Subject:Keep
Entries
Entry 3149
Dey take de cloth, yo' know, dat yo' both use. She brown it, take dat cloth an' puts it in de stove an' let it parch, don' chew see. An' aftah it parch down, den she takes it an' puts it intuh somepin othah, an' keeps it concealed aroun' de bed whah yo' an' 'uh is.
(What will that do then?)
Dat will cuz yo' tuh be weak, don' keer [care] fer nobody, don' wan' nobody else but chew long as she keep dat in huh possession.
Entry 3260
He kin take dat inside sole of 'er shoe. Yo' know de piece inside. Take de inside outa her shoe, take her right one, an' he kin put on dere, write on dere, an' take jis' lak he gittin' 'is han'skuff or somepin or a piece of rag, a small piece of rag, an' make lak he's wiping, an' wipe her. An' wrap dat all up tuhgethah. But he writin' on it [before wrapping everything up he has written on the insole], say, I don't want no man to take her away from me - an' have her name down - an' give me no trouble about it. An' he keep dat so she won't put 'er han' on it. Well, kin no man take her away from 'im.
Entry 3340
Jes' lak if a woman's goin' wit a man an' he don't wanta pay her much min'. Why she kin take a dishrag an' not use it 'erse'f, but use it on 'im an' don't nevah wash wit dat dishrag. An' jes' leave it undahneat' 'er bed, den he can't go wit nobody else but 'er.
Entry 3364
Yo' kin go buy a new pocket han'kech'ef an' yo' kin wash de dishes wit it once, an' take an' strip 'im down [when wiping him]. [Strip here means to deprive of equipment or power.] Don' strip 'im up. Evah whut way yo' wanta do it, git it [foot track] toward yo' - git 'is tracks an' toenails, an' put dem in a cloth an' sew it up an' keep it. An' he git tuh de place hewouldn't Wanta go nowhere. He stay home dere an' nevah treat chew bettah den he evah have treated joo.
Entry 3375
[The following margin titles could also have been indexed later under subsubdivision KNOTS AND TYING, but they logically belong here.] Yo' say, now, to influence a person - yo' wouldn't want dis person to leave, or dis person would go away an' yo' want dis person to come back. Say, now fo instance, yo' were mah husban' an' have decided prob'bly dat yo' didn't want me. I say, "Well, yo' an' I come back home an' stay - anything. Yo' prob'bly say, "No, I don't want chew." Well, now, ah go to a neighbor's house unaware - when de neighbor steps out. I go in de neighbor's house and steal 'er dishrag. I let dis dishrag dry. Well, den when yo' come back ag'in, if yo' do come back - well, yo' said yo' don't want me or anything. Well, sup- pose I ask yo' to do me a favor. Yo' come in an' I let chew be wit me, yo' see.
(The last time. I understand.)
Well, now, I use dis towel [dishrag as a towel].
(On yourself or on him?)
[I evidently was not too keen about being the guinea pig!]
On mahself aftah yo' do what chew do. But ah don't do anythin'. Well, I take dis an' even wet it an' let it dry, an' den I take dis an' bring it ovah lak dis [demonstrates]. I tie a knot in dis an' ah pull dis tuh me, yo' see [demon- strates].
(YOU TIE THE KNOT TOWARD YOU.)
Yes, an' den ah say, "Now, ah want chew to stay wit me always, an' should ah be no mo' service to yo', no one evah will." Ah twist dis. Ah tear a place in ah pillah an' ah put dis in de pillah, an' ah sew dat up. An' ah put dat on de side dat yo' sleep on when yo' are dere, if yo' are not dere. It is a positive fact dat yo' will nevah be able to be yoreself.
(With any other woman.)
Not wit - whenevah yo' start, yo' might have a desire, but jes' at dat pah- tic'lah time when yo' get to [approach] dat person, yo' will fail. BUT DAT IS NO JOKE. (I've heard about the dishrag, but you are telling me something that is a different version of it.)
Entry 3376
Take de dishrag when yo' mess togethah, only de woman mustn't dis- charge. Gen'ally de men do all dat. Den yo' take dat dishrag an' yo' clean 'i off wit it. An' take de hair out de top of 'is haid an tie it togethah, an' put it up 'tween de mattress an' put one knot in it in de cornah, an' put it right in de middle of de mattress. An' he stays dere, he won't go. (You said the hair from the top of his head and the hair from down below, and you put it in the dishrag - tie it up in the dishrag. Then you put one knot in the dishrag.) Dat's right.
Entry 3386
Take a dishrag an' evah time he mess wit 'er, why she wipe wit dat dishrag an' take an' ball it up, an' put it right back undah de mattress. Do it fer nine times an' ah cain't mess wit no woman on de outside atall. But ah kin mess wit 'er but no one else.
Entry 3390
He kin take de dishrag whut she nuse [use], an' if he's smart enough tuh git 'er monthlies cloth an' put it [both see later] ovah de do' - ovah 'er back do' - an' evah time she go out dat do' will bring 'is nature back tuh 'im. Aftah nine mawnin's he count tuh 26 - fo' nine mawnin's - soon as he git outa bed 'fore he speak tuh anybody. Fo' nine mawnin's he'll count tuh 26, an' aftah dem nine mawnin's, he take dis back down, an' throw it ovah 'is left shouldah an' walk away an' don't look back, an' IT WILL RESTORE HIS BACK TUH 'IM, an' she can't do anythin' tuh it no mo' - no mo'.
(What does he put over the door, now?)
De dishrag, yeah, dat she use in de kitchen, an' 'er monthlies cloth, tied togethah. Put it ovah.
(The door as [where] she walks out?)
Where she gotta go out dat do'.
Entry 3496
If yo' wanted 'im ag'in, yo' could take a piece of new yellah domestic an' use de intahco'se, use it nine times, an' take an' cut out a piece about as big as a quarter [25 cent piece] an' put it in yore left-foot shoe an' wear it in dere, an' yo'll come tuh conker 'im lak yo' want 'im, if yo' wanted 'im. Yo' could take, say fo' in- stance - yo' could take a piece of cloth an' nuse [use] it an' tie a love knot in it. Take a teaspoon fulla sugan an' put in dere an' tie a love knot an' put it in yore mattress, an' dat'll make him be closer to yo' an' no one else.
(What kind of cloth do you take did you say?)
Yallah domestic - new, dat nevah been nused. An' yo' nuse dat nine times, an' when yo' have it, YO' NOT SUPPOSED TUH HAVE NO INTAHCO'SE WIT 'IM YO'SELF, YO' KETCH HIS'N. An' den yo' take an' put hit undah yore bed in yore mattress where yo' sleep on it. An' dat'll make him close to yo'. De man kin do it if he wants a woman. He kin take his new pocket han'ke'chuf an' nuse dat, han'ke'chuf dat ain't nevah been used, an' take it an' nuse it all de time an' tote it in 'is pocket, an' dat woman, she cain't have nuthin tuh do wit nobody but 'im.
(How does he use that handkerchief?)
He jes' nuse it in wipin' 'isself. See, it's a bran'-new han'ke'chuf, a white linen han'ke'chuf dat ain't nevah been nused. An' he take dat han'ke'chuf, see she jes' ain't payin' no 'tenshun, he jes' take, yo' know, an' dry hisself off. An' den he take an' put it in 'is pocket an' wear it.
Entry 3672
Yo' take a snail dat crawl an' evahthing when de rain. Yo' take dat wit a little piece of yellah domestic cloth. Cloth lak dis [on interviewing table] dat has flowah on it, lak yo' say white cloth. Well de dark yellah yo' git. Yo' git enough fo' de woman to wipe herself on. Well, when he is wit dis woman, take - when dey gits through - take dat little piece of cloth, an' take dat snail live - don't let 'im be dead - an' run it right 'tween aftah yo' wipes 'er off. An' aftah yo' git through, yo' take dat an' yo' fold it up. Put it in a Holy Bible.
(How do you fold that up now?)
Yo' fold it in fo' cornahs [demonstrates]. Let it [snail] be live, don't let it be dead. Jis' take it lak dat an' jis' wipe to yo' an' lay ovah. All right. An' den yo' put it on a dish or eithah undah de pillah. Den yo' let 'er use it, but yo' don't wipe yo'self. An' den yo' fold it to yo' dis way, see [demon- strates].
(Fold it nine times that way.)
Yes sir, an' put it in de Bible. An' den yo' leaves 'er. Any man come he would nevah bothah 'er.
(Where do you put the Bible then?)
Yo' put de Bible somewhere, yo' know lak a safe anything - hide it. [Safe here is not a steel box with combination lock, but an old-fashioned kitchen cabinet, a piece of movable furniture with shelves and drawers holding dishes. knives and forks. etc.1 (This is like a square handkerchief and you roll it to you nine times, and then you turn it around lengthwise and roll it lengthwise.) An' de only way den, when yo' wan' to break 'er from bein' lak dat, yo' take dat cloth an' yo' wash it out wit Sameman [Salmon] Soap, see. An' den fold de cloth an' burn de cloth [and] dey [she] be's in de same condition [her nature will be restored].
(What kind of soap?)
It's 18c a bar - Sameman, Saveman [Salmon, has picture or mold of fish].
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 3834
[Take] dat blood an' put it on a rag er somepin an' bury it up undah 'is house. Dat'll keep 'im down. (Blood from any part of his body?) Any part of 'is body. (How do you mean keep him down?) Well, how yo' keep )'im down - see, dat's buried undah de earth, undahstan'. Well, dat keeps 'im painful - jes not able to work, not go.
Entry 3835
Well, yo' could take some of de man's blood an' some of de woman's blood an' wrap it up. Jes' take some of it in a rag, of each one of 'em's blood, an' wrap it up an bury it up undah de house, anywhere up undah de house, an' dem people will stay togethah until de' die.
(Who would do this?)
Anyone.
Entry 3837
I heard say yo' kin take a match an' trim de haid all off real close, sharpen 'er right down on dat point, an' pick yore fingah wit it an' carry it. An' if yo' stick it in a girl enough fo' it tuh bleed, dey say dat she'll love yo'. Den keep de match stem wit de blood on it.
Entry 3899
Dey said dat a person take yore hair. Dey could take yore hair an' put it in a bottle of Hearts Cologne an' keep it an' yo'll always think swell of 'em. An' ah heard dat a person could take yore hair an', or part of yore ministration rag, an' put it togethah an' one yore dirty socks, an' throw it ovahbo'd an' yo'll go crazy.
(Now somebody would do that to a woman. Take her hair and what else?)
Her ministration rag.
(And her sock. All these things [three things] belong to her?)
Yeah. Yore dirty socks definitely belongs to the woman; the man not adding his own sock to her hair and blood. He would also have driven himself away!]
Entry 3901
Dey'll take one of de cloths dat she uses. Yo' know, her sickness, yes sir. Dey take dis cloth while she's - it dirty yo' know while she's got dat on 'er. An' den dey'll take dis an' put it in a bottle, in a small bottle. An' take dis cloth - but dis heah cloth will fill it up, make it plumb full. An' den dey'll take dat an' dey'll go tuh her house, wherevah she lives, an' put it up anywhere ovah her haid - up ovah her haid. An' den dey'll put a tight stoppah in dere an' put some watah in dere. An' put some watah in dere wit it, put a tight stoppah in dere wit dis cloth whilst it in dere. An' dey say dat'll stop 'er sickness from coming down on 'er; jes' keep it dere till it kills 'er, if dey don't nevah pull dis stoppah out. [For this folk-medicine condition, see comment in bracket later.] But when dey evah did pull dis stoppah out, if dey gits de evil dat dey got agains' 'er off an' wants tuh let 'er go free, why den dey take dis out an' let dis watah out an' den she'll live; but if dey don't, it'll kill 'er. [The preceding rite illustrates one of the great pairs of complementary rites in hoodoo; here of opposites, above and below - the walking under or over some- thing belonging to your body or having been touched by your body. In either case your spirit is divided. The menstrual blood over your head in the present rite, keeps the menstrual blood still in the body from going down. Is menstrual blood different from other blood in the body? Presumably so in folklore, for: Menstru- al blood is poisonous (FACI, 1st ed., p.248, No.5103). The term going down - coming down used in present rite - belongs to folk medicine: "When my mother was about twelve [1845] [[in or near Quincy, Ill.]], an old Indian doctor told them to wear black beads around their neck to keep the blood from going to the brain. All the girls in that time wore black beads all the time to get their monthly to come when coming into womanhood, for it made the blood come down." (FACI, 2nd ed., P.219, No.4969.] [After writing the preceding bracket, I happened to be watching the University of Michigan television program, which for us appears off and on, and comes just before my 7AM news. This was probably towards the end of 1972. A group of women were talking about the problems confronting the first American college women. One woman spoke of a Harvard professor, M.D., who in 1873 wrote a book condemning brain work for women. He maintained that mental effort by a woman made the blood rush to her head, a condition that could dry up her ovaries!]
Entry 4000
[If dey] hoodoo yuh at yuh place, tell yuh whut yuh do. Yuh go, yuh take some black molasses or else black [dark brown crude] sugar - molasses. Yuh take some cinnamon an' yuh take dere urinate, like yuh urinate tuhnight. Yuh don't let nobody touch dat. Yuh mix all dat tuh- gethah an' yuh go an' yuh scrub it. An' yuh scrub it aroun' an' yuh put it all down. Dat's tuh keep de police - de policeman'll come an' yuh'll see de policeman will pass. It goin' tuh draw a lot of flies - yo' see, dat sweet'nin' goin' tuh draw a lot of flies. De policeman will git - he'll git mos' [most] dere an' he'll turn aroun' an' go back. He'll have a mind tuh go in - yuh see yuh got, yuh get dose policeman but on dat beat. Yuh undahstan'? Yuh git dat one on dat beat. Well, if like yuh say, he intahfere wit business. Dey wouldn't be, only it de govern- ment man. It's all de same, yuh know. Yuh jis' take dis an' yuh jis' keep 'em. All dat will jis' bring in a crowd [of customers], dat cinnamon an' dat sugah an' dat. An' take some, take a lodestone an' put it all aroun' dere an' yuh scrub wit it an' jis' take dat an' do like dat. When de policeman come, yuh'll stan' up an' yuh talk wit 'im. Let 'im walk right on it. Don't be scared. He'll talk wit yuh an' when he come in he'll look aroun'. De policeman will be doin', he'll look aroun'. Yuh take yuh some cinnamon [bark], an' yuh take dat an' yuh be chewin' it. Yuh see, as dey be comin' on in dere an' yuh let 'em look like dey goin' searchin', look fo' de likkah [liquor], all yuh be doin' jis' aroun', stirrin' aroun', chewin' yuh cinnamon. An' yuh'll take yuh - like yuh be's here an' yuh think dey are comin' an' yuh start tuh scrubbin' like yuh always scrub. Aftah while dey'll say, "Aw, come on, let's go. Dere ain't nuthin here. Dat jis' low-down done [information] we got. We didn't git de dope, de right dope." Yuh see, den dey go away. Yuh keep de policeman away. Well, dey won't come back.
Entry 4057
Jes' lak yo' stays heah an' yo' wanta make somebody stay at home, yo' jes' git chew a [Lowe's] piece 'bout dat long, an' jes' keep it wet in dat cham- ber lye an' lay it up ovah de do'. He ain't goin' nowhere. (What kind of a piece? Is that a piece of cloth? Or what is it?) Yes, dat's a piece of cloth, yessuh. [My transcriber called this a Louis piece. It is Lowe's cloth from which sacking is or was made. Either I have this name some- where else in the text or my note on this present transcription sheet was made while I still remembered the meaning.]
Entry 4151
Said yuh go tuh work an' wheresomevah yuh jis' go an' urinate on de groun', dey git de earth, yuh know, from a fresh place. Jis' lak ah come out chere dis mawnin', dat [man urinating on the ground] is a man dat runs about an' wouldn't stay at home. Dey'd git dat earth down dere an' dey boil it an' make a little Klnda drop [like eyedrops] outa it, chew know, an' when ah come in mah wife sould jis' take it an' drop a drop or two of dat in my tea or coffee, whatsomevah ah use at mealtime, an' dat would make me stay at home an' wouldn't wandah about.
Entry 4173
Well, yuh git chew jis' a medium-size bottle dat hold about a gill or somepin lak dat, a little ovah, an' fill it not quite fulla milk. An' den yuh take two or three, three teaspoonful of chamber lye, an' yuh put it in dat, an' take dat bottle an' turn it upside down. An' dat'll keep yore husban' at home.
Entry 4189
Ah heard dat if yuh man wuz runnin' about, could take de chamber lye an' put nine needles in yuh cham- ber an' pee ovah 'em, make watah ovah dem.
(That will stop him from running about. You leave them there?)
Yessuh.
Entry 4193
She take her husban' urinate an' she put it in a bottle an' she put nine needles wit it an' she stopped dat up an' she put it in de bed where he wuz sleepin' at fo' nine nights. An' aftah dem nine nights she take it an' she bury it undah de steps, an' she did dat tuh keep 'im at home an' so he won' go wit no one else but 'er. An' she say he stayed undah 'er feet so much until she wanta let it go. Yes, he stayed undah 'er feet all de time an' didn't go wit no one else but 'er. Dat whut she did it fo'. He stayed at home all de time. She did it tuh stop 'im from runnin' roun'.
Entry 4214
She kin git some of 'is urine, dat'll be his watah, see, an' dey tell me dat dey kin go an' git some of dis Hearts Perfume, 25c a bottle, an' put 'er nine drops in dat an' keep it right de middle part of 'er bed [a quincunx], de bedtick yuh see, fo' nine days. An' dat'll keep 'im from runnin' aroun'. He stay at home den mo' den evah. He won't wanta leave home. She can't hardly leave him. She tell him sometime, why don't he go out somewhere. He tells 'er, "No, ah don't wanta go, want tuh stay here wit chew." Yestahday he been goin' all de time, see, night an' day. A ole lady showed me dat about thirteen or fo'teen years ago.
Entry 4229
Take a - jis' lak some chamber lye an' put a box of potash in it an' scrub de stoop wit it, an' let it be in front of de steps, an' as long as it be dere, dat will keep de jinx away an' de policeman can't come to de do'.
Entry 4295
Well, yuh wan'a keep de law away, if yuh're bottleggin'. Evah mawnin' fer nine mawnin's yuh git up, yuh go tuh de front do' - don't evah sweep yuh dirt out de front - befo' de sunrise. Sprinkle chamber lye an' - but firs', burn ole shoe sole an' take de dust of dat ole shoe an' sulphuh, an' sprinkle it all aroun' yeh house out- side. An' den do all dat when de sun go down in de evenin'. As de sun goin' down yuh burn de shoe sole [and the sulphur - see later]. Nex' mawnin' befo' de sunrise, sprinkle it aroun' yeh house [shoe-sole ashes] an' sulphur, an' den sprinkle chamber lye all de way roun'. Den as zhoo sweep yuh house, sweep de dirt all back, from de front all de way back. Take it up on yuh shovel an' befo' sundown dat evening take dat dust whut choo sweep out cheh house an' burn it up in sulphuh an' ole shoe sole. An' do dat fer 9 mawnin', don't miss a mawnin', befo' de sunrise. An' as de sun goin' down in de evenin', yuh burn yuh shoe sole. An' continue sprinkle dat chamber lye aroun' yuh house. An' de officahs, dere wouldn't be anothah step about choo, won't nevah think about chew an' yuh likker.
Entry 4395
(What do you say they do in that case?)
Well, jis' like a person's bowels want tuh move, yuh know, an' if dey cain't git intuh a toilet nowhere so dere bowels will move, an' dey happen tuh, yuh know, do it anywhere where a person kin git it. Well, yuh takes dat an' yuh puts it in a powdah can, a 'east [yeast] powdah can. An' yuh fastens it up tight, an' yuh puts it in a dark place an' yuh let it stay in dere. Now, yuh see like yuh bowels is supposed tuh move like three times a day. Well, yuh kin take diff'ren' thin's an' make yuh bowels move. Well, dey cain't move becuz some - ah'm got yuh stuff fastened up an' dat gives yuh locked bowels. An' in- stead of yuh bowels goin' down, hit comes up through yuh mouth. Ah've seen a man died like dat.
(I see. Yuh take this can and put it in a dark place. All you have to do?)
Uh huh, dat's all yuh have tuh do.
Entry 4491
Dey say yuh could take de dirt an' let it get dry. (What dirt?) De dirt what's lef' aftah yuh use - when yuh drain de watah out, an' de dirt dat's lef' in de tub. An' let it get dry an' keep it fo' nine days, an' dat will make yuh husban' stay home. I don't know all dat, whut it's fo'.
Entry 4505
Well, now, dey kin take yuh watah whut chew bath in an' yuh kin take dat watah an' po' out jes' like de sediment - dey ketch de sediment, de bottom. Dey don't ketch de top, git de bottom part of de dirt. It's from, yuh know, what comes from de hide. Yuh undahstan' me, from yuh hide. See, de sediment goes into de bottom. De watah dirty on top, but chew kin take time an' po' it out an' ketch de drainin's. Ketch dat dust. All right. Yuh'll take dat an keep it fer twelve days, undahstan' me. Den aftah de twelve days, yuh'll take it an' yuh'll go tuh a creek, forward, an' don't nevah look back. Whilst yuh's goin' it's diff'run', yuh mind is on goin' to dat creek. Don't look back'tall fer nuthin. When yuh get to de creek - yuh gets tuh de creek or rivah or what- somevah it is an' throw it back like dat. Yuh take dis han' heah [demonstrates].
(Your left hand.)
Dis han' here, dis yore heart. Throw it ovah dere an' go on about chure business. Don't look back.
(You throw it over your right shoulder?)
Yes, take dat lef' han'
(What will that do then?)
Well, dat is - dat man dat yuh wants tuh do dat tuh, dat gives 'i, he cain't stay nowheres. He has tuh jes' - see, de creek is got dat goin', an' jes' like he is goin'. He be here an' aroun' tuhday an' tuhmorrah in anothah little town somewheres, an' on an' on, unless yuh save a little of dat watah an' yuh git tired of 'im goin'. Yuh save a little watah an' change it. Go tuh a creek an' take dis han' an' throw it ovah. An' aftah it gits far as yuh wanta - if it git fer enough from yuh, dere ain't no way fer 'im tuh git back, becuz he'll nevah have de mind tuh git back tuh yuh. (In other words, if you want him to stop roaming, you take the other hand, the right hand, and throw this stuff over the left shoulder.) Yes sir, ovah de right shouldah [see correction later]. Take yuh lef' han' an' throw it ovah yuh right shouldah [see correction later].
(That's to get rid of him?)
Yes. (What's to make him stop then, when you take that other piece of dirt? When you go back to the creek the second time?) Well, yuh save some of dat sediment an' throw it ovah yuh left-han' shouldah [here is the correction] but don't look back. Well dat stops 'im. (You take the right hand and throw it over the left shoulder. I see.)
Entry 4720
If she kin git any of 'is clothes dat he weah, she kin git 'im back. Now, if he done lef' home an' aftah he lef' home, if she want 'im back - she feel dat he didn't do right, an' she try tuh git'im back. She'll take de seat of 'is undahweah an' cut dat out an' den she'll fold it, blow 'er breath on it an' fold it. An' she'll sit down - wheresomevah he may be or where he live - if she writes 'im. She'll heah where he at, she'll git 'im a lettah. He's gotta git de lettah. She'll go tuh de sto' an' buy 'er some love powdahs an' put in dat lettah. An' den she'll fol' dat piece an' weah it undah 'er right-foot shoe, nex' tuh 'er flesh between 'er stockin' an' 'er shoe. An' five days from de day he sees dat lettah, he'll come home. (She puts the love powder in this letter, and she wears this piece of the drawers in her shoe.) Yes, in 'er right-foot shoe.
Entry 4876
Yuh take de socks when dey are soiled. Yuh git a person's soiled socks from dere feet when dey are real dirty. Yuh know how dey git when dey are dirty. Yuh git de sock an' yuh git de seats of dere undahweah, knitted undahweah. Or should dey wear any kind of one- piece undahweah, yuh git de seats of dis undahweah an'( dese socks. An' yuh roll 'em up tuhgethah wit de inside soles of de shoes, an' yuh bury dat undah yore steps or eithah put it in some secret place where dis person won't disturb it. Some people put it in de cornah of a mattress. But it's somepin dat chew know yuh are goin' tuh keep becuz, in moving, if yuh don' take dat up, yuh see, dat breaks a person up.
(Now, you take botn the socks.)
Both de socks. Yuh cut de sock off de foot. Den also de seats of de undah- weah. Co'se if dey have long sleeves yuh git de undaharms too. But yuh mus' nevah wash it. Yuh supposed tuh keep de perspiration in it.
Entry 4922
Ah heard dat yuh take a man's sock, if he's runnin' about an' don' stay home tuh save yore life. Yuh take his sock offa his right foot, an' yuh take it an' yuh put it in a place where yuh'll keep it warm. Keep dat dere sock warm, dat's 'is track. Dat'll break 'em up.
(Where would you keep that?)
Well, if yuh got a heatah, yuh know, or if yuh got a fireplace, jis' take an' put it in dere.
Entry 4961
Ah'll tell yuh whut ah know 'bout dat - tain't whut ah heered. Ah got a sistah an' 'er husban' lef' 'er. He wuz atter [after] othah wimmins an' he jis' got so fur gone till he went off from 'er. An' she took eithah of 'is socks jis' lak he pulled 'em off, an' she pulled a thread out from de hollah of 'is foot. An' she tied it in nine knots, tied it fo' nine mawnin's.
(Nine knots each morning or one knot a morning?)
One knot a mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's, an' de ninth mawnin' he come home dat night.
(She took a thread out of both of them or one of them?)
One, jis' 'is right stockin'.
Entry 4964
Ah heah of 'em takin' stockin's an' a girl tie a man up tuh 'er, yuh know, where he cain't quit chah [her]. An' tie nine knots in it an' Weah it undah de mattress - keep it undah de baid mattress, an' he won't nevah quit 'er. Jis' do 'im any kin'a way she wants tuh.
(Would they do anything with that stocking before they tie it up in a knot?)
No, not anythin' - jis' take it, yuh know, an' jis' tie it. Tie knots in it an' weah it undah de mattress.
(That would be her stocking?)
Her stockin'.
Entry 5007
Yuh kin take a woman's stockin' an' yuh kin keep 'er home. Jis' lak if yuh love a woman, yuh kin take her stockin'. An' yuh kin take dat stockin' an' yuh kin put a teaspoonful of black peppah an' some cream of tartah an' mix it tuhgethah, an' a piece of jis' de toenail offen a rab- bit's hin' lef' laig. An' wrap it up in de bed mattress where yuh an' 'er sleep, an' she'll leave outen dat room no mo' den outdo's an' dat room. Yuh'll nevah have no trouble wit 'er long as dat in dere, but nevah let 'er know whut's in dere. Sew it up in dere an' let it stay dere. [Fayette- ville. N. Car. (1438). 2608:2.]
