Subject:Saucer
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Entry 2846
She kin call that person that's impregnant [pregnant] an' mark in they back nine times. Jis' make a mark cross it - jis' lak yo' standin' talkin' to a person - jis' be standin' up doin' anything. (Like making a cross?) Jis' all in her back an' jis' cross it all kinda ways, yo' see. Then she go on an' she write that person's name down on that black candle. An' then she burn that candle an' red peppah in a green saucer.
(What will that do then?)
Well, that will cause her tuh have pain an' she cain't have her baby, see. She'll lose it.
crossing/marking a pregnant person's back, with geometry left indefinite. The continuation states intended pain and pregnancy loss; retain it as a reported harmful purpose, not a medical fact or recommendation. These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified.
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Entry 2857
You take dat black candle an' who's'evah yo' burning it on, yo' write it [person's name] all ovah that papah - right cross de papah. An' den yo' take de black candle an' yo' put it in a white saucer - jis' a deep white saucer. An' yo' put lye an' yo' put peppah an' white onion, an' put it down in dat candle an' burn it - underneath [is] his [name].
(What kind of a page? You write that name on that page you say?)
Jis' a plain tablet. Yo' take that piece of papah [with name] an' put it down undah dat saucer. (When you speak about burning these things, you mean you set the candle down into them?) It's dis - yo' see [demonstrates], yo' set de papah heah [on table holding my machine], an' den yo' set de white saucer heah [on top of the paper], an' den whatevah yo' goin' burn [in this case lye, onion and pepper], yo' set it down in de saucer, an' den yo' set de candle down in it.
Entry 2911
Well, if for instant, say, you got a husband - a man, and he's done left you, you take a white candle and you burn it. That's to draw him back to you. All right, then when you get him back to you, you get a blue candle - that's for true love. A pink candle is for success, see. All right, that's what you do. (Well, how would you burn that blue candle? Or that white candle to bring him back, for example?) With his name.
(Explain the whole thing to me.)
Oh, explain the whole thing?
(Yes.)
You write his name three times and you put it under a saucer. You take a saucer and turn it upside down and you put the candle on top of that, burn it.
(Burn the candle - the white candle?)
The white candle - that's to draw him.
(Back?)
Yes. (Well, do you burn that any particular time, or day, any particular length of time, or what?) See, this is burned completely out.
(Oh, burn it completely out?)
Completely burn it until hit makes a - takes effect on him to bring him back. See. It's according to the person's constitution. You see, sometime you don't have to burn them long - about two or three weeks. It's according to the con- stitution. Some people is [more resistant to candles]. (I see. Now, suppose he comes back, then what do you do with that blue candle there?) All right, you burn the blue candle - that's for true love.
(And how would you burn it?)
The same way. The same way - to keep his name completely under there. You see, you conquer him - you conquer anybody with their name.
(And then what was the other candle?)
The pink - that's for success. You'll be successful. You see, you burn the three candles - the white is to draw, blue is for true love, and pink is for success.
Entry 2920
A green candle's for money, see. (How would you burn that?) You take three green candles, just like this [demonstrates]. Fix 'em just like the - you know, kind of a round.
(You fix the three together? Tie in a circle?) [Tie into a triangle.]
Yes, into a shape. You cut the top of 'um off. You write the person's name nine times - whose ever name you wanta be on that candle, nine times. You put it in a saucer with some cinnamon, sugar, steel dust and quicksilver, and you let it burn out there. And whatever you want 'em to do, they come and do that, after that, after that candle's burned out.
Entry 8216
Git dey pichure an' it have tuh be a whole body; jis' lak dose pi- chures dere [on the wall of interviewing room] dat girl an' one de li'le chil'- ren, jis' de whole body of a person. Well, yo take it an' it have tuh be - not no papah, see. Jis' lak dem ole common [old-time] pichure. Yo' take a tintype an' yo' take it an' put it in a saucah wit de fellah, woman, or whosomevah it is, an' yo' write it nine times, see.
(What do you write nine times?)
Well, yo' put it on a piece of papah wit ink. See, yo' put it wit ink. (You write that name nine times on a piece of paper. Now where do you put that paper?) Yes, yo' put dat papah undah de saucah, see an' den yo' put de pichure on top of de papah, an' de saucah on top of all of it, mo' tuh de groun'. Den yo' take - yo' have tuh dig de hole six feet, an' den aftah yo' do all dat yo' see, well yo put de steel dust on top of it an' de red peppah, an' all dat diff'ren kind [of things]. Jis' lak dat, yo' know, fo' tuh keep dat tuhgethah, keep de whole thing tuhgethah. Yo' put de dirt on top of it an' when de nine days out, well debody's gone. He's goin' take sick befo' den, but in de meantimes he'll disappeah.
(Why do you put that saucer on top of those things?)
Well, dat saucah, dat's fo' tuh keep it down, yo' see. Tuh keep it mo' tuh de groun'. Mos' of 'em uses Saucahs. EVAHBODY MOS'LY USES SAUCAH WHEN YO' WANTA KILL SOMEBODY IN DAT LINE. (How do you put that picture in there? Do you [I probably demonstrate] put the face up like that?) No, yo' have tuh put de face down on de name.
(And how is the name? Is that name up or is the name down?)
