Subject:Hit
Entries
Entry 3955
Ah hear dey say, take a woman's monthlies yo' know, an' bore a.hole in a tree an' put it in dat. Fo' nine mawnin's fore de sunrise an' - go an' hit it, drive it up. Dey say in de ninth mawnin' she'll be daid by dat. (Well, tell me the whole story.) Well, dey says dey take de monthlies an' bore a hole in a tree fo' nine mawnin's... (What about that hair though?) De hair? Well, now dey do de hair de same way.
Entry 4161
If a person is a enemy tuh yuh, now dey kin take yuh chamber lye an' stop yuh watah completely. An' dey take dat bottle an' stop it up as tight as dey kin git it, an' dey kin take it undah de back do'step or eithah in de no'th cornah up undah de house an' bury 'em dere. Yuh put such a po'tion [portion]- yuh leave a po'tion, enough of it out, dat chew kin take a hammah an' go dere an' hit fo' nine mawnin's befo' sunrise, an' it will stop yuh watah completely. An' IF IT AIN'T REMOVED, IT WILL CARRY YUH TUH DE CEMETERY.
(What do they hit? Do they hit the bottle?)
Yes, dey hit de bottle. Dey have it tight down - de bottle, dey covah [pack] it tight down, an' de' hit it fo' nine mawnin's. (What did they do with the other water? You said they poured a portion out didn't you?) No sir. Dey po' whut dey ketch, undahstan'. Jes' lak if dey wanted tuh ketch yuh watah tuh do yuh harm, undahstan'. If dey can't git tuh de chambah in de house, undahstan', dey'd set it up somewhere undah yuh labor'tory [lavatory] - mo' [more] specially if it's out [outside the house] - an' ketch it dataway. An' ketch enough tuh fill up dat little vial.
(Well, wouldn't the hitting break that bottle?)
No sir.
(They don't hit it hard enough?)
No, jis' hard enough tuh drive it down.
Entry 4162
Yuh take it [urine] yuh know, an' keep it an' put it in a bottle. An' git 'er some sugah an' cinnamon an' write a person's name an' put it in dere. An' dey keep it lak dat an' dey say, if yuh have a hus- ban' - co'se ah don't have no husban'. Ah don't even do dat, cuz ah don't even have no husban'. Dey do dat, take it an' shake de bottle any time yuh want yuh husban' tuh come home. Or ah hit it on de flo' nine times an' he will certainly come home - if yuh got 'is name in dere.
(You hit it on the floor nine times?)
Right in de door nine times, an' dey say he'll certainly come home - don't care where he is. (But you have to hit it against the floor, hit it against the door-like
[saddle or floor at door], an' then you just shake it nine times?)
Yes, sir.
Entry 4163
Yuh kin take dere chamber lye an' stop it up in a bottle. Evah mawnin' hit de stoppah. It'll have yuh so yuh'll have gravel stones or can't pee - ruin yuh dataway. (Hit it for nine morn- ings.) Nine mawnin's. Jis' one little lick.
Entry 4164
Yuh kin take a person chamber lye an' put it in a bottle, an' put a stoppah in it an' put it intuh a dry place, in a dark place where no air cain't hit it. An' yuh kin go to dat bottle evah day fo' nine days an' knock on dat stoppah, an' de las' day yuh hit on dat stop- pah an' drive dat stoPpah up. DAT PERSON WILL BUST OPEN.
Entry 4165
Take now, if yuh got a girl an' yuh likes 'er an' she don't like yuh much undahstan'. Yuh git a little bit of 'er hair. Well, yuh take an' make her trim 'er fingahnails, an' take a little of dat fingahnail an' yuh mix it up tuhgethah [with the hair]. An' if yuh kin, git jis' a little bit of 'er urinate watah an' put it in a bottle - a little vial. An' evah mawnin' yuh open dat bottle an' thump it nine mawnin's straight out, an' dat'll give her love fo' yuh.
(You do this to get the girl's love?)
Yes sir, ah've tried it mahself.
(You take the cork out and each morning you thump it. You hit it?)
Yassuh, nine mawnin's. Yuh hit it nine times evah mawnin'.
Entry 4335
Take a person dat wan's tuh hur' chah [wants to hurt you]. Dey'll take - jis' lak yuh go out an' urinate. A person take yuh urinate an' go tuh a tree - go tuh de no'th side of a tree an' yuh'll bo' a hole in dere, an' put it in dere. An' aftah dey put it in dere, dey'll put a peg in dere. An' fo' nine mawnin's go dere an' tap dat peg one time, an' de ninth mawn- in' regardless tuh how a person look, when dey fuss [first] start, yuh git tuh de place yuh think yuh constipated [usually called waterbound]. De doctors can't do yuh no good. An' de ninth mawnin' when dey tap dat peg, dat's de day de per- son die.
