Subject:Money
Entries
Entry 390
I'll tell you one thing that I have heard. A long time ago people used to bury their money instead of putting it in the banks. The person that buried the money believed that if they killed someone or an animal and cut the animal's head off or the person's head off and bury the head with the money that it would keep someone else from getting the money. At a place on the road [Maryland State Road No. 12] between Snowhill and Salisbury, near the Worcester County line, there's a tree, an oak I think, where they claim that somebody was buried. And this man - this was before the Civil War, killed a little colored boy and cut his head off and buried it with the money. Later on people heard about this money being buried there and a number of them tried to get it. Everyone who tried to dig up this money never succeeded and the belief was that this head protected the money and kept the people from getting it. They claim that on certain nights, especially dark nights, people going along this road from Snowhill to Salisbury see a little light like and this light seems to flicker and it is near this tree. They claim that that's the way you know money is buried there. Well, one man, I don't know whether it is true or not, tried to dig up this money. So he took some other man with him to help him. So they dug and dug under this tree and they almost got to the money and just as he looked up he claimed that he saw a sword suspended by a hair from the limb of the tree and he claims that he heard a voice say, "If you touch the money the sword will drop." His companions also saw and heard the same thing and they left him and ran away. But he stayed as long as he could but it seems that something Was holding him back all the time. But he didn't get this money. One night [1935] I was driving along that way and it was a very rainy night and dark and it seemed as though we could see this light twinkling. It might have been my imagination. They called it the money gold light.
Entry 893
[The following story from my original pencil transcription is about as exact as I could reproduce the recorded text. It shows some of the difficulties of transcribing; a matter I have discussed in the Introduction:] Mah a'nt [aunt] vus [was] name Ella. She vure [were] pyzon [poisoned] on branch watah [water] dey [there] vure she drinked de vatahs from. A lady didn't lak [like] 'er. De lady's name vure Rebecca. She ain't lak 'er. Mah a'ntie had took 'er husban' away from 'er an' she vure mad vid mah a'nt an' she tole 'er, she say, "Ella, ah'm goin' git choo fer dis if it be las' t'ing ah do." An' she done it. She ain't had no idee she goin' put nuttin [= nothing in] de watah way [where] she drinked. An' she vent down tah de branch an' put somepin [something in] de watah. (What she put in the water.) [I unknowingly dropped my did showing I was concentrating in an effort to understand him.] Well, when de [root] doctah test[!!!] de watah [he said] dey [Rebecca an' her doctor] put some 'erb medicine in de watah. Aftah she [go] down dey an' got a dose of it - she drink-dit - she vent tah fallin' off, got poah, got bony, ain't know whut [what] tah do fer huhself. Nobody cain't do 'er no good - [medical] doctah cain't do 'er no good. An' un [one] day a colored fellah come 'long an' tole 'er - a root doctah. He tole 'er, He sayed, 'Lady"' - he ain't know 'er name - he sayed, "Lady, yah hurt." He say, "Ah kin curah [cure] yuh fer jis' a little 'mount of money." An' she sayes [says, not sez], "All rightee, vhut's de mattah wid me?" He say, "Ah kin tell yah." He say, "Yah pizoned." He say', "Yah got yoah dose from watah." She say, "Vhure de watah from?" He say, "Ah don't [know] way de watah from, but yah got pizoned in some watah," he say, "an' yah pay a little 'mount of money, a dollah down, ah'll put chah on yah feet." She say, "Well, come on in de hahse [house] an' le' me talk tuh yuh." He tuck 'er on in de hahse an' he doctah on 'er. [He says] "vell, yeh go down long 'bout a mile from heah an' yah git yuh some alder root." An' she say, "Ah don't know whut alder root is." An' he say, "If yah come on an' go wid me an ah'll show yeh," he say, "if ah go, it goin' cost double money, an'[that is] why ah tole yuh." She say, "Well, ah [don't] caah [care] how much money it cost 'cept so I git on mah feet agin." An' aftah [that] dey vent on down in dere tuh de fahk [fork] of de road, run way down in de voods, an' got alder root an' tuck dat an' made tea of dat. An' she drinked it. Aftah he made dat tea, verms an' bugs come from uh to [through] uh bowels. An' roun' 'bout mont [month] aftah dat she got a relief from it, an' [he] tole uh keep on drinkin' dat root tea. An' aftah while she got huh feet so she could lay aroun' de hahse an' dat same 'uman [woman] come to huh doah an'tole uh, she say, "Ella," says, "yah gittin on yoah feet, ain't choo?" 'Yesuh," she say. "Well, if yuh say I hurt yuh, but I ain't hurt choo; but I vill hurt chah if yuh do me back talk about anyt'ing. An' she run an' pushed de doah, close it in huh face an' say, "Stay away from mah doah cuz yah done cause me lak to die on 'count of pizon me.' She say, "I ain't pizon yeh." She say, "Yeh did pizon me,"' an' she cos [close] de doah right in huh face. An' den she knock off de doah an' say, "Dat'll be all right." An' de same doctah come dere dat same day an' tole huh, he say, "Dat's de 'uman dat pizon yah.' An' aftah dat she lef', he turnt it back on de 'uman, an' de 'uman died in roun' 'bout two year aftah dat. ["A Negro down on the Sound - this happened down on the Sound - his voice is clear but difficult to transcribe" - comment written on my original pencil tran- scription; which is attached to final MS; both comment and transcription made soon after interview. The Sound was Pamlico: "3ll Willie Jones - New Bern, N. C.
