Subject:Parch
Entries
Entry 3694
Ah'm very, very fo'getful now.
[See my comment about this woman later.]
Kin do a man in dis way, yo' kin git a snail. Yo' know a woman kin take a syringe an' wash her purse out. Yo' know whut dat is. [This ancient use of the word purse is probably my only example of it.] An' aftah she washes it out, she takes de watah from whut she wash out wit an' she puts de snail in it, an' [afterward] she take it an' put it in de stove an' let it brown down to a crust. An' she takes it out, outen de crust, she take it an' she grinds it up, jes' mash it up yo' know right right small. An' den she take it an' put it - dope it in a wax, de chewin' gum yo' know dat chew chew - she'll roll it [in that]. Dat's to take dis man in [to trick him]. If she think any way fresh [here's another meth- od], she would git an asafetidy [asafetida] an' make little pills. An' she'll wait till he gits sick an' den give it to him, give de pills to him fo' swallow- in'. An' dat yo' know, it's got 'er nature. An' he swallah - take dese pills fo' a medicine. An' ah don' care whut woman or what kind, she cain't nevah git 'im tuh leave aroun' heah. [To be certain that I know what informant is talking about, I now comment to the machine and ask a question:] (She takes a syringe and washes her purse, and then she puts this snail in that water. Does she put the snail into the water before she washes herself or does she put the snail in after she has washed?) Aftah she has washed 'erself. She'll have a intahco'se wit 'im first befo' she do dat, yo' know. Dat's tuh git 'is nature. An' den she takes dat an' douche herself out right good, yo' know, wit not too much watah - yo' know, wit a very small amount. An' den she set 'im in de stove an' let 'im dry right. (This elderly woman supposed to be good, but she couldn't get her things to- gether. She may have been a little frightened also.)
Entry 4037
Well, de fingahnails, yo' kin be lucky on dem, so ah heah. But ah haven't seen anyone try it but ah jes' heard dat. Dey say yo' kin take yore fingahnails an' parch 'em an' put 'em intuh a lil' bottle an' ketch a man's watah an' run 'im pure crazy. (Well, what would they do with that water then?) Dey stops it up in de bottle. An' ketch some of 'is urinate an' stop it up on de fingahnails, an' dey say dat'll run 'im crazy as a bedbug, if he don't go tuh someone tuh take it off. His fingahnails an' 'is urinate.
(What do you do with the bottle when you stop it up?)
Yo' take it an' bury it undah de centah of yore do'steps.
Entry 5189
Yo' kin git a person's shoe heel an' yo' kin put it, yo' know, in a stove or somewhere yo' know. An' bake it where it'll be, yo' know, right crunchy lak pie or somepin othah lak dat. An' put it in, yo' know, where de sun kin hit it, an' run 'em crazy - run 'em slap outa town. (That all you have to do?) Dat's all yo' have tuh do. Put it yo' know in some place where nobody cain't bothah it. Run 'em slap outa town.
(Use both heels, you say?)
Eithah one.
Entry 5190
Dey say dat chew could take a li'le shoe sole an' burn it, an' den scrape it aftah yo' burn it, an' it wus good fo' good luck.
(Just how would they prepare that? Then, after they have got it scraped?)
Well, ah don't know sir, only jes' know dey put it in a little bag an' wear it.
(You mean the shoe sole, that thick sole at the bottom?)
Yessuh, yo' parch it lak yo' would peanuts or anythin' lak dat. Well, yo' kin scrape it tull [till] yo' scrape a dust off it.
Entry 5191
De only thin' dat ah knows of dey shoes, dey take an' jes' kinda burn or scorch it a little bit an' throw it ovahbo'd.
(What will that do?)
Dat will run 'em jes' about mindless. Dey'll have spells. Dey mind is goin' an' dey jes' cain't stay one place. Evah time dat shoe would be goin', flippin' back an' fo'th, dey mind will jes' be goin' lak dat, until dey jes' go crazy an' run away from yo' or somepin lak dat.
