Subject:Handkerchief
Entries
Entry 579
Ah has been told that if he has an enemy in the town that he's living in seeking to take his life. An' so he has in mind of taking a red handkerchief, using a red handkerchief as a flag or as, we might say, a protection to himself, an' he attaches it to a standing boxcar but is ready, of course, to be pulled off by an engine. An' he attaches it there an' waits until the train pulls off an' [he] stands an' looks toward that train as long as he can see it, an' if that flag that he attached to the boxcar is on there at his last sight, as long as he can see it, why that's a sign that he will have a chance to get out of the town an' he leaves. See, but, if this flag drops off beforetime, why it's a warning to him that he's to be cut off befo' evah he'll have a chance to git out of the town.
(In other words, he uses this flag to find out what's going to happen to him.)
If it's safe fo' him to stay in the town or to leave. An' if the flag stays on, why he has a chance to leave town an' will leave, but if the flag drops off, yo' see, he conceives the idea that he has no chance.
Entry 3162
An' if yo' wanta keep yore man tuh home, don' want 'im tuh go roun' wit nobody, yo' kin take a bran'-new pocket han'chef an' let 'im have intahco'se wit chew, an' dry 'im on dat han'chef an' take an' fole dat han'chef in fo' parts. Yo' know, jes' lak yo' take yore han'chef, a man's han'chef is a real large one. See, yo' take it an' yo' fold it. Don' nevah fold it from yo', always fold it disaway - see, lak dat [demonstrates by folding oppo- site corners of nonexisting handkerchief to her, creating two parallelograms - see later]. An' as yo' fold it, turn it roun' disaway. See, dat's once.
[Informant folds again.]
(Then you fold it to you again, twice.)
Dat's twice, yassuh, an' yo' change it roun' disaway. Dat's three. An' yo' ketch it an' turn it roun' dataway an' fold it back tuh yo' lak dat. Well, dat's fo'. Well, yo' take dat jes' lak yo' see it dere an' put chew a pen [ink] in heah crossways an' put chew needle through it dataway an' put chew a needle in it dat way, an' pens [pins] it right heah. An' it's no way he kin have no one. He may have a strong mind fo' it, but all de same time when he do git dere, hit falls, he cain't do anything.
(In other words, you put a pin across?)
A needle, git chew a gold-eyed needle. [Pin is my mistake from her words put chew a pen [pin] in heah crossways. A needle, not a pin, is pinned crossways.] Git chew fo' gold-eyed needles tuh pin it, de point of dat needle dat way [demonstrates]. Take de othah pointed needle an' set it dataway. See, dat's fo' [four] cornahs; in evah cornah be a needle.
(They are all catercorner; they are all diagonal.)
[Catercorner and diagonal are notations for my use later, not guestions for informant.] Yessuh.
(You have to use four needles so that the point goes to each corner.)
[Informant gives 2 methods for sticking needles in corners - see later.]
Dat's right. [We have here THE MAGIC OF "GEOMETRIC PROGRESSION", specifically a magic rite of increasing squares - in number, not by size. It is also a magic rite based upon the four corners of the earth (see 3126, p.2344). Let me explain it: (1) Spread out a handkerchief so that it lies square - not diamond-shaped - in front of you. Fold the 2 farther corners over to you and lay them on the 2 nearer corners, making 2 oblongs one over the other. (2) Without lifting the once- folded handkerchief, turn it clockwise so that its length extends directly out from you, and for a second time fold it to you, making 4 squares. (3) These 4 squares were not turned clockwise but probably should be to keep the magic in proper revolution. Again fold the 2 farther corners over to you so that they co- incide with the 2 nearer corners, making 8 oblongs. And (4) turn the 8 oblongs clockwise so that its length extends directly out from you, and finally fold the 2 farther corners over to you so that they agree with the 2 nearer corners, mak- ing 16 squares. Our package is now ready to be pinned. These 4 needles can be pinned into the folded handkerchief in 2 ways. Either each pinned-in needle cuts across a corner, making 4 triangles resting on 16 squares, or each needle, point- ing outward or inward, bisects the 90° angle of the corner. If the needles point inward, they help keep the folded-up man inside; if they point outward, they keep possible intruding women outside. And so on ad finitum. For further folding rites in this section, especially triangles, see 3182-3190, p.2356f.]
Entry 3250
If a man wants tuh fix a woman so she can't have any- thin' tuh do wit anybody else. At de time dat dey have fin- ished it, dey said if he uses a red pocket han'cheff an' cleans de woman an' den he folds it an' wear it in de bottom of 'is shoe, he'd have dis woman fixed so she won't be able tuh go out wit anybody else.
(He wears it in his shoe. Either shoe?)
Yeah, either shoe. [Folding is a confining rite like tying a knot.]
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 3264
[You] kin take a new han'chuff an' put it in a man's left-foot shoe an' let it stay dere all night long aftah yo' done had somepin tuh do wit 'im. Yo' use dat han'chuff an' put it in 'is left-foot shoe, see, an' he cain't fool wit nobody but chew.
(Well, he would find that handkerchief in the shoe, wouldn't he?)
No sir, yo' supposed tuh take it out.
(You get up before he finds it?)
Why certainly. A new han'chuff dat's nevah been used fo' anythin' but de business.
(What will you do with the handkerchief then?)
Bear [bury] it.
(Where?)
Put it undah de house. Dat make him always wanta be comin' dere. He won't fool wit nobody an' bring de money home.
Entry 3272
If yo' have a man an' he don't give yo' money lak he should, yo' buy yo's a bran'-new pocket han'schuff an' yo's fool wit 'im when yo' use him an' have a intahco'se an' yo' take de pocket han'- schuff an' put a silvah quatah in de pocket han'- schuff. Fold de pocket han'schuff to yo' - lay it in dere an' fold de pocket han'schuff to yo' an' weah it in de shoe, an' he kin be mean to yo' but he'll give yo' his money.
(You wear that in either shoe?)
Eithah shoe, it don't make any diff'rence.
Entry 3279
Den yo' kin take anothah woman if yo' wanta make her love yo' - yo' see, yo' kin have dealin's wit 'er. In othah words, yo' wear yore hanscuff roun' yore neck all day long an' let it git good an' sweaty. An' when it git good an' sweaty, an' den yo' have dealin's wit dis woman, yo' take dat hanscuff an' wipe. An' den yo' take some watah an' yo' put dat hanscuff down in de watah an' squeeze it out. An' den yo' put dat in a bottle an' keep it in yore pocket all de time, an' she'll come to love yo' an' she wouldn't have no dealings wit no one else. See, all of dem t'ings [things] ah have, yo' know, sperienced [experienced] it - ah done it mahself.
(This handkerchief you use to wipe both yourself and her?)
Yourself an' her, an' den yo' put it in some water an' den you squeeze dat water out.
Entry 3363
Yo' could use eithah a bran'-new pocket han'cheff or eithah de dishrag, lak ah tole yo', tuh keep 'im from foolin' wit any othah woman, see. Yo' kin take an' wipe him down wit a bran'-new pocket han'cheff, an' take fo' nails an' nail it down undah de flo' undah yore rug, an' dat'll keep 'im. He couldn't raise a heart fo' othah women. Ah know yo' kin do dat.
Entry 3364
Yo' kin go buy a new pocket han'kech'ef an' yo' kin wash de dishes wit it once, an' take an' strip 'im down [when wiping him]. [Strip here means to deprive of equipment or power.] Don' strip 'im up. Evah whut way yo' wanta do it, git it [foot track] toward yo' - git 'is tracks an' toenails, an' put dem in a cloth an' sew it up an' keep it. An' he git tuh de place hewouldn't Wanta go nowhere. He stay home dere an' nevah treat chew bettah den he evah have treated joo.
Entry 3484
Jes' lak now if yo' wanta keep 'im an' yo' have a intahco'se wit 'im, jes' lak yo' mess up wit 'im, why yo' git chure han'scheff yo' know an' git dat [semen] an' tie it in de cornah of de han'- sheff an' bury dat undah yore do'step. An' see, dey can't leave but so fur, dey can't go outa town or nuthin, until yo' git ready tuh go yoreself, ah reckon.
Entry 3490
Well, usely [usually] when a man don't want 'is wife to be in service to anothah man, or a woman don't want 'er husban' to be of service to anothah woman, well usely when dey go in an' have a intahco'se, she'll take a han'ke'chuf. De han'ke'chuf dat she use, why she'll tie a knot in it, an' when she ties dat knot in dere, if he don't know about it - ah don't care who he goes wit, why it won't do him any good.
(What does she do with that handkerchief after she ties the knot?)
She don't do anythin' wit it, jes' tied it an' let it stay in dere. Long as dat knot stays in dere, why he's no good - no one but [to] her.
Entry 3491
De way yo' do tuh stop 'im is to have intahco'se wit each othah an' take a bran'-new pocket han'ke'chuf an' yo' use it fo' yo' dry cloth. Dey say yo' take dat an' yo' tie it up in a knot, an' yo' kin hide it anywhere about chure home an' dat will keep yo' [him]. Or, eithah - some people say yo' kin take a dishrag an' dat would keep 'im from havin' intahco'se wit anybody else except yo'self.
Entry 3492
He kin 'eep 'er from havin' any man in de world while he's gone.
(How does he do that?)
He take, go to bed wit 'er - see, intahco'se wit 'er. Jes' go an' git a bran'-new white linen han'ke'chuf an' don't let 'er use no towel lak she been or'nary [ordinary] usin'. She say, "Well, Baby," say, "I ain't got nuthin in de bed." Yo' say, "Well, here mah Pocket han'ke'chuf." Yo' take dat pocket han'kechuf, see, an' use hit. Yo' see. Don't let 'er use it on yo'. She use it on 'erself. All right. An' den yo' take dat pocket han'ke'chuf an' yo' go to de north cornah of de house, an' yo' dig a hole eight inches in de groun'. An' yo' git some of dat last dirt yo' got out dere an' tie hit up in dat pocket han'ke'chuf. An' yo' bring dat pocket han'ke'chuf an' yo' put it undah de doorstep befo' yo' leave, an' let 'er walk over it two days, two nights. An' dat last night dat yo' stay wit 'er, yo' take it an' put it undah 'er head. An' she sleep on it but she don't know it. An' den when yo' git up dat mawnin' when yo' leavin', yo' take dat pocket han'ke'- chuf - yo' take dat pocket han'ke'chuf an' carry it on wit chah. An' evah man dat she - yo' see, she might try to have some man but she can't have 'em. She'll turn wrong side out wit 'em, yo' see. She can't [take] dat man, she'll turn out. Dat ties 'er. Dat ties 'er, she can't intahco'se, yo' see.
(But what happens to her?)
Yo' see, dat makes 'er turn out - yo' see.
(Turm out?)
Turn out. Evah time a man start foolin', it hurt 'er yo' see. She'll tell 'em, say, "Gee [something]." See, ah'm got her fixed, yo' see. She can't stan fo' nobody to mess wit 'er. She can't stand it. She can't stand it to have no Dan, yo' see. Dat's got 'er fixed where she can't - she tied up. She ain't got Do int'rest fo' no man. Yo' see, won't have none. She don't want nobody but choo, yo' see.
Entry 3496
If yo' wanted 'im ag'in, yo' could take a piece of new yellah domestic an' use de intahco'se, use it nine times, an' take an' cut out a piece about as big as a quarter [25 cent piece] an' put it in yore left-foot shoe an' wear it in dere, an' yo'll come tuh conker 'im lak yo' want 'im, if yo' wanted 'im. Yo' could take, say fo' in- stance - yo' could take a piece of cloth an' nuse [use] it an' tie a love knot in it. Take a teaspoon fulla sugan an' put in dere an' tie a love knot an' put it in yore mattress, an' dat'll make him be closer to yo' an' no one else.
(What kind of cloth do you take did you say?)
Yallah domestic - new, dat nevah been nused. An' yo' nuse dat nine times, an' when yo' have it, YO' NOT SUPPOSED TUH HAVE NO INTAHCO'SE WIT 'IM YO'SELF, YO' KETCH HIS'N. An' den yo' take an' put hit undah yore bed in yore mattress where yo' sleep on it. An' dat'll make him close to yo'. De man kin do it if he wants a woman. He kin take his new pocket han'ke'chuf an' nuse dat, han'ke'chuf dat ain't nevah been used, an' take it an' nuse it all de time an' tote it in 'is pocket, an' dat woman, she cain't have nuthin tuh do wit nobody but 'im.
(How does he use that handkerchief?)
He jes' nuse it in wipin' 'isself. See, it's a bran'-new han'ke'chuf, a white linen han'ke'chuf dat ain't nevah been nused. An' he take dat han'ke'chuf, see she jes' ain't payin' no 'tenshun, he jes' take, yo' know, an' dry hisself off. An' den he take an' put it in 'is pocket an' wear it.
Entry 3499
Tuh make yore man love yo', ah tell yo' whut chew do. Yo' go tuh bed wit 'im an' yo' git chew a bran'-new white pocket han'ke'chuf dat has nevah been used. Well, yo' have a intahco'se wit 'im, yo' know. Well, yo' git up an' yo' have yo' a bottle of olive oil an' yo' git chew a bottle of oil of cin- namon. Yo' take it - yo' know, don't let 'em see yo' - drop 15 drops of oil of cinnamon in dat nasty spot, an' yo' drop 15 drops of oil of olive oil. Den yo' take dat an' yo' tie it aroun' yore laig, an' yo' wear it aroun' yore laig three days, an' if he hasn't been comin', he will come an' cain't quit comin'. He cain't quit comin' an' he'll bring all 'is money home, an' he'll give it to yo'. He'll be good to yo' when yo' do dat.
(You tie that around either leg?)
No, one laig, de right laig.
Entry 3503
Gittin' a woman down - ah mean down in mah part of de country, down dis side [southeastern Atlantic coast] down heah, ah'm goin' tell yo' whut dey does. See, go to yo'self an' want action an' all, don't tell 'em 'bout no othah man atall. Jes' look 'em in de eyes an' tell 'em, an' ah tell yo', if she'd make a date wit chew, yo' take a bran'-new pocket han'ke'ch'ef an' use dat fo' de rag. De man will carry de han'- ke'ch'ef off, he carry de han'ke'- ch'ef off 'er an' tie it roun' in a knot, turn it in a knot an' put it up ovah de do', anywhere ovah de do'. Or tie it in a green tree. Dat be all de got'a do. Be wit nobody but chew. De man do dat, yes sir.
(Over the door or where?)
Ovah de do' or tie it on a green tree. If yo' git to a little green tree dat's slindah enough in de woods, kin draw it roun' dere, draw it in tight dis way. Git a new pocket han'ke'ch'ef, one ain't not been used.
Entry 3513
Well, he jes' takes 'er an' when he deal wit 'er he takes 'is hans'- scuff, takes a ten cents linen pocket hans'scuff, not a cotton hans'scuff, an' he use dat. Well, yo' know what. He takes dat an' ties three knots, ball it, an' stick it in 'is pocket an' take it on wit 'im. When he come back she be dere jes' lak she wus when he lef' 'er - if he take dat wit 'im.
Entry 3534
See, ah taken a pocket han'ke'ch'ef, bought me a bran'-new pocket han'ke'ch'ef have nevah been used. Take dis pocket han'ke'ch'ef an' aftah yo' have intahco'se wit one 'nothah, take dis pocket han'ke'ch'ef den an' tie de fo' cornahs.
(How do you mean you tie each corner?)
Tie each cornah. - Hoodoo - Conjuration - Witchcraft Rootwork - (Into a knot?) Into a knot, bury it undah de do'step an' jes' let it lay right dere undah dat do'step. (What would that do then?) She be lak a lamb, jes' follah me wherevah ah goes.
