Subject:Penny
Other forms: Pennies
Entries
Entry 1944
Well, ah know that chew kin go to the graveyard, yo' understand, an' after yo' go to de graveyard, yo' find a wicked person - a man or woman, yo' see, an' yo' dig down on de left-han' side into dere heart an' yo' git 'bout dat much of dirt. Yo' see de idea. Den yo' have yo' a little salt 'long wit chew, yo' see. Yo' go tuh work an' yo' take dat salt an' yo' put it in dat hole, yo' see, whut chew dug, an' then yo' go tuh work an' yo' take a penny whut chew call a graveyard penny - some of 'em call it. Then yo' go tuh work an' yo take that penny an yo' put that in there, yo see. Den yo' goes tuh work an' yo' cover that up. Yo' go down an' walk roun' to de left an' take de footboard. Yo' takes de footboard an' yo' carries it to de haid. Yo' pull de headboard an' take that back down to de foot, an' yo' stick it back down there yo' see. Then yo' walk away. Now, yo' kin take dat dirt. Yo' goes to de drug sto' an' yo' buys somepin yo' call brimstone. See. Then yo' goes buy - we haven't got it at home, yo' know yo' go buy it to de hardware an' yo' git this black gunpowder. Then yo' carries it on back home. Yo' set down in a off-room to yo'self. Yo' goes tuh work an git chew a dish an' yo' mixes all that stuff together, yo' see. Then yo' stir it lak dis, yo' see. Yo' gits it thoroughly mixed yo' see. Now, if there's anyone that yo' can't git along with, yo' see, an' yo' want 'em tuh go. Well, yo' see yo' got a powder. Or anyone dat yo' wanta work in dere mind yo' see. Yo' have yore powder, yo' see. Well, yo' walk into dere home an' yo' talkin' all de same time, no one noticin' yo' see whut chew got on yo'. Yo' sprinkle dat right ovah de house, if yo' can git into dey home yo' see. Yo' goes tuh work den if yo' can't git into dey home, yo' sprinkle it right round de do'step, yo' see, an' so fo'th. Den dere gone, if yo' havin' any trouble yo' see.
Entry 3239
You see, if a woman has a man an' she wants to fool a long time, you understan' - don't want him to git there an' git right away - w'y she jis' take this penny an' put it right on her tongue - you under- stan', on top of de tongue - an' he can have all de fun he want but every time he starts to git there, you know, she'll suck down on that penny, that'll go back. [For holding breath, see also margin titles on p.2348.]
Entry 3240
If a woman wants tuh kill a man - jis' lak if dat's 'er sweetheart an' she wants to git 'im out 'er way, [they] say she kin take a penny an' put it undah her tongue while dey's makin' a connection togeth- ah an' says, whenevah he goes to make his end, well she's gwine [to] hol' 'er breath while dat penny's undah de tongue. An' dey say dat'll paralyze him. Say it won't kill 'im right den, it'll jis' give him a stroke, he can't walk - he won't be no mo' service to hisself.
Entry 3241
Makin' connection wit othah woman, in case any- thin' won't happen to him, hol' a penny in 'is mouthan' it'll kill de germs - ketch anythin'.
(Hold a penny in his mouth while he is doing this.)
Entry 3242
(Begin at the beginning.)
A bad disease. See, her have a pox.
(She has it?)
Yes, she has it. He hasn't got anythin'. Now, she'll take a penny, a brass penny, an' put it into her mout' undah her tongue, an' she'll lay down in bed wit dis man. Now, when he git up outa baid, from affiliatin' wit 'er, he's got a dose dat he'll nevah git rid of. (What has that brass penny got to do with it?) Well, dat penny, dat gives it - you know, dat makes it mo' strongah dan what it would, if a man bein' ketched wit it jis' by himself.
(I see, that makes it stronger.)
Strongah.
Entry 3243
How to git rid of 'em? Yo' have a Indian head penny an' buy a pocket han'skuff or eithah a piece of domestic, jis' so it a new piece of cloth. When yo' have a intahco'se wit 'im, why den yo' don't make connection, jes' let 'im make de connection. An' den yo' try to handle [the cloth] in a way da choo [That you] git all dat [semen] on [in?] one sass [sauce, try to collect the semen in one spot]. Yo' put dat Indian head penny right in de middle of dat stuff, an' den yo' tie it. All right, an' yo' sleep on it. Well, dis hol's 'im. An' de minute choo wan'a git rid of 'im, yo' jis' turn it loose, jis' throw de rag away an' take de penny an' spend it.
Entry 3314
An' den I've heard dat yo' go an' yo' git ten-penny nails an' a piece- I'M ASHAMED TO TALK.
(YOU GO RIGHT AHEAD, I'VE HEARD ALL THAT.)
Red flannen, piece of red flannen an' den dey get a piece of dis ah - ah dis root choo call...
[A long pause.]
(What?)
John de Conkah. Gits a piece of dis John de Conkah root an' yo' puts dat in dere an' den dey gits a piece - den if yo' kin git yore husban' when yo' have connection wit yore hus- ban', git a piece of towel an' yo' put 'em undahneath de steps an' den yo' throw - dey say yo' 'throw chamber lye undahneath dere fer nine mawnin's, see. An' on de ninth mawnin', if dat man's gone, dat man will be comin' back fast.
(Now, you do this after that bottle has been there nine days?)
No, yo' put dat dere - no, dat ain't got nuthin to do wit de bottle.
(Oh! this is something different, I see.)
It's somethin' diff'rent. (You put this John de Conker and that other stuff [semen] in this piece of red cloth, and put that under the step for nine days. And the nails in there?) Uh-huh, an' den yo' put 'em undahneath de steps, see. An' dan yo' take de chamber lye - yo' [this] suppose to be done so nobody see it, nobody kin see yo 'tall [at all], an' yo' throw it dere fo' nine mawnin's, nine straight maunin's. See now?
Entry 3617
Ah have lived wit a woman in dis city, an' ah found some hair, colored man's hair or coman's hair, an' one penny sewed up in a sack an' a string wrapped aroun' it, an' de string had nine knots in it an' a rabbit's foot. But ah knows one thing dat ah couldn't have nuthin else to do wit no othah woman but 'er. But how dat wuz, whut she did, ah don't know. But ah foun' it in 'er purse.
(She did this to you?)
She did dat to me.
Entry 3730
Well, yo' take de dishrag, if a woman has got a run-aroun' man an' she take de dishrag - aftah she take de dishrag, wipe him wit de dishrag. Wipe him wit de dishrag an' iron it with a very hot iron, an' bury it to de left side of a tree. When yo' bury it to de left side of de tree, dat will perish away all nature dey has fo' any woman. He can't run aroun' any mo', he'll have to stay at home. Well now, if he don't go to de graveyard an' den git de graveyard dirt from de head an' de foot, place a penny in de centah of de grave- pay de grave fo' whut chew git in de Name of de Lord. Take it back an' mix brimstone, sulphur an' sweet milk an' drink it. Well, if he don't do dat, he'll nevah be a man any mo'. He goes to T. B.
(But if he does that, it restores his nature.)
Entry 3785
Yo' kin take a penny yo' see, an' drill a hole in it yo' see, an' put a string in it yo' see, an' tie it down - tie it chew know where it will rest, yo' know right in yore privates down dere, an' dey tell me dat will kill it. (That is if his wife has tied him up.)
Entry 4178
Yo' kin git ten penny nails, don't chew undahstan', an' brass pins. Yo' kin put 'em in a bottle wit de urine an' stop it up an' it'll set choo crazy. It'll stay in dere an' yo'll suffah clean till dey let choo out. Well, dat's mean, don't choo know. When dey let choo out, yo' got tuh git somebody [to help yuh], don't choo undahstan'.
(Why do they do that?)
Becuz dey're mad an' jealous of yo' gittin' along, an' do somepin tuh yo', don't choo know, so dat choo cain't have no luck.
(What do they do with this bottle?)
Dey buries it, buries it down in de groun' bottom upwards dey tell me.
Entry 4191
Dey say take a needle, a goldeye needle, an' stick it in de stoppah of a bottle. But yuh gotta axe dis certain somebody fo' a penny, if yuh want 'em tuh give yuh some money, see. An' take dis penny an' his hair out de top of 'is head, an' put dis hair in dat bottle an' a penny, an' use some of 'is urinate an' keep dat. Stick nine goldeye needles in dat stoppah, an' dat'll make 'e [= he = him] give yuh money. But yuh gotta git dat penny from 'im.
(But you put your own [his] urine in the bottle?)
Yes.
(But you get that penny from the man?)
Yeah, from who yuh want de money.
(You just keep this bottle?)
Yes.
Entry 4222
Aftah, dey take de pennies an' dey put it in yuh chamber lye, an' den in de mawnin' befo' de sunrise, ah've seen 'um back [give power to?] dey chamber lye an' de pennies. Dey puts ten pennies in dere an' den dey make a wish, "Ah wish yo'd go away, ah wish yo'd go away, ah wish yo'd go away." See? An' den dey'd take dat an' throw it jis' where de sun would rise an' evently [eventually] dey'd go away.
Entry 5241
Ah heard tell dat yo' could take a person's shoes an' put red peppah in 'em an' salt an' some coppahs. Yo' have tuh take a penny. Take a coppah or brass, dat jis' whut dey use, an' take an' scrape it. Take a file an' scrape. An' put all dis heah stuff tuhgethah an' git it in yore shoes some way or othah. Den aftah yo' git dat in yore shoes, den dey cain't wear no shoes.
[To scrape a silver dime is common; to scrape a penny is rare.]
(What will happen to him?)
Well, his [skin] will begin tuh itch. All.de shoes he'll wear will have tuh be jis' de same as sandals. Yo' know yo' cain't weah a good pair of shoes on yore feet counta [on account of] dey disfigured yo' know.
(It hurts his feet when he gets this stuff on them?)
Yessuh.
Entry 5474
If dey wan' chew tuh leave town - if yo' givin' dem trouble an' dey Wan' chew tuh leave town, why dey'd ketch it [your track]. If yo' goin' dis way, dey'd ketch it disaway. Den dey would take dis dirt - take it an' put it in a new piece of home- spun. When yo' go tuh a graveyard, git chew two bran'- new teaspoons. Go tuh a graveyard wit two bran'-new tea- spoons. Git chew two teaspoonsfulla dirt offa two sinnahs graves. Well, yo' takes two pennies an' pay each one of dese sinnahs fo' de dirt. Well, yo' takes dat gunpowdah an' thundah-strucken wood, red peppah, an' mix it all tuhgethah. What ah mean thundah-strucken iw where lightning struck a tree. Well yo' take it an' divide it intuh two parts. Yo' put one in a red chunk bottle [bottle with long neck] an' bury it in de east, an' yo' put de othah one in a red chunk bottle an' yo' go tuh runnin' watah, an' yo' pitch it 'cross yore shouldah - turn yore back, pitch it 'cross yore shouldah. Befo' yo' pitch it 'cross yore shouldah, yo' say, yo' do dis, In de Name of de Father, an' de Son an' de Holy Ghost - fo' yo' tuh go an' nevah return. An' in three days time yo'll be left town, yo' can't stay. Yo'll tread dat watah until yo' drown.
(You say you put all that stuff in a red chunk bottle?)
In a red bottle - quart bottle [the ordinary brown beer or whiskey bottle one "chunks" or throws away.]
(Which shoulder do you throw that over?)
Ovah yore lef' shouldah.
Entry 5602
Aftah he goin' outa de do', ah heahed [heard] chew could take his track comin' tuh yo'. An' if he'd walk out de do', tuh take yo' a penny an' drop it in de middle of 'is track. An' jis' as much dirt as would covah dat penny, tuh pick it up. An' regardless tuh where dey'd go, dey'd be uneasy until dey got back tuh yo'. (That is, as he left the door - his feet are going away from the door, you Would put this penny in his track. Either track?) Yes sir.
(And take some of this dirt. That is to bring him back?)
Yes sir.
Entry 5915
Yo' kin take yore own hair, take a man's hair or a woman's hair [a man or woman can do this], put [wit it] graveyard dirt, three coppah cents, six pins - no needles - six pins - an' put it eithah in buckskin or eithah in red flannel. An' go to a runnin' stream, throw it wit yore left hand in dat watah. If it sink it's all right. But as long as dat stay in dere, yo've got to travel. Yo' ain't satisfied nowhere, yo've got to leave yore own home.
Entry 6688
Yo' kin take a penny an' if yo' havin' a intahco'se wit a woman an' if yo' don' wants 'er no mo', don' cä' [care] fo' her no mo', an' jis' wants tuh see her blat up, why yo' put dat penny in yore mout' an' put it undah yore tongue an' have intahco'se wit 'er, an' den yo'll give her some disease dat she nevah kin git rid of. Dat's whut chew kin do wit a penny. [The preceding word blat used only here in Hoodoo, is a variant of bleat, which means to cry out, as calf or sheep. Colloquially, blat could signify to utter loudly and indiscretly, or to be loud- mouthed. Perhaps the meaning in the present instance could be loud-mouthed or to blow her top. Or does informant intend to say she will bloat from the disease he gives her? As a matter of fact (hoodoo pathology says so), diseases are given by holding a penny in the mouth or under tongue during coitus: a woman holding the penny causes a stroke in the man (No.3240); prevents veneral disease (3241); makes a disease stronger (No.3242); etc.]
Entry 7034
Yo' take dat an' airtight it, yo' see. An' yo' wan'a hurt anybody, yo' airtight dere watah good an' put it - yo' put three pennies down in de grave [to pay the spirit] yo' see, an' po' [pour] it [urine] down dere [in the hole with] yuh watah an' dose three pennies an' close it up. Dat's in ordah tuh keep yuh from drinkin', takin' strong drinks.
Entry 7500
An' jes' lak if a murdah' [murderer] have did somepin, why go tuh de cemetery tuh a fresh grave, de freshest grave dat chew kin fin'. Go dere an git chew some graveyard dirt an' take two pennies an' some watah an' put it into a bottle an put that graveyard dirt in dere an' shake it up an' set it aside until yo' see bubbles come from it, until bubbles from dem pennies in dat watah. When dem bubbles start, 'is min' is gittin' bad. He'll come right straight back tuh where he killed dis fellah.