Entry 5192
Take a person's shoe an' take an' burn it, an' yo' crimp it jis' lak yo' would when yo' take livah sometime. Ah mean yo' may not have nevah did it but Jews does it. Yo' put livah intuh - jis' lak yo' take a shoe yo' put it inside de stove. Now, yo' don't burn it. Yo' put it in- side de stove an' let it burn from de inside of de stove. See, yo' take an' let it burn from de inside of de stove an', den yo' take dis shoes leathah an' yo' git chew some of dis quicksilvah an' drop it all roun' in dat thing. An' den yo' git chew a white of aig wit dis quicksilvah, an' den yo' take dis an' whip it right good an' put dis quicksilvah in dere. See. An' den yo' jis' put it all in dat shoe an' powdah dat shoe all up wit - jis' let it go all up, yo' know. An' den yo' jis' take an' sew hit up, but choo sew it up in a silk cloth. An' den yo' puts a red piece of ribbon aroun' it. See. An' whatevah yo' wanta do wit dat - if yo' fixin' fo' tuh do anybody harm or do anybody good. [If harm], dey'll git tuh walkin'.
(What do you do with it after you put it in the bag? What happens then?)
Tote it in yore pocketbook or tote it...
(You take either shoe? Take one of your own?)
Take de lef' shoe. Always take a lef' shoe.
(Take your own?)
No, don't none of yore own. Yo' got tuh take one of his'n. (What are you going to do this stuff. What are you making this preparation for, now?) Why do you do it? Well now, dat starts 'im walkin'. When yo' fool wit a person's shoe, yo' know, dat's de scent from 'is feet zhoo know. Dat's de nature of 'im, yo' see. (This starts him walking. Well, what do you do with that bag that has this stuff in it?) Jis' take an' tote it, make 'im start walkin'.
Entry 5295
Yo' kin take an' take a person's shoe an' have it fixed so dat he kin start walkin' an' dey jes' walk a step an' dey comes back. Well, dey jes' go 'head an' take some dis red pep- pah an' it's a gourd. Yo' know dese guts out de gourd dat be's inside of a gourd, take hit an' Parch it up an' take an' put it in dis shoe. An' throw dis shoe in runnin' watah, an' dat will fix a person so he jes' go crazy an' wandah 'way from home, an' wandah an' wandah.
Entry 5549
I did [this]. Take it an' measure it, yore foot tracks. Take it an' take a rule an' yo' measure dat foot track.
(Both of them?)
Well, not necess'ry. Try tuh git de right feet. Git de right feet where de heart's on, de side de heart's on - git de right[!] feet. Yo' take dat. Take it an' measure it, den yo' bring it back home. Aftah yo' bring it back home [I interrupt]. (Do you bring it [foot track] back or the measure?)[Informant does not understand my noun use of word measure. Measurement would have been better.] No, yo' take a rule an' measure de foot track. Or prob'ly, yo' may not have a rule, might take a stick an' break it off, measure it. Yo' taken an' yo' bring it [rule or stick] back home. An' yo' git yo' a toadfrog, not a bull frog. Take it an' put 'im in a stove an' parch 'im. An' take some - well, yo' kin take or'nary [ordinary] papah, take a papah bag, if it's nes'ry [necessary] an' cut dat foot step out an' wrap dat up, an' tie it up in de chimley.
(Wrap this frog stuff [powder] in this paper that you cut out?)
Yes, wrap it all up in dat, an' wrap it - don't wrap it from yo', WRAP IT TUH YO', ALL DE WAY WIT YORE LEF' HAN' 'CUZ YO' SUPPOSED TUH BE DOIN' A PIECE OF EVIL WORK. DAT'S ALONG DE LINE LUCIFAH WORRED, DAT'S NOT ALONG DE LINE WHAT CONCEN- TRATED IN WIT WILL POWAH, WHAT SUPPOSED TUH BE DEALIN' WIT' DE ASTRAL FORCE. (Well, now what will that do, when you fix my foot track that way? What will that do to me?) Well, if yo' runnin' off, it make yo' come back.
(Oh, that brings you back.)
