Subject:Fingers
Other forms: Finger
Entries
Entry 2832
Yo' take an' git chew a candle an' yo' git chure lan'lord's name. Yo' fin' out de enemy whut's 'ginst yo'. Yo' take an' git chew a bran'-new tablet, linen tablet without de little lines. Yo' git chew a bran'-new indelibins [indelible] pencil [occasionally called indelicate], a bran'-new pencil have nevah been used. Yo' pull up yore sleeve an' jes' draw [demonstrates] from heah right roun' disaway - fingers.
(Outlining the fingers of your hand right on this tablet.)
Yas. Right on de tablet clean roun' to de j'ints heah, all right up dis way.
(Right up to the wrist.)
Den, aftah yo' git yore han' drawed off, yo' start markin' from yore thum' to de j'ints of yore fingers, wit little x's wit de lead pencil, an' den follow behin' 'em wit de indelibins pencil. In de pa'm of yo' han' yo' put fo' lines or five lines [for five fingers]. Yo' git all yo' enemies' names dat is 'ginst yo'. Yo' put 'em cross yore lines dat way. Den yo' put yore lan'lord up heah cross dese fo' fingers. Yo' place yore name on top of it to de heel of yore han'. (Your name will cross at right angles - cross all those names, making the form of an "x" like that. In a cross?) Yeah, yo' see [demonstrates] disaway. Dat's de way it work. Dem's de lines. Yore lan'lord heah, yo' enemy's heah. Den you take yore name an' draw it right through de middle of it dataway, right down dis way to de heel of yore han'. Den yo' git chew a candle an' git chew a papah of gold-eye needles.
(What kind of candle do you get? What color?)
Red. Git red. Yo' git chew a papah of gold-eye needles, a papah of large pins: Git chew nickel wuth new ten-penny nails. Yo' jes' set yore candle down an' den yo' take yo' a pair pliers an' grip dose needles an' shove 'em through an' make crosses in em [candles] dataway from de stem to de bottom, mix 'em up with de needles an pins. Den yo' light chure candle ovah dat han' on de dresser or wash-stand [which become an altar], somepin lak dat, or a center table, an' set it down dat way. [All of this is demonstrated.] Den yo' make yore wishes. When yo' git ready tuh put de candle out, don't blow it out, yo' ketch it an' pinch it to yo'. Yo burn it from five tuh ten tuh fifteen minutes. It goes up eve'y mawnin, don't yo' see, until it burns out. In de meantime when de candles is burnin' an' de needles an' pins is fallin out, leave 'em lay dere till de candle burn down. An'den joo got chure lan'lord.
(They can' t move you out of the house?)
Nawsuh, dey cain't move yuh.
(Do you light this candle at any particular time?)
Yassuh, yo' must light it on a time. Yo' see, yo' mus' light it in de mawnin' when de sun risin'. See, when de sun risin' yo' light chure candle an' yo' burn it. Yo' start at five minute up, as high as yo' wanta go, tuh twenty minute or twenty-five minute, yo' see. An' den yo' set dere an' make yore wishes as de candle burn. Hold yore watch on yore candle or yore clock, so yo' won't delay it none - yo' see, yo' won't run ovah yore minutes. Yo' see? Always put it on, on de exact minute. When de five minutes is out, put it out; or de ten minutes is out, put it out. Don't blow it out. Take yore fingah or yore thum' an' 'pit [spit] an' lay it on de stem [wick] an' pinch it ovah to yo' - break it off to yo' dat way, see. Den yo' got him.
(How long do you burn this candle? Until it burns all the way down?)
Till it burns all de way down. Yo' burn two an' dat's all. [For outline of hand or fingers, see 1988, p.583 & Index.]
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 3836
Well, dey say yo' take a piece of string, not a rag string but a cotton string yo' know, an' yo' tie a knot. Now, evahone says if yo' wan'a man tuh love yuh, or a woman, yo' kin jes' squeeze dat little thing [finger] on yore lef' han' [demonstrates]. (Squeeze the little finger on the left hand.) Squeeze it till it git kinda dead [numb], yo' know. Den yo' take a needle an' jes' keep pickin' till yo' git one drop of blood. An' yo' take dat drop of blood an' put a little bit on all nine of dem knots, an' weah it roun' yore waist. Dey'll run crazy ovah yo'.
(You take that blood from your own finger?)
Yes.
Entry 3837
I heard say yo' kin take a match an' trim de haid all off real close, sharpen 'er right down on dat point, an' pick yore fingah wit it an' carry it. An' if yo' stick it in a girl enough fo' it tuh bleed, dey say dat she'll love yo'. Den keep de match stem wit de blood on it.
Entry 3841
In case of a man an' 'is wife separatin', well yo' kin set down some- time an' pinch de end of yore fingah or anywhere enough tuh git blood, enough tuh write wit. Git chew a pen an' use it [blood] as a ink, an' write chure name an' 'is name an' weah it right ovah heah, ovah yore lef' side, ovah yore heart. He'll come back.
Entry 3844
Prick yo' fingah an' git chure blood.
(Which finger?)
Dis fingah [demonstrates].
(The finger with the ring on, the ring finger of the left hand.)
Dat's it. Yo' prick it an' yo' git chure blood an' yo' write his name full an' yore [woman'sl name full. Den yo' make three rings aroun' dat wit de blood. An' yo' fold dat papah, yo' know, dis way, de two ends in, an' yo' bury it undah de no'th end of de house. Dat'll bring a person back tuh yo' regardless tuh who it is. It'll make him come back tuh dat pahtic'lah place. Dat'll bring anybody back. (If your husband has left, if you put the two names together.)
Entry 3846
Yo' take de firs' fingah from de lef' han' an' yo' take a new needle an' yo' stick dis fingah [demonstrates].
(The index finger of the left hand.) Yes, an' yo' git three drops of blood an' it will bring love. (What do you do with that blood after you get it?)
Entry 4397
[Fingers crossed or interlocked to prevent a dog from completing an action started, I first reported in 1935, in FACI, 1st ed., 2022, p.94; 2nd ed., 2231-2233, P.89.] Well, now dat's whut chew call cuttin' 'em off. (You call cutting them off?) Dat's right. See, yuh take a person doin' business. See [demonstrates] yuh ketch dat fingah dis way.
(YOU INTERLOCK YOUR TWO INDEX FINGERS, KEEPING YOUR FINGERS CROSSED.)
Dat's right, dataway. Well, long as yuh hold dat, well dere's no business dey kin do.
(They can't pass their bowels?)
No sir, dere bowels won't pass.
Entry 4398
When yuh ketch a man goin' tuh de toilet - yuh git 'im goin' tuh de toilet, goin' tuh do sompin - jis' take yuh fingahs jis' lak dis [demonstrates].
(When you get a man going to the toilet, you crook your two little fingers together and pull tight.)
Pull tight, yes. [He stops talking.]
(Yes?) [This means continue.]
An' he cain't do a thing.
(He can't do a thing, I see.)
No. (You just hook your two little fingers together - just hook them together and pull them tight, when you see him going to the toilet.) He cain't do nuthin. He cain't do a thing.
Entry 4399
Take some borax, alum, salt an' do yuh fingahs disaway, put it [the three things] right dere [demonstrates]. (You put that [mixture] right on the index finger and then you lock your fingers.) An' yuh unloose 'em, yuh take it an' put it heah; an' do dat wit chure little fingah [auto horn sounds outside]. Dey tell me dese locks an' [demonstrates]. (The forefingers [in- dex fingers] inter- locked lock the bowels and the little fingers interlock them.) Yes sir. (I see. And to lock them put that substance under your index finger and to unlock them you put it under your little finger.) Dat's right. Lock an' lunlock.
Entry 5405
Now, say if yo' got'a employah - sompin lak dat - an' he's gittin' bad wit chah an' yo' wan's tuh git 'em down. Wall, yo' kin - don' git 'is track goin' from yuh, git 'is track comin' tuh yuh. Jis' take yore fingah an' pick up 'is track dat way, de right-foot track an' put it in yore han'. Take some sulphuh an' sugah wit it an' sew it in a sack, an' 'noint dat track wit Hearts Cologne an' jes' tote it in yore pocket. An' he'll come calm.
(He becomes quiet.)
Yes.
(His mind changes toward you.)
Entry 5406
Take two of yore fingahs, or one be all right. Take two an' draw de dust back tuh yo' from de toe. Start at de toe an' draw it tuh yo' an' turn roun' an' lay dis up ovah de do'. Den yo' be boun' tuh stay dere.
