Subject:Holes
Entries
Entry 4942
Heah's somepin ah heard about dis an' it hasn't been long ago. A fellah, his wife an' 'im couldn't git along. So he missed a pair of 'is socks. An' one day ah wus down tuh de laundry where he wus - he fired [was fireman] down to de laundry. An' he tole me, say, "Yuh know, heah lately me an' mah wife cain't make it no way," say, "an' ah missed a pair of mah socks." An' he said, "Mah wife is tryin' tuh drive me away from 'er." Ah said, tole him, ah says, "Yuh shore dat she haven't misplaced yore socks." He says, "Yes, she's misplaced 'em." Ah knowed de people. Ah know 'em person'lly, who lived nex' do', an' ah've visit 'em a whole lot. So aftah he were gone ah wus in de house an' ah ast 'er, ah says, "Whut's de mattah wit chew an' yore husban'? Why yuh all cain't git along?" She says, "Aw, it's jis' a simple thin' ah did." Ah said, "Well, ah'd like tuh know about it." Yuh know ah wuz playin' aroun'. She said, "Aw, ah cain't tell yuh." An' de socks dat he los' ah wuz in min' of seein' dem de mos', see. [Most of all, he wanted to see the socks.] An' AH PLUNDAHS AROUN' until ah foun' dose socks. Ah foun' one sock [cylinder changed] - ah foun' one of 'is socks. [THE CHANGING OF A CYLINDER IS OFTEN FOLLOWED BY A REPETITION, OR I ASK A QUESTION.] It had three holes cut right in de bottom of it, plate of it, where his feet fit in de sock. [For word plate see comment following rite.]. An' dere wuz two stran's of 'is hair tied in one side of it. Den she had a wad of - where it looked like he [she?] cut a piece out of 'is hat, an' hit wuz placed in dere good an' nice. An' she had it sew - had it sewed in de sock. So ah got de sock. An' three or fo' days latah AH WENT PLUNDERIN' fo' de othah sock. So ah found it. When ah foun' de othah sock, she had tuk [took] de toe offa his sock an' had some othah kinda toe of a sock sewed back on dere. An' whut she had did wit de othah piece of sock, ah don't know, but she wuz goin' give him de sock back. She wuz goin' place it where he could find 'em an' wear 'em. An' by dis, she havin' [had] one piece [sock] an' had de othah one clipped. So ah taken dese socks mah- self an' ah examined 'em good an' ah foun' dat hair in dere. An' ah taken it loose an' taken de socks an' burned 'em up. An' now 'im an' 'er is back togethah an' jis' as good as dey evah were. [Though I originally had doubts about the preceding story, it is what some of my informants call a parable - like the Prodigal Son. I sometimes say, "Give me a parable, " rather than example, illustration, or story; the latter too often suggesting a lie to many informants. All elements in our story belong to hoodoo. Later I found informant's story interesting. The word he pronounces plate is an obsolete meaning of plat, the sole of the foot. This is the only time I have ever heard the word so used. I like his usage of plunder: Ah plundahed aroun' until ah foun' dose socks. He was also rather free and easy with a neighbor's house, unless this is a part of the parable!]
Entry 5238
De inside sole from yo' shoe - dat little piece yo' walk on - dey cuts three holes right in de centah. Now dat's if yo' wanta, yo' kin drive a person or yo' kin hold a person wit it. If yo' wanta drive 'em, yo' got'a fix it in sompin light [weight], an' put it in runnin' watah wheres it will jis' keep agoin'. An' if yo' wanta keep 'em, yo' take dat an' bury it at chure home.
(Do you take both those inner soles?)
One, de lef' one. DAT'S WONDAHFUL FOOT, DE LEF' ONE.
Entry 7726
Yo' take de foot- bo'd tuh de haid an' jes' whatevah yo' want done, vell yo' gotta say dat fo' yo'self yo' see; but chew take it, an' see how it's turnt one way, den yo' pull it up an' den yo' turn it roun' de othah way. See.
(You mean you put the head part [headboard] down to the foot?)
Yeah, yo' take de haid part - yo' take it from de haid an' put it tuh de foot an' den yo' - but chew turn it upside down. Don't turn it lak yo' pull it up. (You put the top [part.of graveboard] down into the hole. What do you do with the footboard then?) Yo' do de same thing. Yo' take de footbo'd an' put it to de haid an' yo' take de haid an' put it tuh de foot.
(But you must put them upside down?)
Upside down. Jes' whutevah yo' want did, den yo' ast dis dead body tuh do dat fo' yo' - jes' whutevah wish yo' want, whutevah yo' want did, yo' do dat. [Sumter, S. Car., (1348), 2330:9.] With all the graveyard dirt previously given and more to follow this subsec- tion (2), what is the reader to do? Remember only, graveyard dirt full of the spirit refuses to be confined within man-made schemes of order.]
Entry 7947
Dey take yore shoes an' measure yore shoes. Take a needle, a needle dat's been sewed through a corpse - see, when yo' make a shroud an' dey [I inter- rupt]. (Use a needle that has been used in making a shroud?) Make de shroud tuh bury some- one, yes. Take dat needle an' put it through yore shoes, through de eyeholes yore shoes - see, three times. Den take dat needle an' carry it home an' stick it on de east side, an' yo'll stay dere wit 'em. Yo' cain't go nowhere. Yo' stay right dere at home an' be subject tuh dem in evahthing dey want.
(What about measuring the foot? Do they measure the shoe first?)
Dey measure de shoe first, den put dis needle through de eyehole three times. (Do they do anything with the measurement of that shoe? After they take the measurement of the shoe?) De measurement of dat shoe dey bury dat. Dey bury it undah de do'step.
Entry 8240
Dey kin take yore pichure - ah ain't nevah done it but ah've heered dis, undahstan'. Dey stick nine holes in it, one hole evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's. An' de ninth mawnin' aftah dey stick dat las' hole in it - when dey put de firs' hole in dere, in dat pichure, in de heart of dat pichure - lak dis is mah pi- chure an' dis is mah heart. Jes' take dat pin an' stick a hole in dat heart on dat pichure. Stick one dis mawnin', one tuhmorrah mawnin', an' one de nex' mawn- in', until de ninth mawnin'. An' de ninth mawnin', when dat last hole will be stuck in dere, de man will be in bad condition. Dere can't nobody do him no good. Can't nobody do him no good nohow unless dey kin git dat air [that there] pichure an' kin remend dem holes. But if dey don't do dat, why dat'll kill 'im.
Entry 8307
Yo' could take a pichure. Now, if yo' wanta do good, if yo' wanted de person tuh love yo' or somepin an' - yo' put dat pichure tuh de haid of yore bed, an' call de person's name nine mawnin's. An' wit a pin dat's nevah been used, a new pin, yo' put nine holes intuh dis pichure fo' nine mawnin's. An' while yo' punch dose holes, yo' talk tuh de pichure jis' lak yo' talkin' tuh de person. An' aftah de nine mawnin's, jis' whatevah de statements were dat chew made, dat person will do jis' lak yo' ast dem tuh do, but chew must keep dat pichure dere.
(You punch one hole each morning or nine holes?)
Nine holes for nine mawnin's.
(That's nine times nine?)
Eighty-one.
(And you keep it at the head of the bed?)
Yo' keep it dere tuh de haid of yore bed.
(Now you do harm you say with the photograph. Tell me about that.)
Well, if yo' wanta do harm wit de pichure, yo' could take dat pichure an' yo' take dat tuh de graveyard, an' yo' go an' yo' call de spirits of de dead. When yo' think dat de spirit is dere, yo' take out nine han'fuls of dirt out of dat grave. Den yo' place dis pichure down dere an' yo' explain tuh de spirit jis' whut yo' want 'em tuh do tuh dat pahticlah [particular] person, see. An' what- evah yo' say, den yo' pay dat spirit.
(Well, now. What do you usually pay the spirit?)
Well, it goes - Well, NOW DE FIRST DEGREE IS THREE PENNIES. DE SECOND IS NINE AN' DE THIRD IS THIRTEEN. [I do not recall that these sums of money paid the spirit are called degree elsewhere in Hoodoo.]
(Then you cover that picture up in there?)
Let it stay dere. An' yo' have tuh explain tuh dis spirit whut tuh do tuh dat pahticlah person, an' pay dem tuh do dat. Dey'll do it jis' lak yo' ast dem tuh do.
Entry 8335
Well, yo' kin take her pichure an' carry it tuh a tree an' nail it three times, nail a hole in it three times. An' take it an' put it in runnin' watah, an' dat will make a person leave yo'. (You take this picture to a tree an' you take one nail?) Yeah, yo' nail it three times. (Against the tree?) Against de tree, an' den yo' take de pichure down an' put it in runnin' watah an' dat person will keep goin'.
(You only use one nail though? Just make three holes in it against the tree?)
Yes, against de tree, an' den yo' jes' take de pichure out an' put it in run- nin' watah. (This is the woman that went out when the root doctor came in.)
Entry 8474
When yo' call a person's spirit, twelve 'clock at night, yo' draws on a person.
(Draw her picture?)
