Subject:God
Entries
Entry 3730
Well, yo' take de dishrag, if a woman has got a run-aroun' man an' she take de dishrag - aftah she take de dishrag, wipe him wit de dishrag. Wipe him wit de dishrag an' iron it with a very hot iron, an' bury it to de left side of a tree. When yo' bury it to de left side of de tree, dat will perish away all nature dey has fo' any woman. He can't run aroun' any mo', he'll have to stay at home. Well now, if he don't go to de graveyard an' den git de graveyard dirt from de head an' de foot, place a penny in de centah of de grave- pay de grave fo' whut chew git in de Name of de Lord. Take it back an' mix brimstone, sulphur an' sweet milk an' drink it. Well, if he don't do dat, he'll nevah be a man any mo'. He goes to T. B.
(But if he does that, it restores his nature.)
Entry 4959
If yuh wanta make love wit anyone - yuh love dem an' yuh wanta git dem somehow or 'nothah, yuh see. Yuh git one foot of dose socks, one foot of 'em, an' yuh take an' yuh tie it in de top, as near de centah as yuh kin. Aftah tyin' it in de centah, den yuh turn it dataway an' yuh tie three knots on dis end - fo' on dat end. Dat's seven ain't it? Seven - have to be odd. Den yuh take an' come on back tuh yore home an' take 'em an' put 'em down, say, "By de he'p of God ah'm gon'a be wit chuh." An' yuh shall git 'em.
(Where do you put them down?)
Put 'em right down anywhere in yore home. Nowhere else but in yore home.
Entry 5699
Dey take a person dat's goin' from yo'. Dey make a new paddle out of a shingle or a bo'd of any kind; jis' so dat chew make a paddle out of it - lak a spoon-lak, yo' know. Yo' carry it in yore pocket three days, knowin where dat party's track is, an' yo' ketch de sand out of de hollah of dere foot, SCoOP IT OVAH YO' LEF' SHOULDAH [see later]. Yo' pray dis prayah, it's de same thing, says, In de Name of God, return. An' go on. Throw de paddle ovah dere an' dey'll come back. [The preceding Words SCOOP IT OVAH YO' LEF' SHOULDAH mean that you kneel down behind the departing tracks, push the paddle forward under one of the tracks, say, "In the Name of God, return, '' and carefully lift the paddle, throw the dirt back over your left shoulder - that is, towards your home.]
Entry 5956
Anything like a person's hair, you take that, you see, and you get this srahpin' twine. Now, then you take a red flannel or new yellow cotton, it's a homespun, and just a square, and make the little bag, four cor- ners. And you wrahp it up. You kin wrahp ar eitherwise you kin sew it. But always bring it towards yah, and tie it in a fat knot and make your wish. If you're wrahping it, chew know, why evah knot, cvah time you wraap, you wish that he may come to you, and you wish that he may be yours, and you wish that he may be mine and do whatever I want him to do, and sish that he may gave me mah money, and this In the Name of God. I wish that he Se united in holy matrimony, or anything like that. You see, just whatever your Tishes is. And then, you see, you tie it. And each time you wrahp it towards Rh, why that's bringing him to yah, bringing the person to yah. And you tie 1. And the last knot you tie is the last wish that chew make. You wish that Lemay be yours or may be mine all entirely and do just as I say In the Name Of God.
Entry 7210
(All right.) = [Ready to start.]
Ah had a pair of socks an' ah had a undahsuit. Ah came from mah work an' ah rolled it up, ah couldn't git in mah room, an' ah jis' shoved in between de screen an' de do'. An' ah left. When ah come back, mah undahsuit an' mah socks wuz gone. An' ah do know whut taken place wit me aftah dat, an' ah do know whut ah wuz told through fortune- tellahs.
(All right, tell me all about it.)
De fortunetellah told me dat ah were hurt in some a mah clothes. She did not say whut kinda clothes, but it fell back tuh mah remembrance dat if ah wuz hurt, it must have been mah undahsuit an' mah socks. (Well, how did you know you were hurt? Why did you go to this fortuneteller? Did something happen to.you? Were you sick or something before you went to the fortuneteller?) No, sir, ah wuzn't sick den. Ah wuz not sick den.
(What did you go to that fortuneteller for?)
Well, ah went tuh de doctor. Went tuh Natchez Mississippi Hospital in [nine- teen] thirty an' ah stayed ovah dere 'bout thirteen or seventeen days. An' de doctor seemly dey couldn't fin' de complaint, whut wuz de mattah wit me. He said dat ah wuz all right. Well, ah wúz still sick. Well, ah decided in mah mind - ah hear'd de people talkin' about hoodoos an' witchcraft an' fortune- telZahs. It came tuh me in mah mind by a friend of mine, he said, "Why don' chew go an' see such-an'-such a one?' He said, "Dey kin tell yo' things." Well, ah decided tuh go. Well, ah went tuh dem an' dey told me dat ah wuz hurt through clothes. An' ah ast dem, "Well, whut could yo' do fer me? Could yo' cure me?" Dey tole me, "Yeah." Dey believe through de powah of God dat dey could cure me. An' dey made me up a tea. Now, ah don' know whut kinda tea it 'twuz, but any- way dey give dat tuh me fer tuh drink an' ah drinked it an' ah really hadn't rest fer [so many] nights.
Entry 7219
(You say you used to say your prayers?)
Yes, sir. Ah believe in God, ah trust in Him. Yo' know, God Himself...
[I turn off my recording machine too quickly.]
(What did you say about God?)
God, Himself, wuz de best hoodoo evah wuz known. [Madam Collins of Memphis, Tenn., says something similar: De sacrifice dat yo' offer up tuh Jesus removes de "trick, " fo' he is de "trick" giver an' de "trick" taker (p.994, line 6 fol. from bottom of page).] Yo' have tuh have faith intuh mos' anythin' yo' go intuh. If dere's no faith, dere's very li'le hopes, an' yo' have tuh put God in front. Now, He's de Supreme Being of de world, an' certainly in dis life we have tuh use God; but if we don't, we cain't git along. If it wasn't fo' Him, we couldn't breathe, den we couldn't live. He must open de way fo' us, give us our health an' strength.
Entry 7452
Ah tell yo' whut chew do, if a man git killed an' yo' don' know who did it, tryin' tuh find out. Yo' kin take two fresh hen aigs an' put 'em in each han'. Now lotsa times yo' jes' write de man's name yo' think it is, or sompin lak dat, but de main point, yo' jes' write, "Murderer give up. ". Jes' write on it, "Murderer, give up, " an' "In the Name of God." An' put it in 'is han's. Keep 'im out de groun' 36 hours, den go 'head an' bury 'im, if he's not come. But ah'd be willin' tuh bet he'll be dere befo yo' bury 'im.
(You don't bury him with those eggs in his hands?)
Yessuh, de aig in each han', let 'em stay in dere, hen aig. Jes' so it's a fresh one. Now yo' don' want no cold storage aig. Yo' wants a fresh hen aig. An' if he hasn't give up in de 36 hours, he will give up an' it 'twon't be long.
Entry 7666
If yo' want a person, tuh drive 'em away, yo' take de graveyard dirt. Take an' go tuh de centah of de graveyard an' git de graveyard dirt. If yo' wan'a person tuh drive 'em away, yo' name dem in de han's of God. Crawl halfway de dis- tance up undah de house. Bring de dirt tuh de front of de house an' cast it onto de front of de house. An' whatevah way dat chew go, yo' carry it right 'long wit chew an' name it as yo' go. An' de person will go de same distance. Dey will go, dey cain't stay.
(You carry that dirt and you scatter it as you go.)
Scattah it as yo' walk. Sow it jes' lak a person would sow oats.
(You crawl under the house first?)
Go undah de side of de house an' don't look back; jes' keep right on plowin' [crawling under housel, don' look back not atall.
(You crawl under the side of the house to the center?)
To de centah.
(And from the center where do you crawl?)
To de front, right on out tuh de front; right on out tuh de front, an' jes' keep right on. But don' look back.
Entry 8744
Yo' know trees, a switch offa each tree, dat is not alike an' go tuh a runnin' watah an' throw dese switches in dere one by one an' call de person name, jes' lak yo' want 'em tuh leave, an' jes' say, "Ah hope tuh God So-an'-so will leave, In de Name of de Father an' de Holy Ghost." An' yo' repeat it ovah, ovah an' ovah, till yo' throw de last nine switches in de watah. [You take one switch from each of nine trees: maple, oak, pine, etc.]
(That's all you have to do. You don't say, The Name of the Son?)
No suh, jes' De Name of de Father an' de Holy Ghost.
Entry 9011
An' anothah thing, jes' lak yo' got somepin in co't, yo' kin take a aig an' throw it on de side of de co't when it is on [during the triall.an' jes' one time. An' throw it up dere, an' call de person name dat chew had fuss wit an' dey have sue yo' yo' say, "Ah hope tuh God,"' call her by name, 'dat dey will throw dis outa co't, In de Name of de Father, [omitted and the Son] an' de Holy Ghost," an' throw it up dere on de co'thouse an' let it jes' scattah. (And that person will be dismissed. They won't be put in jail.)
Entry 9094
An' they show 'em what to do, yo' know.
(I see, I understand.)
Yo'll get yo' de judge's name an' yo'll get yo' a lamp what's never was used. Yo' put yo' some sugar in dere. Buy yo' some sugah. An' yo' take dat judge's name an' yo' put it down in de lamp an' pour de sugah on dat, on his name. Dat sweetens 'em up. Aftah yo' put dat sugah down on dere, pour de kerosene in dere, an' yo' light this light. An' as yo're lightnin' it, say, "In de Name of de Father, an' de Son, an' de Holy Ghost, ' askin' fo' help. Hold yore hand up to God say, yo're asking fo' help. Dat's fo' good.
