Subject:Lye
Entries
Entry 2857
You take dat black candle an' who's'evah yo' burning it on, yo' write it [person's name] all ovah that papah - right cross de papah. An' den yo' take de black candle an' yo' put it in a white saucer - jis' a deep white saucer. An' yo' put lye an' yo' put peppah an' white onion, an' put it down in dat candle an' burn it - underneath [is] his [name].
(What kind of a page? You write that name on that page you say?)
Jis' a plain tablet. Yo' take that piece of papah [with name] an' put it down undah dat saucer. (When you speak about burning these things, you mean you set the candle down into them?) It's dis - yo' see [demonstrates], yo' set de papah heah [on table holding my machine], an' den yo' set de white saucer heah [on top of the paper], an' den whatevah yo' goin' burn [in this case lye, onion and pepper], yo' set it down in de saucer, an' den yo' set de candle down in it.
Entry 4169
Take chamber lye an' scrub yuh house out, say dat'll bring yuh luck. (chamber lye and what?) An' Blue Eagle Lye. (Blue Eagle Lye, I see.)
Entry 4170
Burnin' sensen [incense] in yuh house an' chamber lye an' lye. Yuh know, have chamber lye an lye mixed tuhgethah, constratin' [concentrated] lye. Dat bring luck an' keep folks passin' in. An' burn sen-sen.
(Keeps the law away?)
Sho'. [As the preceding and following rites show, chamber lye and lye are used for scrubbing.]
Entry 4171
Now yuh kin take dat urine an' burn yuh some incense yuh know. An' den take dat urine an' put chew some lye an' sugah in it, an' yuh kin scrub yuh front po'ch wit it, see. Jis' keep it right in front of yuh house an' it will bring mens intuh yuh home. Really will do it.
Entry 4172
An' den too, jis' lak if yuh want chure - if yuh husban' is runnin' aroun' an' yuh want 'im tuh stay at home, why yuh take an' yuh use one pot an' he use anothah, an' yuh put two table- spoons consitrated [concentrated] lye an' fo' tablespoons of sugah in dat urinate. Yuh see yuh use one pot an' he use anothah. See, yuh both don' use de same pot. An' yuh begin at de front do' an' mop evah mawnin' from de front do' tuh de back do' an' throw it directly ovah yore shouldah an' not look back ovah yuh left shoulder - not look back. An' he'll git to de place whare he'll jis' hang aroun' home.
Entry 4210
An' de same if yuh owe a debt. If ah owe a debt, prob'ly mahself wit a man, a furniture man, an' ah have no money fo' 'im an' ah don't want 'im tuh come dere, well ah usely [usual- ly] see 'em take de stuff yuh call chamber lye an' like dat. Well, yuh hold dat stuff so many days - think yuh sup- posed tuh hold it nine days until it git strong, an' yuh take dat out in de yard, right where yuh [rent man] got'a come along, an' put nine [spoonfuls?] of de Red Devil Lye in it at de same time an' use dis red cayenne pepper. Well, yuh take an' throw dat right down in front of yuh door, but yuh not supposed tuh put it out in de day - supposed tuh be put in de mawnin'. Say, if yuh put it out in de mawnin', supposed tuh be dere befo' six a'clock. An' den yuh sprinkle dis stuff all aroun' in front dere, at yuh gate, whatevah is dere. If de law or anythin' come dere, why sometime dey may stop an' look but dey keep on by. De same way it is wit de rent man or somepin. Thin's is pretty tough [during the Great De- pression] an' he knows how it's tough or sompin like dat. Well, when he come dere, yuh don't come. Sometime he pass on by. He won't stop.
Entry 4218
Well, yuh kin git dis chamber lye an' oil of cinnamon an' lye an' scrub yuh house each an' evah mawnin' an' dat brings luck tuh yuh house jis' as yo's - whut yuh'all desire.
Entry 4219
Go tuh de drug sto', if yuh want aplenty customahs. Jes' lak when yuh use yuh slopbucket at night an' have yuh urinate in dere. Git chew a dime of oil of cinnamon an' a ten-cent can of Red Devil Lye, an' yore urinate. Mix it in de bucket an' let somebody scour yuh front porch wit it, an' plenty customah come in tuh yuh - be comin' dere evah day.
Entry 4619
Dey kin take dat an' keep it, or run 'im away.
(How do they keep this little bow out of a man's hat?)
Yuh take de bow yuh undahstan' an' yuh take his name an' yuh put - she puts it in a lettah yuh see an' aftah takin' de name an' put de bow inside wit de lettah an' - well maybe yuh go tuh de drugsto' an' yuh git chew some lye yuh see. An' yuh dip dis bow in de lye an' dat pahticlah [particular] lye yuh put it in de lettah an' put it in 'er pillah. See, dat'll keep 'im, dat'll hold 'im.
Entry 5481
Jis' lak if yo' envious ag'inst a person, an' yo' wanta do sompin mean to 'em, yo' try tuh git dat track an' gunpowdahs an' Red Devil Lye an' put dere track an' dere name. Write de name on a piece of papah an' den yo' set dat gunpowdahs afiah.
Entry 5526
Take a can of lye, can of potash yo' know, dis Red Devil lye, an' put it undah yore step. Take yore track an' put de can of lye wit it - yo' know, jis' lak yo' seen people make tracks. Put dat lye undah dere. (Put the lye in the track?) No, take de lye - dis heah man shoe track. Take de track up an' put it in dat lye.
(Put it in this can of lye?)
Put it in dat can of lye an' bury it undah yore steps. Bury it undah yore step, jis' lak yo' go dere an' sweep up heah undah de step. Yo' can't stay dere.
(You can't stay there. That runs you out of the house.)
Yo' can't stay dere.
(That's either one of your shoes?)
Yeah, ary one yore track.
(And put this can of Red Devil lye under your step and you can't stay there.)
Entry 5527
Ah'm tellin' whut experienced. Dey take de dust, de dirt out from yure lef' foot, an' dey put it in a li'le small bag an' mix wit Devil Lye. An' put it in a secret place dat chew kin walk ovah it, an' dat'll cuz pain in yore foot. Yo"mem- bah [remember] readin' duh Bi- ble whah [where] it says, in Numbahs [Nuonbers] de 27th and 15th [chapter 27, verse 15].
(What Was that? From the Bible?)
De Numbahs, ah say, de 27th an' 15th, say, "Warned he dat hideth anything in a secret place dat yore neighbor finds it not."
(That's from Numbers, 27th chapter,15 verse?)
[The preceding guotation comes not from Numbers but from Deuteronomy as fol- lows: Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen" - King James Version.] [While recording machine was stopped I must have asked informant, "Where did you hear this?" He evidently answered, "From my uncle."]
(Where did he live, here?)
Oh, he daid now. He used tuh live in Perry County, in Perry County, Ala., Scott Station.
(What was his name?)
His name Jim Herod. An' one [another uncle] named Winston Williams. Well, he daid.
(Well, he wasn't your uncle?)
Both of 'em mah uncle. Both uncle on mah mothah's side, but dey had diff'- ren' fathahs, see.
(Well, whose remedy was this? Who told you this?)
Mah uncle Jim Herod.
(Well, you tell me which one of your uncles you learned these things from?)
[This man Was brought to me as a root doctor. Two comments of mine are on the original transcription: "not much" and later "may use as [[an example of]] a fake R.D.[[root doctor]]. THE LATTER CRITICISM IS UNJUST. I WAS TOO SEVERE ON THESE EARLIER INFORMANTS. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS LYE-TRACK RITE, AS THE PRECEDING AND LATER-IN-DATE EXAMPLE FROM BRUNSWICK, GA., SHOWS.]
Entry 5788
Now, de way yo' could stop yore foot track, yo' could take some - git chew a little concentrated lye, an' half-a pint of whiskey, an' 'bout a teaspoon fulla camphor, an' put it in dat bottle yo'understan'. An' also write dere name on it an' jis' shake it up an' down until dat.all come tuhgethah - dat papah an' lye an' stuff come tuhgethah. All right. Wheresomevah yo're at, if yo's in a location wheresomevah yo' be at, jis' bury it down right - jis' at de right side of de do'step, right at de right side of yore do'step. Well, den dey couldn't do a thing wit yo'.
(That would keep that person from harming you?)
Dey won't do yo' any harm.
Entry 6850
[Whatever is found buried, burn it as a general rule; but to turn it back on the spellcaster:] Les' [lest] yo' wan'a turn it back on people, why yo' put it in lye, Red Devil Lye, an' burn dat. Dat turns it back on dem. Make yore wishes.
Entry 6851
Dey say yo' take a box of lye, if a person comin' tuh yore house an' yo' don't wan' 'em in dere - sompin lak dat. Yo' take a box of lye an' where- somevah yore place is spaced out at, yo' puts a box of lye in each fo' cornahs of de yard. Say dat'll keep a person outa dere. Lye'll keep a person outa dere.
