Subject:Pocket
More specific topics
Entries
Entry 3248
Jes' lak mah wife figures dat ah'm messin' wit anothah woman an' she wants tuh stop me. She'll go ahead when we done have connection an' she'll take an' wipe me when ah - den she'll take de rag, an' take de rag an' wear it in 'er pocket. An' when ah go to anothah woman, jes' lak ah go to anothah woman, ah would nevah have any nature fo' de othah woman. Ah would have no nature fo' no woman but mah ole lady, or if dis wuz mah woman - sompin lak dat.
Entry 3270
A man kin take de piece of his - when he through wit 'er, he kin take dat piece an' tote it in 'is pocket an' wrap it up wit a silvah dime an' she won't have no othah man but 'im as long as he tote dat piece. (What piece is he going to tote with him?) De piece dat he use yo' know, when dey have intahco'se wit one anothah. He steal one of dose pieces an' put a silvah dime in dere.
(You mean what they wipe with?)
Yessuh.
Entry 3496
If yo' wanted 'im ag'in, yo' could take a piece of new yellah domestic an' use de intahco'se, use it nine times, an' take an' cut out a piece about as big as a quarter [25 cent piece] an' put it in yore left-foot shoe an' wear it in dere, an' yo'll come tuh conker 'im lak yo' want 'im, if yo' wanted 'im. Yo' could take, say fo' in- stance - yo' could take a piece of cloth an' nuse [use] it an' tie a love knot in it. Take a teaspoon fulla sugan an' put in dere an' tie a love knot an' put it in yore mattress, an' dat'll make him be closer to yo' an' no one else.
(What kind of cloth do you take did you say?)
Yallah domestic - new, dat nevah been nused. An' yo' nuse dat nine times, an' when yo' have it, YO' NOT SUPPOSED TUH HAVE NO INTAHCO'SE WIT 'IM YO'SELF, YO' KETCH HIS'N. An' den yo' take an' put hit undah yore bed in yore mattress where yo' sleep on it. An' dat'll make him close to yo'. De man kin do it if he wants a woman. He kin take his new pocket han'ke'chuf an' nuse dat, han'ke'chuf dat ain't nevah been used, an' take it an' nuse it all de time an' tote it in 'is pocket, an' dat woman, she cain't have nuthin tuh do wit nobody but 'im.
(How does he use that handkerchief?)
He jes' nuse it in wipin' 'isself. See, it's a bran'-new han'ke'chuf, a white linen han'ke'chuf dat ain't nevah been nused. An' he take dat han'ke'chuf, see she jes' ain't payin' no 'tenshun, he jes' take, yo' know, an' dry hisself off. An' den he take an' put it in 'is pocket an' wear it.
Entry 3513
Well, he jes' takes 'er an' when he deal wit 'er he takes 'is hans'- scuff, takes a ten cents linen pocket hans'scuff, not a cotton hans'scuff, an' he use dat. Well, yo' know what. He takes dat an' ties three knots, ball it, an' stick it in 'is pocket an' take it on wit 'im. When he come back she be dere jes' lak she wus when he lef' 'er - if he take dat wit 'im.
Entry 3762
Well, he kin take a new pocket handkerchief and let his wlfe ddpe ber face with it and watch where she puts it down. Take dis handkerchief wit him put it in his lefthand pocket until twelve 'clock that day and then take it out and put it in his right hand pocket and call her name three times. They claim that that will control her and stop her [from other men]. (If she is fooling around while he is gone.)
Entry 3870
Ah know it tuh be a fac', if a girl break up - lak if yo' didn't love 'er so good, yo' know, an' if she be sick or sompin othah lak dat. Well, dere's one thin' dat she kin [do], if she's sick, to he'p'er- self. If she kin git yo' tuh eat anythin', or drink watah, den she take a little of 'er sickness, in 'bout a teaspoonfulla watah, an' a li'le bit of red shank, an' boil it intuh de watah. She kin po' dis stuff, jes' 'bout a halfa teaspoonfulla in some watah an' gi' yo' [give you]. Why yo's a fool about 'er, see.
(You put a piece of red shank root into that water?)
Dat right. An' if yo' wanta, dere's a way dat yo' find out dat she did do yo' dat way. Yo' goes in de woods an' gits yo' de devil's shoestring. Den yo' comes back wit dat an' yo' boil it an' take yo' a piece of mullein. Dem [mullein plant] a flat weed sompin lak 'bacca [tobacco], lak a head of 'bacca, yo' know, but it be's somewhut flattah yo' know - it don't be high, yo' know. An' yo' take dat an' yo' take nine strands of dat mullein root an' ball [boil] it, an' two leaves. De way yo' gotta do, yo' git some whiskey an' put on it, on dat, an' git chew a piece of camphor an' put it on it. Well, yo' tote dat in yore pocket fo' 'bout two or three days an' pass 'er do', an' she'll tell yo' she got de headache one day when yo' pass dere. Inside of eight days she'll tell yo' she got de head- ache. Well, yo' jes' say to her, says, "Well, dat's mighty bad but ah got some camphor heah." Well, yo' go ahead by dere an' let 'er rub 'er haid wit it. Yo got 'er an' it's offa yo' den. Well, she git tuh lovin' yo' den. Maybe, if yo' wanta love 'er an' want 'er tuh love yo' - well, it jes' quite natural if a man love a woman, he want 'er tuh love him yo' know.
Entry 3919
[HERE IS VERSION ONE OF THE RITE:]
Well, she goin' bring 'im home an' make 'im stay dere wit 'er. She'll take dat [sanitary] cloth an' take dem needles, dem nine needles an' cross 'em, take a silvah dime from 'i血m if she kin git it, an' take a piece of 'is hair outa his haid an' tie it, an' sew it all up in dat cloth togethah, an' cross it - crosses dose needles lak dat [demonstrates] - dat way. [The crossing of needles or pins in a cloth is a frequent magic act. Each needle or pin is stuck into the cloth so that it crosses over one or more needle or pin.] Well, aftah she do dat, she takes it an' puts it in 'er pocket. If it's nec- essary she wears it all de time.
Entry 3927
Anyway, she lef' me. She wus good to me. I an' huh wus livin' togeth- ah good, an' it seems to me dat she lef' me becuz I couldn't get no money togeth- ah. (I see.) It seems like she lef' me becuz I couldn't get no money. An' I wanted mah ole lady becuz I loveded us. An' I went to dis same fellah on Messanine[?] an' Williard. Keeler[?] [Healer?] dey call 'im.
(What name?)
Messanine[?].
(I see. All right.)
[Useless to ask him to spell it.]
Well, anyway, when I went to him, I ast 'im what should I do to get mah ole lady becuz I like-ted 'er, an' she had been good to me. So he tole me. He said, "You get - try to get one of 'er pieces."
(What kind of pieces?)
Dat's one of 'er pieces dat she wears, yo' know, evah month. So I got a girl frien' of mine to get a piece - a girl frien's of 'er, too. I tole de girl, I didn't want to hahm 'er. She say, "Yo' don't wanta hahm [harm] 'er." I say, "No, I'm not gon'a hahm 'er." I say, "I wouldn't ha'm 'er, I want to do somepin to make peace, cuz I love mah ole lady." Anyways, she got dis piece fo' me. So, I took it an' I wrahpped it up in a cloth, clean cloth.
(Did he tell you to do this?)
Yes, sir.
(What did he tell you to do?)
He tole me to get dis cloth of hers an' wrop it up in a clean piece an' den sprinkle some powdah, jes' any kin'a sweet-smellin' powdah to kill odor, an' put it in mah left pocket an' wear it - jes' take it evahwhere I go, yo' know. An he guarantee me I'll git mah ole lady" - jes' evahwhere I heard talk of she's at an' soon she goin' commence followin' me places she know I be. Well, I did dat, an' I wasn't a week befo' me an' mah ole lady was back.
Entry 4631
Dey tell me if yuh kin git a chance, yuh know, tuh git 'is hat or any- thin' lak dat yuh know, an' take it an' wear it roun' in yore pocket, he come tuh like yuh an' care fo' yuh an' DAT'S DE WAY DIS LOVE COMES ABOUT an' dat's de way yuh gits de girl. (What do you wear in your pocket?) Dat bow out de hat.
Entry 4676
Well, yuh take dis little bow dat's right in de back of man's hat. Dat's de little bow right dere [demonstrates]. Yuh take dat an' take it an' put it in a bottle of sweet spirits of nitah, an' take an' shake it up good. An' den take it, an' yuh know dese women dey got a pocket or somepin in some of dere bloomahs, yuh know. Take it an' put it in dat pocket an' sew dat pocket up an' weah in dere. An' dey say dey nevah will go wit anothah woman.
Entry 4801
Ah have heard men say dat dey kin take a woman's bloomah's an' cut a piece outa a woman's bloomah's an' wear it in dere lef' hip pocket. An' said a woman won't leave 'em an' will be undah 'em, an' dey kin do anything dey wan' tuh do. An' de woman won' know about it. He'll have her undah 'is feet an' jis' do anythin' he wan'a do, an' she not say anythin' tuh 'im about it.
Entry 4802
Put a leak in yore pocket, jis' lak yuh hang yore clothes up. An' dey kin go dere wishin' yuh bad luck, an' put a little pin hole in yore pocket, jis' lak anythin' kin leak through. Not enough fo' a nickel tuh git through, neithah a penny, but jis' a small short one. Well, yuh nevah pro- tected, an' yuh'll nevah hold no money. (They simply put a little pinhole in my pocket and I'll never be able to hold any money.) Yuh cain't drop no money in de pockets. Evah time yuh git it, it gone.
Entry 5057
Yuh kin take a woman's stockin' an' urinate on it an' jis' take a lil Hearts Cologne an' wrap it up tight an' put it in yore pocket, an' dat woman will go crazy long as dat stockin' wrapped up in a tight bow, an' yuh keep it anywhere on yuh. De man's sock de same way. (That makes her go crazy about him?) "Bout 'im, long as yuh have dose stockin's or socks anywhere 'bout chew.
Entry 5325
Dat is about a girl, yo' know. Take dis girl out yondah [yonder] an' yo' wan'a go wit 'er. Yo' kin take huh track an' take a teaspoon fulla de sand outa huh track an' a tea- spoon fulla sulphuh an' a little ball of asafitidy. An' tie it up in a black cloth an' put it in yore pocket, an' weah it in dere fo' 'bout nine mawnin's - eithah seven mawnin's. [They] say she'd come tuh yore house. But yo' jes' keep it in dere de ninth mawnin'. But [they] say aftah seven mawnin's yo'd make good wit 'uh. An' jes' weah dere until de ninth mawnin' an' yo'll have 'uh den.
Entry 5410
Well, ah've heard dis about dat. Ah've heard dat - co'se ah've tried dat. Yo' goes, jis' lak ah'm goin' dis road, walkin' disaway. All right, if yo' wants tuh win a person, jis' lak a game or sompin lak dat. If yo' wanta change de way she gwine, jis' go an' take yore fingah [demonstrates], jes' lak if mah track is turned lak dis, ah'm gwine disaway. Take de fingah an' put it right in de hollah of yore feet - in de hollah of de feet of de track - jis' lak dat, three fingahs. All right, den yo' take it up wit yore three fingahs an' take an' put it in a rag, an' tote it in yore pocket an' yo' have dem dataway.
(You'll have the other person.)
Entry 5505
Yo' kin take her right foot track. Now, lak yo' tryin' tuh make love an' dis girl doesn't want tuh make it wit yo'. An' jes' lak it seem yo' couldn't make it up wit 'er, an' in kinda speakin' tuh 'er, yo' goin' try tuh make it some- how wit 'er. Well jes' take her right track den an' jes' take yo' a flannen rag, yo' know de red flannen rag, an' jes' git 'er right toe track outa dat toe where dat dig up. Git dat. Git about as much as yo' kin pick up [with your fingers] an' put it in dat flannen an' do [tie] it up. An' git some red peppah an' put it in dat, an' git some of 'er hair. If yo' don't do it jes' den, it may be a month or it may be a yeah yo' gotta work. Git one stran' of 'er hair out 'er haid. Don't git de lef' foot, git de right one. An' when yo' git dat, put it in dis rag an' jis' wrap it up. Sew it up. See. Well, aftah yo' sew it, make a knot. See, right befo' yo' git roun', make nine knots in it; an' de las' one at de end of yore sewin' let it be nine knots. See, jes' make nine knots befo' yo' close up de end. See. An' jes' 'ninte [anoint] it good befo' yo' go tuh sewin' wit dis. Let it be a cloth string or cotton thread string. Well, jes' use spirits of turpentine, jes' ninte [anoint] it good wit dat, an' jes' make de nine knots an' den yo' got evahthin'.
(What do you do with that bag then?)
Jes' tote it in yore right pocket - keep it. An' she'll come tuh yo', BOY. [This is the second time I have been called boy.]
Entry 5513
Yo' kin trick 'em disaway. Yo' kin go tuh work - see, it's yore shoe. Lak yo' walk wit de shoe in some san' [sand], an' den shape of yore shoe is lef' down dere, dat hollah right yondah. Where de track leave de hollah in dat san', yo' watch it, an' yo' go an' git chew de san'. Be sure it's 'is track, dough [though], an' start tuh [to = at] de toes of it, lak dis heah [demonstrates] an' draw it back, in de track from de shoe. Yo' draw it up once [one time only] an' tie it up.
(Which one?)
De lef' or right, don' make no diff'rence. Jes' start tuh toes of 'is shoe track an' drag it back dere lak dat. Git a handfulla dat track from de shoe, from de hollah. Be sure yo' git de hollah part right in heah. Take it 'long wit chew an' tie it up - sew it up in a li'le new piece of homespun, or a ole piece, it makes no diff'rence. Yo' jes' carry dat thing right down in yore pockets an' weah it dere. Weah it dere jes' lak dat an' yo'll run 'em crazy, long as yo' tote dat track. Yo' tote dat track.
(That is to hold the person?)
Yeah, by totin' dat track. See, he don' know it. Yo' totin' dat track evah- where yo' go. Dat's whut dey say yo' do 'bout it.
Entry 5524
Dey take dat an' make yo' love 'em. Take dat track out de hollah yore foot. Take it up - jis' lak yo' take up, jis' lak dat [demonstrates], lak dis de hollow of it. An' put sugah in it an' put dis powdah in it, dis same love powdah. Put it in it an' tote it in yore pocket. Dat will make dem love yo'.
(You take that out of either track, either the right or left?)
De right.
Entry 5586
Well, if a man a long way from home an' he wanta come back - she have tuh do dis befo' he git off do [though]. Git 'is track from 'is right foot, from de toe back tuh de heel, an' sew hit up in a bran'-new piece of cloth, an' tote it in 'er pocket evahwhere she go. But she mustn't let nobody put dey han's on it. An' he come home back tuh 'er.
Entry 5595
If yo' love a man an' a man don' care very much about chew an' he, yo know, come tuh yore house sometime an' sometime he doesn't. Well, yo' take a snuffbox an' [put] evah othah one of 'is tracks in dis snuffbox. Yo' put a li'le pinch of dirt in dis snuffbox out of evah one of 'is track - evah othah one.
(How many?)
Nine - till yo' git tuh nine. An' when yo' git tuh nine, yo' take dis snuff- box an' shet it up. An' yo' shet it up an' tote it fo' nine days in yore pocket. An' when yo' tote it fo' nine days in yore pocket, yo' come tuh yore step an' po' de dirt out intuh yore step. An' ah'll guarantee dat'll make him love yo'.
(You pour this track dirt of his under your step then?)
Yes.
Entry 5604
An' den it's like if yo' got a job an' yore bossman don' like yo', yo' take up 'is track an' put it in yore right-han' pocket, an' keep it in dere all de time an' he'll come tuh be satisfied wit yo' altuhgethah. (Either track or both?) Either one. He'll come to be all right.
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 5613
[he pick up her track] an' put nine seeds of red peppah in it, if he Want de woman. Put nine seeds in dere an' sew it up in a little yarn rag, an tote.it in 'is pocket. Dat's de way he'll keep de woman. (Get that dirt out of her track - either track?) Either track, yessuh.
Entry 5807
Yo' kin do dat, yo' kin take de hair outa woman's haid. Co'se [of course] ah don't know if a man do anythin' to anothah man. But if yo' have a goman yo' wanta make love wit, yo' jes' take de hair outa de mole of 'er haid if yo' POSS'bly kin. YO'D HAVE TO STEAL IT OUTA DERE CUZ WOMEN WON'T LET CHEW GIT DAT OUTA DERE IF DEY KNOW IT. An' if yo' kin, some hair out de mole of de woman's haid, yo' kin put dat into a little bottle, see, an' put some alcohol over it, see, an' put a flannen [flannel] stoppah in it - a red flannen stoppah. DAT COME DIRECT DOWN FROM DE HOODOO BUSINESS cuz ah've had dat. An' tote it in yore pocket an' dat woman'll come back to yo'. Don't care where she is, she'll come back to yo'. If she don't come back she'll go crazy. [For alcohol, see also margin title WHISKEY.]
Entry 5808
Now, yore hair - see now, yo' kin take yore hair. Yo' kin take yore hair - a person kin take yore hair. She kin take yore hair an' she kin take one stran' of it, jis' say one stran', an' double it an' kinda twist it an' put a silk thread aroun' it. Take dat bair an' put it into somepin lak alcohol. Keep it in dat alcohol 24 hours. Take it out an' weah it in yore pocket, an' yo' nevah have no mo' good sense. Yo'll jis' - yore haid will be jis' worryin' yo' all de time. People been callin' dere,
[you] say, "Well, ah got a bad headache. Mah haid worryin' me." Doctors [M.D.'s]
lagu it, but yet - still dey don't know whut it is. Ain't no good to do, unless dey could git dat hair an' do 'way wit it.
Entry 5907
Well, yo' kin take de graveyard dirt an' yo' kin go out an' git it, see. An' den yo' kin take some of dis heah woman's hair from de mole of 'er haid. An' put it togethah. An' yo' kin den put it in a little ole sack sorta like a 'bacca [tobacco] sack, an' tote dat in yore pocket all de time. An' den yo'll come to be lucky an' all de time while yo' is out, why dis heah woman, she will come to be in love wit yo' an' have her mind on yo'.
Entry 6014
Yo' kin take a person's hair now, an' yo' kin take yo' nine needles up an' down [demonstrates], an' wrap dat hair between 'em wit black thread. (One needle is pointed that way and one that way.) Dat's right. Head an' tail dey call it. Yo' take dat an' wrap dat an' put chew - git chew a little red flannel bag an' git chew a dime's wut [worth] of lodestone dust an' put in dat, an' put dat in yore pocket. Yo' have de headache de balance of yore days.
Entry 6041
Git a stran' of a woman's hair while she sleep, if yo' an' 'er are liv- in' disagreeable an' can't git along. Take hit an' wear it in yore right-han' pocket or put it in yore pocketbook. Yo' know dey keep dese little purses in yore pocketbook, an' keep dat in dere. An' dat will git her mind sort of waver- ed back [to you]. An' den if she do take a notion to go off, an' yo' kin githold of a piece of 'er garment dat she wear close by her skin, an' keep it to de head of yore bed, an' sleep wit it undah yore pillah, dat will bring 'er back.
Entry 6076
Ah have heard dat chew could take a person hair an' gain de influence of 'em by carryin' dere hair in yore pocket. Yo'could take dere hair an' git chew a piece of bran'-new cloth, piece of bran'-new white cloth sech as be de - yo' know, don't be flowered lak dis. Yo' know, jes' any kin'a bran'-new cloth dat don't cost but 5c a yard - plain cloth. Yo' kin take dat an' take nine stran's of a person's hair an' carry dat nine stran's of a person's hair in yore pocket nine days, an' DE NINTH MAWN- IN' yo' git up outa de bed an' yo' say de THREE GOD MANHEAD: God de Father, God de Son, God de Holy Ghost - de ninth mawnin'. An' yo' take dem nine stran's of bair an' WALK TO DE BACK DO'. Wit yure left han' throw dem nine stran's of hair away. Don't look back aftah yo' throw 'em away, jes' throw 'em anyuay. Don't look back aftah yo' throw 'em. An' de person who yo's in love wit, y jes' lak yo' throw dere hair away, dey'll come back to yo'. [Even cloth at 5c a yard vas amazing back in 1939 - see INTR0., p. XXXV for date.] An' if it's a person dat chew wanta git away from yo', de seventh day yo' cake dat hair an' walk to de front do' jes' at sunrise an' say de THREE GOD MANHRAD, an' put it right in de centah of de do'step - right in de centah of de do'step. Den take a horseshoe - YO'VE SEEN A HORSESHOE - an' lay dat horseshoe right down ovah it; jes' yo' know square each way, jes' so it'll extend each way an' it'll be level each way. Yo' take dem nine stran's of hair an' dig a little hole an' bury it. Put dat horseshoe ovah it. Take yo' nine pins an' drive down in dere. Jes' try tuh drive 'em on top of de head of each othah it'll be bettah. An dat'll drive 'em away from yo', so yo' won't have any trouble wit dat person any
(You cover up that horseshoe so it can't be seen?)
Yes sir, yo' covah it up lightly so it can't be seen. [Despite the absence of pubic or armpit hair in this rite, I have placed it here because of 9 hairs snd9 days.]
Entry 6150
Sure, ah heard dat yo' jes' take dat hair an' put a few little diff'- ren' articles in it an' wear it in yore pocket. Yo' git de hair an' a piece of de foot out de right foot of dere stockin', an' yo' sew dat hair an' dat piece of stockin' togethah an' yo' wear it in yore pocket an' dey have to return.
(Either sock?)
Out de right foot.
Entry 6372
Yo' kin take a woman's hair an' a piece of 'er undah- weah an' a piece of new cloth, an' sew it up tight an' weah it in yore pocket, an' dey says she'll love yo'. Else [otherwise] she'll be extra mean tuh yo'.
Entry 6810
(What do they use garlic for?) Dat's, dey poun' dat up, too. Dey poun' dat up an' use dat fo' - jis' lak now, if yo' sick, dere's somepin in yo' an' yo' cain't git it out, yo' know. Yo' take dat garlic pound it up an' take it - jis' pound it up, pound it up, pound it up, an' mix it wit a teaspoon sodee.
(Soda?)
Yeah cookin' sodee. Swallah it down, see. An' dat knocks it out.
(I see.)
Entry 7310
Go to de graveyard gittin' some dirt, diggin' Way down in dere an' gittin' some dirt, an' put it in dey pocket an' yo' go ahead on. Den dey nevah will ketch 'em.
(That's if a fellow did some crime or something.)
Entry 7311
A man 'at [that] kills yuh - say, fo' ninstance, ah shoo' choo an' yo' die, ah stay in ambush an' hid aroun' heah until yo' are buried. Ah go to yore grave an' step backwards over dere an' git some of de dirt, an' ah nevah will be apprehended. (What do you do with that dirt then, after you get it?) Care [carry] it in yore pocket, stick it in yore pocket. Long as yo' keep dat, yo'll go free.
Entry 7394
Buy new brand [brand-new] pocket- knife an' put it in de dead man left hand an' put it in de left pocket. (Put his left hand in his pocket.) Yeah, wit de knife open in 'is pocket. (What will that do?) Dat will make him [murderer] die too. (That is a different way from the other way. There're two ways of doing it.)
Entry 7645
Way dey does it is dey take de dust from de footboard an' some of dem jes' tote it in dey pocket. Dat's tuh give dem good luck.
Entry 7764
I've heard you can go to a graveyard and get some dirt and put it in a bag for a lucky hand and they say you'll win every game you go in. You carry in your pocket.
Entry 7765
If dey's shootin' crap, shootin' dice, yo' kin [go] down tuh de ceme- tery an' git some-a dirt off de haid of it, an' put it in de pocket where yo' goin' use de money. Well, dat will [make you lucky in gambling]. [Here I turned off recording machine, then started again]. Yo' don't know how tuh make dice do yo'? [I probably shook my head.] Don't know how tuh make 'em? Well, yo' kin take - dey make 'em wit bones an' dey make 'em wit celluloid, too. Ah'm tellin' yo' whut ah know an' WHUT AH HIRED TO TELL YO'. [No one Was ever hired to tell me anything. Every one came to me on the basis of a promise: if he knew something I wanted to hear, he was paid according to what I thought the information was worth; if he knew nothing, he was given a small fee for his time. As we gained experience and established confidence in a community, we tried to weed out before reaching the interviewing room, those who knew little or nothing.] But de man who run de house tole me - he want tuh git me [sooner] but ah had tuh go out of town. [De man who run de house, the man who rented the house in which I interviewed, was H. L. Timmons (see Vol.1, p. XXxvII), my contact man, whose automobile I also rented.] (Well, all you have to do is to put this graveyard dirt in your pocket where you put the money.) Put it to work, dat's right.
(That is for luck in gambling.)
Tote wit de dice.
Entry 7766
He tole me one time, he says: Jes' lak yo' knew a person dat died re- cently, it don't make no diff'rence how long he's been [dead]. Dat's providin' if he's a gamblah, a man or a woman. It don't make no diff'rence, if he's a gamblah an' yo' wanted tuh git a "lucky hand" or sompin lak dat tuh be successful in gamblin'. Ah have nevah tried it but he tole me, said he wus successful. Ah noticed he handled plenty of money. Said, jes' lak yo' knew a person dat died, woman or man, an' dey wus a gamblah or pokah playah or sompin of de kind, an' yo' Wanted a little luck. Well, whutevah 'mount of money yo wanted tuh give 'em - yo' have tuh pay 'em firs'. Jes' lak yo'd git up, why it be twelve a'clock at night. Yo' go tuh dis pahtic'lah grave of de person yo' knew, yo' knew tuh be de gamblah, an' git so much dirt - jes' a little pinch lak dat. Jes' dig yo' a hole in dere an' git it, an' 'fore yo' close it back up, put some money in dere. Pay 'em fo' it an' take it an' wrap it up in yore little rag. An' tote it in yore pocket where yo' money at an' dey say yo' be lucky.
Entry 7767
Ah've tried. It give luck, if yo' go tuh de graveyard twelve o'clock in de night an' run yore han' down on dere, right in de centah of dat grave, an' git out some dirt. Put it in yore pock- it. Now, dat is if yo're a gamblah, put it in yore pockit wit chure change an' yo' kin go tuh de skin game an', long as yo' got dat money, yo'll have all kind of luck yo' want. Ah done tried dat.
Entry 7828
Git some lodestone powdah an' graveyard dirt an' mix dat tuhgethah an' dat will make yo' git a job. Put it in yuh pocket an' tote it.
(The boss will give you a job.)
Entry 7853
If you want a girl to love you, go in agrave- yard at twelve to one o'clock that night. And you get a handful of graveyard dirt and sneak it in your girl's pocket, and she'll always love you. [Deal Island, Md.,. (114), 33:5.]
Entry 7945
If you can get any part of the coffin or the garments in which a per- son is buried and fix it to a person, in their pockets or inside somewhere where it will not be seen or noticed, this person to whom this thing is attached will himself die in eighteen months.
Entry 7948
Git a brand-new needle an' thread an' git de undahtakah to sharpen it. An' if a woman dat 'er husban' is bad, an' if she kin git tuh dis woman dat is runnin' wit 'im, take a brand-new needle, an' thread dat de undahtakah shroud dat dead body wit. An' sew about six stitch- es in it, an' take dat needle an' thread back, 'fo' her husban' git tuh dere, an' sew dat place up in 'is pocket. An' if he runnin' out [with the women], dat'll run 'em away. (She simply runs this needle and thread through the dead person's clothing, and then brings that thread and needle back to her house, and she repairs her husband's clothing. Then when he goes to this woman's house, it will break them up?) Yes, run 'er away.
(The husband will come back to his wife?)
Yes.
Entry 8232
Well, yo' take dat pichure an' put it in yore pocket, if yo' wanta carry it wit chew. Yo' kin take dat pichure an' yo' want dem tuh love yo'. Dat whut chew wanta know. Take dat pichure an' git some olive oil an' put nine drops of dat pichure right around, yo' know, right around de haid. An' put dat pichure in yore pocket an' tote it wit yo'. Den fo' nine days yo' read de 23rd Psalms ovah it, an' dat'll make dem people care fo' yo'.
Entry 8915
Yo' take a frog. Dat's when yo' wanta go in to git somepin. Yo' wants to go into a place to git sompin, certain things out. Well, yo' take dis frog an'you put him in yo' pocket live today. Well, yo' go in dis place an' smoke dis place off today. Well, yo' won't git nuthin today, but tuhmahrah [tomor- row] yo' intend to git whut chew Want. Yo' bring dis frog back an' buy yo' 15 buckshots, which yo' shoot in a gun. Yo'll put him over heah in de corner. He ain't going move. Yo'll roll dem shots to him an' he'll swallow every one of dem. Den yo'll pick him back up an' go to de store an' evahthing yo' calls for, evahthing yo' call fo', he'll nevah ask yo' fo' no money. [A frog swal- lowing buckshot is widely believed.]
Entry 8982
Yo' go to de slaughter pen an' yo' get yo' a fresh beef tongue. An' yo' write his name, whosomevah, if yo' kin get dem witness names. Yo' write dem witness name down. Write each witness name down on a piece of papah. An' yo' take dat beef tongue an' split it open just like dis [demonstrates] an' put all dem names in dat beef tongue an sew it back up. An' yo' wrap dat up good an' yo' go on down dere [to court] wit dat in yore pocket. An' sit dere. When de witness get up dere, dey can't talk. All dem tongue-tied, dey can't say nuthin - just cross-talk, dey can't say nuthin. An' yo' goin' to get discharged.
Entry 9025
That same woman I'm telling you about now, she was making whiskey and they had her up in Bowling Green [Va.] Court. She went there and she got a four- leaf clover and put it in her left pocket, and made a wish to get clear, and went to the court and they dis- missed it. The power that was in the four-leaf clover and her wishes and her power banished the court. [Fredericksburg, Va., cylinder 44, by Ediphone.]
Entry 9111
[The red onion is one of the well-known objects in hoodoo, having been inherited from folk medicine as well as what passed for the scientific medicine of the day. A few examples of its use will be found in margin title ONION, Pp.622-626, v.1. 0n p.625, line 6f., I find a note of my own: 'Red onion - like red flannel ball or (red) bag for hands - symbolizes the human heart." Where that came from I no longer remember. Perhaps an informant in Hoodoo says it. Since the rite about to be given is a squeezing rite (another type of magic often ignored and unindexed), see No.2188, p.625, for another red onion squeezed in court.] If yo' goin' up befo' de judge an' yo' don' want de judge tuh put no sentence on yuh atall, yo' wanta come cleah of whut chew done. Git chew a red onion an' yo' cut a roun' hole in dere, cut a roun' hole in dat onion. An' aftah cuttin' de hole in dat onion, yo' take yo' some salt an' full it up, full dem holes wit dat salt.
(How many holes?)
Fo' [demonstrates]: one heah, one dere, one dere, an' one dere - de fo' holes. An' evahone dat yo' thinks ag'inst chew, yo' take yo' pins - stickpins [ordinary pins], an' evahone yo' learn ag'inst chew, call dere name an' punch it down in dere. Evahone yo' thinks ag'ins' chew, call dere name, "By de he'p [of God] ah wan' chew tuh git me off." Do dat in de mawnin' or any time in de day, jes' put 'im down in dere. Put 'im down in dere, evahone yo' think ag'ins' yuh, jes' stick 'em down in dat onion. An' aftah stickin' 'em in dat onion, take dat onion an' take an' put it in yore pocket. But be sure tuh hold it [keep your hand on it]. Jes' lak yo' put dese pins down in dere, be sure tuh hold it in yore han's jes' lak dat [demonstrates] jes' dat-a-way. (Bring your fingers over the top of the onion, and have the heads of the pins under them.) Yes, dat's right. Keep it in yore pocket. Keep it tight an' he can't do anything wit chew. He'll turn yo' loose.
Entry 9342
Lak if ah been workin' in a place a long time, an' ah wants tuh stay dere, ah gits me a fresh yard aig [chicken egg laid in an old-fashioned henhouse and not on the modern commercial production line!] right aftah de hen lay it. An' ah take some straight stickin' pins [ordinary pins], dey gotta [be] new, an' ah put one right through it lak dis, see [demon- strates]. An' den ah run one across it, yo' see [demonstrates]. An' fo'evah weah dat. Even in mah pocket, jis' lak ah have a pocket, an' weah dat in dere, see [demonstrates]. An' yo' be dere [on the job] fo' a long time. Dey'll nevah fiah [fire = discharge] yo'.
Entry 9367
Take a hen aig an' weah it intuh yuh pocket an' yo'll have luck wit mos' anything dat chew want tuh do. (How do you mean, wear it in your pocket? This whole egg or just the egg shell or what?) Jes' de shell of de aig. If yo' even eat de aig, take de shell an' jes' weah it, wherevah yo' go an' yo'll have luck. Even if yo' go tuh de circus an' yo' want [to] be seein' how dey win dese things, yo'll [have]luck.
Entry 9449
"Fore yo' go down tuh de bossman, yo' git chew some salt, git chew a box-a [box of] bran'-new salt. Den yo' take dat salt an' tie it up in a new piece a yellah homespun, an' yo' put it in yore pocket. An' yo' take yo' some loose salt, have it in yore han', an' yo' sprinkle it all roun' where yo' - [do] not let chure boss see it - all roun' where yore boss makes tracks at. Sprinkle it all roun' dere an', see, salt conkahs. Salt is a conkah thing. Salt conkahs a lotta things yo' know, jes' even cookin' salt. Yo' kin do a lotta things wit salt. Dat's good.
