Subject:Face
Entries
Entry 3987
Den if a person wan'a hurt yuh, do anythin' tuh yuh, dey take some salt an' wah [wear] in de bottom of yuh shoe, an' take yuh night-watah an' sprinkle 'um tuh yuh do' [door] an' [tuh] yuh face.
Entry 3988
Some say take an' wash yuh face in chamber lye in de mawnin's when yuh goin tuh hunt a job.
Entry 4106
Yuh kin take dat chamber lye an' if a woman wan's yuh tuh love her, or if yuh wan'a woman tuh love yuh an' lak dat now, dat's a simple thin'. Now, if yo' wan' de woman be settled down, yuh do dat, an' dey follah yuh from heel tuh heel. Ah'm gon'a tell yuh now, dey'll follah yuh from heel tuh heel. But yuh don wan' 'em follow yuh, but dey cain't he'p it follah yuh from heel tuh heel. Yuh go tuh work an' takes yuh a bottle of Coca-cola or anythin'-lak, an' take an' lay it out tuh yuhself. An' turn yuhself right dere tuh de east, where de sun rise in de east. Jis' lak ah'm settin' in [facing] de east right now. [To face the east or rising sun is a fairly common rite.] An' yuh take dat bottle an' po' out a li'le of it [or] yuh kin drink a li'le of it, yuh know. Jis' puts it [hold bottle] down, git it away from dere [you] at de top, an' yuh take an' take yuh penis, yuh undahstan', an' stan' tuh [facing] de east heah, an' hol' de bottle jis' lak dat an' shoot de pee in dere. An' when yuh do dat, say, "Dis is fo' us." All yuh got'a say, yuh standin' in de east yuh see, "Dis is fo' us." All right, yuh'll go back now. Yuh see, yuh stop it back up, shake it up. [For shaking bottled urine, see later margin title SHAKING BOTTLED URINE.] Go back, yuh undahstan', an' de ole lady say, "Whut's dis? Heah's one. Dis kin' all right?" "Yes, yes dis kin' all right." "Well, let me open it." Well, ah open it an' give her. Pull off of it dere [remove cap] an' shake it up an' po' in - serve it, yuh know, an' dey drink it down. AN' MAH FREN', in three day's time, she be tellin' evahbody, "Why, ah'm jis' crazy 'bout mah ole man."
Entry 4436
Dey'll take dat stuff, yuh know, an' carry it to a tree, on de right side of de tree. An' dey kin bury it in dat hole an' take a stoppah, a peg, an' drive it fo' nine mawnin's, an' in nine mawnin's dey'll be dead. (Lock up the bowels.)
Entry 4501
Jes' like yuh wanta have control an' influence ovah people. Aftah yuh wash yuh face an' han's, jes' throw it out de front [door] an' make a wish. Wish tuh be successful in yuh wishes - of being, like man- agin' an' gettin' dere mind in influence.
Entry 5178
Dey take de' lef'-foot shoe an' bury it undah de steps an' go out ev'y mawnin' fer nine mawnin's an' call 'im an' turn yore back. Call 'is name an' de ninth mawnin' he'll be back. (How do you turn your back? How do you mean?) Turn yore back - jes' like ah git up an' turn mah back tuh yo'.
(Do you turn your back to the house or do you turn your back some other way?)
Turn yore back towards de house [and face] in de way he's gone, de way he went. Yo' turn yore back dere an' yo' call 'im. Yo' call 'im nine mawnin's.
(You turn your back. You then face the way he's gone?)
Face de way he's gone an' call 'is name fer nine mawnin's.
Entry 5235
De woman left de man, dis one [story] is, an' de man went an' tried to git 'er back an' he couldn't git 'er back. So he went to a fellah [doctor] de fellah tole him tuh take her shoe soles - found one of 'er ole shoes an' go to a post an' nail it up ovah de post on de sunrise side an' go back home an' not worry an' in three days she'd be back to him.
(Nail it on a post?)
Nail de sole of de shoe up on de side of a sunrise post.
(Just any kind of a post?)
On de side of a telegraph post - nail it up on de side of a telegram post facin' de way she went. In three days dat she'd be back.
Entry 5666
Git dat foot track comin' to yo', both of 'um. Git dat track an' take it an' take a piece of cloth. Git some red peppah an' salt an' tie dat oop [up] in dere. An' take it an' go east on a vacant lot some- where, where dere ain't no house at, an' throw it ovah yo' lef' shouldah - ovah de right shouldah at sunrise an' don' look back. Yo' see? An' de way yo' throw it, dat's de way de person is gwine.
(I see. You throw it over your right shoulder?)
Yes sir, an' don' look back.
(You throw it toward the east?)
East.
(Before sunrise?)
Jis' de way de sunrise, jis' as de sun go down. Let it be first dark, on a vacant lot where ain't no house. See? An' don' look back at it. An' de way yo' throw it, if yo' want dat person to move in dat direction, dey'll go in dat direction.
(I see.)
Entry 7079
If he's runnin' out, tuh take her bloomahs an' dip it in a pan of watah, an' wring it out an' wave it ovah him three times. (Over his head?) Yeah, ovah 'is face an' hang it on de head of de bed. Take a sheet an' spread ovah de bed, most anythin', an' hang de bloomah fur 'nuff ovah 'is head so he can't pull 'em off.
(Is he in the bed all the time she is doing that?)
Yes, he's jis' lyin' dere 'sleep. He jis' didn't wanta git up yo' know. It make him he wouldn't wanta git up.
(That will make him stay asleep?)
Yeah, make him stay asleep. She kin go off where she please an' come back.
Entry 7080
Or eithah yore dirty bloomahs an' hang 'em ovah de haid of de baid right ovah 'is haid. An' fan it nine times dataway ovah 'is face while he's sleep an' make a wish, fo' nine times. Make a wish fo' nine times dat he stays asleep. An' den hang 'em up ovah de haid of de baid right ovah 'is haid. An' he won' vake up. Yo' kin go all ovah town an' come back, an' he be sleepin' sound.
Entry 7103
An' den too, ah know a man de way he did 'is wife, when he'd wanta go off tuh see 'is sweetheart, yo' know. He'd go tuh work an' he'd weah 'is undah- clothes yo' see, fo' prob'ly a Week, an' 'im an' 'is wife would go tuh bed an' she wouldn't even know when he git outa de bed. He'd go tuh work an' he'd take his han's an' put 'em undah 'is arm an' roun' in 'is private, an' put it cross 'er nose lak dat. An' take dem drawahs an' put ovah 'er face. An' he could go an' stay till day de nex' mawnin', an' she wouldn't wake up until he come an' move 'is undahclothes off 'er bed. Ah've known dat tuh be true.
Entry 7134
Git de right-foot shoe an' any piece he weah nex' tuh 'im - his undahclothes-lak. When dey go tuh sleep, take dat piece whut he weah nex' tuh 'im, an' put it ovah 'is face. An' take his shoe, de right-foot shoe an' turn it down. He'll continue sleepin' dere until dey go an' take dat from ovah 'is face an' turn 'is shoe back up straight in de night.
Entry 7141
Take man's shoe an' pass over his face, then hang on bed; then her underwear pass over his face an' hang over bed.
Entry 7142
She'll take the left foot shoe an' jis' pass it over his face three times an' put it down...
Entry 7261
If a man is kilt dere's two certain ways. If a man is kilt an' he falls on his back, dat's de man, dat's de murderer kin easily escape an' very seldom captured. But if a man's kilt an' fall on his face, de murderer of de man is easily captured. But jis' how it's done, ah don't know, ah nevah have heard jis' how it's done.
Entry 7297
Yes sir, fresh cow 'nure, rub dere face, aftah dis persons - rub ovah each face good an' clean wit it. Rub it until it jes' - git it jes' juicy in yore fingahs, yo' know, den make yo' a tea an' drink it. Den yo' kin go an' git along. (Go along and do what?) About chure business an' won't no one bothah yo'. Ah mean if yo' did sompin, yo' know - ah mean if yo' broke gang or sompin like dat.
(If you run away from the chain gang?)
Yes sir. (Or something of that sort. You do this with cow manure.)
Entry 7376
Ah heard sev'ral diff'ren' p'ints about dat. Now dey says jes' lak if someone killed somebody else, an' yo' wants to fin' out who killed dat indivijal. When yo' git where he is yo' goes an' lay yore han' if he layin' on 'is back, lay yore han' an' drill it up three time lak dat from 'is face down to 'is nostel [nostril] an' say, "It will be a hot heat' - when yo' drill yore han' three time up an' down 'is nostel [nostril]. Well, turn 'im ovah an' right to [at] de back of de haid, git jes' a little pinch of dirt from outen dere. Take it to de house an' take yo' a pinch of table salt an' put it in dat, an' tote it wit chew fo' foah days. Aftah de foah days is up, walk an' throw it in de fiah, an' whosoevah killed dat indivijal, dey'll pass yore home - undah six days dey'll appear in yore home. Dat's de one dat killed de indivijal den. (WHEN YOU FIRST GET TO THAT DEAD MAN, YOU TAKE YOUR HAND AND JUST RUB IT DOWN OVER HIS NOSTRILS THREE TIMES - DOWN OVER HIS WHOLE FACE. Dat's right.
(Then what? It'll feel warm you say?)
It will feel warm on de third time, an' den yo' jes' take right in de back of de head, if he is laying down on de dirt or anywhere - take out a pinch of sand, if he's layin' on de ground - from undah his haid, any kin'a dust from undah his haid. Care [carry] it home an' put chew a pinch of salt in dat an' keep it until de third mawnin'. De thlrd mawnin' throw it in de fiah an' dat indivijal dat done de killin' on de sixth mawnin'll be to yore home.
