Subject:Scatter
Entries
Entry 5752
Take de dirt outa yore tracks an' put it in a tobacco sack, an' dey'll write on it an' stick it up. An' dey'll put urinate on dat, stick up dere, an' let it dry. An' dat'll cuz yo' tuh be jis' awandahin' an' leave. An' lak dat, dey could take yore tracks, take up yore tracks lak dat, an' persons dat wuz - lak two persons wuz goin' togethah. Dey ould separate two persons by takin' de dirt outa yore track lak dat.
(And what would they do with that dirt that they took up like that?)
Dey'd make watah on it an' tie it up. Let it dry an' den scattah it about. Dey would scattah an' dey would jis' leave.
Entry 7221
Well, ah've heard 'em say dat if yo' bootleggin' an' yo' wanta keep de law away from yuh house, yo' git out soon in de mawnin'. Yo' take incense. Yo' kin buy dat, an' yuh burn dat, but here's de nex' thing yo' kin do dat ah suggest dan incense. Yo' kin take an' go tuh work an' git dat dirt whut ah suggest tuh yuh.
(What dirt?)
Soon in de mawnin' dat chew go out an' yo' mix up.
(What dirt?)
De dirt dat chew go an' stand on. Aftah yo' make dis dirt, aftah yo' make it up in a mixture. Yo' understand. All right, an' yo' stand on it, an' yo' reach down an' yo' git some of dat dirt. All right. An' aftah yo' reach some from undah de bottom of yuh feet - dis is whut chew call, whut ah told choo 'bout dose twelve head of dose officials, high offi- cials.
(I see.)
But yo' mus' call twelve high officials in de city which yo' live in - names, yo' mus' call dere names. An' yo' put dis dirt in dis pan an' den yo' brings dis pan back. [Then you] goes tuh de graveyard an' git some dirt outa de graveyard. An' den yo' takes dat salt an' yo' sprinkle dat salt ovah dis dirt. An' as yo take dis dirt soon in de mawnin', den de nex' mawnin' 'fo' de sun rise, yo' go all de way roun' yuh house an' sprinkle dis dirt an' say, "As ah cast dis dirt out, ah wants tuh cast [then call some of those officials' names] from dis groun' dat ah stand on." An' dey won't - yo' won' be worried wit 'em. (Will you tell me that story again - over again - you told in the beginning about standing out in a certain part of the house and calling those names. I don't quite remember that.)
[This was a part of the story told before recording began.]
All right. Here it is. Yo' go tuh de east side of de house - de east side, now - an' yo' dig dis dirt [the dirt upon which you stand]. Yo' make it up jis lak yo' wuz makin' a bread; git it good an' crumbly an' soft, yo' see, an' - but choo mus' stand. Yo' want me tuh show yo' how tuh stand?
(Yes.)
Ah'll show yuh [demonstrates]. See? Yo' mus' - aftah yo' git yuh dirt made up good, an' all, den yo' stand upon it lak dis [demonstrates]. See?
(With your shoes on?)
Wit yuh shoes on.
(I see. All right.)
Yo' stand upon it. An' see, when yo' standin' upon it, yo' supposed tuh be standin' on de high officials' heads, becuz dey comes from dust, accordin' tuh de Bible. An' den yo' reach down an' yo' take... [I interrupt].
(Well, didn't you say something about calling names or something?)
Call twelve of dese names of de high officials in dis town, or in de town yo' live. Ah wouldn't know whut dose names is.
(I see. Well, go on again with the story.)
In de town yo' live, see. Yo' call twelve high officials - rulin' powahs in dat town - an' yo' git dat dirt. An' whenevah yo' gits dat dirt from right undah de bottom - de sole of yuh feet - yo' put it in dis pan. An' den yo' takes dis pan an' yo' goes directly from dere tuh de cemetery an' yo' gits some dirt offa de daid body. An' yo' put dat in dere an' yo' mix it wit dat whut choo got from de east side of yuh house. An' aftah yo' do dat, yo' go tuh de table - tuh yuh table or wherevah yuh salt is - an' yo' git some salt an' put in it. An' yo' po [pour] dat salt in it an' den de nex' mawnin' yo' git up soon 'fo' de daylight, den go out an' yo' throw dis aroun' yuh house an' yo' say, "As ah throw dis salt" - jis' throw it out - "dat good fo' nuthin, aftah he [salt] done losed [lost] his savor, but tuh be trampled undah de feets of men." An' den yo' call some of dose twelve officials, high officials, an' yo' won't need worry.
(I see. He would go away, not make him move.)
Yes, keep from makin' yo' move or keep from any officer [keep any officer away] - anything.
(Keep the officers away?)
Yeah, away from your house.
(Trouble of any kind?)
