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Entry 3990
At night, lak he [does not] wanta have sompin tuh do wit yuh, pee in yuh pan, yuh see, an' put chew about half-a han'a [hand of] sugah in dat pan. Well, yo' wanta make him have sompin tuh do wit yuh. Befo' yuh have anythin' tuh do, yuh git down ovah it [pan] an' wash yuhself. Don't dry it, jis' git on in de baid an' go ahead on wit 'im. Wipe yuhself off an' he'll start. An' [that will make him] bring 'is money, too. Dat's all yo' gotta do.
Entry 4926
(All right, you are going to tell me another way now.)
Aftah yuh run off - de party done run off. Well, what bring 'er back home. She run off an' yuh wan'a git 'er back home. Yuh take her stockin' an' fold it nine times.
(How do you fold it nine times?)
Fol' de stockin' - yuh see yuh take it an' fold it from de bottom, yuh see, where de foot is.
(Yes?)
Jis' make a fold. Fold it. Yuh see jis' [demonstrates]: dat's one, two, three, fo', five, six, seven, eight, nine. See, evah time yuh make it, yuh make a fold, jis' like yuh fold in dere. See, jis' like yuh take dis here [demon- stratesl, dat's one, see. Den take yuh a pan an' lay dat stockin' in it. (Any kind of pan?) Any kin'a pan. Lay dis stockin' in it an' yuh burn it intuh ashes. Take a match, git - no, yuh take nine matches, Searchlight-head Matches, an' fold it inside dat stockin', see. An' as yuh fol' dem nine matches in dere, an' den yuh take one an' light it, an' let it burn intuh ashes. An' den yuh take dem ashes an' dat pan an' bury it undah yore back steps. Dig yuh a hole an' bury dem ashes undah dat back steps An' if she done lef' home, I'll betcha she'll come back.
(I see.)
She'll come back.
(You fold those nine matches into stocking?)
Nine matches an' nine folds in de stockin'.
(Do you put those nine matches all together, or what?)
Jis' lay 'em tuhgethah inside an' fol' de stockin' nine times.
(Well, what stockings do you use? Both stockings or what?)
One.
(Which one?)
De lef' stockin'.
(Oh, the left stocking. I see.)
Entry 6947
Jes' lak she runnin' out on yo' an' doin' bad things an' yo' know it. She comin' in an' she kinda drinkin' a little. If she don't come in too high [drunk or intoxicated] an' don' let 'er be [something]. Yo' take a basin of watah an' take an' put 'er ban' in it, an' ast 'er a question while she's sleepin'. She'll talk wit chew jes' lak she wide awake an' tell yo' ever'thin', where she been an' whut she done an' all.
Entry 6967
She'll take a cold pan of watah an' put 'is han's in it whilst he sleepin' an' den ask 'im diff'ren' questions. An' when she ask 'im dem ques- tions, den he answah dem. Do dat tuh a woman or a man, it don' make no diff'rence. Jis' put 'is han' in dis watah. Why she kin say, "Bob, yo' went sech a place las' night, didn't chah?" An' ah'll [he'll] answah de qoestion.
Entry 7234
Ah wus goin' wit a girl about six yeahs ago an' ah quit dis girl. An aftah ah quit dis girl, ah started goin' wit anothah girl. An' dis othah [first] girl got acquainted wit dis othah [second] girl. An' so she [first girl] got acquainted wit de girl ah wus goin' wit, dis othah [second] girl. Co'se [Of course] ah didn't tell 'er dat ah had evah been wit dis girl. An' so dis [first] girl had a party one Satiday night an' she got me dis girl dat ah didn't wan' 'er tuh know of. Quite natchel ah wen' tuh de party. So she had a Victrola, wusn't no radio den. In fac' [fact] she didn't [would- n't?] have one no way. An' she had a li'le whiskey fer de party dat night. An' so, all de while ah wus goin' wit 'er de ole Victrola, de spring 'ud [spring would] jump off sometimes an' ah used tuh fix it fer 'er, while ah wus goin' wit 'er. So she, aftah de music stopped, she tole dem dat ah could fix de Victrola. An' she'd [she had] taken de Victrola in de kitchen an' put it on de table. An ah went in dere an' see zactly [exactly] whut wus de mattah wit it an' fixed it. An' she put a pint of whiskey on de table up dere. Well AH DIDN'T PAY NO 'TEN- TION 'CUZ AH NEVAH DID BELIEVE IN DIS STUFF [HOODOO]. SO AH DRINK SOME OF DIS WHISKEY. MATTAH OF FACT AH'D TAKEN SEV'RAL DRINKS OF DIS WHISKEY. An' so, aftah ah got de Victrola completed an' evahbody got tuh dancin', an' den ah started takin' a couple a dances mahself. Well, when ah started takin' dese few dances mahself, ah got dizzy; got a li'le dizzy an' got a haidache an' got out mah haid some. An' de girl frien' ah wus goin' wit den, she'd taken me tuh 'er apartment. Aftah she'd taken me tuh 'er apartment, ah woke up nex' mawn- in' an' found mahself dere. So ah kinda come tuh mah haid a li'le bit. An' den she rent de cah [car] tuh take me home. So dey'd taken me home. An' when ah got home - ah don' remembah when ah got home or nuthin of de kin' lak dat. So 'bout nine o'clock Sunday mawnin', well ah started havin' fits, one right behin' de othah. So dey tell me, ah don' know anythin' about it. Ah fell unconscious den. So dey spent dat Sunday. DEY HAD ALL KINDA DOCTORS. DEY SPENT $74 ON ME DAT SUNDAY ON DIFF'REN' DOCTORS AN' NOBODY WOULD TAKE DE CASE. SOME DOCTORS WOULD COME IN AN' TREAT ME FER SOMPIN - DIABETES AN' DIFF'REN' THIN'S - AN' MAH REG'- LAH FAMILY DOCTOR, HE COULDN'T TAKE DE CASE. So he tole mah uncle an' evahbody dat he didn't know whut wus de mattah. It wus a case tuh 'im. So den ah stayed unconscious from dat Sunday mawnin' at nine o'clock until dat Monday night at half past eleven. Well a frien' of mine - didn't tell me - ah wus still unconscious, but he tole mah uncle. "WE DONE TRIED EVAHBODY ELSE CHERE [HERE], SUPPOSE WE TRY A HOODOO DOCTOR. IF HE DON' DO NO GOOD, WE JIS' WON' PAY 'IM. He [this doctor] run worms out mah mothah, but she [mother] said, "Ah know anothah good lady [but she is too far away], but anyway, by he bein' so bad off, we'll go up an' see dis one firs'." So dis fellah came in - so dey tell me, see ah wus still unconscious - said, "Yes, " S SAID AH WUS POISONED, AN' HE WOULD HAVE ME ON MAH FEET IN 45 MINUTES. Well, it wus about eleven-thirty den.
