Subject:River
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Entry 3407
It wuz man an' wife had a fuss, dey said, an' 'is wife, she wuz a woman dat liked to run aroun' a lot yo' undahstan' wit othah men. An' he went to a fortunetellah an' see whut - yo' know, how he could stop her from runnin' aroun' wit so many men. So she tole him, she said, "Yo' steal a dishrag. Steal one from someone else, not 'is own - jes' like yo' steal anythin' else. So he steals a dishrag. An' she tole 'im, she said, "At night when yo' go to bed wit 'er, befo' yo' intahco'se wit 'er yo'self, " she say, "yo' play wit 'er an' take a part of de rag - jis' tear it off - an' rub it aroun' in dere, an' den put it in a bottle an' stop it up wit some of 'er watah, not yore own. She said, "Dat night when yo' go to her, ' she said, "don't use [put] yore watah in dere [chamberpot] - yo see, don't mix it [yours with hers]. An' den take hern [her water] an' put it in a bottle wit diz [this] rag. Yo' stop it up an' put it in de rivah. No othah man could have a chance to have intahco'se wit 'er. Soon as he git to de place, he'll jis' drop right down."
Entry 3679
So he wouldn't want no othah woman but chew, ah know how tuh fix 'im so "HE CAIN'T RAISE NO STAKES." Git a snail. It's mighty dirty. Git a snail an' put 'im on a ole [tin-can] top an' put 'im in yore stove an' let 'im brown. Take it out an let 'im cool, an' yo' take dat [browned] snail an' jes' rub it to a plumb powdah. Jes' parch it up, parch it up, an' when yo' an' 'im are layin' in de baid, yo'd have a little on yore han' an' tetch 'is thing, an' he cain't raise stakes fo no othah woman. Lak yo' been wit 'im a long time an' ti'ed [tired] of 'im an' got 'im fixed, yo' take dat stuff out de trunk an' take dat stuff from between de mattress, whut ah tole yo' tuh fix, an' carry it to de rivah an' turn yore back an' say, "Go, ah nevah want chew no mo', '' an' throw it in de rivah, an' he'll go on an' won't bothah yo' no mo'. Throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah an' don't look back, an nevah want chew no mo'."
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 3822
(What do they say about tying knots?)
My boy said a girl tied knots on 'im, but ah don' [know] wha' 'tis, how she did anythin' lak dat. Ah've heard it. An' he foun' de co'd [cord] tied aroun' 'er wais' an' it had three knots in it. An' he jis' made 'er pull it off. [He] said dat a wo- man [hoodoo he had consulted] tole him tuh, dat if he would search 'er, she would have dat on. Said, "When yo' fine hit, take it an' run right on tuh de rivah an' put it in de rivah, say, "she goin' tuh jump on 'im [you] an' be mad an' goin' on, '' she say, "but jis' keep right on runnin' an' throw it in de rivah. Dat will break 'im [you] loose from 'er.' But he didn't throw it in de rivah, he jis' made huh pull it off.
Entry 3918
I can send 'em away in dis mannah. Now, if I would - say fo' ninstance if I wanted to kill a person or somepin of dat sort, why den, man or woman. If it wus a woman, I could take an' - I'd take her pieces, yo' know, when dey dirty. I'd fold 'em up an' put nine needles in 'em. I'd take an' I'd go to de riv- ah, but when I get to de rivah, when I gets jes' about twenty feets of de end of de walk where I'm goin' to stand at - dere's de wall [of the room] heah, when I get jes' about twenty feets right heah, I'd back myself back to dat, see. An I wouldn't look back, jes' back up to dere. When I gets dere I throws dat over mah left shouldah. When I throw dat in de rivah ovah mah left shouldah. I throws a silvah dime behind me, an' dat'll make her drift. She'll pine away to nuthin an' when yo' look again, why she'll be in de cemetery.
(Well, what do you throw over your shoulder?)
[I know, but I am continuing for the dime later.]
I throw 'er pieces ovah my shouldah.
(Oh! What do you mean, her monthly pieces?)
Yes, sir.
(Her monthly pieces?)
Yes.
(Well, why do you throw that dime over your shoulder?)
Dat dime is fo' death. Dat dime is to carry her on - see, dat dime is to carry her on. She's got to go.
(Does anybody get that dime? Pay her?)
[Informant already has said that dime is: for death, but I am trying to obtain a fuller statement without suggesting what I want - the dime pays the spirit for doing the desired work.] No, no, sir, nobody gets dat dime. Dat dime goes in de rivah. Nobody gets dat dime.
Entry 3926
A woman, dey kin take her min'stration an' a piece yo' know, an' dey kin throw it in de rivah or yo' kin bury it. If yo' bury it, it will kill 'er; if yo' throw it in de rivah, it will run 'er an' she'll nevah come back. But dey dresses it. See dey puts dis powdahs on it, incense powdah, an' yo' pin it up wit new pins, bran'-new pins in a bottle.
Entry 4238
Take chamber lye an' yuh kin put salt in dat an' throw dat in de rivah. Dey say dat will run yuh 'way from home.
(You would throw this person's chamber lye in the river.)
Entry 4346
Well, yuh kin take - which ah've heard - take de urine of a person an' stop it in a bottle an' put it in de rivah. But choo don't - yuh tie de bottle, yuh tie de head of de bot- tle wit a string, jis' let dat stay in de watah. But choo don' let it float on wit de rivah, jis' let it stay on de watah. An' tie it on de bank somewhere an' let it stay tuh a hidden place where nobody will evah find it. As long as dat - evah time de woman or man will git ready tuh urinate, dey have a hard time doin' it.
Entry 4348
Dey take yuh watah, yuh see. Dey stop it up in a bottle. An' aftah dey stop it up, dey take it an' lay it up ovah a doah, wheah [where] yuh walk undah it so many mawnin's. Ah think it's nine mawn- in's. After nine mawnin's, yuh see, yuh don't move it no mo'. It stay zackly wheah it's at. An' dey say take an' care [it] down tuh de rivah an' throw it ovahbo'd. Dat'll stop yuh from makin' watah.
Entry 4349
Well, jis' lak if yuh wants tuh harm a person, yuh see, lak dat, or yuh wanta git dat yuh might got 'em down undah yore feet tuh a certain point. An' yuh take dat hair an' yuh put it in a bot- tle, but chew put in it chamber lye an' salt. An' den yuh stop dat bottle tight, an' den yo' kin bury dat bottle or chunk it in runnin' watah - eithah one of dem things. Dat's whut de story ah got. Well, each one of 'em will harm yuh.
Entry 4350
Take a bottle wit dey urine, of anyone, in dere. Yuh kin put dey names jis' de same in de bottle an' yuh'll go tuh de rivah. An' yuh'll say bad words an' yuh'll curse an' yuh'll throw dat ovah de lef' shouldah. Well, yuh see dey goin' crazy.
Entry 4353
Put it in a bottle an' stop it up, an' throw it in runnin' watah an' if yuh don' git it, yuh'll soon pass away. (Put this person's chamber lye in it?) Yessuh, stop it up an' seven broken needles, an' throw it in runnin' watah. Or eithah bury it up undah de back steps where dey live at. Bury it up undah where dey go in de mo.st. Yo' put it up undah dere wit de neck down.
(What will that do to them then?)
Dat will kill 'em, dat git rid of 'em.
Entry 4355
Takes it from [demonstrates] de top an' de side an' here.
(The top and both sides, the hair.)
An' tells me dat dey puts it in a bottle wit red flannel, nine new needles an' pins.
(How many pins?)
Nine. An' git some of yuh urine, stops it up, turn it [bottle] bottom up- wards. Jis' as it dreeps [drips] out, jis' as yuh dwindle away. An' den when dey don't turn it bottom upwards dey throw it in de rivah. Drive yuh - Hoodoo - Conjuration - Witchcraft: Rdtvorl crazy. Dat's what dey say dat dey kin do wit it.
(If they turn it upside down?)
Yuh pines away, an' if it's throwed in de rivah in quick runnin' watah, yuh'll go crazy. [Washington, D.c., (628), 805:9.]
Entry 4357
Take dey chamber lye an' stop a person. (How do they do that?) Well, dey take it an' dey put it in a bottle an' dey bottle dat up fo' nine mawnin's. An' dey'll put peppah, salt, gunpowdah, war watah an' dey stop dat up fo' nine mawnin's. An' dat'll stop yuh from urinatin', see. Dat'll almos' run yuh crazy. Den dey throw it in de rivah.
Entry 4532
Dey kin git 'is sweatban' too an' give him anothah spell. Git 'is sweatban' outa his hat an' put it in a bottle. Yassuh [yes sir], take a bottle an' put it in a bottle, an' put a cork stoppah in dis heah bottle an' fasten it up an' keep dat ban'. Jes' roll dis heah ban' up real tight de way yuh fold it back double. Twist it real tight an' put it in a bottle. Put some hot watah in it. Let it be jes' hot enough not tuh break yuh bottle, an' let it set in dere. An' den dey go take dis heah den an' put it in de rivah, any kinda watah dat watah runs ovah. Dat'll give him anothah feeble mine [mind].
Entry 4533
Dey kin go tuh de rivah. She kin git one sock, dat would be de right one, an' de hatban' - brim inside, de sweat [sweatband]. An' take it an' throw it in de rivah. She got 'im. He would eithah go crazy or come back tuh 'er.
Entry 4791
If yuh wanted 'em tuh stay away - a woman or man, eithah one, yuh git a piece out de seat of 'is drawers an' den call 'im by 'is name. Take it tuh de rivah - don't take it tuh dese little ole branches, tuh a rivah, an' throw it in dere. An' long as it run down de stream, he gon'a go an' leave yuh alone.
Entry 4966
[The following rite is a first class sending-away rite told as a bring- ing-back rite. I have marked this informant on the original transcription page ng (no good), which some- times merely means not a good informant, or an in- formant with little worth- while material. The purpose here, though not normal, becomes magically legimate by intention. Reversal is also a piece of magic.]
(About the stocking foot?)
Yes, so fur as de stockin' foot, yo' kin do her stockin' foot an' cut it off at de toe yo' see. Dat's mos' where dey sweats at - de toe of it. Yo' take dat, a small piece, an' put nine knots in it, see. Put it in a bottle an' take a piece of papah an' yo' put 'er name on dere. Yo' put dat in dere an' go tuh de rivah an' throw.it ovahbo'd. See, den dere's no mo' tuh dat.
(What will that do?)
Well, so fur as dat, it bring 'er back if yo' wants 'er back. Yo' kin bring 'er back an' she cain't leave when yo' do dat. See. She gotta stay dere until she die. She gotta stay dere.
Entry 5055
Now de woman is gone, she's gone. She jis' pick up 'erself an' gone out. She boun' tuh leave somepin in dere. Now, dat's whut she lef' in dere - dat be a cloth, a blood cloth. Well, yuh might ketch it. She might leave dat. Well, yuh ketch dat an' yuh kin take dat an' bury dat. Now, dat stockin' when she leaves, yuh take dat stockin'. Don' pin it up lak by de laig, yuh pin it up by de toe, yuh undahstan'. Yuh git chew a bran'- new - a pack of bran'-new safety pins, but don' take an' let dat git away from yuh. Jis' keep dat perfec' [perfect] fo' dat. Take it an' shove it [pin] back dere, right in de stockin' foot.
(Where do you hang it up?)
In yore dressah or in yore chiffahrobe [chifforobe], or whutsomevah yuh got. Yuh got'a hang it in dere, but hang it upside down. Now de name. Write her name nine times. Now yuh take an' yuh write de name an' yuh put dat in a bottle. Write de name nine times comin' tuh yuh all de time, not goin' from yuh, comin' tuh yuh nine times. Yuh fol' dat an' yuh put dat in a bottle. Yuh git chew some lodestone an' put dat in dere in dat clear watah, an' carry dat tuh a rivah or bayou. Ah don' care where yuh carry it; tuh de creek or anywhere. Don't set it up, turn dat down. When yuh turn dat down, dat bottle goin' turn lak dis [demonstrates]. Turn comin' tuh yuh. De mouth of it will turn comin' tuh yuh all de time. It's be comin' tuh yuh an' it'll be goin'. In nine days yuh'll see 'em right dere. [Algiers, La., (193, 2993:2.]
Entry 5298
You can take their shoes and carry them down to the river at noontime and let the water run over them. Take them back and let them dry. On a full moon go down to this river, call, and keep calling them. And when they have them shoes on they'll walk into the river and drown them- selves.
Entry 5312
It's anothah thing. Yo' could take one dese great-big ants. Yo' kin Spot [easily see] it, yo' know. It ain't none dese little-size ants, [it is] one dese heah run by hitself all de time. Yo' take one dem an' git de middle of somebody's track, if yo' wants tuh run 'im 'way. An' yo' put it intuh a bottle. An' put dat ants in- tuh it an' carry it tuh de rivah, an' throw it ovahbo'd an' it will run 'imcrazy.
(How many ants do you put in that bottle?)
One, jes' one. Yo' ain't goin' see but one. Dere jes' be one by itself all de time.
(What color is it?)
It's kinda brown-spotted lookin' ants, 'bout de colah of dat shade up dere.
Entry 5323
" An' take a apple, a large-size apple, an' bo' a hole out of it. An' in bo'in' [boring] de hole out of it, pick up de hollah track [hollow or center of the track] of a person's feet. An' yo' kin carry it tuh a rivah or stream an' throw in. Dey'd leave. (What do you do with that track as you pick it up?) Take it an' put it in de hollah of dat apple, where yo' cut de hole out, an' place de top back on dere. An' throw it in de rivah an' don't evah look back. An' de person will leave home.
(Put the top on the apple again and throw the apple into the water?)
Yes.
Entry 5331
Take yore foot tracks an' put it intuh a bottle intuh some quick- silvah - use a black bottle - an' throw it over yore [shoulder] intuh de rivah... as long as dat bot- tle drift, yo'll drift, too.
Entry 5348
Well, ah heard dat yo' could take de dirt out from undah de right feet an' put it in a bottle, an' carry it tuh de rivah an' turn yore back tuh it, an' stop it in de bottle about dat full, jes' enough fo' de watah seep in. An' take it an' throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah an' says, Go, devil, go. An' ovah dat yo' throw half dat dirt.
(You get that out of that foot track, the right foot?)
Yessuh.
Entry 5358
Yo' take dat track an' yo' ketch it from de heel tuh de toe, an' den yo' ketch it in de hollah of de foot, on de lef'-han' foot. An' yo' take dat track an' carry it an' put it in yore cookin' stove an' burn it. An' when yo' burn dat track, yo' take de ashes an' throw 'em in de rivah, an' dat'll make de person leave de place.
Entry 5396
Dey say yo' kin take dat track - jes' lak dey wanta run yo' away - dey'll pull de track from de heel tuh de toe. An' take dat track an' take a aig, an' bo' a li'le hole in de aig an' dreen de contents of de aig out. An' put dat track in dat shell an' put a li'le bit of papah ovah it. An' go tuh a rivah, a stream or somepin dat's runnin', an' turn dat back an' throw it ovah de shouldah an' use three words dey say. Dey says, "In de Name of de Father, Son an' Holy Ghost, let dis evil one leave." But de 'Father, Son an' HolyGhost' is de word de' speak. An' throw it ovah de shouldah an' walk away an' not look back. An' dey say long as dat aig float, yo'll continue tuh go.
(Do they take either foot track?)
Eithah one or both.
(If they want to bring you to them?)
Dey git in fron' of yore track, yo' see. Let see, yes, an' pull it from de toe tuh de heel. Well, den dey don' throw dat in no rivah. Dey take dat an' fill it full of de track, de aig, an' put sompin aroun' tuh keep it from break- in' - real tight. An' dey bury dat egg undah yore steps or put it in de middle of a loose mattress where yo' sleep. An' yo' can't leave dere. Yo'll go but yo'll come right back.
Entry 5398
Dey say yo' take yore foot track an' pull it, if yo' wan' de person tuh go 'way from yo' - wan'a run 'em. Yo' drive 'em away from yo'. See, yo' take it from de heel an' carry it back from yo'. Take it an' put it in a box of some kin' - lak a li'le snuffbox. Or some people say yo' kin put it in a aigshell an' carry it tuh de rivah an' name dat person. When yo' put it in dat box [or eggshell] yo' name de person. Den yo' carry it tuh de rivah an' yo' stan' backwards tuh de rivah an' den yo' drive dis person from yo'. Tell 'em - throw it ovah yore shouldah an' don't look back. Tell 'em, "Go! Yo' devil, yo'. Go!"
Entry 5399
See, lak yo' walk out dere an' yore foot track, an' someone want chew leave heah - sompin lak dat. Dey jis' take a li'le sand out de hollah of yore foot an' put it in a eggshell, an' put some cayenne peppah in it. An' tie it up in a rag an' go tuh de watah an' do dis way [demonstrates] nine time ovah de lef' shouldah [see Later] an' throw it in de watah an' walk back. Walk on off an' don't look back. In nine days time dey be gone - walkin'. Say dey couldn't go back any mo'.
(What track? Where do they get this dirt?)
Outa one track - don't want it outa but one, de lef' track. (Now, SuPPOSe yOu Want this man to gO, YOU MAKE A MOTION AS IF YOU ARE THROWING IT.) YES, EIGHT TIME AN' DE NINTH TIME THROW IT OVAH.{ {THIS FEINTING 8 TIMES BEFORE THROWING AN OBJECT OVER THE SHOULDER IS A RARE RITE. For another feinting rite over the shoulder, also rare, see fourth margin title on p.2004.]
Entry 5400
Well, now ah've heard people say if yo' take dere right foot track, take it from de toe lak dat an' come back tuh de heel, an' take yo' a aig - take dat dirt an' put it in dat aig. (Just give me the whole thing again, I'll be sure I get it then. You get the dirt from your right foot track.) It comes from de toe back tuh de heel. See [demonstrates] lak dis is yore toe. Well, dip it from yore toe back tuh yore heel lak dat, yo' see. An' den yo' take dat aig...
(A raw egg?)
A raw egg. Yo' jis' pick a li'le hole in it. Dat's whut dey tell me yo' kin do, an' put dat dirt intuh dat. An' yo' put dis cayenne peppah intuh dat. Shake it well an' stop it up. An' carry it tuh de rivah, an' turn yore back, an' throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah as far ovah de runnin' watah as yo' kin.
(What will that do?)
Dey tell me dat will make yo' leave any place yo' are.
Entry 5467
An' den ag'in if dey ketch yore track yo' know in de street, well dey meet chew tuh git de track. Well den dey would take dat out de hollah of yore feet, an' den dey would git some dirt from de graveyard an' put dat tuhgethah, an' den dey put it on a shingle, an' dey put a piece ovah it an' tie it real good.
(What sort of piece do they put over it, another shingle or what?)
No, jis' any kinda cloth but let it be kinda thick an' wrap it tight so it won't come off. Well dey kin carry dat an' throw it in de rivah.
(What will that do?)
Dat will make yo' move an' keep yo' agoin'. Yo' can't rest or be contented nowhere yo' go.
Entry 5468
[Yo'] takes de right foot track but yo' got'a be meetin' dose people. Yo' got'a be meetin', not git behin' an' pick up de track - not behin' dem lak dat. Dey goes dis way an' yo' be comin' dis way [to- wards them]. Den yo' meet dat person an' git de dirt out de hollah of de right track. Well, den dey put dat dirt in a place an' den dey go tuh de cemetery an' dey git some of de graveyard dirt. An' dey puts dat tuhgethah. An' dey puts dat tuhgethah an' a piece of lodestone an' takes it - let it stay nine days in dey house. Takes it den aftah nine days an' put it on a shingle, an' takes it tuh de rivah or de runnin' watah, an' put it in dere an' let it go on down jis' lak dat. An' den yo' jis' turn right roun' an' put it in dere an' walk on off away from it an' not nevah look back. Well, dey tell me dat's a good way tuh git evahthing goin' jis' lak dey wan' it tuh go, if dey Wan' chew tuh go out de country or leave out. Or whutevah dey wan' chew tuh do, why dat's whut dey do tuh do dat.
Entry 5470
Yo' kin go right out in de cemetery right now - have done dat tuh me - an' git some [dirt], jis' from de head of de grave, an' go tuh de feet an' git some. An' when dey git it, jis' say, "Ah wan's tuh keep Carrie down, ah don' wan' 'er tuh strive [thrive], wan' tuh keep 'er down." If she wanted tuh drove me off from dere, or run me off from dere, she would fix itdis- away. Yo' take de graveyard dirt an' yo' goes tuh work an' take red peppah, beat 'em up an' fling 'em in yere [place?] if dey got [a place?]. Yo' leavin' out chere. Den, if dey don' wan' chew tuh enjoy yore things or yore own stuff dat chew got - ah mean de - to break yo' up, chew know, dey take de graveyard dirt an' follah [follow] yo' behind, an' git chore tracks, both feet. Put 'em in dere, carry 'em tuh de sea or de rivah, an' jis' throw 'em in dere. An' yo' will leave dat place, can't resist it. De sea or de rivah an' yo' will leave dat place. Yo' got'a go in nine days time. Break yo' off from dere. Cuz dat have happen tuh me.
Entry 5472
Jis' lak ef ah wan' chew tuh move, yo' leave heah - jis' move from de place or somepin lak dat, leave out dis town. Well, ah would go behin' joo an' git chure track offa de groun'. See, jis' lak yo' goin' dis way an' ah'm comin' behin' yo'. Well, ah grab up yore right track dat way, yo' know, de dirt, behin' yuh, yo' see [demonstrates].
(From the heel to the toe.)
Yes sir, dat's right. Well, ah puts it intuh a papah or somepin othah so ah kin keep all dat dirt, see. When ah git it ah git it goin' [track going away] jis' lak daE. So - well den, ah goes tuh de cemetery an' gits some graveyard dirt, jis' anywhere, yo' know, about de grave, an' puts it in dere wit dat dirt. Well, ah put me some black peppah intuh it an' salt, see. An' den ah takes an' carry it onto de rivah somewhere, anywhere de watah's runnin'. Well, ah throws it intuh dat stream of water an' say, "Go, yo' devil, yo'." An' so dat night, ah reckon yo'll - yo' know, git goin' some way. Hit'll run yo' off, make yo leave.
Entry 5473
If yo' want 'em tuh go, yo' kin git de track up from yo' - take it from yo'. See, if yo' want 'em tuh go [demonstrates]. (Here's the toe here and here's the heel, then I take it up right like that. Like this?) Start at de hollah of de foot an' take it from dere tuh de toe. See, dat whut ah mean. Yo' want 'em tuh go. Take it jis' dis way, see. An' yo' take dat foot track an' put chew some red peppah an' some salt in dere. Listen, some grave- yard dirt, an' sew dat up an' go tuh de rivah befo' de sunrise. Yo' kin turn yore back an' throw it right where de watah's runnin' right along, an' throw it ovah dis way [demonstrates].
(Over your right shoulder?)
Yes. An' when yo' leave, yo' kin say anythin' - some of de baddest things, an' don't look back, an' walk away an' nevah look back. Dey'll go. An' if yo' wan' 'em tuh stay, yo' take it tuh yo' - if yo' wan' 'em tuh stay. Take it up tuh yo', see. Take dat track an' yo' kin fold it in a piece of news- papah. See, stretch it on out an' write dere name down nine times, an' pin it ovah yore do' an' make yore wish - where dey's comin' in an' out. An' dey's comin' in dere. Dey will continue comin' as long as yo' - until yo' take dat up an' destroy dat. Dat's tuh bring 'em, see, if yo' wanta.
Entry 5475
Well, dey take yore foot track - ah'm tellin' yo' lak ah've heard it - take yore foot track. Say dey take it up backwards, don't take it up goin'. Some of 'em say take it up goin', some says take it up backwards. Well, yo' git nine of dose tracks. An' den dey take dem tracks an' go tuh de graveyard an' git dirt. Any- body dat's not scared kin do dat. Git de dirt an' mix it tuhgethah. Carry it an' chunk ovah dey lef' shouldah in de rivah, yo' know, an' don't look back at it. An' jes' say, "Yo' drift on 'way from heah." An' dey say yo'll have tuh jis' wandah an' keep goin'.
Entry 5493
Take dat - yo' take yore foot track an' yo' put dat wit sulphur, red peppah an' gunpowdah an' put quicksilvah wit dat. Yo' go tuh de rivah an' go throw it right 'cross yore right shouldah. Go on an' don' look back. Dat will run yo'. Dey say dat will run yuh. Quicksilver may be the real thing, tin foil, or scrapings from back of mirror; the important idea being the five letters q-u-i-c-k.1
(You take, use either foot track. It doesn't make any difference?)
No.
Entry 5544
Yo' don' wan'a harm 'em but yo' goin' tuh move 'em. Yo' walk right down de road behin' 'im whichevah he's walkin'. Git chew sides [suckers] dat growin' from a hick'ry or from a 'simmon [persimmon] tree, an' stick it down at de end of 'is toe an' clip it off at 'is heel. An' take dem [clipped sticks measuring foot tracks] an' carry it [them] down tuh de rivah, say, "Go an' don' come back." An' he cain't stay dere.