Entry 9451
If yo' goin' tuh hunt a job an' yo' think yo' not goin' be a success, yo' always tote yo' a li'le salt in yore pocket. Have salt in yore pocket evah mawnin' when yo' on dat job or when yo' goin' jes' tuh look fo' a job, see. An' jes"fore yo' git tuh yore boss, yo' put a li'le bita dat salt in yore han' an' goes up wit chure han' lak dat [demon- strates] an' jes' rub. An' go on tuh yore boss.
Entry 9519
Whut ah heard about de job proposition - whut chew kin do tuh make him give yo' a job or tuh make peace. Yo' undahstand me? Well, all yo' have tuh do is buy yo' a fresh box of Jack Frost [trade name] salt an' put it in yore pocket an' put some in yore shoes an' go on tuh him. (Go down to the boss and ask him for a job?) Yeah, dat'll make peace. Dat's right, dat's all yo' gotta do.
Entry 9627
If yo' goin' tuh git a job, git up in de mawnin', or even if de sto's now open tuhnight, git chew a package of cookin' salt. Open dat salt. Po' some salt in de cornah of a large han'- kerch'ef. Yo' put red peppah in dere an' sulphuh, an' yo' tie it up. Put it In yore right pocket an' go [to see boss]. An' if de man don' hire yo' dat day, dey'll tell yo' tuh come [back], an' de nex' time yo' go back yo' git a job.
Entry 9782
Mah grandmothah said dat yo' kin take a needle an' break up people. She said joo take de needle an' put it in de man's pants pockit, in 'is right.
Entry 9905
Tell yo' about frogs. Take a frog an' put 'im in a snuffbox an' punch holes in it, an' ca' it down tuh de fo'ks of de road. An' at de twil of day go back fo' nine mawnin's, an' de las' mawnin' he'll be et up by de antses. An' take him den an' take de bone outa his haid, an' keep it in yuh pockit. An' if yo' wan' someone tuh do whut chew ast 'im [ask him] take an' put dat somewheah neah dem, an' dey'll do anything yo' as'cum [ask them].
(When do you take that frog down there to the road?)
At de 'twill of day - yes sir, jis' befo' daylight. (The twill of day, that means just before daylight.) [This last remark of mine is merely an editorial comment for the future. I may have another example of twil but I am not sure. Does it mean at the twilight of day? Somewhere in HOODOO I think we have the expression first Light. Does the latter equal dawn?]
Entry 9961
(You take an ordinary toadfrog?) A ordinary toadfrog. Don't kill 'im. Stop 'im up in a bottle an' let 'im die. He'll dry up in dere, an' den yo' kin jis' crumple it up. Put it in a piece, sew it up in a piece [of cloth] an' put it in yuh pocket. Yo' boun' tuh win. Ah knows dat.
Entry 9964
Take a toadyfrog an' yo' split 'im open, see, an' jis' tote him aroun' in yore pocket, an' yo' kin have all de luck yo' want.
(In gambling.)
Entry 9965
Take a toadfrog an' skin 'im an' put 'im in yore pocket, an' nobody cain't hahm [harm] yo' no way. An' yo' [also] kin go all ovah in games, play games, an' yo' win.
Entry 9966
Ah hear'd dat if - jis' lak if a man wants tuh be a swift gamblah, an' he wanted tuh be lucky in 'is gamblin', dat he'd ketch a toadfrog an' he'd cut 'is hin' guartah off - 'is left [hind] quartah - an' put it in 'is pocket. De longah yo' tote dis heah hin' quartah, dey say yo'd be lucky in gamblin'. An' den if yo' evah lose yore luck, why yo'd lose yore love. [The preceding folk- lore or hoodoo penalty was and still is new to me, uhich may be the reason why I failed to ask an obvious question. What do you Dean by love? Would you lose your lover or sexual potency? Could these final words be a proverbial saying?]
Entry 9969
Yo' take a frog and dry him. You take a frog and wrap him up and let hin die himself. Don't you kill him. Well, when he gets dry, you tote that in your pocket. You can take that and you can do anything you want with that frog. Just like if you a dice shooter, or anything I like that, you rub that [dried frog]. Jis' put it in your pocket and take and put your hand on that [frog] and go to work and shoot dice. Be lucky. Jes' like if you had one game, and if you don't have success with that, turn your back on that game. And select you a card place, if you play cards, and you'll lose one or two games and you know that you ought to win, turn your back on that game.
(How do you mean turn your back on it?)
What I mean, walk away from that game and go to the next game.
(I see, if you have this frog in your pocket.)
drying/state of the wrapped frog after the stated let-die instruction. Keep Don’t you kill him and let him die himself as the source’s wording; do not describe the text as harmless, or replace it with active killing. rubbing the carried dry frog before dice play. Resolve the pronoun from actual complete narrator context, not only the bracketed gloss. conditional lack of success at gambling and changing games. Preserve don’t have success, the card-game losses and the practical walk-away explanation. expected winning contrasted with one or two losses and leaving the game. Preserve if you play cards, one or two losses, ought to win and the instruction to move to the next game. These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified.
Entry 9970
Well, yo' kin take a frog, jes' a or'nary frog whut jup 'round de iouse, see. Yo' take dat frog alive an' yo' kin put 'im in a containah or jah or anythin' an' yo' kin jis' take alcohol, any kind of rubbin' [lotion] or any- ching [and fill bottle] an' let 'im stay in dere till he petrify. Well, yo' kin take dat frog an' put 'im in yore pocket an' yo' kin weah him in dere an' yo'll always be lucky. (With what in particular?) In keepin' a job an' stayin' in peace wit people an' havin'- yo' know, jes' socialize wit 'em.
Entry 9971
If yo' git de laid of a frog an' weah it in yore pock- et, dey say yo'll always be a lucky person. (That's lucky for anything?) Yes.
Entry 9972
If yo' gamblin' an' yo' in bad luck, yo' go 'head an' git chew a frog an' tie 'im up, or tie him roun' yuh wrist, or in yuh pocket some place, an' dat'll also increase yuh luck.
(Kill him first?)
Don't kill 'im at all. Jis' keep 'im dere an' if he don't do no good, let 'im loose; but it have been said dat's a good remedy [for gambling].
Entry 9974
Dey take dat frog an' put it in a piece of paper an' put it in a back pocket, an' if yo' should go out gamblin', every time dat frog jump in your pocket, you bet or throw dice, why yo'll win.
Entry 9980
Jis' lak a fellah's gamblin' an' wan'a han' tuh gamble an' lak dat, he kin take - he wants tuh win in gamblin' - take a frog, one dem small green frogs, an' put 'im in 'is pocket. Put 'im in a papah sack an' put 'im in 'is pocket. Rub 'is han' ovah 'im about three time an' den put 'im in dat papah bag. An' put 'im in 'is pocket an' go on tuh de game an' break de gaime.
Entry 9981
If yo' wanta be a gamblah an' win good, yo' git chew a frog an' put it in yore pocket, an' put a little table salt in it [pocket]. See, if dis heah are de gamblin' hall, yo' know, yo walks in, an' if yo' vanta beat in de game, yo' jis' valk on in wit both hands in yore pockets jis' lak dis [demonstrates]. Stan' aroun' a little bit. Aftah shile maybe yo might be holdin' de cards or whutsomevah de game dey playin', yo' kg, an yo'll win evahthin' in dat house. But dat frog gotta be live.
(Do you put this salt on the frog?)
Yes.
(Right on the frog?)
Right on de frog. Keep 'im live in yore pocket. [St. Petersburg, Mla.
(1024), 1657:9.]
Entry 9982
(What sort of toadfrog? What sort of frog do you take?)
Jis' or'nary frog. Yo' take him an' yo' kill 'im an' yo' jis' salt 'im down. Ah 'magine yo' gits a five-cent box of salt. Jis' take an' scattah dat salt, jis' wad 'im ovah dit it tuh de time yo' think yo' got all dat salted don. An' yo' put 'im in one pocket an' yo' put de salt yo' didn't give tuh 'in in de othah pocket. An' if yo' go in a room roun' anywhere dey gamblin', jis' take dat salt, an' if yo' lucky an' got money, take dat same salt an' put it ovah 'im lak dat [demonstrates] an' dat'll give yo' luck. But chew have tuh pve salt in yore pocket.
Entry 9983
Now, ah have tried a lotta things in gamblin' an' ah made tvo pretty aood success of it [two successful periods in life]. Now, if a man is a gamblah an' he goin' tuh a good game tuhnight, he might go out in de country dis evenin' befo' he go tuh dat game. An' jis' about dahk [dark] - yo' know dese li'l ole toad- Srog dey always come out, yo' know, jumpin' round. An' if yo' git holt of one da toadfrogs, yo'll wrap it up in yuh han'ke'ch'ef good an' put it in yuh pocket. An' all de money yo' wanta bet on in dat game, yo' bet it out dat same pocket yo' got dat frog in, an' nobody couldn't ketch yo' twixt heah an' Tampa [Florida].
Entry 9984
Yo' kin get yo' a live toadfrog an' put 'im in a sack in your pocket, an' jes' keep 'im dere till he pees. They say that's luck in gambling.
Entry 9985
Ketch a frog an' tote 'im round in yore pocket an' feed 'im offa flies. Keep 'im in yuh pocket fo' 'bout nine days an' tote 'im roun', an' dat's good fo' gamblin'. Anybody dat likes tuh dey carry frogs.
Entry 9986
If a fellah wants tuh be lucky an' go tuh a place where dere's plenty of money at, an' he wants de othah fellah tuh fall, he go out an' kill 'im a toadfrog, an' he dries dat frog up. Den he go up, if he got a chimley, an' git one dese bats dat flies roun' de chimley - chimley bats. [Does informant mean chimney swallow?] Gits one of 'em. Den he'll dry it, an' he'll put dat frog an' dat bat in each one of 'is pockets. He's got a pair of dice in dere. [What informant means by preceding expression will be learned later.] Take dem dice out an' rub 'em in han' dat-a- Way [demonstrates] aftah he done tech de frog or eithah de bat. Now, yo' got a gamblin' house heah. Well, yo' 'lowin' [allowing] people tuh shoot dey own dice [not the house dice]. Well, ah'm yuh gamekeepah. Ah'm [I am = I have] got a stack of dollahs ovah heah [demonstrates]. Well, yo' come heah an' yo' say, "Ten dollahs fo' tuh shoot." Ah say, "Yo' want any dice?" "No, ah'm got a pair of dice." "Shoot 'em, "[I say]. Well yo' throw 'em out. Firs' time dey'll crap. Nex' time dey'll crap. He's back in 'is p'int [point] up dere. An' he say, "Ah ain't got no p'int [point] ah'll ketch mah p'int." Well, when he ketch a p'int, he might ketch a fo', six or eight or ten, an' right dere where ah'm done both. An' if ah speak up tuh 'im, he'll have de whole business. Dat's fo' a gamblin' han'.
(You use either of those?)
Eithah one of 'em. Gotta put one in each one of 'is pockets dis-a-wa y[demon- strates] an' when he gits ready - don' pull 'em out. He puts 'is han' on 'em an' rub 'em dis-a-way, see [demonstrates]. (Does he have both parts of the dice [the two dice] in one pocket, or one in each pocket?)
[Here I am surprised!]
Naw, he has two sets of dice, see. If he have one set of dice, he kin put 'em in each one [either] of 'is pockets - it mattahs ary [either] one of 'is pockets will do. But yo' gotta change it up sometime from one pocket tuh de othah, see. De frog he's dried up an' de bat he dried up.
Entry 9990
An' den yo' kin take dat frog ag'in alive an' give him some whiskey, an' load 'im up wit [gun] shots, an' keep 'im alive in yore pocket. Den yo' kin go tuh any gamblin' shop an' have luck.
Entry 9998
Ah've hear'd of 'em. He keeps de frog tricks from workin' roun' shows an' so forth.
(How do they do that?) Yo' take him an' split 'im down 'is back, ah think it is, an' put 'is back, ah think it is, an' put salt on 'im an' put 'im in yore pocket.
Entry 10060
Ah hear'd if a man wanted any luck, wanted tuh learn how tuh be a ex- pert or a musician, or if he wanted tuh be a expert gamblah or what not, dey goes out tuh dat crossroads fo' nine mawnin's. An' de ninth mawnin' when he go out there - but befo' he go out dere, he goes den an' he git 'im a black cat. Ah bettah [begin again] so yo' kin undahstan' it good. Befo' he goes tuh de crossroads dat nine mawnin's, he goes de firs' mawnin' an' he git 'im a black cat. An' he takes dat black cat an' he cares 'im out dere wit 'im tuh de crossroad nine mawnin's. An' when he cares 'im dere nine mawnin's, de ninth mawnin' when he git dere, dey says dat de devil 'imself meets 'im dere. An' dey says he'll tell 'im anything dat chew wan'a do or anything yo' wan'a know. Says, he'll give me anythin' between de sole of yuh haid an' de crown of yuh feet. [With a mixup like this between sole [soul] and crown, devil still must have been working.] He says, "It shall be granted tuh yo'." An' so when- evah he do dat, he takes dis black cat, which he's got alive, an' he gits 'im a pot.
(After he has gone there nine mornings, he takes the cat and gets this pot?)
Yessuh. An' when he gits dis pot, den he goes den tuh a stream of watah dat's runnin'. He makes 'im a fiah on de hill right up above de watah. An' when he makes dis fiah an' git dat watah boilin', he throws dat black cat in de pot alive an' lets dis cat cook alive. An' when de cat cooks until all de flesh has come off de bone, he takes de carcass of dat cat an' throw it in de runnin' watah. An' all de bones an' all de ones dat goes down de stream, he let 'em alone. He takes de - an' de bone dat runs up de stream, dat goes back up de stream de object [opposite] way, why he takes dat bone den an' he totes dat in 'is lef'-breas' pocket. An' when he tote it in 'is lef'-breas' pocket why anythin' he desires den, he'll git dat.
Entry 10116
There was a fellow who used to say - a long time ago a fellow was not so very lucky, and another man told him to go and git hisself a black cat bone. He told him to go over into the graveyard and find whatsoever he could of a bone from a person, and then come back and git a black cat bone, and keep them in his pocket. He told him to git the fore right-hand arm of the black cat and keep it and the other bone in his pocket and his luck would change.
Entry 10117
After a black cat gets killed anywhere, you pick the cat up and cut the right hind leg. The're [there are] three bones in there like a rabbit [like leg of rabbit]. Then you get the mid- dle bone out of that, then dry it, polish that, and put it in his purse and put it in his hip pocket. He don't think anybody can bother him then at all.] He will go into a dice game and put this pocketbook down, there's nothing in it at all, no money, just this bone, and he will keep his hand on it, and he will win all the money in the game.
Entry 10128
Yo' see, yo' have tub take a black cat an' boil 'im at twelve a'clock in de night an' take de bone, one li'l bone out 'is back hin' laig. Ordabxtm' me. An' yo' take an' cg dat Ob a li'l stream of watah dat goin' tuhwards de sundown an' jis' let it float an off in dat watah a li'l piece. Den yo' ketch dat an' tote dat iny pocket. Dat's luck. Dat's whut ah heah 'bout it.
(You get the bone of either back leg?)
Jis' eithah one de back laig, yo' know, long as yo' kin git a bone out dem.
Entry 10135
Take a bone, the dead man's bone, and take a black cat bone. That's tvo bones; a certain bone in the black cat, a certain bone in the dead man. And you'll be... (You use them together?) Yes, sir. (I see. All right.) Listen. Take a: certain bone of the dead man and certain bone of the black cat, tying them across [in the form of a cross], wearing them in your pocket. After wearing them in your pocket, you'll be a mystery man at least. You'll do things that it look impossible to do. For instance, I would walk in here - come in and walk on out and I wouldn't see yoo aad you wouldn't see me. But it's a certain bone.
(What bone is that?)
That's a certain bone of that black cat you have to take, you see. They got a bone in that cat - it come from the shoulder, from the left shoulder, that bone. You take that bone, and after taking that bone, to find out if you have the right bone, you takes a mirror, see, passing those bones that way [demonstrates passing che through mouth]. And long as you see yourself in the mirror thar isg't the right one. The moment you get the right one, you don't see yourself my nore. gell, that's supposed to be that bone that you kin absolutely disappear. You'll be coming in the street there and you don't disappear, but anyhow the party you hope don't see you, won't see you. When they do see you again, you'll be a dis- tance off.
(What bone do they take out of the body? Out of that person's body?)
Out of a person body? That bone they got right here, it's a small bone near to your spine.
(At the end of the spine?)
Yes, sir.
(Where you sit down on?)
Absolutely! [Some place else in HOODOO I have another example of the "inde- structible bone, " but I cannot recall where it is.] Take that bone and that black cat bone from the left shoulder and tying them acrosst. But the bone of the cat, to be sure that you have the right one, you have to use a mirror.
Entry 10151
(This black cat lucky bone?) Yes. Yo' take some sugah an' some salt an' put it on dis bone, an' let dis bone soak in it fo' an hour. An' den yo' take it an' yo' take dis bone an' put it in yore pocket. An' yo' kin go anywheah yo' wanta, an' do anythin' yo' wanta wit dat, tuh anybody yo' wanta, an' dis bone won' let nuthin hurt chew.
Entry 10562
Well, dey take dis bat an' kill him, an' let him dry; jest lak leather anyway, see. Jest let him dry an' jest [wrap] him up an' jest tote him in yore pocket. [For 3 dried bats see later.]
(The whole bat?)
De whole bat.
(What will that do?)
Well, dey tell me dat's lucky to yo'.
(In any particular way?)
In anything yo' start, any thing.
Entry 10565
They [doctors] generally use that hot, but they - the biggest majority of people [I heard] from the "doctor" that I worked for - they never did knew how to use it. See. Now, those things what I'm outZing [= out- ing = revealing to author] to you there, if the individual don't know how to use it, it the same as you trying to sweeten the Mississippi River with a nickel's worth of sugar. It's too much water. You have to put the same amount of different things, you understand, to make it have any action. See, if not, it's got no power. Now, the bat heart, plenty of people would take the bat and kill the bat, then take his heart out. The heart was dead, it's no good. Have to ketch the bat and cut the heart out whilst the bat is alive. See.
(Then what do you do?)
You take that and you - after you cut the bat heart out, you get any kind of a good high-priced perfume, anoint that perfume with that [anoint bat heart with that perfume], take three pods of garlic, sewing that up together, and put it in your pocket and you're a lucky man. [The typed words "lucky man" and reference were originally on separate sheet, I put them in ink at bottom of typed page to save space. Did this a number of times. H. M. H., August 9, 1976.]
Entry 10584
Ah hear a real gambler say if yo' wants be real lucky in gamblin', kill yo' one of dese leather-wing bats an' cut de heart out of 'em, an' lay it up until it git good an' seasoned. An' go an' buy yo' a piece of pure red silk cloth an' sew it up in dat, an' keep it in yore pocket an' go to yore game. Nobody can't hardly ketch yo'. Fact [in fact] ah have seen dat tried.
Entry 10596
Dem little ole leather-wing bats. Well, ah heard dat chew kin - dem little ole leather-wing bats, dem little bitta ones dat goes all up in de corner of yore house. Well, ah learnt dat chew could take one of dem an' kill him, an' git his heart while it's hot, an' keep it until it git dry, an' put some salt an' black peppah an' bluestone onto hit. An' sew it up in a rag an' wear it in yore pocket, an' dat's good fo' gambling. Make yo' win money. [Waycross, Ga., (1136) 1850:5.]
Entry 10602
Now a fellah tell me fo' a fact dat chew kin ketch a bat an' yo' kin carry dat round wit chew jes' like: yo' would take dem wings off him an' don't have nuthin but de bat, jes' de little ole skin. Ain't nuthin but skin nohow. Take de little ole bat, de little haid, an' put him in a papah sack or a cloth. Tie it up - sew it up jes' lak yo Would sew up a little bow, an' carry it out in yore pocket. An' yo' kin go an' do most anything yo' want. Ah don't know whether dat's true or not.
(You take just the wings off the bat though?)
Take de wings off.
(And just tie up the body?)
Tie up de body.
Entry 10603
Well, now heah de othah day a friend of mine wus tellin' me. He axe me did ah know where he could - firs' he axe me could ah lend him fo' dollahs. Ah tole him, no, ah didn't 'zactly have de money. He says, "Well, ah know a fel- lah," said, "he claims he kin gi' [give] yo' a han' fo' gam- blin'." Ah wus on de steamship workin' den, see, an' ah met dis fellah on de street an' he jes' stop me. An' he jes' stop me - yo' know, stop me an' jes' spoke. So he axed me did ah gamble. Told him shure, sometime ah gamble. "Well, " he says, "yo' evah have any luck?" "Shure ah has luck?" sometimes, sometimes ah don't." He says. "Well. vo' wanta have luck all de time?" Ah tole him, "Yeah, ef ah'd like tuh win all de time." He said, "Well, ah tell yo' whut chew do." Says, "Yo' go tuh work an' ketch yo' one dese little bats. Dese little black bats, " yo' know, "an' cut his wings off." Say, "Den - an' don't lose any of his blood - ketch all de blood yo' kin, an' split him open. An' jes' split him open an' take his entrails out, but try tuh keep all de blood dat chew kin." Say, "An' after yo' split him open, let him dry wit de blood in 'im." Say, "An' den fill dat back up with cheese." Fill dat bat, chew know inside of him up wit cheese. "Sew hit up," say, "an' jes' keep it in yore pocket where yo' keep yore money at all de time." Says, "Yo'll have luck all de time."
(In gambling?)
In gambling. So ah thought ah might as well try dat. Ah wus on de steamship fo' foah yeahs.
Entry 10612
If yo' want a job, yo' go down tuh de boss. Well, if dis fellah want- ed a job, didn't have no work an' didn't have nowhere tuh stay, an' everybody dat he went to, had turned him away. An' he went tuh a fellah dat supposed tuh know. De fellah give him three kind of roots: give Adam an' Eve, an' dis blacksnake root an' dis heah devil snakeroot [see later]. He taken dat root.... (Devil snakeroot or devil's shoestring?) Devil's shoestring! Dey called it de devil root. Take dat root an' fix dat root up in a kind of a compound an' he go down dere. When he git dere tuh dat man he take it an' goes an' git him a buckeye an' puts hit in his pocket. An' he wears dat buckeye. De buckeye made out of - dem lit- tle black buckeye lak dat. He takes dat an' he goes down an' he talks to de man. He put all of dat in Hearts Cologne an' he goes down dere to de man an' he gits tuh rubbin' his hand lak dat. An' walks up tuh de man an' started tuh talkin' with de man. De man will tell him, no, but be shore tuh come back de next day. Well, he'll come back de next dat still a-rubbin' dat root. Well, he'll git dat root, every one of 'em, one in each pocket an' one in each foot. An' he gits dere an' de man go tuh talkin' an' he'll have a piece in his mouth chewin'. When he git dere de man go tuh talkin' an' say, "Well, ah guess, if yo' think yo' kin work, ah'll give yo' a job." An' yo' tell de man yo' kin work. Jes' as long as yo' keep dat roots rubbed up an' keep it fulla Hearts Cologne, well de man will nevah fiah yo', but de time dat yo' lose dat root, yo' lose yore job.
Entry 10641
Red antses - jes' lak if, yo' know, yo' wit 'em an' yo' wanta git rid of dose people, jest anybody. If yo' don't wanta put 'em on de go [become a wanderer] yo' jest git - dey [ants] bores a hole in de ground. An' yo' jest stay right dere an' git jest a weed [or] sompin - not a stick - weed of any kind an' yo' jest continue tuh stir when dey come out dat hole, jest lak dat. An' de person dat chew don't want, yo' jest call dere name as yo' stir. Well, when yo' quit stirring, now when dey come out, if dey comes out an' go dis way or dat way - or dat way, dey ain't comin' back dere any mo'...dey goin' make [a new nest] 'long as dey kin git tuh de church or some place lak dat...but dey goin' tuh leave dat place. See, when dem [ants and] things come out dat hole like dat, see dose people is going.
(Those people whose names you called, that will drive them away.)
Dat's one de easiest way dey'll go den.
(These are big red ants.)
It's a big red ant, it a cow ant.
(Oh! Cow ant. A cow ant?)
Yeah, it made like a cow. When yo' cut his head off de other part will go right on, yo' see, dis part go an' dat part go. Well, yo' take dat an' yo sew it up.
(Sew up what? Sew up the head?)
Dat's right, dat other part will keep agoing.
(And what do you do with that head then?)
Yo' call dat person name an' watch it. See how long he be dere.
(You take this head from it [ant] while you call this person's name.)
You have tuh sew it up an' put it in yore left pocket. (And that person whose name you called will be going the same way that ant's body is going?) Jest lak he's going.
(This is the cow ant? Why do you call them the cow ant?)
Dey made lak a cow. Dey got laigs lak a cow, got a haid lak a cow. Look lak his eyes big as a big head. [Two parts of cow ant working in opposite directions is no more wonderful than the doctor who could see a tombstone rock in section HEADBOARD OF GRAVE ANSWERS DOCTOR GLOVER BY ROCKING, p.2258f., v.3.]
Entry 10767
Bluestone - dat bluestone is lucky. Gunpowder is lucky, but you have to use it in such a peculiar way. Yo' know gunpowder is dangerous. Well, all right, you take dat blue- stone and gunpowder to- gether - dey call dat [bluestone] de lucky stone. Yo' mix dis bluestone an' gunpowder together an' put it in a little bag an' jes' tote dat in yore pocketbook. Well, all right, jes' lak yo' may walk off to a big poker game. Yo' walk aroun' de poker game an' yo' got yore hands in yore pocket, an' he laugh an' say, "How about it?" or "Take a chair." Yo' say, "Well, ah don't mind." Bang! Take a shot. Well, yo' bettin' on what chew got in yore pocket. Yo' ain't bettin' on what dis othah fellah got. Well, dat bluestone an' dat gunpowder - see, dat's hot, sure be luck fo' de winner. Now, ah knowed a man - mah uncle used to try dat. Dat wus good.
Entry 10770
Dere's a man once an' he's workin' fo' anothah man an' dis man jes' Wouldn't pay him his money. So one day as he's walkin' 'long, he met up wit a' ole cunjureman rootman. Dis man tole him, he explained his cause tuh dis ole rootman. An' dis ole rootman tole him, "Well, ah'll give yo' somepin [inform- ant did not know what it was] tuh make yo' lucky enough tuh discover [recover] yore money from dis man. So de ole man did give him sompin. He tole him, "Go down town an' buy yo' a new pocket han'ke'ch'ef an' take it back home wit yo'. If yo' can, slip it intuh dis man's clothes an' dat'll make him pay yo' yore money. Yo' will own whut he have an' he won' have nuthin [more to say]." So he did dat. He went on an' bought de han'ke'ch'ef [and slipped into it what the rootman had given to him] an' carried it an' slip it intuh dis bossman's clothes, intuh his pocket. So de nex' day he went on down an' commence talkin' tuh de bossman an' de bossman, he reached back dere an' got dat same han'ke'ch'ef dat he put in his pocket. He went tuh wipin' his face aftah he begin talkin' - de bossman went tuh wipin' his face an' talkin' tuh him. So finally at las' dis man had somepin [from the rootman] in de han'ke'ch'ef, yo' know, tuh make dis man [to pay him the money].
Entry 10866
(What do you do with that black cat?)
See, jis' lak he's in de house an' come where yo' is, yo' jis' ketch a little bunch of that hair with chure finger thataway [demonstrates]. Jis' snatch it out that way an' snatch it towards his haid. An' yo' put that in with yore luck piece of yore lode- stone, whatevah yo' got, an' yo' carry that in yore pocket fo' success.
Entry 11023
jes' lak yo' have a sweetheart an' yo' want him tuh come tuh love yo' [want him to fall in love with you]. Yo' want him tuh come tuh love yo', yo' take an' draw de feathers out of dat cock's tail, an yo' press 'em three times in his hand. An' den yo' take his [dis?] hand [hand] an put it into yore right hand pocket an' look him dead in his eyes an' den kiss 'im, an' he will take sides with yo'.
(You take the feathers out of any cock's tail?)
Yes sir. [Surely the woman does not put the man's hand into her right pocket! She takes feathers, probably 3, from the rooster's tail and presses them into the man's hand 3 times to absorb his perspiration. The feathers themselves become a hand or jomo. This she puts into her own right pocket.]
Entry 11373
Said yo' go to a fig tree an' yo' git a root from de no'th side, a root from de west side, dat de side de sun set on, yeah. An' git de root from three different parts; don't git it from foah, git it from three, three different directions, [they] say. An' yo' keep dat root an' put a little Hearts Cologne on it, an' jest keep it in yore pocket an' yo' kin demand anything yo' want done. Dat's all from a fig tree. [For another version of this rite, also from Waycross, see No.1247, v.1.]
Entry 11710
Now to get a job. Well, if you going out to hunt you a job, you always get up in the morning, don't be angry, get up with a good pleasant mind. And you always keep you some sugar or the middle part of garlic. Tote that in your pocket. Take and pull all the garlic out and just the little mid- dle - that part that's in the middle - tote that in your pocket.
(What will that do?)
That will give you luck. See.
(I see.)
Fast luck.
Entry 11734
If two fellahs goin' with the same girl, you know, and one kinda had the othern's [other one's] time beat, [and] he wanted to git rid of him; why he'd go to work, you under- stand, and ketch hisself a - if it was time (season of the year) he could do it. He ketch an ole grasshopper, these ole grasshoppers. Ketch him, you understand, pull off 4 little ones. They have six legs, you know; 4 little short legs and 2 long legs. Pull off dem 4 legs, the 4 short legs. And be talkin' with this fellah sometime, you understand. He'll be talkin', you know, great pardners [partners] together, you understand, [you] stick dese little dry legs in this fellah's pocket, either one of his pockets, and go on [walk away] you understand. An' after the [your rival's] first or second visit, this girl'll pay no more attention to him atall [at all].
Entry 12240
I would get me a snakeroot and I would put that in a piece of red flannel, and I would put that in my pocket, and I would get me a he John de Conkah, and I would take it and chew it, and I would spit it, just like I spit on this Way [demon- strates] on this side of him, and I would spit it in front of him, and I would ask him for a job. [A "he" John de Conkah is rare, this may be the only one. Is there also a "she?"]
Entry 12285
Dey tell me yo' kin tie three knots on a string an' put it in anybody's pocket an' dey mind will jes' stay on yo' all de time. Dey'll jes' worry, be worr'ed an' nevah satisfied no place dey go.
Entry 12347
Lodestone is de luckiest thing there is in de world fo' gittin' money. Yo' kin be standin' heah talkin' tuh me an', if yo' got a piece of lodestone in yore pocket about dat big, it will draw any money ah got in mine out. [Did in- formant have a piece of lodestone in his pocket?]
Entry 12431
Git chew some dis mistletoe. De mistletoe grows in de woods, it grows upon a bush, a big.... Git some dat mistletoe an' put it in yore left pocket.
(What do you do then, when you put it in that pocket?)
Put it in yore pocket an' tote eight or nine days [probably 9 originally].
(I mean, what are you doing this whole thing for?)
So yo' will jes' win de case, won't be sentenced.
(You wear this before - when you go to talk to the judge?)
Yeah.
(That's what I wanted you to tell me.)
Yes sir.
(That's all you use is this mistletoe?)
Yes sir. Keep some in yore pocket an' some in yore shoe, when yo' go dere, an' yo' more den apt to come out. Yes sir, more den apt to turn yo' loose.
Entry 12714
Ah say yo' kin take a rabbit if a person - jes' like if it's a man or a woman, yo' kin take de lef' hin' feet [foot] of a rabbit after yo' done killed him. Yo' take dat lef' hin' feet of dat rabbit an' if yo' wear it in yore pocket or yore purse or sompin [MAY BE ONLY MENTION OF PULLING TENDON - TO IMPRESS?] like that, whoever yo' Want tuh [be] round or sompin, well yo' jes' take that if yo' keep that rabbit foot bathed in dis heah Hearts Perfume - if yo' keep it bathed in Hearts Perfume and git chew some dragons blood and sprin- kle on it, and wherevah yo' go, yo' know it's a little cord in dat rabbit's feet, yo' kin pull it an' it seem like it's alive. [Pulling tendon of rabbit foot is rare in rites.] And if yo' go round wherevah yo' go, if yo' take dat piece of root out of yo' pocket or either yore pocketbook, and if yo' jes' touch de person whoevah yo' want or sompin like dat, yo' kin get 'em. With the lef' feet of de rabbit. (Do you touch them with your hand or must you touch them with the rabbit foot?) With de rabbit foot. (And what do you do with that cord [tendon]? Yo' pull it.
(When do you pull it?)
Whenever yo' git aroun' 'em. See dat [tendon] work duh foot.
(Oh, you must pull it when you touch them, you mean?)
Yeah, see, when yo' go in yo' jes' pull it, see. That means yore workin', yo' know, de rabbit's foot - dat little piece of cord dat's in it, yo' know - little stringlike yo' could put it and: it will work. It come out of de feet chew know, piece of de flesh - whatevah it is - when yo' cut it off. Dat's de lef' hin' foot of de rabbit.
Entry 12716
Well, you ketch you a live rabbit and cut his left-hind foot off before you kill 'em, and take it and put it in a bag. Get you brick [make it into] dust - make dust out of it, and take the hairpins of whatever vosl en you want this to be, just take the hairpins she been using in her haid and put it in that and tie it up, and tote it in your left pocket. And as long as you do she can't leave you, she be right there all the time.
(I see, that's to hold a woman.)
Yes.