(You do that so that girl will stay with you?)
Yes.
Entry 3535
A woman kin tie up a man. Ah guess yo've hear of dat. Ah've experi- enced dat. Ah wuz dataway fo' eighteen months. Well, de way a woman does it. When a man have connec- tions wit 'er - at least has dealin's wit 'er - aftah dey have connections, den she takes yo' know an' cleans 'erself wit a bran'-new pocket han'ke'chuf. An' den she ties it in fo' knots, an' she takes it an' sews it in de mattress; an' as long as it dere, yo can't have any dealin' wit any othah woman. Evah time yo' go tuh have dealin wit a woman, yo' know, yo' fall. If she git pregnant, aftah de chile born, somehow uh nothah he's free. But in othah words, de way a man gits out of dat condition, he goes an' takes an' does de same thing wit 'er. Undahstan', when he has dealin's wit 'er, an' cleans 'isself wit a bran'-new pocket han'ke'chuf an' tie it in fo' knots, an' bury it andah de front do'step, an' den he jes' as good as he evah wuz befo'.
(But if the woman has a child then that spell is taken off the man?)
De spell goes off de man. Ah experienced dat.
Entry 3536
(Tell me that from the beginning.)
Jes' lak yo' want 'em to love yo', yo' take a han'ke'chuf - or'nary han'ke'- chuf. Yo' want 'em to not - yo' don't want 'em to love yo' hard. Jes' tie it in fo' loose knots. Well, den, if yo' want 'em to love yo' hard, tie it fo' hard knots, one in each cornah: one at dat cornah, one down below, one down below, one at de othah end. Tie dose fo' hard knots, hard as yo' kin draw it. An' tote dat in yore pocket.
(I see.)
Entry 3537
Or else, yo' could take a han'ke'chi'f an' each time dat dey has a Intahco'se wit one anothah, take it an' tie a knot in de cornah of it, until yo' git all fo' cornahs of it tied, an' put it away somewheres. Be very pahtic'lah where yo' put it, where it wouldn't, be found, an' yo' wouldn't nevah have any trouble wit dat one.
Entry 3538
Dey say, jes' lak if yo' got a man an' yo' think a whole lot of 'im, an' yo' don' want 'im tuh run roun'. An' dey said when yo' an' 'im have any- thing to do wit each othah, jes' take dis han'ker- cheff or cloth an' tie a knot in each cornah. Take it an' sew it up in yore mattress an' dey say dat sould - jes' lak if he go an' makes a date wit anothah woman, he would fall, yo low. But it's some kinda perfume dat yo' git. Yo' kin git it at any Five an Ten Cent Sto'. Ah fo'git de name of it. Ah know it when ah see. Take dis per- fume an' yo' put on dis stuff [in the handkerchief]. An' yo' git it an' yo' supposed tuh fold it dis way: to yo' half way, an' fold de othah part back. An' den take a string an' tie aroun' it tight. Carry it up ovah yore head three times an' put dis Lucky Heart Powder [trade name] in it, if yo' have any, an' den take it an' sew it up. An' den yo' got 'em.
(How do you fold that handkerchief, now?)
Fold it three times dis way an' three time back dat way. Double it de two cornah lak dat. (You have the handkerchief out flat like that. Then you fold it three times. Now, here's the handkerchief. Suppose you show me how it's done.) Yo' fold it three times here: one, two, three, till yo' get it exactly in de centah of de han'er'cheff. All right. Den yo' fold it three times away from yo': one, two, three. Den yo' take dese two ends an' fold 'em as yo' kin. An' git it jes' as tight as yo' kin possibly git it. Yeah, an' take a cord string an' tie it around. Wrap it jes' as tight as yo' kin git it.
(What do you do with that then?)
Jes' sew it up in anything. If yo' have little bag, den sew it up in a little bag, or in yore mattress or sompin.
Entry 3539
Now, if a man wanta trick a woman, he buys 'im a bran'-new pocket han'- kerchuff, piece of cloth dat nevah been used. Den he goes an' he has a date wit dis woman, but he don't do nuthin 'isself. He dries dis woman thoroughly wit dis pocket han'kerchuff an' he ties two knots in each cornah. (One knot in each corner.) Oné knot in each cornah, yessuh, an' when he fold it, he fold it wit de two knots hangin' down an' two points right disaway an' he irons it jes' lak dat. An' he kin wear it up ovah de do' - [I mean] put it up ovah de do'. An' when she trans- fah ovah [under] dat, it takes effect on 'er. She can't have no othah man. She won' have no feelin' fo' no othah man but yo' in person. [Sumter, S. Car.,
(1363), 2405:9.]
(df). KNOTS FIVE: A CAUSE OF SEXUAL IMPOTENCE
Entry 3540
Ef yo' a woman an' jis' lak yo' gon'a have a dealings wit a man. He comes an' yo' don't, but yo' see he do's. All right, git up an' git dat cord string - an' he done - an' dip it in dere an' tie all dem knots in it an' wear it roun' yore ankle. (What knots? How many?) Yo' have tuh tie five knots. Put it [string with 5 knots] in dat han'ke'chuf an' put it roun' yore laig. Yo' cain't git rid of 'im. (What did you do with that handkerchief before? Before you put the knots in it [the string]?) Oh, yo' use dat han'ke'chuf.
(You wipe him?)
Yes.
Entry 3541
Whut a woman kin do tuh make de man behave himself an' make him be happy at home wit 'er alone an' nobody else. Jes' lak she go on an' have con- nection wit 'im, take a clean piece of cloth, even now it might be a pocket han'- ke'chuf, but jes' since it's new, ain't nevah been used, an' jes' use dat at dat pahtic'lah time an' tie it up right tight. Tie five knots in it. But firs befo' she tie it, write his name on a piece of papah five times an' hers on dere five times.
(How do you write that on that paper?)
Write his'n lak dis an' turn it aroun', yo' see, jes' lak dis [demonstrates]. (You write his five times in parallel lines and then turn the paper around and write hers across that five times in parallel lines.) An' den aftah she write it on dere, she take it an' burn de fo' cornahs - jes' burn de little tips of de fo' cornahs of dat papah. An' roll it - fold de papah up, bring it tuh 'er an' be talkin' tuh 'im, "Ah mean fo' yo' tuh come heah. Ah mean fo' yo' tuh behave yo'- self an' come home. Ah'm tired of yo' runnin' roun' wit wimmins, an' ah mean ah don't want chew go out no mo' wit no othah wimmins, cuz ah'm enuff womens fo' yo'." An' jes' talk tuh 'em an' take dat an' put it In dat han'ke'chuf an' roll it up good - continue rollin' it up. Dis might be de han'ke'chuf but it's gotta be biggah'n dat. An' roll it up jes' lak dis here an' keep on rollin' an' keep on rollin' wit dat - wit dat name in dere, keep arollin' it. An' den take it an' sprinkle it good wit John de Conkah Powdah - dat's conkahin' 'im, John de Conkah Powdah. An' den tie five knots in it all de way, five knots clean on in dat han'ke'chuf [demonstrates] - dat's two, an' [put] three 'long heah, an' tie it jes' as tight [as you can].
(Then you keep tying it into a ball?)
Tie it into a ball an' put it - open a hole in de mattress, sew it up in de mattress an' let it stay dere. He'll be tuh de place he won't look at no- body.
(Now in fixing this handkerchief did she use it on herself or?)
Dey both use it.
Entry 3547
Git a bran'-new han'ke'chuf. She use dat - jes' lak if yo' [a woman] wanta take his nature away, yo' undahstan'. If yo' [a man] don' Want 'er tuh go wit nobody else, yo' use it, see. Take a bran'-new han'ke'chuf an' she wipe wit it but not chew, see. Perten' [pretend] lak yo' did but chew didn't, see. An' yo' go an' put it ovah de do'dere [door of interview room referred to], see. Take dat piece out an' put ovah de do'. If yo' don't do dat, yo' kin take dat - yo' kin take it an' put it in de mattress. An' tie it in nine knots an' put dat in yore mattress. An' evah time he go tuh be wit anybody he'll fall.
Entry 3605
Take some of de hair from undah his clothes an' some of de hair from off de woman an' tie it up in a pocket han'ke'ch'ef wit nine knots, an' tote it in yore pocket.
(This woman would take some of his hair down below?)
Yes sir.
(Just the hair, and what would she do with that?)
She would tie it up in a pocket han'ke'ch'ef.
(What would she put with that hair, anything?)
She put her hair.
(Where would she get her hair?)
Outa down below.
(She puts it in the handkerchief, any kind of handkerchief?)
Yes sir, jes' a white han'ke'ch'ef. An' tie it in nine knots. She does wit dat hair an' she jest tote it, put it in her pocket an' tote it.
(What will that do then?)
Well, that will stop him.
(Stop him from running around with other women?)
Yes sir, hold 'im right dere.
Entry 3762
Well, he kin take a new pocket handkerchief and let his wlfe ddpe ber face with it and watch where she puts it down. Take dis handkerchief wit him put it in his lefthand pocket until twelve 'clock that day and then take it out and put it in his right hand pocket and call her name three times. They claim that that will control her and stop her [from other men]. (If she is fooling around while he is gone.)
Entry 3818
(How could he get his nature back?) If he not too ole, why dey kin. He kin go tuh de sto' an' buy 'im maybe five-cent white pocket han'ke'chuf, an' git 'im a pint of clear watah an' wash 'isself down three times wit dat bran'-new pocket han'ke'chuf, an' don' use it any mo'. Throw it away. He kin go an' mess wit anybody he wanta den. (That is if this woman has taken his nature away, he can do that and then his nature will come back to him.) Yeah, if he not a ole man.
(Just use clear water?)
Yes.
Entry 4667
If a woman wants a man an' she cain't git 'i, she'll take de bow out of 'is hat lak when he's settin' on top of sompin, settin' ovah heah. An' she jis', she'll take dat bow out of it. An' when she takes dat bow out, she jis' takes an' gits talcum powdah, yuh know. An' she take an' satu- rate dat bow in dat powdah, an' she take an' wrap it up in a thin silk han'ke'- ch'ef, an' she wear it right up undah her heart an' save it. An' dey says dat he'll go crazy 'bout 'er.
Entry 4996
Dey had mah husban' [fixed] now. His sock in a bran'-new white han'- ke'ch'ef, nine needles an' nine pins - new pins [and surely also new needles] - graveyard dirt, cayenne pepper, an' dey wuz all in dat bottle what ah foun' undah mah steps. An' so [it] wuz mah husban's dirty sock. Dey had it fixed wit somepin in it an' wearin' it roun' 'er waist. Ah sees dat mah- self.
[Not round the woman's waist! She saw the sock showed to her by the doctor!]
(What did that do to him?)
Well, he recognized it [the sock produced by the doctor] - saw de whole thing. An' so ah got somebody look at 'im an' de woman dat looked at 'im tole me dat dere wuz a girl aftah 'im befo' he started courtin' me. De girl went 'erself an' she stole his dirty sock, had it fixed [by a doctor] an' wore - had it roun er wais'. (Well, did this woman [doctor] tell you how to get rid of that? What to do to get rid of it?) She give me some medicine, but what de medicine wuz ah don't know. [She give me some medicine is ambiguous. Was it for herself or husband? If for her, then we have one of those rare examples of MEDICINE BY PROXY - margin title p.365. This story came early in my hoodoo collecting days, otherwise I would have asked for further details. It is evident that the woman on finding the bottle took it to a Woman, who told her what was inside and why the ingredi- ents had been planted at the steps.]
Entry 5371
Yo' kin take a person's foot track an' ran 'em away. Well, perhaps some time we cain't find 'em [tracks] an' sometimes it be's so dat we cain't git de dirt from undah 'is track. Yo' might watch an' see jes' he put his feet on de concrete. Yo' kin take a clean pocket han'- ke'ch'ef an' yo' kin go dere an' jes' wipe dat track tuh yo' - wipe dat track tuh yo'. An' den yo' kin take dat han'ke'ch'ef an' yo' kin take it home. Set down wit it an' buy yo' a bran'-new box of red cayenne peppah, an' yo' kin take a teaspoon of dat cayenne peppah an' tie in de - yo' might say in de east corner of dat han'ke'- ch'ef. Dat track is all ovah dat han'ke'ch'ef [because] quite natchly [naturally] yo' wipe it lak dat, see. An' yo' take dat teaspoon of cayenne peppah an' yo'tie hit up in dere wit 'is name wrote. Yo' cross 'is name an' yo' tell 'im tuh go an' yo' put a bad name - yo' put a bad word tuh hit, on dere name. '[Bad name] an' ah wish yo'd go an' don' stay nowhere yo' go in peace." An' tie it up an' carry it tuh de rivah 'fore de sunrise. Throw it in runnin' watah an' he'll leave.
Entry 5422
Makes some crosses intuh a crossroads. Make a cross in three forms - see, kinda, ah couldn't explain dat to yo'. (Well, just make it right there. You sit down and make it there and I'll see it.) Jis' lak dis, see [demonstrates]. Now dis de crossroads, an' dey makes it in dis mannah. Right lak dat, kin' of a "Y" shaped. Undahstan' dis way?
(Yes, like a "Y".)
Well, right up - jis' lak [demonstrates] dey come in heah [at the crossroads]. Ah come disaway - dis is de way ah live. An' dis de way - say, dat's where yo' live.
(The two prongs of the "Y" - all right, comin' together, to a meeting.)
Comin' together. An' if dey jis' take yore track from dis place, an' tie it up in a pocket hank'scuff or rag or sompin lak dat, an' tie it in a knot an' put it down undah de cornah of de do'step, yo' have tuh go.
(Go where?)
Go 'way from de city, if yo' wus in de city. (Whose doorstep do you put it under? [Your doorstepl or under the other fel- low's? This track you pick up?) De one yo' got de track off.
Entry 5453
De way ah heered dat, dey take yore left-hand track. Jis' lak yo' make a track, well dey take de centah from yore track, right from de bottom of yore foot, an' take dat dirt an' carry it. Go tuh a graveyard an' take dat [track] dirt an' mix it wit graveyard dirt. An' yo' take it den an' tie it up in a han'che'ch'ef, in de left-hand side of a han'ke'ch'ef, an' tie it roun' dere body an' tote it on dere body lak dat. Well, dey says if yo' take it an' tote it roun' yore body lak dat, dat take some kinda 'fect on party [whose track is used] an' keep 'em wit cheW, an' SHE WON' HAVE NO NATURE FO' NO OTHAH MAN BUT 'IM [this could also go under CAUSES OF SEXUAL IMPOTENCE, p.2341f.].
(Well, who would do that?)
Well, now de boy would do dat to de girl.
(He would wear it on his body?)
Yes sir, wear it roun' 'is bodv.
(And she wouldn't have any nature for anyone but him?)
No one but him. (He would take her foot track with this graveyard dirt and put it in the left side of the handkerchief?) De left side of de han'ke'ch'ef.
(Well, what is the left side of the handkerchief?)
Well, de left cornah dere.
[The upper-left corner as you face it.]
(And he wears it around his waist?)
Yessuh.
Entry 5580
Take now fo' [for] de foot track. Ah have had a little dealin's wit dat foot track. Now if jis' lak yo' walkin' down de streets dere an' ah ketch chure foot track. An' if ah would wanta run yo' outa town or sompin de kind yo' see, well ah'd take an' ketch dis heah foot track an' snatch it from me. So ah take it back den an' ah put it in a hans'scuff an' tie it up, put nine needles in dere, an' yo'll have tuh leave town.
