Subject:Pillow
Entries
Entry 3237
She say if yore husban' is runnin' aroun' aftah any othah women, she say whenevah yo' an' im jis' 'ave connection, have yo' a new piece of homespun dat is nevah been use, an' take a hot ahn [iron], jis' press dat in dere 'y [where] it wet, press it [semen] right dry into dat piece of new homespun. She say yo' leave it undah yer pillah [pillow] fer nine mawnin's, an' de ninth mawnin' tie it aroun' yer wais' an' weah it dere fer nine mawnin's. She say he'll nevah run aroun' aftah nobody else no mo'.
Entry 3375
[The following margin titles could also have been indexed later under subsubdivision KNOTS AND TYING, but they logically belong here.] Yo' say, now, to influence a person - yo' wouldn't want dis person to leave, or dis person would go away an' yo' want dis person to come back. Say, now fo instance, yo' were mah husban' an' have decided prob'bly dat yo' didn't want me. I say, "Well, yo' an' I come back home an' stay - anything. Yo' prob'bly say, "No, I don't want chew." Well, now, ah go to a neighbor's house unaware - when de neighbor steps out. I go in de neighbor's house and steal 'er dishrag. I let dis dishrag dry. Well, den when yo' come back ag'in, if yo' do come back - well, yo' said yo' don't want me or anything. Well, sup- pose I ask yo' to do me a favor. Yo' come in an' I let chew be wit me, yo' see.
(The last time. I understand.)
Well, now, I use dis towel [dishrag as a towel].
(On yourself or on him?)
[I evidently was not too keen about being the guinea pig!]
On mahself aftah yo' do what chew do. But ah don't do anythin'. Well, I take dis an' even wet it an' let it dry, an' den I take dis an' bring it ovah lak dis [demonstrates]. I tie a knot in dis an' ah pull dis tuh me, yo' see [demon- strates].
(YOU TIE THE KNOT TOWARD YOU.)
Yes, an' den ah say, "Now, ah want chew to stay wit me always, an' should ah be no mo' service to yo', no one evah will." Ah twist dis. Ah tear a place in ah pillah an' ah put dis in de pillah, an' ah sew dat up. An' ah put dat on de side dat yo' sleep on when yo' are dere, if yo' are not dere. It is a positive fact dat yo' will nevah be able to be yoreself.
(With any other woman.)
Not wit - whenevah yo' start, yo' might have a desire, but jes' at dat pah- tic'lah time when yo' get to [approach] dat person, yo' will fail. BUT DAT IS NO JOKE. (I've heard about the dishrag, but you are telling me something that is a different version of it.)
Entry 3398
Well, de way a woman use dat, she comes in contact wit 'er husband, she uses de dishrag, yo' know, an' he won't have any feelin's fo' no one but 'er. (What does she do with that dishrag, then?) When 'im an' 'er gits through she wipes wit it an puts it 'way, yo' know, an' sticks it umdabneat' 'is pillah where he kin lie his haid on it evah night. He'd nevah have no mo feelin's fo' no othah woman but 'er.
Entry 3405
She kin take a dishrag an' jes' wipe it [him] three times. He won't have no use fo' nobody but 'er. (What would she do with that dishrag then?) She jes' keep dat dishrag an' stick it in 'er pillah an' sew it up in dere. She won't let 'im see it, though.
Entry 3488
I've heard that a woman could measure a man while he's asleep and tie that string around her leg and wear it for three weeks; then take the same string and burn it, and take the chars from the string and put them in an envelope, and seal it and write his name on it, and put it under her pillow. And he wouldn't have any use for any other girl.
Entry 3492
He kin 'eep 'er from havin' any man in de world while he's gone.
(How does he do that?)
