Subject:Shoes
Entries
Entry 2852
Ah take a black candle an' ah light it an' write his name, an' ah take me a red candle an' write his name an' ah put it down dere. Yo' understan? Den ah'd take lak ah got his shoes, an' ah'd take it an' turn it towards de west an' make yo' walk out dere. (Now you write his name on a piece of paper and you burn that piece of paper under the candle?) Yes.
(Do you burn this candle a certain length of time or?)
Yes, burn de candle nine days.
(All day long or just certain times of the day?)
All day long.
(You let the candle burn out?)
Shet dem off. Yo' don't burn out de nine-days candle.
Entry 3402
I don't want 'im to have nobody but me. An' I will have dealings wit 'im at night. [I do] not come, but I take dat piece, aftah I git up an' wipe wlt it, an' jis' cut dem pieces out an' put 'em into mah shoes an' wear it.
(In both shoes?)
Both mah shoes.
Entry 3756
(How would you take that away?)
Well, de first thing yo' would do, would git dis thing - it's in a powdahed form an' den it's in a lump form, but dey call it dragon blood. Yo' take dat an' yo' wear dat intuh yore shoes, jis' de same as ah wuz tellin' yo' 'bout dat othah thing. Yo' wear dat nine days. Den yo' suppose tuh take dat out, an' den yo' supposed tuh take it an' put it on a piece of papah wit dose names written jis' lak ah done tole yo' befo'. Now yo' write mah name in one direction [demonstrates]. Dat's one person's name nine times.
(What one do you write first?)
Write eithah one, don't make any diff'rence, jis' since dey crossed. Yo' undahstan', yo' cross de othah name wit de othah nine. An' aftah yo' do dat yo' supposed tuh take dis piece of papah an' sprinkle it wit dragon blood dat yo' wo' in yo' shoe on it. Den yo' supposed tuh put a half box of salt on dat. Now yo' know how cookstoves are made, dose dat burn wood. Yo' supposed to put it in de ashpan of dat. An' it ain't supposed tuh burn all at once, but as de hot coals drop down, yo' undahstan', den yo' supposed to be rid of dat. (That will get rid of this thing, that woman did to tie him up - [this re- stores] his nature.)
Entry 4105
If she wan'a hold a man she take a dishrag an' wash 'er ownself wit it, an' use it in de kitchen jis' lak she always [does]. He'll nevah cā'y 'is money from home. He'll bring it home jis' lak a chile. She cook 'im anythin' sweet, she'll put chamber lye or anythin' in dat, chew know, an' make him come home, bring 'is money in, see. Dat keep 'im 'umble [humble] undah 'er shoe. He'll always be lookin' up tuh 'er, yuh know. Yet he takin' cah [care] of 'er.
Entry 4233
(What do you put in your shoes, you say, to keep them from harming you. What do they put in your shoes?) Bathes 'em in chamber lye. Puts cayenne peppah an' sulphur.
Entry 4401
Jes' lak if yo' pull off yore shoes at night an' a person wanted tuh hurt chew or somepin othah lak dat. An' if he could git some of yore dung, yo' know, an' smeah [smear] it on yore shoes, an' put some salt an' red peppah in it an' fix it So yo' couldn't walk, yore feet would swell up. YO' HAVE SOMEPIN LAK DE RHEU- MATISM, CALLED DE DROPSY OR SOMEPIN OTHAH lak dat.
Entry 4519
Yuh kin take a man's hatban' [sweatband] an' use his hatband, weah it in de bottom of yore shoe, jes' a piece of it, an' 'is mine will always stay aroun' dat fiah [fire]. He nevah is contented nowhere. When he's where yuh at, dat's 'is contentedness time. (The outside or the inside band?) De sweatban'. Take hit an' fold it tuh yuh, split it, an' put it in de bottom of yuh shoe an' evahwhere yuh go, he rearin' tuh go.
Entry 4773
(What can they do to make the man come back?)
She kin take her [under] clothes an' put 'er clothes on de wrong side, an she'll go tuh de sunrise an' talk wit 'im. She has sulphur an' red peppah in er shoes. An' she kin talk wit 'im befo' de sunrise. In about three days aftah dat he will come home an' he don't know how he come home. (She turns her underclothes inside out and she has to wear them - while she is talking to him - turned that way.) Tuh de sunrise.
Entry 4947
It wuz a lady had - she took me.
(Who was this?)
It was a lady had 'em.
(These socks?)
Uh huh, an' she wanted tuh git rid of 'er frien'. So she take a pair of 'is stockings an' one of 'is ole shoes - it didn't make any diff'rence which one it wuz - an' [she put those socks in the shoe]. She taken a pocketknife an' she put dat knife [in the shoe]. (She put those socks in the shoe?) Yeah. (Now, don't forget, don't leave anything out.) An' she taken dat knife an' she put it in dat shoe wit de point tuh de toe. An' she buried dat shoe undah 'er steps dat he come in, [the shoe] goin' from de house. An' he left, he really left. He nevah did hang roun' 'er any more.
Entry 5081
Lak if yuh take a woman or man's - she take a pair of 'is socks an' dey kin take dem socks an' go tuh a drug sto' - anywhere yuh kin git it - an' git chew a bottle of toilet perfume. Yuh take dat perfume an' yuh take both of 'is socks, de right an' de left one, an' yuh damp it good on dere, an' yuh take dat an' put some whiskey on it an' wash 'em in dat whiskey. Hang 'em on de line an' let 'em dry on dere. Den aftah dey dry on dere, den yuh take an' yuh slip 'em back an' put 'em in 'is shoes befo' he know anythin' about it. Dey said, den he'll come back an' prob'bly put dis same pair of socks on, becuz dey be in his shoes, take an' put 'em on. An' aftah he put 'em on he'll start tuh wearin' 'em. an' dey says, lak if he goin' tuh leave, he'll start tuh walkin', an' jis' walk right on out an' he won' nevah come back no mo'.
Entry 5088
Yuh kin [take] yore shoes an' yuh kin put alcohol in yore shoes an' wrench [rinse] it roun' in yore shoes. Yuh kin take dat alcohol out an' yuh kin po' it into any kinda drink an' give tuh a person. Well see, when yuh take dat alcohol an' po' it intuh any kinda drink an' give tuh a person, why dat'll give him den - his mind, he'll lose his mind. HIS MIND GONE FROM 'IM RIGHT STRAIGHT.
Entry 5092
Den, if yuh got a fambly [family] an' she gone away from yuh an' yuh wan' 'er tuh come back, yuh take her shoes - both shoes, her ole pair of shoes - an' yuh kin burn it de same as yuh do's de ashes. An' yuh put 'em in a pan an' put 'em undahneath' de baid, an' in nine days time she'll come back home. Ah know dat.
Entry 5093
Yuh burn dem ole shoes an' git de ashes, an' yuh buries dat, if yuh know any cleahin' [clearing] lak on some concrete or somewhere, yuh know, eithah in de stove. [If you do not have a stove, look for cleared concrete like a sidewalk.1 Clean out all de ashes an' sweep it out. Yuh kin burn it in dere an' git all dem ashes of it, an' put 'em in a little bag an' sew it up. An' put it in some Jockey Club, Hearts Own Perfume in it, an' bury hit undah de do'steps. Dat'll make him stay at home.
Entry 5095
When I was a boy I was hunting a job here [at the Chamberlain Hotel] as bellboy and I had my mother to see a so-called fortuneteller. And he told her to burn some shoes and to get a few of the ashes, and sprinkle some of these ashes around Richmond's [the manager's] feet when I came to apply for the job. [This was the old Chamberlain, not the new one of 1936, when I interviewed informant, the head waiter there.] [Old Point Comfort, Va., by Ediphone.]
Entry 5105
[As we have seen under ASHES, there are many more shoe-burning rites than those given here.] If yuh got a husban' an' he won' stay at home, yuh git one of 'is shoes, de right foot of 'is shoe. Take dis shoe an' burn it up. Of co'se, yuh know de [there is] leathah on de shoe. Burn it until it gits kinda intuh a powdah form. Den take it an' wrap it in a piece of papah. Dig a hole up undah de front do' an' of co'se, when he walks in, yuh won' have any trouble 'bout 'im goin' out any mo'.
Entry 5110
Yo' git some sulphuh, yo' git a piece of ole shoe; but don' do dat, not until yo' dere by yuhself. Yo' set dat afire at twelve a'clock evah Friday. (In the daytime?) Yes sir, twelve a'clock evah Friday, an' burn dat slowly. An' aftah dat, yo' won' have no trouble. It may be slow in comin', but whenevah dey do come, dey come in a heap.
(You burn that at twelve o'clock in the daytime or at night?)
Twelve a'clock in de day, when dere nobody dere but chew.
Entry 5123
Yo' throw de person's shoes at [and hit] de head of de front steps in ordah tuh keep 'em at home, or eithah wheresoevah dey are tuh bring 'em back. [This two-purposes rite cast in a one action form must be some- what rare. Actually there is a second but unexpressed action, the intention either to keep home or to bring back.]
Entry 5133
De shoes, if yuh wan' tuh. yuh kin take 'em an' bury de shoes. But if she wan's yuh tuh come back, see she take 'em an' bury 'em at de front of de house comin' in, wit de toes comin' in. See. Den she let dose stay dere nine days. (Then what do you do?) Den aftah de shoes are dere nine days, she'll wrote a lettah. Den when he comes back yuh git dis heah [here] - write it [the name] nine times. An' git chew nine bran'-new needles an' pin it in dere. Stick 'em - see, yuh pin 'em like dis heah [demonstrates]. Yuh put 'em where he comes in. Put it [needle] undah dere, right ovah it [weaving the needles] in an' out [of paper with name]. An' he'll continue goin' [in] an' out. An' wit dose shoes buried, he comin' back.