[[region]] - fair" - Numbers Book 136-317.]
Entry 2105
A king snake, git his hide yo' know an' skin 'im. Take his hide an' make yo' a underwearing belt out of it - make it jest lak yo' make a money belt. Dey say if yo' put a dollah in dat belt or any piece of paper money - yo' jes' put it in dere an' wear it, dey say if yo' gamble, don't care how much money yo' lose, when yo' git back to dat dollar yo' goin' win in de game. Long as yo' kin keep dat dollar in cir- culation yo' won't nevah lose it when yo' wear it in dat belt. When yo' quit yo' jes' put it right back in dat belt.
Entry 2106
If ah got silver money, ah counts mah silver, but ah hardly evah counts mah pennies - but ah keeps mah silver money specially separate from mah pennies. Well now, ah go tuh trade if ah got pennies. Why ah'll take mah pennies an' use 'em all as fur as ah has tuh go, but ah nevah mix mah pennies wit mah silver money.
Entry 2107
Well, fo' instance, if yo' would give a woman a dollah, papah money an' if she didn't want chew tuh have any money at all, she would take dat dollah an' she would burn it to ashes. An' aftah she burn it to ashes she would open de palm of her han' an' she would blow it; an' yo' see, she would blow dat money in de othah han'. Dat's de same Way de money would go an' yo' would nevah be able tuh keep any - yo' will nevah be able to keep any.
Entry 2136
Fo' luck in gamblin' yo' use de John de Conker. Yo' take dat an' yo' kin put it in a bag an' yo' put chew a little steel dust in dere an' put chew 45 cents - two dimes an' a 25 cents piece, nuthin wit even money. See. An' put dat in a bag an' wear it in yore pocket. An' yo' take any high [smelling] perfume an' yo' 'noint dat wit dat, wit dat perfume. It seems lak yo' would give de man a ambition, an' give him dose silver [pieces], an' when he bet he bet always right until de othah fellah dat is playin' wit chew - understan', he beats him so many times until he lose ambition, see. An' he be a certain amount loser thataway an' he will always play. When he first start losin' he plays tuh win, when he find out he's losin' he plays tuh ketch back. An' he gits so far around de fellah, he beat him so much until he jes' lose all ambition.
Entry 6276
If yo' want a person tuh be crazy about choo, yo' kin take dere hair an' a roun' piece 'bout dat big [demonstrates] outa dere sock, of each sock. (About the size of a dollar?) No, about de size of aquartah or half [dollar]. Den yo' ball dat hair up tight an' yo' put it in dose two pieces of sock an' yo' sew it up tight. An' aftah yo've done dat, yo' take dat an' yo' soak it in 'is urine nine days. Put it in today, let it stay, an' take it out; put it in tomorrah an' take it out, fo' nine days; an' den yo' weah dat about yore per- son, as close to yore privates as yo' possibly kin, an' dat'll make dat person automatic'ly crazy about choo as long as yo' weah it. An' of co'se if yo' happen tuh lose it or throw it away, dat breaks de spell.
Entry 7342
Git some ole money, ole silver money. Take that and tote it in de pocket, dey say the law can't ketch you.
Entry 7679
Ah 'sperienced dis mahself. Ah had a man an' he wus engaged tuh git married. When ah firs' started goin' wit 'im he tole me he wus engaged tuh be married, an' ah tole him, "Go ahead an' git married." Ah didn't feel lak ah cared den. Well, it wus about two yeah's time, dis woman whut he wus supposed tuh git married, he tole ne she wus in town. He said he would have tuh go down dere where she wus. Ah said, "Go ahead." He took me an' carried me home. Aftah ah got home ah got tuh thinkin' 'bout it an' ah jes' decided. Ah'd heard dat such things could be done. So ah got nah niece an' we went out tuh de cemetery. Yo' go tuh a grave an' yo' take de headbo'd an' throw it tuh de foot, an' say, "As ah throw dis headbo'd, In de Name of de Fathah an' de Son, an' de Name of de Holy Ghost, as ah throw dis headbo'd tuh de foot of dis grave, ah want chew tuh change John's min' off dis woman an' place it on me, In de Name of de Lawd." An' yo' go tuh de foot an' yo' do de same thing as yo' have at de head. Den aftah yo' do dat, yo' go an' git chew nine han'fuls of dirt outa de grave. An' aftah yo' git dat dirt outa de grave, den yo' have somepin tuh put down dere - pennies. Put 'em in dere, say, "Ah's givin' yo' dis money tuh pay yo' fo' whut yo' are doin' fo' me In de Name of de Lord." An' it won't be long - ah know dat wus de thing dat run dat woman 'way from Florence. An' she have nevah been back heah since.
(What did you do with that dirt after you got that dirt?)
