Subject:Love
Related combinations
Entries
Entry 842
Mah own experience. Yo' see, me an' mah wife isn't tugethah now, cause dere wus anothah man. Ah used tuh sell whiskey an' quite natch'ly if yo' sell whiskey yo'll have plenty friends comin' in. He wus a railroad man an' he come dere an' he telled her dat he could do mo' fo' her den ah could. Well, natch'ly, he wus a friend of mine - after he were comin' dere, natch'ly ah had to take him as a friend cause he spent his money dere an' drink his whiskey. He git drunk, ah'd take ca' of 'im from de officers till he git ready tuh go home. He is a man supposed to have been a root doctor. He fixed up a medicine after he git in touch wit mah wife an'dey went tuh lovin' each othah, goin'on, an den dey couldn't git 'long so good, dey wanta git rid of me. Understand. Dey fixed up dis medicine, so dis man [a root doctor I went to] tole me - de doctor tole me, dis othah root doctor tole me dat it wus rattlesnake, de dust of a rattlesnake. It wus boiled into dis tea - de natural tea whut we drink ever' day, an' broom sage [broom sedge], dis grass; broom sage boiled with pokeroot, boiled in a halfa gallon of watah down to a quart [magic of diminishing amount]. After dat, he put it in a bottle till it become to be three days old, den see he give it to my wife tuh give tuh me. Ah were drinkin' dat. If ah come home so sick or tired until ah hardly could walk, she would give me dis medicine befo' ah eat. Ah got tuh de place so dat when ah set down lak long as ah wus [have been] settin' heah [with you], ah would have tuh git up, cause mah whole body would a'been dead - jes' lak yo' know sometime yore han' go tuh sleep, yo' know. Mah whole body would go tuh sleep. An' ah got tuh de place dat ah could not stand to talk to no woman atall - ah didn't have nutin to do wit her or no othah woman. Only one sister an' mah own father, dat's all ah got; an' ah hated dem, ah didn't go by dem. Ah wus dyin'. Ah got to de place ah couldn't work - ah lost a job - mah job. Ah used tuh run a pawn shop - ah lost a job in dere cause ah couldn't make de [pawn tickets, he probably Was going to say]. [He evidently was moon- lighting - working in pawn shop by day and selling bootleg whiskey by night.] Mah sister come an' hunt me one day an' tole me, said, "Lance, yo' oughta do somepin - where yo' sense? Dere somepin wrong wit yo' - yo' nevah been dis way." Ah said, "Well, dere's nutin fo' me tuh do - ah don't want anythin'." She said, "Well, all right, ah'm goin' see 'bout chew mahself." Says, "Dey ain't but two of us left." She goes to dis man an' tell dis man. Dis man come an' tole me, says, "Now, yo' go back home" - ah didn't have tuh tell 'im anythin', said, "an' if yo' go back home an' open yore trunk, look right down in de back of yore collar. Yore white shirt ironed an' pressed an' lay down dere, yo' ain't wearin' it. Dis lady done fold it nice an' it layin' down - de collar right stiff. Look in de bottom of dat an' yo'll find a little package containin' - about dat long - containin' three brand-new wire nails, flathead wire nails, wit de hairpins, three of 'em, an' a little pinch of salt an' eggshell, jes' tied up togethah in dis package, layin' undah a black comb of yore hair [= hair comb] whut yo' use." Say, "Yo' kin hunt fo' it."
(Under the comb?)
De comb - layin' undah de comb. De comb 'bout dat long, see. Dey wus layin' right up an' down de comb an' de comb wus on top an' it wus layin' right up an' down in de back of mah shirt. An' ah went on back home an' ah found it. He said, "Now, when yo' find dat, yo' bring it to me." Ah car'ed it back to him an' he took de package an' opened it an' showed me whut wus in it - see. Den he says, "Ahm goin' tuh keep dis. Now, whenevah she meet wit dis man agin, yo'll see 'em - yo'll be right dere an' see 'em." Ah says, "All right." He said, "But don't hurt either one of dem. Dey'll hurt deyselfs. [This is a device to protect the doctor in case of a shooting or serious disturbance. He also kept the instrument of cunjuration, the package, for the same reason.] So he fixed de comb - he took de comb an' fixed de comb. Dis man [loving informant's wife] went on out on his work to de railroad. An' he [root doctor] says, "In from three tuh nine days, he won't do her no good." So he went on out an' he got his laig cut off up to his thigh. Well, he lived around three weeks an' shortly aftah dat he died. But ah didn't tell him to do dat, but dat's whut he did with it. She's out dere in de world some place now - but me an' her's not togethah. Now, dat whut happened to me.
(Well, who told you about the snake dust thing. Who told you about that?)
De root doctor.
(What did he say?)
How dis othah man had fixed it? Dis othah man fixed it - he cut de snake - killed de rattlesnake an' cut de head off an' parched it till it come tuh be a dust like. Den he put it in dere, see, an' mix it wit dis broom sage.
(But who had fixed this comb and stuff?)
Mah wife an' him.
Entry 2073
[This hand is in two parts, each coming from a different community.]
[Here is the first version:]
A man told me that he went to dig up a woman one night, and before he got tc open it [the coffin] he got scared. And the man was a cripple man and walked with a crutch, and he was about drunk; and when he got there he took another drink and got scared - a whirlwind came on the graveyard and scared him to death. He said he run a mile before he ever stopped running. And when he stopped running he forgot he'd ever been drinking. He said he was never more sober in his life. Somebody told him to get the fourth finger [forefinger] of the right hand [of the female corpse] and carry it in his pocket and he would be a good actor among girls - any girl he wanted would go with him.
[St. James, a Negro community about 5 miles from Pocomoke City, Md., by hand.]
[Here is another version of the preceding story:]
A little humpbacked man, he spent ever' cent he got fer to win girls. I didn't see him do it but I seen the finger. It was told me he went in the grave- yard'and cut off a woman's right [index] finger - I seen the finger - cut that off, and was carrying it around in his pocket.
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 3497
Now, it's somepin how to make a person cold towards de othah one, cold towards evahone. Yo' go git chew a piece of new cloth, linen cloth, white cloth, 18 x 18 inches, an' yo'hem dat. An dis pahtic'lah person dat chure inter- sted in, yo' wan'a use dem - yo' use dat, yo' see. Yo' put it out an' let it dry an' den yo' tie dat as ah tole yo' about de dishrag. "Membah me tellin' yo' 'bout de dishrag? [Informant's material had been badly recorded several days before, she is now repeating.]
(Yes, but you better tell it over.)
Well, but dis doesn't go wit dat, dis is diff'ren' thing. Yo' use dat as yo' did dat, an' yo' tie de knot in it aftah yo' dry it, an' yo' stick dese points in lak yo' make a love knot, yo' know. Do it at twelve 'clock at night, if yo' have some person or frien' dat chew know is dead, yo go to dat grave of someone dat chew know dat have kept secrets fer yo'. Yo' stick yore han' down in dis grave wit a new dime. Yo' say, "Yo' have always been a friend to me, indeed an' yo' have always kept mah secrets. Now dis is one thing ah want chew to keep always, an' ah want chew to keep dis person evah near me an' no one else." An' yo' bury dis wit dat there person.
(The handkerchief you bury there?)
Dat's right, an' dis person will remain cold to evahone except yo'. Dat new dime, yo' pay 'em fer keepin' de secret.
(Where do you put that new dime?)
Right where, yo' know, where yo' dig de place to bury dat - de silvah, an' not two nickels but a dime.
Entry 3562
Yo' take a string an' measure dis person, an' tie a knot at de end of dat string. Yo' see, tie a knot at de end of dat string. Yo' see, tie a knot at de end of dat string, at de firs measurin' place an' den yo' tie it, an' from dere on yo' tie eight more which makes nine, an' den yo' kin eithah pin it aroun' yore ankle wit a sil- vah dime. Stick a hole in a silvah dime an' wear it aroun' de ankle, dey won't love no one but yo'. Well, NOW SOME PEOPLE SAY DEY USE IT FER CRAMPS [see Nos.1516-1517], BUT DAT'S ALWAYS AS AN ALIBI. DAT'S [LOVE IS] WHUT DE USE IT FO'.
(They say they use it for cramps, but they really want to keep a man.)
Entry 3783
Wal, if yo' run aroun' wit a woman an' yore wife didn't want chew to go out dere, she kin take, when yo' have communication wit chure wife, she kin jis' only go git a dish towel an' wipe yo' wit it. Yo' can't go wit no othah woman but 'er. (Is there any way I can get rid of that?) Yes sir. Wal, yo'd have to go to work an' git chew some Hearts Cologne, an' some dis powdah called love powdah, an' some pure olive oil, an' dis heah pure lard, an' mix it togethah an' jis' saturate yoreself. An' yo'll come to where yo' kin go out; but not dat [if you don't do that], yo'll nevah will bothah wit no othah woman but dat one. Evah time yo' start to covah 'er, why yo'll fall.
Entry 3804
Take de smartgrass weed [smartweed] an' take an' make a powdahs of it, an' take an' dry it an' powdah it, an' put love powdahs in it an' take an' use dat. Eat dat an' dat will give him all de nature he wants.
(Get back his nature.)
Entry 4114
(You have good luck you say with red onions. Well, now what did you say you put into that?) Yuh put yuh own chamber lye, an' yuh puts sulphur intuh it, an' yuh put love powdahs intuh it an' a li'le sugah - granulated sugah, a teaspoonful. Dat makes a nice salve. An' yuh gi' dat tuh 'im an' dey'll love yo'. (What do you do with that?) Yuh kin take dat an' gi' [give] dat tuh de person. Yuh gi' tuh 'em tuh eat.
Entry 4247
Dey say dat yo' could take some of dis heah saltpeter an' some sul- phur an' put it in a chambah yuh know, jis' lak peoples make watah in de chambah yuh know. Yuh git up dat night sometime an' put some saltpetah an' sulphur in dere. Well, wheresomevah dey po' it out, yuh see, whosomevah cross dat, yuh know, wheresomevah yuh po' de watah at, where somebody kin cross it, yuh know, which an' evahbody cross dat watah or comin' up dem do'steps, dat will [make] dem go crazy: (That is to make them love you. A woman would do that with her chamber lye to bring in men?) Yeah, make 'em love yuh. Dat's a way dat dey kin gain mens too. Dat's simple but dey people don't know all dat.
Entry 4540
Dat woman she takes dat out [bow of sweat- band]. All right, she takes an' sew it right up under heah [demonstrates]. (Under her left armpit.) Undah de lef' one, jes' right up dere an' weah it. An' jes' as long as she weahs it, it's nobody in de worl' - whut ah mean, yuh ain't goin' worry wit nobody else - can't nobody git cha, can't nobody do nuthin wit chew. Yuh earnin's an' evahthin' yuh git yuh goin' take tuh dat woman. An' she kin take it from dere an' she kin weah it in 'er lef' shoe. Dat's undah yore [her] feet. When she do dat it's purtty [pretty] hard. Well, yuh see it jes' more den drive yuh crazy becuz she trampin' on yuh. See WHEN SHE WEAR IT HERE [IN ARMPIT] DAT'S FRIEN'LY LOVE, BUT WHEN YUH PUT IT DOWN HEAH [IN HER SHOE] DAT GOES HARD, MORE DAN APT - MIGHT CUZ YUH TUH KILL CUZ IT GITS YUH CRAZY ABoUT 'ER.
Entry 4577
Yuh kin take dat bow out dat man's hat, an' yuh kin take a powdah called love powdah [later called movin' powdah] an' calcimine powdahs [calcimine], an' he's bound tuh come [to the woman]. He'll do anything yuh say do. Dey take dat bow [out of the hat, untie it - see KNOTS later for untying - put the powders on it] an' jis' double [fold once] dat bow tuh 'em, an' dey put three pins in dat bow [thus shutting up the powders inside the bow]. [Informant now demonstrates how these three pins hold in the powders.] Yuh stick one head dis way [up], an' yuh stick the othah head down, an' put dis one right across [the other two]. [This produces a double cross, even a triple cross or three daggers like this H. Joo take dat an put it in yer shoe an' wear it.
(What were the names of these powders?)
Dey call one of 'em de movin' powdah, all right, an' yuh call one calcimine. De movin' powdah is tuh move yuh back tuh dem; de calcimines powdah is tuh make things clean [as calcimine normally does, but here by symbolically cleaning the return road home of all difficulties]. [Come home, all is forgiven. But by wearing the bow in her shoe she indicates a determination to keep him under her foot!]
Entry 4614
(What about that little bow?)
Yuh take dat little bow - it used to be olden times when yuh wore corsets - but dey don't wear corsets no mo'. Dey wears supports. Now, if yuh wants tuh... (Well, what did they do in the olden times with the corsets? Tell me that first, what they did with that; and then you can tell me what they do now. You see?) Yuh see, dey can take dat little bow an' dey can kill yuh wit dat little bow. An' dey can make yuh go crazy - no, not go crazy out of de mind, no. Jes' [like] if yuh got a wife an' she loves yuh, or ah got a husban' an' ah loves 'im. Ah'd fix 'im so he'll jes' stick wit me. He'd turn 'is mind clean offa evah body but me, an' he wouldn't keep a nickel in is pocket fo' hisself. It's all fo' me. Ah could take an' jes' be - ah could bring boy frien's in dere on 'im an' he'll jes' love me jes' dat much [more]. Well, DAT OLE HOODOO [MAN] DEN WHAT AH USIN' KNEW, AN' LIVES AROUN' HERE, he say he [husband] jes' love me dat much, but [I told him?] not tuh open 'is mouth an' say nuthin. [A NOTE OF MINE HERE SAYS DO SLOWER LATER. INFORMANT WAS TALKING FAST.] AH COULD TAKE HIS MONEY RIGHT IN FRONT OF 'IM AN' GIVE IT AWAY. HE'LL JES' LOVE ME JES' DAT MUCH BY BEING HOO- DOOED.
(How would you prepare that bow? That little bow?)
She takes it an' she put it in 'er pocket, down intuh dat little thing yuh see. Yuh untie dat bow an' yuh tie nine knots in dat bow, an' put it straight where it would have been weared down in dere. Well, dat's jes' as if yuh have a tool, yuh know, not what she love yuh; cuz if she love yuh an' if he loved yuh, dey wouldn't want tuh bring somebody else in de home an' go off an' have.... But yuh are jes' undah a muddle. Yuh can't say nuthin, yuh see. Yuh can't do nuthin, yuh see.
(Do you dress that little bow any Way?)
Yuh dress dat little bow wit love powdah. Dey got some powdah - dey got some cologne dey call love cologne. Well, yuh done use dat Follah-me-boys. Dat's good.
[Follow-me-boys appears several times in HOODOO.]
(What 1s?)
Follah-me-boys.
(Follow me, boys.)
Dat's good.
(Is that a powder or perfume?)
Dat's perfume. Now, dat Follah-me-boys - yuh kin use Follah-me-boys right now, yes sir, right now. Yuh kin Walk out from right dere - IF YUH DON'T BELIEVE DAT'S TRUE, an' [then] GO BUY YUH A LITTLE BOTTLE OF FOLLAH-ME-BOYS, AN' YUH JES' SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE BE FOLLAHIN' YUH. BUT DEY WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT DEY FOLLAHIN'. YUH SEE, DAT'S A HOODOO COLOGNE. (I see. Now, in the old days they used to wear the corset, nowadays they wear?) Dey weah dem girdles now. Yuh see, yuh take, if yuh want dat tuh control yuh man or yuh woman. Yuh put it in yuh girdle, weah it in yuh girdle. Nine knots.
Entry 4617
Well, ah seen a woman take a man's bow outen 'is hat, an' she sewed 'it up in a piece of cloth, an' she put some dis heah love powdah on it an' she wore hit roun' 'er waist.
(What did she do that for?)
Tuh make him love 'er.
Entry 4618
Yuh kin take de little bow out of 'is hat an' wrap it up in dis real, whut chew call Love Me Powdah, an' take de love vine. Dere's a love vine. Yuh pass by it, it grows in de woods. An' yuh kin take dat love vine an' take it an' wrap it roun' de bow of de man hat, an' tote it in yore Love Me Powdah box. An' dat'll make a man stay home or eithah make a man love yuh or anything lak dat.
Entry 4677
De bow an' a dirty sock - out de hat an' 'is dirty sock, lef' foot sock. An' git some Eve-an'-Adam [Adam-and-Eve], some High John de Conkah, some love powdahs, an' roll 'em to yuh. Make yore wishes as yuh roll 'em. Den yuh take it an' put it in yore pillah or in yore mattress, de woman, an' sleep on it an' he'll stay dere.
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 4795
When ah wuz a young girl ah hear 'em talkin' about it.
(You say it was an old woman?)
Yeah, it used tuh be when I wuz a young girl. It's a certain way dey say dat you kin git a piece of dough. Make a flour dough.
(Out of flour, ordinary flour?)
Flour, an' yuh take dat piece of flour dough about dis long an' yuh wear it undah yore lef' arm nine mornings, [then] put it undah yore right arm nine morn- ings an' aftah yuh do dat, den yuh take it an' weah it be- tween yore laigs. (For how long?) Nine mornings. Evah thin' is nine day's work. An' den, dey say, yuh beat it up right fine, jis' lak a powdah, lak peppah or salt, an' den yuh take it an' sprinkle it on somepin tuh eat fer 'im, yuh know, an' dat will make him follah yuh, make him love yuh.
Entry 5185
Dat's anothah way dat dey are supposed tuh bring a person back. Yo' supposed tuh have nine ole shoes an' yo' supposed tuh put sugah an' bluestone an' dis very brown powdah dat looks lak - ah don't know now whethah it's - it's not de same. It has de same smell but it's not de same kinda powdah, but it supposed tuh be de same kinda powdah dat chew put on yo' - dat de women use on dey face. But howevah, dey call it love powdah. An' yo' sup- posed tuh put dose three things intuh dis heah [shoe] an' yo' supposed tuh burn one of dose shoes evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's till yo' burn all de shoes up. An' dat's tuh show yo' special favors an' control. Supposed tuh be controllin' powah ovah some individual dat chew interested in.
Entry 5524
Dey take dat an' make yo' love 'em. Take dat track out de hollah yore foot. Take it up - jis' lak yo' take up, jis' lak dat [demonstrates], lak dis de hollow of it. An' put sugah in it an' put dis powdah in it, dis same love powdah. Put it in it an' tote it in yore pocket. Dat will make dem love yo'.
(You take that out of either track, either the right or left?)
De right.
Entry 6053
An' ag'in dey could do dis, dey could take yore [hair] out from undah yore arms an' down in de love hole.
(Below?)
Yes sir, an' dey would take dat an' squeeze in bread. An' make up bread an' give it to a man an' dat will run 'im crazy [about you].
Entry 6078
Take it outa de hollah [hollow = mold] out from de middle of dey haid, an' take dat an' put dat wit dey hair offen dey body an' tie it up. (You mean down below?) Yes, an' tie it up an' wear it fo love. Make dat person love yo'. Qou get this hair from the other person's head and use your own private hair?) Yes.
Entry 6351
[The wearing of hair, a common love rite, is scat- tered throughout Hoodoo. In addition to' many examples given elsewhere, here are a few more:]
How tuh win yuh husban', yassuh [yes sir], if he wuz lovin' somun [someone] else. Ah had taken some of dere [his] hair outa de mole [mold of the head] an' weah [wear] it a couple mont's [months], an' ah have regained 'im back.
(You took some hair out of your husband's head and just [meaning nothing else]
wore it, and that brought him back.) [Wilson, N. Car.; (1500), 2668:3.]
Entry 6480
Yo' take yore fingahnails an' toenails an' put 'em in a piece of rag or somepin an' tote 'em, an' yo' kin make a person like yo', or even yo' kin make 'em hate chew, but chew have tuh put salt an' black peppah with it, or salt an' red peppah. (You do that to make them hate you?) Yessuh.
(And you tote them then?)
Dat's right, an' make 'em not have nuthin tuh do wit yo' in no way or form or no fashion. Dey can't harm yo', but dey Won't bothad wid joo.
Entry 6523
Wash de feet well an' scrape dat dead skin. Fo' instance, if a man is accustomed tuh drinkin' wine, when he drink, yo' see, take dat dead skin tied up in a piece, put it down in dat bottle, an' full dat bottle full of wine. Leave it stay in dere three days. Restrain it an' give him dat tuh drink. Dat's caused aplenty ulcahs in de stomach an' things, but it gen'ly [generally] makes de man, yo' undahstan', he have a certain amount of de woman's blood [essence that comes from the skin of her feet] it seens lak, an it make him [his] whole ambition an' mind be directed on 'er.
(I see.)
Entry 7209
Many yeahs ago [this happened]. An' dis woman tole me. She wuz mah fathah's sistah. She tole me dat a man came from de country tuh de city an' stopped wit a woman, yo' know, an' got work heah an' stayed in de house wit 'er. Dat Woman Wanted 'im tuh stay dere [per- manently] an' dat man couldn't git tuh 'is wife. He couldn't go home. So he talked tuh a frien' an' he says, "Don' chew know ah've got a wife an' ah cain't go home. Evah time ah start tuh go, it seems dat dere's somepin dat ah cannot go." Well, dis man tole 'im somebody did sompin tuh 'im. He tuk [took] 'im some- whah whah he found out - some fortunetellah, ah guess or medium. Dey [fortuneteller or medium] says, "Yes, dis woman has done somepin tuh yo' tuh keep yo'." Says, "She has a bag sewed up in a flannel an' she keeps it 'roun 'er laig." He says, "If yo' kin git dat, yo' kin git back tuh yer wife." So dis woman had a way of settin' up wit 'er laigs crossed, so Aunt Julia tole me. So he jis' watched an' had a penknife an' he jis' saw dat bag. An' he clipped it an' ran outa de house, an' she woke up an' right behind 'im. He flew. An' he took de train an' went home tuh 'is wife. She dashed aftah 'im fer evah inch of 'er life, but she didn't ketch 'im.
(What did she have in that bag?)
Ah don't know whut wuz fn dere. [Hoodoo has a hundred examples of what a woman or man can put in similar bags or hands.]
Entry 7260
Tuh separate a man an' 'is wife, yuh git dis oil dat dey call de Wizard Oil [demonstrates].
(Take this Wizard Oil and wipe your hand with it.)
No, dere hand wit hit an' rub it on 'is face, see an' hair. An' when he git in conversation wit de woman, if he kin git 'er tuh yield tuh 'im - he come tuh kiss 'er, hold 'er by de hand, he kin git 'er so dat she hate her husband an' be where he is all de time. See, cuz dat jis' draws de woman from 'er husban' tuh 'im. Ah've been tole dat. (Where do you get this Hizard Oil?) Well, some people makes it. Ah've been tole dat some people know how tuh make it. An' some gits it from diff'ren' places. [Washington, D. C., (638), 826:1.] [Until 1936, the year following the publication of my first edition of Folklore from Adams County Illinois (2nd ed., 1965), I neither knew nor suspect- ed there was a folklore about murder. In the first edition of FACI - abbrevia- tion used in present Hoodoo for preceding book - the act of murder occurs 8 times: (1) in a dream, No.6305; (2) omen of future murder from wedding dress, 7268; (3) site of murder an unlucky place for playing cards, 8931; (4) a black informant had heard about bringing back murderer by writing a letter, but could not explain how it was done, 9176; (5) dropping umbrella on floor a sign of fu- ture murder in that house, 10174; (6) murderer revisits scene of crime, 10279; (7) murderer unable to sleep facing the east, the sun [Son], 10280; and (8) if you talk about murder every day for 6 months [a folkway of saying if murder be- comes an obsession], you'll be hanged for murder, 10650. The Index in FACI (1st ed.) under Murder also says: see bloodstain, hoodoo and witchcraft, spirits. I will divide MURDER into 2 PartS: HOW MURDERER CAN ESCAPE, and HOW MURDERER CAN BE CAUGHT. This separation of course can not be absolute, because some inform- ants will give both escape and caught aspects of murder in the same statement. The final aspect of MURDER, the TRIAL, is reserved for COURT CASES later. [Obviously a murderer will use any method he has ever heard of to escape cap- ture by the law. If he has time and knows about one, he may stop at the house of a wise woman or witchcrafter or hoodoo for aid, but usually such professional assistance is not called in until the trial. Some doctors, especially the cele- brated Doctor Buzzard (p.891), specialized in all types of criminal work. Here, however, follow a few of the magic devices supposed to help a murderer in flight.]
Entry 7668
Yo' kin go tuh de graveyard at twelve a'clock in de night; not let it be ovah twelve a'clock an' yo' reach yore han' down in de grave - say it's no harm - jes' about six inches down an' git chew a han'fulla dirt an' hold it in yore hand, not slide it out, an' hold it in yore hand-an' walk on back, an' de girl dat yo' want, if yo' want 'er tuh love yo', yo' throw it up on 'er windah, eithah way up on 'er shade or windah, or anything, so it be's 'er room. An' if yo' do wan' tuh do her some damage, don' throw it up on de house. Den she'll be sick 'long as yo' stay in town, an' git dwindlin' an' quite natchal [natural] she'll soon finely [finally] die, if she stay roun' dere an' be passin dat - attah yo' do done [dat] chew know, if yo' go tuh de daid, an' sech as dat, becuz dat's de thing dat EVAH'BODY'S SCARED TUH GO TUH DE GRAVEYARD AN' GIT DIRT LAK DAT. But dat's so about dat 'cuz ah have did it mahself. Dose things ah'm talkin' 'bout ah done it mahself.
(That's all you have to do with that graveyard dirt, throw it on her window?)
Yeah, throw it on her windah.
(What will that do to her then?)
Dat will make her love yo', if yo' throw it on 'er windah.
Entry 7826
I have heard of them getting a hold of graveyard dust and putting it in a bag. And they wear that on the left side of the breast, in a woman; and if it is a man, they put that in his [left] pocket. They want to wear that next oo the skin and they will get them.
Entry 7830
Mostly dey use graveyard dirt, but dey git tuh use sand an' powdah.
(Sand and powder?)
Yeah.
(Sand and powder. What kind of powder?)
Love powdah.
(Love powder?)
Yeah, yo' see. Well, dey use graveyard dirt an' love powdah. Dat's tuh make yo' lak 'em or anything lak dat, yo' see. (Well, how would you prepare that? How would you do it?) Well, de way yo' do, yo' take yo' some graveyard dirt an' yo' mix it up de powdah in dat. (This love powder?) Yeah, love powdah an' sand. Yo' buy de love pow- dah right in de drug store, an' sand.
(Ordinary sand?)
Sand. An' yo' put a li'le sugah in dere. Sugah's fer love, see. Put a li'le sugah in dere an' yo' kin put a li'le bit in de envelope. An' lak yo' send yo a lettah, yo' put a li'le bit in de envelope. Well, dat make dat person lak yo aftah yo' git dat stuff on 'em.
Entry 8144
Yo' kin take a pichure an' yo' kin take some love stuff powdah an' yo' kin take dat. Take de pichure an' burn all fo' cornahs off of it, an' yo' kin wrap it up in dat love powdah an' wrap it up an' weah it roun' yore waist, an' dat'll bring love. (Make a person love you?) Yes. [See also margin title CORNER.]
Entry 8173
Jis' lak ah'd take yer pichure. Well, ah could go tuh de graveyard an' git some graveyard dirt right off from de sinnah's, yo' know, where a sin- nah is buried at, right in 'is chest. Git hit an' sew hit an' de pi- chure up intuh a piece of cloth, an' keep it fo' nine mawnin's, an' bury at chure do'step, an' dat'll bring yo' love.
(That's for love?)
Yes sir.
Entry 8194
Well, yes. Ah tell yo'. Now yo' kin take a man's pichure an' carry it an' put it in yure mattress, an' sew it up; an' if he bit wit choo an' lay on dat mattress, undahstan', dat wo would cuz 'im tuh love yuh.
Entry 8197
Take yure pitchure an' put it in a looking glass [the carboard behind the small.hand mirror having been removed]. An' turn it [photo] upside down [against mercury backing of mirror, restoring card- board back] an' put it undahneat' [you] an' sleep on it or walk on it or put it somewhere somebody'll tread on it an' break de glass, an' yo' [person of photo] got tuh come back. Go tuh de do' an' burn some disinfect [disinfectant] an' make yure wish [wish] an' burn it in de house. Den go to de do' an' make yuh wush [again] an' come back. An' 'at [that] been done in Short[?] William Street alley [here in Richmond]. Den [another method] yo' put it [photo without mirror] undah- neat' de carpet or in a trunk upside down tuh draw yuh back. Well keep yuh on yure haid or yuh feet till yuh git back home. An' use dat powdah, insex, love insex [love incense] dey call it. Burn it on a stove.
Entry 8437
Yo' take de photograph when in love an' put it in a basin of watah, an' if it floated on top, yo' an' 'er will be in good love; but if it goes tuh de bottom, she wan' tuh run away from yo' jes' as fer as she kin git. (Now, which is which?) Yo' couldn't git 'er if she goes tuh de bottom, no. See, becuz de watah washin' 'er offa dat pichure, yo' see, washin' 'er photograph 'way from yo'. It nevah will be on dat card atall, it will wash off.
Entry 8735
Take a piece of paper an' write their names nine times on dis an' ah have used some of dat Three S Love Powder an' nail it up, in a tree or somepin, yo' know, an' finally he'll come back if de tree doesn't die. Long as it lives they'll [he'll] come back, but if it dies they'll [he'll] never come back. (You write this person's name on this paper, then put this powder on it, and nail it up in a tree? That's all you have to do to make him come back?) Yes.
Entry 8871
An' yo' want 'em tuh come back tuh yuh. If yo' know where dey are, kin git in touch wit 'em, write dem a lettah some kinda way. Use dis Three S Love Powdah an' yo' sprinkle it all ovah yore lettah. Jis' evah time yo' write a word yo' dab yore fingah in dis powdah an' dab it on evah word, cross it-lak. An' when he read it he'll come right on back.
Entry 9235
Wal, yo' take de eggs from a chicken an' yo' take de shell an' yo' grind 'em up, jes' mash 'em up real fine. An' yo' take dose shell - eggs out dem shells an' yo' put 'em intuh a glass of watah an' let 'em set fo' nine days. An' den yo' take dat glass of watah an' yo' strain it out until it come tuh be perfect cleah, an' den yo' give dat to anyone. Jes' lak someone come tuh yore house an' want a drink of watah, yo' take some of dat watah an' po' in anothah glass, an' put some mo' watah intuh it an' give it tuh dem tuh drink. Dey'll certainly love yo'.
Entry 9308
Ah haven't heard of 'em usin' pins an' needles [in answer to my unre- corded question about them], but ah've heard of 'em takin'a aig an' fo' ten- penny nails an' one aig, an' drive dose nails up in de ground. (You mean put the head down and let the point stick up?) Put de haid down an' let de point stick up, an' stick dat egg between dere an' den wrap it ovah. An' if yo' is in love wit someone, dat'll bust it up.
(That is if I wanted to break up some man and another woman?)
A man an' anothah woman, dat'll bust 'em up. (Well, you don't have to do anything else with that egg? You don't have to walk over it or anything of that sort?) Yo' don't have tuh walk ovah it or nuthin of dat kind. [Here is a rite of intention only. The 4 buried nails, points up, outline the coffin cradling the egg, intended victim. After the egg becomes rotten and bursts, the man or woman you have in mind will no longer annoy you.]
Entry 9483
[Dey kin] bring salt from dere home an' put it intuh your place [house] - salt, cookin' salt, see. An' de same thing dey says dat dey'd [they would] com- pare salt. It gives yuh hard luck as being a means of good luck by puttin' it in de fo' cornahs. [Salt brings bad luck and good luck.]
(What will that do, putting it in the four corners?)
Say dat brings luck. An' yo' names each pile de kinda luck dat you'd lak tuh run in. Fo' instance you'd lak tuh have dis [demonstrates] as de money pile, dis is some othah prosperity, dis is love, an' dis is biggah business.
Entry 9659
Now we come tuh love affairs. Dis heah's anothah item ah'm gona give yo'. Ah've tried dis on mahself. Yo' kin take yo' some salt an' some cheese an' flour an' make a powdah outa it. Mix it all tuhgethah. An' yo' kin take dat Poodahs. Jes' say fo' a instant [instance] dere's a girl stayed heah dat yo' thought a whole lots of, an' yo' jes' can't get 'er lak yo' wan's tuh do. But chew kin visit 'er an' have all de fun othahwise dat chew want. Yo' kin take dat powdahs dat chew've made an' dust it aroun' in 'er room, an' dat'll bring 'er love tuh where yo' kin handle huh an' she won't deny nuthin dat chew ask. De same thing is mighty good luck in gamblin' too. Dat salt an' cheese an' flour, dat's good luck in gamblin' too. An' den it's a lodestone dat chew kin use dat's mighty good luck in gamblin', a lodestone called magic lodestone [trade name]. Dat's mighty good luck in gam- blin'.
Entry 9810
(That foot track, what do you do with that foot track after you get it and put those pins and things in it?) Yo' take hit, yo' don't bury hit, yo' lie hit on yore bedspring an' yo' sleep on hit. An' he may go wit anothah woman but he won't ca' [care] nuthin 'bout 'er. An' in goin' tuh de othah woman he'll pay yo' twice de 'tenshun [attention] dat he will 'er. But in goin' wit yo' an' lovin' yo' often, yo' know, evah once in a way he'll go tuh dis woman, but he won't intendin' tuh stay cuz ah got a man lak dat. Him an' me mean so much. (In other words, you will take this foot track in order to hold a man - that's all.) Dat hold 'im. (And you put those pins in there in order to keep other women away. You name them your enemies.)
[I am corrected!]
Dat won't completely keep 'em away, but he'll be from undah dere influence.
(When you name these pins you are thinking of other women, aren't you?)
Yessuh, dat's de enemies. (They are your enemies and you want to keep them away from your husband or your man.) Well, heah's de othah one. Yo' see, womens doin' lak dat, gittin' de foot track an' pins, dat's not all of it. Yo' see if a woman - now, ah don't know 'cuz ah ain't nevah did nuthin, but ah hear'd it. [They] say, if a woman goin' wit chure man, he care de mos' fo' yo', an' yo' ain't tryin' tuh, yo' know, do nuthin but jes' tryin' to keep de man a Zi'le out de way, an' she tryin' tuh do somepin tuh 'im. Yo must always do lak dis, say he goin' wit 'er an' he ca' mo' fo' 'er. Well, she's got'a make him ca' mo' fo' her den he do yo'. Yo' got'a git 'is track den, but chew git it in a diff'ren' way. 'Stead [instead] of gittin' it fahwahds, yo' gits it backwahds. But chew take it an' yo' ca' it tuh a ants [nest] - jis' lak, yo' know, in de summah. Jis' lak yo' see a ants nest an' ants totin' dirt in an' out. Dis is ca'in' [carrying] it in jis' [like] ah'm gittin' love. Yo' got'a git de woman's track dis time, not de man's track. Git de woman's track. Yo' ca' it tuh a ants nest where de ants totin' dirt in an' out an' put it down dere. An' yo' go tuh puttin' it down where de ants totin' in dere. Yo' know how ants tote in. An' yo' name de same thing: "Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, make her leave dis town." An' yo' know, as yo' thinkin' [all this] yo' sprinkle it. Well, jis' as de ants tote it in, she got'a go. Well, dat's de woman. Fo' de man, well, yo' don't put it down in no ants nest. Jis' tie it up in a hans'cuff [handkerchief] an' yo' got'a put nine pins in dere. [Here I turned off machine thinking she had ended and had to restart by re- peating what had been lost.]
(Put it in your bedspring?)
Put dat undah de haid of yore mattress an' sleep on it. But de woman yo' got'a find a ants nest where de ants totin' in de dirt. [Informant now tells an experience of hers, an experience similar to the one told in, vol.] Dis wus a man passin' through [town]. Ah didn't know 'im an' he didn't know me. Ah wus on mah way tuh a party one night an' he said, "Lady, " he said, "ah'm hongry: Ah wan't somepin tuh eat: If yo'd give me twenty cents, " an' he said, "dat's not de price, ah'd tell yo' somepin." He wus a big mulatto man. He weren't no white man, he wus a colored man. Ah says, "Well, ah'll give yo' mo' den twenty cents, " ah said, "heah's thirty cents. An' heah's whut he tole me. An' he tole it so straight. Ah had nevah seed de man befo' an' he had nevah seen me, but he tole me who [what woman] mah man wus gone wit an' how he looked an' evahthing, an' whut she wus tryin' tuh do, an' whut fo' me tuh do. An' ah'd called 'im back an' ah'd sweah de man wus crazy. But ah done whut he tole me [to bring back my man]. De dog! See, dat walk right off an' left me. He come right back tuh me an' ah ain't had no mo' trouble wit 'im since. Ah wus dressed an' ah start out tuh de party. Well, it wus a big mulatto man an' he came rapped on de do'. He did give his name but ah ain't goin' tell no story, ah cain't remembah 'is name now. He says, "Well, where yo' goin', lady? See yo' dressed." Ah an' mah sistah [were going to the party], but ah'm jis' talkin' 'bout mahself. He wus talkin' tuh me. He says, "Ah lak yore future." Aftah dis, ast 'im tuh come in. Ah say, "Ah'm goin' tuh a party. He says, "Whut party yo' goin' to?" He says, "Ah think ah mostly know wit'out chew tell me." Ah says, "Ah'm goin' down heah in Thomastown." [I said it] jis' lak dat. He say, "Well, yo' drinkin'." Dat wus 'is words. Ah said, "Ah'm drinkin'?" He say, "Yeah." Ah said, "Ah did have 'bout a dime's drink but no mo'." [This was a dime's drink back in 1939, not in 1976, and it was the cheapest moonshine available.] He said, "Well, yo' goin' tuh de party tuhnight. He's daid an' yo' goin' preparin' tuh raise hell.' Said, "But if yo' gived me twenty cents, ah'll tell yo' sompin." Ah say, "Well, whut chew gona tell me?" He says, "Yo' worryin'," says, "yo're not satisfied." HE SAYS, "IT'S A WOMAN BUT SHE'S NOT YORE COMPLEXION, ' SAYS, "YO'S KINDA TEASY, WHUT CHEW CALL CHOCOLATE BROWN, BUT DIS WOMAN IS BLACK." He says, "Whut chew call a [something] or some bnda black woman [something]. Say, "But dis woman tryin' take yore man." Dat whut he said, "Dis woman tryin' uh take yore man." An' he say, "When dis woman tryin' 'uh take yore man, if yo' give me twenty cents, ah tell yo' how tuh git 'im from 'er 'tention." An' he say, "Ah oughta charge mo' den dat, " he said, "but ah's hongry an' ah want somepin uh eat." But he wus a colored man. We wus goin' tuh a barbecue, ah an' dis girl. Ah say, "Well, if yo' come go tuh de party, ah'll buy yo' sompin." He say, "Well, if yo' promise me fo' shuah yo'll buy me somepin uh eat, ah'll pay yo' 'fore yO gits dere. BUT IF YO' DON' PAY ME DE MONEY, WHUT AH TELL YO WON'T DO YO' NO GOOD." Ah said, "Well, come on." He said, "Yo' goin' wit de man an', " he said, "de man love yo' an' yo' love de man, an', '' he say, "jis' lak he come an' familiahize [familiarize] wit chew. He don't stay heah an' life [live] wit chew, do he?" Ah says, "He sho' don't." Ah says, "Me an' 'im quit." Ah said, "He lived down dere wit dem othah wimmins, went crazy 'bout 'em.' He say, "Well, when he step out de [door], jis' lak he step, yo' go out an' yo' git 'is right feet, git 'is right track." Says, "When he step out, don' chew go right behin' 'im. De time [after] he go, git 'is right track." Ah didn't even pay 'tention. Ah put on mah coat, de one dat ah wuz weahin' roun'. He say, "Git it from de toe an' rake it back tuh de heel, an' git somepin kinda slick an', " he say, "whut yo' pick up on dere, take an' tie it up in a hans'cuff." An' he say, "When yo' tie it up in a hans'cuff, yo' git nine straight pins, an' if dere any woman dat chew think he goes wit, whatevah dere name dat chew think is yore enemies, yo' call 'em name by name. An' jes' as yo' call 'em name by name, yo' stick dat pin in dat hans'cuff an' dat dirt till yo' git de nine pins in dere." An' [he] say, "When yo' git 'em in dere, hol' up de haid of yore mattress an' put it [handkerchief with pins] on yore springs, an' let yore mattress fall back down an' sleep on it." AN' SAY, "HE'LL COME TUH YO' MO' SO DEN HE'LL GO TUH DIS OTHAH WOMAN." SAY, "HE MAY GO BACK TUH DIS OTHAH WOMAN BUT HE WON'T MEAN 'ER NO GOOD. HE'LL MEAN YO' DE GOOD." (Then what else did he tell you about - there's something else about getting rid of the women?) About de girl. Well, he jes' left an' heah ah thought that... He says, "Now, if yo' wanta git rid of dis woman, if he go wit yo'..." She lived down on - ah live on [something] Street, 10ol, an' she lived on [something] Street, way down at de [something] Garden. "Yo' wanta git rid of dis woman he goin' wit," say, "but if yo' don't do it, if yo' do lak yo' did de firs' time, it'll backwards an' fo'wards. If yo' wanta git dis woman out of town," say, "yo' go tuh her. She ain't comin' where yo' live, cuz she's scared of yo'." Dat's whut he said. "But chew go tuh 'er home. She goes tuh work evah mawnin'." But he wun't lyin'. She do go tuh work an' ah know it. "Yo' know whut kind a shoes she weahs?" Ah said, "Yah, ah do." Say, "Now, ah got de right feet of his'n. Yo' git de left feet of 'er track an' don't rake it from de toe." "See, " [says informant] ah rake his'n from de toe." [He] say, "Yo' take it from de heel. Take it up an' put in a piece of papah an' ca it tuh a ants nest. "'- Now dis is a diff'ren' story. "yo' see how de ants, " he says, "work all day. Yo've seen dat. See, dey be totin' it in but dey don't tote it out. When dey come out, dey come out aftah ca'in' it through [the hole]." Jis' lak dose ants wit'in dey nest, he don't nevah tote out, he totes in. He says, "Yo' take dis woman's track an' rake it from de back of 'er heel, de left foot, an' ca' it tuh a ants nest. Go till yo' find a ants nest, totin' in an' out, ' [he] says, "if yo' have tuh wait till de summah. If yo' cain't run tuh de south, '' say, "yo' wait till den [warmer weather] an' dey ants totin' in."
