Subject:Hold
Entries
Entry 2845
Take de knife an' fo'k lak yo' fixin' de table, an' de parties dat chew - but dat kills people, dey tell me. Yessuh. An' yo' puts dat black candle in dere an' dere name wrote jes' lak ah tole yo', but it's gotta be on a brand-new white plate wit dat name underneat' dat plate where dat knife an' fo'k is set around dat candle, crossed, yo' understand, an' dat name underneat' dat, underneat' dat plate, with de black candle. Dat runs 'em crazy with their haid.
(How do you write that name on that piece of paper?)
Yo' write it backwards, jes' dat one party's name dat chew wanta do dat to.
(Just once?)
Yessuh.
Entry 3240
If a woman wants tuh kill a man - jis' lak if dat's 'er sweetheart an' she wants to git 'im out 'er way, [they] say she kin take a penny an' put it undah her tongue while dey's makin' a connection togeth- ah an' says, whenevah he goes to make his end, well she's gwine [to] hol' 'er breath while dat penny's undah de tongue. An' dey say dat'll paralyze him. Say it won't kill 'im right den, it'll jis' give him a stroke, he can't walk - he won't be no mo' service to hisself.
Entry 3243
How to git rid of 'em? Yo' have a Indian head penny an' buy a pocket han'skuff or eithah a piece of domestic, jis' so it a new piece of cloth. When yo' have a intahco'se wit 'im, why den yo' don't make connection, jes' let 'im make de connection. An' den yo' try to handle [the cloth] in a way da choo [That you] git all dat [semen] on [in?] one sass [sauce, try to collect the semen in one spot]. Yo' put dat Indian head penny right in de middle of dat stuff, an' den yo' tie it. All right, an' yo' sleep on it. Well, dis hol's 'im. An' de minute choo wan'a git rid of 'im, yo' jis' turn it loose, jis' throw de rag away an' take de penny an' spend it.
Entry 3314
An' den I've heard dat yo' go an' yo' git ten-penny nails an' a piece- I'M ASHAMED TO TALK.
(YOU GO RIGHT AHEAD, I'VE HEARD ALL THAT.)
Red flannen, piece of red flannen an' den dey get a piece of dis ah - ah dis root choo call...
[A long pause.]
(What?)
John de Conkah. Gits a piece of dis John de Conkah root an' yo' puts dat in dere an' den dey gits a piece - den if yo' kin git yore husban' when yo' have connection wit yore hus- ban', git a piece of towel an' yo' put 'em undahneath de steps an' den yo' throw - dey say yo' 'throw chamber lye undahneath dere fer nine mawnin's, see. An' on de ninth mawnin', if dat man's gone, dat man will be comin' back fast.
(Now, you do this after that bottle has been there nine days?)
No, yo' put dat dere - no, dat ain't got nuthin to do wit de bottle.
(Oh! this is something different, I see.)
It's somethin' diff'rent. (You put this John de Conker and that other stuff [semen] in this piece of red cloth, and put that under the step for nine days. And the nails in there?) Uh-huh, an' den yo' put 'em undahneath de steps, see. An' dan yo' take de chamber lye - yo' [this] suppose to be done so nobody see it, nobody kin see yo 'tall [at all], an' yo' throw it dere fo' nine mawnin's, nine straight maunin's. See now?
Entry 3376
Take de dishrag when yo' mess togethah, only de woman mustn't dis- charge. Gen'ally de men do all dat. Den yo' take dat dishrag an' yo' clean 'i off wit it. An' take de hair out de top of 'is haid an tie it togethah, an' put it up 'tween de mattress an' put one knot in it in de cornah, an' put it right in de middle of de mattress. An' he stays dere, he won't go. (You said the hair from the top of his head and the hair from down below, and you put it in the dishrag - tie it up in the dishrag. Then you put one knot in the dishrag.) Dat's right.
Entry 4319
Well, now, say fo' instan' [for an instance] if a woman has a husban' or a man dat is hard tuh handle, an' say dat he chases aroun' wit othah women an' she wants tuh take pos- session of 'im. She scrape de dead skin from de bottom of 'er foot an' she git a pint bottle or a half-pint bottle - howevah, an' she'll fill it full of his.
(Of what?)
A pint bottle of urine. She must have de slop jar, she must have dat perfec'- ly clean. She must see dat don' anybody urinate in dis jar but him. Now when she take dis bottle wit a screw top, an' she'll po' it two-thirds full of dis urine. Now she'll put de scrapin' from de bottom of 'er foot in dere an' she'll set dis bottle back in a dark place where dat nobody will see it. An' each mawn in' she'll make de screw on dat top fo' nine mawnin's, an' wit de last time she screw it, it wants tuh be tight where she cain't screw it no mo', yo' undahstan'. Den she keeps dat bottle back an' dat's supposed tuh make dis fellah jis' de same as a baby, easy tuh handle. Whatevah she says goes.
Entry 4577
Yuh kin take dat bow out dat man's hat, an' yuh kin take a powdah called love powdah [later called movin' powdah] an' calcimine powdahs [calcimine], an' he's bound tuh come [to the woman]. He'll do anything yuh say do. Dey take dat bow [out of the hat, untie it - see KNOTS later for untying - put the powders on it] an' jis' double [fold once] dat bow tuh 'em, an' dey put three pins in dat bow [thus shutting up the powders inside the bow]. [Informant now demonstrates how these three pins hold in the powders.] Yuh stick one head dis way [up], an' yuh stick the othah head down, an' put dis one right across [the other two]. [This produces a double cross, even a triple cross or three daggers like this H. Joo take dat an put it in yer shoe an' wear it.
(What were the names of these powders?)
Dey call one of 'em de movin' powdah, all right, an' yuh call one calcimine. De movin' powdah is tuh move yuh back tuh dem; de calcimines powdah is tuh make things clean [as calcimine normally does, but here by symbolically cleaning the return road home of all difficulties]. [Come home, all is forgiven. But by wearing the bow in her shoe she indicates a determination to keep him under her foot!]