Entry 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 5885
Take yore hair an' - cut a little piece yore hair out chure haid an' cut dese thin's off heah [demonstrates]. (Those fingernails.) An' offa dey toenail, don't chew know. An' take dose thin's an' parch 'em an' den mix it up togethah. An' aftah it parch, yo' mash it up, don't chew know, an' take a rag an' tie it up wit a white rag an' use it in de tea - anythin' dey drink. An' dat will make yo' have good luck. Dat's de way dey do it.
(Just good luck? What kind of luck?)
Hit will make 'im brin' yo' de money, or make 'er brin' de money to yo', yo' know.
Entry 5886
Yo' kin take a person's hair an' yo' kin parch it on de stove. Say, fo' instance, now - dis ain't de person dat chure are tryin' tuh do sompin wit. Yo' take yore own hair an' yo' parch it on de stove, an' aftah yo' git it parched it's jis' de same as black peppah. Den yo' take dat hair an' sprinkle it in coffee or whatevah de person might drink - whiskey or anything of de sort.
(What will that do?)
Dat's supposed to draw de person's attention to yo'.
Entry 6061
If yo' has a frien' an' yo' loves 'er now, an' yo' wants 'er tuh be wit yo' - yo' take a lotta men, dey don't wanta work, dey wanta sit down an' let de women folks bring in de money. All right. Yo' take dis girl, or woman, who- somevah she is, an' yo' want 'er fo' a wife. Yo' don't want 'er fo' jes' a sweetheart or fo' whut she got - yo' want 'er fo' a wife. Yo' don't know how to drive yo'self up tuh 'er. Yo' prob'ly have a lotta property, lotta money, but still she not aftah dat. Yo' kin take dese foah fingahs, don't cay[care] whut han' it's on - jes' right or lef'. Jes' take dese foah heah [demonstrates], any of 'em, an' cut dose fin- gahnails off. Now, fingahnails sompin not supposed tuh rot. An' put dese fingah- nails into a half a pint or pint of whiskey, an' puttin' dis in dis pint of whis- key, yo' takes some of yore hair from down heah.
(Private hair?)
Dat's right, an' put it on de stove an' parch it, an' put in dis bottle wit dis heah fingahnail, an' den let hit set fo' nine days. Aftah nine days yo' take an' strain it off. Now, yo' kin drink it yo'self an' it ain't gonna hurt chew, an' den yo' kin give it tuh 'er an' let 'er drink it. Aftah de nine days, de tenth day yo' give it tuh 'er an' let 'er drink it.
Entry 6077
Ah heard dat chew take nine stran's of yore hair, lak yo' wanted yore basban' or sompin lak dat to stay wit chew. Take nine stran's of yore hair from undah yore arm, undah yore left arm, an' nine from down heah, an' trim mine of yore fingahnails, an' put 'em on de [stove] lid an' parch it, an' sift it op in some dough or cake or sompin an' let 'em eat it. He'll nevah leave yo'.
Entry 6080
Take de hair out from 'twix yore laigs yo' see an' undah yore arn, an' parch it yo' see. All right, den yo' put it in a papah-lak. Yo' want chure ole man tuh stay wit yo'. Put it down on de tracks yo' see, an' when de train run ovah it lak dat, well dat'll stick it togethah an' make yo' an' yore ole man stick togethah. Git de hair out from undah yore arm, eithah arm or eithah in 'twix yore laigs lak dat, an' put it on de stove an' let it brown. Aftah yo' put it on de stove an' let it brown, put it in some papah, an' put it on a track. An' see when de train run ovah it, well dat stick togethah an' dat'll make yo' an' yore ole man stick togethah, if yo'all don' live togethah.
(Whose hair do you get, just your own?)
Jis' mah own. [If this hair belongs to the woman only, then intention is the magic power. Usually his and her hair is needed - see No.6078.] [Memphis, Tenn.,
(942)1525:3.]