Entry 7599
"Fore sunrise in de mawnin' yo' kin go. tuh de graveyard an' take a pen- ny an' put it in de centah of dat grave. An' run yore han' down dere an' take up some of dat dirt, In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost. An' yo' kin bring it back tuh dat person house dat chew wanta run away. an' sprinkle it all roun' dere house. In de Name of de Fathah, Son an' Holy Ghost, an' dash it an' don't look back.
(That will run them away?)
Dat'll run 'em away.
Entry 7600
Dey say - some dey buy thin's tuh make yuh move. Some, dey go in de graveyard an' git thin's tuh make yuh move. Yuh supposed tuh go in de grave yard - now dis is one ah'm gona tell yuh. Yuh supposed tuh go in de graveyard at noon of de day, reach down intuh de bosom [of] any grave dat chew kin reach down, an' git a han'ful of dirt down tuh which yuh think would be tuh de body of dat person, or neahest [nearest] dere heart as yuh could git. Yuh take dat dirt out, den yuh put in two or three pennies. Tell dem dat chew didn't come tuh beg nor tuh borrah [bor- row] yore way, but chew payin' yore Way tuh make such an' such a party move - put 'em tuh movin'. Den yuh place dose pennies in dere an' shut dat hole up. Yuh take dat dirt an' take it home. Put some salt wit dat dirt an' de name of de party an' sprinkle it wherevah dat person is. Dey tell me dat dey can't stay dere.
Entry 7605
An' den dey say, if yuh wanta run a person, tuh take some dirt out from undah dere steps, an' go tuh de cemetery an' go tuh a sinnah's grave. Dat's whut ah heard. Ah haven't tried dis one, 'twuz told. People have been to folks [doc- tors, fortunetellers, etc.] lak dat. Go tuh de cemetery an' go tuh a sinnah's grave, an' go tuh de breast an' run yore han' down in de grave, as far as yuh kin git chure han' down in dat grave. Take up a han'fulla dirt outa dere an' den yuh pay dat daid a penny. Put it down in dere, say, "Now, ah'm payin' yuh fo'dis." Take dat dirt an' bring it roun' de house an' dat dirt from undah de steps. Take dat dirt an' put it intuh a cloth an' sew it into somepin. Dis box an' dat dirt will drive dat person away from dere. (Do you put that graveyard dirt and this dirt from under the steps into the same box?) Intuh de same box.
(Then what do you do with that box?)
Yuh take dat box - yuh put it in a box or eithah sew it up. Wear it aroun' yuh. Dat drives a person away from yuh, too. Dat's whut ah was told. Ah've nevah tried dat.
Entry 7606
Well, yo' go tuh de graveyard roun' about twelve a'clock at night tuh some sinnah's grave or murdahah have been killed [or executed] an' on de side de heart's on yuh put a penny down dere an' git a handful of dat dirt. An' while yo' gittin' yo' usin' a oath. An' yo' bring it back tuh de house an' take it an' put chew salt an' peppah an' sulphur in it an' yuh keep it. Put it in a jar an' anybody dat chew don't like or wheresomevah yo' go at an' yo' wanta start I confusion, yo' Jes' take dat 'long wit chew an' jes' sprinkle it all aroun' as yo' go. Dat will certainly cuz confusion wit yore enemies.
Entry 7607
Take dat penny an' put it in de graveyard. Yuh go dere at twelve clock at night, yuh [dig] undah an' take dat penny an' put it in, bury it an' let it stay dere fo' 24 hours. Twelve clock yuh go dere an' git it up. An' den when yuh take de penny, whut chew wanna do wit de penny, whatevah way yuh wanta treat de person, if yuh wanta treat 'em good or treat 'em bad, why yuh turn dat penny tuh de east, ran de haid of it tuh de east, see. An' dat fellah will come tuh be successful. An' if yuh turn it to de west, he'll go down.
(Well, does it happen to know that you are getting the right fellow?)
Well, yuh know. Yuh know de fellah yuh aftah [intention]. Yuh already know de fellah yuh aftah. (After you go out there and get this penny: for good luck I turn this penny to the east, or for bad luck I turn it to the west.) Dat's right.
(Well, do I do that at any particular time of the day?)
No sir, twelve.clock at night. Yuh go dere an' put it down at twelve clock at night, an' den yuh go dere an' git it up at twelve clock at night [24 hours later].
Entry 7609
You go into a graveyard and take two pennies, and dig in a grave and take the dirt out of the grave. And take these two pennies and put them down in the hole and close it. And they can walk behind you and take this dirt and throw it up and down your back. And they work the trick right on you. And you'll go off in bad health and you are going to come on back [as a corpse] to the graveyard. [Fredericksburg, Va., by Ediphone.]
Entry 7610
Yuh takes yo' two pennies, jis' lak now. It's diff'rent thin's tuh make a person move. Lak yuh say, "Ah want So-an'-so tuh move." Well, ah go dere at night an' give dat dead dose two pennies an' jis' as fur as ah kin go in dat dirt. Well, ah goes back an' dress dat house. Dose people can't stay dere cuz dose spirit worryin' 'em. It'll make 'em move.
Entry 7612
A man can use graveyard dirt in sprinklin' or fo' travelin'. Fo' in- stance if a person wus in de house an' ah want 'em tuh leave. Ah go tuh de graveyard an' ah carry three pennies, an' ah would dig down tuh Mah elbow an' say tuh de grave, "Ah will pay yuh fo' dis dirt when ah return, an' ah wan' chew take care of dis money until ah come back." An' whut chew wan'a do until yuh come back, dat spirit is always waitin' fo' yuh, fo' yuh promise tuh come back. An' wherevah yuh carry dat, why dat person is gotta move. Yuh jis' spread dat in de yard or on de steps or where dey carry it intuh de house. If anybody walk on it, why it's quite natchel [natural] some of it will be on dey feet.
Entry 7613
They take a little graveyard dirt, gather it just like I explained an' [I interrupt].
(With the three pennies, you mean?)
Yes sir, and a little cat manure and they mix that up together and you put it anywheres around in de yard - where the're [they are] bound to step into it, and they will be in one of the worst lucks they'll ever Wanta be in all their life. They will always be desti- tute for everything.
Entry 7614
Ah heard dat chew kin take graveyard dirt. Yo' must dig roun' about de length of yore arm. Yo' must drop three pennies in dere wit dat. See, an' leave it dere an' say de Lord's Prayah. An' whutsomevah yo' want. chew git it. (What do you do with that dirt?) Yo' brings a li'le up wit chew. All right, chew bring a li'le dirt up wit chew, but chew gotta say de Lord's Prayah when yo' bring dis dirt up. All right, yo' takes dat dirt, yo' puts it in a envelope an' yo' sends it tuh de guy dat chew wan' tuh have. If he's in state prison, he must be free.
Entry 7615
If it a lettah dat dey wrote, take it tuh de graveyard. An' yuh know de person dat whom is buried dere, an' talk tuh de daid. An' bury it in dere an' ast - put three pennies dere, pay 'em, says, "Take keer of dis in de situation of bringin' 'im home, "' or 'harmin' him." Eithah way, kin use it eithah way, see. Yuh kin talk to de daid an' tell it jis' whut chew want; eithah tuh harm 'em or to run yuh 'way or bring yuh home.
Entry 7616
Go tuh de graveyard an' git some dirt. Change de haid an' footbo'ds from a graveyard. Put two pennies tuh de haid when yuh change it, an' two tuh de foot when yuh change it, an' take dat haidbo'd ap' stick it down where dose [pennies are] on a wicked man's grave. An git some of dat dirt an' bring it back an' sprinkle it roun' dere do'step. Or if yuh git a chance tuh git in de house - lak some people yuh claim as a frien' - put it in de house. An' dat will keep dose frien's of yores.
(What do you mean you put the footboard and the headboard?)
Change it. (Just change them around. And you put them back the same way they came out, stick them right straight down in; but you put the pennies underneath before you put them down?) Dat's right.
Entry 7617
Wal, ef yuh know dere names, yuh kin take an' go tuh de graveyard an' Write dere initials an' carry yo' fo' pennies an' pay de dead. Whosomevah 'tis died, yuh know dere names. Yuh call dere names an' tell dem yuh want 'em tuh bring dese person back an', "Ah'm payin' yuh fo' pennies." Well, in less time den two months wheresomevah dey be at, dey will come back. (Where do you write the name of this person that stole the thing? Where do you write that name? Do you write that name on a piece of paper?) On a piece of paper.
Entry 7618
Ah heard 'em say dat yuh kin go tuh de graveyard - lak dat, if ah Wants tuh change mah luck - dat ah kin go tuh de cemetery an' dig right up on de right-hand side of de grave jis' about where ah think de heart oughta lay, an' dig a hole down deep an' git me out two han'fulla dirt. Bring it out. An' when ah git dis dirt, ask fo' luck - jis' ask of de dead fo' luck, an' drop from five tuh eight pennies in dat hole an' plug it up. An' when ah rise up from off mah knees, tuh thank 'em [a rare courtesy!], an' walk away an' don't look back. Well, ah take dis dirt an' carry it tuh mah house an' sprinkle it roun' dere, an' dey say dat will give me luck.
(That is to change your luck. In anything?)
In anything.
Entry 7619
(What do you know about graveyard dirt?)
Well, ah tell yuh, yuh kin take graveyard dirt - now, yuh kin go tuh de grave- yard jis' lak if yuh wanted tuh do anybody any harm. Well, yuh kin go dere. Well, yuh kin carry - it's a cert'in 'mount of pennies fo' yuh tuh carry, see. Well, yuh kin carry dem eight pennies an' yuh go tuh de haid of de person, see. Well, yuh ast dem fo' some of de dirt, see; an' tell 'em dat chew'll pay dem fo' it, see. Well, yuh drop dese pennies intuh de dirt right tuh de haid of dem, see. Den yuh take some of de dirt. Git some of de dirt an' put it in a papah an' yuh kin bring it on back home, see. Well, yuh kin take dat dirt an' jis' lak yuh go tuh a person's house, or yuh kin git someone tuh do it fo' yo'. Yuh kin go in dere an' sprinkle dat dirt roun' in dere, see. Well, it will cause dat whole room tuh git upstarted, see. Dere'll be fussin' an' fightin' an' goin' on until dey [man and woman] be separated, see.
Entry 7620
Dey - yuh take graveyard dirt, it will run anybody. Dey goes out an gits some graveyard dirt out of a grave an' put a nickel in dere where dey done got de dirt from, dat whut dey call payin' fo' it. An' dey go back an' go tuh dis person's house, an' take a little pepper, an' mix wit it, an' go dere an' make lak yuh talkin' tuh 'em, yuh know, an' sprinkle it roun' in dere house. Three days aftah dat, dem folks is ready tuh leave dere.
Entry 7623
Well, dey tell me jis' lak if yo' have lots of enemies an' dey say if a mean person wus tuh die, dat chew go dere, out tuh dis graveyard, no one but chew, an' git some of dis dirt out an' give 'em - put 15c down in dere, say, "Here's 15c yo' kin have." An' say yo' takes dis dirt an' stan' up an' throw it in de house. Dey say dat would conquah yore enemies down.
(Whose house do you throw that in, your own house or the enemy's house?)
Tuh yore enemy's house but not let no one see yuh. Throw it an' let none of 'em see yuh, an' dat will conquah dem down.
Entry 7626
Stickbo'rd tuh de haid of graveyard [grave]...when yo' goes dere. Yo'll have tuh go dere at twelve 'clock at night. Durin' de time of goin' dere yo'll have tuh pay de graveyard-man three cents an' a half a pint of whis- key. (Where do you put that stuff?) Yo' have tuh dig in de haid of 'is breast, an' dig dat out an' set de whis- key down in de centah of it, an' step across 'im three times - backwards like dat [demonstrates] come across, go across - go across - go across - an' den go back an' talk tuh 'im in dat hole whut chew want 'im tuh do.
(What do you do with the pennies?)
Right in dat same hole where yo' put de whiskey, an' den call 'im up an' bring some of dat stuff away, out de hole, an' put it in a bottle. An' den he'll work fer yuh, do jis' whut chew want 'im tuh do.
Entry 7653
Yo' could go tuh de graveyard at twelve a'clock at night an' go tuh somebody grave dat chew know dat wuz not very long buried dere - dat chew know 'em by der name personly [personally], see. An' jis' scratch chew a hole right on de lef' side of de grave tuh de haid part, right where yo' 'magine de heart would be, an' run yore han' down in dere tuh de elbow an' drop three pennies in dere. Git dat sand right on out an' come on back home. Put some cayenne peppah intuh dat graveyard dirt. An' on de side of de baid where he always lay, on de front or de back where he always lay, yo' jis' take dat sand an' sprinkle it on de mattress. An' make yo' bed back up an' let 'im lay on dat. Dat will run 'im right off from yore house.
(You will get rid of him then?)
Git rid of 'im.
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 7677
If anyone disliked yuh an' wan' choo tuh move - lak yuh a nex'-do' neighbah - dey go tuh de cemetery an' git graveyard dirt tuh make yuh move. Dey say dey go in dere at twelve a'clock at night an' run dere han's jis' as fer as de joint of dere elbow right down in de earth, an' git chew three han'fulla dat fresh graveyard dirt outa dere an' put it in a bucket. An' bury three pennies in dat dirt when yuh take out de las' han'ful out. Yuh put three pennies in de grave. Dey say dat's payin' fer it. An' den yuh bring it back an' sprinkle it aroun' de person do'. An' dat will make him leave.