Draw his pichure. Git 'is name an' address. Yo' set [in] a dark room by yo'- self. Yo' take a sheet an' put it ovah yo' haid, wit chure eyes out so yo' kin see. Yo' set a li'le bit of whiskey in a glass [to draw his spirit back, spirits lov- ing whiskey, see ALCOHOL FOR an' yo' gotta memorize de person name, an' yo' call 'is name three times. Durin' de time yo's callin' 'is name, take a needle wit chure lef' han' an' punch nine holes in it. (Nine holes in what?) Nine holes in de pichure, in de form what chew draws. An' when yo' done cut de nine holes in it an' yo' watch de pichure an' blow on it. An' durin' de time aftah yo' done blowin' on it, an' if yo' hit it again tuh [do something] den chew light yo' lamp. Aftah dat, den yo' set a match tuh it. See what side she [match] bendin'; if she bend going, if she bend comin' back. She'll [match will] fall back in yuh hands. If she [match] bend goin', goin' de direc- tion she [or hel was [had departedl. she'll [match'll] fall dat way; an' if she [match leans to] dis side, she'll fall dat side; an' if she's [woman's] comin' back, she'll [match'll] fall right up in de woman form. [She] come right on back tuh you. [Informant alternating the sexes is confusing.] An' durin' de time dat dey bring 'er back, yo' git up an' yo' take yo' dishrag an' wring it ovah de do' an' call 'er name. Dat's cases if she gone an' leave yo'. If she gone an' leave yuh, if she leave any she [not her] clothes in dere lak a dress or pettycoat, lak dat, jes' take an' ball it up an' put it 'neat' chure pillah an' she will come back less dan three day's time, if she's able tuh, if she's in de city.
(That's to bring the woman back. You are calling her spirit back that way.)
Yes sir.
Entry 9111
[The red onion is one of the well-known objects in hoodoo, having been inherited from folk medicine as well as what passed for the scientific medicine of the day. A few examples of its use will be found in margin title ONION, Pp.622-626, v.1. 0n p.625, line 6f., I find a note of my own: 'Red onion - like red flannel ball or (red) bag for hands - symbolizes the human heart." Where that came from I no longer remember. Perhaps an informant in Hoodoo says it. Since the rite about to be given is a squeezing rite (another type of magic often ignored and unindexed), see No.2188, p.625, for another red onion squeezed in court.] If yo' goin' up befo' de judge an' yo' don' want de judge tuh put no sentence on yuh atall, yo' wanta come cleah of whut chew done. Git chew a red onion an' yo' cut a roun' hole in dere, cut a roun' hole in dat onion. An' aftah cuttin' de hole in dat onion, yo' take yo' some salt an' full it up, full dem holes wit dat salt.
(How many holes?)
Fo' [demonstrates]: one heah, one dere, one dere, an' one dere - de fo' holes. An' evahone dat yo' thinks ag'inst chew, yo' take yo' pins - stickpins [ordinary pins], an' evahone yo' learn ag'inst chew, call dere name an' punch it down in dere. Evahone yo' thinks ag'ins' chew, call dere name, "By de he'p [of God] ah wan' chew tuh git me off." Do dat in de mawnin' or any time in de day, jes' put 'im down in dere. Put 'im down in dere, evahone yo' think ag'ins' yuh, jes' stick 'em down in dat onion. An' aftah stickin' 'em in dat onion, take dat onion an' take an' put it in yore pocket. But be sure tuh hold it [keep your hand on it]. Jes' lak yo' put dese pins down in dere, be sure tuh hold it in yore han's jes' lak dat [demonstrates] jes' dat-a-way. (Bring your fingers over the top of the onion, and have the heads of the pins under them.) Yes, dat's right. Keep it in yore pocket. Keep it tight an' he can't do anything wit chew. He'll turn yo' loose.
Entry 9710
If yo' mad wit a man an' wan'a kill 'is timbah or ruin 'is timbah on 'is place [farm], yo' go dere an' bo' li'l' holes in it an' put sulphuh an' salt in dem holes. Dat'll kill 'is timbah.
Entry 9898
Tuh make dem have a tendency tuh love anyone - yo' know, gain de in- fluence of anyone yo' wanta love - yo' gits a grown live frog. Let 'im be well- grown, healthy. An' gits yo' a pastebo'd box an' a darnin' needle an' thread. An' take yo' a pair of scissors an' cut a deep hole in dis box, an' yo' put dis live frog in dis box, but let it be at de twilight of de night. An' take yore scissahs an' cut holes in dis box. An' den take dis needle an' thing an' sew up dis box. An' take it an' don' say nuthin tuh nobody. Yo' take it an' go tuh a ants nest an' den yo' put it right in de ants nest. An' den aftah seven days yo' go back tuh de frog an' den de frog will be a skeleton. An' den it's two pieces about de skeleton yo' want. One look lak a fish scale an' one look lak a fishhook. An' yo' git dem two pieces an' yo' keep de fish scale. An' den yo' take de fishhook an' jes' lak if yo' wanta - intend tuh love anyone, yo' pin it anywhere on 'em fo' about thirty seconds, an' yo' tote it den. An' 'long as yo' keep dat fish scale yo'll have dem undah con- trol an' do anything yo' want 'em tuh do.
(What do you do with that fishhook?)
Yo' take that fishhook an' put it on his shirt or anybody dress or anything. Yo' know, hook it roun' dere. Yo' leave it dere fo' thirty seconds.
(Then what do you do with it?)
If yo' wanta yo' kin take it off.
Entry 9903
There was one trick they had. They used to ketch a frog and take this old frog, kill an ole land frog, an ole toad. And put him in a little box and make holes in it supin like yo'd a pepperbox. Little ants would crawl in there and them ants would go in there and destroy the body of this ole frog. And after he was dead, eat him up. You put that box into run- ulag water, whare there's a place of water running right steady down, until it washed all that ole filth, that ole eat-up flesh, away from that frog, yo' know, and leave nuthin but de bone there. And there was a certain bone there, I don't know what it was, but I've heared them tell it. There was a certain bone in that frog that they'd take that out and go around de girl's house. And if she was walkin' around, cookin' an' doin' anything, she had no knowledge of what was goin' on, why you could hang that in her dress.
(Hang it on the clothesline?)
No, her dress on her. She'd have a dress on. But, if you's to take that ole bone and stick it in her clothes somewhares, she passin' around de house an' you's settin' there talkin' with her, and she couldn't git clear of you.
Entry 10468
Well, dey tell me how tuh ketch 'em [hags] is [tol git a sifter yo see, an' dey'll come in dere roun' 'fore day, yo' see, an' dey count de holes dere an' right dere's where it be yo' ketch [her] countin' dem holes in de sifter. So dey caught a ole lady lak dat once. (What did she look like when they caught her?) Well, she looked lak sompin didn't have no skin on, jes' kinda like butter - not butter, jelly yo' know. So dey caught her an' dey beat her. De ole lady was staying dere herself [living in same house].
Entry 10471
"The old-fashioned sifter is supposed to have a thousand holes in it." [My only example of this, informant lOl, near Snow Hill, Md., by hand.]
Entry 10472
Take fo' instance if yo' in bed an' a witch begin riding yo', why dey calls it de witch; but my education place me in a position to know whut dey calls dose, but at de same time we calls it de witch. Well, yo' go to bed an' de witch rides yo' quite a bit, jes' put a sifter at de head of yo' bed, by a chair dere. [Why near or on a chair? Make yourself at home?] An' it's quite natural de next morning when yo' git up, why yo'll ketch de witch dere counting dose holes over an' over, cause dey afraid dey made a mistake an' dey count 'em over an' over until day.
[I ask a question too far away from microphone to be understood.]
Well, dey claim dat chew kin see it. An' then when yo' see this person - well quite natural when it sunup - yo' say, "Leave!" It will leave.
Entry 10490
[An unusual variation]: "Put down sifter [at night], you will find a bug in the morning. You then take a needle and count the holes in the sifter
[you are playing the witch's part!] and before you have finished, some- one will come in and ask you to turn him loose."
Entry 11181
Now they take the nails an' they drive them down into - jes' lak yo' take dat Red Seal Lye, dat has five holes in it, an' they take an' drive a nail in each hole of the lye. An' they bury this lye undah the house an' they git it near as they possibly kin ovah that lye [devil's-shoestrings] on the inside of the house. They put whut they call de devil's-shoestring, that's a little weed- as near ovah the top of that [can of lye] as they possibly kin. That's tuh make this person weak, sickly. (They put this devil's- shoestring over that and they bury that can of lye.) Bury that can of lye jis' undah de house as near as they kin. Jis' say fo' in- stance, if dis wuz his bed, they bury it undah that as near as they kin git to it undah there. They then come up an' try tuh put whut they call de devil's-shoestring - which is jis' a little weed-lak, yo' know - put it as near undah [center] de bed as they kin.
[This is surely a quincunx rite.]