Entry 12744
Rattlesnake mahrster [master] why yo' git dat herb an' it has - it grows kinds about lak mah finger, de bottom of it. De root is large, sometime it dat long [demonstrates]. Well, yo' git dat. Ah mean yo' pull dat up, an' den all around dere it's different colors - dis root [ex- plains it] dey sprinkles out dere like dat, an' dis heah at de bottom of it, dat's de root down dere, an' dese grows all around dere. Well, now dat's de lucky root. Yo' put dat in yore pocket an' use with dese things. Den sometime yo' kin take one of dose [roots] an' put it in yore mouth an' chew it yo' know - when yo' around like dat kind [boss?], yo' know [he spits] dere [in his presence] a little bit an' dat help yo' out a whole lots.
(In what?)
In gittin' jobs, gittin' favors...
Entry 12927
(How do they use that?)
Well, they tell me that you have to get it at midnight.
(This shame grass.)
Shame grass.
(What does it look like?)
Well, it's, has thick leaf and if you run your hand over it, the leaf will wither up. If you put your hand over it, you can tell it. (I see.) And you can take the root of that and mens carries it in their pockets or either chew it in their mouths. And every what [whatever] they walks up to a woman and wants her to [do], command her to do, she'll have to do just what he says do. You takes it - you can tell it. It's a herb that grows and runs on the ground like a vine, and the minute you do like that [touch it] the leaves will close together.
(That's all he does, just chew it?)
You chew it or either carry it in your pocket. And any time you rubs it in your hands and lays your hands on her body anywhere, she'll do just what you Want her to do.
Entry 12999
Well, if a man want luck in gambling, well, he'd wanta got Lost John powder. [This could be my only example of Lost John.] (What kind?) Lost John. (Lost John?) Lost John powder, it's good luck. You take Lost John powder and you put it in your pocket. All right, you go get you some pulverized bluestone. You take you five dimes and you boil that in two quarts of water. You boil that water down to one quart [magic of diminishing amount.] You put it in somepin and measure it. You put it in somepin and you boil it until it comes down to one quart [diminishing amount] one quart of water. You gets one quart of water, you pout one teaspoonful of pulverized bluestone, one teaspoonful of granulated sugar, one teaspoonful of sulphur, and well shaked [shake well]. You take your five dimes out of that water after it's boiled and put 'em - you can use them again, you can spend them. [Often articles used in rites cannot be used again, they are dangerous.] You take that and you shake it up - well shaked. You can take that and rub it in the band of your hat, and you go anywhere in town and you can have luck: with the laws, the police, or anything like that. They ain't going to worry with you.
(What do you do with that Lost John root powder? What do you do with that?)
That Lost John root you tote that in your pocket. Tote that in your pocket.
Entry 13313
Git choo some chewin' tobaccah an' jis' break off fo' corners of dat 'baccah an' chew it - dem fo' corners yo' chew it. Then put de otber piece In your pocket, an' go down there wheresomever you Suppose to git a job an' he'll purtty near give yo' one. [Years ago the old plug tobacco Was cut into oblong pieces as purchased. This is an unusual four corner rite, my only example of it.]
Entry 1819
[In my earlier collecting days a hairball among white inform- ants was: "A cow licks her hair and that hair goes down in the left side of the pouch and that forms a ball, and if you have one of those in your hand you can bewitch anyone." This object is sometimes called a witch-ball: "One morning the cow didn't come up for milking and they went out to find the cow and found it dead. It had been shot in the thigh with a hair-ball.... You see, a witch always uses a silver bullet or a hair-ball to kill anything, and this man [witch] had shot the cow with one of those witch hair-balls." FACI, 2ed., Nos. 15884 & 15885, p.797; see also No. 16151, p.827.]
[In the following account we have a different hairbalZ:]
Now, dere's a hairball - dat's concernin' a lady, misfortune between yo' an' her. Now, yo' kin wear dis hairball tuh keep in contact with her an' yo' kin wear it dat chew may nevah git in contact with her no mo'.
(What kind of a hairbalZ do you mean?)
It's an ordinary hairball.
(Well, where do you get that hair?)
Well, it's hair dat's from ole dead people, yo' know, befo' it's event'lly decayed - it's spoiled. Put it in a thimble or somethin' round that chew may put it in a ball. Quite natural, by it gittin' air it will not, yo' know whut ah mean - fade away. Quite natural if yo' know de person that die - everythin' all right. Now, this hairball - it comes in a ball. To keep in contact with this party, yo must put this in a bag - yo' know, somethin' lak a Bull Durham sack. [The latter was a small cloth sack containing a cigarette mixture used in "rolling your own" - making your own cigarettes. The paper label on the sack had the picture of a bull.] Yo' make a small bag small enough fo' it tuh git in. Now, tuh keep in contact with this person, yo' must put this hairball in that bag an' sew it. Make nine stitches, an' dere's three words yo' must say while sewin', "With me Fo'evah." Yo' know, as yo' make a stitch, jes' say a word. Now at de end, when yo' git tuh de end of de bag, do not make a knot in it. Make three turns wit chure needle - yo' know, lak yo' be sewin' dis, jes pass it roun dere three times. Den yo git chew a string an' put nine knots in dis string an' de ninth knot, yo' take a needle an' attach it to dat bag an' wear that next to yore skin. Now, tuh git rid of dis lady event ally, wear dis hairbalZ jes' outright - don't put it nex' tuh yore skin. Fo' instant [instance], lak yo' got chure coat on dere, dis top pocket heah - jes' keep it in dat pocket, jes' outside from yo'. See. An' yo' wear it thataway yo'll nevah come in contact with her. That's all it is to the hairball.
Hyatt quotes earlier FACI material comparing a silver bullet with a hair-ball as alternatives. The quoted cow account uses the hair-ball. The following Algiers informant describes a different hair-ball; the quoted bullet is not part of that later recipe.
Read full source (printed page 544) · Read full source (printed page 545)
Entry 8679
[The doctor in the following rite for a job has an organized mind, though I was too recent in New Orleans at that time to realize it. In face, on this original transcription I formerly had a note use with care, which can still be seen despite my later erasure.] When yo' go to get a job - ah'll tell yo' about de job proposi- tion. It just like if yo' was out of a job an' yo' runnin' in bad luck. Yo' can't be success- ful in nuthin dat yo' start. Well, yo' get yo' some of dis seniment. Yo' get some of dis seniment with this rain water. (What is seniment? What is that?) Dat's a powder. (What does it look like?) It look just like - yo' ever seen this powder what they call that brown-skin powder? (You mean cinnamon powder?) Yeah. (Cinnamon powder. All right.) [How did I ever guess it!] Yo' take dat seniment powder. An' yo' get some of dis seniment powder an' yo' get what yo' call this lodestone; but ask for lodestone, see, with candy stripes. It's got a little stripe.
(What kind of stripes?)
Candy stripes. Just say, "Give me some of de lodestone." (Like this candy - now wait a minute! It's like this candy they got in the country stores, candy stripes?) Yes, just like that; round, see.
(And what do they call that?)
Lodestone.
(You said something about four-something. Four what?)
[Informant said it while recording machine turned off.1 Fo' corners. Yo' just get de fo' corners. Well, if it ain't got fo' corners, vell yo' just take anything, a file or somepin like dat an' put 'em there.
(You have to make it square. Four corners. All right.)
Yeah. Yo' go anywhere they got them rams - yo' see, them rams, or anywhere yo' know them ramhorns at. [Cowhorn appears several times in Hoodoo. This could be the only ramhorn.] Yo' gets a file an' yo' file some of that dust down there [with the lodestone dust]. Then yo' get some of this here oil what yo' call that green - Wintergreen Pasture Oil.
(Wintergreen?)
Wintergreen Pastures Oil.
(GREEN PASTURES OIL?)
[SURELY THE ENTERPRISING HOODOO-PRODUCTS SALESMAN SHOULD HAVE NAMED IT "PSALM 23 OIL"!] Yeah, an' yo' take some sugar an' seniment an' lodestone. An' take a silver dime an' yo' file dat silver dime on a piece of paper just where yo' got this stuff [various ingredients] at. Yo' take a piece of yellah paper - it [lode- stone?] comes with yellah paper - an' yo' wrap it up twice. Yo' fold it coming to you. Then, after yo' take this Wintergreen Pasture Oil an' yo' put over it, am' yo' put it in your pocket. Keep that in yore left pocket. Then yo' goes back an' yo' get this he Eve [Adam and Eve] root, see. He Eve root.
(He Eve root?)
Yeah, yo' go back an' get that an' yo' got hit, yo' got de she root in yore pocket, yo' understand. Yo' take that - powder up that. piece there - an' yo' get some rain water an' river water or hydrant water [3 running Waters], or anything like that, an' yo' put it in two glasses. Put it in two glasses like that an' yo' let it set, after yo've mixed it. Well, heap up just about de same amount in each glass. Yo' leave it set there fo' three days. Aftah yo' leave it set there fo' three days, yo' take it an' yo' pour it into one glass. Then yo' take this here - this seniment, lodestone an' dis Wintergreen Pasture Oil. Well, yo' Put it in de glass, in one glass, an' yo' let it set there fo' three days. Den take that water off - take dat watah off before yo' go out to see about a job. Just like, if yo' know the foreman's name, yo' take his name an' yo' write his name nine times backwards, just like if yo' write it backwards this Way nine times [demonstrates]. Then yo' fold it, fold it comin' to yo' like dat [demonstrates]. Then yo' write yore name on de top of it, but yo' must write yore name forwards.
(Write your name what?)
The right way.
(You write your name forwards. All right.)
Then yo' take dat an' yo' put it down in dat water where all yore stuff is in the morning when yo' going out - just when yo' going out to the foreman. Yo' got his name. Well, when yo' get ready to go there, yo' take this water out of Chere. Yo' pour it out in a basin or anything like that, an' yo' take it an' yo' wash yo' hands good with it, an' yo' wash yore fingers. Yo' takes this here lodestone an' yo' put it in yore pocket with this she Eve root. Yo' walk to him a'when yo' get there, before yo' ask, just like yo' take a piece of chewing tobacco, cut a little piece off dat she root an' put it in your mouth. An' get this here lodestone thing in your hand like that an' rub it, an' make yore wishes, as yo' walk up to him an' ask 'im for a job. Probably he may not have nuthin to do right then, but he'll run his hand in his pocket if he got any money an' he'll give yo' a piece of money. The first opening that he have - WHEN YO' LEAVE FROM THERE, YO'LL MAKE A WISH FOR ANY - JUST LIKE ANY JOB YO' WANT AROUND THERE, YO' MAKE A WISH FOR ANY BAD LUCK TO HAPPEN TO 'EM PEOPLE AT THAT PLACE. SAY PRAYERS, AN' IN A WEEK'S TIME [7 DAYS] YO'LL HAVE A JOB. There no favor that yo' ask 'im that he could turn yo' down. If he ain't got it at de present time, he will tell yo' a way to come an' get it.
foreman’s name written nine times backwards, contrasted with own name forwards. Keep foreman nine-times-backwards versus applicant forwards on top; not all names backwards. manually inscribed arrangement of foreman’s and applicant’s names. Retain foreman backwards nine times and own name forwards on top, followed by the use of the inscribed paper in the preparation. employment sought from a foreman, with conditional intermediate outcomes and harmful wish. No immediate job guarantee: preserve probably no work, money if he has it, the first opening, and the subsequent one-week claim as attributed. river as a stated possible source of water, alongside rain/hydrant wording. Keep literal rain water an’ river water or hydrant water and or anything like that; do not convert ambiguous conjunctions into an all-three requirement or flatten all alternatives. These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified.
Read full source (printed page 3556) · Read full source (printed page 3557) · Read full source (printed page 3558)
Entry 8788
[Here we are concerned with the great magic rite of wrapping, folding, rolling, turning, and twisting something to you or from you. I have added infor- mant's foot-track rite to show the "from you" aspect of the action.] Concernin' de moon, yo' wants tuh pick de new moon, growin' early, when de moon is in its infancy. Den yo', when yo' cravin' fo' luck, write chure name on a piece of papah, see, an' yo' begin tuh fold it. Roll it tuhwards yo', yo' undahstan'. An' yo' roll it tuhwards yo' an' den yo' wrap anothah piece of papah askin' or expressin' yore desire. Ask dem tuh be good enough tuh accomplish whut chews aftah. An' yo' wrap dat in a sepa- rate paper towards yo' den. Den yo' make a wish on de third papah. Roll it tuhwards yo', fold it up all de time. Yo' understan'.
(You make this wish on the third piece of paper. You write that down.)
Den yo' take dis piece of papah wit yore wish on it an' yo' bury it at chure front do', see. Bury it exactly at de centah of de steps so dat yo' could always walk ovah it, even if yo' not thinkin' of it at dat time. Yo' do dat especially fo' three mawnin's in succession, one right behin' de othah. Try to arrange tuh have tuh do all dis in de time of de new moon. Dat's de end of dat person.
(What do you do with those other two pieces of paper then?)
Dese two pieces of papah dat yo' have first written, yo' wrap dem up tuhgethah den in anothah piece of papah. Fold dat outer papah towards yo' ag'in at de same time. Den yo' repeat de 37th Psalm three times, an' each mawnin' yo' undahstan', but in de meantime yo' weah dat in yore right pocket. Keep dose two writin's in yore pocket, whilst de othah one is layin' at chure front door. (Then, how long are you supposed to wear those papers and keep that other paper under the steps?) Let dose papahs stay dere until dey have exhausted. Only yo' kin every mawnin' make yore urinate an' pour it right where yo' have dat buried.
(And what do you do all this for?)
Fo' good luck, tuh accomplish, tuh be successful in anythin' dat chew Want.
[Foot-track or "from you" rite begins:]
Dey will take dat, dis foot track an' dey will try to git every bit of it; yo' undahstan', don't leave any of it. Git dat an' put dat in a piece of papah - yes, papah. Wrap it up in three wrappin's, an' if dey wants to run yo' away, dey will take dat an' put it in de nearest runnin' stream of watah an' throw it ovah- bo'd an' den dey go ahead.
(What do you mean, wrap it in three wrappings - just one, two, three?)
Yo' wrap dat from yuh. An' den dey'll wrap it in three different papahs, see. Dat same wrappings. An' den take dat an' throw it ovahbo'd. An' dey do dat, too, in de new moon.
(And they get this dirt out of how many tracks or any particular track?)
Out of yore right track. (And do they take these three pieces of paper altogether, one, or just throw them separately into the water?)
[I knew what was done. This is merely a search for further details.]
No sir, put dem togethah, wrap 'em up. Dat is, ah mean dey wrap all dese three tuhgethah. An' every one of dem dey wrap, dey will wrap 'em goin' from dem. An' when dey wrap de last one, dey wrap it goin' from dem. An' den dey throw dat in a stream dat is goin' from de do' [throw downstream]. Dey don't throw it de way dat [stream is coming]. Dey always throw it behin' de stream. Yo' see, dey throw it so dat wrappah - so it goin' from yo', not comin' to yuh. Yo' undahstan' whut ah mean?
(I understand.) [St. Petersburg, Fla., (1051), 1705:6.]
[Closely connected with the preceding section NAME is the present section LETTERS AND HANDWRITING, the letter part of the latter title being concerned with the names of the writer and the person to whom the letter was written. Here in the written word we have magic action second only to the spoken word. As usual in hoodoo or witchcraft or magic, nothing belongs exclusively in one action, condition or location. Both letters and handwriting, therefore, are scattered throughout the complete text.]
burial of the written wish at the center of the front steps in the first rite. Preserve new-moon timing and three mornings; do not merge burial with the later from-you track rite. repeating the specifically named37th Psalm three times each morning in the first rite. No psalm text, translation, verse interpretation or outside scripture is supplied or consulted. These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified.
Read full source (printed page 3588) · Read full source (printed page 3589)
Entry 601
Yo' wants luck, wants re'l good luck, say yo' go ahead an' yo' ketch chew a rabbit an' yo' cut his foot off - cut off his front left foots whilst he's 'live, don't kill dis rabbit. Take him an' cut it off an' turn de rabbit loose. Wrap dis heah up - let it cure good an' wrap it up an' put it in yore pocket. An' dey says, while yo' got de rabbit, yo' keep de rabbit - put him in a pen-like a garden-like where yo' kin keep dis rabbit. An' says whenever yo' git ready to go to gamble somepin lak dat, yo' go an' yo' look at dis rabbit. If dis rabbit's a-movin' about in dere an' busy in dere, jes' movin' about, well yo' know yore luck's on. An' then yo' go any- where in de worl' to gamble then, an' yo' gin to gamble, an' whenevah yo' starts to gamblin', dey tell me de boys jes' wants tuh leave right then. The boys then, who yo' be's gamblin' with, jes' wants tuh quit becus' yore luck is on.
Entry 1125
An' dere's a root dey call de blacksnake root. Yo' kin carry dat in yore pocket an' dere can't anything harm yo'. (Nothing could hurt you?) By walkin' ovah it.
Entry 1144
In cases if a person is down sick wit de rheumatic rheumatism and it seems dat yo' go to de doctor - seem like dey can't cure it, yo wanta walk out in de woods and git chew two buckeye balls an' put in each pocket and wear 'em in yore pocket until de hull comes off of 'em. An' you gits rid of de rheumatism.
Entry 1353
Low John de Conker, dey tell me dat's mighty good tuh drive away evil spirits an' bring good luck to yore home - even in other affairs, money affairs.
(How would you use that?)
Yo' totes that in yore pocket.
Entry 1422
Fo' rheumatism in de laig, all ovah yore laigs dere in yore laig, dese bones, yo' know - well, yo' kin take a Irish potato dey calls it an' tote it in yore pocket. Hit'll be evah so large, but chew tote it in yore pocket till it come to be 'bout big as a marble. Well, dat'll cure de rheumatism out yore joints. [Waycross, Ga., (1136), 1850:7.].
Entry 1424
If anybody have tricked yo' any way, in a case like dat yo' kin git chew one. Go in a store an' steal it, a Irish potato. Don't let 'em give it. Jest steal it an' put it in yore pocket an' when it gits hard - it git hard jest lak a brick - an' whenevah it gits hard, why yo' take it out an' eat it. It be hard but eat it, an' whatevah is wrong with yo' why it will kill it.
(That would kill any poison that anybody has got in me in any way?)
Yes.
Entry 1772
Take a black hen aig an' open it an' take de yellah out of it an' close it back up, an' keep dat in yore pocket an' cain't nobody beat yo' in gamblin'. Dat's one de luckiest things in de worl' fo' gamblin'; jes' de yellah part, dat's de luckiest thing in gamblin'.
Entry 1775
Well, dey take a chicken an' kill 'im, a black chicken an' kill him, and take dis heah breastbone. They git de breastbone and dey take it and dey go together an' yo' pull dis end and ah pull dat. Well, when yo' do dat, it's fo' yo' to be lucky. De one dat pull an' break de most, splits de most on it, gits lucky, he's lucky. Well, if mine is shorter den yours, well, ah ain't goin' be lucky. See. Den yo' take dat - yo' takes it an' sew it up an' put it in yore pocket. Den, any kind of game yo' go in a'ter dat, you'll be lucky in dat.
Entry 1854
De gaspergou - yo' know dere's two rocks in his haid. Dat's a feesh [fish]. Yo' git dat fish anywhere out de rivah. It looks lak de buffalo - yo' have tuh look close tuh see it's not buffalo. Some people sell 'em fo' buffaloes dat don't know de diff'rence. It's a goo - gasper goo. De rock outa - those two rocks out of his haid, wearnin' 'em in dey pocket is supposed tuh be lucky. [This is the fresh-water drumfish (Aplodinatus grunniens) of the Great Lakes and Mississippi Valley - weight up to 50 lbs. Gaspergou [gou = goo], similar to the French gasparot (a kind of herring), is the local name in Louisiana.]
Entry 1875
Ketch a frog an' put him in yore pocket, a live frog, an' run yore han' in yore pocket an' no one else kin win. Sometimes boys jes' fo' devilment throw him on de table an' let him hop round dere. When he hop, he goin' hop right back to yo', an' yo' put him in yore pocket an' nobody can't beat chew.
Entry 1877
Ah've heard of 'em usin' frogs fo' luck. Yo' know, jis' lak yo'd be shootin' craps, yo' know, an' yo'd ketch yo' a live frog yo' know an' put him in yore right pocket an' tote him roun'. Dat's luck - yo' use dat fo' luck. See, yo' keep him in yore pocket an' when he dies, yo' see, dat makes de luck. An' yo' tote him roun' den an' aftah he dries up an' ev'rything den he ain't no mo' good, see. But as long as he live in yore pocket yore lucky, see. An' aftah he dies, he ain't no mo' good - yo' have tuh git anothah one.
Entry 1879
Jes' as ah first said a while ago - de most luck ah evah had in mah life wus gamblin', ah used a live frog. Whensomevah ah go into a game, if ah could locate one, see, ah jes' take it an' put it in mah pocket; an' if yo' bettin' an' yore playin' poker, why dat frog will tell yo' - yo' know whut ah mean, he jumps when it's time tuh bet. Long as he stay still, why don't chew bet anything. It's common, but it's true.
Entry 1891
Graveyard dirt, it's good fo' gambling.
(How do they use it?)
Well, yo' take yo' some graveyard dirt an' yo' run yore hand jest as fur down as yo' can an' git some fresh dirt, chew see, an' put it in yore pocket an' git chew one dese toadyfrogs an' put him in yore pocket. Well, if yo' go to skin - gambling, somepin lak dat, yo' know, well yo'll break everybody in dat game, if yo' got some of dat fresh graveyard dirt an' toadyfrog in yore pocket.
(Do you put this in the same pocket?)
In de same pocket - in yore right pocket.
Entry 2032
John de Conker - yo' put that in with Hearts Cologne. Hit'll git soft an' when hit git soft hit ready fo' de work.
(Well, if it doesn't get soft?)
Long as hit won't git soft it's no way fo' yo' tuh turn dat to yo'. Well, if dat git soft an' yo' take it, an' it won't git hard any mo fo' de month. Long as dat case is dangerous it stay right dere. But when yo' see de hollow of it git hollow, it's a doubtful case fo' yo' - no hopes fo' yo'.
(When that is soft - what do you do with that root now?)
When it git soft jes' put it in yore pocket, in yore pants pocket, an' while yo' be talkin' to de judge, be rubbin' it, mashin' on it. John de Conker it conquers anything yo' go up to.
Entry 2066
Yo' kin fix yo' a lucky han' fo' tuh gamble with. High John is good tuh conker. Yo' kin fix a good lucky han' tuh gamble wit. It'll work wit it. (What do you do, just put High John in this or what?) Put some lodestone. Dey got several kinds, white an' black-lookin' lodestone. Be sho' it's lodestone an' git John de Conker an' put it in yore pocket, an' if yore playin' cards, dere ain't no harm in yore han' in yore pocket ever' once in a while.
Entry 2179
Onions is very lucky things to use. Yo' take a red onion an' you take the outside offa dat onion, den yo' burn dat onion in yore house fo' nine days - it's lucky. Yo' always burn yo' onion - dat's very, very lucky. Yes, a red onion is lucky. Den yo' kin carry dat onion an' dat'll make yo' lucky. If yo' steal a red onion - yo' go an' pick up a red onion quick, steal it, an' use dat in yore pocket. That's lucky.
Entry 2263
A man kin go ketch one dese heah sandomingos (salamander) in Georgia. [Comment later.] He look jes' lak a white rat. He stays in de ground lak a mole. He's got a pocket lak a 'possum an' he's got it fulla yerbs, all kinda yerbs outside in his pocket. An' yo' ketch one of dem an' git de yerbs outa hit, outa his pocket, an' dey ain't nobody in de world kin beat chew.
(What would you do with those herbs?)
Yo' carry 'em in yore pocket wit chew. An' rub de cards wit 'em. Yes, that's luck fo' gamblin'.
(And you say the sandomingo - does it run around down in Georgia, you say?)
Yessuh, sandomingo, jes' lak a white rat, got red eyes. He stay in de ground jes' lak a mole an' travel, but he comes out.
(And he has a little pocket?)
Yessuh, he has a pocket on de outside - jes' lak dis shirt, his pocket is on de outside.
(And he carries some roots in that pocket?)
Yessuh, he carries it full. [Even my transcriber realizes informant is trying to describe the pocket gopher, because she added the salamander parenthesis. Since this animal is not a marsupial, it has no outside pocket - only cheek pouches. Whether an albino has been seen or exists, I do not know.]
Entry 2285
Ah heard that they could take the periods of a woman an' tie it - yo' know, jes' has it on a cloth an' put it in their pocket, in the right pocket, an carry that dice into that pocket an' it would give them luck. They nevah lose...
(They just carry this [these] dice right on this piece of cloth?)
Dat's right, an' they'd be always lucky in gamblin'.
Entry 2331
[Here are the magic three days of the magic seven-day week; the times, not the days of the week being important.] Yo' heah talk of dis John de Conker. Yo' take dat John de Conker and some camphor an' put it in a little vial, and yo' put dat in yore pocket an' yo' shake it up - mix it well wit dat camphor an' put it in yore pocket. Yo' take a little piece an' chew it an' yo' go tuh him. If de third time, if he don't give yo' a job de third time, den don't go back dere no mo' dat week. Wait till de same day yo went dis week an' yo take dem othah three days an' de next week an' go back dere de next week. Den he supposed tuh give yo' a job.
Entry 2557
Yo' kin git crabs - de crab dat be's on people in de haid - an' take dem crabs an' keep 'em an' yo' kin win every game.
(Where do you keep them?)
Keep 'em in yore pocket.
Entry 4713
Jis' lak yuh got a woman an' yuh can't stay wit 'er, an' if yuh got any dey clothes whut dey wear. If yuh kin git holt of any of 'em, dat sweat place undah yore arm, yuh undahstan', cut it out. An' take an' put it [a piece of his armpit and any of her clothes] in a box, a little match box, an' keep it in dere fo' 'bout - maybe 'bout a week [7 days]. Aftah a week, go away, yuh could feel a change in 'er. See, aftah yuh keep it in yore Pocket. Yuh gotta keep it in yore pocket though, an' yuh take it an' wear. An' aftah while yuh an' 'er became to love.
Entry 5002
A man take a woman's stockin' an' tote it in his pocket an' she'd always stay at home. Dat's whut ah heard.
Entry 5247
Cut de tongue out of a shoe an' keep dat aroun' in yore pocket. (What will that do?) Dat he'p yo' tuh yore man or de woman.
(Do you cut either tongue out or both of them?)
Out de left shoe.
Entry 6892
Take some of dat same rattlesnake mahstah an' put it in yuh pocket an' go anywheah. If a man wan'a dress yuh, he cain't do it.
Entry 8038
A fellah had ca'd [carried] a daid pusson fingah all de while an' it seem as if he had some so't [sort] of influence wit othah gamblahs. He wouldn't do 'way wit dat fingah.
(Did he carry it any special way?)
He jis' ca'd it in 'is pocket.
(Do you know what finger it was?)
It wus dis second fingah from de thumb, on 'is right hand.
Entry 10038
(You take the bones of this black cat and throw them into the Water. That the idea? Then what do you do from then on?) Dat's right. Aftah yo' throw 'em in de watah, yo' take it - take 'em out. Yo' take de bones an' yo' carry 'em an' yo' throw 'em intuh runnin' watah, an' as dey drift- in' yo' take it out. (Which bone?) De one dat'll go up de stream. Don't want de one dat'll go down. Yo' want de one dat go up de stream. Den yo' take dat one out: In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost. dat chew [Il mean tuh conkah anythin' dat chew [Il come in contact wit. Dat is de right bone.
(What do you do with that bone then?)
Yo' take it an' yo' put it intuh a piece of flannen, wrap it up, an' yo' dress it in some Hearts Cologne an' tote it in yore pocket.
Entry 10833
Whensomevah yo' want a job, yo' kin take one of dese heah buckeyes. Yo' know it's sompin dey call buckeyes dat grow in de woods, some kinda thing dey call de buckeye. An' yo kin take some of dat, cake bit an' put it in yore pocket. Bole [hold] it in yore hand an' squeeze it in yore hand when yo' go look fo' a job, any kinda favor. Dey'll nevah deny yo'. While yo' talkin', hol' dat buck- eye in yore hand; yo' know, squeeze it tight an' talk to dem, an' dey won' deny yo' fo' yo' job, whatsomevah yo' go dere fo'.
Entry 11645
I've heard dat you go to your bossman an' ask him fer a job, an' if he don't seem like he wants to hire you right away, why you go to work an' git you some of this five-fingah weed [grass]. You put a piece of that in your Pockit, go to him the next day. See don't he hire yuh.
Entry 12247
Well, yo' git a piece an' put it in yore pocket. The best way, though, tuh use it is tuh pound it up. [To use pounded-up John de Conqueror is unusual.] (The High John the Con- queror.) Yo' kin kinda strike [cut off] a little edge of it, yo' know, if there's time, yo' know, an' they [victim] won't notice. Put a little in yore mouth yo' know, every time yo' goin' places, an' yo' [other person] cain't see it, but chew kin kinda...
(To get a job if you are going in to the boss?)
Yes.
Entry 12264
They says if you wants a job, you kin git pieces of dis John de Conkah root and put it in your pocket; and that root will conquer him, make him be humble, make him so you kin git a job.
(When you work for [from] the boss.) [Newport News 503:2.]
Entry 12727
Yo' could take a rabbit foot - cut de rabbit's left foot off an' tote it in yore pocket, in yore left pocket, an' dey say that would cause yo' tuh win. Keep yo' lucky.
(The left foot - either one?)
Yessuh, the back foot. [Fayetteville 2497:1.]
Entry 9811
[The rite that follows is a folding-into-triangles rite, a fairly com- mon belief for which also see: Nos.3189, 3527, vol.3; 8648, 8766 with diagrams, 8767, 8768, vol.4. There are also rites folding into squares: 3162 and 3182, vol.3, as well as folding into oblongs, 3184, vol.3.] Yo' buy a papah of pins - aw, jes' as much as yo' wanta. Yo' git nine new pins. Listen now, git chew a piece of new homespun cloth 'bout dat long [demonstrates]. (About six or seven inches long.) Yessuh, an' yo' fol' dit. Yo' see yo' fol' dit dis way first [demonstrates]. (Going away from you first.) Den yo' take it an' fol' dit back lak dat. Yo' understan' now, dat's two fold dere den. Den yo' fol' dit again. All right. Yo' take two pins - now listen. Two new pins an' make a stah [star] in dis cornah, an' take anothah two [new pins] - dat's fo' ain't it? An' put a stah in dat cornah. Den dat in de firs' cornah. Den in de cornah dere yo' make yore firs' lap. All right, now dat's fo' [pins]. Den yo' take two an' put 'em straight up an' down on dis side dis way. Point it dat-a-way, dat sharp point. Den yo' take two mo' an' turn it down an' take de middle an' turn it lak dat [demonstrates]. Dat's nine. An' tote it in yore pocket or in yore pocketbook. Dat will give yo' all de sharp luck yo' want. (Just to be sure of that. Suppose you show me how you wrap that up now. How you fold that.) All right, ah will. Listen now. Yo' see, dis is a cornah, an' dere's anothah cornah, but it may be jes' about dat odd, yo' see. Cut in a cornah. Den yo turn dat cornah lak dat. Dat's one fold isn't it?
(Yes.)
All right, yo' take dis ovah heah lak dat. Dat two fold isn't it?
(That's two folds.)
When yo' take dat ovah dere, dat's three ain't it?
(That's the whole piece you are talking about?)
Yeah, dat's de whole piece.
(Now wait a minute, you've got the paper now.)
[I hand informant a piece of paper to fold.]
Ah think dis'll be a little bit too large [begins to fold]. (You fold it. All right, now there's the piece. Wait! Now you fold over one corner - you fold one corner over the other corner. Then you take the other cor- ner and fold it over the other corner, as if you were making a little [paper] hat that you put on your head.) Dat's right. Den yo' takes an' fold it dere. (Then you take one of those and fold it like you are making a little boat now?) Dat's it. Now yo' take dis an' yo' make a stah on dis end. Two.
(Two pins down there like a "v" in that corner?)
["v" is not the shape here. Since informant calls it a "star, " the two pins are crossed.] Put de othah ones in dis cornah. Dat one dere. Yo' undahstan' dat. Den yo' take den ovah heah an' yo' put two. Dat's six isn't it? Don' chew see? All right. Well, den yo' take two mo' of dem an' turn 'em down - on de opposite side, yes. Well, now dat'll be eight, isn't it? Dat leaves a odd one, isn't it? Take de odd one an' stick it right in de middle.
(Right in the center?)
Yeah. (You have four parallel pins and the ninth [fifth] crossing. Now wait! At one end you have the two in the shape of the "v" and then at the point of the hat you have two in the shape of a "v". And then in that triangle you have the four "v's" parallel, four up and two are down. Then you have the ninth pin across them.) That's correct.
(Now what do you do with that?)
Now yo' take dat an' yo' will fold it lak dat, an' tote it in yore pocket or in yore pocketbook, an' it will give yo' sharp luck. An' nobody can't hurt chew.
Entry 9913
Dey use frogs fo' luck. Peoples carry it around in dere pockets fo' &blin', an' as long as dis frog jumps, it's lucky tuh yo'; but whenevah dis frog stops, it's bad luck, if yo' wanta gamble. Or eithah, yo' could nm [ase it on] a person sick, an' as long as dis frog jumps, de person will recovah; but if yo' go roun' an' it don' jump, dat's a sign of quick death.
Entry 9976
Git a frog if yo' wanta be successful in gamblin'. Ah have did dat. Git a frog an' put 'im in yuh pocket. Wrap 'im up in a papah sack an' put in yuh pocket. An' jis' about evah time yo' know, yo' be on de turn or somepin lak dat, he would jump. An' if yo' pay 'tenshun dat frog when he jump, why den yo' would nevah bet nuthin tuh lose. Yo' would always bet on de right horse. He wouldn't jump only when it's time fo' yo' tuh win. [The words right horse are merely an expression here. I never heard of a jumping frog used at a race track, the time lapse between jump and bet being too great.]