Entry 7679
Ah 'sperienced dis mahself. Ah had a man an' he wus engaged tuh git married. When ah firs' started goin' wit 'im he tole me he wus engaged tuh be married, an' ah tole him, "Go ahead an' git married." Ah didn't feel lak ah cared den. Well, it wus about two yeah's time, dis woman whut he wus supposed tuh git married, he tole ne she wus in town. He said he would have tuh go down dere where she wus. Ah said, "Go ahead." He took me an' carried me home. Aftah ah got home ah got tuh thinkin' 'bout it an' ah jes' decided. Ah'd heard dat such things could be done. So ah got nah niece an' we went out tuh de cemetery. Yo' go tuh a grave an' yo' take de headbo'd an' throw it tuh de foot, an' say, "As ah throw dis headbo'd, In de Name of de Fathah an' de Son, an' de Name of de Holy Ghost, as ah throw dis headbo'd tuh de foot of dis grave, ah want chew tuh change John's min' off dis woman an' place it on me, In de Name of de Lawd." An' yo' go tuh de foot an' yo' do de same thing as yo' have at de head. Den aftah yo' do dat, yo' go an' git chew nine han'fuls of dirt outa de grave. An' aftah yo' git dat dirt outa de grave, den yo' have somepin tuh put down dere - pennies. Put 'em in dere, say, "Ah's givin' yo' dis money tuh pay yo' fo' whut yo' are doin' fo' me In de Name of de Lord." An' it won't be long - ah know dat wus de thing dat run dat woman 'way from Florence. An' she have nevah been back heah since.
(What did you do with that dirt after you got that dirt?)
Ah brought de dirt home but ah nevah did know whut tuh do wit it. Ah brought it home an' kept it fo' a long time. Ah didn't know whut tuh do wit de dirt. But de woman [doctor] dat tole me tuh do dat, she tole me dat plenty hell could be raised wit dat dirt, but ah don't know how. [Or you could] use dis red pep- Pah. INSTEAD OF PUTTIN' PENNIES IN DERE, YO' JES' PUT RED PEPPAH. But cheW got- ta have a odd numbah if yo' put red peppah - anything, jes' have a odd numbah - in dis grave when yo' take dat dirt out. [THIS IS SURELY MY ONLY EXAMPLE OF A
Entry 7681
[Here is a rare rite. While talking to the grave spirit, ask him to give you a sign before you 'leave the grave, that you will be successful in your undertaking with his dirt.] What dey do wit it? Well, dey take dat, yo' see, an' dey go an' shake hands wit de dead yo' see. Den dey give dat to dem. (Well, how do they do that? They get hold of your handwriting. And how would they shake hands with the dead, then?) Well, yo' see, yo' go tuh a pusson who's neighbah yo' know died, yo' know [buried]. An' yo' go down elbow deep an' yo' know, when yo' git down elbow deep, down dere it'll be as cold as de pusson is dead, yo' see. An' yo' talk tuh 'em an' yo'll request whethah yo' be successful an' tell 'em give yo' a sign. Well, if it's a calm day, yo' call de sign, an' yo' tell 'em tuh make a - shake a limb on a tree or shake a bush or send a breeze of wind. An' he give yo' a sign by dat, yo' know. Yo' know whethah yo' be successful when yo' leave [the grave] or not. He give yo' de sign 'fo' yo' leave, yo' know.
(Well, what do you do with this handwriting?)
Dey jes' take it an' put it right - as yo' go down dere elbow deep, dey'll put it in dat hole an' pay 'em two cents an' tell 'em whatcha wanta happen wit dis, yo' know, what chew Wanta happen - kill
Entry 7684
Yo' go tuh a - if somebody troublin' yo' an' yo' jis' want 'em tuh git in trouble, see. Yo' go tuh a sinnah - yo' gotta know somebody wuz a wicked sinnah an' got killed - yo' see, a gamblah. Yo' go tuh 'is haid an' dig down about wrist deep. An' put three pen- nies dere an' jis' tell it - jis' lak yo' talkin' tuh in - jis' lakyo' know'im, say, "so- an'-so-an'-so, ah wan' chew tuh go tuh Such-an'-such-a-one an' give dem hell, jis' give dem hell. Wham! Fight 'em, make 'em fight. Make 'em kill if it's necessary." An' yo' put de pennies dere. Kivah [cover] de hole up an' go off. Walk off an' nevah look back. Yo' take dat graveyard dirt an' yo' ketch yore dog an' cut some hair off de end of 'is tail, see. All right, yo' ketch chew a ket [cat]. Yo' cut some hair off 'is haid an' 'is tail. An' yo' take dat dog an' cut jis' a li'le bit of hair out 'is fo'haid. Yo' git some of dis urinate, see. All right yo' git yo' some red peppah, table salt, put wit dat. An' yo go by where dem people stay an' jis' tell 'em [dirt and its ingredients] what chew want 'em do wit it. An' throw it.] Don't evah look back, keep goin'. An yo' ain't goin' be a minute off fo' yo' see 'em raisin' Sam [Sam = devil]. Dey goin' move from dere. Aftah while dey goin' move from dat state.
(That is to run them out of there, run them away.)
Dat's tuh run 'em away. Dat's hard tuh ovahcome. Now ah heah'n [heard] a man tell dat an' ah seen it work. See, fo' a fact he used tuh git me tuh go by dere sometime an' throw it dere. Dis ole Doctor Bush.
Entry 7690
Go tuh de graveyard an' put a penny down in dere an' take up dat grave- yard dirt In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost. An' carry tuh dat person house [be- fore] de sunrise an' throw it, an' yo' walk off an' don't look back. Dat'll do dat person harm. Jes' sprinkle it all roun' where dey gotta come out at.
Entry 7720
Well, yo' goes - yo' have tuh go dere twelve a'clock in de night an' git dat [dirt]. An' yo' bring dat back. Yo' go tuh de graveyard an' yo' takes it [board] from de haid - yo' takes de haid, put de haid tuh de foot [board] an' de foot [board] tuh de haid. Den yo' go right down in de middle [of the grave] wit three cent in yore han'- go down in de middle. Yo' turn 'em loose dere an' yo' bring up dat dirt. Den yo' carry dat back home. An' yo' - jes' lak yo' wanta put it, yo' carry it tuh anyone's house; if yo' wanta run 'em off, throw it round de house. Jes' spread it roun' de house an' jes' call dere name, an' tell 'em yo' wan t'em tuh, "Go, yo' devil." Tell 'em tuh keep goin'. Cain't stay dere.
Entry 7721
If yo' sellin' likkah an' yo' wanted tuh keep de laws away, go tuh de cemetery an' make de change [of graveboards]. If yo' know dey all names, call dem names; an' if yo' didn't know de names, jes' use de word "of yore enemies" an' make yore wish, In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' Holy Ghost. An' bring some of that dirt back wit yo', an' leave three pennies. An' then take it an' mix it wit some salt an' red peppah. Sprinkle some on each side of yore house where dey's goin' tuh come up to dere, an' make yore wish on each side of it, "In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, make dat man stay away."
(That will keep the law away if you are bootlegging?)
Yes sir. Yo' make de changes in dat.
(Change the headboard and the footboard.)
In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' Holy Ghost, an' bring some of dat dirt wit yo'. Take it tuh de co'thouse aftah yo' mix it wit salt an' red peppah; take it tuh de co'thouse an' sprinkle it aroun' dere.
Entry 7722
Go tuh de cemetery an' make de changes wit de bo'ds out dere. Put three pennies intuh de groun', intuh de grave. Bring some of dat dirt back wit chew an' put some red peppah an' some cay- enne peppah in dere wit it, an' burn it intuh de fire, call- in'; In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, dat yo' may have luck in gainin' de influence of all of yore frien's. An' yo' will have luck.
(That is to get customers if you are bootlegging?)
Yes.
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 7866
Well, ah've heard some of 'em say dat yo' could take a penny an' go tuh de cemetery, an' say one or two words an' [say to] jes' de person in de cemetery dat chew want 'em tuh work fo' yo'. An' yo' git a li'le bit of dat dirt an' come back home, an' take yo' some red peppah an' sulphuh an' put it in a sack, an' stick it undah- neat' de house. An' it supposed tuh move 'em in nine days.
Entry 8169
Yo' kin take dat pichure ag'in, dat whut ah'm tellin' yo' 'bout, carry it tuh a grave. Now, dis is somepin dat will run a person from yer house, too. Take dat pichure an' carry it tuh a new grave an' turn dat pichure sundown side on its face. See, dat now, an' covah it up wit dat same dirt an' put a penny on top of it. An' dat'll run 'em jis' as crazy as kin be, dey go tuh de 'sylum.
[We now struggle to understand one another.]
(How do you mean turn down to the sundown?)
Yo' see yo' turn dat pichure down on its face. See dat? [Demonstrates.] Put 1 penny on top of dat.
(What happens on the sundown side?)
It will run 'em crazy.
(Well, how does that picture face?)
Well, yo' know dis [demonstrates] is de face of de pichure, ain't it? Well, yo' see yo' put it in de grave an' yo' turn it down lak dat on de face an' put a penny on top of it.
(Which way is that picture pointing?)
Which way it pointin'? Where de sundown - southeast. (You put that picture down. You told me you put it to the sundown side. What do you mean by the sundown side?) Ah mean turn de pichure towards sundown.
(The head towards sundown?)
Uh-huh - yes.
Entry 8472
Now, if I wan'a keep yo' in trouble - kin yo' hear me? [I probably nodded yes.] If I wan'a keep yo' in trouble, I get a glassful of whiskey, half full, and turn you [your photograph] down in [not on] that glass, and put [in] three old brass pen- nies, yo' know. Pennies, yo' know. And let it [photograph] stay upside down in there, and you will be in trouble the balance of yore days. [3 pennies symbolize Three Holy Names or are taken over from payment to grave spirit for graveyard dirt.]
Entry 8840
Yo' have tuh go tuh de grave tuh do dis. Go tuh de graveyard an' go down in a man's grave an' yo' have a penny in yore hand. Run yore han' down in de grave - it make no diff'- rent which han' - run yore han' down in de grave an' leave dis penny an' come up wit de dirt. An' take dis writin' an' sprinkle it [dirt] right 'cross dat writin', an' fold it up, an' lay it undah de lid [cover] of de Bible. An' ah don't care whut she done or nuthin, yo' kin 'tract [attract] her anywhere he want tuh by dis dirt. (You take her writing? Her handwriting, a letter she wrote to you, and you can make any kind of a wish and she'll do anything you want her to do?) Yes.
Entry 8841
Yo' kin use it out dere tuh de cemetery fo' one way dat ah know. Yo' kin take dat han'writin' an' take it tuh de cemetery an' push it down intuh de grave, an' put three pennies on de top of it an' covah it up, an' make yuh wish, In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost. An' dat'll work. (Well, what would you wish?) If yo' git holt of it an wanted 'em come tuh yuh, or wish bad luck, or good luck; it's three ways of wishin', three forms.
Entry 9171
Leave the hydrant running slowly, turn all the "stove eyes" up [lids of old-fashioned kitchen stove burning coal or wood]. You turn your "back pock- ets" [= hip pockets] wrongside outwards. You carry a "Indian head penny. [As I said somewhere in the text, water coming from a faucet is considered running water. Even the pipe carry- ing water from street into house has been called running water. There are a nun ber of these rites scattered through the text to support this statement.]
Entry 9184
Well de thing tuh do when a person's in yore house in ordah tuh make dem move, dey say yo' go undah de house an' take a bar'l [barrel] hoop, an' cut it half in two an' bend it an' stick each end in de ground an' leave a circle [arch] above. Den dey said dig a deep hole an' take de yellah of two eggs an' put in dat hole, an' put three pennies an' covah it up wit dirt. Dey say on de third day dey'll move.
Entry 9206
Well, if yo' wanta do anybody any harm, go tuh work an' yo' take a penny an' put it right in de crossin' of de road. An' yo' goes tuh work an' yo' take dat aig, an' yo' bust it right on dat penny. An' if dey wanta cross dat, dey can't cross.
Entry 9676
If ah wus in trouble, like ah wus wantin' tuh sell whiskey like evah- body is doin', wanted tuh have a success fo' mah business where de man wouldn't bothah me. Git me a package of salt an' bury it tuh mah front do'steps, bury one tuh de back where yo' have to come ovah - walk ovah it [them].: Take me a penny an drive it down, drive de penny right down on de do'stop; yo' know, like de do' [denonstrates], drive it right up dere. De police may come dere an' try tuh search me. He'd look a little bit - ah'll jest show yo' [demonstrates about roan]. "Well [says policeman] he ain't got nuthin. Let's go." [For pennies at door, see also many examples in vol.1, p.6llf., Nos.2108-2120 and elsewhere.]
Entry 9677
Well, some people take a penny an' dey nail it right down in front of de do' - a one-cent piece. Dey go tuh de back do' an' dey nail down anothah one. D go tuh de sto' an' git chew a box of Red Devil Lye potash. Yo' git chew a bran'-new box of salt. An' yo' go out in yore gate, right in de mid- dle of yore gate where de people transfah in an' out. Yo' dig a hole down dere at zakly [exactly] six inches, an' yo' take dis salt, dat whole box of salt, an' empty it right close tuh de box of lye. An' aftah yo' emptyin' it close tuh dat box of lye, yo' say lak dis: Three daid men looked outa de winda': One had no lung, de othah had no tongue; De third was deaf, druonb an' blind. Behold de spirit looked on me, As ah speak to yo' three times a day. Only goodness an' mercy shall follow me from dis day on. Yo' say dat all de while yo' po'ing dat salt on topa dat. An' aftah yo' git done why yo' cover this lye up - an' dat's also fo' bringin' customers - an' de potash will drive away de law, keep de law away.
Entry 9741
Says yo' take nine nails an' carry 'em tuh a graveyard. An' if a per- son real mad wit chew, take nine nails an' carry 'em tuh a graveyard, an' leave a penny down dere, an' take some dat dirt. An' tie it in a rag an' carry it an' put it undah dat nail at 'er fiahplace. An' dat person dat mad wit chew, dey come dere whah [where] dat down. De woman or man dey come dat same night.
(You bury those nine nails in the graveyard?)
Yo' bury dem down dere an' yo' bring de dirt. [That nail at the fireplace is a peg upon which she can hang various articles. Having paid a penny for the graveyard dirt I see no reason for leaving the 9 nails there. Surely both grave- yard dirt and 9 nails were buried at the fireplace.]