(What then?)
Yo' leave dis light nine days an' nights.
(You leave it burn for nine days and nights?)
Yes, sir. Dat's when yo' get yore subpoena.
(And then that will help you out with the judge?)
Yes, sir, it'll sweeten his mouth an' yo' come - when yo' go before 'im, in- stead of frowning, this is de truth, he instead of frowning, he'll smile.
Entry 9194
Den yo' kin take a aig, a fresh laid aig dat de hen, de fowl, laid. Well, jes' so it's an' aig of some little fowl on de yard - guinea or turkey or fowl-hen, eithah one - so it fresh, laid tuhday. An' yo' kin take it an' go out, if dis person goin' roun' makin"sturb- ment wit chew an' havin' a con- fusion in de neighborhood. Call dere name, yo' have dere name down good in yore mind an' says, "Now, by de he'p of de true livin' God, ah want dis thing settled. Wham! Pow! Bamm!" He's set- tled, don' know anything 'bout dat 'tall.
(You hit him any place you want to?)
Any place.
Entry 9202
Dere's tuh [two] ways dat yuh cud [could] use dem. Ah kin take - see, yo' know a fresh egg dat yo' see a hen jis' got [up] from de nest. Yo' know, fresh egg jis' lak dat. If it's warm it's best. Well, yo' wo'd [would] take it. Yo' kin write a person name on dat egg. Write it dis way [demonstrates]. Turn de egg aroun' an' write it dat way [demonstrates]. (You write it one Way, then turn the egg upside down and then write right across.) [The two names are written in the form of a cross to cross up the vic- tim.] Uhuh, write it again [the second time] across it. An' yo' kin care hit [carry it] tuh runnin' watah, jis' dat egg, make yuh wishes. Any way yuh wan' 'em tuh go, why jis' say, "Go. "~ Any which way yo' want, jis' go tuh cussin' an' say, "Go, God damn yuh." Sompin lak dat. Throw it in.
Entry 9740
(What are you going to do with those nails?)
Conkah anything yo' wanta conkah. It's nine nails. Yo' put three heah [demonstrates].
(Three right over your navel.)
Right ovah mah navel, an' yo' got three in de back, ain't chew? Dat's six, ain't it? Put one heah, one dere. Make a sack, yo' know, jes' lak a nation sack. But yo' kin fix it up round, yo' know, good aroun' yore waist. One on each hip. But yo' got three right chere an' three right in de spine of yore back. Dat's six, ain't it? Dis is seven an' dat's eight. Now, put one in dat left shoe. [For nation sack, see interview THE "NATION SACK" WOMAN, Pp.1449-1459, vol. 2, who describes this article.1
(What will that do for you?)
Conkah whut ah tole yo'. Conkah de devil or any way yo' want it. But yo' gotta make a wish In de Name of God. Yo' gotta do all dis In de Name of God an' have faith in it.
Entry 10496
Dey says thet if yo' goes tuh de fork of de road an' kneel down an' Oarse God fo' everything possible thet chew'll be transformed intuh some kin'a being called a witch, an' yo' kin do anything dat's in yo' power. (Do you go out to the fork of the road at any particular time?) [Time is important for moon and sun.] Yes, on a young moon.
(In the daytime?)
No, midnight - on a young moon.
Entry 10498
Go to de forks of de road an' walk back cross de road nine times, an' look up an' cuss God 9 times. An' walk backwards cross de road. Dey say yo done sold yo'self to de devil. (Now here's the forks of the road. [I demonstrate.] I walk over the forks of the road.) Nine times backwards. (Nine times backwards and I look up into the air and curse God nine times. Then I've sold myself to the devil. And then what do I do?) Yo' kin go back an' do anything yo' wanta do den.
Entry 10546
Dance and cuss God for nine Sunday mornings at fork of a road sells you to the devil.
Entry 10547
If yo' wanta be a guitar picker or sompin lak dat. If yo' wanta be a guitar picker, yo' go to de fo'ks of de road fo' nine mawnin's. An' when yo go dere fo' nine mawnin's wit chure guitar, yo' be standin' in de fo'k of de road tryin' tuh be pickin' on it, an' dere will be a man come up an' pick on yore box, axe yo', say, "How long dat chew wanta do dis?" An' so yo' tell him, "Well, ah wanta do dis fo' sech an' sech a time." An' he say, "Yo' gotta cuss God an' give solomn warnin' an' tell Him yo' goin' sell yore soul to de devil. Den yo' kin pick de guitar." Dat whut ah heard about dat.
The informant reports nine mornings at road forks with a guitar and a man who asks the desired duration, then instructs the learner to curse and sell his soul to the devil. The dialogue is enacted or hypothetical speech inside a hearsay account; the source does not establish a named teacher or personally completed pact.
Entry 10799
Git some sut [soot] out de fireplace an' mix it with salt, an' when he goes out, take it an' throw it behin' him, an' git de broom an' sweep it, an' tell him tuh go, "Go, God damn yo'." (That's for a woman to make a man go away and stay away.)
Entry 10867
De luckiest animal dat ever made by God: a black cat, and a black hen, an' a frizzled chicken. Ef a frizzled chicken - if anybody put any- thing aroun' yo', a frizzled chicken and a black hen will sure go dere an' pick it up.
(Well, how is a black cat lucky?)
Ah couldn't tell!!!
(Just lucky.)
Entry 11336
(Well, tell me about the dove's heart then.)
Just like I and you is enemies. I get me a dove and I'll take the dove and call your name, you see, at twelve o'clock at night. And I'll take that dove and I'll stab that dove through the heart and call your name In the Name of God, the Father, the Son. And when that 股中 dove - when that pain hit that dove it supposed to hit you, you see, and that will effect you, and you will wilt down just as that dove die. You see. But you gotta call your name and hit that dove through the heart with the knife. (I see.) [This is only one of many times in HOODOO I was used as a guinea pig.]
Entry 11625
Just like if [you wants to make drift].
(Make them drift, you said?)
Yes, anybody you wants to make drift. Well, you catches a live fish, or any kind of fresh fish, and you take that fish and you split that fish half in two. Then you take a ink [pen], pin but let it be red ink. You write that name down in that fish and you take that fish.... (Wait! What do you write it on? On a piece of paper or on the flesh?) On the flesh of the fish. (All right.) Then you take that fish and throw that fish back. You use the three words: Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, and throw it in any running water. They'll be driftin, couldn't stay nowhere. Everywhere they go they're not satisfied.
Entry 11627
Well, you can take a fish and make a person drift from one place to another, never will stay nowhere or know where they going. You take this fish and you cut him open, and you takes their name and you put it up in there, and you pours moving oil and cayenne pepper and vinegar in there, and sews this fish back up. And you go to any running stream of water and you throws it in there, and you use the three god- heads, which I mean are: 'God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit: I wish as this fish float, I want you to drift the same way."
Entry 12315
Dey's go down to de fo'ks of de road where it'd [it would] fo'k like dis [demonstrates] an' have yo' some thunder-lightning pegs - lighted [lightning] pegs where de thunder knocked a piece off de tree. Take it [piece of wood] an' make pegs - nine pegs. An' drive 'em in de fo'ks of de road an' call on God an' de devil to hear yo' drivin', an' make dem people turn. Dey goin' another way, won't go out dat way. [To change a person's mind at the crossroads is not a rare rite.] (You call upon the person that you don't want to go out that way.) [Man for centuries could not understand primitive man's tools such as arrowheads, and since they were sometimes found under a tree, a lightning-struck one, it became a thunderbolt. That tree could have grown up 1000 years after the arrowhead had been lost! See the woman looking for a thunderbolt to ease her rheumatism, warm up her bones, in Folklore from Adams County Illinois, Ist ed., No.5380, 2nd ed., No.5786. Also see HOODOO, v.1, Nos.635, 2336 & 2337.]
Entry 13278
If somebody's interferin' [with] yo' aroun' yore home, ev'ry mawnin' yo' git up yo' go tuh de do' an' yo' make yore wishes an' bow tuh de sun 3 times, an' ask de Lord tuh re- move de evil spirits - tuh move away evil spir- its. An' do that three times an' do that fo 'bout 9 mawnin's. Walk tuh de do' an' make a bow tuh de sun. Yo' know de sun is a whole lot in success, yo' know. Yo' bow tuh de sun 3 times. An' aftah yo' bow tuh de sun an' [then] yo' axe Him ["De Lord"] tuh move away evil spirits.
(You do that three times for nine mornings.)
Entry 13456
I'll go get me a pint of this here sour wine, the Italian wine. You go there to the gate and break it right at their gate. They come out there and fuss. Nobody kin go in there without there be a fuss, fuss. What I'd do... [turn off machine too quickly and must repeat.]
(Nobody can rent that house?)
Nobody rent it.
(Because there'd be a fuss in there.)
Be a fuss all the time.
(Do you sprinkle this bottle of sour kind of wine?)
No, just break it, don't sprinkle it. Just throw this bottle on the floor, say a bad word: "God damn, you go." So there'll be a fuss all the whole time. [Not on their floor but at their gate as at the beginning of rite.]
Entry 331
Ah had a man tuh tell me jes' exactly how yo' do dat. In mah time of gamblin' why ah studied all dat fo' luck, you know. If yo' wants tuh sell yore- self to de devil, yo' has to swear by man an' by lan' da' chew don't want nuthin' but jes' whut chew has in dis world, an' nuthin' aftah death an' nuthin' tuh do with God. In all yore works, "Ah'm goin' work for de devil an', ah don't nevah wants tuh pray." Den, yo' have to take a oath on dat. Yo' understand? An' when yo' take dat oath dat chew don't want nuthin' but of de world, an' yo' go serve de devil all yore life, an' then won't pray none, 'cause yo' ain't gon'a serve God none, why den de devil takes yo' a sinner. Den yo' kin do any kinda devilment dat chew want - yo' kin come outa jail at twelve a'clock at night; yo' kin shake de jail an' de do' will come open.