Dat's trouble of any kind.
(I see.)
Entry 7321
Well, when yo' goes out to de fo'ks of de road is when yo' in any kinda trouble wit de laws or anyone behin' yo'. Yo' kin take an' go out tuh de fo'k of de road an' take some sulphur an' some red peppah, an' go tuh de graveyard an' git some dirt offa any kinda grave dat chew wanta, between twelve [mid- night] to fo' a'clock. An' yo' kin scattah it all de way around yo' [make a circle round you], an' make a cross mark underneat' each one of yore feets an' one up in de hair ovah yore haid. An' jes' goes right where yo' knows evah offi- cah have tuh come out of his do' an' jes' sprinkle some of dat dirt round dere, an' jes' stay outa de way from 'im fo' nine days. Dey will nevah bothah yo'. (You have to go out to the.forks of the road - the crossroad to do that, where you make that circle.) Yes sir.
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 7636
Prob'ly if yo' [a doctor] got girl [patient] an' she's worried up 'bout some man 'nother, an' she cain't git 'im tuh act right, cain't git 'im tuh do right, an' he won't treat 'er right or sompin 'nothah lak dat, den yo' kin go tuh a graveyard at night. Yo' have tuh go dere certain time of night, go at twelve a'clock at night an' git a han'ful of dirt an' tie it up in a han'kerchief an' bring it back dat same night an' be sho' dat yo' know de room dat she sleeps in. Say, fo' ninstance, she sleepin' in dis room, an' yo' come tuh de windah dere an' yo' 'sposed take a li'l' de dirt an' sprinkle it up on de windah sill an' take de rest of de dirt an' sprinkle up on de walk, where dey walk comin' intuh de house. An' he'll nevah treat her wrong no mo'. He will always be nice tuh her den.
Entry 7644
If yo' got somebody an' maybe yo' Wanta kill dat person or wanta harm dat person. Say now if yo' go up in de graveyard an' maybe it been some man dat have lived a rowdy life. Yo know some people live a very rowdy life, nevah attempt tuh be a Christian, a very rowdy person. Some people cuss tuh de last. Say yo' go tuh dat person an' go tuh de foot of 'is grave an' dig down one foot in de groun', she say. An' git chew a handful of dat dirt an' put it in a bag, an' bring it back home an' go round at dat man's back do', an' jes' take dat dirt an' throw it lak it wuz some flour or sompin. on de ground. Say, why dat man will come afflicted wit 'is laigs, or make his foot swell up, or he'll have some kind of ailment about 'is laigs account dat graveyard dirt bein' around de dō'.
Entry 7699
Take de bo'd an' bring it on home an' burn it down on a - take de haid- bo'd an' yo' burn dat bo'd on a piece of tin, an' git de ashes an' yo' jes' take de ashes an' jes' go wheresomevah ah live at, an' go throw it dere roun' mah house. Dat'll jes' make yo' [me] move, dat's all.
Entry 9002
Well, if de individual is in de courthouse - yo' know dat simple rock candy - dat rock candy if yo' can get it, to get to de individual dat is locked up in jail, having 'im overnight to put dat rock candy all around de bunk dat he sleeps in or de bed. See. Taking some of dis perfume dey call Coty's.
(Coty's, yes. [I spell the word!]
C-o-t-y?) Absolutely. [In other words, do not use a cheap perfume, use a well-known brand.] Saturating his underclothes well with it - shirt also. Next mawn- in' puttin' on de clothes on de wrongside - shirt also. In three hours he will be acquitted from de case.
(I see.)
Entry 9136
Well, ah tole 'im [author's contact man] in de case of bein' in trouble which ah had one experience of dat - cus [because] ah have been in trouble mah ownself - twice fo' murder[?] - an' ah've taken an' got some rattlesnake mastah, which ah wus tole tuh git dat, an' it wus sent tuh me an' put in cologne, wit some mustard seeds in it. An' tuh use dat cologne an' tuh wipe it ovah mah face about three days befo' mah trial, an' havin' dat mustard seed scattahed around, twelve mustard seeds around by de co'thouse. An' put twelve sage leaves in de bottom of yore shoes, six in each one, an' take an' write twelve names of de apostles on it. An' do dat all in three days, an' when yore trial come, it would not be anythin' tuh it.
(Well, now, where did you put those mustard seeds?)
Jes' scattah 'em anywhere roun' de co'thouse, anywhere round.
(Inside or out?)
Anywhere yo' wanta, outside right tuh de do', twelve of 'em.
Entry 9505
Dey take salt nine mawnin's an' put it from de front tuh de back, miss nine mawnin's, an' den put it roun' nine mawnin's, an' den in twenty days dey'll be gone. Dey couldn't live dere any mo'.