Entry 5039
Stockin's or socks, why yuh know, yuh kin take dose so socks tuhgethah - tie 'em tuh- gethah undahstan', his socks an' hers, too. An' place dem by de bed, yuh see, up on de edge of de bed. An' dat will gain love right on, jis' 'solve[dissolve ' tm tuhgethah, too.
(That is to keep him there?)
Yes sir.
Entry 5084
Now, if ah wanta git chure influence, ah take mah stockin' an' lay it down - mine. [On her side of the interviewing table she begins to demonstrate by spreading out an imaginary stocking and sock, as I comment:]
(Flat down.)
An' put chures on top.
(And put one of mine on top. Just one of each?)
Jis' one of each.
(Which one would they take?)
[My they may be an attempt to avoid the guinea pig situation.]
De right. Den yuh rolls dis back, mine on top - roll it back [to you] an' turn it ovah.
(Do you roll it from you or away from you?)
Tuh me. Den aftah yuh rolls it tuh yuh, yuh take it den an' wet it in chamber lye an' put it intuh a close place where nobody will bothah it - nobody kin find it. Yuh keep it damp. No mattah what chew wanta do or what chew wanta say, or how yuh want dis person tuh do, dey will do it. Dat will control dere mind.
Entry 5102
[Take] de lef' foot of yore shoes an' put it unnerneat' chure foot of yore baid, an' make a spirit stay away. Tuh give yuh good luck, dey [you] take yore shoes, one yore ole shoes, an' yuh put some sulphur in it an' throw it in de fiahplace, an' burn de sulphuh an' shoe tuhgethah. Dat will give yuh luck in yore home.
Entry 5135
What chew do wit yore shoes? Jis' sprinkle a little bita dragon blood in dere an' a little sulphuh. Yuh know, jis' sprinkle it in dere an' let it [stay in there awhile] an' den shake it out so dat he cain't see it. Or eithah hole [hold] up dat little thin piece [insole] an' let it go tuh de bottom [all the way to the toes, letting the insoles then fall back into places] an' he cain't stay from yuh. He has tuh come home.
Entry 5137
Well, yuh wearin' dat shoe when yuh come in an' yuh take it off. Well de moisture from yore feet is still in dere, an' yuh take dat [insole] an' fold it up. Fold dat to yuh. An' yuh use a piece of flannel. Put dat in de flannel an' keep dat wet [dress it] wit - put Epsom salt or anything. See, dat [is] salt. By me carry [carrying] some salt, well dat salt keeps it moist wit dat perfume. [Perfume either had been mentioned before recording began or this was just a mental lapse.] Dat keeps it moist so it stay alive. Sew dat up an' bury somewhere, or anything [or again], yuh kin jis' put it in a little [tin] can an' keep it on de opposite side of de bed where dey sleep on. He'll nevah notice it, won't know whut it's all about. Dey will keep )'im dere all de time. ANY WOMAN GOT A MAN SHE WANTS TUH KEEP 'IM, A HARD WORKING MAN. Well, dat's whut she do. She got de big advantage of 'im.
(She takes this inner sole out of his shoe. Either shoe?)
Eithah shoe.
Entry 5176
Dat's not handy fo' yo' tuh do. Yo' git de inside piece of 'is shoe, yo' undahstan', yo' kin git dat inside piece of 'is shoes an' yo'll take dat inside piece of 'is shoe wit 'is name an' yo'll write his name in dere on a piece of paper. But yo' got de measure of dat whole feet, yo' got de whole measure [when you have the insole]. Now, yo'll git chew a piece of papah an' yo'll put 'is name nine times. Yo'll put - lak if it wuz me - my name at de top, an' den yo'll write it crossways heah ag'in, nine times. Den yo'll take dat measure an' yo'll put cinnamon in it an' yo'll put White Rose Perfume, an' yo'll dampen it good, an' yo'll put dat an' yo'll roll it towards yo'. See, yo' fold it towards yo' jis' as many times as yo' kin. See. Den yo'll go tuh work an' yo'll put a bran'-new needle. Yo'll pin a bran'-new needle in dat yo' see, an' yo' kin eithah put it in a bag or eithah put it in yore pil- lah or yore mattress. Dat'll keep 'im home. (You take the inner sole and you write his name nine times and yours across it. You put that paper and the sole together, and put those ingredients in, and then you roll it to you. And you can put it anywhere around you or put it in the mattress.) Anywheres.
Entry 5188
Take dem an' burn 'em, dese ole shoes. Dey have tuh be a pair yo' know, jes' one of each pusson, if yuh kin git de ole ones. An' take de sole outa dem, an' yuh burn 'em an' git de ashes, an' dey cain't go any place wit'out chew sayes fo' dem tuh. (What do they do with those ashes?) Well, yuh keep 'em - yuh bury dem yuhself. Yuh keep 'em. Lak if dere's somebody heah an' yuh don' wan' 'em tuh go, yuh git one of yore shoes an' one of deres - de lef' of deres - an' yuh burn 'em down tuh a ashes an' yuh keep dem ashes yuh- self or bury 'em.
(You get the left shoe?)
Yeah, de lef' of evahthin'.
Entry 5189
Yo' kin git a person's shoe heel an' yo' kin put it, yo' know, in a stove or somewhere yo' know. An' bake it where it'll be, yo' know, right crunchy lak pie or somepin othah lak dat. An' put it in, yo' know, where de sun kin hit it, an' run 'em crazy - run 'em slap outa town. (That all you have to do?) Dat's all yo' have tuh do. Put it yo' know in some place where nobody cain't bothah it. Run 'em slap outa town.
(Use both heels, you say?)
Eithah one.
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 5299
Dey burn shoes fo' luck. Dey'd jes' take de shoe - lak dey'd have a fiah in de fiahplace - jes' a ole pair of shoes, an' take an' make yo' a fiah. An' take an' put de shoes on top of de fiah, an' set dat [shoes] ovah dere an' den make yore wishes. An' as de shoes burns, keeps talkin' tuh 'em.
(That will bring any kind of luck?)
Yessuh.
Entry 5420
Heard people say dat yo' could go tuh de fo'ks of de road. Ah've heard dat about chure track too. Say, jis' lak yo'd go long dere, ah could go tuh de fo'ks of de road an' git chure track. Why dey'd use it de same way, jis' stop it up in somepin othah an' lay it up in yore house, anywhere; but long as yo' kept dat track, why yo' have de 'tention [attention] of de person.
Entry 5460
Ah heard dat yo' could go tuh de graveyard fo' nine mawnin's an' each mawnin' dat chew go, yo' git chew jis' as much sand an' graveyard dirt as yo' kin hold in yore han', yo' see. An' yo' take dat on back home, an' yo' place dat nine points aroun' yore house, see. Den if it's somebody which yo' want tuh harm or sompin, if yo' git 'em tuh come dere, undahstan'. Well, aftah dey come dere, yo' pick up dey tracks yo' see, an' yo go tuh a tree an' pick yo' a hole in dere, an' take an' place dis graveyard dirt each mawnin'. Jis' lak yo' took it from de cemetery. Take it back an' stick it in dat hole, an' de last mawnin' yo' take an' close it up. Dey tell me dat run 'em crazy.
(Would you do anything with their tracks?)
Take dem tracks up, yo' see, an' put dat fo' nine mawnin's - see, yo' jis' put dat in dat hole whut yo picked in de tree. See. Den aftah yo' do dat, put dat graveyard dirt in dere an' stop it up. Say dat will run 'em crazy. (You put these tracks in the hole, then you pick up this graveyard dirt and you put that on top of the tracks?) On top of de tracks.
Entry 5470
Yo' kin go right out in de cemetery right now - have done dat tuh me - an' git some [dirt], jis' from de head of de grave, an' go tuh de feet an' git some. An' when dey git it, jis' say, "Ah wan's tuh keep Carrie down, ah don' wan' 'er tuh strive [thrive], wan' tuh keep 'er down." If she wanted tuh drove me off from dere, or run me off from dere, she would fix itdis- away. Yo' take de graveyard dirt an' yo' goes tuh work an' take red peppah, beat 'em up an' fling 'em in yere [place?] if dey got [a place?]. Yo' leavin' out chere. Den, if dey don' wan' chew tuh enjoy yore things or yore own stuff dat chew got - ah mean de - to break yo' up, chew know, dey take de graveyard dirt an' follah [follow] yo' behind, an' git chore tracks, both feet. Put 'em in dere, carry 'em tuh de sea or de rivah, an' jis' throw 'em in dere. An' yo' will leave dat place, can't resist it. De sea or de rivah an' yo' will leave dat place. Yo' got'a go in nine days time. Break yo' off from dere. Cuz dat have happen tuh me.
Entry 5512
Also, I have heard, that if you see a lady or a gentleman that you like very well, and there is no ways in the world that appears to you that you can change their affections, so then the next thing for you to do, should you see them traveling, you get close enough to them to get their footprint, but remember, in getting their footprint you want to get it just exactly in the hollow of their feet, their tread I mean, at all times the right foot, not the left, and secure it and keep it, and you will get what you want. [old Point Comfort, Va., by Edi- phone.]
Entry 5543
(I am going to talk to a girl now who was here the other day, by the name of Mary Magdalene. I am not certain that I have her material on the rec- ords, so to be certain I am going to take it down again. Her number was 679.) (All right, go ahead I want to be ableto hear you.) It's a man - if yo' want him to come back, yo' know, and if he goes out chure house, well yo' pick up the left-foot track, the dirt. Put it into a box and shut it up. And get to de right-foot track and get yo' a pine stick - about this long a stick - and take it and nail underneath of de steps. And take that dirt and bring it into your house, and put it right underneath - place it right underneath of your mattress, if you want him to come back, and he can't get away from you. [THE PRECEDING PARAGRAPH IS VERY COMMON IN HOODOO, SOMETHING IS MISSING. THESE FREQUENT MISSING SOMETHINGS REQUIRE TOTAL CONCENTRATION ON WHAT THE SPEAKER SAYS. FOR THIS REASON I ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:]
(You said something about a pine stick?)
Yes, sir.
(What do you do with that?)
Measure that stick just as long as his right foot. And nail it underneath of your step. [Informant's answer is quite evident in her original statement, but her ex- planation was necessary for the record.]
(I see.)
But the bottom where you measure it - the bottom of it, turn it towards the ground. [That part of the stick touching ground during measurement must when tacked under step face downwards towards ground.l
(I see.)
Underneath the step, tack it up underneath the step. And you place that dirt in your bed mattress where you sleep.
(That's the dirt from the left foot?)
Yes, sir.
(And what do you measure with this stick?)
The right one.
[This is merely checking, not trying to trick informant.]
(The right one, and what is that to do?)
That's to make him stay. (Make him stay. Now, what kind of tracks do you get? His tracks out there, any track?) When he leaves out, yes sir - just right where he steps on de dirt.
(Oh, when he's going away?)
Yes, sir.
(I see.)
Entry 5571
Ah kin tell yo' how tuh hol' yore husban' or yore sweetheart. Yo' go an' take his track if he's goin' out de do'. Take a teaspoon an' git a teaspoon- ful of de lef' foot, of dirt. Rake it backwards tuhwards yore house. An' yo take dat an' carry it in de house an' a teaspoonful of table salt, a tea- spoonful of red peppah, an' write de name of 'im an' a woman, a woman dat he used tuh go wit, or eithah he goin' wit den [at the present time], three times, an' fol' it up an' burn it up in de stove. An' yo' take a teaspoonful of red peppah an' tie it up in a papah, an' write de name three times, an' put it undahneat' de bed. An' dat'll break den up, an' he'll come right on back home. (Now what you do: when he leaves home you take a teaspoon and you take a Spoonful of dirt out of his left track and you bring it in and put these things with it. Then you take a piece of paper and you write his name on it three times, and then the woman he used to go with or the woman he is going with now, you write her name down three times, each one three times, then you put something in that paper?) Put the salt and de peppah in de paper, a teaspoonful of each one. (Then you burn it up. Then you write the names down again? Three times each on another piece of paper?) Yes - yes.
(And you put a teaspoonful of pepper in that?)
Salt, don't put de peppah.
(The salt. Then what do you do with that?)
Fol' it up an' tie it wit a string an' put it right undahneat' de bed where he sleep at.
(That will break him and the other woman up?)
Yes.
Entry 5602
Aftah he goin' outa de do', ah heahed [heard] chew could take his track comin' tuh yo'. An' if he'd walk out de do', tuh take yo' a penny an' drop it in de middle of 'is track. An' jis' as much dirt as would covah dat penny, tuh pick it up. An' regardless tuh where dey'd go, dey'd be uneasy until dey got back tuh yo'. (That is, as he left the door - his feet are going away from the door, you Would put this penny in his track. Either track?) Yes sir.
(And take some of this dirt. That is to bring him back?)
Yes sir.
Entry 5608
Take up yore tracks yo' see, yore lef' track. Takeit up an' yo' goin' - see, jis' lak yo' spotted a person goin' dat way, pick up yore track an' dress dat track, an' dat'll keep yo' goin'.
(How do they dress that track?)
Well, dey dress it wit powdah - yo' see, dis snake powdah dat ah started tuh tell yo' 'bout awhile ago. Snake powdah. Dey call it rattlesnake powdah. It come already compounded yo' see an' fixed up. Dey git some of dat yo' see an' put it in dere. An' pick up yore track an' put yore track intuh a hollow tree. Jis' lak a tree got two forks [trunk of tree branches into one fork], yo' see, it's got'a hollah in de middle of it. An' let dat stay dere fo' 13 days. See, an' dat'll keep yo' goin'. If yo' don't fin' somebody fo' yo'self, fine'ly [finally], evently [eventually] hit'll run yo' crazy. It be bu'stin' headache yo' see, keeps yo' worried all de time.
(Well, after 13 days what do you do with that track then?)
Well, dey take it den outa dere. See, dey has it in somepin, wrapped up in somepin lak a rag. Dey take dat outa dere den an' carry it tuh de watah, see an' throw it ovah de lef' shouldah in de water. Well, see dat'll keep yo' goin' an' jis' keep yore mind jis' flusterated, jis' lak yo' cain't stay in no one place long, yo' jis' worried tuh death all de time.
(Where do you get this rattlesnake dust? Do you buy it some place?)
No sir, see if yo' ketch a rattlesnake, yo' kin take an' skin 'im an' parch 'in up. Parch 'im, bake him lak yo' bake anything, an' yo' make a powdah of dat.
Entry 5621
Dey say if yo' goin' anywhere an' a person don' wan' choo dere, an' yo' leave, dey walks right back out on yore foot track; an' take de firs' two track, an' takes up one han'- ful of dirt from de lef' an' den throw some salt in de right one. Dey take de sand [from left track] on back to de house wit 'em an' put it in a bag: an' keep dat. An' dey say yo' can't come back to de house no more.
Entry 5643
Ah learnt dat if yo' wants tuh drive a person away wit dere track, git 'em - jis' like yo' see a person walkin' up de street, de firs' track he put down, keep yore eyes on 'em an' go an' pick de firs' track up. Git chew a siftah whut have nevah been used befo' an' sift it through dat. Take it in yore home an' at mawnin', jis' as early as yo' possibly kin git up, jis' take it an' walk out an' look right straight up, an' throw part of it to de east an' part to de no'th, part to de s'uth an' part to de west. Dat will keep 'im goin'.
(Sending you away with your track.)
Entry 5697
Takin' yore track, jis' find yore track. An' dey'll take de soil jis' where yo' track, take it up an' put it intuh a envelope, or intuh anything dat would come tuh be air- tight. An' dey keep dat fo' three days. An' den aftah de three days, why dey take it an' bury it - bury yore track. An' dey claim in dat way, why dey kin make yo' think well of 'em, make yo' stay wit 'em an' be nice tuh 'em. If yo' be cruel, why it'll cuz yo' tuh come tuh love dem, stay wit 'em.
(Where would you bury this track?)
Why dey would bury it somewhere roun' dere dwellin' - where dey be livin', where dey wan' dat person tuh stay. (Do they take up just one track or both of them or does it make any differ- ence?) Well, dey would always lak tuh have de right track, de right track.
Entry 5745
If a man wants tuh hold 'is job wit a man, dey take an' git 'is right foot, right track, right in de heart [hollow of foot]. Pick it up three times, d'; not comin' back, goin'. An' git dat track somepin lak dis heah [demon- scates] lak he come, goin' disaway. Yo' walk behin' 'im an' git it disaway [demonstrates]. (He's going one way and you walk behind him and pick it up the opposite way. Bring it back to you. I mean, back from the way he is going.) Now dat's three times. Den yo' git one of yours. Keep agoin' an' don't look back. Take dem two tracks an' yo' put dem two tracks tuhgethah. (His and yours.) Yourn an' his'n, an' yo' take dem two tracks an' yo' go right at 'is office, an' yo' put dat undah dere jis' about dat deep [demonstrates].
(Couple of inches deep.)
Git chew a pin or needle that nevah been stuck an' a piece of cloth, an' stick dat pin down in dere. Let de point be up an' let 'im walk ovah dat. Den yo' gain his influence. Dat's de way ah heard 'em say.
(I see, that is to get a job or hold it.)
Entry 5836
Take some of dere hair an' mix it wit some cat hair an' put it in a Boctle of vinegah an' shake it up an' bury it undah de do'step an' let chew walk ovah it. Dat will run yo crazy. (That is if you took my hair you would bury that under my doorstep? Under my own doorstep?) Tes sir.
(That would set me crazy?)
Yes sir.
Entry 5905
Now, so fer as de woman proposition - lak if yo' got a woman, or any man got a woman, an' yo' don't want 'er tuh leave, yo' understan'. Whut he do, he gits - dat mawnin' when he gits up, he'll call 'er Sweetheart an thin's, yo' know, an' job an' all wit 'er. Well, she might be havin' some outside man on 'im, see. De firs' thin' he'll do, he'll git up dat mawnin an' he'll plait 'er hair an' he'll take a couplah [couple of] grains of 'er hair, yo' see, an' put 'em in a can. Den go to de graveyard an' git some graveyard dirt an' put in dere, an' go to de rivah an' git some watah, an' git some of de rivah watah an' let it soak. An' aftah it soaks in dere, yo' take an' carry it back to de lavatory an' put it back of de lavatory an' leave it stay dere. [Lav- atory here is a fancy name for outdoor watercloset.] She'll nevah leave, yo Tdahstan'. YO' AN' 'ER GIT ALONG JIS' LAK TWO PEANUTS IN ONE SHELL.
Entry 6039
Dis hair business. Why of co'se a person kin git holt of de hair out de mole of yore haid an' sew it up into a piece of new cloth an' put it into yore pillahcase. Why of co'se dat will absolutely, really draw love. Dat will draw love to yo'. (The woman would take my hair and put it in her pillow- case to make me love her?) Dat's right. She sew it up into a piece of new cloth. [A note of mine on original transcription reads: This is not a small-time worker - queer in head - had reputation [[as a doctor]] - worked for 40 years - see conversation between Edward[[Bufford, y contact man]] and me under INTRO. [[These were original notes and comments for the INTRODUCTION. I do not know where they are at the moment.]] He may have been the man Edward followed to the corner. After informant left interviewing room, Eduard disappeared for about 10 minutes. When he reappeared I asked where he had been. I had been sitting there without anyone to interview! Edward said he was afraid of the man. He had followed him to the corner (the old country crossroads) to prevent his dropping any powders for us to walk in!]
Entry 6054
Jes' lak yo'd cut de hair out de mole of yore haid an' take de hair from de othah place, an' put both of dem hair togethah an' take dat hair an' sew it up in a bag. Dat's when yo' wanta keep yore man, yo' see, or yore wife or whoevah it is. An' seu it up in hah pillah or 'is pillah. Well, dat'll keep 'em right dere. But of co'se if yo' wan' 'im tuh leave, yo' wan'a run 'im off in de rivah, why yo' take dat hair an' yo' ketch a catfish. An' yo' take a stick an' jes' stuff it down in dat catfish's mouth right good an' den throw dat catfish, throw 'im backwards [demonstrates] out in de rivah. An' jes' as fur as dat fish goin', dat person, uboevah goin', tryin' tuh ketch up wit dat catfish, an' aftah while he'll drown.
(You throw that over your left shoulder.)
Yessuh.
Entry 6091
Yessuh, yo' kin take a woman, she kin take her hair an' take yore hair. (The woman would take some of her hair from her head and some of your hair, and what else?) An' take yore private [hair] while yo' sleepin' an' wrap it aroun' an' tie three knots in it an' put it in a bottle of Hearts Cologne.
(How would she get that off then?)
Yo' see she tied it in knots, yo' see, an' slip it off lak dat, an' take it an' put it in a bottle of ten-cent Heart Cologne, an' yo' can't fool wit any othah woman but 'er. (You can go with other women but you can't do anything with them, but you can still do something with her?) Yo' kin still do something wit 'er.
Entry 6141
Well, now, if a fellah got a girl, a wife or sweetheart, whatevah he intend 'er tuh be, he go right tuh work, jes' lak mah haid or yore hair right dere an' git chew fo' strands of hair. Be combin', git roun' lak dat, or yo' kin fool wit 'er, make out yo' goin' play an' git it, an' git holt of fo' stran's right out de mole of 'er haid right dere. Dey kin take dat fo' stran's an' put it yore right shoe in de toes or de mouth of it up heah. Fold it tuhgethah an' put it up in dere an' yo' wears it in dere. Now, yo' wears dat in dere, undahstan', an' evahwhere yo' go she'll go. An' if she wants tuh quit - she kin git mad, yo' know - yo' got 'er tied. An' she gits mad an' stays off at some of de neighbor's house an' part up wit yo', lak she not comin' to yo' fo' sometime, well 'fore de sun go down she's right back wit yo'. Can't stay 'way atall.
Entry 6142
[Later during interview informant gives another version of the four- strands-of-hair rite:] Dat's wus'ah [worse-er] den de fo' strands of hair, undahstan'. Den yo' kin take - go git dat fo' stran's of hair. Take dat needle dat de lady sews wit an' wrap it up an' put it wit dat fo' stran's of hair, an' put it in de mouth [informant means toe] of yore shoe, an' wear it dere, yo' undahstan'. An' IF SHE LEAVE YO', DEN DE SUN AIN'T SHININ' OUT DERE - can't leaVe yo'.
(Put four strands of her hair in your shoe?)
Wear it in de toe of yore shoe, way up in de toe, put it up dere where it won't git lost when yo' pull off yore shoe or yore sock - jes' pack it in dere. Let it stay in dere. But it's de quickest way tuh git 'em - dat's it, yo' undah- Stan'. But now YO' MUST KEEP DAT UP ONCE A MONTH. DON'T DO IT JES' ONE TIME, IT DIE DOWN. DAT MEANS, SEE, DAT ONCE A MONTH DE MOON CHANGES. Do it OnCe eVah month.
(On the change.of the moon.)
Entry 6342
Yo' go to de spring an' yo' git dat watah an' git a strand of a per- son's hair an' yo' put in dat - yo' put it in a bottle. Yo' ketch yo' some an' yo' put it in a bottle. An' yo' put dat in a bottle an' yo' take dat an' bring [it] back wit yo' home. An' jes' keep it all de time right in de cornah of yore bedroom. Keep dat in dere all de time.
(What will that do?)
Dat's tuh keep him at home.
Entry 6472
Take yore fingahnails an' put 'em in new cloth an' it will cuz yo' tuh be painful. Jis' take 'em an' put 'em in some new cloth an' it will cuz yo' tuh be painful. Yo' know, sew 'em up real tight in a new cloth, an' don't break de needle off. Jis' stick de nee- dle right through de cloth where yo' sew it up, an' jis' lay it up ovah de do' where a person got'a pass through in an' out. It would make 'em painful.
Entry 6499
Ah don't really know dis, but ah heard it, dat yo' kin take de girls fingahnails aftah she clip 'em off, dat's tuh keep de law off yo'. An' put 'em in a bottle an' urinate in de bot- tle, an' put a li'le Hearts Cologne on it, an' she'd follah 'im evahwhere he'd go. An' dat fellah, ah've nevah know 'im tuh lose a girl yet.
Entry 6500
Dey scrape it offen de feet an' den dey take dem fingahnails, dey trim dose, an' dey git de dirt off de toenails, from undah de toenails an' undah de feet, an' put all dat tuhgethah an' powdah dat up an' dry it. Den when dey git dat powdah up, dey put dat in a bottle. Dat's when yo' want 'em tuh love yuh an' yo' can't do 'em no harm. Yo' put dat in a bottle an' den yo' fill dat bottle wit chure urinate wit dat stuff, an' let it sit dere nine days befo' dey use it. Den aftah de nine days whenevah dey fix yo' a meal or anythin' lak dat tuh eat, or anythin' tuh drink, dey will put a teaspoonful of dat in there fo' yo'. Well, den dat gits chew jis' dey way. Gits yuh down undah dere foot an' yo' can't do no mo' den dey wan' chew tuh do.
Entry 6574
Ah heard dat chew kin take a lizard an' take an' cut 'im an' dry 'im up. Kill 'im an' aftah yo' kill 'im, den yo' cut 'im. An' put 'im out on a piece of bo'd in de sun an' dry 'im up until he come crinkle. Den yo' take him an' parch 'im. Put 'im in de stove an' parch 'im, an' take him out an' grind 'im up an' put 'im in a bottle.
(What will that do?)
Dat dust, yo' kin jis' keep it in dat bottle. See, dat dust will poison people.
Entry 6584
Git 'em - an' yo' take dese heah stingin' scorpions, too. Git 'em an' parch 'em up. Let 'em git good an' brown. Cook 'em an' den powdah 'em up right good, an' put 'em in a bottle of watah an' stop 'em up real tight fo' awhile. An' den if yo' wanta poison dat indi- vidual, why yo'll po' some of dat out intuh 'is watah.
Entry 6705
Ah've heard of de bat an' ah've heard of de frog. (What about the bat?) Well, dey say dat chew take a bat an' yo' git 'is heart, an' yo' keep de heart fo' tuh weah on yore person. But dere some kinda way dey say dat chew put it in alcohol an' dey keep it; but it supposed tuh be in a small bottle an' dey weah it on dey person. Dey take de rest of de bat an' salt 'im down lak yo' would a hide or sompin, yo' unahstan', until he petrifies. An' when yo' tack dat up in yore house somewhere, he [you] have de bat an' de heart. Dat supposed tuh pertec' [protect] yo' from all enemies an' show yo' special favahs [favors] aroun' yore home.