(What would you do with that handkerchief then?)
Well, ah jis' keep it in mah house, jis' keep it an' de foot track.
Entry 5598
Jis' sompin othah, some broad [woman] yo' wanta make. Yo' know, meet a broad an' yo' try tuh make a broad, yo' know, an' she don' pay yo' no mind. Yo' know, yo' kin - dere's a way tuh make her, see. (Well, how can you make her do it?) Well, all yo' got'a do is jes' take a li'le of 'er foot, yo' know where she step, take a li'le of de dirt in yore pam [palm] an' put it in de han'ke'chuff, fold it backward [fold it to youl, yo' know, an' put it in yore belt. But de firs', yo' got'a put it down at chure do' an' walk ovah it evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's an' name it, see. Aftah nine mawnin's, yo' take it up an' put it in yore belt. An' de ninth mawnin' she jis' goin' tuh be dere. An' she'll be dere, too.
Entry 5727
Ah heard dat yo' jis' could take dat foot track an', as yo' walkin', take it outa dat hollah [hollow] of dat foot track. Take dat dirt up an' puts it in a pocket han'ker- ch'ef. An' take dat den an' take some a fellah's stool an' put dat wit it. An' bo' a hole in a tree an' stop it, an' it will run 'im crazy.
(Make him lose his mind, this foot track and some of his bowels.)
Yes.
Entry 5921
Take de girl fren' or boy fren' hair, if yo's in love wit 'em, an' take a lock of it an' wrap it up in yore pocket han'ke'chuf an' tote it; an' as long as yo' tote dat hair, dey will follow yo'.
Entry 5964
Yo' kin take a lady's hair an' make her love yo' all right, if it's lady yo' want an' yo' kin git a chance tuh play wit 'er an' git a stran' of 'er hair. Take it an' wrap it up in some sulphur an' burn it in sompin, but don' burn it up. See, burn it in sulphur, put it in sompin an' burn it. An' take some mo' an' mix all in dat, an' take yore hair an' wrap it up in dat, an' tie it in de cornah of yore pocket han'kechuf an' tote' it in yore pocket. It will draw de woman to yo', so dey tell me. Ah nevah experienced it.
(This hair from the top of her head?)
Yassuh, have tuh git it from de roots.
Entry 6021
Dere one thing yo' kin do wit hair. Yo' kin take hair, nine stran's of hair out de top of yore haid. Ah'm tellin' yo' de way ah know, now. Ah don' know de way anybody know it, tell yo' de way ah know. Take nine stran's of hair out de top of yore haid an' git a white pocket han'kercheff, a bran'-new white pocket han'kercheff, an' put nine pins in it. An' wrop dat nine stran's of hair up tight wit dat nine pins, an' put five drops of Heart Cologne fo' nine days. An' put it into a dry place an' let it stay about nine days an' den take it up an' put it anywhere on mah body. Or de Woman could put it anywhere on 'er body where it won' git wet an' wear it. An' dat'll gain a man fo' yo'. A man'll go tuh her an' nobody else cain't git dat man but 'er. Dat man go tuh 'er.
Entry 6090
(There is another way of bringing them back, too, you say?)
Yo' kin take some of de hair from down dere.
(Some of the private hair.)
Yessuh, take it. It 'tain't only but one stran'. An' yo' take an' carry a han'ke'ch'ef wid joo when yo' use it to dry it away. Yo' take it [hair] an' tie it in de cornah of de han'ke'ch'ef an' yo' keep it de same length of three days. An' yo' - an' puts yo' on it dis Hearts Cologne. Put it on Heorts Cologne. Take it an' yo' bury it at de right-han' cornah of yore steps, de right-han' cornah. Den yo' take it an' wear dat den on yo' fo' nine hours, nine or ten hours, sompin lak dat, an' go on back home. Stay right dere. Yo' go on back home an' make yore wishes, "Ah wish Sech-an'-sech-a-one Would come. Ah want So-an'-so back." Dat's anothah way yo' kin bring 'em back.
(That is if you happen to have some of their hair before they leave?)
Yes, if yo' could git holt of any of it befo' dey leave, if yo' kin find any anywhere - don' care how long dey been gone. Hair undah dere arm will do de same thing.
Entry 6325
Take a person's hair right outa his haid, 'bout de mole of 'is haid, an' put it into a silk pocket han'ke'ch'ef, an' yuh kin drop it in runnin' watab. An' dat will run 'im plumb crazy. See, dat would run 'im crazy. [Fay- etteville, N. Car., (1407),] 2528:2.]
Entry 6476
Yo' know jis' lak yo' scrape yore feet an' leave de scrapin' an' nails on a piece of papah. He kin take dat an' put it in a pocket hans'scuff an' take it an' weah it in de seat of 'is pants, causin' 'em tuh do things lak dat. If dey don't wanta do it, make women tuh obey yuh. Make hisself do things dat he wouldn't desire tuh do.
Entry 6642
Dey say, jis¹ lak dey use a rattlesnake, dey use a scorpion, jis' git Dey say, jis¹ 1 de hide an' put it up [to dry]. An' yo' know, jis' lak a han'ke'chuff, sompin lak dat, lay on it an' de dust. Yo' see when dey dry it, it has dust. An' say jis' lak ah walk up tuh yo' an' hit chew in de face wit dis, cross yore nose, an' dat dust would go inside of yo'. An' dey say dat would cuz scorpions or eithah rattlesnakes tuh come on de inside of yo'. [There are a number of the handkerchief tricks in Hoodoo - with snake dust, perfume, etc.]
Entry 6648
A rattlesnake, well yo' know he has dose rattles on. Well dey carries a dust. Dere's dust in 'em. An' den yo' know a granddaddy. Well dere's dust in 'im. An' dey mixes it tuhgethah. An' dey tell me dat dey kin rub dat on yo' an' dat makes yo' paralyzed. An' dey take dat grand- daddy laigs or any part of 'is body an' dat creates live granddaddies. Dat's all ah've heard of dat. (You say they mix this dust from the rattlesnake [rattle] an' de granddaddy together?) Yes, it would simply put chure eyes out.
(How would it get into your eyes?)
Well, jis' have it on yore han'ke'chuf [for handkerchief trick, see 6642].
Entry 6710
De're [there are] things dat chew kin wish fo', things offa peoples, by things in de fo'ks of de road. Why yo' kin git a pretty [new?] han'ke'cheff or somepin, yo' know, draw peo- ple's 'tenshun [attention] dat yo' wanta [get]. An' drop it in de fo'ks of de road yo' know. An' jes' take it [handkerchief] an' pick dose place like a mole or a wart, an' pick it an' put a drop of blood on it [handkerchief]. An' drop it in de fo'ks of de road an' someone pick it up, why hit'll [mole or wart will] leave yo' an' dey gits it.
Entry 7390
Well, de person dat killed dis person...the dead person, - yo' go to your hen-house where your poultry an' git chew a hot laid egg - a fresh laid egg, yo'understand, two of 'em an' put one in each hand.... If not that, yo' take this dead person's hat an' put it ovah their face see....right ovah his face. If yo' don't do dat, yo' take [demonstrates] his pocket han'kerchief an' spread it one corner on each side of the corner - heah an' one up heah, yo' see.
[I now describe his actions:]
(You take this dead man's handkerchief and you put it like a diamond over his head.) Dat's right, one point to the top of his head and one at his throat and one toward each shoulder. Dat's right. An' de hat yo' take an' place it right ovah his face.
(These are all separate ways of doing it.)
(To bring back the man who killed him?)
To bring back de man dat killed de man.
Entry 7409
Yes, sir, de firs' thing ah would do, git tuh de undahtakah. Dat's all ah want, git in touch wit de undahtakah - gotta git in touch wit 'em [him] or ah cain't handle de body. Ah'd trim dat man toenail an' fingahnails, an' take some of de hair out de haid [demon- strates], an' take some heah, an' take some heah, an' take some from down heah. An' ah'd put dose things tuhgethah.
[I now describe his preceding actions.]
(Take some from the top of his head, some from just at the bottom of each ear, and some down below.) Dat's it. An' trim 'is toenails an' hands [fingernails], put 'em tuhgethah an' mix some more stuff wit it. An' take it an' put it back in dat casket [cof- fin] wit a bran'-new red han'kachef, an' let 'em [these things] go in de grave wit it [the corpse]. An' if dat guy [murderer] don't be dere befo' dey bury 'em [him, the corpse], de people he work wit cain't git nobody tuh bury 'em. An' if he don't git dere, if he have tuh walk, he'll go in de graveyard an' stay dere until somebody go dere an' git 'em [him]. He gotta go dere, he cain't live.
Entry 7469
Lak he be dere. Well yo' kin put two aigs in each 'is han', bury 'im Wit two aigs in each han'. An' yo' kin put a bran'-new pocket han'chuf ovah 'is face, an' whoevah dat kill 'im, dat will draw dat person back.
(How do you put that handkerchief over his face?)
Jis' put it catah-cornah [here diamond-shaped to face] ovah dey face lak dat [demonstrates]. (One point to the head [forehead], one to the throat, and one tovard each shoulder. You mean put two eggs in each hand. Use four eggs. Any kind ofeggs?) Yes, any fresh hen aigs.
Entry 7636
Prob'ly if yo' [a doctor] got girl [patient] an' she's worried up 'bout some man 'nother, an' she cain't git 'im tuh act right, cain't git 'im tuh do right, an' he won't treat 'er right or sompin 'nothah lak dat, den yo' kin go tuh a graveyard at night. Yo' have tuh go dere certain time of night, go at twelve a'clock at night an' git a han'ful of dirt an' tie it up in a han'kerchief an' bring it back dat same night an' be sho' dat yo' know de room dat she sleeps in. Say, fo' ninstance, she sleepin' in dis room, an' yo' come tuh de windah dere an' yo' 'sposed take a li'l' de dirt an' sprinkle it up on de windah sill an' take de rest of de dirt an' sprinkle up on de walk, where dey walk comin' intuh de house. An' he'll nevah treat her wrong no mo'. He will always be nice tuh her den.
Entry 7637
Yo' kin take dat graveyard dirt an' throw it aroun' in yore house an' throw all alongside of de bed, an' rub it on down dere. An' yo' kin take dat graveyard dirt an' yo' kin make a man - ah mean work fo' yo' de balance of 'is life wit dat graveyard dirt. An' take a little of it an' tie it in de cornah of red silk han'ke'- chuf an' tote it on yo'. Jes' tote it on yo' enywhere an' he'll nevah be satis- fied till he back wit chew.... He git away from yo', he ain't satisfied until he git back where he wuz....
Entry 7951
Take a piece of de coffin.
(What kind of a coffin?)
Aftah a person is buried an' it done rotted.
(Well, what do they do with that?)
Dey take dat an' dey bury somebody else wit it - in de family. Takes a piece of it. See, aftah yo' done buried somebody in a coffin. Well, yo' know, quite natchally a cof- fin rots lak nuthin an' when it rots it comes tuh a powdah; but if dey kin git a piece of it, or if dey don't git a piece of it, dey kin git de powdah from dat coffin [or you could probably buy coffin dust at some hoodoo drug store!]. Jis' de dust off dat coffin. Dey take dat an' dey git 'em a silk han'ke'ch'ef - git a silk han'ke-ch-ef. Yo' put dat intuh dat han'ke'ch'ef. Now, when yo' put dat in dat han'ke'ch'ef, dey got nine needles an' dey got nine pins, but dey git 'em right outa de store. Dey ain't nevah been used. Now, if dey wus goin' tuh bury, say if dey wus goin' tuh bury me, or mah sistah, or somebody in mah family, dey'd git dat an' dey'd git 'er name. An' if dey kin git de - see, de tongue, yo' see, de tongue of yuh shoe.
(Yes, the tongue of the shoe.)
If dey kin git dat, dey git dat an' dey puts dat wit dat. Now, when dey git dat all tuhgethah....
(What do they put the name on? On some paper?)
No, on - I take de seat of dere undahweah, de back part, any of dere undah- weahs - see, any part of it, de back of yuh shirttail, yo' see. I take dat an' I am goin' tuh pin it down, tight as I kin git it, an' I am goin' tuh write yuh name on tuh dat. Now, when I write yuh name on tuh dat, I wrap dese things up in dere. When I wrap it up in dere, I tie. When I tie it, I tie it up wit nine knots. I tie wit nine knots. I bury it, if I want.tuh; an' if I don' wan' tuh bury it, I kin throw it in de rivah, yo' see. Kin throw it in de rivah or bury it. When I bury dat, why den I got choo where I wan' choo. Yo' got tuh go. Dat I done harmed yo' in an' somethin' will happen tuh yo'.
Entry 8061
They say if someone's away an' you have a photo [of the per- son], you place it in a white pocket han'chief an' put it in the Bible and they will come back on the ninth day.
Entry 8223
If it's a man dat's got a woman or a woman got a man, dey take de photograph [of himself or herself] an' git chew a white pocket han'ke'ch'ef [new] an' spread it out. Well, yo' put [stick] nine needles in dat han'ke'ch'ef in a row an' point all of 'ems [to the] name [of the person to be held] jis' lak dis [demonstrates]. Take nine needles an' point 'em, point tuh dat - write yore name first [if a man] an' 'er name. Write her name first [if writer a woman] an' 'is name down at de bottom. [Write on the handker- chief.] Well, yo' point dem nine needles right tuh de end of 'is name, all de Way, evah lettah of 'is name. Den yo' [the woman] take it an' take her pichure [photo of herself] an' put it in a [framed] photograph [or wall picture] an' take dat pocket han'ke'ch'ef an' dem nine needles an' fasten it up in dere [framed Wall picture] an' hang [rehang] it on de wall. Dat will hold 'im an' he'll nevah go until she lose dem needles. If she lose dat pocket han'ke'ch'ef an' [or] dat photograph [framed picture] den he'll be gone. [How confusing the preceding statement was can be learned from my first com- ment, all wrong!] (Here's your handkerchief and he takes a piece of paper and writes his name and her name, and she puts these nine needles in it pointing toward his name. Then she wraps that piece of paper either in the photograph or this handkerchief. Wraps them all up in the handkerchief?) Dat's right - no suh, takes dis photograph - [I mean] an' take dis han'ke' ch'ef an' spread it out in de back of dat [framed] photograph.
(This is the frame - in the photograph frame?)
Yessuh, an' den put 'er pichure in dat wit de frame. [Is this a framed photo of herself hanging on the wall, or does she put her photo and other articles inside the back of the wall picture?]
(She doesn't use his picture?)
Doesn't use his picture. (She puts her picture in this frame and then puts this handkerchief and needles [and 2 names] in the back of it. Takes off the back of the frame and puts that in there?) Yessuh.
Entry 8470
Now, whut ah've heard about de photograph. Yo' kin take a woman's photograph, if yo' lovin' dat woman an' yo' can't git any love wit her, yo' kin take dat an' weah it in yore pocket an' a bran'-new pocket han'ke'ch'ef. Keep it wrapped up in it an' jes' keep it damp wit a li'le likkah. An' dat woman will go crazy ovah yo' until yo' be's ready tuh quit 'er.
(You keep that pocket handkerchief anointed with liquor?)
A bran'-new one ain't nevah been used.
(Do you have to keep it in your pocket in any particular Way or anything?)
Yes sir, in yore left [the heart] pocket.
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 8497
Git 'is name.
(Get the boss's name.)
Uh huh.
(What do you do with that?)
