Subject:Seeds
Entries
Entry 2671
Well, now, if yo' wanta rent that house, yo' kin dress that house or yo' kin use de Psalms - dere two ways yo' kin use that. (Tell me how to dress the house first.) Well, now, tuh dress that house yo' go tuh work an' yo' git chew a little salt an' a little sulphur an' yo' git chew some alum [three ingredients] an' pound it up together - mix it together. An' then yo' git chew some seeds. Git those gourd seeds or either any kinda seeds that grows on a vine - kin git pumpkin seed or gourd seed or watermelon seed. An' yo' git chew three of those seeds an' yo' take those three seeds an' yo' put them in a little box or a little can. Bury 'em jest like yo' would a little flower, an' when yo bury those seeds yo' say, "Hope, success an' friends." Yo' bury those seeds. An' that ingredient that chew mix, yo' take an' yo' sprinkle that around that house - a little bit at the back an' a little bit at the front. Yo' sprinkle that. Then on the inside of the house - yo' take that house an' yo' git chew some potash. Take yo' a little potash an' yo' jes' take that potash - ah jest drop a little bit around in that house. That's good fo' good luck.
(That's to rent the house?)
Yes sir.
[Now he tells how to unrent the house.]
They kin do that.
(Dress the house so they move out? Do you know what they do?)
They kin do that tuh where yo' can't rent that house. Yo' kin take a one-cent piece an' go to a wicked grave - it gotta be a wicked grave though - an' git some dirt from de head of that wicked person an' pay them with one-cent. Then yo' kin take that dirt an' mix that dirt with sulphur an' mix it with a little - see, it's three pods not - three pods of peppah. See, ah tole yo' nine pods - nine seeds wit de other but dis is three pods. Yo' git chew three pods of red peppah an' mix that together an' sprinkle that anywhere around that place. Nobody kin stay in there to save their life.
(That will make them move out of the house?)
Yes sir, but it's gotta be a wicked grave.
Entry 4971
Now if yuh've got a girl, jis' lak yuh love a girl an' yuh kin git one of 'er left socks an' take one of yores an' put - yuh seen dis black peppah when not grind [ground]. Jis' take some balls [whole peppers], say nine balls. Git nine balls [seeds] of black peppah an' put it in 'er stockin' an' take two lumps of table salt an' put it in yores. An' take yore stockin' [sock] an' sew it up in 'er mattress where she sleep, an' take yore'n [hers] an' put it in her'n [yours]. Yuh all stay tuhgethah fo' yore life an' nuthin cain't git 'tweenst yo'.
(You put your sock in her mattress.)
Put yore sock in her mattress an' her'n in yours, an' sew it [hole or rip] up, an' let it stay dere jis' as long as dat mattress is [usable].
Entry 5461
[This statement contains 3 separate rites, the last one the burning rite.] Well, now yo' kin use a track fo' love tuh hold a person, or yo' kin use it tuh run a person. Now, tuh hold a person yo' kin take a person's lef' track when dey are leavin' yore house. Yo' kin take it an' pull it backward, jis' a li'le of it back tuh- wards yo'. See, an yo' kin take dat track yo' kin mix it wit a li'le cookin' salt, an' yo' kin bury dat undah yore do'step or right down by yore do'step. Well, dat will hold a person an' make dem love yo', see. Or, yo' kin take dat track an' not use de salt but chew kin take yo' a li'le perfume or a li'le powdah - sweet yo' know, perfume powdah, an' mix it wit dat track. An' yo' kin take dat track an' yo' kin wear dat track. Keep it on yore person an' dat will make a person stick tuh yo'. An' den if yo' take.... If yo' wanta run a person wit dere track, yo' kin git dere track goin' from yore house. Don't put it tuh yore house. Yo' see, yo' wanta git rid of dat per- son. Like ah'm leavin' de house, pull it from yo', see. An' den yo' git yore track - yore own track - an' pull dat back towards yore house. Den yo' takes dose two tracks an' put it tuhgethah, an' yo' git chew nine peppah seeds. Git chew a li'le piece of bluestone an' a li'le piece of alum. An' if yo' kin git de cemetery dirt, yo' git dat. But if yo' can't git de cemetery dirt, den yo' jis' use dose ingredients. An' yo' put dat tuhgethah, mix it up tuhgethah, an' put a li'le salt in dat. SALT IS A WONDERFUL THING IF PEOPLE BUT KNOW HOW TUH USE IT. Take a li'le salt an' mix it in dat an' mix all dat tuhgethah. Den yo' jis' take an' ball it up an' burn dat. Burn it in de fiahplace or in de stove an' dat'll separate dat person from yo'. Dat is if yo' pull it from yo'. Now, pull dere track from yo'.
Entry 5539
Well, see, if a person is stayin' 'way from home all de time, jis' come home an' eat an' tuh sleep a little while an' go right on off, doesn't have any time tuh be roun' home an' yo' wan' 'em tuh stay at home. Well, yo' ketch de track comin' home to- wards de door. An' if yo' git dat track an' yo' measure it wit a papah or eithah way [another method] yo' kin use cahton; well, if it's a piece dat dere hasn't been anything cut off of it befo'. Den when yo' write de name an' make de wishes - make yore wish yo' wanta make, an' fold it ovah, an' each fold fold it towards de house.
