah [demonstrates] dataway. But de onliest way dat ah evah cured mahself of dat, git me some sweet milk an' bath mahself down wit it nine mawnin's Dat'll give me as much power as ah evah did have. Or ah'll go to some runnin' watah, watah dat's runnin', an' bath off dataway. Dat'll give yo' powah.
(You go to running water and bathe?)
Bathe, or bathe in sweet milk.
(How could you bathe there in running water?)
Evah nine mawnin's.
(Do you bathe up or down?)
Down, bringin' yo' out all de time. Yo' don't want nuthin tuh draw back. Let it stretch out.
Entry 3725
For manhood weakness, well dat female takes advantage.
(How do you mean they take advantage?)
In dey transport demselves an' invite him to have action wit dem an' dey ketch de stuff an' store it away, see. Might take it in a cloth an' let 'im - maybe he lay down on it, sleep on it. Well, I'll advise him to go an' steal from 'is own - from 'is home a ole dishrag, yo' know, such a common thing, wipe hisself nine times or nine nawnin's dataway and dataway [demonstrates]. (Nine times each morning he wipes down and wipes across his... Nine times down this. Each and across, or?) No, nine times. See, fer nine mornings nine times, see; but heah yo' go.
[Demonstrates.]
(I see, make the cross.)
Yes, dat's one time - jes' count it as one, see.
(In other words, you make a cross nine times?)
Yeah, nine mawnin's an' each nine mawnin's. Yo' do dis each mawnin'.
(What else does he do then?)
Dat restores 'is manhood, yeah. Dat wipes it away. An' den, when yo' git on dat, den yo' takes de ole rag an' yo' supposed to do away wit it. Dat mostly come from de female sex, see.
Entry 3726
An' de dishrag in de same lak mannah. Take dat dishrag an' she'll wipe it, dry off wit dat dishrag. Don't make no diff'rence if it's dry or if it's been used in grease, an' dat takes 'er courage away. Takes all de nature away from 'em. Now if a woman ties yo' lak dat now de way dat she do, she'll wait till he's asleep an' she'll mess roun' wit chew an' she'll hang her gown or sompin ovah yore haid till yo' go tuh sleep yo' see [common rite]. An' she'll git a cord string an' she'll measure de length of yo', an' den when she measure de length of yo', she'll tie dat many knots in it, see. Den she'll tie it roun' 'er laig, right around de [calf] of 'er laig, or else roun' 'er wais'. Most of de time she tie it aroun' dere. Well, yo' find it an' yo' mistrust dat. Well den, yo' don't know whut tuh do, yo' tried evahthing, go to de doctors [M.D.'s] an' still dey ain't done any good. Well, yo' lay awake until yo' ketch 'er asleep, an' den yo' slip to her an' take dis cord string off of 'er. An' den when yo' take dis cord string off of 'er, while she's 'sleep, yo' kin take dis same [string] in lak mannah an' measure it [her] dis way, see. An'when yo' measure it dat way, an' den dis way, an' yo' tie it in string in dat shape.
(In a round shape?)
Yes, an' den yo' take dat same string an' yo' sew it; see, sew it from dis heah, dataway. Jes' cut it out an' sew dat togethah. An' dat will git off yo an' git on 'er. Den yo' take yo' some warm watah, as warm as yo' kin bear it, an' put table salt in it an'.wash yo'self real good. An' git cedar oil an' rub - jes' yo'self real good. An' take yo' a dry rag an' wipe down. Dry it off real good an' dat'll do away wit it.
Entry 3730
Well, yo' take de dishrag, if a woman has got a run-aroun' man an' she take de dishrag - aftah she take de dishrag, wipe him wit de dishrag. Wipe him wit de dishrag an' iron it with a very hot iron, an' bury it to de left side of a tree. When yo' bury it to de left side of de tree, dat will perish away all nature dey has fo' any woman. He can't run aroun' any mo', he'll have to stay at home. Well now, if he don't go to de graveyard an' den git de graveyard dirt from de head an' de foot, place a penny in de centah of de grave- pay de grave fo' whut chew git in de Name of de Lord. Take it back an' mix brimstone, sulphur an' sweet milk an' drink it. Well, if he don't do dat, he'll nevah be a man any mo'. He goes to T. B.