(That is to make them move out of the house?)
Make them move. (In putting this salt from the front to the back, do you go through the house or round the house?) Roun' de house, de outside, nine mawnin's an' den yo' skip. Den yo' do de othah nine mawnin's. Dat's two nine mawnin's, jes' skip one nine an' den put it roun' dere nine - outside of de buildin'. Ah've heard 'em say dat would make dem move, dat dey'll nevah have good luck wit dat house. An' dey can't stay dere any mo'. (In other words, you simply go round twice, nine mornings?)
Entry 9560
Well, jes' lak yo' got a good ole man an' sometimes dey begrudge yo', well, yo' jes' sprinkle salt an' cayenne peppah aroun' every mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's, an' dat keeps up a disturbance - keep 'em fightin' an' fussin'.
(That breaks you [a family] up.)
Entry 9596
If de law's bothahin' yo', yo' kin take de onion an' de garlic an' cut it in fo' equal parts. Yo' jis' take de garlic, yo' don't cut it all; yo' jis' take diff'ren' pods, pieces [cloves] yo' know. An' yo' use eithah de white or de red onion, an' yo' kin jis' cut it yo' know, in fo' parts: An' go an' yo' po' a whole box of table salt ovah it, an' den yo' po'a whole box of red peppah ovah it, an' sprinkle a li'l saltpetah an' a li'l bluestone on it. Dat'll keep de law out chure house.
(What do you do with that garlic?)
Well, yo' take dat garlic an' burn it. It's fo' luck. Yo' take dat garlic an' put it in a li'l bag an' fold it up an' wit all kinds - all kinda diff'ren' li'le pieces of stuff dat chew use wit it. Weah it. Yo' know weah dat garlic. (How do you keep the law away with that onion after you prepare it? What do you do with that onion?) Yo' take dat onion an' continue tuh burn it till de third mawnin', an' dat'll keep de law away.
(Where do you do that - burn that?)
Well, yo' take it de firs' night an' let it burn up dere, yo' see. Sprinkle it all round yore house. [In preceding subsection see 3 pepper pods halved, No.9587.]
Entry 9598
If yo' don't know dey name or sompin lak dat, git chew some salt, black peppah an' sugah an' ground real fine. Yo'll have tuh beat it as a powdah. Jes' take yore rollah an' roll it jes' intuh a powdah. Sprinkle it all aroun' yore house, yo' see, tuh keep off all evils. Yo' sprinkle red peppah an' lye behin it. Dat simple thing. Den yo' kin git chew some dis chlorine salve. It's whut chew call - it's sompin lak a asic [acid] - an' dat keeps anyone from roun' yore house, close aroun'. Yo' kin use it about chure body, dat draws all yore enemies away. An' yo' kin use it as a chloride salve, jes' plain chloride salve without asic an' as adraw- in' card, fo' people's tuh yo'. But jes' dis plain chloride asic is tuh keep 'em from yo', from doin' yo' bodily harm.
Entry 9623
Yo' git some sulphuh an red peppah an' strew roun' yore house fo' ten nin's befo' de sunrise - sulphuh an' peppah an' table salt, an' jes' throw it roun' yuh house fo' ten mawn- in's, evah mawnin' befo' de sun rise. An' if yo' know where dis man lives, yo' go tuh 'is house an' do de same thing. Jes' throw dat peppah jes' as yo' go in. Yo' jes' throw dat peppah up an' down until yo' git tuh de do'.an' yo' throw it out lak dat an' make yore wish. An' de 'leventh mawnin dey say yo'll git a job.
Entry 9704
Well, yo' take, get one - yo' callin' all de time - yo' git chew some sulphuh an' git chew some table salt, an' mix dat tuhgethah an' make yo' a dust. Be callin' all de time. [Call anything you want to: Quarrels in this house must stop.] Jes' cake it an' scattah it right in front dat do'. Always scattah it all ovah de house an' jes' bend as yo' walk all ovah. [Why performer bends over I do not lmov. Like a wounded bird is operator deceiving the spirit working the spell?]
(What will that do?)
Dat'll stop de fuss. (Stop the fuss in the house.) [Kills whatever conjure started and continues the quarrels.]
Entry 10875
(Well, now, how would these people make you move out? What would they do to make you move out?) Oh, that. That is very easily done. You see, you kin take - you know, two tom cats fights whenever they meets. Well, they kin git to you very easily. You git two tomcats - their manure. That [is the] frontyard there and that [is the] front porch. I will take, if I wanted to do you harm, I would take my left hand any time at night and I will probably throw it [manure] over that porch or over dat front yard where you gotta cross for to come into the porch. I will throw it thataway, see, as I'm going on up. I would walk de lenk [length] of that porch or de lenk of the front yard. I will take my hand, the left hand, and throw thataway, and don't ever look back. Well, you bound to cross it. Well you, if you stay there, you'll stay there in trouble; tormented forever and you'll be glad to get out, because them two tomcats - just like they was fight- ing all the time, that will keep you like that.