(You write on the cotton cloth or on the paper, and each fold you make?)
Each fold fold it towards de house an' repeat de words, "Come home an' stay at home." An' yo' fold dat an' aftah yo' fold it, yo' take a piece of new home- spun an' yo' put dis in it, an' den yo' put some salt. Yo' puts nine grains of red peppah, a pod of red peppah has nevah been any used out. Well, yo' kin put de whole nine pods or yo' kin put de nine grains, which is de seed yo' see. An' yo' put some salt an' some peppah wit dat, be sure it's de salt an' peppah whut yo' jis' bought 'specially fo' dat - an' sulphur. An' put dat down an' bury dat den. Yo' dig de top soil, yo' dig until yo' git down below de top soil, see, an yo' bury dat, an' make yore wishes. An' den de persons will stay at home.
Entry 5613
[he pick up her track] an' put nine seeds of red peppah in it, if he Want de woman. Put nine seeds in dere an' sew it up in a little yarn rag, an tote.it in 'is pocket. Dat's de way he'll keep de woman. (Get that dirt out of her track - either track?) Either track, yessuh.
Entry 7353
Well now, jes' lak if he done de killin', [he] say, "Ah wants tuh git away." Well, he'll go to work yo' see an' git 'im a pair of new shoes, he'll git 'im a bottle of turpen- tine. He'll take dat turpentine an' he'll pull 'is shoes off an' rub undah de bottom of 'is feet wit dat turpentine, an' he'll po' a little in 'is shoes. He'll go to work den an' he'll git 'im jes' about nine grains of black pepper, six grains of spice, an' git 'im jes' about a piece of bluestone a little bit biggah den a black-eyed pea. An' he'll put all dat togethah. He'll go to work den an' git 'im a dime bottle of alcohol, an' evah mawnin' regardless to where he goin', he'll take dat alcohol an' rub behin' 'is ears, rub across 'is fo'haid, an' he'll take dat turpentine an' 'noint 'is shoes - under de bottom of 'is shoes - an' he'll chew a grain of dat black peppah, one grain of dat spice, evah day, an' jes' a little crumb of dat bluestone mixed togethah. An' as long as he continue wit dat, he'll always keep a-goin'.
(Can't catch him.)
He'll keep a-goin'. [Waycross, Ga., (1097), 1771:5.] [Rites for catching a murderer are much more varied and interesting than those permitting him to escape, egg rites alone being amazing both in number and diver- sity. Everywhere the spirit of the murdered person is present or its presence assumed.]
Entry 8511
(What do you do with that graveyard dust?)
Well, yo' take graveyard dust an' put it wit - tuh break up a woman an' a man.
[Long pause by informant.]
(How would they handle that? How would they use that?)
Well, dey take de graveyard dust an' steel dust an' guinea seeds an' war wa- tah, an' put it intuh a coconut, yo' see, an' red peppah, cayenne peppah, Epsom salts an' bittah apple an' bury it. An' yo' see, dat cuz a 'sturbance. Den dey writes de man's name an' de woman's name nine times an' dat break 'em up, cuz dem tuh make terrible 'sturbance. An' dat cuz dem tuh break up, see. (Where do they bury this?) Well, dey bury it undah de porch - bury it in de ground, bury it in de ground. [For preceding guinea seeds, see long margin title GUINEA SEEDS... GRAINS OF PARADISE, p.57Of. Red pepper in present margin title could be a repetition for preceding cayenne pepper, but more likely it means a piece of hot red-pepper pod. The preceding bitter apple - also called bitter cucunber and bitter gourd - is the colocynth (Citrullis colocynthis), a Medi- terranean and African vine related to the watermelon.]
Entry 8528
(Now, you are going to tell me something else. Now, all right.) Now, then yo' kin get yo' a coconut. Yo' git yo' nine seeds of punkin [pumpkin]. (Pumpkin seeds, nine of them.) Nine of 'em. (All right.) Yo' get yo' nine chicken corns [kernels of maize, Zea Mays]. (Nine what?) Chicken corns. (Chicken corn, what's that for?) Dat's to put in de coconut. (Well what is chicken corn?) Dat's what de chicken eats. (You mean the same thing as a horse eats, the same kind of corn the horse eats? Chicken corn? Ordinary corn like a roasting ear of corn. All right.) Yo' get that nine pumpkin seeds, nine chicken corn, the man name, but yo' take de water out de coconut. Yo' put de man name nine times an' de woman, if in case yo' wanta break 'em up. Put it in there.
(How do you put the woman's name in there?)
Yo' put de woman name crossways, this way [demonstrates].
(Across his name. All right.)
Across his name. Then yo' make a cross toward this way [a cross is added to the paper]. Then when yo' do that, then in that, then yo' takes this cayenne peppah an' yo' set it right up in de center [of the paper] and yo' bring it to yo'. An' yo' cuss 'em as yo' putting it to yuh. An' yo' roll it on dis side an' yo' put on dis, always rolling it to yo'. An' then yo' cuss it an' yo' stick it in there.
(In this coconut.)
An' then yo' take a stopper an' yo' stop up de two eyes, then yo' take de coconut an' yo' roll it fo' nine days in yore home. Then yo' take it an' yo' goes to de rivah. Takes fifteen cents an' throws in de - de fifteen cents be- hind it [coconut], to pay spirit for the work]. An' just let it go each way or de other, an' let it float anywhere where it's gotta go. An' yo'll have him just agoing from one to de other. He'll lose his mind or else go to de river.
