Subject:Hat
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Entries
Entry 3214
(Tell me that again now. What would you do?)
Take de bow out of a man hat. Yo've seen mens when dey buy hats, pull de bow out de hat an' burn it up, haven't chew? Dey won't nevah - very seldom yo' see a man wit a bow in 'is hat. Take dat bow an' tie it an' wear it right roun' heah, roun' yore private, wit a string. Jes' wear it right roun' an' he can't raise no heart fo' no heart fo' nobody but chew.
Entry 3603
Inside a man hat, de women take dat bow an' whensomevah de man - dey take dat bow out of de man's hat. Whensomevah dey go wit a man, dey takes a special piece [of cloth] to vipe wit, an' aftah takin' de piece to wipe wit, dey take dat bow an' dey tie it up in dat piece wit nine knots an' wear it aroun' dere waist. Well, hit'll make him follah lak one of dose animal do when dey hook 'im in de nose [a bull] wit dat hook, yo' see. Dat's fo' sure. Huh voice am sound sweetah dan any othah ooman, huh cookin's taste bettah an' evahthin'. He jis' git devoted to her so, until dat if he happen to do anythin' aftah she doin' dat, DE LAW SHOULD TAKE SIDES WIT 'IM BECUZ HE'S NOT OF HISSELF. (I see. Will she take a piece and wipe it after she's had intercourse with him?) Absolutely.
(I see.)
Entry 4076
Git de feathah from a black chicken, if yo' a man thirsty fo' a woman, in love wit 'er. Yo' take dat feathah from a black chicken an' yo' manage tuh git some of 'er ministra- tion. Now, de way ah've heard dis: if yo' kin git some of 'er ministration, an' yo' put dat wit dat feathah in dere. Den yo' take dat feathah an' put it in a bottle an' yo' put yo'self some spirits of tur- pentine in dere. Yo' put some dis othah stuff [urine? semen?]. Put some quinine in dere. An' den yo' take dat piece [hatband] or de bow, eithah one, outa yore hat, an' put it in dere. Let dat stay right dere nine days. [Auto horn.] Aftah nine days yo' bury dat thin' right somewhere 'bout de no'th cornah of yore chim- ley in de groun'. Den yo' go out dere an' yo' make watah on dat dere fo' nine days. Yo' pee on dat fo' nine days. Den dat dere - dat draws 'er 'fection to yo'.
Entry 4511
If she's got 'is hat, she kin take his hat an' hole [hold] it ovah a lamp an' let it git warm inside, an' den jis' take it an' put it right in de middle of de bed. He'll come home. (With the crown down or up?) Dis way, see [demonstrates].
(The crown down on the bed.)
Entry 4512
Well, if mah wife want me tuh stay home, she could take mah hat an' put on de bed. Take a little piece of green leaf an' put in de back of it [in back = behind syeatband] an' let it stay on de bed. Evah time he go tuh pass dat night he'll nevah go nowhere. (What kind of a leaf is that?) A peah leaf or eithah a green apple - de apples whut grown down heah [in this part of the country]. Eithah one of dose or eithah one dem leaves out de [something].
(Where did she put that hat?)
Right on de foot of de bed.
(He'd see it there wouldn't he?)
Wake up an' *see de hat dere but he wouldn't know how it got dere. He jes' lay down.
Entry 4513
A girl came from N'Yawk [New York]. She tole me whut tuh do if a man, if he doesn't love yo'. She tole me whut tuh do wit 'is hat. She said if a man doesn't love yuh an' yuh love him, dat yuh take his hat. An' when yuh walk off, yuh an' 'im walk off from de house, an' yuh turn roun'. Yuh know, perten' dat yo' have tuh go back tuh de house. An' yuh take his hat an' pull yore pants down an' rub it 'tween yuh legs twice an' walk on back. An' she said dis man would be crazy about chew. (What do you do when you turn around? You snatch his hat. You mean away from him?) Yuh know, some girls jes' take dere boy fren's hat an' put it on dere haid an' perten' dat it's cold or somepin an' jes' have on dere hat. It rainin' or sompin an' jes' have on dere hat - it rainin' or sompin. Dey jes' wanta put it on.
(She'll go on back to the house wearing his hat?)
Uh-huh. Do it twice.
Entry 4514
Yuh could go to any tree - take de top outa a woman or a man hat, but dat will run 'em crazy. An' yo' bo' a hole in dis tree an' take dat hat [top] an' put it in dere. Den cut chew a little piece of stick dey call a peg an' yuh drive it in dere tight. See, lak dat. See, yuh drive it up tight an' yuh smooth it off. Well, dat tree - dat green tree, dat flesh [bark] will grow ovah dat, an' dat will run 'em 'way from dat place.
Entry 4515
If a man lef' home an' yuh kin fine [find] any one of de hats dat he have wore, or any of 'is undahclothes, yuh take it an' cut chew a piece off it. A woman kin do dat, cut a piece off it, an' tie: it up in a red little cloth. Put a white piece of cloth ovah it an' sew it up an' tote it in yuh pocket. An' by an' by dis man will come back home an' he won't know how he come back home. Jes' come right on back to yuh.
Entry 4531
Dey go tuh work an' take de lef'-footed stockin' an' git chew some brimstone an' some spice. An' cut de stockin', de heel of it on down tuh de toe, an' burn dat tuhgethah - burn de stockin' an' makes a powdah out of dat. An' den goes tuh work an' grin' up dat spice an' grind up - when yuh grin' up de spice, den yuh goes tuh work an' yuh grin' up dis brimstone. An' mix it all tuhgethah an' yuh kin take it an' rub it in a hat - in his hat whut he use. Dat will make him stay home.
Entry 4534
I had a half brothah an' he wuz goin' wit a girl in Washington [D. C.]. Her name wuz Cornelia A. An' so he stopped goin' wit [her] an' went tuh goin' wit anothah girl. Den like a crazy he turned dis othah [second] girl down an' went goin' back wit 'er [first girl] again. So he tells mah mothah. I don't know, but he said he had a straw hat. She takes 'is hat an' she put somepin, I don't know, in dere. But anyhow, his whole eyes became jis' as white as dis papah [probably my open Numbers Book on the table], black an' all. He got so he couldn't see a wink. He died in jis' about three months afterwards.
[Snow Hill, Md., (Informant 93).]
Entry 4546
If dey jes' take some of yuh hair out chure haid, dey takes dat hair an' buries it. See, dat's tuh git chew in de action tuh work like dey want chew tuh work. An' jes' like if dis cap [informant's own], OR DIS HAT [MY BLACK HAT ON RECORDING TABLE]. Dis heah boW yuh see in dis cap [demonstrates], why yuh kin take dis bow heah out of dis cap an' run me crazy. See, ah gen'ral' [generally] WHEN AH GITS A CAP OR HAT AH ALWAYS TAKES DIS [demonstrates] OUT, CUZ IT'S DANGEROUS, see.
(Well, how would they do that?)
Well, dey takes dis bow heah out of yuh cap or hat an' dey takes dat bow an' dey dresses it, see. Dey dress it wit dis heah, some kinda whut de' call Hearts Cologne. Takes it an' put dat on it, an' dis heah stuff dey call - dat's a great thing - table salt. Dat's great. Dey take dat an' put dat in dere wit it an' dey sew it up, an' dey try tuh work in a way tuh git where yuh stay at. See, play partnahs wit yuh. An' when dey git tuh where yuh stay at, dey put it up ovah yuh do'. Den, when yuh git tuh actin' funny an' gittin' crazy [anything of yours over a door you walk under makes you light-headed], see it will run yuh crazy, an' yuh won't even know whut it's all about.
Entry 4626
[The number of the size of a hat is rare in hoodoo, this could be my only example, though I am certain that many men while gambling have on the spur of the moment used his own or another person's number. The following rite, missed by my transcriber, is a pencil abstract of mine while checking cylinders.] "Take hat bow and the number out of hat - and put grain [ground or powdered] lodestone with it - make a bag - put [on it] old Hearts Perfune - wear next to skin - can't quit you."
Entry 4682
Dey kin take dat, take dat bow from mah hat, if anybody git holt of it, lak dat [shows his hat]. Yuh see, dere it's hot now. Yuh see ah'm sweatin'. Sit down dere, yuh undahstan', an' takin' a knife an' scrape it outa dere, jis' lak dat, an' take all dat dirt an' sweat out of dere tuhgethah, an' git it outa dere till dey git quite a nice bladeful. Git about a knifebladeful out de bow of de hat, yuh undahstan'. An' yuh take dat an' yuh go tuh work, yuh undahstan', an' go tuh a tree an' digs yuh a hole in dere. Gits yuh somepin othah tuh gouge yuh a hole in dat tree lak dat dere. An' den take dat knife an' wipe dat thing off on a li'le piece of rag, an' take an' shove it back in dere. An' git chew a stoppah, make yuh a peg tuh fit dat hole an' drive it in dere. Drive it in dere tight jis' lak dat. Yuh kill 'em, bash it - hit ovah 'is haid.
(That gives him a bad headache and kills him?)
Kill 'im.
Entry 4936
If a woman would take a man's sock, jis' when he take it off, an' take it an' wear it in 'er hat, say dat would make him wan'a be wit 'er. Jis' lak if a man, yuh know, didn't care nuthin about 'er, an' she wanted dis man. Den if she would git hold of one of 'is socks, she would take his sock an' put it in 'er hat; an' as long as she keeps dis sock in 'er hat, well den dis man would wan' tuh be wit dis woman. But dey say yuh had tuh spe- cially have a dirty sock.
(Either sock, it doesn't make any difference?)
No.
Entry 5252
Well, now, if yo' wan'a person tuh leave, say leave town, yo' kin take 'is shoe. Take one of 'is shoes an' take it tuh de railroad an' turn de shoe de way de train's comin', de way yo' want 'em tuh go. An' when de train runs ovah dat, yo' call 'is name an' have some graveyard dirt. An' jis' drop three pinches down in 'is shoe an' slip dat shoe on de railroad an' de train will run, yo' know, hit runs ovah de shoe, an' he's wit dat [train] crew. Yes sir, dat will lose him. (You don't put that on the rail, you just put that on the track? Between the rails?) Yeah on de track - NO, PUT IT ON DE RAIL!
(Oh! the train actually runs over it.)
Yes sir, runs ovah it.
(Either shoe is all right?)
Don' make any diff'rence.
Entry 5494
Take his hair...
(With that little bow.)
[Bow was mentioned before I turned on recording machine.]
Yes, take de hair an' put it in a bottle an' bury it. Yo' buries dat. Bury dat wit some of 'is tracks. See, yo' take an' bury dat wit some of 'is tracks. Dat will make him follah yo' evahwhere, anywhere yo' go. (What else do you put in that bottle?) Some of 'is hair, some of 'is dust out from undah 'is feet, an' den some of de ravels from 'is undahclothes - from undah 'is arm an' yo' know down below.
