Subject:Dry
Entries
Entry 3253
Well, ah tell yo' whut chew kin do tuh break a man up wit a woman. Yo' buy a bran'-new pocket han'chuf, if yo' wanta break up 'im from intahco'se wit 'er. Take yo' a bran'-new pocket han'chuff an' have intahco'se wit 'im. See, ketch it [semen] all in dis new pocket han'chuff an' take it home wit chew. Yo' take dat han'chuff jis' lak dis [demonstrates] an' roll dis to yo'. See dis, evah time. Yo' turn it roun' an' yo' roll it right back to yo'. Den yo' turn an' yo' roll it ag'in. Fold it up, see. Take yo' nine pods of red peppah [9 dried finger peppers - hot peppers] an' put it on dere an' two spoonsfulla table salt. Dig yo' a hole in de fiahplace or cookin' stove. Do dis at twelve a'clock in de night, zackly twelve, an' don't talk tuh nobody, be by yo'self. Dig dat hole an' put it in dere. An' whosomevah build a fire - yo' don' have tuh build no fiah [if there is a fire, use it; if not] build a fiah dere an' burn dat up an' don't even look back, an' if yo' don't do whut chew wan'a do, dat's yorn [man or woman]. Ah had a man ah vuz re'lly crazy about. Ah re'lly loved 'im an' he done rid- ded [got rid of me] me fo' anothah woman. A Mistah John Cook [Mistah indicates a white doctor], ah nevah will fo'git, he tole me fis' whut tuh do an' ah tried it. Ah thought he wuz jis' lyin'. So ah went home an' ah tried it. He quit dis woman. He moved up dere wit Miz Wallace. He worked fo' dem [Wallace family] a long time in de garden. He said, "Honey, ah jis' don' feel satisfied if ah ain't wit chew." An' ah went off an' left 'im mahself, come ovah heah [to Little Rock]. He lef' [the Wallace family] an' he come home tuh me [followed me to Lit- tle Rock] an' he stayed dere.
Entry 3366
Yo' wanta learn how a man can't have no nature fo' a woman outside de woman dat he goin' wit dere? All right, jes' lak yo' have connection wit each othah. Dey take dat dishrag an' use it, see. All right, dey don' let dat dishrag git dry. Dey keep dat dishrag moistahin' [moistering] becuz she an' 'im done used it, see, an' he can't use it wit no othah woman. Yo' undahstan'?
(That's all she has to do, just keep that rag moist - damp.)
When it git dry, keep it damp right off.
(What does she dampen it with?)
Jes' dishwatah.
[Informant now gives a cure:]
He might feel suspicion. Well, now, if he fin' de dishrag - he goin' look fo' things if he a sensible man, undahstan'. All right, he might say, "Ah believe yo' done sompin tuh me." All right, he goin' look fo' - see, he can't raise, can't do nuthin, see. An' he goin' look fo' dat dishrag, see, 'cuz he figures, sometimes he knows a lots about it, see. All right, well, he finds dat dishrag. Undahstan'? If he fin' dat dishrag, take an' hang it out an' let it dry, an' den he's all right ag'in. But he gotta fin' dat.
Entry 4110
If a person want's yuh tuh love 'em, tell me yo' kin take yore chamber lye an' put it on some of 'is food an' dry it [urine] in it [food] by de fiah- place. An' give it tuh 'em an aftah dey eat 'em, dey min' [mind] an' all will be wit chuh.
(They dry this food next to the fireplace after they put the chamber lye in it?)
Yes.
Entry 4491
Dey say yuh could take de dirt an' let it get dry. (What dirt?) De dirt what's lef' aftah yuh use - when yuh drain de watah out, an' de dirt dat's lef' in de tub. An' let it get dry an' keep it fo' nine days, an' dat will make yuh husban' stay home. I don't know all dat, whut it's fo'.
Entry 5070
Yuh kin take a woman's stockin' an' a co'se a [and of course al woman's stockin' - but ah tell yuh whut have tuh be done. A woman's stockin' have tuh be washed in Lysol, dat's Lysol whut chew take a douche wit. [Lysol is a trademark for a solution of cresols in soap, used as disinfectant and antiseptic.] Well now, yuh gotta take dat stockin' an' wash it in Lysol, an' den when yuh git through, don't rench [rinse], jis' wash it in de Lysol an' don't rench it. Hang it up an' let it dry, an' den when yuh git ready tuh press it, de way yuh do, yuh have tuh press it in dere, now. Yuh take dat stockin' an' den yuh git chew a dime an' put it right in de toe of dat stockin', where de big toe go at, an' yuh tie dat dime up in dat stockin'. An' aftah yuh tied dat dime up in dat stockin' yuh done tied 'er up in a knot wit dat Lysol. Don't take none of dat germ outa her feet whut's in 'er stockin' an' yuh'll have her.
(What do you do with that stocking after you get it prepared?)
Aftah yuh git dat stockin' 'pared, put it intuh de bottom of yore trunk an' lay [it] between a papah, or [and] lay it between de bottom of yore trunk.
(Who does this, the man?)
De man or woman, eithah one of 'em.
Entry 5081
Lak if yuh take a woman or man's - she take a pair of 'is socks an' dey kin take dem socks an' go tuh a drug sto' - anywhere yuh kin git it - an' git chew a bottle of toilet perfume. Yuh take dat perfume an' yuh take both of 'is socks, de right an' de left one, an' yuh damp it good on dere, an' yuh take dat an' put some whiskey on it an' wash 'em in dat whiskey. Hang 'em on de line an' let 'em dry on dere. Den aftah dey dry on dere, den yuh take an' yuh slip 'em back an' put 'em in 'is shoes befo' he know anythin' about it. Dey said, den he'll come back an' prob'bly put dis same pair of socks on, becuz dey be in his shoes, take an' put 'em on. An' aftah he put 'em on he'll start tuh wearin' 'em. an' dey says, lak if he goin' tuh leave, he'll start tuh walkin', an' jis' walk right on out an' he won' nevah come back no mo'.
Entry 5298
You can take their shoes and carry them down to the river at noontime and let the water run over them. Take them back and let them dry. On a full moon go down to this river, call, and keep calling them. And when they have them shoes on they'll walk into the river and drown them- selves.
Entry 5752
Take de dirt outa yore tracks an' put it in a tobacco sack, an' dey'll write on it an' stick it up. An' dey'll put urinate on dat, stick up dere, an' let it dry. An' dat'll cuz yo' tuh be jis' awandahin' an' leave. An' lak dat, dey could take yore tracks, take up yore tracks lak dat, an' persons dat wuz - lak two persons wuz goin' togethah. Dey ould separate two persons by takin' de dirt outa yore track lak dat.
(And what would they do with that dirt that they took up like that?)
Dey'd make watah on it an' tie it up. Let it dry an' den scattah it about. Dey would scattah an' dey would jis' leave.
Entry 5864
Take de hair an' stop it up in a bottle an' it will run yo' crazy. An' den yo' kin take de hair an' bury it undahneath de do'steps. As long as it keep moist, it's all right, but if it dry, why it will kill yo'. (What do they put that under the door- step for?) Well, jes' yo' come walkin' in an' out an' de one dat did it, chew know, yo'll walk in an' out, walk in an' out ovah it, chew know, an' yo' don't know it'sdere.