De name is down. De whole thing is down, de pichure, de name an' evah'thing. An' yo' turn de saucah down. All dat down tuh de ground, tuh de earth.
(And you just go out and dig a hole any place?)
Well, YO' HAVE TUH DIG IT SIX FEET. YO' CAIN'T LET NO ONE SEE YO'. ANY PLACE IN DE GROUN', BUT IT HAVE TUH BE YO' KNOW AT NIGHT. Yo' wOuldn't Want nObody [to see you].
Entry 8402
Well, dey kin run yuh crazy, or kill yuh, or make yuh git down sick, eithah.
(How do they do that?)
Dey take dat photograph an' git chew a saucah an' fill it about half full of vinegah, an' turn dat photograph down on de face in dat vinegah, an' take yo' a drinkin' glass an' set ovah it, an' let it set dere. An' when de vinegah eat all dat, yuh future [features] out of dat photograph, why yo' go crazy. Dey keep dat glass ovah it tuh keep de air from hittin' it. Yo' see, yo' can't let de air git in dere.
Entry 8721
Yes, ah heard dat chew kin take some sulphur an' burn it. Git chew some sulphur an' put it in a saucer or a plate of somepin dat it kin burn it, a'yo' stan' ovah it an' say tuh it whut chew want done, an' it will happen. Bat chew gotta stan' ovah it an' turn from east tuh no'th, an' talk to it. Yes, yo' gotta start from de east an' yo' swing it right on roun' till yo' git to de no'th, talkin' to it as yo' runnin' roun', an' call[ing] dere name three times. (That is if you Want to cross up that house, so that nobody else could move in there, after they make. you move out?) Yes.
Entry 9000
If yo' know de judge's name. Yo' know 'is name? Two days 'fo' yuh is goin' tuh court - two days 'fo' yuh go dere...
(Yes?)
Listen me well now. Two days 'fo' yuh go dere, yuh know 'is name. Put 'em tuhgethah. Yuh puts some cinnamon an' sugah in a saucah, an' put 'is name undah dat saucah. Dat's tuh sweeten 'im up, yuh an' 'im. Dat's right. (That's all you have to do?) Dat's all yuh do. Jis' git 'is name an' yuh name tuhgethah, an' put de cinnamon an' sugah, an' put it in a saucah an' put de candle- on top 'is name, undah dat saucah on de table.
(What kind of candle do you put on that saucer?)
A black - ah, ah white candle.
(White candle.)
Plain white candle.
(I see.)
All yuh gotta do.
Entry 10157
You take the photograph and you take a new glass of water [new glass fllled with water] and a new saucer, white saucer, and you take the photograph yoa turn it upside down on top of [against] the glass of water. You take a F] red candle and you light it and write [on new paper] his name nine times demeath and write yours nine times on top, and you burn that [candle] three das a day. (What'll that do?) That is to bring him back, bring him to you. (Now I place the glass of water and this photograph I turn it upside down?) You hand [lean] it up with the feet up [head down] and the glass of water in the center of the photograph [photo centered against glass] and the name underneath it and the candle right in front of it. The name is under the glass. You write the name nine times on a piece of parchment paper, and nine times write yours on top. See, you always got yours on top and you got him underneath you. And put the paper under the saucer, and the water in the glass, and the picture upside down. And you burn that candle three times a day - a red candle. You burn it at six in the morn- ing, at twelve o'clock [noon], six in the evening; only three times a day.
Entry 10158
(You can wet it either with drink [alcoholic] or with perfume.)
Perfume.
(I see, all right.)
They have this oil they call gerangement [geranium] oil. You use that to make him stay at home.
(How do you use it now?)
Now you have to take this and write his name on a plain white piece of paper - just let it be a plain white piece of paper - with about a tablespoonful of sugar, and now, you take his name and you write it nine times, and yours nine times, but always on the top - always on the top of his'n, and you get a white clean sau- cer - but let it be a white saucer, and you put - you make a hole in a piece of pasteboard top, just a round [hole] that the candle can hold in it because it liable to fall. Then you take that sugar and you put that name and cover that name with the sugar. Then you put that gerangement oil on top of it - it's very expensive. You put that gerangement - it smells wonderful. You buy nine wax candles - that pure white candle - and you uses that. Then you take that white candle in them nine days and you use it. Now in the ninth day, if you don't see the changement in the ninth day, you burns this whole thing out and it makes a blaze. But it always - put it in a pan that it won't set nothing afire. That's in the ninth day. Now, in the ninth day, it'll make the difference in the ninth day - guarantee you. Don't care if you in New York or wheresomever you [are], you going to come back here. That thing will make you come back. It smells wonderful but it make you come back. Now, in that ninth day - don't cease to worry you - you kin tell when somepin [is] on the way because you feel all frightened and all worried and scarey, but that someone is on the way coming. And then, in the future, when you hear somebody knocking to your door and calling you quick, to see whsomever it is that's coming - cause I have did it. And dere's a man - it was in Kentucky - and I have did it. And I was so scared that I didn't know what was the matter. I hadn't seen him atall and was waiting for him for money and couldn't get nuthin. And when that man come, the woman come acrost and say, "Julia, there's somebody, quick, wanta see yuh." And all that evenin' I was ironin'. I just wasn't able to do anything because I knew dere somepin wrong, and when I made it to the door, dere was the man. I was so glad and happy to see him that I didn't know what to do. Well, when he came, he says, "Well, you lookin' all right." I says, "Yes, I'm lookin' fine." I says, "Well, how are you?" He says, "All right." He says, "Well, ah think ah come back to stay." Ah says, "Yeah, well, that's wonderful." I had a roomin' house and I was going with him then. He said, "All right." I says, "Well, how did you enjoy your trip?" He says, "Fine." When that man left and went on [left me again], I repeated it over again. It's expensive. They gives you that much [demonstrates] for a dime.
