Subject:Sand
Entries
Entry 2275
Once dere wus a fellah went an' shot in de church - shot in through de church. All of us in de church preachin' an' ever'thin', an' he came up drunk an' he shot into de church. Some of de fellahs made him mad an' went in de church an' he went home - ran home all de way home an' got his shotgun an' come back - got his pistol an' come back. He's intendin' tuh break up de church - all of 'em drunk. Well, he come back an' shot in de church. He run dem all out, de preacher out de church an' ever'thin'. Well, when he ran dem all out he ranned on out hisself an' went tuh shootin' behin' dem. Well, his father says, "Well son, ah'm goin' git chew outa dis, if yo'be's good." He said, "Yes." He wus goin' to his father tuh git him out. [For man so mad at his church he threw graveyard dirt on congregation, see No. 655, p.221.] Well, his father went to a man an' got a root. It wus a root about that long, a blacksnake root an' dese heah lil roots yo' call de sand root - about that, so long. He give him that root an' tole him to put it - cut it an' put it in his shoe, an' take one piece an' put it in his mouth when he git up there befo' de judge an' chew dat root, an' if he'd chew dat root, he'd come clear or wouldn't have tuh make a oath for 60 or 70 or maybe 90 days. An' he taken dat root an' went up dere an' he tole him tuh keep his foot pattin' lak that while he wus up there an' while de judge wus tryin' him. Well, he taken that root an' put it in his mouth an' had one under each feet an' he's up dere pattin' de root an' de judge tried him. He tole him he could give him a life sentence or have him exe- cuted, but de best thing he could do fo' him wus let him go, tuh give him five yeahs out of town. Dat's whut he did with the root dat he had.
(All he had was the piece of blacksnake root?)
He had a piece of blacksnake root an' whut chew call de sand root. An' he had then cut it an' put in his shoe - in each shoe an' while the judge wus tryin' him he chewed dat root.
Entry 2645
Tuh keep de police away yo' git de salt, keep de salt - git dis heah Bluebird Salt an' jes' sprinkle it good roun' yore do', an' keep yore flo's scrubbed wit lye. Scrub every Friday mawnin' wit concentrated lye. An' it's a silver sand dat chew use - yo' know, silver sand. Well, yo' git dat sand an' yo' sprinkle dat roun' yore do'steps. If yo' wants tuh make a place be bad or if a man is got a place tuh rent an' if yo'wanta keep him from havin' much success, yo' gits some parsley seed an' throw em out roun' de do'. Dere won't nobody hardly go dere tuh stay.
Entry 4914
Wit de man sock, well yuh take de sand from undahneat' de steps an' fill up dat stockin', de sock, like he have it on, an' dig a hole an' put it in dat hole comin' toward de house, an' he's gotta stay dere, or either take de bow out his hat. (Wait a minute, now! Wait a minute! How do you put that sock down in that hole?) Jis' stand it up jis' like it be yore feet in dere.
(And that's pointing away from the house?)
[This misdirection question I rarely used.]
No, comin' tuh de house.
(You point it toward the house, jis' as you did with the shoe?)
[The shoe was given in a preceding rite.]
Yes sir.
Entry 6879
(How can that be done?)
Well, yo' see, de way dat dey do it, dey git a rope. Yo' know a woman's iml pregnant. Dey goes tuh de step an' dey come ovah de step.
(Wait a minute. What do they do with that rope now?)
Dey take de rope offa de mule.
(Oh, this rope is around the mule?)
De rope is aroun' de mule. Dey git tuh de step an' dey come over dat rope nine times backwards. See, dey jump ovah de rope once an' dey walk aroun' it an' dey jump ovah it ag'in. An' when dey git ovah dat rope, den dey jump up lak a mule. Now, when dis lady comes out, dat's crossin' 'er as a mule [woman's period will be as long as a mule's]. Now tuh git dis cross off 'er before dis child is born, yo' git chew a Bull Durham [tobacco] sack. Yo' take dat Bull Durham sack an' yo' wash it clean, clean, clean. Yo' go tuh one a dese big sand places such as Jenkins, Watts-Cornell [or] J. J. Cox, sand dat's nevah been used, jis' come in. Yo' fill dat bag about three-qurtah full of dat sand. It's purtty white sand. Yo' git chew nine silvah dimes an' yo' put in dat sand an' yo' git chew, git chew a half a cupa vinegah. Yo' take dat an' yo' put it intuh a pot an' yo' boil. An' aftah yo' boil, yo' boil yo' an' yo' boil it down an' yo' see dis sack done boiled enough, tuh where yo' want it tuh boil at, den yo' take dis sack an' yo' go an' throw it undah 'er steps. Dat's de woman impregnant. Yo' throws it right undah 'er step wit dese dimes an' dis sand intuh it. Now, de liquid dat's lef' from dis, from dat vinegah, yo' got dat dere. Now, she mus' take a sip of dis evah mawnin' fer nine mawnin's. An' ah'll guarantee yuh it'll knock dat off. (That checks that cross that's on that woman, checks it right away. You can't do any harm at all.)
Entry 7496
Mah gran'mothah says, she says, it's a devil's shoestring. She say yo' tie dis roun' yore waist - roun'about, yo'know right 'long heah [demonstrates], an' yo' git chew a little bag a sand an' put on each end of dis devil's shoestring, an' de man dat'll appear - yore mind will jes' come to 'im [your mind will show you a. picture of the killer]. De man dat did dis to yo', yo'll see 'im. An' in othah words yo' be lookin' out fo' dat. An' de first man dat chure 'tention [attention] strike an' he gits in yore mind, vell dat's de man dat really did de killin'. Yo' kin take, lak dis [dead] man dere, yo' kin git some of de dirt offa his grave an' jes' scattah it round, yo' know, lak.
(This dirt now, what about that?)
Three days aftah de man is buried yo' kin take dis dirt an' scattah it along dis road, an' if dis man evah comes along dis road ag'in, he'll show 'imself up. In othah words, if he evah cross where yo' scattah dis dirt, in othah words, de spirit is not normal till three days aftah, den yo' git it offa dere an' scattah it 'cross de road.
Entry 7655
Ah hear 'em say dat dey takes some graveyard dirt, if yo' have any man in yore community an' yo' wanted tuh move 'em. Yo' take an' yo' go tuh a sinnah man's grave an' git some of de dirt from right off on 'is left side of 'is heart. Jis' go right down in de grave till yo reach clay, an' take it out, an' take dat clay an' mix it up wit some sulphur an' magic sand.
(Magic sand?) [A hoodoo store product.]
Yessuh, magic san'. An' some dragon blood an' brimstone, an' mix all dat tuh- gethah. An' go in dat house wit'out anybody knowin' dat chew in dere, an' sprin- kle it when all de folk gone from de house. See, in de rooms, an' walk out wit'- out nobody knowin' yo' dere. Yo' know dat chew in dere an' make yore wishes. An' dey say dat dey'll have tuh go 'way from dere.
Entry 7815
You can use graveyard dirt for many occasions. Now, you can take graveyard dirt, dirt dauber, sand.
(Sand?)
Sand.
(Ordinary sand?)
Ordinary sand, cement [and graveyard dirt] an' yo' can make a ball out of it. You take it an' make a real ball out of it. An' after you make that ball out of it, why you takes that stuff that you make mosquito bar an' yo' take that, an' wrap that around of it. An' put it out in the sun, where de sun can hit it an' let it dry, an' take that an' just put it in de house. It's just as hard as a ball, it is. An' any time, why, if yo' wants to have control over whomsomever yo' desire to have control, yo' just kick that ball aroun' an' play wit it, call his names, an' de next three or four hours he's supposed to bedere.
(I see.)
Entry 7830
Mostly dey use graveyard dirt, but dey git tuh use sand an' powdah.
(Sand and powder?)
Yeah.
(Sand and powder. What kind of powder?)
Love powdah.
(Love powder?)
Yeah, yo' see. Well, dey use graveyard dirt an' love powdah. Dat's tuh make yo' lak 'em or anything lak dat, yo' see. (Well, how would you prepare that? How would you do it?) Well, de way yo' do, yo' take yo' some graveyard dirt an' yo' mix it up de powdah in dat. (This love powder?) Yeah, love powdah an' sand. Yo' buy de love pow- dah right in de drug store, an' sand.
(Ordinary sand?)
Sand. An' yo' put a li'le sugah in dere. Sugah's fer love, see. Put a li'le sugah in dere an' yo' kin put a li'le bit in de envelope. An' lak yo' send yo a lettah, yo' put a li'le bit in de envelope. Well, dat make dat person lak yo aftah yo' git dat stuff on 'em.
Entry 8245
Ah hearn dat chew could take de photograph an' bury it in de sand, an' when dat photograph melt away offa dat whut it's taken on, yo'll die.