Entry 5135
What chew do wit yore shoes? Jis' sprinkle a little bita dragon blood in dere an' a little sulphuh. Yuh know, jis' sprinkle it in dere an' let it [stay in there awhile] an' den shake it out so dat he cain't see it. Or eithah hole [hold] up dat little thin piece [insole] an' let it go tuh de bottom [all the way to the toes, letting the insoles then fall back into places] an' he cain't stay from yuh. He has tuh come home.
Entry 5139
An' den on de othah han', if yuh don't wanta [be bothered] - if dere's somebody dat come dere dat disturb yuh or somepin of de kin', de law or anybody else, take some ole shoes an' rags an' burn 'em evah Friday. Don't miss a week. Yuh'll nevah be troubled. Ah know dat's a fact. [This rite is merely an exten- sion of the belief Old shoes may be burned on Friday for luck (FACI, 2nd ed., 10676, p.485).]
Entry 5141
Yuh kin take yore ole shoes an' keep it in yore house an' burn it evah Friday at twelve a'clock - burn yore ole shoes evah Friday at twelve a'clock. Jis' burn it right in de middle of yore flo' [making a quincunx, see p.710) in somepin. Shut chure do' an' walk out. [In somepin means old bucket, can or pan. Even if these are raised on bricks this is a dangerous rite whether fire started with live coals or coal oil!l But it mus' be twelve a'clock. Yuh start dat a li'le befo' twelve. Start de fiah, see, an' it be burnin' at twelve a'clock.
(In the daytime or the night?)
Daytime - twelve a'clock in de day.
Entry 5169
Take a pair of shoes dat yo' have worn an' yo' kin take dose shoes an' carry dose shoes tuh yore house - carry 'em tuh yore house. Den aftah yo' carry dose shoes tuh yore house, turn 'em ovah on dey face an' den go out in a cow stall somewheres an' git chew some of evahy kin'a manure yo' kin pick up from diff'ren' animals, all kin'a manure yo' kin pick up, an' put in dat shoe. An' dat will drive yo' jis' as crazy as a bedbug. (That is, if you want to harm me, you would get my old shoes and take them to your house to dress them?) Yes.
(Then what do you do with the shoes after you put that stuff in them?)
Oh! Yo' take de shoes an' carry 'em away an' bury 'em.
(What would that do to me then?)
Dat would jis' fix yo' up so yo' couldn't walk or do nuthin - paralyze yo'.
Entry 5181
An' yo' kin take a new [right] shoe sole [inner sole]. Buy a new pair an' cut it half in two [see later], an' take a indelible pencil an' write chore name from lef' tuh right. Turn it [inner sole] around, write his name from right tuh left, [or backwards, his family name first and his given name in front of that] coming tuh yo'. The [inner] sole is split [lengthwise] so one half can be worn in each of the new shoes. Make wishes [for him to return]. They say that'll bring a person tuh yo, bring 'em undah yore control.
Entry 5184
If she's away from me and I want to bring her back, I'll get nine old shoes, burn one each night at midnight with [nine] ingredients: egg shell, sul- phur, ashes, salt, pepper, alum, saltpeter, cloves, ginger, and walk around this fire and say, Send me my wife, sister or friend or whatever it is, back. And the ninth morning take this ashes, all from the whole nine mornings, and throw the ashes toward the direction the person is. You must have the wind blowing that direction. [The wind blowing the right direction on the 9th morning could make this a difficult rite.]
Entry 5185
Dat's anothah way dat dey are supposed tuh bring a person back. Yo' supposed tuh have nine ole shoes an' yo' supposed tuh put sugah an' bluestone an' dis very brown powdah dat looks lak - ah don't know now whethah it's - it's not de same. It has de same smell but it's not de same kinda powdah, but it supposed tuh be de same kinda powdah dat chew put on yo' - dat de women use on dey face. But howevah, dey call it love powdah. An' yo' sup- posed tuh put dose three things intuh dis heah [shoe] an' yo' supposed tuh burn one of dose shoes evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's till yo' burn all de shoes up. An' dat's tuh show yo' special favors an' control. Supposed tuh be controllin' powah ovah some individual dat chew interested in.
Entry 5191
De only thin' dat ah knows of dey shoes, dey take an' jes' kinda burn or scorch it a little bit an' throw it ovahbo'd.
(What will that do?)
Dat will run 'em jes' about mindless. Dey'll have spells. Dey mind is goin' an' dey jes' cain't stay one place. Evah time dat shoe would be goin', flippin' back an' fo'th, dey mind will jes' be goin' lak dat, until dey jes' go crazy an' run away from yo' or somepin lak dat.
Entry 5194
Git holt of yore shoes, shoes or yore socks yo' know, an' jis'...
(What are they supposed to do with those?)
Supposed tuh git yore shoes an' yore socks, eithah one, an' mixes some of yorr undahclothes wit 'em, an' dese pins an' needles, an' buries 'em. Dat'll cuz yore feet tuh swell.
[Norfolk, Va., (453) 427:5.]
Entry 5195
[Red Pepper itself, or in combi- nation with other ingredients, is a common practice in hoodoo. Many examples appear elsewhere in the text of HOoDoo.] They can sprinkle something in your shoes, red pepper I think, and it will make them all crippled and lame.
Entry 5196
Take his shoes an' dress 'em. Dey put some sulphur, cayenne peppah an' all lak dat in it tuh keep him home an' right sweet. Keep 'im home wit dat, keep him from runnin' roun'.
Entry 5199
Ah've heard dat chew take shoes whenevah - if yo' wanta do anythin' tuh a person. Lak yo' wanta prob'ly git 'em out chure way - jes' lak if ah wuz a woman an' had a husban' an' prob'ly ah thought some othah woman wuz givin' me trouble wit 'im. If ah could git hold of 'er shoe, ah would take her shoe an' den ah would put snuff an' red peppah - ah take an' burn red peppah, an' take dis heah snuff an' red peppah an' put it in 'er shoe, an' dat would drive 'er aWay from 'im. AH SEE DAT PURTTY NEARLY EVAH DAY.
Entry 5200
Women take de shoes - why den dey a - if dey wanta keep a man home. Women mostly do dat. A man don't hardly do dat. Wanta keep )'im home, he always gone off some place. She goes tuh work an' put salt on 'er shoes an' - both feet, an' she buries dat shoes. Dat keeps 'im home - anywhere in de yard. Dat's fur as'h [as I] heard about dat.
Entry 5202
Well, dey take yo' shoes if dey wan'a do any- thin' tuh yo' - anythin' lak dat. Dey take - if dey don' wan'a bury de shoes dey'll burn dem. But dey git somepin tuh put in dere tuh burn 'em wit. Dey git some of dis here bluestone an' put in dere an' table salt. An' dat tear yuh all tuh pieces. Dat'll run yuh ragged.
(You put this bluestone and the salt in the shoe and then burn the shoe.)
Yes sir, burn de whole thin'. An' den when it burn, he jes' as foolish as he kin be.
Entry 5203
Hit's a whole heap a ways tuh nuse [use] de shoes.
(Just one way now?)
Yo' take mah shoe - yo' kin take salt an' [red] peppah an' put in dere an' dat keep yo' from puttin' anythin' in dere tuh hurt me.
Entry 5206
Yo' kin take dere shoes an' take 'em an' put 'em undah de do'steps, an' put a li'le table salt an' sulphur an' diff'ren' thin's - mix it up tuhgethah an rub it on 'em, an' put 'em undah de do'step. Yo' steal de shoe unbeknownst tuh 'em an' put 'em undah de do'- step, an' dey'll leave town - run away from town.
(Do you get both their shoes?)
Jes' one. If yo' can git one, jes' git de left-foot shoe; if yo' can't git de left-foot, jes' git de right foot - any which one of 'em.
(And if you got my shoe, you would bury it under my door?)
Yeah, under yore own do'step.
Entry 5210
[She was] a wild woman. Ah couldn't git rid of 'er an' ah went tuh another HOODOO. He tole me, say, "Yo' take two of 'er shoes, take 'em an' full 'em wit salt an' sulphur, an' put 'em down intuh a runnin' stream." An' yo' wouldn't have no mo' trouble wit 'er. Well, ah nevah had no mo' trouble wit dat woman. Got rid of 'er.
Entry 5211
Yo' kin take a person's shoes an' put a li'le sulphur an' a li'le salt in it an' dis heah Red Devil Peppah red peppah, an' yo' could take dat shoe an' yo' could bury dat shoe, but let it be de lef' feet. An' bury it in de back yard. An' dat person nevah be able tuh walk straight any mo'. [Red Devil Pepper is either a package of red pepper with a red devil on it, a commercial brand, or a special package sold by a hoodoo drug store or mail-order firm.]
Entry 5214
Git nine little seeds outa [a] red peppah, an' sulphur an' salt, an' put in yore shoes, an' whatevah dey wanta do - run yo' 'way, make it so hot yo' cain't stay where yo' are. (Put that in either shoe or both shoes?) In both shoes. Yo' know, in yore shoes yo' have a linin'. If yo' kin git up dat linin', git nine red peppah seeds an' git sulphur an' salt an' put in dere, dey not knowin' it's in dere, an' dey say yo'll be so hot yo'll jes' have tuh go. Yo' don't [know] where yo' goin' but yo' jes' got'a go.
