Subject:Drink
Entries
Entry 893
[The following story from my original pencil transcription is about as exact as I could reproduce the recorded text. It shows some of the difficulties of transcribing; a matter I have discussed in the Introduction:] Mah a'nt [aunt] vus [was] name Ella. She vure [were] pyzon [poisoned] on branch watah [water] dey [there] vure she drinked de vatahs from. A lady didn't lak [like] 'er. De lady's name vure Rebecca. She ain't lak 'er. Mah a'ntie had took 'er husban' away from 'er an' she vure mad vid mah a'nt an' she tole 'er, she say, "Ella, ah'm goin' git choo fer dis if it be las' t'ing ah do." An' she done it. She ain't had no idee she goin' put nuttin [= nothing in] de watah way [where] she drinked. An' she vent down tah de branch an' put somepin [something in] de watah. (What she put in the water.) [I unknowingly dropped my did showing I was concentrating in an effort to understand him.] Well, when de [root] doctah test[!!!] de watah [he said] dey [Rebecca an' her doctor] put some 'erb medicine in de watah. Aftah she [go] down dey an' got a dose of it - she drink-dit - she vent tah fallin' off, got poah, got bony, ain't know whut [what] tah do fer huhself. Nobody cain't do 'er no good - [medical] doctah cain't do 'er no good. An' un [one] day a colored fellah come 'long an' tole 'er - a root doctah. He tole 'er, He sayed, 'Lady"' - he ain't know 'er name - he sayed, "Lady, yah hurt." He say, "Ah kin curah [cure] yuh fer jis' a little 'mount of money." An' she sayes [says, not sez], "All rightee, vhut's de mattah wid me?" He say, "Ah kin tell yah." He say, "Yah pizoned." He say', "Yah got yoah dose from watah." She say, "Vhure de watah from?" He say, "Ah don't [know] way de watah from, but yah got pizoned in some watah," he say, "an' yah pay a little 'mount of money, a dollah down, ah'll put chah on yah feet." She say, "Well, come on in de hahse [house] an' le' me talk tuh yuh." He tuck 'er on in de hahse an' he doctah on 'er. [He says] "vell, yeh go down long 'bout a mile from heah an' yah git yuh some alder root." An' she say, "Ah don't know whut alder root is." An' he say, "If yah come on an' go wid me an ah'll show yeh," he say, "if ah go, it goin' cost double money, an'[that is] why ah tole yuh." She say, "Well, ah [don't] caah [care] how much money it cost 'cept so I git on mah feet agin." An' aftah [that] dey vent on down in dere tuh de fahk [fork] of de road, run way down in de voods, an' got alder root an' tuck dat an' made tea of dat. An' she drinked it. Aftah he made dat tea, verms an' bugs come from uh to [through] uh bowels. An' roun' 'bout mont [month] aftah dat she got a relief from it, an' [he] tole uh keep on drinkin' dat root tea. An' aftah while she got huh feet so she could lay aroun' de hahse an' dat same 'uman [woman] come to huh doah an'tole uh, she say, "Ella," says, "yah gittin on yoah feet, ain't choo?" 'Yesuh," she say. "Well, if yuh say I hurt yuh, but I ain't hurt choo; but I vill hurt chah if yuh do me back talk about anyt'ing. An' she run an' pushed de doah, close it in huh face an' say, "Stay away from mah doah cuz yah done cause me lak to die on 'count of pizon me.' She say, "I ain't pizon yeh." She say, "Yeh did pizon me,"' an' she cos [close] de doah right in huh face. An' den she knock off de doah an' say, "Dat'll be all right." An' de same doctah come dere dat same day an' tole huh, he say, "Dat's de 'uman dat pizon yah.' An' aftah dat she lef', he turnt it back on de 'uman, an' de 'uman died in roun' 'bout two year aftah dat. ["A Negro down on the Sound - this happened down on the Sound - his voice is clear but difficult to transcribe" - comment written on my original pencil tran- scription; which is attached to final MS; both comment and transcription made soon after interview. The Sound was Pamlico: "3ll Willie Jones - New Bern, N. C.
[[region]] - fair" - Numbers Book 136-317.]
Entry 3191
If a man wants tuh have a woman undah 'is jurisdiction fo' his life- time! He jes' - when yo' go an' mate wit dat woman an' take whut chey vdpe wit, yo' see. An' when yo' take it - dat whut yo' wipe wit, wit a clean pocket han'-scuff dat nevah been stained - yo' dry off wit dat, yo' see. An' when yo' dry off wit dat, yo' kin take dat an' take a little watah, yo' see, an' wet it, an' jes' drain dat into a little whiskey. Den give dat to her, den yo' can't git rid of 'er. It take death tuh part chew den. Yo' might git tired of 'er an' wanta quit 'er, but she goin' plague yo'.
Entry 3195
An' den ah've learned ag'in dat yo' kin take an' go an' urinate, see. An' den git chure come [semen] an' put jes' a lil' taste [of] dat in dat Coca- Cola an' put it somewhere on ice an' keep it cold, see. An' if yo' got a frien' dat chew wanta git up wit, well, have dat Coca-Cola in yore pocket an' walk into somebody place an' say, "Ah wan'a leave dis Coca-Cola on ice." Dey's a frien' of yo', leave de Coca-Cola on ice, unlessen dat yo' goin' to her house. Yo' got two Coca-Colas, one yo' goin' take, an' dis girl ain't lovin' yo' so good. Say, "Honey, ah got two Coca-Colas heah tuh drink. Yo' take an' put 'em on ice." Well, yo' give her de one dat's got dat dere Heart Cologne an' dat come an' dat pee in it [three in- gredients]. Boy, she'll take dat an' she'll die by yo'.
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 3458
Take a dog an' ketch 'i, a boy dog, an' ketch 'im an' cut his balls out an' cook 'em, cook 'em right soft an' den crumble 'em up in 'is [a man's] food. Dat's if 'is wife wanta ketch 'im. An' put it [in] somepin tuh eat an' den if he goes wit any woman, she'll find out who it is he goin' wit. When he go tuh be wit dis woman dey'll git hung up... [Three dots show that I turned off recording machine and restarted it in time to catch: Yo' have tuh kill one of 'em.
(To get them apart.)
[The testes of roosters and other male animals have been used for centuries as an aphrodisiac.]
