Subject:Homespun
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Entry 3254
Dey tell me if yo' git chew a new piece of homespun an' use fo' him tuh wipe wit, aftah dem be togethah. Take dat piece of homespun an' roll it up tight, an' take it an' put it up ovah de do' or in some dark place, somepin othah. Dat'll bring 'im in - make him come back. He can't have nobody but chew. Say he would come back if he's in New Orleans den.
Entry 3485
If a man leaves yo' an' yo' wants 'im back, de thing about it, yo'll have tuh git in wit 'im an' go tuh bed wit 'im, undahstan'. Well, if yo' go tuh bed wit 'im one time, yo' could buy a halfa yard of yellah homespun cloth an' aftah yo'all finish whut chure doin', yo' kin jes' stick dat yellah home- spun, dat halfa yard of yellah homespun an' wipe him down wit it three times. Yo' undahstand me, wipe him down three times an' git a thin [well-worn] dime from 'im. An' take yore time, take dat yellah homespun cloth to de cornah an' double it. Evah time yo' fold it, fold it towards yo'. An' git a piece of thread an' tie dat an' bury it at chure do'steps. He come right on, straight on back tuh yo'.
(You put that little dime in the corner of this cloth and keep folding it up.)
Towards yo' evah time. [This woman spoke in a whisper all through interview.]
Entry 3510
Well, jis' like if she wanted havin' a man, yo' know, an' yo' don't wan' 'im to have no one else. Dey say dat dere's two ways yo' kin do dat, but de surest way to do it is to go to de store - yo' don't have to buy but about a half a yard of white homespun. I've tried dat mahself. An' when yo' make connection, jis' before he have a good time, dat he takes it out - an' of co'se some draps on de baid. Yo' take an' grab like dat an' wipe it choo know. An' den yo' tie yo' a hard knot in dat homespun. I guess it'll be about dat long. Yo' got to buy about a half a yard anyhow. Yo' might have to splice it, yo' know, so it be long enough to go roun' yore waist an' tie it, an' also tie de knot [here are the two knots]. Yo' wear it nine days an' den yo' take it an' put it somewhere 'bout chah baid, an' he can't mess wit nobody else. He be on level all de time. I did it fer curiosity. I did a man like dat an' he had to pay a man, he told me, ten dollars to git dat thing offa him.
Entry 3546
If yo' got a man an' don't want 'im tuh have nobodys else but chew, yo' could tie him in nine knots in a towel or a new piece of yellah homespun. [Yel- low homespun is the same as yellow or unbleached cotton in preceding rite.
Entry 3708
The follow- ing informant gives 4 separate cures:] Dey say yo' kin take in measurin' a man - well now, in yore husban', if yo' don't want 'im tuh fool wit somebody, why yo' could take an' measure him when he's sleep, if yo' git a chance. Or eithah, yo' fix 'im to pay no 'tenshun - have connection wit 'im fo' a chance tuh measure 'im wit a piece of cord string, dis little cord string dat come off a wrappin'. An' take an' measure 'im wit dat - jes' de length of it. An' den yo' kin take an' tie nine knots in it, an' yo' kin wear it in yore shoe, or if yo' kin, put it down undah de innah sole of yore shoe, an' he can't have anythin' tuh do wit anybody else. Den yo' kin take a piece of new homespun. Jes' lak yo' be playin' an' yo' have a piece of new homespun about de bed, or sompin yo' wus sewin', an' dey kin use dat aftah dey git through. Put it undah yore mattress an' double it up in a piece of papah an' put it undah yore mattress an' he ain't goin' bothah 'bout anyone. An' den if a person gits where dey kin't bothah wit anybody an' wants it taken off dem, dey kin go an' steal a dishcloth - steal someone's dishcloth. An' if dey got greasy dishwatah dere, dey jis' skim off dat grease wit dat dishcloth an' squeeze it up in dere. An' den yo' kin take dat dishcloth an' use it an' wash it off yoreself an' dat will kill it out. An' den yo' kin take an' git some cedar - these cedar leaves. Don't chew know, yo've seen dese cedars in de cemetery. An' take sulphur an' sprinkle it ovah dem, an' put a little fiah undah it, an' yo' kin kinda stand ovah dat an' let dat smoke go ovah yo', an' dat'll kill it. (That will kill it, if his nature has been taken away from him - restore his nature. But you don't have to get that cedar from the cemetery, you can get it any place?) Yes, anywhere. Yo' ain't gotta git it from de cemetery. [Yet, informant prefers graveyard.]
Entry 5035
Yo' kin take a man's sock an' run 'im, an' yo' kin take a wo- man's stockin' an' fix it an' run 'er wit it. Yo' take 'em an' yo' put dat sulphur an' red peppah an' table salt [three ingre- dients] - dat whut dey tell me yo' do - an', yo' know, roll it up in some new white homespun. Well, yo' take dat an' throw it in runnin' watah an' dey com- pelled tuh follah dat stockin' yo' see. An' jis' wherevah it lodges, dat's where dey'll lodge.