Entry 8950
You will go to a creek where ther's water running at. You get you some of that sand out of the bottom of that creek. See, some of that white sand, and you get you some of that run- ning water, see. You brings it back home, you puts it in a clean basin. See, put that sand in the bottom of that basin. You puts that water in there. You take and you write your name on a piece of paper nine times. See. And you puts it in that water. Well, it's natural when that paper gets wet, it's going to sink under that water, you understand. That paper sinks under there and you stand up in it and you repeat the Lord's Prayer for seven times and make your wish. And whosomever got anything from you, they ain't going to rest until they bring it back.
(I see, if anybody has stolen anything?)
If anybody stole anything, it keep 'em tormented until he bring it back. (What do you mean by repeating the prayers seven times? You mean all on this one day?) Yes, sir.
(Or seven different days?)
Oh, no sir, just one time, yo' see. An' while yo' repeating that, that paper going to come back to the top of the water, you see. And when it come, it going to begin to float around, see. It float around, you see on that water. An' then you don't take it out; see, yo' leave that paper float in that water. See. And it's goin' keep him tormented until he brings that back. It going to create a fear on him, he can't rest nowhere.
(I see.) [New Orleans, La., (873), 1426:4.]
[Despite the following do-it-yourself rites about court cases, it was always advisable in serious crimes to employ the service of an expert, especially of a legendary person like Doctor Buzzard, who never appeared in court but sent an animal to do his work (pp.891-905). At an earlier date some witchcraft people could break up a trial by thunder and lightning, so it is said. Much of this court material is scattered throughout Hoodoo - see interview COURTROOM SPECIAL- IST, Pp.1423-1449, v.2; SIFTER AND SCISSORS, No.604, p.204, v.1; and especially a rite, No.9024 in this present section, one of the finest statements in Hoodoo; My amazing experience with Doctor Washington of Charleston, S. Car. He, using me as a guinea pig, explains how he could free me from the clutches of the law, if I were a bootlegger and had been arrested! This freedom he describes by asking me questions and then answering them himself - Shakespearian! Indirectly he will bribe the court through a go-between with the money I pay him in advance, keeping a part of it as his commission, and work his real magic with 2 black hens. Washington, after talking to me, had a fight with another doctor out in the court- yard of the house where I was interviewing. I refer to this fracas later while in Brunswick, Ga., after two doctors likewise had a quarrel outside the house where I interviewed (lines 5-6, 15-16, p.337, v.1). Washington, as also most other doctors, paid me the great compliment of my life, without any suggestion or pretense of mine. He and they considered me a hoodoo man from New York City! Big-city life would make me ignorant of animals that crawled or hopped or flew. Consequently he offered to help me by taking over any live-things-in-you cases coming my Way in Charleston - See DOCTOR WASHINGTON ASKS FOR DOCTOR HYATT'S "LIVE-THINGS-IN-YOU" CASES, pp.2253-2258, v.3.]
Entry 9155
Ah seen a fellah do dis one time, an' it come out - it come out really true, right heah on de corner of [some street]. It wuz heah in dis town, mah home town. He tuk, he went tuh anothah fellah dat stayed up heah along de road, supposed tuh be a kind of a root doctah. He went tuh dis fellah. He had called him a...or sompin othah, a purtty bad man. He went up tuh dis fellah an' dis fellah wuz standin' round, say, "Yo' boys come in dis room." Told 'im, "All right." Ah'd gone up dere wit 'im. Ah went on in de room wit 'im. He gave dis boy an' he say, "Yo' do jes' lak ah tell yo' when yo' go in de co't." De boy tole 'im, "Yessuh." He give dis boy somepin - he mixed somepin, said it wuz a salve, sulphuh wit black peppah an' he got, ah think some sage tea. Den he went got him a whole lotta snails. Not no whole lotta snails but li'le articles of sands. An' he tuk [took] an' put dem in a snuffbox an' stirred it up. Aftah he put it in dis snuffbox he stirred it up an' he tole dis boy, says, "Will yo'all step out in dis othah room?" So we stepped out intuh de othah room. We didn't know what exactly [what to expect]. So we stepped out intuh de othah room, an' he tole dis boy, said, "Now yo' take dis stuff an' has de box right in yore han', jes' about lak yo' hold de palm of yore hand, an' put it in yore right-hand pocket; an' when yo' go up dere in de co'troom an' when dey call yo', yo' called up on de stand, an' when yo' go on dere, yo' take dis stuff. Don' let nobody see it. Jes' lak yo' got chure han' in yore pocket, an' jes' take some of dis stuff an don't be watchin' whut chew doin'. An' take it as yo' goin' up dere on de stand an' jes' sprinkle it round lak yo' brushin' dis hand right down de side of de judge." An' he said, "Ah'll guarantee yo' dey won't do anything 'bout chw - guarantee yo'll git out, won't go no time." (Well, what about this other stuff, this salt and sand that was sprinkled around. He put this salt and stuff with this sand and sprinkled it around?) Yessuh, mixed it all up tuhgethah.
Entry 9613
Well, lak dey are goin' in a path - dey'll git in dat path an' de fo'ks of de road an' stop an' turn aroun' [turn around on your heel making hole in ground]. Put some pepper an' salt in dat [and spit] in de pathway [in the heel hole made in the pathway]. (What will that do?) Dat supposed tuh git chw confused. Dey have a cer- Cain scripture tuh read fo' dat dough. [If scripture (Scriptures) here means the Bible, it could be something like: Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity (Psa.6:8); but the scripture is more likely to be something like, Go! God damn you!]
(Well, what about that spitting?)
Dat spittin' is supposed tuh confuse yo'.
Entry 9732
If yo' want tuh kill a woman or a woman wants tuh kill yuh, she could take six rusty nails an' git a piece of yore undahclothes, an' [or] ole stockin'. Takes it an' drop it intuh a quart jah an' screw de top on it. An' left about three holes in it, where jes' a li'l' sand kin drop in dere. An' bury it undah yore steps, if yo' aren't scared. An' den yo' walk in an' out an' back an' fo'wards [over it]. Jes' as de sand drop in dere, yo' [inside the quart jar] gits sick. Well, yo' git tuh de play [place] yo' won' be no mo' good tuh yuhself or nobody else. An' de mo' sand drop in dere de mo' closah yo' gits tuh yuh grave. Jes' kill yuh, yo' know.
Entry 10464
Git chew a han'fula san' [sand] an' put down side yore bed an' when- evah he [witch] come dere an' mess wit chah, why he have to count ev'ry one dem grains of sand 'fore he go, an' dey say he gon'a keep on countin' dem ovah an' ovah until he try to count 'em all, but he nevah would count 'em all 'fo [before] dat morning. See, jes' count 'em ovah an' ovah.
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 11236
[Since we are now in the letter "D" of CHANNEL DE WORLD material - a division arranged alphabetically instead of sectionally to avoid typing compli- cations - the following 30 pages or more will be concerned with doctors, something by them or about them. Doctors of course will appear among later letters of the alphabet, but here was a convenient place to concentrate some of them. I begin with a folding rite that contains a close relative, a wrapping rite. The verb to fold does not appear in the index of Folklore from Adams County Illinois, 1st ed., 1935, and I doubt its appearance in the indexless 2nd ed. There is an index only in the files of the Center for the Study of Comparative Folklore and Mythology, University of California, Los Angeles, California. De- spite rarity, HOODOO has a number of folding rites, some of them quite compli- cated: Nos.3126, 3182-3190, etc., v.3 and elsewhere. To fold to you or away from you is a usual theme, but our present rite is an accordian fold. Especially interesting to me is the doctor, place of hearing, and time. My record concern- ing him reads: "Thurs. Feb. 15, 1940, informant No.1565, man 45, Crackerjack Store, paid, ng." (From note books E Series, 2nd New Orleans trip, numbers of informants 1558 to 1605). More about that ng in a moment. Informant was brought to me by the black man preceding him, a man who worked at the Crackerjack Store - sometimes called drug store - a famous hoodoo emporiun of that date. During the following interview I was utterly unaware that this would be my last dat at Pat- terson Hotel, 759 S. Rampart St., corner of Julia, New Orleans, La. Years later I would pay my respects to the old building by printing her picture at the end of HOODOO volume 2! The folding rite follows:] Say fo' instance yo' wanta git rid of a man. All right yo'd git his photo- graph, not a tintype. Git a cardboard [photograph] an' de medium size. Git it an' fold it in half an' find, say lak a dead chicken or a dead dog or somepin aroun' [or lying about] wit maggots. Ah mean large-size maggots as dey walkin'.... Well, yo' crease de photograph in nine folds an' as yo fold it in de nine folds, yo' drop a maggot in each one of 'em; in every fold until yo' git de nine mag- gots. Den yo' git chew a piece of separate black cord an' tie it [folded photo] nine times; den yo' git chew a piece of red [cord] an' yo' make six knots [about folded photo]. An' put in dem nine knots an' six knots.... Dat [package] is representin' dey cof- fin. Aftah yo' git through wit dat, den yo' wrap it up in a piece of cloth, which would be about fully de same size, an' git chew de nine of spades, an' wrap dat up nine times, an' jes' take an' fold it wit [3 ingredients]: one flake [flick = pinch] of salt, an' one flake of black peppah, an' one flake of red pep- pah - cayenne peppah. An' wrap 'em all up. An' yo' close it up an' regardless of whut de individual's name may be, yo' put it down nine times in a piece of silk tissue papah, fold it every time nine times. Take a match an' burn it, an' as yo' burn it, leave dem ashes go right on top.... Den yo' take all dat cloth [the several packages together] tuhgethah an' reenfold it [in one cloth] an' git chew some rivah sand, an' jes' put it in dere an' dry [tie] it up [into one pack- age]. Den yo' goes on tuh de neahest runnin' watah dat yo' kin git tuh an' dig yo' a small pit, jes' a small hole.... Dig it out six inches, jes' as dere grave. Aftah yo' do it, den yo' says - be mastah of de ceremony which is his funeral. As yo' be blessin' de body as it goin' down, every word yo' say yo' curse in between it, which is his name in between. An' as yo' doin' dat, den yo' throws a little bit of sherry wine, or if he drinks, regardless of whatevah it is, jes' throw it right on in dere....an' covah it up - an' drop it as it [coffin] goin' doup: [After this mock funeral ceremony] nine words yo' says, every day nine words, an' in de 18th day whoevah de individual will be, dey comin' unnormal deathly sick. De doctor [M.D.] or no othah one will undahstan' his case no kinda way. He'll die an' swell up [he'll swell up and die] in de next, say six or seven months, or maybe in de comin' future yeahs, from dat date.... (And you say you say nine words to that thing each day. Have you any special words you say?) Lak if de individual wuz a gamblah or a thief or a murderah, he may come home an' he'll be worried or somepin. Well yo' jes' curse him in dat name, "Yo' son of bitch. Yo' bastard. Yore mothah's no good. Yore fathah's no good. An aftah yo' hit me, whut ah won't do tuh yo'." An' aftah whut chew do to him, yo' say a prayah, "Name de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, Amen. "... Every day [the unrecorded things done I pick up in my following comment].