[Down the coast from Maryland the "south" was always farther south - author.]
An' he say, "Yo' jis' stan' up dere where yo' see all dem red antses totin' dat dirt intuh de hole, an' yo' has it in a papah or hans'cuff an' jes' sprinkle it down, In de Name of de Fathah, an' de Holy Ghost, whut do yo' want wit mah mam? An' ah want mah man fo' ah need mah man mahself. An' jis' drop it dere an sprinkle it." An' de ants will come pick up dis dirt whut ah bring from anothah place an' dey goin' tote it in dere. An' dat's jis' how she'll tramp [become a tramp, a wanderer]. When ah sprinkle it down dere an' dey tote it, she'll have tuh leave dis town. If yo' wanta git rid of 'er, yo' jis' carry it tuh a ants nest an' yo'll be rid of de woman. He say, "De man goin' stay 'cuz yo's sleepin' on 'is dirt undahhaid [under your head]. But de woman will have tuh leave town. She will leave de town an won't even know how she leave.
(Well, did you do that, then?)
DID AH DO IT? AH'VE GOT 'IM BUT AH AIN'T GOIN' STOLE [STEAL] HIM. AH AIN'T RUN 'ER YET, BECUZ IT AIN'T BEEN BUT A COUPLE OF MONTHS BACK. WELL, YO' KNOW, IT'S WINTAHTIME AN' DE ANTSES AIN'T TOTIN' IN TOO MUCH DIRT. IT'S WINTAH. But ah tried it 'bout puttin' de pins intuh him [his foot tracks]. BUT AH KNOW ONE THING, HE'S QUIT [HER]. BUT AH'LL BE DOGGED IF AH AIN'T GOT 'IM. IF SHE SEE HIM, SHE SEE HIM ON DE FLY, 'CUZ SHE SHORE WON'T KETCH 'IM REG'LAH.
(Well, are you waiting now until the ants come out before you run her?)
AH'M GONA "RUN' 'ER THOUGH. AH'M JES' AS GOOD TUH RUN ER AS AH'M SETTIN' IN DIS CHAIR. She go tuh work evah day right by mah house. All ah gotta do - ah'm gonna grab 'er left-feeted track an' ah'm gona git me a ants nest. She's de onliest one give me trouble wit mah man, an' soon as ah git dat she WOn't give me nO trouble. JIS' AS FUR NO'TH AS AH WANT 'ER TUH GO, SHE GOIN'. AH'M GONA NAME DE CITY WHEN AH'M DROPPIN' DE DIRT AN' WE SEE HOW FUR SHE'LL GO. [This woman had a good story but she hopped around the room and kept repeating and repeating.]
Entry 9812
Use de pins an' needles. Yo' kin use it fo' nine points or eighteen points. Dat's tuh make love an' tuh hold a person.
(How do they do that?)
Well, yo' kin take yo' a bran'-new nine. Ah'm goin' use nine points. It's accordin' tuh how many points. It runs from nine tuh eighteen points. If yo' goin' tuh nine points, yo' kin git chew nine bran'-new needles dat nevah been used. An' yo' git chew nine bran'-new pins dat nevah been used, an' yo' take a piece of clot' [any kind of cloth] lak dis [demonstrates] an' yo' run one needle dat way an' run one dis way, see [demonstrates]. (You altermate them.) Yes, but when yo' put a needle, yo' put a pin; yo' put a needle an' yo' put a pin. Dat's de way yo' do. [You altemate needles and pins which are alternated heads and tails.] An' den yo' wrap dat up - jes' wrap it up good an' tight lak dat - an' yo' kin put dat somewhere; seal [conceal] dat undah each [anyl side of de house. See. An' yo' kin control dose people by dat needle. Now if dey seems tuh be cold towards yuh an' yo' wan' dem tuh be friendly tuh yo', yo' go tuh dose needles an' pick 'em up an' jes' turn 'em aroun'.- reverse dem. If yo' got 'em layin' dis way [demonstrates] jes' take dis end an' turn it back heah. Jest reverse it. Any time dat anything oc- curs wit chew an' dat party, why yo' jes' reverse dose needles an' dat'll keep 'em right tuh yo'. Evah time yo' reverse it, dat brings dere mind tuh yo', see. An' yo' use dem [the needles or the person or both] dat way.
Entry 9846
(What's that?) Take nine needles... [I interrupt.] (You take nine needles.) Put 'em in a cross [form] - see, right across dataway; jis' dataway, see. An' put 'em intuh a bag of red flannel an' keep it 'nointed; good perfume, not de cheap, yo' umdahstan'. Put it intuh a bag an' put anothah bag aroun' dit. An' keep it 'nointed wit incense in dat red-flannel bag. [This red-flannel bag here represents the heart. Small needles can be placed head to tail or point, a symbolical crossing; or actually cross them through material in the bag. For this type of hand or mojah, see No.2163, p.621, vol.1 and elsewhere.]
Entry 9850
Take de needles an' dey cross 'im lak dat.
(How many do you take?)
Twelve. Cross 'em lak dat. An' den dey takes dat piece of red flannen an' dey put it aroun' dem an' den dey dresses dat. Yo' see yo' gotta have one of dose needles points jis' lak dat [demonstrates], one dat way, an' one dis way - flannen aroun' dem. Yo' have 'em all de points out an' de haids out, de same way. (How do you dress that?) Well, yo' use Love Powdah, Hearts Cologne an' dis heah Cashmere Boquet; dose three things whut chew dress it wit. (Well, what did you make this thing for?) Well, yo' kin - jis' eithah way; if yo' wanta make a woman love yo', or wanta make it tuh make a woman stay away from yuh.
(Well, how would you use it if you wanted her to love you?)
Well, yo' puts eight of dem points one way an' fo' de othah way. An' den yo' take dat an' weah it right nex' tuh yore skin, right on yuh heart. But chew can't let nobody put dere han's on it. [Here is one of the fundamental laws of hoodoo, never let anyone touch your hand; its power for you will disappear.]
(And then if you don't want her, do you do something else with it?)
Yes sir, yo' change 'em. Instead of havin' fo' one way, yo'll have five one way an' seven de othah way.
(Then what do you do with that?)
Well, dat's fo' huh tuh stay away from yuh.
(Where will you wear that, then?)
When yo' wan' dem tuh stay away from yo'? Well, yo' weah it right in yub chest here, right in de middle of yuh chest. If yo' [want] her tuh love yuh, yuh weah it right ovah yore heart.
Entry 9860
An' yo' take dat same frog an' yo' tie 'im tuh a lightwood [pine] splintah of a tree struck wit de lightenin'. Yo' git a splintah, a fat splintah [pine splinter filled with pitch] an' yo' git chew some black thread - black silk thread - an' yo' tie dat frog aroun' dat. Yo' don't kill 'im. Aroun' dat splintah. An' yo' buries dis frog tuh de do' [of] de girl [you] is tryin' tuh make or marry an' yo'll soon marry dis girl, or yo' an' 'er will be sweethearts an' stay tuhgethah - live tuhgethah. [The splinter here is not the ordinary small sliver that runs into your finger; it can be large enough to hold a frog and much larger, a stick of wood to burn in the stove. This splinter should come from the actual wood split by lightning, not from any other part of the tree.]
Entry 9872
Now yo' kin cure disease wit a frog an' yo' kin make love wit a frog.
(How do you make love with a frog?)
Well, now yo' kin take dat frog an' cut dat frog open an' it's a li'l stone, a li'l rock, a li'l stone-lak dat's in dat frog. An' yo' kin take dat li'l stone an' any woman dat chew wanta git up tuh 'er dat yo' cain't git tuh, yo' wanta git up tuh 'er, yo' jis' take an' yo' have dat stone in yore hand - anywhere dat yo' could touch 'er. Yo' could shake hands wit 'er, er anywhere yo' kin touch 'er wit dat stone in yore han'. Yo' got 'er yore way. [Informant does not know that this stone-lak is supposed to come from a toad, not a frog: The foul Toad hath a fair stone in his head, from John Lyly, Euphues, p.53, (1579); an old belief made immortal by Shakespeare in As You Like It: Sweet are the uses of adversity, Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, Wears yet a precious jewel in his head. Act ii, sc.1, L.12. (1599).]
Entry 9900
Yo' git a frog, a toadfrog, an' yo' put 'im in a can. Yo' put some holes in de can an' yo' put 'im ovah a red ants nest, an' let de ants eat de frog. An' when de ants through wit it, yo' go dere an' gits de skeleton of de frog, an' yo'll find a bone in dere, in dis skeleton dat looks lak a fish- bone - a wishbone. [There is no bone in a frog or toad looking like the wishbone in a chicken.] An' yo' takes dis bone an' go out talk- in' wit de girl dat chure tryin' tuh git. If yo' kin hang it in 'er clothes jes' fo' two seconds, why she'll be crazy about chew. An' de only way tuh git unsundah [asunder] from 'er is take dat same bone from anothah frog, an' make a tea an' put some of de watah in sompin lak a bottle of soda watah [a sweet carbonated water of various flavors] or sompin lak dat - nine drop of dis. Den she'll git chew off 'er mind. Othah den dat, she'll stay wit chew.
(That is all she can do to get rid of that.)
Dat's all yo' kin do tuh git rid of dat girl.
(Oh! if you want to get rid of her.)
Yes, if yo' wanta keep 'er, why don't make de tea. (If you want to get rid of her, you get another frog and take it out to the ants bed.) Dat's it.
Entry 9948
Dey take dat ole toad- frog an' stew 'im up, take 'im an' stew 'im up. An' yo' know de people dat is dirty. Dey take dat"ole toad- frog an' stew 'in up an' put 'im intuh sompin tuh eat, what chew eat, but chew won't know anything about it. Ah have had 'em do dat tuh me, yes sir. Dey take dat ole toadfrog, yo' know, an' skin 'im an' dry 'im, an' mix it wit somepin tuh eat what dey cooks. Ah reckon dey done me dat way. An' yo' know when dey stew 'em - it lak stew, jes' lak dat - yo' take a ole bullfrog, ole long bullfrog, yo' know, an' skin 'im. He looks lak a chicken [after he is skinned]. Well, dey take de ole othah toadfrog an' stew 'im up. Cook 'im right along wit somepin tuh eat. An' yo'll take it all right. Yo' go dere an' eat at night. Den when yo' come in dat nex' day look lak yo' gonna jes' go fer 'er an' eat 'er up - jes' lak yo' wanta eat 'er up. Make yo' crazy about 'er.
Entry 9966
Ah hear'd dat if - jis' lak if a man wants tuh be a swift gamblah, an' he wanted tuh be lucky in 'is gamblin', dat he'd ketch a toadfrog an' he'd cut 'is hin' guartah off - 'is left [hind] quartah - an' put it in 'is pocket. De longah yo' tote dis heah hin' quartah, dey say yo'd be lucky in gamblin'. An' den if yo' evah lose yore luck, why yo'd lose yore love. [The preceding folk- lore or hoodoo penalty was and still is new to me, uhich may be the reason why I failed to ask an obvious question. What do you Dean by love? Would you lose your lover or sexual potency? Could these final words be a proverbial saying?]
Entry 9967
Yo' kin take a frog an' put 'im in yuh pocket alive an' yo' kin go tuh a skin game an' yo' kin win all night long. Yo' kin keep dat frog, put 'im in a papah sack an' keep 'im till he dies, continue tuh keep 'im, an' yo' kin make any woman in de world do jes' lak yo' wan' 'em. (How do you do that?) Wal, yo' jes' keep dat frog - yo' see, yo' ketch 'im when he's live an' yo' gamble by 'im. An' den, if yo' keep 'im until he dies an' jes' put yuh hand on dat - he'll dry up tuh a powdah. He ain't nuthin but a powdah. Ah know yo've seen 'em layin' out in de road some- vberes daid. An' yo' kin jes' put yuh hand on 'em an' jes' lay it [hand] up on a woman, on 'er haid or face, anywhere, an' yo' can't run away from 'er. She'll do anythin' in de world dat yo' say.
Entry 10040
De way ah've heard it, yo' ketch chew a black cat. It must be black cat an' when yo' ketch dat cat, yo' take it to de fo'ks of de road at twelve a'clock. Have yore watah hot. Don't kill 'im. Dive 'im in dat pot of hot watah an' shet it up, an' let 'im cook till hit cook de meat off 'is bones. Den yo' take all dose bones an' taken 'em down tuh de runnin' stream, de stream goin' dis way [demonstrates]. Dat's down, backwards is upwards. An' yo' po' dem bones intuh dat runnin' stream one at de time. An' de bone dat goes back up de stream, dat's de lucky bone an' yo' git dat.
(What do you do with that bone?)
Well, dey tell me yo' kin take dat bone an' tote it in yore pocket an' it brings good luck in love affairs, gamblin' an' sech lak as dat.
[While machine turned off informant says something about disappearing.]
(Use that same bone you say?)
Yes sir, yo' put it in yore mouth an' it makes yo' invisible, people can't see yo'.
Entry 10619
Well, if yo' have a person tuh leave yo' an' yo' wanta bring dem back- yo' loves dem. Yo' loved ones gits scattahed off an' yo' wanta bring 'em back tuh yo'. Dere's two roots grows in de woods, ah'm tellin' yo' truth, dey has two leaves. We calls 'em Eve-and-Adam an' de roots of dem roots is got two little knots about little bigger den a coffee bean - two little knots. One of 'em is a woman an' one is a man. Yo' take 'em an' dry 'em on a stove. Put 'em on a stove an' dry 'em dere stiff an' spongy - spongy like a sponge. But chew cut 'em up when dey gits dry an' make a softa powdah outa dem - a soft powdah. If dat woman drinks coffee, tea, or anything dat she drinks, well yo' kin jes' sprinkle jes' a little bit in de bottom of de cup an' den pour on it. Pour a drink in an' den she drink dat she'll be crazy 'bout chew. Ah believe dat's de truth. Ah'm halfway telling yo' by experience. [St. Petersburg, Fla., (1008). 1630:3.]
Entry 10622
Use Hearts Cologne on Adam-an'-Eve. They git a pair, which is Adam- an'-Eve an' 'noint it with this Hearts Cologne perfume. That is to draw the Woman friend to them in love. (What would they do after they anoint those roots? What would they do with those roots?) They keep those roots into a jar or either a bottle, an' they take this per- fume whut they roots is soakin' in an' 'noint themselves.
(That is to help them [women] get a man?)
Yes.
Entry 10629
Take Eve-an'-Adam root an' Queen Elizabeth root an' five-finger grass an' bind dem together an' put on [them] whiskey, an' let it soak fo' seven days to abstract dere pow- ers. An' yo' take yore- self: yo' bathe yore body, anoint yore body [with this concotion] an' dey say dat will bring back love an' luck to yore lose ones, put man an' wife back together.
Entry 10658
Go to a big ants bed an git nine antses an' put 'em in some likker, an' let 'em 'solve [dissolve] in dat likker, an' give it to a man an' he'll stay vid chew an' give yo' all his money.
Entry 10667
Well, for instance, there is two parties together, like you would have a daughter and her husband and the husband and her didn't look like they were getting along well, and you want them to be together. You get a delicious apple and you will sign his name at the bottom and her name on top on parchment paper.[Core the apple.] You fill that apple full of granulated sugar. You fill that apple full of syrup or honey. The sweeter it is the better it is. You get you some holy water, you put that fern down in that apple after you hull it out. You see, hull the delicious apple out. You put that fern down in there. And then after that you pour the holy water on top that water in that flower pot. Now, as that fern grow, their love grow. Well, that fern, that put them together after signing their name to it, you see. Take a delicious apple, hull it out well, take the fern and put down in there, in the hollow apple. After putting it in the hollow apple, then you git you granulated sugar, pour it down in there, then you put your syrup, here come de holy water, then the dirt back on the fern, you see. You see no apple at all, it is at the bottom. Well, if the fern grow, their love grow; they get along like two birds in one nest. (They put the hollowed-out apple in the flower pot, and the names on, they put that there too. That brings this man and woman together.)
Entry 10668
(How do you use an apple or orange?) An apple is to create love. (How do you do that?) Taking an apple, a delicious apple, hulling it out; taking any kind of fern and putting down into the bottom of that apple.
(The plant, the fern - f-e-r-n?)
Absolutely, putting it down in the apple and getting some honey - making it as sweet as possible - granulated sugar, holy water from the Catholic Church, pouring down in that, pressing the flowerpot up with mud, putting the individual name there that you want into that apple and as the fern grow, as the love grow.
(I see.)
Entry 10709
De cedar tree an' de leaf from a Bible, an' jes' carry it with yo' an'.... Yo' git dose strips from a cedar tree an' de leaf from a Bible an' [leaf from] a fig tree, an' dat will make a person follow yo', when yo' in love with 'em.
Entry 10716
Dey says takin' a bird nest. Now, dat's somethin', de same thing of love, of married life. Like if yo' wanted a girl, yo' know, an' she doesn't seem tuh care anythin' fo' yo', yo' jes' take de bird nest down an' yo' take, taht if yo' kin git anything of hers, an' put it in dere, an' put it in dis nest, an' sew it up in a piece of new homespun an' yo' wear it yourself yo' see. An' den yo' take de perfume an' put on dat an' jes' yo' know, lak yo' be round her an' yo' know how like girls will be round yo', an' put dere ban's in yore pocket yo' know, an' take de han'kerchief out. Yo' may grab it, but see, she git de scent of dat. Dat'll change her mind an' she do jes' lak yo' wanted her do.
(You put this bird's nest into the handkerchief?)
In de han'kerchief. An' yo' puts dis Hearts Perfume. Jes' don't take nuthin out de bird nest. Jes' take de whole nest right up an' puts it in dis lil' piece of homespun. Den yo' put it in a han'kerchief 'cause yo' want it on it fo' nine mawnin's with dis Hearts Perfume in it. See, when yo' put it in dere, yo' more den apt tuh put it in yore pocket, yo' see. Well, when yo' put dis han'kerchief in yore pocket, dey more den apt tuh grab it. When dey grab, yo' know, yo' goin' have somethin' in dere, but yo' won't have it in de han'kerchief so dey can't shake it out. Well, whenevah she git de scent of dat, why it won't be long 'fore she goin' follow yo'. Well, dat's nuthin but jes' tuh make love.
Entry 10740
Yes, ah knowed a young man 'cause he wuz goin' with me. His name wuz Joe. He wuz married to her but he didn't love her. He tole me he didn't. An' afterward [after his wife fed him these things] he said he loved her a lot bettah. An' he did have her, 'cause she fed him all de time offa dat - de periods. An' he caught her at it an' he tole me of it. An' he said dat he learned tuh hate her; yo' know, couldn't have no love fo' her.
Entry 10895
He cat hair, she dog hair, make man and woman love each other; tie them [their] hairs together, put urine and Hearts Cologne on, wrap in red flannel, wrap to you. At each wrap, wish. Wrap 9 times. At each wrap wish: "I'm tying my head and your heart together etc." Choose light or dark shade of Hearts Cologne [here Hearts Powder, box with hearts on outside and several shades mentioned] as near color of person [man] as possible.
Entry 10967
Take the aig and boil it.
(What kind of an egg?)
Hen aig. And take the yellow out of it, de yellow core out of it, and take de white and - take de shell of hit and you wrap it up in somepin. Put it up under his head, under de mattress up where he sleep - under his head. (What will that do?) Make him be honest and loving, leave other women alone. (I see. Well, now do you put this yellow and the white together, or separately or what?) Take de yellow out of it, de yellow ain't no good - jest use de white.
(Oh, I see. And you put this white - what do you put it in?)
Jest wrap it up in somepin like a cloth, and put it under de mattress - up in under his haid. [White of chicken egg - cooked or raw, especially the latter- is a symbol for human semen: see rites under IMPOTENCE.]
Entry 11040
Jist take de skin outa duh gizzard an' let it dry, an' den jest smash it up in yore han' an' make a powder out of it, an' sprinkle some in yore sweet- heart's hair - right up dere.
(What will that do?)
Make her love you.
Entry 11162
An' a little devil's-shoestring, yo' wear it or carry it on yore person, an' dey say yo'll have luck in gambling - most any games dat chew go to. And it brings love also.
Entry 11206
Yo've heard tell of yo' takin' a dirt dauber, taking de nest out de house an' mix it up. Sift it in yore meal or flour whatsomevah yo do, an' cook it in yore bread, an' dat'll make yo' ole man love yo'.
(Make him love you.)
Entry 11251
It's a woman heah from Florida an' she claim dat she kin do all dese things, yo' know. An' she say if yo' be goin' with a man an' he don' love yo', say she kin make this man love yo'; an' said she'll fix it so dat chew kin git every penny he makes.
Entry 11337
Well, yo' take now fo' love - yo' know whut dese little ole hoot owls is, yo' know. No, ah mean dese little morning [mourning] doves. (Mourning doves that coo-coo like that?) Yes. Well, see a person kin go out, chew know, an' kill one of dem an' cut de tongue from under his mouth, an' place it under yore tongue in yore mouth an' kiss a girl, an' it'll be hard fo' yo' to git rid of her. She'll come to be in love with yo' an' yo' couldn't git rid of her.
Entry 11340
Dere's a love powder yo' kin make, too. It's made from a dove, a turtledove. Yo' git dis turtledove an' put him in de oven an' jes' bake him dere until he dry. An' yo' make a powder an' sprinkle dis powder, a teaspoonful of powder into a cup of wine, an' dat will draw de love.
(Of the person that drinks it?)
Yes.
Entry 11376
If yo' wanta git a girl tuh love yo', yo' take her undah a fig tree an' [they] say, yo' take her dere fo' as many times as twelve, an' dey say, if yo' git her tuh go with yo' twelve times, say she'll love yo' - aftah yo' taken her dis twelfth time say she will love yo'. Jes' take her down dere an' talk with her under de fig bush.
Entry 11377
Yo' know, during when de figs is green, dey have a little white sompin dat chew kin mash up. An', if yo's in love - lovin' someone an' she wus treatin' yo' so jes' like yo' wanted tuh git out, quit lovin' her or sompin - dey claim yo' take two of dose figs an' squeeze. Don't git de seeds, jes' git all dat milk out an drink it with yore milk an' all, an' along - along gradually she'll come to leave yore mind. Jes' like yo' have yore mind set on somepin, yo' can't think of any- thing else but dat. An' dey claim dat dat'll settle it. Dat's whut ah hear de ole people say. Ah've nevah tried it.
Entry 11639
You take the fish, you take the front part of his mouth and let it dry - dry good, perfect. And then maybe when yo're [yo'll?] be goin', it will come apt to be some kind of a rain, or somepin other like that. Then if you kin get [it] into the water where the woman drinks, uhen you [she] will come to love you too. The front part of his mouth, you know, iis' take the front part, that ring around his mouth. [Probably demonstrates by ruing a finger around the mouth.]
(Part of the upper and lower jaw there.)
Yea, that whole thing - jis' like that. And take it out, and then you let that dry. You put that away and let that dry. Then [put it into] the water that a woman drinks. Then you make wishes over that, you understand. Or any- thing that she drinks or eats, why then you use that fish mouth over that. Then she will come to love, too.
Entry 11640
Well, it's a powder dey makes. Yo' buy some of it outa de drug store - love powder. Dey call it love powder. An' den yo' git so much of dis same Hearts Cologne an' yo' gits three fishhooks. An' yo' put it together an' yo' rub it - rub it right close to dat powder until settle. After yo' put dat Hearts Cologne in dere, it sit an' it git dry. An' dey put it together an' den yo' sprinkle it. An' if yo' want de person to love yo', [he'll love you]; if yo' want 'im to hate chew, he'll hate chew.
Entry 11846
Dey takes a strand of your hair an' tie it in nine knots. Den dey vill have you just like dey wanta, anything dat dey want you to do. And dey got chure hair, such as [both places] or love lettahs, why you'll be behold [usually beholden] to dem. See, 'cause dey got dat hair down in dat perfume and it's stopped up [in a bottle]. You more den apt to [give in] to dem right away.
Entry 12129
If you don' want her no mo', after she come back to yuh [she have left you] - if yo' don' wan' her no mo', so's [= so as] yo' kin [get] control [of] yo'self - [you] kin git dis bow heah [he points to my hat with micro- phone on interviewing table] out de hat. A-tall [at all = whatever you do] don' chew take it [out]. Yo' tell her, say, "Ah wanta see dis bow heah, " lak dat. Say yo' wanta see dis bow. An' lak yo' wanta see de bow, yo' put de bow in your han'. An' when she put de bow in yore han' [after she remove it from the hat], yo' goes right to a white- folks graveyard - or a colored-folks graveyard - an' git a han'fula dirt lak dat. Don' git it from somebody [who] was buried dere yesterday [or] lak day 'fore dat. Lemme show yo' now. [Informant demonstrates on the floor of the interviewing room.] Yo' kin pick up de dirt lak dat. Quick! Don' let nobody see yo' pick it up. An' put it anywhere in yuh pocket. Ain't gotta put it in no papah. All right. Den yo' come back [home]. Yo' take dat bow an' yo' set an' yo' sprinkle it [with the graveyard dirt]. Understand?[He sprinkles graveyard dirt on a hat bow her hand had touched.] If she got a $1000, she'll pay yuh to make her husband take her back. But yet, he don' want huh, don' want huh no mo'.
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 12361
Now, this othah person, she got whut chew call love powder. Had it prepared by 1 medium. An' she put that in his food to keep him regularly, all de time.
[New Orleans 2859:1.]
Entry 12362
Dere.danger to yo' head all de time. Yo' take a man's hat, yo' under- stand, an' yo' go to de drug store an' git what chew call sulphur of potash, something like a powder and it's called love powder. That's the name fer it Love Powder. Sprinkle dat in de hat, in de lining. Or if he goes with yo' and yo' kin get near to him, sprinkle it in any piece of his clothes. Dat means dat yo' can't stay away, yo' will come back.
Entry 12363
Now, ah tell yo' if a pusson git holta [hold of] yore hair. Dey kin [git] yore hair and dey kin take dat piece of hair maybe and wrap it up tight. Sew it up inna piece of cloth, use some oil on it, pin it down - jis' like yo' love a pusson an' yo' wanna make a pusson love yo', yo' see. Yo' git dat piece a hair an' yo' gits some dis powdah yo' calls love powdah. Yo' take dat love powdah an' yo' puts dat piece a hair an' dat love powdah in de clot', an' yo' sew it up tight an' yo' use cologne - a certain kin'a high-class cologne yo' use on it. An' evah day yo' gotta fed [feed] it [this hand] dat. Evah da' po' a lil' dat cologne on. Pin it right to yo' side; an' why yo' kin git dat pusson. Yo' want 'em.[ Charles- ton, S. Car., (?), 643:1.]
Entry 12364
Yeah, you can get some love powder and you can put that on you, and after you get the love powder put on you, they got some kind of oil: say, I think they calls it coconut oil, an' coconut butter, and witch hazel, and Van-Van. See, you put all them four diff'- ren' - it together. An' they say, when you get most to the place, you have it in your pocket, and you put red pepper with it. So when you get most there, see, you rub your hand with it like that. But don't let 'em see it on you. See, after you rubbing your hand with it like that, see, the bossman, he can't tell you "no." He got to give you something to do.
(I see.)
Entry 12365
A little powder, they call it a love sashay. They say you kin take it with you. You take an' tie it in your handkerchief, an' when you go down to git the job, they say you jis' shake your handker- chief [and you will get a job].
Entry 12366
Well, dey have a powder dat dey call love powder. It's made up of essence of roses - some flavor of roses, an' dey mix dis up. It has a very sweet odor an' in going out time an' ag'in, dey put dis powder, dis love powder in 'em, in dere handker- chiefs an' anything dey powder dere faces with. Dey claim when dey come in con- tact with men dat are talking, dey claim it makes dese men crazy to go where dey are.
Entry 12373
Hit's in de country though, whut ah did. Hit's a weed in de country, yo' call de love tangler. [Is this a dodder?]
(What does it look like?)
It's jes' - it's a bush dat grows flat chew know, an' it jes' tangles all up yo' know - jes' lak yo' cain't see where de root of it. It jes' tangled an' twisted all up. (Is it a flower? Does it have any bloom on it?) No, it don't have no bloom. It's jes' a pretty green glat weed dat be's tangled up. An' yo' dig up some of that - yo' jes' dig up one bush of that an' carry it an' throw it under de per- son's house whut's devilin' yo' up wit chure husband.
(What will that do?)
Dat puts yo' all back together an' breaks him an' dis woman up. Dat's whut ah did fo' mah sister.
Entry 12407
If yo' take mat- ches an' take an' cut de haids of 'em off, an' put 'em in your husban's clothes, say dat will make him love yo'. Jes' cut de haids of de matches off an' 'solve [dissolve] 'em yo' see, an' take de watah off of dem an' cook his food with it. That will make him love yo'.
(Well, how do you mean make him love you?)
Jes' take, lak if he didn't ca' fo' terbacca [tobacco] wus runnin' roun' an' wouldn't stay home, den yo' could take dose matches an' take de sulphur out of 'em an' make him stay home.
Entry 12462
If you want a woman, there's two or three ways that you can bring people to you. Just - the question you've asked me - there's two or three ways that you can do these things. It's always worked on the dark of the moon. See, just like if you want to do good, you do it on the new moon - of course, it be on the new moon and on the Balance. And if you want to do bad to them, you do that on the dark of the moon, work under the signs, the twelve signs. See.
(The twelve signs of the zodiac?)
Yes. See, just like if you want to make love or friendship, you set candles on a person that get the tendence[?] the two little Twins, at least. See. And if you want to do earth work, say, if you want to bury anything, you do that on the Balance. If you want to use any water from any river or anything, you use that on the Balance [surely the Waterman]. Just like if I want to break up a man and a woman. She done left me and I want her to come back to me. Well, I takes a linen sheet and I has it on the bed, after I done set my work[?] for her to come there, and I get morris [myrrh], aloes and cinnamon. [Preceding vord tendance = attention?]
(This myrrh, and what else?)
Aloes and cinnamon.
(Cinnamon?)
Yes, mixed in together. And I makes a powder and perfumes my bed with that. And she come there and [lay on] my bed, I ain't got to worry about her no more. See. She ain't going nowhere.
(She is going to stay right with you?)
Yes.
Entry 12732
I have heard of a fellow getting a 'coon [racoon] and taking his privates and wrapping it up in a bag, and keep that in his pocket, and he would go and take the private advantage of a woman. [Hampton, Va., by Ediphone.]
Entry 13224
Ah've heard of 'em taking sugar an' de spit from dere mouth, jes' lak de spit from mah mouth, an' take sugah an' mix it into a biscuit with buttah, an' put it undah yore arm an' wear it undah dere. At meal- time an' give it to a man, an' dat man will always love yo'. He'll give yo' 中 every penny he kin make, but chew gotta keep it up.
Entry 13309
Use de thresher [thrasher] feet.
(The feet from a thrasher, the bird. What do you do with those?)
Yo' take an' put that in a bottle. Yo' bottle dat wit chure hair, an' put milk in it, an' yo' put love powders in dere, an' put sulphur in it, an' put red peppah in it, an' yo' work it up airtight, an' dat'll do de work den. Dat will run 'em away. (What do you do with that bottle?) Yo' take dat bottle an' put it in de no'th or de east corner of de garden. Yeah, dat'll make him leave, or if yo' wanta run him crazy, that will run him away.
Entry 13345
For love, I'll tell you w'a' you kin do. You kin take a piece of yellah homespun, split it, take it now. Well, take your chamber lye, dat you use over dat night.- make over dat night. You take dat an' heat it in a little pan. Take dis piece of homespun, wipe it under your left- foot bottom. Wipe it under your right [-foot bottom] with dis piece of homespun. An' den, after you do dat, you take it an' wipe it under dis [demonstrates the left] arm, an' wipe it under this [demonstrates right] arm. After you do dat, you wipe down dere [at pubic region]. After you do dat, why you take a little bottle about dat long [shows a little finger] a little vial. An' push dat homespun, put it down in dere. Take dis water [urine] w'ere [what] you heat, pour it into dere. An' take nine pinch of love powder, nine drops of Heart Colognes [Hearts Cologne] an' nine pinch of spice. Why you kin put dat in dere, into dis bottle, an' stop it up tight. And any time you wan'a, it'll make you come. Put dat in some applesauce, peas, or anything, nine drops every time, an' he'll give you jis' w'a' choo want an' love you.
Entry 13350
All right, he wanta pee. Ah let him come on it, heah's a bucket. Well, ah [woman] give him a bucket tuh pee in. Maybe ah ain't got no slop jar an' ah give him a bucket tuh pee in. Well, ah ain't goin' pee in dat dere. [This is a fre- quent statement in these rites, urine on top of another urine destroys the power of first urine. Similarly spit into urine kills latter's potency.] Ah take his watah an' po' it in a bottle an' ah keep it fo' nine mawnin's. Maybe ah'll bury it, understan'. He done comin' back. If ah love him, he comin' back.
Entry 13372
Take de hickory tree bark an' beat it up right fine until it come tuh dust - beat it right fine. Beat it up right fine, jes' keep abeatin' it up right fine an' turn roun' an' pee LOVE on dat bark. See. Let dat pee dry on dat bark. See. An' den take some Heart Perfume [red hearts on label] an' put on dat bark an' give it ouh a person. Dey'll always love 'em.
(How do you give them that bark?)
Well, yo' see, yo' take de bark an' yo' beat 'em up, see. Yo' beat de bark up. Now listen an' ah show yo'. Yo' beat de bark up good intuh a dust. All right, yo' take a lil' dat dust, if yo' got some chewin' gum. See. Yo' kin take an' put it on dat chewin' gum an' seal back in de packet right good an' nice, an' say, "Have one." Well, see, she go tuh eatin' dat, see. She eatin' dat bark an' dat pee, dat yo' got mixed up dere an' she always love yo'.
Entry 937
This is one about a woman being tricked on account of another woman's husband. There was a married couple that had lived together happily for five years. Finally, they had a roomer come into the house, a girl about eighteen years old. She fell very much in love with the woman's husband, so much so that it caused a lot of trouble. This woman that was the wife went to see a cunjure woman and had this boarder tricked. She put her in a sleeping form and she slept for seven days and could not be awaked from that condition. So a hoodoo doctor was sent for in order that the spell might be removed. At the end of every seven days this woman would go into this sleeping spell and have to have the hoodoo doctor to remove it. Finally, one day she became very very sick, her stomach was swollen very badly. She began to vomit. Suddenly there were about a dozen live rats appear having come from the woman's stomach. Finally, the woman said, "If you promise to leave my husband alone, I'll have the spell removed." She had the spell removed. That happened several years ago down at Ladysmith, Virginia.
Entry 1047
Dere was once a young lady she was very much in love - ah mean she wasn't so very much in love with the young man she was going with but she loved him, yo' know, the kind of love that chew kin break off when yo' git ready for it. But immediately de young man gave her a Christmas present which was a watch, and immediately after she received the watch - about a couple of weeks, she fell madly in love with the young fellah. Well, she quit him one while [had quit him once] and was going with another young man, and de young man dat she was going with before immediately broke off from her but she didn't know the reason why. Well, she went to a palmist and de palmist tole her that the person that gave her de watch had de watch dressed and that as long as she'd wear the watch, she would be madly in love with him. [There is an interruption here - probably a knock on the door. Before turning on machine again I evidently ask, "White or colored?"] A colored palmist.
(All right, go ahead.)
This colored palmist told her that he could fix this watch in such a manner that she would throw off de love she had fo' dis young fellah. And so he did. Ah don't know definitely whut he [palmist] done to de watch but he did fix it so.
Entry 1614
Whenevah yo' think that you have got the wrong thing inside of yo', see, fo' three mornin's yo' take three swallows of yore own urine.
(Your own chamber lye.)
Yes, take three swallows for three mornin's - see, dat's nine swallows of it.
(What will that do for me?)
Well, that will take all the infection out.
(If anybody has put anything in you.)
If anyone has give yo' anything to make yo' love them, don't chew know, an' yo' don't wanta love them, yo' take this yo' see an' that will kill it out. Dere won't be no mo' tuh dat.
Entry 1751
(The women do what?)
They take it an' swallow it.
(This little bow?)
Dis little bow outa de [man's] hat.
(What do they do that for?)
Jes' so that yo'd love them.
Entry 2074
This love powder, just love powder, you have to put it in food to give a person to eat it. That makes them in a length of time the more they give 'em the more stronger the love gets. See. And if you don't check off it, they'll love you so sincerely they love to kill yuh; and you won't have nuthin like that to be done, because it's a wonderful thing [if used properly], but it's still and all [dangerous]. Now, if you Wanta fightin' powder - that fightin' powder will make you fight and always make you fight till you kill one another.
Entry 2075
I was lovin' a girl, she didn't seem to care so much about me, and I said, "Well, I'm goin' away." And she says, "Wha' chah gon'a leave for?" I say, "Because you don't care about me." I say, "Because I rather not be around joo." So I goes right on about my business, stayed away from her about five years. I was writin' to her all de same time. And so she fin'lly got to de place dat she didn't have no one to love her, she wrote me. And she went and got whut dey call dis love dust. She put it in de letter and wrote it to me. I read de letter and de more I read it de more I began to think of her. In a few days I pulled up and comes back to her.
Entry 2353
How dey use dereself - dey'll pull dey clothes off until dey git down to dere neckedness [nakedness], an' jes' lak dey have a pan of peas or a bowl of peas or somethin' an' de steam is comin' outa dat bowl, why den dey'll put dereselves right ovah dat bowl an' steam dereself in dat - in dat bowel. Den all dat filth dat comes outa her body will steam right in dat food. See, when de man eat dat, an' dat gits to his brain and dat makes him jes' attached to her. See, dat whut all dat underworld work [is] - dat [and] all stuff wit roots. See, dat'll git his mind attached right to her - dat stuff she puts in it, dat gits him den dat he can't do without her. [Waycross, Ga., (1120a), 1799:1.] [This underworld work - a favorite expression of my contact-man Edward - is not gangsters and crime syndicates; it is the material in this book.]
Entry 2401
He fall in love with this man's wife. Dey [the husband] couldn't get even in no other way - he was an old man, the man was a young man that taken his wife away. He dressed himself [prepared his body by conjuration]. When this man come, he'd rassle with him. He [the young man] never was no more 'count - he jis' come full of sores. [Princess Anne, Md., (128), 42:1.] [This subsection is concerned with methods for luck in business. Some of the hands in preceding subsection Hands could also be used for this purpose.]
Entry 2782
Red candle's fo' love, and green candle's mostly fo' money, and yellow candle's fo' affectionate of [affection in] the home, and white candle's fo' peace and harmony and also, jes' like if anybody be real sick de last time, dey burns a white candle and reads a piece in de Bible sometime.
(What about black candles?)
Black candles - people kill you with black candles.
Entry 3209
Ah said she could take some of yore [pubic] hair an' some of your come [semen], an' put it togethah an' wear it aroun' 'er wais', an' let it swing down 'tween 'er laigs an' dat make yo' love her.
Entry 3507
" If yo' wanta person tuh love yo', yo' kin git 'em. Yo' kin buy yo' a piece of white cloth [therefore it is new] an' jes' lak if yo' have a dat wit dis person, whenevah yo' git through wiping wit it, an' take it an' wear it. Tie it aroun' yore waist an' wear it. Dat'll make 'em love yo'. [The tying about waist is the one knot.]
Entry 4093
Take yore chamber lye an' make it up in bread, an' give it tuh a man or woman, anyone, tuh make 'em love yuh - do mos' anythin' yuh wan' 'em tuh do.
Entry 4096
She'll go tuh de sto' an' git a piece of candy, an' take dat candy an' rub it down dere, see; an' care [carry] dat candy an' give it tuh 'i. An' evah time he eat dat candy, why he'll love her mo' an' mo'.
Entry 4138
Old people say a woman kin take yore pichure - lak somebody love a woman an' take it out tuh de end of de fork of de road, an' jis' lak if she git- tin' in contact wit a man. Jis' lak if yo' had a wife an' yo' think plenty of 'er. She kin take yore pichure an' go dere in de mawnin' an' piss on dat on de fo'k of de road an' jis' press it [photo] by 'er urinate down dere. Dat will always keep yore mind - instead of yore mind bein' where de bed yo' belayin in, she could - quite natchal [natural] she kin mess, go tuh bed wit anothah man, co'se [intercourse] wit anothah man an' yo' won't say nuthin tuh 'er about it. Why? becuz she have done pissin' on dere an' took yore pichure an' she have put it in de fork rOad. DAT'S WHY DEY CALL IT DE FORK ROAD see. See, dat's a road lak yo' goin' disaway an' dataway. Quite natchal, if she go in de road, she go, she kin come out any road, but yore mind will still be in de same spot. DAT'S WHY DEY SAYS, DE FO'K OF DE ROAD.
Entry 4324
Ah heard of people's boin' a hole in a tree an' gittin' some of dere urine or some yore come [man's semen] - sompin lak dat - an' put dat in dere an' dat person would love 'em. Stop it up in a tree.
Entry 4563
Yuh make a person love yuh. A girl tole me dey take it outa dere an' sew it in 'er bloomah laig, an' dat will make him love yuh den.
(This little bow in the back of the hat?)
Yessuh.
Entry 4600
Take dat little bow out of a man's hat an' dress it wit Hearts German Cologne [sometimes called German Hearts Cologne]. Ah think dat's whut dey calls it, Hearts Cologne, an' Crabapple Cologne [3 colognes], an' pin it inside of 'er shirt, an' wear it in dere. An' he will always love 'er. [German Hearts Cologne is unusual, I re- calling only two or three instances of its use.]
Entry 4608
(That little bow.)
Jes' tie about three knots in it. Jes' tie three knots in it an' wear it round yore waist. Den dey cain't go wit nobody else but chew. [Wilson, N. Car.,
(1471).2652:22.]
Entry 4638
De way dey do de love, dey natchly [naturally], de man has sweated through de hat. Well anything dat he has sweated on, a woman kin take it an' wear it close tuh her privates. An' she sweat on it, mingled wit de sweat dat he sweat on it, an' keep dat close 'bout 'er on 'er person an' dat man should love.
(What else did she do with that bow?)
She could run 'im crazy wit dat bow, too, but I don't know jes' how dey run it.