Entry 6719
Take cedah leaves an' burn dem an' git de odor in 'mongst yore clothes, an' dat will keep yo' from ketchin' any kinda germs. Lak yo' goin' in some places dat way an' burn cedah, an' git de odah [odor] in yore clothes, dat keeps yo' from ketchin' germs.
Entry 6832
Yo' take gunpowdah an' wet it, DAT GUNPOWDAH IS EVIL, IT'S JIS' LAK A EVIL SPIRIT. An' yo' kin take it yo' know an' wet it up. Put chure foot ag'inst de watah. Ah don' know whethah yo've evah seen dat done. Yo' put enough of it in watah an' jis' keep ' a stirrin' 'till dat watah come tuh be perfec'ly black, an' it's all dissolve jis' lak, yo' know, jis' lak sugah. Wal, den yo' take dat watah den an' reverse [see later] it on dat track whah yo' walk. Yo' put some tuh de front, some tuh de back, an' dat do's de work.
(What will that do?)
Wal, dat jis' keepS a man safe, DAT DRIVES DE PART OF EVIL AN' DE SICKNESS AWAY FROM YO'.
(This evil away from you?)
Yes. [First, you protect or cure yourself by dropping gunpowder into a bucket. Wet it up means a little water on the gunpowder in the bucket. Put chure foot ag'inst de watah shows that you mix the water and gunpowder with your foot in the bucket. Next yo' reverse it [the water], not by stirring the gunpowder water in the contrary direction, but by pouring it on dat track whah yo' walk. You pour it on one or more tracks from toe to heel, backwards, opposite the direction of your made tracks. Rites from toe to heel - reversing rites - usually sending maker of the tracks in the opposite direction, are fairly common in Hoodoo. In the present rite the spell is turned back to its sender.]
Entry 7057
Ah heard a woman say dat 'er husban' did 'er dataway. Said he taken a broom, got de broom out de cornah an' laid it aside huh, wit de broom part whut chew sweep, up de side of 'er haid. An' say he went down tuh 'is mothah's an' stayed till neahly day, an' come back an' she didn't wake up until he moved dat broom. Ah heard about dat.
Entry 7058
Take de broom, de sweepin' broom dat she sweep de flo' wit, an' push it up undah 'is haid an' he sleep right dere. Or eithah 'er bloomahs. [Some- where in Hoodoo I have already discussed the sweep- ing broom, a few rites later on called a stick broom or straw broom. There were also varieties of the ancient besom, especially for the old-fashioned fireplace.]
(Where would she push that broom?)
Undah de baid he's layin' [on] 'neat' 'is feeth [a slip of the tongue?]. Push it up undah dere. [She lays the brush part of the broom at the foot of the bed so that the outward handle extends the length line of the bed. The bushy part she then pushes up under the bed until it lies below his head.]
Entry 7059
She'd take huh brum dat she'd sweep uh flo' wit, an' she'd take dat brum - jis' lak if yo' sleepin in dat baid, see, she take huh brum an' she'll lay dat brum cross de haida [head of] yuh baid, undah de bottom on de flo'. An' yo' cain't wake up until she come in [come back from wherever she has been].
Entry 7060
Ah tell yo' now - jes' lak a woman wanta go out, a very jealous husban' don' wan' 'er tuh go. Well, de thing she would do, go tuh bed wit 'im. Well, she know 'bout how hard he sleep. Honeys 'im up uatil he go tuh sleep. An' den ease up vury easy, an' jes' ease a stray broom cross 'is feets, an' ease on out de do'. An' he'll sleep right dere till she come back. An' not so [if not that way], she could hang 'uh bloomahs on de haid of de baid.
Entry 7104
Ah've been heah evah since de llth of Septembah anl ah declare dat's all dey do do's. Take yore step-ins or yore bloomahs an' put undah de pillah or spread it ovah dere face, an' dey'll nevah wake up until de nex' mawnin'.
(You put it either over the man's face or under his pillow, one or the other.)
Entry 7115
[As an example of the difficulties attending the arrangement of mate- rial in Hoodoo, please notice that the following shoe rites, quite a long list, could have been put under subsection SHOES, Nos.5087-5205, pp.2758-2781, vol.3 to Nos.5206-5302, pp.2801-2818, vol.4. Moreover, there are many other shoe rites in Hoodoo unlisted among the preceding num- bers.] Ah've heard dat chew take a person's shoe an' put it up ovah dere haid. Jis' tie it up ovah dere haid an' dat person will sleep sound until yo' went anywhere yo' wanta go an' return.
Entry 7223
Say lak a hoodoo come tuh yuh house. Ah could stop any hoodoo, know how tuh stop it. Git choo fo' - yo' know runnin' grapevines run up a tree - yo' git choo fo'. Cut fo' pieces off about so long [demonstrates]. (Four inches long.) Take yo' fo' pieces an' yo' cross 'em. Yo' take 'em in de house an' yo' cross 'em. Take a nail an' tack 'em tuhgethah an' cross 'em. An' hang 'em ovah yuh do'. An' dere ain't no hoodoo will walk undah dem. (You take four of them [pieces 4 inches long] and nail them in a cross, like that [I demonstrate], and put them over the door.) Dere ain't no hoodoo comin' in, he'll turn back. [Is the grapevine run up a tree an American wild grape or the scuppernong (a form of muscadine) trained as a tree with branches spreading in all directions on an overhead trellis? In any case, a hoodoo fears either being whipped by the vine or its form of the cross. Doctor Frank Hall says a bath with the juice from the fox grapevine will cure witchcraft (see No.1304, p.447). There are two in- digenous fox grapevines in America, the northern (Vitis labrusca), ancestor of varieties Concord, Isabella, etc., and the southern (V. rotundifolia), origin of the scuppernong.]
Entry 7311
A man 'at [that] kills yuh - say, fo' ninstance, ah shoo' choo an' yo' die, ah stay in ambush an' hid aroun' heah until yo' are buried. Ah go to yore grave an' step backwards over dere an' git some of de dirt, an' ah nevah will be apprehended. (What do you do with that dirt then, after you get it?) Care [carry] it in yore pocket, stick it in yore pocket. Long as yo' keep dat, yo'll go free.
Entry 7321
Well, when yo' goes out to de fo'ks of de road is when yo' in any kinda trouble wit de laws or anyone behin' yo'. Yo' kin take an' go out tuh de fo'k of de road an' take some sulphur an' some red peppah, an' go tuh de graveyard an' git some dirt offa any kinda grave dat chew wanta, between twelve [mid- night] to fo' a'clock. An' yo' kin scattah it all de way around yo' [make a circle round you], an' make a cross mark underneat' each one of yore feets an' one up in de hair ovah yore haid. An' jes' goes right where yo' knows evah offi- cah have tuh come out of his do' an' jes' sprinkle some of dat dirt round dere, an' jes' stay outa de way from 'im fo' nine days. Dey will nevah bothah yo'. (You have to go out to the.forks of the road - the crossroad to do that, where you make that circle.) Yes sir.
Entry 7704
Providin' if it's a person dat yo' like an' dey are about tuh scurry away, an' if yo' go tuh dat ceme- tery an' talk to de dead an' pay dem so much, an' yo' write de name of de person on de headboard an' dat'll also keep 'em from goin' away, but it will keep 'em
Entry 7780
Ah've hear'd dey cud [could] git graveyard dirt an' runnin' huckle- berry an' ball [boil] it tuhgethah. Dey say huckleberry will kill anybody. An' jis' two spoonfuls of dat tuh anybody [in food or drink] will kill 'em or keep 'em lingahin' two or three months, an' de doctah's [M.D.'s] medicine will not do 'em any good. [Huckleberry is sometimes called devil's huckleberry.bush, see HUCKLEBERRY BUSH, No.361, p.107.]
Entry 7841
Dey kin take dat bow an' keep yo' wit a headache all de time. Dey odll take dat bow an' take it tuh de cemetery tuh a ole grave an' go tuh de haid of de grave an' call yore name an' bury dis dere, an' say tuh de spirit in de grave, "Why, keep dis till ah come fo' it." An' until dey come, why yo'll have de head- ache. If it's a stockin' dat's been worn, if it's a dirty sock, not one been washed, dat dirty, dat have de sweat or presparin' [perspiring] from 'er feet, don' chew undahstan', den yo' kin take dat an' take hit tuh de cemetery. An' put [it] down at de foot of de grave, not de haid but de foot, an' say tuh dat spirit: Keep dis till ah come back. An' dat puts dis woman's mind on yo'. Now, when yo' git tired of 'er, yo' have tuh go an' git it up an' throw hit in runnin' watah.
Entry 7921
Take chamber lye an' graveyard dirt an' mix it de same as ah jes' tole yo' while ago, an' jes' keep it all roun' de house. That will keep de law away. Dat chamber lye wit de graveyard dirt an' de peppah an' salt. ah wuz tellin yo' 'bout jes' awhile ago. (That will keep the law away?) Dat keeps de law away.
Entry 7978
Yo' takes a photograph, see, an' writes on de back of de photograph yore name, her name cross it. Don't write 'em straight. Yo' write chure name down an' yo' come back an' write her name on top of it. Yo' go to de grave- yard an' take yo' two han'- fulla dirt an' sprinkle it ovah dis picture, an' fold dis photograph up an' puts it in a envelope an' sprinkle dat dirt in de envelope, jes' 'nuff tuh put in dere an' fold it up an' puts it in de box. An' in seven days, regardless tuh where she is or who she is, she cain't be still - she'll return. She gotta come.
Entry 8095
Yo' kin take a man's pichure or a man kin take a woman's pichure. If yo' wan' de person tuh stay aroun', yo' kin turn it up an' dey'll be aroun' if yo' walk on tuh 'em. If yo want 'em tuh come rushin' right tuh yo' at once, turn it down. Dat puts 'em on dere haid, dey can't stay away. Den yo' kin take de pichure ag'in an' punch de eyes out, put a "x" in de mouth, an' bury it on de face of it, but punch de eyes out an' dat'll run 'em blind.
Entry 8225
I heard talk that you take a photograph and wrap it up in a new piece of material, and put it in a drawer; and if the person is away, they'll soon come.
Entry 8242
Well, den yo' kin take a person's pichure at home [and make them love you].
(How could you make them love you with that picture. How do you do that?)
Well, yo' weahs de pichure an' keep it all de time, an' yo' dress it. In othah words, yo' kin dress dat pichure wit High John de Conkah vine, an' yo' kin take dat Eve an' Adam [Adam and Eve] an' dress it. Why den dere's a root dey call de devil's shoestring. Yo' kin take dat home an' dress it.
(What do you do with those roots?)
Well, yo' would have - said when yo' boil de roots, undahstan', an' soak dat pichure an' keep it in a dark room - a dark place all de time. An' dat person will soon be absent-minded. (Thought you were telling me that you could make them love you that way?) Well, yo' kin... [This rite is quite all right.]
Entry 8389
Take yuh photograph an' turn it upside down an' let it stay dere nine days, an' dem nine days yo'll soon be gone.
Entry 8402
Well, dey kin run yuh crazy, or kill yuh, or make yuh git down sick, eithah.
(How do they do that?)
Dey take dat photograph an' git chew a saucah an' fill it about half full of vinegah, an' turn dat photograph down on de face in dat vinegah, an' take yo' a drinkin' glass an' set ovah it, an' let it set dere. An' when de vinegah eat all dat, yuh future [features] out of dat photograph, why yo' go crazy. Dey keep dat glass ovah it tuh keep de air from hittin' it. Yo' see, yo' can't let de air git in dere.
Entry 8423
Yo' take de man pitchure, if yo' wan'a draw 'im back, an' put it on a glass of watah, face tuh de watah, ovah top'a de watah an' put a heavy weight on, an' let it stay dere fah nine days, an' he'll come back.
Entry 8433
Well, she take his pichure an' her pichure, undahstand, if he gone away from 'er. Take a watahglass, set it down, her face an' his'n tuhgethah. (Whose does she put down first?) Put 'er pichure down first, an' his'n on top of 'ers. Dat'll bring 'im back. (Do you put her picture down under water?) See, on top. See, both de faces is face tuh face, an' de glass of watah, an' let it stay right at de haid of 'er baid. An' dat'll make dis man worried. He can't wait till he sees 'er all de time.
Entry 8450
Dey would take dat pichure, dat photograph an' turn it down, an' throw it in runnin' watah. (What will that do?) Yo' would go long as dat pichure was runnin'.
(What do you mean? Would [it] run you away or kill you or what?)
No, it wouldn't kill yo' but yo' be goin'.
Entry 8470
Now, whut ah've heard about de photograph. Yo' kin take a woman's photograph, if yo' lovin' dat woman an' yo' can't git any love wit her, yo' kin take dat an' weah it in yore pocket an' a bran'-new pocket han'ke'ch'ef. Keep it wrapped up in it an' jes' keep it damp wit a li'le likkah. An' dat woman will go crazy ovah yo' until yo' be's ready tuh quit 'er.
(You keep that pocket handkerchief anointed with liquor?)
A bran'-new one ain't nevah been used.
(Do you have to keep it in your pocket in any particular Way or anything?)
Yes sir, in yore left [the heart] pocket.
Entry 8485
Well, dey says dat dey kin git chure blood an' write chure name, an' evah whut dey wanta do tuh yuh, write dat wit yore blood. Say, if dey want chew tuh go crazy, say yo'll go crazy; an' if dey want chew tuh leave town, yo'll leave town. If dey want chew tuh stay right dere wit dem - evah whut dey want chew tuh do, why dey write dat aftah dey write chure name an' yo'll stay right dere; but chew gotta take dat, aftah yo' write it, an' put it in a secret place where cain't nobody put dere hands on it but chew.
Entry 8520
Take a coconut an' put a person name in it, an' if yo' wanta throw it in de rivah, an' dey go. If yo' don' wanta, yo' don' have tuh; yo' could take it in yore home an' kick it aroun', but yo' have tuh have two. Yo' take one an' put it in de rivah, throw it in de Missi'ppi Rivah, an' yo' keep de othah one. Dat's separation, dat's a separation between two people.
(How do you do that?)
Yo' see, yo' put de names in each coconut, yo' see. Yo' undahstan', jis' lak yo' wanta separate somebody. See, lak somebody got chure girl fren'. Well, yo' put one name - yo' undahstan' whut ah mean, de pair of 'em in dere [coconut]. Den yo' keep one [coconut] at de house. Yo' take de names an' put 'em in de coconut.
(You put this man's name and this woman's name in the same coconut?)
In de same coconut in each one of 'em. An' yo' throw one in de rivah. An' yo' keep one home an' yo' keep rowin' wit it, beatin' it an' cursin' it an' goin' on. [The preceding to row (not rō but rou), a colloquialism, means to assail roughly; here, as already stated, to kick the coconut about the house while also verbally abusing it.] (JUST TO BE SURE THAT I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TAKING ABOUT. Here's the cOCOnut. I put his name and her name in there, both names in that one coconut. Here's another coconut and I put his name and her name in that coconut?) In that coconut.
Entry 8524
You get a coconut and you open that coconut and you leave that water out of that coconut. See. And just like I want you to drift and drag around, I'll take that coconut and put your name down in that coconut, you see. Then I take some dust, graveyard dust and put it down in that coconut. Then I take that coconut and stop it right back up with your name in that coconut. And if I Want you to drift and, drift up and down the river, I walk to the river and throw it in there. Then, otherword [in other words or otherwise] I could take the coconut and keep it where I just use you, just roll it backwards and forwards, see. And I'll have you planted [at home] and just any way what I'll want to do with that coconut, well you'll just have to do.
Entry 8533
Take the name of the man and your name, and take a coconut and pour the water out of it. Take the water out of the coconut and put it [names] in the coconut and turn it upside down. That's supposed to hold a man.
(You just write your name and his name on a piece of paper?)
And put it inside the coconut. No [not once but] nine times. His name under- neath and yours on top.
Entry 8537
Go to this place and keep it sweetened down with sweetened water and cinnamon and sugar. (How would you do that?) Well, you'd take and write his name three times and write your name three times, see.
(How would you do that?)
Write your name three times up over his'n and write his name three times across, see. And put it in - fold the paper three times to you - and then put down into a glass or anything with water, sweetened water and cinnamon. And that keeps his name, his mind drawing for you all the time.
(Keeps drawing toward you. I see.)
Entry 8553
[When he leave home, she writes his name about five, or even nine times is best, and she folds it towards her and wears it in her right shoe.
(What will that do?)
Well, that'll keep him home.
(Oh that keeps him home, I see, brings him back.)
Brings him back.
(I see.)
Entry 8558
Ah heard 'em say dey write chure name down on a piece of papah an' den dey fold de fo' corners, see. Dey fold it jis' lak yo' take a piece of papah lak this [demonstrates], yo' know, yo' fold it lak this an' den turn [it] round an' yo' fold it [like this]. (You keep folding it in four corners? Folding it in half?) Yeah, lak dat. An' den jis' lak if yo' want them tuh leave. See, yo' want them tuh leave all ways round, well yo' take dat name an' fold it dat way, an' put it in a bottle an' stop it uP an' gO tO any runnin' watah OR DRAP IT IN DE LAVATORY ANYWHERE, an' dey jis git on all away. Dey jis' cain't stay there.
Entry 8564
Git de dirt from a person foot track an' yo' could put some steel dust with, an' hair from undah yore arms, an' yo' could bury it, an' yo' could keep a person down lak that. Either yo' could make 'em travel. Yo' could take a person's foot tracks an' yo' could take de steel dust, hair from undah yore arms an' dirt from undah yore fingernails. An' yo' take dis ole [anything you measure with] yo' know de length that yo' measure. Measure it [foot track] crossway an' straight up an' down, too. An' yo' could write de name [on a piece of paper or article used for measuring] an' bury it an' yo' keep 'em down. An' yo' could take a piece of their sock with that, yo' understan'.
Entry 8576
Take yo' a thread string an' put chew nine knots in it an', as ah would say, use a cat an' a dog, an' yo' git some hair from de back of dere neck, an' jes' make a bundle of it, yo' know, altogether an' put chew nine knots in de thread an' bury it right in dat do' there. An' yo'll nevah come inside chere. Yo'll always pass by, yo' wouldn't nevah have no visitors to stop heah.
(That's to keep somebody from coming in or to make them leave the house?)
Dat's if yo' heah, yo'll leave heah an' yo' won't nevah come back heah; or if: it's anybody yo' don't want tuh come in heah, yo' do dat an' dey won't come in heah. But yo' should have dey name, de person name in that. (Now you tie the nine knots in the thread after you have wrapped it in this bundle?) [That was not a sensible thing to say, even though informant's words about the knots are ambigious.] Yeah, yo' tie nine knots in de thread an' put it in de bundle wit de hair of de dog an' de cat.
Entry 8592
A light, a light - she take this lamp an' she write your [a man's] name nine times, an' she take: de steel dust, dat's to draw; lodestone, dat draws; put it in dis lamp. She takes his name an' she pins it on de wick.
(On the wick of the lamp?)
Yes. After she write his name nine times, she write hers on top of his name. Always she'd be on de top (I see.) Pin that on the wick an' set this light. When she decided to set this light.... [I interrupt.] (She lights the light?) [I want to know, does set mean light the lamp.] She puts that name on there and she puts lodestone and steel dust over it right in the bottom of this light, some sugar. [To set this light means to prepare the lamp.] And she lights this light and whilst lighting it she - she light it and make the Lord's Prayer. An' say, "In de Name of de Father, Son an' Holy Ghost, I want this man back to me, '' an' light it an' leave it light- ed. Don't let it go out an' he'll come back.
Entry 8614
De landlord - just like as if de landlord say he didn't want yo' to move, just say he was dunnin' yo' about money, yo' didn't have it. Yo' take a piece of white paper. [Long pause.] (Yes.) An' yo' put dat landlord's name down dis way nine times [demonstrates]. (One name right under the other?) Yes, sir. De same name, just put it down nine times. Den yo' take dat papah dataway [demonstrates].
(Turn the paper around, yes.)
An' go through dere three times.
(With what, his name?)
His name. (His name again, just his name again, three times. Altogether it's nine times.)
[Not 9 times but 3 times, informant corrects.]
Nine times thisaway an' three times thisaway [demonstrates].
(Making a cross, all right.)
Makin' a cross. An' just take dat an' put it undah a rug, or anythin' dat's in de house, where's [where it is] concealed. Just let it stay right dere.
(With the names down that way?)
De name's upside down like dat [demonstrates].
(I see.)
It's a chance dat he'll come dere an' collect next door an' pass yo' up.
Entry 8629
My husband has - [suppose] my husband has this here woman and ah want to break 'em up. Ah take 'er name an' his name, ah'll put it in a lemon. Red brick - right in my alley, if I'm livin' in a alley, right up out of dat alley, ah'll get, ah'll pick up a brick. Ah will dig a hole, turn dem [in. the] lemon down fo' nine mawnin'. Ah'll walks ovah it. Ah'll say, "Yo' son-of-a-bitch, ah'll keep yo' down." Ah'll walk, ah've got tuh do dat fo' nine mawnin', every mawnin', an' den he'll separ- ate from 'er. When he separate from 'er, he'll say - he'll tell his friends, he say, "Yo' know one thing, ah been mistreatin' my wife, but somehow or anothah she must be - ah don't know what she doin' - she must be prayin' or going to church or somepin. Do yo' know ah ain't got no more feelin' fo' dat woman an' ah can't go wit nobody but just my wife." De reason why he can't go wit nobody but me because ah'm got 'im like dat.
Entry 8645
They takes the lemon and they roll it soft, and they take that name and they write it nine times, just like I showed you just now. And they take that name and they shove it down in that lemon, and they put them some cayenne pepper in there. And they get a little small stopper and they stop that lemon up, and they keep it up in the corner of the house. And every day, three times a day, they get that lemon and they roll it backwards and forwards. They roll it to them and they roll it from them. That's their husband name they got up in there. That's to keep their husband there with them.
Entry 8678
Take his name down nine times on a piece of papah an' yo' write her name down three times. All right an' she git her some sugah an' some cinnamon an' she put dat on dat papah an' fold it three times to her an' wear it in 'er left shoes. Dat's tuh git him back home. Now, when she gits him back home, tuh keep him from goin with any othah woman, she takes her fingernails an' her toenails an' git a part of her hair. An' grate dat all up togethah an' put it in whatevah she cooks, an' give it to him an' he cain't leave 'er.
Entry 8691
De quicksilver. A woman use quicksilver when she Wants tuh keep a man. [Whether quicksilver here is quick- silver or tinfoil or back of mirror scrapings, I failed to ask.] She take dat quicksilver an' she puts it in a perfume bottle, one dem li'le perfume bottle, an' when she puts it in dere, she writes dat man's name down. Write it down on one piece of papah but jes' big enough tuh fit into dat perfume bottle. She writes it down nine times, but jes' big enough tuh fit into dat perfume bottle. Write it down straight, one right behin' de othah.
(Like Sam Jones, Sam Jones?)
Yassuh. An' she put dat in a piece of papah an' she put dat quicksilver in dere. She takes dat quicksilver an' she stops it up tight so it won't come out or nuthin. An' she bo's a hole in 'er mattress, on de side where he supposed tuh lay, an' she puts dat quicksilver right down in dat bed on de side where he lays. Dat'll keep 'im. Dat whut de wimmins do. Dey uses dat concernin', dat concernin' say, lak yo' would de yellah cotton.
(Did you tell me about the yellow cotton?)
Yassuh, ah tole yo' 'bout de yellah cotton.
Entry 8705
Git dere name. An' yo' take dere name an' yo' take yore name an' yo' put it down in de bottle. An' git chew some honey whut chew sells in de groc'ry stō'. An' every time dat person come aroun' yo', jis' take dat bottle an' shook it up, an' dey go away from yo' an' dey won' bothah yo' no mō'. (You do that with the bill col- lector or the law or anyone?) Anyone. (How do you put those names down now?) Take dose names an' git chew a ink pin or a indelible pencil an' yo' write yore name down three times straight an' dere name down nine times dat way. An' yo' roll it up an' yo' fold it an' yo' put dat honey down up in dere. An' yo' shake dis bottle up an' keep it corked dat way. An' every time dat person come aroun', yo' shake dat bottle an' dey won't bother yo'.
(If you are in business?)
Yes.
Entry 8706
Yo' take dey name. Yo' kin find out dey laws' name or people whosoml evah botherin' yo' aroun' in dat neighborhood. Yo' git chew some loaf sugah, dat dey call Domino Sugah [trade name] dat's in de block. Yo' take dat an' yo' put it in a bottle an yo' write dis individual name down wit a indelible pencil. Yo' Write it down nine times but yo' orite chure name - write dere name down nine times. Lak say if it wuz Sam Jones, yo' put Jones an' den put de Sam behin' it, see. An' den yo' write chure name jes' lak yo' wuz goin' [to] back a lettah. If yore name wuz James Joseph, see yo'd write James Joseph, jes' lak yo's backin' a lettah. Write it on a piece of Papah. Yo' write de individual name down nine times straight, an' yo' write yore name down nine times across it, see. But chew put chure given name first. An' yo' take dat sugah an' put it in a bottle in some watah. An' when yo' put it in dere wit dat watah, yo' put it in a cornah somewhere where nobody kinnot tech [cannot touch] it. An' every now an' den yo' take dat bottle an' yo' shake it up. Dat sweetens dere min' an' keeps dem from bothahin' yo'.
(Do you use any number of lumps of sugar or just....?)
No, yo' jes' puts enough tuh make it sweet, jes' enough tuh make de watah sweet.
Entry 8717
Well, de socks, yo' take de man's socks but yo' don' have tuh nuse
[use] all of it if yo' don' wan' tuh. Yo' write his name down an' yo' [lay]
dose nine needles, de goldhead needles, an' yo' roll dat sock up. But chew put de cayenne peppah in dat name - de salt an' cayenne peppah in dat. An' to take an' nuse yore cross- in' yo' cross 'em up in dat. An' aftah yo' cross 'em up, yo' take dat an' yo' put it in dat sock. An' yo' roll it an' yo' take de pins an' yo' stick 'em, but evah time yo' stick 'em yo' cross dem. An' dat - dat part would make de man, if yo' want tuh keep de man at chure house, tuh always [stay there] when yo' bury. But yo' don' have tuh bury it all de time. Yo' could jis' put it ovah a joice [joist] somewhere. [Burying the sock could be a nuisance, if you wanted to get rid of the man later; but I suppose the sock could be dug up.]