(Well, why would they do that to me?)
Well, dey put it undah dere tuh kill yo' - some of 'em do.
Entry 6383
An' dey could trim yer fingahnails, yo' know. Say now, like if yo' set dere an' trim yer fingahs, I'd gathah dem up. See, I'd gathah dem up an' take dem - or toenails, eithah one of 'em. Take 'em an' put 'em in a li'le vial. An' aftah yo' put 'em intuh de li'le vial, yo' would keep 'em in dis vial fo' 'bout nine days, wit a li'le vitrus wit 'em fo'.tuh git 'em soft. Den yo' take 'em out of dat vitrus an' dry 'em off, an' put 'em in anothah vial den an' put othah stuff wit 'em. (What other stuff do they put with that second vial? What do they put in that second vial?) Intuh de secon' one yo'll put some of yer own chamber lye, an' a li'le bit of cologne root.
(Cologne root?)
Cologne root. An' yo'll take dat an' shift it aroun' [in the bottle]. Dat is tuh do 'em harm.
[Cologne root is probably a product of the root-seller or hoodoo drug store.]
(Well, what do you do with that bottle then, that has that stuff in it? This second bottle, what do you do with that, then?) De bottle? Well, yo' could take dat bottle out some place an' bury it. Bury dat bottle an' dat'll make dem useless in dere han's or foot, wherever dese nails come from.
Entry 6490
(Now what do they do with that stuff from the bottom of your feet?) Well, yo' takes dat an' yo' dries it. Dat's if dey're washin' [the feet], yo' know. Yo' take dat. Dey soak dere feets an' dey take de scissors an' instead of scrapin' it down - an' dey scrape it up.
(They scrape it up from the heel to the toe?)
To de toe.
(Well, why do they do that?)
Well, dat's de way dey do it, from de heel tuh de toe. Dey dries dat. Let it dry an' roll it lak a powdah. Put it intuh de sugah an' let yo' sweeten it intuh yore coffee or intuh yore food. Dat's fo' makin' people lak me, yo' know. Bring on luck, brings all dat, see.
(I see.)
Entry 6531
Now dey tell me yo' kin take red ants. Go tuh a red ants' bed, jis' lak if yo' wants tuh run a person crazy. Yo' kin go tuh a red ants' bed an' git dose ants an' kill 'em. An' take 'em out in de sun an' let [put] 'em in de sun an' let 'em dry. Don't dry dem in de shade. Yo' know, put 'em in de sun an' let 'em dry. An' give it tuh de folks den in sech as dey bread, or one sech lak dat, an' dey says it will create live things tuh come up an' down in 'em.
Entry 6566
You go to the drug store, they got what you call dried tadpoles there; and if you get them internal, they'll come to life and breed there and you'll have to go to a cunjure to get them out. [Sorry, I forgot in 1936 to ask where this drug store was. [Fredricksburg, Va., by Ediphone.]
Entry 6607
Yo' run 'im.
(Either the frog or the snake.)
Until he gits real hot. Yo' git chew a forked stick like dat [demonstrates] chew know. Yo' grab 'is haid while he's hot. Yo' cut dat haid off, yo' see. Yo' take it an' carry it tuh yore home, an' put intuh a chimley tuh dry tull it git so yo' kin jis' do it dataway [demonstrates] de dust of it. An' if yo' don' like a person, like ah don' like yo' an' pertend [pretend] like ah like yuh, yo' sprinkle it intuh dere food. An' dey tell me dat will certainly bring live things intuh de stomic.
Entry 6608
Well, ah heard tell of 'em usin' snakes fo' killin' peoples. Well, ah've heard tell of 'em takin' snakes - take de snake haid, cut de snake haid off whilst he's live. Make him angry an' cut 'is haid off short. Take dat snake haid - cut: 'is haid off whilst he's real short, yo' know, whilst he's live. Don't cut it off aftah 'e's daid. Cut it off whilst 'e's life [alive]. Den yo' take dat snake haid an' yo' dry it. Hang it up yore chimley dey say an' dry it fo' nine days. Den yo' kin take dat snake powdahs whut chew git from dat snake haid, an' it supposed tuh lill yo' daid. If dey kin git it intuh coffee, food, anythin' - dat snake powdah It'll be so dry till yo' kin jis' pound it up yo' know. An' den yo' take dat poudah, an' yo' kin sprinkle it in anythin' an' dat'll kill a person.
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 7018
If he's a drinkah, whut chew kin do tuh stop 'im from drinkin'. Yo' take de skin of a eel, a skinned eel, an' let de skin git dry. An' aftah it's dry, yo' beat it up intuh I powdah an' put it in some whiskey, an' give 'im dat. He'll nevah want any mo'.
Entry 8514
(What are you going to do when you get the coconut?)
Whut chew goin' do wit de coconut? Yo' goin' empty de watah [milk or juice] out de coconut, dry it out good. See, don' leave no watah in dere, let it drain good. An' den put jis' a li'le steel dust an' a piece of lodestone, an' yo' orite dat name nine times. Write his name nine times. Take dat spool of thread, No.8 black, an' wrap dat comin' tuh yuh [saying] "Ah want chew tuh stay heah. Yo nst stay an' yo' gotta stay. Ah want chew heah." Yo' put dat intuh dat coconut an' yo' take a li'le stoppah an' yo' cut de stoppah off, an' shet dat up an' bury it undah de steps. See. (Is there any special way you must bury it under the steps?) No, yo'jis'.... Yo'see, yo' have tuh bury it up lak dat [demonstrates]. Yo' bury it up lak dat, but de coconut is in de ground. See. Now ah did dat. (What will that do then?) Well, dat brings 'is mind, makes 'im stay dere, an' him an' her been tuhgethah evah since.
Entry 8551
Take a fish an' yo' write a person's name backwards, de two parties, if it's two, lak yore husban' is wit a woman.an' yo' cain't break 'em up, an' yo' wants 'em clean away from round yo'. Yo' don't wanta see 'em. Den yo' gits yo' a fish an' yo' dry it, but chew dries it into a perch fish. Dries hit into salt, yo' know, lak yore mack- eral - salt 'em down. Now - but chew have hit open already. Now, yo' takes dem nails backwards lak ah told yo' concerning de lemon, an' put it into dat fish an' sew dat fish up. An' carry 'im an' put 'im into runnin' watah, an' dat run de two away - dey couldn't stay dere. Dey have tuh go.
(The fish is killed before you put it into salt?)
Yes.
(How do you write those names on that?)
BACKWARDS. ALL RIGHT, MAH NAME IS VIOLA DORSEY. DORSEY VIOLA, DAT'S BACK- WARDS. Yores [if it] is Freddy Jones, [write] Jones Freddy. Dat cuts across dere.
[Freddy bisects Jones, the two names forming a cross.]
(That cuts across dere, cross the names?)
Dat's de idea, an' backwards. Cain't be straight fo' good.
Entry 8854
Yo' know when yo' writin' a lettah, an' yo' got chure han's on de pen, mah [your] wrist is on de lettah. Well, dey cuts dis off. Dey cuts dis heah off de lettah, see. Well, dey take dat lettah whut yo' done Wrote an' wipe it on a piece of fresh meat, a piece of fresh meat, an' take dat meat an' carry it somewheres an' put it up. Put dat meat up until it completely dry. When dat meat completely dry - yo' take dat meat an' keep it where de sun stay hot an' all - an' when dat meat dry up, yo take dat meat an' yo' put it in a can airtight. It's hard dry. Dat kill yo' right dere. Yo' lose control of yore han', yo' have no mo' use of yore hand.
