Subject:Horseshoe
Entries
Entry 1345
Yo' makes a ring outa it an' wear it fo' luck. An' then yo' take it, too, an' wear it in yore haid [hair] fo' headache. (If you have the headache.) Yes, the horseshoe nail.
Entry 5026
[To split is a magic rite but not a common one. Usually splitting concerns a stick or tree - which see.] Ah hear 'em say yuh kin take a sock, if it's a boy goin' wit yore daughtah or sompin lak dat an' yuh wanta break 'em up. Yuh kin take a sock. Git on de good side of 'er an' git 'er tuh git one of 'is socks, one de sock dat he's wearin'; not no clean sock whut been already washed, [but] one dat he's been wearin' an' haven't been washed since it's worn. Git one de lef'-han' sock if yuh kin git it. An' yuh take dat sock an' carry it tuh 'er den, an' den de sock yuh split it open [because you want to split up, separate boy and girl]. Yuh splits it open an' yuh gits a horseshoe. Why yuh gittin' a horseshoe, takes a horseshoe an' nail it up ovah de do'. Take de horseshoe an' take de sock, an' place it up ovah de do' where she goes in an' comes out at, an' de do' dat he comes in when he come tuh see 'er. An' place dat sock up dere an' place de horseshoe on top of it, an' nail it up dere good, so it can't be to' [tore = torn] down. An' put 'er 'nitials an' 'is 'nitials in de sock. An' dey say den dat will break dem up. (You just spread that sock behind the horseshoe - spread it [split sock] over it [horseshoe] like a piece of cloth. And you write the initials on the sock with a pencil or something. And that breaks them up?) Yessuh. [This is a new and rather unusual horseshoe rite, and it comes from a root doctor. To walk under anything of yours, here his split sock and initials, up- sets or confuses the mind. And in addition, I suspect the split sock also gives him leg or foot trouble. Her initials assist the mental disturbance.]
Entry 6076
Ah have heard dat chew could take a person hair an' gain de influence of 'em by carryin' dere hair in yore pocket. Yo'could take dere hair an' git chew a piece of bran'-new cloth, piece of bran'-new white cloth sech as be de - yo' know, don't be flowered lak dis. Yo' know, jes' any kin'a bran'-new cloth dat don't cost but 5c a yard - plain cloth. Yo' kin take dat an' take nine stran's of a person's hair an' carry dat nine stran's of a person's hair in yore pocket nine days, an' DE NINTH MAWN- IN' yo' git up outa de bed an' yo' say de THREE GOD MANHEAD: God de Father, God de Son, God de Holy Ghost - de ninth mawnin'. An' yo' take dem nine stran's of bair an' WALK TO DE BACK DO'. Wit yure left han' throw dem nine stran's of hair away. Don't look back aftah yo' throw 'em away, jes' throw 'em anyuay. Don't look back aftah yo' throw 'em. An' de person who yo's in love wit, y jes' lak yo' throw dere hair away, dey'll come back to yo'. [Even cloth at 5c a yard vas amazing back in 1939 - see INTR0., p. XXXV for date.] An' if it's a person dat chew wanta git away from yo', de seventh day yo' cake dat hair an' walk to de front do' jes' at sunrise an' say de THREE GOD MANHRAD, an' put it right in de centah of de do'step - right in de centah of de do'step. Den take a horseshoe - YO'VE SEEN A HORSESHOE - an' lay dat horseshoe right down ovah it; jes' yo' know square each way, jes' so it'll extend each way an' it'll be level each way. Yo' take dem nine stran's of hair an' dig a little hole an' bury it. Put dat horseshoe ovah it. Take yo' nine pins an' drive down in dere. Jes' try tuh drive 'em on top of de head of each othah it'll be bettah. An dat'll drive 'em away from yo', so yo' won't have any trouble wit dat person any
(You cover up that horseshoe so it can't be seen?)
Yes sir, yo' covah it up lightly so it can't be seen. [Despite the absence of pubic or armpit hair in this rite, I have placed it here because of 9 hairs snd9 days.]
Entry 7485
Jes' lak if a person's goin' - jes' say yo'd walk ovah dis flo' heah. Now, yo' could take yore square yo' know an' yo' could take de measure of dat. Take de measure of dat shoe [foot track]. Take de measure of dat shoe an' yo' cut dat, cut dat jes' lak dis heah, yo' undahstan', jes' de shape of dat shoe. See [demonstrates], heah yo' go. See, yo' take dat shoe [track]. Yo' take dat shoe an' yo' measure dat. Yo' take dat up an' yo' watch it, yo' watch de shape of dat shoe. An' yo'll take, say a horseshoe an' yo'll nail dat right up ovah as yo' come - forty inches about dat gate dere - nail dat up dere. An if dey done did anythin' dishones', dey'll come back jes' lak a dead man, de per- son who made dat track, dey'll come back to dat place.