(This oil. Well, now, this oil, it's oil of geranium is it?)
Gerangement oil. (Gerangement oil. You mean it's the same name as that flower that grows in pots, that has red flowers on it and pink flowers. The same name as that?) It's a gerangement, yes. It makes a little red flowers and things, certainly does.
(All right.)
Entry 10165
If yo' got a gurl - it's dis way. Ah got a gurl an' she runned away from me. She done lef' me. She's gone. Well, lak [I] say, dere's a lotta watah 'ween heah an' New Yawk. Say she's gone tuh New Yawk. She jes' jumped up an lef' me an' ah haven't did anythin' tuh 'er an' want 'er back. She won' come bach tuh me by writin' tuh 'er. All right. Ah go tuh de drug sto' an' ah gits me a 15-cents blue candle. Take de same nails an' needles an' put in dat.
(How do you put them in there now? How many do you get?)
A nickel wuth of ten-penny nail. Put eight nails, an' de whole papah of needles, an' about eight big pins. Yo' git dem ovahsize sticky pins yo' know, dem ovahsize one. Some packages dey sell two fo' a nickel. Dey are de small size. An' de large package it's got one long one dat way; dey sells dem one fo' a nickel. Yo' git chew a piece of lookin'-glass lak dat an' yo' tum de part dat chew look it, an' git chew a saucah of watah or git chew a bowl or cream saucah, or anything dat will hold watah. Den turn dat [looking] glass down ovah dat way. Take dat candle an' take de end of it which yo' is gonna set down, take a match an' light it dat way. Don' light de top part where de stem is; light de bottom part an' put it on dat glass.
(With the top part downward?)
Yessuh, on top of de glass, an' let it set dere an' make yuh wishes fo' hit. But yo' start hit at ten minutes an' burn it fo' twenty-five. In twenty-five [days?] yo' receive a lettah from her, to send aftah her or send her ticket. She's on her way back tuh yo'.
Entry 10167
(Tell me something more about burning these candles. How do they burn these candles? Give me an illustration.) Well, you burn those candles - they got different ones they burn. Now, for to make you die, you get a black one. To have luck and successes, you get a pink one [luck] and a blue one [success]. And a blue one will make your man come back to you, if he's gone. (Tell me how you do - just how you burn it. Do you know how you handle that?) Yes. You take that candle and you put it in a saucer or something and you put a little sugar. You take some sugar and you take a piece of paper or else - but honey is the best. Honey is better than sugar because honey is sveeter than sugar. And you put it in a saucer and you have that man's name down. And when you fold it, don't fold it from you, you fold it to you. And you put that candle there. Well, when that candle burn out, well, you see hit'll spread all over there, you see. And you put it where nobody won't see it. You burn that candle like today, the next day he'll come if he don't stay no more than [I interrupt]
(Do you put this honey in the saucer?)
In the - in the - look [demonstrates]: you put the piece of paper in the sau- cer. You put, you know his name is on it, the paper; you put the paper down first in the saucer. You put the honey [demonstrates].
(On top of the paper.)
On top of the paper and you fold it over like you fold a napkin, and you set the candle right up there.
(Down in the honey?)
Yeah, but you see - yeah, down in the honey; but you see, the paper is fold, you know.
(Before you put the honey there?)
Yeah, and you take piece of the candle - you take the candle and you let it drip. Let some of this wax drip on the paper so hit can stick. Well, stick it
[candle] there. Now, when that's burn out, well you go get another one [candle]
and you do the same. Well, you have his name in that [folded paper sweetened with honey]. That's to sweeten him.
(Well, how often can you burn that candle? Or when?)
Well, you burn it, the candle, for nine days and in nine days he'll be back to you, you see; but you burn it every day - you see, every day.
(All day long?)
All day long. Or, when that one go out, you burn another one. You see? You buy you - well, you say, well, I'll buy me [candles]. If you buy you nine can- dles, well [use them] long as those candles burn out; but when you ain't got no more, you go get some more for nine days. And when that - he'll be back in the nine days, 'fore the nine days.
Entry 10172
Burn a blue candle. Dey set de blue candle - yo' know, jis' put it in a saucer an' light it. (Do they light it at any par- ticular time? Or burn it for any particular length of time?) Dey burn it till it burns out, but chew light it between six an' nine in de mawnin'. Let it burn till it burns out.
(What will that do then to me, if that's done to me?)
Dat'll put chew in terrible bad. Everything yo' undertake to do yo'll fail. When yo' think yo're goin' up yo'll fall back down.