Entry 196
[Many examples of the most powerful of spirits, the spirit of the dead, have been given. Very potent also are spirits dwelling at or called to where two or more roads meet.] De crossin' of de road is called cross-spirit [only use of this term], an' dey goes dere, if dey think dat yo' is doin' good or goin' at anything good - dis evil-minded somebody will go dere to cross yo'. Den dey has a certain thing dey put in dere. Dey dig a hole yo' know - jes' a ord'n'ry little hole an' drop it.
(What do they put in that hole?)
Dey tells me dat dey drops cayenne peppah - whut's dat othah thing - cayenne peppah an' sulphah an' garlic, yes. It's jes' a ord'n'ry hole dat chew dig wit chure fingah an' cover it ovah quick.
(What else do you do out there? What is that supposed to do?)
Den dey has some dis same wicked graveyard dirt [dirt from a wicked person's grave] wit 'em an' leave dat evil spirit dere tuh cross yo'.
reported small finger-dug crossroads hole. The recipe is introduced as Dey tells me; no firsthand ritual performance, efficacy or inferred shovel/depth. These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified.
Entry 3856
Now a woman like me, a female woman, dey would git mah ministration, or cloth, an' wash it an' dreen [drain] it out of dat. Ah've seen dat dug up, an' buried. But now de way dey bury dat, dey bury it like dat [demonstrates], caticornah [catercornered = slanted downward here]. Leave jes' a little hole fo' it to dreen out chew know. An' jes' as dat dreen outa dat bottle, jes' dat way yo'll dreen away.
washing and draining the source-described ministration or cloth. Keep ministration or cloth wording and the later dreen language rather than flattening all menstrual-source alternatives. These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified.
Entry 3959
Yo' kin do a lotta things [informant is answering my unrecorded ques- tion]. Yo' kin take dat an' bury it an' put it into a hole in a big oak tree, an' take [write] her name [and put with it] an' dat will run 'em crazy- make all 'er blood dry up.
(Put her monthly period in that hole in that tree?)
Yeah.
Entry 4329
Yuh kin take a woman's watah, tuh run 'is wife 'way from de othah man. An' yuh kin take dat watah an' put it intuh de dirt, if it not already on de dirt. Take it an' put it in de dirt an' make a kinda mud-like outa it, see. Yuh take de watah intuh de dirt an' yuh kin bo' a hole intuh dat tree, an' put it in dere an' stop it up In de Name of de Fathah, [and the Son] an' de Holy Ghost, an' make yuh wish de way dat chew want it tuh work. It will work.
(Any kind of way?)
Yes sir.
Entry 5725
Ah heah 'bout 'em bo'in' holes in a 'simmon [persimmon] tree an' stick de track up in dat tree, an' it will run 'em crazy. Bo' a hole in de tree an pick de track up, an' stick dat up in de tree. Den stop dat hole up.
(They take either track?)
Yes, eithah one.
Entry 1001
You taken a man or woman subject with astmee [asthma] - you make 'em passage, you go to a tree and you dig a hole, bore a hole in the tree and put that down in there - bore a hole with a auger and put that in there and stop that up. He's got no more astmee. [Stopping up a person's passage a dangerous rite - see Excrement and Black Bottle in Index.]
Entry 3159
She have a connection wit chew, why he's brought back, from whut dey say. Well, dey tell me dat if she kin have connection wit yuh, dat she'll take de cloth dat she nuse [use] an' bring it back an' fold it tight as she kin. An' de firs' crack dat she find anywhere in de house, she'll pack it in dere. Have it good an' tight. Well, whut she didn't use in dat crack, she'd always keep it twist up an' keep it undah de haid of 'er baid, right where she had tuh lay.
(That would keep him what?)
Dat would keep 'im in wit 'er, make him stay home.
Entry 4428
If yuh wuz tuh be goin' 'long 'side of de road an' stop an' do a fob, if a person wanted tuh kill yuh or sompin othah like dat, well he'd take 8ome of yuh dung an' bo' a hole in a tree, an' he drive dat peg in dere. Hit it evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's. Well, den yuh bowels would lock. WOULDN'T BE ANY DOCTOR IN DE WORL' COULD OPEN DEM BOWELS.
Entry 4429
Dey tell me, yuh know, dat yuh git a person's manure, yuh see, an' take a big augah, dey claim, an' bo' a hole. Go tuh a LIVE TREE an' bo' a hole in de live tree, see. An' den yuh take dat dung an' place it in dat augah hole, an' den yuh take a peg. Trim yuh a peg jis' tuh fit dat hole tight, yuh know, where no air can't git in dere, yuh see, an' tap it, see. An' tap dat up fo' nine mawnin's. Evah mawnin' yuh go dere an' give it a small tap, yuh see, fo' nine mo' mawnin's, an' on de las' mawnin' yuh drive it plumb up. An' dey say dat will bind a person bowels, yuh see, tuh where dey can't have a action, yuh know, an' dat will kill 'im.
Entry 4431
Yuh kin take dey action an' bo' a hole in a GREEN TREE. Take yuh a peg an' cut nine notches in it an' evah mawnin' yuh put some of dat in dat green tree. Evah mawnin' yuh drive dat peg a notch. Evah mawnin' yuh repeat, say, "Ah do dis In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, dat yuh nevah git ovah it." Evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's yuh drive dat peg in dere an' de ninth mawnin' yuh drive de peg, an' if somebody don't pull, pull it down, why YUH'LL BE A CORPSE.
Entry 4433
Go on de no'th side of a tree an' bo' a hole in dis tree an' take of dere, yuh know dere stuff an' - an' put in de tree. An' evah mawnin' go, but don't drive it in, yuh know, right at once. Fo' nine mawnin's yuh go dere an' hit dat stahb one lick fo' nine mawnin's, an' de ninth day dey'll be daid. Dere bowels nevah move an' can't nobody unlock dat wi'out dey kin git tuh dat peg, git dat peg out dat tree where yuh put it. An' dey will die from dat.
(This is to lock their bowels?)
Lock dere bowels, an' nobody - AIN'T A DOCTOR IN DE WORLD KIN UNLOCK IT.
Entry 4434
All right. Yuh take when a person go outside, yuh see, a person watch yuh - see, in de country where peoples steps out de side. Well, a person go be- hind yuh an' take dat an' find 'im a tree. On de sunny side, bo' a hole in dere an' take an' put it in dat hole an' sharp a peg an' drive it up in dere. Go dere nine mawnin's an' hit dat peg nine mawnin's until yuh drive dat peg up. An' when yuh drive dat peg up, dat person's bowels nevah moves no mo'.
Entry 4435
Jis' lak a person - if yuh wanta git rid of a person, well yuh take dere bowels an' - yuh know whut dey use. An' go tuh de west side of a tree an' bo' a hole in it. See, take a augah an' bo' a hole in dis tree, an' take dere manure an' put it in dere, an' stop it up an' dat'll lock dere bowels. An' when dey bowels do move, it'll move through de mouth an' evently [eventually] dey'll die. It'll kill 'em.
Entry 4437
A man died out tuh ouah home at Flour City, Ark. An' 'is wife had taken 'is bowels an' bo'd a hole jis' ovah a limb of a tree an' stopped it up an' dat killed 'im. His baa-owels.
Entry 4442
Ah seen dis happen right down heah. If yuh's mad wit a person, if yuh kin git some of dere, yuh know, de manure, take dat an' go an' wheresomevah yuh find a green tree at, an' take a augah an' bo' holes in it an' cuts it out, an' stop it up wit it, an' drive dat peg in de tree. When he git dere tuh have a action he can't. Yuh kin let 'im have one, if yuh wanta; if yuh don't, yuh kin let 'im die. Ah know dat's true.
Entry 4444
Take dat - take his stuff yuh know.
(The passage from his bowels.)
An' den carry it tuh a growin' tree. Have yuh a augah an' bo' a hole in it an' put dat in dere, dat hole, an' put a peg in it. An' evah day yuh go dere an' give it a lick - evah day. Den de mo' yuh knock on dat, de mo' it shet up, de mo' de bowels closed, till finally it git to de last, de bowels shet up tight.
Entry 4702
Dat little bow inside of 'is hat? If a person git dat bow, provided yuh [can] git yuh han' on it, well yuh goin' tuh take dat. An' if yuh take it tuh yuh house - an' yuh CUT A HOLE IN DE WALL an' put dat in dere. But yuh'll have tuh put a card [paste- board] stoppah in dere. Yuh put a card stoppah in dere or yuh put a cork stoppah in dere, an' it will kill de person, kill 'im dead.
Entry 1917
Yo' kin take two sweet gum sticks an' go undah a person's house an' dig a lil' hole an' put one in dere an' one into anothah hole, right underneat' de bed, jes' lak dis bed sit ovah dere [points to corner of room in which I was working]. Well, dat be's down undah de ground. Put one undah dat bed an' one undah dis one, an' dat person will jes' dry up - wither up until he dies.
(If he sleeps over those sweet gum sticks.)
An' dey say dat's a body. It's a parable as [it signifies] a body, yo' sec, an' when dat stick dry up, dere body will wither away an' dry up an' die.
(Do you put one stick under each bed or two under one bed?)