(Some of the sweat.)
Yo' know, jes' lak dey'd git chure dirty clothes an' ah'd take some of de ravels. An' put it in a bottle, undahstan', an' yo' carry dat an' bury it. Bury it out at chure do'step. He'll follah yo' anywhere.
Entry 5498
Well, yo' take a stran' or two of yore hair out chure haid an' dey'll take an' git de bow out de back of yore hat. Yo' take dat hair an' de bow out chure hat an' yo' git a few grains of sand outa yore shoe track - out de streets an' den take an' put it tuhgethah. Sew it up in a little bag an' put it undah yore steps an' yo' cross ovah it. Why dat jes' upsets yore mind altuh- gethah. Dat's de way dey trick yo' dataway.
(Now whose steps would they put this under, mine or...?)
Dey put it undah de steps where yo' come ovah. (Well, now suppose they got all that stuff from me. Would they put it under Ty step or under your step?) Undah de step dat chew goes ovah.
(That is to upset my mind?)
Yassuh.
Entry 5753
You can go to work and take nine drops of chamber water and get nine drops of dirt out of the hollow of the right foot and get a little piece of bow out of the hat and then carry it to somebody else's house and they po to that somebody else and want to move in with them. You bury it right under dhe door. [By hand Doctor Frank Hall, near Suffolk, Nansemond Co., Va., see - INTRO., V.1, p. XXXIX, line 25f.,1958, p.573.1
Entry 5897
Dat is fo' a woman tuh git a whole lotta influence ovah 'er husban' or 'er sweetah' [sweetheart], so as tuh control 'im. She takes 'is hat an' bur- ies it in de graveyard. An' she re'lly, if he's vicious an' mean tuh 'er or sompin lak dat, an' if she's a woman dat lak tuh have her own way an' run aroun' wit othah men lak dat, why she'll git some of 'is hair an' bury it in de grave- yard, an' dey tell me he come right down undah 'er control.
Entry 5997
Well, yo' take a lock of yore hair an' de band [bow] outa de back of yore hat, an' yo' stick a brasshead needle in it, an' put it in a Hearts Own Cologne bottle. Stop it up an' turn it bot- tomside upwards undah de front steps. Well, yo' wouldn't have no care fo' nobody else but me.
Entry 6037
(What do they do with that bow?)
Take de bow out of a man's hat an' a little bit of de hair out of de mole of 'is head, an' put it in a bottle an' bury it in de north cornah of yore yard, an' he'll nevah leave yo'. He'll go but he can't stay. [Here is a good and brief example of a rite that could have been indexed or ordered under either the pre- sent hair or under the later hat bow in section SWEAT. If a little urine had been added to the bottle, we would have had three possible classifications.]
Entry 6123
Some takes dat. (That little bow from a man's hat?) Yessuh, an' a dime, a new dime, an' strain it wit hair from down heah, if dey kin git it, or eithah out de mole of 'is haid, an' dey sew dat up in a little piece of flannen rag an' put it in de bottom of dere foot an' wear it.
(What do they do that for?)
Dat's fo' tuh keep 'im controlled.
Entry 6462
Well, ah've [heard] dat dey takes yore fingahnails. Yo' know, jis' lak yo' have a sweetheart or somepin-lak an' prob'ly dat chew don' want 'im an' he think dat chew don' wan' 'im. If he kin git chure fingahnails an' a, yo' know, jis' as if yo' cut yore fingahnails an' den take his fingahnails an' yore fingahnails an' put dat tuhgethah, an' take de bow outa his hat an' he puts dat wit 'em. Den he takes an' binds 'em up in a li'le secret place an' he carries dem wit 'im, an' he makes yo' wan'a stay in touch wit 'im.
Entry 6577
Ah heard a woman in Birmingham, Ala., say dat if yo' had a enemy an' if yo' wanta git de enemy out de way, say yo' could take a lizard an' dreene [drain] it. Yo' know, make de blood come outa it. An' take dat lizard's blood an' put it on a rag all de way roun' de rag. An' den take dat bloodly rag from de lizard an' put it in de band of a hat. An' dey said dat yo could take dat from a lizard an' put it in dere, an' in nine days, lizards be run- nin' all roun' in yore haid an' up an' down yore body.
Entry 6653
Ah've seen 'em take de band whut be in a hat. Dey kin, yo' know, put dese heah snake shells [sheds], where dey fix mens blind lak dat. (Do they put the whole snake shed on there or what?) Well, they put it all de way roun' in yore hat. Or dey kin jis' take a piece where - see, when yo' sweat from de band of yore hat, well, dat will git most of dat snake shed, see an' den dat stuff will jis' run all in yore eyes, face, sompin lak dat. Git in yore eyes den an' it will blind yo'. Yo' go blind.
Entry 7112
Take 'is hat an' lay it up undah de bed bottomside upwards, an' dey'll [he will] sleep dere until she comes back.
Entry 7146
She'll take his shoes an' turn 'em upside down...take his hat, pin it [up] over his head.
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 7794
(Tell me that again, now.) Dey put it in de band of yuh hat. (This graveyard dirt?) Graveyard dust, put it in de band of yuh hat an' it fall down in yuh eyes an' cuz yo' tuh go blind.
Entry 7841
Dey kin take dat bow an' keep yo' wit a headache all de time. Dey odll take dat bow an' take it tuh de cemetery tuh a ole grave an' go tuh de haid of de grave an' call yore name an' bury dis dere, an' say tuh de spirit in de grave, "Why, keep dis till ah come fo' it." An' until dey come, why yo'll have de head- ache. If it's a stockin' dat's been worn, if it's a dirty sock, not one been washed, dat dirty, dat have de sweat or presparin' [perspiring] from 'er feet, don' chew undahstan', den yo' kin take dat an' take hit tuh de cemetery. An' put [it] down at de foot of de grave, not de haid but de foot, an' say tuh dat spirit: Keep dis till ah come back. An' dat puts dis woman's mind on yo'. Now, when yo' git tired of 'er, yo' have tuh go an' git it up an' throw hit in runnin' watah.
Entry 7852
Git fo' fat lightah splintahs. Trim 'em off an' make a peg out of 'em two tuh de haid an' two tuh de feet [of the grave] an' put in de middle [of grave] de name or de hat. Place it or eithah de linin' from de hat or eithah de brim of de hat, jes' so it's de scents of de body, an' bury it right intuh de grave. (You bury it right into the grave.) Yes, an' dat would take a deeply 'fect. Dat of co'se will - ah've always find dat tuh put dem in de grave, mahself. Yo're worried, jes' have yuh worried an' grieved. An' jes' worry yo' ownself tuh death. (Well, why do you use those four splinters? Is there any purpose in using those?) Yes sir, dere's a purpose of usin' dose, becuz dat is pinnin' [pinning]. Jes' lak yo' take a nail an' nail a board on a wall [pin or nail a board to the wall]. Well, when yo' use dose an' put de person's 'fect [= effects = good or personal propertyl, de hat or somepin, in de grave an' pin dose pegs, dat is pinnin' 'em down.
Entry 8507
Well dey use a catfish bone. It's one dose li'le fo'ked bones an' it's kinda shaped lak a ink pen. Yo' seen some fish bones dat's kinda shaped lak dat. (When you get this bone out of the catfish, what do you do with that then?) Yo' dip it in ink an' write chure name wit dat catfish bone, an' fole dat papah tuhwards yo' lak dat. An' yo' stick it down in de fo'k of dat bone, an' yo' place it wit a string aroun' [demonstrates]. (I will write your name with this fishbone on a piece of paper, and just keep folding it to me. Then, what do I do with that paper then?) Well, yo' weah dat in yo' hat. Dat's tuh draw dem.
(Do you use ordinary ink in that pen?)
Yes.
Entry 9065
Well, yo' could take an' go down [to buy bluestone] an' yo' would place dis bluestone intuh yore hat; see, bluestone an' saltpetah intuh yore hat - see, intuh yore hatband - an' turn yore hat [backwards]. Jes', say, fur an instant [instance] yo' take dis hat [my black hat on interviewing table] an' turn it backwards onto yore haid.
(Just turn your hat all the way around backwards. Wear it backwards.)
Turn de front intuh de back, see. An' he - he couldn't do nuthin.
(The judge wouldn't do anything to you?)
Nawsir [no sir]. Jes' turn yo' loose. To wear anything backwards or wrong- side out protects against ghosts, witches and trouble.]
Entry 9335
Yo' mean tuh keep de officahs off. Well, it's jes' dis much about. it. Yo' kin go tuh work, yo' do's dat - supposed tuh be - wit hen aigs. Yo' kin go tuh work an' git chew nine hen aigs. No, don't make any diff'rence, any kinda aigs, yo' know. Yo' git chew nine aigs an' yo' kin go tuh work an' take yo' a hat whut chew weah on yore haid, an' yo' put dose nine aigs in dat hat an' set it at chure do' - ah mean, anywheres at chure do'. An' take yo' nine sewin' needles, stickin' needles. Put de needles intuh dat hat. An' den de really fac' 'bout it, keep it covahed up an' see dat nobody puts dere han's nowheres about it. An' 'long as it really sets dere, why co'se de law nevah goin' worry yo'.
(You don't have to keep that hidden?)
Oh yes, yo' must put sompin ovah it. Yo' know, have it some place or 'nothah where nobody's li'ble [liable to] 'sturb [disturb] it.
(Where do you put those needles now?)
Yo' drop dose needles right in de hat.
Entry 9518
[New Orleans was the scrubbingest place of them all, special prepara- tions often being called a scrub.] She take some salt watah an' evah mawnin' befo' day - it wouldn't be quite light yo' know - she'd take dat watah an' scrub de whole place an' scrub 'er room. An' when he'd come she'd rest his hat, lak anyone would do yo' know. An' she'd have a soft damp rag wit de same solution, an' when he'd be readin' or othahwise lak dat, she'd dampen his hat, jes' take it lak dis [demonstrates] an' dampen it.
(Just dampen the hat with the rag. What is that supposed to do then?)
Keep him dere, yes. [To keep him from being taken away would have been a better answer.]
Entry 9784
To keep the law away? Well, I want to tell you. Well, you keep the lag off - of course, you can't keep 'em away, but you can get so that he'll never catch you or nothin'. You understand. You bootleggin' he'll never catch you or nothing. You understand. Well, you take you two - that's a separate thing - and yoa take two pins.
(Too what?)
Too stick pins.
(Two stick pins.)
[The ordinary pin is frequently called "stick" to distinguish it from safety pin.] And wear it in a cross, like a cross, and wear it right up in the center of your hat, you see. Right in the center of your hat, like this here [demonstrates by pointing to inside of his hat].
(Inside.)
Yeah, inside [demonstrates again].
(Like that, inside.)
Yeah, inside your hat.
(You get these two straight pins.)
Two straight pins. You put a cross on you, see. And a course, the law'll be looking for you but he'll never get you. Only way he'll get you, he got to walk up on you. But you always kin git away from him.