Entry 8985
Yo' take beef tongue an' dries it. Yo' make a dust out of dat, under- stand. Yo' take that an' dries it. Yo' take it - just like yo' take it an' lay it, let it just wither up. Hang it so it wither up, yo' see. Well, yo' take it, yo' take blood of dragon - dragon's blood. Yo' take lodestone. Yo' take that an' grind it up. An' yo' takes a piece of red flannel an' yo' puts them in there an' makes yo' a bag out of that. An' yo' sew it up an' yo' tote it in your pocket. He always be's lucky an' successful man, never being bothered or worried or caught up when he's out walking around. See, he ain't got no job or nothing, he's out hustling for his living. Laws and things don't pick him up an' ask him a lot of questions or any- thing. If they ask him, all he's got to do is to tell him, why he's goin' tend- ing to his business, an' they let's him go.
Entry 9077
Dat same root ah tole yo' about, dat High John de Conkah, if yo' kin git it green whilst yore in jail. Yo' got somebody out [of jail] an' dey kin git it green. Whilst yo' are talk- in', whilst de whole time yo' is in dere, an' maybe befo' dey calls yuh, yo' got dat in yore mout'. An' yo' ain't sayin' nuthin tuh nobody. An' two tuh one ef yo' git any sentence atall. Yo' may git a yard sentence. Yo' may git from - supposin' yo' deserve twenty yeahs - supposin' yo' deserve forty years - supposin' yo' deserve five yeahs - supposin' yo' go in dere an' instead of gittin' five yeahs yo' gits three months. Dat would be light [sentence] Wouldn't it? Well, ah'm jes' explainin' de conditions, how strong a hundred powah is dat High John de Conkah's got an' it have been proved up.
Entry 9166
Yo' kin git some [corn] meal an' some salt, an' mix dat up tuhgethah an' pee on it, an' den dry it fo' yo' go downtown [to meet the judge]. Or ei- thah, let somebody do dat while yo's [you is] downtown [in jail or before the judge]. Dey [the person at home] would put it [the dried urine, corn meal and salt] in de fiah an' let it burn. An' while yo' down dere [at court] yo'd [you would] come out all right.
Entry 9868
Yo' kin run a frog up tuh yuh do'. An' whip an' talk tuh 'im. Talk about evah'where he [victim] stays. He's bad. An' take dat frog den an' care [carry] him out tuh a hick'ry tree. Take a [young] hick'ry tree an' beah [bear = bend] it down an' put dat frog on dat tree. Tied dat frog on dat tree an' when dat frog dry up, den yo' [victim] will dry up an' travel. Yo jes' dry up an' yo' won' have no mind tuh stay at one place. (What else do you do with that frog when you are whipping him? What else do you do to him?) Jes' talk tuh 'im an' tell 'im whut chew whippin' 'im fo', an' tuh do whut chew want done. Talk jes' lak, yo' know, lak somebody talkin'. Whip 'im till yo' kill 'im.
(Well, what if I get the wrong person?)
[I am fishing here to learn whether frog is named victim or victim's name is called, etc.] Yo' have tuh talk tuh 'im an' tell 'im whut tuh do.
Entry 9935
Git de toadfrog. Yo' take him an' kill 'im an' aftah yo' kill 'im, plug 'is eyes out an' leave it dry an' makin' a powdah wit it. Yo' throw dat in de person's stockin's or in dey undahweah or anywheah [in clothing] an' in a length of time it'll go in de po's [pores] dat-a-way, an' it'll create one de baddest so [sores] an' ah don' care whut de phi-si-ci-an will give yo', he ain't goin' tuh stop it. It'll become tuh be kinda lak a cancah.
(Just a bad sore?)
Yes.
Entry 9957
Dry a frog and hang it over your door to draw in money. [Memphis, Tenn., my summary of rite from an excellent hoodoo woman (960), whose cylinders were missed by my transcriber, 1548:4.]
Entry 9968
Heard dat yo' could git a toadfrog an' stop 'im up till he's dry an' mash 'im up; yo' mov, parch 'im an' git de dust an' carry it in a bottle. Yo' know, jes' put it in a bottle an' stop it up an' tote it in yore pocket. Well, ah've heard dat but nevah have tried dat. (Do you use it in any way at all on you? This is for gambling, this toad dust. Do you sprinkle that on yourself too?) No, sir, jis' carry it [bottle] in yore pocket.
Entry 9986
If a fellah wants tuh be lucky an' go tuh a place where dere's plenty of money at, an' he wants de othah fellah tuh fall, he go out an' kill 'im a toadfrog, an' he dries dat frog up. Den he go up, if he got a chimley, an' git one dese bats dat flies roun' de chimley - chimley bats. [Does informant mean chimney swallow?] Gits one of 'em. Den he'll dry it, an' he'll put dat frog an' dat bat in each one of 'is pockets. He's got a pair of dice in dere. [What informant means by preceding expression will be learned later.] Take dem dice out an' rub 'em in han' dat-a- Way [demonstrates] aftah he done tech de frog or eithah de bat. Now, yo' got a gamblin' house heah. Well, yo' 'lowin' [allowing] people tuh shoot dey own dice [not the house dice]. Well, ah'm yuh gamekeepah. Ah'm [I am = I have] got a stack of dollahs ovah heah [demonstrates]. Well, yo' come heah an' yo' say, "Ten dollahs fo' tuh shoot." Ah say, "Yo' want any dice?" "No, ah'm got a pair of dice." "Shoot 'em, "[I say]. Well yo' throw 'em out. Firs' time dey'll crap. Nex' time dey'll crap. He's back in 'is p'int [point] up dere. An' he say, "Ah ain't got no p'int [point] ah'll ketch mah p'int." Well, when he ketch a p'int, he might ketch a fo', six or eight or ten, an' right dere where ah'm done both. An' if ah speak up tuh 'im, he'll have de whole business. Dat's fo' a gamblin' han'.
(You use either of those?)
Eithah one of 'em. Gotta put one in each one of 'is pockets dis-a-wa y[demon- strates] an' when he gits ready - don' pull 'em out. He puts 'is han' on 'em an' rub 'em dis-a-way, see [demonstrates]. (Does he have both parts of the dice [the two dice] in one pocket, or one in each pocket?)
[Here I am surprised!]
Naw, he has two sets of dice, see. If he have one set of dice, he kin put 'em in each one [either] of 'is pockets - it mattahs ary [either] one of 'is pockets will do. But yo' gotta change it up sometime from one pocket tuh de othah, see. De frog he's dried up an' de bat he dried up.
Entry 10117
After a black cat gets killed anywhere, you pick the cat up and cut the right hind leg. The're [there are] three bones in there like a rabbit [like leg of rabbit]. Then you get the mid- dle bone out of that, then dry it, polish that, and put it in his purse and put it in his hip pocket. He don't think anybody can bother him then at all.] He will go into a dice game and put this pocketbook down, there's nothing in it at all, no money, just this bone, and he will keep his hand on it, and he will win all the money in the game.