Entry 5473
If yo' want 'em tuh go, yo' kin git de track up from yo' - take it from yo'. See, if yo' want 'em tuh go [demonstrates]. (Here's the toe here and here's the heel, then I take it up right like that. Like this?) Start at de hollah of de foot an' take it from dere tuh de toe. See, dat whut ah mean. Yo' want 'em tuh go. Take it jis' dis way, see. An' yo' take dat foot track an' put chew some red peppah an' some salt in dere. Listen, some grave- yard dirt, an' sew dat up an' go tuh de rivah befo' de sunrise. Yo' kin turn yore back an' throw it right where de watah's runnin' right along, an' throw it ovah dis way [demonstrates].
(Over your right shoulder?)
Yes. An' when yo' leave, yo' kin say anythin' - some of de baddest things, an' don't look back, an' walk away an' nevah look back. Dey'll go. An' if yo' wan' 'em tuh stay, yo' take it tuh yo' - if yo' wan' 'em tuh stay. Take it up tuh yo', see. Take dat track an' yo' kin fold it in a piece of news- papah. See, stretch it on out an' write dere name down nine times, an' pin it ovah yore do' an' make yore wish - where dey's comin' in an' out. An' dey's comin' in dere. Dey will continue comin' as long as yo' - until yo' take dat up an' destroy dat. Dat's tuh bring 'em, see, if yo' wanta.
Entry 5745
If a man wants tuh hold 'is job wit a man, dey take an' git 'is right foot, right track, right in de heart [hollow of foot]. Pick it up three times, d'; not comin' back, goin'. An' git dat track somepin lak dis heah [demon- scates] lak he come, goin' disaway. Yo' walk behin' 'im an' git it disaway [demonstrates]. (He's going one way and you walk behind him and pick it up the opposite way. Bring it back to you. I mean, back from the way he is going.) Now dat's three times. Den yo' git one of yours. Keep agoin' an' don't look back. Take dem two tracks an' yo' put dem two tracks tuhgethah. (His and yours.) Yourn an' his'n, an' yo' take dem two tracks an' yo' go right at 'is office, an' yo' put dat undah dere jis' about dat deep [demonstrates].
(Couple of inches deep.)
Git chew a pin or needle that nevah been stuck an' a piece of cloth, an' stick dat pin down in dere. Let de point be up an' let 'im walk ovah dat. Den yo' gain his influence. Dat's de way ah heard 'em say.
(I see, that is to get a job or hold it.)
Entry 5748
In case yore lovah is gone 'way from yuh ag'in an' yo' wanta bring 'im back, yo' kin take yore foot track de way he's gone. Take de track an' pull it back towards yo', an' put it in some of yore urination an' put it in a bottle an' stop it up. An' dat will bring 'im back, an' she kin keep im. (Where do you keep this bottle then?) Oh, yo' know de do'step, if yo' have a steps. Put it undah de do'steps. If not, put it somewhere where he could walk ovah it.
(How many tracks do you take, just one track?)
One track, his right track. Git it - yo' know, bring it back towards yo', as he goes from yo'. See, yo' wanta bring 'im back to yo' [demonstrates].
(Bring the toe back to the heel.)
Entry 5986
Well, if she kin git 'im back she go to de Ten Cent Sto' an' buy her a bottle of Hearts Cologne, if she kin git in touch wit 'im to git dat much of hair oata his haid - a strand of hair. Put it to de Hearts Cologne. Turn de bottle apside down an' call 'is name. When he answah, screw de top - shut de voice up in dere an' he can't stay away. HE'LL COME BACK IN SMILES.
(She does this when he is gone. She gets some of his hair?)
His hair. She hide some place while he gone, an' whensoevah he come in, she has his hair in de bottle, an' jes' call 'im quickly. He'll glance up quickly. Screw de top. She's got 'im. [To hold a bottle of perfume upside down with the cork stopper unloosened, while calling a name and waiting for an answer, could be a delicate operation. But we must realize that the cork is barely untwisted and that the spirit in the answering voice can fly - or what- ever a spirit does - through the smallest crack.] [For catching spirit in a bot- tle, see p.24.]
Entry 6086
Well, ah heard in mah days past if yo' had a woman or a man an' yo' wnted tuh make love wit 'em an' wanted tuh make 'em stay wit yo', [take] some [hair] from de centah of de top of dere haid an' some of de hair from dey body down heah. An' some of de hair from undah dere arms. An' Cobine dat an' carry dat wit yo' to a young grave, where yo' could bury it. Or, yo' know, yo' could take all of dat an' if yo' wanted to make a person leaveyo', S0 dey'd worry 'bout yo' an' wanta come back to yo', but dey couldn't come back yo', jes' throw it in runnin' watah.
Entry 6092
Oh yes. Yeah. Well, now a woman kin take de hair off a man private down dere, an' take hit an' git her a piece of red flannel an' nine pins, an' sew it up in dat piece of red flan- nel. Dat hair, sew it up in dat piece of red flannel an' wear dat roun' 'er waist fo' nine days. An' if she want dat man tuh stay wit 'er, she'll keep it roun' 'er waist; an' if she want dat man tuh go, den she kin take it an' turn - jes' look attah dat man an' say, "Go, go, ah hope ah nevah see yo' no mo'." An' throw dat hair, an' he'll go an' he'll nevah come back no mo'.
(Where does she throw it?)
Jes' throw it anywhere, jes' so she throw it an' don' look aftah [back at] it. Den he'll nevah come back no mo'.
Entry 6451
(What do they do with those fingernails and toenails?)
Ah hear'd 'em say dat dey cut 'em an' put 'em in a snuffbox, an' go tuh de cemetery an' take a dime, an' reach yore han' as fer as yo' kin in de centah - ah mean in de centah of de grave - an' take jis' as much of dat dust as dat dime kin hold. An' ah hear 'em say yo' kin put it in a snuffbox an' throw it in a runnin' stream. An' dat's all ah know about it.
(What will that do to you then?)
Run yo' away, dat's whut dey tell me.