(Which foot track do you do that with?)
Yore right.
Entry 5407
Dat is, if it's a woman an' yo' wan' 'er tuh visit dis place here, yo' see. Yo' kin always have her tuh come here by dat foot track, if it's any way dat de foot track, if it's been rainin' data- way, if de soil is soft enough fo' yo' tuh gathah some of dat up wit dese two fingahs. See, takin' de length of 'er feet dataway an' drawin' 'em slightly dis way [demonstrates].
(Take the thumb and the little finger.)
Dat's right, see.
(Of the left hand or right hand?)
Right hand, see. Drawin' 'em slightly dis way [demonstrates].
(You catch it up between those two fingers.)
Yes sir, an' aftah pickin' it up, yo' see, take dat an' bury it undah yore step where yo' live at, where yo' wan' 'er tuh follah.
(I see.)
An' she be accustomary woman come in dere - yo' understan' daily.
(I see. Just take that one pinch?)
Yes sir.
Entry 5408
Take yore foot track - see, yore right track, take dese two fingahs right chere [demonstrates].
(Which hand?)
De right hand.
(The thumb and the forefinger.)
An: dey go down in de middle of yore tracks an' git a pinch of dat dirt three time right in de middle of yore tracks. Put it in dat cologne bottle. Put it half fulla watah an' bury it undah yore do'. Evah mawnin' yo' be tuh 'er house. (The woman does this to a man, so that he will come to her house.)
Entry 5410
Well, ah've heard dis about dat. Ah've heard dat - co'se ah've tried dat. Yo' goes, jis' lak ah'm goin' dis road, walkin' disaway. All right, if yo' wants tuh win a person, jis' lak a game or sompin lak dat. If yo' wanta change de way she gwine, jis' go an' take yore fingah [demonstrates], jes' lak if mah track is turned lak dis, ah'm gwine disaway. Take de fingah an' put it right in de hollah of yore feet - in de hollah of de feet of de track - jis' lak dat, three fingahs. All right, den yo' take it up wit yore three fingahs an' take an' put it in a rag, an' tote it in yore pocket an' yo' have dem dataway.
(You'll have the other person.)
Entry 5450
Ah knowed a fellah once said if yo' watch a gurl [girl] - he said if she stepped in de sand, he said take three fingahs, dip down in de sand li' cat [like that], jerk it back tuh yuh an' say de words 'ah got chah, '' he said. An'yo'ta'cat [take that] sand an' take it tuh de graveyard, an' git some graveyard dirt an' put it lit it. Den yo' take it an' tie it in a bag, an' bury it in de bottom of a dirt spring - a spring wit a sof' [soft] bottom tuh it - where dis gurl drinks outa, see. An'.yo'll have de gurl so da' she [that she] couldn't leave yuh. She'd have tuh stay wit chew all de time. [Baltimore, Md., (154).61:4.]
Entry 5463
Dey says if yo' take yore fingah, reach from hollah of de foot tuh de heel, dey take dat dirt up [demon- strates]. (YOu PUT THE INDEX FIN- GER AT THE HOLLOW AND the thumb at the heel and bring it together. Take up a pinch of that dirt. Out of either foot?) De right foot. An' yo' kin take dat den an' put 'em tuh wandahin' - trailin' [a rare word].
(What would you do with that dirt after you got it?)
Well, dey say dat yo' mix a li'le graveyard dirt wit it. Dey kin kill yo' wit it or else dey kin put yo' tuh travelin'. Take dat dirt an' sprinkle it wit nine new needles right in de direction yo' wan' 'em to go. If de house heah, dat yo' wanta run 'em from, yo' go right dere in front dat house an' put dat dirt. Say dat will run 'em. (Now I am not quite certain about those nails. You take this dirt from the foot and some of this graveyard dirt. And then you take nails or needles?) Kin take needles an' nails.
(How do you drive them - into the ground or what?)
Yeah into de ground. An' den nine new pins, an' needles wit it, but chew put dem needles between dem nine nails.
(That will make them go away.)
Entry 5573
Now, if yo' wan'a make someone run someone 'way from town - wanta git 'en outa town, run 'em 'way less den twenty-fo' hours - yo' go an' pick up dere track. But don' pick up de track behin' dem, pick up de track from de toe tuh de heel, both tracks. An' go tuh de lef'-han' cornah of de house an' write his name in dere. Tell 'im tuh, "Go. 1
(Write his name in his tracks? How do you write that? With what?)
Yo' write it wit yore han', yo' know wit yore fingah, see - right in de sand, see. Well, yo' pick up de track, write in de sand an' call 'is name an' say, "Henry, go." An' walk tuh de lef'-han' cornah of de house, backwards fo' steps, an' throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah. In twenty-fo' hours he'll leave town - anybody will.
(You take both tracks or just one?)
Take both tracks. (And what do you call the left-hand side of the house? Suppose I am coming in the front now. What would you call the left-hand side? Is it coming in or going out?) Dis de lef'-han' side of de house, it's a case of - yo' undahstan' now. If ah'm comin' dis way an' if ah pick up dis track disaway. Weli, ah'm goin' dis way. Well, if ah pick up dis track comin' dis way, dis is de lef side of de house.
Entry 5756
Well, yo' see de foot track, takin' de foot track [demonstrates] wit dis fingah an' de tum' [thumb] an' jis' drawin' it tuh yo' dat way.
(That's the left hand with the thumb and the finger next to the index finger.)
Drawin' it tuh yo' dat way, pinch it tuhgethah. Take dat back an' put it in- tuh a bottle an' put nine needles in dere, nine needles in dat bottle; cinnamon powdah mixed in dat wit chamber lye of de woman. Buryin' it or put it in a very close place where she won't find it. If she a woman 'custom [accustomed] tuh bein' away from home an' stayin' away from home, she will come 'custom tuh stay at home.
(You take this dirt out of either foot track?)
Yessuh, eithah foot track. But de foot track must be prints in de groun' dat is damp, yo' undahstan'. De foot track must be prints yo' see.
Entry 6170
Ah have heard from people dat chew could go to de fork of de road an' see all kind of scarey things lak dat an' people kin fix yo' lak dat. (How would they fix you like that?) Well, dey kin take - some people take yore hair an' den prick one of yore fingahs till it bleed, git three drops of blood, an' have yo' crazy where yo' jis' walk a lot. (I want you to tell me the details. What would they do with that three drops of blood they got from your finger?) Dey takes it an' put it on yore hair an' dey take it an' sew it up an' dey kin fix yo' dataway where yo' won't even love no woman or anything lak dat.
(Well, what do they do with that hair then, after they put that blood on it?)
Well, dey kin wear it. (Well, now a person would get my hair and then put her blood on my hair and sew it up?) Shure, an' den yo' begin to love nobody but 'er.
Entry 6453
Yo' kin take yo' a per- son's fingahnails - jis' lakmah fingahnails, yo' know. Git de fingahnails, jis' take de fin- gahnails. All right, yo' kin take dem fingahnails an' go tuh a graveyard wit 'em, an' put dem fingahnails down [Bury them] in de graveyard. An' let dem fingahnails soak dere fo' 'bout nine days, until dey come tuh be soft. When it's soft, den yo' go dere an' take it up. Yo' see, when yo' take it, yo' turn den an' go git chew a small piece of rusty tin. Yo' go dere den an' yo' git chew a small piece of rusty tin, see. An' yo' take dose fingahnails, yo' see, an' yo' put it in wit dat piece of tin. Yo' see [demonstrates], heah's de piece of tin on de bottom an' yo' got dis fingahnail. Spread it roun' dere, see kinda in a curve jis' lak dis. Undahstan'? All right. Yo' take dat piece of tin an' yo' rolls it up jis' lak dat [demonstrates]. Yo' roll it jis' as tight as yo' kin git it. Well, yo' tie dat piece of tin yo' see an' [you tie] dis person dat's intahferin' wit chew, bothahin' wit chew an' yo' cain't res' from 'em. See, dere fingahs will draw down jis' lak dat [demon- strates].
(They will turn up.)
Turn up, cramp up: Dey won' have no mo' use in dey han's.
(What do you do with that tin after you roll it up that way?)