Entry 10555
Take a bat an' kill him an' ketch de blood in a bottle of watah an' carry it in yore purse. An' let de bat dry an' hang it up in de no'th corner of yore house, an' cover it up, an' it always bring luck to yo' as long as yo' live there.
Entry 10562
Well, dey take dis bat an' kill him, an' let him dry; jest lak leather anyway, see. Jest let him dry an' jest [wrap] him up an' jest tote him in yore pocket. [For 3 dried bats see later.]
(The whole bat?)
De whole bat.
(What will that do?)
Well, dey tell me dat's lucky to yo'.
(In any particular way?)
In anything yo' start, any thing.
Entry 10563
Ah'm a turpentine distiller by trade.... An' on de corner of mah rosin shed in '28 [1928] in May, ah don't know what time but it Was in de month of May, coming updepathahhappento sight in de crack where dis rafter come down ah saw a leather-wing bat, an' ah took a sharp stick an' caught him jest out of mischief is all ah caught him fo' - cause he'll bite chew. An' de fellah ah had working de still wit me - ah had workin' a extra man Pamed Tom Willis. Tom asked me to give him to him. Ah said, "For whut?" He said, "Man, ah'm gonna win de money dis payday." So ah give him de bat an' he killed it an' he took his heart out an' split it open an' let de blood out an' let it dry. Wrapped it an' put it in his pocket. An' dat coming Saturday, was payday, Tom won all de money, every bit of it was on de place.
(Did he split that heart?)
Split it open an' let it dry. Put it out in de sun an' let it dry.
(He took the heart only.)
Jest took de heart out of de bat was all he used. Now, ah saw him do that, but he did win de money.
(This was at the turpentine camp.)
Right at de turpentine camp in Marden County [Martin Co., Fla.] doon in close in Indian Town.
Entry 10586
Git a leather-wing bat. Don't shoot him, git 'im alive an' git his heart. An' take his heart an' dry it in de sun an' put it in a silk string - jest a silk cloth wide as yore finger, an' tie it in it an' tie it round yore right arm. An' yo'll win in any game yo' go in. Yo're successful in it, yes sir, morely so on the average than any other way.
Entry 10597
Dry a bat heart in the sun, put in tobacco sack with cayenne pepper, and carry for luck in gambling.
Entry 10603
Well, now heah de othah day a friend of mine wus tellin' me. He axe me did ah know where he could - firs' he axe me could ah lend him fo' dollahs. Ah tole him, no, ah didn't 'zactly have de money. He says, "Well, ah know a fel- lah," said, "he claims he kin gi' [give] yo' a han' fo' gam- blin'." Ah wus on de steamship workin' den, see, an' ah met dis fellah on de street an' he jes' stop me. An' he jes' stop me - yo' know, stop me an' jes' spoke. So he axed me did ah gamble. Told him shure, sometime ah gamble. "Well, " he says, "yo' evah have any luck?" "Shure ah has luck?" sometimes, sometimes ah don't." He says. "Well. vo' wanta have luck all de time?" Ah tole him, "Yeah, ef ah'd like tuh win all de time." He said, "Well, ah tell yo' whut chew do." Says, "Yo' go tuh work an' ketch yo' one dese little bats. Dese little black bats, " yo' know, "an' cut his wings off." Say, "Den - an' don't lose any of his blood - ketch all de blood yo' kin, an' split him open. An' jes' split him open an' take his entrails out, but try tuh keep all de blood dat chew kin." Say, "An' after yo' split him open, let him dry wit de blood in 'im." Say, "An' den fill dat back up with cheese." Fill dat bat, chew know inside of him up wit cheese. "Sew hit up," say, "an' jes' keep it in yore pocket where yo' keep yore money at all de time." Says, "Yo'll have luck all de time."
(In gambling?)
In gambling. So ah thought ah might as well try dat. Ah wus on de steamship fo' foah yeahs.
Entry 10619
Well, if yo' have a person tuh leave yo' an' yo' wanta bring dem back- yo' loves dem. Yo' loved ones gits scattahed off an' yo' wanta bring 'em back tuh yo'. Dere's two roots grows in de woods, ah'm tellin' yo' truth, dey has two leaves. We calls 'em Eve-and-Adam an' de roots of dem roots is got two little knots about little bigger den a coffee bean - two little knots. One of 'em is a woman an' one is a man. Yo' take 'em an' dry 'em on a stove. Put 'em on a stove an' dry 'em dere stiff an' spongy - spongy like a sponge. But chew cut 'em up when dey gits dry an' make a softa powdah outa dem - a soft powdah. If dat woman drinks coffee, tea, or anything dat she drinks, well yo' kin jes' sprinkle jes' a little bit in de bottom of de cup an' den pour on it. Pour a drink in an' den she drink dat she'll be crazy 'bout chew. Ah believe dat's de truth. Ah'm halfway telling yo' by experience. [St. Petersburg, Fla., (1008). 1630:3.]
Entry 10872
Take the fur. (Cut the fur?) From under the black cat's left leg or the left quarter. (From the front or behind?) Behind, and let it get right dry and you kin fix in a way. Clip it fine and you kin throw it over somebody, but you gotta make the black cat laugh. (I see, before you cut that hair. And then when you throw it over somebody, what will that do?) Well, that goes in your flesh - sticks in your flesh.
(I mean, what is it supposed to do to you?)
It works in your flesh, they say it'll work in you and it effect the flesh so that you taken with a certain disease in your skin and you'll die.
Entry 11042
(How do they handle that?)
Well, you see, it's one gut into a chicken.
(There's what?)
There's one gut into a chicken.
(Just one gut?)
One gut, that's all kin do any harm. That's a gut runs from the, from the top of his - you know, the back of his neck all the way to the rear end of it.
(The rear end, the tail end?)
That's right. (To his behind?) To his behind. (All right.) Now, yo' take that gut and you kin fix that gut and you kin dry it out and you kin - and after you dry it out, you makes a powder of it. And you use this powder into a person's eats - what I mean about eats, about sittin' dowo eatin'. You sprinkle that over 'em and you gotta act like a chicken - you just goofy. They acts like a chicken all the time.
(I see.)
Entry 11113
A coconut, jug [punch] one of them eyes out and pour that juice out the coconut and let the coconut dry. Then you go behind him in soft dirt and get his track and put it in that coconut, mix it, get cork stopper and put in stopper and throw it in [river] and just as long as that coconut float, he'll walk [for walking also see No.11114].
(Just one of them?)
Just one of them - left track.
Entry 11134
Take it [manure] from a bull and yo' mix cayenne pepper and salt and saltpeter together, and carry it tuh someone's home dat you dislike. Yo' mix it all together and you put it out and let it dry. After it dries you crumble it up and powder it. Jest like someone would live here. You wouldn't want all tuh come out; jest want one person tuh leave dis place. Well, you would take it den and go and sprinkle in de yard and around de do' and call dis person's name. Dey can't stay dere. Dey'll have to move out, go some- where. Dey can't stay dere.
Entry 11295
Ef yo' want a person to act like a dog, cut off de end of a she dog and let it dry up and ground it into powder...
(The end of what?)
Oh her, herself, de she dog...
(Her private, cut off the end?)
Cut off a end of it an' put it up an' let it dry...
(A piece of flesh?)