Entry 6863
Red Seal Lye, bury it undah de step, takin' witch hazel, takin' para- dise seed, takin' oil of clovah, mix wit parsley an' boil well. All dose things tuhgethah, scrubbin' de place where yo' live at from de front do' tuh de reah. Aftah scrubbin', takin' de same watah, throw one glass tuh de east an' one tuh de west, sayin' In de Name of de Fathah, Son an' Holy Ghost. Well it [what was put down for you] don' taken no effec'. Dat'll kill off any bad spell, DEY CAIN'T HAHM YO'; NOT UNLESS YO' EAT SOMEPIN YO' SEE.
Entry 8510
(What about gunpowder?)
Well, yo' take gunpowdah an' yo' take Red Seal Lye. Yo' take gunpowdah, yo' take Epsom salt, an' yo' take de individual name. Yo' put it down in a coconut an' yo' bury dat coconut, an' yo'll keep dat party as crazy as crazy kin be. See, dat gun- powdah is de ambition, dat red peppah [Red Seal Lye] is hot, an' dat Epsom salt jis' keep - dat Epsom salt keep 'em from havin' anythin'. Evahthin' dey git slip away from 'em, yo' see. Keep 'em wit a rovin' mind.
(A roving?)
A rovin' mind, yeah. Yo' know, jis' ambition, fightin' an'....
Entry 8621
Yo' git chew half a pint of whiskey an' yo' git chew a tablespoon con- sitrated [concentrated] lye an' jis' lak de - git chew a plain piece of papah an' write three, jis' lak it wus de sar- gint, poleeceman [policeman] lak dat. Well, yo' write dat on dat piece of papah, but yo' don't have tuh shake dat up. Write dat on a piece of papah an' bury it at de lef' side of yore steps wit de bottle. Lak dese heah yore steps right chere [demonstrates]. Dis [jis'] dig a hole deep 'nuff tuh put hit down an' let de bottle stoppah stay up jis' 'nuff to covah it in dere. An' let de bottle stoppah stay up an' yo'll nevah be worried no mo'. An' den let 'er set right ovah dere whilst dey [talking to her]...
[I demonstrate.]
(As you are going into your house, this is your step. You bury it at the left-hand side of your steps?) As yo're goin' into de house.
Entry 8701
Put some salt in there an' bluestone an' yore name mixed wit it. An' tie it up an' put de [Red Devil] lye over it an' set it afiah. Yo' burn a whole can of lye. Dey take dat an' run people crazy with it.
Entry 8820
Well, we could take yore han'writin' an' put it ovah a lamp an' git it black wit de lamp an' burn it in sulphah. Put a little lye wit it, yo' undah- stan'. Take it an' burn it at all fo' cornahs. See, yo' take dat salt an' sulphah an' wipe it off aftah yo' put it on papah an burn it at de fo' cornahs an' mail it back tuh yo'. An' dat'll give yore arm a tremble, a tremble all in yore han', an' dere ain't a way in de worl' tuh git ovah it.
Entry 8837
Well, dey say yo' kin take dat, yo' han'writin'. Dey say dey kin take yore han'writin' an' dey kin put - yo' see, yo' take yore han'writin' an' yo' roll dat up, an' yo' put dat in a bottle wit sulphuh, red peppah an' gunpowdah. An' yo' put chamber lye in dis bottle an' yo' set it up dis way [demonstrates]. Stop it up airtight an' den yo' put fire aroun' dere. It will shoot up in dere - de stoppah will shoot up in dere an' de bottle will bu'st. Dey say dat will take effect on yore nerves - dat will effect yore nerves an' stuff lak dat - yore hands. Kinda throw yo' in palsy-lak, whut dey tell me.
Entry 9598
If yo' don't know dey name or sompin lak dat, git chew some salt, black peppah an' sugah an' ground real fine. Yo'll have tuh beat it as a powdah. Jes' take yore rollah an' roll it jes' intuh a powdah. Sprinkle it all aroun' yore house, yo' see, tuh keep off all evils. Yo' sprinkle red peppah an' lye behin it. Dat simple thing. Den yo' kin git chew some dis chlorine salve. It's whut chew call - it's sompin lak a asic [acid] - an' dat keeps anyone from roun' yore house, close aroun'. Yo' kin use it about chure body, dat draws all yore enemies away. An' yo' kin use it as a chloride salve, jes' plain chloride salve without asic an' as adraw- in' card, fo' people's tuh yo'. But jes' dis plain chloride asic is tuh keep 'em from yo', from doin' yo' bodily harm.
Entry 9606
If he steppin' out 'is house, put dat [red] peppah an' put dat salt an' scrub 'is house out wit lye. An' sprinkle dat lye all roun' 'is house an' sprinkle dat salt all roun' yore house, an' put dat peppah roun' dere. An' anybody won't bothah nuthin.
(They won't steal anything?)
No. Jis' de red peppah.
Entry 9671
Mah uncle tole me dat yo' go tuh de fo'k of de road an' yo' take sul- phuh an' yo' take salt. An' whichsomevah road he [criminal] went yo' sprinkle it [these 2 ingredients] down wit [Red] Devil Lye [Red Devil brand]. An' when yo' sprinkle it down, dey says, "Who be it, it was, dat did de crime, whichsomevah way he went, yo' [3 ingredients] fin' which way he went." An' he can't go no futhah.
(Did you use Devil Lye in that?)
Yes, sir.
Entry 9677
Well, some people take a penny an' dey nail it right down in front of de do' - a one-cent piece. Dey go tuh de back do' an' dey nail down anothah one. D go tuh de sto' an' git chew a box of Red Devil Lye potash. Yo' git chew a bran'-new box of salt. An' yo' go out in yore gate, right in de mid- dle of yore gate where de people transfah in an' out. Yo' dig a hole down dere at zakly [exactly] six inches, an' yo' take dis salt, dat whole box of salt, an' empty it right close tuh de box of lye. An' aftah yo' emptyin' it close tuh dat box of lye, yo' say lak dis: Three daid men looked outa de winda': One had no lung, de othah had no tongue; De third was deaf, druonb an' blind. Behold de spirit looked on me, As ah speak to yo' three times a day. Only goodness an' mercy shall follow me from dis day on. Yo' say dat all de while yo' po'ing dat salt on topa dat. An' aftah yo' git done why yo' cover this lye up - an' dat's also fo' bringin' customers - an' de potash will drive away de law, keep de law away.
Entry 9790
Well, now, fo' de whole house, yo' would have tuh take two needles an' cross dem lak a "x". Yo' first bury a can of red seal lye wit de top off of it; jis' let de dirt come ovah in it. (Where do you bury that lye now?) Yo' bury dat lye where dey constantly have tuh walk ovah it. Now, aftah yo' bury dat lye, befo' yo' covah it wit de dirt, yo' put de two needles cross lak an "x" wit de points out. Yo' put dem on top of de lye befo' yo' covah it. Yo' don't covah it till yo' put de needles dere wit each point, one pointin' dis way an' one de othah way, yo' understan'; but out, out from de house. An' yo' covah dat up an' when dat lye dissolve den yo' gits results. (After that lye dissolves then that landlord can't ren that house; if he does, the people can't stay there.)
Entry 10105
Well, you could take a cat - some people say a black cat, but it don't have to be a black cat. Take any kinda cat. Understand? Take this cat. You put you on some water - a big pot of water - boils it up good. When that water gets to boiling good, get you a can of lye. You empty about half of it in that water, as it boils, you see. You takes this cat and tie all four of his feet togeth- er like that, see [demon- strates]. Tie all four of his feet together, but don't kill him - let him be alive. You takes him - but you'll have to have a top over him, you understand. You takes him and you slams him down in that water while it's boilin', see. Set your top down good so he can't get out. You let him boil in there awhile. Well, it's natchal that lye is going to cut all the meat off the bones, you see. As soon as you've boiled all them bones clean and everything, it's a certain bone that you get. It comes from right under here [demonstrates].
(Right from the throat?)
Right under the throat chere.
(Right under the throat.)
It's a forked bone and it's got a piece cross it like that [demonstrates]. Lays jest like that right under his throat chere. You gits that bone out.
(Like the yoke of an ox, like a wishbone?)
Yes, sir. Yes, sir, it is. [A chicken-wishbone shape in a cat is impossi- ble.] You gets that bone out. After you take that bone out, you get you some salt.] Put it in some water. You soak that bone in there for nine mornings - about an hour every morning. That salt water will harden it. See. Then it will petrify, so it won't spoil. [This is curing the bone as you would a ham.] After you soaks it in that, then you take it and you lay it in the rays of the sun, for three mornings. Let the sun dry it, petrify it. After then, take you a piece of white silk linen [silk or linen?] and you sew it up in that, and wear that bone on you.
(What will that do then?)
Well, you'll be invisible then - can't see you.