Well, yo' leave it in dere [the graveyard], see. Yo' take de tin an' yo' take dis an' yo' take it an' carry it tuh de foot of a tree. See, an' yo' bury it. Yo' take yore axe an' yo' clip off a li'le piece lak dat. Let it be down in de groun' an' back it up, right up tuh de side of de foot of dat tree an' let it stay dere. Let it stay right dere. An' 'long as dat stay dere, yore fingahs will - well, dat piece of tin will bend mo' hitself. Well, when yo' do dat, yo' say, "Ah'm doin' dis In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, dat ah may konkah [conquer] yo'." Den jis' bend down lak dat. [Fingers become magical- ly crippled not only by the bent tin, but also by the tangled tree roots.]
Entry 6501
An' take de dust an' put it in a glass, an' put some vinegah on it an' salt, an' dat will fix 'em. (What will that do to them? Suppose they took this dust from my fingernail. What would that do to me then?) Dat will make yo' wandahing.
Entry 6522
Dey take dem toenails, jis' trim 'em. Take dem toenails an' yo' parch dem toenails up, an' de fingahnails tuhgethah. Jis' - now, yo' got two fingahs on yo' fingahs dat is valuable. (What are those?) Dem's dese here [demonstrates]. (The thumb and the finger next to it?) Yes sir, an' yo' parch 'em up, an' if yo' drink whiskey, dey put 'em in dere. An' yo' put some of dat in dat whiskey. Let it set today, tonight. Den yo' be friends. An' yo' urinate, an' de las' dat uri- nate an' likkah, drap it [in] dere. An' yo' got 'em tied den.
Entry 7211
A gamblin' han' [the best] dat yo' evah had, if yo' wan'a gamblin' han'. Well, yo' might go intuh a graveyard where dere somebody dat yo' know well, an' dey been buried fo' several days or several yeahs, yo' might say. Yo' take dere fingah dey call a dog fingah. (Which is the dog finger? Point it out to me. Which is the dog finger?) Here 'tis, right cheah [here]. (Well, which hand?) On de right han' [demonstrates]. (All right, I see the index fin- ger of the right hand.) Dat will be de right han' dere. Dat is de third fingah from de front. (The middle finger, then, on the right hand?) Dat is de thing. (All right, the middle finger.) All right. Den yo' take dat fin- gah an' clean de bone in milk - git de li'le bone out, but yo' gotta do all dat work at twelve o'clock at night. An' yo' find yo'self dere when yo' boilin' dat. WHILE BOILIN' DAT BONE DERE, YO'LL FIND YO'SELF FEEL FEAHIN' [FEARING]. WHUT AH MEAN BY MIS[TERIOUS? OR MIS- ERABLE?] YO'LL FEEL YO'SELF - YO'LL FEEL WARM. AH DON' CARE HOW COLD YO' BE. YO' KIN DO IT IN DE MIDDLE OF DE STREET, OR IN DE MIDDLE OF DE BANQUETTE [=SIDE- WALK IN NEW ORLEANS, LA.] OR IN DE YARD DERE; AN' IF IT BE COLD AS ICE, BUT YO'LL FIND A GREAT HEAT RIGHT AROUN' YO', BECUZ WE HAVE WHUT CHEW CALL THREE WITCHES DAT RUNNIN' IN DE AIR DERE. AN' IF YO' DEALIN' WIT DEM, WHY DEN IT COMES HEAT. DEY'LL BRING HELL FLAMES TUH DERESELF AN' TUH YO'. Yo' are dealin' wit dem.
(Oh, I see, you're dealing with three witches. Oh, all right.)
An' quite natchel, if ah'm dealin' wit chew, yo' have a right tuh go ovah dere an' see aftah me [see what I am doing]. An' yo' are wit me.
(I see.)
Now, maybe all three of 'em come tuhgethah. An' TUH GIT DEM [WITCHES], YO' GOTTA SET A SUPPAH, A DINNAH. YO' HAVE TUH MAKE A DINNAH, AN' DE DINNAH WHICH DEY EAT'LL BE A TURTLE HEART.
(A turtle heart.)
An' one thing again would be cel'ry whut chew eat aroun' - make salad.
(Celery?)
Yo'd git cel'ry. An' we have one thing, which de nex' would be, three grass- hoppahs. Yo'd have tuh put dose things in yuh mouth, dat is, tuh make de suppah; cuz yo' couldn't make de dinnah if yo' wouldn't do dat. An' in othah words, yo' hardly kin make de dinnah in de wintahtime. Yo' have tuh make it in de sumah, becuz we haven't much grasshoppahs who run in de wintah. Yo' undahstand?
(I understand.)
An' aftah dis suppah is made an' is started, yo' would fin' dem. Yo' would take a glass [mirror], but yo' - dat glass have tuh be bran' new, dat nobody nevah look intuh it.
(A looking-glass?)
Yes, sir. An' yo' could see dem lookin' intuh dere aftah yo' begin tuh eat. Yo' kin see three people but chew couldn't recognize yo'self, but chew dere. But chew cain't recognize yo'self, but chew see three people; but chew dere, but chew don't see yo'self. Yo' wouldn't count yo'self 'cuz yo' cain't see yo'self. But chew see three people dere, but one of dem dere is yo'. Den yo' see upset one person, den dat'll be de dragon. He look very proud, very nice-lookin' fel- lah, standin' right dere but den he's a destroying angel. Dat's de truth ah'm tellin' yo'. Den, aftah dat yo' won't see nuthin dere. Evahthin' disappeah from dis glass. Den yo' able den fo' tuh go on an' do anythin' whut chew wanta do. (I see. They'll call the witches. After that you use your power to do these things.) Why certainly.
(Well, what about using that bone? What do you do with that bone, now?)
Well, whichevah bone dat dey call de middle bone. Many people, if dey know whut de bone is, dey kin find ft, dat is, in de black cat, wit'out goin' tuh work an' takin' it an' usin' dem all; but some people by not knowin', dey'll have tuh use all of dem until dey git tuh de right one. But, de sense, if yo' know whut de right bone is, yo' kin go right tuh it an' git it. Maybe yo' might miss one, but yo'll git de nex' one an' dat'll be it. Undahstand? An' dat bone carries three fo'ks [forks]. Dat is, three j'ints tuh it. Whut ah mean by three j'ints, three rows, an' yo'll find between de edges of de bone, yo'll find three crosses. Dat's supposed tuh be main powah. An' yo' fin' dat dey use dat in more Mason lodge and Odd Fellahs, lotsa people do, tuh do dere work. [New Orleans, La., (861), 1374:7 to 1375:4.]
Entry 7718
When yo' wants a man tuh stay wit yuh, yo' go tuh dat graveyard an' yo' write his name in de middle of de grave - on de middle of de grave jes' write his name in de dirt. Jes' take yore fingahs yo' know an' write his name. Den yo' take de footbo'd from de foot an' put hit tuh de haid, an' take de haid- bo'd an' put it tuh de foot, chey lmo. Jes' change de footbo'ds [graveboards] roun'. An' dat'll make 'im stay home.
Entry 8036
An' if someone die an' yo' know 'em good, jis', yo' know, fresh buried, an' yo' git in trouble, yo' go by an' cut off dey left fingah an' put it in yuh pocket an' dey nevah will ket' chew [catch you].
Entry 8039
Ah heard dat dey take de middle-fingah bone an' if dey wants tuh be lucky.
(What do you call the middle-finger bone?)
Uh, dis fingah heah [demonstrates].
(The middle finger on the left hand.)
Yessuh, dis one [demonstrates].
(The third joint. That's the joint right next to the hand.)
Yessuh. An' dey take dat an' dey let it git hard an' dry, an' dey take den an' dey put dat in de stove an' let it bake till it becomes - it bleaches white an' lak crumbly. Den dey takes it an' dey crumble it tuh ashes. An' dey take dose ashes, take de ashes from dat middle fingah, an' den dey take de ashes of a dove's laig, of dis lef' laig, an' dey take dose two ashes an' put 'em tuhgethah, an' den dey put lode- stone in dere. An' aftah dey put de lodestone, den dey take den an' dey put dis silvah; not de liquid quicksilvah, [but] yo' know dis silvah dat's kinda lak dey shake it out jis' lak powdah. An' dey take dose three thin's an' dey mix 'em all tuhgethah.
(The silver is just like a powder you mean. It's a silver just like powder?)
Yessuh, grind it tuh a silvah powdah. Yo' know, not de quicksilvah whut chew po's out, whut chew po' lak watah. An' dey takes an' dey mix dose three thin's tuhgethah an' dey say dat it will cuz dem tuh have powah an' dominion ovah me tuh rule 'em.
