Subject:Measure
Entries
Entry 1082
Well, for instance, somebody might have the measles - that's the first thing to start with, a child with the measles. You cut right in the mole [mold] of his head - a strand of hair out of the mole of his head. Go right direct to that tree and take that child and stand him right up there like that - have to be a young tree though, willow tree or something of that kind that's growing - and you just take a auger and bore a hole right in there and take that hair.
(Right from the top of his head?)
Yes. Take that hair and put it up in there and take a stob [peg or stake] and drive it up in there, and the more that he grows over that [taller than the stob] why you [he] improve. [After the cure] you transport it [the hair] back here where most the people can see. [This public display of hair causing the cure violates the fundamental rule of secrecy; the cured ailment could have returned. I would say that something more than ordinary measles is involved here, because usually magic measurement of a child is confined to recurrent disorders. For a child measured against a tree to cure asthma, see FACI,2ed., Nos. 5660-71, Pp.254-255. Also for various complaints children are measured against many objects: door, fireplace, wall, floor, ground, stick, string.]
Entry 2099
If yo' got a woman an' wanta make love wit her, yo' goes to her house. She don't want chew dere yo' see, but den yo' go to her house - make it specially to go tuh her house to git a few words wit her. Then yo' mess roun' an' if yo' kin git a chance tuh ketch her han's, yo' git de lengt' of dat lef'- han' fingah - dat dog fingah [demonstrates]. (The index finger of the left hand?) The fingah off her lef' han' - de dog fingah. See, yo' git de joint of it, de first joint.
(What do you do? You are not taking it off of any woman are you?)
No, yo' don't take it off, yo' jes' ketch it an' git de measure of it, somepin lak dat. Den go out git chew nine dem broom sweepers - see, git chew nine straws about de same length, every one of 'em, see. Git one of her gloves, see, an' yo' let it go out [straighten it out] an' cut de fingah off right in dere, an' yo' tie it with a string, tie it up in dere.
(What do vou tie up in that?)
Dem nine straws.
(You tie those nine straws in that little finger that you cut off the glove.)
Den yo' put chew nine single pins in dere an' tie it up an' wear it in yore pocket, an' dat girl will love yo' from den on, an' wouldn't make love wit any othah individual either - jes' tie her. [This is called tying a person.] (Here's what you do, get the length of that first joint of the dog finger - the index finger of the left hand. Then you get nine broomstraws that length. Then you get her glove with that same finger and cut the end of that glove finger off and put the nine broomstraws in there.) [To measure a finger joint measures the whole body because part of the spirit equals the whole of the spirit (see p.21). Measuring is like drawing a circle about a person or scratching a circle on the ground for him to walk over - you confine him, control him. By the law of the opposite, treasure hunters put a circle about themselves as a protection against spirits (see the Magic Circle, p.123).]
Entry 3114
(Have you ever heard of a woman measuring a man?) [Measuring rites will come later.] Well, yes, ah've heard of it. Said dat dey would take string yo' know, an' measure dere privates, an' keep 'em from havin' a intahco'se wit a woman. (What do they do with that string then, after they do that?) Aftah dey do dat, well dey would tote it aroun' up undah dere lef' arm.
Entry 3218
She takes a cord string.
(She takes a cord string.)
An' she ties nine knots in dat string. She takes a cord string an', yo' know, she [informant hesitates]....
(What does she do with it, measure him?)
Yassir. Dere's two or three diff'ren' ways yo' kin do dat.
(Tell me the two or three different ways. Tell me the first way.)
She kin measure him an' tie nine knots in dat string an' den she kin - she ties it aroun' 'er wais'. Den she kin git a new domestic piece [a piece of new domestic] of cloth when she have - yo' know, when she - whenevah she have intah- co'se wit 'in. She don't have intahco'se, she'll let 'in have it. An' den she take dat an' she cuts it out in a heart - de shape of a heart. She puts it in 'er. shoe an' he sure can't - he can't go, he can't do anythin'
[with other women].
Entry 3378
Take a string an' measure 'im when, yo' know, de full length. She'll measure 'im wit dat string, wit 'er undahskirt string. If she have a undahskirt on, she'll have a string on dat. She'll take dat undahskirt string an' she'll measure his length. She take it an' tie it in a hard knot to dat same length. Tie it right in a hard knot an' tie it to her waist, an' at night she take dat string an' break it off. She go to her table an' she git a dishrag, an' she take dat dishrag an' wipe it down by dat string. Pull de string through dat dishrag three times an' roll de string up an' throw it behind de door - or hang it up ovah de door. Throw it behin' dere an' dat will tie him up. He nevah kin have any truckin'. (Now she takes this string from her underclothes and she gets his measure. Then she ties one knot in it. And what piece does she bring out of that, then?) De same end - jes' see [demonstrates] lak he's [his] length heah, she tie it right dere. She tie de knot in dat string to jes' de length of 'i. Yes, she break dat off.
(It's his length then that she pulls through the dishrag?)
Pull through de dishrag.
Entry 3384
An' yo' couldn't fool wit nobody else but dem. Well, dey take de rule an' dey measure it an' jes' how long it is. Dey call de inches, an' as dey call de inches, dey measure it 'cross. [To measure with a rule is rare.] After dey measure it 'cross, why dey take de rule an' double it up. After dey done dat, why dey will go to work - dat's when yo' 'sleep, now - dey will go to work an' git a dishrag, yo' undahstan', an' wipe yo' private wit it, see. Dey wipe yo' private wit it, why dey'll take dat dishrag an' put it in a cornah or some part of de house where yo' can't git holt of it, see. Aftah dey's done dat, why yo' jes' couldn't git no heart fo' nobody else but 'er.
(What will they do with that rule, then?)
Dat rule, dey don't do nuthin wit de rule, jis' measure yore dick an' dey'll close rule back up, see. [My informant, marked good, thinks magically. This rite, like many others, contains a number of magic actions: measuring (magic of limitation); length and Width (makes a cross), crossing up according to operator's desire or wish; closing the rule after measuring [[this is like opening and closing a pocketknife in some rites]] (magic of enclosing); double (magic encircling), cornering the dishrag
(cessation of movement); etc.]
Entry 3472
If yo' kin git de measure of a lady or eithah a man, take dat measure an' see how many inches it is an' tie dat many knots in it. An' put it in yore pocket an' she cain't go wit nobody else but 'im, or he couldn't go wit nobody but 'er. (Well, how do they measure a woman?) Dat's very easy. Jes' lak she's layin' down, but git 'sfur [as far] as it'll go up heah, not de hair, where de place start at an' on down where it stops at. Dat's de correct measure. Yo' kin take dat an' bury it, an' she'll follah 'im [you] an' love him [you].
(Bury that hair from below?)
Sho'.
[No, bury the measurement.]
(The man would do that to the woman?)
Man de same - it works both ways. [The measurement of women appears to be fairly rare in hoodoo.]
Entry 3476
A woman kin git a man's seap [penis] an' measure it. Don't measure yo' roun' but measure disaway [lengthwise], an' war [wear]. Put a hole in a silvah dime an' put dis string [used in measuring] through dis silvah dime, an' war dat cord aroun' 'er leg [left ankle]. An' as long as she war dat cord dis man would nevah have no dealin's wit dat [any other] woman - no feelin's fuh 'er.
Entry 3478
Yo' take a string an' measure de man while he's 'sleep an' measure de length of 'im, if he's a normal man. Yo' tie dat to de springs to yore bed. He nevah kin stretch out unless'n he's in dat bed.
Entry 3480
Jes' lak yo' a man an' yo' wife wuz runnin' aroun' - jes' lak a man would run aroun'. Well, when he sleep, de woman could take a cord string an' measure de end of 'is thing an' tie it on de slat undah de bed slat, an' he couldn't mess wit nobody but 'er.
Entry 3481
Takes yo' a piece of string an' measure de root from de end up to yore stomach, an' take it an' tie it aroun' a li'le bottle an' set it up ovah yo' do. An' hit'll - a man can't have no othah woman but 'is ole lady.
(The woman would do this?)
Yes sir.
Entry 3486
Dere's several diff'ren' ways about dat. Dere's such a thing as a woman takin' a gartah dat she wears 'erself, an' if she kin measure de man wit it, she will tie it in a knot; an' as long as dat knot is tied in 'er gartah an' she keeps it anywhere on 'er body, all de nature dat he has for any person is gone. (I see. You said they just take either garter?) Eithah one of 'em, jes' so it's somepin she person'ly wears. An' as long as she keeps dat gartah wit dat knot in dere, she kin trust 'im any- where in de world.
Entry 3487
Jes' lak yo' have a sweetheart an' yo' wanta hold 'im, well yo' take some bran'-new pins dat nevah been used, an' yo' fix dem haid an' haid [tail], but dey must be even, see. (You mean one goes this way [I demonstrate] and one goes that way - they alternate.)
[Informant misunderstands alternate, a word I should not have used.]
Yes sir, dat's right. Yo' have a connection wit chure frien'.
(How many of those pins do you use?)
Yo' make a gartah of dose. An' yo' fix 'em de haid an' haid - lak de stuck right on de haid - dey can't stick yo', see. An' yo' take dis string an' yo' measure him while he's asleep an' yo take dat. Well, when he have connection wit chew, YO' DON'T HAVE NO 'MUNICATE [COMMUNICATION] WIT 'IM BUT HE JES' HAVE ONE WIT CHEW. Well yo'wrap dat roun' an' yo' ketch dat. Well, now yo' nuse [use] dat fo' a gartah, tie it roun' yore laig. He can't have nobody else but chew.
(What do you put those pins in?)
In dat gartah. (In this piece of cloth that you make the garter with, you put those pins in there after you wipe him? And then you make that garter and you wear it?) Yes.