Entry 10188
For success in business either at home or outside the house, bathe with 3 ingredients: bluestone, saltpeter and sugar. Or else bathe with blueing and sugar. Either bath is for personal protection. At place of business mop up with Red Seal Lye and burn brimstone as a purification. But before leaving home for work or opening the house for business, make wishes and light a yellow candle. [Did the maker of this rite realize that in some place during the late Middle Ages prostitutes legally had to wear yellow?]
Entry 10625
You get 'em - two together, you know.
(Oh! It's a root that grows together.)
Two of 'em together; one's Adam, the other Eve. Now those, the things they are used for, will keep a man and woman together - they will keep them together. (Well now, how would they use that?) They go to work and get that Adam-an'-Eve root, get it green [fresh], and you name one Adam and the other one Eve, after you wash it off good. And you put it in a bottle, ay old bottle, and don't break 'em loose. One Adam and the other one is Eve. Dren they put perfume in there.
(Any special kind of perfume?)
No, any kind. Put the perfume in there. They name [one] for the woman and Che other the man, when they are speaking about 'em. They may use chamber lye ad perfume in it. Stop it up. Long as you keep that, you will hold the man if you want to.
Entry 10774
Well, whut ah've heard is this. Yo' git some snuff - that whut chew dip [what you pick up by dipping thumb and forefinger into it] an' mix some dirt with it, jes' dis natural dirt out heah [in the yard or field]. Mix it together an' sprinkle on de po'ch. An' den take a broom an' go backward, sweep backwards that-a-way [demonstrates]. Sweep it on out backwards that-away. An' then aftah yo' do that, then mop de po'ch with some Red Seal Lye an' [or] Red Devil lye. That's [use] one of 'em.
(What will that do now?)
That'll make 'em move, an' ah mean make 'em move right now. (Well, where would that be. In case, like right over here, if I wanted to get rid of them, I would do that in my own house?) Yessuh, make them move.
Entry 10788
Or you kin take just plain lye and boiling water and go and scrub your house and scrub yore steps and brush it in. And every morning sweep your steps down. And when you walk through your house, wherever you go, sweep the dirt in. Never sweep it out.
(What will that do?)
Bring you luck.
(What kind of luck?)
Like if she would want to take in roomers, she would want 'em to come in, if it was business, she... (Both of those things. Onions do the same thing.)
Entry 10883
If yo' wuz in dis house an' ah wuz in dis house an' ah wanted tuh make yo' move. Yo' know a cat an' a dog can't git 'long, if both stay at de same place, unless dey's raised tuhgethah, an' dey enemies against each othah anyway. Well, yo' take de dog hair an' de cat hair an' put it together. Take yo' some Red Devil Lye an' cuss 'em out. Tell 'em, "Go, yo'all can't stay tuhgethah, mus' go." Call his Dame. Jes' yo' wanted tuh move 'em an' cuss dem out. Sprinkle it down where dey gotta walk at, see. Cuss 'em out.
Entry 11181
Now they take the nails an' they drive them down into - jes' lak yo' take dat Red Seal Lye, dat has five holes in it, an' they take an' drive a nail in each hole of the lye. An' they bury this lye undah the house an' they git it near as they possibly kin ovah that lye [devil's-shoestrings] on the inside of the house. They put whut they call de devil's-shoestring, that's a little weed- as near ovah the top of that [can of lye] as they possibly kin. That's tuh make this person weak, sickly. (They put this devil's- shoestring over that and they bury that can of lye.) Bury that can of lye jis' undah de house as near as they kin. Jis' say fo' in- stance, if dis wuz his bed, they bury it undah that as near as they kin git to it undah there. They then come up an' try tuh put whut they call de devil's-shoestring - which is jis' a little weed-lak, yo' know - put it as near undah [center] de bed as they kin.
[This is surely a quincunx rite.]
Entry 11322
Yo' kin take a knife an' go tuh a forked dogwood tree [a dogwood tree having a small branch with a fork]. Go out in de woods an' cuts yo' off a piece of dogwood, kinda lak a bow an' arrow what chew pulls back [what we used to call a rubber shooter = slingshot]. Yo' take an' puts some lye in dat an' yo' goes - dere two things yo' kin do with dat, too. Dat will bring a person tuh yo'. Yo' kin take an' put some lye right in de fo'k of dat an' put it at de right han' cornah of yore steps, stick it in dere, an' put de dirt ovah it, an' let jes' 'bout dat much of it be stickin' out. Dat is if yo' wanta bring a person back, yo' kin do dat. Now, jes' lak if sompin wuz stole from me. Ah had some money stole from me, an' ah don' know who stole it. Jes' lak if yo' lock up dis place heah an' some- body comes 'long an' steals yore money an' yo' don't know who 'tis. Why, yo' Lin take dat lye in de forked piece of dogwood an' put it at de right-han' cornah step an' covah it up, an' in three day's time dis person is goin' come up. He's not goin' tell yo' he got it, but yo' kin see he did it no quickah yo' look at him - he drop his haid. An' den yo' commence tuh askin' him questions an' he won't deny it.
Entry 11641
( Git chew some Red Devil lye, a[ [new] box, an' put a box of dat lye to each one of yore do'steps, an' bury it about dat deep [demonstrates] to each one of yore do'step. An' if yo' don't use de lye, den yo' kin git chew salt fish an' dey can't cross dat.
(That will keep the law away?)
Keep de law away from you.
Entry 12250
It have to be Red Devil Lye, de same lye dat dey use for scrubbing porches. You buy Red Devil lye in de groc'ry store, you see, but it's more... [expensive in hoodoo shops?]. Now, you git dis Red Devil Lye and after cut- ting [making an opening in] dis can, you understand, you turns it upside down [a number of "up- side down lye cans have been given in text] you see. And dere's some kind of root dey get. John de Conkah is one and it's another one. You see [there are] several of them, but I do not [remember?] even enough to know each and every one of them. And get some of dis Dragon's Blood and you sprinkle it around dere [the door]. De law will come to de door but dey will never be able enough to enter.
(Well, what do you do after you get that can open?)
Dat can - when you get dat can open you put dat can in de earth upside down, you see how it is, and cover it right back up and leave it stay dere, but it must be right to your front, de leading door dat comes in.
(What do you do with these roots then?)
Well, dose roots, well dose roots dey'll have to be right side de can. John Ce Conkah you have cause dat will conquer everything.
Entry 12378
Git chew - if it's two do's heah [in this house] yo' go tuh de grocery sto' an' git chew a can of whut chew call dis Red Devil Iye, which Southerners use down heah as potash, an' open it. Lye and pot- ash are the same in these rites, because that Red Devil Lye can has a real red devil on it!] Take yo' a tablespoon an' dig a hole jes' wit dat tablespoon, an' put de dirt outa dere track, an' yo' bury it down dere, one [can] tuh yore front an' one tuh yore back, when yo' go tuh work, an' it wouldn't hurt chew.
Entry 12379
Well, if dey's put down any- thing fo' yo' tuh walk ovah, why de' tell me tuh git a can of Red Devil Lye potash an' bury it in de groun' an' leave de top 'bout half open an' hit'll kill whut dey got put down.
Entry 12381
Dey tell me de way to do, if yo' wanta put a confusion, yo' know, in a person's home. Yo' see dat way to keep 'im confused, dat chew take a box of potash yo' see, an' Red Devil lye - potash, yo' see [Red Devil tye and potash the same]. An' dig a hole at chure back steps or either yore front steps an' cover dat [can] up, an' dat person won't see no mo' peace in dat home. Dey will nevah be satis- fied while in dere. De home yo' know would be a nuisance to him, cause dat stuff yo' see is hot dataway an' it will keep him hot.
Entry 12382
Ah've heard dat yo' could take lye. Git chew a box of lye an' put holes in it, in de box of lye, an' put it undah yore do'step. Dat is tuh keep down anything anybody put down fo' yo'.
(You put that at the front doorstep?)
No, dey tole me tuh put one at de back an' one at de front.
Entry 12383
Box of potash - [Red] Devil Iye - stick holes in it an' set it, slip at night when yo' asleep, an' set it about your place [property]. Cut off yore trade and prosperity. Yo' can't have nuthin much. Evahthing yo put chure hands to go bad.
Entry 12384
Heard of people takin' a knife an' puttin' it down [burying it] yo' know, jes' lak if ah'd go ovah tonight an' put down sompin fo' somebody an' dey git up de next mawnin' sick or could- n't move or sompin, an' anothah man would come along an' he say, "Well, yo' take some lye an' put ovah that stuff' an' that kills that.
(That kills the poison they put down.)
Entry 12385
If a person take an' - anything dey take an' steal of yores, an' take potash an' bury it right at de window where yo' sleep at, an' dat potash eat it up, why he'll break out in sores. (If they bury with that potash anything that you Wear to your skin - your socks or anything - it makes you break out in sores.)