Yo' write de boss name nine times an' den aftah yo' write de boss name nine times, yo' git chew three lumps of cut loaf sugah - three lumps. (Cut loaf sugar.) An' aftah yo' git dem three lumps of cut loaf sugah, yo' takes de boss name of de nine times writin' an' yo' take it an' fold lak dis here - yo' know, lak a envelope is fold. Fold it lak dat. [Fold the name as you would fold a sheet of paper to put in envelope.] An' yo' take de boss name an' aftah yo' fold it lak dat, yo' turn around an' yo' put it in a brand-new silk pocket han'ke'ch'ef. An' yo' put it in dat brand-new silk pocket han'ke'- ch'ef an' yo' weah it along in heah.
(Where? Where do you wear it?)
Weah along heah [demonstrates].
(Right along there?)
Yeah. An' he's sure goin' tuh send fo' yuh tuh come back.
(I see. Where do you put that sugar?)
Yo' put dat sugah wit it.
(In those three things?)
[Three things = 3 lumps of sugar.]
Yeah.
[I now for the first time reveal the Wearing place.]
(You put it down near your private?)
Uh huh. An' when dat sugah comin' [commence], tuh meltin', yo' take dat sugah out dat's comin' tuh dissolvin', an' yo' put it one - yo' know break it. Yo' take an' put one lump in dat cornah, one in dat one, one in dat, one in dat.
(You put a half lump in.)
Each cornah.
(Of your own house?)
Each cornah of yore own house - nobody else's house, in yore own house.
(Well, there are three lumps of sugar and you break two of them.)
Yeah, an' put it in each cornah, an' de boss, he'll send fo' yuh.
(I see.)
Entry 8577
Yo' could take a silk stockin' dat anybody's used an' had dey sweat on it, an' go tuh de fo'k of de road at twelve a'clock at night an' bury it. Yo'll take a brand-new pocket han'ke'ch'ef, any kin' dat a person is got dat sweat on, an' yo' kin put dere name down wit it an' tie it up nine times, an' bury it right at de fo'k of dat road at de hours of twelve a'clock at night. (What will that do?) Whut dat do? Well, dat's if yo' wants tuh do a person harm. Yo': see, dat's whut dere sweat take, any- thing dat have been used. But chew kin git de new pocket han'ke'ch'ef, an' dey don' have tuh use it, an' git dere name an' yo' kin do 'em harm.
(You tie that handkerchief nine times.)
Yo' tie it nine times lak dis. Say fo' instance if dis is de han'ke'ch'ef. Well, if yo' wanta do anythin' an' yo' wanta do anybody harm, yo' don' bring it to yo', yo' bring it from yo'. See, an' evah time yo' tie it, lak yo' take de end of de pocket han'ke'ch'ef an' yo' tie it once. Yo' have dat one piece of papah dere wit de names on dere. Yo' take an' put anothah piece 'cross dat an yo' tie it ag'in, until yo' make dem nine. Git de han'ke'ch'ef big enough dat chew kin make dem nine knots. An' yo' buries hit. Nine pieces of papah wit de name on it.
(The name of the person on each piece of paper written once.)
See, until yo' put nine pieces of papah, an' each piece of papah wit de knot. An' yo' bury it.
Entry 8806
It's one thing they do to you. (What's that?) Dey kin take yore handwritin'. Dey'll take a plate or saucer or somepin an' burn it jes' lak yo' did dat othah a while ago, an' den get somepin - jes' a face towel or pocket han'ke'ch'ef - somepin yo' use about yore face, an' tie dat up in it, an' take it to a runnin' stream an' run yo' crazy.
(How will it run you crazy? You mean they throw that into the running stream?)
Yes, sir.
(And that will run you crazy, I see.)
Yes, sir. [See also later margin title WATER-RUNNING.]
Entry 9020
All right, if yo' got some of yore friends in trouble an' wants tuh git 'em out. Prob'ly yo' got a purtty bad case an' yo' wants tuh git 'em out. Well, yo' kin go tuh de graveyard at night, twelve a'clock at night - let it be daid on de minute twelve aclock. Yo' go dere at night at twelve aclock an' yo' run yore arm down in de graveyard as fur as yo' kin git it down dere, right in de centah [a quincunx rite]. Yo' git a han'fulla dirt an' yo' take dat dirt an' git chew a plain white pocket han'ke'ch'ef dat don't have any streaks atall about de pocket han'ke'ch'ef - so it's plain white. An' yo' take dat dirt an' tie it up in de cornah de han'ke'ch'ef, puts it in yore pocket an' brings it on back. Well, yo' bring it back tuh de house an' when yo' git back tuh de house, yo' git chew some sage or sompin at night. Do all dat dat night. Bring it back tuh de house an' git chew some sage or sompin an' tie it up in dere wit dis dirt an' yo' takes it up in de jail, wheresomevah dey's in jail at, an' give it tuh de person an' tell 'em tuh weah it in de bottom of dey shoes. Well, dey weah dat in de bottom of dere shoes dat night. Prob'ly dey goin' have trial tuhmahah. An' dat night befo' dey goin' have de trial, yo' have some of yore friends tuh go tuh dat co'thouse, dat nex' mawnin' or dat mawnin' befo' day - sometime befo' dey'll have de trial - an' throw three aigs on topa de buildin'. An' be shu' dat evah' one of 'em is bust. If dey don't bust, it's not any good; but chew have tuh be shu' dat de aigs is bust. An' let 'em weah dat sage an' dirt in de bottom of dere shoes, an' dat'll cleah hit up.
Entry 9100
If yo' have somebody in prison - it's mo' easy fo' yo' tuh take a cord becuz dey'll notice too much if yo' take a string, if yo' go tuh see yore people dere. Yo'll go dere tuh see 'em an' yo'll have tuh do dat slightly [carefully] yo' see. Lak if he's standin' up, den yo' stand up an yo' jis' put dat cord lak back of his haid lak dat... [demonstrates]. Jis' stan' up lak dat, an' yo' take dat cord an' put it behin' his haid. An' den yo' unwrap de othah part an' let it fall on de flo'... [demonstrates]. Well, now whilst he standin' dere, yo' tell 'im don' move, say, "Don' move." (Take that whole measure from the top of his head to the foot). Yo' take dat up an' den yo' fix dat in a ball. Yo' see, yo' fix dat an' den yo' burn dat wit a brand-new han'ke'ch'ef. Yo' burn dat. Let 'im wipe his face an' burn dat an' wit 'is name - de judge's name. Yo' burn all dat tuhgethah, dat papah an' all tuhgethah, yo' see, an' de lawyah's name. An' yo' burn all dat tuhgethah. An' when he'll come, if he won' discharge 'im, he won't let 'im go no fu'thah. Yo' jis' drap [drop] it from de do' an' yo' jis' drap it [ashes]. (When you go back to see him again, you sprinkle that [string and paper] dust around, and they will turn him loose?) Yes.
Entry 9627
If yo' goin' tuh git a job, git up in de mawnin', or even if de sto's now open tuhnight, git chew a package of cookin' salt. Open dat salt. Po' some salt in de cornah of a large han'- kerch'ef. Yo' put red peppah in dere an' sulphuh, an' yo' tie it up. Put it In yore right pocket an' go [to see boss]. An' if de man don' hire yo' dat day, dey'll tell yo' tuh come [back], an' de nex' time yo' go back yo' git a job.
Entry 9717
Go to the fork of a road, like that [demonstrates] and take a brand-new ten-penny nail. And they pin [drive] that nail down. Just like you want a girl or somepin, they pin that nail down and say a prayer about nine times. And they put that [nail] down in and put a hand- kerchief down over it. After they put the handkerchief down, and let it stay over there [the driven nail] and get the handkerchief before the pert morning before the sun rise. And they say that'll get that girl. You take the handkerchief and wear it. And after that you go to the girl and take it out of your pocket, like that, like you is playing with it, and get [flutter] it around her face. [The spirit of the conquered nail, fortified by the power of the spirit of the fork of the road, is carried to confront the girl!] ]
Entry 9827
Tuh bring yore sweetheart back, take a han'ke'ch'ef an' write his name in de centah of dat han'ke'ch'ef an' fold it up. An' yo' git chew nine new nee- dles, sewin' needles, yo' undahstan'. An' aftah yo' git dose needles, yo' take dose needles an' yo' stick one in dis way [demonstrates] right intuh dat name, an' yo' stick one dat way, an' one go dis way, one go dat way. But dey all gotta go intuh dat name. (All those points of those needles point into each other.) [The needles are in a rimless circle, points inward.] Yassuh, goes intuh each othah. Ah'll show yo'. Dis is yore name but dey all gotta go intuh dat name. Well, yo' take dat aftah yo' git 'em all in dere an' make yore wish. An' take it an' put it up in de centah of yore baid undah yore mattress. An' den de fo'th day, why he'll surely come back tuh yo'.
Entry 9952
Yo' kin take a green frog. Yo' know, when a green frog git on a leaf, yo' kin take him an' ketch 'im an' put 'im in yuh pocket. But yo' git chew a bran'-new silk han'ke'ch'ef an' yo' put - yo' wrap 'im up in dat silk han'ke'ch'ef, an' put 'im intuh yuh pock- et. An' weah dat han'ke'ch'ef lak dat a couple of days, wit dat green frog in it. Jis' lak a girl don' want chew, don' lak yuh or somepin, an' yo' wanta make her lak yuh. An' yo' take 'im out of dere an' take de han'ke'ch'ef an' yo' whip it on 'er jis' lak dat. She go wild about chew.
(You whip her with the handkerchief?)
Yes, jis' fan it on 'er, yo' know.
(Just fan it on her?)
Yes, an' she git wild about chew. Dat green frog.
(What does the frog do to that handkerchief?)
Ah don't know what he do, but he makes love - make her love yuh.
Entry 9983
Now, ah have tried a lotta things in gamblin' an' ah made tvo pretty aood success of it [two successful periods in life]. Now, if a man is a gamblah an' he goin' tuh a good game tuhnight, he might go out in de country dis evenin' befo' he go tuh dat game. An' jis' about dahk [dark] - yo' know dese li'l ole toad- Srog dey always come out, yo' know, jumpin' round. An' if yo' git holt of one da toadfrogs, yo'll wrap it up in yuh han'ke'ch'ef good an' put it in yuh pocket. An' all de money yo' wanta bet on in dat game, yo' bet it out dat same pocket yo' got dat frog in, an' nobody couldn't ketch yo' twixt heah an' Tampa [Florida].
Entry 10209
I hear'd about a woman taking a man's nature sure 'nough. After she menstr'ate two days, she'll take off dat piece, put dat piece down dere an' put it jes' in dat water and soak it. She takes a new linen han'ke'ch'ef and wash it. (A new red handkerchief.) No, linen. Linen, so it get soft. When he discharge, she ketch it on the han'ke'ch'ef. All right. She get bolt of dat noy and she put it in dat water to soak it, and she wring it out. And vring Lc dirty piece out and pour it in a bottle, and go down at lou water, lov tide, and when the tide is out, and put it in dere. When dat tide come in, she [tide] carries it with her, and the tide carry it out. No matter how many years, he's in for life. He's gone dere. (Is there any way he can get that off of him?) [There is no answer. It may have been lost.l
Entry 10218
Ah've heard dat if a man wanted to ketch his wife, why he would be dit her an' he would take a han'kerchief an' ketch de discharge from her, an' git I piece of her hair, an' he would put it in a cloth wit dat discharge an' dry it; br he yould wrap dis hair in wit dat an' wear it. An' if she have connection wit a man why he would swell so he couldn't git out of her, an' dat would cause de husban' tuh ketch her. (Then he would use the hair from her head.) [The discharge here is not menstrual blood but the substanceformerlythoughtto resemble man's semen and to cooperate with it in the production of life. Folk- lore knew nothing about a woman's ova or eggs. Elsewhere I have called her dis- charge 'female semen in accordance with folk belief - No.3196, p.2359, v.3.]
Entry 10219
Say, now a woman and she has a husband, and she doesn't want him to have anything to do with any other woman in the sex line. She goes to the store and she buys a brand-new big [white] pocket han'ke'ch'ef. (What kind of a pocket handker- chief?) A brand-new white pocket han'ke'- ch'ef. She takes that back home to the bed and tonight she fool with him. She will use that to wipe him on, don't cha know. And she won't use that on herself. All right. She wait until he's gone and then she'll take that and she bury it in a small jar, don't cha know, right in front of the steps where he'll have to walk over that whensomever he comes. He kin go wherever he wants and be with whoever he wants to, but he can't have nothing to do with 'em.
(Well, suppose a man did that [to a woman]?)
That just reversing it. Reversed it. When she bury it, she'll bury it on the bottom [of jar]. He'll take it and bury it on de top, on end [turn it upside down so that handkerchief will be against reversed top of jar].
(Well, how do you mean she buries it on the bottom - bottom of what?)
Bottom of the jar. Put it in the jar, see, and she gotta set the jar down and bury it. Well, he'll go there, why he just take it and put it outside of that, the way she had - upside down, the bottle up.
(I see, that fixes her, sees that she can't get away.)
I mean that she can't get away. See, the only way she kin get away is when the top rots off and the rag rots up.
Entry 10238
An' den it's anothah one, see. Dis [first] woman, yo' know, loved dis man. Dis man, he wuz goin' wit a [second] woman. An' she [first woman] loved him yo' know, an' she wouldn't do nuthin [to stop himl. He would do dat. So [first woman] she says, "Well, he's good to me, "' says, ''but he goes out an' has a big time wit othah wimmin." Says, "Ah'm goin' stop dat." Okay. Dey goes to bed dat night an' dey got connection together, yo' know. Oh Lawd, she wus so good to him. Oh gee! An' dis an' dat an' so. An' so she says, "Wait a minute, honey, ah'll dry yo'." She take a new han'ke'ch'ef an' she dried him. When she dry him, she dry him lak dis - lak dis [demonstrates but not on body].
(Upward three times.)
Three times, yeah. An' de last time she'd jes' lak dat, yo' see. Stop dat rag [handkerchief] dere. "Oh, baby, it was so good, so nice. Oh Lawd." She stretches her lak dat. Mmmah. Dat [semen] caught in her han's, see. Threw it [new handkerchief] down [on the floor]. So she taken dat rag dat nex' mawnin' - she takes dat rag an' she sews it up in de pillah dere. An' he lay on dat ever' night fo' [until] nine mawnin's. An' de ninth mawnin' she takes dat out an' she puts it on another place. An' from dat day on, she could go off her- self, an' he nevah did have chance 'nuff to he himself do lak dat. An' when he do lak dat, it wuz her all de time. Jes' kept together.
Entry 10240
New pocket handkerchief - woman wipes man - rolls up handkerchief to her [making long roll or cylinder, a phallic symbol] - ties into a hard knot - unties knot - unrolls hand- kerchief - spread it out flat and keeps it that way under bedtick - in middleways of bed [creating the fifth or center point among the four bedposts, making a quincunx]. [Bedtick is a spring- less mattress filled with dried moss, leaves, cornhusks, dried grass, all sorts of things. This impotence magic is my condensed transcription of long rite missed by transcriber.]
Entry 10242
I've heard of 'em takin' a handke'chief an' measurin' [a man's penis] so many inches, don' choo understand. I don't know whether it's six inches or what it is. An' they'll tie it. I think, the handke'chief in three knots, an' they will bury it. That'll make that man, don' choo understand leave home. That's what I heard 'em say. That'll make that man leave home, don't choo understand an' go the Way that they want 'em to go. They's some women, don't choo understand, they - you know - they don't [want] de man themselves an' they don't want choo to be there wid your people. An' they'll do anything in the world they kin to break 'em up.
Entry 10246
Ah seen tie knots. Go off an' have intercourse with a woman an' tie knots in dat hans'cuff to tie her up.