(What do you mean by these two eyes?)
SEE, DE COCONUT GOT TWO EYES WHERE DE WATER DRAINS OUT.
(All right, on account of those two eyes you have two corks in that coconut?)
Yes, sir.
Entry 8696
It absolutely does bring about dat, bring about dissatisfaction in de home. De really fac' 'bout it yo' kin go tuh work an' take red peppah, DE SEED OF RED PEPPAH, to bring about hys- terical state wit a man an' his woman, dat dey absolutely can't git along dere in de home no mo'. But chew could take two red peppah [seed] an' it 'sposed whut dey call planted dat in roun' his do' - anywheres roun' his do'. Yo' would name 'em. (You would name those peppers?) Yes, yo' really name dose peppahs. It's 'cordin' [according] to how many he has in his family. If it's no one but jes' him an' his wife, well, yo' only plant two grains [2 seeds] of dat red peppah, an' den yo'll go tuh work an' yo' name 'em. Dat is, yo' know whut his name is, why yo' go tuh work an' yo would call dat peppah, name dat peppah; an' evah whut her name is, do de same. An' den if he's got any chillun upstairs in de home, why yo' go tuh work an' try tuh find out whut dose chillun name is. Well, dat whut yo' use de red peppahs fo'. [Notice the simple means used here!]
Entry 9122
Git chew sage, yo've heard tell of sage, an' yo' git chew de seed of dat sage. Dere's so many seeds on it. Yo' see, dis is got out de Bible, de twelve [not 12 but 10] virgins [Matt.25:1] yo' know. [Rite has no con- nection with Bible.l Well, yo' git six of each one of dose seeds of dat sage, an' yo' put six in one shoe, an' six in de othah one. An' dey say whensomevah yo' go intuh de jailhouse fo' trial or somepin lak dat, why dey couldn't convict chew on dem sage. Yo'd come cleah regardless tuh whut kinda crime it wus or whut yo' wus 'cused of, or whethah yo' did it. Yo'd come cleah.
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 9586
Well, they say if you see a mark is made at your gate, or in de road or anywhere where you gotta pass around, say you take an' git you a pod of red pepper. Put nine seeds [from the red pepper pod] in each shoe and you kin put salt, table salt in there and wear it. If not that, you kin just take and sprinkle a little in your shoe.
(What will that do?)
And then you kin walk on over it and it won't hurt cha.
(I see.)
Entry 9591
Jis' like you had wife, yo' know, an' I [a woman] wanted you [a man]. Well, I could git 16 pods of pepper an' take 9 of those seeds out of all them 16 pods of peppah, 9 out of each one [= 144 seed or 12xl2 seed]. An' I git into your bedroom where you all sleep. An' I got cayenne pepper [as well as pod pep- per seed] and salt and black pepper. An' if I want you [a man] out, I'll find out what side de bed she sleep on an' put it [salt, cayenne pepper and black Pepper] under de sheets. An' when you all go to bed they'll [you two] git into the biggest argument an' git to fighting an' everything. See, I'll go [away]. All the way I go, jis' 股 drop them seeds right in the way I go. She [sex changed here] goin' go right behind them seeds.[Intention is the power behind this rite. If the man scattering the seeds gants the woman, she will follow the seeds to his house; if a woman scatters the seeds, the man will follow her home. Also by intention the seeds could also lead to the river or cemetery, or merely a jail.]
Entry 9639
Take some peppah [seeds] an' salt an' take some of yore chamber lye an' scattah it aroun' de do' an' den sweep it. Yo' kin [will] go as de seed went - de peppah seed. (You go the same way the seed went. That is, if someone came to your house and you want to make him stay away, you put the stuff out and sweep it?) Scattah it ovah de flo' an' den sweep it out.
Entry 9848
If yuh boy frien' wz goin' wit somebody an' yo' didn't want 'im tuh go wit 'uh, yo' could git nine red an' white [headed] matches [the red head of the match has a white dot on it], nine goldeye needles, an' nine gourd seeds, an' nine "grains" of dis red peppah.["Grains" are fre- quently used, meaning here seeds or pieces of the pep- per.] Take de inside out. Nine dose grains of dat pep- per. An' take dat an' mix it up all tuhgethah. Stir it up all tuhgethah an' tie it up real tight in a yarn rag. An' soak it in vinegah ovahnight. An' take dat an' t'row it undah somebody's step, whoevah dis boy's goin' wit, if yo' wan'a break 'im off from dis girl. An' he'll nevah go dere no more. He won' ca nuthin about nobody but chew.
Entry 10454
Peppah seeds on floor. When they [hag] comes in, must pick up each grain.
Entry 11176
When you wanta cross a house, well you get you some devil's- shoestring - get you some devil's-shoestring, get you some John the Conquer, and get some winnomore seed.
(What kind?)
Winnamore. You get it out the woods, it's a kind of a seed.
(Wintermore or winnamore?)
Winnamore. You mix it together and then they can't stay in that house.
(Well, what do you do with that stuff, after you mix it?)
You grind it up, grind it all up, see. And you sprinkle it over the house, just sprinkle it right on over the house, and they really can't stay.