Ah brought de dirt home but ah nevah did know whut tuh do wit it. Ah brought it home an' kept it fo' a long time. Ah didn't know whut tuh do wit de dirt. But de woman [doctor] dat tole me tuh do dat, she tole me dat plenty hell could be raised wit dat dirt, but ah don't know how. [Or you could] use dis red pep- Pah. INSTEAD OF PUTTIN' PENNIES IN DERE, YO' JES' PUT RED PEPPAH. But cheW got- ta have a odd numbah if yo' put red peppah - anything, jes' have a odd numbah - in dis grave when yo' take dat dirt out. [THIS IS SURELY MY ONLY EXAMPLE OF A
Entry 7685
Now, ah saw a woman throw graveyard dirt week fo' [before] las', an' ah know de woman is gone. She lef' evahthin' in de house [she left so fast]. (Well, how did she use that graveyard dirt?) Well, yo' gotta git it off a sinnahman's grave an' den yo' gotta put so much money in dis grave. Dey say dat's payin' 'em fo' de dirt. An' den yo' tell dat spirit tuh run 'em away. An' dat spirit runs 'em away.
(And then waht do you do with the dirt after you get the dirt?)
Yo' take de dirt, care [carry] it an' sprinkle it across dat do', or if yo' kin git it inside, put it inside - inside de house. An' if yo' cain't git it inside de house, jes' sprinkle it crossways de do' where dey gotta come ovah it.
Entry 7689
Graveyard dirt is all right, graveyard dirt is lucky tuh yo'. If yo' Wants some graveyard dirt tuh be lucky tuh yo', go tuh a gambler's grave. An' stick yore han' down in de grave jes' as fer as yo' kin, right down at de haid of de grave an' say, "Ah'll do dis In de Name of de Lord, tuh ovahcome mah enemies." An' stick yore han' way down in dere an' bring out some. Say when yo' bring it out, take it an' put it in sompin an' tie it up an' care [carry] it home. An' yo' care it home den an' yo'll be lucky - become lucky. Yo' kin gamble an' make money.
Entry 7723
See, yo' 'sposed tuh go tuh de graveyard twelve a'clock at night, an' yo' git dis dirt, an' when yo' start gittin' dis dirt, yo' supposed tuh say, "Dead spirit, ah didn't come tuh rob yore grave, ah came heah fo' luck In de Name of de Father, of de Son an' of de Holy Ghost." An' if yo' put money tuh dat grave or a corn or either some fresh rice, anything, yo' supposed tuh pay dem An' jes' lak if yo' want chure luck changed, yo' go dere in de nighttime at twelve a'clock an' yo' take de haidbo'd an' throw it tuh de feet an' take de feetbo'd an' throw it tuh de haid. An' yo' git dis graveyard dirt an' yo' sup- posed tuh put sulphur in it - supposed tuh put red peppah an' yo' supposed tuh put sompin yo' kin git at de drugsto', but yo' don' specially have tuh have dat, an' salt in it. An' yo' burn dis dirt three times a day. If it's wet yo' put it in de sun an' let it git dry, an' when yo' make yore fiah [fire] it gonna smell funny when it be burnin'. Yo' shet up in a room tuh yo'self an' yo' burn dis heah dirt. An' jes' lak if yo' want - if anothah party livin' next do', yo' want 'em out chure house, yo' burn dat dirt on dose people an' tell 'em dat chew want 'em tuh be out. Yo' know, move out de house. An' burn it three times a day. An' jes' lak if yo' runnin' a joint or anything, an' if no one will visit chure joint much, yo' kin burn dat dirt, an' in about ten minutes time yo'll have a crowd at chure house. An' if it's a woman yo' wants tuh see, an' yo' cain't see her, an' yo' burn dat dirt, dogged if she wouldn't be dere in about five minutes' time.
(You make your wishes when you burn that dirt.)
[This was not a leading question. Somewhere while recording machine had stopped this had been mentioned.] Yeah yo' make yore own wishes In de Name of de Fathah, an' de Son an' de Holy Ghost. (What is the stuff that you would get at the drug store if you wanted to use that and add that to it?) It's sompin, but chew specially [don't] have tuh have dat, becuz ah ain't nevah didn't nuse [use] dat. (You don't have to have it. What is it, if you do want to use it?) [Either no answer or I turn off machine too fast.]
Entry 7765
If dey's shootin' crap, shootin' dice, yo' kin [go] down tuh de ceme- tery an' git some-a dirt off de haid of it, an' put it in de pocket where yo' goin' use de money. Well, dat will [make you lucky in gambling]. [Here I turned off recording machine, then started again]. Yo' don't know how tuh make dice do yo'? [I probably shook my head.] Don't know how tuh make 'em? Well, yo' kin take - dey make 'em wit bones an' dey make 'em wit celluloid, too. Ah'm tellin' yo' whut ah know an' WHUT AH HIRED TO TELL YO'. [No one Was ever hired to tell me anything. Every one came to me on the basis of a promise: if he knew something I wanted to hear, he was paid according to what I thought the information was worth; if he knew nothing, he was given a small fee for his time. As we gained experience and established confidence in a community, we tried to weed out before reaching the interviewing room, those who knew little or nothing.] But de man who run de house tole me - he want tuh git me [sooner] but ah had tuh go out of town. [De man who run de house, the man who rented the house in which I interviewed, was H. L. Timmons (see Vol.1, p. XXxvII), my contact man, whose automobile I also rented.] (Well, all you have to do is to put this graveyard dirt in your pocket where you put the money.) Put it to work, dat's right.