(Just how would they do that?)
Well, dey take dere pocket hans'cuff an' de' tie it up, tie nine knots in it. Take de pocket hans' scuff den an' put it in a jar, an' put de jar down where she kin walk ovah it or walk undah it, eithah one, an' she'll always be fo' dat person.
(A man would do this to a woman.)
Uhmmm.
Entry 10588
Ah heard of anothah thing in gamblin' but it's a hard thing tuh git. But ah believe dis cus' de man dat tole me, cos' he's daid now, but he used tuh be a great gambler. He tried tuh git me one dem once. Yo' ketch a leather-wing bat. Dey say if yo' kin ketch a leather- wing bat an' kill him, an' take his heart an' wrap it in a silk han'kerchief, an' wrap it round heah [demonstrates], yo' can't be caught in no poker game yo' play in.
(Wrap it in a silk handkerchief you say, and tie it around your arm.)
Tie it round yore arm an' wear it jes' whilst yo' playing. Dis fellah gambled wit 'em. Ah didn't gamble wit 'im, an' he gambled wit white people, wit colored people, an' ah've known him tuh have as much as two an' three thousand dollahs at one time. [I turned off machine too soon. Informant mentioned name of hotel where this gambler had worked.l
(He was working at the.... Hotel?)
Yessuh.
Entry 10614
Yo' kin take a herb called de [High] John de Conkah. yo' understand. Yo' put it into a vial [of white cologne, see later] an' yo' take de vial an yo' use nine drops on a pocket han'ke'cheff. Yo' put in dat bottle: de High John de Conkah, an' de per- fume an' de Eve-an'-Adam. Dat Eve-an'-Adam, dat's a herb. Yo' see, yo' nuse dat into a little vial about so good - jes' enough tuh hol' it; yo' know, about de size of mah finger lak dat, an' den yo' have it in dat white cologne [the perfume mentioned]. Well, yo' nuse it den, nine drops at a time. Yo' see, lak yo' nuse dat aroun', yo' kin take dat up lak dat when yo' step into a room or sompin lak dat, yo' see. Yo' take yore pocket han'ke'cheff out an', yo' see [probably demonstrates] yo' flash it roun dere. An' dat's fo' lovin', yo' see.
Entry 10621
You kin take Adam-and-Eve in Hearts Cologne an' yo' kin hold your job. Like if you got a boss against yeh, you goin' to work that morning, you take an' put a little [Hearts Cologne] on yuh pocket hankechef. Jes' like I work fer you, I come here [he hems and coughs], "Good mawnin' boss, how yuh feelin'?" Dat stuff [scent] would fill over the house. You [I] keep your [my] job.
Entry 10624
Get a Adam-and-Eve root.
(Get an Adam-and-Eve root.)
And fix it and write their name and tie it up in it.
(Write their name on a piece of paper?)
Uh huh, and put it in there with this Adam-and-Eve root, and 'cose, you urinate on that for nine mornings, if you wants a man. You get him that way. (I see. Well, now, what do you wrap that up in?) In a handkerchief. (I see. And you urinate on it.) You be more successful in tying it up in a green handkerchief. (I see. And you tie it up and urinate on it for nine mornings. Then what do you do with the handkerchief?) Just keep it.
(Oh, you keep it and then you'll get the man. I see.)
Entry 10716
Dey says takin' a bird nest. Now, dat's somethin', de same thing of love, of married life. Like if yo' wanted a girl, yo' know, an' she doesn't seem tuh care anythin' fo' yo', yo' jes' take de bird nest down an' yo' take, taht if yo' kin git anything of hers, an' put it in dere, an' put it in dis nest, an' sew it up in a piece of new homespun an' yo' wear it yourself yo' see. An' den yo' take de perfume an' put on dat an' jes' yo' know, lak yo' be round her an' yo' know how like girls will be round yo', an' put dere ban's in yore pocket yo' know, an' take de han'kerchief out. Yo' may grab it, but see, she git de scent of dat. Dat'll change her mind an' she do jes' lak yo' wanted her do.
(You put this bird's nest into the handkerchief?)
In de han'kerchief. An' yo' puts dis Hearts Perfume. Jes' don't take nuthin out de bird nest. Jes' take de whole nest right up an' puts it in dis lil' piece of homespun. Den yo' put it in a han'kerchief 'cause yo' want it on it fo' nine mawnin's with dis Hearts Perfume in it. See, when yo' put it in dere, yo' more den apt tuh put it in yore pocket, yo' see. Well, when yo' put dis han'kerchief in yore pocket, dey more den apt tuh grab it. When dey grab, yo' know, yo' goin' have somethin' in dere, but yo' won't have it in de han'kerchief so dey can't shake it out. Well, whenevah she git de scent of dat, why it won't be long 'fore she goin' follow yo'. Well, dat's nuthin but jes' tuh make love.
Entry 10770
Dere's a man once an' he's workin' fo' anothah man an' dis man jes' Wouldn't pay him his money. So one day as he's walkin' 'long, he met up wit a' ole cunjureman rootman. Dis man tole him, he explained his cause tuh dis ole rootman. An' dis ole rootman tole him, "Well, ah'll give yo' somepin [inform- ant did not know what it was] tuh make yo' lucky enough tuh discover [recover] yore money from dis man. So de ole man did give him sompin. He tole him, "Go down town an' buy yo' a new pocket han'ke'ch'ef an' take it back home wit yo'. If yo' can, slip it intuh dis man's clothes an' dat'll make him pay yo' yore money. Yo' will own whut he have an' he won' have nuthin [more to say]." So he did dat. He went on an' bought de han'ke'ch'ef [and slipped into it what the rootman had given to him] an' carried it an' slip it intuh dis bossman's clothes, intuh his pocket. So de nex' day he went on down an' commence talkin' tuh de bossman an' de bossman, he reached back dere an' got dat same han'ke'ch'ef dat he put in his pocket. He went tuh wipin' his face aftah he begin talkin' - de bossman went tuh wipin' his face an' talkin' tuh him. So finally at las' dis man had somepin [from the rootman] in de han'ke'ch'ef, yo' know, tuh make dis man [to pay him the money].
Entry 12239
Take Hearts Perfme an yo' take dis blacksnake root an' take de John de Conkah an' yo' put it in dis perfume an' let it stay fo' twenty-fo' hours an' in twenty-fo' hours, yo' put dat perfume on yo' an' yo' go down an' as yo' ask 'im fo' a job, yo' take dis perfume on yore han'ke'ch'ef an' yo' wavin' it lak dis [demon- strates].
(Just wave it around.)
Jes' wave an' dat'll change his mind an' he'll give yo' a job, even if yo' quit, an' he'll send back fo' yo'.
Entry 12276
Lak dere's a boy comin' tuh see a girl heah an' yo' wants tuh go see her, an' den she wants him tuh quit. Yo' take a pocketknife right aroun' dere [begin to demonstrate]. Yo' know, take yore pocket- knife, silk han'ke'ch'ef an' wrap roun' an' run [and bury] it roun' yore do'step. (Take a silk pocket handker- chief and wrap it around your own knife? And bury it under the doorstep?) Yessuh. An' den yo' rap on dat do'step, [do] dat 'fo' [before] mawnin'. Aftah yo' makes three trips dere, why he cut intuh dere.
(He'll live with her?)
Yes.
Entry 12280
Yo' kin tie a knot in a rope or either in a pocket han'ke'ch'ef or sompin lak dat an' yo' kin use it. Dat's whut dey call a jinx to peoples. Ah could tie a knot in yore pocket han'ke'ch'ef an' dat could be a jinx to yo'. An' aftah [that] ah wash it an' den pressed it out. Dat's ohut dey call a jinx to a person. It's no luck to nobody, a pocket han'ke'ch'ef wit knots in it. Or either some peoples passes by yo' might seen clothes line hangin' out. Peoples could put knots in dat fo' a jinx to peoples which dey call bad luck. An' den dey kin fix it in dere fo' luck fo' peoples. It's a certain way dey tie it. Some of 'em tie it in a bow knot an' some they call it in de crawfish oot an'....
Entry 12365
A little powder, they call it a love sashay. They say you kin take it with you. You take an' tie it in your handkerchief, an' when you go down to git the job, they say you jis' shake your handker- chief [and you will get a job].
Entry 12366
Well, dey have a powder dat dey call love powder. It's made up of essence of roses - some flavor of roses, an' dey mix dis up. It has a very sweet odor an' in going out time an' ag'in, dey put dis powder, dis love powder in 'em, in dere handker- chiefs an' anything dey powder dere faces with. Dey claim when dey come in con- tact with men dat are talking, dey claim it makes dese men crazy to go where dey are.
Entry 12457
If he gives you [woman] bill [paper money for sexual services], fold [paper money] to you, then fold it again. Clip off ends of the 4 corners, tie in handkerchief, wear so that you can use it without his knowing it, and he'll always give you something [for love services]. [Here is another one of the unusual folding rites in HOODOO, this one by an excellent professional hoodoo worker in Memphis.]
Entry 12658
Like yo' might have a girl fren' an' some other girl. Yo' might be wit chure girl fren' an' yo' like her or somepin, an' yo' wanta be on de good side of dis girl. Dis girl might be a fren' to dis other girl, but chew Want dis other girl. Yo' go an' buy yo' a pocket han'ke'ch'ef, in other words yo' buy three pocket han'ke'ch'efs, see. Yo' take dis pocket han'ke'ch'ef, de first one, an' put de 'nitial of dis girl yo' like, yo' wanna gain love with, in dis pocket han'ke'- ch'ef.
(What do you use to put the initial in there?)
Well, yo' can stamp it in dere, embroider it dere, anyway yo' wanta put it n in dere. An' yo' bury dis first pocket handkerchief, yo' see. Yo' take dis second pocket han'ke'ch'ef an' yo' do de same, yo' put dis 'nitial in dere any- way yo' prefer to put it in dere, and yo' offer her de second pocket han'ke'- chief. Well, she - in other words she may refuse dis han'ke'ch'ef. But yo' take de third one yo'self an' put chure 'nitial in it an' yo' keep dis pocket han'ke'ch'ef an' use de same thing. Yo' take any kin' high-priced perfume an' put in dis han'ke'ch'ef. Put two drops on it or one perhaps, but two be's still stronger. Well, if she refuse dis han'ke'ch'ef wit her 'nitial in it, yo' bury it wit de han'ke'ch'ef whut chew bury wit her 'nitial in it, yo' see; but chew take dis one yo' got yo'self wit chure 'nitial in it an' yo' - yo' know if yo' got de privilege to go see her, well, when yo' entertaining her, yo' jes' take dat han'ke'ch'ef, pull it out chure pocket an' sorta, yo' know, flash it 'cross her face so she git de scent of dis perfume, yo' see. An' use dis John de Con- kah root yo' call it. Chew it yo' see, or perhaps she may be de kind like to kiss or somepin. Well, yo' can kiss her an' chew on dis root. Yo' gains love like dat.
Entry 12892
I've heard of a case of that kind, where he runs around and she don't want him to run around. You go to the drug store and get you some sterile cot- ton. When you go to bed at night, and if you have connection With him, you give him a towel to use on himself, and after you have connection with him, let him do everything, don't you do nothing. And when you have finished, you use that cotton, and give him a towel to use. You take that and get you a man's pocket handkerchief. You take and tie it up in the middle of that handkerchief, the cotton that I've used. [A quincunx rite, the center of 4 corners ] I've used the cotton myself. He'll never know the difference you see. I'll tie it up in that handkerchief like this [demonstrates]. Be sure it's linen. Get a brand-new handkerchief and tie in there, and cut the ends of that handkerchief off, open my mattress and put it in that mattress, and he'll never run around no more.
Entry 13065
Well, you could get a snail and put some salt on it... (Now, this woman's husband has gone away and she comes to see you, and you are going to tell her how to get this man back. [I have this woman marked down as a woman specialist.] All right.) Get a snail and put some salt on it. Let it - you know, you know, how a snail does when you put salt on him. And put it in a new linen handkerchief - his.
(His - I see.)
Tie it up and put it in de corner - [here is a corner rite] in de south cor- ner of the house and let it stay there for three days, and in three days time he will return.
(I see. That's to get a man back.)
That's to get one back.
Entry 13094
Well, dey tell me if yo' wanta harm a person dat way, dat chew kin kill a rattlesnake an' let him dry till yo' kin pound his bones up an' make a dust out of his bones - skin an' all. An' put some of de dust in a han'kerchief. Heet dis person an' turn yore back to de wind an' dey face to de wind. Take de han'kerchief out an' shake it jes' lak if yo' were goin' tuh wipe soiled han's, an' let dat dust go in dere face. Dey will nevah see no mo'.
(That will make them blind.)
Entry 13240
Take a little bit of sugar and a little bit of coffee and tie it up in your handkerchief - or bread, either one, it's very good. It's luck, if you put it inside of your handkerchief and carry it around on you. It's very good.
(That's for good luck?)
Sugar is drawing you know - they all is drawing you see, because the spirits 11kes those things.
Entry 13364
If dere's a man left a woman an' is gone an' she cain't make him come back, an' she's done ever'thin' she wants tuh do tuh make him come back. She'll have tuh go tuh de man an' git de man tuh come tuh her house, an' aftah he come tuh her house, see, she takes him in dere an' she takes an' has intah- co'sin' wit him. Well, she'll have intahcos' wit dis man an' she'll git some of her urinate, some of her [his] stuff. An' she takes it an' she takes a lil' piece of flour dough, an' she mixes it all up wit it. An' takes it an' tie it up in a pocket han'ke'ch'ef an' drops it in one of her stockin's. She crush de stockin' all up an' puts it in de cornah behin' de dō', an' den nevah sweeps it out. An' as long as dat stay dere - she let it stay dere fo' 9 days. In dem 9 days time, say he'll come tuh de house. In 9 days time no mattah how fur he is away, if he kin git dere in 9 days he'll be dere in dem nine days.
(This man has to come to her house first?)
Yassuh, [otherwise] some othah - she have tuh git some othah man tuh come tuh her house.
(Some other man would come, so she could get this other man to come back?)
Yassuh, jes' lak ah went off an' left a girl an' den wouldn't come back tuh her, she'll git some othah man tuh come tuh her house tuh be with her so she could git chance tuh git some stuff [semen] from him. She mix it in flour dough, tie it up in a piece of han'ke'ch'ef an' drop it in one her stockin's, tie de stockin' up an' throw it behin' de do', de do' dat he comes in all de time, an' dey say in 9 days time he'll be back.
Entry 113
Git chew a fresh yard aig an' tie it in his right han' an' bury him on his face. Now, dat happen right chere about fo' yeahs ago, right at dis basin [dock for ships along Mississippi River] befo' dey closed it in. A colored fellah kilt a girl dere an' got away, an' her mothah didn't know whut tuh do. So she sent ovah tuh mah house an' got me. So ah says, "Yo' got any chickens roun' heah?" She say, "De lady nex' do'." Ah says, "Tomorrah git me a fresh yard aig." Ah says, "Does yo' min' buryin' dis gurl on her face?" She says, "No, ah'll bury her any way if ah kin find de fellah." She put de yard aig in her han' dis-a-way an' shet her han' up on it an' tied a han'ke'chef ovah it an' buried her on her face. In twenty-four hours he come right dere where he chunked her ovahbo'd an' dis white fellah, de night watchman out dere, caught him. He carried him ovah dere an' called up de law at dis Union Station, an' the law took him ovah to the gurl's mothah's house. Den the girl's mothah went an' had de gurl redug up an' buried on her back. Dey broke his neck outen dis jail out heah.