Entry 6178
Well, it's anothah thing about de hair. Dey kin take de hair an' gain de influence or love of a woman, by yo' takin' it eithah to a lovedove [love- bird]. Git dat lovedove an' take de feathahs from 'im wit'out 'im bein' bushin' up or anythin' - yo' know, pick dem. Put 'em in de stove an' let 'em parch yo' know good an' dry. Den yo' take some of de hair from de lady - woman. Well, she take all dat an' make a powdah of dat. Well, first she'll put some of dat on yo' an' den she take de rest of it wit dat Adam-an'-Eve root. Den she wear dat in a bag, see. Well, dat will gain de influence of love wit 'er - well, it cause two peo- ples tuh come to git married.
(She put some of her water - urine did you say?)
She put some of her [hair].
(From her head?)
Yes.
(And she puts them with these dove feathers that have been burnt up?)
Yes - yo' know, make a powder of it.
(And put it in this bag and wear it?)
Yeah, aftah she put some on de othah - on de man.
(Where does she put them on him?)
Jes' anywhere on 'is body while he's sleep. Den she take de rest of it an' she wears it in heah jes' in a bag, but she have to take a Adam-an'-Eve root, yo' know, tuh git de rest of de good out of it.
Entry 6270
Well, yo' take - jes' lak yo' want someone go blind, or ah want chew tuh go blind, see. Well, yo' take mah hair an' some of mah urinate an' a little of whut pass from mah bowels, an' yo' put it in de stove an' yo' brown it. Well now, yo' brown it an' git it up tuh a good powdah. An' jes' lak [I] pass yo', yo' see, an' yo' standin' at a place an' ah see yo' pass. Well, ah may pass an' ah'll see.yo' an' ah'll throw mah han' lak dat [demonstrates]. Well, yo' see, when ah throw mah han' - have it in mah han' - an' ah do dat wit it. Yore eyes is - [changes person] dis is in mah eyes an' ah'm goin' blind.
(Makes you go blind.)
Entry 6380
[This may be my only example of the rare term badge, meaning hand, or toby or mojo.] If yo' wanted 'er tuh love yo', why yo' jes' take some of - jes' lak yo'd take a bath an' git some of de dirty skin from undah de bottom of yore feet, de hollah of yer lef' feet. Trim yer fingahnails good an' close an' git some of de dirt from undah dere. Take dem an' parch dem, parch de fingah- nails. Parch dese fingah- nails brown, beat it up, an' git some of 'er hair an' burn it - de hair from 'er haid an' burn it. Mixes it tuhgethah wit Hearts Cologne an' sulphur, an' weah it undah-yer lef' arm as a badge.
(Wear it under your left armpit as a badge.)
An' in seven days she'll eithah come or she'll write yo' a lettah.
Entry 6441
Now, if yo' wan'a woman tuh love yo' - yo' jis' wan'a woman tuh love yo' wit dem nails. De way yo' do, yo' git her nails an' parch 'em an' parch mah nails. Cut mah nails an 'er nails an' put 'em tuhgethah an' parch 'em. Make a fine powdahs out of 'em an' put dat in de food - jis' feed 'er on dat. Dat'll make her love me.
Entry 6457
[That's a] powahful thing. Yo' kin take de fingahnails, de toenail, a lock of each individual hair.
(Yes.)
Takin' it an' put it in a li'le small can, see, lightin' fire tuh it an' leave it cook tuh a powdah. Sprinkle dat in any food of any woman an' no man kin git between yo' an' 'er. Or eithah way, yo' kin reverse it. If she do it tuh yo', no woman kin git between yo' an' 'er. (I see. I would simply take this woman's fingernails and toenails and some of her hair?) Yes, sir.
(Nothing from myself?)
Nope.
Entry 6461
(No, no, go ahead.)
Well, tuh make a man stay wit chew. Yo' cut all de side of yuh fingahnails an' yuh toenails, hairs undah yuh arms, hairs from yuh head, undah dere, an' yo' parch it brown, brown, lak de dust. When, if he drinks coffee, yo' put it in de coffee. If he don't, well yo' take it an' yo'll make it brown jis' lak it wuz black peppah. An' yo'll take it an' yo'll sprinkle it all ovah 'is fish, an' yo'll give it tuh 'em. Well, he'll come tuh lak yo' an' he'll love yuh.
