Subject:Nest
Entries
Entry 1721
If a man runnin' round wit wimmin an' she want him tuh stay home, yo' go off an' git chew a bird nest. Jes' git yo' a little common thing as a bird nest an' yo' bring it on to yore home, an' yo' take dat bird nest an' yo' put it as near de center under yore house as yo' kin git it - undah de center of yore house. An' if he don't stay dere, it because dat bird nest ain't under dat house. He'll stay home.
(You don't cover it up or anything?)
No, jis' throw it undah de house - don't cover it up 'tall, jes' push it undah de house. He'll stay.
Entry 3731
Dirt dauber nest will cure a person if dey's hurt. Take dem waspses out dere, dem little waspses lak dat yo' know, an' if yo's want tuh be wit a woman an' she's dressed [by her husband], why yo' go an' git a dirt dauber's nest an' git some young spidah's out dere, jes' one or two of dem, an' rub yore han's lak dat, an' go an' rub 'er ovah heah. An' when yo' rub dat, take de no'th cornah of yore shirttail an' rub it off dere. Yo' put dat on dere an' yo' go right on doin' jes' whut chew came to do.
(If the woman is hurt what do you do for the woman then?)
She ain't hurt, she's jes' dressed. Yes, jis' dressed. Well, if yo' take an' put dat on a woman dressed lak dat yo' know, yo' couldn't have nuthin tuh do wit er tuh save yore life. (If I thought some other man was fooling around with my woman, I would rub it where the stuff won't hurt her.) Yeah, jes' take dat an' smear it on 'er lak dat - on her person [privates].
(But you have to rub that over your own privates first?)
Yeah, an' yo' take de no'th cornah of yore shirttail an' go dere an' - dat stuff ah tole yo' - an' rub it off lak dat. Take de shirttail, de no'th cornah of it, an' spread it out lak dat. An' yo' kin go right on to her.
Entry 3851
Ah says, if a man got a woman an' also, if he can't rule de woman, he kin jes' take a woman when a woman's periods rise, an' carry it an' find a big red ants' nest an' bury it direct in dat ants' nest. Dat's all he gotta do wit dat, jes' bury it right in dat ants' nest an' walk off. Back up to ten feet an' turn yore face an' go on about chure business, an' evahthin' is okay den.
(What will that do then?)
Keep her home - yes sir, keep 'er undah yore jurisdiction.
Entry 4368
Take where yo' go tuh de lav'tory. (The passage?) Yeah, an' put it in a ant's bed an' yo'll become very troublesome [troubled], an' dey say dat will make a person not be satisfied [he will be run- ning to and fro in all directions like the ants].
Entry 4673
(How do you do that?)
About de hatban' dat yuh use. Yuh ast [asked] me 'bout de hatban' a minute ago. Yuh take de person dat yuh have de name out of de hat - dat little bow-like in de hat? An' yuh gO tuh de bird's nes'. LET IT BE DE SPARRAH'S NES', WHICH IF IT'S A SPARRAH'S NES', DE SPARRAHS USE DE SAME NEST ALL DE YEAH ROUN'. BUT A BLUEBIRD CHANGES "IS NES', AN' ALSO A PIGEON. Aftah a pigeon has used 'is nest, de pigeon tears de nes' up an' makes a fresh nest, but a sparrah use de same nes'. As long as de sparrah use de same nest, de person will con- tinue tuh have de headache, if yuh put dis bow of de hat intuh de sparrah's nes'.
(Just go to the sparrow's nest and put the bow into the nest?)
Jis' put de bow intuh de nes'. Dat's all. An' yuh could constantly happen tuh have a headache. But if - YUH KIN TRY IT YUHSELF SOMETIME OR EITHAH HAVE SOMEBODY EXPERIMENT IT FO' YUH. AN' WHENEVAH YUH REMOVE DAT OUT OF DERE, DE HEADACHE WILL BE BROKEN. BUT YUH KINNOT BREAK DAT HEADACHE BY BURNIN' CANDLES OR ANYTHING. DAT NES HAS TUH BE TORN UP, EITHAH DE BOW TAKEN OUTA DE NES'. Eithah one of de two will stop de headache, but nuthin else. An' ah betcha, becuz mah grandmothah tried it on 'er own daughter, mah sistah. [The latter relationship frequently happened, the sister being the mother whose child
(informant's) was brought up as the grandmother's.]
Entry 5310
Tuh separate a man an' his wife or sompin lak dat, dey said yo' take up dere tracks. If yo' want de man tuh come tuhwards yo' an' yo' want de woman tuh go from yo', yo' take de man track from de heel comin' tuh de toes. Pull de heel dat way, see [demonstrates]. An' de woman, yo' take dat sand at de toe an' pull it - take it from yo'. Dat [is] if de man wuz yore husban', an' yo' break him from anothah woman dat way.
(What do you do with that dirt?)
Yo' take it an' put it in a big ants nest. Dat's whut dey tell me, put it in a big ants nest. An' when de ants take it an' bring it out, an' carry it diff'ren' ways, dat's tearin' de min' [mind] apart, cuz one ant's comin' disaway an' de othah one comin' de othah way. Dat will jes' tear dere min' apart.
Entry 5314
Well, yo' take a person track. Yo' put a person track wit salt, black peppah an' yo' put it down in dat dirt daubah's nest - ah mean dat antses nest. An' dem antses goes - yo' see dem antses goin' in an' out of de nest. Dey be goin' an' totin' dirt an' stuff. Dey be totin' dat stuff an' dey be wavahin' [wavering] jes' lak dat [demonstrates]. It will keep 'em on a wave jes' lak dat goin' an' comin'.
Entry 5315
Yo' kin take a person's track - take yore han' an' ketch it from de toe an' bring it tuh de heel. Put some salt an' red peppah wit it an' some sul- phur. Mix it up very good. Take it tuh a ants nest an' po' it in dere an' make yore wish In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an Holy Ghost, an' dey'll leave.
Entry 5316
Ah git yore lef'-feet track an' yore frien' lef'-feet track, take it tuh a ants nest... Ah would take some red peppah an' some black peppah an' some salt, an' call de person name, an' throw it in dere. An' he'll [the ants will] tote it evah bit out. An' when he git through totin' it evah bit out, why yuh an' yore frien' will have a big row, an' yuh'll have tuh leave yore home.
Entry 5317
Yo' take dis dirt from de track an' mix up some sugah wit it, an' den yo' fin' a ant bed. Yo' evah see dose big red ant beds? Well yo' put it in dat ant bed. Fix dat dirt all up in dat red ant bed an' - ah mean dirt. Well, aftah dose ants is workin' on 'im, dey keep dat party goin', keep 'im goin' from one place tuh anothah. Red ants, now. Not dose black ants. What ah call dese big red ants.
Entry 5321
Mah husban' an' ah weren't gittin' along so good, an' somebody tol' [me] how tuh git rid of it. Take his lef' track. Don't pull tuhwards yo', pull goin' from yo'. An' git a red ants nest, dese great big ants. Yo' git dis track an' yo po' it in dis ants nest. An' den, if [you] wan im tuh go away, yo' tell tuh go away. Or whut- somevah yo' wan' 'im tuh do, yo' talk tuh it.
Entry 5322
Well, git his track - git nine track comin' tuhwards yo' an' git it an' put it wit some red ants nest - in de red ants nest, an' some salt in it. An' stir it roun' an' talk tuh de red ants an' tell it whut chew want done, work an' all, an' he'll come back. (That is to bring the man back? You get nine tracks as he is coming toward you?) Yes.
(Just one track right after the other, I see.)
Entry 5711
Take gunpowdah an' a man track, or a woman track, an' salt, peppah an carry it to a red ants nest on a railroad an' say to it whut chew want done, an' it will be done. (You just put it there, you don't do anything else to it?) Jes' stir it roun' an' TALK TO IT AS YO' STIRRIN' AROUND; an' whut chew want done to it, it will be done. [The place collected and number of informant have temporarily been lost.]
Entry 5716
Yo' take a mockin'bird's nest an' yo' burn it an' git de ashes out of it, an' use it in makin' a man or a woman go 'way. Yo' take dat wit some of dere tracks an' hang dat up ag'in wit a long string. Tie it up wit a piece of new cloth. Put it in a cloth have nevah been worn, an' put dat in dere wit a long string on it. Hang it up on a white oak an' it will swing. Hit will make 'em go off. DERE SO MANY WAYS TUH MAKE A PERSON GO OFF.
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 5762
Yo' can't take de foot track up but yo' could take a magical sign. An' yo' would take a person's foot track dat runs like dat. Yo' gotta have what is called a fine piece of papah.
(A fine piece of paper.)
[As we shall see later, this is probably a cigarette paper.]