He take, go to bed wit 'er - see, intahco'se wit 'er. Jes' go an' git a bran'-new white linen han'ke'chuf an' don't let 'er use no towel lak she been or'nary [ordinary] usin'. She say, "Well, Baby," say, "I ain't got nuthin in de bed." Yo' say, "Well, here mah Pocket han'ke'chuf." Yo' take dat pocket han'kechuf, see, an' use hit. Yo' see. Don't let 'er use it on yo'. She use it on 'erself. All right. An' den yo' take dat pocket han'ke'chuf an' yo' go to de north cornah of de house, an' yo' dig a hole eight inches in de groun'. An' yo' git some of dat last dirt yo' got out dere an' tie hit up in dat pocket han'ke'chuf. An' yo' bring dat pocket han'ke'chuf an' yo' put it undah de doorstep befo' yo' leave, an' let 'er walk over it two days, two nights. An' dat last night dat yo' stay wit 'er, yo' take it an' put it undah 'er head. An' she sleep on it but she don't know it. An' den when yo' git up dat mawnin' when yo' leavin', yo' take dat pocket han'ke'- chuf - yo' take dat pocket han'ke'chuf an' carry it on wit chah. An' evah man dat she - yo' see, she might try to have some man but she can't have 'em. She'll turn wrong side out wit 'em, yo' see. She can't [take] dat man, she'll turn out. Dat ties 'er. Dat ties 'er, she can't intahco'se, yo' see.
(But what happens to her?)
Yo' see, dat makes 'er turn out - yo' see.
(Turm out?)
Turn out. Evah time a man start foolin', it hurt 'er yo' see. She'll tell 'em, say, "Gee [something]." See, ah'm got her fixed, yo' see. She can't stan fo' nobody to mess wit 'er. She can't stand it. She can't stand it to have no Dan, yo' see. Dat's got 'er fixed where she can't - she tied up. She ain't got Do int'rest fo' no man. Yo' see, won't have none. She don't want nobody but choo, yo' see.
Entry 3542
Ah tell yo' now jes' like dis, jes' like yo' got some ole clothes. Now yo' wear dose ole clothes, yo' undahstan', an' pull off de dirty clothes. Yo' pull it off an' she put it up; see, yo' Won't have nuthin to do wit dose clothes any mo'. Well, prob- 'ly she might git a piece of de seat of yore slip, yo' undahstan', an' cut it out yo' see. Well, perhaps she might git a piece from undah yore arms. See, yo' know jes' where yo' sweat, yo' see. An' den ag'in, she might git chure hat band or somepin like dat. Yo' know dese little bows in yore hat, she might take dat out, see. Well, she'll take dat an' she'll put some of dis - git a little car- bolic acid an' pot salt an' a little red peppah. An' she will git she a bottle of Coca Cola. She will sprinkle dat, see. An' befo' she sprinkle it why she will tie it up an' she'll put seven knots in it. Dat odds [odd number] yo' know. Now, see, seven knots. Well, she tie dat up, yo' undahstan' an' put it into yore pillah, see, cuz yo' know a woman makes de bed all de time. Yo' don't have no dealings wit beds - yo' wouldn't even think of it, see. Well, yo' have to stay home an' den ag'in yo' wouldn't even think of no othah woman but 'er.
Entry 3933
Get de toe outa yore lef' sock an' de heel outa de right. If a woman wanta make love or somepin like dat wit a man an' keep in touch wit 'im, why - or whatevah she wanta do concernin' 'er home, take of dese thin's what dey used once a month. Say dey kin sew dat up in de pillah what de man sleep on an' he nevah will go away an' stay from 'em.
(I see.)
Entry 4628
Take dat little bow out de back of man hat, an' she goes tuh work an' buys 'er some cologne, yuh know sweet, an' she'll 'noint dat [with] it. An' she'll lodge dat in 'er pillah where she sleep. Dat fur as ah know 'bout dat. But dat's good. (And that will hold him and make him love her.)
Entry 4677
De bow an' a dirty sock - out de hat an' 'is dirty sock, lef' foot sock. An' git some Eve-an'-Adam [Adam-and-Eve], some High John de Conkah, some love powdahs, an' roll 'em to yuh. Make yore wishes as yuh roll 'em. Den yuh take it an' put it in yore pillah or in yore mattress, de woman, an' sleep on it an' he'll stay dere.
Entry 4779
A woman could take a man's shirt an' tie nine knots in it, yuh know. Dem knots tied, see. (What does she do with the shirt then?) She take de shirt an' put it undah 'er pillah see, an' sleep on it.