(How many years old you you take the tree?)
Jis' only three sides less den a yeah old, but maybe [as old as] three yeahs. Cut dem de length of de feet [foot tracks] an' carry 'em an' don' look back, whatevah yo' do. Wish dere [at the river]. Dat will move him. (You take that from a persimmon tree?) From any tree in a stump. See, yo' jis' cuts if off, cut one heah an' two heah.
(We call them little suckers.)
Well, we call 'em sides, sprouts.
Entry 5582
Beginning Norfolk, Va. [This is the first rite from Norfolk.] Take right foot track an' put nine needles in it. [Of] co'se I'd git 'em in a bottle, nine needles, an' yo' goes to de rivahside, see, nine mawnin's. See, you got nine nee- dles in dis here bottle wit de dirt in [from the right foot track]. An' goes down to de rivah nine mawnin's. An' when yo' gits down dere yo' walks backwards so many feet - yo' walks backwards nine times [9 steps] each mawnin'. An' de las' mawnin', yo' throw dat bottle ovahbo'd. Nine needles an' go down to de rivah nine mawnin's an' de las' mawnin' yo' throw dis bottle ovahbo'd.
(I see. Well now, what is this supposed to do to a person?)
Dat will cuz a person to leave his job, or cuz fuss 'tween man an' woman. If a woman want tuh git de man from 'er husban' [a bad influence on her husband, gambles, etc.], dat would make him leave. Dat's how a woman out here - a woman said dat 'er sistah had been did [sister had been sent away by some man's wife].
(Now, what foot track do they dig that dirt from...both feet or...)
Naw, dis one - de right foot.
(The right one.)
De right foot. Take dat dirt outen de right foot. Go on dere jis' as soon as de sun rise - see, 'fore de sun gits hot an' dat sun rise. [I stop recording here but informant continues. I try to recover missed words.]
(What carries it out, did you say?)
De tide, de water. You know, when de tide goes out, takes dat bottle out wit it.
(Yes, and after that carries it out, what does it do then?)
Dat cause dat man to leave, see.
(Carries him out.)
Carries 'im out, carries 'im from 'is work or 'is wife.
Entry 5584
Dey take dat[foot track] up, put dat in a bottle. Understand? Put dat in a bottle an' put war watah. Git chew a bottle of war watah an' put some of dat war watah on it, cayenne peppah, yo' undahstan', nine needles, nine pins, an' take dat an' stop it up, an' go to de rivah. Git on de ferry an' when de ferry git in de middle of de rivah, throw it an' turn aroun'.
(You throw it and you turn around?)
Throw it in de watah an' turn aroun' [demonstrates] an' say a oath.
(I see, you throw that as you turn around.)
Turnin' aroun'. Throw it an' turn aroun' [demonstrates]. Wheel like dat.
(I see.)
An' dey'll go right on behind it. Yes, sir, right on behind it.
Entry 5587
(What can you do to make a man stay away? Drive him away?)
Well, yo' will have to take up 'is track. Yo' see, yo' watch 'im when he valks. Now, see, if 'is toes are goin' dis way, 'way from de house, undahstan', vell yo' start from 'is heel an' yo' take one dat way an' take de othah one dis way, an' rake de dirt up. (Which one do you begin with first?) His right foot, from de heel. Take it from de heel an' carry it to de toe. Den yo' take yore lef' foot an' carry it de same way, from de heel to de toe. Yo' take dat an' put dat in - yo' have to use new homespun wit all dese things, yo' undahstan'. An' yo' take dat an' put it in new homespun an' carry it to evah-runnin' watah, a rivah or jis' a stream dat runnin'. An' yo' take it an' yo' jis' stan' direct lak dat [back to water] an' throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah an' let it go on down de stream. An' ah mean he'll follow it.
Entry 5609
Ah know dis happened in Tampa. Take dis foot track of a person dat chew disliked. An' yo' kin git it an' yo' kin put it intuh a piece of red flan- nel. An' yo' kin carry it tuh a rivah of runnin' watah, an' throw it ovah yore lef'- han' shouldah an' say, "Go," an' make a curse word. An' dat person shall leave.
(You get what track?)
De left one, always de left if dey do anything.
(Why always the left?)
Don't know why de lef' but dey says de lef'.
Entry 5616
They dit up the whole left-foot track and put it in a bottle. Take it and throw it in the river. They can put a little water in or a little cayenne pepper, if you want, make a wish, throw it in the river - and throw it away. You wish them to stand still or to drown, you wish them good or wish them bad, anything you want to.
Entry 5623
If yo' be walkin' down de dust [dusty road or field], well dey kin pull dat track back [from toes to heel] an' take up some of dat dust. An' take an' put salt in it. An' take it to de rivah an' throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah into de watah. An' dat'll run 'em.
Entry 5626
Pick up de lef' foot jis' in de centah, in de middle of de track, an' put it into a bag. An' put a little salt, a little [red] peppah an' throw it into de rivah. An' dey say dat will do yo~ harm - make yo' go away, don' chew know, run yo' outa town sompin lak dat.
Entry 5628
Take de foot tracks up an' put dat in abottle of water, an' put some cayenne peppah an' salt an' steel dust, an' throw it inde rivah. Dat will make yo' drift. Track of de left foot.
Entry 5630
Well, yo' take dat foot track goin' dis way an' - yo' take it goin' - an' den yo'. take it comin', see. Well, aftah yo' take dat track - gits both tracks - see, yo' git one goin' an' de othah one comin'. Yo' gits a piece of Lowe's, bran'-new Lowe's cloth. It's thick stuff whut dey make sacks outa, cotton sacks.
(What they call Louis?) [Lowe's.]
Yessuh. Yo' git a piece of Lowe's an' yo' sew it up [into a bag]. An' yo' go git chew a box of table salt. Yo' git chew a box of cayenne peppah. An' take dat track an' yo' compounds all dat up tuhgethah an' yo' put in dere [small bag nade from new Lowe's cloth] an' [put] dat [Lowe's-cloth bag into a bag of] red flannen. [A bag of any material holding the ingredients of a hand is often en- closed within red flannel for added power.] An' yo' goes tuh de rivah an' yo' turn backward dis way [demonstrates] an' chunk it ovah in de rivah. See, lak dat, ovah yore lef' shouldah.
(What will that do?)
Dat will run 'em away.
Entry 5635
About de track, ah know about de track. De' [dey = they] takes nine pods of red peppah an' de' take nine pinches of sulphur. De' take nine pinches of salt an' git dat track, de right-foot track, when dey're leavin' home. An' mix all dat togethah. Ah seen 'em do it, mix all dat togethah yo' know. An' dey take it an' box it up, an' dey chunk it in de rivah. Den dey'll go. In nine days dey'll leave town an' nevah come back.
Entry 5646
Dey kin go an' see yore track an' begin at de toe an' pick it up completely to de heel, right undah de middle. Don't let any of it fall off, evah bit of it. An' put it in a silk piece of cloth, a piece of silk ole or new. Don't make [no difference] jis' so long as it's silk. An' go to de rivah, drop in de middle of dat rivah. Don't say a word but jis' make yore wish, jis' like yo' say, "Go, yo' devil! Yo' go!" Turn yore back de moment yo' drop it an' don't look back. Come on away an' dey'll go.
Entry 5655
Yes, take up yore track. Sho' [sure] take up yore track an' carry it to de rivah an' put it down 'side de rivahside an' yo' will leave. (How would I put it down beside the river? How do you mean put it down?) Take a stick or a spoon an' git de dirt from de hollah of de foot an' carry it tuh dat rivah. Yo' couldn't stay dere. Yo' lay it down side of de rivah bank, jis' on de dirt.
(Do you take either track or both of them?)
Only de right foot track.
Entry 5662
Yo' take a foot track, take it an' put sugah wit it. Carry it to de rivah an' throw it ovahbo'd an' tell it to "Go! Go! ". As long as de watah run, dat man'll run. Dat drive 'im away.
Entry 5687
Ah wuz stayin' by a wumum one time. She wuz a disappeahed [dissipated] sumum.
(What kind of woman?)
A bad wumum. She wuz a mighty bad neighbah. An' ah didn't lak 'er. Ah thought ah would try whut wuz tole tuh me tuh try on 'er. Ah got some of 'er track, her lef' feet, put it in a snuffbox. Go tuh de rivah, calls de Lord's Name three times: By de Name of de Lord: By de Name of de Lord: By de Name of de Lord: Throw it right ovah de lef' shouldah, don't look back, keep right straight on in front of yo'. She lef' dere.
Entry 5695
Yo' take de foot tracks aftah it rains. Wait till it rains. An' when it rains yo' watch fo' dat person whosomevah yo' wanted tuh harm. Yo' watch fo' dem, an' when he done pass an' gone by on 'is business, why yo' come out an' git three tracks up. (How do you pick them up now?) Well, yo' pick 'em up wit chure han', jis' de whole track, yo' see. Yo' pick one up [demonstrates] lak dis an' yo' go an' yo' pick de othah one up. Yo' have a papah bag an' put dat in dere.
(You pick up three tracks?)
Yeah, an' yo' take a papah bag an' put dat in. All right yo' take dat an' put dat in, an' yo' go home an' yo' git chew a aig, yo' git chew some hot stuff an' some yeast box - de ten-cent box yeast box, do' [though] dey got a big box, an' yo' be ballin' dat up. An' yo' take dat an' throw dat in de rivah.
(What do you throw in the river?)
De tracks.
(What do you do with the stuff you whip up?)
Yo' whip all that up tuhgethah, yo' undahstan', den yo' put it back in a heaviah papah bag, an' yo' throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah out tuh de Miss'ippi Rivah, yo' undahstan'. Or if it's a guttah where it's runnin' watah it's all right. [RUNNING WATER IN A GUTTER IS MENTIONED HERE THE FIRST TIME IN HOODOO.] Well, dat'll be all of it, see.
(What will that do?)
Dat'll jis' send 'im down, dat he won' talk. Yeah, dat cripples 'im.
(It won't send him away or anything?)
No, it jis' sends 'im down, he cain't do nuthin.
Entry 5696
If yo' wan' 'em tuh go, yo' don' wan' 'im tuh stay, git choo a table- spoonful of salt, a tablespoon whut dey call cayenne peppah. Git choo a red flannin rag now, an' git saltpeter - woman salt- peter. Yo' know it's two kinds, a she saltpeter an' dere a he saltpeter. Yo' git de she. Take yo' a teaspoonful an' put it dere an' put it - make a li'le. red-flannin sack an' put it down in dere. Well, now if yo' know dis party, yo' watch 'er walk. Yo' count de tracks as dey walk. Yo' count de tracks lak dey 3 right-foot tracks. Yo' jis' take it from de toe. An' take it up, po' it in dat sack. Sew it up. Yo' meet de sun three mawnin's as it rise, an' wet on it. Take it tuh de rivah befo' de rise de fo'th day, an' throw it in dere. Ah don' care where yo' wan' 'em tuh go, dey'll leave dere. Dey can't stay.
(WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN "SHE" AND "HE" SALTPETER?)
DE "SHE" IS A LARGE LUMP AN' DE "HE" IS IN LI'LE BITA CRUMBS.
Entry 5795
Aftah yo' leave a foot track in dust, well dey say yo' take dat per- son's foot track up, see, de whole print of dat track. See, yo' git chew a stick or spoon or somepin an' yo' pick it up, an' yo' put it in a 'east [yeast] powdah can. An' dey say yo' go tuh de rivah on de ferry boat, an' dey say let de boat git in de middle of de rivah. An' when yo' think it's in de centah of de rivah, say yo' throw dat can ovah yore lef' shouldah an' make a wish. An' dey say, as long as dat can drift up an' down de rivah, dat yo'll drift; an' when dat can begin tuh seep watah an' fall tuh de bottom, dey say yo' die.
(I see. Well, now, how many tracks? Do they get a special track or what?)
No, dey say yo' take de lef' track.
(Oh, only your left track?)
Only de lef' track.
Entry 5918
Ah've heard dat yo' could take a person's hair, whatevah it a woman or man or chile - jes' fo' instance it wuz a lady an' yo' wanted 'er tuh follah yo'. Yo' would take a shell an' po' dat shots out an' put dat hair back in dere, an' yo' put some mo' shots back in dere tuh fill it up. Put in de shot an' run an' shoot it 'cross de rivah, an' dat lady will follah de man any place.
(You have to shoot this across some river?)
Yes, jes' across some rivah an' she will follah 'im.
Entry 6006
If yo' know someone dat chew wanta git rid of 'em an' dey are casin' confusion in yore home, why yo' kin take dere hair an', yo' know, git jis' fo' needles. Yo' cross dose needles somepin lak dat [demonstrates]. Make a square. [This square or oblong is a symbolical coffin or grave.] (Put two parallel needles like that, and two parallel - on the top and the bottom.) Dat's right. An' den yo' take dere hair, an' cut de hair out de mole of dere haid, an' put it in a little bot- tle [originally a tiny bottle of perfume sold at Five and Ten Cents Stores] an' stop it up, an' place it direck [directly] between dat square of dose needles. An' den git chew a red piece of rag or flannin an' sew it up in dere, an' walk tuh de rivah an' chunk it ovah yore lef' shouldah an' dey will leave. Dey jis' gotta go an' dey cain't stop. Dey cain't res' contented nowhere dey go.
(What holds these [needles] in place?)
Yo' wrap 'em wit some thread, wit a piece of red cord.
(Like you were making a picture frame?)
Dat's right. An' aftah yo' fix [tie] dat up lak dat, den yo' place dis bot- tle in de centah.
(Then you wrap the whole thing up?)
Wit a red piece of rag [red flannel]. An' den yo' chunk it direck ovah yore lef' shouldah in runnin' watah.
Entry 6336
Well, dey kin git holt some of yore hair. It's 'cordin' to whut dey wanta do wit yo', why dey kin take dat hair. Now, if dey wanta partly run yo' crazy, frenzy minded, dey could take dat hair an' put it in a bottle an' stop it up an' pore watah on it.
(Any kind of water?)
Any kind of a watah po' on it. Let it stay until it become to be - DAT WATAH GOIN' MAKE DAT HAIR 'LIVE LAK A LITTLE LIVE WORM IN DE WATAH, yo' see. Well, WHEN DAT HAIR BEGIN TUH GIT 'LIVE, dey take an' po' dat Water out an' t'row dat bottle in de rivah. Let it float on de way down - on - on - on. T'row it away. Whenevah dey throw it down, dey [the thrower] jes' turns aroun', dey don't look back aftah it a'gin at all. Well, dat run yo' crazy.
(They pour the water out that bottle before they throw it into the river?)
Yes, 'fore dey t'row it in de rivah, dey must keep it nine days aftah yo' put de watah in it. Yo' keep dat bottle 9 days. Have it roun' yore house an' IN 9 DAYS DAT HAIR WILL COME TO LIFE. (Yes, but I mean, you leave the water [hair] in the bottle when you throw it into the river?)
[The word water in my question is a slip of the tongue for hair.]
Yeah, oh yeah. An' de bottle's goin' float on, be goin' right on doon wit de stream.
Entry 6839
Well, if dey git aholt of yuh foot track an' try tuh harm yo', now yo' kin git chew some cayenne peppah, High John de Conkah, an' mix it up tuhgethah an' put it in a bag. Tie it up, car' [carry] it tuh de rivah an' throw it right ovahbo'd an' don' look back at it. An' dat'll turn it right back on 'em.
(That's if they took your foot track?)
Yes. [Informant may have dropped out a detail of this rite, but intention is sufficient.]
Entry 7188
(Find out the names of those people.)
Madam Helen, Madam Kaye [Kate?], Madam Louise. Dey got anothah named Madam Fouche, anothah named Madam Queenie. Anothah named [something] an' dey got one live away, away back here by huhself. She is de one whut deal wit pure hoodooism. She kin do anything dat is wrong wit a person. Dey call her Madam Rossin [Ruskin?]. She has de last house on Pelican Avenue in Algiers. Dat is neah de Berman Higbvay. She is 9 miles out of Algiers, she is more neah Meraux[?] dan she is Algiers. Yo' kin git anything yo' want ovah dere, dose guys is tough. Pelican Avenue an' Berman Highway, dat is where de cutthroats hang out. [There have been a number of Helens: Madam, Miss, and Mother. For the toughness of Algiers, see INTRODUCTION vol., p. XLf., and p.776, and illustration of detective agency at end of vol.2.]
Entry 7951
Take a piece of de coffin.
(What kind of a coffin?)
Aftah a person is buried an' it done rotted.
(Well, what do they do with that?)
Dey take dat an' dey bury somebody else wit it - in de family. Takes a piece of it. See, aftah yo' done buried somebody in a coffin. Well, yo' know, quite natchally a cof- fin rots lak nuthin an' when it rots it comes tuh a powdah; but if dey kin git a piece of it, or if dey don't git a piece of it, dey kin git de powdah from dat coffin [or you could probably buy coffin dust at some hoodoo drug store!]. Jis' de dust off dat coffin. Dey take dat an' dey git 'em a silk han'ke'ch'ef - git a silk han'ke-ch-ef. Yo' put dat intuh dat han'ke'ch'ef. Now, when yo' put dat in dat han'ke'ch'ef, dey got nine needles an' dey got nine pins, but dey git 'em right outa de store. Dey ain't nevah been used. Now, if dey wus goin' tuh bury, say if dey wus goin' tuh bury me, or mah sistah, or somebody in mah family, dey'd git dat an' dey'd git 'er name. An' if dey kin git de - see, de tongue, yo' see, de tongue of yuh shoe.
(Yes, the tongue of the shoe.)
If dey kin git dat, dey git dat an' dey puts dat wit dat. Now, when dey git dat all tuhgethah....
(What do they put the name on? On some paper?)
No, on - I take de seat of dere undahweah, de back part, any of dere undah- weahs - see, any part of it, de back of yuh shirttail, yo' see. I take dat an' I am goin' tuh pin it down, tight as I kin git it, an' I am goin' tuh write yuh name on tuh dat. Now, when I write yuh name on tuh dat, I wrap dese things up in dere. When I wrap it up in dere, I tie. When I tie it, I tie it up wit nine knots. I tie wit nine knots. I bury it, if I want.tuh; an' if I don' wan' tuh bury it, I kin throw it in de rivah, yo' see. Kin throw it in de rivah or bury it. When I bury dat, why den I got choo where I wan' choo. Yo' got tuh go. Dat I done harmed yo' in an' somethin' will happen tuh yo'.
Entry 8484
Ah say yo' could take him an' write him [his name on a piece of paper] an' put 'im in one of these black wine bottles; his name and some steel dust an' some golden powder, washing powder. Take an' throw him [bottled] in de rivah. (Any kind of washing powder in black bottle?) An' that makes 'im go on a drag. [Black bottle in New Or- leans before Prohibition] and World War I was always the French dark-green-glass wine bottle. These bot- tles, become scarce after Prohibition, introduced the dark bottle, usually a brown beer bottle. Though informant does not name the golden washing powder, I am sure the formerly well-known Gold Dust Twins was meant.]
Entry 8508
Why, if it's a person dat chew want 'em tuh drift or jes' don' want 'em tuh stay heah in town. All right, yo' take a coconut an' open de eyes [for eyes See margin title later] an' git de watah out of it, an' write dose people name. An' yo' don' write it right [forwards] always backwards; see, about nine or ten times, see. An' den put it in dat coconut an' throw in de rivah an' den dey'll drift. Dey cain't stay.
Entry 8509
Dey take dat an' dey put it in a coconut.
(This bath water?)
Dis bath watah.
(What else do they do?)
An' dey write yure name nine times each way [forwards and backwards] on a piece of papah, an' put it in a coconut an' chuck it in de rivah. An' dey call it a dirty name, what- evah dey wanta call it, an' tell it tuh go. Well, dat floats yuh on away, dat coconut. Long as dat coconut go, it keeps yuh on de go.
Entry 8518
Now when a man and a woman are together and some other party wants them completely separated for good, wants to break them up completely, they buy them a new cocoanut. And they punch the three eyes out of that cocoanut and leave the milk in. And they write those two peoples' names the same as they do when they're going to the crossroads ["they'll write the man's name nine times and then they write the woman's crossing nine times" - from the same cylinder, 1574:3 somewhere in text]. And cross each other and they curse them for everything they can think of, and they fold that paper tight and stick it down in the hole of that cocoanut. Then they put anything that purges, like Epsom salts, or black draught. And they put pepper sauce in there, something very hot - pepper sauce and red peppers. And they put salt in there and saltpeter. And they write those two persons' names across each other, like this, on three separate pieces of paper, and fill the eyes of that cocoa- nut. And then at 12 o'clock at night they go to the river and throw it over their left shoulder. And if that black draught and that different stuff in that cocoanut begin to work, you know when it gets stale.it'll work, those two people begin fussing and fighting, and within a period of nine days they're absolutely separated. And there's a whole lot in that. [Memphis, Tenn., (973), 1574:5.] Those cocoanuts.
(Different from what you told me?)
Yes, just a little different. They use gunpowder instead of the salt and pepper and stuff like that. That makes people mean and drift and they can't have any luck at anything at all they do. [This woman is marked excellent pro- fessional. She was from Shreveport, La.] [Memphis, Tenn., (973), 1577:2. The first reference for this rite Was given in the text.]
Entry 8519
Well, dey take de nine needles, an' aftah takin' de nine needles, write de name down nine times, whosomevah fellah it is, or de woman, den write chure name down nine times down on top of dat. Den aftah dat yo' put de cinnamon an' sugah in dere, an' de urinate, into de coconut. Den kick it from de front do' tuh de back do' nine times, fo' nine times. Take an' throw it ovah intuh de rivah. Dat guarantee tuh dry 'em up. Stop any woman in de worl'. Dry dem up, run 'em stoneZy crazy.
[The latter expression is usually stone crazy.]
(Dries up their urine? Kills them?)
Kills 'em yeah. (The person who is killed, you have to take that person's urine to put in that coconut?) Yeah, yo' take dat lady's urine, de one dat chew wanta fix, an' write dere name nine times. Den yore name on top of dat nine times. (You write his or her name nine times that way. Then you write yours on top of it like that?) Yeah. all on top of dat nine times. [New Orleans. La., (1561). 2857:7.]
Entry 8524
You get a coconut and you open that coconut and you leave that water out of that coconut. See. And just like I want you to drift and drag around, I'll take that coconut and put your name down in that coconut, you see. Then I take some dust, graveyard dust and put it down in that coconut. Then I take that coconut and stop it right back up with your name in that coconut. And if I Want you to drift and, drift up and down the river, I walk to the river and throw it in there. Then, otherword [in other words or otherwise] I could take the coconut and keep it where I just use you, just roll it backwards and forwards, see. And I'll have you planted [at home] and just any way what I'll want to do with that coconut, well you'll just have to do.
Entry 8528
(Now, you are going to tell me something else. Now, all right.) Now, then yo' kin get yo' a coconut. Yo' git yo' nine seeds of punkin [pumpkin]. (Pumpkin seeds, nine of them.) Nine of 'em. (All right.) Yo' get yo' nine chicken corns [kernels of maize, Zea Mays]. (Nine what?) Chicken corns. (Chicken corn, what's that for?) Dat's to put in de coconut. (Well what is chicken corn?) Dat's what de chicken eats. (You mean the same thing as a horse eats, the same kind of corn the horse eats? Chicken corn? Ordinary corn like a roasting ear of corn. All right.) Yo' get that nine pumpkin seeds, nine chicken corn, the man name, but yo' take de water out de coconut. Yo' put de man name nine times an' de woman, if in case yo' wanta break 'em up. Put it in there.
(How do you put the woman's name in there?)
Yo' put de woman name crossways, this way [demonstrates].
(Across his name. All right.)
Across his name. Then yo' make a cross toward this way [a cross is added to the paper]. Then when yo' do that, then in that, then yo' takes this cayenne peppah an' yo' set it right up in de center [of the paper] and yo' bring it to yo'. An' yo' cuss 'em as yo' putting it to yuh. An' yo' roll it on dis side an' yo' put on dis, always rolling it to yo'. An' then yo' cuss it an' yo' stick it in there.
(In this coconut.)
An' then yo' take a stopper an' yo' stop up de two eyes, then yo' take de coconut an' yo' roll it fo' nine days in yore home. Then yo' take it an' yo' goes to de rivah. Takes fifteen cents an' throws in de - de fifteen cents be- hind it [coconut], to pay spirit for the work]. An' just let it go each way or de other, an' let it float anywhere where it's gotta go. An' yo'll have him just agoing from one to de other. He'll lose his mind or else go to de river.
(What do you mean by these two eyes?)
SEE, DE COCONUT GOT TWO EYES WHERE DE WATER DRAINS OUT.
(All right, on account of those two eyes you have two corks in that coconut?)
Yes, sir.
Entry 8562
Now, jis'lak yo' goin' ast me mah name. Yo' know, ah gotta give yo' mah right name, yo' see. Well, yo' take mah name, lak ah says ah'm named Mary. Now yo' take dat name - gimne dat piece papah an' lemme show yo'.