Yassuh and let it dry, an' when it dry jes' sprinkle it all over 'em an' yo' have de nature of a dog... (You have the nature of a dog! How do you mean that?) Of a whelp dog - yo' howl - yo' have nature jes' lak a whelp dog.
(Makes you howl - they rub that over you some way?)
Yassuh, have to rub it ovah yo'.
Entry 11332
Don' want chew tuh mess with a dove. Anybody [everybody] crazy 'bout a dove an' ever'thin' else 'cause dey say he discovered dry land, when he went out. If dey take one of his[!] aigs or anythin' lak dat an' bust up one of his aigs, yo'll be ragged all de time.
(He discovered dry land in the Bible.)
Entry 11334
Yo' kin git a dove, a turtledove. an take de heart out an' let it dry. An' when yo' dry it, yo' kin take a red strip - a string - an' wear it round yore right arm. [I turned off recording machine too soon.]
(That's luck for what?)
Fo' gamblin'.
(You get this from a turtledove?)
Yes, turtledove. Yeah, de heart of a turtledove.
Entry 11338
Mah husband had quit me once an' a girl tole me about a dove. She tole me tuh take de tongue of dat dove an' put it tuh dry, an' den lay it in Hearts Cologne, an' den when ah gits a chance tuh go wit mah husband, tuh put it in mah mouth an' kiss him, an' his love would come new ag'in to me. So ah tried it an' suah enough, it did.
Entry 11351
See, fo' instance, take a eel, yo' understan' aftah yo' ketch 'em outa de watah dataway, an' skinnin' him, an' takin' dat skin an' leavin' it till it dries. Pound it up to a powder an' put it into his pocket when he go anywhere. Well, jes' as slick as he would be when he's 'live, dat's de way yo'll be able to make yore points, yo' know. Seems lak if de watchman is dere yo'll git by him some way. Where, if ah wuz wit'out it, ah'd git trapped, yo' understan'.
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 11732
They kin hant [= hoodoo here] choo to death by throwin' a ole grass around yuh do'; yo' know, dried-up grass. An' you git you some kerosene oil [kerosene] an' some ashes [from fireplace or stove] an' all like that, an' throw it right around your do' an' dat'll make you move out. [Informant here has combined two separate rites: first one, anything dead left or thrown at your door will hant (haunt) or hoodoo you; second one, fireplace ashes (originally) or kerosene (another substance connected with fire) will conquer the dead grass.]
Entry 11733
He'd git dis green grass an' take that grass an' put it in the stove an' let it git real dry. An' after it git real dry, he'll take it an' ball it like that [demonstrated by balling an imaginary handful of grass in his hands]. An' yo' kin take that, an' at twelve o'clock at nighttime, jis' put it in front of your door. An' do that evrey [every] night at twelve o'clock, and the Law [police] won't bother you.
Entry 11734
If two fellahs goin' with the same girl, you know, and one kinda had the othern's [other one's] time beat, [and] he wanted to git rid of him; why he'd go to work, you under- stand, and ketch hisself a - if it was time (season of the year) he could do it. He ketch an ole grasshopper, these ole grasshoppers. Ketch him, you understand, pull off 4 little ones. They have six legs, you know; 4 little short legs and 2 long legs. Pull off dem 4 legs, the 4 short legs. And be talkin' with this fellah sometime, you understand. He'll be talkin', you know, great pardners [partners] together, you understand, [you] stick dese little dry legs in this fellah's pocket, either one of his pockets, and go on [walk away] you understand. An' after the [your rival's] first or second visit, this girl'll pay no more attention to him atall [at all].
Entry 12600
An' den anothah thing dat chew kin do, to cause 'sturbance in de home dat will break up a man an' a woman. Yo' kin take dis cayenne peppeh an' some red peppah out de garden. Let dis [garden] peppah dry an' get dis [cayenne] peppah an' mash it all up togethah, an' put it in a piece of papah or eithah a piece of cloth. It will do it bettah if it a piece of cloth. An' roll it up an' tie it up good. An' den yo', if yo' kin git in de house, git somebody tuh bury it in de hearth. Jes' take up a brick yo' know an' place it undah dat brick, so when dey'll build a fiah, it will keep dat stuff warm. An' yo' be su'prised at de racket yo' heah in dat house yo'self. It will be a few days befo' yo' see [them] go apart.
Entry 12742
Dey kin take yore shoes dat chew wear every day, if dey kin git holt of it an' if dey kin git a rattlesnake. Git de haid. Git him mad an' git dat rattlesnake haid an' dry it. Let it come so yol kin jes' compound it up. Understand, compound it up good an' put it in somewhere - inside de linin' of his shoe. It got linin' in dere, an' it surely runs yo' off. Or yo' kin put it in de band of yore hat. Either one. Den yo' can't see. It will blind yo', cause yo' know yo' sheds yore skin, an' yo' kin git blind from it. Jes' as shure as....
Entry 12880
Dey take dese redhead scorpion. Ah know of a woman blind her husband dataway. Take a redhead scorpion an' git rid of yo' dataway, too. Take a red- head scorpion an' kill it. Put him out, yo' know, in de sun an' let hi git good an' dry. Dat head'll dry yo' know, it will git hard an' dry. Take an' beat it up fine an' it be like powder. Yo' know, mash it up. Den put it in de band of dere hat, like chew know around.
(Inside the band of the hat?)
Yes, dats right, an' yo' see dat sweat run down in dere eye. Blind 'en jes' as when yo' come in dis world.
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 13294
Ah hear a lady say she taken a turtle aig an' dry it up an' put it - jes' beat it up, jes' grind it up jes' lak she wus goin' tuh make somepin out of it, a powder of some kind. An' she taken dis turtle aig an' she put it in a turtle. She cooked de turtle fo' a lady - a sick lady - about dis lady's hus- about dis lady's hus- band. She cooked de aig in de turtle an' when de lady eat de turtle she loved de turtle. Whenevah she eat dis turtle - she et it every dat - it wus a certain time on de moon dat de turtle would come in her right breast over her heart. An' ever' time it would come out it would draw her [breast?] right down to her knees. It looked jes' lak rubber - jes' lak she stretch rubber. Dey take it an' stretch it down to her knees!
(What time of the moon?)
On de growin' of de moon.
Entry 13449
Well, now a persimmon - de persimmon ain't much good as dat. But de weepin' willow tree, it's mighty fine fo' luck. A weepin' willow tree, is mighty lucky.
(Well, how do you do that?)
Well, yo' take dat an' gits de leave of it, de roots of it, an' dry it. When yo' shake it dry, den yo' jes' put it in a bottle an' set it up on de mantel- piece. About once a month yo' take a taste of it. An' ah declare hit'll bring luck in yore home fo' hit shore brought it in mine. [Since the weeping willow is a tree of ill-omen and generally considered unlucky, our present rite is unusual, one of defiance of fate, or one based upon contraries, or the well- known poison kills poison doctrine.]
Entry 1242
Jes' take a dry piece of eelskin an' put it on yore wrist, if any pain in dere or somepin.
Entry 1244
Well, if a person kin be sufferin' with rheumatism, if he kin git a eel an' skin him an' dry the skin an' wear it - make a brace of that an' it will carry away the rheumatism.
Entry 13117
Dey say yo' kin take a snake an' cut his haid off, an' put him in de sun an' let it dry an' parch it, an' put it into sompin tuh drink, an' dey said dat will create snakes in 'em. [Sumter 2417:4.]