(That will make them move out.)
Yes, sir. [If a botonist is unable to identify anything remotely like winna- more (which may be a folk name), I suggest these seeds are sold by a hoodoo shop or mail-order house, and that they are sprinkled on the floor by gamblers to winnamore = win more! As we know, devil's-shoestring is sufficient to drive person out of house!]
Entry 12303
Ah'll take an' go tuh Krese [Kresge] an' git me a brand-new knife.
(You told her?)
Yes, an' git me a lemon an' cut de lemon up in fine pieces, jes' as many tuh eat. Start off walkin', git off, an' don't pay no attention an' chunk dem lemon seed in behin' 'em. Take dat brand-new knife an bury it under her front do'step: "De Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, ah hope ah nevah see yo' any mo'." (She wanted to get rid of him and she came and asked you how to do it?) Yes.
(She hid that under her own step?)
Yes.
Entry 12505
Yo' have to be dressed [with a hand]. Make sompin disaway. Jes takin' a nutmeg, an' ah don' know if yo' know - yo' know dose little seeds dat grows in a natural six, takin' dem while dey's green, three of dem, which represents De Name de Father an' de Son an' Holy Ghost. Take yo' nutmeg, dose three seeds an' 45 cents [in silver = 1 quarter, 2 dimes] an' put dat in a little bag, an' he'll come so he kin be as rapid as he want, but he'll come to de place where yo' an' him will be friends yo' see. An' anything dat yo'd undertake to do, look like jes' whut yo' says, he would be perfectly satisfied of it. See. Well, yo' keep de othah fellah's name an' thing on yo', because yo' be at different things an' yore [juke] box may be playin', an' he'll come an' git at them from playin'. Yo' always have cents [money] wit yo'.
(Always the law won't bother you or anything else?)
No.
Entry 526
Take de collard or any small seed an' take yo' a sifter an' put de seed down lak dat an' cover it up, an' lay dat sifter ovah it whut chew sift de flour with, if yo' wanta ketch him [the witch], an' yo' wake up de nex' mawnin', say he be undah dere - he got'a count ever' one dose seed 'fore he git out dere, an' yo' kin ketch him.
(How would you know he's there?)
Well, if he's dere, he'll be in a bug or he'll be in a big fly or some kinda insect or somepin.
(What do you call that when you catch that?) [Not a leading question!]
A witch.
Entry 1947
You kin git a pound of red beans and put it up under the steps, you understand, and at each side of the steps if they're open, git some guinea seeds and throw 'em at each side [under the steps], and walk away and don't look back and they'll leave that house. Guinea seeds - some people call it guinea pepper.
Entry 1950
If you out of a job and wants a job bad, you'-11 take you some seed they call Paradise Seed and you keep that seed in your mouth, and when you ask the man for work he sure can't turn you down. Paradise Seed.
Entry 1952
Tuh make 'em move. Well, yo' could take some dem seeds, dey call 'em de guinea peppah seeds. Take guinea peppah seed an' yo' sprinkle it if yo' visit dere, or else git someone tuh come dere to dey house yo' understan'. Yo' take de guinea peppah seed an' yo' throws it an' curse it, if it one or two of 'em. It a little bitta seed lak flaxseed. Chew evah saw flaxseed? Well, yo' take dat an' yo' throw in dere, or else go an' put it undah dey rug where dey pass, an' when dey pass, well, dey always gittin' ideas tuh move, yo' see, an' finally dey'll say, "Oh well, ah'll git outa dis house." Well, dat's really evil doin' - de guinea peppah seed.
[Make 'em move rite is followed by bring back rite.]
All yo' do, go on dere an' git de seed an' yo' passes zactly where dey livin' at, where yo' seen 'em, where dey home at, an' yo' drop de seed at mostly each step, yo' know, where yo' comin'. When yo' leavin', come an' make a block, an' yo' drop one those seeds right in front dey do' an' den when yo' comin' 'long agin. [Machine turned off too quickly but my following comment explains.] (You keep dropping these seeds from their house back to your house. That's the come back seed. That's to bring them back.) Bring 'em right back.
Entry 2376
Go down to the Crackerjack Drug Store and get some guinea seed. [See p.570.]
(Get some what?)
Guinea seed.
(I see. All right.)
Get some guinea seed and after you gets this guinea seed, you get a bottle of War water from some Crackerjack Drug Store. And you beat these guinea seeds up right fine and you put 'em in that war water. And you turns your back to the house and you take it [bottle] and you throw it when she's not there and break it against the wall. When you break it against the wall and walk away from it - she's going.
Entry 6899
If yo' got some peoples in yore house is evil an' bad luck tuh yo', all yo' gotta do is sprinkle plenty a red peppah roun' de house. Git de pod peppah whut grows lak yo' fingah [finger peppers] an' crumble it up. It's got seeds in it, little seeds fine an' white. Jis' sprinkle dat round de do' an' dey says none yore enemies will come 'bout. Ah often do dat times mahself, jis' keep up wit dis ole [turn machine off too soon].
Entry 11367
Dey say a fig tree, dat hit every Christmas or every New Year's Day dat hit blooms, dat hit stay as it blooms, little blossoms, little seeds come on an' off, an' be gone away 'fore day every New Yeah's.
