Subject:Sock
More specific topics
Entries
Entry 4976
Nevah heard of women's stockin' but ah've heard about men's socks. LAK AH WANTA TRICK YUH. YUH ARE MAH BOY FRIEN'. Well, ah take dat sock an' jis' put it undah de bed mattress, yuh know, aftah he [she does not say YoU] pull it off. Jis' lak stealin' it from 'im, yuh see. An' carry it up undah de bed mattress. (What will that do?) Dat will keep 'im at home. Ah think's de right one [sock].
hypothetical keeping him home through sock-under-mattress placement. The opening distinguishes not having heard about women's stockings from having heard about men's socks; the ensuing case is hypothetical, not an observed enactment. These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified.
Entry 9933
Yo' kin take a person's stockin's an' take de same thing, toadfrog dust an' bury it in de root of a tree, a young tree while it's yet growin', an' in a few yeahs dey'll pass away. Dey daid. (You mean you put this frog dust in this stocking?) No, yo' take de same dust an' wrap it up in de socks an' pick yo' a good little place in de root of de tree, whah de root growin' whah it's goin'a covah it up. Well, fin'ly dat root covah it up an' smothah it so it cain't git no air, yore gone.
Entry 4729
If dey's workin' wit chure wife, dey kin git chew back, becuz if dey git any of yore ole socks or undahweah pieces, why she kin have dem tuh bring yuh back home. Yuh jis' cain't he'p yuh'self.
(How do they do that? Bury them, you say?)
Bury 'em.
(As you told me before?)
Yes.
Entry 4762
If yuh leave home an' she got yore undahclothes, de sweat of yore clothes - co'se she got it. When it's clean, she cain't do nuthin wit it. But if she got de sweat off yore clothes, yore undahsuit, she put it between de two mattress. She spread de suit out an' she lay on it - sleeps on it evah night, yuh see. An' yore sock, yore left-foot sock go dis way an' heel go dis way. An' yuh'll come back home.
(Well, how do you mean your "left-foot sock goes off this way?")
Yuh see, yuh put - yuh turn - yuh put a sock dis way an' de othah one dis way. Yuh see.
(You put one sock this way and?)
An' de othah one dataway, yeah. An' yore undahsuit spreads out jis' lak yuh were layin' in de baid. She sleep on dat.
(Where do you put the socks?)
The sock?
(Where does she put those socks?)
She puts 'em right up, lay 'em right at de bottom of yore foot.
(Oh, she puts them right at the bottom of your feet.)
Of the undahsuit, yes. An' dat'll bring - dat'll bring yuh back home. Yuh'll always be stayin' by home. (She puts one sock this way at the foot of the underwear, and the other one right here?) Dat's right.
(And puts them together like that.)
Entry 4763
Ah've heard a woman say dey, she would jis' give him aplenty tuh eat an' take his clothes, keep his clothes, an' put 'em undahneat' de bed by 'er where she could lay on 'em, or somepin like dat. Keep 'em warm an' he would come back home. (What clothes would she take?) Such a' undahweah, socks.
Entry 4875
[The woman speaking is a professional worker we have already met. ( (See 291, p.85; 593, p.194; 638, p.216; 647, p.222; 869, p.307; and 1271, p.442.) Her words that follow give the hidden mystery of the silver knife making a cross over socks before burial beneath a brick in the hearth. She calls this markin' yuh and says it's sacred tuh yuh. For the sacredness of the cross mark, see my explanation of the mark "Doctor" Brown saw on my forehead, in my comment at the beginning of his main interview on p.1290.] Yes, ah heard about de socks. Dey take de socks an' dey - evah'body don' have de [same] idea 'bout de socks. Some don' care de socks de same way. [Care de socks = take care of the socks = handle the socks.] Some take de socks an' put 'em down in de hearth - take up a brick an' lay it down undah dere. Long as dese things work, fine - jis' as long as dey keep 'em concealed anywheres. But if a person be's wise an' seekin' information from any othah source [from fortune- teller or doctor], dey tells 'em where dese lost an' hidden mysteries is; an' if he [doctor] gits it [gits the buried sock] up, den he's [patient is] all right.
(What is it supposed to do, when they put those socks down in the hearth?)
Well now, dey doesn't do a thing but use a silver knife, jis' lay it across dere. Mark it, jis' make a cross across it jis' lak dat [demonstrates], an' put de sock down dere. Don' put anything else jis' lak dat. An' lay de brick on it.
(What is that supposed to do to me then?)
Well, dat's not put dere tuh destroy yore life. Dat's put dere tuh make yuh turn some object whatsomevah dey may [have] in view - whut dey want chew tuh do. It might be a love case, it might be somepin dat dey wan' chew tuh put ovah fo' dem. An' dey jis' go tuh work an' jis' mark yuh - call dat jis' markin' yuh. Well, if yuh mark a thing up lak dat, she knows dat it's sacred tuh yuh. Dey call dat markin' an' dey do it wit a silvah knife, a sterlin' silvah knife.
Entry 4881
From a man's sock, cut de heel offa dat sock an' de toe. Yuh know, jis' lak yuh fold it back, an' yuh jis' fold it even wit de heel an' wit de toe. Yuh takes de heel an' de toe of 'is socks an' make yuh arm pads, an' put undah each one of yore arms an' weah it. As yuh sweat, his love will come tuh yuh, cuz de sweat from undah yore arms will draw 'is attention. An' yuh take de othah part of de heel an' put it right down at chure do' face wit de toe comin' in de house, an' he always will come dere. He nevah will stay away. (Let us get that straight: The part you wear under your arm, where does that come from the sock?) Yassuh, de part dat chew weah undah yore arm, dat comes from de heel of de sock. See, yuh leaves dat toe fo' tuh come inside de house wit. See, as yuh spread it jis' as yuh cut it - cuts dat heel off first. Yuh know a sock is double, double enough fo' yuh tuh make a pad fo' each one of yore arms, see, outa dat one sock. But it has tuh be de left-foot sock. An' yuh takes de toe of it an' tack it down. If yuh mean fo' him tuh not tuh go away or stay 'way from yuh, yuh takes dat toe part. It'll be 'bout dat long 'cordin' tuh whut size sock it is. An' yuh put a tack heah an' stretch dat sock as fur as it will go, aftah yuh done cut it, an' put a tack in de toe of it dere, as yuh come inside de do'. Nevah put de toe goin' out, but de toe comin' in. Yassuh, de toe mus' point in- tuh de house. If yuh has a rug, or anythin' whut chew got tuh de do', dat's a good hide fo' it, cain't nobody see it.
(You put two tacks, one in each end?)
Put fo' tacks.
(Two at the end of the toe and two at the other end?)
Dat's right. Two at de end of it - at dis end an' two right at de toe part. Dat's tuh stretch it yuh know, where it be strong always, see. An' it won't come a-loose. Well, yuh take dat an' put it down dere an' why, he cain't leave yuh. He cain't stay 'way from yuh.
Entry 4889
You take that sock off that right foot and carry it somewhere and bury it and you hurt that foot. It cause pains to come in your leg. [Richmond, Va.,
(385. Doctor Johnson, see p.1620f.) 333:4.]
Entry 4902
Kin take yore left-foot sock an' bury it up undah de steps, undah de first step. Dig yuh a little round hole an' bury it up undah de steps. Dat's good too. Dat'll make yore husban' come back.
(Do you use his sock or yours?)
Use his sock, his ief'-foot sock.
Entry 4918
Take dem an' bury 'em in de eastern part of de house, cornah of de house, an' put de name whut chew desire tuh do on dat sock, an' dey said it would come true.
Entry 4981
Den she kin take his sock an' make him stay at home, an' make him come dere by takin' dat sock an' nailin' down tuh de flo' wit de foot comin' in de do'. (Where does she nail that?) In de front do', jis' lak yuh come in de front do' an' she got a rug - undah de rug an' let de feet part of 'em be comin' in de do'.
Entry 5009
Dey could take a sock, a man's sock, an' tie it to or put it on a box- car. An' as long as dis boxcar wuz travelin', an' dis sock wuz on dere, dis man couldn't stay in one place. He would contin'ly go from place tuh place.
Entry 5010
Now, yuh kin vanish a man wit 'is sock. Yuh kin take a man's sock dat he have worn, or a woman's, if yuh wanta git rid of 'em. Well, say we all live in dis town an' yuh don' care tuh leave, but chew both cain't stay heah in peace. Yuh take de socks dat he have worn, or de sock dat she have worn, an' take it down tuh de railroad tuh any car dat chew kin put dat sock in de [hot] box of dat wheel[!!!]. Jis' as dat train will leave, he will leave or she will leave.
Entry 5015
All ah know 'bout it is whut chew might call a hot-foot. Dey have dose things dey call de movin' powdahs. Dis is somepin dat ah'm not familiah wit. Yuh ordah dis from de Crackahjack Drug Sto' in New Orleans. An' yuh put dat in de innah sole of a shoe, de same as ah tole joo befo'. Aftah yuh git it in de innah sole of yore shoe, yuh take a sock - one of de socks dat de person have been wearin' - an' yuh roll it to yuh. See [demonstrates], yuh start at de toe an' roll dat sock tuh yuh. Aftah yuh roll dat sock tuh yuh, yuh put it in de mat- tress, or somewhere - anywhere dey been sleepin' on. An' dat worries. 'em, gives 'em de hot-foot. Dey cain't be satisfied - yo' know, jis' figgity. [Crackerjack Drug Store is mentioned a number of times in HOODOO.]
Entry 5056
Yo' kin take a man's sock. AH'M TALKIN' FROM EXPERIENCE, an' wet it in chamber lye an' write his name an' put it in de middle of yore bed where he sleep, an' dat man will continue sleepin' [there]. (You take either one of his socks?) Eithah one of 'em, but people prefah de lef'. Write de name on a piece of papah an' wrap it up in dat sock, his name, an' put it in de middle of yore bed [Quincunx] where yo' have a chance tuh - between he an' yuh. It makes a good fellah out of 'im.
Entry 5060
Gits yore sock an' dey bury it undah yore do'step. If dey wants yuh tuh stay home, wit de foot yuh know tuhwards de house. Now if dey wanted yuh tuh leave, dey bury hit undah yore do'- step wit de foot goin' away. An' evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's dey po' chamber lye on it.
Entry 5062
Den dey would take de War watah an' yore socks, put 'em in de war watah an' shet it up an' keep it in dere fo' a length of time. An' in a length of time yuh would become ailin' concernin' about chure body, an' YORE DOCTORS [M.D. "S] COULDN'T UNDAHSTAN' YORE SITUATION, AN' YUH IN DE GRAVE OR EITHAH IN DE CRAZY HOUSE.
Entry 5261
Well, yo' kin take yore shoes - jes' lak if yo' got a pair of shoes an' yo' wan'a run anybody away from roun' heah, yo' kin take dose shoes an' drop 'em in a freight train runnin'. Jes' as long as dat freight train is travelin', yo'll have tuh travel. Well, yo' kin take a woman's sock or a man's sock an' carry it an' put it in de freight train an' keep 'em goin' - so it sweat in it, yo' know, jes' enough to keep it hard.
Entry 5388
Now, dis is whut ah heard from nobody now - fo' mahself, see. Dat yo kin take a man's right foot of 'is stockin', [I mean] socks. Yo' kin go out an pick up 'is track, see. An' take dat an' put it intuh 'is sock, if yo' want dis man, see. An' bring it back an' put it ovah yore front do' or ovah yore kitchen do', an' let it remain dere, see. An' as long as dat stay, he will stay dere.
(What if you want to make that man leave, what do you do?)
Well, ah don' know about makin' 'im leave. Ah guess if yo' wan'a make him leave, why yo' jes' turn 'im loose. Take de stuff off whut chew have up dere. (You take his right foot sock and his track. Which track did you take did you say?) Well, it make no mattah which track. Yo' jes' pick up evah one [any one] of 'is track.
Entry 5659
Lak in de centah of it, lak in de ball of 'is foot chew know, right ohere he press down in de sand, an' jes' make up a little knot, an' dey even tie dat chew know in de knot. Yo' know, make a li'le knot an' tie dat ovah yo' haid lak where yo' walk undah. (What will that do?) Dat will make him stay home. (What do you tie in a knot now?) Yo' git de stockin'. Yo' tie it right up ovah de do' where he valk in, jis' a knot in dat stockin'.
Entry 7052
Yo' take his right sock an' put it in coffee an' take de coffee an' give it tuh 'im, an' dat'll stop 'im from drinkin'. (Stop him from drinking liquor.) Yessuh.
Entry 7160
Sock - kin take a sock. A SOCK FER TRUE HAVE COME DOWN FROM HISTORY. If yo' kin take a stockin' an' if a person is asleep - has plenty of money - yo' kin take it an' lay it, yo' sleepin', an' heah: s yore nose heah, an' yo' kin lay it right dere in fron' of yore nose. AN' YO' KIN TRY IT ANY TIME YO' WANTA, AN' YO' WOULDN'T WAKE UP. Ah kin be right dere when yo' woke up. Well ah been out de house, done been evahwhere, an' ah'll come back an' yo' sleepin' right on. An' den ah'll come dere an' take dat sock, an' soon as yo' commence drawin' long breaths, ah'll remove dat sock. Look lak yo' sawin' inside - look lak a saw. Minute dat sock is gone yo' don't heah dat. Reckon ah'll shake yo' an' wake yo' up, but ah done got whut chew got an' gone wit it. Done carried it somewheah, but ah wake yo' up. Me an' yo' lay down tuhgethah. Yo' couldn't sweah ah took it. Well, yo say dere's nobody else in de house but us two. How could it be gone? Well, if yo' didn't know, [who knows]?
Entry 7407
Yo' turn yer lef' sock on de wrong side an' yer undahweah an' go along an' dey'll [the law] nevah bothah yuh.
Entry 12079
Wear it - a man's hat bow - on their neck. Tie it up in a sock, an they cain't fool around. [Wilmington (265) 184:6.]
Entry 12934
Dey take yore socks, or take de inside little - yo' know it's got a thin sole in yore shoe - de bottom of yore shoe. Take dat [insole] out an' ball it up an' wear it in the bottom of yore shoe.
(Well, what would that do?)
Well, that would bring them folks back.
(Who would do that?)
De person dat's in de house. (The person that is living there would take the inside of your shoe and wear it in their [his or her] shoe. Both of them?) One of them - either one.
Entry 13147
Git his sock or either his shirt and tear a hole in de mattress in de bed and sew it up in dere, if you want him to stay. [Jacksonville 787:4.]
Entry 13150
Ah've heard 'em say they take de men's sock like that and has 'em dressed and then they take it an' put it in their pillah or mattress [to hold or bring back]. [Jacksonville 765:10.]
Entry 13153
Take a sock of his an'burn it, burn it in her stove an' let it smoke in de house, an' if he is in de presence of her, an' let dat smoke from his old sock, one of his old socks, burn it in de house an' let him be around dat sock, an' she'll hold him. [Norfolk 494:1.]
Entry 13154
Dey take a sock an' put some red peppah in it an' a dime, some sul- phur an' burn it a little bit an' soak it in de alkyhol, an' dey kin do jes' whut dey wanta do wit chew. [Florence 2186:2.]
Entry 13155
If yo' got a friend and yo' want 'em, yo' take de sock an' yo' tack it to de floor beneath the rug...an' yo' take an' yo' urinate on that for 9 mornings, an' he'll stay with shah until death break yo' up. [Norfolk 529:7.]
Entry 13156
Sock or stocking, put in jar, urinate on it, keep it hidden, make 'em love you. [Memphis 1550:3.]
Entry 13165
A woman nails a man's left sock under the door saddle with 9 nails to keep him home. [New Orleans llol:?]
Entry 13167
Put right-foot sock under rug, up to door, foot walking in, man com- ing back. [Memphis 1556:6.]
Entry 13181
His left sock an' tie it up, the woman can, an' put 9 knots in it an' wear it around her waist. That's a good way of tyin' him up. [Mobile 977:7.]
Entry 13183
Take de sock from de left foot, de man's sock dat he left behind find dat an' put dat on her right foot, an' den put it in her shoe an' wear dat [wears his left sock on her right foot] an' dat will have a sensation to draw him back. [Vicksburg 1018:1.]
Entry 13185
Could take one of your socks and bury it, say that will run you part crazy. [Norfolk 447:11.]
Entry 13200
Take your socks, the left foot...tie 9 knots in dem an' dey'll bring you from anyw'ure you was...bury it. [Charleston 602:6.]