Entry 4798
Git some of 'er clothes. Git some of dey clothes an' carry 'um an' bury 'um tuh de steps, see, but chew have tuh git some of 'er undahclothes neah about dem, yo' know, de othah part. (Near her privates?) Yes sir. An' take it an' put it in yore pillah at chure bed, an' she'll come back home.
(But what do you put out under the doorstep? Any piece of her clothing?)
Any of 'er clothes by de do'. (But you have to put the underclothing at [in] your pillow.)
Entry 4921
Sleep wit dere stockin's undah yore haid. Take yore socks an' sleep wit 'em undah mah haid. Or take dem an' cut de feet out an' wear dem.
(What will that do?) Dey will follah yuh.
Entry 5001
[Pillow - like the words door, fireplace, eaves and steps - is one of the many magic places about the house; place only when it is on the bed where it belongs. Pillow on the top shelf of a closet or up in the attic is not a magic place or object, unless it has been specially dressed.] A woman kin take a man's sock an' kin put it undahneat' 'er pillah dat she lays on at night In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost tuh bring 'im 'er way.
Entry 5176
Dat's not handy fo' yo' tuh do. Yo' git de inside piece of 'is shoe, yo' undahstan', yo' kin git dat inside piece of 'is shoes an' yo'll take dat inside piece of 'is shoe wit 'is name an' yo'll write his name in dere on a piece of paper. But yo' got de measure of dat whole feet, yo' got de whole measure [when you have the insole]. Now, yo'll git chew a piece of papah an' yo'll put 'is name nine times. Yo'll put - lak if it wuz me - my name at de top, an' den yo'll write it crossways heah ag'in, nine times. Den yo'll take dat measure an' yo'll put cinnamon in it an' yo'll put White Rose Perfume, an' yo'll dampen it good, an' yo'll put dat an' yo'll roll it towards yo'. See, yo' fold it towards yo' jis' as many times as yo' kin. See. Den yo'll go tuh work an' yo'll put a bran'-new needle. Yo'll pin a bran'-new needle in dat yo' see, an' yo' kin eithah put it in a bag or eithah put it in yore pil- lah or yore mattress. Dat'll keep 'im home. (You take the inner sole and you write his name nine times and yours across it. You put that paper and the sole together, and put those ingredients in, and then you roll it to you. And you can put it anywhere around you or put it in the mattress.) Anywheres.
Entry 5327
Git chure track - yes, git chure foot track an' take an' bottle it up. An' den [they] say yo' back back nine steps, an' den turn roun' an' make three wishes. Say an' yo' make dem three wishes, den yo' handle 'em lak yo' want. (You can handle them anyway you want to. What do they do with that bottle?) Dey takes an' puts chure track in dat bottle.
(Yes, but what do they do with the track then in the bottle?)
Back back nine steps.
(No, what will finally happen to that bottle?)
Say dat bottle will turn purpole [purple] an' say dat will start tuh workin' in dere. It'll start tuh workin' in dere. An' say yo' should make nine wishes [instead of former three]. Yo' make nine wishes an' whatsomevah yo' wish, it vill [happen]. Keep bottle sewed up in pillah [pillow].
Entry 5605
Yo' kin [do] dat - jis' lak if yo' love a girl an' yo' sees 'er walkin' 'long, yo' kin go an' pick up some of dat sand outa her track, an' put it in yo' lef' hip pocket. See, take it an' tie it up in a li'le bundle, an put it in yo' lef' hip pocket an' make wishes. An' yo' somehow or 'nothah will git tuh dat girl, see, an' git tuh talkin' wit 'er. An' den she'll come tuh have tuh fall in love wit chew. An' den when she fall in love wit chuh, den take, yo' know, mess aroun'. Well, yo' kin take a li'le of 'er hair, yo' see, an' put it in yo' pillah. See, rip de pillah where yo' kin put it inside dere in yo' pillah. An' den evahwhere yo' be's she'll come where yo' is.
(What track do you take that dirt from?)
De lef' one.
Entry 6003
An' he [author's contact man] ast me did ah know any Way tuh try tuh hold a woman, an' ah tole him a way dat chew could take a bottle of cologne an' one stran' of 'er hair, an' go an' buy three bran'-new needles an' put in dat cologne. An' whilst dat hair be suckin' up dat cologne - jes' let it stay in dere until it suck up all dat cologne - jes' put it anywhere in de mattress, or eithah sew it up in a feathah pillah or mattress where it can't be found.