Entry 8731
[Three is a numeral we have already met in this section about nomes. Here I have gathered together a few examples temporarily overlooked or not easily placed elsewhere. The rite preceding this one, THIMBLEFULS 3, could have been included here, but I preferred to index it under thimble:] If she want 'er husban' tuh stay home, she goes tuh work an' get her a strip of papah, a little strip of papah. She puts her name at de top an' she puts her husband name right underneat' of hers." She gits her a thin piece of cloth, yo' know, lak in de linin', lak in de linin' of a coat. Stick it right in dere. An' she'll sew it down into de seat of her bloomers. Den she'll git de same thing, her name at de top an' his'n to de bottom, an' she'll wear it in her shoe fo' three days. An' if he don't leave off runnin', ah don't know what [she could do].
(She makes both those and puts one in her bloomers and one in her shoe?)
Yes.
Entry 8738
Take dat photograph of dis individual. Den yo' want peace, yo' wants love, Wants happiness. Yo' take dat photograph but chew gotta steal it. Don't let no one give it tuh yo', yo' steal it, or else let someone else git it fo' yo', if yo' wants peace or wants dat individual. Yo' write his name three times on it. An' keep it in yore pillah an' turn it down on.its face. An' it will be peace dere tuh yo', if it's yore sweetheart or yore wife; or whoevah it is, whoevah he may be.
Entry 8754
Fo' example, yo' take two tin plates an' yo' write de 23rd Psalm upon de back [of one] an' de 42nd Psalm upon de back of de [other] tin plate, an' yo' place it [them] under yore pillah an' sleep dere an' he'll shortly return. [The word name does not appear in the text of this rite but it is surely intended. It may have dropped out before recording began.]
Entry 8759
Well, yo' kin use it. Jes' lak yore husband is got a woman or whut not - anything dat chure husban' is doin' an' yo' don't want 'im tuh do it. Yo' kin go tuh de hardware [store] an' buy a pie pan, a little cheap pie pan an' yo' writes - well, we'll say he's got a woman an' yo' don't want him tuh have 'er.[ Well, den yo' go an' buy dat pan an' yo' name it 'im. An' yo'll come back home an' yo'll take a ink pen an' yo'll write his name nine times cross dat pan. Den yo'll write dis woman's name nine times undah de bottom of de pan. Den yo' turn yore mattress back an' lay it on yore bed slats, yo' might say, or de springs, an' let 'im sleep on it. An' he'll fo'git all about de woman.
Entry 8760
If yo' could go an' buy a new tin pan, pie pan dat nevah been used, an' yo' put dat up ovah de door piece where yo' keep John de Conkah. Yo' [have seen] John de Conkah root? (No, I've heard of it but I ' have never seen it.) Well, yo' get a piece of John de Conkah an' wrap it up in a little cloth an' yo' put de smooth part of de pan, an' yo' turn de smooth part, de in part to yo' an' outer part goes to de dō'
(The back of the pan goes to the wall?)
Yes, an' yo' put dis John de Conkah behin' dis pan an' say, "Ah wan' choo in pahtiklah [particular] to stay away from me." Yo' makes dat wish. But whethah dat works or not, ah haven't had anything to [especially to keep the law away].
Entry 8768
You write your name down on a piece of paper, an' yo' write de othah party's name down on de other piece of papah. Well, if dat's someone dat yo wanta get back, an' yo' folds it [to you] three different ways. Well, because of the Way yo' foldin' it, yo' want dem tuh come back. Well, yo' have dere name turnt in de house, yo' see, an' every time, dey walk, yo' see, dey always goin' back in de house all de time, cause dere name is joined dat way. Well, if yo' want dem to stay out of de house, yo' turn de names up lak dat [demonstrates]. Yo' see, just like a... turn it up lak dat.
(You turn the names out if you want them to stay outside.)
If yo' want 'em to stay outside, yo' turn de names out de house. Jes' like yo' put it up ovah dat door [points to door of interviewing room]. Well, yo' turn de name out like dat. If yo' want dem to stay in, always come in yore house, turn de name dis Way [into house].
(I see.)
Entry 8771
Yo' kin take de twelve names of de twelve disciples an' write it on a long list, yo' understand, jes' lak de names yo' use behin' dem dis- ciples. An' de person dat chew angry with, write his name under dere, aftah writin' one verse out de Bible between de twelve disciples name an' de person dat chew sō' [sore] wit. An' wrap it up an' weah it in yore shoe. Yo'll conkah dem an' keep dem down easy. (You write the twelve apostles' names and some verse from the Bible, and then the person's name that you want to keep down?) Yes sir, let de verse of de Bible be between the 'postles' name an' dat per- son's name, an' dispose of it. Put it in de bottom of yore shoe an' weah it.
Entry 8772
They say if yo' take de twelve apostles an' write 'em on [a piece of paper or twelve sage leaves?] an' put 'em in yore left pocket or eithah yore left shoe, why dey say dat'll keep harm from comin' to yo'. [A note following write 'em on reads: A noise made here so do not know what they were written on.]
Entry 8823
Ah'll take yore han'writin', whethah it's chure name or what not, it's chure han'writin'. Ah'll turn de fo' cornahs in, if it's a lettah, turn 'em all in tuh me. Den ah'll fold 'em an' put 'em undah mah shoe.
(Turn these four corners in, then you fold them over once. Just once?)
Yes sir, tuh me all de time.
(Once or twice?)
Yeah, any way fold it tuh yo' all de while [until you have a convenient pack- age].
(Just make a little package. Always fold it to you.)
Yes sir, an' ah weahs it undah mah shoes. Co'se, whethah yo' a woman or man ah'll handle yo'.
(What shoe do you wear that in?)
Yo' weah dat in de right shoe.
Entry 8881
Well dey take yore han'writin'. Well, jes' lak yo' write on dis side of de lettah. Well, yo' know, a pusson don't usely [usually] write on one sheet on both sides, jes' lak yo' write on dis side of de lettah. Well, yo' may mail dat tuh me. Now, ' yo' is de woman an' ah'm de man, see. Yo' may mail de lettah tuh me. [Informant begins to demon- strate.] Well, ah'll write on dis side. Well, when ah write on dis side, ah'll write between lines. See, ah write between lines. Now, ah don' write zactly [exactly] on yore lines. Jes' lak yo' write a line dere, an' write one dere, see. Well, ah'll write in de middle of yores, see. An' in mah time of writin', why ah'll make mah wishes, what ah wan' tuh happen tuh yuh, see. An' jes' as ah writin', ah makes mah wishes. Co'se yo' have tuh have a good education tuh do dat, yo' know. An' den when ah make mah wishes, why yore wishes will certain- ly come out. Co'se den mah lines will be tangled up. Yo' understand, aftah yo' done write it de long ways betwixt lines, den yo' go an' write it across, see.
(Then what do you do with that?)
Well, yo' keep it. Keep dat an' tote it. [Charleston, S. Car., (511), 576:7.] [This division can be gathered into sections: THEFT, COURT CASES, THE AMAZING CHICKEN EGG, SALT AND ITS COMBINATIONS, NAILS - NEEDLES AND PINS - TACKS, FROG and BLACK CAT LUCKY BONE AGAIN. Smaller amounts of diversified material, with margin titles only, will follow in division "CHANNEL DE WORLD."] [Closely related to theft are: (l) the loss of an article by mere losing or misplacement; (2) the loss or theft of a husband or wife or lover, illustrations being numerous in Hoodoo; and (3) the reverse of losing, the finding of the object causing conjuration. To locate or identify conjurating objects is the very heart of hoodoo. Many of these latter methods have been given in Hoodoo - see DIAGNOSIS, Pp.165-217, and elsewhere. Yet, despite all do-it-yourself magic, the true be- liever in these volumes will imitate Biblical precedents, if the loss or theft is considerable. He will copy the experiences of Saul by visiting a seer (1 Samuel, chapter 9) or a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor (l Sam. 28:7), whom our modern believer knows by various professional titles: Doctor, Madam, Mother, high man, wise man or wise woman, two-head or two-header, fortuneteller, reader, healer, foreknower, foreteller, hoodoo or hoodooer, root-man or root-worker, witch, witch-crafter, 'crafter, cunjure or cunjure-man, etc. Finally, may I call your attention to the first margin title, BIBLE AND KEY. Some of its rites have been used for other purposes than theft: to discover whether a wish would come true, No.550, or whether you have been hoodooed, No.551, both on p.167. At the end of these Bible-and-key rites are two rare ones of unusual interest concerning two keys, or crossed keys, or the Key Of St. Peter. My special comments about them, because they concern me personally, should be read.]
Entry 8902
Chicken feathahs - a black chicken. Take black chicken feathahs an' put hit undah de steps. Whenevah a person steal or anythin' lak dat from yo', when yo' expectin' somebody tuh come in on yo', don't chew know, befo' dis chicken die, put dem feathah undah dere, an' dat'll scare dem away. (If somebody is coming fn to steal something from you?) Yes, if yo' expectin' a burglah tuh come in, yo' git three feathahs out of 'is left wing befo' he die an' bury dem undah yore steps. An' whenevah he comes aroun' tuh bothah or anythin', why dat chicken will run 'im away from dere.
Entry 8908
You can take a bone of a person and do lots of harm. They can be the biggest crook in the world, the one that has got the bone - like the professional stealer, the one that has the bone. And as long as they have that bone, they will never be caught because they got the dead man's bone. And the dead man's bone keeps all other spectators away and nobody perhaps hardly sees what this man with that bone is doing because it is a real dead man's bone.
Entry 8914
I have heard 'em say that you could take a fork and stick it down at the gate or the entry or around the building near where you think they're going in, and make your wishes. And that'll keep 'em away, if you think a person's trying to steal - to perwent [prevent] a person stealing from you. And that'll keep people from talking about chew too, they say. Keep 'em from bothering you in any way, shape or form or fashion. [This fork rite has been taken over from methods to keep a hag or witch out of the house - see No.510, p.154, etc.]
Entry 8969
(What do they use beef tongue for?)
Well, now, that's what I have heard people have used beef tongue and put nee- dles in it. Sticks nine needles in it - just like they got a son or a daughter or somepin going from them up here to the penitentiary or somepin. They Wanta try keep dem here, tie 'em over here or keep them out, get them out. They put that on there and they put that on ice and things. That's to keep the judge from talking good. Yo' know, couldn't explain hisself, yo' see. He won't be able to tell them that he going to send him up the road [penitentiary] or nuthin, yo' see. Now, it's like if I give you [sentence you] thirty days. It's just like you done done a bad crime, not no stealing or somepin, just like: So ah'm goin' to give yo' $25 or thirty days in Parish [jail], see. De same time he got a penitentiary case, yo' see. Yo' see?
Entry 9028
[This rite could also have been indexed under many blowing breath ex- amples in Hoodoo.] Yo' take dirt daubah nest. Yo' kin be in jail. Ah've done done dis. Yo' kin be in jail an' yo' kin git chew a piece of dirt daubah nest, but don't let it fall. [This is one of those don't-let-it-touch-the- ground rites.] If it fall, don't chew bothah wit it. Cheo git dat [nest] chureself. Yo' mix it up wit table salt an build yo' a li'le fiah, an' yo' burn it as de people do in ole ancient time, sacrificin', In de Name of de Fathah, Son an' Holy Ghost. An' make yore wishes fo' whatevah yo' want tuh be done. An' yo' keep a-blowin', an' evah time yo' blow, say, God de Fathah, Son an' Holy Ghost till words 'mount tuh nine times. An' evah time it'll be yore way. An' if things ain't yore way, evah time yo' burn it, if things ain't zactly, yo' burn it ovah ag'in an' keep a-burnin' it ovah ag'in till things come zactly yore way.
(This is in a court case, you say?)
Yes sir. [For the mystery, awe and magic concerning the dirt dauber nest, See especially the interview, 'TOMB OF DE BABE OF BETHLEHEM," pp.1325-1335, v.2J
Entry 9032
De nex' thing, tuh mah idea, whut's good, take some of yore fingah- nails. Trim yore fingahnails off. Go tuh some watah an' git dat daid skin undah yore feet. Scrape it down. Put it in sompin an' let it dissolve fo' nine days. Den take dat an' strain it. Have it in watah, an' jes' lak de jedge would have a sep'rate pitcher he drink out of, put dat ovah dere in his pitcher. Jes' lak yo' de jedge of de co't, put dat in yore pitcher. See, de chance is de co't goes up dere soon an' dey have evah-thing lined up, de jedge an' de jury. Put sompin in [the pitchers of] both of 'em. Ah'm de crim'nal. Ah'm de crim'nal, yo' know, an' yo' goin' try tuh send me tuh de chain gang. Git tuh arguin' on dat thing. Aftah while dey gits sorry fo' yuh. Things is workin' mah way. Whut chew want 'em tuh [do, that will do it]. Yo' couldn't do it. Simple things whut ah learnt wit de business [of being a hoodoo doctor].
Entry 9120
Yo' goes tuh a palm tree an' go on de side de sun rise on, an' yo' chop dat down, right tuh de root of it. An' yo' gits some of dat [root] an' yo' could sew some of dat up wit six sage leaves. Yo' gits six sage leaves. (You get some of this palm root and then you mix these six sage leaves in there. All right.) Yo' mix it up an' put it tuhgethah an' yo' kin sew hit up - sew it up tuhgethah. An' yo put three intuh dat - three of those six [sage] leaves - three of 'em. Yo' mix it up tuhgethah an' give a person one tuh weah in each one of his shoes. Dat is fo' trouble, lak yo' got a case in co't, a bad case. Dat'll kinda he'p yo' out in co't. (In this bag you have three sage leaves with this palm root and he has one [sage leaf] in each shoe. All right he has one left over. What is he going to do with that?) He takes dat othah one an' he keeps hit till he go inside [court], an' when he go inside, he puts it in a knot undah his tongue - undah his tongue - an he be talkin'.
Entry 9210
An' den ah took an' - dis anothah story fo' tuh keep de law away, yo' undahstan'. Ah got me some aigs an' whip it up wit whiskey an' devil's-shoe- string, an' buries it undah de do'step, between midnight an' day, an' de law nevah did have any chance tuh come in. (Well, when you whip the eggs with the whiskey, where do you put those? Do you mix it up with the devil's- shoestring or what?) Yes sir, all tuhgethah. Put it in a bottle.
Entry 9215
Well, if ah had a woman cross de street an' a man run ovah dere aftah dis Woman an' ah don' want him ovah dere, ah'll go git me a black hen aig, a fresh one jes' laid, an' ah'll write his name on dat. Ah'll go an' bust dat aig up de front of dat do'. Well, he cain't go dere no mo'.
Entry 9226
Said dey take a black hen aig an' go tuh de woman's house, an' if yo' man goin' dere, if yo' wanta bust 'im up from dere an' run 'im away from dere, bust 'im an' de woman up, yo' take a black-hen aig an' go an' throw it up against de do', an' say jes' whut chew want tuh de aig. An' throwin de aig at de do', bust it, an' he cain't go dere.
Entry 9312
Now ah tell yo' whut ah did heah. Dey say dat if yo' jes' take a black hen, she don't have tuh have no spot on 'em atall, gotta be solid black. Jes' lak if yore wife is goin' wit anothah man yo' see, she won't hardly stay home. Yo' put her name on dis side of de aig, see [demonstrates]. Den yo' turn it tuh yo', turn it ovah, an' put yore name on de othah side of it. An' bury dat right in de middle - it gotta be where she kin penetrate right back an' fo'th ovah it. She may go out fo' about one or two nights, but aftah dat she won't go no mo'. She'll be wantin' tuh stay home an' yo'll be ready tuh go, see.
Entry 9335
Yo' mean tuh keep de officahs off. Well, it's jes' dis much about. it. Yo' kin go tuh work, yo' do's dat - supposed tuh be - wit hen aigs. Yo' kin go tuh work an' git chew nine hen aigs. No, don't make any diff'rence, any kinda aigs, yo' know. Yo' git chew nine aigs an' yo' kin go tuh work an' take yo' a hat whut chew weah on yore haid, an' yo' put dose nine aigs in dat hat an' set it at chure do' - ah mean, anywheres at chure do'. An' take yo' nine sewin' needles, stickin' needles. Put de needles intuh dat hat. An' den de really fac' 'bout it, keep it covahed up an' see dat nobody puts dere han's nowheres about it. An' 'long as it really sets dere, why co'se de law nevah goin' worry yo'.
(You don't have to keep that hidden?)
Oh yes, yo' must put sompin ovah it. Yo' know, have it some place or 'nothah where nobody's li'ble [liable to] 'sturb [disturb] it.
(Where do you put those needles now?)
Yo' drop dose needles right in de hat.
Entry 9372
If de snakes is eatin' de biddies, yo' take de aig, den yo' boil it, undahstan' [understand]. Den yo' put it right back in de nest, an' dat will keep 'em away - keep de snake away.
(Biddies are the small chickens?)
Yes. [My transcriber, of Irish descent, adds a footnote: Biddies are colloqu- ially known as hens with families. I once heard of an elderly nun being called an old Irish biddy looking after her chicks - young nuns. A snake eating or swallow- ing a hen I would have to see to believe, unless it was a boa constrictor! That snakes steal chicken eggs is another piece of folklore; the thief usually being a rat, racoon, etc., or sometimes a dog who once picked up an egg and dropped it. Informant means, as stated here, the snake was eating the biddy': s eggs, or biddy = bitty, as in little bitty (little bit of), something small, little chick- ens. In any case boiling an egg keeps the snake from doing whatever it does!]
Entry 9389
Ah've heard 'em say dey take a chicken aig, an' say jis' lak yo' wus livin' in dis home an' de rentahs wus worryin' yo' or somepin, yo' could git chew three fresh ones an' jis' go out on one side of de house an' jis' chunk 'em clean ovah on de othah [side]. Ah imagine dat would be hard tuh do. But dey says dat stops dem from bothahin' yo' any mo'.
(Stops who?)
Stop de rentahs from worryin' yo', de man dat chew rent from, or de lady dat chew rent from. (Oh, they come bothering you about the rent or something of that sort. Any kind of chicken eggs?) Dey says jis' fresh aigs. Some folks says dey use black hen aigs. [This is an unusual rite. Most of these rites involve a person renting or owning the whole house. Here we have a person renting a room in the house, a person who does not want to be bothered too often about the rent. In throwing these eggs he or she does not move himself or herself. I suppose this could also apply to the renter of the whole house. Intention can change the normal meaning of a rite.]
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 9474
Jis' lak yo' wan'a house - jis' lak anyone naggin' an' dere be a whole lot of rows in de house an' yo' wan'a quit dat rǒwin' an' live pleasant in de house. Yo' take a li'le bit of table salt, but choo have tuh use it In de Name of de Lord. An' yo' take dat table salt an' yo' put a li'le bit in a can or anything, an' put it up ovah de do. An' dat's good tuh keep yuh home quiet.
Entry 9506
Whut tuh do tuh keep de law from bothahin' yo'. Yo' could buy a fresh box of salt, Jack Frost [trade name] salt, an' put two level handful at de front do' an' two level handful at de back, an' dey'll nevah come roun' yore home.
Entry 9510
Ah heard yo' could take salt an' sprinkle it roun' yore house. Yo' know, bury it undah de do'steps an' - if yo' wanta sell likkah an' keep de law away from dere.
Entry 9525
Ah have, ah've heard of 'em takin' yuh shoe an' sprinklin' table salt m' things like dat or Epsom salts intuh yuh shoe. An' dat is if yo' are a per- son who believes in stayin away from home, lak if it was yuh husban' an' he'd lak tuh stay 'way from home all de time - always away from home. An' dey would put some- dhin'intuh his shoe lak salt or [Epsom] salts an' - undahneat' de linin' of de shoe - an' dat would cuz 'im tuh stay home.
(Either shoe? Both shoes or just one shoe?)
Both shoes tuh make him stay home.
Entry 9575
If yo' want to keep people away from your house an' afraid that they Ykrt chah, yo' must always have salt an' red cayenne pepper mixed together. Yo' take that salt an' cayenne pepper, they people go out. When they come in de house, yo' don't want 'em to come, yo'd put that salt and cayenne pepper all behin' 'em. An' then yo' take de broom an' sweep that off de way that they go out. As yo sweep it, make a wish, "Keep outa my house." See? Well, they do that three ties. An' then they won't come back to your house no more. If they mean yo' any harm, they ain't comin' back no more. [This is an unusual preparation for an emergency: You must always have salt an' red cayenne pepper mixed together. Often materials must be new and remainders discarded.] [Richmond, Va., (348), 291:1 0r 348:1.]
Entry 9596
If de law's bothahin' yo', yo' kin take de onion an' de garlic an' cut it in fo' equal parts. Yo' jis' take de garlic, yo' don't cut it all; yo' jis' take diff'ren' pods, pieces [cloves] yo' know. An' yo' use eithah de white or de red onion, an' yo' kin jis' cut it yo' know, in fo' parts: An' go an' yo' po' a whole box of table salt ovah it, an' den yo' po'a whole box of red peppah ovah it, an' sprinkle a li'l saltpetah an' a li'l bluestone on it. Dat'll keep de law out chure house.
(What do you do with that garlic?)
Well, yo' take dat garlic an' burn it. It's fo' luck. Yo' take dat garlic an' put it in a li'l bag an' fold it up an' wit all kinds - all kinda diff'ren' li'le pieces of stuff dat chew use wit it. Weah it. Yo' know weah dat garlic. (How do you keep the law away with that onion after you prepare it? What do you do with that onion?) Yo' take dat onion an' continue tuh burn it till de third mawnin', an' dat'll keep de law away.
(Where do you do that - burn that?)
Well, yo' take it de firs' night an' let it burn up dere, yo' see. Sprinkle it all round yore house. [In preceding subsection see 3 pepper pods halved, No.9587.]
Entry 9598
If yo' don't know dey name or sompin lak dat, git chew some salt, black peppah an' sugah an' ground real fine. Yo'll have tuh beat it as a powdah. Jes' take yore rollah an' roll it jes' intuh a powdah. Sprinkle it all aroun' yore house, yo' see, tuh keep off all evils. Yo' sprinkle red peppah an' lye behin it. Dat simple thing. Den yo' kin git chew some dis chlorine salve. It's whut chew call - it's sompin lak a asic [acid] - an' dat keeps anyone from roun' yore house, close aroun'. Yo' kin use it about chure body, dat draws all yore enemies away. An' yo' kin use it as a chloride salve, jes' plain chloride salve without asic an' as adraw- in' card, fo' people's tuh yo'. But jes' dis plain chloride asic is tuh keep 'em from yo', from doin' yo' bodily harm.
Entry 9626
An' den yo' take black [red?] peppah an' salt an' sulphuh - those three chings: red peppah, salt, sulphuh. An' burn it in yore fiahplace an' dat'll run enemies away from yore house.
Entry 9640
Ah heard dat chew take yore chamber lye an' dis salt an' peppah, an' throu it evah mawnin' befo' sunrise at chure do'. Dat'll keep de laws from run- nin' on yo' an' all fren's will come to yo'. An' don't sweep no, none of de dust out chure house, out chure front do'. Don' nevah throw none out; throw it in de fiahplace. Dat always brings in luck. But nevah carries out any [sweepings]. (If you are in business of any kind, especially bootlegging?) Yes, bootleggin' an' gamblin'. Savannah, Ga., (1279), 2176:3.]
Entry 9642
De nex' one wit sugah ag'in: if yo' got somebody a pusson yo' wanta make 'em stay at home, yo' mix dat wit allspice an' salt. An' put it in a li'le piece [of cloth] in de mattress, where de people gotta sleep, tuh make folks stay home. Put it in 'is mattress, jes' a li'le bit. Make 'em stay home.
Entry 9657
Well, if you bothered by the law, you take - even for the law, any- body - you get you some parchment [paper]. Here's your door here. [Informant begins to demonstrate.] You hang you some parchment up by your door. [Imitation parchment was sold as genuine and often considered holy.] You hang that parchment up by your door, on this side, and hang you a box of salt on the other. Don't let the salt be - get you a fresh box of salt. Just like that nail is there [informant points to nail]. See that nail? Well you put you a nail up right there [demonstrates].
(On one side of the door.)
On one side of the door. And you hang that salt up there. And over that, between that parchment and that salt, you put you up a loaf of bread.
(You have the parchment on one side and the salt on the other.)
You see, you've got the parchment here and you got the salt here.
(The parchment on the right hand side and the salt on the left.)
And the salt on the left. Now, right in the center, you put you a loaf of bread [demonstrates].
(Above the door.)
Above the door. See. you put you up a loaf of bread. He can come in: the captain, the sergeant, the lieutenant - all of them can come in there when you do that. They ain't going to bother you. Now, when they come in, if they come in, but they might not get no further than right to the door. They might just look in, they ain't going to bother nobody. They going to go away. You see. And when they go away, you sprinkle sugar behind them, after they gone. When they turn their face to go, you sprinkle sugar behind them, you see. You sprin- kle sugar and that'll keep 'em going all the time. They'll never come back. If they come back, they won't bother you. You understand what I mean? They won't bother you. Just sprinkle that sugar behind 'em and they won't bother you at all.
Entry 9674
When yo' peel onions in yore home, yo' supposed tuh put sugah an' salt - sugah an' salt on it [the peelings] an' put it on de stove an' burn it. Dat's keepin' down de fuss [in the house]. An' if yo' havin' fuss dere, put salt on de onion an' burn it up, but yo' don't 'sposed tuh leave cut onion in yore house no kinda way.
(After you put salt on that onion, what do you do with that onion then?)
Put it on de stove an' let it burn up. Dat keepin' down fusses in de house.
Entry 9681
An' tuh avoid thin's lak dat tuh keep people away from yore house, lak dat - yo' kin take a piece of quicksilvah an' some table salt. An' mix it in, if yo' kin git somepin from 'em, a piece of deres. An' throw it away tuhward dey house an' dey won't nevah One tuh yore house any mo'.
Entry 9690
Now, if yuh wife runnin' aroun' an' yo' wanta stop 'er, yo' git chew some sugah, table salt an' sulphuh an' put it in - take a saucah an' mix it up, lak dat, an' evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's - yo' got a woman an' she got a man, an' yo' wanta break 'em up. Yo' take an' put dat in de cornah of yuh house. Jes' take a pinch of it an' put it, In de Name of de Lord, ah wish yo'd quit runnin' round. Evah time yo' put it down in de cornah of de house.
(Put it in the four corners?)
Yassuh, de fo' cornahs of de house, put it in dere, an' dat'll stop 'er from runnin' roun'.
Entry 9692
Jes' lak if ah had a husban' an' he don' nevah stay at home, an' ah wanted tuh keep 'im at home. Well, ah kin jes' take table sugah an' salt an' mix a little of it tuhgethah an' weah it undah mah ahms. Well, dat'll make 'im draw, love yo'; yo' know, make 'im git close tuh yo'.
Entry 9696
One of the greatest things for luck, you get a little sulphur an' a little lard an' a little salt, an' put that together an' wear that in a bag around your neck. That will keep all hoodoos, all cunjures and all evils away from you.