(You mean where a person makes his water on the ground? Pick that up or what?)
No, jis' take his urinate.
[I am trying to solve the problem: bladder or bowels?]
(The liquid out of a pot or something? You mean the urine? You don't mean the action?) Jis' yuh watah. Anything out de [whatever informant calls it].
Entry 4374
Well, ah heard dat chew go out tuh de fo'ks of a road an' yuh take a person's - dis is tuh kill 'em. See, yuh take whut de' [they] do back heah, dere passage, an' put it in a bottle an' yuh go roun' tuh de fo'ks of de road, an' yuh dig a hole up in dere an' yo' turn de stoppah dis way up in de hole, see [demonstrates]. An' yuh pass by dere fo' nine mawnin's, jes' walk by yuh see, an' jes' hit on it lak dat, see. Well, dat last mawnin' yuh hit on it, dey gotta go. Ah'm tellin' yuh whut ah know. Dey gotta go. Dey cain't stay heah. It will kill 'em - kills 'em daid.
(How do you put that bottle in that hole now?)
[When he was demonstrating before I did not interrupt.]
Well, yuh put it in dis way wit de stoppah goin' in [demonstrates].
(Down into the hole like that, upside down.)
No, yuh dig a hole roun' disaway [demonstrates] see, in de fo'ks lak dis, an' let it go straight lak dat tuh yo', an' push it up in dere yuh see, an' daub mud back on it. (You dig a hole like a little tunnel under there and you push that stopper away from you or toward you?) Yuh push it away from yuh, an' let de back part be disaway tuh de road all de time, see. An' yuh pass by dat fo' nine mawnin's.
Entry 4375
Well, yuh takes a person's urinate, yuh know, yuh wanta stop 'is bow- els. Yuh take it an' put it in a bottle.
(YOU MEAN HIS BOWELS OR HIS URINE?)
[A number of times in HOODOO urinate is used for excrement.]
Yessuh. Yuh take an' put it in a bottle, an' when yuh put it in dat bottle, jes' put it in dat bottle an' stop it up. Be sure tuh stop it tight enough, even tuh de odor - nuthin cain't git out of it. Yuh kin stan' dat bottle up, jes' right straight up lak dat. Stand it up in de ground wit de bottom of it up, an' de othah part be's down. But let it be kinda slantin' lak dat. Jes' lak east, no'th an' south, yuh know. Yuh kin dig a hole an' slant it. Well, yuh stop it up in dere an' bury it, an' covah it up perfectly good an' jes' pack de dirt down on it. An' 'is bowels won't move un- lessen somebody fin' dat. If nobody evah find it, he will always have locked bowels.
(WHAT DOES THE EAST, SOUTH AND WEST HAVE TO DO WITH IT?)
WELL, DAT DE PRACTICE OF USIN' A PERSON GOIN', JES' WHICHEVAH WAY DE WORL' RUNS, YUH UNDAHSTAN'. DERE'S FO' CORNAHS TUH DE WORL', YUH UNDAHSTAN'. YO' KNOW DERE'S FO' CORNAHS TUH DE WORL' [so the Bible says in Rev.7:1]. Well, jes' lak dey bury yuh or me. Well, yuh know dey don' bury 'em only no'th an' south - his haid be's NO'TH AN' SOUTH prakly [practically] all de time. Well, DAT'S DE WAY YUH USE [to bury] DE [person with] "BAD POX". Well, his bowels stop. Well, yuh know, quite natchal [natural] a person kin [not] live long wit locked bowels. (Are you going to bury this bottle north and south or east and west? Which way are you going to bury it?) Yo' goin' BURY DIS BOTTLE NO'TH AN' SOUTH. An' evah nine days uh [ah = I] goes back an' search fo' dat bottle an' see is it still dere. When yuh git dere, hit dat bottle an' drive it deepah. Always drive it, don' let it straighten up, jes' contin'ly [continually] let it lay de same lak dat. Well, dat locks 'is bowels. He won't have no action.