Entry 11663
Den you go to de fo'k of de road, see, dis here way; de road comin' like dis, one comin' like dis, and one straight up [3 roads coming together, a "Y" fork]. And if you wants me to die tonight, you goes to de fo'k of de road, say, "God damn it, I wants Mary to die to- night." Well, you hears a gang of music, but chew don't see nothin'. And you jes' throw a penny down dere and go off from dere. You left one penny dere, and I [Mary] dies 'fore de night is over. (You will die before the night is over. The fork of any road where two roads cross?) Ye-es, no, de fo'k of de road like jes' one coming dis way, one comin' dis away and one straight up.
(I see, three roads coming together.)
Yes, dat de fo'ks. (And you just stand in the fork of the road at twelve o'clock at night and you just say....) Twelve in de day and twelve at night. It don't work no other time; twelve at night or twelve in the morning. Gotta throw a penny down dere, you know. Yeah gotta leave a penny.
Entry 11666
Yo' go down to de fo'k of de road an' yo' kin take a fresh aig - jes lak yo' in bad luck. Git a fresh aig an' a penny an' throw it cross yore shoulder at de fo'k of de road an' walk on an' don' look back. After while it put chew in good luck. (You throw that penny and
[WHY EGG? THAT IS PAYMENT FOR SPIRIT OF THE FORK] the egg over it [shoulder]?)
An' de aig ovah - both of 'em together, an' throw it cross yore shoulder an' walk on - de left shoulder and walk on. An' why dat put chew in good luck? An' de one dat come an' find dis penny, it put dem in bad luck. [This is a tranference rite, very common in wart cures.]
Entry 11740
Say like if any of yo's people is in jail an' yo' don't have money to git 'em out, yo' go to a graveyard an' yo' takes two pennies. And dey say yo digs a hole, yo' know, 'way down in de middle of de grave, an' yo' pays de dead spirits fer dat dirt. And yo' tell dat dirt, tell dat spirit dat, "Ah wants chew to go direct to de jailhouse and ah wanta git so-and-so out." And dey say yo' jest leave dem two pennies there and you'll go on to de co'thouse when dey be's having co't, and you come [out] without [paying] money. (What will you do with that dirt?) Yo' jest picks up dat dirt and carries it to de jail- house wit yo', an' yo' jest holds it tight on yo', and when de' havin' yo' trial, dey more den apt to turn yo' loose and yo' won't have to pay nuthin - jest dem two pennies what chew left at de graveyard.
Entry 11741
Well, jes' lak now probably dat ah wuz sellin' likker. Well, ever' time ah turn roun' an' somebody knock at de do', ah think it's a customer come in dere. Ah open de do', "Ooh! It's de law." Well, ah goes tuh mah neighbor, yo' know, sell a lotta people roun', "Ah ain't got no luck. Ever'- time ah open mah do's, it's de law comin' in. Ah don' unnerstan'.: Seem lak de law gotta pick at me. Ah want dat law quit comin' tuh mah house." "Well, "' ah declare. "May[be] it's hard luck put on yo', '' [he] says, "dey's things lak dat." Well, jes' lak dat, talk along an' talk along. Ah wuz sellin' right along, gittin' on all right, thinkin' ever'thing wuz okay. Oh, makin' mo' money, yo' know, an' jes' gittin' 'long. Fus' thing ah knows, "Knock, knock." "Who's thah?" Twarn't nuthin but de [wind?] but still it wuz a lil' strange. Goes opens de do'. Who but it is de law ag'in. Well, ah sigh to mahself, "Well, ah taken dese chances but ah don't wanta take nO mo' chances." Ah goes tuh talkin' fo' fair den. So ah got one mah best fren'. Ah call her mah best fren'. So mah best fren' says, "Well, ah tell yo' whut chew do," say, "yo' go git luck, 'cause dere's bad wishes put on yo'. Yo' gotta have luck. Dere's a bar ovah dere" [someone over there could recommend a hoodoo]. Okay. An' so ah goes an' git luck. So fo' de luck he tole me, says, "Go tuh de cemetery an' git chew a lil' graveyard dirt, an' yo' git it on de off side - cf side of de right. Yo' dig down an' yo' pay. Yo' pay him an' yo' git dis dirt. Dig a hole jes' lak dat an' let chure han' go down in it, jes' lak dat [demonstrates] an' dig yo' up jes' a lil' dirt jes' lak dat. Den yo' put three pennies down in dere where yo' got dis dirt at. An' yo' take it home an' don't look back. When yo' git dis dirt jes' take it an' come right on home an' don' look back. When yo' git home, yo' put a spoonful of sulphur in dat graveyard dirt an' yo' sprinkle jes' a lil' bit of black peppah in dere. An' den yo' jes' put dat - yo' put some right under de front steps, an' den yo' go round an' put some undah yore back steps. An' den yo' gotta speak three times tuh hit, 'Name of de Father, name of de Son an' de Holy Ghost, stay an' nevah come no mo'." Dat'll do it.
(That keeps the law away.)
Keep de law away.
Entry 11856
To make the man stay home, you takes a piece of the strand of the hair right in the mole of the head, and get you two copper cents - but let it be two women's faces.
(Two pennies that have a woman on them. All right.)
And take the strand of the hair and then put it in between the women's faces. You get a piece of string or thread [demonstrates].
(You place these two pennies face to face.)
Face to face.
(And put that hair between them. All right.)
And then you wind the thread all around it until it holds together. Then you take a bag and you put it in a little bag with your name and his name in there, wrapped up in a single. paper, and every time you take a drink, you gotta give it something to drink. [There are a number of these rites in HOODOO of- fering food or drink or both to absent person.] (Water or liquor?)
Entry 12572
[The former silver dime of the United States of America Was the magic lord of money during my collecting days - the 30's and early 40's - but not far behind was the lowly copper- based penny or one-cent piece. This remarkable coin as an awesome object I first heard about from my Pullman porter on the former Pennsylvania Railroad between Chester, Pa., and Baltimore, Md., in rite No.2108, p.6ll, v.l. An early list of penny rites is given in Nos.2108-2127, Pp.6ll-615. In the rites now following most of them are new, others merely show the ubiquity of the beliefs. I shall begin with the new]: Take de brown money we call de pennies, lil' pennies, yo' know, an' burn it till it git real black, one penny. An' git some spirits of rosin - it grows when de turpentine run yo' know - an' put in some flour. Mix it together, flour dough, an' mix it together an' then tie it round yore waist, an' carry it wit chew an' yo'll be lucky.
(Lucky in what?)
In gambling.
(You just burn this penny until it is black?)
Yes.
Entry 12573
Well, de only thing ah knows 'bout de pennies proposition, dey takes - jes' all dey takes is one cent - an' nail it down by de do' fo' if yo' want plenty custoner tuh come into a sto', anything. Don' nevah sweep a person's tracks out, outa de sto'. Always gathah them inside of de sto'. Dat bring plenty trade, dem pennies [this was during the Great Depression].
Entry 12574
Jes' lak if yo' don't want nobody tuh yore house, don't want tuh speak tuh anybody, yo' kin take yo' a penny - jes' a penny is brassy - an' yo' kin rub it an' rub it till it gits shiny. An' de penny whut yo' rubbin' den yo' go tuh de grave- yard dust: In de Name of de Lord an' de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost. Well, yo' rubs dat penny, rubs dat penny wit de dust until it gits shiny.
(What do you do with that then?)
[I shut the machine off before recording the answer, but the penny is probably nailed at the door. This could be my only example of using graveyard dirt as a scouring material!]
Entry 12575
Fo' luck. Yo' jes' take a penny an' yo' tack it right under de piece right by yore do' - right in front de do' ~ where de folks walk backwards an' farwards cross it. Yo' jes' tack it where nobody won't take it up, where dey wouldn't see it [or step on it either, because it is under the overhang of the tread. Normally this coin is reposed, if trade is wanted].
(What will that do then, for you?)
Make luck fo' yore house.
(For customers?)
Yes, an' keep yore house lucky. Jes' lak ah 'fore tell yo' [told you before] about dat same potash an' 'bout dis penny, dat makes luck fo' yore house.
(Keeps the law away.)
Yes sir, de revenuers.
Entry 12576
De pillah yo' sleep on - jes' lak ah sleep on a pillah, ah have a penny in dat pillah, see, in dat cloth right in dat pillah, an' all ah have to do is jes' put mah haid on dat pillah an' sleep. (Sleep all night.) [This un- doubtedly is a rite to prevent a hag from riding you. In hag rites a penny is not generally used, though we have copper in No.527, p.156, v.1.]
Entry 12577
Use pennies fo' jes' lak yore house is ha'nted. (What do they do with that?) Well, jes' lak yo' been keeping house an' yo' got a penny nailed down in de front door dere. Yo' jes' nail a penny down in de front do' dere, an' yo' be prevented from dose ha'nts.
(You can see them then if they [come] into the house.)
[Prevent because they will not enter.]
Oh, sure, sure. Or either put a horseshoe up over dere [points to door]. Some of 'em put a horseshoe up ovah de head of de do', real ole-fashioned horse- shoe [that was worn by a horse].
Entry 12578
Said dey would take a penny - couple of pennies - drive one in de back [door] and one in de front. Dey'll go and dey git some kinda oil out de drug store, yo' understand, and they pour it in there [hole to receive coin] and they drive it down and that will [stop the law]. You will stop [it] at de [door and] it won't pass, it won't come. [Last 3 brackets supply words eliminated by bad recording.]
Entry 12579
"Yo' git chew two pennies if it happen dat chure place of business got two do's to it. An' yo' take an' - take one penny an' go to yore back do' an' stick a hole in it [door or coin?] an' turn de haid - or turn de tails up. See, tail it up. Den at chure front do' den, yo' take an' turn de haid in [looking into place of business]. An' dey say dat will keep de law away, see, den, from bothering yo' place of business.
(On the back door the tail is up and on the front door the head is up.)
Entry 12580
Take a penny - any copper coin - must be copper, sompin like a penny, an' put dat penny right at de right hand steps. Make no difference whut direc- tion it lay in. But chew bury dat penny somewhere where yo' would know where it would be - yo' could put somepin down dere to [so that you could find] it. An' den right at de end of de do' - yo' see dat's de outside - jes' as yo' come in de do' - make no differ- ence where de rug be - dey have a rug or somepin dere under [on] de floor, an' yo' put a hole in dat an' nail it down dere." Dat will keep dem away from dere.
(That is the second penny, you mean?)
Yes, dat's de second penny. Dat's all. Yo' want one outside, right to de - jes' lak yo' coming up [to the steps] dat must be to de right [side] of de steps. Make no difference whut direction de steps in. Dis penny must be to de right of de steps, an' de other one [penny] must be to de opposite side - de right side of de do' [looking out, but inside penny is to left as you enter]. (You mean as you come in the steps, the penny must be buried to the right hand as you are coming in?) Yes, it make no difference jes' so it's to de right hand but right under de steps.
Entry 12581
Ah heard if ah wanted yo' to go crazy ovah me, jes' git two pennies an' burn 'em in sulphur, an' when ah git through burning, take 'em an' clean 'em off good, an' give one tuh de girl an' yo' keep one. An' don't chew spend de one which yo' have, yo' jes' keep it. If she spend hers'n dat'll be all right, but chew keep yores.
(What will that do then?)
Dat will make her crazy about chew 'long as yo' keep dat penny.
Entry 12582
Now heah's one good fo' dat, if yo' wanted tuh keep de lav away. Yo' ldn use jes' a common penny. Yo' drive one down at de front do' an one at de back, an' den yo' take a can Red Devil lye an' yo' Would drive nine holes in dat an' yo' would bury dat neah where yuh people would pass ovah it. An' dat's been a suah one tuh keep away de law an' yo' don't be bothered wit de law.
Entry 12583
Yo' take three pennies an' nail one at de front door, nail one at de back, nail one in de middle [door]. Well if dey comes in dis [way], let 'em always come in dis way an' yo' sweep. As yo' [they] come in dis way, yo' know yo' sweep up [after them]. Yo' sweep de dust from dere feet back in de cor- nah. An' aftah yo' gits it all'dere, have yo' a bottle [jar], jes' pick it up an' put it in, an' if anything it's a bettah thing to take it an' bury it, but chew kin put it in a bottle [jar] an' burn it. [By jar I mean a bottle with a wide mouth.] But it's best to bury it. [Burning a person's foot dust could cause trouble!] Dat'll keep people coming intuh yore place - keep friends.
Entry 12584
Jes' lak if yo' wus sellin' likkah or anythin' lak dat an' don't want de law tuh run in on yo'. Whut ah used tuh do. Dey told me tuh take six pen- nies an' go early in de mawnin' jes' at sun- rise tuh de fo'k of a road, bury three [pen- nies] an' say a prayah. Goes on tuh some wicked person, or some needy person, an' give de othah three pennies tuh dat needy person. Goes on back home an' say mah prayers, say, an' dey [police] won't worry yo'.
Entry 1310
Ah hear about dat too an' ah knows of it. But chew have to pay three pennies but chew gotta go to someone's grave dat chew knows well. Jes' lak, yo' know, some of yore family dat's been buried an' yo' go to de head of dis grave an' yo' pay dat dead man or dat dead woman - whoevah yo' knows -.de three cents. An' den yo' take some of de dirt an' den yo' tell dem to give yo' luck, don't let nobody harm yo', an' yo' bring dat graveyard dirt - git a han'ful of de graveyard dirt an' bury it undah yore steps. Bury it undah yore step an' den nobody can't do yo' no harm cause de dead will pertec' yo'.
Entry 1923
They say, if anybody bother me and my husband and I want to get rid of 'em, want 'em stopped, why just take a penny.
(A penny?)
One penny and go to the grave of somebody who you know died kind of wicked.... Go there and take up the headboard and put it to the foot, and hand the footboard back down to the head - take that down. This person who you working after - and take the penny - just take the fingers, you see, and make a hole down there in the middle of grave and put that penny down there and just - then, as I want you [to work for me], say, "Roll dis person fer me, Such-and-Such-a-Person." Call dere name. "Dead, I want you to roll dis person for me." And slap dat penny right dere and go on 'bout your business. Then in three days they'll be gone.... They'll leave towm. They'll leave from around where you is.