(But if he does that, it restores his nature.)
Entry 3733
Dey say if a man can't git up a heart, say if he take a dishrag an bathe hisself down wit it - yo' know, nobody don't know it but jes' 'isself, an dey say dat whatevah 'is wife or whoevah fixed 'im lak dat, why he kin git right lak he always wus. (That is all he has to do?) Yes, take dat dishrag, dat's all he do wit de dishrag.
Entry 3737
Well, yo' wit wimmin folks an' can't - can't even, yo' know - yo' ain't even got no nature. Well, it's some othah wumman workin' dat fo' yo'. Yo' take a man dat runnin' roun' all de time, see wit dis wumman an' dat wumman. Well, it's some wumman gonna mess wit im some way or 'nother. Well, jes' lak dis othah wumman is workin' on 'im. well yo' take an' go tuh anybody's house an' steal a dishrag an' wipe off wit it. Wipe yo'self down, see. Well yo' go on out den an' yo' take it in yore left hand an' chunk it ovah yore left shouldah an' don't look back at it, an' dat'll break dat up.
Entry 3739
An' den anothah way yo' could stop 'er again. It jes' lak if yo' an' 'er combine togethah, an' yo' ca'd [cared] anything about 'er. Well, yo' may all git through. De minute yo' git through wit de intahco'se, yo' undahstan' what I mean, jes' take it an' go to anybody house an' steal a dishrag. See, a dishrag. See, a dishrag dat dey would argue 'bout - wondah who de dishrag an' so on. Yo' undahstan' what I mean. Well yo' take dat an' yo' let it dry if it's wet, de one dat dey wash de dishes wit. An' when dey all have intahco'se, yo' take an' jes' slip dat on here, yo' undah- stan' an' let 'er wipe wit dat, see. An' when she use dat, why den yo' take an' throw it across de left side of 'er, see. Yo' know, make out lak yo' use it an when yo' gits through, throw it ovah on de left side, on de left side of 'er. An' den she nevah will have no use fo' no othah man. No othah man will suit 'er outside of yo'. (You mean you throw it over on the left side of her on the bed or on the floor or what?) Right ovah de bed on de floor, on de left side of 'er. [Charleston, S. Car.,
(525 to 530), 638:2+85.]
Entry 3741
"Cuz ah have tried it. Dey tells me dat chew kin take de cloth - yo' kin have connections wit a woman or couldn't have it. If yo' couldn't have it, jes' couldn't have - jes' got limp, couldn't do any- thing. Well, yo' take a dishrag, stole it - even from your wife or from someone else, an' wipe wit it. Wash wit it an' throw it in runnin' watah.
(What will that do?)
Dat will raise yore nachure.
(Bring it back?)
Yes.
Entry 3742
Well, he have tuh go tuh work den an' jes' be sharp enough to know whut it 'tis, an' when she bring dat rag back to him de nex' time, do dat den he shet it off 'im. He have to take dat rag an' keep it, an' when yo' git dat rag yo' has to go to swift runnin' watah. Put sompin to it to make it sink, go to swift-runnin' watah an' put a weight in it an' chunk it from yo' right out in de stream. Dat'll carry dat right off yo'.
(That will carry that spell away and have his nature back again?)
Yes.
Entry 3744
She best tuh [has to] fold it three time once and set there - set de iron on it fer thirty minutes an' fold it three times ag'in an' set de iron on it fer thirty minutes an' den she take it off. (What can I do to take that spell off? What can I do to get rid of that?) Yo' know what yo' have to do? It's been on me, see. Ah'm tellin' yo' what ah knows about it. Ah went to a root man an' ah paid 'im plenty an' he tole me what to do. To take it [spell of sexual impotence] off from yuh, yuh go tuh somebody house - jes' lak yore frien's - tell 'em yuh want a drink of watah. If he trust yuh, yuh go on in de kitchen an' yuh look aroun' until yuh see a dishrag. Steal dat dishrag an' yuh go on out somewhere in de night aftah sundown, an' wipe yuh- self up three times lak dat. See, up - three times up. An' take it an' go tuh somebody's house, an' hide it up undah de sill of 'is house. Dat'll break it.