[I PASS MY NUMBERS BOOK TO INFORMANT, WHO BEGINS TO DEMONSTRATE.]
(Cut it square?)
Yes. Look, see heah. Yo' write Mary right 'cross heah, see. (Diagonally across that square [oblong] piece of paper [in my Numbers Book]. Then you fold it in a triangle. Then you fold it in a triangle again.) Yo' see dat. Yo' know whut them ten-cent snuffboxes is. Well, yo' don' want a little nickel box, yo' wants a ten-cents box, an' yo' have me. NOW, YO' woRKIN FO'ME, DON'T CHEW SEE. WELL, YO' HAVE ME TUH BRING YO' DAT OLE SNUFFBOX, YO' SEE. Bog, yo' take this name an' put it in that snuffbox, see. Aftah yo' put this name in the snuffbox, yo' says three words, Father, Son an' Holy Ghost. See! Den yo put it in de box, put it in dat snuffbox, see. An' when yo' put it in that snuff- box - now, yo' know whut white lodestone is, don't yo'? Sprinkle on it. [During the Great Depression these little boxes, frequently used as snuff- boxes, could be bought in the Five and Ten Cent Store.]
(Sprinkle some of that white lodestone on it?)
Yeah, yeah, sprinkle it on there and shet [shut] it up an' yo' give it to me yo' see. Shet de box. YO' GIVE IT TO ME, yo' see, 'CUZ AH'M DE ONE GIVIN' YO TUH DO DE WORK, don't chew see? An' yo' carry it on to de rivah or where it's a runnin' stream. AH GOTTA CARRY IT MAHSELF, See, 'CUZ YO' DOIN' DE WORK FO' ME.
(You are my client?)
[OR SHOULD I HAVE SAID PATIENT?]
Yeah. Throw it in an' go on back home. An' in five or six or seven, eight, days, dey'll [I'll] go.
(Drive them away. You will come to me and say, "I want to drive Mary away?")
Dat's right. (And I would do this, and you would throw that into running water. Any special way?) Yeah, now listen. When yo' throw it in, see, jis' lak ah'd walk to de rivah, ah jis' throw it in an' come on back home.
(That sends Mary away?)
She gotta go.
Entry 8563
Dey take yore [bare] footprint, ketch de track wheresomevah yo' make it, an' picks it up an' puts it in a can or bottle, eithah one, an' writes your name down in it an' put it in a bottle, an' throw it anywhere where dey got runnin' watah. (How do you write the name?) Yo' write de name - lak whatsomevah yore name is, well yo' write yore fami- ly name first an' yo' write chure given name last. See, suppose tuh write chure family name first an' den write chure given name last. Yo' write it down nine times, wit a indelible pencil. An' yo' cross it. Every time yo' write it an' yo' put dat dust an' yo' cross it, an' den yo' put it in a bottle, or in a can, sompin dat chew kin seal up. An' yo' throws it splash into dat runnin' watah.
(Either foot track, it doesn't make any difference?)
Either foot track, jes' so long as dey git de track wheresomevah yo' put chure print, shoes or barefooted, eithah one.
Entry 8643
Hullin' dat lemon out, an' puttin' de partchment papah in dere wit de party's name on dat, an' puttin' some red pep- pah, salt, black peppah, sewin' it up an' buryin' it anywhere in de soil, or else tro' it in de rivah." Dat break up any party dat livin' togethah in comfort.
(That is to break up a man and woman?)
Yes.
Entry 8653
Yo' take a person's name an' write it nine times an' put it in dis lemon an' get in de middle of de ferry - [I mean] get on de ferry an' get in de middle of de rivah an' throw it ovah yore left shouldah. Dat will run dem clean out of de city. Or eithah yo' do it wit a coconut...de same way.
Entry 8655
They use bluestone into a lemon, an' salt, black pepper, an' cayenne pepper, an' the woman's an' man's name, an' throw it in the river. That makes them drift. (You put this all inside the lemon?) Yes, sir.
Entry 8776
[Late in turning on recording machine] put chew some cayenne peppah an' some steel dust in dat [lemon, see later] an' yo' sews it up an' throw it in de rivah. Now, if yo' can't git de lemon an' yo' wants tuh use a bottle, yo' gits dat bottle an' yo' git chew some war watah. Yo' puts dere name down up in dere. All right, yo' use dis cayenne peppah an' git chew nine tacks down up in dere vinegah. All right, yo' kin stop dat up an' throw 'em in de rivah.
Entry 8786
If you want to make a person jis' drift an' jis' become a vagabond going here and there an' nevah content in one place, yo' write dere name wit evil wishes on a teeny piece of board, wood joo know, thin board, an' yo' git choo a lots of nails an' put anothah piece on. Dere name is tacked on dat first piece of board. An' den yo' put a thin piece of board on top of dat an' nail it down fine, jis' put plenty nails in rotation. An' at 12 o'clock at night yo' throw dat in de rivah, an' as dat board floats an' drifts down de stream, why dat person will drift. Dere mind will become unsettled an' dey'll jis' go to an' fro.
Entry 8787
If yo' want to make 'em drift, yo' jes' take it an' get dat. Yo' always got to get dat name an' get dere right name, an' fix it up. Yo' put it into a bottle an' yo' get yo' some vinegar, strong, good vinegar, an' stick dat name down into dat vinegar, wit nine pods of red peppah - red peppah, not a strained peppah.
(Nine pods of red pepper?)
Yeah, an' stick it down into dat bottle wit his name in it an' dat old Epsom salts an' dat peppah. An' yo' can take it an' go to de rivah. Yo' seal dat bottle up an' yo' go to de rivah an' pitch it right in de channel. It'll float. An' as long as de bottle will float, dey'll always be goin' - dey goin' to keep goin'. Dey won't stay in no one place. Dey'll go to one place an' den dey'll come back to anothah place. Dey'll keep a-goin' an' dey'll nevah stop goin' until somepin gets dat bottle an' knocks dat stoppah out of dere. It goin' to get loose some way, if dose [things inside] won't keep it [afloat]. (I see. Now, you only write the name once on that piece of paper? You only write it once?) No, write it nine times, an' den make yore wish when yo' are writin' it.
(Oh, I see.)
Entry 9183
If somebody is troublin' yuh an' yo' don't wants 'em aroun' heah, yo' take a aig an' yo' write dey name on it nine times. An' yo' go tuh runnin' watah an' turn yuh back tuh it befo' yo' git tuh de watah, an' yo' make nine steps backwards tuh de watah an' yo' tell 'em, jes' call dey name: "Ah wants chew tuh go an' stay from aroun' me, In de Name of de Fathah, Name of de Son, an' Name of de Holy Ghost." An' throw it ovah yuh left shouldah jis' as fur as yo' kin. Don't look back. Yo' walk right on off. Now, dat'll work. Dat will run yo' off.
Entry 9205
Put seven marks on it an' git chure lef' track.
[Make 7 crosses like letter "x" - see later.]
(You put seven marks on this egg, chicken egg.)
Chicken egg. Put seven marks on dat an' dey will take it down [I interrupt].
(What about that track? What do they do with that?)
Well, dey'd take it tuh de rivah an' throw it ovah de lef' shouldah. (Well now, they get the egg and get the track. What do you do?: Do you use those separately? Or how do you handle them?) Yo'use dat, Yo' know, jis' wit de track. Dey'd put dat in a sack to- gethah. (This egg and the track?) Yes. Dey take it down tuh de rivah an' throw ovah yore lef' shouldah in de rivah. Dat cuz tuh keep yore trouble. Always on de wandah. Keep yo' dis- satisfied.
(What sort of marks do they make on that chicken egg?)
Well, jis' cross dem. Jis' lak yo' mark heah [demonstrates], take an' make a cross dere [demonstrates].
(Make a cross mark, like an "x".)
[The X cross, a roughly drawn St. Andrew's cross, is normally used. This design can be made by rapidly crossing two diagonal lines. Also usable is the plus-sign cross + called the Greek or St. George's cross, a horizontal line vertically bisected by a line of the same length. To draw a cross in hoodoo crosses a person.] Jis' mark dat egg seven times.
Entry 9300
Yo' kin take a hen aig - take a black hen aig an' yo' kin write de 'nitial or de name. Yo' write dat name on dis aig an' yo' make nine dots wit de pencil whut chew have in yore hand. Dat nine dots fo' dose nine mawnin's. [You make one dot on each of nine successive mornings.] Yo' go tuh a runnin' stream of watah... Now, yo' take a rotten aig... [I stop informant from starting a different rite.] (Wait a minute! After you go to running Water, what do you do then?) Yo' go tuh runnin' watah, aftah yo' put dose nine dots in dere wit de pencil. Den yo' go tuh runnin' watah an' throw it jes' as fur ovah yore haid as yo' kin git it. Jes' throw it up [into the air]. When it gon'a hit de watah it ain't gon'a break. Jes' throw it up. An' aftah yo' throw it up, don't look back, walk on off. Jes' long as dat aig go, dat person's goin'; long as dat aig goes, he's travelin'.
Entry 9320
(Begin that over again.)
When they wanta do harm to yo', they take an' write yore name on a chicken egg nine times an' they throw it in de Mississippi River, an' just de way it drift, it liable to get bust [that way]. Yo' kin take an' throw it thataway [if you want to]. Where dey pass an' walk all de time, dat be de safest way - where yo' kin pass an' walk all de time. (You say [said before I turned on recording machine] if it gets busted in the river, then it isn't any good?) No, that egg is destroyed then.
(Oh! I see. So it's safer to bury it [where the victim walks]. I see.)
Entry 9321
Yo' put a li'le hole in it [egg] an' draw dat [raw] egg out. Take a person's name an' write it nine times...put it in that egg [shell] an' stop de egg up...throw it in de rivah. An' as long as dat egg'll float, drift down [the river], dose peoples will drag, will drift.
Entry 9322
(What are you going to do this for? What is the purpose of this thing?) Dat's tuh make 'em commit suicide. Yo' take 'er undahclothes an' her name, an' put it down nine ways. Yo' jes' write de writin' out till yo' cain't undahstan' it. [The writing becomes illeg- ible.] Yo' don't know whatsomevah it is. Den yo' kin take an' put it in a aig, see, an' throw dat ovahbo'd. Dat make dere mind, dey jes' go an' commit suicide. (You put this underclothing and this name - written on a piece of paper nine times - and put that all into an egg and throw that overboard. Then she will commit suicide in nine days.) [This rite is similar to preceding one, the piece of underclothing being very small.]
Entry 9344
Says take a black hen aig an' lay it on dey private. Dat whut she tole me. An' write de person's name on it, an' carry it to a runnin' watah, an' she says dey'll travel. [Here is one of the amazing rites of Hoodoo! Where did it come from? Is its origin a hoodoo book written by someone who understood Hebrew? It is quite Biblical except for the purpose intended: And Abraham said unto his eldest servant... Put I pray thee thy hand under my thigh: And I will make thee swear by the Lord... Genesis, 24:1 (King James Version). Likewise The New English Bible uses under my thigh to translate privates or genitals. In the present rite a woman writes her man's name on the egg, lays it against herself and throws it into running water to get rid of him. His spirit in the name follows her spirit in the scent!]
Entry 9345
Sometime yo' got a enemy in yore way an' yo' don' have a chance tuh do anything, yo' git chew a aig. An' yo' write de firs' Psalms on it, an' write chure enemy's name on dat aig an' carry it tuh de swamp, de rivah, by de woods an' yo' cast dat from yo'. An' yo' see as dat goes, wherevah it goes, dey'll start tuh travelin' an' dey have tuh follah dat, until it don' git no place. [Psalm I is unsuitable here, being used out of context: "He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, etc. ". King James Version.]
Entry 9377
Yo' take a aig if yo' wanta run a person away. Yo' take dat aig an' de sharp point of it an' go tuh de rivah, go down tuh de rivah in de mawnin', soon in de mawnin' 'fo' sunrise, an' turn yore back tuh it, tuh de rivah, an' throw it ovah yuh lef' shouldah. An' if anybody anywhere roun' dat chew don' want aroun' yuh, dat aig will float down [the river] an' jes' as long as dat aig goes, dey'll go. (What do you do with that egg? Do you do anything with that egg before you throw it in?) Don't do nuthin tuh it but chew take dat aig an' write dere name on it. Yo' write dere name all roun' on dat aig. Don't write it on de edge [ends] nowhere, write it around dat, all around on dat aig.
(Throw it over what?)
Throw it ovah de lef' shouldah, an' den yo' come [home]. Don't look back at it.
Entry 9379
Ah've hear'd once dat - a woman come an' tole me, ah don't know how true dis is. But a woman come an' tole me once dat she could do anything dat she wanted. Said she could make me do anything dat ah wanted tuh do wit a woman. Said she'd bring me one aig an' ah'm goin' take dat aig, aftah she look at it, an' ah must walk tuh de rivah, an' don' say a word tuh nobody, don' care who meet me, don' say a word tuh nobody, don' care who meet me, don' say a word tuh nobody till ah git tuh de rivah an' throw it in dere an den come back. She say dat aig will make 'em leave town. [Informant's intention of making the person move is the power here.]
Entry 9943
Yo' got a enemy an' yo' don't want 'em an' [or] yo' jis' lak a man come in an' take yuh wife. Now, it's two ways tuh do it. Yo' ketch a toadfrog dat hops an' yo' take a brass pin an' scratch 'er left laig. An' yo' git a raw [not spun or twisted] thread. Tie yuh 9 knots in it. Scratch de left laig an' ketch 9 drops of blood, see. All right, yo' tie it [thread with blood] on de hind right laig an' yo' meet de sun before it rises in de mawnin' [you do this before sunrise]. An' make a wish, call dis person's name an' turn yer haid toward de rivah [the Mississippi] an' tell 'uh [her] tuh go. Call it three times jis' lak it's Mary, say: Mary go! Mary go! Mary go! Well, de way dat frog go [after you turn him loose] dat's de way whoevah it is vill go.
Entry 9947
About dis toadfrog, ah been heahin' about dat. Ah been heahin' 'bout a man dat stayed at Clinton [North Carolina] dat did dis. So 2vent tuh see 'im. Well, he tells me tuh bring 'im some de girl's haah [hair]. Bll, he takes dis girl's haah an' ties it roun' a frog's laig, an' he take 'im a ale junipah shingle.
(Just an ordinary shingle made from juniper?)
Yessuh. Yo' know hit won't sink. An' he carries it tuh de rivah an' throus I in nnnin' watah.
(hat does he throw in?)
He takes dis frog an' put 'im on dis shingle an' throw [lays] hit in runnin' watah, an' as dis frog leaves heah an' it goes down [the riverl, an' as dis frog leaves heah an' it hop ag'in, dis woman would hop - walk jis' lak dis frog hop. Dat's true fo' ah see it mahself. (He just put this frog on the shingle and put the shingle in the water, in the backwater; and as this frog hops out of that water [I mean] off that shingle and gets on land again, [so will the woman hop away].
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 10935
Okey. You kin take a catfish - a fresh catfish - and if someone done did you somepin and you wanta make 'em leave town, you take their name and write it down. And take that catfish and cut him open and sew their name up in that catfish. And go to the river and throw it overboard. And he going to, to drift away from town i that person, after you get their name. He going. He don't leave with somebody, he going leave.
Entry 10938
Yo' take it an' pick it up from de ground dis way first [demonstrates]. (From the toe back to the heel.) Yes, back to de heel, and den from de heel to de toe. Yo' carry it and get some black gunpowder, and you take it and go to a river and ketch a catfish. And when yo' ketch him, don't kill him, put dis in his mouth in a piece of paper. And sew his mouth up and throw him overboard and dey'll go until de fish stops. Wheresomevah he stop, dey'll stop; whether it be beyond de state, where dey come from.
(Do you put just a piece of plain paper?)
Yes sir, jest plain paper.
(How many tracks do you take?)
Jest one.
(Which one, any one?)
Right.
Entry 10939
Wal, ah'm goin' tell you dis now, 'gin [again]. Now, in cases a per- son was treatin' yo' dirty, ag'in, an' interferin' wit yore family, what would yo' do. Yo' wanta learn dat?
[I evidently nod yes.]
All right. Well, yo' go ahead and write dere names nine times - write it nine times.
(On what?)
On a piece of paper - on a piece of Bliss [trade name] paper.
(Bliss tablet paper?)
Dat's right. An' write it and den when yo' write dat, roll it under. See, any kinda bad words yo' wanta use on dat, yo' do dat. Wal, den yo' go tuh de river - understand me good now. Go tuh de rivah an' ketch yo' a catfish. See, dis is a catfish yo' ketchin', see. Yo' know he's gotta skin, yo' know. (You catch this catfish and you have this name written on this piece of paper.) Yo' write dis party's name on a piece of paper whut have done yo' dirty, whut chew wanta git rid of 'em at once.
(Now, what do you do with the catfish?)
See, yo' take dis fish, reach and git his skin now lak dis [demonstrates]. See, he's gotta skin. Yo' skins 'im. See, yo' lift up his skin. Yo' know, lift his skin up an' roll dat tight a little space; yo' know, jes' a little space tight as yo' kin, an' stick it [name] in dere up undah his skin an' put him back in de rivah. Well, when he [fish] gone - an' he's gone wit dat message yo' see - well, when he go, dis party jumps in de rivah. And de farther dey go, den dey's tryin' ketch dat fish an' dey jes' drown demselves - fall ov'bo'd an' drown.
(Do you cut this skin on the fish and put it under there?)
Jes' cut his skin an' lif' his skin up. Gotta stick a knife in dere - yo' know jes' a little bit - an' stick it [name] up undah dere, see, an' go to de rivah wit it.
(And turn the catfish loose again?)
He's gone.
Entry 11047
Sew dat up in a rag.
(What do they sew up in a rag?)
De black hen manure. Sew it up in a rag an' put de person name in it if dey doin' yo' harm an' yo' don't like 'em. An' yo' take it to runnin' water to de rivah an' throw it in. Put new safety pins in [package] an' throw it in [river] an' dat person'll go clean away an' won't trouble yo' no mo'. Ah done that mahself.
(Just put one safety pin?)
Two - three, yes sir, yo' put one on each end an' pin one across it, three. (Like the letter "H" on the package.) [The figure is more like this Ha double cross.] Yes sir.
Entry 11111
But they's got to have more to go with that skin to do you harm, besides just the skin off you feet. They can take the skin off the bottom of your feet and if they can get some of your hair, take that skin and some of your hair, and take a coconut, or either a bottle, and fill it up with vinegar, and throw it in the water where it will run and you start going and you'll never go back home again. In a bot- tle or coconut, but you gotta stop it up so it don't come out.
Entry 11112
They take a bath and leave the bath water. They [an enemy kin take that water and get war water from the pharmacy and mix it into that water. Take it and stop it up in a bottle or a coconut - anything that is air- tight - throwing it in the Mississippi River, in a flowing stream, and just as it flow away, just as you'll drift away from town to town.
(I see.)
With that dirty [bath] water.
Entry 11113
A coconut, jug [punch] one of them eyes out and pour that juice out the coconut and let the coconut dry. Then you go behind him in soft dirt and get his track and put it in that coconut, mix it, get cork stopper and put in stopper and throw it in [river] and just as long as that coconut float, he'll walk [for walking also see No.11114].
(Just one of them?)
Just one of them - left track.
Entry 11204
You get you a sock or sompin like that, anything you wear. Take that sock, ball it together, put it with some dirt dauber nest, roll 'em together [sock sprinkled with dirt dauber is rolled up] and you put it in a jar or any kind of bucket or anything that unleaks - what won't leak. Take it to the river, throw it in the river and let it go downstream. You'll be gone!
Entry 11205
You take an old shoe - it don't mean like your [good] shoe - just any old shoe and you pound it up to dirt. You pound the dirt from it in[to] a box, you know, and make it like a powder and you burn it. Put it on the [remain- der of the shoe] and burn it in the house, smoke the house up, and make anybody - can run any enemy in the river. They'll just move up, they gotta go.
Entry 11630
(What do you do with that red fish?)
Well, that's all I know, is a red fish.
(You mean he's colored red?)
He's colored red, that's his natural color, a red fish.
(And what do you do with that red fish now?)
After she get that name and that?
(Well, tell me the whole thing about it, the whole thing.)
She takes the red fish and puts your name in it wrote nine times. That's when she wants you to drag. And she throw that fish into this bayou or river, or lake, or wherever she want to throw it at, and you supposed to drift wherever that fish drift. See, this fish is dead. (Oh, you put that name into a fish that's dead?) Whilst he's dead. And then she throw it back into the water again. Now, he's going to drift and drift. Now, you - you never...
(Do you catch that fish or buy it or what?)
You kin buy 'em out in the market.
(I see.)
Entry 12423
Now, she kin take a piece of cord, or a piece of string, or anything lak dat an' measure him, yo' see. Yo' ketch de string tight an' yo' measure him. Den aftah measurin' it, yo' tie dem nine knots, an' yo' put it in a bottle or put it in a can or any- thing lak dat an' throw it in de rivah. Yo' see an' dat'll keep him driftin' - jes' keep a-goin'. Dat's when yo' wanta run a fellah way.
Entry 12462
If you want a woman, there's two or three ways that you can bring people to you. Just - the question you've asked me - there's two or three ways that you can do these things. It's always worked on the dark of the moon. See, just like if you want to do good, you do it on the new moon - of course, it be on the new moon and on the Balance. And if you want to do bad to them, you do that on the dark of the moon, work under the signs, the twelve signs. See.
(The twelve signs of the zodiac?)
Yes. See, just like if you want to make love or friendship, you set candles on a person that get the tendence[?] the two little Twins, at least. See. And if you want to do earth work, say, if you want to bury anything, you do that on the Balance. If you want to use any water from any river or anything, you use that on the Balance [surely the Waterman]. Just like if I want to break up a man and a woman. She done left me and I want her to come back to me. Well, I takes a linen sheet and I has it on the bed, after I done set my work[?] for her to come there, and I get morris [myrrh], aloes and cinnamon. [Preceding vord tendance = attention?]
(This myrrh, and what else?)
Aloes and cinnamon.
(Cinnamon?)
Yes, mixed in together. And I makes a powder and perfumes my bed with that. And she come there and [lay on] my bed, I ain't got to worry about her no more. See. She ain't going nowhere.
(She is going to stay right with you?)
Yes.
Entry 12545
Git red onion and put nine needles and nine pins in it and go to the river and throw it over the left shoulder and walk back [home]. Don't look wack. And just as fer as that onion will travel on the water, they will travel.
(Do they do anything else with that onion?)
That's all I know. (Hell, how do you know whether the spell will work? How can you tell whether dhat person that you intend to go away - don't you do anything with the onion to...) [Intention is sufficient.]
Entry 13308
Well, you take the hair off the cat's back and you take any dirty piece that woman's got and wrench it [rinse] out in some clear water. Take that cat hair and that water and war water and throw it in the river. She keep no job nowhere, she can keeps no husband no time.
Entry 13346
They take your water, you see, they stop it up in a little bottle. And after they stop it up, they take it and lay it up over a door where you walk under, and let chew walk under it so many morn- ings. I think it's 9 mornings. After 9 morn- ings - you see, you don't move it no more, it stay where you put it. And they say take it and carry down to the river and throw it overboard. That'll stop you from making water.
Entry 1792
They can take that photograph and they can take nine red beans, nine brass tacks, nine new needles - nine [new] needles and nine pins, and they can put a weight to that and just like that water - you got to throw that - you goes you know on de ferry in the middle of the river and sink it; and just like that pitchure will mope [molt] away, you'll mope away the same way; cause see, that's your pitchure and you can't get it. (Well, how do you put these things in the photograph? How do they put them in there?) [Informant did not mention a container.] Put 'em in the box. [Box in cases of this sort always symbolizes coffin.]
(Oh, this all goes into the box.)
Yes, and they nail the photograph down in there. They bend it - stick a tack here, a tack there, a tack there, a tack there, till they stick the nine in there all around. They put 'em nine beans down in there and they take 'em nine needles and cross 'em all about in that pitchure - then the tacks and all be in there - and throw it in the river.
Entry 2348
Now, I tell you another thing, if you want anybody to - just like you had a woman - I mean, a man is running with your [qirl] friend, understand. And this is worth twenty dollars, understand. I don't gen'rally do it, but after all, the troopers come over here and I say, well maybe I [go over to see the man]. [Speaker calls my personal contact man Edward and our Vicksburg contact man, troopers! Medicine-show troopers?] Just like if you had a man, you know, and you don't wanta kill him, and he's running with your wife and I don' mean no harm. You know what you do? You see these [somethings] setting out on a log.
(These what?)
These coodahs sort - high-headed coodahs.
(Coodahs?)
[Transcriber transcribes this word coodels or coodles.]
Yeah - settin' out on a log in de river.
(Yes, what do they look like?)
You know, coodahs that jump off - ev'ry time you see 'em they jump off.
(Are they frogs or are they turtles or what?)
No, dey coodahs - call dem coodahs and dey soft just here, you understand.
(Soft-shell turtles aren't they?)