(In the morning or night?)
In de night. An' dis wus on a Monday night. Ah had been unconscious since Sunday mawnin' nine o'clock till ovah dat Monday night at eleven. SO HE COME IN AN' COMMENCES TUH WORKIN' ON ME. SAYS MY BOWELS WAS LOCKED AN' DIFF'REN' THIN'S. HE GIVE ME SOAP AN' BITTAH ALOES...
[I interrupt.]
(How did he give you the soap?)
He taken de soap an' he jis' mixed it up in a glass; yo' know, jis' watah enough tuh make de soap dissolve. Yo' know, Octagon soap, an' made somepin lak a pill outa it an' jis' held mah mouth an' rubbed mah throat - so dey tell me - until ah swallah dat. An' den dey give me bittah aloes an' dat unlocked mah bowels. AN' SOON AS IT UNLOCKED MAH BOWELS, AH COME TO. When ah cOme to, ah knows mahself. When ah wus on de party ah wusn't able tuh go tuh de bathroom. AN' [AFTER MY BOWELS MOVED] DEY SHOED ME A ANIMAL COME OUTA ME 'BOUT - AH GUESS ABOUT DAT LONG [DEMONSTRATES].
(As long as your little finger.)
YEAH AN IT LOOKED SOMEPIN LAK DE COLAH OF A ORANGE PEELIN', AN' IT RAN UP ON DE MEDICINE GLASS TRYIN' TUH GIT OUT. Ah [had] come tuh, den. Co'se ah wuS weak aplenty. Ah wus weak aplenty from havin' dose fits. Ah wusn't any good. De fact is, he tole me it would take aroun' a couple a yeahs tuh git so ah wus well ag'in. In fact it did. So ah commence tuh askin' question Who did it. HE'D TAKEN A NEWSPAPAH AN' PLACED IT IN A PAN OF WATAH AN' LET IT SET IN DIS PAN A WATAH SOMEWHEAH ROUN' ABOUT AH THINK - IT WUS NINE MINUTES AH THINK, AN' DIS WOMAN'S PICHURE COME ON DAT NECKED [NAKED] JIS' LAK SHE WORN NUTHIN ON 'ER - NECKED ABSOLUTELY.
(The woman that did this to you?)
Yeah. So he ast me did ah know dat woman. Ah say, "Yes." He say, "Well do yo' wan' tuh have her tuh come here an' confess tuh yo'?" DE PICHURE APPEAHED ON DE NEWSPAPAH RIGHT LAK DAT AN' HE TOLE ME TUH LOOK AT IT QUICK. AN' AH LOOKED AT. IT QUICK AN' AH RECOGNIZED IT AN' IT JIS' FADED AWAY AN' JIS' STAYED LAK DAT. [Before proceeding to the doctor's magic-mirror trick, let me pause in an attempt to explain his pan-of-water trick, the latter an excellent example of hydromancy. The doctor had brought in his usual medical kit a newspaper folded into folds about 3 inches wide; the top fold containing type only, the bottom fold also the picture of a scantily dressed woman. He then holds the newspaper several inches under the Water, type side up and picture side down. Patient is instructed to free his mind of all thought except the identity of the spellcaster soon to be revealed. Gaze at the water constantly without blinking. After a long period, as much as 9 minutes, the doctor begins to rotate the newspaper so that the picture suddenly appears and disappears. He tole me tuh look at it quick an' ah looked at it quick an' ah recognized it an' it faded away.] So he said, now ah'll have her tuh come here an' confess tuh yo' dat she did it, if yo' want me tuh. Ah tole him, ah said, "Yeah, ah'll be glad tuh." He'd taken a mirrah an' turn it bottom upwards; taken a mirrah an' turn de face up lak dat [demonstrates].
(The face of the mirror up.)
Lak dat. An' he said - ast me whut wus 'er name. An' ah tole 'im 'er name. Ast me whut wus mah name, an' ah tole him mah name. He wrote mah name at de top an' 'er name at de bottom.
(On this mirror?)