Entry 3814
Wal, dere wuz a gurl ah started correspondin' wit in a - an' she wuz a purtty nice gurl an' we got along purtty tuhgethah [at first]. Well, ah dunno, we jes' couldn't git 'long tuhgethah an' she - ah guess she felt dat she wuz losin' me, see. So, well she used to cook fo' me. Well ah would eat from 'er an' ah would eat from othahs. It didn't make much diff'rence. Ah nevah did pay much 'tenshun tuh how she cooked anything fo' me cuz ah didn't [think] she'd try tuh poison me or do anythin' tuh me. So she fixed me up some meals one day, an' it wuz 'long about de 20th - 'bout 'tween de 29th an' de lst - fixed mah meals fo' me. An' right aftah ah eat dat meal ah got sort of sick. Well ah came out it an' den - well, while ah wuz goin' roun' wit anothah frien' of mine, ah met anothah girl. An' well, she wanted me tuh come an' live wit 'er. So ah would go an' spend nights wit 'er. An' well, ah'd sleep in de same bed. An' it seemed dat evah time dat ah'd wanted tuh have intahco'se wit 'er, it seemed jis' lak ah couldn't git mah mine [mind]. Mah mine jis' seem to fall, jis' couldn't git mah mine set on havin' intahco'se wit 'er. So ah went to a doctor [M.D.] heah an' ast 'im whut could be de mattah. An' he said dere wasn't anythin' de mattah wit me - took a blood test an' all, an' say he couldn't fin' anythin' wrong wit me. So a frien', he heard about dese thin's [women do], so he ast me whut all had she been doin', an' ast me could ah have intahco'se wit 'er. Ah tole 'im suah [sure], anytime ah'd go home an' git in bed ah could easily have intahco'se wit 'er, but othahwise any strange woman ah couldn't. So he wuz astin' me had ah noticed any funny thin's about 'er. Ah tole 'im ah nevah notice anythin' funny about 'er. So he ast me what kin'a food had she been feedin' me. So ah tole him diff'ren' meals. Well one special food she wuz feedin' at least twice a week an' dat be tomatoes. So ah tole him about dat. So he ast me did ah notice anythin' funny 'bout de 'matoes de nex' time she fixed 'em. So ah paid 'tention when she wuz fixin' 'em, but ah nevah noticed anythin'. But ah noticed she strained de tomatoes. Ah didn't pay any 'tention at it becuz ah figured she knows whut she's doin'. So ah tole him about 'er strainin' de tomatoes. So he say, whut kin'a rag did she strain it through. Tole me ah shoulda paid 'tention. So he tole me tuh go ovah heah an' ast 'is brothah 'bout it. So ah ast 'is brothah an' tole his bro- thah what happened. So his brothah ast me de nex' time roun' about de firs' of de mon' tuh pay close 'tention tuh see whut she would do. So it went on lak dat fer about six mont's an' ah wus goin' - still goin' ovah heah tuh see dis othah [second] gurl, an' ah wus livin' on wit 'er. She wus try- in' tuh do evahthin' [about my impotence] she could fo' me. So ah went on an' paid 'tention closah tuh 'er [first girl], an' one day ah caught 'er in dere an' she wus strainin' de 'matoes through some of 'er undah- weah. So ah ast 'er whut wuz de cuz of dat. She said, nuthin, she jis' couldn't fine 'nothah rag tuh strain de tomatoes in lak dat dat wuz clean. Wal, ah seen stains in de undahweah, but ah didn't pay any 'tention tuh it. Ah figured de tomatoes put de stains in dere. So ah tole mah frien' about it an' he said, well, she's been usin' 'er reg'lah rag dat she had on, when 'er reg'lah mont'ly sickness come on, strainin' de tomatoes through it, an' dat's whut wus cuzin' [causing] me tuh feel lak ah did tuhwards 'er an' couldn't do anythin' tuh any othah woman. So he tole me to go see a fellah, a fellah used to be a herb doctor. He's daid now. He died a few years ago. Tole me to go ast 'im whut ah should do. So ah'd seen 'im an' he tole me tuh take - tole me tuh try git holt of a good- size jar of 'er urinate an' take dat, an' boil it an' put plenty a salt in it, an' drink it at least twict a day. So it happen ah got holt of some. One night when she wusn't payin' attention tuh me, she got up an' urinated in a basin [she] had dere, yo' know. So de nex' mawnin' she went outside [away from home] tuh go tuh de baker's [to work?]. So ah'd taken it an' ah boiled it, an' ah boiled it an' strained it lak he tole me. Fixed it jis' lak he tole me tuh fix it, put some salt, an' ah drank it twict a day. An' purtty soon ah begin tuh feel mah- self ag'in. So ah left 'er, an' den ah went tuh stay wit dis othah woman. An' ah stayed wit dis othah woman one night.... [Remainder of this [[cylinder]] cannot be transcribed because of defective reception.[[comment by transcriber]].] See, we [informant and second girl] had been usin' de same towel all de time. So ah didn't pay any 'tention tuh it an' well, de nex' mawnin' when she got through wit dat towel, she took it an' folded it up careful an' put it away in de drawah dat ah'd used. Well ah didn't pay any 'tention tuh it cuz ah wus young an' didn't figure a woman would try any kin'a tricks on a fellah. So ah looked to be gittin' sorta po' [poor] an' skinny. An' ah used tuh go roun' tuh dis othah gurl [first one] an' we wuz lak we wuz goin' go back tuhgethah ag'in.
(The first girl or the second girl, you mean?)
De firs' gurl. So de secon' gurl she kep' on arguin' wit me an' arguin'. We fight an' fuss, back an' fo't' [forth] all de time. So ah went on - kep' on bothahin' dis secon' gurl. So one night ah went ovah an' stayed all night wit 'er, but still an' yet, when ah went to do somepin wit 'er, ah'd have dat strong feelin' until ah'd git right in bed wit 'er, an' den when ah git in bed wit 'er, seemed lak all hopes would drop an' ah jis' couldn't do anythin'. Ah'd Jis' lose mah nerve all de way roun'. So ah'd kep' on goin' lak dat an' she tole mah frien', mah close frien', dat she wuz livin' at 'is mothah. [Informant's first girl was rooming with the mother of the male friend who advised him to see a herb doctor.] She tole him about it. So he ast me [at the place where both worked - see later] whut wuz happ'nin' tuh me. Ah looked to be gittin' lak ah wanted to die [or] sompin. So ah tole him ah didn't know. Ah jis' seem to be gittin po'ah [poorer] an' po'ah an' mah healt' jis' wouldn't seem tuh build up atall. Ah'd eat de right thin's an' all. So he ast me wuz ah eatin' from home. An' ah tole 'im no, ah didn't eat from home cuz ah nevah had time, as mah wife, she didn't fix anythin' fo' me. So he ast me wuz dis othah gurl an' me on bad terms. Ah tole him yeah. Well, we wuz, 'cuz ah wuz about tuh quit 'er. (This was the second girl you were about to quit. The first one was your wife?) Yes, de firs' one wuz mah wife. So - an' ah wuz about tuh go back tuh mah wife, see. Aftah a while he ast me did ah know some man to cure me by. Ah tole him no. So one day he wuz up tuh de house an' we wuz jis' aftah takin' a showah. It wuz real hot [shower or day?], so ah gave him some towels. Ah didn't pay much 'tention tuh it, a towel wit a hem in it, an' ah happened tuh han' 'im a towel dat she had took dat night. An' he noticed dat right outa de centah, a hole wuz cut outa it. An' so he ast me how did dat happen. Ah tole him ah didn't know. So he begin tuh think. He's experienced on it 'cuz he wuz lots oldah dan ah wuz an' dat's one thin' [tricks of women] dat he always believe. Ah called 'im smart. Ah figured he wuz tryin' tuh be smart. Well, anyhow he really did know a lot of thin's. So he tole me de nex' time dat ah noticed, whethah she wuz