Entry 5177
Den yo' git de shoes, yo' take - cut a li'le piece outa de bottom of dat shoe. When yo' cut a li'le piece outa de bottom of dat shoe, yo'll fix dat up in a li'le piece of cloth, a yellah homespun cloth. An' yo'll wind dat, yo' know, wit a string. An' yo'll have in dat nuthin but sulphuh an' eatin'-salt. An' yo'll put dat in dere, an' yo'll tie hit tuhgethah intuh dat li'le piece whut yo' cut out dat shoe. Well, now, if yo' hit [aim] tuh bring 'im back, well yo'll take a li'le piece of saltpetah an' yo'll put [make] dat in a powdahs - all dem into a powdahs, an' yo'll fix dat into dat li'le package. An' aftah, yo' wind dat li'le package up an' yo' bury dat at de back of yore house. An' when yo' put all dat in de back of de house, den yo' call 'im three times - woman or man - an' dey cain't he'p but follahin' back. Now, dat's fer as ah know 'bout dat.
(Do you wind it in any special way?)
No pahtic'lah way but jis' long as yo' know it tied.
(And can you send them away with the same thing?)
No suh, ah don' know if yo' send 'em away wit dat.
(You mean that piece in the shoe, that piece inside [insole] that you pul]
up?) Dat's right.
Entry 5409
Yo' take yore fingahs lak dis an' draw back from de end of de toe, back tuh de heel an' git de track, if yo' kin git de right foot. An' tie it up an' take it tuh a runnin' stream of watah an' - a new piece of home- spun - an' make yore wishes an' throw it ovah yore right shoul- dah. An' walk away an' not look back aftah it. An' dat would make yo' be in love wit 'im right on, make him come back tuh yo'. If he quitted yo' or sompin lak dat, yo' could do dat. (You just get his foot track between your two fingers, your index finger and little finger. Of the right hand.) Yeah. Say dat would draw 'im back. If yo' wanted tuh run 'im or drive [him away], say yo'd take yore lef' han' an' make bad wishes.
Entry 5447
Ketch de right foot [track] disaway [demonstrates], de lef'-foot [track] disaway. (You bring the right foot back, toe back to heel; the left foot, you catch from the heel up to the toe.) Put it in a piece of new homespun w'a' [what] ain't nevah been washed. Go tuh de graveyard an' git some dirt an' mix wit it. Well, yo' see, dat'll make yo leave home. Take it an' put it back undah yore steps. Well, aftah dey put it undah yore steps, yo' see, yo'll leave home; yo' can't come back dere no mo'.
Entry 5474
If dey wan' chew tuh leave town - if yo' givin' dem trouble an' dey Wan' chew tuh leave town, why dey'd ketch it [your track]. If yo' goin' dis way, dey'd ketch it disaway. Den dey would take dis dirt - take it an' put it in a new piece of home- spun. When yo' go tuh a graveyard, git chew two bran'- new teaspoons. Go tuh a graveyard wit two bran'-new tea- spoons. Git chew two teaspoonsfulla dirt offa two sinnahs graves. Well, yo' takes two pennies an' pay each one of dese sinnahs fo' de dirt. Well, yo' takes dat gunpowdah an' thundah-strucken wood, red peppah, an' mix it all tuhgethah. What ah mean thundah-strucken iw where lightning struck a tree. Well yo' take it an' divide it intuh two parts. Yo' put one in a red chunk bottle [bottle with long neck] an' bury it in de east, an' yo' put de othah one in a red chunk bottle an' yo' go tuh runnin' watah, an' yo' pitch it 'cross yore shouldah - turn yore back, pitch it 'cross yore shouldah. Befo' yo' pitch it 'cross yore shouldah, yo' say, yo' do dis, In de Name of de Father, an' de Son an' de Holy Ghost - fo' yo' tuh go an' nevah return. An' in three days time yo'll be left town, yo' can't stay. Yo'll tread dat watah until yo' drown.
(You say you put all that stuff in a red chunk bottle?)
In a red bottle - quart bottle [the ordinary brown beer or whiskey bottle one "chunks" or throws away.]
(Which shoulder do you throw that over?)
Ovah yore lef' shouldah.
Entry 5513
Yo' kin trick 'em disaway. Yo' kin go tuh work - see, it's yore shoe. Lak yo' walk wit de shoe in some san' [sand], an' den shape of yore shoe is lef' down dere, dat hollah right yondah. Where de track leave de hollah in dat san', yo' watch it, an' yo' go an' git chew de san'. Be sure it's 'is track, dough [though], an' start tuh [to = at] de toes of it, lak dis heah [demonstrates] an' draw it back, in de track from de shoe. Yo' draw it up once [one time only] an' tie it up.
(Which one?)
De lef' or right, don' make no diff'rence. Jes' start tuh toes of 'is shoe track an' drag it back dere lak dat. Git a handfulla dat track from de shoe, from de hollah. Be sure yo' git de hollah part right in heah. Take it 'long wit chew an' tie it up - sew it up in a li'le new piece of homespun, or a ole piece, it makes no diff'rence. Yo' jes' carry dat thing right down in yore pockets an' weah it dere. Weah it dere jes' lak dat an' yo'll run 'em crazy, long as yo' tote dat track. Yo' tote dat track.
(That is to hold the person?)
Yeah, by totin' dat track. See, he don' know it. Yo' totin' dat track evah- where yo' go. Dat's whut dey say yo' do 'bout it.