Entry 4713
Jis' lak yuh got a woman an' yuh can't stay wit 'er, an' if yuh got any dey clothes whut dey wear. If yuh kin git holt of any of 'em, dat sweat place undah yore arm, yuh undahstan', cut it out. An' take an' put it [a piece of his armpit and any of her clothes] in a box, a little match box, an' keep it in dere fo' 'bout - maybe 'bout a week [7 days]. Aftah a week, go away, yuh could feel a change in 'er. See, aftah yuh keep it in yore Pocket. Yuh gotta keep it in yore pocket though, an' yuh take it an' wear. An' aftah while yuh an' 'er became to love.
Entry 4715
A guy cut a piece out of a woman's bloomahs, out de seat of it, an wear it on de left side [in armpit, see later] right down in his coat; an' wear it, an' nobody else couldn't be wit 'er but 'im. (You said before [while recording machine turned off] that he wore it under his left arm, didn't you?) Yessuh, den he wore it undah 'is lef' arm. An' nobody could be wit 'er but 'im.
Entry 4717
(Tell me something about that.)
Dat little pocket?
(No, the other.)
Whenevah he go tuh de sto' an' buy 'er somepin, well he jis' put it undah 'is lef' arm heah. Let it hang down ovah it lak dat, an' keep it undah dere. Don't let nobody take it out till he git tuh 'er. When he git tuh 'er, he give it tuh 'er lak dat an' she'll lak 'im. She'll always lak 'im, always be wit 'im.
(Well, what would he buy her for example?)
Jis' anything - jis' some candy or stockings or anything she weah, jis' any- thing.
(But he must keep it under his left arm.)
Keep it undah 'is lef' arm, yeah.
Entry 4820
(Do they speak of shirttail tea down here?)
Sho' do, shirttail tea.
(What is it?)
Well, take fo' instance, dey claim dat de woman, see, takin' 'er dirty undah- weah, see, an' washin' it an' ringin' it, yuh see, intuh de food dat's cooked fo' de individual, yuh see. An' he would git so dat he wouldn't wanta be wit nobody but 'er yo' see.
Entry 4977
If a girl wanted a man tuh love her, want 'im tuh come back if he go away, dey take an' git a pair of 'is socks an' sew 'im up in de bed mattress. An' dat make him love 'em an' come back home tuh 'er. Ah heard ole folk day dat.
Entry 5163
ALL SICH MESS LIKE DAT NOW WOULD CREATE LOVE. IT COME FROM DAT EX- PERIENCE BY WOMEN, yo' see. Dey'll git zhure shoe an' dey'll take de sole [in- sole] outa yore shoe. An' dey'll wear dat inside of heah nex' tuh 'em, inside uh dey bosom nex' tuh 'em. An' as long as she wears dat in dere nex' tuh 'em, yuh'll be in crave fo' her. She kin handle yuh anywheres she wanta. WHEN YUH MAKE YUH MONEY YUH'LL CARE [CARRY] IT TUH 'ER. Look like yuh'll give it tuh 'er freely. DAT'S [ALL DONE] BY DE SOLE OF YUH SHOE HEAH.
Entry 6439
Dat's tuh feed men or women, dope people tuh make dem care fo' yo'. Take dem an' parch 'em an' cook 'em. An' cook 'em an' put 'em intuh food an' dey cain't leave yo'.
(These fingernails and toenails.)
[After I had turned off recording machine, informant added feet.]
(Scrape their feet?)
Scrape dat all an' puts it in dere food. Dat's whut dat's done.
(Is that done with the fingernail [and toenail] or do you do that separately?)
Yo' do either one yo' wanta do [separately or together] see.
Entry 7227
Now, dat wus experience too, becuz ah had a lovah 'bout fifteen or ō' yeahs ago an' he went away, an' ah didn't know whut become of 'im. An' he always say if he evah went away he wus gon'a Write me. An' ah sure loved dis man. Ah wus young den, yo' see. An' when he went away ah didn't know where he wus. Ah seen 'is frien' an' he says he didn't know where he wus, he said, but he hear'd he wus gone tuh Chicago. An' ah said, "Whut in de world Frank wanta go 'way dere?" An' ah said, "Well, do yo' know anybody kin bring 'im back?' He says, "No, ah don't know enybody." 'Well, '' he say, "yo' kin go tuh Berkley [home of hoodoo doctors and fortunetellers]" he said, "but why don't chew learn some things yuhself?" Ah said, "Well, dere is nuthin ah kin learn. Dey do so much tuh me, ah'm always got tuh go tuh somebody tuh git cured mah- self." An' he say, "Well, ah tell yuh, " he says, "kin yo' git any King of de World?" Ah says, "Yes, ah guess ah could ordah some." He say, "Well, yo' kin git some High John de Conkah?" Ah said, "Well, certainly." Ah wus in No'th Ca'lina but who tuh git it from ah don' know. An' he say, "Well, git some a dat an'" he say, "fo' nine nights, " he say, "when daid hours of de night, when nobody stirrin' much, ' he says, "fin' de fo'ks of de road durin' de daytime dat yo' know won't nobody disturb yo'." An', he says, "Yo' go dere nine nights. Fo' nine nights yo' go dere an' call Frank Glasgow by 'is name." An', he say, Yo' chew dis [root] an' den rub it in yuh hands," he says, "an' press yuh hand, yuh right hand ovah yuh heart an', " he said, "an' call 'im nine times evah night fo' de nine nights." An' he say, "Yo' see won't Frank come home." Well, ah didn't have much faith in dat but ah gon an' did dat. An' I'd go out nights. Ah go an' found a place. An' ah'd go out nights an' it seemed ah could jis' see Frank, yo' know. Fō' ah didn't have any othah frien' but 'im an zh'd go out an' call 'im an' ah would cry an' go out. So ah tole de man one day, ah say, "Ah reckon ah cried so much ah run 'im away." He say, "Oh yo' mus' not Cry," he said, "dat won't take no 'fect," he said, "but chew do dat. An' lemme tell yo', ah declare it will do good." An' one Satiday night ah wus jis' come from de job an' ah wus busy tryin' tuh clean mah room, an' somebody rang de doorbell. An' ah said, "Who come?" He say, "One." Dat's whut he say, foolin' me, yo' know. Ah say, "Who is one?" Ah don' know no 1 nor 2." He say, "Come an' see me." Well, ah left de room alone an' go on down[stairs] tuh de dō' an' seen. It wus Frank Glasgow standin' at de dō'. oh, ah wuz so glad. Ah wuz jis' ovahrejoicin'. Ah jis' broke down an' went o cryin'. An' ah wus thinkin' of dat, an' so since den ah always think of dat. Ah don't fo'git it. [Our informant gave three other good stories, warmly and vibrantly human: No.867, pp.305-306, handbills and Professor Purvis; No.888, pp.319-321, Vander (her second husband) bit me and black chicken manure (the locus classicus for teeth dropping out); and No.3068, Pp.889-891, Doctor Armour of Berkley (the home of doctors and fortunetellers). This elderly woman, with experience of the hoodoo world, tells an excellent story. She belongs to black folk-literature.]
Entry 8811
Well, when yo' burn de fo' cornahs of de lettah, dat's a insult. Dat's whut dat is, an' tuh break up whosomevah dat chure in love wit.
Entry 11161
Tuh make a person love yuh, dey'll gits a devil's-shoestring. If yo' wants tuh make love wit a girl, git chew a devil's-shoestring. Take a piece of it an' yo' put it in yore mouth an' chew it an' be talkin' tuh her; jest whut she agree upon, dat's love. Dat brings in love, devil's-shoestring. [See also following rites in which root is chewed for a job.]
Entry 12151
An' if yo' wanted tuh stay tied up tuhgethah, ah heard dat chew could go in de woods tuh a hickory tree, a young hickory tree, an' take dat hickory tree an' make yore wishes as yo' ties it. Dat's tuh keep yuh [together]. (You tie that hickory tree. How do you tie it?) Yeah, yo' take it an' yo' bend it. Yo' see, yo' take a young sapling an' yo' bend it an' as yo' bend, yo' make yore wishes till yo' git it in a loop; but chew know yo' kin tie anything dat young den. Sompin lak dat. Jes' so it's a hickory. Dey say dat will tie yore love tuhgethah.
Entry 12668
All right, 'bout love again. If a man asleep an' a woman love dis man - yo' know, want dis man tuh love her, if he sleep, every two or three nights, she take an' git de scent of herself down here an' underneath heah. (Down below and under her arms?) Yes sir. An' will go cross his nose, while he's still in bed, three times. An' den de third time take an' shake it an' say, "Come undah mah command."
(She rubs her hand up under his nose, while he's asleep - three times.)
An' he inhald [inhales] it.
(And the third time she says, "Come under my command.")
An' she goin' call him an' make him answer her, see.
(But she says, "Come under my command, " while he sleeps through.)
Yes, certainly, but he ain't goin' answer, yo' know, most men asleep while dey wakin' up. Jes' lak his name, John, Bill or Joe.
Entry 12683
Yo' kin take a person's photograph - ah had a fellah's photograph an' ah didn't love him, an' ah wanted tuh git rid of him, an' ah carried it an' nail it up on de no'th side of de tree, an' we broke up friendship. [Wilson 2668:3.]
Entry 3069
[We have already met Doctor Bayhan, a white man on the Eastern Shore, who was also known in Baltimore (62, p.28).] [Here is an original statement in my original penciled transcription. "Temporary annotation - for footnote reference only - to get wife back - Doctor Bayhan. He charges from $20 to $25...you bring him the picture...he'll guarantee you and he'll give you a Bible and you'll wear this Bible in your pocket. If she don't come back in a space of time that he gives yeh, he'll refund your money back to you regardless of where you at. This note was orig- inally made to be used for fees by doctors.]
Entry 11423
Scrape fingernails and toenails and drop into drink for love. [Mem- phis 1570:2.]
Entry 11424
Either fingernails or toenails are mixed with food for love. [Jack- sonville, 691:9.]
Entry 1059
Dey tell me you kin take a bottle - listen good now - take a bottle with your husband's chamber lye. Just don't let him spit in it - just like he pass de water, don't let him spit in dere, see. And you take a piece of de underclothes - piece of his underclothes and you take one piece of his stocking from heel side, one piece off de middle, one piece to the bottom see, and den put them three in it and then you gets six needles - gold-eye needles and this - some kind of old-time cologne dey call - some kind of old-time cologne dey call - it's real sweet cologne. (Heart's Cologne?) [Informant could not remember. I had to suggest a name to get along with the story.] I'll say. Get dis Heart's Cologne and dey put dat in dere and then they put six needles, and they put six new needles - gold-eye needles see, and you put - then you take it and bury dat late at night. And den dey put 'em down at de head of yer step like dat and when you put 'em down you say, "You son-of-bitch, I want you to come back....
(The head of the bottle is upside down. There is a cork in it though?)
Yas suh, cork in dere too - airtight. Nobody - nothing can get into it. And say, "You son-of-a-bitch, I want you to come." And he won't have no nature for no other woman, just have to come back to you. [While checking transcription against recording I made a note "lowland dialect," meaning that the transcription is approximate.]
Entry 1113
This is a fellah one time dat he wus in love wit a gurl but his parents didn't want him to marry this gurl, you see, an' so they got it in his min' to go away. An' a he wus in love with de gurl an' also de gurl was in love with him. So they tole him, says, "Now, we don't wan' choo to marry dat gurl, we wan' choo to go 'way." He says, "Well." This fellah he gits ready an' goes away. Well this worried this girl so, aftah he goes away dat she take sick, you see. So he goes away. An' he writes a couple'a lettahs home, an' aftah dat he don't write no more at all, you understand. So it's about fo' yeahs befo' he comes back, you understand, an' within this time - within about six months aftah he's gone, you understand, this gurl dies. Well, when they used to court, you understand, dey wus a church, you understand - a graveyard right backa de church, you understand. They set down on de steps there an' court, you know, an' plan for de weddin'. So aftah he'd gone, you understand, this gurl pined away an' died. So, he'd been absent from home about fo' yeahs an' he returned home. An' he don't write dat he's comin' home, you understand - he wants to come home an' surprise his people. So he gits off at de station, you understand, an' walks up about three miles, walking along, till he comes pass this graveyard an' - but befo' he gits to de church he looks up in de graveyard an' he sees a woman comin' out de grave- yard, but he don't pay much attention to it, walkin' along whistlin' to hisself. When she comes down an' comes through an' comes out de gate to de road, he starts to see dat it's de gurl dat he wus in love wid. So he steps in her path. This gurl's dead but he don't know anything about it, you see. So he stopped, you understand. She walked up to him - don't say anything. He speaks to her. He says, "Why, hello," he says, 'how do you feel, Carrie?'" She didn't say anything. He said, "Why Carrie," he says, "you ought to be glad to see me," he says, "I'm glad to see you," He says, "it seems to me that I've been gone long enough." He says, "You know I wus in love wid you and you wus in love wid me. It's funny you won't talk." She wouldn't even hold her head up. So she reaches in her bosom an' she takes out somethin' dat - dat looks like a bokay of flowers, an' she handed it to him. So then she turned back an' goes on back to de graveyard. So he goes on home. Aftah he gits home, you understan' de people's all glad to see him, you know, an' they set down an' talk. An' so he says to his mothah, he says, "Mothah," he says, "don' choo know," he Says, "tonight I wus comin' along," he says, "an' I meets Carrie." He says, "She wus comin' out de graveyard. I don't know whut she do by [there] dis time of night." Well, his mothah she turned aroun' an' looks at her husband. He says, "You didn't see Carrie." "Don't tell me I didn't see Carrie," he says, "I've jis' been talkin' to her," he says, "leavin' de fact [excepting] I wus talkin' to her but she wusn't talkin' to me. She wouldn't say anything, you know. So I ask her why didn't she speak. She wouldn't say anything, ' ' he says. His mothah spoke up an' says, "You didn't see Carrie." He says, "I know bettah. I did see Carrie." His fathah spoke up an' say, "No, you didn't see Carrie. ". He says, "Don't you know one thing, son, he says, "we may nevah wrote to you an' tole you anything about it," he says, "but Carrie died about six months aftah you left." "Why", he says, "it makes no diff'rence when she died," he says, "I saw her tonight." He did. Well he sets down awhile an' he thinks about dis bokay which she give him, an' when he takes the bokay down it's a human bone insteada bokay of flowers. So he looked at it. Now, ever'body's skeared now, you understand. Well they calls in an ole lady there name of Ole Aunt Tracey: She wus suppose to be a witch. So things gotten in such a bad shape, you know, they had to call Ole Aunt Tracey to see how things wus goin' to work. Dey called Ole Aunt Tracey about dis bone you understand. Ole Aunt Tracey says, ["informant proceeds to imitate her voice" - my penciled comment when transcribing original cylinder], "Well er I tell now, '' she says, "it's bes' thing I know er do 'bout de thing," she says, "dis bone you'd better carry it back whare you got it." [This is the magic rite of returning dangerous object to the place found - see No. 903, p.330.] Ohl De boy wants to know how he's gon'a git it back. She says, "Well, about de very same time dat choo met her last night," she says, "you carry it back dere tonight," she says, "an' another thing," she says, "when you carry dis bone back," she says, '"you take a little infant baby wit you, cuz if you don't, you gon'a have trouble. Well, now dis fellah he's skeared an' his parents is all skeared, joo see. So they goes roun' through de country, you understand, an' barers [borrows] a little infant baby, you understan'. He's supposed to carry it. So he sets aroun' home till aftah about time dat he thinks is ever'thing in fairly good shape. He takes dis baby in his arms an' goes on wid dis bone an' he goes on down you understan'. So when he gits near de church he sees her come out de graveyard. But she's walkin' fast dat time - walkin' fast comin' out [as if] she don't wan'a stop. [Then] she stands and looks. So he walks on down, you understan', an' a when he gits purtty close to her, she's lookin' at him den real venimous. So he presents her dis bone. Aftah presentin' her dis bone, she takes it away from him - flaps it out his hand. She says, "Yes, an' if you didn't have dat little infant baby wit joo tonight, I'd tear you up."
Entry 1867
Hit wus a girl ah wus goin' wit an' ah been goin' wit her fo' sometime, 'bout a couple of yeahs, an' anothah boy come 'long an' got in 'twixt us, had her tuh de place she wouldn't pay me no 'tenshun 'tall. So ah goes to a ole fren' of mine dat wus a root worker, an' ah explained it to him an' he tole me, he say, "If ah kin git to it right at once." Said, "Soon as yo' kin git a chance, git some dirt out of de hollow of her foot track, at de left foot." Says, "Yo' ties it up in a pocket han'kerchief."
(That is your pocket handkerchief?)
Yessuh, mah pocket han'kerchief, an' he said, "Wet it wit Heart's Cologne an' yo' wear dat in yore pocket." An' so it wus about six or seven days, she wus in de field hoein' cotton an' ah walks close to de field an' ah got chance tuh git dis dirt, an' ah tied it up in de pocket han'kerchief an' goes on tuh town an' ah bought a bottle of cologne an' ah wet it. An' fo' 'bout a week an' a half ah say it wusn't any good, say, "Aw dere ain't nuthin tuh dis." But still ah carried - tryin' tuh see her. So dat Satiday evenin' ah seen her fatah an' he tole me, says, "Noble says she wants tuh see yo'." Tole him, "Okay." Well, ah try tuh stick out [hold back from going to see her]. An' so dat Sunday evenin' she came up on de church an' axed me, say, "Whut's de trouble?" Yo' hasn't been roun?" Say, "Well, yo' lak So-an'-So, didn't think dere's any use." An' from dat ah an' her start goin' tuhgether. An' ah went with her until she died an' dere wus no trouble atall. Lots of boys tried tuh go with her an' dey had lotsa money an' all, but ah didn't have any mo' trouble. Ah kept dat sack dere until aftah she died.
Entry 2067
Dey throw salt an' sech as that behin', yo' know, an' burn incense. Dey use graveyard dirt - mixes graveyard dirt an' git a sewin' needle an' break dat all up an' black lodestone, an' dey makes tobies from dat. Well, yo' git a piece of flannel, yo' know, red flannel an' break dat lodestone, crumble it up, an' take de needle an' break dat up an' sew dat up an' put a little perfume in dere. A man dey always say, carry dat in his left pocket. Dat'll keep lucky - dat'll keep him an' his wife on good terms.
(And it's very lucky to do what?)
Burn incense.
(Where?)
In de right corner of yore house, or eithah underneat' yore bed - burn it all night. We giner'lly burn it all night undah de beds.
Entry 2909
Take a white candle to make a man love you and stay with you, don't get. away from you. If he go, he can't stay.
(Well, how do you do that?)
You take a white candle and roll it in sugar, sugar and salt - salt that's not never been used out of. Just roll it, roll it good, roll it good about fifteen minutes - see, you roll it on a paper. And then you take a match.
(A match?)
Take a match and you hold that candle right on there and light it, and you know, smoke it enough for it to melt for the paste [melted wax, sometimes called sponge] to come out, you know, and then you place it right in the middle of a saucer.
(Wait! You stick this candle down on the saucer?)
Yes. [The candle is set in the melted wax at the center of the saucer.] And if he is a drinker, you know, and likes to drink, well, you put you about a tea- spoonful of whiskey around that candle, and then you light that candle and you burn that candle fifteen minutes and all the whilst you burn that candle, well [demonstrates], you be doing just like this, you know - like this with the flame, you see, from the candle. (You wet your two fingers in your mouth, and then you go to the candle and pretend that you are sort of pulling this flame towards you - keep pulling it towards you.) Yes, that's it. And make your wishes what you want him to come back and do and what you don't want him to do - just like - you burn it fifteen minutes.
(At what time do you burn that?)
Any time, any time. Burn it any time, but in the three fifteen minutes you burns the candle up - in the three fifteen minutes. And when that candle is burnt up, and all that whiskey's gone, and [then] inside of five or nine days, he'll be back - he'll be back to you. [The two preceding versions of flame pulling and whiskey are from the same informant but separated by 70 cylinders. I had her brought back because some of her material was badly recorded.1
Entry 3098
[Molly Lee, a white doctor, had quite a reputation. I first heard about her while I was collecting in Richmond. Since I did not interview white doctors (see INTRODUCTION), I assumed she lived in or near Richmond - a false assumption. The following well-known and commonplace rite attributed to her does this doctor an injustice. Any woman who could receive her crystal ball from the spirits (561, p.178) must have been original and competent.] I knows once in my time, a woman had a man for her husband, and she lived over here in Suffolk. Maybe you heard something, too. There's a lady the other day, lady named Molly Lee, a white lady, she claims do it. She done something. She's a great woman for wrestlin' with young boys. She has a young boy down dere and she say, "Go ketch me a young frog - a toadfrog." And he get that frog and go put a board or something on him so that he can't get away - wouldn't kill him, fasten him down where he'd stay there and die, and the ants eat him up. Let de ants eat him up, you know, all to a skeleton. And in that frog's bones, find a little bone in 'em just exactly like fish scale. And there's another bone in 'em that is used, too, like a fishhook. You know, a little point to it - wasn't, see, all de way; but just more like a fishhook than any other bone. You kin take that bone - now, this has happened, this is not - but this is the bone that the boy had. She take that bone and hook it into a person's coat.
(Into what?)
Into somebody's clothes - just as you pass by, you know, just hook it into somebody's clothes and don't you pull it out, and he'll fall for you just as far as you'll let him. And at de same time this other little bone like a fish scale, see, when you get a chance to do it. Well, you see, if you can't get 'em to you, you can't drive them away. That's what they always says. And you come and just put dat bone just like a little fish scale, drop it on 'em, and just stay like you never seen 'em before. You'll never get dis bone out yourself. If you don't put dat fish scale on 'em, dat's finished - dey's gone and you'll never see 'em no more. He just gone from you just as free if he never been with you atall. (I see. If you want to keep them, you put this little hook; and if you want to drive them away, you put this fish scale on them.) Yes.
(And this is what that woman over in Suffolk did with these young boys?)
Well, she would have these boys ketch frogs for her.
(Oh! She had those boys catch frogs for her.)
Only little boys what is barefoot. Woman had children big as me. (I see. She did that though to get these other men, but she had that little boy catch the frogs for her. That was her way of getting a man and sending him away if she didn't want him - got tired of him.) Yes. And I mean, they ain't been back. That is what they used. I don't know whether there's anything else now that she did besides that, 'cause I've been there. I've gone over there in my automobile. That's what he carried on back. [Informant drove a client over to Molly and that is what she gave him to use for himself.]
(Is she supposed to be a root doctor or something?)
She is that.
(Molly Lee?)
Molly Lee.
(Is she still living?)
Yes sir, fur as I know. I have never heard of her being dead.
Entry 4246
If dey take yuh chamber lye an' put it in a bottle an' put saltpetah in it an' Hearts Cologne, an' sprinkle it in de path where a person walk along, an' it'll cuz 'em tuh like yuh, come aroun' yuh an' visit yuh.
Entry 4585
(That little bow out of a man's hat, now?) Say yuh take it outa his hat an' make it in yore gartah an' he cain't - he'll lose all energy fo' any othah girl. He won't love nobody but chew. Sew it into de gartah.
Entry 4587
Ah taken de bow outa de hat an' ah put some come wit it an' a little hair out from undah his arm dere an' wore it roun' mah laig heah, an' dat'll make him love yuh. (You mean you wear it as a garter or something of that sort?) Jis' a string, ah don't wear gartahs. [The length of the untied bow would be extended with a piece of string, and the hair would be threaded into a needle and woven, perhaps also tied, into the bow. For string addition, see 4597.]
Entry 4954
Well, ah know dat if a man leave a woman, or somepin lak dat, if yuh take a stockin', de ole dirty foot of a stockin' an' tie it up in three knots, an' put it undah yore bed an' sleep on it fo' three nights, an' make yore wishes tuh come true, fo' him tuh come back tuh yuh an' be in love, dat yuh could aftah de three nights take dat stockin', an' take a box of new salt an' sprinkle it ovah dat stockin', an' den take dis salt an' build a fire, an' put dat stockin' on de fire an' burn it. Burn it In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost. Said dat would draw yuh back tuhgethah.
(Whose stocking would you use, his or yours?)
Yuh use yore own stockin'. Dey always tell me yuh use yore own stockin' fo' dat, eithah stockin'.
Entry 8585
Get her a - get his name, just like ah tole yo'. Write it nine times, orite hern across it. Take her - an' then take it - she can put it into 'er lamp, if she can get her some lump sugar. An' she can take her nine lumps of dis lump sugah, an' get her a piece of lodestone, con- quering root [John de Conkah], conquering root powder, cinnamon. Mix ali dat togethah an' his name, an' put it down into 'er lamp, an' put de necked [naked = real] coal oil on it an' set it to burnin'. An' he will come back.
Entry 8589
Yo' can draw a man to yo'. Like a woman an' her husban' is broke up, an' another woman done cause 'em to break up, see. Well, jest like yo' take an' bury his sock, well yo' take an' write his name nine times an' put dat cinnamon, sugar an' steel dust, an' dat white rum, an' put it into a lamp. An' put dat lamp in de corner of her house. An she knock fo' three times, every day see, fo' nine days, because he return dat ninth day. Dat sock belong wit it. Yo' know, yo' do dat wit it. Dat goes along wit dat.
Entry 9794
An' den ag'in yo' could take, if yo' wanta win a man from a woman, yo' could take a li'le bottle [this rite is acted out, as my comment shows later] an' yo' could take an' fill it wit Heart Cologne. An' git three needles, an' lay dem down in dat bottle stopper. An' yo' take it an' put dat in a basin of vinegah, an' git chew a black rag an' put inside dat. An' yo' boil it fo' 'bout fif- teen minutes on a stove. An' when yo' take de black rag up, why yo' jes' hang it up on a line on yore back po'ch, an' let de air carry it evah direction it wanta go. An' when hit dry, yo' take it an' weah it lowdown on yo' - de lower part of yo'.
(Of your body. Down near the privates?)
Yes. An' ah don' care where he be, he would have tuh come tuh yo'. But be sure dat yo' throw de bottle away. Throw it away. Don't have anythin' mo' tuh do wit it aftah yo' do dat. An' yo' will bring 'im tuh yuh, an ah don' care where he is. (You take this bottle full of Hearts Cologne and you drive three needles down into the stopper. Then you put this in a pan of vinegar - this bottle. Then you put a black rag over the pan. But the rag must be in the vinegar.) De rag must be in de vinegah an' de vinegah must come a li'le above it, where it won' show de rag; but jes' come a li'le above de bottle an' de rag. An' wrap de bottle up in de black rag. An' den yo' take a li'le fo'k [fork] - remembah, don' put chure han's on it - an' shake dat rag out. An' den yo' take it an' hang it up on a line. Don' wring it, jes' let de watah dreen [drain] out jes' as it will. Let it dry. Aftah it dry, den yo' fix it on, an' yo' throw de bottle away, an' throw de vinegah out de basin. "Cuz ah done dat mahself.
Entry 3206
Jes' lak yo' have a intahco'se wlt a man - a woman would, see, an' she wanta make dis man love her. Well, when she use dis towel tuh wipe wit, see, she wipe her han's on dis towel an' take her han's an' run 'em through dis man's hair - run it ovah his haid, see, jes' lak dat. An' dat will make a man love yo'. (Well, how does that affect you, you say?) Wal, ah figured it must - in 'is haid ah guess - jes' goes to 'is braln or sompin. But ah guess it in 'is haid - whut a person study, quite nat- urally it is in dere haid.
Entry 5935
Yo' kin take de hair outa de fron' of yo' head an' de hair outa de back of yore head an' put it togethah an' keep it an' dat'll keep yore love togethah. (How do you mean? You take the hair out of the front of your own head?) Like ah'm a wumman, ah take de hair outa de fron' of yore head an' de hair outa de back of mah haid, an' put it togethah an' ah keep it, an' ah keep yo' mah fren' - mah lovah.
Entry 5951
Den yo' kin take dat hair ag'in tuh make 'em love yo'. Yo' git de hem of yore dress, an' yo' take de hair an' yo' put it aroun' in de hem of de dress, see; or eithah in any hem. Sew it an' jes' wear it in dere all de time, see. An' yo' gotta keep 'im.
Entry 6042
Ah have heard dat chew kin take, jes' lak yo' do me dataway. Jes' take yore hair out chure haid, comb it out, an' take it an' put it in a papah an' wad it up, jes' a little bit of it yo' undahstan', an' take an' wad it up an' take an' tie it up in a rag, an' tote it in yore pocket. An' ah have heard dat chew could - ah haven't done tried dat - but ah have heard dat chew kin take it an' do dat, an' if yo' wanta love a woman, yo' kin do wit her any way yo' wanta.
(You get that hair off the woman and do that with her hair?)
Yes sir, if yo' do dat wit 'er hair, yo' kin do anything yo' want wit it [her].
Entry 6043
(Now, what about the hair?)
An' de hair de same. Yo' git dat while yo' playin' wit 'em. Take a piece of hair. Clip it off an' ball it up an' put it in a little bag, when yo' git to de house. Now, she ain't goin' wit nobody else atall. She ain't got no feelin's fo' nobody else but chew.
(Bury that hair?)
No, no. Keep it in yore pocket.
Entry 6044
Yo' [she] kin git some of a man's hair an' she kin take it an' git a piece of 'er undahweah an' put dat hair in dere, an' sew it up an' slip it in'is pocket, an' dat will make him love her ag'in.
Entry 6110
Ah take a girl whut ah want - lak ah tell yo' how ah do - tame dat girl an' git up to her. Ah kin take some of her hair yo' know, an' jes' take it an' wear it in de shoe, an' den she'll be crazy 'bout me. She'll be followin' me roun'.
Entry 6124
Well, ah've [heard] dat dey will take de hair from de mole of yore haid an' dey will mix dat wit cayenne peppah an' sulphur - an' from yore haid. It take a woman tuh have dat. Dey say she will wear it in 'er shoe or pin it aroun' 'er waist, an' dat will draw yo' tuh 'er.
Entry 6147
Jes' lak if yo' wanted a sweetheart woman an' yo' couldn't git to her, æll yo' buy a pair of stockin's an' git a strand of hair out of yore haid an' work it in de fold at de top of dat stockin' an' den give it to her. When she put dat stockin' on, dat make love. (You just take your hair an' sort of weave it into the top of those stockings?) Yes, dat'll make love. Jes' as long as dat hair in dat stockin', why yo' ain't got no trouble atall, whatevah.
Entry 6249
Anothah way - yuh kin take a woman's hair, if yuh wants tuh git inlove wit 'er. Jis' take 'er hair an' jis' take yuh a augah, an' jis' go tuh a tree jis' at sunrise, an' bo' yo' a hole in dere an' put it in dere, an' jis' take yuh a peg an' jis' push it right in dat hole in behin' it. An' jis' long as it stay dere evahthin' is okay.
(That will make her love you?)
Yes sir, yuh holdin' 'er dere. But if yuh put [pull] it out why it's allovah. Bou ah know dat tuh be positive [fact].
Entry 7986
Well, it's jis' like this. A woman loves a man an' he loves her an' she can't live with this man again like she want him. If she kin git his photo- graph, stick a pin through the heart of the photo- graph - an' the first person that die aroun' her neighborhood or anywhere that she kin slip this photograph in the coffin with the dead, and aftah they cover it up why he won't live very long.
Entry 8112
Ah've heard dat dey would take dat an' bury it undah de step, dat photo.
(What would that do?)
Well, dat would bring yore lovah back, if he's left.
Entry 8137
Yo' kin take a person pichure - if yo' wan' dat person tuh love yo' an' don' love nobody else but chew - yo' kin take dat pichure an' in yore home, if yo' kin git aholt [a hold] in de ceil- in' of de buildin' an' put a nail, a brand-new tenpenny nail, right through dat pichure an' nail it right up ovah de fiahplace, on de studdin' up dere, an' put de ceilin' back on it, in nine days yo' kin handle dat person any way yo' wanta. [We learn about the condition of some houses: if yo' kin git a holt in de ceilin'...put de ceilin' back on it.]
Entry 8233
Take de photograph an' dey'll put it in- tuh a basin an' dey'll put cologne on it until it change it's face, dat chew'll fall in love wit 'em. Now dat's true. But dey keep it in dat basin till it fades. Yo'll fall in love wit 'em den.
Entry 8388
Yo' kin take his pichure an' turn it upside down an' dat'll make dem love yuh. Wilmington, N. Car., (243), 166:1+85.]
Entry 631
Take a girl an' a boy, yo' mo' den apt tuh find a pair of 'em together an' dey be seein' which one of 'em love each other - dey pulls knots in strings to see which one of 'em kin hold de longest. (How do they do that?) Dey'll, yo' know, jes' take a piece of a string an' tie whole knots an' she pull on it an' he pull on it. Well, if de knot that she pull on don't come out, her love is still sticking; an' if he pull on it an' it jump out, why dere ain't nuthin' dere fo' him atall. Ah've done dat mahself.
Entry 638
Graveyard dirt kin be used in many different things. It kin be used in love cases. Well, graveyard dust, if yo' wanta use fo' protection in love cases, yo' use it wit de wonderful water.
(What is the wonderful water?)
It's got from a spring runnin' dead no'th, a spring runnin' no'th - lak dis Way, de stream dis-a-way an' de spring heah runnin' no'th. (You get this wonder water and you get this graveyard dirt. How do you prepare this thing now?) Well now, we'll come on down an' prepare it fo' yo'. Yo' git the stream runnin' no'th - de spring is ovah on whut ah would call de south side of a stream runnin' dead no'th. Be sure dat chew find a spring wit de stream runnin' no'th. Well, we takes our graveyard dust an' we gits it in a clear bottle den wit a stopper to it dat we kin stop up, an' we goes an' puts some of de dirt in de bottle an' we gits our spring wit de watah runnin' no'th - we gits dat an' put it in dere. Den when we's goin' pull a deal of any kind, we sits our bottle with this heah graveyard dust in it. Well, quite natch'l, de dust will settle to de bottom of anything. Whatevah we gits our mind on, what de object we got befo' us - whatevah it may be, whether we make good or whether we lose out. Well, we handle dis bottle - we sets it on de table so de top of it will come clear. Yo' know spring watah is clear as a crystal, an' since [if] it clear as a crystal, why we knows everything whatevah we goin' do, we know we'll put it through. We put it ovah whatsomevah it may be. Well, den, if it's not dat way clear, it not fo' our luck tuh change right at dat time, dis heah graveyard dust will come up dere an' cloudy dat water jes' lak a cloudy day - change - de skies will change. It will change within de period of fifteen minutes. It will come on up an' cloudy dat water so yo' can't be sure atall. Den we jes' keep it dere, an' whenevah we goin' tuh do anything - in love cases or whatevah we may do, we goes an' git our bottle an' set it on de table in a quiet place. It's a great magic watah - it's a magic gift. Den we use dat tuh conquer spirits, yo' see, for sech things as whut dey call hants. We use dis heah spring watah wit de graveyard dust in it.
(How would you conquer a hant in that case?)
Well, if we conquer a hant in dat case, we put a little add into dat watah - we add somepin to dat watah, we'd add sulphur. We'd add burnt sulphur, we'd burn it - we'd burn it on de watah, somepin tuh form a little clond on de watah. Den we go up on dere an' git de cloud off an' put de cloud in dere on top of dat. Dat give us mo' force to conquer de spirit - we'd keep spirits away from anything we'd go tuh do. How to make a man come back. Yo'd have tuh use dis same watah in a case lak dat - it's a mind drawin' thing: First, yo' gotta git chure mind on whatevah object yo goin' tuh undertake tuh do. An' aftah we git our mind pin on dis heah, then we sits de watah befo' us an' we looks at de watah. We naturally sits dere an' looks - sometimes it takes us hours, until we kin git contact with the party whosomevah dey may be. They mind an' mah mind contact wit each othah, an' den he'll come tuh me, at de same time whether dey wants me or not. Den if ah want tuh draw 'em back, ah'll turn de watah, ah'll git de square bottle - see, ah'll turn de square side to me, an' ah'll give dem three days tuh roll in. Dey come back an' dey send fo' me. De same watah draw 'em back - draws through de mind, yore mind an' dis othah party's mind would come in contact together an' why, quite natch'ly, yo'll see 'em in three days aftah that. That is, if yo' stay on it dat long.
Entry 731
Tuh keep evil away from de house. Well, yo' could use a herb whut chew might call de High John de Conker. If it wus a female dat did dat - there are two roots yo' would have tuh use - use de female; an' if it wus a man that did that, yo' would have tuh use de man root; that is, of de High John de Conker. Those roots are whut chew call as Eve an' Adam. An' that is a root that cures kidney trouble [and] any kind of insect that is put in 'em, yo' know, by drinkin' or handlin'. Say, yo' give me a piece of candy. Well, maybe yo' take snake dust an' run ovah that candy. Ah eat dat candy. Well, that goes down in me. An' yo' kin take care of that patient by usin' High John de Conker. Yo' git it from de schools [mail order firms or drug stores] that handles that kind of work.
(How do they use that?)
Yo' could git it in powders or yo' kin take a teaspoonful to a pint of boilin' watah - clear boilin' watah, an' let it stan' an' drink it off, an' grad'lly that insect will go off - yo' know, die and come forth in yourself. (John the Conker he root and John the Conker she root. What do you do with those two?) Well, the male root is fo' a man, a man that do's evil; an' if it wus a woman, why yo' take the female - jis' take 'em in de powder for any kinda insect. That is tuh git the germs from de body - whut chew call the old earth medicine.
(What about the Adan and Eve root? What do you do with that?)
Adam an' Eve root creates love. It's good fo' kidneys. It's good fo' blood.
(How would you create love with Adam and Eve root?)
Well, yo' buy de root. De large one is called Adam an' de othah one is called Eve. It's a small little root looks lak - it's not a very large root. Yo' buy it an' aftah yo' buy it there's a little prescription [directions] on there tells you how tuh carry it. An' anytime it's carried in his pocket, it obtains someone yo' like. If yo' see some girl yo' like an' use that root wit lodestone, natural they will smile - see, an' git in close touch. It's jis' like the love-drop perfume. If yo' use those two things an' love-drop perfume, yo' kin take any kind of woman, see. Why? because it has de high power.
Entry 738
Now when a woman wants her husband to bring her his money, she takes some kin'a root dey call de king root, an' she takes dat root and she wears it round her waist on a band - see, make a band an' wear it round her waist. Well, yo' kin see dat fellah won't even break his envelope - when he git de envelope he come right dere and give her his money. She say dat's love.
Entry 783
[Two accounts of the gourd-and-frog trick have been given - Nos.576-577, Pp.186-187; see also Trick in Index.] Take lodestone - ah've heard dat if yo' wanta play some kinda trick or 'nother an' dey - now, ah know a man, he use lodestone. Ah've heard of a man usin' lode- stone - dere wus two of 'em. Dey wus in love with a girl an' so dey were good frien's an' dey didn't wanta fall out. So de girl, she wus in love wit de two boys, an' she say, "Well, ah'll marry de one dat will come in ridin'" - says, "ah'll marry him." Dis heah youngest one he study how he couldn't marry dis girl because he re'lly wanted to. An' she say, "Ah don't want chew tuh ride on no cars, ah don't want chew tuh ride in no horse an' wagon" - she name all de diff'rent things that he couldn't come on, dat she didn't want him tuh ride on. He studied then how could he ride. So he goes an' git him some lodestone an' he showed dis man. An' so he got sick an' he say, "Well, boy, ah tell yuh, let's us both walk." "Okay," he says. So they started off walkin'. He say, "Well, ah tell yo' whut" - dis heah man whut re'lly wanted tuh marry - de youngster, he says, "Well, ah don't feel lak walkin'." He says, "Ah'll tell yo' - ah'll tote yo' a piece if yo'll tote me." So de man tole him all right. So de man taken him an' tote him so he wouldn't be ti'ed [tired] - yo' know, he got dis lodestone in his hand. So he carried dis man. So whenevah he tote him a piece, say, "Yo' ti'ed?" Tole him no he wusn't ti'ed. Long as he had dis lodestone - he had de lodestone in his han', said, "No he wusn't ti'ed." So whenevah they got right to de do', dis heah man said, "Well, now we goin' Walk in." Says, "All right." So when dey go to de do', dis heah man wus holdin' de lodestone an' he got on dis heah othah man's back, an' so whenevah he got near de do' an' he spurred dis man - stuck spurs in him an' made him jump in de house with dis man - so he married her, de youngest man. So he, by him having dis lodestone helpin' to do his trick, dis girl she married dis man dat rolled in on dis othah man's back.
(Where did you hear that story?)
Mah mothah tole me that story long yeahs ago.
Entry 810
[No matter how a person becomes a doctor, a first-class doctor should be a fortune-teller - a seer and master of dreams and spirits - able to tell what has happened, is happening, and will happen:] Now, I used to use a wash you call Chinese wash [to keep the law away] an' if I had anybody at my house, any enemy of mine, they'd walk on out. (Where did you get this Chinese wash?) Well, this same - the one in New York. You could buy it an' they tell this woman [canvasser for a New York firm] - had a Special root at a New York drug store where she bought it at.
(Did you live in New York or did you send for it?)
I lived in New York eight year. I jis' came here from New York. I've been away eight years. I jis' got chere. Some money - a spiritualist told me dere's some money was be left here for me to fix my place [house]. I came here to get de money. An' she tole me while I bein' here that some dark fellah wus gon'a make love with me. So sure enough he did an' I got married Monday.
Entry 818
[Power for good or evil comes from many sources - actually, from one's desire or intention:] Well, it wus a little woman, her husband died an' leave two chil'run, a settle woman, light [complexion], an' it wus a bright-skin man, a settle man. He wus much older then she wus dough [though]. He wus single. He had liked this woman, had loved her an' wanted to marry this woman. An' another woman had love him, see, but he didn't care nuttin fer her. Well, he would buy her ev'ry kin' of thing ev'ry kin' of - nice things you know to bring this woman. He carries her candy, milk, ham an' all kin' of things to bring this woman, but she never would eat it when he'd bring it. She would take it out an' bury it. She wouldn't eat it. An' he kep' bringin' her some of his - he'd bring cloth an' all like dat. Well, she wouldn't use it. So he - fin'lly he couldn't git her that way, he came to see her one day, an' fin'lly he wed her anyhow by chewin' some chewin-gum, somepin like chewin'-gum, an' she inhaled it, choo know.
(What did he put on that?)
I don't know, sir, whut he put on it. An' he would use a white han'kerchif - you see, throw it aroun' like this [demonstrates], zhoo know, whenever he'd come to see her. [The Waving or manipulating of a white perfumed handkerchief appears to have been a fad at one time.] He'd throw it aroun' an' fin'lly she jis' went crazy about him, you see, an' she married dis man. But de other woman had loved 'im an' this other woman wus jealous of her an' this man. An' one day she came to her house an' the way she came she had to come through the back doah, an' she [wife] wus in de house. As she came along she drop some dirt down by de table.