Entry 7390
Well, de person dat killed dis person...the dead person, - yo' go to your hen-house where your poultry an' git chew a hot laid egg - a fresh laid egg, yo'understand, two of 'em an' put one in each hand.... If not that, yo' take this dead person's hat an' put it ovah their face see....right ovah his face. If yo' don't do dat, yo' take [demonstrates] his pocket han'kerchief an' spread it one corner on each side of the corner - heah an' one up heah, yo' see.
[I now describe his actions:]
(You take this dead man's handkerchief and you put it like a diamond over his head.) Dat's right, one point to the top of his head and one at his throat and one toward each shoulder. Dat's right. An' de hat yo' take an' place it right ovah his face.
(These are all separate ways of doing it.)
(To bring back the man who killed him?)
To bring back de man dat killed de man.
Entry 7448
(How long ago did it happen?)
Long as they make [I interrupt].
(This story that you are going to tell me, how long ago did it take place?)
What about, de eggs?
(Yes.)
Of a man killin' a man?
(Yes, well, you said it was about three months ago?)
Yeah, about three months ago I saw dat happen, jes' whut I'm speakin' about now.
(Well, tell me the whole story.)
[This murder occurred near the end of 1937.]
A man, he wus livin' wit a woman an' him an' dis woman had separated. Dis wo- nan mixed up wit anothah man. An' so, well, dis man what had been livin' wit de woman come by de house. So dis [new] man, he hadn't been roun' dere long, no one knows nuthin of 'im. So he told dis man, he say, "Listen," he said, "I'm livin' here now," he say, '"I don't wan' choo to come nowhere roun' where I'm livin' at, I don't wan' choo a-comin' wit dis woman." So, he [former man] say, "All right." So he leaves dere. So one day de man wus off workin' an' he came by dere an' somebody told 'im dat de nan had been by dis house again. So it wus dat Saturday night. So dat Saturday night he couldn't fin' dis fellah. Dat Sundah jes' about twelve o'clock, he finded dis fellah. He wus playin' cards - him an' anothah fellah vus playin' a game dey call Coon Can.
(Coon Can?)
Coon Can, yes, dat's a game dey play wit ten cards - [something] was 'leven. An' when dis [former] fellah saw 'im - he had told people all up an' down Morris- town, dat anywhere he see dis fellah, he wus goin' to kill 'im.
(That was here in New Orleans?)
No, dis was out in de country at a little town dey call Morristown. I was done raised dere. An' so when dis fellah gits near 'im - some of 'is frien's had told 'im dat dis fellah had been lookin' fer 'im wit a pistol to kill 'im. Well, when he saw dis fellah, he wus settin' down behind a barrel. An' when dis fellah walked aroun' de barrel, well, dis fellah saw 'im an' he jumps up an' run. But he had de seven of di'monds in 'is han'. He shot 'im four times - four times - shot him twice through de heart, once in de leg an' in de side - killed 'im an' lef'. Nobody knows nuthin of 'im, didn't know where he had came from or nuthin of de kin'. So, a old lady, she took two eggs an' put 'em in 'is han's befo' he got stiff, put two eggs. Dey waked 'im [held a wake for the corpse] wit two eggs in 'is han's. Well, when dey comin' down to bury 'em dat nex' day, dey buried 'em - she told 'em, she say, "Now listen, dis man gone. We knows nuthin' about 'im, don't know whut way he gone, or nuthin of de kin'." An' so dey buried dis man on 'is face. An' she say, "De day when dem eggs bust, dis man will be back." Sure 'nuff, dey did dat, de family agreed to do it. Well, in about eight or nine days, close as I could guess, dem eggs must-a busted, cuz de man comes an' gives up 'imself. He walked into a big old, tavern-like, a white fellah has. Mr. Tim [Somebody], he runs a big ole place of business, yo' know, like dat, an' he walks up in dere. So, Stinwall was de sheriff, yo' know. Someone undah 'im [deputy], so he told 'im, he said, "Well, I come to give myself up." An' he wus speakin' to Stinwall's brother at de time - dey call 'im Amos. He said, "Give yourself up?" He said, "Yeah." Well, he didn't know 'im. He said, "Who are yo'." An' he said, "I'm de one dat killed de fellah in Morris- town." He said, "Well, mah brothah ain't here, "' he said, ''but wait a few min- utes." Like dat - which he didn't have no business comin' up in dat white de- partment, you see. So dey rings 'is brothah up an' de brothah came down dere an' got 'im an' carried 'im to Pepulo? jail. Dey ast 'im why had he come back. He said, he jes' couldn't have no peace of 'im leavin' from dere. He didn't think he'd done jes' right, dat he had taken somepin dat he couldn't give. (HOW DO THEY WAKE A PERSON UP THERE IN THAT PART OF THE COUNTRY? What do they do?) Well, jes' like you die. Well, out in de country dere ain't no place fo' to embalm 'em, see. Dey jes' have to keep yo' ovahnight, but here dey takes yo' an' jes' like de undahtakah gits us - well, dey take yo' an' dey embalm yo'. Well, dey don't have nuthin but singin' an' prayin' ovah yo', yo' know, like dat. Jes' like if any of yo' is Baptist or Methodist or Cath'lic, or anythin' like dat. Well, if dey's Cath'lic, well dey don't have no wake, dey'll jes' be a-settin' up dere wit yo'. Den de priest - befo' yo' die, de priest comes an' gives yo' a blessing.
(Well, how do they wake them out in the country?)
[I want a few more details about the country wake.]
Out in de country, well dey jes' preach a funeral or tell 'em yore life - yo' know, jes' de life yo' lived, if yo' wus a Christian.
(If you had a good or bad life?)
Yeah, if yo' followed Christianity.
[I do not forget the eggs!]
(Well, when they buried this fellow, did they take the eggs out of his hand?)
Left 'em in 'is han' - buried 'im wit de eggs in 'is han's.
Entry 7471
If a man happen tuh kill a man an' he fall of his face. If he fall on 'is face, if yo' kin go dere tuh de spot where he fall, an' git some of dat dirt where his face wus lyin', an' take dat dirt an' carry it right tuh dis person house whut kill 'im, an' sprinkle it roun' in de yard, or undah de step where some of 'is family prob'ly walk ovah it, dat'll bring 'im back.
Entry 7472
Turn the murdered man on his face an' leave him on his face until the next day. [If the man fell on his face, leave him face down until following day. In former days and until recently in isolated communities, the body was buried the day after death.]
Entry 7473
Jes' lak if a man is dead, killed, an' yo' wanta keep 'im [murderer] from runnin' away, dere ain't - yo' ain't got but one thing to do. Jes' like ah'd kill a man an' dey wanted to ketch me an' didn't want me to git away, he wouldn't have but one thing to do. Bury de man on 'is face. Bury 'im on 'is face an' dere ain't no ways fer 'im to git away. Might go off but he'd have to come back.
Entry 7474
Jes' lak yo' kill some of mah fren's. Ah dunno [don't know] who done it, but ah got-a idea dat sech-an'-sech-a-one done it. Ah'll take de dead per- son an' turn 'im on 'is face an' de man who done it [I interrupt]. (Where are you going to turn him on his face? Where?) Turn 'im on 'is face in de coffin. Co'se yo' don't want it tuh be public. Yo' kin git de undahtakah to turn dis person on 'is face when he go tuh bury 'im. Covah 'im on up, an' aftah dat de fellah who done it will go tuh lingahin'. He'll go to lingahin' an' he'll nevah stop till he die an' follah shortly aftah. An' if dere fo' or five in de crowd dat kill.dis man - fo' or five in de crowd dat kill 'im - all who in dat crowd will certainly follah [because they did not help victim or report the crime, etc.].
Entry 7792
Now, if a person wanta run yo' out of a house, why dey goes tuh a ceme- tery where dere's someone deposit dead dere dat is well known, dat dey knows de disposition of de person [ill- tempered]. Dey carry along 7 pennies an' two lightvood AND HOW [fatwood or fatlighter pine] splinters [stakes]. Dey stick one on dis side jis' across de ways [waist] an' de othah cross de othah side di- rectly opposite an' dey stretch dat string zactly across dere.
(Across the breast from one stake to the other.)
Yes sir, lightly - must be caught lightly. An' den dey take anothah string an' stretch it directly from de foot tuh de haid [demonstrates].
(IN OTHER WORDS, YOU ARE FORMING A CROSS RIGHT ON TOP OF THAT GRAVE.)
Yes, sir. Den yo' go tuh work an' yo' go right intuh 'is hips, de right hip, an' yo' deposit dem 7 cents dere, an' yo' bring up from dere a handful of dat earth. Put it intuh a li'le box of some kin' dat yo' kin close it down tuh- gethah with. An' den tell 'em jis' zactly whut yo' wants done an' how yo' want it done. Den make dem undahstan' dat yo' have paid 'em, absolutely have paid 'em de price an' yo' mean fer 'em tuh do it. Yo' come on back tuh de house an yo' buy one gunshot shell an' cut de shot off, an' yo' takes de powdah an' yo' will po' it out an' measure jis' exactly how much powdah yo' want tuh put in dere. Measure de powdah an' put it intuh a clean piece of cloth an' measure de earth, jis' dat much earth, an' put it intuh dat cloth too. An' den yo'.git yo' dat much ground red peppah. Put it in dere an' fold it up tight an' yo' puts it right intuh de gun an' yo' turn directly an' face westward an' call dere name an' pull de triggah. An' if dey don't move, dey'll drop daid on de spot.
(Where did you learn that?)
Ah learned dat right chere, Charleston.
(Is that a special remedy of anyone? Of any special person?)
Yes, sir, fellah in de neighborhood name of Robert Chaplin. [Charleston, S. Car., (514, Doctor Glover), 595:2.] [For Glover see also references at end of 7214, p.3209 and elsewhere.]