Entry 332
Heard a ole man speak about dat - say ev'ry Sunday mornin' you go to de fork of de road an' you curse God an' you dance an' den you prays. You jes' prays to de devil and you curse God. An' you go out dere ev'ry. Sunday mornin' an' dance an' jes' pray to de devil an' curse de Lord, an' de devil will put ev'rything into your way that you can get an' make it easier for you. You jes' tell the Lord that you take your soul out of His hands an' you put it into de devil's hands, an' you know, de Lord will quit answering your prayers then an' you see He'll jes' turn your soul right over to de devil.
Entry 370
If a man wants to sell hisself to the devil, why - if he wants to play a banjah [banjo] good, he's to go to a four-corner road [crossroad] nine mornings. You go ever' morning till the ninth morning. He sets along there playing de banjah until after awhile a lot of things would come up. They'll go around him nine times. And after awhile the last one behin'll ast him what would he rather do, do what dey doin' or serve de Lord. The man said do what they're doin'. He can bang his banjah up and he'll play on de ball anywhere.
Entry 375
(How do you sell yourself to the devil - what is the story?)
De way yo' sells yo'self tuh de devil, yo' got'a take somebody yo' dearly loves - a chile dat yo' dearly loves, if it's yore own chile or yore sister's chile dat yo' dearly love, an' not feel sorry for 'em an' kill it, an' go an' hide it an' bury it. Den yo've sold yoreself to de devil. Dere's no way atall fo' yo' tuh gain influence wit God agin, but still yo' goin' tuh live yo' days out. An' den de devil will learn yo' anything yo' wanta know - yo' kin do anything yo' wanta do. [For killing baby, see comment in No. 307.]
Entry 1028
Yo' repeat de Lord's Prayer - that's great you know, Our Father, who art in heaven.... (Just once?) No sir, you do it nine times. [For three times, see No. 995, p.383.]
(What do you do that for?)
That's for to protect yourself. You know dey can't stand yo' calling de Lord's Prayer when dey trying to do you harm.
Entry 2438
Yo' git 123 [or] 133 Psalms. Ah think it's de 133. An' yo' read dat 13 times when yo' first git up de mawnin', aftah yo' say de Lord's Prayer or yore mornin's prayer. An' yo' read dat. An' den yo' take an' go tuh do' tuh sweep out, three times, 'In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, let me rule dis day.
(That keeps the law away.)
[Numerology, astrology and other unscientific ideas having influenced hoodoo, I would say this is surely Psalm 133, an odd number composed of numerals 1 - 3 - 13 - 33 - 133; and backwards 31 - 331; and by addition 1+3+3=7; and by addition and subtraction 3+3-1=5; and by addition and division 1+3+13+33+133=183:3=61; and by multiplication lx3x3=9, also 13x3=39; and ad infinitum.]
Entry 2949
Yo' kin feel it whatevah certain hour dat dey burn dat candle - yo' begin tuh feel de 'fects. Well, it's a piece in a Bible dat yo' go clip dat verse out of dat Bible and whenevah dat feelin' git on yo' when dey start aburning dat candle, yo' go somewhere in a close corner and read dat verse out of dat Bible. See, read de verse out of dat Bible instead of - don't say, git mad with de person whut chew think burning it. Yo' jest say, "God bless 'em, ' or something an' read dat verse out of dat Bible. That will turn it back. Dey say dat verse will be so strong - ah forget de name of dat verse, what verse it is. An' they say it'll go out - de candle can't burn, because yo' know dat's always stronger power den de devil.
Entry 7717
Yo' could go down tuh de cemetery an' call 'is name an' make de change wit dose bo'ds.
(Call whose name?)
Yo' bossman's name, an' make de change wit dose bo'ds, In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, an' go tuh 'im de nex' mawnin' or de same day, eithah one, an' he'll settle wit chew.
Entry 12360
When you do this with the Lord's permission or help, it's all right; but if you do it by yourself, then it's wrong. [Fredericksburg, No.44, by Edi- phone.]
Entry 11807
"Take man's dirty undersuit, take to cemetery, bury it, lay it out just as if it was in a grave, on top of the grave, flatten it out, cover up and say, God giveth and God taketh away, blessed be the Name of the Lord, Go in the Lord's Name and don't never come back."
Entry 13279
Where anyone off [away from home]: befo' sunrisin' yo's facin' de sun, facin' de sun, "In de Name of de Father and de Holy Ghost, ' jes' lak, 'Willie yo come home at once an' hasty." Well, now he'd be home in 9 days.
(You just go out there once and say that?)
Jes' once. Say it befo' sunup.
Entry 21
A good spirit, it leaves the body, that is why the body becomes helpless. It cannot exist any longer. It goes to decomposition because the spirit is gone. The life is gone out of it. But still the spirit never dies. It goes to its immediate loved ones on earth, it overlooks them, it hovers around them. In my belief, what I have really had experience of, we are continually being enveloped and surrounded by the spirits of our loved ones who have gone before; especially until their spirits have been reincarnated and born in some child and come back to the world in the flesh again. The reincarnation comes earlier in some and late in others. Sometimes they are reincarnated in babies who are cut off. That spirit comes right back and goes again to be on earth until it is reincarnated. That is the good spirit. The evil spirit, it is abroad in the world. That is the spirit of those who haven't lived their lives consistent with right living. Their spirits are abroad and still doing Work they were engaged in, either frightening or bringing about disorder, just like they was when in the body, until they are reincarnated. They are reincarnated. Usually it comes out in the child. The child is very fretful. Usually, if it goes to any age, it goes into crime. That is the people that chose the evil way in life. When man was created he was created in the image of God. When he fell, that is in the Garden of Eden. Then when he was redeemed, he has since that time been left as a free agent to chose which he will do, right or wrong. That is the choice given us by the Son of God who died for us that we might be redeemed under the curse of the broken Law. Since then, we have this privilege of chosing for ourselves and being left as a free agent. Then this is the point where the evil and the good spirit exist. This is the origination of the good spirit and the evil. The good is permanent and the evil spirit is a choice of man. You know how long Christ stayed on the Cross, three days. It is supposed that everybody when they die their spirit still lingers in their body and about their personalities for three days until they are planted in the ground. Then it is around and about until the changes come. When the spirit comes out of your body your body really becomes like neutral, you can't move or do anything; you never will again. The mind of the person does not die. That is the spirit after all. That is the soul so to speak. It lingers around and it really sees what's being done until its visit is complete. The person who is responsible for the arrange- ment of the final affairs will dream about them. Often you will be half asleep and that person will appear to you and give you some gestures, satisfactory or dissatisfactory. I know that by experience.
Entry 358
Whenever somebody wants some help, dey go to the forks of the road for nine mornings and carries some kin'a music piece with 'em - a banjo box or either some, you know, record. And the sun'll move jis' like dis here [demonstrates].
(Sun swings back and forth like a pendulum.)
You'll meet de devil dere every morning for nine mornings and de ninth morning dey'll be some form dere to show you da' [dat] chew want. And after the nine mornings you'll have anything you want and you'll be lucky. If you be gamblin', yo' go to a skin game and you'll win every time, see. But, if you turn back and startin' doin' any, you know, things dat de Lord would wan' chew to do, you can't ast de devil for nothin' else. You couldn't curse and get nothin' else da' chew want [one relapse and you are unsold to the devil].
Entry 1948
Take seeds of paradise - seven grains, seeds of para- dise. Yo' buy that in the Hindu companies, yo' know, those dirty strong [smelling] places [because incense is burning]. Seven grains of paradise. An' throw it aroun' yore do'. Make a good wish an pray an' take yore Bible an' read de Psalms of David an' ask God tuh open de way fo' yo' an' yore business will gradually grow. Also yo' kin read de sixth chapter of Luke an' dat'll he'p yo' in de Bible in de Christianity. That is tuh bring business to yore home. [The preceding Hindu companies were more likely a company with an oriental name and someone wearing a turban (see Turban in Index). Since I always assumed some of these companies may have worked under protection, I never visited any of them - I had enough trouble collecting.]
Entry 2190
If yo' wanta git a job, yo' git chew a red onion an' yo' take dat red onion an' yo' pack dat red onion wit sulphur, "In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost." Den yo' take yo' some good perfume an' yo' po' it down in dat hole, "In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost." an' stick nine straight pins in it, an' yo' go to apply fo' a job an' it's hard fo' 'em tuh turn yo' down. [See stickpin in preceding rite and single pin in following rite.]
Entry 2333
In de mornin's wash yore face." If yo' workin' on a job, ev'ry mawnin' when yo' wash yore face, yo' wash yore face with three watahs to sundown. Name de watah through de help of de Lord. Ask de Lord to take charge of de water. All right, an' yo' go to de bossman dis mornin' through de he'p of de Lord an' ask him fo' a job. An' if yo' git de job, accordin' to whut kind of a job it is, an' if he evah sends yo' fo' watah or anything fo' him, wet de dog fingah and cross de watah, an' carry it to him fo' nine times. An' he'll content yo' tuh stay dere wit de job. Anything data- way dat he's gotta use on de inside, wet de dog fingah an' make it nine time - mark across it.
(Anything he eats or anything of that sort.) [Dog finger = index finger.]
Entry 2969
Take three matches of different colors an' break 'em. Name one de Father an' de other de Son an' de other de Holy Ghost. An' yo' put one in [on] each one of the artro veins of yore haid. Dat will put de candles out.
(That will put the candles out that are burning for me.)