Entry 13204
They could do sompin with a dirty sock, turn it wrongside out and put it under the steps, make him stay home. [Vicksburg 987:13.]
Entry 13206
Nail right sock on new shingle and bury at your front door: "he can't leave there to save his life." [Mobile 878:12.]
Entry 614
Then, when you get you two pieces of money - you understand me? If you can't read cards - well, I generally tell it with cards. I read cards - find out practically anything that I want to know. But if you can't read cards, you wants to get you two old pieces of money and put 'em in a pan and put 'em on and let the water come to a boil, and if dat money will hop about and throw the water at chew when dat water boil, you know that someone have put a trick on you. Now, what you wanta do - you wanta save dat water dat you boil this silver in and take three swallows a day for nine mornings. Well, you do that for nine mornings and you wanta to go [to] the cemetery and get three pinches of dirt each day for nine mornings, and bring that dirt and place that dirt into an old sock from de party who harmed you, if you possibly can, or either get a sock from dat house, if you can. Well, if you don't get a sock from dat house, you Wants to go by dere with dat dirt and sprinkle it across the door so he may be able to cross it. That'll take care of him.
(That'll take off the spell?)
Take the spell away. [Norfolk, Va., (466), 460: l; by Doctor Bowes.]
Entry 873
Ah kin [tell] yo' whut dey say about dat 'cause mah husband - he was then with a woman. Ah kin tell you whole lot 'bout dat, because he tole me this on his deathbed over there in de hospital - me an' him had been separated fo' about ten years, an' so - (Tell me the whole story - how that began.) Befo' he began to git down lak he was, he came to me to mah home. He said - asked me for some alcohol. Ah say, "Well, ah haven't got de alcohol, but ah have a dime - go out chere to doc an' ask him to credit me for a nickel an' ah'll give you a bottle of alcohol." So ah went out there and got de alcohol and brought it back in to him and give tuh him an' ah said, "Now when yo' go home" - he was tellin' me whut part of him Was daid. He says, "Mah toe is daid right up to where it joins tuh mah foot." Ah said, "Well, what caused it to be?" He said, "Ah have high blood pressure." Ah said, "No, ah have high blood pressure fo' de last ten years - yo' know that." He said, "Well, hit's a stroke." Ah said, "A stroke don't come like that, it comes right now - it don't come by degree an' by degrees." So he'd taken dat alcohol and he went home and he rubbed hisself with it once or twice - begin to do good. So fin'lly he rubbed again and it begin to git worse. When he came back tuh me agin he said, "Mah laig is daid down tuh mah knee." Ah said, "Deah me, whut on earth is de matter?" Ah say, "Why don't chew go to someone know mo' than yo' do and mo' than ah do?" He says, "Ah don't know where tuh go." Ah says, "Go 'cross de creek down heah tuh Madam Kay," like dat. He says, "Well, ah don't know." He says, "Ah can't git mah mind to do that." Ah said, "Well, all right, yo' jes' keep on an' fin'lly yo' may be dead you can't trust such things." People have sense - people have sense like that. So, when he came back again - he was goin' down to de shipyard tuh work and he come on back agin, he had fell down dere. His cousin said fo' me tuh come there, that he had fell. Ah went on ovah there. Ah says, "What's de matter now?" He says, "Ah'm jes' done got to de place where mah limbs is no good tuh me - ah can't use 'em. Ah said, "Well, ah can't see what on earth is de matter wit chew." He say, "Ah don't either - ah don't know whut's de matter with me." Ah said, "Do you think somebody's got anything dat belong tuh yo'?" He said, "No - haven't anybody got anything belong tuh me." He said, "Why don't chew bring a doctor fo' me?" Ah called Dr. Edmund. Dr. Edmund come an' he examine everywhere - all - down there and everywhere. He said tuh me, "Ah can't see what's de matter with him - without his blood's wrong." Ah said, "Well, Doctor, yo' say his heart's good, his kidney and everything - mah mind tell me if his heart is good and his kidney's, his blood cannot be wrong." Then ah said, "Cause de blood that penetrates through de heart - look like it ought to 'fect the heart, don't it tuh yo'?" He said, "That is the truth." Well, de week befo' he died - on a Sunday - he sent fo' me to come out there. Ah went on out there, he said tuh me, he say, "Yo' was a good wife to me but ah didn't have sense enough to know it - ah couldn't help mahself." He said, "Ah found those bottles in mah bed tick, ah found that piece that ah was laying on," he say, "an' Willie" - de woman was named Willie - "she had some- thing around her waist. She tole me it was to keep yo' from hurtin' her." Ah said, "Well, dat's somethin' ah don't believe in. He said, "An' that have killed me." He says, "Dey have got tuh de place now," he says, "ah'm no mo' good." He'd lost his use - he couldn't move his hands and he couldn't move his feet, he couldn't do nothin' but jest do that [demonstrates a slight movement]. When he told me that, ah went to a man, a spiritual man - called to be a spiritualZy man. An' ah didn't have any money an' ah sit there and ah begin tuh cry. He looked at me and he said, "Yo' is in trouble?" Ah didn't say anything because ah was scared to. He says, "Yore husband's funeral was arranged at de start." I said, "Mah husband." He says, "Yes, but yore not with him." Ah said, "Whut's de matter with him?" He says, "A wuman - two of 'em - a dark-brown-skinned 'un and a light-brown- skin man have got de toe of his sock - his left-foot sock and de seat of his drawers." He said, "Now it's too late. Ah said, "Can yo' do anything?" He said, "Can't do nuthin - if you had come jes' a week befo' yo' put him in de hospitai." Ah said, "I didn't put him there." He said, "His cousin did," he say, "ah could have cured him." Ah say, "Well, if I go there and ask the Sisters can yo come in an' rub him, would yogo?" He say, "Can't do any good." Ah said, "Well, whut did they take." He says, "Nuthin but de seat of his drawers and de left toe of his sock," he says, "though they got somepin on de inside with whiskey." (Well, what did they do with that piece of sock? What did they do with it - did he tell you what they did with that?) No sir, he didn't never tell me what did he do with it. Yes, yes he did - one that ah went to, tole me to go inside de graveyard gate jes' about fo' steps.
(Who told you that?)
It's another [man] called to be a hoodoo man.
(Did you go to another man, then?)
Yes sir. So ah left that man and went to dis one. And both told me de same thing, but dis man tole me where to go find it. He said go right inside de Magnolia Cemetery into the white side and jes' as yo' go in de gate, he say on the left-hand side.
(You said something about taking four steps, didn't you?)
"Jes' 'bout fo' steps inside de gate," he said, "an' yo' dig down there and you'll git a cloth wrapped tight with needles and pins," he said, "but if you git it up thare he will die right now." Ah said, "Well, if ah git it up but [or] don' git it up, he's goin' die." He says, "Yes, nuthin can be done, now." Ah says, "Well, ah jes' as well leave it there, '' ah said, ''because ah don't want him to die if he will stay here a while longer. An' ah went on ovah to de hospital an' like tomorrow was Saturday, he died the next day.
(Did anything ever happen to these people that put that spell on him?)
Not yet, there hasn't.
Entry 3029
Mah brother had done got to be a young man, see, and dis lady whut - dis woman whut he was in trouble wit was after him. She Was kinda ole - see, too ole fo' him, he was 18. All right. Well, she begin to buy candles - see, burn candles on him. She burned 'em a little bit at de time - every 20 minutes. All right. He begin to weaken down, suffer, nowhere he went he was satisfied - nowhere he went. Well she took his socks - see, the left. And his dirty garment, you know de BD's [= B. V. D.'s - unionsuit], took dat.
(What do you mean, took his garment? That had something on it from him?)
Yeah. She took dat and she took penny nails. She had a drier in her yard in de back - you know, in de back yard. She had his hands stretched out like dis [demonstrates] and de toes. See, dey were dem long shirt - well, de BD whut dey were, long ones.
(B. V. D.'s. You mean underclothing?)
That's it. And she had him laid - you know, tacked down wit penny nails. Eight penny nails it was. And she had dat dirty sock - were right in de middle of it.
[I now describe informant's demonstrations.]
(She put this underclothing - stretched it out and she tacked it down on top of the ground, and then she put this left sock in the middle of that, and then she covered it all over with dirt.) Well, mah brother wasn't satisfied nowhere. He had to leave from out of town. He left and he wun't [would not] come back. Don't care who send or write fo' him, he wun't come back.
(What did she do this for? To run him away? She didn't want him any more?)
Naw, she got mad cause he wouldn't marry her. She say she don't want him do nobody else no good. An' she done that. Well, ah prays to St. Ann, to Blessed Mother - that's is, to Blessed Mother. I prays and prays. Well, ah tell you what ah'll do, I say, I kin make him come back. Well, I got dem blessed holy candle, dem pure white candles.
(Where did you get it? From the church?)
I got it from de church, from de Fathers from St. Joseph's here. See, I bought it. I tole him to bless dat candle.
(You didn't tell him what you wanted to use it for?)
No, ah didn't tole him - ain't no use. An' ah got St. Peter. Ah sent away and ah got St. Peter - ah couldn't buy St. Peter nowheres here in Mobile. Got a brand-new key and a piece of blue, you know, ribbon [and made] a bow-like.
(Wait a minute! You got a St. Peter's key. Where did you send to get that?)
No, ah got St. Peter's photo. Ah send to mah niece to New Orleans to get it.
(Where did you send to get that, the photo?)
From New Orleans. That was the only place. Mah little niece sent it back to me in a hurry. All right. Ah went down there to the Catholic church to Father X and told him to bless this photo for me of St. Peter, see. I wanted a holy candle right away. He blessed that all at one time. He blessed that key, too. He say, "You want de key blessed, too."
(What kind of key did you have?)
Key like you unlock de door with.
(Where did you get the key?)
Ah bought dat key.
(A new key?)
Yeah, a brand-new key ain't never been used. All right. Well he blest it and before he blest it ah tacked dis key on to St. Peter, see. Ah put on there any kind of bow mah mind made me. Tied a big bow, a brand new piece - ah got a halfa yard fer ten cents.
(A ribbon - blue ribbon.)
Tie on St. Peter and nailed St. Peter up right over mah door, where you come in. Light dat holy candle and ah burned it only three days, on Wednesday, Friday and Monday - only three days, jest had one candle. Ah sweeten it down wit some sugar. Ah burn dat and ah call mah brother's name three times, see; call mah brother's name three times and den ah put mah name on with it see, one time - only one time.
(You call your name once.)
Call mah name once and call mah brother's name three times; and dis woman's name, ah call her two times. Well, mah brother came home. In three days he came, and he say, "Sister, ah got something bad on mah mind." Ah say, "What is it?"
[Recording is bad but he was going to kill the woman.]
She was burning a black candle on him.... Well, he gave her up. He almost like tuh kill her. He hated her. He drew her blood and he left her. [Drawing blood is an old remedy to kill a witch's power, see 485-487, p.148 and Index.] He came to Mobile.
(How long ago did this happen?)
Well that happen about five years ago right here in Mobile.
Entry 5031
Well, dey takes yore sock - like if a man an' a woman done broke up an she wan's 'im tuh come back tuh 'er, yuh see. Well, she would take his sock an' bury it up undah de step wit de feet comin' in. An' tack three tacks in de toe, three tacks intuh de heel of it, an' bury dat up undah de front steps. See, wit 'is name written in an' 'er name, an' dat will cuz 'im tuh come back.
(Where do you put these tacks in?)
Jis' intuh de groun' - jis' tack 'em down intuh de groun'.
(Oh, into the ground.)
Intuh de groun' - tack de tacks intuh de [ground].
(You move what? If you move, you do what?)
Yuh move - jis' like if yuh'd move out de house an' yuh lef' de man, yuh'd move de sock an' tack it up undah de nex' steps. (I see. I see, you put three tacks in the toe and three in heel and press it down. Then you write his name and your name and...) An' tack it down...
(On a piece of paper and that's under the sock that is tacked down.)
Yeah, undah de sock.
Entry 5045
Sock.
(What about it?)
Yuh kin take a man's sock or a woman's stockin' an' cut de toe an' de heel of it out; jis' a little bit, yuh don't wan' [too much]. (The heel or the toe, or both of them?) No, jis' eithah piece - eithah end. (Oh, just the [toe or the] heel.) Yuh kin git de toe or de heel of a man's or woman's sock or stockin'. Yuh kin take dat an' perserve [preserve] it. Now, I tell yuh whut yuh kin do. Whenevah yuh perserve dat, dat is, yuh tie a woman tuh yuh. Yuh kintake a piece of 'er stockin' an' perserve it in a small bottle of perfume - somepinlak a cologne bottle. If yuh don' wan' tuh carry it in yore pocket, yuh kin jis' put it up in dat house. See'what ah mean? Dat woman won't leave dere. Perserve dat in alcohol [spirits love alcohol, see p.32]. As long as dat is perserved, she is perserved fo' yuh. Be subjec' tuh yore rules an' regulations. An' she'll obey yuh, too.
Entry 5049
Oh, yes sir, dey could take yore socks. Dey could take yore socks an' git a augah, an' carry it in de woods an' bore a hole intuh a tree, an' stick it [socks] in dat hole an' stop it up airtight, see. Well, yuh wouldn't be no mo' good in yore limbs de balance of yore days.
(I see, you would be sort of a cripple.)
[The author is either rebuked or considered naive:]
YUH WOULDN'T BE SORTA CRIPPLE, YUH WILL BE CRIPPLE - likely tuh be Paralyzed, yuh cain't do nuthin.
Entry 5511
He kin take it [her foot track] an' take his han' an' rake it up light an' rake it tuh 'im. An' take de dirt an' carry it home an' put it in 'is right sock, an' she'll come back if she gone off. An' if he wan's 'er tuh leave him, tuh don' nevah come back no mo', he kin take her track - take his han' an' dip it from 'im. Start from de foot on tuh de toe. Carry it home an' put it in 'is right sock an' throw it away, an' she won' nevah come back. [She will] stay dere, nevah come back no mo'.
Entry 8589
Yo' can draw a man to yo'. Like a woman an' her husban' is broke up, an' another woman done cause 'em to break up, see. Well, jest like yo' take an' bury his sock, well yo' take an' write his name nine times an' put dat cinnamon, sugar an' steel dust, an' dat white rum, an' put it into a lamp. An' put dat lamp in de corner of her house. An she knock fo' three times, every day see, fo' nine days, because he return dat ninth day. Dat sock belong wit it. Yo' know, yo' do dat wit it. Dat goes along wit dat.
Entry 10965
You don' need so much and yo' don' need so much doin', understand? You take a ten-cent piece, a ten-cent piece and put it in de bottom of your foot in de sock, in de bottom of your foot. You understand me? Well, all right, and you git chew a black hen egg. A black hen don't lay a black hen egg.
(I unders tand.)
And if you want a pal's lady friend and you know her name, you write her name on de egg and you, in two minutes, go down to de river and throw it in de river, and don't turn or look back until after you gone about two squares. Don't look back at all. [Preceding squares instead of blocks very un- usual.] (You throw it over your shoulder then?) No, you don' throw dat over your shoulder. (Oh, you just throw it right in the river and then turn around and go right back?) Throw it right in de river and go turn on back [home]. You understand me?
(I understand.)
And dat will drive dem away from you. You understand me? And you will have no more trouble or nothin'. And dis [ten-cent] piece you put under de bottom of your foot, you wear it in dere two-three days, and den after two-three days...
[I turn off machine, then restart it.]
(You what?)
After two-three days you wear dat piece in de bottom of your foot, let me see it.
(Let me see it?)
Let me see it. (Who sees it? Do you mean? Oh, the woman whose name is on the egg. You let them see it?) No, you let me see it.
(Well, why did you see it?)
Yeah. Now, I goin' tell dat. You put dis piece in de bottom of your foot, and if it turns black - you understand me - if it turns black, dey have hurt chah.
(Oh, I see. I understand now.)
You understand me, now? Well, if it do turn black, it is somepin in you. Understand me? Yeah, but - and den... (Well, now, just a moment. You mean - now suppose I am doing this. Suppose I am doing this to someone. I get this egg and I wear this silver piece. Which shoe do I wear that in?) In the bottom of the foot in the shoe.
(Either shoe? In your left or?)
In the sock, yeah - right.
(The right shoe.)