(What sort of dirt did she drop?)
Some kin' of grey-lookin' san'" - where she always stan', you know, washin' dishes. An' she said, "Hey." She didn't hear her because she wus in de house. This wus in de country. She didn't hear her because she was inside de house. She said, "Where are you?" She said, "Here I am." She said, "I thought you ought to be standin' here washin' dishes." She say, "No, here I am in de house today." She she went in an' done dropped dis in there in the kitchen as she was passin'. An' they went on in there wit de talkin'. She said, "Well, now, Louise, I got'a get up an' fix dinnah, '' she say, "he'll be here directly for his dinnah." An' she went on back in the kitchen, went to stirrin' aroun' the table, you know, built a fire in de stove an' messin' aroun' de table an' things like that. An' all at once a pain struck her in the bottom of her foot an' then her foot went right on up to her stomach an' her stomach began to hurt an' she said, "oh," she said, "you know my feet hurt!" An' the other woman said, "Yes?" She said, "Whut's de matter with you?" She say, I don't know." She had jes' stepped on this san' an' it went all on de bottom of her foot, but she didn't see it, you see, an' this woman knowed she had put it there. An' she say, "You know, I got a pain down in this toe." It looked like it would come in spells, you know. It would lay off awhile an' come back again. An' she kep' on like that, didn't pay it no min', didn't thought it 'mount to nuthin. Fin'lly the woman kep' on worryin' her - this other woman went on back home. An' she got bad off, real sick, an' they called de doctor an' tried ev'rything they could an' didn't seem to do her no good. An' one woman come there, she say, "You know one thing, I believe you's hurt." She said, "You reckon?" She said, "Yeh, I believe you's hurt." She said, "Well, I don't know how it works but I seen people hurt an' dat's de way it worked - come in spells like dat." An' sure enough, she say that why she couldn't make a pass - couldn't have a action. An' so she tole her about a root man. They took her in de buggy an' carried her - I don't know where he lived - an' this man fixed her up. She said the man said, "This a simple thing." He worked through the spirit, with the Lord, you know. He reads the Bible an' all. Before time she walked in the house he could tell her - he commence to tellin' her whut she come for an' tell her she wus hurt. An' he gave her some plain aloes - this bitter medicine, this black aloes with whiskey on it an' tell her take a teaspoonful of that ev'ry four hour. An' he give her a box of sulphur an' tell her take a pinch of that sulphur whenever she take this aloes. So she did that an' fin'lly she begin to have a action an' you know her bowels begin to hurt an' she pass. A snake come from her. The snake had a head on both end. Den a scorpren [scorpion] at de next time. Well, she said she continued takin' that. After that passed she begin to get all right. She had to pay fifty-five dollah.
Entry 822
I'll tell you whut happened to me. Now, I wus goin' with a gurl an' I liked 'er. It wus mah firs' wife. An' there's anothah fellow [by the name of John] liked 'er - he lived over in Baltimore aftah while an' he died over there. He left home shortly aftahward [the present story] - he liked her. He [John] goes to - there is an ole sign tha' choo kin go to a grave wahr [where] there's a preacher bur-ried an' de's a certain bone in that preacher, if you kin get it - I don't know whut it is, but I think it's a rib bone, maybe a short rib; but, a certain bone you kin get out of that preacher - an' a certain amount of dirt joo kin get. That clay, you kin git it somewahr by the head or the foot of someone's [grave]. But anyhow, you kin git a little bit of that dirt an' you work this trick. An' you could have this woman so that she can't - she won't notice the other man, she won't notice nuthin but choo. So he [John] did this. Well, I had a friend goin' with me, a great whiskey man, drinked all de time, staggerin' around. So he told me, he said - the girl got so she didn't notice me, I couldn't do anything with 'er at all, befo' that she didn't like nobody but me - he says, "There's somepin wrong" - she wus a cousin to him, too - he says, "there's somepin wrong about Henrietta." "Oh," I says, "I don't think so - jis' a kin'a way she's got." "No, no, helll Joe, there's somepin wrong, an' I'm gon'a find out." So by an' by [several days later] he come back to me an' says, "Well, I found out whut I want." I says, "Whut?" He says, "I wus to John's house the other day," he say, "an' I see'd [seen de] clay on his pants - ole overalls he wus wearin' last week." So he says, "I seen these ole pants." He says, "I seen this clay. You know wahr that come from?" I says, "No." "My GodI' he says, "that come out d'ole [the old] man Brodick's grave" - this is d'ole preacher, ole man Brodick. He says, "This come out of his grave." He says, "That scoungrel [scoundrel] has got somepin out of Brodick's grave." An' the other fellah [who enters the story for the first time] happened to come up at that time an' he stopped, talkin' with us. Both wus her cousins. He says, "Now, if I ain't too interestin'," he say, "I guess I ain't interferin' wit you fellah's business?" "No, indeed, whut we talkin' about." So we kept right on talkin'. He savs to me - he stood there with his haid down, an' when he did speak - he says, "Well, well I spect [expect] that may be so." He says, "I don't know. I don't think John would do you that way. Anyhow, he might. Anyhow," he say, "if he did do that," he says, "I'm gon'a tell you somepin to do, an' you'll know how to stop it." I says, "You will?" He says, "Yes." I says, "Well, I don't know wurther I'll do it or not, '' I say, "I ain't gon'a harm 'im." I says, "He ain't got no more sense than do that to git de gurl, he'll have to take 'er. I'm not gon'a harm 'im." "Oh! No, no," he says, "i' tain't gon'a do 'im no harm [if] you do whut I tell you." So he told me whut to do - a very peculiar thing. Now, he told me to go wahr I could find wahr somebody had made a passage - some human being, you see, passed some dung. He says, "Now, you want it to be maybe about a week or so old, two or three days old anyhow. You don't want a new pile, you want a ole un," he said, "an' you mess yourself all up, git it all on your feet, so you kin smell youself. An' if you ever ketch him aside of that gurl," he says, "don't you h'yessitate" - he say, "you knowed de time he's with 'er - he say, "you git jis' full of it." He say, "Even if you git it on some of your clothes, it don' make no difference," he say, "you kin git it off - jis' so she kin smell it - an' he could smell it - an' you could smell it. You walk right up side of her an' don' choo stop until you follow her an' him both right to de doah," he say, "an' if he's done anything like that" [put a spell on you], he says, 'he'll nevah go thah no more.'"
(What would you do, carry this stuff with you?)
No, that same night dat I knowed she wus out an' he wus to go home with her, why, fer me to git ahaid of 'em somewahr, you see, an' mess mahself up; an' then, when they come by, fer me to be already to break out. I did it. An' man! I wus smellin' turrible dat night. I didn't even like mah ownself. That's right. I thought it wus awful to be that way. But, I got aside of her an' I aimed to make out to stay aside of her. And before I got - oh, yes, I didn't git much further from here to Mr. [So-and-so's] garage [which we could see through the hotel window] before she begin to talk with me. Now, I nevah could git her to answer me - if I was aside of her, she wouldn't say nothin' to me.
(The other man was there, too?)
He was there, too.
(Did you follow them to the door?)
Right to the door. I nevah left. Soon as I got aside of her I nevah left no more. We walked about a mile - she lived about a mile, an' I walked -
(Did they smell you?)
Oh! They couldn't help it, choo know. Man! I wus in a furiosity! I wus furious! I wus in a furious shape! So I went on until I got from here to that garage, she commenced to talkin' with me, an' she talked all the way along. Ever' now an' then she'd answer me anything I ast her, all de way to her door. Now, he begin to git dumb. He begin to git so he wouldn't talk, he wouldn't have much to say. But yet he walked along with us. He didn't have much to say. When she got to the door he jis' said goodby.
(Do you think the dung affected him?)
I don't know whut it done. I nevah did know whut had happened. All I know, I did that.
(How long ago would that be?)
I'm sixty [in 1936] an' I don't guess I wus much over eighteen years old.
(Did it happen around here?)
Right over at Whitehaven, there over in Wicomico County. I lived there, born over there. [Princess Anne, Md., (133), 35:2.] [The preceding story is true - not a funny story. Was it a practical joke? Were the girl's cousins trying to help or hinder the romance? Did informant's rival belong to the conspiracy? Whatever the purpose, the conspirators devised it in terms of ancient witchcraft - human excrement (also urine) is a powerful protection against or cure for evil intent (see FACI 2ed. p.905, Nos.16488-16489 and others).] [I have preserved the name of the man who told this story; he also the teller of another remarkable story: "133 - Joe Dorman began with snake whistling - head of people expression - told story of old Indian - told story of dung - his first wife, never told her" - Nunbers Book 83-134. Snake whistling story perhaps lost. Head of people = group or crowd of people. For story of Indian, Marcellus Gates, see margin-title Zippy Tull.]
Entry 858
I was goin' to school. It was two girls. Well, I cared for both of 'em but it was one I re'lly liked bettah. De lady's livin' today, the one tha' hurt me. An' she wanted me to marry dis girl because it was her niece, but de other girl I liked her bettah. An' so we were schoolmates. De girl I care more for, well she'd [she was the] one I kep' right up [with] in mah class. An' so afterward it come to pass, the lady, which dis girl was her niece, she sol' wine an' stuff. Well, I liked wine. Well, mah mothah an' her seemed to be purtty good frien's. Why? Becuz she want me to marry her [niece] I reckon, becuz mothah had a little property an' stuff like dat an' I was de only child mah mothah had, you know. So I reckon she t'ought she'd tie me up, but still I loved de othah girl. An' so after school broke up, so de words got out - she says Carrie an' I was gon'a get married. As fer as I could learn, this lady said, "Well, if you don't marry her, why you're not gon'a marry anybody else." "So I was at her house an' should of notice it but I didn't. I didn't notice it. We boys go down dere on Sunday, you know, in de country - you know Sunday's a big time in de country. I goes down there on Sunday an' we run in an' we'd have a little drinks. I nevah did pay fer mine. I didn't pay any 'tention but it seemed very funny. But aftah I got hurt, den I re'lize what had happen I nevah did have to pay fer my drinks. An' it went on fer a period about two mont's. But in de third mont' I commence to drinkin', I begin to go bad - I feel bad. An' so mah mothah called de doctor an' de doctah come an' she ast him what was de mattah with me - which was a country doctor, Dr. Williams, which is livin' today. He did the best he could. [I apologize for my comment at the beginning of No. 646, p.218 - here is the second person to say a kind word about a doctor and his medicine.] An' so it seem like de more his medicine I took de worser I got. So he says to mah mothah one day, he says, "Ida," he says, "I don't know what's de mattah with de boy. I can't do him no good an'," he says, "the best thing tha' I know fer to do, is to send him de hospital." Well, before tha' mothah sent me de hospital, came ole man name of Ole Man Stuckey - he's dead, he's a white fellah called a faith doctor. He came in an' so mothah ast 'im some instruction about mah case. So Mr. Stuckey [Mr. for a white man] looked at me an' he said, "Well, Ida," he say, "tha' boy hurt." He says, "He's hurt." An' she says, "How you mean?" He said, "Well, somebody have put a spell on him." She says, "Mr. Stuckey, what will happen to him?" He said, "Well, you'll have to see some root doctor becuz a medical doctor is no good." So he referred to ole man Frank Bethe, Dunn, North Carolina, which is not quite a hunderd mile from here. I guess it'll run between ninety an' a hunderd. "I guess we kin git dat boy [well] if you kin git dat boy dere," he said, "Ole Man Frank will see him." Dat's de root doctor. [Here is one of the few documented cases - among numerous possible ones - of a person looking about for clients to send to a root doctor, a doctor almost one- hundred miles distant. The woman in No. 10, p.7, also went to Dunn, 24 miles northeast of Fayetteville where she then lived. Does the person sending in patients receive a kickback? As I from personal experience have explained in the Introduction, it is not easy to find or meet a doctor without a go between.] So mah stepfathah had a little ole Buick automobile. He takes dat ole car an' he goes on to Dunn. So, aftah we got in front of the door, stopped de car, Ole Man Frank walks out. He's a ole man who wears his pants backwards - de front part of his pants is backward. Dat's a'showing, de sign dat he's a root doctor, indiff'rent [diff'rent] from anybody else. Not all of 'em will do dat. So it was five of us in de crowd. He walks out, "That fellah there, he's hot [has a spell on him]." That was before I had said anything to him. An' so Ole Man Frank he turnt around to mah stepfathah an' says, "Well, why don't choo buy you some tires?" Mah stepfathah says, "I got purtty good tires." He says, "Wha choo had two punctures for?" Well, we did had two. We run ovah a nail - it was in a board, it was two punctures, but the punctures were all at de same time but two holes. So mah stepfathah he didn't git [didn't understand] - he said, "I haven't had but one puncture." He says, "You have." He says, "No, I haven't stopped but one time to fix tires, I didn't stop no more." He says, "You had two holes in that tube didn't you?" Mah stepfathah says, "Yes." He says, "Well, you all kin march in an' line up." So we lined up. Now, we walked straight on in past the first and second room and stopped in the third [see the three little rooms in my interview of Informant 1532 of Memphis]. An' he had a long bench an' a nice line of chairs on the left-hand side. He says, "You wanta sit on that long bench?" We all sit on de bench. So we went on in an' we did jis' as he said. Well, he wasn't in there at present then. Well, we was in there awhile there came a light. It was a light lit up the room. It come jes' about dark when we got there. I didn't see [a] light - I didn't see no lamp or nuthin. The room lit up an' aftah the room lit up 'an [= than = then] the light went right out. The ole man aftah awhile come in. He walked on down the crowd and looked ovah them [for the culprit] - before I go any further I'll tell you what was said. This ole man had a very nice lookin' daughter. You know exactly how mens will talk about 'em, about womenfolks. When we was comin' up in the car, one of the boys said, the same boy that was drivin' the automobile, a man, he said, "I would like to, for dat girl to be mine. I'd like to be wit her." So, [we] was waiting for Ole Man Frank to appear when we first come in. Ole Man Frank come in and he says, "There's one of you fellahs" - he say, "who was it spoke slack about her?" Nobody didn't say anything. He looked directly at us an' said, "Listen," he say, "I want you to treat mah house with respect." He say, "I didn't think you comin up here for any devilment or disrespectable manner." He says, "I thought youse comin' up here to bring this patient." He say, "Wha' choo wanna come here an'" he said, "you said when you saw mah daughter aroun' the edge of the field there tha' choo wanted to be with 'er." Well, God knows he said so. Well, I said [to myself], "This ole man here knows somepin." [My informant's reaction, contained in the preceding underlined words, is just what Frank wanted - the mysterious light and two punctures also preparing for it. This reminds me of a man interviewed in Petersburg, Virginia; former owner of a traveling medicine-show - himself, a traveling-bag, and great experience. As a part of the tune-up for the sales-pitch, he would call out to an old man in the audience; first having secretly learned his name and local reputation. Pointing at the man, "You, out there, old Uncle Ben Smith! [[Dramatic pause.]] Everybody for miles knows you - knows you're a honest man. But, you don't look too healthy to me. Don't be frightened! I'm going to tell you what's the matter with you. Better, I'm going to give, present you with a free bottle of my medicine, which will cure you before morning. First, however, I'm going to ask you a question. These people know you will give me a truthful answer. Listen carefully. Every night, don't you have to get up and go outside to the bathroom?" The old man shouted, "Amen! AmenI That's the truth! This man knows somepin!"] An' so I sat down there awhile. He'd stopped you from sayin' anything. He said, "You go here and sit in that chair." I sit on the chair. I was sittin' [in] chair I reckon 'bout five minutes. He say, "Kin you read?" I says, "Yes." He handed me a book. He says, "Why don' choo read?" I started to readin'. I didn't know thing - I was asleep: He put ever'body in the room asleep: [If a buzzard can row Doctor Buzzard's boat - see margin-title Doctor Buzzard - don't be too skeptical.] Well, I woke up before anybody - he woke me up first. Ever'body sittin' over there asleep - snorin'. Then he ast me mah trouble. [He did nothing of the sort as we will see.] He says, "I knowed it was a black woman that's put a spell on yah," and he say, "it's two girls you was goin' with, one of them's daughter [niece] an' she jes' put a spell on you." He says, "I know exactly what's the matter with you. [Doctor Frank is merely repeating the information he had received in a letter from the white-man faith-doctor, Ole Man Stuckey. The latter could have sent the letter sometime before he called on the prospective patient - he says, "Ole Man Frank will see him.] He says, "I'm not goin' wake a one up in the house now until I fix you." He says, "You got any money?" I says, "Well, yes, I got a little bit." He says, "I don't want a dime but, '" he said, "I'm goin' fix yeh." [Frank is now preparing to advertise himself in the patient's community.] I says, "Well, Frank [I doubt that!]," I says, "I'll have to pay you, won't I?" We all knowed his name. You could see the big letters all around the wall - F-R-A-N-K B-E-T-H-E, Frank Bethe. He set down. "Well," he say, "I'm goin' fix it for you." He say, "I'll fix what I'm gon'a use." He said, "You jis' take mah money an' carry it on the back of your house, on the east end, an' put it in a piece of paper - don't bury it - a piece of newspaper an' wrap it up," he says, "I'll git it." [He means] back of mah house aftah I get back home - don't live in no Wilmington, I lived with mah mothah. I lived in Castel [North Carolina]. [What Doctor Bethe should have said, "My co-worker, white-man faith doctor, Ole Man Stuckey, will pick it up for me some night."] [A doctor picking up his fee at a distance or through the air is not rare - see No. 13, p.12 and in Index, Doctor fee.] And so I reckon I'd have spells right aroun' eight an' nine o'clock at night. It was gittin' roun' eight or nine o'clock then and I commence havin' a spell, commence gittin' dizzy an' funny an' sort of shakey, jis' like I ever was. [The Spell happens at the same time it was cast - see margin-title 11:30-5:30 Trains.] [This dizziness could explain his being put to sleep - a sudden blackout.] He come an' put his hand ovah mah forehead an' ever'thing's bright [the bright light again] an' I could look up an' talk to him till he say, "Well, I think ever'thing will be all right." And he told me to go home an' put dat money dere. He ast me how far I lived from there [Dunn]. I told him where I lived. He says, "If you live less than a hunderd miles, I kin work for you aftah I send you home. He couldn't work over a hunderd mile wid jore cast - it had to come in the percentage of a hunderd-mile list before that he could reach you case. But - he didn't want to work on you in his house. And so I left him that night. He told me, he said, "Now, you go on home and in the mornin'," he said, "you won't have any more of these spells but," he said, "you'll be weak for ovah a week." He fixed me a bottle before I left there. And so he told me about this bottle he fixed - the bottle of medicine. He told me, he says, "Now, I want you take this at nine o'clock in the morning [reverse magic - opposite to nine o'clock at night]. I wants you to take on Eastern Standard Time [just to be different or mystifying or to allow for extra hour "eight or nine"]. I said, "Well, listen, I don't know if my clock is Eastern Standard Time or not." He say, "Well, I want choo to take the medicine by one o'clock." He say, "You take it nine o'clock by your clock, take it one the next, and three the next [odd hours] and then you'll git all right." And then he said, "I'll wan' choo to come back to see me aftah you put this money in the paper. So aftah I put the money in the paper like he tole me and commence takin' the medicine, I was goin' strong, feelin' good - I didn't have any more shaking spells. So I return back and I saw him and he told me, he say, "Lewis"-he called my name, I nevah told 'im mah name. He say, "Lewis," he say, "you're coming along all right now, aren't chah?" I told 'im, "Yes sir." Do you think you kin get your money?" I says, "Yes sir, I got it." [Several preceding pieces of bad recording, very short ones, confuse the flow of events here. I am copying the text from my original pencil transcription made soon after the cylinder was recorded; an original I will now attach to this final manuscript ready for publication. The money hidden in the newspaper was not the complete fee; it was two things - (1) more atmosphere, this for local advertising about a doctor who could pick up his fee at a distance, and (2) the kickback to Old Man Stuckey who picked it up. The real fee, no price set, to be paid later.] He say, "Well now, you owe me fifteen dollars. You got it?" I told him, 'Yes sir, I got it." I thought he was goin' to charge me about hunderd dollars. I'd been borr'in' money from ever'body in de neighborhood - the man I was workin' fer I done borr'ed fifty dollars from him, and the ole lady [mother] had to mortgage de place. [This borrowing is like the expression I had ever' doctor in town. So he said, "Well, all right, give me fifteen dollars." So I paid him. I say, "Weli, Doc," I say, "look here." I say, "That medicine done me so much good," I said, "what did you put in it?" He says, "Now, if you want me to learn you what to put in this medicine," he said, "I'll have to tell you but," he said, "it'll cost you five more dollars to learn about it." I says, "I'd rather pay you five dollars," says I, "cause I like to have some more of this medicine - you see, this bottle's gone." He says, "Now, if you'll stay up here this afternoon" - he says, "I'm busy." He say, "I like the folks [patients] to be here this part of the day [all healing is done with the rising sun] but, '' says, "if you'll stay up here dis afternoon, he says, "I'll show you the ingredients that I put in the bottle." So I decided. I told 'im yes I'd stay. And so that afternoon, after he got done with his business, him and I went on out in the woods. And so he got a root that's called Eve and Adam. He showed that 'erb which I knowed today - which I could go git a piece now in less than thirty minutes. He showed me the qroundhoa, the sow and the boar, that's a 'erb that grows - not de groundhog that we talk about, I mean dat fix up de weather - female and male. And de nex' 'erb he showed me was de high John de Conker; the nex', low John de Conker. He told me to take those things an' boil 'em for four hours, add one gallon of water to it and boil it till it come down to one quart [magic of diminishing amount]. Take it jes' 'fore sunrise and go out to de east corner of de buildin', sit de bottle down jes' before sunrise, take nine steps backwards, go back an' pick de bottle up, an' ever'thing will be O.K. until the sundown. Jes' a few minutes before the sun leaves the edges of the trees, take it and carry it away - walk nine steps backwards [pick up the bottle], walk direct west nine steps, turn back and your medicine is finish.
(Did he say how this woman had tricked you?)
Yes, sir. He told me she tricked me in drinkin'.
(He didn't tell you what she had put in it?)
Yes, he did, but I've nevah been able to do nuthin to her. But I'll nevah forgit de name he called it. He told me this woman had [gone] down side de back and got a weed that was called mint calZow[?]. That's what he told me. And he said she'd boiled the weed, that mint calZow, into a quart of water down to a pint [magic of diminishing amount] and he said she poured it into one quart of wine. And he said ever'time that I'd go there she'd give me to drink out of dat, and de rest de fellahs out of what she was sellin'. [I have a feeling that Doctor Frank was pleased to be rid of this patient. Once a woman on leaving me threw a fit out in the hall; again, two doctors out- side got into a fight - see Introduction. You don't want too much of this sort of thing. The preceding medicine-show man - my failure to take down the account of his work was one of my great failures - see Introduction.]
Entry 1016
[In addition to the bottle catching of a spirit (p.24) a spirit can be caught while operator ties a knot:] Take a piece of string. Well, you may hear someone call yo' in yore sleep. You may be sleep or may be in my house. I'll say, "John, ' or whatever yore name is. Well, whenever I say John or Charlie, that spirit will answer me and I snap dat string and I've got yore spirit.
(You just hold a piece of string in one hand?)
Two hands - jest a small piece of cotton string and tie a knot in it but don't draw it tight yet. And I call dat name and as quick as dat name ah call it, "Charlie?" Charlie will say, "Hunh?" I'll snatch it, I've gotcha. (What would you do with that string, after you get that in there? What would you do, then?) What would I do after I gets it? Fasten it right down and tie it up and put it in my purse.
(And you have the spirit then. Well, what would a person do that for?)
What would you do dat for? When yo's in love. A woman would do that when she's in love wid yuh and she wanta gain yuh.
Entry 1030
[Although the following rite deals with love, the doctor uses this coffeepot method for all sorts of cases:] Now, listen. Dis woman an' her husband couldn't git along. He's very noisy an' he has - naturally he is diff'rent from her an' he do things she didn't like an' always cause an argument. So he goes away fo' foah months, yo' understand. He goes away fo' foah months. Well, dis woman she got in love - dis is Anna - Anna wus so much, yo' know, so crazy about him an' loved him an' want to live with him an' all lak dat, so she goes to dis woman an' tole dis woman how, whut an' ever'thing. Dis woman said, "Kin yo' come down heah eleven-thirty? Ah want chew tuh go to de cemetery. Bring two pieces of money - two pennies, an' take up dirt from de foot an' de haid an' bring it back to me. Ah'll put it in a coffeepot." She fixed it up - she put sulphur an' peppah or salt - ah don't know jes' what, but we'll say peppah an' she give it back to Anna. She put salt an' peppah with dis dirt - she put it in de coffeepot an' she prayed ovah it. Ah don't know whut de prayer. An' she give this dirt to Anna an' she said, "An' yo' write his name on a papah three times a day an' burn dis papah six a'clock in de mawnin', twelve in de day an' six in de evening" - see - "an' do dat fo' nine days, an'in de third day write him a lettah."
(The third day during those nine days?)
Yes - yo' understand. After ah do dis nine days [she reveals the identity of the woman going to the doctor], den after dat three days, write him a lettah on de third day, yo' understand. "An' yo'll hear from him, an' yo' an' him will git back together in three days or three months." An' in two months time dey wus back together. (When she went out to the graveyard, what did she do out there? She took some dirt and what?) She took dirt from de graveyard - dat wus supposed to be at twelve a'clock at night, but Anna had tuh go to dis place an' be there at eleven-thirty an' talk to dis woman. She had to go to dis place alone - de cemetery alone. Well, Anna is very nervous ~ er - ah had a lot of nerve, yo' know. She goes to de cemetery an' she gits dis dirt from de foot an' de head. Yo' understand me? An' she bring it back to this woman. She put it in a coffeepot wit, we'll say peppah - put peppah in it an' give it to Anna an' said, "Yo' write his name on a piece of papah."
(When she put it in the coffeepot did she do anything to it in the coffeepot?)
Not anythin' - jes' put it in dere an' pray ovah it an' take it out. No - no cookin'.
Entry 1746
Take de bow out de back of yore hat an' make yo' love 'em.
(What would she do with that bow?)
She takes an' puts it into a bag an' puts Hearts Cologne on it an' she wears it roun' her neck jes' lak yo'd wear a neckpiece or somepin lak dat.
Entry 1747
Yo' could take de bow out of a man hat an' put dat in a bottle of perfume an' keep it or either wear it in yore shoe an' that'll make 'em love yo'.
Entry 2025
[The last name, John the Conqueror Root, is never used - it is given here to explain the preceding three. john de Conker is the usual name. King of the World (No. 1352, p.455) and other names are sometimes used. What is John de Conker root? Like goofer dust (p.222), John de Conker can be many things. Act- ually, it is a mythical, at least a very uncertain, root, identified differently according to various per- sons in the root-selling business or according to the particular root worker who digs his own. Few root men during my collecting days dug their own.] An' den when yo' wanta git money, she tole me a way, too, tuh git money - dat yo' go to work an' go in de swamp and git what chew call a man ruler root. Take dat root an' it got joints in it lak yo' finger. [Some- one somewhere else speaks about these joints.] Yo' take dat when yo' go to a fellah tuh make a trade wid him or either buy anything, yo' bit off a piece 'fore yo' git dere, one joint, measure it wit chure finger, de joint of yore finger, an' bite it off right dere at dat joint, and yo' chew it up an' be spittin' as yo' talk to 'em, right down on de ground where yo' kin spit. See. An' he comin' yo' way. Now why ah believe dat - hit works in love too, cause one time a man's wife quit him and he got a pice of dis John Ruler Root - no, it's Conker - Man de Conker - see, John de Conker - but dat's de same thing, John de Conker Root. Well he goes tuh work then an' bit dat off and was standing up talking to his wife an' ast her did she wanta come back to him. Well he had never, yo' know, went to chewing it. She say, "No." And dat time he went to chewin' an' spittin' and said, "What objection yo' have to not comin' back tuh me?" An' she say, "Well, yo' won't treat me right." An' he spitted 'bout two or three times, see, an' say, "Well, kiss me." An' she say, "Well, ah kin kiss yo' but ah ain't goin' back to yo'." An' she kissed him. An' 'fore dat man left dere she went back home wit him. An' dat's right - wit dat High John de Conker root.
Entry 2050
Ah heard agin if yo' got a man an' yo' love him - see, yo' could take an' mess wit him an' tie him up in nine knots an' he couldn't mess wit no one else but chew.
(What would you tie the nine knots in?)
Entry 2158
Well, if you want to make 'im love you, you take their name and you write 'em on a piece of brown paper - write it nine times, backwards. And then after you write it nine times backwards, you take it and you fold it [toward you] into that name, and you take that name and you get you a bottle of holy water. You know what holy water is, huh?
(Yes.)
You take that bottle of holy water and put that thing down in there and you do like this - just shake it before you put it in there. And after you put it in there, you set it up in the north corner of the house where nobody can't see it, in the dark. And they'll fix you with that.
(What will happen to you?)
Well, you can't - you'll love him just better than ever.
Entry 2218
Git de dust of dat - dat's tuh make love. (The file?) [Steel tool.] Yessuh. Yo' take an' file dat off, git de steel of it an' git de dust, an' yo' puts hit in quicksilver an' yo' - it'll run yo' cross country, jes' run yo' clean to devilment. Yo' take an' put dat powders an' dat silver dust together an' yo' take an' make a salves of dat - make a salve of dat silver an' lard, don't put no peppah in dat. Grease yore han's wit it an' when yo' shake han's wit anybody, dat's conjurin' anyone. (And that quicksilver, is that the silver that comes around tobacco?) [I ask because quicksilver and silver are sometimes tin foil.] No, it comes on de back of a lookin'-glass, on de back of de lookin'-glass.
[Steel dust is usually bought prepared.]
Entry 2254
Ah told him [my contact man Edward] absolutely dat ah believed in dese things an' dey could do - dese things could be done. Dere is roots dat ah know of dat ah've got faith in. Yo' take de rattlesnake marster, dat's one of de wonderfulest roots dat will bring luck an' carry it fo' yo' - keep yo'. Ah have experienced whut ah'm tellin' yo'. Yo' take it - yo' kin an' have it round yo' an' yo' kin hold a job. Ah know that - ah believe it - got faith in it. Yo' take de blacksnake root - dat's a good root an' in usin' it with whiskey yo' kin keep love. Yo' kin love them.... Then there's a root dey calls de shoestring - devil's shoestring. Yo' kin wear it - dat'll keep luck. Dat's good fo' luck. Den yo' take the - ah've got faith in it 'cause ah've tried it. Yo' take - dere's a bull nettle. Well, whenevah a man an' a woman - a woman kin fix a man so dat he kin have nuthin tuh do with othah women.
(How would she do that?)
How she do it - dey tell me dey take worms, these earthworms, an' fry 'em an' git de grease an' rub it on him. He can't have nuthin else to do with no othah - take it an' use de grease an' he can't have nuthin tuh do wit a woman. But now, if he take dat bull nettle, he kin overcome it. Nuse [use] it by puttin' it on whiskey, gin whiskey [= white whiskey, either gin or moonshine (uncolored) whiskeyl, puttin' it on gin whiskey an' drink it. He'd overcome it. Well, dere's a butterfly root. Now dat's a wonderful root tuh keep a woman with yo' jes' as long as yo' want her.
(How would you do that?)
Yo' kin use de root dis way. Take hit an' boil it, git all de suction [juice] out of it, an' put it in a vial an' keep it with yo' all de time in that vial - a small vial, jest as small as yo' kin git it. Keep it with yo' all de time an' she nevah will leave yo'.
(You don't use it?)
Don't use it - jest keep it with you....
(What is the name of the root?)
Shoemake root. Dey tell me if yo' take hit an' git tuh de person an' git it somewhere dat dey have tuh step ovah it - they will have tuh come back. Dey tell me if yo' take dis heah thing - ah calls it [Graney?] Greybeard.
(Graney Greybeard.)
Take hit an' use it or wear it. Soak it ovah night de first night yo' git it an' use it gamblin'. Ah tried dat. Ah know dat. Soak it ovah night in some kinda cheap cologne - perfume it an' use it. Do dat once a month an' ah believe it's luck. Ah tried it.
(You just wear that thwn you go to - )
Wear it dat way - soak it once a month.
Entry 2355
Ef a man and his girl friend falls out, I even burn incense fer that. I let her burn it three times and he comes home. Den, in other words, I give de female sex a lesson what to do. De lesson is ids, is fo' yo' tuh - ef yo' are only making up yore bed one time a day at de time of yo' fallin' out an' yo' making up yo' bed one time a day [now], den yo' change. Yo'll make up twice a day. Change yo' linen on yo' tablecloth twice a day. Take a saucer and a cup wit a gold rim roun' it, yo' turn de cup down and set de saucer on top of de cup.
(Upside down or?)
Let de saucer set up - de cup should turn down. An' wit de cup turn down, den set de saucer up on it. See. An' go out and invite him in fer lunch with her. Then in that use sweet spice into yore bedroom. That gain de influence of de individual. Yo' won't have to do it no mo' den 'bout once or twice befo' he come in.
Entry 2381
Some people, if they wants you to like 'em, they'll take a piece of green wood.
(Green wood?)
Wood.
(Any kind of wood?)
Pine wood. Take pine wood and go to the store and buy me a file, brand-new file. Say, they took a brand-new file and drove it through the piece of wood and break it. Put it there nine places - just driv it in there as far as they Want to and break it off. Put it there many times as she want and break it off. See, now, you got nine pieces in there, broke off you know fine - you know, small file it'll break. And after you broke it off, then you goes to the well and drops it in the well. Well, it sinks. You ever seen a well?
(Yes - in the ground, a deep well.)
Drop it in the well. Well, it sinks, goes on the bottom and lays on the bottom, stays there until that well is cleaned out. Only way you kin get clear of it - the water gets low in dere, you will notice it there and go there and clean it out. Well, that will make a man just love you - like you - keep you - never wants to leave you - will never want you to leave there. He will send for you, I don't care where you are at. (That is in connection with a job, you mean, if you are working for this man. Or if a woman wants to keep a man.) Sir?
(Does a woman do this to a man, or does a man do this to hold a job?)
A man to hold a job. [Surely a love rite.]
Entry 2796
Yo' kin go to drug sto' an' buy whut chew call dese lucky candles an' yo' light 'em an' yo' burn em. Go tuh de drug sto' an' yo' ask fo' lucky candles - see, jis' lucky candles. Some of 'em are blue an' some of 'em are red - jis' any color, but jis' ask fo' lucky candles. Well, yo' take it in yore room an' yo' burn it - see, from seven a'clock in de mawnin' until nine in de mawnin'. See. An' den yo' git some of dis heah - git some of that oil that drip from this candle an' put chew some kinda loud perfume on it dat smell - yo' know, 'tract peoples' 'tenshun. An' when yo' go aroun' 'em - jis' lak it's a man, yo' know, why he'll fall fo' yo'. Yo' 'tract his 'tenshun. Well, yo' go tuh talkin' to him an' de closer he git to yo', de mo' dat odor yo' git. See, he'll fall fo' yo'.
Entry 2824
Write a person's name on a piece of paper nine times for them to come to stay, and put it in a saucer and light a red candle, or a blue for true love for them to come. That's their way. If you ditch him and you ever see him with some - they happen to be with somebody else, you get you a black candle and write his name on a piece of paper and put that candle in that saucer and lay that - lay him right under it. And if [as] this candle molt down, that person'll molt - that's a[say] dry up and molt away.
Entry 2826
(What would they do if they got my photograph?)
Well, your photograph - this here - of course they don't use those tintypes no more. But you could take your photograph like that. You could take a candle. Just like if you want to do evil, well you could take a black candle; if you want peace or love, well you take a blue or green candle. You take that candle and you take a pin, start from the top and you write her name coming down, all the way around, coming down until you get to the bottom. [Demonstrates.] (You write her name right around it with this pin. You scratch her name on that candle right down like a barber's pole, down to the bottom.) Yeah. Then after you get it [written], you get a little small can - get a little small can like that and you put it, the candle down in that.
(What color candle are you using now?)
Using a green one.
(A green one. All right.)
And you take it and you put it down in there - just about a half of that cup- ful of water. [Water is in the can.] You taken her picture - don't put it where it could catch afire, but set it over that and you light that candle. Well, that candle will burn. Just like you set it at nine - that's if you want her to be on a grief about you - you set that candle at nine and you take it off at twelve. Put that candle out. But whilst you got that candle burning, you have her photo- graph turned down right over that.
(Now wait a minute. That photograph is in front of the can? Outside?)
Yes, just set it over there where it wouldn't catch fire from the heat from the candle.
(Wait a minute. The photo isn't over the can?)
No.
(It's leaning against the can?)
Leaning toward the candle [but against can].
(And her picture is upside down?)
That's right.
(All right.)
Then you take it.
(You light it at nine in the morning and nine at night?)
Nine in the morning and at twelve o'clock in the day you take it out. And you light it at nine o'clock [in the morning] and at twelve o'clock, you puts it out.
(All right. Then what?)
That puts her on a grief. Then you change that picture. Every morning you do that for three morning - three nines and three twelves. See.
(How do you mean, you change that picture?)
Just like if you got it turned bottom upwards, then you take that picture anc turn in crossways.
(Sideways?)
Just like that. Yes.
(Each day.)
Yeah, first nine [in the morning] you have it bottom upwards, second nine you got it crossways, and three [third] nine you got it straight up again.
(Head down?)
Yes.
(Every day you turn that picture a different way in front of the can?)
In front of the candle.
(You turn it three times because you are burning it three days?)
Three days.
(All right. Go ahead.)
Then afterwards you take it out. After you take the three days out, well you take this picture every day at twelve o'clock for seven days at twelve o'clock. You read the prayers - just like you take the morning prayers, see, of Moses - the prayer of - any kind of prayer - "The Lord be our Shepherd" - and well then, you read that prayer every day at twelve o'clock.
(Is this before you put the candle out or after you put the candle out?)
No, you hain't got the candle burning a'tall, then. You just reading to that picture - you just praying to.
(At twelve o'clock after you put the candle out?)
Yes. Then, regardless of where that woman at, she is worried - she's worried, she coming back to you.
Entry 3171
[Many examples of this rite are given elsewhere.] Ah heah how tuh make anybody love dem. Ah heah dey take dey han'chief an' make dem take it firs' an' yo' take it nex'. An' put it undah yore do'step, an' yo' kin keep dat dere an' dat makes 'em love yo'.
Entry 3211
Co'se dis is diff'ren hair do [a different way of doing or using hair]. Tell me yo' kin take when yo' messin' wit a woman an' git a stran' of hair offa her down heah an' git a stran' from yo', an' when yo'all have yore connection dere togethah an' aftah yo'all discharge, jes' take an' put dat hair in it an' tie 'em togethah an' put it in a li'le sack - a flannel sack an' tie it aroun' yore wais' an' wear it. Dat keep love right tuh yo'. She won' love nobody but chew all de time.
Entry 3214
(Tell me that again now. What would you do?)
Take de bow out of a man hat. Yo've seen mens when dey buy hats, pull de bow out de hat an' burn it up, haven't chew? Dey won't nevah - very seldom yo' see a man wit a bow in 'is hat. Take dat bow an' tie it an' wear it right roun' heah, roun' yore private, wit a string. Jes' wear it right roun' an' he can't raise no heart fo' no heart fo' nobody but chew.
Entry 3233
Dey'll git a new piece of cloth, see, an' dey place undah dere feet an' dey'll cut dat out. See, cut dat out in de shape of yore feet an' write de name of de person on dat an' dat also - an' den yo' write yore name across it, see. An' den yo' use dat fo' nine nights jes' lak if yo' have a connection or anythin' lak dat, dey also use dat. An' dey'll wear it in dere shoes, or dey'll bury it at a lonely crossroad.
(They write the name how? Like this?)
Yes, cross and den cross. See, dey write de person's name up and down de foot of de cloth [the cloth foot], see; an' den dey write dere name across dat. Yeah.
(And how did you say they use that now?)
An' den dey use dat jes' lak if yo' an' I are frien's, see, an' yo' an' I have connection togethah. Why we use dat, see, fer nine nights.
(I see. And what is this supposed to do now?)
An' den yo' take dat an' yo' take it to a crossroads where dere are wagon ruts at de crossroad, an' yo' bury it right dere in de middle of dat an' dat also will keep yo' lovable towards 'em.
(A woman uses that for men.)
Entry 3279
Den yo' kin take anothah woman if yo' wanta make her love yo' - yo' see, yo' kin have dealin's wit 'er. In othah words, yo' wear yore hanscuff roun' yore neck all day long an' let it git good an' sweaty. An' when it git good an' sweaty, an' den yo' have dealin's wit dis woman, yo' take dat hanscuff an' wipe. An' den yo' take some watah an' yo' put dat hanscuff down in de watah an' squeeze it out. An' den yo' put dat in a bottle an' keep it in yore pocket all de time, an' she'll come to love yo' an' she wouldn't have no dealings wit no one else. See, all of dem t'ings [things] ah have, yo' know, sperienced [experienced] it - ah done it mahself.
(This handkerchief you use to wipe both yourself and her?)
Yourself an' her, an' den yo' put it in some water an' den you squeeze dat water out.
Entry 3365
Dere's things she could do to make him love her. She could take a dishrag, she could pet 'im up to have intahco'se wit 'er. Take a dishrag an wipe him down an' bury one undah de do'steps an' put de other one undah de mattress or on de springs, an' he couldn't have no feelin' fo' no one but 'er. He'd have to love her cuz he couldn't git a passion fo' nobody but 'er, as long as she kept dat dishrag buried.
(Did she use one or two?)
She use two - yessuh, she uses two. She buries one undah de front do'steps an' uses de othah undah de mattress.
Entry 3406
A woman can take a dishrag from a man's house she loves, wash it out and bury it in the ground. Let it stay for three weeks [21 days or 3x7 days]. Then go back and dig it up and wear it around her neck, and this man won't have anything to do with any other woman except her. That's how she can keep him.
Entry 3516
If a man leaves home an' a woman wants a man back, he's easy tuh git back. It's very easy tuh git 'im back. She haven't got anything tuh do but go 'head an' have a intahco'se wit 'im an' when dey have intahco'se wit 'im an' git de measure of 'is, yo' undahstan', an' den she'll tie three knots in dat string an' ca'y [carry] it aroun' 'er waist. Ain't no way in de world he kin git up anothah heart fo' anothah woman. He goin' come back where she is.