Entry 12489
Well, tuh make yo' move, dey kin throw mustard seed umdah yore steps. An' when dat mustard seed sprouts, dey'll move. [Algiers 2916:8.]
Entry 10446
"Take you some mustard seed an' throw dem on de flo'...de hag dey gotta count ev'y one dohz seed" [Jacksonville, (597), 770:10].
Entry 512
Dey claim if a witch ride joo it's a person dat's living.
(A person that is living - what about it?)
Dey say - now it's a ole story - dey come outa dere skin and comes in through a keyhole. Dat's de ole story - course it's almost impossible fo' yo' to believe it. Dey say dey comes outa dere skin and den comes in through de keyhole an' comes in only whilst yo' sleep an' rides yo' - usually be a ole woman - be a witch - turns to a witch - she be's a witch.
(How do you get rid of her?)
Well, nail a horseshoe up ovah yore do' an' she won't come in.
(Is there any way you can catch her?)
Well, dey say, de way yo' kin ketch her, say yo' kin take a handful of mustard seed and put it down right on de floor right round your bed, an' she got'a count dose seeds befo' she leaves an' dey say yo' ketch [her] dere counting de seeds.
Entry 1116
You get bazley. You take this bazley and you boil it. (You mean this vaseline out of a bottle?) No, bazley - it grows like a - smells sweet. (Basil?) Basil - sweet basil, they call it.
(Is it a flower?) [I still was not too certain.]
It's a leaf - it grows - you plant it - you gets the bazley seeds and you plant it, and it grows and it smells nice and is good around the place. Now, you take that bazley and you take some of those leaves and you boil 'em. And you take that water and you get you a handkerchief and, for instance, put it in a bowl with fust a little - that little water you boiled it in - and take it and do all this [demonstrates].
(Just wipe or wash yourself down.)
Bathe yourself with that - bathe yourself with that for nine mornings and they can't do you no harm.
(This sweet basil - is that called sweet basil?)
Basil - you buy it at the seed store and you plant it.
(Is this a kind of a flower?)
It comes up like it has a little flowers on it when it's going to seed.
(What color are those flowers?)
Little white flowers. [Good.]
(White flowers.)
And sweet smell all over - you can just put your hand over it like that and smell it - nice basil, sweet basil.
(Now, after you bathe that way, then what?)
Just throw that water out for nine mornings and they can't do you no harm.
(Just throw that water any place?)
Any place.
Entry 1948
Take seeds of paradise - seven grains, seeds of para- dise. Yo' buy that in the Hindu companies, yo' know, those dirty strong [smelling] places [because incense is burning]. Seven grains of paradise. An' throw it aroun' yore do'. Make a good wish an pray an' take yore Bible an' read de Psalms of David an' ask God tuh open de way fo' yo' an' yore business will gradually grow. Also yo' kin read de sixth chapter of Luke an' dat'll he'p yo' in de Bible in de Christianity. That is tuh bring business to yore home. [The preceding Hindu companies were more likely a company with an oriental name and someone wearing a turban (see Turban in Index). Since I always assumed some of these companies may have worked under protection, I never visited any of them - I had enough trouble collecting.]
Entry 1949
Den yo' kin git chew some John de Conker an' have yo' a little piece of root an' chew those guinea peppahs every once in awhile. [Guinea pepper = grains of paradise, pungent seeds of a West African plant (Amorum meZegueta) used as a spice.] Lak ah'd walk in heah to yo', went to gamblin', chew dat once in awhile an' spit in mah han' an' rub it an' throw mah dice or play mah cards. Chew dose guinea peppahs - dem little brown seeds dey calls guinea peppahs.
(What do you do with that John the Conker root?)
Yo' chew that. Yo' hold that in yore mouth lak a toothpick. Chew dem [root and seed] separate.
(If a person goes down to get a job?)
Sho'.
Entry 7574
Yuh go tuh de Cath'lic graveyard an' reach down in dere - dig down in dere an' git chew some of dat dirt offa down on de breast. (A woman's?) Don't make no diff'rence but it's got'a be a Cath'lic grave, an' yuh git dat dirt. An' when yuh git dat dirt, yuh git cher some of dese gourd seeds - green seeds. An' yuh git chew dem green gourd seeds, an' den yuh git chew some red peppah an' git chew nine grains out dat red peppah yuh know, dose pods yuh know. Git nine grains an' roll it tuh yuh an' put it in dere. Well, den when yuh do dat yuh go tuh a - yuh know, git a good bit of it, yuh go tuh de fo'ks of de road an' yuh sprinkle a little bit of dat in de fo'k of de road. Go dere fo' de third day, but chew've got'a do it in de night an' call dose party's name. Call dere name an' dey will return.
Entry 490
You kin put down mustard seeds, sprinkle 'em over the floor, and ies before they go they'll have all them seeds to count. And you kin ketch 'em and you kin put it in a bottle and stop it up. And early that morning there'll be somebody come aroun' and want to borrow a match or salt or somepin.
Entry 508
A broom what you sweep with, you leave that to yore feet an' a Bible at chure head and dey won't worry you. But, if you wanta ketch 'em, you sprinkle - you go to de drug store and you buy a nickel's worth of flaxseed and you sprinkle that around in de room, and if de come in dere, you'll wake 'fore he done pick up every one, 'cause dey got'a pick up every one of 'em an' 'fore he done pick 'em up you kin ketch him.