Entry 11075
See now, he don't wanna, a person don't wanna kill you, or they wan' chew to run around an' leave home, or you won't have no friend of nobody so no- body can like you. Why you kin gits some - you kin git a piece of your... Git your sock or any piece of your clothes an' he'll go to de forks of de road. And take that same pepper [red], pepper is a good thing, and take that [sock and pepper] and carry it to the forks of the road about 2 o'clock in the night, and dig a little hole right in the fork of that road. You got to find a root dere. Sometimes they find hard dirt you know. And drive that nail right down [through the clothes with red pepper] into the root. And you turn right off from there - he'll turn right around and take you [him] some salt and throw it right there like that [demonstrate back over his shoulder] and don't look back. Dat person [owner of clothes] you'll see him run aroun' crazy. [If the present forks of the road is a typical one, two roads crossing more or less at right angles + the clothes buried in the center of the crossing would create a quiul cunx rite.]
Entry 11260
They kin get your socks and they get your toenails and any kind of little dirt from under your fingernails or toenails. When they get that, if they be around your house, they kin get your clothes. And they take a little piece of your underwear and cut a little piece where you sweats. Well, they take all of that and put it in a bottle. They goes to work and they gets vinegar, and then they go to work and takes your nature [surely means urine here] you know, if they can get your nature; but if they can't get your nature, they'll go to work and get someone to get it for 'em. They will put all that in a bottle and take it and stop it up. So when they stop it up, they'll put pins and needles and all in there. And when they stop it up, you see, well they uses psychology on you.
(I see.)
They'll go to work, some people, and get someone to go round to see you. See. That's the people is on [know what's going on] you know. And then when he [helper] goes to work and gets that stuff, then he'll go to work and start boostin' this fellow [professional hoodoo man]. You know, when they standing around, he say, "I know a man will do so-and-so and so-and-so." See. Well, dey done got you den. Well, if you are weak-minded, you believe that. See. Then they go to work then and you get all upset. You know, by being weak-minded they kin do so-and-so. Then they turn right around up on top of dat and say, "Well, I charge $25 or $30." Well, you know they are right, but someone went around and talked to you. I know a man that will do it. See, a strange man in town. Then, if you is weak-minded, you believe, you'll have confidence in 'em. Well, that's the people.
Entry 11676
If somebody put a spell on you, or evil verk [work] on yuh, ah kin take yuh any night at twelve 'clock an' go tuh de fork of de road. An' lak at a certain time [I will] fetch yuh on back home an' fix de door tuh yuh step - an' den yuh'll go back- ward an' go tuh yuh baid- room an' git a pair of 'is socks or some othah thing. An' nine days aftah dat yuh would be off from home. Nine days aftah dat yuh'll commence tuh... [I inter- rupt.] (Well what would you do at the crossroads? What Would you do down at the crossroads to cure a person?) Why yuh want me tuh tell yuh secret information? (I'm not going to be here to go into business again- st you or anything of that sort, you understand. [Long silence and I continue.] You see, what you tell me is confidential. It doesn't go any farther, you see.) Well, I'll tell yuh anyhow. Now yuh, if anybody harm yuh, hurt chuh, an' yuh Wan'a put a spell on dem [this is called "returning the spell"]. Yuh go an' git a frog, one frog. Git chuh nine, nine eightpenny cut nails. Yo' know what a cut nail is?
(Yes, a square nail.)
Mm [whatever that means!]. An' go carry it tuh de crossroads, jes' go ovah de dirt where his feet print [leave footprints]. Do lak dat [demonstrates] an do lak dat [demonstrates again] an' be raising de nail.
[I describe his actions.]
(The person puts his hands down on the ground.)
[The hands are spread out flat on the ground.]
Gotta have [demonstrates] ground gotta go through his hand, you know [demon- strates].
(Through his fingers.)
[He continues to demonstrate.]
Yuh put yuh fingahs here and den yuh put de nails right here.
[Demonstrates a hammer.]
(A special hammer you use for that purpose.)
[While this is going on.] De devil will come along. Nevah go up to him. Go back home as slow as yuh kin an' carry dat nailed-down [prints] an' take de sand wit it. Nail dem tuh de steps an' yuh do de same thing. Let him go in de house backwards. As he go at de step goes on up, go in backwards an' lay down [to rest]. He gonna git up early - sunrise. Aftah sunrise de nex' mawnin'. An' den yuh give him a quart of vinegah an' sulphuh, an' in dat bottle. An' put it dere an' throw it in runnin' watah, den dat will [begin to work]. An' in nine days time, if he ain't too long [gone, he will begin to recover].
[While machine stopped I ask a question.]
No, yo'll start at de do' an' den take five more [steps] an' git some vinegah. Tie it right togethah wit a piece of cord string an' put about a spoonful of sulphur, wit a quart of vinegah. But chew have dat fixed. Now you have dat fixed a couple of days, yuh undahstan'. Den aftah yuh do it, git de person an' let 'im take a dose three times a day.
(That'll cure him?)
In nine days now dat person week is up an' de reason it is done. If it's recently done, dey has de party dyin' in t'ree days. [Presumably the longer the spell in time, the longer it takes to cure it.]
(The person that put the spell on him.)
Yeah, goes back [to him] see. [This is called returning the spell and by other names.]
[To be on the safe side I continue.]
(As I pass, I put them [my feet] down there and make my footprints and my handprints right at the crossroads.) Right at de cross of de road [making this the center of a square and a quin- cunx rite] and come right back to de steps and do de same thing. An' he'll [doctor] have to carry yuh back as yuh go backwards an' lay in de baid.
Entry 13161
Get 'em some gun powder an' some black pepper, an' put in dat sock. an' get 'em some salt, an' tie dat sock 3 different knots, an' turn dat sock bottom upwards in runnin' water, an' yo' goin' go crazy. They don't take but one [sock] to kill you. [Vicksburg 1004:7.]
Entry 13199
Take yo' socks if yo' are away an' make yo' stay home: that's by putting a silver dime in it, an' put 3 knots, an' call your name, and bury it at de foot of your steps; jes' like you cut off a dog's tail if you want him to stay home and mind de house. [Left foot after questioning.] [Charleston 615:2.]
Entry 239
There was a woman that died - the night before she died, we was crossing Gilmore and Moore Street, going to church and her snake got away.
(Her snake?) Her snake got away from her. (Did she have a snake?)
Yes, kept two snakes in de house - say she could send 'em anywhere/ she wanted to.
(Oh, I see.)
And those snakes got away and come out and one run down de culver' [one ran into a culvert and was lost] and a man killed one, and when the one he killed - when he killed that snake she drahpped [dropped] sick in de chair. So I went around next morning to see her and she made me open de drawers. I was about twenty-nine years old then. And she had a drawer on side of de wall there - settin' up in a rack - and she made me open that drawer and pull out about half a dozen socks, tied in a knot in the middle and pins were up in de toes. And then she had pieces belongs to diff'rent women, and one of the women that the pieces belonged to lived right up in the square, and she got that when she give birth to a baby, and she was ridden down, but she didn't die till recently because somebody - they cleaned the place up and burnt up all them rags. She had rags - she had hair - she had pieces cut out the seat of a person's pants - oh, she had everything, in a jar about that tall. (Well, why did she die when these snakes were killed - what did she say about that?) [He doesn't understand me. He would have, had he known the answer.] She takes the snakes - she say she could take them snakes and. make 'em go anywhere she wanted 'em and sprinkle the dust.
(Well, that's what she did - but she died when those snakes were killed?)
She died - well, they say that that was all her company. [He almost has the answer. She and the snakes are really one spirit; her life being magically bound up with the lives of the snakes.]
(Well now, this woman you say, that was going to have a baby or something?)
She had a baby. And she paid five dollars for somebody to get one of her sanitary pieces and she had that stopped up there in a box.
(Trying to harm her or something?)
Harm her, which she did harm her. Whatever she did, now, I didn't know; but whatever she did it jest rid her down.
Entry 1026
[As we had medicine taken by proxy, so can pain be shared - the spirit being made to divide itself:] If a woman is in fo' a labor, if she has somethin' of his about her, a sock, hat or somethin' lak dat - she has somethin' about her, why that'll cause him tuh have some of the pains, too. ["A pregnant woman by crawling over the husband can transfer her future labor pains to him," FACI,2ed., No. 2953, p.133; for psychic or pseudo-couvade - husband having morning sickness and ailments of pregnancy and acute pain during wife's delivery - FACI, p.133.]
Entry 1348
Dere's a lady out chere dat ah went tuh once about that - like someone was tryin' tuh harm me, and she tole me to take mah sock.
(Both of them?) No, take one of 'em an' cut it up. (Which one - the right or left or both of them?)
No, jest any one my sock. Say, take one of de socks and split it up, and say paint it wit some iodine and den put it in de bottom of mah shoe and wear it. And dey say that nuthin never would - couldn't do nuthin with me.
(Was this a white woman or colored?)
Colored.
(Was she sort of a root doctor? Or something like that? Fortune-teller?)
Fortune-teller. She had hanging on her do' a sign - Madam Roose[?].
Entry 2497
Dey take de same one foot of yore sock. Git chew - go to a baby's grave an' take three pieces of white cloth an' one silver dime. Yo' dig dis hole like dat, an' when yo' take dis three pieces of white cloth - dat's a baby grave now - three pieces of white cloth. An' a silver dime - yo' paying dis baby off. Yo' understand. Yo' dig a hole about lak dat, "In de Name of de Lord, yo' take care of dis in Jesus name. Ah'm only givin' yo' dis in Jesus name." Yo' put dem three pieces of cloth an' dat dime down dere. Befo' yo' put dat dere, yo' git out a handful of dirt. Den yo' put dat dime an' dem three pieces of cloth in strips - jes' little strips - in dere, an' yo' cover it on back, an' yo' take dis with you an' go on.
(What do you do with that, then?)
Go on an' fill yore sock with dat an' one silver dime. Yo' take it an' - either corner of de house yo' could put it. Or either yo' could run it up under de sill, it'll be good.
(What will that do then?)
Keep de police away. (Keep the law away. Well, why did you put those three pieces of cloth in the grave? What was the idea of that?) It's a baby an' a baby is in de arm an' is harmless an' sinful from de world.
(I mean what do those three things represent - those three pieces of cloth?)
Dese Three are One.
(Those three pieces of cloth represent the Three Who are One.)
Don't chew see.
Entry 3263
(What do they do?)
He'd have dealin's wit 'er - jis' take a piece of lint cotton.
(Lint?)
Lint.
(A piece of lint cotton, yes.)
[Lint cotton years ago used to be raw cotton after it was ginned - seeds re- moved by a cotton gin.l An' jis' use it. An' he'll git dat, yo' know, an' take it an' put it 'tveen de big toe an' dat othah toe an' put 'is sock on ovah it. An' as long as he wears dat dere, she can't have no other man. (Where?) Put it between dem two toes. (Oh! then he wears his sock over lint cotton [used as bedcloth] between his big toe and that other toe. Which foot? Or both feet?) This here foot [demonstrates].
(Right hand.)
Ary [either] one.
(Either foot.)
Yes, sir, eithah foot.
(I see.)
"Tween de big toe an' de next toe to dat, 'tween 'em like dat.
(I see. And that will keep other men away?)
Yes sir. No sir, dat won't keep 'em away, but dat will keep 'er from playin' wit othah men. She can't have anothah man.
(I see.)
Entry 3879
Mah husban' lef' [left] me an' he lef' me sick an' ah couldn't undah- stan', but de Woman had 'im crossed yo' know. AN' SO BY HIM LEAVIN', HE COULDN'T HE'P IT. Firs', ah went tuh lady dat she read cards, an' so she tole me tuh git 'is sock an' bury it. An' when ah buried 'is sock, he wrote a lettah back home, but he didn't write it tuh me. He wrote tuh someone de rest of mah fren's. An' ast 'em tuh come in heah an' talk wit me tuh see would ah let 'im come back home. An' den aftahwards ah went ovah heah tuh Jefferson, Ark., tuh Mr. DeHorn, an' in three weeks aftah ah went ovah dere tuh him, mah husban' came home. Ah went tuh Mr. DeHorn.
(How did this woman have your husband crossed, do you know?)
Well, she feedin' 'er, yo'know.
(Her monthly?)
Yessuh, in sompin tuh eat yo' know, an' givin' 'im a little powdah an' stuff lak dat. An' so Doctor DeHorn had tuh stop 'im from eatin'. It looks funny tuh stop a man from eatin', but it stopped 'im from eatin' 'er cookin', an' he came home. [See remarkable story about a woman who was unaccountable for being an alcoholic, because a drinking spell had been put on her by someone who wanted her husband (75, p.33).]
Entry 3932
A woman take a man's sock, yo' see, an' now she'll take dat man's sock an' she will come urwell. Well, now she'll take dat unwellness an' take an' dry it wit de man's sock. Well now, she'll take it, see, an' whenevah she let it git dry good in dere, she won't, say, wet it all ovah good, she'll jes' dampen it. Well, she'll take de sock den an' put it on de flo' or sompin an' press 'um, an' put 'em den where he kin git 'em. Well, now when he git dem sock an' put 'em on an' wear 'em, why his whole heart an' mind falls right onto her den. Dere's nobody else an' he ain't con- tented until he be's right wit 'er.
Entry 3933
Get de toe outa yore lef' sock an' de heel outa de right. If a woman wanta make love or somepin like dat wit a man an' keep in touch wit 'im, why - or whatevah she wanta do concernin' 'er home, take of dese thin's what dey used once a month. Say dey kin sew dat up in de pillah what de man sleep on an' he nevah will go away an' stay from 'em.
(I see.)
Entry 4071
An' if yuh don' wanta work it lak dat, yuh kin take a man's sock, if he's jis' as cruel, jis' so cruel yuh an' 'im can't hardly live togethah, yuh kin take his sock an' put it in - pick up one de bricks out de hearth an' yuh puts it in dis hole. Well, yuh goes dere an' yuh takes an' uri- nate on it, yuh know whut dat is - on it fo' nine mawnin's. An' dat'll make him jis' as nice tuh yuh as he kin be. He won' fight chew any mo' an' he'll jis' take ca' [care] of 'is wife or woman, jis' lak a man should. Yuh has tuh let it stay dere now fo' nine mawnin's, an' aftah yuh do dat, why yuh know dat chew got 'im.
Entry 4273
Although I could have indexed this rite under 9 DAYS, or NAME, or UPSIDE DOWN, I chose SIFTING, a magic action, because there are several examples of it in HOODOO. My early recordings in Mobile not being good, I asked some of the better informants to return a second time. The following rite is given in the original and revised version:] Original version: Say, fo' ninstance someone is away an' yuh want dis person. Yuh wanta know wha' chew do wit dat? [I probably nod yes.] Dis person, if dey come back an' spen' de night wit chew, git chew a clean slop jar - it's not where dey kin go out [outside] chew know. Yuh be careful yuh don't use it yuhself. An' yuh let 'em use dis an' den on de nex: mawnin' yuh git a ole-time siftah. [Sifter is a magic object, sifting or straining a magic action.] Yuh see, dese ole roun' siftahs de kind dat yuh turn.
(The old-fashioned hand sifter - flour sifter.)
Dat's right. Yuh git some othah bucket or pail an' yuh strain dis. Take dis out an' strain it fo' nine times.
(You pour this chamber lye through this sifter nine times.)
Dat's right, fo' nine mawnin's. An' den yuh po' dat out intuh a bottle an' yuh dig a place undah yuh back steps. Yuh put it in a bottle jis' enough tuh hol' dat amount, an' yuh turn it on de head. Put a cork stoppah in it, yuh un- dahstan', an' turn it on de head an' bury dat. An' dat person will nevah leave dere till yuh take dat up. Revised version: Jis' like if a person is away an' yuh want 'em tuh return, Xuh use yuh slop jar. Wash it clean an' jis' use it yuhself fo' nine mawnin's, an' yuh use an old siftah - one of dese big roun' ones. An' yuh set ovah dat [sifter and slop jar] an' strain dat each time fo' nine times. An' den aftah de ninth mawnin', yuh write dis person's name on a piece of parchment papah. Put it intuh a bottle an' turn it - no, yuh firs' place, if yuh have a piece of dere ole sock or undah- weah or anythin' like wherevah dere's perspiration. If it is undah de armpits, yuh cut dat out an' put it in dis bottle, an' put dat name on dat parchment an stick it in dere, an' yuh turn it on its head. Put it in yuh closet or some place where no one will disturb it, an' leave it. Dey will return.
(What do you do with this chamber lye then?)
Yuh put de parts of de sock or whatevah yuh get.
(You put that in the chamber lye don't you? What do you do that for?)
Well, dat has some kin'a peculiah effect - ah don't know.
(Oh! You don't put that in the bottle?)