Entry 12386
Yo' kin take a box of lye an' yo' kin go out at twelve a'clock in de night, if yo' wanta run anything away. An' like runnin' away, dey tell me, dat's runnin' away de enemies of 'em - dese polices an' diff'ren' things lak dat. Yo' go out at twelve a'clock at night an' bury it down undah yore do'- step. An' after yo' bury dat dere, yo' curse de people dat chew want to stay 'way. An' yo' take a cold biscuit an' a tin nail - one dese little tin nails - an' drive right down through de center of dat biscuit into dat can. An' let it stay buried dere, de' say, fo' nine mawnin's, an' yo' kin take it up an' use it. If anything git tuh worryin' yo' - yo' havin' any trouble or anything like dat - yo' go back dere an' put down anothah can. Well, at de time yo' may not fear 'bout nuthin interferin' with yo'. Nobody won't interfere.
(Why do you put that biscuit in there?)
Ah don't know why yo' put dat biscuit down dere, but sompin othah. [One guess would be an offering to the spirit doing your work.]
(But you say you can use that lye over - you can use that if you want to.)
After it stay dere nine days, why yo' kin use it. [Normally materials cannot be reused.]
Entry 12387
Dis heah Red Devil lye, it's good. Yo' know it's good an' yo' know it's bad. Take it an' make good out of it an' take it an' make bad out of it. (Tell me how you can make bad out of it first?) Well, yo' kin take that an' eat so much dat'll kill yo', yo' see. An' den yo' kin take it ag'in if yo' know anyone wanta do anything to yo' roun' yore home an' yo' not knowin' it. Git chew fo' boxes of it an' yo' put chew fo' holes in each one of 'em. An' take yo' some bluestone, salt, red peppah an' put all dat in dat bottle [box] an' yo' take an' yo' bury dem at each corner of yore house. If yore yard evah be covered wit watah [after a rain] why yo' know den everything killed. (Everything is killed that they put down for you.)
Entry 12388
Yo' kin take a box of soda, jes' [as] ah tole yo' - said about de co't [court]. Yo' take de box of soda, an' yo' could take dat soda an' tote it along wit chew. Yo' could bury some undah yore back steps, an' some undah yore front steps. Den yo' kin take three boxes of Red Devil Lye an' yo' kin bury each one of them at chure - yo' know, each [front] corner of de house, an' bury one of 'em at de gate. But be shō [sure] yo' bury de soda from [at] de back steps to [at] de front steps. Dey could come by dere but dey nevah could stop. (They bury one of those Red Devil Lye's at the gate and the other two at the front corners. And one at the gate?) That's right.
Entry 12389
Bury five cans of potash roun' yore home: one under de step, one on one side de step an' one on de othah. Dat's three cans. An' put two to de back steps, an' dat'll keep 'em from. (From what?) From harmin' yo'. (You use five altogether: three at the front steps and two at the back?) [See illustration.] Yes sir. (At the front step you have one on each side of the step and one in the center of the step?) Yes.
Entry 12393
Well, every mawnin' yo' want people tuh come into yore place. Yo' go tuh de sto' an' git chew dis same bottle of dis heah cologne - Hearts Cologne - an' a box of lye. [No- tice - new articles are purchased.] Well, in de mawnin' 'fore de sun rise, scrub yore house thoroughly - good - befo' de sunrise in de mawnin' soon - wit dat Hearts Cologne an' dat lye. Scrub yore house soon dat mawnin' 'fore de sun rise. Pur chure pee [urine] in dere too. Scrub yore house good every mawn- in' when yo' git up. After den, take yore lye [I] mean yore chamber lye, yo know, an' throw dat out on de front po'ch, right on out tuh de do'. Dat bring plenty customers. Dat fo' bootleggahs - sompin lak dat.
Entry 12394
Well, now, if yo' sellin' whiskey. To bring new customers, every mawnin' yo' have yo' a box of potash [usually Red Devil Lye] an' every mawnin as long as [you need it]. Yo' take dat potash an' put it on yo' stove, take yo' a broom - don't git down on yore knees an' scrub it. Yo' take yo' a broom an' scrub yore po'ch a lil' every mawnin' wit dat potash wit yore broom. Jes' sweep it right out in de street lak dat, an' ah'll okay [0. K.] yo'll be successful. Yo'll have mo customers den yo' kin be able tuh 'tend to.
[Turned off recording machine too soon.]
(You sweep it out into the street you say?)
Yes sir, out in de street.
Entry 12396
Take about 3 cans of concentrated lye, bury one about a foot deep right in de gateway, another one between dat an' de door, an' the other under your steps. Dere's no way on earth they kin do you any harm. [Mobile 962:5.]
Entry 12582
Now heah's one good fo' dat, if yo' wanted tuh keep de lav away. Yo' ldn use jes' a common penny. Yo' drive one down at de front do' an one at de back, an' den yo' take a can Red Devil lye an' yo' Would drive nine holes in dat an' yo' would bury dat neah where yuh people would pass ovah it. An' dat's been a suah one tuh keep away de law an' yo' don't be bothered wit de law.
Entry 12608
Jes' plain lye and this here Hearts Cologne, and put a mixture of that together and put red pepper in it, and throw it away from the house. Chase it [bill collector, law, etc.] away dey claim dey never would come back.
(Keep them away from around the house.)
Entry 12695
[Keeps all harm away. Originally home- made potash was used but in my time Red Devil Lye had become one of the substi- tutes.]
Entry 12884
Scrub it out good with Red Seal Lye, got the red seal [trademark] on it...an' yo' wrench [rinse] it good this day - like today - and tomorrow you go there and you use nine buckets of water. And the ninth bucket of water you put sugar and cinnamon and Burben fast luck in it, and it'll be lucky and you'll, can rent the house.
(What kind of fast luck?)
Berb - bur - I believe - Burbeans - you know that spells beans.
(Burbean's?)
Yeah, Burbean's Fast Luck.
(What is it, an oil or a powder?)
It's a oil-like. You gets that outa the drug store.
Entry 12886
To keep the laws away, stick that lye and keep scrubbing lye - chan- ber-lye [urine] - use that and scrub well with it, all around the door place, the doors and on the porch where they go backwards and forwards at. And then you - you get some oil of bergamine [bergamot].
(Oil of what?)
Oil of bergamine.
(Berg...)
Bergumine - oil of bergumine.
(What's that?)
[Here may be the first time I ever heard this troublesome word bergamine. Other hearings of the word followed. The long process by which I came up with bergamot I no longer remember. Many words gave me trouble.] That's a oil jest like oil of cinnamon. It's got a scent, only de scent is different. See. And you put that in your bath water and bathe with it.
(What do you do that for?)
What do you do that for? Well, anytime you come in contact with the law, you kin almost - always square 'em up.
(I see.)
Entry 13428
Kin you understand what I say, now?
(I understand now.)
To make you move out of the house, you go and get some holy water, see [and] war water and you sprinkle that. And then you go to the graveyard, get some graveyard dust, and you go and sprinkle it with black pepper and salt. And you sprinkle it all around the step and put it underneath the steps. If it got a brick there, you put it underneath that, where they can't see it. And when anyone can't see it, it's more better. When you come down the steps and walk away, you'll cross over it. See, when you cross over it, then maybe you'll start to go black [not feel well] and then you'll come back 'round and you'll start to scrubbing - get some lye. You says, somebody's been sprinkling me. All right. You'll go and get some lye and your urinate, and take it and scrub that up. Well, the next morning, I'll go back and do the same. And when you do find it, you say, "Well, I'm going to move. Somebody is sprinkling 'round here. They must be wanting the house or something." And I done move out of the place. So that's why I give it to 'em and that's why I move.
Entry 1379
Is dey botherin' yo', whut shall yo' do? Well, yo' shall git yo' a can of Red Seal Lye. See, yo' take dat Red Seal Lye an' yo' git chew a tablespoon of sugah an' yo' git chew two or three drops of Jockey Club Perfume an' yo' take that an' yo' go all aroun' yore house an' aroun' the edges of yore po'ch, lak this. Jes' sprinkle it all around in all de corners as yo' come in yore house, an' yo' take jes' a little of that ley an' throw two or three grains up in each corner, an' that keeps 'em away.
Entry 1381
Dat a very cheap thing, dat lye. Take dat lye an' open de can an' bury it at de foot of de front steps when yo' comin' out, an' bury it at de foot of de back steps. Aftah de lye is sot down, no witchcraft whatevah kin take yo' in, because it eats it all up. See, it cain't set in.
Entry 1382
Now, if anyone try tuh harm yo' or anything lak dat in yore home, yo' heah talk of dis Red Devil Iye. Well, yo' goes tuh work an' git chew - put one tuh de fust: gate chew git in, right as yo' come inside yore gate, an' de nex' yo go tuh work an' put one on dis side of de step an' one on de othah side an' den yo' kin put one right settin' in de middle of de steps. Dat'll keep 'em out.