Entry 4415
When yuh go outside - yuh know dey don't do dat roun' town. Dat's done in de country where dey ain't no sewage. But de last end dat come out - yuh know yuh bowels be's hard sometimes - dey take dat last end an' dey goes tuh de east side of a tree, an' bo' a hole in it, an' put dat in dere wit a peg an' yuh hit it fo' nine days. Stop dat up an' de last - de ninth day yuh drives it into de tree. An' de bowels nevah will move. Locked!
Entry 4423
Well, dat will stop 'em, too. Now, de way dat is done, yuh bo' a hole on de sunrise in de east an' den.
(You mean on the sunrise side of the tree?)
De tree, yes sir. An' aftah yuh bo' yuh hole in dere, den yuh take it an' put it in a piece of papah an' push it down dat hole an' drive a peg behin' it, an' call de person. Yuh call 'is name three times an' den evah time yuh call dey name yuh hit de peg. See, yuh got 'em. Dat locks 'is bowels. (Locks his bowel, after you put that passage in the hole.)
Entry 4424
Ah have seen dat, dis chamber lye [see later]. Dere wuz a man heah 'bout ten yeahs ago - no, it's been about twenty yeahs ago [1919]. He'd taken me, mahself, taken mahself an' buried me in a tree. An' when he buried me in a tree he sup- posed tuh hit it - tap dat wedge nine days an' den ah'd die. But he didn't tap it nine days. De Lord fixed it so dat ah wuz able tuh light [loosen] it an' knocked it out befo' ah begin tuh take bad. Befo' ah begin tuh take bad ah found it an' knocked it out.
(What did he put in the tree?)
[I ask this because of the preceding chamber lye.]
He put some of mine in-stuff in de tree, put nine needles in it.
(He put some of your passage?)
Yes sir.
(How did he prepare that?)
He took it somewheres an' put it in a tree, bo'd a hole in a big tree wit a augah, an' aftah he bo'd wit dat augah in de big tree, he'd taken nine needles an' put dem in dere. Den he made dis wedge, wedge or stoppah, an' put in dere an' hit it fo' nine masniln's, an' he didn't git a chance tuh hit it fo' nine mawnin's befo' de Lord fixed it so ah could find it. When ah founds it ah knock- ed it out an' ah got bettah.
(What did you do wdth it. just leave it there?)
Ah'd taken an' carried it to de house an' showed it tuh 'im, but de pains wuz shootin' up through mah haid lak dat. An' if ah had let it stayed dere an' he'd ahit it nine mawmin's, ah wouldn't have been heah today. Ah wuz goin' down, be- fo' ah'd taken tuh bed.
Entry 4458
Whut ah hear about a hickory tree. Now, jis' lak ah don' lak yuh an' ah wanta stop yuh - yuh know, stop yuh. An' yuh go tuh a lav'tory an' ah go an' ah git some of yuh passage. Well, ah'll go an' bo' a hole in dis tree, an' ah'll put dat in dis hickory tree. Well, see, ah'll put dat plug back in dere an' fo' nine mawnin's ah'll go dere fo' evahy mawnin', until nine mawnin's an' ah'll hit it. Take a hammah, yuh know, an' knock dat furthah an' furthah. Well, de ninth mawnin', say yuh be tryin' tuh have a leave up until den. Well, AH'M GOIN' FIX IT SO YUH CAN'T HAVE NO MO' UNTIL YUH DAID.
Entry 4475
Yuh kin git some of a person passage an' kin take dat passage an' yuh care it tuh a tree, a pine tree. Well, it don't make no diff'rence whut kinda tree. Yuh take dat, jis' some dey passage, yuh undahstan', an' yuh nail it up in dat tree, yuh see. Now, dey tell me fo' a fac' dat will kill yuh if dat ain't relieved. Yuh put dat passage in dat tree an' take yuh a augah an' bo' a hole in dat tree an' yuh put dey passage in dat tree. Yuh take yuh a wedge an' put dat wedge in dat. Now, if yuh wanta kill 'em yuh drive dat thin' up in dere. Well, yuh drive da thin' evah mawnin' befo' de sun rise. Yuh'll drive dat, hit dat peg. Well, now, if yuh wanta kill 'em yuh'll drive dat - de ninth mawnin' yuh'll drive in dat peg, yuh'll find 'em purtty real sick. Den yuh go ovah dere tuh dat same wedge befo' sunrise evah mawnin' an' hit it seven mo' mawnin's. Nine mawnin's, yuh undahstan', [and] seven mawnin's. An' den about de eighth mawnin', den he'll be jis' about dead. An' now, if yuh jis' wanta put 'em in a lingahin' condition wit dat, yuh jis' - don't have it too tight, don't drive it in. Dat jis' lingah' dem long as yuh got dat wedge in dere [not too tight]. Dat's tuh put 'em in a lingahin' condition. Dat's wit dey passage.