(You say just nine prayers like that. Nine things you say.)
Cussin' him all de time.... [Informant had seen his best days as a doctor, that is why I preserved the remainder of his interview under the last alphabetical division XYZ. Those 4....indicate repetition of what had been said.]
Entry 11673
Say yo' kin go to de fo'ks of de road an' take, yo' know, dat crossin' sand. [sand from crossroad used in crossing person]. An' go an' git 'im, say, a box about foah inches square. An' git a piece of flannen cloth. An jest lak it wus me, dey take mah name [write it] and [write] whatsomevah dey wanta do tuh me; lak dey wanta kill me or wanta lingah me. Dey kin take dat an' read de 35th Psalm fo' nine days at sunrise, an' [while reading it] turn yore haid to de sunrise, an' dey kin kill yo'. (What would they do with all these things in that box? You didn't tell me vhat they did with those.) Well, dey would jest go an' dey would take dat crossing sand [sand from cross- road] yore name, yo' understand, an' dat jest be closed up [in the box]. Yo understand me. Go out an' put dat ingredients in deah. It's a dragon's blood dat chew kin git - dragon's blood - put it in dere. An' put dat box back to- gether, yo' know, jest like yo' kin use dat sand an' dat dragon's blood an yore name an' read dat - yo' understand, dat 35th Psalm.
(Where do you put that box then?)
Well, yo' jest place it most anywhere about in de house, ain't got no certain place.
Entry 191
Dey says if yo' could take, go an' git dat dust; says if yo' evah killed a man, said yo' could jes' git it - yo' have tuh reach in dere. Ah ain't nevah knowed nobody or seen nobody could do it, while de whirlwind's comin' by, tuh reach down in dere right quick an' git chew as much sand as yo' kin. Keep dat in yore watch pocket all de time an' if yo' evah happen tuh kill a man, or evah has killed a man, says yo' kin git away wit dat sand after yo' kill him.
(If this man has killed a man, he can get away and they can't catch him?)
Yeah, ah've heah dem say dat.
Entry 199
Ah know one thing 'bout it - yo' kin go out tuh de fo'ks of de road if it's anything yo' wanta do to anyone, yo' kin go tuh de fo'ks of de road - or anything yo' wanta learn - yo' kin go tuh de fo'ks of de road an' sell yo'self to de devil of co'se. But yo' kin run a person off from dey home. Dey kin have evah sech a nice home but yo' could go tuh de fo'ks of de road an' git nine grain of sand, say, "Ah'm gittin' dis fo' puhtection fum yo' - ah want chew tuh puhtec' me." Git nine grains of sand, "Ah want chew tuh puhtec' me fum all things - ah want chew puhtec' me in mah home. Mah home is gotten bad an' ah want chew tuh puhtec' me in dis nine grains of sand." An' yo' take dem nine grain of sand an' git chew a brand new white pocket han'ke'chef an' tie dem nine grains of sand up in it. An' yo' kin go to dat fo'ks of de road fo' nine nights an' git nine grain of sand an' dat las' night yo' go an' git dat nine grains of sand, yo' kin bring it in de house an' put it up ovah yore do' an' if yo' want dat person tuh go out, dat person will go out an' dey won' nevah come in dere no mo'. Dat will do 'way wit dat person altuhgethah.
(That person who is bothering you - you do that for protection?)
Yes. [Sumter, S. Car., (1365), 2413:3.] [This subsection, in addition to animals as spirits, introduces that amazing animal, the doctor's or witch's assistant.]
Entry 386
He went right roun' an' roun' it [the grave]. He had had tuh had a red sack of sand. He had went roun' dat certain one grave, an' he had tuh be very careful of dem sacks - said he would of call up some animosity dere. He had a red sack of de graveyard sand an' a white sack, an' he taked an' empty it right aroun' de grave dere, walkin' right roun' an' roun' de grave of his wife [magic circle] an' emptied de red sack right around de grave dere an' after he empty de red sack he emptied de white sack. An' after he do dat, he stan' right in de middle of de grave an' his wife's spirit come up an' she tell him everything dat he wanted tuh know an' everything - an' anything she had done, where she had leave it an' everything.
(Where she had left this money?)
Yeah.
(Well now, this man, what does he do when he first goes out to the graveyard?)
He goes to dat certain grave - his wife grave an' goes roun' an' roun' dat grave dere - circle lak towards - lak de sun circle - twelve a'clock at night.
(Where did he get the graveyard dirt?)
Right in de heart of de grave - right in de heart of her grave right dere.
(He gets this dirt from her grave?)
Yeah. (Then he must use this red sack and white sack - then he sprinkles it back on her grave?) Yeah - he sprinkle it roun' an' roun' her grave - like de circlin' of de sun.
(And who told you this?)
Ah heard mah grandmothah said dat wus true. (The old man had done this. His wife had died and left some money and he did not know where the money Was. So he went out there to find it - to speak with her to find out where this money was buried?) Yeah. (He went out there and he circled around her grave and then he stood in the middle of her grave and got this dirt and put it in these sacks. Then he went around the grave again and circled it and sprinkled this dirt around her grave. Then he stood on her grave and she told him where it was?) Yeah.
(Your grandmother told you the story?)
Yeah.
Entry 420
The way it started, twelve o'clock every night a noise would come in the hall like you throw something down. So my father decided there was money some- where under the house and he used the same thing [method described in No. 418] tc locate the money. So he took up part of the floor of.the kitchen floor. Well, he put his rod on it, but it [the money] would go away every time. One Saturday morning, he was away, and my little brother [a man!] started to dig. And he dug until the sand was all off the pot and the little handle that was on it. He stuck his finger in it, started to pull it up, and he got so excited he called my mother. And the pot went: away.
Entry 506
Well, now, yo' kin take a broom an' jes' lay it crossways under yore bed an' dat'll stop 'em. Or yo' kin go to three crossways - go to three crossroads an' pick up a little sand outa three crossroads an' throw it up under yore bed an' they wouldn't bother yo' no mo' tuh save yore life. If dey do, ah'll eat dis hat [my black hat containing concealed microphone - see Hat, my black, in Index].
(That will stop these witches?)
Yes sir - dat'll shore stop 'em.