Yeah, and there is coodahs that is black - black as dis hat. [My old black hat, containing the concealed microphone, is mentioned so often I have had to include it in the Index - Black hat, author's. Informant's black coodah is probably the common snapping turtle.]
(Well, what does it look like? Does it look like a turtle?)
Yeah, it looks like a turtle - that's what it something like.
(A turtle. Oh, it's a turtle. All right, but they have a soft shell.)
No, dey don't - some of 'em have a soft shell and some of 'em don't.
(I see. All right. I understand.)
You know what you do. Now, you take this man name on there and print dis name in there [on the cooter's shell] - don't kill him now, you understand. Just you got anything, print anything on anything with that and put him in de river.
(And that will run him away? But you put the names of both of them on there?)
Both of them.
Entry 3823
[I am repeating what informant told me before I turned on recording machine:] (You get this cord away from this woman - from around her waist. What do you say you do with it?) Yo' take it out an' throw it in de rivah. Yo' go tuh de rivah bank an' make three steps backward, throw it ovah de lef' shouldah intuh de rivah. Aftah yo' throw it ovah yo' lef' shouldah, den yo' go right on an' come on back. An' den yo' go right on home an' lives lak yo' have no mo' trouble atall. Yes, that takes the spell off you.
Entry 5343
Anothah one - well, one if yore wife's runnin' wit a bad woman an' yo' don' wan' 'er tuh be runnin' wit 'em, yo' undahstan'. Yo' take her foot track, de left foot track. Pick it up an' stop it up in a bottle, an' go tuh de rivah an' throw it in a runnin' stream of watah. An' dat woman - she'll, woman or man, den dat individual travel. Dey nevah stop travelin', jes' can't nevah stay home no mo' in one place. [Brunswick, Ga., (1247), 2114: la.]
Entry 8654
If yo' wanta drive a person away from there, yo' kin take such a thing as a lemon. Yo' take this lemon an' yo' write their name down nine times. Yo' put their name into this lemon. Yo' put some cayenne pepper, which is red pepper into this lemon, an' yo' go to de rivah an' throw it ovah yore shouldah back- wards, an' they gotta go.
Entry 10033
Well, now, ah tell yuh whut de' [they] say fo' runnin' watah. In case yo' wants anybody confused aroun', a disagreeable neighbah see, dat is terrifyin' yuh. An' yo' wanta git rid of 'em, want 'em tuh leave de community or leave de home or somepin lak dat. It's got a bad story but den ah got it. Yo' git a black cat. Put dat black cat intuh a pot of boilin' watah alive an' covah de pot up. An' let 'im stay in dere until all de flesh drop offa his bones. Den yo' git dat bone. Ah don' know jis' zactly whut bone, but jis' git a bone - ah'd imagine mos' any bone - an' carry it. Well, in othah words, tuh make it cleah, plain, yo' might take a collection of dese bones aftah dey are boiled, cleahed of de meat, an' den yo' carry 'em tuh a runnin' stream of watah. An' de bone dat will float down de stream - de most of 'em will sink - an' it ain't but one of 'em float, dat bone dat will float down de stream. Take dat bone an' carry it an' bury it somewheah neah dat dis- agreeable neighbah. Dat will drive 'em off. [An unusual use for a black cat bone!]
Entry 10039
At zactly twelve a'clock in de day. (You get what?) Yo' git a black cat, an' at twelve a'clock in de day yo' have yuh watah boilin'. An' yo' take an' yo' throw de cat in de pot, an' yo' have a covah dere so he can't jump out - tuh keep 'im down in dere an' cook 'im all tuh pieces, evahthing right on up. An' yo' take all dat stuff in de can [you use as boiler] an' yo' take it tuh a runnin' stream. An' yo' po' dat stuff in de stream where de watah is runnin', an' de bone dat chew want, instid of goin' down de stream wit de tide, it'll come back, or stan' right down dere tuh de bottom an' quivah. It won't go off, de stuff won't carry it away. An' dat's de bone, de lucky bone. Dat's de bone yo' want. Yo' will know de bone by - it acks pecul'ah, diff'ren' from de rest of de bones.
(What time do you boil that cat?)
Twelve a'clock in de day. [The old fashioned lard can (50 pounds of lard?) Was large enough to be used as a boiler. It is probably an antique today!]
Entry 10042
Yo' take a jet-black cat an' yo' go tuh a forks of de road, see. Take yo' a pot an' put 'em in dere 'live an' shet 'im up, tight where he can't git out. Cook it - ooot all de meat off de bones; see, if yo' Hn stay dere an' smell it. Den gdt all dose bones. Listen good. Den yo' go down tuh a stream-a watah, see, an' tiroo all dem bones in a stream-a watah. An' de bone, dey tell me, dat gpess ap de stream, dat's de bone tuh git.
(What will that bone do for you then?)
Well, dey tells me yo' sells yo'self tuh de devil. Yo' kin do anything.
Entry 11115
Yo' fix a coconut jis' lak yo' would as ah wuz tellin' yo' 'bout tuh make 'em come home, but chew put - dat depend on how yo' want it fixed; if it's fo' good or fo' bad. If yo' want it fo' bad, well yo' use dem hot ingredients [red pepper, wr water, etc.] an' yo' put 'em in dat coconut an' stop it up, an' throw it in de rivah. Well, dat coconut keep a-rollin' an' make yo' keep a-rollin'. See, de watah goes down [de river].
Entry 11316
( Git holt of yore track - ah think it's yo' right feet track - and go to de graveyard and get some dirt off de head of a grave, a white man's grave. An' of co'se an' git some dog, yo' know, action; and write chure name three [changed to 9 later] time on a piece of paper.
(Whose name do you write?)
You writes de one dat yo' want 'em to leave - to run 'em away, see. If it was eah husband, yo' see, ah could write his name nine times on a piece of paper, [of] 'co'se [course] an' den cross it up. An' take dat graveyard dirt an' dat dog's action an' pound it all up together, an' carry it to de river or some run- ning stream of water and throw it overbo'd and of co'se he'll leave. (How do you cross that up? You say you write his name on that paper and you cross the paper up?) You write his name nine times this way [demonstrates] and then when yo' git it writ across, yo' jes' come back this way - cross it up. Come back backwards, cross up.
(You turn the paper around, write the name across the other way.)
An' jes' cross it - cross it an' cross it an' cross it...
(Making marks across it like an "x".)
Yah. [I was mistaken, but would learn with more experience. The real type of crossing is given in margin title.l
Entry 11520
"Took up de foot track and put it in a bottle...git graveyard dirt from de foot of de grave...cork it tight...put it in de rivah. Dat's for like yo' goin' [= to send you away]." [Charleston 633:1.]
Entry 11562
"I could put dat track in a pocket han'ke'chef and I could take it and put it in a bottle...call your name, stop it up tight, an' take that bottle and carry it to some rivah...throw it ovahboard...keep you wavering and wavering and roaming all your life." [Charleston 642:4.]
Entry 11567
"They take this dirt out of 9 of your tracks, and take it and tie it up in a little piece of cloth, and keep it fer 9 days. And they kin carry it and throw it in a river: if it swims upstream, why you go crazy; and if it float down de stream, why, you know, it won't harm you much." [Wilmington 91:1+85.]
Entry 11605
"Dey take dat foot track and put it in a piece of clot' and sew it P and take it to a rivah an' t'row it overboard...you'll mostly have to follow dat foot track. You go ovahboard and drown." [Charleston 574:3.]
Entry 1559
(Well, what kind of medicine would take that - get those things off - that snake out of there?) Well, ah tell you what you kin do. You ever hear tell of slippery elm, nightshade. Well, you take slippery elm and nightshade and running water, them's three simple things, and you kin take a tea- spoonful three times a day and run eny kind of poison out cheh, yes.
(Now, what do they do with that - steep it in there or boil or what?)
No, ah don't know anything about roots. I don't know anything about dat but jest the slippery elm [also called red elm], the nightshade and the spring water, and then that'll run 'em out cheh. And then when they'd come, you'd put that, whatsomever pass from you - ground puppies, frogs, in my instance I had a turtle was in me - and then you throws it in de running water. And as fer as that goes, long as that keeps arunning and molt in de river or in de canal, or wheresomever you put it at, long as that'll keep agoing, the person will keep agoing. Then when that lodge - you know, everything lodges in the water, in de seaweeds or something, you see - well, then that will be the end of the person what did that harm to you.
Entry 3084
I use to didn't believe in these things, see now, but I have come [to believe] since I seen that. It must of been some supernatch'al power of some kind. See. Now this fellow and myself in Newport News [Virginia], we worked ev'ry day together on the coal docks. See. I use to be a deck-walker and he use to be a stevadore. He drew his money on a Sat'days, come home, give his wife his envelope, take a bath, set around for awhile, he'd go out. She'd take this other fellah, divide de money with him and he'd go where he want to. Now, he [husband] come in and slept in the back room - I slept upstairs in the back room and he slept downstairs in the back room. This fellah when he come in he slept with his [husband's] wife. Now mind, de husband now, he's sleepin' in de back room. See. This fellah - when he go out and stay out late at night, de husband - this fellah git up out de bed, open de door for him to let him in to go back in de back room. Well, I knew this fellah had some people in Philadelphia and he [husband] had some here in New Kent County [Va.]. See. So I said to him, 'Louis," I says, "there's somepin wrong with you, boy." "Ah man, you wouldn't mean any harm?" That what he said, you know. I said, "Boy, you're telling me." I said, "I know there's somepin wrong about this." So we went to his brother in New Kent County and he brought us here to Hope- well. It was an ole woman by the name of Aunt Cora. She professed that she could take care of de situation. I don't know what she did, but whatever she did broke it up anyway. So, I never will forgit as long as I live, we goes to this Aunt Cora. She lived back over on towards the James River Water front you see, in back of some white people's house you know. She was a real ole peculiar- looking woman. And she told us, say, "Boy, '' she says, "listen to me." She said 'That woman has got chew sewed up in little red flannel - just about de size of this swinging wire here Ithe electric wire from my Telediphone to floor plug - he didn't touch the wire]. She says, "It's up higher in de ceiling than you kin reach if you stand on your feet." See. He says, "Well, do you reckon so," he says. "Yes sir." He says, "What else she got in there?" She told him. She says, "There's somepin in there looks like [corn] meal, it some threads of your winter underwear, some needles, and some other threads" - look like fiber silk, you know, before it's woven. She says, "Well, go." So I says, "Well, we go home, we find it." He still didn't believe it. See. And I bet chew we cut out all dat plastering in that wall. Finally we found it all right. We found it all right - that was the most peculiar-looking thing [the discovery]. So he got scared. He said, "Well," he says, "now if my wife find it [out]," he says, "she'll kill me." Well, de woman told him, she said, "Now, if you find it," she said, "don't give it to your wife." She said, "She'll have anything done to you, she want. She wants to run you crazy, if she wants you blind, she'll do it. If she wants you run out of town, she'll do it." So I says, "Well," I says, "tell you what we do. We'll go back to Hopewell, take it back to Aunt Cora. We'll find out what she's gon'a do." So we spent de night over there. Aunt Cora says, "Well, boys, you all meet me tonight here at twelve o'clock." I'll never forgit as long as the day I live. At twelve o'clock that night we met her on that bridge that comes over, that connects de highway between Hopewell and Richmond - see, on de Richmond-Hopewell road. It's de James River - runs all de way down to City Point. Well, she turns her back, she throwed that thing over her left shoulder downstream. Now, what supernatch'al power that had I don't know. I've often wanted to learn. But anyhow, after that - Oh! there come a big fight dere dat night. He put dis guy out - and come near being a shooting scrape. But after dat, him and dat woman got along fine. And this other fellah was out de way. Well, soon after that, in course of time, I reckon about four months, this fellah died.
Entry 4818
Well, ah heard dis now, dis way. Dere wuz a girl an' she wanted dis boy, yuh know. She loved dis man an' dis man wouldn't care much. He used tuh go off. An' she ast anothah girl frien' of 'ers, she say she would git 'im if it wuz de las' thin' she'd do. Well, she went tuh 'is house one time an' got a piece of 'is, yuh know, de tail off 'is shirt. An' [she] took an' put sulphuh, black molasses in it, an' taken it tuh de rivah an' po'd it in dere. Yuh know, out on de cloth, an' den dropped de cloth in nex' tuh dat an' let it stay dat- away, while she went back tuh.de house. An' den she ast de boy, she say, "Would yuh mind walkin' wit me?" An' he say he wouldn't mind walkin' wit 'er. Dey went on down tuh de rivah, an' she said she took 'er han' an' dipped it intuh de watah where she had dropped dis, an' rubbed it 'cross 'is face. An' she say she walked on back tuh de house, say he begin tuh git dizzy. An' so he tole her, he said - her name wuz Ellen - he say, "Ah don' mind goin' down mayself, but would joo mind goin' wit me? Ah don' wan' chew tuh leave me." An' she went on home wit 'im an' she tole - she said tuh 'er mothah dat night, she says, "Mothah, [So-and-so] is in love wit me." An' dat night about fo'a'clock in de mawnin' dere he wuz knockin' on de do'. He couldn't sleep wit'out 'er an' he couldn't eat wit'out 'er. Dat's whut ah heard.
Entry 8979
(In this court case now.)
Now, if yo' got a case an' yo' know it's a bad case, well yo' go tuh de market an' git chew a beef tongue, an' aftah yo' git dat subpoenee. Den yo' git de iudge name an' yo' git chure witness name whut ag'inst yo'. An' yo' write all dat down on dat same subpoenee whut de judge name on it. Yo' git chew hot peppah tuh ketch 'em an' yo' put dat in yore lamp. Yo' burn dat until yo' go tuh co't., 'Fo' [before] yo' go yo' turn de chairs, mattress, bed, every- thing, upside down. De shoe, dat left-foot shoe, turn it upside down, whut chew ain't been wearin' fo' quite a while - turn dat upside down. An' yo' git chew a pink candle, a St. Raymond candle [St. Raymond's candle more likely to be green - see No.3042-3051, Pp.877-880] dat a pink candle. An' yo' leave somebody at de house an' dey'll burn it tuh keep it from ketchin' de house [afire] or anything. Yo' git dere an' yo' git chew some cinnamon, some ground cinnamon an' de brown sugah; an' yo' only have tuh have dat much in yore han', as yo' goin' up when de judge call yo'. Jis' have it lak dat an' jis' sprinkle it an' go ahead on up, sprinkle it aroun'. Den aftah evahthing is ovah, yo' come back an' yo' git dat tongue.
(After the case is all over?)
Aftah de case is all ovah, yo' come back an' git dat tongue an' yo' put it down in de ground an' yo' leave it stay in de ground three days. An' aftah dem three days, yo'll take it up an' let it stay up, a day an' a night, on top of de ground. Den yo' take it an' carry it tuh de graveyard an' bury it if yo' yanta. If not, yo' kin carry it tuh de rivah. BUT DE CASE IS OUT. IT'LL NEVAH BE CALL UP ANY MO' ON DIS SIDE OF JUDGMENT [DAY].
(Now, how is that pink candle burned while I am down at the court?)
Well, yo' have tuh have somebody dere tuh burn it all day - all day.
(Where is that tongue all this time? Where is that tongue?)
De tongue gonna be at de house in de smoke, in de smoke an' de needles - in de smoke of wood, papah, anything yo' kin keep it a-burnin' wit, until yo' git back.
(You keep it smoking and the candle is on a table burning?)
Well, de candle is jis' as good as de tongue. Let me tell yo' dat right now.
(Wait a minute! Are we using both the candle and the tongue or what?)
Yo' kin use both, both of 'em.
Entry 10086
Yo' go tuh work an' take a black cat wit no spots on 'im atall. An' yo' takes 'im an' yo' puts 'im in a washpot an' fill it up [with water]. Yo' don' fill it clean up, jis' let it [fill] so's [so his] haid kin be stickin' up [out of water] so he won't drown befo' he git chance tuh burn or anythin'. An' yo' jis' make a fiah an' put de lid on it [pot] so he can't git out. Make a fiah an' boil 'im right dere uatil all de meat come off 'is bones. Den yo' take dem bones den an' put 'em in a sack. An' carry 'em an' go tuh where de watah is runnin', an' jis' po' evah one dem bones in dere. An' dere'll be one bone out dere dat'll float up de stream. All de rest of 'em goin' down de stream, de way de watah runnin'. An' de one dat come up de stream, yo' gits dat one. Take dat one an' yo' kin dry it out fo' yo' ownself. Yo' walk up befo' de glass dere an' yo' put it in yuh mouth an' yo' cain't see yo' ownself. An' yo' kin go anywhere dat yo' wanta go an' put dat bone in yore mouth, why dey cain't see yuh.
Entry 12026
To send a man away, wrap up in a rag some of his hair with 2 needles and several pins, and bury this package on the bank of a river. [Here again we have one of these many rites in which the victim is buried to send him traveling!]
[Fredericksburg by Ediphone.]
Entry 12298
(What do they do with that cat hair?)
They take that cat hair and they put it with a piece of woman's shimmy or petticoat or anything of that kind. Put it into a lemon, throwing it into the Mississippi River, after putting War water in there. They'll keep that woman all upset. If she's gotten a job anywhere, she'll walk away from her job. She'll quit working. Her husband can't do anything to sat- isfy her. Everything that they do it just look like it wrong to her. See. It practically looks like it takes her mind from her. See. She don't have no presence of mind. See. By using it, she have...get a...
(She what?)
Get a animal amibition-like. See.
Entry 9858
Twelve new tacks represent the Twelve Apostles. And you put three over the front door, three over the - there different ways of crossing over it, but this is a bad way of cross- ing it up. You put three new tacks over the front door, three new tacks over the middle door, and the other six tacks in the back room on the floor so that it looks - that nobody don't observe it. And in leaving that house, you take cayenne pepper and guinea-hen root... (And what?) Guinea-hen root. (Guinea-hen root?) Yes. And you take these Chings and sprinkle it all around that house. Nobody ain't going to rent that boose. Now, we'll see. Let's see what we get out of that, now. Cayenne pepper is something hot, that no entry of this immaterial spirit going to dvell. [This could mean that any immaterial spirit - in other words a spirit - sent by another hoodoo doctor attempting to uncross the house, could not cross over the red pepper to do the uncrossing.] Guinea root [this time not guinea- ben root] have 'straction odor that burn their nose.
(Extracting odor?)
[Distracting would be better; keeping person from house.]
Yeah. They drive away anything around that would be - it put you in a most Lcksidasic [lackadaisical] condition - you see, of these things. The tacks you drive in the wall is pinning [tacking] down his power, but you must - there some- Ching more in that. You would [must] understand how to use something else there. Gth a brand-new indelible pencil that's never been used before, with a piece of [] parchment paper, and that landlord name must be on that parchment paper. d take that parchment paper and put it into a coconut and bury his power down i che ground. [Here landlord's power is his name.]
(Where?)
Anywhere! Anywhere!
(All right.)
And if you throw it in the Mississippi River, you make him get in trouble. But bury it in the ground anywhere you please and that house won't be rented until the wood in it almost be rotten down. I have done that [this rite] myself. (Now, I didn't quite understand about those six tacks in the room - in that back room. How do you put those six tacks in the back room?) Put one in one corner [he points], one in that corner, one in that corner, one in that corner, one in the middle of the floor [here is a balanced quincunx], and BACK one just three feet - make 1, 2, 3, three steps from the [back] door and put that one there - that six [sixth] tack you put there. And three you put over the one [front] door and three you put over another [middle] door. That's your twelve tacks that you got. You pinning down that man not to rise in successive prosperity [one prosperity after another]. FRONT That is called hoodoo. [This two-room-house diagram is a study in triangulation. To begin we have a second quincunx. superimposed upon a normal quincunx.. which gives us 8 triangles, actually many more which are useless for our present purpose. Notice that the 3 doors are guarded: the front and middle ones by 3 tacks each, the back by 1 tack, totaling 7 tacks. These latter will keep out any spirit sent by landlord's hoodoo doctor to umcross the house. The cross on the house is the original quincunx. The off-center or second quincunx was not intended or forseen by our hoodoo doctor. This seventh tack should have been in the center and under the back door. However, the 3 steps from the back door were sufficient since this involved the Three Holy Names.]
(You pin him down not to rise?)
Not to rise.
(I see, I understand.) [New Orleans, La., (863), 1383:2.]
[Scattered throughout the text of the preceding four volumes are a good many frog and toad rites. Here in this section we shall learn more about the manipu- lation of these small animals, how brutal and demoralizing magic and superstition can be - a strange world indeed, as I said on page 1 of HOODOO.]
Entry 1658
I've heard that if you - if somebody is trying to harm you - well, like you know me, you come to me if I know anything and you ask me about it. Well, I'll tell you what to do. Now, you go to the river, turn around, turn your back to it.
(Turn your back to the river.)
First, to the running water, then you turn your face.
(Oh, then you turn your face to the river.)
Like this [demonstrates].
(Put your hands over your eyes.)
Over your eyes and ask de Lord, "Lord, please help me."
("Lord, please help me.")
It's all gone - it's all gone.
Entry 2984
You could make the candle go out easy. It's a simple thing. Get to running water. Go there three times a day - any running water you go to, if you can get to the river. You can tell w'ah [whether] ah got a candle burning or not on you, because your head's done always feel hurted. Regardless of what you use, it's not going to stop your head from hurting. But if you think of it, go to the river - that's running water. Bathe your head three times. I mean - you see, just put your head - take your hand and throw water and let it run back to your neck and run on down there. It's nothing if you wet your clothes. Just let it run on down, see. Three times. You just duck your head three times and let that water run back on you like that. You do that three times a day and that will put the candles out.
Entry 5507
If yo' wan' anybody leave home an' wan'a send 'em away fo' good, jis' git de dirt undah de lef' foot an' mix it wit cayenne peppah an' carry it tuh a stream of watah. An' git some of de hair, if yo' kin; but if yo' cain't, jis' git de track. An' yo' take dat an' cayenne peppah an' go tuh a stream of watah, a runnin' sorean of watah, an' throw it in de stream of watah. An' dey'll go jis' de way d atah will go.
Entry 5622
Take up dere track an' put it in [put in it] some salt, cookin' salt, an' throw it in de runnin' watah - lak a rivah yo' know. Throw it in de runnin' - be sure an' throw it in de runnin' watah an' dat will run yo' 'way from yo' home.
Entry 5763
Dey says tuh git holt of yore foot track. Dey would git chure left- foot track. Dey'd start at de toe an' bring it back tuh de heel, an' den dey would take dat track an' carry it tuh de rivah, if dey wanted tuh run yo' away. An' dey would throw dat ovah de lef' shouldah in de rivah, an' walk off an' not look back.
Entry 5870
[This is one of several informants who stuttered.]
Lose yore strength wit chure hair. Ah hear 'em say dey kin do it. (What do they say they can do with that? How do they do that? What have you beardthem say?) [There was a considerable pause between each question. A stutterer was not casy to interview.] Ah heard 'em say dat dey kin take yore hair an' den put it in de rivah. Yes.
(Throw it into the water?)
Yes, sir, an' put it in a piece of bread, I hear 'em say.
(Put it in a piece of bread?)
Put it in a piece of bread firs'. Take de hair an' put it in a piece of bread, an' den dey wrap it around [with a cord], an' put a [small] rock around it a' drop it in de rivah, an' a fish will git it. Some big fish will git holt of it, an' when dey carries it dat run yo' crazy. Yeah, I heard 'em tell dat, too. Yes, I've heard dat.
Entry 5913
Dey say dey kin use yore hair tuh run yo' crazy - do things yo' ought not tuh do. Dey say yo' go foolish an' jump ovahbo'd - sompin lak dat.
(All right, how would they do that with the hair.)
Some of 'em say dey would take it an' bury it, or carry it - git some grave- yard dirt an' put it in a sack togethah an' throw it in de rivah, an' dat'll run yo' crazy or yo' go ovahbo'd yo'self.
Entry 6274
(Who would do this?)
A man or woman, eithah one. Dey take some of yore hair out de top heah an' put it in a bottle, an' put about fo' or five drops yore watah [urine] in dere, an' put it in some runnin' watah. Stop dat bottle up tight an' chunk it in dat rivah yo' see. Yo' couldn't come back no mo' an' yo' wouldn't know whut de cause.
Entry 6318
Dey kin take yuh hair, so ah learnt, an' yo' kin take it an' put it in a piece of new white homespun. Yuh kin throw dat in de rivah. Dat kin run yo' crazy.
Entry 8878
Tuh run yo' crazy.
(How do they do that?)
How dey do dat? Well, dey jes' goes tuh runnin' watah an' lets dat stay dere fo' so many - yo' know, a while. An' dey take it up an' dey takes dey 'nitials an' put de 'nitials on dere in a piece of cloth, an' throw it intuh de rivah, see. Dat jes' keep yo jes' all stirred up. (They simply take my handwriting and throw it in the water. That's all they do?) Throw it in de watah. Put chure 'nitials if dey kin git de - yo' know have yore 'nitials off de lettah. An' dat keep yo' goin'.