un- dressin' or not, tuh notice whethah she had anythin' tied aroun' 'er neck or vais' or laig or anythin', an' if she did, tuh come an' tell 'im. Well, ah stayed wit 'er dat night, ah wouldn't stay out dat night. Ah stayed wit 'er dat night an' ah noticed dat when she got in bed, she had a little black bag tied right down in de centah of 'er stomach. So ah ast 'er what it wuz. An' she said dat [was] to keep 'er from havin' pains in 'er stomach. So ah tole mah frien' de nex' day when ah went tuh work. An' he tole me, he sayed dat he believe dat [in the] bag she had wuz a piece of dat towel out [without] de bag. [He now explains this confusion.] Said a woman could take a piece of towel dat a man would wipe on, an' could take it an' put some kinda black-cat-bone dust [see BLACk CAT POWDER, p.526], from a young black cat wit dat piece of towel in a sack, an' hang it in front of 'er an' de man nevah could leave her, no mattah where he go he'd always have tuh come back tuh 'er, an' dat he nevah could have anythin' tuh do t no othah woman but 'er. So ah jis' laughed at 'im. An' ah thought he wuz jokin'. An' ah went on tuh dis othah girl de nex' night an' went tuh 'er house. Well, ah wuz feelin' good an' ah felt lak ah wanted tuh have intahco'se wit 'er. An' so we got in bed all undressed. Well ah had high hopes until de minute ah got in bed wit 'er an' den evahthin' flopped. An' ah laid in bed fer half de night an' still an' yet ah couldn't git up nerve enough tuh have anythin' tuh do wit 'er. So ah tole him about it de next day. So he tole me tuh go back an' see could ah have anythin' tahdo wit mah wife. So ah went back dat day at dinnah time [noon]. Mah wife got off dat day at dinnah time an' I went ovah dere. An' she wuz home in bed, so ah got sweet wit 'er an' got in bed along wit 'er. Well, when ah went tuh have intahco'se wit 'er she took dis here bag from aroun' 'er wais'. Well ah got in bed an' ah jis' had high hopes an' ah jis' carried thin's right on through. Well, ah come back an' tole 'im about it, an' he tole me dat dat whole thin' wuz de trouble. Said where she had dat bag aroun' 'er wais' an' said fer me to git dat. So his bro- thah wuz de same way [impotent by trickery], but 'is brothah didn't believe in dis othah one. Some of 'em don't like dat [drinking the woman's urine]. [A bad spot in the cylinder follows. The next bracket contains my pencil notes made while checking original cylinder against transcription.] [Bad recording from here. [[Substance of informant's words follows.l] So ah went home. Ah ast 'er whut wuz dat bag. She said it was none of my business. So [[ah tried to take it.]]. Well she got mad an' said if I take it she'd kill me...didn't pay any 'tention tuh 'er...aftah awhile I was goin' wit anothah woman.] [To take a woman's hand, called a nation sack in the New Orleans area up to Memphis, can be a dangerous venture - see p.1449f.] So dat night ah come home jis' lak ah goin' stay dere. An' she got undressed, ah grabbed 'er an' got de string an' ah snatched it. When ah snatched it ah took an' run into de kitchen wit [it] an' put it in de stove an' burn it up. De min- ute ah did dat, it seem lak she jis' seemed to have lak a reg'lah fit. She jis' started runnin' all ovah, got real... [Here is a typical reaction - other than outright death - to the destruction of a witch's power. Yes, this woman is technically a witch, she having caught the man's spirit. There are many ways given in HOODOO to break a witch's spell; See also FACI, 2nd ed., Pp.790-920; and for burning the object she uses, Pp.882- 886. DE DOCTORS COME AN' DEY COULDN'T DO NUTHIN FO' HER. DEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WUZ DE MATTAH WIT 'ER. She continued to keep on fer about six mont's an' aftah dat she seemed gradually to come back tuh 'erself... [small remainder of recording bad].
Entry 3880
So well, dey do so much wit chure footprints. Now, dey say perhaps, if dey wanted to git aftah yuh sure 'nuff [enough], dey would have to git sompin inside of yuh. Dey would have to git sompin othah inside of yuh to make it work, to make it take well. Now, dey go to work to get somepin othah in yuh now. Ah tell yuh how it is. Dere's nuthin too low fer some wimmin to do's - nuthin in de world. Now, ah've seen wimmin, ah've known wimmin, dey even totes livah undah dere dress, all-like dis mawnin' until prob'bly time fer yuh [a man] to come in [to eat]. An' cook it an' a little of dere, yo' know, in wit it an' season it up wit onion. An' yo' eat dat, why dey hardly [= strongly here] got chew fixed dere way.
Entry 4087
DAT [URINE] ONE DE GREATES' THIN'S IN DE WORLD.
(Tell me one thing you can do with it and why you do it.)
Yo' kin put a little bit in de cookin' an' control 'im - put it in de cookin'. An' yo' kin put some in yore bathwatah. Dat makes 'im stay home.
(Some of that urine - chamber lye?)
Yes. Make him stick tuh yo' an' he won't leave yo'. Mix it up yo' know.
Entry 4129
Yo' kin take yore chambah watah an' put it in a little bit of watah. Jis' lak someone comin' to yore house dat chew think a lot of an' wants dem tuh love yo', yo' take dat an' put it in a little watah an' stir it up - not put enough in dere dat dey kin tell it. An' jis' keep doin' dat an' dey'll come to de place dat dey'll think a lot of yo'.
Entry 4493
Dey'll take dat watah dat yuh bath in an' dey'll take an' put dat watah in a bottle. Well, dey gon'a git chew. Like if yuh take a bath an' yuh wantsme, don' take dat watah an' [throw it away]. Den yuh put dat watah in a bottle an' evah ah come an' ask yuh fer a bottle of watah, drink of watah, yuh'll give dat watah [to me]. An' den dat'll make mah 'fluence [feelings] go towards yuh.
Entry 4857
Well, now in a case like dat, if yuh like any woman an' she doesn't like yuh, yuh have tuh - some case yuh have tuh. Perhaps yuh kin invite her out tuh lunch or perhaps yuh kin fin' some rea- son tuh bring 'er tuh yore home. An' some of yore clothes yuh wear, yuh wash it jis' as clean as it kin be laundryed [laundered], an' put some in de tea or somepin tuh drink. She drink dat an' yuh can't git rid of 'er.
Entry 5088
Yuh kin [take] yore shoes an' yuh kin put alcohol in yore shoes an' wrench [rinse] it roun' in yore shoes. Yuh kin take dat alcohol out an' yuh kin po' it into any kinda drink an' give tuh a person. Well see, when yuh take dat alcohol an' po' it intuh any kinda drink an' give tuh a person, why dat'll give him den - his mind, he'll lose his mind. HIS MIND GONE FROM 'IM RIGHT STRAIGHT.
Entry 5880
Dey say dey take three strand of yore hair an' dey would put dat in a piece of brown papah [for the black victim]. Dey would wrap some white bread Wit a piece of candy dat wus made up of coconut [sweets to entice victim's spir- it.] Dis thing is all wrapped togethah, [with] dis thread, an' den it would be cast behin' somepin dat wouldn't move, lak a piano, or some of dose thin's. Den fer nine mawnin's yo' go to dis place an' make a wish ovah dis thin', an' it would prob'ly make yo' suffah wit headaches, or prob'ly make yo' lose yore nid. Worry yo' so - evahthin' would worry, yo' jes' git vor- ried all de tlme. Dat is a thin' what dey clain Would do dat to yo' - wit chure hair.
Entry 5884
Yo' kin git de hair out de mole of de haid an' yo' kin weah or eithah yo' kin put it in somepin tuh drink an' yo' got 'im dere. An' yo' kin jes' have him plumb crazy [about you].