Entry 1010
If she get that [menstrual blood] on you, she's got you. She puts that in something you eat or drink and you can't get clear of her. I had that done to me once. There was a old lady that asked me to come over one Saturday afternoon - and I was going with her daughter and she seemed to think a great deal of me. Her daughter said she [the mother] wanted us to marry. On a Sunday morning she sent me to another daughter's and I went [there] and got her a jib bonnet - that's an old-fashioned bonnet made out of slats. So when I got ready to go home she [the mother] give me a molasses cake into [baked in] a tin plate. And her son who was a cripple fellow got on a stool and said, "Sam, give me a piece of your cake." His mother replied to him, 'No, he's [you have] had cake." He said, "Mine was cut-out cake [a slice from a large cake], not that kind." And so on going home I had to go on a road through a field of roasting-years [ears of (sweet) corn (maize) ready for roasting or boiling] - and I ete about half of it and I come to think what the old folks had told me. And I threw the rest [of the cake] off in the corn. And I had a time in getting clear of her [daughter]. I wasn't satisfied nowhere I would be except I was looking at her. There was an old man told me how to get shed of it by taking a brand-new shingle and carrying it to a sandy branch. And I drew her pitchure as near as I could. I was told, you draw the pitchure on the shingle and drive the pitchure into the sand, and I just jumped backwards and forth over the shingle - over her head, and cut her in the face with a switch. You have to do that nine times [once each] nine mornings early. And I didn't have much more trouble.
Entry 4588
Dey kin run yuh crazy wit dat bow outa yuh hat easy, becus dey take dat bow outa de hat an' take it an' git some of dat stone outa graveyard - chip of stones off de [tombstone] out in de graveyard, graveyard dust, white sand out of de graveyard from de head of any grave. An' take it an' put it intuh a jar, altuhgethah, an' take it back an' plant it in dere, in de grave- yard. Dat easily kin run yuh crazy too, de same way as yuh hair.
Entry 5304
See, heah, when yo' go an' find a red ants nest, dey make a big - jes' a kinda hill of sand aroun' it yo' know, a ants nest. Well, jes' lak if anybody in dis town dat chew want dem tuh leave heah fo' good an' nevah return no mo', yo' pick up dere lef' track from de toe an' bring it back, an' put it in dat ants nest, an' dey'll go. Dey won't nevah come back heah no mo'. (They put the left-foot track from the toe to the heel into this ants nest, and that will make them move and leave town.) Well, ah nevah have tried it mahself - whut ah heah othah folks talkin' 'bout it. If a person knowed anothah one an' didn't lak 'em so gūd [good], well dey'd want 'em stay home [stay away]. Well he watch where he walk through in sand. Well, when 'is back turned he'd go an' git a little sand out dere. Well, he'd go den tuh a little ants hole an' put dat in dere, see. Well dat ants, dey jes' totin' sand all de time, see. Well he'd [ants] git holt of dat, keep totin' dat. Well, dat person he'd leave home, he jes' keep goin' all de time, from one state tuh 'nother. He can't let 'im stay home none at all.
(You take the sand from either of my tracks?)
Dat's right.
Entry 11550
"Jes' lak yo' walking, dey kin take yuh [left] foot track, de length an' de wide of it. Well, now, right in your instep dey take a grain of sand, jes' pick up jes' what yo' kin git in your fingah. An' dey put it in a bottle an' git, well, I would say around about 10 or 15 drops of Hearts Cologne. Dey'll put dat in dere. An' dey will jis' keep adding dis powdahs in dere with it. Some kinda powdah. I forgit de name. Jis' feed it with powdahs. Well, dey claim den, if dey do dat, why you can't walk." [Richmond 462:8.]
Entry 896
I had a uncle, he went crazy and stayed crazy about, I reckon about three years. They kep' him home that long and then they sent him to Goldsboro [North Carolina, to the asylum] and he stayed up there a long time. And so a few years back they went and got him and brought him back home and he was still crazy. So they sent for a fellah from down South to come down here. He told 'em that he'd cure him for twenty-five dollars. So he taken and brought a big bottle of medicine there for him, root medicine, give him that. Then he put somepin under the steps for him so nobody couldn't git in there to do him no harm. He wouldn't let him take nothin' that nobody give him. He took a little bag and got some kind of sand, they say he went to the graveyard and got some sand, and put some more little stuff in that, some rocks he brought with him, and wrahpped it up right tight and put it under the steps. He had to go to the [Wrightville] Sound to git some salty water to soak it in, throwed it all over that stuff, he says, so nobody couldn't git it up. And then he give him somepin to wear. He give him a belt to wear right next to his meat and put a dime on each one of his legs. And he come to git all right.
Entry 1933
That's used for gambling.
(How do they handle that?)
They take graveyard dust and white sand and put it in a tobacco sack. Take a tobacco sack and wash it out in clear water and turn it wrong side out. And [take] two teaspoonful of graveyard dust and two teaspoonful of salt and a silver dime. And tie 'em nine knots - tie it nine times, which would make 81 knots in de sack and wear it in yore pocket.
(What do you do with that white sand?)
The white sand - that's a - they use that in place of steel dust.
(Well, do you put it in that sack, too?)
Yes, sir.
(How much?)
About a teaspoon and a half of white sand. (I see. What do you mean by tying nine knots? How could you tie nine knots in that sack?) Well, you see, there's two strings to it.
(Oh, yes.)
And you take and every time you tie a knot, you.tie it to you, you know. You see, tie nine knots in it, see. And after you tie the ninth knot, you see, well then you turn that sack like this.
(How do you mean, you turn the sack? How do you mean?)
Just take the sack like that and hold the strings - hold one string in this hand and one string in this hand and turn the sack over to you [demonstrates].
(You swing the sack over toward you. I see.)
Yes. Then you tie nine more, you see. Nine times nine is 81. (I see. You have to swing the sack at the end of each nine knots. You pre- pare that for what? Gambling you say?) Yes, sir.
Entry 1967
Fo' tuh have luck in gamblin', take white peppah, an' yo' know dat John de Conker ah wus tellin' yo' 'bout it - well, take a piece jis' about this long an' white peppah an' some white sand, yo' know, an' a piece of white lodestone an' be shore it's put into a piece of flannen or, yo' know, not those thick leather - yo' know, jis' lak a kid glove is, leather lak that [shammy or chammy]. An' be sure tuh bind it an' sew it well an' leave jis' about dat much of de little piece open. Now, look [demonstrates] - see, if ah had a string so dat ah could show yo'. Yo' needn't leave not nary piece [of string] on dat, 'cause he ain't goin' understan' dat. But let him wear dat in his vest pocket, yo' see, an' nobody put dere han's on it. Now, ah tole yo' 'bout de John de Conker. If yo' ain't got no John de Conker, ah kin get chew John de Conker. Ah kin git real John an' Low John.
(What does he put this in his pocket for?)
Well, he put that in there fo' luck in gamblin'.
(You make a little bag for that root with that little hole [dropped stitches]
in it?) Yo' don't want no hole in it - no, no hole in it. Dat string-lak kinda handle to it.
(You make a loop in it?)
Yeah. Well, dat loop belongs dere. Dat little loop belongs dere.
(Why does that loop belong there?)
Well, dat loop means yo know somethin'. Well dat little loop on dere, don't chew see, recommends. Yo' see, ah'm a Christian an' ah lak tuh tell de truth. Dat little loop recommends dat ah will make it. Dat'll make it too. [Memphis - Tuesday, May 24, 1938 - 916 - woman 50 - root doctor - not much" - Numbers Book 885-977. This is an underevaluation made because she filled two cylinders only. She is telling me how to make a hand - "leave jis' about dat much of de little piece open." She does not mean the shammy or flannel but the string used in sewing the bag. She wanted to show me how but we had no string. Then she decides, "Yo' needn't leave not nary piece [[of string]] on dat, 'cause he ain't goin' understand dat." The man for whom I was making the hand wouldn't understand the loop anyway. That loop, she says, is 'lak kinda handle to it [[the hand]].] Dat loop means yo' know somethin'...recommends...recommends dat ah will make it. Dat'll make it, too." At the time I must have known or suspected what the loop meant. I can merely guess at the meaning now. The loop was her secret sign, personal trademark. I doubt the loop would have helped me in making hands. [For another hand maker's trademark, see Broken Bottle Hand, p.532.]
Entry 3086
[Madam DeLong is a hand-maker and of the dime-a-dozen variety. She must be included here because my informant visited both women. Besides, her name interests me for a reason given later. Aunt Sally is a master of her craft - original, brilliant.] At Savannah, Ga. (What were their names?) Aunt Sally - Savannah, Ga. Ah first went to Madam DeLong - she was white. Ah went to Madam DeLong.
(In Savannah.)
Dat's right - on Jerome Street in 1914. But ah went to her fer gambling hand.
(What did she do for you?)
Jest a minute, now. Ah don't recall [everything] - a piece of root and some black peppah; yes, it was, and if ah understand well, three grains [seeds] out of a green pepper, cayenne pepper. She had three grains. She took dat root dey call John de Conker and she [didn't] cut it up and [but] she cut another root which is called blacksnake root and a little gypsum [ginseng]. [Three roots.] [And she did them] jest like she did de seeds, like de three seeds dat she took out of de pepper, and she grates it into a flannel. But she had another rag in dere befo' she put it into de flannel. And she sewed dat up and she give it to me for luck in gambling.
[John de Conker was not cut up but worn in one piece.]
(This was the white woman, Madam DeLong: How do you spell that?)
Madam DeLong, dey call it. She's dead now.