Well, one undah each bed, jes' either one. Well, dat'd be lak someone mad at someone, see. An' yo' jes' put one undah dis bed an' shape it up as a grave, jes' lak a grave.
Entry 4447
[Dey say dey could take] whut pass from a person an' put it in a tree, peg it up. An' come tuh a live tree an' bo' a hole, an' put it in de live tree, an' in so many days why yuh'll be dead.
Entry 4838
Tuh bring a person back yuh got'a use de lef' [foot] track. Jis' lak dere's two or three ways tuh bring a person back. Well, jis' lak if it's a woman dat chew want tuh bring back, if yuh kin git even a piece dat she weah nex' tuh 'er, any place. Co'se, if yuh wanta cut a piece outa it - go on back home an' put it in some watah. Dis is tuh bring 'em back, bring a person back tuh yuh. All right, yuh take an' put it in some watah an' yuh goes tuh where two trees dat is right in tuhgethah. Yuh seen trees lean- in' ovah on one nothah. Well, if yuh ain't got a augah, take a axe an' dig a hole in it, an' jis' take dat li'le cloth an' put it in dere an' let it stay three hours. Bring it on back home den an' let it set up dere. Yuh take a li'le bita bottle jis' lak dis an' put it in dere. Now yuh take dis watah offa dere, yuh undahstan', an' yuh throw dis piece yuh got away, an' jis' let it be de watah dat yuh had it in. Take de piece outa it an throw it away. Take dis same watah an' care [carry] it tuh de tree an' let it stay in dere three hours. Take it out an' bring it on back home an' let it set dere. An' whatsomevah yuh want, yuh kin took fo' 'em from de time it will take dem tuh come from where dey are tuh where yuh live. Dey'll be dere.
Entry 6184
I know of a young man that was courting a young woman, and the parents of the young woman didn't like this young man because he Was very rough and row-. They told their daughter they didn't want this man to come to their house. And after that the young man he got mad. So he went away. He began to talk among other people and somebody told him how to get the advantage of this young girl. They told him to cut a piece of hair from her head and go to a tree, and take an auger and bore a hole in this tree, and put the hair in the hole and stop this hole up, and in the course of time this woman would go crazy.
Entry 6201
I've heard people say dat yo' kin take when de sap rise, at a certain change of de moon, an' yo' kin take a live frog an' put in dat. Yo' bo' three holes in dere wit a brace an' bit: one De Father, an' one De Son, an' one De Holy Ghost. Un- dahstan'? (The sap rises in what?) De sap rise in a tree, yo' know. What I mean, by de sap risin' in de spring of de year. Say, an' take an' bo' three holes in dat tree. Undahstan' me: Dat's one De Father, one De Son, an' one De Holy Ghost. An' yo' kin hollah dose holes out in- to one, an' put a live frog in dere, an' dey kin git some of yore hair an' put in dere. An' dey Say, WHEN DAT SAP BEGIN TO COME DOWN AG'IN, SAY DAT DE HEAT FROM DAT SAP WILL RUN DIS FROG CRAZY DERE; AN' DEY SAY, AN' AFTAH DEY RUN 'IM CRAZY IN DAT [HOLE] ALIVE, WHY HE BEGINS TO EAT DAT HAIR. Why yo' kin take a frog anywhere an' he see somepin - roll a ball or...
(JUST A LITTLE BIT SLOWER.)
Yo' kin take a frog an' put 'im on de flo' here an' roll a ball [gunshell shot]. He'll eat de shot fast as yo' rolls it to 'im. [This belief is wide- spread in the South, though I did not always record it.]
(He what?)
Yo' kin take a frog an' put 'im on yore flo' dere, an' yo' roll dat ball - little shot dere. Yo' know, little ball, some kinda gunshell, any kind - yeah. He'll eat 'em fast as yo' git 'em to 'im dere.
(Oh, I see - eating shot.)
Well, I done said, aftah yo' git dat hair when dat sap begin to come down again in dat tree, yo' undahstan', to de epiderma of de tree here - dat epiderma here. De epiderma is de outside linin' of de tree here. [And the word epiderma is also rare in Hoodoo!] He will go crazy. De heat from dat sap will run 'im crazy an' he eat dat hair. An' when he eat dat hair, say yo' will go [crazy] yourself.
(Which hole do you put him in?)
No, yo' bo' three into de tree wit a brace an' bit. Dere yo' are. Den yo' hollah dem three out an' into one dere.
(Oh, these three holes you make into one.)
Dere yo' are.
(And put the frog into the one hole, and then you stop it up some way?)
Yes, stop it up dere wit a piece of galvanized tin here - see, put a piece of galvanized tin ovah dat hole an' stop it up.
Entry 6209
Or eithah take yore hair an' yo' - lak yo' comb yore haid. Dis hair dat done come out on de comb, yo' kin take dat an' roll it up, git de augah an' go wit dat to a live tree, put it in de live tree an' make yo' a stoppah, lak a plug, an' plug dat hair in dat tree. An' as dat tree grow, see dat hole will close up, an' finally it'll grow ovah. Well, dat will run [you] a [as] crazy as a betsy bug.
(Crazy as what?)
Crazy as a betsy bug.
(Crazy as a betsy bug?)
Yassuh.
Entry 6210
Ah've heard two things about it. Take de hair an' bo' a hole in a green tree an' put de hair in dere an' drive a green peg on de hair. Dat'll make yo' crazy.
Entry 6213
Heard dey put things in de tree, jes' lak dey wanted tuh har 'em or sech as runnin' 'em crazy or sompin lak dat. Ah heard dat dey kin take yore hair an' put a hole in de tree, an' put chure hair in dat tree an' stop it up, or take a nail an' punch it down - take a nail hole an' punch it [hair] down. Drive a nail down on it an' nail it in dere, an' dat will run yo' crazy.
Entry 6217
Take de hair an' take a new nail an' bore a hole in de tree an' drive 'en in dere. Dat's de last of yo'.
(Well, did you put this hair in the hole?) Yeah. (What do they do with the nail then?)
ive it in behin' de hair.
Entry 6249
Anothah way - yuh kin take a woman's hair, if yuh wants tuh git inlove wit 'er. Jis' take 'er hair an' jis' take yuh a augah, an' jis' go tuh a tree jis' at sunrise, an' bo' yo' a hole in dere an' put it in dere, an' jis' take yuh a peg an' jis' push it right in dat hole in behin' it. An' jis' long as it stay dere evahthin' is okay.
(That will make her love you?)
Yes sir, yuh holdin' 'er dere. But if yuh put [pull] it out why it's allovah. Bou ah know dat tuh be positive [fact].
Entry 6253
Well, anyone git holt of yuh hair, why dey kin take yuh hair an' dey kin go in de swamp tuh some tree anothah [or other]. An' take a augah an' bo' a hole in de tree, an' put yuh hair in dere an' put a plug back in dat tree. Yuh'll go crazy.
Entry 8118
If it's a tintype, why dey kin kill yo' wit de photograph. Take de photograph an' punch holes in it an' bury it on its face.
(Would they punch that hole any particular place?)
Well, some says punch out de eye part of 'em, but ah don't know personally. But ah know 'em not tuh punch de eye part out, jis' through heah [demonstrates], somepin jis' look lak dey stick somepin through de neck of it.
(Right in the throat?)
Uh-hah.
Entry 219
A man was tramping and gotten hungry and he stopped by a house, and the woman gave him a pint of meal and told him there was a old cabin further down the road and he could stop there that night, and she said he could build himself a fire and cook this meal. The fire was getting hot - they.made ash cakes in those days. While the fire was getting hot something spoke up the chimley, 'Look out, I'm gon'a fall." Down fell a leg. He picked that up and threw it back behind him. After awhile it cried again, "Look out, I'm gon'a fall." He said, "Fall." He took that leg and threw it behind him. Presently it cried again, "Look out, I'm gon'a fall." He took that arm and threw it back behind him. Presently it said, "Look out, I'm gon'a fall." The other arm fell. He threw that behind him. Then it kin'a cried, "Look out, look out, I'm gon'a fall." The body dropped down. He threw that behind him. He done gone back together. He grabbed this poker and started after him and he run out ran around to the corner of the chimley and went down into a hole. And he dug and came to a pile of money.
Entry 1307
I heard that a spirit came to a woman's house one time and she didn't know how to keep it away and a woman told her to go out in the graveyard and get some fresh dirt off of a grave. She told her to take it and put it in a box and put a hole on top of the box and bury it under your house. She did that and she didn't have any more trouble with this spirit. She said that's what kept him away. That happened down on Vine Street here in town, Hampton, Va., (31), Ed.] had this woman's child and she kinda thought it was this woman [the dead mother] coming back because she had this child.