Entry 11537
"Yo' kin take a person's foot track. Start to de heel an' take it up to de toe an' put it into a dry place an' don't let it be where it kin git wet, an' den dey can't stay nowhere." [Sumter 2413:6.]
Entry 2189
I have hear tell of 'em usin' onions wit nine pins in 'em - stickpins. Well, yo' take a red onion an' yo' bo' yo' a hole all de way through de onion in de middle part of it, an' yo' put a string in dere an' yo' tie dat string around your neck an' let it hang somewheres roun' yore waist an' put nine stickpins in it, an' yo' jes' wear dat roun' dere until it git to de place yo' know, dat it dries up, an' yo' have to rechange it. But when yo' rechange it, conceal it wit de same nine pins dat yo' put in it at first, whether it be de same onion or not; but which an' evah it gits so small an' dryin' up on yo', gitin' hard, yo' take de nine pins out whut yo' put in de first an' put in de second one. Continue wit dat - keep it dataway. But soon as one dry up, why exchange wit anothah one.
(What will that do for you?)
That's supposed to be luck fo' selling whiskey. [Stickpins are not ornamental pins but ordinary pins; likewise straight pin in following rite.]
Entry 10746
They say it'll stop your periods.
(Well, how do they do that?)
They say they take your chamber lye and put turpentine in it...
[While machine is off I ask for repetition.]
They take chamber lye and they put turpentine in it and they put cayenne red epper [to distinguish cayenne pepper from garden red peppers ground up] in it and there's some way they do with that that stops you. (Well, do you know how they fix it up?) Yeah, I seen it. (How?) They takes your chamber lue and put the cayenne pepper and the red pepper [the 2 peppers now separated] and they put it in a bottle and they bury it and that stops the periods on you.
(You heard this stops your water?)
Your periods.
(Oh, it stops your periods?)
Yeah, and it dries you up - just drift you away.
Entry 11635
Pound up a fish head, dry to powder, mix with salt, give in whiskey to a person; creates a live fish in him. [Washington, D. C., 625:5.]
Entry 12713
Take a rabbit's brains an' dis ole Hearts Cologne an' dry de brains. Dust 'em [make a dust of them] an' den put dem in dat Hearts Own Cologne, in de bottle an' stop it. An' dey tote dat an' yo' can't see 'im. [The person becomes invisible.] Dat's whut dey tells me.
(You can't see him?)
No, sir, he'll disappear. Yo' see him an' he'll go to nuthin. Well, dey tells me dat's whut dey has.
(Who would do this?)
De man dat's into trouble. (You said they also use this "getaway powder, " use that and they can't catch them?) Dat's right. Now ah've knowed of 'em using [that]. Dey'd git away wit it, too.
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 5912
Yeah, yo' go tuh de graveyard at twelve a'clock at night an' yo' dig. down, dig de firs' dirt [topsoil] off, den yo' run yore han' down as fer as yo' kin git chure arm down in dere in fresh dirt, an' git a han'ful-a dirt an' bring it out. An' yo' take dat dirt an' yo' take it home an' yo' dry it out - put it up on sompin an' dry it out. An' take dat dirt an' some of de person's hair an' mix it togethah an' throw it in runnin' watah, an' dat'll put 'em tuh goin'.
Entry 3198
If a man gwine wit a woman. An' he'd ketch a toadfrog an' wrap 'im up in 'is pocket han'chef an' tote him in 'is pocket. An' when he have connection wit dat woman - she'll not know whut he doin' - take dat han'chef quick outa dere an' dry off dat woman. Dry 'er off wit dat from dat frog. An' de nex' man come dere, he'll be all right till time he gits up dere, den he fall. He cain't he'p it. But yo' gotta do dat mo' den one time. Jes' as it happen [do it each time it happens]. Dat's fur as ah know 'bout dat.
Entry 3280
[Three ingredients is only one of many groups of 3's in the text (pp.651-654 and elsewhere). Blackjack received it's name from the black bark of the common oak Quercus marilandica. Palmetto in the present case are the scrubby palm plants one sees in the coastal lowlands from North Carolina down into Florida. Turpentine weed can be one of several plants having an actual or a fancied odor of turpentine.] [To] fix dat up to keep de mens away from dere [his wife or woman] he'd go out in de woods an' he'd git 'im - jis' ast anybody, any of dem ole people. Dey tel] 'im right, yo' know, right where to git dat, dem kinda roots at. Yo' take a blackjack root - get de blackjack root an' a he palmetto root an' some of dis 'tentime [turpentine] weeds. Dey got some weed dey call de 'tentime weeds. An' yo' mix dat up, yo' understan', an' put it on yore private see, an' let it dry.
(You mean, you just mix the leaves up, themselves?)
Yes, jis' take nuthin but de leaves, see.
(You don't boil them, you just mix the leaves up?)
Mix de weeds [leaves] up, yo' undahstan'.: See, it'll come wit juice all ovah it. An' mix 'em up, put 'em on yore private, see, an' let it dry. Don't wash it off. An' go wit yore wife, yo' undahstan', an' go ahead on out dere an' work where yo' wanta work at. Evah time a man git ready to go wit yore wife - dey won't have it, but he'll get on her, yo' undahstan'. Well, he'll jis' straddle her an' 'is thing will fall - he can't have her.
Entry 3323
If yo' have a spigot - lak yo' got a spigot out in de yard, a hydrant or a pump, or a well, she do yo' dis way. She take dis heah same pocket han'ker- chuf or towel, she dry yo' off, jes' lak dat - damp it. All right, she fold it an' stick it in undah de bed lak dat. An' yo'll go ahead. Now, she'll take dat, aftah yore gone, she'll take dat thing long as it rolled up an' fresh an' wet, take dat thing an' go tuh dat hydrant, or spigot, or well, where yore watah hits de ground. Where it hits de ground dere a moist place dere all de time. Take dat thing an' bury it down in de ground, right down dere jes' lak dat. Dig a hole an' bury it right down udah dat watah. An' as long, undahstan', [as] dat watah hittin' dat rag dere, untll hit rot - co'se dat will rot in a yeah or two - yo' ain't no mo' good fo' nobody but 'er.
Entry 3509
Well, if it's a man - if a woman wanta trick a man where he can't have anyone else. Well, she have intahco'se wit 'im an' den she use a cloth, she dries 'im. She takes de cloth an' she folds it see, an' ties it an' she wear dat as she would a sanitary piece, see. An' quite natch'l [natural] he'll come in an' he'll raise, until he git ready tuh git in de baid. When he git in de baid an' git tuh crawl on dis woman, it will fall. [Sumter, S. Car. (1364), 2405:8.]
Entry 4164
Yuh kin take a person chamber lye an' put it in a bottle, an' put a stoppah in it an' put it intuh a dry place, in a dark place where no air cain't hit it. An' yuh kin go to dat bottle evah day fo' nine days an' knock on dat stoppah, an' de las' day yuh hit on dat stop- pah an' drive dat stoPpah up. DAT PERSON WILL BUST OPEN.
Entry 5750
Ah heard dey pick up foot track, in hollah of it. Dey tell me dey puts dat in somepin an' puts quicksilvah wit it.
(What do you mean, they put it in something?)