Entry 10711
( Git de featbers out de bird nest aa' bar den, an' dey take dat an' put it in a person's hat, an' dat runs 'en crazy.
[Mephis, 1519:8.]
Entry 10831
Well, if yo' want somebody tuh come in de same do' of yore house all de time, yo' git chew a straw out of a broom. If it's a man, git de bow out of his hat; if it's a woman, jes' take one of her tracks. An' take dat straw an' stick nine straws around yore front, an' dey [man or woman] won't nevah come in yore back do', dey will jes' come in de front do' all de time. (Well, what do you do with that stuff that you get from them? Where do you put that?) Put that? Yo' put it with de straws. If it's a man, yo' take an' put one up ovah de do' - see, one of dem straws. Yo'd have tuh have nine straws from yore broom, yo' understand. An' if it's a man, yo' take one [broomstraw] with de bow of his hat an' stick it up de do'. If it's a woman, jes' take her track an' where yo' put dis straw, put some of dat dirt right down aside of dat [foot track] right round in front of yore house. An' dey coming dataway all de time.
(Well, why don't you want them to come into the house any other way but that?)
Well, dat's in case a man got a woman an' she messin' with anothah man, an' she kin always have him tuh go out de back do'. See, make him come in de front do' an' he kin go right on out de back do'. Have it locked an' he won't nevah go to de front do' - see, nowhere but de front do'.
Entry 12082
Take dat bow outa de back of a man's hat an' wet it wit Heart Cologne an' wear it roun' her neck an' gain him. (What will that do?) Keep him home. [Wilson, N. Car., (1499), somewhere near cylinder 2667 which contains material by 1499.
Entry 12083
Right next to dere close garment. (That little bow out of a man's hat.) Right next to 'em underneath de arm. Make yo' love each othah, yore love won draw away. It become closer.
Entry 12103
A woman kin take that [man's hat bow] an' sew that up in her gartah, you see. You understand, sew that up in her gartah an' put it in a jar, an' pour perfume on it, understand, an' a little of her chamber lye. An' sew it up, you lnow, on the inside an' put it in her gartah, an' wear it aroun' her leg.
(This bow out of his hat?)
This bow out of his hat. That'll hold 'im.
Entry 12104
I've heard 'em talk about they kin even git de bow out chore hat. Jis' like a girl got a boy friend and she love him and he don't love her. And she want him and he don't want her, she kin git a chance to tear de bow out his hat and wear it in her shoe - in her shoe, see - that'll run him crazy [about her].
Entry 12105
Hear dey take de bow out of a man's hat. Take de bow out of man's hat an' wear it in de toe of dere shoe an' dat will make 'em leave town. [This looks more like holding a man, but intention is everything. That bow in her shoe is a walking bow. It keeps him walking.]
(Well, who would do that, primarily?)
De woman would take de bow out of a man's hat.
Entry 12106
I would get me a tie, this bow tie off of a man's hat, and cuttin' a piece out of his drawers, and takin' some of his ministration [semen] and stickin' it in his shoe, his right shoe, and that'll make a man love you or stay with or be good to you. And when you put it in his right shoe, you take some of your ministration [menstrual blood] and a little cloth, and hold it over a cloth, and po' [pour] water over it [preceding cloth acts as strainer]; and if he drinks coffee or tea, put it in that. And that'll make him love you. You do both that together: let him drink it. Wear it [hat bow] in your shoe. And the time he wears those shoes out, he's fixed [hoodooed] for you then.
Entry 12128
(What does she do?)
She gets some steel dust.
(And what does she take?)
The bow out of your hat. And she mix it with this bow and this steel dust together. And she put it right in the front of your hat thataway. She slips it back in there. See, when you perspire, why the steel dust will run with it and go into your eyes.
(What will that do?) Run you blind.
Entry 12129
If you don' want her no mo', after she come back to yuh [she have left you] - if yo' don' wan' her no mo', so's [= so as] yo' kin [get] control [of] yo'self - [you] kin git dis bow heah [he points to my hat with micro- phone on interviewing table] out de hat. A-tall [at all = whatever you do] don' chew take it [out]. Yo' tell her, say, "Ah wanta see dis bow heah, " lak dat. Say yo' wanta see dis bow. An' lak yo' wanta see de bow, yo' put de bow in your han'. An' when she put de bow in yore han' [after she remove it from the hat], yo' goes right to a white- folks graveyard - or a colored-folks graveyard - an' git a han'fula dirt lak dat. Don' git it from somebody [who] was buried dere yesterday [or] lak day 'fore dat. Lemme show yo' now. [Informant demonstrates on the floor of the interviewing room.] Yo' kin pick up de dirt lak dat. Quick! Don' let nobody see yo' pick it up. An' put it anywhere in yuh pocket. Ain't gotta put it in no papah. All right. Den yo' come back [home]. Yo' take dat bow an' yo' set an' yo' sprinkle it [with the graveyard dirt]. Understand?[He sprinkles graveyard dirt on a hat bow her hand had touched.] If she got a $1000, she'll pay yuh to make her husband take her back. But yet, he don' want huh, don' want huh no mo'.
Entry 12130
Yo' know whut yo' kin do wit dis bow a'gin. Well, yo' kin take dis bow heah yo' understand [again he refers to my hat on interviewing table]. An' yore wife will jump off today or tomorrow an' marry to de othah man. Two yeahs yo' livin' wit her, see. She don' mean yo' no good. She leave a little out. Look heah, she leave a little out dis high. Yo' know dis top, dat high on yo'. Say, dat ah'm yore brothah. Ah ketch yo' an' take dat. Understand, see. Yo' take dat bow lak ah tell yo', lak dis heah. Understan', goes right tuh de rivah. Ah don't mean no stop-watah, ah mean runnin' watah - dat be goin', runnin' 'long lak dat. An' she'll run yo' off, right on down [to the sea]. Well, when yo' git tired, yo' don't wanta run so far, cause yo' don' know where dey stop. Dat bow may stop at de sea.
Entry 12499
[As in the preceding rite, only my attached pencil resume remains: "1 needle [down],1 needle up, let pin go between an' put in [stick into] hat bow [with] sugar and garlic an' wear next to you." What simple instructions: 1 needle point down,1 needle point up, and 1 pin between the 2 needles. Remember, we are sticking these needles and pins into a hat bow. Here we have a magic design, the oldest type of folklore in existence, examples by the thousands, and older than written history. We Could play with the present possibilities but suppose we confine ourselves to 4 of them: In diagram 1 the points of the needles do not touch the pin; in diagram 2 the needle points touch the pin. The heads in both diagrams form a triangle, symbol of the Trinity or the 3 Holy Names. In diagram 3 the pin crosses the centers of both needles and it separates them or is between them. Again the 3 heads form a triangle. More than this, we now have 2 Greek crosses tt or a double- cross, if you decide to undo your work. again diagram 4 again separates the several times in HOODOO. The 6 spokes of the rimless wheel of course construct 3 X'CRoSSES.]
Entry 12742
Dey kin take yore shoes dat chew wear every day, if dey kin git holt of it an' if dey kin git a rattlesnake. Git de haid. Git him mad an' git dat rattlesnake haid an' dry it. Let it come so yol kin jes' compound it up. Understand, compound it up good an' put it in somewhere - inside de linin' of his shoe. It got linin' in dere, an' it surely runs yo' off. Or yo' kin put it in de band of yore hat. Either one. Den yo' can't see. It will blind yo', cause yo' know yo' sheds yore skin, an' yo' kin git blind from it. Jes' as shure as....
Entry 12880
Dey take dese redhead scorpion. Ah know of a woman blind her husband dataway. Take a redhead scorpion an' git rid of yo' dataway, too. Take a red- head scorpion an' kill it. Put him out, yo' know, in de sun an' let hi git good an' dry. Dat head'll dry yo' know, it will git hard an' dry. Take an' beat it up fine an' it be like powder. Yo' know, mash it up. Den put it in de band of dere hat, like chew know around.
(Inside the band of the hat?)
Yes, dats right, an' yo' see dat sweat run down in dere eye. Blind 'en jes' as when yo' come in dis world.
Entry 13099
Oh, dey'd run yo' crazy in a way wit it, wit de dust from a rattle- snake's rattles. Take de dust out of a rattlesnake's rattle an' put dat in dat bow or either sprinkle it inside of dey hat, an' if dey sweat from it, why it will run 'em blind. Ah know two-three blindin's heah today dat result of dat thing.
Entry 13102
Well, yo' see a snake. Well yo' git de shed of a snake, when he shed it, an' jes' pound dat shed up. Beat it up fine an' take an' sprinkle it in yore [victim's] hat, in de rim of y re [his] hat.
(Sprinkle it under the hatband - under the sweatband?)
Yes, right round in dere. Put it where he kin git it an' it will run him jes' as blind as... [a bat or something else].
Entry 13105
Dey put dust in your hat so you'll go blind. Accordin' you'll lose your hair. (What would they do? How would they use the dust that way? Have you any idea?) Well, they'll go ahead and, you know, dere's somepin dey calls dragon's blood dat you get from de drug store. You kin get dat ole dragon's blood from de drug store. You kin get dat ole dra- gon's blood from de drug store and you sprinkle it on de inside of your hat, an' a little small piece of dis ole snake's shed. Or place it in de binding of your cap or hat, somepin like dat. And when you begin to sweat den de effect will take on you, sometimes you'll go blind from it an' you taken wit de headache.
(It runs down into your eyes?)
Dat's de idea and cause you to go blind and you are taken wit de headache.
Entry 13107
Dere is such things as dat. Dere's a little graveyard dirt. You kin get it in - you get graveyard dirt and you get de dust from a rattlesnake's rat- tle and make you a powder of it. And den he'd come along and 'tempt to play with you. Take your hat off, "Oh, dat's a nice hat." Take your hat like dat and probably look at it. Put dat dust in dere and you put your hat on. It may be warm or it may drift down your face if you perspire, or anything, run down and blind you. You never will see again. (You have this rattlesnake dust and the graveyard dust mixed.)
The informant describes graveyard dirt mixed with rattlesnake-rattle dust and a hypothetical hat-handling scenario, with claimed blindness. The quoted compliment is prescribed or imagined speech within that account. The interviewer restates the mixture without a recorded confirmation; harm claims remain source reports.
Entry 4599
Yuh take de bow out of a man's hat. Yuh take dat little bow out an' de seats of de woman's bloomahs. Dere's two partition in it. Jes' rip one dem li'le partition an' put it 'tween dere an' sew it back up, an' wear dat bow right down In dere right in dat drawahs. Wear 'em. An' den put Hearts Cologne on it, jes' sprinkle it right down in dere.
(What will that do?)
Well, dat Will MAKE HIM JES' FOOLIS' 'BOUT DEM UNTIL DEY GIT READY TUH GIT RID OF "IM.