Entry 5555
Dey take chure track up, jis' lak if dey would do sompin tuh yuh tuh set yuh down an' make yuh suffah, an' cain't do nut'in tuh he'p yuhself. Dey take yuh track lak dis, see [demonstrates] - lak dat right from in de middle ["hollow" of track]. An' take up jis' about - ah know dat is de truth - take up de dirt, yuh know, an' dey put 'em on a piece of papah. Dey take de othah one disaway [demonstrates]. (They take one track - they pull it towards them and one they pull away from them.) Dat's de way de' do. An' dey take dat an' dey put it tuhgethah. An' den dey git tuh put it tuhgethah, dey goes tuh work an' dey take a little pot salt [com- Ron name for ordinary salt in a pot before salt-shaker days] an' dey put in dere. Dey sew it up in a piece of red flannel or new homespun. An' dey take dat on de young moon, now. On de' young moon de' do dat. An' dey take dat t'in' an' dey'll bury it in de earth. Well, yuh is punished. Yuh go an' cain't do nut'in. It'll git chew in hard luck. Well, den dey kin take dat an' when de tide comin' up, t'row 'em down in de watah - jis' toss 'em in de rivah. An' de rivah runnin' lak dat, go right dere an' t'row it lak dat. Dey cain't stop. T'row it in de rivah an' den yuh wheel aroun' lak dat, an' turn [your] back an' say, "Go on." Yuh kin be all right fer days. Dis mont' yuh'll have sompin, de nex' mont' yuh go 'long an' have headache an' evaht'in'. Yuh'll take dat an' dis an' dis [medicine] till it become....
Entry 5587
(What can you do to make a man stay away? Drive him away?)
Well, yo' will have to take up 'is track. Yo' see, yo' watch 'im when he valks. Now, see, if 'is toes are goin' dis way, 'way from de house, undahstan', vell yo' start from 'is heel an' yo' take one dat way an' take de othah one dis way, an' rake de dirt up. (Which one do you begin with first?) His right foot, from de heel. Take it from de heel an' carry it to de toe. Den yo' take yore lef' foot an' carry it de same way, from de heel to de toe. Yo' take dat an' put dat in - yo' have to use new homespun wit all dese things, yo' undahstan'. An' yo' take dat an' put it in new homespun an' carry it to evah-runnin' watah, a rivah or jis' a stream dat runnin'. An' yo' take it an' yo' jis' stan' direct lak dat [back to water] an' throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah an' let it go on down de stream. An' ah mean he'll follow it.
Entry 5593
Dey say yo' git de dirt outen nine tracks an' git a new piece of white homespun cloth an' sew up dem tracks. An' take de dirt outen de hollah of de track - nine tracks. Go drop it in dat sack an' sew it up an' tote it in yore pocketbook or in yore pocket. An' dey say dat dat woman or dat man will follah yo' anywhere.
(Nine tracks one right after the other?)
Yes sir. If a woman don' like a man an' wants him tuh go [that is what she does]. Well, den if he done wanta go, she kin take his track an' put it into a bag an' tote it an' dat'll prove him tuh come back to her.
(She'll get the dirt out of his tracks?)
Yes sir. Don't say de left or de right, but jes' say his tracks. Ah think it wuz nine tracks dat he tuk.
(Somebody told you that?)
Yes sir.
Entry 5663
Take yore foot track an' sew it up in a piece of white homespun an' put sulphur to it, an' take it an' go throw it in runnin' watah. Dat makes yo' tra- vel. Yo' can't stop until dat bag hits some part of de rivah, yo' see, where it stop at, can't pass.
Entry 5755
Ah said dat, if yo' have a loved one an' a husban' or a wife an' she's very jealous, dey tell me dat chew kin take a track an' sew it up in a piece of homespun wit nine drops of olive oil an' 'is urine an' let it dry up. (How much urine?) Three or fo' drops.
Entry 5776
They say they kin take your center part from yo' left foot, if yo' goin' away from home, an' put it in runnin' watah an' run yo' away from home. Get it if yo' goin' towards home. Take a young man - like if a lady Wants a man, yo' see, wan' 'in tuh come tuh 'er home. Why, tuh get sand from out de hollow of 'is foot, see.
(Which one?)
Out of the right foot, goin' tuh 'er home, yo' see. An' tie it up in a piece of new yellow cotton or homespun, something like that - where it nevah have been used, you know, an' they bury it undah the doorstep [to bring him to her home]. An' then they wear it in their shoes fer tuh hole 'em down [after he comes]. Bury it under the doorstep between nine and twelve o'clock.
Entry 5802
Take a person hair an' all yo' kin do - take a person hair an' wrop it wit some whut chew call yallah [yellow] homespun an' wrop it up in it an' weah it in yore pocket. Dat's love. An' it [hair] will grow in your pocket. Long as yo' keep dat hair, her mind will be on yo'; but de day yo' lose dat hair, why yo' ain't got nobody.
Entry 5813
Dey tell me dey take hair out de top of yore haid an' dey mix it wit Hearts Cologne an' den sews it up wit a new piece of homespun an' wears it undah dere arm. Dat's fo' love.
(Which arm do they wear it under?)
That arm there [you are holding up], that's the left arm.) Yes sir.
Entry 6317
Ah heard dey take yuh hair an' put it in a bottle. Yuh know take yuh hair an' sew it up in a piece of white homespun cloth, bran'-new, an' put it in a bottle an' throw it down runnin' watah. An' long as dat box wit dat hair in it run, well yo' got'a run away an' yuh nevah come back no mo'.
Entry 6706
Now ah tell yo ag'in, it have tuh be yo' unahstan' [under- stand]. Yo' have tuh git some earth from outa de groun', but yo' gotta be sure dat it's black dust - black earth, yo' see. Well, den yo' need tuh git halfa teaspoonfula dis sulphuh, den yo' have tuh git halfa teaspoonfula black peppah intuh a one-inch bag, yo' see, an' it have tuh be pure yallah homespun cloth. An' den yo' goes tuh work an' yo' puts dose tuhgethah, an' one red peppah. An' den yo' sew it up dere in de flannen [flannel]. Heah's a li'le bag dat yo' totes along in dat, yo' undahstan'. Well, it's no chance of no one playin' yo', anythin'. [This may be primarily a gambling hand, but it protects you against conjur- ation of any kind.]