Entry 3488
I've heard that a woman could measure a man while he's asleep and tie that string around her leg and wear it for three weeks; then take the same string and burn it, and take the chars from the string and put them in an envelope, and seal it and write his name on it, and put it under her pillow. And he wouldn't have any use for any other girl.
Entry 3494
When he's layin' asleep take an' measure his privates wit a cord. Take de length of it an' take de roun' of it. An' take it an' tie a knot dere on it an' wear it aroun' 'er below 'er knee. An' dat will stop 'im from runnin' aftah othah women.
Entry 3495
Ah tried dis mahself, yo' know. Now, havin' a intahco'se, yo' takes string, any- ching dat be's long enough an' measure hisself to de...
(You measure him?)
Yeah, wit de string. An' yo' take dis string an' wear it up above yore knee, an' he kin not have anothah person, no othah one but yo'.
Entry 3519
Well. dey take a cord string, lak a. twine string, an' take de length of 'is private. Well, yo' make three knots right in de middle of dat, dat'll keep 'im from: bein' wit somebody else. It will fall evah time he go wit somebody else same as a [dishrag?]. (What does she do with that string, then?) Take dat string an' keep it, wears aroun' 'er waist.
Entry 3531
Yo' kin keep yore husban' from a woman lak dat, he cain't raise up fo' a [another] woman. Yo' kin take a bran'-new cord string an' name it 'im, an' perhaps while he's sleep, yo' measure him, an' yo' tie three knots comin' to yo', an' yo' tell it whut chew don' want 'im tuh do. Den yo' take dat an' tie it an' wear it aroun' yore wais'. He cain't raise up fo' nobody but chew.
Entry 3543
Dey says yo' jes' take a little rag, yo' know, an' make it lak a little towel, lak dat, an' put dat in chure mattress an' sleep on it, see. Now, yo' kin [also] take dat an' yo' kin tote it aroun' in yore pocket; or even if he sleeps, yo' understan', yo' kin take a piece of cloth an' measure his private, yo' know, an' jes' tie nine knots in dat an' put it in yore pocketbook. He couldn't git away to save his life. Dat's de way, when he's workin', what he makes, he's gotta give it [to you] when he comes.
Entry 3565
[My opening comments here as in so many places are primarily either to put informant at ease or to suggest that he or she speak louder.]
(That's a boat whistling - the boat coming in from New Orleans, I suppose.) Yes, I guess so. (What did you say, now?)
I said dat she would take a cord string an' tie nine knots in it.
(What?)
A cord string.
(Oh, a cord string. All right, what would she do?)
An' tie nine knots in it an' take two grains of black peppah [see later] an' tie it in each one [end], yo' know, an' she would wear it. Of co'se, anything dat's bein' used lak dat, ain't supposed to wear it aroun' de waist. She'd have to keep it nex' to her.
(I see. Well she would have to put - you mean black pepper?)
Black peppah - no [not ground black pepper], you know black grain peppah.
(What kind? Black grain pepper?)
Black grain peppah. Yo' jis' tie dat black grain peppah.
(You just tie this one thing in each.)
Yo' tie it in each tying in the string, yo' know. (You mean those little round pepper things - little round, they are about the size of a bullet shot?) [I wanted to be certain that informant meant whole black pepper. This exces- sive repetition may also mean that I was having trouble with the recording. Gun shell shot would have been a better term.l Yeah, but yo' have to double de cord string.
(You do what?)
You have to double it.
(You have to double it?)
Double the cord string.
(How do you double it?)
Why yo' know how yo' take a string an' double it?
(Yes.)
Yo' ties de knots in it. (Oh, you tie the knots in the double string - nine knots. But you tie these pieces [whole black peppers] in the end?) In each end.
(I see.)
Entry 3566
She kin measure him an' take de nature from 'im fo' othah people so he have nature fo' her. Well, she take de measure of him, as long as he is, but let de string be dou- ble. Double de string an' take de measure of 'im. An' while she's foolin' wit 'im. Den take dat string an' wear it roun' 'er laig. Well, he won't fool wit no one.
Entry 3568
Git chew some black thread, an' jes' lak he be's drunk or eithah sleepin', yo' measure 'im. An den when yo' measure 'im yo' double dat thread nine times to yo' an' tie nine knots in it an' tie it in de middle of de [bed] spring, an' yo' got 'im. [Middle of de spring, like center of bed, room, house, etc., is quincunx magic.]
(What will that do to him?)
Make him stay dere an' bring 'is money home.
(Will it take his nature away?)
No sir, not fo' yo' but othah folks - he won't care fo' no othah one but chew.
(For no other women.)
Entry 3582
When yore husban' lie down to take his rest, when he git tuh sleep good, git chew a cord string. Git chew a cord string an' take it an' measure it an' tie nine knots in it. (Measure him. Where does she measure him?) Start tuh measure him from de head down to de toe, an' put nine knots in dere, an' take it an' tie it - tie nine knots in dere an' wear it aroun' yore waist.
(What will that do?)
Evah time yo' tie it yo' call 'is name an' tell 'im tuh come back to yo'.
(What are you doing that for, tying those knots for?)
Well, dat's tuh bring him back home.
(Make him stay home?)
He'll stay home when he come back.
Entry 3584
[Rites of where to measure a man have al- ready been given, but for the sake of completion here are a few more examples of length, width and length and width. Length of person's body rarely occurs in this type of measuring.] Measure him, measure a person, an' tie nine knots. Aftah yo' git de length, den yo' tie yo' nine knots, an' yo' take it an' yo' wear it roun' de top of yo'. [Informant either demonstrated or I turned off machine, missed the words about leg.]
(Oh, round the top of your leg like a garter?)
Yes. Take it off at night an' git up in de mawnin' an' put it on. He cain't do nuthin. Any time he start: [I interrupt].
(Why do you take it off at night?)
Well, he den kin find it. See, yo' pull stockin' off wit 'em, becuz' dey liable tuh go tuh feelin' roun'.
(You hide it at night?)
Sho'.
Entry 3594
Yo' want [to] make her stay wit chew, yo' jis' - yo' take her when she 'sleep, an' yo' come dere an' measure roun' 'er wit a string; an' yo' make nine knots in de measure dat way an' yo' tie it, hang it roun' yo see. [Measure roun' 'er = circumference, a circle, a confining symbol; measuring and circle being confining devices.]
(Round your leg? The man ties it around his leg? That holds her?)
Yessuh.
Entry 3595
An' dere's anothah way to tie yo' up. Take - a woman kin fool wit yo' an' git de measure of yore stick, an' put nine knots in it, an' wear it aroun' 'er laig, an' yo' can't have no connection. Yo' may try to have connection wit de party, but evah time dey start, yo'll have de ambition but...
Entry 3597
A wumman could take a string an' tie nine knots in it an' when he goes wit 'er she could measure his privates wit it. (After she has tied nine knots.) Yessir, she could measure his privates wit de string aftah she tied de nine knots in it, an' take dis string an' wear it roun' 'er waist three days. An' aftah she wear it roun' 'er waist three days, take it an' burn it up, an' he couldn't have no intahco'se wit nobody but 'er.
(Well, couldn't he ever git rid of that?)
No, unless somebody wuz jes' smart enough [a two-header], yo' know, tuh tell him how tuh git relief.
Entry 3598
Jes' he be - yo' tyin' 'em togethah now, see. All right, jis' lak ah got a boy friend an' ah say ah'm worried about 'im, he 'bout to git away from me wit some othah woman. All right, me an' 'im go tuh bed an' we have connection wit each othah. All right, he steals de cloth whut he use, or ah steal it from 'im, yo' undahstand. He goin' an' tie it up in nine knots an' we goin' be togethah till dem knots git rotten.
Entry 3599
Lak if dere's a boy an' he goin' wit a girl dere an' he wants tuh - well, ah take it, say if dere's a boy goin' wit two girls. Ah mean two boys goin' wit one girl an' one boy he wanted tuh overdo dis othah one wit dis girl. He take one of dese twine strings an' tie nine knots in dis string, an' aftah 'im an' 'er have an intahco'se, measure each way two ways - cross an' straight up an' down on 'er. An' den take an' tie dat string aroun' 'is waist. An' aftah he do dat she'll come tuh be undah 'is control an' de othah boy he be so he can't have anything at all to do wit 'er. (You say he takes the string and measures her private. You say he measures it three ways. Well, how do you mean? Take the width of it?) Yessuh, an' cross dere. Den he takes an' measure on dis way [demonstrates]. (Diagonal - the corner. Measures it three ways.)
Entry 3623
When yo' have a intahco'se wit 'im, yo' take yo' a co'd string an' don't yo' come. She don't come wit 'im. She jes' wet dat co'd string in dat come an' 'is chamber lye an' tie nine knots in it an' wear it aroun' 'er waist. An' take de measure of 'is [penis] an' tie nine knots in dis co'd string an' wear it roun' 'er waist. Dat will stop a man from runnin' aroun' an' he cain't git up no heart fo' no othah woman. When he go it will fall. Dat ties up 'im.
Entry 3626
Say fo' instance, if a woman is havin' intahco'ses wit a man an' she don't want anybody else tuh bothah wit de man. Well, now, one of de towels dat she might use, she takes 'is urine an' she take dis towel an' she wash it in dis urine - de same towel dat de two of dem use. An' den she tear a string offa de towel an' den she make nine knots in dat string, an' if it's not large enough tuh go roun' 'er body she'll make a 'ddition [an addition] tuh it jis' since she make nine knots. An' dat's supposed tuh keep 'im tuh de place where he cain't have any nature fo' anybody but 'er. Dat's whut yo' call a cross [or crossing up a man]. Dere people dat could take dat away, but ah have tuh give yo' mah best knowledge of it.