Entry 180
Dey said de whirlwind had de devil in it. An' dey tole me when ah wus little, say, yo' go to that whirlwind, an' git chew a pocket han'sckuff an' put it in nine knots, an' git in that whirlwind an' the devil will come an' talk with yo'.
Entry 199
Ah know one thing 'bout it - yo' kin go out tuh de fo'ks of de road if it's anything yo' wanta do to anyone, yo' kin go tuh de fo'ks of de road - or anything yo' wanta learn - yo' kin go tuh de fo'ks of de road an' sell yo'self to de devil of co'se. But yo' kin run a person off from dey home. Dey kin have evah sech a nice home but yo' could go tuh de fo'ks of de road an' git nine grain of sand, say, "Ah'm gittin' dis fo' puhtection fum yo' - ah want chew tuh puhtec' me." Git nine grains of sand, "Ah want chew tuh puhtec' me fum all things - ah want chew puhtec' me in mah home. Mah home is gotten bad an' ah want chew tuh puhtec' me in dis nine grains of sand." An' yo' take dem nine grain of sand an' git chew a brand new white pocket han'ke'chef an' tie dem nine grains of sand up in it. An' yo' kin go to dat fo'ks of de road fo' nine nights an' git nine grain of sand an' dat las' night yo' go an' git dat nine grains of sand, yo' kin bring it in de house an' put it up ovah yore do' an' if yo' want dat person tuh go out, dat person will go out an' dey won' nevah come in dere no mo'. Dat will do 'way wit dat person altuhgethah.
(That person who is bothering you - you do that for protection?)
Yes. [Sumter, S. Car., (1365), 2413:3.] [This subsection, in addition to animals as spirits, introduces that amazing animal, the doctor's or witch's assistant.]
Entry 708
Well, jes' lak if ah wants tuh hurt chew - put a snake in yo'. Well, yo' kin go out - yo' know in de fall of de year snakes shed, yo' know. Yo' go out an' git de snake hide. Well, dey don't call it hide but ah call it. De snake he comes out of it - he leaves it. Yo' take dat an' yo' pound it up lak a powder. Well, yo' take dat powder an' yo' put it in a bottle of heart's perfume an' ah'll go tuh yo' ah'll have dis perfume an' ah'll put it on mah han'ke'chief - put nine drops an' ah'll be jes' playin' with yo'. Well, when dat perfume dry in yo', dat's de snake is gone in yo'. Now, if ah want tuh heal yo' an' git that snake out of yo', ah'll take nine dimes an' take a file an' file off every one of the nine dimes an' put it in sweet milk an' dat'll kill de snake an' run him out of yo'.
(What do you do with that sweet milk then?)
Yo' drinks de sweet milk - dat's in order fo' de snake tuh pass from de body. He can't stand milk.
Entry 1737
Yo' go to the woods an' git a piece of blacksnake root an' tie it up in a little hand'chief, put it in a cologne bottle and tote it in yore pocket three days and den take de bottle an' bury it. After three days yo' take it out chure pocket an' bury it under yore doorstep and dat will give you good luck. [Here is a buried hand.]
Entry 1861
Well, before you even go on this job, you read the ll9th Psalm. You look in de 119th Psalm and you read a verse in there. And you'll find favors with him, and you'll use High John de Conker too, and you'll take the five finger grass and carry it. Put it in yore handkerchief. And you ask him for the job as a favor and he hardly will refuse yuh.
(How will you use that High John the Conker?)
Well, some chew it. Some people boil it and jest make liquid and dress dere- selves before dey goes.
Entry 2288
Den dey go to a woman an' git some of her hair, understand, some of her hair down heah, de private hair, an' tie it up in a red han'kerchief or red rag or somepin an' tote it in dere pocket - yo' know, wear it on yo'. Work it in yo' han's yo' know [before playing or betting] an' stick it back in yo' pocket. (What do you do that for? For luck or what?) [Work it in yore han's indi- cates gambling but I wanted a statement.] For luck in gamblin'.
Entry 2309
Ah've tried it mahself as ah first tole yo'. If yo' should go home tonight an' - ah gotta go tuh co't - been speedin' or somethin' like dat an' gotta go tuh co't in de mornin' an' tuh let de judge come wit chew. Yo' must find a dead spider an' have yo' a brand-new han'chief - maybe two if yo' kin. Yo' know a dead spider dat hangs around de wall. An' wrap dat spider up an' carry dat 'long with yo'.
(What will that do?)
Dat will help yo' luck - he won't hardly fine yo'.
Entry 3125
Well, now, if he'd wanta keep a man away from his house - his wife be sick evah month - he'd take'm [take him] one of de piece she use. He'd take one of 'em an' he'd fold it up an' cut dat stain out an' wrop it up in 'is pocket han'ch'ef an' put it in 'is pocket. A man kin come tuh de house but she won't have no desire tuh be wit 'm.
Entry 3170
Well, she git a bran'-new pocket han'schef, or eithah a bran'-new piece of white homespun, an' when he'd have a intahco'se wit 'er, she'd let 'im use dis cloth. She take dis cloth an' set it up ovah de do' facin', an' he can't raise a heart [for other women].
Entry 3171
[Many examples of this rite are given elsewhere.] Ah heah how tuh make anybody love dem. Ah heah dey take dey han'chief an' make dem take it firs' an' yo' take it nex'. An' put it undah yore do'step, an' yo' kin keep dat dere an' dat makes 'em love yo'.
Entry 3190
Yo' kin take a bran'-new pocket han'kerchief an' dry 'im on de pocket han'kerchief an' den fold de han'kerchief. Fold yore han'kerchief lak dis. Yol fold it disaway, even, an' always fold it to yo'.
(It is supposed to be put in a square?)
Yeah, fold it to yo' disaway. [My supposition about the square is wrong, despite informant's yeah. What follows shows the handkerchief folded into triangles, meaning the handkerchief lies before her like a baseball diamond, not a square. She does not fold a hori- zontal line but a right angle.] Den when yo' turn it, yo' fold it catercornah till yo' fold it lak dat, see. An' wear dat nex' to her skin, right on de top of 'er pussy [the folded piece must be shape of triangle]. An' dat won't let 'im have nobody.
Entry 3451
Well, now, in case - fo' instance now, if a man gits - lak if ah tell yo' or yo' tell me, says, "Listen, Doc [Doctor Dawson], ah want yo' stay 'way from mah woman." An' ah say, "Well, ah ain't bothahin' yo' woman." Yo' says, "Yes, yo' is bothahin' 'er. Ef ah ketch yo' dere 'gin, de worl' will know it. [FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON MY TRANSCRIBER AT THIS POINT LEAVES ABOUT THREE INCHES OF MASSED DOTS. THIS INNOCUOUS BUT IMPORTANT MATERIAL SHE OMITTED I ADDED BY PENCIL WHEN I CHECKED THE CYLINDER AGAINST TRANSCRIPTION. DOCtOr Dawson, as well as other informants knew that I was collecting material to write a boOk. HERE ARE THE DELETED WORDS:] FOR GOD'S SAKE! WILL DAT THING BE PRINTED HERE? DESE WHITE FOLKS WILL HANG ME! Well, ah say, "Ah ain' bothahin' wit yo woman. Yo' [a woman] say, "Hell, yes yo' is." Well, den ah'm slippin' roun' dere, yo' see. An' ah think dat chew [woman] don't know how tuh ketch me. Well, yo' walk out in de woods dere an' yo' go an' git a dog, a dog dat's proudin' bad, an' she's proudin' an' she'll swelled up right dere behin'. All right, yo' ketch dat dog an' yo' take yo' pocket han'scuff lak when - yo' undah- stan' - when a dog gits through wit 'er, yo' take dat pocket han'scuff an' wipe dat dog's contraption good wit dat pocket han'scuff. All right. Well, yo' roll dat up tight den. Yo' roll dat up den an' when yo' go home at night, an' yo' go home, an' when she lay down to sleep, yo' take dat rag an' rub 'er. Rub all up inside her thing good wit dat rag. Yo' say, "Well now, de son-of-a-bitch, if he gits on 'er now de worl' will know it." Well, den ah'll come in dere, ah'll be hot chew know, wouldn't be thinkin' nuthin. Well, den ah'll go jump on 'er. Ah'll say, "Come on, lady, gimme me [HERE AGAIN MY TRANSCRIBER RESORTS TO DOTS AND HERE IS WHAT SHE OMITTED;] a little bit of it. Well I'll then aroun', jump on dat woman. Well, when ah git through wit dat woman....ah can't pull mah thing out to save mah life. Ah'm hooked dere.
Entry 3464
If dey wan'a person to stop slidin', well dey said yo' take two dogs in de spring when dey havin' intahco'se an' dey're hung. An' yo' take a han'ke'- chef an' ketch some of dere nature. Keep it. An' den if yore boy frien' slides [cheats] on yo' to de extent dat choo wan'a stop 'im forevah, aftah yo've had a intahco'se wit 'im, dry 'im wit dis han'ke'chef. IT'LL LAST A WEEK. De first woman he goes wit he'll git hung wit 'er.
(It'll last a week?)
It'll last on 'im a week. HE CANNOT WASH IT OFF. Den if he goes wit anothah woman wit'in dat length of time, de first woman he goes [with] he'll git hung wit 'er an' yo' cannot git 'em apart. YO' HAVE TO TAKE 'EM TO A HOSPITAL AN' DE RE- SULTS IS DE WOMAN WILL HAVE TO BE KILT, becuz de longah he stay in 'er de largah he swells. YO' HAVE TO KILL DE WOMAN OR DE MAN, SO DEY USUALLY KILL DE WOMAN AN' CUT 'IM OUT. An' dat ends dat slidin'.
Entry 3467
Git holt of a man's pocket han'ke'chuf an' tie it up - lak yo' wish 'im tuh have trouble in two or three places, lak yo' runnin' a business ovah yondah an' want yo' tuh lose, runnin' a farm an' want chew to lose yore farm an' yo' stock. Tie knots to evah - cuss de devil an' God an' tie a knot fo' evah- thin' yo' want done. An' take dat han'ke'chuf an' burn it up, an' dat'll make yo' have hard luck.
Entry 3668
Yo' kin take a snail, dese snails. Kill de snail an' rub it onto a han'ke'chuf or a cloth or somepin, an' go to her an' rub dat ovah 'er private, yo' know. Ah've nevah found anyone yet dat would be able to go ovah dat.
Entry 3670
Keep de othah men from dere, git chew one dese big white pocket han'- ke'ch'ef. Go to de Dime Sto', git chew one ain't nevah been used, an' den take a snail an' put 'im in dat han'ke'ch'ef. Den take dat han'ke'chef when yo' have connection wit dat person dat night, an' she cain't nevah have.nobody else but 'im - cain't have nobody else. He ain't goin' have nobody else.
(What does she do with that handkerchief then after she has used it?)
She take de han'ke'ch'ef, she wipe him wit it an' she got 'im right den. She takes de han'ke'ch'ef an' puts it anywhere undah de baid, so he won' see it.
Entry 4877
De only thing dat will work on anyone - an' heah's another little prop- osition. Yuh sure yuh're not goin' tuh print dose things [here in Mobile]?
[I must have shaken my head to say, no.]
Well, all right. Well now, say fo' instance now, yuh's a woman an' ah wanted yuh. HAVE YUH GOT A POCKET HAN'KECH'EF DERE? GIMME YUH POCKET HAN'KECH'EF. NOW say, fo' instance how, yuh wanted a woman an' yuh couldn't git 'er. Yuh come tuh me an' says, "DoC, mah wive [wife] is gone, an heah's lady 'cross de street ah is aftah, an ah can't git 'er." Ah say, "Aw, yes yuh kin. Have yuh got ten dollahs?" [Or] ah say, "What chew gimme tuh git 'er?" He say, "Ah give yuh ten dollahs." Ah tell yuh what chew do. Ah say, "Yuh go an' kin yuh git one of 'er ole dirty stockin's?" He say, "Yes." Ah say, "Well, yuh git one of 'er ole dirty stockin's." Yuh go an' git dat stockin'. Ah say, "All right." An' ah say, "Now bring me yuh own." All right. NOW PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TUH ME. Take her stockin' jis' like dat [demonstrates]. Jis' like dis is heah, an' lay yores on top of it. YUH WATCH ME. See how dere [they are] straight. [He starts to roll them up.]
(You roll them up.)
Yo' roll 'em tuh yuh, jis' like dat. Roll 'em tuh yuh an' den when yuh git tuh de laig part, den yuh turn dat ovah tuh yuh an' roll yores ovah de top of dat jis' like dat, yuh see. Well, den yuh go ahead den an' git chew a jar, an' put nine grains of whole grain black peppah in dere - jis' drop 'em in dere. Den yuh write her name seven times an' put it in dere - an' roll it tuh yuh.
(The name must be rolled up with the stocking?)
Rolled wit de stockin'. Well, den yuh roll dat wit de stockin' into de jar, an' where yuh stay at, den yuh bury dat undah de step, see.
Entry 10299
Woman ties up man's semen in handkerchief with a penny and wears on leg [Richmond, 365:7].
Entry 10358
Wipe slut when she becomes loose from dog, wipe woman with this rag or handkerchief, bury it; she's no good until cloth is taken up and washed.
[Wilmington, 172:5.]
Entry 10367
Woman wipes man with handkerchief, ties knot in middle, puts cologne on, carries [Wilmington, 99:6].
Entry 11405
Take 9 fingernails an' take an' put 'em in a han'kahchief an' keep 'em for 9 days. They say that kin keep policemen from comin' to your house.
Entry 11475
(What do they do with that?)
Well, they kin make you leave town with that. Just get that, what they scrape off the bottom of your feet, and take that and go to the drug store and get you some concentrated lye and put it into that. And then take it and tie it up in a handkerchief or something, and then leave it it set such a length of time.
(For a certain length of time?)
Well, about a week, about a week or six days. And then take that and go bury it under your doorstep. And you'll leave.
(Under the doorstep of a person that you want to move?)
Yes, sir, the same thing as that. [Vicksburg 1008:7.]
Entry 11603
Carry person's right foot track tied in handkerchief. [Wilmington 144:2.]
Entry 12667
Well, dey say yo' kin take a silk han'ke'ch'ef an' rub it into a strand an' when she meets dis man, she kin continually take dat rag an' puttin' it 'bout his haid an' face, switchin' [swish- ing?] it ovah his face yo' know, an' sometime hit him cross de face wit it [dangerous for eyes] an' take dat rag an' wipe it undah her arms an' about her joints, an' git de perspiration of herself - an he won't have any desire fo' anothah woman.
(She takes this handkerchief and rolls it up into a strand, you say.)
An' den jes' wipe in undah her arms an' her joints.
(And then just waves it around him.)
Entry 13452
Yo' kin take a willow tree an' git some of de bark offa it an' tie it up in a pocket hans'cuff an' give it to someone an' dey'll follow yo' an' do anything yo' ask 'em to. [Waycross (1134) 1841:5.]
Entry 11395
"They take your fingernails, if you kin git 'em after somebody cut 'em off, an' wraps 'em up in a handkerchief, and take and wear 'em close to your body. They claim you kin always have power over 'em. You kin do 'em any way you want to and they can't do nothin' to protect themselves about it."
Entry 11562
"I could put dat track in a pocket han'ke'chef and I could take it and put it in a bottle...call your name, stop it up tight, an' take that bottle and carry it to some rivah...throw it ovahboard...keep you wavering and wavering and roaming all your life." [Charleston 642:4.]