Entry 1937
See, ah'm gwine wit a girl. Ah have did dat mahself. An' go tuh de graveyard, carry nine pennies yo' see, an' yo' put dem nine pennies down three each time - one fo' de daid, an' one fo' de livin', an' one fo' de girl. See. An' den yo' pay a penny fo' dat graveyard bo'd, fo' dat headbo'd, an' yo' stick it down - walk backwards an' stick it down an' go home. Ah didn't have tuh use no dirt. An' ah did see her de nex' mawnin'. (Well, did you say anything or do anything out there when you were doing all this?) Ah went there an' - git somepin tuh dig a hole. Put three penny in one hole - dat's fo' de dead. It a good many yeahs since ah did it. Ah jes' remembah. Ah put down first de three penny in de girl name. Den ah put three penny down in my name, an' ah put three penny down fo' de dead, an' ah put three penny down fo' de headbo'd, yo' see. An' den ah take dis bo'd, de headbo'd up In de Name of de Lord an' ah stick it back down In de Name of de Lord, but ah stick it back down dere backwards an' walk on out of there, an' ah call dis girl name ever' time, an' de next mawnin' ah did see her.
(You do this in order to see this girl?)
Dat's it, yessuh.
Entry 1983
For luck in gambling you would use a hand - use a hand such as a oil. (Well, now, explain the details of that hand. What kind of a hand? Do you know how it's made?) Yes, sir. It's a hand. They makes a hand with a piece of red flannel first, and after the red flannel they ask vou for a silver dime. They puts - place the silver dime in it, place a piece of lodestone in it. They takes a piece of John the Conquer root - that's for protection. All right, they takes that hand - that cloth, you see, and they wrap it - sews it up all around. They takes this oil of clover and they gives you a bottle full of it - a little, about three-ounce bottle. You puts that oil on that hand - what we call a hand and soaks it. [This soaking is called feeding.] Then when you go in a gambling house, you supposed not to let no one take that hand - see, no one touch it. If you do, it's supposed to be no good. You walk in to gamble - well, gambling room - playing cards or anything like dice. And that hand is supposed to work. It jumps in your pocket, you see.
(It jumps?)
Just like it moves - slightly more - that's when you must bet. ` And when you are not to bet [it does not jump]. See. Yeah, I had one.
(I see. Did it work?)
It worked purtty good, I was purtty lucky.
Entry 2110
Jes' in a small business. Like havin' a house. Yo' know like dese houses are. Yo' kin put a Indian heah, penny wit de face pointin' tuh de street, de head on dere wit de face pointin' toward de street, an' a horseshoe ovah de do', an' dat'll draw 'em.
(Draw trade. What kind of a house did you say?)
In any kinda house where dey operatin' - it draws business, sellin' things.
(Selling liquor.)
Entry 2112
Take two pennies an' nail 'em right up to de bottom of de do'sill - yo know, under dat crosspiece.
(Under the sill of the door?)
Yes sir, under de sill of de do'. Dat's lucky to yo', too - two pennies, two rusty pennies.
(That's to bring in trade to the house?)
Yes sir.
Entry 2116
Take a penny an' nail a penny down to each one of yore do's, den take it an' drive it down wit one dese little keen nails. Take an' drive dat down les' as fur as yo' kin undah de edge of dat do' - dat front do', an' dey said dat brings luck. An' one up ovah de top.
(One up over the top of the door, too?)
One up ovah de top an' one down to de foot.
Entry 2118
Yo' git pennies in de odd year like 17 or 13, somepin lak dat, an' yo' git three of 'em an' yo' put one to de front do' an' one to de back do' an' one in between where they have to cross ovah de pennies, an' it will keep the law away.
(Where do you put them at the door?)
In de center on the carpet strip.
(Down at the bottom?)
Yes sir.
Entry 2120
If the law's comin' to yore house, you take you seven pennies an' drive holes in 'em an' nail one up ovah every do' yo' got - it jest 'cordin' to how many do's yo' got. But don't nail none up ovah no windah but chure front windah. Nail one up ovah every do' yo' got an' dat would keep de law down.
Entry 2121
Wearin' seven pennies roun' yore neck, dat's good luck tuh bring folks money. Yo' kin take an' bo' a hole - drill a hole in 'em. Ah got a little gold piece heah now. It not a gold piece but it a piece dat look lak a gold piece dat ah wus wearin'. [I evidently looked at it.]
Entry 2122
Say dey take, to bring 'em to yore house, dey will take nine pennies an' put 'em at de front part dere house, an' dat'll keep company dere all de time, an' dey comin' in.
(Where do you put these nine pennies?)
Right out to de front of de do', dey bury 'em in de ground.
(You bury them in the ground. All together?)
Yo' bury dem in de ground all together. Dat keep people coming.
Entry 2124
An' a penny, yo' take a penny and cut a penny half in two, if you wanta be lucky wit money. Yo' take a penny an' cut it half in two and put one-half in yo' left pocket and leave de other half home, and yo' goin' be lucky den in get- ting money in any kind of business yo' go at. Dat's luck - ah've test dat out that's 'streme luck.
Entry 2125
Fo' good luck, take one penny an' cut it into fo' parts an' take two parts off de head part an' put it in yore hair - jest in a little band crost yore head jest lak [demonstrates] - let it come down 'long heah, an' wear it jes' long as yo' have plenty good luck.
(What do you do with the other two parts of the penny then?)
Jes' throw dem away - dey's no good.
(You cut two parts of the penny. Indian head penny?)
Indian head penny, yes sir. (And you wear one part at one side of the top of your head and one at the other side, and you hold them there with a band. That is for luck. Any kind of luck?) Any kind of luck.
Entry 2127
An' travelin' agin. An' a poah person ain't got nuthin, yo' kin take copper - yo' know, a penny an' bury that in a rich person's track in de fo'ks of de roads an' that makes them come from bad tuh good. Dey'll be successful.
Entry 7564
[Second rite:] I heard mama, she told me, she say: if a sinnah die an' yuh wan' 'em [someone in house] tuh leave home, yuh go tuh de graveyard an' yuh dig down elbow deep at de sinnah's lef' foot. An' yuh git a han'ful of graveyard dirt. An' yuh place two pennahs down at de lef' foot where yuh git de dirt from. Leave dat money right dere an' covah it up. An' den yuh bring it back tuh dere house an' sprinkle it all de way roun' [circle] dere house. An' den dey'll leave home. An' whut is lef', yuh take an' tie it up in a han'- chef o' rag. Take it tuh a creek of runnin' watah, throw it in dere, an' dey'll nevah stop Walkin'.
Entry 10299
Woman ties up man's semen in handkerchief with a penny and wears on leg [Richmond, 365:7].
Entry 11716
Take a penny with a Lincoln head an' drive up over the sill of the door.
Entry 12586
Sometimes a penny is used to keep from being poisoned. If you are poisoned, the penny turns green. [Baltimore, but informant 153 from Charlotte Co., Va., 60:1.]
Entry 12587
Heard of 'em usin' a penny for such as drawin' poison out of yore feet, if yo' stick a nail or sompin in yore feet. Yo' set a penny on it an' dat'll draw it out. [Wilson 2667:4.]
Entry 12588
Ah've seen dis tried, takin' a penny an' bo' a hole in de penny, an' put dis penny right at de do'step. An' yo' always will have luck an' de law will nevah interfere witcha - not constantly. Sometime dey come by - dey have to, see. [Waycross 1742:9.]
Entry 12589
De people, dat run dese gamblin' ioints an' all, plays wit a few little gamblahs. Dey take a penny an' put - nail one in de centah heah at de front do', jes' where de people goin' in an' out - see. Dey do dat fo' luck. Dey say if de money comes in it stays.
(Just the one penny on the door?)
Yeah. [Florence 2182:5.]
Entry 12592
(Get you a penny?)
Yes sir, an' nail it in de center of yore do'. If yo' don' cover it up, yo' might jes' fix it [dress it in some way]. Jes' nail it in de center of yore do', a penny in money. Nail it in de center of yore do'. De law ain't hardly goin' come up dere. [This center-of-the-door rite - it has just occurred to me - is a type of quincunx rite because the bottom of the door space or the saddle, if one, forms an oblong.] [Savannah 2135:12.]
Entry 12593
Yo' ever see 'bout a penny? Dey take a penny an' nail 'em tuh de front do'. Well, dey take penny an'nail 'em right down to de front do'.
(What will that do?)
Dat will keep 'em [law] back dere. [Brunswick 2019:3.]
Entry 12594
Take a penny an' nail it in de center of dat do', an' a penny in de center of yore back do'. Now dat's tuh he'p keep de law offa yo'. [Florence 2270:9.]
Entry 12595
Yo' kin take a penny an' nail it down tuh each one of yore do's an' won't no sheriff or nuthin come on yuh. [Waycross 1870:13.]
Entry 57
Yo' take a pitcher - dis wus gived to me in a vision - yo' take pennies, an' ah tried it to see whether or not it wus true. Yo' set it in de east corner of yore house, a half a pitcher of watah. An' ev'ry day yo' drop a penny in dere. See, dat's plantin' 'em. An' if yo' drop one in dere, yo' goin' git anothah one de next day, some way - if yo' don't know where yo goin' git it, yo' git it. An' ev'ry time yo' drop a penny in dat pitcher yo' say somepin good ovah it, jes' lak a Bible verse or somepin - whatevah come to yo', an' yo' jot dat down so yo' kin remember, yo' see. An' dat works out all right. It's diff'rent things yo' should say ovah 'em an' dey always come out - diff'rent things come true. Dat's called plantin' pennies.
(How long do you keep that up?)
Jes' as long as yo' evah want success to yore house or to yore business or to whatevah yo' doin'. See, try not tuh take 'em out till yo' git ready to start tuh plantin' some mo'. Don't take 'em out an' jes' leave de pitcher empty. Look lak yo' don't do so good if yo' move 'em.
Entry 104
(This is the old witch who wouldn't come around to see me?)
Yes sir.
(What did she do?)
She went to de graveyard an' went to a new grave, and she run her hand down in de dirt, way down about up to her elbow, and got her a handful of dirt, three handful of dirt, put it in a tin cup, an' then, she taken a penny an' put it down in de hole to pay de spirit fer de dust dat she took from de grave dirt, an' it had to be a wicked person wus buried dah. An' she went on den an' fixed de dirt an' made some bluestone dust. An' she put de bluestone dust an' de graveyard dust togethah, an' den she went to de church an' dusted it all around in de church. An' de people got so angry an' got so - an' she said to de ghost, "Go theah an' terrify 'em, terrify 'em." An' de ghost went to de church an' jis' kept ever'body confused all de time in dah an' de preacher had to leave. [A note on my original transcription reads, "Informant repeating a story he had just heard about a woman who wouldn't come to see me." This was just about the first colored witch or hoodoo who refused to meet me; also first boy friend or girl friend to investigate me for the professional worker - see Introduction.]
Entry 1840
See, ah takin' in a little washin' an' ironin'. Wal, I'se makin' good and she call herself fren' of me an' I believed 'er then. So she come to mah house an' says, "Ann, come heah a minute." An' ah went to her. She says, "Come walk around a piece with me." Well, ah did, but ah said, "Well, ah ain't got time cause ah gotta go an' wash." Well, there was another woman called me at de time, says, "Ann, do yo' know who dat woman is dat walk wit chew." Ah says, "Yes, dat's Lulu Taylor." She says, "Wal, now, ah want tell yuh dat woman will put chew in de worst luck - she put chew in de worst luck yo' evah been in yore life. That's Lulu Taylor's job. She call herself great frien's but she kin put chew in de worst luck yo' evah saw and yo' watch what ah tell yuh." She says, "Lulu Taylor is goin' put chew in hard luck," cause she has put her [speaker] in hard luck. She says, "She goin' put chew in hard luck." Ah says, "Well, how will she do that?" "[She] says, "She goin' burn sulphur on Friday on yo' and she goin' to git graveyard dirt to run yo way from heah. Dat's what she goin' do; put chew in de worst kind of luck." Wal, she did do it. She asked me to come home wit her and ah went and says - when she got a piece out she says, "Ann, does yo' know where any white dog manure is? Wal, ah wanna git some." She say a man's name. Now, it was a man there she had been knockin' aroun' wit, an' another woman come and commence to lose time with him. She say, "Come on an' go with me." Ah said to mahself, "Ef she goin' do this kind of trick, ah wanta see how it's done." Ah goes with her. She went to the graveyard and she dug in top of dis grave, down in de grave about dat deep [demonstrates].
(To her elbow.)
An' she got some dirt out of the grave and she say, "Heah's a penny." She put de penny down and tuk away de dirt, come on back to wheah I was wit it in her han' and says, "What ah want chew to do de first time yo' see any white dog's manure, git it fer me." Wal, by time she got to de house, ah walks on heah and ah see it. Ah calls her and she come on back dere to dat stuff. She mix dis heah stuff and put three pins in dere. She put three pins in dis stuff she had fixed - she wouldn't tell de [other] stuff she had. But she run dis man away. Ah know she done dat. Dat [given name] Thompson, ah think it was [his given name] - she run him away from there. Well, he went. [The preceding statement, come on back to wheah I was, shows the first rule of graveyard procedure - all rites must be performed by operator alone. A good illustration of this is the man who waits outside graveyard while woman enters; he not speaking to woman again until they reach home (see No. 77, p.32). Present informant talking about penny is merely after-the-rite knowledge projected for- ward. If present operator had mentioned penny to present informant before-the- rite, she would have violated the rule of secrecy, this causing failure.]
Entry 2123
A person dat is runnin' a gamblin' house - well, yo' take a person dat is runnin' a house, dey is de boss of dat house, see. Well, lak dey Want money to stay in dey home, see - jes' lak if yo' comin' in tuh gamble, see, an' de person want dat money tuh stay in de home. Well, nachur'lly, dey'll git a can of potash an' yo' dig a hole right tuh yore front steps. Well, yo'll put one can of potash down an' yo'll take nine pennies an' sew it up into a little bag an' into sulphur, an' yo'll leave dat on top of dat can of potash an' yo' cover it. Well, dat brings luck into yore home. No policeman kin do yo' no harm. De money'll still be in yore home, see. An' then yo' take some of dat potash an' yo' po' it into a basin of watah an' yo' go round to eve'y one of yore room windah an' throw it up an' let dat watah dreen down, see. Well, jes' lak dat watah dreen down de people'll be comin' in. Well, jes' lak dey come in, well, dat money's leave into yore home. (Just a moment. You throw this water on the windows. On the outside or the inside?) On the outside an' let it dreen down.