Entry 7220
An' a girl, she wuz wantin' tuh leave. She wuz goin' tuh leave me lak on a Friday evenin' an' ah wuz lovin' 'er real hard an' ah didn't wan' 'er tuh go. She wuz goin' tuh leave me an' ah didn't Wan' 'er tuh go. So ah goes tuh a man [doctor] an' he tells me tuh go ahead an' go tuh a grave- yard befo' dat dat mawnin' an' git some dirt from undah - from off a man's breast, right off 'is heart, an' put it in a piece of flannel cloth; an' go tuh a grave where a woman hadn't been long died an' git some dirt offa her heart. An' den take it [both dirts] an' sew it up in a piece of red flannel cloth an' tote it on me. Tie it on mah lef' side, an' he guarantee dat she wouldn't leave. An ah did dat an' she didn't go nowhere. Yo' kin take graveyard dirt an' go tuh a stream of runnin' watah an' turn yore back an' throw it upstream, crost yore lef' shouldah, an' if dey wanted tuh go some place dey couldn't go. (Well, wouldn't you do something else, use someone's hair or something of that sort?)
[Informant ignores my leading question.]
Dat if ah wuz in love wit somebody an' she wuz fixin' tuh leave, an' prob'ly ah would heah dat, an' couldn't git 'er not tuh leave, an' ah could git some graveyard dirt an' go tuh any stream of runnin' watah, an' turn mah back an' throw it behin' me upstream. An' she wouldn't wanta leave, she can't go.
(You don't say anything while you are doing it?)
[Again my leading question is ignored.]
No suh, not anything at all. Jis' go by yo'self an' throw it crost yore left shouldah, an' she'll stay dere. [The intention of the rite is sufficient here.]
Entry 7235
Dat would be whut de root man, dis hoodoo doctor - dat would be whut he would do.
(What will he do? Will you tell me that again? What would he do?)
Now in case dat yo' wus hurted by anyone an' yo' would go tuh a root doctor. Well, dis doctor, he would draw dis pichure of de individual who did dat tuh yo' an' den, aftah dat, he would build a fire an' in front of de smoke, yo' see, he'll hold de pichure up yo' undahstan'. Put it, yo' know, on a stick or somepin an' den yo' shoot [the picture drawn by the root doctor].
(Who does the shooting, you or he?)
Yo' do it. Yo' will do it yuhself.
(That keeps away trouble.)
Entry 7247
Tuh make a woman an' a man stay tuhgethah, de firs' things ah heer'd, when ah wuz growin' up - yo' know, grown folks would be talkin' an' dey wouldn't be talkin' tuh me an' ah would ketch some of dese things. Ah'd be workin' roun' - co'se [of course], mah gran'- mothah an' aunts could heah things dat grown people said. Ah heer'd some things. She said dat one time dere wuz a woman had a fellah an' he liked anothah girl. Said de woman took an' washed 'er feet right good an' den washed 'er hands an' washed from undah 'er ahms an'aroun' 'er neck, an' she washed dose places about 'er body real clean. Said de firs' place she washed from undah 'er ahms an' she squeezed dat in de watah an' she goin' tuh give it tuh 'im in somepin tuh eat. An' dey say, aftah she squeeze dat in de watah, said den she washed ag'in an' ag'in squeezed dat in de watah. Washed in palm of 'er hand an' squeezed dat in de watah. Washed dis hand an' squeezed dat in de watah. Said den she turn roun' an' didn't wash once but de nex' time tuh make it clean, an' she washed undah de bottom of 'er feets, instead of washin' 'em out dat way, she washed 'em tuh 'er, an' den cross-marked 'er hand on each foot, an' she squeezed dat in de watah. Well, she said dat worked around all right fo' awhile, den dat wore off. Den she turned aroun' an' washed 'er feet an' scraped 'em an' took de dead skin from de foot an' put all of it tuhgethah an' put it in a pot an' boiled it. An' when she did boil dat, den she goes tuh work an' strains dis watah an' put dat in somepin tuh eat an' dat's whut kept him. Dey claim he follahed 'er each an' evahwhere she'd go. Den dey said it commence tuh weah [wear] off an' she got - it's anothah part about chew dat only be's once a month, an' she got dat. She got about half tea- spoonful of dat, counted tuh seven drops of dat an' put dat in it. An' dat kept 'im.
(She would only use seven drops of that?)
Yessuh. An' put dat in an' dose drops lasted a yeah - seven yeahs. Den anothah woman tole her tuh take a tablespoonful of weewee an' put it in, an' dat still kept 'im. Dat kept 'im awhile den an' den dat begin tuh weah [off]. She tole her tuh go an' buy some beefsteak, an' she bought dat. She tole her tuh take her fingah about 'erself an' take an' wipe it on dis an' po' gravy ovah it. An' dat kept 'im. She said dat kept 'im until death.
(You said one woman did all these things?)
One woman told all dis about one woman, an' dis one woman had so much trouble wit 'im. He wuz supposed tuh be a very nice-lookin' man, it seemed lak dat all de women wuz 'bout tuh take him, an' it seemed lak she intend tuh have him an she tried all dese things.
Entry 7659
Go tuh de graveyard an' git some graveyard dust from de sunrise [east] side an' put it in de left shoe of de person dat dey wanted tuh be made faithful, yo' undahstan'. If it's a woman dat's un- faithful or if it's a man dat unfaithful, put dat graveyard dust in dat left shoe an' dat will have de desired results. (That will make them stay at home. Take some old shoe that they won't know about?) Yes, some of de shoes dat dey weah, ah presume jes' de shoe dat dey weah. Jes' lak if it were mah left shoe an' mah wife could arrange tuh have somebody dat had dat craft [witchcraft] yo' know, tuh git dat [dirt] an' [I] wear it on me mos' evah day, why ah wouldn't run away. Ah have tuh be faithful. Git it from de east side, from de sunrise side of de grave.
(They go out there you say when?)
Sometime, yo' undahstan' about sundown.
Entry 7686
Dey say dat chew [a woman] could go tuh de cemetery, but yo' have tuh go dere at midnight, an' git dis graveyard dirt. Well, ah do know a woman dat says she went dere. Says she git dis graveyard dirt but yo' gits it outa de breast of a sinnah, a person dat chew know is a sinnah. Yo' go dere an' yo' git it right up outa his breast, an' tell 'im dat chew git- tin' dis heah dust an' yo' want it tuh hold sech-an'-sech-a-one. Yo' gittin dis - jes' lak yo' go an' git it, says So-an'-so, ah'm gittin' dis. Ah wan' chew tuh hold sech-an'-sech-a-one fo' me. An' yo' kin take dat graveyard dirt an' sprinkle it aroun' in yore house fo' nine mawnin's an' he [the man for whom the rite is worked] come an' tell yo' jes' evahthin' mos'ly dat he know. He'll come tuh tell yo' mos'ly evahthin' dat he know in de line of some woman dat he's been naggin' attah [after] or de woman naggin' attah 'im.