Entry 9977
Git a toadfrog when he's young an' take 'im an' put 'im in yore pocket 'live. Evah time dat frog jumps, yo's lucky. When dat frog start tuh hollahin'- see, he goin' start tuh hol- lahin', dere ain't nobody goin' beat chure [gambling] han' in gamblin'. Evah time when dat frog go tuh jumpin' an' hollahin', well dere ain't nobody goin' ketch a gomblin' hand. Dat all yo' want. [As soon as your hand begins to work by jump- ing and hollering, all other hands in the game are powerless. Imagine a game during which all toadfrogs hollered at once!]
Entry 3069
[We have already met Doctor Bayhan, a white man on the Eastern Shore, who was also known in Baltimore (62, p.28).] [Here is an original statement in my original penciled transcription. "Temporary annotation - for footnote reference only - to get wife back - Doctor Bayhan. He charges from $20 to $25...you bring him the picture...he'll guarantee you and he'll give you a Bible and you'll wear this Bible in your pocket. If she don't come back in a space of time that he gives yeh, he'll refund your money back to you regardless of where you at. This note was orig- inally made to be used for fees by doctors.]
Entry 10407
"Take a snail shell [not the snail] and rub it across her stomach just like when she asleep, and wrap it up into a rag and carry it in your left-hand pocket, and she'll never have a man until he come back [Vicksburg, 1059:3].
Entry 105
I heard a church member said dere's a ole man in de church where he were a member - he ain't got much confidence in 'em now 'cause dey did dat - ole man da'd [that would] git mad at anybody at church; you know, he'd fall out with 'em. Well, he'd go to de graveyard an' reach his han' as far in dere as he could, an' he'd git some dirt jis' off, jis' as near de coffin as he could, an' wrap it up, [and] bring it back. Well, he'd put it in somepin thin, cheesecloth or somepin or othah, an' put it in each pocket, in his coat pocket. An' he'd go to church you know, until de preacher git to preachin', you know, an' dat de people git to shoutin', why he jis' git to shoutin' an' go right aroun' near dis person [he's mad at], you know, an' jis' let dis dus' - it woula jis' fly so it'll, a 'hole lot of people would inhale it, an' dey'd git so sometime dey'd git to coughin' Well, dey say, if you git enough of it, it'd kill 'em. [Wilmington, N. Car.,
(215), 208:1; Darien, Ga.,1896.]
Entry 341
If yo' wanta learn to pick a guitar, go to a road nine Sunday mawnin's - de fo'ks of de road, nine Sunday mawnin's. But 'fore yo' evah go tuh de fo'ks of de road to learn yo'self, dey way fo' yo' tuh do - git a rooster, an' if he ain't blind, have some de young ones to knock his eye out. It won't.hurt him yo' know. Don' do it chewse'f but have somebody else tuh do it - lak yo' ketch a rooster, put one his eyes out. Ah reckon yo' heerded dat ole song - dey say long time ago it wus named atter [after] [what a] root worker done, chew know. Dey says, "De Ole Blind Rooster, When He Comes." Well, dat's de way dat is. See, yo' take dat rooster one eye. Den yo' kill him an' yo' take his drumstick when all de meat is done 'way - done eat de meat off yo'self. Take dat drumstick an' yo' go ahead an' yo' put it in yore pocket.
(What do you put in your pocket, the eye or the drumstick?)
No, not de eye, jes' de thigh an' let somebody else eat de meat off it. [He calls the thigh bone a drumstick, a term usually reserved for the leg bone. Thigh in old-fashioned country-fried chicken was never called second joint, a carving term; the chicken being completely disjointed and cut up when fried raw.] (What do you do with that eye that you took off the rooster, what do you do with that eye?) Well, yo' see -
(You just blind the rooster?)
Yeah, jes' blind de rooster in dat one eye. Den yo' take dat othah eye an' put undah de back do'step yo' know. An' so whenevah de mawnin' when yo' goin' tuh learn tuh pick de guitar, an' cut. tricks, yo' know, yo' got dat rooster drumstick in yore pocket.
(You kill the rooster and eat him?)
Uh-huh, kill de rooster an' eat him, but don' eat none of it yo'self, see: Yo' git de drumstick an' de eye - take de eye time yo' kill him an' bury it undah de do'step an' let nobody know whut chew done wit it. Den yo' take de drumstick an' yo' go down to fo'ks of de road Sunday mawnin 'fore day, jes' right round 'bout three a'clock an' when yo' git down dere, yo' wanta learn tuh play de guitar. So de first Sunday mawnin' yo' go dere, well, yo' don't stay but 'bout eight or ten minutes - give yo' eight or ten minutes. Well now, whenevah yo' 'cide tuh leave dere, if yo' go dere fo' dat business, yo' know, well, yo' drop dat bone down right in de middle of de fo'ks of de road, near as yo' know, say, "Well, dey ain't nobody heah dis mawnin', thigh, but me, an' so's yo'." Now yo' ain't goin' say nuthin'. Well, yo' start to pickin' yo' guitar an' whenevah yo' startin' tuh pickin' yore guitar, the corner of that bone round dere would be heah, an' it will keep changin' but yo'll nevah see it change dat mawnin'. Yo'll look at it - one end of it's small an' de othah end large, yo' know. Co'se it be larger up heah, yo' know, den it would be down dere, but that end will be round, that end, an' ever' time yo' pick a tune, it will be changin' - yo' know yo' comin' on den wit de guitar, yo' know whut chew done. An' when it quit changin' yo' know it time tuh go.'Well, '' yo' say, "nex' Sunday mawnin'." If yo' want it be at twelve a'clock, yo' say, "Twelve a'clock an' it change agin. Not watch it yo' know, an' whatevah yo' see it comin' at de change, yo' jes' hold it at dat hour an' yo' come de next time dat hour an' - so - on whenevah Sunday mawnin' come agin, yo' go back dere. Well, whut yo' do dat time, yo' go back dere an' yo' set right down, right up on de - sit down dere an' pick. Say, "Dere's nobody tuh worry yo' ah ain't got but one eye." An' yo'll see a sheep - a sheep will come up cross de road an' git right in de road an' face yo' an' look mournful an' pitiful, an' yo'll look at dat sheep an' keep on pickin' an' dat sheep atter while will vanish away. Atter while yo' see somepin black comin'. Well, dey'll pass on by, won't stop dat time. Well, it's time tuh go den. Yo' goes de nex' time. Well, de nex' time yo' go dere, yo' guitar will git pickin' bettah an' bettah. Well, whut'll drive yo' 'way dat time, yo'll heah a cow come 'long. Well, yo'll nevah see dat cow dat time, an' fore yo' leave - yo stay dere 'bout a hour dat time befo' yo' leave, an' if anybody on de road kin see yo' or anything, den dat cow de las' time she'll low, she say, "Aah-aah-do sound lak she say. An' it's time tuh go den. An' so yo' go dat time. An' de next time yo' go dere, dere a lil' ole funny boy will come out an' yo' speak to him an' he'll play all dumb, an' yo' not know a thing about him. Well, it natural sometime yo'll run up on people yo' nevah knew. An' yo' git picking de guitar till yo' git tuh messin' wit him, an' quite natural yo' think he'll not keep it, keep it down. Well, at least it wus wit me. An' ah got tuh playin' an' fust thing ah knows he had two lil' ole sticks yo' know, an' keep playin' it on, dat bark got to ringin', yo' know, good, an' ah kept playin', kept playin' an' ah wus playing one tune an' when de guitar got playin' anothah, ah change back. An' den ah didn't have tuh go no mo'. Ah didn't have tuh go no mo' 'tall 'cause ah got playin' so's ah could play anything ah want. Ah have been where ah could lay de guitar upside down an' stan' beside it - it would ring right on. Dat's true. But ah laid off of it. Way ah wus doin', ah'd be a speck mo' den ah is. Ah went dere 'bout - ah missed two Sundays an' ah got off on de guitar a lil' bit, an' ah went back den on a Sunday mawnin' an' ah met somepin dere. Well, people say yo' meet de devil, but tell de truth 'bout de thing, ah don't know if it wus de devil or not. It wus a black something othah jes' 'bout dat high - sorta 'mind me of a dog. He had han's lak a dog when ah fus' seen him but fust an' last his han' wus jes' lak mine only it wus jes' as hot as could be. Well, ah wus drinkin' putty ha'd dat mawnin' tuh hol' mah nerve, but ah warn't drunk, an' he took dat guitar an' got tuh pickin' an' he changed it back tuh me. Well, atter while ah got tuh de place ah could pick anything. An' de bottom of mah shoe, ah had had a sole an' hit wus 'bout tuh come off, yo' know, an' he says, "Gimme yore soul" - whut he says. Ah wus gittin' ready tuh leave yo' know. Ah say, "Well, nobody knows." An' ah says, "Good-day" - jes' lak dat an' turn roun an' he say, "Gimme yore soul befo' yo' goes." Ah went an' pulled de half-sole off mah shoe an' gi' him de sole, yo' see, an' he disappeahed. Well, ah went on back tuh de house an' ah got tuh play - ah got tuh pick de guitar extra good. (Were you supposed to do anything else the rest of the times you were supposed to go out there?) De nine days?
(If you keep on going out there what happens?)
Yo' keep on goin' dere? Well, yo' see if yo' keep on goin' dere, yo' kin go dere eight mo' days on Sunday mawnin' an' yo' git to de place, de devil will give yo' a root. Dere's somepin come out lak a dog an' he'll come by an' he'll drop somepin down - it's 'bout six inches long, jes' 'bout lak dat. He be runnin' jes' lak a dog or somepin an' drop somepin yo' know, an' quite natchral yo'll pick it up yo' know. An' yo' pick it up an' yo' keep dat. If yo' offah tuh show it tuh somebody, dey cain't see it - [dey] say, "Yo' ain't got nuthin' in yore han'." Yo' cain't see it. Well, if yo' try tuh show it to dem, dey don't hardly believe yo'. So yo' keep dat in yore pocket till yo' git to de house an' git a chance tuh go down 'side de spring an' bury it. Well, de day yo' bury dat, if yo' bury it deep enough, yo'll nevah find it yo'self, but yo'll have luck de longest day yo' live. But chew go' tuh dat crossroads nine Sunday mawnin's. Well, dat ninth mawnin' yo' know, yo' done made dat aftah yo' done learn tuh pick de guitar. Well, yo' don't have but seven mo'. An' yo' go dere seven mo' Sunday mawnin's. Well, yo' beat right on de guitar. Yo' kin cut all kinda tricks den an' de devil will show yo' how tuh manage tricks. Yo' kin see the police dere an' everything in close places, an' how tuh git out chew know, an' ever'thing.[ Fayetteville, N. Car.,
(1438), 2581:1.]
Entry 585
(How do you find this money now?)
With John de Conker. [This is rare, to call Jack by the name of a root within the package or bag. Root bags as hands are common.]
(And how do you prepare that?)
Well, yo' fix it in a flannel - sew it up in a flannel, yo' see an' keep it in yore pocket. Keep it perfumed [fed] wit Hearts Own perfume [sometimes confused with Heartsorn or Heartshorn = Hawthorn? perfume]. Put chew nine pins in it an' if yo' go out 'cross de way anywhere - cross de field whare dere's any money buried, it'll point. Yo' talks to it - it's got a string on de side - an' yo' talk to it an' jest where dat money is it's goin' point directly where dat money are.
(Well, you don't point in your pocket though?)
No, yo' has to take it out chere pocket. See, it's got a little string on to it. Dis John de Conker yo' know, it's got little roots to it - all roots kind lak a [centipede?]. [A small piece of John de Conker has so many root hairs it looks like a centipede.]
Entry 1436
Do you know what rattlesnake marster is? (I have heard of it, I have never seen it.) Well, you get a small piece of that and a small piece of John de Conker root - de High John de Conker root and a new dime and a piece of lodestone, and yo' sew dis into a little bag called a toby [another name for hand]. Sew it up and yo' kin either put a piece of red flannel or shammy skin - sew that up in it and keep it into yore left pocket always and never let anyone touch it. If you do that, 'that is a Wonderful thing.
(What will that do then?)
That will prevent anyone from harming you.
[For rattlesnake master and knots, see No. 1126, p.418.]
[Rattlesnake master - a name for several plants said to cure rattlesnake bite: Liatris squarrosa and L. scariosa, and Eryngium aquaticum of southeastern U. S. A. All plants of the genus Liatris are called button snakeroot.]
Entry 1759
Ah hear talk of that. Yo' kin work lawsuits with that even much. Take 'em an' tie 'em in de center - de broomstraws, dem short pieces. Yo' git a piece - Hoodoo - Conjuration - Witchcraft.- Rootwork - of shame brier root an' put in between dem straws, an' if yo' wanta come out ahead in anything lak dat, an' yo' got de broom straws, yo' tie 'em together. But yo' always lay it - if he killed an' yo' wanta win, yo' gotta come up higher. Dem othah joints gotta be shorter den yours. An' when yo' git 'em up dere high, yo'll be above, an' even yo' above dat shame brier root. Den yo' kin take de rattlesnake master or a piece of root of hit an' yo'll hold them right together, an' then yo'll tie nine knots in dat string an' yo' tie 'em well. An' then yo wrop it up. Yo'll fix them things an' yo'll tie 'em up. When yo' tie 'em up den yo'll wrop 'em up in a piece of red flannel an' yo' tie it up: An' all you have to do den whenevah yo' go, always, if yo' have to meet a lawsuit or anything, yo' put it in yore pocket an' yo' nevah have to be tried. Ah seen 'em work that.
Entry 1816
In gamblin' - ah used tuh heah yo' could take a dead man's fingernail - cut off a dead man's fingernail an' git to a game an' say fo' 'bout thirty minute anyway nobody couldn't tetch yo'. (What would you do with these fingernails?) Jes' take dese nails an' tie 'em up in a piece of flannel an' put a thimblespoonfula sulphur in dere wit it an' tie it up wit some black peppah. Tie it up an' tote in yore watch pocket, an' ever' now an' den yo' put chure finger in yore watch pocket, an' den come back an' put chure han' on de cards. An' yo' wouldn't be caught fo' no mo' 'bout thirty minutes. But yore mind will come to yo' an' tell yo' tuh quit, an' if yo' don't quit den, why co'se yo' goin' go ahead back tuh losin' den.
Entry 1831
Fo' a gamblin' han' yo' git chew some blacksnake root an' some devil's- shoestring an' some John de Conker, an' some cinnamon, an' a van-van perfume. An' yo' git chew a piece of shammy. Yo' put dese ingredients in dere wit de silver dime, an' yo' takes dat perfume an' yo' dresses it an' yo' wears dat piece in yore pocket.
(What will that do then?)
That's supposed tuh be a gamblin' han - whut dey call it.
Entry 1856
I have tried dis when ah first came to St. Petersburg - go an' look me round, couldn't git me a job nowhere. One fellah tells me, says, "Now yo' go an' take yo' a dime, '' he say, "an' buy yo' a crocus fish [fresh-water drumfish]." After yo' git dat fish, yo' cut de head off dat fish an' yo' kin do whut yo wish. Yo' kin eat de fish or yo' kin throw it away. But be shure yo' git de head of dat fish an' cut it open an' git dem two rocks outa dere an' put it in a sack an' wear it in yore pocket. Dere can't nobody turn yo' down fo' a job.
Entry 1899
Totes a toadfrog. If a fellah got roots or anything lak dat, chew go an' git chew a live rusty toadfrog an' put him in a han'chief an' put him in yore pocket, in yore side pocket or anythin' lak dat, an' go in a game, an' yo' wanta kill his luck, if yo' [he] got any lodestone or anything, that's goin' kill it.
Entry 1936
Take graveyard dirt an' put it in yore pocket - graveyard dirt an' Sampson snakeroot an' blacksnake root an' measure it. [Three ingredients.]
(Measure what?)
De blacksnake root when yo' take it up. Yo' measure it de length of yore finger, de blacksnake root.
(Which finger?)
It either be's [these] two or dese two - this or the other one [demonstrates]. Ah don't know, don't want be positive.
(Either two of the fingers of the right hand.)
Yes sir. They take three of those Sampson snakeroot an' measure 'em, den dey take three of blacksnake roots an' measure 'em, an' weave 'em together with raw cotton thread, weave 'em together, an' put 'em in dey pocket, an' git some grave- yard dirt an' put in it.
(What is that supposed to do then?)
That is luck - luck to win. Or way back in slavery time that was luck to keep yo' boss from whuppin' yo'. Ole people carried dat - dat's all dey had to pertek deyself. [Informant born 1858.]
Entry 1967
Fo' tuh have luck in gamblin', take white peppah, an' yo' know dat John de Conker ah wus tellin' yo' 'bout it - well, take a piece jis' about this long an' white peppah an' some white sand, yo' know, an' a piece of white lodestone an' be shore it's put into a piece of flannen or, yo' know, not those thick leather - yo' know, jis' lak a kid glove is, leather lak that [shammy or chammy]. An' be sure tuh bind it an' sew it well an' leave jis' about dat much of de little piece open. Now, look [demonstrates] - see, if ah had a string so dat ah could show yo'. Yo' needn't leave not nary piece [of string] on dat, 'cause he ain't goin' understan' dat. But let him wear dat in his vest pocket, yo' see, an' nobody put dere han's on it. Now, ah tole yo' 'bout de John de Conker. If yo' ain't got no John de Conker, ah kin get chew John de Conker. Ah kin git real John an' Low John.
(What does he put this in his pocket for?)
Well, he put that in there fo' luck in gamblin'.
(You make a little bag for that root with that little hole [dropped stitches]
in it?) Yo' don't want no hole in it - no, no hole in it. Dat string-lak kinda handle to it.
(You make a loop in it?)
Yeah. Well, dat loop belongs dere. Dat little loop belongs dere.
(Why does that loop belong there?)
Well, dat loop means yo know somethin'. Well dat little loop on dere, don't chew see, recommends. Yo' see, ah'm a Christian an' ah lak tuh tell de truth. Dat little loop recommends dat ah will make it. Dat'll make it too. [Memphis - Tuesday, May 24, 1938 - 916 - woman 50 - root doctor - not much" - Numbers Book 885-977. This is an underevaluation made because she filled two cylinders only. She is telling me how to make a hand - "leave jis' about dat much of de little piece open." She does not mean the shammy or flannel but the string used in sewing the bag. She wanted to show me how but we had no string. Then she decides, "Yo' needn't leave not nary piece [[of string]] on dat, 'cause he ain't goin' understand dat." The man for whom I was making the hand wouldn't understand the loop anyway. That loop, she says, is 'lak kinda handle to it [[the hand]].] Dat loop means yo' know somethin'...recommends...recommends dat ah will make it. Dat'll make it, too." At the time I must have known or suspected what the loop meant. I can merely guess at the meaning now. The loop was her secret sign, personal trademark. I doubt the loop would have helped me in making hands. [For another hand maker's trademark, see Broken Bottle Hand, p.532.]
Entry 2010
You kin take a horseshoe nail an' you take it an' make you a ring for your finger an' you kin wear that. An' then [a second method] you kin git choo three horseshoe nails. An' you know this hoof where they cut off the horse's feet; an' you kin git that little dust. An' you take an' put that in your pocket, an' put them three horse- shoe nails in there, an' put that little dust in, an' you'll have real good luck. Ev'ry time you git ready to shoot dice or play cards, you take an' rub that stuff on your hand.
Entry 2011
When yo' do lak dat, yo' goes where peoples take - to a horseshoe shop where dey shoes horses an' mules. Yo' understand dat. Yo' git chew, understan', nine p'ints [points] of de horseshoe nails - nine p'ints. Whut ah mean by nine p'ints now - de whole horseshoe nail when yo' shoein' de horse, dey drive it in de hoof, an' yo' takes yore pliers, yo' drive it [nail] through de shoe into de hoof, through de hoof an' it come out ovah heah an' dat leaves de p'int stickin up lak dat, a good little piece. Well, dey rings dat off on dat side an' files it off wit a file. (They clip those little points off?). Yeah, clip dem off. Yo' pick 'em up down dere on de ground. Yo' tells de man, say, "Ah wanta, Boss, a han'ful or so of dese little p'ints of dese little horseshoe nails." Says, "Go ahead," says, "ah don't care nuthin 'bout dem - ah'm done with 'em." Pick yo' up nine p'ints an' put 'em in yore pocket. Den when yo' git dat, yo'll go back an' go where yore cow is, or mah cow, or lak dat, a cow stall or in a cow pasture, an' git chew, understan', a han'ful, jes' about dat much, of dry cow dung. Be sure dat hit dry an' hard - not green, not half-green. Gits de ole dry cow dung dat's hard an' dry, an' come back an' crumble that thing up, yo' understand, an' take dem nine p'ints of dem horseshoe nails an' put it in dere wit it. Sew it up in a lil piece of flannen, if yo' wanta, an' put it in yore pocket an' take den an' git yo' dis - git chew some dis heah whut dey call Hearts Cologne. Yo' kin git dat an' dat smells so high, so high in a crowd lak dat, yo' kin leave hit off [and use a linament]. (If you don't use the Hearts Cologne, you use this linament. Now what is it called?) Ah'm tellin' yo' now - whut dey call Nerve and Bone Linament, an' po' it on dere. Wet it good wit dat. Dat Nerve an' Bone Linament, dat takes all de man's nerves dat he git. If yo' git a man nerve, den yo' got him up any time where yo' Want him. He ain't no damn good. Yo' kin work him any kinda way yo' wanta. Dat takes de nerve 'way from all de rest of 'em. Yo' see, yo' got de nerve down. When a man's nerve gone, he's no good.
(That's for luck in gambling.)
Entry 2035
Well, yo' go - dere's a High John de Conker, yo' kin dig it out de woods, High John de Conker root. Yo' dig dat out de woods. An' if yo' can't dig it, yo' kin order it - High John de Conker. Yo' take that an' yo' sleep with dat undah yore haid nine nights an' yo' put dat in yore pocket, an' when yo' go to skin game, yo' jes' rub yore han' lak dat onto it, onto de flesh an' make yo' wishes, an' dey tell me yo'll win lak anything.
(You just rub your hands over that root?)
Yeah, jes' rub yore han's ovah this root an' yo'll win lak anything.
Entry 2053
Now, many people have used this partic'lar thing. If they have a job and - say they like it, like this job. They get 'em a piece of John de Conker root, piece of ladyfinger root, and a small piece of lode- stone. [Three ingredients.] It's not very good to use lodestone if you don't know how to use it. You use a very small piece about de size, I'd say, of a large-sized butter bean I think. You put these together with a few drops of oil of cinnamon - say about three drops. And you make of them - they call it a toby. You've heard of people saying they tote a tobu. Well. that's what they are talking about. And you carry that in your pocket - if it's a man he carries it in his pants pocket; if it's a woman she carries it somewhere on her person, where you kin always keep it. Well, every morning fo' nine mornings, drop a drop of oil of cinnamon and jest a little perfume - you see, the perfume on it jes' to rid the odor of the cinnamon. People gen'rally think when you got cinnamon, you got a toothache - it's used for somethin' like that. Well, you put that perfume on there...jes' you're using this on the job. You know people have to use this on the job to impress people. [Ladyfinger may be a variety of red pepper.]
Entry 2129
My wife was sick all the time and she came there to the house and when I came in she wanted to sell me a hand. She said I could get a job any time. So I bought the hand from her. It was nothing more than a piece of red flannel made in a bag and some kind of hair. It wasn't no count. I paid a dollar and a half for it. She told me to carry that in my pocket and if I wanted a job to ask for it and I would always get it. That's what she told me. I didn't do it.
Reported purchase price of a dollar and a half. The narrator calls the hand no count and says I didn't do it. The source specifies no coin, banknote or money-attraction purpose and establishes no employment result.
Entry 2243
Dey tell me yo' go tuh work an' git chew some John de Conker an' some rattlesnake marster an' blacksnake root [three roots] an' git chew three new needles. Put de needles right up ovah yo' do' there yo' see, an' keep dat John de Conker, rattlesnake marster an' de blacksnake root in yore pocket.
(That will keep the law away?)
Keep de law away.
Entry 2251
If de law's botherin' yo', yo' go to work - see, yo' happen to go to another fellah yo' hear talk of [from] somebody dat he kin do [your work]. Well, he'll tell yo' dis - say, "Well, ah tell yo' whut ah do, '' say, "now, if he's botherin' yo', ah'li stop him for so-an'-so much." Yo' say, "Well, if yo' stop it ah'll pay yo'." He'll go to work an' he'll fix yo' up a little bag about dat long - jest about fo' inches long. He'll put chew some black pepper in it, put chew about eight grains of spice an' he puts chew nine grains of red pepper, an' he'll put chew in about a little piece of saltpeter 'bout big as a black-eyed pea, an' he'll put chew in about three grains of'sulphur. An' he'll take dat, see, an' den he'll wrop a silk thread string - sew it wit silk thread. Yo' take dat den an' yo' wear it in yore pocket. An' any time de officers come by yore place, why, yo' have nuthin tuh do when dey come in talk wit chew - run yore han' in yore pocket an' jest kinda roll dat round in yore hand, in yore pocket. Every once in a while kinda take yore hand out an' do somepin lak dat [demonstrates]. Yeah, jest rub it ovah yore face, yo' see, an' put it back. An' he'll pass right on by yo' an' dere's no kick to come. [Rolling is a common magic rite - see following margin-title St. John's Water.]
Entry 2354
Ah have tried dat once but ah didn't make no luck at it. Dey tell me dat chew git a dead man's bone [see p.543f.], one of his finger bone an' one of his toe bone an' keep dat in yore pocket, dat chew would be successful in all evil doin's - underworld work. Well, ah did that. Dey had lynched a fellah up heah right at [near some village] a piece up dis road heah, an' dey found a skeleton. Ah mean ah wus cooking tar den, I run across it in de swamp, an' all de meat was off his bone - nuthin but his toes an' fingers, nuthin but a skeleton yo' understand. Ah'd take one of fingers off, a joint of his finger bone, an one of his toes an' put it in mah pocket. An' ah kept it a while but ah wasn't successful in it. Ah don't think it was much to it. Now yo' kin go to a graveyard an' if it's a man of de world - a wicked man an' man dat gambles an' do all evil things - yo' go to dat graveyard an' pull yore sleeve up to yore elbow an' tell dis wicked man - de spirit - lak ah'm a wicked man an' ah'm buried heah - well - an' yo' wants some of mah dirt. Well, yo' know mah name. Yo' say, "Mark, ah wants some luck." Run yore han' down in dat grave - see, till it git to de elbow an' git some of dat dust. Say, "Well, sir, ah've got some of de dirt an' now ah'm goin' pay yo'." Yo' put two pennies in dat hole an' cover it up. See, dat pennies is tuh pay him fo' dat dirt. Yo' take dat dirt an' yo' put it in yore pocket an' yo'll be lucky gambling. Yo'll be lucky in any kind of underworZd work, sech lak sellin' likker, or if yo' thief an' yo' steal an' dey ain't goin'ketch chew. An' if yo gamble, why yo' successful in dat gamblin' - playin'poker, set-back or anything. Now, ah did that fo' gambling. Ah got some of dat dirt, put two pennies in dat hole. Tell 'im, says, "Well, ah'm paying yo' now fo' dis dirt, ah want it tuh be lucky tuh me." [My transcriber says they knifed a fellah. Above knifed I wrote lynched when checking the transcription. In either case the man died a violent death, making his bones more powerful magically.]
Entry 2523
To have good luck with a boss for a job, yo' always use that sugar - 'vapored [evaporated = refined] sugar [don't use brown sugar on a white boss] - use your sulphur, sprinkle that in your pocket with your sugar. Yo' take your cinnamon bark - you put that in your pocket. All right, any time you go to speak to him, he's always willing [to speak to you]. [Another method.] You take his name and you write it three times - you lay it out on a piece of plain paper and you fold that to you. Don't never fold nothing from you if you want it to be close to you. If you running a place of business and you don't want the laws to bother you. You go to - like a blacksmith shop - like a - you know where they shoe horses at. You walk in there and you ask the man for a couple of [two] horseshoe nails, and he'll give 'em to you. Understand. But don't you take 'em, but you pay 'im for them. You understand. Now, in this you Wanta be lucky - you know, something like you running a place and you wanta have good luck at your place. You take them there [two nails] and you get you - buy you a pink ribbon - a little narrow pink ribbon, and you take them nails and you cross em like a cross, and you wrap that ribbon around 'em and hang it up over your front door where everyone comes in, comes in under that. And you always - when anyone comes, you going to have plenty, plenty, plenty trade. And they ain't going to bother looking. This man that give you them nails, now, when you offer to pay 'em for them, he don't want it, but you give him a nickel or dime or something for them nails any- how. He going to tell you, "Ah, they ain't worth nothing - take plenty." But you always hand him a nickel or dime, so you really having to buy 'em, you under- stand. And lay it down there for him. See. Course, if he just give 'em to you and you don't give him nuthin, they ain't any good to you. Anything that you can get - fust walk out and get it for nothing - that's no trouble for you to get, and you don't know how it come, then it s no benefit to you. Anything that you have trouble to get, why it's a benefit to you. You want to take care of it, you see.
(The law?)
You take the law's name - see, just like that law what you know is bad about raiding or something, you take his name and you write it nine times and fold it to you, you see. You fold it up and you wear it in your shoe. You take them horseshoe nails - them two nails that I told you - and cross 'em and put 'em up over your door. If he comes there, he ain't going to bother you. If any other law comes in town, he'll always know it, so he'll notify you or somebody - see, you ain't got no graft or nuthin to pay. Keep the graft and all out of your way.
Entry 3224
Jes' lak dey have a man an' yo' don't want 'im tuh go out wit anybody else. Well, yo' a, yo' know, an' yo' kin take a new han'chuf an' use dat. Iron it an' fold it up - eithah a little towel - fold it up roun' an' sew it up tight as yo' kin an' stick dat in de mattress, an' he cain't go out wit nobody else. Yo' kin take an' eithah use his pocket han'chuf an' use it - iron it an' put it under yore rug an' dat will cause him tuh bring in 'is money an' stay home. (You would use this the same as you use the handkerchief you mean. You mean wipe him with that and then iron it and put it under the rug to make him bring his money home.)
Entry 5119
Take de linin' [inner sole] outa fellah's right shoe, tote hit in yore pocket, see. An' take hit an' some devil's shoestring root an' wrop it up tuh- gethah. (Do you wrap it any special way?) Any special way? Jis' as [so] it wropped aroun' wit some asafitadee. Put it in dere an' wrop it away [from you].? Tote it in yore pocket. If yo' wanta run 'im away put red peppah an' salt in it.
(Then what do you do with it?)
Keep a-carryin' it. Has it on a string hangin' down on yore left side. Keep a fellah jis' hangin' dataway. Dat will keep 'l away from dere. Dat's like yuh have a case in co't an' want somebody tuh do somepin.
Entry 7203
All right, a man take an' do wit a woman de same way. A man cut de seat, a piece where she sweat undah here, undah de ahm. (Under her arm. Both arms or just one?) Both ahms. All right, he takes dat an' he puts some li'le roots in dat - some kinda li'le roots.
(Do you know the name of those roots?)
Dey put - whut's de name of dat root now? Some kinda - devil's-shoestring. Cut dem tuh be short. See, dem shoestring dat long [demonstrates].
(The devil's-shoestrings about three feet long?)
Yes, sir, some is dis long. Some is long accordin' as jis' how much yo' take out de groun' an' dey will pop off.
(You cut them about an inch or two inches long?)
Yes, sir, dat much off see. An' yo' put 'em in de bottle. Well, dat's tuh keep 'em at home. Dat's tuh make a woman dat run about tuh dance an' shows, lak dat, run aroun' lak dat, dat keep 'em home. De mō' [more] he feed dat bottle, dat keep 'er down. If - he don' do it tuh kill 'er, yo' know, jis' tuh keep 'er home.
(And what does he feed that bottle with?)
With cologne.
(And where do you keep this bottle?)
Keep it in 'is pocket. Yo' don't bury dat, keep it in 'is pocket. (That all he puts in there, these pieces of her clothing and the devil's-shoe- string?) Yes sir, an' he shake dat bottle up, yo' know. Yo' see, de man [the doctor] tell 'im tuh shake it up, an' feed it. Feed it an' put it back in 'is pocket. Don' put it in nobody's hand. Keep it in 'is pocket jis' a small ole cologne bottle.
Entry 7775
A man tole me one time when ah used tuh try tuh gamble - ah nevah was nuthin but a game-fan [watcher] - but ah've quit dese things now. But ah remem- bah dis in mah youngah days. Ah'm tellin' yo' de truth. He always tole me, said, "If yo' wanta be lucky, B" - called me B, mah name is Bidgood - he says, "if yo' wanta be lucky, yo' go tuh de graveyard an' go intuh de breast of de grave, an' put chure hand down as deep as yo' kin git in an' git some-a de dust. Git chew a piece of red flannen an' put it in dere, an' put some black peppah, some honeycomb" - lak de bees make honey, use de comb sometime fo' curin', but de honey's gone - "an' tie it up an' put it in yore pocket. When yo' go tuh a pokah game or skin game or crap game, jis' take dat ball out an' roll it in yore hands disaway [demonstrates] an' evahthing lak dat, ' an' says, "yo' prob'ly make a couple of passes on de dice - craps. Well," says, "yo' keep dat up an' rub yo' hands [until they] gits warm an' hot. Go tuh a drug store an' git chew some good cologne an' put all through dat so it have a sweet smell tuh it." He says, "Yo' more den apt tuh be lucky." But ah have nevah tried it.