(They wear that in the bloomers in the front or in the back?)
Right in de seat where de partition, right 'tween dere.
Entry 1607
Why they dress that hat fo' yo' head, an' they take that same chamber lye, as ah tole yo', an' bath that hat in it, saturate it in that water, and then bath yore head fo' nine mornin's that way. That relieves yo', yo' see in de haid.
(If they dressed your hat.)
Entry 4516
Take de hatban'. Yuh see, like a woman, she or her an' 'er frien' has busted up. Well, she jes' tryin' - say tryin' tuh make love wit a man. She kin take his hatban' or a ban' in 'is cap. Yuh see, dat's where he sweat, his sweat- ban'. An' yuh'll git a quartah of a yard of yellah cotton. (Yellow cotton?) Yellah cotton. Use it bran'-new. An' yuh will pin dat wit bran'-new pins, not no pins dat been used roun' de house. Yuh git yuh some pins dat has nevah been used fer nuthin atall. An' yuh take dat sweat- ban' an' dat piece of cotton an' make a belt as long enough - jes' add enough yellah cotton tuh dat hatban' or de ban' of de cap dat reach aroun' yuh wais'. An' as long as dey wears it dere, dey is boun' tuh follah 'er.
Entry 4535
DIS IS YORE HAT AIN'T IT?
(Yes.)
Dere's a li'le bit of ban' inside of yore hat got a li'le bow in it. Yuh remembah dat?
(Yes.)
I learnt dat. De girl, I seen 'er do a boy dat way once. She take dis hat, she git dis li'le bow ribbon outa it, an' she pinned it on 'er, inside of 'er bloomahs right at 'er crutch [crotch]. An' she taken dat an' she wore dat. An' de boy couldn't git away from 'er. An' he went back to huh. Co'se he had quit 'er, laid off from 'er. [There are other references to my black hat in HOODOO.]
Entry 4539
Git de bow out of a man's hat an' put it undah 'er lef' arm an' wear it undah dere, an' he become tuh be in love wit 'er.
Entry 4542
Ah heard about 'em takin' de bow out of a man's hat, an' sewin' it up in a piece of red flannel cloth, an' takin' it an' throwin' undah bed. An' dat'll keep 'im comin' roun' yore house, comin' tuh yore house, dey say, if it's a woman; an' dat if it's a man, dat it'll run 'im crazy.
(They use the woman's bow to bring her?)
Well, eithah one.
Entry 4548
An' anothah thing ah tell yuh about dis bow in yore hat. Yuh know, sometime a man wears a bow in 'is hat. [This shows that many men remove the bow from the hat.] Yuh even could take dat out an' wear it in de seat of yuh step- ins, jes' take an' pin it in dere, an' he'll love yuh an' nevah quit chew - even quit 'is wife fo' yuh.
Entry 4558
Say a man, or yuh say a sweetheart, an' yuh want dat man tuh love yuh. Yuh take de man, dat bow out of 'is hat an' yuh sew dat bow - a hat he'd wear - yuh sew dat up. An' a woman pins it dey say in yore inside cloths, yore bloomahs, an' wear dat nex' tuh yore skin. An' dat'll bring 'im tuh yuh. Now, dat's whut ah wuz told.
Entry 4559
Take dat little bow in de back of 'is hat an' sew it up in 'er slip an' wear it nex' tuh 'er. He'll be crazy about 'er.
Entry 4560
Well, ah could take dat little bow in de back of a man's hat, an'pin it in de seat of mah step-ins an' wear it, an' dat keep 'im from messin' wit any othah woman but me.
Entry 4561
Out chure hat. It's a certain thing about a woman, she kin take dat bow an' take it home an' run yuh stone crazy wit headache.
(What would she do with that bow?)
She would take it out an' sew in 'er undahskirt an' she tote dat bow. An when she tote dat bow yuh always have de headache, furious headache. Yuh don't know whut de mattah an' yuh look in yore hat, de bow's gone.
(What would she do that for?)
Dat's tuh keep 'im down.
Entry 4562
Yuh know, lak yuh hat layin' up some place, dey take yuh hat, know dat hat from me. An' she take dat bow yuh know, an' pin it in 'er bloomah laig lak dat an' turn it back down. Den ah goes right crazy ovah 'er, till yuh [I] kin git down dere. An'den yuh [I] git dat.
Entry 4564
Well, dey say take dat, de bow outa de hat whut yuh speakin' about, an' yuh pin it in de seat of yuh teddies. Wear dat dere all de time. Dey say yuh got de man all de time.
Entry 4566
Woman will take dat an' run 'im crazy. Some says dey takes 'em an bring 'em back. Dey say if a woman takes de bow outa man's hat an' wear it intuh de seat of 'er pants, he will always - some says dey will stay an' some says dey will go. But ah had a friend of mine, she said she wo' hers until 'er husban' died; say he always jes' wanta be away from 'er an' say she brought 'im back dat way. Yuh takes de bow outa a man's hat an' yuh wear it intuh yore pants an' don't let 'im git holt of it. Say if he git holt of it, he'll kill yo'.
Entry 4567
Dey take dat dere little bow out of a man's hat an' weah dat intuh de seat of 'er undahweah an' cause 'im tuh stay right undah 'em. He wouldn't git out of 'er eyesight.
Entry 4571
A woman kin take de bow out of de back of a man's hat, an' sew it up in a piece of cloth an' wear it in de seat of her bloomahs. An' long as she wear dat, dat bow in 'er bloomahs, why he couldn't quit 'er. He couldn't go wit no othah woman but 'er.
Entry 4572
Take de bow out de man hat an' wear it down in de seat of dere bloomahs, an' dey say dat'll keep 'em down.
Entry 4573
Take dat bow, dat bow out of de hat. Dey take dat bow out of dere hat an' sew it intuh de seat of 'er bloomahs, an' he'll be prob'ly satisfied tuh stay wit 'is wife.
Entry 4580
[These objects-over-the-door you walk under and objects-under-the-door you walk over are frequently important rites in hoodoo, yet quite a number of informants, including the present one, do not know the meaning of the word sill or doorsill.] Well, they say you can take that little bow in the back of a man's hat. You see, that's his sweatband, that's where you done sweat. Well all right, you take that bow on the back of man's hat an' he done wore that hat. And after you take that bow in the back of that man's hat, well you take that bow and you puts it up over the sill of your front door - see, like where he got to pass under. [The word over instead of under would have solved the problem here.] Well, that's to keep him home. He'll stay at home all the time and you can go out. Well he will never fuss with you about nothing, because you got him right down under your feet.
(I see.)
Entry 4581
Take dat little bow in a man's hat an' cut some de hairs off yuhself an' wrap de bow up.
(The hairs from your head?)
No, dey tell me de hairs off yuhself. An' wrap dat up an' put it up ovah yore do', careful. Stick it somewhere in some crack or 'nothah where dey can't git it. [For cracks and holes, see WALL later.] Say dat's tuh keep 'em. Whut dey tell me, say dat will keep a man.
Entry 4588
Dey kin run yuh crazy wit dat bow outa yuh hat easy, becus dey take dat bow outa de hat an' take it an' git some of dat stone outa graveyard - chip of stones off de [tombstone] out in de graveyard, graveyard dust, white sand out of de graveyard from de head of any grave. An' take it an' put it intuh a jar, altuhgethah, an' take it back an' plant it in dere, in de grave- yard. Dat easily kin run yuh crazy too, de same way as yuh hair.
Entry 4591
Git de bow out de hat an' take dat an' git chew some Heart Perfume. Yuh put it in dere an' keep it in de Heart Perfume.
(What will that do?)
Dat'll make 'em stay wit cha.
Entry 4593
Dat's anothah thing dat work wit Hearts Cologne, dat ll'le bow in de back of yore hat or cap. Take dat an' dampen [dress or feed] it wit Hearts Cologne an' wear it right on yuh. An' dey say long as yuh wear dat on yuh, if yuh got a wife or girl fren', dey'll [be] mo' den frien'ly. Dey stay right by yuh.
Entry 4632
Yo' kin git de bow offen de back of a man's hat an' wear it in yore pocket or somepin othah, if yo' want 'im tuh love. DAT WILL CAUSE 'IM TUH LOVE YO'.
Entry 4636
An' jes' lak if he's a frien' of yores, yo' kin git dat little bow out of 'is hat an' take hit an' put it in a 'bacca sack somewhere between yore laigs, always, an' he will always be yores. He cain't quit chew, he cain't leave yo' alone.
Entry 4698
Say dey could take dat bow out de back of a man's hat an' wear it aroun' dere waist, an' dat would make yuh love 'em.
Entry 4699
Yuh kin take it an' tie it roun' yore waist an' dere mind will stay on yuh all de time. Yuh kin take de bow outa anybody's hat, or eithah de band.
Entry 11872
If a man wears a woman's pubic hair in his hatband, she can have no one except him. [Mobile 953:2.]
Entry 12069
Now if a man gits drownded, yo' take some of his near-wearin' pieces or his hat an' throw it in, an' wherevah he's at, dose clothes not goin' sink till dey git dere. [Memphis 1518:7.]
Entry 12070
Dey say dey kin bury yore hat an' it will kill yo', make yo' suffer with headaches an' things. [Algiers (1584) 2953:2.]
Entry 12132
If a woman wears a piece of sweatband from his hat, that will bring him back. [Wilmington 107:4+85.]
Entry 13101
Well, yo' kin take dat bow an' yo' kin put - if yo' kin git holt of some rattlesnake dust out of a rattlesnake's rattle an' put it in dat hat, it will run de man blind.
(Well, just how would it run him blind? How would it do that?)
Well, jes' a...yo' wearin' dat hat, while yo' wearin' dat hat yo' sweat, dat scum git in his [you] eye an' hit'll blind him [you].
Entry 13103
Take a rattlesnake shell [shed]. Take dat dust and fix some in de linin' of his hat, right down in dere. Dat will make him go blind when he per- spire. Dat shell [dust] will go right in his eyes and den he won't be able to see nobody else but yo! He'll be blind.
Entry 13104
Yo' wanta run him an' make him blind, why yo' go out in any woods most anywhere an' find yo' a snake shell [shed]. Yo' know jes' lak dey say he crawl outa his "shell." An' slip it into his hatband. He lose his eyesight. De dust from dat snake shell will take his eyesight. [Memphis, Tenn., (1537) 2778:4.]
Entry 13127
Pound up a snake shed, especially that of a rattlesnake, and put this in a person's hat to blind him. [Wilmington 102:6+85.]
Entry 4552
Well, ah've heard dat dey take dat little bow out chure hat, out de sweatband of yuh hat, an' dey buries it.
(What will that do?)
Well, dey says it will run a man crazy.
(Just ordinary crazy.)
Entry 4568
Take dat an' fix it such a way dat no other woman can't have anything to do wit yuh but her.
(That little bow in the hat?)