Then yo' take three mo' matches an' light all three of 'em. Yo' name 'em, "Name of the Father, Son and de Holy Ghost," an' yo' light 'em all at once an' pinch 'em out with yore left hand.
(What will that do?)
Put 'em [candles] out. That's throwing de misery back dey say to de one dat give it tuh yo'.
(Do they do these two things together or do they do them separately?)
Separately.
(Now what three veins did you say in your head?)
Those artro veins right back there. There one there an' one there.
(One at the back of the neck?)
Two at de back of de neck and one right heah. (Two at the back of the neck and one right here - and one here on the left side just above the temple. They are called what?) Those artro veins.
Entry 7520
[Florence, South Carolina - scene of my following experience with a doctor in 1939 - was with the surrounding country still a prominent hoodoo lo- cality. For years before my time it had been ranked along the Atlantic Coast as second only to Beaufort (Bū'fert) of the same state. My question to the doc- tor is unrecorded but easily recoverable from what he says. Here we have an expert at work.] Now dey've put it [witchcraft] on yo' an' sont [sent] chew 'way from heah. All right, yo' come tuh me, er [or] some of yore folks come tuh me an' say, "Mah husban', er mah son, er mah sistah, er mah fathah, er [mah] mothah's gone away an' ah haven't done anythin' in de worl' tuh 'em." All right. Dey'll come tuh me an' ah'll say, "Well, yo' come back heah in de mawnin'." Ah wouldn't do anythin' in dat time [in the meantime]. [Here is the magic delay frequently found in Hoodoo but prominently mentioned 329.6 only once - see 964, p.361.] Yo' come back dere in de mawnin'. Yo' lay yore han's upon mine an' ah'll look up tuh de no'th an' ah'll talk tuh God. An' aftah ah talk wit God, ah take a piece of red flannel cloth an' take two pennies. Ah'll tie nine knots in dat cloth an' ah'll give it tuh yo'. Ah'll say, "At twelve a'clock tuhnight or twelve a'clock tuhmorrah, yo' be at de ceme- tery. Be dere at twelve on de minute." Aftah yo' be dere, yo' go down an' yo' take de haidbo'd [headboard] up, take up de haidbo'd an' say, "Dead! Dead! Dead! Mah son is gone away, " er "mah hus- ban'" - jes' eithah one [who left] yo' know. "Ah want dem tuh return." Take dat haidbo'd an' care [carry] it tuh de foots, an' pull de feet up an' stick it dowa dere.
(Stick the headboard down at the foot?)
Yes sir. Come on roun' wit dat foot tuh de haid, an' git tuh de feet chewself. "Dead! Dead! Dead! Mah some is gone away from me. Ah wants 'im tuh return." Turn dat on roun' heah. Yo' git dere at de haid." 'Dead! Dead! Dead! Mah son is gone away. Ah want 'im tuh return." Take dose two pennies an' stick 'em right down in dere.
(In that hole at the head?)
At de haid. An' stick dat haidbo'd [footboard] down in dere. Undahstan' me plainly. Stick it down in dere. An' git chews up, call 'em three times at ary [each] place an' take up three [demonstrates]. Dat's one, two, dat's three, handfuls of dat sand dirt.
(Where are you picking that up from, now?)
Out de haid. Den yo' put dose pennies down in dere. Den yo' take dat dirt an' put it in a piece of red flannel cloth an' tie nine knots in it, an' take it tuh yore house, at twelve a'clock an' put it in de chimley. Take nine little bits outa dat [graveyard dirt] befo' yo' put it in dere, an' go tuh evah cornah of yore house an' put [demonstrates] one dere, one dere an' one dere, an' one heah - dat's fo' cornahs. Put 'em dere an' den put dat in de chimley. An' don' Say nuthin tO nObody an' gO on out. DON'T LOOK BACKWARD OR YO' BE IN DE CEMETERY. Don't say nuthin tuh nobody until yo' git home tuh yore gate. DOSE ARE THIN'S DAT CHANGES FATE.
(When you go out there at twelve o'clock what is it, day or night?)
Don't make any diff'rence. (When you first go there, you take the footboard up - no, you take the head- board up and you put it down at the foot. Then you take the footboard up and put it down at the head. Then you take them again?) Oh, nO! Yo' CHANGE DE END WIT DE WORL'. IT'S WHAT CHEW WILL, yo' understan'.
[Here is the importance of will or intention.]
(This is to bring them back?)
An' when ah change de end wit de worl' he comin' back. [As an explanation of change de end wit de worl', I can only repeat informant's preceding words: Dose are things dat changes fate.]
(And when you get this dirt, you only get it from the head?)
From de haid. (And you put those pennies down in the headboard hole, and you take the dirt out of the head [board] hole and take it back to the house.) Yes.
Entry 10065
Dey go out tuh de forks of de road an' some do's one thing an' some anothah, see. Some will take a half a bushel [basket] see, an' dey puts dat in de forks of de road. An' aftah dey put dat in de forks of de road, dey git a black cat an' put undah dat bushel - half bushel. See. An' dey'll use de word: God, de Fathah - God, de Son - God, de Holy Ghost. Three times, see, an' de storm will rise... (Remainder of this story cannot be secured because of bad spot on cylinder.) [Comment by transcriber.] [What happened? Did the cat escape? Did the devil appear? I hope someone has preserved this story. For a similar story see one in which the devil demands you cuss God three times, No.348, p.103, vol.1.]
Entry 1658
I've heard that if you - if somebody is trying to harm you - well, like you know me, you come to me if I know anything and you ask me about it. Well, I'll tell you what to do. Now, you go to the river, turn around, turn your back to it.
(Turn your back to the river.)
First, to the running water, then you turn your face.
(Oh, then you turn your face to the river.)
Like this [demonstrates].
(Put your hands over your eyes.)
Over your eyes and ask de Lord, "Lord, please help me."
("Lord, please help me.")
It's all gone - it's all gone.
Entry 8310
If yo' have a photograph of 'em, yo' could take dat photograph an' burn it bottomside upwards, which an' why, turn de haid part down, an' put chure right hand tuh yare heart, In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, dat chew wan' 'em tuh return back tuh yuh. An' dey will come back.
Entry 75
There was a fellow who was gambling. His name was Jacob Brown. A lot of people was gambling and this Jacob Brown made a terrible excitement by saying that if he would lost his last dollar, he would curse God and die. There was a tree that had been blown down and they all had this place where they were gambling right close to this tree. And after he had lost his last dollar he cursed God and he went to this tree to sit down. So he laid upon the log. And after laying there he could not be moved. And specta- tors went there to see him. And after viewing his body laying out on the tree, they pitied his condition and some tried to get him away, and they could in no ways move him. So one day three preachers went there to see what was the trouble and so they viewed the place and the man likewise; and they decided that they would cut this log [cut out the piece of tree upon which he was lying] in order that they could move the man away. And when they began to cut, the log began to bleed; so therefore, they couldn't move this man and so they left him. That man lived according to my understanding about two months and nobody could move him off of that log. [Old Point Comfort, Va., (27), Ed.; happened about 1906 in Georgia, so my informant says - actually, this immobility being a folk theme in many forms, see Arrestation in FACI,2ed., Pp. 817-18, etc.]
Entry 268
If ah wus goin' tuh have a black cat bone an' had to use it fo' mahself, ah would take an' git me a black cat with not a white spot on him an' ah [would] take an' cook him real done. Ah would take that cat to the runnin' watah an' throw him in dere an' all de rest of de bones dat sink dey ain't no good. De one dat stays on de top is perfect. Ah take dat bone in mah han's an' carry it cross mah face an' cuss God an' say, "Ah don' believe it's a God."
(Show me how you do that.)
Supposed to carry it cross lak dat, backwards an' forwards an' cuss God, "Ah don' wanta be saved. Ah don' believest in God. Ah wants dis tuh command me. Ah've sold mahself to de devil."
(Then what do you do with that bone?)
Well, take dat bone an' do anything wit it.
Entry 284
They claim you go to the fork of the road fo' nine mornin' straight. You walk backward. You curse the day you were born. You curse the sun, the moon. You curse God. Then they'll sell theirself to the devil. The ninth mornin' they'll take a black cat to de fork of that road an' they'll git a tea- kettle of water boilin'. They'll take dat cat an' they'll t'row him down in dat water an' let him cook to pieces. An' then they'll take a - somepin, an' they'll fin' one of them bones. an' they'll call that the black qat bone. An' they sell theirself to the devil an' they be able to do all kin' of matter.
The informant reports nine mornings at a road fork, walking backwards and cursing, with a black cat brought on the ninth morning and a bone sought. Selling oneself to the devil and gaining powers remain attributed claims; this sequence is not combined with different neighboring cat-bone accounts.
Entry 532
Dey claim yo' kin put a pan of watah under yore bed and say three words, jest say, "Father, Son and the Holy Ghost," and den go to bed and dey claim de witches will not come.
Entry 624
She told me that her husband was running with a woman and she said that it was revealed in her to whup his tracks - jis' take a stick like a whup. See, jis' like he track down a plow row, see plowed-up land, and jis' whup his track and say, "Go, go, go." And she declares dat dis man moved shortly. Says he come right by her doah and said, "I's leavin' this plantation," said, "I ain't gon'a stay here no longah."
(Who revealed this to her?)
She said it was God.
Entry 743
An' den dere's anothah way yo' kin do it. Yo' kin take up a fellah's [foot] track. Yo' kin write his name in his track - if yo' know his name, jes' write his full name in his track.
(With what?)
Yo' know, wit yore finger. Take yore finger, dis finger, an' write his full name in his track. Take up dat track [demonstrates].
(You use that right - index finger of the right hand.)
Yes, sir. Take up that track an' go to de woods. Have yo' seen wire grass up heah in No'th Georgia?