Entry 8199
Well, ah learnt dat chew kin take a person's photo an' if yo' wants to do dem any harm, sech as killin', dat maybe yo' kin take it an' hold it ovah a lookin'-glass twixt - aftah de sun raise one hour, an' take an' carry it back tuh yure mantelpiece an' put it ovah yore mantelpiece. Turn de glass down ovah it. An' dey say in nine mawnin's he'll be a daid person.
(What kind of a glass do you turn over it?)
A lookin'-glass.
Entry 8418
If ah want chew tuh come back tuh me, well ah would put it [photo] in a glass of watah an' set it in a cornah, in a dark cornah, an' let it stay down dere. Turn de haid, heel foremost Iturn head where heel should bel yo' know. So ah jis' let it stay in dat dark cornah an' yo' is comin' back home.
Entry 8495
If yo' wants tuh be on de job or anything an' yo' want tuh stand in good wit yuh boss, yo' takes 'is name an' yo' git some loaf sugah, yo' put it in a bottle, yo' writes 'is name nine times, writes it tuh yuh, not from yuh. An' ah put's mah name on top of 'is, an' ah folds it tuh me, an' ah puts it in dis bottle. (You cross it or what?) Ah puts it ovah his'n an' ah crosses it, too. See, ah write his name first dis way an' den ah changes it an' write it dataway, an' ah switches ag'in - forward an' backward, undahstand.
(I see. All right.)
See, den ah folds it up an' ah puts it in dis bottle wit cinnamon an' sugah, an' ah buries it. An' ah weahs his name in mah shoe an' keeps it dere in mah shoe. An' when ah weahs it out, well ah puts anothah one in dere. See, dat's tuh stay on de job.
Entry 8644
(What do you do with that lemon?)
Take yore lemon - jis' 'long as de pin [as many pins as you have] will go roun' it - an' put de name of de individual dat chew want. Cut de lemon in half an' put dat name in dere, an' den stick it all roun' wit pins an' bury it. Dat'll bring 'em back, too.
(You mean you stick this lemon together by sticking pins through it?)
Yessuh. Cut it [lemon] in half.
Entry 8768
You write your name down on a piece of paper, an' yo' write de othah party's name down on de other piece of papah. Well, if dat's someone dat yo wanta get back, an' yo' folds it [to you] three different ways. Well, because of the Way yo' foldin' it, yo' want dem tuh come back. Well, yo' have dere name turnt in de house, yo' see, an' every time, dey walk, yo' see, dey always goin' back in de house all de time, cause dere name is joined dat way. Well, if yo' want dem to stay out of de house, yo' turn de names up lak dat [demonstrates]. Yo' see, just like a... turn it up lak dat.
(You turn the names out if you want them to stay outside.)
If yo' want 'em to stay outside, yo' turn de names out de house. Jes' like yo' put it up ovah dat door [points to door of interviewing room]. Well, yo' turn de name out like dat. If yo' want dem to stay in, always come in yore house, turn de name dis Way [into house].
(I see.)
Entry 8837
Well, dey say yo' kin take dat, yo' han'writin'. Dey say dey kin take yore han'writin' an' dey kin put - yo' see, yo' take yore han'writin' an' yo' roll dat up, an' yo' put dat in a bottle wit sulphuh, red peppah an' gunpowdah. An' yo' put chamber lye in dis bottle an' yo' set it up dis way [demonstrates]. Stop it up airtight an' den yo' put fire aroun' dere. It will shoot up in dere - de stoppah will shoot up in dere an' de bottle will bu'st. Dey say dat will take effect on yore nerves - dat will effect yore nerves an' stuff lak dat - yore hands. Kinda throw yo' in palsy-lak, whut dey tell me.
Entry 8885
Yo' kin find out an' it [the rite] don' tell no lie. Yo' go git aBible an' yo' gits a brass key, an' yo' put dat brass key in dat Bible an' yo' ties it up tight, an' yo' holds it in yore han' lak dis - lak dat [demonstrates]. (With two fingers.) Yes, two fingahs. If not dat, chew kin git somebody else tuh hold one of de fingahs, an' yo' hold one an' say: By St. Petah, by St. Paul, 'tain't but de one God saves us all; if Sech-an'-sech a one stole mah money or anythin', any article, ah pray Bible wheel an' fall. An' dat Bible wouldn't move until yo' call de right one's name whut stole it. An' dat Bible jes' ease, ease roun' till it drops.
Entry 8887
As the proof, yo' will take a Bible, the Testament. Yo'll take a great big brass key. Yo'll place it in that Bible. Tyin' it well, hold it with two individual forefingers sayin' this word: By St. Peter, by St. Paul, by the Lord that made us all, if Chester have my pocketbook, leave the Bible, key, turn an' fall. An' if he's got it, it'll turn an' fall. Yo' kin call twenty differen' men's names an' when yo' get de right one, it turns. De other individuals, it stays neutral.
(I see. Then what Would you do to make him bring it back, anything?)
Why yo' go to 'im an' yo' tell 'im to bring it back, if yo' found out fo' sure he got it.
Entry 8888
Say fer instance if someone stole somepin from me, ah'd take de gartah offa mah laig an' put it aroun' de Bible, an' [I would get] yore front do' key, an' get someone else [to help me] with our big two [two big] fingahs, jis' lak dat [demon- stratesl.an' hole [hold] dat key undah dere [the garter]. Ah've seen dis done. Hole dat Bible right straight, don't let it move, an' yo' say: By St. Peter, by St. Paul, by de God dat made us all, if So-an'-so stole of mine, whutsomevah it is, de Bible turn an' fall. Well, if dey didn't take it, dat Bible won't move; an' if dey did take it, it'll jis' whirl aroun' offa yore fingah. [For similar rites, See BIBLE-DIME-GARTER, P.167f.]