On a piece of papah an' placed it on topa dis mirrah. An' den he'd taken a clock an' turned it face down, almos' right on topa de mirrah, an' let dat stay dere fo' five minutes. An' he'd taken it up in fo' an' a half minutes, an' put it down fō' a few seconds, den picked it up. He tole me she would be dere in five minutes. Ah don' know where she wus. She wus away cross town, somewhere. But he tole me tuh watch out fer 'er, she would be dere in five minutes. Ah Wus wondahin' how she goin' tuh git dere. She lived on Marshall Avenue 'bout fō' or five blocks from dere. Well in fō' an' a half minutes from de clock she wus dere. She come up on - man had a automobile, a taxi. Ah don' know whethah she wus on 'er way dere or whut, but in fō' an' a half minutes she wus dere. She tole me dat she did it an' she wus sorry. She says she didn't do it 'erself, said she got somebody else tuh do it, an' tole me his name an' evahthin'. (Do you know what they put in the whiskey to hurt you that Way? What she put into the whiskey?) Yes, dis fellah had taken two grains of snake dust an' put in de whiskey. But dat wasn't did dat Satiday night. Had it been did dat Satiday night, it wouldn't a worked so fast, see. She had did it somewhere roun' about three months agO, an' DAT LIVE ANIMAL HAD BEEN PERFORMED FROM DAT SNAKE DUST. An' den ah had been away from 'er fō' fō' or five months, an' had been goin' wit anothah girl an' had passed 'er up. Well dis girl wus teachin' school. Well ah wouldn't let dis girl know dat ah had evah been wit 'er, cuz ah thought dere would be a lot a jealouSy dere. WELL, WHEN AH WENT BACK DAT NIGHT, DEY STIRRED IT UP, YO' SEE, AN' DAT MADE DIS LIVE ANIMAL LOCK MAH BOWELS. AN' IT HAD TUH PASS THROUGH OR ELSE AH'D A LIVED SO MANY HOURS HAVIN' DOSE FITS AN' DIED.
Entry 7373
Fac' [in fact] ah heard of a man got killed, an' shortly aftah he got killed de law come up to fin' out who wuz dis man dat he got killed an' who wuz it dat killed dis man. He [the law] caught some of 'is blood an' aftah ketchin' it he took de washpan wit some watah in it, an' caught some of 'is blood an' set it down in [under] de bed where dis man wuz at. An' de man dat killed 'im, he had tuh come back an' give up.
(Under whose bed did he put that pan?)
Under dis man's bed dat wuz dead dat dis othah man shot.
(The dead man's bed?)
Yes, dat's right. (That is, the dead man was lying on the bed an' he [the law] took some of this blood and put water with it, and put it under the dead man's bed to bring back the man that killed him.) Yes.
Entry 8297
They put them [a tintype] in a pan of water, with the face up, and shoot at them. That disfigures their face and makes them moult away. [Fred- ericksburg, Va., by Ediphone.]
Entry 8437
Yo' take de photograph when in love an' put it in a basin of watah, an' if it floated on top, yo' an' 'er will be in good love; but if it goes tuh de bottom, she wan' tuh run away from yo' jes' as fer as she kin git. (Now, which is which?) Yo' couldn't git 'er if she goes tuh de bottom, no. See, becuz de watah washin' 'er offa dat pichure, yo' see, washin' 'er photograph 'way from yo'. It nevah will be on dat card atall, it will wash off.
Entry 8746
A person kin take a new tin plate an' write a person's name in it dat's e from aroun' yo'. An' if yo' wanted tuh see 'em an' turn it down in a trunk or keep it some way where nobody Would nevah trouble it, an' dat person'll come. Ah've heard of dat.
Entry 8756
De 88th Psalms an' de 85th Psalms. YO' EVER READ DE BIBLE? [I either did not answer or answered with my head. Perhaps informant did not give me time to answer.] An' yo' go down to de Ten Cent Store an' yo' buy yo' a ten cents pan [tin pan]. An' yo' write three words on there, God, de Father; God, de Son; god, de Holy Ghost. An' write his name there. In nine days he'll be back there, but yo' still gotta read de 88th Psalm and de 85th Psalm.
(What do you do with that pan then?)
Yo' place it in de corner of yore home.
Entry 8757
Write chure name in it, in dat tin pan - brand-new tin plate - an whirl [or spin] it tuh yo'. Every mawnin' write chure name - have to write it fo' nine mawnin's - if yo' 'way an' dey wanta see yuh. Yo' take dat brand-new tin pan an' write chure name an' turn [spin] it to yo'.[ Whirl [or spin] it ovah three times to yo', say[ing], "Ah do dis In de Name of de Father, Son an' Holy Ghost, fo' yo' to come an' nevah return [to where you were]." An' ah don't care if yo's in Europe, yo'll come.
Entry 8759
Well, yo' kin use it. Jes' lak yore husband is got a woman or whut not - anything dat chure husban' is doin' an' yo' don't want 'im tuh do it. Yo' kin go tuh de hardware [store] an' buy a pie pan, a little cheap pie pan an' yo' writes - well, we'll say he's got a woman an' yo' don't want him tuh have 'er.[ Well, den yo' go an' buy dat pan an' yo' name it 'im. An' yo'll come back home an' yo'll take a ink pen an' yo'll write his name nine times cross dat pan. Den yo'll write dis woman's name nine times undah de bottom of de pan. Den yo' turn yore mattress back an' lay it on yore bed slats, yo' might say, or de springs, an' let 'im sleep on it. An' he'll fo'git all about de woman.
