Subject:Pay
Entries
Entry 1083
[Many examples have been given of payment to the dead for their grave- yard dirt. Here, a doctor, a man offers a rare healing principle about roots:] De dime - some people uses a dime an' wears it around dere laig, so if dey walk ovah anything it'll turn black an' hit'll take it. An' den take a person, dey take a dime - same as if like if dey in de woods diggin'a root. Well, yo' supposed tuh pay off fo' dat root; if yo' don't pay off fo' it, it ain't goin' do yo' no good. When yo' diggin' John de Conker or de chew root - see, hit's a root dat grows in de woods dey call de chew root. Well, yo' kin take dat an' yo' kin chew an' go befo' co't. Why anywhere yo' wanta borrow anything, why jes' go ahead an' chew it an' spit it round dere and dey'll take sides wit chew. But when yo' diggin' dese roots an' things yo' should pay off in silver.
(Why is that?)
Well, dat's de sacrifice.
Entry 7671
Yo' kin bring up confusion by goin' tuh de graveyard an' gittin' some graveyard dirt, but yo' have tuh run yore han' as fur down in dere as yo' poss'ly kin; but chew mus' carry three pennies, brass pen- nies. Dese pennies, yo' know, jes' carry dat 'long dit chew, when yo' go out dere. Den when yo' bring yore han' up dat pays off, a'yo' do's dat.
(What do you do with it then?)
Well, yo' kin jes' use it eithah way. Yo' kin make him stay home or yo' kin make him go wit de same dirt.
(Tell me how you would use it?)
Well, yo' could put some sulphur an' brimstone wit dat. Put dem three tuh- gethah. Yo' takes dat an' carry dat an' put it inside de house an' dat will cuz confusion.
Entry 7687
Fo' evil yo' kin git some graveyard dirt, mix up saltpetah in it an' sulphur, an' cast it roun' a person dwellin' an' whut yo' wush [done], say. Put de jinks [used only 3 or 4 times in Hoodoo] on 'em in diff'ren' forms. It'll make 'em unlucky wit de evil spir- its. In goin' tuh de graveyard an' git- tin' dat dirt it would be wise fo' yo' tuh know de person whose grave yo' goin' tuh. Den yo' pay dem fo' dat dirt an' work wit it. Yo' tell 'em dat, "Ah want chew tuh do dus [thus] an' so fo' me." Whutsomevah dat chew wan' 'em tuh do. It wouldn't make any diff'rence. Say, "Ah'm payin' yuh tuh do so." Yo' git de dirt from off de left side from ovah de heart, but choo runs yore han' down in de grave tuh de elbow down ~ ought tuh be [beyond] yore wrist.
Entry 7704
Providin' if it's a person dat yo' like an' dey are about tuh scurry away, an' if yo' go tuh dat ceme- tery an' talk to de dead an' pay dem so much, an' yo' write de name of de person on de headboard an' dat'll also keep 'em from goin' away, but it will keep 'em
Entry 7723
See, yo' 'sposed tuh go tuh de graveyard twelve a'clock at night, an' yo' git dis dirt, an' when yo' start gittin' dis dirt, yo' supposed tuh say, "Dead spirit, ah didn't come tuh rob yore grave, ah came heah fo' luck In de Name of de Father, of de Son an' of de Holy Ghost." An' if yo' put money tuh dat grave or a corn or either some fresh rice, anything, yo' supposed tuh pay dem An' jes' lak if yo' want chure luck changed, yo' go dere in de nighttime at twelve a'clock an' yo' take de haidbo'd an' throw it tuh de feet an' take de feetbo'd an' throw it tuh de haid. An' yo' git dis graveyard dirt an' yo' sup- posed tuh put sulphur in it - supposed tuh put red peppah an' yo' supposed tuh put sompin yo' kin git at de drugsto', but yo' don' specially have tuh have dat, an' salt in it. An' yo' burn dis dirt three times a day. If it's wet yo' put it in de sun an' let it git dry, an' when yo' make yore fiah [fire] it gonna smell funny when it be burnin'. Yo' shet up in a room tuh yo'self an' yo' burn dis heah dirt. An' jes' lak if yo' want - if anothah party livin' next do', yo' want 'em out chure house, yo' burn dat dirt on dose people an' tell 'em dat chew want 'em tuh be out. Yo' know, move out de house. An' burn it three times a day. An' jes' lak if yo' runnin' a joint or anything, an' if no one will visit chure joint much, yo' kin burn dat dirt, an' in about ten minutes time yo'll have a crowd at chure house. An' if it's a woman yo' wants tuh see, an' yo' cain't see her, an' yo' burn dat dirt, dogged if she wouldn't be dere in about five minutes' time.