Entry 3570
Well, dey has nine knot to tie, dey tie 'em in a length of dat length [demonstrates].
(About a foot.)
[These knots on the string are tied a foot apart.]
Yo' tie eight. Evah knot chew tie, yo' names whoevah yo' want dere love. Yo' name dem, yo' want dere love an' bring 'em back to yo'. De last [ninth] knot chew tie, yo' tie dat knot, yo' tie dat string roun' yo' an' yo' wear it; but chew 'noint it wit dat holy oil (see p.588) an' den yo' wear it roun' yore waist. An' dose people will love yo' an' always be dere. Ah know dat pos'tively fo' mahself. (You take any kind of string to do that?) Yes - no, ah take a cord string, yo' know, jes' lak yo' buy a package. Yo' take a cord string an' do dat.
Entry 3574
Dat's tuh make a man love yo'. Well, if yo' goin' wit a man an' evah time yo'all go tuh bed togethah, evah time yo'all go out togethah, well yo' tie a knot in dis. Git chew a piece of yellah homespun an' yo' tie a knot in dis homespun until yo' git nine knots. An' aftah yo' git dose nine knots in it, yo' put it in a jar an' shet it up tight, an' den yo' take it an' bury it. An' aftah yo' bury it, dis man will - he jes' can't keep away from yore house.
Entry 3585
Yo' kin take - when yo' have intahco'se wit chure wife, or wit anybody yo' like, jes' take dat string, don't chew know, an' as long as - skuse [excuse] me dat expression [which is the following] as long as it is. Yo' jes' tie nine knots on dere an' jes' wear it roun' yo'. Even if yo' [a man] are wit yore wife, or de othah woman, or eithah de man [can measure a woman]. Take a cord string an' jes' tie nine knots an' de way she is yo' jes' tie nine knots an' yo' know, rub some of dat stuff on it an' jes' wear it roun' yore waist. An' dat'll make 'em jes' git crazy ovah yuh.
Entry 3612
Fo' a man to lose his nature an' - lak if he has a woman an' she loves 'im, or he has a wife an' she loves 'im best. To remove him from 'er, or to take his nature away, she'll take a string, a cord string an' she'll measure his private an' den she puts nine knots in it. See. An' aftah puttin' de nine knots in it, den she'll take it an' she'll bury it or tie it undah de bed an' sleep on it. Dat is to take away his nature. or to keep 'im from goin' wit anybody else.
Entry 3815
You take a piece of mullein stick and watch for anybody else you love and you want to catch up with them. When you see them pee somewhere, you take the mullein stick and stick it right in the middle of it [the pool of urine], and if a man have connection with this girl [whose urine has been transfixed with the mul- lein stalk], he'll be hung up with her. They'll be stuck together and you'll catch them.
Entry 3836
Well, dey say yo' take a piece of string, not a rag string but a cotton string yo' know, an' yo' tie a knot. Now, evahone says if yo' wan'a man tuh love yuh, or a woman, yo' kin jes' squeeze dat little thing [finger] on yore lef' han' [demonstrates]. (Squeeze the little finger on the left hand.) Squeeze it till it git kinda dead [numb], yo' know. Den yo' take a needle an' jes' keep pickin' till yo' git one drop of blood. An' yo' take dat drop of blood an' put a little bit on all nine of dem knots, an' weah it roun' yore waist. Dey'll run crazy ovah yo'.
(You take that blood from your own finger?)
Yes.
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 3838
Ah know about one thing, yo' kin write a person's name. Yo' kin take it - now if yo' wanta be ovah a woman or a man, yo' take an' write his name in a piece of papah wit 'ers. Now, if yo' want de woman tuh be ovah de man, write de woman's name tuh de top an' write 'is name undahneat' 'ers. Den pick yore lef' arm, an' pinch enough blood outa dat lef' arm tuh spell dose names out. Den when yo' git dose names spelled, yo' take it an' wrap it up tuh yo', dat piece of papah. Fold it comin' tuh yo'. Whutevah way yo' fold it, let it be comin' tuh yo'. An' take it an' put it in a corked bottle an' bury it at nine 'clock at night. An' dat man an' dat woman nevah will quit one another. An' if dey quit one anothah, dey'll go crazy. Dey love one another so good as long as dey live. S'long as dey live, dat las' 'em fo'evah. Bury it undah de do'step at night. If yo' can't git chance tuh bury it, jes' throw it undah de do'step, an [or] in a place where dey gotta walk in an' out. An' dey nevah will quit one another, an' jes' go crazy wit dat han'writin'.
(You must get this blood out of your left arm?)
Pick it out - yore lef' arm, yo' jes' gotta pick it.
Entry 3842
Yo' take a pin an' scratch yo'self until yo' bleed, an' den take de blood an' write de girl's name. Jis' like if it's a girl yo' in love wit, write dat name wit dat pin wit de blood, an' send 'er dat lettah an' she would come regardless tuh where yo' wuz. She would come an' see yo'. (Do you mean you just write her an ordinary letter first, or just write her name on it?) Jis' write a or'nary lettah firs' den sign yore name wit dat blood.
Entry 3870
Ah know it tuh be a fac', if a girl break up - lak if yo' didn't love 'er so good, yo' know, an' if she be sick or sompin othah lak dat. Well, dere's one thin' dat she kin [do], if she's sick, to he'p'er- self. If she kin git yo' tuh eat anythin', or drink watah, den she take a little of 'er sickness, in 'bout a teaspoonfulla watah, an' a li'le bit of red shank, an' boil it intuh de watah. She kin po' dis stuff, jes' 'bout a halfa teaspoonfulla in some watah an' gi' yo' [give you]. Why yo's a fool about 'er, see.
(You put a piece of red shank root into that water?)
Dat right. An' if yo' wanta, dere's a way dat yo' find out dat she did do yo' dat way. Yo' goes in de woods an' gits yo' de devil's shoestring. Den yo' comes back wit dat an' yo' boil it an' take yo' a piece of mullein. Dem [mullein plant] a flat weed sompin lak 'bacca [tobacco], lak a head of 'bacca, yo' know, but it be's somewhut flattah yo' know - it don't be high, yo' know. An' yo' take dat an' yo' take nine strands of dat mullein root an' ball [boil] it, an' two leaves. De way yo' gotta do, yo' git some whiskey an' put on it, on dat, an' git chew a piece of camphor an' put it on it. Well, yo' tote dat in yore pocket fo' 'bout two or three days an' pass 'er do', an' she'll tell yo' she got de headache one day when yo' pass dere. Inside of eight days she'll tell yo' she got de head- ache. Well, yo' jes' say to her, says, "Well, dat's mighty bad but ah got some camphor heah." Well, yo' go ahead by dere an' let 'er rub 'er haid wit it. Yo got 'er an' it's offa yo' den. Well, she git tuh lovin' yo' den. Maybe, if yo' wanta love 'er an' want 'er tuh love yo' - well, it jes' quite natural if a man love a woman, he want 'er tuh love him yo' know.
Entry 3872
She was - yo' know, she'd git someone firs' to git somepin about 'im, some of 'is clothes, his garments, some of 'is undahgarments - yo' know, of de clothes. Yo' know, cut a piece of it an' git some of 'er frien's to git dat. She'd take it an' do what she wanted. [She'd] git some of 'er monthlies, yo' know, an' put on it. An' den she'd bury it undah- neat' de do'step or whutsomevah. An' well, den when he'd come in dere, he'd jis' be crazy about dat woman. He'll come right back jis' like dat.
Entry 3875
Dey take de dirt from underneath de fingernails an' place it with periods an' give it to menfolks to cause 'em to love 'em an' give them all their earnings.
Entry 3911
I've heard dis-like, it seems purtty bad. I don't guess it would suit yore occasion. Now I heard talk of lotsa men an' girls dat I really been roun', an' said dat dey really did it, an' a boy couldn't go no place wit'out dey'd be right - yo' know, she couldn't go anywhere wit'out 'er husban' or man or fellah or whutsoevah it might be, be right where she wus. Yo' know, jis' like sometime a woman have periods, she would go to de stores an' buy some kin'a red meat, choo know, dat produce a lot of blood - sompin like livah or steak or sompin like dat. An' she said dat she'd taken dis steak [or liver] an' beat it up an' taken one dem things [menstrual cloth], yo' know, from roun' 'er concern, an' wrap dat thing up in dere, an' wore it jes about a half of day an' taken it right off. An' when 'er husban' come in she, yo' know, cooked it fo' 'i. An' he went on an' et [ate] it. An' she said dat she cain't even git rid of 'im, an' she don't wan'a stay wit 'im, or cain't git rid of 'im. Yo' know, some witchcraft tole her about it. An' she says [saz not sez] it really happens fo' a fac' [fact]. An' I do know dat he's stays tuh wery lovin'. But anothah man stay wit 'er right now. But 'er husban' cain't stay away from dere. He's goin' dere to care [carry] 'er some money dis aftahnoon. He tole me so. He gon'a bring 'er some money fer 'er an' 'er baby.
Entry 3913
On de changes of de moon, her sick time, she'll ketch dat. She'll git dat out de cloth an' she put dat into sompin, into anythin' yo' know. Some time she makes bread, sweetbread, she'll pour dis in dere. Dat'll run 'im crazy about 'er. As long as she keeps dat up, he'll be crazy about 'er.
(But it has to be done on the change of the moon?)
Oh, yes.
(Why the change of the moon?)
Well, yo' see dat's de time women wanta be roun' like dat, yo' know.
Entry 3922
Yo' kin take a chicken gizzard an' take it an' let it dry up, jis' let it dry up an' make a powdah outa it. An' jis' lak if yo' wanta make yore husban' crazy about chew, well yo' take dat chicken gizzard an' git some of yore mon'ses [= month- ses = months] an' mix it wit dat chicken giz- zard an' - see, yo' put chure monthlies on dat chicken gizzard whilst it's green an' let it dry up. An' den jis' lak yo' make a pie or sompin else, yo' pound dat up into a powdah an' sprinkle it in 'is coffee or bread or anything, an' he'll jis' be crazy about chew an' follah yo' evahwhere yo' go. AN' EVAH TIME HE SEE A MAN WIT CHEW HE JUMP ON YO' AN' BEAT CHEW.
(Whowill?)
Yore husban' or any man yo' goin' wit.
Entry 3932
A woman take a man's sock, yo' see, an' now she'll take dat man's sock an' she will come urwell. Well, now she'll take dat unwellness an' take an' dry it wit de man's sock. Well now, she'll take it, see, an' whenevah she let it git dry good in dere, she won't, say, wet it all ovah good, she'll jes' dampen it. Well, she'll take de sock den an' put it on de flo' or sompin an' press 'um, an' put 'em den where he kin git 'em. Well, now when he git dem sock an' put 'em on an' wear 'em, why his whole heart an' mind falls right onto her den. Dere's nobody else an' he ain't con- tented until he be's right wit 'er.
Entry 3950
[This brief rite is merely to create a margin title for a common belief found everywhere - see preceding margin title and many places in HOODOO.] Den yo' kin take - like yo' got a man an' yo' wan' 'em love yo', wan' 'im go crazy 'bout chew. Yo' take some of yore monthly period an' put it in some of 'is tomatoes or eithah coffee or tea. Put a drop or two in dat tomatoes, yo' see, an' den when he come tuh eat 'em, he nevah know de diff'rence. He'd go crazy 'bout chew.
Entry 3974
Well, he [my contact man when testing informant] ast me about did ah know about makin' a man love yo'. Ah tell 'im, yes. Yo' take de hair out of his haid an' wear it in yore shoe an' dat will make him love yo'. An' den yo' kin take 'bout runnin' anybody crazy. Yo' kin take dere, yo' know, ministratin' pieces an' wrap hit in de seat of a Woman's pants, an' wrap it togethah an' boil [ball] it until it's, yo' know, an' den put it in runnin' watah. Dat will run 'em crazy. (Well, do you throw those pieces in running water or [throw] the water that you boil them in?)
[They are not boiled but balled.]
No, yo' throw 'em in runnin' watah an' dat will run 'em crazy.
Entry 3989
Yuh chamber lye, yo' drop seven drops in de watah dat yuh [he?] bath [not bathe] in. An' when he take 'is bath- bath befo', he gon'a do dat befo' he takin' any- thin' else. Well, he'll git dat odum [odor] or yo', or scent, eithah one. Dat's why he can't tell it [that urine is in the water].
(And just wipe off his face?)
[I evidently had turned off recording machine and am repeating what was missed.l Dat's right.
(What will that do then?)
Well, yuh see when yuh do dat, jis' lak a person take a bath yuh know. When he take a bath in yuh chamber lye, see yo' gits de 'fluence tuh 'im an' tuh yuh.
(You do that for love?)
Dat's right.
Entry 4030
De urine - lak if yo' gotta urine [urinate]. Well, yo' take - lak fer instan' [instance], if yo' wuz mah sweetheart an' yo' urinate. Take dat an' stop it up in a bottle an' nevah let.dat git out, an' keep it an' he'll always stay wit chah.
Entry 4076
Git de feathah from a black chicken, if yo' a man thirsty fo' a woman, in love wit 'er. Yo' take dat feathah from a black chicken an' yo' manage tuh git some of 'er ministra- tion. Now, de way ah've heard dis: if yo' kin git some of 'er ministration, an' yo' put dat wit dat feathah in dere. Den yo' take dat feathah an' put it in a bottle an' yo' put yo'self some spirits of tur- pentine in dere. Yo' put some dis othah stuff [urine? semen?]. Put some quinine in dere. An' den yo' take dat piece [hatband] or de bow, eithah one, outa yore hat, an' put it in dere. Let dat stay right dere nine days. [Auto horn.] Aftah nine days yo' bury dat thin' right somewhere 'bout de no'th cornah of yore chim- ley in de groun'. Den yo' go out dere an' yo' make watah on dat dere fo' nine days. Yo' pee on dat fo' nine days. Den dat dere - dat draws 'er 'fection to yo'.
Entry 4081
Well, dat de same thin', aftah yo' git 'er tuh yo'. Well, aftah yo' git 'er tuh yo', aftah she gits tuh yo' an' gits a-goin' wit chew, aftah 'er love is come tuhwards yo' - tuh keep 'er is tuh take some of yuh urinate an' feed it in 'er food. Drops some in dere.
Entry 4086
Yo' take a peach or banana, or lak if yore husban' lak bananas an cream, yo' know, lak dat fo' breakwus [breakfast]. Well yo' take dis banana, peaches - I won' say peaches becuz I haven't used dat, I use bananas. An' pee in a pan at night an let dese bananas soak in 'em ovahnight, an' de nex mawnin' use dem in corn flakes or cream. Dat's fo' love.
(Would he taste that?)
No, sir. Yo' cain't taste it at all.
(You mean the sugar kills the taste?)
Yes.
Entry 4094
If a fellah loved a gurl, he would take his chamber lye. She be jes' walkin' along [and you see her] an' HAVE YO' SOME CANDY. CHOCOLATE CANDY. WHY YO' KIN JIS' TAKE IT OUT - TAKE IT OUT AN' PEE ON DAT CANDY SEE AN' LET IT DRY OFF, AN' CARRY IT AN' GIVE IT TUH 'ER AN' LET 'ER EAT IT. Well, dat makes 'er love strongah fo' him. She love him.
Entry 4098
Yuh kin take hit - take de chamber lye an' put it in 'is coffee or eithah sompin tuh eat, an' it will make him love yuh an' give yuh money.
Entry 4206
Dey say yuh kin take chxnber lye. Jis' lak dis yuh sweetheart, yuh kin take yuh sweetheart's chamber lye an' yuh chamber lye an' put it both tuh- gethah an' git chew nine needles an' nine pins an' nine nails, bran'-new nails, an' bury it undah de bottom of yuh footstep [doorstep] or eithah undah de bottom of yuh backsteps. Or eithah, if yuh don't wanta bury it undah dere, it's all right. If yuh wanta put it in de room anywheres it's all right, but it's bettah tuh bury it. An' dat'll make dem come home, an' love yuh very much.
Entry 4253
Now, if a woman love yo', she kin take yore chamber lye an' put it in a bottle. If yo' go off an' she wants tuh see yo', all she gotta do is turn it upside down, see. Shake it. Well, yo' have tuh come back.
Entry 4267
Anothah' way dat dey take it an' control of love wit it.
(This chamber lye.)
Kin control love wit it. An' den dey use it tuh draw a person tuh yuh. Tuh draw a pusson tuh yuh, yuh take dat an' put in it nine needles an' nine pins an' nine nails in a bottle, wit dat, jis' stop it [up]. An' drop de nails in head an' tail, de pins head an' tail, an' de needles head an' tail, callin' 'em evah time [you drop], an' make yuh wishes. An' den jis' stop de bottle up tight. Pusson apt tuh be settin' dere all alone, yuh shake dat bottle, yuh know, an' call dere name an' turn it upside down. Any place dey is, if dey ain't got de fare, dey be walkin', comin'." If dey ain't got de fare, dey try tuh be walkin' comin'.
Entry 4313
It'll bring peace. Yuh put salt, three spoonsfulla salt, an chamber lye. Den if yuh want 'im tuh lak yuh, yuh take an' throw it. Talk to it an' jis' throw it in de path dat chew walks from yuh house. Throw it an' he will always be approachin' de do' tuh speak tuh yuh.
(That chamber lye, what will that do then, if you put it in this path?)
If yuh wants 'im tuh lak yuh, he'll lak yuh an' won' have no harm ag'inst yuh.
(That will make the man come back and like you?)
Yes.
Entry 4363
[The wearing of urine (see p.503f.)and bathing or washing hands with it (see p.660f.) 1s fairly common and some of these rites are scattered throughout the text of HooDoO. Here follow a few more:] Ah heard mah grandmothah say dey could take a person's chamber lye an' stop it up an' cause 'em not tuh make watah. Jes' lak ah'd be goin' wit a man an' ah love him. Well, when he'd make his watah - yuh know ah wouldn't do it, but ah hear some people say dat chew could take it while it wuz hot an' wear it.
(Well, how would you wear it?)
Wear it in a sack aroun' yuh waist, near yuh, yuh know.
(Near your own privates?)
Yeah.
(And then what would that do?)
Make him love yuh. [Three widely separated periods following her yuh (see original transcription of MS) show that I stopped recording here, but restarted machine to add as a question the substance of what informant had said: that a menstrual cloth could be soaked with his urine.]
(You just soak this cloth that you wear?)
Uh-huh.
Entry 4504
(And what about the bath water?)
Well, take de bath watah an' put some sugah in it an' Hearts Cologne, an' den take an' [in the morning] throw it to de sunrise; an' if yuh don't want 'im, in de aftahnoon yuh take an' throw it tuh de east - ah mean west. (Well, what do you throw it to the sunrise for in the morning? Well, dat's to make him cling tuh yuh. (I see. If you don't want him, you throw it to the west.)
Entry 4513
A girl came from N'Yawk [New York]. She tole me whut tuh do if a man, if he doesn't love yo'. She tole me whut tuh do wit 'is hat. She said if a man doesn't love yuh an' yuh love him, dat yuh take his hat. An' when yuh walk off, yuh an' 'im walk off from de house, an' yuh turn roun'. Yuh know, perten' dat yo' have tuh go back tuh de house. An' yuh take his hat an' pull yore pants down an' rub it 'tween yuh legs twice an' walk on back. An' she said dis man would be crazy about chew. (What do you do when you turn around? You snatch his hat. You mean away from him?) Yuh know, some girls jes' take dere boy fren's hat an' put it on dere haid an' perten' dat it's cold or somepin an' jes' have on dere hat. It rainin' or sompin an' jes' have on dere hat - it rainin' or sompin. Dey jes' wanta put it on.
(She'll go on back to the house wearing his hat?)
Uh-huh. Do it twice.
Entry 4516
Take de hatban'. Yuh see, like a woman, she or her an' 'er frien' has busted up. Well, she jes' tryin' - say tryin' tuh make love wit a man. She kin take his hatban' or a ban' in 'is cap. Yuh see, dat's where he sweat, his sweat- ban'. An' yuh'll git a quartah of a yard of yellah cotton. (Yellow cotton?) Yellah cotton. Use it bran'-new. An' yuh will pin dat wit bran'-new pins, not no pins dat been used roun' de house. Yuh git yuh some pins dat has nevah been used fer nuthin atall. An' yuh take dat sweat- ban' an' dat piece of cotton an' make a belt as long enough - jes' add enough yellah cotton tuh dat hatban' or de ban' of de cap dat reach aroun' yuh wais'. An' as long as dey wears it dere, dey is boun' tuh follah 'er.
Entry 4520
If yuh have a girl fren' an' yuh love her an' she didn't seems tuh care very much fo' yuh, why yuh could sometime in goin' roun' 'er, an' git a chance tuh git 'er hat. Take de ban' from roun' 'er hat. Take de band from roun' 'er hat an' git a piece she's wearin' close tuh 'er. Take it an' some of 'er hair from a [below]. Yuh kin git chance tuh make a date wit 'er an' git some of 'er hair from roun' 'er. An' take it an' wrap it up in a piece of red flannel an' wear it nex' tuh yuh skin. Why den she come back tuh live wit chew.
(What piece of clothing do you get?)
Git de seat out of 'er drawahs. (And the hair from down below. That will make you have power over her.)
Entry 4548
An' anothah thing ah tell yuh about dis bow in yore hat. Yuh know, sometime a man wears a bow in 'is hat. [This shows that many men remove the bow from the hat.] Yuh even could take dat out an' wear it in de seat of yuh step- ins, jes' take an' pin it in dere, an' he'll love yuh an' nevah quit chew - even quit 'is wife fo' yuh.
Entry 4553
Take dat bow outa his hat an' grease it wit camphor. Ah mean wet it wit camphor an' wear it inside of yore clothes, on de left side [heart side]. Dat would make yore man love yuh an' do mos' any- thin' dat yuh want 'im tuh do. [Here I turned off machine and then informant added a note I had to repeat to include in rite.]
(Wear it near the left breast?)
Dat's right.
Entry 4558
Say a man, or yuh say a sweetheart, an' yuh want dat man tuh love yuh. Yuh take de man, dat bow out of 'is hat an' yuh sew dat bow - a hat he'd wear - yuh sew dat up. An' a woman pins it dey say in yore inside cloths, yore bloomahs, an' wear dat nex' tuh yore skin. An' dat'll bring 'im tuh yuh. Now, dat's whut ah wuz told.
Entry 4559
Take dat little bow in de back of 'is hat an' sew it up in 'er slip an' wear it nex' tuh 'er. He'll be crazy about 'er.
Entry 4570
Yuh could take dat, de bow out dey hat. Yuh could take it an' sew it in any little thing, a Woman's britches or anything lak dat, where yuh could wear it. See what ah mean. An' den in othah words [another method], yuh could wear it in yore shoe. See, what ah mean, it would make him love yuh.
Entry 4606
Dey tell me back in [the old days] de girls used tuh take de bows out chure hat tuh make yuh love 'em. [They still did during my collecting days.] An' dey said dat dey would take dose bows an' tie it into a knot an' dey would keep it. An' evah time dat chew feel dat yuh wanta be weanin' off, dat dey would renew it ovah, dat dey had somepin dey would fix it wit an' dat dey'd always double dat knot ag'in. Evah time it seem dat yuh pull- in' away, dey double dat knot ag'in. An' dey had a way dat dey wear it intuh dere shoes.
(What did they put on that knot did you say?)
Ah don't know whut de stuff dey would use, but dey jes' tell me it wus some stuff dey would use. Still ah figure dat it wus de stuff from deyselfs - de periods or...
(Something of that sort.)
Entry 4625
Take dat bow out de back a man's hat an' yuh kin take some needles, an' about two-three stran's of dere hair an' wrap it up in dem dere needles. Have dem needles turned all kinda ways, yo' see. An' put it in a bottle of perfume, see, an' jes'.keep it in a cornah somewhere, yuh know, where de sun kin kinda shine on it. An' dey tell me - say dat will make 'em love yuh.
(You put it so that the sun can shine on it?)
Where de sun kin shine on it, yes. Yuh know jes' in a place - yuh know jes' up on de top of de house. Yuh know somewhere in some close place, yuh see, where de sun kin hit it.
(You put any number of needles in it - any number?)
Yuh put about - ah think it is nine needles yuh put in dere.
Entry 4629
Jes' lak a woman take yore hat, jes' lak yo' put chure hat down dis way [probably points to my black hat on table], an' jes' take de bow out of de hat, an' den dey keep it. Dat will make yo' love 'em an' stay wit 'em.
(Where do they keep it?)
When dey go tuh bed at night dey put it undah de pillah, an' when dey git up dey take it out an' put it in a bottle or sompin.
Entry 4657
Take dat bow an' wear it in de bottom of yore shoe. Wear dat bow in de bottom of yore lef' shoe. Dat'll make him crazy about chew.
Entry 4661
Take dat bow out of a man's hat an' put it in de toe of 'er right shoe, an' wear dat an' he'll always love 'er, until dat bow wears out in 'er shoe.
Entry 4664
Git de little bow from yore hat. An' dey supposed tuh take an' put - prob'ly yuh may say a little black [pepper] or eithah a little salt an' soda, an put it in a little small rag, jis' small as it kin git. An' take yore right shoe off, put it in yore shoe an' take a little piece of thin, yuh may say a cigarette papah, an' plas- tah dat in de bottom of yore shoe. An' dey claim dat supposed tuh make love - bring fo'th luck lak dat [in love]. [Cigarette paper - dating this rite - 1s used because shoe is so old it does not have an insole!]
Entry 4669
A woman kin take dat bow if she wants de man tuh be crazy 'bout 'er, an' don't want 'im tuh mess wit no mo' wimmins - jis' follah her. She kin take dat bow an' sew it up in a little rag an' wear it nex' tuh her meat an' he nevah will follah no one but 'er.
Entry 4671
Yuh take de bow out of a man's hat an' carry it home an' put it in matchbox an' put it undah yore haid, an' dey say dat will make 'em love yo'. [I stopped machine too soon and had to add:] (You said sleep on it.) [The matchbox, a coffin symbol (confinement) and the match, a sexual one - a frequent combination in HooDoO - explain them- selves.]
Entry 4674
Yuh could use yore chamber lye an' dat'll cause 'im tuh love yuh. Take yuh chamber lye befo' yuh speak tuh anyone early in de mawnin' an' yuh dampen dat little bow an' wear it. Wear it in yore right-foot shoe. Dat will cause de man tuh love yuh.
Entry 4709
She likes yuh very much an' she wants tuh keep yuh. Well, she takes dat bow out see, an' she puts dat in a rag. She puts it in 'er mattress an' keeps it. She do dat in ordah tuh keep yuh. An' if yuh go away from 'er, evah time yuh go tuh go across watah, why it will cuz yore head tuh have an ache in yore head all de time. [That hat bow contains a part of the man's spirit and therefore his whole spirit (see HooDOO p.21). A spirit cannot cross water (see FACI, 2nd ed., p.754, and several places in HOODOO).l (If you go across water, you will get a headache; then, while she has this bow tied up in the mattress, you will come back to her.)
Entry 4749
Git a person's clothes an' dress 'em an' let 'im wear 'em, wear dose clothes an' yuh kin make 'im love yuh dac way. [To] dress de clothes, why yuh take dat love powdah an' jis' sprinkle it in 'is clothes, an' git chew fo' fish- hooks an' tie 'em up, an' put 'em inside de pad of de linin' of 'is coat chere. An' put dat Hearts Cologne on it. Yuh kin dress 'em lak dat.
Entry 4775
Jis' lak a lady want chew tuh love her. She wash yore clothes an' things, yuh see, an' when she iron yore shirt tuh de tail yuh know, don't pull de iron up, jis' push it down de length of it an' push it back. (Iron it down toward the tail?) Yes, iron it down toward de tail but don't pull de iron. Evah time yuh push it down, lift it up an' ketch aholt an' push it down lak dat. Don't nevah pull it up yuh see. Dat'll make a man go crazy about a woman an' make him stay home.
Entry 4815
Dey says dat yuh could take - jis' lak me mahself, an' ah had two frien' mens [men friends] an' ah didn't wan' dem tuh connect tuhgethah, didn't want 'em tuh run tuhgethah, but [I] always be in de middle evah time dey meet. Ah could [take] mah ole man's shirttail an' 'is [other man's] shirttail, an' put it in a half a gallon of watah an' boil it down tuh a quart. An' take dat quart an' all dat shirt- tail, both uh dem shirttails, an' put it in ere an' bury it. An' dey say dem mens would run tuhgethah an' always be lovin', nevah would have a fallin'-out.
Entry 4845
Take in right where yuh wear yore undahwear, yuh see - yore shorts. Yuh know sometime it gits sweaty in de seat when yuh wear it. All right, yuh cut a plug outa dat, a roun' plug, an' put dat in de hollah [hollow] part of 'er shoes an' [or] she wear it inside of 'er stockin'.
(What shoe does she put it in?)
Her left one, wear it dere fo' 'bout twelve days.
(That's to make the man love her?)
Dat's right. He'll shore love her.
Entry 4852
Jes' lak yuh in love wit a fellah an' yuh can't - yuh wan's 'im an' yuh can't git 'im lak yuh wan' 'im. All right, if yuh kin git a chance tuh wash fo' him, yuh take dose pieces dat he wear, his un- dah pieces an' all dat chew kin git tuh, an' put it tuh soak ovah night. Nex' mawnin' when yuh git up, yuh wash dem pieces out wit'out any soap. Rub 'em. git all dirt dat yuh kin out of dem. Den yuh take an' take de drainin's - turn it [pan or tub] on one side an' drain it [water] off. Take de drainin's of dat dirt come outa his clothes an' stop it up in a bottle. An' put it right undah de centah of yore bed undah de house - bury it dere. Turn it bottom upward, an' put it undah de centah, an' covah it up an' make yore wishes. Den he be comin' dere - he be yores. He come tuh be yores. From time tuh time he keep acomin'.
Entry 4875
[The woman speaking is a professional worker we have already met. ( (See 291, p.85; 593, p.194; 638, p.216; 647, p.222; 869, p.307; and 1271, p.442.) Her words that follow give the hidden mystery of the silver knife making a cross over socks before burial beneath a brick in the hearth. She calls this markin' yuh and says it's sacred tuh yuh. For the sacredness of the cross mark, see my explanation of the mark "Doctor" Brown saw on my forehead, in my comment at the beginning of his main interview on p.1290.] Yes, ah heard about de socks. Dey take de socks an' dey - evah'body don' have de [same] idea 'bout de socks. Some don' care de socks de same way. [Care de socks = take care of the socks = handle the socks.] Some take de socks an' put 'em down in de hearth - take up a brick an' lay it down undah dere. Long as dese things work, fine - jis' as long as dey keep 'em concealed anywheres. But if a person be's wise an' seekin' information from any othah source [from fortune- teller or doctor], dey tells 'em where dese lost an' hidden mysteries is; an' if he [doctor] gits it [gits the buried sock] up, den he's [patient is] all right.
(What is it supposed to do, when they put those socks down in the hearth?)
Well now, dey doesn't do a thing but use a silver knife, jis' lay it across dere. Mark it, jis' make a cross across it jis' lak dat [demonstrates], an' put de sock down dere. Don' put anything else jis' lak dat. An' lay de brick on it.
(What is that supposed to do to me then?)
Well, dat's not put dere tuh destroy yore life. Dat's put dere tuh make yuh turn some object whatsomevah dey may [have] in view - whut dey want chew tuh do. It might be a love case, it might be somepin dat dey wan' chew tuh put ovah fo' dem. An' dey jis' go tuh work an' jis' mark yuh - call dat jis' markin' yuh. Well, if yuh mark a thing up lak dat, she knows dat it's sacred tuh yuh. Dey call dat markin' an' dey do it wit a silvah knife, a sterlin' silvah knife.
Entry 4881
From a man's sock, cut de heel offa dat sock an' de toe. Yuh know, jis' lak yuh fold it back, an' yuh jis' fold it even wit de heel an' wit de toe. Yuh takes de heel an' de toe of 'is socks an' make yuh arm pads, an' put undah each one of yore arms an' weah it. As yuh sweat, his love will come tuh yuh, cuz de sweat from undah yore arms will draw 'is attention. An' yuh take de othah part of de heel an' put it right down at chure do' face wit de toe comin' in de house, an' he always will come dere. He nevah will stay away. (Let us get that straight: The part you wear under your arm, where does that come from the sock?) Yassuh, de part dat chew weah undah yore arm, dat comes from de heel of de sock. See, yuh leaves dat toe fo' tuh come inside de house wit. See, as yuh spread it jis' as yuh cut it - cuts dat heel off first. Yuh know a sock is double, double enough fo' yuh tuh make a pad fo' each one of yore arms, see, outa dat one sock. But it has tuh be de left-foot sock. An' yuh takes de toe of it an' tack it down. If yuh mean fo' him tuh not tuh go away or stay 'way from yuh, yuh takes dat toe part. It'll be 'bout dat long 'cordin' tuh whut size sock it is. An' yuh put a tack heah an' stretch dat sock as fur as it will go, aftah yuh done cut it, an' put a tack in de toe of it dere, as yuh come inside de do'. Nevah put de toe goin' out, but de toe comin' in. Yassuh, de toe mus' point in- tuh de house. If yuh has a rug, or anythin' whut chew got tuh de do', dat's a good hide fo' it, cain't nobody see it.
(You put two tacks, one in each end?)
Put fo' tacks.
(Two at the end of the toe and two at the other end?)
Dat's right. Two at de end of it - at dis end an' two right at de toe part. Dat's tuh stretch it yuh know, where it be strong always, see. An' it won't come a-loose. Well, yuh take dat an' put it down dere an' why, he cain't leave yuh. He cain't stay 'way from yuh.
Entry 4936
If a woman would take a man's sock, jis' when he take it off, an' take it an' wear it in 'er hat, say dat would make him wan'a be wit 'er. Jis' lak if a man, yuh know, didn't care nuthin about 'er, an' she wanted dis man. Den if she would git hold of one of 'is socks, she would take his sock an' put it in 'er hat; an' as long as she keeps dis sock in 'er hat, well den dis man would wan' tuh be wit dis woman. But dey say yuh had tuh spe- cially have a dirty sock.
(Either sock, it doesn't make any difference?)
No.
Entry 4939
[An informant in the same cityadds a time detail.1 Ah've heard 'em say dat she could take de man's socks an' take a brick up out de fiahplace an' bury it an' make yore watah on it fo' nine mawnin's. Ah've heard dat.
(What is that supposed to do?)
Well, dat's in a love affair, too. Yuh take an' put dat sock down, an' den go dere evah mawnin' befo' de sun rise an' make watah on it fo' nine mawnin's, an' dat will make him stick closah tuh yuh. Fayetteville, N. Car., (1411), 2535:1.]
Entry 4946
Aftah dat yuh kin take his socks, de left-foot sock an' bury it undah de steps, an' put de foot in like he come up de steps [foot of sock pointed to door]. An' take dat sock, de sweat from de sock - an' wash it an' put it [water with sweat] intuh a bottle, an' stop it up wit some cayenne peppah an' cinnamon [and name - see later]. An' shake it up well evah mawnin'. An' yuh kick it from de do' nine times an' bring de face of de bottle an' de name [men- tioned for first time] in tuhwards yuh. Don't nevah put de back of de bottle, de bottom of de bottle, tuh yuh. Always put de mouth of de bottle tuh yuh. Be kickin' it an' namin' it, an' call it, dat dis will draw 'is 'tenshun from de [othah] woman. [The name written on paper is in the bottle and the name is also called.] Jis' keep 'im on away from dat woman all de time. He won' even wanta see her. Come tuh find out he'll be lovin' yuh mo' an' mo' den he did evah.
(You take that sock and you get that water from the sock. Either sock?)
Either one.
Entry 4959
If yuh wanta make love wit anyone - yuh love dem an' yuh wanta git dem somehow or 'nothah, yuh see. Yuh git one foot of dose socks, one foot of 'em, an' yuh take an' yuh tie it in de top, as near de centah as yuh kin. Aftah tyin' it in de centah, den yuh turn it dataway an' yuh tie three knots on dis end - fo' on dat end. Dat's seven ain't it? Seven - have to be odd. Den yuh take an' come on back tuh yore home an' take 'em an' put 'em down, say, "By de he'p of God ah'm gon'a be wit chuh." An' yuh shall git 'em.
(Where do you put them down?)
Put 'em right down anywhere in yore home. Nowhere else but in yore home.
Entry 4968
Tuh bring a man back wit de sock, yuh take a lef'-foot sock. Yuh take an' put it down, put it down undah a rug, jis' lak yuh got lino- leum. Yuh put one down - yuh put de firs' sock down comin' in [at the front door]. Yuh go tuh de reah do' an' yuh put de othah sock down goin' out - shoot it [straight] goin' out. Yuh git up [in the morning] an' yuh take yuh some chamber lye an' yuh sprinkle, jis' lift it up soon in de mawnin' an' sprinkle a little chamber lye on dere, see. Go tuh dis [other] one an sprinkle a little bit of chamber lye on it. All right, yuh say, "Now, Lord, combine me an' mah man tuhgethah wit union an' love." Say, "Leave out all stum- blin' blocks, hindahin's an' causes." An' if he as fur away as mah han' he is got'a come. He's got'a come. Yes sir, ah know he's got'a come. Don' care whut direction he is in de worl', yuh take dem socks an' put 'em down lak ah said. Put 'em on down, de firs' sock comin' in dis way, an' dis one goin' out dat way.
(What do you mean by the middle door? Do you mean the back door?)
Jis' lak dat do' right dere [points].
(That back door, away out at the end of the house?)
No, inside de house. [Informant thinks my end of the house means outside the back door. Back door is meant.] (You call that man by name when you are saying that little [I WAS GOING TO SAY INCANTATION BUT STOPPED] - theSe WOrds?) Yeah, yuh have tuh say dose words.
Entry 4971
Now if yuh've got a girl, jis' lak yuh love a girl an' yuh kin git one of 'er left socks an' take one of yores an' put - yuh seen dis black peppah when not grind [ground]. Jis' take some balls [whole peppers], say nine balls. Git nine balls [seeds] of black peppah an' put it in 'er stockin' an' take two lumps of table salt an' put it in yores. An' take yore stockin' [sock] an' sew it up in 'er mattress where she sleep, an' take yore'n [hers] an' put it in her'n [yours]. Yuh all stay tuhgethah fo' yore life an' nuthin cain't git 'tweenst yo'.
(You put your sock in her mattress.)
Put yore sock in her mattress an' her'n in yours, an' sew it [hole or rip] up, an' let it stay dere jis' as long as dat mattress is [usable].
Entry 4999
Dey ties dat fo' love. Dey say dey take a woman's stockin' an' keep it out fo' so many days, er [or] so many mawnin's, an' dey ties it in so many knots - three cord knots. Yuh know, tuh love ah reckon. Dey wan' chew tuh love 'em. Three tuh four knots. An' den dey take de foot of dat stockin', take a nail dat's not got a head on each end - jis' a nail bent kinda like dis [demonstrates a staple]. Drive it in de north cornah [side] of a tree. An' dey say long as dat knot tied dere, why yuh an' dem people will be tuhgethah.
Entry 5024
Yes, ah heard tell of a woman, if she has a man dat she love an' dat she think he's 'bout tuh leave her, don't chew undahstan'. If she takes 'er stockin' an' put it intuh his coat, chew know, slip it into 'is coat, in each sleeve intuh a coat dat he weahs reg'lahly, well den dat holds 'im, yuh see.
Entry 5071
Yuh wash a man's sock, his lef'-foot sock an' git dat watah an' put it in a bottle, an' gain de influence of 'im. (What do you do with that bottle then?) Yuh jis' keep dat bottle, add mo' tuh it. Dat will git chure man tuh love yuh.
Entry 5145
Take graveyard [dirt] an' yuh kin keep someone wit chew. Yuh git twelve days, which is twelve months to de yeah. [You get 12 pinches of grave- yard dirt, enough to last 1 pinch a day for 12 days, the latter symbolizing the 12 months of the year.] Yuh kin take an' loose one sole [insole] of dey shoe, an' take yuh knife blade an' cut jis' a little bit [a hole for the dirt] in dere. An' jis' as long as she wear dat shoe, she'll always be comin' tuh love yuh, regardless tuh whut shegot. IF SHE'S GOT A MILLION DOLLAHS, SHE'LL BE COMIN' TUH LET CHEW HAVE PART OF IT.
Entry 5282
Yo' kin take a person's shoes, if yo' in love wit 'em, an' call dere name three times. An' turn it undah de bed where yo' sleep at, an' sleep ovah it an' dat person'll come tuh yo'. (You turn that other person's shoes up- side down under your own bed?) Mah own shoes. Jes' lak if ah wuz in love wit a man an' ah wanted tuh see him. Ah turn mah shoes - jes' right foot, turn it down undah de baid where ah sleep an' call de name three times. An' dey'd come. DO DAT EVAH NIGHT UNTIL DEY COME.
Entry 5303
Ah heard sompin on dat line. Dey say yo' could take an' git chew Adam- an'-Eve root an' High John de Conkah, see. An' git chew some Hearts Cologne, dis [just a] little - called Hearts Cologne - an' take an' put dis heah root on dis. An' evah time yo' git ready tuh go out wit - git close tuh 'ah [her] enough, in conversation somewhere, an' let 'ah [her] git de scent of dat. An' if she come anywhere about chew, pick up 'ah tracks see, an' put 'em in a bag yo' undahstan'. Take an' put 'em in de sack yo' see an' take an' bury 'em undah de cornah of yore house, an' dat will keep 'ah love. Dat will make hah come dere all de time. Jes' stay right roun' yo'.
Entry 5319
Now yo' take a red ants bed. Yo' kin take sugah an' a person track an' carry it an' put it in dat ants bed an' make yore wishes. If yo' wanted 'em tuh love yo', dey'll love yo'; an' if yo' want 'em tuh go, yo' kin fix it an' make yore wishes an' dey'll go. Mix it up wit dere track, wit sugah. Dat sugah's gotta eat up [penetrate] all dat sand though whut chew take up, an' see, dem ants will tote dat sugah intuh dat hole. An' when dey eat dat sugah out from dat track, he go, too; if yo' want him tuh go. He [ant] goin' throw dat sand out an' when he throw dat sand out, he [man] gone.