Entry 25
Yo' could write a person name on a piece of papah an' throw it ovahbo'd an' it would cause dem to go. It would cause dem to jump ovahbo'd - jes' like yo' throw it in a rivah, it would cause dem to go an' jump in de rivah.
Entry 128
If you see a light and you follow that light and keep on following the light, do you think you're going to get to that light? You can't get to it. It's quite likely it's way out in the river and you'll walk overboard. If your parents are terribly, terribly smart and they should look out at nighttime and see those lights, they said, "This is a night for jack-o'-lanterns. I'm going to put an iron in the fire, my children are out, ' for feared they will get led off by jack-o'-lanterns. They used to take a poker from the fire hearth. I put it right along these ashes in the fire and let it stay right there. It will make the jack-o'-lanterns vanish, they tell me. Keep it right there until the children get back. Of course after that they had nothing to worry about.
Entry 261
You take a black cat on a dark stormy night an' go in a swamp an' take this cat, an' let the water be boilin', an' drops this cat in there. Then you gits all his bones togethah an' take 'em - after you finish boilin' - take the bones an' go down to a stream of watah an' drops these bones in the watah. An' when you do that, they say the devil will raise up from the other side of de rivah an' shake your hand. An' they say you then have sold yourself to de devil an' you cannot be harmed by no human person.
Entry 263
You go in front of a fireplace and take all your clothes off and take a black cat and put him in a pot of boiling hot water, alive, and turn around three times in front of the fireplace, then take the cat and the hot water and carry him down to a stream and pour him in this running stream water. Then you've sold yourself tc the devil.
Entry 289
Well, tuh git a black cat lucky bone is to take a cat an' - don't put him in de watah no sooner den yo' kill him an' don't throw him in dere alive. Yo' take a cat an' walk by him three times 'fore yo' kill him, an' say, "Ah kill dis cat in de Name of de Father, Son an' Holy Ghost," an' on de last word kill him - mash his haid an' then throw him in de pot an' let him boil thoroughly. Den aftah dis cat is boiled, yo' see de first bone dat sticks up, yo' reach in dat pot of hot watah an' snatch it up an' spit on it an' rub it in yore hands - rub it all ovah yuh.
(Rub it in your hand and rub it all over you?)
All ovah yo' - jes' rub it in yore han' an' rub it all ovah yo'. An' let de cat boil dere fo' a few minutes. An' den take dat cat an' go to a rivah or a creek, anything [where water runs] an' chunk him in dere an' yo' jes' stand in de one place right where yo' are - jes' stand dere. One of those bones will settle right back to the bank of the watah. Ah don' care how fast de watah is runnin', dat bone's comin' back to de bank. Well, den, co'se yo' jes' reach right in de watah an' pick it up. Yo' take dat - dem two bones yo' got from dat black cat. That will give yo' all de luck in de worl' - all de luck yo' want - it runs contin'lly - dat will give yo' all de luck in de world. Yo'll git in trouble but chew'll git out.
(That's the lucky bone?)
Dat's right.
Entry 324
Ah heard dat yo' could take a black cat at fo' a'clock on a Sunday mawnin' an' carry him at de fo'k of a road - carry a pot 'long wit chew or have yore pot dere. An' dey tells me now - ah don' know - dat yo' take dat cat an' put him in dat pot alive an' kiver him up airtight - boil him. An' after he's done, take dat pot an' go set down by a stream of runnin' watah an' yo' commence pullin' out bones from dat cat an' yo' pull dem till yo' git to de ninth bone. Yo' take dat ninth bone an' take keer of it.
(That ninth bone?)
Yes. Now, yo' got take ca' of it. Yo' take dat bone an' yo' carry it an' git good whiskey an' put it in a bottle an' drop dat bone down in dere, an' dat bone or dat whiskey offa dat bone, if a person is sick or poisoned, a teaspoonful of dat whiskey - sometimes, if he gwine git cured dey comes near tuh killin' him - give a teaspoonful of dat if he's poisoned.
Entry 572
Well, this is fact - ah seen this. Ah went with a girl once to a hoodoo an' her husban' wus sick, an' he wus with anothah woman. See. An' he stayed sick, jes' goin' bad. An' so he tole her tuh go back an' look in de pillah an' she'd find a ball of strange feathers in dere. An' so she went back and she got de feathers out an' it wus a ball of owl feathers dat he wus sleepin' on. Yo' see, yo' take dose owl feathers an' yo' put 'em in yore pillah, see dey won't mix - dey ain't goin' mix wit de othah feathers, dey'll ball up together. An' sleep on it, see, an' dat runs yo' crazy, kill yo'.
(What did they do with them then, those feathers?)
Dey took 'em an' throwed 'em in de rivah, an' dat runs de othah person on 'bout dere business.
(The hoodoo man - was he colored or white?)
He wus colored.
Entry 826
You take nine pins an' fold 'em a certain way an' stick 'em in a piece of papah - I knew a girl, the reason I [know this]. I know a girl gota hold a girl's han'writin' one time. Dey wus arguin' about a fellah. This woman took this han'writin' an' these nine pins an' pinned them all roun' togethah. (How did she pin that around?) She pinned them somepin like a coffin.
(On this piece of paper?)
Yeah. She pinned dem pins all around like a coffin. An' she told her child to throw this in de river - in runnin' watah. This girl didn't live ovah three or four months afterward. Now, dat's cruel. She couldn't been jis' gon'a die anyhow. But that's whut happened [1926 in Richmond]. ["383 - woman about 50 - bootlegger" - Numbers Book 340-442.]
Entry 952
You can take their shoes and carry them down to the river at noontime and let the water run over them. Take them back and let them dry. On a full moon go down to this river, call, and keep calling them. And when they have them shoes on they'll walk into the river and drown themselves.
Entry 1000
It kinda makes me feel funny to tell it. It was at Norfolk [Virginia]. That was in 1917. This woman had been sick for quite some time. The doctors did not seem to understand what was the trouble with her. They did everything they could for her but nuthin seemed to do her no good. Finally they got a different kind of doctor. It was a woman who was supposed to understand all about it. When she came she looked at her and she said, "Can't you see this snake?" She meant she was tricked by a snake. "Why, the time is past when she should die. She should have been dead a month ago. It is only her vitality that kept her alive." She said she would try to do what she could for her. She [the sick woman] said she didn't want to make nobody else in the condition she was in. [She did not want her condition turned back on the person who had caused it.] So she [the doctor] got a chicken she could throw this disease on instead of throwing it on to a person. They kept it upstairs in the room next to the woman. "Keep it well fed [said the doctor]." She didn't want the chicken to die. "Don't let no one touch the chicken [said the doctor]." If anyone got a hold of that chicken they would kill it. They didn't want the people downstairs to kill it, for they knew what it was there for. They thought these people were causing that sickness. After they got this chicken, sure enough the girl began to get better. At that time they use to get at least a quart of bran every day from that bed. It came off of her skin. It looked like - you seen husks of the meal after corn [maize] is ground. After they used to take that up from the sheet they used to put it in a paper bag and carry it and throw it into the river. They said that would help to get her well. It came off of her body each day - the skin rubbed off. You have seen the scales rubbed off of a fish. Her skin looked just like that, just like people begin to peel around the nails in scarlet fever. The woman told her she would have to cross water. The doctors they didn't want them to bring her away. They didn't have a case like that. They wanted to follow the case to the end. She came on here [to New York City]. She didn't live long after she got here, her condition was so weak. I guess it was the change of climate, too. I don't know what happen after I left. home to the chicken. That chicken walking around, I tell you what it was like - it got on my nerves. The stuff from the bowels of that chicken would be just as green as grass - poison. [The doctor correctly diagnosed this severe case of desquamation as caused by a snake; correctly, hoodooically speaking. Doesn't a snake shed it's skin? Much more is involved. We have here a rare situation. A snake tricked into a patient fails to create; that is, fails to develop into a snake from a swallowed snake egg, or to reform the original snake body from dead-snake powder. Had the snake egg or powder created a body, the living body of this snake within the patient could have been removed easily (see margin-title Live Things in You, p.227, and Index). Instead of a living snake we have a snake spirit. How does a snake spirit display itself? A patient will act like a snake: crawl, dart out tongue or run it round lips [as a snake is supposed to do), have long sleep periods (hibernation), and peel off skin (ecdysis). Our doctor combines three rites, the magic three: if the healthy chicken fails to attract the snake spirit from the patient, the fish scales (snake scales) when thrown into running water will carry away a part of the snake spirit (Part of Spirit Equals Whole of Spirit, p.21); and if these two fail, the patient crossing water will loose the snake spirit - spirit cannot cross water.]
Entry 1003
Yo' let 'em bowels move an' put it in a bucket or can an' go to de rivah an' throw it in de rivah. Go dere fo' nine mawnin's.
(What will that do then?)
Git chew straight so yo' kin git out an' git tuh walkin' an' do an' talk to yo'self. (If a person is hoodooed and you want to cure him, you take his stool and put it in a can in the water?) In de watah. Throw it in de rivah. Co'se he kin walk ovah dere an' jes' throw it in de rivah.
(But he must do that for nine mornings.)
Nine mawnin's, throw it in dere.
(Do you throw it in there any special way?)
No way - jes' throw it in dere an' walk right off - away, ain't gotta stay round dere.
Entry 1848
Now, heah's anothah instant [instance] - if yo' wanta run a person outa town, yo' write dere name. Yo' git a hen aig an' yo' write dere name dis way nine times all ovah de aig, an' take it to de rivah an' throw it in de rivah an' make a wish. Yo' got tuh always make a evil wish jis' lak you said, "That son-of-a-bitch leave town. See, an' throw it in de rivah - lak de Mississippi Rivah out dere, yo' know dat goes ever'where. An' dat'll give 'em de walkin' blues - dey'll walk outa town.
Entry 2259
Tuh keep de [bill] collector - tuh keep him away from yore do' [some indistinct words].
(You take river water?)
Yo' kin take it but yo' gotta git that watah an' keep it from one yeah to anothah. Yo' gotta git it on de 24th day of June [St. John the Baptist's Day]. Dat's whut chew call St. John watah an' yo' put it in yore bottle an' yo' keep de haid turn up an' yo' collector or yore landlord neither ain't goin' worry yo' too much. Ain't nobody goin' break up yore business. The laws won't come around or anything. The laws won't bother yo'.
(You just take water out of the river.)
Yo' git de clear watah out de rivah wit chure prayers. Yo' gotta pray - any prayer. Our Father - dat's de Lord's Prayer.
(That's St. John's water?)
St. John water an' yo' call him fo' protection an' he'll protect yo'.
(You just have the head of that bottle pointed out the door?)
Out de do' - dat keep 'em off. If he comin' - yo' jis' take dat bottle when yo' think yore landlord's comin' or yore enemies is comin', yo' take yore bottle an' yo' roll it. Yo' roll it wit chure feet - an' den roll it right back where it come from at de do'. [This is one of several magic rolling rites confined to the New Orleans area - rolling a bottle, a candle, a coconut, anything (see Rolling in Index).] [St. John's water is also a health measure, like May water (No. 986, p.381 and Index), and consequently a protection from evil. In Teutonic folklore St. John's fire was lighted on the night of June 24 to ward off sickness and misfortune for the coming year. The preceding evening of June 23 - Saint John's Eve or Mid- summer Eve - was the beginning of various rites.]
Entry 2379
Like I go out - I could get the dirt but they hardly can pick up the tracks unless you is bare-feeted. Then they can do more with the track, but just your foot track like that with your shoes - they can't get next to your necked [naked] feet.
(I see.)
But if you're bare-feeted and that, they can pick up your tracks good.
(Well, how would they do that, then?)
Well, if they can get behind you - but hardly ever you can get behind anybody to pick up their tracks.
(Why is that?)
Well, some people don't walk bare-feeted for you to pick up their tracks, you see.
(I see.)
But people in the country, you know, mostly walks bare-feeted and they can pick up their tracks, because most of them is bare-feeted sometimes. They'll walk bare-feeted - well, you can pick up their track right in the middle of their feet. But some people's got hollows in their feet where you can't. Flat-feeted folks you can do that because the whole foot goes down, you know. (Well, what would they do with that dirt after they gather it up?) [She will repeat my gather.] Well, they gather that dirt and fix it up, and they'll go to a river or any- thing what's running.
[I will repeat her fix.]
(How do they fix that dirt up?)
[See Introduction for this occasional back and forth exchange.]
Fix - they gets water - they goes and gets something like what they call war water. They can buy that in the drug store, war water. Just mix that up with that in a glass or something so that it will dry, and then when it dry, they'll go to the river and then throw it over their shoulder right down the stream [channel] what's going down the river. That'll make you keep adrifting.
Entry 2744
You've gotta know something about de Bible to do it. Comes from de devil, let it go on back [to him]. I would nevah try to do nothing to people and I wouldn't, and ah don't put no spells. De people come and dey says, "Well, could you put dis back." It don't work. Long as I git you well and work for yo' happiness, then it's all that's necessary. (Well, what sort of cure do you use? If I came to you and - had a spell put on me, what sort of a cure would you use?) Well, de first thing ah'd do - I heals, too. That's the next thing. The first thing I heals and then I use salt. Salt is used fer a thousand things that is good and bad. I puts this salt on a plate, saucer, then the party that's sick, I let them make a hole in dis salt wit de big finger [demonstrates].
(Of the left hand.)
Any hand but jest only dis finger - not de index finger, the middle finger. And then I repeats certain words from de Bible and let dem repeat after me and tell em - oh, yes, ah pour alcohol in it and let it burn, and de word dat dis light goes out on, it [sickness] stops right there. Then they must sleep over dis salt overnight. Then take it to the deep rivah and throw dis salt in de rivah and let it go. That watah running and dis salt will take away your con- ditions. Course dere's nothing you kin do fer nobody if they don't believe nothing. If a person don't believe nothing - nothing doin'. Becus if dey comes tuh me and if ah'm even jest goin'tuh heal dem ordinarily, ah says, If you don't be- lieve in God and you don't believe ah kin, ah don't wanta bother with you - no use using de energy:"' And then I always repeat certain words over a person when ah'm healin 'em.
(Are those words a secret? Or something you wouldn't want to tell me?)
"May it please thee, O Jehoges, to prosper" - I mean, "May it be thou most holy will, O El Mejah to heal de body and soul of dis person." You gotta call de mother's name and de person that you are healin'. "May it be thou most holy will, O El Mejah, to heal de body and soul of John or Susan, free 'em from plague and oppression."
(What were those words that you read out of the Bible? Were those secret?)
No, dat wouldn't be secret. It would be secret to people dat come to see me but not secret to persons dat knows - you know what I mean, if you understand. It's the loth Psalm of the Book of Moses. [We must remember here as well as everywhere in hoodoo, the Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses - probably in a number of versions and under various names - is considered by believers to be a part of the Bible.] Dis one dat keeps running in mah mind is de Psalm dat you read three times befo' sunrise. Dat's de 4th Psalm. That is in order to accomplish things that you desire. There's a certain name, a certain spirit, that you call upon.
(Is this Psalm in the Bible or in the Book of Moses?)
Both - but de meanings is in de Book of Moses - Sixth and Seventh Book of Moses. The 10th Psalm - well dat Psalm whut you use fo' healing and removing conditions from a person.
(Do you use any other book in addition to Sixth and Seventh Book of Moses?)
You kin take and look in de Sixth and Seventh Book of Moses and find out whut to read, and den you go in yo' Bible and read it from yo' Bible. You go to the fo' corners Of the earth and you take nine new keys and you call the spirit of this person - nine keys and walk to the four corners and you call the spirit. Yo' go dere at midnight and you call de spirit of de person whut you Want and this person will come. You worry 'em - de spirit [identified later] will worry 'em. Yo' send out yore thoughts through dese new keys and that brings the person back that you desire to.
(You mean the spirit of the dead person back?)
[This also brings the spirit of a living person.]
Yes, because you are sending out a self-conscious mind and yo' sending out the Spirit forces to bring this one back what chew want.
(Why do you bring this person's spirit back?)
Why do you do it? Well, because you wanta see this person that's away. When you making charms you use sugar with Adam-and-Eve, tea, coffee and sugar, 'cause everybody likes sugar in dey coffee or sugar in dey tea, and you mix that three together in your charm. That's the onliest way ah knows.
(What is the charm for?)
The charm is fo' those things ah told you about while ago, but chew gotta put Adam-and-Eve in it. If Adam-and-Eve is in, it holds the two together close, the man and wife, or sweetheart and friend.
Entry 2859
They burn a candle on it and turn it down. Do you know why ah knows this? (Now wait a minute. [I demonstrate.] Here's the photograph. The face is up. Now what do you do? How do you put the candle on there? This is the candle. You set the candle on the face like that?) You turn de bottom up. (You turn the face down and the bottom is up, and you put the candle right on top of it - right in the center like that., [This makes a quincunx - p.710 and Index.] What kind of candle do you use?) You use a black candle.
(Just one. And do you say anything or do anything when you do this?)
Yes, you say something, "I want her to sink to the bowels [of the earth]." That means to die. You burn it nine times dere, nine mornings.
(Then what happens?)
Well, if someone don't hurry an' do something, dey be sure gone. Well, you know why ah know that. You see ah had a sister, she was almost dead and she went to - she had to get her photo made, see. I say, "Maybe somebody got chure photo." She say, "Oh, ah suffer wit mah haid." She looked like she was going crazy. Well, ah took a new needle - new needles and pins and crossed 'em.
(Where did you cross them?)
Fo' to make de headache go off, put de pin right dere - brand-new - in her hair, right in de mole [mold of her head]. Den you cross it, you see. An'den after you cross it, you take some Hearts Perfume, dampen it all together and den take some camphor and put it right dere - on chere [demonstrates]. (Put it right on there on that hair at the ears. And then did her headache stop?) It sure did. And then when it stopped I say to her, say, "Now, you go and get your photo." And she went to get her photo. Dey have a - [a privy] in de back yard, a fren' girl of her. She was kind of mad with her about her husband. You see, she had mah sister's husband and mah sister liked tuh die. An' sure 'nuff, when she went in there [the privy], she had her photo behind the door with that candle on it.
[See margin-title IN THE ToILET, p.826 and Scatologic rites in Index.]
(That black candle on it.)
Mah sister took dat candle and took it and throw it in de river. And her and dat woman had a fight about it, but she got her photo and dat candle. She liked tuh been dead. Well, your picture, they can bury your picture. They can bury your picture bottom down. That'll make you drag: Your head'll be hurtin' you all the time, pain, and your head ache.
(How do they burn that on you?)
They say they light a candle, burn a candle to put you down - with the picture down, you see. With the picture down - they can't do nothing with it up, you see. They have the face down, you see. (What kind of a candle do they burn? How do they fix that candle up? What do they do?) Well, that candle, you see. They put the candle in a saucer, you see, and as for the saucer, they lay it right on top of the picture, you see, and they let it burn, you see. And you burn that candle for nine days, see.
(What times? Right on through?)
Right on through.
(Never let it go out?)
Never let it go out atall - nine days, right in that dark corner - right up in the corner, you see. Nine days.
(What color candle do they use? A white candle for that?)
Well, they generally use a black candle when they want to do evil.
(I see.)
A white candle - it's for goodness, see. Evil is a black candle.
Entry 2931
Lak if ah wus goin' tuh co't today, ah'd go tuh de rivah an' ah'd git me - lak if ah had tuh go tuh co't tomorrow, ah'd go tuh de rivah tonight, see. Well de watah's muddy. Ah'd git me a quart bottle of watah. An' ah'd take me about a nickel of sugah, white sugah, an' ah'd put in dere. Ah'd take a lemon an' ah'd open it an' ah'd squeeze de juice of dat lemon in dere. Ah would take de judge's name, see. Lak if his name is Judge Andrews, ah'd take his name. See, dat'd be fo' mahself, an' some honey an' some sugah. Write his name an' git me a white candle.
(Would you write his name just once?)
Well, dat's all jis' in a co't case. Er, no, yo' write his name nine times on de piece of papah.
(How would you write it?)
Well, yo' kin write - fo' de judge, yo' write it [demonstrates] disaway an', write it disaway an' that way an' come back an' write it that way.
(Cross it.)
Yes. An' yo' leave that burn at night, an' leave dat lemon - dat watah from de rivah set there to that lemon. Tomorrah mawnin' when yo' git up tuh git ready tuh go tuh co't, yo' take some of dat watah an' yo' drink it, a glassful, of dose little glasses - take one lak dat full [demonstrates] an' drink dat. An' when yo' be goin' out, yo' leave from de house, yo' take de rest of de watah an' throw it behin' yo', but don't nevah look aroun' - jis' throw dat behin' yore back, see. An' when yore case come up, well, he'll keep on settin' it back. He'll nevah call yo', jis' keep on settin' it back until yore case nevah be called again. Dat makes yo' win de case - it nevah be's called. (Now when you burn that candle, do you burn it just a little bit or burn it all night long?) Yo' let it burn all night long till, yo' know until it burns down.
Entry 2983
You go to de rivah an' gi' choo a bottle of watah. You come back an' you take you a glassful fer nine mornin'. You stan' in de back do' or windah an' say yore prayers ovah it. You t'row it ovah yore haid. An' you use St. Raymond pitchure an' burn a white light to it. An' dat'll put de can'les out.
Entry 3071
We have a great man heah by de name of Doctor Buzzard. He did all dat kinda stuff an' he could see yo' befo' yo' came. He's right cross dis rivah.
(His name is Doctor Buzzard. Where does he live?)
He lives right ovah at Beaufort, S'uth Ca'lina - right cross in de - lak on a little island dere. It's a little island planted dere by itself.
(Is he still alive?)
He's still alive, he is. See, yo' git in de cane [canebrake], cross country dere. He has two large cane buzzards dat is large as eagles. Ah don't know how dey know how to row de boat - maybe it's a motor in it, but dey say ole buzzards rows it, one sittin' in de bow an' one in de stern. Say, when yo' gits dere, yo' go up dere an' go in de boat. Well, dey rows yo' right cross de rivah wit dey wings.
(Anybody else in the boat?)
Nobody else but those two buzzards - jes' dese two buzzards an' dey gits yo' to de landin'. When yo' git to de landin' he be standing at his house dere, an' he say, "Ah knew yo' wus comin'. Ah know de time yo' left home dis mawnin'." Say, "Ah know whut chew came after. Yo' came tuh git roots to kill so-an'-so Yo' came to git roots to run someone - sech-an'-sech a one away." Say, "Well, ah have 'em already fixed fo' yo." He had 'em already wrapped, an' yo' moden apt to carry it [away when you left]. An' he say, "Mah money, yo' jes' put it on yore mantelpiece tonight an' it will be brought to me." An'yocould put it anywhere in yore house an' tell him where yo' would put it befo' yo' leave. But if yo' tell him a story - that chew goin' put it sech-an'-sech a place an' don't put it nowhere an' den he don't git it - he goin' give yo' a stroke fo' life or - dere's many men been messed up tryin' tuh cheat him yo' see.
Entry 3761
He kin git 'is nature back ag'in through de same way ah said. He kin take some gourds or one gourd an' beat it up wit saltpetah an' sulphur an' jes' bathe himself down dere - pahtic'lah dova. An' take it to a rivah an' throw it gsMr, an den dat'll be.off of 'im an' he'll becoe jes' as he once wus.
Entry 3819
[The sense of this badly recorded cure can be restored:] If woman has man tied up by measurin' an' wearin' [measuring] string, [if she] cross watah - when yo' [she] cross watah, she [nature] come back to yo'. [But otherwise] as long as she wear dat [you won't have any nature except for her.] [For a better insight into crossing water in witchcraft, I recommend an unusual rite, which I will quote in full because it comes from an out-of-print and limited-edition book to be found only in university, college or large library:] [When my boy was little we lived up here near Ursa [[Adams County, Illinois]]. We had an old aunt that was terrible. Well, the truth is, she was a witch. She often said when she milked her cow, she milked every cow in the neighborhood, which is true. Everyone knew it, for if she was milking her cow, no one around could get a drop of milk. Everyone was afraid of her too, afraid she would put a spell on them. I didn't think she would hurt us, but she did. My little boy was strong. He took sick in the legs, he got so weak he could not walk at all. We would put him down and he would fall right over, could not stand on his legs. We took him to the doctor in Ursa, he could not find anything wrong with my boy. We waited several days, then we brought him to Quincy to Dr.x. He could not find a thing wrong. Then I started to thinking maybe our aunt had a spell on our boy and had him in her power. My husband said, "We will take him to one more doctor and if he does not find anything wrong, we will know he is bewitched and will have to take the spell off some way. Well, we took him to the third doctor [M.D.]. It was just the same answer, nothing wrong. It's an old saying, a witch can't follow you over a body of water, if you go one way and come back another way. As soon as you start over the water, she loses her power; but if you come back the same way, she gets her power back. We came to Quincy with the boy, went down to the river, took the ferry boat across the river, carrying my boy - he could not walk, was so weak. Then we walked up to the old bridge and started to walk back to Quincy on the wagon side of the bridge. WHEN WE GOT HALF OVER THE BRIDGE THE BOY WANTED DOWN. WE PUT HIM DOWN. I AM TELLING YOU THE TRUTH, HE STARTED RIGHT OUT TO WALKING AND WALKED ACROSS THE BRIDGE WHEN HE HAD NOT WALKED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. The spell was broken and he was strong in the legs again. Right after that, the old aunt - I should say witch - got down sick and could not walk for several years. So we knew she was the one that had our boy in a spell. She is dead now [[FACI, 2nd ed., p.893.]].] [If I am not mistaken, another crossing-water rite will appear in volume 3 or 4 of HOODOO.1
Entry 3826
Bath [not bathe] yoreself wit runnin' watah an' ammonia fo' nine maw- nin's - dis cleanin' ammonia an' cinnamon. Bathe yo'self fo' nine mawnin's wit three diff'ren' mixed watah. Whut I mean by three diff'ren' mixed watahs' yo' git rivah watah, rain watah an' well watah. Do dat fo' nine mawnin's, an' aftah yo' finish bathin', yo' takes an' throws it ovah yore shouldah towards de sunrise. (Which shoulder? [Demonstrates.] That right shoulder?) Yes, sir. Your right shoulder. [The reader will notice this rite has no purpose, an omission that rarely happened. If I turned on my recording machine too late or stopped it too soon, I always managed to add the purpose to the cylinder. I have two written comments in the original MS about the present instance: the one, an early pen- ciled note small piece added to this, the other, a recent self-evident note transcriber omitted my comment. Here it is:] (Now, you just gave me one [a cure] of this - for when a woman has a man tied up. That [3 waters] will bring back his nature. That's the idea isn't it?)