Entry 6008
An' jis' lak if someone in yore church is givin' yo' trouble in de chrch, yo' know, causin' confusion an' splits in church lak mos' people do's. Why yo' go out in de woods an' yo' ketch yo' one of 'em whut chew call dese heah red-back scorpiens [scorpions]. Ah mean a red-belly. Dey got a red stripe undah 'is stomic. An' yo' take dat scorpien an' put 'im into a pillah where dey sleep, see.
(Alive or dead?)
"Live. Den yo' git some hair outa dere haid. Git someone - if yo' cain't git tuh 'em - tuh git some hair outa dere haid an' place it in a piece[of cloth]. An' yo' take fo' pins an' - not needles but pins - an' jis' win' dat hair an' twist it up yo' know in dem pins, an' jis' ben' dem pins jis' as many ways, jis' bend 'um lak evah way yo' kin. Den yo' take dat live scorpien an' dose pins an' dat hair an' sew it up in a piece [of cloth]. An' den place it in dat pillah whare he sleep at an' he'll take a deadly misery in dere haids an' event'ly [even- tually] dey'll jis' - yo' know IT NO USE GOIN' TUH DOCTAHS [M.D.'s]. NO DOCTAH [M.D.] KIN DO ANY GOOD. An' event'ly dey jis' 中 start to pinin' away an' dat's de end of 'um.
Entry 6023
Yo' take dat hair.
(Do you take this hair from a man's head?)
Yeah, eithah a man or anyone dat yo' wants to do anything to. An' yo' take his hair out of his [mold of his head], yo' take nine pins an' nine needlesain't nevah [been] stuck [= new]. An' yo' take dat hair. Yo' git chew - yo' ball dat hair up wit dem needle in it. Stick 'em in de hair so dey stay togethah. Stick dem needles all in dat hair. An' de pillah dat he sleeps on, yo'll put a hole in dat pillah an' yo' seu it back up again, an' let dat stuff [be] in dere, an' let 'im sleep on dat stuff. Well dat's trickin' 'em, dat jes' trickin' 'em. Keep 'em wit yo'.
Entry 6054
Jes' lak yo'd cut de hair out de mole of yore haid an' take de hair from de othah place, an' put both of dem hair togethah an' take dat hair an' sew it up in a bag. Dat's when yo' wanta keep yore man, yo' see, or yore wife or whoevah it is. An' seu it up in hah pillah or 'is pillah. Well, dat'll keep 'em right dere. But of co'se if yo' wan' 'im tuh leave, yo' wan'a run 'im off in de rivah, why yo' take dat hair an' yo' ketch a catfish. An' yo' take a stick an' jes' stuff it down in dat catfish's mouth right good an' den throw dat catfish, throw 'im backwards [demonstrates] out in de rivah. An' jes' as fur as dat fish goin', dat person, uboevah goin', tryin' tuh ketch up wit dat catfish, an' aftah while he'll drown.
(You throw that over your left shoulder.)
Yessuh.
Entry 6121
Dey git holt tuh yore hair, a woman now tryin' yuh. She'll git holt of yore hair an' she'll wear it in de shoe. Undahstan' now, she wear dat in 'er shoe, if she kin git dat hair out de mole of yore haid. She'll lovin' an' git dat hair out de mole of yore haid an' den she'll wear it in 'er shoe'fo' seven days. An' aftah she wearin' dat shoe seven days, she'll den takes it an' put it in a silk piece of cloth an' put dat dere undah 'er pillah an' den she'll sleep wit dat dere undah 'er pillah. Well, den aftah she sleep wit dat undah 'er pillah nine days, she don't care wha' choo do. Well, she got chew jes' lak she wan' chew. Den yo'll lurk aftah her den.
(Does she wear that in either shoe?)
De right foot.
Entry 7049
(How do you do that?)
Yo' kin even make 'em stop drinkin' whiskey.
(How do you do that?)