Entry 1645
Yo' use dis stuff ammonia an' lye - concentrated lye, an' chamber lye, that's yore watah, an' wash round dat place. Yo' takes a can of lye tuh cut out all devilment dat anybody would throw, 'cause if dey goin' throw dey goin' always mostly throw undah - lak a buildin' dat's made yo' know lak this where it's a steps. Yo' takes dat can of lye - yo' don't use none of it - yo' take it an' yo' open it an' sprinkle so much all around undah dere, dry. Den yo' take that can an' yo' bury it upside down, an' that ketches all de devilment that's throwed around.
(What do you do with that other stuff, that other stuff you spoke about?)
Yeah, dat's tuh wash - if yo' think anybody's doin' devilment, wash aroun' an' dat cleans all de devilment out. Don't care whut dey put down, dat cut it up.
Entry 2404
I've been around places where I've seen it done. They always dress the front of their house and the front of the house is kept - is supposed to be kept perfectly clean, scrubbed every day with lye and ammonia. And after scrubbing your house with lye and ammonia, you have a thing that you burn - a couple of the incense. And then after you burn that, that's in the house and your house is perfectly clean - you uses that in there - causes for the luck to keep the law away.
Entry 2413
They take that Red Devil Lye, you would mop your house with it first, just where you have to walk through - through and forth, just wherever at anybody come through there. And every day, it's quite natch'l you go in and out your front door, you buries that where you walk over there. Then - now, if you's afraid that they goin' try do you somethin' anyway, you take the same household ammonia and you baths with it for nine days. Excusin' that, you take the 45th Psalm and the 54th [preceding number reversed] and you read that, and there ain't nuthin comin'.
(Don't need to be afraid of the law?)
No, sir. (Now, that Red Devil Lye - you mean you bury the rest of the can down there, after you have scrubbed the floor with it?) Bury the whole can down. Take the top off that can, understand, and there ain't nuthin in the world get over that.
Entry 2560
If yo' don't want de law tuh come to yore house, yo' use dis concen- trated lye an' burn incense. Dat concentrated lye goin' keep'away all evils - all kinda dirty acts an' doin's, jes' lak if somebody intendin' tuh sprinkle somepin fo' yo'. Why, if yo' don't want it done, or yo' heard tell of nobody do it, yo' scrubs yore house wit lye, or if yo' mop de front of yore po'ch wit lye, ain't no law comin' dere. Pract'lly, ain't nobody goin' do no harm because that lye drives away all evil things.
Entry 2692
Take yo' some Red Seal Lye, brand-new box, an' yo' git some Hearts Perfume, git a ten-cent bottle of Hearts Perfume, and dere something in de drug store yo' call dragon's blood. Yo' put that in yo' scrub water and yo' scrub it on back. See, yo' scrub yo' floors and when yo' git through, yo' po' it all around yore gate. And yo' take a box of lye and bury it at chure steps. Bury dat lye at chure steps an' sprinkle an' po' dat scrubbing water an' scrub wit dat every morning, fresh yo' know, and put a little yore urine in it, in dat water an' yo' scrub yo' floors from yore steps backwards - on back every morning. When yo' git through, yo' po' it all around yore gate an' den from yore steps an' all. An' bury dat box of lye at de bottom of yore steps and he [the law] won't cross over it. If dey come dey will pass on by.
Entry 2695
A can of lye.
(You take a can of lye. All right.)
Yes. You urinate in a bucket. You take that lye and you put it in there with this urine of yours. Then you fust go from one corner of that house to the other just in a circle [circumambulate exterior of house], you know, and dress that banquette [sidewalk] and the ground, and call his name when you start.
(Call whose name?)
Anybody you suspicion is going in there - and call his name when you get to it. When you start, the point is this: maybe you may figure it's Ralph Johnson and you call his name when you start. When you empty the bucket you just say, "Ralph Johnson."
(He won't come there then while you are gone.)
Entry 2731
Go to work and put on some bathwater in the morning.
(Bathwater?)
Bathwater. She go to work and she get her some saltpeter, just a little piece of saltpeter, put in that water and some red tape lye. (Red tape?) [Red Seal?] Yes, sir. You know, I mean concentrated lye, and she bath in that water. She don't dry at all. She just get out of the water wet and turn ev'ry piece of hern wrong side outwards, wear it from the morning until four o'clock in the evening and then she throw it off. Then she get the Book of Psalms and read the tenth verse and her luck'll come.
(Saltpeter mixed with lye. That'll bring in men for the night?)
Yes, sir.
Entry 11475
(What do they do with that?)
Well, they kin make you leave town with that. Just get that, what they scrape off the bottom of your feet, and take that and go to the drug store and get you some concentrated lye and put it into that. And then take it and tie it up in a handkerchief or something, and then leave it it set such a length of time.
(For a certain length of time?)
Well, about a week, about a week or six days. And then take that and go bury it under your doorstep. And you'll leave.
(Under the doorstep of a person that you want to move?)
Yes, sir, the same thing as that. [Vicksburg 1008:7.]
Entry 12390
(What do they do in a case like that?)
Well, they usually burn sompin undah de steps or put sompin in de [the 4] corners of de house, but she kin take some lye lak dat an' scrub it out. That kills all that.
Entry 12392
If yo' wanta bring luck into a home, ah heard of someone goin' tuh Work an' buyin' sompin yo' call Red Devil lye. Ah guess yo've seen that. An' yo' go tuh work an' buy Red Devil lye an' this Heart Cologne. This Heart Cologne is a [perfume]. An' yo' go tuh work an' yo' scrub yore home, yo' know, befo' sunrise in de mawnin', yo' see, an' dey say that will bring luck in. Ah nevah have tried it. Ah heard about dat, yo' see.
Entry 12395
One thing dat ah hear, dat's dis heah Red Seal Iye. Scrub yore place every mawnin' befo' de sunrise with this Red Seal Iye. Scrub it out every mawn in' wit dat Red Seal Lye fo' 9 mawnin's an' dat'll draw de customers.
Entry 12400
Scrub in and out of house with Red Devil lye, punch hole in the can, bury under steps, no one can put anything down to harm you.
Entry 12402
If anything is put down, scrub with concentrated lye to kill it.
[Mobile 968:10.]
Entry 13375
Use chamber lye fo' luck, chamber lye an' lye. Scrub yore house all with that an' throw it on yore front po'ch an' on yore yard, on de concrek in de front of yore yard, where peoples have tuh walk across. [Memphis 2695:8.]
Entry 13377
Joo jis' take yah ole bucket an' urinate in it, choo know, ev'ry mawnin' dat choo git up. Don't waste none of it. An' then mix yore lye or whatevah yo' scrub with, an' scrub yuh house wit it, an' that brings luck in your home. [Wilmington 189:9+85.]
Entry 13378
Get up before 6 o'clock, urinate in slop jar, put lye in it, mop floor, burns a lamp, then throw urine out door, make men come in, don't let woman cross [the door] first, "that crossing de luck." [Memphis 1559:1.]
Entry 1642
[This rite and the following one are examples of the well-known scrubs of New Orleans, which offer protection against anything, even the law. More of them will be found under subsection Business and Customers.]
(You say you get up early in the morning. What time is that?)
Roun' six o'clock or five o'clock in the morning.
(Yes, and you do what?)
You get up and you take you a bucket - you understand, your wash-scrub bucket and you put you some urinate in it and put some of that incense in there. Take you some lye and pour down in there, and you come there and you scrub it - don't put no clear water at all in it. Just mix all that up together and scrub your porch, just back and forth you know, but be always scrubbin' yourself inside always. Don't never scrub yourself out. Just like you'd have to scrub, you know, just scrub this way - scrub yourself right on back in your door. Like there's a step there, you are going to scrub from your step up - bring yourself inside all the time.
(What do you do that scrubbing for?)
Well, you see, that's to keep them from putting anything - from planting anything around your home to harm you. They can't do anything.
Entry 1643
I went to a lady onest an' it was a place I couldn't stay in de house, an' she told me to get up every morning and soon an' sprinkle a box of table salt all around the house, and leave that go until it penetrated into the place, you see. An' then around twelve o'clock, get out there with a box of lye, Red Seal Lye, and broom and some chamber lye, you know, and you scrub it. And said after that then throw nine buckets of water, clean water, and that will wash it all away - that's if somebody tricked around your place.
Entry 2346
Mop in turpentine, bluestone an' dragon blood an' dat'll keep de law away; an' sprinkle lye aroun' yore house, aroun' de steps, all de way round de house.
Entry 2512
I keep holy water tied on my bed - that's to keep the evil spirits away, and I sprinkle it in the four corners of my house-like when I scrub like that for luck. I scrub my house good like today and if I'm going to use lye, if I have any kind of suspicious idea of some of my enemies have crossed the sill of my door. You see? I scrub with lye today and tomorrow I will go aver my house with nine buckets of water. And I'll take that holy water, after the floor dries, and go to the four corners of the house and sprinkle some in each corner. You see? And I make the sign of the cross.
(That's supposed to prevent all evil?)