(If they killed anybody?)
If dey killed anybody dey'll come right back to dat place. (Do you put up this shoe track you make [from measurement] under the horse- shoe?) Yes, put dat undah de horseshoe. Nail dat horseshoe.
Entry 8920
If you know de party's name wot got it, jes' write it down on a piece of paper, an' take a horseshoe an' nail it right in de center of de door, an' de same somebody wot got it will come back to yo' an' bring it. (You nail this name right in the center of the horseshoe over the door?) Jes' write it on a piece of paper an' put de nail dere an' put de paper dere too - put de paper on de nail first an' put de shoe right on top of it - right ovah de center of de door. De same party wot got it dey'll come an' have de sense to bring it back.
(If they stole this thing?)
If dey stole anything from yo'. An' if dey don't bring it back right den, dey will be messin' aroun' yuh an' dey commence to hintin' an' will bring it back. An' den tell yo': Yo' know all about such an' such a thing? Dey wants to see yo'. An' yo' don't know who it is. An' dey'll come an' have to sense of letting yo' have it back.
(How do you nail that horseshoe over the door?)
How do you nail it? Why yo' jes' take de nail an' set it up on dere.
(Are the two points [of the horseshoe] up or down, or how?)
Oh, de two points down.
Entry 10434
A witch an' a ha'nt is a diff'rent thing, whoever yo' learnt it. A witch is a thing dey claim rides yo' at night. An' den if yo' bein' rided at night wit witches, yo' wanta git rid of de witches, yo' take a horseshoe an' nail it up ovah yo' do'. Write yore name in de center of de horseshoe, right up ovah yore do'; inside de house, not out. [In- formant anticipates my question.] Oh, outside or inside, either one jes' so it be ovah yore do'. Dat'll stop de witches from coming in. [St. Petersburg, Pla.
(1031), 1677:5.]
Entry 10435
Horseshoe or new board over door and spirits won't bother you [witch or hag at work has a spirit form].
Entry 10793
Take a broom, or either a horseshoe, an' put it up ovah yore do'. Take a broom yo' know an' nail it crossways yore do', keep witches out. (Where do you put it, down on the floor or what?) Lay it right down by de do', on de flo'. (What will that do?) Dat will keep 'em out. Or ei- ther, if a person come in yore house an' yo' don' want 'em dere, yo' kin take a pod of peppah an' throw it in de fiah, an' make dem go.
(Just burn the pepper while they are in the house or after they leave?)
While dey in yore house.
Entry 12184
[Here is an interesting rite about horseshoes but the language can be easily misunderstood. A horse walks with the curved part of his shoe forward, this being called a heel! The two ends of a horseshoe are called toes! Linguis- tically a horse walks backwards! The imagry of the following rite is based upon these ideas and can cause confusion.] Do you Wanta stay in de house or do you wanta go? (I want to stay in the house.) Yo' git yo' a horseshoe and yo' don't have to place it inside de house. Place it in de front gate and turn de horseshoe [demonstrates] that [part] goes back. [Which part? Toes or heel?] Turn it in towards, to de house, an' fo' 9 mornings sweep towards de house an' that will keep you in de house. (Suppose a man and woman are in here and the woman wants to keep the man in the house. She will put the horseshoe out there [at the preceding gate] you say.) Yes, sir, if she wants to keep him in, turn de back of the horseshoe inside [turn heel, the curved side] towards de house. If you turn de horseshoe de way de horse make the track [toe toward the house, the way a horse would start away from the house] that will make him [man] go. If you turn it [heel, curve of the horseshoe] towards yo' [towards the house] it will make him come, stay in de house.
[I misunderstood.]
(If you turn these two ends [toes] of the horseshoe away from the house?)
No, sir, turn dem back to [towards] de house, that will keep him in de house.
(Well, now, suppose the woman wants to make him leave, then what does she do?)
Well, if she want him to leave, turn jes' like de horses face [walks pointed away from house]; yo' turn de round part [heel] of de shoe, jis' turn it to de house. He will leave. [Informant is a little confusing. If you want to keep person in the house, keep back of horseshoe or heel toward house, you cannot back away from the house; if you want to send the person away, point the prongs or toes to the house, because that is the way you would walk away from the house.]