Entry 8012
If a person do anything to you, you [the culprit] can go on yonder to New York or Washington or anywhere, I will ketch him. I'll take a brand-new egg from a black hen and take that egg and put it in ten pins, five one way and five the other, in the sides [the long sides] of the [uncooked] egg. You take this egg and go to a grave, just like you are digging a person's grave, bury this egg. You put it this way [demon- strates] just the same as you would the east [the large end of the egg represents the head and is laid facing the east]. You bury this egg in the Name of the Lord, and that he will never return, and moulten away. You say his name. When the egg is rot-ten he will be out of this world.
Entry 8198
Jis' lak if yo' got a daughtah run away from home, yo' undahstan', an' she might run away wit some young man dat married, yo' undahstan'. An' yo' don' know where she at an' don' know where she gone, an' she won' write chew or come. See, lak yo' got 'er pichure dere. All yo' gotta. do, take dat pi- chure dat's dere an' turn it bottom upwards. Turn it bottom upwards [demon- strates].
(Take the picture and turn it like that?)
Dat's right.
(Turn it on its face.)
Thah's de pichure right dere leanin' back 'ginst de wall lak dat, yo' see. Bell, all yo' gotta do - some of 'em say take dat pichure an' put it 'ginst de nirror lak dat [demonstrates].
(Put the face to the mirror?)
Dat's right. Well, now, de way ah heah it. See, lak dat [demonstrates], de pichure's facin' yo'. All yo' gotta do, turn de haid down dataway.
(Have the picture standing on its head?)
Dat's right.
(What will that do then?)
Well, dat'll make her git on de haid about chew, an' den she'll come back home.
Entry 8201
Use it fo' back luck, by scrapin' dat silvah offa dere; well, dat silvah offa [the back of] dat lookin'-glass. Dey take dat an' scrape it offa pichure. Jis' lak if dey wanta harm yo', dey take an' scrape dat silvah off dat pichure [mirror] an' put it in yure face, on yure pichure.
(On the face of your picture?)
Dat's right, an' den dey take it an' put it in sompin, [anything to hold the scrapings and photo], an' bury it, bury it [face] down. Dat'll make yo' dwindle down an' die. Make yo' stay sick an' nuthin will cure yo' unlessen somebody [hoodoo doctor or healer] take an' find whut's wrong wit chew.
Entry 8265
Lak yo' got a pichure, see, jis a pichure of yo'. All right, lak dey love yo', see, an' don't want see any- body else wit chew. Dey go tuh de fo'k of de road an' take a pistol an' shootdat pistol right in de centah of yo' face. When dey come back yo'll be daid. (You shoot this picture at the forks of the road.)
Entry 8325
Ah don't know whethah it's true, but ah heer'd dis, see. Yo' kin take a photo- graph an' yo' kin take it an' put it undah de steps an' yo' kin walk ovah it, or eithah yo' kin take it an' carry it tuh a tree facin' east. Bo' a hole an' put in dere an' in a length of time yo' will die.
(Why do you put that photograph under the step?)
De person have tuh walk ovah it - see, dat photograph belongs tuh - walk ovah it. An' den aftah dey walk ovah it, dey know dey come outa de house sometime, see, den dey take it tuh dat tree an' bo' de hole in it. (You put it under the step, then you put it in the tree. Do you stop it up in the tree in any way?) Aftah yo' take de bolt outa dere, den put dat bolt back in - bolt or plug - dat peg back in dere.
Entry 8378
Jes' lak a woman or anythin' got yore pichure. DAT'S WHY DERE SO MANY PEOPLE TUHDAY DEY'S ALWAYS 'STURB [DISTURBED], DEY AIN'T GOT NO STEADY MIND. DEY LEAVE DERE PICHURES TOO MANY PLAC[ES]. A woman kin take yore pichure an' yo' be a hunderd miles away, an' she'll take it an' go in a swamp where dere's runnin' watah, dere's a branch across it, where dere's a tree right in de middle of de place, an' a tree outside, an' de watah don' be but twelve feet each way - three trees. An' she kin take dat tenpenny nail, or any 'mount nail, jes' so dat she hit de heart of dat tree [picture] an' nail yore pichure [face] tuh- ward it. Wherevah she nail yore pichure at, see yo'll hit a bump evahtime she's drivin' a nail intuh dat pichure.
(What does she do that for?)
If she's mad wit yuh, wanta kill yuh, she could do dat. (Now what about these trees down at the branch? They have to be near each other?) See, de way it is dey cain't be ovah twelve foot apart - twelve foot. It don't make no diff'rence if it ain't no big branch, but de watah gotta be six- teen inch, an' if de fellah is a hunderd mile off, dat'll count sixty percent of one hunderd.
(What do you do? You only put that picture on one tree?)
Jes' one tree.
(And where is that one tree?)
Well, de one set nex' tuh de watah, closah tuh de watah, put it dere, but turn it facin' de watah, see. An' whenevah yo' drive a nail, yo'll heah sompin pop.
(This tree has to be near the water?)
Yes, neah de watah, an' have de pichure facin' de watah.
(And this tree has to be twelve feet from the water?)
No, dey has to be three trees, but dey has tuh be twelve foot apart.
(And you only put it on one of those trees, though?)
One dose trees an' de one closah tuh de watah. (You must find three trees near a branch, and the trees must be twelve feet apart, but the tree that's nearest to the branch, you put the picture on?) Dat's right, an' turn it neah tuh de watah.
Entry 8475
Say yo' takes 'er pichure. Yo' goes an' git a gun an' regardless tuh who she is or how much money she got, if yo' loved 'er, git 'er photograph an' turns 'er photograph on de desk, layin' de photograph an' call 'it 'er pichure, an' mark it wit a "X' - a cross, 'X'. Take an' folds it up in a piece of news- pahah an' put it in yore shoes. Hoids up de linin' of yore shoes an' put it in dere, an' turns de haid of 'er pichure down tuh de ground an' tuhward de back of yore heel. Weah it three days an' take it an' delivah it out. An' pertends [pretends] yo' drinkin' whiskey, two glasses. Drink yores an' name hers wit de pichure ovah it. An' let it stay dere fo' three days an' she'll return tuh yo'.
(After you wear this in your shoe, you take it, the third day, and then you?)
Put it in two drinks of likkah, put it in two separate glasses. Fulls [fill] de glasses up each, an' drink one. An' put de othah one back an' name it wit de pichure in it, ovah de glass wit de face down tuh whiskey.
Entry 8712
Yo' git up at sunrise, befo' yo' speak to anyone at all, wash yore face or anything, jes' as de risin' of de sun, dey go out to de step like de sun risin dis way, an' yo' call dere name three times. An' after yo' call dere name three times, don't make none other step towards dat way. Jes' turn right aroun' an' come on back. Say, an' after yo' come back yo' kin speak to anyone yo' want to, wash yore face an' anything if yo' want tuh.
(You called their name out there didn't you?)
Yeah, call dere name three time, which person yo' wants tuh come back home. See, jes' lak mah name is Walter. Jes' call mah name, jes' plainly, de full name three times. An' dey do dat fo' nine mawnin's. An' den de mawnin' yo' hear from 'em, yo' begin about de fifth until 'bout de 15th, yo' hear from 'em some Way or 'nother by friends. Somebody bring yo' some kinda message.
Entry 9083
Ah remembah one dat ah got tuh fightin' mahself [I got into fights] an' did right much damage. An' dere wus an ole woman used tuh live right through here on Williams Street. an ah know dat she wus said tuh be a root doctor. So ah got bail. An' while ah wuz out on bail, of co'se ah goes an' see her, see if she could give me anything. Now, she gave me sompin an' whut she gave me wuz call High John de Conkah. An' ah wuz tuh chew dat an' use de spittle [old-fashioned word for spit, from Bible] ovah mah face - jis' spit in mah hand an' bathe mah face wit it. Well, ah did dat an' ah got off from de' crime fer five dollahs. Ah wuz tuh do it between times; befo' ah went in de court, an' while ah wuz in dere. Evah time ah got a chance ah could do it.
Entry 9136
Well, ah tole 'im [author's contact man] in de case of bein' in trouble which ah had one experience of dat - cus [because] ah have been in trouble mah ownself - twice fo' murder[?] - an' ah've taken an' got some rattlesnake mastah, which ah wus tole tuh git dat, an' it wus sent tuh me an' put in cologne, wit some mustard seeds in it. An' tuh use dat cologne an' tuh wipe it ovah mah face about three days befo' mah trial, an' havin' dat mustard seed scattahed around, twelve mustard seeds around by de co'thouse. An' put twelve sage leaves in de bottom of yore shoes, six in each one, an' take an' write twelve names of de apostles on it. An' do dat all in three days, an' when yore trial come, it would not be anythin' tuh it.
(Well, now, where did you put those mustard seeds?)
Jes' scattah 'em anywhere roun' de co'thouse, anywhere round.
(Inside or out?)
Anywhere yo' wanta, outside right tuh de do', twelve of 'em.
Entry 9151
To discharge the case against you?
(Yes.)
The best things you can do for the judge is to get you a thing they call spice. Get you a spice and after you wash your face, combed your hair, you stand with your back to the door - not with your face to the door - stand with your back to the door. Rub your hands, rub that powder, that spice on your hands and brush your face backward, back like that [demonstrates]. Brush it three times before you go out that door. And then wheel out that door, just turn and walk out that door be- fore you open your eyes. But brush your face backward three times after you ground that spice, wash your face, comb your hair and everything, be ready to go. Smooth your face three times like that and turn your back, with your eyes closed and go out that door. And I'll bet you won't have no trouble and your case will be done closed.
Entry 9168
I heard dey takes some salt and pepper and mix it together, and carry it in court; or either wash dere face in chamber lye and throw it over your left shoulder, before you go down in court to be tried. (That will help you out?) Yeah, that will help you out. [One of many examples in tert showing interviewer and informant repeating each other's words.]