Entry 3745
Yo' takes a dishrag. Go tuh anybody's home an' de dishrag is hangin' lak dey use it dis morning, yo' go tuh dere 'long 'bout now so hit's damp. Yo' steal de dishrag. Don't ask fo' it jes' steal it. An' go out tuh de way de sun rise an' turn yore face, turn yore face dat way [to east], turn yore back sunset, an' yo' takes an' yo' wipes three times straight down wit de dishrag, den across jes' lak dat [dem- onstrates].
(That will cross it out.)
[Informant's words down and then across, and my words cross it out, show in- formant makes sign of cross 3 times.l Across yore stomic.
(Oh, cross your stomach. From left to right or right to left?)
Bring it from de left tuh de right. An' yo' fold it tight, take it in yore lef' han' an' throw it ovah yore head an' go straight, don't look back. Go two blocks or mo' straight. Don't look back, jes' keep straight walkin'. Don' say nuthin to nobody. It's purtty hard tuh do 'cuz yo' might meet somebody, but place yo'self in a place whah yo' won't have tuh even speak tuh nobody. An co'se whatsomevah she got on yo' crossed up, she gotta redo it ag'in. But dat'll uncross yuh.
Entry 3746
A dishrag is fo' dis. If ah wuz goin' wit anothah woman an' mah wife wanted me tuh stay at home an' tried tuh hold me, she'd take dat dishrag aftah she had a intahco'se wit me. Take 'it an' wipe him off wit it an' take hit - she goes an' steals de dishrag from someone else house, an' takes it an' aftah he have intahco'se, he wipes it off an' throws it away. An' if he don' go an' have it changed off, he'll nevah be any good. He'll go an' steal a dishrag de same way an' fix 'er. [This is called return- ing the spell.] An' if he wants tuh fix 'er wit'out dat, he'll go an' git 'im two snails an' grind up de shells in a dust an' when he git ready, git through havin' a intahco'se wit 'er, he powdahs 'er wit dis - same as talcum powdah. An' it's mo' trouble fo' her tuh have anyone else.
(She can't have anyone else?)
She can't have anyone else.
Entry 3747
(How could he get rid of that condition?)
De onliest thing dat I heered talk of dat, dat dey could do wit dat, is dat he'd have to steal. He'd have to steal de dishrag - git him a greasy dishrag, but he'd have to steal it. Steal de greasy dishrag. An' he'd have to wash 'is belly in greasy dishwatah, de watah dat she used, fo' about nine mornings, see, to wash dat off. Dat's de only way dat he could git dat out of de skin. (What do you mean by saying he'd have to get the greasy dishwater? What do you mean by that?) Dat's de watah dat yo' wash dishes wit.
(Well, does he use that water?)
Yes, sir, de watah dat she used. Git de watah dat she used. Well, dat's de watah dat she would have to use to git dat off of 'er. (Oh, I see. He wouldn't have to do anything - use this dishwater. He doesn't need that. He'd use the dishrag.) Yes, sir. Dat's all he'd have to do, jis' use dat dishrag - jis' keep dat dishrag. Take dat dishrag an' carry it off somewhere an' when he git ready to use it, why he don't have to do nuthin but dampen it in dat dishwater.
(Did he take the dishwater, too?)
Yes, he take dat dishwatah an' put it in a can or somepin othah, an' put it in a place where he kin go, where dere ain't nobody won't know it, yo' lmov, an keep it.
(He must get the dishwater that she has used?)
Yes, sir. An' when he git ready to use it, an' dis dishrag be dry, he would- n't do nuthin but soak it in dere, yo' know, an' take it out an' wash 'imself. Carry it an' put it back up until he git rid of dat.