Entry 12185
Dat's very easy. You can take some of this black stone [black lode- stone?] and Van Van and sweet oil. You take all that and you mix it together, and you put that in a lit- tle sack or in a little bottle. You hang that over your door, under a horseshoe. You put the horseshoe up and you hang your bottle under there, but you have the bottle so that no one can see the bottle, but they can see the horseshoe. This bottle be's behind the horseshoe. And no law in the world gon- na come in your place lessen they git permission. They kin come someone to see the proprietor before he [law] come in there. The horseshoe is in the right form just like it lays on the animal's foot [prongs or toes down] but the bot- tle is fixed [hidden] under there.
Entry 12186
(What do you do to keep the law away from a place? The law - to keep the police away?) The policeman?
(Yes.)
Well, I knows some of them puts a cross up on the side of their door.
(What kind of a cross?)
[Informant evidently thought a cross is a cross and I did not insist.]
A horseshoe - you know them horseshoe - a cross. They either take a horseshoe or either they has some silver - just like that is. [He pulls out a piece of tinfoil.1 Take a brand-new that never has walked on [an unusual expression] you see, that never been used. And be sure it's a brand-new piece. Put that there and put that horsefeet [horseshoe] up- side down [prongs or toes up]. The law will never come there. [Do not use tin- foil picked up from street or off floor. For tinfoil from street see No.12192.]
(Just one horseshoe?)
Yes. He [policeman] pass right on by there.
Entry 12189
Ah heard dat chew could take a horseshoe off a grey horse an' turn it up, de p'int up ovah yore do', an' yo'll be lucky an' de home will be lucky.
Entry 12190
Keep a horseshoe fo' good luck. (That is all you have to do?) Dat's de only thing ah heard dat yo' kin do wit de horseshoe. Make a fiah an' turn it upside down an as it burns, sprinkle salt on it an' make some wishes with it.
Entry 12201
Nail dat horseshoe nail fo' luck up ovah yore do'. Yo' take dat horseshoe [nail] an' nail it up dere ovah yore do' on de inside. Dat's fo' luck to a home.
Entry 12202
Yo' kin take a horseshoe an' two horseshoe nails [these 2 nails are changed to one later]. An' if yo' kin git a chance to, take dat horseshoe an' bury it under de person's do'steps or any place - or any place. An' dat will drive 'em away too. An' jes' drive dat horse- shoe right down at dere do'. If it's in de ground it don't make any difference. (Just one nail from the horseshoe?) Jes' one nail from de horseshoe. (You don't have to put the horseshoe under the ground, just the nail?) Take dat nail from outa de horseshoe, drew de nail from de horseshoe, an' take de horseshoe an' carry it to yore [victim's] house an' take de nail at dey house an' drive dat nail into de wall. Dey will absolutely leave.
Entry 12203
Now, listen, she kin take nine horseshoe nails, some sulphur and lard, put those nails in de lard and sulphur at six 'clock in de morning. And then leave 'em there until six 'clock in de evening, standing at chure do' dere, an' call it. Put dem nails up on top yore door like that [demonstrates]. (Lay them along the ledge at the top of the door?) Yes, den you lay them up there and then you call him three times by his name. Jes' like you'd say, "Sam! Sam! Sam! Come heah!" And he would come. Ah don't care where he's at, he'll come.
Entry 12204
Ah've heard about horseshoe nails. Dey tell me yo' git nine horse- shoe nails dat's mighty good luck. But de way ah've heard about de nine horse- shoe nails, yo' take them nine horseshoe nails an' wrap them up in a piece of flannel cloth. Jes' have de head this way heah, jes' change 'em disaway [informant demonstrates].
(You put one head one way and one the other.)
Yes sir. An' then yo' - after yo' put a piece of cord, yo' tie it tight. An' dey say yo' keep dat in yore house. That's mighty good luck in yore home.
Entry 12205
De horseshoe - git nine horseshoe nails, an' yo' tie 'em head an' tail, an' yo' name 'em, an' put 'em ovah yore do', an' dat's fo' luck.
(What would you name them?)
Well, yo' name 'em fo' jes' whut chew want 'em tuh do.