Entry 5215
Ah've seen lotsa dat done. Take salt an' sulphur, take de ole shoes an' burn it. An' den dey take de ole shoes aftah dey burn it, an' den take it in de four cornahs of de house, er out in de yard an' bury it. An' ah've seen lotsa [people do it] but what it wuz in it [wheth- er this caused them to leave] ah don' know.
[I] seen 'em leave home.
Entry 5216
Dey take some cookin' salt an' sulphur an' mix it an' put it in a fire- place, 'nuff fo' de smoke tuh come out, an' burn it in yore chimley. Yo' kin take a shoe an' burn along wit it tuh make it mo' strong. An' burn it slowly in de chimley an' see dat'll smoke. Dey can't stand dat odor from dat smoke, an' it seems in a couple of week's time dey'll have tuh move. Dey couldn't stay roun' dere. [Burn] three time a day.
(That will cause the people next door to be moved.)
Entry 5218
Ah've heard dat yo' could take two ole shoes, two ole workin'-men's shoes, an' burn 'em. Take some salt an' po' on 'em, an' a li'le sugah an' po' on 'em, an' burn 'em an' dat will make yo' have luck.
Entry 5228
" Yo' would burn shoes fo' luck. Jis' git sugah, ord'nary sugah, an' sprinkle it ovah dem an' put 'em in de fiah an' burn 'em fo' any kinda luck.
Entry 5229
Yo' kin keep from bein' hurt dat way, whut ah know. Yo' kin keep sulphur in yore shoes an' keep from bein' hurt lak dat. Evah time yo' git ready tuh go out, evah pair of shoes yo' has, sprinkle a li'le sulphur in dem. Well, yo' nevah ketches anythin' from any- body. It's hard fo' 'em tuh git on tuh yo'.
Entry 5232
Yo' take brimstone an' put a li'le sulphur wit it, an' wear a li'le in yore shoes, an' de tendency of dat would keep anybody from tryin' tuh do any- thin' tuh yo'.
Entry 5243
Wit de shoe - yo' kin take ole shoes an' compel good luck wit 'em one way.
(Well, how would they do that?)
Well, yo' kin git chew three ole shoes an' JES' AS DE SUN IS RISIN' - YO' KNOW DE SUN HAS A MIGHTYFUL POWAH - an' jes' as de sun is risin' yo' take yo' a little sulphur an' put it in all three of dose shoes, right up in de heel part, an' set de toe of dose shoes tuhwards de house. An' yo' burn dose three shoes jes' as de sun risin' in de mawnin', an' dat'll certainly bring yo' good luck. Yo' kin do dat wit de shoes.
Entry 5254
An' den de nex' question yo' kin do wit a fellah's shoes. Yo' kin take shoes an' nail 'em on de carbox [boxcar], de train yo' know on de rail- road tracks. Yo' nail 'em on dere an' yo' supposed tuh go until yo' ketch up wit de shoes. (Which track do you take and throw over your left shoulder?) Yore left-foot track. (What about the shoe, the left foot?) Ah mean de lef'-foot dirt, from undah de dirt. But if yo' want me tuh go an' keep a-goin', take both of mah shoes an' put 'em on de railroad track, on de train.
Entry 5281
Den ag'in yo' could take a shoe - jis' lak yore ole lady leave yo'. Well, if she stay away an' ah don' ca' [care] how long she stay, well yo' take her shoe. An' IT'S REALLY SIMPLE. Yo' don' have tuh do so much tuh dat but rub yore han's in it. Rub yore han' until it git hot, yore right han', an' set 'em intuh de do', tuh de front do', an' turn 'em up. See. Well, de nex' day she'll be home or else dat night. She cain't stay.
(How do you turn those shoes up?)
Yo' have tuh turn 'em up, yo' see. Aftah rubbin' yore han' well, yo' turn 'em up an' have each one of 'em on each cornah of de do', jis' lak dis do' heah [demonstrates].
(The toe is pointing out of the house like that?)
De toe in. [The toe was pointing out because I was on the opposite side of the table and demonstration.]
(Why is that?)
Well dat's fo' tuh tuh walk right on in.
Entry 5282
Yo' kin take a person's shoes, if yo' in love wit 'em, an' call dere name three times. An' turn it undah de bed where yo' sleep at, an' sleep ovah it an' dat person'll come tuh yo'. (You turn that other person's shoes up- side down under your own bed?) Mah own shoes. Jes' lak if ah wuz in love wit a man an' ah wanted tuh see him. Ah turn mah shoes - jes' right foot, turn it down undah de baid where ah sleep an' call de name three times. An' dey'd come. DO DAT EVAH NIGHT UNTIL DEY COME.
Entry 5284
Yo' take a shoe, de left shoe, an' carry it tuh a stream of watah. Take it an' throw it in a stream of watah an' nevah look back. Nevah look back at it an' he'd go de same way.
Entry 5292
Heard dey could take yore shoes an' dey cut a piece outa each one of yore shoes. Cut a piece outa de toe an' a piece outa de heel, an' put chure right feet right behin' de left one, an' set it in a trench of runnin' watah. An' unless dey take de shoes outa dat runnin' watah, yo' won' be able tuh come back home. Yo' will have tuh con- tinly [continually] tuh travel.
(You take both your shoes?)
An' place one right befo' de othah, an' eithah a canal or a deep ditch of runnin' watah. Jes' set dem right down in dere. PUT A HOLE IN DE TOE AN' A HOLE IN DE HEEL, SO DAT DE WATAH KIN GO RIGHT ON THROUGH. [This iS my only example of holes in toe and heel.] (The water runs right through the holes. That sends them away.)
Entry 5293
They can take your shoes and carry 'em way back in the woods or swamp, or some place like that where they'll find running water, you know, and bury them. And turn one east and one west, and cause a person to linger. [No one can proceed in opposite directions at the same time.]1 Or, it can kill them by it. But I don't know what else they say, only no more than just make the wishes.
Entry 5295
Yo' kin take an' take a person's shoe an' have it fixed so dat he kin start walkin' an' dey jes' walk a step an' dey comes back. Well, dey jes' go 'head an' take some dis red pep- pah an' it's a gourd. Yo' know dese guts out de gourd dat be's inside of a gourd, take hit an' Parch it up an' take an' put it in dis shoe. An' throw dis shoe in runnin' watah, an' dat will fix a person so he jes' go crazy an' wandah 'way from home, an' wandah an' wandah.
Entry 5298
You can take their shoes and carry them down to the river at noontime and let the water run over them. Take them back and let them dry. On a full moon go down to this river, call, and keep calling them. And when they have them shoes on they'll walk into the river and drown them- selves.
Entry 5299
Dey burn shoes fo' luck. Dey'd jes' take de shoe - lak dey'd have a fiah in de fiahplace - jes' a ole pair of shoes, an' take an' make yo' a fiah. An' take an' put de shoes on top of de fiah, an' set dat [shoes] ovah dere an' den make yore wishes. An' as de shoes burns, keeps talkin' tuh 'em.
(That will bring any kind of luck?)
Yessuh.
Entry 5302
If a woman would wear a man's shoes - jes' lak IF MAH WIFE WUS TUH BE PERMITTED TUH WEAR MAH SHOES, dat, DAT WOULD PREVENT ME FROM 'SOCIATIN' ROUN' WIT OTHAH WIMMIN. In othah WOrds, SHE WOULD HAVE if she WOre mah shoes. If she wuz allowed tuh wear mah shoes, why she could manage me mos' any way she wants. In othah words ah'd be subject tuh her powah, if she's allowed tuh wear mah shoes. DERE'S SO MANY SUPERSTITIONS ABOUT DAT, DEY [MEN] WON' ALLOW DERE WIFES TUH WEAR DERE SHoES. [Sumter, S. Car., (1374), 2436:7.] [This is the sixth and last subsection of SWEAT, one of the functions of the physical human body. The following rites once presupposed tracks largely made by bare feet which left sweat and odor in the soil. For this reason, some of these rites will also be found under section MuRDER in volume 4.]
Entry 5360
If someone comin' tuh yore house an' yo' wanted tuh keep 'em away, well see, yo' kin git dere track an' burn peppah, sulphuh an' some ole shoes. An' go tuhwards de sunset an' say de same thing, In de Name of de Fathah, an' Son, go. Dey'll go. Yeah, yo' won' be bothahed wit dem no mo'.
Entry 5476
Takes dey tracks an' weah it in dey shoes.
(What will that do then?)
AH DON' WAN'A TELL NO STORY. Yes, yo' kin take dere tracks an' weah it in yore shoe. An' den yo' kin take brown sugah an' yo' kin take graveyard dirt, an' write his name an' yore name on a bran'-new envelope has nevah been used, an' put it undahneat' yore bed mattress. An' he's supposed tuh come back tuh yo' in three days.
(You put all this stuff into the envelope?)
Uh-huh.
Entry 6060
Lak yore fingahnails. An' yo' take a Woman's private, yo' know, de hair off a Woman's private, yo' know. An' dat, yo' kin wear dat in yore shoes, yo' know; an' den she can't git away from yo', ah betcha dat. (You mix your fingernails with her hair from down in there. Your fingernails or her fingernails?) Her fingernails, yo' know, an' 'er private hair.
(I see. What fingernails do you take of hers?)
Any - take any of 'em off, don't make any diff'rence in usin' 'em.
(I see.)
Entry 6109
Well, ah've heard dat dey kin take a lock of yore hair from yore head, cut it out right about de mole somewhere along in dere, an' take dat lock an' wear dat in dere shoes sometime to make yo', yo' know, care fo' dem - make yo' wanta know where dey is.