Entry 9450
Take some table salt an' yo' wrop it up in a little piece of white rag, an' tie it up an' tote it in yore pocket. An' aftah yo' tote it in yore pocket, yo' take a little bit in yore han' an' jes' rub it right lak dat [demonstrates]. An' rub it all ovah yore haid an' face an' all lak dat.
(Over your hands?)
Yes sir, an' aftah yo' done rub it all in yore han's, jes' go [to the boss] an' he'll look out fo' yo'. Prob'ly yo' don' git de job tuhday, prob'ly not tuhmahrah, but befo' dat week or so out he'll give yo' sompin tuh do.
Entry 9952
Yo' kin take a green frog. Yo' know, when a green frog git on a leaf, yo' kin take him an' ketch 'im an' put 'im in yuh pocket. But yo' git chew a bran'-new silk han'ke'ch'ef an' yo' put - yo' wrap 'im up in dat silk han'ke'ch'ef, an' put 'im intuh yuh pock- et. An' weah dat han'ke'ch'ef lak dat a couple of days, wit dat green frog in it. Jis' lak a girl don' want chew, don' lak yuh or somepin, an' yo' wanta make her lak yuh. An' yo' take 'im out of dere an' take de han'ke'ch'ef an' yo' whip it on 'er jis' lak dat. She go wild about chew.
(You whip her with the handkerchief?)
Yes, jis' fan it on 'er, yo' know.
(Just fan it on her?)
Yes, an' she git wild about chew. Dat green frog.
(What does the frog do to that handkerchief?)
Ah don't know what he do, but he makes love - make her love yuh.
Entry 10090
See, jis' lak dis black cat bone - yo' kin disappeah. (How do you do that?) Well, dey tell me yo' kin take dat black cat bone an' yo' keep agoin' till yo' git de right bone; an' when yo' git de right bone, yo' rub yore face on it an' look in de glass [mirror] an' can't see yuhself, yo' disappear. Can't no one else see yo'.
Entry 10152
Hold it [a black cat bone] in your hand, in the palm of your hand - until it sweat, and just smooth it [bone surely, not palm of hand] over your face; and anything that you undertake to do, that you'd be successful with.
[Vicksburg, Miss., resumé, 989:8.]
Entry 10174
To run crazv. stand pic- ture upside down behind bed, face to wall, light candle, red, burn "plum out" - make wish.
Entry 11232
When yo' wanta - if yo' be's on de job, an' yo' wanta keep it, an' if yo' be like a [something?] yo' jes' [go] an' wash yore face wit a dishrag an' they will keep likin' yo' all de time.
(Then you will stay on the job?)
Yes.
(That is if you are working some place?)
Yes.
Entry 11233
Well, de fact of it is, I know dat you kin take a dishrag, you see, and let a person hit chew in de face with dat dishrag on dat eye - got sompin on it [dishrag not clean, but got sompin on it]. Say dat'll move dat sty off. But I don't know, I never tried it. (I see, but they say it can be done?) Oh, sure. I've seen it did all right enough.
Entry 11294
Ketch a dog and git his - see, de place in a dog's face right heah where [demonstrates]. Pull dat hair out. An' jes' in de middle of his back, de same amount of hair dat yo' pull out of his face. An' put it into a rag, a spotless white cloth er rag. An' yo' put chew some sulphur an' yo' put chew some gunpowder in dere - gunpowder and sulphur. Yo' tie dat up in dere and make out lak yo' workin' in de yard. As yo' workin' roun' de yard, take a look an' see if yo' see either one of dem would have yore - ef yo' worried about yore husband. If yo' see either one of dem comin' past yore house, yo' jest take it up an' take it ovah to heah an' throw it dis way [demon- strates]. Jest drop dat thing down.. "Co'se it got a little gunpowder an' it will pop an' it will break 'em up. Dat will break dem up, ah know dat. (That is if this woman is fooling around with your husband, you do that to break them up.)
Entry 11708
Yo' kin take garlic an' if yo' wanta have good luck, take garlic an' put it in a bottle an' put some Hearts Cologne [in it]. Dat kills de odor of it. Take fo' instance, yo' go out an' yo' wanta git a job or anything or any kind of success. Jes' take some of dat garlic like dat an' rub it on yore hands an' on yore face, den yo' go out. An' yo' be - oh, yo' be too lucky. [Waycross (1093) 1762:12.]
Entry 12233
Dat High John de Conkah root by hitself, yo' kin take dat in de mawn- in' an' yo' kin git up 'fore de sun rise, an' dere's a word dat chew have tuh say befo' de sun rise, an' look to de east. Po' a little of it out of de bottle, de liquid offa de root into yore han' an' rub it cross yore face three times. (What will that do?) Dat's to inherit mo' money. (What words do you say?) Jes' say, "So we live, so we die, ' po' a little bit in yore han' an' rub it cross yore face an' look to where de sun risin' in de mawnin'.
(What kind of liquid do you put in the bottle?)
Yo' kin put gin whiskey on it, or eithah Hearts Cologne - nuthin excusin' dat. Hearts Cologne or eithah pure gin whiskey [gin or white whiskey].
Entry 12242
If you get holt of a piece of a root - what they call dis root? John de Conker. See. They'll put that in their mouth and they chew it, see, and they spit it in their hand. The juice from that root, they'll spit it in their hand and then they'll rub it on their face. And then they go and talk right in- to the man's face, and whenever he gets a scent of that, why then he'll have to either do one way or tuther [the other]. Tell you to come back or tell you not to come back - one of the two.
Entry 12345
Yo' git chew a piece of lode- stone an' yo' put it in a little piece [of cloth] or yo' kin put it in yore pocketbook, an' a piece of dat in- cense, an' put it together an' keep it. An' yo' tote it in yore pocketbook an' every time yo' go to work, why yo wash yore face an' hands in dat Van-Van an' dey won't turn yo' off.
Entry 12656
Yo' kin git a bottle of this Hearts Perfume an' put cha a spoonful of table salt [fine salt, not course salt fed to animals in it an' dab it on, an' as you walk out, rub it down befo your face - do this way, like that [demonstrates].
(Then what?)
And as you do that, their love grows toward you.
(Well, doesn't he have to do anything to her at all?)
Yes, sir. Sure, it will entice her.
(How?)
With that - usin' that, see, will entice her towards you, make her git closer to you.
Entry 12657
Jes' lak if yo' knew of a person an' he down. Yo' go to his place an' if he isn't there or if he ain't there, yo' take that perfume with yo' an' 'nint [anoint] chureself lak dis [demonstrates] dress yo'self jes' lak that [demonstrates]. (Down your face and down on your body.) That's right, down on yore face and do it lak that, an' do it three times. An' then yo' wait fo him an' whatsoever he got yo' will win it.
Entry 12746
Rattlesnake marster like dat is good. Jes' take it yo' know an' wear it chew know in a piece of cloth yo' know. An' den every mawnin' yo' take an' rub it in yore han' jes' like dis heah [demon- strates], an' den rub it ovah yore face.
(What will that do for you?)
Git a job.
Entry 13285
Den if he leaves, dat is, if he's tryin' tuh leave yo' - if he's talkin' about leavin' yo', he's already talkin' about leavin' yo'. Yo' kin take yore towel whut chew wash yore face with an' keep dat towel wet all de time an' wipe be- aeen yore laigs an' keep him washin' his face with dat towel all de time. Dat sill keep him from leavin' yo'.
Entry 13300
John de Conkah, you git dat, an' dragon's blood an' a little piece of lodestone [3 ingredients] an' wrap dat in a piece of flannen an' make a [hand and feed] Hearts Cologne or Good Riding Scent [the only appearance of this perfume] an' jes' rub dat ovah yuh face after having a couple of days of good work, yo' know. An' jes' rub dat ovah yuh an' not only de boss - nobody can't turn yuh down. [I hope the reader did not miss the poignancy of after having a couple of days of good work. This desire for work - the many rites for getting and holding jobs - is everywhere in HOODOO. That hoodoo drugstore perfume Good Riding Scent is unique.]
Entry 111
Yo' take him lak yo' fixin' tuh bury him an' yo' turn him on his face. Well, yo' see if that man is on his face an' yo' bury dat man, de man or woman dat killed him, she's worried until she goin' soon come up an' it ain't goin' be ovah nine days 'fore she goin' come up an' give herself up.
(How did you say they carry him out of the house?)
Jes' lak if dere's a windah on dis side - well, jes' lak a windah dis heah, yo' take him out dis windah on dis side. No, don't chew take him out de do'. Carry him out either one dese windah but don't take him dis way. Let him be goin' dis Way, where de sun set at. Don't nevah take him where de sun rise - it's not goin' work as fast. But if yo' put him on his face an' carry him out de way de sun go down, it won't be nine days 'fore she goin' come back.
(You carry him out the door, though?)
No suh, don' take him out de do'. Yo' wanta put him out de windah - take his body out de windah. Let him be on his face an' take his body out de windah.
Entry 1249
Yo' know, yo' see people has bumps all broke out in dere face. Yo' wanta [should] learn dis. Well, yo' go 'head if yo' got bumps on yore face - broke out all on yo' face jes' wit bumps - yo' know whut's a cure fo' dat?
(No.)
Go to a fig tree and git de fig leaves off dat and git de milk in de fig leaves - jes' git dat milk out dem fig leaves an' tech all over dem places and cure 'em. Dat'll cure dat.
Entry 1844
Dragon blood an' spread it ovah yore han' - yes sir - an' yo' dress yo'self with it an' go dere an' ast him fo' a job, an' yo' lookin' him right straight in de face - an' ast him fo' a job. Well, he wouldn't dare tuh turn yo' down. [Dragon's blood is used in many combinations.]
Entry 2171
Mighty good fo' that.
(How do they use that?)