Entry 12206
If you got a job an' wanta hold it, why yo' go out to any little place where you kin find an old horseshoe. An' take a couple of nails - horseshoe nails - nine of 'em, an' put round dat shoe. Take it back [to place where you work] and bring them with that, an' go under in de east corner of dat place, an' put dat horseshoe down. Put in dere so nobody kin dig it up, so it can't be found, an' leave it dere. Nobody kin have your job. (You find that horseshoe that has nine nails in it and you take that whole horseshoe. You don't take the nails out or anything like that?) No, leave 'em in dere, just as is.
Entry 12577
Use pennies fo' jes' lak yore house is ha'nted. (What do they do with that?) Well, jes' lak yo' been keeping house an' yo' got a penny nailed down in de front door dere. Yo' jes' nail a penny down in de front do' dere, an' yo' be prevented from dose ha'nts.
(You can see them then if they [come] into the house.)
[Prevent because they will not enter.]
Oh, sure, sure. Or either put a horseshoe up over dere [points to door]. Some of 'em put a horseshoe up ovah de head of de do', real ole-fashioned horse- shoe [that was worn by a horse].
Entry 13447
Take a horseshoe an' some sage leaves an' a black cat bone an' olive oil, an' yo' git some [whiskey].
(What do you do with that?)
Yo' jes' put it anywhere secretly aroun' yore place of business wherevah yo' at [and saturate it].
(You saturate it with what?)
Wit de whiskey, see. Dat supposed tuh keep it 'live an' tuh 'tract dere attention, of people. It's very attractive wit dat.
(If you want to bring in customers?) Yes.
Entry 460
Now, I have seen this. I can say this. My uncle had a horse, a little black horse. He did dray work around the streets, hauling trunks and boxes and things for folks in town. And I've had him come and show us dat horse any number of mornings. She'd be soakin' wet, hardly could move de next day. And he'd show it to me for the fact and say to me, "De witches has rode dis horse last night." And then he has also showed me her mange [mane] de next day. It would be all pladed [plaited] up where they had developed over night. Now, what did that?
(Was there any way to protect the horse?)
No. De only thing, he had horseshoes stuck up over de doors.
Entry 461
In 1877 I lived wit a man by de name of Mr. Charlie B. My father hired me there for carrying Water for de women folks and bringing in kindling and stuff for the women. I was eleven years old and a little ways into twelve. A man from Snow Hill by the name of Mr. John S. - and in that time a horse and carriage was de fastest way to get along - he had a bay horse, come to Mr. Charlie B. And this horse, one day his mane was all tangled and mingled. And he wanted to lick me over it. Mr. Charlie B. told him, "No, that boy ain't bothered that horse, because my horse is so often like that when I go to take them out. And I know he didn't bother him." And he saved that man from cracking me. If you want to keep the witches from tangling them, you nailed a horseshoe right over the barn door with the points down to keep the witches from riding the horses.
Entry 463
I remember one night I was living on a farm all alone. Whilst being there, I had been told that this place was witchy, so I minded it not. So I went there to live. And after staying there for a period of time a witch came to my home. And I was told how to capture this witch. So I captured this witch. So after capturing this witch I had her on my way to the stable and she turned into a horse, a beautiful grey nag. After I put her in the stable, I was so delighted with my new horse that I hardly could sleep. I wanted day to come so bad so I could go down to the blacksmith shop and have my nag shod all round. So finally, the next morning - I stayed all night by her in the stable - and the next morning before breakfast I take my nag to the blacksmith shop and had her shod all round. After she had been shod I carried her back to the stable and put her up in the stable. One of the neighbors round there had taken violently ill. What was the trouble, nobody knowed. So they sent for the doctor. The doctor came. I told the doctor about my new pony. So I went to the stable to get my nag to show the doctor and when I got there de nag was gone. When I heard of this neighbor being so sick, deathly ill, I went to see her. And when I went to see her she refused to let me look at her hands and also her feet. I persisted on doing that and den I got help so I should examine her. After I examined her I found she had horse- shoes on each feet and on each hand. She was deathly tormented with those nails. She had den turned to a natural human form. (About 1886, near Hampton, Virginia. This is an example of a folktale told as a personal experience.) [This is my comment in 1936, after informant left room.]
Entry 1339
You kin take a horseshoe if you see ghostes and - you goin' in a dark place and you kin look and see ghostes, you kin have yore horseshoe and spit on it and throw it over your shoulder and the ghostes won't harm you all de way home. Like if you stayed in de country and you have a long journey to go late at night, and you used to seeing yore grandmother and you don't wanta see her - you know, it frightens you to see her coming and dere is nobody. Well, you throw that over yore shoulder and yo' all right.