Entry 7520
[Florence, South Carolina - scene of my following experience with a doctor in 1939 - was with the surrounding country still a prominent hoodoo lo- cality. For years before my time it had been ranked along the Atlantic Coast as second only to Beaufort (Bū'fert) of the same state. My question to the doc- tor is unrecorded but easily recoverable from what he says. Here we have an expert at work.] Now dey've put it [witchcraft] on yo' an' sont [sent] chew 'way from heah. All right, yo' come tuh me, er [or] some of yore folks come tuh me an' say, "Mah husban', er mah son, er mah sistah, er mah fathah, er [mah] mothah's gone away an' ah haven't done anythin' in de worl' tuh 'em." All right. Dey'll come tuh me an' ah'll say, "Well, yo' come back heah in de mawnin'." Ah wouldn't do anythin' in dat time [in the meantime]. [Here is the magic delay frequently found in Hoodoo but prominently mentioned 329.6 only once - see 964, p.361.] Yo' come back dere in de mawnin'. Yo' lay yore han's upon mine an' ah'll look up tuh de no'th an' ah'll talk tuh God. An' aftah ah talk wit God, ah take a piece of red flannel cloth an' take two pennies. Ah'll tie nine knots in dat cloth an' ah'll give it tuh yo'. Ah'll say, "At twelve a'clock tuhnight or twelve a'clock tuhmorrah, yo' be at de ceme- tery. Be dere at twelve on de minute." Aftah yo' be dere, yo' go down an' yo' take de haidbo'd [headboard] up, take up de haidbo'd an' say, "Dead! Dead! Dead! Mah son is gone away, " er "mah hus- ban'" - jes' eithah one [who left] yo' know. "Ah want dem tuh return." Take dat haidbo'd an' care [carry] it tuh de foots, an' pull de feet up an' stick it dowa dere.
(Stick the headboard down at the foot?)
Yes sir. Come on roun' wit dat foot tuh de haid, an' git tuh de feet chewself. "Dead! Dead! Dead! Mah some is gone away from me. Ah wants 'im tuh return." Turn dat on roun' heah. Yo' git dere at de haid." 'Dead! Dead! Dead! Mah son is gone away. Ah want 'im tuh return." Take dose two pennies an' stick 'em right down in dere.
(In that hole at the head?)
At de haid. An' stick dat haidbo'd [footboard] down in dere. Undahstan' me plainly. Stick it down in dere. An' git chews up, call 'em three times at ary [each] place an' take up three [demonstrates]. Dat's one, two, dat's three, handfuls of dat sand dirt.
(Where are you picking that up from, now?)
Out de haid. Den yo' put dose pennies down in dere. Den yo' take dat dirt an' put it in a piece of red flannel cloth an' tie nine knots in it, an' take it tuh yore house, at twelve a'clock an' put it in de chimley. Take nine little bits outa dat [graveyard dirt] befo' yo' put it in dere, an' go tuh evah cornah of yore house an' put [demonstrates] one dere, one dere an' one dere, an' one heah - dat's fo' cornahs. Put 'em dere an' den put dat in de chimley. An' don' Say nuthin tO nObody an' gO on out. DON'T LOOK BACKWARD OR YO' BE IN DE CEMETERY. Don't say nuthin tuh nobody until yo' git home tuh yore gate. DOSE ARE THIN'S DAT CHANGES FATE.
(When you go out there at twelve o'clock what is it, day or night?)
Don't make any diff'rence. (When you first go there, you take the footboard up - no, you take the head- board up and you put it down at the foot. Then you take the footboard up and put it down at the head. Then you take them again?) Oh, nO! Yo' CHANGE DE END WIT DE WORL'. IT'S WHAT CHEW WILL, yo' understan'.
[Here is the importance of will or intention.]
(This is to bring them back?)
An' when ah change de end wit de worl' he comin' back. [As an explanation of change de end wit de worl', I can only repeat informant's preceding words: Dose are things dat changes fate.]
(And when you get this dirt, you only get it from the head?)
From de haid. (And you put those pennies down in the headboard hole, and you take the dirt out of the head [board] hole and take it back to the house.) Yes.
Entry 10063
Now, if it's a hand dat he wants, he'll go in de fo'k of de road 'fo' day in de mawnin' at fo' 'clock. He'll be dere by foah. Well, he take jis' thin's. Yo' evah heah talk of dis root dey call John de Conkah? Well, it's de root dat chew git - it's a blacksnake root also. Well, yo' take de root. Well, it's a bone. It's lak a chicken bone. It's on a black cat. Ah could almost tell yuh where tuh git it from. [I too can tell where tuh git it, wishbone from, but you wo won't find it in a black cat! I have discussed this matter elsewhere in HOODOO.] Yo' take dis cat an' yo' kill de cat, see. Yo' take de bone, it's long lak a chicken. Well, yo' take dis bone, de blacksnake root an' yo' take dis John de Conkah, an' yo' takes dis bone, an' yo' goes in de fo'ks of de road. An' yo' draws somepin in de Way of a triangle. Dis way [demonstrates] in de mawnin' at fo' 'clock when- evah yo' make yuh wish. An' yuh hand dat chew wants, yo' sellin' yuhself tuh de devil, also, whenevah yuh do dat. Den yo' take de sinnahman's dirt from 'is grave an' nine pennies which yo' pays de devil fo' 'is work. Yo' give him dis stuff an' leave it dere. An' he'll come up jis' de same as a natchal man. An' when yo' give him dis, he give yuh a hand an' dere's nobody kin break it up.
[All hands can be broken by counter charm or powerful doctor.]
(This is the hand for gambling. Where do you put all this in this triangle?)
Right in dis triangle. Jis' lak in de fo'ks of de road: one comin' dis way an' one goin' dat way an' one's behin' yuh. Well, yo' stands right in de fo'ks of de road an' yo', yo' know, so nobody cain't git it up. Yo' know, dig it up, an' yo' stand right dere, if yo' have nerve enough, an' yo' fix all of dis in heah [demonstrates].
(In this hole?)
In dis triangle in de hole [in the hole in the triangle]. An' whenevah yo' do, yo' talk tuh hit, yo' know, jis' talk jis' lak ah'm talkin' tuh yuh: Ah wan' chew tuh do so an' so, an' ah wants a "hand, " an' ah wants tuh win evahthin'. Well, whenevah yo' do dat, well, dere's yuh luck right dere. Well, den yo' kin take, when yo' git ready tuh leave, yo' take a piece of each of de roots an' de black cat bone, an' put it in a ten-cent vial of Hearts Cologne. [This ten-cent vial of Hearts Cologne as hand we have elsewhere.] An' when yo' go in yore game yo' 'n'int chureself wit it, an' dat'll cuz evahbody tuh come right tuh yuh.
(Where do you put these pennies?)
Yo' take dose pennies. Well, see, yo' bury dose pennies. Yo's payin' 'im [devil] fo' yuh hand.
(Where do you put those pennies?)
Yo' put it right in de triangle an' yo' bury it. See, yo' won' take dose pennies [away] wit chew, yo'll leave 'em dere.
(You take the roots with you?)
Takes a piece of de root, jis' a piece. See, de roots join. Jew evah seen a piece? De root's [root is] join [has joints].
(You take a piece of it and you leave the rest of the root in the hole.)
Leave de rest of de root. Jis' take a piece of each piece of dis heah, but chew takes dat bone an' put it in de jah [jar], right in de jah, an' den yo' put chure - den yo' stops it up, each piece of de root. Den yo' 'oint [anoint] yuh- self when yo' git ready tuh go on a game.
The informant describes a four-o'clock road-fork triangle rite with named roots, a black-cat bone, grave dirt and pennies, and later carrying parts in Hearts Cologne for gambling. Hyatt disputes the bone identification and indestructibility claim. Preserve the source's shifting root description, represented request, payment recipient and editorial qualifications without equating roots or bones globally.
Entry 6132
Lak ah wanted tuh love yo', ah could git some of yore hair, go tuh yore house an' git some dirt outa yore - from undah yo' left shoe, an' tie it up togethah an' den put a penny in dere wit it, an' wear it in mah right shoe. Dat will make me love.
(You mean that will make me love you?)
Yes sir.
(What do you - put in a penny, you say?)
Yes sir.
Entry 587
(This is the lucky hand you say - and how is that made?)
It made with peppah an' salt an' a penny or a dime.
(A penny or a dime?)
Yes - an' sew it up in a piece of red flannel. An' dere's a string left to it an' when yo' git ready to - fo' anything to happen in yore favor, you hold it by de string lak dat an' talk to it. An' when yo' git ready tuh go 'way, yo' say, "When ah git ready tuh leave heah - when ah git ready tuh leave dis country, ah hope ah nevah come back."
(That thing will revolve?)
If yo' de nerve tuh go. When it stops, den yo' go. Well, ah tried dat once mahself - ah heard it an' ah tried it.
(What do they call that little bag?)
Dey call dat a lucky hand.
(You ask questions of it?)
Yeah. An' hit goes certain ways, an' whatevah it says, yo' do.
Entry 806
Sellin' likker yo' mean? If yo's a man makin' moonshine or unstamped whiskey, see. All right. Now, ah'm goin' tell yo' dis heah one 'cause ah done dis mahself an' yo's a doctor an' yo' wanta know all dat. Yo' gits a little piece of red flannel - yo' have seen dis heah red flannel, an' dis brierberry root wit stickers in it.
(It has stickers on it.)
Dat's right. Well, all right, yo' git chew a piece of dat an' git chew six copper pennies, an' have a lamp. Now, yo' don't want nobody see dis lamp - yo have all dis down in de lamp where yo' po' yore oil in it, an' yo' set it ovah dere in dis corner. Well, yo' goin' burn dis oil, see. Well, now if ah come in ah ain't got no business ovah dere in dat corner - see whut yo' doin' ovah dere - have I?
(That's right.)
Well, now, git chew nine pods of red peppah an' put in there, in dat lamp, wit dem six copper pennies. But befo' yo' put dem six copper pennies in dere - to keep anybody from knowing whut yo' doin'; dat is, if yo' kin - stamp ovah 'em, put 'em into a vise, get 'em pressed out. Well, now yo' got chure little shade, yore little secret place heah in dis corner. Well, yo' set dat lamp dere an' yo burn it night an' day, 'cause yore gon'a have customers comin' in all times of de night. Well, yo' burn dat night an' day right dere, but chew kin have a little curtain up dere. Well, dey ain't nobody got no business back dere but chew - dey don't know whut chew doin'.
(That is all you have to do?)
Dat's all yo' got'a do. Ah've seen dat tried.
(And you take the lamp and you put this brier grass in there.)
Now wait. Yo' goin' pull up the sod with it. Yo' pull it up an' take yo' a hatchet 'cause it's hard, an' yo' cut off nine little blue pods.
(Pods or parts?)
Pods, dat's right. Cut it off jes' lak dese round - jes' cut one, two, three, fo', till yo' git de nine. Yo' have yore lamp right 'long wit yo' an' yo' put it in dere. Well, dat kerosene now dat chew use in dis lamp, don't nevah po' none of it out no mo' than go in dat lamp, an' don't let nobody use an' handle dat but chew. Well, yo' handle dat a different way. Yo' ain't goin' trust anybody else with it. Well, all right, dat's all yo' do. (You put the nine pods of that brier grass from the corn field in this lamp. Then you pour the oil on it. Then you take these - how many pennies?) Nine pennies. (Nine pennies and you flatten them out - put them in a vise - hold them in a vise so many days and then you put those in - and anything else you put in that lamp?) Nine pods of peppah - little cayenne red peppah, dese little pods, yo' know 'bout dat long. "An' yo' have yore little shade made right dere an' put 'em in dere an' go out 'bout chure business.
(Nothing else you put in that lamp?)
Nope - jes' dat all. An' yo' burn it night an' day till it burn down. At certain hours when yo' have no customers, git behin' yore curtain, an' feed dat lamp. Yo' ain't got'a burn it high - jes' dat-a-way, re'l dim light. An' if he come right out dere, he ain't comin' in dat place.
(The law won't come in there at all.)
An' yo' kin tell about a man whut has did it - go to 452 Montgomery Street, right round de corner.
Entry 1030
[Although the following rite deals with love, the doctor uses this coffeepot method for all sorts of cases:] Now, listen. Dis woman an' her husband couldn't git along. He's very noisy an' he has - naturally he is diff'rent from her an' he do things she didn't like an' always cause an argument. So he goes away fo' foah months, yo' understand. He goes away fo' foah months. Well, dis woman she got in love - dis is Anna - Anna wus so much, yo' know, so crazy about him an' loved him an' want to live with him an' all lak dat, so she goes to dis woman an' tole dis woman how, whut an' ever'thing. Dis woman said, "Kin yo' come down heah eleven-thirty? Ah want chew tuh go to de cemetery. Bring two pieces of money - two pennies, an' take up dirt from de foot an' de haid an' bring it back to me. Ah'll put it in a coffeepot." She fixed it up - she put sulphur an' peppah or salt - ah don't know jes' what, but we'll say peppah an' she give it back to Anna. She put salt an' peppah with dis dirt - she put it in de coffeepot an' she prayed ovah it. Ah don't know whut de prayer. An' she give this dirt to Anna an' she said, "An' yo' write his name on a papah three times a day an' burn dis papah six a'clock in de mawnin', twelve in de day an' six in de evening" - see - "an' do dat fo' nine days, an'in de third day write him a lettah."
(The third day during those nine days?)