An' lay it right on dat track, an' take de material stuff from de end, where his big toe an' 'is heel, an' yo' more dan apt tuh easily draw de attraction of dat person on dat. But it's bad fo' dat person. Dat person - whut dat person have tuh run jes' wherevah yo' make 'em. An' den yo' git a hornet's nest, anyway a Wasp's nest, while he combing, makin' 'is comb. But yo' mus' set dat papah kinda in watah, an' put it dere, an' dat wasp take dat an' use tuh make a comb in dere. As long as dem bees exist, dey take dat papah an' watah in dere, dat man will be upsetted until he die.
[I summarize what has gone before.]
(You pick up just a little bit of the dirt from heel and toe and put it in this paper and you roll this paper up.) Yeah, roll it up togethah. (Then you put this paper where these wasps can get it and make their combs out of that?) Yeah, they make their combs of it, yeah.
(I understand.)
[We have here a fine paper, surely a cigarette paper, rolled about dirt from victim's big toe and heel track. As the wasps chew up the damp cigarette paper, they also chew up a portion of foot track to become part of the comb. Once again, as in preceding rite, the victim receives hot feet.]
Entry 5789
De foot track is fo' makin' yo' walk.
(How do they do that?)
Dey take a wasp nest an' dey burn dat wasp nest. An' git de print of yore track from dat - halfway lak dat, an' scrape dat firs' dirt back towards de front.
(Where do they take from the toe.or from the heel?)
Scrape towards de toe first an' den yo' scrape back tuh de heel. Den yo' git dat dirt in de centah [of the track] dere. An' yo' mix dat an' de wasp nes' to- gethah on de stove an burn it. An' yo' git outside an' yo' hold yore han' up - have it [mixed wasp powder and foot track] in yore han', an' de wind will blow dat away, see. An' whichevah way dat blows, why yo'll go dat way. (In other words, you scrape the dirt back from the middle - back to the toe and back to the heel? Get that dirt down at the middle?) Down in de centah dataway. [This rite is from my first trip to Memphis. See following rite.]
Entry 5790
Yo' take a wasps nest an' take a person's track halfways; scrape de dirt back from right about middleways in de foot tuh de heel [demonstrates].
(From the MIDDLE OF THE FOOT BACK TO THE HEEL.) Yeah, back tuh de heel, an' den back tuh de toe [demonstrates]. (Then you begin in the middle and SCRAPE FROM THE MIDDLE UP TO THE TOE.)
[To scrape from hollow or middle of foot track to heel, then from middle to toe, is unusual if not rare.] Git dat sand or dirt. Burn yore wasp [nest] in yore stove an' git dose ashes of de wasp nest, an' mix de ashes an' de dust tuhgethah, de foot dust. Yeah, mix it all up good tuhgethah an' take dat an' put it in de palm of yore han', an' yo stand out [doors] an' yo' say, In de Name of de Father, de Son, [an' Holy Ghost]. An' whichevah way dat wind blows, why a person dat yo' don' wan' aroun' or sompin, dey'll go away. Dat's a easy way tuh git rid of 'em. Dey'll go on off.
(You take either foot track?)
No, take de left one. [This rite comes from my second trip to Memphis and it was given by an informant different from one in preceding rite.] [The spirit of the wasps chases away the spirit in the foot track.]
Entry 5812
[Version 1]: Yo' kin take yore hair, take my hair, an' de man's hair Lat, yo' know from down here, yo' know, an' wrap it togethah an' a ravel out from ondah his arm - yo' know, right nex' to where he wear 'is clothes.
(In his armpits.)
Jis' a ravelin'. Take dose two hairs, yo' know, an' wrap 'em togethah, an' den yo' git a ravel from out de seat of 'is pants - out de seat of 'is undahweah. An' wrap all dat togethah - jis' wrap evah bit of it togethah, an' go to a ant's nest an' dig in dat ant's nest. Yo' know, if he's not treatin' yo' right, dig in dat ant's nest an' put dat in dat ant's nest. An' jis' as long as he - jis' as long as he live, he'll be worried. He'd jis' be worried, he worry hisself almos' to death. [Version 2]: Git some of 'is hair an', yo' know, twist it togethah, an' git de ravels from 'is undahclothes an' git de ravel from down here in de seat of 'is undahclothes. An' yo' roll dat - tie it hard, yo' know. Roll it jis' as hard as yo' kin, yo' know. Go to a ant's bed an' open it.
(Well, you've got these things before.)
[I am telling her she is repeating.]
Yes, sir. An' open it an' den yo' put it down in dere, yo' see an' dat jis' keeps 'em fussin', fightin' an' quarrelin', until dey [separate]. [The two rites. are similar but the purposes are different.]
Entry 5820
Take yore hair, some of yore hair, an' put it in a bird nest. Dey claim long as it stay in dis bird nest yo' be flyin', yo' be goin' jes' long as de bird roost on it. (In what way would you be flying?) Jes' lak, yo' know, yo' tryin' tuh stay heah, but yore mind wouldn't let chew, jes' have tuh leave.
(The woman would do that to get rid of the man.)
Entry 5824
[Fortunately the headache said to be caused by human hair in a bird nest does not last indefinitely.] You kin take your hair in the spring of the year and ball it up and put it in a tree, in a bird's nest, or any place obere a bird kin git it, and they claim you'll continue to have a headache until the season is over.
Entry 5916
(All right, you were going to tell me?)
If dey git some of yore hair. Now, sometime dey lose on dat an' sometime dey don't lose. If dey git de hair from yore head - remembah dey kin take dat hair. ALL BIRDS DON'T USE HUMAN HAIR. But dis guinea hen chick bird [I interrupt]. (What kind of bird?) Guinea hen chick bird. (Guinea hen chick bird?) Yes, if dey kin GIT DAT BIRD - TO TAKE DAT HAIR AN' PUT IT INTO HER NEST. YOU'LL SUFFOCATE WIT A HEAD- ACHE TILL YO' GO BLIND. I kin take dat hair. Oh my! An' bore holes - wrap it into a silvah thimble an' put a silvah dime against it [open end of thimble] an bury it in de ground an' make warts come out on yore head. (Now, that guinea hen. You mean the ordinary guinea hen that runs around the yard. I see.) Yeah, yeah.
Entry 6179
Git dis dirt daubah nest an' chicken feathahs an' dat hair of de in- dividual, yo' know, dat dey'll wanta use, an' mix dat all up togethah, an' sew it in a little round piece, an' dey put one of dose papahs on it an' burn it. An' dat runs 'em crazy sometimes, especially, yo' know, if dey git enough amount of dere hair.
Entry 6246
Dey kin take yuh hair an' bury it, yuh see, an' dat'll run yuh crazy. Dey'll bury it wit de same hot stuff, gunpowder, red peppah. Dat's when dey wan'a run yuh crazy. An' dey'll take dat wasp nestes. Yuh know de wasp look lak dey goin' fly at chew an' goin' sting yuh. Yo'll take de wasp nestses an' take dat [wasp] powdah. Take dem little waspses outa de nest an' takes de dirt an' dey makes a little powdah. Dey makes a little powdah wit dat an' dey'll go tuh work an' dey'll.... Whut did yuh ast me? Uh-huh, yuh hair. An' dey'll take dat hair an' dey'll put all dat togethah an' dey'll bury it, or eithah put it in [a tree]. Dey'll go in de woods somewhere an' dey'll put it in a tree toward de sunrise, an' yo'll always have achin's an' achin's in yore haid an' be crazy.
Entry 6377
Take an' put yuh toenail an' a piece of dis man's hair in dere an' yo' kin git 'im back. (Put it where?) In de ants nest, in a red ants nest.
Entry 6540
Take a dirt daubah. See, dey builds dere nestses up side de house. Yo' takes a dirt daubah nes' an' yo' take dat an' yo' put it in watah or in anything, an' a person will eat dat. As it git inside of 'em, dey claim, it will be young eggs er sompin in dere. An' aftah dey git inside of 'em, by it bein' warm in dere, dey creates. An' when dey do anything, why it's jis' lak a dirt daubah's makin' a house.
Entry 6678
Yo' see dese ole waspses. An' yo' kin take a wasp when he's got young uns [ones], a wasp nest. Yo' know whut de wasp nest is. Yo' kin take a wasp nest when it's got young uns in it, an' each li'le hole is got a covah ovah de top of it dat look lak a stem. Well, now, yo' take dem an' boil dat an' strain an' put it in a bottle. All right, now, say yo' mah boss. Yo' says, "John?" Ah says, "Suh?" Says, "See dat fellah ovah dere?" Say, "Yes." Say, "Ah want chew tuh fix 'im." Say, "All right." Says, "He drinks?" Say, "Yeah." Well, ah'll go ovah dere an' git 'quainted wit 'im, 'Let's have sompin tuh drink." "All right." Ah go back dere, wanta git a bottle. All right. Well, ah'll go an' git a bottle of anythin' dat he drinks an' ah open it at de countah an' po' mine outa it an' drink mine. An' den ah po' some of dis in dere. See, ah po' some of dose wasps' juice in dere on it. An' den [they] begin tuh form waspses in 'is intestines.