(A man would do that to get power over another man?)
Yessuh.
Entry 8043
Take de dead man's bone, take fo' of 'is fingahs. Yo' see, dese: one, two, three, fo' fingahs here. An' take each one of 'em j'ints. Yo' undahstand. Yo' take de end of dem fingahs, aftah all de meat's done faded offa dem.
(Either hand?)
No, no, take off de right hand.
(All right.)
Dat's 'is gamblin' hand, makes a gamblin' hand outa it. Dat's tuh make yuh win, undahstand. Dat's supposed tuh make yo' lucky, make yo' win. Take dem fo' fingahs here an' dey chip 'em right in half. When dey chip dem fo' j'ints in half, dey puts 'em intuh a li'le bag, yo' undahstand. An' put some steel dust in dere an' lode- stone an' six needles, gold-eyed needles, an' sew dat up an' give it tuh yuh. Call dat a lucky hand.
(For gambling.)
Entry 8044
Git a dead man's fingah in gamblin' or anythin', any luck; can't beat 'em or nuthin. (Which finger do you take of that dead man? Any finger?) Yo' take dat one [demonstrates]. (You take the index finger of the right hand. By the way, what is the dog finger? What is it? You have heard of it?) Heah's de dog fingah.
(Oh, that is the dog finger, the index finger.)
Entry 8053
Well, ah've toted mahself in cologne fo' luck, a woman bones. Her small toe bones an' den her fingah bones, dese heah two fingahs heah [points].
(The two middle fingers?)
Dat's right.
(What did you tote that for, what kind of luck?)
Luck in gamblin' an' luck fo' sellin' whiskey.
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 8487
Dey will take a brand-new ink pen an' pick dis fingah [demonstrates]. (That's the ring finger, next to the little finger on the left hand. All right.) Uh-huh, on de left hand, nex' tuh yore heart. An' prick dat fingah an' git de blood outa dat fingah, an' write de name on a piece of clean [new] papah, an' bury it tuh [in] de east cornah of de house, jis' facin' lak dat [demon- strates] east cornah ovah dere. An' make yore wish. If yo' had a gurl fren' or somebody wus in New York or some place an' make dat an' bury dat stuff, an' she'll come regardless.
(That brings her back to you.)
Entry 8488
Yo' take dat blood out of yore left [demonstrates].
(The middle finger of the left hand.)
Dat's right, an' yo' write a person's name an' den yo' write yore name 'cross dat. Yo' write yore name 'cross dat an' dey will come tuh yuh. (What do you do after you write those names?) Yo' bury it de ninth hour aftah yo' do dat. (In the ninth hour you bury this paper.)
Entry 8489
Yo' kin take fingah- nails from yore fingahs, pick 'em an' yo' put 'em in some graveyard dirt. [Fin- gernails are now forgotten.] Pick undah dis fingahnail, dis fingah heah. (The middle finger on'the left hand, and get some blood you say.) Until it bleeds, an' drop it in dis. Drop nine drops in dis han'ke'ch'ef wit dis graveyard dirt in it. Den yo' take it, lak dis heah, tie it up, an' yo' put it in a bottle airtight an' whoevah it is, her name in it.
(Put the name on a piece of paper.)
Dere yo' are, on a piece of papah. Den when yo' stop dis bottle airtight, an' then in nine [days] evahwhere [anywhere] she are, she'll be 'way [leave] from dere.
(Where do you keep that bottle during the nine days?)
In de nine days, yo' bury it undah de left cornah of yore house. (When you get this graveyard dirt, you put it in a little saucer or something and put the blood in it?) In a little vial.
(In a little bottle.)
An' yo' got drop dis blood - nine drops of blood in it out from undah his fingah.
(The middle finger of the left hand.)
Dat's right. (Do you get this graveyard dirt any special way, or just go out there and pick it up?) Go to de haid of a man's grave - see, an' put it in dis vial.
Entry 8792
(Suppose you want to bring them back if they are gone?)
Oh, yo' kin do dat.
(How do they do that?)
Well, yo' kin, don't care where dey are, even if dey are dead; yo' see dey [dead], yo' know, dere spirit. Yo' kin take dis way: on yore left hand, tuh yore heart [demonstrates]. (Take the middle finger?) Yes, dat's supposed tuh be yore heart, lead [immediately] tuh yore heart. Well, yo' git a ink pin [pen often called pin and pin called pen] bran'-new ink pin wit a point dat's nevah been used fo' nuthin, writin' pin. Well, yo' take dat pin [pen] an' yo' pierce dat right in until yo' git enough of blood tuh write wit, yo' see. Yo' git a plain piece of papah an' yo' take an' write wit chure blood - write dere name an' yore name an' yo' buries dis papah at midnight wit de writin' down. No mattah where dey'll be dey'll come. Dey'll come. If dey dead, de spirit, yo'll see it.
(You'll see the spirit.)
Entry 8793
Ah heard dat ef yo' write, if yo' stick yore finger an' yo' had a lover dat was goin' away. An' yo' kin stick yore fingah, draw some of yore blood an' write 'is name. Den write chure name undah dat an' put it in anothah papah. Fold it in de shape of a heart an' put it in a lettah an' send it tuh 'im. [If you did this] that he would come home.
(Do you stick any finger?)
Yeah, dis weddin' fingah, weddin' ring fingah [finger next to little finger on left hand], dis here engagement fingah.
Entry 8871
An' yo' want 'em tuh come back tuh yuh. If yo' know where dey are, kin git in touch wit 'em, write dem a lettah some kinda way. Use dis Three S Love Powdah an' yo' sprinkle it all ovah yore lettah. Jis' evah time yo' write a word yo' dab yore fingah in dis powdah an' dab it on evah word, cross it-lak. An' when he read it he'll come right on back.
Entry 8959
If mah boy wuz in jail, ah would take a beef tongue an' ah would smoke it an' ah would keep it in dere [chimney]. An' ah would take de judge's name, de district attorney's name, an' take me nine needles an' put it in dere, an sew it up an' smoke dat beef tongue fo' nine days. An' ah would go tuh co't an' ah cross mah fingers, an' he Would git discharged. (How do you mean you would cross your fingers?) [Informant demonstrates.] (You would take the index finger of each hand and just cross them; each hand, like that. You would hold them crossed in court. Why do you use nine needles, any particular reason?) If dey got nine district attorneys [jurymen?] on dis case, yo' understand, if dey got nine of 'em, dem needles represent de district attorney [jurymen].
(If you have twelve jurymen then you would use the twelve.)
[Informant does not understand why 9 needles are used. We shall meet these 9 needles again and everywhere. This was the very first rite I collected on my second visit to New Orleans. Informant was the wlfe of one of my contact men, Peg Leg. She a professional worker had refused to see me two years before on my first visit. Her material, good, is scattered throughout the text.)
Entry 9030
Take his name and write it, the judge's name, [and] the district at- torney's name and all the high peoples names there. An' yo' write their name an' put it into yore left shoe, with that cinnamon, sugar an' steel dust, an' that sweeten 'em up. Put it in yore left shoe when yo' go in the courthouse. An' as yo' go in there, yo' cross yore fingers three times an' call their names.
(You do what with these fingers?)
Cross your fingers three times.
(Snap your fingers?)
Yeah, three times.
Entry 9031
Well, dey say tuh git a person's shoes, dey always say burnt shoes is good luck. Burn 'em anywheres right in yo' wash-pot in de yard or anywhere in yore house. Burnin' yo' shoes is good. But dey say de shoes is good fo' good luck, dey is good also fo' bad luck, 'cuz if yo' wanta do sompin fo' a person what- somevah yo' goin' do tuh 'em - jes' lak now, say a person uptown in de jailhouse. Well, now, yo' wanta git dat person outa jail. Or in fact, yo' wanta addle de judge an' evah'thin' dere [where] he tryin' 'im. Well, yo' take all dose judge names [officials concerned] an' yo' write 'em on a piece of papah. Yo' take yore gunpowdah an' de sulphuh an' de red peppah, an' yo wrop dat up in dose people names. Yo' stick dat down in de man's [client's] shoe an' yo' turn it bottomside upwards an' yo' burn dat. While yo' shoe burnin', yo' put yore han' tuhgethah tight, lak dis Way [demonstrates] lock yore fingahs tight.
(You interlock your fingers?)
Yes, an' yo' make yore wishes tuhwards he comin' free. Well, dey say dat will free a man.