(I see, eats it up.)
Eats it up, takes it 'way.
Entry 6746
Yo' take some black peppah an' salt an' sulphur an' a piece of homel spun; put a piece of homespun around it. Take black peppah, salt an' sulphur an~ put it on dat [package] an' as it burns tell it whut chew want it tuh do an' dey won't come back any mo'. Take a piece of new homespun an' cut it nice [demonstrates]. (Cut it round like a cir- cle.) Yes, yo' have tuh cut it out lak a circle. Den as yo' take sulphur, take a pinch of sulphur - sulphur an' salt [and black pepper] an' put it tuhgethah an say, In de Name of de Fathah, Name of de Son, an' Name of de Holy Ghost, whut chew want it tuh do.
(That will make them stay away.)
Entry 9299
Takes a aig an' write his 'nitial all ovah dat aig, jes' let it be written all ovah it. Take yo' some yellah homespun an' covah dat ovah dat [egg] an' bury it jes' de side-a [side of] dat gate, er [or] de do', an' dat'll bring 'im back home an' he won't leave no mo'.
(Is that for any kind of egg?)
Any kind of aig, don't make no diff'rence.
Entry 9449
"Fore yo' go down tuh de bossman, yo' git chew some salt, git chew a box-a [box of] bran'-new salt. Den yo' take dat salt an' tie it up in a new piece a yellah homespun, an' yo' put it in yore pocket. An' yo' take yo' some loose salt, have it in yore han', an' yo' sprinkle it all roun' where yo' - [do] not let chure boss see it - all roun' where yore boss makes tracks at. Sprinkle it all roun' dere an', see, salt conkahs. Salt is a conkah thing. Salt conkahs a lotta things yo' know, jes' even cookin' salt. Yo' kin do a lotta things wit salt. Dat's good.
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 9830
Yuh kin take nine an' put [usually stick] 'em intuh a piece of homespun cloth, an' bury it undahneath de steps, an' dat'll break 'em up, de man an' woman, whoevah it is.
[Needles and homespun are usually new.]
Entry 9865
All right. Chew take a long homespun string jes' about long enough tuh make nine knots. Den yo' ketch dis frog an' a - yo' don' want him daid, keep him alive. An' which is dis about, if yo' wanta run a person? If yo' take dis heah homespun - take a string an' tie it nine times an' yo' tie it tuh 'is laig. Den yo' go tuh de person's house, dere do'step, dere front do'step, an' put it undahneat' of de do'steps. Den yo' let de frog stay dere till nine mawnin's an whosomevah de party dat [is] yo' calls dere name, an' let 'em walk ovah dat fo' nine mawnin's, den dey will die, if de frog dies. If de frog is goin' tuh die de ninth mawnin' yo' goin' also die.
(You simply tie this string around the frog's leg?)
Aroun' de lef' laig, nine times [demonstrates]. (You just loop this around his leg and tie a knot. Then loop it around his leg and tie a knot again. And you tie nine knots in string on frog's leg and bury frog under the door.)
[Here for informant's word put I substitute bury!]
Bury him undah de door right at de steps lak when yo' come out. Put it right up undah de sill of de steps. [The frog is not buried but kept alive: yo' don' want him daid, keep him alive.] Well, when he come out well - well, he kin stay dere nine mawnin's, nine days, dat frog is compelled tuh die wit'out food. Well, he'll die an' den yo'll pass also wit de frog.
(You actually bury that under the ground?)
[Here again I am suggesting the frog is buried!]
Yo' bury de frog under de ground.
(That's to kill the person living in the house?)
Yessuh. [Magically we have enough here to kill anyone: the intention, home- spun = new string, 9 knots in, tied about left [back] leg, animal buried under step victim must walk over, victim's name called, etc. For something similar, including steps, see No.9871, six rites forward.]
Entry 9962
Put little rain frogs in a bag of new yellow cloth or new homespun, make a double bag [from double or folded cloth], make wishes, wear for money and success. [The meaning of rain frog probably varied in different parts of the coun- try, but in my part: "To hear a rain frog (tree frog or tree toad) calling is the sign of rain within three days." (FOLKLORE FROM ADAMS COUNTY ILLINOIS, 1st ed., p.10, No.259.) This tree toad is said to be trilling (calling with trills) for a rain (2nd ed., P.20, Nos.525-526)].
Entry 10716
Dey says takin' a bird nest. Now, dat's somethin', de same thing of love, of married life. Like if yo' wanted a girl, yo' know, an' she doesn't seem tuh care anythin' fo' yo', yo' jes' take de bird nest down an' yo' take, taht if yo' kin git anything of hers, an' put it in dere, an' put it in dis nest, an' sew it up in a piece of new homespun an' yo' wear it yourself yo' see. An' den yo' take de perfume an' put on dat an' jes' yo' know, lak yo' be round her an' yo' know how like girls will be round yo', an' put dere ban's in yore pocket yo' know, an' take de han'kerchief out. Yo' may grab it, but see, she git de scent of dat. Dat'll change her mind an' she do jes' lak yo' wanted her do.
(You put this bird's nest into the handkerchief?)