Entry 1724
Well, you've heard of people being stopped from having their real actions. Have you ever heard about it? Well, now it is very true about that. Jest say for n'instance chew know someone - course it is not always you can get things like that unless it's in a country home, but if you know someone who uses that spot or go some place where you can get their actions. You go and bore a hole in a green tree - some tree that's not dead - it's gotta be green, and you get some of this and wrap it up, jest a small amount of this, and wrap it up in some new cloth and stuff it into a tree and jest force it back in dis tree. Get chew a piece of new tin and nine tacks, new brass tacks, and nail dis down and then paint over this tree - after you got, jest say a piece of bark or something of this tree - paint over that. That stays in this tree, which it will. This person's bowels will never move. Now, I know a lady right here in this town now - her bowels won't move, it moves out of her side. It is said that that caused this woman to be like that. Well, ah know 14 years ago that she was just as well as I am now, and no doctor that have ever diagnosed her case have been able to tell her whut's wrong. But they say for a fact that she was treated that way.
Entry 1727
Well, ah tole him [my contact man] that if yo' wanted tuh break up any- one - yo' understan', separate anyone, yo' git some graveyard dirt an' yo' git dirt dauber with the holes in it, yo' understan'. Yo' roll that dirt dauber an' yo' git nine pods of red peppah an'.yo' git cayenne peppah an' yo' git vinegar an' yo' put it in a black bottle an' turn it upside down, an' in any corner of their yard. Ah guarantee it'll break anybody up dat chew Wanta break up.
(You put this bottle in the yard of the people you want to break up?)
No, in yore yard, right where yo' workin yore - yo' put that bottle. Dat'll separate anybody.
(Well, how would I know that I am separating the right people?)
Well, suppose yo' workin' fo' a person - tuh separate a party. Yo' know whut party yo' workin' fo'. Well, yo' know when dey separate. [You will know by your intention.]
Entry 2120
If the law's comin' to yore house, you take you seven pennies an' drive holes in 'em an' nail one up ovah every do' yo' got - it jest 'cordin' to how many do's yo' got. But don't nail none up ovah no windah but chure front windah. Nail one up ovah every do' yo' got an' dat would keep de law down.
Entry 2474
(What was that?)
I know what I used to keep 'em away from my house. You ever saw any popgun elder? You've heard talk of that? (Popgun elder?) Yes.
(Yes.)
You go in your place - if there's four ways to come to your place, your house, or it's five or it ain't but three ways that it's possible that anybody can get there, you get you some popgun elder. And you cut it five inches long, and then you cut in it five notches on that popgun elder a half an inch apart.
(On each stick?)
On each stick, and you sharpen it on the end that goes in the ground.
(Make a peg of it?)
Yes, sir. You take a piece of John de Conker root.
(You take a piece of John de Conker?)
Yes, sir.
(All right.)
You take a piece of John de Conker and you make you another peg and make a hole for each one of these pegs in the pathway - say 50 or 75 feet from your house, or maybe less, and you puts John de Conker in there first and you drive your peg in on it down in the ground where nobody can't see it. The other pegs all the same way, but if it's four, the same way and turn all the notches north.
(Turn all these notches on the stick north.)
North - turn 'em all north, [the notches] in them sticks wherever you drive 'em and the law ain't coming in there over them sticks. He ain't coming. Don't skin that popgun elder - let the skin stay on there, you see. You just cut them notches and trim it at the bottom, cut it off square at the top and drive it in these holes on top of this John de Conker, and the law ain't coming there. And that - it'll draw customers, but they'll come all roads, from all roads. And the law will pass there. But I've tried this. I've experienced that my- self for nine long months and I never was bothered with the law. And the folks was pitying me all the time that I had whiskey and that I was there, but I never was worried about it. The law met me, and I was standing out on the street, you know, and he says, "Howareya? They tell you are selling whiskey?" Told him, "No, sir. You knows well what I got in my - I wish I knew where some was." He say, "I know you are lying: Hell, a nigger always lies." He was talking about the fellow that told me [him]. I know who told him. And I never was bothered with him.
(And he was standing here on one of these pegs at the time.)
[I am not suggesting anything to the informant. While machine was turned off he added this detail. See Introduction.] Just over it - just over de peg. He just drove up in his car and stopped. [I have known the elder (Sambucus canadensis) since 1902, but this is the only time it has been called popgun elder. The reason for the name is obvious. Remove the pith and you have a blowgun, add a strong rubber band, and a cylindrical wooden peg can be shot a fair distance.]
Entry 3180
Den yo' kin take de towel, yo' undahstan' whut ah'm talkin' about now, an' use dat an' yo' take a fat-lightah chip about so high, 'bout a foot hight, an' wrap dat towel up on dat chip, an' git a piece of new homespun cloth an' band on dat, an' dig a deep hole up undahneat' de front do'step. See, dat's de way yo' want 'im tuh go in. An' stob it down dere an' covah it up. An' evah time yo' go on in an' out dat house yo' go right ovah dat, an' yo'll nevah go wit nobody but dat one woman. Dat's a one-woman man an' yo' ain't goin' have no courage fo' no one but dat one woman.
Entry 3492
He kin 'eep 'er from havin' any man in de world while he's gone.
(How does he do that?)
He take, go to bed wit 'er - see, intahco'se wit 'er. Jes' go an' git a bran'-new white linen han'ke'chuf an' don't let 'er use no towel lak she been or'nary [ordinary] usin'. She say, "Well, Baby," say, "I ain't got nuthin in de bed." Yo' say, "Well, here mah Pocket han'ke'chuf." Yo' take dat pocket han'kechuf, see, an' use hit. Yo' see. Don't let 'er use it on yo'. She use it on 'erself. All right. An' den yo' take dat pocket han'ke'chuf an' yo' go to de north cornah of de house, an' yo' dig a hole eight inches in de groun'. An' yo' git some of dat last dirt yo' got out dere an' tie hit up in dat pocket han'ke'chuf. An' yo' bring dat pocket han'ke'chuf an' yo' put it undah de doorstep befo' yo' leave, an' let 'er walk over it two days, two nights. An' dat last night dat yo' stay wit 'er, yo' take it an' put it undah 'er head. An' she sleep on it but she don't know it. An' den when yo' git up dat mawnin' when yo' leavin', yo' take dat pocket han'ke'- chuf - yo' take dat pocket han'ke'chuf an' carry it on wit chah. An' evah man dat she - yo' see, she might try to have some man but she can't have 'em. She'll turn wrong side out wit 'em, yo' see. She can't [take] dat man, she'll turn out. Dat ties 'er. Dat ties 'er, she can't intahco'se, yo' see.
(But what happens to her?)
Yo' see, dat makes 'er turn out - yo' see.
(Turm out?)
Turn out. Evah time a man start foolin', it hurt 'er yo' see. She'll tell 'em, say, "Gee [something]." See, ah'm got her fixed, yo' see. She can't stan fo' nobody to mess wit 'er. She can't stand it. She can't stand it to have no Dan, yo' see. Dat's got 'er fixed where she can't - she tied up. She ain't got Do int'rest fo' no man. Yo' see, won't have none. She don't want nobody but choo, yo' see.
Entry 3785
Yo' kin take a penny yo' see, an' drill a hole in it yo' see, an' put a string in it yo' see, an' tie it down - tie it chew know where it will rest, yo' know right in yore privates down dere, an' dey tell me dat will kill it. (That is if his wife has tied him up.)
Entry 3855
Yo' see, an' here's anothah question dat people always say, yo' see, about wimmen people. Yo' know whenevah de period is on 'em dat way, dey say yo' kin take some of dere period, yo' see - in a bottle yo' see - an' stop dat up, yo' see, an' dig a hole, yo' see, an' turn de mouth of it right down into de ground, yo' see. An' dey say as long as dat stay in dere, say dat'll pass dat woman away. An' evah month yo' know 'er period come on 'er, dey claim it won't come er [or] nuthin but jes' reg'lah big clods [clots] of blood. An' it will keep 'er in a way dat she nevah can have intahco'se wit a man, not no mo' in 'er life, unless yo' have to go back dere an' release dat bottle - dig it up.
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 4417
His stoolment - his bowel stoolment. An' yuh kin cut a hole in any kinda tree, jis' since yuh cut a hole in it, an' put it in dere, an' den put dat same bark, yuh know, an' shut back ovah dat an' nail it up wit a hammah an' nail. An' dat'll lock 'is bowels an' he nevah will git ovah it.
Entry 4419
Yuh kin take a person's a - yuh know ah couldn't use de proper name of it, yeah manure. Yuh kin take hit an' yuh kin go tuh a pine tree, an' go roun' right whare it pointed right to- wards de east, see. An' bore yuh a hole in dere, an' yuh could put it in dere an' stop it up, an' go dere nine mawnin's an' drive a nail, see, in- tuh dat. An' den go dere nine mawnin's an' drive dat nail fuhthah an' fuhthah in fo' nine mawnin's. Time comes it would come tuh 'im, yuh know, be worried wit 'is backside, yuh know, an' it will cuz him tuh have so much trouble it will kill 'im in de long run. [Informants proper nome of it is undoubtedly a messy four- lettered word!]
Entry 4421
Yuh keep a kinda eye on 'em, yuh all along. Yuh know, especially if ain't got no constipation. Dey [he] go an' do what dey [he have to do] an' leave. Yuh jis' go out dere an' go an take [a] stick an' jis' go dere an' take up some of dat. An' go tuh pine tree or any kinda tree. Git a augah an' bore a hole in de tree, an' push some in dere an' cork it up tight. An' drive four nails in dere: one up, an' one down, an' one on both sides of dat hole. [This represents the 4 corners of the world or the 4 arms of a cross - the latter crossing up the victim.] An' dat's a dead man. [Another version of this rite will be found later under (4) SOCKS AND STOCKINGS, margin title NAILS 4.]