Entry 8760
If yo' could go an' buy a new tin pan, pie pan dat nevah been used, an' yo' put dat up ovah de door piece where yo' keep John de Conkah. Yo' [have seen] John de Conkah root? (No, I've heard of it but I ' have never seen it.) Well, yo' get a piece of John de Conkah an' wrap it up in a little cloth an' yo' put de smooth part of de pan, an' yo' turn de smooth part, de in part to yo' an' outer part goes to de dō'
(The back of the pan goes to the wall?)
Yes, an' yo' put dis John de Conkah behin' dis pan an' say, "Ah wan' choo in pahtiklah [particular] to stay away from me." Yo' makes dat wish. But whethah dat works or not, ah haven't had anything to [especially to keep the law away].
Entry 8762
Ah tell whut chew kin do, if yo's outa yore home right now an' ah Wanted yo' tuh come back heah in yore home. Ah don't think yo're treated right, dat somebody has runned yo away. Ah'm goin' write chure name on a tin plate an' mah name, but me an' yo'd be good friends an' bring yo' back in dis home. An' turn dat new tin- plate an' write chure name in it an' den dere's a brass thimble an' three teaspoons. [The name is written on and the thimble and 3 teaspoons are in the right-side-up plate.] An' turn dat plate an' turn it fo' nine mawnin's - turn it roun' nine times fo' nine mawnin's. An' sleep wit it up undah de head of yore bed. He'll come back home. [The right- side-up plate is turned on its bottom and probably turned anti-clockwise, revers- ing time to bring man home.]
Entry 8763
Yo' buy a brand-new tin pan out de stā' an' do' nuse [don't use] it fo' nuthin an' don' set it dwon on nuthin [don't touch the earth theme]. Yo' git it an' come right back home. Yo' gits yo' a pencil an' mark it disaway an' data- way. [I interrupt.] (Just like you were quartering a pie - into four parts.) [If informant did not under- stand guartering, I added four parts.j Yes sir. Yo' put his name heah, put chure name heah, an' den yo' put his name ovah dere an' his name heah... (Wait a minute! In this [I demonstrate on paper] upper left-hand corner as you are looking at it, you put his name. Underneath that you put your name. Then up above in the right hand corner you put your name, and then his name underneath. In other words, his name and your name are opposites.) [See my diagram for quartered pie.] Yes sir.
(All right. Then what do you do with that pan?)
Yo' take it an' turn it bottomside upwards an' walk out de do' backwards, see, an' shove it right underneat' yore do'step. Yo' don't bury it. Jes' put enough sand ovah it, yo' see, to keep anybody from seein' it. It won't be two weeks [2 seven-day periods] befo' he'll be back there. Ah've tried dat mahself.
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 8981
[This is a rite for an altar shaped like a triangle, one of the angles being 45°, so that it will fit into the corner of a room. A triangular board as a shelf would also serve the purpose. Sometimes an oblong or a square table is placed catercornered in a corner of the room. Such a device saves space, can be shut off by a curtain, and represents one of the four corners of the earth (Reve- lation of St. John the Divine, 7:1). One of these altars I actually describe under (3) My third psalmist (INTRO- lines 16-21). Though my informant does not say so, the pan of salt holding names and burn- ing candles did not rest on the floor, but upon an altar. We must also suspect the presence of holy objects, such as pictures of saints. My great friend, the Rev. J. Langtry Williams - mentioned in Pictures for Alma at the end of Folklore from Adams County Illinois, 2nd edition - described the reli- gious arrangement of his part-time housekeeper. She being elderly and ill, he went up to Harlem (black section in New York City) on a pastoral call. Her whole room was an altar! Two wires from the four corners of the ceiling sagged and crossed in the center'of the room. Along these wires at intervals were strung holy pictures and objects. In one of the corners was a shelf or small stand hold- ing a colored light with a float. She had seen my friend's sanctuary lamp over in the church, but these private shrines were common long before she met Father Wil- liams. All these religious actions are concerned with what I call the magic of the diagonal, one arm or both of the "x" or St. Andrew's cross. Hoodoo has many similar rites - the old housekeeper's also being a quincunx, which again is well represented in Hoodoo. For similar private shrines see: CUSTODIAN OF A SHRINE, PP.1139-1158; BEER FOR ST. PETER, CIGAR AND WHISKEY FOR ST. ANTHONY, PP.1220-1236; A WOMAN AND HER THREE SAINTS, Pp.1401-1414; etc, all in v.2.] In a sense [instance?] of that kind my godmother always burned nine candles and they have a beef tongue. Well, see different peoples come there and wanted cases dismissed [from court]. They'd get a beef tongue and they'd stick that beef tongue full of pins. And they have a string running from this part of the wall to that part. They'd tie that tongue up there [demonstrates].
(So it's hanging between the walls, you mean?)
Yes sir, yo' see just like de corner there [points].
(Yes.)
Well, they'd tie it hanging - hang it in the corner that way. An' they'd put them [demonstrates].
(Across - well, just one over the other.)
Yes.
(You put the strihg across one corner, one - show me how you do.)
See [demonstrates]. (Like that, I see. One cord over the other cord just so it cuts off a corner.) Yes. (They cut off the space in a triangle [the cut-off space becomes a triangle]. All right.) The left-hand corner of the house.
(Well, which is the left-hand corner of the house?)
Well, that [points to it] would be the left-hand corner of this house. You mean coming in? (Oh, it's the left-hand corner coming in. All right. And [demonstrates again] they hang this tongue in that [2 wires] like a swing? They put it in a swing?) Yes, see.
(All right.)
Just put two string between two corners - see, like that.
(Holes [nails] right in the corner.)