Yes, ah think dat chew put dat in de bottle, but chew put dis cloth in it. (NOW, DID YOU SAY YOU SIT OVER THE STRAINER? YOU RELIEVE YOURSELF THROUGH THIS SIFTER?) Dat's right. Comparison of versions: [Several days separated the two preceding versions. We learn here as well as elsewhere, that a person proficient in hoodoo does not repeat rites word for word. There are many ways to rearrange even the same material. Besides, numerous in- formants tell us about various methods to accomplish the same end. In our second version the woman's, not the male victim's urine is used. Her urine will serve the same purpose, drawing power, by writing his name on a piece of parchment and dropping it into the bottled urine. This time she does not pour the urine through a flour sifter with a handle; she lays a round hand sifter - large wooden hoop with wire screening on one side - on the chamberpot and squats over it to relieve herself. Her urine passing through the sifter protects it against countermagic. For good measure his perspiration in a piece of his old clothing is added. Instead of burial, the bottle is hidden in a closet.]
Entry 4274
(Git his right-foot sock?)
Yeah, git 'is right-foot sock an' take a silvah dime. Yuh know, roll de sock up nice. Ah jis' kin show yuh. Yuh undahstan' whut ah'm talkin' about. Roll de sock nice an' carry it - de right sock. But co'se she'll have tuh use it wit a little of 'er chamber lye, don't chew know, an' bury it undah 'er do'step.
(What does she do with her chamber lye?)
Well, yuh see she jis' urinate a little in dat sock, don't chew see.
(And bury it in under the doorstep?)
Yeah, right whare he come in an' out.
(What will that do then when she does that?)
Dat make him stay dere.
Entry 4305
She kin take dose, take his socks or undahweah an' some of 'er urinate an' bur' it. Dat will bring 'em back. Or eithah de hatban' or any of 'is close weahin' dat touch 'is skin.
Entry 4306
Yo' take dat yo' see - yo' take dat chamber lye an' yo' put it in a jar yo' know, an' a pair of a foot of 'is socks, an' yo' bury dat undah 'is step an' he couldn't, yo' know, go out lak he goin' tuh diff'ren' womenfolks. Yo' would have 'im, yo' see, he couldn't go.
Entry 4747
Jis' lak a woman got a husban' runnin' roun', or yuh got a woman run- nin' roun' an' yuh wanta stop 'er. Yuh know wha' chew kin do wit dey socks or dey undahclothes. Yuh kin take de socks or eithah dey undahclothes wha' dey wore nex' tuh 'um an' bury dem. Put dat salt on it. Put a boil aig in it. Take a boiled aig an' put in dere an' dat salt.
(Leave the shell on or off?)
Leave de shell on - jis' a boil aig hot. Wrap it right up in dat clothes, see, an' bury it down undahneat' de front steps. MAN, DAT'S ONE OF DE WORST THINGS YUH EVAH. IT WEAKENS DOWN YUH MIND, YUH THINK YUH GOIN' DIE. Dey gits sick, jis' weaken down. Don't have no mo' strength atall. Dat's if a man is runnin' roun' an' yuh cain't stop 'em, see. An' yuh kin take it up, if yuh wanta ease de pain; but if dey start in ag'in, put it right back down an' dey git right back down ag'in. (That is if they are running around.)
Entry 4761
Well, ah've heard ag'in, if yuh've got a man away an' yuh want 'im tuh come back tuh yuh, an' he leaves some of 'is clothes dere, said yuh take clothes tuh make him be on 'is haid. Put de clothes - put 'is undahweah an' 'is shirt, put de haid of it down towards 'is feet [dem- onstrates]. (On the bed?) Yessuh, yuh've gotta lay on dere yuh see. Put it down dere tuhwards 'is feet. Dey take his undah- weah an' take de bottom part - take de laigs of it an' put 'em up tuhwards de haid of de baid, an' let de body go down tuhwards it. Den yuh take his socks an' yuh take one an' bring it 'cross dis way an' let it be tuh de front of de baid.
(The head of the bed?)
No suh, de front. Yuh see - listen. Heah's whut ah mean. Now, yuh layin down dat way.
(Here's the bed. This is the head and that's the foot?)
Yessuh, now yuh lie dat sock dat way.
(Which is the foot and which way does the other part of the sock point?)
De foot part of de sock goes at de haid.
(That points to the head of the bed?)
De toe goes tuh de haid of de baid. Den heah comes de othah, de mouth of de sock, yuh know, where yuh put chure foot in. Let it be out tuh de front [demon- strates].
(One sock crosses the other.)
Yessuh. An' den aftah doin' dat. Let's see - man's sock, undahweah an' de top-shirt. Dat, she might lay in it, an' de rest of 'em yuh lay on top of 'em. Don't put a thing on top of 'em but a sheet. Den befo' yo' git in baid, make yore wishes. Put one needle up an' de othah one cross at de haid [demonstrates], 'tween de haid. Lak dis is de haid of de baid, put it down in dere, in between in dere. Don't let it git down by yore haid, but let it be up above.
(At the top of the head of the bed, you cross two needles.)
Yessuh. An' so yuh lay on dose things, an' ah think she said, in nine days he would come home.
Entry 4769
If a person steal somepin from yuh an' yuh figure dat he got it, if yuh kin git 'is sock or 'is shirt - dat's true, ah know. Yuh git eithah one of 'em, if yuh kin git it. Yuh turn it wrongside out an' regardless tuh where it is, if: it's tuh mah house or wheresomevah it is, jis' turn it wrongsides. out an' put it up undah de baid an' he'll bring it back. But chew got'a git whut he wear - jis' git whut he wears.
Entry 4825
[A string or thread from clothes, also called raveling, is rather rare. Usually the wearer prefers something more substantial. This raveling, not long enough to reach round the waist, would be too fragile and easily broken. A small piece can be worn in a bag or sewed into a garment frequently used.l Same thin' as dat, or yore ole lady or somepin, yuh know. Yuh don' wan' 'er tuh pay attention tuh no one [she] runnin' aroun'. Yuh take a string an' wear it aroun' yore wais', any of 'er clothes. Wear it aroun' yore wais'.
(Take a string from her clothes, did you say?)
From 'er clothes, any kin' of 'er clothin' - jis' a sock or some of 'er bloom- ahs or somepin dat she wear undah, yuh see. Take it an' wear it aroun' yore wais'.
(And she can't run around.)
Entry 4828
Aftah dey steal dis piece from yuh, yuh turn roun' an' yuh git chew, if yuh got a piece of yore own clothes - mind yuh, if yuh got one piece of yore own clothes an' dey ain't stole dem all. Dat dey lef' jis' one piece dey didn't steal dough [though]. Well yuh git dat piece or dat sock. An' yuh take it an' yuh nail it de front of yore do'. An' aftah yuh nail it in de front of dat do' yuh take three little brass tacks an' yuh put it in dere but let de toe be comin' disaway. Well, aftah yo' let...
(Toward the house or away from the house?)
No, into de house.
(I see, into the house.)
So dat'll bring 'em back. But aftah yuh put tuh de do', nail 'em three brass tacks in dere an' aftah yuh nail 'em three brass tacks, say, "I nail dese tacks In de Name of de Fathah, an' de Son an' de Holy Ghost." An' dey bring 'em back.
(They'll bring back what they stole.)
Bring back what dey stole. Dey cain't keep 'em.
Entry 4833
(What about the socks now?)
De socks, de stockin's or piece of yore garments. Now, ah've seen dis real. Split de green pine with a chisel an' a glut, a chisel an' a glut. Dat is, de glut is a piece of wood wide enough dat chew could lay it straight up an' down lak dat. [A glut is a wedgeshaped piece of wood or steel.] Nail dat together [after you put a piece of clothes in the split and remove chisel].
(What do you put in that?)
[What do you put in that split before nailing it together?]
Now, ah don't know whut he put in it, but he put dat in de tree. We got [found] de tree.
(Put what in the tree?)
De sock, an' de woman's stockin's - jis' whosomevah dey workin' ag'in, an' a piece of dere undah garment close tuh yore skin. Yuh know, de arm-holes or de seat of dey drawahs, if it's a man; if it's woman, de seat of hers. Nail dat intuh de tree wit a ten-penny nail an' let it [split] grow up [together]. Dat runs yuh crazy an' make yuh sick.
Entry 4873
Take de socks befo' dey wuh washed an' put de socks in a box an' bury de socks. An' as de socks grow old an' bein' buried - as yuh will be cuz'd [caused] trouble in yuh feet, or yuh legs an' yuh dog luck [dog tired], or knees, see. Wha' choo might would call rheumatism, see. By some parts of wha' choo might call sweat tuh be buried in dat. Dat's some part from us, yuh see.
Entry 4876
Yuh take de socks when dey are soiled. Yuh git a person's soiled socks from dere feet when dey are real dirty. Yuh know how dey git when dey are dirty. Yuh git de sock an' yuh git de seats of dere undahweah, knitted undahweah. Or should dey wear any kind of one- piece undahweah, yuh git de seats of dis undahweah an'( dese socks. An' yuh roll 'em up tuhgethah wit de inside soles of de shoes, an' yuh bury dat undah yore steps or eithah put it in some secret place where dis person won't disturb it. Some people put it in de cornah of a mattress. But it's somepin dat chew know yuh are goin' tuh keep becuz, in moving, if yuh don' take dat up, yuh see, dat breaks a person up.
(Now, you take botn the socks.)
Both de socks. Yuh cut de sock off de foot. Den also de seats of de undah- weah. Co'se if dey have long sleeves yuh git de undaharms too. But yuh mus' nevah wash it. Yuh supposed tuh keep de perspiration in it.
relocating while preserving concealed soiled-clothing materials. Keep breaks a person up unresolved; do not invent death, relationship breakup or another precise result. These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified.
Entry 4878
Stockin', yuh cut it off even wit yuh ankle, an' yuh kin take it an' bury it, an' she'll walk fo'evah. (Which one?) Eithah one of 'em, make no diff'rence which one.
(Which part do you bury? The lower part or the upper part?)
De lowah part, de feet part of it.
Entry 4879
Tuh keep a man home, yuh take his sock an' put it in yore room, an' yuh put sugah, an' yuh put a little cloves, an' yuh put some anvil dust. An' when- evah he happen tuh scrape his feet [rough skin on bottoms of feet caused by walking barefoot], jis' lak yuh know some people scrape dere feet, git some of dat an' jis' put it right in de do' where he walk ovah it. Jis' place it out real flat an' put it right in de place ovah [under] de rug where he walks at.
Entry 4880
Take a lady's sock if yuh like her - dat's fo' love - take it an' put a little salt in it an' a little black peppah, an' weah it undah yore arm, pin it undah yore right arm outside. Dat got a girl evah night fo' a long time.
(That works?)
Yes sir.
Entry 4882
Weah de socks till dey git dirty, yuh know. Some people's feet sweats, what ah mean, yuh know. Well, till dey git dirty anyhow. Take dem socks an' put 'em in a pail a watah, dey says. Den don' wash 'em till dey soaks an' git dat dirt. An' take dem dirty suds an' put 'em in a bottle. Well, dere some mo' tuh go wit it. Put dat in a bot- tle. Den down undah yuh arm, yuhknow where yuh perspirate undah yuh arm, take dat an' yuh socks an' yuh rub. Git all dat watah tuhgethah. Yuh rub undah de shirtsleeve of yuh arm an' yuh socks. Den yuh put dat watah in a bottle an' dig undah yuh steps, an' put it undah de steps an' turn dat bottle bottom upwards. Well, dey do dat tuh keep yuh, jis' like if a person wants tuh keep yuh from goin' anywhere. Yuh kin go anywhere but chew comin' dere. Yuh goin' be always hangin' - if yuh go anywhere yuh goin' hurry back. Yuh can't stay away from home, yuh gotta come back.
Entry 4885
Yuh kin take a woman's sock, dey tell me, an' fold it up an' put it in de middle of 'er bed, where she sleeps at, where she li'ble not tuh 'tect [de- tect] it, an' she'll nevah leave yuh. [This is a quincunx, or quincunx magic: an arrangement of five points in a rectangle (here a bed) or square; one point at each corner, the fifth point the center, where diagonals from the corners cross. This is a common magic design in hoodoo.]
Entry 4892
Ah hear sompin about socks, dat chew take it an' take yore socks, one, dis is de right-foot sock, a man's sock. Ah guess it's de same way about de stockin', whut a man does fo' a woman. Yuh take dat an' put it undah yore do'- step. Let de toe go south an' de heel go east, an' de upper part no'th. Straighten it out straight. real straight undah dere. Yuh know, undah de do'step, rake yuh off a nice clean place undah dere, down in de dirt jis' about a inch down in de dirt, an' yuh lay dat down in dere, see. Git chew some tacks an' put three in de toe an' three in de heel an' three in de uppah part, an' three in de part right in front de heel. Yuh know, jis' stretch it out straight.
(You put three in the toe and three in the heel and three in the top.)
An' den three ovah heah in de front part, right heah, see [demonstrates].
(Right there in the ankle, the upper part of the ankle.)
An' den yuh put dat dirt back ovah it smooth. Dat's whut ah heard dat yuh could do wit dat. Put dat dirt ovah dat smooth, an' whoevah name is dere or who- evah yuh fixin' it fo', write dey name an' put dat intuh dere. Put dat on de sock befo' yuh put de dirt on it, see. An' den yuh read de 27th chapter of Psalms. Say dat's fo' people - tuh prevent drunkness, drink too much. Dat'll break 'em up from dat. [This keep-him-home rite keeps him from going out to drink with the boys.]
Entry 4895
Dey'd take a man's socks. Dey claim dat dat'll keep 'im from runnin' aftah othah women. Dey'll take his sock, yuh see, like dey got a rug on de flo', yuh undahstan', an' take dat sock an' take de two socks like dis heah, an' make a "v" [see later] out of 'em dis way [demonstrates]. Yuh undahstan'?
(Put one under the other?)
Yes, sir. (Like you'd make an "x".) Yeah, jis' somepin like a "x". Yuh could cross 'em like dis, yuh undahstan'. An' put 'em un- dahneath de rug right at de facin' of de do'. An' right where yuh walk ovah, yuh undahstan'. Put dat down dere an' yuh kin come in dat house - long as yuh come i: dat house an' go out, yuh ain't goin' tuh fool wit no othah woman.
Entry 4896
Ah heard dat chew could take a pair of - jis' lak yuh come tuh dis man's house heah an' he pull off 'is socks, yuh kin take an' carry 'em tuh yore house an' put 'em undahneat' chure do'steps an' put a cross on 'em. Put a cross on de socks an' bury 'em undah yore do'steps. An' dat will run 'im a long, long way from 'is home.
(You bury them under your doorstep?)
Undah mah do'. Take 'em from yore house an' carry 'em tuh mah do'step an' bury 'em undah dere, an' dat'll run 'em way from home. He won't nevah come back.
(What kind of a cross do you mean?)
Jis' lak yuh goin' - yuh kin take a stick an' cross 'em [demonstrates]. Put one lak dat an' den put one lak dat. Sets 'em cross.
(Make a cross with two sticks on top of the stockings [socks].)
On top of de socks, dat's right.
Entry 4905
(Now, what do you do with the sock?)
Yuh take de sock an' bury de sock toe comin' tuh do', de do' dat chew wan' dat person tuh come dere an' stay dere. Why jis' bury dat sock in de groun' wit de foot tuh de do', comin' tuh de step-lak, yuh know, an' dat person will stay dere. Yuh won' have any trouble wit 'em. (Which sock do you use, both of them or just one of the socks?) Ary one of 'em will do, but de right-foot one de bes'.
Entry 4908
Kin take yore lef-foot sock an' bury it up undah de steps, undah de first step. Dig yuh a little round hole an' bury it up undah de steps. Dat's good too. Dat'll make yore husban' come back. (Do you use his sock or yours?) Use his sock, his lef'-foot sock.
Entry 4915
An' den dey take an ole sock an' dey could put salt in it an' bury it down dere undah yore do' an' yore man'll stay right dere.
(Do you bury just one sock or both?)
Dat left sock, one sock.
Entry 4919
If a woman's hus- ban' is gone an' she kin git any of 'is socks dat he wore 'fo' he left dere, she jis' go an' git one of 'er own stockin's, an' she bury dem tuh de sunrise side of 'er house. An' three mawnin's aftah she bury dat - don' bury it any deepah den dat [demonstrates].
(About as deep as your hand.)