Evil. That keeps all evil spirits away.
Entry 2552
Scrub with Red Seal Iye, table salt an' sugah, bluein'. Take about a teaspoon of bluein' and de mo' sugah, have it white sugah, pure sugah - half a cup, teacup of sugah. Burn a little incense an' call 'em three time while it's burnin'.
(What do you call?)
Call yore wish - if yo' wanta make a call an' wanta make yore wish an' den call. Yo' kin call a special person or yo' kin call, "Send me a man." But chew make dat wish three times.
(Out loud.)
Whilst it's burnin' - not let it go out. Wait until it's burnin' an' make it three times on there. [This is a rite for roomers.]
Entry 2563
Like this [business] burns [flourishes] here and that one over there [burns] - well, if that burns out and the trade here - he ain't got no trade here. And I'll tell you I always seen it did, and I've did it myself during Prohibition. I'd scrub my place out - you see, sweep it out good. and scrub it. But as I said before [in another statement], I'd sweep in all the time, though - never sweep out. Sweep in. When you sweep, you take and get you nine buckets of water. You get you a box of lye, get a bottle of ammonia - get you a bottle of ammonia and a box of lye and use nine buckets of water. You put your lye - you take lye and you sprinkle it all around your floor first. See. You throw a bucket of water to your right, one to your left, but always throw it inside. Stand at your door and throw your water. Don't never let your water go out your door - throw that in your door, see. And when you starts scrubbing your place, you scrub to the back. Start right at the front of your door but be backing up all the time. Don't never walk - back up, see. As you scrubbin', back up. When you start sweepin', then you face your place - going in all the time, but don't use over nine buckets of water. And after you scrub your place good and you get it dried out, you puts you some cinnamon and sugar down. You get you - I think it costs ten or fifteen cents for a box of it, you get you some of that incense and you light that and you burn that in your place. Now, after you got all the inside of your place straightened out and scrubbed clean, you come to your banquette [sidewalk]. You get on the outside and you use nine more buckets of water on the outside. Now, vou sweep both ways there. All the time sweep to your door, you see. You sweep thisaway [to the right], you sweep to your door; you sweep thisaway [to the left], you sweep to your door. See. Now, sweep your water to your door - don't sweep it in the place, but sweep it to your door and let it run down to the ditch itself. And then you sprinkle your cinnamon and your sugar again. See. But you sprinkle it to your door and throw it from your door - throw it in, see. Well, that make that trade come across over there to here. And that'll make - you'll get all the business over here. And, if you see where you can't do no good there, just go over there and sprinkle you some salt after you done scrubbed your place - but you have to pay somebody [to do it]. Get them to go over there and throw some salt down, and it'll cause a big row over there. See, when they start to rumpus over there, everybody will run over here to this place here.
Entry 2566
Dey would git two cans of lye an' about midnight in de night, nobody sees yo', yo' digs a hole underneath each one of yo' steps an' put de can dere. But don't stop de can tight, let it be slant, an' yo' cover it up kinda lightly - you know, where dat scent and dat strength kin come out. An' dey tell me if dey'd come dere and start, dey wouldn't come no farther than that do'.
(That keeps the law away.)
An' he'll ask yo' questions.
Entry 2629
(What do you do to bring in customers? For bootlegging or something? Have you heard what they do to bring in the trade?) Certainly. (All right.) You'd take that place. For instance, this was the place right here. All right. You come to me and you say, "Well, my business is full and everybody pass and go to the next fellow." All right. You say, "Now, I wants you to straighten this place out for me so the people would come in, so I could draw customers." Well, the first thing is to do - is to go there before the sun- rise. Scrub that place out from the front to the back, 'cause you want luck to come in. Scrub it out with soap powder and Octogen soap: Some people use lye, but you don't want no lye nowhere near it. That's my method of using it. You scrub it out and after you scrub it out, you just.
(You scrub it with what?)
Octogen soap and plain white powder, plain white powder what they wash clothes with. But don't use no lye. Some people, they have: a tendency to use lye: But you must know whether there's anything been put down there or not. If there's something been put on there to offset this man - to keep his - to bear the people off from coming there, well it's very necessary to use lye to kill whatsomever they got down there. But you must know these things. You go on and you scrub it, mop it, and after you get through mopping it, you take clear water - seven buckets of clear water [nine is the usual number]. Now, if it's you, you must throw 'em over yourself, from back - make your wish - this is the front part, you throw it thataway and make your wish.
(You go from the front to the back?)
Yeah, yeah.
(You throw it out?)
Yeah, throw it out - throw it all out - then sweep it out. Then you go back with your mop and you let the place dry out. Now some - it takes you three days to do that sometimes. I've seen a woman's place and a fellow supposed to have done left - knew somebody in the family but he ain't in his right home. He's Open up a success for himself - bringing success. Now, the next day you go ahead back there, if you got three rooms in there, you take a saucer and you take rock incense - don't use no temple - rock incense and you burn it with lucky oil. They have oil they call lucky oil. You pour a little bit of that lucky oil on that incense and you set it up and you light it. Now, rock incense will make a fog, and you keep your shades down - just have a place in the back for the smoke to go out.
(The incense makes a mist - a fog?)
A fog - a fog. Now, you getting rid of all the evil influence. Now, you go on through with that. Well now, the third day you come on back there with you oil of reeve. [This is how word sounds. Could it be oil of relieve = relief? Oil of reve = dream? Or a nautical reeve = pouring oil on troubled waters?] Well, you might use oil of cinnamon. You might use some Van-van - it's not nec- essary. You might use some oil of cocoa. You might use seven oils into one. Well, you take those oils and you mix 'em into one with rain water. You put, say, about two teaspoons - by diff'rent drops and pour it down in there and fill that bottle up with rain water, and you just take that bottle and you cut holes in the stopper - three ways, so it will - and you shake it round in there, shake it round in there. Well, once every week when you are scrubbing, you do that. I'll say, that fellow have the biggest success in this town. I know some of 'em are doing it now.
(You say Seven-in-one oil. Is that one oil, or seven different oils in one?)
Seven diff'rent oils in one.
(Then you buy it prepared that way?)
Yeah, you can buy it that way. [See later, Three-Way Oil, and Three Oils.]
Entry 2927
Yo' git up every mawnin' at 'fore six a'clock an' scrub an' den yo' burn yore candles. Yo' scrub wit chamber lye an' oil of anise, sugah an' lye an' saltpetah, an' garlic an' cinnamon. Yo' do dat aroun' six 'clock in de mawnin'. Yo' buy all dese things. It'll bring luck to yore place. [Many examples of scrubbing for business, as well as the ingredients used here, will be found in subsection BUSI- NESS AND CUSTOMERS, pp.669-744. Candles are usually not added to the scrubbing.]
Entry 1378
Git a can of potash - Devil Lye. Yo' hear talk of Devil Lye with the devil with the red head on the can of potash. Git chew nine nails - ten-penny nails an' git - put in nine new needles, dese goldeye needles. Bury it in de center of de gate. Dat's to turn back de devil-like - dat's if anybody tryin' tuh hurt cha.
(What do you do with these needles and nails? Where do you put them?)
Put them on top of that can of potash in the gate, when yo' bury it about that deep.
Entry 1380
Ah heard 'em tell of - say if anybody got poisoned or put down anything fo' yo' an' yo' don't wanta move, yo' jes' git chew two ten-cent can of potash, Red Devil Iye, an' at twelve a'clock in de night yo' dig a hole as deep as yore elbow - measure yore hand all down - gotta do it exactly at twelve though. An yo' bury a can of dat potash an' git chew a brand-new box of cookin' salt.
(Where do you bury that potash?)
Tuh de gate - between de gate an' de steps, at twelve a'clock in de night.
(That's just one can?)
Yo' put one can dere an' a fresh box of salt whut chew have nevah nused any of it.... Yo' dig dat hole an' yo' put dat potash down in dere an' po' dat cookin' salt, de whole box, on top of it tuh yore front an' yore back. Ah don't care whut it is dey put down round dere, dat potash will eat it up. It can't hurt chew - can't harm yo'.
Entry 2208
Yo' kin tack de king of diamonds, de queen of diamonds, de jack of dia- monds, an' de ten of diamonds up ovah yore do' an' burn incense an' use lye. It will bring all de trade yo' need.
(Who does this?)
People dat are gamblin' an' selling whiskey.
Entry 2458
You git you some oil of clover [I mean] oil of cinnamon, and when you mop up your house you put that in the water.
(Both of them or just one of them?) [To check the correction.]
One of them.
(What's that?)
Oil of cinnamon.
(All right.)
And you put that in your water when you mop up your house, but chew always, always be sure to have the floor already cleaned before you put dat down. You take lye and scrub everything clean, clean first. And after that dry then you get your oil of cinnamon and water and mop all over your house, and that will draw you luck.
(That will bring in trade?)
That will bring in trade.