Entry 5409
Yo' take yore fingahs lak dis an' draw back from de end of de toe, back tuh de heel an' git de track, if yo' kin git de right foot. An' tie it up an' take it tuh a runnin' stream of watah an' - a new piece of home- spun - an' make yore wishes an' throw it ovah yore right shoul- dah. An' walk away an' not look back aftah it. An' dat would make yo' be in love wit 'im right on, make him come back tuh yo'. If he quitted yo' or sompin lak dat, yo' could do dat. (You just get his foot track between your two fingers, your index finger and little finger. Of the right hand.) Yeah. Say dat would draw 'im back. If yo' wanted tuh run 'im or drive [him away], say yo'd take yore lef' han' an' make bad wishes.
Entry 5495
Ah says dere wuz once a man an' wife twan't [they were not] gittin' 'long good. Dey wuz gittin' 'long happy at one time an' den dey had some sort of misundahstan'in' an' dey couldn't git 'long tuhgethah. So he wuz studyin' a way how tuh make her love him an' git 'long happy tuh- gethah. So he taken some of de dirt outa her lef' track an' he fixed it up wit Hearts Cologne an' sweet camphor. [Does informant mean sweet niter, or camphor with a sweet in- gredient?] Tuk [took] an' he mixed dat all tuhgethah, an' he got three stran's of her hair out of her haid, an' he fixed it up in a li'le small sort of sompin lak a li'le small package. An' he tied it wit a string an' jes' bind it so it rest right up undah his left, right in de hairs of 'is ahm [arm], so it git de sweat on it. Well, den aftah while dey got 'long very happy.
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 5595
If yo' love a man an' a man don' care very much about chew an' he, yo know, come tuh yore house sometime an' sometime he doesn't. Well, yo' take a snuffbox an' [put] evah othah one of 'is tracks in dis snuffbox. Yo' put a li'le pinch of dirt in dis snuffbox out of evah one of 'is track - evah othah one.
(How many?)
Nine - till yo' git tuh nine. An' when yo' git tuh nine, yo' take dis snuff- box an' shet it up. An' yo' shet it up an' tote it fo' nine days in yore pocket. An' when yo' tote it fo' nine days in yore pocket, yo' come tuh yore step an' po' de dirt out intuh yore step. An' ah'll guarantee dat'll make him love yo'.
(You pour this track dirt of his under your step then?)
Yes.
Entry 5694
An' den yo' kin take three of 'is lef' tracks, jis' lak yo' git 'em from de toe. Evah time yo' go, befo' yo' git 'em, yo' call 'is name. An' evah one yo' git yo' call 'is name. An' den yo' take dat track an' go tuh a lightnin'- struck tree an' git two splintahs offen it. Have one shortah den de othah. An' den yo' take dis heah - let yourn be short an' his'n be long. Well yo' lay his'n up on top of yoren. [The symbolism of the 2 splinters is quite revealing!] An' den yo' git a teaspoonful of sugah an' put on dere. An' den yo' sew it up in a piece of cloth an' weah it. Dat'll make 'im love yo'.
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 5736
Jis' lak if yo' goin' wit a man - yo' wus goin' wit 'im an' he don't wan' chew, he wan' somebodys else. When he come tuh yore house fo' three days, yo' git 'is track on dat new shingle an' jis' go tuh de front an' turn it roun'. He'll turn back roun' tuh yo' an' give tuh yo' jis' as he ought tuh, come back tuh yuh an' love yuh. (You put this new shingle right under his track and turn right around, but he has to come to your house for three days first.) Yes sir, do it three times, regardless if he done come dere three days. Yo' know, jis' lak if ah wus tuh come heah three days. Jis' so yo' do it three times. (If he comes there once, you go out and do that. Three days - each day you turn one of these tracks around on this new shingle.) [For man turning Woman in her track, also see 1870, p.555.]
Entry 5744
Ah know about whut chew do wit de tracks. If yo' have a enemy or any- thin', anybody dislak yo' or anythin', an' dey wan' chew tuh leave town or sompin lak dat. Dey'll meet chew an' git chure track an' take it an' mix some dog hair an' cat hair. Yo' know cats an' dogs disagrees in anythin' lak dat. An' takes nine straight pins an' ben' dem tuhgethah, an' put dem in de fo'ks of de road, an' yo'll leave town. An' if it's a woman an' a man dat loved one anothah an' de' meet one 'nothah ag'in, dey be hatin' one 'nothah jis' lak cats an' dogs, be mad an' wanta fight an' kill up one 'nothah. No mattah how good dey is in love, dey git apart.
(This is to separate a man and his wife. Whose foot track do you take?)
Take his'n an' hers. Take his'n, yo' know, de lef' goin', an' bring it up ob yo' lak dis, an' take hers an' bring it up tuh yo'. An' mix it tuhgethah dt de hair out yore haid, if yo' kin git it. Eithah if yo' cain't git de hair oat dere haid, den git de dog's hair - yo' know, de bristles an' de cat's bris- tles, an' mix it tuhgethah wit nine straight [bent] pins.
(Wait a minute! You take the man's left foot, you say?)
De lef' foot track.
(And what about the woman's?)
Take de lef'. Uh-huh, take one goin' an' de othah one comin'. Dere's one aiie' one way an' de othah one comin' de othah way.
(Whose do you take going?)
Take de man's goin' or eithah de woman - it don' make no diff'rence, so dere's e goin' one way an' de othah one comin' de othah.
(And you bury this out at the forks of the road?)
At de fo'ks of de road, but chew mix dem cat bristles an' dog bristles wit dat track. Den take nine straight pins an' bend 'em. [Waycross, Ga., (093, 1760:6.]
Entry 5754
Yo' could take dere track an' take it an' put it in a piece of cloth ='drap a drop of yore watah on it fo' nine mawnin's. An' take it an' string it roun' yore neck an' let it go right 'long heah tuh dis li'le hollah heah [points to].
(In the breast.)
An' he'll come tuh love yo' an' yo' an' 'im will git along all right, no mat- tah how much yo'all been fell out. Dat jis' got 'im an' yo' right tuhgethah. (If two men are fighting and quarreling, or if you were fighting and quarrel- ing with somebody else, you could make him be peaceful with you by taking his foot track and doing this. You wear it right down here underneath the rib bones?) Yessuh.
Entry 5797
An' den if yo' fall fer a man an' a man don't care very much about chew - eithah a woman kin do it or eithah a man kin do it - yo' take an' pull two stran's of 'is hair outa his haid an' yo' put it in each heel of yore shoe, an' yo' wear it in yore shoe fo' nine days. An' aftah yo' wear it in yore shoe fo' nine days, he'll start to fallin' fo' yo' an' he'll be so crazy about chewden dat he wouldn't even leave yore house. Yo' see de longah dis hair grow, de long- ah 'is love will grow fo' yo'.
(You take two strands of his hair and you put one strand in each shoe?)
Yes sir. [Florence, S. Car. (1322), 2266:2.]
Entry 5802
Take a person hair an' all yo' kin do - take a person hair an' wrop it wit some whut chew call yallah [yellow] homespun an' wrop it up in it an' weah it in yore pocket. Dat's love. An' it [hair] will grow in your pocket. Long as yo' keep dat hair, her mind will be on yo'; but de day yo' lose dat hair, why yo' ain't got nobody.
Entry 5807
Yo' kin do dat, yo' kin take de hair outa woman's haid. Co'se [of course] ah don't know if a man do anythin' to anothah man. But if yo' have a goman yo' wanta make love wit, yo' jes' take de hair outa de mole of 'er haid if yo' POSS'bly kin. YO'D HAVE TO STEAL IT OUTA DERE CUZ WOMEN WON'T LET CHEW GIT DAT OUTA DERE IF DEY KNOW IT. An' if yo' kin, some hair out de mole of de woman's haid, yo' kin put dat into a little bottle, see, an' put some alcohol over it, see, an' put a flannen [flannel] stoppah in it - a red flannen stoppah. DAT COME DIRECT DOWN FROM DE HOODOO BUSINESS cuz ah've had dat. An' tote it in yore pocket an' dat woman'll come back to yo'. Don't care where she is, she'll come back to yo'. If she don't come back she'll go crazy. [For alcohol, see also margin title WHISKEY.]
Entry 5813
Dey tell me dey take hair out de top of yore haid an' dey mix it wit Hearts Cologne an' den sews it up wit a new piece of homespun an' wears it undah dere arm. Dat's fo' love.
(Which arm do they wear it under?)
That arm there [you are holding up], that's the left arm.) Yes sir.
Entry 5818
Take heart out of a bat, chew know, an' den yo' take some of 'er hair wit dat, an' yo wear dat undah yore lef' arm. Well, now, aftah yo' wear dat ondah yore lef' arm about nine or ten days, an' have a chance to have a intah- co'se wit 'er, den yo' ain't got no mo' trouble wit 'er. Dat'll lead 'er yore Way. IF SHE GOT MONEY, Or whatevah she got, AT CHURE COMMAN' SHE'LI NoW dat de heart of a bat. Hit brings good luck an' bring love.
Entry 5819
I have heard of people gittin' fixed by de hair to make 'em love yo'. Take it an' put it in a Bible an' let it set for about fo' or five days an' take it out of de Bible an' put it in a cologne bottle an' jis' keep it.
Entry 5835
Yo' take de hair from de mole, take de hair right out de top, de mole [old] of de hair. Well, yo' take dat hair an' yo' wrap a string around it, or thread, any kinda thread aroun' dat hair, an' yo' put dat hair in a bottle, see, an' yo' po' some cphor in it, see. Well, dat will make it 'live. Shake it up, see. Yo' let dat stay in dere nine days an' yo' take dat out an' yo' wrap in a flannen cloth. Let it stay in dat flannen cloth an' den yo' wear it. Dat is tuh draw yore sveetie to yo' or anybody yo' want lak dat.
(Whose hair do you put in that bottle?)
Fell, if it's de man, he put de woman's hair; an' if it's de woman, she put de 's hair.
(What did you say THAT CAMPHOR does for the hair?)
Entry 5838
Yo' kin take cat hair an' yo' kin make a person love yo'. Well, yo' kin take de cat hair but yo' firs' gotta git a plait of hair, a stran' of hair from de person who yo' Wanta love yo', an' yo' take, burn dem togeth- ah. An' den yo' take some hair grease - dey call it hair grease. Yo' mix dat up togethah, undahstan'. An' den aftah mixin' it up togethah, den yo' tryin' tuh make yore lady fren'. Yo' try tuh git holt of some of 'er sickness, some piece, if 'er clothes dirty, some of 'er sickness, an' tie it up an' wear dat in yore fob [watch] pocket. Dat will cause her tuh love yo'.
Entry 5845
I've heard people say da'choo [that you] could take a man's head - yo git a stran' of hair outa de mole [mold] of a man's head an' take a stran' of hair from yore [a woman's] head, an' put 'em togethah an' cross 'em like dat [demon- strates]. (Like that - one on top of the other.) Yeh, right dat way. An' take dem an' take a piece of 'is shirt from undahneat' 'is arm, or eithah take de tail of 'is shirt, an' cut dat off, an' wrap it up in dere, an' tie it up into a ball, an' jis'make a pocketpiece [hand] of it. An' dey say dat will keep 'im wit yeh, dat'll make 'im love yo' so he can't stay away from yo'. Wear it in yore pocketbook or wear in yore dress pocket - jis' dat yo' keep it on yoreself.
Entry 5848
Ah haven't heard dis'n [this one], ah saw dis'n. Ah saw a man wuz in love wit de girl an' he got holt dat girl's hair an' he carried it to de fo'ks of de road, an' he got some little shiney stuff. Ah don't know whut dis little stuff wuz, but he got it an' he got 'er hair an' he carried it to dere. It wuz a road runnin' dat way [demonstrates] - run dat way an' it run dis way.
(Crossed, crossroads.)
Un'hmm, yeah, where she could walk ovah it - chew know, evah time she come dat way, she walk ovah dat hair. An' he hasn't got shet [rid of] dat girl yet, an' dat's been about nine yeahs ago.
(Was that here?)
No, dat wuz ovah heah at Windsor, Ark.
(Do you come from Windsor? Near there?)
Yessuh, ah ma'ied [married] dere.
The informant explicitly claims having seen hair and unidentified shiny material placed at road forks, where a woman would walk over it, and reports continued attachment after about nine years. Questions distinguish the reported place from the interview location. The unknown material stays unidentified and the observation is attributed to the informant.
Entry 5849
Yes sir, take de dandruff of yore hair an' wrap it up in sompin an' tie it roun' yore waist, an' dey say dat will make 'em love yo'. (They take the what? Oh! the dandruff.) De dandruff, yassuh, take dat an' wrap it up in sompin, an' tie it roun' yore waist, right nex' to yore necked [naked] skin. Say dat'll make 'em love yo'.
Entry 5890
(What do they do out there?)
Well, dere's sev'ral diff'ren' things dat dey do out at de fo'ks of de road.
(Well, tell me one of them, if you know one of them.)
Well, when yo' git to de fo'k of de road - co'se some people uses a lady's hair or her hose dat she wear or her urine or somepin lak dat. Well, in any way dat yo' wanta use her hair, yo' could take her hair when yo' git to de fo'k of de road, yo' could put 'er hair into de groun', but yo' must go dere evah day an' urine on dis hair, see. An' aftah yo' urine on it, yo' must curse it. Yo' have to curse it fo' it to work.
(What will that do?)
Well, yo' see - take fo' instance, yo' got a lady frien' dat yo' wants. When yo' git to de fo'k of de road, now yo' want dis lady frien' an' de lady frien don't want yo'. Yo' could make her want yo' by takin' - firs' yo' git three stran's of hair from 'er head, three from 'er eyelashes, three off any portion of 'er body dat yo' want, but it must be nine in all. Yo' have to take dese rine stran's of hair to do dis wit, an' if yo' got a lady an' yo' wants 'er, yo git dere an' yo' do dat wit it. An' if she's in China, she gotta come back to y~ Qou mean, you bury that hair out at the fork of the road?) At de fo'k of de road.
(I see.)
Entry 5896
Well now, whut about de frog. Dat's about a woman's hair. Well, yo' din take her hair an' TIE IT TO A TOADFROG an' he'll hop aWay wit it, an' DAT'LL DC HER SIT DOWN AN' SLEEP ALL DE TIME. An' if yo' TIE IT TO A BIRD an' let 'im fly away, dat'll MAKE HER HAVE DE aDaCHE all de time. Yo' PUT IT IN A BOTTLE AN' STOP IT UP an' go to runnin' watah an' throW it in rumin' watah, an' dat'll run 'er off. An' a man kin take it an' PUT IT IN 'IS WATCH FOB or EITHAH TIE IT UP IN A RAG, THREE KNOTS in a rag, an' put it in his Watch pocket an' dat'll make her love him.
Entry 5907
Well, yo' kin take de graveyard dirt an' yo' kin go out an' git it, see. An' den yo' kin take some of dis heah woman's hair from de mole of 'er haid. An' put it togethah. An' yo' kin den put it in a little ole sack sorta like a 'bacca [tobacco] sack, an' tote dat in yore pocket all de time. An' den yo'll come to be lucky an' all de time while yo' is out, why dis heah woman, she will come to be in love wit yo' an' have her mind on yo'.
Entry 5921
Take de girl fren' or boy fren' hair, if yo's in love wit 'em, an' take a lock of it an' wrap it up in yore pocket han'ke'chuf an' tote it; an' as long as yo' tote dat hair, dey will follow yo'.
Entry 5930
Yo' take a man if 'is wife quit 'im. See. He kin take piece of 'er hair, git it out de lef' side. Cut a piece off if she got long hair, cut a piece off her plait if she sleep at night - any time he kin git it. He could plant dat piece of hair, see. She ain't gwine 'way. If she in Chicago, she comin' back. Plant dat hair - plant it in 'er house or out do's. Yo' kin plant it in de house wit 'er wall - lak a mantelpiece roun' where dey put de foundation of concrete. Take yo' some cement an' take a little augah an' put dat piece of hair down an' plastah it undah dere. Dat's yore own busi- ness. An' she gonna come dere. Ah don't [care] wherevah she goes, she comin back dere. An' dey do de men in de same way, but if he leaves de house, den yo' write his name or 'er name down on a papah, an' yo' kin put it in a lamp, or put it amdah de candle. Burn it. Dat brings deyself. An' now ah don' care how much dey fussin' in a house or whut dey doin' or how mch dey cut up, take some table salt, jis' de plain table salt, an' throw it on de fiah an' burn it. Dat breaks dat - do's it right now. Ah kin throw it right at 'em - dat ceased. Dey don' have tuh go on fussin'. Dat brings back love an' hy dat hair's planted. When she goes, she comin' back dere.
Entry 5934
Uh-huh, fer love. A person takes two stran's of yore hair, see; dey pulls it if dey kin by de roots, see. But if dey can't, at night when yuh are asleep, especially if yore wife or husband dat's sleepin' wit yuh, dey jerks dat out as quick as dey kin. Dey take two stran's, see.
(From where do they pull it now?)
Uh-hah - right heah, see.
(The left side of the temple.)
Uh-hah, takes it from de left side of de temple, an' dey jerks it out. An' dey gits dis clovah oil an' dey puts dat into a bottle. Dey gits Hearts Cologne an' dey puts dat - an' mix it up intuh a bottle. Dey carries it to runnin'watah an'( dey throws it in. An' dat's tuh make yuh love, see. But dey want it tuh go down de stream, instead of up. If it go up dat's fo' bad. See, if it goes down de stream dat's fo' good. Dey want chew to love 'em. Dey got chew all at dere command, see; an' dere's nuthin yuh kin do. [Normally the throwing of hair into running water is not a love rite, as we have seen; but our informant, marked excellent, turns it into a rite of love by adding Hearts Cologne and clover oil to the bottled hair, and by using A BELIEF OCCASIONALLY FOUND ALONG THE TIDEWATER REGION: ANYTHING GOING DOWNSTREAM OR OUT WITH THE TIDE IS A RELEASE OR GOOD WORK, AND ANYTHING GOING UPSTREAM OR COMING IN WITH THE TIDE IS A CONFUSION OR BAD WORK.]
Entry 5941
Ah kin take - jes' lak if ah wanted to take de hair out of a woman's haid. Well, ah gits dat hair, see, out de mole of 'er haid an' puts it into a little bottle an' put some Hearts Cologne into it, an' den take it an' bury it somewhere roun' de house, an' she will be in love wit chew.
(This hair and Hearts Cologne?)
Yes sir.
Entry 5944
Ah've heered 'em say - well, lak ah heered a guy say once he wuz goin' wit a girl an' he fell in deep, in love wit dis girl, an' she didn't seem tuh care anythin' much about 'im. He wuz very much in love wit 'er. So he tuk a stran' of hair out de mole of dis girl's haid, an' he tuk it an' put it in a bottle of Heart's Cologne, an' throwed it in a stream of strong runnin' watah. An' he said in about two months or three months aftah dat he tuk dis hair an' throwed it in a stream of watah in dis Hearts Co- logne in dis bottle, it wuzn't long 'fore dis girl wuz crazy.
Entry 5950
Well, if a woman wants a man tuh go crazy 'bout 'er she'll take dat hair an' she'll sew it in dat newhome- spun an' slip it in de hem of 'er underskirt, dose bottom pieces yo' know, an' wear it in dere. Well, de man will cling to dat woman lak dat.
Entry 5953
Dey tell me yo' git a - say fo' instan', now ah wanta do yo' some harm, yo' know. Yo' comb yore hair yo' know wit a comb. Well, yo' know lotsa times yo' leave hair in de comb, a little bit of yore hair. Well, yo' git dat hair out de comb an' den yo' take an' git a horsehair outa de mane, yo' bre, a'yo' put it in a vial an' bury it [both types of hair]. Jes' lak yo' stayin' beah am'ah bury it undah yore do' or somepin lak dat, dhy it'll do yo' all de harm yo' [ah] want. (What kind of harm will it do then?) Well, it will, yo' know, Zingah yo' an' all de time yo' be's sick an' undah de weathah. An' it's a good way to make a woman love yo', t too. [HERE IS DOUBLE- EDGED MAGIC. WHICH EDGE DEPENDS UPON YOUR INTENTION.]
Entry 5959
Take some of yore hair out de temple an' take a piece of band outa yore hat, an' sew it up in a piece of cloth an' wear [tie] it between dere laigs. Dat'll make yo' love 'er. (Who would do this, the woman?) Yes sir.
Entry 5960
Dey kin take yore hair an', yo' know, tear a piece off yore shirttail, an' wear [tie] it roun' dere laig an' dat'll make a man love yuh. Well, ah've tried dat.
(Well now, what do they do with this hair?) Wear it roun' dere laig. (Oh, they put this hair in this shirttail.) An' wear it roun' dere laig. (Either leg?)
Yore right laig.
Entry 5965
Take de hair if yo' wanta gain a person like a frien'. All right, chew take de hair right out de mole of de head an' yo' takes it an' takes dis perfume. Or yo' may give it a little twist, an' take one of dese little cotton strings an' tie it at each end, an' yo' puts about 'leven drops of perfume in it - an' yo' [puts] dis in it. Dat's to keep it moist an' keep it goin' [feeding it]. Jes' as long as yo' feed, dat's as long as dey gonna stick [to you], an' if it gits dry, dey dries up on yo'.
(As long as you keep that package moist.)
It jes' keeps 'em to love yo'
(If this dries up the person will die?)
No, he won't die but [if it dries up] he won't like yo'. Dat's to gain in love.
Entry 5970
Jes' lak if yo' love a man an' yo' wants 'im. Well, if yo' kin git a strand of 'is hair out 'is haid or eithah a strand from below see, an' take it an' put it into - yo' know, jes' put it in sompin dat chew kin tie it in knots. Take it an' tie it aroun' yore waist an' wear it. He'll be wit yo' all de time.
(You said so many knots before.)
Nine knots dey say.
Entry 5975
An' if yo' got a sweetheart an' she got long hair, yo' wants tuh make er love yo'. She got long hair, yo' take nine: knots in 'er hair; if yore girl frien's got long hair, yo' make nine knots in 'er hair. An' if she got short hair, yo' git nine stran's of 'er hair. An' put it in a bottle of Heart Cologne an' stop it up tight an' yo' use it fo' nine mawnin's. Yo' jes' put it right on yore body fo' nine mawnin's, quit off fo' nine mawnin's. When yo' use up de whole bottle of Heart Cologne, den yo' use it as reg'lah as yo' feel lak. Dat's tuh make yore girl frien' love
Entry 5999
If yo' wanta make anybody leave dere home, yo' kin take dere hair out from right in de front of de haid right dere [demonstrates] lak where yo' part it at. An' yo' kin take two needles an' thread dem needles wit de hair, an' put it in a bottle an' bury it right at de block of de house, as yo' goin' out by de front. An' jes' lak de blocks, jes' lak de bricks filled in undah de house - see, yo' could bury it right back down dere.
(What will that do?)
Dat'll make yo' have peace in yore home, or eithah make yo' bring love back - anythin' lak dat.
Entry 6002
So far as yore hair concerned, yo' could be ruled by yore hair. Yo' Lou whut ah mean, somebody could take yore hair an' make yo' love dem. Yo' undahstan'. (Do you know how they do it?) How dey do it? Well, ah kin take yore hair. Dey usely [usually] gits - dey takes three pins or needles an' put it in a bottle of Hearts Perfume, yo' undahstan', but dey must know yore name.
(What do they do with that name?)
Write on dis piece of papah an' put it in wit de hair.
(Put all these things in the bottle?)
All dese combination in de bottle.
(What do you do with that bottle then?)
Take it - but wit chew, carry it. Yo' gotta carry dat bottle all de time. Sometimes peoples buries it.
Entry 6013
Dey have hair in dat - dey git a lock of a lady's hair, men usin' dis. An' git a lock of lady's hair an' den dey git dis lodestone an' dey gits nine needles an' Hearts Perfume. Dat's whut ah heard now. An' den dey wrap it, feeds [see p.578] dat thing wit whiskey, an' wrap it in a ball, an' tie dat black string aroun' it.
(What do they wrap it up in?)
Flannel, red flannel, an' den put de black thread aroun' it an' put a string aroun' dat, an' let it hang down in dere bosom or breast an' wear it.
(What is that supposed to do?)
Dat will draw love.
Entry 6016
Yo' take a lock of yore hair, yo' git nine brass needles.
(You mean brasseye don't you?)
[They are usually called qoldeyed.]
Yes sir, an' a piece of red flannen. Yo' put dat in any kin'a little small bottle, an' yo' put dat ovah de do'. At night when he come in [for example] it jes' yo' comin' in an' ah meet chew tuh de do'. Ah be lovin' tuh yo' fo' nine mawnin's, see. Den ah won't have no mo' trouble wit chew 'bout dat. See, don't fo'git nine needles wit de outen flannens [with the flannel out- side]. [Note: Dr. Hyatt I think maybe this informant meant (outing flannel) - a term I have heard used often. Webster says (A flannelette, often with some wool). Mrs. Harry Dyel - see v.3, ILLUSTRATION 4.]
(You put that up over the door?)
Yes sir, right ovah de front do'.
Entry 6020
He'll take his undershirt, an' take a strand of her hair an' thread it through nine needles an' stick it in thiscloth [undershirt] an' hide it some place. She'll love him.
Entry 6025
If a woman wants 'er man back, well she takes 'is hair off de top of 'is head an' down on de bottom, yo' know, of 'is trousers. [andl put de needles an' pins an' mind watah in a can, a ole can, any kine of can. Shut it up an' put it in a cornah of de house. Dat's what dat is fo' - 9 needles an' 9 pins. Well, dey bury yore hair in 9 nee- dles, 9 pins, an' cinnamon, an' put it in mind watah." Shet it up in a can. Dat's to keep yo' wit 'em. Dey put dat can in a cornah.
(Did you say mind water?)
Yes sir. Yo' buy dat. It's to keep yore mind wit 'em. Yo' put dat in a can wit 9 needles, 9 pins, an' yore hair, an' dey'll git yore hair from down in, yo' know, when yo' sleep. Dey put dat in a can where nobody kin run across it. Dat's jis' to keep yo' wit 'em, keep yore mind towards 'em. [These ingredients can also be put in a bottle.]
Entry 6026
Git a plait of hair an' yo' plait it undahwards, yo' know, lak dat [demonstrates]. Don't plait it ovah lak we plait our hair, plait it undah lak dat. Den tie a little bow of ribbon on dere. An' aftah yo' tie dat hair in dere, yo' take an' put a piece of lodestone wit it, an' yo' put nine pins an' nine needles in dere, an' yo' sew dat up in a flannel bag, an' yo' puts a little sugah in dere, too - ah'd fo'gotten dat - an' anvil dust lak at de blacksmith shop, dat dust where dey grind.
(From the anvil?)
[From the hoodoo drug store or mail order firm I should have said.1 Yes. Put dat anvil dust in dere an' a silvah dime. Dat's tuh keep de person dat chew love, yo' know, keep dere minds contented towards yo'.
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 6040
Dey take a lock of yore hair out de mole of yore haid. If yo' vanta ake love, dey could take dat hair an' plait it as much [many] times as dey kin git it. Dey sew it up in white cloth an' den in a flannen [flannel] cloth. (What kind of a flannel cloth?) A red flannen. Dey take dat hair -' SEW IT INTO DE TICK OF PILLAH, dey pillah whut dey sleeps on, an' dey keeps it moist thoroughly wit spirits of turpentine an' dat'll make love. [This love hand is fed (p.578) spirits of turpentine because of the word pirits says an informant somewhere in text.]
Entry 6068
Dey kin take yore hair from down at chure privates. All right. Now, dis heah is love now. Whut dey drove in de tree is [to make you] crazy. All right, dis is fo' love. All right, yo' take it an' put it in somepin, wrap it up tight, an' put it in de lef' foot of yore shoe an' wear it. An' den yo' takes Hearts Cologne an' dress dat hair fo' nine mawnin's. Den yo' in love jes' as hard as yo' evah wanted tuh git in love.
[Savannah. Ga., (1252).2124:6.]
Entry 6070
[Take a piece of] de petticoat an' [or] de bloomahs an' cut de - a little top of dere hair off. Well, an' git de same thing off a man [his under- clothes]. An' mix it togethah in a soda-watah bottle. An' take it an' carry it to de end of de do'step an' put it - not too deep, jes' a little deepah 'nuff where yo' know dey could not tell it. An' let 'im walk ovah it fo' nine mawnin's. Dey say dat will come to keep 'im at home an' he'll come to love yo' an' can't no othah woman git 'im.
(Wait a minute! You take the hair from the top of a man's head, you say?)
De mole of 'is haid, yes. Den dat from right on yo'self down dere, yo' know, jes' cut about two stran's.
(From a woman?)
Yeah, an' mix it togethah, an' git chew half a bottle of 'logne [cologne] an' so' dress it wit dat. Well, yo' go right - cut 'er bloomahs right in de seat of 'em. Well yo' git it out de seat of de man de same. An' put it togethah. Well, aftah yo' do dat, chew take about a little teaspoon - not a little, jes' a drop, but not so much, an' let it be kinda graveyard dirt. Put it in de bottle an' shake it up. Well, yo' go right to de end of de do'step an' yo' call a person nine times. Well, when yo' call 'em nine times, take it an' stick it right to de front of de do'step - put it down dere yo' know, kinda deep undah where yo' couldn't tell it. An' nine mawnin's - fo' nine mawnin's, well, when yo' git up yo' [call?] 'im [his name] about six [nine] times. Well yo' take it out from dere an' carry it to a cornah right where yo' know he comes out backwards an' forwards - dat same route road - come right to de cornah. [Does informant mean corner of the outside chimney, the old-fashioned country toilet, where he would urinate on this conjure or hand? I do not believe corner of a path or crossroad is meant, where other people would walk over the buried object. Bottle was orig- Inally buried at "corner" of doorstep. This is cornering a man.] Why yo' bury dat an' let it stay dere fo' so many days, certain days. Well, aftah yo' do dat, see, dat'll keep dat man an' woman togethah. See. [A comment of mine made while checking cylinder reads, "Talking too fast."]
Entry 6098
Take yore hair, cut de hair out de top of yore haid, near de mole of yore haid, an' den dey would take dat hair an' would put it into some Hearts Per- fume. Git de Hearts Perfume an' take dat hair an' put wit dat hair some whut is known as John de Con- kah, an' rattlesnake marstah. An' den yo' would take dat hair an' put it in a bag an' yo'd wear dat hair round yore waist to make someone love yo'.
Entry 6108
Yeah, dey kin take yore hair an' sew it up yo' know some people wear shimmy tails - sew it up in yore shimmy tail an' dey'll become tuh love yo', yo' know. [See also, SHIMMY-TAIL TEA, p.647.]
Entry 6111
Take his hair, cut 'is hair out chew know an' take it an' put it in de bottom of 'er shoes, an' she wear dat in 'er shoes. Dat's tuh make him love her.
(Which shoe would she wear that in you say?)
[This question is almost useless; the information should be volunteered.]
In de left shoe.
Entry 6115
A woman kin take a stran' of yore hair an' put it in de collar of 'er shirt, jes' stick it in dere. Dat will make yo' love 'er. Sompin lak dat. Dere diff'rent places yo' kin put it, see, suh.
(You mean it [in the collar] itches him, that will make him love her?)
Yes. Den yo' put it in 'is shoes, in de bottom of de shoe, slip up dat sole-lak [insole] yo' know, an' stick it in dere, why dat will make yo' go way yo' know.
(Put it in his shoes?)
Yeah, dey put it on 'im both ways [to hold or send away], see.
Entry 6119
Git some of de hair out of yore haid an' put it in yore shoe, in de bottom of yore shoe. Well now, if it's a woman yo' put it down in de bottom of yore shoe an' yo' tote it, an' each foot Wrapped up in some news- Papah. Don't put it in no white papah, put it in a newspapah wit de lettahs on it. Put it in each foot an' yo' wear it. See dat's love. She got to love yo'. Dere's more diff'ren' ways yo' got to learn besides dat, but dat's about de bes' Wy dat it is.
Entry 6122
An' den, say fo' instance, if dey wants to, someone wants to make yo' love 'em, make yo' lak 'em, think about 'em, yo' undahstan', see; aw well, dey would take dat [hair] an' git some silk thread, yo' undah- stan', an' put it in dat hair an' turn [wrap] it to dem. See, wind it, turn it to me all de time, so dat draws yore attention to me, yo' see. Yo' kin do dat, yo' undahstan'. All dey have to do is dey put dat, dey wear dat in dere shoes, yo' undahstan'. Well, durin' dat time, dat will cause dose people to be thinkin' about chew, yo' undahstan'. Why dat calls dere attention towards yo'.
Entry 6129
Take a plait out chure haid an' take it an' put salt in it an' black Peppah an' take it an' wear it in de bottom yore shoe. Do dat to make love.
(Do you wear it in either shoe?)
Yes sir an' when ah do it, why everything's all right.
Entry 6134
A man kin take a stran' of a woman's hair, yo' know, him an' her, she 'bout tuh quit 'im an' he wanta hold 'er, make her love him. Put a stran' of 'er hair in 'is shoe, in de left shoe, an' keep it in dere fo' nine days, in 'is shoe, an' she'll come tuh love him.
Entry 6138
Dey say dey take hair from de mole of yore head. Say women'll take dat, say, an' wear it into de left shoe, wit yore name written nine times in wit sugah. If it's not sugah, it be honey - somepin sweet. Wear it in dere left shoe nex' to dere feet, gee. But it must be written wit indelible pencil, nine times. Yo' could when- cah yo're writin' 'er name an' yo' want to draw 'er to yo', well yo' put yore on top, an' yo' put 'er name at de bottom. An' write it nine times straight. De yo' folds it, an' yo' fold it again, but yo' make a triangle of it. De small point of de triangle goes to de heel of yore shoe, de othah two points go to de gide - jes' lak dat [demonstrates]. An' dat othah stuff be right in de middle of yore shoe. (Where do you wear that stuff, in that piece of paper? Do you wrap it up or hat?) In dat papah - it's in dat papah. It's supposed to work in through dat. Dat's posed to sweeten 'er to yo'.
Entry 6139
Dey say dat chew could take a woman's hair out of de front part of 'er d an' wear it in yore right shoe, an' dey say dat would make her be in obedi- ence to yo', an' finely [finally] yo' could kinda handle de rule. An' fine- J she will come to love yo'.
Entry 6143
(What else do they do with the hair?)
Well, yo' kin take it an' use it in anothah way. Dey kin take yore hair - dey git it in certain places.
(Where?)
In de mole of yore haid, or in de temple, or down below, an' dey kin wear dat hair in dey foot - de shoe. Put it in dey right shoe. Put it in a little thin piece of cloth, yo' know, flannen cloth an' wrap it, an' yo' git some of dis what chew call van-van an' wet it wit it. An' puts it in de bottom of yore shoe an' put a piece of newspapah on top of dat an' wear daily in yore shoe. Well, dat kinda runs yo' crazy 'bout 'em.
(Hakes you like the person?)
Makes yo' love 'em.
Entry 6170
Ah have heard from people dat chew could go to de fork of de road an' see all kind of scarey things lak dat an' people kin fix yo' lak dat. (How would they fix you like that?) Well, dey kin take - some people take yore hair an' den prick one of yore fingahs till it bleed, git three drops of blood, an' have yo' crazy where yo' jis' walk a lot. (I want you to tell me the details. What would they do with that three drops of blood they got from your finger?) Dey takes it an' put it on yore hair an' dey take it an' sew it up an' dey kin fix yo' dataway where yo' won't even love no woman or anything lak dat.
(Well, what do they do with that hair then, after they put that blood on it?)
Well, dey kin wear it. (Well, now a person would get my hair and then put her blood on my hair and sew it up?) Shure, an' den yo' begin to love nobody but 'er.
Entry 6171
An' den if yo' wants to be in love wit a girl, yo' take de stran's of hair, about three stran's of hair out of 'er head, an' take it an' sew it into de left cornah of yore shirttail an' wear it dere. An' yo' can't git rid of 'er, she'll still love yo'. (In what part of the shirttail, front or back?) In de left corner in de front.
Entry 6177
Yo' take de hair an' put it in a piece of white homespun an' sew it up in dere an' make a band and put it roun' yore waist an' dampen [feed] it wit camphor fo' nine mawnin's In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, an' it will bring love in yore home.
Entry 6178
Well, it's anothah thing about de hair. Dey kin take de hair an' gain de influence or love of a woman, by yo' takin' it eithah to a lovedove [love- bird]. Git dat lovedove an' take de feathahs from 'im wit'out 'im bein' bushin' up or anythin' - yo' know, pick dem. Put 'em in de stove an' let 'em parch yo' know good an' dry. Den yo' take some of de hair from de lady - woman. Well, she take all dat an' make a powdah of dat. Well, first she'll put some of dat on yo' an' den she take de rest of it wit dat Adam-an'-Eve root. Den she wear dat in a bag, see. Well, dat will gain de influence of love wit 'er - well, it cause two peo- ples tuh come to git married.
(She put some of her water - urine did you say?)
She put some of her [hair].
(From her head?)
Yes.
(And she puts them with these dove feathers that have been burnt up?)
Yes - yo' know, make a powder of it.
(And put it in this bag and wear it?)
Yeah, aftah she put some on de othah - on de man.
(Where does she put them on him?)
Jes' anywhere on 'is body while he's sleep. Den she take de rest of it an' she wears it in heah jes' in a bag, but she have to take a Adam-an'-Eve root, yo' know, tuh git de rest of de good out of it.
Entry 6260
[To swing, either oneself or something else, can be a magic rite.]
An' anothah way yo' kin git 'er, if yo' kin jes' git three stran's of 'er hair from de mole of 'er haid an' stick it into a cologne bottle an' let it stay dere. Don't airtight it, jes' let it stay dere, jes' so dat it, yo' know, kin be a li'l bit of air gittin' to it all de time. She'll love yo' right out. But if yo' wanta quit 'er an' don' want 'er be worrying aftah yo' an' follahin' aftah yo', de way fo' yo' tuh do. Yo' carry dat hair down tuh a stream of watah, where de watah runnin' swift; an' tie it an' let it swing dere. An' long as dat hair swing dere, she'll swing 'way from yo'. She won' gi' [give] yo' no trouble. Yo' kin go wit whoevah yo' want an' she won' say a harmin' word 'ginst yo' - have nuthin tuh say 'ginst yo'. [Please notice the man's Christian act of leaving the bottle open so that the Woman would not suffocate or lose her mind!] [This belief could also have been placed under the hair and running water rites given later.]
Entry 6262
[After that long parade of submargin titles about TREES, we now return to our normal alphabetical order with TWISTING, an important magic rite often Ignored. Probably ten or more examples of it will be found in HOODOO. Twisting, of course, is related to knot tying, also to bending - the bending of nails and plns for instance.] Well, yo' kin take hair from a person's haid - say ah like 'em, see, an' carry it in yore hip pocket. Yo' twist up an' twist up de hair an' put it in yore hip pocket an' carry it in yore hip pocket. [Informant gives another rite.] An' den yo' kin take an' go tuh a tree an' bo' a bole in de tree an' put dat hair in de tree an' dat person - whut chew mean? Tnyin' tuh drive somebody crazy or what? Well, dat whut dat hair do. Yo' kin cate dat hair an' jes' take yo' a lil' auger an' bo' a hole in de tree. See, jes' put chew a hole right in de tree an' put dat hair in dat tree an' stop it. where it airtight an' nuthin will git to it, an' dey'll suffer wit de head- ache. Dey will keep on wit it an' dey'll die wit it. DERE AIN'T NO DOCTAH IN LHORL' KIN CURE 'EM.
[We return to twisted hair.]
(Now what about twisting that hair and putting it in your pocket. What will
(dhat do?)
Hell, now yo' take de hair an' put it in yore pocket. An' well, dat will pt dem people tuh come tuh love yo'. Yo' carry 'em all de time. Make 'em lore yo'.
Entry 6267
Now, jes' lak if dey wanted yo' or loved yo' or somepin, dey would take yore hair an' put it - yo' know, jes' put it in a li'le bag or somepin - li'le ole red flannel or somepin lak dat, sew it up. Put cologne on it, jes' a li'le Hearts Cologne, an' keep it - jes' weah it, keep it. An' den dey take dere watah - yo' know, pee on it. Dat's whut dey tell me dey do wit dat.
(Why Would they do this?)
To make dem love yo'; yo' see, care fo' yo'.
Entry 6268
Dey tell me dat yo' kin take hair yo' know an' tie it up an' put cologne on it an' yo' know, make watah on it, an' dat'll create love - make yo' love who- evah did dat.
(You would get my hair to do that?) Yes sir.
Entry 6277
Now, one shuah way of makin' love dat ah do know. If a man git holt of a woman's hair, he kin urinate on it fo' nine times an' she will stick tuh 'im. Dat's a shuah thing.
(What do you do with that hair then?)
He keep dat wit him all de time.
Entry 6280
De way dey'll take dat hair, dey'll take dat hair an' dey'll call it [by name], will call yo', an' dey will make a dressin' of it an' will git chure mind. An' in gittin' yore mind dey got chew.
(How do you make a dressing of it?)
Dress yore hair?
(How do they dress it?)
All right, yo' take nine thimblefulla chamber lye an' yo' take nine thimble- fulla salt an' put it in a bottle an' yo' dress dat. Yo' do it up in a rag an geah it aroun' yore waist, an' evah three days yo'll dress it an' call it, say, Ah wants tuh rule, control So-an'-so." See, yo' callin' it. Well, QUiTE NAT- CHAL WHEN YO' CALL A PERSON YO' GIT DERE MIND. An' sO dat's de Way yo' do it.
(And you do this, as you say, for love?)
Fo' love.
Entry 6367
Ah heard people say yo' could take a person's hair an' tie it up in a rag or sompin lak dat, an' put salt an' ah think dey said spices in it an' carry it wit 'em all de time. Dat make 'em love dem, see.
Entry 6371
Heard dem say dat chew kin take yore hair an' put it in some powdahs an', an' some Hawthorne [= Hearts Own] Cologne. Said dey take dat an' put dat an' tie it, an' put it in a clothan' tie roun' yore wais'. Dey said dat'll make mens love yo'.
Entry 6378
Yo' soak yore feet an' den yo' git a knife an' scrape dat skin off - some of dat dead skin. Make it up an' put it in sompin tuh drink. Nachurally ef yo' drink tea, put it in yore tea or in coffee. An' take yore fingahnails an' toenails an' parch dem an' beat dem up an' put it in coffee or tea. An' wash undah yuh arm an' put dat in de tea. Dat vill make 'em love yuh, make dem real jealous of yo', too. An' ef yo' don't min' 'en, make 'em kill yo'.