Fo' three mawnin's take her night pot - don't let nobody use it but her. She pass dat watah [urinates] when she git up in mawnin' 'bore she speak tuh anybody. An' she take dat pot an' she set it aside until she go out [the door], undah- stan', an' empty dat pot on dat place dose mawnin's, an' he go back [returns] in several days. (She takes one of her stockings and one of his socks, either one of them, and just buries them together. That will bring him back?) Yes. She use dat pot three mawnin's 'fore she begin tuh eat.
(She must be fasting?)
Yes. (Then she will take the chamber lye and sprinkle it on this place three morn- ings?) Yes.
before-eating condition explicitly queried as fasting and assented to. Roles remain informant→interviewer→informant; the fasting term itself is the interviewer’s formulation with explicit assent. predicted single departed husband’s return in several days. No observed return These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified.
Entry 4921
Sleep wit dere stockin's undah yore haid. Take yore socks an' sleep wit 'em undah mah haid. Or take dem an' cut de feet out an' wear dem.
(What will that do?) Dey will follah yuh.
Entry 4922
Ah heard dat yuh take a man's sock, if he's runnin' about an' don' stay home tuh save yore life. Yuh take his sock offa his right foot, an' yuh take it an' yuh put it in a place where yuh'll keep it warm. Keep dat dere sock warm, dat's 'is track. Dat'll break 'em up.
(Where would you keep that?)
Well, if yuh got a heatah, yuh know, or if yuh got a fireplace, jis' take an' put it in dere.
Entry 4923
Yuh kin take his dirty socks an' put both of 'em tuhgethah an' fold 'em back in de do' lak yuh comin' in de do'. De do's disaway [demonstrates]. Yuh take dat foot an' fold it back, back intuh de house. Dat will keep 'i dere. If he leaves he will come back, he has tuh come back.
(Where do you put these socks then?)
Yuh put 'em undah de carpet. Yuh put 'em undah de carpet. If he leaves he'll have tuh come back.
Entry 4925
Taken needles or pins or wire nails. An' jis' lak ah wuz tellin' yuh 'bout de sock: fold dat sock, if yuh wanta run 'em, fold it from yuh; an' if yuh wanta bring 'em tuh yuh, yuh fold it tuh yuh. An' yuh stick nine pins an' nine needles an' nine wire nails, an' yuh bury it undah yore steps, or undah dere steps, which- evah case yuh wanta do, run 'em or tuh draw 'em. If yuh wan' 'em tuh come, yuh bury it undah yore own step; an' if yuh wanta run 'em, yuh slip it in an' bury it undah dere step.
Entry 4940
Ah heard dat if yo' take a man's sock - 'SCUSE ME, BUT AH DON'T MEAN NO HARM BY IT. AH HEARD A WHITE PEOPLE SAY DIS. DAT'S DE REASON AH ASK YUH TUH "SCUSE ME. She said tuh take a man's sock an' take some sugah, an' take up de lef' brick on de lef' of de fireplace, an' put dat sock down in dere wit sugah in it. An' make yore wishes dat he'd come home. She said take dat.
Entry 4945
Well, yuh takes women's socks - I hear talk of 'em doin' sich as dat, takin' de sweated part, yuh know, of de heel. A man take de sweated part of a woman's heel, of 'er sock, an' he take dat an' he weahs dat intuh his - puts dat undah dat little sole of 'is shoes. Yuh know, yuh know dis little slip [strip] dat be's inside of yore shoe [insole]. An' he puts dat undah dere an' he weahs dat undah 'is foot. Well, an' he weah dat sich a length of time. An' he double dat as many times as he kin git it.
(What do you mean double?)
He git dat sock twice, yuh see. Evah time he kin git one of 'em, git dat, an' cut dat heel part out an' put dat in 'is shoe. Why he keep 'er down den. He keep 'er undah 'is fingahs [feet would be better!]. Control - dat controls 'er all right enough.
Entry 4946
Aftah dat yuh kin take his socks, de left-foot sock an' bury it undah de steps, an' put de foot in like he come up de steps [foot of sock pointed to door]. An' take dat sock, de sweat from de sock - an' wash it an' put it [water with sweat] intuh a bottle, an' stop it up wit some cayenne peppah an' cinnamon [and name - see later]. An' shake it up well evah mawnin'. An' yuh kick it from de do' nine times an' bring de face of de bottle an' de name [men- tioned for first time] in tuhwards yuh. Don't nevah put de back of de bottle, de bottom of de bottle, tuh yuh. Always put de mouth of de bottle tuh yuh. Be kickin' it an' namin' it, an' call it, dat dis will draw 'is 'tenshun from de [othah] woman. [The name written on paper is in the bottle and the name is also called.] Jis' keep 'im on away from dat woman all de time. He won' even wanta see her. Come tuh find out he'll be lovin' yuh mo' an' mo' den he did evah.
(You take that sock and you get that water from the sock. Either sock?)
Either one.
Entry 4948
Yuh kin take a man's socks, tie both of 'em tuhgethah an' wear 'em aroun' yore waist, a woman kin, an' dat he'ps 'er tuh hold a man.
Entry 4949
Dey kin take his socks an' tie 'em in a knot, an' put 'em in de baid where he lays at - on de side he lays at, in de mattress. (What will that do?) Well, wherevah he's at, he cain't rest yuh see. First an' last he'll stray back home tuh where he come from.
Entry 4957
Ah heard dat dey take a man's socks an' tie it in three knots an' bury it undah de steps. If de foot of de sock's turned toward de house, den he cain't leave home.
(Just one of the socks, either one?) Eithah one.
Entry 4959
If yuh wanta make love wit anyone - yuh love dem an' yuh wanta git dem somehow or 'nothah, yuh see. Yuh git one foot of dose socks, one foot of 'em, an' yuh take an' yuh tie it in de top, as near de centah as yuh kin. Aftah tyin' it in de centah, den yuh turn it dataway an' yuh tie three knots on dis end - fo' on dat end. Dat's seven ain't it? Seven - have to be odd. Den yuh take an' come on back tuh yore home an' take 'em an' put 'em down, say, "By de he'p of God ah'm gon'a be wit chuh." An' yuh shall git 'em.
(Where do you put them down?)
Put 'em right down anywhere in yore home. Nowhere else but in yore home.
Entry 4960
Ah heard dat chew could take a person's sock an' tie it intuh nine knots, an' carry it tuh some runnin' stream an' throw it in de stream. An' right where dat sock stop at, yuh will stop. Yuh will go jis' like dat sock go. Yuh continue tuh go, yuh know, if it wuz tuh swim. Yuh know, like de tides be up, an' it wuz tuh carry de sock tuh Savannah or Jacksonville, or wheresomevah de sock stop at, yuh'll stop dere.
Entry 4963
Dey take his right- feet sock an' put nine knots in it an' put some sulphur in it. An' den yuh put some bluestone in it. Bury it at de right feet [side] of de steps an' dat will keep 'im home - keep 'im from runnin' aroun'.
Entry 4968
Tuh bring a man back wit de sock, yuh take a lef'-foot sock. Yuh take an' put it down, put it down undah a rug, jis' lak yuh got lino- leum. Yuh put one down - yuh put de firs' sock down comin' in [at the front door]. Yuh go tuh de reah do' an' yuh put de othah sock down goin' out - shoot it [straight] goin' out. Yuh git up [in the morning] an' yuh take yuh some chamber lye an' yuh sprinkle, jis' lift it up soon in de mawnin' an' sprinkle a little chamber lye on dere, see. Go tuh dis [other] one an sprinkle a little bit of chamber lye on it. All right, yuh say, "Now, Lord, combine me an' mah man tuhgethah wit union an' love." Say, "Leave out all stum- blin' blocks, hindahin's an' causes." An' if he as fur away as mah han' he is got'a come. He's got'a come. Yes sir, ah know he's got'a come. Don' care whut direction he is in de worl', yuh take dem socks an' put 'em down lak ah said. Put 'em on down, de firs' sock comin' in dis way, an' dis one goin' out dat way.
(What do you mean by the middle door? Do you mean the back door?)
Jis' lak dat do' right dere [points].
(That back door, away out at the end of the house?)
No, inside de house. [Informant thinks my end of the house means outside the back door. Back door is meant.] (You call that man by name when you are saying that little [I WAS GOING TO SAY INCANTATION BUT STOPPED] - theSe WOrds?) Yeah, yuh have tuh say dose words.
Entry 4972
If he is away from yuh, if yuh wan' 'im tuh stay wit yuh, yuh take it an' yuh git cheh some steel dust - dat's drawin' - an' lodestone, dat's drawin'. Yuh put it in 'is sock. Yuh take dat sock jis' lak dat goin' in. (Going into the house.) Intuh de house. Yuh put it down in de groun' an' yuh bury it wit de feet goin' in. He cain't stay away from dat house.
(I see. You take the left.)
[Left is nowhere mentioned. Informant may be repeating story and assumes I know which sock; or after story completed I may have turned off machine and then asked left or right before restarting machine in time to catch the answer.]
Entry 4974
Well, now, if a man jis' wan' 'er, he take her sock an' wear it roun' 'is waist fo' nine mawnin's. An' de ninth mawnin' he'll take an' he'll uri- nate on it. An' he'll pass nex' tuh de house yuh know, an' drop it chew know. Well, now, see when she wear it she done got [his influence?]. See, she wash it. See, where he sweat in dat stockin', dat cause her tuh git all crazy about 'im. An' she'll follah 'im evahwhere he go out, an' ma'y [marry] 'im if he wanta ma'y her.
Entry 4980
De heel an' de toe of a man's sock an' nail it down tuh de do'. It always MAKE HIM BE A PLUMB DOPE AROUN' DE HOME. He nevah wants tuh go anywhere. An' a woman's sock is about de same thing. (If you want to do a woman the same thing, you do her that way.)
Entry 4983
An' so in de line of bringin' a man back, yo' take an' take his sock - take his sock an' nail it up in a da'k place in de cornah yer house, behin' de haid of yer bed. Yo' nail fo' nails an' yo' drive one right in de toe. Stretch it up bot- tomside downwards. Yo' drive one right in de toe, an' yo' drive one in de centah of de heel, an' yo' drive one on each outah edge of de heel. See, stretch it lak dat. An' yo' go to it fo' nine mawnin's an' call dis man's name, an' tell it: Bring 'im back to yo' In de Name of de Lord. An' aftah which - aftah nine mawnin's, dey say dat will bring 'im back.
(Do you use either one of his socks?)
Either one of de socks.
Entry 4997
If yuh wanted de man - if a woman wanted a man, yuh could take his socks. Have his dirty socks an' fold 'em tuh yuh an' take a teaspoonfula sugah. An' roll 'em tuh yuh all de time an' put nine needles on each end.
(That is 18 needles altogether.)
An' den take dem socks an' put 'em undah yore bed an' sleep on it. Dat'll make him stay close tuh yuh.
Entry 5004
Dey kin take yore socks or stockin's an' jis' make yuh do anythin' dat dey wan'a do, aftah dey are dirty; but if dey clean, dey cain't do yuh nuthin. (Now how - what would they do with that?) Well, fo' a instant [instance]; jis' lak mah husban' treat [mistreat] me. All right. Now, mah husban' go on away an' wants 'im back. Take dose socks, de lef' one - or if yuh cain't git it, take de bow from 'is hat, or de stockin', an' put some sugah in it an' urinate on dere. Bury dat. An' evah three time a day read de 23rd Psalm.
(Three times a day. At different hours?)
In de mawnin' about six, twelve, an' six in the evenin' [formula 6-12-6, see p.830]; nine day.
Entry 5005
(What do you do with those nine tacks?)
[I ask about 9 tacks informant mentioned while recording machine turned off.]
Well, yuh take a sock, one of a man's dirty socks, an' yuh nail it down anl put nine tacks in it - nine bran'-new tacks. An' dat keeps 'im tuh yuh.
(Do you put those nails or tacks in there in any particu- lar way?)
No, yuh jis', yuh raise de mattin' up [demonstrates]. (You raise the matting up. Oh, the diagonal of the floor.) [See comment later.] Put it on de flo' an' put dem tacks - nine tacks in it. Put dat mattin' back ovah it.
(I see. Either one of his socks?)
Either one.
(I see. And what will that do to him, then?)
Dat will keep 'im fo' yuh an' nobody else. [The preceding word matting my transcriber could not understand the first time, leaving the space blank. The second and third times she concluded that informant meant mattress. Mattress in front of the door! Later when I checked original recording on cylinder, I penciled in the correct word matting for the first blank space and for the second, mattress. The first mattress I temporarily eliminated by lightly penciling out the first sentence of my comment, which I considered a confusing repetition of informant's words. This is the reason why the second matting, the one in my comment, now appears inked in. Only 30 years later (Sept.1971) do I realize that informant was demonstrating and that I should have given a better description of the demonstration. We have here a small mat or matting, of straw or similar material, formerly used in summertime in front of door or bed. I saw many of them during my boyhood. Informant folds back one corner of the mat - my word diagonal shows this - laid the sock along the diag- onal of the fold, tacked down the sock, and let the fold return to the floor. Here again we have the magic quincunx so frequently mentioned in HooDoO. An examination of this page in the original manuscript will substantiate my explan- ation of the rite.]
Entry 5006
Jis' lak a man's sock or sompin, when yuh wanta break 'em up or sompin, or yuh wanta run 'em away, yuh bury it. Yuh jis' take it, jis' lak it's yore ole man or sompin an' yuh wanta git rid of 'im. Yuh kin run 'im away wit 'is sock, or: if yuh wanted tuh keep 'im, yuh kin keep 'im wit chure sock. (How would you run him away with the sock?) Well, yuh take his sock an' yuh wrap 'is sock up in sulphur, lodestone an' bluestone, an' yuh bury dat sock an' yuh put three rusty nails aroun' dat sock an' two pegs, an' yuh'll soon git rid of'em.
(How do you put those two pegs?)
Take de sock an' yuh bury his sock wit dat stuff in it. An' yuh take two rusty nails an' yuh put two on each side of de sock - one on dis side an' one on dat side. P An' put one in de middle of it, an' yuh put de pegs behin' it [like this N N N ]. What are those pegs supposed to do?) Ah dunno. [They symbolize the headboard and footboard of a grave. The design is a cross mark on the grave. She has crossed him.]
Entry 5014
Ah heard dat yuh take de socks now, an' yuh take it an' roll it towards yuh. Take it an' start it from de toes an' roll it back, jis' as tight as yuh kin roll it. An' den when yuh git 'em rolled back, yuh take a needle an' thread an' hook it ovah tuhwards yuh. Don' nevah hook it from yuh. Dat's whut dat lady tole me. Say yuh hook it tuhwards yuh evah time. Take dat sock den an' bury it right undah yore do'step, an' say dat man'll always stay dere - or a woman, whoevah it is.
Entry 5016
Jis' take de sock an' roll it up - roll it tuh yuh. Jis' lak if ah want somebody tuh come tuh me, roll it tuh me.
(Whose sock?)
If it's a woman, her husban', or eithah if it's yore frien' or sompin yuh Want - if yuh could git holt of one of 'em, yeah, anybody's. Roll it tuh yuh an' put nine needles in dere, goldeye needles, an' nine rusty nails, an' bury it undah yore do'steps an' dat'll draw 'em.
(What about that red pepper?)
Yuh put de cayenne peppah in de sock.
(What will that do then?)
Dat will draw 'em tuh yuh.
Entry 5020
They say you can take a man's sock or a woman's stocking and carry it with yeh and make them do what chew want 'em to do. Just make yore wishes with it. And put sulphur and salt in there. and they say nc one else, whatever the're doing [to counteract your in- tentions] can't do anything with it no more than you. See? Just like if you'd bury it out here in this yard and someone come and sprin- kle something on it, they say that wouldn't be any good. And you take this sock and wear it. And if you want him to stay home, if it's a man you want him to stay home and don't want him to go, why then you bury it. Bury it in the yard some place where you walk over it oftener than he does. And that keeps him home.
Entry 5023
[There are a number of rites in which a woman asks a man for a dime or a piece of silver; the following one being quite complicated:] Do dat tuh make a man bring 'is money home. Well, yuh kin take a man's sock an' let 'im weah it an' yuh weah one of yore [stockings], de right-foot sock [and stocking]. Den yuh git a dime, a silvah dime from 'i, outa his han. Den yuh writes 'is name nine times tuh yuh. Write it nine times, write, "Ah want chew tuh bring yore money home tuh me an' don't cash yore check until yuh git it tuh me, '' nine times. Den yuh takes dat name an' dat silvah dime, dat he give yuh outa his han', an' yuh fold it nine times [demonstrates] an' yuh tell it whut chew Want it tuh do [demonstrates].