In de han'kerchief. An' yo' puts dis Hearts Perfume. Jes' don't take nuthin out de bird nest. Jes' take de whole nest right up an' puts it in dis lil' piece of homespun. Den yo' put it in a han'kerchief 'cause yo' want it on it fo' nine mawnin's with dis Hearts Perfume in it. See, when yo' put it in dere, yo' more den apt tuh put it in yore pocket, yo' see. Well, when yo' put dis han'kerchief in yore pocket, dey more den apt tuh grab it. When dey grab, yo' know, yo' goin' have somethin' in dere, but yo' won't have it in de han'kerchief so dey can't shake it out. Well, whenevah she git de scent of dat, why it won't be long 'fore she goin' follow yo'. Well, dat's nuthin but jes' tuh make love.
Entry 13334
(How Would you fix [put a spell on] her?)
Well, ah tell you. Ah'd ketch me a little sparrah - see, ketch me a little sparrah alive, and ah'll git me a little fat from a cow or fat from hog - sompin like dat - or fat from a chicken, eny kin' fat chew know to make some grease an' fry dese birds, see. I'll git dem fat an ah'll fry dem birds, see. Fry dem birds an' ah'll take a little piece of new homespun cloth, see. An' ah'll take dat homespun an' ah'll take dat grease, an' pour it onto dat homespun, see. An' after ah take dat an' pour 'em onto dat homespun, why ah'll git another [O.K.] piece of cloth an' ah'll wrop [wrap] it see. An' den ah'll take a needle an' a spool of thread wot [what] nevah beer used an' sew dat up. See, sew it up tight with dat cloth wit de grease on it, so it can't even ketch air. An' ah'll stick dat in de mattress right where she sleep at, see. Ah'll git a little Hearts Cologne an' den ah'll put a little sweet spirit of niter, see. An' ah'll pour a little bit of dat on her, see.
(On the woman herself.)
Throw a little sweet spirit of niter in front of her and a little Hearts Cologne in her back, on her right shoulder. An' she'll think the world, de sun rise an' [go] down on me.
(That is the [another] way you will get her.)
Entry 13345
For love, I'll tell you w'a' you kin do. You kin take a piece of yellah homespun, split it, take it now. Well, take your chamber lye, dat you use over dat night.- make over dat night. You take dat an' heat it in a little pan. Take dis piece of homespun, wipe it under your left- foot bottom. Wipe it under your right [-foot bottom] with dis piece of homespun. An' den, after you do dat, you take it an' wipe it under dis [demonstrates the left] arm, an' wipe it under this [demonstrates right] arm. After you do dat, you wipe down dere [at pubic region]. After you do dat, why you take a little bottle about dat long [shows a little finger] a little vial. An' push dat homespun, put it down in dere. Take dis water [urine] w'ere [what] you heat, pour it into dere. An' take nine pinch of love powder, nine drops of Heart Colognes [Hearts Cologne] an' nine pinch of spice. Why you kin put dat in dere, into dis bottle, an' stop it up tight. And any time you wan'a, it'll make you come. Put dat in some applesauce, peas, or anything, nine drops every time, an' he'll give you jis' w'a' choo want an' love you.
Entry 232
Well, now dat's done fo' hosses [horses] an' fo' humans, too. Fo' ninstance, say if yo' wanta buy a hoss - a nice fine hoss, fat an' all an' yo' Wanta buy 'im an' de man wants too much fo' him or he don't wanta sell him to yo'. Well, yo' take - git chew a brand new piece of homespun an' start from his hip-bone an' make one knot, an' go up. Ev'ry time yo' come up to ev'ry joint, yo' make a knot, an' yo' take an' bury it in dat hoss's track an' he'll become tuh be lame - crippled an' he lay down an' he can't git up. Well, de man maybe Wanted de hoss, but he take most any kinda price - well, he take it den.
Entry 3134
Yo' could take dis man's - when yo' have somepin tuh do wit 'im, yo' kin take 'is come [semen]. Yo' ketch it on dat rag, on a homespun piece of cloth [unbleached cotton], an' put it in de milk bottle, a bottle of buttahmilk, an' half stop it up, if dis boy's in yore way. But don't use it fer nuthin else but dat. An' take it an' yo' know, put it in a ditch or somepin where it'll half drain out. An' den, whenevah it all drains out, why dat boy'll go away or sompin
Entry 3151
Den if she doesn't want 'im tuh have a outside fren', yo' see, she'll take huh a new piece of new white homespun an' she goes tuh bed, yo' know, an' be wit 'i. She ketch evahthin' in dat white homespun an' she'll take dat piece of white homespun an' bury it anywhuh roun' 'uh house - undah huh steps, undah de side of de house, undah a brick pillah or anywhuh. Well, if he go out he can't have no woman, see. Dat blocks 'im any way he tryin' tuh have anothah woman.
Entry 7534
[Depending upon the type of work you are doing, it can sometimes be easier to bury the article in a fresh or new grave:] Well, dey said tuh run yuh crazy, why dey take yore hair an' go an' git graveyard dirt an' mix yore hair - git a little bag, a little piece of new homespun, sew it up, about dat long, an' put chure hair in it. An' put de graveyard dirt in it an' carry it an' bury it in a new grave, an' in nine days yo' will go crazy.