(Wire grass? I know what it is.)
[This means I had seen a wild grass. I did not and do not know its name.]
Yes, sir. Yo' go to a big bunch of wire grass an' dig up dat wire grass by de roots; jes' take yore shovel an' have yo' another shovel - dig up dat wire grass by de root, de whole root of dat wire grass. [Presumably two spades are needed for a clump of wild grass.] Yo' dig up de whole root of dat wire grass an' jes put dat track in dere. When yo' put dat track in dere, hit on top of it three times like this, "God de Father, God de Son, God de Holy Ghost" - jes' like dat.
(What do you hit it with - your hand or the shovel?)
De shovel. An' say, "Whosoevah passes dis track with not good things in his mind" - be sure to put it though along where dis fellah travels at, yo' know he travels long dere where yo' carry dat - "whosomevah passes dis track with not good things on his mind, he shall be buried jes' de same as this dirt." An' walk away after yo' say them three words.
(You do that in case he has any hard feeling against you?)
Yes, sir - in case me an' him would git in some kind of a dispute or somepin an' ah thought he wus tryin' tuh harm me any way or he would harm me some way, an' it would better fo' me tuh do dat den to have to hurt him an' den have to go befo' de law, see.
Entry 1474
(If a person has crossed you?)
Yeah.
(You go to the stove?)
Go to the stove or place where a fire what's lit, and you take you some salt, you see, and just sprinkle it over the flame, you know, and you repeat the Lord's Prayer, and the flames quiver from de salt, you know, and then you do with your hand like dat and read the 37th Psalm [demonstrates].
(You hold your hands up in the air together after you said your prayer.)
After the prayer. You repeat the Lord's Prayer and ask the Lord to give you peace of mind and, "The Lord deliver me from mine enemies. ".
Entry 1608
Yo' kin take and get saltpeter, you kin get the brine offa mack'rel fish, mix chamber lye with this. Now, I know this is real 'cause I did this - that happened to me. You bathe in that but you set in yore door, if you got a door facing the east. You set there, you bathe whatever parts that hurts you or that feels peculiar. You bathe that for nine mornings and yo' be all right.
(But you must sit right in that door facing the east?)
As the sun rise and do that for nine mornings, and as you do that, you mention the Lord's Name - say this, "In the Father, Son and de Holy Ghost."
(And you bathe. What time do you bathe yourself?)
Jest as the sun rise.
Entry 1823
Yo' take an' go to de graveyard, if yo' wanta go anywhere or wanta do anything. Yo'll go to de graveyard an' cut a piece out of de person - a sinnah back.
(Out of their body - their back?)
Dat's right. An' make a candle. Take an' fry it - yo' know, jes' cook it down. Take de grease out it an' make a candle an' take that candle an' do any- thing in de world yo' want.
(What would they do with the candle? Do you know how they would handle that?)
Well, dey jes' take aftah dey make de candle an' whenevah they's makin' this candle, dey'll call de Lord's Name. See. An' whenevah de candle is cold, yo' see, den dey kin take it an' go anywhere an' do anything dey want wit dat candle.
Entry 2033
Now, I know a man and he got out of a job. He was out of a job for over a year and he got some High John de Conker and put it in some Hearts Perfume and heli'trope perfume and saturated hisself right good and went 'fore dis man. Well, when he usu'lly used to go dere the man wouldn't talk to him. So he made his wishes as he came out de door what he wants to happen. "In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, I'm going before my boss for a job, hoping that I be successful." Well, when he got there the boss walked up and shook his hand and said, "Walter, you huntin' fer a job?" He said, "Yeah." He said, "You ought been back long time ago." And give him his same job back, which he had knocked him off.
Entry 2178
Yo' take table salt an' yo' put it in de palm of yore hand, jes' a little, an' yo' build yo' a fire. Yo' take onion peelin's an' put it in de palm of yore hand, say, "God de Father, God de Son, God de Holy Spirit," an' throw dis in de fire. "Strike de fire in mah house. Bring success an' peace an' money an friendship in mah home." Yo' throw it in dat blazin' fire. (And you take each one of those things that you say and throw them into the fire?) Dat's right - de salt.
(The salt and those pieces of onion?)
No, yo' put de onion in yore hand an' jes' three pinch of salt.
(Three pinches of salt on the fire?)
Three heads - God de Father, God de Son, an' God de Holy Spirit.
(That is to bring in customers.)
Entry 2496
Yo' take de infant dirt from de grave [dirt from an infant's grave], take sulphur, yo'll take table salt - three things. Yo'll git up in de mawnin' at fo' 'clock 'fore de sun an' yo' starts from yore front do', jes' lak if, yo' know, yo' want plenty - ever'body tuh come in. Well, yo' stand to de do' an' throw it in de house, "In de Name of de Father an' Name of de Son an' Name of de Holy Ghost, ah wants all de customers dat ah kin git." An' yo' have mo' people den yo' evah able tuh git through with.
(When you get that dirt, you give it this money?)
Yessuh, always give odd pennies. Nevah give two or nevah give fo' - give odd.
Entry 3020
Most every home you go in, you be looking up to see saints over the door. Now, some people use a little glass like this, but it's about that high. They burns a candle in there, you understand. The candle is about that big: (A large candle?) A large candle about that [high]. (Like they have in the Roman Catholic Church - those little fat candles in little colored blue and red glasses?) Yes, red glasses. Now, them is for if you out of a job. You use one of them at a picture they call Mother Catherine.
(Mother what? Mother Catherine?)
Yeah, Catherine. Now, you put that - put that saint there and put that candle there. You got the saint up over the candle, you see, when that burns.
(You have the saint right over the candle?)
You see, this light is supposed to give life to the saint. (Wait a minute! When that is lighted it is supposed to give life to the saint?) To make him awake, you understand. You see, the saint ain't no good if you don't burn this light.
(The saint is no good unless you burn that light?)
Unless you burn that light. See, that gives life to the saint. Now, on this side you ought to have a green piece of grass - you know, like you use on All Saints Day. You use what you call palmetto - not palmetto but it's a green leaf. They use that right on the side.
(Palm leaf?)
The palm leaf. You see, you use that on the side so the saints - you know, most of the saints got a piece of green in his hand and this here green that you use would give affection [reflection or sympathy] to the green that he has in his hand. [Your piece of green is opposite green in statue or picture.] And this candle keeps life in him, and make it work, you understand.
(Well, in particular what is the candle burned for?)
If you are out of a job or you want a job or if you are in need. And you using this here through the power of God and this saint, it let you increase something every day to live off of. That what you burn this candle for.
Entry 3625
An' den anothah thing, if yo' away ah kin bring yo' to me. Yo' kin bring a man tuh yo' in nine days time, or eithah a woman. Yo' take yo' a cord string. Dat's simple but it's a fact, ah done tried dat. Yo' take a cord string an' tie nine knots in it a inch apart. An' evah mawnin' yo' urinate on dat string an' tie yo' a knot [inch apart] an' yo' repeat dat verse, have God's Name in it, say, "Ah do dis In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, fo' yo' to come an' nevah return [away again]." An' tie dat knot when yo' say dat, call im by his name, an' tie dat knot, an' de ninth knot, why he'll be dere in three days time aftahward. (What do you do with that after those knots are tied in? What do you do with that string then?) Wear it. Keep it wit yo' till he comes.
Entry 5083
Take de sock dat he done wored an' put it undah where - stretch it out on de side dat she lays on In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost an' sleep on it. Den he will stop runnin' roun'. (Stretch it out where?) Undahneat' 'er bed, which an' why. Put it undah de sheet on de bed an' lay on it, an' make her wish In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost dat she means tuh stop 'im from runnin' roun'. Dat will stop 'i. [Florence, S. Car. (1314), 2510:4.]
Entry 5187
If yuh wan' 'im tuh come back home, if he yore husban', yuh could take a couple of ole shoes. [If you] know he's done lef' some anywheres roun', yuh'll fin' 'em. Git two pair of ole shoes [one pair only, see later] an' yuh take one foot an' yuh turn it - de toe of it dis way, de way dey went yuh know. An' one [same shoe] dataway. An' de nex' one [second shoe], turn it back dis way [to the house]. Well, yuh bringin' 'im back home den, see. An' yuh say, "By de he'p of God yuh went away from home, but by de he'p of God, ah wan' chew tuh come back." (Where do you put those shoes?) Put 'em [right shoe] in front of yore house - take one [left shoe] tuh de back an' one [right] tuh de front. (What do you mean, to the front or to the back of the house?) Jes' have tuh take dis foot chere - left foot, put it tuh de back. Turn de toe goin' 'way from de house like he goin'way. Take de right one an' take hit an' turn hit tuh de front - let de toe out tuh de front. Dat's bringin' 'im back. Yuh say, "By de he'p of God yuh Went away, y de he'p of God this is tuh bring yuh back." (Do you put those shoes under the ground or just put them on top of the ground?) Put 'em on top of de groun', right lak dat. Needn't covah dem up atall, jes' put 'em right on de groun'.
Entry 5599
[I evidently had asked about any rite done before sunrise.]
Dere sev'ral things yo' do 'fo' de sun rise. It be's jis' lak if ah want mah man tuh come back. Well ah would git up fo' de sun would rise an' ah would talk tuh de Lord. Ah says, "Lord, ah want mah" - jis' lak 'is name John - says, "Lord, ah want John tuh come back tuh me, send 'im back tuh me in de Name of de Lord Jesus sake." An' ah would say dat fo' nine mawnin's. An' den nine mawnin's out, well ah git 'is track - ah already did have dat. An' when ah git 'is track de las' nine mawnin' ah throw hit out de do'. He'll come on back home.[ Waycross, Ga.,
(1132), 1837:6.]