Entry 6464
Trim de toenails, dat's if yo' wanta keep 'em. De toenails, put 'em in a pan an' put 'em on de stove an' let 'em cook jis' lak yo' gon'a brown 'em see, till dey git brittle SO yo' kin take yo' some an' pow- dah dem up. Yo' don' wanta kill dem. Yo' put dat in dere coffee an' let dat dissolve. Take 'bout dis much, see, an' put it in dey coffee. Mos' likely dey drink dat. Dey's hoodooed.
(You just use the toenails?)
No.
(Both the toenails and the fingernails?)
Yes, jis' three times.
(You put it in there three times?)
Yes. Dey won' go nowhere.
(That holds them.)
Entry 6465
Now yo' take a person toenail. Yo' take yo' toenail, yo' fingahnail. Yo' kin take dem yo' see, jis' lak we trim de fingahnail. Well a person take yo' fingahnail up. He kin take dat fingahnail up an' he kin pound it up, kinda parch it an' pound it up. Take dat an' put it in whiskey. Well, in puttin' it in whiskey hit'll create sompin lak a gern or sompin. Take dat whiskey, see, an' as long as dey keep [it], well jis' say yo' fingahnail, well de worms an' bugs will commence to eatin' undah yo' fingahnails.
(And what do [did] you say people think it is?)
DEY CALL DAT CUNJURATION.
(No, people say they think you have what?)
DEY THINK YO' HAVE DE LEPAHSIES [LEPROSY] - SOMPIN LAK DE LEPAH [LEPER], YO' SEE. IT START IN DE FINGAHNAIL AN' IT JIS' EAT, AN' [AS] DAT GERM EAT, YO' SEE, WELL HIT GOES ALL UP YORE HAND. IT MAKE YO' HAND SPOTTED 'BOUT. AN' PEOPLES CALL DAT LEPAHSIES. IT DON' BE LEPAHSY, IT BE'S DAT CUNJURATION.
(That is if you drink your own fingernails, that causes it?)
Dat's right, if yo' drink yo' own fingahnails.
Entry 6470
Some folks takes 'em an' parch 'em an' puts 'em in a sack, an' if yo' kin - jis' lak ah wan' chew tuh love me. Ah'll take yore fingahnails an' toe- nails an' parch 'em, an' put 'em sack an' ah'll wear dat roun' mah waist, an' ah'll make yo' cling tuh me. An' den ah kin take yore fingahnails an' toenails an' parch 'em, an' pound 'em up an' make a powdah outa 'em, an' feed yo' wit chure own fingahnails an' yo' own toenails. An' dat will make yo' love me. Den ah kin take yore fingahnails an' toenails an' bury 'em - parch 'em an' bury 'em an' name 'em, an' dat'll run yo' 'way from dere. (Now you say in putting that stuff into a person's food - now if I want this woman to love me I would use her own nails or use my nails on her?) Use yores an' hers mixed, jis' mix 'em.
Entry 6479
Jis' lak a girl cut off a boy fingahnail, or toenail, eithah one. She'll take 'em home, yo' know, an' take a knife. She put 'em on de table an' chop 'em up fine, an' put 'em on de stove an' parch 'em, see. Well, dey tie 'em up in a red flannel an' tote dat in 'er pocket. Well, dat boy will love her long as she keep dat, see.
Entry 6522
Dey take dem toenails, jis' trim 'em. Take dem toenails an' yo' parch dem toenails up, an' de fingahnails tuhgethah. Jis' - now, yo' got two fingahs on yo' fingahs dat is valuable. (What are those?) Dem's dese here [demonstrates]. (The thumb and the finger next to it?) Yes sir, an' yo' parch 'em up, an' if yo' drink whiskey, dey put 'em in dere. An' yo' put some of dat in dat whiskey. Let it set today, tonight. Den yo' be friends. An' yo' urinate, an' de las' dat uri- nate an' likkah, drap it [in] dere. An' yo' got 'em tied den.