Entry 6118
She take his ole shoe, regardless tuh how long de shoe been dere or how ole de shoe is. She take dis shoe an' git some of 'er hair an' put it in dis. shoe an' she wear dat shoe her- self. She will bring 'im back kinda limpin', but he'll stay dere long as she'll continue tuh wear dis ole shoe aroun'. He'll stay home but Soon as she take dis shoe an' put it aside, an' take her hair out, he's gone back [away] ag'in.
(She takes either shoe, it doesn't make any difference?)
Eithah, ain't any diff'rence whut shoe it is.
(Does she wear both of them or just one of them?)
Wear both of 'em, wear both dese shoes.
Entry 6119
Git some of de hair out of yore haid an' put it in yore shoe, in de bottom of yore shoe. Well now, if it's a woman yo' put it down in de bottom of yore shoe an' yo' tote it, an' each foot Wrapped up in some news- Papah. Don't put it in no white papah, put it in a newspapah wit de lettahs on it. Put it in each foot an' yo' wear it. See dat's love. She got to love yo'. Dere's more diff'ren' ways yo' got to learn besides dat, but dat's about de bes' Wy dat it is.
Entry 6128
If anybody wanta git holt of yore hair, dey take dat hair an' dey'll plait it, work it into de linin' of dere shoes. Wear dat. Well now, yo' may wanta quit 'em, but long as dey wear dat hair in dey shoe, why yo' will always have a Lakin' fo' dem.
Entry 6613
Git a snake an' put a snake in yo'. Dey kin go ketch a snake an' kill it, cut 'is head off an' hang 'im on de limb [of a tree] by de tail. Tie a string aroun' 'is tail an' hang 'im up an' put a tin cup or tin plate undah 'im an' ketch 'is blood. Let 'im bleed in dat tin plate or tin cup, whutevah it is. Now dey take dat blood an' dey kin put dat blood intuh yore food or somepin tuh drink; or dey kin let dat blood dry until it comes jis' tuh a hard powdah. Dey kin sprinkle it in yore shoes. An' de perspiration from yore feet will such up de strength of dat blood an' cuz yore body tuh attract dat, an' it will go all through de body an' kill de body. An' it will be crawlin' jis' undah de skin, all about, mostly from de point where dey entered. Depends upon how long it is when it gits in de stomic an' come on up. An' he'll choke yo' tryin' tuh come on up.
Entry 6637
Ah heard 'em tell dey could git a snake, a poisonous snake, an' take kill 'im, see an' dry him. Dry him out an' dat would make a dust, yo' undah- stan'. An' take dat dust an' put it in dere shoes, an' it would kill 'em. Ah don't know how true it is, only whut ah heard. Jis' put in 'is shoes.
Entry 6697
Yo' go tuh a druggist or grocery sto', eithah one, an' yo' git chew some saltpetahs, some ammonia, household ammonia, bluein' [three ingredients]. An' yo' take all dat an' yo' fix dat ingredients tuhgethah, an yo' use it in de watah whut chew bathe in. But in de meantime yo' supposed tuh bathe three times a week: Mondays, Wednesdays an' Fridays. [For this three evenly spaced days a week, see p.830.]
(At any particular time of the day?)
Well, say, six in de mawnin', twelve at noon an' six at night. [For this evenly spaced time-of-day formula, see p.830.]
(Any one of those times or three times?)
Well, yo' kin bathe once but eithah one of dem hours yo' kin, yo' see. An' den yo' take dis saltpetah an' yo' puts it in yore shoe an' yo' weah it. Dat'll perteck [protect] yo' from any kinda home or anybody tryin' tuh do yo' harm. (Well, there's also some of that saltpeter in the bath water, too. Those three things are all in the bath water?) Yessuh.
(Then you save some of that saltpeter and put it in your shoe?)
Put it in yore shoe an' weah it in yore shoe fo' pertekshon [protection].
Entry 6752
Dey tell me dat chew git a po'tion [por- tion not potion] of rat- tlesnake dust, red peppah, gunpowdah in yore shoes, dat'll cuz [cause] yo' tuh have achin' an' swellin' j'ints an' stuff. Dat'll put a spell on yo'.
(Sort of swell up your feet or make your joints ache?)
Yeah, yore j'ints ache, an' swell yore j'ints up, too.
(Well, is there any way you can cure that, I wonder?)
Yessir, yo' go tuh a cow stall an' yo' git dat dung, dat rakin' of de cow stall where de cow trample.
(The cow manure?)
Yeah. Yo' take dat an' yo' boil dat an' yo' bathe yore feets in dere. Yo' dilute dat an' put a li'le salt in it. Bathe yore feets in dere wit dat. An' yo' take dat an' yo' THROW DAT SUNDOWN SIDE. DAT MEANS FO' DE MISERY TUH GO DOWN, de sweat of it goes down an' de mis'ry [misery] tuh go out. Yo' throw dat sundown side.
Entry 6906
Git a fresh box of salt, have nevah been used an' a box of red peppah, an' yo' mix a certain amount tuhgethah. Put some aroun' yore do' an' in front of gate an' yo' weah some in yore shoes. An' dat would keep dem from crossin' yuh, if dey wanta put hard luck on yo'.
Entry 6908
Yo' kin weah cayenne peppah, salt an' sulphur in yore shoes, an' yo' kin walk ovah anythin'.
(If you walked over this stuff they planted for you, it wouldn't hurt you then?)
No sir.
Entry 6909
Well, yo' kin put chew some red peppah, nine balls, [I mean] seeds of red peppah. Yo' have de seeds tuh put in dere. Grind dat peppah. Nine drops of spirits of turpentine, halfa tea- spoonfula salt, halfa teaspoonfula sulphur. An' put it in yore shoe an' weah it an' dat will kill dat.
(Anything they put down for you?)
Planted fo' yo'.
(Do you wear this in one or both shoes?)
Yo' kin put it in de shoes, or else if yo' want, yo' kin put it undah de steps, put it all tuhgethah an' bury it undah de steps.
Entry 6937
One thing you can do to keep anybody in the world from doing anything to you, you get a silver dime, grate it, put it in water and drink it. Put a dime in each shoe. I guarantee you that you'll never be hurt. That silver dust will stick to the lining of your stomach and remain there indefinitely, and if it is not right, it will come right straight back up.
[Fredericksburg, Va., by Ediphone.]
Entry 6964
Put a li'le saltpetah in yore shoe. Weah it in yore shoe an' sulphur in yore shoe. Dat'll keep de poison from gwine [going (into your body)], tetch- in' [touching yo'. See.
Entry 7065
Take fer a' instan' now. Yo' got a wife an' she wan'a go out - choo leor, tuh be wit anothah man, or go out somewhere. She don' wan' choo tuh wake up befo' she come [back]. Yo' layin' down dere asleep. She'll jis' take one of 'er [under] pieces of 'er drawahs, or somepin right nex' tuh uhself, yuh know, an' take it an' spread it ovah yuh face right while yuh asleep. An' yo'll jis lay right dere an' sleep an' dream, an' yo' wouldn't wake up fer de devil, until she come an' take dat thin' from ovah dere. She kin go on off an' stay long as she Want. BUT YO' MUST BE ASLEEP BEFO' SHE PUT IT OVAH DERE. [RichmOnd, Va.,
(343), 383:1 0r 286:1+86.]
Entry 7115
[As an example of the difficulties attending the arrangement of mate- rial in Hoodoo, please notice that the following shoe rites, quite a long list, could have been put under subsection SHOES, Nos.5087-5205, pp.2758-2781, vol.3 to Nos.5206-5302, pp.2801-2818, vol.4. Moreover, there are many other shoe rites in Hoodoo unlisted among the preceding num- bers.] Ah've heard dat chew take a person's shoe an' put it up ovah dere haid. Jis' tie it up ovah dere haid an' dat person will sleep sound until yo' went anywhere yo' wanta go an' return.
Entry 7120
Take 'em an' turn 'em down while dey sleep. (The shoes?) De shoes, an' dey cain't wake up until yo' turn 'em back up.
Entry 7121
(This is to make the man sleep while she's gone out.) Take his shoes an' take 'em an' turn de top down undah de haid of 'is baid, an' he'll sleep until she go an' come back an' moves dem.
Entry 7137
Yo' could take one of 'is shoes an' turn it down jis' somewhere at de side of de bed, an' den he sleep a long time. An' a woman kin take her skin- piece an' put it up ovah'at dis end of de bed, jis' hang it up ovah dere. Dey'll sleep sound lak dat.
Entry 7138
Ah tell yo' whut a woman kin do. Jis' lak if 'er an' 'er husban' gone tuh baid an' she wanta step out, she'll git up an' she'll take his shoe, turn 'em bottomside upwards in undah de foot of de baid. See, he cain't wake up until she come back an' turn dem shoes ovah. Den a man kin - he kin, jis' lak if he wan's tuh go out an' leave her dere asleep, all he's gotta do, jis' git up yo' know an' take his pants off or some of 'is drawahs, yo' know it's dirty, an' hang: 'em ovah de top of de baid ovah 'er haid dere, an go on off about 'is business. An' she won't wake up until he come back an' move dem things.
Entry 7145
Tell yo' whut dey do wit yore shoes. Lak if yo' go out an' stay out late at night, or sompin lak dat, an' dey wanta keep yo' home. Dey don' wan' chew tuh go out too much at night. Or if yo' layin' down sleepin' an' dey wan chew tuh sleep soun' an' don' wan' chew tuh wake up, take an' put some black peppah an' salt in de shoe, an' turn it bottomside upwards an' put it undah yore bed - both de shoes.