Entry 9190
Jes' lak if yo' an' a person sep- arate an' yo' want dat pusson tuh come back tuh yo'. Yo' take a aig an' take a needle an' jug it in yore fingah until it bleeds. An' write chure name on dis aig an' his name [with this blood] an' bury it undah de do'step an' dat'll bring him back tuh yo'.
Entry 9887
A frog? An' if yo' have bone felon on yuh fingah lak ah had on dis one heah - an' yo' take dat frog whilst he's alive an' yo' split 'im open an' yo' run de fingah dat ails yuh, see, intuh 'im. Dat will draw de misery out.
Entry 10629
Take Eve-an'-Adam root an' Queen Elizabeth root an' five-finger grass an' bind dem together an' put on [them] whiskey, an' let it soak fo' seven days to abstract dere pow- ers. An' yo' take yore- self: yo' bathe yore body, anoint yore body [with this concotion] an' dey say dat will bring back love an' luck to yore lose ones, put man an' wife back together.
Entry 11219
You get the mud dauber.
(Yes.)
Out of a big stable anywhere. You stick this finger.
(Which finger?)
This one.
(The middle finger of the right hand?)
Yes. Get the blood out of it.
(Yes.)
Get all the blood. You write the name nine times on a piece of paper. You roll that mud dauber, that name, steel dust, lodestone, wrap it up. Roll it up tight, and you get [have] some luck. (It separates them.) Man and woman.
Entry 11647
Dey tell me yo' kin take de grass dey call de five-finger grass in yore pocket, wear it in yore pocket in yore pocketbook, an' de judge, de jury or de magistrate cannot convict yo'.
Entry 11694
Sompin yo' do to make de boss give yo' a job - find dat herb.
(All right, do you know how to do it?)
It's a four-finger herb, jest lak a, made jest lak a man's [the 4 fingers of his hand]; like a gombling han', four-fingered herb. All right, yo' go in de woods some place an' yo' kin find dat herb. Yo' kin find dat herb in Alabama. Probably kin find it in de vest part of Florida, but ah nevah found it. Yo' break off de second from de last little finger - break dat one off, probably stick it in yore mouth jes' lak yo' would a match stem. Den yo' walk in an' ask de boss fo' a job an' he can't turn yo' down.
(What do they call this root?)
Dat root is called de fo' finger, de fo' finger lucky root. (Wait, you break off the finger next to what would be the index finger - break off this one here?) [I demonstrate.] Dat's right.
Entry 12160
De cow hoof or hog hoof - yeah, anything lak dat. Yeah, yo' burn dat. Yo' git dat cow hoof, hog hoof, whatsomevah what it is, an' yo' git chew some Hearts Cologne an' sprinkle ovah dat an' yo' burn dat. Burn it in yore house. While yo' burnin' dat, yo' hook yore han' [fingers] together an' yo' make yore wish. Dat's good wishes. Yeah yo' jes' lock yore fingers together. Dat's good wishes, dat's sompin good. Dere no harm in it. Ah haven't heard it, dere's no harm in dat.
Entry 12245
Now yo'd haf tuh [have to] - yo' kin git a piece of High John de Conkah an' yo' put dat in yore mout' when it's green [see comment later], ef yo' git done [down?] dere when it's [plant is] green an' yo' kin be standin' way ovah yondah [down?]. Yo' ain't gotta git right upon dem, jest stay anywhere de air is stir- rin'. An' yo' got that in yo' [your mouth] an' yo' breathin' an' he's [boss is] standin' up dere on dat stand [platform] an' he'll look ovah all dat crowd an' he'll call yo' jest like dat [demonstrates] with his finger. (And he's got [you have] the job.) [This same informant mentions green John de Conkah, the plant in season, in No.9077, p.3679, v.4.]
Entry 12294
To bring someone to you, prick finger with needle, write his name or initial with the blood on piece of paper, fold to you 3 times longways, turn it and fold it to you 3 times shortways, put in bowl of lamp, burn for 9 days and nights. [Here is one of those interest- ing folding rites so well illustrated in HOODOO: to fold to you or away from you, fold into triangles or squares, etc. [This is my pencil resume of rite, attached here to original MS, before original material lost. Informant "excellent, " I note.]
Entry 12343
Tuh git a job, yo' jis' have tuh dress yo'self an' ah tell yo' jis' whut chew have tuh do. Yo' have tuh dress yo'self wit lodestone an' quicksilvah an' Jockey Club Perfume - both togethah. Ah tell yo' jis' how yo' do now. Yo' git chew a red piece of flannel aftah yo' beat it all up dere to- gethah. Git chew a red piece of flannel an' den take a thread outa yore sock. See, jis' lak yo' got a pair of socks, but let it be a pair of socks yo' done worn amn' take a thread from dat sock an' tie it aroun' dis, an' den befo' yo' go in dere, yo' know, yo' kin'a run yore han's lak dis [demonstrates]. Yo' see, yo' rub yore han' lak dis an' den when he [boss] git tuh talkin' tuh yo', yo' have tuh kinda hold yore face lak dat. An' when yo' go, yo'll kin'a throw yore fingahs lak yo' kinda throwin' yore fingahs tuh him yo' know, an' he'll git de odor of it all right. Dat Jockey Club Perfume dere. The're [there are] two chances tuh one yo' won' be turned down.
(You rub this bag in your hand?)
Dat's right.
Entry 12414
Wherevah yo' put chure fingahs on dat match yo' carry dat match an put chure watah [urine] on dat. Pee on de match an' yo' take dat match an' take an' set up three mo' matches around dat. See, set up three mo' matches around dat.[The urine match is in the center of a triangle of matches.] An' den yo' take that match dat yo' got, yo' take an' git a lil' of de wax out of yore ear an' smeah on de end of dis match. See. An' den yo' take dat match an' strike one dose othah matches yo' got round dere, an' put it on dis match an' let it burn. Den de end of their fingah will eetch off, come to de place where it eat right off.
(You do that with a match from somebody that you don't like?)
Yes, dat's right. De end of dey fingah eat off. Come a sore on it.
Entry 13345
For love, I'll tell you w'a' you kin do. You kin take a piece of yellah homespun, split it, take it now. Well, take your chamber lye, dat you use over dat night.- make over dat night. You take dat an' heat it in a little pan. Take dis piece of homespun, wipe it under your left- foot bottom. Wipe it under your right [-foot bottom] with dis piece of homespun. An' den, after you do dat, you take it an' wipe it under dis [demonstrates the left] arm, an' wipe it under this [demonstrates right] arm. After you do dat, you wipe down dere [at pubic region]. After you do dat, why you take a little bottle about dat long [shows a little finger] a little vial. An' push dat homespun, put it down in dere. Take dis water [urine] w'ere [what] you heat, pour it into dere. An' take nine pinch of love powder, nine drops of Heart Colognes [Hearts Cologne] an' nine pinch of spice. Why you kin put dat in dere, into dis bottle, an' stop it up tight. And any time you wan'a, it'll make you come. Put dat in some applesauce, peas, or anything, nine drops every time, an' he'll give you jis' w'a' choo want an' love you.
Entry 464
I heard of a man, his wife she would go out hag-riding every night. And that night when she came in, her husband was in the horse stable when she brought the horse in. And when she opened the door he cut her finger off with the ring and he got that. She would go to the stable and get the prettiest white horse he had in there. And when he cut her finger off it dropped and he got the ring, she rushed to the house. And when he went in she were in bed. Next morning when he got up she had her finger tied up. So he asked what was the matter with her hand. She said she cut it. So then he asked her where was her ring. And then she said her finger was sore and her finger was gone. So then he asked her where was the finger. She didn't know where the finger was at. So he taken the finger and ring and showed them to her and told her, "This is the ring I gave you. You've been out hag-riding with my horse. I were in the stable when you came in. You don't need to worry because I'm going to kill you." And he killed her.
Entry 767
They claim that older people. put their mouth on you. They predict some- thing that is going to happen to you. They say to you, 'That's all right, seven years will never rot." That means you will have tough luck. While saying that they point the forefinger of their right hand at you. That is sure tough luck for you.
Entry 1588
Well, you kin take ordinary spirits of turpentine an' wet cher finger in it like that, an' mahk on the bottom of yer feet, right from the toe right on back; an' then wet it again, shake it up an' wet your finger in there again, mahk it cross like that [across the hollow of the foot - in other words a cross is made on the sole]. An' then do the othern [the other foot] the same way. An' put shoo about five drops in yer shoe [shoes] where your lifeline, an' you kin go anywhere you wan'a go. You jis' do it about once a month.