Entry 9701
Heah de thing dat he do if he believe in dis [tricking]. He jes' go tuh work an' jes' as he walk out de house, he.begin tuh sprinkle sulphuh an' salt.
(What will that do then?)
Well, dat'll keep de othah mens back.
(While he is gone?)
Dat's right.
Entry 9714
(What did you tell me about the forks of the road?)
Yo' go out - yo' take chamber lye. Yo' know, just like if yo' wan'a man, yo' lgc - yo' wan'a make de man, yo' know, go an' leave yuh alone; or make 'im come, eithah one. Yo' take both yuhs [yours] chamber lye. (His chamber lye and the woman's chamber lye.) Yes sir. Mix dat tuhgethah. Take dat tuh de three fo'ks of de road [a "Y" fork, road separating to right and left]. Yo' take a brand-new bor of salt, which yo' ain't nevah used out of, an' go tuh three fo'ks of de road. Bell, de right - de one dat's tuh de right, yo' take dat chamber lye an', if yo' gnim tuh go an' stay an' don' nevah come back - don' wanta be bothahed - yo [use] curse words. Yo' make a curse word an' throw it [salt] down at de point [where one road separates into two].
(The right road?)
Yes, sir. Yo' thrown it down dat right road [the right fork of the "Y"]. An' if yo' wan' 'im tuh come back an' stay, yo' throw it down dis left one [left fork of the "Y"].
(I see.)
An' make all curse words, if yo' wanta 'im tuh stay, come back yo' know, go. (I see. You throw it down the right [fork] to make him go away, and the left to make him come back?) Yes, sir. You see, yo' throw it back this way [demonstrates].
(You throw it back towards you?)
Yes.
(And when you make him go away, which way do you throw it?)
Tuh de right.
(Do you throw it towards you or away from you?)
Yo' see, yo' throw it jes' lak dis, yo' see [demonstrates]. Throw it jes' lak Lr, yo' know, jes' lak dat. Lak yo' go, go tuh de right. When yo' wan' 'im tuh g back an' stay, well yo' throw it jes' lak dat, an' make yuh curse words, J' know, what yo' wan' 'im tuh do: Come back an' do [better]. Bring yo' money. Take yo' an' do lak dat, yo' know - jes' throw it lak dat [demonstrates].
(That brings him back.)
In de left one [fork] dat salt what yo' nevah used out of, yo' throw dat salt dat way [to the left]. An' dat way [demonstrates].
(I see. What will that do?)
Dat makes 'im go tuh stay, tuh de lef'. [Informant finally has the proper forks: left to send away, right to bring back.]
(To the left makes him go away - scatters him away?)
Yes, sir. This salt yo' have, had used out of [the package].
(I see. You don't throw that chamber lye down that left road, do you?)
No, sir. Yo' throw de chamber lye dis way, yo' see [demonstrates].
(But you throw that [urine] to the right?)
Yes, sir.
(And the salt to the left?)
Yes, sir. [There are a number of rites concerning the "Y" fork of roads. Here the urine thrown to the right brings the man back, salt to the left sends or keeps him away.]
Entry 9722
Yo' kin take a twentypenny nail an' dress it wit High John de Conkah stuff an' dope it evah mawnin' an' evah night. An' take an' drive it neah yore house, drive 'em [informant changes to two nails] in yore do'side both ways. Say it will keep de law away. (What do you mean, drive them both ways?) Drive one dat-a-way an' drive one dis-a-way. Drive one on dat side dat-a-way an' drive one ovah heah dis-a-way.
(Right in the door frame?)
Yes, an' jes' dope [dress or feed] dat [driven in] haid evah mawnin' an' evah night. Say dey [law] won' come anywhere neah yo'. [Nails are more likely driven into doorsill.]
Entry 9723
If a landlord wanted tuh make yuh move out a house, yo' kin git chew two nails, bran'-new nails yuh see, an' yuh cross 'em right ovah de sill of de do' an' he cain't git chew outa dat house. Well, whensomevah yo' wants tuh cross yore house tuh keep anybody from stayin' in dere, why jes' as yo' use de nails fo' yuh tuh stay dere, yo' kin use dose nails fo' dose people so dat dey cain't stay dere. Dey have tuh cross de same nails.
(That will also keep the people from moving into the house?)
Yessuh, 'long as it crossed.
Entry 9727
Whenevah yo' be rid [writ?] out, dey done be rid yo' out - yo' know, outdo's an' yo' gotta move. Dey done rid yo' out, yo' know - de officah rids yo' out an' yo' gotta move. [Evidently your few posses- sions are on the sidewalk out in the street.] Yo' cake three nails an' yo' go tuh de do' lak dat an' nail 'em down [demonstrates] right in de middle of de do'.
(Right underneath the saddle that goes across the door.)
Yes, an' nail 'em down in dere an' call De Name of de Fathah an' de Son, an' yo' kin stay dere. Dey'll come an' lengthen yore days an' let chew stay on dere. Yo' won't have tuh move. Ah know dat fo' a fac' 'cuz ah did dat mahself. (You put them right down [I demonstrate] where that board goes over - over that saddle of the door.) Yes. [In that first line is there a play on the words writ and rid [get rid of you] both pronounced alike here.]
Entry 9737
Yo' kin take fo' ten- penny nails an' jes' drive one at each cornah of de house, back an' front, an' dere won't no law come dere. Dat's experience. [This diagram is a stylized simplification of preceding rites, 4 crosses in the corners of a square.
Entry 9745
Say you could nail nine nails in de floor of somebody's home and keep them down all the time - I've heard that.
(Where would they nail those?)
Where do they nail them? (Yes.) Under the bed that they sleep in or somewhere near where they be all the tine; or around the stove or the table, where they'd have to, you know, often Pass over.
Entry 9747
Kin do dat easy. Jis' lak now if yo' sellin' a lil' drinks, now. Yo'll git nine nails an' yo' bury dem nails six days. Yo' bury dem nails. (Where do you bury them?) Right tuh de foot of yuh steps. Den aftah dat yo' drive one heah, drive one dere, an' drive one dere, drive one dere, drive one dere, an' yo' drive one heah [etc.]. Nine time.
(Drive them right around the steps.)
Yes, right around de steps.
(Down in the ground or into the steps?)
No, right on de edge of de steps. Yo' drive nine nails an' yo'll have de dhiskey in dis house. An' he'll come in heah an' he ain't goin' intuh dat room yhere de whiskey is atall. He come in anothah room an' look aroun' an' say, Av, dere ain't nuthin heah," an' he go on. [Charleston, S. Car., 603:2.]
Entry 9750
Peoples bury 'em, bury nails, big nails, at a certain distance, yo' know. Nine nails. An' dat will keep de law away. (Where do they bury these nails?) In de ground roun' de entrance, roun' de front yard where dey 'sposed tuh come in. Nine nails, jes' de p'int down. [Wilson, N. Car.,
(1454).2643:6.]
Entry 9800
(What would you do with that?) You take you three needles [see correction later]. (Three needles?) Yes, sir, an' stick - it be four needles. See? Two go this way and two that way. Make a "x" of 'em. Burn 'em and make a "X' of 'em and hang 'em up. Put one over and the other two over this door here like that. Three go this here, and put one on that door, and one on the bottom.
[This confuses the number of needles.]
(How many needles did you take?)
Four - across - burnt cross, yo' see. (You cross the points over the front door and then you cross the points over another door - the back door?) Yes.
(But you burn those needles first?)
Yeah, burn 'em first.
(I see. To keep the law away?)
Yes.
(I see.)
Entry 9803
Well, yo' see, de house yo' lives in has got four corners to it. Well, it's north, east, west, and south. Well, yo' take a simple thing as a needle, one needle, an' take that needle an' put in each corner of your house. An' every night at twelve 'clock yo' read the Ten Command- ments in each corner of that house. Like tonight yo' read them in one corner an' the next night yo' read them in another corner. An' then after yo' get that done, yo' take the needles out wrap them up, buy a little lodestone, put the four needles in that and put them up over the door, tack it there, an' leave it there. Yo' kin get all the trade you want. That will even keep the law away.
Entry 9807
Well, dey takes a tin plates, new tin plates, an' sulphur an' six nee- dles to each plate. Take yo' six plates an' put chew six needles in each plate, an' set 'em roun' de spots yo' goin' dig at, an' burn yore sulphur wit chure needles in dere wit de points layin' dead in de sulphur. An' dat will keep 'way de spirits from comin' in. (When you are hunting money? Those points are pointing to this little bit of sulphur in that plate?) In de center of de plate. (When you are hunting money?) When yo' huntin' money. [See also section SPIRITS GUARD BURIED TREASURE, pp.111-135, vol.1, and elsewhere.]
Entry 9818
Dey'll take dat an' dey'll go tuh verk [work] cuz dey kin git nine needles - now listen, nine needles. Stop dat up, put dat in a bottle an' dey'll turn dat cross yuh step - cross de do'step - an' yuh can't go, neithah cross it. (They put this bath water of yours in this bottle to keep you in the house.)
Entry 9827
Tuh bring yore sweetheart back, take a han'ke'ch'ef an' write his name in de centah of dat han'ke'ch'ef an' fold it up. An' yo' git chew nine new nee- dles, sewin' needles, yo' undahstan'. An' aftah yo' git dose needles, yo' take dose needles an' yo' stick one in dis way [demonstrates] right intuh dat name, an' yo' stick one dat way, an' one go dis way, one go dat way. But dey all gotta go intuh dat name. (All those points of those needles point into each other.) [The needles are in a rimless circle, points inward.] Yassuh, goes intuh each othah. Ah'll show yo'. Dis is yore name but dey all gotta go intuh dat name. Well, yo' take dat aftah yo' git 'em all in dere an' make yore wish. An' take it an' put it up in de centah of yore baid undah yore mattress. An' den de fo'th day, why he'll surely come back tuh yo'.
Entry 9844
Dat's tuh fasten a man. Jis' lak yo' had a husban' an' yo' wanted 'im down, an' he couldn't bothah yuh about [what] yo' wuz doin' or goin'. Yo' cud take nine needles out a bran'-new package an' yo' kin take nine straight [new] pins. De needles have steel in 'em an' de pins don't. Yo' kin take a strip of papah jis' off a tablet an' write dis individual's name. An' yo' stick a needle comin' tuh tuh, an' de p'int, stick a needle goin' from yuh - comin' tuh yuh an' goin' from yuh till yo' stick nine needles. Den yo' stick de pins all one way, de nine straight pins, stick each of dose p'ints tuh yuh [demonstrates]. Den yo' would take dose needles an' jis' slightly, jis' [stick] lak dat [demonstrates], chew might say, abou' two or three inches in de ground. Aftah yo' put 'em in dat concernin', ah wanta jis' cross dis party's name. Den yo' kin turn dose needles down. an' yo' make yore wish how yo' want 'im tuh be. An' den jis' covah slightly wit dirt or somepin ovah it dat he may walk in an' out ovah it daily. An' dat'll keep 'im quiet. Dat'll keep 'im down.
Entry 9848
If yuh boy frien' wz goin' wit somebody an' yo' didn't want 'im tuh go wit 'uh, yo' could git nine red an' white [headed] matches [the red head of the match has a white dot on it], nine goldeye needles, an' nine gourd seeds, an' nine "grains" of dis red peppah.["Grains" are fre- quently used, meaning here seeds or pieces of the pep- per.] Take de inside out. Nine dose grains of dat pep- per. An' take dat an' mix it up all tuhgethah. Stir it up all tuhgethah an' tie it up real tight in a yarn rag. An' soak it in vinegah ovahnight. An' take dat an' t'row it undah somebody's step, whoevah dis boy's goin' wit, if yo' wan'a break 'im off from dis girl. An' he'll nevah go dere no more. He won' ca nuthin about nobody but chew.
Entry 9852
Go tuh de Ten' Cent Store anywhere an' git chew a package of straight peedles - straight pins whut ah mean tuh say, straight pins. An' yo' kin take an' git chew a li'l bittee hammah, an' at chure front do' tack up eighteen dat way in a line right across dere. M' at chure back do' tack up seven of dem straight pins. An' dere won't no law Ble inside dere tuh search.
Entry 9857
I have seen them use brass tacks to use in a house, see, after they move out - to keep anyone else from renting this house or from staying in the house. They make it with a sign of a cross. First, let it straight go up like this, and then they cross it like that. (Across like that. Well, where do they put those?) Puts 'em in the wall. (In the wall. Is that all they do?) That's all they do. [This is to cross up the house; tacks usually new.l new.] Orleans, La., (839), 1263:5.]
Entry 9864
[As another protective device by using a frog eye, we have the follow- ing rite:] If someone wants tuh harm you, to keep 'em from harming you, you must get a frog. You gets a frog and you kill de frog. After you kill the frog, you just take the heart and the gizzard out. You take the heart and the gizzard out. [I failed to ask for a description of a frog gizzard, probably assuming stomach was meant. The true gizzard of course, is the second (posterior) stomach of birds.] Then you dry it - you dry it right in the sun-like. Just good sunny days put it out. After you dry the frog eye and it's heart, you take...
(Just a moment, you said the frog's heart and gizzard before?)
Heart and gizzard, yes.
(Yes.)
[Yet, I still think the word is eye rather than gizzard.]
After you dry it thoroughly, then you put it - you could put it in your purse and just tote all the time and no one can harm yuh.
Entry 9906
Yo' kin take a toadfrog. Now, I had dat - dat wus done tuh me. A man wus co'tin' [courting] me an' he wus co'tin' anothah lady. An' we co'ted fo' a good long while an' ah tole 'im, ah says, "Why don't chew let's git ma'ed?" He say, "Well, ah'm engaged tuh anothah lady tuh git ma'ed." Ah ast 'im, ah say, "Why yo' co'tin' me so long when yo' know yo' wus engaged tuh anothah lady?" He says, "Well, ah guess ah lak yuh." Ah say, "Well, dat ain't busi- ness." Say, "Ah thought chew wus co'tin' me fo' a wife. If ah hadda thought chew wusn't doin' dat, we'd abeen [we would have been] quit long ago, becuz a husband [was] whut ah wus lookin' fo'." He says, "Well, ah'm already [TORTOISE IN GEORGIA] engaged tuh git ma'ed." Ah say, "Well, when yo' goin' git ma'ed?" "Well, we's tuh git ma'ed in June." Ah tole 'im, ah says, "Well, when June come if ah live, yo' won' git ma'ed." He say, "Well, if ah live, ah will git ma'ed." Ah say, "Well, if yo' live yo' won' git ma'ed." So when June come - de lady wus down south - she came. He come ovah an' he tole me, he say, "Well, de lady ah tole yuh about ah wus tuh ma'y, she have come."
[Cylinder change causes the following repetition.]
Ah say, "Well, when yo' goin' git ma'ed? He say, "We's tuh git ma'ed in June." Ah say, "Well, ah tole yuh, yo' wouldn't ma'y her." He say, "Well, Ah don't see how yo' [can say] ah'm not gonna ma'y 'er. If ah live ah'm gonna ma'y huh." Ah say, "Well, if ah live yo' won' ma'y huh." So ah goes tuh a fortunetellah an' dis fortunetellah tole me tuh ketch a toad- frog an' git me a coffee can, a tin coffee can, an' drive holes in de bottom of dat can an up aroun' in dat can tuh 'bout halfway. An' ketch dat frog an' put 'in in dat can an' name him dat puhson's name three times. An' take it tuh a black antses baid an' stir it up, an' set dat can in dere; an' evah two or three days fo' me tuh watch dat can. Go an' look in it evah two or three days. An' when dem antses eat all de meat offa dat frog, tuh bring 'im dat frame [skeleton] in dat can. An' when dat wus done, ah ca'ed it tuh 'im. An' he tole me dere wus some bones in dat frog dat he wus gonna fix in a li'l package fo' me tuh weah shere it'll keep warm nex' tuh me, an' he would nevah ma'y dat wumman. An' he fised de package an' ah went tuh weahin' it. So when de time come fo' him tuh ma'y dis wumman, he come ovah an' he tole me, he sayed, 'Miss Cartah, '' he sayed, "De lady didn't ma'y me." Ah said, "Well, why she didn't ma'y yo'?" He said, "Ah dunno." Ah said, "Well, did yo' buy de papahs?" He say, "Yes, ' say, "Ah bought mah license an' dey cost fo' dollahs an' fifty aents, an' ah went ovah tuh ma'y her an' she tole me she 'clined [declined] de idea of gittin' ma'ed." Ah said, "Well, when did she say she would ma'y yuh?" "She didn't say." Ah said, "Well, yo' oughta make huh tell yuh when she gonna ma'y yuh. She 'clined de idea right now, maybe a li'l latah she might ma'y." He say, "She don' mean tuh ma'y' Ah say, "Yo' reckon she don't?" He say, "No." Ah say, "Why?" "Cuz she given me mah money back. Ah paid fo' dollahs an' fifty cents fo' de license an' she give it back tuh me." Ah say, "Oh well, she don't mean tuh ma'y yo' den." An' den he commence tuh worryin' me tuh ma'y 'im an' ah wouldn't ma'y him den, 'cuz de fortunetellah dat ah'd gone tuh tole me it would happen dat way. An' he tole me, "When he ast chew 'bout ma'in' don' chew ma'y him." Said, "Becuz he wouldn't live long. He would soon stricken an' die an' yo' would soon be a widow ag'in." An' jis' lak he tole me 'bout it, he would ast me 'bout ma'in' 'im, he did. But ah kep' 'im shooed off, an' re'lly, latah he did taken sick an' died. [Here I changed the cylinder. Informant begins by returning to an episode she had omitted, what she had done to make her rival refuse the man.] So dis fortunetellah tole me dat dis woman dat he wus supposed tuh ma'y, she wouldn't ma'y him. He tole me tuh git some li'l boy tuh go on in de swamp or somewhah an' fin' me a gophah - wit fo' laigs, a gophah, yo' know. So ah come back an' got de boys tuh hunt de gophah up an' dey wouldn't fin' one. [The preceding word gopher may confuse the reader. Here in Georgia where I was interviewing, people called the gopher a salamander. What informant means by gopher is a burrowing land tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), the animal and eggs edible.] So ah went back an' tole 'im about it. Ah said, "Well, don' seem lak ah kin git a gophah." Ah say, "It'll have tuh be some othah 'rangements made." Ah said, "Dis man sweahs dat he gonna ma'y dis wumman." He said, "Yo' needn't worry about dat; he ain't goin' ma'y huh." He say, "Well." He got some dirt, some red-lookin' dirt, an' he showed it tuh me. He said, "If ah give yuh some of dis dirt an' tell yuh whut tuh do wit it, would jew be scared tuh do it?" Ah said, "No, ah won't be scared. Ah'll try tuh do it." An' he fixed so much of de dirt in a papah an' give it tuh me. An' he said, "Aftah dahk [dark] - yo' know wheah dis wumman live?" Say, "Yessuh." "Aftah dahk yo' go tuh huh house wheah she live. Don' let no one see yo', if yo' kin he'p it, an' yo' throw dis dirt tuhwards 'er front do', as much as yo' kin, tuh spattah it on de do' an' de porch aroun'. An' she won't nevah ma'y." So ah did dat. So dey didn't ma'y. (You said this was another case where a woman was going to marry the man. This is the same story?) Yes sir, dat's de woman's part of de graveyard dirt. [The reader may recall that my informant told us her rival de lady was down south. Here we were in southern Georgia not too far from Florida! I found this down south all along the Atlantic coast from Maryland southward. The south was always somewhere farther south!]
Entry 9917
[Similar to the preceding rite is this one in which a frog is dressed for you]: I've heard they kin dress a frog an' if that frog get anywheres near you, yo'll get it. [This dressing of an animal to carry cunjure to you was once fair- ly common, making every wild or stray an- imal suspect; but no such rite can equal the one in which a woman with a stick chased a wandering chicken in the 3 Holy Names and killed it - one of the finest things in HOODOO, No.205, p.58, v.1.]
Entry 9929
Ef yo' got any idea dat anybody's doin' anythin' tuh yuh, yo' kin take dat frog an' keep 'im in de house fuh nine days.
(Keep him right inside of the house?)
In de house - fuh nine days. Well, aftah keepin' dat toadfrog fuh nine days intuh de house, dem people whut tryin' tuh do yuh hahm [harm] dey'll come tuh yuh home evah - each an' evah day an' try tuh bahrah somepin from yuh. Don't nevah len' dem nuthin, see. If yuh len' dem anythin', dey kin do yuh anythin' dey wantuh. Long as yuh don lend nuthin it's all right.
Entry 9934
Ah'd get me a frog an' ah'd squeeze de left eye, squeeze de milk out of it...ah'd put it in a bottle an' put it right by mah steps an' de law can't come in mah house.
Entry 9949
An' yo' kin take a toadfrog an' a snake shed. Undahstand, git a blacksnake shed an' a toadfrog, an' put it in yuh house. Dat'll make yuh wife stay at home. She won't bothah wit nobody else. But yo' have tuh keep it in yuh house.
Entry 9953
(Will you talk louder?)
See, scrape de bottom of yuh foot.
(Yes?)
Git dat dirt out from under de track dere, see, an' put it in a bag, yo' uni dahstan'. Sew it up, yo' see. An', so ah'm told, git a toadfrog. Sew 'im up in dere wit dat bag. Dat is what dey call a hoodoo bag. See, dat's got chew hoodooed den. Dey'll take dat, take dat an' tote it. Yo' undahstan'. An' takes it an' yo' weahs it dere in yuh house, put it some place in yuh cornah, an' dat'll bring about dat, yo' see.
(Well, what will that do to me, if they put that in the corner of my house?)
Well, dat'll cuz yuh - yo' can't stay at home. Yo' go mindless, yo' udah- stan'. Prob'bly set chew crazy or somepin lak dat. Yo' ain't at yuhself. Always runnin'. Can't stan' still.
(How many foot tracks of mine would they take up, I wonder?)
They wouldn't want but one.
(One?)
One.
(Would they take the right one or the left? Either one?)
Either one.
Entry 9961
(You take an ordinary toadfrog?) A ordinary toadfrog. Don't kill 'im. Stop 'im up in a bottle an' let 'im die. He'll dry up in dere, an' den yo' kin jis' crumple it up. Put it in a piece, sew it up in a piece [of cloth] an' put it in yuh pocket. Yo' boun' tuh win. Ah knows dat.
Entry 9965
Take a toadfrog an' skin 'im an' put 'im in yore pocket, an' nobody cain't hahm [harm] yo' no way. An' yo' [also] kin go all ovah in games, play games, an' yo' win.
Entry 9969
Yo' take a frog and dry him. You take a frog and wrap him up and let hin die himself. Don't you kill him. Well, when he gets dry, you tote that in your pocket. You can take that and you can do anything you want with that frog. Just like if you a dice shooter, or anything I like that, you rub that [dried frog]. Jis' put it in your pocket and take and put your hand on that [frog] and go to work and shoot dice. Be lucky. Jes' like if you had one game, and if you don't have success with that, turn your back on that game. And select you a card place, if you play cards, and you'll lose one or two games and you know that you ought to win, turn your back on that game.
(How do you mean turn your back on it?)
What I mean, walk away from that game and go to the next game.
(I see, if you have this frog in your pocket.)
Entry 9981
If yo' wanta be a gamblah an' win good, yo' git chew a frog an' put it in yore pocket, an' put a little table salt in it [pocket]. See, if dis heah are de gamblin' hall, yo' know, yo walks in, an' if yo' vanta beat in de game, yo' jis' valk on in wit both hands in yore pockets jis' lak dis [demonstrates]. Stan' aroun' a little bit. Aftah shile maybe yo might be holdin' de cards or whutsomevah de game dey playin', yo' kg, an yo'll win evahthin' in dat house. But dat frog gotta be live.
(Do you put this salt on the frog?)
Yes.
(Right on the frog?)
Right on de frog. Keep 'im live in yore pocket. [St. Petersburg, Mla.
(1024), 1657:9.]
Entry 9982
(What sort of toadfrog? What sort of frog do you take?)
Jis' or'nary frog. Yo' take him an' yo' kill 'im an' yo' jis' salt 'im down. Ah 'magine yo' gits a five-cent box of salt. Jis' take an' scattah dat salt, jis' wad 'im ovah dit it tuh de time yo' think yo' got all dat salted don. An' yo' put 'im in one pocket an' yo' put de salt yo' didn't give tuh 'in in de othah pocket. An' if yo' go in a room roun' anywhere dey gamblin', jis' take dat salt, an' if yo' lucky an' got money, take dat same salt an' put it ovah 'im lak dat [demonstrates] an' dat'll give yo' luck. But chew have tuh pve salt in yore pocket.
Entry 9983
Now, ah have tried a lotta things in gamblin' an' ah made tvo pretty aood success of it [two successful periods in life]. Now, if a man is a gamblah an' he goin' tuh a good game tuhnight, he might go out in de country dis evenin' befo' he go tuh dat game. An' jis' about dahk [dark] - yo' know dese li'l ole toad- Srog dey always come out, yo' know, jumpin' round. An' if yo' git holt of one da toadfrogs, yo'll wrap it up in yuh han'ke'ch'ef good an' put it in yuh pocket. An' all de money yo' wanta bet on in dat game, yo' bet it out dat same pocket yo' got dat frog in, an' nobody couldn't ketch yo' twixt heah an' Tampa [Florida].
Entry 9986
If a fellah wants tuh be lucky an' go tuh a place where dere's plenty of money at, an' he wants de othah fellah tuh fall, he go out an' kill 'im a toadfrog, an' he dries dat frog up. Den he go up, if he got a chimley, an' git one dese bats dat flies roun' de chimley - chimley bats. [Does informant mean chimney swallow?] Gits one of 'em. Den he'll dry it, an' he'll put dat frog an' dat bat in each one of 'is pockets. He's got a pair of dice in dere. [What informant means by preceding expression will be learned later.] Take dem dice out an' rub 'em in han' dat-a- Way [demonstrates] aftah he done tech de frog or eithah de bat. Now, yo' got a gamblin' house heah. Well, yo' 'lowin' [allowing] people tuh shoot dey own dice [not the house dice]. Well, ah'm yuh gamekeepah. Ah'm [I am = I have] got a stack of dollahs ovah heah [demonstrates]. Well, yo' come heah an' yo' say, "Ten dollahs fo' tuh shoot." Ah say, "Yo' want any dice?" "No, ah'm got a pair of dice." "Shoot 'em, "[I say]. Well yo' throw 'em out. Firs' time dey'll crap. Nex' time dey'll crap. He's back in 'is p'int [point] up dere. An' he say, "Ah ain't got no p'int [point] ah'll ketch mah p'int." Well, when he ketch a p'int, he might ketch a fo', six or eight or ten, an' right dere where ah'm done both. An' if ah speak up tuh 'im, he'll have de whole business. Dat's fo' a gamblin' han'.