Entry 4784
Knot an' tie it nine times, an' drive it ag'in in a hole. Bo' a hole [in a tree] an' hit off yuh. Aftah yuh git it roun' a person's wais' or somepin, somepin puhtainin' [pertaining] tuh 'is wais' or laig or somepin of dat kine [kind], git a piece of 'is clothes. (What will that do then?) Dat will kill yuh. (You mean, they take a piece of my clothing an' tie it in nine knots, and then put it in this hole in a tree. And then what will it do?) Den go dere an' hit it evah mawnin', once evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's. An' dat kill yuh.
Entry 5123
Yo' throw de person's shoes at [and hit] de head of de front steps in ordah tuh keep 'em at home, or eithah wheresoevah dey are tuh bring 'em back. [This two-purposes rite cast in a one action form must be some- what rare. Actually there is a second but unexpressed action, the intention either to keep home or to bring back.]
Entry 5730
Ah tell yo' about de foot track as fur as ah knows. Yo' drags dat track from de toe an' drag it back wit dem two fingers, until yo' thoroughly gits back to de heel. [Demon- strates.] (You take the right hand and the index finger and the little finger. Make them as a shovel and drag it back towards the heel. And you begin with that track - your thumb must touch the heel and then where those two fingers rest, you draw them back like that.) Right in de centah of de track. Yo' takes dat track an' yo' buy yo' a bottle of ink, an' yo' mix jis' enough of dat in dat track tuh make a li'le, yo' know, a dough of it yo' might say. Den yo' go tuh a growin' tree on de sundown side an' bo' a hole right down at de foot of it. Put dat in it, pack it up, an' go back dere fo' three days evah mawnin' an' give it [peg] one tap. De third mawnin' yo' have it [peg] in wit [even with] de tree. Den take some of dat same ink an' stain all roun' dat place, an' go on about chure business. Dat man nevah go out in peace. Dat will jis' run 'im com- plete 'way from dere.
Entry 5731
They take the right footprint and take this and wrap that in a rag. And put High John de Conquer and Adam-and-Eve, and they said a eagle's feather, and put that in a [the same] rag. And cut a hole with a auger in a green tree and put that in there. And strike nine licks on the stopper that chew put in there for nine days. And you do that in the morning before sunrise and then do it before you speak to anybody in the moring. That will put the person in a lingering condition and will finally die.
Entry 5732
Yo' kin take dat foot track, if she's if's [if it's] a woman an' yo' in love wit 'er an' she's tryin' tuh 'bandon [abandon] 'erself from yo', yo' git 'er foot track as same she's goin'. Firs' place, yo' saw 'er foot track where she's comin' tuh yore resident [resi- dencel. Yo' take dat foot track an' yo' scoop it up dis way, from de heel goin' tuhward de toe, yo' see, in de sand. Yo'll put dat in a bottle an' yo'll let dat bottle - yo'll take some of yore chamber lye an' puts [it in] de bottle wit dat sand. An' yo' let dat sand stay dere nine days. An' de tenth day yo' take a nail, one dese heah No.6 nails, a pusson [person] might Say, or a No.8 nail. Yo'll drive [that] in de no'th side of a sweet gum tree, Jo'see, an' yo'll strike dat nail evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's. De tenth avnin' yo'll drive it plumb up, see. Now, dat's a woman dat chew in love wit an' she's tryin' tuh 'bandon 'erself from yo'. When yo' drive it up de tenth mormin', drive dat nail up, it ain't gwine be den ovah two-three days 'fo' [be- fore] she'll come back. Don't care where she at. See, she'll come back tuh yo'. Dat's yore love yo' see.
(What do you do with that bottle all this time?)
Yo' got dat bottle jis' anywheres roun' de house. Yo' keep dat bottle. Yo' got it in a preserved place yo' see.
Entry 6233
Dey could git chure hair an' go tuh a hole, if dey wanted tuh run yuh crazy. Go tuh a hole of a tree an' - bo' a hole in a tree an' put de hair in it. An' git some of yuh nurinate whut chew done, an' put in dat hole an' stick a peg in dere. An' drive dat peg fo' nine mawnin's. An' if yo' didn't go crazy, dey say it would kill yuh.