Now, yo' know a man dat drinks whiskey. Yo' take a man dat's a heavy whiskey drinkah, when he comes home, if he drink anythin' lak coffee or tea, or anythin' lak dat. Yo' go tuh 'is shoes, when he come in at night, an' take any dust - some dust off of one of 'is shoes. See, yo' jis' take de dust off of any shoe yo' git off of 'is foot. An' take dat dust an' powdah it. Powdah it up good an' fold it in a piece of paper, an' let 'im sleep wit dat undah 'is pillow. Evah time he come, whethah he come in sobah or come in drunk, take it away where - wrap dat good an' put it undah 'is pillah, an' let it stay undah 'is pillah fo' nine days. An' aftah it stay undah 'is pillah fo' nine days, yo' take it an' take dat same dust an' po' it intuh any drink dat he drinks - whiskey or gin or anythin' an' dissolve it an' mix it well. Jis' drop it in, jis' a li'le particle of dust on dere, from any one of 'is shoes. An' let 'im sleep wit dat undah 'is head fo' nine days, an' po' it in 'is drink. An' ah'll bet if yo' continue doin' dat - if dat don't give him de natchal [natu- ral] effect de firs' time, use it on 'im ag'in. An' ah'll bet dat he'll - it'll stop 'im from drinkin'.
Entry 7104
Ah've been heah evah since de llth of Septembah anl ah declare dat's all dey do do's. Take yore step-ins or yore bloomahs an' put undah de pillah or spread it ovah dere face, an' dey'll nevah wake up until de nex' mawnin'.
(You put it either over the man's face or under his pillow, one or the other.)
Entry 7109
If she wants tuh stop 'im from runnin' aroun' wit anothah woman, when he's sleep in de night, take her panties an' put it undah 'is pillah, undah 'is head, an' dat will stop 'im from runnin' aroun'. An' he sleep over dat all night an' he stop runnin' roun' den.
Entry 7136
She'll take 'er drawahs an' pull 'em off whut she had on an' put 'em undah 'is haid; take her right-footed shoe an' turn it bottom upwards undah de foot of 'is baid, an' take his lef'-footed shoe an' turn it bottom upvards. An' he'll sleep dere until she come an' wake him up. (Where does she put his shoe?) Jis' turn it bottom upwards undah de baid. Put 'is shoe, one tuh 'er foot an' one tuh 'is, right side by side undah de bed.
(But she puts her drawers under the pillow?)
Ease it undah 'is pillah.
(And what would happen then?)
He jis' sleep.
Entry 7167
Git a li'le graveyard dirt an' put on a person, an' when yo' put it on 'em - git a li'le graveyard dirt an' carry it, tie it up real tight, an' put it up undah de pillah an' let 'em sleep on it at night. An' if he's got a wife an' 'is wife wanted tuh go out, she could put it up undah dere an' let 'im go tuh sleep. If he's got whiskey in 'im or anythin' - anythin' at all lak whiskey on 'im, she kin go on off an' stay jis' long as she wanta. An' when she comes back she'll pull it out an' he wakes up.
(That is to keep him asleep while she is gone.)
Entry 7207
Yo' kin take a sock.
(Take a what?)
Take one yuh socks an' now, what dey put in dat sock, now ah couldn't tell yuh. Take one of dose socks an' pin it. Ah know personally dis wuz done becuz it wuz quite natchel, yo' know, ah had a brothah a [that way], yo' undahstan'. Ah'm explain' tuh yuh good. He had a vein, a open vein, here, along here, along here an' right up dere [demonstrates]. [He was] hurt [tricked], yo' see. Dat's called swollen veins. (What kind of veins, swollen?) Swollen veins. Undahstan'? Well, yo' take dat sock. An' now, whut yo' put it in [in it], ah couldn't tell yo'. Dey put it - but take one of yuh socks. It wuz a black sock ah had, black silk sock. Mah sistah bring- ed it up chere. Ah wuz down dere two yeahs ago. Ah wuz down dere in '36. Well, ah'm gittin' it straight now. Dat yeah, dat's about right, ah wuz down dere in '36. We found dat sock, las' yeah: was '37, round, oh ah'd say round about de 20th of July, an' dat sock had - ah couldn't even lay on dat pillah [pillow]. Yo' undahstan', if yo' lay on dat pillah it hurt yuh haid, but now aftah - if yo'laid on it, an' den if yo' lak dat, if yo' don' git dat cured, yo' stay lak dat. One mawnin', see, when she found dat sock, it wuz balled up wit de feathahs in it. But whut wuz in dat sock wit dose feathahs, we couldn't tell, yo' know. It's quite natchel dat yo'd be scared. Cuz it only cost me $50 tuh git rid of dat. Well, now, ah tell yo' what she [doctor] did tuh git rid of dat. Ah went tuh a lady, undahstan'. She told me, say, "Ah'll cure yo'." An' told me where ah goes. Told me ah wuz hurt an' ah cain't stand tuh drink whiskey long, account dat vein bein' swollen, yo' undahstan' [demonstrates].