(You use either of those?)
Eithah one of 'em. Gotta put one in each one of 'is pockets dis-a-wa y[demon- strates] an' when he gits ready - don' pull 'em out. He puts 'is han' on 'em an' rub 'em dis-a-way, see [demonstrates]. (Does he have both parts of the dice [the two dice] in one pocket, or one in each pocket?)
[Here I am surprised!]
Naw, he has two sets of dice, see. If he have one set of dice, he kin put 'em in each one [either] of 'is pockets - it mattahs ary [either] one of 'is pockets will do. But yo' gotta change it up sometime from one pocket tuh de othah, see. De frog he's dried up an' de bat he dried up.
Entry 9993
(What do you mean yoo were running a house?) Running? Well, jis' liktah joint, gamblin' joint, all lak dat yo' ondahstan'. An' he [root doctor] said dat'll hold de laws away. Well, ah diddat
(What did he tell you to do now?)
Take fo' [four] frogs, fo' toadfrogs an' care [carry] 'em an' put 'em undah each pillah [pillar] of dat house in de fo' cornahs. [The average small house in the lowlands rests off the ground on 4 wood pillars.] Well, ah did dat.
(What did that do?)
Oh, no! Ah nevah had no trouble while ah wus dere an' ah stayed dere fo' two or three or fo' yeahs. (You mean that was to keep the laws away?) [Notice how much later I use his word laws.] Keep de laws away. Ah nevah had no trouble wit fellahs. Kin'dove [kind of] a jute [jutebox?] house, yo' undahstan'.
(What house?)
Jute house, yo' undahstan' - sellin' likkah an' gamblin' an' all lak dat.
Entry 10001
Den ah heard dat when show people come tuh town an' dey winnin' a gang of money out dere [at the show-grounds], yo' know, dey have some of dat stuff. Well, yo' kin put a frog in yuh pocket an' go on out dere an' win all de money yo' want. Dat'll keep down dat. Whut chew call dat stuff?
(What do they call that now? It's a powder of some sort?)
Dey call it, yes sir. Some kinda powdah dey use. Ah jis' can't think of de name of it. (Is it goofer dust?) Yes sir, dat's right! Well, dey [the show people] sprinkle dat down roun' de place dere an' yo' can't do no winnin'.
Entry 10106
Take de black cat an' git one of 'is eyes, his lef' eye, an' take it an' boil it an' yo' git dat bead. Yo' know it's a li'le white hard bead in it, dat's whut dey sight is. Yo' take dat an' mix it up wit - put some lodestone in it an' put some lucky oil, an' take dat an' weah it. (What do you wear that for?) Dat's fo' tuh keep any luck, a job or anythin' yuh wanta keep. Dat's fo' tuh be successful in mos' anythin' yo' want. [For eye of black cat and its hardness, see No.10046.]
Entry 10117
After a black cat gets killed anywhere, you pick the cat up and cut the right hind leg. The're [there are] three bones in there like a rabbit [like leg of rabbit]. Then you get the mid- dle bone out of that, then dry it, polish that, and put it in his purse and put it in his hip pocket. He don't think anybody can bother him then at all.] He will go into a dice game and put this pocketbook down, there's nothing in it at all, no money, just this bone, and he will keep his hand on it, and he will win all the money in the game.
Entry 10118
Get a black cat, cut the right hind leg and get a bone out...and carry that around your neck, and there won't be any evil spirit harm you, and it will keep cunjures away. [Fredericksburg, Va., by Ediphone.]
Entry 10131
Ah hear'd 'em say dat dey take a black ket wit not a white spot about it anywhere. An' take it an' put it in a pot alive, an' b'il it till de meat falls offa de bones. [Bones not thrown into running water.] An' take dose bones an' dat Zi'le roun' cur'ous bone dat's in de ket, take it an' weah it in yore pocket. Keep it in dere wrapped up from all dirt an' evah- thin' an' dat wuz good luck tuh yuh, couldn't nobody harm yo' or do nuthin tuh yuh.
Entry 10140
They can get this hand by killing a black cat and boiling him. And after they had boiled the bones, they crush the bones up into a powder and sewed up in a bag.
Entry 10154
Wha' choo may call witchcraft...take a cat, a black cat, and boil him down to get a black cat bone. An' jis' apply that bone to a certain part, to your body or the affected part of your body, why that will cure you. That'll have the power to drive those witches out, to drive that conditions out of your body. That's what I was told years ago by some of the old relatives. [Wilmington, N. Car., resume, 174:1.]
Entry 10195
Three candles are burned: white, green and pink. While burning them keep saying, "To keep the law away." Before you do this hang a red apple over the door. [Red apple or red onion the meaning is the same, customers, as material somewhere in Boodoo explains.]
Entry 10213
She kin measure him if she wanta with a string or with ribbon when he goes tuh sleep. She kin tie that roun' her laig or she kin put it in her pocketbook or in her pillow an' she kin control him, but that will lead to accidents in de long run. He'll hurt her.
Entry 10224
Yo' take a dishcloth. An' when yo' have comnection wit him, yo' wipe him wit dat cloth an' put it ovah de front of de fo'. An' den he can't leave [or have] nobody aftah dat.
Entry 10229
Like you havin' to do with 'er an' she'll take a dishcloth an' she'll wipe you with de dishcloth. An' she'll take dat dishcloth an' she'll care it an' put it under her bed or under her pillah, see, an' yo' couldn't mess with a yoman to save your life. If dat man [or you] got sense now, he kin git rid of dat. Why, he go, if he wan'a git rid of it, he'll go an' steal...or yo' go [to] somebody house an' yo' steal de dishcloth, see. You go [got to] have sumpin to do with her, or any other woman, an' you'll wipe with dat dishcloth. An' yo' take dat dishcloth an' fold it right tight. An' he kin wear it with him or put it somewhere where nobody but him can reach it but him. An' she can't do nuthin with nobody but you.
Entry 10236
There's a root called the "sang" root, you kin put it in a....
(Called what root?)
Called the "sang."
(Sang?)
Sang root. You put it in a - it's got a little prong up on it. It's kind of - it's nothin' but a root but it's got a little prong at the top. Put that in what they call holy oil with the little prong standing up. And it's called "erectus" root. It's a little red. (What do you call it?) Called "erex" ["erectus"] root. And keep it [root] up in that stuff [holy oil] and put it in there with it, so he kin 'noint his body. Let it die with it. "Co'se [of course] if you [a woman] go with any man, like dat, why yo' kin just offer it to him and he'll fall for you and he'll have.... [word "erection prob- ably not in informant's vocabulary].
(Now that "sang root, do you mean ginseng root?)
It's the same. We always just call it just "Sang root.
(Sang root?)
It's a little ole bunch at the bottom, nothing but a root at the bottom, but it got a little prong at the top. (I see.) [At one time there was a fair amount of trade in specially shaped ginseng roots, shaped like the parts of the human body that were ailing - the present part for example - especially in the old China trade.]
Entry 10239
Keep a man from runnin' roun'. Well, now, yo' kin take a woman - jes' lak if she got a husban' an' he likes tuh run roun', why yo' [she] take dem bed rags dey use. Why she kin jes' take dat an' tie a knot in 'em after yo' [he] git through with it, an' jes' keep it up in de bed somewhere. Why he can't run out after no other woman but dem [her].
Entry 10251
Well, now jus' what one [woman] he be with. And the one what wants to stop him, well she'd get her a yard of brand-new yellow cotton [usually called homespun = unbleached cotton] and she'd take an' when they go to bed, and then they finish, well that's what she use. She use [wipes him with] that. And she have her piece of [white cotton] cord and she takes the measure [of his penis] and she puts nine knots in it, in each [this one] piece in the white cotton [cord]. Well, she keep the white [yellow] cotton [piece] up under her mattress and the cord with the nine knots in it, she wears it around her waist. And every time, if that's his wife, and he leave his wife to go to his lady friend, well there's nothing doing [with the other woman].
Entry 10252
[This rite comes in two parts:] (l) [A woman will] take his shirt, fold the arms together, crossing [each other], put on side of bed where he sleeps [put under mattress]. [The folding of shirt arms is a sym- bol of dead man in a coffin.] He'll be back. (2) [If he runs around with other woman, here is what she does.] Quite natural she kin git de measure of his private down dere an' tie as many knots in it as he [his] private is long, an' wear it aroun' her waist. Dat'll stop him.
Entry 10275
Well, if she could get holt of somepin belongin' to a man, if she could get holt of his - but she must be in connection with him once. And she could get the measure of him and get some of her chamber lye and mix it together, she could get him. The only Way he could get away from her.
(She takes the measure of the man with a string?)
With a string, yeah.
(And what did she do with her chamber lye, then?)
Put it in that bottle with the string.
(Oh, she puts the string in the bottle where she put the chamber lye.)
Put it in a bottle and set it up in de left corner of the house. [The left corner is either left corner, front or back, while approaching house.]
(In the left corner of the house, and that will keep him.)
That will keep him right with her.
Entry 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 10473
[Here for convenience are two rites together.] Sifter under bed keeps witch from riding you [Vicksburg, (717), 988:5].
Entry 10561
Bury bat heart at your doorstep to keep law away. [Vicksburg, Miss., 1002:3.]
Entry 10584
Ah hear a real gambler say if yo' wants be real lucky in gamblin', kill yo' one of dese leather-wing bats an' cut de heart out of 'em, an' lay it up until it git good an' seasoned. An' go an' buy yo' a piece of pure red silk cloth an' sew it up in dat, an' keep it in yore pocket an' go to yore game. Nobody can't hardly ketch yo'. Fact [in fact] ah have seen dat tried.
Entry 10601
[This is the only rite in HOODOO where informant pretends I am the proprietor of a gambling house. Several of these pretenses elsewhere in these volumes I have called my being a guinea pig; a willing one, if it produced a hoodoo rite.] You can take a bat and take and kill a bat. You can take the wing, you bury the wings. Just like if this is a house where you going to gamble at, you bury one wing on this side of the house, one wing on that side of the house. You take that backbone of that bat and you get you some emory dust, you get you some Hearts perfume [has a number of small red hearts on label] and you get the name of the man that's running that place.
(You mean that gambling landlord.)
Like you is the proprietor, I'll get your name.] I'll put all of that together and wrap it in a flannel, and I'll put that in my house. See.
(Not in the gambling house, but in your own house?)
In my house, and as long as I'm got control of that thing, I kin control that gambling house. I'll be winning. I may go in there and lose a dollar and a half today, lose a dollar and a half this evening. I'd go back there tonight [or to- morrow] and I would win.
(I see.)
Entry 10603
Well, now heah de othah day a friend of mine wus tellin' me. He axe me did ah know where he could - firs' he axe me could ah lend him fo' dollahs. Ah tole him, no, ah didn't 'zactly have de money. He says, "Well, ah know a fel- lah," said, "he claims he kin gi' [give] yo' a han' fo' gam- blin'." Ah wus on de steamship workin' den, see, an' ah met dis fellah on de street an' he jes' stop me. An' he jes' stop me - yo' know, stop me an' jes' spoke. So he axed me did ah gamble. Told him shure, sometime ah gamble. "Well, " he says, "yo' evah have any luck?" "Shure ah has luck?" sometimes, sometimes ah don't." He says. "Well. vo' wanta have luck all de time?" Ah tole him, "Yeah, ef ah'd like tuh win all de time." He said, "Well, ah tell yo' whut chew do." Says, "Yo' go tuh work an' ketch yo' one dese little bats. Dese little black bats, " yo' know, "an' cut his wings off." Say, "Den - an' don't lose any of his blood - ketch all de blood yo' kin, an' split him open. An' jes' split him open an' take his entrails out, but try tuh keep all de blood dat chew kin." Say, "An' after yo' split him open, let him dry wit de blood in 'im." Say, "An' den fill dat back up with cheese." Fill dat bat, chew know inside of him up wit cheese. "Sew hit up," say, "an' jes' keep it in yore pocket where yo' keep yore money at all de time." Says, "Yo'll have luck all de time."
(In gambling?)
In gambling. So ah thought ah might as well try dat. Ah wus on de steamship fo' foah yeahs.
Entry 10608
(What will the husband [or man] do?)
He kin git nine acorns an' bury 'em up undah de step, an' de one [man] dat comes ovah dat, well he'll nevah come back dere no mo'. He'll nevah come back tuh see huh ag'in. (That is all he has to do, bury nine acorns under her step?) Undah huh step. An' as he walk ovah dat, he'll nevah walk back ovah it ag'in. He'll go out de back do', he won't come out de front, an' he'll nevah be worried wit 'er, not in 'er home.
Entry 10621
You kin take Adam-and-Eve in Hearts Cologne an' yo' kin hold your job. Like if you got a boss against yeh, you goin' to work that morning, you take an' put a little [Hearts Cologne] on yuh pocket hankechef. Jes' like I work fer you, I come here [he hems and coughs], "Good mawnin' boss, how yuh feelin'?" Dat stuff [scent] would fill over the house. You [I] keep your [my] job.
Entry 10623
De Adam-an'-Eve root, yo' takes de Eve [part] an' yo' takes it an' yo' weah it in yore pocket. If not dat, chew take a lil' root chew call - dat lil' root chuh call Adam. [Adam-and-Eve are on the same root.] Yo' take dis lil' root an' yo' take dese three needles an' yo' break 'em all three in three pieces, each one needle broke in three pieces. Well, dat supposed tuh be nine pieces. Yo' takes dis root an' dese needles an' let 'em stay in dis root three days. Takes dese needles from dis root an' throw it in runnin' watah [I inter- rupt]... (You throw the needles in the running water?) In runnin' watah. Yo' take dis dime an' puts it wit dis root an' tie it back up, an' if yo' goin' out fo' luck or anything, yo' wipes it 'cross yore face - wipes it 'cross yore face an' haid. An' takes de root an' puts it up, keep it from bein' annoyed - [anyone] git atter [get after] dis root - if yo' wanta have any luck.
Entry 10634
"To keep the law away...takes nathin "To keep the law away...takes nuthin but the man's name and a piece of alun, and puts in a bag and tacks it up over his bed... mo keep law away."
Entry 10641
Red antses - jes' lak if, yo' know, yo' wit 'em an' yo' wanta git rid of dose people, jest anybody. If yo' don't wanta put 'em on de go [become a wanderer] yo' jest git - dey [ants] bores a hole in de ground. An' yo' jest stay right dere an' git jest a weed [or] sompin - not a stick - weed of any kind an' yo' jest continue tuh stir when dey come out dat hole, jest lak dat. An' de person dat chew don't want, yo' jest call dere name as yo' stir. Well, when yo' quit stirring, now when dey come out, if dey comes out an' go dis way or dat way - or dat way, dey ain't comin' back dere any mo'...dey goin' make [a new nest] 'long as dey kin git tuh de church or some place lak dat...but dey goin' tuh leave dat place. See, when dem [ants and] things come out dat hole like dat, see dose people is going.
(Those people whose names you called, that will drive them away.)
Dat's one de easiest way dey'll go den.
(These are big red ants.)
It's a big red ant, it a cow ant.
(Oh! Cow ant. A cow ant?)
Yeah, it made like a cow. When yo' cut his head off de other part will go right on, yo' see, dis part go an' dat part go. Well, yo' take dat an' yo sew it up.
(Sew up what? Sew up the head?)
Dat's right, dat other part will keep agoing.
(And what do you do with that head then?)
Yo' call dat person name an' watch it. See how long he be dere.
(You take this head from it [ant] while you call this person's name.)
You have tuh sew it up an' put it in yore left pocket. (And that person whose name you called will be going the same way that ant's body is going?) Jest lak he's going.
(This is the cow ant? Why do you call them the cow ant?)
Dey made lak a cow. Dey got laigs lak a cow, got a haid lak a cow. Look lak his eyes big as a big head. [Two parts of cow ant working in opposite directions is no more wonderful than the doctor who could see a tombstone rock in section HEADBOARD OF GRAVE ANSWERS DOCTOR GLOVER BY ROCKING, p.2258f., v.3.]
Entry 10660
Jes' lak ah wants tuh rent dis home, yo' see, an' yo' wants tuh rent it. Well, yo' got de most money. Well, ah haven't got very much money. Well, yo' go tuh a ant bed an' git about nine of dose ants, an yo' slip it in dis empty buildin', see, unbeknowst tuh me. An' den yo'll rent it an' ah won't.
(You mean you'll get the house and I won't get it? Or what?)
[My question shows he has the cart before the horse!]
Dat's right. Ah'll rent de house an' yo' won't. But chew got chure money, but ah haven't got it [my money]. [My informant puts ants into the house, I see them and do not rent the building, unless I consider ants in the house lucky. I keep my money, he spends his on rent.]
Entry 10715
Ah heard dat chew could take a bird nest. Yo' could take a bird nest if dere wuz someone interfere [interfering] with yo' in yore business or livin' in yore sec- tion close about chew. Yo' take a bird nest an' take some table salt an' put it in dis bird nest, an' take dis nest an' throw it up on top of de house. Any per- son botherin' yo', dey'll move out an' keep goin'.
(Throw it on top of the house of the person that is bothering you?)
Yessuh. Dat's right, take de bird nest an' put de salt in it. An' jes' tear it down, jes' sit dere an' tear it down, an' put dat salt in it, an' throw it up on top of somebody house. Let de nest be fulla salt an' dey will scatter - dey'll move on out.
Entry 10739
Whut dis man did, dat wuz down in South Ca'lina, he wuz goin' wit a girl, yo' know. Well, she say she's a big shot. Ah goes wit anybady ah worta, nobody kin hurt me. Ah qoes wit de man. Well, so - she wus purty good. She went every time. So dis man got mad one day, he says, Well, de bettah ah do, de worsah she gits tuh me. So ah think ah'm goin' do sompin. So he goes off tuh a ole woman. She wus about ninety yeahs ole. So he went tuh huh an' said, Well, now, mah ole woman don't treat me lak she used tuh an' ah wants sompin done. Okay. Says, Well, Zisten. Ah tell yo' whut chew do. Yo' go back an' de end of de mont', yo' bring me a lil' somepin of huhs in a bottle, 'cause yo' have tuh bring it in somepin lak dat; jes' a drop of two, but if yo' kin, try tuh git me nine drops. Okay, ah'Zl do dat. So sho' 'nuff, she wus nice 'nuff, watched huh yo' know, when she went tuh use de chambah. He wuz smart enuff tuh git it out of de chambah. So he got it. So he take dat an' he put, added cologne - two kinds. It wuz Lily of de Valley - an' Hearts Cologne. She mixed dat tuhgethah wit it, huh ministrate [menstrual blood] an' put it back in dis same bottle - mixed it tuhgethah yo' know. An' tole him tuh take dat an' keep it an' tote it, an' dress hisself wit it fo' three days, straight mawnin's, an' he'd speak tuh it: Name of de Fathah, Name of de Son, dis woman will always be mine an' nobody else's. He didn't have no mo' trouble wit huh.
Entry 10757
A woman kin take a pair [of her] bloomers an' put it over the had [of] yo' bad unknowin'st tuh yo' an' make yo' do anything she wanted tuh make yo' do. An' yo' inhale dat thing, yo' can't help from comin' back home.
Entry 10762
Keep out witches and ha'nts [ghosts], put bluestone at four cor- ners of house and at steps. [This is a five point rite, a modificatioo of the quincunx.]
Entry 10768
Well, they claim that if you take gunpowder and bluestone and aloes, and there's another stuff they use where they burn. Let me see. What is the name of that, what the Cath'lics use? Incense! And burn incense along with that. And bura all of it together, it'll have an effect, a tendency to keep bootleggers [he means the police] away from your house, and the law can't have an effect on you.
Entry 10772
My grandfathah said one time it wus a lady, huh husban' runnin' aroun', she couldn't nevah keep 'im at home. So some ole lady a-nother tol' der... I don't know who it wus.... But she tol' der tuh git some bramble briers - git de root- cut 'em up, boil it in 'is coffee an' give it tuh 'im when he come in, tuh keep 'im at home.
Entry 10775
(Ever hear of using a broom?)
You can take a broom, like if you got - there's a person you dislike. You take a broom and after you sweep with the broom, take the corner and the wall where that person sleep. See, where that person sleep, you take that broom, see, like that's your bed [points to bed in hotel room where I was interviewing]. And take that broom, just make it a habitual habit being unnoticed to me. Just set it up behind my bed, but in that broom you fasten my name. Write my name on a piece of paper, white paper, and put it down in that broom well, and fasten it so it won't come out easily.
(You put it down in the broom.)
In the broom.
(In the brush part.)
In the brush part of the broom, where it stay in there a long time, where it won't come out. And I'll betcha I won't be contented and I can't keep no clothes to save my life.
[I turn off machine but he says something about being upset.]
(Keeps you upset?)
Certainly, and I can't keep no clothes to save my life. And unless you get somebody [hoodoo doctor] to work on it, find out from somebody, go to somebody that I know, and [ask her] if she know what that [is] the person have; and they tell you something, well it'll keep you upsetted and without clothes as long as you live, unless that's taken out of there.
(You say, you put that broom behind the bed?)
Behind the bed.
(You put it up there with the brush part down?)
With the brush part up.
(Oh, the brush part up.)
The handle down but the brush part up.
(Oh, I see. Well, why did you do that?)
Well, because if you put it down, you're not against the person, see. If you put it up, you against 'eni - you against a person, see. See, if the brush part of the broom is up, that's against a person if it's behind the bed. If it's down, you don't have no hypnotic powers nowheres, nothing seems to work against him by having the broom down. You wants it against a person with the broom up where the sun goes acrost it each day. Every time the sun go across it, the sun crosses over that broom. If you has it down, well, it don't happen like that, you see.
Entry 10776
Ah heard dat if a person keep comin' round yo' - yo' don't want 'em dere - whensomevah dey goes out yore do', jest git behin' 'em an' sweep out. As dey go out, jest sweep be- hin' 'em, till yo' git to de last do'step. An' sweep it on out de gate, an' yo' won't be bothered with 'em back dere no mo'.
Entry 10786
In sweepin' de house, don' nevah sweep de trash out de do'. Always in sweepin' it yo' sweep up [not out the door] an' yo' sweep it up an' put it in yore fireplace an' burm it. Jes lak when yo' sweep, yo' know, sweep de kitchen, don' nevah sweep it out de do'. Always sweep it in de house. Keep dat sweepin's in de house. Well, dat keeps de people out. Put dat in de fire an' burn dat.
(That keeps the law away.)
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 10798
Dat's another thing to move a man or move a woman. Put dat [broom] down by yore fireplace dere an' let it stay dere every night fo' nine nights yo' put it dere. Put dat down crossways, cross yore fire- place, an' den yo' - befo' yo' do dat dough, if yo' kin be fortunate enough to git a piece of dere garment or sompin like dat, an' tie it onto dat broom in seven knots, down next to de bushy part of it, an' let it stay down dere nine mornings. Put dat in nine nights. Dey travelin'. Yo' be discontented where yo' [he] at. About de tenth morning he goin' leave dere, yo' see. Dat's one way ah've heard about de broom. Dat'll run him. Move yo' either away from yore town or against yore success - somepin like dat.
(Who would do that? The woman would do that or the man?)
Either one.
(Somebody living in the same house or just living in the town?)
In de town - either way.
Entry 10829
Ah heard dat chew take nine straws an' lay it up ovah yore husban's haid to make him, yo' know, stay home. (Nine straws of what?) Of a broom. Lay 'em up ovah de do' so dat he could walk in an' out undah 'em. Says, now yo' keep 'em dere so he'll stay home.
Entry 10837
Yes, sir, a butterfly root. And you take that - yo' know dere's milk in it. Yo' kin bring it to yere house. Jest dig it up and break that up - break it, jest pull de leave on it an' see de milk drop. An' yo' [take] that and it stings jest like de house is become yore [word or several words dropped = bete noire, obsession, hoosoo, etc.]. Yo' kin [take] that and bury it right out yonder to them steps an' yo' ain't nevah goin' come no further. You wanta come in de house but you cain't go [in]. You keep agoin' by. Yo' be comin' by but yo' cain't come in.
(You just bury it out in front of the steps?)
Yeah, jest take it and bury it there jest somewhere front of de steps or any- where where yo' know he ain't nevah goin' to raise his foot up to come in. [This is the common butterfly weed, a milkweed with showy orange flowers (Asclepias tuberosa) common to the eastern U. S. A.]
Entry 10853
Well, yo' kin take a person, say fo' ninstance [an instance] if de law is perticular an' botherin' yo' all de time, yo' kin git a candah [calendar]. Ah guess yo've see dem ole candahs [calendars] or sompin lak dat. Find out de law's name dat's on de beat, see, an' write dere name down on dat.
(On the calendar?)
Uh-huh, on de back of any kind of candah [calendar], it doesn't make any difference. (That has the months and days on it?) Dat's all, uhmmm, but yo' has tuh git a piece of it. It don't have tuh be a large piece an' write dere name down on dis, an' take it wherevah dey travel along. Stick dat some place where dey've got to pass by, understand with dat name wrote on it, but chew gotta find dere names out before yo' kin write 'em. Write it on de back of de candah [calendar], each one. See. Or all of 'em whut's round dat section. See, an' write de names on it, an' stick it 'bout any place where dey have tuh pass. Jes' probably say yo' might take yore pen [with which you wrote the names] an' stick it on [the paper with the names on] in de post where dey have tuh pass, sompin lak dat. Yo' kin use dat.
Entry 10862
Take a cat hair, clip it off de end of his tail, if yo' got a wife dat's runnin' about an' yo' Want her tuh stay home. Yo' take an' bury it in de middle of de house an' she'll always stay round in de house. Yo' bury it down underneath de house in de ground. She will always stay round in de house. [As I have explained many times, these low- land houses are raised off the ground, a person can crawl under them. This is also a quincunx rite, a central or fifth point among four other points or cor- ners: see 9467 where mattress has 4 corners and the center has a salt bag; and No.9487 where salt is in 4 corners and the center is 2 sticks crossed - an un- usual quincunx! etc.l [Fayetteville, N. Car. (1415), 2549:7.]
Entry 10869
You see, you take the cat's hair. (Where from?) Off her tail. (Off her tail, I see.) You take the cat hair off her ail and you see, you scrape this [demonstrates] but you scrape off four of 'en.
(Four corners of the table?) [The work table between us.]
Off the table. And you wrap it up in a little piece of [meat?] skin amd yoo yary that up under the back step. That's if you got a cat and done like it and nt it to stay home.