Entry 11849
They tell me that you take de fingernails and toenails, and some of your hair right here [points to back of the head]. You totta put that all to- gether, mix it, you see, with cayenne pepper - red pepper. Go to de fiahplace, wrap dat up good, tight. Yo' wrap it up with a piece of new home- spun cloth. And wrap it all up together good and tight. You wrap it up like this [demonstrates]. You wrap it away from you. Dat's to drive you away. And take it and go to de fiahplace, take up a brick and put dat [package] down in dere, and put dat brick on top of it.
Entry 1956
An' den yo' kin take a little bit of strand out of a man's head - like if a man dat chew got an' yo' want him tuh stand by yo' or somepin lak dat. Yo' kin take a strand of hair out de mole of his haid, clip out a little hair an' do it up in a little new piece of homespun an' jes' wet it in yore watah, yore urine an' poke it down in jes' de least little crack dat che've got. Yo've not got'a take but jes' de least little tiny piece an' wrap it tight, an' poke right down in a little crack in yore baid in de wood part of it or iron part - yo' know, wheresomevah yo' kin git it punched down in dere good wit a pin. An' dey says dat will hold him.
Entry 6318
Dey kin take yuh hair, so ah learnt, an' yo' kin take it an' put it in a piece of new white homespun. Yuh kin throw dat in de rivah. Dat kin run yo' crazy.
Entry 1330
Heah's another one - this is important an' this is worth a heap, too, because this is true. In de event yo' say, now if a person had turnt a - cast some evil spell upon a person, dey was undah dere spell. Dis is a sure Way of dem turnin' dat spell, breaking dat spell an' turning it back to de one whomsomevah did it. Yo' take then - let him take about a cup or two cups of meal, make him a small hoecake of bread which we say. But he makes that up using a level cupful of salt an' his own chamber lye. He gits white homespun an' lay that - take away all the ashes out de fireplace an' he lay dat homespun down first an' he jest pat - put's dat bread down in dere an' he pads [pats] it out down dere see, after he's mixed it up, an' he turns dat - has it long enough that he folds that cloth back ovah, jest towards de chimley: An' that turn that back an' burns it until it all burn up. An' den dat turns dat same spell back to de person whosomevah did it. [The baker cleans a place on the hearth by removing ashes, lays a piece of white (unbleached) homespun on the cleaned place, spreads or pats out his hoecake on the homespun, has the homespun long enough so that by lifting up the outer edge and bending it back towards the chimney the hoecake is turned completely over towards the chimney.]
(Where did you hear that?)
Well, ah got dat from a ole master craftman.
(It sounds old.)
Yes, sir. Well, it's not so old but dat's de truth.
Entry 2181
You kin take a red onion and put nine drops of spirits of turpentine on it and a half teaspoonful of salt, and a piece of homespun, and take dat, wear it on you. And beat it up real fine, if you're in any trouble [with the law]. I was goin' wit a man and he didn't like dat [using a whole onion], and he beat it up fine and squeezed dat juice in his shoe.
Entry 2405
An' then ah heard agin that if yo' want tuh keep - jes' lak say if ah wus runnin' a house, yo' know, an' sellin' whiskey or somethin' lak dat, to keep de polices off yuh, yo' go tuh de sto' an' buy yo' a box of asafetidy an' take it an' cut it in a small little quantity, an' put it on a piece of new homespun - sew it up in a piece of new homespun an' wear it round yore waist. Dey said absolutely dey can't come about chew.
Entry 3170
Well, she git a bran'-new pocket han'schef, or eithah a bran'-new piece of white homespun, an' when he'd have a intahco'se wit 'er, she'd let 'im use dis cloth. She take dis cloth an' set it up ovah de do' facin', an' he can't raise a heart [for other women].
Entry 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 3182
An' den ag'in ah heard 'em say dat if yo' want chure husban' or yore frien', eithah one, if he's goin' wit anothah woman an' yo' wanta break 'im up from foolin' wit 'er. De way yo' do, yo' an' 'im, whenevah yo an' 'im have intahco'se, yo' see, yo' take one end of dis new piece of homespun an' aftah yo' - yo' wipe wit one end an' she wipe wit one end, an' take dis piece of homespun an' fold it tuh yo' all de time, an' den Wear it, pin it aroun' jure waist, an' dat will stop 'im from havin' anythin' tuh do wit any woman excep' chew. He can't do it tuh save his life.
Entry 3223
She kin take a new piece of homespun an' let 'im have a connection wit 'er. When he git through wit 'er, den she take dat, take a smoothin' iron an' dry hit out on de palm of her han', an' den she keep dat an' put it in 'er bed. An' den he cain't have no othah one but 'er.