(This vein runs right?)
Straight through me.
(Right straight along your back, that swollen vein?)
Yes, sir. An' ah went tuh dis lady, see, an' she tole me, say, "He's got a thing hid." Told me jis' lak whut it wus lak. She live on 923 [Something Street]. Ah'm try- in' tuh think of de name. Yo' kin put dat down, two diff'ren' things. But any- way, nevah mind about dat.
(Oh, that's all right.)
An' she commence right here an' measured dat place right here, right dere [demonstrates]. She say, "Dere's a knot dere."
(Right here, where?)
Dere's a knot or somepin. Well, she massaged dat knot an' rubbed it an' she tell me, say, "Yo' go home an' go tuh de druggist." Now, listen good. "Go tuh de druggist an' git a bottle of household - do yo' heah dat?"
(Yes.)
Household ammonia.
(Household ammonia.)
Household ammonia. You git a box of Epsom salts. Yo' git chew dat much salt- petah. Yo' won't want make too much. Dat much saltpetah. Yo' put dat in yuh bath watah. Don't put no salt in it - ah mean not salt, don't put no soap in it. But aftah dat, dat cleah ammonia. Dat's all. Jis' lak in place of puttin' soap in it, put dat household ammonia in dere an' dat saltpetah an' de Epsom salts in dis watah. An' takes yuh bath in it. Nine nights do dat.
(Nine nights?)
Nine nights an' throw de water tuh wherevah de sun risin' at. An' it'll soor cure yo' of de trouble. Well, dat's whut ah did. Well, it cured me.
(That's what cured you?)
It cured me. Now, here's de way. Now, ah'll take, jis' lak, yo' got tuh start it. It deal wit pain [demonstrates].
(Right from the top of your head.)
See dat li'le knot dere, see dat knot dere. It's a pain right dere. Well, now, yo' jis' put dat [mixture] on. It'll move from dere, start from right dere tuh here [demonstrates]. (It'll move from the top of your head down to the bottom - the back of your neck.) Back tuh dis here [demonstrates]. Dat narrah [narrow] eyeball bone.
(The pain is right behind the eyeball?)
Eyeball. Leads from dis eye right chere, right chere. Here's de othah. An' right along dere it's knots be showin' dere, an' it feels though dere's somepin inside. Some knots showin' dere. Well, dis lady tole me dat it wuz done through whiskey. Say, "But chew looks an' yo' will find it in yuh mattress," she say. But it wusn't in no mattress. It wuz in a feathah pillah; an' yo' would find vhutevah it is in dere. It wuz wrapped up. An' she tole me when ah find it, burn it up. Well, dat's quite nachel, 'cuz ah did dat, see. Ah burned it up in de fiah. Well, now, mah sistah, yo' see, when she slept on dis pillah, it burt 'er haid so dat she'd move dat pillah. But it wasn't fo' her, it wuz fixed fo' me. Whut fer? Yo' see some people wanta hurt me. An' ah wanta explain dis sah way, 'cuz yo' know ah nevah done used explainin'. An' ah, ah'se jes' explain zahself.
Entry 7705
If yo' wanta hurt anybody, yo' kin go tuh de graveyard an' call de person name. An' carry a piece of [his] ole clothes, leave dat dere, an' bring [a small piece] eidah [either] de haidboard or de footboard; an' yo' kin go tuh a person house an' put it right undahneat' 'is pillah, [but] undahneat' de baid. An' he'll go tuh sleep dat night an' he'll take a pain an' he wouldn't nevah be no good tuh hisself. He wouldn't fin' out until he die. Somebody goin', but she'll nevah let 'im, unless yo' wanta turn 'im loose. Den yo' kin go an' tum 'im loose if yo' don't wanta harm 'im. (How do you mean put that footboard under the pillow. Wouldn't they feel it under there?)