Dat little bow in de back of yore hat. Dis is it right heah [demonstrates].
(What will she do with that?)
Well, ah tell yuh whut she do. She'll take it an' weah it down in 'er undah- clothes.
(That will keep you.)
Entry 4587
Ah taken de bow outa de hat an' ah put some come wit it an' a little hair out from undah his arm dere an' wore it roun' mah laig heah, an' dat'll make him love yuh. (You mean you wear it as a garter or something of that sort?) Jis' a string, ah don't wear gartahs. [The length of the untied bow would be extended with a piece of string, and the hair would be threaded into a needle and woven, perhaps also tied, into the bow. For string addition, see 4597.]
Entry 6683
[This fortuneteller woman or healer] tole me dat somebody, a woman had taken mah sistah's hat an' dressed it, dressed it up fo' her, an' she suffabed Wit headaches. She tole us whut she done wit dese earthworms - yo' know, dese fishing worns about dis big [demonstrates]. Take dem fishin' worms an' parch 'em up. An' so dat dust wus sprinkled aroun' in mah sistah's hat, an' as she wore it, well, de perspiration got tuh it an' drive it on tuh 'er brain. An' SHE WENT JIS' AS CRAZY AS ANY FOOL IN DE WORLD. But aftah while We got 'er back again.
Entry 11450
Dey git chure fingernails an' yore toenails. Ah didn't hear how many yo' takes, jest so it yore fingernails an' yore toenails. Dey take dat an' dey parch it, dey go back dere an' parch 'em. Beat 'em up real fine an' put 'em in some water den an' boil 'em till dat makes - jes' makes kind of a medicine-lak out of it. Den dey'll take dat - make dis heah medicine out of it den dat's a poison-lak. Dey'll take den an' po' it - git chure hat or anything lak yo' got to wear. Lak dey be's around yo' an' dey'll po' it aroun' de rim of yore hat, an' dey puts some cologne in dis - some sweet-smelling cologne, an' put in dis, an' po' it roun' yore hat. An' dey says dat yo' smell dat, an' jest walk - dat'll run yo' crazy, give yo' a feeble mind. Jest half de time yo' won't know whut chew doin'.
(Then you get my fingernails and toenails and you put them on my hat?)
Yes, sir, anywhere dat chew git it. Put it in sompin where he [you] kin git de smell of dis, inhale dat. [St. Petersburg (lol4) 1640:2.]
Entry 988
Then I hear of a man having a cap. Where he worked at a man didn't like him on account of his job and every time he put this cap on his haid - see, he kept this cap where he worked, he wore his other hat home. And the minute he come and put this cap on his haid, he'd fall out with head trouble. So he went to an old man and this old man told him to take this cap and in crossing dis Water throw his cap over his left shoulder and don't look back - cross the water, cross the bridge. So he did that and that head trouble went away.
(That cured him?)
That really went away - 'cause that was my husband did that.
(Well, did he use the cap again or just - )
He used it - he tried it once more - he put it on his head that morning and the pain came back.
Entry 1651
One dat I have seen in mah lifetime to be - ah've seen dis. My mother she was visiting a neighbor across a milldam and, well, ah don't know whut [quarrel] rise against [between] them. But anyway, ah was a little baby fellah - ah could remember dat - ah was about nine years old. An' she goes over that evening to visit and on her way back, why all at once she got weakened down on de milldam so much so dat she couldn't cross - had to go right down to her knee an' crawl. An' dere was an' ole man met her. She was on de way home an' dis ole man lived across de milldam, why he was on de way tuh his home an' he met her on de milldam. An' he ast her whut was de matter, he says, "Whut is de matter wit chew so much so dat yo' gotta crawl." She say, "Ah don't know. Ah got weakened down when ah got on de milldam - ah got weakened down so much so ah can't stand up." He say, "Aw, stan' up anyhow." She say, "Ah can't stand up." He caught her an' he kinda lift her up an' he looked at her. He'd taken de bonnet off her haid an' throw it in de milldam, throw it ovah in de water an' de bonnet went swimming off down de milldam like unto a bird - quick jes' like a bird right on down de milldam. An' he said, "Now git up an' go on home." An' jes' whut - dey say dat if you take the hat of a person an' throw it into de running water, why dat person will travel all along during de time.
(Well, why did he throw this hat of your mother's into the milldam?)
Say dat the trick that worked on her, worked on her through her bonnet - well, de water would take it an' carry it away an' event'ly [eventually] all de evil.
(That was in her hat - caused that trouble.)
Caused that trouble. (He told her that the trouble was from her hat, didn't he?) [He says this but I am trying for a better statement and any additional detail.] In de hat. An' he'd taken the hat off an' throwed it into de water. WelI, de water had taken it an' carried it on off, an' immediately she got up an' went on about her business.
Entry 5925
Yo' kin take a stran' of 'er hair - whut chew might say two or three stran's an' wear it in yore handban'. Or yo' kin take whut chew might say, a tassel off 'er undahweah yo' know, an' wear it in de top of yore hat, an' yo'll nevah git rid of 'em.
Entry 5926
Well, dey tell me, all yo' gotta do is jes' - if yo' kin git clost enough to 'im, git 'is hair out 'is haid an' put it right up undah yo' hat.
(Under the hatband?)
Yes, an' wear it on yore haid. He'll come back home.
(A woman would wear that in her hat?)
Yes, an' he come back to her.
Entry 5927
Take yore hair out chure haid an' put it in yore hat an' dress it - have it dressed - an' put it in yore hat an' wear it an' it will run yo' crazy.
(Whose hat do they put that in? Her hat or his hat?)
His hat.
Entry 6063
Yo' take de hair out de mole of yore haid an' some offa yo'self.
(Where from yourself?)
From dem, if yo' kin git it.
(From the mole of the head and where else?)
From offa deyself.
(From down below?)
Yes. An' put it in de band of dey hat. Put it up in de [sweat] band of dey hat where dat bow is an' let 'em wear it. Jes' undah dere. Well, dat makes 'em ale tuh be ca'm [calm]. Dat makes 'em stop from runnin' aroun'.
Entry 6065
(Tell me that whole story.)
She took some hair off a person an' she lift up 'is hat an' she put dis undah de sveatband, an' all dat sweat, dat would sort of run in 'is face. Well, dat moald make 'im - he nevah would leave her, yo' know, as long as dat wuz dere, yo' oc. He would be always crazy about 'er.
(I see. She put some of her private hair in there?)
[The hair was identified before recording began.]
Uh huh.
Entry 935
Yo' git a thresher bird [a brown thrasher], yo' know. Yo' git to a thresher's nest an' yo' git nine straws out of his nest an' if yo' git to dis man hat, yo' kin put jes' nine straws in his hat, jes if he went to be - yo' understand whut ah mean, Doc - i an' when he put on his hat he'll have a severe headache an' he won't come back to yore house any mo'. An' ev'ry summer dat headache will worry him till it kill him - he die, he die wit de headache.
(Why will the headache worry him in the summer?)
"Cause it in de summer - in de spring of de year when de birds are makin' dere nests, dat's de time his head will ache him.
Entry 936
I know one that's true. I have a brother who went to the sanitorium for two years. They said he lost his mind. In fact he had lost his mind. They say that his wife got some owl-brain powder. She went to a cunjure and they fixed this up and put it in his hat. He lost his mind the same night he put this hat on. And he wandered about the streets every night until daybreak in the morning [like an owl]. About six months ago my other brother and my uncle were told to go to New York to a West Indian hoodoo doctor. They [he] gave them some stuff in an envelope and he put this on a needle and went to the insane asylum and put it in his arm. Before he got all right this doctor went back and shaved all his hair off his head and put some salve of some kind on his head. In three weeks time he was out. He went to the West Indian in New York and stayed about four weeks in his home. [Fredericksburg, Va., (70), Ed.; Philadelphia,1932.]
Entry 991
My grandmother tole me, "Son, ah tell yah what yo' kin do." [She] say [see later]. Ah goins to ole lady, ole lady stay across at de branch, and she tells me git some dishwater - water what you washin' de dishes, and wipe dat whole hat good; wipe dat hatband roun' an' roun' in de hat, no mind de band, and den says, "Don't wear de hat fer about three-four days and you'll git rid of dat dizziness in de head." [Grandmother previously had said] "Dey give you guinea sickness in yo' head - can't keep you mind - you start on dis and jump off - an tell me somepin and you go tell anodder person somepin [else] - and none of it won't be de trut'." Dey ain't in dey right mind, yo' see. Dat's somepin like de strike off yo' brains [brain stroke].
(They take that bow out of your hat?)
Take de bow out chure hat and bury it. [That gave him guinea sickness.] It blows bad luck to you to take it out. [It is bad luck for the man to remove his own hat bow.]
Entry 1026
[As we had medicine taken by proxy, so can pain be shared - the spirit being made to divide itself:] If a woman is in fo' a labor, if she has somethin' of his about her, a sock, hat or somethin' lak dat - she has somethin' about her, why that'll cause him tuh have some of the pains, too. ["A pregnant woman by crawling over the husband can transfer her future labor pains to him," FACI,2ed., No. 2953, p.133; for psychic or pseudo-couvade - husband having morning sickness and ailments of pregnancy and acute pain during wife's delivery - FACI, p.133.]
Entry 1222
She take dat bow in yo' hat. When she git dat bow in yo' hat, she's got somepin dat re'lly belongs to yo' fer true. Well, now when she git dat bow in yo' hat, you crazy to see her, you understand. But de way git rid of dat, yo'll take and take you a dishrag and squeeze de water into yo' hat - squeeze de water out dat dishrag into yo' hat. See, she done got dat bow out chure hat. Well, after you done squeeze de water out dat dishrag into yo' hat, that bow what she got is no good to her.
(Well, after she got that bow, what would she do with that bow?)
She would take dat bow and tie it up and put it in her mattress an' draw yo' more near to her. [For dishwater curing guinea sickness, see No. 991, p.382.]
Entry 1925
Yo' kin go tuh de drug sto' an' buy graveyard dirt an' yo' kin put it in dey shoes. All right, it will cause dem tuh either be cripple or yo' kin take it an' put it in de band of dey hat an' dey go stone blind from it.
Entry 2546
Heard of that. Well, now, pract'lly ah noticed - ah learnt all dat since ah been heah. Ah notice dat dese fellows, dey git dis Hearts Cologne, yes sir, an' den dey use dis sen-sen whut dey burn. Dey say it's fo' luck. Dey take dat sen-sen an' put it in dere pocket an' saturate dis round dere chest an' dey hat wit dis Hearts Cologne.
(When they go for a job?)
Yes sir.
Entry 4522
Now, dere wuz a boy wuz goin' wit me an' ah took 'is hat. He wuz in New York but he's done been back heah since dat. An' ah took 'is hat an' ah dressed de bindin' of it, de wide bindin' inside. Ah took an' pur [poured] a few drops of dis heah dragon's blood an' a few drops of John de Conkah. Hit [the latter] wuz oil yuh see, not de wood. Sometime yuh qit it in bottles. Well, ah has some of dat an ah dropped a few drops roun' in dere, an' a few drops of dis heah cologne. An' he been wit me evah since. We've been married.