Entry 10046
Well, dey tell me if yo' wanta have good luck, git chew a coal-black cat an' take him out tuh whah de roads crossin' some ole faraway road an' take yuh a pot an' take dis cat an' cook 'im, evahthin' but 'is eyes. Dose is de two thin's dat chew have yuh a [some- thing?] right wheah yo' put chure fiah, jis' enough tuh not burn de eyes. [See comment later about these eyes.1 Cook it tuh wheah it'll be hard, an' cook dat cat. Dey claim dat diff'ren thin's [spirits] come up out de pot but dat ain't true. (These things [appearance of spir- its] really don't come about?) Dey don' come about, but it is true tuh mah knowledge about de cat. An' yo' cook dis cat tull [till] he's per- fek done; ev'ry stran' of de meat's offa de bone. An' go tuh some spot-a watah where de watah is standin' perfekly [perfectly] still an' yo' drop dose bones in dere. An' dere's one li'le certain bone, dat's jis' a small bone, dat'll stay on topa de watah, an' de resta de bones dey goes down tuh de bottom. Dat bone yo' kin take it an' keep it fo' maybe ten or twelve days, an' take it tuh some place tuh where yo' kin dress it wit strong alkihol tuh wheah it has a strong scent. Have it wheah yuh kin smell dat scent. Den yuh kin keep it in yuh pock- et, lak yuh's a gamblah or some kinda card playah, an' it re'lly brings luck tuh yuh.
(What would you do with those eyes of the cat?)
Aftah yo' dress yore bone yuh git dose eyes an' place dem somewhah whah yuh's, in yuh residence whah yuh live at, whah dey kin stay whah nuthin'll bothah 'em. An' dose eyes - yuh know he [cat] has a gray eye. Dey'll begin tuh turn green. An' de whole thin'll git jis' as green as a gourd. Den yuh keep dose fo' yuh- self; not fo' nobody else but chureself. [Those preceding cat eyes are interesting! At the moment I do not recall anything quite similar in HOODOO. The fact that these natural eyes turn hard and then gradually change color from gray to green, shows we are concerned here with two cat's-eyes: gems exhibiting a chatoyant [[reflecting a single streak of light ohen cut in a cobochon]] luster, especially a variety of chrysoberyl, the ori ertal or precious cat's-eye. Though this is my only example - compare following rite - could present rite be an attempt to sell glass cat's-eyes as devil stones? Years ago at the turn of the century a cat's-eye shooting marble was alast a Superstition with some marble shooters. Perhaps an antiquarian could infona us.]
[For another example of black cat's eyes, see No. .]
Entry 10078
Well, yo' ketch a cat - a black cat - an' yo' take 'im tuh a runnin' stream somewhere off in some desolated place, an' yo' build yuh a fiah an' yo' heat watah an' yo' boil dis cat. Yo' boil all de bones off dis cat. An' aftah dis cat boiled an' all de meat fall off 'is bones, den yo' take dese bones an' yo' put dese bones in a bag, an' po' dese bones in dis stream of runnin' watah. An' den yo' sit dere. Dey say dat sev'ral things supposed tuh happen uhile yo' doin' dis. Various horrible apparitions will appear trying to fright- en you.] An' all dese bones will go downstream in swift watah, an' dis one bone come back up against de stream, dat's de bone yo' git. Den yo' git dat bone an yo' carry dat bone. Yo' carry dat bone diff'ren' places. Yo' suck it in yuh zouth when yo' wanta do things, an' carry it in yore pocket in yuh han'. Dat bone supposed tuh do sev'ral things; sech make a man invisible or any othah things dat yo' wanta do.
Entry 10085
Dat black cat - takin' de black cat, pure black, no white spot, no nuthin, an' puttin' 'im in a pot of watah alive an' boilin' 'im. Aftah he is boiled, tuh find de right bone, yo' must take a lookin'-glass an' passin' each bone through de mouth. When yuh git tuh de right bone, yuh don' see yuhself in de glass at all. Well, dat's de bone dat chew use in yuh pocket. An' whensom- evah yo' use dat bone in yore pocket, yuh walks intuh any place - yo' may be comin' up along de street an' ah see yo' comin', an' befo' yo' git tuh me yuh'll disappeah an' ah don' see yuh. See. Yo' done git invisible wit de black cat bone. But it's only one certain bone dat it kin be done wit.
Entry 10609
What you can do for.... Well, you see, you goes and you gets some of this here Eve. Just say, "I want Eve root."
(Eve root?)
Eve root, a she Eve root.
(Wait a minute! She Eve root?)
Yes. Well, it's made something like a peanut. And you take that and you take the biggest one and you put it in your pocket, you take the smallest one, and you use it in your mouth; just like if you'd got an idea that someone Was to do you harm. Well, you take that piece and keep it in your mouth, inside of a small piece of paper or something like that, or either a little piece of clean rag. Then you gets you a glass of water, river water, and a glassful of any other kind of water - rain water like that. And you takes it and you sets it like that and you gets a Durham sack. [Evidently this is the small sack with draw string that had held Durham (trade name) cigarette tobacco.] You carries that Durham sack in nine waters - just like if you washed it once, in one water, you pour that out and you wash it [again 8 times]. After you strain it like that, but continue on pouring the water down in the same place until you gets it like that, about so high. And you leave it setting for nine days. After the nine days... (Wait! You have this Durham sack and you wash it in one water and then you pour this water in a container. Then you get some more water and wash it again, the second time. You wash it nine times. And all this water you save in another container.) You just keep it there.
(I see. All right.)
Until you get it later - until you get a glassful, just in the amount, that amount in nine times. Then you take that water and you puts it inside of a jar, or either a keg, you know.
(Any kind of an old can.)
Just any kind of a can.
(Oh! a can. A can, all right.)
And after that you leave it set for three or five days [odd number of days]. And after you've taken it out from there, you get some this here parchment paper. Parchment paper. And you write your name - 7 - 3 - 5 - [odd numbers] but you write it just coming. Don't write it straight across, just coming cater-corner you write it. And afterwards you take that and you get he Eve roots. Well, then, you takes it and you mash it up. And every morning you wake up, you take some of that, wash your face and head like that, all the way down - just a little on your hands. No way in the world for anybody to move you or do you any kind of harm.
(I see. Where do you get this ''he" Eve root?)
In the drug store.
(And you say it looks just like a peanut?)
Just like peanut and it's got...
(Are there any nuts inside of it?)
No, nothing. And it's just like a peanut but only it got a fine little string, just like a kind of string between there to hold it. Then it's got this she Eve root, you see. And you take this she Eve root and you just mash it up...
(Wait! The "she" [or] "he" [Eve] root? You mean a "she" Eve root?)
Yes, then you got the she Eve root. Then you take that and you keep it in your pocket. Now, look, even you could - afterwards, you could come along - after that going on, and if you cause - done want to make anybody drift. (Now, wait a minute! After you've used that "he" Eve root in this water, then yoa would carry that piece of she Eve root in your pocket. I understand nou. Now, you are going to tell me something different now, another story. All right, tell me the next one now.)
Entry 12054
I was about eighteen years old. So onest [once] I had a ole fortune- teller tell me somebody trying to do somepin to me. She could stop it, if I give her five dollars. So I didn't have but three dol- lars. And my stepbrother was with me and said, "I'll lend you the other two, Andy." So I give her five dollars. Well, it wasn't more than about a few weeks I lost it. "Twas to be kept in my right-hand vest pocket.
(What did it look like?)
Long as my finger. She called it a rabbit foot, but I don't know what was in it [the bag]; but it was about the size of my finger, in red flannel!
Entry 12724
(Are they different from any other kind of rabbit or not?)
Jest looks de same.
(And where do you catch them then?)
Well, yo' kin catch 'em round the graveyard some place.
(And then what would you do with that?)
You will take his front right foot...
(Front right foot?)
Yes, an' wear it in your pocket.
(Do you kill the rabbit or what?)
Well, try to ketch him alive and take dat foot off an' turn him loose...dat's more better.
(Oh, I see. You don't kill him, just cut that foot while he is alive?)
And turn him loose.
(And now what did you say you put with that?)
You puts a little of dat High John de Conkah and a little of dat perfume and wear it in your pocket amongst your money. Them things supposed to be very lucky.
Entry 6043
(Now, what about the hair?)
An' de hair de same. Yo' git dat while yo' playin' wit 'em. Take a piece of hair. Clip it off an' ball it up an' put it in a little bag, when yo' git to de house. Now, she ain't goin' wit nobody else atall. She ain't got no feelin's fo' nobody else but chew.
(Bury that hair?)
No, no. Keep it in yore pocket.
Entry 6044
Yo' [she] kin git some of a man's hair an' she kin take it an' git a piece of 'er undahweah an' put dat hair in dere, an' sew it up an' slip it in'is pocket, an' dat will make him love her ag'in.
Entry 6046
Ah tell yo' about de hair question. A man kin git a woman's hair an' he kin sew it up an' put it in his fob pocket an' carry 'er jes' 'is way.
(In his fob pocket, which side?)
In de right side.
Entry 6243
[This split limb rite is similar to those under the preceding margin dtles STICK.] Sow ah here'd [heard] dat dey take yore hair an' go tuh a tree. Take a limb ff de tree an' split dat tree limb, take yore hair an' put it down in dere, bind it up. Dat run yo' crazy. (Bind up what?) Yore hair. (What are you binding up, the tree or the stick you cut off?) Take yore tree an' cut it off an' split de tree. Put chure [hair] down lengthways an' wrap dat up. Dey kin run yo Tary (You are cutting off a little tree. What are you splitting? This tree or the Lteb you cut off from the tree?) De limb yo' cut off de tree. (Then you tie up a limb, then. I wanted to find out whether you tied up the tree or tied up the limb.) De limb. All right. Take de hair again an' put it in de same thing.
(Wait a minute! Tell me the whole thing now.)
Take yore hair right on an' de limb lak ah 'fore said, [= I before said or I aforesaid]. Yo' take yore hair, an' a limb off de tree. Split it an' put chure hair down in dere. Wrap dat up. Yo' tote dat in yore pocket. Dat run yo' crazy - don't have, yo' know, no mind. (You either keep that stick in your pocket or what else do you do with it? What do you do with it in the first place - the first story you told me?) [WHAT LOOKS LIKE MY STUPID QUESTIONS ABOUT SOMETHING SELF-EVIDENT IS NOW EX- PLAINED. INFORMANT HAD GIVEN THIS RITE OR A PART OF IT BEFORE I TURNED ON RE- CORDING MACHINE. REPETITION AS USUAL OMITS SOME OF THE DETAILS AND CLARITY.] Yo' take dat an' tote it in yore pocket. Don't do nuthin wit it but jis' tote it in yore pocket.
(What do you do with it the second time then?)
All right, de second time yo' take de same 'mount of stuff, go tuh a stream of watah an' take an' throw it in de watah. An' as it goes up de [tidal] stream or down de stream - which ways it may go - den yo'll follah, den yore mind will be jis' lak dat watah runnin'.
Entry 102
He said once when he wus young [about 1867] follerin' the water, he say there wus some man put bad luck on 'im. An' he say he fell overboard twice. An' he say he went to some place, he said, to a fortune teller. Said he [fortune teller] told him that a man had put bad luck on 'im, becuz if he fell overboard three times, he said, he would be drown. An'he told 'im when he come home for to go to the church an' to the freshest grave an' get a pocketful of new clay. He wus to wear that in his pocket until it wasted away. An' he went out there an' got a pocketful of new clay, an' when he left - he [fortune teller] told 'im that he would hear some- thing to the church for a long ways, he said, the further he walked - an' when he left the church, why, he heard a laugh until he got home. An' after he wus home, then, he said it disappeared. An' he said all at once sound like he heard some lumber fall right in the yard.
Entry 312
Ah heared dat yo' kill nine black cats an' yo' put 'em in a pot an' yo' boil 'em an' till dey drop off de bone. Den yo' take dese bones an' throw 'em in runnin' watah an' de lucky bone will come to de top. An' yo' take that an' tote it in yore right hip pocket - yo' carry it an' have it dressed - tote it in yore right hip pocket. An' then yo' kin do anything yo' want to.
(How would you dress that bone?)
Well, ah don' know.
(You get nine cats?)
Yessuh - nine cats.
Entry 319
Ah don' know how dey git dat separate, but dey say dey take de left leg an' yo' boil it, an' den yo' always - yo' boil it an' tie a red string on it an' tote it in yore left pocket. Dey say that will give yo' a lucky hand.
Entry 596
Yo' kin take a fellah whut had a peg-laig yo' know an' he die, an' when he die why yo' git dat knee-cap off an' use hearts cologne an' whiskey on it, an' tote it in yore pocket, an' yo' know, when yore luck come on hit would jump, an' then, yo' know that would give yo' more attention to bet mo'.
Entry 682
The way I have heard it, that a hoodoo bag is a bag that one carries and it contains a dust called goofer dust, and whatever they put it on they can conquer. Some wear it in their bosom and some in their pocket. They get these goofer bags from root doctors or cunjure doctors. You give them a certain sum of money. Some call them roots, some call them rabbit's foot. Some people wear these roots around their legs sometimes for luck.
Entry 746
It's a certain part of root you kin git in de woods and dey call it Alivin' Amongst de Dead. I know 'em.
(The root is called?)
Livin' Amongst de Dead. See. And dey takes two - only two grows up in one bunch, and you took dose two - it's a woman and a man and you keep dat and dat'll go to work and carry you through. Alivin' Amongst de Dead. Dat's right. (This Living Among the Dead - that root, have they any other name for that root or is that the only name they have for it?) Yes, dat's de only name. (The only name they have. I see. And if you keep that around you, then no one can hurt you?) No sir.
(What does it look like?)
You see, dere two grows up togethah, and dey bend togethah jes' like dat.
(Stick right together?)
Yes, and de bush grows up about dat tall and turns out like dat.
(Each bunch turns over towards.the ground?)
Yes, sir, dat's right.
(You put The Living Among the Dead - you carry it in your pocket.)
Yes. (When you are hunting a job - when you get there, you put it in front of you and they can't turn you down?) Yes.
Entry 913
I married my first wife and of course I didn't know she had an enemy, and me and her was coming down the road. So we walked along talking. It was a path that lead to the house from the road, and opposite that path she slapped me on the shoulder and said, "oh, French, somebody done tricked me." And I said, "Go away, woman - who in the Name of God done anything to you?" She said, "I am tricked." She went away from here with the same thing. [The slapping makes me assume that she had a sudden and unusual pain which frightened her; this sudden pain while walking usually caused by passing over a cunjured object - see Burying objects, in Index.] I'll tell you what happened. It was the second week in August. I worked along and worked along and worked along. Finally I had to go to the doctor for her. The doctor said that she had the stomach trouble. I worked and done every way I could. Finally, I sent her to the hospital in Washington, [D. C.]. They worked on her and worked on her there. I told her when she left home, don't let them operate on her. Finally then, she came back home, I says to her, "Fannie, how do you feel?" She said, "French, I don't feel no better." I said, "What did the doctor and nurses say?" 'The doctor said I had stomach trouble and he had to operate on her [me]." One of the nurses told her, 'I could tell you what's the matter with you but we ain't allowed." So she came home on a Friday night and then I went down in the country about twenty some miles on Sunday morning. I seen a man, a hoodoo doctor, and he give me some little packages, three of them, and told me what to do with them. And I came home and done just as he told me on a Monday morning. On Wednesday she died. I don't know what was in these packages. In one of them I couldn't see nuthin but a bunch of roots. He told me to put that on in a pint and a half of water and boil it down to a pint. After boiling it down to a pint, you set it off and let it get cool, then give her three tablespoonfuls before meals. He gave me a package to throw over my left shoulder. I made the tea and give her the first dose, and go right on to running water and throw it over my left shoulder. I did so. He gave me a little pocket piece and told me to give her and carry in her pocket. It was a little package all tied up. That was the third year after the Johnstown [Pennsylvania] flood [May 31, 18891, in this [Spotsylvania] county. I went down in Caroline [County, Virginia] to get the hoodoo doctor.
Entry 1096
Take alum, a piece about big as a dime an' pound it up an' put it in a little sack, an' write de name of dose parties dat chew think dat's interfering an' put dat name in de sack wit dat an' wear it in yore pocket. Dey said dat would eliminate dat trouble.... (They couldn't harm you - couldn't hurt you in any way?) Couldn't hurt chew. [Alum - like other chemical, metallic and organic substances listed later, occurs in many curative or protective combinations of ingredients.]
Entry 1107
Take and sew a piece of assafitidee and a piece of red flannel into a bag: You make a bag of the flannel, wear it in your pocket next to your heart and, if you have any enemies or anything, that will keep them down.
Entry 1112
Whut ah was sayin' 'bout luck, yo' kin go in de left-hand side of yore fireplace an' take a fire coal, take two fire coals an' wear 'em in yore - put 'em in a little sack an' wear 'em in yore left pocket an' no one can't do yo' no harm. [These fire coals in country districts were small pieces of charred wood.]
Entry 1126
Heard dem say yo' go in de woods like dat an' git yo' some rattlesnake marster or blacksnake root, an' git a string an' tie it tight in so many knots.
(How many knots?)
About six knots - dat's a long string. Well, yo' wear that round yo'. If yo' don't yo' have to, yo' know, keep it in yore pocketbook - or either wear it round yo'. Dey say yo' holdin' dem den.
(By wearing that root - that's the way you do it?)
Yes sir, that's, yo' know, he pin de othah fellow. Yo' know, lak somebody wus goin' hurt chew an' yo' git dat root, why yo tyin' 'em up. See, yo' jes' tie dem knots - jes' as many kmots - why yo' tyin' den up.
(You don't mention anybody's name or anything?)
No sir, yo' jes' tyin' 'em up.
Entry 1295
You could use diff'rent stuff. Like if yo' go to de drug store an' tell 'im yo' want yo' some bay rum, den yo' get yo' some garlic, an' yo' get yo' some white onions. An' yo' put all dat in a can an' yo' will boil dat. An' yo' would take a bath with it, an' yo' would tote some of it into yer pocket. An' whenever yo' take de bath in dat, yo' t'row it tuh de way de sun rise. Dat'll keep 'em from doin' yo' bodily hahm [harm].
Entry 1364
If a spirit-lak worryin' yo', well yo' kin open a pocketknife an' put it in yore pocket an' no spirit can't harm yo' - any kind of pocket- knife an' put it in yore pocket an' walk off.
[See jack-o'-lantern, No. 136, p.46.]
Entry 1374
[These are protection hands against evil intent. A better description of lodestone qualities and uses will be found under subdivision Hands and in Index.] Git lodestone, cayenne peppah an' sugah - not salt, sugah. Git lode- stone, genuine lodestone from de drugsto' an' yo' git chew some sugah an' cayenne peppah, not black peppah, an' sew it into a flannel an' wear it right in yore hip pocket where yore watch go in at. An' that crosses yore enemies - they cain't harm yo'.
Entry 1480
Say if they put anything down fo' yo', if yo' wanta walk ovah it or go ovah it, jes' git chew some sulphur, some salt, black peppah an' take an' jes' make yo' a ball with it lak that an' jes' put it in a red flannel an' yo' kin go anywhere about an' it won't bother yo'.
[This is a protection hand.]
(Where do you keep that red flannel?)
Jes' keep it anywhere next to yore heart - in yore watch pocket or in yore shirt pocket, anywhere.
Entry 1736
Ah went to a man fo' dat, too. He went an' gi' me a root - it wus a white bone. It wusn't a root, it wus a white bone. He give me a white bone whut chew call a blacksnake bone an' he said, "Yo' take dat bone an' yo' wrap it up in yore - put it in yore pocket an' tote dat bone." An' he say, "Fo' every nine mawnin's, yo' take some Hearts Cologne an' dip dat bone in it an' yo' have plenty of customers an' won't be worried. An' de law will come up an' yo' always know whut de law does." Ah taken dat bone an' kept hit until dat bone broke an' ah kept de bone on. An' he come back an' he give me anothah, an' he give me whut chew call a black- snake root de next time an' anothah bone. It's a little bone jes' about that long - jes' 'bout big as, whut yo' call a small little bone. Ah taken dat bone an' kept it an' de law come an' taken me. Dey come an' taken de jar of whiskey out de house an' dey tole me to meet co't. An' ah tole him ah didn't have no money, ah couldn't meet co't. He say, "Well, if yo' ain't got no money," says, "ah'll have tuh lock yo' up.' Say, '"But ah won't lock yo' up now." Said, "Go an' meet me up there next week." By de next week come, dat Sunday, ah taken de car an' went to anothah fellah an' he tole me - we went back to dis same fellah [first doctor], an' he said, "Well, '' says, "ah'm goin' fix yo' up." Says, "Then the only thing yo' kin do is jes' go outa town an' stay fo' three days an' come back an' he won't bother yo'." He give me that bone an' ah went outa town an' stayed three days, an' ah come back heah in town - dey had fo' cases against me an' dey laugh off ever' one.
Entry 1737
Yo' go to the woods an' git a piece of blacksnake root an' tie it up in a little hand'chief, put it in a cologne bottle and tote it in yore pocket three days and den take de bottle an' bury it. After three days yo' take it out chure pocket an' bury it under yore doorstep and dat will give you good luck. [Here is a buried hand.]
Entry 1830
Dey say if yo' git some devil's-shoestring an' nine shots out of a shell - nine shots an' three lengths of devil's-shoestring. Yo"sposed to keep dat with yo' an' yo' kin put most any kind of perfume on it. An' yo' have a piece of lodestone with it - dat makes it bettah. Dat's whut ah hear a man say he wus doin' - ah seen some of it.
(How did he carry that?)
Jes' put it in a little bag an' put it in yore pocket.
Entry 1876
Take a toadfrog an' put him in his pocket an' keep him in dere an' dat will give him plenty luck an' plenty money - dat toadfrog. If he's not lucky at all why dat toadfrog won't stay wit him; an' if he is, why dat frog will continue stayin' with him.
Entry 1880
They catch them a toadfrog and puts him in their pocket and the money - the first bet that they win, they put that money in that pocket with that frog, and as that frog swell in his pocket, well you going to be winning the game.
(If that frog swells in the pocket?)
In that there pocket - yes, sir.
(You mean - how do you mean swells?)
Just - you know how they get - they just puff out that way. Well, as he begin to puff out, you just win and win till you break the ante.
Entry 1889
A frog, now he's good fo' luck too.
(To make the lucky hand. Tell me that all over again.)
Yo' git dis - yo' take dis frog an' yo' git chew some moonshine [illegally distilled whiskey] an' make yo' a - have yo' a container an' have it deep enough where that he'll go down in there, see. Then yo' fasten him down in that stuff an' let him stay in dere until he die. [You drown the frog in moonshine.] An' when he die, then yo' git some mercury an' yo' fill his mouth - yo' know, put that in his mouth. Yo' put this mercury in his mouth an' then yo' take him an' a piece of flannel - yo' know, a square piece of flannel, red flannel, an' put him in dis flannel an' then yo' drop nine drops around in de flannel.
(What kind of drops?)
Mercury. Then yo' sew dis flannel up an' ev'ry time yo' make a stitch, bring it to yo' like that [demonstrates] - ev'ry time yo' make a stitch until yo' git it sewed plumb up. Well, when yo' git it sewed plumb up, den yo' pray de 23rd Psalms fo' three days, an' all at de same time he'll drink [soak] up this othah stuff. Put him in some more an' let him drink that an' git him good an' full of it, don't chew know. Den put that in yore pocket an' that's tuh bring yo' luck.
(In gambling?)
Yes sir.
Entry 1890
Yo' kin git graveyard dirt an' a frog an' take this frog an' put this graveyard dirt an' dis frog an' de lodestone in yore pocket an' dress it ovah wit whiskey. Den yo'll be lucky.
(Lucky in what?)
In gamblin' or runnin' a house or most anything - restaurant - anything yo' doin'.
(You put all this in a little bag?)
Yes, in a little red flannel rag. Sew it up an' it'll make a hand - jis make a hand out of it.
Entry 1893
If yo' gamblin', yo' take yo' a toadfrog - ketch him alive. Yo' know a toadfrog is got numbers on him - jes' lak if yo' kin be lucky enough tuh ketch yo a toadfrog with seven on him, it's a lucky frog. If yo' put him in yore pocket alive an' he stay in dere, ain't no way nobody kin win no money from yo'; but if yo' don't - if he don't stay in yore pocket, yo' kin tell whether yo's in good luck or whether yo' in bad. De minute dat chew put him in yore pocket, he's goin' holler an' jump out. But if yo s goin' have really good luck, take dat from in dere an' put him in yore pocket an' he stay in dere, yo' win de whole time dat frog is in yore pocket. [For putting numbers on frog, see No. 575, p.186.]
Entry 1894
(What would they do with the frog?)
You kin take a frog if yo' are betting cards and - jest like ah and you is in a skin game of betting, wal ah've got a toadfrog in mah pocket. Ah don't keer how lucky yo' is, ah'm goin' beat yo' out chure money long as he don't holler. If he hollers I quit betting and turn him loose and let him go.
Entry 1900
Yo' kin ketch de frog an' yo' cut off his left hind laig whilst he livin' an' turn him unloose an' wear it in yore pocket. Mah brothah got one in his pocket today.
(What will that do for you?)
Say that makes yo' git 'long - anybody yo' kin walk up dere an' ask 'em fo' money an' dey'll give it to yo'.
Entry 1927
Well, fer as ah know about graveyard dirt, yo' could take dat an' make yo'self lucky an' successful. Well, use it jis' lak yo' use powder. See, yo' kin wear it in yore pocket and den yo' could take an' use it as yo' use powder - put it on yore face when yo' go tuh gamble or anything lak dat, when yo' wanta be lucky. An' co'se yo' gotta have a little lodestone wit it. Ah've got of dat heah in mah pocket.
Entry 1966
I was about 18 years old at dat time. There wasn't nuthin like dat. So once I had a ole fortune teller tell me dat somebody was tryin' to do somepin to me, she'd stop 'em if I'd give 'er $5.00. So I didn't have but three dollars. My brother - he was a stepbrother to me - and he said, "I'll lend joo de other two." So I give 'er $5.00. Well, it wasn't more than about a few weeks I lost it. It was to be kept in my right far-hand vest pocket.
(What did it look like?)
Twas long as my finger.
(Was it a bag?)
She called it a rabbit foot, but I don't know what was in it. It was about the size of my finger and in a little red flannen.
Entry 1970
You get a lodestone and put it in your pocket and put it wit some money, you supposed to keep money so long as you keep dat rock - long as dat rock, dat stone is in action; but in a certain time, just like anything else, it'll run out.
Entry 1993
Dey would go to a man fer to get good luck. So when dey go to dis guy, dis guy would tell 'em you know. It would be a little black bag, have a whole lot of little things in it. It would look somepin like little pieces of stone, and a little piece of dried leaf Would be all cut up, you know, in there. I seen 'em. I seen one of 'em and I tore de thing open, I didn't know what it was, fer to see what it was. It was a little fine pieces of stone and it looked like some little leaves was into it and some little gravels looked like offen de ground. So they said de fellah says fer to hold it tight, keep it in your pocket all de time; an' if you leave it to git loose, it would git away from you and go back to 'im and you wouldn't have no luck.
(What do they call this bag?)
A qood-luck bag. You kept it in your pocket where you keep de money. You know, it would be mos' fer a man. Well, if a woman would carry one, they would have to keep it in de pocketbook.
Entry 2021
Heard tell of 'em goin' tuh - well, dey don't be roun' heah, but dey takes de rock out of a jay bird's nest. Ah've heard tell of people takin' an goin' tuh de mountains an' gittin' a rock out a jay bird's nest an' bringin' it back heah, an' if dey want a job or wanta work any way, or don' wanta do nuthin, dey kin take dat rock an' keep it. It's a lil white rock look jes' lak a aig.
(Well, how do they get that rock?)
Dey go tuh dis bird's nest an' git it. De bird nest be's on de ground, see, in de rocks, kinda in a rock-lak. Well, de nest, it be's covered up an' dey take an' uncover dis nest an' git dis rock out of it an' put it in dere pocket an' bring it on back. [Cf. No. 1155, p.423.]
Entry 2061
Have yo' a little piece of live lodestone an' we call it blue oil in a little bottle about like dat. Take dat blue oil an' po' it by itself in a little bottle an' put dis lodestone in a bottle by itself. Well now, when yo' start out to seek a job, take out a little piece of dat lodestone from dat oil an' po' some of dat blue oil on it an' rub it good, dry it off, take dat wit chew in yore pocket. Well now, wherevah yo' go yo' may not be successful de first time, but dey say in de second-third trip yo' get a job by yo' comin' back an' taking dis lodestone from dis, everything, cleanin' it off good an' droppin' it back in dat bottle to itself. Ah've seen men order such things.
Entry 2070
Yassuh, ah experienced dat. De way yo' do, yo' git chew a piece of John de Conker root and a piece of de devil's-shoestring and a piece of lode- stone. Dere two kind of lodestone, de male lodestone and de female lodestone. Git chew two pieces of dat lodestone.
(The male or the female?)
A piece of each, yassuh, an' put 'em in yore pocket. Put 'em.in yore pocket or pocketbook, anything - in yo' shirt pocket, coat pocket, anything jes' since yo' got 'em about chure person. An' dat John de Conker root, yo' jes' chew dat root and jes' ack likes it's 'bacco and be jes' chewing - chewing it an' talkin'. If it's any kinda job, yo'll git it.
Entry 2071
When you got a case or something like that and you want to get dis- charged, well you go and use a thing they call lodestone - it's two pieces, it's the he one and a she one. Take and wrap it up in a dollar.
(In a what?)
Take and wrap it up in a paper dollar.
(Paper doll?)
Paper dollar.
(Paper dollar? Oh, a dollar bill.)
Yes, a dollar bill - one dollar bill, and you wrap it up in there and you keep it in your pocket, and when you go - well, when they call you up there in front of the court, well they going to throw it out - they just going to tell you - throw it clean out of the court.
(Well, which piece of this lodestone do you use in that dollar?)
You uses two pieces - it's the he lodestone and it's the she lodestone, it's black lodestone and a white lodestone.
(Which is the black?)
It's got fringes on it just like iron rust. You see iron rust on a old piece of tin. Well, it thataway when you knock that dust off of there.
(Well, is the black the he or the she....? What color is the he lodestone?)
It's white.
(What color is the she?)
It's black. It's got kind of a nose - kind of a tip on the end of it.
(Which one?)
The black.
(Which one did you put in this dollar?)
You put both of 'em. You make two folds with that dollar and you fold it up. You put one just like that and you make another fold, you put that other piece, and you bend the four corners of it together. Then you take this and you put it in your pocket and you keep it and you go up there. Every time you go up there they discharge you or either throw it out, say you come the next day or somepin.
Entry 2077
I was stealing a ride on a train and as we went into the yards the railroad detective made me get down out of the train [boxcar] and they put me in jail. That was in Florida. The penalty from riding on a train is ten days. The charge was trespassing on private property, so they put me in jail in a part known as the bull pen where there were about twenty-two fellows. The fellow that slept in the bunk above me had a little disk-like of metal in his pocket. When we went to bed that night it fell from the top bunk of my bunk. I picked it up and looked at it, I lighted a cigarette, but I couldn't make it out. Next morning when I looked at it good I saw that it was something in the shape of a luck piece and I put it in my pocket and it has been with me ever since. It's hard for me to lose it. Not because I think it does any particular good. It fust stays with me. I have lost it sever- al times and each time I get it back again. I don't look for it however, it just seems to come back to me. I lost it one night and I couldn't find it anywhere. So I went home thinking I had lost it. When I went to pull my pants off I found it in the cuff of my pants. I don't know what became of the boy that dropped it. I only stayed there ten days. After I left there I came straight here [to the Atlantic Hotel, Ocean City, Maryland]. I was some weeks getting up here. The same night I entered this town I got my present job. You know what a hobo looks like, ragged and dirty. After I got here to his hotel, I had nothing like money or the shape of money, only this luck piece I found in jail. And my boss went and got me some clothes after giving me a job. Any time I want to go out at night, if I knew I was going out at night for a good time, I somewhat depend upon this luck piece. I put it in my left-hand pocket and go on and think no more about it. [I ask informant to lay luck piece on the table so that I could describe it. Since I was then using an Ediphone, not Telediphone, I had to speak into the Speaking-tube, adding the note about superstition after informant had departed:] (This luck piece is about the size of an English penny or an American dollar and being stamped out of copper [brass] with a dye classifies it as an article sold by mail-order firms catering to the superstitious. On each side of the medal, in the center and occupying.one half of the space, is a large open hand raised above the surface. The inscription on one side says HELP, HAPPINESS, PEACE, SUcCESS around the edge of the disk. In the center of the hand it says THE LUCKY HAND. Below the hand it says AND LUCK and below that IS MINE BY RIGHT. On the other side of the medal at the top I SHALL BE GUIDED BY THE HAND OF and below that THE SPIRIT. Below that LOVE IS MINE. Below that PEACE HAPPINESS PLENTY.)
Entry 2082
You go get you some luoky seed. I'll get you a piece of lodestone.
(What are lucky seed?) A lucky seed. (What's that?)
It's a lucky bean, they calls it. And you get you a piece of lodestone.
(What does that lucky bean look like?)
It looks something like a pink bean - beans.
(Is it a real bean?)
No sir, it ain't a real bean - it's a bean but it ain't a real bean.
(What's it made of?)
It's hard, chew can break it.
(All right, then what do you do?)
Now, you get you a piece of lodestone - you get she lodestone, and you get you some gunpowder and you get you a piece of red flannel and you put all that to- gether, and a little cayenne pepper and stuff, and put it in that bag and sew it up and put it in your pocket. That's lucky.
(For gambling?)
For gambling.
Entry 2083
Get a lucky button and put it in dere pocket and wear it - dat will make dem lucky.