Well, yo' use that on yore face an' han's after yo' git through with yore toilet in de mornin' an' yo' breakfast an' everything. Yo' let that be the last thing yo' do befo' yo' goin' tuh yore business, an' yo' jes' take a little olive oil an' rub it ovah yore face an' ovah yore han's like that in the mornin's an' that brings luck an' brings friends to yo'. That's mighty good.
Entry 7067
If a woman got chew an' she wanted to make a date wit another boy frien', why - an' she can't git out to him, she will wait some night till yo' git to sleep. An' she will take her undahskirt - take her drawahs off first - an' she will lingah, be around to find out if he is asleep. An' if she finds dat chure sleep, why she de piece - take it an' put it ovah 'is face. Take her un- dahskirt an' spread it - take her undahdrawahs lak dat, spread it lak dat ovah yer head an' de bed. Yo'll nevah wake up if she stayed out till fo' 'clock de nex' mawnin'. Yo' nevah know it till she git back.
Entry 7068
(What do they say about that?)
Well, she'll take her - she takes 'er bloomahs whut she weah. If he's asleep, well she'll hang 'em right up ovah 'is head, or lessen or not, she'll lay dem right across 'is face. An' dat keeps 'im asleep. He's - he'll be dere until she comes back.
(I see.)
Entry 7070
Whilst he be sleepin' an' she wanta go out, she jis' take her drawahs an' put 'em ovah 'is face while he be's sleep, an' he sleep right dere sound as a door-nail until she come back. He stays sleep an' he won't wake up ontil she take dat drawahs off 'is face.
Entry 7071
Say yo' should - jis' like if yo' wanted to have a date wit a man, why yo' take yore petticoat an' spread it ovah yore husband's face. An' yo' go out an' do whut chew wanta do, an' den come on back an' yo' take it off.
Entry 7072
Take a pair of 'er bloomahs, don' let 'em be washed, an'.when 'er husban' lay down, if she kin ease dat ovah 'is face, she kin go off an' he be dere when she come back.
Entry 7264
If a man's killed an' he fall on his face, de one dat done it, he'll tell it befo' he dies; if a man's killed an' he fall on his back, he won' tell it.
Entry 7265
I've heard 'em say if you kill anyone an' de man falls on his face, de murderer can't git away; an' if he go, he'll have to come back.
Entry 7443
Take a' aig an' bury dat man wit 'is face down an' put dat aig right back on de corpse [demonstrates]. (Right in the center of the neck, right in the hollow of the neck.) Right heah in dat centah, right dere in dat little low place.
Entry 7482
If the murdered persons falls on his face and is buried on his face the murderer will return.
Entry 7489
It depends upon how he fall. If he fall wit 'is face to de groun', yo' can't help but come back. But in ordah to bring 'im back, yo' take dis man an' keep 'is body laid east - head east an' feets west. An' yo' reads de Ten Commandments wit dat, an' wit'in de nex' nine days he'll have to come back.
Entry 7491
Bury 'im on 'is face crossways of de worl' - no'th an' south. Yo' know, prack'ly [practically] dey buries 'em east an' west, but chew jes' bury 'im on 'is face, bury 'im no'th an' south an' he'll come back.
(That fellow who killed him will come back?)
Yes sir, he'll come back.
Entry 7492
Lak if ah wus to kill a man an' tried to git away, an' yo' want me caught. Why yo' jes' when yo' bury dis man, don't place dis man east an' west. Jes' take him an' bury 'im on 'is face north an' south, an' if ah go anywhere why ah turn an' come back.
Entry 12486
If I'm looking at you and you kill me, as you look in my eye, your face will be in my eye. [Known everywhere.] [Norfolk 456:3.]
Entry 1362
You put dis dime and den if you use de same root what I tell you about.
(John the Conquer?)
Yes - John de Conker and dis dime and call it a bodyguard. A dime and dis John de Conker and dis same Hearts Cologne use that together, and den yuh take dat and you make dat up like a bag, and den you got'a put John de Conker and dis dime, fix dat together and put 'em in a glass, in the chamber lye and let it lay over all night. See, leave that lay over all night and den de next morning dey take and dey feed it and dey wear dat around dere waist. See, den nobody can't hurt cha. [To feed is to dampen, letting the cloth soak up liquid - see Feed in Index.]
(What do you feed that with the next morning?)
You feed that with that same Hearts Cologne. Now, dey take dis and dey get a bottle of de Hearts Cologne, see and they put that in that, and you draw that together and put that aroun' - and dey put 'em around dey waist and then you take the Hearts Cologne and put it in another bottle. You do that over your face in the morning-time when you go out in de morning-time - dress your face. You go out like dat and ain't nobody can't worry you - you see, if you got a enemy and you puts that thing on your face like that, you see, it will stick there.
(I see, and they can't harm you.)
Entry 1420
An' if ah got a wart on me, a large wart on mah han' or on mah face an' ah wanta git rid of it, ah'll go an' git me nine stickin'-pins. When ah git dese nine stickin'-pins ah'll pick dis wart until it bleeds. Well, den ah take nine drops of blood on each nine pins an' take it an' put it in a pretty white han'kerchief an' carry it to de fo'ks of de road an' throw it down; an' when ah throw it down dere'll be somebody come along an' see dat pretty han'kerchief layin' down dere an' dey pick up dis han'kerchief an' walk off wit it. Well, somebody else will be ketched
[by my warts].
The informant describes a hypothetical wart-transfer rite using nine pins, blood and a white handkerchief left at road forks for another person to pick up. Hyatt supplies the bracketed explanation of being caught by the warts. The transfer is a reported claim, not medical evidence.
Entry 1942
They kin take this graveyard dirt, they kin take this camphah gum, with sulphah [three ingredients], an' they wear it in their pocket. Maybe they jis' dampen with whiskey an' stuff. An' jis' befo' you git to the white man you gon'a ax fer the job at, you take this stuff an' you rub all in your hand an' rub it ovah your face three times, an' you kin walk up to the man an' ax fer a job. He might deny you the first time he might, but the second time he can't deny you.
Entry 2185
You go to a fortune tellah an' you tell 'im - he ast you whut you want. You tell 'im you wan'a job. He'll go back an' he'll git 'im a red onion, take the knife an' cut that red onion in half, put a penny betwixt it [the halves], take a piece of thread an' wrahp it aroun' an' tie it back together, an' go in the woods an' git 'im three pieces of blacksnake root an' cross em. You cross two like that, then take the othern an lay it like - kin'a looks like that, you see [demonstrates].
(Like a rail fence.)
An' them three pieces crossin' one 'nother, take the thread an' tie 'em to- gethah. You keep it in you' pockit an' befo' git to 'im you start to rubbin' 'em, the little sticks togethah - jis' like that. Then you take that red onion an' tie it in the cornah of you' han'ke'chief, an' a little befo' you git to 'im, you take that han'ke'chief an' wipe you' face. Don't nevah look down - always look 'im in the eye if you gon'a ast 'im fo' a job. He couldn't help from givin' it to you.
Entry 2369
Yo' could git chew some lodestone, some bluestone an' - not bluestone but saltpeter, and some red peppah [three ingredients] and put all dat together and put it in a little sack and wear it in de bottom of yo' foot. Git chew some Van-van, rub yo' face and yo' hands with it. Ev'rywhere, ev'ry time yo' gotta go out, go fo' anything, jes' rub yo' face and hands with dat all ovah.... Well, yo' go wheresomevah yo' goin' an' whatevah yo' wan'a do, whatever yo' goin' tuh do, it leaves de way open fo' yo' tuh do whatevah yo' wants tuh do, whatevah yo' got in yore mind to do. An' yo' see yore way looks dark, why when yo' git dere de way be opened fo' yo'.
Entry 2415
Wash yore face in sugah de first thing in de mawnin' with yore han' first [not with washcloth] an' go out an' meet de person an' den yo'll have good success. An' yo' know, take consecrated [concentrated] lye an' mop yore place 'fore de do' heah an' don't say nuthin to nobody while yo' takin' care of dat. Dat'll bring luck to de place an' yo' sell a lotta liquor.
Entry 4818
Well, ah heard dis now, dis way. Dere wuz a girl an' she wanted dis boy, yuh know. She loved dis man an' dis man wouldn't care much. He used tuh go off. An' she ast anothah girl frien' of 'ers, she say she would git 'im if it wuz de las' thin' she'd do. Well, she went tuh 'is house one time an' got a piece of 'is, yuh know, de tail off 'is shirt. An' [she] took an' put sulphuh, black molasses in it, an' taken it tuh de rivah an' po'd it in dere. Yuh know, out on de cloth, an' den dropped de cloth in nex' tuh dat an' let it stay dat- away, while she went back tuh.de house. An' den she ast de boy, she say, "Would yuh mind walkin' wit me?" An' he say he wouldn't mind walkin' wit 'er. Dey went on down tuh de rivah, an' she said she took 'er han' an' dipped it intuh de watah where she had dropped dis, an' rubbed it 'cross 'is face. An' she say she walked on back tuh de house, say he begin tuh git dizzy. An' so he tole her, he said - her name wuz Ellen - he say, "Ah don' mind goin' down mayself, but would joo mind goin' wit me? Ah don' wan' chew tuh leave me." An' she went on home wit 'im an' she tole - she said tuh 'er mothah dat night, she says, "Mothah, [So-and-so] is in love wit me." An' dat night about fo'a'clock in de mawnin' dere he wuz knockin' on de do'. He couldn't sleep wit'out 'er an' he couldn't eat wit'out 'er. Dat's whut ah heard.