Entry 3748
Ah know dis heah. If yo' think yo' got a woman an' she's indiff'ren', yo' take her wit dat snail. An' at night when yo' happen tuh be foolin' aroun', handlin' ovah 'er, yo' press dat snail ovah 'er, grease dat snail ovah 'er, an' den de nex' man - if she has othah ones about 'er, when he go tuh 'er, he can't git up no 'rection [erection], yo' see. Hit'll fall evah time. An' de onliest way now - now here's where tuh conkah 'it. When he finds out dat he can't have no intahco'se wit 'er, he'd steal a dishrag. He steal a dishrag from some wumman, somebody's place, an' bathe hisself down nine mornings - bathe hisself down nine mornings wit dat rag, an' den take it an' bury it at de do'step - dis same fellah's do'step now. An' den aftah de nine days - he bury it an' let it stay nine days. - aftah nine days he kin take 'er an' screw 'er jis' as much as he wants.
Entry 3749
All right, if yo' got a woman or a man an' yo' don't want nobody else tuh have dem but chew. Take yo' a dishrag out chure kitchen, yo' know, lak de people use - not de dishtowel, mean dedishcloth - an' when yo' make an' intahco'se wit dem, well yo' take dat an' dry yo'self an' dem, too, an dey couldn't have nuthin else tuh do wit nobody else. Dey'll fall evah time dey go tuh make de intahco'se. Dey'll be jes' de same as de dishrag - limbah.
[Now comes the cure.]
Jes' take dis same dishcloth - dey have tuh back de way dey git it from, an' yo' wash it an' starch an' iron it perfect, an' evahthing will be all right.
(That is if he will do that?)
Yes.
Entry 3750
Take a dishrag - jes' a dishrag. Lota women, yo' know, wipe de rag off - take dat rag an' dry him off 'erself wit dat dishrag. An' when he go to go wit anothah woman, it will fall on 'im evah time. Well, de same thing work one way an' it will work de othah. He take - if he feel dat she did 'im dataway, why he take a dishrag ag'in - yo' know he must steal one from somebody, or eithah if he got a home of 'is own, he kin take de dishrag outa his house, an' wash 'isself down wit it. An' take pure coal oil an' rub 'isself down, an' sweet milk. aftah dat - fresh sweet milk. It's all gone.
Entry 3751
Ah've been did lak dat. Yo' kin take a man an' he kin have intahco'se wit a woman, say at night, an' prob'ly yo's a man dat look aftah deyself [your- self] [but] don't pay attention to yoreself lak yo' should all arnun' peoples yo' undahstan'. Yo' kin have intahco'se wit a woman but dey not bad. Well, now, prob'ly she might have a wet towel layin' up dere, see. Well, yo' prob'ly done seen it. Well, she wipe yo' off. An' yo' figure she'd use dat towel. Well, she got a dishrag, undahstan'. Well, now she take dat dishrag an' wipe off yore privates an' jes' fold it - wrap it up in a piece of papah or sompin lak dat an' put it up Ovah de do'. An' jes' AS LONG AS IT STAY DERE AN' YO' DON'T WAKE UP TO DE INSIDE DOPE, well, yo' can't have no othah woman but 'er. Well now, yo' kin take dat - jes' yo' yoreself, not de woman dat did it - yo' kin take dat rag down. An' den fo' nine mawnin's wash dat rag in sweet milk, an when yo' wash de rag in sweet milk, bath [not bathe] yo'self in it, yore privates, an' throw it sunrise fo' nine mawnin's. (You wash this rag in sweet milk, and then you take this sweet milk and bathe yourself.) An' bath yore privates wit it, an' when yo' git through why jes' put de rag right back up, an' throw it sunrise.
(Throw the milk to the sunrise.)
Fo' nine mawnin's.
(What will that do?)
Takes it off. It go away den.