Entry 6380
[This may be my only example of the rare term badge, meaning hand, or toby or mojo.] If yo' wanted 'er tuh love yo', why yo' jes' take some of - jes' lak yo'd take a bath an' git some of de dirty skin from undah de bottom of yore feet, de hollah of yer lef' feet. Trim yer fingahnails good an' close an' git some of de dirt from undah dere. Take dem an' parch dem, parch de fingah- nails. Parch dese fingah- nails brown, beat it up, an' git some of 'er hair an' burn it - de hair from 'er haid an' burn it. Mixes it tuhgethah wit Hearts Cologne an' sulphur, an' weah it undah-yer lef' arm as a badge.
(Wear it under your left armpit as a badge.)
An' in seven days she'll eithah come or she'll write yo' a lettah.
Entry 6381
Yo' kin make de girl love yo' dat way. Well, yo' kin take an' wash yore feet nice an' clean an' scrape de callous lightly, see. Go git chew a dime's wuth [worth] of beer or 15 cents wuth of beer an' put dat indere. Keep it always shet up good. Keep it in - an' co'se yo' could drink a glass an' give huh a glass, an' SHE BE JES' AS WILD ABOUT CHEW AS SOMEBODY ELSE IS ABOUT DERE BABY.
Entry 6396
Well, yo' take a person fingahnail an' yo' cut dem. Dat's fo' love.
(Just how would you do that?)
Yo' trim yore fingahnails. Yo' take an' bake dem an' den yo' take an' beat 'em up tuh a powdah. When yo' feed a person yo' sprinkle dat in dat meal, see, an' dey'll love yo'. An' den ag'in yo'll take - wash yore feet real clean an' scrape de dirt from de hollah of yore foot. An' yo' put dat in de food, an' dat'll make dem love yo'.
Entry 6401
Not fo' harmin'. Yo' take yore fingahnails an' toenails an' yo' par- ches dat. An' when yo' parch it, whutsomevah yo' cook fo' a person - lak if a woman got a husban' an' she wants 'im tuh stay aroun' 'er an' love 'er. Yo' takes dat whenevah yo' git ready tuh cook sompin fo' him, yo' parches it jes' lak black peppah, an' den yo' use dat ingredients intuh somepin dat chew git ready tuh feed 'im wit.
(That holds him?)
Dat holds 'im tuh 'er.
Entry 6407
Yo' kin cut off yore fingahnails or yore toenails an' lets 'em burn, an' if de person laks [likes] de coffee, den yo' parch it an' yo' git 'em plumb burnt jis' lak coffee, an' put it in de coffee whutevah dey drink, an' yo' cain't nevah git rid of 'em. Dey'll stay right dere. DAT'S LOVE!
Entry 6418
Dey could take de skin from de bottom of de feet an' mix it in wit de dlk, or watah - whatsomevah dey make de bread wit, an' feed it to a person. Dey say dat would make dem love yo'.
Entry 6427
Dey say dat if yo' scrape de bottom from yore fingahnail, dat is scrape yore fingahnail yo' know an' feed it tuh de individual, dat will also cause her or him tuh like dem.
Entry 6428
Well, now, ah've seen dem use de fingahnail tuh make people love 'em an' all, yo' know, an' pull 'em dere way an' all. But dey take dere fingahnail an' dey'll git de dirt from undah dat fingahnail. An' dey'll scrape de fingah- nail an' den when dey do dat, dey'll take dat dirt an' stuff from undah dat fin- gahnail an' put it in dey coffee or dey tea.
Entry 6432
Dey say yo' kin trim yo' fingahnails, lak ah trim mah fingahnafls, an take de skin offa de bottom of mah feet. An' take an' parch dat up an' put in mah husband's coffee or sompin lak dat. See, let it draw up in dere. An' give 'im dat an' make 'im care mo' fo' me.
Entry 6433
How tuh make a woman love yo' or a man love yo'. Trim yore toenails an' fingahnails or clean out from undah yore fingahs. An' put it in yore coffee or put it in sompin tuh eat, or sompin othah lak dat an' let chew eat it. An' yo' go crazy about 'em, an' make yo' love 'em an' all lak dat.
Entry 6437
[Well, ah've heard dey take de fingahnails an' toenails an' wash yore feet an' scrape undahneat' de bottom of yore feet. An' take an' parch de nails, beat it up an' put it wit dis heah stuff dat come from mdahneat yore feet, an' put it in 'is coffee. Dat's fo' someone yo' wan' tuh love yo'.
Entry 6438
Take yore fingahnails an' yore toenails, an' scrape undah de bottom of yore foot, an' take dat an' take an' put 'em in sompin fo' him tuh eat. Dat will make a man love yo'. Parch it in de stove, yeah. Parch it in de stove till it git tuh a powdah, cuz yo' know, so dey can't detect it in de food. An' put dat in dey food an' dat will make dem love yo'.
Entry 6441
Now, if yo' wan'a woman tuh love yo' - yo' jis' wan'a woman tuh love yo' wit dem nails. De way yo' do, yo' git her nails an' parch 'em an' parch mah nails. Cut mah nails an 'er nails an' put 'em tuhgethah an' parch 'em. Make a fine powdahs out of 'em an' put dat in de food - jis' feed 'er on dat. Dat'll make her love me.
Entry 6442
You could take yore toenails, your fingernails, the dirt from under your feet, an' you could put that in a bottle an' you could feed a man on such as that. Spread it [on his food] when you give him somepin to eat. That'll make him crazy about choo, keep him from goin' away from you.
Entry 6447
Yo' take yore fingahnails - do dat on Friday. An' yo' trim all 'em off an' den git chure toenail de same way, an' scrape de bottom of yore feet. An' yo' parch dem toenails an' fingahnails tuhgethah. Parch 'em separate so dat de toenails be hard as de fingahnails an' de trimmin' from de bottom of yore feet. When yo' git 'em all parched, den yo grind 'em up tuhgethah. Yo' take dem den an' yo' sprinkle it ovah de food dat dey eat, an' dey'll eat dat. Well, now, yo' puttin' dem undah yore feet den.
(That's for love?)
Yes.
Entry 6461
(No, no, go ahead.)
Well, tuh make a man stay wit chew. Yo' cut all de side of yuh fingahnails an' yuh toenails, hairs undah yuh arms, hairs from yuh head, undah dere, an' yo' parch it brown, brown, lak de dust. When, if he drinks coffee, yo' put it in de coffee. If he don't, well yo' take it an' yo'll make it brown jis' lak it wuz black peppah. An' yo'll take it an' yo'll sprinkle it all ovah 'is fish, an' yo'll give it tuh 'em. Well, he'll come tuh lak yo' an' he'll love yuh.
Entry 6463
But ef dey git aholt of de dust from de trimmin' of yo' fingahnails, dey'd jis' mix it in a little moonshine, yo' know, or little good whiskey. Well, dey mix it wit de moonshine. An' if it's a woman an' dey wanta do any- thin' tuh yo', why dey jis' sew it anywhere in a hem or de bindin' of de sleeve dat dey weah regulah an' don' have tuh wash too much.
(What will that do then?)
Well, I suppose if dey might be a person dat care fer yo' an' yo' ain't payin' dem much attention, an' dat will change yore mind an' make yo' love dem dearly. (And they take the scrapings from a man's fingernails and put it in the whis- key?) Yes.
(What do they put that in then?)
Dey jis' put dat in dere tuh make.a moist taste. An' den dey weah it in a hem or de edge of a sleeve. But it will be a piece of material dat dey don' wash very reg'lah.
Entry 6470
Some folks takes 'em an' parch 'em an' puts 'em in a sack, an' if yo' kin - jis' lak ah wan' chew tuh love me. Ah'll take yore fingahnails an' toe- nails an' parch 'em, an' put 'em sack an' ah'll wear dat roun' mah waist, an' ah'll make yo' cling tuh me. An' den ah kin take yore fingahnails an' toenails an' parch 'em, an' pound 'em up an' make a powdah outa 'em, an' feed yo' wit chure own fingahnails an' yo' own toenails. An' dat will make yo' love me. Den ah kin take yore fingahnails an' toenails an' bury 'em - parch 'em an' bury 'em an' name 'em, an' dat'll run yo' 'way from dere. (Now you say in putting that stuff into a person's food - now if I want this woman to love me I would use her own nails or use my nails on her?) Use yores an' hers mixed, jis' mix 'em.
Entry 6473
" Yo' could take an' scrape out from under yore feet an' put it in a - sew it up in a little cloth an' veah it roun' 'er waist nine days. An' squeeze it in 'is food fo' nine mawnin's. Dat's de way yo' make him love yo'.
Entry 6478
Sometime a man lay down to sleep - done tried dis mahself - or eithah a woman it'll work de same way. A man lay down tuh sleep. She say, "Umh! yo' feet cert'ly do smell bad! Why don' choo Wash yo' feet?" "Well, yo' go an' wash 'em fer me." "Looka chure long toenails! Dey about long as a dog claws. Why don' choo cut chure toenails off?" "Cut 'em off fer me." He might not think. Dat woman wash yo' feet, an' take a scissors or somepin an' cut chure toenails off. An' she take dem toenails an' tie dem up in a li'le rag or anythin' an' weah 'em aroun' wit 'er. Yo' always gon'a be cravin' fer 'er, yo'll follah 'er down de street. An' she'll [you'll] do de same thin' tuh yo' [her], if zhoo git 'er toenails. Dis is whut ah experience mahself. Ah had a girl ah thought, re'lly did think somepin of 'er. An' we wus stayin' where dat we could be talkin' wit one 'nothah an' usin' one 'nothah lots of times. An' ah heard of dis, don' choo see. So one Sunday she had a pair of silk stockin'. Ah say, "Yo' gon'a put dem silk stockin' on ole dirty feet?" "Ah ain't got time tuh wash 'em." Ah say, "Ah'll wash yo' feet fer yah." Ah said, "Look'a chure toenail! Long an' cut a hole up through yo' sock. An' An' ah done took de safety razor blade an' trim 'er toenails an' washed 'er feet, an' trim 'er toenails an' took 'em. Trimmin', dey fell on de floor an' ah jis' - aftah she got up, ah went an' took dem trimmin's up an' put 'em in mah pocketbook an' wore dem. An' didn't care where ah wus, dat where she wus."
Entry 6483
Take yore toenail an' fingahnail an' put dat in a little sack. Sew it up in a little sack an' put some sugah 'long wit it an' tote it roun'. Dat will make 'em keep love, keep de home. Yessuh, weah it roun' yore waist lak a belt.
Entry 6484
Well, it's quite natchel if a man love a woman, he wan' 'er tuh love 'im yo' know. When she rub 'er haid - when she mub 'er haid wit 'im, well she love yo' an' yo' love 'er. Well, but if yo' wanta git sho [sure] of 'er, if yo' got dat much 'er toenail yo' cut off - cut chure toenail off an' tie it tuh a string wit jis' about dat much Adam Weed Root [Adam-and-Eve?] in dat, wit dat toenail, an' let it swing off intuh runnin' watah. An' jis' as long as dat vill stay dere, she'll love yo'.
(That's her toenail you tied?)
Sho', her toenail.
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 6508
Go right on an' let 'er cut 'er toenails an' 'er fingahnails. An' yo take dat an' care [carry] it right on in de crick [creek] where runnin' watah at. An' yo' t'row right in dat watah. Dat watah be runnin' evah day. She nevah would love me no mo'.
Entry 6509
Take de toenails or fingahnails an' put it in runnin' watah an' it will drive love to each othah, make yore love be mo' strongah.
(Suppose I love a woman. Would I put my own fingernails in the water or what?)
Her fingahnails an' put 'em in runnin' watah. Jis' put it in watah an' dat will drive yo' an' 'er love back togethah.
Entry 6517
Cut off de fingahnails, see. An' den wash de feet an' scrape dat dead sti from undah de bottom, an' put it in whiskey an' let it set so many hours. See. Den dey strain dis whiskey an' put it back in de bottle. An' den dey give it tuh de party, see, dat dey fix it fo' tuh drink. Dat's tuh make 'em love 'em.
Entry 7247
Tuh make a woman an' a man stay tuhgethah, de firs' things ah heer'd, when ah wuz growin' up - yo' know, grown folks would be talkin' an' dey wouldn't be talkin' tuh me an' ah would ketch some of dese things. Ah'd be workin' roun' - co'se [of course], mah gran'- mothah an' aunts could heah things dat grown people said. Ah heer'd some things. She said dat one time dere wuz a woman had a fellah an' he liked anothah girl. Said de woman took an' washed 'er feet right good an' den washed 'er hands an' washed from undah 'er ahms an'aroun' 'er neck, an' she washed dose places about 'er body real clean. Said de firs' place she washed from undah 'er ahms an' she squeezed dat in de watah an' she goin' tuh give it tuh 'im in somepin tuh eat. An' dey say, aftah she squeeze dat in de watah, said den she washed ag'in an' ag'in squeezed dat in de watah. Washed in palm of 'er hand an' squeezed dat in de watah. Washed dis hand an' squeezed dat in de watah. Said den she turn roun' an' didn't wash once but de nex' time tuh make it clean, an' she washed undah de bottom of 'er feets, instead of washin' 'em out dat way, she washed 'em tuh 'er, an' den cross-marked 'er hand on each foot, an' she squeezed dat in de watah. Well, she said dat worked around all right fo' awhile, den dat wore off. Den she turned aroun' an' washed 'er feet an' scraped 'em an' took de dead skin from de foot an' put all of it tuhgethah an' put it in a pot an' boiled it. An' when she did boil dat, den she goes tuh work an' strains dis watah an' put dat in somepin tuh eat an' dat's whut kept him. Dey claim he follahed 'er each an' evahwhere she'd go. Den dey said it commence tuh weah [wear] off an' she got - it's anothah part about chew dat only be's once a month, an' she got dat. She got about half tea- spoonful of dat, counted tuh seven drops of dat an' put dat in it. An' dat kept 'im.
(She would only use seven drops of that?)
Yessuh. An' put dat in an' dose drops lasted a yeah - seven yeahs. Den anothah woman tole her tuh take a tablespoonful of weewee an' put it in, an' dat still kept 'im. Dat kept 'im awhile den an' den dat begin tuh weah [off]. She tole her tuh go an' buy some beefsteak, an' she bought dat. She tole her tuh take her fingah about 'erself an' take an' wipe it on dis an' po' gravy ovah it. An' dat kept 'im. She said dat kept 'im until death.
(You said one woman did all these things?)
One woman told all dis about one woman, an' dis one woman had so much trouble wit 'im. He wuz supposed tuh be a very nice-lookin' man, it seemed lak dat all de women wuz 'bout tuh take him, an' it seemed lak she intend tuh have him an she tried all dese things.
Entry 7608
Whut dey do tuh keep de law away from de house is dis. Dey git dis dirt, see, de graveyard dirt, but dey git it from a wicked spirit, see. An' aftah dey git dis dirt, well den dey'll put de same ingredients tuh it, see. An' if dey sprinkle dat dirt aroun' de house from time tuh time, well den if amybody wants tuh come or somepin, well if dey step ovah it, well dey can't come in.
(I see. That keeps the law away?)
Yes.
(What do you mean they get this dirt from a wicked spirit?)
Well, dey git in - like if a person got killed. Yuh know, a wicked person git killed or somepin like dat an' den dey go tuh de grave an' dey pay 'em so much an' dey git dat dirt.
(What would they pay as a rule?)
Dey pay eithah one cent or two cents.
(Where do they put that?)
Dey put dat on de body of de person. Dey dig a hole an' dey git so much dirt from dat hole dat dey put dat penny in, an' dey tell dat person whut dey wan' 'im tuh do an' den dey go away.
(What ingredients do they put with -that dirt before they use it?)
Dey put de same red peppah see, an' dey put de gunpowdah too.
(Was there something else in that ingredient that you mentioned before?)
Dey use a spice if dey wan' chew tuh love 'em, or tuh keep 'em.
Entry 7853
If you want a girl to love you, go in agrave- yard at twelve to one o'clock that night. And you get a handful of graveyard dirt and sneak it in your girl's pocket, and she'll always love you. [Deal Island, Md.,. (114), 33:5.]
Entry 7874
Yo' want sompin fo' luck or sompin lak dat, take some graveyard dirt. Depend on how much yo' want. Now, yo' don' wanta make a plastah of graveyard dirt fo' no sickness or nuthin. Yo' take a tablespoonful of graveyard dirt an' a tablespoonful of salt an' git chew some bluestone. An' mix dis up in a quart bottle an' use it in 'er room or in a hall where it's private. Now lak if it in yore room, use it in yore room. But yo' gotta git out an' use some out dere too an' not let 'em know nuthin about it.
(What do you do with that after you put it in that bottle?)
Shake it up an' use it jes' lak yo' would perfume, yo' see - jes' lak yo' do perfume. Yo' kin use it on yo'self, go tuh baid an' use it.
[To shake it up, a magic rite, excites the spirit in the bottle to action.]
(What will that do?)
Make him love her, git all de money she wants.
Entry 7926
Ah heard dat if yo' wanted a sweetheart, lak yore husban' or anythin' - if yo' love him an' yo' want him tuh stay wit yo' - yo' takes de graveyard dirt an' yo' wears it, jes' git chew a li'le bit in a bag. Ah seed [= seen = saw] a lady one time wearin' some of it. An' yo' wears it in a bag an' that will make the man wanta stay wit yo'.
Entry 8226
Use de photograph to gain love. Well, yo' photograph, if yo' like a gurl an' perhaps she tryin' tuh gain love wit yuh, an' yo', yo' know, might have de privilege of visitin' 'er. Well, she might have some kin'a small or large photograph in 'er home. Perhaps yo' might git a chance to take it, or steal it in othah words we call it. An' yo' take dis photograph. Yo' take dis photograph an' yo' bury it. Yo' see, yo' bury dis photograph fer nine days, but befo' buryin' it yo' takes [some sort of oil]. (What kind of oil is it? Is it something you mean - where do you buy this oil?) Well, yo' kin buy it in de drug store. (Well, go ahead with the rest of the story and give me the name when you think of the name later.) Well, yo' take dis [mineral?] oil an' yo' take it an' rub it on de face of de pichure. an' yo' let dis pichure. yo' know, stay buried fer nine days. yo' see. Dat's how to gain 'er love, to make a short story of it. [For 9 days, see alsc preceding margin title CIRCUMAMBULATE etc.]
Entry 8232
Well, yo' take dat pichure an' put it in yore pocket, if yo' wanta carry it wit chew. Yo' kin take dat pichure an' yo' want dem tuh love yo'. Dat whut chew wanta know. Take dat pichure an' git some olive oil an' put nine drops of dat pichure right around, yo' know, right around de haid. An' put dat pichure in yore pocket an' tote it wit yo'. Den fo' nine days yo' read de 23rd Psalms ovah it, an' dat'll make dem people care fo' yo'.
Entry 8234
Yo' take de photograph an' take some perfume, put it on de pikture, an' a needle an' stick de needle in de pik- ture right acrost de fo'haid, an' hide it some place an' she'll love yuh.
Entry 8307
Yo' could take a pichure. Now, if yo' wanta do good, if yo' wanted de person tuh love yo' or somepin an' - yo' put dat pichure tuh de haid of yore bed, an' call de person's name nine mawnin's. An' wit a pin dat's nevah been used, a new pin, yo' put nine holes intuh dis pichure fo' nine mawnin's. An' while yo' punch dose holes, yo' talk tuh de pichure jis' lak yo' talkin' tuh de person. An' aftah de nine mawnin's, jis' whatevah de statements were dat chew made, dat person will do jis' lak yo' ast dem tuh do, but chew must keep dat pichure dere.
(You punch one hole each morning or nine holes?)
Nine holes for nine mawnin's.
(That's nine times nine?)
Eighty-one.
(And you keep it at the head of the bed?)
Yo' keep it dere tuh de haid of yore bed.
(Now you do harm you say with the photograph. Tell me about that.)
Well, if yo' wanta do harm wit de pichure, yo' could take dat pichure an' yo' take dat tuh de graveyard, an' yo' go an' yo' call de spirits of de dead. When yo' think dat de spirit is dere, yo' take out nine han'fuls of dirt out of dat grave. Den yo' place dis pichure down dere an' yo' explain tuh de spirit jis' whut yo' want 'em tuh do tuh dat pahticlah [particular] person, see. An' what- evah yo' say, den yo' pay dat spirit.
(Well, now. What do you usually pay the spirit?)
Well, it goes - Well, NOW DE FIRST DEGREE IS THREE PENNIES. DE SECOND IS NINE AN' DE THIRD IS THIRTEEN. [I do not recall that these sums of money paid the spirit are called degree elsewhere in Hoodoo.]
(Then you cover that picture up in there?)
Let it stay dere. An' yo' have tuh explain tuh dis spirit whut tuh do tuh dat pahticlah person, an' pay dem tuh do dat. Dey'll do it jis' lak yo' ast dem tuh do.
Entry 8383
Take yore pichures. Now ef yo' got a tintype pichure - can't do a thing wit a pastebo'd pichure - but if yo' got a tintype pichure, take dat pi- chure an' go tuh a trunk an' place dat pichure down. Turn it upside down in dat trunk. Put de clothes on de bottom of dat trunk. An' if a man really love a woman dat she could do enything in de world wit 'im, she kin turn 'im enyway dat she Wanta. But she kin have any perfection of 'im - wouldn't hurt nuthin but would draw out love an' all 'is attention an' care fer dis woman.
Entry 8414
Dey take yuh photograph an' turn it bottomsides upward over a glass of watah, an' tie it tuh de haid of yer baid. Turn yer haid downwards in de watah an' dat'll make a man love yuh.
Entry 8466
A person kin take yuh pitchure an', if dere isn't any watah between yuh an' dat person, dey kin take yuh pitchure an' a piece of dere hair [demon- strates], right from aroun' heah, right in back of de eah [ear], de right eah, an' put it, de face up tuh yuh pitchure, an' wrap it up good an' care [carry] it right in heah, in de bosom nex' tuh de heart. If dey wan' choo tuh love 'em, dey kin do dat.
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 8545
Like if I love anybody, I'd take his name and write it and put it in a glass of clear watah. Well ah don't eat anything all day long, just fastin' an' just prayin'. Pray to de Lord that he'll come back tuh me. (That's all you have to do?) That's all I ever heard them doin'. An' I've known girls that do so an' I knowed de boy come back. (Just his name on this piece of paper in a glass of water and then you fast and pray all day long.
Entry 8552
Take a sheet of paper, write their name - de person's name - five times [one under the other], yours five [under that, one under the other], fold it [to you] three times, an' weah it in your right shoe. Cause dat person to like yo'.
Entry 8569
Ah had a woman yo' see an' ah loved 'er an' she quit me an' she went off. An' a fellah [doctor] tole me dat if ah wanted tuh git 'er back yo' know, tuh go tuh de fo'k of de road at twelve a'clock at night an' look in de same direction she went, or which fo'k [I thought] she was, yo' know. An' call her three times in de fo'k of dat road at twelve a'clock at night an'.she would come back. Ah've heard dat much about de fo'k of de road.
(Did you do that?)
Yes sir, ah tried it an' she come back all right. Ah don't know whuthah dat dud [done] it or not.
Entry 8664
A man tole me he knew how to git a person who's away, if he's in love enough an' want to come, Want to take yo' back. Why yo' - he say nail up a nail ovah de do' which dey went out de last time. An' each night before yo' retire, dat yo' must stand an' look at dis nail an' call dis par- ty's name nine times, an' says each time, 'Come back, ah WANT CHOO TUH COME back." An' do dat fer nine nights, nine times each night. An' if dey had anythin' to come wit, dey'd come back.
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 10159
An' a woman wants her ole man back for love, she'll burn a blue candle. Well, she put that [candle] in molasses an' his name - if a colored person [black strap] molasses an' his name - on it nine times, an' hers on top, under that sau- cer see with the blue candle [standing and burning on top of the saucer]. That brings him back. (How long does she burn that and when?) Well, she kin keep that candle burning [as long as and whenever she wants to]. That's for her husband or man.
Entry 10264
If yo' wanta keep in love wit a man, yo' jes' turn de right foot of yore shoes down underneat' de bed an' he'll have tuh stick wit yo'. He can't go out himself wit womenfolks.
(Whose shoes do you turn down? The woman would turn hers down?)
Dat's right, down under de bed.
Entry 10280
Jes' lak a woman if she love yo', she be - well, she take de bow out yore cap. Well, she take dis bow outa yore cap an' when she mess wit chew, she take de germs from yo' an' herself, an' she'll roll dis bow up in it. She roll dis bow up in dat. An' den she'll take dis bow an' she put somepin, anything sweet, jes' amy thing dat's sweet on dere. An' she'll take dis bow an' she'll pee on dis boo every morning for seven mornings. She'll pee on dis bow for seven momings. An' den she'll take dis bow after she do dat, pee on seven mornings, take de gerns from yo' an' her germs an' put on heah. An' she'll roll dis in sulphur. Sulphur always. Ah don't know whut sulphur is but most all womenfolks use sulpbur in ever'thin'. Well, she take de sulphur an' she put it on dere an' she take dis heah bow, after she take it out, an' she'll put it in some close place where yo' transfer back an' forward all de time. An' [does] dat in order - she put [it] dere, dat's for yo' to stay close, wanta be round her. Yo' don't feel satisfied, yo' wanta be round her all de time. "Co'se it don't have nuthin to do wit your nature but chew don't wanta mess wit nobody else but her. Dat's de story ah heard about dat. [Bow of cap, any bow, sometimes considered a cross, a sacred symbol. See many beliefs about bow of cap.]
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 9760
A man was likin' a woman. He get to like another woman, yo' know, an' doesn't come to her no more. She'd get nine new nails an' drive 'em down in de ground at her door, just enough to cover their heads up, and then the next morning she would take some of her water from de chamber and throw that on it. See. Then when he comes back in over that, over them nails and that chamber lye, then he'll get on with her.
(He gives the other woman up. I see.)
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 9893
Now, if yo' got a girl an' yo' wan' 'er tuh love yo', yo' kin go tuh one dem red ants baid. Ketch yo' one dem toadfrogs, dem ole rough toadfrogs an' kill 'im. Put dat toadfrog in dat ants baid an' let 'im stay in dat ants baid until dem antses eat 'im up, till he gits tuh where he ain't nuthin but a shell [skeleton]. Den yo' take dat frog den an' yo' git dat straight bone dat runs down 'is back. An' yo' kin take dat bone den an' any woman dat chew want or any man dat chew want, whilst me an' yo' talkin' or me an' 'er talkin', ah stick dat bone in dat garment dat she had on or dat he has on. If ah'm a woman ah stick it in a man [garment] or if ah'm a man ah stick it in a woman [garment]. Yo' see, stick dat bone in dere, jes' a small piece of dat bone, an' leave it in dere. Den yo'll come tuh be mah sweetheart if ah wan' chew, or yo'll come tuh be 'er sweetheart if she wan' chew.
Entry 9894
If yo' have someone dat yo' desire dere affection an' dere love, dey say now yo' could ketch a bullfrog an' put 'im intuh a box where he's confined and put holes. Set dis box where ants kin eat 'im up. Aftah dey eat 'im, dere's a bone in 'im. Yo' take dis box up an' look in dere [among the bones]. Dere's a bone-lak, lak a "T". Yo' take dis bone an' go tuh dis person an' put it somewhere in de lining, somewhere in dere clothes where dey won' know it, an' let dem weah it nine days in dere clothes. Aftah dat yo' take it an' keep it, an' as long as dey live, yo' can't git rid of 'em. Don't care whut chew do or how mean yo' be or how cross yo' be tuh 'em, as long as yo' keep dis "T" dere, yo'll nevah git rid of 'em in de world.
Entry 9910
Yo' know dese ole rough frogs dat hop. Well, yo' take dem an' yo' put 'em in a tin can an' cut some holes in dere. An' yo' git a bone out dere dat shape lak a fishhook. An' yo' could hang dat on anybody's clothes an' dey'll follah yo' regardless who dey is woman or man, an' love yo'.
Entry 10649
Ah heard if yo' take a ant, if yo' wus tuh take, if yo' could a - jes' lak a ants' nest. Jes' lak yo' go to a ants' den dey have made. Jes' lak if yore husban' or sompin lak dat would wash his feet an' yo' would scrape his feet, well yo' take dis dead skin offa yore husban's feet an' take an' put it in dis ants' nest. Den dat et [eaten] by de ants an' den dat would cause him to walk jes' lak a ants, if yo' wanta do somepin to him or somepin lak dat. Dat would cause de husban' to walk jes' lak de ants.
(What do you mean, run him away or something like that?)
Yeah, jes' gives him de wanderin' an' sturbin' an' all lak dat. Jes' lak he'd love somebody an' yo' thought yo' could break him - yo' know, stop him from lov- in' 'em. Yo' jes' wanta do somepin ill to 'im. See, yo' takes an' wash his feet an' git some of dis heah, yo' know, dead skin off his feet, an' yo' puts it in dis ants' den, an' say den when he starts tuh walkin', he jes' wouldn't be sat- isfied novhere he goes, jes' lak de ants.
Entry 10678
Yo' got a girl friend an' yo' like her. Yo' tie nine knots in a string an' pin it in her back [on her clothes in back] while yo' lovin' her. Pin it in de back. Tie nine knots in it an' pin it in her back while yo' lovin' her, be huggin' an' kissin' her.
(What will that do?)
That will make her love yo'.
(You yourself take the string?)
Yes sir, tie nine knots in it an' pin it in de back like yo' got chure arm around her. (You have to pin it on her back clothing, and that's to make her love you. How do you mean make her love you?) Well, that makes happiness wit yo' an' her. [For woman to tie a silver dol- lar into a man's shirttail while he is loving her, compare, p., v.]
Entry 10889
There Was another boy fell in love with her and she did with him and I went a trying to break 'em up. I goes and gets me dere lef' - a handful of dr dirt out of de lef' track from her and a handful of dirt out of his. I moxes doze two toget- her. I goes and gits me a dog, and I goes and gits me a cat, and I cuts de tip end off of each one of them's tail. I mixes them together with that sand all out of each one of doze tracks. I t'rows dem into a fire stove. I says, "Cats and dogs can't get along together, I'll be damn if you all shall." And it worked, broke dem right up.
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 11338
Mah husband had quit me once an' a girl tole me about a dove. She tole me tuh take de tongue of dat dove an' put it tuh dry, an' den lay it in Hearts Cologne, an' den when ah gits a chance tuh go wit mah husband, tuh put it in mah mouth an' kiss him, an' his love would come new ag'in to me. So ah tried it an' suah enough, it did.
Entry 11394
You can wear another person's fingernails for love. [Wilmington 115:5+85.]
Entry 11396
Dirt from under someone's fingernails kept or worn causes love.
[Mobile 882:4.]
Entry 11409
Scrape soles of feet, brown on stove, and serve in food for love.
[Mobile 883:13.]
Entry 11411
Entice to love by letting person drink left-foot scrapings and salt- peter from bottle. [Mobile 874:10.]
Entry 11445
Parch fingernails and toenails and give in food or drink for love.
[Norfolk 535:7.]
Entry 11451
Use dirt from under fingernails and footskin in food for love.
[Mobile 878:3.]
Entry 11457
Parched fingernails, toenails and footskin in food creates love.
[Mobile 943:6.]
Entry 11459
Fingernails, toenails and footskin in food or drink brings love.
[Ocean City, Md., by Ediphone.]
Entry 11460
Left fingernails and toenails, and left-foot skin parch, add sugar and give in food 9 mornings for love. [Mobile 865:5.]
Entry 11461
Take fingernails and toenails, wash feet and scrape and get dead skin, hair from under clothes, parch, put in food for love. [Memphis 1560:8.]
Entry 11863
A woman wraps a man's hair in paper and wears it on her bosom for love. [Fredericksburg by Ediphone.]
Entry 11864
She takes hair from a man's head and some from her own head, ties it with thread, puts it in a bag with her fingernails, and wears it on her bosom for love. [Wilmington 252:4+85.]
Entry 11867
Carry person's hair and fingernails in bottle with Hearts Cologne for love. [Wilmington, 169:3+85.]
Entry 11874
Woman takes hair from man's head and her head and wears over her heart for love. [Wilmington 236:5+85.]
Entry 11875
To hold his love woman ties man's hair on her leg. [Petersburg, Va., 419:3.]
Entry 11877
Man sews up woman's hair in seat of his pants for love. [Richmond 340:4.]
Entry 11945
Her private hair and hair from the mold of his head, stopped up in a tree or in a bottle with Hearts Cologne will run the man crazy about her. [Nor- folk 457:8.]
Entry 11996
If you put a person's hair in a bottle with Hearts Perfume, the person whose hair it is will love you. [Each hoodoo vender probably had his own variety bearing a label with two or more small red hearts on it.] [Charleston 606:4.]
Entry 11998
To hold person's love, keep in bottle his or her hair, Adam-and-Eve root and Hearts Cologne - 3 ingredients. [Petersburg, Va., 422:9.]
Entry 11999
For love keep person's hair in bottle with High John de Conkah, love root or sweet root, and Hearts Cologne. [Petersburg, Va., 422:1.]
Entry 12035
A woman may cut hair from a man's head, put it in a sack, keep it on her side of the bed in the mattress, and sleep on it all the time for love.
[Memphis 1560:3.]
Entry 12037
Hair from her armpit soaked in his whiskey will bring a present from him and create love. [Charleston 572:4.]
Entry 12046
She can hold his love by wrapping some of his hair round 9 needles and keeping it hidden in the bed. [Wilmington 79:5+85.]
Entry 12048
A woman, she loved a man, an' a, you know, de man kina rule huh an' she couldn't rule 'im so good. So she went an' git a hand to make 'im do as she said do. An' evrey time de man, you know, would go to leave de house, she'd jis' rub huh [own] hand lak dat, jis' huh hand, an' rub lak dat. An' dat man could be to de road gwoin' [going way] an' he would have to turn back. An' when she'd see him turn back, she'd go an' lay down acrost de bed, an' de man would come an' lay right acrost de bed an' couldn't leave huh. She had huh hand iressed to dat effeck. She keep it un'neat' huh bed mattress. An' evrey time she'd want dis man to do lak she says, she jis' go an' lay down on dat bed, you see, an' rub her hand [which was a hand] an' he couldn't go. [This is my only example of such original and brilliant thinking!]
Entry 12080
A man's hat bow worn on her neck or leg makes the man love her.
[Wilmington 115:2+85.]
Entry 12082
Take dat bow outa de back of a man's hat an' wet it wit Heart Cologne an' wear it roun' her neck an' gain him. (What will that do?) Keep him home. [Wilson, N. Car., (1499), somewhere near cylinder 2667 which contains material by 1499.
Entry 12083
Right next to dere close garment. (That little bow out of a man's hat.) Right next to 'em underneath de arm. Make yo' love each othah, yore love won draw away. It become closer.
Entry 12104
I've heard 'em talk about they kin even git de bow out chore hat. Jis' like a girl got a boy friend and she love him and he don't love her. And she want him and he don't want her, she kin git a chance to tear de bow out his hat and wear it in her shoe - in her shoe, see - that'll run him crazy [about her].
Entry 12120
You should keep a hat bow shut up for awhile in a bottle with cologne and witch hazel and then wear it in your shoe for love. [Wilmington 133:3+85.]
Entry 12123
Soak a man's hat bow in cologne and lay it over the door for love.
[Wilmington 231:4+85.]
Entry 12274
Tis a root that you kin git that is called King Solomon - King Solo- mon root. Will make you love 'em.
(What do they do with that root?. How do they use that?)
You will take King Solomon root - it has very fine small ji'nts [joints] in it. You takes that King Solomon root with a needle and hold it [root] on a apple or peach, anything for to eat. This is to take advantage of 'em, and stick a hole in it [through the root and into fruit] and tell it, each hole, that you sticks through with this needle into this fruit- stick it through, and tell it at each hole what you want it to do. At each hole. (How many times do you do that [stick needle into a fruit]? Any number of times?) Do that jes' the once. Stick it through there and tell it what you want it to do, and give them the fruit, you see. Make them a present of the fruit. I've done that myself.
(Well, now, what would that make that person do? That eats the fruit then?)
Make 'em love you. Make 'em do anything that you ask 'em to. [For another example of King Solomon Root, from Washington, D. C., see No.2045, p.597, v.1.]
Entry 12368
Well, dere's sompin dat dey call love perfume dat he kin dress him- self with, an' [or] he will dress his wife if he ketch her sleep; and when he gone, she won't have any thought for no other man to come around.
Entry 12409
Take a match an' yo' kin go to a fellah, anyone dat chew like or love, an' put in yore mouth an' chew de end of it, an' he come undah yore command. Yo' know, in speakin' an' talkin', chew it when yo' talkin'.
Entry 12539
Yo' take de red onion - dat's lucky fo' yore house - yo' take de red onion. It's lak if yo' got a friend, yo' kin rule him by usin' dat red onion. Yo' take dat red onion an' cut it in fo' parts an' git chew a little cup an' put dat in wit sulphur, brimstone an put dat in de corner of yore house - yo' know, where people don't have to be Worryin' roun' dere no way but chewself. An' his name write on a piece of papah understan' dat. An' dat will keep him, make him be nuthin but lovin' to yo', an' den dat will make him bring his money to yo'.
Entry 12656
Yo' kin git a bottle of this Hearts Perfume an' put cha a spoonful of table salt [fine salt, not course salt fed to animals in it an' dab it on, an' as you walk out, rub it down befo your face - do this way, like that [demonstrates].
(Then what?)
And as you do that, their love grows toward you.
(Well, doesn't he have to do anything to her at all?)
Yes, sir. Sure, it will entice her.
(How?)
With that - usin' that, see, will entice her towards you, make her git closer to you.
Entry 12667
Well, dey say yo' kin take a silk han'ke'ch'ef an' rub it into a strand an' when she meets dis man, she kin continually take dat rag an' puttin' it 'bout his haid an' face, switchin' [swish- ing?] it ovah his face yo' know, an' sometime hit him cross de face wit it [dangerous for eyes] an' take dat rag an' wipe it undah her arms an' about her joints, an' git de perspiration of herself - an he won't have any desire fo' anothah woman.
(She takes this handkerchief and rolls it up into a strand, you say.)
An' den jes' wipe in undah her arms an' her joints.
(And then just waves it around him.)
Entry 8880
Well, if somebody wrote chew a lettah now - jes' lak if yo' wanted tuh git tuh somebody an' dey wrote chew a lettah, why yo' take dat lettah an' yo' read it. Yo' read it backwards. An' den, if yo' kin read backwards, take dat lettah an' yo' read it backwards. An' den yo' take an' take it tuh a willah tree. Yo' take it to a willah tree. An' a willah's got a forked root tuh it. Yo' dig down tuh dat root where it's forked down dere, an' den yo' turn dat lettah bottom upwards undah dere, undah dat tree, an' kivah [cover] it back up. Well, yo' git de devil's shoestring an' yo' weah it round yore arm, jes' tie it round yore arm. Dat's whut ah heered 'bout dat.
(What will all this do now?)
Dat jes' lak if yo' love somebody an' want 'em back tuh yuh or want - whatsom- evah yo' want done tuh 'em. Whatsomevah yo' want done, when yo' go tuh dat wil- lah tree an' put dat undah dere, yo' speaks dat befo' de Fathah, Son an' Holy Ghost.
Entry 10614
Yo' kin take a herb called de [High] John de Conkah. yo' understand. Yo' put it into a vial [of white cologne, see later] an' yo' take de vial an yo' use nine drops on a pocket han'ke'cheff. Yo' put in dat bottle: de High John de Conkah, an' de per- fume an' de Eve-an'-Adam. Dat Eve-an'-Adam, dat's a herb. Yo' see, yo' nuse dat into a little vial about so good - jes' enough tuh hol' it; yo' know, about de size of mah finger lak dat, an' den yo' have it in dat white cologne [the perfume mentioned]. Well, yo' nuse it den, nine drops at a time. Yo' see, lak yo' nuse dat aroun', yo' kin take dat up lak dat when yo' step into a room or sompin lak dat, yo' see. Yo' take yore pocket han'ke'cheff out an', yo' see [probably demonstrates] yo' flash it roun dere. An' dat's fo' lovin', yo' see.
Entry 11713
Well, it's a root whut chew call de Georgia [George?] crooked root. It grows an' it has a red flowers. Now, yo' kin take dat root an' yo' kin bring love in yore home. Yo' take dat root an' yo' dig de root up. Put it up an' let it dry. An' aftah dis root is dried, yo' cut two 'nitials in dis root. De root grows about dat big. Lak if yo' cut L. A. or whoevah name it is. An' yo' wanta be successful in yore home an' yo' want peace dere, yo' cuts two 'nitials in dat root. Yo' bury dat root up undah de do'steps an' dat will bring plenty peace in de home.
(What do you call the name of that root?)
George Crooked root.
(Where does that grow? Around here?)
Ah nevah see any in dis state but dere's plenty of it in Georgia. [Is this the Georgia bark tree, Pinekneya pubens?]
Entry 12024
To keep his love, woman takes piece of his clothes, graveyard dirt, soaks them in vinegar and turpentine, wraps tight, seals in jar, and buries under steps. [Richmond 341:6.]
Entry 12658
Like yo' might have a girl fren' an' some other girl. Yo' might be wit chure girl fren' an' yo' like her or somepin, an' yo' wanta be on de good side of dis girl. Dis girl might be a fren' to dis other girl, but chew Want dis other girl. Yo' go an' buy yo' a pocket han'ke'ch'ef, in other words yo' buy three pocket han'ke'ch'efs, see. Yo' take dis pocket han'ke'ch'ef, de first one, an' put de 'nitial of dis girl yo' like, yo' wanna gain love with, in dis pocket han'ke'- ch'ef.
(What do you use to put the initial in there?)