Entry 10206
What kin' [of work] you do to make him [thief] bring it back? Now, you go to them [thief] and if you know sure they got it. And you go to them, you tell them, "If you don't want to get in trouble and wants to be nice, you bring it back." And if they don't bring it back to you by that, well then you get their name. Be sure you have their right name and things. And you go and you get you three loafs [loaves of sugar, 3 changed to 4 later]. You would have to get a dime worth of loaf sugar or get a whole box of loaf sugar, for they sells 'em in boxes now. And you get that and you get you a yellow candle and plain white saucer. And you write their name nine times: three times up and three times down and three times crossways. And you put this name in that saucer and you make a wish. And you put your candle in there and you make a wish. When you pour you a couple of drops of [holy?] water in there, you make a wish. And each loaf of sugar [3 here soon changed to 4] you take and set it around that candle, you make a wish. And you light that candle, and they'll bring your things back.
(How many loafs of sugar do you put around there?)
Four.
[Either previous 3 was a mistake or informant decided to use 4.]
(Four loafs of sugar, I see. Why four?)
Well, just four. [Four loaves of sugar with candle in center as here is our familiar quincunx rite.] (I see, just four. Now, how do you mean, you write those names three up. Show me how you write those names.) You write three thisaway, there. Three thataway...
(Yes, three that way. One over the other, all right.)
[The name, usually a single one, is written one over the other 3 times.]
And then you take and you turn your paper around and you write three this way [demonstrates].
(Across those other three.)
[This makes the letter X.]
Three. You write three like this.
(Yes, I understand.)
On that piece, on that side. (All right. Now, here's the three names. Now, I turn it around. Do I cross that, cross the three?) You see, it's this way. You write them three times, write three thataway and then you turn it around, and you write three thisaway. And then you take and you write three thisaway, cross that way.
(Cross them [each 3] over at an angle. I see.)
Cross 'em over in a angle. And then when you fold it, you fold it in an angle; and every time you fold it, you fold it to yourself.
[Folding in angles means we are making triangles.]
(I write three names like this, one under each other. Like that?)
Uh huh.
[I tear page from note book and write names.]
(Here we are, just like that.)
Just like that. (I turn this around [the sheet of paper upside down] and write the three names like that, right over the other three names?) Like that, right over the other three names.
(I see. Then I turn it around again and then cross it down like that?)
Like that, like that.
(I see, like you are making the letter "N" - that way.)
[I was wrong about the letter 'N'. This was before I became aware of the X and *.1 Thataway and then when you fold it, get you a powder they [hoodoo store] got. They got the pink and they has the yellow [later changed to brown]. You get this povder and you sprinkle it in the whole four corners. [Here, instead of a three- cormered paper we are back at four-cornered one.] You see, you have, if you get tvo rooms or three rooms, whatever room it is, and you get you a loaf of this sugar and you put a loaf in each corner of your room. [Here it is evident we have a quincunx.] Well, if you got a saint - St. Expedite or Mother of Perpetual Help - you put it [picture or small statue] there, and you say, Well, Mother of?erpetual Help, I'm leaving, I'm leaving the house up to you, hoping that you won't let no one come in and steal nothing out of my house. And you put the loaf [loaves] of sugar around in the corners of the rooms, [the picture or statue of Mother of Perpetual in center of room] and you fasten your house and you go away.
(You go away.)
And go away and leave it into [hands of] Mother of Perpetual Help.
(What kind of powder do you put around?)
You get them love powders.
(Love powders?)
Love powders.
(What kind of love powder?)
They got the pink love powders. And you get the loaf sugar and you put a loaf - one loaf - in each corner of the house [or room if you are living in a
(What other colors of love powders have they? They have a pink.)
They got a pink and they got a brownish looking love powder.
Entry 2828
Well, you get the name of the policeman that 'rrested you. Take his name, the judge's name, and the district attorneys name. You write it nine times on a piece of writing paper with ink that never has been used. Buy you a bottle of ink and a new pen, and you write their names nine times. You write your name nine times over that. You understand? You get you some honey and put it in a saucer and you burn it with those candles. You take those white candles, three of 'em, and cut the tip off and turn 'em bottom up upon there and let those candles burn out.
(When do you do this?)
You do this like if you got arrested today and you get a subpoena to go to court next week. You do that three days before you go. And the morning you've got to go to court, you go to the hydrant, or pump or well, whatever you got, wherever it be, and you catch you a cup of water. And you start out the gate, have that cup of water - and you're facing the street - throw it over your left shoulder and make your wish and never look back, just keeping on going to the court house and you'll get discharged.
Entry 405
Why that's a thing, yo' see, that's worked wit a machine, yo' know. Yo' have to carry sulphur 'long wit yo' an' dere's - ah don't know whut dat stuff is, but it's a kind of a thing like a saucer an' yo' burns dat when yo' out. It has a needle on it chew see, an' yo' place down dis-a-way, yo' see, an' as it goes round wheresomevah it stops an' points down, why it dere that yo' have to dig at. An' yo' not supposed when yo' commence digging - dere might be all kinda things, but if yo' don't see anything - can't open yo' mouth or anything - jest continue working, why then yo'll git it. But if yo' see anything why then you lose your whole hope on it.
Entry 623
Had a old lady here - she's dead now - named of - used to live out chere in Moccasin Bottom, named Caroline Young, and ah never knowed how she did it.
(Explain that to me again, now.)