Entry 4570
Yuh could take dat, de bow out dey hat. Yuh could take it an' sew it in any little thing, a Woman's britches or anything lak dat, where yuh could wear it. See what ah mean. An' den in othah words [another method], yuh could wear it in yore shoe. See, what ah mean, it would make him love yuh.
Entry 4610
Heard dat wimmins - de way dat dey would kinda trick mens yuh know. Jes' lak dat ah'd go tuh some gurl's house an' wuz a married man an' she wuz likin' me an' ah wouldn't take up very much time wit 'er on account mah wife. Why ah hang mah hat up an' perhaps ah may git up an' per- haps ah may git up an' go git a drink of watah, sompin, an' she'd pull de bow outa mah hat an' tie it on a string an' tie nine knots in it an' wear it roun' 'er waist, in ordah tuh make me leave 'way from mah ole lady an' come tuh 'er.
Entry 4612
(I didn't understand what you said at first.)
Dey take dat bow in de man's hat an' put it in a piece of new cloth, tie it round [with string], put nine knots in it [string] an' put it round yore waist. An' dey say yuh wear dat an' dat'll keep dat man dere an keep 'im from goin' off. If he gone off, yuh git somebody to git it fo' yuh an' he'll come back an' stay dere.
Entry 4613
Well, yuh take dat out of a man's hat, chew know, de little bow dat's right back of de hat heah, out of de man's hatband. Den yuh git a little hair from de mole [mold] of de head - no, yuh git three strands right out of de mole of de head. Chew wrap dat aroun' dis little bow an' git chew a piece of new cotton cord, cord string, an' yuh wrap dat aroun' an' tie nine knots in dat string. An' den yuh put undah de little flap of yuh shoe - yuh know dat inner sole, or de heel of de left shoe. An' as long as it remains in dat shoe, dat person's supposed tuh remain dere.
(That's all for love.)
Entry 4614
(What about that little bow?)
Yuh take dat little bow - it used to be olden times when yuh wore corsets - but dey don't wear corsets no mo'. Dey wears supports. Now, if yuh wants tuh... (Well, what did they do in the olden times with the corsets? Tell me that first, what they did with that; and then you can tell me what they do now. You see?) Yuh see, dey can take dat little bow an' dey can kill yuh wit dat little bow. An' dey can make yuh go crazy - no, not go crazy out of de mind, no. Jes' [like] if yuh got a wife an' she loves yuh, or ah got a husban' an' ah loves 'im. Ah'd fix 'im so he'll jes' stick wit me. He'd turn 'is mind clean offa evah body but me, an' he wouldn't keep a nickel in is pocket fo' hisself. It's all fo' me. Ah could take an' jes' be - ah could bring boy frien's in dere on 'im an' he'll jes' love me jes' dat much [more]. Well, DAT OLE HOODOO [MAN] DEN WHAT AH USIN' KNEW, AN' LIVES AROUN' HERE, he say he [husband] jes' love me dat much, but [I told him?] not tuh open 'is mouth an' say nuthin. [A NOTE OF MINE HERE SAYS DO SLOWER LATER. INFORMANT WAS TALKING FAST.] AH COULD TAKE HIS MONEY RIGHT IN FRONT OF 'IM AN' GIVE IT AWAY. HE'LL JES' LOVE ME JES' DAT MUCH BY BEING HOO- DOOED.
(How would you prepare that bow? That little bow?)
She takes it an' she put it in 'er pocket, down intuh dat little thing yuh see. Yuh untie dat bow an' yuh tie nine knots in dat bow, an' put it straight where it would have been weared down in dere. Well, dat's jes' as if yuh have a tool, yuh know, not what she love yuh; cuz if she love yuh an' if he loved yuh, dey wouldn't want tuh bring somebody else in de home an' go off an' have.... But yuh are jes' undah a muddle. Yuh can't say nuthin, yuh see. Yuh can't do nuthin, yuh see.
(Do you dress that little bow any Way?)
Yuh dress dat little bow wit love powdah. Dey got some powdah - dey got some cologne dey call love cologne. Well, yuh done use dat Follah-me-boys. Dat's good.
[Follow-me-boys appears several times in HOODOO.]
(What 1s?)
Follah-me-boys.
(Follow me, boys.)
Dat's good.
(Is that a powder or perfume?)
Dat's perfume. Now, dat Follah-me-boys - yuh kin use Follah-me-boys right now, yes sir, right now. Yuh kin Walk out from right dere - IF YUH DON'T BELIEVE DAT'S TRUE, an' [then] GO BUY YUH A LITTLE BOTTLE OF FOLLAH-ME-BOYS, AN' YUH JES' SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE BE FOLLAHIN' YUH. BUT DEY WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT DEY FOLLAHIN'. YUH SEE, DAT'S A HOODOO COLOGNE. (I see. Now, in the old days they used to wear the corset, nowadays they wear?) Dey weah dem girdles now. Yuh see, yuh take, if yuh want dat tuh control yuh man or yuh woman. Yuh put it in yuh girdle, weah it in yuh girdle. Nine knots.
Entry 4615
Dey kin take de bow outa yore hat, dose bows in yore hat, an' run yuh crazy. Dey take de bow in de hat an' run yuh blind, jes' make yuh blind. Take de bow outa de hat - inside of dat band, take dat bow. An' it's tied. An' un- tie dat bow, stretch dat bow out. Aftah yuh stretch dat bow, den yuh git chew some cologne. An' yuh take Heaxts Cologne, it's a powahful thing, an' put in dere, dat little ole flask - in dere wit dat bow of dat hat. An' aftah yuh put- tin' dat bow outa dat hat, den yuh takes - now dat's tuh be worn. Now, dat's fo' wimmin tuh do. Yuh takes mens, dey don't have nuthin like outa a hat fo' a man tuh do anythin' wit 'em. But dat's wimmins do dat. Yuh take - ah kin go wit a woman an' ah left 'er, ah quit her. Well, she take dat bow. Dat's tuh run me crazy or tuh drive mah love tuh 'er. Yuh undahstan'. Now, she'll take dat bow outa mah hat an' she'll untie dat bow an' she'll put dat bow in a little ole flask - little small flask. Dat's tuh wear on 'er. An' aftah she do dat, den she go uptown an' she git 'er some Hearts Cologne. Now, WHENSOMEVAH DAT AH GOES TUH INTAHCO'SE WIT 'ER, yuh see, den SHE'LL TAKE DE CLOTH DAT AH USE. AN' SHE'LL NUSE DAT CLOTH ERSELF, BUT SHE WON'T USE IT IN DE SAME MANNAH DAT AH USE IT AN' DE SAME PLACE DAT AH USE IT. See, jes' lak now she take de cloth heah [demonstrates with handkerchief]. Well, if ah nuse it heah, she ain't gonna use it dere. Yuh undahstan', she gonna move off furthah. SHE GOIN' TAKE DIS PART CHERE [used by man] AN' PUT IT IN DAT BOTTLE. See, wit dis boW off mah hat. Now, when she put dat in dat bottle wit de bow out de hat, she wear dat fo' nine mawnin's. An' aftah she wear dat fo' nine mawnin's, she goin' take dat an' she goin' tie her nine knots in dat bow. Den she bury dat on de young moon - when de moon jes is young. An' aftah she bury dat, it stay buried dere until ah comes 'er way. NOW, de ONLIEST WAY DAT YUH KIN REMOVE DIS, YUH HAVE TUH GO DERE AN' GIT IT UP YORESELF. [First you must know where to look! This means a doctor or fortune- teller who has many methods for a problem like this.]
Entry 4624
Dey kin git chure hat an' git de bow out of yuh hat, a woman kin, an' take it an' wear it on dere neck. [The bow is] jis' lak a li'le tie. An' take it an' keep it up in a sack, an' dey [the man] can't fool aroun'.
Entry 4627
[Perfume - perhaps the most frequently used ingredient in hoodoo - surely deserves a margin title for itself! Usually perfumes are listed in HOODOO under brand names. The word brand name years ago never had a national or international label protected by patent; it was the name the local hoodoo drugstore chose to call the cheapest possible perfume he could sell in small quantities for the highest possible prices! Only hoodoo could think up John de Conker Cologne - see 4645.] Take dat little bow in de back of a man's hat an' put it in a bottle of per- fume [brand name usually given] an' wear it on yuh an' dey'll stay wit yuh. Dey can't leave, dey'll always be wishin' roun' yuh. [The meaning here is either Wishing always to be round you, or always be swishing round you.]
Entry 4673
(How do you do that?)
About de hatban' dat yuh use. Yuh ast [asked] me 'bout de hatban' a minute ago. Yuh take de person dat yuh have de name out of de hat - dat little bow-like in de hat? An' yuh gO tuh de bird's nes'. LET IT BE DE SPARRAH'S NES', WHICH IF IT'S A SPARRAH'S NES', DE SPARRAHS USE DE SAME NEST ALL DE YEAH ROUN'. BUT A BLUEBIRD CHANGES "IS NES', AN' ALSO A PIGEON. Aftah a pigeon has used 'is nest, de pigeon tears de nes' up an' makes a fresh nest, but a sparrah use de same nes'. As long as de sparrah use de same nest, de person will con- tinue tuh have de headache, if yuh put dis bow of de hat intuh de sparrah's nes'.
(Just go to the sparrow's nest and put the bow into the nest?)
Jis' put de bow intuh de nes'. Dat's all. An' yuh could constantly happen tuh have a headache. But if - YUH KIN TRY IT YUHSELF SOMETIME OR EITHAH HAVE SOMEBODY EXPERIMENT IT FO' YUH. AN' WHENEVAH YUH REMOVE DAT OUT OF DERE, DE HEADACHE WILL BE BROKEN. BUT YUH KINNOT BREAK DAT HEADACHE BY BURNIN' CANDLES OR ANYTHING. DAT NES HAS TUH BE TORN UP, EITHAH DE BOW TAKEN OUTA DE NES'. Eithah one of de two will stop de headache, but nuthin else. An' ah betcha, becuz mah grandmothah tried it on 'er own daughter, mah sistah. [The latter relationship frequently happened, the sister being the mother whose child
(informant's) was brought up as the grandmother's.]
Entry 4676
Well, yuh take dis little bow dat's right in de back of man's hat. Dat's de little bow right dere [demonstrates]. Yuh take dat an' take it an' put it in a bottle of sweet spirits of nitah, an' take an' shake it up good. An' den take it, an' yuh know dese women dey got a pocket or somepin in some of dere bloomahs, yuh know. Take it an' put it in dat pocket an' sew dat pocket up an' weah in dere. An' dey say dey nevah will go wit anothah woman.