Entry 3708
The follow- ing informant gives 4 separate cures:] Dey say yo' kin take in measurin' a man - well now, in yore husban', if yo' don't want 'im tuh fool wit somebody, why yo' could take an' measure him when he's sleep, if yo' git a chance. Or eithah, yo' fix 'im to pay no 'tenshun - have connection wit 'im fo' a chance tuh measure 'im wit a piece of cord string, dis little cord string dat come off a wrappin'. An' take an' measure 'im wit dat - jes' de length of it. An' den yo' kin take an' tie nine knots in it, an' yo' kin wear it in yore shoe, or if yo' kin, put it down undah de innah sole of yore shoe, an' he can't have anythin' tuh do wit anybody else. Den yo' kin take a piece of new homespun. Jes' lak yo' be playin' an' yo' have a piece of new homespun about de bed, or sompin yo' wus sewin', an' dey kin use dat aftah dey git through. Put it undah yore mattress an' double it up in a piece of papah an' put it undah yore mattress an' he ain't goin' bothah 'bout anyone. An' den if a person gits where dey kin't bothah wit anybody an' wants it taken off dem, dey kin go an' steal a dishcloth - steal someone's dishcloth. An' if dey got greasy dishwatah dere, dey jis' skim off dat grease wit dat dishcloth an' squeeze it up in dere. An' den yo' kin take dat dishcloth an' use it an' wash it off yoreself an' dat will kill it out. An' den yo' kin take an' git some cedar - these cedar leaves. Don't chew know, yo've seen dese cedars in de cemetery. An' take sulphur an' sprinkle it ovah dem, an' put a little fiah undah it, an' yo' kin kinda stand ovah dat an' let dat smoke go ovah yo', an' dat'll kill it. (That will kill it, if his nature has been taken away from him - restore his nature. But you don't have to get that cedar from the cemetery, you can get it any place?) Yes, anywhere. Yo' ain't gotta git it from de cemetery. [Yet, informant prefers graveyard.]
Entry 3717
If yo' got a husban' an' he's runnin' roun' too much an' not, yo' know, any service to yo', why yo' kin take a cord string an' measure his thing. An' aftah yo' measure it, take an' tie it up in ninekmots an' den wear it roun' yore laig. An' den yo' wear it roun' yore laig an' whenevah he git ready tuh have a woman or anything, why he can't have 'em an' he won't know whut's de mattah wit 'im. An' he'll be dat way as long as yo' keep dat string. BUT IF YO' EVAH LOSE DE STRING, WHY HE'LL BE JES' LAK HE ALWAYS WUZ. He take sweet milk an' bathe himself in it an' he kin git rid of it - dat if he wants tuh. Put cream or sweet milk.
(If he was tied up that way by being measured?)
Yes.
Entry 3726
An' de dishrag in de same lak mannah. Take dat dishrag an' she'll wipe it, dry off wit dat dishrag. Don't make no diff'rence if it's dry or if it's been used in grease, an' dat takes 'er courage away. Takes all de nature away from 'em. Now if a woman ties yo' lak dat now de way dat she do, she'll wait till he's asleep an' she'll mess roun' wit chew an' she'll hang her gown or sompin ovah yore haid till yo' go tuh sleep yo' see [common rite]. An' she'll git a cord string an' she'll measure de length of yo', an' den when she measure de length of yo', she'll tie dat many knots in it, see. Den she'll tie it roun' 'er laig, right around de [calf] of 'er laig, or else roun' 'er wais'. Most of de time she tie it aroun' dere. Well, yo' find it an' yo' mistrust dat. Well den, yo' don't know whut tuh do, yo' tried evahthing, go to de doctors [M.D.'s] an' still dey ain't done any good. Well, yo' lay awake until yo' ketch 'er asleep, an' den yo' slip to her an' take dis cord string off of 'er. An' den when yo' take dis cord string off of 'er, while she's 'sleep, yo' kin take dis same [string] in lak mannah an' measure it [her] dis way, see. An'when yo' measure it dat way, an' den dis way, an' yo' tie it in string in dat shape.
(In a round shape?)
Yes, an' den yo' take dat same string an' yo' sew it; see, sew it from dis heah, dataway. Jes' cut it out an' sew dat togethah. An' dat will git off yo an' git on 'er. Den yo' take yo' some warm watah, as warm as yo' kin bear it, an' put table salt in it an'.wash yo'self real good. An' git cedar oil an' rub - jes' yo'self real good. An' take yo' a dry rag an' wipe down. Dry it off real good an' dat'll do away wit it.
Entry 3767
She can measure a man's privates an' this man won't be able to go with another woman until he finds out [that he has been measured] and measures her [the woman who did the measuring]. Then he can go with another woman. They tie this string in a tree root.
Entry 3769
Whilst he's asleep at night, takin' a cord an' takin' de full length of 'is private, tyin' nine knots in it, wearin' ti aroun' 'er waist, an' he'd lose all ambition fer outside women. He kin go.... (What did you say?) He'll be dataway, no use fer outside women, until he take some penny nail - five penny-nails.
(Wait a minute! The penny-nails, you take five of them?)
Five of 'em.
(Yes?) = [Continue.]
Put 'em in a quart bottle of watah an' drinkin' de watah off it. Dat will release him.
(That will give him the advantage, take that away from him?)
Absolutely.
Entry 5170
Take a man's shoe, right shoe. Take de measure of it an' put some new pins an' needles in it, nine of each. An' yuh take [up] de sill [saddle] of de do'. Yuh know, pull [up] de sill of de do'. An' yuh put it [tape measure] down dere, tack it down dere. An' he have tuh cross ovah it, yuh see, an' [to] git inside. Dat will keep a person stayin' aroun' home.[Informant repeats for good measure:] Yuh git a piece of new tape an' take de measure of [right] shoe. Take it from yuh an' bring it tuh yuh. An' den yuh take dat an' pin de needles an' pins tight all de Way tuh yuh, an' as yuh put 'em in call 'is name. Den yuh take de sill [saddle] of de do' up an' yuh tack it [tape] down an' leave it stay dere. When yuh move out'a dat house, yuh take it up an' carry it wit chew. Evahwhere yuh move yuh carry it wit chew.
Entry 5171
Git de measure of dey shoe, an' put some powdah in dey shoe. Git some powdah, some cun, iure powdah, an put it in dey shoe. Well, dat will make 'em do anything yo' wan' 'em tuh do. [The term cunjure powder is rare. This may be my only ex- ample.]
Entry 5530
Dey take de length of yore feet, take it right from de toe back to de heel. An' aftah dey take de length of yore shoe, dey take an' wrap it. An' dey take dat an' go bury right at the bottom of each step, yo' see, intuh anothah shoe; not yore shoe but anothah ole shoe dere at de house. An' dey put dat down an' dey claim dat would cross 'im up.
([They take] that string and measure the shoe and also [take] the foot track?)
Jis' take de length, dey don't take the foot track. Jis' take de length. Now, dey take some dust right at de end of de shoe, where dey measure it. Take some dust from dat end, an' dey take some dust from dat [other end]. An' put all dat tuhgethah an' wrap it up, an' put dat in de ole shoe.
Entry 5531
They say that if you take a rule and measure a [foot] track straight and then measure across, and take that same measurement and mark it out on a piece of paper, and take that paper and put a piece of cube root they call it, it grows mostly in Florida they say, and take that and the Sampson snakeroot and also Adam-and-Eve and 'coon root and High John the Conqu- er, and put that in with that paper, and then take that paper and put it so that it can be used under the head of the individual's bed, and by staying there for nine days in succession the individual begin to pine away and finally die. [Elizabeth City, N. Car. (182), 551:2.]
Entry 5532
Ah've heard dat dey kin git chure foot track an' measure yore foot track, an' take some of de dirt out de hollah of yore track, see. Den go tuh de graveyard aftah twelve o'clock an' git some de dirt from de heart, about de heart, an' from de head an' from de foot [3 places]. An' mix it wit dat dirt whut dey took out of yore track. An' march aroun' dat grave fo' times, firs'. Den come back an' march aroun' it ag'in five, six, seven. De seven is de uneven numbah. March roun' dat seven times. Den take dat dirt whut dey got wit de graveyard dirt outen yore track, an' go an' mix it tuhgethah, an' boil it in salt an' water an' lime. Throw dat in salt, watah an' lime. Den dey will take dat an' sprinkle it wherevah yo' gotta go, where yo' cross ovah at, if it's yore doorstep or some path yo' go. If yo' in a car, why dey'd sprinkle it aroun yore car - sompin like dat - an' dat will do yo' harm. See, when yo' git in dere, yo'll be painful an' cain't rest, an' have no min' tuh stay at home - only be goin' all de time. (NOW TO MAKE CERTAIN ABOUT THIS. When you get this graveyard dirt after twelve o'clock at night, you get it from three places: on the head, the heart, and the feet. And before you get that dirt, do you walk around the grave four times or after?) Aftah.
(Then you say you walk around it again five times?)
Firs' yo' walk aroun' it, dat make five. Den yo' walk aroun' it seven times.
(Seven separate times or all together?)
Altuhgethah.
(You walk around it four times. Then what do you do?)
Yo' walk aroun' it fo' times an' yo' speak words.
(What will you say?)
Yo' will say, "Ah wan' dis man tuh be subjec' tuh me. Ah wan' 'im tuh go an' not come back. Dat 'is min' may go from 'im, dat he may not undahstan' whut he do." See, dat's whut dey'll say.
(Then you will walk around it?)
Two mo' time. Dat makes seven. (They walk around it four times. They dig that dirt up and walk around it four times. Then what do they do after the fourth time, after they say those words?) Den dey walk aroun' it ag'in one time. Dat makes five, yo' see.