[True, I am asking for a yes answer, but the answer is in the rite itself.]
Yes, sir.
Entry 3977
An' ah heard dat dey could take a woman's period an' throw it in de rivah, see, an' let it stay in de stream, an' when de watah go down dat will cause her tuh go on away.
Entry 4505
Well, now, dey kin take yuh watah whut chew bath in an' yuh kin take dat watah an' po' out jes' like de sediment - dey ketch de sediment, de bottom. Dey don't ketch de top, git de bottom part of de dirt. It's from, yuh know, what comes from de hide. Yuh undahstan' me, from yuh hide. See, de sediment goes into de bottom. De watah dirty on top, but chew kin take time an' po' it out an' ketch de drainin's. Ketch dat dust. All right. Yuh'll take dat an keep it fer twelve days, undahstan' me. Den aftah de twelve days, yuh'll take it an' yuh'll go tuh a creek, forward, an' don't nevah look back. Whilst yuh's goin' it's diff'run', yuh mind is on goin' to dat creek. Don't look back'tall fer nuthin. When yuh get to de creek - yuh gets tuh de creek or rivah or what- somevah it is an' throw it back like dat. Yuh take dis han' heah [demonstrates].
(Your left hand.)
Dis han' here, dis yore heart. Throw it ovah dere an' go on about chure business. Don't look back.
(You throw it over your right shoulder?)
Yes, take dat lef' han'
(What will that do then?)
Well, dat is - dat man dat yuh wants tuh do dat tuh, dat gives 'i, he cain't stay nowheres. He has tuh jes' - see, de creek is got dat goin', an' jes' like he is goin'. He be here an' aroun' tuhday an' tuhmorrah in anothah little town somewheres, an' on an' on, unless yuh save a little of dat watah an' yuh git tired of 'im goin'. Yuh save a little watah an' change it. Go tuh a creek an' take dis han' an' throw it ovah. An' aftah it gits far as yuh wanta - if it git fer enough from yuh, dere ain't no way fer 'im tuh git back, becuz he'll nevah have de mind tuh git back tuh yuh. (In other words, if you want him to stop roaming, you take the other hand, the right hand, and throw this stuff over the left shoulder.) Yes sir, ovah de right shouldah [see correction later]. Take yuh lef' han' an' throw it ovah yuh right shouldah [see correction later].
(That's to get rid of him?)
Yes. (What's to make him stop then, when you take that other piece of dirt? When you go back to the creek the second time?) Well, yuh save some of dat sediment an' throw it ovah yuh left-han' shouldah [here is the correction] but don't look back. Well dat stops 'im. (You take the right hand and throw it over the left shoulder. I see.)
Entry 4507
Take dat watah an' stop it up an' go throw it in de Mis'sippi Rivah. An' if dey throw it in de Mis'sippi Rivah, yuh'll keep on jes' like de watah drift, yuh'll drift like dat.
(What would you stop up?) Take dat watah an' ketch it. (What water?) Take de watah yuh take a bath in. (I see.)
An' stop it up in a bottle right tight, an' take it an' throw it in de Mis'sippi Rivah; an' if dey throw it in de Mis'sippi Rivah, de cork can't come out. Jes' as long as dat bottle is stopped up, dat bottle goin' tuh float. An' yuh'll go.
(You'll go. What's going to happen to you?)
Huh? Yuh'll get drownded.
(I see.)
Entry 4859
I heard also that if you have something against a person and you want to harm the person, you take some of their clothes and throw it in the river and it will run the person crazy. [Snow Hill, Md., (85, a school teacher from near Richmond, Va.), 1:4,5.]
Entry 4861
Ah knows about how a man kin take an' cut de seat out of a soiled pair of bloomahs whut de woman wore. An' he kin take it an' go tuh de rivah when de tide goin' down, an' he kin throw it in de watah ten steps backwards from dat an' don' look back, an' dat will always keep 'er wit him. See, dat will keep 'er mind on 'im all de time. [Normally I would say this rite sends her away, but intention is everything. Besides, clothes going out with the tide will come back with the tide. Or to put it another way; if she ever leaves she will return. Then again, the clothes could be thrown backwards towards the retreating Water but not actually into it. Symbolically he invites the woman to leave, just as he departs without looking back; then, before the tide turns, he retrieves the clothes.]
Entry 5077
Take a man's sock an' yuh kin run 'im away wit 'is sock - his lef' sock. Carry it tuh a rivah or eithah a creek, any place like dat where it's runnin' watah; an' jis' which way dat watah runs, dat's de way he'll go - drift jis' dat way.
Entry 5260
Yo' kin take de right-foot shoe of a man, if yo' won't want tuh be bothahed, an' yo' take table salt an' a pod of red peppah - not li'le brown pep- pah, de red peppah. Go tuh a train where a box- car an' tack it up dere an' dat party will leave. Or yo' kin do de same thin' an' carry it tuh de rivah an' put dat shoe in any watah dat's runnin' an' he will leave. Dat is true, also.
Entry 5287
All right, yo' kin take dey shoe an' yo' kin throw it in de rivah. Jis' lak dat shoe goes away, dat's how yo' goes away. Den yo' kin take it an' yo' kin bury it. When it rottens, yo' rottens away. Den yo' kin take dat shoe an' yo' kin tie it on de side of a train, an' when dat train pull off yo' wonders
[wanders] away.
Entry 5291
Den he'll take his left-foot shoe. Dat'll he'p, too. Take his left- foot shoe an' carry it tuh a rivah an' tie it up in a rag an' put a brick tuh it an' carry it tuh a rivah an' throw it ovahbo'd. (What will that do then?) He can't stay dere, he'll leave town.
Entry 5328
Dey take yore foot track an' put it in a little bag, see. Throw it in derivah down de stream de way de rivah run. An' fur as de rivah carry dat, why yo' would go dat distant. Yo' would have tuh leave dat place wheresomevah yo' wus at.
Entry 5371
Yo' kin take a person's foot track an' ran 'em away. Well, perhaps some time we cain't find 'em [tracks] an' sometimes it be's so dat we cain't git de dirt from undah 'is track. Yo' might watch an' see jes' he put his feet on de concrete. Yo' kin take a clean pocket han'- ke'ch'ef an' yo' kin go dere an' jes' wipe dat track tuh yo' - wipe dat track tuh yo'. An' den yo' kin take dat han'ke'ch'ef an' yo' kin take it home. Set down wit it an' buy yo' a bran'-new box of red cayenne peppah, an' yo' kin take a teaspoon of dat cayenne peppah an' tie in de - yo' might say in de east corner of dat han'ke'- ch'ef. Dat track is all ovah dat han'ke'ch'ef [because] quite natchly [naturally] yo' wipe it lak dat, see. An' yo' take dat teaspoon of cayenne peppah an' yo'tie hit up in dere wit 'is name wrote. Yo' cross 'is name an' yo' tell 'im tuh go an' yo' put a bad name - yo' put a bad word tuh hit, on dere name. '[Bad name] an' ah wish yo'd go an' don' stay nowhere yo' go in peace." An' tie it up an' carry it tuh de rivah 'fore de sunrise. Throw it in runnin' watah an' he'll leave.
Entry 5448
She will git 'is track an' go tuh de graveyard an' git some graveyard dirt an' put it in a piece of cloth, an' carry it tuh a rivah an' chunk it down de stream, an' tell 'im tuh go, an' he'll go.
Entry 5508
Well now, if yo' got a man an' yo' wan's tuh drive him away - ah mean, If yo' wan'a git rid of 'im, yo' git some dirt outa his shoe track an' git some Wdr out of haid, out de top of 'is haid, an' tie dat intuh a rag an' throw it ia rummin' stream of watah, goin' downstream, an' dat will carry 'im away.
Entry 5644
Take de foot tracks out from behin' somebody as dey be walkin' along, don' let 'em see yo'.
(Foot tracks?)
Both tracks, dat he [you] wanted to run away. An' take it to de rivah an' de early part of de mawnin', when yo' firs' wake up befo' yo' speak to anybody an' throw it in de rivah ovah yore lef' shoul- dah. An' walk away an' nevah look back at it an' dat'll run 'im away.
Entry 5648
If yo' have somebody nex' do' tuh yo' an' yo' wanted 'em tuh move. An' dey wuz 'sturbin' de neighborhood, yo' know, an' yo' wanted 'em tuh move. Why yo' jis' take some of de dirt outa dere right foot, an' put it in a snuffbox an' carry it tuh de rivah. An' throw it intuh de rivah 'not look back an' go on home. Dey'd move. [Waycross, Ga., (1121), 1802:5.] ap'
Entry 5652
Like dat yo' git mad wid a fellah like dat, yo' ketch 'im goin'. Ah think he mus' be goin' east, yeah. An' yo' gits nine pinches outa his right track, dey tells me, an' yo' takes it an' yo' puts it in a bottle or anything an' stop it up. An' yo' spit in it nine mawnin's. An' de en' de nine mawnin's so' carry it down to de rivah, see, an' throw it ovahbo'd. An' tell me dey'll go away from home an' won't nevah come back no mo'.
Entry 5681
Dey could go on down den an' dey could take yore track an' put it in a tater [potato].
(You mean an Irish potato?)
No sir, a potatuh, a sweet potatuh. Take yore track an' put it in a sweet potatuh an' stop it back up an' put a peg in dat tatuh an' throw it in de rivah, an' yondah yo' go. (That's to send you away?) Send joo right on away.
(Do they take both tracks or what?)
Take de lef' track, an' ag'in dey could take yore right.
Entry 5769
Take yo' footprint an' take it up on a bo'd or sompin where yo' wouldn't lose none of it, an' carry it tuh a rivah, a runnin' rivah an' throw dat in it. Why dat'll make yo' keep goin' all de time.
(How many tracks do they take up or any particular one?)
Jest one, either one.
Entry 5895
Git hold of yore hair an' ruin yo'. Take yore hair an' ball it up an' Pt sulphur, black pepper an' an ole toadfrog dust in it an' throw it in de rivah r burn it up. Dat kill yo' or make yo' sick. Yo' couldn't do nuthin.
Entry 5905
Now, so fer as de woman proposition - lak if yo' got a woman, or any man got a woman, an' yo' don't want 'er tuh leave, yo' understan'. Whut he do, he gits - dat mawnin' when he gits up, he'll call 'er Sweetheart an thin's, yo' know, an' job an' all wit 'er. Well, she might be havin' some outside man on 'im, see. De firs' thin' he'll do, he'll git up dat mawnin an' he'll plait 'er hair an' he'll take a couplah [couple of] grains of 'er hair, yo' see, an' put 'em in a can. Den go to de graveyard an' git some graveyard dirt an' put in dere, an' go to de rivah an' git some watah, an' git some of de rivah watah an' let it soak. An' aftah it soaks in dere, yo' take an' carry it back to de lavatory an' put it back of de lavatory an' leave it stay dere. [Lav- atory here is a fancy name for outdoor watercloset.] She'll nevah leave, yo Tdahstan'. YO' AN' 'ER GIT ALONG JIS' LAK TWO PEANUTS IN ONE SHELL.
Entry 5910
De graveyard dirt dey said take it an' throw it in de rivah, mix it wit yore hair an' throw it in de rivah. Dat's whut dey said, dat's if a woman wanta git away from a man or a man wanta git away from a woman. Well, ah know dat cuz ah know a woman done mah uncle dataway. She got rid of 'im, see.
Entry 5969
If anybody git any of yore hair, dey kin run yo' crazy with it. Tie it in five knots, if it's long 'nuff, an' throw it in de rivah. Ah knows dat.
Entry 6084
Well, ah heah 'em say dat dey take de hair from undah yore arms an' de top of yore-haid, an' dey say take an' tack it on a piece of pastebo'd - put it in a little bag an' tack it on a piece of paste- bo'd. Den throw it in runnin' watah an' dey say dat'll, jes' lak if yo' wanted tuh drift 'em away from yo', dey say dat would make 'em walk off in de rivah.
Entry 6307
Ah kin take yore hair an' put it in a bottle, in tiny li'le bottle, an' ah kin throw it in de rivah an' yo' goin' move - sech a thing.
Entry 6323
Ah've heard dat chew take de hair an' git a lock of hair an' pat salt an' peppah wit it. How yuh wanta know about de hair? (Well, what are you going to do with that hair now, after you put that salt and pepper with it? To harm them some way? All right.) Dat's whut ah wanta know. Ah wanta know did yo' wanta know tuh harn dem or [hrt them].
(Burt them. Either one.)
Well, yuh put salt an' peppah in dat hair, an' den yuh git dat track an' put wit dat, an' den yuh take it an' sew it in a piece of new Sea Island cloth [see later], Sea Island cloth, an' den yuh throw it in de divah. Dat's if yuh want dem tuh not think anythin' about chew atall - jis' don' vorry wit chew, don't chew know, jis' don't bothah yuh. Do dat an' throw it in de rivah an' run dere min' away from yo'.
(You take either track?)
No, yo' take de left track.
(ou want to put all those details in, in telling your story.)
[Sea Island cloth, made from Sea Island cotton (Gossypium barbadense), was so alled because this cotton with an unusually long and silky fiber Was grown on certain islands off the coast of Georgia and South Carolina, until the boll wee- lll made its culture unprofitable. If I remember correctly, this (and some in- formant under BAT) is the only occurrence of the term in Hoodoo.]
Entry 6345
Dey take de hair an' put it in a snuffbox, an' goes tuh de rivah when de tide's goin' out an' throw it ovahbo'd. Evah time de tide go an' come, why dey - don't care where dey is, an' whut kinda job dey got, why dey jis' driftin' from place tuh place.
(They are drifting all the time.)
Entry 6347
Take dat hair an' put it in a bottle of watah. Go down tuh de rivah when de tide be goin' out, yo' see, an' take dat hair an' git some of dat watah whut runnin' out - while it's floatin' - de tide be goin' out. Put some of dat watah an' stop it up an' throw dat bottle ovahbo'd an' say, "God damn, yo' son-of-a- bitch, yuh oughta been daid," an' let dat bottle run out, an' dat'll jes' run yo' crazy. See dat watah be carryin' it time de tide be goin' out, see. Dat watah carries it on out, yo' see, an' yo' jes' nevah would have no mo' good sense. Yo' jes' be crazy, don't know whut's de mattah wit chew. (Now, you put this hair in the bottle after you empty the bottle out, but you must get some of the water as the tide is going out and put in the bottle and cork it up, then throw it right back into the same Water.) Yes.
Entry 6349
Dey git de hair from de comb an' dey mix it up wit a little - put some salt in it, de way ah heard it. Now, put salt in it an' sometimes dey puts cham- ber lye in it. Put dat in de chamber lye in de bot- tle. Put dat in de bot- tle - put de chamber lye in it an' put de salt in it an' stop it up. See, an' goes tuh de rivah an' chunk it as de tide goin' out. An' dey chunk it as de tide goin' out, well, about from three tuh five tuh nine days, yore mind will be goin' - goin' till yo' go, an aftah while yo' find yoreself crazy.
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 6796
People sometimes claim that when you go out to a road like that [cross- road or forks of road] they've been hurt. They say they go to a tree, the tree after the crossroad, a birch tree. They're off from the forks of the road because most of the time the roads go dead off from a birch. And they get a certain bark off of that tree, and take it back home and keep it four or five days, and take it to a river of running water and throw it over their left shoulder. And they claim they will come all right again.
Entry 7837
Wit graveyard dirt. Jis' lak, yo' see, yore ole man is left wit anoth- ah woman, yo' kin go tuh de graveyard an' yo' kin git some dirt. An' yo' git a nail jis' about 'er size an' den yo' write her name on a piece of pa- pah, an' yo' wrap it aroun' dat nail. An' den dat graveyard, yo' git a bottle, an' yo' pack it [graveyard dirt] in a bottle an' yo' put dat nail wit 'er name wrapped in it. Dat's called buryin' 'em. Yo' kin take dat [bottle, now a symbolical coffin] an' throw it ovah in runnin' watah, an' dat supposed tuh break 'em up.
(WHAT DO YOU MEAN A NAIL HER SIZE?)
Jis' lak if it's a small person, a low [short] person, den yo' kin git a small nail; an' if it's a tall person, yo' git de tallest nail dat yo' kin find. An' put de graveyard dirt in a bottle an' pack it jis' as tight as yo' kin pack it - dat graveyard dirt in de bottle - an' den yo' write 'er name on a piece of papah an' yo' wrap it around dat nail. Dat nail supposed tuh be her. An' yo' stick it in dat graveyard dirt whut's in de bottle an' stop it up real tight, an' yo' throw it in de rivah. Dat supposed tuh break 'im an' dat woman up.
Entry 7956
They say to put four nails, nails which you nail your coffin with, four pins [from the garments of the corpse], and the [death] sheet over you, and a lock of hair. The hair is supposed to molt away. When that hair molts, you're supposed to molt. They would bury this, put it all in a bottle, wrap it up tight and bury it anywhere near your home. If you found this bottle, then they would em- ploy some old cunjure doctor to come and get this bottle and throw it in the river of running Water.
Entry 8446
An' yo' kin take dat picture an' go to a runnin' rivah an' throw dat picture ovah your haid an' don't look back, an' go off, an' it will run 'em crazy.
Entry 8451
If dey wanta drive yo' 'way outa town or keep yo' goin', dey take yore photograph an' take it tuh anything dat's sealed airtight, an' set it in dat so it float on de watah. An' put it in dere an' tighten it up good, an' turn dat pichure bot- tomsides, upside down. Jes' as long as dat watah runnin' an' dat pichure floatin' yo' continue goin', yo' see. (How do you mean you turn this picture upside down, in this container you mean?) In de containah - lak jes' de glass heah [glass jar for my cigar ashes?]. Dis de glass. Why yo' [demonstrates] turn de pichure upside down dat way, see. Den yo' take it tuh de rivah. Screw it up airtight so de watah can't git in dere, see lak it float on de watah. Anyway so it will float. Jes' as long as dat watah runnin' an' dis in dere, why yo' continue tuh go. If it evah stops, yo' know, it dry up lak, see yo' begin tuh stop. Well, den if de watah come back flowin' again, yo' begin tuh go again.
Entry 8520
Take a coconut an' put a person name in it, an' if yo' wanta throw it in de rivah, an' dey go. If yo' don' wanta, yo' don' have tuh; yo' could take it in yore home an' kick it aroun', but yo' have tuh have two. Yo' take one an' put it in de rivah, throw it in de Missi'ppi Rivah, an' yo' keep de othah one. Dat's separation, dat's a separation between two people.
(How do you do that?)
Yo' see, yo' put de names in each coconut, yo' see. Yo' undahstan', jis' lak yo' wanta separate somebody. See, lak somebody got chure girl fren'. Well, yo' put one name - yo' undahstan' whut ah mean, de pair of 'em in dere [coconut]. Den yo' keep one [coconut] at de house. Yo' take de names an' put 'em in de coconut.
(You put this man's name and this woman's name in the same coconut?)
In de same coconut in each one of 'em. An' yo' throw one in de rivah. An' yo' keep one home an' yo' keep rowin' wit it, beatin' it an' cursin' it an' goin' on. [The preceding to row (not rō but rou), a colloquialism, means to assail roughly; here, as already stated, to kick the coconut about the house while also verbally abusing it.] (JUST TO BE SURE THAT I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TAKING ABOUT. Here's the cOCOnut. I put his name and her name in there, both names in that one coconut. Here's another coconut and I put his name and her name in that coconut?) In that coconut.
Entry 8532
Use a coconut, put turpentine in dere an' de party's name, an' stop it up tight an' throw it intuh de Mississippi River, when it will float in de watah, an' de party will leave dere home. Turpentine in dere, yes.
Entry 8558
Ah heard 'em say dey write chure name down on a piece of papah an' den dey fold de fo' corners, see. Dey fold it jis' lak yo' take a piece of papah lak this [demonstrates], yo' know, yo' fold it lak this an' den turn [it] round an' yo' fold it [like this]. (You keep folding it in four corners? Folding it in half?) Yeah, lak dat. An' den jis' lak if yo' want them tuh leave. See, yo' want them tuh leave all ways round, well yo' take dat name an' fold it dat way, an' put it in a bottle an' stop it uP an' gO tO any runnin' watah OR DRAP IT IN DE LAVATORY ANYWHERE, an' dey jis git on all away. Dey jis' cain't stay there.
Entry 8648
Yo' take a lemon an' yo' cut it open an' yo' write a person [name], jes' lak anybody enemy to yo' an' yo' wanta git rid of 'em. An' yo' write their name nine times. Git chew a square piece of papah, write it nine times cross disaway an' nine times disaway, an' nine in all fo' corners - jis' cross 'em nine times. Den fold it nine times to yo'. An' den yo' put it in dat lemon. Den yo' put de lemon back togethah. Sew it up wit black thread an' throw dat in de rivah an' yo' git rid of it.
Entry 8652
If yo' don't want a person, yo' take a lemon an' yo' put it in de name - de coconut de same way, too - an' yo' go direct to de Mississippi Rivah. Yo' go to de runnin' watah an' yo' take dat lemon an' yo' throw it. Now dose people, jes' like yo' see dat lemon driftin' down de stream
[they will drift away].
Entry 8715
Jes' lak if a person want 'em [to] leave, wanta run a person outa town, yo' take a brand-new bar [of] Octagon [trade name] soap an' write in de fo' cor- ners of it. Yo' take it an' go to de rivah. (You do what on the four cor- ners?) Write de person name whut chew Wanta leave, want 'em leave outa town. Write dere name on de fo' corners of de soap, an' throw it ovahbo'd when de tide be goin' out. An' dat will make dem leave town. (How do you write that name on the corner? Here's the soap [I demonstrate]. Do you write it like this, or like that?) De fo' corners [demonstrates].
(Like that, catercornered in the four corners.)
Yes.
Entry 8877
Ef it's by ink, dey takes dat lettah an' dey boil dat lettah. Dey boil dat lettah until hit finely [finally] come tuh soup. An' jes' as hit come tuh soup, dey'll go on down tuh de rivah an' throw it down intuh de rivah. An' den dat man he'd go crazy.
(They just throw this soup into the river?)
Yes, suh.
Entry 9396
Take a fresh yard egg [from chicken yard or chicken that runs freely], not a groc'ry egg...write de person's name on dat egg...three times...cross de Mississippi River an' when yo' gits in de middle... throw dat egg ovah yore shouldah an' yo' curse it. Dat breaks 'em up.
Entry 9415
Den yo' kin take two aigs an' write dey name on 'em, jes' lak yo' Wanted a person drove away from heah. If dey cain't do yo' no good, dey won't do nobody else. Yo' kin take two aigs an' write dere name on 'em an' throw 'em in runnin' watah. Go tuh de rivah an' throw 'em in runnin' watah. Dat'll keep 'em goin' all de time, dey min' [mind] goin' all de time. Dat'll fin'ly run 'em crazy.
(Any kind of chicken egg?)
Fresh chicken aigs.
Entry 9433
Take a black hen chicken egg an' it's lak - dat's anothah way yo' kin do a person hahm [harm]. Yo' know, lak yo' wanted tuh git rid of somebody or run 'em off or sompin. Yo'd write dere name on a black hen aig an' throw it in de rivah an' dat'll run 'em off yo' know.