(You make your wishes when you burn that dirt.)
[This was not a leading question. Somewhere while recording machine had stopped this had been mentioned.] Yeah yo' make yore own wishes In de Name of de Fathah, an' de Son an' de Holy Ghost. (What is the stuff that you would get at the drug store if you wanted to use that and add that to it?) It's sompin, but chew specially [don't] have tuh have dat, becuz ah ain't nevah didn't nuse [use] dat. (You don't have to have it. What is it, if you do want to use it?) [Either no answer or I turn off machine too fast.]
Entry 7766
He tole me one time, he says: Jes' lak yo' knew a person dat died re- cently, it don't make no diff'rence how long he's been [dead]. Dat's providin' if he's a gamblah, a man or a woman. It don't make no diff'rence, if he's a gamblah an' yo' wanted tuh git a "lucky hand" or sompin lak dat tuh be successful in gamblin'. Ah have nevah tried it but he tole me, said he wus successful. Ah noticed he handled plenty of money. Said, jes' lak yo' knew a person dat died, woman or man, an' dey wus a gamblah or pokah playah or sompin of de kind, an' yo' Wanted a little luck. Well, whutevah 'mount of money yo wanted tuh give 'em - yo' have tuh pay 'em firs'. Jes' lak yo'd git up, why it be twelve a'clock at night. Yo' go tuh dis pahtic'lah grave of de person yo' knew, yo' knew tuh be de gamblah, an' git so much dirt - jes' a little pinch lak dat. Jes' dig yo' a hole in dere an' git it, an' 'fore yo' close it back up, put some money in dere. Pay 'em fo' it an' take it an' wrap it up in yore little rag. An' tote it in yore pocket where yo' money at an' dey say yo' be lucky.
Entry 7784
If yo' wanta make someone move or sompin lak dat, why yo' go tuh de cemetery but it have tuh be at twelve a'clock in de night. Jes' lak yo' know somebody died wicked, yo' jes' put a dime on dere grave an' git some of dat dirt. An' dey say yo' go tuh de fo'k of de road an' yo' put it down dere, an' yo' put so much on dere steps [or] on dere porch. Dey gotta leave den.
(You put this graveyard dirt...)
Yo' gotta pay fo' it. Yo' got it offa a wicked person's grave.
(And then you go to the forks of the road? What do you do out there?)
Put some of it out dere at de fo'k of de road. (Put some of the graveyard dirt out there and then you put some of it under the steps?) Yes.
(To make a person move.)
Yes, dey gotta leave, go eithah one of dem roads. Dey gotta go. (They would have to leave on one of those roads at the fork.) [Brunswick, Ga., (1201), 2017.1
Entry 7812
Yo' kin take graveyard dirt, dat keep anybody from movin' in dis [empty] house. Take graveyard dirt an' salt an' cayenne peppah [3 ingredients] an' mix it tuhgethah an' plant it tuh de fo' cornahs of dis heah [empty] house. Well, yo' nevah take a notion tuh move [into this vacant house, this] keep yore mind off. (You mean you wouldn't move into the house.) Jes' lak ah say, if dey [you] have dis heah [house we are in] an' yo' move out, say fo' instance if yo' don' wan' de man tuh rent it, yo' go tuh de graveyard an' git chew dirt from de worst man's grave yo' knows, a wicked person - some wicked person dat didn't b'long [belong] tuh church or sompin lak dat. Yo' stick a cane [bamboo] down in dere deep, about two feet chew yo' know, an' git up de dirt an' take it out. Put three cents down in dere an' covah de hole up an' bring dat dirt tuh de house. An' mix it up wit salt an' peppah an' put it tuh de fo' cornahs of de house. Ah doubt whethah he'll rent it fo' twelve months. [Our cane, reed or bamboo here is probably genus Arundinaria, species maero- sperma, of the southern U. S. A. The only other American species is A. tecta, a small cane. Informant of course could be referring to one of the foreign bamboos introduced into the U. S. A., but I doubt it.]
