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.