(Then do they say anything?)
Naw, don't say anything. Den de fifth time, den de sixth an' de seventh. Den dey march aroun' dere de seventh time, den dey will repeat de same words over ag'in....
(Then you go on away with the graveyard dirt.)
Entry 5533
They measure your footstep with a string and tie that around a ten- penny nail, and drive it right in the ground where you have to step over ft, and that puts a curse on you. [Fredericksburg, Va., (45), by] Ediphone.]
Entry 5534
If a man have a woman dat's run away from home, she won' stay home an' won' be satisfied, she wanta do jis' as [she pleases] - de fellah don' wan' 'ah [her] tuh move away from dere. Take a cord string, cotton cord string, put de end of 'ah heel an' de end of 'ah toe, an' git 'ah measure- ment. An' put it roun' a nail an' drive it right ovah in front of de do'. An' den he wanta read de 90th Psalms of David.
(What will that do?)
She'll stay home.
Entry 5535
Well, ah kin take dat foot track if ah jis' - say jis' WAN'A KEEP ANY- yo' see. Ah kin jis' ketch 'er track in a clear place, an' git a nice li'le stick an' measure dat track, an' git a good size bottle. An' ah'll sew dat track up in a red flannen cloth, an' ah will git nine bran'-new needles, see, an' stick it in dat cloth. Stick de needle right up lak dat in dat cloth, see. An' git three rusty nail an' tie it tuh- gethah, an' drop it in dat bottle an' cork it up airtight, an' evahthin' will be okay. Won' have no mo' trouble gittin' along wit chure wife.
(You said you use the stick for something?)
Yes, jis' any piece of li'le stick. Yo' jis' kin take a knife an' run off a li'le piece jis' long 'nuff tuh measure de track lak dat, see. Den yo' take de li'le stick an' yo' break it up, break it up in a li'le pieces, see. An' yo' put it in dat red flannen an' sew it up. Yo' take up dat track yo' know. Yo' take dat track up, see, an' put it in dat flannen jis' where yo' measurin' it. Sew it up an' take dem nine needles [etc.].
Entry 5536
[HERE IS AN UNUSUAL RITE, ONE DEVISED FOR PICKING UP A PERSON'S FOOT TRACK INSIDE THE HOUSE BY WASTING WATER ON THE FLOOR:1 Well, if yo' wan' someone tuh stay home - yo' heah me? Yo' heah me? Yo' measure dey footsteps an' yo'll take nine nails an' yo'll take dat footstep, de real footstep, an' yo'll put nine needles [nails] in de footstep. Dat's when we comin' in, when we in de house. Aftah yo' git 'em in de house, don' let 'em see it. Yo'll do dat even if dey sleep. Yo'll take dem nails an' yo'll - yo'll take dat whole footstep whilst dey in sleepin'. Now, if yo' wanted 'em tuh go 'way from home...
(Is that one thing complete now about the nine nails and the footstep?)
Well, yes, dey have tuh be in de house. Dey have tuh git 'em, an' if he sleepin', yo' kin do it bettah. Yo'll take nine nails an' yo'll ketch dey foot- step.
(How do you catch the footstep?)
See, lak mah shoe - see, lak dey comin' in an' yo' make a footstep. Maybe if dey got watah - always Wet sompin so dat dey kin step in it tuh git dey step, so becuz many time it dry an' yo' kinnot [cannot] git dey steps. Yo' have tuh waste watah or make where he gotta walk in it. An' den when he pass, it always - fo instan' [instance] yo'll make it wit a pencil so yo'll take de full step of de person. Yo' gotta git de full step of dat. Now, when he's in, yo' do dat - see, dat nine nails.
(What do you do with those nine nails now?)
Jis' leave 'em in de flo' wheresomevah he's at, dat's when he's comin' out de house. Well, now, fo' instan', if yo' wan'a use, scusin'[excusing] dat, dat's if a woman husban' is stayin' off.
(Here's my footstep. Now, you pick that up on something?)
Yes.
(Then you bring it into the house?)
No.
(What do you do with it now?)
Yo'll take de measure of dat footstep wit a pencil, if yo' gotta waste de watah or somepin fo' 'im tuh make de step. (There's the step now, then you take the length of it with a stick or some- thing? Now what do you do?) Yo' nails nine nails intuh de step [foot track] aroun' de marks [of the track] tuh ketch de whole footstep.
(You nail nine nails into the ground?)
No, intuh de house, intuh de house if he's in a house.
(You put that around the measure?)
Yes, if it's de whole measure. (You put that measure on the floor and then you put the nine nails around the measure?) Yessuh, dat's whut ah wanta [have been trying to] tell yo'.
Entry 5538
Ah'll answah yo' dis guestion. (All right.) Dey'll take yore foot track an' dey'll take a cord string, a bran'-new piece of cord outa de store, an' dey'll measure yore foot track. Dey will measure each one of 'em, right an' left. Dey goin' tuh put one foot track goin' dis Way an' dey goin' tuh put de othah goin' data way [demonstrates]. An' dey goin' tuh write yore name on a bo'd - it goin' tuh be on a bo'd [symbol of graveboard]. Dey goin' tuh write yore name on dat, an' dey goin' tuh take an' throw it ovah de lef' shouldah in de rivah [Mississippi] or in de lake [Ponchartrain] air [either] one of dem two go; if it go in de lake, it's all right an' if it go in de river, it's all right. Well, dat's tuh - dat is so yo'll jis' git sick, lingah sick, an' yo' don' know whut's de mattah wit chew. Firs' thing, a pain'll take yo' an' yo'll git paralyzed-lak, but yo' isn't paralyzed, yo' is tricked. See. Yo's [you has] no control of yore feet an' jis' puts yo' in a dragon [dragging] con- dition. (Now, they turn one foot track that way and one this way [author demon- strates]?) Yes, sir, jis' lak dis [demonstrates].
(Do they use the same string for both or two different strings?)
It's de only one string. Dey wan' dat track.
(Do they dig up that track or do they [merely] measure it?)
Dey takes 'em up. Dey takes 'em up, de whole measure of it. But how dey do, dey take 'em up - dey have a li'le flat bo'd an' yo' see, dey take dat dust an all up tuhgethah.
(They just slip it under those tracks?)
Dey slip it right undah dese tracks, an' now dey goin' tuh put one track goin' dis way an' [demonstrates] - one feet goin' out dis way an' de othah feet go dis Way. An' dey goin' tuh write yore name on a pastebo'd.
(Pasteboard?)
Shoe pastebo'ds whut chew buy shoes in. Dey goin' tuh write yore name on dat. An' aftah dey write chure name on dat, dey takes it an' dey goes tuh de rivah or de lake, an' throw it ovah de lef' shouldah.
(Well, wait a minute. Do they throw these foot tracks in with the pasteboard?)
Yes, sir. Dey throw dat ovah de lef' shouldah an' In de Name of de Fathah, an de Son, an' de Holy Ghost.
(I see.)
Dat's goin' tuh make yo', in nine days time, yo' goin' tuh come, be loose of yore limbs. No more service tuh yoreself. (What do they do with that string they measure it with? What do you do with the string?) Dey takes dat string - dat's de - dat so as - yo' see when yo' be - if yo' be pickin' up - yo' know, if yo' pick up dust, it's bound tuh crack, huh? But chew got de full length of it wit dat string.
(I see.)
Well, dat string goes wit it. It's tied right across dat bo'd. An' throw it ovah de lef' shouldah In de Name of de Fathah, of de Son an' de Holy Ghost.
Entry 5539
Well, see, if a person is stayin' 'way from home all de time, jis' come home an' eat an' tuh sleep a little while an' go right on off, doesn't have any time tuh be roun' home an' yo' wan' 'em tuh stay at home. Well, yo' ketch de track comin' home to- wards de door. An' if yo' git dat track an' yo' measure it wit a papah or eithah way [another method] yo' kin use cahton; well, if it's a piece dat dere hasn't been anything cut off of it befo'. Den when yo' write de name an' make de wishes - make yore wish yo' wanta make, an' fold it ovah, an' each fold fold it towards de house.
(You write on the cotton cloth or on the paper, and each fold you make?)
Each fold fold it towards de house an' repeat de words, "Come home an' stay at home." An' yo' fold dat an' aftah yo' fold it, yo' take a piece of new home- spun an' yo' put dis in it, an' den yo' put some salt. Yo' puts nine grains of red peppah, a pod of red peppah has nevah been any used out. Well, yo' kin put de whole nine pods or yo' kin put de nine grains, which is de seed yo' see. An' yo' put some salt an' some peppah wit dat, be sure it's de salt an' peppah whut yo' jis' bought 'specially fo' dat - an' sulphur. An' put dat down an' bury dat den. Yo' dig de top soil, yo' dig until yo' git down below de top soil, see, an yo' bury dat, an' make yore wishes. An' den de persons will stay at home.
Entry 5540
Now, dey kin take dat foot track of yores an' use it jis' lak dey wan'a. Well, dey takes a knife an' a rule an' measure yore foot tracks an' print it on a piece of papah. Den yo' carries de name. Jis' lak yo' say, ah wan'a do as ah wan'a wit dis person. Yo' carry de name three times. Write yore name. (They measure that foot track with the ruler and then take a piece of paper, a piece of paper the length of the foot track.) Dat's right an' den dey take yore name an' dey draws yore name in a box, in a square, in the box, diamond and heart. Dey write yore name. Yore name would be Jones Johnson. Dey put it backwards, yore name would be Johnson Jones, yo' undahstan'. An' dey cast dat in de light in de lamp, an' have yo' do jis' whut dey want yo' tuh do. Dat's right, dat's fer quick wishes.