Entry 3238
Ah know dis wuz positive cuz ah have tried dis. Ah've known mah hus- ban' tuh run out a lot, an' ah took - an' a lady [doctor] tole me somepin tuh do, it wuz worryin' me so, yo' know. An' quite nachural it wuzn't nuthin tuh hurt 'im at all, it wuz jes' tuh gain 'im back tuh mahself, see. An' she tole me tuh go uptown an' git a nickel worth of dis cheap homespun, but let it be bran'-new an' take it an' come home an' tear a piece off an' don' use it fo' nuthin but dat. An' she tole me tuh take dis piece of homespun an' dry him off wit it fo' nine times. An' aftah ah dry 'im off dat ninth time, jump up right off de bed - don't care if it twelve a'clock, one a'clock or whut hour of night it is - while dat dishrag is wet, ah mean dat new homespun is Wet, an' take it an' BURY IT UP UNDAH DE STEPS AN' SAY, JOE, AH'M BURYIN' YORE NATURE HEAH BECUZ YO' HAVE LEAVE ME, AN' ALTOGETHAH YO' DIDN'T WANT ME. YO' WUZ GIVIN' MINE'S WHUT BELONG TUH ME TO SOMEONES ELSE. AN' AH'M BURYIN' YO' HEAH NOW FO' YO' TUH COME BACK HEAH AN' BE WIT ME AN' BESIDES ME NO OTHAH, AN' WHENEVAH YO' GO TUH GIT UP ON TOP ANOTHAH WOMAN YORE HEART WILL FALL. An' evah time he go tuh git up on anothah woman, tuh save his life he couldn't have it. Don't care if de Judgment comin' an' dat wuz goin' save him, he couldn't have 'er 'less he die, an' he cain't have her den. He jes' be up dere tryin'. Evah time he go tuh put somepin dere it jes' buckle back, couldn't do anythin' wit 'er. Ah've tried dat mahself. An' aftah ah did it fo' a limited time, ah watched 'im to see how it wuz goin' act yo' know - tuh see whut he goin' do. An' lak ah did it dis mawnin' an' on de nex' third day, he would be wit me an' all befo' he wuzn't bein' wit me. He'd be out yo' know, othahwise.
Entry 3257
Of co'se I don't believe in it now, I'm gonna tell yo' de troof, but I heard a girl said [and] men said. To keep yo' from havin' any intahco'se wit Womenfolks, dat chuh wife or yore girl frien', whoevah dey might be, kin take a part of yore undahweah, see de part dat be down nex' to yore privates. Dey take dat an', yo' know, git some yore - I don't know wha' choo call it, yo' know jis' lak when it comes aftah yo' havin' intahco'se wit degirls, see. Well, dey kin take a clean piece of homespun - not have nuthin on it, jis' clean homespun - an' take it, yo' know, an' dey'll wipe demselves wit it, see. An' den take de part of yore undahweah where he had it, an' put it all in de same piece an' sew it up wit a bran'-new needle an' some new thread an' weah it. Dey weah it, yo' know, in dey [he doesn't know the name here either]. An' dey say, den yo' can't raise no mo' nature fo' no othah woman outside dem. I know two or three boys cain't even do it, nuthin at all. Cain't do nuthin only wid de ole lady - de wife.
Entry 3325
Take a piece of new homespun an' let 'im wipe in it, an' den aftah he wipes in it, take it an' put it undah de bed mattress. Put it where he sleeps an' he can't have no connection wit no othah woman.
(Put it on the side on which he sleeps?)
Yeah.
Entry 3326
If yo' wanta hol' a woman, yo' git a piece of new homespun about dat uide[demonstrates].
(About a foot and a half wide.)
Yeah, 'bout a foot an' a half wide, an' when yo' have connection wit 'er, why yo' wipe three times - yo' gotta wipe three times. Yo' know, Jes' lak yo' be wit er - jes' lak yo' got yore pocket han'chif - understan', dat's lak a pocket han'chif, lak dat. (You wipe her three times.) Yeah, see when yo' git up offa her, understan'. Yo' gotta have dis three times, see. An' den yo' wipe her wit dat an' yo' take a jar - understan', a quart jar but it gotta be new, nobody use it atall. An' den yo' screw it up in dere tight an' bury it underneat' de house. An yo' don' have tuh worry no mo'.
Entry 3527
Listen, dat is fo' a man an' woman dat has sexual intahco'se tuhgethah. Now, dis man perhaps wants tuh fix dat woman so she kin be wit no othah man. She wanta fix 'im so he can't be wit no othah woman. Yo' take yo' a piece of new homespun dat's nevah been used. Yo' take it tuh bed wit yo' an' use it an' take dat an' yo' put it catahcornah - lak yo' would a han'- ke'ch'ef, three-cornahed-lak. Yo' tie one knot right in de middle [at the apex of the triangle] an' one near each end [each angle of the base]. An' yo' take it an' yo' go undah yore bed an' tie it undah de middle part of de springs or de slat - jis' tie it an' leave it dere. [This tying under the center of the bed creates a fourth knot, also a quin- cunx made with a triangle.]
(That's all you have to do.)
Entry 5022
Ah heard tell of a man dat de woman miss 'er stockin's. She didn't know where he stockin's be, an' he had de stockin's. She jis' would wear 'em, an' he tie 'em in a heap of knots an' tie 'em tuh 'im. He have a silvah dime, yuh know, wit a lady haid on it; an' he had a piece of new homespun an' tie it tuh 'im. An' dat would fix de wumman so she won' run roun'. (He took two of her stockings and he tied them into one knot or how many knots?) He jis tie 'em right straight up tuh 'im - tie 'em tuh him, keep a-tyin' 'em up.
(And he put this in a piece of new homespun?)
Tie 'em in a piece of new homespun - aroun' it.
(Then when he got these all together, what did he do with the whole thing?)
He put 'em undah de cornah of 'er house.
(That's where she found them?)
Yeah.
Entry 5425
Said dey'll take up de tracks. Yo' know, bring it tuh yo'.
(Weren't you going out to the forks of the road now?)
[My question shows that I was late turning on recording machine.]
Yo' mean de fo'ks of de road. Yo' mean three roads tuhgethah. Yo' pick up dose tracks an' bring 'em tuh yo', yo' undahstan', Yo' bring dose three tracks tuh yo'. Aftah yo' pick 'em up tuh yo', yo' takes 'em an' put 'em in a new piece of homespun, sew 'em up an' bury 'em undah de - jis' lak if yo' livin' tuh a place, if dere's someone dat chew wants tuh come in yore home, don' chew know - an' bury 'em undah yore do'steps.