Entry 7146
She'll take his shoes an' turn 'em upside down...take his hat, pin it [up] over his head.
Entry 7147
Turn de shoes bottoms upwards - his shoes. (Where?) Well, jis' lak he's pulled dem off an' gone tuh bed, she take 'em an' turn 'em bottoms up - turn de' sole up an' de top down. Say dat'll make him sleep until she come back.
Entry 7152
If she gwine out - mean if she goin' tuh 'er girl fren' - dey kin jis' turn yore shoe upside down an' turn de toes undah de bed, an' he won' wake up till she come back.
(He turns his shoes upside down?)
Dat's right, de man's shoes.
(Both shoes, both pointed under the bed.)
Undah de bed.
(He won't wake up until she gets back?)
No, no!
Entry 7153
Dey tell me dat de women kin - 'fact a woman tried it on me - take her shoes an' turn 'em right undahneath de head of 'er bed, an' put a half a dollah undah each shoe, an' go out an' stay out, den come in, an' yo' won' know it. Yo' won' wake up until she come back an' move 'em.
Entry 7154
Take both 'is shoes an' turn 'em undah de head of de bed, upside downwards, fo' an' aft. (How do they turn them?) Foah an' aft. (That's the toe, one. And the heel?) Dat's right. Heah's a toe an' heah's a toe. See, dats de way. Undah de head of de bed. (Toe and heel, and heel and toe?) [Shoes are together upside down facing opposite directions.] Dat's right, an' he cain't wake up until she come back an' turn 'em up. An' he kin go an' do her de same way, if she's got low quartahs or top.shoes. But if she's got top shoes, dose high-top shoes, yo' have to put de tops undah, fold de tops undah, yo' see, so dey'll set straight. Jis' put 'em undah de head of de bed.
Entry 7155
Home at night? Take yore shoes, turn one tuh de head an' de othah back tuh de foot; yo' know, jis' de opposite ways, yo' see, wit sugah in each one of dem shoe, an' sleep lak dat. Tie one knot in 'uh undahskirt or 'er chemise, whatevah she has, an' sleep until she returns. She jis' has tuh keep it on, de one she has on. (Put one shoe with the toe pointing to the head and one to the foot. You put the shoes upside down, together, or one at the foot and one at the head?) Upside down, one at de head an' one at de foot. Set 'em nex' tuh each othah right in a row, right foot at de head of de man; one fo' de head an' one fo' de foot.
Entry 7296
Hear of 'em takin' cow manure an' hold a policeman back off from dem. Dey take an' put it on dere feets an' walk roun' an' roun' dere house nine times, an' through dey COW MANURE ON FEET - CIRCUMAMBULATE HOUSE 9 TIMES house nine times, an' take de shoes whut dey have on - scrape it away from de shoes an' bury it, bury it to sunrise. An' de policeman will nevah come upon dem.
(They burn the shoes or just the manure?)
Burn de manure. Jes' scrape de dust an' thing from de shoes an' burn it. Scrape it back to 'em, not away from 'em. Scrape it to 'em cuz dey want de help to 'em. An' burn it an' bury it to sunrise, an' de policeman will nevah come no place about 'em. (That is if they are running away from them [police] or something of that sort?) Dat's right.
Entry 7302
Graveyard dirt? Dog can't run yo' wit graveyard dirt.
(What do you mean dogs can't run you?)
You know, run-away time - yo' know, ah got all dis in slave-time and since freedom. But ah knowed of it in slavery times, when a man run away from 'is mah- stah. [This man said he was 107 years ola when I interviewed him in 1937.] Dey had dogs an' dey fetch a dog behind yo' track, an' dey will start it from right from where yo' started away from de house, but can't go no furthah cuz he done bur-ried [burrowed] his Way out. May care [carry] it tuh de graveyard [dog may care track as far as graveyard], but no furthah dan de graveyard will dey run - can't run. No, can't run. Dog played out right dere. Yes suh.
(What did this man do that was being chased?)
An' when he gittin' away from home, he take a hat or pocket [handkerchief], perhaps an' put it ovah his feet an' put dat graveyard dirt in dere. Well, he [dog] can't run 'im atall. He'll stay right around dere an' de dog will play out right dere. Ah knows dat fer a fact.
Entry 7308
Well, dere so many diff'ren' little things yo' kin do wit graveyard dust. Suppose yo' is in trouble an' yo' killed somebody an' yo' wanted git away. Yo' gits - go to de graveyard an' git some of dat dust. Put some in yore shoes an' put some in yore right pocket, an' dere couldn't no houn's run yo'.
Entry 7309
Ah say if a person kill a person - jes' lak de detectives is now - yo' could kill a person an' go to de graveyard an' git some of dat graveyard dirt. Go to a fresh grave, as fresh a grave as yo' could find, an' git some of dat graveyard dirt and put it in yore shoe. An' den git some an' put in yore left-hand hip pocket an' aftah yo' - don't go out of de gate, git ovah de fence. An' don't nevah look back, jes' keep a-goin' an' yo' kin git plumb away. Ah've heard dat.
Entry 7313
Jes' lak dat ah would kill yo', yo' see, an' ah wanta git away, see. An' yo' know it used [to] be at de time - AH DON'T GUESS YO' REMEMBAH IT. AH DO CUZ AH'M OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW, dat when a murderer killed a man, he goes to de graveyard. He goes to de left side or [and] to de head of de grave, and he goes dere an' he gits a handful of dat dirt - goes down an' gits 'im a handful of dat dirt from dat grave. An' he puts it in his left-hand pocket an' he puts it in his shoes, both shoes. No hound in de world kin trace him.
Entry 7317
[Ah] heard one thing about graveyard dirt, dat if yo' wus on de chain gang workin' an' could git to graveyard an' pull up de headbo'rd an' reach down in dere jes' as fah as yo' could, or anywhere in de grave dig down if yo' could, an' git de dirt an' put it in yore shoes, dat de dogs wouldn't run yuh, wouldn't track yo'.
Entry 7323
A fellah could - jes' lak he kill someone an' he wanted tuh git away - go an' git some of dat graveyard dirt of de fella dat he killed an' wear it inhis shoe, an' den endurin' [during] de time dat he wearin' dat in 'is shoe - dat is, if dey wus crowdin' 'im wit dogs or somepin lak dat, go on through some big bunch of cows [to step in cow manure] an' go on about 'is business. An' de dogs couldn't trail 'im.
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 7516
Dey take graveyard dirt an' put it in dey shoe an' dat will keep dem from interferin' in de family, an' it will cause dere death. Say, if yo' kill dat person yondah, well yo' bury 'em. An' ah'll go take some graveyard dirt an' sprinkle it ovah yore flo' an' put some in yore shoes, an' when yo' go out an' travel on, yo' tell it 'fore yo' know it.
(You'll find out on me that I killed that man. How would you find it out?)
By dat graveyard dirt. Yo' lay down an' go tuh sleep an' yo' know yo' did a bad crime. an' yo' - why den yo' go an' tell it. Dey go an' stick yore fingah in a pan of watah [while you are asleep] an' yo' tell evahthing about it. [Wilson, N. Car., (1474), 2654:7.] [This section contains merely a part of the many beliefs and rites in Hoodoo about death, burial and graveyard (see preceding section MURDER and everyvhere); therefore the subject matter here is not as complete as it could be. I have divided the section into three subsections, the first two concerned with grave- yard dirt: (1) HOW TO OBTAIN GRAVEYARD DIRT, and (2) WHAT TO DO WITH GRAVEYARD DIRT; and (3) COFFINS REAL OR MOCK - PHOTOGRAPH AND COFFIN - DOLL BABY - ANIMAL SUBSTITUTE - BONES FROM THE DEAD. This latter subsection (3) will be given in lettered subsubsections as we reach them.] [Graveyard dirt or dust, the most deadly and feared hoodoo substance, is act- ivated by the spirit of a dead person - a dangerous power to handle. An amateur would be wise to leave graveyard dirt in the hands of an expert, but if he or she desires a do-it-yourself experience or wants to avoid professional expense, here are the rules and procedures to be observed, beginning with a few words about the spirit itself.] [The Spirit in Graveyard Dirt is the same spirit we met at the beginning of Hoodoo (vol.1, Pp.19-164) and elsewhere in the text. Beliefs and rites in this subsubsection reestablish former atmosphere:]
Entry 7667
Dey said dey would take - jes' lak yo' kin go tuh de cemetery an' dey'd git dere a certain hour in de night, twelve a'clock in de night, an' git some dirt from a dead person grave. Dey moves de top of dat an' dig a hole about fo' inches deep, an' git some dirt den from dat, if dey wanted tuh make yo' sick or sompin. An' dey come tuh yore home an' be settin' down an' talkin' wit chew an' look undah yore desk or somewhere an' a pair of shoes or sompin othah dere. Dey jes' sprin- kle a li'le of dat dust, de dust of dat grave in yore shoe, an' it would cuz yore feet tuh become sore an' boily - break out in big sores.
Entry 7880
Go tuh de cemetery an' git some graveyard dirt an' put in both shoes unbeknownst tuh him - put it in dere. Git some red peppah an' salt a an' sprinkle it in both of yuh [his] shoes an' he won't be dere no mo' den about tro or fo' hours, an' he will have tuh go.
(That is to drive a person away from the house?)
Away from yore house.
Entry 7893
Dey kin take yuh shoes an' dey kin break yo' out wit sores.
(How do they do that?)