Entry 6861
If yo' have a enemy dat chew - accordin' tuh de enemies dat chew know - yo' bury 'em in de ground an' make [a] wish, an' de same sickness or de influence dat dey have put on yo' will return back tuh dem. (How many of these nails do you put in there, you say?) Sometimes yo' use five an' sometime yo' use nine ten-penny nails.
(How do you prepare those nails?)
Yo' jis' buy 'em from de store. An' yo' take dose nails an' yo' hit 'em on de haid fer nine mawnin's, an' aftah.dat yuh bad luck return tuh de one dat send 'em. Dey claim dat de bad luck will turn back tuh dem, tuh de ones dat sent it.
[Nails are new.]
Entry 7789
Ah know of a man gittin' a gravevine stick, but he have it dressed, dressed, load it up wit a piece of li'le small lodestone an' brimstone an' put it in dat stick wit graveyard dirt. Put it in, in de stick. Have yo' a separate hole bo'd [bored] fo' it. Yo' 'tend [attend] tuh dat yo'self an' nobody won' observe any hole 'bout it. An' if yo' knock a man wit it, why he'll lingah - dat cuz 'im tuh lingah an' pass away. [If I may guess at the intention here: the lodestone attracts the person to be present for the hitting, the brimstone sends him to hell, after the graveyard dirt has killed him.]
Entry 7889
Dey tell me yo' take an' git yuh sock, an' dere's somepin or othah yo' kin do an' run yo' crazy. Dey take dat sock an' dey git some graveyard dirt. An'. if dey want, dey kin git - choo know, dere's a scorpion in de woods dey call de wood- bitch. Yo' kin git 'im an' cut 'is haid off an' let it dry. When 'is haid been dried, come an' powdah dat up. Yo' take dat [wood-bitch powder] an' take dat graveyard dirt an' mix it [and put it in or on the sock] yo' see. An' yo' take dat [sock] an' yo' kin care [carry] it on de nō'theast side of a pine tree. Yo' bear [bury] it down dere an' drive a stäve down in it, yo' see [demonstrates].
(Hit an imaginary stäve or stake 6 times.)
Dat settles it. [This is one of many mock burials. The victim if unnamed is always intended by name. Here the victim is buried in the shade of a pine tree, so that he will gradually pine away. North instead of northeast side would probably have meant a quicker death.]
Entry 7966
Dey say dat yo' do dat, dey say dat will kill a person. (Will you explain how it's done. Do you know how it's done?) Well, dey say yo' make it jes' lak yo' makin' a grave an' yo' put de haidbo'd an' de footbo'd an' evahthing like dat. An' yo' put a stob [stake] in de centah of it lak dat [demonstrates] - a li'le stick, a stob in de centah of it lak dat. An' dey say yo' go dere evah mawnin' befō' sunrise an' knock dat peg, hit it one lick fo' nine mawnin's. When dat peg git on down in dere, dey tells me dat settles it. (You dig a little hole like a grave and put a headboard and a footboard to it?) Fix it jes' lak a grave. (Then you put that stick in the middle, that you drive down in. What is that stick supposed to be, that stick in the middle?) Dat stick in de middle, dat supposed tuh give yo' heart failure, dey say. Go dere nine mawnin's befo' de sun rise.
Entry 8209
An' den yo' would take an' write a person's - draw a person's pitsture am'write dere name on a tree.
(Do you draw their picture on the tree?)
Yo' draw dere pitsture on a tree, jis' lak yo' would take an' go dere an' draw a pitsture on de tree. If yo' don' wanta skin it where anybody would take notice, yo' would draw a pitsture on de tree, namin' it him, an' den write undah it dat it him. An' take a nail, a fo'-penny nail, an' drive right in de centah of 'is haid. An' says yo' nail dat fo' nine mawnin's, yo' go dere an' tap it, an' de ninth mawnin' yo' drive it plumb in. An' dis person will die.
(You write his name and just say It's him on it?)
[He may have said It's him before recording began. He now says person must not be plainly identified.1 Yo' write his name, yo' make it kinda a sign. Don't make it plain where peo- ple kin read it an' all lak dat, don't chew know, but jis' lak imitatin' writin'. Well, yo' name it. Dat's 'is name. An' yo' draw dat pitsture, jis' - yo' know. An' den yo' take an' drive dat nail in dere an' - fo' nine mawnin's yo' would go dere an' tap dat nail an' de ninth mawnin' yo'd drive it in.