Entry 7066
If she wan's tuh git out'a de house, an' don' wan' 'im tuh wake up, she go ahead on in de back. Well, yo' know, quite natchly how women are. She'll git dere in de back an' he's in dis room sleepin'. An' she'll go in de back room lak she's doin' somepin. She'll go on tuh singin'. She'll go tuh singin' some ole song, an' she's combin' 'er hair whilst she's singin' dis song. See. Aftah she gits through combin' 'er hair, she'll git 'er soap an' thin's. She's goin' tuh wash. She's goin' tuh powdah 'erself up. She slip on 'er undahweah an' thin's, clean, yo' know, but still an' all, she'll keep on dat dirty top-piece, until she seen 'er chance tuh git 'im asleep. Now, when she gits ready tuh go, she's got on evahthin' but de dress. Huh hair's all fixed an' evahthin'. She take an' she take 'uh undahweahs, which is uh bloomahs or uh step-in - whatevah yo' call it. She put dat ovah 'is face. She put dat ovah 'is face an' she leave dat stay dere. An' she take an' she covah 'im up, but she covah 'im up tuh here [demonstrates].
(Up to his neck?)
Up tuh his neck, see.
(With the bedclothes?)
Wit de bedclothes. But she's got uh bloomahs in 'is face. See, she's not tryin' tuh smothah 'im or nuthin 'cuz she - if she put too much or put it too heavy on 'im, it would smothah 'im. But she jis' got it where he kin, yo' know, breathe right through dat, yo' undahstan'. Well, now, as he breathin', his eyes, he's already asleep, but 'is eyes git heaviah. An' as he breathes, his heart[?] gits mo' sleepiah. Den he'll sleep dere until she comes in, if it's de nex' mawnin', when she come in. Now, she kin walk out de do' lak nuthin'. She don' have tuh sneak out. She kin walk out de do' jis' lak if he wasn't sleepin'. When she come in, she kin come in de same way. Well, she takes off uh clothes, an' she gits intuh bed, an' she take dat offa his face. Now, when she take dat offa his face, she kin shake him all she wan' tuh. He ain't goin' tuh hardly wake up. She'll git yuh some watah, cold watah. An' when. she git dat cold watah, she put it right backa his neck, an' she'll wake him up.
Entry 9160
Now, if you have to go before the judge, ah tell you what you do. Be fore you go away from your house, you take the chairs and you stand them upside down in the house, every one of them. Don't leave nary a one standing up like the one ah'm settin' in. Turn dem all upside down. An' yo' get yo' some sugah an' cin- namon an' holy oil, that's what you call virgin oil. Yo' get dat from certain drug stores. Yo' can't get it from everywhere. But wherever de place dat yo' can find it, yo' get dat virgin oil, and cinnamon and sugar and yo' mix all dat tuhgethah, don't yo' know. An' put it in some watah an' wash yore face an' hands good - just wash yore face an' hands. Wash all back of yore neck an' ears an' Wash on yore arms. An' turn those chairs upside down before yo' leave home. An' he will really dismiss it.
Entry 7488
Dere's a way dat dey could bury 'im. Ah know dat a personal fact. A frien' of mine got killed an' dey turned 'im on 'is face - dey buried 'im on 'is face. An' it's a known fact dat if somebody killed anybody, an' if yo' bury 'em on dey face an' yo' turn dey haid eastward an' face it westwards, dey can't go nowhere - dey gotta come back. (The fellow that killed him will come back?) Yessiree. It ain't no if about dat business. Dat Big Boy Brown killed a frien' of mine. Big Boy wus a friend of mine an' also dis ole man dat he killed. Ah know becuz ah got in some trouble right chere mahself at de time an' ah had tuh go to jail. Me an' 'im wus in jail at de same time. Had 'im in dere firs' an' ah got in a little trouble aftah.
(This other fellow that killed the old man?)
Yes sir.
Entry 8118
If it's a tintype, why dey kin kill yo' wit de photograph. Take de photograph an' punch holes in it an' bury it on its face.
(Would they punch that hole any particular place?)
Well, some says punch out de eye part of 'em, but ah don't know personally. But ah know 'em not tuh punch de eye part out, jis' through heah [demonstrates], somepin jis' look lak dey stick somepin through de neck of it.
(Right in the throat?)
Uh-hah.
Entry 8163
Take dis pichure - jis' lak me an' yo' go down heah an' take a kodak, a pichure, down heah tuh any place dey take pichures at. Yo' know, dere some places dey take pichures at. An' bury it on it's face, bury dat pichure on its face in de grave. Yo' undahstand, suh? An' [they] say dat pichure will cuz me tuh lingah an' lingah until ah die. Bury it down face, yo' undahstand, on its face.
Entry 8233
Take de photograph an' dey'll put it in- tuh a basin an' dey'll put cologne on it until it change it's face, dat chew'll fall in love wit 'em. Now dat's true. But dey keep it in dat basin till it fades. Yo'll fall in love wit 'em den.
Entry 8259
Take a person's pichure an' shoot it an' dey die. Wheresomevah dey be at, dey'll die.
(Where do they shoot that picture?)
Dey shoot it in de face, anywhere, yo' know.
(Where do they put that picture when they shoot it?)
Have it any place, eny place shoot it.
Entry 992
They was fixed - she was near blind. Somebody had passed their hand on her head. (Had what?) Had passed their hand on her head with something on their hand.
(Had done that?)
And had her near blind. And she goes to a lady and the lady give her some Water, clear water - clear water, blest water. She blest de water and give it to her and made her wash her face and head all the time in it, and she got her sight back all right and she got all right, and the lady turned it back on the person that put it on her.
Entry 1596
If yo' got a bad cold an' yo' nostrils all stopped up - somepin lak dat, yo' kin jes' take yore chamber lye, yore own chamber lye an' wash yore face an' it will help yo'. Some people use it fo' rough skin, dey chamber lye.
Entry 2007
De Southern John de Conker - yo' git dat. Git chew some Heart Cologne an' yo' git chew some five-finger grass - yo' know dat, five-finger grass. Yo kin git favors from anybody wit five-finger grass, yo' know. Five-finger grass, Heart's Cologne an' Southern John de Conker. Put de cologne wit dat an' Jes' put it on yo'self an' when yo' git ready tuh go - jes' bathe yore face lak dat. Yo' jes' take dat yo' know an' rub it ovah yore han' an' face jes lak yo' goin' tuh ask fo' a favor.
(This holy oil - do you use it in addition to the other stuff you are using?)
[Informant had previously mentioned holy oil.]
Right on 'long with it. Yo' jes' do dat in de mawnin' jes' lak yo' goin' out tuh look fo' a job - yo' jes' take some of dat, yo' know, jes' lak anybody goin' grease dere face. We call it down heah - we call it - ah'm tryin' tuh remembah now whut chew call it. But de proper name is holy oil. Well, de Holiness People use it - olive oil. But de proper name - we call it holy oil, but it's olive oil.
Entry 2240
Well, sir, yo' hear tell of de rattlesnake marster. Well, git de roots of hit an' git some Hearts Cologne an' cut it up into a bottle; an' jes' when yo' be round people, be wit people, keep yore face an' hands 'nointed wit it. Say it draws friends an' plenty customers.
Entry 2350
Well, I tried a little thing like that on myself that people advised me to do. I went to work an' got me some Adam-an'-Eve an' got me a root they call twin brothers, an' got me some Hearts Cologne an' put on them. An' when I went to ast fer the job I take it an' rub it on my hands an' rub it on my face. Then I walked up to him an' ast him for the job. An' he's supposed not to deny yah.
Entry 2357
What yo' should do to git de job. Yo' git up in de morning 'fore yo' say anything to anybody, take de night stuff and bath yore face in yore water bath yore face in yore water.
(Your night water?)
Yore water what chew urinate. Yo' take it and yo' bath yore face in it fer three mornings and de third morning you'll git de job, see.
Entry 2416
If yo' got some business, real important business dat yo' want tuh 'tend to an' yo' don't exactly understan' how tuh start at it, yo' git up at twelve or one a'clock at night an' wash yore face. Yo' cook an' make yo' strong coffee an' drink yo' a strong cup of coffee an' make yore wishes whut chew want tuh do de nex' mornin'.
Entry 2711
Take yore urinate an' put sugah in it an' wash from face an' yore haid, down on down, an' give yo' all de luck in de worl'. Everywhere yo' go yo' kin sell anything or jes' git money jes' lak dat [snapping the fingers). [Comment by transcriber who heard fingers snap. So do I hear them.]
Entry 4498
When yuh wash yuh face an' han's, dey kin jes' take a little watah an' ketch some of dat watah an' stop it up befo' yuh throw it out. Dat'll.bring yuh back. An' dey say yuh kin go roun' de cornah [of house? street?] an' dey shake it an' yuh gotta come back.
Entry 6261
Dey'll fool roun' an' soon git a scissor [or] somepin an' cut off some of yore hair. Git dat hair an' put nine pins wit it an' some graveyard dirt an' hang it up in a tree. An' in nine days, eight or nine days, yo' loses yore mind. Well, dere's a way tuh stop dat, ef dey git it [your hair] an' yo' ketch de idea dat dey got it [your hair] befo' it's too late, or aftahyo go to de [doctor] an' bring yo' back [how to cure yourself]. Yo' kin go tuh de drag store an' buy dis ole rose watah an' mastah dat rose watah.
(How do you mean master it?)
Yo' kin go tuh de drug store an' buy yo' some old rose watah - smells good - a' yo' mastah it. [Mix it with] a quart of watah an' a teaspoonful of table malt. An' yo' use dat on yore head an' at nighttime. If yo' don't want'a do dat, yo' kin git chew somepin on yo' dat chew kin do without buyin'. Well, yo' arah [urine] penetrates through yo', yo' know. Well, YO' TAKE A PINCH OF SALT A'KETCH YORE WATAH WHILE IT'S HOT AT NIGHT, AN' PUT IT ON YORE HEAD 'FORE YO' 00 TUH BED, AN' ON YORE FACE. WELL, DAT HAIR WILL FALL OUT OF DAT TREE. YeS, su, hit'll fall out of dat tree. Dey run yo' crazy when dey hangs dat up dere. IF SOMEBODY DON'T BE SO BRIGHT, T'S GOIN' STAY UP IN DERE. As long as it stays up in dere, yo'll goin' [lose yoar mind]. [I turned off machine here and had to repeat substance of informant's words S y following statement.] (If you do that at night, then this spell will be turned back on the other person.)