Well, dey go tuh de graveyard an' dey git de dead dust - not graveyard dust - like here de grave an' dey send dat pipe down intuh de grave 'till it hits - till dey git, till de pipe gits full wit dat dust. [See piece of cane driven into grave, No.7812. p.3364.1 Dey takes dat dust an' use immaterial [material] from dat very grave, but evahwhere dat dust go on your feet, dat breaks yo' wit sores.
Entry 7896
Ah have learnt dat dey kin take yuh shoes an' carry 'em tuh de grave- yard an' put 'em in, turn 'em east an' west an' bury 'um, an' yo' die.
(They bury one east and bury one west?) Yes.
Entry 7947
Dey take yore shoes an' measure yore shoes. Take a needle, a needle dat's been sewed through a corpse - see, when yo' make a shroud an' dey [I inter- rupt]. (Use a needle that has been used in making a shroud?) Make de shroud tuh bury some- one, yes. Take dat needle an' put it through yore shoes, through de eyeholes yore shoes - see, three times. Den take dat needle an' carry it home an' stick it on de east side, an' yo'll stay dere wit 'em. Yo' cain't go nowhere. Yo' stay right dere at home an' be subject tuh dem in evahthing dey want.
(What about measuring the foot? Do they measure the shoe first?)
Dey measure de shoe first, den put dis needle through de eyehole three times. (Do they do anything with the measurement of that shoe? After they take the measurement of the shoe?) De measurement of dat shoe dey bury dat. Dey bury it undah de do'step.
Entry 8492
Put cinnamon an' sugah an' yo' weah it in both of yore shoes. Now if yo' know dere name, yo' kin take dere name an' put it in dere, an' whenevah yo' git tuh 'em dey'll give yo' a job.
Entry 8495
If yo' wants tuh be on de job or anything an' yo' want tuh stand in good wit yuh boss, yo' takes 'is name an' yo' git some loaf sugah, yo' put it in a bottle, yo' writes 'is name nine times, writes it tuh yuh, not from yuh. An' ah put's mah name on top of 'is, an' ah folds it tuh me, an' ah puts it in dis bottle. (You cross it or what?) Ah puts it ovah his'n an' ah crosses it, too. See, ah write his name first dis way an' den ah changes it an' write it dataway, an' ah switches ag'in - forward an' backward, undahstand.
(I see. All right.)
See, den ah folds it up an' ah puts it in dis bottle wit cinnamon an' sugah, an' ah buries it. An' ah weahs his name in mah shoe an' keeps it dere in mah shoe. An' when ah weahs it out, well ah puts anothah one in dere. See, dat's tuh stay on de job.
Entry 8770
Take dis bossman whut yo' got in yore mind - yo' got it in yore mind fo' tuh go tuh dis bossman. Yo' goin' dere tuh git a job. Yo' take dis man's name an' yo' write it an' yo' write de twelve apostle. Dese are de twelve apostles. Yo' write de twelve apostles first an' den yo' write dis man's name twelve time, an' each apostle [demonstrates] each apostle heah an' yo' write his name heah. Dis de 'postle heah, an' yo' write his [boss] name dere, dis 'postle heah, an' yo' write his name dere. Continue dat an' yo' put dat in de bottom of yore shoes, an' yo' weah dat three days 'fore yo' go tuh 'im. An' when yo' go tuh 'im, he'll give yo' de job.
Entry 8867
Well, ah have heard of 'em - said dat tuh make 'em come back, by takin' 'is lettah, if she could git 'im tuh write. She take his lettah an' sleep wit 'em undah 'er haid fer ten or twelve nights, dat he'd come on back.
Entry 9020
All right, if yo' got some of yore friends in trouble an' wants tuh git 'em out. Prob'ly yo' got a purtty bad case an' yo' wants tuh git 'em out. Well, yo' kin go tuh de graveyard at night, twelve a'clock at night - let it be daid on de minute twelve aclock. Yo' go dere at night at twelve aclock an' yo' run yore arm down in de graveyard as fur as yo' kin git it down dere, right in de centah [a quincunx rite]. Yo' git a han'fulla dirt an' yo' take dat dirt an' git chew a plain white pocket han'ke'ch'ef dat don't have any streaks atall about de pocket han'ke'ch'ef - so it's plain white. An' yo' take dat dirt an' tie it up in de cornah de han'ke'ch'ef, puts it in yore pocket an' brings it on back. Well, yo' bring it back tuh de house an' when yo' git back tuh de house, yo' git chew some sage or sompin at night. Do all dat dat night. Bring it back tuh de house an' git chew some sage or sompin an' tie it up in dere wit dis dirt an' yo' takes it up in de jail, wheresomevah dey's in jail at, an' give it tuh de person an' tell 'em tuh weah it in de bottom of dey shoes. Well, dey weah dat in de bottom of dere shoes dat night. Prob'ly dey goin' have trial tuhmahah. An' dat night befo' dey goin' have de trial, yo' have some of yore friends tuh go tuh dat co'thouse, dat nex' mawnin' or dat mawnin' befo' day - sometime befo' dey'll have de trial - an' throw three aigs on topa de buildin'. An' be shu' dat evah' one of 'em is bust. If dey don't bust, it's not any good; but chew have tuh be shu' dat de aigs is bust. An' let 'em weah dat sage an' dirt in de bottom of dere shoes, an' dat'll cleah hit up.
Entry 9161
Yo' kin look in de Bible an' git twelve men's names. Ah fo'git alla [all of] 'em but de name: John, Peter, Simon, Andrew, Matthew - these are haid- men [headmen]. An' if yo're in trouble or in law or anything - dat a lawsuit or any court choo know - to git doze names [of the 12 Apostles]. Put it on a piece of papah an' jis' befo' yo' go down - if yo're out on bond or any- thing - jis' befo' yo' go down. Yo' git doze names an' put it [them] on a piece of papah. Twelve names an' put chor name to de bottom, an' put in yuh shoe [us- ually both] an' weah dat. Well dat'll be twelve witnesses. An' turn dem names up dataway in de toe of yuh shoe where yuh name be down dis way an' dere names will be ahaid [ahead]. Dey is witness fer yah. Dey say dat'll bring yuh across, outa trouble. [For sage and 12 apostles or disciples, see Nos.9124-9137.] [Wil- mington, N. Car. (320), 252:7+85.]
Entry 9165
When yo' git 'rested, befo' de jedge try yuh, yo' take off yore shoes, take off both yore shoes. Take yuh socks off. Turn de bottom of de shoe down. Take de socks an' put all in one. Yo' know, take two de socks an' put all in omg shoe. Yo' jes' take off yuh sock an' roll it up an' den put it in de othah one. Makes a bundle outa it. Tie it ovah wit yuh shoes. Den when de cop come tuh remove yuh, take yuh tuh de judge try yuh, den'yo' put - take yore socks, yo' unfold it a put it in one back pocket, an' one in de othah back poa ket. An' den yo' put on yore shoes witout eny socks. Take de shoestring outa it an' put dat in yore [front?] pocket an' yo' walk on up tuh have yuh trial. Well, de case's [case is] out. It may be a mistrial.
Entry 9490
Yo' kin put red peppah an' salt - yo' weah dat in yore shoes, see. An' den yo' take salt an' put it in each cornah of de wall in yore rooms where yo' sleep at. An' if anybody [come] tuh yore house dat yo' don' want tuh come tuh yore house - dey come tuh yore house an' yo' don' wan' 'em dere - de time dey'd leave yo' sprinkle salt an' red peppah in dere tracks right out dere behin' 'em, an' sweep it out. See, an' dey won' evah come back a'gin. Well, we tried dat one time 'bout a police, about a law. Dey haven't nevah been dere tuh bothah us no mo'. (That first about that salt and pepper [in 4 corners of bedroom], that is to keep you from being harmed?) Yeah.
Entry 9519
Whut ah heard about de job proposition - whut chew kin do tuh make him give yo' a job or tuh make peace. Yo' undahstand me? Well, all yo' have tuh do is buy yo' a fresh box of Jack Frost [trade name] salt an' put it in yore pocket an' put some in yore shoes an' go on tuh him. (Go down to the boss and ask him for a job?) Yeah, dat'll make peace. Dat's right, dat's all yo' gotta do.
Entry 9520
People say dat yo' could take salt, fresh salt in de shoes - weah it in de shoes. Anybody put down anythin' ag'in yo', dey say it wouldn't take no 'fect. (If you walk over anything?) Yessuh, if yo' walk ovah anythin' why it won't take 'fect 'count [on account] de salt.
Entry 9521
Den yo' kin take table salt an' weah it in de bottom of yuh shoes, jes' lak yo' got dis business goin' on now [informant will return to dis business of mine later]. Yo' kin take table salt an' weah it in de bottom of yore shoes, an' go roun' dat by day wit dat undah de bottom of yore feet, an' yo' come tuh be slick an' yo'll come tuh be lucky in yore doin's an' successful.
(You say wearing the salt in your shoe makes you lucky in all sort of things?)
Jes' in all sorts of things dat chew carry on. TAKE TABLE SALT AN' PUT IT IN DE BOTTOM OF YORE SHOES DAT YO' WEAHIN'. DAT'S SO'S YO' GIT SLICK AS GLASS. YO' HAVEN'T NEVAH TRIED DAT?
(NO.)
WELL, YO' TRY DAT IN YORE BUSINESS. JES' LAK DIS BUSINESS YO' CARRYIN' ON put table salt in de bottom of yore shoe, yo' be lucky an' suc- cessful. Yore feet git slick as glass.