Entry 7824
Yo' kin write a lettah tuh a dead person. If yo' want anything tuh happen tuh a person good or bad, write a lettah tuh a dead person. Go dere an' yo' kin carry nine cents, dig a hole an' give dis lettah tuh dis person hut's in de grave. An' dis party, jis' whut yo' ast in de lettah tuh happen, dey say dat would be true.
Entry 7851
Yo' go an' git graveyard dirt an' put it in a pillahcase on dere [your] husband baid [and let him sleep on it] an' if he workin' [has a job] he won't, he can't open dat [pay] envelope until he brings the whole thing home.
Entry 8307
Yo' could take a pichure. Now, if yo' wanta do good, if yo' wanted de person tuh love yo' or somepin an' - yo' put dat pichure tuh de haid of yore bed, an' call de person's name nine mawnin's. An' wit a pin dat's nevah been used, a new pin, yo' put nine holes intuh dis pichure fo' nine mawnin's. An' while yo' punch dose holes, yo' talk tuh de pichure jis' lak yo' talkin' tuh de person. An' aftah de nine mawnin's, jis' whatevah de statements were dat chew made, dat person will do jis' lak yo' ast dem tuh do, but chew must keep dat pichure dere.
(You punch one hole each morning or nine holes?)
Nine holes for nine mawnin's.
(That's nine times nine?)
Eighty-one.
(And you keep it at the head of the bed?)
Yo' keep it dere tuh de haid of yore bed.
(Now you do harm you say with the photograph. Tell me about that.)
Well, if yo' wanta do harm wit de pichure, yo' could take dat pichure an' yo' take dat tuh de graveyard, an' yo' go an' yo' call de spirits of de dead. When yo' think dat de spirit is dere, yo' take out nine han'fuls of dirt out of dat grave. Den yo' place dis pichure down dere an' yo' explain tuh de spirit jis' whut yo' want 'em tuh do tuh dat pahticlah [particular] person, see. An' what- evah yo' say, den yo' pay dat spirit.
(Well, now. What do you usually pay the spirit?)
Well, it goes - Well, NOW DE FIRST DEGREE IS THREE PENNIES. DE SECOND IS NINE AN' DE THIRD IS THIRTEEN. [I do not recall that these sums of money paid the spirit are called degree elsewhere in Hoodoo.]
(Then you cover that picture up in there?)
Let it stay dere. An' yo' have tuh explain tuh dis spirit whut tuh do tuh dat pahticlah person, an' pay dem tuh do dat. Dey'll do it jis' lak yo' ast dem tuh do.
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 9074
Jes' lak if yo' goin' tuh co't, see yo' git dat John de Conkah. An' if yo' chew it - see, yo' chew it lak dat buckeye [in another rite] an' spit. Dat's when dey'll pay yo' 'ten- tion, when yo' spit.
Entry 11164
Heard tell of people usin' sompin dey call de devil's-shoestring. Yo' take de devil's-shoestring an' yo' slip it intuh dat house, if yo' kin take it an' chop it up a little bit an' throw dat devil's-shoestring round in dat house dere's goin' be hell tuh pay. (It's going to cause confus- ion in the family.) Yeah, cause confusion in de family. If yo' kin git in dere an' slip dat devil's-shoestring round in dere an' slip it round through de house an' in de bed an' all round lak dat. Dat's devil's-shoestring is a powder [can be bought as a powder?].