Entry 8890
If yo' wanta find out de person dat done de stealin', yo'll git de Bible an' git a brass key, an' find de middle verse of de Bible - de very middle leaf an also de middle verse in dere. Ah don't know now [what it is], yo' see, 'cuz ah not much of a Bible readah. An' yo' jis' take dat [place] an' take dat key an' put it in de centah, an' tie a string on it an' tie it aroun' on de backside of de book, see. An' den'yo' git chew anothah fel- lah, yo' an' 'im tuhgethah, an' he put it on 'is fingah an' let de othah fellah bold it on 'is fingah. See, jis' put one fingah apiece on it, two persons. All right. Den de man whut wanna find out who did de stealin' - jis' lak us all be lined up, chew say, By St. Peter, by St. Paul, ain't but one God made us all. See. An' yo' supposed tuh say somepin else wit it but ah don't know jis' zactly [exactly] whut chew say, yo' see. An' den yo' say, If so, Henry stole so-an'- s0 - dis box or book - Bible please reel an' fall. An' if he stole it sure 'nuff [enough], dat Bible'll turn ovah. See, dat Bible'll turn right on 'is han' [hand] an' fall on de table or on de flo' on de [Bible's] face; but if not, it won't move. Dat whut chew do tuh find out.
Entry 8893
Well, ah'll tell yuh, yo' take a brass key, if yo' [want to] find out who it is; an' aftah tyin' de brass key in de Bible, put de brass key down in dat Bible, takin' two men - a woman must nevah hold any of dose keys - sayin', By St. Petah, by St. Paul; by de Lord dat made us all; if Such-an'-such has mah money or watch, leave de [= dere= there] key Bible an' all. [For preceding obscurity see later.] It has been proven dat way. De party dat chew had no suspicion for, would feel guilty an' return it. He will volunteer to come back with it. [THIS IS MY ONLY EXAMPLE OF A WOMAN FORBIDDEN TO HOLD A KEY! The reason is obvious. A key is something that goes into a hole, unlocks. Elsewhere in the text I have written about former moral theology forbidding women to assume the superior position, either she lying or sitting. Folklore cautions her against stepping over a man lying on the floor or crawling over him in bed. Here We also have the locked-room theme of Blue- beard, who gave the keys of the castle to his wife, forbidding her to unlock one room.] [The preceding bracket [[= dere = there]] properly placed in its context reads: leave there key, [[leave]] Bible an' aZl.]
Entry 8894
If yo' wanta find sompin dat's stolen - if somebody steal sompin from yuh - yo' take dat Bible an' git chew a brass key whut we call a skeleton key, but it's brass. Yo' take dat key an' a cord string an' run de string through de Bible dat way [demonstratesl, an' twist it on de string, dis end, an' twist it on de othah end de same way. Each end of de string is wrapped ovah on de key. An' yo' kin take dat key, yo' an' anothah person, an' hold yore fingah upon dat key, an' dat Bible ain't goin' move till yo' call de right name. An' whoevah yo' thinks got it - yo' call several names befo' dem tuh be shore yo's undahstandin' whut chure doin'. An' when yo' git tuh de right person, dat Bible will turn roun' an' fall.
Entry 9007
De aig is a lucky aig in de line if yo' in trouble an' if any- body wants tuh git chew outa trouble. Well, dey take a black chicken aig an' boil it an' carry it tuh yo' while yo' in jail, an' let chew jes' keep dat aig in yore han' parta de time. Jes' lak yo' says, "Ah'm gon'a eat dis aig, '' but yo' nevah would eat it. Jes' do dat way. An' fin'ly yo'll git outa jail.
Entry 9017
(You do what?) Dey take a frizzly aig from a frizzly chicken. [For friz- zly chicken, see Doctor Friz- zly, p.59f. and elsewhere.]
Yes, an' write on dat aig an' go roun' de co'thouse three time an' throw it on dere, an' if yo' got anybody in prison, dey will come out.
(What do you write on that egg?)
"Lord depart chew from dat trouble."
(Then you throw it on that courthouse.)
Entry 9119
(1) Dey could git a big sage leaf an' write de Ten Commandment on dat sage leaf an' take it tuh de co't an' yo' make out anybody dere an' jes' throw it. (2) Eithah yo' could take a red onion an' split it in fo' parts an' sprinkle salt in it an' carry it in yore pocket han'ke'- ch'ef, an' whilst in dere, blow yore breath once in awhile. (3) Or eithah yo' kin take a [silver] ten cents an' put it undah yore tongue an' hold it dere, an' dat will make de party dat's against yo', 'sturbed [dis- turbed].
Entry 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 9245
If yo' have anything dat chew wants done ag'in wit a aig - a aig is a valuable thing. If it's anything dat chew want done wit a aig, write upon yore aig whut chew want an' put it in yore mouth. See, put de whole aig in yore mouth. Write jis' whut chew want On dat aig an' put it in yore mouth, an' walk tuh de east cornah an' west cornah an' de south cornah - jis' walk in evah cornah of de house, an' turn yore face tuh de east an' make yore wishes wit de aig in yore mouth. Yo' gits yore.wishes.
(You do that at any time?)
Jis' any time. If yo' wants sompin tuh happen, anything dat chew want [to] happen.
Entry 9342
Lak if ah been workin' in a place a long time, an' ah wants tuh stay dere, ah gits me a fresh yard aig [chicken egg laid in an old-fashioned henhouse and not on the modern commercial production line!] right aftah de hen lay it. An' ah take some straight stickin' pins [ordinary pins], dey gotta [be] new, an' ah put one right through it lak dis, see [demon- strates]. An' den ah run one across it, yo' see [demonstrates]. An' fo'evah weah dat. Even in mah pocket, jis' lak ah have a pocket, an' weah dat in dere, see [demonstrates]. An' yo' be dere [on the job] fo' a long time. Dey'll nevah fiah [fire = discharge] yo'.
Entry 9370
Ah heard dat dey take a hen aig an' boil it an' bust it in de shoe, an' dat will make a man stay home an' nevah quit chew. (So he wouldn't know it?) No, hide de shoe. (Some shoe he isn't using?) Sho'[sure].
Entry 9467
An' den, dey says, yo' kin take some table salt an' put it in a piece of new homespun. An' yo' kin put - open up yore mattress an' put it right in de centah of yore mattress. An' sew dat mat- tress back up on it an' let 'im lay on dat salt bag. Say. An' yo' talk tuh dat salt fo' nine mawnin's an tell it whut chew wan' it tuh do. Jis' PAT IT [new-homespun bag containing salt] an' den make a cross-mahk across it, yo' see. An' dey says he'll always stick tuh yo' lak dat.