Entry 9525
Ah have, ah've heard of 'em takin' yuh shoe an' sprinklin' table salt m' things like dat or Epsom salts intuh yuh shoe. An' dat is if yo' are a per- son who believes in stayin away from home, lak if it was yuh husban' an' he'd lak tuh stay 'way from home all de time - always away from home. An' dey would put some- dhin'intuh his shoe lak salt or [Epsom] salts an' - undahneat' de linin' of de shoe - an' dat would cuz 'im tuh stay home.
(Either shoe? Both shoes or just one shoe?)
Both shoes tuh make him stay home.
Entry 9526
Den dere's anothah thing, if yo' wanta run a person off. Yo' kin take [get] table salt an' jes' throw it roun' in yore room fo' nine mawnin's. Put a li'le in de toe of dey shoe an' shake it down [into the toes] an' turn dat shoe down, one down at de foot - one of his shoes down at de foot [of the bed] aftah he's gone tuh baid. Yo' kin take dat shoe an' turn It down at de foot [of the bed] an' carry one [shoe] tuh de haid [of bed] tuh dat Odah off [opposite] post. Jes' lak de baid has fo' cornahs, lay one [shoe] down at dis cornah an' de othah one [shoe] down at de othah cornah, jes' lak dat [dem- estrates by pointing to bed in interviewing room].
(What will that do?)
Well, dat will run a man on away from yo'.
(That is to get rid of the man?)
Yes sir. (You put the other shoe catercorner from the other one, and you [also] put t salt around the room.) [This magic-of-the-diagonal rite is also known in New Orleans by laying a broom catercorner under the bed - see v.1, p.674, No.2425.] Yo' put jes' a least bit of salt roun' in yore room, jes' put a li'le bit in his shoes an' shake it down tuh de toe where he won' detect it when he go tuh put it on.
(That is to get rid of him?)
Git rid of him.
Entry 9580
If dey tryin' tuh harm yo' - yo' know, lak dey put down sompin an' yo' scared yo' walk ovah it - yo' kin take salt an' peppah, red cayenne peppah, an' weah it in yore shoe. (What will that do?) Dat'll - yo' cain't detect nuthin in yuh feet or anythin'.
Entry 9585
Suppose somebody wan'a poison you or put choo down an' fix you so you ain't able to move or walk. You go to work an' git choo de rock salt, an' you take that rock salt, you pound that rock salt up [as fine] as sugar. You take ciyine [cayenne] peppah w'at's never been used [a new box of cayenne pepper]. You put it into it [the pulverized rock salt] an' mix it, an' wear it in your shoe. An' nobody kin put nuthin down to harm you.
Entry 9587
[My informant gives the complete rite first and then much later during the interview adds a note about it.l And then they say you kin take and put salt and pepper in your shoe, if you wmta git a fellow. You know, take salt and pepper and put it in and wear it in ygmr shoes.
(In both shoes?)
Yes, in both shoes - yes.
(That's to get him?)
You know, they have a little saying about: If you want a fellow, I'll tell you what to do Just get some salt and pepper And wear it in your shoe Just red pepper, you know. Not black pepper, but red pepper you know.
(That's a little song, you say?)
Yes, but you wanta get a box of salt that ain't even been used out of, you see. Go to the store and buy you a brand-new box of salt. Then you wanta get you a strand of [red] pepper: [pep- per pods] where's never any been used off it. See, if there's any been used off it, it's not any good. See, get you a strand of pepper where there's none ever ben used off it. And then you get a pod - you get you three pods of pepper in your shoe. And you cut one up in one shoe and you cut the other up. You cut half a one [pod] in this one [shoe] and half in the other [shoe]. And each time you cut the pepper you sprinkle some of that salt, you see, and make your wish.
(In doing that you use three pods of pepper?)
Yes, you use three pods.
(You put half in one shoe and half in the other?)
Half in one and half in the other.
(And you cut the second pepper in half?)
Yeah, you... (I [you] cut the first pepper in half, then you put some salt on top of that in the shoe and make your wish?) And make your wish. (Then you take another pepper and cut it in half and put it in the shoe, and then put salt and make the wish, that way?) Yes, three times.
(I see.)
That makes just three times cuttin' [3 peppers or cut] and you make your wish co see him. And then you wait three days to see him. An' he doesn't do like you want him to do in those three days, why you do that again, you see. But you use tree pods of pepper then. Well, probably see, he might come but not up to like yoa'd like for him to come. Well, you'd use three more, see. That makes nine pods, see, and then that makes nine days. See, everything works at nine days. And you know, they say for the right conjuration and for it to do right like you wmt it to do, you wants to work it on the last quarter of the moon, when it's dark nights, and then you see the results on the growing of the new moon. You see, as the new moon grows, why he'll come to you. [This is often called a put- ting-together rite. In the following subsection see onion cut into 4 parts, No.9596.]
Entry 9600
Yo' kin weah red peppah in yore shoes an' salt an' coal oil [kerosene]. Dat keeps anybody else from doin' anythin' tuh yo'.
Entry 9631
If dey puttin' any- thin' down tuh hurt chew, yessuh, yo' could pertec' yo'self. Well, yo' could go ahead an' take sulphuh, red peppah an' salt an' weah it - put it in de bottom of yore shoe. Weah it up undah dat little bitta place, yo' know, dat's made in yore shoe - up undah dere, on de inside [under the insole]. Weah dat in yore shoe. Sat dat [cunjure] won' do yo' harm.
Entry 9635
Yo' kin take yo' some ground red peppah [cayenne pepper], sulphuh an' table salt. An' yo' kin throw dat roun' yore do', or yo' kin put dat in yore shoes - sulphur in yore shoes. Yo' kin walk on dat sulphuh an' nobody can't harm yo'.
Entry 9636
If dey put anything down fo' yo', yo' undahstan' to hurt chew or cripple yo' or anythin' so yo' can't walk. Yo' take dat peppah, cayenne peppah an' salt an' sulphuh, an' mix dat tuhgethah an' sprinkle it aroun' undah yore do'step, an' aroun' yore place whare yo' walk. Quite nec'sary [necessary] yo' weah some of dat in yore shoes. Well yo' see, dey can't do anythin' to yo', can't hurt chew when yo' got dat peppah in dere. It keeps dat down.
Entry 9637
If yo' know anyone tryin' tuh harm yo' roun' yore home, yo' git chew some dis heah bluestone, an' sulphuh, red peppah, an' salt. Mix all of dat up togethah. Evah mawnin' [you] come outa yuh house, befo' yo' hit de flo', [I mean] hit de groun', yo' take dat dust an' go along wit [use] dat dust - evah anin' befo' yo' come up. An' aftah yo' do dat, why take a li'le bit of it an sprinkle it right in de bottom of yuh shoes, both shoes. Put on yuh shoes an' go anywheres. Dey can't harm yo' none, regardless [of what they put down for you].
Entry 9638
Ah tell yo' whut chew kin do. Yo' read de 54th Psalm. Yo' evah read de Bible? [Since I do not answer, did I nod my head up and down, or shake it sideways. Informant did not know he was talking to a clergyman.] An' yo' takes saltpetah, take cay- enne peppah, an' yo' takes table salt. An' yo' take each one-a yore shoes an' yo' sprinkle yore shoes wit dat sulphur, a teaspoonful'a sulphur. Jes' sprinkle yore shoes wit dat an' walk anywhere yo' want. Nobody can't do nuthin tuh yo' about chew walkin' on anythin'. Nevah min' [mind] about dat [walking on anything].
Entry 9668
Sulphur, table salt an' IN SHOES gunpowdah, jis' weah it in yore shoes. Use garlic in dat, chew laoc. Dey couldn't hurt chew tuh save dere life.
Entry 9691
Well, yo' kin burn shoes fo' luck. Jis' put 'em in de stove an' burn 'em. Sprinkle salt an' sugah on 'em fo' luck.
Entry 10671
Put red peppah in dere shoes; it's gotta be pod peppah. If yo' can't put red peppah in dere shoes [shoes guarded too well], yo' kin git chew some of dis asafitidy [asafetida]. Dat's plain asafitidy an' dis heah bor- acic watah, an' use it an' sprinkle it aroun' anywhere dat dey have tuh cross, anywhere in dere path. Yo' kin use dat to make 'em lose out [lose a job or have bad luck].
Entry 11168
Yo' kin take a person's shoes an' go ahead an' dress 'en an' have dey foots all swell up.
(How do you dress those shoes?)
How would dey dress dose shoe? Well, yo' kin take dose shoes an' yo' kin go tuh work an' git chew some John de Conkah an' devil's-shoestring, an' make yo' a powder an' yo' kin sprinkle it all in dose shoes. An' dat person will go an git dose shoes an' put 'em on an' dat'll hurt his foot.
(Make sore feet.) [Feet are more than sore! Only a root doctor can cure them!]
Entry 11352
Well, yo' know, as ah first said, if somebody yo' have somepin in fo' 'em - ain't goin' de way yo' want 'em - tuh puttin' 'em tuh walkin' or sompin othah, anything. Well, yo' go down tuh de rivah an' yo' fish an' try tuh ketch a eel. Yo' know it's a long ole fish look lak a snake. Well, yo' cut de haid off an' have a bottle or a glass or sompin ready, an' hit's one drop of blood dat will drop from dis eel's haid. So yo'll take dat an' yo'll take some honey. An' dey'll take some honey an' de root dey call de High John de Con- ' kah an' dere's one dey call de Low John de Conkah. Well, yo' take dis root an' yo' boil dat an' yo' make a kind of a syrup-lak, an' as yo' go tuh dis friend or whoevah it is, house, an' jes' lak dey shoes be's sittin' undah de dressah - somewhere yo' know, round de house. Well, yo' kin drop three drops in de shoes or anywhere jes' so long as it be's neah de shoe or a little bit git on de shoe. An' yo' kin say whatevah yo' want tuh be done, "In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost." An' in de limits of time, dey say it will come tuh pass.