(How do you spell that name?)
Ah jest don't know. [I heard this so'often!] [If I remember rightly, there was a curio mail-order firm in Chicago by that name. This woman - a possible agent of theirs or buying some of her hoodoo sup- lies from them - may have used DeLong as her professional name. We have a good example of name-adoption from a firm in G. H. Smith & Company (2740, p.746).] Ah went to Aunt Sally, dat was one of mah race after dat. Le'me see, 'twas about a year after dat, ah reckon. I did [it]. [It] worked very well in dat year cause I was runnin' pract'ly a kitchen gambling house - dey gamble in de kitchen - an' nobody didn't bother me. Well den, after she died, I went to Aunt Sally. Well, I went to Aunt Sally and she give me a fishing hook and she made me step three steps right out in front of her do'. Den she sont a little boy out after that and she told him to pick up her some sand out of each one of those [three] tracks. She told me when I got to de last track, "Don't make no other step." She said, "Jis' swing around." I swung around. And ah noticed dat dat last track - de little boy brought in de sand. She put de other two sand to- gether out of de other two tracks, but dis sand heah, dis last track, she didn't put dat sand in dere. She put it into something look like a sifter and she sift- ed it into a white piece of cloth. After sifting it into a white piece of cloth, she laid it up on de sheft [shelf] and she said, "Now, you sit down fer five minutes." Ah sat down five minutes and when she rech up dere and got it agin, instead of it being sand, it was ants. It was ants! Ah looked at it myself. It was dem little antses. Den she tuk it and put it into de same package. Ah don't know whether de dirt turned to ants or not, but when she did lay it up dere five minutes and den when she looked at it, and I looked at it too, and it was ants instead of de sand. Den she fold it into de other package and fold it up. And she hand it to me like dat [demonstrates].
(With her fist down.)
Yeah, jes' dat way, with her fist down. Ah never will forget it. And den she tuk it back. Dat's how it was done. And she said, "Now," she say, "I won't give yo' dis." Ah said, "Well, why?" She said, "Yo' ain't able to pay fo'it." An' ah asked her, ah said, "What do you want fer it?" She said, "Fifty dollars." Ah say, "Ah'll pay fer it twice." And she wouldn't take de $50. She tuk $5 but she never did give me de package. She say, "Yo' go on you'll be all right.
(What was that for?)
That was for running business, a place of business - help yo' business.
(Or in ganbling.)
Yes, actually that was my business - running a gambling [business]. ["Go on you'll be all right is a common trick (see 885-886, p.319), but to change footstep-dirt into live ants and refuse a large price for them displays the hand of a master. I need not explain that some doctors work upon the theory: if you give nothing, there can be no evidence. The ants? Simple - two packages
(see bottle substitution,792, p.265).]
Entry 5367
Yo' takes a person an' yo' wanta drive 'em or any- thin' lak dat, yo' gits de hollah outa his left foot - a pinch of sand. Yo' takes dat an' yo' dress it. Yo' takes it an' gits chew a BUZZARD feathah. Clips it dis way. Takes dat sand. [I want a better demonstration.] (How do you clip that buzzard feather?) Yo' cut it dat way [demonstrates]. (Oh, you cut it sort of a diagonal way. You don't have the bone sticking out? Cut off that bone sticking out there.) An' put dat sand in dere an' den yo' slips it back on dere an' go tuh runnin' watah. In seven days he's gone. (In other words, you clip that buzzard feather right in half and then you put that sand inside the quill. And then he's gone, when you throw that in running water.) Yes, in seven days he'll leave town.
Entry 5782
Dey pulls it [foot track] back. An' ah've heard 'em pull it back, an' den dey take it an' some- times dey Wan' chew tuh go way. Yo' throw it in de runnin' watah, when de tide's goin' up, an' den dey goes out. Ah have know 'em to do dat.
(They pull this foot track back toward them.)
Yes, pull de sand back.
(Yes, which one, either one?)
De left.
Entry 16
My uncle, he was awful scared of ghos'es, and he stayed that-a-way for about three year'. After them three year' was up he sent and got some man, who never tried religion, to see if he couldn't do somepin. So he went and got this fellah - de fellah come from down de South. He got him to see if he couldn't break him from being so scared. So we went and got some graveyard dust, sand, got a rabbit's foot or somepin - this fellah told him a graveyard rabbit, and took and fix it up [dressed it] for him. He took the rabbit foot and put it in a little bag and put de sand in there with it. He was to take it and wear on a belt. About two year' he got he'd see 'em right on but he wasn't scared of 'em.
Entry 760
I've heerd mah mothah say dat you'd take some salt an' pepper sometime, then you could take an' mix it up with some sand, sprinkle it acrost de road, you know, an' cross it up [make a cross with it]. She say if'en you step acrost it, why it would cripple yeh.
Entry 1205
Dey supposed to let nobody see it. Dey digs a hole.
(At the forks of the road.) [He had said this before I turned on my machine.]
At de forks of the road - four forks of de road. Dey dig a hole and dey git de red sand. Well, dat is fo' if anybody do anything to yo', yo' know, an' yo' boil it in water with lemons and yo' drink it. Dat is supposed to be if anybody do anything to yo' for bad luck. Jes' like yo' is in bad luck - well, yo' do dat and dat is supposed to cut de bad luck off yo'.
Entry 1510
That's for to keep anyone from your home and keep them from hurting you, this here. You take the shoe - now, if it's men and women both you want to keep away, why you take all the shoes of the family, all the old shoes and burn them. And you doesn't burn 'em complete to ashes, but chew burn 'em kin'a so tha' chew can mash 'em up. And you get chew a new box of cayenne pepper, and a new package of salt, and a new package of sulphur, and mix that all up together. Then you get chew a sifter - you put it [this mixture] in a can - then you get chew a sifter and just right after sundown you start from your back door and go on around the house and come on back to the back door right where you began dat. And just make your wishes. And if you want to name the persons in person, why you call those names. Just have like one or two or three individual persons you don't wish to come to your house. You do that for nine successful [successive] days. You do it in the morning and at night repeat the same thing. Well, in the morning you want to do that before sunrise in the morning - before sunrise in the morning and after sundown in the evening. And just repeat your wishes. And you can call, you know, the person's name just the same as if you were talking to them, and wish they'd stay away and not interfere with you. And repeat the Name of God. And you can also take river-shore sand. You take river-shore sand and put that in a sifter and sift it around the house. Mix these same things with it - the sulphur and the cayenne pepper and the salt, but be sure it's packages that never been broken. Just buy it for that especial. And you have the same amount of sand that chew do salt, sulphur, and pepper. See? You have a box of salt and you have the same amount of sand. See? Well, you take the package of sulphur and you take the package of pepper see, and mix with it. And see, that's enough to repeat the nine successful days. Well, you take the shore sand, you begin from yore back door and you go on around the house - like you have a walk away to the well and to the pump or at the gate, you take all the paths with it. You go to your outer buildings with the sand [the complete mixture] and repeat, you see, whatever you wish to be done. And if you think it's someone interfering with yeh, or your stock is dying, you go around the stalls, you know. You repeat and with the same thing may return on them and leave you be - in the Name of God.
Entry 2039
Dey goes out dere long about twelve. (Where do they go?) To de fo'ks of de road 'bout twelve or one a'clock in de night an' git some sand right out de fo'ks of de road an' carry it an' put it in a bag an' wrop it up an' put it ovah yore mantlepiece. Go tuh de graveyard an' run yore arm in de cemetery to yo' elbows an' git some dirt an' sew it up wit dat. An' dat'ud [that would] make yo' lucky - good a jomo as yo' want.
(That's luck for anything - luck in the home.)
Yes, sir - yes sir.
Entry 2483
Ah wanta tell yo' now, ah run a bo'din' house once fo' a ole lady dat stayed dere, an' she went to de fo'ks of de road an' got de dirt outa de middle of de road - don't chew understand me. Den she took some bluestone an' saltpeter an' brimstone - git it all at de drug sto' an' then she takes them an' beats it up fine an' puts it into that pot an' some splinters ovah it.
(What pot?)
To a small pot whut'll hold 'bout two or three quarts.
(Of water?)
Yes. No, no - of de sand, don't chew understand from out de middle of de road. Yeah, de sand is under de bottom of dis heah, under de bottom of dese splinters an' dis heah stuff whut she sprinkles ovah dat, an' den she po's a little kerosene ovah dat an' burns it about three a'clock in de mornin' befo' day. That is to git roomers in her house. Yeah, dat has come from de fo'ks of de road. (She would put this dirt in the pot an' then she mixes this other stuff with that dirt.) That's it - de saltpeter, bluestone an' brimstone. (So that I understand perfectly what it is about: she brings this dirt back from the forks of the road, she puts it in this little pot, then she gets these various things and puts on top of this dirt.) Beats it all up together. (And puts it on top of the dirt in the Pot; then she lights this stuff, this mixture - burns it.) Yeah - three a'clock in de morning.
