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'.