[Actually only a splinter from the board is used.]
No, sir, dey ain't goin' feel it. Dey ain't goin' have sense enough tuh feel it. [This rite is unusual. The man's old clothes has contact with the grave- yard dirt, and the graveyard board splinter is taken to the house as a substi- tute for the dirt.]
Entry 8236
Take dere pichure an' put it undah yore baid, undah de haid of yore pillah an' sleep on it nine days, an' he cain't go nowhere or quit chew. (That will keep the man? Just place it under there any way, under the pillow?) Undah de pillah.
Entry 8738
Take dat photograph of dis individual. Den yo' want peace, yo' wants love, Wants happiness. Yo' take dat photograph but chew gotta steal it. Don't let no one give it tuh yo', yo' steal it, or else let someone else git it fo' yo', if yo' wants peace or wants dat individual. Yo' write his name three times on it. An' keep it in yore pillah an' turn it down on.its face. An' it will be peace dere tuh yo', if it's yore sweetheart or yore wife; or whoevah it is, whoevah he may be.
Entry 8754
Fo' example, yo' take two tin plates an' yo' write de 23rd Psalm upon de back [of one] an' de 42nd Psalm upon de back of de [other] tin plate, an' yo' place it [them] under yore pillah an' sleep dere an' he'll shortly return. [The word name does not appear in the text of this rite but it is surely intended. It may have dropped out before recording began.]
Entry 10213
She kin measure him if she wanta with a string or with ribbon when he goes tuh sleep. She kin tie that roun' her laig or she kin put it in her pocketbook or in her pillow an' she kin control him, but that will lead to accidents in de long run. He'll hurt her.
Entry 10229
Like you havin' to do with 'er an' she'll take a dishcloth an' she'll wipe you with de dishcloth. An' she'll take dat dishcloth an' she'll care it an' put it under her bed or under her pillah, see, an' yo' couldn't mess with a yoman to save your life. If dat man [or you] got sense now, he kin git rid of dat. Why, he go, if he wan'a git rid of it, he'll go an' steal...or yo' go [to] somebody house an' yo' steal de dishcloth, see. You go [got to] have sumpin to do with her, or any other woman, an' you'll wipe with dat dishcloth. An' yo' take dat dishcloth an' fold it right tight. An' he kin wear it with him or put it somewhere where nobody but him can reach it but him. An' she can't do nuthin with nobody but you.
Entry 10235
Yo' kin take a black hen's aig an' take a wet new cloth an' wipe dat aig, an' ball dat cloth up an' sew it in de pillah, an' dey said dat man can't go wit anothah woman to save his life; an' if he do, he can't come to save his life. Ah seen a man fixed fo' dat last week. (You mean sew that up in his pil- low?) In his pillah whut he sleep on evah night.
Entry 10238
An' den it's anothah one, see. Dis [first] woman, yo' know, loved dis man. Dis man, he wuz goin' wit a [second] woman. An' she [first woman] loved him yo' know, an' she wouldn't do nuthin [to stop himl. He would do dat. So [first woman] she says, "Well, he's good to me, "' says, ''but he goes out an' has a big time wit othah wimmin." Says, "Ah'm goin' stop dat." Okay. Dey goes to bed dat night an' dey got connection together, yo' know. Oh Lawd, she wus so good to him. Oh gee! An' dis an' dat an' so. An' so she says, "Wait a minute, honey, ah'll dry yo'." She take a new han'ke'ch'ef an' she dried him. When she dry him, she dry him lak dis - lak dis [demonstrates but not on body].
(Upward three times.)