(Is there any way of getting them out?)
Yes, de doctah operate on yo'. Dat's de onliest way yo' kin git 'em out.
Entry 6698
Lotta [lot ofl people, yo' know, dey urinate in de baid, cain't he'p it. Dey goes an' if dey uri- nate in a red ant's nest, it'll cuz dey urine to stop. It'll stop it.
Entry 6758
[The following medical rite I marked doubtful years ago and was about to throw it out with the discards. Years later on taking a second look I saw something unseen previously. Why did I keep it? Suppose we take a look:] (Cow manure? What do you do with that?) Yo' kin take cow manure, vinegah, dirt daubah nest an' black peppah an' if a person is got a disease, yo' kin keep dat disease on 'em wit dat cow manure, an' dirt daubah nest an' vinegah an' black peppah. [An excellent opening statement!] Yo' weah a bandage on yuh laig, on yuh lef' laig jis' evah mawnin', jis' put a fresh bandage on. An' jis' as long as dat bandage is applied tuh yo', dat disease will be applied tuh dat person.
(The person has the disease to begin with, you mean?)
Yes, sir.
(I see. Well, how do I know which person to apply it to?)
Well, it's jis' lak if somebody would come tuh yo' an' tell yo' an' say, "So- an'-so-an'-so is got a case of shankles or a case of pox or somepin, an' DEY BEEN WASTIN' TIME WIT MAH DAUGHTAH" or somepin. An' dey say, "If dere's any way dat ah kin keep it on 'em, ah wanta tuh do so." Well, den yo' [the author] know whut tuh tell 'em tuh do [when they come to you]. (Get this person's name and put the bandage on [PUT THE PERSON'S NAME ON THE BANDAGE!]. I see.) [My seeing at the time was not very good!] [Here we have a remarkable folk-medicine rite, one of the finest beliefs in Hoodoo, and yet I missed it! Perhaps I was tired, often interviewing for hours at a time. An experienced folklorist will immediately recognize: (1) the 4 in- gredients put in the bandage are about the commonest in folk medicine, cow manure a well-known ointment; and (2) that some doctors claim the power of being able to absorb a disease (see No.1007, p.387). For another example of the latter, some wart doctors pretend to, or are said to, catch all the warts they remove. In the present case however, we do not have an absorbtion rite, but a substitution rite; the absorbtion being only a pretense like the birth pangs of the husband in the couvade! The father in our present rite by pretending to have the venereal dis- ease of his daughter's paramour, keeps it upon the man permanently! Surely there must have been a time limit for the father's acting!]
Entry 6774
If yo' thought somebody wuz HOODOOIN' yo' or if yo' had any pain an' yo' thought it came from somebody's work dat had anything on yo', dat chew kin use a plastahs on dat part wit dirt daub- ah, wit de eithah pound dat up or let it dissolve in vinegah an' use dat applica- tion. It will give relief.
Entry 6781
Makes up a salve wit it, wit some dirt daubah nest, saltpetah, chewin' tobacca an' yo' make a salve. Now yo' kin put it in a li'le - ah dunnō [don't know] how much yo' goin' make up, but put chew a li'le vine- gah in it an' it's jis' lak a mustard, yo' know, jis' lak prepared mustard. Make a li'le of dat an' put it on de place an' see whut it will do fo' yo' [recording machine stopped, see later].
(What will that cure for example?)
Well, jis' lak a lotta people - yo' know yo' got a misery in yore ankle, cain't stand up on yore ankle. Dey [person working spell against you] got chew down in yore knees. (You said before [while machine turned off] that it kills off a lot of hoodoo ousiness.) Hoodoo business.
Entry 6978
Ah hear'd tell of wahps [hornet] nest - dat yo' take an' git a wahps nest on somepin, if yo' tooth ache, dat chew kin take an' smoke dat an' dat will cure it.
Entry 7745
Yo' go tuh de graveyard an' reach right down in de breast, an' dig down in dere deep an' git de dirt right off de grave, right off de breast part. An' mix dat graveyard dirt up an' a li'le cayenne peppah. Mix dat graveyard dirt up an' de cayenne peppah, an' yo' take dat graveyard dirt an' yo' gits a dirt daubah nest. Yo' go tuh a house whah [where] dere ain't nobody died in dat house an' git dat dirt daubah nest an' mix it all up tuhgethah.
(What do you mean, you go to a house where nobody died?)
Yo' see, whah dere's nobody died in dat house it give dat dirt daubah all powah. Git it whah dere ain't nobody died in de house. It have tuh be 'bout in de co'se of time of fo' yeahs. See! If dey died longah time den fo' yeah's time, it's all right; but if dey died recently, don't put dat dirt daubah nest in dere. Yo' have tuh git a wasps' nest. Yo' see, yo' git a wasps' nest an' put dat wasp nest in dere wit dat graveyard dirt an' dat cayenne peppah, an' it keep dem person on de warpath all de time - dissatisfied all de time.
(What do you do with this dust?)
Take it an' sprinkle it across de do'. Sprinkle it 'cross de do', sprinkle it ln dere house, an' let 'em walk ovah it. See, dey will be warfarin' all de time.
Entry 7791
If yo' wanta break up anybody, if yo' kin git de black cat hair an' black dog hair an' gunpowdah, an' graveyard dirt, an' wasp nest an' dirt daubah nest, put it tuhgethah an' mix it, an' shoot it an' dat'll break 'em up. (Where do they shoot this stuff?) Jes' put it on a li'le shovel an' throw it up out- do' at night. [The preceding word shoot has been retained by present informant in the baseball sense: he shot the ball to second base, meaning he threw it as hard or as fast as he could. Shoot can mean to send swiftly along as to shoot guestions at someone. Here we have an example of how original rites can be changed: A person may not own a gun, es- pecially the old-fashioned muzzle-loader implied here. Besides, shooting a gun at any time could attract attention. By using a shovel we return to rites of letting the wind blow things away.]
(Where do you do this?)
At chure home or anywheres.
(If I were trying to break up somebody, I would do that at my home?)
No, at dere house.
Entry 7815
You can use graveyard dirt for many occasions. Now, you can take graveyard dirt, dirt dauber, sand.
(Sand?)
Sand.
(Ordinary sand?)
Ordinary sand, cement [and graveyard dirt] an' yo' can make a ball out of it. You take it an' make a real ball out of it. An' after you make that ball out of it, why you takes that stuff that you make mosquito bar an' yo' take that, an' wrap that around of it. An' put it out in the sun, where de sun can hit it an' let it dry, an' take that an' just put it in de house. It's just as hard as a ball, it is. An' any time, why, if yo' wants to have control over whomsomever yo' desire to have control, yo' just kick that ball aroun' an' play wit it, call his names, an' de next three or four hours he's supposed to bedere.
(I see.)
Entry 7835
Git graveyard dirt [from] a fresh grave an' a mockin'bird nest. Dere ain't been many people know how tuh find a mockin'bird nest. Yo' have to go an' look in a peah [pear] tree at, in de tiptop of a peah tree; a fo'k of a limb, yo'll find 'is nest. An' dere's three li'le large limbs an' crossed lak dat, kinna lak a cross[3 prongs like a triangle point upward] an' a li'le moss right on down top of it. Yo' take dat moss an' dose two pieces [the three-pronged fork] an' graveyard dirt, an' put it ovah yuh do' an' says, In de Name of de Fathah, Name of de Son, an' de Holy Ghost. An' in nine weeks she'll be back. Yo' kin bring a woman back dat way.
Entry 8482
Jes' lak yo' were enemies tuhgethah, sompin lak dat, an' yo' wanted dem tuh go, why den yo' go ahaid an' take dere name. Take dere name - jes' lak ah'm enemies ag'inst yo' - take dere name an' write it nine times. An' wrap it up in a piece of papah wit de bird aigs an' put it in de bird nest. An' den dat'll make dem, yo' know, go wild; have a wild mind, a goin' mind tuh go. Dey won' be satisfied nowhere dey go. Sumter, S. Car., (351), 2345:8.]
Entry 8730
Take a sewin' thimble an' git chew three sewin' thimbles of ants' nest, an' ants an' all, an' yo' go tuh work an' yo' put it into a envelope an' write de person name an' put de envelope an' seal dat up den. An' yo' go tuh work den, de really fac' 'bout it, an' yo' take a spoon dat chew use anywheres on yore table gen'ly [generally]. Yo' lay dat envelope down an' yo' don't squench [= crush, see comment at end of rite] it no way atall, no way. Yo' dig de width of dat envelope - it 'sposed tuh be three inches in de ground. Yo' lay dat envelope in dere but chew don't - yo' know, yo' don't have it where yo' squench it nowhere an' yo' have dis full length, an' yo' bury it an' yo' cover it ovah. An' yo' take a ten-penny nail an' stick down In de ground to de haid. [The buried envelope is a grave symbol, the nail the tombstone.] An' dat Will - DE REALLY FAC' 'BOUT IT, SUH, IT WILL UPSET DE DEVIL, MUCH LESS ANYTHING ELSE.