Entry 4677
De bow an' a dirty sock - out de hat an' 'is dirty sock, lef' foot sock. An' git some Eve-an'-Adam [Adam-and-Eve], some High John de Conkah, some love powdahs, an' roll 'em to yuh. Make yore wishes as yuh roll 'em. Den yuh take it an' put it in yore pillah or in yore mattress, de woman, an' sleep on it an' he'll stay dere.
Entry 6062
Take a man's hair an' cut it off an' put it in 'is hatband - an' put yore hair from offen yore stomach an' place it in de band of 'is hat, an' put 'is hair whut chew got from 'im an' sew it up in a cloth an' wear it vex' tuh yore skin. Well, dat would keep 'is mind always on yo', too. See, dat keep 'im always excited-minded 'bout chew - he cain't stay 'way from yo'.
Entry 6638
[Before we begin margin title RATTLESNAKE POWDER, we must realize that snake oil was frequently used as a medication; see especially my introductory comment, to interview: 'IT'S KIND OF A MYSTERY, " p.1930. Since I have in Hoodoo almost no material about the preparation of snake oil, I am inclined to believe that the old tradition of snake oil was largely continued by local hoodoo drug stores. The following prescription for rattlesnake oil is complete except for a final page which may turn up later. The essential ingredients are here:] Now, if yo' got'a wife an' yo' wife leave yo', an' yo' can't git chew wife back; an' yo' wife leave as much as hat or a dress or a cloak in de house, yo' git dat cloak in dat hat. All right, yo' take dat hat an' yo' put jis' about a teaspoonfula sulphuh in vinegah, yo' unnahstan', an' den yo' takes whut dey call some rattlesnake oil an' sprinkle it in de hat.
(How do you get that rattlesnake oil? How do you get that?)
Dey make dat. Ah'm gona tell yo' how tuh make it directly [in a moment]. An' when [after], yo' put dat in de hat, an' den yo' put de hat back up, yo' see, an' she comin' back in maybe tuh git somepin or put on de hat, an' she can't go out dere. All right. Now give me a piece of papah an' ah'll give yo' a prescription how tuh make de oll: [I handed a piece of paper to informant and he wrote out the prescription. This sheet is missing at the moment, though I had it a few days ago. Fortunately the ingredients are written on the present transcription sheet in my handwriting: '10c oil of mint, lOc witch hazel" [[for some reason a fairly rare substance in hoodoo]], and 'lOç for 1 pound of sassafras."] [Charleston, S. Car., (512), 581:2.] [For Doctor Giles and rattlesnake oil, see No.7212, p.3208.]
Entry 6876
If a woman is in fo' a labor, if she has somepin of 'is about 'er, a sock, hat or somepin lak dat - she has somepin about 'er, why dat'll cause 'im tuh have some of de pains, too. (Where would she keep this thing about her? Where would she keep it?) Jis' have it somewhere about 'er, maybe jis' always anywheres on 'er.
Entry 7035
[If yo'] wuz a drunkard an' drinks a lotta whiskey. Well, jis' lak if yo' drink whiskey an' ah wants yo' tuh stop, ah wanta stop yo' from drinkin' so hard. Well, yo' take any ole part of 'is cap or 'is shoe an' yo' carry it an' bury it in de graveyard, an' let it stay in dere fo' nine mawnin's. An' den come an' git it an' burn it up, an' dat'll stop 'em from drinkin' so hard.
(After you burn it, you don't bring those ashes back?)
Yo' git de ashes, bring 'em back an' put 'em in de yard.
(Stop me from drinking.)
Drinkin' so hard.
Entry 7176
Yo' know de time de snake's sheddin', yo' know, well yo' kin take an' use his shed an' grind it up into powdahs - right fine powdah-lak dust an' sprinkle it roun' in yore hat. He'll jis' make yo' sleep all de time.
Entry 7392
If a person git killed an' yo' want dis person tuh come back, dis per- son will have tuh fall on his face [see p.324lf. and elsewhere.] Den ah heard ag'in dat chew kin take de dead person's hat. Jes' lak yo' be killed an' somebody find de hat, turn it on de wrong side. Turn de right - no, turn de left-hand sleeve of dis person's garment - coat, shirt or undahshirt an' fold it. An' wherevah or who dis party wus whut killed dis per- son, if dey's away, dey gotta return ~ dey can't stay away.
(You turn this left sleeve of his coat inside out or roll it up?)
Roll it - jes' lak on de left now, ah'm usin' mah left hand. If yo' killed me or ah killed yo', well yo' want me tuh come an' ah'm gone. Well yo' jes' turn mah shirt, or eithah mah hat. Turns 'is hat on de wrongside an' turn de bow. Yo' know how dere be's a bow in dat hat. Well now, when yo' roll it, yo' have to roll it tuh yo' wit de bow comin' tuh yo', seams an' all jes' comin' on tuh yo'. He'll have tuh come back, he can't stay away.
Entry 7553
Hear dem takin' de bow out chure hat. Dey kin take de bou out chre hat - lak yuh buy a hat, go an' take de bow out chure hat. She kin take dat bow, if yuh don' git dat bow [first]. If she vants yuh fo' anythin' lak dat, she kin take dat bov an' have it dressed [by a hoodoo]; an' whatevah she val, yuh do. Even she kin take some wicked man or wicked woman dat she know, or she could have a wicked man dat got killed or anythin' lak dat. If he buried, she hin Cake dat bow an' she kin go tuh de cemetery, an' shet [shut] 'er han' lak dat [dero strates] an' take dat bow in 'er han'. An' run it down in dere, an' git some dat dirt from de foot of de grave, an' take it [dirt], an' den sewing it up an' keep- in' it up. Say jis' long as she do's dat, she's safe wit yuh - dat chure mind is nevah satisfied [unless you are near her].
(That is to hold a man.)
Entry 8150
[This margin title about graves and graveyards shows how difficult the arrangement or ordering of material in Hoodoo has been. All the following rites could have been placed under section DEATH - BURIAL - GRAVEYARD, Pp.3293-3419. These beliefs, however, actually emphasize photographs.] Lak if yo' got a person an' yo' don't lak 'em an' yo' want 'em tuh stay from yo', when yo' go dere an' git dere hat, pichure or anything an' take it tuh de grave- yard an' bury it - an' dey will be gone fo' good. Yo' will nevah have no more trouble wit 'em.
Entry 9066
Well, dis jes' lak dis now, tuh change de judge mind. When it time fo' yuh co't - people talk about Hearts Cologne but dat stuff stands fer a lotta things, dis yere Hearts Cologne. Well, yo' take dat. Take a li'le dat Hearts Cologne an' yo' sprinkle it in de band of yo' hat. All right. Yo' take a li'le an' yo' put it intuh de mole [mold] of yo' haid, see. All right. Yo' take a li'le of it on yer fingah an' yo' smeah it across yo' chin. All right. Yo' put some on both sides of yuh face. See. All right. Den yo' drink de rest. An' dat's [that]. Jes' what chew ask de judge tuh do, he will come yer way.
Entry 10143
All right, you turn right around again, and you buy you - you buy you siack cat powder. And you take that and you put it in your hat, the band of your hat. You can walk by the law out there and he turn his back on you. And he be looking for you and you walk by him and he turn his back on you. You get out of the way. That's the Black cat powder. [For black cat powder, see also vol.1, No.327, p.96; and No. 1731, p.526. Back in the late 1930's black cat powder was usually a brand of alcum powder displaying the picture of a black cat on the container. A similar Sles picture will be found in margin title LYE: RED DEVIL AND RED SEAL, No.1377, p.459.]
Entry 11099
Wear man's hat bow around your neck in a bag, or hang any of his garments on the front of the bed or make a pillow of it, and he'll come back.
[Wilmington 123:4.]
Entry 12362
Dere.danger to yo' head all de time. Yo' take a man's hat, yo' under- stand, an' yo' go to de drug store an' git what chew call sulphur of potash, something like a powder and it's called love powder. That's the name fer it Love Powder. Sprinkle dat in de hat, in de lining. Or if he goes with yo' and yo' kin get near to him, sprinkle it in any piece of his clothes. Dat means dat yo' can't stay away, yo' will come back.
Entry 12999
Well, if a man want luck in gambling, well, he'd wanta got Lost John powder. [This could be my only example of Lost John.] (What kind?) Lost John. (Lost John?) Lost John powder, it's good luck. You take Lost John powder and you put it in your pocket. All right, you go get you some pulverized bluestone. You take you five dimes and you boil that in two quarts of water. You boil that water down to one quart [magic of diminishing amount.] You put it in somepin and measure it. You put it in somepin and you boil it until it comes down to one quart [diminishing amount] one quart of water. You gets one quart of water, you pout one teaspoonful of pulverized bluestone, one teaspoonful of granulated sugar, one teaspoonful of sulphur, and well shaked [shake well]. You take your five dimes out of that water after it's boiled and put 'em - you can use them again, you can spend them. [Often articles used in rites cannot be used again, they are dangerous.] You take that and you shake it up - well shaked. You can take that and rub it in the band of your hat, and you go anywhere in town and you can have luck: with the laws, the police, or anything like that. They ain't going to worry with you.
(What do you do with that Lost John root powder? What do you do with that?)
That Lost John root you tote that in your pocket. Tote that in your pocket.
Entry 13093
Well, they can take your clothes and they can take your hat. In oth- er words they can take your hat and they can put rattlesnake dust - you can buy it in this town - see, rat- tlesnake dust, and they can put it in your hat. And when you sweat in your hat, it makes you blind. (I see, I see.) [I heard little about selling snake dust to blind.]
Entry 13096
They take that bow outa your hat and burn it up in ashes, burn it in a plate and get the ashes, and then take some snake's head, any kind of snake's head, and just powder it up together, and put that in your hatband, and when you sueat, why that just run down, you know, in your forehead, and it finally get in your eyes and you go blind.
Entry 13108
An' den yo' kin take it again. Yo' kin take dis graveyard dirt an' yo' kin git rattlesnake dust an' mix it together, an' it will run anybody stone blind.
(Just how would they do that?)
Jes' take de rattlesnake dust an' de graveyard dirt an' mix it tuhgethah. Mix it up tuhgethah an' git anybody hat an' sprinkle it in de hat dat dey gotta dem stone blind.
Entry 13109
They take the little bow out of the hat and after they take the bou out of the hat, they carry it to a hoodoo. And he will take snake dust - just like you take dust out of a rattlesnake's tail, they have dust in their cail - and you [the hoodoo] put some of that dust on it. And they can bring it back and give to you and that cause you to go blind. They put the bow back in your hat, don't you see, and you put that hat on and it cause you to lose your eyesight.
Entry 13125
The hatband is the usual place for blinding a person. Use snakehead powder. [Mobile 973:6.]
Entry 13129
If you mix rattlesnake-shed powder with graveyard dirt and put it in person's hat, he or she will never get over headaches unless hat is undressed.