(Well, what is a lucky button?)
Leettle bit of small button whut white folks put on dere shirts whut ain't nevah been used - gets it right out de store. You know dem leettle bit of china buttons, dey call dem lucky buttons. (Have they holes in these buttons?) Yes, sir. Dey use 'em - white folks use 'em on little chilluns clothes. You get dem buttons and wear it in your pocket.
(And what will that do for you then?)
That will make you lucky and that will make you hol' a job and make you lucky, too.
Entry 2085
On de order what chew call a little lucky glass - it's about dat long.
(Long as your finger.)
Yeah, wit a whole lotta little diff'rent shinin'-lookin' things in it - some of it look like gold, some look like silver, all diff'rent colors. De directions tells yo' how tuh use that - jest tote it in yore pocket. Well, when yo' go down dere to de job, jest put chure hands on it an' begin tuh talk to de bossman an' he'll hire yo'.
Entry 2088
Lotsa times yo' do it by bein' in diff'rent offices [fraternal organi- zations] diff'rent Odd Fellows, Masonic, or somepin lak dat - but jes' fo' de mercy of de judge but no help but whut chew git from, yo' know. (What do they call that around here?) Hoodoo. Yo' go down dere, now. De first thing yo' do, yo' see, yo' go by de fountain somewhere 'nothah an' yo' prob'bly gits yo' a coke, somepin - providin' yo' ain't drinkin' no whiskey or nuthin, it ain't good fo' nuthin. An' yo' git chew - we have whut we call a lucky star an' in some instances yo' burn dat. Yo'll find dat in de two chapter of Exodus, yo' find in de Bible where it speaks about dis lucky star. Well, in place of burnin' dat, yo' take it an' bring it back an' jes' a day or two 'fore trial, yo' see, yo' dry hit dere, an' yo' wear dat in yore pocket, an' yo' go down befo' de judge an' dat will he'p yo' through.
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 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 2151
If yo' know de boss name, yo' git chew a piece of High John de Conker root an' put dat same cayenne peppah an' salt in it 'fore yo' leave home, an' says, "Name, son-of-bitch, ah have to have a job. Ah want mah job back." An' yo talkin'to de root. An' den put it in yore pocket an' go on down dere an' he say, "Come heah, John, go tuh work. What's de matter? Where yo' been?"
Entry 2180
Dey say if de law be af'joo [after you], dey say you gits a red onion an' put a dime in it; jis' tote dat in you' pocket. Den dey say if you happen to see de law or anyt'in', you know, jis' squeeze dis onion, you know, like dat, an' dey say dey keep right on by you.
Entry 2192
Yo' kin take a red onion an' twelve straight pins an' stick 'em down in dere an' put de onion in sulphur an' wrap it up good. Keep it wrapped up an' wear it in yore pocket, an' yo' go out on de street anywhere like yo' boostin' customers, yo' have it in yore pocket an' yore han' in dere on it tight, an' yo' talk to 'em, squeeze it tight an' dat gives good luck, an' dey'll come aroun' an' [that] draws 'em.
(You do that if you are in any kind of business.)
Bootleggin' or anything.
Entry 2225
Yo' take some of yore urinate water yo' see, an' a lil peppah, an' a little piece of lodestone if yo' kin git it. If yo' cain't git that, well, yo' take a lil piece of rabbit foot. Yo' kin take one rabbit foot an' wrap it up in flannen cloth an' tie it up, have de red peppah to it, an' carry dat in yore left pocket. Dat will make yo' have a good hand.
(That is luck in gambling?)
Yessuh. [Since I did not ask what happened to the urinate water, I probably assumed it was used for feeding the hand - see margin-title Urine later in this subsection.]
Entry 2227
Say, fer an instance, yo' wanta be a gambler. All right, chew go to de graveyard an' yo' take an' yo' roll up yore sleeve an' yo' go to one certain grave - he's a gambler. Yo' go dere to de graveyard an' yo' run yore arm down as fer as yo' kin, an' git graveyard dust, an' yo' take dat graveyard dust an' yo' go on home. All right, if yo' wanta be lucky, yo' take dat graveyard dust - yo' do dat first, den yo' would see a rabbit dat it would be a rabbit coming towards de graveyard, yo' see, an' yo' kill dat rabbit an' yo' cut [off] his left foot.
(He has two left feet you know - which one do you take?)
De left one - see, de back. An' yo' take dat an' yo' would take dis dust an' tie it up in a rag an' tote it in yore pocket, an' yo' would be lucky all de time fer gambling. Any kind of a rag.
Entry 2230
Take a rabbit's foot an' tote it in yore pocket an' keep Hearts Cologne on it fo' nine days an' yo'll have good luck in gamblin' - anything, in almost 'anything.
(What foot do you take from the rabbit?)
His right foot - back.
Entry 2256
De blacksnake root - an' yo' kin take it an' dig it up - it's a kind of a big ole red root done has a blue flower. Well, yo' kin dig dat up an' yo' kin tote it in yore pocket all de time, an' when yo' go tuh git a job yo' kin keep feelin' dat in yore pocket, until dat gits on de boss's mind hard an' den he'll give yo' a job dataway.
Entry 2262
(This animal - what's the name of it now?)
It's de salamander dey call it. He's got skin kinda like one dese brown puppy dogs, an' long claws - dey gits about dis long, see. He's got a pocket [pouch] on each side of his haid, see, an' a little root jest about dat long in dose pockets. An' natchly yo' kin git dose roots outa his pockets - dey jest about de size of a penny, an' yo' wear dose roots jest natchly in yore pockets, or yo' sew it up into somepin - course yo' kin sew it up into a piece of flannel if yo' wanta, so yo won't lose it. It'll shore give yo' good luck. Ah've tried dat. An' ole lady told me about dat. Ah nevah had seen one befo' ah come down heah. Since ah been working down heah we found one out on de job while we was workin', an' quite nach'l it shore has got two little pockets one on each side of his haid. Well, ah got dose two roots - looked in dere an' found dose two roots an' ah got dose two roots. Ah didn't do anything wit 'em but ah got 'em on me heah in mah pocket now. Ah wears them in mah pocketbook every day an' ah has pretty good luck.
(Just general good luck.)
Yes sir. [I evidently looked at them. A pocket gopher (Geomys tuza) is called salamander in southeastern U. S. A.]
Entry 2266
Take salt an' black peppah an' three pods of garlic an' yo' wear it in de right pocket, an' if de fellah have anything dere fo' luck, yo' understand, it won't be very severe, yo' see. If he's any man with any kind of talent at all, he'll know it's somepin wrong an' he'll fin'lly quit that game, yo' see.
Entry 2270
Take salt and burn it, then dampen it, let it become hard, put it in a paper, wrap it up tight, wear it in your left pocket, and they say you'll have good luck.
Entry 2342
Luck piece - you carry de luck piece on you." You get you a John de Conquer root, put dat in your pocket and you carry dat along. You use Noonsum oil.
(Use what?)
Noonsa oil.
(Noonsa?)
Yeah.
(All right. What kind of oil is that?)
That's a lucky oil.
(Where do you buy that?)
You buy dat - you order dat.
(Oh, you order that. Oh, I see.)
And you take dat and pour it on dat. You make you a toby, see, and put dat on dat and carry dat in your pocket, see. Well, dat influence de man's [mind] you see, where you tryin' to get a job - he give you a job pref'rence anybody else. You got his mind, you see. You [got] de influence of him, you see. He'll work you where maybe he'll turn off maybe four or five more - he'll take you, you see, and let the other fellow go.
(Now will you tell me the name of that oil once more?)
Nooso - Noozoo Oil.
(Noonzoo oil?)
Yes, sir.
(Do you know how they spell that?)
No, sir - I don't know how you spell dat Noonzoo. (Noonzoo oil.) [See Spelling, difficult to get a, in Index.]
Entry 2347
Dat's 'cordin' to whut kinda luck yo' mean. Ah know de gamblin' luck an' whut bad luck is given on dat, if a man's a gambler, see. Well, yo' kin take some turpentine an' red peppah, mix it, an' black peppah, an' mix it together. Now, if a man got a lucky hand, you kin put dat in his pocket, it will turn his luck. Dat's fo' gamblin' luck.
Entry 2384
Oh, de willow tree root, yo' goes an' git, say about seven a'clock in de mornin', an' cut a piece of root from one of de sunrise [side]. Then yo' git chew a piece of red flannen wit salt an' sulphur, black peppah, an' a needle an' some Heart Perfume, an' yo' sew dat up yo' understand. Yo sew dat up an' yo' keep it 'nointed with dat Heart Perfume an' wear dat in yore pocket. If yo' git it yoreself, name it after yo'; if somebody else git it, name it after them. (Carry that for luck. You get this root from the willow tree. Which side do you get it from?) Yo' git it from de sunrise, yes sir.
interviewer-supplied luck purpose in a compound question, without informant endorsement. No blanket assent to compound question sewing the named red-flannel material combination. No stitch type, bag shape or unmentioned sewing procedure is inferred. These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified.
Entry 2389
I was on board of a ship that the mate was a kind of mean man and he hung his clothes upon the line to be brushed. And the steward brushed them and every time the steward brushed them he [the mate] hollered. The steward had him a witchcraft hand. He carried it in his pocket and every time he hit these clothes on the line, the mate would holler. That was 50 years ago (1886). That was the S. S. Lizzie(?) Scofield. We were off the coast of West Africa. [Informant 8 years old when Civil War began.]
Entry 2450
Said yo' could take a aig from a black hen an' jes' peck a hole in it an' run de stuff out of de aig, an' dry de shell or either pound it - cook it an' pound it up an' wear hit in yore pocket, in yore left pocket. Said dat would give yo' luck in business.
Entry 2546
Heard of that. Well, now, pract'lly ah noticed - ah learnt all dat since ah been heah. Ah notice dat dese fellows, dey git dis Hearts Cologne, yes sir, an' den dey use dis sen-sen whut dey burn. Dey say it's fo' luck. Dey take dat sen-sen an' put it in dere pocket an' saturate dis round dere chest an' dey hat wit dis Hearts Cologne.
(When they go for a job?)
Yes sir.
Entry 2795
You take his name and you write his name nine times and you write jours nine times on top of it. You place it in a saucer. You put dat honey, cinamint [cinnamon], drawin' powder, aroun' his name. If he's a white man, you gon'a burn a green can'le and his name wrote backwards on that can'le. You burn it bottom upward fer nine day. You'll dress yourself. Furce, you git choo some honey, you git dat loaves of sugar, an' you put dat in water and you'll boil it. You git choo some parsley an' let it git hot not boilin'. You take a bath wit dat. And you put choo nine pods of garlic in your pocket. And you go to the bossman: chewin' a piece of John de Conker root. When you git to him you spit. Then you'll ask him concernin' yore Job. And he have to give some kin'a def'nan [definite] answer.
(What if.the boss is a colored man?)
You do the same thing, but choo burn diff'ran can'le. If he's a black man, you burn a red can'le; if he's a brown-skin man, you burn a blue. If he's a dark man, you use a red can'le on him. [Informant gives variant of preceding rite.] You write his name nine times, you [a woman] write yours on top of his nine times, and place it in a new saucer that never was used or a [new] plate. You put nine loaves of sugar aroun' there, you put honey, you put steel dust, you put drawing powder in there. And you light that can'le bottom upward with his name wrote on the can'le, too. [His and her names each nine times were on a slip of paper under the candle.] And that'll draw him home.
Entry 3197
Or you kin take a woman's undahclothes, yo' know whut yo' sit down on, an' yo' cut a plug outa each one, her dress, her princess, her bloomahs an' yo' cut it jes' in a four-cornahed piece, an' yo' fold it up. An' now, jes' as long as dat man weah dat piece in 'is watch pocket, she's got no nature fo' no- body else but 'im.
(I see. A piece out of each of her [3] things?)
Yes, each one of 'er [3] pieces.
(Where she sits?)
Yes, sir.
Entry 3222
Git one dese linen han'kerchuffs, a ten-cent one, an' jes' lak yo' an' 'er have'n [have an] intahco'se togethah. Yo' go back home an' sew dat up an' put it in yore pocket. Yo' go home an' hitch up yore 'lectric or any kinda iron an' iron it, see, an' spread it right out undahneat' de mattress on de springs. She couldn't git rid of dat man to save her life.
Entry 3271
Well, when a man is runnin' aroun', yo' ask 'im fo' a silvah dime. He [does not] give yo' a silvah dime an' he gives yo' two nickels. Well, yo' know, [say], "oh! honey, ah don't want dis becuz ah don't want it aroun'." Or somepin lak dat. Give him some kinda story in ordah to git a silvah dime from 'im. Well, yo' takes a dime of yore own, go to de drug store or any store dat sells Hearts Cologne an' git chew a bottle of Hearts Cologne. Git chew a piece of white cotton, jes' enough to covah a dime. Den go wash out a jar, yo' know, a vaseline jar dat's large enough. Whenevah at night de man have intahco'se wit de woman, well he kin take [the cloth], or she rathah - it [cloth] be [at] de woman's side. Most mens take first but in [this case] a woman must take first. She takes dis cotton an' jes gits - jes' sodge [massage] it in dat, see. Fold it ovah dis dime an' drops it in de bottom of dis little glass jar. Den po's de Hearts Cologne ovah it [cloth] an' tighten it [jar] up tight, an' den set inside in de clothet. Or if a man, he kin do lak dat. He kin keep it in 'is pocket jes' in ordah where nobody won't see where - where she won't see it. Dat will keep 'im where he won't go out any mo'.
(How many dimes do you use, just the one or two?)
Jes' one, but when yo' see it's dryin' out, why yo' jes' renew it wit Hearts Cologne, dat's all. Den jes' massage it ovah ag'in an' use de Hearts Cologne.
predicted keeping a partner from going out after a concealed preparation. No verified control These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified.
Read full source (printed page 2376) · Read full source (printed page 2377)
Entry 3457
Well, ah got a girl fren' or wife an' she's runnin' wit some.an an' ah reckon ah wanta ketch 'er, go tuh where two bulldogs tied up. An' take a pockt han'ke'chuf or eithah a new piece of vhite boe spun cloth an' vipe dose dogs off wit it, an' yo' ties it up. Yo' ties it in a knot, a hard knot, an' yo' totes it; an' whenevah yo' have connection wit dis woman, yo' wipes 'er wit it. Yo' totes it in yore pocket.
(What does that do?)
Dat makes yo' ketch 'er.
(What will that do to that woman then?)
It will make her an' a man git tied up.
(If she goes with another man.)
Entry 3472
If yo' kin git de measure of a lady or eithah a man, take dat measure an' see how many inches it is an' tie dat many knots in it. An' put it in yore pocket an' she cain't go wit nobody else but 'im, or he couldn't go wit nobody but 'er. (Well, how do they measure a woman?) Dat's very easy. Jes' lak she's layin' down, but git 'sfur [as far] as it'll go up heah, not de hair, where de place start at an' on down where it stops at. Dat's de correct measure. Yo' kin take dat an' bury it, an' she'll follah 'im [you] an' love him [you].
(Bury that hair from below?)
Sho'.
[No, bury the measurement.]
(The man would do that to the woman?)
Man de same - it works both ways. [The measurement of women appears to be fairly rare in hoodoo.]
Entry 3605
Take some of de hair from undah his clothes an' some of de hair from off de woman an' tie it up in a pocket han'ke'ch'ef wit nine knots, an' tote it in yore pocket.
(This woman would take some of his hair down below?)
Yes sir.
(Just the hair, and what would she do with that?)
She would tie it up in a pocket han'ke'ch'ef.
(What would she put with that hair, anything?)
She put her hair.
(Where would she get her hair?)
Outa down below.
(She puts it in the handkerchief, any kind of handkerchief?)
Yes sir, jes' a white han'ke'ch'ef. An' tie it in nine knots. She does wit dat hair an' she jest tote it, put it in her pocket an' tote it.
(What will that do then?)
Well, that will stop him.
(Stop him from running around with other women?)
Yes sir, hold 'im right dere.
Entry 3615
It's a certain thing about a woman, dey take an' wrap it wit black thread. (What would he take from her? Some of the cloth?) An' he would wrap it wit black thread jes' as tight as he could, an' tie nine knots aroun' it an' put dat in 'is pocket. Dat woman would follah 'im any place he went. (This woman would follow him. He gets her cloth and he wraps black cloth around that.) No, black thread - nine knots.
(And he puts it in his pocket.)
Or aroun' 'is waist.
Entry 3673
Lockin' de bowels, well ah tell yo' ah don' really know much about dat, but it's one thing ah do know. Yo' kin stop a woman or a man from havin' intah- co'se wit anothah fellah, if yo' want to. Well yo' go an' git chew a house snail, dese ole snails crawl aroun' de house. Yo' take yore dishrag dat chew been usin' in de kitchen an' yo' washes it out. When dis snail starts tuh crawlin', yo' take de rag an' put it ovah 'im dataway [demonstrates]. Well, yo' know he's bound tuh melt.
(You just drop that rag over him and pick him up that way?)
Dat's right. Den put 'im back down. Do dat fo' about fo' times. Yo' take dat rag an' fold it up nice in yore pocket, or yore towel - whatevah it is. But it's best tuh be wit a dishrag. Yo' take dat dishrag an fold it up an' yo' go somewhere an' have intahco'se wit 'er. Well, she say, "Ah got sompin." Yo' say, "No, yo' take dis'un [this one], ah got sompin heah, mah ole han'ke'chef" - sompin lak dat. Well, when she take dat - but don' chew use it yoreself, let 'er use it. An' cain't nobody in de worl' have nuthin tuh do wit 'er but chew. Cain't even give her a million dollahs. Ah kin give her a million dollahs, an' de min- ute ah starts it will be jes' lak dis cloth heah [on table holding recording machine between us]. (Well, is there any way that you can get rid of that, after you are fixed up that way? How can you get rid of that?) No Suh, YO' CAIN'T GIT RID OF DAT. YO' GOTTA DIE [TO] PASS AWAY DAT OFFA YO'.
Entry 3786
Yo' kin take a pineapple, co'se it's diff'ren' to all kinds of - plenty diff'ren' things, plenty diff'ren'. Yo' take a pineapple. Now, a lady's got yo' so dat yo' don't wanta be wit anybody else but 'er, she's got yo' tied in nine knots, which, whut I mean, she'd have a string, she done meas- ured your private. She got dat tied in nine knots an' wears dat aroun' 'er waist. Now, yo' take a pineapple, yo' buy yo' one pineapple. Yo' take her name an' yo' write in nine times on a note. Yo' put it into dis pine- apple [demonstrates].
(Just nine times like that, one right under the other.)
Right on top of one anothah. See [demonstrates]. Yo' put it once dis way, jes' go right on down - not a large piece - den yo' come back right on top of dat again. See, nine times, an' yo' say yore prayers ovah dat. An' aftah yo' say yore prayers ovah dat, den yo' take it an' yo' go to de rivah an' throw it ovah yore shouldah backwards [demonstrates].
(Over your left shoulder.)
Ovah yore left shouldah. An' den yo' reach in yore right pocket an' take a silvah dime an' say, "In de Name of God de Father, God de Son, an' throw it ovah behind dat, ovah yore right shouldah. An' den yo' walk away wit'out lookin back. Don't look back. An' when yo' get back home, yo' beginnin' to feel all right, an' dat night yo' kin tell de diff'rence. Yo' kin tell yo' done broke dat [spell]. But yo' must do dat.
Entry 4159
Well, it near about de same thin'. Yuh kin take yuh watah an' Hearts Cologne an' sprinkle it aroun' intuh yuh place. Have it intuh yuh pocket an' where yuh wit de cards. Dat'll bring yuh luck.
Entry 4515
If a man lef' home an' yuh kin fine [find] any one of de hats dat he have wore, or any of 'is undahclothes, yuh take it an' cut chew a piece off it. A woman kin do dat, cut a piece off it, an' tie: it up in a red little cloth. Put a white piece of cloth ovah it an' sew it up an' tote it in yuh pocket. An' by an' by dis man will come back home an' he won't know how he come back home. Jes' come right on back to yuh.
Entry 4951
A [dirty] stockin', yuh takes it an' ties three knots [one on top of the other - a threefold knot] in it. Dey say yuh take yeh right one. Gits yuh some Hearts Cologne, po' it in dere. Gits yuh nine pins, nine needles, an call dis person by name, whosomevah it is. Make yeh heart wish. See, jis' like if yuh wants yeh sweetheart tuh do sompin, tie dis tuh yuh. Every time yuh make a knot, pull yeh string [stocking] tuhwards yeh an' call dere name three times. An' put dem pins an' needles in dere [in the threefold knot]. Yuh takes dem pins, yeh lays de pins dis way [demonstrates].
(Alternate heads and points.)
An' yuh puts dis cologne on dere. An' yuh kin weah dat in yeh pocket. Dat'll make yuh - if yeh girl away from yeh, she'll come tuh yeh.
Entry 5048
Jis' say, if yuh wanta bust up [broken-home remedy], see. A woman kin take his socks an' take her stockin's an' put 'em tuhgethah, heel tuh heel an' toe tuh toe. Use de lef' foot. Some say de right but de lef' foot is bes'. An' yo' put some sugah in dere an' some peppah, black peppah: if it's white person, put white peppah; an' if it's a black person, put black peppah. An' den yuh put a little cayenne peppah in it, see. An' den yuh roll it to yuh, lak dat [demonstrates]. An' aftah yuh roll it tuh yuh, den yuh git chew a bran'-new co'd [cord] string an' yuh wrap it nine times.
(How do you wrap that?)
Tuh yuh. Yuh roll it tuh yuh an' wrap it tuh yuh. An' den git chew a needle an' git chew some red silk thread an' sew it on each end, nine stitches. Pull it tuh yuh all de time dis way [demonstrates]. Pull it tuh yuh all de time.
(You put nine stitches on each end.)
Dat's tuh bring peace.
(What do you do with that then?)
Well, yuh kin wear it in yore pocket or put it where yuh kin evah day jis' dress it. Yuh know, jis' take yore han', don' have tuh put nuthin on it. Jis' take yore han' or jis' put a little perfume on it - good-luck perfume, any kinda good-luck perfume an' jis' rub it in yore han'. An' den yuh kin sleep on it. Or yuh kin put it where nobody won' go by [near] it but chew. See.
(That is for them to live together in peace.)
Yes.
Entry 5069
Wash de sock yuh know an' git de dirty watah. Put it in a little bot- tle an' mix a little Hearts Own Cologne an' jis' stop it up, an' jis' carry it in yore pocket. An' dey say dat man will follah yuh or woman - which one [whichever one you Want].
Entry 5370
Now, if yo' wanta woman tuh leave her husban', yo' meet 'er in de street at a sandy day...when de win'...when de sand is dry. Yo' set some'ere she comin' by, an' when she pass yo', yo' take her right track. Yo' care [carry] a j'int of a cane, care it along, an' open one en' of it, an' take her track an' put it down in de cane. Place some cotton on it, an' den take an' go tuh de stoah [store] an' buy yo' some cologne, a bottle of cologne, pu' it in deah, on deah, an stop it up. An' de nex' day yo' git tuh de same place... If yo' see her passin', any street, an' stop deah, an' she will say sompin tuh yo'. An' den she will take up wit joo. But she won't know about it. Aftah yo' fix it up, care it tuh yo' - yo' care it wit yo' all de time in yore pocket. An' jis' as long as yo' care dat cane, yo' got de change of 'er.
Entry 5405
Now, say if yo' got'a employah - sompin lak dat - an' he's gittin' bad wit chah an' yo' wan's tuh git 'em down. Wall, yo' kin - don' git 'is track goin' from yuh, git 'is track comin' tuh yuh. Jis' take yore fingah an' pick up 'is track dat way, de right-foot track an' put it in yore han'. Take some sulphuh an' sugah wit it an' sew it in a sack, an' 'noint dat track wit Hearts Cologne an' jes' tote it in yore pocket. An' he'll come calm.
(He becomes quiet.)
Yes.
(His mind changes toward you.)
Entry 5421
[They] go out tuh de fo'ks of de road an' git chure track. Git it from de heel, if dey wanta run yo' away; an' if dey want chew tuh come back, dey git it from de toe. An' dey sew it up in a bran'-new piece of cloth, an' dey tote it in dey pocket.
Entry 5593
Dey say yo' git de dirt outen nine tracks an' git a new piece of white homespun cloth an' sew up dem tracks. An' take de dirt outen de hollah of de track - nine tracks. Go drop it in dat sack an' sew it up an' tote it in yore pocketbook or in yore pocket. An' dey say dat dat woman or dat man will follah yo' anywhere.
(Nine tracks one right after the other?)
Yes sir. If a woman don' like a man an' wants him tuh go [that is what she does]. Well, den if he done wanta go, she kin take his track an' put it into a bag an' tote it an' dat'll prove him tuh come back to her.
(She'll get the dirt out of his tracks?)
Yes sir. Don't say de left or de right, but jes' say his tracks. Ah think it wuz nine tracks dat he tuk.
(Somebody told you that?)
Yes sir.
Entry 5978
Dey take yore hair an' dey will run yo' crazy. Dey take dat hair an' put it in a bottle an' put it in milk, new milk, an' put sugah in dat, an' put dis heah red cayenne peppah, an' put some of 'is chamber lye in dat, an' close it up air- tight. Dat will do de work.
(What do you do With that bottle then?)
Yo' carry it in yore pocket.
(You put all this stuff in the bottle?)
Yessuh.
Entry 6045
De hair out chure head, dey kin do sev'ral things wit it. Now, dey kin take de hair out chure head an' dress it an' dey'll have'yo' jes' lak dey wanta. Well, dey'll take dat hair an' dey'll tie it up, an' put a cord roun' dat hair, an' dey'll put dat hair in dere pocket. If dey wanta lead yo' de way dey go, dey'll put dat hair in dere pocket an' dey'll wear it in dere pocket. An' den dey kin take dat hair ag'in an' put it in dere shoes, keep yo' undah dey. foot. Dat gives yo' bad luck, keep yo' undah 'em.
Entry 6896
Dese here HOODOO dey git dat onion an' cut it up, fix it up in sulphur, stuff, an' git chew tuh tote it in yuh pocket, an' den if anythin' lak dat, chew - dey try tuh do anythin' tuh yuh, dat will keep it off, dat red onion.
(They fix this red onion up with that sulphur in it.)
Dat sulphur is de main thin' dey use.
(Nothing else, just the red onion an' sulphur.)
Entry 6958
If anyone wanta try tuh put a spell on yo' - whut chew take an' weah it fo', tuh keep dem from doin' dat - is weah a li'le sulphur in yore pocket evah day an' eat a pinch evah now an' den. See, an' dat will keep dem from puttin' de spell on yo'.
Entry 6971
Said if yo' had a woman an' she wuzn't treatin' yo' right or sompin lak dat, gits yo' a li'le vial, an' git some of [her] urinate an' stop it up, an' carry it. Git some of 'er chamber lye an' stop it up in a li'le vial an' carry it in yore pocket always wit chew, an' dat'll stop de woman runnin' aroun'. [Runnin' aroun' includes after other men. This belief should have been put under chastity-belt rites in margin title URINE - BOTTLED, v.3, p.2383-2384.]
Entry 7241
It's experience, ah knows. Ah wus goin' tuh a place one time tuh a skin game, an' so de boys says, "Whutcha got?" Well, de day befo' dat ah went an' caught me a rabbit, caught 'im alive. An' ah took de rabbit an' cut de lef' foot off an' lef' 'im still livin'. (Which left foot, the front or back?) De back foot. See, got de back foot on de left-hand side an' put it in mah pocket. Well, ah wus goin' tuh dis game an' ah didn't have but one nickel. Well, ah got down dere. Ah says, ah ain't got but a nickel, ah chance dis. Well, de firs' drop ah caught de firs' fellah an' ah still had mah rabbit in mah left pocket - dis rabbit foot. So well, we went tuh work den an' we gambled an' we gambled an' we gambled. An' so when de thing ended up, ah win de money. An' ah had faith dat vus mah rabbit de cause of it see, cuz it's lucky, de lef' hin' foot. [Doctor Nelson of Charleston, S. Car., says the left hind foot of a graveyard rabbit, No.2226, p.632.]
Entry 7342
Git some ole money, ole silver money. Take that and tote it in de pocket, dey say the law can't ketch you.
Entry 7550
Yuh kin go tuh a cemetery tuh find where a murderah wuz buried, a bad man whut got killed. An' take a dime, dig a hole, a little hole wit chure fingah. Take a dime an' put it down in dere an' covah de dirt back up. Dig yore dime back up an' take dat dirt off de top of dat dime. Take it an' sew it up in a little flannen cloth an' keep it in yore pocket.
(What will that do?)
Dat will keep anybody - anything yo' wants tuh do, why yore successful in it. An' yuh'll nevah be caught in anything yuh wants tuh do, or sompin dat yuh do, yuh'll nevah be caught in it s'long as yuh tote it.
Entry 7598
Dere's lotsa people always say dat if yuh go tuh de graveyard 'long about - well, 'fo' [before] day in de mawnin' an' dig down right about de heart of de person, right about de breast of de person, dig down way down deep intuh de grave an' git de graveyard dirt, no doubt, an' put it in yore shoes or wrap it in a rag an' tote it in yore pocket, dey always say - dat anothah sayin' - dat is good luck fo' gamblin' also.
Entry 7624
Now, if yo' wanta go tuh a cemetery, somebody daid dat chew know, take 25 cents 'long wit chew, tuh de haid of de grave an' push yore arm down as fur as yo' kin git it. An' leave dat quartah down dere an' bring up yore three fingers of dirt, an' take dat long wit chew. Dat'll give yo' luck. [Instead of picking up a pinch of dirt with two-fingers, thumb and index fin- ger, a method mentioned elsewhere, some other informant says pick it up with three fingers: thumb, index finger, and middle finger.]
(What do you do with that after you get it?)
Wrap it up in a piece of paper or a piece of brown cloth an' put it in yore pocket an' keeps dat 'long wit chew. Well, dat's one way tuh git chureself luck.
The informant describes paying a quarter at the head of a known deceased person's grave, taking three fingers of dirt and carrying it in paper or brown cloth for reported luck. Hyatt compares two-finger and three-finger collection methods, referencing another informant; that comparison remains editorial.
Entry 7630
Yo' kin take graveyard dirt if yo' is a gambler, if yo's a bolito player or if yo's a poker player or somepin like dat. Yo' kin dig down an' git some graveyard dust an' tie it up in a red bag - see, understand, a red bag an' yo' carry dat in yore pocket. Now, we often wins wit dat, 'cuz dat's where we come from [from the dust of the earth]. An' tote it in yore right-hand pocket. If yo' won't git lucky from dat yo' won't git no luck.
Entry 7650
Yo' dig down an' git some grave- yard dust an' yo' go down - git it from near de heart of de body of de person who might be layin' dere. An' keep dat in yore pocket an' yore bossman cain't hardly fire yo'. Dat's whut dat's kept fo'.
Entry 7670
Well, yo' kin take graveyard dirt. Run yore arm down in de grave tuh yore elbow an' take graveyard dirt. Make yo' a li'le sack. It makes yo' lucky, yo' kin jes' weah it in yore pocket. Dat make yo' lucky.
Entry 7678
Go tuh de graveyard if yo' wanta do anything; in fac', if yo' want some money, or want yo' a good job. Yo' kin go tuh de graveyard an' yo' kin git chew some dirt from off de grave, but let it be a wicked person. Don't let it be a good person. Try an' let it be a wicked person yo' see. Yo' go dere tuh dat grave an' yo' digs down dere jes' about - well, jes' about a half a foot, an' yo' git some of dat dirt out of dere. Git chew jes' about three good han'fuls lak dat. Take dat on home wit chew. An' yo' take dat an' git chew some red peppah an' some salt an' sulphur an' yo' mix all dat up tuhgethah. Put a li'le bit of it in a piece of flannen cloth an' sew it up. Weah it in yore pocket. Evah mawnin' take a li'le bit 'fo' [before] yo' walk out: "By de help of God on mah journey, ah hope ah'll succeed." Put a li'le bit in de fiah. Evah mawnin', evah time yo' goin' off tuh transact business, yo' know, or anything lak dat, yo' do dat. But chew keep dat dust in yore pocket in dat red flannel. Keep dat in yore pocket an' evah mawnin' when yo' gwine off tuh business, anything yo' wanta 'tend tuh anything yo' vanta do, when yo' do dat it will be a success.
Entry 7772
If a person wanta, yo' know, wanta know how tuh gamble an' be a wondah- ful gamblah, yo' go tuh de graveyard at night. An' go tuh dis wicked man, yo' know, grave. An' ast 'im, yo'know, tell 'im whut chew want, dat yo' wanta learn tuh be a gamblah. An' dig right down by his left side, an' git some of dat dirt outa, yo' know, his grave - by his left side. An' den yo' git three pennies an' put in dere an' give 'im. An' den yo' git de dirt an' carry it on, an' yo' be one de best gamblahs dey is in de worl'. Nobody beat chew no way - can't win, can't git chew no way.
(What do you do with that dirt then, after you get it?)
Yo' take it an' put it in a bag an' keep it in yore pocket. Evahwhere yo' go jes' carry dat dirt in dat bag an' evah game yo' git in yo'll win.
Entry 7869
Dey could take dat an' make de person do as dey want 'em tuh do.
(How would they do that?)
Dey would go git de graveyard dirt an' dey mix some wit table salt, put it in yore pocket, an' go on talk wit 'im an' he will give yuh a job.
(Don't you have to do anything with that salt at all?)
No sir.
Entry 8023
Dey take 'em an' make luck pieces an' things. A man kin take an' weah 'em in 'is pocket fo' tuh gamble wit an' things lak dat. (This bone of a dead person?) A dead person bone.