Entry 10873
Well, de hair from a black cat - a real black cat dat ain't got no white spot on him. Yo' know a black bone is lucky. Well, now, yo' tote dat in yore pocket in a gamblin' game. Git de hair from under de fo' laigs. (Under the four legs? Each one of the four. Each one of de fo' laigs.
(The hair from this black cat?)
Dat's right. An' dey tell me yo' go right behin' his ear an' pull it out, an pull it to yo', an' clip it from each one of his ears.
(Each one of his ears. Do you cut off the hair or the ears?)
Cut de hair.
(Cut the hair from each ear?)
From behin' each ear, an' de tip-end of his tail. An' dey tell me yo' kin do anythin' yo' wanta do.
(Well, what do you do with that hair after you fix it up?)
Fix it up, jes' keep it in yore pocket. Yo' wouldn't need to have no big bag, jes' a little small bag. Have it in yore pocketbook, jes' lak yo' goin' tuh git in a big poker game - a big gamblin' game.
Entry 10877
Git two cats, yes- suh, an' rub dere haids tohl gethah till dey git nad l till dey git real mad at one anothah. Den yo' smarch a lock of hair outa each cat's hzid, yo' know, an' yo' fold it togethah. An' put some red peppah an' salt in it 血' care it an' put it in de no'th cornah of dere house. Dey'll leave, dey'll part. Dat's whut separate 'em.
(Separate this man and woman?)
Ub-hah.
Entry 10908
An' den, too, ag'in, if yo' want 'em tuh move, if yo' wanta upset peoples an' have confusion, yo' git chew a small little [young] cat an' a [young] dog: Yo' know, when a cat an a dog git tuhgethah, his bris- tles raises. Well, yo' takes dat cat an' put him tuh where a dog kin see 'em; an' when dey bristles raise up, clip de bristles off de cat an' offa de dog an' mix it tuhget- hah. An' if yo' kin git in dey house, why yo' carry it in dere an' throw it about in de house an' walk on out. Well, dat breaks 'em up an' keeps 'em always stirred up, confused tuh death.
Entry 10940
If yo' in a house an' de man's hard on yo' wit chure rent, yo' take one dese channel cats.
(A channel catfish?)
Dat's right, an' whilst it's 'live, cut him open. Yo' cut dat channel cat open an' whilst it's hot, yo' take an' bury dat undah de steps where de rentman gotta tuh come ovah, an' yo' kin stay dere jes' as long as yo' wanta. Yo' gotta bury it undah de steps.
Entry 10971
(What would you use that egg for?) Yo' fast all day on Thursday to turn [improve] yore mem- ory, dat chew will git de right understanding. You fast de entire day. And den you boil dat aig and remove de shell. After you remove de shell, den you write de 4th and 8th verse, I think it is, [of Psalm lO4] on dis aig. Anyhow you write as much as about ten or twelve verses on dis aig, and put de egg in yo' mouth whole, and dat will turn yore mem- ory, will help you to keep your memory and get some [knowledge] of things which you wanta do. Dat's one thing egg will do. Dat's de only thing I know about de egg, but chew must put de whole egg in de mouth, when you have wrote dis on dis egg: Remove de shell and write dis on dere. De egg must not be broken.
(What do you write that with?)
Ink. Dere's nothing else will write on it but ink, on a boiled egg.
(And what verses of what?)
De 104th Psalm.
Entry 11033
Dey take a black hen feather an' take dat an' put it in some blood, an' den keep dat in a jar, an' dat'll keep yo' from bein' fussin' an' argument [arguing] all de time.
(What kind of blood do you put that in?)
Oh, yo' have to have some of de one whut chew thinkin' of, whut chew love. (Get some of their blood on this feather and keep it locked up and that is to make them love you?) Yes. Ah say yo' kin git a black hen an' take dat feather an' put it in blood of somebody whut chew love an' put it - but yo' gotta have it in dat jar or a bot- tle or sompin. Stop dat up an' keep it dere, so dat same party will be thick wit chew all de time.
Entry 11046
To keep dem [law] from de house? Now, if you Wanta a little liquor kept [for sale] in dis place heah and you don't want no man to come in on yuh nov. You go on your station house and git one of de man's name that you'll find out. Git one, two or three - if you kin [get] nine it's much better. De ore you get de stronger it is. If you can't git but one [name], den work on dat Bne one, but let it be de leading man dat you knows is asking about you - to yoar acn judgment. Work by your own judgment, de judgment of your ear. Git dat man nae and git you a brand-new piece of board and write his name. Put 'en cross de world. Write 'em cross de world to you and write 'em backwards.
(Backwards and forwards.)
And dey can't come in fer de devil. And nail dat onto your step and dey can't be seeing you. Not when you nail dat dere. Git you de heart of a chicken and it got to be a black chicken. Cut de heart out of it. Git dat wishin' bone of de chicken breast and you take dat heart wit your hand on dose letters. Put 'em dere so it can't be rub off - on dat board. (You rub this heart over those letters?) All over dose letters, all up and down like dat. And talk at de same time. Tell 'em dat [what] dat spirit is got- ta to do. You don't want no law to worry me. You wants to be up dere selling whiskey. Ah don't want dat law to worry me. Ah don't want no kin' of law. Ah don't even wants 'em to come heah fo' a drink of liquir or beer. Ah [wants] 'em to pass by and keep on passing by. Kin go right in next door but won't come in chere. Take dat wishing-bone, and be shore dat you go. down in de groun' to your shoul- der and turn it down -人. Don't turn it up -Y
(Turn the wishing bone down, the points down?)
[Here we have rite similar to the forked stick or "Y" in No.11032.]
Turn de two prongs down. And while you have - doin' it, you talk to 'em. An' if you know any de officer's names, don't let any come in dere, de fed'ral offi- cer back, de county man back, de city officer back, de state controller, back. Dat take in all 'em, ain't it? Go on over and over. And if you git dose three class of officers, you know why it is, don't you? De federal, de state control- ler, git de county and git de highway man. Den you go to work.
(Where do you bury that wishing bone?)
Under your step, right under your step. Be sure to go under your house. Den you put dat bone. If you ain't got no front, put it in de middleways of de house. [This center under the house and the 4 corners of the house make our rite a quin- cunx.] Dat almost stop people jack-jacking to the front.
Entry 11118
Yo' take de oil of a coconut an' put dat up intuh a little jar an' bury dat at de no'th side of de house. Dat's supposed tuh keep yore husband at home or yore wife at home. [Originally I considered this oil of a coconut as the usual pharmaceutical coconut oil, but it could be the coconut water or coconut milk, which confined in a coconut would have confining qualities in hoodoo. This could also be said about coconut 011.
Entry 11136
Not a milk cow, but git de whut-dey-call-it cow.
(The bull?)
Yes. If yo' kin git dat, den yo'll take dat an' a white dog's nunbah two. Dat [these two] be made up in a powdah an' yo'll sprinkle dat anywhere yo' passes an' de people pass, an' de' cain't git a job no way. Dey cain't git a job noway. But chew put peppah an' yo' put dat salt an' anything lak dat an' yo' put dem hot things in dere. Dat'll keep 'en aigoin'
[Number two = dung.]
Entry 11144
All yo' gotta do, go to yo' do' and make a cross on it.
(Cross on it like an "x".)
Yeah, an' put some joint grass in both sides.
(What?)
Joint grass.
(Joint grass.)
Yeah. Put one so, and one so. Cover 'em up. Nevah go dere.
(Under your door?)
Yeah.
(Where do you make this crossmark? On the door or doorsill?)
No, on de ground, in de dirt. You put it in de dirt, dat way, den yoa pat one dat way and covah it up like nuth [is there].
(Where do you put this grass?)
Right front of yo' do'. Den throw some night watah [urine] on it and it's okay, or some green moss, and [or] cow manure. (The law won't be able to come in then?) No, they won't find you. You'd walk right by 'em and he wouldn't bothah you. (You don't cover up this grass?) Yeah, cover 'em up. (You bury the grass, I see.) Nobody see you.
Entry 11209
Take de whole nest - she say, git it down whole, de dirt daubah nest. Take it whole an' don't break it. An' put in a cup or anything an' put some watah on tt, an' jes' about time it draw - in about fifteen minutes - jes' keep it an' drink off of it. (What will that do?) She says dat brings yore [her] husband down an' puts him undah her feet. Well, she shore got her'n [hers] undah her feet. She say dat's whut she use, she say dat's de best it is.
(Does she drink that water herself?)
Drinks dat. An' she say dat's shure fo' him. Ah know one thing, he's undah her feet all right.
Entry 11218
(What do you mean by nine times and nine days?)
That's what I say; nine days, you know.
(Well, tell me the whole story so I'll understand it.)
I say, that they says you can take a dirt dauber's nest and make you a tea, and as you give your husband his coffee, you might put a little in his coffee for nine days, and then that might would check him up from running around, you see. Running around, that's all I hears about dirt dauber's nest. (Running around with what?) Just going out aplenty. Going out so much, just don't know what he does; but however, he just be going all the time.
Entry 11225
Go to de graveyard an' git some dirt an' bring de dirt back home an' mix it up wit dirt dauber nest an' sulphur. An' mix it all up an' put it in de house - jes' a little bit in de house, a little bit. (What will that do?) Dat keepin' his mind, bring his mind back home.
Entry 11234
If she have a husban' or either a fren', a man or sompin lak dat an' he runs around, she kin [take] any piece of his garment an' use it. Take an' wash any part of her body jes' lak she want to. Maybe use her dishtowels tuh wash any part of her body, an' wash it in de watah where she gotta wash her dishes, an' dat'll keep him home. Let him eat out of any pan or any pot, or sompin lak dat, an' dat'll keep him from runnin' roun' outside.
Entry 11286
On 7lst Psalm of David. See: Oh, Lord God in thee I put my trust. Never let me be put confusion in [be put in confusion]. Thy have beholdth from the womb. Thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels and my praise shall be contained in thee. [More or less like the King James Version.] This is the only Zuization, [Does he mean Utilization? In any case translate word remedy.] that I know of to keep your sexual force, you understand, away from you in that respect, and that don't he'p you very much, but the still of that is to keep down - the enemy's force down. Says, Cast me not off in the time of old age, and forsake not my strength, for my enemies speaks against me. And they that lay waste my soul take counsel to- gether. [Also from Psalm 71.] That's the second chapter Proverb. There's the 9th, 10th and 24th verse, yeah of the 7lst Psalm of David. Now, that's a very good portion of Scripture that I know dey use in that respect.
(In what respect?)
I say in that respect what you asked me just now about.
(About what?)
About the bootlegging proposition, yeah.
(Oh, bootlegging, yes, if you want to keep the law away from there.)
I mean, that's a very good chapter, I mean for to keep you successful in
[your] own undertaking there.
Entry 11294
Ketch a dog and git his - see, de place in a dog's face right heah where [demonstrates]. Pull dat hair out. An' jes' in de middle of his back, de same amount of hair dat yo' pull out of his face. An' put it into a rag, a spotless white cloth er rag. An' yo' put chew some sulphur an' yo' put chew some gunpowder in dere - gunpowder and sulphur. Yo' tie dat up in dere and make out lak yo' workin' in de yard. As yo' workin' roun' de yard, take a look an' see if yo' see either one of dem would have yore - ef yo' worried about yore husband. If yo' see either one of dem comin' past yore house, yo' jest take it up an' take it ovah to heah an' throw it dis way [demon- strates]. Jest drop dat thing down.. "Co'se it got a little gunpowder an' it will pop an' it will break 'em up. Dat will break dem up, ah know dat. (That is if this woman is fooling around with your husband, you do that to break them up.)
Entry 11310
Lak ah'd give yo' a houn' dog an' yo' want him tuh stay home, jes' take an' cut off about dat much of his - de tip end of his tail. Ah've done dis. An' cut a little of his bristles right between his shoulders an' carry it back home an' bury it under de steps. He'll stay home.
Entry 11311
Yo' kin take de dog hair - jes' lak if yo' want de dog to stay home. Yo' takes de hair off his - clip de hair off his tail an' yo' puts it undah de do'step, an' that would make the dog stay home or de cat.
Entry 11313
[Take] de hair from undah a dog's left laig, left hind laig, an' bury it down at de front do'step. He nevah will leave home. He'll stay right dere. Don't care if somebody steal him an' carry him off, he'll come back.
Entry 11323
Ah heard dat yo' could go tuh a dogwood tree an' cut de no'th side of it, an' de s'uth side of it; see, if somebody comin' tuh yore house dat chew want tuh stay 'way from dere. If yo' cut dat tree tuh de no'th side an' de s'uth side, dwy would sta y'way. Ah've heard dat. (How do you mean cut it?) Jes' cut it wit a knife, split it up. Stick it down an' split it up. Yo' know, jes' be cuttin' it, de bark off upon each side of de tree. [Wilson, N. Car.,. (1479), 2658:15.]
Entry 11328
A woman, that she didn't appreciate what choo do for her, and you want her to be in bad luck an' didn't want her to keep any money. An' yo' get you one dollar from her, you burn the dollar to ashes. Blow it out of your hand that way [demonstrates]. And she will never be able to keep anything in the world.
Entry 11381
Or yo' kin take a file an' yo' kin write a man's name an' keep him at home wit a file - keep him, make yore husband stay at home. Yo' kin buy a brand-new file, be shore it's a brand-new file, one of those flat files, an' name it yore husban'. Yo' take it home an' yo' write his name comin' tuh yo' on dat file. Dat's kinda hard tuh do but chew kin do it. Write his name on each side of dat file. An' den lay it up where he tranferrin' in an' out, an' dat'll make him stay at home.
Entry 11382
De file, dey say yo' kin take a file an' file a nail down right fine. Dat whut dis man say, cut de nail down right fine an' put de nail down undah de do'sill an' put de file up undah de sill undah de house. (You file a nail down?) Yeah, right fine - yo' know, right sharp. (To a point?) Yes. An' yo' nail it down in de ground - put it down in de ground, right undah de sill, an' den take de file an' nail it up on de sill undahneath de house. An' dey says dat will make a quiet home. [Undah de sill undah de house shows that this house is built a foot or more aboveground, resting upon 4 or 5 piles or pillars and having open sides, so that you can crawl underneath to perform this rite. We have met these houses and under-the-ground-floor rites before.]
Entry 11386
Take a file if anyone be doin' anything roun' yore home. Take a file an' a new brand [brand-new] file an' [demonstrates] place one at that corner an' one at de othah corner [of house], an' one at chure [front] do'steps, an' dat do away with all dat.
(Place those two files at the two front corners of the house?)
De front corners of de house.
Entry 11652
Well, dat, it's supposed to be - it's jes' 'cordin', yo' use dem two ways, right an' left. Dat is, if yo' wants de re'lly fac' 'bout it, yo' use de right stockin'. Whut chew mean is to tie a person up. (Just tell me one way they use them.) Well, yo' kin take de flax- seeds. It's re'lly de fac' 'bout it, suh, jes' take three flaxseed an' put 'em into a stockin' or sock. If it's a man's socks, an yo' wanta break 'im up wit a woman, yo' take three flaxseeds. Yo' know whut ah'm speakin' of now. Yo' take three flaxseeds an' put it into de toe of a stockin' but dat's gotta be a new stockin' dat nevah has been used. An' den yo'll go tuh work an' yo'll slip it somewhere or 'nothah fo' him tuh put on. Den he wears it one night - wears it even one day an' he takes - when he pulls it off dat night. Well, yo' git it an' turn de stockin' Wrongside outwards an jes' let it remain wrongside outwards an' it 'sposed tuh be anyways undah de bed dere.
(You turn that sock wrongside outwards and put it under the bed.)
Yo' put dat flaxseed in dere, dese three.
[I stop a moment to straighten out the thinking.]
(Well, now, you have already put them in and you've turned the sock wrongside outwards and the three seeds have fallen out?) Yes sir, but fix it de way he'll wear it jes' one day.
(Well, what does that do then?)
Dat's tuh break him up if he's goin' with a woman. {Here again flaxseed are used against witchcraft, that of the other woman whd was holding the man from his wife.]
(Does he wear either sock of his?)
De right sock.
Entry 11656
Ah heard yo' take a fo'k an' put it in yore bed mattress an' sleep on de fo'k three days, an' dey say that'll separate yo' an' yore sweetie. (Well, who would put that in there, under that?) Yo' put it in there yo'self yes, tuh git rid of yore man. Yo' see, yo' take that fo'k an' yo' put it in yore bed mat- tress, yo' see, an' yo' turn it towards him all de time. See, de sharpest parts [tines]. See. Yo' turn it towards him yo' see an' yo' sleep on that, three nights straight, an' that breaks yo'all up completely. An' tuh keep him away aftah he git gone, yo' git chew some table salt. See, an' sprinkle it jes' lak this [gets up and demonstrates]. Sweep it on out. He gotta stay out. Jes' do it gradually all de time, aftah he leaves [for work], when he walks out dis mawnin'.
Entry 11674
Go to the forks of a road and yo' can git dat dirt jes' as it turn off at de forks of de road, yo' kin git dat dirt an' yo' kin take it and bring it back an' sprinkle it in a person's shoes an' if dey wearing dat shoe an' yo' want 'em to go, that will keep them going.
(But you must get this dirt from the fork of the road.)
Git it from de turn, that's to make them leave. (It must be the dirt from their track?) Not from their track. Yo' go out to the forks of the road, you git dat dirt.
(Anybody's dirt or any kind of dirt.)
No, yo' git de dirt out of the road, not nobody else's track.
Entry 11675
Go out to de fo'ks of de road an' git some dirt, if it a person at yure house, yo' know, an' yo' want 'em tuh leave or eithah come back, see. Yo' git dat dirt out de fo'k of de road an' bury dat up undah de steps. An' put so some sugah an' two brand- new needles ain't been used. (What will that do?) That will make them stay at home.
Entry 11678
Yokin git de graveyard dirt. Yogo tuh de graveyard. Yo' kin go dere any time a-night dat chew wanta, if yo' ain't scared tuh go, an' git chew some of dat dirt: but chew gotta burn some of it, an' keep some of it unburned. Anwhenyo gits in a place, jes [like] ah'm in heah an want chew tuh do business wit me. Ah keeps some wit me all de time, an'ah jes' rubs mah han's when ah wants tuh be lucky. An'ah raps mah hands on de table lak dat [raps on interviewing table] an' ah've nevah gone out broke. Ah've always had a dollah every day of mah life, evah since ah've been usin dis dirt an' burnin' ah've got it. An' den yo' kin take dis graveyard dirt an' yo' kin go tuh de fo'ks of de road an' git dirt; dat's where yo' meet dem two fo'ks of de road. Yo' know whut ah'm talkin' about. Yo' go in dere. Now, yo take yo' a silvah spoon, yo' go to de fo'k of de road an' yo' git chew some dirt an' put wit dis graveyard dirt. Yo' kin conkah all of yore enemies in any way yo' want, if yo' take dis dirt an sprinkle it round dere [their home]. An' yo' kin be partic'lah wit it, ain't gotta let 'em see it; 'cause if yo' let dem see it, yo' know, say yo' doin' sompin wrong. Yo' gotta be partic'lah wit anything yo' do. See, dat's de way ah use graveyard dirt. An' it gotta be burnt, some of it's burnt. When yo' git dat dirt outa de fo'k of de road yo' ain't gotta burn it atall, but yo' put it wit dis graveyard dirt an' yo' kin do anything. Yo' kin conkah all yore enemies in any kind of way. Dat make yo' successful. Yo'ain't got nuthin tuh do tuh keep de law away, but jes' yo' go out an' den yo' go tuh de fo'k of de road. Go on back tuh de fo'k of de road now in dis partic'lah business. Yo' take yo' silvah spoon an' yo' git yo' some dust an yo' ain't gotta put de graveyard dust. Now, jes' about nine or ten steps 'way from yore house an' in front of dere, jes' sprinkle dat dust down, an' count de tracks dat chew make, cause if yo' make a mistake, well, yo' liable tuh have tuh go ag'in 'cause somepin othah liable tuh happen. But it always causin' tuh keep yore enemies cowered at chure feet when yo' git that dust from de fo'k of de road. If yo' got it wit de graveyard dirt it goes bettah wit chew. If yo' ain't got it, well, it's all de same - it'll do it right on. Jes' go tuh de fo'k of de road on de left-han' side.
Entry 11692
Go to a table, de fo' corners of a table, an' scrape de dirt off it - de fo' corners of a table an' cook it in his biscuits or anything she cook it in an' give it to him to eat, an' ah guarantee he won't leave. He'll stay right there [I had heard about sitting down at a kitchen table, scraping the corner to your right and feeding scrapings to dog, also scraping 3 corners for the same purpose, keeping animal home (see FACI, 2nd ed., Nos.2295-2296, p.91- 92); but keeping a man home with scraping from 4 corners was new to me. Is a man harder to keep home?]
Entry 11733
He'd git dis green grass an' take that grass an' put it in the stove an' let it git real dry. An' after it git real dry, he'll take it an' ball it like that [demonstrated by balling an imaginary handful of grass in his hands]. An' yo' kin take that, an' at twelve o'clock at nighttime, jis' put it in front of your door. An' do that evrey [every] night at twelve o'clock, and the Law [police] won't bother you.
Entry 12047
You take a piece of red flannen [flannel] and you dampen that with kerosene and turpentine. Then you take a piece of John de Conkah and Jockey Club [perfume] and a piece of saltpeter. (Jockey Club perfume?) Yes, Jockey Club, and then you take all that and you put it into a little new piece of paper, but I mean brown paper. Put it onto the brown paper first and then put it in - put the devil's - annimum [an- vil] dust. Put annimum dust in there with it. And then wrap it up in that brown paper [brown paper for black person, white paper for white person is the rule]. Wrap it to you. Wrap it right to you. And then put it in a brand-new piece of 'lastic [elastic]. And then you get a new spool of No.8 thread, and then you wrap that good. You wrap it to you. See, you wrap it to you. See, that's bringing you luck. Just wrap it to you. And then you get you a new needle that you've never used - out of a new case [package]. And then you use that brand-new thread and you sew it to you, you know, and make your wishes. You sew it to you. And then you takes that
[package] and tacks it onto your [elastic] belt. You know, that piece of [red]
flannen, you know, and you put that kerosene and turpentine on there, and then you put it round your waist, just wear right round your waist right next to your meat. That's to keep anybody from harming you.
(I see.)
Annimum - an-n- (Wait a minute - annirmum dust.) [I am making a final effort to record this vord correctly. Anim and various things until later in New Orleans I knew it was anvil dust.]
Entry 12050
[I hold in my hand and will attach to this manuscript an original notation made in 1937 while transcribing cylinders recently recorded at Wilming- ton, North Carolina. All these transcriptions are pencil written so that I could reduce the number of playbacks. Here is the brief nota- tion: '50ç for (hoodoo) bag to get job. Tel. (Telediphone cylinder No.) 221 (+85). Wil. (Wilmington) No.227 (informants number)." As you know, this hoodoo material of mine was collected out in the field, in the homes and hotels of black people during the Great Depression. Let no one tell you Black people preferred the meager dole to a job. There must be 200 rites in HOODOO for get- ting or keeping a job! That price 5Oç also shows the scarcity of money.]
Entry 12057
In case if sometime a man an' wife is confused, yo' know, lak some confusion in de family. Some kinda dissatisfaction an' wanta bring peace an' harmony, den if yo' kin git a lock of de man's hair or a lock of de woman's hair, an' go tuh de graveyard an' git some graveyard dust. An' den git some of de dust of dere insteps of dey individuals' feet, see.
(Where they walk in the ground, their track?)
Yes, whether dey bared feet or whether dey have on shoes, jes' so it's from de instep of dey feet. An' dey git some sulphur an' some brimstone an' mix all up. Beat dat brimstone tuhgethah fine an' mix all dose tuhgethah. Sew it up intuh a flannen rag - cloth. Sew it up good an' tight, an' yo' kin drop a few drops of camphor; dat's tuh keep it alive, quicken it. An' jes put dat roun' de do'step, bury it two or three inches in de earth. An' dat'll bring peace in de home.
Entry 12105
Hear dey take de bow out of a man's hat. Take de bow out of man's hat an' wear it in de toe of dere shoe an' dat will make 'em leave town. [This looks more like holding a man, but intention is everything. That bow in her shoe is a walking bow. It keeps him walking.]
(Well, who would do that, primarily?)
De woman would take de bow out of a man's hat.
Entry 12135
Jis' like you'd cut out a heart [from a piece of paper]...jis' like you say you gon'a...you draw a mark heah [demonstrates] - all right - comparin' to a heart [draw shape of heart on a piece of paper]. You kin take them [9] pins an' stick it [them] in that [paper] heart. You kin do jis' what choo wan' 'em to do after you stick dem pins in there. You use so many needles. You got to use needles - real sharp needles.
(How many pins do you stick in that heart?)
You kin take 9 pins an' put in there [demonstrates].
(In the center of the heart.)
You put 8 needles.
(Around the edge of the heart.)
You don't put it even, you understand. It's got to be odd [demonstrates].
(The heads and points of the pins and needles are alternated.)
An' you take that an' put it in your pillah. You kin use any kind of body [person] you want; you kin use 'em to your understandin'. [For alternate needles and pins, see Nos.9836-9837, 9844, 9849 & 9850, v.5.]
Entry 12137
Well, it's jes' like yo' runnin' a game in dis house an' yo' don't want 'em to be bothered wit chah [the reverse, you don't want to be bothered with them!]. All you gotta do is git chew a bottle of Heart Perfume [or Hearts Cologne] an' every mawnin' when yo' sweep out, sprinkle a little on yore front steps. Every mawnin'. Dey won't worry yo'. De law won't bother yo'.
(The law won't bother you.)
No sir, dey won't bother wit chew.
Entry 12152
A hickory tree is good, dey say - not exactly a hickory tree, but dey say if a person wanta tie a person down, tie a person down, dey go tuh a hickory tree an' yo' measure it yore size - come tuh yo' - measure tuh yore waistline. Yo' stand up an' measure it tuh yore waistline, an' yo' bring 'em [bend tree] down lak dat, yo' bring it down till yo' bring de top end down tuh de bottom [of tree]. Dat fasten a man down an' he cain't - he's havin' good process, pro- gress an' all dat - an' dey say dat fasten him down an' cause him so he cain't git no success. Yo' know, jes' lak throwin'a man intuh tough luck where he can't git no job - jes' go tuh pieces. Take dat hickory tree an' yo' put dat hickory down tuh de groun'.
(You do this to the little hickory tree.)
Jes' de lil' small hickory tree.
(You keep bending it down and bending it down.)
Yeah it down till yo' bend it on down tuh de roots dere. Dat ties a man down where he cain't have no success.
(Well, do you leave that tree bent down then?)