Entry 3752
This boy was goin' with a girl and this girl was very much in love with this boy, and she thought he was in love with someone else. And she didn't want him to be in love with anyone else, and so she decided to fix him so that he couldn't have anything to do with anyone else excepting her. Well one day - one night, that they were hav- ing intercourse with each other, she done away with the cloth that they had used. And this boy was [became] impopetent [impotent]. And so he didn't know what the trouble. He went to a doctor [M.D.]. The doctor told him it was in his back. Finally, one day he met a boy, and the boy told him what was the matter; and told him to use an onion and split it in half, and use it on each side of him. And take and steal a dishcloth. (How would he use the onion on each side of him? Oh, I see. I understand. Yes, I know. All right, go ahead.) [A half of the onion is bound on each side of his penis. "It is not stated on the Telediphone cylinder that the dishcloth served as a bandage, but I tran- scribed the cylinder soon after it was recorded and remember this detail" Ori- ginal pencil note made at the time of transcription and now in original Ms.] And steal a dishcloth from a neighbor, a kitchen, but do not let the neighbor know it. He did as the boy instructed and finally he got all right. But it took three months before he was cured. [After the rite was recorded, informant explained: "It didn't happen here but it didn't happen far from here about one year ago, " 1936.]
Entry 3754
A woman kin make a man lose his nature by taking a dishrag off de table an' washin' 'im undah 'is clothes aftah he gits through wit 'er.
(Then what does he do to get his nature back?) Bathes in chamber lye, dat'll kill it. (Bathe what?)
De same way she wash 'im, aftah she git through wit 'im wit a dishrag. He take a dishrag an' bathe in 'is own chamber lye. Dat'll kill it.
(Any kind of a rag?)
Any kind of cloth. It kin be a piece of clothes.
Entry 3775
She git a dishrag an' she'll tie three knots in it: ONE ON DE END AN' ONE IN DE MIDDLES AN' ONE ON DE OTHAH END - make three knots. She'll have dat rag damp. When yo' make a connec- tion wit 'er dat night, she won't come herself. Yo' understan' whut ah talkin' about. She'll make yo' do it. When she do's dat she'll tie it up an' she'll put it undahneat' her mat- tress right undah yore haid, where yo' won't know nuthin about it. An' prob'ly yo' go dere to anothah woman to try to make a connection wit 'er. It'll be hard when yo' git up dere, but aftah yo' git up an' start it'll jes' fall right down.
[Here follows the cure for the preceding rite.]
Dere's a weed grows in de woods, dey call it a horse nettle. It's a little weed dat has a little button on it - little berry, yo' see - an' de root is about dat long. An' dat root got little lumps in it. Evah two or three inches dat root got a little knot in it. Well yo' take dat an' yo' drink dat fo' about nine mawnin's.
(What do you do with that root?)
Well, if anybody know it, dey kin go out in a country place an' git it. Yo' takes it an' yo' cuts it up, an' puts it in a bottle, an' yo' PO' SOME OF DIS GOOD WHISKEY ON IT, an' drink it fo' nine mawnin's, an' dat'll bring it back to yo'.
(Bring his nature back.)
Entry 3778
Git chew some stingin' net- tles - know dose thing ah mean. Git chew a root of dose an' boil 'em, an' put some honey, sugar an' salt in dere, an' take it fo' nine mawnin's - nex' nine mawnin's an' dat'll bring it back.
(What kind of salt did you put in that?)
Table salt.
(That will bring his nature back.) [St. Petersburg, Fla., (1043), 1693:5.]
3778. If he's runnin' roun' wit wimmin, she could take his courage away from 'im. Well, she could take his courage by wipin' 'im. Him an' 'er have a connec- tion an' she could take it wit 'er undahcloth, or she could take it wit de dish- rag. Each one of de ways is diff'ren'. Yo' would have to use a diff'ren' remedy on each one of de ways to git dat han' offa yo'. [Informant calls the undercloth and dishrag hands (see pp.519-669), which they are.] If she take it with de dishrag, why yo' kin go out in de woods an' git chew a stingin' nettle root. It got roots on it jes' lak a nut branch, jes' lak nut branch, an' yo' go down until yo' git to de third nut an' yo' take dat nut an' make a tea out of it, an' dat'll knock dat out. (You mean you swallow the tea then and that will bring back the courage, if you have been fixed up with the dishrag.) Den if yo' been fixed up wit 'er undahclothes, den yo' have to take de sandy pea root. An' hit don' have any nuts atall on it. It's jes' a root dat goes off lak dat. Ah've been in dat condition. Well, now yo' take dat stalk up an' den git de root of it, an' jes' clip de whole root off an' den put it in a bottle of watah, about a quart of watah an' take drinks offa dat. Now, dat ain't nuthin - jes' as quick as dis othah one, yo'll have to take drinks offa dat, too.