She would take the grounds and put in the cup - coffee grounds I guess it was, they look like coffee grounds, and then put it into the grounds out of the cup in the saucer. Then she would pour coffee in the cup, and pour that coffee out of the cup into the saucer. [I believe Caroline used not coffee grounds but snuff, as in the preceding rite.] Well, when she would do that then, you would see pitchures in the saucer, see. And then natch'ly if you would see a person's picture in that saucer that you knows - but you know, you wouldn't know it [was] him. But she would tell you, say, "Well, do you know this picture." And you say, "Well, sure I know that picture." 'Well, this is the one have your stuff."
[The seeker traps himself!]
(That stolen stuff.) [Vicksburg, Miss., (714), 983:6.] [See my interview with Madam Griffin (Griffith) for a reader of snuff.]
Entry 964
Dere somepin did to mah sistah. She go fo' a ice cream sodee on a Friday night an' de othah girls dere didn't like her at all. So she went dere at night an' dey served her ice cream an' dey fixed her a saucer of it, an' after- wards she remembered dey speci'lly bring her saucerful. An' after- ward, purtty soon after she leave, de side of her laig all commence painin' her all de way up. An' purtty soon dey had taken an' carry her home, couldn't walk, where she got sick an' de doctah 'tended her [and could not help her]. An' dat laig had swole so, jes' to de knee - swole so dat it jes' be a bag of skin dere an' yo' see somepin like somepin wus crawlin' up an' down her laig. So mah father, he goes an' git him a ridge bass - a root worker, an' he looked at her an' he give her some tea, some kinda tea in a jar an' tole her she'd be all right in about eight or nine days. Didn't [give] her no 'tenshun an' she seem to be gittin' worse an' worse, an' in about a week an' a half he came dere - it wus in de mawnin', said, "Ah come tuh cure de girl." Father say, "Ah hope so - she didn't rest any last night an' she not restin' now." An' he give him three little tablets 'bout de size of an' aspirin tablet but they were black. He tole us, say, "Git the slop jar." She taken de three, an' in about five minutes time she commence gaggin' an' she gagged up a pure green frog: She re'lly did dere in de slop jar. Ah wus standin' right dere.
(End of 1429.)
(That story he told me about the envelope - throwing it up in the air and having it disappear - he said that the root doctor was old Doctor Harris down in Florence, S. Car.) [Fayetteville, N. Car., (1429), 2579:13.] [Folk Medicine I will divide into two subsections: (l) Principles of Healing, beginning here, and (2) Cure and Protection, which begins on page 410.] [A considerable amount of material about principles of healing, cures and protection has already been given. Here I would like to emphasize two things - folk cures about which we have heard little; and the fact that disease, sickness, pain, bad luck, everything in witchcraft and hoodoo is a spirit.] [The problems of health are many, difficult and expensive. It is unfortunate that they should also be encumbered with prejudice and superstition. Concerning the latter - believers in witchcraft, hoodoo and magic throw a halo about their heads, claiming as their authority the Bible, the Word of God: - (l)he [Manasseh] observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards (2 Ch.33:6) - (2) Saul had put away those that had faniliar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land (1 Sam.28:3)- (3) Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live (Ex.22:18).] [One informant expresses the attitude of witchcraft and hoodoo believers as well as the view of Biblical fundamentalists:]
Entry 1008
He had a aunt named Aunt Rachel and she used to cook for Mr. S. at Lake Waccamaw. And she had a friend and this friend wanted her iob and she didn't know how to get it honest. It was Jis' like she knowed she couldn't get it honest, I guess, and so she worked a scheme to get it. Well, she went to work and - of course we didn't know what it was all about until she taken sick. But after she taken sick dey had several doctors to her, dey didn't know still about de matter - de doctors couldn't found what was de trouble with her. So one day she swoll all up. She swoll, look like she gon'a burst all her skin, had this fit, and pant for breath. She jis', you know, like every breath would be de last. She couldn't do anything but jis' lie dere and shake and hold her hands like dat. Dis is a real story that I'm tellin' yah, I know about it. She took like dat and dey couldn't do anything atall. De doctors couldn't do anything with her. And so one day Mr. S. told his waitress aroun' there, he says, "Ed," he say, "suppose we do some work aroun' the yard today." Ed said, "Well, Mr. S.," he says, "what will be the first thing on the docket?" He says, "I tell you. I spect we'll move that pump, tear it down and put a new platform and all aroun' it." So they began to move de pump and to taken down this platform all aroun' de pump. And right under de pump after dey begin -.dey take up de pump - dey was two bran'-new saucers and a dozen brass pins, and some stuff and some hair was pinned up in this two bran'-new saucers. Dey [saucers] were plant one over de other, plant together, and dey were placed under de pump. And she was - that Was her dose under de pump. And jes' as soon as that pump was moved and these saucers were removed from this place she got all right. They burned 'em up.
[Wilmington, N. Car., (256), 252:3; Lake Waccamaw, Columbus Co., N. Car.,1896.]
Entry 2314
For luck in gambling you get you some lodestone, you get you some steel dust, and you mix it together and you get you some paradise seeds, and you put all that together in a flannel bag and you sew it up. It's a bag about that size. And after you sew it up in that flannel bag, you take it and you put it down in a saucer - a round saucer and you pour some whiskey - or either good gin on it. You see, you gotta pour that on it. That's to season [feed] it. And you sprinkle a little steel dust on it - you see, that's to season it, and that is supposed to give you luck in gambling. You see, the steel dust supposed to draw and the lodestone. The paradise seeds - well, they include help to make it a success. I got lots of that stuff.