Entry 6173
Take de hairs from underneath yore arm an' de haid - yo' know, undah yore clothes down dere, an' wash yore feet. An' yo' know, sometime yo' don't wash yore feet in a long time, dere be lots of ole dead skin on it, yo' know, an' yo' kin take an' scrape dat off. An' den yo' kin take dis watah yo' see an' put it in sompin. A woman had mah brothah fixed lak dat. AN' AH PROMISED DE LORD AH'D NEVAH FIX A MAN NO HAY. IF ONE DON'T WANT ME, AH DON' WANT 'IM. So she had mah brothah fixed jes' lak dat - she had 'im fixed up jes' lak dat.
Entry 6378
Yo' soak yore feet an' den yo' git a knife an' scrape dat skin off - some of dat dead skin. Make it up an' put it in sompin tuh drink. Nachurally ef yo' drink tea, put it in yore tea or in coffee. An' take yore fingahnails an' toenails an' parch dem an' beat dem up an' put it in coffee or tea. An' wash undah yuh arm an' put dat in de tea. Dat vill make 'em love yuh, make dem real jealous of yo', too. An' ef yo' don't min' 'en, make 'em kill yo'.
Entry 6396
Well, yo' take a person fingahnail an' yo' cut dem. Dat's fo' love.
(Just how would you do that?)
Yo' trim yore fingahnails. Yo' take an' bake dem an' den yo' take an' beat 'em up tuh a powdah. When yo' feed a person yo' sprinkle dat in dat meal, see, an' dey'll love yo'. An' den ag'in yo'll take - wash yore feet real clean an' scrape de dirt from de hollah of yore foot. An' yo' put dat in de food, an' dat'll make dem love yo'.
Entry 6448
Yo' cuts yore fingahnails an' yore toenails evah Monday or evah Friday, until yo' git a tablespoonful of it, an' den yo' take dat an' put it in whiskey. Dat's makin' yo' love me, see. Put dat in whiskey. An' den yo' put so much of dat - ah would - in yore coffee or yore tea an' let chew drink off it. Or yo' kin git it in dat powdah an' sprinkle on yore food, an' yo' eat it. (But you must cut these fingernails and toenails on Friday or Monday.)
Entry 6461
(No, no, go ahead.)
Well, tuh make a man stay wit chew. Yo' cut all de side of yuh fingahnails an' yuh toenails, hairs undah yuh arms, hairs from yuh head, undah dere, an' yo' parch it brown, brown, lak de dust. When, if he drinks coffee, yo' put it in de coffee. If he don't, well yo' take it an' yo'll make it brown jis' lak it wuz black peppah. An' yo'll take it an' yo'll sprinkle it all ovah 'is fish, an' yo'll give it tuh 'em. Well, he'll come tuh lak yo' an' he'll love yuh.
Entry 6464
Trim de toenails, dat's if yo' wanta keep 'em. De toenails, put 'em in a pan an' put 'em on de stove an' let 'em cook jis' lak yo' gon'a brown 'em see, till dey git brittle SO yo' kin take yo' some an' pow- dah dem up. Yo' don' wanta kill dem. Yo' put dat in dere coffee an' let dat dissolve. Take 'bout dis much, see, an' put it in dey coffee. Mos' likely dey drink dat. Dey's hoodooed.
(You just use the toenails?)
No.
(Both the toenails and the fingernails?)
Yes, jis' three times.
(You put it in there three times?)
Yes. Dey won' go nowhere.
(That holds them.)
Entry 6494
Dat would make yo' painful. Yo' scrape dat off de bottom of a person's feet an' den put it in a glass - in a drinkin' glass. Jis' put it in a drinkin' glass an' put 17 drops of kerosene on it. Put 17 drops of kerosene on it, a pinch of sulphuh - jis' lak yo' put a pinch up lak dat, of sulphuh. An' git some borax - take a level teaspoonful of borax an' put in dere. An' jis' let it set up.
(Where?)
Jis' let it set somewhere in a dark place lak up in de loft of de house or in a closet where nobody nevah visit at. An' it will dry out de marrah in 'is arms.
Entry 6500
Dey scrape it offen de feet an' den dey take dem fingahnails, dey trim dose, an' dey git de dirt off de toenails, from undah de toenails an' undah de feet, an' put all dat tuhgethah an' powdah dat up an' dry it. Den when dey git dat powdah up, dey put dat in a bottle. Dat's when yo' want 'em tuh love yuh an' yo' can't do 'em no harm. Yo' put dat in a bottle an' den yo' fill dat bottle wit chure urinate wit dat stuff, an' let it sit dere nine days befo' dey use it. Den aftah de nine days whenevah dey fix yo' a meal or anythin' lak dat tuh eat, or anythin' tuh drink, dey will put a teaspoonful of dat in there fo' yo'. Well, den dat gits chew jis' dey way. Gits yuh down undah dere foot an' yo' can't do no mo' den dey wan' chew tuh do.
Entry 6505
When yo' go intuh a bath, yo' wash yore feet good an' clean, an' den yo' wash 'em ovah a'gin, an' yo' take dat watah an' yo' put dat intuh coffee or sompin lak dat fo' de person tuh drink.
(What will that do?)
Dat keeps 'em, keep 'em lak yo' want 'em tuh be, yo' know, roun' yo' or sompin lak dat.
Entry 6532
Goin' tuh a red ants' bed - jis' like yo' wanta put ants intuh some- body. Dat will jis' eat 'em up. Jis' git dem antses an' take 'em outa dere an' put 'em in anything dat dey'll parch up tuh a dust. Put 'em in dere live an' put 'em where dey'll parch up tuh a dust. An' git de Bible an' read de 37th Psalms while it's parchin', an' take it out. An' anything yo' put dat intuh, if dey nuse [use] it, drink it or eat it or anything, why dem ants will come alive in dem - jis' eat 'em up. [Why Psalm 37 should be used, I do not know.]
Entry 6534
Ah heard dat dey could take a dozen [12] red ants an' cook dem an' put 'em in a package. An' git dat package tuh a person an' saturate dat package in anything dat he might drink. An' dat would cuz 'im tuh swell up an' give him a' interternal [= internal] disease.
(In other words you would use this in the liquor.)
Entry 6536
Yo' take dis bat an' put 'im in bucket or box or somepin an' let 'im dry - jis' perish tuh death. Den yo' take an' if it's a person dat chew wish tuh harm, yo' feed 'em dat dust in some of dat food or watah dat dey have tuh drink, an' it'll cuz a person tuh have live things in 'em.
(What kind of live things?)
Bugs. [Bats are supposed to be full of bugs - see FACI, 1841, p.83, 1st ed.; 2007, p.78, 2nd ed.]
Entry 6573
Yo' take a lizard or a salamandah or anything lak dat - yo' take a lizard now. Ef a person take him an' ketch 'im an' kill 'im, yo' take him den an' yo' let 'im dry up. Well, aftah he dry up, yo' take him an' pound 'im up an' put 'im in anything, an' aftah while he'll grow. Jis' lak yo' put 'im in watah or sompin tuh eat, an' a person eat it, git it in 'em. He'll grow an' in a very short while he'll be runnin' all through 'is flesh.
Entry 6656
Whilst doin' dat, somebody gota go tuh de country an' git a he an' a she moccasin snake.
(Moccasin snake?)