An' they puts [in the tongue] a whole paper of stick pins, pointed pins, yo' know. Stick 'em in this all ovah, all around. An' they write dat name on them candles - they got nine candles there.
(What name do they write on there?)
They write your name [client] on there.
(The person that wants to get free.)
Sure. Now they write your name on there. And then they take any kind of pan an' they'll fill that pan with salt, an' they'll write that judge an' the dis- trict attorney name on there, an' put it in this salt.
(What will they write all that on?)
On paper.
(I see, and put it in the salt. All right.)
An' put it in this salt. An' when they light them candles they go ahead on to the court house. If yo' not discharged that day, the case is throwed off. An' when they come back again, make another dressing [repeat the candle ceremony], maybe it throwed off again. (Now, you put all these nine candles in that pan of salt, burning. Are they all lighted at once? What color are the candles?)
[All candles are lighted at the same time.]
Different colors.
(I see.)
Red, blue, green, yellow, white - different colors. (Different colors, I see. But my name [client's name] is written on those candles, I see.) See, an' they write de judge an' de district attorney name - put that on that paper upside down like that an' light them candles an' go on out. Now, that case liable to be thrown out today. All right, call that case up again, fust de morning before that case is called at 9:15, dey light them candles again. Maybe throwed out that time. Next time....
Entry 10495
Dey say, if dose hags wear yo' out ev'ry night overnight, to put a basin of water right in de line about halfway of de person an' den sleep wit de Bible under dere head. (Where do they put that water?) Dey put de water on de floor right in front of de bed. In de front of de bed on de floor about half- way to de bed but it be's outside, not under de bed. [This is a broken bone rite!] An' den sleep with de Bible, or a good-reading book, under yore head. [This is my only example of a good-reading book!] Dey will also stop bothering yo'.
Entry 11653
Git chew [corn] meal or flour in de barrel an', dey a enemy to yo' sift dat flour good an' make it up. But dey won't cook but half of it an' turn de dirty [baking] pan ovah de other half an' let it stay 24 hours an' throw it [bread] out. An' dat cuts yo' off from gittin' any mo' [corn] meal. Have a hard time gittin' flour or whatever yo' wantin'. Can't hardly git nuthin tuh eat.
Entry 1221
If a person got chure foot track - you live in de yard, de same yard an' he take yore foot track out - you go back in de house and de same dirty water you wash in de dishpan, you throw it in de bottom of yore shoes and throw it in yore track and back out de gate fer three mawnings. Den dat person will turn loose yore foot track.
(If a person has my foot track? I see, that's to get rid of the spell.)
That's to get rid of the spell.
Entry 1408
Peel a onion an' chop it up - cut it up real fine an' put it in a pan an' put it underneath de bed fo' fever. Dat's all ah know about that. Dey says fo' fever.
Entry 4986
Git a man's sock an' two rocks an' urinate in a pan. Heat de rocks real hot an' name one yoreself [a woman] an' name one de man, an' bury 'em right at yore do'. (What do you do with the sock?) If yuh name one de rocks de man, wrap dat rock up in 'is sock an' bury it right at de do'. He'll always come dere.
(Which sock do you use?)
De right.
Entry 8753
To bring back, git choo a tin pan or tin plate whut choo use fo' cookin'. Write his name on dat nine times an' write de 85 Psalm on dere, on dat tin plate, an' put it any place dat secret place in de house. [Charleston, S. Car., (518, Doctor Nelson, see p.1599f., 2260, etc.) 611:9.]
Entry 10692
Dey use tinpan's an' things for a swarm of bees. Yo' see a swarm of bees in de air, yo' go an' git chew two tinpans an' beat 'em. [Uninterested because this was ordinary folklore, I turned off machine, but when I heard the word sheet I restarted and explain what I had missed.]
(You put a sheet over your head while you are beating those tinpans?)
Jes' when dey up in de air, jes' beat an' all of 'em come on yo', if yo' want a [hive] of bees. Jes' beat 'em wit dat tinpan an' thing an' dey all sll come on yo'. An' take an' make yo' some gumbo [a soup or stew thickened with okra pods] right where yo' put 'em down at, an' dey'll stay dere an' make yo' a hive an' yo' got chew a huve of bees. [That word huve was a have or huve - froa hover?]
(What do you put that sheet over your head for?)
Tuh keep 'em from stingin' yo'. [This was new to me. Was that the original purpose?]
Entry 614
Then, when you get you two pieces of money - you understand me? If you can't read cards - well, I generally tell it with cards. I read cards - find out practically anything that I want to know. But if you can't read cards, you wants to get you two old pieces of money and put 'em in a pan and put 'em on and let the water come to a boil, and if dat money will hop about and throw the water at chew when dat water boil, you know that someone have put a trick on you. Now, what you wanta do - you wanta save dat water dat you boil this silver in and take three swallows a day for nine mornings. Well, you do that for nine mornings and you wanta to go [to] the cemetery and get three pinches of dirt each day for nine mornings, and bring that dirt and place that dirt into an old sock from de party who harmed you, if you possibly can, or either get a sock from dat house, if you can. Well, if you don't get a sock from dat house, you Wants to go by dere with dat dirt and sprinkle it across the door so he may be able to cross it. That'll take care of him.
(That'll take off the spell?)
Take the spell away. [Norfolk, Va., (466), 460: l; by Doctor Bowes.]