(That is for luck in gambling.)
Tote wit de dice.
Entry 7766
He tole me one time, he says: Jes' lak yo' knew a person dat died re- cently, it don't make no diff'rence how long he's been [dead]. Dat's providin' if he's a gamblah, a man or a woman. It don't make no diff'rence, if he's a gamblah an' yo' wanted tuh git a "lucky hand" or sompin lak dat tuh be successful in gamblin'. Ah have nevah tried it but he tole me, said he wus successful. Ah noticed he handled plenty of money. Said, jes' lak yo' knew a person dat died, woman or man, an' dey wus a gamblah or pokah playah or sompin of de kind, an' yo' Wanted a little luck. Well, whutevah 'mount of money yo wanted tuh give 'em - yo' have tuh pay 'em firs'. Jes' lak yo'd git up, why it be twelve a'clock at night. Yo' go tuh dis pahtic'lah grave of de person yo' knew, yo' knew tuh be de gamblah, an' git so much dirt - jes' a little pinch lak dat. Jes' dig yo' a hole in dere an' git it, an' 'fore yo' close it back up, put some money in dere. Pay 'em fo' it an' take it an' wrap it up in yore little rag. An' tote it in yore pocket where yo' money at an' dey say yo' be lucky.
Entry 7767
Ah've tried. It give luck, if yo' go tuh de graveyard twelve o'clock in de night an' run yore han' down on dere, right in de centah of dat grave, an' git out some dirt. Put it in yore pock- it. Now, dat is if yo're a gamblah, put it in yore pockit wit chure change an' yo' kin go tuh de skin game an', long as yo' got dat money, yo'll have all kind of luck yo' want. Ah done tried dat.
Entry 8980
Now if yo' go before de iudge, de judge goin' to discharge yo', ac- cording to what kind of case, yo' know, yo'll have. Well, if yo' got people against yo', yo' know, an' yo' don't want to have dem part of de jury. Yo' going before de judge, like if it's a criminal case, yo' know, yo' got to have de jury. Yo' see, dey have [a panel of] 75 jurors [to select jurors from]. Well, yo' don't know what people [will be on the jury]. They don't pick out but twelve. Now, yo' don't know what twelve dey going to pick out. Dat makes yo' gotta use de whole panel. Yo' see, ah [in my work] done use 'em all.[ Well, now, de person - what jurors is against yo'. Yo' go an' get yo' a beef tongue, a fresh beef tongue. Pay odd money fo' it, not even money - 25 or 35 cents or somepin like dat. Let de money be odd money. An' yo' go an' take dat tongue an' yo' get these peoples names what is against yo', what done harm yo', don't yo' see or what yo' done harm. Yo'll take dat tongue, yo'll write de names on a piece of papah, an' yo'll write all dem jurymen's names, de dis- trict attorney.
(The whole 75 of those names?)
Yeah, just put de whole 75. Yo' have to use de 75, because outa dem yo' get twelve.
(I see. All right.)
Now, yo' get de district attorney what is de man to prosecute yo'. Yo'll get his name an' put it on dere, but not de judge in dat part. An' yo'll -git yo' dat tongue. Yo' get yo' nine needles an' nine pins. Yo'll get yo' dese people names an' yo'll put down on dere an' yo'll put dat down in de throat of dat tongue. Yo'll take dat tongue an' yo'll hang it up in de chimney. An' den aftah dat, yo'll take an' git yo' some watah an' yo'll get yo' some peppah. Yo' git yo some coarse snuff an' yo'll burn a - light a candle.
(Coarse snuff?)
Coarse snuff, dat coarse snuff; not dat in a box. An' yo'll light dat candle an' yo'll put it.in dere. Now, yo' want to come clear an' yo' want de judge to be lenient wit yo', so yo' take de judge's name. An' yo'll take de judge ame, den yo'll git yo' a block of ice, 'bout fifty pounds of ice. Yo' put it in a little pail an' yo'll sweeten it. Den yo'll light de candle, but yo'll light it straight up [the candle will be standing upl. An' den yo' see, sweeten de judge. But this othah part what yo' do, yo' take an' yo' put de candle - yo' turn 'em upside down, yo' get dat coarse snuff an' all dat, an' put in dere. Well dat make de district attorney be fightin' against dem. An' de people, what he got fo' witness, goin' to speak against yo'. Anything dey drink, perhaps dey drink whiskey. Some might drink gin or somepin like dat. Well yo'll get dat [liquor] an' yo' put dere name an' set yo' a little glass. An' put dat candle on dat [name and liquor in the glass] an' ah'll guarantee every one of 'em will go to court drunk. An' yo'll come out clear 'cause dey'll be drunk. Dey won't know what they're sayin'. They'll be lying backwards and forwards.
(What'll that ice do?)