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 4426
Ah heard dat chew could take a person's bowel move' - take a person's bowel movement. Git some of dat, yo' see, yes, from 'is bowels. Ah take it up on a little piece of stick. or sompin, an' put it in a little cloth an' double it up. An' yo' bo' a hole in de tree an' yo' poke dat in dat tree, see, an' stop it up. In nine mawnin's he'd die of dat, 'cuz it check 'is bowels where he can't have a bowel movement.
Entry 4427
Dey say dey git chure bowels jis' like yuh make - yuh go off, yuh make yer bowels move. An' dey go an' dey'll bo' a hole in a tree aboat six inches deep, ge' [get] dem a peg an' cram de bowels in dat tree, an' drive on it nine mawnin's. An' in de nine mawnin's dey drive dat peg clean up as fer as dey kin git it - jis' strike it tight. An' if somebody don't do somepin fer yuh mighty quick, yuh'll nevah make no bowels in dis world.
Entry 4436
Dey'll take dat stuff, yuh know, an' carry it to a tree, on de right side of de tree. An' dey kin bury it in dat hole an' take a stoppah, a peg, an' drive it fo' nine mawnin's, an' in nine mawnin's dey'll be dead. (Lock up the bowels.)
Entry 4438
Well now, ah learnt dat de passin' of a man's bowels, dey tell me dey do somepin wit it. Yuh want tuh know whut dey kin do. Dey'll take dat up an' dey'll put it in a bottle an' dey'll stop it up tight, airtight. An' dey'll carry it somewhere, an' git dem a augah, see, an' bo' a hole at de root of a tree. One dese li'le small bottle an' git chew a good augah an' bo' a hole in de tree. An' den yuh put dat in dere an' put a peg in dere. HE'LL NEVAH [wake] NO MO' TILL HE HEAR DE FIRST TRUMPET.
Entry 4440
De mess from yuh body, an' yuh take it an' yuh'll dig a hole an' yuh'll po' sulphur - dig a hole 'side of a tree an' put sulphur in dere an' burn dat mess. Well, dat will dry yuh up, goin' dry yuh up where yuh'll nevah have actions yuh undahstan'. Purtty soon dey give yuh medicine tuh have action an' dat will fin'ly [finally] kill yuh.
Entry 4443
Well, dey goes tuh work, if it yuh own toilet, yuh undahstan', an' somebody workin' roun' dere git in wit chew. Takes dat an' dey puts it in a piece of paper, undahstan', goes out in de woods tuh a green tree, bo' a hole, stop it up. Well, dat's tuh kill yuh.
Entry 4457
Yuh kin go an' git dere pass, dere action, an' go tuh a gum tree on d sundown side, an' bo' a hole in dere an' put it in dere, an' put a peg in it an' dey can't have any mo' action.
Entry 4509
Dey take dis watah dat yuh bath in, if dey wanted tuh hurt cha. Dey git holt of dis watah dat yo' bath in. Dey take an' make some sea watah an' mix it wit it, dis watah yuh bath in, an' dig a hole durin' de night an' po' it down in dere. Dat'll put yuh down in bed.
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 4853
Yuh see, yore bath watah is pahtic'lah [particular] things. Den yore undah-pieces clothes, keerful who Wash dat. Dey kin take dat an' rub undah heah, yo' know, an...
(Under your arms and the lower part of your body?)
Yes sir. An' yuh - dey kin take dat an: wash in de basin wit a little watah. An' dey kin take dat an' put it in a bottle, an' den dig a hole anywhere and PUT CHEW RIGHT DERE. If she love yuh, yuh nevah kin go from dere; an' nobody can't do yuh no harm.
Entry 4884
A man wan'a woman, he kin go tuh work an' git de right foot of 'er stockin'. An' yuh kin go out at night, if yuh don't want 'er tuh leave home, or if she leave home an' yuh wan' 'er tuh come back. Yuh take her right foot of 'er stockin' an' make out right in de centah of de do'. Dis is de house an' dis is de centah of de do' right chere [demonstrates]. Right in de centah of de do' right heah, yuh go right straight back yuh undah- stan' about five feet - yuh walk backwards five feet. When yuh walk five feet, stan' right stock still, undahstan', an' dig yuh a little hole right down in de ground, right in de centah of de do'. Take dat stockin' an' put it down in dat hole. Git chew some sulphur an' put on top of it. Kivah [cover] it down in de ground dere, drive dat peg down in de ground out dere, an' dat [stocking] right down in de groun' wit it, kivah it up an' stomp [stamp] it underneat' yore foot. An' tell it, "Ah mean fo' dis tuh do whut ah tell yuh tuh do." An' den go back an' git chure left stockin'. Find 'er lef' sock an' put it right undah de bottom of de do'step - where de bottom do'step. Yuh know where de second an' right on up. Right chere de bottom one. Digs yuh a hole an' put it right down in dere. An' if she leave yuh - aftah dat's done an' she's lef' yuh, den she wants tuh come back. An' yuh leave dat dere an' she gotta walk dere, an' in less time dan 36 hours. Yuh give her 36 hours an' she'll be back. Ah don' care where in de world she is, if she's in New York or'where. (When you bury that second sock right there at the doorstep, do you put sul- phur in that, too?) Not a single thing. Yuh done done de mess out yondah.
Entry 5143
Well, now, dere one dat ah heah dey do wit a shoe, wuz take it an' jis' lak make 'em restless.
(How do they do that?)
Well, yo' take dat shoe an' yo' carry it an' yo' bury it bottomside upwards; jis' lak yo' dig a hole, jis' lak yo' diggin' a grave. Yo' put dat shoe down in dere - see, bury it. An' when yo' bury dat shoe in dere, yo' cuss dat person evah kinda dirty cuss dat chew kin think of, an' pack dat dirt. Well, dere's no Way in dis worl' fo' dem tuh rest, an' dey won' be heah no longah.
(You say you bury that shoe like you are digging a grave?)
Yeah, jes' lak yo' dig a hole. Put it deep, cuz sompin othah will scratch it up. An' bury dat shoe, pack de dirt on it. An' as yo' pack it yo' cuss it, jis cuss 'em jis' as hard as [you can].
(Either shoe?)
Dat's right. Any kinda shoe, jis' since it's a shoe dey done wore. But it got'a be wored, dat shoe, a good length of time. Den yo' bury it, see. Dat's right.
Entry 5186
Take his shoe an' burn it. Burn 'is shoe tuh ashes an' take de ashes an' bo' a hole in a oak tree an' stop it back up. Dat will kill 'im.
(What do you do burn up, both his shoes?)
No, one - de left shoe.
Entry 5292
Heard dey could take yore shoes an' dey cut a piece outa each one of yore shoes. Cut a piece outa de toe an' a piece outa de heel, an' put chure right feet right behin' de left one, an' set it in a trench of runnin' watah. An' unless dey take de shoes outa dat runnin' watah, yo' won' be able tuh come back home. Yo' will have tuh con- tinly [continually] tuh travel.
(You take both your shoes?)
An' place one right befo' de othah, an' eithah a canal or a deep ditch of runnin' watah. Jes' set dem right down in dere. PUT A HOLE IN DE TOE AN' A HOLE IN DE HEEL, SO DAT DE WATAH KIN GO RIGHT ON THROUGH. [This iS my only example of holes in toe and heel.] (The water runs right through the holes. That sends them away.)
Entry 5693
Now, jis' lak yo' say at de start back dere, ah would wan'a do yo' some evil. An' ah'd git up between midnight an' day jis' befo' de sun rise, but ah'd have tuh have some of yore urine watah or yore track. An' ah'd take dat an' ah'd mix it wit - it ain't powdah, it's a quick- silvah [and] brimstone. Yo' take dat brimstone an' ah'd have some of yore urine watah an' yo'd mix some bluestone wit, jis' lak yo' say. An' yo' take dat an' yo' git chew a tin box, yo' know, whut de lid will fasten down on, an' yo' put dat in dat box. Yo' bo' li'le holes in de bottom of de box. Yo' don' put no liquid in dat, jis' dat powdah. An' den set dat - de sun goin' tuh rise, yo' set it dis way [demonstrates]. Yo' don' lay it complete down, jis' kinda tilt it. Yo' set it so when de sun rise it'll come ovah it. Brimstone, bluestone an' quicksilvah.
(You bury that towards the sunrise.)
Yes, toward de sunrise. Yo' see de sun rise on it an' go ovah. Dis part of it tuh de sunrise. An' dat li'le box, whosomevah is doin' dis, dey got some words dey use three times a day: in de mornin' dey uses some words, dinnahtime dey use some words, when de sun go down dey use dose same words.
(What do they use?)