(You put that before somebody's house?)
See, yo' put dat anywheres where dere's any path or - anywheres dat person travel or walk ovah. It don' make no diff'rence whether it's anywheres close tuh his home. Anywheres where he travel ovah.
(What will that do to the person, then?)
WHY ABSOLUTELY, DERE'S NO WAY DAT HE KIN REALLY STAY AT HOME IN ANY PEACE. Can't stay home wit no peace: Him an' his folks can't git along. It will pizen [poison] de minds of 'em. [The preceding word squench is a dialectal form of quench, this latter meaning: to quench a thirst, or to put out a fire, or to cool suddenly by plunging hot steel into water to temper it. A former meaning of quench was to crush, a meaning that was rare back in 1939 when I collected the word.1
Entry 8780
If yo' wants tuh make a person move ag'in [another method] eithah [or] make 'em live bad - it goes fo' both de things. If yo' wanta make 'em live bad, ah break some ice up, an' ah take dat beef gall, an' de dirt dauber - yo' knows dat - an' yo' roll it [dirt dauber]. Yo' know, yo' take a bottle an' put it [dirt dauber nest] in a piece of papah an' roll it up, yo' know lak yo' do bread crumbs. An' yo' take dat beef gall an' yo' take de same cayenne peppah. Yo' use a whole box of it an' de beef gall, an': yo' mix all dat up togethah. An' yo' write de individual name down nine times each way. Yo' see, yo' could write it nine times straight lak dat [demonstrates]. An' den whosomevah yo' breakin' up from, yo' could write dem on top. An' den yo' write 'em down nine times each way yo' see. Yo' write it straight lak dat, an' den urite it, yo' know, catacorner [catercornered]. Yo' undahstan' how ah mean? Write it across jis' lak a seal lak yo' make. [These 2 groups of names cross each other making an "x" or cross.] An' den yo' put it in dat piece of papah, but chew git a white piece of papah an' yo' write it in ink. An' yo' git it in dat papah an' yo' fold it up, an' when yo' fold it, don' fold it towards yo', always fold it from yo'. An' yo' put it in a jah. Yo' put all dat togethah in dat papah an' yo' put it in a jah an' yo' stop dat jah up tight an' yo' put it in a ole country toilet. Have tuh be shure tuh find a country toilet tuh put it in where nobody won' find it.
(What would that do then?)
Dat would break yo' up. Dat would break anybody up, if yo' want 'em tuh live bad an' not prosper or nuthin. Dat'll make 'em, yo' know, live bad.
(These two people.)
An' den ag'in, dat same thing yo' could do ag'in, if yo' wants tuh put some- body against - lak yo' have friends an' de people heah lak [like] yo'. If yo' put de othah person ag'inst dese othah people, yo' kin take dat same thing an orite dere name down an' den write de othah individual name on top an' put it down, an' dey'll come tuh lak yo' an' hate de othah one.
(You don't throw that in the toilet do you?)
Yes, de same thing. Yo' know it diff'ren ways yo' could do.
Entry 9028
[This rite could also have been indexed under many blowing breath ex- amples in Hoodoo.] Yo' take dirt daubah nest. Yo' kin be in jail. Ah've done done dis. Yo' kin be in jail an' yo' kin git chew a piece of dirt daubah nest, but don't let it fall. [This is one of those don't-let-it-touch-the- ground rites.] If it fall, don't chew bothah wit it. Cheo git dat [nest] chureself. Yo' mix it up wit table salt an build yo' a li'le fiah, an' yo' burn it as de people do in ole ancient time, sacrificin', In de Name of de Fathah, Son an' Holy Ghost. An' make yore wishes fo' whatevah yo' want tuh be done. An' yo' keep a-blowin', an' evah time yo' blow, say, God de Fathah, Son an' Holy Ghost till words 'mount tuh nine times. An' evah time it'll be yore way. An' if things ain't yore way, evah time yo' burn it, if things ain't zactly, yo' burn it ovah ag'in an' keep a-burnin' it ovah ag'in till things come zactly yore way.
(This is in a court case, you say?)
Yes sir. [For the mystery, awe and magic concerning the dirt dauber nest, See especially the interview, 'TOMB OF DE BABE OF BETHLEHEM," pp.1325-1335, v.2J
Entry 9029
Ah see whut it done an' done fo' me, but den yo' has a word tuh speak tuh it. If yo' wanta git dat, nuthin but gunpowdah, sulphur, aftah yo' git dat nest. Yo' git de sulphuh an' bluestone an' den dirt daubah out de nest an' dat black pep- pah. An' yo' make a good pow- dahs an' yo' kin sprinkle it anywhere roun' dere, jes' where de judge an' all de rest gotta come in ovah. When dey come inside of dat do' dere, an' dey walk ovah dere, dat settle it. Dat fur as ah know 'bout dat. An' ah've seen dat happen.
Entry 9193
Ah know dis much about a nest of hen aigs, dat yo' kin go tuh work an' take a nest of hen aigs. Jes' lak, now, if ah wanted tuh really git chew, make yo' lost yore job, or git chew out wit anyone atall [at all], all de way roun' where yo' won't have any friends. Ah knew dat yo' kin take one of dose eggs outa dat nest, an yo' kin stand off an' yo' kin name 'em. Call dat aig a name. Jes' lak evahwhat are my name [whatever my name is], why den yo' call dat aig dat same name, an' set it back intuh de nest. An' den yo' will notice, see, jes' how many aigs. Well, de really fac' 'bout it, how many aigs yo' upsot wit dat. Yo' may really upsot two or three or fo'. One Way, dey says, crack 'em or break 'em wit dat [named egg]. An' dat will put chew where yo' can't git along wit nobody nowhere. Ah knews dat tuh be de fac'.
Entry 9372
If de snakes is eatin' de biddies, yo' take de aig, den yo' boil it, undahstan' [understand]. Den yo' put it right back in de nest, an' dat will keep 'em away - keep de snake away.
(Biddies are the small chickens?)
Yes. [My transcriber, of Irish descent, adds a footnote: Biddies are colloqu- ially known as hens with families. I once heard of an elderly nun being called an old Irish biddy looking after her chicks - young nuns. A snake eating or swallow- ing a hen I would have to see to believe, unless it was a boa constrictor! That snakes steal chicken eggs is another piece of folklore; the thief usually being a rat, racoon, etc., or sometimes a dog who once picked up an egg and dropped it. Informant means, as stated here, the snake was eating the biddy': s eggs, or biddy = bitty, as in little bitty (little bit of), something small, little chick- ens. In any case boiling an egg keeps the snake from doing whatever it does!]
Entry 9810
(That foot track, what do you do with that foot track after you get it and put those pins and things in it?) Yo' take hit, yo' don't bury hit, yo' lie hit on yore bedspring an' yo' sleep on hit. An' he may go wit anothah woman but he won't ca' [care] nuthin 'bout 'er. An' in goin' tuh de othah woman he'll pay yo' twice de 'tenshun [attention] dat he will 'er. But in goin' wit yo' an' lovin' yo' often, yo' know, evah once in a way he'll go tuh dis woman, but he won't intendin' tuh stay cuz ah got a man lak dat. Him an' me mean so much. (In other words, you will take this foot track in order to hold a man - that's all.) Dat hold 'im. (And you put those pins in there in order to keep other women away. You name them your enemies.)
[I am corrected!]
Dat won't completely keep 'em away, but he'll be from undah dere influence.
(When you name these pins you are thinking of other women, aren't you?)
Yessuh, dat's de enemies. (They are your enemies and you want to keep them away from your husband or your man.) Well, heah's de othah one. Yo' see, womens doin' lak dat, gittin' de foot track an' pins, dat's not all of it. Yo' see if a woman - now, ah don't know 'cuz ah ain't nevah did nuthin, but ah hear'd it. [They] say, if a woman goin' wit chure man, he care de mos' fo' yo', an' yo' ain't tryin' tuh, yo' know, do nuthin but jes' tryin' to keep de man a Zi'le out de way, an' she tryin' tuh do somepin tuh 'im. Yo must always do lak dis, say he goin' wit 'er an' he ca' mo' fo' 'er. Well, she's got'a make him ca' mo' fo' her den he do yo'. Yo' got'a git 'is track den, but chew git it in a diff'ren' way. 'Stead [instead] of gittin' it fahwahds, yo' gits it backwahds. But chew take it an' yo' ca' it tuh a ants [nest] - jis' lak, yo' know, in de summah. Jis' lak yo' see a ants nest an' ants totin' dirt in an' out. Dis is ca'in' [carrying] it in jis' [like] ah'm gittin' love. Yo' got'a git de woman's track dis time, not de man's track. Git de woman's track. Yo' ca' it tuh a ants nest where de ants totin' dirt in an' out an' put it down dere. An' yo' go tuh puttin' it down where de ants totin' in dere. Yo' know how ants tote in. An' yo' name de same thing: "Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, make her leave dis town." An' yo' know, as yo' thinkin' [all this] yo' sprinkle it. Well, jis' as de ants tote it in, she got'a go. Well, dat's de woman. Fo' de man, well, yo' don't put it down in no ants nest. Jis' tie it up in a hans'cuff [handkerchief] an' yo' got'a put nine pins in dere. [Here I turned off machine thinking she had ended and had to restart by re- peating what had been lost.]