(You are folding it toward you, aren't you?)
Uh-huh. Yuh talk tuh it, yuh know, "Ah want chew tuh bring yore money home tuh me." Make dat nine folds on it tuh yuh. Den yuh take yore stockin' an' fold it. Yuh take dis dime yuh know an' de name yuh know, aftah yuh fix it up an' put it in de toe of 'is sock, his right-foot sock, his'n, whut he'd been weahin'. Den yuh take one of yores an' yuh write on dere mah name, an', "Ah Wants tuh be boss. Ah wan' chew tuh bring yore money home tuh me. Ah'm yore wife." or "yore girl fren', " or whut-not. Den yuh fold yore sock [stocking] tuh yuh [and say], "Ah'm goin' bring it home. "See, lak dat [demonstrates]. "Ah'm goin' bring it home." Den yuh puts de man's sock in yores. See, yuh wants dis, an' shet it inside lak dat. Den yuh buries it where he kin walk inan' ovah it. An' HE WON'T CASH 'IS CHECK.
Entry 5027
Take de socks an' sprinkle some steel dust on it an' bury it. Dat'll run 'em crazy.
Entry 5029
Git de socks, de right, an' jis' let it, yuh know, as yuh sprinkle it wit dat little sugah, jis' fold it tuh yuh. An' when yuh fold it tuh yuh, take it an' bury it at de steps an' he won' go anywheres.
Entry 5030
If yuh got a sweetheart an' he's gone away an' yuh wan' 'im tuh come back tuh yuh, yuh git 'is sock an' tie it tuh de east cornah of yore baid an' let it be swingin'. Keep it swingin' an' yuh make yore wishes. Finally, he'll come back, an' long as yuh keep dat sock swingin', his mind is on yuh. Yuh hang up eithah one of 'is socks long as it sompin of 'is.
Entry 5037
Yo' kin take de socks or de stockin's an' bury it at de foot of yore steps. Write his name on a piece of papah an' put it in dem socks wit sulphur an' brimstone, wit a little bit of sugah tuh make it sweet. An' bury dat at de foot of yore steps. An' as he goin' an' as he comin' in an' out, see he gotta pass ovah dat. An' 'is min' den will be, yo' know, tuh come home.
Entry 5039
Stockin's or socks, why yuh know, yuh kin take dose so socks tuhgethah - tie 'em tuh- gethah undahstan', his socks an' hers, too. An' place dem by de bed, yuh see, up on de edge of de bed. An' dat will gain love right on, jis' 'solve[dissolve ' tm tuhgethah, too.
(That is to keep him there?)
Yes sir.
Entry 5048
Jis' say, if yuh wanta bust up [broken-home remedy], see. A woman kin take his socks an' take her stockin's an' put 'em tuhgethah, heel tuh heel an' toe tuh toe. Use de lef' foot. Some say de right but de lef' foot is bes'. An' yo' put some sugah in dere an' some peppah, black peppah: if it's white person, put white peppah; an' if it's a black person, put black peppah. An' den yuh put a little cayenne peppah in it, see. An' den yuh roll it to yuh, lak dat [demonstrates]. An' aftah yuh roll it tuh yuh, den yuh git chew a bran'-new co'd [cord] string an' yuh wrap it nine times.
(How do you wrap that?)
Tuh yuh. Yuh roll it tuh yuh an' wrap it tuh yuh. An' den git chew a needle an' git chew some red silk thread an' sew it on each end, nine stitches. Pull it tuh yuh all de time dis way [demonstrates]. Pull it tuh yuh all de time.
(You put nine stitches on each end.)
Dat's tuh bring peace.
(What do you do with that then?)
Well, yuh kin wear it in yore pocket or put it where yuh kin evah day jis' dress it. Yuh know, jis' take yore han', don' have tuh put nuthin on it. Jis' take yore han' or jis' put a little perfume on it - good-luck perfume, any kinda good-luck perfume an' jis' rub it in yore han'. An' den yuh kin sleep on it. Or yuh kin put it where nobody won' go by [near] it but chew. See.
(That is for them to live together in peace.)
Yes.
Entry 5051
If dey kin git de sock, dey'll take yore sock an' take an' bury it - 'cordin' [according] tuh whatevah dey wish tuh do wit dis [sock]. If dey wish tuh harm yuh, dey take yore sock an' bury it undah a tree. Dey'll cut a hole in dis tree - in de trunk-like at de bottom, an' bury dis sock in dat tree. Do dis tree some hahm [harm] dat it will die. An' as dis tree die, in dataway yuh do likewise.
(I see. Now, do they take both socks?)
Take dat lef'-foot sock.
Entry 5053
Take a man's sock befo' he wash it - yuh know, he git de scent of it. An' yuh kin take dat sock an' yuh kin take an' sew it up inside a little bag or somepin lak dat. Take an' carry it an' nail it on a pine tree on de sundown side, but be sure yuh got it tied in de bag. Yuh kin bring 'im tuh yuh tuh any- where yuh want. (You just take these socks and put them in a bag?) An' take dat bag an' nail it in a pine tree at de sundown side, an' make a wish, an' dat man supposed tuh be de one man tuh yuh.
Entry 5054
Tuh stay on dere ain't but one thing yuh could do an' dat is tuh git, jis' - well, yuh could jis' say a piece of dere ole sock or jis' any of dey clothes or anything lak dat. An' take it an' take an' jis' dip it in some turpen- tine. An' wrap it in a piece of cloth an' jis' tie it right roun' yore right arm. An' wear it dere fo' about fo' days or eithah six. Dey cain't do a thing-a wit chew. Dey couldn't move yuh. (If you were trying to move me out, I would get your sock and do that, so that you couldn't harm me then. If I did that, that would keep you from harming me any way - any kind of way at all?) Yessuh.
Entry 5061
(What was that?) She kin take a needle [2 of them] an' a bottle of vinegah, jis' a pure bottle of vinegah, & an' she turn aroun' an' cut de toe off 'is sock. An' [she] pin dem two needles in 'is sock an' put it intuh dat vinegah. An' [she] put it down, turn it down, bottom up, underneat' 'er mattress on de floor. An' he'll come back.
(I see. You put two needles?)
Two needles.
(You drop two needles in the bottle?)
No, in de toe of 'is sock. Yuh pin 'em in de toe of 'is sock, an' put dat vinegah intuh dat bottle, an' drop dat [sock] down. Twist it so it kin go down in dat bottom, till it git tuh de bottom, an' den turn it up on its haid undah 'er baid. Well, he comin' back home.
Entry 5067
Take a man's sock, if dey's got a man an' he's tryin' tuh run aftah some othah wimmin or sompin lak dat. Take a man's sock especially if de wimmins live wit 'im or anythin' lak dat. Takes an' wash dem socks out an' take dat watah where yuh wash dem socks an' put it in a quart bottle. Put dat watah in de quart bottle an' stop it up an' put it ovah de sill of de house lak dat do' dere, yo' know. Take an' open dat ceilin' dere an' put it in dere an' let it set in dere. [The ceiling near the door is opened so that the bottle can be placed on the top of the hidden door frame, here as so frequently, called the sill of the door - sill equalling ceiling of door.] Make him stay home. [Wilson, N. Car. (1496).2665:6.]
Entry 5071
Yuh wash a man's sock, his lef'-foot sock an' git dat watah an' put it in a bottle, an' gain de influence of 'im. (What do you do with that bottle then?) Yuh jis' keep dat bottle, add mo' tuh it. Dat will git chure man tuh love yuh.
Entry 5073
Take an' git dere socks. An' take his socks an' wash 'em. An' take de watah an' put it in a bottle wit de soft watah, sompin lak rain watah, in a kinda crystal watah. Let half of it be de watah from washin' de socks an' half of it be's de crystal watah.
(Soft water?)
Yeah, take dat an' put a little sugah.in it an' put Epsom salts in dat. An' yuh take an' burn de incense an' de red onion - lump incense - on de stove, an' sprinkle a little sugah in it. Dey mos'ly use sugah mos' in anything. An' yuh burn dis lump incense an' de red onion on de stove an' call de name three times. Burn dat fo' 'bout nine mawnin's an' he'll come back an' dere won' be no trouble.
(What did you do with that sock water? What did you do with that?)
Take dat an' set it in de no'th cornah of de house an' keep it dere fo' three days - three tuh nine days. An' yuh take it out an' yuh po' it 'cross de do'- steps an' aftah it dries... [I turned off recording machine too soon or accidentally and had to restart it to repeat informant's words.]
(He'll come back?)
Yessuh.
Entry 5074
Yuh take dat sock - like if yuh wear a sock, yuh pull dat sock off, eithah one, yuh soak dem socks. Yo' squeeze de watah out of dem an' yuh take dat watah come out dem socks an' yuh put dat watah in a bottle. Den yuh take some of yore watah [urine] an' put in dere. DAT'S A TRICK IT AIN'T NO HURTIN' NOR NUTHIN, JIS' A TRICK. [For tricks, see TRICKS, Pp.260-269 and elsewhere.]
(What will that do?)
It will jis' trick 'um tuhgethah an' dey cain't git loose from one anothah. Dat's all it is. Ah know dat. Yuh give a little bit of de watah tuh drink.
Entry 5077
Take a man's sock an' yuh kin run 'im away wit 'is sock - his lef' sock. Carry it tuh a rivah or eithah a creek, any place like dat where it's runnin' watah; an' jis' which way dat watah runs, dat's de way he'll go - drift jis' dat way.
Entry 5078
Tuh run 'im away, throw 'is lef'-footed sock in runnin' watah an' name it, as she threw it. Throw it ovah 'er lef' shouldah an' name it. Dat'll drive him away. He'll nevah come back.
Entry 5080
(Get a piece of the garment?)
De sock.
(Of the person who is gone?)
Yes, an' he takes it NOT LARGAH DEN A POCKET HAN'KE'CH'EF. Taken dat piece not largah den a pocket han'ke'ch'ef an' take it tuh a runnin' stream of watah, tuh where rock run ovah - a stream from nature, earth, dat run ovah rocks. Wash it three times an' fold it up when it's wet, an' po'l vinegah ovah it, an' go tuh de graveyard an' git some li'le clay. Wrap it tight, real tight, an' put it in brown papah, three layahs of brown papah, an' turn it, twist it, an' den put news- papah round it, an' burn de newspapah off it an' let de brown papah covah it. An' den take it aftah dat an' wrap it up in a flesh [soft] towel lak dat. A towellak dat, one dose turkish towels. Take an' bury it in red clay an' let it stay dere seven days, an' den move it. Aftah seven days yuh'll move it. An' when yuh move it, den go an' bury it right by de rock, by dat stream, an' let it stay dere 21 hours, an' den move it - throw it away. She'll be back in 21 days.
(Where would you throw that away?)
Anywhere.
Entry 5082
[Wiping, different from the magic rites of rub- bing, is itself often magic action; in fact, it frequently occurs in impotence causes and cures.] If she have any of 'is clothes, she kin bring 'im back. If he left any of 'is pieces he wore close tuh 'i, she kin git 'im back. Well, she take 'em jis wherevah - if he got a sock, stockin', or anythin' he's got, she'll take dat sock an' she'll wipe herself wit it. An' she'll fill it fulla sugah an' she'll roll it tuh 'er an' she'll sew it. An' right where he lay at, dat's where she'll put dat sock. An' de ninth day he'll be back.
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 5226
Yes, ah have heard of doin' sompin - takin' prackly [practically] nuthin but shoes. Bury dat shoe an' leave de top of it out, an' dat will kill 'em. (What do you mean leave the top of it out? You just bury the sole and leave the top part out?) Leave dis [top] part up, jis' so's all of it ain't in dere. Yo' kin do wit de sock de same way. Leave part of it up.
Entry 5515
A sock - lak yo' would take any of yore sock an' git chure track an' put it in, up ovah de house an' den yore laigs go bad, give yo' somepin lak de rheumatism. (Would they take either sock to do that?) No suh, dey take de lef' sock, becuz in othah words de lef' sock is fo' any bad luck.
(What do they put in that sock now?)
Dey put chure track. Lak yo' step down heah, well dey jes' pick up yore track an' throw it ovah de house. No suh, ovah yore house.
(But they have put this stuff in your sock first?)
Have tuh put chure track in yore sock. (In other words you would get my track and put it in my sock and thrcw it over your house.) No suh, ah'd git chure track an' yore sock, an' put chure left track in yore sock an' throw it ovah yore house.
(I see, I understand. All right.)
Entry 5570
If a man leaves home an' a woman wants 'im tuh come back, if she kin git one of 'is track, his right track comin' from de toe, bring it back tuhwards 'er, jis' de top of it yo' know, an' git a black- hen aig an' write bis name on dat aig, an' roll dat aig an' dat sand an' dat sock up tuhgethah, put de sand in de sock or eithah any way yo' fix it tuhgethah, an' bury it undah de do'step, an' dat'll bring 'im back.
Entry 6181
Take de hair an' put de hair in de socks - yo' know, tuh whom it may concern. Take de sock cloth an' tack it, yo' know, whare de toe an' de heel an de top part, an' nail it down undah de haid of de baid. Dat's supposed tuh make yore husband stay at home.
(Do you use either sock?)
Use his sock, eithah sock. If dis is de haid of de baid, well yo' put de top of de sock undah de haid of de baid, an' den yo' tack yore heel an' tack yore toe [demonstrates]. (The toe is pointing down tovard the foot of the bed.) Dat's it. An' yo' supposed tuh let de toe be turned, not to de do' but from de do' of de room dat chew back tack 'en. Yo' use his hair an' yo' use yore hair an' yo' put dem both in dat [sock].
Entry 6876
If a woman is in fo' a labor, if she has somepin of 'is about 'er, a sock, hat or somepin lak dat - she has somepin about 'er, why dat'll cause 'im tuh have some of de pains, too. (Where would she keep this thing about her? Where would she keep it?) Jis' have it somewhere about 'er, maybe jis' always anywheres on 'er.
Entry 6979
Whut dey put on 'em, ah don' know, but ah've known of socks bein' gotten out of a mattress. Den put it in runnin watah. Dat'll take de bad luck on off, if dey have it.
Entry 7207
Yo' kin take a sock.
(Take a what?)
Take one yuh socks an' now, what dey put in dat sock, now ah couldn't tell yuh. Take one of dose socks an' pin it. Ah know personally dis wuz done becuz it wuz quite natchel, yo' know, ah had a brothah a [that way], yo' undahstan'. Ah'm explain' tuh yuh good. He had a vein, a open vein, here, along here, along here an' right up dere [demonstrates]. [He was] hurt [tricked], yo' see. Dat's called swollen veins. (What kind of veins, swollen?) Swollen veins. Undahstan'? Well, yo' take dat sock. An' now, whut yo' put it in [in it], ah couldn't tell yo'. Dey put it - but take one of yuh socks. It wuz a black sock ah had, black silk sock. Mah sistah bring- ed it up chere. Ah wuz down dere two yeahs ago. Ah wuz down dere in '36. Well, ah'm gittin' it straight now. Dat yeah, dat's about right, ah wuz down dere in '36. We found dat sock, las' yeah: was '37, round, oh ah'd say round about de 20th of July, an' dat sock had - ah couldn't even lay on dat pillah [pillow]. Yo' undahstan', if yo' lay on dat pillah it hurt yuh haid, but now aftah - if yo'laid on it, an' den if yo' lak dat, if yo' don' git dat cured, yo' stay lak dat. One mawnin', see, when she found dat sock, it wuz balled up wit de feathahs in it. But whut wuz in dat sock wit dose feathahs, we couldn't tell, yo' know. It's quite natchel dat yo'd be scared. Cuz it only cost me $50 tuh git rid of dat. Well, now, ah tell yo' what she [doctor] did tuh git rid of dat. Ah went tuh a lady, undahstan'. She told me, say, "Ah'll cure yo'." An' told me where ah goes. Told me ah wuz hurt an' ah cain't stand tuh drink whiskey long, account dat vein bein' swollen, yo' undahstan' [demonstrates].
(This vein runs right?)
Straight through me.
(Right straight along your back, that swollen vein?)
Yes, sir. An' ah went tuh dis lady, see, an' she tole me, say, "He's got a thing hid." Told me jis' lak whut it wus lak. She live on 923 [Something Street]. Ah'm try- in' tuh think of de name. Yo' kin put dat down, two diff'ren' things. But any- way, nevah mind about dat.
(Oh, that's all right.)
An' she commence right here an' measured dat place right here, right dere [demonstrates]. She say, "Dere's a knot dere."
(Right here, where?)