Entry 1340
If they kept making noises at night and you can't rest, and you hear the doors opening and closing, after that body has been carried out of the home, they say, "I have an idea they're still coming back." They would get this horse- shoe and hang it over the door and they would have no more trouble, they said. They hang it with the ends down.
Entry 1342
Yo' hang a left-foot horseshoe ovah yore do', front do', an' dat'll keep all evil an' bad spirits out. [Left-foot horseshoe is rare.]
Entry 1343
Take a horseshoe and put it over the door and take some silver paper [tin foil] and wrap it around it, and hang it over the top of the door and you won't have any trouble with the spirit coming back - the prongs down.
Entry 1344
Well, yo' kin - jest lak, now, if somepin be's aroun' yore house sorta lak a spirit or somepin, yo' jest git chew a ole rusty horseshoe an' nail it up ovah yore front do' an' nail one up ovah yore back do', an' yo' won't nevah be bothered wit dem no mo'.
Entry 1672
Put a horseshoe up ovah de do' an' that will keep 'em away - de spirit or ghost away. Or either yo' kin take new timber, a piece of new wood, an' jes' throw it up on top [of the house]. That will keep them away.
Entry 2110
Jes' in a small business. Like havin' a house. Yo' know like dese houses are. Yo' kin put a Indian heah, penny wit de face pointin' tuh de street, de head on dere wit de face pointin' toward de street, an' a horseshoe ovah de do', an' dat'll draw 'em.
(Draw trade. What kind of a house did you say?)
In any kinda house where dey operatin' - it draws business, sellin' things.
(Selling liquor.)
Entry 2514
The horseshoe is luck to bring in customers. Just get you a horseshoe and nail it up over your door outside. A horseshoe and a four-leaf clover, that brings you customers. That'll draw anybody. Haven't you went along by a man's store and seen a horseshoe?
Entry 2516
Dey says dat if yo' take a horseshoe an' nail it ovah de inside of de do', de front do', an' dey said if yo' walk undah dat nine times, that's to make yo move. (You put this horseshoe up over this other fellow's door? Now, if I wanted to make you move, I would take this horseshoe and put it up over your door inside the house?) Yessuh.
(Wouldn't you see it up there or not?)
Nawsir. Dey puts it up so dey see it up dere - dey say dat keeps de witches away [see Nos. 512-514, p.154] but dey put it dere unknown to yo'. Yo{ -jes lak yo' be's talkin', jes' slip one of 'em dere while ah'm dere [some other place] in dey house. An' den whoevah he is, go in dere nine times, he'd have to move. [This is a reversal rite, an unusual backwards ceremony - a through the lookina-qlass or opposite side of the mirror device, because an inside horseshoe has its prongs pointing into the house, thus inviting evil to enter, whereas the prongs of an outside horseshoe point away from the house warding off evil. Remember, this inside horseshoe is over the front door, only a few inches distant from the outside horseshoe, if one is there - a Janus-like situation. Remember also, most country cabins - unpainted inside and the wood naturally aged and stained - could conceal a rusty horseshoe until a person walked nine times through the door. Nevertheless, to nail up the horseshoe while the tenant of the house was near is easier said than done.]
Entry 2519
Tuh keep the law away yo' would take yo' a horseshoe an' nail it up ovah yore front do', an' git chew a red onion an' tie it up ovah yore do' - right up ovah de front do' right in de mouth of dat horseshoe. Turn it [horseshoe] up.
(Why is it turned up?)
Yo' mus' always turn it up - dat's always tuh turn de law aroun', see. Long as it down, it's a pointed thing - it won't do yo' any good.
Entry 2520
De horse's left shoe - git two of 'em or git one tuh ev'ry do' yo' got in de house an' put it there. An' take a ten-cent [silver coin] an' a nail it up in dere an' brand dem all dere in ev'ry do' yo' got. Say dey comin' to de do' but dey ain't comin' in.
(You place that ten-cents right in the center of that shoe?)
Yessuh.
(How do you nail that shoe, put the prongs up or put the prongs down?)
Put 'em down lak dat - de left shoe.
Entry 2521
It's de same thing as ah wus tellin' yo' 'bout while ago. Dat John de Conker root, it supposed to be buried to pertec yoreself if yore house is got a front do' an' a back do'. Yo' bury a piece at each place an' aftah yo' bury dis piece dere, yore supposed to make yore ma'ks - dat's a cross-lak. Yo' make dat right at each do', on de do'. An' if it's possible dat chew kin git a brand-new horseshoe, one dat nobody has evah walked on, an' cover it with dat silver-lak dat come offa cigarettes [tin foil] an' hang it dere - it be best tuh put dat in de middle of yore house. Jis' say fo' instance if dere a do' heah, put it up ovah dat do'. Dey not supposed - den yo' supposed tuh not evah be bothered wit 'em any mo'.