Entry 8045
Ah hear 'em say yo' could take a daid man's fingah an' tote it in yore pocket an' it be good luck.
(For what?)
Fo' gambling.
(Any particular finger that you know of?)
Dey say de dog fingah.
(Which is the dog finger?)
Dat de dog fingah [demonstrates]. (You take - the index finger is the dog finger.) [Dog finger is also mention- ed elsewhere in Hoodoo.]
Entry 13312
A felon, yo' take de live toadfrog an' split him open an' stick yore finger right in him, an' it will cure it.
Entry 1936
Take graveyard dirt an' put it in yore pocket - graveyard dirt an' Sampson snakeroot an' blacksnake root an' measure it. [Three ingredients.]
(Measure what?)
De blacksnake root when yo' take it up. Yo' measure it de length of yore finger, de blacksnake root.
(Which finger?)
It either be's [these] two or dese two - this or the other one [demonstrates]. Ah don't know, don't want be positive.
(Either two of the fingers of the right hand.)
Yes sir. They take three of those Sampson snakeroot an' measure 'em, den dey take three of blacksnake roots an' measure 'em, an' weave 'em together with raw cotton thread, weave 'em together, an' put 'em in dey pocket, an' git some grave- yard dirt an' put in it.
(What is that supposed to do then?)
That is luck - luck to win. Or way back in slavery time that was luck to keep yo' boss from whuppin' yo'. Ole people carried dat - dat's all dey had to pertek deyself. [Informant born 1858.]
Entry 12155
If yo' have a sweetheart an' he's got anothah [girl] friend, an' yo' yanta break him up of dat friend. Yo' go tuh a hickory tree an' yo' take - git chew a switch of it - yo' measure three joints of it of de middle fingah.
(The three joints of the middle finger in length.)
Dat's right - an' notch 'em. See, yo' cut dat off. Yo' notch it round. Now when yo' git tuh dis woman house where yo' wanta break yore friend up, yo' begin tuh walk in her yard where she walk ovah, an' yo' begin tuh talk tuh it jes' whatsomevah dat chew wanta say. See. If yo' want 'em tuh part, yo' say, "Well, it seem like" - whoevah yo' wanta part, yo' call dem by dere name, yo' whittlin' dat - say, "Now, ah'm goin' part chew-all [you all]." De second one yo jes' whittle dat off. Well, now yo' take dat othah part an' yo' buckle [bend] it tuh yo'. Buck- le it tuh yo' an' bring it as a hoop an' wrap it jes' dataway. An' it be a hoop. Yo' carry dat an' put it undah yore step, an' dat'll break dem up. (That one piece you cut off the length of your middle finger. That you whit- tle. And then the long piece that is left, you wrap that around you - just make it go around you. Then you let this hoop fall off....) No, jes' lak dis [demonstrates]. (You put that together by intertwining the ends. And what do you say while you wind that other around?) Say, "Now, yo' make lak dat yo' kin stay 'way from dis house, but now ah'm goin' break yo' up from heah." An' as yo' say dat, yo' jes' throw it right undah yore steps. Now, when he come back tuh yo' an' have tuh walk ovah dat step, his spirit will nevah follow dat othah house no mo'.
Entry 549
They tell me now, if any of de family git killed, like you [want to] find out who did it - let me see how I'll work that thing. Yes. If somebody got killed, yo' take de Bible an' you'll read In de Bible, in the - I can't call de [reference], "When ah pass by yo', ah saw yore blood polluted an' ah said unto thee, 'Thou [thy] soul shall live'" = ["And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yeah, I said unto thee when thou Wast in thy blood, Live." Eze.16:6.] At the same time you'll take a garter - any kind of garter like womens wear round dere laig, or if yo' have dese heah wrist ones like yo' wear on yore sleeve to hold it up, yo'll take dat. An' yo'll put it in de Bible an' yo'll hold yore finger on that garter wit a dime in it, an' when yo' read dat thing den agin an' cali dat fellah's name, repeat his name five time. When yo' turn ovah dat garter an' it done slipped out from under dat dime, yo' put dat buckle on dere - yo' see dat garter got a buckle on dere - yo' put dat garter - dat dime done slipped out from under dat buckle as yo' call his name. Well, den, now lak if yo' say, "Will Johnson over dat or "Sam Williams when yo' strike his name. Yo' might possibly call several names, but when yo' strike de right name yo' watch dat dime - it'll slip out from under dat buckle. Dey tell me dat'll certainly find out whoevah it is, if a individual have done it an' nobody know who it is.
Entry 836
Yo' take dat bone, yo' see, an' yo' kin carry it. Put it in yore pocket an' anywhere yo' go - jes' lak if yo' wanted to make a deal anywhere or goin' to a bank or anything, yo' take dat dead man's bone or one joint of his fingah, see, an' jes' 'fore yo' git dere yo'll kinda stick de end of it in yore mouth. When yo' put it in yore mouth why yo'll disappear, be nuthin den but jes' a shadah - see, yo' be nuthin but a shadah. Well, now, den yo' kin go ahead on den an' do jes' anything yo' want. Yo' kin walk right up to a person - dey'll nevah see yo' until yo' relieve dat bone out chure mouth.
Entry 1981
The forefinger of the dead man. (Which hand?) The right hand.
(The right hand - the forefinger.)
First joint. And make a hand of it and put it in a little bag, you know, and sew it together. Calls it a hand. I've done that myself.
(Do you put anything else with that? Or just that bone alone?)
Just that bone alone, and give it to him and let him carry it long enough for the bone to get acquainted with him, which you know, when I git it, I gits it off a man who was a gambler. I got it off a man who was a gambler. Now, that thing, I ought not to tell 'cause I makes money off of dat.
(Well, I m not going to use it anyway.)
What - huh?
[I explain my untactful remark.]
(I say I'm not going to stay here and go into business as a gambler or any- thing of that sort. I say I'm not going to use it in any way.) I don't care whether you use it or not. You kin use it if you want to. But then such things as that I don't talk it around home here because folks, you see, would head me off by doing it deyself.
(I know. So this is confidential between us, it doesn't go any further.)
Now, I went to work and I got the dead man's finger, the first ioint, and made a hand and stayed at home here and sent it to him by his lady friend. And he went to - he was a gambler. And I told him, "Don't bet much money on that now, the first off, before this fellow get acquainted with you." He went off the first night he got it and made a $100 on it the first night, and he sent me $10 to fix it and then sent me $5 after he made the $100. I made $15.
Entry 2038
(What could I do to keep the law away?)
Go an' git yo' some John de Conker. Yo' could git it in liquid or yo' kin git it in pieces. Yo' kin take John de Conker, if yo' wants to keep him away. Pull off yore own shoe every mornin', dip yo' own finger in it three times and place it under yore feet, an' rub it back of yore own ear three times, an' yo' won't have no trouble with the law.
Entry 3229
If he [a husband] goes to his wife - to keep 'im [any other man] from havin' intahco'se wit 'er, [they] say yo' kin go to a - dere's a kinda bush out in de woods called de mullein. (The mullein vine.) Take a mullein an' put chure han' tuh de top of it an' strip it right down lak dat [demonstrates], an' take dat stuff yo' strip down lak dat, an' put it right in a pot an' boil it an' draw some tea outa it, an' put chure fingah in de tea an' stick it down in dere.
(You put your finger in this tea and then do what?)
Have de tea where yo' kin do it on 'er. Put chure fingah in it an' put it down in 'er yo' see. An' de man cain't git up de heart tuh go wit 'er.
(Who would do this?)
Her husband.
(You mean her husband would do it and [but] that man wouldn't. He [other man]
Wouldn't be able to do anything with her then?) No, de outside man couldn't do it. (Oh! the outside man couldn't. Yet the husband dresses her with this mullein tea. Then no outside man can come.) (And in getting this mullein, you've got to strip it right from the top, you have to strip it right down.) Jes' as de sun rise in de mornin'. (Just at sunrise In the morning, you have to strip it all down. Any number of times or just once?) No, jes' once, jes' take yo' hand an' come right down wit it.
(Just once, all at once.)
Entry 3675
(Now, what were you going to say about those snails?)