Dere's a knot or somepin. Well, she massaged dat knot an' rubbed it an' she tell me, say, "Yo' go home an' go tuh de druggist." Now, listen good. "Go tuh de druggist an' git a bottle of household - do yo' heah dat?"
(Yes.)
Household ammonia.
(Household ammonia.)
Household ammonia. You git a box of Epsom salts. Yo' git chew dat much salt- petah. Yo' won't want make too much. Dat much saltpetah. Yo' put dat in yuh bath watah. Don't put no salt in it - ah mean not salt, don't put no soap in it. But aftah dat, dat cleah ammonia. Dat's all. Jis' lak in place of puttin' soap in it, put dat household ammonia in dere an' dat saltpetah an' de Epsom salts in dis watah. An' takes yuh bath in it. Nine nights do dat.
(Nine nights?)
Nine nights an' throw de water tuh wherevah de sun risin' at. An' it'll soor cure yo' of de trouble. Well, dat's whut ah did. Well, it cured me.
(That's what cured you?)
It cured me. Now, here's de way. Now, ah'll take, jis' lak, yo' got tuh start it. It deal wit pain [demonstrates].
(Right from the top of your head.)
See dat li'le knot dere, see dat knot dere. It's a pain right dere. Well, now, yo' jis' put dat [mixture] on. It'll move from dere, start from right dere tuh here [demonstrates]. (It'll move from the top of your head down to the bottom - the back of your neck.) Back tuh dis here [demonstrates]. Dat narrah [narrow] eyeball bone.
(The pain is right behind the eyeball?)
Eyeball. Leads from dis eye right chere, right chere. Here's de othah. An' right along dere it's knots be showin' dere, an' it feels though dere's somepin inside. Some knots showin' dere. Well, dis lady tole me dat it wuz done through whiskey. Say, "But chew looks an' yo' will find it in yuh mattress," she say. But it wusn't in no mattress. It wuz in a feathah pillah; an' yo' would find vhutevah it is in dere. It wuz wrapped up. An' she tole me when ah find it, burn it up. Well, dat's quite nachel, 'cuz ah did dat, see. Ah burned it up in de fiah. Well, now, mah sistah, yo' see, when she slept on dis pillah, it burt 'er haid so dat she'd move dat pillah. But it wasn't fo' her, it wuz fixed fo' me. Whut fer? Yo' see some people wanta hurt me. An' ah wanta explain dis sah way, 'cuz yo' know ah nevah done used explainin'. An' ah, ah'se jes' explain zahself.
Entry 7210
(All right.) = [Ready to start.]
Ah had a pair of socks an' ah had a undahsuit. Ah came from mah work an' ah rolled it up, ah couldn't git in mah room, an' ah jis' shoved in between de screen an' de do'. An' ah left. When ah come back, mah undahsuit an' mah socks wuz gone. An' ah do know whut taken place wit me aftah dat, an' ah do know whut ah wuz told through fortune- tellahs.
(All right, tell me all about it.)
De fortunetellah told me dat ah were hurt in some a mah clothes. She did not say whut kinda clothes, but it fell back tuh mah remembrance dat if ah wuz hurt, it must have been mah undahsuit an' mah socks. (Well, how did you know you were hurt? Why did you go to this fortuneteller? Did something happen to.you? Were you sick or something before you went to the fortuneteller?) No, sir, ah wuzn't sick den. Ah wuz not sick den.
(What did you go to that fortuneteller for?)
Well, ah went tuh de doctor. Went tuh Natchez Mississippi Hospital in [nine- teen] thirty an' ah stayed ovah dere 'bout thirteen or seventeen days. An' de doctor seemly dey couldn't fin' de complaint, whut wuz de mattah wit me. He said dat ah wuz all right. Well, ah wúz still sick. Well, ah decided in mah mind - ah hear'd de people talkin' about hoodoos an' witchcraft an' fortune- telZahs. It came tuh me in mah mind by a friend of mine, he said, "Why don' chew go an' see such-an'-such a one?' He said, "Dey kin tell yo' things." Well, ah decided tuh go. Well, ah went tuh dem an' dey told me dat ah wuz hurt through clothes. An' ah ast dem, "Well, whut could yo' do fer me? Could yo' cure me?" Dey tole me, "Yeah." Dey believe through de powah of God dat dey could cure me. An' dey made me up a tea. Now, ah don' know whut kinda tea it 'twuz, but any- way dey give dat tuh me fer tuh drink an' ah drinked it an' ah really hadn't rest fer [so many] nights.
Entry 7381
Well, suppose you kill me, tisn't but one thing. But do dis now. If you kill me right now - why do you kill any person, woman or man - go to yore house an' get one shirt, or one undahshirt, or one drawers, or a pants, or a sock, anything dat chew wear [wear]. Put it undahneat' dat woman or dat man's head, an' yo' can't go anywhere. Yo'll come back. It'll be far, but yo'll come back in town.
(That's the way they catch you, if you kill somebody.)
Yes, sir, if yo' kill somebody - if yo' jes' shoot 'em, why dey can't get yo' anyway. If yo' kill somebody, yo' can't go. Yo'll go but yo' won't sleep, an' don't care where yo' sleep, yo' goin' to git so tired dat yo' come an' give yore- self up to de law. [The dead man's spirit will not let the murderer sleep. It pesters the killer until he returns and gives himself up to the law.]
Entry 7405
Ah've hear'd dat if a man kills a man an' runs away or do somepin - misdemenah [misdemeanor] whatevah it done be - an' gits away. Well, an' dey Wants tuh do somepin tuh make 'im come back. Well, yo' go - yo' gotta have some kinda piece which dis man wo'. It don't make no diff'rence what - if it wus 'is coat or whut - but it must be some kinda piece which he has wo'. An' yo' takes it, see. An' yo' dresses it. Yo' dresses it wit three diff'ren' mixtures, an' yo' puts it in a place where it won't - no one partici- pates in [frequents or looks into], dat place, yo' see. An' aftah thirteen days dat individual [murderer] will show up on de scene dere. But yo' must take it an' yo' gits one of yuh, one of dese [ingredients] dat yo' dress it wit; dat ah've hear'd yo' dress it wit, is de left horn of a cow.
(The left horn?)
De left horn of a cow.
(The left horn of a cow.)
Yo' take dat an' in... [I interrupt].
(What do you do, take the whole horn?)
No, yo' jis' git some of dat. Yo' jis' take a knife an' jis' scrape, jis' scrape some of dat left horn of a cow. An' de nex' thing yo' git, yo' goes down tuh de graveyard an' yo' gits yuh some dirt - some soil. Den yo' go tuh de west enda [end of] dis individual house. Yo' mus' know where he lived at - where he lived at.
(What did you say now?)
Go tuh de west enda his house where he lived at, an' yo' dig up some soil an' yo' mix dat. Den yo' bring it back an' yo' goes an' yo' git a piece of 'is socks, an' yo' put dat in dere. An' yo' puts dis in a secret place where nobody lives an' yo' waits about thirteen or fourteen days. An' yo' go git it an' bring it out, an' sprinkle it down with salt an' watah. An' in a few days dat guy Sii show up on de scene. So ah heard.
Entry 7936
Get dey socks an' fill 'em fulla dirt, an' sulphur an' soda - furse [first] one thing anothah an' bury 'em like yo' do a person. Let it be a secret, don't let nobody see yo', an' dat person dey say will die. [Here we have an unusual combination for So few words: sock, used as a mock coffin, representing feet, to keep a person down uder your feet, and also odor, the smell of death; ordinary dirt is mock grave- yard dirt; sulphur signifies the devil or hell; and soda, its effervescence, suggest body decay. Secrecy covers everything with the added power of ritual silence.]
Entry 8300
Well, yore photograph, dey kin weah it in de hose tuh make yo' love 'em or eithah put it ovah a glass of watah, if yo' off from 'em an' draw yo' tuh 'em. (You just lay this photograph over the water?) Yes sir, turn it down ovah a glass of watah an' dat'll draw yo' tuh 'em.
Entry 9140
Say yo' kin take a pair of bran'-new socks an' one tablespoon- ful of salt an' put it in yore socks, an' dey can't give yo' a fine. Dat's one.
(You put one tablespoonful of salt in each sock, when you go before the judge.)
When yo' go befo' de jedge.
(But those socks must be new?)
Must be new.
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 9176
Yo' would git up in de mawnin' an' yo' would turn yore clothes - under- Wears - wrongside outwards, an' yo' would turn yore socks wrongside out. An' den yo' would turn to de chap- tah of Psalms, de 25th chaptah of Psalms. It reads lak dis: "Plead mah case [cause] O God, an' stand up fo' thy helpmate, an' so on lak dat chew see. An' yo'll purtty much git dismissed.
(You do that before you go down to see the judge.)
[Psalm 25 does not contain the preceding words. The nearest to them would be those opening Psalm 35: Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me. Similar words are: Plead my cause and deliver me - Psalm 119:154. The helpmate part of informant's quotation does not appear in Psalms.] Ah wuz in jail fo' murdah once, an' it wuzn't no joke 'bout me not bein' guil- ty. Had a ole man [doctor] outa Jacksonville, Fla., an' he come tuh me an' he says, "Well, ah know yo's no risk," said, "but dis chaptah right chere ah'm goin' give yo' tuh read." He say, "Only de 25th eve'y mawnin' 'fore yo' git up, 'fore yo' speak to anybody else, aftah yo' gits up, an' yo' jes' go on an' yo'll be discharged." An' he says, "De ninth mawnin', de mawnin' dat chew bein' tried, ah'll come an' tell yo' whut tuh do." So he come tuh me an' tole me whut tuh do. [I failed to ask what informant was supposed to do on the 9th day, but it was probably to chew John de Conkah root during the trial.] An' ah wuz acquitted wit'out goin' tuh a judge, or even tried. [This is one of those cases settled out of court - see Doctor Washington's amazing account, No.9024, p.3660, v.4.] Dat wuz at Greenville, Fla. An' eve'ybody else could tell yo', by jes' sayin dat. Ah've been down in co't, ah reckon ah've been prob'ly five hundred times
[an obvious hyperbole] an' dat's all ah use.
Entry 9842
(Tell me how they make a person stay at home?)
Wit dere sock. Well, take dis sock an' put chure sugah an' yore cinnamon in dis sock, an' take yo' nine needles an' nine pins an' - fold yore sock an' put [in] dem nine needles an' nine pins. An' yo' use 'em all, gotta git 'em all in dere. See, dem eighteen sticks [sticking ob- jects] gotta be in dere. An' yo' take three tacks an' nail 'em down at de front of yore do', or eithah if yo' got a fiah hearth, yo' take a brick up an' yo' lay dat brick dere. Lay it dere an' put it on top dat. An' yo'll nevah git rid of 'em. Dat'll hold 'em.
Entry 11098
Wash man's right sock and sweaty places under arms of his clothes, bottle; keep, keeps him home. [Baltimore 47:3.]
Entry 11204
You get you a sock or sompin like that, anything you wear. Take that sock, ball it together, put it with some dirt dauber nest, roll 'em together [sock sprinkled with dirt dauber is rolled up] and you put it in a jar or any kind of bucket or anything that unleaks - what won't leak. Take it to the river, throw it in the river and let it go downstream. You'll be gone!
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 12343
Tuh git a job, yo' jis' have tuh dress yo'self an' ah tell yo' jis' whut chew have tuh do. Yo' have tuh dress yo'self wit lodestone an' quicksilvah an' Jockey Club Perfume - both togethah. Ah tell yo' jis' how yo' do now. Yo' git chew a red piece of flannel aftah yo' beat it all up dere to- gethah. Git chew a red piece of flannel an' den take a thread outa yore sock. See, jis' lak yo' got a pair of socks, but let it be a pair of socks yo' done worn amn' take a thread from dat sock an' tie it aroun' dis, an' den befo' yo' go in dere, yo' know, yo' kin'a run yore han's lak dis [demonstrates]. Yo' see, yo' rub yore han' lak dis an' den when he [boss] git tuh talkin' tuh yo', yo' have tuh kinda hold yore face lak dat. An' when yo' go, yo'll kin'a throw yore fingahs lak yo' kinda throwin' yore fingahs tuh him yo' know, an' he'll git de odor of it all right. Dat Jockey Club Perfume dere. The're [there are] two chances tuh one yo' won' be turned down.
(You rub this bag in your hand?)
Dat's right.
Entry 12617
Go tuh de drugsto' an' git chew a box of new sulphur an' [new] red cayenne peppah - ground-up peppah an' yo' mix dat sulphur an' dat peppah up to- gethah, an' yo' take it an' make a little ball - jes' a little ball. An' yo' tie it in de calf of de laig - in de knee part in de sock. An' sprinkle a little bit in yore shoe an' nuthin won't go up dere - dat [crunjure] won't go up through dat dere.
(What will that do?)
Dat will keep yo' from ketchin' whut dey put down [for you to walk over].
Entry 12706
Then, if any woman that far off, from you, or anything and you wants to see them...
(You say they're far off?)
Yeah - just like - far off - well, they's got a [liquid] which they - we call The Long Long Livest Friend.
(The Long Long Livest Friend.)
Yeah. Well, you go get some of this Long Livest Friend and you take some of this Paris Ennis Oil. It ain't but 25c a bottle.
(Paris what?)
Paris Ennis Oil, and you take it and you put it inside of this bottle with some of this, which we call this here steel dust. You get steel dust and you get some of this here rock salt. And when you put it down, just anything that they ever slept on - any- thing they ever left there - socks, or old shoes, or any bedclothes they laid on, well you just take that and just every morning, you get up, just sprinkle it all over that. Take some of this sugar of lead with this rock salt...
(Sugar of what?)
Sugar of lead - yes, sir, with this rock salt, beat it and put it in the cen- ter of your bed [center of bed = quincunx]. Anywhere, they get at, their mind is rdght back where they come from.
(That's to bring - that's if you want to hear from them or bring them back.)
Yes sir. They coming back, they going to come back in - don't care, inside of chree or five days she'll be back, if there any way for 'em to get there at that time.
Entry 8564
Git de dirt from a person foot track an' yo' could put some steel dust with, an' hair from undah yore arms, an' yo' could bury it, an' yo' could keep a person down lak that. Either yo' could make 'em travel. Yo' could take a person's foot tracks an' yo' could take de steel dust, hair from undah yore arms an' dirt from undah yore fingernails. An' yo' take dis ole [anything you measure with] yo' know de length that yo' measure. Measure it [foot track] crossway an' straight up an' down, too. An' yo' could write de name [on a piece of paper or article used for measuring] an' bury it an' yo' keep 'em down. An' yo' could take a piece of their sock with that, yo' understan'.
Entry 8716
Yo' kin take a woman's stockin' or a man's sock dat dey done wore, an' yo' takes dat an' write dere name down nine times straight, jes' on a straight piece of papah [demonstrates]. (Write one and the next one after it right under the other.) Yessuh. An' yo' put it in dat sock or stockin' an' yo' fold it from yo'. An' as yo' fold it from yo', at twelve a'clock at night, yo' go somewhere where dere's a fig tree. An' yo' dig a hole undah dat fig tree an' yo' puts dat stockin' undah dat tree an' covah it up. An' when yo' covah it up [you say] "As dat stockin' melt away, dey wastes away." See, dey'll jes' dry up an' Waste away lak a person dat got some kinda disease.
(You must say those words?)
Yessuh, as yo' put de stockin'. Yo' wrap up as ah 'fore tole yo' wit de name in it. An' den when yo' put de name in dere, yo' wrap it from yo'. An' yo' find de fig tree. But it must be twelve a'clock at night. An' yo' digs a hole undah dat fig tree an' yo' buries it. An' when yo' buries it, yo' say, "Jes' lak ah put dis stockin' heah tuh rot away, dat's de way ah want de individuals tuh waste away."
(That will kill them then?)
Yessuh, an' as dat stockin' rot away, dey health be gittin' bad an' dey'll first an' last, final[ly], an' jes' die off, an' nobody will know whut dey died wit, if dey don' go find out 'bout de stockin'.
Entry 8717
Well, de socks, yo' take de man's socks but yo' don' have tuh nuse
[use] all of it if yo' don' wan' tuh. Yo' write his name down an' yo' [lay]
dose nine needles, de goldhead needles, an' yo' roll dat sock up. But chew put de cayenne peppah in dat name - de salt an' cayenne peppah in dat. An' to take an' nuse yore cross- in' yo' cross 'em up in dat. An' aftah yo' cross 'em up, yo' take dat an' yo' put it in dat sock. An' yo' roll it an' yo' take de pins an' yo' stick 'em, but evah time yo' stick 'em yo' cross dem. An' dat - dat part would make de man, if yo' want tuh keep de man at chure house, tuh always [stay there] when yo' bury. But yo' don' have tuh bury it all de time. Yo' could jis' put it ovah a joice [joist] somewhere. [Burying the sock could be a nuisance, if you wanted to get rid of the man later; but I suppose the sock could be dug up.]