Entry 6532
Goin' tuh a red ants' bed - jis' like yo' wanta put ants intuh some- body. Dat will jis' eat 'em up. Jis' git dem antses an' take 'em outa dere an' put 'em in anything dat dey'll parch up tuh a dust. Put 'em in dere live an' put 'em where dey'll parch up tuh a dust. An' git de Bible an' read de 37th Psalms while it's parchin', an' take it out. An' anything yo' put dat intuh, if dey nuse [use] it, drink it or eat it or anything, why dem ants will come alive in dem - jis' eat 'em up. [Why Psalm 37 should be used, I do not know.]
Entry 6606
Snakes, any kinda snakes, any kinda insex [insects], if dere somebody yo' wanta put snakes an' scorpions in an' kill 'em. Yo' kin take de snake an' kill it, any kinda snake yo' wanta be in a person. Yo' kill dis snake an' aftah yo' kill dis snake yo' name de person whosom- evah yo' wanta kill. Yo' would name 'em. An' fo' nine days yo'd go dere an' turn 'im ovah. He'd be dead. Yo' turn 'im ovah callin' de person's name fo' nine days. An' de ninth day yo' go dere an' take dat thin' an' parch 'im up, yo' know, an' jis' make a dust outa it. An' if yo' wanta put it in whiskey or amythin', or pat it in some tea or anythin' lak dat, yo' put de dust in yo' knoy vtut cheo make from dat dead snake, or scorpion or spidah or anythin', an' den yo' give it to den. It won't hurt nobody but dem dat chew called dere name. An' den when de ninth day's up dey'll take sick, an' den yo' know, dem dere snakes an' scorpions ll be livin' in dem people, whut yo' give dat dust to - in nine days tine.
Entry 6607
Yo' run 'im.
(Either the frog or the snake.)
Until he gits real hot. Yo' git chew a forked stick like dat [demonstrates] chew know. Yo' grab 'is haid while he's hot. Yo' cut dat haid off, yo' see. Yo' take it an' carry it tuh yore home, an' put intuh a chimley tuh dry tull it git so yo' kin jis' do it dataway [demonstrates] de dust of it. An' if yo' don' like a person, like ah don' like yo' an' pertend [pretend] like ah like yuh, yo' sprinkle it intuh dere food. An' dey tell me dat will certainly bring live things intuh de stomic.
Entry 8794
A man promised tuh marry dis woman's daughtah, an' he got 'er messed up an' he went away. So she went an' got 'er a bumblebee. Took dis bumblebee, cooked dis bumblebee, put 'im in de stove an' parched 'im an' rolled de powdahs of dis bee [rolled parched bee to a pow- der]. Took de powders an' dusted it all ovah lettahs. An' he wuz in Phila- delphia. An' she dust dis lettah good wit dis powdahs an' den wrote on it, jes so he wouldn't pay any 'tenshun [to the powder]. An' he come back three days aftah he got de lettah.
(What was the idea of the using the bumblebee on it?)
Dey said de bumblebee brought 'im back, de powdahs of dis bumblebee. Jes' take de powdahs of de bumblebee an' bring 'em back. [The spirit of the bumblebee Would sting him back.] [Wilson, N. Car., (1492), 2662:17.]"
Entry 9416
An' den ah kin [take] a aig ag'in - JIS' LAK YO' WUZ MAH OLE MAN OR SOMEPIN ANOTHAH an' yo' had a woman an' ah knew 'er name. Write both of yo'all [you all] name on each one of dese aigs jis' lak ah wuz showin' yo' [Cylinder changed, also author's sex!] [nO- tice lady not woman]. Ah heard yo' were wit mah hus- ban' an' ah knew yuh name. Well, ah would put yuh name on one egg an' mah husban' on de othah one. Good fresh aigs. An' ah'd [I would] go tuh de rivah an' ah wanted yo'all to scat out an' separated, why ah'd go to de rivah an' jis' In de Name of de Lord, say, well, "Ah bus' [bust] yo'all up In de Name of de Lord." Jis' take dose eggs an' jis' smash 'em tuhgethah. Jis' stan' dere an' hol' dem [hold them over the water] until dey dreens [drain] out [of the shells]. Den yo' takes dese shells an' yo' bring dese shell home. Well, yo' put dis shell on top of yuh stove if yo' kin, or somepin clean glittah [glitter], where dere ain't no grease at, an' parch dat shell good an' brown. An' take dat [powdered or small pieces of shell] an' sprinkle it all ovah yuh house, an' all in yuh baid, an' all aroun' yuh doah jis' as much - lightly, yo' know, take an' sprinkle. He wu'd [would] nevah think of 'er [again]. [Memphis, Tenn., (962), 1553: loa.]