(This sandy pea root, is that the same as that they call the shame briar?)
Ah 'clare ah don' know, De onliest name ah know is de sandy pea root.
Entry 3788
Now, I kin tell yo' somepin dat'll make yore courage rise, if a man falls, yo' know. Yo' know some people say yo' kin fix a man where he can't have nobody but chew. But chew take a red onion an' yo' wrap it up in a wet rag an' put it in de fiah an' roast it, an' when it git done lak a roast aig, yo' take an' let it git cool. Take dat an' squeeze dat juice all de way on yore private an' yo' rise lak dat.
(That will cure it?)
Kills anything. If dey hang up de rag lak some do's, dey take de dishrag an' run yo' wit it.
Entry 5379
An' yo' take woman, or man's foot-track, lak if she were comin' tuh yore home an' yo' didn't wan' 'em or sompin lak dat. An' yo' jes' take dat li'le cloth yo' know, yo' wash dishes. Yo' jes' take dat an' - jes' take dat an' lay it dere an' cut it out lak, kinda lak dat track is. An' yo' go out dere lak yo's firs' start turnin' [spading] yore yard - de firs' track - an' yo' jes' dig a hole right dere an' spread dat air [that there] rag lak dat bottom of dere track. Yo' know, jes' as de track is, an' put de dirt back on it. Why he won' stay dere no mo'. Ah pract'ly [practically] know purtty neah de truth of dat. (You simply take that dishrag and cut it out the shape of his foot, and you just bury this track where it just turns away from your house. Either track?) No, yo' git de first one, eithah track, but let it be firs' track he stepped in when he starts in [into the house or onto the property]. (Then you bury that cloth right in that same track. That is to make him stay away?) Yes.
Entry 8474
When yo' call a person's spirit, twelve 'clock at night, yo' draws on a person.
(Draw her picture?)
Draw his pichure. Git 'is name an' address. Yo' set [in] a dark room by yo'- self. Yo' take a sheet an' put it ovah yo' haid, wit chure eyes out so yo' kin see. Yo' set a li'le bit of whiskey in a glass [to draw his spirit back, spirits lov- ing whiskey, see ALCOHOL FOR an' yo' gotta memorize de person name, an' yo' call 'is name three times. Durin' de time yo's callin' 'is name, take a needle wit chure lef' han' an' punch nine holes in it. (Nine holes in what?) Nine holes in de pichure, in de form what chew draws. An' when yo' done cut de nine holes in it an' yo' watch de pichure an' blow on it. An' durin' de time aftah yo' done blowin' on it, an' if yo' hit it again tuh [do something] den chew light yo' lamp. Aftah dat, den yo' set a match tuh it. See what side she [match] bendin'; if she bend going, if she bend comin' back. She'll [match will] fall back in yuh hands. If she [match] bend goin', goin' de direc- tion she [or hel was [had departedl. she'll [match'll] fall dat way; an' if she [match leans to] dis side, she'll fall dat side; an' if she's [woman's] comin' back, she'll [match'll] fall right up in de woman form. [She] come right on back tuh you. [Informant alternating the sexes is confusing.] An' durin' de time dat dey bring 'er back, yo' git up an' yo' take yo' dishrag an' wring it ovah de do' an' call 'er name. Dat's cases if she gone an' leave yo'. If she gone an' leave yuh, if she leave any she [not her] clothes in dere lak a dress or pettycoat, lak dat, jes' take an' ball it up an' put it 'neat' chure pillah an' she will come back less dan three day's time, if she's able tuh, if she's in de city.