Moccasin snake an' lays 'em head tuh tails, puts 'em down undah - buries 'em in de north cornah.
(North corner of what?)
Of de fence - right down undah de fence, undah a sill lak dis an' den...:
(Do they bury this under a sill or under a fence out in the yard?)
Out in de yard. It's nobody dat knows it dere but dem. It lays dere nine mawnin's an' dey'll begin to molt. Yo' go dere de nex' nine mawnin's an' turn 'em ovah, an' let 'em lay dere anothah nine mawnin's. After dat is ovah, dem nine maw- nin's, evah time dey touch 'em dey makes a oath. Dey goes dere den an' gits de snakes an' cuts de head off an' puts dem heads tuhgethah an' put 'em up ovah de do'sill an' let 'em dry - make an oath - lay 'em up there an' let 'em dry. Then they gets dry good, they crumbles them up right fine an' gets a powder - beats 'em up fine. Then they take 'em an' put 'em in a bag. Well, enybody they want, they go an' gets de dust of de snake head an' sprinkle it in whatever they gives 'em - they gives a party of some kind, an' they wants to go tuh, they gives it to 'em in somethin' to drink.
(What will that do to them then?)
Kill'em. [Richmond, Va., (?), 380:2. A similar method for killing with graveyard dirt is given by same informant in 300: l&3.]
Entry 6709
Dey tell me dat if a woman wants tuh take de uppah han's [hands] of a gan an' take him in, dat chew [the woman] kin draw de blood from a' animal an put it in any kinda thing he eat or in 'is whiskey - jis' so long as yo' git it inside a him - an' dey have de upperturns of yo' in any way dey intend tuh do it. De only way dat yo' kin git loose from dat, whut ah learnt, jis' take somepin an' strike where yo' kin draw de blood from dem [the woman]. See, den yo' kin git loose from dat.
(They use the blood from any kind of an animal?)
Any creepin' animal [so that the man will creep or crawl at her command].
Entry 7049
(How do you do that?)
Yo' kin even make 'em stop drinkin' whiskey.
(How do you do that?)
Now, yo' know a man dat drinks whiskey. Yo' take a man dat's a heavy whiskey drinkah, when he comes home, if he drink anythin' lak coffee or tea, or anythin' lak dat. Yo' go tuh 'is shoes, when he come in at night, an' take any dust - some dust off of one of 'is shoes. See, yo' jis' take de dust off of any shoe yo' git off of 'is foot. An' take dat dust an' powdah it. Powdah it up good an' fold it in a piece of paper, an' let 'im sleep wit dat undah 'is pillow. Evah time he come, whethah he come in sobah or come in drunk, take it away where - wrap dat good an' put it undah 'is pillah, an' let it stay undah 'is pillah fo' nine days. An' aftah it stay undah 'is pillah fo' nine days, yo' take it an' take dat same dust an' po' it intuh any drink dat he drinks - whiskey or gin or anythin' an' dissolve it an' mix it well. Jis' drop it in, jis' a li'le particle of dust on dere, from any one of 'is shoes. An' let 'im sleep wit dat undah 'is head fo' nine days, an' po' it in 'is drink. An' ah'll bet if yo' continue doin' dat - if dat don't give him de natchal [natu- ral] effect de firs' time, use it on 'im ag'in. An' ah'll bet dat he'll - it'll stop 'im from drinkin'.
Entry 7776
Once ah wuz goin' wit anothah woman - me an' anothah fellah wuz goin' yit de same girl an' we didn't know anything about it. An' she tole anothah girl dat me an' 'im, dat we wuz both ma'ied [married] an' she wuz goin' kill both of us befo' three days. Well, we went on back an' wuzn't pay- in' any 'tenshun an' she fixed a pint of whiskey up an' sont [sent] fo' me a' 'im tuh come an' git some of it. So den de fellah come on an' got de whiskey a' tried tuh git me tuh go an' ah didn't care tuh go. An' he went an' got an caken a drink of de whiskey. He taken sick an' he lived three days aftah dat. An' she tole 'im, when she got through wit 'im, she taken some of 'is hair out from off de left side of 'is haid an' put it in some whiskey an' got some grave- Yard dirt an' went to a place where dere wuz a dead snake, an' got some of 'is womes an' grin' hit up real fine an' put it in de whiskey. An' he drinken [drank] dat an' he died in three days.
Entry 8030
Well, yo' have tuh grind dat up, grind de bone of de dead man up. An' perhaps dey might put it intuh yuh food or perhaps yo' may drink. Why jis' grind it up fine or jis' take a hammah or sompin lak dat an' beat it up - put it in a rag an' beat it up fine, yo' know, jis' lak flour on somepin. An' put it intuh yuh food or jis' put it intuh whiskey yo' drink or soft drink or anything lak dat an' yo' drink it down. Why dat would give yo stomic trouble. De balance of yuh days yuh stomic will nevah be no good tuh yo'. Keep yo' in lingahin' death.
(What do they call that?)
Suffahin' a man.
Entry 8402
Well, dey kin run yuh crazy, or kill yuh, or make yuh git down sick, eithah.
(How do they do that?)
Dey take dat photograph an' git chew a saucah an' fill it about half full of vinegah, an' turn dat photograph down on de face in dat vinegah, an' take yo' a drinkin' glass an' set ovah it, an' let it set dere. An' when de vinegah eat all dat, yuh future [features] out of dat photograph, why yo' go crazy. Dey keep dat glass ovah it tuh keep de air from hittin' it. Yo' see, yo' can't let de air git in dere.
Entry 8980
Now if yo' go before de iudge, de judge goin' to discharge yo', ac- cording to what kind of case, yo' know, yo'll have. Well, if yo' got people against yo', yo' know, an' yo' don't want to have dem part of de jury. Yo' going before de judge, like if it's a criminal case, yo' know, yo' got to have de jury. Yo' see, dey have [a panel of] 75 jurors [to select jurors from]. Well, yo' don't know what people [will be on the jury]. They don't pick out but twelve. Now, yo' don't know what twelve dey going to pick out. Dat makes yo' gotta use de whole panel. Yo' see, ah [in my work] done use 'em all.[ Well, now, de person - what jurors is against yo'. Yo' go an' get yo' a beef tongue, a fresh beef tongue. Pay odd money fo' it, not even money - 25 or 35 cents or somepin like dat. Let de money be odd money. An' yo' go an' take dat tongue an' yo' get these peoples names what is against yo', what done harm yo', don't yo' see or what yo' done harm. Yo'll take dat tongue, yo'll write de names on a piece of papah, an' yo'll write all dem jurymen's names, de dis- trict attorney.
(The whole 75 of those names?)
Yeah, just put de whole 75. Yo' have to use de 75, because outa dem yo' get twelve.
(I see. All right.)
Now, yo' get de district attorney what is de man to prosecute yo'. Yo'll get his name an' put it on dere, but not de judge in dat part. An' yo'll -git yo' dat tongue. Yo' get yo' nine needles an' nine pins. Yo'll get yo' dese people names an' yo'll put down on dere an' yo'll put dat down in de throat of dat tongue. Yo'll take dat tongue an' yo'll hang it up in de chimney. An' den aftah dat, yo'll take an' git yo' some watah an' yo'll get yo' some peppah. Yo' git yo some coarse snuff an' yo'll burn a - light a candle.
(Coarse snuff?)