Entry 5804
Dey kin take yer hair from yer haid an' take it tuh a red oak tree, an' on de east side of dat tree, yuh bo' yuh a hole - dat's fo' tuh run yuh crazy. Bo' yuh a hole in dat tree an' put dat hair in dere. Take yuh a stick an' trim it. Stop dat hole up, yuh know, jes' as yuh put in a peg lak dat. Put it in dat tree an' stop it up in dere an' go ahead on. Well, as dat hair - see, dat hair is gonna grow an' as dat hair grows, dat takes yer mind. Yuh has no mind fo' nuthin. An' when dat hair beginnin' tuh grow, hit'll run yuh stone crazy - yuh don't even know nuthin. Yuh haven't got no mind fo' nuthin.
Entry 5879
Jis' lak if yo' didn't wan' chure wife tuh evah leave 'way from heah, bo' a hole somewhere in de flo'. Don' bo' it clean through dere yo' know. An' take her hair an' punch it down in dere, an' jis' pack it down in dere an' stop it up, an' she won't be goin' nowhere. An' de same way wit de man.
Entry 6200
If yo' wanta git a person out de way, dat's whut de ole folks have said. De person dat yo' wan'a git out de way, yo' git some of 'is hair an' take it tuh de woods, an' git chew a augah an' bo' a hole in de no'th side of de tree, an' git chew a frog an' put dat frog in dere on top of dat, an' git chew a wedge an' put dat wedge in dere an' drive it in tight, an' evah day yo' go back an' tap dat wedge. Well, when dat frog dies, why dat person die. Well, yo' git 'im out de way, yo' undahstan'.
(When the frog dies, that person dies.)
Entry 6238
They kin take your hair from out of your temple. See, jis' a small pinch, two or three grains; that is, if they Wanta do you harm - make you sick, headache all de time. An' bore a hole in a tree befo' de sap rise, an' put it in there an' plug it up right tight. You'll have a headache an' die purtty soon afterwards.
Entry 6240
One woman said once dat chew bo' a hole in a tree on de no'th side, a red oak tree, scrape de bark off. An' scrape off de first bark an' den scrape off de second bark, an' den bo' dat hole in de so'th side of a tree. Dat's fo' de hair. An' dey take yore hair an' a bird feathah, sompin wild feather, lak birds are wild things, an' fix wit it an' stop it up in dere. Say dat will run yo' crazy. Dat's whut ah heard.
Entry 6250
Take dey hair an' go tuh a oak tree on de west side, an' bo' yuh a hole in dere, an' put dat hair in dere, an' aftah so long a time dat person will go crazy.
(This person's hair.)
Entry 6251
Dey take de hair an' go tuh de sundown side of a sweet gum tree. Go ovah dere an' dey'll put [that] hair wit some graveyard dirt on tuh it. An' den dey'd have a augah an' bo' a hole in dat tree, an' have a peg de same size de augah, yuh know, an' drive it in dere. Tap it - got'a hit a lick evah day nine days, de ninth day yuh goin' drive it all de way down - way down, way down. Dat's when dey lose dere mind.
Entry 6262
[After that long parade of submargin titles about TREES, we now return to our normal alphabetical order with TWISTING, an important magic rite often Ignored. Probably ten or more examples of it will be found in HOODOO. Twisting, of course, is related to knot tying, also to bending - the bending of nails and plns for instance.] Well, yo' kin take hair from a person's haid - say ah like 'em, see, an' carry it in yore hip pocket. Yo' twist up an' twist up de hair an' put it in yore hip pocket an' carry it in yore hip pocket. [Informant gives another rite.] An' den yo' kin take an' go tuh a tree an' bo' a bole in de tree an' put dat hair in de tree an' dat person - whut chew mean? Tnyin' tuh drive somebody crazy or what? Well, dat whut dat hair do. Yo' kin cate dat hair an' jes' take yo' a lil' auger an' bo' a hole in de tree. See, jes' put chew a hole right in de tree an' put dat hair in dat tree an' stop it. where it airtight an' nuthin will git to it, an' dey'll suffer wit de head- ache. Dey will keep on wit it an' dey'll die wit it. DERE AIN'T NO DOCTAH IN LHORL' KIN CURE 'EM.
[We return to twisted hair.]
(Now what about twisting that hair and putting it in your pocket. What will
(dhat do?)
Hell, now yo' take de hair an' put it in yore pocket. An' well, dat will pt dem people tuh come tuh love yo'. Yo' carry 'em all de time. Make 'em lore yo'.
Entry 6458
All right, if yo' wants tuh run a woman crazy, yo' take some of 'er hair. An' cut 'er lef' li'le fingahnail, an' den git de middle fingahnail off de right han', an' some of 'er hair, an' tie it up tuhgethah an' go tuh a li'le saplin' tree. Bo' a hole intuh it an' place it in dat hole in dat tree. Ah guarantee yo' 'fo' a good while she be crazy.
Entry 6923
Dey jis' take a dime an' bore a hole in it an' tie it round yuh neck or roun' yuh wrist an' de people couldn't so easily HOODOO yo'. Dey claim de dime takes it up 'fore it git to yo'.
Entry 6924
Takes a dime an' put a hole through it, an' yo' kin weah it roun' yuh ankle or roun' yuh arm or roun' yuh neck. Dat's in case if a person wants tuh try tuh poison yo'. Dey claims dat dat poison goes in dat silvah in place of in yuh system.
Entry 7618
Ah heard 'em say dat yuh kin go tuh de graveyard - lak dat, if ah Wants tuh change mah luck - dat ah kin go tuh de cemetery an' dig right up on de right-hand side of de grave jis' about where ah think de heart oughta lay, an' dig a hole down deep an' git me out two han'fulla dirt. Bring it out. An' when ah git dis dirt, ask fo' luck - jis' ask of de dead fo' luck, an' drop from five tuh eight pennies in dat hole an' plug it up. An' when ah rise up from off mah knees, tuh thank 'em [a rare courtesy!], an' walk away an' don't look back. Well, ah take dis dirt an' carry it tuh mah house an' sprinkle it roun' dere, an' dey say dat will give me luck.
(That is to change your luck. In anything?)
In anything.
Entry 7824
Yo' kin write a lettah tuh a dead person. If yo' want anything tuh happen tuh a person good or bad, write a lettah tuh a dead person. Go dere an' yo' kin carry nine cents, dig a hole an' give dis lettah tuh dis person hut's in de grave. An' dis party, jis' whut yo' ast in de lettah tuh happen, dey say dat would be true.
Entry 8098
Yo' kin take dat, jis' a tintype. Yo' kin take it an' bury it an' kill a person jis' as daid as dey evah have tuh die. Yo' take it an' carry it out somewhere an' yo' dig a hole an' put it in it, an' yo' jis' curse an' say, "Ah hope dat yo'll die an' nevah come back ag'in." An' bury it. Dat's de way tuh bury an' dey'll die. As dat tintype fade away, why dey'll fade away. Dey will shore die.
Entry 8325
Ah don't know whethah it's true, but ah heer'd dis, see. Yo' kin take a photo- graph an' yo' kin take it an' put it undah de steps an' yo' kin walk ovah it, or eithah yo' kin take it an' carry it tuh a tree facin' east. Bo' a hole an' put in dere an' in a length of time yo' will die.
(Why do you put that photograph under the step?)
De person have tuh walk ovah it - see, dat photograph belongs tuh - walk ovah it. An' den aftah dey walk ovah it, dey know dey come outa de house sometime, see, den dey take it tuh dat tree an' bo' de hole in it. (You put it under the step, then you put it in the tree. Do you stop it up in the tree in any way?) Aftah yo' take de bolt outa dere, den put dat bolt back in - bolt or plug - dat peg back in dere.
Entry 8338
Kin do in de tree. Co'se now yo' kin take if yo' kin git a tintype photograph, yo' know, whut takes only dese li'le tencent tintypes, see. An' dat will do anything. An' if yo' wanta ruin a person wit it, yo' kin go right tuh a young pine, a young tree, an' yo' kin jes' take yore knife an' yo' cut chew a deep hole in dat tree, see. An' yo' drive yo' a li'le tack. Yo' tack dat tintype pichure upside down on dat tree, yo' see. Den, if yo' wanta, yo' kin tack sompin ovah it, yo' see. An' dat tree be drawin' [growing] up. An' yo' kin mess a man up, yo' see. Yo' kin lock 'is bowels or yo' kin jes' keep 'im....
Entry 8479
Well, you open that banana - you see, not far enough for it to be shown - and write that name and put it in, and put it up overhead and the apple too. That will keep them right there with you, just like that urine. That is supposed to make them care for you. [While recording Was stopped I asked informant about the 9 times previously mentioned.] You write the name nine times on the paper, yes sir, and put it in the hole, stick in the hole in the apple or orange or banana; just fix it up, you know, so it won't be laid open. Then you wrap it up into somepin. And then you put it up overhead, anywhere high. When you wrap it, you wrap to you like this [demon- strates] and put it up overhead where they pass by. [Wrapping, as here, is often a magic rite - see later margin title WRAPPING.]