Dey put it in somepin like a jar or a cup or anythin' like dat an' dey puts quicksilvah wit it. An' dey tells me, yo' know yore urinate, well dey tell me dey will po' dat ovah it fo' so many days. An' dey tells me de zo' dey po' dat ovah it an' keep it shet up tuh time dat dry, it dries up a per- son, drifts 'em away-lak.
(Whose chamber lye do they put on there?)
Dere own.
(The person that is doing the bad work?)
Yes.
(That's to dry them up.)
Entry 6162
Kin take a person hair an' put it into a sack an' tie it on a stick in runnin' watah an' run 'em crazy. S'long as dat hair stay on dat stick in runnin' watah, why dat person is crazy until yuh take dat hair off an' let it git dry - dat hair.
Entry 6468
They can take your toenails and fingahnails an' see, like mah nails mog, they could harm me purtty much for this simple reason. They're dirty. See, they are not all that much long, they are dirty. Well, they would take this nail and they would cut these nails as close as they poss'bly could with the dirt a'all into 'em. If they could get to my toes, they'd do my toes de same iden- tical way. Now, they take these nails here, an' mah toenails an' they'd put them together. If they could get a lizard, they'd take a lizard an' they'd kill the lizard an' let that lizard dry.
(They take a lizard and kill the lizard?)
They kill the lizard.
(Oh, they kill the lizard.)
An' let him dry - I mean, till he gets to a powder. When he gets to a pow- der, they mixes him with these nails of mine. They'd put that into a piece of red flannel and they buries that. AN' NOW, WHEN THEY BURIES THAT, THEY BURIES IT WITH A CROSS.
(What kind of a cross?)
THEY MAKES A CROSS THEYSELF. THEY DON'T VERY SELDOM BUY A CROSS. YOu know, ordinary, plain - just a plain cross, wooden cross; just any kind of a small cross you'll use, just since it's a cross. They buries it with a cross into that flannel. See? Well, now, when they buries that, why they got me just the Way they want me.
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 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 6563
You skin the frog, dry the hide out, parch it, an' then you kin put that into somepin to drink to give a person. That'll make frogs come in them.
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 6574
Ah heard dat chew kin take a lizard an' take an' cut 'im an' dry 'im up. Kill 'im an' aftah yo' kill 'im, den yo' cut 'im. An' put 'im out on a piece of bo'd in de sun an' dry 'im up until he come crinkle. Den yo' take him an' parch 'im. Put 'im in de stove an' parch 'im, an' take him out an' grind 'im up an' put 'im in a bottle.
(What will that do?)
Dat dust, yo' kin jis' keep it in dat bottle. See, dat dust will poison people.
Entry 6582
[I know of them] doin' things wit de scorpions. Ah've seed dat done 'caz ah waited on de woman. Dey ketch a scorpion an' kilt: 'im an' let 'im dried. Dis was a bright [skinned] woman an' dis bright woman wus givin' dis dark-skinned woman trouble wit 'er husban'. An' she taken de scorpion an' kilt 'im an' she cured 'im dry, jis' lak if yo' dny anything. An' she crumble dat up an' put it in some whiskey, an' she called er an' give her a drink of dat whiskey an' - IF AH NEVAH MOVE AG'IN AH'VE SEEN OSE LITTLE SCORPIONS, DEY COME BACK ALIVE. DEY CREATED IN 'ER. Dem little scorpions jis' like dat.
Entry 6613
Git a snake an' put a snake in yo'. Dey kin go ketch a snake an' kill it, cut 'is head off an' hang 'im on de limb [of a tree] by de tail. Tie a string aroun' 'is tail an' hang 'im up an' put a tin cup or tin plate undah 'im an' ketch 'is blood. Let 'im bleed in dat tin plate or tin cup, whutevah it is. Now dey take dat blood an' dey kin put dat blood intuh yore food or somepin tuh drink; or dey kin let dat blood dry until it comes jis' tuh a hard powdah. Dey kin sprinkle it in yore shoes. An' de perspiration from yore feet will such up de strength of dat blood an' cuz yore body tuh attract dat, an' it will go all through de body an' kill de body. An' it will be crawlin' jis' undah de skin, all about, mostly from de point where dey entered. Depends upon how long it is when it gits in de stomic an' come on up. An' he'll choke yo' tryin' tuh come on up.
Entry 6614
If you walk upon [meet] a snake or lizard, catch him, don't kill him, hang him up by his head with a string around his neck. Cut off the top [tip] of his tail, and put a bowl right under his tail and catch his blood, dry it. You have to catch all of this blood until he is dead. Then you take him and lay him up on a dry place and dry him. His bones and his flesh, after it gets dry, you powder it up. You take this and this blood and mix it, and they put it down for you. They'll dig a hole in front of your door and put this in that hole and call the Lord's Name: Lord, Jesus Christ, His Namesake. You fill it up, take three steps backward, and say: Now, I've got you; that will hold you, that will take you away to an unknown world. When he comes along and steps over that, he's gone. [Fredericksburg, Va., by Ediphone.]
Entry 6619
Yo' kin take a - take a rattlesnake - yo' kin take anythin' dat wandahs in de woods snakelike - yo' take 'im an' yo' cut 'is haid off. Well, yo' put dat snake up an' let 'im be dried by de sun. Yo' take dem snake bones an' beat 'em up tuh apowdah, an' yo' put jis' a little bit of dat whiskey - alcohol, anythin' - an' yo' kin set dat bottle up, if yo' wan'a do it. Yo' set it up dere an' if yo' don' happen tuh give it tuh 'em dat day, or dat night, den mawnin' when yo' git up de snakes will be in it [bottle] - little snakes. [Snakes in the bottle next morning proves that snakes would have been in a victim, had you given the snake blood to him the day or night before.]
Entry 6669
[The best terrapin story in Hoodoo, a remarkable one, will be found in No.10, p.7.1 Yo' kin ketch a terrapin, dese streaked-laig terrapin. Dey tell me yo' kin ketch dose an' sech as gophahs lak dat. [Gopher along the coast of the southern states of U. S. A., is a burrowing land tortise Gopherus polyphemus.] Dey tell me dat it ain't but one way dat a person kin git dose live in yo'. Say dey'll take dem an' kill dem an' put dem out in de sun an' let 'em dry fo' so many days. Den take it an' pound it up an' put it in stuff fo' yo' tuh drink. Dey say when it mix in yore blood it'll commence tuh create dese live things.
Entry 6671
(Tell me that story all the way from the beginning, make a parable of it. What are you going to do now with this turtle?) [That word parable I picked up at the beginning of my field work down the east coast. I found it everywhere, but sus- pected it was dying out. You can see how I qualified Tell me that story to make a parable of it. The words story and tale have a bad connotation in my type of field work.1 Well, ah go back ovah it ag'in. Yo' take an' yo' kill it an' yo' let 'im dry. Den yo' take an' soak it in whiskey - see, yo' gittin' 'is nature. Den yo' give it tuh me tuh drink.
Entry 6640
Dey'd dry it [a rattlesnake] an' grin' de dust up - make a dust of it. An' dat's why de oldah people didn't wan' choo tuh open lettahs an' things, becuz if it git in yo' eyes or yo' inhale it, it'd be vury injur'us. Ah think dey say it's de rattles [dust comes from the rattles].
reported drying before dust-making with qualified object/body-part attribution. The rattlesnake identification is bracketed editorial wording; Ah think dey say it’s de rattles remains the informant’s uncertainty. These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified.