Yes - yo' understand. After ah do dis nine days [she reveals the identity of the woman going to the doctor], den after dat three days, write him a lettah on de third day, yo' understand. "An' yo'll hear from him, an' yo' an' him will git back together in three days or three months." An' in two months time dey wus back together. (When she went out to the graveyard, what did she do out there? She took some dirt and what?) She took dirt from de graveyard - dat wus supposed to be at twelve a'clock at night, but Anna had tuh go to dis place an' be there at eleven-thirty an' talk to dis woman. She had to go to dis place alone - de cemetery alone. Well, Anna is very nervous ~ er - ah had a lot of nerve, yo' know. She goes to de cemetery an' she gits dis dirt from de foot an' de head. Yo' understand me? An' she bring it back to this woman. She put it in a coffeepot wit, we'll say peppah - put peppah in it an' give it to Anna an' said, "Yo' write his name on a piece of papah."
(When she put it in the coffeepot did she do anything to it in the coffeepot?)
Not anythin' - jes' put it in dere an' pray ovah it an' take it out. No - no cookin'.
Entry 1054
Really, de fac' 'bout it suh, yo' kin take a piece of new cloth an' yo' kin put it into a glass of watah an' let it wet good - dat is soak good an' den open it out. Yo' kin take a penny an' put on dat new cloth an' blow yore breath through it three times dat is a penny. Sew it up an' put it roun' yore neck or anywheres roun' yore waist, an' dere's no harm dat dey kin do to yo'.
(They can't put anything down for you to walk over or anything of that sort?)
Not a bit in de world. [For penny in cures, see next subsection and Index.]
Entry 1315
I wouldn't do nothing but git one penny and carry it to the graveyard and git me some graveyard dirt and tie it up and mark it crosstowmways wit a piece of yallah homespun cloth - tie it dis way and tie it dat way.
(Tie it what way?)
You tie it across like dat [demonstrates]. (Across one way and across the other way.) [Two diagonal ends are brought to the center and tied; then the other two diagonal ends are tied.] Cross it. An' I'll take dat penny and I'll wear it in my shoe fer three days and den I take it and throw it ovahbo'rd. No one will harm yuh, dey can't harm yuh. De only way dey kin harm yo' is dey kin go ovahbo'rd and git dat penny, but dey can't go ovahbo'rd to git dat penny - dey can't harm you no way in de world. [Crosstownways means two city streets crossing at right angles - a cityfied version of a country crossroad. Yallah homespun cloth is normally homespun. YalZah equals unbleached.]
The printed account moves from tying graveyard dirt in cloth to wearing and throwing away the penny. The interviewer and Hyatt's gesture and word explanations remain separate; those explanations do not establish corpus-wide synonyms.
Entry 2106
If ah got silver money, ah counts mah silver, but ah hardly evah counts mah pennies - but ah keeps mah silver money specially separate from mah pennies. Well now, ah go tuh trade if ah got pennies. Why ah'll take mah pennies an' use 'em all as fur as ah has tuh go, but ah nevah mix mah pennies wit mah silver money.
Entry 2108
[This hand I picked up from my colored porter on the Pennsylvania Rail- road between Chester, Pa., and Baltimore, Md., while on my way to collect hoodoo in Fredericksburg, Va. Later I would duplicate this trick by gathering up a May Day rite on the Mississippi River while ferry- ing between New Orleans and Algiers (see No. 986, p.381.] I just happen to be there in this bootleg place - a man goes around sometimes to get a drink - and I noticed pennies nailed across the door. There was a hole right in the center [of each penny]. I guess there was about four pennies. I asked them what that was and they said that was to keep the police away. That was during Prohibition at Tampa, Florida.
Entry 2109
Take a penny an' drive it down in de front of yo' do' an' everybody come ovah dat penny - take a manhead penny an' drive it down in de front of yo' do' where everybody has tuh come in an' ovah dat penny an' yo' have good luck.
(What kind of good luck?)
Selling whiskey or any kinda luck yo' wants. Jest any.
(Just take a penny with a man on it?)
Yes, a manhead penny.
Entry 2115
If yo' bootleggin' an' yo' wants tuh have a plenty customers - when de customers come to yore house yo' jes' offer them a drink of whiskey an' after yo' offer dem dis drink of whiskey, yo' take an' put the sulphur up undah this glass they use an' let it sit there about an hour, an' then yo' take it an' wash it out an' after yo' wash it out an' rinse it out, yo' sit it back there an' yo' git two Indian head pennies an' nail one at yore front do' an' one at chure back do', an' yo'll always have customers. (Now here's the glass that he has used. You put some sulphur in' the glass or under the bottom?) Undah the bottom of the glass.
Entry 2117
Nobody can hear us? [This root doctor, a good one, a woman, was evi- dently nervous. Either I nodded or turned off my machine for a moment.] Well, yo' take yore pennies an' yo' put dem down in yore do'way. Yo' take three pennies an' put it down in yore do'way an' that would keep de officers from de house, if yo' was selling whiskey round de house.
Entry 2130
I knew a mans once, he gwine to a man to git in de gamblin' game. He gi' de man ten dollahs an' de man gi'd him 26ç back, an' he wear a penny in de left shoes an' de quarter he had all cut up, he keep dat in his pocket. De penny he wear it in his shoes.
(And what did he do with that 25c?)
Keep dat in his pocket - see, he had it all jes' scratch up.
(That was all he had to do? What did he do that for?)
Yes, say dat wus luck fo' gamblin'.
Entry 2429
Jes' lak yo' got de business an' - well, an' yo' got good trade all de time. Nevah sweep yore dirt on de outside - always sweep it in an' sweep it in de fire-hearth. An' like yo' wanted yore business to keep acomin' on too, yo' take an' go every Friday - git chew a ole shoe, git some sulphur an' a penny, an' yo' put it in de fire-hearth an' let it burn an' shet de do' an' go on outside. At twelve 'clock yo' do it.
Entry 2496
Yo' take de infant dirt from de grave [dirt from an infant's grave], take sulphur, yo'll take table salt - three things. Yo'll git up in de mawnin' at fo' 'clock 'fore de sun an' yo' starts from yore front do', jes' lak if, yo' know, yo' want plenty - ever'body tuh come in. Well, yo' stand to de do' an' throw it in de house, "In de Name of de Father an' Name of de Son an' Name of de Holy Ghost, ah wants all de customers dat ah kin git." An' yo' have mo' people den yo' evah able tuh git through with.
(When you get that dirt, you give it this money?)
Yessuh, always give odd pennies. Nevah give two or nevah give fo' - give odd.
Entry 7517
Yes sir, ah kin go to de graveyard an' git some dirt an' put it into dis room [in Wynn Hotel where I was interviewing, see INTRO. v.1, p. XXX, line 9] an' ah betcha [bet you] can't stay in heah at night. Dere be's somepin all in de cornahs - jes' well, yo' gotta git eveh [every] grain of dat [dirt], yo' can't [become scared and] back aways from 'em [spirit]. Dat's to make, to run a person outa de house, see. Dat will run yo' outa de house. [This opening paragraph contains one of the great laws of the spirit: the complete spirit is in every grain of that graveyard dirt - see margin title, PART OF SPIRIT EQUALS WHOLE OF SPIRIT, p.21.] Dey take dat stuff - ah kin take some an' carry it to a person's house what ah wants [to move into] an' jes' walk in dere wit it in mah pocket, an' throw it all aroun' in de cornahs wit'out people not knowin' it. In a few days dey'll say dere house is ha'nted, dey'll move. Well, dat's de evil spirit comin' back fer dat dirt, to take it back to dat cemetery. To git some of dat dirt, what chew gotta do, yo' gotta put one cent down dere 'fo' [before] yo' kin bring it away; else yo' can't bring it away, so much racket be aroun' dere [the grave] dat yo' can't bring it away.
Entry 7519
People say dat chew could go tuh de fo'ks of de road - like two roads cross [crossroad] yuh know. A person walk in dere an' if yuh wan' 'em back, yuh kin take yore han' an' pull away de left [foot] track - dis is de heart [side] chew know - back tuh yuh, jis' a little bit of dirt out de hollah [= con- cave portion of bottom of foot, called ball of foot by some informants]. An' take dat an' put a little bit of - go tuh de graveyard an' git chew some, jis' lak if somebody yuh know is dead, Mary or John, somebody. Yuh say - yuh go tuh de grave yard an' says, "Mary, ah wan' chew tuh help me. An' ah wan' chew tuh follah me." Says, "Ah wan'a buy some of yore dirt." See, if yo' don't drop dem pennies yuh'll be robbin' de dead. An' run yore han' down about lak dat [usually to the elbow] where it nex' tuh [over] de heart an' take out a snuffbox full. Take dat an' some black peppah an' de track, an' jis' put a little bit in de cornah of yore house de foah cornahs. [This is one of the many four corners of the earth rites in Hoodoo.] An' if it's a woman [who left], she'll come right back - she can't leave. If it's a man he'll come back. An' dat spirit will follah yuh, guide yuh evahwhere yuh go.
(Make you come back.)
[This same rite, with a slight variation, is now used for customers if you are in business:] Fo' frien's [customers], de same thing ah tole yuh 'bout dat grave. Yuh know frien's will speak tuh frien's. Yuh git chew some dirt, don't have no track in it yuh know. Jis' go dere an' git dat dirt an' have a little - yuh git a [new] box of black peppah an' don' use it fo' nuthin but dat. Shake a little bit of black peppah in dere an' jis' carry dat black peppah an' de graveyard dirt [back home]. Yuh wanta gain frien's when yuh in business. An' put some in yore coat Pocket an' yuh be laughin' an' talkin', jis' sorta foolin' around - yuh be - lak shakin' yore han's or somepin. [Here informant, according to my penciled nota- tion made while checking original cylinder reads: "Lowers her voice and begins to whisper." Evidently she was afraid someone could hear through the closed door.] Slap [throw] dat roun' an' wherevah it be it will draw dem - wherevah yuh at, in yore store or any business. An' dey will flock tuh yuh. Now ah've heard dat.
(You use black pepper and graveyard dirt together.)
Dat's right.
(And you get the graveyard dirt just the way you got it before?)
Yeah. Now, yuh see, yore han' drop in three pennies, an' covah de grave up, jis' lak yuh do wit chure han's yuh know. If yuh don't drop in pennies, yuh will rob de dead. If yuh carry somebody wit chew, den yuh will drop in silvah, a dime [tol keep from robbin' de dead. [THE LAST STATEMENT - PENNIES IF ALONE OR A DIME IF SOMEONE ACCOMPANIES YOU - IS PROBABLY MY ONLY EXAMPLE OF THIS BELIEF. As We shall see, a dime, no longer of silver, is sometimes given to the spirit; BUT TAKING A COMPANION WITH YOU VIOLATES THE NORMAL CUSTOM OF ONE PERSON APPROACHING THE SPIRIT.]
Entry 7526
Well, ah heard dat dey could go tuh de graveyard an' carry three pen- nies tuh some sinner's grave, tuh somebody dat chew know, an' dig a hole down about heah, 'bout lak neah de heart, an' ask in dese people's name fo' three cents' worth of graveyard dirt. An' dat wus tuh move a person, but not take it in de house, in yore house. An' ah've heard dat dat would really move a person.
(Well, what would they do with it after they got this dirt?)
Put it in dis person's house whut chew wanta move. Threw it on de ground, or if yo' kin git dere, throw it undah de bed. De neaheh yuh git it dere, de quickah dey'll go.
Entry 7559
Ah nevah heerd nuthin 'bout de bo'd, but ah heered now when yuh go tuh git dis dirt, yuh have tuh carry three pennies. All right, yuh go dere an' yuh have dem three pennies in yore han' an' yuh reach right down. It have tuh be somebody dat don' have religion - some sinnah. Yuh take dese pennies an' put 'em right down in dis grave an' leave de pennies an' pick up de dirt.
(Then you use the dirt?)
-Den yuh git de dirt.
Entry 7571
Now, if dere's anythin' done dat gon'a run in yore mind, or jis' [any- thing done] tuh yore home, [or] ef somebody gits yuh [hoodoos you] tuh keep yuh from a job. Which an' why, yuh jis' use yore method dere. If a man know how tuh do - a spiritual man, yuh kin. Yuh have tuh do it. Yuh take a penny an' goes tuh work an' yuh take dat penny an' yuh put it in de middle of de grave. Dat in case of emergency if de person, yo' know or not, is a religious person died. Yo' undahstan', dey know who dat is. Well, dey give 'em a penny an' dey takes some dirt. "Fore dey takes dat dirt, which an' why, dat will make an evil spirit follow yuh, becuz yuh got somepin belongs tuh 'im. Now, dey git in aroun' yore home, it will always keep a confusion an' make a separation. Now, yo'll have tuh be aroun' an' take de method wit a good man. Wit a spirit- ual man, he meet de spirit. He kin set home an' when de spirits come, yuh know what time tuh meet 'im, an' yuh kin cure 'im, if it's not too long [too far gone]. [InfOrmant SayS, IF YOU ARE HOODOOED, A SPIRITUAL MAN WOULD KNOW WHAT TO DO. You must pay for graveyard dirt, otherwise the spirit will follow you, evil or good, depending upon who is buried there. A SPIRITUAL MAN (USUALLY A PERSON WORKING LARGELY WITH SPIRITS) can sit at home and wait for the coming of a good- man spirit and use it for curing, if the sick or hoodooed patient is not too far gone.]
Entry 7602
Den it's de las' one ah know - pahtic'ly [particularly] good, yo' see. Ah wanta tell yo' sompin whut ah done experienced mahself. Now, if yo' goin' off anywhere an' yo' goin' wit some mean folks, befo' yo' go, yo' goes yo' knows people at de cemetery becuz mos' any cemetery - people dat lives in a city or anywhere dey come tuh know somebody dat buried in a cemetery. Yo' goes dere first dark an' yo' carry one penny wit chew. An' yo' goes right tuh de head of 'is grave an yo' call 'im three times, yo' say, "So-an'-so, So-an'-so, [So-an'-so], ah come fo' some of yore dust, an' ah goin' pay yo' fo' it." See, an' yo' take it right off 'is breast right heah [demonstrates]. (Right off the middle of his breast.). An' yo' stick dat penny down an' - stick dat penny way down fur as yo' kin git it. Den yo' take dat dirt an' put it in whut chew wanta put it in [the container unimportant here], an' covah dat grave back up.
(What do you do with that dirt after you get it?)