Entry 2485
Wait until the first Friday of the month - the first Friday of each month - you get you some cinnamon and sugar and get you some lye water.
(What kind of water?)
Lye water - purely lye.
(Like concentrated lye?)
Concentrated lye, and scrub that house. And in the four corners of this house after you have scrubbed it, you set that house aburning in the four corners of that house, you see. Set some sugar and cinnamon, mix it and light it, and I'll guarantee you'll rent your house.
(You really will rent your house?)
You'll rent your house.
(What do you burn in those four corners?)
Cinnamon and sugar.
(I see. But you only scrub with the lye water?)
Only scrub with the lye water. [One cylinder later in answer to my question about how a business could bring in customers, informant begins to repeat what had been said about renting a house - a further detail being added.] (Now, wait a minute - if you were bootlegging now, what are you going to do about it to bring in trade?) To bring in trade?
(Yes.)
Well, you scrub your house - scrub your place of business and after you scrub it, you know.
(Now, wait a minute. Now, tell me what you told me before.)
Well, every first Friday of each month.
(Every first Friday of each month?)
Of each month, yes sir.
(All right.)
And then, after you scrub your house every first Friday of each month, see, you close it up and put you some cinnamon and some sugar and mix it thoroughly and put it in each corner of the house. See. And if it's a business place, put it right in the center of the floor. And burn it until all of it's burned up. And then the-next morning you get up and open the door, and you let all kind of trade in. You do that every first Friday.
Entry 2518
Takes a horseshoe an' dress it in red.
(Dress it in red?)
Dress de horseshoe ovah in red an' place it in front of de do' backwards an' farwards, an' yo'll run good business. (How do you mean dress it in red? What do you do?). Yo' take an' git - have tuh git ovah at de sto' - git a red piece of cloth an' yo' jest wind dat, yo' know, dat horseshoe all ovah in dat an' place it up ovah de do', an' to de back, an' yo' won't have any trouble by yore customers - yo' draw mo' den all. Yo' takes - go in de sto' an' gits yo' Red Devil Lye an' salt, an' yo' place it at de front do' an' de back. Dat go wit dat horseshoe, an' yo' takes chamber lye, a handful of sugah, salt, an' yo' goes round dat jest befo' day, all round dat house wit dat, an' yo' got no trouble wit de sheriff or with yore house. [Perhaps the largest hand ever wrapped in red, except the treasure hunter who insulted the devil by wearing a red shirt - see No. 424, p.127.]
Entry 2559
To keep the law away, ah would get me some of van-van, get me some lye, some blueing water, and ah would go to mah banquette and ah would scrub it ev'r - just wherever around mah door, I would keep it - white - white - white - white as snow. And keep it - scrubbed - scrubbed - scrubbed - and they never come across the door. Any time he come there, throw your water each way ev'ry morning for nine mornings - throw your water thisaway - bucket of water this way - and that way - and he never come in your place.
(How - which way do you throw the water now?)
Right - if you living and your front door thisaway, you throw one this way, and you throw one that way, and one this way.
(You throw one out the front door, one to the right, and one to the left?)
That's right - for nine mornings. You keep it up.
(For nine mornings.)
(Just plain water?)
Just plain Water.
(Or just scrub water?)
Plain water.
(Just three buckets?)
Three buckets - thisaway and this way and.
(You just scrub with the other stuff?)
That's right - scrub with the other stuff.
(I see.)
Entry 2561
Fo' luck aroun' mah home lak that, tuh keep the laws or anything lak that from botherin' me, if ah wus a-hustlin' or bootleggin', ah would take an git me some lye an' git me some sugah an' lay it undah mah do'step an' sprinkle it all roun' de house an' on de inside an' dat will keep de laws away.
Entry 2593
(What do you do to keep the law away?)
Use salt like you dig.
(Dig salt?)
Uh huh - bury a sack of salt at the gate on one side and lye on the other side, and they'll stay away.
(Who will stay away?)
The law.
(That's for bootlegging? That will keep them away?)
Uh huh. I was selling on Dry Street 'fore this good whiskey came out [after Prohibition]. I used to sell it and I kept 'em away.
Entry 2645
Tuh keep de police away yo' git de salt, keep de salt - git dis heah Bluebird Salt an' jes' sprinkle it good roun' yore do', an' keep yore flo's scrubbed wit lye. Scrub every Friday mawnin' wit concentrated lye. An' it's a silver sand dat chew use - yo' know, silver sand. Well, yo' git dat sand an' yo' sprinkle dat roun' yore do'steps. If yo' wants tuh make a place be bad or if a man is got a place tuh rent an' if yo'wanta keep him from havin' much success, yo' gits some parsley seed an' throw em out roun' de do'. Dere won't nobody hardly go dere tuh stay.
Entry 2651
They can take a little Van-van or sugar and put it in the four corners of your house and give your house a good scrubbing out with lye. Set a lump up on that side and set a lump on that side and a lump on each corner. And quite natural be the ants'll get to it. (Lump of what?) Sugar. And the sugar will make for drawing - make for them ants going and com- ing, that just ehe same way as a person. You see, them ants could go all day and they wouldn't bother the people. And that - by the end of that, you sweep that out. And just like that sugar in that house will draw that whole crowd, that crowd will come just like them ants do. As you put sugar in there, the ants going to find it and you'll find a crowd in there unknownst to you - they'll just have a crowd with them.
Entry 2725
We going to scrub the house out first with that Red Seal Lye. That's if anything is crossed in the house - the building is crossed before you occupy it. After scrubbing with that Red Seal Lye, you get you some cinnamon powder, you get you some oil of verbena, then you get you some granulated sugar. If you wants white and colored trade, you get that white syrup and you get that red syrup, mixing well, scrubbing from the front porch on to the rear, throwing a glassful in each direction of the globe after scrubbing, and I guarantee you burning cinnamon powder and burning incense in the building when you in there alone, leaving it smoke well, open up the door, and you can't keep the gang out of there.
(I see.)
[After machine stopped, I ask about keeping law away.]
The same though.
(The same thing will keep the law away from there?)
Absolutely.
Entry 2834
Well, the first thing you would do, you would get some saltpeter and sugar and Eagle Lye. And you scrub that house with it to dispel all evil that has been there from people that moved out - jinxes, as you'd call it. After scrubbing it with that, take a white candle and break it in half, not so it falls to pieces, and you burn that candle and let it burn out. [To break anything often frees the spirit within. Breaking here releases the power faster. In some cases it might double the power.] And after you've done that you will get you some garlic, three pods of garlic, and some lodestone perfume.
(What is lodestone perfune?)
There is perfume that you can buy from dealers that sell all this John de Conquer.
(I see, you can buy this lodestone [perfume]. All right, go ahead.)
And you put that in the water, and you burn the garlic peel, and you put a teaspoon of sugar in that, and scrub the house with it. And within three days that house would be ready - within the amount of pods of garlic that you put in, which was three pods of garlic. Well, within three days that house should be rented.
Entry 11971
Sew up victim's hair with concentrated lye and red pepper in a red flannel bag, stop up latter in a bottle, and throw bottle into running Water to run victim crazy. [Wilmington 148:5+85.]
Entry 12397
Burn incense, scrub out house from back to front with Red Devil Lye, red pepper, 9 spoonfuls of sugar, and throw used water eastward - to rising sun.
[This is for protection in business and also customers.] [Newport News 500:7.]
Entry 2789
When yo' biddin' [= inviting, Matt. 12:9.] customers, yo' should burn incense. Yo' should use yellah candle - burn yellah candles in de mawnin', soon in de mawnin' roun' six an' five a'clock in de mawnin'. Yo' supposed to burn one up - it's certain things yo' burn candles up fo'. Yo' burn de yellah candle - dat's supposed tuh make yo' have success. An' yo' burn yore white candle fo money an' yo' goin' in business, an' yo' use chamber lye, a little yore chamber lye an' sugah fo' tuh draw yore trade. Yo' takes an' mops wit it, see. Mop yore floor right good wit a little chamber lye an' sugah an' lye, an' mop yore flo right good. [Yellow meaning success also means money.]
Entry 7191
[The following Doctor Marcus or William Brown will also be found on Pp.1289-1294 and 2246-2253.] Well, ah tell yah whut dey do. Dey took de right track, see. Listen good, now. Dey take yuh right track, dey got tuh git de whole middle of de track. Dey take dat track, dey put dat in a bottle, unnahstan', an' when dey put dat in a bottle, den dey gits some of dis ah - yah know de thin', dey call 'em, a thing grow in de wood. Dey call 'em de scorpion wine [vine]. See, yah'll git dat scorpion wine, yuh beat dat up an' put dat in de bottle, an' yah throw dat ovahbo'd, see. An' yuh got dat, yah'll run 'em finely away, see. [The scorpion vine could be: (1) scorpion grass, a forget-me-not, several small plants; (2) scorpion weed, the Indian he- liotrope; or (3) any plant the root seller calls the scorpion vine.] [587:1.] Dat's a pizen.