Entry 10114
Ah have heard dat yo' kin take - ah had a fellah tell me, he wuzn't goin' do it, but ah have known fellahs dat have done it. Yo' undahstan'. If yo' wants tuh be lucky in yuh life, jis' take yuh a black cat an' take 'im, carry 'im down to a rivah or any runnin' watah, yo' undahstan', an' take 'im an' hold 'im down in de pot. Hold 'im down in de pot until he die. An' take him an' hold 'im down tuh de bottom of de pot until he hollah 'fore he die. Turn 'im loose den - turn de pot loose, de lid on de pot loose. An' 'is body den will rise up, his body will be bobbin'. "Cos [of course] though, by an' by de things will be comin'. All kinds of things be comin' up dere; de devils an' cows an' hogs an' all kinda things lak dat will come up, see. But yo' jis' don't bothah. Let 'em go right on until yo' bile [boil] dis black cat up, yo' undahstand. An' when yo' bile 'in good, yo' take den de bones outa dere - de laig bones. An' take 'en tuh runnin' watah an' any bone dat go down stream, don' chew bothah wit it; but de bone whut [you] take, turn roun' an' roun'. All de rest of 'em no good dat go an down, but de bone whut chew want will turn roun' an' roun'. Well, yo' take dat bone, dat black cat bone. An' take it den an' tie it up in a piece of - black piece of cloth. When yo' gits de bone, tie it [in] black, den yo' tie it red. Git dat an' tote it in yuh pocket. An' dey tell me yo'll nevah have ooh vorry any mo' about livin'. Dat's whut ah know 'bout dat.
Entry 10149
Ah've heard dat chew kin wear a certain charm called black cat bone dat will ward off all evil an' bad luck.
(Where do you get this black cat bone?)
It is possible dat chew kin take a black cat, dey tell me, an' cook 'im until tuh pieces at least. Aftah yo' cook 'im yo' take dis bone an' threw 'em in a runnin' stream, an' it will come back tuh yo' at a certain place. Yo' supposed tuh take dis bone an' wear it on yo' as a charm.
Entry 10186
An' then here's another thing. There's - some things are over others zhoo know. You see? Well the nex' thing to do, if you wanted to make 'em leave town or anything like that, you Write their name down 9 times. Understand? An' stop it up in a bottle an' go to the running water, to the river and throw it in. Throw it ovah the left shoulder an' don't look back, an' says, "I wan' zhoo to go." An' then you take a red candle. You get a red candle, you understand now, an you stick you three pins in it. You burn that at 12 a'clock at night, see, an' you make a wish. You says, "I wish my enemies would leave me alone In the Name Of the Lord."
Entry 9793
Yo' kin take three needles. Take three needles an' burn 'em. Jis' lak yo' got a enemy 'roun' yuh, an' yo' an' 'er can't git along, an' she raisin' Sam an' gaddin' all 'roun', all roun' dere. Can't git along. Yo' jis' set down an' take three needles an' git - an' burn 'em. Put 'em on de fiah an' burn 'em real hot an' make yuh wishes. As dem needles git hot, make yuh wishes accordin' tuh whut happenin' tuh yuh: "Wish de bad luck would go off, good luck will come an' live happy in mah home. Mah enemy tuh flee from me." Well, yo' take dem ovah dere an' burn 'em an' make yuh wishes. An' aftah yo' burn 'em, yo' take dem an' throw dem away - take dem tuh de rivah, throw dem in de rivah. An' evahthin' be okey.
(Three needles?)
Three needles. An' aftah yo' call dere name, den yo' walk tuh de rivah. Af- tahward or a day or so aftah, yo' know, aftah yo' done burn 'em an' make yuh wishes. But at de same time yo' goes tuh where it's runnin' watah.
Entry 9892
Yo' take dat frog an' yo' write dis name on a piece of papah. (What name?) Anybody's name. An' yo' tie it roun' dis live frog an' carry it an' throw it in de runnin' stream of watah. Tie it tight where de papah won't git off in a runnin' stream of watah. Dat's a party dat yo' wanta do harm tuh. Well, dat'll carry him right on off in dat rivah.
Entry 10903
Well, yo' take de hair off a bad dog's back, de hair off a cat's back, an' take a woman's underwear when it's dirty, an' wash it, taking dat watah an' applyin' it wit dat hair off de dog's back an' off de cat's back, an' puttin' turpentine wit it, an' shuttin' de bottle up, an' throw it in de Miss'ippi Rivah. It will cause one de greatest rows in dat house yo' evah did see.
Entry 11114
[Woman's] stocking, or the man's sock, you kin put 'em on a drift [not adrift] whereby taking the stocking and rinsing it, and getting the water from the stocking, and put it in a coconut with some turpentine, stopping the coconut tight and throwing it in the Mississippi River or any flowing stream - that'll give her a walking ambition. [For walking in connection with flowing river see No.lll13.]
(What's a cuckiner?)
Oh, one of those coconut what grows in Africa.
(Oh, a coconut! Oh! I see.)
Yeah.
Entry 11586
Pick up dirt from right-foot track, put graveyard dirt with it, go to a river, then throw dirt back over shoulder into river, saying Go. "That'll put choo in the road, start choo to goin'." [Memphis 1560:5.]
Entry 11594
Three right foot tracks as person leaves home, draw dirt back from toe to heel, bottle it, and throw into river to send away. [Memphis 1562:5.]
Entry 11836
If a man git drownded or sompin like dat, why yo' kin take an' go to de rivah an' if dey draggin' fo' him an' can't find him, why yo' shoot de gun an' he'll rise tuh de top, which in dat's true. Ah see dat mahself. [This is ordinary folklore.]
Entry 12130
Yo' know whut yo' kin do wit dis bow a'gin. Well, yo' kin take dis bow heah yo' understand [again he refers to my hat on interviewing table]. An' yore wife will jump off today or tomorrow an' marry to de othah man. Two yeahs yo' livin' wit her, see. She don' mean yo' no good. She leave a little out. Look heah, she leave a little out dis high. Yo' know dis top, dat high on yo'. Say, dat ah'm yore brothah. Ah ketch yo' an' take dat. Understand, see. Yo' take dat bow lak ah tell yo', lak dis heah. Understan', goes right tuh de rivah. Ah don't mean no stop-watah, ah mean runnin' watah - dat be goin', runnin' 'long lak dat. An' she'll run yo' off, right on down [to the sea]. Well, when yo' git tired, yo' don't wanta run so far, cause yo' don' know where dey stop. Dat bow may stop at de sea.
Entry 13159
Stop up socks or stockings in bottle, throw into river or outgoing tide; "run a person away." [Elizabeth City 402:8.]
Entry 2297
Yo' kin take an' take a person's shoe, if yo' wanted 'em tuh leave from home, an' burn it an' take dat an' throw it in de rivah. Jes' take an' carry it tuh de rivah an' throw it, say, "Yo' go." Jes' lak yo' throw it, holler, "Go." Dat person will have tuh go.
(You take either shoe?)
De left foot.
(And you burn it to ashes or just burn part of it?)
Yes, burn it up into ashes - de sole of it, not de whole shoe, jes' de sole into ashes. An' jes' git de ashes dust.
Entry 4343
Take dat chamber lye an' stop it up an' throw it in runnin' watah, in de rivah. It will run 'im away, run yuh crazy if yuh have it stopped up. If yuh don' evah git [recover] dat [bottle] why yuh'll always be crazy. [THE GENERAL READER MAY ASK: HOW CAN YOU RECOVER A BOTTLE FLOATING DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, OR A BOTTLE PERHAPS NOW DRIFTING ABOUT THE GULF OF MEXICO? REMEMBER, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE IN MAGIC. TO RECOVER A BOTTLE ON THE MISSIS- SIPPI, See 921, P.339; FOR A RIVER ON THE ATLANTIC COAST, See THE BRILLIANT WORK OF A DOCTOR IN RICHMOND, VA., 922, P.340; AND FOR GOOD MEASURE, See THE CLEVER DOCTOR OF WAYCROSS, GA., 920, p.338.]
Entry 4390
Dey say dey take some of yore Waist an' take an' burn it an' put red peppah in it, an' - it won't lock yuh bowels but it'll jis' burn yuh, hurt chew. An' if dey wanta lock 'em, jis' take some of it an' burn it, an' take an' put it in a bottle an' stop it up an' throw it in de rivah in a runnin' stream of watah, an' dat will lock yuh bowels.
Entry 4707
Dey take dat little bow out chure hat an' carry it an' put it down to de edge of de rivah an' tie it wit a string, an' jis' like dat watah is raisin' dat bow in dat hat, dat de way yuh hair will be raisin', long as somebody don't git dat bow. Yuh will be sick in yuh haid an' yuh wouldn't nevah come tuh yuh right senses no mo'. But de sweatban' of yuh hat is jis' like dat, jis' about de same [you can do the sweatband the same way].
Entry 13368
If yo' wanta con ah a man, when he use de slop jar at night, says if yo' git dat an' take it wit yo'. Git chew some, about three drops of kerosene - about three or four drops of kerosene in it. An' puts chew quite a bit of sulphur in dere, in dis water [urine]. An' say yo' take dat an' throw it in a stream of water, turn yore back, dey say, an' walk away, or throw it over yore shoulder dis way [demonstrates] an' walk away. An' say if yo' home an' dey don't want chew dere, why yo' constantly will go away.
Entry 10974
You put a little hole in it [shell of raw chicken egg] and draw [usus- ally suck] that [raw] egg [yolk] out...take a person's name an' write it 9 times... put it in that egg [shell] and stop the egg up...throw it in the river. An' as long as that egg will float, drift down [the river], those people will drag, [1 mean] will drift.
The account instructs throwing the egg in a river. Editorial object explanations remain separate, and neither an identified river nor the alleged drifting effect is established.
Entries from source headings
These entries are listed under the following headings in the source volume:
- Spell Floating on River Captured by Doctor — Volume 1, entries 920–922. Source context: THE DOCTORS AT WORK: REPORTS FROM LAYMEN → Consultation Technique.
- URINE - PIECE OF STOLEN DISHRAG WIPED WITH; STOPPED UP IN BOTTLE - THROWN INTO RIVER — Volume 3, entries 3407. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → CAUSES OF SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → DISHRAG.
- SNAIL POWDER: HE CAIN'T RAISE NO STAKES; TO GET RID OF HIM - THROW DAT STUFF OVER SHOULDER INTO; RIVER: GO, AH NEVAH WANT CHEW NO MO' - DON'T LOOK BACK — Volume 3, entries 3679. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → CAUSES OF SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → SNAIL OR SLUG.
- PINEAPPLE - NAME WRITTEN 9 TIMES IN - WITH PRAYERS; THROW OVER LEFT SHOULDER INTO RIVER - AND SILVER DIME; FROM RIGHT POCKET - SAYING THREE HIGHEST NAMES; THROW OVER RIGHT SHOULDER INTO RIVER - DON'T LOOK BACK — Volume 3, entries 3786. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → CURES FOR SEXUAL IMPOTENCE.
- MAN RUNS TO RIVER; TO THROW IN OBJECT TYING HIM — Volume 3, entries 3822. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SEXUAL IMPOTENCE → CURES FOR SEXUAL IMPOTENCE.
- PINS NEW - INCENSE POWDER - BLOOD; BOTTLED - INTO RIVER - OR BURIED — Volume 3, entries 3926. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → BLOOD → "HER PRIVATE TIME".
- SALT AND URINE THROWN INTO RIVER — Volume 3, entries 4238. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → URINE.
- (2) BOTTLED URINE INTO RIVER - BUT TIED TO BANK — Volume 3, entries 4346. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → URINE.
- (6) NAME - URINE - BOTTLED - CURSE; OVER LEFT SHOULDER INTO RIVER — Volume 3, entries 4350. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → URINE.
- (9) 7 BROKEN NEEDLES - URINE; BOTTLED - RIVER OR BURY; NECK DOWN — Volume 3, entries 4353. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → URINE.
- RIGHT SOCK - SWEATBAND - INTO RIVER — Volume 3, entries 4533. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → HAT - SWEATBAND - BOW → BOW FROM SWEATBAND OF HAT.
- NAME CALLED - HIS DRAWERS THROWN INTO RIVER — Volume 3, entries 4791. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → CLOTHES EXCLUDING HAT, SOCKS AND STOCKINGS, AND SHOES.
- (6) TOE PART CUT FROM STOCKING - TIE INTO 9 KNOTS; BOTTLE WITH HER NAME - THROW INTO RIVER — Volume 3, entries 4966. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → SOCKS AND STOCKINGS.
- ANT - CENTER OF TRACK - BOTTLED - INTO RIVER — Volume 4, entries 5312. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- APPLE: TOP IT TRACK IN - RESTORE TOP - RIVER — Volume 4, entries 5323. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- BOTTLE TRACK IN - YOUR BACK TO RIVER; OVER LEFT SHOULDER - "GO, DEVIL, GO" — Volume 4, entries 5348. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- BURN - HOLLOW OF LEFT TRACK FROM HEEL TO TOE; THROW ASHES INTO RIVER — Volume 4, entries 5358. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- EGG - HOLLOW OF LEFT TRACK WITH RED PEPPER IN; TIE IN RAG - PRETEND 8 TIMES TO THROW OVER LEFT SHOULDER; INTO RIVER - 9TH TIME LET GO - DON'T LOOK BACK — Volume 4, entries 5399. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- EGG - PUT IN IT WHILE CALLING HIS NAME - HIS TRACK; PICKED UP HEEL BACK TO YOU - THROW OVER SHOULDER; INTO RIVER, "GO! YO' DEVIL, YO'. GO!" DON'T LOOK BACK — Volume 4, entries 5398. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- EGG - RIGHT TRACK DIRT TOE TO HEEL AND RED PEPPER IN; THROW OVER LEFT SHOULDER INTO RIVER — Volume 4, entries 5400. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- GRAVEYARD DIRT - FROM HEAD AND FOOT OF GRAVE - SAYING; AH DON' WAN' 'ER TUH STRIVE - WAN' TUH KEEP 'ER DOWN; OR GRAVEYARD DIRT - RED PEPPER - IN YOUR PLACE; OR GRAVEYARD DIRT - BOTH TRACKS - IN SEA OR RIVER - 9 DAYS — Volume 4, entries 5470. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- GRAVEYARD DIRT - TRACK - SHINGLE - CLOTH TIED OVER - RIVER — Volume 4, entries 5467. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- GRAVEYARD DIRT - 9 TRACKS - OVER SHOULDER INTO RIVER; "YO' DRIFT ON 'WAY FROM HEAH" - DON'T LOOK BACK — Volume 4, entries 5475. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- MEASURE - TRACKS WITH 3 HICKORY OR PERSIMMON SIDES [SUCKERS]; CUT THEM AS LONG AS TOE TO HEEL - THROW INTO RIVER SAYING; "GO AN' DON' COME BACK" — Volume 4, entries 5544. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- NEEDLES 9 - PINS 9 - IN BOTTLE WITH TRACK - RED PEPPER; WAR WATER - BOARD FERRYBOAT - IN MIDDLE OF RIVER THROW; OVERBOARD - WHEEL ABOUT WITH CURSE - DON'T LOOK BACK — Volume 4, entries 5584. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- NEEDLES 9 - RIGHT TRACK - IN BOTTLE - 9 MORNINGS AT SUNRISE; TO RIVER - BACKWARDS 9 STEPS - LAST MORNING BOTTLE OVERBOARD — Volume 4, entries 5582. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- NEW HOMESPUN - BOTH TRACKS; OVER LEFT SHOULDER INTO RIVER — Volume 4, entries 5587. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- RED FLANNEL - TRACK IN - OVER SHOULDER INTO RIVER; CURSE WORD - SAY "GO" — Volume 4, entries 5609. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- RED PEPPER - LEFT TRACK - BOTTLE WISH - INTO RIVER — Volume 4, entries 5616. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- SALT - TRACK TOES TO HEEL - OVER LEFT SHOULDER - INTO RIVER — Volume 4, entries 5623. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- SALT - RED PEPPER - RED FLANNEL - NEW LOWES CLOTH [SACKING]; TRACKS 1 GOING, 1 COMING - OVER LEFT SHOULDER INTO RIVER — Volume 4, entries 5630. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- SALT - RED PEPPER - STEEL DUST LEFT TRACK - BOTTLE - RIVER — Volume 4, entries 5628. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- SILK CLOTH - TIE UP TRACK IN - DROP IN RIVER - WISHING; NOT SPEAKING, "GO, YO' DEVIL! YO' GO!" DON'T LOOK BACK — Volume 4, entries 5646. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- SPOON OR STICK - TAKE HOLLOW OF FOOT; LAY ON RIVER BANK — Volume 4, entries 5655. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- SUGAR - TRACK - RIVER - "GO! GO!" — Volume 4, entries 5662. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- 3 TIMES: CALL 'BY DE NAME OF DE LORD' AN' THROW LEFT TRACK; IN SNUFFBOX OVER LEFT SHOULDER INTO RIVER - DON'T LOOK BACK — Volume 4, entries 5687. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- 3 TRACKS - SALT - RED PEPPER - "SHE" SALTPETER - RED FLANNEL BAG; 3 MORNINGS MEET SUNRISE - URINATE ON BAG - THROW INTO RIVER — Volume 4, entries 5696. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- WISH - AFTER TAKING FERRY BOAT TO MIDDLE OF RIVER; AND THROWING PERSON'S FOOT TRACK OVER SHOULDER — Volume 4, entries 5795. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → SWEAT → FOOT TRACK.
- HIGH JOHN DE CONKAH - RED PEPPER - FOOT TRACK - IN BAG; OVER SHOULDER INTO RIVER - DON'T LOOK BACK — Volume 4, entries 6839. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → FOLK MEDICINE → CURES FOR AND PROTECTION AGAINST AILMENT AND DISEASE.
- ALGIERS - NEW ORLEANS ON WEST BANK OF MISSISSIPPI RIVER; DOSE GUYS IS TOUGH - PELICAN AVENUE AND BERMAN HIGHWAY; DAT IS WHERE DE CUTTHROATS HANG OUT — Volume 4, entries 7188. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → FOLK MEDICINE → A FEW MORE DOCTORS.
- BLACK WINE BOTTLE - INTO RIVER - WITH 3 INGREDIENTS; WRITTEN NAME - STEEL DUST - GOLDEN POWDER — Volume 4, entries 8484. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → THREE SUBSTITUTES FOR HUMAN BODY → NAME.
- (2) BATH WATER - NAME WRITE 9 TIMES BACK AND FORTH; PUT IN COCONUT - AT RIVER CALL DIRTY NAME; TELLING IT TO GO - THROW INTO RIVER — Volume 4, entries 8509. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → THREE SUBSTITUTES FOR HUMAN BODY → NAME.
- COCONUT RITES AND NAMES; (1) BACKWARDS - NAME WRITTEN - IN COCONUT - RIVER — Volume 4, entries 8508. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → THREE SUBSTITUTES FOR HUMAN BODY → NAME.
- (11) EYES 3 PUNCHED OUT OF COCONUT - LEAVE MILK IN; CROSS MAN'S AND WOMAN'S NAMES ON 3 PAPERS; CURSE THEM - FOLD PAPER TIGHT - INTO COCONUT; WITH EPSOM SALT - BLACK DRAUGHT - PEPPER SAUCE; RED PEPPERS - SALT - SALTPETER - PLUG EYES; AT MIDNIGHT - THROW OVER LEFT SHOULDER INTO; RIVER - 2 PERSONS BEGIN TO FIGHT IN 9 DAYS — Volume 4, entries 8518. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → THREE SUBSTITUTES FOR HUMAN BODY → NAME.
- (12) KICKING - COCONUT FROM FRONT TO BACK DOOR; 9 TIMES - AFTER SEALING INTO IT: NAME OF; VICTIM 9 TIMES - YOUR NAME ON TOP 9 TIMES; CINNAMON - SUGAR - URINE - ALL INTO RIVER; DO NOT FORGET THE 9 NEEDLES — Volume 4, entries 8519. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → THREE SUBSTITUTES FOR HUMAN BODY → NAME.
- (17) ROLL - FIRST DRAIN COCONUT - PUT IN; VICTIM'S NAME - GRAVEYARD DIRT - STOP UP; EITHER THROW INTO RIVER TO SEND AWAY OR; ROLL BACK AND FORTH TO KEEP PERSON — Volume 4, entries 8524. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → THREE SUBSTITUTES FOR HUMAN BODY → NAME.
- (21) DRAIN COCONUT BY PUNCHING OUT ITS 2 EYES; PUT INSIDE 9 PUMPKIN SEEDS - 9 CORN GRAINS; MAN'S NAME 9 TIMES - WOMAN'S NAME 9 TIMES; CROSSING HIS - A CROSS MARK ALSO ON PAPER; LATTER IS ONE OF HOODOO'S DOUBLE CROSSES; PILE OF RED PEPPER PUSH OVER NAMES - CURSE; PUT EVERYTHING IN COCONUT AND STOP 2 HOLES; ROLL 9 DAYS ABOUT HOUSE - THROW INTO RIVER; 15c BEHIND IT - TO SEPARATE MAN AND WOMAN — Volume 4, entries 8528. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → THREE SUBSTITUTES FOR HUMAN BODY → NAME.
- WISH EVIL WHILE WRITING VICTIM'S NAME ON BOARD; OVER THIS NAME NAIL ANOTHER PIECE OF BOARD; [COFFIN SYMBOL - SEE BETWEEN 2 BRICKS NO.7989]; MIDNIGHT THROW INTO RIVER - HIS MIND WILL DRIFT — Volume 4, entries 8786. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → DEATH AND BURIAL AND GRAVEYARD → THREE SUBSTITUTES FOR HUMAN BODY → NAME.
- CROSSES 7 - EGG - LEFT FOOT TRACK - SACK; OVER LEFT SHOULDER INTO RIVER — Volume 4, entries 9205. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → THE AMAZING CHICKEN EGG.
- INITIALS OR NAME - ON BLACK HEN EGG; 9 PENCIL DOTS ON EGG - 1 EACH MORNING; OVER SHOULDER INTO RIVER - DON'T LOOK BACK — Volume 4, entries 9300. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → THE AMAZING CHICKEN EGG.
- NAME 9 TIMES ON EGG - INTO RIVER — Volume 4, entries 9320. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → THE AMAZING CHICKEN EGG.
- PRIVATES [GENITALS] - LAY AGAINST - BLACK HEN EGG; BEARING VICTIM'S NAME: THEN THROW EGG INTO RIVER — Volume 4, entries 9344. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → THE AMAZING CHICKEN EGG.
- PSALM I - ANY PART OF AND ENEMY'S NAME - ON EGG; THROW INTO WOODY SWAMP RIVER - SENDS TRAVELING — Volume 4, entries 9345. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → THE AMAZING CHICKEN EGG.
- SUNRISE, BEFORE - BACK TO RIVER - NAME ON EGG; THROW OVER LEFT SHOULDER - NOT LOOKING BACK — Volume 4, entries 9377. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → THE AMAZING CHICKEN EGG.
- TALKING, WITHOUT - GO TO RIVER - THROW IN EGG; WITH INTENTION OF MOVING A PERSON OUT OF TOWN — Volume 4, entries 9379. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → THE AMAZING CHICKEN EGG.
- SAND - 12 GRAINS FROM RIVER - PUT IN BAT HEART; SEW UP IN CLOTH - CARRY IN POCKET - GAMBLING — Volume 5, entries 10581. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → BAT - THE LEATHER-WING.
- CUT OPEN LIVE CATFISH - SEW PERSON'S NAME INSIDE; THROW FISH BACK INTO RIVER - PERSON BECOMES WANDERER — Volume 5, entries 10935. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- WRITE NAME 4 TIMES - OF PERSON HAVE DONE YO' DIRTY; ROLL IT UNDER FOR BAD WORDS - GO TO RIVER - CATCH; A CATFISH - LIFT UP SKIN - PUT NAME UNDER - RETURN TO; RIVER - PERSON WHOSE NAME ON FISH JUMPS INTO RIVER — Volume 5, entries 10939. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- BLACK HEN MANURE - VICTIM'S NAME - 3 NEW SAFETY PINS; IN "H" FORM - SEW UP - THROW INTO RIVER - SENDS AWAY — Volume 5, entries 11047. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- PERSON'S BATH WATER WITH WAR WATER IN COCONUT OR; BOTTLE - AIRTIGHT - THROW INTO RIVER - VICTIM DRIFTS — Volume 5, entries 11112. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- POWDER OLD SHOE - BURN IN HOUSE - ENEMY INTO RIVER — Volume 5, entries 11205. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- SPRINKLE DIRT DAUBER POWDER ON SOCK - ROLL UP; AIRTIGHT IN JAR - INTO RIVER - YOU'LL BE GONE — Volume 5, entries 11204. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- FISH - RED - HIS NAME WRITTEN 9 TIMES PUT IN; BY WOMAN WHO WANTS HIM TO DRAG - SHE THROWS; FISH INTO BAYOU OR RIVER - HE DRIFTS WITH FISH — Volume 5, entries 11630. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- MEASURE SLEEPING MAN WITH A CORD - TIE 9 KNOTS; STOP UP IN BOTTLE OR CAN - INTO RIVER - HE LEAVES — Volume 5, entries 12423. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
- RED ONION - 9 NEEDLES AND 9 PINS IN - THROW OVER; LEFT SHOULDER INTO RIVER - LEAVE NOT LOOKING BACK — Volume 5, entries 12545. Source context: "CHANNEL DE WORLD".