(Put it in your bedspring?)
Put dat undah de haid of yore mattress an' sleep on it. But de woman yo' got'a find a ants nest where de ants totin' in de dirt. [Informant now tells an experience of hers, an experience similar to the one told in, vol.] Dis wus a man passin' through [town]. Ah didn't know 'im an' he didn't know me. Ah wus on mah way tuh a party one night an' he said, "Lady, " he said, "ah'm hongry: Ah wan't somepin tuh eat: If yo'd give me twenty cents, " an' he said, "dat's not de price, ah'd tell yo' somepin." He wus a big mulatto man. He weren't no white man, he wus a colored man. Ah says, "Well, ah'll give yo' mo' den twenty cents, " ah said, "heah's thirty cents. An' heah's whut he tole me. An' he tole it so straight. Ah had nevah seed de man befo' an' he had nevah seen me, but he tole me who [what woman] mah man wus gone wit an' how he looked an' evahthing, an' whut she wus tryin' tuh do, an' whut fo' me tuh do. An' ah'd called 'im back an' ah'd sweah de man wus crazy. But ah done whut he tole me [to bring back my man]. De dog! See, dat walk right off an' left me. He come right back tuh me an' ah ain't had no mo' trouble wit 'im since. Ah wus dressed an' ah start out tuh de party. Well, it wus a big mulatto man an' he came rapped on de do'. He did give his name but ah ain't goin' tell no story, ah cain't remembah 'is name now. He says, "Well, where yo' goin', lady? See yo' dressed." Ah an' mah sistah [were going to the party], but ah'm jis' talkin' 'bout mahself. He wus talkin' tuh me. He says, "Ah lak yore future." Aftah dis, ast 'im tuh come in. Ah say, "Ah'm goin' tuh a party. He says, "Whut party yo' goin' to?" He says, "Ah think ah mostly know wit'out chew tell me." Ah says, "Ah'm goin' down heah in Thomastown." [I said it] jis' lak dat. He say, "Well, yo' drinkin'." Dat wus 'is words. Ah said, "Ah'm drinkin'?" He say, "Yeah." Ah said, "Ah did have 'bout a dime's drink but no mo'." [This was a dime's drink back in 1939, not in 1976, and it was the cheapest moonshine available.] He said, "Well, yo' goin' tuh de party tuhnight. He's daid an' yo' goin' preparin' tuh raise hell.' Said, "But if yo' gived me twenty cents, ah'll tell yo' sompin." Ah say, "Well, whut chew gona tell me?" He says, "Yo' worryin'," says, "yo're not satisfied." HE SAYS, "IT'S A WOMAN BUT SHE'S NOT YORE COMPLEXION, ' SAYS, "YO'S KINDA TEASY, WHUT CHEW CALL CHOCOLATE BROWN, BUT DIS WOMAN IS BLACK." He says, "Whut chew call a [something] or some bnda black woman [something]. Say, "But dis woman tryin' take yore man." Dat whut he said, "Dis woman tryin' uh take yore man." An' he say, "When dis woman tryin' 'uh take yore man, if yo' give me twenty cents, ah tell yo' how tuh git 'im from 'er 'tention." An' he say, "Ah oughta charge mo' den dat, " he said, "but ah's hongry an' ah want somepin uh eat." But he wus a colored man. We wus goin' tuh a barbecue, ah an' dis girl. Ah say, "Well, if yo' come go tuh de party, ah'll buy yo' sompin." He say, "Well, if yo' promise me fo' shuah yo'll buy me somepin uh eat, ah'll pay yo' 'fore yO gits dere. BUT IF YO' DON' PAY ME DE MONEY, WHUT AH TELL YO WON'T DO YO' NO GOOD." Ah said, "Well, come on." He said, "Yo' goin' wit de man an', " he said, "de man love yo' an' yo' love de man, an', '' he say, "jis' lak he come an' familiahize [familiarize] wit chew. He don't stay heah an' life [live] wit chew, do he?" Ah says, "He sho' don't." Ah says, "Me an' 'im quit." Ah said, "He lived down dere wit dem othah wimmins, went crazy 'bout 'em.' He say, "Well, when he step out de [door], jis' lak he step, yo' go out an' yo' git 'is right feet, git 'is right track." Says, "When he step out, don' chew go right behin' 'im. De time [after] he go, git 'is right track." Ah didn't even pay 'tention. Ah put on mah coat, de one dat ah wuz weahin' roun'. He say, "Git it from de toe an' rake it back tuh de heel, an' git somepin kinda slick an', " he say, "whut yo' pick up on dere, take an' tie it up in a hans'cuff." An' he say, "When yo' tie it up in a hans'cuff, yo' git nine straight pins, an' if dere any woman dat chew think he goes wit, whatevah dere name dat chew think is yore enemies, yo' call 'em name by name. An' jes' as yo' call 'em name by name, yo' stick dat pin in dat hans'cuff an' dat dirt till yo' git de nine pins in dere." An' [he] say, "When yo' git 'em in dere, hol' up de haid of yore mattress an' put it [handkerchief with pins] on yore springs, an' let yore mattress fall back down an' sleep on it." AN' SAY, "HE'LL COME TUH YO' MO' SO DEN HE'LL GO TUH DIS OTHAH WOMAN." SAY, "HE MAY GO BACK TUH DIS OTHAH WOMAN BUT HE WON'T MEAN 'ER NO GOOD. HE'LL MEAN YO' DE GOOD." (Then what else did he tell you about - there's something else about getting rid of the women?) About de girl. Well, he jes' left an' heah ah thought that... He says, "Now, if yo' wanta git rid of dis woman, if he go wit yo'..." She lived down on - ah live on [something] Street, 10ol, an' she lived on [something] Street, way down at de [something] Garden. "Yo' wanta git rid of dis woman he goin' wit," say, "but if yo' don't do it, if yo' do lak yo' did de firs' time, it'll backwards an' fo'wards. If yo' wanta git dis woman out of town," say, "yo' go tuh her. She ain't comin' where yo' live, cuz she's scared of yo'." Dat's whut he said. "But chew go tuh 'er home. She goes tuh work evah mawnin'." But he wun't lyin'. She do go tuh work an' ah know it. "Yo' know whut kind a shoes she weahs?" Ah said, "Yah, ah do." Say, "Now, ah got de right feet of his'n. Yo' git de left feet of 'er track an' don't rake it from de toe." "See, " [says informant] ah rake his'n from de toe." [He] say, "Yo' take it from de heel. Take it up an' put in a piece of papah an' ca it tuh a ants nest. "'- Now dis is a diff'ren' story. "yo' see how de ants, " he says, "work all day. Yo've seen dat. See, dey be totin' it in but dey don't tote it out. When dey come out, dey come out aftah ca'in' it through [the hole]." Jis' lak dose ants wit'in dey nest, he don't nevah tote out, he totes in. He says, "Yo' take dis woman's track an' rake it from de back of 'er heel, de left foot, an' ca' it tuh a ants nest. Go till yo' find a ants nest, totin' in an' out, ' [he] says, "if yo' have tuh wait till de summah. If yo' cain't run tuh de south, '' say, "yo' wait till den [warmer weather] an' dey ants totin' in."
[Down the coast from Maryland the "south" was always farther south - author.]
An' he say, "Yo' jis' stan' up dere where yo' see all dem red antses totin' dat dirt intuh de hole, an' yo' has it in a papah or hans'cuff an' jes' sprinkle it down, In de Name of de Fathah, an' de Holy Ghost, whut do yo' want wit mah mam? An' ah want mah man fo' ah need mah man mahself. An' jis' drop it dere an sprinkle it." An' de ants will come pick up dis dirt whut ah bring from anothah place an' dey goin' tote it in dere. An' dat's jis' how she'll tramp [become a tramp, a wanderer]. When ah sprinkle it down dere an' dey tote it, she'll have tuh leave dis town. If yo' wanta git rid of 'er, yo' jis' carry it tuh a ants nest an' yo'll be rid of de woman. He say, "De man goin' stay 'cuz yo's sleepin' on 'is dirt undahhaid [under your head]. But de woman will have tuh leave town. She will leave de town an won't even know how she leave.