Entry 2355
Ef a man and his girl friend falls out, I even burn incense fer that. I let her burn it three times and he comes home. Den, in other words, I give de female sex a lesson what to do. De lesson is ids, is fo' yo' tuh - ef yo' are only making up yore bed one time a day at de time of yo' fallin' out an' yo' making up yo' bed one time a day [now], den yo' change. Yo'll make up twice a day. Change yo' linen on yo' tablecloth twice a day. Take a saucer and a cup wit a gold rim roun' it, yo' turn de cup down and set de saucer on top of de cup.
(Upside down or?)
Let de saucer set up - de cup should turn down. An' wit de cup turn down, den set de saucer up on it. See. An' go out and invite him in fer lunch with her. Then in that use sweet spice into yore bedroom. That gain de influence of de individual. Yo' won't have to do it no mo' den 'bout once or twice befo' he come in.
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 2824
Write a person's name on a piece of paper nine times for them to come to stay, and put it in a saucer and light a red candle, or a blue for true love for them to come. That's their way. If you ditch him and you ever see him with some - they happen to be with somebody else, you get you a black candle and write his name on a piece of paper and put that candle in that saucer and lay that - lay him right under it. And if [as] this candle molt down, that person'll molt - that's a[say] dry up and molt away.
Entry 3026
(You burn a green candle?)
And make dem bring it back. Dey can't keep it - dey bring it back, if dey steal something.
(Well, just how do you burn that candle?)
You burn dat candle in a saucer. You sprinkles a little sugar in de saucer, see. And you call and tell dem please tuh bring the things back, or you don't want to stand no trouble or nuthin like dat. And ast de Blessed Mother for to he'p chuh for to bring it back. An' dey bring it back - dey has to sneak it back in yore home.
Entry 7202
Ah wus goin' wit a girl 'long [along] at dat time an' - well, ah wus engaged tuh marry de girl, an' de boy she wus goin' wit, she tole 'im. He tell 'er, "If yo' don' marry me, "' say, "yo'll nevah do dat othah fellah no good." Well, ah got in a li'le trouble an' ah got on a chain gang fo' six mont's. An' den when ah come back... [I interrupt.]
(Over this girl?)
Yes. Well, he wus livin' wit 'er, see. Ah come back on de 'leven day of March, he wus livin' wit 'er out cheah [here] tuh 'er house. She come tuh me, ah say, "Well, whut chew want?" She says, "Well, ah cain't ha'p [help] mahself." She say, "Ah don' love 'im, ah cain't he'p mahself." Ah say, "Ah don' see how come yo' cain't, yo' goin' wit 'im." Say, "He cain't pake yo' live wit 'im." She say, "Dere somepin othah wrong." Ah says, "Well, ah'll see 'bout dis." Ah jumps an' goes back tuh dis same fellah [in another story] an' tole 'im, ah says, "Heah, '' ah says, "ah has a girl fren' an' she's livin' wit a man, ah'm engaged wit 'er." He say, "Ah knowed all dat." An' he say, "Ah kin git 'haid [ahead] of dat if yo' want." Ah say, "Well, ah would lak fo' yo' tuh do it." Ah say, "How much will dat be?" "Five dollahs, " he says. Cheap. [He says this to me not to the doctor.] He got somepin in a jah [jar], a half-gallon jah, an' he gived me 'bout halfa pint outa dat. An' de way de stuff did look, ah couldn't tell whut i'twas. Dere li'le things jis' about dat long, look lak crawfishes. Well, he give me two drinks outa dat dat day ah wuz dere, an' he put a pint in a bottle. An' he tole me tuh give her a drink of dat fo' nine mawnin's, an' he tole me tuh git a piece of'er step-ins. Yes, ah got a piece of 'er step-ins, an' de sand offa 'er[foot] track, an' take some sulphur, salt an' black peppah an' red cayenne peppah, an' mix it tuhgethah, an' tote it aroun' nex' tuh mah waist. An' he say ah would git 'er back. An' she come back, she quit 'im.
(She quit the other fellow and came back to you?)
She come back tuh me. An' in '37 on de third day of April, she took sick. Well, now, when it came - it started in 'er thumb an' it went from 'er thumb tuh 'er wrist, an' from 'er wrist, in 'er shouldahs. An' ah carried 'er tuh.a doctor [M.D.] an' he says it's de rheumatic rheumatism. Dat's whut de doctor say. He give me some medicine, an' de medicine he give me tuh rub her an' fo' her tuh take, it would do mo' harm den it would good. [Everywhere in Hoodoo we learn that a medical doctor's medicine is useless for hoodoo.] An' it lef' out 'er shouldahs an' it went tuh de bottom of 'er foot, right in de centah [de pam (palm) of the foot it is often called]. An' it lef' from de centah an' it com- mence tuh workin' in de joints. Den ah carried 'er back an' ah said, "Dis medicine didn't do her no good." Ah said, "De misery goin' all ovah 'er." He took a x-ray pichure of 'er an' [it] goin' - nex' she had tuh be cut down undah heah, nex' tuh 'er foot down undah heah [demonstrates].