Entry 9374
Den yo' kin take his socks, de left-foot socks, an' yo' kin put a hen aig in dere. Write his name on dat aig an' plant it on de no'th side of de do' an' dat'll bring 'im back.
(What do you mean by the north side of the doorstep?) Well, jes' lak de house is set- tin' dis way, on dat side [demon- strates]. (The north side of the steps.) Yessuh.
Entry 12980
Left-foot shoe and sock, ball up, nail shoe on the carbox of train and turn your back and say, "Goodbye." [Memphis 1555:1.]
Entry 13136
Yo' kin take a woman's sock, an' yo' take de left sock, an' yo' take it an' burn it. Yo' burn it in [into] de ashes an' make a powdah outa dat, an' yo' take it in a bag an sew dat bag up. An' yo' kin take dat powdah [bag] an' put it on yo'. Now, dat's goin' make her do anything yo' want her [to do] - mind yo' in any way. An' yo' kin fix it so she cain't have no man Wit dat, de same powdah. Den yo' kin, jes' lak yo' git in bed at night, yo' take dat little powdah an' dust it on her, an' she cain't have - any othah man git up on her, he'll fall.
Entry 13140
Well yo' take de socks tuh bring a man back home. Now, lak yo' got a odd square, a odd square on yore flo'. A old square on yore flo', see, lak dis square heah [square of linoleum in floor of my inteviewing room at the Patterson Hotel for Blacks where I inter- viewed in New Orleans]. All right. Well, yo' take dat sock an' yo' put both toes together an' bring dat sock in - de feet, lak ah walk in heah. Yo' see, de front of mah feet is comin' in. Well, yo' bring dat in an' put dat, an' put dat at de end, an' yo' tack dat undah dere [linoleumlundah de carpet. Dat's right. An' he will come a-hellin'. Yessuh, lak if he's away an' don' wanta come home.
Entry 13141
Take a man's sock or a woman's sock an' bury it. See, where yo' have a fireplace, take up a brick an' sprinkle sulphur an' salt on dat brick an' sprinkle sulphur an' salt on dat brick an' graveyard dirt, an' uri- nate on it fo' 9 mawnin's, an' tell it whut chew want it tuh do. If yo' want him tuh love yo', not leave yo', be right dere undah yore foot an' all, he can't do it, 'cause he's buried right dere wit dat stock- in' an' de minute he takes it up why yo' kin go. But long as hit stays down dere, why he stays dere.
(You bury that stocking right under that brick?)
Yeah, right undah dat brick. Anywhere where yo' kin git tuh it an' urinate on it fo' 9 mawnin's.
Entry 13142
Ah experienced dat. Ah've had dat done on me, take your sock and cut de heel out of it, a pair you been wearing. Get your socks and cut de heel out of both of 'em, an' take de heel and put some salt in it, snakehead or some kind of worms [to make you crawl]. And bury de heel of dat sock under de doorstep and put de other part of it [heel] over de door, over your haid. And every time you go in and out dere, you gittin' dat, and first thing you know yo' goin' way from dere. Yo' done left, you see. Your wife, she done put you outten from dere and you gone, and you won't know how you gone. And you done missed your socks and everything. You don't know nothin' at all about it or you jest...and done you dataway, but you gone - jest gone along. Don't wanta run off, but you won't never come back until you find it. And you find dat, you come back home.
(I see. Do you put one sock down there or just one piece of the sock?)
A [2] piece [2 pieces are used].
(I see.)
Entry 13143
Yo' kin take his sock to make 'im love you an' yo' stockin' an' put it [them] together. Understand? An' puts some sugah with it. An' take it out an' bury it on the side of your house, an' go out there every mawnin' an' pour your chamber lye there. Don't you under- stand? See, on that. An' you take the sock an' your stocking an' roll it together, see. Now put a red onion with it, a dime - that's to make 'im give her money - roll it together. Sew it to you an' make your wish - that's her, you see - sew it up in your mattress. That man'll give you money, give 'er roney as long as he's there.
Entry 13149
A woman can use salt and vinegar on a man's socks and sew them up into the mattress to influence him. [Washington, D. C., 813:5.]
Entry 13159
Stop up socks or stockings in bottle, throw into river or outgoing tide; "run a person away." [Elizabeth City 402:8.]
Entry 13164
She'll sign his name on a piece of parchment paper, she'll put some sugar in that sock and if she have linoleum on the floor, tack it in the front
[of the] door...she can't get rid of him. [New Orleans 1155:5.]
Entry 13195
Woman with cruel husband, doesn't want her to go anywhere. She puts a teacup of sugar in his right sock, buries where he walks over, an' you's free to go anywhere you want and he'll be pleasant for you to go. [Mobile 969:4.]
Entry 13196
Take man's right foot sock, put sugar in, stop up in bottle or jar, bury under house, he can't leave. [Memphis 1560:11.]
Entry 13209
A woman puts needles in man's sock and puts it under the doorstep so that toe points towards house - brings him back or keeps him home. [Memphis 1570:10.]
Entry 4695
Take dat little bow an' make anyone love yuh. Yuh could take dat an' put it in de toe of a sock an' take a dime an' put it in dere. An' yuh fold it dis way [demonstrates]. Yuh jis' fold it dat way an' den yuh fold de toe dat way, comin' in de house, an' den bury it up undah yore do'step, yuh undahstan', an' den take a leak on it evah mawnin'. An' ah guarantee dey won't leave yuh.
Entry 13310
Dey kin take yo' bath water - like you washes, yo' know. Dey take dat. Like dey have to have somepin from yo', dey kin take dat and take a pair of socks of yours. And dey have to throw it in de tide going out. When it comin' up it ain't no good, when it goin' back down ev'ry time it come up, you'll be all right, but when it goin' back down, yo' mind goin' jes' dataway. I see all dat happen. I see dat an' know dat's a fact.
Entry 13409
Yo' take a sock dat a man or woman worn, an' in- sert it in dat wagon wheel - jes' pull it off de axle an' set it in dat wagon wheel.
(You insert it in the hub.)
An' yo' put it back on dere an' turn de wheel backwards slowly an' he'll... yo' turn it backwards, three times backwards.
(That will send him away.)
unconfirmed interviewer-stated sending-away interpretation. Retain exact interviewer-only origin and selector; never turn it into informant agreement or fill the unfinished he’ll. These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified.
Entry 13424
There's many things you can do with your socks and there's bad things.
(Well, suppose you tell me the bad things first.)
The bad things first. Well, yo' can take a man's sock an' take, put war water in it, and write his name and perhaps a woman's name, and bury that, and it will cause them to have terrible disturbance, too. That'll make awful fuss and disturbance. Cause them to drag sick along, long as that sock is buried.
Entry 13194
They take your socks, or anything that dey wear close to you, as to perspiration, an' bur' that into a damp place, an' that will ca zhoo [cause you] to go into bad health. It will take the use from your limb. [Richmond 295:3.]
In this belief narration, socks or other clothing associated with perspiration are said to cause illness; that result remains a source claim, with the bracketed gloss retained.
Source passage
continuous interview or recording context · Source-local attribution; no resolved person identity is asserted.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
(Now, how did a person,
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
[if]
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
a person wanted, was in trouble, wanted to see Doctor Buzzard to work for him, how did he do it in the old days? How would he get to see him?)
informant · Speaker called Prophet in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
Now, nine
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
[times]
informant · Speaker called Prophet in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
out of ten thuh person was in bad trouble would be in jail. Some of thuh rel'tives would come.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
(How is that?
editorial recording or production note; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
[I ask about cassette.]
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
That can't be still...)
context only; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
editorial speaker label; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
CUBBY
contact participant · Cubby (speaker in this passage); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
Yo' got jes' about anothah minute.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
(All right, then you turn it over, flip it over then. All right. "Sorry"
context only; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
[to Prophet]
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
. Ah, now, they send somebody that's in the family. Well, how would they get to him?)
informant · Speaker called Prophet in this passage; supporting excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
At tha' time, if he figgah thuh case was worthy of 'is service.... He would tell 'em tuh bring um somethin' belong tuh this individ'al, say a shoe, sock or even a suit of clothes. An' what he did wit tha' is a secret. But ah have tried it an' ah see tha' it does work.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
(It does work.)
informant · Speaker called Prophet in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
Um hm.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
(Now, when they came to him did he ever refuse to take people, to take cases?)
informant · Speaker called Prophet in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
Um hm.
interviewer · Hyatt (interviewer); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
(He refused to take cases?)
informant · Speaker called Prophet in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
Many of 'um too small. He tole me these secrets. He says,
reported or enacted speech · Speaker called Prophet in this passage · Buzzard (as recounted by the speaker); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4623
"The po' will
reported or enacted speech · Speaker called Prophet in this passage · Buzzard (as recounted by the speaker); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4624
always be with yo'.... If yo' are goin' to woik, give all tha' choo have tuh people yo' work fo', if dey abal
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4624
[able]
reported or enacted speech · Speaker called Prophet in this passage · Buzzard (as recounted by the speaker); context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4624
to pay."
informant · Speaker called Prophet in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4624
There
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4624
[then]
informant · Speaker called Prophet in this passage; context excerpt · Vol. 5, p. 4624
they come a cast, or a case, tha' choo know thuh circumstance, was...cause this trouble, then he'p this person. If they're hungry nevah turn 'em aroun'. Now, this is the way he worked. Like ah'm sayin' tuh yo'.
Nested source context: live recording logistics · Vol. 5, p. 4623
(How is that? [I ask about cassette.] That can't be still...) CUBBY Yo' got jes' about anothah minute.
Nested source context: reported quote opens across page · Vol. 5, p. 4623
He says, "The po' will
Nested source context: reported quote closes across page · Vol. 5, p. 4624
always be with yo'.... If yo' are goin' to woik, give all tha' choo have tuh people yo' work fo', if dey abal [able] to pay."
locally coherent printed subpassage
Cubby's recording interjection is distinct from the continuing informant called Prophet; Buzzard quotation is reported speech, not a live Buzzard turn.
closed_printed_exchange_with_live_recording_interruption
Cubby’s minute-left statement is live recording logistics, not Buzzard or the Prophet speaking.
The author addresses Cubby about flipping the cassette and then returns to the Prophet; bracketed addressee notes are editorial.
He says introduces reported Buzzard words; the passage does not let us confidently extend direct quotation beyond the printed closing quote.
I tried it is a claim by the present interviewee, not a demonstrated success during the interview.
Bounded passage retrieval, not complete corpus coverage or practitioner consensus.
Read the full source context: Vol. 5, p. 4622 · Vol. 5, p. 4623 · Vol. 5, p. 4624 · Vol. 5, p. 4625
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. 1841
Yo' kin use a simple thing, whut chew would nevah think - yo' kin use some fig leaves. Take yo' some fig leaves an' write de name of de judge on dere, an' if it de Superior Court yo' goin' be tried befo', write de judge name an' dis gentleman name. Watch de papahs an' git de jury's, an' yo' put down some of de jury's names on dere.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
(How many do you use - just one leaf?)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
No suh, yo' use sev'ral leaves, yo' use twelve leaves - of dose little leaves, yo' know, suh. De whole leaf - jes' clip it off, yo' know, suh. An' den yo Write de name. Yo' see, if yo' evah noticed a fig leaf close - if yo' haven't, yo' take notice of it, suh. Or yo' might ask someone tuh bring yo' a fig leaf. Dey don't know why yo want it. Yo' look at it. It got veins jes' lak in our han' - on de sides, de veins. An' yo' write his name, write his name right in de centah. Den yo' turn roun' an' write yore name right heah, meetin' his - don't care if it go ovah it or in it. Yo' write it dat way, yore own name
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
[demonstrates]
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
(You write your name across his name, making a sort of a cross.)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
Write his name jes' lak yore veins is standin', lak mah han' is sot
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
[demon- strates]
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
. Write his name on dis one de same. Yo' notice dis fig leaf if yo' happen tuh git chew one, in de middle of it in de middle of it heah, dis middle fan is wider - it's fixed jes' lak a person's han', if yo' notice it close. Den yo' write de judge's name in heah
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
[demonstrates]
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
(On that middle thing.)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
Yes suh, on dis middle one. Den yo' write yore name, yore own name. Yo' turn it round dere. Turn it round. Let it be on somepin solid. Yo' tum it round an' den write yore name right into his'n. Ovah heah yo' write it an' yo' write it heah,
recited or prescribed formula · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
"God bless yore soul."
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
An' yo' write dose words, suh. If it's a hard case, yo' write de solictor general name an' yo' write some of de jury's name all like dat - dey draw 'em in de papah.
editorial gloss or commentary; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
[The names of these jurors are drawn and will appear in the newspaper.]
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
Yo' bound tuh ketch some of 'em an' yo' kin make a mistrial. An' yo' write it dat way an' den aftahwards, den yo' turn around an' yo' write jes' a reg'lar little prayah,
recited or prescribed formula · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
"In de Name of God de Father, Mr. So-an'- So."
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
An' yo' call de judge an' yo' write him anywhere's dere, an' yo' done got him, he'll bind to yo', says,
recited or prescribed formula · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
"In de Name of God de Father, God de Son,"
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
jes' on his name,
recited or prescribed formula · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
"God de Holy Spirit, be favorable wit me. Loose de man an' let him go. Ohl Oh! Oh! Let me go back home."
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
Write dat, write it wit ink. Yes suh, wit ink or a indelible pencil. Says,
recited or prescribed formula · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
"Home - home - home - back home."
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
If dat judge don't be favorable wit yo', den yo've nevah seen a dead boy in yore life.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
(What do you do with that leaf after you write those names on it?)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1841
Well, yo' write 'em all ovah it an' den yo' turn round dere an' den yo' write de name on one of de leaf of de twelve disciples. Yo' write dose on dat fig
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; supporting excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1842
leaf - write dere name on 'em outa de twelve leaves. Yo' write de twelve dis- ciples on one leaf, one large leaf. When yo' done write 'em all, den yo' fold 'em in careful. Dat's a leaf dat dries fast. Yo' take dose an' yo' put 'em in de foot of yore shoe. An' yo' strip yore sock down - start from yore toe an slip dem in dere. It be about dat high but dey'll go down, but dey'll go down. Dere nuthin tuh hurt chure feet.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1842
(You take these two fig leaves - one like that - and you put those together and put them in your shoe. Or do you put one in your shoe?)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1842
De whole thing, suh - yo' have twelve fig leaves.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1842
(You have twelve fig leaves?)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; supporting excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1842
Yes suh, but yo' write de judge's - start him in de center as ah said an' den aftahwards yo' write de name of de twelve disciples. Yo' use twelve leaves. An' yo' take dose leaves an' pack 'em right on top of each othah an' den aftah yo' pack 'em on top of each othah den yo' kind of fold 'em in lak yo' figure undah yore feet. Den yo' take de sock an' put it on. Be careful. Den yo' git chure sock about long to heah, toward de hollah of de feet, den yo' slide dose leaves down in de sock undah yore feet an' pull de sock on up. Fix yore sock an' yore shoe. Go on tuh co't.
interviewer · Interviewer; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1842
(Then the judge will dismiss your case?)
informant · Current unnamed interviewee; context excerpt · Vol. 2, p. 1842
Yes suh.
Nested source context: interviewer hypothesis and informant correction · Vol. 2, p. 1842
(You take these two fig leaves - one like that - and you put those together and put them in your shoe. Or do you put one in your shoe?) De whole thing, suh - yo' have twelve fig leaves. (You have twelve fig leaves?) Yes suh, but yo' write de judge's
locally coherent printed subpassage
This printed instruction exchange preserves the interviewer’s two-leaf suggestion and the speaker’s twelve-leaf correction.
Twelve leaves versus two is a question-and-answer correction, not two equally asserted recipes.
Quoted prayer words are proposed written or uttered text within the interviewee’s turn.
The final dismissal is an elicited claimed result, not evidence of an actual adjudicated court case.
Bounded passage retrieval, not complete corpus coverage or practitioner consensus.
Read the full source context: Vol. 2, p. 1840 · Vol. 2, p. 1841 · Vol. 2, p. 1842 · Vol. 2, p. 1843 · Vol. 2, page image