Entry 6076
Ah have heard dat chew could take a person hair an' gain de influence of 'em by carryin' dere hair in yore pocket. Yo'could take dere hair an' git chew a piece of bran'-new cloth, piece of bran'-new white cloth sech as be de - yo' know, don't be flowered lak dis. Yo' know, jes' any kin'a bran'-new cloth dat don't cost but 5c a yard - plain cloth. Yo' kin take dat an' take nine stran's of a person's hair an' carry dat nine stran's of a person's hair in yore pocket nine days, an' DE NINTH MAWN- IN' yo' git up outa de bed an' yo' say de THREE GOD MANHEAD: God de Father, God de Son, God de Holy Ghost - de ninth mawnin'. An' yo' take dem nine stran's of bair an' WALK TO DE BACK DO'. Wit yure left han' throw dem nine stran's of hair away. Don't look back aftah yo' throw 'em away, jes' throw 'em anyuay. Don't look back aftah yo' throw 'em. An' de person who yo's in love wit, y jes' lak yo' throw dere hair away, dey'll come back to yo'. [Even cloth at 5c a yard vas amazing back in 1939 - see INTR0., p. XXXV for date.] An' if it's a person dat chew wanta git away from yo', de seventh day yo' cake dat hair an' walk to de front do' jes' at sunrise an' say de THREE GOD MANHRAD, an' put it right in de centah of de do'step - right in de centah of de do'step. Den take a horseshoe - YO'VE SEEN A HORSESHOE - an' lay dat horseshoe right down ovah it; jes' yo' know square each way, jes' so it'll extend each way an' it'll be level each way. Yo' take dem nine stran's of hair an' dig a little hole an' bury it. Put dat horseshoe ovah it. Take yo' nine pins an' drive down in dere. Jes' try tuh drive 'em on top of de head of each othah it'll be bettah. An dat'll drive 'em away from yo', so yo' won't have any trouble wit dat person any
(You cover up that horseshoe so it can't be seen?)
Yes sir, yo' covah it up lightly so it can't be seen. [Despite the absence of pubic or armpit hair in this rite, I have placed it here because of 9 hairs snd9 days.]
Entry 7038
Yo' kin git de blessed watah from de Cath'lic Church, anybody; but dey don' give it tuh yuh tuh do dat. Dey give it tuh yuh fo' tuh use fo' yuh own use; anything yuh wanta use it fo', yo' see. But ah did heah dat anythin' yuh ask... (Well, now, how do you use that blessed water, if this man was a heavy drinker?) How would ah give it tuh 'im?
(Yes.)
Oh, yes, when he's might ask yuh fo' a drink a watah, an' den yuh put some a dat blessed watah in dere, an' call In de Name of God, de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Spirit, hopin' dat he would quit drinkin' so hard. An' in dat way - dat's all dere's tuh dat.
Entry 7198
Yo' take an' make a circle wit chalk an' when yo' make dat circle, den yo' make a "x" yo' know. When yo' make dat "x" - when yo' make de circle dat's God. (The circle is God?) Yes sir, an' de "x" de firs' lettah is de - circle is God an' de firs' cross is God de Father, an' de nex' one is God de Holy Spirit. (Where do you make this circle with the cross? Where do you make it? Where do you draw that?) Well, right in de room where whutevah wus taken from it. [Here I turn off recording machine. What informant says, I restart machine and repeat the lost information.] (You make a circle on the wall or on the floor. And you put an "x" inside. And then inside the "x" you do what?) Well, when yo' done make dat "x" in Name of de Father, Son an' Holy Ghost, den yo' wish whut chew want 'em tuh do. Jis' carry it right roun' jis' lak dat. (You mean just carry this circle around. You mean you keep marking the chalk around?) Yes, jis' make a roun' ring. Have yo' got a pencil? An' ah give it tuh yo' aftah [return it] right away. (Wait a minute! You draw the circle [I demonstrate]. That's God the Father. Then you [I demonstrate]. That's the Son. And [I demonstrate] Holy Ghost.) An' make yore wishes whut chew want. (And you keep going around and around and around. Like turning a wheel around.) Yo' do dat three time, three Godhead.
[I demonstrate again.]
You draw a line right through that circle and call the son, then you draw another line across it and say the Holy Ghost, and then you keep drawing that circle around and around and around, while you make your wishes for them to bring that article back that they have stolen.) Long as yo' speakin' of whut chew want done, yo' jis' keep yuh han' goin' roun' an' roun'.
Entry 7599
"Fore sunrise in de mawnin' yo' kin go. tuh de graveyard an' take a pen- ny an' put it in de centah of dat grave. An' run yore han' down dere an' take up some of dat dirt, In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost. An' yo' kin bring it back tuh dat person house dat chew wanta run away. an' sprinkle it all roun' dere house. In de Name of de Fathah, Son an' Holy Ghost, an' dash it an' don't look back.
(That will run them away?)
Dat'll run 'em away.
Entry 7715
Yo'd go down tuh de grave an' take de haidbo'd an' carry it tuh de foot an' make yore wish In de Name of de Father, de Son an de Holy Ghost.
(What would you do with the footboard then, throw it away?)
Bring it tuh de head.
Entry 8012
If a person do anything to you, you [the culprit] can go on yonder to New York or Washington or anywhere, I will ketch him. I'll take a brand-new egg from a black hen and take that egg and put it in ten pins, five one way and five the other, in the sides [the long sides] of the [uncooked] egg. You take this egg and go to a grave, just like you are digging a person's grave, bury this egg. You put it this way [demon- strates] just the same as you would the east [the large end of the egg represents the head and is laid facing the east]. You bury this egg in the Name of the Lord, and that he will never return, and moulten away. You say his name. When the egg is rot-ten he will be out of this world.
Entry 8086
Turn 'im [his photo- graph] down tuh de ground an' make a wish wit dat black hen feathah an' yore wishes will come true. An' at de dawn of day, read a chaptah ~ read de 36th chaptah of de Psalms of David. Yo' pray tuh God an' ast 'im fo' whut chew want an' yo'll be purtty lucky tuh git it. (Use the person's photograph. How do you use that black feather? What do you do with that?) Lay it across de pichure, turn it [picture] down tuh de ground.
(Face it down.)
Entry 8538
Ah say jes' lak if yo' got a loved one an' he's gone away. Yo' know, sometimes people be co'tin' [courting] yo' know each othah, an' dey go off ex- pectin' tuh be right back. An' dey may git a job or sompin, undahstand an' hold dem a little longer den dey wanta. Or some- times dey jes' quit an jes' tell yo' ah'll be back tomorrow an' yo' leave tuh not evah come back no mo'. Well, yo' go to de no'th- west side of yore house an' yo' turn yore face to de direction dat dis person is at. An' yo' place yore hands up ovah yore heart an' yo' call dis person's name three times, In de Name of de Fathah, Name of de Son, an' Name.of de Holy Ghost, an' yo' tell 'em tuh come on to yo', Oh, ye loved one. An' in nine days' time dey'll be home, will be back to where yo' want 'em to be. Dey say yo' have to do this three mawnin's in succession at de hour of three a'clock each mawnin'.
(Did you say something before about a cross mark?)
Yes sir, yo' jes' make this cross mark.
(Where?)
At de no'thwest side of de house, an' yo' stand, yo' know, by de mark or - it don' make no diffunce [difference] jes' so long as yo' make it by de house on de no'thwest side an' turn yore face to de direction [person has gone].
(Do you make that cross mark on the house or on the ground?)
Yo' make it on de ground.
Entry 8628
A lemon is a sour thing, 'vided [provided] whut chew wanta do wit it. Yo' take dis lemon an' yo' take all de fillin' out of it, an' yo' fill it up fulla salt, table salt. An' yo' carry it to a crossroad an' den yo' call dis indivi- dual's name. If it's three or fo' [times] it makes no difference how many it is. Yo' call dere name de third time In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost. An' den mention whut cheW want tuh be done. An' den turn yore back on it an' GO ON BACK [HOME] AN' TRUST IN DE LORD. It'll be done.
(What do you do with that lemon out there at the crossroad?)
Yo' leave it dere, jes' leave it dere. Don't chew pick it up at all.
Entry 8756
De 88th Psalms an' de 85th Psalms. YO' EVER READ DE BIBLE? [I either did not answer or answered with my head. Perhaps informant did not give me time to answer.] An' yo' go down to de Ten Cent Store an' yo' buy yo' a ten cents pan [tin pan]. An' yo' write three words on there, God, de Father; God, de Son; god, de Holy Ghost. An' write his name there. In nine days he'll be back there, but yo' still gotta read de 88th Psalm and de 85th Psalm.
(What do you do with that pan then?)
Yo' place it in de corner of yore home.
Entry 8855
[Yo' do this] wit nine needles. An' if ah'm gone an' yo' wanta heah from me an' yo' wanta break me up from where ah'm at, yo' take nine needles an' yo' take a piece of papah. Yo' evah hear'd of dis parchment papah? (I understand.) All right. Yo' take dat parch- ment papah an' write my name on it. Write Emmaline Williams on it, yo undah- stand, an' stick a needle all.de'long [along] in dere. An' yo' stick one dis way an' one dat way, one upside down an' one straight down.
(One with the head up and one with the head down Alternate them?)
[Often with needles or pins called heads and tails.]
Yes, zigzag. Yo' put dem in a lettah an' say, "Ah wish, ah wish, ah wish, tuh God, if dis lettah reach 'er, an' will tear 'er from wheresomevah she be's." Dat will bring 'em.
(You don't send the letter?)
Yassuh, yo' send it to 'em. Yo' see, yo' don't leave 'em out in public. Yo' take anothah piece of papah an' put ovah dat parchment papah, yo' undahstan'.