Well, yo' see, de ice, dat's to cool, dat's fo' yore part. De ice makes yo' cool. Yo' know ice makes yo' cool. [Usually ice freezes apponent's tongue.] Well, de judge won't be fiery wit yo'. See, he'll be cool an' calm. But on dis othah side, yo' get dat snuff an' yo' put dem names in dere an' yo' get dat beef tongue. Yo' put dem things in dere an' shove dat tongue, all down in de throat, an' just hang dat tongue up an' den yo'll see. Yo'll see an' dey'll be lyin' an' dey'll be drunk. Just what dey drink, yo' set dat candle in dere [in the glass]. An' dey'll be lyin' an' dey won't say a thing against yo'. What color...just what candles you select. Don't try de black candles.
(Anything but black?)
But black candles.
(How many do you burn?)
Yo' burn - see, if dere's five people, yo' put five candles. An' if it's three, yo' put three; just accordin' to how many is against yo', yo' put dem many candles. An' den what they drink, yo' get a little glass, just what fit de candle an' put dat [liquor] in dere, an' ah'll guarantee yo' every one will be drunk.
Entry 9339
Yo' kin take a aig an' yo' kin do dis, if yo' have a husban' or any niggah man dat chew want money outa 'im. [My transcriber, Miss Hayes (her work- ing name, actually a married woman with young school children) put a question mark over the word niggah, being surprised that one black person would call an- other black, niggah. The word niggah probably appears about 3 times in Hoodoo.] Yo' git chew a hen aig. Some says dat, but de' way ah know of it, yo' takes a hen aig if yo' husban' uh [or] man is colahed, an' git chew yo' two switches an' yo' git dis aig. Some say dat chew...but dis de way ah knows. Yo' take dis aig an' yo' care [carry] it tuh de house an' yo' set it up tuh de side of it. Git chew a glass-a watah an' hold de egg ovah de glass wit' watah in de glass. Yo' pop dat egg an' let jis' de white run intuh dat watah an' dat egg [white] will show [di- vine by initial or other form] whoevah been givin' yo' trouble wit dat man. She'll come down [come round] jis' lak she mah friend. Dey'll sprung up, de switches [as soon as informant sees in the egg white the woman causing trouble and pretending to be a friend, the use of the following switches springs up in her mind.] Den yo' go an' take dem switches, two perslmmon switches, an' put 'em in yore baid where he's gotta go tuh baid at. Put yo' one undah de steps where he's comin' in. Put chew one, jis' [lay] it down across lak dat [demonstrates].
(Put it across that door.)
Yes, he comin' right in de do' an' de othah two is in de baid. Well, he'll git in dat bed an' start tuh talk wit chah an' he's goin' step on dere, dat one comin' in de do'. An' when he goes tuh baid, yo' an' 'im will lay down right on dat switch [2 switches] dere. Well, ef he got any money, ah assure yuh, he'll han' yo' evahthin'. He goin' pay yo' what money he got.
(How many of these switches do you git?)
Git two fer de baid an' one fer de do'.
(That is all you have to do and he will give you all his money?)
Yes, sir, an' he'll give it tuh yo', too.
Entry 9483
[Dey kin] bring salt from dere home an' put it intuh your place [house] - salt, cookin' salt, see. An' de same thing dey says dat dey'd [they would] com- pare salt. It gives yuh hard luck as being a means of good luck by puttin' it in de fo' cornahs. [Salt brings bad luck and good luck.]
(What will that do, putting it in the four corners?)
Say dat brings luck. An' yo' names each pile de kinda luck dat you'd lak tuh run in. Fo' instance you'd lak tuh have dis [demonstrates] as de money pile, dis is some othah prosperity, dis is love, an' dis is biggah business.
Entry 9820
Latsa people dey take nine needles, bran'-new needles an' dey git a piece of lodestone an' put 'em in dis way an' dat-a-way [demonstrates].... (Now wait. [I try to repeat informant's demonstration.] Put in this way and that way?) [I am making a cross.] Yes sir, cross [demonstrates].
(Cross them all.)
An' den yo' go tuh a blacksmith shop an' git chew some anvil dust, de steel from de anvil where dey make de iron, an' put it in dere. An' git chew a piece of lodestone an' put ten cents [a silver dime] in it. It's lucky tuh yuh if yo' keep it an' let nobody touch it. Feed it wit whiskey. Yo'll always have silvah money. [Even during my collecting days back in 1938 the preceding anvil dust never saw an anvil; it came from ma- chine-shop filings. Anvil dust and steel dust were the same thing, depending upon age, size, color, etc.] [In the following comment I am not talking for informant's benefit, I am an- notating for the future.] (Now in putting these needles, you put one needle like that, and then you put another needle on there like that - like a cross, sort of like little squares, like tick-tack-toe.) Yes. [Everything is arranged or sprinkled into the form of a cross before the combined materials are put in the bag.]
Entry 9957
Dry a frog and hang it over your door to draw in money. [Memphis, Tenn., my summary of rite from an excellent hoodoo woman (960), whose cylinders were missed by my transcriber, 1548:4.]
Entry 9983
Now, ah have tried a lotta things in gamblin' an' ah made tvo pretty aood success of it [two successful periods in life]. Now, if a man is a gamblah an' he goin' tuh a good game tuhnight, he might go out in de country dis evenin' befo' he go tuh dat game. An' jis' about dahk [dark] - yo' know dese li'l ole toad- Srog dey always come out, yo' know, jumpin' round. An' if yo' git holt of one da toadfrogs, yo'll wrap it up in yuh han'ke'ch'ef good an' put it in yuh pocket. An' all de money yo' wanta bet on in dat game, yo' bet it out dat same pocket yo' got dat frog in, an' nobody couldn't ketch yo' twixt heah an' Tampa [Florida].