Entry 2657
Well, yo' kin git chew some garlic an' git chew some sulphur an' git chew some sugar. An' turn yore pan jis' befo' de sun rise - set it in yore do', set it afiah. Close all yore do's while it's burnin'. Yo' go out. Den when yo' git it blue wit smoke, open all yore do's an' de people will run ovah heah. Ah don't ca' whut chure doin', dey'll run ovah heah, comin' tuh see whut yo' got tuh drink. It'll draw 'em.
Entry 218
One time a fellow was frying some eggs. He was setting down there cook- ing and looking things over. He heard a voice. He looked around to see where it was at and couldn't find it. So he goes to the stove and something up on top of the chimley said, "I'm gon'a drop." He said, "You can drop all you want, so you don't drop in my pan of slop." Finally, a cat leg fell down the chimley, went in the corner and set down. The fellow looked at it, then at the pan, and something on top of the house said, "I'm gon'a drop." Another leg fell down the chimley and went over there and both got together. When the two legs commenced to get- ting together he said, "It's getting kin'a tight in here. The legs said, "That's nothing. Wait till my body comes down." Something on top of the chimley said, "I'm gon'a drop." That cat's body fell down the chimley. It went over and got with them legs. The fellow look at them again and the pan of slop and said, "It's getting kin'a tight in here." Then they said, "Wait until them front legs get down here." Something said, "I'm gon'a drop." He said, "You can drop all you want to just so you don't drop in the slop." The front legs dropped and went over there and got together. He said, "It's tight in here now sure enough." Then it said, "Yes, but you wait until the head comes down." The man said, "The back legs is here, the body is here, the front legs is here, but when that head gets down I'm gon'a be gone."
Entry 532
Dey claim yo' kin put a pan of watah under yore bed and say three words, jest say, "Father, Son and the Holy Ghost," and den go to bed and dey claim de witches will not come.
Entry 639
They claim that a woman, his wife, can take private hair, hers and his, and tell whether he's out having a good time with another woman. When he begins to use another woman these hairs will come together like different kinds of knots [groups]. She puts these hairs in a pan of water. If he isn't, each hair will float to itself.
Entry 1584
Well, yo' - jes' lak yo' had germs in dis room heah, an' yo' wants tuh git shet of de germs, yo' take some tobacco an' put it into a pan or something an' set 'em afire, a slow fiah, an' let 'em smoke yo' see, but it will kill ever'thing in de world. If yo' ain't got no tobacco, take some ole shoes an' tear 'em up an' put 'em on top of sulphur - it kills. [Tobacco usually appears in compounds - No. 1551, p.491, and Index.]
Entry 2366
Red peppah an' ashes an' saltpeter an' dey cain't come ovah it. Pin it up( ovah yore do'. Dey'll come in but dey won't be mad.
(Where do you put that, you say?)
Jis' up ovah yore do'.
(Well, it would fall out wouldn't it?)
No, yo' gon'a put it in a bag an' tie a string aroun' de bag an' hang it on de nail, an' every day yo' got'a pee on dat.
(Not up there!)
Naw. Yo' take it down an' pee in a pan, an' pee on it, an' den yo' put it back up there. Dey cain't bother yo'. Dey kin come in but dey Won't do nuthin to yo'. Dey'll be jis glad.
suspending the tied bag from a nail above the door. Retain visitors can come in but are claimed not to be angry/harmful; do not rewrite the account as absolute exclusion. predicted mitigation of visitors’ angry or bothersome conduct while allowing their entry. No total visitor exclusion These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified.
Read full source (printed page 661) · Read full source (printed page 662)
Entry 2705
You use Hearts Perfume an' chamber lye - sprinkle it all around in yore place fo' sunrise in de morning. Yo' git up an' yo' sprinkle dat around in yore place. An' then yo' use salt - sprinkle salt around in yore place. If yo' have any rug, anything dat chew kin put dat salt undah, it is very lucky. An' dat chamber lye an' dis Hearts Perfume it's very, very lucky to bring in customers. If yo' use dat chamber lye an' dat Hearts Perfume, an' if yo' will burn some sulphur - if yo'll burn some sulphur into yore place in a pan, right in de middle of de flo', an' use yore Hearts Perfume an' yore chamber lye, why yo'll bring in yore peoples.
Entry 3111
Yo' kin take, if a man's goin' wit anothah man's wife an' dis man don' want 'im tuh go wit dis woman, yo' kin take some red antses, dese large one, if yo' kin git a lot of 'em. Jes' go tuh a antses bed an' git all de antses yo' kin git, an' take dese antses an' put 'em in a pan an' take dem home, an' put 'em in a stove an' let 'em parch an' den powdah dem all up. An' when dis Woman goes tuh bed at night an' go tuh sleep, he kin take an' powdah dis stuff across 'er stomic part down dere, her private part. An' when dat man goes tuh have a date wit 'er, why dey git hung up dere jes' lak dogs.
(Do you mix that red ant dust with lard?)
No sir, yo' don' need tuh put any lard in it, jes' put red antses dust by itself.
Entry 3388
Jis' like if I come here to dis lady's house an' steal 'er dishcloth, an' take it back home an' wash dat dishcloth out so dey won't be no fat on it [to] make the man suspicious]. Den, yo' see, use it ovahnight on 'im. Yo' got to use it for nine nights, or use it nine times - it's all right. Den take it an' put it into a pan of grease an' fry it. Take de cloth an' ball it up an' put it into a can where it'll stay hot - yo' know, not let it git cold - an' go an' bury dat can. An' he cain't leave dat house to save his life. A man ain't gon'a leave home. An' when he do go, he can't have nopleasure.