I wuz sayin' a man kin do de same thing wit de snail, shell of a snail, an' put a woman in dat predicament of life. (Well, just how would you do that?) Well, he'd take de snail an' hull de snail, yo' know take de flesh part out de snail's shell, an' parch dat snail's shell an' den beat it up real fine. He'll take dat snail dust - undah- stan' me - an' jis' be playin' wit 'er, yo' know, lak a man do sometime. Yo' know, run 'is index finger up 'er vagina, UP IN DAT PREDICAMENT OF LIFE. An' jis' put some of dat snail dust up in 'er vagina, AN' SHE BE LAZY AS A SNAIL, SURE AS GOD LIVIN', FO' ANY OTHAH MAN DAT CREPT IN DERE.
(I see. I get the idea.)
Entry 3802
Well, if a person go tuh work an' take de measure of yore private an place it on a piece of paper, yo' take an' go tuh work an' git to de place dat chew can't be social wit no othah man, yo' take de five dimes an' swallah dem. When de five dimes came back in passes, why yo'll be a perfect person ag'in. Yo' kin go all de way an' love wit anyone dat chew want to:
(You say a woman will take a man's measure on what?)
On de private.
(How does she measure that?)
Wit 'er fingahs.
(Then what does she do with that, then?)
Take dat an' tie nine knots wit a cord string.
(Then what does she do with that string?)
She take dat string an' place it aroun' 'er waist.
(And that takes the man's nature away?)
Yes.
(Now, how is he going to get his nature back?)
He will have to go tuh work an' [provide himself] wit de five silvah dimes, jes' lak she will. Swallah five silvah dimes.
(Swallow the whole dime?)
All whole.
Entry 3825
Yo' have tuh go den to de runnin' watah. Yo' should go tuh runnin' watah fo' nine mawnin's an' let dis watah be runnin' west den, fo' nine mawnin's an' stick 'er fingah intuh dis runnin' watah an' 'noint 'erself down dere nine times fo' nine mawnin's - nine times, once each mawnin', fo' nine mawnin's. Aftah de nine times den 'er feelin' come back jis' lak it evah wuz. Anythin' dat's tied it up, maybe it somepin else.
(That will bring her nature back or bring his nature back?)
Eithah way, eithah case.
Entry 6392
Yo' trimmin' yo' fingahnails an' dey'll tie it up in a cloth an' dey'll bury dat. Dat'll harm yo'.
(Well, how would it harm you? What would it do to you?) Whut will it do tuh yo'? Why, yo' fingahs will rot off.
Entry 6849
If anyone gets scalded they say you say the Lord's Prayer whilst shoo kin take your finger an' go all over this burn repeating the Lord's Prayer back- Wards. That takes the fire out. [Deal Island, Md., 24:3.] ["This is my orig- inal transcription made almost immedi- ately, Harry M. Hyatt, Mar.8, 1971." On original I learn: "Didn't want to tell it to me." This is a very old belief though I did not hear it often in Hoodoo.]
Entry 7247
Tuh make a woman an' a man stay tuhgethah, de firs' things ah heer'd, when ah wuz growin' up - yo' know, grown folks would be talkin' an' dey wouldn't be talkin' tuh me an' ah would ketch some of dese things. Ah'd be workin' roun' - co'se [of course], mah gran'- mothah an' aunts could heah things dat grown people said. Ah heer'd some things. She said dat one time dere wuz a woman had a fellah an' he liked anothah girl. Said de woman took an' washed 'er feet right good an' den washed 'er hands an' washed from undah 'er ahms an'aroun' 'er neck, an' she washed dose places about 'er body real clean. Said de firs' place she washed from undah 'er ahms an' she squeezed dat in de watah an' she goin' tuh give it tuh 'im in somepin tuh eat. An' dey say, aftah she squeeze dat in de watah, said den she washed ag'in an' ag'in squeezed dat in de watah. Washed in palm of 'er hand an' squeezed dat in de watah. Washed dis hand an' squeezed dat in de watah. Said den she turn roun' an' didn't wash once but de nex' time tuh make it clean, an' she washed undah de bottom of 'er feets, instead of washin' 'em out dat way, she washed 'em tuh 'er, an' den cross-marked 'er hand on each foot, an' she squeezed dat in de watah. Well, she said dat worked around all right fo' awhile, den dat wore off. Den she turned aroun' an' washed 'er feet an' scraped 'em an' took de dead skin from de foot an' put all of it tuhgethah an' put it in a pot an' boiled it. An' when she did boil dat, den she goes tuh work an' strains dis watah an' put dat in somepin tuh eat an' dat's whut kept him. Dey claim he follahed 'er each an' evahwhere she'd go. Den dey said it commence tuh weah [wear] off an' she got - it's anothah part about chew dat only be's once a month, an' she got dat. She got about half tea- spoonful of dat, counted tuh seven drops of dat an' put dat in it. An' dat kept 'im.
(She would only use seven drops of that?)
Yessuh. An' put dat in an' dose drops lasted a yeah - seven yeahs. Den anothah woman tole her tuh take a tablespoonful of weewee an' put it in, an' dat still kept 'im. Dat kept 'im awhile den an' den dat begin tuh weah [off]. She tole her tuh go an' buy some beefsteak, an' she bought dat. She tole her tuh take her fingah about 'erself an' take an' wipe it on dis an' po' gravy ovah it. An' dat kept 'im. She said dat kept 'im until death.
(You said one woman did all these things?)
One woman told all dis about one woman, an' dis one woman had so much trouble wit 'im. He wuz supposed tuh be a very nice-lookin' man, it seemed lak dat all de women wuz 'bout tuh take him, an' it seemed lak she intend tuh have him an she tried all dese things.
Entry 8037
Yo' git de little fingah of a woman from de graveyard - de bone from de hand of a dead woman - de little-fingah bone, an' take dat an' put it in yuh pocket. An' yo' kin gamble wit dat.
Entry 8042
Yo' kin take a pusson's skull attah dey daid, thirty days attah dey daid. [Nothing more is said about skull.] If yo' kin go tuh de graveyard an' turn de casket roun' an' yo' kin take one clip off de end of dis fingah, an' carry it back tuh dey house an' bury it tuh de'steps - dat's wherevah dey come from yo' know, or anybody dat yo' have anythin' ag'inst - dat's about nine days aftah dey's daid, jes' take de fingah off, jes' so yo' git one j'int, an' yo' bury dat at de do'steps an' say, "Yo' leave," jes' lak dat, an' bury it down. If yo' don' believe it, yo' try it, an' it will be datavay. Wit de fingahnail up facin' de house, jes' lak dat, an' dem people have tuh move. Hobody Will nevah stay at dat place. AH KNOWS TWO PLACES RIGHT NOW IN TOwN NO- BODY BEEN ABLE TUH STAY IN LONG AS AH'M IN TOWN. (All you do, you just go out there and just take this finger and bury it in the door. You don't do anything with the skull?) No, yo' ain't gotta do nuthin wit de skull tuh do dat.
Entry 8887
As the proof, yo' will take a Bible, the Testament. Yo'll take a great big brass key. Yo'll place it in that Bible. Tyin' it well, hold it with two individual forefingers sayin' this word: By St. Peter, by St. Paul, by the Lord that made us all, if Chester have my pocketbook, leave the Bible, key, turn an' fall. An' if he's got it, it'll turn an' fall. Yo' kin call twenty differen' men's names an' when yo' get de right one, it turns. De other individuals, it stays neutral.
(I see. Then what Would you do to make him bring it back, anything?)
Why yo' go to 'im an' yo' tell 'im to bring it back, if yo' found out fo' sure he got it.
Entry 8890
If yo' wanta find out de person dat done de stealin', yo'll git de Bible an' git a brass key, an' find de middle verse of de Bible - de very middle leaf an also de middle verse in dere. Ah don't know now [what it is], yo' see, 'cuz ah not much of a Bible readah. An' yo' jis' take dat [place] an' take dat key an' put it in de centah, an' tie a string on it an' tie it aroun' on de backside of de book, see. An' den'yo' git chew anothah fel- lah, yo' an' 'im tuhgethah, an' he put it on 'is fingah an' let de othah fellah bold it on 'is fingah. See, jis' put one fingah apiece on it, two persons. All right. Den de man whut wanna find out who did de stealin' - jis' lak us all be lined up, chew say, By St. Peter, by St. Paul, ain't but one God made us all. See. An' yo' supposed tuh say somepin else wit it but ah don't know jis' zactly [exactly] whut chew say, yo' see. An' den yo' say, If so, Henry stole so-an'- s0 - dis box or book - Bible please reel an' fall. An' if he stole it sure 'nuff [enough], dat Bible'll turn ovah. See, dat Bible'll turn right on 'is han' [hand] an' fall on de table or on de flo' on de [Bible's] face; but if not, it won't move. Dat whut chew do tuh find out.