Coarse snuff, dat coarse snuff; not dat in a box. An' yo'll light dat candle an' yo'll put it.in dere. Now, yo' want to come clear an' yo' want de judge to be lenient wit yo', so yo' take de judge's name. An' yo'll take de judge ame, den yo'll git yo' a block of ice, 'bout fifty pounds of ice. Yo' put it in a little pail an' yo'll sweeten it. Den yo'll light de candle, but yo'll light it straight up [the candle will be standing upl. An' den yo' see, sweeten de judge. But this othah part what yo' do, yo' take an' yo' put de candle - yo' turn 'em upside down, yo' get dat coarse snuff an' all dat, an' put in dere. Well dat make de district attorney be fightin' against dem. An' de people, what he got fo' witness, goin' to speak against yo'. Anything dey drink, perhaps dey drink whiskey. Some might drink gin or somepin like dat. Well yo'll get dat [liquor] an' yo' put dere name an' set yo' a little glass. An' put dat candle on dat [name and liquor in the glass] an' ah'll guarantee every one of 'em will go to court drunk. An' yo'll come out clear 'cause dey'll be drunk. Dey won't know what they're sayin'. They'll be lying backwards and forwards.
(What'll that ice do?)
Well, yo' see, de ice, dat's to cool, dat's fo' yore part. De ice makes yo' cool. Yo' know ice makes yo' cool. [Usually ice freezes apponent's tongue.] Well, de judge won't be fiery wit yo'. See, he'll be cool an' calm. But on dis othah side, yo' get dat snuff an' yo' put dem names in dere an' yo' get dat beef tongue. Yo' put dem things in dere an' shove dat tongue, all down in de throat, an' just hang dat tongue up an' den yo'll see. Yo'll see an' dey'll be lyin' an' dey'll be drunk. Just what dey drink, yo' set dat candle in dere [in the glass]. An' dey'll be lyin' an' dey won't say a thing against yo'. What color...just what candles you select. Don't try de black candles.
(Anything but black?)
But black candles.
(How many do you burn?)
Yo' burn - see, if dere's five people, yo' put five candles. An' if it's three, yo' put three; just accordin' to how many is against yo', yo' put dem many candles. An' den what they drink, yo' get a little glass, just what fit de candle an' put dat [liquor] in dere, an' ah'll guarantee yo' every one will be drunk.
Entry 9915
"To take off spell - boil frog - bathe down - then mix some water with this and let patient drink it."
Entry 9921
Take a frog's blood an' squeeze it in somepin [to eat or drink] an' give it tuh yuh an' dere came de live frogs in yuh.
Entry 9925
Take a toadfrog an' squeeze him an' take his watah [urine] out of 'im, if a person yo' don't like, see. Squeeze him till yo' git 'is watah outa him. An' when yo' git 'is watah outa 'im, take a li'l blue- stone an' mix it up wit dat toadfrog watah, an' add some of yore watah [urine] tuh it. It will cause de person tuh swell up. Yo' give it tuh 'em in a drink or somepin, dey'll swell up an' bust.
Entry 9936
Lak a frog or a fish dat dries. It must be dried intuh a dust. De frog killed an' let it go tuh a dust an' kin put dat intuh people an' it be a frog. Give it tuh 'em in dey food or drink. (Is there any way of getting those out?) Well, ah don't know.
Entry 9940
Dey take de frog an' parch it up - kill it an' parch it. Save some of de blood an' den yo' parch de frog an' grind it up, an' put dat blood back in it an' put it in watah [to drink] or put it in yore food. But dey have sulphuh in it - sulphuh an' brim- Stone in dis frog wit de blood. An' dey put it in yuh food or in yuh water [you brink] or somepin othah, or whiskey or somepin, an' give it tuh yuh an' dat would Huyuh.
(What would that stuff do when it got inside of you?)
It would eat on yuh intestines an' eat all de linin' out chore stahmuck an' yuh intestines, an' kill yuh.
Entry 10176
A bird's nest - a person can take some of your hair and put it in that bird's nest, you see. And take some of that bird's feathers and put that in there and then take your hair and put it in there. And then every, every morn- ing they take and set a light [candle] right in there [the nest] but not burn the nest. Just take that light and set that light in there [in a drinking glass]. And if they want to do you harm, get you some coarse snuff [often leaf of dried tobacco rubbed in hands] some hot pepper [sauce] and put it in there. And burn a light on it for nine mornings - you see, one hour for [each] nine days.
Entry 10194
[Informant has a good rite here but fails to explain it.]
Write that name down and put a glass of water - write that name down over a glass of water nine times. Then put that glass of water before dat, put the... Now, I take and I put that glass of water there over that paper and take three swallows out of that glass of water nine mornings [see correction lat- er.] (Drink that water for nine morn- ings.) For nine mornings take three swal- lows out of that glass of water - I mean for three mornings. You take nine swallows out of that glass three mornings. Do that for three mornings. Den after you do dat for three mornings, get you a blue candle and let it burn right over dat man name. Don't you worry about him.
(After you burn that candle over his name.)
[I am merely making a comment to myself.]
What?
(I say, all right, go ahead.)
Well, you just - like I explain. Like you burning that candle over his name, perhaps you don't want the man - you don't wanta see him. You drink three swal- lows of water out of there for three days!!! That keep him away. See you drink three swallows each three time a day, twice in the day, and three [the third] at night. That'll be nine swallows. You take those glasses of water. Then you... see, like you agreein' with him, see you drinkin' with him. Then, you put your candle there and let it burn. Set that candle there and let it burn there.
(What will that do then?)
Well, he can't come there.
(The law can't come there?)
Yes.
(You write the policeman's name down on that piece of paper.)
Shore. (Well, how do you burn that candle? Do you put the candle down in the glass to burn?)
[The shaky answer is according to my following comment.]
(You take the glass away and put the candle on the name?)
That's what you do.
(Long as that candle burns, it keeps him away?)
Shoh, he keeps away, too.
Entry 10712
Ah heard dey tke, not de egg, dey take where a bird sit at in dat nest an' take some of de trash out of dat.
(The manure.)
Yes sir, an' put it in dat, an' yo' can't stay nowhere.
(Put it where?)
Put it in whiskey or tea or coffee, an' give yo' wandering mind.
(That gives you a wandering mind.)
Entry 10738
Fo' nine mawnin's jes' drop it - jes' drop it in dere fo' nine mawn- in's.
(You save this [menstrual] blood for nine mornings?)
Fo' nine mawnin's. An' if ah wanta gain de influence of yo' mo' den whut chew is [interested] in me, ah'll cook yo' a pie, or, [if you are] a customer or sompin or [put it in] whiskey. Buy yo' a bottle of whiskey. Ah'll make it closer, an' drop it in dere - nine drops. [That statement of aine Ne in the parenthesis show I did not understand this rite at the time. My comment about informant later may ea- plain why: This woman was so long-winded she almost drove me crazy. Bnd of 1526. Not a very Christian remark about someone trying to help me, but at least it shous some of the tension under which I worked.]
Entry 10740
Yes, ah knowed a young man 'cause he wuz goin' with me. His name wuz Joe. He wuz married to her but he didn't love her. He tole me he didn't. An' afterward [after his wife fed him these things] he said he loved her a lot bettah. An' he did have her, 'cause she fed him all de time offa dat - de periods. An' he caught her at it an' he tole me of it. An' he said dat he learned tuh hate her; yo' know, couldn't have no love fo' her.