(Right under her knee?)
Yeah. Ah tole 'im, "Well, ah wouldn't wish fo' her tuh be cut, fo' if she cain't walk now, she nevah will walk if yo' cut 'er undah dere." He say, "Yes, we kin treat 'er, we kin git 'er up." Well ah say, "Ah haven't got no money right now tuh put 'er in de hos'pital." Say, "Yo' kin come down an' see her 'bout once a day." Say, "Dat even much as ah know yo' kin stand." Well, he come down an' he didn't do her no good. An' ah tried Dr. [Somebody]. He didn't do her no good. He jis' tole me - he come out an' say, "Well, ah cain't do her no good. Ah don' know whut's wrong wit 'er." Well, ah jumped up an' went to a place, an' dis fellah tole me.
(Here in town, did you go?)
No, outa town. [Out-of-town doctor] said, "Well, how long has she been sick?" Ah said, "Got 'er down now so she cain't walk." Ah said, "Ah have tuh he'p 'er up an' down jis' lak a baby. She lak a baby." He got sompin. It wus about as large a thing - about lak dat [demonstrates] an' he goes an' looks in it.
(What did it look like?)
It look lak a great big ole glass marble. Marble pichures. Look lak one of dese things yo' call 'roun' de worl'.
(The globe?)
Yes. An' he looked in dat an' he say, "Yeah."
(It was glass though Wasn't it?)
Yes. "Yes, " he [doctor] say, "he got 'er." Ah said ah didn't git 'im [didn't understand what he meant]. He said, "He got 'er through by a drink."
[Suppose we stop here to see what happened.]
[Informant's great big ole marble or round de worl' and my the globe show that the doctor now looks into his crystal ball. Seeing something in the glass he says, "Yeah, " meaning I now understand what happened. To my informant puzzled by the "Yeah, " he explains clearly that the woman had been tricked in a drink. Informant's marble pichures bothered me. I thought these were small pictures a doctor sometimes pasted on the ends of his fingers and held various places against his crystal ball, so that a client looking into the ball could see them! For an example of this tricky, as well as skillful work, see margin title CRYSTAL BALL, p.172. Actually, marble pictures were merely the pictures the doctor could see in the great big ole glass marble!]
[We now return to the doctor's, "He got 'er through by a drink."]
Ah said, "Drinkin' watah?" He said, "Drinkin' likkah." He said, "He [did not] give it tuh 'er - anothah woman give her." An' he said, "Ah'm goin' give yo' some medicine 'cuz it'll take a long time tuh git 'er well, 'cuz she's strong an' weak," say, "it take a long time tuh git 'er up." An' he give me a quart of sompin look lak shoe polish - slick looks to it. Tell me give her dat three times a day.
(Was it liquid?)
Yes. An' he got some - he went out in de hollah of a ole log an' he got nine snails, an' he sont [sent] - give me some money an' tole me go tuh de drug sto' an' git a nickel wuth of Epsom salt an' a bottle of Sloan linament an' a nickel wuth of camphor gum, an' ah come back. Den he put dat stuff on an' he heat it all up tuhgethah - ground it up an' put it in a li'le silver[!] pot an' boil it, an' boil it an' made a liquid outa it. An' he tolt [told] me tuh run 'er [What? See that she urinated?] evah night at nine a'clock when she wus ready tuh go tuh baid. An' take a saucah, a coffee saucah, an' fill it roun' half fulla salt an' slide it undah de baid.
(Why did he do that, did he say?)
Say dat salt would keep down de fevah. An' dat's de only thing got 'er up.
(That helped her?)
Yessuh, got 'er up.
Entry 8806
It's one thing they do to you. (What's that?) Dey kin take yore handwritin'. Dey'll take a plate or saucer or somepin an' burn it jes' lak yo' did dat othah a while ago, an' den get somepin - jes' a face towel or pocket han'ke'ch'ef - somepin yo' use about yore face, an' tie dat up in it, an' take it to a runnin' stream an' run yo' crazy.
(How will it run you crazy? You mean they throw that into the running stream?)
Yes, sir.
(And that will run you crazy, I see.)
Yes, sir. [See also later margin title WATER-RUNNING.]
Entry 10197
Yo' kin take candles if yo' want luck in yore house. Yo' kin take it an' burn it, burn it at de length of time, wit chure saltpetah an' some cinnamon an' sugar. Dat will bring yuh luck.
(Where do you put these ingredients?)
In a saucer an' den put chure candle on top of it. [Or fix candle in center and ingredients around it.]
Entry 10207
Tuh make 'em [thief or casual borrower] bring it back, dat's a easy mrtah tuh be come, [that] is tuh git a blue candle, yassuh, an' write dat indi- vid'al name on dat blue candle. An' write dem a note concernin' whut dey taken Sr yuh. An' take some dragon blood, an' sprinkle dat note good wit dragon's blood, an' put de note down. An' put chew a piece of John de Conkah - sprinkle some John de Conkah powdahs [from hoodoo drugstore] on dis note wit dat dragon blood. An' light dat candle. An' light it but don' light it in de mawnin' - jes' burn it at night. See, burn it evah night six 'clock an' let it burn till ten minutes aftah six. An' whatsomevah ah've from yuh ah'll bring it back tuh yuh in less time den seven days.
(Where do you put this note and this candle?)