Entry 4086
Yo' take a peach or banana, or lak if yore husban' lak bananas an cream, yo' know, lak dat fo' breakwus [breakfast]. Well yo' take dis banana, peaches - I won' say peaches becuz I haven't used dat, I use bananas. An' pee in a pan at night an let dese bananas soak in 'em ovahnight, an' de nex mawnin' use dem in corn flakes or cream. Dat's fo' love.
(Would he taste that?)
No, sir. Yo' cain't taste it at all.
(You mean the sugar kills the taste?)
Yes.
Entry 5359
If yo' don't want anybody to come to your house, I've heard the old people say you get their track. Take it up in a paper, put it with some sulphur, some salt, burn it in a pan, and take the ashes and throw it northward and say, "Don't come no more." And they say they won't come no more neither.
Entry 6893
Yo' know lak dey have neuralgy [neuralgia] in de throat an' mouth an' haid. All right, yo' be swoled all up. Yo' go tuh a red oak bark tree an' git de bark on de sunrise side an' make tea off it, an' jis' steep yo'self wit it lak dat. Jis' have de watah, dat tea, in a pan an' jis' steep off, steep off. Open yuh mouth an' jis' let it, let it go all on. An' yo' kin make poultices if yo' wanta tuh put all roun' yuh neck or wherevah it's hurtin', an' dat'll scattah it.
Entry 6948
Yo' could take de shoe an' take it an' lie it undah de baid, bottosl side upwards, an' lie dere han' in a pan of watah an' make 'em tell whut de'
[dey = they] done aftah night. Tell evahthin'.
Entry 7221
Well, ah've heard 'em say dat if yo' bootleggin' an' yo' wanta keep de law away from yuh house, yo' git out soon in de mawnin'. Yo' take incense. Yo' kin buy dat, an' yuh burn dat, but here's de nex' thing yo' kin do dat ah suggest dan incense. Yo' kin take an' go tuh work an' git dat dirt whut ah suggest tuh yuh.
(What dirt?)
Soon in de mawnin' dat chew go out an' yo' mix up.
(What dirt?)
De dirt dat chew go an' stand on. Aftah yo' make dis dirt, aftah yo' make it up in a mixture. Yo' understand. All right, an' yo' stand on it, an' yo' reach down an' yo' git some of dat dirt. All right. An' aftah yo' reach some from undah de bottom of yuh feet - dis is whut chew call, whut ah told choo 'bout dose twelve head of dose officials, high offi- cials.
(I see.)
But yo' mus' call twelve high officials in de city which yo' live in - names, yo' mus' call dere names. An' yo' put dis dirt in dis pan an' den yo' brings dis pan back. [Then you] goes tuh de graveyard an' git some dirt outa de graveyard. An' den yo' takes dat salt an' yo' sprinkle dat salt ovah dis dirt. An' as yo take dis dirt soon in de mawnin', den de nex' mawnin' 'fo' de sun rise, yo' go all de way roun' yuh house an' sprinkle dis dirt an' say, "As ah cast dis dirt out, ah wants tuh cast [then call some of those officials' names] from dis groun' dat ah stand on." An' dey won't - yo' won' be worried wit 'em. (Will you tell me that story again - over again - you told in the beginning about standing out in a certain part of the house and calling those names. I don't quite remember that.)
[This was a part of the story told before recording began.]
All right. Here it is. Yo' go tuh de east side of de house - de east side, now - an' yo' dig dis dirt [the dirt upon which you stand]. Yo' make it up jis lak yo' wuz makin' a bread; git it good an' crumbly an' soft, yo' see, an' - but choo mus' stand. Yo' want me tuh show yo' how tuh stand?
(Yes.)
Ah'll show yuh [demonstrates]. See? Yo' mus' - aftah yo' git yuh dirt made up good, an' all, den yo' stand upon it lak dis [demonstrates]. See?
(With your shoes on?)
Wit yuh shoes on.
(I see. All right.)
Yo' stand upon it. An' see, when yo' standin' upon it, yo' supposed tuh be standin' on de high officials' heads, becuz dey comes from dust, accordin' tuh de Bible. An' den yo' reach down an' yo' take... [I interrupt].
(Well, didn't you say something about calling names or something?)
Call twelve of dese names of de high officials in dis town, or in de town yo' live. Ah wouldn't know whut dose names is.
(I see. Well, go on again with the story.)
In de town yo' live, see. Yo' call twelve high officials - rulin' powahs in dat town - an' yo' git dat dirt. An' whenevah yo' gits dat dirt from right undah de bottom - de sole of yuh feet - yo' put it in dis pan. An' den yo' takes dis pan an' yo' goes directly from dere tuh de cemetery an' yo' gits some dirt offa de daid body. An' yo' put dat in dere an' yo' mix it wit dat whut choo got from de east side of yuh house. An' aftah yo' do dat, yo' go tuh de table - tuh yuh table or wherevah yuh salt is - an' yo' git some salt an' put in it. An' yo' po [pour] dat salt in it an' den de nex' mawnin' yo' git up soon 'fo' de daylight, den go out an' yo' throw dis aroun' yuh house an' yo' say, "As ah throw dis salt" - jis' throw it out - "dat good fo' nuthin, aftah he [salt] done losed [lost] his savor, but tuh be trampled undah de feets of men." An' den yo' call some of dose twelve officials, high officials, an' yo' won't need worry.
(I see. He would go away, not make him move.)
Yes, keep from makin' yo' move or keep from any officer [keep any officer away] - anything.
(Keep the officers away?)
Yeah, away from your house.
(Trouble of any kind?)
Dat's trouble of any kind.
(I see.)