Entry 8318
[We have already met in this section on photographs a considerable number of rites concerned with shooting them on a tree - see Nos.8272-8295. Here are non-shooting ones in a workable order, a logical one being impossible.] Ah heard talk of 'em drivin' a nail in a tree, but now yo'd have tuh have yore pichure. Now, yo' see, dey tell me dat yo' takes a pi- chure an' if it's a tintype pichure - a pichure made on a tin - say yo' take dis heah pichure an' yo' takes a nail. An' yo' goes tuh dis heah - puts it on a apple' tree. An' yo' jes' sticks it in dis mawnin' an' hits it. An' yo' goes tuh it fo' nine mawnin' an' yo' drive dat nail, an' say on de ninth mawnin' dat chew drive dat nail [all the way into tree]. Dey say den it would kill yo'. An' den, say if yo' make it on a - jes' a papah or pastebo'd, den fo' de ninth mawnin' yo' go dere an' hit it, say it would make yo' sick.
(Do they put that nail any special place in the picture?)
Put it right in de heart, right through de heart of de individual whosomevah dey is on de pichure, jes' as neah in de heart as dey kin git it. Jes' imagine de heart an' put dis nail in de heart.
Entry 8326
Yo' kin take dat, de pichure an' pluck out ev'ry eyes. Carry it in de woods to a tree to de sundown side an' nail it on dat tree an' fo' nine mawnin's ev'ry mawnin' go dere an' give a tap on dat nail fo' nine mawnin's. In nine mawnin's dey'll drift on away.
(You first pluck out the eyes?)
Yes.
Entry 8331
Den yo' kin take - if he's 'way from yo' an' yo' worried, mad becuz he's gone - yo' kin take his pichure or her's an' go tuh a tree, an' put it on de side dat de sun rises on. Well, yo' gits up early in de mawnin' 'bout six 'clock or six-thirty an' don' say a word tuh anyone. Well, yo' goes out dere den an' yo' hit dis heah pichure, drive a nail through dat in de heart, an' yo' hit it right on dere. Well, now yo' hit it fo' nine mawnin's an' in nine mawnin's yo'll die.
Entry 8346
Dey kin take yore photograph an' tack it up on a tree or anywhere in de house an' jes' about - yo' kin tell jes' about where yore heart lay, an' yo' kin drive a nail dere. An' yo' start de nail wit one lick an' evah mawnin' yo' call dat person's name an' hit dat nail one lick - evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's. But evah time yo' hit de nail one lick, call de person's name an' sompin will happen tuh him. He'll eithah fall an' git killed, git run ovah, or gits done 'way wit.
(That kills him?)
Yes sir. [Brunswick, Ga., (just before No.1240). 2104:9.]
Entry 8348
Or yo' kin take a person pichure an' put it intuh a tree. Bo' a augah hole intuh a tree an' put it in dere, an' put a tenpenny nail in dere at de middle of it, about where de navel be in de pichure, an' drive one lick on dat nail evah day fo' nine days. An' de last day yo'll drive dat nail in de tree, dat person ceases out - it will kill dat person.
Entry 8350
Whut chew kin do wit dat. Yo' take dis heah pichure whut yo' made yo know, if a fellah wants tuh do sompin real bad tuh yo', he kin take dat pichure an' go 'bout, chew might say, "cross de woods up 'ginst a long tall pine tree. An' he kin take, whut chew might say, dese eight- penny nails, an' he kin take dat pichure an' stick it 'ginst de tree an' nail dat dere. An' go dere fo' nine mawnin's, yo' might say, hit dat nail on de haid. An' it will run yo' stone crazy.
Entry 8357
If she wants tuh kill yuh, she kin take it in de woods an' tack it up agin a tree an' hit it nine times, an' de tenth time she hit, it kills yuh.
(I see, your photograph.)
Entry 8366
Yo' kin take a photograph an' yo' kin put it in a pine tree wit a twen- ty-penny nail an' - an' a hammer. See, yo' go dere an' yo' hit dat twenty-penny nail fo' nine mawnin's, an' each time yo' hit dat twenty- penny nail, yo' kin look back ovah yore left shoulder, so dey says, an' de ninth mawnin' yo' hit dat twenty-penny nail, drive it all de way in. Dat person will die.
(Why do you look back over that shoulder, do you know?)
No suh, ah don'. [You will probably see the devil or the spirit of the person being killed. Or this lays the ghost of the dying person.]
Entry 8382
Well, ah heard people say if yo' put one's pichure on a tree an' - yo' know, yo' bo' a hole in de tree an' put it up in dere. An' if yo' drive a tenpenny nail, yo' go dere an' yo' knock dat nai Lfo'[ nine mawnin's, jes' one time each mawnin', an' make yore wish whut chew wanta happen, an' it will.