(Not supposed to be bothered with the law.)
Entry 12187
Hang a horseshoe ovah de back do'.
(Who does that?)
De bootleggahs.
(What do they do that for?)
Tuh bring in trade.
(Horseshoe over the back door?)
Dat bringin' in trade. [You] know de horseshoe is supposed tuh keep de law out. An' de [they] git sulphur an' sprinkle round dere do' tuh bring trade.
Entry 12191
You get you a horseshoe. You get you a horseshoe and put it at your door. You put one at the top and you put one at the bottom and nail them down. When [where] your friends come in the house where you is. And put the horseshoe down and make friends which had been your enemies. But now they're friends when you put the horseshoe. They come and see you. And if you're out where they is, you just tote you some pepper in your pocket, red pepper in your pocket. Well, they're going to come where you is after you done put the horseshoe out to make friends, they can't do you any harm. This is like to keep anybody away from you. (Right on the top of the door and let the two pieces
[the toes or 2 prongs] hang down?)
Let the two pieces hang down.
(How do you put it on the bottom?)
You put it at the door but you gotta cut a track down in the door where the door can open, you see, and put the horseshoe down in there where the door just comes right on over that.
(Which way do the ends point, in or out, do you know?)
Ends point out, out of the house.
(And do you cover that with something? Can they see it down there?)
Yes, they can see it but they don't know what it is.
Entry 12193
To keep de law away from a place. Well, ah've heard of, they take a horseshoe an' put it up ovah de do'. That's whut ah've heard of about that.
[Waycross 1839:3.]
Entry 12194
Git a horseshoe an' nail it up ovah yo' do', an' yo' be lucky an' successful an' de law don't have to come to yore house. Nail it right ovah yo' do' or right at de bottom of yo' do'. [Horseshoe at bottom of door not usual, yet see No.12191.] [Waycross, Ga., 1732:1.]
Entry 12195
(How do you keep the law away?)
Hang a horseshoe ovah de front do' pointin' down. [Memphis 1525:7.]
Entry 12197
Take a horseshoe an' nail it up ovah de front do' - or either take new lumber - take an' repair some parts of de house wit new lumber, an' dat yould run de spirits away. [Brunswick 1989:2.]
Entry 12199
Yo' supposed to put a horseshoe turned bottom inverted, with de legs of de horseshoe up towards de do' an' de bottom part facing down de do', as yo' oone in, an' this is supposed to keep de ghosts out of anyone's house. [St. Petersburg 1621:6.]
Entry 12200
Tuh keep ghostses outa mah home, use horseshoes ovah mah do's.
[Florence 2220:5.]
Entry 512
Dey claim if a witch ride joo it's a person dat's living.
(A person that is living - what about it?)
Dey say - now it's a ole story - dey come outa dere skin and comes in through a keyhole. Dat's de ole story - course it's almost impossible fo' yo' to believe it. Dey say dey comes outa dere skin and den comes in through de keyhole an' comes in only whilst yo' sleep an' rides yo' - usually be a ole woman - be a witch - turns to a witch - she be's a witch.
(How do you get rid of her?)
Well, nail a horseshoe up ovah yore do' an' she won't come in.
(Is there any way you can catch her?)
Well, dey say, de way yo' kin ketch her, say yo' kin take a handful of mustard seed and put it down right on de floor right round your bed, an' she got'a count dose seeds befo' she leaves an' dey say yo' ketch [her] dere counting de seeds.
Entry 2010
You kin take a horseshoe nail an' you take it an' make you a ring for your finger an' you kin wear that. An' then [a second method] you kin git choo three horseshoe nails. An' you know this hoof where they cut off the horse's feet; an' you kin git that little dust. An' you take an' put that in your pocket, an' put them three horse- shoe nails in there, an' put that little dust in, an' you'll have real good luck. Ev'ry time you git ready to shoot dice or play cards, you take an' rub that stuff on your hand.