Entry 3217
Now a woman kin take a man, she livin' wit 'm - she take a little bit of 'is shirttail, an' take dat same bow out his hat, an' git a little sand, jes' a little plain sand, an' a little garlic, an' a silvah dime, an' sew it up in a little bag an' wear it, an' no othah woman in de world he kin mess wit but 'er. Cuz ah know dat mahself, cuz ah done be fixed dataway an' ah took de bag an' cut it up an' looked at it an' seen whut was in it.
Entry 3417
Git de blood from a dog an' de sickness of a woman an' mix dose two things togethah. Put 'em in a little bottle an' take dat bottle an' stop it up tight. Lay it down in a little groove lak dat an' put sand over it, an' dat will take her nature away from all men, any man. She can't have nuth- in to do wit anyone. (Do you take that from any kind of a dog, that blood? Any time?) Any kind of a dog, any time.
Entry 5310
Tuh separate a man an' his wife or sompin lak dat, dey said yo' take up dere tracks. If yo' want de man tuh come tuhwards yo' an' yo' want de woman tuh go from yo', yo' take de man track from de heel comin' tuh de toes. Pull de heel dat way, see [demonstrates]. An' de woman, yo' take dat sand at de toe an' pull it - take it from yo'. Dat [is] if de man wuz yore husban', an' yo' break him from anothah woman dat way.
(What do you do with that dirt?)
Yo' take it an' put it in a big ants nest. Dat's whut dey tell me, put it in a big ants nest. An' when de ants take it an' bring it out, an' carry it diff'ren' ways, dat's tearin' de min' [mind] apart, cuz one ant's comin' disaway an' de othah one comin' de othah way. Dat will jes' tear dere min' apart.
Entry 5325
Dat is about a girl, yo' know. Take dis girl out yondah [yonder] an' yo' wan'a go wit 'er. Yo' kin take huh track an' take a teaspoon fulla de sand outa huh track an' a tea- spoon fulla sulphuh an' a little ball of asafitidy. An' tie it up in a black cloth an' put it in yore pocket, an' weah it in dere fo' 'bout nine mawnin's - eithah seven mawnin's. [They] say she'd come tuh yore house. But yo' jes' keep it in dere de ninth mawnin'. But [they] say aftah seven mawnin's yo'd make good wit 'uh. An' jes' weah dere until de ninth mawnin' an' yo'll have 'uh den.
Entry 5377
Well, [if] ah wanted tuh make yo' have bad luck. An' ah would ketch yore footprint in de sand an' ah would go tuh de risin' of de sun, an' jes' take de heel of yore feet - jes' de heel of it, an' den take de toe of it. Tie it up inside of a white cloth. An' den ah'd put red peppah an' den ah'd git dis devil's snuff, whut dey call now is devil's snuff [snuff from the devil's snuffbox]. Dat's in a ball. Yo' kin find it all roun' toadstools where dese little frogs be [see FROG DUST, TOADFROG BREAD, DEVIL'S-SNUFFBOX, Pp.562&72, No.250; and elsewhere]. An' ah take dat an' ah mix it tuhgethah an' ah'd burn it. Ah'd take de ashes out an' go tuh de fo' cornah of de earth an' put it in de palm of mah han' an' blow it, an' say, "From good tuh worse yo' go." An' dat's de way of takin' a person's footprint.
(Now do you take either footprint or both of them or what?)
No, yo' take one. Yo' take de lef' foot.
(And you say that you burn this devil's snuff?)
Yo' burn de dirt, burn evahthin', tie it up in a white cloth an' burn it all tuhgethah, see. An' den take de dust from it an' go tuh de fo' cornahs of de earth.
(What do you mean, go to the four corners?)
See [demonstrates by pointing to the corners of the room] dere's a cornah dere, dere's a cornah dere, an' dere's a cornah ovah heah, an' a cornah ovah heah, see. Well, yo' kin take dat to de fo' cornah of de earth yo' know. See, if yo're in a big house an' yo' have a fence. In any house - it don't have tuh be a big one. Jes' go tuh one cornah of de house, de nex' cornah an' den - see, lak dat [demonstrates].
(You face each corner.)
Each cornah.
(In other Words, yOu simply BLOW THIS STUFF IN FOUR DIRECTIONS.)
From de palm of yore hand. [For another blowing rite concerning foot track, See preceding margin title BLOW BREATH 3 TIMES.] [St. Petersburg. Fla., (1045) 1695:7.]
Entry 5477
Jis' lak say, if ah wanted yo' tuh leave town. Yo' an' ah have become tuh be enemies, an' ah'm gonta [going to] make yo' leave town - not gonta put mah han's on yuh. Well, ah'll fool roun' until ah see yo' pass, anywheres where yo' make a imprint of a track on de sand. Well, ah'll go an' scrape up dat track, an' take it an' mix it wit gunpowdah, an' set fiah tuh it an' she'll blow up. An' dey say yo've got'a go.
(Now, how many tracks of mine would you take, both of them?)
Jis' git some of de dirt of yore track. Dey [who?] don't say eithah one, jis' say yore track.
Entry 5482
Now ah tell yo' sompin else yo' do ag'in. Now ah don' know if yo' kin git de track or not, but now yo' git three of de lef' track. Ah wanta show yo' how tuh git it. See, ah'm walkin', ain't I - walkin' along [demonstrates]? Well, yo' got'a git dis track up dis way.
(From the toe to the heel.)
From de toe to de heel. Jis' git a li'le bit of sand an' put it in yore han'. Git three of 'em.
(Get three out of the left track.)
An' den yo' take it an' mix it up tuhgethah, an' den git yo' a pod of red pep- pah an' yo' open dat pod of red peppah tuh de top; not tuh de pointy part, tuh de big part.
(At the stem part.)
An' yo' put gunpowdah. Yo' gits yo' a shell, yo' know a gunshell, an' yo' put dat gunshell [powder] in dat, some of dat [foot track] dirt in dere. Yo' know it [pepperpod] can't hol' much yo' know, but yo' mix de gunpowdah an' de gunshell tuhgethah - er [I mean] de [foot track] dirt an' de gunpowdah tuhgethah. An' yo' jis' take an' puts it right in front of yo' do' an' set it [afire]. See, dat gunpowdah will make it explode, yo' undahstan'. An' yo' stick a match tuh it an' say, "Stay apart, stay apart, [stay apart]."
(Does it separate them or send them away?)
Separate 'em.
Entry 5498
Well, yo' take a stran' or two of yore hair out chure haid an' dey'll take an' git de bow out de back of yore hat. Yo' take dat hair an' de bow out chure hat an' yo' git a few grains of sand outa yore shoe track - out de streets an' den take an' put it tuhgethah. Sew it up in a little bag an' put it undah yore steps an' yo' cross ovah it. Why dat jes' upsets yore mind altuh- gethah. Dat's de way dey trick yo' dataway.
(Now whose steps would they put this under, mine or...?)
Dey put it undah de steps where yo' come ovah. (Well, now suppose they got all that stuff from me. Would they put it under Ty step or under your step?) Undah de step dat chew goes ovah.
(That is to upset my mind?)
Yassuh.
Entry 5523
Now yo' kin take sand outa nine of 'er tracks. Now dis is fo' leavin' yo' undahstan'. Yo' take sand outa nine of 'er tracks an' tie it in nine knots in a piece of gingham cloth, bran'-new ging- ham cloth, an' carry it an' put it up undah her do'step. An' she'll leave him two days aftahwards. (That is to make her leave. What tracks do you take, one right after the other?) Yes sir, one right aftah de othah.
(Left and right, left and right, [until] you get nine of them.)
Jis' git nine.
(That is to drive her away. But you must put them under her doorstep.)
Undah 'er do'step.
Entry 5552
Now ah have heard dat if yo' wanted tuh vanish a person, in uddah words, dat's runnin' 'em off, drivin' 'im on. Yo' git up early in de mawnin'. Say ah were goin' dis way, but chew don't go in de direction ah'm goin'. Yo' come from de direction ah'm goin'. An' git a little of de dirt right out de hollah of mah track.
(How do you scoop that up?) From de toe [demon- strates]. (From the toe to the heel.)
Right in de hollah of it. See, yo' take dat sand tuh a runnin' stream, an' throw dat sand in dat runnin' stream, an' repeat de Three Highest Names. Jes' throw dat sand in de runnin' stream.
(What will that do then?)
Dat will run dem off.
Entry 5565
Well, she'll git his track - she'll git de sand out of nine of 'is tracks an' she'll carry it undahneath 'er house an' she'll spread dat sand out. She'll take nine nails an' stick up in dat sand. An' he'll leave.
(Now which tracks does she get - one right after the other?)
No, his left tracks. (Nine left tracks.) Yeah. (Coming to the house or going?) Goin' - jis' eithah way, jis' git nine of 'is tracks. She'll git nine nails, jis' spread de sand down, an' den she jis' stick dese nails up in dat sand.