[The latter word heard only several times.] [Mobile 875:8.]
Entry 4525
De' take de dust of a rattlesnake an' put it in a person's hat, an' when he sweat dat sweat rolls down towards 'is eyes an' it'll blind 'im. But it's nuthin'll do dat no good [there is no cure for it], if it's a rattlesnake.
Entry 4527
Whut chew kin do wit a man's hat. Now, yuh kin take a silvah dime. Yuh kin take a silvah dime an' plastah it tuh de centah of a man's hat back dere an' it'll change his mine [mind] from dif- f'ren' things. Jes' say, fo' an in- stance, if ah wuz stay- in' wit a lady an' she didn't wan' me tuh leave or somepin, well now, she would take dat silvah dime, see; an' me not payin' no 'tenshun an' plastah it right in dere in mah hat undah dat tag whut be's in dere [put dime in sweatband]. An' dat'll keep me from leavin'. All right, she kin take dat same dime an' she'll kill enough chinches tuh git enough blood, jes' enough blood tuh stain dat dime off of a chinch, see. An' put dat same dime right down dere [in the sweatband] an' fold it back ovah dat. Well, when ah sweat dat's goin' run down in mah face an' goin' run me blind.
(Those chinches, that's the same as the bug from the bed?)
Dat's it.
Entry 4545
Take dat bow intuh yore hat an' dat will run yuh crazy. Take dat bow in yore hat an' put it intuh a bottle. Airtight dis bottle an' don't let no air git intuh it an' it will run yuh crazy.
Entry 4590
Dat bow out of a person hat, dat's de only thing tuh make a man love a woman. Dey kin take it an' put it in cologne, de Hearts Cologne. Dey kin use de bow an' Hearts Cologne an' carry it in a small bottle wit dem, an' dat will make a man crazy fo' dem.
Entry 4631
Dey tell me if yuh kin git a chance, yuh know, tuh git 'is hat or any- thin' lak dat yuh know, an' take it an' wear it roun' in yore pocket, he come tuh like yuh an' care fo' yuh an' DAT'S DE WAY DIS LOVE COMES ABOUT an' dat's de way yuh gits de girl. (What do you wear in your pocket?) Dat bow out de hat.
Entry 4634
Why she takes de little bow. Ah'm goin' tell yuh whut she do's wit dat, an' it'll work. If she wanta gain 'er sweetheart, if he won' notice her, she gits de little bow outa his hat an' she pins it right ovah - she pins it right ovah dere, right ovah her private place. An' he'll follah 'er all ovah dis worl'. He cain't git shet of 'er until she takes it outa dere.
Entry 4645
Dey take dat bow - de wlmmin take dat bow of yore hat, see, if dey want chew tuh continue go wit 'em, can't go wit nobody else. Dey take dat little bow in de hat an' dey take dat bow an' dey'll put it in - yuh know, put it up in 'em, in de hole where a man have connection wit 'em. Den take dat an' put it in a bottle.
(They take it out then and put it in a bottle?)
Take it out an' put it in a bottle, see, an' put some cologne - John de Conker Cologne. Dis heah cologne, what chew call it?
(Hearts Cologne?)
Hearts Cologne in de bottle 'bout half full. Keep it stopped up an' yuh cain't go wit nobody else but 'em.
Entry 4647
Take dat bow outa de inside of a man's hat an' yuh put de Hearts Per- fume on it. An' yuh take dat bow an' yuh wrap it intuh a red silk, a little piece of red silk cloth, an' yuh sew dat bow up. An' yuh put dat bow, if yuh wanta make a man love yuh an' stay wit yuh too, yuh put dat bow in de toe of yore left shoe an' yuh wear dat bow in de toe of yore left shoe.
Entry 4696
Take dat li'le bow in de back of a man's hat an' take an' put sulphur on it an' wear it [in a bag - see later] nex' tuh yuh - right tuh yore heart. An' dey say dat will bring 'i back tuh yuh, make him love yuh. An' den yuh take an' urinate on it fo' nine mawnin's an' put it back in dat - have a little bag ah reckon about de size of dis box [box of matches I had on interviewing table]. Put it in dere fo' nine mawnin's.
(After you put that sulphur on there.)
Yuh put de sulphur on dere an' yuh let it stay lak tonight. Well, de nex' mawnin' yuh start [to urinate on bow] fo' nine mawnin's, evah mawnin', an' den put it back in dat bag. An' den dat will make him love yuh.
Entry 4700
Take dat little bow out of a man's hat an' put it into a bag. Wear it roun' dere waist an' dat make de man jealous.
Entry 4701
A woman kin take de bow out of a man's hat an' tie it aroun' 'er waist - put it in a ribbon an' tie it aroun' 'er waist. Wheresomevah she goes, he'll go wit 'er. He will follah 'er.
Entry 4704
Ah've heard - jis' lak dat little bow dat be in de back of yore hat back heah - ah've heard dat dey take hit out an' put it in runnin' watah an' make folkses leave home.
Entry 2022
Get some Jockey Club perfume, the best, rub it on your hand and face and walk in, take your hat off [and say], "Good morning to the clerk and tell him you is out looking for a job. He won't turn you down.
Entries from source headings
These entries are listed under the following headings in the source volume:
- HAT AND GREEN LEAF ON BED — Volume 3, entries 4512. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → HAT - SWEATBAND - BOW → SWEATBAND OF HAT EXCLUDING BOW.
- HAT - WOMAN WEARS IN HER; MAN'S FRESH DIRTY SOCK — Volume 3, entries 4936. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → SOCKS AND STOCKINGS.
- LIZARD BLOOD IN SWEATBAND OF HAT — Volume 4, entries 6577. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → FOLK MEDICINE → LIVE THINGS IN YOU.
- (12) HAT UPSIDE DOWN UNDER BED — Volume 4, entries 7112. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → FOLK MEDICINE → TO KEEP PERSON ASLEEP.
- (11) HAT OR CAP OR HANDKERCHIEF; OVER FACE OF MURDERED MAN — Volume 4, entries 7390. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → MURDER → HOW MURDERER CAN BE CAUGHT.
- HAT - SWEATBAND OF - GRAVEYARD DIRT IN — Volume 4, entries 7794. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → WHAT TO DO WITH GRAVEYARD DIRT.
- PINE - 4 FAT LIGHTER PINE PEGS - 2 TO HEAD AND; 2 TO FOOT OF GRAVE - IN MIDDLE OF GRAVE NAME OR HAT; WORRY YO' OWNSELF TUH DEATH - DAT IS PINNIN' 'EM DOWN — Volume 4, entries 7852. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → WHAT TO DO WITH GRAVEYARD DIRT.
- 2 PINS CROSSED IN HAT PROTECTS BOOTLEGGER FROM LAW — Volume 5, entries 9784. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → NAILS - NEEDLES AND PINS - TACKS.
- RATTLESNAKE-RATTLE DUST IN HAT TO BLIND — Volume 5, entries 13099. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- SNAKESHED DUST IN HAT BLINDS — Volume 5, entries 13102. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- RATTLESNAKE-RATTLE DUST AND GRAVEYARD DIRT IN HAT — Volume 5, entries 13107. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- SNAKESHED AND DRAGON'S BLOOD IN HAT TO BLIND — Volume 5, entries 13105. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
Source passage
continuous interview or recording context · Source-local attribution; no resolved person identity is asserted.
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
The nature of me picking it on out
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
[how I learned hoodoo]
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
- I was holding a position and to the position I was holding there was an old man, and my sisters, all of 'em, was scared of him. Well, I did all his readin' and writin' fer him.
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
[Compare this with how Zorro began his career with Mysterious Parker - p.1166, line 38f.]
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
So, during the period of time he
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
[did so many things]
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
like that I didn't know, the old man he had so much diff'rent magic he could
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
[do]
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; supporting excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
. So the first thing he would do, he would take my hat - take my hat and spit in it and tell me to go out on de corner. I'd go out on de corner and I'd tip to some young girl. Now, the girl may be going to the store for her people or some- thing. When she come back I could have an interview with her. And when I'd have my interview, her people could never keep her away from me. As in a period of time - he died somewheres in 1918.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
(What do you mean by interview with a lady?)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
Had to go right home to do conversation with her - never seed her before.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
(At her home?)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; supporting excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
To her home - right dere at her home. She would invite me. The way she talked - I'd tell her - she'd tell me to come in in the presence of her people. I met her just like that - meet her on the corner there and tipped my hat. Then off from that time she'd never be satisfied. This old man - his name was - I never learned any more - his name was Uncle Charlie Jackson.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
(Where did he come from by the way? What part of the country did he come from?)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
Oh, he was down in Alabama. And he had three very large snakes. And if a person would come to him for to kill a person, the largest snake what he had would come out and crawl up in de door. That was his magic - that was the agree- ment what he made, you see, with the devil in selling hisself to the devil. Then he had another one what would remove evil spirits from a person. If you came in- to his place, while sittin' down into the chair, this snake would crawl all around you, all through the chair. You get up, you go by God. If you come for a gambling hand - his gambling hand was guaranteed fer one year.
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
[See HAND, TIME LIMIT FOR, p.577.]
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
He would take you into a little room and set you in there and when he get ready fer you, he would tell you - he would send fer yuh. Well, if he couldn't stand - the same way, if a person would come by for to kill a person. If you could jump over de snake what would coil up into the door, when you git back home he would be done kilt - this person. If you wanted a gambting hand - if you wanted to get that from him, when he get ready, then he send this other medium-sized snake in there. If you could stand fer him to come there and crawl around and you follow him back into the room, he would give you the gambling hand.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
(How did he make his gambling hand? Did he ever tell you?)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
Oh, he - makes 'em very diff'rent simple ways.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
(What was his way? Did he tell you that way?)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
The way he made 'em, he did. They was made out of little children's finger.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
(Oh, the baby fingers?)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
Baby finger j'ints - the j'ints of baby fingers and what we call the corime, the red corime seed.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
(Red corimee seed.)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
The red corimee seed. And he would use this here devil's-shoestring, and he would use this here Sampson snakeroot. Into these fixin' - when he would fix them - would be under the new moon. After he would fix them then, he would give them to you on the 15th of the month of the full moon. He would either wait till the moon be in full expanse of the earth, then he would give that to you.
locally coherent printed subpassage
The current speaker remains unnamed. Statements about Charlie Jackson, his alleged acts and the death date are reported in the source.
The printed account does not establish the identity of the unnamed speaker.
Snake behavior, agreement with the devil and contents of hands remain that speaker’s account.
Zorro and time-limit cross-references are editorial; they do not establish that the narrated people or practices are the same.
Bounded passage retrieval, not complete corpus coverage or practitioner consensus.
Read the full source context: Vol. 2, p. 1387 · Vol. 2, p. 1388 · Vol. 2, p. 1389 · Vol. 2, p. 1390 · Vol. 2, p. 1391