Entry 10832
And then you take a card, playing cards, you see; you know, like you [picture of man: jack or king].
(Playing cards?)
Yes. Well, you take him out and you'll turn him up behind your bed, you understand.
(Behind your bed, yes.)
Behind de head of your bed on de same side that you [man] sleeps. Now, this is a woman fer a man, and then on de other side, he kin do de woman de same way, you see [he uses female card]. And you'll put it there and then you'll take a broom what you have never swept with. I mean a new broom. You git nine straws out of that. And then you'll talk to him every morning. Everything you eat, you feed him and says good things about him. Don't say anything harsh. And he'll be compelled to come home to you.
(What card do you take out of that deck?)
Take de card that run for you.
(Oh, you have to run the cards?)
Yeah, now like you might run a spade. You might run a diamond. You might run a heart. You might run in a jack and you might run in a king, you see.
(I see.)
Well, you take de card that run for you.
(And you put that up behind your bed - upside down, you say?)
Oh, no! Don't turn dat upside down. You nail it behind your bed. Like I lays on de right side of de bed, well, you nail it on de right side of de bed.
(Behind the bed?)
Yeah, behind de bed, out of search from everyone. No one knows it but you. You do that to yourself. No one sees it.
(Is the face against the bed or the face out?)
The face is out. No, the face is out. The back of de card is against de bed. And you feed that with everything that you eat. Even now, like you would get water - just like you was really feeding him sure enuff. And you talks sweet things - like you 'pologizing, you know.
(I see, to this card?)
Yeah, to that card, for ninr mornings and he will be forced to come back. As to the woman [if a man is working this rite] she'll be forced to come back.
Entry 10851
You take buzzard manure an' then you put that into calf-manure. Some- time he [a professional worker] say sheep shed [manure] - well, it's the same thing [a manure] - an' that, he gon'a give that to somel body in a drink. An' he put half of this, den fill that glass up with [alcoholic] liquor an' give that to a person to drink. That'll make 'em act jis' like a buzzard, flop an' care [carry] on like a buzzard. [Calf manure makes him childish; sheep shed, timid and simple-minded.]
Entry 10891
Yo' kin put cat hair in a person's whiskey or coffee or tea or somepin lak dat an' dey'll begin tuh have fits an' act lak a cat or somepin. Den too, yo' kin take dog hair an' do de same thing, an' de dog hair git in it [drink] an' it'll run yo' crazy.
Entry 10970
Take a aig an' boil it, cut it half in two, an' take de yelloo part out an' fill that up with salt, an' take it an' eat it without drintdn'gyatah at all. An' ask to see de man dat chure goin' tuh marry or the w yo goin' tuh marry, an' yo'll see 'em when yo' drink dat watah. [You vill see the that night in a dream. This is ordinary folklore. I have included it bere becamse divination is part of a hoo- doo or root doctor's work. He or she might offer this advice to a client.] [Fay- etteville, N. Car., 2572:16.]
Entry 11022
Well, yo' take those chicken feathers - you know, jest like you take 'em and burn 'em. Put 'em in a piece of tin and burn 'em, and then take the ashes from 'em and you know - burn 'em, don't put much [feathers], jest put a [few] after you dry 'em and - they jest look like powder. Then you put it in the water and drink off it and make yo' franzy. You know, you hear of people being franzy, yo' know. Makes you franzy-minded. Not criticize, you know what ah mean. [Unknown to informant this could be a black chicken feathers rite, or black feather could have been mentioned before recording began.
Entry 11301
Ah heard dat chew could git de blood from a dog, a black dog. Jes' git his blood from him an' put it into - jes' lak ah git de dog's blood, see, an' put it into yore coffee whut chew drink, or water, anything yo' drink. Let yo' drink it an', well, yo' have a dog in yo'. Most everything yo' eat will make yo' sick on de stomic.
Entry 11335
"Bout takin' de mo'rnin' dove [= turtledove] an' takin' his heart out, dat's fo' fixin' somebody. Yo' know, fixin' 'em in any kinda way dat chew wanta, so dey mindless. Dey take de heart out of a mo'rn- in' dove an' have it parched up until it jes' be like ashes or a powder, anythin'. An' say yo' kin take dat an' put dat intuh any watah or anythin' dey use tuh drink, or anythin' dat chew Wanta put it in, an' from time tuh time after yo' give it tuh 'em in de weeks dat dey live, dat dey would be jes' mindless or go jes' crazy.
Entry 11377
Yo' know, during when de figs is green, dey have a little white sompin dat chew kin mash up. An', if yo's in love - lovin' someone an' she wus treatin' yo' so jes' like yo' wanted tuh git out, quit lovin' her or sompin - dey claim yo' take two of dose figs an' squeeze. Don't git de seeds, jes' git all dat milk out an drink it with yore milk an' all, an' along - along gradually she'll come to leave yore mind. Jes' like yo' have yore mind set on somepin, yo' can't think of any- thing else but dat. An' dey claim dat dat'll settle it. Dat's whut ah hear de ole people say. Ah've nevah tried it.
Entry 11639
You take the fish, you take the front part of his mouth and let it dry - dry good, perfect. And then maybe when yo're [yo'll?] be goin', it will come apt to be some kind of a rain, or somepin other like that. Then if you kin get [it] into the water where the woman drinks, uhen you [she] will come to love you too. The front part of his mouth, you know, iis' take the front part, that ring around his mouth. [Probably demonstrates by ruing a finger around the mouth.]
(Part of the upper and lower jaw there.)
Yea, that whole thing - jis' like that. And take it out, and then you let that dry. You put that away and let that dry. Then [put it into] the water that a woman drinks. Then you make wishes over that, you understand. Or any- thing that she drinks or eats, why then you use that fish mouth over that. Then she will come to love, too.
Entry 11856
To make the man stay home, you takes a piece of the strand of the hair right in the mole of the head, and get you two copper cents - but let it be two women's faces.
(Two pennies that have a woman on them. All right.)
And take the strand of the hair and then put it in between the women's faces. You get a piece of string or thread [demonstrates].
(You place these two pennies face to face.)
Face to face.
(And put that hair between them. All right.)
And then you wind the thread all around it until it holds together. Then you take a bag and you put it in a little bag with your name and his name in there, wrapped up in a single. paper, and every time you take a drink, you gotta give it something to drink. [There are a number of these rites in HOODOO of- fering food or drink or both to absent person.] (Water or liquor?)
Entry 12324
Yo' could use de strucken wood, de wood where it strucken by lightnin', an' dey said dat dey use it on a person an' dey said dat dis person will soon die.
(How would you use it on a person?)
Well, jes' go tuh work an' make a tea an' put de tea tuh de bread, from de same wood. Jes' take it an' put it in a pot an' boil it, an' give de person de tea. Or eithah jes' mix it in whatsomevah dey eat. From lightnin'-strucken [wood]. (Well, what about burning the wood. Did you say something would happen about that?) If dey burn de wood, de person will soon die.
(Who Would soon die?)
Whosomevah goes tuh work an' use de wood. Well, if dey use it In de Name of de Lord, dey couldn't take it, dey say. But yo' kin use it fo' whut chew wanta use it fo'.