(Is all this sand in one pile or do they leave it in nine piles?)
Oh, no sir, jis' spread it out an' de nine nails in dere, an' in nine days he'll be gone.
(Are the nails pointed down or pointed up?)
Point down.
Entry 5569
Take yore track up - listen good - an' he kin write chure name in dat track, in dat sand. An' den take dat sand an' put it intuh a cup [can with lid] an' den go tuh de house where chew stay at, an' go roun' dat house three times an' t'row dat cup ovah dat house. An' den go git dat cup an' slacken de lid on it....
(Get that cup and do what?)
Slacken de lid, whereabout, whenevah dey gits tuh a runnin' stream, dat dat lid'll come off an' dat sand'll explode in dat stream. An' when de' t'row dat Smd in dere, whut dey taken outa yore track, why den dat watah carry dat. Dat'll o yore mind tuh wandah.
(That makes your mind wander away.)
Jis' lak dat watah carries it, dat'll cuz yore mind [to do likewise].
(He puts this into a can with a lid on it.)
Entry 5570
If a man leaves home an' a woman wants 'im tuh come back, if she kin git one of 'is track, his right track comin' from de toe, bring it back tuhwards 'er, jis' de top of it yo' know, an' git a black- hen aig an' write bis name on dat aig, an' roll dat aig an' dat sand an' dat sock up tuhgethah, put de sand in de sock or eithah any way yo' fix it tuhgethah, an' bury it undah de do'step, an' dat'll bring 'im back.
Entry 5573
Now, if yo' wan'a make someone run someone 'way from town - wanta git 'en outa town, run 'em 'way less den twenty-fo' hours - yo' go an' pick up dere track. But don' pick up de track behin' dem, pick up de track from de toe tuh de heel, both tracks. An' go tuh de lef'-han' cornah of de house an' write his name in dere. Tell 'im tuh, "Go. 1
(Write his name in his tracks? How do you write that? With what?)
Yo' write it wit yore han', yo' know wit yore fingah, see - right in de sand, see. Well, yo' pick up de track, write in de sand an' call 'is name an' say, "Henry, go." An' walk tuh de lef'-han' cornah of de house, backwards fo' steps, an' throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah. In twenty-fo' hours he'll leave town - anybody will.
(You take both tracks or just one?)
Take both tracks. (And what do you call the left-hand side of the house? Suppose I am coming in the front now. What would you call the left-hand side? Is it coming in or going out?) Dis de lef'-han' side of de house, it's a case of - yo' undahstan' now. If ah'm comin' dis way an' if ah pick up dis track disaway. Weli, ah'm goin' dis way. Well, if ah pick up dis track comin' dis way, dis is de lef side of de house.
Entry 5605
Yo' kin [do] dat - jis' lak if yo' love a girl an' yo' sees 'er walkin' 'long, yo' kin go an' pick up some of dat sand outa her track, an' put it in yo' lef' hip pocket. See, take it an' tie it up in a li'le bundle, an put it in yo' lef' hip pocket an' make wishes. An' yo' somehow or 'nothah will git tuh dat girl, see, an' git tuh talkin' wit 'er. An' den she'll come tuh have tuh fall in love wit chew. An' den when she fall in love wit chuh, den take, yo' know, mess aroun'. Well, yo' kin take a li'le of 'er hair, yo' see, an' put it in yo' pillah. See, rip de pillah where yo' kin put it inside dere in yo' pillah. An' den evahwhere yo' be's she'll come where yo' is.
(What track do you take that dirt from?)
De lef' one.
Entry 5688
Take some sulphuh an' cayenne peppah wit it [foot track] an' change his co'se from where he's trav'lin'.
(How do they do that?)
Yo' take de sand up out de middle of 'is track, de lef'-foot track, an' put some sulphah an' cayenne peppah in it in a li'le rag-lak. Yo' would make a small ball an' throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah, an' make him take a diff'ren' route from de route he's trav'lin'. (How would you throw it, just throw it over your left shoulder?) Ovah yore lef' shoulder dis way [demonstrates]. Jes' don' look back aftah yo' throw it ovah dis way. Dat makes 'im take a diff'ren' route from where he's trav'lin'.
(You throw it over on the ground?)
Jes' throw it ovah on de groun'.
Entry 5692
Ah heard dey could, yo' know, lak dey say yore right foot, chew know, an' it wuz in de sand where yo' could git it good. Say dey'd take three pinches out de toe, an' den three out de heel, an' den dey'd go tuh de middle an' git three pinch- es. An' aftah, dey wuz sup- posed tuh take dat, chew know, an' put it in a rag an' throw it in runnin' watah, an' turn yore back an' not look back. An' den yo' wuz supposed tuh travel. Yo' nevah supposed tuh be satisfied nowheres yo' go, yo' know.
(That's the right idea [that's what I want].)
Entry 5719
Take yo' track an' rake it from de toe back tuh de heel. Dey take dat sand an' dey tie it up in a rag an' it hangs dere fer so many days. Have it tied up in a tree or a ceilin'. Hangs it in de centah dere. Dey puts nine stick pins in it, two needles. Go across lak dat [demonstrates], pins lak dis; jis' put de needles up an' down, right across dere. Now, dat's tuh run yo' away from dere. Do yo' harm so dat yo' can't git along wit nobody dere. (Now they take up that track, they get six [nine] pins. and two needles. And what do they do with those?) Take an' put de pins dis way [demonstrates].
(Put the pins one way.)
Put de pins dis way an' dis way, an' de middle pin goin' cross dem two needles right 'cross dere.
(I see, they make a cross. Then what do they do with those things?)
Tie de things up.
(I see, they tie that foot track and these needles and pins in a rag.)
Dat's de one dat... [I interrupt. Informant was about to say, "Dat's de one dat keep yo' confus- ed."]
(Then what do they do with that rag?)
Take an' tie it up an' put it at de cornah of yo' baid. [Previously inform- ant said center of ceiling. Bed or ceiling causes confusion in home.] Dey takes de track an' yo' tie dat dirt up in a tree, tuh a limb tuh a tree. Dat's tuhmake yo' leave.
(What foot track do they take?)
De lef' foot track.
(What do they tie it up in?)
Piece of rag, jis' in any kinda rag. (What do they do with that foot track with those needles and pins in? What do they do with that?) Tie it undah yore baid. Dat's tuh keep yo' confused. Yo' an' yore family are confused.
Entry 5764
Dey kin go ahead an' take up yore tracks. Take up yore lef' track an' take dat sand out from undah yore lef' track right up undah de hollah. Take it an' carry it an' put it in runnin' watah. Dat will make yo' move. Run yo' away from dat house.
Entry 5776
They say they kin take your center part from yo' left foot, if yo' goin' away from home, an' put it in runnin' watah an' run yo' away from home. Get it if yo' goin' towards home. Take a young man - like if a lady Wants a man, yo' see, wan' 'in tuh come tuh 'er home. Why, tuh get sand from out de hollow of 'is foot, see.
(Which one?)
Out of the right foot, goin' tuh 'er home, yo' see. An' tie it up in a piece of new yellow cotton or homespun, something like that - where it nevah have been used, you know, an' they bury it undah the doorstep [to bring him to her home]. An' then they wear it in their shoes fer tuh hole 'em down [after he comes]. Bury it under the doorstep between nine and twelve o'clock.
Entry 5787
Well, dey supposed tuh go an' gittin' yo' left feet an' git some of dat md; take that sand an' jes' put it in a han'kerchief, an' take dat an' go an git some John de Conkah an' some whiskey an' some cologne, an' take an' ball it up, an' jes' take an' cologne it. IF YO' DRINK WHISKEY, TAKE AN' PUT A LIL' WHISKEY ON IT TEE TIMES A DAY - JES' AS OFTEN AS YO' DRINK WHISKEY - AN' KEEP IT CONCEALED ' BOT LET NOBODY TECH IT. Dey says, dat'll keep 'er Watchin' yo'. Don' mat- cahs who git 'er, he can't keep 'er - dat if yo' wan' 'er. Qou do this to your girl and she couldn't leave you? That is to hold your girl or a woman could hold her man?) Yessuh.