Entry 5542
Dey would take de cord an' dey'll measure it, an' yo'd draw [stretch that cord over the length of] dat foot track. An' yo'd take dat cord aftah it wus drawed [stretched], an' yo' put it in a bottle wit some devil vinegah. An' write his name in dere nine times backwards [like Smith John instead of John Smith] an' nine times frontwards, dat's 18 times, an' keep it in dere fo' nine days. An' at de end of de nine days he goin' die.
(But you have to find this foot track some place first?)
Yes.
(Where do you get this devil's vinegar? Do you buy it some place?)
In de drug sto'.
(The Crackerjack [Drug Store]?)
Any one of 'em [any New Orleans' drug store].
Entry 5543
(I am going to talk to a girl now who was here the other day, by the name of Mary Magdalene. I am not certain that I have her material on the rec- ords, so to be certain I am going to take it down again. Her number was 679.) (All right, go ahead I want to be ableto hear you.) It's a man - if yo' want him to come back, yo' know, and if he goes out chure house, well yo' pick up the left-foot track, the dirt. Put it into a box and shut it up. And get to de right-foot track and get yo' a pine stick - about this long a stick - and take it and nail underneath of de steps. And take that dirt and bring it into your house, and put it right underneath - place it right underneath of your mattress, if you want him to come back, and he can't get away from you. [THE PRECEDING PARAGRAPH IS VERY COMMON IN HOODOO, SOMETHING IS MISSING. THESE FREQUENT MISSING SOMETHINGS REQUIRE TOTAL CONCENTRATION ON WHAT THE SPEAKER SAYS. FOR THIS REASON I ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:]
(You said something about a pine stick?)
Yes, sir.
(What do you do with that?)
Measure that stick just as long as his right foot. And nail it underneath of your step. [Informant's answer is quite evident in her original statement, but her ex- planation was necessary for the record.]
(I see.)
But the bottom where you measure it - the bottom of it, turn it towards the ground. [That part of the stick touching ground during measurement must when tacked under step face downwards towards ground.l
(I see.)
Underneath the step, tack it up underneath the step. And you place that dirt in your bed mattress where you sleep.
(That's the dirt from the left foot?)
Yes, sir.
(And what do you measure with this stick?)
The right one.
[This is merely checking, not trying to trick informant.]
(The right one, and what is that to do?)
That's to make him stay. (Make him stay. Now, what kind of tracks do you get? His tracks out there, any track?) When he leaves out, yes sir - just right where he steps on de dirt.
(Oh, when he's going away?)
Yes, sir.
(I see.)
Entry 5544
Yo' don' wan'a harm 'em but yo' goin' tuh move 'em. Yo' walk right down de road behin' 'im whichevah he's walkin'. Git chew sides [suckers] dat growin' from a hick'ry or from a 'simmon [persimmon] tree, an' stick it down at de end of 'is toe an' clip it off at 'is heel. An' take dem [clipped sticks measuring foot tracks] an' carry it [them] down tuh de rivah, say, "Go an' don' come back." An' he cain't stay dere.
(How many years old you you take the tree?)
Jis' only three sides less den a yeah old, but maybe [as old as] three yeahs. Cut dem de length of de feet [foot tracks] an' carry 'em an' don' look back, whatevah yo' do. Wish dere [at the river]. Dat will move him. (You take that from a persimmon tree?) From any tree in a stump. See, yo' jis' cuts if off, cut one heah an' two heah.
(We call them little suckers.)
Well, we call 'em sides, sprouts.
Entry 5545
Yeah, yo' kin take up a person's foot track jis' lak yo' kin - yo' know, a person walk along, why yo' kin go dere an' take de measure. Take yo' a string an' measure dey foot, de width an' de length. Yo' kin use both if yo' wan' tuh. Dat's whut dey tell me, dat yo' kin use both of 'em wit a string. Measure de width an' de length wit dis string. An' den yo' go tuh work an' yo' bury it at dere back do'steps. Dat string jis' de length of dey foot, yo' bury it dere an' event'ly [eventually] dey'll jis' leave 'way from dere. Dey cain't rest dere.
(You make both measurements with the same string?)
Wit de same string, see; an' yo' bury dat string.
Entry 5546
Take yo' measure an' dey kin weah dat measure aroun' 'em.
(How would they take that measure?)
Dey git 'em a cord string or any kinda string an' take dat measure of yorn an' weah it aroun' 'em.
(The measure of this foot track?)
Yessuh. (What will that do then?) Dat keeps 'em down.
Entry 5547
Git chew a bran'-new piece of cord string, cord string. Go an' buy yo' a ball a nickel[!] ball of cord string, undahstan'. An' yo' ketch dat track. Yo' watch 'em where dey pass an' yo' go dere an' yo' measure dat from yore toe to yuh heel. Tie dat knot in dere [at the length] an' put it in yore pocket. Den yo' got 'em.
(How do you mean you got them?)
If yo' wanta bring 'em tuh yo' or whut chew wanta do. Tuh stop 'em from walkin' or fix 'em any Way yo' want, well yo' got 'em, yo' see.
Entry 5548
[They would] tie - dey'd make nine knots in dat foot track. (How could they make nine knots in that track?) Well, dey'd measure it.
(Oh, they'd measure it. I see.)
Yo' have to measure it. Yo' make nine knots.
(In that string?)
In dat string, an' yo' take dat string an' yo' tie it tight an' bury it. Yo' see? An' yo' bury it in any yard way in de back undah of a tree. Dat would make dem person leg draw up.
(Make the leg draw up?)
Draw up.
(I see.)
Yeah. (Now, would you measure either one of those tracks, measure either one of them?) Yeah, it would have to be one of 'em, de lef'. [New Orleans, La., (798) 1113:1.]
Entry 5549
I did [this]. Take it an' measure it, yore foot tracks. Take it an' take a rule an' yo' measure dat foot track.
(Both of them?)
Well, not necess'ry. Try tuh git de right feet. Git de right feet where de heart's on, de side de heart's on - git de right[!] feet. Yo' take dat. Take it an' measure it, den yo' bring it back home. Aftah yo' bring it back home [I interrupt]. (Do you bring it [foot track] back or the measure?)[Informant does not understand my noun use of word measure. Measurement would have been better.] No, yo' take a rule an' measure de foot track. Or prob'ly, yo' may not have a rule, might take a stick an' break it off, measure it. Yo' taken an' yo' bring it [rule or stick] back home. An' yo' git yo' a toadfrog, not a bull frog. Take it an' put 'im in a stove an' parch 'im. An' take some - well, yo' kin take or'nary [ordinary] papah, take a papah bag, if it's nes'ry [necessary] an' cut dat foot step out an' wrap dat up, an' tie it up in de chimley.
(Wrap this frog stuff [powder] in this paper that you cut out?)
Yes, wrap it all up in dat, an' wrap it - don't wrap it from yo', WRAP IT TUH YO', ALL DE WAY WIT YORE LEF' HAN' 'CUZ YO' SUPPOSED TUH BE DOIN' A PIECE OF EVIL WORK. DAT'S ALONG DE LINE LUCIFAH WORRED, DAT'S NOT ALONG DE LINE WHAT CONCEN- TRATED IN WIT WILL POWAH, WHAT SUPPOSED TUH BE DEALIN' WIT' DE ASTRAL FORCE. (Well, now what will that do, when you fix my foot track that way? What will that do to me?) Well, if yo' runnin' off, it make yo' come back.
(Oh, that brings you back.)
Entry 5717
If dey ketch yore track where yo' make a track at, dey kin take dat track. Git a thread of any kin' an' measure it from toe tuh heel, undahstan', an' take de dirt up an' put it in [put in] quicksilvah, an' put it in a swinging bird nest, an' yo'll walk in yore grave. [Yo'll swing into your grave would have been better.] Jis' lak it's a bird nest yo' know up in a tree. Put it up dere where de birds go.
(And which foot do they get, both feet?)
No, de right feet.
Entry 5784
They measure your track with a string and send you out of the neighborhood. And stick it down at the low-water mark. They tie it to a stick and stick it down at the low-water mark. That's to put you on a drift, to send you away from home. When the tide comes in, that covers the stick; and when the tide runs down [out], that's carrying you away from home.
Entry 6155
(Take what?)
If you take a string of thread an' measure it from [I interrupt].
(A string or thread.)
An' measure from de mole of yore haid to de tip of yore toe, yo' know, an' clip a little hair out de mole of yore haid. Take dat an' wrap it up in a forked stick - wrap dat hair an' thread [or measur- ing string] up in a forked stick, an' bury it undah de do'step - dat, yo' know. See, she couldn't quit yo' or couldn't leave dat house until yo' dug dat up.
(I see. This is for the home?)
Yes, sir.
Entry 6855
Take a boy dat havin' de fits, a young boy. Some of de boys takin' a spasm, dataway by growin' too fast, accordin' tuh de physician's statement, yo' see. Any time he got de fit dat way, ah'll guarantee dat it kin be cured by takin' 'im out in de forest any- where where a tree at, turnin' 'is back tuh de tree an' measurin' 'im dere, de lengt' of 'is height. Saw dat tree off, de whole tree off, yes sir. He'll have no more fits.
Entry 6885
Yo' takes an' yo' git chew a spool of thread, white thread, an' yo'll measure from de length of where she walks at, an' in de ninth day she'll delivah dis baby. Dat chile will grow in 'er an' be almos'roun' about dis high, when it will delivah. She wouldn't be able tuh delivah it.
(All you have to do is to measure her what?)
[I now have quite a time learning what is measured, despite my knowing the answer.] Git a white spool of thread, No.8.
(Yes.)
An' yo' take dat thread an' wheresomevah yo' know she passes, always take de length.
(The length of what?)
De length wit de thread, jis' lak yo'd have a measure fo' twine, yo' know, an' yo'd be takin' a stretch.