Entry 2515
De first thing yo' do if yo' goin' in business an' wanta be lucky - de first thing yo' do, yo' hangs a horseshoe right up ovah yo' do'. Dat's de first thing yo do. Well, de next thing yo' do den to be lucky, yo' go in yore house - befo' yo' go in yore house, don't let nobody see yo', yo' take dis cookin' salt an' sprinkle it right in front of yo' do' where de people's comin' in. See, dat's to cut de hard luck off - if a man comin' dere, dat's tuh cut de hard luck offa him whilst he's comin' inside yore place of business to keep from throwin' yo' in hard luck. Well, he comes on it. When he git in dere [you do the third thing], yo' take dis sulphah an' burn it in yo' house ever' mornin' befo' nine 'clock - sulphah. Jes' take a little sulphah an' put it in a lid an' strike a match to it an' jes' let it smoke - ever' mornin' befo' nine 'clock. An' you gon'a be lucky and successful in yo' business.
Entry 12933
If she's got his shoes, she'll git de inside of dat lining in dere [insole] dat he wear next to his feet. She will git dat, an' if she kin git 'at, she kin take 'at an' put some - git some brimstone an' sulphur. Put dat in a piece of rag or some tissue paper first. Wrap dis up in tissue paper, but urap coming to her, see. Wrap coming to her. Dis same thing, if she take it an' put it in under her bed, yo' understand, an leave it dere fo' nine sornings under her bed or - don't put it under her haid because dat would take as much effect on her haid as it would his'n. Put it about de middle of her bed [center of bed makes this a quincunx rite] about where her body rests, yo' kmoa, fo' 9 consecutive [days]. An' 'fore dat time, dey say dat he will be just back to her or goin' crazy fo' to git back to her. (After she wraps that material up in the tissue paper, what does she do with that shoe sole?) [My words shoe sole here confuses informant, we had been talk- ing about the inner lin- ing. Another rite for the same purpose now be- gins.l Dat shoe sole, after she fix dat up, put it in some red pepper now, an' brimstone, yeah. It's red pepper an' oil of rose, yeah. Yo' git dat in de drug store. [No- tice: red pepper in the drug store.] Oil of rose, wrap dat up. Course dat's liquid but chew wrap dat together an' dat sulphur will 'solve an' come to be a cake sompin like a flour dough, yo' know. Yo' understan' whut ah mean. Yo' wrap dat together an' bury it. Bury dat at her doorsteps - at her doorsteps. An' at de same time she wanta git her whut chew call a horseshoe an' fix it up. Put dat horseshoe de way it's coming in, not de way it's goin' out - de way it's coming in. An' let it stay dere, an' don't nevah take it down. Nine mornings let it stay dere an' aftah de 9 mornings, during 9 mornings, she must make her urinate 9 mornings. Yo' understand whut ah mean. But fo'evah leave dat horse- shoe dere. When he comes back she will leave de horseshoe dere contin[ual]ly, an' use dat chamber lye fo' 9 mornings right on. Keep a using it until dat head is on dat. Ah'm working on de hair proposition, yo' hair dat chew asked me about.
Entry 8336
Dey take yore photograph tuh a tree an' on de east side hew out a place in dat tree an' cut dat pichure small enough tuh go intuh dat place. (Sort of a crack?) No, no, must be in dere flat-lak. Yo' take a horseshoe nail an' stick as neah as yo' - yo' kin guess about where de heart is an' hit it. Yo' gotta go dere nine mawnin's an' hit dat nail wit a hammah, an' turn an' walk way from it~ Yo' gotta do dat jes' as de sun peepin'. Turn an' walk away from it an' don't look back at it. As yo' hits it call dere name. An' de ninth mawnin' when dey hit dat, dey must drive it all de way up wit dat one lick. An' in nine hours yo'll be daid if yo' don't drop daid immediately.
Entry 513
wäl, ah take a horseshoe and wets it - ah dips it in salt water an' ah place dat ovah mah door and each night ah say, "Lord, ah wish dis hag would nevah ride any mo' and ah be jest [left alone]."
Entry 514
Mah grandmother she used to do dat - she'd take a horseshoe. When dey put shoes on a horse - yo' know, take dose shoes off an' put new ones on, why she'd take dose shoes an' put one ovah her front door an' one over her back door; every do' she had yo' know, an' 'nother one right at de doorstep dere at de right corner. Why, she would dig a hole down dere jest about dis big maybe an' put sulphur down in dis hole an' den cover it back up. An' she den would say some kind of ole funny word dey have in dere mind, an' by dat way dey say dey keep witches away - dey wouldn't come in de house an' bother 'em.
Entry 734
Jockey Club [perfume] an' John de Conker root an' yo' keep 'em in yore pocket all de time an' put chure numbers in dere with it.
(Policy numbers?)