(You just tell that salt anything you want done with that man?)
Wit dat'man. Make a cross-mahk across it. (You only talk to that salt while you are putting it in there, you don't talk to it each morning?) Yo' talk tuh it each mawnin', yo' make a cross-mahk each mawnin'. [This may be the only patting rite in H00DOO.]
Entry 9694
Anyone take salt an' li'l' sugah an' sprinkle it rom', an' dat brings luck tuh yo'. Dat's tuh keep a job, so no man kin mow yo' doon - tuh hold a job.
Entry 9695
Git some sulphur an' some table salt - not physic salt - table salt, an' lay it in yore shoe when yo' certain... [informant is re- peating].
(They can't put anything down for you to walk over it.)
No sir, dat sulphur an' salt supposed tuh...
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 9812
Use de pins an' needles. Yo' kin use it fo' nine points or eighteen points. Dat's tuh make love an' tuh hold a person.
(How do they do that?)
Well, yo' kin take yo' a bran'-new nine. Ah'm goin' use nine points. It's accordin' tuh how many points. It runs from nine tuh eighteen points. If yo' goin' tuh nine points, yo' kin git chew nine bran'-new needles dat nevah been used. An' yo' git chew nine bran'-new pins dat nevah been used, an' yo' take a piece of clot' [any kind of cloth] lak dis [demonstrates] an' yo' run one needle dat way an' run one dis way, see [demonstrates]. (You altermate them.) Yes, but when yo' put a needle, yo' put a pin; yo' put a needle an' yo' put a pin. Dat's de way yo' do. [You altemate needles and pins which are alternated heads and tails.] An' den yo' wrap dat up - jes' wrap it up good an' tight lak dat - an' yo' kin put dat somewhere; seal [conceal] dat undah each [anyl side of de house. See. An' yo' kin control dose people by dat needle. Now if dey seems tuh be cold towards yuh an' yo' wan' dem tuh be friendly tuh yo', yo' go tuh dose needles an' pick 'em up an' jes' turn 'em aroun'.- reverse dem. If yo' got 'em layin' dis way [demonstrates] jes' take dis end an' turn it back heah. Jest reverse it. Any time dat anything oc- curs wit chew an' dat party, why yo' jes' reverse dose needles an' dat'll keep 'em right tuh yo'. Evah time yo' reverse it, dat brings dere mind tuh yo', see. An' yo' use dem [the needles or the person or both] dat way.
Entry 9842
(Tell me how they make a person stay at home?)
Wit dere sock. Well, take dis sock an' put chure sugah an' yore cinnamon in dis sock, an' take yo' nine needles an' nine pins an' - fold yore sock an' put [in] dem nine needles an' nine pins. An' yo' use 'em all, gotta git 'em all in dere. See, dem eighteen sticks [sticking ob- jects] gotta be in dere. An' yo' take three tacks an' nail 'em down at de front of yore do', or eithah if yo' got a fiah hearth, yo' take a brick up an' yo' lay dat brick dere. Lay it dere an' put it on top dat. An' yo'll nevah git rid of 'em. Dat'll hold 'em.
Entry 9855
You make it like the sign of the cross down by your floor [see note later]. Take tacks, the steel tacks [not brass headed], and you make a sign just like a cross underneath your mattress [but on floor, see later]. That's to hold a man that you want. Well nine [tacks] you just put 'em like this:. that's a cross; this way and like that [demonstrates again by making cross on table or in air]. [In the original transcription our present word floor is door; the latter surely an error, which produces two crosses instead of one. Informant's word nine also indicates one cross. As you can see, the word door would produce two crosses. A cross on the floor under the bed - the fifth point in between the four legs of a bed - creates a quincunx. A bed quincunx is fairly common.]
Entry 9901
Yo' kin take a frog an' put 'im in a pot an' boil 'im. Git chew nine red ants an' put in dere. Aftah yo' boil 'im, yo' take de frog out an' strip 'is laigs. Jes' lak yo' ketch de frog in dis han' [demonstrates] yo' ketch 'im by his laigs an' strip 'is laigs. Pull 'is laigs through de soup - de watah dat boilin'. [I describe informant's demon- stration.] (You hold him up by the legs and pull his feet down tovard the body.) Take dat, aftah yo' git de meat off - take his haid off - strip 'im enough tuh git de meat off wit'out teahin' 'im too bad. Take him an' git chew some cologne an' some linseed oil. Yo' 'noint 'im good wit dat linseed oil an' cologne. Take an' tie him in a bag. Put dat bag undah yore mattress. If yo' wan'a keep it from fallin' out, [put] 'tween de spring an' mattress. Gits a cloth an' put it up 'tween de mattress an' he [man] lie on dat.
(What will that do?)
Dat will keep 'im wit 'er.
(Do you take this meat off all the bones or what?)
Jes' offa one, his lef' hin' laig.
(And you put the whole frog under there?)
De whole frog undah de baid. An' take de meat dat chew got off 'is lef' hin' laig an' one dose bones, an' tie hit an' weah hit between dere in a bag. Weah it roun' 'er waist in a bag, let it hang down in front of 'er.
(This is to keep the man.)
Reep de man, yeah, at 'er place.
Entry 10102
Yo' take a live black cat an' tie 'im, an' put 'im intuh a large pot what have a covah - live. An' yo' boils 'im alive. Yo' kill 'em [by boiling]. Co'se dat's jis' de same as goin' tuh de crossroads. When yo' boil 'em, yo' boil 'im so's [so he's] right off de bones - meat comes right off de bone. Yo' git a mirrah, yo' know a small mirrah an' yo' put it right between yuh two laigs. An' yo' takes evah one of dem bones, one by one, an' pass it through yuh teeth. An' de one dat yo' passes through yuh teeth lak dat an' yo' cain't see yuhself, dat's de one dat yo' want. Dat de bone dat yo' keep, see. Dat's fo' yuh appearance an' disappearance.
Entry 10275
Well, if she could get holt of somepin belongin' to a man, if she could get holt of his - but she must be in connection with him once. And she could get the measure of him and get some of her chamber lye and mix it together, she could get him. The only Way he could get away from her.
(She takes the measure of the man with a string?)
With a string, yeah.