(Anything you want done?)
Yes.
Entry 8736
If a boy would go off from home an' stay a long time an' his mother want 'im back, an' he jis' won't go home, an' she Want to see him: She kin take a nail an' a hammer, an' go to de front doah an' hit dat nail three time, an' call your [his] name three time. An' wheresomevah he is in de world, gon'a git worried up until yo' [he] git back there where she at.
Entry 9143
Dey git chew up when yo' goin' 'fore de judge, yo' set right down 'fore de judge, yo' set right down 'fore de judge dere an' yo' goin' be tried tuhmah- rah. Ah nevah did tell yo' all about dis, it's a secret. Dey goin' try yuh. All right, yo' understan', yo' go tuh work an' git chew some black peppah an' put it in yore pockets; an' git chew some sul- phuh an' salt tuhgethah, an' put dat in yore pockets. Dat so it will be a hot case an' git 'em all tangled up. Undahstan'? Jes' hot as dat stuff in yore pocket, de hottah de case will be; but it all will be in yore favahs [in your favor]. Evah time it will be in yore favahs, yo' see. Well, den, when yo' git ready tuh leave home - yo' goin' be tried tuhday - yo' leave home. Yo' tell yuh wife, undahstan', or yore brothah, whoevah it is, be sure tuh git one of yore left foot of yore ole shoes - de ole shoes, not a new one. One dat's throwed aside, yo' undahstan'. An' yo' gotta tell dem whut tuh do. [I] says, when ah git offen de do'steps, ah tells mah daughtah or what- evah [whoever], says, dey chunk it as hard as dey kin. Hit me in de back. An' ah don' look back an' ah laugh. Hit me right in de back wlt it, wit dat shoe. Well, dey take dat ole shoe an' yo' goin' out dere an' WHAM! Don't chew look back, go right on. Now, if dey don' git de case dismissed...
Entry 9194
Den yo' kin take a aig, a fresh laid aig dat de hen, de fowl, laid. Well, jes' so it's an' aig of some little fowl on de yard - guinea or turkey or fowl-hen, eithah one - so it fresh, laid tuhday. An' yo' kin take it an' go out, if dis person goin' roun' makin"sturb- ment wit chew an' havin' a con- fusion in de neighborhood. Call dere name, yo' have dere name down good in yore mind an' says, "Now, by de he'p of de true livin' God, ah want dis thing settled. Wham! Pow! Bamm!" He's set- tled, don' know anything 'bout dat 'tall.
(You hit him any place you want to?)
Any place.
Entry 9216
Jes' take de aig right aftah she lay, an' gits de drop on [take an unexpected advantage of] de person an' count three times. Well, yo' say, one - two - when yo' say three de aig's done left yore han' an' hit right in de centah of dey do'. It hit right in de centah of dey do' an' drap down dere. Well, dey gone.
(What kinf of an egg do you use?)
A black hen. Yo' cain't use no othah chicken but a black hen. She's gotta be black an' not have a white spot about 'er.
Entry 9238
Yo' kin take a chicken aig an' yo' kin - jis' lak dat de aig [demon- strates] turn it dat way, de haid of it. Take dat chicken aig an' go outside where any couple's house is - yo' know, a married couple be - an' take dat chicken aig an' bust it up side of dat house, de haid of dat aig is turnt, an' dat'll bust 'em up. Dat'll separate 'em. (Do you use any kind of a chicken egg?) Any kind.
Entry 9763
Yo' could nail a person down. Dey say yo' take nails, tenpenny nails, an' yo' could put dat nail a certain place in yore yard, or anywhere else. An' if yo' wanta nail a person down, yo' go dere evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's an' yo' nail dat down. An' yo' hit dat one lick an' tell 'em - yo' know, yo' put in [you include] whut chew doin', whut chew nailin' it fo'. Yo' nail dat down an' de las' time say, "Ah'm nailin' yo' down: In de Name of de Fathah, Son an' de Holy Ghost." Dat sill hold a person down.