Well, yo' can stamp it in dere, embroider it dere, anyway yo' wanta put it n in dere. An' yo' bury dis first pocket handkerchief, yo' see. Yo' take dis second pocket han'ke'ch'ef an' yo' do de same, yo' put dis 'nitial in dere any- way yo' prefer to put it in dere, and yo' offer her de second pocket han'ke'- chief. Well, she - in other words she may refuse dis han'ke'ch'ef. But yo' take de third one yo'self an' put chure 'nitial in it an' yo' keep dis pocket han'ke'ch'ef an' use de same thing. Yo' take any kin' high-priced perfume an' put in dis han'ke'ch'ef. Put two drops on it or one perhaps, but two be's still stronger. Well, if she refuse dis han'ke'ch'ef wit her 'nitial in it, yo' bury it wit de han'ke'ch'ef whut chew bury wit her 'nitial in it, yo' see; but chew take dis one yo' got yo'self wit chure 'nitial in it an' yo' - yo' know if yo' got de privilege to go see her, well, when yo' entertaining her, yo' jes' take dat han'ke'ch'ef, pull it out chure pocket an' sorta, yo' know, flash it 'cross her face so she git de scent of dis perfume, yo' see. An' use dis John de Con- kah root yo' call it. Chew it yo' see, or perhaps she may be de kind like to kiss or somepin. Well, yo' can kiss her an' chew on dis root. Yo' gains love like dat.
Entry 12778
Well, tell yo' how you do that. Now, if you got a woman and you want her, say. Now, you and her drink out de same cup. And you'll drink out dis cup and you take yore tongue, and when you drinking in dis cup, you might slobber in de cup, and she [her lips touch cup] or sompin like that. Yo'll throw it up [into air]. She gain that [goes up into air]. Well, she is crazy about chew den. [Two lips coming together, or kissing, used to be called swap- ping spit, an Irish expression according to my wife who was half Celtic Irish, half German.]
Entry 12932
Ah knows dat's all right about de shoes. Jes' say if yo' an' a woman wus in love tuhgether, an' by some means dat chew think dat dis woman is not de right woman fo' yo', an' yo' wants tuh git loose from her, yo' put on yore shoes an' jes' git out an' valk. Walk fast. Yo' know dat chure feet will perspire but not smelly. Pull den shoe off an' po' some wine in 'em an' drink dat wine. Dat'll separate yo' an' her. [For another drinking-out-of-shoe rite, see 12896, p.4412.
Entry 13138
Well, dere's a boy an' a girl dat's goin' tuhgethah. See. Dey got in good love. Yo' know, she got tuh lovin' him an' he got tuh lovin' her. Dey got big ages [they were grown up] yo' see. "Oh, ah got him so ah want him [to] stay wit me," an' "ah don't want him [to go nowhere." [Notice incomplete infinitives.] Well, he come tuh stayin' dere at night, see jes' lak man an' wife. Jes' stay an' stay an' stay. Well, somebody else got betwixt dat, "Ah want [to] tear dat up, ah don' lak dat. He ain't ma'ed tuh her. He ain't a much right man. He ain't much good. Ah'm goin' tear dat up." Undahstand. Well, so dey got mad an' so decided dey want tear hit up. So dey throws baa luck in dey way. So she says, Cora says, "Well, yo' know, he wuz so good tuh me an' all at once he's got bad. Ah don' know whut in de worl' mattah wit him." Say, "Ah cain't undahstand it." "Well, maybe somebody else is got a bettah haid den yo' are an' to' [tore] it up." "Well, ah'll find out." Says, "Ah knows a thing or two mahself. Ah'll take ca' of dat. Ah'll take ca' of dat." Okay, all right. She goes an' she takes his sock - de sock he weahs - de dirty sock he been Weahin'. She takes dat sock an' washes it, washes dat sock, yo' know, in jes' a leetle bit of watah, yo' know. Well, yo' might say, in a boil [water just coming to a boil]. Yo' take dat sock an' yo' boil it, yo' know, an' git dat dirt off whut he's been weahin'. An' take dat watah an' jah it up [put it in a jar] an' yo' put - ah dunno whut chew call dat kin'a powdah, it wuz a lucky powdah, she [hoodoo woman] put in dere an' 9 drops of Hearts Cologne. Yo' put dat tuhgethah. Yo' know, yo' boil dat lil' watah down right low, yo' know till it be jes' a lil' bit. Den yo' put nine drops of Heart Cologne in dat. Den yo' put it in a lil' bottle an' yo' stop it up. An' fo' 9 mawnin's yo' take dat an' yo' daubs yo'self wit dat fo' 9 mawnin's. Yo' all right. Yo' won't have no mo' trouble.
Entry 13141
Take a man's sock or a woman's sock an' bury it. See, where yo' have a fireplace, take up a brick an' sprinkle sulphur an' salt on dat brick an' sprinkle sulphur an' salt on dat brick an' graveyard dirt, an' uri- nate on it fo' 9 mawnin's, an' tell it whut chew want it tuh do. If yo' want him tuh love yo', not leave yo', be right dere undah yore foot an' all, he can't do it, 'cause he's buried right dere wit dat stock- in' an' de minute he takes it up why yo' kin go. But long as hit stays down dere, why he stays dere.
(You bury that stocking right under that brick?)
Yeah, right undah dat brick. Anywhere where yo' kin git tuh it an' urinate on it fo' 9 mawnin's.
Entry 13143
Yo' kin take his sock to make 'im love you an' yo' stockin' an' put it [them] together. Understand? An' puts some sugah with it. An' take it out an' bury it on the side of your house, an' go out there every mawnin' an' pour your chamber lye there. Don't you under- stand? See, on that. An' you take the sock an' your stocking an' roll it together, see. Now put a red onion with it, a dime - that's to make 'im give her money - roll it together. Sew it to you an' make your wish - that's her, you see - sew it up in your mattress. That man'll give you money, give 'er roney as long as he's there.
Entry 13156
Sock or stocking, put in jar, urinate on it, keep it hidden, make 'em love you. [Memphis 1550:3.]
Entry 2891
Now, jes' say now for an instance if a man is gone and left his wife, yo' might say or sweetheart, and he's away off in another country probably and she want him back. She care fo' him but he's gone off and done 'tract his 'tention with somebody else, and his mind is offa de one that he left. If she got his photograph, she kin jes' take it and jes' turn it upside down on his haid, see. And den take a green candle and a yellah candle and put de photograph right - put it down, set de candles in some kin'a little [tin] top of something, put dis heah photograph behin' de light [candles], and light chure candles and make yore wush. See. Put de photograph upside down and put some sugar, some brown sugar in de saucer [or tin top] wheresomevah dose candles is; some brown sugar and some honey, and put de two candles in dere - de yellah candle and de green one.
[Brown sugar is often used for colored person; white for white person.]
And set 'em in dat saucer with dat sugar and dat honey and put de photograph right by dose, upside down. Well dat will make dat individual git on his head to come back, see, to where he left from. Jes' in a few days he'll git all upset, wanta come back, and ain't nuthin going to keep him away from dat individual. (Now here are the two candles sitting up in this can. You put the photograph upside down, head down, leaning against one of those candles - jest leaning against one of those candles.) Leaning against whatsomevah de candles is in. And den de person - lak ah'm doing dis, jes' lak if ah was going to light de candles for mah husband and tell him to come home, and [demonstrates] ah jes' put de photograph down dere, and ah tell him, "Now, ah mean fo' you to come home to me now. Ah mean fo' you to come home and don't you stay away no longer. Ah mean fo' you to come home." [Three times.] And in about five or seven days [odd numbers] he will be back.
Entry 2911
Well, if for instant, say, you got a husband - a man, and he's done left you, you take a white candle and you burn it. That's to draw him back to you. All right, then when you get him back to you, you get a blue candle - that's for true love. A pink candle is for success, see. All right, that's what you do. (Well, how would you burn that blue candle? Or that white candle to bring him back, for example?) With his name.
(Explain the whole thing to me.)
Oh, explain the whole thing?
(Yes.)
You write his name three times and you put it under a saucer. You take a saucer and turn it upside down and you put the candle on top of that, burn it.
(Burn the candle - the white candle?)
The white candle - that's to draw him.
(Back?)
Yes. (Well, do you burn that any particular time, or day, any particular length of time, or what?) See, this is burned completely out.
(Oh, burn it completely out?)
Completely burn it until hit makes a - takes effect on him to bring him back. See. It's according to the person's constitution. You see, sometime you don't have to burn them long - about two or three weeks. It's according to the con- stitution. Some people is [more resistant to candles]. (I see. Now, suppose he comes back, then what do you do with that blue candle there?) All right, you burn the blue candle - that's for true love.
(And how would you burn it?)
The same way. The same way - to keep his name completely under there. You see, you conquer him - you conquer anybody with their name.
(And then what was the other candle?)
The pink - that's for success. You'll be successful. You see, you burn the three candles - the white is to draw, blue is for true love, and pink is for success.
Entry 3536
(Tell me that from the beginning.)
Jes' lak yo' want 'em to love yo', yo' take a han'ke'chuf - or'nary han'ke'- chuf. Yo' want 'em to not - yo' don't want 'em to love yo' hard. Jes' tie it in fo' loose knots. Well, den, if yo' want 'em to love yo' hard, tie it fo' hard knots, one in each cornah: one at dat cornah, one down below, one down below, one at de othah end. Tie dose fo' hard knots, hard as yo' kin draw it. An' tote dat in yore pocket.
(I see.)
Entry 4050
Dey tell me whut dey kin do if dey git chure hair [see later]. Whut dey kin do, put it in a bottle, yo' understan' - put it in a bottle an' bury it under de steps.
(What else do you put in the bottle? You say just the hair?)
No, not de hair.
[I turn off machine but restart it when informant said chamber lye?)
(chamber lye?)
Yeah, an' put it under yore steps, an' dey kin do jis' whut dey wanta wit chew.
(Who would do that?)
Oh, she could do dat. Dey woman would do dat, who's in love wit choo.
Entry 4108
Den yuh kin take de hair an' put it in a bottle an' de fingahnails an' toenails an' chamber lye an' put dat in a person's food. Dat'll make 'em love yuh.
Entry 4109
Yo' takes de dead skin off de bottom of yuh feet an' put it in a halfa pint of whiskey an' takes one teaspoonful of pee an' po' it in. Dat'll make dem become tuh love yuh.
Teaspoonful denotes a quantity in this reported recipe. No utensil, calibrated modern volume or demonstrated effect is established.
Entry 4116
Jes' lak if yuh want a man tuh be wid jah an' stay wid jah. He may be pullin' off wid some othah woman. Yuh take chamber lye an' a little bit of yuh minstratin' an' put it in whiskey or coffee, eithah one of dose thin's, an' jis' give it tuh 'em. An' he drink dat an' he jis' be so fool about chew, he'll have tuh be dere.
Entry 4117
Dey takes dat an' let it set nine days, fo' nine days, an' put it in de man's coffee an' make 'im love dem an' make him come back. (That's the chamber lye.)
Entry 4119
If yuh want yuh wife tuh be crazy 'bout chuh, yuh take yuh nine drops of chamber lye. Put it intuh a bottle an' evah time dat choo go tuhgethah, or anythin', yuh drop one drop in dere, yuh know, in some tea or whiskey - whut- evah she drink. She'll be crazy 'bout choo.
Entry 4121
If yuh in love wit a woman an' cain't undahstan' it, an' yuh do' know why yuh love her - sompin lak dat - she given yuh some of 'er chamber lye. An' den [to free yourself] yuh taken yuh chamber lye, say nine mawnin's in suc- cessful [succession], yuh walk aroun' de house an' come back in, an' take a swallah yuh chamber lye. Dat'll kill de love fuh a woman who have ovahpowahed yuh. Yuh've seen men dat women jis' drag aroun', do' cāh [care] anythin' 'bout 'em, but dey cain't hep' dey- self. Well dey - dat whut makin' 'em [dragl. De woman put some of dat stuff, her monthly yo' might call [it, but here it is urine] intuh 'is coffee, yuh see.
[To be on the safe side, I fortunately summarize the rite.]
(Well, if this woman has used this chamber lye in his food, he can kill that by using his own chamber lye against hers. HE HAS TO TAKE A SWALLOW EVERY MORN- ING FOR NINE MORNINGS.) Fo' nine mawnin's tuh kill hers.
Entry 4128
If yo's wit a family of people an' dey has someone in heah dat didn't like yo' so well, an' dey drink watah, tea, or medicine, whatsomevah it is, well yo' take an' put [in] jis' a lit- tle chamber lye. Not too much, yo see, dat would make dem distrustin'. But yo' put jis' maybe a couple of tablespoonful in dere, an' yo' constantly do dat fo' 'bout fo' times. An' dey will come tuh love yo' an' nobody couldn't put dem against yo' in no kin'a way. An' it nevah would be broken except dey go tuh somebody an' take it off.
Entry 4215
A woman kin do de same thin', jis' lak she want me an' ah don't want 'er. Well, she kin git a piece of yuh shirt an' tie it in nine knots an' put it in 'er watah, her urinate watah, an' let it stay in dere fo' three mornin's. If she kin git dem nine knots back into mah pocket or in some of mah clothses, dat will draw me an 'er back tuhgethah.
Entry 4279
Yuh take dis chamber lye an' put it in a bag [bottle] an' git some soda an' put in dat. An' break de walls, de plastahin' in de house, anywhere in de house, an' keep it dere in dat, keep it stopped up. Dat will keep )'im an' make him love yuh an' stay roun' home.
Entry 4283
Dey take yuh chamber lye an' stop it up in a bottle, an' lak if ah want chew tuh love me, take dat an' put some sugah in it, an' stop it up in a bottle an' keep it dere until de bottle busts. (Then what would happen?) Yo' couldn't live.
(Whose chamber lye would you put in that bottle?)
Yuhs, yuhs an' mine.
(They would mix up both the man's and the woman's? That would kill you then?)
Yes.
Entry 4284
Yuh don' do nuthin but jis' de sulphur an' yuh peepee, dat'll keep de law from yuh house an' it will gain dere love.
(Where do you put it?) Jis' sprinkle it on each steps, jis' throw it all roun' yuh house - all roun' yuh house.
Entry 4337
Take dere chamber lye an' make dem stay wit yuh or love yuh or be roun' yuh. Or yuh kin take dat chamber lye - well, ah know dey done mah brothah-in-law lak dat one time. Dey took 'is chamber lye an' put it in a bottle, an' den put it up in a tree above his haid, an' had 'im hangin' up dere all de time. Said dat'd keep 'im sick an' stop 'is watah jis' lak he had gravels or sompin lak dat.
Entry 4386
Ah heard dat if - now jis' lak if yuh love a person an' dey mistreat yuh or sompin othah. Jis' lak ah may love yuh an' yuh don't love me. Dere man yuh know of dat kind, don't love 'em. Why - an' yuh love 'em an' do all yuh kin tuh git 'long wit 'em an' can't. Why yuh jes' takes most - well, any 'mount chew want of - well, food yo' know dat pass through dem. Yuh kin take dat. Yuh take dat an' yuh put it intuh a little rag, any kinda rag, or maybe a papah, anythin'. An' yuh take it down an' jis' lak yuh take up a brick outa yore chimley, an' yuh bury it undah dat brick an' let it stay undah dere fo' 'bout three days. Yuh take it out. Yuh take dat up den an' yuh burn it.
(What will that do then?)
Dat will bring 'im back.
(You burn his passage to bring him back?)
Yassuh.
Entry 4494
De nex' way, she kin take an' wash 'er feet, yuh undahstan', an' make a tea out of it. Put it in yore tea or coffee. Wash 'er feet an' put it in yore tea or coffee an' give it tuh yuh tuh drink. An' when yuh drink it, it be about nine days or so yuh'll be crazy 'bout 'er.
Entry 4539
Git de bow out of a man's hat an' put it undah 'er lef' arm an' wear it undah dere, an' he become tuh be in love wit 'er.
Entry 4592
Take dat li'le bow an' yuh dress it wit some - keep it sweeten all de time wit Heart Cologne, an' he think dat sompin dey put on 'em tuh make his hair stick, an' den dat will make him keep home - keep 'im from lovin' anybody else.
Entry 4594
Take dat bow an' dress it wit Hearts Cologne an' wear roun' 'er wais', an' jes' as long as she keep dat bow an' wear it, yuh can't stay from roun' 'er. An' she kin git all of 'is money an' kin treat chew any kinda Way she wants tuh an' yuh nevah will leave 'way. An' if she wears it till she lose it, den dere where she lose yuh lovin'.
Entry 4595
A man's hat - a man's bow outa 'is hat an' yuh kin take Hearts Cologne an' put it in. Yuh see yuh shoe heah has a last [insole] in it, see; an' yuh pull dat last up an' put it undah dere an' po' dis Hearts Cologne on dat bow an' yo' keep it wet. Dat will make him go crazy about chew, too.
Entry 4597
Dat bow - yuh take a bow out of a man's hat an' git chew a bottle of Heart Cologne, an' yuh dip it in de Heart Cologne an' yuh sew a cord string aroun' dat bow an' tie it round yore waist. Dat'll make 'em crazy 'bout chew, jes' love no one but chew.
Entry 4604
Say dey goin' wit a boy. Yuh snap dat bow outa his hat an' yuh jes' take it an' put it in Hearts Perfume an' let it stay. Let dat bow stay in dere fo' nine mawnin's an' nine nights an' yuh put dat perfume on 'im an let 'im comb it in' 'is hair. Dat's fo'love.
Entry 4631
Dey tell me if yuh kin git a chance, yuh know, tuh git 'is hat or any- thin' lak dat yuh know, an' take it an' wear it roun' in yore pocket, he come tuh like yuh an' care fo' yuh an' DAT'S DE WAY DIS LOVE COMES ABOUT an' dat's de way yuh gits de girl. (What do you wear in your pocket?) Dat bow out de hat.
Entry 4632
Yo' kin git de bow offen de back of a man's hat an' wear it in yore pocket or somepin othah, if yo' want 'im tuh love. DAT WILL CAUSE 'IM TUH LOVE YO'.
Entry 4633
Dey takes dat bow tuh ketch yo'. Dey ties it up where yuh can't git it, prob'ly carry it in dere pocketbook. An' she keeps dat. Long as she keeps dat, why he can't git away from 'er. He'll love 'er.
Entry 4634
Why she takes de little bow. Ah'm goin' tell yuh whut she do's wit dat, an' it'll work. If she wanta gain 'er sweetheart, if he won' notice her, she gits de little bow outa his hat an' she pins it right ovah - she pins it right ovah dere, right ovah her private place. An' he'll follah 'er all ovah dis worl'. He cain't git shet of 'er until she takes it outa dere.
Entry 4635
Ah've heard of 'em put it in a cloth yo' know an' wear it, dat little bow in dere. Take it an' git chew a piece of cloth an' put it on it an' wear it, jes' lak yo' wear a Kotex between yore laigs. Ah've heard of dat.
(What will that do?)
Well, dey say dat will make him care fo' yo', love yo', yo' cain't git rid of 'im. Dis little bow. Ah've heard of dat.
Entry 4636
An' jes' lak if he's a frien' of yores, yo' kin git dat little bow out of 'is hat an' take hit an' put it in a 'bacca sack somewhere between yore laigs, always, an' he will always be yores. He cain't quit chew, he cain't leave yo' alone.
Entry 4644
Kin take dat little bow an' sew it up in a piece of cloth an' wear it in 'tween dere laigs, an' dat will make 'em love yo'.
Entry 4647
Take dat bow outa de inside of a man's hat an' yuh put de Hearts Per- fume on it. An' yuh take dat bow an' yuh wrap it intuh a red silk, a little piece of red silk cloth, an' yuh sew dat bow up. An' yuh put dat bow, if yuh wanta make a man love yuh an' stay wit yuh too, yuh put dat bow in de toe of yore left shoe an' yuh wear dat bow in de toe of yore left shoe.
Entry 4651
Tuh hold 'em, take de bow or de band of a man's hat. Yuh could take dat an' wear it in de bottom of yore shoe. [To wear a sweatband in the shoe could be a problem.] Jis' lak yuh want a sweetheart or tuh hold a man, jis' when he come tuh yore house yuh jis' take de bow outa his hat an' put it in de bottom of yore shoe an' wear it. An' dat'll hold 'im.
(Either shoe?)
Eithah one of yore shoes - yore own shoes. [Bottom of the shoe usually means in the hallah = palm = center or middle of the shoe, the article worn being con- cealed under the insole; and if no insole, a false one is made from paper or cardboard - even a cigarette paper can cover the hidden object.]
Entry 4656
Take dat bow an' wear it in de bottom of 'er shoe, de wimmins do.
(What does that do?)
Well, he love 'er. He goin' come tuh love 'er an' he follah 'er roun' or want tuh follah 'er roun'.
Entry 4690
Dey tell me yuh take dat bow out dat hat an' puts Hearts Cologne on it an' a little of yore chamber lye. An' put it in a flannen rag an' wear it right nex' tuh yore flesh. Say dat will make a man love yuh.
Entry 4695
Take dat little bow an' make anyone love yuh. Yuh could take dat an' put it in de toe of a sock an' take a dime an' put it in dere. An' yuh fold it dis way [demonstrates]. Yuh jis' fold it dat way an' den yuh fold de toe dat way, comin' in de house, an' den bury it up undah yore do'step, yuh undahstan', an' den take a leak on it evah mawnin'. An' ah guarantee dey won't leave yuh.
Entry 4696
Take dat li'le bow in de back of a man's hat an' take an' put sulphur on it an' wear it [in a bag - see later] nex' tuh yuh - right tuh yore heart. An' dey say dat will bring 'i back tuh yuh, make him love yuh. An' den yuh take an' urinate on it fo' nine mawnin's an' put it back in dat - have a little bag ah reckon about de size of dis box [box of matches I had on interviewing table]. Put it in dere fo' nine mawnin's.
(After you put that sulphur on there.)
Yuh put de sulphur on dere an' yuh let it stay lak tonight. Well, de nex' mawnin' yuh start [to urinate on bow] fo' nine mawnin's, evah mawnin', an' den put it back in dat bag. An' den dat will make him love yuh.
Entry 4697
Ah heard dat if yuh take dat little bow out of de hat, de wimmins [take it], an' dey take it an' dey wear it aroun' dere waist - on aroun' dem, wheresomevah she may keep it all de time. Dat will cuz de man tuh love her.
Entry 4698
Say dey could take dat bow out de back of a man's hat an' wear it aroun' dere waist, an' dat would make yuh love 'em.
Entry 4706
Ah've heard dat chew kin take de bow out of a man's hat an' put it in runnin' watah, an' den wear it in yore shoe an' yuh won't have much trouble git- tin' rid of 'im. Ah heard dat. (You take this bow from his hat and put it in running water?) Yes, an' put it in runnin' watah. Firs', git it, jis' hold it in dere, an' den take it out an' put it in yore shoe an' wear it.
(Do you put it in either shoe?)
Eithah one.
(That's to get rid of him?)
No, dat's tuh make him love yuh. [Is holding it in running water a threat or warning of what could happen to him? Or is it a purification ceremony?]
Entry 13284
If yo' girl fren' happen to leave yo' lak dat, yo' jest follow her fo' a couple of days - follow her up, den yo' go to de drug store an' git chew some of dis heah Beechnut Gum [trade name chewing-gum]. Get some Beechnut Gum an' take it. Yo' take dat gum an' roll it up in yore hand jest lak dis heah [demonstrates]. Roll it up an' wear it to yo' - close to yore skin. Wear it dere an' jest sometime yo' be talkin' - talk- in' 'long wit her. Well yo' say, "Well, have some of dis heah." Break it off a piece an' jest give her a piece of it. An' den yo' natchly [naturally] goin' tuh co't her an' yo' git her back in a minute.
Entry 3327
Dey say yo' take - jes' lak yo' mess wit dis one. Yo' lak de othah woman an' yo' wan'a love her. Well, yo' take some of dat stuff away from 'er [first woman] mess [nature] wid joo. Well, yo' keep it, choo see. Yo' take it from 'er, yo' take it an' try to mess it on de othah [second] woman. Dis [first] woman here won't have no use fer yeh - won't have no nature fer yeh.
Introduced with 'Dey say', the account names wanting to love another woman and describes an action said to change the first woman's response.
Entry 11458
Serve fingernails, toenails and 'huff' [old skin from bottom of feet] in food for love. [Wilmington 271:1.]
The short account states 'for love' as its aim; the explanation of 'huff' is bracketed editorial wording.
Entry 5161
Dey gits right in de pam [palm] of yuh feet an' dey clips out a li'le bit [of insole]...weah dat in dere shoe...make yuh care fo' dem.
The informant says the practice will make someone care for another person. This supports only a contextual affection reading; the kind of relationship and any effect remain unverified.
Source passage
printed interview with editorial and production layers · Source-local attribution; no resolved person identity is asserted.
context only; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
fold away from you. Here we have a special magic rite of overlapping or corre- sponding or accordion folds.]
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
(You put his handkerchief in the pot and you put this piece of paper in, too?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
In too - into it an' tie it nine times.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
(Tie that handkerchief nine times.)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[Make nine knots in it.]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
But yo' put dat sugah in dere now, remembah. An' yo' put de sugah in dere an' put it on in watah an' start it tuh cookin'. Den yo' call 'im by 'is name, say,
recited or prescribed formula · Current practitioner speaking in this passage · So-an'-so (prescribed addressee); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
"Come on back heah, So-an'-so, "
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
an' so on.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
(After this water has finished cooking, you take it out and scrub with it.)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
Scrub yore front steps. He'll come on back. Yo' take de right-foot sock an' put it right up in de front of de do' an' yo' pee on it nine mawnin's an' yo' leave it dere. Dat's tuh keep 'im from gittin' away. Dat's one way of
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[doing]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
it.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
(Do you put it down any special way?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
Put de toe tuh de do' an' spread it out wit de toe tuh de do', wit de nail in de middle of each toe, so it will be smooth. Ah don' take no 'mount of nails. Ah jis' nail it down till it's smooth, so it won't be no wrinkle undah yore rug, becuz de man is a superstitious
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[suspicious]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
thing. Yo' have tuh look fo'
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[watch]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
hin as well as he do yo'. Yo' pee on it fo' nine mawnin's. Dat's one way. But de way ah have of doin', ah bear
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[bury]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
it undah de steps, de same way
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[with the nails]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
, but ah druthah
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[rather]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
bear it undah de steps becuz he won't hunt it dere.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
(He won't see it there.)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
Yo' kin pee in front of dere fo' nine mawnin's. Yo' kin run people away wit dey shoe. Yo' kin go on down heah to de railroad an' git abo'd one dem flatcars, an' take yo' five 20-penny nails an' nail it down dere jis' tuh de box
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[over the hotbox]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
, an' when dat car roll yo'll roll - yore an'will roll an' keep yo' rollin'. Ah burn 'em.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
(What do you burn the shoe for?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
Aw, fo' luck. Ah take sulphah, sugah, cinnamon an' bluestone an' burn 'em an' puts money an' burns money in 'em - take some nickels or dimes, pennies or Ohatevah yo' got. See, de money is jis' as good as it evah wuz. Put it in dere am'take a little oil of cedar an' put in dere an' burn it - see, opposite de do' lak dat
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[demonstrates]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
(Right in the middle of the front of the door, the saddle of the door. What Ls that supposed to do?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
Fo' luck - spo'tin'
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[sporting]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
houses, fo' transits
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[transients]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
, anythin'. If he's done quit chew an' gone off - see, dis bed heah.
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[On my first trip to Memphis, I interviewed in a bedroom of the down-town hotel for black people, Eureka Hotel - see INTRO., v.1, p. XXxl11.]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
Yo' take his pichure an' git chew fo' pins. Yo' turn 'is haid down, undah- stan', pin it on de back of dat bed, an' go on an' lay down. Dat keeps 'is min on yo' in dat bed.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
(Which way do you stick it, looking outside
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[away from]
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
or facing the bed?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
Tuh de bed.
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[The man in the photograph at the back of the bed, his head down, looks chrough the bed headboard at the woman on the bed!]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
(What else can you do with the picture?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
Well, yo' kin take it an' put it ovah watah an' draw 'im back.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
(How do you do that?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
Take de glass an' take de pichure an' set de watah lak dat, but if it's a
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
small one, smallah dan de glass, den yo' know whut chew do, yo' git chew a little whiskey glass an' put watah in it but don' let de pichure tech it. An' yo' double dat lil pichure on dat lil whiskey glass an' set it in de inside - yo' know, let it spread out enough dat it will hold itself. Put it undah yore bed.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
(Do you put that.picture in
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[the glass]
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
just any way or do you put the head standing up?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
On 'is haid alway8. Dat
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[dragon's blood]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
one de greates' thin's yo' kin use. Yo' kin use it fo' peace or yo' kin use it fo' de devil. Fo' peace ah use it wit sugah, but dragon blood will stop it
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[devil work]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
. Any time yo' don' want a fuss, yo' gotta put sugah in it.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
(What do you do, burn it?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
Burn it. Den yo' covah it. Dere lotta thin's yo' mix wit it tuh keep people from knowin' whut it is - Balt. An' yo' dig roots, but chew don' wan' people tuh know whut de roots are.
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[The FOLLOWING STATEMENT ABOUT THE UNUSUAL BLACK CAT ASHES IS AMAZING. My informant first tells how she or rumor says these ashes are made and then, after our brief digression with the black cat bone we return to the use and price of black cat ashes.]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
Git chure own black ket aahes, Yo' git some undahtakah to take de ket
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[cat]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
an' fill it fulla fohnenhide
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[= foam-en-hide = formaldehyde]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
, joo know, an' den yo' go where dere de crematory an' git 'im tuh burn dat, an' den yo' ketch all de ashes. See, yo've made yer own ashes. An' jis' git chew a ket yo'self an' kill 'im
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[and take him to the undertaker]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
(What about the black cat bone?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
Aw, well, yo' put 'em in boilin' hot watah an' cook 'im an' de bone dat rises tuh de top, yo' take it tuh a gtream of watah. All de rest of dem will sink, sho'
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[sure]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
as ah'm livin', but chew mus' sell yo' soul tuh de devil tuh mastah dat.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
(How do you sell your soul to the devil?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
Ah've nevah learn tuh do dat. But sellin' yo'self to de devil, yo' know whut dat is don' chew? Yo' don' believe dere is a God, dere nevah wuz a God.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
(How do you use these black cat ashes?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
Dat black ket ashes ia 'bout one de highest
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[hoodoo ingredients]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
yo' kin buy. Yo' cain't buy undah five dollahs right roun' at de cornah heah.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
(You mean at the drug store?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
Five dollahs.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
(What do they use it for?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
Well, sometime dey use it fo' success - dey fo' drawin'.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
(Mostly hands?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
Gamblin' han's.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
(How would you make a good gambling hand?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
Well, sometime ah'd git bat hearts, dry 'em. Yo' know dey'll dry if yo' jis' take 'em an' lay.'em in de sun an' dey'll wizzle
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[= wizen]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
up. An' yo' take dat bat heart an' yo' take nine needles an' yo' break dose needles off at de top. An' yo' stick nine needles right aroun' dat heart. Yo' take yo' a piece of lode- stone - it's cordin' tuh whut colah it is, whoevah yo' makin' a han' fo'. When yo' read
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[the cards]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
fo' 'im yo' kin
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[tell]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
what he needs. Yo' kin take white lodestone or black lodestone an' dere is a she lodestone made lak a woman. Dat's a she lodestone
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[demonstrates, or does she show me one?]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
(Just in the shape of a woman.)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
Yeah. Yo' kin git dat at Dahinton
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[Darlington?]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
Bros., Natchez, Miss.
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[She lodestone in the shape of. a woman is rare in my experience. This would
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
be powdered she lodestone pressed into the semblance of a woman, a very small form so that it could fit into a hand. This figurine appears to have been a spe- ciality (or specialty) of this business firm. See margin-title LODESTONE: HE AND SHE, Pp.601-603. [We now return to the gambling hand made with a bat heart.]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
Yo' take de nine needles, yo' break 'em off sho't
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[short]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
yo' know, but yo' stick 'em in de heart. Den yo' put yore heart in cloth, silk an' flannen - red flannen
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[flannel]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
(You use both of them?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
Uh-huh, one's de inside bag an' one's a' outside bag. Some of 'em use shammy. An'den yo' take dat
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[heart]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
out an'
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[as a substitute]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
yo' put dat lodestone in dere an' yo' keep a silvah dime in dere. Dat silvah dime, dat'll las' yo' a long time, not gratin' it. An' yo' put a lil dat silvah money in dere, an' yo' put dis lodestone an' nine needles, an' yo' put a lil piece of John de Conkah, an' yo' take a lil piece of devil's-shoestring, an' yo' sew dat bag up an' wish. An' den yo' dress it. Wish success tuh yo'.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
(What do you use specially to dress it?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
Hell, ah use - sometime ah use bergamine
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[bergamot]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
an' wintahgreen mixed, but ah us'lly use oil of cedar an' Jockey Club
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[Perfume]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
. But yo' see in some in- stance, tuh make yore stuff go fur
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[further]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
, yo' git chew toilet watah an' halfa bottle of Jockey Club, becuz it's
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[a full bottle is]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
mo' expensive. But chew Hn make it
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[go further]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
(The inner bag is of silk and the outer one is the flannel?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
No suh, innah bag is flannen, an' de outah bag is de silk. Take a bath in sweet spirits of nitre fo' nine days an' garlic. Yo' take it an' po' it in yore bath watah. Yo' take a little Red Seal Lye, yo' know. a lil lye on a knife. Yo' put it into yore bath watah an' den yo' po' de sweet spirits of nitre in dere an' nine pods of garlic cut up, an' take a bath in dat. Den yo' Hn go tuh de rivah an' take a bath in runnin' watah, an' dat's luck.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
(After you take the bath?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
Bo, ah say eithah one of dose. Dey are two diff'ren' thin's dat ah'm tellin'. One if yo' in a stream of bad luck an' yo' want chure bad luck
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[to change]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
. Some people
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[doctors]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
send dere customahs to de
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[Mississippi]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
rivah tuh take a bath in runnin' watah tuh wash de jinx off an' it'll roll on down
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[the river]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
(Hou of ten do you do that?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
Fell, one or twice, but yore luck will change.
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
{For bathing in the Mississippi River at New Orleans on May 1, see p.381, No. 986.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
(For this luck in gambling
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[I mean]
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
for this bath nine times, do you take it at any special time?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
Any time you kin make it
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[= any time you get ready]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
. De furse thin' yo' do, yo' git chew some love powdahs, yo' kin buy 'em at Mff'ren' places,
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[and]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; supporting excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
peace powdahs. Den anothah way yo' kin do, if yo' know de man's name. Den jis' lak yo' know bo yo' goin' tuh work fa', well yo' go dere, an' yo' go to de icehouse an' yo dt chew a dime piece of ice, an' write his name an' put it in dat ice, an' wrap at ice up tight an' don' 'low
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[allow]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
nobody tuh break dat ice. Dat cools 'im Ian' he'll talk wit yo'.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
(hat do you do with that love powder in the meantime?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; supporting excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
gell, dey use it sometime an' women use it tuh make men love 'em, tuh make boevah yo' meet be cool, peaceful.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
Do you make your own love powder?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
Bo suh, ah don't make mah own love powdahs but ah do makes some powdahs.
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
Yo' kin go - jis' lak yo' git up in de mawnin' an' take jis' nine clear buck- ets Of watah. YO' DO SOMETHIN' DIFF'REN' EVAH TIME YO' MAKE LUCK IN BUSINESS.
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
[This is an unusual rule, probably informant's own, one that will keep an expert operator like the informant mentally agile. For this type of luck, see BUSINESS AND CUSTOMERS, Pp.669-744.
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
Yo' throw nine buckets of watah on yore front po'ch an' sweep. Don' nevah sweep yore po'ch off, always sweep it back. Cleah watah from de hydran'
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
[con- sidered running water]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
. But don' speak to nobody while yo' doin' it. But evah time yo' do somethin' diff'ren'. Well, de nex' time ah do it, ah use bergamine an' wintahgreen mixed; scrub mah front wit it, dat an' one bucket of watah. A dime's worth will be enough fo' two scrubbin's. Go an' git chew some pure hick'ry an' take dat hick'ry an' burn it in de stove, an' yo' rake it out an' git chew some bluein', de stick bluein'. It blue clothes, yo' know. Yo' wanta keep de blues away
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
[cops wearing blue suits]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
. Yo' take dat hick'ry an' bluein' an' mix it togethah an' yo' put it ovah yore do'. Put de ashes an' de bluein' ovah yore do'. Pulvahize it tuhgethah, in any- thin' yo' want. Eithah put it in a lil box so it ovah dat do'.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
(That will keep the law away.)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
Den lak yo' wanta win a suit or anythin'
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
[any court case]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
. Yo' go down heah
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
[the market]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
- yo' know whut double pansy whut grows in gardens an' thin's.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
(Double pansy.)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
Well, yo' git chew nine new leaves of double pansy an' yo' put it in yore shoe an' yo' write six Disciple names an' wrap dat double pansy up in dat papah where de six Disciple names are in. Yo' write de Twelve Disciple name an' weah six in each shoe an' put a piece of double pansy in each shoe. Undahstan' me, but chew fold it in papah an' den put it in yore shoe. Now, de furse six take an' put it in yore right shoe, de nex' six yo' put dem in yore left shoe, when yo' go into co't Or anythin' lak dat. ANYTHIN' DAT CHEW WANTA MASTAH, YO' WEAH DEM TWELVE DISCIPLES. De way tuh do lak yo' got a lotta enemies. In dat case an' yo' wanta git rid of 'em so dey cain't talk, yo' go git chew a beef tongue. Yo' take dat beef tongue an' yo' write dere name, all dere names, an' yo' stick a hole in dis part of de tongue - de tip of de tongue - an' yo' stick dose names up in dere. Dat's used personal, understan'. Den yo' take it to a flue an' let it down dere an start chew a hot fiah, an' go on to co't
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
[court]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
. Yo' kin jis' put it on a wire yo' know, so it will hang dere. Yo' hangin' 'em.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
(Well, why do you want to warm then?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
Ah'm hangin' 'em
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
[not warming them]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
.
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
[This rite causes a hung jury.]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
context only; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
Ah know from experience. Yo'll laff when ah tell yah. A fellah killed mah uncle heah, two of 'em, an' ah drawed em back heah. Ah tole 'em, ah said, "Dey goin' ketch 'em, ah ain't goin' put mahself tuh no trouble." See, yo' gotta have fo' aig an' dey mus' be de aig of a black hen. Dey cain't stay 'way. Yo' put two undah his [murdered man's] arm, two undah his haid. Yo take yo' a pair of scissahs an' cross it in his back - steel. [To open the closed scissors makes a cross of steel.] It done wit steel, an' shet dem han's up an' let dem arms tight down on dem aigs. When dem aigs bus' he cain't stay still. Dey'll git back heah. He'll come back hisself, yo' don' have tuh hunt fo' 'im. (This case with your uncle, did you get the man?) Yessuh. (Did that happen right here in Memphis?) Right heah in Memphis. Dere a piece in de papah about hoodoo hero[ine] dis
Nested source context: recited or prescribed formula · Vol. 3, p. 1863
"Come on back heah, So-an'-so, "
Nested source context: continuing window edge · Vol. 3, p. 1863
fold away from you. Here we have a special magic rite of overlapping or corre- sponding or accordion folds.]
Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 3, p. 1866
"Dey goin' ketch 'em, ah ain't goin' put mahself tuh no trouble."
Nested source context: continuing window edge · Vol. 3, p. 1866
Ah know from experience. Yo'll laff when ah tell yah. A fellah killed mah uncle heah, two of 'em, an' ah drawed em back heah. Ah tole 'em, ah said, "Dey goin' ketch 'em, ah ain't goin' put mahself tuh no trouble." See, yo' gotta have fo' aig an' dey mus' be de aig of a black hen. Dey cain't stay 'way. Yo' put two undah his [murdered man's] arm, two undah his haid. Yo take yo' a pair of scissahs an' cross it in his back - steel. [To open the closed scissors makes a cross of steel.] It done wit steel, an' shet dem han's up an' let dem arms tight down on dem aigs. When dem aigs bus' he cain't stay still. Dey'll git back heah. He'll come back hisself, yo' don' have tuh hunt fo' 'im. (This case with your uncle, did you get the man?) Yessuh. (Did that happen right here in Memphis?) Right heah in Memphis. Dere a piece in de papah about hoodoo hero[ine] dis
Nested source context: cross page editorial continuation · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[She lodestone in the shape of. a woman is rare in my experience. This would
Nested source context: editorial expansion · Vol. 3, p. 1866
[con- sidered running water]
Nested source context: rumor or informant qualification · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[The FOLLOWING STATEMENT ABOUT THE UNUSUAL BLACK CAT ASHES IS AMAZING. My informant first tells how she or rumor says these ashes are made and then, after our brief digression with the black cat bone we return to the use and price of black cat ashes.]
Nested source context: condition and negation qualification · Vol. 3, p. 1864
as ah'm livin', but chew mus' sell yo' soul tuh de devil tuh mastah dat. (How do you sell your soul to the devil?) Ah've nevah learn tuh do da
Nested source context: substitution qualification · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[heart] out an' [as a substitute] yo' put dat lodestone in dere an' yo' keep a silvah dime in dere. Dat silvah dime, dat'll las' yo' a long time, not gratin' it. An' yo' put a lil dat silvah money in dere, an' yo' put dis lodestone an' nine needles, an' yo' put a lil piece of John de Conkah, an' yo' take a lil piece of devil's-shoestring, an' yo' sew dat bag up an' wish. An' den yo' dress it. Wish success tuh yo'.
Nested source context: answer correction qualification · Vol. 3, p. 1865
(The inner bag is of silk and the outer one is the flannel?) No suh, innah bag is flannen, an' de outah bag is de s
Nested source context: alternative baths qualification · Vol. 3, p. 1865
(After you take the bath?) Bo, ah say eithah one of dose. Dey are two diff'ren' thin's dat ah'm te
Nested source context: editorial interpretation qualification · Vol. 3, p. 1866
[This rite causes a hung jury.]
partial continuing interview window with context only edges
This passage contains part of a continuing interview; neither the complete interview nor every topic is included.
The opening editorial discussion of folding continues from the preceding page; it is included as context only.
The closing recollection about an uncle and a murder continues on printed page 1867; it is included as context only.
Missing bracket/brace and malformed prompt delimiters remain literal; authored bounds distinguish editorial and live source.
Hyatt explicitly frames cat-ashes preparation as informant or rumor; do not infer personal practice.
Retain cat-bone sell-soul qualification and never-learned answer; bat-heart/lodestone substitution; reversed bag correction; alternative baths.
Local practitioner identity only; no resolved person, plant or business identity.
Bounded passage retrieval, not complete corpus coverage or practitioner consensus.
Read the full source context: Vol. 3, p. 1862 · Vol. 3, p. 1863 · Vol. 3, p. 1864 · Vol. 3, p. 1865 · Vol. 3, p. 1866 · Vol. 3, p. 1867