(That's to bring the woman back. You are calling her spirit back that way.)
Yes sir.
Entry 10223
Take a dishrag. If yo' wanta man to mess wit nobody but chew, jes' take a dishrag an' have intercourse an' dry on dat dishrag, an' take it an' put it - keep it somewhere yo' know. An' when he start to mess wit someone else he'll fall jes' lak a dishrag. He can't mess wit no one.
Entry 10225
Yo' go take it - de dishrag - yes sir, an' let him wipe wit it, but don't chew wipe wit it. An' take it to a ironing bo'd an' iron it - out stiff - an' chunk it in a crack up ovah de do'. An' it will make bim fall every time he go to have somepin tuh do with somebody 'cept yo'.
Entry 10228
Jes' him an' her could mate together. She would take de dishrag an' give it to him an' let him use it, an' take it an' put it in de middle of her mattress an' sleep on it ever' night. Dat will keep him from messin' wit any othah woman.
Entry 10229
Like you havin' to do with 'er an' she'll take a dishcloth an' she'll wipe you with de dishcloth. An' she'll take dat dishcloth an' she'll care it an' put it under her bed or under her pillah, see, an' yo' couldn't mess with a yoman to save your life. If dat man [or you] got sense now, he kin git rid of dat. Why, he go, if he wan'a git rid of it, he'll go an' steal...or yo' go [to] somebody house an' yo' steal de dishcloth, see. You go [got to] have sumpin to do with her, or any other woman, an' you'll wipe with dat dishcloth. An' yo' take dat dishcloth an' fold it right tight. An' he kin wear it with him or put it somewhere where nobody but him can reach it but him. An' she can't do nuthin with nobody but you.
Entry 10351
Wipe man with dishrag, wear in shoe or on waist or hide in room.
[Elizabeth City, 407:5.]
Entry 11231
Yo' steal a person's dishrag an' hide it in de henhouse tuh make 'em move - make de person move. Jes' lak yo' didn't like me an' ah wuz in a place by yo' or sompin an' yo' didn't want me there, why yo' would steal mah dish- rag an' hide it in de henhouse 'mongst de chicken nests.
Entry 4105
If she wan'a hold a man she take a dishrag an' wash 'er ownself wit it, an' use it in de kitchen jis' lak she always [does]. He'll nevah cā'y 'is money from home. He'll bring it home jis' lak a chile. She cook 'im anythin' sweet, she'll put chamber lye or anythin' in dat, chew know, an' make him come home, bring 'is money in, see. Dat keep 'im 'umble [humble] undah 'er shoe. He'll always be lookin' up tuh 'er, yuh know. Yet he takin' cah [care] of 'er.
Entry 7015
Yo' kin save him from dat. (How do you save him from that?) Dey say yo' kin take a dishrag an' put it in any kinda likkah, a greasy dishrag, an' dey say de man will stop drinkin' from dat.
Entry 1839
The only thing I heard, they say you kin take an' - when you washin' the dishes, wash your face with the dishrag: They say that'll make you hold a job.
The informant reports face washing with a dishrag as a practice said to help hold a job; no employment effect is verified.
Entry 3369
Git a dishrag. Take a dishrag if a man go messin' wit anyone. His wife wipe wit dat dishrag an' put it where it'll git dry. He'll go to de doctor
[M.D.or hoodoo?] den.
The informant names a dishrag and describes its use. The predicted doctor visit is unverified, and the editor leaves the kind of doctor unresolved.
Entry 11235
All she gotta do - de really fac' about it - is tuh have a connection an' use herself. She supposed to give to de fellah de dishrag, wit him an' her both. Yo' know whut ah'm speakin' of. An' he can't ab- solutely go with no othah woman. [For many more of these dishrag and sex rites, see Pp.2391-2408, v.3.]
The informant names a dishrag in a reported relationship account. The euphemistic wording remains unresolved, and no claimed exclusivity is established.