Entry 10185
Git three fo' cornered, yo' know... [probably demonstrated].
(Get three four-cornered files.)
An' git about three, an' put 'em in de third [three] ways: one lak that, an' one lak that, an' one lak that right straight. (One at each side of the house, and one in the middle?) [The files are parallel to the front and two sides of the house.l Dat's it. An' den on de back [inside] of yore house, yo' burn dis heah same stuff - candles, dese same three gold [sometimes called yellow] candles.
Entry 10189
Bottle oil of bergamine [bergamot], box cooking soda, teaspoon salt- peter, take bath in that. Break a candle, make a wish, light [same] candle, let candle burn out. Then get brimstone, burn brimstone Monday, Wednes- day and Friday and make wish. Put sugar in it [brimstone], throw into fire. Can make money. [This is a rite for business.]
Entry 10576
We have what you call, as I 'fore told you [told you before], is a silver dime - one silver dime and a bat. You'll find them goes round in the stable and all there. And you take that bat and take the heart out. He have a heart in him. Mostly everything that be found walking - every creater - if it's a creature, it's got a heart. And you take that heart out of there and take that heart there and you put it on top of this dime. Then you take this lodestone and tie it up in there, and after you tie it up, you find what you call this Star [or Stars] perfume [has stars on label] that's what you gotta feed it with. Then you [can] walk into any place, step in in any business you got, everything's going be [O.K.]. But at the same time, those people that you have dealt with, if you gamble with them [you have to be careful].
(That's for luck in gambling? This is for luck in gambling?)
Yassuh.
(I see.)
That's my way.
Entry 10578
Catch live bat, cut out heart, put in pocketbook with money, and you will win.
Entry 10591
A leather-wing bat, now, understan'. Now, if yo' wanta sell a fellah a hot hand fo' gamblin', go an' ketch yo' a leather-wing bat. Git him alive. Sometime dey go in people's house an' dey knock 'em down wit brooms, in de summertime, dey fly in [there being no screens]. Knock 'em down wit a ole broom, or yo' kin go in ole stumps or ole logs where dey roost at an' yo' kin git 'em out dat-a-way. Yo' can't find 'em in daytime. Yo' take de leather-wing bat an' yo' set right down an' take yore kife, a ole lknife or somepin lak dat an' split him right open in de back. Jes' split it right open while he's live, split him right open in de back jes' lak dat, zo'reach up dere in his left side an' git his little heart out. It's a little ean, de biggest one dey is about lak dat [demonstrates]. Git his little beart ota dere 'bout lak dat. An' he ain't even daid. While he 'live git dat heart ou of dere. Jes' take yore finger an' pull dat heart out. Take dat heart an' go on back wit it, don' wash de blood off, not nuthin. An' git chew a red, an' ah mean red, too; a red an' blue piece of ribbon. Jes' as red [informant points] as dat ring round dat big coffee cup. [In Fayetteville, N. Car., I worked in a kitchen-dining room and I still remember it vaguely.] Let it be jes' 'bout dat wide, an' take it an' set it right down an' lay dat heart in dere, an' sew dat heart up in dat ribbon. Have it long enough an' sew it up in dere good an' tight. Take dat bat heart an' yo' wear it on yo' right han' [see later]. Take dat bat heart in dat piece of ribbon, sew it, make it kind of a belt-lak an' carry it up dere round yore wrist yo' understand, above de elbow, up heah, understand. Fit it up dere, sew dat on dere tight so it fit lak a belt, won't slip off, an' wear it on dere. Sleep wit it on dere. As long as dat bat heart stays in dere lak dat, yo' kin do any kinda bettin' dat yo' want done. Yo' kin win money an' gamble wit it, understand, an' yo' kin go out an' steal it. Go out an' do anything lak dat, an' people could shoot at chew, an' nine times to one, dey nevah hit chew. Wit dat bat heart yo' kin dodge bullets yo' kin dodge a shot.
Entry 10603
Well, now heah de othah day a friend of mine wus tellin' me. He axe me did ah know where he could - firs' he axe me could ah lend him fo' dollahs. Ah tole him, no, ah didn't 'zactly have de money. He says, "Well, ah know a fel- lah," said, "he claims he kin gi' [give] yo' a han' fo' gam- blin'." Ah wus on de steamship workin' den, see, an' ah met dis fellah on de street an' he jes' stop me. An' he jes' stop me - yo' know, stop me an' jes' spoke. So he axed me did ah gamble. Told him shure, sometime ah gamble. "Well, " he says, "yo' evah have any luck?" "Shure ah has luck?" sometimes, sometimes ah don't." He says. "Well. vo' wanta have luck all de time?" Ah tole him, "Yeah, ef ah'd like tuh win all de time." He said, "Well, ah tell yo' whut chew do." Says, "Yo' go tuh work an' ketch yo' one dese little bats. Dese little black bats, " yo' know, "an' cut his wings off." Say, "Den - an' don't lose any of his blood - ketch all de blood yo' kin, an' split him open. An' jes' split him open an' take his entrails out, but try tuh keep all de blood dat chew kin." Say, "An' after yo' split him open, let him dry wit de blood in 'im." Say, "An' den fill dat back up with cheese." Fill dat bat, chew know inside of him up wit cheese. "Sew hit up," say, "an' jes' keep it in yore pocket where yo' keep yore money at all de time." Says, "Yo'll have luck all de time."