Entry 651
You go down in the field and git manure, but you have to git a certain kind of manure. You have to git bull manure, not cow manure. Git that and wrap it in a red handkerchief. He claimed he was tricked. He let someone use his hammer and something they put on his hammer got on his hand and kept him from work. [This proves that he was poisoned.] Some one of these two-headed people that he was dealing with told him he had to git some bull manure. Well, I was jist a boy and they sent me to go git it. I go and git that bull manure and go and git some pokeberry root. Get the he pokeberry root. There's two kinds, a he and a she. The he one is white and the she one is red. The she one has a red skin on it, she come up out the ground. They git that and mix up with this manure together and cook it together and put that on him [his arm] and bind it down. He got so he went to work again.
Entry 1116
You get bazley. You take this bazley and you boil it. (You mean this vaseline out of a bottle?) No, bazley - it grows like a - smells sweet. (Basil?) Basil - sweet basil, they call it.
(Is it a flower?) [I still was not too certain.]
It's a leaf - it grows - you plant it - you gets the bazley seeds and you plant it, and it grows and it smells nice and is good around the place. Now, you take that bazley and you take some of those leaves and you boil 'em. And you take that water and you get you a handkerchief and, for instance, put it in a bowl with fust a little - that little water you boiled it in - and take it and do all this [demonstrates].
(Just wipe or wash yourself down.)
Bathe yourself with that - bathe yourself with that for nine mornings and they can't do you no harm.
(This sweet basil - is that called sweet basil?)
Basil - you buy it at the seed store and you plant it.
(Is this a kind of a flower?)
It comes up like it has a little flowers on it when it's going to seed.
(What color are those flowers?)
Little white flowers. [Good.]
(White flowers.)
And sweet smell all over - you can just put your hand over it like that and smell it - nice basil, sweet basil.
(Now, after you bathe that way, then what?)
Just throw that water out for nine mornings and they can't do you no harm.
(Just throw that water any place?)
Any place.
Entry 1420
An' if ah got a wart on me, a large wart on mah han' or on mah face an' ah wanta git rid of it, ah'll go an' git me nine stickin'-pins. When ah git dese nine stickin'-pins ah'll pick dis wart until it bleeds. Well, den ah take nine drops of blood on each nine pins an' take it an' put it in a pretty white han'kerchief an' carry it to de fo'ks of de road an' throw it down; an' when ah throw it down dere'll be somebody come along an' see dat pretty han'kerchief layin' down dere an' dey pick up dis han'kerchief an' walk off wit it. Well, somebody else will be ketched
[by my warts].
The informant describes a hypothetical wart-transfer rite using nine pins, blood and a white handkerchief left at road forks for another person to pick up. Hyatt supplies the bracketed explanation of being caught by the warts. The transfer is a reported claim, not medical evidence.
Entry 1899
Totes a toadfrog. If a fellah got roots or anything lak dat, chew go an' git chew a live rusty toadfrog an' put him in a han'chief an' put him in yore pocket, in yore side pocket or anythin' lak dat, an' go in a game, an' yo' wanta kill his luck, if yo' [he] got any lodestone or anything, that's goin' kill it.
Entry 2182
Take a red onion an' cut it in four pieces an' sprinkle salt on it an' tie it up tight in a hand'chief or jis' any ole kin' of cloth, a clean cloth, an' tote dat aroun' in yore [left] pocket an' when yo' go dere yo' sprinkle a little sulphur at de door an' when yo' be talkin' [to the boss] jis' mash de onion down in yore han's tight, hol' it tight.
Entry 2185
You go to a fortune tellah an' you tell 'im - he ast you whut you want. You tell 'im you wan'a job. He'll go back an' he'll git 'im a red onion, take the knife an' cut that red onion in half, put a penny betwixt it [the halves], take a piece of thread an' wrahp it aroun' an' tie it back together, an' go in the woods an' git 'im three pieces of blacksnake root an' cross em. You cross two like that, then take the othern an lay it like - kin'a looks like that, you see [demonstrates].
(Like a rail fence.)
An' them three pieces crossin' one 'nother, take the thread an' tie 'em to- gethah. You keep it in you' pockit an' befo' git to 'im you start to rubbin' 'em, the little sticks togethah - jis' like that. Then you take that red onion an' tie it in the cornah of you' han'ke'chief, an' a little befo' you git to 'im, you take that han'ke'chief an' wipe you' face. Don't nevah look down - always look 'im in the eye if you gon'a ast 'im fo' a job. He couldn't help from givin' it to you.
Entry 2673
A woman, if she wan'a bring in some men customers, there's things she do. She git her some saltpeter and she bathe in this saltpeter [see No. 2408f. p.670] and git her some incent [incense] powder and bairns [burns] about a table- spoon into about a teaspoonful of sugar. And she bairns that and then she git her some sulphur, about a half teaspoonful, snuff and sugah, and she keeps that Wrapped up in a hand'chief. And when she be talkin' to him, she lookin' in his eyes, an' throwin' [the handkerchief about] from the foiy [foyer]. Come right on down to his eyes and jis', you know, still lookin' into his eyes, and whatever she asks he'll agree to do it and come on inside.
Entry 3982
Yo' take de antses when dey pilin', totin' dere dirt up high, why yo' kin take dat an' git a han'fulla it, an' put it in a bran'-new white han'ke'ch'ef an' urinate on it, an' den put it in somepin lak a tin [can] an' bear
[bury] it. Now, dat'll fill yo' fulla pain, jes' lak somebody shovin' needles through yo' dataway, yo' know - jes' lak somebody stick yo' dat way. Well, it's no cure fo' dat. (You have to walk over it.)
Entry 2214
You go to the graveyard and you get some dirt and you tie it up in the corner of your handkershief and put it in your right pocket if you are right handed, and as you shoot dice you rub that handkershief and quite natch'ly you won't fall, you will win.
Entry 1418
Now, ah have got de perfume weed mahself - it's home. Yeah, it's a vine grows in de woods lak dat [demonstrates]. Yo' pick it [a leaf] off at de [growing] end. De leaf on it is jis' lak a heart, yo' see. Now, ah want show yo' dis. Yes, heah 'tis in mah pocket. Ah stick it in dis pocket. Dis is a sanitary pocket han'scuff. See. An' dis pocket han'scuff is got dat perfume odor on it, don't chew see.
[Evidently I did not ask to smell it.]
(This perfume weed?) [For its possible identity, see later.]
Yeah - de vine. Well, ah carry dis, don't chew know jis' all de time. But it's must be a sanitary piece dat's not used at all - it's gota be used on me, yo' see.
(Why do you carry that?)
That keeps anyone from harmin' yo'. Dat's whut chew ast me, don't yo' see.
(Has this perfume weed any other name?)
Yeah. It's jes' call perfume weed, but yo' dress it yoreself, yo' see.
(How do you take the perfume out of that weed?)
Well, listen, it already smells sweet when yo' go an: dig it an' de little leaf is made, it jis' grows lak de shape of a heart. Yo' git that yoreself. Yo' know it grows kinda long.
(On the ground?)
Yeah, an' yo' git that an' dress that yoreself. Yo' dress that wit whiskey an'perfume.
(How do you dress it? What do you do with this weed?)
De roots, put 'em into a quart bottle - jis' as big a bottle as yo' want, if yo've got that much yo' see. An' see yo' po' jis' perfume, but de root always smells nice befo' yo' put it in dere. It smells lak perfume itself. An' yo' put whiskey an' half perfume an' jis' put dose roots - put jis as many roots in that bottle as yo' want, an' fo' two years, or twelve years it'll be jis' lak yo' fixed it there. Now, that's when yo' dressin' it.
(You just use that on your handkerchief?)
Yeah. [His perfume weed could be the heartleaf (see Index), common name for several American species of Asarum, all having aromatic roots; informant's root possibly being A. canadense, used as an aromatic bitter and flavoring agent.]
Entry 1998
De thing tuh do when yo' go befo' de judge - yo' don't need nuthin but one thing - is yo' gotta put a han'chief upon yore haid. Yo' don't have nuthin tuh do but wipe yore face. If he wus angry wit chew, he have tuh calm down an' be meekly wit chew.
(You said this is a plain handkerchief?)
A plain han'chief wit Heart Perfume. But it's dressed befo' yo' got dere.
(It's only dressed with Hearts Perfume? That's all?)
Dat's all.
Entry 2031
Tuh git de bossman tuh five yo' a job - lak if yo' should go to de man lak heah tonight. Yo' git some Heart Perfume an' have it fixed with High John de Conker root, yo' see. Git chew some High John de Conker an' chip it up - beat it up fine an' Heart Powders, see, an' some of yore pee in dat. See. Beat it up an' jes' have it beat up re'l good an' fine. Den take it an' have it in yore han'cheff when yo' walk in an' yo' shake de han'cheff lak dat, an' yo' walk up there to him an' yo' shake it three times, an' yo' ask him fo' a job an' he'll tell yo', "Wait a minute, ah'll start yo' directly, son."
Entry 2329
Well, from mah own experience, ah have a couple of things dat ah know of in gambling: Ah git some root dey call de High John de Conker, an' Ruler of de Worl' an' King Of Man - lak de king of anything, lak de King of England, somepin. An' ah have anothern dey call de Eve-an'-Adam [Adam-and-Eve]. An' ah experience of de High John de Conker an' Ruler of de Worl' an' King of Man - ah've gambled wit dat. (How would you fix that up? How would you prepare that?) [I tried to avoid prepare - see what he does with it.] Well, it be compared up wit Hearts Cologne in a little bottle [this is a bottle hand] an' as yo' go into de game - befo' yo' go into de game yo' take some of it an' po' it in de palm of yore han', rub it, see [demonstrates]. Rub it on yore han' an' rub it on yore face. Yo' might take de bottle lak yo' put perfume on yo' an' tetch it on heah couple of times. Den yo' goes on in de game an' if anybody have put any cookin' salt on yo' or somepin lak dat, yore luck won't be no good. It can't be touched by no othah man but jes' de one who handles it - yore wife, yore husband, or yore sister or nobody lak dat. If dey do, why den yore luck begin tuh change - it's bad.
(If somebody would put cooking salt there, it would kill that luck?)
Kill it - dat's right. Or either yo' kin take a red pocket han'kerchief an' band dat roun' yore waist with one dose ole hoppy toadfrogs. If anybody got roots or anything lak dat of de kind in de game, why yo' kin tell it by dis frog.
(What will the frog do?)
He will holler jes' lak it rainin' or somepin lak dat - jes' lak a frog holler when it's rainin'. Dat's to notify yo' dere's somepin dere wrong.
(There's something wrong in the game?)
Dat's right. An' if it any kinda root - de King of Man, or either de High John de Conker, or Eve-an'-Adam, dey won't stand no salt or no othah han's on it but yores after yo' git it. If yo' do, yo' conceal it wit bad luck. If yo' kin keep it without anybody han' on it, without anybody puttin' de cookin' salt on it - lak folks standin' in de game behin' yore back dey sprinkle salt on yo'. Dat's tuh put chew in bad luck.
Entry 3143
If de man have a date wit dis woman. Now, yo' know she make a connec- tion wit 'im. Well, when dey git through, she don' have tuh if she don' want tuh. When dey git through den, she take dis new pocket han'ch'ef an' wipe 'im wit it chew know, an' take an' cut off de wettest part of dis pocket han'ch'ef, an' put it in a bottle an' stop it up, an' go throw it in runnin' watah an'dat'll kill a person.
(Klll him?)
Yes sir, dat would kill 'im. Well, nobody would wanta do dat.
Entry 3198
If a man gwine wit a woman. An' he'd ketch a toadfrog an' wrap 'im up in 'is pocket han'chef an' tote him in 'is pocket. An' when he have connection wit dat woman - she'll not know whut he doin' - take dat han'chef quick outa dere an' dry off dat woman. Dry 'er off wit dat from dat frog. An' de nex' man come dere, he'll be all right till time he gits up dere, den he fall. He cain't he'p it. But yo' gotta do dat mo' den one time. Jes' as it happen [do it each time it happens]. Dat's fur as ah know 'bout dat.
Entry 3285
She gotta go where he's at.
(Yes?)
[My (Yes?) means informant hesitated.]
Well, she's gotta have connection wit dis man. She gits dis [his] what-cha- call-it an' hers, an' be sure hit's gotta be a bran'-new han'chief or bran'-new cloth. An' she takes dat an' she puts sugah in an' cinnamon an' powdah [3 ingredients], an' put dat in a box an' she keep it all de time, weah it aroun' in 'er pocketbook or in 'er pocket. Don't let nobody put dere han's on it. An' he's comin' back.
(What kind of powder did you say she put in there?)
Sugah. [Informant probably misunderstood me. It would have been some kind of love powder.]
(What did she put the powder in?)
In a box. (End of 884 and end of my work in New Orleans, La. So-so. I'll try to get out tonight on the train [for New York City].) [Within the parenthesis I am speaking to the Telediphone. That So-so had to mean I had had a tremendous ex- perience: first my wife and I alone about the city, and after her departure, the hoodoo field work. I would return to New Orleans later.]
Entry 3320
Jes' lak yo' an' 'er havin' intahco'se, an' when yo' git through, jes' take a new pocket handkerchief, yo' undahstan' an'dry off wit it, an' yo' take an' fold it up in some little small piece an' put it where dere can't no one step ovah it.
(What does that do?)
Well, yo' kin rule 'em - jest handle 'em any way yo' want 'em. (You mean you use that handkerchief in wiping her.)
Entry 3449
Jes' lak yo' go tuh work an' wanta ketch someone, yo' see. Jes' lak yo' wanta ketch somebody wit chure sweetheart or sompin of de kind. Yo' go tuh work, yo' see, lak two dogs hitched togethah. Yo' know, when dogs proudin' yo' see 'em hitched yo' know. Den yo' go dere an' yo' ketch a lil' of dat come, yo' know. Yo' ketch a li'le bit of dat, yo' see, an' wipe dat on a han'schuff. Yo' git de idea. If yo'.have connection wit dis woman - yo' go an' have connection wit 'er an' yo' take dat han'schuff, when yo' git through wit 'er yo' know, yo' take dat han'schuff an' dust dat dust of dat come from dat dog. When he go dere he fastened jes' lak dat dog is. Ah hear tell of dat.
Entry 3457
Well, ah got a girl fren' or wife an' she's runnin' wit some.an an' ah reckon ah wanta ketch 'er, go tuh where two bulldogs tied up. An' take a pockt han'ke'chuf or eithah a new piece of vhite boe spun cloth an' vipe dose dogs off wit it, an' yo' ties it up. Yo' ties it in a knot, a hard knot, an' yo' totes it; an' whenevah yo' have connection wit dis woman, yo' wipes 'er wit it. Yo' totes it in yore pocket.
(What does that do?)
Dat makes yo' ketch 'er.
(What will that do to that woman then?)
It will make her an' a man git tied up.
(If she goes with another man.)
Entry 3526
Take a bran'-new pocket han'ke'ch'ef, white han'ke'ch'ef, an' jis' lak a woman an' a man be tuhgethah yo' know, an' let 'im have intahco'se an' she not have nuthin, an' jis' dry 'im wit de han'ke'- ch'ef. Tie it in three straight knots, yo' know, catahcornah. Jis' tie it in dem three knots an' put it right undah de mattress on de side where he sleep at, an' dat'll stop 'im from runnin' roun'.
Entry 3530
Mah gran'mothah tole me dis, an' I don't know whethah it's true or not. She wuz ole, I think she musta knowed. Said yo' take yo' a bran'-new pocket han'ke'chuf an', when yo' have connection wit 'im an' yo' - know how yo' do - yo' bring it towards yo' three times an' wish. Make a wish yo' know so he will nevah bothah about nobody. An' yo' take dat pocket han'ke'chuf lak dis, an' tie three knots in it, an' wish all de while yo' tie dem knots in it, an' take it an' bury it undah de doorstep. An' yo' go on in de house an' long as dat is dere, he can't bothah wit, make no love wit no othah woman but chew.