Entry 8916
If a person steal somepin from yo', take sompin good, yo' know, somepin useful to yo', yo' kin take an' write dere name three times. Yo' write In de Name of de Father, Son an' de Holy Ghost three times. Den yo' write dat straight across lak dat three times [demonstrates], an' den yo' turn it an' yo' write it dis way [the same way], an' den yo' take dat an' fold it.
(Do you write the person's name first?)
No, yo' write it In de Name of de Father, Son an' Holy Ghost, three times.
(Then you turn it around and write it crosswise, in the same words?)
De same words, an' yo' writes de person name, too, but yo' write it undah dat, under de Father. See, yo' write it In Name de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, an' den de nex' line will be de person's name. An' when yo' writin' dis note, yo' makin' yore wishes to yoreself fo' de Lord tuh bring dese people back. An' den yo' write dat ag'in, an' den ag'in de [person's] name, an' [again] de Son an' de Father an' de Holy Ghost, until yo' git three of each. (First one and then the other [the names are on alternate lines]. There must be three of each on this paper. Then you turn your paper sideways and write the same thing down across the other six [lines of] names. Six crossing six?) Sho' [sure]. An' yo' place dis undah yore lamp, one dese li'le small lamps, yo' know. Dey call 'em scent [saint] lamps. Well, yo' take an' set one dem lamps on top of dat an' make yore wishes fo' dis person, an' in three days time whatevah yo' wish fo' comes [true]. [Years ago lamp rites were very common in New Orleans and the areas of its influence. This lamp was a real lamp, sometimes very small, always with a wick in a burner. Sanctuary or shrine or holy lights, giving lights of different colors and using floats were something else. Then, of course, candles surpassed all other forms of magic illumination - see for these candles, Pp.797-862, v.1, and other places; for 34 lamp rites, Nos.8578-8612, Pp.3524-3535, v.4, and other places. During my collecting days in New Orleans, scent or sent could mean saint, and also incense or scent.]
(They will bring back that article they have taken from you?)
Yessuh.
(They call them saint lamps?)
Yessuh.
Entry 8921
Now, if anyone has stole anythin' from yo', yo' go tuh some runnin' watah an' yo' write his name on dat piece of papah an' put slime or mud, whatso- evah it 'tis, an' call de Three Great Names - dat's de Father, Son an' de Holy Ghost, "may he bring dis back to me, ' an' throw it ovahbo'd. An' dat runnin' watah hit'll run back to yore house, bring it back to yore house. He pick some chance tuh bring it back, 'thout [without] chew seein' 'im. [The preceding expression Three Great Names is rare compared to the more usual ones of Three Highest Names and Three Holy Names. (If you think that's the person that stole the article, you write his name on a piece of paper, and you put this mud on the piece of paper.) Right on top of his name.
Entry 9015
[This is an unusual religious rite, my only example of the Sacred Host ever being mentioned. One would expect this to happen in New Orleans, not at Sumter, S. Car. Or is in- formant referring to the Lord's host or hosts, the angels?] Said if a man wuz in jail an' he's want some he'p [help] - if a man an' his friend dat know him an' he had a great habit dat might be tuh his relief, git de aig dat is laid, de aig dat is laid from a black hen. Dey [must be] dressed. Write de name of de twelve apostles, yes, an' 'be de Host's Bighty help, ' an' carry it - have him side face [face sideways] [and pray] dat God would he'p dat aig an' de twelve apostles dat dey name was written on dat aig [would help also], yo' understan' - to he'p de friend tuh come out of his trouble, don't chew understan'.
(What would they do with that egg, then?)
Carry it befo' - wait, lak, fo' ten mens tuh come 'long an' break it dat dey night walk ovah it. [I do not understand waiting for ten mens tuh come 'long. Does the waiter. bope that some of these men may be Jurymen or connected with the trial in some Way? Why ten?]
(That will get him out of jail.)
Entry 9089
Dey claim that if yo' use God's Name three times aftah usin' three different kind of roses, one a red rose, a white rose, an' anothah a kind of a pink rose - after usin' those roses - they boil those roses an' get de juice out of 'em an' takes a bath in dat juice. An' den take dat juice an' put a little bit in a vial or sumpin like dat in de pocket. An' put a mixture in dat wit High John de Conkah an' bluestone an' aloes an' incense; an' den use de word, "God de Father, God de Son, an' God de Holy Ghost" fo' nine times in de court- house. Dat'll be impossible fo' a judge to give a heavy sentence. [Elizabeth City. N. Car. (482), 498:8.]
Entry 9093
If a person have a fight, a purtty bad fight chew know, an' ah know de man's goin' git me - all of it fell on me becuz ah done mo' den 'nuff, an' ah know it's goin' fall on me, an' dunno [don't know] whut tuh do. Aw, ah'm jes' cryin' an' a-grievin', ah dunno whut tuh do. "Lawd, ah know ah'll gits a whole lotta time." An' ah don' wanta [get time]. Heah comes somebody, says, "Oh, dat's so bad. Ah heared of yore troubles." Says, "Well, ah tell yo'," says, "yo' ain't got no money an' yore po' an' yo'll pay fo' it." Says, "But chew kin git a li'le, prob'ly a dollah or two, but chew will git chew some luck." "Well, where will ah go?" "Ah know a man [doctor] live right ovah dere, right straight ovah dere. Ah know he'll fix yo' up." "Well, ah shore hope so becuz ah'm fed up. Ah dunno whut tuh do." Says, "Yo' go ovah dere. He's a good man. He's a high-class man. He knows stuff." Yo' walk in an' he [doctor] says, "Hello, dere. Yo's in trouble dis mawnin', ain't chah?" "Yes." Says, "Yo's in trouble," says, "yo' goin' have a lawsuit an' yo' come out heah fo' he'p?" [For some of the methods used by doctors when greeting patients, see CONSULTATION TECHNIQUE, PP.307-319.] "Yes." Okay. "Well, ah tell yo' right now, it goin' cost chew five dollahs, an' ah give yo' somepin othah. An' yo' take dis an' yo' go up dere [to court]. Dey jes' ast yo' a few questions. Den come on out." He goes back an' gives 'im a li'le piece of root about two inches, ah reckon. Dere's three notches cut intuh dis root, an' de notch is cut in dere to represent de Fathah an' de Son an' de Holy Ghost. Dat takes ca' [care] of dat. Yo' know whut dat means. Dat's [case is] out. Dat's throwed out. Dey jes' say, "Out."
(That's in a court case?)
Dat's throwed out.
Entry 9121
An' it's anothah one. If yo' should git in trouble, yo' take an' yo' write: Mark, Matthew, Luke an' John. [These names are written one under the other.] Den yo' take some sage an' put it right in de centah of it. (You write these names on a piece of paper?) Dat's right. (And you put that sage in the center of that paper?) Dat's right. An' yo' write chure name cross- ways, cross dose fo' names, an' yo' put it in yore shoe. An' yo' represent yo'- self jes' when yo' go in de co't an' de Lord will take de part wit chew.
Entry 9474
Jis' lak yo' wan'a house - jis' lak anyone naggin' an' dere be a whole lot of rows in de house an' yo' wan'a quit dat rǒwin' an' live pleasant in de house. Yo' take a li'le bit of table salt, but choo have tuh use it In de Name of de Lord. An' yo' take dat table salt an' yo' put a li'le bit in a can or anything, an' put it up ovah de do. An' dat's good tuh keep yuh home quiet.
Entry 9488
If anyone will come in yuh house - jis' lak a person wan'a come in yuh home an' broke yuh home up, an' yo' know dey come [for that purpose], take some salt an' go all through yuh house an' throw it in de each fo' cornahs of de house, an' use it In de Name of de Lord. An' when dey use dat salt, throw it through de house. Dey throw it undah yuh do'step too when dey come. Why when dey come in dey can't do a thing tuh yuh an' evahthing will go on pleasant.
Entry 10058
Take a black cat an' throw it in a pot of hot watah... [I turn off machine here be- cause rite did not appear to be promising. This was a frequent habit of mine to save time and cylinder space. Once more I shall stop machine before letting it continue to the end. My questions show what had been omitted.]
(After they boil this black cat what do they do?)
Take 'is bones, all de bones an' carry it down tuh de...
[I stop machine and then begin again.]
(After they get this bone that goes up the stream, then what do they do?)
Dey take it an' goes tuh de fo'ks of de road fo' nine mawnin's an' pray tuh de Lord an' say dey sell deyself tuh de devil. An' den dey kin do anythin' dey wan'a do an' can't nobody hahm 'em.
Entry 10163
You kin make a table [altar] with that [rite] you see. You understand, that's if it's something that choo want, well you kin make a table with that. You kin, that is, if it's for you to make a sacrifice, something that you want. Well, git choo three candles, you put the picture - you fold the picture up you under- stand.
(This picture of the Lord?)
This picture of the Lord. That's right.
(On the table?)
On the table. That's right. An' then you make it like a rainbow [a semi- circle]. You put one candle - you git three candles. You make [place] one right here, an' one right around here, an' let it [candles] come aroun like a rainbow. An' you make you a wish fo' wha' choo want, an' you say a prayer. You say, The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want, the 23rd Psalm. You say that Psalm an' then you get 'down an' repeat the Lord's Prayer for what you want. Yo' make a wish with these three candles. Then you let them burn plumb on out... right in front of the Lord's picture... You do this about 6 o'clock in the morn- ing or 6 o'clock in the evening or 9 o'clock at night.
Entry 10527
When you want to sell yourself to de devil, you go to de graveyard at 12 o'clock ever'night and they say you'll meet a man, you'll meet de devil. And he says, "You want to be- lieve in me or de Lord." And you say you believe in de Lord. But you can't sell yourself to him [devil]. If you say, Yes, I believe in you, well he takes you and he does sumpin to you. Be blows [on you] or sumpin. And [after that] you can do anything you want.