(In gambling?)
In gambling. So ah thought ah might as well try dat. Ah wus on de steamship fo' foah yeahs.
Entry 10658
Go to a big ants bed an git nine antses an' put 'em in some likker, an' let 'em 'solve [dissolve] in dat likker, an' give it to a man an' he'll stay vid chew an' give yo' all his money.
Entry 10940
If yo' in a house an' de man's hard on yo' wit chure rent, yo' take one dese channel cats.
(A channel catfish?)
Dat's right, an' whilst it's 'live, cut him open. Yo' cut dat channel cat open an' whilst it's hot, yo' take an' bury dat undah de steps where de rentman gotta tuh come ovah, an' yo' kin stay dere jes' as long as yo' wanta. Yo' gotta bury it undah de steps.
Entry 11328
A woman, that she didn't appreciate what choo do for her, and you want her to be in bad luck an' didn't want her to keep any money. An' yo' get you one dollar from her, you burn the dollar to ashes. Blow it out of your hand that way [demonstrates]. And she will never be able to keep anything in the world.
Entry 11329
Git chew three dollars.
(What kind of dollars, silver dollars or paper dollars?)
Paper dollars. An' dress dem wit some salt and some bread, an' wear it fo' three days on yo' left side, an' fo' three days yo' take an' go to three stores an' spend each one of them dollars - a dollar to each store yo' go to. An' dat'll bring yo' luck. (What kind of luck?) Well it bring yo' luck in making - gittin' holda money every day yore life.
Entry 11854
Yo' kin take a girl's hair an' black lodestone an' yo' kin lead her cross [cross what? I interrupt too soon]. (What would you do with that hair?) Totes de lodestone with the hair, with a piece of solid silver money, and she will follow [wherever you go and any time]. She'll git up an' follow if it's one a'clock in de night.
(You mix those together?)
Yessuh. Jis' keep 'em in a bag an' she will follow.
Entry 12233
Dat High John de Conkah root by hitself, yo' kin take dat in de mawn- in' an' yo' kin git up 'fore de sun rise, an' dere's a word dat chew have tuh say befo' de sun rise, an' look to de east. Po' a little of it out of de bottle, de liquid offa de root into yore han' an' rub it cross yore face three times. (What will that do?) Dat's to inherit mo' money. (What words do you say?) Jes' say, "So we live, so we die, ' po' a little bit in yore han' an' rub it cross yore face an' look to where de sun risin' in de mawnin'.
(What kind of liquid do you put in the bottle?)
Yo' kin put gin whiskey on it, or eithah Hearts Cologne - nuthin excusin' dat. Hearts Cologne or eithah pure gin whiskey [gin or white whiskey].
Entry 12346
Make a little scap [scapular] to wear on you to make luck.
(What's a scap?)
You [know] jis' like a piece...you make it an' you put...jis' like you say, "Ah come to you an' ah wants somepin for luck, an' ah want a hand from you." Now you ass me what ah wants to do with this hand, but ah say, "Mah husband is a man that don't give me money." Well, you gon'a tell me how to fix that. [You are going to make a hand for me so that my husband will give me money.] An' ah'm gon'a wear that on me. Dat's to make him bring me his money.
(How Would you fix that?)
You see, you take dat...dat is jis' w'at ah'm tellin' you about. You go to the CRACKERJACK DRUG STORE - right down here. You git choo a he an' a she lode- stone, a pod of garlic - git a red garlic - an' you put dat with a dime [silver one] an' his name. You write his name furce an' your name on top, an' wear that on you an' he'll give it yuh [his money].
Entry 12347
Lodestone is de luckiest thing there is in de world fo' gittin' money. Yo' kin be standin' heah talkin' tuh me an', if yo' got a piece of lodestone in yore pocket about dat big, it will draw any money ah got in mine out. [Did in- formant have a piece of lodestone in his pocket?]
Entry 12457
If he gives you [woman] bill [paper money for sexual services], fold [paper money] to you, then fold it again. Clip off ends of the 4 corners, tie in handkerchief, wear so that you can use it without his knowing it, and he'll always give you something [for love services]. [Here is another one of the unusual folding rites in HOODOO, this one by an excellent professional hoodoo worker in Memphis.]
Entry 12461
Wit silver money dey have good luck. An' show it to de moon, an' he Walk back fo' so many - 'bout nine steps backwards; an' then yo' turn roun' an' hit those steps wit dat money, an' say de moon give yo' good luck. [This is a tricky rite to perform in moonlight. I suggest it could be come as follows: facing moon and holding silver coin in right hand, if you are right-handed, step backward with right foot, kneel down, touch track made with coin. Now step back with left foot, kneel down, touching this track with coin. Continue for the 9 steps and tracks.]
Entry 12512
Take a red onion an' bo' a hole in it. An' take an' write de name of somebody dat chew like dat way, on a piece of papah, an' stick it in dat onion an' put it up ovah de do'. Dat's tuh make dat person do lak yo' want 'em tuh do; make 'em come home, stay home an' yo- kin git dere money.