Entry 9765
Ah goes tuh de sto' an' ah buy me nine bran'new No.lO [tenpenny] nails. An' ah go down tuh de woods an' find me nine trees. Don't git de nine of 'em lak [alike]. Take a ole sweetgum, poplah, maple, blackgum, sycamo' an' all dose kind. Jes' git nine of dem [different types of] trees. An' ah take an' ah chip out a space. Ah have mah axe wit me, mah hatchet. Ah chip me a space out 'bout as large a [as a] dollah, silvah dollah. An' ah nail on dis one - maybe dat's west. Well, ah'll come [demonstrates] ovah east an' ah'll nail a nail dere, an' ah'll go back kinda west no'th [northwest] an' nail a nail dere. An' den ah'll come back in kinda southeast an' put a nail in dat one. But yo' gotta have all of dose nail jes' in de same way - east. Yo' have tuh put 'em all east. (You said before that you nailed these trees in the shape of an "E" - like the letter "E".) Da's whut ah'm speakin' of now. Yo' goes no'th, go west, an' come back dat Way [demonstrates]. Den yo' have 'em sometime in a straight line. Yo' kin put 'em kinda "v" shaped. Den yo'll go tuh work an' put all of dose nails in dose trees an' yo' hit 'em all three times dis [first] mawnin', tuh git 'em tuh stick in de trees. Den yo' come on back de time [return home]. De nex' mawnin' yo' gits up early - yo' always have tuh travel early. Yo' has tuh go out dere den while de dew's on 'em evah mawnin'. Yo' go down an' maybe git wet wit de dew an' den have tuh come back an' change yore clothes. Well, yo' hit dis firs' one maybe one time, de firs' one. Well, yo' be sayin' a li'l' prayah, de Lord's Prayah all de time while yo' hit it - de firs' one. De second one, yo' may hit it two times. De third one three times. Den de fo'th one fo' time. An' go on till yo' hit nine time on de las' one. Hit de las' one nine time on de firs' mawnin'. Den yo' have tuh go back dere evah mawnin' an' hit de firs' one two time, an' de nex' one fo' - yo' have tuh double dose when yo' go dere evah mawnin' fo' nine mawn- in's. (The last one on the second morning you would hit that 18 times, double nine. That last nail, the ninth nail, on the second morning you hit it nine times the first morning, and the second morning you go back there, you have to hit it 18 times?) Have tuh hit it 18, have tuh double it evah time. But chew have tuh hit 'em light - er [or] heavy enough so de las' mawnin', on de ninth mawnin', dey all would go in de same time. Yo' drive 'em all up on de same mawnin'. (But on the third morning would you have to double that ninth one, hit it 18 times? How much would you hit it the third morning?) Yo' have tuh double it evah time. Yo' have tuh double dat nine evah mawnin'. If yo' can't keep a record, yo' have tuh have yo' a pencil an' papah. An' git chew a tablet an' yo' gotta mark how many times yo' hit it dis mawnin', an' how many times yo' gotta hit it de nex' mawnin'. Do dat evah mawnin'. If yo' hit it 18 dis mawnin', yo' gotta figure how many it gotta be hit de nex' mawnin'. Yo' gotta carry dat pencil an' papah right wit chew wit' chure haumah when yo' hit it. An' when yo' drive 'em up on de last [day] hit 'em all even an' nail 'em all good at de same time. An' whatevah yo' want did, dat will he'p yo' - whatevah yo' workin' fo'.
Entry 10802
Yo' take a broom. A broom is a concern, jes' say fo' instance, yo' vorkin' wit someone, yo' know, an' dey smart or sompin lak dat, an' yo' jes' haul off an' hit 'em wit de broom. Dat will make a person have bad luck. Put bad luck on dem. Dey'll either git fi'ed [fired from his work] or sompin vill bg pen to him. [For hitting person with broom, also see JAIL margin title under BROOM later.]
Entry 10804
Ah'd knowed a little girl, Betty, ovah heah 'cross town. One morning she was sweeping up - little girl about six years old - an' her sister come by an' she hit her wit de broom. An' JD he come by dere an' dey hit him wit de broom. Miss Kate said, "Dat's bad luck," [she] says, "you shouldn't hit dat gal wit dat broom, Betty," [she] says, "ah'm goin' whupp yo'." [How do you punctuate this sort of discontinuity!] An' An by twelve 'clock dey had both of 'em in jail.
Entry 12461
Wit silver money dey have good luck. An' show it to de moon, an' he Walk back fo' so many - 'bout nine steps backwards; an' then yo' turn roun' an' hit those steps wit dat money, an' say de moon give yo' good luck. [This is a tricky rite to perform in moonlight. I suggest it could be come as follows: facing moon and holding silver coin in right hand, if you are right-handed, step backward with right foot, kneel down, touch track made with coin. Now step back with left foot, kneel down, touching this track with coin. Continue for the 9 steps and tracks.]