Yes sir, an' yo' keep dat stuff undah yore haid where yo' sleep an' yo' mo' den apt tuh dream 'bout policy, if yo' crazy 'bout playin' 'em all de time yo mo' den apt tuh dream somepin, an' if yo' git up an' play 'em yore shore lucky, 'cause ah've done it. Ah've caught a-plenty money playin' policy. (You keep this tuff - you don't keep it in there loose do you, this John de Conker root?) No suh,- yo' got it in a little bag folded up.
(And you sleep on it?)
Yessuh. Dat Jockey Club is really lucky - it's got a horseshoe on de bottle. Put it on de men when dey come in - jis' lak yo' know - perfume - dey wouldn't know no bettah. On de person whutevah come in yore place of business where yo' sellin', tryin' tuh make money - put it on dem when dey come in an' dey always wanta come back agin, yo' know, an' be kinda nice to 'em. Treat 'em nice.
Entry 2518
Takes a horseshoe an' dress it in red.
(Dress it in red?)
Dress de horseshoe ovah in red an' place it in front of de do' backwards an' farwards, an' yo'll run good business. (How do you mean dress it in red? What do you do?). Yo' take an' git - have tuh git ovah at de sto' - git a red piece of cloth an' yo' jest wind dat, yo' know, dat horseshoe all ovah in dat an' place it up ovah de do', an' to de back, an' yo' won't have any trouble by yore customers - yo' draw mo' den all. Yo' takes - go in de sto' an' gits yo' Red Devil Lye an' salt, an' yo' place it at de front do' an' de back. Dat go wit dat horseshoe, an' yo' takes chamber lye, a handful of sugah, salt, an' yo' goes round dat jest befo' day, all round dat house wit dat, an' yo' got no trouble wit de sheriff or with yore house. [Perhaps the largest hand ever wrapped in red, except the treasure hunter who insulted the devil by wearing a red shirt - see No. 424, p.127.]
Entry 12198
Take a horseshoe an' nail it up ovah yore do', ovah each do', an' dey say an' dat will keep de evil spirit out chure house. [Waycross 1746:2.]
Entry 12196
You take a horseshoe and put it over the door and take some silver Paper [tinfoil] and wrap it around it, and hang it on top of [over] the door. You put the prongs down. And you won't have any trouble with the spirit coming back. [From bellboy at hotel in Petersburg, Va., night my wife and I stayed there in 1936. He was informant 33. My original transcription made a few days later attached.]
Entries from source headings
These entries are listed under the following headings in the source volume:
- HORSESHOE AGAINST HAGS AND SPIRITS — Volume 5, entries 10435. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → HAG AND WITCH RETURN.
- HORSESHOE - LAID AT FRONT GATE BETWEEN TWO GATEPOSTS; HEEL OR HORSESHOE [CLOSED PART] POINTING TO HOUSE; SWEEP OVER HORSESHOE TOWARDS HOUSE 9 MORNINGS IN; SUCCESSION - BACKS UP PERSON INTO HOUSE - MUST STAY; TO KEEP PERSON IN HOUSE - CLOSED PART OR HEEL MUST; POINT TO DOOR - TO SEND AWAY - CLOSED PART POINTS; AWAY FROM HOUSE - THE WAY A HORSE WALKS FORWARDS — Volume 5, entries 12184. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- HORSESHOE - OVER DOOR - HIDING SMALL BOTTLE HOLDING; BLACK STONE - VAN VAN - SWEET OIL - KEEPS LAW AWAY — Volume 5, entries 12185. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- HORSESHOE OF GREY HORSE - POINT UP - OVER DOOR - LUCK — Volume 5, entries 12189. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- HORSESHOE OR CROSS AND TINFOIL KEEPS LAW AWAY; TINFOIL - PIECE THAT NEVER HAS BEEN WALKED ON — Volume 5, entries 12186. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- HORSESHOE - UPSIDE DOWN - IN FIRE - SALT ON - WISH — Volume 5, entries 12190. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- HORSESHOE AT VICTIM'S STEPS; HORSESHOE NAIL DRIVEN INTO WALL; MAKES VICTIM LEAVE THE HOUSE — Volume 5, entries 12202. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- WHISKEY: KEEPS ALIVE 4 INGREDIENTS USED TO BRING IN; CUSTOMERS: HORSESHOE OVER DOOR - SAGE LEAVES - BLACK; CAT BONE - OLIVE OIL - THESE SECRETLY ABOUT PLACE — Volume 5, entries 13447. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".