(Well, what do you measure?)
Yo' measure where she walks at.
(What do you mean 'where she walks at?")
[I stop recording machine, she answered!]
(Well now, that's what I want to know. You measure her footsteps.)
Yo' measure her footsteps.
(All right.)
Now, wherevah yo' know she's stayin', yo'll come dere lak nuthin an' yo' jis' take de length of it an' den, as she go on, wherevah she makes [a track], yo' stop an' take de measure of it.
(Then what do you do with that?)
Yo' ties dat up, yo' ties dat thread up in knots. Yo'll count how many knots, intuh nine knots. An' de measure of 'er, all de steps dat yo' takes from 'er, if she stand - don' care how [many steps].
Entry 7214
Dat whut chew call tyin' down. Dey'll wait until de man come in an' go tuh sleep, an' dey git a bran'-new ball of cot- ton yarn an' puts it on de inside of de baid, where de man gotta sleep. Why dey measure from de tip of 'is haid tuh de sole of 'is feet. Tie a knot tuh de neck, an' tie a knot tuh de waist, an' tie a knot tuh de knees, an' tie a knot tuh de ankles, an' tie one tuh de sole of yuh feet [5 knots]. An' den dey take dat an' dey care [carry] it undah de baid tuh de side dat he sleeps on an' tie it, yo' know, undah de springs wit de two ends tuhgethah double. Tie it right undah where [demonstrates]. Dis part of de body.
(Near the backside?)
Yes. Dat keeps 'im down, dat keep 'em from runnin' aroun'. [Charleston, S. Car., (514), 599:5.] [For more material by Doctor Glover, see Pp.2258-2259; No.112, P.41; No.272, P.79; and No.335, p.99.]
Entry 7215
If she measure a man while he layin' down in baid alive, well inside of at least a year's time de undah- takah 'imself will be measurin' dat man fer a casket [coffin]. He really will.
(What do you mean, measuring him how?)
Well, he'd be daid.
(Well, how would she measure him?)
[I am asking for details.]
If she measured 'im from haid tuh foot wit a kinda extension rule, well he'd be daid in a yeah's time.
Entry 7315
(Have you ever heard of them going out to the graveyard and getting some of -that dirt out there?) I've heard of people usin' graveyard soil, but ah nevah used any in mah life - no.
(Well, what do they say they do with that?)
Ah've heard dey say dey take it an' have diff'ren' cases lak yo' might kill a man an' he's buried dere an' yo' wanta try to help yoreself. Why yo' take nine thimbles of dat graveyard soil from dat grave, but yo' stand off from de grave. [You] stands off an' wit de index fingah [he means little finger] an' your thumb - undahstand, stands off an', as yo' stands off, yo' measure dose spans in equal parts. Dere yo' are. An' yo' take a brass thimble an' take up nine thimblefuls of dat graveyard soil in yore hand, an' dat'll help yo' in de court.
(I see. When you have killed the man. If you have killed a man.)
[My second statement tries to soften the first.]
Say, if yo' killed one - yo' know, anyone, not only - not de person dat kilt de man kin do dat, but ah mean anyone else dat do dat fur 'em, yo' know, what git to de graveyard where de fellah is buried dere. (But YOU MEAN THE FELLOW THAT KILLED THE MAN MUST BE UP IN COURT AND SOMEBODY MUST DO THAT FOR HIM?) Oh, sure, yeah! (Well now, how did you measure that off? I didn't quite understand how he did that.) Measure it off wit yore hand - de index an' de thumb here.
(WHERE DO YOU BEGIN NOW ON THE GRAVE?)
Right at de head of de grave. Dere yo' are.
(In the head of the grave.)
Down to de feet dere. (FROM THE THUMB TO YOUR INDEX FINGER.) [Only later did I realize informant Was calling the little finger the index finger. HE WAS USING THE COMMON SPAN = 9 INCHES. HE WAS HORSE-MEASURING THE GRAVE!] Dere yo' are.
(And you do this way - keep measuring off nine.)
[I solved a number of unusual problems as they arose at the interview table, but this one I missed completely! My keep measuring off nine means informant kept measuring off the distance between his spread-out thumb and index finger! I thought he was measuring them in groups of nine! I did not know that he was try- ing to locate the center of the grave. That comes later. The diagonal lines connecting the 4 corners of the grave - easily drawn with a stick or by crossing 2 long sticks would have given the center. THAT WORD SPAN WAS THE CLUE. BUT IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME THAT ANYONE WOULD HAVE HORSE-MEASURED A GRAVE. WHY NOT STEP IT OFF, SIGNIFYING THAT MURDERER OR HIS SUBSTITUTE HAD THE VICTIM UNDER HIS FEET? PERHAPS SOME OTHER SYMBOL OF MAGIC IS INDICATED HERE.1 Nine. Measure off till yo' measure off to de end of de grave. Dere yo' are.
(Oh! To the end of the grave.)
Den yo' divide dose spans - keep count of dose spans. Was it ten, was it five an' a part, was it nine, or was it four an' a half? Yo' understand, huh? Den yo' take an' measure dat grave in de middle section [measure width]. An' den yo' take up - dig a little hole [in] dat [center] an' take dose nine thimbleful of dat graveyard soil.
(In Other WOrds, YOU MEASURE THIS GRAVE TO GET THE EXACT CENTER?)
Dere yo' are.
(I see, I understand. That's what they do to get the fellow off in court.)
Entry 7725
Take de footbo'd an' put it tuh de haid an' de haidbo'd an' put it tuh de feet, an' let it stay fo' [for] fo' [four] days. Go back an' reverse de footbo'd tuh de left-side an' de haidbo'd tuh de right-side, an' name de othah per- son - name de per- son [victim]. Take de length of dat grave from de haid wit a rule [string can be used]. Carry it back through a [paper bag suggested later] an' pass it tuh dem [the victim]. Give it tuh dem or some of de ones in de house - or de one dat shure tuh be condemned. Dat'll be de one who'll soon pass out of de house. (How do you mean? You go there and put the headboard to the foot and the footboard to the head?) That's right. (Then you go back there in four days. And then what do you do with those boards?) Take 'em an' jes' place 'em tuh de side, one tuh de left an' one tuh de right Iside of grave].
(Well, which is which?)
De haidbo'd tuh de left [heartside] an' de footbo'd tuh de right. Jes' take dem an' jes' push 'em dere; jes' push 'em dere an' name 'em.
[Somewhere along here informant said something about a sign on the grave.]
(That you make a sign on the grave?)
Yo' make a "x" on de grave, dat's right. Carry it [measurement] back an' give tuh de person.
(What do you give to the person?)
De measure. Yo' measure it wit a rule or a string; anything yo' want tuh, jes' since yo' git it back [to the house]. Yo' take de measure an' give it tuh dis person, somebody in de house. Yo' gotta give it tuh 'em in a papah bag or sompin - in de bag or sompin. Be sure dat chew give it tuh 'em. [Sumter, S. Car. (1384), 2460:5.]
Entry 7833
Ah heard dem say dey take a person's height, jis' ord'n'ry [ordinary], why yo' bein' a low man, why jis' git somepin, objek[object] neah yuh height, yo' know. Well, yo' keep yuh eye on dat an' when yo' go out, why dey take de rule an' measure dat. Dat'll be yuh height den. Den dey take dat length an' go in de graveyard an' measure dat off on a grave. Say yo'd soon somehow git afflicted an' die, jis' from puttin' yuh measure in de graveyard, right on top of a grave. Makes a long switch an' put a mark on it - lak [as the measurement].
(Do they leave the stick there?)
No sir, jis' go ahaid an' take yuh measurement down dere, so many feet, right on top de grave, yo' know, where dey goes. Jes' make a mark right 'cross dere an' it some kinda li'le funny word dey would say, some kinda li'le message. Yo' goin' die or somepin happen.
Entry 7942
Says if yo' measure a person wit a square or eithah a rule - dat chew measure a dead person to git 'im in 'is coffin-lak dere, an' den measure a person live, height by dat rule or square, he'll soon die. (That was especially in the old days when they had to make their coffins, the old-fashioned coffins. You must measure him with the same rule as you used in measuring out the dead man's coffin.) Dat's right.
Entry 7963
Measure a person's foot with any kind of string and tie a knot in each end of it...put it in a box the shape of a coffin...bury it; as hit grow old, as
[in like manner] you fade away.
Entry 8195
Yo' measure de person. (You mean, measure the length from the head to the foot.) [This is not a leading ques- tion but information obtained before recording began.] Dat's right, yo' measure de person, an' yo' give dem so many things [bad spot in recording]. You take dis person's measure wit some; jis' say now, yo' git a string dat size [demonstrates] an' yo' measure dat person. An' yo' wrap dis around a pichure of de person an' bury dem wit a ceremony as yo' would de daid. Yo' know, yo' jis' take dis, but chew have tuh carry it up on some hill, as ah wus tellin' yuh 'bout where yo' put de hair [in 841:4]. An' yo' use'ly [usually] git some of de hair of de person's haid an' bury it wit it. An' [that] somepin else ah didn't tell yuh.
(What will this do, then?)
[Informant thinks I am asking about the hair.]
Well, dey claim it jis' rots, de person [hair] will. But dey [person] fin'ly [finally] git mindless. Dey git where dey lose dere appetite. Now, ah don know whethah dat's true.
Entry 8564
Git de dirt from a person foot track an' yo' could put some steel dust with, an' hair from undah yore arms, an' yo' could bury it, an' yo' could keep a person down lak that. Either yo' could make 'em travel. Yo' could take a person's foot tracks an' yo' could take de steel dust, hair from undah yore arms an' dirt from undah yore fingernails. An' yo' take dis ole [anything you measure with] yo' know de length that yo' measure. Measure it [foot track] crossway an' straight up an' down, too. An' yo' could write de name [on a piece of paper or article used for measuring] an' bury it an' yo' keep 'em down. An' yo' could take a piece of their sock with that, yo' understan'.