Entry 9612
If you want a person to move, you have to take a stormy night when it is raining real hard. But you gotta take a couple of pods of red pepper and nine pinches of salt and you gotta burn it. Parch it in the oven to look like dirt you know and just cook it right together. Brown it till it looks like dirt. And take a plain paper, if you know de person's name- - you don't, you find it out. Write his name nine times forwards and nine times backwards. [To write for- eards and backwards means to write the name normally turn the paper upside down, repeating the name on top of the first one. This is called crossing names.] Then parch the paper, salt and pepper all together and make a powder. Den a stormy night like we done having storms and all, don't care if it raining hard, you go up to their hall. Don't look back [going or returning] and throw this stuff and come on out. And they'll move in less time from three to nine days. They won't stay there. They kin own the property, they'll rent it out, but they gon't stay.
Entry 10222
De coconuts, dey got some of 'em two an' three holes [eyes] in 'em. Yo' take yore knife an' cut dat top [round black spot or eye] outa dat hole befo' yo', git to dat watah [or milk inside coconut]. Yo' take dat top [eye] yo' cut outa dere, an' let dat dry. Den yo' take dat an' yo' dry it." Yo' dry it. Aftah yo' dry it yo' burn it into a coal [by burning] an' yo' ground [grind] it up. Den yo' take de hair, yo' shave all de hair off dat coconut, an mix dat [hair and eye powder] together. An' yo' kin take dat in yore pocket an' if yo' got a woman, well when yo' use dat wit her, she cain't have nobody. Yo' take dat [coconut] hair an' yo' rub it in yore han' an' yo' rub it on her, an' she cain't have nobody. [She is impotent for all men by you.] If anybody [any man approach] her dey heart gonna fall.
(You just have this hair. All you use is this hair from the coconut?)
De hair an' de top [ground-up eye] of it. Yo' know whut ah'm talkin' 'bout, whut chew cut out, de hole where de [coconut] milk is gotta come outa dere. Well ah use dat wit de hair together. See, ah take dat an' when dat gits dry, well ah'll parch dat all up together wit de hair an' makes a ashes out of it. Dat de same as a powder.
Entry 10281
Take nine wood lices, little ole white looking things, an' yo' kin take an' parch 'em an' rub 'em in de seat of yore [his] britches an' he won't evah mess wit nobody else.
Entry 10610
If yo' vanta build up yo' a trade, or somepin lak dat, jes' have a lotta customah. Yo' go tuh work an' take dis sane stuff ah tellin' yo' 'bout, de Adam an' Eve. Take Adam an' Eve an' some bushes dat grows in de woods called de heart leaves [some plant with cordate leaves]. Git some of dat, but don' take de leaves, take de stem - it's got a red stem. Take de stem an' wrap around dat Adam an' Eve an' bring it back ovah to de house dere an' yo' parch dat stem. Aftah parchin' dat stem, yo' pounds it into a powdah, an' carry it an' drop it all ovah dat house. Dat's conkerin' 'em. Drop dat ever' mawnin' 'fore de sun rise. An' yo' buys yo' a lucky star [incense molded into the shape of a star] an' yo' light dat lucky star an' sprinkle a little bit of dat stuff [parched heart leaf stem] ovah it; jes' a little bit, sprinkle it ovah it, 'fore de sunrise. Have it so dat it burn out 'fore de sun rise. An' when it do dat, sweep it on out, an' mo' customah commence comin' in, reg'lah an' reg'lah an' reg'lah. Have to hol' up burnin' it sometime [because you have so many customers].