(That will bring them to your house.)
Entry 5539
Well, see, if a person is stayin' 'way from home all de time, jis' come home an' eat an' tuh sleep a little while an' go right on off, doesn't have any time tuh be roun' home an' yo' wan' 'em tuh stay at home. Well, yo' ketch de track comin' home to- wards de door. An' if yo' git dat track an' yo' measure it wit a papah or eithah way [another method] yo' kin use cahton; well, if it's a piece dat dere hasn't been anything cut off of it befo'. Den when yo' write de name an' make de wishes - make yore wish yo' wanta make, an' fold it ovah, an' each fold fold it towards de house.
(You write on the cotton cloth or on the paper, and each fold you make?)
Each fold fold it towards de house an' repeat de words, "Come home an' stay at home." An' yo' fold dat an' aftah yo' fold it, yo' take a piece of new home- spun an' yo' put dis in it, an' den yo' put some salt. Yo' puts nine grains of red peppah, a pod of red peppah has nevah been any used out. Well, yo' kin put de whole nine pods or yo' kin put de nine grains, which is de seed yo' see. An' yo' put some salt an' some peppah wit dat, be sure it's de salt an' peppah whut yo' jis' bought 'specially fo' dat - an' sulphur. An' put dat down an' bury dat den. Yo' dig de top soil, yo' dig until yo' git down below de top soil, see, an yo' bury dat, an' make yore wishes. An' den de persons will stay at home.
Entry 5950
Well, if a woman wants a man tuh go crazy 'bout 'er she'll take dat hair an' she'll sew it in dat newhome- spun an' slip it in de hem of 'er underskirt, dose bottom pieces yo' know, an' wear it in dere. Well, de man will cling to dat woman lak dat.
Entry 5956
Anything like a person's hair, you take that, you see, and you get this srahpin' twine. Now, then you take a red flannel or new yellow cotton, it's a homespun, and just a square, and make the little bag, four cor- ners. And you wrahp it up. You kin wrahp ar eitherwise you kin sew it. But always bring it towards yah, and tie it in a fat knot and make your wish. If you're wrahping it, chew know, why evah knot, cvah time you wraap, you wish that he may come to you, and you wish that he may be yours, and you wish that he may be mine and do whatever I want him to do, and sish that he may gave me mah money, and this In the Name of God. I wish that he Se united in holy matrimony, or anything like that. You see, just whatever your Tishes is. And then, you see, you tie it. And each time you wrahp it towards Rh, why that's bringing him to yah, bringing the person to yah. And you tie 1. And the last knot you tie is the last wish that chew make. You wish that Lemay be yours or may be mine all entirely and do just as I say In the Name Of God.
Entry 6177
Yo' take de hair an' put it in a piece of white homespun an' sew it up in dere an' make a band and put it roun' yore waist an' dampen [feed] it wit camphor fo' nine mawnin's In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, an' it will bring love in yore home.
Entry 12090
From inside de hat, said dey takes dat bow out 'side [inside] of de hat an' wear it. Sew it up in a piece of cloth, a piece of new homespun, an' tie it roun' yore waist an' wear dat. Dat will keep de man wit yuh.
Entry 12124
If you tie a man's hat bow up in a piece of new homespun and put it up over the door-facing, he will do what you want. [Wilmington 112:7+85.]
Entry 12945
Jes' de sole off de shoe - one, de right feet, an' tie it up in a piece of new homespun, sew it up in it, an' bury it underneat' de steps. Dat why he couldn't leave yo'. [Sumter 2409:9.]
Entry 1269
Well, my daddy know whut de matter. My daddy was a riverside man. I ain't born by de riverside but I'm 69 years old right now. My daddy was a man, you know, he was purtty wise. And he says, "Well, I don't [do] know what to do with my Charlie." He went to work and takes [four] live toadfrogs and cut it open, and like he [the frog] is in dere [the raw inside], you know, git some sulphur and you fix like a batter for to fry bread - he daubed the [inside of] the frog with that red peppah and sulphur, and he bind dis one here and bind the other one here [but by action he indicated four frogs - one at the front of Charlie's head, one on each side, and one at the back]. And he done that fer nine days. And my brother commence to come back to us. My brother - I'm a year older than him. He is dead now. Tie 'em with a new bandaging of cloth that never was used - homespun. And he bind 'im with that and my brother lay there fer nine days. He stunk like a buzzard.
Entry 13429
An' den yo' kin take a wasps' nest an' put it in a new piece of cloth, homespun, an' wear it aroun' yo'. Dat will make a man come an' stay with yo, or either give yo' his money an' all.
Entry 5393
Ah heard ole lady say once, if someone wus comin' tuh see yo' as a boy frien' an' yo' wanted 'im tuh continue, tuh take up 'is foot tracks. Yo' take up 'is right track an' put chure right track before it, is whut she tole EAvES me. Jis' lak if ah an' yo' settin' parlel [parallel] [= side by side], yo' put chure right foot down, ah put mah right foot in front. Den ah'll scoop up both tracks. Tie it in a piece of new homespun an' put it [only a small part of the combined tracks] in a snuffbox, an' lay a piece of cloth ovah it, an' put it where de rain drops from de eaves of de house. An' she said he'd continue tuh always come an' see yo'.
New homespun is explicit; the small-part quantity is an editorial insertion.