Entry 8894
If yo' wanta find sompin dat's stolen - if somebody steal sompin from yuh - yo' take dat Bible an' git chew a brass key whut we call a skeleton key, but it's brass. Yo' take dat key an' a cord string an' run de string through de Bible dat way [demonstratesl, an' twist it on de string, dis end, an' twist it on de othah end de same way. Each end of de string is wrapped ovah on de key. An' yo' kin take dat key, yo' an' anothah person, an' hold yore fingah upon dat key, an' dat Bible ain't goin' move till yo' call de right name. An' whoevah yo' thinks got it - yo' call several names befo' dem tuh be shore yo's undahstandin' whut chure doin'. An' when yo' git tuh de right person, dat Bible will turn roun' an' fall.
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 11564
Yo' write chure name in it 'cordin' to whut chew want done. (In this foot track. AND TALK LOUDER.) Yo' write chure name in de foot track an' stop it up. Put in a snuffbox an' stop it up an' go throw it in a run- nin' stream of water. An' it's 'cordin' to whut chew wanta do, run 'em off or...
(Yes, what will that do, if you do that?)
That will run 'em off.
(Well, what do you write this name on?)
On the track.
(How do you write it on there?)
Write chure name on dere...
(With what?)
Lak ah'm goin' write mah name, ah start wit a "D"...
(I mean do you write it with pen and ink? Or do you write it with a stick?)
No sir, write it wit yore finger. (If you want to send me away, you write my name in my foot track, take it up and throw it in running water to send me away. I want you to give me all those details. I cannot read your mind!)
Entry 10728
De instinct or de blood - understand me, from de index finger here [demonstrates]. (Well what do they [do], squeeze the blood from the index finger?) [This is not a leading question. He, like so many before him is acting: pretending to prick his finger and to squeeze out blood.] Yeah, an' you kin take de brand-new tin plate and you take de needle, understand me, and prick your index finger till it bleeds. And write dat name down in dat brand-new tin plate and bury it with de point down dere - I mean with de tin plate down here. Den you write one verse of de 16th chapter of Ezekiel and de 6th verse. [He repeats verse rapidly.]
(Well, now will you repeat that verse slowly for me so I can get it?)
And when I passed by and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I says unto thee, when thy wasting thy blood live, and yeah, I says unto thee when dey wast- ing thy blood, live. [This is an understandable but not an exact quotation from any version of the Bible.] Now, dat'll stop any blood from flowin' in de world; not only on human beings but on animals, of any character, anybody with a shot, cut or have a hemorrhage in any respect in life - dat will sure as God stop it.
Entry 13433
Take a glass wit some watah in it an' yore wife is sleepin'. Jes' stick her finger down in it an' she tell yo' everything, every place she been, she'll tell yo'. But chew can't keep it too long, 'cause she'll die. (Why would she die if you keep it too long?) Ah don't know. Dat take her nerve or take her breath away, but long as she sleepin' yo' kin go dere. But if yo' ain't [careful] when yo' git it from her, she liable tuh go off [die].
Entry 749
" [Arrestation is a stoppage, a suspension of action caused by magic - the Sleeping Beauty theme being a famous example.] It was a man in Newport News that was giving a show. During the show the cop says, "You are raising too much excitement" - because the people was hollering and laughing. The cop walked up there to arrest him and he pointed his finger to him and says, "I'm not doing any harm. I'm working for an honest living like you are." 'I'm going to arrest you." He says, "You cannot." He pointed his finger at him and the cop stopped. He went right on selling his medicine. The cop remained right there. After awhile he took his finger and said, "You pass on." And the cop went on about his business. And he wasn't arrested neither. [Old Point, Comfort, Va., (32), Ed.; Newport News, Va.,1924, informant not realizing cop a part of show.]
The editor says the policeman was part of the show; finger-pointing remains narrated action.
Entry 11154
Any finger, not the thumb, fre a dead man's left hand, called a taslem [talisman] or a gambling hoond, y be car- ried by a gambler for luck. [Only example of word talismgr.] [Vicksburg 1067:5.]
The short account specifies 'Any finger, not the thumb' and a dead man's left hand; surrounding wording remains unclear.
Entries from source headings
These entries are listed under the following headings in the source volume:
- FINGER ONE - TRACK PICKED UP WITH — Volume 4, entries 5405. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- FINGERS - 2 OR 1 — Volume 4, entries 5406. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- FINGERS 2 - TRACK PICKED UP WITH — Volume 4, entries 5407. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
Source passage
continuous interview or recording context · Source-local attribution; no resolved person identity is asserted.
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
The nature of me picking it on out
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
[how I learned hoodoo]
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
- I was holding a position and to the position I was holding there was an old man, and my sisters, all of 'em, was scared of him. Well, I did all his readin' and writin' fer him.
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
[Compare this with how Zorro began his career with Mysterious Parker - p.1166, line 38f.]
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
So, during the period of time he
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
[did so many things]
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
like that I didn't know, the old man he had so much diff'rent magic he could
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
[do]
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
. So the first thing he would do, he would take my hat - take my hat and spit in it and tell me to go out on de corner. I'd go out on de corner and I'd tip to some young girl. Now, the girl may be going to the store for her people or some- thing. When she come back I could have an interview with her. And when I'd have my interview, her people could never keep her away from me. As in a period of time - he died somewheres in 1918.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
(What do you mean by interview with a lady?)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
Had to go right home to do conversation with her - never seed her before.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
(At her home?)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
To her home - right dere at her home. She would invite me. The way she talked - I'd tell her - she'd tell me to come in in the presence of her people. I met her just like that - meet her on the corner there and tipped my hat. Then off from that time she'd never be satisfied. This old man - his name was - I never learned any more - his name was Uncle Charlie Jackson.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
(Where did he come from by the way? What part of the country did he come from?)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
Oh, he was down in Alabama. And he had three very large snakes. And if a person would come to him for to kill a person, the largest snake what he had would come out and crawl up in de door. That was his magic - that was the agree- ment what he made, you see, with the devil in selling hisself to the devil. Then he had another one what would remove evil spirits from a person. If you came in- to his place, while sittin' down into the chair, this snake would crawl all around you, all through the chair. You get up, you go by God. If you come for a gambling hand - his gambling hand was guaranteed fer one year.
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
[See HAND, TIME LIMIT FOR, p.577.]
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
He would take you into a little room and set you in there and when he get ready fer you, he would tell you - he would send fer yuh. Well, if he couldn't stand - the same way, if a person would come by for to kill a person. If you could jump over de snake what would coil up into the door, when you git back home he would be done kilt - this person. If you wanted a gambting hand - if you wanted to get that from him, when he get ready, then he send this other medium-sized snake in there. If you could stand fer him to come there and crawl around and you follow him back into the room, he would give you the gambling hand.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
(How did he make his gambling hand? Did he ever tell you?)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
Oh, he - makes 'em very diff'rent simple ways.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
(What was his way? Did he tell you that way?)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; supporting excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
The way he made 'em, he did. They was made out of little children's finger.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
(Oh, the baby fingers?)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; supporting excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
Baby finger j'ints - the j'ints of baby fingers and what we call the corime, the red corime seed.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
(Red corimee seed.)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
The red corimee seed. And he would use this here devil's-shoestring, and he would use this here Sampson snakeroot. Into these fixin' - when he would fix them - would be under the new moon. After he would fix them then, he would give them to you on the 15th of the month of the full moon. He would either wait till the moon be in full expanse of the earth, then he would give that to you.
locally coherent printed subpassage
The current speaker remains unnamed. Statements about Charlie Jackson, his alleged acts and the death date are reported in the source.
The printed account does not establish the identity of the unnamed speaker.
Snake behavior, agreement with the devil and contents of hands remain that speaker’s account.
Zorro and time-limit cross-references are editorial; they do not establish that the narrated people or practices are the same.
Bounded passage retrieval, not complete corpus coverage or practitioner consensus.
Read the full source context: Vol. 2, p. 1387 · Vol. 2, p. 1388 · Vol. 2, p. 1389 · Vol. 2, p. 1390 · Vol. 2, p. 1391