Entry 8752
Write his name on one of dose little fryin' pie-a-pans, tin plates, yes sir. Write his name in dere an' write de 13th chapter of Psalms. An' den write his name three times an' Write de Psalms twice, but chew must read dose verses backwards. Place 'em underneath of de steps with very little over earth over it, dat means de dirt over it, an' leave it underneath of dere from nine to eight- teen days. He'll be back dere.
Entry 10261
If a woman have tricked him where he can't do business, well every morning he take dat. Take some milk an' put it in de pan an' bathe down wit it; an' throw it toward de risin' sun, every morning fo' nine mornings. [I had stopped machine but restarted it to include informant's use of the word courage.]
(What will that do then? That will restore his courage?)
Yes, restore his courage. [Stop machine.]
[Start machine again to pick up another addition.]
(You say bathe down.)
Entry 11234
If she have a husban' or either a fren', a man or sompin lak dat an' he runs around, she kin [take] any piece of his garment an' use it. Take an' wash any part of her body jes' lak she want to. Maybe use her dishtowels tuh wash any part of her body, an' wash it in de watah where she gotta wash her dishes, an' dat'll keep him home. Let him eat out of any pan or any pot, or sompin lak dat, an' dat'll keep him from runnin' roun' outside.
Entry 13063
Well, ah heard dat if she make him eat out of de fryin' pan an' pot, he'd stay home. He won't be so happy tuh go off. (How do you mean, eat out of the frying pan and pot?) Well, wherevah it's cooked, yo' know, let him eat out of that an' don't put it into a plate - jes' let him eat out of de pan - de fryin' pan or skillet or anything lak a pot.
Entry 4529
Ah know 'bout de rim roun' yuh hat. Ah nevah heard about no bow.
(What do they do with that rim around your hat?)
Well, dey take de rim from roun' yuh hat - de sweatban' ah mean, dat goes aroun' in de hat, an' dere's a herb in de woods dey callt de skunk [cabbage]. Well, if a person is away from yuh an' yuh wan' dem tuh return back tuh yuh, see. Dis is a fahm [form] of herb dat dey call it a skunk, smell jes' like a polecat. An' [take] a coon root an' a shame root. [This is perhaps the coon grape or raccoon grape (Ampelopsis cordata) of southeastern U. S. A., a woody vine with grapelike foliage and inedible bluish fruit; and less likely the fox grape (Vitis babrusca). For shame root, see shame brier, p.646.1 Dey take dose [three] herbs, dose roots togethah, yuh see, an' kinda put dem on de stove an' let 'em steep, an' put de ban' of dis hat in dere. An' IN DE MAWNIN' BEFO' DE SUN RISE YUH GO, DAT IS IF YUH IS RELIGIOUS - GOT TUH BE RELI- GIOUS TUH DO DAT SORT OF THING DEY TELL ME. An' when de sun risin', Why yuh take dat an' repeat de [Our] Father's Prayer an' ask Him in de Name of Jesus, "Yuh give me So-an'-so fer mah companion, mah love." An' den when yuh turn back - den jes' have a volve [resolve] to return 'im back, why dat will bring 'im back.
(What do you do with that sweatband then?)
Oh, when he come back, yuh throw it away. (I mean, you take this sweatband out [of the brew] when you are making this prayer, don't you?) No, let it all stay right dere.
(Stay where?)
Right in de vessel dat yuh have dere. Yuh have some kinda saucepan, yuh know. Let it stay right in dere.
(You take that out when you do that praying? You had that along with you?)
In de mawnin' yuh kin go, yuh know when de sun risin'. Den yuh bring dis back.
Entry 13345
For love, I'll tell you w'a' you kin do. You kin take a piece of yellah homespun, split it, take it now. Well, take your chamber lye, dat you use over dat night.- make over dat night. You take dat an' heat it in a little pan. Take dis piece of homespun, wipe it under your left- foot bottom. Wipe it under your right [-foot bottom] with dis piece of homespun. An' den, after you do dat, you take it an' wipe it under dis [demonstrates the left] arm, an' wipe it under this [demonstrates right] arm. After you do dat, you wipe down dere [at pubic region]. After you do dat, why you take a little bottle about dat long [shows a little finger] a little vial. An' push dat homespun, put it down in dere. Take dis water [urine] w'ere [what] you heat, pour it into dere. An' take nine pinch of love powder, nine drops of Heart Colognes [Hearts Cologne] an' nine pinch of spice. Why you kin put dat in dere, into dis bottle, an' stop it up tight. And any time you wan'a, it'll make you come. Put dat in some applesauce, peas, or anything, nine drops every time, an' he'll give you jis' w'a' choo want an' love you.
Entry 13432
Take fo' instance if yo' married an' yo' go out without yore wife, an' yo' done a misdemeanor, an' yo' tave a tendency to talk in yore sleep. Well, if you have done anything, well when yo' go to sleep an' begin snoring, why she kin put chure hand in a cold pan of water an' everything that chew have done, you'll tell it.
Entry 3948
(Some fellow told you this?)
Yes sir, de fellah tole me dis, dat he caught 'is wife. She used [to] when she go tuh menstrate, [he] says she'd take a piece of steak an' wear it on her- self jes' if it wus a Kotex [trade name for a brand of sanitary cloth] or sompin lak dat - in place of a Kotex - all day long, until time fo' him tuh come home an' git 'is suppah. Den she take it off an' put it in de pan an' cook it an' give it to him tuh eat. See, dat create a whole lotta jealousy - make hi jeal- ous of 'er. Love - he be jealous of 'er.