Entry 6642
Dey say, jis¹ lak dey use a rattlesnake, dey use a scorpion, jis' git Dey say, jis¹ 1 de hide an' put it up [to dry]. An' yo' know, jis' lak a han'ke'chuff, sompin lak dat, lay on it an' de dust. Yo' see when dey dry it, it has dust. An' say jis' lak ah walk up tuh yo' an' hit chew in de face wit dis, cross yore nose, an' dat dust would go inside of yo'. An' dey say dat would cuz scorpions or eithah rattlesnakes tuh come on de inside of yo'. [There are a number of the handkerchief tricks in Hoodoo - with snake dust, perfume, etc.]
Entry 6778
[I know] evahthin' about it. Yo' take yo' some vinegah an' dirt daub- ah, yo' see, an' yo' mix it up jis' lak a salve-lak, yo' see, an' lay it on yore face wit a rag, yo' see. Plastah it on yore face. Dat bring dat swellin' down.
Entry 7073
De dirty things. Well, yo' kin take yore undahweah, whut chew weah close to yo' - sompin lak dat. Dey say, yore slip, or yore step-ins. An' when he be asleep jis' lay it 'cross 'is face, an' he sleep till yo' come back.
Entry 7169
A woman kin have her husban' an' jis' go - it's lak he's workin' at night, an' he be here sleepin' an' she may wanta go off, yo' see, wit some other man or somepin othah. An' she - aftah he goes tuh sleep, she wan's tuh keep 'im asleep. She kin take a plate an' a knife an' fork, an' put it undah de head of dat bed right dere. De knife an' fork cross- ed in de plate undah de head of de bed. She kin put a candle undah de foot of dat bed an' light it, an' take her shimmy or 'er petticoat or somepin lak dat, an' hang it right up ovah 'is face - say prob'ly eight or ten inches from 'is face. An' he'll be sleepin' right dere when she come back home an' wake him up. He won' even wake up while she's gone. She be gone all day an' he'll sleep all day.
(She puts the candle on the foot of the bed?)
Yes, sir, puts de candle right on de foot. Yes, sir, he'll sleep.
(A candle of any particular color or just any kind of candle?)
Oh, jis' git dese big white - two for a nickel candles. [This was back in 1937 during the Great Depression!] Go dere an' buy a candle.
(All right, I see.)
See, she's going tuh make it back dere befo' dat candle goes out.
(I see.)
NOW, DIS IS BY EXPERIENCE. I SAW MAH BROTHAH'S WIFE DO DIS. See. An' she tol' me, say, "Brothah, he don' wan' me tuh go up tuh 'is mothah, " she say, "an' ah'm goin' an' ah know whut tuh do tuh keep 'im asleep." I SAY, "WELL, DO ANY- THIN' YO' WANTA DO ONLY DON'T KILL 'IM." An' ah sits dere an' looked at 'er do dis an' ah walked out an' set on dose row boats right ovah dere across de river in Bellpoint 'till she come back. An' when she come back, I come on ovah dere an' meet 'er an' went in de house, an' de candle done burned down about dat much [demonstrates]. An' he jis' alayin' dere dead to de world. An' she did all dem thin's.
(What did you say? Bell - where is that?)
Bellpoint. It's a li'le small town jis' across de rivah.
(Over in Louisiana?)
Yes, sir - tothah [the other] end of de bridge.
(I see.)
Entry 7260
Tuh separate a man an' 'is wife, yuh git dis oil dat dey call de Wizard Oil [demonstrates].
(Take this Wizard Oil and wipe your hand with it.)
No, dere hand wit hit an' rub it on 'is face, see an' hair. An' when he git in conversation wit de woman, if he kin git 'er tuh yield tuh 'im - he come tuh kiss 'er, hold 'er by de hand, he kin git 'er so dat she hate her husband an' be where he is all de time. See, cuz dat jis' draws de woman from 'er husban' tuh 'im. Ah've been tole dat. (Where do you get this Hizard Oil?) Well, some people makes it. Ah've been tole dat some people know how tuh make it. An' some gits it from diff'ren' places. [Washington, D. C., (638), 826:1.] [Until 1936, the year following the publication of my first edition of Folklore from Adams County Illinois (2nd ed., 1965), I neither knew nor suspect- ed there was a folklore about murder. In the first edition of FACI - abbrevia- tion used in present Hoodoo for preceding book - the act of murder occurs 8 times: (1) in a dream, No.6305; (2) omen of future murder from wedding dress, 7268; (3) site of murder an unlucky place for playing cards, 8931; (4) a black informant had heard about bringing back murderer by writing a letter, but could not explain how it was done, 9176; (5) dropping umbrella on floor a sign of fu- ture murder in that house, 10174; (6) murderer revisits scene of crime, 10279; (7) murderer unable to sleep facing the east, the sun [Son], 10280; and (8) if you talk about murder every day for 6 months [a folkway of saying if murder be- comes an obsession], you'll be hanged for murder, 10650. The Index in FACI (1st ed.) under Murder also says: see bloodstain, hoodoo and witchcraft, spirits. I will divide MURDER into 2 PartS: HOW MURDERER CAN ESCAPE, and HOW MURDERER CAN BE CAUGHT. This separation of course can not be absolute, because some inform- ants will give both escape and caught aspects of murder in the same statement. The final aspect of MURDER, the TRIAL, is reserved for COURT CASES later. [Obviously a murderer will use any method he has ever heard of to escape cap- ture by the law. If he has time and knows about one, he may stop at the house of a wise woman or witchcrafter or hoodoo for aid, but usually such professional assistance is not called in until the trial. Some doctors, especially the cele- brated Doctor Buzzard (p.891), specialized in all types of criminal work. Here, however, follow a few of the magic devices supposed to help a murderer in flight.]
Entry 7275
When dey kill a man, if he fall on 'is face, why if he fall on 'is face lak dat, yo' step like dis [demonstrates] step backwards ovah him. If he fall any way [you step backwards over him], but more specially if he fall on 'is face lak dat. Yo' come round dis way [demonstrates] an' step back- wards ovah him. Dey won't ketch yo'.
Entry 7418
(You lay this dead man on his face?)
On 'is face. An' de person whut done it dey can't stay away, if yo' lay 'im on 'is face. But if yo' don't lay 'im on 'is face, yo' will nevah git de per- son what done it. If yo' lays 'im on de face an' put a fork in dere han' - any kin'a [fork] yes, but not de fork dat yo' done eat wit churesel'. Yo' puts it 'cross jes' lak dis [demonstrates] in each one of de han's, an' lay 'im, de whole body, right down on de face.
(Do you use one fork or two?)
Two. Cross it in both han's. An' if it won't lay in de hands, jes' tie it aroun' dere han's, cuz see, dey dead, an' lay dem on dey face. Dey [murderer] cain't git away from yo' to save dey life. [Cross the hands of the corpse, each hand holding a fork, so that the forks also cross. This creates the double-cross.1
Entry 7437
I would git a fresh yard egg from a frizzly hen an' I would take an' place it in dis man's right han', de dead man's right han', an' I would bury 'im on 'is face. An' aftah nine days he be in de groun', de egg would bust an' dis man would come an' give himself up.
Entry 7449
If de man daid an' dey wanta know who killed 'im. Well, dey take dis daid man an' put a aig in each one of 'is han's an' yo' bury'i on 'is face. De person dat done dat will return an' acknowledge dat dey did dat. Dat's whut dey tell me.
Entry 7450
Put an egg in each hand of the murdered man, bury him face doon, and that will bring murderer back.
Entry 7463
This is only a small parable I want to give as an idea. If a young girl would go out wit some boy [if] he would drown this girl. Af- ter this girl had been drowned, she would rise in three day's time. All right. They go to some foreteller an' she say, "Yes, that's what you want." Well, the final facts - if the people want to see the facts - wants this boy to do the same thing that this girl did, commit suicide. Yo' may go to work an' take a rope, before buryin' dis girl, an' place aroun' 'er neck. Tie it, bring through each arm an' tie each arm.
(Tie her arms behind her?)
No, tie 'em down.
(I see, tie them down.)
The next knot goes in around her waist, but a piece of new rope. Then tie the legs together. May look an' git two black hen eggs, put in each hand an' cross 'em up in each hand. Bury the girl on 'er face. In nine days time or five days, this fellow will be floatin' round the same place where this girl was picked up from.
Entry 7464
Bury 'im on 'is face wit a aig in each han' an' tie him wit a piece of seagrass rope. Dat wuz done heah not so long ago right in dis town, ovah de ri- vah at least. (What will that do then?) Dat'll make 'im come back an' give himself up. (You tie that on his hands or?) Tie de feets togethah wit dat piece of seagrass rope, an' dey han's wit de two aigs. Not at dey face, but dere han's wit de two aigs, an' dey'll sho' come back. Any kinda chicken aigs, hen aigs, yo' know.
(You bury the man on his back?)
On 'is face.
Entry 7466
If a man killed somebody an' run away, yo' will take de daid one an lay 'im on 'is face. An' yo' git three fresh aigs an' put one in each han'. Put one in each one of 'is han's an' lay one undah heah, right up undah his chin heah. Lay 'im on 'is face, de daid one. Dat's if yo' cain't identify de fellah, yo' lay de dead one on 'is face an' put one dem fresh aigs in each han' an' lay de one right undah his neck heah undah his face. If dat man, if he won' come back dere, he be put where he kin be seen.