Entry 8663
(Measure you with cords? How do they do that?)
Well, jest like if I know yo' is five feet or [and] six inches, or three[!] feet six inches, ah'll walk by yo' an' ketch de height of myself. [He compares his height with that of his victim's.] Ah take a length of cord an' go [step] back an' put it in nine [loose] knots. Den ah'll call yo name. [Then the knots are tightened.] Den ah'd go back an' get me dat stuff [previously mentioned] and get some graveyard dust an' set it up dere, right dere. Run yo' away or make yo' do enythin' ah wantcha [want you] tuh do - leave de town [for example].
Entry 9100
If yo' have somebody in prison - it's mo' easy fo' yo' tuh take a cord becuz dey'll notice too much if yo' take a string, if yo' go tuh see yore people dere. Yo'll go dere tuh see 'em an' yo'll have tuh do dat slightly [carefully] yo' see. Lak if he's standin' up, den yo' stand up an yo' jis' put dat cord lak back of his haid lak dat... [demonstrates]. Jis' stan' up lak dat, an' yo' take dat cord an' put it behin' his haid. An' den yo' unwrap de othah part an' let it fall on de flo'... [demonstrates]. Well, now whilst he standin' dere, yo' tell 'im don' move, say, "Don' move." (Take that whole measure from the top of his head to the foot). Yo' take dat up an' den yo' fix dat in a ball. Yo' see, yo' fix dat an' den yo' burn dat wit a brand-new han'ke'ch'ef. Yo' burn dat. Let 'im wipe his face an' burn dat an' wit 'is name - de judge's name. Yo' burn all dat tuhgethah, dat papah an' all tuhgethah, yo' see, an' de lawyah's name. An' yo' burn all dat tuhgethah. An' when he'll come, if he won' discharge 'im, he won't let 'im go no fu'thah. Yo' jis' drap [drop] it from de do' an' yo' jis' drap it [ashes]. (When you go back to see him again, you sprinkle that [string and paper] dust around, and they will turn him loose?) Yes.
Entry 10213
She kin measure him if she wanta with a string or with ribbon when he goes tuh sleep. She kin tie that roun' her laig or she kin put it in her pocketbook or in her pillow an' she kin control him, but that will lead to accidents in de long run. He'll hurt her.
Entry 10215
After she measures that [man's penis], she gets some of your [man's pubic] hair, mixes that together, puts it in a little bag and wears it between her legs down here, and thereon he's her man. [Freder- icksburg, Va., by Ediphone.]
Entry 10216
Or, dey say, if yo' take de measure of him down below an' wear it in a bottle on yo', dat will stop him. He cain't go wit anyone else.
(In a small bottle.)
Entry 10217
Wal, she measure him dere. She takes dat length an' she measure him lak dat an' she takes yore hair an' begin dat thing about dat. She takes de string an' takes dat measure of dat [demonstrates a hand]. (Of the hand?) Dis one [demonstrates]. (The left hand?) Dat's right [informant contin- ues to demonstrate, I describe actions]. (And she measures the middle finger....from the end of the middle finger, right up over the hand joining to the wrist. And from the second joint of the middle finger down to that bone.)
[Bone = wrist bone, see later.]
She takes dat den, takes dat little cotton string an' holds it an' vraps it. Takes dat hearts [Hearts Cologne] an' put it on it, an' ever' time dat she messes wit chew, yo' see, she take it an' put her han' lak dat. An' when she git through she rub dat on yo'. Dere's no other woman dat chew kin bother wit.
(She rubs that string on herself after.)
Zackly.
(But how could she measure a man? Would he let her measure him that Way?)
Dat's de length of his.... [informant demonstrates].
(Oh! I see, she has to measure his hand - he's asleep - so he won't know it.)
She kin do it if he ain't wise, ain't got no sense. She could [say], "Let's see ho' long yo' finger - long as mine." Jes' lak dat. See, dat's de way dey get it.... [informant demonstrates again while I comment]. (They measure the middle finger of the left hand, the second knuckle from the top dam to that protruding bone right by the wrist joint.) [Here a woman afraid to measure a man, substitutes a left-hand measurement supposed to indicate his size!]
Entry 10237
He wus a married man, she wanted him. All right. She goes to this here ole lady, this ole lady in Chattanooga, Tenn., called Aunt Dinah. Eberbody in Chattanooga - you can call her name from here and eberbody - you can ast de co'thouse about her, jes' ast anybody. Jes' call de co'tenhouse [because her special- ity was court cases] and ast any- thing about Aunt Dinah, an' you'll git hist'ry of her from right here today. She goes to Aunt Dinah. Aunt Dinah says, "Well, kin you go to sleep with him?" She says, "Yes." "Can you have dealings with him?" She said, "Yes." She says, "You take a string, and when you have dealings with him, ' she says, "you measure around him." When she measured this man around here, she carries that to Aunt Dinah. Aunt Dinah takes that and she buried it in graveyard dirt. And after she let it stay in graveyard dirt two day, she told her to carry it back. She wrapped it up in red flannel and put old sharp needles, points stickin' straight up, and [said]: "Carry that back and sew it up in your bedtick. Put it on the side where he's got to sleep; and as long as that is in your tick, that man will stay with you and he'll quit his wife."
Entry 10241
Measure a man. Yo' kin take a new cord string. Dat's whut ah heard. An' take his measure dis way, de long Ways, an' dis way [probably made a sign with fingers]. (Around.) Yes. An' then yo' tie those knots. Tie one [knot] in each end [of length measurement string] and tie de othah two [ends of] around [measurement], one right here jes' around dat way. An' wear it right in front of you, see. An' dat'll make him stay at home. [To repeat: a knot is tied at the end of the usually new cord held against the body. A second knot indicates end of the length. While second knot is held at the beginning of the circumference measurement, a third knot in the same string will establish the end of this double measurement. Remember, measure- ment is taken while man is asleep.]
Entry 10242
I've heard of 'em takin' a handke'chief an' measurin' [a man's penis] so many inches, don' choo understand. I don't know whether it's six inches or what it is. An' they'll tie it. I think, the handke'chief in three knots, an' they will bury it. That'll make that man, don' choo understand leave home. That's what I heard 'em say. That'll make that man leave home, don't choo understand an' go the Way that they want 'em to go. They's some women, don't choo understand, they - you know - they don't [want] de man themselves an' they don't want choo to be there wid your people. An' they'll do anything in the world they kin to break 'em up.
Entry 10243
Take a piece of cloth, [they] say, an' ketch him asleep an' measure him, measure his penis. [Knots not tied]. An' aftah she measure it, den she wear dat aroun' her waist, yo' see. An' den dat's tuh tie him up. He cain't have nobody else but her. [One cylinder later informant repeats this rite from the man's point of view; see rite following present one.]
Entry 10251
Well, now jus' what one [woman] he be with. And the one what wants to stop him, well she'd get her a yard of brand-new yellow cotton [usually called homespun = unbleached cotton] and she'd take an' when they go to bed, and then they finish, well that's what she use. She use [wipes him with] that. And she have her piece of [white cotton] cord and she takes the measure [of his penis] and she puts nine knots in it, in each [this one] piece in the white cotton [cord]. Well, she keep the white [yellow] cotton [piece] up under her mattress and the cord with the nine knots in it, she wears it around her waist. And every time, if that's his wife, and he leave his wife to go to his lady friend, well there's nothing doing [with the other woman].
Entry 10252
[This rite comes in two parts:] (l) [A woman will] take his shirt, fold the arms together, crossing [each other], put on side of bed where he sleeps [put under mattress]. [The folding of shirt arms is a sym- bol of dead man in a coffin.] He'll be back. (2) [If he runs around with other woman, here is what she does.] Quite natural she kin git de measure of his private down dere an' tie as many knots in it as he [his] private is long, an' wear it aroun' her waist. Dat'll stop him.
Entry 10274
Dey have to take de measurement of a man, say it's such as a man run- nin' aroun' after women. An' if a woman take his measurement with a piece of string, an' his water, an' put it in there [bottle], as he go to fool with any other woman, whenever she shake this [bottle] up, he'll lose all nachure fer any other woman but her. She keep that [bottle] in a secret place, an' whenever she think that he's doin' somepin wrong, shake that, an' nachurely that would cause him to lose nachure fer any other woman but her.
Entry 10275
Well, if she could get holt of somepin belongin' to a man, if she could get holt of his - but she must be in connection with him once. And she could get the measure of him and get some of her chamber lye and mix it together, she could get him. The only Way he could get away from her.
(She takes the measure of the man with a string?)
With a string, yeah.
(And what did she do with her chamber lye, then?)
Put it in that bottle with the string.
(Oh, she puts the string in the bottle where she put the chamber lye.)
Put it in a bottle and set it up in de left corner of the house. [The left corner is either left corner, front or back, while approaching house.]
(In the left corner of the house, and that will keep him.)
That will keep him right with her.
Entry 10276
I know at one time a woman and a man were very familiar towards each other, they would do anything they were inclined to do. So at last one day this woman decided that she would take the measure [circumfer- ence] and the length of her sweetheart. And after doing so - just as if you would go and measure a dog's tail. I don't care how bad the dog is, I don't care how much stranger he is, you can measure his tail and take the length of the measure and bury it at your doorstep, and that dog will never depart from you. So this woman, after taking the measurement of this man, goes to work. Then she decreed that, I want this man for myself individual. She would go to work and take this measurement, and wrap it up in a bundle and put it in a bottle, and put this measurement in her trunk, with a small quantity of her urine with this; and stopped it up and put it in her trunk and let it remain. And this man then would always forever be ravish with her and always wanting to get to her. You measure with a piece of string, stick, anything. You put that in the bottle with the urine. The man, you measure the length; the woman, you measure the size. He would do the same sort of thing with her measure. [Hamp- ton (Old Point Comfort), Va., by Ediphone.]