Entry 8046
An' den, yo' could take a dead man's fingah.
(A dead man's finger. Which finger do you take?)
The decical fingah. It's de only fingah dat is any good [demonstrates].
(Which hand is that?)
The right hand.
(But the little finger of the right hand.)
Yes, an' dis j'int.
(The first joint.)
Yeah - no - yeah. Dis one, de second j'int. Dis [demonstrates] de firs' j'int an' dat's de second j'int. (I see, the second joint at the top of the finger. All right.) An' yo' take dat an' carry it wit chew in yuh pocket. Ah could come right tuh yo' an' long as ah has dat, but ah have tuh have - now, dat's de decical fingah of de dead man. Ah have tuh have mah decical fingah on dis bone in mah hand, yo' see. See, ah'm goin' have mah hand shut, but ah gotta have mah fingah right on dere, mah decical fingah tuh, right on dis bone. Ah could come tuh yo' an' ah say, loan me a dollah, loan me five dollahs. Yo' will be, yo' couldn't hesitate at all.
(Almost anything you want, you get.)
Entry 8048
Yo' know what dat candle's fo'? (No.) Dat candle's fo' gamblin' purposes. (Well, how would you prepare any- thing of that sort?) Bell, if yo' kin git de bone of a dead person - de bes' thing dat yo' kin use from a dead person, if yo' kin git dat bridge of de nose, what's in a person here. If yo' would put it in... [I interrupt.]
(You mean the bridge of the nose?)
Yes, dat bridge in de nose. If yo' kin git dat an' take dat an' put it in, go tuh an' make a novena[!] ovah dat, an' burn two candles. (Well, after you get that bridge of the nose, where do you make that novena? In your home or in the church?) In yuh home.
(In your home. Then what do you do?)
Den yo' set two candles tuh burn.
(You mean two candles before, or near it, or what?)
Two candles ovah it - undah whatevah yo' got de candles in burnin', have it. Have whatevah yo' got de candles in big enough so dat de wax from de candle will rum right down in dat containah what it's settin' in. An' have dis bridge of de Dose undah dat containah. Yo' undahstan'? An' let dose two candles burn out ovah dat.
(What sort of candles do you use in a case of that sort?)
Yo' kin use two white candles.
(I see. All right, go ahead.)
An' yo' wrap dat bridge of de nose of dat person wit one piece of garlic. Divide it an' tie it aroun' de bridge of dat nose, an' sew it in red flannel. An' let dat person keep dat piece of - dat in dat pocket, an' when dey go tuh a gamblin' house, or any place tuh gamble, rub dat ovah dere hands an' den rub dere hands ovah dere face, an' put it back in dere pocket. An' dat's all dey've got mah do wit it.
(That's a gambling hand?)
It's a gamblin' hand.
(I see.)
Entry 8668
Well, yo' use needles in a.way dat a - say fer ninstance [an instance] yo' courtin' a young girl, an' yo' want tuh gain influence in a decent Way wit de girl, yo' understan', an' want 'er mind direct attached tuh yo'. Yo' take two needles an' cross 'em. Take her name - yo' first get 'er name an' 'er name's on a papah. Den yo' take two needles an' cross those two needles [through that paper] an' yo' wear dem inside of yore vest pocket, coat pocket, or shirt pocket. Den she will come an' influence with yo'.
Entry 8931
I wouldn't say that would have power to bring 'em back, but I tell yo' what yo' can easily do. Yo' can do this: If a person steals somepin from yo', yo' can take three pins - three safety pins. Yo' can take three safety pins an' write that person name on there. (On what?) On a piece of plain white writing paper like - take like yo' write letter, like yo' see me do now [demonstrates]. Write that person name, three times, with three pins, an' stick 'em through their name, through that name, the three names, an' wrap it up an' wear it in your pocket, an' I'll bet yo' what- ever [money] yo' got. Yo' jis' take three ordinary safety pins of the same size an' wrap 'em through that, stick 'em through that paper an' wrap it, an' put it in your purse or your pocket an' wear it. An' I'll bet yo' them stolen things - it won't be three days before yo' find out who and where it is. If they don't bring 'em back, yo'll give 'em a chase. But yo'll get it.
Entry 8983
Yo' take a beef tongue an' yo' goin' to court, an' yo' takes it, an yo' put de one's name who got yo' arrested, an' de judge, an' de district attor- ney and the party dat's accusin' yo' [caused the arrest] an' yo' puts de [3] names in dere. An' yo' write it an' yo' stick it a way down in dat tongue. Yo' go to court an' yo' can carry dat tongue wit yo', wrap it up good, in yore pocket. When dey get ready to say somepin, dere tongue will be tied, becuz dere name is down in dat tongue - pushed a way down in dere - an' dere mind get all up [upset], an' dere tongue get heavy. It's just like if yo' take somepin [and put it] on my tongue - put anythin' in dere. It goin' to make it still heavier, if it held wit a weight, ain't it? Well, dat'd make de tongue get heavy an' dey can't say nuthin. So dat's de reason why - dat's what a tongue do's. Yo' put de name in dere, de party dat accused her [had her arrested], de judge, an' de district attorney. Dat's who all names yo' want, Just de three names: de party dat's ac- cusin' 'er, de judge, an' de district attorney. [New Orleans, La., (826a) 1212:2.]
Entry 8996
Yo' take those ole buckeyes, yo' see, an' yo' carry one in yore pocket; an' jes' lak if yo' had one, get to de co't, why yo' take it an' chew it.
(That's to influence the judge.)
Entry 9063
Dey take dat tuh settle a case in co't chew know.
(How is that done?)
Well, when de case comin' up, yo' wanta break de case down, yo' take - walk aroun' de grave seven times, 'cuz Joshua walk aroun' de walls of Jericho seven times, yo' know. Call dey pusson name evah time [7 times] an' tell 'em whut chew want. An' pull up de haidbo'd an' care [carry] it down tuh 'is foot, an' tell 'em'tuh bring de case down fo' me - tuh break it down. Right at chew foot, yo' know. If a fellah got a case ag'in' [again- st] yuh, dat goin' break it down. (What do they do with that footboard then?) See, dey - den dey take de footbo'd up, yo' know, an' care it tuh de haid, an' tell 'em tuh he'p yo' ovahcome dem. Git me [understand me]? Yo' go back tuh de foot now, an' git chew some dirt frum de foot an' care it wit chew in yo' pants pocket. It tends tuh bring all yo' enemies beneath yo' feet. Eithah in yo' pants pocket or eithah in yo' shoe, eithah one. Care it wit chew. Ain't no one comin' ag'in yuh.
Entry 9097
When yo' go befo' de judge, yo' know, yo' have tuh make a vow tuh yo'- self. Now, ah'll tell yuh how yo'll have tuh do dat. Now, jis' lak now, yo know yo' goin' tuh have trial. Well, how yo' have tuh dress yuhself? Yo' have tuh git chureself some camphor balls. Yo' know dose camphor balls yo' put in clothes. Well, yo' git dose camphor balls an' git choo a piece of asafitadee. When yo' git dose camphor balls, yo' gotta beat dose camphor balls up fine; an' den when yo' beat dose camphor balls up fine, den yo' put chew some lodestone in dere wit it. An' den yo' beat dat camphor ball up, an' dis rag yo gonna put dis camphor ball in, [put rag] in gasoline, see. An' now when yo' take an' git it an' put it in dat gasoline, git de rag wet. Don' wet de camphor balls jis' wet de piece [rag] see. An' den yo' jis' use dat, jis' hold it down in yore pocket - jis' carry it right wit chew in yore pocket. An' den if yo' kin git a piece of sweet basil, carry dat 'long wit choo. Dat sweet basil gonna come in lucky. (What do you do with that camphor after you beat it up? And the lodestone, what do you do with that?) Take it an' put it in dat rag, where dat gasoline's been dipped in dere. Seu it up lak a li'le bag, A SMALL LI'LE BAG, an' yo' see, jis' lak WHEN DE JUDGE IS TALKIN' TO YO', YO' TALK TO IT LIKE YO' ARE TALKIN' TO SOMEONE.[ MEMphIS, TEN.
(936), 1515:9.]
Entry 9135
Dat fo' co'thouse scrapes. (All right, tell me that.) Well, now, yo' kin take twelve fig leaves - yo' knog dere wus twelve disciples - an' yo' take twelve fig leaves. An' yo' git chew a bottle of ink, a bran'-new bottle of ink dat nevah been used, an' a pen dat's nevah been used, an' yo' write a disciple name on each one of dose leaves. See, yo' got twelve leaves, yo' got twelve disciples. An' yo' write dose names on dose leaves. An' den, when yo' write dose names on dose leaves, yo' take yore Bible. IT'S DE 35th PSALMS AH THINK. AH GOT MAH BIBLE HEAH, AH LAK TUH BE SHORE YO' LET ME SEE. [HE CONSULTS HIS BIBLE!] It's de 35th Psalm. Yo' take de 35th Psalm an' read it ovah dose twelve leaves. [Psalm 35 begins: Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me...] Den aftah yo read it ovah dose twelve leaves, yo' fold dose leaves tight, yo' know, small tubl gethah intuh a white piece of papah. It kin be a piece of writin' papah or a cleah piece of papah lak dis [something he may have had in the Bible] ah guess, but let it be white papah. An' yo' kin put dat in yore right pocket.
(All twelve of those leaves?)
Yes, jes' put it in dere, but chew mus' write de names on dere firs'. An' den yo' read dat 35th Psalms ovah dose leaves an' wrap dose leaves up. An' evah who gonna be tried in co't, let dem put it in dere right pocket an' dey'll cer- tainly Walk out. An' if yo' can't git dose fig leaves - sometime yo' can't git dose things, yo' can't git de fig leaves - yo' git chew twelve - use 'em fo' a tea, too - not catnip, sage leaves.
Entry 9141
Git some salt an' cinnamon an' yo' weah dat in yuh right pocket, an' when yo' talkin' wit de judge, why jis' empty salt as yo' talkin' an' dat'll bring yo' peace, luck.
Entry 9450
Take some table salt an' yo' wrop it up in a little piece of white rag, an' tie it up an' tote it in yore pocket. An' aftah yo' tote it in yore pocket, yo' take a little bit in yore han' an' jes' rub it right lak dat [demonstrates]. An' rub it all ovah yore haid an' face an' all lak dat.
(Over your hands?)
Yes sir, an' aftah yo' done rub it all in yore han's, jes' go [to the boss] an' he'll look out fo' yo'. Prob'ly yo' don' git de job tuhday, prob'ly not tuhmahrah, but befo' dat week or so out he'll give yo' sompin tuh do.
Entry 10003
[Show people use lodestone in their work to deceive you, but there is a Way by which you can protect yourself.] If de pusson gol' tuh go tuh a show - if yo' figah [figure] a pusson gotta go tuh a show, an' if dere's lode- stone or anythin' lak dat, yo' put dat frog in yuh pockit an' yo' valk in dere. Dat man cannot show. He'll come tuh yo' an' tell yuh tuh git dat frog out chure pockit or he have tuh break up 'is show.
(Any kind of a show?)
Any kind. If its lodestone anywhere 'bout it, a toadfrog kills it - any of dat slightly [sleight-of-hand] work dey can't work it. (Or any kind of slight-of-hand, they can't work it.)
Entry 10022
If yo' wanta hurt 'em without - yo' don' wanta hurt 'em. Ah tell yo' whut ah've experienced. Yo' take dat black cat an' yo' kill 'im an' yo' boil dat cat. An' when yo' boil 'im yo' git de bone. Yo' gotta git de right bone, but if yo' ain't nevah experienced it, gittin' de bone, yo' don' know which one tuh git. So, ah've done had dis one fo' li'le bettah den foah yeahs. Well, people mightn't know which one tuh git or not. An' ah keeps it in mah pocket, jis' as ah wuz tellin' yo' an' ah has it all de time fo' foah yeahg an' nevah seen a bum day: [Did he have the bone with him? Strange I do not ask about it. Unfortunately machine was turned off here and any comments were missed.] Yo' reach down, when yo' boil dis cat. Yo' wait till it gits cold an' yo' reach down dere an' yo' git de right bone. Yo' don' know if yo' gittin' de right one if yo' ain't nevah seen it befo'. Some people might tell yo' sompin 'bout a glass [mirror] or sompin yo' look it in [in it] an' disappeah. Well. dey doa kaow dat, but if yo' ain't nevah seen de bone, yo' won't know whut chew gittin'. So ah seed it befo' an' ah knowed whut ah wuz gittin'. So it took me a whole day tuh git dis bone.
Entry 10040
De way ah've heard it, yo' ketch chew a black cat. It must be black cat an' when yo' ketch dat cat, yo' take it to de fo'ks of de road at twelve a'clock. Have yore watah hot. Don't kill 'im. Dive 'im in dat pot of hot watah an' shet it up, an' let 'im cook till hit cook de meat off 'is bones. Den yo' take all dose bones an' taken 'em down tuh de runnin' stream, de stream goin' dis way [demonstrates]. Dat's down, backwards is upwards. An' yo' po' dem bones intuh dat runnin' stream one at de time. An' de bone dat goes back up de stream, dat's de lucky bone an' yo' git dat.
(What do you do with that bone?)
Well, dey tell me yo' kin take dat bone an' tote it in yore pocket an' it brings good luck in love affairs, gamblin' an' sech lak as dat.
[While machine turned off informant says something about disappearing.]
(Use that same bone you say?)
Yes sir, yo' put it in yore mouth an' it makes yo' invisible, people can't see yo'.
Entry 10073
Ah heard dey take a black cat bone, aftah dey done kill de black cat, an' take it an' put it in dere mouth. Pass it dere a couple of times. an' den set [itl back in dere pocket an' go in tuh win.
(That is for luck in gambling?)
Yeah.
Entry 10124
Boil black cat, take left hind leg bone, put in pocket, can do any- thing - get a job. [Wilmington, N. Car., 97:2.]
Entry 10146
A root doctor wrapped up a black cat bone in cloth, put in sack with salt, put in pocket on right side, go to boss for job. [Wilmington, N. Car., resume, 109:2.]
Entry 10179
Yo' couldn't zakly [exactly] make de candle go out, but chew could fix it so it wouldn't do yo' no harm. (How would you do that?) Git chew some red peppah, saltpeter, tie it up in a rag an' a li'l piece of root dey call John de Conkah root, an' yo' weah dat in yuh pocket. An' dey couldn't hurt yo' no way.
Entry 10557
Well, yo' ketch a leather-wing bat an' he be live, an' yo' kill him an' yo' cut dat heart out of him while he's live. An' yo' carry dat 'round in yore pocket an' dat brings forth plenty good luck. (Luck in gambling.)
Entry 10558
If yo' wus in business or yo're goin' tuh start busi- ness, sompin lak dat, say yo' go to work an' kill a - yo' know dese bullbats fly around, dese little bats - say yo' kill de bat, chew know. It supposed to be a hard thing tuh kill - 'cause ah've shot at dem lotsa times mahself, but chew kin kill 'em. An' after yo' kill 'em an' dey falis, yo' ketch 'em whilst dey a - yo' nevah don't hit 'em, yo' jest shoot through de wing of 'em yo' know. An' den yo' take 'em an' cut 'em open. Ketch 'em whilst dey 'live an' git de heart out of 'em, an' sew it up in a piece of cloth yo' know. But ah think yo' have to let, yo know, let it cure a little bit. Den sew it up an' keep it in yore pocket. Dey tell me dat's de best luck fo' [any] business ever wus.
Entry 10580
Takin' de bat yo' understan' an' capturin' him wit'out killin' him, see. An' cuttin' him open an' takin' his heart out. Takin' his heart an' sewin' it in a little red bag. An' put some perfume in dere wit de bat heart. Put some of dat cinnamon powder in dere an' put de controllin' powder in dere. An' make a little bag an' wear it in yore pocket. An' every game yo' go, yo' understan', yo'll be [something] lucky fo' gamblin'.
Entry 10581
Well, you could go to the river and get twelve grain of sand - twelve grain of sand. You go to the river and you get twelve grain of sand and you get a bat. You know what they call a bat. That's some little bird about. [In folk- lore and hoodoo a bat is always a bird.] (It flies around in the air?) Fly around in the air. (All right.) And after you git that bat heart - you git the heart out de bat. And then you take that twelve grain of sand and put it right in that bat heart, and you sew it up and slip it in your pocket. And you'll win all. You'll have the best success that is in gambling.
Entry 10623
De Adam-an'-Eve root, yo' takes de Eve [part] an' yo' takes it an' yo' weah it in yore pocket. If not dat, chew take a lil' root chew call - dat lil' root chuh call Adam. [Adam-and-Eve are on the same root.] Yo' take dis lil' root an' yo' take dese three needles an' yo' break 'em all three in three pieces, each one needle broke in three pieces. Well, dat supposed tuh be nine pieces. Yo' takes dis root an' dese needles an' let 'em stay in dis root three days. Takes dese needles from dis root an' throw it in runnin' watah [I inter- rupt]... (You throw the needles in the running water?) In runnin' watah. Yo' take dis dime an' puts it wit dis root an' tie it back up, an' if yo' goin' out fo' luck or anything, yo' wipes it 'cross yore face - wipes it 'cross yore face an' haid. An' takes de root an' puts it up, keep it from bein' annoyed - [anyone] git atter [get after] dis root - if yo' wanta have any luck.
Entry 9544
.. Take de peppah an' salt an' press it tuhgethah an' burn it, an' put it in yore pocket an' carry it wit yo' when yo' goin' tuh look fo' a job, if yo' want luck. An' if yo' talkin' tuh yore man, yore bossman, dat's yo's tryin' tuh git a job wit, have dat in yore han' an' [they say yo'll git yo' a job if anybody gits one. [Wilson, N. Car., (1486), cylinder 2660: item No?]
Entry 9592
Yo' git chew some bluestone an' tote dat in yore pocket an' a little red peppah an' salt an' tote dat wid chew. Dey can't har'ly [hardly] - can't do a thing wit chew.
Entry 9599
Well, ah tell yo', yo kin git chew some salt an' red peppah an' oil of citronella an' weah dat bag intuh yuh pocket each night when yo' go out gamblin'.
Entry 9654
Take salt an' black peppah, tie it up mixed togethah. Jes' take it. Yo' got some made up: Yo' gamblin'. Put dat stuff right in yore pocket. Evah now an' den, when yo' shuffle de cahds or sompin, jes' run yore han' in yore pocket. Yo' ain't gotta pull out none [of the mixture], jes' git de dust of dat on yo'. (That will give him luck.)
Entry 9673
If yo' wan'a a job, yo' don' wan'a eat no breakfus'. Jis' put a red onion in yuh pocket wit yuh salt, mos'ly in de right pocket. Keep it in a rag. An' go tuh a man fo' a job. Yo always be dere befo' he do.
Entry 9705
Well, dey say yo' kin take sulphuh an' salt, an' yo' kin jes' go dere lak yo' visitin'. An' yo' kin go dere an' strew it roun' dere in dat house as yo' walkin' roun' dere. If yo' got a coat dat's got a hole in de pocket, yo' kin run yore han' down in dat pocket an' yo' have dis in a papah or somepin, dat yo' kin jes' lose a li'l' bit at de time out'a it. Yo' have yore han' [in your pocket]. [This hole-in-the pocket is fairly common and known everyvhere.] Or yo' kin walk behin' 'em, lak it somebody yo' talk wit a whole lot, an' yo' kin jes' sprinkle dat salt an' sulphuh. An' in talkin' tuh dem yo' ldn be cursin' dem in yore mind.'Son-of-a-bitch, git out!" Sompin lak dat. An' it's true dat dey will move. In de ninth mawnin' de' will move.
Entry 9880
Yo' take a toadfrog an' yo' split 'im open in de back, see, an' put 'im tuh [point head to] sunrise an' dry 'im out. He's de bes' luck in de world.
(Luck for what in particular.)
Gamblin'.
(Then what do you do then after he is dry.)
Stuff 'im back wit incense an' sulphuh.
(What do you do to him then?)
Put 'im in yore pocket.
Entry 9908
Yo' kin ketch a toadfrog an' yo' bur' 'im [bury him]. Dere's two or three ways about a frog. Yo' ketch a toadfrog an' yo' bur' 'im, an' put 'im in a ants baid an' de ants done pick 'im bad. An' den aftah dat, why yo' takes 'is bones. Don' want no flesh on 'is bones. An' weah it in yore pocket. An' den if it's a woman dat chew wanted tuh be wit, why yo' jes' tetch 'er wit dat frog [bones].
Entry 9952
Yo' kin take a green frog. Yo' know, when a green frog git on a leaf, yo' kin take him an' ketch 'im an' put 'im in yuh pocket. But yo' git chew a bran'-new silk han'ke'ch'ef an' yo' put - yo' wrap 'im up in dat silk han'ke'ch'ef, an' put 'im intuh yuh pock- et. An' weah dat han'ke'ch'ef lak dat a couple of days, wit dat green frog in it. Jis' lak a girl don' want chew, don' lak yuh or somepin, an' yo' wanta make her lak yuh. An' yo' take 'im out of dere an' take de han'ke'ch'ef an' yo' whip it on 'er jis' lak dat. She go wild about chew.
(You whip her with the handkerchief?)
Yes, jis' fan it on 'er, yo' know.
(Just fan it on her?)
Yes, an' she git wild about chew. Dat green frog.
(What does the frog do to that handkerchief?)
Ah don't know what he do, but he makes love - make her love yuh.
Entry 9956
To get a job, chew John de Conkah root while talking to the boss and carry a live frog in your pocket.
Entry 9975
Fo' luck in gamblin', why yo' kin take a toadfrog an' sew 'im up in a sack an' put 'im in yore inside pocket some- where an' dat'll make yo' lucky in gamblin'.
Entry 10670
( Git de bone from a dead person an' it's lucky to yuh, 'cordin' tuh whut kinda luck yo' want. Jes' lak if yo' wanta, yo' gotta git a diff'ren' kind of bone, a certain part of bone from a person. Yo' kin use a person's teeth from de [dead] body fo' luck, but it's gotta be ground. Co'se [of course] doctors will grind 'em [bones from the dead] fo' yo' but yo' know dey kinda scared on 'counta de laws about dat, but chew kin git a bone from de wrist. Dat's whut dey call a article bone [article is obsolete word for a "joint of the body"]. Dey kin use dat an' wrap it up in flannel, but yo' gotta use all dese diff'ren' things. Wrap it up in flannel an' carry it around in yore pocket. Yo' don' use anything on dat [wristbone] fo' luck. An' den yo' kin git a bone from de laig. Dat's de smaller bone, de front bone. Yo' kin git a smaller bone from a person's laig an' use it an' it's fo' bad luck fo' yo' enemies things. [This should have been placed under BONES FROM THE DEAD pp.3407-3419, v.3.]
Entry 10834
Yo' go to somebody an' yo' git a little ole sompin dey calls a buck- eye, an' yo' tote dat in yore pocket. Sew it up in a lil' sack. An' yo' go to de drug sto' an' git some Heart Cologne an' po' dat on dere, an' jes' go an' ask fo' a job an' he git chew a job.
Entry 10855
If yo' wanted tuh git a job or sompin lak dat, git chew some dis heah pinewood honey. It's sompin dat grows on a tree, but chew gotta find dat. It's in different kind of cypress called swampy ground, an' low ground, jes' pinewood honey - pinewood honey.
(Is that the name of the tree?)
No, dat's de name of de stuff whut comes off de tree. Dey call it pinewood honey. It's a certain time of month dat chew kin git dis heah offa any tree, but it's dark sompin lak tar. But when de sap is in de tree [stops talking].
(The stuff that the children used to chew?)
Dat's it, but when de sap is in de tree.
(That thick sap that the children used to chew? They call it pinewood honey?)
Pinewood honey. An' yo' use dis pinewood honey an' yo' kin carry it in yore pocket. An' git chew some dis heah cinnamon powder an' burn it an' place it ovah dis heah [pinewood honey] an' wrap dat in red flannel an' wears it about chew, when yo' goes about dere [place of business] an' ast him fo' a job.
(Where do you burn this, in your own house?)
Uhmmuh. (But you have this pinewood honey in your pocket when you go to ask for a job?) Yeah, but chew gotta have dat pinewood honey an' de cinnamon. Yo' gotta burn dis cinnamon, burn it by itself an' den aftah it browns, see, sprinkle it ovah dis pinewood honey. See, an' den put it in a bag an' carry it in yore pocket, jes' lak de [they] call de [the] tobies [the singular is toby, the same name as the jug] whut people use.
(This is a toby?)
Uh-huh. Dey call 'em tobies an' han's.
Entry 10913
Jes' lak if yo' got a dog an' a cat - ain't chew seen two dogs and two cats meet, an' de cat make up his bristles an' de dog make up his bristles? An' while dey got dere bristles made up, yo'll git de hair behin' both of 'em's neck, see; an' put it in a piece of cloth an' fold up de cloth, an' pin nine straight pins in it - one each way. See [demonstrates] pin one in it [cloth] dat way - an' one in it dat way [heads and points, alternated] an' dat jes' will make 'em fuss an' fight. (Well, now what do they do with that cloth after they pin it up? Where do they put that?) Yo' tote dat in yore pocket, see. When dey git together jes' lak dat dog an' cat fight yo' see; jes' fuss an' fight, be mad [every] time dey see one 'nother. Do dat wit de hair. (But they have to get near one another.) [Here without suggesting an answer, I am asking informant how all these concerns the two victims. Do they walk over Package? Is it thrown into their house? Does he name pins them? Without some such device all this is done by informant's intention.]
Entry 10949
We call dem "charity root" [see later]. An' dey go dere and dig: piece to [from] de sunrise an' piece to [from] de sundown [sides]. Take dat and put 'em in a towel, in a piece of cloth. Jest put de both together - in 'em in 'tween de cloth. Put dat in yore pocket and you be lucky if yo' git a job most anyway. [What he says here is not what he means.] Dat's de way dat I heard it. [I had trouble understanding some informants in Charleston. My informant called the root charity root, thought my transcriber; to me the root sounded like cherrytree or Cherokee root.]
Entry 11061
Keep some sugar and cin- namon in a piece of paper, wrap- ped up in your pockets all the time. Awful lucky in gambling. Yes sir.
Entry 11108
Now, if a man likes a woman and she don't like him. All he have to do is go down to the drug store and get him some Oil of Clover. They got a per- fume they call Oil of clo- ver. And get some powder they call Love Powder, and mix that together, you un- derstand. And put it on him, and go out in the woods and get him - pass anywheres they grows up on the [something? bayous?] some weeds they call bloodweeds. [Bloodweed can be a number of plants.] You understand? Take these bloodweeds and cut him four pieces off of it. See? And put 'em in his pocket, and pour all this stuff on there. You umderstand? This powder, put it on there. And every time he pass her, he have some on his hands. You understand? And he'd hit - you know, just touch her and put it [on her]. Well, she go anywhere he want her to go. Tame her right down to him.
Entry 11109
De cloves, take it an' beat it up fine, an' tie it up in a little piece of new cloth an' wear it in yore pocket. Dey say dat will make 'em give yo' a job.
Entry 11128
Yo' takes a cow horn, burn it, an' then, when it parches up it'll burn jest like gutta percha, somepin othah. Yo' know, parch it up, an' yo' kin git chew some prepared alum, already powdered alum. Dat's simple but it's a fact. Ah ain't nevah lost a job yet. An' mix dat cow horn tuhget- her wit dat an' Hearts Colo- gne an' rub it in yore hand. If yo' kin git tuh git his [boss] glove or anything, jest let de scent of dat git on it - de scent from your hand git on his glove. An' have yo' a piece of union 'erb. It grows in de woods. It's a little root about dat long an' it's got a top on it jest like a - yo' seen a carrot top. It grows sorta like a carrot top. An' have yo' a piece of ABC root [a root that has the letters of the alphabet!], dat grows like a fern, an' jest cut it. Cut until yol cut de first letter of yore name, an' yo' take dat an' put it in yore left hip pocket. Yo' take dat union herb an' put it in yore mouth an' chew it whilst yo' talkin' to him [boss] or makin' yo'self acquainted wit him, while de wind of yore breath is goin' in his face, an' de scent of dat cow horn an' alum is on his hand. He'll give yo' a job. Jest whatsomevah yo' require him tuh pay a day, he'll pay it.
(Do you use all these things together?)
Put de ABC root in yore left pocket, yo' have dis heah burnt cow horn an' alum on de hands. Rub it on yore hands an' have [it there].
Entry 11183
Yo' go out early in de morning in de summertime when de bushes is blossoming yo' know. Yo' take dat string 'fore day at sunup an' pull dat string up. (What kind of string?) Devil's-shoestring. It's a long root. Yo' pull dat up an' yo' bring it round yore finger seven time. Dere seven day in de week, isn't it?
(You bend that root around your finger seven times. Any particular finger?)
Seven times, jes' any two [adjoining] fingers. Yo' see dere seven days in de week, yo' know. Seven times. An' jes' tie de thing in yore pocket, yo' know. An' keep it dressed with alcohol, yo' know. An' chew dat an' go to a man an' ask fo' a job, why he more den apt to give you a job.
(You only go out there once to get that root?)
Yes sir, one time. (And you bend this around your finger [2 fingers] seven times. That's to get a job.) Yes sir.
Entry 11187
(You get what?)
Somepin lak de' call de devil's toothpick, dat's a root, an' keep dat in mah mouth 'long as ah'm roun' de house. Well, dey nevah bothah yo' an' nevah have nuthin tuh say tuh yo'. Jis' soon's [as soon as] yo' git out de house yo' kin take dat out yore mouth an' put it in yore pocket, but ah keep it always in mah pocket.
(Why do you keep that in your mouth when you are round the house?)
Well, yo' see, dat call fo' mah luck, yo' see, an' dey won't bothah yo' an' won't have nuthin tuh say tuh yo'. (I asked you if they could make me move out of the house. And if I don't want to move what can I do?) Aw - yo' ah use dat devil's toothpick - dat's if ah didn't wanta move. Yo' kin git dat in de woods yo' see. Very few people know what it is.
(What does it look like?)
Have yo' evah seen Italian [something?] whut made outa pipes [something?] a little root? [Does he mean brier?] It's sompin lak dat [demonstrates].
(It runs along the ground. Is it the same thing as devil's-shoestring?)
No suh.
(Where is the toothpick, on the vine or under the vine?)
It grows in knots jis' lak Italian [brier?].
Entry 11188
This [is] what I used in gambling. I gambles myself. I have gambled - a long time ago - to meet paydays and things. Well, I'd take me and get me a Jockey Club perfume. Understand? I take Jockey Club perfume and I takes Luseen oil. (What kind? Luceen?) Yes, [Luseen or Luceen]. That's a yallow oil. You get it at the Cracker Jack Drug Store. Luseen oil. And get you that pure Jockey Club - pure stuff - and you get this much [demon- strates] for fifteen cents of that Luseen oil, you see, for to put down in there [your mixture]. And you put that in there and you get you three of them little small dice, you see. And you dress them [dice] with that [mixture] see. Take and cut 'em on each four corner, you understand, so you can know 'em when you turn - five and six at. Well, you take and you cut - you know seven make eleven. And you take them and put them in some powder and take 'em out of that powder. And take some of that perfume and stuff and put over 'em, you know, and shine 'em up like they shine. And put that in your pocket. Put that in your right pocket. And now, you have you another big pair of dices - that's for gambling with dices, see them big dices. And you put some of that perfume on it and you just have you somepin with this powder - just keep it in there and it just smell good all the time. And every time that you go, you go on to gambling or somepin, put them dice down in that. Somebody will be Wanting to stop playing with you, be saying, "Well, what's the matter with them dice?" Well, you setting just like you got a friend or buddy. You see, you don't want to all the time put 'em - let somebody else put 'em down. You say, "Let's change dice." You have him with a Pair and he take and change them. [Informant, woman, claimed to have worked with Madam Helen!]
Entry 11351
See, fo' instance, take a eel, yo' understan' aftah yo' ketch 'em outa de watah dataway, an' skinnin' him, an' takin' dat skin an' leavin' it till it dries. Pound it up to a powder an' put it into his pocket when he go anywhere. Well, jes' as slick as he would be when he's 'live, dat's de way yo'll be able to make yore points, yo' know. Seems lak if de watchman is dere yo'll git by him some way. Where, if ah wuz wit'out it, ah'd git trapped, yo' understan'.
Entry 11699
Use a piece of garlic.
(Do you carry that?)
Yes, sir. Wear that in your pocket. That's an awful lucky piece for gambl- ing. Now, honest to goodness. [It is lucky because it keeps away witchcraft and therefore hoodoo].
Entry 11703
Take a pod of garlic, put that in your pocket for luck.
(Just for plain luck?)
Plain luck.
Entry 11704
Garlic in yore pocket....
(Keep a piece of garlic in your pocket for gambling?)
Yessuh...
Entry 12129
If you don' want her no mo', after she come back to yuh [she have left you] - if yo' don' wan' her no mo', so's [= so as] yo' kin [get] control [of] yo'self - [you] kin git dis bow heah [he points to my hat with micro- phone on interviewing table] out de hat. A-tall [at all = whatever you do] don' chew take it [out]. Yo' tell her, say, "Ah wanta see dis bow heah, " lak dat. Say yo' wanta see dis bow. An' lak yo' wanta see de bow, yo' put de bow in your han'. An' when she put de bow in yore han' [after she remove it from the hat], yo' goes right to a white- folks graveyard - or a colored-folks graveyard - an' git a han'fula dirt lak dat. Don' git it from somebody [who] was buried dere yesterday [or] lak day 'fore dat. Lemme show yo' now. [Informant demonstrates on the floor of the interviewing room.] Yo' kin pick up de dirt lak dat. Quick! Don' let nobody see yo' pick it up. An' put it anywhere in yuh pocket. Ain't gotta put it in no papah. All right. Den yo' come back [home]. Yo' take dat bow an' yo' set an' yo' sprinkle it [with the graveyard dirt]. Understand?[He sprinkles graveyard dirt on a hat bow her hand had touched.] If she got a $1000, she'll pay yuh to make her husband take her back. But yet, he don' want huh, don' want huh no mo'.