(And what did she do with her chamber lye, then?)
Put it in that bottle with the string.
(Oh, she puts the string in the bottle where she put the chamber lye.)
Put it in a bottle and set it up in de left corner of the house. [The left corner is either left corner, front or back, while approaching house.]
(In the left corner of the house, and that will keep him.)
That will keep him right with her.
Entry 10615
Ah hear'd a fellah said he could take some Adam-an'-Eve an' John de Conkah an' put it in a red bag an' weah it aroun' yuh neck. De foreman he'll have some kinda feelin' or sompin an' let chuh go back tuh work.
Entry 10718
Ah nevah heard of 'em using a fish, but ah've heard of 'em using a bird. Dey take de two birds to find out whethah a woman is guilty of fornication or not...a man with his wife. Yo' take de two birds - yo' ketch de two an' take [hold] dem ovah runnin' watah, an yo' kill one an' let de othah one go, an' if she's guilty she swells up.
(What two birds do you take?)
It didn't say any certain birds, jest two fowl of de air. [This rite comes from a book, as informant's last statement shows. Nine informants preceding present one, this two-bird rite Was given in a different and expanded form. Rei versing this order, the longer rite now follows this present one.]
Entry 10719
An old note of ine in red ink reads: Good ills- tration of "intention"[[pover of what you intend to doll & my difficulty trying to have informant say without putting my words into his outh.] Yo' could take a bird - yo' know birds mating, yo' know birds, an' take too of 'em whut mates an' take an' cut one of 'em's throat an' let de blood run in de nmnin' watah, an' loose de othah one. De othah one, dat will svell up an' die. Dat jest de way de man do, whensomevah yo' have an enemy dat gives yo' any- thing lak dat. Dey'll swell up an' die. (Well, how do you know that anyone will die? Do you have to do something else with that?) He jest take sick. Yo' put dat blood in dat runnin' watah. Ketch 'em both, but when yo' git 'em to de watah, cut one of 'em's throat an' let de blood run in de watah, an' loose de othah one. An' de one whut's a bad enemy against yo'; dey'll take sick - go to swelling up. (Well, how do you connect these birds with the enemy? Don't you have to con- nect them in some way?) Well, yo' kin jest tell de enemy, yo' know, he take sick. Yo' know who is by his taking sick. He takes sick den an' he keeps alingering an' he swell up an' die.
(When you are doing this, you have to have the enemy in mind.)
De enemy in mind, whosomevah is a enemy against me. Yo' may not know jest who it is, but yo' know yo's [you hasl a mortal enemy about. Yo' know lak dat. Yo' have it in yore mind lak dat.
(You take any kind of birds that are mates.)
Dat are mates.
Entry 10720
You are hunting a job and you have a particular boss you want. Well, every time you go to that boss and ask him for a job, take cinnamon and sugar in your pocket and birdeye seed, and whenever you go on that job, put this [seed] down [where you Work and in] your pocketbook with the cinnamon and sugar and birdeye seed. That will make him have a sweet disposition towards you and keep a birdeye [bird's eye] upon you and always give you your job. [Birdeye or bird's-eye seed must be a package of seed sold by a hoodoo store.]
Entry 10772
My grandfathah said one time it wus a lady, huh husban' runnin' aroun', she couldn't nevah keep 'im at home. So some ole lady a-nother tol' der... I don't know who it wus.... But she tol' der tuh git some bramble briers - git de root- cut 'em up, boil it in 'is coffee an' give it tuh 'im when he come in, tuh keep 'im at home.
Entry 10876
Ah heered people say tuh ketch a black cat, hold him back of his neck an' strip yore han' down de tail seven times an' count 'em, an' throw him from yo' an' cuss at him, an' don't look back at him. An' dat as good a luck fo' work as a man could do. (Well, after you have done this with the cat, then what do you do?) After ah throwed de cat away, yo' [ah] cuss at him. Why zh'd git out an' go an' ask some man fo' a job, an' ah would be lucky enough to git a job by dat.
Entry 11225
Go to de graveyard an' git some dirt an' bring de dirt back home an' mix it up wit dirt dauber nest an' sulphur. An' mix it all up an' put it in de house - jes' a little bit in de house, a little bit. (What will that do?) Dat keepin' his mind, bring his mind back home.
Entry 11232
When yo' wanta - if yo' be's on de job, an' yo' wanta keep it, an' if yo' be like a [something?] yo' jes' [go] an' wash yore face wit a dishrag an' they will keep likin' yo' all de time.
(Then you will stay on the job?)
Yes.
(That is if you are working some place?)
Yes.
Entry 11329
Git chew three dollars.
(What kind of dollars, silver dollars or paper dollars?)
Paper dollars. An' dress dem wit some salt and some bread, an' wear it fo' three days on yo' left side, an' fo' three days yo' take an' go to three stores an' spend each one of them dollars - a dollar to each store yo' go to. An' dat'll bring yo' luck. (What kind of luck?) Well it bring yo' luck in making - gittin' holda money every day yore life.
Entry 11338
Mah husband had quit me once an' a girl tole me about a dove. She tole me tuh take de tongue of dat dove an' put it tuh dry, an' den lay it in Hearts Cologne, an' den when ah gits a chance tuh go wit mah husband, tuh put it in mah mouth an' kiss him, an' his love would come new ag'in to me. So ah tried it an' suah enough, it did.
Entry 11852
To make love? All right. You kin take dere hair, some sugar an' some bluestone. You understand now? An' some lodestone. Put all of this together with a piece of John de Conkah root. [This root] look like two pieces [see ex- planation later]. Look now [demonstrates], cross that John de Conkah cross there
[these ingredients being mixed or laid in a container] and put it [John de Conkah]
crost de hair, you see, an' tie it at de ends with a little string. You under- stand, at each end you know, with a little string. An' put it [mixture] in a piece of paper, in a piece of brown paper, an' wear that in de bottom of your shoe. [This is a small package.] They kin nevah git away from you. [What does informant mean by saying John de Conkah root look like two pieces? On p.593 (Z.2, v.1) I say, "John de Conkah can be many things; and on p.595 (l.12, v.1) we learn you can git de he one and git de she one. I suggest my informant, a hoodoo woman, is identifying John de Conkah with an actual root called Adam-and-Eve, which has he and she parts, he the smaller, both looking like peanuts (see No.10609, page 4028f., v.5). Our present rite therefore ties our man and woman together with a thread or a string to make doubly certain, magically certain, they are tied to- gether. The sugar sweetens the situation or pays the spirit, the bluestone keeps away evil, lodestone is another drawing power, and brown paper is often used for black clients. My preceding statement about he and she parts among the roots of Adam-and-Eve is a hoodoo, not a scientific one.]