Entry 9727
Whenevah yo' be rid [writ?] out, dey done be rid yo' out - yo' know, outdo's an' yo' gotta move. Dey done rid yo' out, yo' know - de officah rids yo' out an' yo' gotta move. [Evidently your few posses- sions are on the sidewalk out in the street.] Yo' cake three nails an' yo' go tuh de do' lak dat an' nail 'em down [demonstrates] right in de middle of de do'.
(Right underneath the saddle that goes across the door.)
Yes, an' nail 'em down in dere an' call De Name of de Fathah an' de Son, an' yo' kin stay dere. Dey'll come an' lengthen yore days an' let chew stay on dere. Yo' won't have tuh move. Ah know dat fo' a fac' 'cuz ah did dat mahself. (You put them right down [I demonstrate] where that board goes over - over that saddle of the door.) Yes. [In that first line is there a play on the words writ and rid [get rid of you] both pronounced alike here.]
Entry 9762
Yo' take nine nails an' drive 'em into a pine tree on de sunrise side an' make yore wish, In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' Holy Ghost. An' yo' kill a person dataway. (And you wish to kill that per- son when you are driving those nails in the tree?) Yes sir.
Entry 9801
Take fo' pins - jes' lak if yo' would rent me a house or somepin lak dat; if yo' would rent me a house an' ah'd git behin'. All right, yo' came down - in de mawnin' when ah come down, yo'd be gone. See, sompin lak dat, yo' goin' put me out, undahstan'. Well, now, ah lak de place an' ah wanta stay dere. Well, de thing ah'm goin' do, ah'm goin' git me fo' pins - fo' straight pins dat's nevah been used. Ah kin take 'em an' drop 'em in a kinda of a cross-lak; one heah, one heah, one dere an' one dere.
(Like a cross - like four points in a cross?)
Dat's right. Den ah kin call De Three Godhaid.
(How would you do that?)
Ah would say, drop dis one, "Name of de Son, Name of de Fathah, Name of de Bleesed Holy Ghost. Amen." Den walk on tuh yore do' an' knock an' say, says, "Well, Captain [evah whut chure name be] ah haven't got all yore money: Ah got so much an' so much." Well, he say, "Well, all right. Stay on an' pay up when yo' can."
(Where would you bury those pins?)
Oh, don't bury 'em atall. Yo' jes' drop 'em in dem fo' angles.
(Where do you drop them, in his house or your house?)
In front of 'is do'.
(In front of the owner of the house - in front of his door?)
Dat's right, right in front of 'is do' an' knock on de do', an' den yo' tell m about de money whut yo' has. [I failed to ask whether these 4 pins formed 2 separate crosses + + or a cross with 8 arms or spokes, a rimless wheel; for 6 spokes see No.9796; v.4, No.5720.]
Entry 10725
If a man leave and she wants him back, as ah have 'fore said, she kin go to work and take a few - go to work and git some of dis heah herb what dey call de blacksnake root. And she kin go to work and put dat in a bottle, an' after putting dat in a bot- tle, den she go to work an' say, In de name of Jehovah, ah wants mah husband back. An' she cast dat in de east and dat bring him back [he returns with the rising sun].
Entry 11679
Atdefo'ksofde road, well yo' go at a certain hour at de fo'ks of de road. See. Yo arrive about six a'clock in de mawnin early, six a'clock in de mawnin'. Well, yo look no'th, yo' look east, yo' look south an'yo look west, yo' see. Well, den yo' say dis, "Lord, he'p me tuh rule dis day." Pray dat prayer, "He'p me tuh rule dis day." Dat's tuh conkah yore enemies, from round yo'.
Entry 12569
An' yo' kin take fo' pegs, yo' know. An' cut little pegs an' put 'em round yore house an' put 'em down out dere an' say 'bout "De Lord is mah shep- herd.... An' de sher- iff - ah don't care how much likker an' stuff yo' sell, dey won't even come round. Don't care whut chew do dere, dey won't come to yore house.
(How many pegs do you put down?)
Jest git chew some little wooden pegs.
(How many did you say?)
Foah - an' peg on each side of yore yard, an' de sheriff won't even come no- where round dere. [The pegs are at the 4 cardinal points of the compass.]
Entry 12574
Jes' lak if yo' don't want nobody tuh yore house, don't want tuh speak tuh anybody, yo' kin take yo' a penny - jes' a penny is brassy - an' yo' kin rub it an' rub it till it gits shiny. An' de penny whut yo' rubbin' den yo' go tuh de grave- yard dust: In de Name of de Lord an' de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost. Well, yo' rubs dat penny, rubs dat penny wit de dust until it gits shiny.
(What do you do with that then?)
[I shut the machine off before recording the answer, but the penny is probably nailed at the door. This could be my only example of using graveyard dirt as a scouring material!]
Entry 9196
If yo' wants tuh git outa trouble or anything lak dat, dey say if yo' take a aig - some people say if yo' take de aig at twelve a'clock in de night an' write de person's name on dis aig, an' yo' kin eithah go in one cornah of yore house an' bus' dat aig In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost at twelve a'clock... An' some people say tuh go in fronta de co'thouse or de jailhouse or wheresomevah de person am, see. An' take de aig an' throw it ovah dat an' let it bust ovah de topa it.
(Any kind of a chicken egg?)
Any kind from whut ah heard. Ah heard dat yo' kin take dis aig an' yo' kin take dat an' yo' kin make a wish In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost. Tell it whut chew want it tuh do fo' yuh an' bury it undah yore steps. Say dat will come true.
Entry 11380
Git a ole rusty file, understan, what somebody haven't used and you kin file that file. In other words dig a hole about two steps from the door- step and put a hog foot down in dere. An' then go about two steps further and you drive that file down about two inches under the dirt. An' of course when you drive it down in, using three words. Conseguently, it won't be long till that's gone. (What three words do you use?) Well, you drive that down, In the Name of the Father, Name of the Son and the Holy Ghost.
(I see. What will that do to them then?)
Well, they have to go. That will set them going.
(Make them move.)
Entry 12859
Dig a hole on each side of the gate and into them bury salt, soda and sulphur, calling the Lord's Name 3 times. This keeps any person with evil against you off the property. [Wilmington 205:3+85.]
Entry 9802
Yo' kin take now an' git chew a bran'new pack of goldeye needles an' put one in each corner of yore house. Yo' know a house is got fo' corners to it, a house dat wuz made straight. An' put 'em in each corner. Have to dig a hole, ah think yo' know, tuh bury it. Yo' know, yo' bury it down in dat hole an' say - but chew have tuh say some words behin' it, too, yo' know. When yo' say dat it keep de policeman away.
(What words do you say behind that, do you know?)
Jes' lak de Son an' de Holy Ghost. Yo' know, jes' ah tole yo' while ago, jes' repeat dose: Hope tuh God de policeman stay away, "In de Father an' de Holy Ghost."
(You don't say the Son?)
No, dey don't say de Son.
Entry 9839
Take nine needles an' stick 'em in a Irish potato, which is a white potato, an' bury it underneath a person's do'step - if yo' wanta harm 'en in some fashion - In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, an' jis' whatevah yo' make yore wish fo', dat will happen. (You want to harm them in some way, you say. Anything you wish for to harm them?) Yes sir.
Entry 20
I've seen two spirits myself because I have asked God. When - I was going to church one Sunday night when something says to me, a spirit, "You haven't got something to tell them people. Are you going to get up there before all them people and tell that little thing? Why they'll all laugh at you." I didn't get up that night. I went back home and said to the Lord, "Lord, if I ain't right, make me right; and if I is right, show me that I am right." He did show me that I was right and I've been right ever since. [The informant, a grown girl in Georgia when Sherman marched to the sea, here acknowledges two spirits within - one urging evil thoughts and actions, the other prompting their opposites. While going to church her good spirit said to her evil spirit, "Better test that testimony you are about to give."
The informant recounts their own appeal to God/the Lord; the editor's later explanation of two spirits remains separate.
Entry 206
Dis wus a woman done dis. She had some tame Woopin' [whipping] owls, had 'em tame - hawks we all call 'em, chicken hawks, an' dey could say mos' any- thing dat she would tell 'em tuh say. An' dere wus de time she had dis woman tuh pay her if she would git her clear of her chile [clear her child] dat day, an dey wus tuh, yo' know, destroy [hang] 'im dat day, an' dey had de owl tuh go way down in de branch [creek, run, brook] wit de voice an' de hawk up in de air outa sight, an' she had de hawk to say, "If dey kill dat man, Ah destroy de worl'" - an' de owl he must say, "De Lawd." An' all of dem heah de voice, an' jes' as dey fixin' tuh kill de man dey all stop, an' jes' he say "Lord" again fo' three times, an' dey thought sho' 'nuff it was somepin up in de air - de good Lord or somepin. Den ever'body to' [took] out 'way from dere an' dey nevah did hang dis fellah.
(This old cunjure woman had this fixed up?)
Dat's right.
(These two birds - that's an old story?)
Yes.
(Where did you hear that?)
In Albany, Georgia.
The Lord reference is the listeners' reported interpretation of a staged voice, with or somepin retained.
Entry 13387
To protect your house from anything, sprinkle urine around your house: In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. [Wilmington 200:4+85.]
The instruction names Father, Son and Holy Ghost in an invocation for protection; no completed performance or achieved protection is established.
Entry 12359
Well, if it's something that chew see, yo' say, "What do yo' want: In the Name of the Lord?" An' they go 'way. But if yo' abuse them they vill always follow yo'. But they can't stand the word [Name] of the Lord.
The Lord's name appears in suggested speech; the later bracketed 'Name' is editorial. The encounter and contrasting claimed outcomes remain unverified.