Entry 5831
[Similar to the margin title BURIED HAIR, only a few examples of burn- ing hair will be given here. Many other rites are scattered through the text.] Dey take mah hair an' put it wit some sulphur an' brimstone, an' dey put it in some of yore watah an' de sand - some of dat sand out de hollah of yore track, or eithah dey take a piece outa yore sock at de hollah of yore feet [if unable to obtain the foot track]. An' put it together an' if dey want chew tuh go, why dey throw it in a runnin' stream wrapped up, an' as long as hit run, why jes' de furthah yo' will go. An' when- evah it stop, yo' will stop until it start rainin' ag'in - till de stream start washin' it, see. An' if dey wanted yo' tuh stay or wanted yo' tuh kill yo'self, why dey'd take it an' put it in - bo' a hole in a tree an' put it in dere an' put a piece back in dere ovah it tuh hold - keep de air from it. Or, eithah dey would take an' burn it. An' if dey burn it, why whenevah - at a certain time de spell, dat spell would come on yo', a real full spell - kinda out of yore senses, an' yo' stick yore head in de fiah or maybe yo' jump ovah- bo'd an' kill yo'self or sompin. Well, dere wuz a boy ah know, hit wuz a girl he wuz goin' wit, an' he wuz leavin' for de CCC [Civilian Conservation Corps, of the U. S. A.] Camp. An' she'd taken 'is picture an' she put it in a - his picture an' some sulphur an' some brimstone an' some of de hair out 'is haid an' de bow outa his hat, an' dey [wo- men] put dis togethah an' burn it. An' aftah dey burn it, dey taken it out de fiah - jes' burn it, put it in a separate place an' burn it in a little box - an' den dey taken it an' wrapped it up good an' real tight an' wore it in dey clothes, in dere undahclothes. Well, as long as she wore it in 'er undah- clothes why he stayed dere. He couldn't stay 'way from 'er house. An' when she taken off 'er cloth [holding the ashes] an' put it - she'd throw it in de fiah, an' he'd taken an' stuck 'is haid in de fiah. It taken six people tuh hol' 'im out de fiah. An' den he got away an' got in de fiah an' caught afiah. An' whenevah dey could git 'im out, he'd ketch hold of de bed, jes' lak dat [may have demonstrated], dey said. An' he'd ketch de foot of it an' draw it togethah, jes' bend it [the 2 legs of the bed together]. An' he kept on lak dat till he died.
Entry 7376
Ah heard sev'ral diff'ren' p'ints about dat. Now dey says jes' lak if someone killed somebody else, an' yo' wants to fin' out who killed dat indivijal. When yo' git where he is yo' goes an' lay yore han' if he layin' on 'is back, lay yore han' an' drill it up three time lak dat from 'is face down to 'is nostel [nostril] an' say, "It will be a hot heat' - when yo' drill yore han' three time up an' down 'is nostel [nostril]. Well, turn 'im ovah an' right to [at] de back of de haid, git jes' a little pinch of dirt from outen dere. Take it to de house an' take yo' a pinch of table salt an' put it in dat, an' tote it wit chew fo' foah days. Aftah de foah days is up, walk an' throw it in de fiah, an' whosoevah killed dat indivijal, dey'll pass yore home - undah six days dey'll appear in yore home. Dat's de one dat killed de indivijal den. (WHEN YOU FIRST GET TO THAT DEAD MAN, YOU TAKE YOUR HAND AND JUST RUB IT DOWN OVER HIS NOSTRILS THREE TIMES - DOWN OVER HIS WHOLE FACE. Dat's right.
(Then what? It'll feel warm you say?)
It will feel warm on de third time, an' den yo' jes' take right in de back of de head, if he is laying down on de dirt or anywhere - take out a pinch of sand, if he's layin' on de ground - from undah his haid, any kin'a dust from undah his haid. Care [carry] it home an' put chew a pinch of salt in dat an' keep it until de third mawnin'. De thlrd mawnin' throw it in de fiah an' dat indivijal dat done de killin' on de sixth mawnin'll be to yore home.
Entry 7629
Graveyard dirt in de mawnin' - 'long in de mawnin' jes' befo' day, yo' kin go out to de graveyard an' dig into a grave an' jes' at de end of dey foot wheresomevah a person is buried into dis grave, an' git three handsful of dat sand. An' put it into a red papah bag an' bury it. Keep it three or fo' weeks [first], [because] dis person dat chew love, it's [the length of burial time of dirt in red bag is] 'cordin' [according] to how colored dey are. Yo' kin make dem come back home in a certain length of time.
(What would they do with that dirt after they got it, could you tell me?)
[I wanted a detailed account of how time of keeping dirt depended upon the darkness or lightness of a person's shade of black or brown or lighter shades of a person's skin. My preceding question was a bad one because I ask for a repeti- tion of general information rather than the specific details about intensity of color. THERE ARE RITES IN HOODOO DEALING WITH COMPLEXION, especially those about candle colors.] Ah really don't know. Ah hear lots of 'em say how it's done. Dere so many Ways, ah would really not know exactly how it's done. Ah heered lots of 'em say it.
(Well, what do you get this dirt for?)
Yo' git dis dirt to make a person [come back home].
(You put this dirt in the red paper bag. Then what do you do with it?)
Yo' wrap it an' bury it jes' lak yo' would a package. Yo' know, Wrap up a package an' bury it undah de ground somewhere near about where yo' stay at.
Entry 8763
Yo' buy a brand-new tin pan out de stā' an' do' nuse [don't use] it fo' nuthin an' don' set it dwon on nuthin [don't touch the earth theme]. Yo' git it an' come right back home. Yo' gits yo' a pencil an' mark it disaway an' data- way. [I interrupt.] (Just like you were quartering a pie - into four parts.) [If informant did not under- stand guartering, I added four parts.j Yes sir. Yo' put his name heah, put chure name heah, an' den yo' put his name ovah dere an' his name heah... (Wait a minute! In this [I demonstrate on paper] upper left-hand corner as you are looking at it, you put his name. Underneath that you put your name. Then up above in the right hand corner you put your name, and then his name underneath. In other words, his name and your name are opposites.) [See my diagram for quartered pie.] Yes sir.
(All right. Then what do you do with that pan?)
Yo' take it an' turn it bottomside upwards an' walk out de do' backwards, see, an' shove it right underneat' yore do'step. Yo' don't bury it. Jes' put enough sand ovah it, yo' see, to keep anybody from seein' it. It won't be two weeks [2 seven-day periods] befo' he'll be back there. Ah've tried dat mahself.
Entry 8949
They say that you can go to a brook where the water runs continuously, nice, clear brook and you naturally have suspects. You get water from the brook right there and you put sand in the bot- tom of the container, sand from around the place, and you put the names of all the suspects in that container. When they get wet they'll go to the bottom but the guilty person's name will rise to the top.
(To find out the person who stole from you?)
Yes sir.
Entry 10640
Go to a ants' bed an' git dat sand an' sprinkle it round someone's house dat chew didn't like an' dat will also cause trouble. (What kind of trouble?) Like fights an' probably would end up into killin'. Dat's de red ants' nest.
Entry 10889
There Was another boy fell in love with her and she did with him and I went a trying to break 'em up. I goes and gets me dere lef' - a handful of dr dirt out of de lef' track from her and a handful of dirt out of his. I moxes doze two toget- her. I goes and gits me a dog, and I goes and gits me a cat, and I cuts de tip end off of each one of them's tail. I mixes them together with that sand all out of each one of doze tracks. I t'rows dem into a fire stove. I says, "Cats and dogs can't get along together, I'll be damn if you all shall." And it worked, broke dem right up.
Entry 12937
Den she kin take one of his shoes if she in a position to have one an' tumn it down at de back do'step undah de step, but not - jest take an' turn it right ovah. Jest put a little sand to each - yo' don't have to bury it, an' that'il bring him back. Dat's a shore way.
Entry 4145
Dey watah yo' know where dey pee on de groun'. Say yo' kin take a man's watah lak dat or a woman's - eithah side. Yo' kin take dere watah lak dat an' take up dat dirt down dere an' put it in a little ball, bag or somepin. Den yo' wear it on yo' an' evah night, well fo' 'bout nine maw- nin's dey say yo' pee on it yo' know. Take yore pee an' pee on dat sand in dat bag of de man's. Say dat will make 'em stay wit yo'. Dey jis' cain't leave yo'. Yo' wear it fo' a length of time den yo' take it off. Den yo' go back an' git it an' wear it ag'in.
Entry 4146
If yo' wan'a - got anyone yo' wan'a stay on top, meanin' yo' will rule, yo' go on where dey wet on de groun' an' git a little bit of dere sand an' put it in a cup. An' den yo' go on an' pee on de groun' [at a different place] an' git twicet as much [of yours] an' put it in on top an' pack it down an bury dat right in de road where dey [both of you] have tuh walk ovah it, an' yo'll rule dem long as dey live.
Entry 7714
Well, if yo' wan'a job an' know where's it at, or wan'a git de job back [if you have been dismissed], yo' cu'd [could] go in de graveyard about 'fore day in de mawnin', an' git de haidbo'd from de foot an' change it tuh de haid [and put the headboard at the foot of the grave], an' git some of de sand from de foot [of the grave] an' throw it towards de sunrise. Den yo' go on back tuh de job where yo's workin' at an' don't even ax [ask] fer yuh job back or nuthin, settin' aroun' dere coupla [couple of] mawnin's, an' de man will Say come on back an' 'vite [invite] chew tuh go tuh work.
Entry 11812
If yo' go to de graveyard an' git some fresh sand an' put it in yore shoes an' - [then] dey can't track yo'. Ah know dat's true, too.