Entry 509
They tell me that you can take a broom or flaxseed. I think flaxseed is more better than a broom. You get about a half a pound of flaxseed or else mustard seed, they are small. If this hag comes in and you can manage to wake up before she goes out, you take these seeds, all loose, and you sprinkle them between her and the door, and she will have to pick up all these seeds before she can get away. While she is picking up these seeds you will be successful in capturing her.
Entry 733
Yo' kin take, now, if yo' want a good gomblin' hand - now, yo' kin go out an' dere's somepin out in de woods grows dat called rattlesnake master [or button snakeroot (Eryngiun aquaticwn) southern U. S. A.]. Dere's two of dose things grows. One's a she an' one's de man - one grows a white flower, dat's de she; an' de one dat grows de red flower, dat de man. Well, yo' takes dat - yo' goes an' dig up dat root whut chew call de rattlesnake master. Yo' brings dat rattlesnake master back home an' yo' sits down an' yo' cuts it in de shape - kinda cut it in de shape of a spade; cut it out in de shape of a spade or either in de shape of a tooth, ary one dat chew wanta cut it out lak. Yo' send tuh town an' yo' git chew some hearts cologne an' yo' git chew two pinches of flaxseeds an' yo' git chew about two ounces or 'bout half of a halfa ounce of sulphur. Yo place dat root - put all dat stuff roun' an' place dat root in dere an' fills it fulla ole hearts cologne an' sews it up in a red cloth an' yo' sets dat root down on de table. Git a glass of watah - a plain glass of watah an' fo' nine mawnin's yo' go tuh dat glass an' speak to it fo' nine mawnin's. Look at dat glass - jes set dere an' look at it till it begin tuh look lak yo' begin tuh git drunk in de haid lookin' at - somepin lak dat. Yo' speak to dat glass fo' nine mawnin's an' dat ninth mawnin' DAT GLASS WILL SPEAK TO YOU. Den yo' take yo' root an' yo' kin go in any skin game wit any money. See anybody, white or colored, take dat root as yo' see 'em comin' - put yore han' in yore pocket an' rub ovah yore face lak dis an' walk up an' comment to 'em 'bout it. [Where? (?), 2407:2.]
Entry 1300
Gourds, dey keep evil from round yo', de gourds do.
(What do you do with them?)
Plant 'em - jes' plant de seed an' let 'em grow all ovah de fences an' keep 'em, drink watah out of 'em. Dose people all de way back in mah grandparents' time use tuh use dem all de time, an' always lived peaceful an' happy.
Entry 1321
Yo' kin take a dime an' put it round yore laig, an' yo' take some graveyard dirt an' sulphur an' red peppah seed an' wear it in yore shoes, an' yo' kin walk ovah it [hoodoo] an' it won't harm yo'.
The informant describes graveyard dirt as one ingredient alongside sulphur and red pepper seed. The bracketed word '[hoodoo]' is an editorial identification within the printed speech; the protection claim is reported.
Entry 1951
Get you some guinea seed - that's a little small seed just about as big, a little bit bigger than mustard seed, see. Get you nine of those little guinea seeds, see. You puts a small quantity of 'em in your shoe. You take nine of 'em and you put 'em in your mouth. See, hold 'em in your mouth. Every once in awhile when you round talkin' to 'em (ssphut - ssphut) [comment by transcriber because informant can be heard spitting]. Spit like that.
(I see.)
And I guarantee you he'll give you a job right away.
Entry 1953
Well, yo' take de gunpowder an' lodestone an' nine seeds of red peppah [three ingredients] an' sew it up in a yarn rag. That's fo' tuh draw luck to yo', too, fo' money. Yo' know, if yo's a gambler, why yo' kin win an' if yore a policy player why yo' win lak that. Or if yo' a busi- ness man, why yo' know, yore business will be.mo' urgent. [Gunpowder appears in many combinations.]
Entry 2091
[Magic sand - black and white - is what some persons called powdered lodestone, black lodestone and white lodestone - see preceding margin-titles Lodestone.] In gambling, we say yo' kin take a little piece of High John de Conker, we take three guinea seeds, you take a piece of lodestone and you take magic sand and you sew this in a piece of cloth. Upon your hands you would use oil of van-van. Then you hold this lucky charm in your hand whilst you are playing with a piece of money and you will be lucky.
(What is magic sand?)
Magic sand is a thing that is made to go with this lodestone - somepin like - looks like black dust, but it comes with lodestone - you buy lodestone and dey give you dis sand with it.
Entry 2323
You want a job and you know the boss name. All you gotta get the boss name, just like it was John Henry Lewis. You goes to him for a job and you takes his name and you write it down on a parchment or anything and you wear it in the bottom of your foot - I mean shoe, and keep him under your foot, you see. And go to him and you get you some of these Paradise seeds and chew 'em, see. And when you go to him, you spit three ways - front, side and back, you see. And if he can't give you a job this morning, he'll tell you to come back tomorrow morning, and in nine days you'll have a job. But you gotta have his name on that parchment and put it and wear it in your shoe under the bottom of your foot.