Entry 11280
Yo' kin take a pusson's shoe an' yo' kin measure de length of dey track an' yo' kin go tuh a spring. De spring yo' know is 16 inches wide or 20; de 20 is de length. If it ain't ovah 20 inches wide, yo'd measure dat shoe an' measure dat spring fo' ways, on dat shoe track. An' dem people come tuh yo' an' dey borrow an' borrow an' borrow. Well, yo' got 'em steppin' den, 'cause yo' done took advantage of 'em. Dey come tuh yo' tuh bor- row a match or sompin all de time. Well, de way fo' yo' tuh do den, yo' go ahead an' yo' git chew some bear roots, lak it [root] be's on [in] de swamps. [Bear root I am unable to identify. It may be the bearberry (Ilex deidua) of southern U. S. A., or less likely the inkberry, a holly (Ilex glabra) of eastern North Am- erica.] Yo' boil dat bear root good till it turn yallah. Bear roots are sorta black-yallah root-lak. An' yo' boil it an' boil it an' boil it, until it git feelin' right soft-lak. Den yo' take dat out an' clip 'bout dat much off of it [demonstrates], an' de fust chance yo' git yo' pit [put] it on anythin' fo' 'em tuh drink - anythin'. Well, yo' gotta git some on anythin' yo' give to 'em, or eithah yo' git a chance tuh put a piece in his pocket. He'll wandah away an' yo'll nevah see him. If yo' git ary a piece of it in his pocket.
(The spring you measure. You mean that has got water in it, a spring?)
Yeah, a spring dat have watah in it. Yo' measure it fo' ways, with his foot- track - have de length of his track. But a silk string. Don' have no othah kind of string, any kinda silk string. Don' care if it's offen a woman's stock- in' laig. An' measure it [spring] fo' ways. If his track will measure eight inches, measure it, an' if it's a sixteen inches spring, measure it twice fol ways [measure it twice on each of its 4 sides] an' yo' can't be wrong. Fo' ways. An' if yo' hit it jes' right, he'll come to yore house de same time de next time. Don't care if it's ten a'clock in de day, yo' done it, he'll be in yore house at ten a'clock tonight tuh borrow sompin. He gotta know sompin it... [he must know what you are doing to him].
(What does he come to borrow for?)
Well, yo' gittin' - worryin' him yo' know. See, dat's buryin' his track yo' know. Dat's drawin' him to yo', yo' know, by doin' dat.
(What do you draw him to you for?)
[Here is the secret of the rite.]
Draw him to yo' fo'? Well, jes' lak if yo's mad wit him or sompin, yo' know, an' yo' wanta aggravate him or somethin' othah, yo'd do dat. [My informant's reason for drawing the borrower to him just to annoy him does not make sense. A constant borrower you would want to keep away. Surely this is the remmant of a rite on how to bring a witch bewitching you to your house so that you could refuse to loan anything and free yourself from his or her spell. See "Never Lend to a Witch, " No.16338, p.875 and elsewhere in that witch- craft section, FOLKLORE FROM ADAMS COUNTY ILLINOIS, 2nd ed.]
Entry 11291
[In addition to the following material, there are other dog rites scattered throughout HOODOO, especially in that long group of cats-and-dogs together, 49 rites: No.10881, P.4087 to No.10930, p.4096, v.5.] Git chew a stick, cut off de length of dog; nose, tail an' all - de measure of his body. Dis little bunch [of hair] de end of his tail, cut dis end of hair, tail [hair] off altogether an' take it an' bury it undah de do'steps. An' dey say yo' take de dog an' lead him outa town, give him 'way tuh somebody or tie him off [away somewhere]. Dem peoples will leave [town].
(That will make that person leave - out of town.)
(If I wanted you to leave town, I would get a stick. Any kind of a stick?)
A hickory stick, a green one. (A green hickory stick and I would measure that dog - any dog, no matter who it belonged to. I would measure this dog from the tip of it's nose, down to the tip of it's tail, and would cut the stick off just that length. I would cut off the hairs of the tail. Then I would take this dog out of town and tie it some place. Then I would bury this stick and this hair under your doorstep, and that Would make you leave town?) Yessuh.
Entry 12421
He lay down in de bed - jes' like he lay down. Now, you go right dere when he's sleeping. Git a little cord, new cord, and if he stiff and hard [if his body is stretched out] you kin measure, you know, right straight on down to yore [his] feet.
(From your head to your feet.)
Yes sir, and then you put nine knots in it, see, an' tie 'em around yore Waist - jes' like you'd lock a person's trunk, dey can't git out - can't gc no more, can't go.
Entry 12422
If yore husban' is runnin' aroun' an' yo' want him tuh stay at home, yo' ketch him 'sleep an' yo' git chew some tape, dis white tape whut de lady- folks trim dey dress wit. Yo' git chew some of dat an' yo' ketch him asleep an' yo' measure him, long enough, an' have de string kinda long enough dat chew kin make nine knots in it, aftah yo' measure him. An' yo' take dat tape an' yo' tie it to any tree. Jes' tie it up on any tree, an' he'll stay home. He won't go out nowhere an' run aroun'.
(Any tree outside the house?)
Any tree outside of a house or in de yard or anywhere, jes' any one any- where yo' kin find one. Jes' take it an' tie it up to it an' leave it stay dere.
Entry 12423
Now, she kin take a piece of cord, or a piece of string, or anything lak dat an' measure him, yo' see. Yo' ketch de string tight an' yo' measure him. Den aftah measurin' it, yo' tie dem nine knots, an' yo' put it in a bottle or put it in a can or any- thing lak dat an' throw it in de rivah. Yo' see an' dat'll keep him driftin' - jes' keep a-goin'. Dat's when yo' wanta run a fellah way.
Entry 12570
To git a man an' keep him, that he can't git away. When he goes to sleep and likes he makes a rise, you know, you git you a cord string when it do, you measure it from the tip to the end to where it starts at, and you tie nine knots in that string and put that around your waist. And regardless of what you do or what- ever he can't go. He'll follow you all over the world. He can't get away from you.
Entry 12896
Now, if you want to divorce her - if you want to break this up - if you get on to [suspect] her - you are suspicious. [If you suspect she had you tied up, has made you sexually impotent.] Jis' go on, put you on you some clean socks, walk on to a beer joint - some place. (To a beer joint?) Yeah. Get you a bottle of beer and go on walking. Walk far enough where you begin to perspire and when your feet get hot and you perspire, stop and sit down. Take the left shoe off. Pour this bottle of beer in that left shoe. Drink the beer out of the shoe instead of the bottle. Close the bottle. Stand this way [demonstrates] and turn your hands [this way] and throw it [bottle] straight out in front of you, with your wish [that your impotence leaves]. It [potency] comes back again.
(I see.)
Yes, all the affection is taken away from her. (I see. Take this beer bottle in the left hand, then, you bring it around to the back of your neck.) Yes, that's right. And take that [bottle] in your right hand and throw right directly in front of you.)
(I see. And that breaks the spell of that string around her waist.)
Sure. Yes, sir. [My preceding comment is a good example of my using in- formation informant had given before researching began. Woman had "tied him up by measuring him with a string and tying it about her waist.]
(It should do it?)
Sure. I've seen it do it.
(I see, I see.) [The wish is the power!]
Entry 12921
(They shoot the shadow, you say?)
Yeah. Well, dey do dat to harm a pusson, get him into trouble - harm 'em. Yo' be up dere - standin' dere - of co's [course] dis de individual, yo' understand. Yo' have a walkin' stick, see. While he standin' up, yo' be mark- in' in de ground. Yo' mark where his shadah is, yo' know. Well, after he go yo' know, yo' shoot dat shadow an' yo' shoot right in de heart. See, wheah yo' heart is, yo' know.
(And what will that do to them?)
Dat give dem heart trouble.
Entry 12924
De way ah heard it, dey says: jes' lak yo' see a person's shadow. Yo' take de measure of his shadow. Jes' lak a person walkin' along an' he hap- pen tuh stop an' yore shadow's up 'ginst de house or.... Well yo' jes' take dat width. Write it lak 18 inches or whatsomever: two an' a half foot or whatsomever yo' see, or six and a half or whatsomever it is. Yo' jes' do dat an' bury dat - de inform- ation. Dat's tuh run someone, sompin other lak dat.
(What will that do to a person?)
Dat will kill dem.
Entry 13221
If a man leaves home an' a woman wants tuh make him come back, well - vell, ah understan' she could take de measure of his whole body an' dat she could take de measure of his- self, an' tie nine knots aroun' it. An' den at de bed where he sleep, de side dat he sleep on, tie it de whole length of de bed. An' den whatsomevah... Yo' know yo' always have a spirit dat chew pray tuh, well are him tuh back yo' up, yo' see. An' make yore wish whut chew want him tuh do. If yo' want dat man tuh come back home, make yore wish an' den scrub yore house oat wit sweeten watah. (What do you do with that length from the head to the foot? What do you do gith that length, that string?) Yo' measure it...yo' tie it de full length of de bed, yo' know, on de spring- Lak, from de haid tuh de foot.
(You don't tie nine knots in it do you?)
Yeah, nine knots.
(And you tied nine knots in the other string too?)
No, yo' tied nine knots in dat string.
(What do you do with that short string?)
Well, dat othah short string yo' wear aroun' yore waist. Algiers, La.,
(1586), 2695:4.]