(Well, did you do that, then?)
DID AH DO IT? AH'VE GOT 'IM BUT AH AIN'T GOIN' STOLE [STEAL] HIM. AH AIN'T RUN 'ER YET, BECUZ IT AIN'T BEEN BUT A COUPLE OF MONTHS BACK. WELL, YO' KNOW, IT'S WINTAHTIME AN' DE ANTSES AIN'T TOTIN' IN TOO MUCH DIRT. IT'S WINTAH. But ah tried it 'bout puttin' de pins intuh him [his foot tracks]. BUT AH KNOW ONE THING, HE'S QUIT [HER]. BUT AH'LL BE DOGGED IF AH AIN'T GOT 'IM. IF SHE SEE HIM, SHE SEE HIM ON DE FLY, 'CUZ SHE SHORE WON'T KETCH 'IM REG'LAH.
(Well, are you waiting now until the ants come out before you run her?)
AH'M GONA "RUN' 'ER THOUGH. AH'M JES' AS GOOD TUH RUN ER AS AH'M SETTIN' IN DIS CHAIR. She go tuh work evah day right by mah house. All ah gotta do - ah'm gonna grab 'er left-feeted track an' ah'm gona git me a ants nest. She's de onliest one give me trouble wit mah man, an' soon as ah git dat she WOn't give me nO trouble. JIS' AS FUR NO'TH AS AH WANT 'ER TUH GO, SHE GOIN'. AH'M GONA NAME DE CITY WHEN AH'M DROPPIN' DE DIRT AN' WE SEE HOW FUR SHE'LL GO. [This woman had a good story but she hopped around the room and kept repeating and repeating.]
Entry 9843
Dey said git a wasps' nest with nine needles, brand-new needles an' nine brand-new pins an' put de pins dis way an' de needle haid dat way, object [opposite] each othah. An' take dat an' yo' know, 'vide [divide] 'em up in nine pieces, split it, stick it intuh de Wasps' nest, holes [cells of the nest] yo' know. An' go 'long where dis person at an' jis' drop it, an' dey'll walk ovah it.
(That will harm them? What will it do to them?)
Well, it will jis' cuz 'em tuh rave an' go on home an' raise disturbances wit mos' evahbody dey meet. (You take these nine needles and nine pins, and you stick them into that wasps' nest.) Make nine holes an' stick each one in dose nine holes an' let 'em walk ovah it an' dat would make 'em very cross.
(You bury that in the ground, then?)
Bury it right in de ground.
(You leave those needles sticking in that wasp's nest?)
Dat's right. (That will cause confusion and quarrels and things of that sort.)
Entry 9898
Tuh make dem have a tendency tuh love anyone - yo' know, gain de in- fluence of anyone yo' wanta love - yo' gits a grown live frog. Let 'im be well- grown, healthy. An' gits yo' a pastebo'd box an' a darnin' needle an' thread. An' take yo' a pair of scissors an' cut a deep hole in dis box, an' yo' put dis live frog in dis box, but let it be at de twilight of de night. An' take yore scissahs an' cut holes in dis box. An' den take dis needle an' thing an' sew up dis box. An' take it an' don' say nuthin tuh nobody. Yo' take it an' go tuh a ants nest an' den yo' put it right in de ants nest. An' den aftah seven days yo' go back tuh de frog an' den de frog will be a skeleton. An' den it's two pieces about de skeleton yo' want. One look lak a fish scale an' one look lak a fishhook. An' yo' git dem two pieces an' yo' keep de fish scale. An' den yo' take de fishhook an' jes' lak if yo' wanta - intend tuh love anyone, yo' pin it anywhere on 'em fo' about thirty seconds, an' yo' tote it den. An' 'long as yo' keep dat fish scale yo'll have dem undah con- trol an' do anything yo' want 'em tuh do.
(What do you do with that fishhook?)
Yo' take that fishhook an' put it on his shirt or anybody dress or anything. Yo' know, hook it roun' dere. Yo' leave it dere fo' thirty seconds.
(Then what do you do with it?)
If yo' wanta yo' kin take it off.
Entry 10176
A bird's nest - a person can take some of your hair and put it in that bird's nest, you see. And take some of that bird's feathers and put that in there and then take your hair and put it in there. And then every, every morn- ing they take and set a light [candle] right in there [the nest] but not burn the nest. Just take that light and set that light in there [in a drinking glass]. And if they want to do you harm, get you some coarse snuff [often leaf of dried tobacco rubbed in hands] some hot pepper [sauce] and put it in there. And burn a light on it for nine mornings - you see, one hour for [each] nine days.
Entry 10271
If a person got chew fixed so yo' ain't got no manhood wit chureself, yo' jes' go an' make water into a red ant's nest. It will freshen right up ag'in. Ah've lost mah nature mah- self dat way an' ah've gained it back dat way. Dat's true about dat. [For ants see Nos.3111-3112, p.2342, v.3.]
Entry 10638
Take de red ants' nest an' use it with flour an' meal [3 ingredients]. Mix that all up together an' take that an' jes' throw it - jes' throw it chew know roun' in de room 'bout where he sleep at, an' dat would make yo' [him?] lovely kind to ever'body.
Entry 10640
Go to a ants' bed an' git dat sand an' sprinkle it round someone's house dat chew didn't like an' dat will also cause trouble. (What kind of trouble?) Like fights an' probably would end up into killin'. Dat's de red ants' nest.
Entry 10641
Red antses - jes' lak if, yo' know, yo' wit 'em an' yo' wanta git rid of dose people, jest anybody. If yo' don't wanta put 'em on de go [become a wanderer] yo' jest git - dey [ants] bores a hole in de ground. An' yo' jest stay right dere an' git jest a weed [or] sompin - not a stick - weed of any kind an' yo' jest continue tuh stir when dey come out dat hole, jest lak dat. An' de person dat chew don't want, yo' jest call dere name as yo' stir. Well, when yo' quit stirring, now when dey come out, if dey comes out an' go dis way or dat way - or dat way, dey ain't comin' back dere any mo'...dey goin' make [a new nest] 'long as dey kin git tuh de church or some place lak dat...but dey goin' tuh leave dat place. See, when dem [ants and] things come out dat hole like dat, see dose people is going.
(Those people whose names you called, that will drive them away.)
Dat's one de easiest way dey'll go den.
(These are big red ants.)
It's a big red ant, it a cow ant.
(Oh! Cow ant. A cow ant?)
Yeah, it made like a cow. When yo' cut his head off de other part will go right on, yo' see, dis part go an' dat part go. Well, yo' take dat an' yo sew it up.
(Sew up what? Sew up the head?)
Dat's right, dat other part will keep agoing.
(And what do you do with that head then?)
Yo' call dat person name an' watch it. See how long he be dere.
(You take this head from it [ant] while you call this person's name.)
You have tuh sew it up an' put it in yore left pocket. (And that person whose name you called will be going the same way that ant's body is going?) Jest lak he's going.
(This is the cow ant? Why do you call them the cow ant?)
Dey made lak a cow. Dey got laigs lak a cow, got a haid lak a cow. Look lak his eyes big as a big head. [Two parts of cow ant working in opposite directions is no more wonderful than the doctor who could see a tombstone rock in section HEADBOARD OF GRAVE ANSWERS DOCTOR GLOVER BY ROCKING, p.2258f., v.3.]
Entry 10645
An' den yo' kin take dem big red antses bed an' run a person crazy. Yo' kin go dere in de day when sun rising, jest like yo' go dere fo' 'em tuh come back, only yo' call his name in a different way - calling 'im in de name of[some- body] in de Bible.
(Who?)
Silas[?]. Yo' kin use dat name.
(That will run them crazy?)
Dat will run 'em crazy [to come home].
Entry 10646
Take dose antses, see, ketch 'em, an' dat [ant] bed dey done made - some of dat [ant] bed yo' see, an' yo' git it [some of that ant bed] in a box an' yo' bring it back. An' dey tell me yo' jes' keep dat sittin' ahin' yore bed all de time. See. Well, dey say dat's jes' tuh run yo' crazy - yore mind bad, see.
(You do that at some other person's bed?)
Yeah, doin' othah people harm.
Entry 10649
Ah heard if yo' take a ant, if yo' wus tuh take, if yo' could a - jes' lak a ants' nest. Jes' lak yo' go to a ants' den dey have made. Jes' lak if yore husban' or sompin lak dat would wash his feet an' yo' would scrape his feet, well yo' take dis dead skin offa yore husban's feet an' take an' put it in dis ants' nest. Den dat et [eaten] by de ants an' den dat would cause him to walk jes' lak a ants, if yo' wanta do somepin to him or somepin lak dat. Dat would cause de husban' to walk jes' lak de ants.
(What do you mean, run him away or something like that?)