Entry 9346
Take a aig an' put some quicksilvah in it. (A chicken egg?) Yes, sir. Make a little hole in it, chew know, an' put quicksilvah in it chew know. An' stop de hole up an' plant it right down at de place wheah yo' workin' at, an' dere can't nobody take dat job away from yuh.
Entry 9731
Dey tell me if yo' bo' a hole in a tree an' take, ah think three nails, an' drive in dere an' name 'em. An' yo' drive 'em in dere. Dey tell me dat will cuz a person tuh git fits an' die from 'em.
(How many nails do they put in that hole?)
Dey put three.
Entry 11207
Well, ah'll tell yo' whut tuh do wit dat. Go tuh a ole house an' yo' sees de dirt daubah build a nest. Yo' git nine an' yo' powdah it up an' yo' git chew a nine [cents] 股 worth of rock sulphuh [small cake of] an' yo' powdah hit up an' yo mix dat all up tuhgethah an' sew it up intuh a bag an' yo' put it right undahneath - intuh de mattress. Cut a hole intuh de mattress where he gen[eral]ly sleep at. An' he'll come home an' he'll sleep right on dat dat night, an' he wouldn't nevah leave home no mo'. He'll stay right dere wit yo'. Ah've seen dat done.
(They don't do anything else?)
Nuthin else.
Entry 11364
(To drive a person crazy what do you do?)
Well, it's to take some of his - whut yo' would call it some proper name, ah don't know.
(His passage?)
Yes sir, an' bo' a hole in a tree.... [Stopping passage up in tree is a common rite. I have reproduced this one here to indicate the limited vocabulary con- cerning vital parts and func- tions of the body.]
Entry 11907
11907-11910. The person whose hair is stopped up in a hole bored into a tree will go crazy [Snow Hill, Md., 5: l; Boxiron, Md., by hand; St. James
(near Pocomoke City, Md.) by hand; and Fredericksburg by Ediphone.]
Entry 11908
11907-11910. The person whose hair is stopped up in a hole bored into a tree will go crazy [Snow Hill, Md., 5: l; Boxiron, Md., by hand; St. James
(near Pocomoke City, Md.) by hand; and Fredericksburg by Ediphone.]
Entry 11909
11907-11910. The person whose hair is stopped up in a hole bored into a tree will go crazy [Snow Hill, Md., 5: l; Boxiron, Md., by hand; St. James
(near Pocomoke City, Md.) by hand; and Fredericksburg by Ediphone.]
Entry 11910
11907-11910. The person whose hair is stopped up in a hole bored into a tree will go crazy [Snow Hill, Md., 5: l; Boxiron, Md., by hand; St. James
(near Pocomoke City, Md.) by hand; and Fredericksburg by Ediphone.]
Entry 11911
Bore hole into tree and in it stop up person's hair to run him crazy.
[Washington, D. C., 837:3.]
Entry 11924
You can kill a person by airtighting some of his hair in a small bot- tle and stopping it up in a hole you have bored into a tree. [Wilmington 228:3+ 85.]
Entry 11933
Go to a swamp and on the north side of a black gum tree bore a hole into which you push victim's hair. Then trim a peg and gradually drive it into the hole, making one blow on the peg and wishing each morning for 9 days. What- ever you wish will happen. [This peg into a hole with one lick on each of 9 mornings is a common theme in HOODOO.] [Washington, D. C., 839:1.]
Entry 8716
Yo' kin take a woman's stockin' or a man's sock dat dey done wore, an' yo' takes dat an' write dere name down nine times straight, jes' on a straight piece of papah [demonstrates]. (Write one and the next one after it right under the other.) Yessuh. An' yo' put it in dat sock or stockin' an' yo' fold it from yo'. An' as yo' fold it from yo', at twelve a'clock at night, yo' go somewhere where dere's a fig tree. An' yo' dig a hole undah dat fig tree an' yo' puts dat stockin' undah dat tree an' covah it up. An' when yo' covah it up [you say] "As dat stockin' melt away, dey wastes away." See, dey'll jes' dry up an' Waste away lak a person dat got some kinda disease.
(You must say those words?)
Yessuh, as yo' put de stockin'. Yo' wrap up as ah 'fore tole yo' wit de name in it. An' den when yo' put de name in dere, yo' wrap it from yo'. An' yo' find de fig tree. But it must be twelve a'clock at night. An' yo' digs a hole undah dat fig tree an' yo' buries it. An' when yo' buries it, yo' say, "Jes' lak ah put dis stockin' heah tuh rot away, dat's de way ah want de individuals tuh waste away."
(That will kill them then?)
Yessuh, an' as dat stockin' rot away, dey health be gittin' bad an' dey'll first an' last, final[ly], an' jes' die off, an' nobody will know whut dey died wit, if dey don' go find out 'bout de stockin'.
Entry 11590
Ah hear'd of 'em pickin' up de tracks, zhoo know, way [where] people galks along. An' dey jis' take up de san' [from the heel of both tracks, right and left] in de han', zhoo know, an' take a piece of chewin' gum, jis' lak yo' git out de sto', an' chew it. An' take dat an' wrap it all up togethah, yo' know, an' go to a tree an' bo' a hole in de tree, an' put it in dere, an' close dat tree up. An' de nex' day dis person will be gone, dead and buried.
Entry 12582
Now heah's one good fo' dat, if yo' wanted tuh keep de lav away. Yo' ldn use jes' a common penny. Yo' drive one down at de front do' an one at de back, an' den yo' take a can Red Devil lye an' yo' Would drive nine holes in dat an' yo' would bury dat neah where yuh people would pass ovah it. An' dat's been a suah one tuh keep away de law an' yo' don't be bothered wit de law.
Entry 13058
Make 3 holes in the dime you wear on ankle or leg against cunjure.
[Wilmington 162:5+85.]
Entry 13147
Git his sock or either his shirt and tear a hole in de mattress in de bed and sew it up in dere, if you want him to stay. [Jacksonville 787:4.]
Entry 4059
Yo' kin take a person chamber lye an' po' it in a bottle, an' take it an' bury it underneat' chure do'step. Have a little hole in dere, yo' know, where it will drip it lak dat. An' when de las' drop go out, drop out, DEY'LL LEAVE WIT DAT LAS' DROP.
(I would do that with their chamber lye to make them leave?)
Make 'em leave, see - git rid of 'em, kill 'em. See, dey'll lingah along yo' see.
The account places a bottle beneath a doorstep. This link retrieves that doorway location; it does not identify the doorstep with a door panel. The continuation describes making someone leave and killing them; these are source claims, with no established outcome.
Entry 4149
A woman will take an' wet, pee on de groun', an' dere's be lak a hole. See, yo' take dat hole an' stop it up in a bottle an' throw it in a runnin' stream of watah, an' she can't pee.
Entry 4280
Dey take yuh watah an' stop it up an' YUH'LL NEVAH MAKE WATAH NO MORE IN DE WORL'. Put it intuh a bottle - if yuh don't spit intuh it, see. If yuh spit in yuh urinate, dat kill de urinate [and an enemy cannot use it to harm you]. An' dey dig a hole an' put it undah de step. Well, yuh don't make watah nO mo', an' DAT CUZ YUH TUH BE WATAH BOUND.
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 4402
[The tree-hole rites of this margin title are only a part of the total number to be found in the present section and elsewhere in the text of HOODOO.] If yuh wanta put a spell on a person or make 'em lingah in misery an' suffah foa long time, yuh could take some of dere pass an' bo' a hole in de tree an' stop it up an' dat would cuz 'em tuh suffah deyselves away. Ah heard dat chew could do dat.
Entry 4683
Dat little bow in de back of a man's hat, take dat an' go tuh a green pine tree an' bo' a hole wit a augah, an' drive it wit sompin back dere tight. It will run 'im crazy.
Entry 4430
People dat is enemies tuh othah people an' dey would watch 'em very closely an' when dey go tuh deyself, dey gits dat an' dey bo' a hole in de side of a tree, an' plug it in, an' take an' drive a peg in behin' it, an' go an' drive dat peg jis' a little bit fo' nine mawnin's, an' de ninth mawnin' dat will certainly kill 'em.
Entry 4445
AH DON' WORK DAT KINDA BUSINESS NOW BUT AH USED TUH. Yuh take SOMe dey urinate [= excrement - see comment later], anybody's, don' care who it is. Take some of 'is urinate an' bo' yuh a hole in a half-grown tree, 'cuz young trees grows fastah, a good flushin' [flourishing] young tree. An' take a augah an' bo' yuh a hole in dere, if yuh wanta git shet of 'em, don't want 'em roun' dere. An' yo' put dat urinate in a papah, wrahp [wrap] it up. Roll it up an' put it in dat hole an' trim yuh a peg an' start it in dere jis' a little, jis' stop it up jis' a little an' go on off. Evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's go dere an' hit it a lick an' evah time yuh hit, dey's gittin' locked tightah an' tightah. Well, when yuh hit it de ninth mawnin', it's plumb tight, an' he'll die if yuh don't git it outa dere.
(You mean take that from bowels?)
Yeah.
Urinate remains the printed wording; the editorial gloss and later question about bowels are distinct context.