(What did you do with that drop of eel's blood? What did you do with that?)
Yo' take dis drop of eel's blood an' yo' fixes it wit dis honey an' dis othah root - High John de Conkah.
Entry 11674
Go to the forks of a road and yo' can git dat dirt jes' as it turn off at de forks of de road, yo' kin git dat dirt an' yo' kin take it and bring it back an' sprinkle it in a person's shoes an' if dey wearing dat shoe an' yo' want 'em to go, that will keep them going.
(But you must get this dirt from the fork of the road.)
Git it from de turn, that's to make them leave. (It must be the dirt from their track?) Not from their track. Yo' go out to the forks of the road, you git dat dirt.
(Anybody's dirt or any kind of dirt.)
No, yo' git de dirt out of the road, not nobody else's track.
Entry 11742
Dey kin take an' dress 'em [shoes up with graveyard dirt an' cayenne pepper.
(How do they do that?)
Why, they kin put it inside of a shoe; or they kin take that little leather [insole] out at de bottom [of the shoe] and they kin dress up. Take that out an' bury it. [That makes] feet ache and hurt all de time. (Well, now, are those two different things you have told me or are they all the same thing; that stuff in your shoe and bury it? Do that at the same time or do they do them at different times?) Well, see, these are all right separate, but they be all right together. So one at de time probably dis month and next month, probably two, three months afterwards - something like that - but it be all right together. [This is a skillful piece of tact!]
Entry 12476
Well, if a person do sompin an' dey wanta git away an' dey got 'em trail'-lak, say fo' instance, dey put de policemen on dere track or put de bloodhoun's. Dey git bloodhoun's behin' 'em an' trail 'em. Dey git a piece of beef livah an' jes' rub dat blood in de bottom of dere shoes. Dey git 'em some garlic an' chop garlic up an' put it all in de bottom of dere shoes. An' wheresomevah dey makes a track, kin nuthin trail 'em.
Entry 12563
Under your foot track - just like people come along and say that they could hurt you by your foot track. But they couldn't hurt you by a foot track, but I tell you what they could do. They could take some dirt coming from your shoes: just like if you had a hole in your shoe like that [dirt would get into shoe through hole in shoe]. And your foot track they Would probably pick up [in that way]. And after [hole in shoe] picking it up, they could take that dust, what come from your shoes. And they could shake it, put it in a box with some of these here pigeon eggs, and beat it up like that. Anywhere you bury that, you have to leave town [be- cause pigeon flies!]. And anytime you couldn't stay nowhere, couldn't never come back into the place where you was. (You mean the dirt from your shoe, any of the dirt that sticks to the bottom of your shoes? What about that hole in your shoes?) Just like - you see, where I Was, this feet chere, how it was. How this feet chere of mine was [he evidently demonstrates foot or feet]. Well, then, gettin' a remedy for that? [Here is how it happened.] I walked out one morning and it had some kind of yellowish-looking stuff on the steps. But I didn't paid attention and I walked on out of there, going to my work. Well, it was in the summertime and it was right warm. Well, I had some shoes that cut, you know, like this [demonstrates].
(Had holes in the bottoms of them?)
Yes, sir. Well, then, what made me heed them then was my heel started to hurt. I comes on back. Well, that heel of mine was about that big [demon- strates]. So they carried me and they got some of this sugar, this white granulated sugar, and got some of this Palm of Christiandom.
(Palm of what?)
Palm of Christiandom. (Palm of Christian?) [I am not correcting informant but commenting for the future. Besides, the words are Palma Christi "hand of Christ, " the castor-oil plant.] Palm of Christian, yes. You get that anywhere through the country. And they takes that and they put that on, in hot water, just as hot as I could bear it. Then after that they take some cayenne pepper and put it there and they soak it. Then they take, after that - don't never wipe it off - you just take it and let your feet hangs over the water like that, and drain until it dries. Then you take some of the "Pp" oil.
(PP. Two "P's.")
Yeah, PP oil. Get it in the drug store. You take that PP Oil and you just take it like that, with a piece of cotton, you know, and 'noint it. But always 'noint it going down.
(Why?)
Well, that's to draw out all the swelling and all the pain leaves - whatever. You have to rub it like that. [Informant either did not know or did not under- stand my question. You rub downwards to drive pain or any crunjure out through the feet. Many examples of this occur in HOODOO, see No.981, p.377, vol.1.] Well, the swelling before I ever knowed, well they had all the - I'll just lift it up here. They had all this here and all down here. [Informant demonstrates all this.] And they told me how to use it. Well, I got relief of that.
(What did it do to make your ankle swollen that way?)
Well, I walked in some yellowish-looking powder.
(Oh, I see.)
That's where it came from. And it was somepin that makes your ankle itch, you see; and you scratches it, you know.
Entry 12616
Well, when yo' know [someone] goin' harm yo', comin' to yore house tuh harm yo', dere ain't nuthin fo' yo' tuh do, but jes' take yore shoes off, both yore shoes, an' put chew some sul- phur an' red peppah in 'em an' wear 'em, an' yo' kin walk ovah anything.
Entry 12619
Dey say yo' takes red peppah, gunpowdah, an' sulphah, an' mix dat to- gethah an' weah dat under de bottom of yore shoe an' anythin'.yo' walk ovah dat won't take no effect on yo'. Yo' see, red peppah, gunpowdah, an' sulphah.
Entry 12867
Now, yo' kin take for instance in yore clothes or in yore shoes, if dey's tryin' tuh git chew tricked. Yo' wear saltpeter in yore shoes - either shoe you put in - dat saltpeter in your shoes. An' whenever yo' go out yo' got dat in. Then you kin put a pod of garlic - garlic. They don't nevah beat the garlic. They cain't nevah do you nothin' atall.
(Where do you keep that?)
Anywhere about. Anywhere you go be sure yo' got dat garlic. Morning and night you keep it on yore person - de pod of garlic. An' dat saltpeter in de bottom of your shoe - any shoe. Jes' go an' sprinkle de bottom of yore shoe with saltpeter.
Entry 12932
Ah knows dat's all right about de shoes. Jes' say if yo' an' a woman wus in love tuhgether, an' by some means dat chew think dat dis woman is not de right woman fo' yo', an' yo' wants tuh git loose from her, yo' put on yore shoes an' jes' git out an' valk. Walk fast. Yo' know dat chure feet will perspire but not smelly. Pull den shoe off an' po' some wine in 'em an' drink dat wine. Dat'll separate yo' an' her. [For another drinking-out-of-shoe rite, see 12896, p.4412.
Entry 13095
Kin put different things in it to cause yo' feet tuh swell, such as rattlesnake's - take de haid of a rattlesnake an' go out dere an' dry it in a sack yo' know an' take dat dust - dat aw- ful poison yo' know - jes' a little bit of dat. Dat's de same way as dey do tuh kill yo' - right through dis country. Dey'll take dat rattlesnake haid an' dry it yo' know an' git a dust an' lak yo' vanted a drink, dey'd be standin' aroun' an' yo' happen tuh po' de likker out, dey drop de least bit of dat in dere, yo' know. Dat's rank poison. Yo' drink dat whiskey an' it kill yo' an' it hardly kin be detected. Or dey put dat in yore shoes an' cause yore feet tuh swell.
Entry 13233
They take a shoe - the bottom [insole] out of your shoe - and they can put some steel dust in there, you see. Steel dust! And you walk on it, you see. Well, that steel dust in there, you see, that's to swell your foot up. You see. (You put this in the bottom of the shoe, you say?) Right in the bottom of the sole of your shoe, you see, and you walks on it, you understand, when you get that.
(If they put that steel dust in your shoe, then you would see that?)
No, some of 'em could put it - you see that piece what goes in the bottom of the shoe, that leather rag, they puts it under the leather [insole]. See.
(I see.)
Entry 13256
Ah heard dat too. Lak if yo' a big bootleggah an' dere's several people dat chew want tuh come tuh yore house, an' yo' wanta keep de law away from yore house or somepin lak dat. Yo' take [and] burn dis sulphur an' ole shoes dat will stink, an' whilst yo' take an' burn dat sulphur an' dem shoes - git up first thin' in de mawnin' - take an' burn dis sulphur an' dem shoes an' aftah yo' burnin' dis stuff, yo' git up an' take a bath round about 'leven a'clock [at night].'Fore yo' take a bath, yo' take dis stuff an' put it in de watah dat chew take a bath in. Yo' take dis stuff an' put it in yore watah an' yo' set dere [until] ah reckon round twelve or one 'clock at night. Well, yo' git up an' yo' burn dis stuff ag'in - dis sulphur an' dis ole shoes an' sprinkle sulphur lak dat. Yo' git up an' den yo' put dis back in de same watah where de sulphur is. When yo' git up jes' about sunrise, jes' as de sun in peepin' up above de trees, an' yo' take dis tub of watah an' yo' go an' po' it out on de opposite of de sun - opposite where de sun rises, but de same side where de sun rise on. Yo' take dis watah jes' 'bout sunrise, dis tub of watah, an' yo' take an' dash it out on de opposite side of de sunrise. An' dis watah will jes' run right on down - dat drive 'em 'way lak dat.
(You do this early in the morning?)
Yessuh, early in de mawnin' jes' about sunrise. (Do you pour this water out on the side where the sun is rising up or where the sun sets down?) Where de sun rise - de same side de sun rise on, de same side yo' po' dis watah out.
(That brings in trade.)