Entry 12136
Dat's usin' dis heah, whut chew call oil of peppermint an' Hearts Cologne. Yo' kin take dat an' mix it together an' every morning when yo' git up, before yo' speak to anyone, yo' kin put it in yore hand an' rub it in yore hand, an' den jest say, "De Lord is my shepherd" - hold yore hands touards de sun an' say, "De Lord is my shepherd an' I will"... [demonstrates]. (Hold the palms of your hands up like that.) Yeah, de palms of your hands up towards de sun an' say, "De Lord is my shep- herd an' I shall not want." An' you will be very lucky all that day an' things will come to yo' whut chew wouldn't a thought would come to you, see. It gives yo' better luck all dat day.
Entry 12249
Well, de fac' about it, suh, yo' uses whut root dey call High John de Conker root. Yo' see, yo' goes tuh work an' yo' put a piece of dat root in yore mouth when yo' goin' tuh be tried. Yo' chews it an' hold yore breath [before speaking] an' be slow in speakin' - be very slow in speakin'.
(And the judge will let you go?)
He will absolutely, de really fac' about it - have [you be] sent away [case dismissed].
Entry 12289
Tie 9 knots into twine string or raw cotton string an' wear it around their waist, an' they say just once in a while they just dip it in Hearts Cologne and they own water [urine]. That's sure to hold them.
Entry 12345
Yo' git chew a piece of lode- stone an' yo' put it in a little piece [of cloth] or yo' kin put it in yore pocketbook, an' a piece of dat in- cense, an' put it together an' keep it. An' yo' tote it in yore pocketbook an' every time yo' go to work, why yo wash yore face an' hands in dat Van-Van an' dey won't turn yo' off.
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 12514
Take an' peel some red onion an' jes' lak when yo' get a fiah in de stove an' yore husband is around or yore sweetheart, yo' take an' peel dat red onion an' yo' go tuh de fiah. Open de do' of de stove an' yo' throw it in dere an say, "Hold him tight to me, make him come undah mah command." An' de influence of dat burnin' - dey tell me - it holds him.
(Holds the man.)
Entry 12548
(For a man to hold a woman.)
You take 9 of her fingernails and 9 of her toenails, and then get a red onion, and get 9 strands of hair out de mole [mold] of her head. And take that onion, red onion, and cut it open and dig a little hole in it. And then take them 9 toenails and 9 fingernails, and that 9 strands of hair out of her head, and place together and put it in there, and stop that onion up. And go round the house towards where the sun rise, and dug [dig] a little hole, and put it [in] there and then cover it up. [Copied from my rough original pen- cil transcription made soon after recording; original copy attached.]
Entry 12751
Well de first thing would be if yo' wanted a job. An' dat go fo' a job, a favor or money or anything. Dat chew would git chew some of dis root whut de' [they] call rat- tlesnake marster, an' spice. An' yo' take dat root an' yo' chew dat rat- tlesnake marster, but chew have [hold] de spice in yore mouth. An' yo' spit dat when yo' speakin' tuh him. "Fore yo' consult him yo' spit from him an' nevah spit tuh him. Den he cannot turn yo' down even [whether] it's money or job or whut. If he don't place yo den, he will place yo' [later], but don't nevah spit, jes' spit tuh him but [when] chew spit jes' turn away from him, turn yore haid from him an' spit.
Entry 12893
[These two separate rites I have left together for the sake of the reference; the first rite being somewhat special, the second fairly common:] Dey'll take de bottom, jes' lak yo' got a ole piece of stockin' an' take de bottom out of a stockin'. Cut it off an' let it be dirty. It can't do yo' no harm unless it's dirty. Dey take de bottom of dat stockin' an' cut it out - cut de bottom of dat stockin' out - an' takes it an' stops it m. If dey kin git a chance, yo' know, when dey make connection, dey kin use dat. Stop it up, jes' continue - continue - continue. Well, jes' lak if yo' wus a man, wus comin' to mah house, an' wus goin' into anything wit me, yo' know, an' ah'd git chew sometime. Dere's de bucket right dere. Make yore connection [urine] right dere in dat bucket. Well, ah'm not goin' make none in dere. Ah'm puttin' yo' up to make it. [Then I] stop it up.
Entry 13257
All yo' have tuh do is tuh git chew some sulphur an burn an' all. Yo' ketch his [policeman's] eyes whensomevah he come in an' look after him, an' let him walk across it, see. (This burnt sulpbur?) Yes sir, burnt sulpbur, an' when he come in yo be lookin' after 'in. Try tuh ketch his eyes. An' he nevah come tuh yore house no mo'. Or yo' could jes' take some - if yo' sellin' whiskey, each maslin' befo' yo' open yore do', befo' anyone come in, yo' jes' take jes' a certain aomt of it [whiskey] an' jes' throw it ovah yore do', both doors, as de customers comes in an' out, see. An' then yo' be fixed - de law will nevah bother yo'.
(You mean you throw the salt and sulphur over the door?)
No, yo' kin take some of yore whiskey.
(Oh, the whiskey. That's to keep the law away, too.)
See, when yo' burn dis sulphur, den yo' throw de whiskey ovah de head - yo' know whut ah mean, jes' throw some ovah de head of de do' up there an' dey won't nevah bother yo'.
Entry 13434
An' if a person 'sleep an' be layin' in de bed an' yo' want 'em tuh talk tuh yuh, yo' git chew a pan of watah an' put dere han' in it. Jes' put doon dere fingahs down in de watah an' dey'll tell yo' jes' whut dey done durin' dat day. Dey talk in dere sleep. But if de wind would change de time dey got dere han' in dere, well it would kill 'em. (If the wind outside would change it would kill them?) It would kill 'em. [My only example of this belief. Presumably spirit of sleeping person to recall scenes of day must revisit them. A sudden change in the wind prevents him from returning to his body.]