Entry 3555
An' den ag'in she kin git a new han'ke'chuf an' she kin wipe him up an' wipe her down, tie it in nine knots, an' den dat will make him stay home. (What will that do to him?) Dat'll make him so he can't have no othah woman, won't have no min' fo' runnin' roun'. [The magic of up or down is quite common, but up and down magic appears to be rare, I recalling but two examples: To make a baby long lived the person who serves as midwife should carry upstairs and then downstairs a thimbleful of the water used in washing the baby; and also: By running up and down the stairs with a baby you will make it spry. FACI 2nd ed., 3204 and 3206, p.145.]
Entry 3569
Fix it in a way dat she wouldn't forgit 'im, yo' know, when he come back. Now he's git - he'd take an' he'd git 'im a piece of cord string. He'd ketch 'er while she's asleep, an' he'd measure her. See, he'd measure her. Now, when he'd measure her, he'd take an' he puts a knot evah inch of dat string. He puts nine knots but he'd put 'em an inch apart, see. Now, he puts dem nine knots a inch apart an' he folds dat string up an' he tries to make it in nine wraps. As he wraps it aroun', yo' know, he make nine wraps outa it. He'd go an' he'd git 'im a bran'-new silk pocket han'ke'chuf. He'd tie dis in dat pocket han'ke- chuf an' he'd put it in 'is back pocket an' keep it dere in 'is back pocket. An whenevah she go to do anything, her feelin' will fall an' he'll know it, cuz one of dem knots goin' to come loose. See, one of de knots will come unloosed. Evah time she goes to start he'll know it, cuz one of de knots. I don't care if he goes to New York, when she goin' to do anything, one of dem knots vill come un- IOOSEd, BUT SHE AIN'T GOIN' TO HAVE NO FEELIN' FO' DE FELLAH SHE'S WIT, yo' see. SHE MIGHT DO IT, BUT IT BE AGAINST 'ER WILL; an' HE'LL [HUSBAND WILL] KNOW IT, CUZ ONE OF DEM KNOTS WILL COME LOOSE. [The PreCeding SHE AIN'T GOIN' TO HAVE NO FEELIN' FO' DE FELLAH SHE'S WIT is also believed in Waycross, Ga., see No.3550.]
(How would he measure her? Here she is. How would he measure her?)
[Here she is: indicates that I pushed my Numbers Book (see illustration at end of volume 2) over to informant.] Well, he'd take it straight up an' down, yo' see. (Straight up and down - from the top to the bottom. I see.)
Entry 3637
[While recording machine was stopped, informant said you get a live snail.l Now dis is about if a man is runnin' aroun'. If he's runnin' aroun' an' yo' vanta stop 'im.
(All right, now you get this live snail.)
An' not any - don't git 'im wit de shell. Yo' know, yo' see some snails wit- out de shell an' some wit de shell. Git de one witout de shell. An' den yo' take a new han'ke'cheff an' yo' put 'im in dis new han'ke'cheff on de end lak. Well, yo' put salt on it ian' let it dissolve. Well, yo' see, yo' take dis han'- ke'cheff yo' know, when yo' have a connection wit each othah an' yo' let 'im wipe Alt it. Well, dat will stop 'im from havin' any intahco'se wit any woman at all except yo'.
Entry 3693
Yo' git de snail an' yo' cook de snail, an' yo' take de watah an' yo' git chew a han'ke'ch'ef, a new han'ke'ch'ef an' yo' soak dis han'ke'ch'ef wit it, an' yo' put dis on dis woman, an' she won't have any nature. If a man go dere, he can't do anything.
Entry 3800
A woman kin have a intahco'se wit a man an' git some of 'is stuff, aftah he be's wit 'er, an' take it an' tie it up in a pocket han'ke'chuf, an put some silvah money in dere an' tote it roun' in 'er pock- etbook an' say yo' cain't have no interco'se wit no othah woman - nobody but 'er. Say yo' git up a heart an' evah- thing an' de time fo' 'im tuh git tuh have intahco'se wit de woman, say when he go tuh git on 'er, he'll fall, he cain't raise up. (She just takes the handkerchief with that stuff on it and the silver and wears the whole thing?) Dat's all, yessuh.
Entry 5787
Well, dey supposed tuh go an' gittin' yo' left feet an' git some of dat md; take that sand an' jes' put it in a han'kerchief, an' take dat an' go an git some John de Conkah an' some whiskey an' some cologne, an' take an' ball it up, an' jes' take an' cologne it. IF YO' DRINK WHISKEY, TAKE AN' PUT A LIL' WHISKEY ON IT TEE TIMES A DAY - JES' AS OFTEN AS YO' DRINK WHISKEY - AN' KEEP IT CONCEALED ' BOT LET NOBODY TECH IT. Dey says, dat'll keep 'er Watchin' yo'. Don' mat- cahs who git 'er, he can't keep 'er - dat if yo' wan' 'er. Qou do this to your girl and she couldn't leave you? That is to hold your girl or a woman could hold her man?) Yessuh.
Entry 8785
See, lak yo' start today. Well, yo' jes' git chew some steel dust an' sprinkle it all roun' dat house. An' git dere name an' some cayenne peppah an put it all - mix it all up dere togethah, wit some brown cinna- mon an' sugah. An' shake all dat aroun' dere. Throw it all up on dat window sill. An' curse 'em. Yo' know, give 'em a bad name. An' den take dey name an' jes' bring dat name in de window, yo' know, an' tie it up in a pocket han'ke'ch'ef. See, lak dat, an' ah guarantee yo' in two days he done left. He be walkin'. He cain't find no place in world tuh stay. Nobody want 'im. Wanta git rid of 'im an' all. Won't leave him stay. [To get rid of the man in the house, his spirit is tricked by carrying his name, his captured spirit, into house through a window. This confuses the spirit so that it no longer knows how to enter normally through the door. We have a similar piece of magic in the funeral rite in which coffin is' removed from house through window instead of door.]
Entry 9119
(1) Dey could git a big sage leaf an' write de Ten Commandment on dat sage leaf an' take it tuh de co't an' yo' make out anybody dere an' jes' throw it. (2) Eithah yo' could take a red onion an' split it in fo' parts an' sprinkle salt in it an' carry it in yore pocket han'ke'- ch'ef, an' whilst in dere, blow yore breath once in awhile. (3) Or eithah yo' kin take a [silver] ten cents an' put it undah yore tongue an' hold it dere, an' dat will make de party dat's against yo', 'sturbed [dis- turbed].
Entry 10723
He coming back to her. Go in de woods and git some blacksnake root. See, it got two little forked roots to it. An' yo' tie it up in a little han'- kerchief, see, an' git some- body dere an' put it up ovah de door, an' dat's tuh make dem leave dere. [To bring man back to woman he left, someone goes into the other woman's house and puts over her door a blacksnake root with a fork - symbol of a 'Y crossroad. He will soon leave other woman.] [St. Petersburg, Fla., (999), 1616:2.)
Entry 11622
Measure man's foot track with handkerchief and wear in bag around waist. [Newport News 502:8.]
Entry 11976
If you tie a person's hair into a handkerchief and throw it into run- ning water, it will run that person crazy. [Petersburg, Va., 426:1.]
Entry 11977
If you tie a person's hair into a handkerchief and throw it over your left shoulder into running water, the victim will soon leave that place. [Peters- burg, Va., 426:6.]
Entry 8912
Den if yo' got a idea dat I stole it - yo' know, like if I steal somepin from yo' an' yo' got a idea - I seen yo' come aroun', I mean. Yo' kin get some of my foot track or anythin' an' I'll bring it back, but if yo' don't know.... [I tum off recording machine here because rite did not sound promising. Then he says something about foot track and I begin to record.]
(What do they use?)
Well, yo' know, wheresomevah yo' step like dat, see right between de palm of yore foot an' de heel; see, yo' get a knifebladeful an' yo' put it in a handker- chief an' fold it.
(How do they fold it?)
[Informant begins to demonstrate.]
Fold it to yo' an' den fold it...yo' fold it like dat, an' den back like dat, but yo' don't want a rag as large as dis, see. An' den double it over like dis, back like dat. Well yo' won't want no - no piece no bigger'n [bigger than] dat in dere. An' den put it undah yore do'step an' cross it evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's an' name it, like if my name are John, see. Yo' cross it evah mawnin fo' nine mawnin's an' call my name 'fo' sunrise. De ninth mawnin' yo' go dere an' take it up, an' den yo' pick it up an' put it in yore pants, anyhow yore belt, an' de ninth mawnin' ah'll be dere.
Entry 10318
Catch man's semen in handkerchief, roll tight, put in bottle, bury upside down [Richmond, 383:5].
Entry 2273
Ah proved dis mahself, when yo' want a job, take yo' some table salt an' tie it up in de corner of yore han'kerchief an' go dere an' ask him fo' a job, an' feel dat salt in yore pocket an' mash on dat salt, work on dat salt, lookin' him straight in de eye an' tell him whut chew want, an' he'll give yo' a job. Ah done tried it.
Entry 13302
Well, even you could take, just like across the street. That's a man, he's got plenty of customers com- ing in his place. Your place is over on this side. You ain't got much customers. You don't know what's the matter. Every time you look around, you could see officers there. Well, this man over there, he hadn't oughta be there. You take some of this sinamint [cinnamon] and sugar and you take and get actual bat dust.
(Bat dust?)
Bat dust.
(Like a bat that flies around in the air.)
Yeah, that be's up in the fire-hearth [chimney]. Well, you git it and you take his heart and you burn it as a powder - down to a powder. You get any kind of fowl, duck or chicken and kill 'em. And you take that gizzard from a chicken, and you take that skin from off his gizzard, and you take it and you burn that down. You take the gill of a fish and you burns it down to ashes. You takes a piece of somepin like a bar, a piece of barring; you know, bar what you put on the bed for to keep the mosquitos [away].
(Mosquito bar?)
[I had never heard the word barring!]
Yeah, just like that curtain is there.
(Mosquito bar, something like cheesecloth.)
Yeah.
(All right.)
You take that and if you can't get over to that place, you send somebody in there with that all mixed up in there as a powder; you see, that bat-heart dust, that gizzard dust, and that fish-gill dust - with sinemint [cinnamon] and sugar. Hell, now, you take it and you send somebody over to that place. You got some com water. You get war water and he have it in his pocket - just like if you got [carrying] something to drink. You understand. And you take that fish-gill dust and for to keep the odor down, open that war water. He goes to the lava- tory - anywhere, you see - and sprinkle it down in there. And when you leave out of there, pretend just like there be something happen to his shoes, or pants leg or something of the kind like that. He got this here stuff wrapped up and he got a handkerchief in hand and he sprinkle it all the way there, back into your place. And you couldn't turn [round] for the people being in your place. And every morning, you take this stuff and from the end of your property where you at, just come back where you is and sprinkle it - sprinkle your sugar and Sprinkle you sinemint [cinnamon] and do it just after - but don't use no war uater at your place, that will make confusion at your place. You see. But that ear water going to make confusion over to the next place, then that bring the custiment [customers or custum] over at your place. (I see. Well, now do you sprinkle that stuff from his place over to your place?) Yes, just. You ain't got to put it all the way - just like you got...
(He wrapped it up in this cloth, this mosquito bar?)
Yes, just as it come through that. (You sprinkle this war water over his lavatory to cause trouble and then you sprinkle this sweet stuff all the way over to your place?) Yes, just every now and then you coming across the street, just [demonstrates].
(Shake it.)
Shake it and right into your house [place of business]. When you get to your hoase, you turn backwards and [back] into your door. That make a confusion - that war water going to make a confusion over there and that going to make peace Bne in your place. People leaving from there coming following that luck right orer in your place.
Entry 9076
Dey tell me - ah haven't did dat, but chew John Conkah, yo' see. An' co'se when dey be talkin' tuh de judge, yo' see, dey'd have a hanky an' be spit- tin' in de hanky. Yo' know. dat's spittin' de luck tuh 'em [yourself].
Source passage
continuous interview · Source-local attribution; no resolved person identity is asserted.
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
An' I goes in the swamps an' I gits mah 'erbs. I know w'a' to go in
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
[for]
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
. I goes in ole fiel's
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
[fields]
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
an' git mah 'erbs.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
(I see.)
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
I know w'a' to go an' git.
editorial gloss or commentary; supporting excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
[Here he showed his shield - nine articles wrapped up in a very dirty hand- kerchief.]
context only; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); supporting excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
(Oh yes. Uhuh. You keep those wrapped up in a handkerchief.)
informant · Current interviewee; supporting excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
I keeps these with me.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
(Uhuh.)
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
The're suppose to be in a bottle. I dropped mah bottle an' broke it. Those
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
[are]
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
diff'rent kind of 'erbs.
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
[Bottle instead of bag shows that the contents of this hand were constantly kept moist, that is fed in a liquid (p.578) - here, a perfume.]
context only; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
(What's the round thing?)
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
This here?
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
(Yes.)
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
That's a Jeruzlum bean.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
(Jerusalem bean.)
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
Yes sir.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
(Uhuh.)
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
That's for luck in gamblin'.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
(I see.)
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
This is a devil-shoestring.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
(Devil's-shoestring.)
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
That's a piece of High John the Conker.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
(High John the Conquer.)
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
That's a piece of bloodroot.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
(Bloodroot.)
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
Yes sir. This here's a Samson
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
[or Sarpson - sometimes called Sampson snakeroot]
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
(Samson.)
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
Samson This here's the bub
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
[bulb]
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
off of w'a' choo call the live-an'-everlastin'.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
(Life-everlasting.)
context only; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
[His live pronounced Zyve.]
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
Yes sir. Now, this here right here. See w'a' this is right here? You see that little small piece?
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
(Uhuh.)
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
Why that's a little piece of w'a's
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
[what is]
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
called devil's-bit.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
(Devil's what?)
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
Devil's-bit.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
(Bit?)
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
Devil's-bit. That's a root. I've got over nine diff'ren'
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
[different]
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
'erbs in here.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
(Uhuh.)
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
Now, I'll git nine differn' 'erbs that I have. You see I cares
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
[carries]
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
this daily.
editorial recording or production note; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 934
[Side one will continue later.]
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 935
You kin smell the perfume on 'em. I cares this daily - cares it on me. That is I had it jes' because I was comin' up here
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 935
[to see you]
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 935
because there's mah fish an' mah reels an' ev'rything right there. I've got about sixteen pounds of fish hangin' on the porch out there neigh mah fishin' tackle. Tha's the reason why I'm not - didn't make no change
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 935
[of clothing]
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 935
.
locally coherent subpassage
Recording-side notes do not close the semantic unit. Botanical glosses remain editorial; informal pronunciation is not taxonomic identity.
bounded_demonstration_account_with_recording_continuation_marker
Nine versus over nine is retained; the passage is not an exhaustive inventory.
The bottle/liquid-feeding explanation is editorial interpretation, not the informant explaining why it is fed.
Printed names supplied or repeated by the interviewer remain interviewer speech.
The Side one continuation marker does not authorize reconstructing any absent recording.
Bounded passage retrieval, not complete corpus coverage or practitioner consensus.
Read the full source context: Vol. 2, page image · Vol. 2, page image · Vol. 2, p. 933 · Vol. 2, p. 934 · Vol. 2, p. 935 · Vol. 2, p. 936