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 11297
If someone done any harm to yo', yo' ketch yo' a dog - not chure dog, neither yore cat - an' yo' take dis dog an' shave de hair from right underneath his tail, right dead up close to his tail as pos- sible. Shave it off an' take dat an' take an aig, an' break dis aig an' take de yellah out of it an' leave de white, an' den yo' put dis hair in dat shell. Den yo' set it in de stove wit a little sulphur in it an' parch it. Jes' set it in dere lak yo' bake a apple an' set it in dere till it's parched till it crumble down de center. Don't yo' have to mash it - jes' crumble down in de pan. Den yo' take it out an' bury it at de front step. Dis individual who have done somepin to yo' will come back - come back to yo' an' beg yore pardon - either [or] he will go so far away till yo'll nevah have no contact wit him any mo'. Dat's whut dat'111 do. (That is all you have to do - use that dog hair and that eggshell and the sulphur?) An' de sulphur.
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 11335
"Bout takin' de mo'rnin' dove [= turtledove] an' takin' his heart out, dat's fo' fixin' somebody. Yo' know, fixin' 'em in any kinda way dat chew wanta, so dey mindless. Dey take de heart out of a mo'rn- in' dove an' have it parched up until it jes' be like ashes or a powder, anythin'. An' say yo' kin take dat an' put dat intuh any watah or anythin' dey use tuh drink, or anythin' dat chew Wanta put it in, an' from time tuh time after yo' give it tuh 'em in de weeks dat dey live, dat dey would be jes' mindless or go jes' crazy.
Entry 12530
Yo' take de red hull [skin] of de onion - de red onion now, not de white onion. Yo' take dem an' yo' parch 'em, chip 'em fine an' yo' parch 'em. An' yo' makes a dust out of 'em, yo' makes a dust wit dese onions. All right. An' jes' like if yo' wants tuh dress a place. Jes' lak yo' come in dis room an' ah come in here tuh see yo'. Ah jes' have a little dust in mah pocket an' as ah come in ah jes' sprinkle jes' de least bit of dat in dere. Well, yo' goin' tuh smell it. It may be a little while befo' yo' smell it because dey gotta mighty high odor. All right, yo' ain't goin' pay no 'tenshun tuh what- somever ah ask yo'. If yo' tell me, says, "Come back, ah'll see yo'." Well, ah'd druther fo' yo' tuh say, "Come back." Well, yo' could git de scent of dat. When ah come back if ah said ah would like tuh borrow five dollars, ah would like tuh borrow two of whatsomever yo' may bring dere fo' me.
(With this red onion.)
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 12568
Yo' kin take one peanut and plant, put it dere. Yo' kin plant one peanut dis yeah. Well, yo' kin take jes' one an' yo' kin put jes' one spoon- fulla fertilizer dere. Well, dat'll make a big- ger root in de ground in de whole field, den if yo' have planted it [pea- nuts] all ovah de field. Dem lil' peanuts got lil' strings out. Jes' got one peanut dere an' it can't git no draft aroun' nowheres cross de earth, but dere's a great big root on de bottom called de [taproot?]. An' yo'll see it [the same thing] on de tree when de tree's picked [dug up] an' ain't growed out [up]. Well, dat root's right on de bottom dere. Den yo' take dat root an' yo' kin parch dat root and anybody's got a bad cold or anything, think it set into TB's or somepin othah, jes' boil dat root an' put chew some Adam [Adam-and-Eve?] in it. Well, Adam is a thing, yo' know, dat's mighty good fo' yo', dis garlic dat yo' cook with. Well, yo' put a lil' Adam in there an' put a lil' cream of tartar into any- thing dey drink. An' den put 'bout a half teaspoonful of gin in it, an' den de next thing yo' do, put in about a spoonful of camphor an' let it set dere fo' 'bout a day or two. Den yo' take. Dat will release all dat [something] on yore throat dere.
(That will cure that trouble you have?)
Dat's right.