Entry 12736
Well yo' know dese little rats [mice?] be's in de house. Well, yo' git one of dose an' buy yo' some mo' whiskey, see. Jes' git half a pint or a pint, but put it in jah where yo' kin put dat rat in it, see. Put him in dere 'live an' shet it down an' set it in a cornah till dat rat drown, see. An' yo' git all his strength in dat whiskey. Yo' take dat rat out an' throw him away or eithah barn him up in de fireplace. It would be best fo' yo' tuh burn him up, see. Den yo' take dat whiskey - don't strain it or nuthin, jes' put it back in a pint bottle, see. See, jes' lak yo' ole lady come in, see, an' she wanta drink, she say, "Well, yo' know ah so wished ah had a drink." Yo' say, "Ah think d've got a little drink." Yo' still continually give her a drink out of dat. Hit'll make hah sick but when she git bettah of dat sickness, she won't nevah Ak anothah drink of whiskey.
Entry 12890
You kin take three mens.
(What?)
Mens, like you and I.
(Oh, take three men. Yes?)
Three men and in between these men you can just say that you wanta take one of them mens as a trap. You wanta take this man here and trap these two men. Well, you kin give that man there anything that you wanta eat [or drink]. Take a bottle of whiskey that's never been used and you take your hand and play with yourself until you discharge. [Human semen is common in HOODOO.] You put it in this whiskey and you stop it up and you turn that down like that and leave it for nine days.
(So that it is leaning against something?)
Yes, in the corner of the house - in the left hand corner of the house. [This is a cornering rite, very common. The left-hand corner is to the left as you enter house or room.]
(All right.)
All right, in 9 days you take this whiskey up. At 9 o'clock you meet this party and you ask him if he wants a drink. You gotta be sure that he do's drink, and you take some and give it to him. And then you leave him with the bottle. They drink it all up. Whatever they do with it, you see 'em drink some before you leave 'em. If they got one or two men, they'll finely wean away from them men and crave to you.
(You do this to a woman?)
Yes.
Entry 12896
Now, if you want to divorce her - if you want to break this up - if you get on to [suspect] her - you are suspicious. [If you suspect she had you tied up, has made you sexually impotent.] Jis' go on, put you on you some clean socks, walk on to a beer joint - some place. (To a beer joint?) Yeah. Get you a bottle of beer and go on walking. Walk far enough where you begin to perspire and when your feet get hot and you perspire, stop and sit down. Take the left shoe off. Pour this bottle of beer in that left shoe. Drink the beer out of the shoe instead of the bottle. Close the bottle. Stand this way [demonstrates] and turn your hands [this way] and throw it [bottle] straight out in front of you, with your wish [that your impotence leaves]. It [potency] comes back again.
(I see.)
Yes, all the affection is taken away from her. (I see. Take this beer bottle in the left hand, then, you bring it around to the back of your neck.) Yes, that's right. And take that [bottle] in your right hand and throw right directly in front of you.)
(I see. And that breaks the spell of that string around her waist.)
Sure. Yes, sir. [My preceding comment is a good example of my using in- formation informant had given before researching began. Woman had "tied him up by measuring him with a string and tying it about her waist.]
(It should do it?)
Sure. I've seen it do it.
(I see, I see.) [The wish is the power!]
Entry 12932
Ah knows dat's all right about de shoes. Jes' say if yo' an' a woman wus in love tuhgether, an' by some means dat chew think dat dis woman is not de right woman fo' yo', an' yo' wants tuh git loose from her, yo' put on yore shoes an' jes' git out an' valk. Walk fast. Yo' know dat chure feet will perspire but not smelly. Pull den shoe off an' po' some wine in 'em an' drink dat wine. Dat'll separate yo' an' her. [For another drinking-out-of-shoe rite, see 12896, p.4412.
Entry 12988
Yo' could take a lizard or a snake or a frog or anything like dat an' Perish it tuh death. Jes' put it in a can or sompin, yo' know, an' let 'im die. Sell, when he die yo' could, yo' know dry it up. Yo' could make a powder out of hin like dat. Well, den if yo' kin git dat in anybody's food, he gonna have dem Live things in 'im - hit'll come back tuh life. Yo' see, dey grow. Well, not de thing dey is tuh git dat out of him - jes' say, if yo' put it in 'im or anybody else put it in 'im, an' dey come tuh yo' [author become a root doctor] fo' tuh git it out of 'im, yo' git chew a silver piece of money. An' yo' wash dis heah, every edge, if yo' use a dime or a quarter or fifty-cent [piece] or anything. Let it be solid silver. An' hit every edge dat dey is round dere. Well yo' give him dat silver [intern- ally] an' dat silver will git dat out of 'im. Hit'll take every bit of dat poison out of 'im.
(You have to hit every edge. With what?)
Yes sir, hit every edge [of the milled coin] with a file. Git chew a brand- new file dat has nevah been used an' yo' hit every edge - jes' a little grated silvah an' [and you give it internally to your patient poisoned by lizard, snake or frog].
Entry 13068
If you wanta kill a person, yo' gits de snail an' gits him out of his hull [shell] yo' see. An' yo' kin take yo' some whiskey an' put dat snail in dere - in dat whiskey, lak yo' would put it in a half pint of whiskey. Let dat snail set in dere twenty-fo' hours in dat whiskey - ah mean, take dat snail outa dere an' strain yore whis- key. An' anybody dat yo' give it to, dat chew want 'em - if yo' wanta kill any- one, say, "Come on have a drink wit me, " an' yo' po' it out an' dey drink it. Dat settles it.
Entry 13095
Kin put different things in it to cause yo' feet tuh swell, such as rattlesnake's - take de haid of a rattlesnake an' go out dere an' dry it in a sack yo' know an' take dat dust - dat aw- ful poison yo' know - jes' a little bit of dat. Dat's de same way as dey do tuh kill yo' - right through dis country. Dey'll take dat rattlesnake haid an' dry it yo' know an' git a dust an' lak yo' vanted a drink, dey'd be standin' aroun' an' yo' happen tuh po' de likker out, dey drop de least bit of dat in dere, yo' know. Dat's rank poison. Yo' drink dat whiskey an' it kill yo' an' it hardly kin be detected. Or dey put dat in yore shoes an' cause yore feet tuh swell.
Entry 13225
Lak ah wus yore cook an' ah wanted tuh gain influence wit chew some way, ah would fix yore coffee or yore tea, or yore ice cream an' spit in it. Yo' gotta do dat nine times. Yo' go ahead, yo' done drink it. Yo' don't know whut ah'm doin' an' when yo' do, dat'll give me de influence of yo'.
Entry 13329
You go out here an' git this trumpet root. That's a root that grows - it don't grow now'ere roun' here. It grows in the middle of a pond. When you git to that trumpet it's like a bugle. It's about that long [4 feet], it stays green winter an' summer. You take that trumpet root an' you pour some water in it [the flower] from a pump. Nuthin mus' be but de pump. An' take that water an' boil it. Yo' see, yo' boil that trumpet root all together. Well, when yo' git that water, yo' bottle it up an' take a drink. An' take that trumpet an' cut it up, an' put it out there an' let it git dry. Either put it in de stove an' let it dry. Well, yo' powder dat up. Yo' take that then an' yo' go to captain: 'Captain, I'm out of a job an' I wan'a job." Put some that [dust] on yo' [and take a drink of trumpet-root tea before you go] an' yo' got a job.