Three times, yeah. An' de last time she'd jes' lak dat, yo' see. Stop dat rag [handkerchief] dere. "Oh, baby, it was so good, so nice. Oh Lawd." She stretches her lak dat. Mmmah. Dat [semen] caught in her han's, see. Threw it [new handkerchief] down [on the floor]. So she taken dat rag dat nex' mawnin' - she takes dat rag an' she sews it up in de pillah dere. An' he lay on dat ever' night fo' [until] nine mawnin's. An' de ninth mawnin' she takes dat out an' she puts it on another place. An' from dat day on, she could go off her- self, an' he nevah did have chance 'nuff to he himself do lak dat. An' when he do lak dat, it wuz her all de time. Jes' kept together.
Entry 10262
Ah heard dey said yo' could take yo' discharge an' put it in a rag an' put it where no air kin git to it, an' put it in yore pillah, an' he cain't do nuthin off nowheres else, an' he'll have tuh stay home.
Entry 10441
Knife and fork crossed under the pillow to keep witch away [Mobile, 861:2.] or to keep witch from riding you [Fred- ericksburg, 67 by Ediphone].
Entry 10465
Open new pair of scissors and put under pillow to prevent hag-riding [Mobile, (663), 872:?]. [For scissors under bed, Jacksonville, see No.529, p.156, v.l; over bed or door, No.542, p.161, v.1, Elizabeth City.]
Entry 10570
Dey tuk a leather-wing bat, tuk his head and put it into a little something and put it under mah pillah. And ah laid - mah wife it was did dat in Tallahassee. When ah laid on dat pillah it wasn't long fo' ah got worried - been living well in mah home and me an' her be'd to- gether seventeen years. And dey parted us. Dat was done into dat pillah, and after a while ah got along; you know, left mah home - jest raised up [and left after] living together all dat time. Got up and left, left everything, and five children. Got two girls right chere in town to prove it. Yes, sir. Jest one voan [all because of her].
(Well, who did that?)
Who did dat? It was a man, [living] wit mah wife now. He's wit mah wife 0v. Yes sir, he did dat - [man] by de name of Berkin. He's de one did it. Yes, sir, he did dat. [At a later dat I probably would have asked informant: Did you find the bat heat under your pillow? Or after you had left home did 3i ask a fortuneteller what had made you leave?]
Entry 10706
If a person come in an' yo' don't want dem dere, when he comes in, jest sweep him de way he come in. Sweep out his track jest as he come in, de Way he come in, if yo' don't want him dere. An' finally his conscience will jest lead him [to stay away]. Dat's jest de way yo' do de way ah jest tole yo'. Yo' kin talk nice to him an' say ah haven't got so-an'-so. Well, den if he continue to be comin' after dis, yo' git dat book an' put it under yore head an' read it, an' yo' git relieved from him.
(What is the name of that book?)
It's de Bible de 37th Psalms.
(You just put that Bible under your head?)
Entry 11021
Black chicken's feather. You kin take that and you - you git de feathers from a jet-black hen and you git to de party's bed and you stick it right between de pillowcase and de pillow. Let them sleep on it. And it'll cause their sudden death. It may be in some other part of de house or in their sleep. Just as quick as that.
Entry 11030
Like you sleep on dis pillah, well if I kin git a chance to steal dat pillah while you away, well I will open dis pillah up and git de feathers out of it. And I will leave them all over and I will slip it down to a running stream. (What do you do with those feathers then?) With de feathers, wrap them up in dis bag or rag, dish- rag, bundle 'em up, an' ah throw 'em in de running stream and dey go away.
Entry 12135
Jis' like you'd cut out a heart [from a piece of paper]...jis' like you say you gon'a...you draw a mark heah [demonstrates] - all right - comparin' to a heart [draw shape of heart on a piece of paper]. You kin take them [9] pins an' stick it [them] in that [paper] heart. You kin do jis' what choo wan' 'em to do after you stick dem pins in there. You use so many needles. You got to use needles - real sharp needles.
(How many pins do you stick in that heart?)
You kin take 9 pins an' put in there [demonstrates].
(In the center of the heart.)
You put 8 needles.
(Around the edge of the heart.)
You don't put it even, you understand. It's got to be odd [demonstrates].
(The heads and points of the pins and needles are alternated.)
An' you take that an' put it in your pillah. You kin use any kind of body [person] you want; you kin use 'em to your understandin'. [For alternate needles and pins, see Nos.9836-9837, 9844, 9849 & 9850, v.5.]
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.]