Put it jes' anywhere in a saucah or in a bowl, somepin othah, but chew kin put it anywheah roun' in de house, up undah de dressah or behin' de bed, jes' any- wheah jes' since it's burnin'. (I mean what do you do with this note. Do you wrap this note around the can- dle?) No suh, yuh spread de note down in yuh saucah or yore bowl whatsomevah yuh burnin' de candle in. Spread it down jes' lak it's - it has tuh be a small piece, yuh know, somepin lak dat [demonstrates size] wit dat name wrote on it. An' sprinkle it good wit dat dragon blood, an' den sprinkle it good wit dat John de Conkah powdah - wit de name wrote on it. An' de name is wrote on de candle an' jes' put it down dere, an' jes' tell me [the thief] say, "Now, ah mean fo' yuh tuh bring so-an'-so back tuh me an' ah don't mean maybe.' An' jes' cuss me an' say, "Ah mean fo' yuh tuh brint it tuh me, an' ah don't mean maybe. Hurry up an' bring it." An' light de candle an' jes' be talkin' tuh me while yo' lightin' de candle. (You put that candle on top of the note?) [This is not a leading question, informant having already said yuh spread de note down in yuh saucah.] Jes' set de candle right on top de note. An' as dat candle burn, well dat rouse up mah [thief's] mind about what ah done done, an' in less time den seven days ah be done brought whatsomevah ah stole back tuh yuh.
Entry 9690
Now, if yuh wife runnin' aroun' an' yo' wanta stop 'er, yo' git chew some sugah, table salt an' sulphuh an' put it in - take a saucah an' mix it up, lak dat, an' evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's - yo' got a woman an' she got a man, an' yo' wanta break 'em up. Yo' take an' put dat in de cornah of yuh house. Jes' take a pinch of it an' put it, In de Name of de Lord, ah wish yo'd quit runnin' round. Evah time yo' put it down in de cornah of de house.
(Put it in the four corners?)
Yassuh, de fo' cornahs of de house, put it in dere, an' dat'll stop 'er from runnin' roun'.
Entry 10941
Ah would jis' simply - ah would make me a smoke, an' dat would knock evahthing in de haid. (How do you make that smoke?) Ah would make it wit de fish livah an' heart. Ah would take de fiah an' ah would put de heart in a saucah an' leave dat set fo' 'bout nine days. An' aftah dat ah would take a furnace an' ah would take jis' a li'le small pinch of it. An' it drives all evil spirits clear away. Absolutely.
(What kind of fish do you use, any kind of fish?)
Catfish. De oldah de catfish is, de bettah it is.
(Now you make this smoke, then what do you do?)
Dat explores all ovah de house where yo' live. De party dat wants tuh git chew out, dey cain't be successful.
(If I want to stay in the house, I make that smoke and they can't move ne out?)
Can't move yo' out.
Entry 2901
If yore loved one gone, yore man or yore husban' or whosomevah an' yo' want him back. Yo' git chew nine pink candles. First git chure parchment papah, yo' know dat white parchment papah, an' yo' write his name nine times on dis papah an' git chew nine wax candle. Dey say wax. Ah tried dat mahself. Whut ah'm tellin' yo' ah did dat mahself. So ah knows. An' set de candle on dis table an' every candle yo' sets, yo' moves it up a little. Yo' jis' move it up jisa speck. [This is the magic rite of diminishing distance similar to diminishing time, quantity, etc.]
(The first one you put down at the bottom of the paper?)
Yeah. Yo' see, yo' put it lak dat [demonstrates]. "Dat's de name, see - right there. See, dat's de name. Now, yo' done burned that one [candle], see. Now yo' moves it [next candle] up agin. [These candles are successively moved nearer to you.] Sometime it won't set if yo' put it at de end. Sometime yo' have tuh put it right direct in de center. [This candle in the center of a sheet of paper makes the magic quincunx - see No. 2799, p.802.] See, right in de center, fo' it tuh hold, cause sometime it'll creel ovah [probably means keel over]; but now when yo' light de candle, Wash it - yo' wash yore candle first. But chah turn it bottom upward so dat de wick won't git wet, an' yo' wash it off wit clean watah - jis' let de watah drip off it, lak that. Den yo' light chure candle. An' then yo' git that incense temple [temple incense] - dat goes wit dem can- dles. Yo' burn dat. Yo' put a little dribble - well, say it's a dram in anothah saucer. Den yo' put de candle ovah in dis saucer an' yo' burn dat light. See, dat makes de smoke dat goes with dis name an' dis candle. Now, sometime in burnin' dis candle it'll bring back 'fore nine days. An' he'll come unexpected. Yo' [when he appears at the door] gotta rush back an' pinch it out. Don't blow it out. Yo'll have tuh wet chure fingers an' pinch de light out. An' burn it in a tub lak a zinc, cause yo' know candles is somepin dat ketch fiah sometime when it fall ovah. An' yo' put it [candle saucer and perhaps incense saucer] in a tub an' yo' burn it in yore private room where yo' sleep. Dat means in yore bedroom - not in yore front [room], neight [right] in yore back [room]; neither in de sides [hall or side room if any]. Yo' gotta burn it right where yo' sleeps in yore bedroom tuh bring back yore loved one. It gotta be right dere where yo' at.