(What's a poison?)
Unnahstan' good - listen fore ah go on, fore ah tells yuh. DERE A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUN IN DE WORLD BUT DERE'S GOODNESS IN DEM. ALL OVAH DE UNITED STATES.
(I know, I understand.)
Dere's Doctor Brown, he shore [sure] kin tell yuh about me. Now dey recognize me, yuh see, [as] anothah fellah [doctor]. AH DON'T MEAN TUH TALK OF BEIN' A SNOB. (Well, there's a Doctor Peter Brown. Who is this fellow here [in Charleston], Peter Brown?) Well, he jis' git in touch wit me 'bout two or three mont's ago. See, ah tell yuh how he come in touch wit me, see. Dere's a woman he used tuh be wit, see. She did sompin tuh 'im, see, an' ah had tuh cure him. Dat's how he come in touch wit me, see. Ah don't really know 'im, yuh see. See, AH'M A PLAIN MAN BUT MAH WORK IS MAH WORK, AN' AH WANTA STAY DAT WAY. [He prefers to work alone.]
(Well, what is your first name? His is Peter Brown.)
MAH NAME IS WILLIAM BROWN, BUT EVAHBODY CALL ME DOCTOR BROWN.
(I see, you are Doctor William Brown.)
Yes sir, dat's mah name. YUH KIN FIN' ME ANY DAY AT 43 NORMAN STREET, WELL KNOWN DERE, COME ANY TIME. (Were you born right here in Charleston? Did you learn your work right here in Charleston?) No, ah - mah workman [person who taught me my work] always diedin' out [my teachers are dead]. Thomas [Promise?] Washington an' 'is wife. Dey died now seven yeahs ago. Yes, sir, ah'm prackly [practically] come up from [hoodoo] school trainin'.
(Where did they live?)
Dey died now. Well, dey did live in de same town. Dey from Tanner[?] Island. Dey home wuz from Tanner Island. Dat on de nex' side of, right nex' tuh BEAUFORT COUNTY UP DERE. DAT'S WHERE ALL DE WORK COME FROM. (And they are dead now. I see. What was their name? Washington was their name?) Thomas [Promise?] Washington wuz a man, he worked [taught] me, an' Nancy Wash- ington. Both of 'em died now.
(Who was the other man? You mentioned someone else?)
[I am probably thinking of the preceding Peter Brown.]
Ah said Promise [Thomas?] Washington give me mah schoolin' [in hoodoo]. Nancy Washington is 'is wife. An' mah name is William Brown. But evahbody call me Doctor. [58:3.] Now, yo' know whut chew do wit de chicken aig, yuh see. Now, yuh take jis' a pin, yuh unnahstan' an' yuh take de same thin' whut chew take from yuh fingahnail [demonstrates].
(That dirt under your fingernail.)
[Stick] in de pin an' dat same match, see, an' yuh tap [make a hole in] dat aig. Evah time yuh take dat pin an' do lak dat, an' den yo' threw [throw] it back inside. Now, yuh done put pizen dere, yuh see, down in dere [in the hole in the egg]. Well, when yuh goin' do dat, yuh take a li'le bit of sulphuh an yuh cork dat up. See, yuh cork dat up. Yuh haul[!] dat aig intuh yuh house now - yuh goin' pizen de person ovah yondah. Yuh keep de aig in yuh house, see. Now, yuh git a can of dis [Red] Devil Lye an' yuh set dat aig in it an' yuh cook dat aig. See, till it cook. [The lye is supposed to cook the egg.] Well, when dat aig is kinda cooked, yuh keepin' it till it be kinda daid [dead = rotten here], see. Yuh care [carry] dat aig an' yuh bury 'em undahneat' dat step [over yonder].
(Bury at the other house?)
Right tuh de step undah de house so when it bust, all dat stink gas is in de [victim's] house. An' soon as it bust, dat gas'll spread an' evahbody in dere pizened.
(Everybody is poisoned?)
An' if yuh once tetch it, yuh daid. (Well, how would you cure a case of that kind, if a person was poisoned that way?) Well, ah tell yuh; yo' see, TUH BE CURED, SEE, PIZEN DRAW PIZEN. But dese PeOple don' know it. Now, AH MIX DE SAME THIN' WHUT IN DERE AN' DRAW IT ALL FROM "EM. Let 'em drink it.
(You fix the same thing and let them drink it.)
Yes, sir, de same thin', see, 'cuz ah know aftah de aig bust, ah know whut it take tuh bust de aig. Well, ah'll make up de same thin' an' draw it [the poison] from dem. Onnahstan'? Ah'll mix up a scraped fingahnail an' cut off de match [head] an' put it in a glass an' drink wit de milk. An' ah'll have a li'le bit sulphur an' li'le bit of killback [calabash] wit watah ovah it. An' soon as ah give 'em dat tuh drink an' soon as dat pizen - anybody dat sick of all de pizen, ah give 'em dat an' it all come up. Evahthin' in 'em. Cannot stay.
Lye is named in an editorial explanation of the reported preparation; the cooking action is presented as supposed.
Entries from source headings
These entries are listed under the following headings in the source volume:
- LYE - URINE - BURN INCENSE — Volume 3, entries 4170. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → URINE.
- LYE - URINE - SCRUB — Volume 3, entries 4169. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → URINE.
- LYE - URINE - SUGAR - BURN INCENSE - "BRING MENS" — Volume 3, entries 4171. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → URINE.
- OIL OF CINNAMON - LYE - URINE — Volume 3, entries 4218. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → URINE.
- NAME - BOW - LYE - IN LETTER — Volume 3, entries 4619. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → HAT - SWEATBAND - BOW → BOW FROM SWEATBAND OF HAT.
- LYE IN 4 CORNERS OF YARD — Volume 4, entries 6851. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → FOLK MEDICINE → CURES FOR AND PROTECTION AGAINST AILMENT AND DISEASE.
- LYE - WISHES - TURNS SPELL BACK ON SPELLCASTER — Volume 4, entries 6850. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → FOLK MEDICINE → CURES FOR AND PROTECTION AGAINST AILMENT AND DISEASE.
- (12) AFTER BURNING OFF 4 CORNERS OF LETTER; WITH SULPHUR - LYE - SALT - RETURN TO; SENDER GIVING HIM A TREMBLING ARM — Volume 4, entries 8820. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → THREE SUBSTITUTES FOR HUMAN BODY → LETTERS AND HANDWRITING.
- SALT - RED PEPPER - LYE - AGAINST THEFT — Volume 5, entries 9606. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → SALT AND ITS COMBINATIONS.
- BACKWARDS - FROM REAR TO FRONT OF ENEMY'S PORCH; SWEEP MIXTURE OF SNUFF AND DIRT FROM HIS YARD; THEN MOP PORCH BACKWARDS WITH LYE - THIS MOVES HIM — Volume 5, entries 10774. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- RED SEAL LYE CAN HAS 5 SPRINKLE-HOLES TO BE PUNCHED; INSTEAD OF PUNCHING THEM WITH ONE NAIL - USE 5; BURY THIS FULL CAN WITH NAILS UNDER CENTER OF BED; IN HOUSE ABOVE - HERE ABOVE - UNDER CENTER OF BED; YET ABOVE LYE - LAY 5 PIECES OF DEVIL'S-SHOESTRINGS; PERSON USING BED BECOMES SICKLY - A QUINCUNX RITE — Volume 5, entries 11181. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- DOGWOOD TREE - FORK FROM - USE (1) TO BRING PERSON; BACK OR (2) TO MAKE THIEF RETURN STOLEN GOODS; DO THIS BY PUTTING LYE IN THE FORK AFTER; BURYING IT AT RIGHT-HAND CORNER OF YOUR DOORSTEP — Volume 5, entries 11322. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- LYE: RED DEVIL LYE WHICH SOUTHERNERS USE DOWN HEAH; AS POTASH - WITH TABLESPOON DIG HOLE - THEN SPOON; UP A LITTLE OF CLIENT'S TRACK [ROOT DOCTOR] GIVING; RITE - BURY SAME THING AT FRONT AND BACK DOORS; CLIENT CAN GO TO HIS WORK - NOTHING WILL HURT HIM — Volume 5, entries 12378. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- IF ENEMY STEALS PIECE OF YOUR CLOTHING - BURIES IT; WITH LYE AT YOUR WINDOW - YOU BREAK OUT IN SORES — Volume 5, entries 12385. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- LYE KILLS ANY BURIED CUNJURE ABOUT HOUSE — Volume 5, entries 12384. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- LYE - INTO HOT WATER EVERY MORNING - SWEEP OFF PORCH; INTO STREET - DO NOT SCRUB - FOR WHISKEY CUSTOMERS — Volume 5, entries 12394. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- LYE - RED PEPPER - HEARTS COLOGNE; THROW BEHIND DEPARTING PERSON — Volume 5, entries 12608. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".