Entry 12534
Yo' take a red onion fo' yo' luck, dey say. Yo' tie it up in somepin tight - sompin lak dis heah [informant has handkerchief or something]. All right, yo' put a cord or sompin around it an' wear it round heah [see later], but if yo' scared dat somebody see it round heah, wear it round heah.
(Wear it either around their neck or around their waist?)
Yo' supposed tuh hold money in dat [red onion package].
Entry 12539
Yo' take de red onion - dat's lucky fo' yore house - yo' take de red onion. It's lak if yo' got a friend, yo' kin rule him by usin' dat red onion. Yo' take dat red onion an' cut it in fo' parts an' git chew a little cup an' put dat in wit sulphur, brimstone an put dat in de corner of yore house - yo' know, where people don't have to be Worryin' roun' dere no way but chewself. An' his name write on a piece of papah understan' dat. An' dat will keep him, make him be nuthin but lovin' to yo', an' den dat will make him bring his money to yo'.
Entry 12657
Jes' lak if yo' knew of a person an' he down. Yo' go to his place an' if he isn't there or if he ain't there, yo' take that perfume with yo' an' 'nint [anoint] chureself lak dis [demonstrates] dress yo'self jes' lak that [demonstrates]. (Down your face and down on your body.) That's right, down on yore face and do it lak that, an' do it three times. An' then yo' wait fo him an' whatsoever he got yo' will win it.
Entry 12986
Yo' could take a dime an' git a leaf dat nevah was scorched[? some- thing meaning undamaged] yo' know, dat de frost don't kill. Any kinda leaf de frost don't kill. An' put dis dime on dat leaf an' hold it on dere, an' yo' kin keep dat dime near dat leaf an' yo' have de best kind of luck. Put chew in real good luck. An' yo' keep it 'long as yo' keep dat dime.
(You just keep the dime, you don't keep the leaf?)
No, yo' don't have tuh keep de leaf, jes' keep de dime. Keep de dime. When yo' first git it, put it on de leaf an' hold it on de leaf. Den yo' keep dat dime den. Den yo' have good luck. Keep it in yore pocket - don't lose it - keep it in yore pocket.
Entry 12994
If yo' want him tuh give yo' his money, all his money, sometime ask him fo' money. If he happen tuh han' yo' a silver dime, don't chew spend dat silver dime. Yo' take dat silver dime an' wrap it up in a piece of - it ain't cotton flannel either. It's woolen stuff. Yo' put chew two needles in dat, a short one an' a long one, an' yo' make a wish fo' tuh rule him an' fo' tuh have him bring yo' dat money. An' yo' git chew some oil from de drug sto'.
(What kind of oil?)
Oil of annis. An' keep it [wrapped up hard] anointed wit it an' put it in de bottom of yore trunk, an' he'll bring his money tuh yo'. Dat's whut ah kmoc 'bout dat. Dat's whut ah have experienced.
Entry 12995
Take a silver dime. Yo' [a woman] git a silver dime from him an' yo' take dat silver dime an' yo' put it in a glass an' put two teaspoonfuls of sugah on dat dime an' set it back in a corner. If he makes any money he'll bring it. He'll bring it to yo'.
Entry 13143
Yo' kin take his sock to make 'im love you an' yo' stockin' an' put it [them] together. Understand? An' puts some sugah with it. An' take it out an' bury it on the side of your house, an' go out there every mawnin' an' pour your chamber lye there. Don't you under- stand? See, on that. An' you take the sock an' your stocking an' roll it together, see. Now put a red onion with it, a dime - that's to make 'im give her money - roll it together. Sew it to you an' make your wish - that's her, you see - sew it up in your mattress. That man'll give you money, give 'er roney as long as he's there.
Entry 13280
Ah went in de woods in de spring of de year - it been about three years ago now. If yo' know a swallah [swallow] bird - do yo' know a swallah bird? Well, yo' kin take one of de eggs outa dere nest an' bring it home anl boil it. An' den put it back in dat nest. Well, when dat bird come back, she know dat egg ain't jes' lak she left it. Well, she goes somewhere in de woods an' get a root an' bring it dere an' put it in dat nest. Dat suppose to make dat egg right. An' yo' kin git dat an' jes' keep it in yore pocket an' yo' more den apt to keep a dollah all de time, 'long as yo' keep it.
(You'll get the root out of the nest then?)
Yes sir. She puts de root in de nest. (Then you go and take the root out of the nest. Did you try that? Did it work?) Yes sir, it worked. Fact ah kept money, ah reckon it musta been somepin'.
Entry 13282
Well, yo' kin take a swallow's aig. Go to a swallow's nest. Yo' know in dat swallow's nest yo'll find a little stone. They always have a little stone in dere nest. An' yo' kin take dat stone - dere always be a stone in a swallow's nest - an' yo' kin go to a swallow's nest an' take out one dose aigs an' keep it out. Say a day or two days - long as yo' wanta an' return it back there. An' when yo' return it back dere, yo' git dat stone an' yo' tote that stone with yo', an' dat 'cumulate all kinda money. Dat's good fo' money matters.