Entry 920
("I had a travelin' spell put on me one time," you said?)
Yeah, an' de way dat ah wus told 'at it was done. Dis fellah went an' got mah [foot] track an' he goes to de graveyard an' he took a silver dime jes' like if to buy some graveyard dirt from a person, but he said dat de person would have to be a wicked person yo' see, jes' lak a person dat live a - yo' know, dat live a wicked life an' den have been murdered someway. An' yo' kin go there an' buy some dirt from them. Dey say yo' go down a certain distant in de earth, you see, right by de tombstone an' yo' take a lighter peg - a piece of fat lighter [pine] - an' jes' stick it down dere with dat dime an' [that's] buyin' dat dirt from de dead, you see. An' den, jes' whatsomevah dat yo' want tuh happen, in buyin' dis dirt from dem, well, den yo' could put it in action. Well, dis guy went to work an' got dis graveyard dirt - de way ah wus told - an' he took hit an' mah track an' put it into a bottle an' he corked dis bottle up. Throwed it into de rivah. Well, dat's to git mah mind goin' - yo' see, as de tide comes an' goes, well, dis man tole me dat mah mind would travel ies dat way. Well, ah noticed, ah leaved home. Ah didn't know nuthin whut it wus all about - ah jes' picked up an' leaved. Well, after ah crossed de rivah - de first rivah dat wus between mah home an' where ah wus goin' ovah in Brunswick - well, ah didn't have no more thoughts or no mo' ideas about home den if ah didn't have one. Well, ah went ovah dere [to Brunswick] an' remained dere fo' awhile. Mah mind wus all confused, ah jes' didn't have no pers'nal judgment about nuthin. An' dere wus a friend of mine took me to a man called a doctor - a hoodoo doctor of some kind. Well, he tole me -
(Where was he - in Brunswick?)
Yes sir.
(This was in Brunswick - all right.)
This [doctor] was in Waycross - an' he told him - yo' know, whut they did. Well, he tole me de same thing. He said, dis guy had this thing fixed in order fo' it tuh float so many days. An' whenevah dat thing - he had it fixed in a leaky condition - wherevah it leak in dat water dat dis thing could sink, then ah would go ovahbo'd. They Wanted tuh kill me - git rid of me - but dey didn't want to do it, yo' know, deyself. But dey wanted it fixed so dat ah would do it mahself. Well, ah notice while dis thing wus goin' dat way, all of mah days ah'd nevah be satisfied no place unless ah wus round de rivah. (Well, did this fellah tell you how to get rid of it - did he help you get rid of it?) Shore, he tole me dat he had to git it - he had tuh overtake it somehow. Ah don't know how he went into de rivah to git it, but he ovahtaken it befo' it sunk [see No. 921]. Soon as he did dat den, ah got all right. Took 'im about three weeks, though, befo' ah got straight. Now, dat's a pers'nal experience.
Entry 921
Well, it wus a girl, a fren' of mine. Well, it wus three of 'em [girls] an' her mothah married. She married a fellah dat wus stepfathah to dese children an' so de stepfathah tried tuh go with her. An' aftah she, yo' know, commence tellin' her mothah an' lak dat, yo' know, well, den he commence tuh whippin' her an' beatin' her yo' know an' all lak dat. She had long hair about that long [demonstrates] an' when she got up tuh about fifteen yeahs ole, he taken a plait of her hair an' put it in a cake-flavor bottle an' he carried dis girl's hair to de Miss'ippi Rivah, an' put it ovah in-dat Miss'ippi Rivah, an' dat chile fifteen yeahs ole, she started tuh walkin'. She left home that evenin' an' her mothah didn't know where she wus, an' she walked - she walked aways. She walked back down heah to a place dey call Forest City, an' she got lost walkin' an' so they wus in Cold Spring tryin' tuh find her, an' dey did find her, an' dey carried her tuh a man named Mr. Smith. He's up heah tuh Turrell[?] Arkansas. Her mothah taken her tuh dis man, an' he killed de hair in dis bottle, but how he kilt it ah dunno. But he kilt de hair in dis bottle, an' that brought de girl back.
(How long ago did that happen?)
Aw, it's been 'bout nine yeahs ago.
Entry 922
Well, this case, she wus at some frien's - an' [she] a vury nice lookin' woman - an' they all got jealous of 'er. She had all the bes' fellahs - she had a beautiful head of hahr. An' one of 'er frien's come roun' to brush 'er hahr. An' in the meantime she [the friend] had took some of 'er hahr, an' all of 'er hahr wus fallin' out. An' so she's got hahr now, but it's so short an' it nevah growed. An' she said her..friend wus the one that did this to 'er. Well now, she said she [the friend] cared it to some person [doctor] out dere in Dinwiddie County [Virginia] some place, an' said they takes this hahr an' put it with snake bones an' some kin'a 'erb they got, an' put it in a bottle an' let it float. An' as long as that bottle float, why yo' hahrs fall out; but if that bottle breaks, you die. Tha's whut she said. An' so, now, it's a way to quit this spell, as they say, by some kin'a method they use. They git some of that other person [the friend who cast the spell] urinate an' care it to this other party. [The "other party" was a root doctor living at Richmond.] This party [Richmond root doctor] will put that to float. An' [also] he gits some of this other party's [the friend's] hahr an' put it in there with his [her] own [the friend's own] urniate. An' that'll float. They said dis [second] bottle will cause some kin'a gas to form an' bus' de cork out of it. An' when that cork bus'es, when dat cork come out, why that will kill [remove the spell from] de other bottle. They claim that de other [first] bottle do burs', you gon'a die, because dis other fellah's [the friend's] urinate an' hahr - they claim that hahr turns to some kin'a serpent in that bottle [see Hair, turning to snake in Index.] [This is complicated thought and action. What happened? A woman losing her hair thought a friend had tricked her. The Richmond doctor told her the friend had taken the hair to a Dinwiddie doctor who set it afloat in a bottle with snake bones and a root. The Richmond man, faced with a difficult problem, came up with the logical remedy - float a stronger bottle in pursuit. Actually, the friend was innocent - also, neither Dinwiddie doctor nor first bottle existed. I also doubt the launching of the second bottle. One small point may be missed - the spirit of the dead snake was in the first bottle [see margin-title Snake, p.66 and Index]; in the second bottle was urine, destroyer of evilminded spirits. That Richmond doctor thinks magically; doctors brilliantly.]
Source passage
printed interview with editorial and production layers · Source-local attribution; no resolved person identity is asserted.
context only; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
fold away from you. Here we have a special magic rite of overlapping or corre- sponding or accordion folds.]
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
(You put his handkerchief in the pot and you put this piece of paper in, too?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
In too - into it an' tie it nine times.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
(Tie that handkerchief nine times.)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[Make nine knots in it.]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
But yo' put dat sugah in dere now, remembah. An' yo' put de sugah in dere an' put it on in watah an' start it tuh cookin'. Den yo' call 'im by 'is name, say,
recited or prescribed formula · Current practitioner speaking in this passage · So-an'-so (prescribed addressee); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
"Come on back heah, So-an'-so, "
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
an' so on.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
(After this water has finished cooking, you take it out and scrub with it.)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
Scrub yore front steps. He'll come on back. Yo' take de right-foot sock an' put it right up in de front of de do' an' yo' pee on it nine mawnin's an' yo' leave it dere. Dat's tuh keep 'im from gittin' away. Dat's one way of
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[doing]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
it.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
(Do you put it down any special way?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
Put de toe tuh de do' an' spread it out wit de toe tuh de do', wit de nail in de middle of each toe, so it will be smooth. Ah don' take no 'mount of nails. Ah jis' nail it down till it's smooth, so it won't be no wrinkle undah yore rug, becuz de man is a superstitious
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[suspicious]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
thing. Yo' have tuh look fo'
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[watch]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
hin as well as he do yo'. Yo' pee on it fo' nine mawnin's. Dat's one way. But de way ah have of doin', ah bear
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[bury]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
it undah de steps, de same way
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[with the nails]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
, but ah druthah
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[rather]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
bear it undah de steps becuz he won't hunt it dere.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
(He won't see it there.)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
Yo' kin pee in front of dere fo' nine mawnin's. Yo' kin run people away wit dey shoe. Yo' kin go on down heah to de railroad an' git abo'd one dem flatcars, an' take yo' five 20-penny nails an' nail it down dere jis' tuh de box
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[over the hotbox]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
, an' when dat car roll yo'll roll - yore an'will roll an' keep yo' rollin'. Ah burn 'em.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
(What do you burn the shoe for?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
Aw, fo' luck. Ah take sulphah, sugah, cinnamon an' bluestone an' burn 'em an' puts money an' burns money in 'em - take some nickels or dimes, pennies or Ohatevah yo' got. See, de money is jis' as good as it evah wuz. Put it in dere am'take a little oil of cedar an' put in dere an' burn it - see, opposite de do' lak dat
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[demonstrates]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
(Right in the middle of the front of the door, the saddle of the door. What Ls that supposed to do?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
Fo' luck - spo'tin'
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[sporting]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
houses, fo' transits
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[transients]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
, anythin'. If he's done quit chew an' gone off - see, dis bed heah.
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[On my first trip to Memphis, I interviewed in a bedroom of the down-town hotel for black people, Eureka Hotel - see INTRO., v.1, p. XXxl11.]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
Yo' take his pichure an' git chew fo' pins. Yo' turn 'is haid down, undah- stan', pin it on de back of dat bed, an' go on an' lay down. Dat keeps 'is min on yo' in dat bed.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
(Which way do you stick it, looking outside
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[away from]
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
or facing the bed?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
Tuh de bed.
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
[The man in the photograph at the back of the bed, his head down, looks chrough the bed headboard at the woman on the bed!]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
(What else can you do with the picture?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
Well, yo' kin take it an' put it ovah watah an' draw 'im back.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
(How do you do that?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1863
Take de glass an' take de pichure an' set de watah lak dat, but if it's a
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
small one, smallah dan de glass, den yo' know whut chew do, yo' git chew a little whiskey glass an' put watah in it but don' let de pichure tech it. An' yo' double dat lil pichure on dat lil whiskey glass an' set it in de inside - yo' know, let it spread out enough dat it will hold itself. Put it undah yore bed.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
(Do you put that.picture in
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[the glass]
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
just any way or do you put the head standing up?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
On 'is haid alway8. Dat
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[dragon's blood]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
one de greates' thin's yo' kin use. Yo' kin use it fo' peace or yo' kin use it fo' de devil. Fo' peace ah use it wit sugah, but dragon blood will stop it
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[devil work]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
. Any time yo' don' want a fuss, yo' gotta put sugah in it.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
(What do you do, burn it?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
Burn it. Den yo' covah it. Dere lotta thin's yo' mix wit it tuh keep people from knowin' whut it is - Balt. An' yo' dig roots, but chew don' wan' people tuh know whut de roots are.
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[The FOLLOWING STATEMENT ABOUT THE UNUSUAL BLACK CAT ASHES IS AMAZING. My informant first tells how she or rumor says these ashes are made and then, after our brief digression with the black cat bone we return to the use and price of black cat ashes.]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
Git chure own black ket aahes, Yo' git some undahtakah to take de ket
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[cat]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
an' fill it fulla fohnenhide
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[= foam-en-hide = formaldehyde]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
, joo know, an' den yo' go where dere de crematory an' git 'im tuh burn dat, an' den yo' ketch all de ashes. See, yo've made yer own ashes. An' jis' git chew a ket yo'self an' kill 'im
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[and take him to the undertaker]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
(What about the black cat bone?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
Aw, well, yo' put 'em in boilin' hot watah an' cook 'im an' de bone dat rises tuh de top, yo' take it tuh a gtream of watah. All de rest of dem will sink, sho'
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[sure]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
as ah'm livin', but chew mus' sell yo' soul tuh de devil tuh mastah dat.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
(How do you sell your soul to the devil?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
Ah've nevah learn tuh do dat. But sellin' yo'self to de devil, yo' know whut dat is don' chew? Yo' don' believe dere is a God, dere nevah wuz a God.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
(How do you use these black cat ashes?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
Dat black ket ashes ia 'bout one de highest
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[hoodoo ingredients]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
yo' kin buy. Yo' cain't buy undah five dollahs right roun' at de cornah heah.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
(You mean at the drug store?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
Five dollahs.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
(What do they use it for?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
Well, sometime dey use it fo' success - dey fo' drawin'.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
(Mostly hands?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
Gamblin' han's.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
(How would you make a good gambling hand?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
Well, sometime ah'd git bat hearts, dry 'em. Yo' know dey'll dry if yo' jis' take 'em an' lay.'em in de sun an' dey'll wizzle
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[= wizen]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
up. An' yo' take dat bat heart an' yo' take nine needles an' yo' break dose needles off at de top. An' yo' stick nine needles right aroun' dat heart. Yo' take yo' a piece of lode- stone - it's cordin' tuh whut colah it is, whoevah yo' makin' a han' fo'. When yo' read
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[the cards]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
fo' 'im yo' kin
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[tell]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
what he needs. Yo' kin take white lodestone or black lodestone an' dere is a she lodestone made lak a woman. Dat's a she lodestone
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[demonstrates, or does she show me one?]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
(Just in the shape of a woman.)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
Yeah. Yo' kin git dat at Dahinton
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[Darlington?]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
Bros., Natchez, Miss.
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[She lodestone in the shape of. a woman is rare in my experience. This would
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
be powdered she lodestone pressed into the semblance of a woman, a very small form so that it could fit into a hand. This figurine appears to have been a spe- ciality (or specialty) of this business firm. See margin-title LODESTONE: HE AND SHE, Pp.601-603. [We now return to the gambling hand made with a bat heart.]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
Yo' take de nine needles, yo' break 'em off sho't
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[short]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
yo' know, but yo' stick 'em in de heart. Den yo' put yore heart in cloth, silk an' flannen - red flannen
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[flannel]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
(You use both of them?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
Uh-huh, one's de inside bag an' one's a' outside bag. Some of 'em use shammy. An'den yo' take dat
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[heart]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
out an'
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[as a substitute]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
yo' put dat lodestone in dere an' yo' keep a silvah dime in dere. Dat silvah dime, dat'll las' yo' a long time, not gratin' it. An' yo' put a lil dat silvah money in dere, an' yo' put dis lodestone an' nine needles, an' yo' put a lil piece of John de Conkah, an' yo' take a lil piece of devil's-shoestring, an' yo' sew dat bag up an' wish. An' den yo' dress it. Wish success tuh yo'.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
(What do you use specially to dress it?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
Hell, ah use - sometime ah use bergamine
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[bergamot]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
an' wintahgreen mixed, but ah us'lly use oil of cedar an' Jockey Club
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[Perfume]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
. But yo' see in some in- stance, tuh make yore stuff go fur
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[further]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
, yo' git chew toilet watah an' halfa bottle of Jockey Club, becuz it's
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[a full bottle is]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
mo' expensive. But chew Hn make it
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[go further]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
(The inner bag is of silk and the outer one is the flannel?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; supporting excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
No suh, innah bag is flannen, an' de outah bag is de silk. Take a bath in sweet spirits of nitre fo' nine days an' garlic. Yo' take it an' po' it in yore bath watah. Yo' take a little Red Seal Lye, yo' know. a lil lye on a knife. Yo' put it into yore bath watah an' den yo' po' de sweet spirits of nitre in dere an' nine pods of garlic cut up, an' take a bath in dat. Den yo' Hn go tuh de rivah an' take a bath in runnin' watah, an' dat's luck.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
(After you take the bath?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
Bo, ah say eithah one of dose. Dey are two diff'ren' thin's dat ah'm tellin'. One if yo' in a stream of bad luck an' yo' want chure bad luck
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[to change]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
. Some people
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[doctors]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
send dere customahs to de
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[Mississippi]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; supporting excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
rivah tuh take a bath in runnin' watah tuh wash de jinx off an' it'll roll on down
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[the river]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
(Hou of ten do you do that?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
Fell, one or twice, but yore luck will change.
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
{For bathing in the Mississippi River at New Orleans on May 1, see p.381, No. 986.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
(For this luck in gambling
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[I mean]
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
for this bath nine times, do you take it at any special time?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
Any time you kin make it
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[= any time you get ready]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
. De furse thin' yo' do, yo' git chew some love powdahs, yo' kin buy 'em at Mff'ren' places,
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[and]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
peace powdahs. Den anothah way yo' kin do, if yo' know de man's name. Den jis' lak yo' know bo yo' goin' tuh work fa', well yo' go dere, an' yo' go to de icehouse an' yo dt chew a dime piece of ice, an' write his name an' put it in dat ice, an' wrap at ice up tight an' don' 'low
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[allow]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
nobody tuh break dat ice. Dat cools 'im Ian' he'll talk wit yo'.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
(hat do you do with that love powder in the meantime?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
gell, dey use it sometime an' women use it tuh make men love 'em, tuh make boevah yo' meet be cool, peaceful.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
Do you make your own love powder?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1865
Bo suh, ah don't make mah own love powdahs but ah do makes some powdahs.
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
Yo' kin go - jis' lak yo' git up in de mawnin' an' take jis' nine clear buck- ets Of watah. YO' DO SOMETHIN' DIFF'REN' EVAH TIME YO' MAKE LUCK IN BUSINESS.
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
[This is an unusual rule, probably informant's own, one that will keep an expert operator like the informant mentally agile. For this type of luck, see BUSINESS AND CUSTOMERS, Pp.669-744.
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
Yo' throw nine buckets of watah on yore front po'ch an' sweep. Don' nevah sweep yore po'ch off, always sweep it back. Cleah watah from de hydran'
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
[con- sidered running water]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
. But don' speak to nobody while yo' doin' it. But evah time yo' do somethin' diff'ren'. Well, de nex' time ah do it, ah use bergamine an' wintahgreen mixed; scrub mah front wit it, dat an' one bucket of watah. A dime's worth will be enough fo' two scrubbin's. Go an' git chew some pure hick'ry an' take dat hick'ry an' burn it in de stove, an' yo' rake it out an' git chew some bluein', de stick bluein'. It blue clothes, yo' know. Yo' wanta keep de blues away
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
[cops wearing blue suits]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
. Yo' take dat hick'ry an' bluein' an' mix it togethah an' yo' put it ovah yore do'. Put de ashes an' de bluein' ovah yore do'. Pulvahize it tuhgethah, in any- thin' yo' want. Eithah put it in a lil box so it ovah dat do'.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
(That will keep the law away.)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
Den lak yo' wanta win a suit or anythin'
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
[any court case]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
. Yo' go down heah
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
[the market]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
- yo' know whut double pansy whut grows in gardens an' thin's.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
(Double pansy.)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
Well, yo' git chew nine new leaves of double pansy an' yo' put it in yore shoe an' yo' write six Disciple names an' wrap dat double pansy up in dat papah where de six Disciple names are in. Yo' write de Twelve Disciple name an' weah six in each shoe an' put a piece of double pansy in each shoe. Undahstan' me, but chew fold it in papah an' den put it in yore shoe. Now, de furse six take an' put it in yore right shoe, de nex' six yo' put dem in yore left shoe, when yo' go into co't Or anythin' lak dat. ANYTHIN' DAT CHEW WANTA MASTAH, YO' WEAH DEM TWELVE DISCIPLES. De way tuh do lak yo' got a lotta enemies. In dat case an' yo' wanta git rid of 'em so dey cain't talk, yo' go git chew a beef tongue. Yo' take dat beef tongue an' yo' write dere name, all dere names, an' yo' stick a hole in dis part of de tongue - de tip of de tongue - an' yo' stick dose names up in dere. Dat's used personal, understan'. Den yo' take it to a flue an' let it down dere an start chew a hot fiah, an' go on to co't
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
[court]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
. Yo' kin jis' put it on a wire yo' know, so it will hang dere. Yo' hangin' 'em.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
(Well, why do you want to warm then?)
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
Ah'm hangin' 'em
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
[not warming them]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
.
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
[This rite causes a hung jury.]
informant · Current practitioner speaking in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
context only; context excerpt · Vol. 3, p. 1866
Ah know from experience. Yo'll laff when ah tell yah. A fellah killed mah uncle heah, two of 'em, an' ah drawed em back heah. Ah tole 'em, ah said, "Dey goin' ketch 'em, ah ain't goin' put mahself tuh no trouble." See, yo' gotta have fo' aig an' dey mus' be de aig of a black hen. Dey cain't stay 'way. Yo' put two undah his [murdered man's] arm, two undah his haid. Yo take yo' a pair of scissahs an' cross it in his back - steel. [To open the closed scissors makes a cross of steel.] It done wit steel, an' shet dem han's up an' let dem arms tight down on dem aigs. When dem aigs bus' he cain't stay still. Dey'll git back heah. He'll come back hisself, yo' don' have tuh hunt fo' 'im. (This case with your uncle, did you get the man?) Yessuh. (Did that happen right here in Memphis?) Right heah in Memphis. Dere a piece in de papah about hoodoo hero[ine] dis
Nested source context: recited or prescribed formula · Vol. 3, p. 1863
"Come on back heah, So-an'-so, "
Nested source context: continuing window edge · Vol. 3, p. 1863
fold away from you. Here we have a special magic rite of overlapping or corre- sponding or accordion folds.]
Nested source context: reported quotation · Vol. 3, p. 1866
"Dey goin' ketch 'em, ah ain't goin' put mahself tuh no trouble."
Nested source context: continuing window edge · Vol. 3, p. 1866
Ah know from experience. Yo'll laff when ah tell yah. A fellah killed mah uncle heah, two of 'em, an' ah drawed em back heah. Ah tole 'em, ah said, "Dey goin' ketch 'em, ah ain't goin' put mahself tuh no trouble." See, yo' gotta have fo' aig an' dey mus' be de aig of a black hen. Dey cain't stay 'way. Yo' put two undah his [murdered man's] arm, two undah his haid. Yo take yo' a pair of scissahs an' cross it in his back - steel. [To open the closed scissors makes a cross of steel.] It done wit steel, an' shet dem han's up an' let dem arms tight down on dem aigs. When dem aigs bus' he cain't stay still. Dey'll git back heah. He'll come back hisself, yo' don' have tuh hunt fo' 'im. (This case with your uncle, did you get the man?) Yessuh. (Did that happen right here in Memphis?) Right heah in Memphis. Dere a piece in de papah about hoodoo hero[ine] dis
Nested source context: cross page editorial continuation · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[She lodestone in the shape of. a woman is rare in my experience. This would
Nested source context: editorial expansion · Vol. 3, p. 1866
[con- sidered running water]
Nested source context: rumor or informant qualification · Vol. 3, p. 1864
[The FOLLOWING STATEMENT ABOUT THE UNUSUAL BLACK CAT ASHES IS AMAZING. My informant first tells how she or rumor says these ashes are made and then, after our brief digression with the black cat bone we return to the use and price of black cat ashes.]
Nested source context: condition and negation qualification · Vol. 3, p. 1864
as ah'm livin', but chew mus' sell yo' soul tuh de devil tuh mastah dat. (How do you sell your soul to the devil?) Ah've nevah learn tuh do da
Nested source context: substitution qualification · Vol. 3, p. 1865
[heart] out an' [as a substitute] yo' put dat lodestone in dere an' yo' keep a silvah dime in dere. Dat silvah dime, dat'll las' yo' a long time, not gratin' it. An' yo' put a lil dat silvah money in dere, an' yo' put dis lodestone an' nine needles, an' yo' put a lil piece of John de Conkah, an' yo' take a lil piece of devil's-shoestring, an' yo' sew dat bag up an' wish. An' den yo' dress it. Wish success tuh yo'.
Nested source context: answer correction qualification · Vol. 3, p. 1865
(The inner bag is of silk and the outer one is the flannel?) No suh, innah bag is flannen, an' de outah bag is de s
Nested source context: alternative baths qualification · Vol. 3, p. 1865
(After you take the bath?) Bo, ah say eithah one of dose. Dey are two diff'ren' thin's dat ah'm te
Nested source context: editorial interpretation qualification · Vol. 3, p. 1866
[This rite causes a hung jury.]
partial continuing interview window with context only edges
This passage contains part of a continuing interview; neither the complete interview nor every topic is included.
The opening editorial discussion of folding continues from the preceding page; it is included as context only.
The closing recollection about an uncle and a murder continues on printed page 1867; it is included as context only.
Missing bracket/brace and malformed prompt delimiters remain literal; authored bounds distinguish editorial and live source.
Hyatt explicitly frames cat-ashes preparation as informant or rumor; do not infer personal practice.
Retain cat-bone sell-soul qualification and never-learned answer; bat-heart/lodestone substitution; reversed bag correction; alternative baths.
Local practitioner identity only; no resolved person, plant or business identity.
Bounded passage retrieval, not complete corpus coverage or practitioner consensus.
Read the full source context: Vol. 3, p. 1862 · Vol. 3, p. 1863 · Vol. 3, p. 1864 · Vol. 3, p. 1865 · Vol. 3, p. 1866 · Vol. 3, p. 1867