(I see, but you have to get the two tomcats.)
Yeah, the two tomcats. Well you take them two and you kin [do] enything and break up enybody - break up eny home.
Entry 11640
Well, it's a powder dey makes. Yo' buy some of it outa de drug store - love powder. Dey call it love powder. An' den yo' git so much of dis same Hearts Cologne an' yo' gits three fishhooks. An' yo' put it together an' yo' rub it - rub it right close to dat powder until settle. After yo' put dat Hearts Cologne in dere, it sit an' it git dry. An' dey put it together an' den yo' sprinkle it. An' if yo' want de person to love yo', [he'll love you]; if yo' want 'im to hate chew, he'll hate chew.
Entry 12602
Got some kinda bad disease, yo' know, an' yo' wanta find out is yo' got de bad disease, take some red pepper an' jest go in, lak a crowd is sittin' in heah. Yo' kin go in an' jes' scatter that red peppah yo' know round de chairs, an' de one got de bad disease will git up an' go.
Entry 12611
And get you a pound of brown sugar and a pound of black pepper and - there's somepin else goes with it - and a pound of salt. And you gets that pound of grain [whole] black pepper and you chew it - bites it up. Goes through the house and mix it all together and spread some in your house every morning and night and he won't come dere.
(What is that supposed to do then?)
Keep the law away from the house.
Entry 12780
An' ole lady, she'd dead now, she tole me if a person ever git shoo [gets you] by [bad mouth or cunjure], not to say anything at all to them. Go to work and git me a pocketful of table salt and go to de gate where dey crosses over, ev'ry night and morning, and jis' throw dat salt across dere before de sunrise, and say de Lord's Prayer for 5 times. Soon as dat person goes over dere dey can't harm you.
Entry 13253
De way ah heard it wuz done, dey take an' go round dat house at de front do' an' at de back do' an' make a straight mahk [a shallow trench with stick]. (All around the outside of the house?) Yessuh, right down dere by de edge of de do'step de way dey have tuh come in an' out. An' yo' take dat when yo' make dat mahk down dere, yo' puts sul- phur an' gunpowder in dat mahk an' when dey do dat yo' take den an' yo' stick fiah in next tuh de do'step, an' when yo' do dat, why it blows out - blows it out, an' ah heard dat in three days aftah yo' do dat it will blow 'em cleah - dat will blow 'em cleah intuh de distance. Dey won't have no mind tuh stay dere. (It runs them out of that house. You mean you make a straight mark in front of each door?) Yessuh.
(Like a trench?)
Yessuh, jes' a lil' trench. (You dig a little trench for that stuff and then light it and let it go
[blow] on out?)
Yes.
Entry 13426
I've hearn it like this: if you had a neighbor and you couldn't get along, see. You would take and get you - if you wanted them to move, you under- stand, why you could make a quarrel between the people in the house an' that would cause the landlord to put them out, see. Well, you would use an egg. You could use salt or war water, see. (Just how Would you use these, now?) Well, now, you'd take - you'd get - use the war water which the war water would be the best. See, there's two things you use, you use either the powder or the water.
(Well, explain the war water.)
Well, you take the war water and you would sprinkle that war water. You would use salt - salt makes fuss anywhere.
(How would you use that salt there?)
You would take and you would sprinkle that salt at the four corners of the house and then you'd take this war water and as you - if you can enter into the place, jes' in the alley. You don't have to go in the house. Like if - like I enter this door here. I would walk to the back door which would be the kitchen. If I could get to the kitchen, I would start to sprinkle there.
(You say you begin at the back door?)
At the back door, yes, sir.
(I see. Then what do you do?)
I'm going to sprinkle this water, see. As I come out, I sprinkle the water, letting the water run out of my hand, as I'm coming out the door, jes' as I'm walking [demonstrates] and the water's coming out. And, when I gets to the door, I takes salt and I cross it [make a cross with it] right at the gate. And at the steps, I cross [make another cross at] the steps with salt. And under the steps I jes' take and I sprinkle war water, and I take salt and jes' throw it thataway, see. That's all you have to do, salt and that war water. It'll sort of confuse 'em. You can take salt and make a confusion any kind of way. Now, that would start a confusion in the house with the husband and wife. If it's the people you don't like, see, regardless of who they are, if it be the mother and the daughter, the mother and the son, then the people that you would want to get out, why that would start a confusion. Somebody would have to go. See.