Entry 6818
Yo' go an' git a green gourd, ole gourd. Yo' know dose green gourd dat grows on a vine. Jis' lak a - jis' any kinda gourd, yo' know. Yo' break dat gourd an' yo' git chew a pint of sweet milk, an' yo' beat dem guts up in dere, dem seed, jis' lak yo', yo' beat dat all tuh pieces. An' yo' put dat intuh a rag an' yo' squeeze dat. An' den take dat rag an' squeeze it [gourd juice] intuh a bottle an' yo'll give it tuh dem. An' give dat person dat tuh drink an' evahthin' dat's intuh yo' [the person] is comin' out.
(Anything that is live in them?)
Anything dat live in dem is comin' out.
Entry 9153
They got some pills they call spit pills. You can buy those in the same drug store, the Crackerjack. Yo' take those an' yo' take nine of 'em, an' if de judge is not lookin at yo' befo' he call yo', when yo' walkin' up de aisle to 'im, perhaps, well yo' spit dose nine pills at 'im. No yo' keep 'em in yore mouth, dey don't dissolve. Dey are something like a black [something] dey's don' dissolve in yore mouth. As yo' are walkin' up de aisle to 'im, yo' spit. Yo' still keep de seeds in yore mouth, yes sir.
Entry 11652
Well, dat, it's supposed to be - it's jes' 'cordin', yo' use dem two ways, right an' left. Dat is, if yo' wants de re'lly fac' 'bout it, yo' use de right stockin'. Whut chew mean is to tie a person up. (Just tell me one way they use them.) Well, yo' kin take de flax- seeds. It's re'lly de fac' 'bout it, suh, jes' take three flaxseed an' put 'em into a stockin' or sock. If it's a man's socks, an yo' wanta break 'im up wit a woman, yo' take three flaxseeds. Yo' know whut ah'm speakin' of now. Yo' take three flaxseeds an' put it into de toe of a stockin' but dat's gotta be a new stockin' dat nevah has been used. An' den yo'll go tuh work an' yo'll slip it somewhere or 'nothah fo' him tuh put on. Den he wears it one night - wears it even one day an' he takes - when he pulls it off dat night. Well, yo' git it an' turn de stockin' Wrongside outwards an jes' let it remain wrongside outwards an' it 'sposed tuh be anyways undah de bed dere.
(You turn that sock wrongside outwards and put it under the bed.)
Yo' put dat flaxseed in dere, dese three.
[I stop a moment to straighten out the thinking.]
(Well, now, you have already put them in and you've turned the sock wrongside outwards and the three seeds have fallen out?) Yes sir, but fix it de way he'll wear it jes' one day.
(Well, what does that do then?)
Dat's tuh break him up if he's goin' with a woman. {Here again flaxseed are used against witchcraft, that of the other woman whd was holding the man from his wife.]
(Does he wear either sock of his?)
De right sock.
Entry 12543
Well, it's two different ways dat chew kin make dem move. Now, yo' kin take nine seeds out of a pod of peppah, piece of rock sulphur; take a tea- spoon fulla sugah an' de peelin' from a red onion an' burn it, an' yo' kin make 'em leave in that way.
Entry 11833
They got guinea pepper seeds and sprinkle in de house, sprinkle round de house, and that will make you move. [See also margin title: GUINEA PEPPER, etc., No.1947, p.570, v.l for other names and rites.]
Source passage
continuous interview or recording context · Source-local attribution; no resolved person identity is asserted.
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
The nature of me picking it on out
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
[how I learned hoodoo]
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
- I was holding a position and to the position I was holding there was an old man, and my sisters, all of 'em, was scared of him. Well, I did all his readin' and writin' fer him.
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
[Compare this with how Zorro began his career with Mysterious Parker - p.1166, line 38f.]
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
So, during the period of time he
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
[did so many things]
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
like that I didn't know, the old man he had so much diff'rent magic he could
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
[do]
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
. So the first thing he would do, he would take my hat - take my hat and spit in it and tell me to go out on de corner. I'd go out on de corner and I'd tip to some young girl. Now, the girl may be going to the store for her people or some- thing. When she come back I could have an interview with her. And when I'd have my interview, her people could never keep her away from me. As in a period of time - he died somewheres in 1918.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
(What do you mean by interview with a lady?)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1389
Had to go right home to do conversation with her - never seed her before.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
(At her home?)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
To her home - right dere at her home. She would invite me. The way she talked - I'd tell her - she'd tell me to come in in the presence of her people. I met her just like that - meet her on the corner there and tipped my hat. Then off from that time she'd never be satisfied. This old man - his name was - I never learned any more - his name was Uncle Charlie Jackson.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
(Where did he come from by the way? What part of the country did he come from?)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
Oh, he was down in Alabama. And he had three very large snakes. And if a person would come to him for to kill a person, the largest snake what he had would come out and crawl up in de door. That was his magic - that was the agree- ment what he made, you see, with the devil in selling hisself to the devil. Then he had another one what would remove evil spirits from a person. If you came in- to his place, while sittin' down into the chair, this snake would crawl all around you, all through the chair. You get up, you go by God. If you come for a gambling hand - his gambling hand was guaranteed fer one year.
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
[See HAND, TIME LIMIT FOR, p.577.]