Entry 7849
Lak dey wanted tuh trick yo' or wanted tuh put sompin in yo' [poison you], well, dey go tuh de graveyard yo' see, an' git graveyard dust. Den dey take dat graveyard dust an' put some red peppah in it, an' sew it up, an' walk in de no'th cornah of dat house an' hide it; but dey have tuh put it in between somepin dat it Wouldn't be seen. An' den when dey walk, dey walk backwards wit dere face tuh de wall of dat house till dey got tuh de centah of de do'. When dey got tuh de centah of de do', dey turn aroun' an' walk on. An' wit'in a short while dat dust, why it will eithah draw yo' or send yo'.
(According to what you want done.)
Yessuh, jes' 'cordin' tuh what chew want done. If yo' want it tuh draw yo', den yo' turn aroun', see. If yo' want it tuh send yo', yo' walk backwards. An' when yo' turn, don' turn tuh de right, but tuh de left.
Entry 8008
Lak dis - now yo' take a doll baby. Co'se dat doll baby could not belong tuh yo'. It might belong to yo' kid or sompin lak dat. Well, dey take de doll baby. Dey might take dat doll [owned by yo' kid], ight steal it from yo'. Might take dat doll baby an' stick one pin in de cor- nah of dis side of 'er mouth, an' stick a li'le stick pin in dat side of 'er mouth. See, stick one undah her lip, see, an' stick one intuh her nose, an' one in de temple - right temple. Dat will run yo' crazy. Dere a lotta way tuh run yo' crazy.
Entry 8048
Yo' know what dat candle's fo'? (No.) Dat candle's fo' gamblin' purposes. (Well, how would you prepare any- thing of that sort?) Bell, if yo' kin git de bone of a dead person - de bes' thing dat yo' kin use from a dead person, if yo' kin git dat bridge of de nose, what's in a person here. If yo' would put it in... [I interrupt.]
(You mean the bridge of the nose?)
Yes, dat bridge in de nose. If yo' kin git dat an' take dat an' put it in, go tuh an' make a novena[!] ovah dat, an' burn two candles. (Well, after you get that bridge of the nose, where do you make that novena? In your home or in the church?) In yuh home.
(In your home. Then what do you do?)
Den yo' set two candles tuh burn.
(You mean two candles before, or near it, or what?)
Two candles ovah it - undah whatevah yo' got de candles in burnin', have it. Have whatevah yo' got de candles in big enough so dat de wax from de candle will rum right down in dat containah what it's settin' in. An' have dis bridge of de Dose undah dat containah. Yo' undahstan'? An' let dose two candles burn out ovah dat.
(What sort of candles do you use in a case of that sort?)
Yo' kin use two white candles.
(I see. All right, go ahead.)
An' yo' wrap dat bridge of de nose of dat person wit one piece of garlic. Divide it an' tie it aroun' de bridge of dat nose, an' sew it in red flannel. An' let dat person keep dat piece of - dat in dat pocket, an' when dey go tuh a gamblin' house, or any place tuh gamble, rub dat ovah dere hands an' den rub dere hands ovah dere face, an' put it back in dere pocket. An' dat's all dey've got mah do wit it.
(That's a gambling hand?)
It's a gamblin' hand.
(I see.)
Entry 8099
Take de photograph an' put it befo' yo' face a certain time, certain hour of de day, whichevah hour yo' sets. Some of 'em sets seven in de mawnin', which dey claims dat's best. Set dat photo befo' yo' evah mawnin' an' curse it. Point chore fingah at it an' curse it, dey say, whatevah curse yo' may wish, fer seven mawnin's, an' bury it upon its face, face downwards, an' dat curse will come true.
Entry 8142
Well, lak if dey got enemy people an' dey have a tintype pichure of de person whut dey tryin' tuh do hahm [harm] tuh, well dey'll take dat pichure out tuh de forks of de road, an' yo'll bury dat pichure wit de face down. An' de person whut dey doin' hahm tuh yuh, as dat face is down, dey will always have a upstirred mind, an' dey'll feel lak dat dey wan'a kill dem- selves. But dere is a way outa dat, wit dis pichure buried. Dey got two-headed people - in our, all diff'ren' towns - kin do away wit dat wit'out gittin' de pichure, by goin' gittin' methods from de whut choo call de fortunetellah people. Dey got methods fo' dat, dat 'casion [occasion]. [This is my only example of a two-header having to consult fortunetellers for methods. Here, this shows the tendency in Hoodoo to rid itself of the twoheader badge by replacing it with fortumeteller and other names, all of which were old. Was the term twoheader originally a white or a black word?]
Entry 8165
Take yo' photograph an' take an' bury it in de cemetery an' bury it lak [dem- onstrates]. Jes' lak if yo' got, [not] ef yo' die Christian. Dey'll bury it in a sinnah's grave.
(Down in the chest.)
Yes, right in de chest an' dat jes' - dat got chew.
(What will that do to you?)
Oh! Run yo' stone crazy. Git chure mind out chew, yo' know.
(How do they bury that?)
Dey bury it on de face.
Entry 8281
Ah've heard of a person takin' anothah person's pichure, a pichure of 'em, if dey dislak 'em, an' takin' it in de woods an' bo'in' [boring] a hole in dere an' stickin' de pichure in de tree, face downwards, an' den shootin' holes in it. Ah've heard of dat. An' dey'll soon die.
Entry 8299
Dey could do two things tuh yo' [with photograph]. Dey could kill yo' or dey could drive yo' away.
(Suppose somebody wants to kill me, now?)
Bury it face downwards.
(Bury the photograph with the face down?)
Yes.
(Well, suppose you want to drive me away?)
Well, if dey wanta drive yo' away, dey bury it standin'; yo' heah [in the interviewing room of Eureka Hotel, for blacks, see v.1, p. XxxIII]. Bury it standin' up, wit de face away from yo'. No, not on its haid, jis' lak it is standin' upward, lak dis pichure heah. Wit de face away.
Entry 8327
Nail it tuh de.tree - nail de face up tuh a tree. In othah words, nail it up backwards, an' dat supposed tuh run 'em crazy.
Entry 8938
Yo' go an' git some - his [one of thief'sl han'ke'chef. Dat [handkerchief] chew wipe yer sweat wit, an' put some cologne on it. Wrop 'em [handkerchief] up tight. Wrop 'em up in yer han' an' dat will 'fect chew [the thief].
(Well, how can you do it, if you don't know who stole those articles?)
[Informant ignores or does not understand my question.]
An' when yo' go tuh dis court, yo' start tuh wipe yer face wit it.
(But what about the person that steals something from you?)
Well, dat would be de same.
(Well, how would you know that this is the person that stole it from you?)
Becuz he be roun' yo', he come tuh yo' an' pick talk wit chew, an' ast [ask] chew: Ain't chew lost sompin? Yo' say, Yes.
Entry 9066
Well, dis jes' lak dis now, tuh change de judge mind. When it time fo' yuh co't - people talk about Hearts Cologne but dat stuff stands fer a lotta things, dis yere Hearts Cologne. Well, yo' take dat. Take a li'le dat Hearts Cologne an' yo' sprinkle it in de band of yo' hat. All right. Yo' take a li'le an' yo' put it intuh de mole [mold] of yo' haid, see. All right. Yo' take a li'le of it on yer fingah an' yo' smeah it across yo' chin. All right. Yo' put some on both sides of yuh face. See. All right. Den yo' drink de rest. An' dat's [that]. Jes' what chew ask de judge tuh do, he will come yer way.
Entry 10142
Git dat same oil whut ah wuz speakin' of jis' a minute ago. Ah did nah fathah dat-a-way when he left [this part of the country]. Ah took dat same oil an' rubbed 'im wit it, an' he spent de night in mah sis- ter's home. He walked right on out de street, an' de sher- iff wuz lookin' fo' 'im. He nevah did come back. Went tuh Texas an' nevah come back.
[I now repeat what informant had said before recording began.]
(You took some of this oil that came from the black cat when you boiled it. [Most black-cat oil comes from hoodoo shop!] You had to rub some all over him. Then he had to stay some night, 13 hours in one night, at some place before he vent?) Yes sir. It wuz jis' rubbed on 'is face. Yo' can't track dat. [For black axt oil see also No.1121, p.417, v.1.]
Entry 10623
De Adam-an'-Eve root, yo' takes de Eve [part] an' yo' takes it an' yo' weah it in yore pocket. If not dat, chew take a lil' root chew call - dat lil' root chuh call Adam. [Adam-and-Eve are on the same root.] Yo' take dis lil' root an' yo' take dese three needles an' yo' break 'em all three in three pieces, each one needle broke in three pieces. Well, dat supposed tuh be nine pieces. Yo' takes dis root an' dese needles an' let 'em stay in dis root three days. Takes dese needles from dis root an' throw it in runnin' watah [I inter- rupt]... (You throw the needles in the running water?) In runnin' watah. Yo' take dis dime an' puts it wit dis root an' tie it back up, an' if yo' goin' out fo' luck or anything, yo' wipes it 'cross yore face - wipes it 'cross yore face an' haid. An' takes de root an' puts it up, keep it from bein' annoyed - [anyone] git atter [get after] dis root - if yo' wanta have any luck.
Entry 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 12162
Well, now, ah heard - now, yo' kin take some kind of dat oil dey call de holy oil. Dey kin take dat an' 'noint all ovah dey face 'fore dey goes. So when dey git dere, yo' know de boss, he might kinda drag a little bit, but he'll give 'em a job. He'll tell 'em, say, "Come back, yo'll be sure to git a job." He'll tell 'em come back an' dey git de job.
(Where do they get that holy oil?)
Ah don't know where they git it from, but dey has it.
Entry 12485
If murdered man falls on face, turn him on his back, step over him, and you will not be caught. [Mobile 974:6.]
Entry 12480
Bury murdered person across de world and on his face to bring back murderer. [Charleston 641:10.]