Yo' tie it down. Yo' wind it down dere. Yo' wind it down dere nine times with a thread, brand-new thread. Dat keeps a man down.
Entry 12159
Dey put somepin in de shoes. It's a mixture of this ground up - they call it hog-hoof. Yes, dey grind it up lak meal an' dey mix soda an vinegah an' salt, but it's gotta be ground up very fine, jes' lak flaxseed meal, in a powder, so it won't be notice- able. An' jes' powder de shoe aroun' wit dat. Dat will keep him from goin' off. [A note of mine reads: this keeps the man from being hoodooed away by another woman.]
Entry 12167
Yeah, holy water is good for spirits. You see, like if the spirits worry you at night, or any time of the day the spirits worry you. As long as you have holy water over your bed and keep it in your room, that keeps the spirit out.
Entry 12175
I have heard a gentleman, people, say that you take a piece of horse- hair and put it under your doorstep and you won't have any trouble with a evil person coming to bother you, coming to your house. [Some- how this belief sounds old. Horses and hags and witches are associated with horses. Does the presence of a horsehair confuse the hag-witch and hold her to daybreak? My wife and I stop- ped one night here at the hotel in Petersburg, Va., on our way from Old Point Comfort (not in Richmond as I said somewhere in HOODOO some years ago) - to War- renton on our Way back to New York City. At both one-night stands I interviewed the bellboy. My original transcription by hand is attached to manuscript. This vas informant No.33.1
Entry 12179
Dey could burn sulphur an' salt. Salt an' sulphur is good fo' any- thing, good fo' killin' poison an' it's good luck. [Having turned off machine because material did not sound promising, I now restart machine by repeating what had been lost.]
(Is it good for, if they want to rent the room or rent the house?)
Yes. Well, ah tell yo' sulphur an' cayenne peppah an' salt - yo' burn dat an' yo' kin git de hoofs off a shoe, yo' know de hosses hoof, an' burn it every night befo' yo' go tuh bed an' yo' stay dere an' inhale dat. Well, den whatevah kind of luck yo' want or whatevah yo' ask it tuh do, why it mo' den apt tuh come out all round...
[Again I turn off machine too soon and must restart it.]
(If you are selling anything or anything of that sort? Would that help bring in trade?) Yes. Keep de police off yo' if yo' sellin' whiskey.
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 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 12228
Wal, yo' kin git dat John de Conker, called de King of de World. Ah've tried dat an' dat's not so good. Wal, yo' take it when yo' git it an' git chew a piece of red flannen, see, an' sew dat up in a piece of red flannen. (Sew this John de Conkah up in this red flannel.) Dat's right an' den git chew some Hearts Perfume [bottle has 2 or more small red hearts on label] an' put chew 9 drops on dere. An' put chew twelve pins in dat, see, right out a bran'-new package of pins. Wear it in yore left pocket every day yo' go. An' in a cer- tain length of time, dat odor - yo' has to perfume it ovah ag'in - dat means every 3 weeks. It'll work fo' yo', too. Ah've tried dat.
(What do you wear this little bag for? What is that supposed to do?)
Well, dat's to keep yore enemies away from yo'. An' if yo' wanta start any business, yo' have success an' good luck after dat - no cops to bother, nuthin atall [at all]. Dey might come to yore place but when dey come to de place dey'll sit down an' talk with yuh.
Entry 12248
That High John de Conkah or sulphur and salt, that'll keep 'em [law] off to a certain extent; but mostly the way that a person kin do that, you kin keep 'em off all right and a person don't really have to be a stooly pigeon [see comment later]. But you kin meet around them [the law] with the right herbs, such as High John de Conkah and Adam-and-Eve, and have it [roots] dressed. If you have it dressed, well, you kin dress it with any kind of perfume. But have it roun' your do'r, and dey come in, won't never look.
(They come and won't do anything?)
Yes. They come and there will always be harmony wit yuh. They won't hardly ever look for nothing. They walk right over the stuff [bootleg alcohol] and won't find it. [Here my informant says police will scarcely bother a stool pigeon, a police informer, who is selling a few bootleg liquor drinks. That is how seller keeps in touch with the underworld. Stool pigeons occasionally came in to see what I was doing. Usually my local helpers informed us, occasion- ally I myself spotted one, as I explain somewhere in the text. Fortunately I never did anything to cause police action, though twice I was mistakenly raided.]
[Norfolk, Va., (472).484:2.]
Entry 12250
It have to be Red Devil Lye, de same lye dat dey use for scrubbing porches. You buy Red Devil lye in de groc'ry store, you see, but it's more... [expensive in hoodoo shops?]. Now, you git dis Red Devil Lye and after cut- ting [making an opening in] dis can, you understand, you turns it upside down [a number of "up- side down lye cans have been given in text] you see. And dere's some kind of root dey get. John de Conkah is one and it's another one. You see [there are] several of them, but I do not [remember?] even enough to know each and every one of them. And get some of dis Dragon's Blood and you sprinkle it around dere [the door]. De law will come to de door but dey will never be able enough to enter.
(Well, what do you do after you get that can open?)
Dat can - when you get dat can open you put dat can in de earth upside down, you see how it is, and cover it right back up and leave it stay dere, but it must be right to your front, de leading door dat comes in.
(What do you do with these roots then?)
Well, dose roots, well dose roots dey'll have to be right side de can. John Ce Conkah you have cause dat will conquer everything.
Entry 12286
Now, ah [woman] kin be wit a man, but ah kin be wit any man an' ah gi' him a cloth tuh wipe on, say, "Now, yo' jes' take dis cloth an' wipe on it." Now, ah ain't nevah com in' - 'scuse de 'pression [expression] but chew wants heah de truth on it. All right, say, "Heah, yo' wipe on dis." Well, he wipe on dat, or else ah'll wipe him on it mahself. Well, ah ain't nevah done nuthin. Dat jes' him done come off dere, ah ain't nevah done nuthin. Now, ah'm goin' keep dis. See. All right. Ah'm goin' keep dis. Ah'm goin' keep dis an' ah'm goin' tie it jes' lak ah needs tuh tie it, see. An' ah'm goin' use it jes' lak ah needs tuh use it, undahstan'. He don' know nuthin 'bout whut ah'm goin' do. Dat's jes' fo' a woman, see.
[Here I turn off machine too quickly and must repeat her lost words.]
(Put three knots in it?)
Three.
(After those three knots are in it, what do you do with them?)
Ah take dem three knots an' ah keep dem. Ah keep dem three knots fo' nine mawnin's. Ah lay on 'em fo' nine days, jes' lay on 'em if it's mah haid - jes' yherevah ah put 'em in de bed it's all right. Den he bound tuh come back. He bound tuh make love tuh me.
Entry 12314
Ah heard dat yo' kin go tuh de tree where lightnin' strike an' git three splinters or jes' as many splinters off de tree as yo' got corner at chure house, [like] corner of yore yard, yo' know. An' git some bluestone an' vaseline an' bluestone. Mix it tuhgethah an' grease dis lightnin'-strike splinter an' peg it at each corner of yore house. See, fo' tuh keep polices an' things from roun' yore house. Dat's whut dat's fo'. Ah know dat's good.
(So no one will bother you in your home?)
Dat's it.
Entry 12382
Ah've heard dat yo' could take lye. Git chew a box of lye an' put holes in it, in de box of lye, an' put it undah yore do'step. Dat is tuh keep down anything anybody put down fo' yo'.
(You put that at the front doorstep?)
No, dey tole me tuh put one at de back an' one at de front.
Entry 12386
Yo' kin take a box of lye an' yo' kin go out at twelve a'clock in de night, if yo' wanta run anything away. An' like runnin' away, dey tell me, dat's runnin' away de enemies of 'em - dese polices an' diff'ren' things lak dat. Yo' go out at twelve a'clock at night an' bury it down undah yore do'- step. An' after yo' bury dat dere, yo' curse de people dat chew want to stay 'way. An' yo' take a cold biscuit an' a tin nail - one dese little tin nails - an' drive right down through de center of dat biscuit into dat can. An' let it stay buried dere, de' say, fo' nine mawnin's, an' yo' kin take it up an' use it. If anything git tuh worryin' yo' - yo' havin' any trouble or anything like dat - yo' go back dere an' put down anothah can. Well, at de time yo' may not fear 'bout nuthin interferin' with yo'. Nobody won't interfere.
(Why do you put that biscuit in there?)
Ah don't know why yo' put dat biscuit down dere, but sompin othah. [One guess would be an offering to the spirit doing your work.]
(But you say you can use that lye over - you can use that if you want to.)
After it stay dere nine days, why yo' kin use it. [Normally materials cannot be reused.]
Entry 12388
Yo' kin take a box of soda, jes' [as] ah tole yo' - said about de co't [court]. Yo' take de box of soda, an' yo' could take dat soda an' tote it along wit chew. Yo' could bury some undah yore back steps, an' some undah yore front steps. Den yo' kin take three boxes of Red Devil Lye an' yo' kin bury each one of them at chure - yo' know, each [front] corner of de house, an' bury one of 'em at de gate. But be shō [sure] yo' bury de soda from [at] de back steps to [at] de front steps. Dey could come by dere but dey nevah could stop. (They bury one of those Red Devil Lye's at the gate and the other two at the front corners. And one at the gate?) That's right.
Entry 12418
They take the matches an' take the head off 'em an' beat 'em up an' sew 'em up in jes' a small piece of new cloth - 10 matches. An' put 'em up ovah yuh doah faced [top of the door] or eithah down where yo' have to walk ovah it. An' [they] say that'll keep down quarrels, if he's fussin' or anything like that.
Entry 12512
Take a red onion an' bo' a hole in it. An' take an' write de name of somebody dat chew like dat way, on a piece of papah, an' stick it in dat onion an' put it up ovah de do'. Dat's tuh make dat person do lak yo' want 'em tuh do; make 'em come home, stay home an' yo- kin git dere money.
Entry 12513
Yo' kin take a onion an' put it up ovah yuh do' where yuh husban' comin' in at [front door] an' jis' let it stay up dere till it dry up. Not only yuh husband, but any- body dat come round in yore house an' yo' like 'em an want 'em tuh be aroun' y yo' a lot. Jis' let dat onion stay up dere till it dry up. An' den aftah it dry up, jis' take it an' walk tuh yuh back do' an' chunk it ovah yuh left shouldah an' dey'll jis' hang aroun' yo' all de time.
Entry 12574
Jes' lak if yo' don't want nobody tuh yore house, don't want tuh speak tuh anybody, yo' kin take yo' a penny - jes' a penny is brassy - an' yo' kin rub it an' rub it till it gits shiny. An' de penny whut yo' rubbin' den yo' go tuh de grave- yard dust: In de Name of de Lord an' de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost. Well, yo' rubs dat penny, rubs dat penny wit de dust until it gits shiny.
(What do you do with that then?)
[I shut the machine off before recording the answer, but the penny is probably nailed at the door. This could be my only example of using graveyard dirt as a scouring material!]
Entry 12581
Ah heard if ah wanted yo' to go crazy ovah me, jes' git two pennies an' burn 'em in sulphur, an' when ah git through burning, take 'em an' clean 'em off good, an' give one tuh de girl an' yo' keep one. An' don't chew spend de one which yo' have, yo' jes' keep it. If she spend hers'n dat'll be all right, but chew keep yores.
(What will that do then?)
Dat will make her crazy about chew 'long as yo' keep dat penny.
Entry 12610
Dis pepper and salt, it'll work two or three ways. At sunrise, see, you throw it going out de house; at sunset, throw it coming in de house, and bootleggers will never bother you.
(You mean the law, if you are bootleggers?)
Yes, I mean the law will never bother you. I did dat in February right dere on Henry street.
(Well, now, how would you use that pepper now?)
Jes' take de grain [whole] pepper and bit it in two with your teeth - in half with your teeth and mix it, as much as you want of it, with a pound box. See, if it's a pound box, a pound of dat [whole black pepper] and a pound of de brown sugar. When you bit dis grain pepper half in two, well you mix it together. Well, if you don't want de law to bother you, at sunrise see, you throw it com- ing out of de house; at sunset, throw it coming in de house. An' de laws will never bother you.
(That will make the law stay away.)
Entry 12661
Well, I'll tell you. If you're sellin' liquor, you can go ahead and sell it and have de house fixed so when dey [officers of the law] come dey can't come in. (How can you do that?) Well, you jes' git you some uh, you go to a 'simmon [persimmon] tree, you git a 'simmon tree, the bark, and tie it to de step - don't put it way under de step - and dey can't come in until you git everything out de way. [The magic here could be, you must get this bark while the tree has unripe persimmons on it. Bite into one of them and you will leave the others alone.]
Entry 12666
An' de woman takes de watah from [under] her ahm. Take a rag an' git watah. Takes a rag an' she take a bath from undah her ahm an' her person. Well, now, she'll take dat watah an' she won' take a whole lotta it, jis' take enough tuh git enough tuh do dirty work, yo' see. She'll take dat watah an' when de man come tuh fix his food, she'll have dat watah settin' maybe some- where. She'll take dat an' she'll put it ovah his food. Dat'll keep him home an' keep him in touch with her, keep him lovin' her mo' an' mo'.
Entry 12692
Yo' heard of de polecat - a skunk. [Informant assumes they are the same animal, but some comment later.] Yo' git dis polecat muss [musk]. Dis [this] muss of a pole- cat is lak a perfume [like the muskox] yo' know. It smell, yo' know - loud yo' know. Git dat an' when he [rent collector or some unwanted person] comes back to yore house de second time - he ben [been] up dere, been dere de first time but he came back de second time. Take dat polecat muss [from an animal's scent bag] an' jes' sprinkle it aroun' - sprinkle it to 'em [sprinkle it away from your house]. Yo' won't be bothered wit him no mo'. [Magically this tremendous odor falls into some of visitor's first-visit footprints, which are still a part of the visitor and will affect him, driving him away if he returns.] (You mean anybody that is bothering you, or collecting bills or anything of that sort?) Take de polecat [musk or scent] an' sprinkle on his [visitor's tracks], why den yo' through wit him fo'evah. [The names polecat (Mustela putorius) an European animal, and skunk (Mephitis mephitis) a North American animal, are frequently in general speech interchange- able in the United States of America. Our animal here is a skunk. I have in- dexed or located it here in the "P" rather than in the "s" division of CHANNEL DE WORLD because it will precede a somewhat similar rite, one about the drop- pings, not any musk scent from the porpoise. Yet to both informants both sub- stances are evacuations.]
Entry 12695
[Keeps all harm away. Originally home- made potash was used but in my time Red Devil Lye had become one of the substi- tutes.]
Entry 12744
Rattlesnake mahrster [master] why yo' git dat herb an' it has - it grows kinds about lak mah finger, de bottom of it. De root is large, sometime it dat long [demonstrates]. Well, yo' git dat. Ah mean yo' pull dat up, an' den all around dere it's different colors - dis root [ex- plains it] dey sprinkles out dere like dat, an' dis heah at de bottom of it, dat's de root down dere, an' dese grows all around dere. Well, now dat's de lucky root. Yo' put dat in yore pocket an' use with dese things. Den sometime yo' kin take one of dose [roots] an' put it in yore mouth an' chew it yo' know - when yo' around like dat kind [boss?], yo' know [he spits] dere [in his presence] a little bit an' dat help yo' out a whole lots.
(In what?)
In gittin' jobs, gittin' favors...
Entry 12886
To keep the laws away, stick that lye and keep scrubbing lye - chan- ber-lye [urine] - use that and scrub well with it, all around the door place, the doors and on the porch where they go backwards and forwards at. And then you - you get some oil of bergamine [bergamot].
(Oil of what?)
Oil of bergamine.
(Berg...)
Bergumine - oil of bergumine.
(What's that?)
[Here may be the first time I ever heard this troublesome word bergamine. Other hearings of the word followed. The long process by which I came up with bergamot I no longer remember. Many words gave me trouble.] That's a oil jest like oil of cinnamon. It's got a scent, only de scent is different. See. And you put that in your bath water and bathe with it.
(What do you do that for?)
What do you do that for? Well, anytime you come in contact with the law, you kin almost - always square 'em up.
(I see.)
Entry 12930
Ah learned about de new shingle from a house, sech as bad luck or like dat. Dey said dat if yo' have - jes' like dis building heah an' yo' ovah yondah somewhere. Git chew a new shingle an' bring it an' tack it on dis buildin', if yo' want anybody to leave out from dis buildin'. When yo' tack dat new shingle on dere, dey said it won't be long befo' someone will take sick in dat house, an' aftah dey take sick when dey git up, dey'll leave out. (You tack a new shingle on somebody's house.) [Waycross, Ga., (1159), 1935:4.
Entry 12931
Well, you take a man dat - a person what wanna have you home all de time an' mix up, mix up [confused] from time to time dat - he would come in your home and he would git a piece of yore garment. Jes' like you got dat shirt [author's shirt brings a version of the shirttail rite to informant's mind]. If he [the man we started with] would see anything keerless around your home [soiled clothing], like you gotta hang yore shirt [but don't], some stuff around not put in de dirty bag. He [the man we began with will soon be changed to a woman because this is a shirttail rite] would take your shirt and carry it on home and take a small piece out de back, right under de back. [Here informant changes to a woman.] And a woman - most woman do it, no man. But most women do dat to keep up de home when she want dis man. See. She would take a small piece out of it and cut dat out dat shirt and slap dat [shirt]. [She] come on back and put dat shirt back where he is. And dat man would all de time be cross with his wife. [Woman cutting piece out of man's shirt is not his wife.] Nothin' she do could suit him.
Entry 12991
Take a thin dime [well- used or old] yo' see an' put it in a sack, an' some cayenne pepper an' salt in it, an' hang it up ovah yore do'. As he come in, yo' see, back an' fo'th, an' jis' keep it ovah de do'.
(What will that do?)
That will stop yo' [him] off from de [other] woman.
(From this other woman?)
Yessuh.
Entry 13063
Well, ah heard dat if she make him eat out of de fryin' pan an' pot, he'd stay home. He won't be so happy tuh go off. (How do you mean, eat out of the frying pan and pot?) Well, wherevah it's cooked, yo' know, let him eat out of that an' don't put it into a plate - jes' let him eat out of de pan - de fryin' pan or skillet or anything lak a pot.
Entry 13228
If yo' wanta keep yore wife wit yo' always - jes' lak if yo' got a wife yo' know an' yo' can't keep her home an' she love tuh go all de time. Jes' take a brass spoon an' dip it into yore sugah dish an' sweeten her coffee. Yo' put it in dere yo'self an' let her take it herself an' stir it. An' yo' evah will have a wife tuh stay at home. Let it stay in dere a few minutes 'fore yo' call her. Yo' understan' me, an' yo'll evah have a wife tuh stay at home - wit dat brass spoon.
Entry 13231
You can get that party to leave you and there is no one will touch you. Like if you go to the druggist and ask for some stay away powder. It's a powder they sell down there and they call it stay away powder, like if you don't even want any visitors at your home, you sprinkle a little bit of it around your window and around your door. Take a little bit of it in your hand and blow it on your doorknob, jes' blow on your doorknob and, if any one know you and want to see you, they won't come there.
Entry 13256
Ah heard dat too. Lak if yo' a big bootleggah an' dere's several people dat chew want tuh come tuh yore house, an' yo' wanta keep de law away from yore house or somepin lak dat. Yo' take [and] burn dis sulphur an' ole shoes dat will stink, an' whilst yo' take an' burn dat sulphur an' dem shoes - git up first thin' in de mawnin' - take an' burn dis sulphur an' dem shoes an' aftah yo' burnin' dis stuff, yo' git up an' take a bath round about 'leven a'clock [at night].'Fore yo' take a bath, yo' take dis stuff an' put it in de watah dat chew take a bath in. Yo' take dis stuff an' put it in yore watah an' yo' set dere [until] ah reckon round twelve or one 'clock at night. Well, yo' git up an' yo' burn dis stuff ag'in - dis sulphur an' dis ole shoes an' sprinkle sulphur lak dat. Yo' git up an' den yo' put dis back in de same watah where de sulphur is. When yo' git up jes' about sunrise, jes' as de sun in peepin' up above de trees, an' yo' take dis tub of watah an' yo' go an' po' it out on de opposite of de sun - opposite where de sun rises, but de same side where de sun rise on. Yo' take dis watah jes' 'bout sunrise, dis tub of watah, an' yo' take an' dash it out on de opposite side of de sunrise. An' dis watah will jes' run right on down - dat drive 'em 'way lak dat.
(You do this early in the morning?)
Yessuh, early in de mawnin' jes' about sunrise. (Do you pour this water out on the side where the sun is rising up or where the sun sets down?) Where de sun rise - de same side de sun rise on, de same side yo' po' dis watah out.
(That brings in trade.)
Entry 13260
Yo' take red peppah, cayenne peppah, hot, an' table salt. Let it all be new. Take table salt jes' new an' dis sulphur brand-new, nevah been opened befo' yo' know. Well, yo' take it an' mix it up, an' yo' jes' throw it all round yore house, an' dat's good tuh keep de law from comin' in annoyin' yo'. An' den if a person is comin' tuh yore house an' yo' don't want dem tuh go dere, yo' kin jes' throw dat out behin' dem in de chair where dey sit at in de room. Den when dey git ready tuh git up an' go out, den yo' kin take it an' go on out an' jes' throw it de way dey went, an' cuss 'em, an' dey'll not come back any mo'. Dey won't come back any mo'. If dey do', dey'll come right in an' dey cain't stay dere no time. Yo' gotta git out an' sweep behin' dem.
Entry 13282
Well, yo' kin take a swallow's aig. Go to a swallow's nest. Yo' know in dat swallow's nest yo'll find a little stone. They always have a little stone in dere nest. An' yo' kin take dat stone - dere always be a stone in a swallow's nest - an' yo' kin go to a swallow's nest an' take out one dose aigs an' keep it out. Say a day or two days - long as yo' wanta an' return it back there. An' when yo' return it back dere, yo' git dat stone an' yo' tote that stone with yo', an' dat 'cumulate all kinda money. Dat's good fo' money matters.
Entry 13283
Ah have heard a story of where a lady take a biscuit, yo' know, an' wear it undah her arm, jes' fo' de night ovah [overnight] an' take it an' crumb it up in a platter. Den put it in a buscuit dough an' feed her husban' with dat. Make him stay home.
(Wear it under the arm?)
Unah her arm.
(Under her left arm?)
[This is not a leading question. I merely restart maching to add a statement. Many examples in HOODOO.]
(And she will mix it into what?)
Mix it into othah flour dough, lak when she git ready to make her biscuit... (Just take an old cold biscuit and wear it under her arm...)
Entry 13291
If yo' got a man an' he's runnin' aroun' an' yo' wanta stop him, dey say yo' feed him offa de fo' corners of de table. Scrape de fo' corners of de table. Git dat stuff, yo' know, off de fo' corners of de table an' put dat in his food, an' dat'll make him stay home. [A dog rite transferred to man!]
Entry 13307
Well, if a woman wants tuh git rid of a man an' don't want him tuh come tuh her house no mo', de first thing she'll do, she'll go uptown to de drugsto' an' she git her some rock candy, an' she git her some whiskey. Git dis rock candy an' whiskey an' mix it tuhgether, an' she po's some vinegar in. An'when he come dere, she'll prob'ly have him tuh sit down. An' when he sit down, she prob'ly - yo' know a man doesn't pay much attention tuh a woman an when he go tuh sleep dere, an' she sprinkle dat ovah him. An' after she sprinkle dat ovah him he goin' leave her alone. He won't come back to her house no mo'. (What do you mean a man doesn't pay much atten- tion to a woman? What do you mean by that?) Well, some mens doesn't pay much attention tuh a woman when dey come tuh dere house. Dey jes' know dere [they are] at home. Yo' know, think dat dey [not] goin' do anything to harm 'em.
Entry 13313
Git choo some chewin' tobaccah an' jis' break off fo' corners of dat 'baccah an' chew it - dem fo' corners yo' chew it. Then put de otber piece In your pocket, an' go down there wheresomever you Suppose to git a job an' he'll purtty near give yo' one. [Years ago the old plug tobacco Was cut into oblong pieces as purchased. This is an unusual four corner rite, my only example of it.]
Entry 13348
(If you want to get a job from the boss, you try to get hold of some of his chamber lye and put it in a bottle airtight, and take it home and keep it. And that will make him like you and eventually he will give you a job?) Yes. [A pencil note of mine reads: "Something must have gone before. Something did go before but machine was not turned on. I am repeating as near as possible what informant had said. To bottle the boss's urine is a rare rite indeed!]
Entry 13365
Well, yo' kin use it. Some use it fo' jes' patches, understand, fo' de men. Mostly women use it fo' patches fo' men, prob'ly might put it on dere clothes, understan' in dey inner garment or sompin next to 'em. Well, dis woman always uses her chamber lye, dey say. Washes dis piece in dey chamber lye first an' puts it near 'em in dey underwear or sompin lak dat, sompin dat's closer to 'em. Dat's to keep dem [men] at home, understan', or even if de're [they are] gone away from home, dey use dis heah hide [hidden piece] in an' make 'em return home.
Entry 13374
Yo' kin use dey chamber lye an' boil it in his coffee or use it in his tea, or eithah if he bringin' his whiskey home, yo' kin [use] it, but chew gotta boil yore chamber lye an' let it set befo' yo' give it tuh him. See, let it set prob'ly a week or sompin lak dat. An' den boil it an' strain it by itself. See, aftah yo' boil yore own chamber lye, it forms a drugs [dregs] lak in it, an' yo' po' it off an' strain it an' po' it den. Use it in his coffee, eithah in his tea, anything dat he drinks or eithah po' it in his whiskey. Yo' don' have tuh po' dat much. Ah say roun' 'bout fo' or five drops jes' in dere tuh stop him from drinkin'.
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 13451
An' jes' lak a woman - quite natural a woman git ill sometime an' crabby an' othah things, an' if yo' want her tuh stay 'way from yore house, yo' go down an' git chew some willow string. Dat be's a long branch - yo' know, willow string root. Yo' git de willow string root an' yo' don't have tuh boil it. Yo' dig it up. It's sorta like curls up, it's a root jes' crooked jes' lak when yo' make whiskey or sompin, jes' lak a [distill- ery] worm, yo' know, yo' make whiskey, yo' put sompin in de copper outfit. It jes' bunch up, dat's de way it [root] do. An' yo' take dat an' jes' let three balls [coils] of it be's runnin' roun' an' roun' one another, an' it pile up, yo' know, sorta lak a snake. It crawl up, dat's de way it do. An' yo' bury dat undah yore do'steps, front do'steps, an' she'll nevah stop dere ag'in. Dat will keep her away. Yo'll say to her, say, "Come back." She say, "No ah got [a bet- ter place to live]."