Entry 12225
Yo' supposed tuh use Jockey Club perfume.
(It's Jockey Club or Jack of Clubs.)
Well, ah cain't git it right.
(Jack of Clubs from the deck of cards or the jockey that rides a horse?)
Yeah, jacket dat chew put on yo' Perfume [!!!]. Yo' supposed tuh use dat an' garlic. Keep garlic in yore pocket an' Jack of Clubs in yore pocket, an' yo' supposed tuh have luck in gamblin'. (What do you do, put this perfume on the garlic?) [Is this for real or a piece of concoted witticism of the moment!] Put it on de garlic an' on yore han' when yo' goin' to a game. But keep de garlic in yore pocket an' de Jack of Clubs, jis' po' a little bit out in yore han' an' go into de gamblin', see, an' have yo' garlic in yore pocket.
Entry 12228
Wal, yo' kin git dat John de Conker, called de King of de World. Ah've tried dat an' dat's not so good. Wal, yo' take it when yo' git it an' git chew a piece of red flannen, see, an' sew dat up in a piece of red flannen. (Sew this John de Conkah up in this red flannel.) Dat's right an' den git chew some Hearts Perfume [bottle has 2 or more small red hearts on label] an' put chew 9 drops on dere. An' put chew twelve pins in dat, see, right out a bran'-new package of pins. Wear it in yore left pocket every day yo' go. An' in a cer- tain length of time, dat odor - yo' has to perfume it ovah ag'in - dat means every 3 weeks. It'll work fo' yo', too. Ah've tried dat.
(What do you wear this little bag for? What is that supposed to do?)
Well, dat's to keep yore enemies away from yo'. An' if yo' wanta start any business, yo' have success an' good luck after dat - no cops to bother, nuthin atall [at all]. Dey might come to yore place but when dey come to de place dey'll sit down an' talk with yuh.
Entry 12261
(Anything else they use for luck in gambling?)
Well, use de High John de Conkah root, it's mighty good.
(How do they do that?)
Well, dey carry it in dere pocket mostly, jes' keep anybody from passin' yo'.
[Waycross 1975:2.]
Entry 12272
A good luck key or luck key, these are sold everywhere, carry in pocket or purse. [Wilmington 243:7+85.]
Entry 12299
You can take lemons. Well, that makes you - if you going up the street right now and you got a big transaction on with a person. You take a lemon, just take a lemon and take all the peeling off the lemon. Don't break the white part of that lem- on. See, just take all that yellow peel off the lemon and take that lemon and sew it up. Rub it over good. Just rub it over good in your pockets in your hands. And ball that lemon up and put it in your inside coat pocket. Wrap it up in pure white paper with no marks or nothing on it - pure white paper. Wrap that lemon up. And on your Way down [to business transaction] just take the lemon and pass it through your hands, rub it over your hands good and put it in your inside [pocket]. Wear it on your right side, in your inside coat pocket, or your right side of your right pants pocket. But if you peel that lemon and break that white - that white skin on the inside of that yellow skin - well that lemon is no good to you. Get you a lemon and don't break that skin. Peel it off careful, but don't break through it so the juice will run off. But take that yellow peel off the outside and wrap that lemon up. Wipe that lemon off good with sugar. Rub it over good with sugar and wrap it up good in a piece of red flannel and rub it through your hands. And when you go there [place of business transaction] go in the lavatory or any private place and take that lemon out of that flannel again and rub it. Or take plain white paper. If you don't use red flannel, use plain white paper. Don't use no paper with no marks or nothing on it. No yellow or no colored paper at all. If you don't use white paper, get you a piece of red flannel and wrap it in there and go down the street with it. And as you go to the lavatory take that flannel or that paper off and just rub it over your hand again - before you go on with any business transaction - with the lemon. (What do you go and do that in the lavatory for?) [Informant has me going around in circles!] Well, you just freshen your hands up. Freshen your hands up with this. Con- tinually rub your hands, keep awashing that lemon against your hands.
(Well, what do you do that for?)
Well, that gives you a power over the man that you got a business deal with.
(Oh! I see. You do that until you get his....)
Keep awashing that lemon on your hands - like you get - like you know, you going to the next corner here, and you coming to the place, or you are in a bar, or any private place.
(You do it in secret so he can't see you.)
Yeah, you just do it in secret - just any place for secrecy. That's all.
Entry 12330
An' if yo' put a piece of wood de lightnin' struck in yore pocket, yo' cain't be shot; cain't be shot by no man, if yo' tote dat in yore pocket.
[Algiers 2954:9.]
Entry 12344
(Lodestone.)
Keep it wet with perfume and tote that in your pocket. That will give you lock to get a job like that, even be able lucky for anything - luck for anything like that.
Entry 12426
Talking about anything of that sort [informant shows me something].
(Oh, yes, un huh. That's to be worn isn't it? For protection, isn't it?)
It's for protection. See this is a picture of...
(Of our Lord?)
Of our Lord, yes. Now, this is for protection. This is for protection, you wears this to your heart, you know, right around your neck here, you see [demon- strates]. But of course I totes it in my pocket and that's for luck. I HAVEN'T GOT ANY OF MY OTHER MEDALS AND THINGS ON ME, but now, I never knowed they take and use medals for harm. I know of 'em using medals for to do good - to do good, you see. [New Orleans, La., (832), 1245:1.] - Hoodoo - Conjuratfon - Witchcraft - Rootwork -
Entry 12609
I know my brother did it. You kin take a pound of black pepper - dis grain [whole] pepper - and a pound of sugar. And you kin sit down and bite dis pepper and sugar together and put it in your pocket and go on the job. The man will give you a job. (You say your brother did that?) Yes sir.
Entry 12720
Well, dey tell me fo' luck in gamblin', dey'll go out an' dey'll git 'em a rabbit foot. An' dey cut it off jes' right above de - right above de knee up dere, de left knee. An' dey take dat dere rabbit foot an' dey dress it. Dey dress it with lodestone an' keep it dissolved [fed] in Hearts Cologne. An' dey tote dat in dey watch pocket, an' if dey go out den dey kin win. (You say they use the left hind leg?) [Left hind leg must have been given before recording began.] De left hind one. (And they keep that in this Hearts Cologne so they will win in a gambling game? Yes.
Entry 12723
Then yo' take - now if yo' a gamblin' man, yo' kin take a rabbit an' ketch him. Take his left front feet an' cut it off right in de knee joint dere, an' git chew a bottle of Hearts Cologne am' put on it. Keep it up tlll it git dry, yo' take it an' put it right in yore fob pocket up heah on yore pants, an' go to a gae an' rub it in yore han' lak dat [demonstrates]. Rub it in dere. Go in dere am' vin whut chew wanta win. Dat de way ah did.
Entry 12775
[Letter "s" in this long CHANNEL DE WORLD division begins perhaps with the largest sentence in HOODOO:] They say, if yo' take the Twelve Apos- tle's names like I told joo, an' write 'em on a piece of paper, or each Apostle's name on a sage leaf, an' have the Apos- tle's names on another piece of paper, fold them toward joo all the time, an' keeps 'em in your pocket an' have 'em whensomever yo' go for a job, they say he'll [you will] more than apt to be lucky. [For sage leaves and court see also No.9117-9137, some of which also contain 12 Apostles, v.4.]
Entry 12779
Ah heard you could take - get some kind of oil and stuff and use like that, and then, if anybody [in the game] had any wager in dere against you, or you was playing against wager or somepin like dat, why you could take dat. Take a frog - use a toadfrog and carry 'em in dere, and take that salt and pepper and sprinkle it.... [Here I turned off machine but decided to continue.]
(How do you...)
[You are having bad luck because someone:]
Done went to somewhere and got somepin stronger than what you got dere - Luck.
(What do you do with that frog?)
You put him in your pocket.
(I see. And what about the salt and pepper?)
You take that salt and pepper and sprinkle it around in your house where you playing at.
(I see. That's to break up that wager.)
Wager that luck against you.
(That weight [luck] against you.)
Entry 12986
Yo' could take a dime an' git a leaf dat nevah was scorched[? some- thing meaning undamaged] yo' know, dat de frost don't kill. Any kinda leaf de frost don't kill. An' put dis dime on dat leaf an' hold it on dere, an' yo' kin keep dat dime near dat leaf an' yo' have de best kind of luck. Put chew in real good luck. An' yo' keep it 'long as yo' keep dat dime.
(You just keep the dime, you don't keep the leaf?)
No, yo' don't have tuh keep de leaf, jes' keep de dime. Keep de dime. When yo' first git it, put it on de leaf an' hold it on de leaf. Den yo' keep dat dime den. Den yo' have good luck. Keep it in yore pocket - don't lose it - keep it in yore pocket.
Entry 13077
Jes' lak if a fellah wanta git a job, ah hear 'em, dey take an' kill a snake an' let him dry, yo' know. An' take him yo' know, jes' lak he git into ashes, yo' know an' put him inside of a bottle. An' take - jes' lak a cigaret smoke an' blow it in dat bottle an' stop it up. An' dey says dat every time yo' open dat bottle, a little sompin will come up out dat bottle lak a snake, yo' know. Say if yo' tote dat in yore pocket an' tote it in yore pocket bottom upwards, yo' know, dat chew could git a job. But ah ain't nevah tried it. Ah had a ole fellah tell me dat once but ah ain't nevah tried it.
Entry 1247
Yo' go to a fig tree an' dig yo' some roots from three diff'rent ways of de world - take some from de no'th, some east an' some south. Yo' don't want nuthin from de west - don't want nuthin tuh carry yo' down, yo' wanta build yo'self up. An' tote dem roots in yore pocket - pocket book. An' de longer yo' tote dem roots de better it will smell. Anybody will tell yo' to put Hearts Cologne on dere, but chew kin take dem fig tree roots an' long as yo' tote dem de better it will smell. Den yo' kin let chure wife or somebody else smell it an' yo' can't smell it - it's dead. [As in any hand, to let anyone touch it, smell it, even sometimes to see it - kills its power.]
(Why do you carry these roots?)
Fo' luck - protection - fo' friends.
(Would this protect me against any bad luck?)
Yes, it's good. People whut will hate yo' will come to be yore friends.
Entry 2273
Ah proved dis mahself, when yo' want a job, take yo' some table salt an' tie it up in de corner of yore han'kerchief an' go dere an' ask him fo' a job, an' feel dat salt in yore pocket an' mash on dat salt, work on dat salt, lookin' him straight in de eye an' tell him whut chew want, an' he'll give yo' a job. Ah done tried it.
Entry 2283
Jes' take three locks of his hair.
(The boss's hair?)
Yeah, if yo' kin git it. Be round his house where he'd comb, where he comb his hair, an' git three locks of his hair an' yo' take those three locks of hair an' yo' keep them saturated in Hearts perfume an' git close enough to him to talk to him to blow yore breath in his face. An' then yo' git a root which is called de Seven Sisters, an' yo' take that root an' yo' wrop this hair round that root an' keep that. An' when yo' go to 'em, dey says he won't deny yo'.
(You carry this root with you. What do you put that root in?)
Yo' take it an' put it in a lil cloth, or make a large enough piece of papah an' tote it right in yore watch pocket. An' de whole time yo' talkin' to him, yo' keep yo' fingah down in there, jes' lak dere somepin between yore thumb an' yore fingah next to it. Yo' know, work it kinda lak yo' would a match, yo' know lak that, yo' know [demonstrates].
(Just roll it around between thumb and forefinger of your right hand.)
Yessuh. [See margin-title Seven Sisters, later.]
Entry 3536
(Tell me that from the beginning.)
Jes' lak yo' want 'em to love yo', yo' take a han'ke'chuf - or'nary han'ke'- chuf. Yo' want 'em to not - yo' don't want 'em to love yo' hard. Jes' tie it in fo' loose knots. Well, den, if yo' want 'em to love yo' hard, tie it fo' hard knots, one in each cornah: one at dat cornah, one down below, one down below, one at de othah end. Tie dose fo' hard knots, hard as yo' kin draw it. An' tote dat in yore pocket.
(I see.)
Entry 4215
A woman kin do de same thin', jis' lak she want me an' ah don't want 'er. Well, she kin git a piece of yuh shirt an' tie it in nine knots an' put it in 'er watah, her urinate watah, an' let it stay in dere fo' three mornin's. If she kin git dem nine knots back into mah pocket or in some of mah clothses, dat will draw me an 'er back tuhgethah.
Entry 4632
Yo' kin git de bow offen de back of a man's hat an' wear it in yore pocket or somepin othah, if yo' want 'im tuh love. DAT WILL CAUSE 'IM TUH LOVE YO'.
Entry 13259
(What is goofer dust?) Well, whut dey call goofer dust is - dey takes sulphur, red pepper an' a red onion an' sew it up in a red piece of flannel an' dat's whut chew call goofer dust. [Normally of course this is a hand.]
(What do you do with that then?)
Take it an' wear it in yore pocket, jes' wear it all de time in yore pocket.
(What is it supposed to do for you?)
Well, it'll make yo' lucky an' successful. [This of course is not normal goofer dust, a dust; but if it is for informant, it is.]
Entry 13280
Ah went in de woods in de spring of de year - it been about three years ago now. If yo' know a swallah [swallow] bird - do yo' know a swallah bird? Well, yo' kin take one of de eggs outa dere nest an' bring it home anl boil it. An' den put it back in dat nest. Well, when dat bird come back, she know dat egg ain't jes' lak she left it. Well, she goes somewhere in de woods an' get a root an' bring it dere an' put it in dat nest. Dat suppose to make dat egg right. An' yo' kin git dat an' jes' keep it in yore pocket an' yo' more den apt to keep a dollah all de time, 'long as yo' keep it.
(You'll get the root out of the nest then?)
Yes sir. She puts de root in de nest. (Then you go and take the root out of the nest. Did you try that? Did it work?) Yes sir, it worked. Fact ah kept money, ah reckon it musta been somepin'.
Entry 723
I was in the woods rakin' up, heapin' up shadders - you know, baiddin' [bedding] - an' I found those little roots, shoo know. An' I ast mah boss, I says, "Mr. Paine, whut is this?" He said, "Oh, that's rasslin' root [wrestling root]." An' I didn't let 'im see me, you know - I taken up five or six an' put 'em in mah pocket. An' then I wanted to git to town fer to try this out. An' Saturday couldn't come soon enough fer me. So when I got to town on a Saturday, that's the first thing I hunted, you know. I was all prepared, had the roots with me an' ever'thing. Of course, I wanted to be champion rassler around there amongst the little bunch of boys that I was goin' with, you know. An' my, he throw me! I think he throwed me five best out of nuthin' - never got 'im down to his knees or nuthin'.
Entry 2989
Dey say you kin turn yore pocket wrongside out.
(Which pocket?)
De pocket which you use de most in your clothes. That will keep them from doing you harm or put out the candle.
Entry 12728
Left-hind foot of rabbit carry in pocket, lucky in gambling. [Mobile 891:6.]
The source presents this as a short instruction. Its opening notes attribute unbracketed text to informants; verbatim wording is not established.
Entries from source headings
These entries are listed under the following headings in the source volume:
- Pocket — Volume 1, entries 2213–2214. Source context: THE DOCTORS AT WORK: REPORTS FROM LAYMEN → HANDS: MAGIC HELPERS.
- POCKET - WORN IN — Volume 3, entries 3248. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → CAUSES OF SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → MISCELLANEOUS.
- SILVER DIME CARRIED IN HIS POCKET AFTER; WRAPPING IT IN PIECE OF BEDCLOTH HE USED — Volume 3, entries 3270. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → CAUSES OF SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → MISCELLANEOUS.
- LOVE KNOT - CIRCULAR PIECE - SIZE OF QUARTER; FROM NEW YELLOW DOMESTIC USED 9 TIMES BY WOMAN; SUGAR - WEAR IN LEFT SHOE - OR KEEP IN MATTRESS; MAN USES - NEW WHITE-LINEN HANDKERCHIEF - IN POCKET — Volume 3, entries 3496. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → CAUSES OF SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → KNOTS AND TYING → KNOTS ONE.
- NO MEASURE - 3 KNOTS IN LINEN HANDKERCHIEF - IN POCKET — Volume 3, entries 3513. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → CAUSES OF SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → KNOTS AND TYING → KNOTS THREE.
- HANDKERCHIEF - NEW - CALL NAME 3 TIMES; CHANGE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT POCKET AT NOON — Volume 3, entries 3762. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → CURES FOR SEXUAL IMPOTENCE.
- POCKET - WEAR IN LEFT - HER PIECE; IN CLEAN CLOTH WITH SWEET-SMELLING POWDER — Volume 3, entries 3927. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → BLOOD → "HER PRIVATE TIME".
- POCKET — Volume 3, entries 4631. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → HAT - SWEATBAND - BOW → BOW FROM SWEATBAND OF HAT.
- SWEET SPIRITS OF NITER - BOW IN BOTTLE OF; SEWED UP IN POCKET OF HER BLOOMERS — Volume 3, entries 4676. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → HAT - SWEATBAND - BOW → BOW FROM SWEATBAND OF HAT.
- POCKET - LEFT HIP — Volume 3, entries 4801. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → CLOTHES EXCLUDING HAT, SOCKS AND STOCKINGS, AND SHOES.
- POCKET: LEAK IN YORE POCKET — Volume 3, entries 4802. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → CLOTHES EXCLUDING HAT, SOCKS AND STOCKINGS, AND SHOES.
- URINATE ON STOCKING OR SOCK; HEARTS COLOGNE - IN POCKET — Volume 3, entries 5057. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → SOCKS AND STOCKINGS.
- HOLLOW OF TRACK PULL BACK - TIE OR SEW - HOMESPUN - POCKET — Volume 4, entries 5513. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- LOVE POWDER - SUGAR - HOLLOW OF TRACK - POCKET — Volume 4, entries 5524. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- NEW CLOTH - TRACK SEWED INTO - NO ONE MUST TOUCH - IN POCKET — Volume 4, entries 5586. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- 9 TRACKS - EVERY OTHER ONE - PINCH FROM EACH INTO SNUFFBOX; 9 DAYS - CARRY IN POCKET - THEN EMPTY OWN DOORSTEP — Volume 4, entries 5595. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- POCKET - BOSSMAN'S TRACK IN YOUR — Volume 4, entries 5604. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- RED PEPPER 9 SEEDS; HER TRACK - SEWED INTO RAG - POCKET — Volume 4, entries 5613. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- GARLIC - IN SHOE AND POCKET; GARLIC AND SODA — Volume 4, entries 6810. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → FOLK MEDICINE → CURES FOR AND PROTECTION AGAINST AILMENT AND DISEASE.
- GRAVE OF MURDERED MAN - STEP OVER; PICK UP HIS GRAVE DIRT - KEEP IN POCKET — Volume 4, entries 7311. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → MURDER → HOW MURDERER CAN ESCAPE.
- GRAVEYARD DIRT IN POCKET — Volume 4, entries 7310. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → MURDER → HOW MURDERER CAN ESCAPE.
- (14) POCKET - IN LEFT - PUT; LEFT HAND OF CORPSE; GRASPING OPENED NEW POCKETKNIFE — Volume 4, entries 7394. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → MURDER → HOW MURDERER CAN BE CAUGHT.
- FOOTBOARD OF GRAVE - DUST FROM - IN POCKET FOR LUCK — Volume 4, entries 7645. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → GRAVEYARD DIRT MUST BE BOUGHT FROM SPIRIT → DIRT TAKEN FROM WHAT PART OF GRAVE.
- GAMBLING HAND; (1) GRAVEYARD DIRT IN POCKET — Volume 4, entries 7764. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → WHAT TO DO WITH GRAVEYARD DIRT.
- (3) GAMBLER'S GRAVE - MIDNIGHT - PAY; DIRT IN RAG - IN POCKET WITH MONEY — Volume 4, entries 7766. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → WHAT TO DO WITH GRAVEYARD DIRT.
- (4) MIDNIGHT - CENTER OF GRAVE - IN POCKET WITH MONEY — Volume 4, entries 7767. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → WHAT TO DO WITH GRAVEYARD DIRT.
- POCKET - GRAVEYARD DIRT IN — Volume 4, entries 7853. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → WHAT TO DO WITH GRAVEYARD DIRT.
- NEW NEEDLE AND THREAD FROM UNDERTAKER; SEW NEEDED REPAIR IN MAN'S POCKET — Volume 4, entries 7948. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → COFFIN - DOLL BABY - BURIAL - BONES → COFFIN REAL OR MOCK.
- FROG SWALLOWS 15 BUCKSHOT ROLLED TO HIM; BY THIEF WHO CARRIES HIM IN HIS POCKET — Volume 4, entries 8915. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → THEFT.
- FRESH TONGUE FROM SLAUGHTERHOUSE - SPLIT IT; INSERT NAMES OF WITNESSES ON SEPARATE PAPERS; SEW UP - WRAP GOOD - CARRY TO COURT IN POCKET; WITNESSES BECOME TONGUE-TIED - YOU DISCHARGED — Volume 4, entries 8982. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → COURT CASES.
- CLOVER - FOUR-LEAF - IN LEFT POCKET - WISH — Volume 4, entries 9025. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → COURT CASES.
- ONION - RED ONE - PUNCH 4 HOLES INTO - SALT FILL; CALL NAMES OF ENEMIES AND FOR EACH ONE STICK; A PIN INTO THIS ONION - IN COURT KEEP THIS; RED ONION IN POCKET WITH HAND COVERING PINS — Volume 4, entries 9111. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → COURT CASES.
- PINS 2 AND NEW CROSSED IN FRESH "YARD EGG"; WEAR IN POCKET WITH INTENTION OF HOLDING JOB — Volume 4, entries 9342. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → THE AMAZING CHICKEN EGG.
- SHELL OF EGG - WORN IN POCKET — Volume 4, entries 9367. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → THE AMAZING CHICKEN EGG.
- BOSSMAN: TIE NEW SALT IN NEW YELLOW HOMESPUN; KEEP IN POCKET - LOOSE SALT SPRINKLE BOSS' TRACKS; SALT CONKAHS - SALT IS A CONKAH THING — Volume 5, entries 9449. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → SALT AND ITS COMBINATIONS.
- BOSSMAN: CARRY SALT IN POCKET ON JOB OR LOOKING; FOR ONE - RUB SALT ON HANDS BEFORE MEETING HIM — Volume 5, entries 9451. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → SALT AND ITS COMBINATIONS.
- NEEDLE IN RIGHT POCKET OF MAN'S PANTS; CAUSES HIM AND OTHER WOMAN TO BREAK UP — Volume 5, entries 9782. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → NAILS - NEEDLES AND PINS - TACKS.
- IF YOU KEEP A SKINNED TOADFROG IN YOUR POCKET; NO ONE CAN HARM YOU AND YOU WIN AT ALL GAMES — Volume 5, entries 9965. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- SPLIT-OPEN TOADYFROG IN POCKET IS GAMBLING LUCK — Volume 5, entries 9964. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- TUH BE A SWIFT GAMBLAH - CUT OFF LEFT HIND QUARTAH; OF LIVING FROG - CARRY IN POCKET - BUT; IF YO' EVAH LOSE YORE LUCK WHY YO'D LOSE YORE LOVE — Volume 5, entries 9966. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- WRAP UP FROG - LET HIM DIE HIMSELF; DON'T YOU KILL HIM - AFTER HE DRIES; KEEP IN POCKET DURING GAMES AND TOUCH; BEFORE BETTING AT CARDS OR SHOOTING DICE — Volume 5, entries 9969. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- TIE LIVE FROG IN POCKET OR ON WRIST FOR GAMBLING — Volume 5, entries 9972. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- WEAR LEG OF FROG IN POCKET FOR ANY KIND OF LUCK — Volume 5, entries 9971. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- KILL FROG AND CURE WITH BOX OF NEW SALT - WHILE; GAMBLING KEEP FROG AND SALT IN SEPARATE POCKETS; EACH TIME YOU WIN - TRANSFER SALT TO FROG POCKET — Volume 5, entries 9982. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- TO WIN WHEN GAMBLING - KEEP LIVE FROG IN POCKET; PUT IN A LITTLE SALT TOO - ON FROG - YOU LUCKY — Volume 5, entries 9981. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- WRAP UP LIVE TOADFROG IN HANDKERCHIEF; KEEP IN MONEY POCKET WHEN BETTING — Volume 5, entries 9983. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- CARRY LIVE FROG IN POCKET 9 DAYS BEFORE GAMBLING — Volume 5, entries 9985. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- KILL TOADFROG AND CHIMNEY BAT - DRY BOTH; KEEP FIRST IN POCKET WITH PAIR OF DICE - SECOND; IN OPPOSITE POCKET WITH PAIR OF DICE - SHOOT; OWN DICE - EACH ANIMAL IS A GAMBLING HAND — Volume 5, entries 9986. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- LIVE TOAD IN SACK - IN POCKET - BET WHEN HE PEES — Volume 5, entries 9984. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- WHISKEY TO FROG - LOAD WITH GUNSHOT; CARRY ALIVE IN POCKET FOR GAMBLING — Volume 5, entries 9990. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- TO EXPOSE TRICKS AT SHOWS - SPLIT FROGS BACK; PUT SALT ON HIM - WRAP - WEAR IN YOUR POCKET — Volume 5, entries 9998. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- TO HAVE LUCK - BE A MUSICIAN - EXPERT GAMBLER; VISIT CROSSROADS 9 MORNINGS IN SUCCESSION - CARRY; WITH YOU EACH DAY LIVE BLACK CAT - ON 9TH MORNING; ALSO BRING A KETTLE AND MEET DEVIL - WHO SAYS; HE WILL GIVE YOU ANYTHING BETWEEN DE SOLE OF YUH; HAID AN' DE CROWN OF YUH FEET - ON LEAVING DEVIL; FILL POT WITH WATER - GO TO HILLTOP OVERLOOKING; A STREAM - THERE BOIL CAT ALIVE - THEN GOING DOWN; HILL - THROW CAT BONES INTO THIS RUNNING WATER; ALL WILL FLOW DOWNSTREAM EXCEPT ONE WHICH SOON; TURNS UPSTREAM - THIS IS THE BLACK CAT LUCKY BONE; PICK IT UP AND WEAR IT IN YOUR LEFT-BREAST POCKET — Volume 5, entries 10060. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → BLACK CAT LUCKY BONE AGAIN.
- BLACK CAT ACCIDENTALLY KILLED ANYWHERE; CUT OFF RIGHT HIND LEG - HAS 3 BONES; DRY MIDDLE ONE - POLISH - KEEP IN PURSE; WEAR IN HIP POCKET - EXPOSE AT GAME — Volume 5, entries 10117. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → BLACK CAT LUCKY BONE AGAIN.
- HUMAN BONE FROM GRAVEYARD; RIGHT FORELEG OF BLACK CAT; WORN IN POCKET CHANGES LUCK — Volume 5, entries 10116. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → BLACK CAT LUCKY BONE AGAIN.
- BOIL LIVE BLACK CAT AT MIDNIGHT - TAKE LITTLE; BONE FROM EITHER HIND LEG TO SMALL STREAM; FLOWING WEST - LET BONE FLOAT SHORT DISTANCE; PICK IT UP - WEAR IN POCKET AS THE LUCKY BONE — Volume 5, entries 10128. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → BLACK CAT LUCKY BONE AGAIN.
- 2 BONES MAKE YOU A MYSTERY MAN - BLACK CAT BONE; AND DEAD MAN' BONE - HIS INDESTRUCTIBLE BONE; ONLY HUMAN BONE UNBURNABLE - TIP END OF COCCYX; LUCKY BONE AND UNBURNABLE COCCYX WELL-MATCHED; WEAR BOTH CROSSED IN POCKET - CAT BONE COMES; FROM LEFT SHOULDER - FOUND IN FRONT OF MIRROR — Volume 5, entries 10135. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → BLACK CAT LUCKY BONE AGAIN.
- CURE A BLACK CAT LUCKY BONE WITH SUGAR AND SALT; WEAR IN POCKET - BONE WON' LET NUTHIN HURT CHEW — Volume 5, entries 10151. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → BLACK CAT LUCKY BONE AGAIN.
- DRY KILLED BAT - WRAP - CARRY IN POCKET - LUCKY — Volume 5, entries 10562. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → BAT - THE LEATHER-WING.
- GARLIC - 3 PODS - LIVE BAT HEART PERFUME ANOINTED; SEW AS PACKAGE - FEED PERFUME - IN POCKET - LUCKY — Volume 5, entries 10565. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → BAT - THE LEATHER-WING.
- SILK - NEW RED - SEW INTO - LIVE BAT HEART CURED; KEEP THIS IN POCKET WHEN GAMBLING - YOU WILL WIN — Volume 5, entries 10584. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → BAT - THE LEATHER-WING.
- CUT WINGS OFF BAT - SPLIT IT OPEN - SAVE BLOOD; REMOVE ENTRAILS - LET DRY - FILL WITH CHEESE; SEW UP - KEEP IN POCKET WITH MONEY - GAMBLE — Volume 5, entries 10603. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → BAT - THE LEATHER-WING.
- JOBLESS MAN WENT TO DOCTOR WHO GAVE HIM 3 ROOTS; ADAM AND EVE - BLACKSNAKE ROOT - DEVIL'S SHOESTRING; ALSO CALLED DEVIL ROOT - TO USE HEARTS COLOGNE; ON ROOTS AND RUB ON HANDS WHEN SEEING BOSS; WEAR BUCKEYE IN POCKET - ROOTS IN POCKET - CHEW — Volume 5, entries 10612. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- HE MET UP WIT AN OLE "CUNJUREMAN ROOTMAN"; WHO GAVE HIM SOMETHING [ROOT?] TO PUT INTO; NEW HANDKERCHIEF AND SLIP INTO BOSSMAN'S POCKET — Volume 5, entries 10770. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- WOMAN INTO BEAU'S HAND PRESSES 3 TIMES SEVERAL; ROOSTER FEATHERS WHICH ABSORB HIS PERSPIRATION; THESE HAVING BECOME A HAND SHE PUTS IN HER; POCKET - LOOKS HIM IN THE EYE - KISSES HIM - END — Volume 5, entries 11023. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- 3 ROOTS FROM 3 SIDES OF FIG TREE - HEARTS COLOGNE; KEEP IT IN YORE POCKET... DEMAND ANYTHING YO' WANT — Volume 5, entries 11373. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- GARLIC - MIDDLE PART OF IT - CARRY IN POCKET FOR JOB — Volume 5, entries 11710. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- GRASSHOPPER HAS 6 LEGS - 4 SHORT AND 2 LONG - IF; OTHER MAN IS WINNING GIRL - PULL OFF 4 SHORT LEGS; DRY - STICK IN RIVAL'S POCKET - GIRL BECOMES YOURS — Volume 5, entries 11734. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- SNAKEROOT IN RED FLANNEL - WEAR IN POCKET; CHEW HE JOHN DE CONKAH - SPIT BEFORE BOSS — Volume 5, entries 12240. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- MISTLETOE: IN POCKET AND SHOE 9 DAYS BEFORE COURT — Volume 5, entries 12431. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- LEFT HIND FOOT OF RABBIT AFTER YOU KILL IT - WEAR IN; POCKET OR PURSE - KEEP BATHED IN [FED] HEARTS COLOGNE; SPRINKLE ON [FEED] IT ALSO DRAGON'S BLOOD - PULL THAT; TENDON IN RABBIT'S FOOT TO MAKE IT MOVE - BE ALIVE; TOUCH WITH FOOT PERSON YOU WANT AND YOU KIN GET 'EM — Volume 5, entries 12714. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- RATTLESNAKE MASTER - KEEP IN POCKET OR CHEW; THIS ROOT HELPFUL IN GETTING JOBS OR FAVORS — Volume 5, entries 12744. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- SHAME GRASS [= SHAME BRIER] PICK AT MIDNIGHT - HAS; THICK LEAF - RUN HAND OVER - IT WITHERS UP MEN; CARRY IT IN POCKET OR CHEW - THEY WALKS UP TO A; WOMAN... SHE'LL HAVE TO DO JUST WHAT HE SAYS DO — Volume 5, entries 12927. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- TOBACCO: CUT SQUARE OR OBLONG PIECE - CHEW OFF THE; 4 CORNERS - REMAINDER KEEP IN POCKET - ASK FOR JOB — Volume 5, entries 13313. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
Entry 2213
Well, yo' takes dat lodestone and git chew a little piece of flannel an' sew it all up together, an' yo' buy Hearts Cologne an' jest feed it on it - hit grows as yo' feed it, 'noint it a lot. Ah had a piece once a long time ago an' de more yo' feed it wit dat Hearts Cologne why de bigger it grows, an yo'jes' use dat chew see, jest rub it in yore hand an' tote it in your right hand pocket, den yo' go on tuh gamble. Well, it's lucky anyway, jest all de time getting holt of something.
(Why do they carry it in the right-hand pocket?)
Well, dey tell me dat's de place to carry it, say if yo' tote it in yore left pocket, anything leaves yo' - de right fo' coming in an' de left fo' goin' out.
[See margin-title Three Pockets.]
Entry 2214
You go to the graveyard and you get some dirt and you tie it up in the corner of your handkershief and put it in your right pocket if you are right handed, and as you shoot dice you rub that handkershief and quite natch'ly you won't fall, you will win.