Entry 9969
Yo' take a frog and dry him. You take a frog and wrap him up and let hin die himself. Don't you kill him. Well, when he gets dry, you tote that in your pocket. You can take that and you can do anything you want with that frog. Just like if you a dice shooter, or anything I like that, you rub that [dried frog]. Jis' put it in your pocket and take and put your hand on that [frog] and go to work and shoot dice. Be lucky. Jes' like if you had one game, and if you don't have success with that, turn your back on that game. And select you a card place, if you play cards, and you'll lose one or two games and you know that you ought to win, turn your back on that game.
(How do you mean turn your back on it?)
What I mean, walk away from that game and go to the next game.
(I see, if you have this frog in your pocket.)
drying/state of the wrapped frog after the stated let-die instruction. Keep Don’t you kill him and let him die himself as the source’s wording; do not describe the text as harmless, or replace it with active killing. rubbing the carried dry frog before dice play. Resolve the pronoun from actual complete narrator context, not only the bracketed gloss. conditional lack of success at gambling and changing games. Preserve don’t have success, the card-game losses and the practical walk-away explanation. expected winning contrasted with one or two losses and leaving the game. Preserve if you play cards, one or two losses, ought to win and the instruction to move to the next game. These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified.
Entry 8685
A persimmon? Why yo' kin take a 'simmon tree an' go on de east side of a 'simmon an' dig a root, an' whilst yo' diggin' dat root yo' name it. Jes lak if yo' wanta do sompin to a person, yo' name dat root while yo' diggin' dat root. An' aftah yo' git dat root dug, yo' carry it home an' dry it. When yo dy dat root, yo' name it as yo' put it up tuh dry. Yo' name dat root. An' in nine day's time yo' kin take dat root an' jes' whichsomevah way yo' throw dat root, name it. As yo' throw it, name it. Jes' whichsomevah way yo' throw dat root, dat person will go de way yo' throw dat root, an' yo' nevah see 'em no mo'. Yo'll nevah see 'em no mo'.
[I restart recording machine to add further information.] (You can use the root of any tree?) Any tree.
Entry 10115
First you catch the cat, kill it, then you take the bone out of the front right leg. Take this bone and let it dry and tie it around your leg, either leg, and wear it all the time. That'll bring you luck.
[Fredericksburg, Va., Ediphone 50.]
Entry 10148
You kill a black cat, boil it, then dry the bones. Put it in a luck bag and carry it around your neck for good luck. [Fredericksburg, Va., Ediphone cyl.45.]
Entry 10302
Wipe man with cloth, heat and dry near fire, put under head of the bed [Wilmington, 130:9].
Entry 9864
[As another protective device by using a frog eye, we have the follow- ing rite:] If someone wants tuh harm you, to keep 'em from harming you, you must get a frog. You gets a frog and you kill de frog. After you kill the frog, you just take the heart and the gizzard out. You take the heart and the gizzard out. [I failed to ask for a description of a frog gizzard, probably assuming stomach was meant. The true gizzard of course, is the second (posterior) stomach of birds.] Then you dry it - you dry it right in the sun-like. Just good sunny days put it out. After you dry the frog eye and it's heart, you take...
(Just a moment, you said the frog's heart and gizzard before?)
Heart and gizzard, yes.
(Yes.)
[Yet, I still think the word is eye rather than gizzard.]
After you dry it thoroughly, then you put it - you could put it in your purse and just tote all the time and no one can harm yuh.
Entry 9961
(You take an ordinary toadfrog?) A ordinary toadfrog. Don't kill 'im. Stop 'im up in a bottle an' let 'im die. He'll dry up in dere, an' den yo' kin jis' crumple it up. Put it in a piece, sew it up in a piece [of cloth] an' put it in yuh pocket. Yo' boun' tuh win. Ah knows dat.
Entry 11859
Take yore hair an' a piece of yore clothes an' nail it into a tree. Ah've heard of dat.
(What will that do?)
Well, dat'll dry yo' up, kill yo' by degrees; yo' know, jis' dry yo' dat way.
Entry 12183
Take animal manure and dry it. See, you got a good animal and dey want it. See, dey take de animal manure and dry it right dry. Take an' dey pound it up, see. And dey will take alcohol, see, and put in dat manure and bury it. See, and den bury it under dere doorstep. And you'll often be to their house to sell 'em dat horse. See, you'll want to sell him dat horse better dan anybody else. And he [horse trader] kin git de horse from you cheaper dan you bought de horse fo'.
Entry 13077
Jes' lak if a fellah wanta git a job, ah hear 'em, dey take an' kill a snake an' let him dry, yo' know. An' take him yo' know, jes' lak he git into ashes, yo' know an' put him inside of a bottle. An' take - jes' lak a cigaret smoke an' blow it in dat bottle an' stop it up. An' dey says dat every time yo' open dat bottle, a little sompin will come up out dat bottle lak a snake, yo' know. Say if yo' tote dat in yore pocket an' tote it in yore pocket bottom upwards, yo' know, dat chew could git a job. But ah ain't nevah tried it. Ah had a ole fellah tell me dat once but ah ain't nevah tried it.
Entry 13083
If yo' didn't like nobody an' yo' wanted to fix 'em some kind of way, says yo' kin go out in de woods an' kill a snake an' let its hide dry. An' dey say if yo' want dem to have snakes in 'em, go dere an' put it in dey water off dat hide. Dey'll have snakes in 'em.
Entry 13089
Yo' take if yo' got a guitar - if yo' got a guitar, you take dat an' it has de strings on it.... Have yo' strings on de guitar an' yo' kin take de rattles, dat's if dey dry, de rattles of de rattle- snake and put 'em in dat guitar. An' when yo' play de rings an' makes a fine music.
Entry 3539
Now, if a man wanta trick a woman, he buys 'im a bran'-new pocket han'- kerchuff, piece of cloth dat nevah been used. Den he goes an' he has a date wit dis woman, but he don't do nuthin 'isself. He dries dis woman thoroughly wit dis pocket han'kerchuff an' he ties two knots in each cornah. (One knot in each corner.) Oné knot in each cornah, yessuh, an' when he fold it, he fold it wit de two knots hangin' down an' two points right disaway an' he irons it jes' lak dat. An' he kin wear it up ovah de do' - [I mean] put it up ovah de do'. An' when she trans- fah ovah [under] dat, it takes effect on 'er. She can't have no othah man. She won' have no feelin' fo' no othah man but yo' in person. [Sumter, S. Car.,
(1363), 2405:9.]
(df). KNOTS FIVE: A CAUSE OF SEXUAL IMPOTENCE
Entry 4180
Stop dat up an' run yuh crazy, dry yuh up. (This chamber lye?) Yes.
(How do they stop it up?)
Put it in de bottle an' put chure name in dere an' stop it up an' turn it upside down.
Entry 4526
Well, dey tell me dat yuh kin take dat sweatband outa man hat an' keep it salted fo' de third mawnin'. Keep it salted an' dampened till de third mornin', an' take it up an' lay it in de sun an' let it dry, an' it will run 'em distracted.
(You put that in salt for three days?)
Yes.
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.