Yo' kin take dat dirt an' yo' jis' kin sew it up in a red flannen or any piece of brand-new - yo' gotta sew it up in a brand-new piece of cloth, not no cloth dat been used. Jis' go an' git a nickel worth of some kinda cloth, an' sew dat dirt up in dere good an' yo' totes it. [This becomes a hand.] An' about once a week, yo' take a little bit of dis ten-cent cologne, yo' know, an' yo' puts on it [you feed it], an' yo' totes it in yore pocket. An' yo' kin go anywhere in any crowd of mean people, dey won't say a word tuh yo', an' yo' git 'long jis' as good as yo' want tuh.
Entry 7729
You go into a graveyard and take two pennies and dig in a grave and take the dirt out of the grave, and take these two pennies and put them down in the hole and close it. And they can walk behind you and take this dirt and throw it up and down your back, and they work the trick right on you, and you'll go off in bad health and you are going to come on back to the graveyard [as a corpse].
The informant describes taking dirt from a dug grave, leaving two pennies and using the dirt behind someone, with reported ill health and return to the graveyard. The corpse interpretation is Hyatt's bracketed gloss; the Ediphone citation supplies recording context.
Entry 12585
An' then you kin take a new bag an' put 9 pennies in it, 9 new pennies. Put a whole head of garlic an' a little sugar. An' tie it up over the door. That will keep all law out of the house. [Memphis 1544:3.]
Entry 11264
[As I said in No.7228, p.3216, v.4, "I met a galaxy of doctors in Charleston, S. Car., before I had sufficient experience to handle them. Two years later I would have been better prepared." This man has also appeared in the preceding text as follows: No.1221, P.434; No.1417, P.464; No.1638, p.507; and No.2209, p.629. Here follow other parts of the interview:] Dey take de watah yo' take a bath in, tuh do anythin' tuh harm yuh. Dat's only de occasion of if a man wanta woman, don't want nobody else tuh be wid'er. (How would you do that?) Well, dey take de [bath] water and put it in a bottle, nine needles, and de sill of yo' doorway - cut a piece of [a splinter from] de sill of yo' doorway, [dat] piece of stick dere [points to the saddle], de sill of yo' door - and dey put dat in de bottle. And you call her names and [informant shakes imaginary bottle].
(While you shake it up.)
While you shake it up. And den maybe she wanta go. Yo' turn 'em [bottle] back [to you] and she come dere - towards yo' place [demonstrates].
(You turn the head of the bottle back to you and she will come back?)
Dat's right. If he know de person and he steal it - if de person [from whom it was stolen] know him, know his [thief'sl name - if he haven't git rid of it, you kin make dis person, dis other person, and he will give it up, because he figured on it and he'd be in trouble. And in doing dat you'd have to have de root chew call Indian Conker [Conquerer].
(Indian Conquerer? What do you do with that root then?)
You take dat root, de Indian Conker and Devil's shoestring and put it toget- her [in a bag with string?] and tote it in yore pocket, and she [bag] spin around jest like a top and tell yo' who in dis section, who got it.
(You spin this around?)
You spins it around and until you asks it any question you wanta, according to how you feel it. [Here we have ubiquitus Jack - an individual, companion, fetish - who answers questions by swinging out the answers. Our great example of this device I have mentioned several times, the Jack-ball (ball hanging from a string) of informant No.1534, the doctor I interviewed in Memphis, who gave us that great page 1254 in volume 2.1
(Then after you have found out who has it, then what do you do?)
You go to the person and he'll give it up. [Yes, at the time of this interview, the average thief would restore the article if a doctor was working on the case.]
(That's when you found out who stole it?)
Yes.
(Where did you learn? Who taught you how to cure? From whom did you learn?)
My grandma Was a West Indies.
(Oh, your grandmother was a West Indian. I see. What part did she come from?)
Kingston, Jamaica.
(Where did she live when she came to this country?)
Why she came down here in slavery time....she died 1909 - see - in dis part of de country - to Meggetts [Meggett], South Carolina, Posting Line [postal ad- dress].
(Where did she live during her life in South Carolina?)
Over to....[?] South Carolina.
(What was her name?)
Flora Linton, Milton....
[I must have turned off machine accidentally.]
(Flora Milton. And she could heal people. She knew all this work. And you learned from your grandmother?)
(And she came over here in slavery time.)
Slavery time.
(Did you ever hear of Doctor Buzzard?)
I have known Doctor Buzzard.
(Was he good?)
Aw, his method all right. Some things was all right and some was not. Any man is good to kilt. Any man kin take a shotgun and write a man name and blow his brains out twelve clock at any time.
(How did he do that?)
With powder!
(And he boosted that kind of work?)
That's his daily occupation.
(I see. How long has he been dead?)
It's round about seven - eight years. A root doctor meet a root doctor dey kin tell one anothah. Why? Because de' use a stick dey calls de gum-bush sticks.
(What?)
Sweet gum.
(They call it gum?)
Gum-bush stick and that come to crossing their mind. You don't tote dat stick, but you cut dat off when yo' first start out and bury it in de ground. Hell, dey may have it buried in New York and may not go dere no more through life, and if I'd meet chew and you do mine [my line], well I kin tell if you outen my line [of work]. I kin tell.
(Well, how can you tell, then?)
By de spirit, using different points.
(You wouldn't question me or anything? You just let the spirit tell?)
That's right. See, I'd git mad wit chew; jest like two dog would meet one another an' git mad. Know then you was out of my line. You ain't not in my line. But I'm better 'em you but you ain't got to won yo' point. Yo' can't hurt me, but I kin hurt chew, but then I don't want you to be long wit me be- cause the other fella think I'm doing the same work you doing. That's how we tell one another. (You bury this stick when you first begin your work before you take your first case up?) That's right. (And always leave it buried the rest of your life, you never go back there again.) No mo'.
(Who cuts this stick?)
You cut it yo'self.
(And you bury it yourself?)
That's right. Cut it with your left hand? (You cut it with your left hand. And where do you bury it? How do you bury it?) At sundown.
(What do you mean by that?)
Jest like you stick a stick in de ground when de sun go down. See, it be dat tall [demonstrates] maybe dat tall, and you beat it down dere until you git it down to the ground. (And then you beat it down to the ground in the sunset - sundown - all the way into the ground, and then what do you do?) Well, then you jest throw a penny in the hole and yo' tole 'em what chew wanta do....whether you want to be de master king or such and such a thing, or you wanta be de master king of....of all roots, and don't want chures root to sour on hand - that's why yo' bury yo' stick. See, if yo' medicine sour and a person bring it back to you next Monday, "This medicine ain't no good - it sour." And you take it back and cure it again. Give dem the same medicine back and ther carry it back there. (You never go back to that stick again, and you drive down all the way into the ground.) That's right.
(Do you do anything before you leave this stick?)
No, jest pay it and then go on about chure business. [No other person men- tioned such a gum stick.]
Entry 4140
Dat chamber lye, yo' know de pee, throw it roun' mah do' an' he cain't come any fu'thah. Jis' let it stay dere an' be strong yo' know. Jis' put a little dat graveyard dirt all in de foah rooms, put a penny in dat do'. Dey won't come dere an' bothah yo'. (The rent, the law or the bill collector - whoever it is.)
Entry 2113
To fix chure house up kinda lak if yo' wanta keep de police an' any- thing out dere. Yo' take a Indian head penny - take two Indian head pennies an' set 'em in de face of yore do' [demonstrates]. (You put one on the right side of the door and one on the other side of the door.) Yassuh.
(Which door do you do that at?)
De front do' - de way dey comes up, dey way dey comes in front.
(That keeps the law away.)
Entries from source headings
These entries are listed under the following headings in the source volume:
- PENNY IN MOUTH; MAKES DISEASE STRONGER — Volume 3, entries 3242. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → CAUSES OF SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → MISCELLANEOUS.
- PENNY IN MOUTH PREVENTS; VENEREAL DISEASE — Volume 3, entries 3241. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → CAUSES OF SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → MISCELLANEOUS.
- PENNY ON WOMAN'S TONGUE; BREATH HELD - ENDURANCE — Volume 3, entries 3239. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → CAUSES OF SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → MISCELLANEOUS.
- PENNY TIED IN BEDCLOTH; SLEEP ON TO HOLD MAN; SPEND TO GET RID OF HIM — Volume 3, entries 3243. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → CAUSES OF SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → MISCELLANEOUS.
- PENNY UNDER HER TONGUE; HOLD BREATH; GIVE HIM A STROKE — Volume 3, entries 3240. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → CAUSES OF SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → MISCELLANEOUS.
- PENNY — Volume 3, entries 3785. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → CURES FOR SEXUAL IMPOTENCE.
- PENNIES 10 - BEFORE SUNRISE - DROP INTO YOUR URINE; SAY 3 TIMES "AH WISH YO'D GO AWAY"; THROW IN DIRECTION SUN WILL RISE — Volume 3, entries 4222. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → URINE.
- PENNY - DROP IN HIS TRACK AS HE LEAVES HOME; KEEP AS MUCH DIRT AS COVERS PENNY - HE'LL RETURN — Volume 4, entries 5602. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- A FEW PATHOLOGICAL BELIEFS; (1) PENNY UNDER TONGUE DURING COITUS; A CAUSE OF DISEASE — Volume 4, entries 6688. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → FOLK MEDICINE → CURES FOR AND PROTECTION AGAINST AILMENT AND DISEASE.
- TWELVE NOON - DIRT NEAR HEART; SALT - NAME - 2 OR 3 PENNIES — Volume 4, entries 7600. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → HOW TO OBTAIN GRAVEYARD DIRT → TIME FOR TAKING GRAVEYARD DIRT.
- 9 HANDFULS OF DIRT - PAID FOR WITH PENNIES OR RED PEPPER; AFTER EXCHANGING HEADBOARD AND FOOTBOARD; WITH PURPOSE INCANTATION CONTAINING 3 HOLY NAMES — Volume 4, entries 7679. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → GRAVEYARD DIRT MUST BE BOUGHT FROM SPIRIT → AMOUNT OF GRAVEYARD DIRT TO USE.
- WRITE KILLING REQUEST AND PUT IN HAND OF CORPSE; BEFORE BURIAL - OR AFTER BURIAL PUT WRITTEN REQUEST; ELBOW DEEP WITH 2 PENNIES IN GRAVE - ASKING; FOR SIGNS OF SUCCESS - SUCH AS WIND BLOWING ON CALM DAY — Volume 4, entries 7681. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → GRAVEYARD DIRT MUST BE BOUGHT FROM SPIRIT → TALK TO OR INSTRUCT GRAVE SPIRIT.
- PENNY IN THE GRAVE - PICK UP DIRT WHILE SAYING:; IN DE NAME OF DE FATHAH, DE SON AN' DE HOLY GHOST; BEFORE SUNRISE - THROW AT PERSON'S HOUSE - DON'T LOOK BACK — Volume 4, entries 7690. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → GRAVEYARD DIRT MUST BE BOUGHT FROM SPIRIT → TALK TO OR INSTRUCT GRAVE SPIRIT.
- RED PEPPER - SULPHUR - GRAVEYARD DIRT - PENNY TO GRAVE; IN SACK UNDER HOUSE - MOVES IN 9 DAYS — Volume 4, entries 7866. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → WHAT TO DO WITH GRAVEYARD DIRT.
- CROSSROAD - PENNY BURIED AT - BURST EGG ON; PERSON IN MIND OR NAMED UNABLE TO CROSS — Volume 4, entries 9206. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → THE AMAZING CHICKEN EGG.
- PENNY - NEW SALT - FRONT AND BACK DOORS - POLICE — Volume 5, entries 9676. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → SALT AND ITS COMBINATIONS.
- PENNY NAILED AT FRONT AND BACK DOORS; NEW BOX OF RED DEVIL LYE - NEW BOX OF SALT; BURY AT GATE IN HOLE 6 INCHES DEEP, SAYING:; 3 DEAD MEN LOOKED OUT OF A WINDOW, ETC.; THIS IS FOR CUSTOMERS AND DRIVING LAW AWAY — Volume 5, entries 9677. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → SALT AND ITS COMBINATIONS.
- "Y" FORK OF ROAD - 3 ROADS COMING TOGETHER - GO TO; SAY "GOD DAMN IT, I WANTS MARY TO DIE TONIGHT...; YOU HEAR A GANG OF MUSIC... DON'T SEE NOTHIN'...; THROW A PENNY DOWN... GO OFF... I [MARY] DIES 'FORE DE; NIGHT IS OVER - THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS AT FORK OF ROAD — Volume 5, entries 11663. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- IF IN BAD LUCK - CARRY FRESH CHICKEN EGG AND PENNY; TO FORKS OF ROAD - BOTH IN HAND AND BACK TO FORK; THROW THEM ACROSS SHOULDER - WALK AWAY NOT LOOKING; BACK - PERSON PICKING UP PENNY TAKES YOUR BAD LUCK — Volume 5, entries 11666. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- PENNY: FIRST PREPARE DOORSILLS - FRONT AND BACK; WITH SPECIAL DRUGSTORE OIL - DRIVE 2 PENNIES - LAW — Volume 5, entries 12578. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD" → PENNY - OR ONE-CENT PIECE - RARE WORD BROWN MONEY.
- PENNIES 3 - 1 AT EACH DOOR: FRONT - MIDDLE - BACK; AS PEOPLE COME IN - SWEEP THEIR DUST INTO LAST; CORNER - SUNRISE CORNER [EAST SIDE] OF HOUSE - CAN; BE BURNED - BETTER BURIED - FRIENDLY WITH CUSTOMERS — Volume 5, entries 12583. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD" → PENNY - OR ONE-CENT PIECE - RARE WORD BROWN MONEY.
- PENNIES 6: 3 PENNIES BURY AT FORKS OF ROAD AT SUNRISE; PRAY - OTHER 3 PENNIES GIVE TO WICKED OR NEEDY PERSON; ALL SAME DAY - RETURN HOME - SAY PRAYERS - NO POLICE — Volume 5, entries 12584. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD" → PENNY - OR ONE-CENT PIECE - RARE WORD BROWN MONEY.