Yeah, jes' gives him de wanderin' an' sturbin' an' all lak dat. Jes' lak he'd love somebody an' yo' thought yo' could break him - yo' know, stop him from lov- in' 'em. Yo' jes' wanta do somepin ill to 'im. See, yo' takes an' wash his feet an' git some of dis heah, yo' know, dead skin off his feet, an' yo' puts it in dis ants' den, an' say den when he starts tuh walkin', he jes' wouldn't be sat- isfied novhere he goes, jes' lak de ants.
Entry 10651
Jes' take it ovah heah. Yo' know where dey [ants] make a bed, yo know. An' yo' go dere an' git dat bed. Gotta sift de ants, not let 'em be in dere. An' git some watah an' make 'bout enough lak yo' make corn bread, yo' know, an' lay it out somewhere in de sun an' let it bake, git hard. An' den yo' take it up an' break off a piece of dat dirt, an' lak yo' wrap it up in a papah heah, an' yo' takes dis man, whoevah 'tis, not let him see it, an' tro' it where he live at. Why he couldn't rest, yo' know, jes' lak de antses, he couldn't rest nowhere he'd be, aftah dat place. (You simply take this ant's [nest dirt] after you dry it up and scatter it around his house, to make him all upset like the ants. And he has to leave?) Yes.
Entry 10661
Anyone dat have a weak blad- der dataway or bad kidneys lak dat, use dere chamber lye to de ant nest fo' nine mawnin's an' it would stop. Dat big red ant nest.
Entry 10711
( Git de featbers out de bird nest aa' bar den, an' dey take dat an' put it in a person's hat, an' dat runs 'en crazy.
[Mephis, 1519:8.]
Entry 10712
Ah heard dey tke, not de egg, dey take where a bird sit at in dat nest an' take some of de trash out of dat.
(The manure.)
Yes sir, an' put it in dat, an' yo' can't stay nowhere.
(Put it where?)
Put it in whiskey or tea or coffee, an' give yo' wandering mind.
(That gives you a wandering mind.)
Entry 10713
Jis' lak yo' git someone's hair, yo' kin git de bird nest an' fold dat up an' throw it in runnin' watah. Well, dat'll run yo' crazy lak dat. Jis' makes yo' go crazy, yo' jis' always be on de path - dat's runnin' 'em. (You put this hair in the bird's nest and sew this up in some- thing?) Yes, yo' throw it in de watah.
Entry 10714
Yo' take de bird nest an' yo' git cayenne peppah an' salt, an' yo' put it down where a person has tuh walk.
(What are you going to do with that salt and pepper?)
Yo' mix it with de bird nest. Destroy de bird nest an' yo' sprinkle dat salt an' peppah with it, an' sprinkle it where a person has tuh walk, dat yore enemy, an' he wouldn't harm yo' in any way. (What will that make them do?) Dat will make dem leave.
Entry 10715
Ah heard dat chew could take a bird nest. Yo' could take a bird nest if dere wuz someone interfere [interfering] with yo' in yore business or livin' in yore sec- tion close about chew. Yo' take a bird nest an' take some table salt an' put it in dis bird nest, an' take dis nest an' throw it up on top of de house. Any per- son botherin' yo', dey'll move out an' keep goin'.
(Throw it on top of the house of the person that is bothering you?)
Yessuh. Dat's right, take de bird nest an' put de salt in it. An' jes' tear it down, jes' sit dere an' tear it down, an' put dat salt in it, an' throw it up on top of somebody house. Let de nest be fulla salt an' dey will scatter - dey'll move on out.
Entry 10716
Dey says takin' a bird nest. Now, dat's somethin', de same thing of love, of married life. Like if yo' wanted a girl, yo' know, an' she doesn't seem tuh care anythin' fo' yo', yo' jes' take de bird nest down an' yo' take, taht if yo' kin git anything of hers, an' put it in dere, an' put it in dis nest, an' sew it up in a piece of new homespun an' yo' wear it yourself yo' see. An' den yo' take de perfume an' put on dat an' jes' yo' know, lak yo' be round her an' yo' know how like girls will be round yo', an' put dere ban's in yore pocket yo' know, an' take de han'kerchief out. Yo' may grab it, but see, she git de scent of dat. Dat'll change her mind an' she do jes' lak yo' wanted her do.
(You put this bird's nest into the handkerchief?)
In de han'kerchief. An' yo' puts dis Hearts Perfume. Jes' don't take nuthin out de bird nest. Jes' take de whole nest right up an' puts it in dis lil' piece of homespun. Den yo' put it in a han'kerchief 'cause yo' want it on it fo' nine mawnin's with dis Hearts Perfume in it. See, when yo' put it in dere, yo' more den apt tuh put it in yore pocket, yo' see. Well, when yo' put dis han'kerchief in yore pocket, dey more den apt tuh grab it. When dey grab, yo' know, yo' goin' have somethin' in dere, but yo' won't have it in de han'kerchief so dey can't shake it out. Well, whenevah she git de scent of dat, why it won't be long 'fore she goin' follow yo'. Well, dat's nuthin but jes' tuh make love.
Entry 10717
Ah'll tell yo', whether it's a woman or man, if she leaves yo' an' yo' wanta git her back, why yo' git chew three grains of cor [maize], an' three strands of her hair, an' if dere any way yo' kin git her track, pick up yo' [your] dirt out of each one of her track - three tracks. An' yo' put dat in yore shoe, umdah yore bottom shoe [insole] whut yo' wear. Lift dat [insole] up an' put it udah dere, an' yo' wear dat. An' she'll come back. See, an' when she come back, an' den, if yo' want her tuh stay dere, yo' go an' git chew a bird nest an' yo' put some sulphur an' salt in dat bird nest an' burn it. Make yo' a little fire an' burn it in de chimley so yo' kin git de scent of it, an' she can't leave yo' no way; can't go an' leave him, de man or woman, which one wanta do it.
(Do you wear that corn in your shoe also?)
Put dat cor an' de hair an' dat sand in yore shoe.
Entry 10906
Take the - like they got a white dog. Well, you see, they [white dogs] make white - white stuff you know, down here. Well, you take that [white manure] and when that's dry, get the dirt dau- ber and get that cay- enne pepper, Epso salts, black pepper, salt, and red pepper- the red cayenne pep- per. You [know] the regular red cayenne pepper. And take some of the hair out of the dog's back and some out of the cat's back. You know cats and dogs can't agree. You know they'll fight. Well, they put all that together and fix it up, and then throw it around peoples' houses and make them fight.
Entry 11190
Ah heard dey go an' git a dirt dauber nest an' some cayenne peppah an' sprinkle it undah de do'step an' turn yore back an' nevah look back, an' nevah look back, an' say "good-by." An' dat'll make 'em move an' dey cain't come back again.
Entry 11192
To break up house, beat up dirt dauber's nest, salt in it, pepper [black or redi in it, sprinkle around or through house.
Entry 11195
Throw mixture of dirt-dauber-nest powder and gunpowder near home for 9 mornings to make people move. [Wilmington, N. Car., 274:8+85.]
Entry 11196
You go out there and dis dirt dauber nest, yes. (What would you do with it?) Chuck [it] underneath de house - drop it underneath de house - an' make de folks mind upstir an' make 'em move.
(I see.)
Entry 11200
Yo' take a dirt dauber nest an' anything, jes' lak say, yo' wanta cause confusion or sompin lak dat in a home. Yo' take a dirt dauber nest an' yo' go dere a certain hour of de night an' yo' use dat jes' lak yo' do de aig. Jes' lak dirt dauber keep a-goin' an' conin', dat person keep a-goinin' an' comin'.
(What would you do with the dirt dauber's nest when you took it to that house?)
Yo' jes' carry it an' bust it ovah de house at twelve a'clock at night, jes' lak yo' bust a aig.
Entry 11201
They will spring your doors and things. (Well, how would they do that?) They'll take that - they'll go to three people's house and you can steal you some salt from three people's house, and take that cayenne pep- per and that black pepper and dirt dauber's nest and beat it together and sprinkle your door and you'll move.
(I see. And you'll move. But you only steal the salt?)
Steal the salt.
(The other things you don't take?)
No, you just steal that from somebody's house.
(Just the salt. Those other things you take from your own house?)
Yeah.
(I see. That will make you move out?)
Yes.
Entry 11202
Git 'em out of a house. Dey got some of 'em back dere now. Yo' kin git dirt dauber nest. Yo' know whut dey call dirt daubers. Well, yo' git dat an' cayenne peppah, but yo' have tuh git in de house tuh do dat. Yo' cain't do dat on de out- side of de house. See, cayenne peppah, Epsom salts, sulphur an' powdered asafetidy. Yo' know whut dey call powder asafetidy. Well, dey mix dat tuhgether. Well, if yo' cain't git chure tobacca, yo' kin git dis scotch snuff an' yo' mix dat, but chew gotta git in de house dat yo' kin sling it back in dere. Yo' know, an' 'noint de house, an' dey'll move.