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
He would take you into a little room and set you in there and when he get ready fer you, he would tell you - he would send fer yuh. Well, if he couldn't stand - the same way, if a person would come by for to kill a person. If you could jump over de snake what would coil up into the door, when you git back home he would be done kilt - this person. If you wanted a gambting hand - if you wanted to get that from him, when he get ready, then he send this other medium-sized snake in there. If you could stand fer him to come there and crawl around and you follow him back into the room, he would give you the gambling hand.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
(How did he make his gambling hand? Did he ever tell you?)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
Oh, he - makes 'em very diff'rent simple ways.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
(What was his way? Did he tell you that way?)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
The way he made 'em, he did. They was made out of little children's finger.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
(Oh, the baby fingers?)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; supporting excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
Baby finger j'ints - the j'ints of baby fingers and what we call the corime, the red corime seed.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
(Red corimee seed.)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; supporting excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1390
The red corimee seed. And he would use this here devil's-shoestring, and he would use this here Sampson snakeroot. Into these fixin' - when he would fix them - would be under the new moon. After he would fix them then, he would give them to you on the 15th of the month of the full moon. He would either wait till the moon be in full expanse of the earth, then he would give that to you.
locally coherent printed subpassage
The current speaker remains unnamed. Statements about Charlie Jackson, his alleged acts and the death date are reported in the source.
The printed account does not establish the identity of the unnamed speaker.
Snake behavior, agreement with the devil and contents of hands remain that speaker’s account.
Zorro and time-limit cross-references are editorial; they do not establish that the narrated people or practices are the same.
Bounded passage retrieval, not complete corpus coverage or practitioner consensus.
Read the full source context: Vol. 2, p. 1387 · Vol. 2, p. 1388 · Vol. 2, p. 1389 · Vol. 2, p. 1390 · Vol. 2, p. 1391
Source passage
continuous interview or recording context · Source-local attribution; no resolved person identity is asserted.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
(They specialize in things like that. Did you ever hear of any other person being cured by a root doctor?)
context only; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
[And now informant gives us an example of preceding CONSULTATION TECHNIQUE!]
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
Well I knowed dis gurl, she an' my son got into dis trouble togethah an'... Lois
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
[says "Lois" to Cubby]
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
an' 'er husban' put a lotta stuff in a pillow an' she was - durin' dis pa'ticulah time she wus goin' up to see if dis man could he'p her to get 'er son out of trouble an' de man tol' her - say,
reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Doctor represented in the account; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
"Yo' are dyin'."
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
Say,
reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Doctor represented in the account; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
"Woman, yo' almos' dead."
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
An' she said,
reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Person represented in the account; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
"Dyin' from whut? "
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
He say,
reported or enacted speech · Current interviewee · Doctor represented in the account; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
"Honey, yore husban' done have yore bed fixed."
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
An' so she went back an' boy, she said she pull out some stuff she had never seen before.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
(Was it in the pillow?)
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
Inside de mattress.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
(Oh, in the mattress.)
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
Inside de mattress. She had to git rid of de whole mattress. Now, I def'- nit'ly knowed this to happen, too.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
(Well, now what did she git out of the mattress?)
context only; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
[I often do this sort of thing, use same word (here git) used by informant. I am not mocking speaker but concentrating on every word.]
informant · Current interviewee; supporting excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
She didn't say but she said it wus a lotta stuff in de mattress. Little things like seed she said.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
(Seeds?)
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
Uh huh, but she went to a main
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
[man]
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
in Ca'lina, he wus a colahed guy in Ca'lina. She said dis main had a lot of hair an' he always go ba'feeted
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
[bare- footed]
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
(Who, this doctor?)
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
Yes, this root doctor.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
(He had long hair?)
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
Yeah. Mattah of fac' since our son been in trouble we been tryin' to fin' 'im up to this yeah but we haven' been able to locate 'im again.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
(THESE PEOPLE SEEM TO HIDE AWAY. IT'S QUITE A JOB TO FIND THEM.)
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
But I know if Lois had fin' 'im - now I can git de address but I don' know whether Lois have found 'im cause I won' see 'er mothah until tomorrow. I mean - not tomorrow - until Tuesday.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
(Now this last woman that got into trouble, was she running around with some- one?)
informant · Current interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4495
No, this man wus jis' so je'lous o' 'er an' didn' wan' 'er out wid peoples - out wid nobody an' he called hisself fixin' 'er jis' fo' 'im.
Nested source context: nested reported dialogue · Vol. 5, p. 4495
de man tol' her - say, "Yo' are dyin'." Say, "Woman, yo' almos' dead." An' she said, "Dyin' from whut? "He say, "Honey, yore husban' done have yore bed fixed."
Nested source context: live clarification · Vol. 5, p. 4495
(Was it in the pillow?) Inside de mattress.
locally coherent printed subpassage
The interviewer suggests a pillow; the reply corrects it to a mattress. The doctor and Lois appear in reported dialogue.
Lois and the doctor speak only inside Miffin’s reported conversation.
The correction from pillow to mattress is made explicitly in the exchange.
I definitely knowed does not establish which alleged acts Miffin directly saw.
The editorial CONSULTATION TECHNIQUE classification and explanation of git are not participant testimony.
Bounded passage retrieval, not complete corpus coverage or practitioner consensus.
Read the full source context: Vol. 5, p. 4493 · Vol. 5, p. 4494 · Vol. 5, p. 4495 · Vol. 5, p. 4496 · Vol. 5, p. 4497