(You just throw that in the house and these people will move away.)
Yes.
Entry 11208
If ah have a mean husban' an' jes' lak he's argy [argues] all de time, ah jes' take dat dirt dauber an' beat it up fine an' throw it anywhere where he set at in de house - 'neath his fut or anywhere at de suppah table - an' why it will stop him from arguin' yo' understan', dat dirt dauber.
Entry 11209
Take de whole nest - she say, git it down whole, de dirt daubah nest. Take it whole an' don't break it. An' put in a cup or anything an' put some watah on tt, an' jes' about time it draw - in about fifteen minutes - jes' keep it an' drink off of it. (What will that do?) She says dat brings yore [her] husband down an' puts him undah her feet. Well, she shore got her'n [hers] undah her feet. She say dat's whut she use, she say dat's de best it is.
(Does she drink that water herself?)
Drinks dat. An' she say dat's shure fo' him. Ah know one thing, he's undah her feet all right.
Entry 11217
Yo' kin take, yo' know, if yo' an' yore husband ain't gittin' long good in yore house, yo' kin take some spice an' dirt dauber nest an' mash it up together; an' after yo' sweep, sprinkle it in each corner of de house. Every- thing will git 'long lovely. Dat's all ah know it's good fo'; yo' know, killin' anything lak dat. Wear it in yore shoe for a fuss lak dat an' sprinkle it round yore house. Dat's all ah know dat it's good fo'.
Entry 11221
Now, yo' take de [chicken] aig an' broke a little hole in it an' put some of dis graveyard dirt - jes' a drop of it - an' de dauber nest [dirt] an' throw it on de house, and run 'em away.
Entry 11224
(What do they do with that?)
You see, you take the dirt dauber's nest and you'll mash it up good, and that dirt dauber's nest can make [a] fuss [quarrel]. And the dirt dauber's nest is good - now, dirt dauber's nest would be, if you got a sprain...
[Here I turn off machine but immediately restart it.] (And do what?)
[Take the dirt dauber's nest and get you some little] guinea peppers and get you some graveyard dirt [guinea peppers and graveyard dirt restarted machine] and fix that together, and then you can make a person move. I don't know where to[!].
(Well, how would you handle that?)
You see, you mix it all up together. Now, just like you go away, [like] you turn your back [to go away]. Well, I'd go throw that all around, or get some of it in your house. See, you'd pass over that. [Then you would soon leave that house or town.]
Entry 11225
Go to de graveyard an' git some dirt an' bring de dirt back home an' mix it up wit dirt dauber nest an' sulphur. An' mix it all up an' put it in de house - jes' a little bit in de house, a little bit. (What will that do?) Dat keepin' his mind, bring his mind back home.
Entry 11229
Take graveyard dirt and dirt dauber's nest and cayenne pepper and new salt and parch it - you mix it and parch it and make a powder. And throw it Monday night, Wednesday night and Friday night where they walk over. They change their mind and they go on about their business. They move off and go off.
(They leave the house?)
Yes.
(You sow this on these nights. Do you throw it or sow it?)
You throw it around. (Oh, you throw it around.) [The preceding combination of 3 days is common in New Orleans for burning candles - see p.830, v.1.]
Entry 11317
(What's that?)
(Bull dog manure?)
Bull dog manure. They'll take bull dog manure and wasp nest. Parch them down to a powder. It'll 'come pulverized like powder. Put them together and mix them. Come to your home where you and your wife been getting along nice and smooth Walk right in that home and talk with your old woman, just come right in the house and throw it around.
(Just sprinkle it around?)
Yes. You begin to squabble and fight and the next thing you know, why one of you is gone away from there.
(I see.) I see.)
Entry 12341
[This stone] get it in the eagle nest. There's a white lodestone and there's a black lode- stone. Well, the white lodestone is the female and the black is the male. Well, the female is no good. But it's no hair grows on those stone. [Some rites speak about hair growing on lodestone.] The only thing it is, its FUZZ still grows on it, just [like] the beard on my face - it grow on the lodestone. [This is from Doctor Buzzard of Norfolk, Va., part of whose interview given Pp.1515-1517 and elsewhere.]
Entry 12441
Well, de mockin'bird eggs is puttin' spells on people. Yo' write, jes' like yo' write on 'em [black-hen eggs previously given by informant]. Yo' take dose eggs, de same identical way. Well, yo' take dat egg an' yo' put it somewhere where he breed, an' den when he breed it, why den dat will be his luck, his bad luck, dat happen to him wit dat mockin'bird egg. [You write on egg whatever you want to happen to victim and restore egg to nest. When egg hatches your wish comes true.]
Entry 12443
Well, dey didn't tell me no certain 'mount, but dey jes' say yo' kin use mockin'bird eggs an' yo' kin separate a couple wit mockin'bird aigs. (How can you do that?) Yo' cook dem aigs. See, dey'll git hard. Under- stand. Cook 'em an' yo' powder dem aigs up, an' den yo' kin sprinkle dat round a person's house or inside dey house, an' dat'll separate dem. Dey always said dat mockin'birds would be - he would make his nest but he would soon tear it down. He wouldn't nevah stay. An' dat's de reason why dey could take dat an' yo' [dey] kin sprinkle it round yore house an' in de house, an' dat'll shore make a couple spearate, fuss, yo' know, have argu- ments an' all like dat.
Entry 12447
Don't know if dey use de mockin'bird aigs but ah know dey use de mockin'- bird nest. Yo' burn it to ashes, and when yo' burn it to ashes, an' yo' jes' put some sulphur an' saltpeter in it or sulphur an' pep- pah or gunpowders - either of dem three, an' yo' mix a powders with that. An jes' what yo' say it do, it works by what yo' say...
(Give me an example of one thing you could say to it?)
Well, it ain't but one thing yo' kin say, an' den dere's plenty thing yo want to say.... It jes' what yo' want to say, or jes' if yo' have good idea - jes' any feelings tuhwards me, if yo' think ah doin' sompin ah got no business to yo', an' when yo' do dat den yo' tell it whut chew want it to do to me.
Entry 12448
"Specially dis time of yeah, dese mockin'birds. Dat's how come we take ca' of de mockin'bird's nest roun' de house. An' so jes' take dat man's hair or dat woman's hair an' put it in de bottom of dat mockin'bird's nest, an' dat man have de headache dat run him perfectly crazy.
Entry 12450
Take a mockin'bird nest an' put undah bridge, if yo' wanta break up a boy an' a girl, or yo' know, keep someone from a place. Den yo' take it an' put it where dey kin step ovah it or walk ovah it an dey won't go dere no mo'. (Like some boy and girl are going together, and I would want to separate them?) Separate dem. Go put dat nest, jes' put de nest some place where dey'll go walk ovah it chew know - him or her, either one. Dat will separate dem. [Suml ter, S. Car. (1365), 2411:8.]
Entry 12567
Take a dauber nest.
(Just take one dauber's nest?)
And seven peanut hulls.
(And seven peanut hulls.)
And seven pods of red pepper.
(And seven pods of red pepper.)
And parch all that together and crumble it up. And then sprinkle it around a person's door if you - like if your husband is going over there. And sprinkle it around her door, and the path, anywhere where she goes in and out at. And it will bust them up. But you have to crumble it up fine after parching it, and just sprinkle it all up and down there. See, and it bust 'em up. They will bust up - and they goes - just drift from place to place.
(This will bust them up?)
He will quit her. You use one dauber nest and seven pods.
(And seven pods.)
Oh, I should have said that that dauber nest was to be filled with a certain kind of mud, what is used to tear down. (The dauber nest is to be filled with a certain kind of mud, I see.)
Entry 12754
Ah heard dat chew could [take] a raven's aig. Go find his nest an' take de aigs outs his nest an' boil 'em. Say, cook 'em, an' return 'em back to dat nest, an' dat raven would go somevhere an' git a stone, an' bring it back an' jes' put it in dat nest. Den yo' go dere an' git dat stone, an' yo' have all de luck yo' wanta fo' anything. [This egg-substitution rite in various forms is told about different birds in HOODOO.]
Entry 12897
Well, if de [= dey = they] want make him stay home, it's a little blue blossom grows in de woods jes' lak de blossom in a woman's [something], yo' know, dat little nest of hern - fes' lak dat. Yo' kin take dat [blossom] an' steep dat [in water] an' make him stay home. Yo' kin steep dat - say if he's a coffee drinker - an' sweeten it round de home. Sprinkle it round. It's a little vine wit a blue blossom on it. Steep it an' put a little of dat in his cup. Man, he couldn't put a collah an' chain round his laig an' pull him 'way from home.
(What do they call that vine, do you know?)
Dey call [it] a true vine. true vine. Hit's wit a blue blossom like dat blossom be's on a woman, yo' know. [Even Shakespeare in Hamlet was concerned with a similar plant.]
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.